Snow fights – part 2

Vertigo must have picked up the same trail we are on!, Aiedail said in the riders' minds.

Kayla sighed angrily and tried to stay calm and silent while she watched Laer and Gwen trying to approach the three elves who were in a circle.

If we distract them then Vertigo will not know which trail to follow, Gwen whispered in the riders' minds.

Maurine had managed to slip in the corner and she let out an almost audible gasp.

What is it?, Laer quickly asked and the dwarven girl shook her head angrily.

There are only two elves here, but they are not Adrian or the twins. This must be the other team!, she said annoyed.

Barzul!, Gwen swore. If the other riders are not here then we won't be able to stop Vertigo on time.

Kayla tapped her foot on the ground and scanned her periphery. She could see the two elves deep in concentration and all around them, dragons and another dwarf were guarding them while she did not doubt that the forth rider had been sent off to look for Octavian after following the elves' directions.

Suddenly, she felt a sudden surge of satisfaction emitting from her dragon.

What is it?, Kayla eagerly asked.

Octavian's and Lenor's scents have split. This means Vertigo is heading towards the wrong direction, she said and both she and Onyx quickly changed their course and searched for Octavian's scent.

There is still hope! Let's attack the riders here. We might us well lessen their chances of finding Octavian, Gwen suggested and indeed she and Laer started attacking the other team.

However, the other team sensed them on time and retaliated.

Retreat Riders!, Gwen warned and started running back, while she formed a shield with magic in order for the riders to be protected from flying arrows and the sort.

Kayla had never tried her luck at mind dueling, but at that moment she felt something trying to gain access into her mind and she winced. She fought back and saw one of the elves opposite her, press his lips in pain.

There, she thought and smiled to herself, pleased.

The other team stopped running after them and for a moment they had time to pause and regroup.

We have Octavian's scent, Onyx said in the riders' mind proudly and Kayla smiled.

"Yay! We are close!" Maurine shouted, but just then three riders emerged from the forest and she screamed.

"Attack" Gwen cried and she and Laer ran to where Adrian and the twins where, but before they could land a single blow they paused and closed their eyes in what appeared to be deep pain.

"Kayla!" Gwen shouted, her voice sounding strained, and she kneeled on the ground from the force of the mental attack.

Kayla stared at Adrian, Maya and May and took in a deep breath.

Was it too much to take on three elves at the same time? How confident was she really in her mind dueling abilities? She only knew how to defend her own mind and not the minds of the riders around her. And the thought of anyone entering her thoughts was a daunting one.

Suddenly it felt as if someone was throwing punches in her mind and she angrily raised her boundaries and stared at Adrian with malice. For some reason she was certain he was the head of the team so she concentrated on him. She looked deep in his forest-green eyes and despite the distance between them she could see them sparkling.

His boundaries were tall and strong, there was no doubt about that. It felt like if she extended her arm she would be able to touch them and feel how rough and strong they were. So she did just that, but instead of touching them she started punching them and she felt tiny pieces of the walls break.

Adrian closed his eyes for just a second and when he opened them again his boundaries had grown bigger. This did not stop Kayla, however, and she used her magic like a whip demolishing Adrian's boundaries.

He winced and kneeled on the ground. Suddenly, Kayla felt herself being in complete control over somebody else's body. In that moment she could do whatever she wished with Adrian's body or dwell further into Adrian's memories. This sudden power felt unnatural, but she was curious to find out more about it. There seemed to be a pleasant but horrifying song playing in the background of Adrian's thoughts. It would be easy to lose herself in the rhythm of it or the dark green landscapes that seemed to extend at the corners of her vision, but she did not.

I can do whatever I want, she thought to herself, unsure whether Adrian heard her or not.

Kayla, focus! We have a mission to complete!, Aiedail shouted in the girl's mind, but the dragon's voice felt like a long-forgotten poem.

She was so curious to find out more about the elf, unlock his deepest secrets, control his every movement if she could….

