It was 6 days now, nothing. I was keeping crabby, every little think everyone did was pissing me off; the way Matt sat in his corner, the way Diamond would scratch her scales, the way that Serena would sigh like every 10 minutes.

"I am ready to blow up on someone...," I told Luna.

"Being in here, my wings are beginning to feel as if they have no use," she fluffed her wings for emphasis.

"Can't we just go outside for like 5 minutes?," Serena asked. "I just need some air."

"No, we all stay here," Matt told her.

"But Marna is so far, no one will see us. I'll even stay in the rocks."

"No," he stated.

"Buzzkill," she muttered strolling over to me. "Maybe we should make a run for it," she whispered with a sly grin.

It sounded like a joke but also an invitation, one I was almost desperate enough to accept.

"Don't tempt me."

I napped to pass the time, Collin and Ashley would spar sometimes occasionally Serena would join. The days were wasted, and by the 8th day tensions were at an all time high. Ashley and Collin were bickering all the time, it was hard to sleep when there voices would echo.

"What do you mean it doesn't matter?"

"It doesn't matter, Ash."

"Of course it does. Should I throw out the water we've been using to clean or is it still good?"

"Either one, like I said: it doesn't matter."

"It matters, Collin," Ashley spat. " I don't want us to run out of water and I don't want us to have dirty dishes."

"We won't run out of water. We can get more," he groaned.

"We can't leave the cave," her voice was climbing.

"You don't think I know that!?"

"Hey guys, come on, chill," Serena tired to calm them.

I rolled over and closed my eyes," Why won't they all shut up..."

"I'm just trying to make everyone happy," Collin sounded frazzled.

"I know! That's why you won't sleep next to me, isn't it?!"

"We're not doing this now," he said lowly.

"That's right, of course. You never want to talk about it," Ashley sounded on the verge of tears.

"Unnecessarily high tone," Luna winced.

"Tell me about it," I lifted my head to see them.

"Everyone just think she's soooo special. Whatever, it's been over a week and no word, she's not the Dragon Master."

"Ashley, stop it," Serena tried to quiet her as she saw I was watching.

I felt some anger boil inside me, being cooped up was hard on me but I was just trying to sleep off the emotions instead of boil over and start a fight.

I stood up," You're right. I'm not the Dragon Master, neither is Matt. But you now who else it could be?," waited for a second then answered myself. "Dalia!" My eyes flickered to Collin. "You never talk about it but, she was an Earth Rider with a casted on egg, but now she's... what? Dead? I don't even know. You guys never talk about her... Who even is she? Just because she's gone doesn't mean that she's not the one, right? And if she is," I shrugged," I guess that means you're all fucked and Alagaesia is doomed."

"Alyson." Matt was now standing up.

"What? Did that hurt your feelings? Does it hurt to know this entire placed is fucked?!

"Alyson," Luna snapped at me, making me cover my mouth.

Did I just say that, I looked to all the faces in the cave. Serena's mouth was open, Ashley's arms were crossed and she was glaring, but Collin was looking at the floor. "Oh god... I'm so sorry." Oh god, why did I say that?!

Matthew looked right past me," Someone's here."

We all turned to the entrance of the cave, again Collin went and grabbed his knife.

"Who is it?," Serena sounded scared.

Matt walked past her, "It's a Rider. I'm letting them in."

"What if it's a trap," Serena grabbed him.

Matt shook his head and waved his hand, letting the sunlight stream into the cave, blinding me. I tired to adjust but the dim light we were living by was no match for the power of the sun. A shadow came across and the lines blurred, but I could still partially make them out.

"Corin?"

He smiled," Happy to see me?"

"Corin, what's happening?," my vision cam back and I could see everyone crowding around him.

He looked somber," Conandus has struck, he has a stronghold in Reavstone."

Ashley gasped and covered her mouth, Collin's mouth dropped and Serena's eyes were wide.

"How many... dead?," Collin asked with a heavy heart.

"Death tolls are unknown," Corin actually sounded sad about it. I'd never seen him like this.

"Why are you here? What does the queen want?"

His eyes locked on me," I'm here for her."

"Her?," Serena looked me over.

"Me? what for?," I got a quaky feeling thinking about my time as his slave.

"Valor," he called his lush burgundy dragon who came to his side. Attached to Valor's side saddle was a chest, hanging off and dangling. Corin unlatched it and gently set it on the floor. "It's yours."

