The Dream of Shadows

by Nicholas Clausen

  Cass bumped into Hayden, her smile contagious on her face and her dark hair a mess on her head.

  “What are you doing over here Hayden? You're missing out on the fun!” Cass asked tugging at his arm to join her.

  Hayden was about to stop her until he realized what he was about to do. He instead jumped up and joined her, along with everyone else, in dancing around the throne room.

  The drumbeat grew faster and faster as they almost ran around the pillars of the throne room. They all held hands and formed a giant chain that snaked around the room. Everyone cheered and shouted their joy as the beat grew louder and faster.

  Finally, with a loud series of thumps, the music stopped, and everyone cheered as loud as they could. Hayden turned to face Cass, to thank her for pulling him into the dance. For helping him unwind and getting his mind off everything that was going on outside the throne room at that very moment. Instead, all he could do was smile at her.

  Cass smiled back and was about to say something when someone slammed into Hayden. The push knocked him forward and caused his left knee to buckle. Hayden reached out and grabbed Cass as he tried not to fall. He succeeded in remaining on his feet but as he fell he accidentally kissed Cass.

  Their lips locked for the briefest of seconds. Cass put her hands up, but before she could push Hayden away, he pulled himself back.

  “I am sorry you two,” Shane said as continued dancing around with the Frost Fang from earlier. He seemed not to have noticed what had just taken place as he continued laughing and having a good time.

  The look on Cass’s face gave nothing to Hayden. She looked neither pleased or angry at what had just happened. She almost looked confused as she raised her eyes to look at Hayden’s.

  Hayden had never kissed a girl before, but he was sure that confusion was not a good sign.

  “I am sorry… it.. it.. it was an accident I didn’t mean for it to happen.” Hayden said, his words falling out of his mouth faster than his brain could think.

  Hayden didn’t wait for Cass to respond. Instead, he turned and walked as fast as he could without causing a scene to the outer edge of the throne room. It was a balcony that overlooked where the landing pad used to be and like always; it was snowing as he made it out of the cover of the roof.

  Snow fell like thick flower petals all around him, sticking to his hair and furs. Hayden closed his eyes and looked up, allowing the snow to cool off his face that felt as if it was on fire.

  Hayden was about to contact Draek and tell him what had happened when a voice caused his eyes to open.

  “Are you ok Hayden?” Cass asked, having followed him out.

  “I am fine, I am just really sorry for what happened,” Hayden said. He hadn’t turned around yet because he didn’t want her to see his face.

  “What happened in there, you mean the kiss, or you bumping into me?” Cass asked. Hayden’s heart was beating faster than ever. Any faster and he was sure it was going to stop.

  “Yes, the kiss,” Hayden admitted.

  “Are you sorry that it happened or how it happened?” Cass asked.

  Hayden was unsure about the question. He didn’t really know what Cass was asking, so he had to turn around to face her. To his delight, she was smiling.

  “I don’t understand,” Hayden confessed.

  “Are you sorry that you kissed me, or are you sorry that you kissed me because Shane bumped into you?” Cass asked, the smile still on her face.

  “Does it make a difference?” Hayden asked. He was afraid that he wasn’t going to be able to hear her answer because his heart was beating so loudly he could hear it.

  “It does.” Cass almost laughed. Hayden wasn’t sure if she could tell that he was nervous but he thought she was having fun watching him be uncomfortable.

  “I am sorry that I kissed you.” Hayden started. “Because Shane bumped into me.” Cass looked into Hayden’s eyes and he into hers. Neither said anything for a few seconds before she smiled again.

  “Good.” She said. Hayden’s heart felt like it completely stopped beating in his chest. The snow around him stopped falling, the stars above him stopped shimmering. Everything stopped for a single moment when Cass spoke.

  Hayden wanted to shout; he wanted to scream. He wanted to run through the throne room and dance. Cass had a different idea as she stepped closer to Hayden and leaned in to kiss him. Their lips touched, and Hayden felt like he was being pulled out of his body. He became aware of himself in a new way. He felt his skin as if it were on fire and his hands were unsure of what they should do. Hayden’s eyes were closed, and as he turned his head slightly to further the kiss, Cass pulled away.

  She smiled at him as she walked back to the covered side of the throne room. “The celebration is not over yet.” She said as she melted into the crowd of dancing participants.

  “I… I…. I don’t know what just happened,” Hayden said to himself. He looked down at his hands and touched his face to make sure that he hadn’t been dreaming.

  She kissed you, now go after her and dance. Draek’s voice was soft in Hayden’s mind. He wasn’t sure if his dragon was asleep or if his focus was just not on his dragon.

  Hayden didn’t know what the future held. What would happen in the war, in the morning or anything like that was beyond Hayden but right then, standing in the falling snow, he did not care.

  They were alive, they were together, and they were happy. They would tackle tomorrow, tomorrow.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The sun rose lazily over the frozen landscape. The rays of light reflecting off the ice and snow as if the land were carved out of crystal. The snow had hardened overnight making the wind move silently like a ghost over the hills. The only sound was the thunderous beats of the dragon’s wings pushing them through the cold sky.