No!, she heard a voice inside her mind, a voice that did not belong to Aiedail or Adrian, but someone else entirely. It was a familiar voice, one she felt like she had heard before.

She could choose to ignore it, but as she had done at times before, she instead listened to its warning. Resisting the urge to have control over Adrian's body was probably one of the hardest things she had ever done. Kayla pulled herself from Adrian's mind and returned to her own. She snapped her eyes open and noticed that Adrian and the twins girls were kneeling on the ground as were Laer and Gwen, but all looked more alert than ever.

We found Octavian, Onyx said.

He is not alone, however. The other team managed to get there before we did, Aiedail growled disappointed.

Surely not Adrian's team?, Maurine asked.

No it was the team with Rikon and Gas in it, Aiedail announced.

Adrian and the twin girls must have received the exact same news, because they suddenly looked solemn. They turned around and quickly walked away before exchanging any other words. Kayla and Maurine went to Gwen's and Laer's side. The riders looked weary.

"Are you okay?" Maurine asked in a small voice and both of them nodded.

"Losing in a mind duel is not a pleasant feeling. It makes you feel drained afterwards" Gwen explained.

"It was a close match though and far more interesting than the usual running and sword fighting although we did quite a lot of that as well" Laer said, smiling. His hair was in a pony-tail and it flew to the left hand side.

The riders started walking back, but Kayla let Gwen and Maurine walk ahead of them and held Laer's arm, forcing him to turn to her direction. The other rider looked at her, slightly perplexed.

"Why did you stop me? I knew it was your voice in my mind" she said in a serious manner.

Laer held her wrist and gently removed her hand from his arm.

"I did not stop you, I merely warned you. You stopped yourself" he replied and smiled to her.

"You did not answer my question" Kayla insisted, but he shook his head. She sighed but she couldn't put her many doubts at bay. "I know you have been coming to the human dorms late at night. What do you do at that time, Laer? What are you really?" she insisted, hoping to get some answers out of him, but again he smiled, that cryptic smile of his, just as their two dragons landed on the side causing a few snowflakes to land on both of them.

Laer extended his arm and in an unexpected movement he brushed the snowflakes from her hair, which only infuriated her further. He then jumped on Onyx's back and the dragon prepared to take off.

Kayla could have stopped him if she wanted to. She could have used the tendril of magic that resided in her mind and felt as if it had a life of its own, demanding to take a form and release its energy into the world, but she did not. Instead, she placed her palms on Aiedail's grey-purple scales and watched Onyx rising slightly above the ground.

"What are you Laer?" she shouted angrily, louder this time.

Kayla did not expect to get a reply, but the rider turned his face, his goat horns protruding above the river of straight black hair and his dark eyes shone golden.

"I am the same as you"

…

Tristan had messed up. He knew this and he was very angry with himself. When Gas attacked he knew he would lose but he could have stalled the other rider longer. Instead he had tripped, lost his balance and fallen on the snow, a stupid mistake. This had resulted in Gas running away and offering his help to his team, while Tristan had been tied on a tree, helpless.

Vertigo landed next to him and sliced the ropes that held him prisoner. As soon as the ropes fell on the ground Tristan rubbed his wrists and stretched his limbs in an annoyed manner. From the top of the hill he could see Adrian approaching and he sighed.

This will end badly.

Would you like roast elf for dinner?, Vertigo offered and that made Tristan smile.

Possibly, the rider replied just as Adrian reached his side, his expression a deadly one.

"You should have stalled him longer! If you had done as you were asked the other team would not have caught us unawares and we would have been able to fight against Gwen's team. Instead you stood there doing nothing!" the elf shouted.

May and Maya watched the exchange silently while exchanging frequent glances amongst themselves.

"I am sorry, I messed up. But it is not my fault entirely that we lost" Tristan said and raised an eyebrow.

