World of Dragon Riders: Book One

Chapter 10 - Kidnapped

Ryan was the first to wake to the sound of the loud thumping of footsteps. He bolted upright, and regretted it when his head smashed into the ceiling. The footsteps stopped for a few seconds, presumably because it may have known Ryan woke up... but it continued after only a few seconds, so the pause was brief. It was early morning, clues of sunrise only visible due to the streak of orange on the horizon past the mountains. He huddled into his blankets, shivering in fear ('Why isn't anyone else awake?' He wondered). He could hear his heart thumping hard in his chest, the blood in his ears starting to roar with the fear he felt. The footsteps didn't seem to be coming closer, more like leading away. So Ryan did something 'Lance-like' and just jumped out of the bed without thinking, landing with a muffled thump on the wooden floorboards. Trying to sneak out the door without creaking a floorboard was a bit of a challenge, he made Lance stir but he didn't wake. Once Ryan was out the door, the footsteps stopped... Ryan couldn't hear anything, aside from his own breathing and beating heart. Then he turned around and saw someone standing at the end of the hallway, and they saw HIM. He just stood there, staring at it... it was definitely HUMAN, not dragon nor animality. But he saw SOMETHING on their back... a backpack? Ryan took a step forward, but the figure bolted down to the other end before Ryan could even twitch an ear.

"HEY! Wait!" He yowled, and went after the figure, missing something as it fell to the ground.

———————

Everyone woke up on the spot (by everyone I mean the only the dragons, the team sleep like rocks) at the sound of Ryan's shouting. Fireworks burst inside the house only to see his Rider's tail turn the corner and out the front door in a flash of moonlit red. Narrowly avoiding a crash with Sky and Yin, he leapt into the early morning sky and went over the front of the house and went after Ryan. The other dragons went after him, Sparktail stayed to try and wake the other Riders. Summer was already awake, she too had seen the mystery figure in the hall, and was hiding in Soren's cupboard. She leapt out at the whoosh of dragon wings overhead, so did Lance.

"Was happenin'? Wha' time is it? Duststorm you-" he sees Sparktail instead, and Summer rushes to the window. There is stiring in the bed below, and Lance leans fully over the bunk railing to look at Soren and Bridgette... sleeping apart (Bridgette was literally splayed all over, Soren looked like he was about to fall off the bed).
Summer meanwhile opened the window for Sparktail to lean her head in.

"Sparktail, what's the matter? Did something happen?"

"Yeah, better be worth waking me up for it! I need sleep or, as Soren says, I'm a pain in the behind because I'm terribly annoyed and sleepy." Lance says, stretching. Summer facepalms herself.

"No that has nothing to DO with it! Ryan's gone you ninny! The other dragons went after him, and he was chasing something... or someONE that got into the house!" Sparktail hissed, a hint of sleepiness in her eyes. "We gotta go after 'em! Wake those two up, for sparks sake!" Lance gave her a salute, which he did a lot, and upended himself again, grabbed the railing, had his back to Sparktail, and swang under his bunk and let go so he'd land on both Bridgette and Soren at the same time. They woke with a loud 'OWWWW' of pain, followed by Soren groaning and Bridgette getting up and on the spot punched Lance in stomach.

"Woah easy! In my defense, Sparktail told me to wake you guys up!" Lance says, wheezing in pain. Bridgette doesn't look convinced, but Soren stops her from doing something stupid again.

"Ryan's gone missing, the other dragons flew after him, Sparktail told me to wake you guys, let's go!" He says, rolling over backwards, crushing Soren in the process (he yowled in pain) and fell on the floor and jumped up like nothing happened.

Summer undid some window screws so that more of the window could open up to allow a dragon into the room. Sparktail didn't enter, she just adjusted herself so that Summer and the others could jump on (cause apparently Soren stayed on the second floor they had. Do remember the houses in the Base are magical).

"Hurry up you guys! Don't BOTHER about CHANGING! We gotta fox to catch!" Lance shouted, ready for the chase. Soren and Bridgette fumbled out of bed in a hurry, tripping and getting tangled in the blankets and sheets, and they waited to jump out the window and onto Sparktail's back. Lance quickly followed Summer's lead, Soren waited for Bridgette to go first and he leapt out the window just as Sparktail began to rise further off the ground.

"Everyone's onboard, let's go after the dragons!"

———————

Fortunately Fireworks had gone with the other dragons, so they were easily able to track the group down. Some of the other house lights were on, some of the inhabitants had woke up and opened windows trying to see what the commotion was about. Sparktail was weighed down by the more passengers on her back than she was used to, that and Fireworks was frantic and faster than normal so she couldn't easily catch up.

