The first to wake was Artha and Beau, both groaning as they woke. Next was Decepshun who promptly nudged Moordryd until he shook his head, rubbing the side of his head as he slowly sat up. But I was a lot more difficult to wake, having been thrown from Quiksilva's back during either the fall or the impact with the cold ground, and as my dragon gently nuzzled me I let out a groan shifting onto my side. When I didn't open my eyes right away Moordryd rolled me onto my back, instantly checking for any injuries. Finding none he tried again to wake me.
"Rayne wake up." Moordryd said as I lay there and when I finally opened my eyes he frowned as I grinned at him. "Are you okay?" He asked as I sat up, not sure why he looked so worried.
"I'm awake." I mumbled as he stared into my eyes and I thought he was going to kiss me for a few seconds. When nothing happened I pouted as he stared back at me. "Huh what's with that look?"
"Rayne did you hit your head?" Artha asked this time and I thought about this for a few seconds before I suddenly started to giggle, finding something about the question hilarious. "Thought so. She must have hit her head on something when the ground collapsed."
"Well duh, stable brat." Moordryd answered as I rested my head on his shoulder, still giggling at nothing. Getting an odd look from Artha, he gave the other dragon racer a one-sided shrug. "Just something I picked up from Rayne. Where are we anyway?"
"I think we fell into the track of doom." Artha replied as Beau stared around him, looking tense and Moordryd stared at him. "The prophets live here." He added as Moordryd stood, helping me to my feet. Having finally stopped giggling I weaved back and forth on the spot until Quiksilva decided to mag me and once I was sitting on his saddle I shook my head, wondering why my vision kept blurring. "Let's leave before they find us here." Artha said as he climbed onto Beau's saddle and Moordryd gave him a slight nod, not really wanting to stick around in case something else happened.
Of course finding our way out proved a problem and as Beau and Artha led the way, Quiksilva walked inbetween the dragon of legend and Decepshun. This way they could protect me in case something attacked us and as they walked along the ground I thought I heard a voice. But then I did have a concussion so I might have been hearing things.
It wasn't long until we came across a fork in the road and Beau slowed down, giving Artha a look that said 'which way?'.
"How about right?" I muttered as Quiksilva started to walk towards the fork, only for Decepshun to block his path and he growled. "Huh why not?" I asked blinking at Moordryd who gave me a slight shake of his head.
"I don't think that's the right way." Moordryd said as he looked from one side of the road to the other and I narrowed my eyes at him. "Maybe we should go left." He offered and I growled at him, annoyed he didn't even consider my idea. Then I leant down and whispered something to Quiksilva, who snorted and suddenly took off heading for the right side of the fork.
"See you guys, and girl, later!" I called out giving them a wave before we disappeared into the shadows and Moordryd groaned before he urged Decepshun to go after us, leaving Artha and Beau to catch up.
"I think I get why Moordryd likes her. She's just as stubborn as him." Artha said as Beau shot after the two dragons and their riders, letting out a growl as he raced to catch up. Of course Quikislva and I were pretty far ahead of them and it was only when we came to a huge cavern that my dragon slowed enough for my friends to finally reach me.
"Rayne what are you doing?" Moordryd yelled the moment Decepshun drew up along side Quiksilva and I opened my mouth, intending to answer when he glared at me. "You could have run right into a trap and gotten hurt again or even killed! Is that what you're trying to do?" He shouted and I just sat there, eyes going wide as he started to berate me. "You don't even know what you're doing but you still just run off like its all a joke! Do you want to end up like Bianca?"
"Moordryd that's enough." Artha growled seeing my face crumble and my eyes begin to tear up. "Rayne he doesn't mean it." He said trying to calm me down but I violently shook my head at him.
"Oh he means it all right. All I was trying to do was help find a way out of here and he yells at me. I'm going on ahead." I muttered before Quiksilva walked right past my friends, just close enough to Moordryd to let him see the tears running down my face.
"Wait a minute...Rayne!" Moordryd called out but I ignored him, determined to find my own way out and as my dragon walked closer and closer to the other side of the cavern I sniffed, rubbing at my eyes. I was so caught up in my own misery that I didn't hear Artha call out a warning. Right then someone stepped out of the shadows and Quiksilva jumped back, almost dislodging me as a orange dragon, twice my dragon's size, stepping into our path.
"Whoa!" I cried out and that's when Artha called out a greeting to the rider sitting just behind the dragon's head, making me stare as its rider looked down at me. "Way to scare the scales off me." I growled and the orange dragon's rider let out a chuckle.
