Prologue

"Astrid, Luka, you must follow me, and hurry!"

"Mina? What's wrong?" Astrid asked as she leaped to her feet.

Crashing and screams rent the air, and flames leaped up from the sky.

"Outlanders are attacking, aren't they?" Luka asked hoarsely.

The raging, blood-curdling cry of an Outlander answered him. Astrid shuddered in fear. "Where are we going?" She called to Mina.

Mina dropped back to run in between Astrid and Luka. "We're going to the vault. Your ceremony was set for tomorrow, and you are the only two who are ready for dragons in the entire village. You two will get your eggs, saddles and nametags and then flee from here, to find some place far, far away from Outlanders." She explained.

"Just us?! Can't everyone else flee too?!" Luka cried.

"The only way we could all get out was to fly on a dragon, but the Outlanders know how to track dragons. They'd hunt relentlessly until they have exterminated the whole village." Mina explained. "Outlanders, however, can't track a human. They only know how to track dragons. But if we leave in a group, or if the whole village were to flee, the Outlanders would split up and hunt us down."

Astrid stumbled as she figured out what Mina was saying. Mina steadied her quickly. "You're saying that Luka and I can keep our village's legacy alive since we have dragons ready for us." She said. "And since our dragons haven't hatched, we can flee and the Outlanders won't find us."

Mina nodded. "Exactly."

Now it was Luka's turn to stumble. Mina steadied him quickly and then sprinted on; taking a roundabout path to the shrine that contained the vault for new dragon trainer's supplies; Astrid and Luka hot on her heels. Screams rent the air; all the while the Outlanders screeching their cry at the top of their lungs.

"No!" Luka cried suddenly. He swerved to one side, but Astrid grabbed him quickly.

"No, Luka! We have to follow Mina!" She hissed.

Luka writhed in her grasp. Looking over his shoulder, she saw what filled him with such pain. His little six year old sister, whom he had a very close bond with, was lying in front of a house with half a dozen arrows in her back. As Astrid and Luka tussled, an Outlander came up behind Luka's sister, jeering at her as she hoarsely begged to be spared. The Outlander cackled something and drew his sword. Astrid swung behind another house with Luka still caught in her grip just before the Outlander picked up the little girl.

"Lilac… Why…" Luka whimpered as Lilac screamed.

"Luka…" Astrid murmured in sympathy. "Come on, we have to go."

He didn't budge. Astrid grabbed his arm and tugged him after her. Finally Luka shook his head and freed his arm from Astrid's hand. They ran on, finally catching up to Mina.

"There you guys are! I was beginning to worry." Mina whispered.

"Sorry, we got a little… held up." Astrid murmured with a quick glance at Luka.

Mina looked Astrid up and down and then opened her mouth to say something. Catching the look on Luka's face, she closed her mouth with a snap and turned to open the vault. Signaling to the other two to hide, she ducked into the vault. Astrid dived into one of the hedges lining the vault, and after a moments hesitation, Luka dived into the one opposite her.

After a tense couple minutes, Mina reappeared, carrying two bags. Astrid and Luka emerged from the hedge and Mina thrust the bags into their arms.

"These bags contain your dragon eggs, saddles, nametags and fish. I'm afraid that this is all the time you will have. Stick together. Please. You have more chance of survival if you stay together. Run now, do not come back for anything, and above all else, do not run or turn back, no matter what you hear!"

Footsteps suddenly sounded through the night as they came toward the trio.

"Hurry!" Mina hissed.

Astrid and Luka leaped through the hedge and raced into the shadows, just before a duo of Outlanders appeared at the shrine. Each stumbled as they heard Mina shriek, but they supported each other and raced on, quickly disappearing into the growing fog.