Then they heard Ryan scream.

———————

Ryan was running so fast after the figure, he didn't bother to notice the people he ran past (one such person was his father and Vixen outside their house). He kept a constant check on his location, but the figure kept gaining distance away from him.

"Stop! Wait one moment!" He kept crying out after them. He was losing steam, but the figure made a wrong turn into a dead end, Ryan knew that and he skidded to a stop at the turn. The figure was barely visible, his night-vision was what enabled him to see... something definitely not normal on their back. "Hello?" Ryan slowly came closer, hands near raised a little... he wasn't trying to sneak up on them.

He was downwind, his scent towards whoever they were. However he did feel the wind change, he was soon going to be able to 'scent' the figure... and it wasn't normal. Whoever it was, was NOT human like Ryan thought. That's when he saw the wings, long, huge, feathered wings. Ryan was within a lunging range of them when he saw them and froze, he smelt fear... undoubtedly it was his own.

"Hello-" they were gone in a flash, a single feather drifting to the floor. Ryan went to it and picked it up. Moonlight lit it up a little, it seemed... RED in colour, with black-brown stripes like a kestrel. He turns... and the person hadn't left, they just went OVER and behind Ryan... and he grabs Ryan. He screams in fear and in an act of defiance.

Then they both disappear as Fireworks turns the corner with Alex and Vixen.
"RYAN!"

———————

The screams made the whole area of houses light up, people rushed out, dragons took to the sky in surprise, and the Sparktail and the other Riders arrived at the scene to find the rest of the dragons and Alex and Vixen... both were frantic and yelling. Soren leapt off first and ran straight to them.

"What happened?! What was that scream?!" He looks around, and sees Fireworks huddled in a ball... crying. So he turns attention to the weeping fire dragon. "Fireworks, are you alright? Wh-where's Ryan... oh NO." Soren gasps, realizing that the scream mean't something happened to Ryan. Fireworks starts shuddering and shaking, tears and whimpers emphasising. "Fireworks, Fireworks hey listen to me buddy." Soren tries to reassure him, looking over at the rest of Team. More Riders have shown up, including Headmaster. "Fireworks it's okay! Maybe it wasn't Ryan, even if it was I'm sure he's fine right? Can you sense his essence?" Fireworks nodded. "See. He's ALRIGHT. Don't you worry, we'll find him."

"Are you sure Soren? He's nowhere near us right now! Whoever took him might be magical, Dark Rider for all we know!" He wailed, quite loudly. "He could be GONE!"

"He ISN'T Fireworks! I promise! I promise Ryan will be alright when we find him, okay? How about we comfort his dad and sister- oh shoooot. Amy showed up... and the twin brothers of Ryan's too..." one such brother, the elder one, rushed over when he saw Fireworks crying there in the ground.

"Fireworks are you alright?" He asked. (This twin is Alex by the way)

"Young Fireworks, are you alright?" Headmaster and his dragon came over. As did several of the other Riders in Ryan's class who were there. "Fireworks-"

"THEY TOOK RYAN! HE WAS KIDNAPPED AND HE'S GONE!"

———————

As soon as morning came, the Headmaster called everyone together to report the kidnapping and the news.

"Last night, one of our own was kidnapped. Beginner Rider, Ryan Sullivan, was captured by an unknown entity. I say unknown for the evidence left at the scene was NOT of any species known to Kelekonia... anything supposed to be around anymore at least." The crowd murmured. There was no way there was a species in Kelekonia that they wouldn't know about. "The only evidence to who was the culprit was a single, red feather... like that of a kestrel bird in colour and shape, a flight feather. Yet this is NOT a bird's feather, nor dragon. It's too big to be a bird, too small to be dragon, and many dragon species have different feathers but this is NO dragon, not even a dragonet could own this one."

"Headmaster, was there any witnesses? Anyone who saw ANYTHING?!" someone shouted from the crowd. Since Ryan's Team was on the stage, Soren could tell it was Riley, the youngest of Ryan's older siblings.

"We have only one. His team-mate Summer, would you like to explain what you saw before the kidnapping occurred?"

She nodded, and stood up at the speaker. Several people murmured, but were shushed by their neighbors.
"Last night, someone was inside the Team's House." Said members were horrified, even the dragons, as they had no CLUE there WAS an invader. "They didn't go near the bedrooms and most definitely near the dragons, but I was able to see them... they were human-like in appearance, I could tell that much. They saw me and seemed to go after me so I hid... it wasn't long before I heard Ryan shout and go after whoever they were. And they were too fast for me too see them as soon as they'd ran past and out the house."