My heart dropped to my knees," What is it?," my throat felt dry and my voice cracked.

"I'm not sure...," Corin admitted. "Quinten said is was by queen command this made it to you. He said we all depended on it," he looked at the chest with hunger.

"Quinten?," I tore my eyes from the chest to Corin.

He looked away," Yes, we were on the way, but we were attacked. He told me to go..."

My eyes filled with tears," No..," I covered my mouth. "No, no, no."

"Open it," Matthew told me bluntly.

I wiped away my tears and Serena came up and wrapped herself around me in a hug.

"I'm so sorry my acorn," Luna shared her sadness with me. "Erea must carry this loss with her."

"Matt, give her some space man," Collin told him.

"No, she needs to open it."

"What is of such importance it was worth the life of a fellow Rider?," Corin asked curiously reaching for the box.

"Don't you dare," Matt warned.

Corin stood up slowly," Seem you think it wise to threaten me?"

"I will threaten anyone who nears that box if it is not her," he points to me.

"It will be I who threatens you," Beloiuhn says in a dark tone.

"I would watch your tongue," Valor responded sharply.

"Oh god," I cried. "It's the egg isn't it?!"

"Egg? EGG?!," Corin was in disbelief.

"Alyson, you should open it," Collin now was coaxing me too.

"Surely you're joking...," Corin scoffed.

"I can't do it," I shook my head and looked away.

This can't be right. It can't be me! It can't be!

"Alyson..., it's okay," Serena tried to soothe me. "It had to be one of us..."

"Oh god," I cried looking at the chest placed on the floor.

"What are you talking about? Egg? What is going on?," Corin was asking questions that no one wanted to answer.

"It's finally… ," Ashley stepped back. "It's happening..."

"She is the one," Diamond sounded stunned.

"Alyson, we must open the chest," Luna looked to me.

"No, no, no," I shook my head. "It was supposed to be Collin!"

"Yes, my acorn. We have to do this."

"I... I don't want to lose you," I told her.

"You could never lose me, I am forever yours."

I looked to the chest, it was in a way drawing me in, I felt compelled to open, but it a dark way. Like when you eat the last of something knowing it wasn't yours to eat; I wanted to open the wooden chest but my fear was crippling. The hum from inside was building, slipping through the cracks of the woods and the metal bolts, calling to me, I wanted to run but it was tethering me in place. The warm melody eased my fear, it softened the pain of losing Quinten, easing the blow of finding out I was the new savior of this world.

"Perhaps you should give us some space," Luna requested.

"Uh... sure, yeah Corin.. Come. You must be hungry."

Corin followed Collin but kept asking him about the chest. Everyone else followed except for Matt.

"Matthew," Luna sounded stern.

"I'm not leaving," he replied in the same tone.

I tried to reign in my tears," Just stop," I told them softly.

I kneeled down before the chest, I touched the lock gently," It's locked."

Matthew left, running over to her corner to return with a black key, he handed it to me.

"You.. You have the key?"

"Bestowed by the Queen," he told me.

I looked to the key in my hands," D-Does this mean... Am I the... the...," I couldn't bring myself to say it.

Matt placed a gentle hand on my shoulder, "The only way to know is open the crate."

I sucked in a deep breath and looked to Luna, her eyes gave me strength as I placed the key in the lock and heard the strong click, the lock opened. I lifted the lid, inside were blankets, I pulled them back slowly, hoping to find nothing underneath them, just endless fabric. I felt it before I saw it, the smooth cool stone. My breath caught and I pulled my hand away.

I let out a small cry," It's in there," I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Closed eyes will not change this," Luna told me.

I shakily put my had back in the crate, pulling the blankets out from around the egg, the had helped cushion it in. I peered in past the edge of the chest and sitting there was the same gray stone I had seen before, but now instead of a pedestal it lays in a crate. It's only noticeable difference is a crack along the top surface. I could hear it stronger now, the blankets must have muffled it's call but now it was like it singing directly at me.

"Do you hear it?," I stared at the egg.

"Yes," Luna replied. "Such a faint little noise... yet so... ," her voice drifted

"It's begun to hatch," Matt whispered in awe.

My worst nightmare.

I dropped my head and the tears started to fall again, Why me? Why this... I can't be the one. I'm not supposed to be the dragon master!

"Alyson... you have... a new dragon on the way," I could hear it was hard for Luna to say that.

