Dragonblessed

Prologue

"We're almost there!" Tessa shouted. "I can feel it!"

"I can feel it," Shayde mimicked.

"Aw, Shayde. Stop being grumpy. Be happy! We're almost there!" Tessa told him.

"Both of you, shut up," Christine said. "You're slowing us down with all the talking."

They ran in silence for a few minutes.

Clover spoke up. "I'm not built for this. I hope you're right, Tessa."

Christine sighed. "Let's focus on running, okay?"

"Did you know that when you're running, if you talk more blood goes to your voice box and not your muscles? You're legit making yourself more worn out." Hunter stated.

"Really?" Tessa asked. "That's so cool!"

"I'm sweating buckets," Christine complained.

"You kidding? It's like thirty degrees out here!" Hunter exclaimed.

"Exactly," Christine said.

Hunter shook his head. "Y'all are crazy."

"No . . . all . . . of you . . . are crazy," Clover said, panting. "How are you, running, so fast- not panting, for so long?!"

"No, you're all just stupid. I would sugar coat it but you'd eat that too, Clover." Shayde mumbled.

Clover sighed and rolled his eyes. "Stop. . . being. . . immature."

"Don't be a downer, Shayde! After the storm comes a rainbow!" Tessa told him.

Shayde rolled his eyes.

"All of you be quiet," Arella chided.

"I second that," Christine said.

"I. . . would like. . . that too. . ." Clover panted.

"I don't really care," Hunter said, "But isn't that it?"

Every elf stopped.

In front of them was a huge mountain, rising so high it was lost in the clouds.

"Wow!" Tessa exclaimed.

"That's pretty cool," Christine said.

Shayde just grunted.

"I wish we had wings like the dragon's," Arella sighed. "It's gonna be so hard to get up."

"Hey Chrissy," Clover panted. "Could you, like, make a staircase? I would. . . but . . . Wow. I'm exhausted."

She raised her arms, and water appeared in the air and formed a staircase spiraling upward. She then froze the water and stumbled back, wiping sweat off of her forehead.

"Thanks. . ." Clover said.

Tessa ran up to the staircase and tested it with her foot. "It's so sparkly and see-through!"

"It's called ice," Shayde grumbled.

"I know, right?" she said happily. She turned.

Shayde shrugged behind her back. Then pointed to her and made the "psycho" gesture.

"You guys coming?" Arella and Cami called from the staircase. They were a good 30 feet up.

"Yeah, coming," Clover said.

"This is freaky," Hunter said. "I'm entrusting my life to a thin staircase made of ice that could crack at any second. Plus it's cold!"

"You've got shoes, idiot!" Christine called to him.

"No, the handhold is cold!"

Christine rolled her eyes. "You're welcome. Would you rather climb the mountain on foot?"

"I'm starting to lean towards Ari's idea," Hunter said. "Wings would be better."

Christine rolled her eyes again. "It'd probably take you ages to learn to fly."

Clover took a weary step onto the staircase. "It's gonna break!"

"It's not going to break, I'm not an idiot!" Christine called down to him.

"I can just wait down here." Clover decided.

Christine rolled her eyes and added a layer of ice to the underside of the stairs. "There. Now get your arse up here."

"It's not that bad, Clover!" Tessa said. "Think about bacon!"

Clover moaned. "You really think that's all that makes me happy?"

"Looks like it. . ." Shayde said under his breath. He was halfway up the stairs now.

"Don't be a dumbarse, Grumpy," Clover yelled up. "At least I have something I like besides insulting people and darkness!"

"Oooh!" Cami said. "Good one."

"I hate that nickname," Shayde said.

"Why do you think we use it?" Arella asked him.

He rolled his eyes.

"This is so fun!" Tessa said. "Look at the view!"

"Wooooow," Shayde said sarcastically. "Amazing. Look, some trees! Wow! More trees! And is that trees I see? I can't believe it! Look at all the trees!"

Clover grumbled. "You could at least try to enjoy nature for once."

"There's the top!" Arella said. "We're really close."

The rest of the walk went in silence.

Then, finally, they got to the top.

The staircase was a little wompy.

"Nice job, Chissy," Shayde said. "These totally look like stairs."

Cami rolled her eyes. "I'd like to see you do better, Moron."

"Oh be quiet, all of you," Hunter said. "It's better than nothing. Shayde, shut your pie hole."

Shayde rolled his eyes again.

"Keep rolling those eyes and maybe you'll find a brain back there," Clover said.

"Eat it, Clover." Shayde said.

"ROAR!"

Everyone stopped and looked up.

Looming above them was the Great Dragon.