The Darkest Dragons

CHP. 21 "The Water's Sweet Kiss"

Abelard's P.O.V

We had only flown for about 30 minutes when I realized, "How long can we fly like this? Isn't the ocean huge?" We all looked at each other and Caleb spoke up, "If that dragon that kidnapped you can do it, can't we?" I shrugged, "I'm pretty sure that the older dragons get the better their endurance get's right?" We continued flying in silence and Arian rumbled, "It will be okay Abelard, if we need to stop we can, we can wade in the water or find ocean dragons." I nodded patting Arian on the shoulder. I found it to be pretty boring as we flew, nothing to do and nothing to look at except the ocean spanning from one horizon to the other, all around us. I hated flying when there was nothing cool to look at or if we weren't flying to race or to bug the guards. I slightly smiled at the idea, before we were captured we used to fly around at night after sneaking out and practice being completely silent. It usually worked and the guards were on high alert all night every night. In retrospect, it actually helped them be better guards. There was a point where they started to pick up on things and find us before we could scare them, we made a game out of it. Arian purred at my thoughts and I continued to think of when we were younger. I remember us waking up before mom and dad and we went down to the kitchen and all our dragons were eating their bacon, which Aradace got them all addicted to. I think it's unhealthy to feed them the amount of bacon the consume in one week but we kept them well worked. We had told the kitchen that on my moms birthday they make her a stack of pancakes in the shape of dragon eggs. We also made sure that dad got his favorite breakfast on his birthday too. we came up with the heart pancakes a while before being kidnapped, we wanted to thank mom for putting up with all of our antics. I really hoped they remembered. I thought of aunt Alita and Uncle Bale, they would've had their baby by now, I hoped we could babysit and play with it. I looked over at Caleb, gosh it must've been hard growing up with Stryker terrorizing them. I really am glad he's changed but why? Why did he change? Is it just because he likes Raine or something worse? I shook my head, I have to remember it was his dragon that made him bad, his dragon.. I looked up at the clouds, we were pretty close to them. I sighed and looked around and found the satchel on Arian's left side. I opened it and found the whole sorcerers stone still there. My eyes widened as I took it out. It was very smooth but seemed to have a lot of faces making it look hard and multi-sided. I smiled and ran a hand over it. Suddenly I was having visions, a girl, unrecognizable holding a golden crown which glowed. I could hear voices but I couldn't make any out. Suddenly she put it on and time seemed to stand still, no sound at all, a muted world just filled with gold. Suddenly she screamed. I couldn't hear it but I could feel it, as if it came from my own chest. It sucked the air out of me and I gasped. I felt a burning feeling, it was coming from behind my eyes the longer I looked at her. Finally, I heard the words, "The earth will burn white unless the golden child destined to wear the Crown of Dragon Souls learns what she must do, only once she becomes one with her mind. will the path be made clear." Then everything disappeared. I was thrown, literally, back into the conscious world and I flew from Arian's back at the force. Arian let out a startled, high pitched and short, roar and everyone turned in alarm. I couldn't get full use of my body and I hit the water hard, it was like hitting stone. I would've gasped or screamed if the air hadn't've been knocked completely out of my lungs. Unfortunately my body decided it needed air back and I took in a huge lungful of water. Almost instantly my vision swam and black started to encroach behind my eyes as I clutched at my throat and shut my mouth. I screamed into the water and then I was hit by an unknown force, probably a dragon. I was lifted out of the water and onto the back of a dragon. I could see distant and blurry faces but I didn't recognize them. I was delirious. I felt my chest, they seemed to be beating on it. I groaned and suddenly they hit something and my stomach and lungs convulsed and I coughed up the awful sea water. I retched off the side of the dragon, trying not to get any on him and gasped for breath. I coughed continuously, which felt like trying to hack up a knife, for what seemed like hours until my lungs got a hold of themselves and I was able to breathe raggedly but regularly. Then I passed out. The words came back to me and kept repeating in my head, it