"Thank you Summer." Summer nodded in thanks to the Headmaster. Ryan's Team looked horrified, by the Team I mean Soren, Bridgette and Lance... mostly the first two. Senior and Elite Riders and Dragons looked distressed and terrified, dwarves and elves looked pale and panicked, younger dragons, Riders, and citizens were confused. "As the evidence leads me to believe, and thanks to Summer's eyewitness report... there can only be ONE species who'd have been able to have done this..."

"AVIANS!" Someone shouted. From the older and/or mythical members of the crowd, there were panicked shrieks, gasps, and hurried talking. "AVIANS ARE EXTINCT! THEY SHOULD EXIST ANYMORE!"

"What's an avian?" Another, younger member asked. Headmaster looked around at the gathered crowd, the Team behind him... and cleared his throat to begin. He beckoned Yin up front, to help show something with her magic. She formed a picture from a book on the spot... dragons in the sky with winged humans.

"Generations ago, there existed a species that were human... but had one things no human could ever have... bird wings. The Avian Race was one of the most advanced and complex species in Kelekonia... and also the most dangerous." The scene changed to a flock of avians, wielding spears, tridents, bow and arrows, magic staffs, the lot... against a small group of dragons. "Being the ONLY advanced humanoid species able to fly, the Avian race had the power to rival and combat the mighty dragons... Avians and Dragons never got along. They were always at war." Yin made the scene form into a shifting, animated display of a fight between Avians and Dragons. "The Avian v.s. Dragon War was always getting other species in the crossfire, as Dragons needed Riders to unlock their full power... and were sometimes defenseless against their Avian enemies."

"Avians were the only TRUE rivals against the Dragons for rule and dominance over the sky, in the History of Kelekonia." Yin began. "Since Dragons, as Headmaster said, need Riders to unlock their potential... Avians had the upper hand for a LONG time. They didn't need such a thing, they couldn't bond with a dragon, nor would they want to, they had magic and weapons. And being as a diverse species as dragons, each avian had different abilities belonging to a certain BIRD species... you could tell which by their wings." Yin displayed several images of flying avians, each ones wings were very different. "Avians hunted the dragons to near EXTINCTION by the end of the war... but something happened... something NO one in Kelekonia expected would happen..." she handed it over to the Headmaster.

"The evolution of the animalities." The crowd gasped, several people spinning to look at confused or surprised animalities. "The youngest species in Kelekonia began to evolve into existance during the War. They became the force that brought down the Avians. Soon enough, it was the Avian Race that was extinct, and the Dragons were saved... and given rule and dominace of the skies." Headmaster said, Yin creating images to match his words. "The Avian Race is an ancient race once thought extinct... and if there's even ONE..." Yin's image changed again to one avian, then several more faded into view behind it. "There could be an entire FLOCK." The crowds looked at each other, confused and worried.

"What should we do Headmaster?"

"We have the Dark Riders to deal with! Now there's the threat of Avians?!"

"Headmaster, what about the child?"

"Since his captor is most LIKELY avian, we have no choice but to find him and hope his captor or captors are NOT avian. Otherwise we may face a possible uprising of their kind, seeking revenge on the species that drove them to near extinction. The animality population HAS been going down in recent years, but that has happened before but they always came back." The Headmaster beckons some Animality Riders to the front, Alexander, Vixen?!, Shaun, Riley included. "We will send out a Team of Riders to FIND Ryan immediately! In the meanwhile I need EVERYONE to prepare for the worst possible case scenarios! Citizens, prepare to defend and bunker down your homes. Riders stay here and we will discuss what we will do! Dismissed!"

———————

The Headmaster had a 'scary serious' face on... he took the kidnapping serious for the risk of something happening to the Riders and the safety of their dragon partners. He also knew something quite dangerously important.

"Alright Dragon Riders! This is the Plan! Beginner to Senior Riders are to remain here at Base with some Elites while the Rescue Squad search for the possible Avian threat and their hostage. Who knows why they caught Ryan, or why they snuck into HIS house. For the Riders who want to join the Rescue Squad but are under circumstance I make CLEAR are not allowed too... you must remember we do NOT know anything about these captors, and there is still the Threat of the Dark Riders to face. It in itself protecting the innocents of the Rebellion is a noble deed, and we may not even return from this rescue."

"Headmaster, may I ask you a question, after the debriefing?" Soren came up to him, quite confident but obviously nervous.

"Of course Soren." Satisfied, he left to stand beside his Team... and Fireworks. "Now as for the Riders going with me-" there was uproar from everyone, but he silenced it with a hand raise. "I know I am Leader of this Rebellion, but Ryan is as IMPORTANT a member of the Rebellion as everyone, including I, is. As you may know, his father, older sister and older brother are Elite Class Riders, I show no favourites but someone related to so many Elites is bound to be an important target for our enemies." Soren could tell he's hiding something.