"I'm so sorry," I leaned into her and cried, the soothing melody was starting to lose it's effect

"You both have a dragon on the way," Matt corrected.

"What?," Luna suddenly sounded tired.

"This dragon will not only bind to Alyson, but to you as well Luna. In a way that hasn't happened for hundreds of years...," Matthew had a look of pure astonishment on his face, like a kid in the candy store.

"But it cant be me... you even said-.."

"Forget what I said to you, Alyson. Here and now you must accept and know your title. You are the Skulblaka Ebrithil.," he looked me dead in the eyes. "Say it."

I shook my head, my throat felt like it was closing.

"Say it, Alyson."

"I.. I'm the... I can't be... I just can't!"

"You are, my acorn. You have been chosen by this hatchling. It is you who will master five dragons at one time, you are the Skulblaka Ebrithil."

"I am?," I looked back to the chest with swollen eyes.

"Yes, Alyson, you will be the one to save us all. You are the Dragon Master."

"I am the Dragon master?," I felt drunk, like vomit was rising in my throat. "I need... I need some air."

"Maybe we should help her outside," Matthew helped me stand.

I felt dizzy and my feet were clumsy.

"Do you need help?," Collin asked.

"No. Keep Corin from the chest," Matthew told him as we exited the cave.

The light breeze did help, I sat down on a boulder with Luna sitting beside me, I took some deep breaths trying to grasp all that had happened in the short past few minutes. Alageasia is at war, Quinten is dead, and I'm the Dragon Master.

"I.. I just can't believe it," I mumbled to myself.

"Once you can finally admit it, we can go on the next step," Matthew told me.

"Next step?"

"Yes... but not until then," he looked out to the small city on the line of the horizon. I felt the nausea rise inside me again, I swallowed it down, by focusing on the rocks around me, The large light gray boulders were almost white and were spiked into the dark brown mud all the way down the slope of the hill.

Next step? What's the next step? What does that even mean?

Luna asked for me," What is the next step?"

"It must be the right time," Beloiuhn responded.

Oh god, there's another step? What the fuck else could there be?

"Okay... okay fine. I'm.. 'm the Dragon Master," said the words but they tasted like bile on my tongue.

Matt smirked," Step One: Wait here, Find the Skulblaka Ebrithil. We did it, we found her," his eyes twinkled as he looked at me. "Step Two: Find the other three eggs."

"Wait, what?"

"Tomorrow morning, we'll leave, head for the next X on the map."

"What? Why?"

"The Queen requested it."

"The Queen? What are you talking about, Matt," I clutched my stomach.

Matt sighed," She came to me, after you first saw the egg. She knew that it was not my destiny to be the Dragon Master, so she bestowed on me a new destiny. She trusted me, she knows I hold Alagaesia above all else and would stop at nothing to keep the people safe."

"Matt, you're not making any sense..."

"She came to me with a plan, she has suspicions that Conandus would be planning his attack soon and that we needed to keep the Dragon Master safe, whoever it was. The Queen trusted that I would keep the key safe and follow the plan... so the next step is going to find the remaining eggs. She must have known someone had betrayed her..."

"But... I thought she had scouts for that?"

"The scouts have no doubt been pulled from the mission, needed elsewhere now... especially if what Corin says is true and Conandus has a stronghold in Reavstone. She'll need all the help she can get on the front line, it'll buy us some time."

"Matt, I can't do this. You even told me yourself that I couldn't be the Dragon Master."

Matt stepped toward me," I'm smart, Alyson... but I don't know everything," he pushed his glasses up further. "Fate can be guessed and destinies can be predicted but the future is always changing, it's impossible to really know what comes next."

"This should be impossible. We both know it should be Collin."

Matt shook his head," No, it isn't Collin. You need to accept that this is you and there is no changing it."

I wrapped my arms around myself," How did this happen," I mumbled looking to the ground.

"We will find our new future together, Alyson. It will be both of us and the hatchling."

"God... another dragon. What am I going to do... Luna, you're still young too."

"Yes, but not a hatchling," she countered.

I shivered, the wind was now stronger and the sun was setting," I'm going back in," I went into the cave and they all followed me. All eyes turned to me, but I kept my gaze on the ground.

"So, anyone willing to tell me what's going on now?," Corin broke the silence.

Matt stepped in front of me," So you and Quinten were the ones the Queen had sent here?," he asked.

"I was not the original messenger, no," Corin enlightened us.

"Who was?"

