Inferno Legacy: Loyalty of the Dragon (Book Two)

Chapter 1

            The first golden rays of dawn shone gently on the silvery-grey stone lining the walls of a large cavern. The light failed reach the end of the cave, which was filled with deep, dark shadows. On one side of the cavern a man laid, still sleeping through the glaring light. A moment later, he let out a moan and turned away from the light, his jet-black hair falling into his face.

            In the back of the cavern he heard a loud breath, closely resembling a growl but much deeper. He slowly sat up and opened his eyes, his liquid blue gaze scouring the cave for the source of the noise. His bare legs and arms were covered in raw, half-healed wounds that made him wince as he moved. A long dark line moved across the floor, making a small scraping noise before disappearing into the gloom.

            In the black, there came another scraping noise, followed by a loud growling. Two blue eyes gazed at him from the shadows. A large paw cloaked in thick black scales emerged from the darkness, four sharp white talons sticking from it. Slowly the eyes came closer and out into the light, revealing a long head about a yard long with two large horns sticking out from its head, curling forward slightly. It slowly left the shadows and the long scaly body towered over the man, the dragon being twice his height at the shoulder.

            “Good morning Inferno,” the man said to the dragon with his thoughts.

            The dragon lowered his head and nuzzled the man affectionately. “Good morning Cody. How are your wounds?”

            The rider looked at his arms and legs and shrugged, replying, “They still hurt a bit, but I’m feeling much better.”

            About two weeks earlier Cody had been kidnapped and dragged for miles in bare feet while a wolf dragged him along by his arms. By the time he had reached his cell he was left with wounds that bled heavily. He could have died if he wasn’t saved soon after by his dragon and several people that he had been traveling with before then.

            “Are you sure you’re alright?” Inferno whimpered.

            “It feels like little more than a scrape. In a few days I’ll be ready to battle a horde of skeletars.”

            The black dragon let out a rumbling growl of laughter. Skeletars were the skeletons of animals that died long ago, but certain magicians could summon them to do their will. Cody had found himself fighting one such magician and nearly getting himself killed because of it. He doubted he could fight even a single skeletar even without his wounds, but he was feeling almost completely better. He had spent the past two weeks exploring his new home, the Hidden Mountain Pass, also called Mrana Akano Furista.

            “Where should we go today?” the dragon asked as he yawned again.

            Cody thought for a minute before answering, “We’ve only explored the caves since we’ve been here, and we’ve seen nothing of our friends the entire time.”

            “Where are Autumn and Micah? I’m sure Omen and Avalsmokes wouldn’t let her live without them.”

            Cody nodded, answering, “I don’t know where they would be, but you’re right. Perhaps we should ask Heyrone and Argos?”

            Aval, Omen, and Autumn were people that Cody had grown up with his entire life, Avalsmokes and Autumn being twins about his age. Micah was Autumn’s dragon, and Argos and Heyrone were an ancient dragon and rider that Cody had only met recently when he came to Mrana Akano Furista. Cody looked up and saw that the dragon seemed to agree with his plan.