"My name is Reepyr and this is Oracul." He told me, indicating the orange dragon he was riding. " I'm sorry I startled you. Who are you?" Reepyr asked as I narrowed my eyes at him, my shoulders tensing up and he grinned. "I'm a friend of the Dragon Booster." He added and I relaxed, returning his grin.
"That's okay then. I'm Rayne and this is Quiksilva." I answered and Quiksilva snorted, glad that he was a friend. "Where are we anyway?" I asked and he motioned us to follow him. Quiksilva stepped forward and started to follow the orange dragon and Reepyr, leaving Artha and Moordryd to play catch up.
As we walked along the floor of the cavern, Reepry noticed my gauntlet and started to ask if I was a chosen booster when Decepshun moved closer and Moordryd gave me a frown.
"Rayne its supposed to be a secret." Moordryd told me and I glared at him, not ready to forgive him after his earlier outburst before I urged Quiksilva forward. "Oh scales. What is her problem now?" He muttered as he stared at my back and Artha rolled his eyes before Beau moved alongside Decepshun.
"You hurt her feelings." Artha pointed out as his rival watched me talking to Reepry about my gauntlet and my newfound powers. "Leave her alone for a while to cool off."
"Hmph if she wasn't so reckless I wouldn't have had to yell." Moordryd shot back and Artha shrugged, wondering why my boyfriend couldn't understand why I was upset. In the end he decided to just let us work it out ourselves and as Beau followed the orange dragon, Moordryd sighed wishing he'd held his tongue.
"This place is amazing." I said as we reached a pathway, finding it too narrow for more than one dragon at a time to cross. So we walked slowly in single file and soon I made the mistake of looking down. "Whoa...that wasn't a good idea." I mumbled gripping the handles of the saddle until my knuckles went white and Quiksilva looked up at me.
Don't know what you're complaining about, he thought as he made his way very carefully to the other side, I'm the one doing all of the work.
"Just go slow. The track gets wider soon." Reepry told me, already at the other side and when we reached the other side I let out a shaky breath. "So you're the Light Booster?" He asked as he started to lead us towards another door set way into the back, wide enough for even our dragons and I grinned.
"Yeah I found both my gauntlet and medallion. Now I'm the new Light Booster, here to help both dragons and humans work together." I answered as we walked side by side and Moordryd let out a snort, making me turn slightly in my saddle. "Okay what is your problem? Think I can't do that?" I asked, a slight smirk on my face and he rolled his eyes back at me.
"Huh you can't even race yet and suddenly you think you're going to stop a dragon-human war." Moordryd said as he gave me a sneer, forgetting all about apologizing and towards the back Artha groaned.
"This isn't what I meant. Moordryd you're just making things worse." Artha muttered and Moordryd turned around, glaring at his rival for almost minute before he snorted and turned back to face me.
"Rayne started this whole thing. She wanted to train for tomorrow's race and that's why we're down here in the first place." Moordryd growled and I stared at him, eyes wide as he glared at me.
"Oh so I caused this? Maybe I set off the quake that made us fall down here too. I didn't think of that, Moordryd. Nice to know where I stand." I muttered and Quiksilva rolled his eyes, clearly frustrated with our consent fighting. "Oh so you're on his side now? Thanks a lot,'silva." I grumbled, climbing down and walking right past Reepry who stared at me then Artha.
"Is she always like that?" Reepry asked and Artha gave him a slight grin before he called out, telling me to come back but I just ignored everyone as I wandered towards the exit. And as I walked forward, trying to ignore my friends I didn't hear Reepry shout a warning but as I looked up I saw another orange dragon looming over me.
"Rayne!" He called out as I took a step back, slowly backing towards Quiksilva and that's right when the dragon roared, lunging for me and suddenly he magged me, letting me down on his saddle. Before I could leap down something clamped down over my head and I let out a scream before something took over my mind. "Propheci. How did you escape?" Reepry asked eyes narrowing as the large orange dragon stepped forward and when he laughed, Moordryd and Quiksilva both stared as my mouth opened. Though it wasn't my voice they heard but another's.
"Did you really think your trap could hold me, the leader of the prophets, for very long? Its good to see you again, Dragon Booster." Propheci laughed as he walked closer and as he did a small group of orange dragons walked out of the shadows, riderless and growling. "I have once again convinced my loyal followers that I am right, that dragons should be in charge and not humans. They are the ones who chased off the other prophets and riders who sided with you." He growled, using his orange control gear to speak through me.