"Quinten and Ariana," he stood up from the fireplace. "Now, what is in the chest?"

"Where is Ariana?," Matt ignored him.

"She...," Corn's face fell for second then he recomposed himself.

"Not Ariana...," Ashley gasped.

She's dead...

"No," Corin looked back at her, cutting my thoughts off," But Pustrei is suffering from wounds. Quinten chose me because I was the fastest Rider left who wasn't injured."

"What happened to Quinten?," Serena asked.

"We were flying, then an ambush came from nowhere about a hundred leagues south. I'm not sure what it was, but it shot Erea from the sky, Valor maneuvered around it. We dove, helped Erea land... Quinten seemed stunned, like he wasn't himself anymore. He grabbed for the chest, but couldn't find it, it was like his eyes no longer worked. He found it gave it to me, told me to deliver it to Alyson. It was the Queen's orders."

"So you left him there?!," I shouted angrily, stepping around Matt

"I wanted to help," Corin snapped," But he told me this was more important. So now I ask the question, what is more important? What does the Queen need to get to you hidden Earth Riders, who I still wish to know why they're hidden. You have a lot of answers that I need."

"This was not the plan," Matt sighed, mumbling to himself. "Okay fine..."

"She's the Skulblaka Ebrithil," Ashley blurted and pointed to me.

Corin looked at me then to the chest, then started laughing, it echoed in the cave and he almost doubled over.

"Some silly old tale, that's why we came here?," he straightened up and saw no one was joking with him"... oh wow, what a waste of a trip," he scoffed.

"See for yourself," Matt gestured to the open chest. "This egg has started to hatch, it is bound to Alyson."

Corin stepped closer to the chest and looked down, his face scrunched and he turned to me," That's not possible."

Matt and Collin explained to him everything, Tarathi, the eggs, and why Conandus was attacking.

"Mhm...," Corin sat down. "How am I to believe this? It sounds like a story, one made up by children."

"Well, you weren't the one the Queen had in mind... it was meant to be Quinten and Ariana who came with us."

"Came with us?, " Ashley repeated.

"Yes... instead of returning to Ilirea and fighting in the battle, the Queen has given us the task of finding the last 3 hidden eggs of Tarathi."

"Wait. Are you serious?," Collin stepped in front of him. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I had to wait until we found out who the Dragon Master was," he said as he went to his corner. He pulled out a scroll," She wrote it down, just in case you needed persuading."

Colling grabbed the scroll greedily, reading it over, Serena and Ashley went behind him. I didn't care what the scroll said, it didn't mean anything to me.

"So we're to go and find these eggs?," Serena asked to which Matt nodded.

"The five of us?"

"Well it was to be seven, but now six will have to work," Matt looked to Corin.

"That sounds fun and all, but we will not be staying," Corin stood up.

"You can't just go," Collin put a hand on his chest.

"Oh, you don't think," Corin glared down at him.

"You're to stay, it's by Queen's order," Matt told him.

"The Queen never ordered me so," Corin turned to face him. "I'm needed at Reavstone, to protect our country, not hiding in some cave believing in fairytales."

As they continued to bicker, I heard a small crack and the humming from the chest got louder. I looked to Luna, she was also watching the chest.

"You hear that?," I whispered.

"Yes," she craned her neck to see inside.

"It'll be treason if you leave!," Collin shouted.

"I'll die in battle, a glorious death with honor," Corin scoffed. "You'd be a fool to believe we could defeat Conandus."

I slowly peaked my head over the side of the chest, the egg was still there, but now there was new crack on the surface breaking way from the one spanning the smooth gray shell.

"It's hatching," Luna told me softly. "Being near you must be helping her."

"Her?," I kept my eyes locked on the egg.

"Just a sense I'm getting," she told me.

Her... another dragon. My dragon... our Dragon.

"Just let him go," I turned to the squabbling cluster.

"Excuse me?," Ashley's voice was overflowing with attitude.

"I said, just let him go. If he wants to go, why keep him here? I don't care if he comes or not."

"We have strength in numbers, Alyson," Collin told me.

"And there are 5 of us, I think we're good. Besides, Matt said we have to be stealthy, so the more people the harder it is to hide."

"Thank you, Rider Alyson," Corin smiled devilishly.

"Fine," Collin pulled away.

"Traitor," Serena spit at his feet.

"We leave in the morning," Matt told us. "Everyone needs to get some sleep."