I suddenly jolt awake and take in my surroundings, remembering I’m in Vera’s little house.
‘Nina?’ Alec says, stepping out from the shadowy corner. ‘Are you all right?’ he asks, sitting on the bed and placing his hands on my shoulders.
I wipe the sweat from my forehead and slow my breathing. My eyes meet Alec’s serious look, ‘We have to go to Oakpaw mountain. There is an item there I need to collect. It will make me strong enough to protect everyone else from being killed by Thypon and his monsters,’ I tell him.
‘How do you know this? Why did you jolt awake like that? Did you have a bad dream?’
‘I met our deities, even yours, Valkrim,’ I say, kneeling with my hands against his chest.
Alec tilts his head and narrows his eyes, ‘Whatever do you mean, Nina?’
‘When I fell asleep, I entered the celestial world where all the deities reside. The Moon Goddess and other deities had been waiting for me. They told me they knew Thypon had been released and could not enter Mysteria in time. Selene said they had summoned the sceptre of divine power and managed to get it through the veil. It’s somewhere in Oakpaw mountain. I must retrieve it and get to Emerald Island to learn the spell to seal Thypon,’ I say in one breath.
‘What if it’s not enough power to defeat him and seal him away?’ Alec asks.
I think for a moment, ‘With the guardians of Mysteria by my side. We can do this. We can seal him away.’ I place my hand on Alec’s heart. ‘We just need to believe in ourselves, believe that we can do this. It’s our only hope and our only chance of restoring peace to Mysteria.’
Alec pauses, then tilts my chin up with his forefinger, ‘Then we better get to Oakpaw mountain then,’ he smiles and then crashes his lips against mine.
I thank Vera for the hospitality and exit her little house to find Vermilion laying on his back, receiving a belly rub from a dozen villagers. He’s like a gigantic playful puppy.
As soon as Vermilion sees me, he rolls back onto his feet and prances towards me. I hug him and pat him before climbing onto his back. Alec hops on behind me.
‘We will go to Mystic Paw first. I need to see Reaper and also inform Queen Maia of our plan. From there, we will go to Oakpaw mountain,’ I say to Alec.
‘You know we could just step through your portal over there and be at Mystic Pride within a second?’ he says.
‘I know, but flying on a dragon’s back is more fun,’ I laugh over my shoulder.
‘That’s very true,’ he smirks.
With that, Vermilion lets out a playful screech, stretches his large red wings out, and begins flapping them. Alec wraps his arms around my waist as we rise from the ground into the air. Vermilion’s wings create a wave of dust over the villagers. They use an arm to cover their eyes and wave farewell to me with the other.
I take in the beautiful views. Fish fly up and back into the water as we fly over Moonstone River. Deer and elk graze, and the sky is clear. But when I look to my right, I can see the sky in the far distance is dark, and the lands are ruined and deserted. We’ve only been flying for half an hour when I see Mystic Pride ahead.
Everyone gathers and gasps with worry when they see Vermilion hovering above Mystic Pride. I lean over and wave so everyone can see me. They point me out and cover their mouths, not believing what they are all seeing. Vermilion lowers down and lands with a loud thud on the ground. Alec slides down and then turns to catch me as I slide off.
Everyone crowds closer—Maia, Yiselda and Kadva approach.
‘Nina, you’re back!’ Maia says and throws her arms around me.
I embrace her back.
She steps back and stares at the dragon, ‘What, When, how?’ she says, shaking her head in disbelief.
I take Maia’s hand and playfully pull her along to stand in front of Vermilion.
‘Queen Maia, I would like you to meet Vermilion. My new dragon,’ I grin.
Vermilion blows smoke from his nostrils and sits before bringing his face closer to Maia’s.
‘H-how do you do?’ she says nervously but also politely.
She raises her hand and places it on his snout. ‘He’s so friendly!’ she squeals.
‘I know, right!’ I smile.
Maia notices his front leg raised and bandaged with part of my dress.
‘What happened? Is he hurt?’ she asks, stepping closer.