Angry that someone was using me like a puppet Moordryd ordered Decepshun to rush to toward Propheci, only for a mag-blast to knock him from her back. He quickly climbed to his feet, a little winded but unharmed only for several prophets to surround him, preventing him for getting anywhere near me and Propheci. "Pathetic human. Take them to the cells." Propheci growled, letting out a laugh as my friends and dragons were herded towards a nearby cave.
"I can't believe he escaped again." Reepry growled as he stared through the bars of their cage. In the cage opposite Beau, Quiksilva, Oracul and Decepshun glared at several prophets who stood guard on either side of the cages. Furious that another dragon was controlling me, Quiksilva tried to chew the bars, hoping to break out and Moordryd rolled his eyes.
"That won't work." Moordryd said from the back of the cage and Quiksilva narrowed his eyes at my boyfriend, letting out a frustrated growl. "Don't give me that look, I didn't trap us here."
"You did upset her and make her think she was the cause of all this." Artha told him, arms crossed as he leaned against the cell's wall.
"I didn't say that!" Moordryd shouted as he glared at Artha, eyes narrowed and a sneer on his lips. Before a fight between the two could break out, however, Reepry stepped in between them.
"If we can't even work together now what hope do we have to prevent a dragon-human war?" Reepry asked and Moordryd backed off, eyes down as he wondered how I was. "Look there has to be some way of breaking free." Reepry added and after thinking Artha noticed a switch just out of reach.
"If we could hit that switch the cage will unlock. How do we reach it though?" Artha said as they all looked towards the switch, shaped like an ankh. "Hang on what about using...?" He started to suggest before Moordryd stepped forward and stared at the switch for a few seconds before an idea formed.
"What about using this?" Moordryd said as he held out his Jakk Stick. All three riders tried several times and eventually they came to realize that the switch was just out of reach. Then Moordryd came up with another, much more dangerous idea. "I could probably hit the switch with a mag-blast." He suggested and Artha's blue eyes went wide before he shook his head. "What you don't believe I can do it?" He answered, sneering at Artha and Reepry sighed.
"If it gets us out of here...do it." Reepry answered, surprising both riders before Moordryd managed a slight smile before he moved as close as he could to the bars. "Everyone get back." Reepry added as he moved back towards the wall and after Artha joined him, Moordryd took a deep breath and focused. Seconds later his hands began to glow, the mag-energy building into a mag-blast and taking aim he fired the energy.
At the last second it veered off course and everyone hit the deck as it bounced off the walls, floor and ceiling even the cage bars before it slammed into the switch as it made a return trip. The cages slowly opened and after climbing to his feet Moordryd dusted himself off before glancing down at Reepry and Artha, still lying on their stomachs and with their hands over their heads. "Are you two coming or what?" He asked, letting out the breath he'd been holding. In the chaos of the mag-blast their prophet guards had fled, leaving the group free to escape and work on releasing their dragons.
Rushing to their dragons' cages, Moordryd and co quickly released them before they tried to work on a plan to free me. Artha and Reepry wanted to take care not to be seen until they could sneak up on me however Moordryd had other ideas.
"Unleash the shadow!" He yelled and after he transformed to the Shadow Booster he urged Decepshun to rush towards the doorway, leaving Artha to change to the Dragon Booster.
"Not again." Artha growled as Beau and Quiksilva rushed after him, leaving Reepry to sigh at our combined recklessness before he followed on Oracul. Just as he reached them his dragon skidded to a halt, almost colliding with Beau and Quiksilva as they stared at the Shadow Booster. "Let us help you!" Artha yelled but Moordryd just ignored him, consentrating on taking out as many of the prophets as he could.
"Watch your own back!" Moordryd yelled letting out a growl as he swung his Jakk stick, knocking down any prophet who attacked him and Decepshun. Even with his powers he knew he was greatly outnumbered but he fought on, trying to reach Propheci who watched from a distance.
"Foolish humans. You will never defeat me!" He laughed and Moordryd let out a yell as his hands glowed, unleashing a blast of mag-energy that sent the closest Prophets flying. "How dare you!" He roared before he used me to focus a mag-blast into my hands and before my friends' eyes he unleashed it. It slammed into Moordryd's chest, knocking him and Decepshun flying. "I will never release your friend." Propheci growled as Artha leap down and offered his hand, only to have it slapped away.
"Rayne! Listen to me! Don't let him control you!" Moordryd yelled and just for a split second I gasped before Propheci seized control. "Please I'm...I'm sorry I yelled at you!"
"Its no use I am in control of this human. Hmm...interesting so she's the Light Booster. That makes her even more useful to me." Propheci grinned and as they watched helplessly he forced me to slip the medallion into the gauntlet. In a brillant flash of light my armor appeared and Propheci threw back his head, laughing. "All this power will now be used for my own purposes."
