The Age of the Dragon 4: On Silver Wings

Chapter 1

Fallyn observed the back and forth scurry of the people far below, through the eyes of Fang - the reds seemed greatly saturated to her, but otherwise, everything stood out crystal clear. Theirs was a delicate task - they needed to keep Galbatorix's attention split as much as possible, and to do that, they needed him to have a rough idea of where they were, without him knowing exactly where they were.

So she would fly between villages - generally the same four or five, but at random - and have Fang be noticed by someone. Invariably, Thorn and Murtagh would arrive a few days later, and after a brief game of hide-and-seek in the surrounding mountains and land, they would fly away again. And thus, Fallyn and Fang would go to their next village and repeat the process.

Like they were at this time. Fallyn carefully dropped a gold coin, using magic to control its descent until it landed in front of a young lad of about thirteen years old, who picked it up and glanced up. When she saw that he had seen Fang, the black dragon lazily turned into a loose dive towards a copse of trees not far from the village. After a few hours, Fang took flight without Fallyn, hunting from the nearby sheep.

To avoid causing these people too much trouble, Fang stuck to the thin, old, or very young sheep. She left the fat, healthy ones for the farmers, even though it made a poor meal for her. She had just snapped up two from one of the flocks when she noticed Thorn on the horizon. She immediately reached out to Fallyn, informing her of her discovery.

This was a lot quicker than they normally showed up - typically it would be the next day at the earliest.

Fang leapt to the sky, but made no hurry of returning to Fallyn - she wanted to be sure that Thorn could see her before she returned to her Rider. Fallyn quickly slipped into her saddle, and they took to the skies again.

In the time that took, Thorn had grown close, very quickly.

"I suspect Galbatorix has stationed Magicians in the area to inform him immediately should we appear," Fallyn contemplated as Fang climbed ever higher.

"I am inclined to agree," the dragon hummed.

Thorn bellowed a challenge through the air to them - Fang had heard this challenge many times by this point and did as she always did. She ignored his challenge, opting instead to see what he would do.

Invariably, he would grow frustrated, if the lashing of his tail was anything to judge by, as well as the trumpeting roars that would follow. Fang turned so that she hovered facing them, but still, no response was given.

In a way, it was a challenge of her own.

Come and get me.

With sharp beats of his wings, the red gave chase. Fang twisted at the last possible moment, falling into a deadly dive. At the last moment, she heard Fallyn muttering a spell, and opened her wings as a powerful gust of wind kicked up beneath her to push her up faster than the red, who had pulled out of his dive sooner than she had with a distressed cry. Fang's flight muscles ached from the maneuver, but thanks to the blue-glowing-magic of Fallyn's, the pain was short-lived. Fang could see through Fallyn's eyes, that Thorn was aiming to snap at the tip of her tail, so she whipped it through the air, catching the red dragon's nose with one of the spikes. The motion also caused Fang to quickly change direction, allowing her to swiftly put some distance between them again.

"I grow weary of this constant dance," Fang grumbled as she climbed above the clouds.

"It is only for a short time - they are only a few weeks away," Fallyn reminded.

"Our lingering near the shore might cause the Egg-breaker to grow suspicious," Fang pointed out.

Fallyn grimaced, knowing that Fang was right. The clang of metal soon rang out, and Fang snapped her jaws at the red dragon in a warning. Murtagh's blade remained locked with Fallyn's for only a moment before Fang tucked her wings in close, and they dropped out of sight and towards the earth.

"Then what will we do? Continue to dance about like fools, or join the battle?" Fang pressed.

"I am loathe to make ourselves appear as a real threat and draw out Galbatorix," Fallyn hesitated. "But I also share your distaste for this... whatever this is."

"I think it's safe to assume that so long as we do not join with the armies, it should be of little concern to him," Fang suggested.

Fallyn laughed aloud, something that startled their pursuers, as Fang pulled out of another dive.

"We are not all-powerful, Fang," Fallyn pointed out. "We are only able to fight as we do with Murtagh because of his lack of experience - and because the Isana gives us the advantage over the Eldunari the king had given him. Fighting cities on our own is an impossible feat."

Fang grumbled as Fallyn raised her hands, dark clouds gathering at her bidding.

"Then we continue to dance about until the king grows impatient and comes to find us, or we join with one of the armies, and risk the king coming to find us," Fang snarled. "Either way, we run the risk of being hunted by the king himself."

Fallyn hummed in response, as the gathered clouds created the perfect cover for Fang to disappear into.

"Fallyn!" Murtagh's voice carried unnaturally, likely a spell to augment his voice. "Galbatorix grows weary of this pointless game of cat-and-mouse. I admit I'm also growing tired of it-"

"And here I thought you enjoyed a challenge," Fallyn answered playfully, her voice bouncing off the clouds and keeping their exact location hidden.

"You think this is a challenge?" Murtagh answered incredulously.

"You haven't caught me yet," Fallyn retorted.

"Only because you command the skies to do your bidding," he responded.

"My lord, do you accuse me of cheating?" Fallyn asked, her voice pitching in mock scandal.

"Aye, now stop your infernal teasing and fight fairly!" he retorted, though she could hear how he tried to hide his amusement.

"Says the man with a hundred hearts at his disposal," Fallyn retorted, as a small bolt of lightning struck Thorn's rump, causing him to yelp in surprise.

"Hearts that you have lulled to sleep!"

"Again, you accuse me of cheating," Fallyn tutted. "I fear my honour has been irreparably wounded on this day. I bid you good day sir. Fang and I must depart, so that we may nurse our wounded pride."

"Oh no you don't," she heard him growl. "If I don't bring the two of you back, it's our hide on the line."

A pang of guilt shot through Fallyn, though she would not let him know it.

"Ir abelas, da'vhenan," she said. "But I'll not return to the life of a slave. Dareth shiral."

"Fallyn!"

Fang beat her wings, as Fallyn urged the dark clouds into a thunderous storm that masked their escape.

"What shall we do, Fallyn?"

"Fly to the Varden," Fallyn answered wearily. "We shall report to Nasuada, and perhaps find ourselves a spot of trouble before we reach the King's throne."

Fang gave a toothy grin as she angled towards the direction of the Varden - they would be attacking Belatona at this time.

Meaning their next point of call would be the city of Dras Leona - a city that Fallyn and Fang had a particular distaste for, on account of its flagrant display of slave trade.

In the distance, Fallyn and Fang could hear Thorn's roars of frustration at the realisation that they had escaped again.