was just a whisper but it steadily grew louder. I tried to look around but there was nothing, only darkness. I tried screaming but no sound left my mouth. The words soon became unbearable and so extremely loud in my ears. I gave one more lurch before my eyes flew open. I saw black for a moment and I thought I was still dreaming but soon stars started to appear and I realized it was just nighttime. I didn't move for a while, just stared up at the stars trying to calm my racing heart. Words suddenly came to my ears and I turned to see we had landed somewhere, surprisingly. I saw Raine and Jordan talking to Caleb, they were talking about me I think. "He hasn't woken up yet, do you think he got hurt other than almost drowning?" Raine shook her head, "I don't feel any pain though... I did when he was drowning but now I just feel tired." Caleb rung his hands together, gosh it's a good thing I had learned how to get water out of someone's lungs. Do you think I hurt him though? Are you absolutely 100% sure I did not hurt him?" Raine chuckled, "Yes Caleb. Just- thank you for saving him. I feel awful for panicking." Jordan put an arm around her, "It'll be okay, I am sure he will forgive him. At least we found land." They nodded and Caleb said, "I am going to check on him." I sat up a little bit, propping myself up on my elbows, "There's no need." I was a little shocked by how raspy and deep my voice sounded but they all turned to look at me and Caleb gasped and came over hugging me to his chest. I let him for a while, he didn't squeeze which I am glad for and he just held me, caressing my hair. "Gosh Abelard, you scared me. Scared us! Why did you fall?" I pulled away and Rain grabbed my hand. I went to say something but my voice cracked and I couldn't make any words. Jordan gave me a little skin of water and I nodded to him before drinking enough to sate my dry throat. I cleared my throat, "I don't understand what-" My eyes widened suddenly, the stone! I looked around and patted the area around me. I scrambled to my feet and over to Arian. I grabbed the satchel and ignored the inquiring voices. No stone. I looked at them horrified, "Did you get the stone?!" Caleb nodded, "Yeah, you had it clutched in your hands, you were squeezing it so hard you cracked it a little, don't worry though, not enough to break it. It's right here." I sighed and sunk to my knees with relief. Caleb gave a startled cry and came over and let me lean against him. It took a lot of energy just then to freak out like I had. I was more tired and waterlogged than I thought. "I-I'm okay C-Caleb, thanks... I am j-just tired." He nodded picking me up and brought me over to the fire and I closed my eyes at the heat. Raine came over with wide worried eyes and I said, "I-I'm sorry.. I got bored a-and found the s-stone and when I w-was inspecting it I started t-to have these... these visions. It was a girl." I stopped to cough and when I got control of myself I cleared my throat to continued, more stronger, "She was holding a golden crown and- and it was glowing golden. She put it on and then.. and then she screamed. I couldn't hear it though. Everything was so so quiet. I could feel the scream though as If I had been the one screaming. Then I heard these words, The earth will burn white unless the golden child destined to wear the Crown of Dragon Souls learns what she must do, only once she becomes one with her mind will the path be made clear." Once that was said I was literally thrown out of the dream or vision thing and thrown right off of Arian!" I coughed a few more times and took a short swig of water. "I hit the water really hard and it hurt so bad.. I took in a lot of water but someone got it out." I turned to Caleb with a smile and he looked at me gently. "I passed out I think after that I don't know what happened but the voice kept screaming the words, it was so loud I felt my ears bleeding." Raine looked shocked and Jordan mirrored her face. Caleb looked concerned, "What could that mean?" I shrugged... "The glowing part reminded me of..." I looked to Raine and Caleb finished, "Raine's golden glow." She looked uncertain before her eyes widened, "But does that mean the crown part is talking about me?" We looked at Raine in surprise but I shrugged, "I am really not sure...We can talk to Mom and dad-" I abruptly stopped, the though of actually asking mom and dad about something like this was terrifying and sounding like the most amazing thing at the same time. I smiled, "Yeah, we can talk to them when we get home." I felt tears well up in my eyes at the thought and Caleb tightened his grip on me, "Don't worry about it then, It'll all be okay in the end!" I smiled, "yeah, it will be."