‘He was trapped between trees with a large wound on his legs. Alec and I couldn’t leave him like that, so we helped set him free and cauterised the wound, and he has stayed with us since,’ I tell her.
‘I see, well now that I’ve regained all my strength and power, I can stop the pain he feels from the burn,’ she says.
I take his leg and remove the dressing. Maia hovers her hands over the scar. A purple and then green mist forms and soaks into the scar, which becomes much thinner and smaller.
She steps back, ‘How does that feel now, Vermilion?’ she asks him. He places his leg down and can now bear weight on it. He runs around in a circle, then up a stone path and returns. He sits and blows fire into the air.
‘Well, I’m glad you feel better,’ she says to him.
‘How’s Reaper?’ I ask her.
Maia giggles, ‘Let’s just say he is much better now,’ she smiles and points to a tree in the distance. I can just make him out on the branch. That’s odd, though. He hasn’t come to me yet. What could be more important to him than me? I wonder.
‘I’ll go and check on him, and then I will be back,’ I say to Maia.
She nods and continues to giggle and pat Vermilion.
Reaper is warbling for some unknown reason. He then keeps leaning over. As I approach, I notice another raven in front of him. I cross my arms and smile, observing him. Reaper warbles again, singing to the she-raven. She caws at him, but she doesn’t seem impressed. Reaper then tries to get closer to her and attempts to preen her feathers, but she clicks her beak at him. He jumps back and attempts to warble again.
‘Reaper, what in the wands are you doing?’ I mind-link him.
He jumps on the branch, startled by my voice. He turns to see me and flies onto my shoulder.
‘N-nothing. I see you’re back?’ Reaper says nonchalantly.
‘And I see your wing looks much better?’
‘Queen Maia healed it when she woke this morning,’ he replies.
Mhmm, well, I’m glad you can fly again, but If I didn’t know any better, Reaper. I’d say you’ve been busy trying to court that pretty little raven up there.’
I hear him sigh in my mind, ‘Yeah, okay, you got me. She seems to hate me, though. Every time I try to sing to her, she caws. Every time I try to prune her feathers, she bites me,’ he says dismally.
‘Well, you only met her this morning and women these days are harder to impress. Give it time, Reaper. You’re a handsome and loving raven. Hard work will always pay off,’ I say to him.
‘Do you think she will really come around and like me?’ he asks.
‘Of course,’ I smile and scratch his head. ‘But for now, your lady will have to wait. I need you to hear what I say to Maia and the guardians.’
‘Is it about the war-what in the wands! Is that a dragon!?’ he says, flapping his wings and flying a step backwards in fear. Black mist emits quickly from his feathers. He is preparing to use his shadow powers against the dragon.
‘Reaper, it’s okay,’ I say to him.
‘It’s okay? Are you crazy? Have you forgotten I was chased and attacked by a swarm of those creatures?’
‘No, I haven’t forgotten, Reaper, but this one is different. He’s our friend and on our side,’ I inform him.
‘You’re kidding me, right?’
‘Nope,’ I smile, ‘Come, say hello to him,’ I say.
‘I’d rather not,’ he says, raising his beak.
‘Come on, don’t be such a snob,’ I reply.
‘I’d rather be a snob than become a dragon’s roast dinner.’
I laugh and pull him into my chest to hug him as I approach Vermilion. Alec smiles when he sees Reaper and pats him.
‘You look well, Reaper,’ Alec mind-links him.
‘I’d be better if I weren’t near this dragon,’ he replies.
I keep Reaper snuggled in my arms while Vermilion sniffs him. He is so big Reaper could easily fit inside the dragon’s nostrils.
Suddenly Vermilion gives Reaper one big lick with his gigantic tongue, which happens to be the same size as me.
‘Ergh,’ Reaper and I say as I get the brunt of the lick.
Slobber dribbles down my arms and legs and off the edge of Reaper’s beak.
Everyone nearby laughs.
I look down at Reaper, ‘Well, at least you know he likes you,’ I shrug.