"I won't let you!" Quiksilva shouted suddenly and Propheci stared as my dragon stepped forward, almost glowing white as he let out a challenging roar. "Rayne you need to listen to me! Fight his control!" He shouted and to everyone's shock I mumbled something.
"Quik...silva?" I mumbled and that's when Propheci fought back, forcing his will over mine and I let out a cry fighting desperately to regain control of myself. Thinking quickly Moordryd rushed towards me and as the other prophets loyal to Propheci rushed to the dragon's aid Artha and Reepry teamed up. Fighting back they kept the orange dragons from getting near Moordryd as he and Decepshun rushed to help me, only to pause when Propheci laughed, having won the fight and I was now fully in his control.
"Rayne its me, Moordryd!" The Shadow Booster yelled and Propheci just grinned at him as he tried to reach me. "Look I'm sorry I mistreated you before. All you wanted to do was help us escape and I yelled at you for doing what I should have. Please just fight him!"
Even Quiksilva tried to reach out to me, calling to me into my head and after getting no response he hung his head, thinking it was too late. Then I whimpered and to everyone's amazement I let out a sudden scream. Shocked, Propheci froze and in the confusion that gave Moordryd enough time to whisper something to Decepshun.
A split second later she magged him, right towards me as she rushed the leader of the Prophets. As Decepshun slammed into him the orange dragon roared as he fell to the hard ground and Moordryd twisted in midair. Landing on the dragon's back, Moordryd lunged for the orange control gear latched onto my head and after a struggle he managed to rip it from my head, freeing me. Now free I slipped from the saddle, only for Moordryd to catch me in his arms and as he leapt down I groaned.
"How dare you!" Propheci growled stumbling to his feet just as several prophets appeared. "Fellow prophets, destroy them!" He shouted and when they refused to help he growled. "Idiots!"
"It seems like they've abandoned you. Its over, Propheci." Reepry told him, eyes narrowed and Propheci growled before he shot towards a doorway, knocking anyone from his path. He didn't get far when Beau charged him and sent him flying into a wall, knocking the dragon out cold. "Bring him to the cage. He won't escape again." Reepry ordered and Artha nodded, looking towards Moordryd who held me in his arms.
A short time later I woke to find Moordryd in his Shadow Booster armor, giving me a slight smile as I struggled to sit up. "What...happened?" I whispered as I went to rub my eyes, only for my hand to bump my helmet. "Huh why am I the Light Booster?" I asked, looking down at my armor with some confusion on my face.
"Its a long story." Moordryd said before he gave me a quick hug, leaving me still a little confused and suddenly pretty happy. With Propheci now safely behind bars, and not likely to escape anytime soon, Reepry showed us the way out of the track of doom.
"Farewell my friends and thank you." Reepry said as Oracul gave us a roar, the Prophets standing at his side and just before we left I waved back. Now sitting on Quiksilva's back I leant forward and gave him a pat on the snout and he let out a happy growl, glad that I was back to myself.
"I have no idea what happened so care to fill me in guys?" I asked and that's when Decepshun stopped walking, Moordryd letting out a breath before he removed his medallion. After he changed back he turned slightly in his saddle and stared at me for a minute before he shook his head, turning back. "Okay then." I muttered wondering why my boyfriend was giving me the cold shoulder. For the next couple of hours we travelled in silence and just as I was begining to wonder if we'd had a fight we arrived back at Penn Stables.
"I have to say I'm glad to be home." Artha said as Beau let out a growl, just as glad to be back as his rider. "You two are welcome to stay the night if you want. No pressure though it is getting pretty dark." He offered and Moordryd opened his mouth, about to decline when I suddenly yawned. "Looks like Rayne's all for that idea." He chuckled as my cheeks went red.
"Moordryd you don't have to go back to the compound tonight. Stay here...please?" I asked giving him the best puppy-dog eyes I could and he rolled his eyes before I heard him mumble 'yes' and I grinned. "Drac. Then let's go." I said as I climbed down from Quiksilva's back and led him towards the stables, leaving Moordryd to blink at me.
"I think she won...once again." Artha grinned before he led Beau to an empty stall, leaving his rival to stare at us. Then he snorted as Decepshun nudged him, wanting him to follow me and he finally rolled his eyes. Giving in with a sigh he walked towards the stables, pretending to be annoyed that he'd lost an argument with me though Decepshun could just see a very tiny smile appear on his lips.
Humans, she thought to herself as she followed her rider looking forward to getting some rest after a very eventful day.