  The three Metallic Dragons raced across the Frozen Tundra, flying only a few feet above the ground. The riders wrapped up tightly in furs sat atop their dragons, trying to stay as close to their dragons to help them fly. It was one of the only ways they could help their dragons.

  Hayden pulled his furs further around his head, trying to keep the cold from cutting through. They hadn’t spoken much before taking off. Their saddles had been loaded down before they had awakened with all their gear and enough food to make it to where they thought they needed to go.

  Hayden and his friends had thanked the Frost Fangs for everything they had done. It wasn’t a joyous farewell, but Hayden hoped that when it was all done that he could come back and see the Ice Keep and the new dragons that he had seen hatched.

  They hadn’t said much as they left that morning. They had helped the Frost Fangs saddle their dragons, and with a few words, their dragons had taken to the sky before the sun had risen. The sky had begun to lighten up as they started their journey and they were able to see well enough to fly.

  They had been flying for just a few minutes, and already they were making good distance. Draek and the other dragons had rested and eaten well the night before, and their muscles were ready for the flight. Shaylin and Rilora flew on either side of Draek to make it easier for the smaller dragons to keep up with Draek over long distances.

  Draek couldn’t help but roar his delight at being able to fly with Shaylin and Rilora again without the fear of death looming around them. Rilora and Shaylin added their roars to him, and together the three dragons and their riders made the flight to the large pass which would lead them to the Shadow Desert.

  Hayden stretched his back and turned from side to side.

  “We made good time,” Cass said as she looked at the map she had laid out on Shaylin’s golden scales. The light reflected from her scales as Hayden walked over to see what she was looking at.

  Cass pointed to where she thought they were on the map. Hayden had figured out that Cass’s guess usually turned out to be right, so there was no point in questioning them.

  Her finger landed on the spot on the mountain range that was fairly close to the pass they
were looking for. “If this is where we are then we should be out of the Frozen Tundra in another hour or so of flying.” Cass guessed.

  Hayden and Shane both looked around them to see if they could see any distinguishing landmarks that would tell them how she knew that but they were at a loss.

  “I think we should push on, the sooner we are out of this place, the sooner we can be rid of these furs,” Shane said as he tucked his hands under his arms to try to bring feeling back to his fingertips.

  “I agree,” Cass said, knocking off the snowflakes that had landed on the map before she rolled it up and climbed back onto Shaylin’s back. Hayden wanted to be out of the Frozen Tundra again, but after all the flying he had done over the last few days he wasn’t excited to jump back into the saddle.

  He stretched one more time, trying to work out the last of the cramps before finally climbing onto Draek’s back, the last of the three to do so.

  Draek had been silent most of the flight thus far and although he didn’t look tired he knew that the flight wasn’t easy for him. The dragons took off without any more words being spoken by the riders.

  They quickly fell into the same pattern they had been flying the entire time and got back into a rhythm.

  You haven’t talked to her yet. Draek said, breaking the silence they had kept most of the flight. Hayden didn’t have to ask who he was talking about.

  We haven’t had time Draek. Hayden tried to explain.

  You have time now. Draek said. Hayden was about to ask what he meant until he realized he was going to relay what Hayden said to Shaylin so she could tell Cass.

  No Draek, it is fine, and we will figure things out after…. after we figure everything else out. Hayden wasn’t sure when that would be.

  Things are moving swiftly around us Hayden; you should take advantage of what joy you can get. Draek said. Hayden was about to argue with him that there was plenty of joy and happiness left in Arvain but after what all he had seen he wasn’t sure he believed it anymore.

  They continued to follow TheeAgren with very little communication between any of them. So much had happened in the last few days and so much was about to happen they were all unsure where they stood. The war with the Metallic Nation was about to take a drastic next step.

  Kirin’s forces were marching on Celestial City, and they were on their way to hopefully get another part of that army to join in the fight. If everything went well they could all be flying to Celestial City in just a few short days.

  Hayden’s stomach locked up at the thought of what all they had coming up in front of them. He figured it would be best to push it from his mind and worry about the immediate tasks at hand, getting out of the Frozen Tundra.

  This did not take much longer to complete. The dragons continued to fly low to the snow until the mountain peaks around them began rising up higher and higher. They watched as the frozen snow beneath them began to slope down and give way to grey and brown colored stone and dirt.

  The mountain finally broke away and revealed what looked like a giant cut in the stone, showing a tan and speckled green landscape beyond. The break in the mountain looked like a doorway to another world.

  The three dragons turned in to the crevasses and just like before Hayden watched the ground beneath them shoot downwards as they passed over TheeAgren. He thought that he would handle the height of Draek’s flying better the second time, but he had been mistaken.

  Hayden felt his stomach lurch as Draek pulled his wings in to begin his dive. The dragons could fly this high, but it was more work in the colder air. As Draek began gaining speed, Hayden looked back and saw Rilora and Shaylin following right behind Draek.

  They had their wings pulled closer to their bodies but not all the way folded in. They straightened their bodies and moved like arrows in the sky. When they were low enough, Draek opened his wings just slightly. Not to slow down but to level out and soar across the southern expanse of the Star Light Plains.