The elf's brown eyebrows pulled together and he took a few steps forward. He held his finger up and pointed it at Tristan's chest.

"You had one job. If this was a real life scenario we would have died" he simply said.

Tristan shook his head angrily.

"Don't you think I know that? I honestly do. But our training is nowhere near finished yet…" Tristan was saying but Adrian stared at the dark green forest and shook his head.

He went to say something, then stared at Tristan and turned away. Tristan heard the twin girls laughing from the back and he wished the earth could open up and swallow him. Together with Grohn they walked back to their dorms in silence. The sun had already started to set and as the weather was progressively getting worse the lessons had finished early for the day. As soon as he was in the human dorm, he jumped into one of the baths and washed the sweat and dirt from his body, sinking his head in the hot water and bubbles.

If it makes you feel any better, we were really close to winning, Vertigo said and Tristan smiled.

It doesn't, but thanks. I am not annoyed that we lost, but by Adrian's obnoxious behaviour. Who does he think he is? I know I am not the best at sword-fighting or wrestling but that's what training is for! It's not my fault that I wasn't raised in an environment where magic and wielding a sword is like walking and running, Tristan said annoyed, until he heard a knock on the door.

"Coming" he said but the knock sounded again and annoyed he pulled one of the towels closest to him and wrapped it around his waist.

The door opened and Adrian entered, then stopped, staring at Tristan's form.

"What? Is there more to blame me for?" he asked the elf angrily.

For a moment Adrian seemed lost of words, first looking at the ground and then at Tristan.

"I am sorry for what I said earlier. It was not your fault entirely" Adrian said, his voice trembling at the end.

This was probably the first time Tristan had seen him almost at a loss of words.

"Apology accepted. I know how hard it is for you to admit this." he said and smiled.

"Don't push it human" Adrian warned but nodded nevertheless, looked at Tristan one last time and then walked away.

Did he only come here to apologise?, Vertigo asked in his mind.

I guess so.

Two legged creature behaviour exceeds the range of my understanding.

Mine as well, Tristan said and walked out of the bath, his braids falling to one side. Angrily he pushed it back and just then the human dorm leader walked past him.

Their eyes met for just a second until he felt her gaze moving. Gwen's cheeks now had a rosy colour and she cleared her throat, walking away from him fast.

Vertigo let out a throaty laugh.

I think you might have dazzled the female rider.

Tristan smiled.

Doubtful.

….

On their way back to the human dorm, Kayla shivered more than once and Aiedaiil kept blowing whiffs of smoke around to melt some of the snow. As soon as they entered the human dorm, Kayla curled near the fire while the snow outside fell heavily.

I could have so easily done whatever I wanted with Adrian's body. Having so much power was rather exhilarating, she said in Aiedail's mind. It tempted me to do things I did not think myself capable of. When you have control over someone else you can do whatever you want.

But you didn't. You stopped, Aiedail said and Kayla smiled.

Maybe. But next time I might not. You cannot understand the feeling of knowing you have another being at your complete control.

This is exactly how I feel when I am about to have my dinner. I know that I shall choose when a shark will turn from a live being into food.

But this was different… It was so much more….

Kayla, Aiedail said warningly.

I know and you are right. I was just curious about so many things and I knew that at the snap of my fingers I could get my answers, Kayla said and then paused. What do you think Laer is hiding? I thought I trusted him. I think his intentions are pure but it troubles me much that he has secrets.

Don't you have secrets? Don't we all?

I guess so, Kayla said perplexed and shook her head. What did he mean by saying that we were the same? Did he mean that we were both dragon riders? Both human?

I do not know, Kayla. But unless it is necessary or you have serious doubts about Laer's or anybody else's loyalty I do not think it is wise to probe the minds of others.

Perhaps, the girl replied and closed her eyes, her strain of thoughts disordered.

A/N: Again, don't forget to leave reviews, follow/fav and Happy New Year and Holidays everyone :)!