The Dragon King

Barney's POV - The Market

The town of Shamrey was below us. Nodding to Adam, we circled and landed in the clearing to the side.

I mindlinked Arctic:

I will be back in a minute Arctic,

Okay. Be careful, we are meant to be incognito.

I know. Make sure Furnace knows though.

I doubt you need to worry about that. He has already told me that he thinks Electra might prefer Striker to him. That's all he -seems to be thinking about.

As long as it doesn't create a rift in our team, I don't really mind.

I know. And of course, I have tried telling him that Electra doesn't care about anything or anyone but Amy. He just won't listen. He's too hotheaded to say the least.

He is a fire dragon.

With that passing thought, Adam and I walked into town. The minute the townsfolk noticed the weapons we carried and our unusually coloured eyes, they were clamouring for our attention.

"Now for our next issue,". Adam muttered to me. "How are we going to buy items with no money?".

Trainee Dragon Riders were provided everything they needed, food equipment and more at the Academy. As people were from all walks of life, and very few were rich, not many people had money - you couldn't spend it because you weren't allowed outside of the Academy.

"Charge it to the academy?". I suggested.

"It's a bit obvious though,".

"Not if we pretend to be on the Strike Team. I could pretend to be George Almarz, and his ice dragon. You could be Samson Furner, and his fire dragon,".

Adam nodded in agreement and walked to the nearest stall. It was a cattle stall, and there was just enough cattle there to feed a quarter of the new arrivals.

"How much for this measly lot?". He asked, his tone short and abrupt. I am Samson Furner, Rider of the dragon Insurgio and multiple Anchemis, or groups of dragons as you commoners would call them, need feeding,".

The farmer frowned at the insult before calling to his fellows.

"Have you got this? If so, I will buy everything else the others need. Remember, we practically need to buy all the cattle in the village to feed all the dragons so-"

The farmer interrupted. "If you need a lot of cattle, the Academy of Dragon Riders owns a huge cattle farm, at least a thousand times more than my prize stock. I mean-"

The farmer's nasally voice drifted away as I went to all the other stands in the market, bartering down the price to make sure the academy didn't notice the massive reduction in their funds. I bought soap, clothes, hay for the bedding in the caves, water kegs and lots of map paper and ink. 

An hour later, I met up with Adam and we walked back to the dragons.

"So how did it go?" I asked. Adam frowned.

"According to the villagers there is a huge farm for the academy. If we were to take all the cattle, we could store them in the valley and have enough for a year at least,".

"What's the catch,". I asked, thinking.

Adam grimaced. "It's defended by ten riders and their dragons,".

"Ah,".

We reached the dragons and strapped on everything I'd bought. I took off first, circling in the air.

Furnace craned his head eagerly to look for Electra as we glided out of the tunnel.

"Wow!". I said. "Amy and the others have been busy,".

Everywhere you looked, there were dragons. Lots of the lightning dragons were training, learning how to use their lightning strikes under the guidance of Striker, whilst Cedar was training the earth dragons to fire boulders out of their mouths. In the centre of the valley, Amy and Cherry were sat inside a huge building not unlike a pavilion, as it had no walls, only four columns in the corners. It was big enough that Electra and Phantom were in the pavilion as well, studying some paper on a
table. Atlas was up with the other wind dragons, showing them how to manipulate the current to their advantage. We glided to Amy and told her the news. She nodded, thinking a moment before replying:

"Once the lightning dragons are trained, they and the wind dragons can have a bit of aerial combat. Some basic experience won't hurt, we just need to be clear they can't eat any cows there. Meanwhile, Arctic and Furnace, can you train your respective breeds of dragons on how to breathe fire and ice? None of them know how to harness the wind currents as they fly, which means they don't fly as fast as they could. Plus, they are all skinny and need more food,".

Adam nodded. "True. By the way, I love this building. What is it?".

Cherry smiled. "I designed it. I thought the great hall was very dark and it was hard to talk with all the dragons chatting. This is a welcome difference,".

Adam nodded.

And that was that.

Did you like the chapter in Barney's POV?

The next chapters will hopefully be a little more intense

Whekim