  Draek and the other dragons flew like that for a few leagues, not having to flap their wings until they started to lose their speed. When they had to start working to fly again, Draek began circling to the ground beneath them.

  The others would like to land. Draek said as they continued the descent. Leaving his wings opened as he made lazy circles in the sky. He finally touched down with the other two dragons just seconds behind him.

  Hayden could already feel the furs trying to cook him, and he removed his cloak before starting on the saddle straps.

  Hayden watched the others as they did the same and slid off their dragons. When their feet touched the grass, they both stopped and bent down to feel the blades in their fingers. Hayden forgot for a minute just how much they had missed the heat of the sun.

  “I could walk the rest of the way in weather like this,” Shane said. He closed his eyes and looked up to the sun, letting the heat wash over his face. The very air they breathed felt thick and heavy.

  “We don’t have that kind of time Shane, no matter how wonderful the heat feels,” Cass said with a smile. Even the dragons stretched out their wings and tails to get as much sun as they could.

  “I say we take our time packing up our furs so our dragons can rest for a little bit?” Hayden suggested as he joined the other riders on the ground. They all knew that they needed to get back into the air, but they also wanted to take some time to gather themselves.

  They all took their time folding up their furs and putting them back into the saddlebags. They talked, laughed and smiled as they let themselves enjoy the sun and the moment of rest.

  It was Draek that brought them back to reality. It is time to go if we wait much longer we might as well set up camp. Draek said.

  Hayden and the others looked up to see just how far the sun had gotten and they realized how close they were to the end of the day.

  They quickly, as quickly as they could, climbed back into their saddles and took back off into the sky. The dragons rode the wind in a spiral just as they had when they had landed. When they got high into the sky, they began to pump their wings and fly off towards the Shadow Desert.

  The dragons fell back into their formation, but they didn’t make it far before Draek noticed something was wrong.

  Hayden, there is a metallic dragon. Draek said, his voice eager and nervous. Hayden followed his gaze and saw what Draek told him was a copper dragon.

  The copper dragon was flying across the horizon, coming from the direction they were heading but going north away from them.

  What do we do? Draek asked. Part of Hayden wanted to fly out and attack the lone rider, but they knew that they needed to get to the Bone Thieves as quickly as possible. Their future depended on the help they needed to acquire.

  The decision was made for them as the copper dragon noticed them and turned to fly towards them. Hayden was about to tell Draek to tell the dragon that they didn’t mean them any harm and that they didn’t want to fight.

  Hayden knew that was no longer the case and instead pulled out his bow and notched an arrow. He didn’t have to look back to know that the others had noticed the new dragon in the skies.

  Draek began flying a little faster, and Hayden could feel the dragon’s heart beating faster underneath him. He roared out a challenge and loosed a column of flames that reached high above them.

  As they neared the lone dragon and its rider, Hayden kept looking on the horizon, waiting for other metallic dragons to spring into the air from their hiding spots and ambush them. The dragon was almost within range of Hayden’s arrow, and still, no other dragons had taken to the air, it seemed the copper rider was alone.

  Hayden pulled his bowstring back and aimed at the copper clad rider. Just as he released the string, sending the arrow flying ahead of them, the copper dragon dove to the ground beneath them and landed.

  Draek and the other dragons circled overhead and watched the copper dragon land and the rider get off of the saddle.

  What are they doing? Hayden asked. Dra
ek and the other two dragons could have easily defeated the single copper dragon in the air, but with it being on the ground it would be murder almost.

  They want us to land; they want to talk. Draek seemed reluctant to land, but Hayden knew he didn’t want to kill the dragon while it was on the ground and not defending itself.

  They continued to circle overhead for a few moments, waiting to see if the copper rider would get back in the saddle but the rider never did. They were at an impasse, and there was only one way around it.

  Let’s see what they have to say. Hayden said reluctantly.

  Do you trust them? Draek asked as he began to lower himself and Hayden to a spot near the copper dragon.

  Hayden notched another arrow before he undid a few of the saddle straps. Nope.

  Draek touched down first, and Hayden stood up in the saddle drawing his bow back as he did so, pointing it for the second time at the copper rider. The rider removed her helmet, revealing her face, and raised her hands above her head. Hayden was not close enough to see many details of the rider, but he could tell she was short and thin and she wore her dark black hair short above her ears.

  Hayden waited for the others to land and for them to get off their dragons before he released the tension on his bow. The copper rider remained still with her hands held in the air while they walked closer to her, weapons drawn. Their dragons sat back, growling at the one copper dragon but none were willing to attack.

  He slid down Draek’s side, and as soon as he was on the ground, he pulled back his bow and aimed at the lone ridder as they walked closer to her.

  “You can put your bow down rider; I am not here to fight you.” The copper rider said.

  Hayden hesitated for a moment. He was torn between putting an arrow in the rider or lowering his bow.

  “She can’t hurt us,” Cass said without taking her eyes off the copper rider or her hand off the hilt of her golden sword. Hayden released the tension off his bow without losing his arrow.