Chapter 6
Courage. This is one thing it took to become a Rider of dragons. They all had the courage to be Riders of the Order but did they have the integrity to walk the line between the light and dark. Willis was sitting on the edge of a cliff watching the dragons practicing their flying while Rosaline, Luna, and Felix all practiced magic and Vrael and Wolfia were clashing with blades a short distance away. He was absently twirling a small throwing knife through his fingers as he thought of what it was to be a Rider. To be a Rider you defended the weak, healed the sick, taught the uneducated, looked out for the common man, and you protected peace. He had been a Rider for nearly six months since his best friend and partner of his heart Aiedal hatched for him. In that time he had committed those principles to memory as well as learning how to shoot a bow far better, swordsmanship, and magic. Now he sat on a cliff with his friends who were also his training squad with their dragons soaring in the sky. Lowering his head, Willis extended his mind as far as he could listening to the thoughts of the ants and of the eagles flying above. Then as suddenly as peace had settled on his mind panic set in. A foreign mind assaulted his own. He frantically threw barriers of steel focusing on his sword Wydra. Opening his eyes he saw Vrael and Wolfia standing back to back slashing down dozens of soldiers as fast as they could but more kept coming. Luna was standing back with Rosaline casting spells into the advancing troops while Felix guarded them. Seeing his beloved in danger he ripped his bow of his back and launched arrow after arrow into the advancing troops. Downing dozens he kept up his barrage as he attacked the Mage who had attacked him with his mind. The dragons sensing their Riders in danger roared a challenge and swooped down onto the attacking troops butchering all that approached their beloved Riders. Vrael and Wolfia had rejoined the rest of their group when a voice radiated over the entire campsite over the roar of the dragons. "Riders of dragons! There is no reason for you or your Dragons to die on this day! Lay your weapons on the ground now and you will have King Cedric of Surdas mercy. You will be taken to Aberon where you will swear loyalty to the His Majesty." Shouted a man wearing solid black armor with a jagged blade in his hand.
Willis saw Vrael take a step forward and yell "By this action you have declared war upon the Order of Dragon Riders! In response for your foolishness your king will die and your nation will cease to exist. All who wish to survive lay down your weapons now and you shall be spared. Otherwise death shall be your punishment." He was shocked by his friends calm fury. Many of the young troops and several of the older troops seemed to consider the offer when their commander ordered them to kill the Riders. The soldiers surged forward before a sound swept across the site of the ambush. Vrael was laughing. The Riders where surprised by their friends ability to laugh at a time like this. Vrael turned to the group and with a smile that never touched his eyes said "I'll see you all when I wake." Then he turned and they felt him and Terrorith merge minds to a point unreached before. Then he yelled a single word. "ISTALRI BOETK!" Fire roared from his outstretched palms engulfing the advancing troops before he collapsed to the ground. Silence ruled for a time as nearly a hundred men lay dead from the brutal spell as well as the two hundred who had fallen in the initial ambush. The remaining fifty men looked around and began to flee but stopped at the sight of their commander. He strolled towards the Riders with a cruel smile on his face. Suddenly Willis felt a mind strike his own. The force of the attack forced him to his knees. He looked around to see the dragons as well as the other Riders in a similar position. Wolfia stumbled to her feet and began advancing on the man. She drew close enough to strike and unleashed her deadliest strikes and use all of her half elf speed trying to slay the man. Not a single blow landed. His sword deflected each and every blow. Willis pushed himself to his feet and saw Felix do the same and charged to aid Wolfia. The three Riders launched blow after blow in a vain attempt to slay the enemy who was overwhelming them. In the slamming of metal they heard a low sound. "Thrysta Vindr" were the words that left the mans mouth. And suddenly all three of them were on the ground. He saw the surviving Surdan troops grab Vrael, Luna , and Rosaline before the commander began advancing on the three who had challenged him. "The mighty Riders so easily beaten." He said. His black blade rose above Felix's chest before a roar shattered the silence that had grown after the commanders words. Looking upwards Willis saw six massive dragons fly above them. From the mighty animals back dropped five Riders. Two elves, two humans, and a Urgal. For the most part they were unknown except for one who had once been fear through Alaegasia. Murtagh son of Morzan. The Red Rider advanced on the Commander and like they would swipe away cobwebs from a doorway the Rider destroyed the mans minds defenses and gathered all of his knowledge and killed him with a single word. Turning the other Riders had the Surdans on their knees. The Red Rider turned to look at the him and said "Rest easy boy for you still have a long journey ahead of you." Before the world slipped away from Willis's view.