"But Headmaster..." he says, stepping forward yet again. Everyone's eyes turned to him. He doesn't drop his posture and maintains his tone. "If you are to search for Ryan... who will stay here and lead the Rebellion?" Everyone nods and murmurs, looking at their beloved Leader worried. He smiled at Soren, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Do not worry child. Do not worry EVERYONE... for I have chosen a Leader for the Rebellion while I search for the boy." Everyone seems interested, and the Headmaster lets them guess and talk amongst themselves about who it may be. "Would anyone like to guess?"

"An Elite Rider?"

"A Senior Elite?"

"The Vice Principal Rider of the School?" That was a popular choice, but the Vice Principal shook their head, as if the Headmaster already told them who was too take his place in his absence.

"No, it is not the Vice Principal of Dragon Rider Academy... it is an Elite however... yet not one you'd expect." That stirred up confusion, especially in Elites. "The Rider and Dragon I have chosen to take my place is an infamous one, not his Team's Leader, a loving parent and brother..." so they were obviously a male Rider and Dragon duo. "He has fought many battles, lost people he cared about... and though he is not going to be happy I chose him to replace me in this time of need, my reasoning for choosing him is that I see so much potential for greatness inside him. Alexander Sullivan will be taking my place as Leader of the Rebellion!" There was an almighty cheer, from people who looked up to Ryan's father and from his own Team and comrades. The said Rider in question was absolutely horrified, as were his two children beside him and his kwn dragon. Before he could speak in defiance, the Headmaster said something telepathic, and he shut up. "As for the Search and Rescue Team itself. It will be comprised of the following...
Victoria and Riley Sullivan, with their dragons Maya and Echo. (Said Riders were indeed surprised they were to go with. Alex gave the Headmaster a death-stare.)
Audrey Hunter and her dragon Sage.
Amber Oaks and her dragon Mistclaw.
Jayden Williams and his dragon Sheridan.
And you may get annoyed, possibly horrified... but for the last four:
Summer Roberts and her dragon Sparktail.
Lance Wildclaw and his Dragon Duststorm.
Bridgette Wildclaw and her dragon Yin, and finally
Soren Alexander and his dragon Sky."

There was a lot of uproar, Soren's Class was horrified and surprised at the same time. Alex looked at the Headmaster with quite a lot of annoyance and hatred... no, Soren noticed it was betrayal. Headmaster looked at him with apology and sorrow, but Alex looked away.
"Everyone is dismissed! All Riders staying must prepare for guard, scout, supply gathering and all necessary duties that must be carried out. All Riders in the Search Party must prepare to leave as soon as possible. Alex and Soren, you both wished to speak with me." He says, beckoning both Riders and Dragons to follow him. Alex followed him with a scowl, Soren knew why. Alex wanted to go find his son, and the Headmaster not only made him stay at the Rebel Base... but made him LEADER of it... the immense betrayal didn't seem that weird. Both Soren and Alex followed him to his office... the first was absolutely terrified.

———————

"Alexander Sullivan, I understand you wish to save your son but understand-"

"UNDERSTAND WHAT OLD MAN?! NOT ONLY DO YOU MAKE ME STAY HERE AND SEND RYAN'S OLDER SIBLINGS OUT TO RESCUE HIM... YOU MAKE ME THE REBELLION'S LEADER?! WHY?!" When the last part came out, his voice seemed to crack. Soren was inside the Headmaster's office, alone with a very angry Alex and the Headmaster... Sky was not with him, nor was she nearby.

"Alex PLEASE listen to me! You heard the crowd, they support the idea. As much as they are SHOCKED, they will support you to be their Leader! Even if that is not the case you REALIZE I'm doing this for your OWN good!" Headmaster yelled, his voice raising and breaking too. Soren felt faint.

"FOR MY OWN GOOD?! WHAT ON KELEKONIA MAKES YOU SAY THAT?!"

"BECAUSE THE LEAD FAMILY IN THE DEFEAT OF THE AVIANS WAS YOUR OWN!" that caught both Alex and Soren off guard. "Fox Animalities are the most common, back then the red variety was limited to ONE family... YOURS. The Sullivan Animalities were the LEADERS of the existing population that brought the Avians to their KNEES! I believe the kidnapping was deliberate Alex, they MEANT to take Ryan! If YOU go, it could make things WORSE for HIM, and the REST of your FAMILY! They want revenge!" The Headmaster had a familiar tone that Soren recognized as... a fatherly voice.

Now Soren was confused. And Alex... well he too was confused, yet utterly terrified and aware of that fear.