The last of the Dragons-Set 2

262

The Next Morning

We had slept amongst the remains of those who had fought the and died the day before, which presented us with a feeling of great unease, knowing that we had rested on the graves of so many. 

The sun was slowly reclaiming the sky for itself as the moon and its stars retreated, the only reminder of the cool night was the brisk wind that brushed through my hair and across my skin as I stretched, cracking my joints. Doron had yet to wake with me, but Amy and Tahli both had, along with their own two dragons. Without a word, the three of us walked to the shore, stopping just shy of the waves as they washed up on the sandy shore. I Closed my heavy eyes and took a deep breath of pleasure as the cold ocean water washed between my toes, all the while the sounds of the sea, coupled with the distant squawking of sea birds was oddly soothing to my ears. Even with the sounds of the sea however, the sight of the rising sun against the thick clouds remained unmatched.

"Are we really going to fly out to sea?" Amy asked softly, taking care not to interrupt the calming sounds of the early morning.

I slowly turned my head to her, and nodded lightly.

"Yes... We must. We have no choice. Should we stay here, we only leave our homeland open to another war that will bring needless death. Even the death of the last living dragon will be worth the ensured safety of our future generations, though I don't believe that any dragon will fall." I replied.

Tahli chuckled.

"So, when do we leave?" She asked.

"When Bailey wakes up, we'll gather our things, and leave. I'd like to get across before my child is born, though the odds of that happening are slim. The sooner we leave, the closer my child will be to safety upon its birth." I said.

"If i'm honest with you, the safest place for you and your child is either here, or on one of the islands we will pass over on the way there." Tahli replied.

I pondered for a moment.

"All our lives, we've been struggling, and fighting. The only time that we ever truly experienced happiness and calm was during the four years after the kings defeat, before the Rusino's showed themselves on our land. During those four years, I felt such a strong sense of peace, that I nearly forgot what sadness felt like. To me, our lives are worth giving that to our future generations. That, is why we must go and continue this fight. While me and my child may be safe and better off remaining here, it would be selfish. And you both know that." I said.

Tahli gave me a displeased look.

"And what will you do when your child either grows up surrounded by war like you did, or dies before he or she can develop any memories worth holding on to?" Tahli asked in reply.

I shrugged my shoulders, lacking an intelligible response. I lightly patted my belly, knowing my own child was growing within me. I had tried to fight off the urge to fight, in order to ensure the safety of my child, but the need to protect the people was far to great to push away.

"Guys?!" Bailey shouted as she ran out from under Magar's wing.

The three of us turned to see her stumbling towards us, still half asleep.

"Sleep well?" I asked jokingly as I caught her a moment before she tripped and fell.

"As well as I could." She said as she rubbed her eyes, which were a light shade of red.

For a moment, the two of us said nothing as I looked over Bailey's shoulder, staring at the once active battle field. The notion that so many had died fighting for us, only for us to leave them to fend for themselves in order to pursue our enemies on their own land was not a pleasant one to behold. We all knew that it was a risk, but we felt as though there was no other option.

"Are you ready to get going?" I asked as I brushed my hand across her cheek.

She nodded hesitantly.

"Yes, but I'm not excited about it." She replied.

I sighed.

"Neither are we. But we all know that it's our best chance to keep what remain of our people safe. We have the power of dragons. This is a power that no other person in the world has. It's our duty to use it." I replied.

She smiled slightly as she put her bow over her neck, before looking back at Magar as she prodded Doron, trying to wake him.

"Go to her. We have no time to waste. Our home land is safe, for now." I said.

I turned to Amy and Tahli and motioned for them to rendezvous with their two dragons before turning towards Doron. I walked up to him, approaching from the front. He stared down at me, knowing that today was a memorable day, and would perhaps be the last day he would set to the sky over the land in which he was born. I mounted the dragon, but remained silent. No command was needed. The black dragon called to his family on either side of him, before starting into a run as he flapped his powerful wings. The downward thrust from his wings blew bodies left from the fighting aside with great ease as his feet left the ground, potentially for the last time. As we rose into the sky, I looked back at the land from which we had come, knowing that it very well could have been the last time that I would see it. My gaze was broken however, when Ragon flew over Doron's back, with May trailing close behind him as Magar and Veracon flew under him side by side. I turned my gaze back out in front of the black dragon, seeing nothing but clouds, the rising sun, and the open ocean that stretched out to the horizon.