Chapter 8

"How long until we get to the resistance?" Crystal asked. Forest looked towards the mountains and said, "It's about another two to three days of flying if were going in the right direction."

Crystal was resting on the forest floor. She was tired and the group of dragon riders she was travelling with was a group of slavedrivers. If she wasn't flying fast enough she wasn't flying good enough.

"They don't seem to notice I could barely stay on you Starmist, not to mention that I fell off twice." Crystal complained, Starmist looked towards the riders and said, "true, I always thought riders took care of one another but not this group."

Crystal was getting hungry and decided to look for food. She found herself wandering around the camp looking at the old trees. "These trees are really old, I wonder if they could talk what stories they would tell, " Crystal said.

Starmist looked at the trees and said, "it's true that if they could talk they would tell us the many events that happened here but do we truly want to know their secrets," Starmist asked.

Crystal looked at Starmist and replied, "why wouldn't one want to know the secrets the tree's keeps." Starmist looked at Crystal and replied, "the red beryl was just a stone, with no power at all," Crystal looked at Starmist.

"The red beryl just an ordinary stone, what happened?" Starmist walked down a path in between the old oak trees towards a lake. Crystal could not believe what she was seeing. The river was flowing into a lake and in the lake was colourful fish. The lake was surrounded by many kinds of trees and plants.

"The red beryl was once a precious stone gifted to a wizard for his bravery in protecting the kingdom of Golsend. The wizard kept the stone for many years in a glass case to remind him of what he could do, but the wizard apprentice became interested in the stone so whenever the wizard wasn't home the apprentice would experiment with the stone infusing it with all kinds of spells and magic.

One day the wizard caught his apprentice in the act and punished the boy but not before the boy turned the beautiful red beryl into a stone that could control dragons.

The wizard tried to undo the damage his son created but was unsuccessful. One day the apprentice stole the stone and took control of a dragon. He proved to the word that dragons could be controlled but in doing so the people started fighting for the stone and a terrible war was burning through the land.

Destroying everything in its path. The wizards asked the elves for help and so with the elves help the red beryl was retrieved and sealed within the palace of the Golsend kingdom.

The king of dragons at that time promised the dragons and its people that history will never repeat itself. The green beryl that was used to free the dragons was sealed withing the kingdom of elves and it was said that the kingdom of elves was never seen again.

There are elves in our world but we call those elves the keepers of the forest. In times of danger, they are there to protect the forest and its creatures. The dragon elders decided to unite with the keepers to watch over the younger generations and so for many years war was forgotten.

The dragon riders didn't take their job seriously anymore and so evil raised once more." Crystal looked around and asked, "war doesn't sound like a good thing? "

"War never is a good thing people and creatures alike loose there live families get destroyed and those that fight in the war never really recover but it's said that where there is light, dark will follow for the day can not exist without night," Starmist said.

"It's impossible for peace to truly exist, for peace to exist in a kingdom someone has to make the sacrifice to fight?" Crystal asked. "Yes, that is the role of all riders, that is their oath to protect those that can not fight, to help one another, and to share the burden of a war," Starmist said.

Crystal found a fruit tree and was busy eating when Forest and Nylla landed. "What are you doing out here?" Nylla asked. "Looking for food to eat and a history lesson was included, " Crystal said.

Crystal's group got back to where all the riders and dragons were supposed to gather but were in for a shock when they discovered that the riders had already left for the resistance. "That's just plain selfish," Crystal said.

"It truly is," Forest replied. Nylla flew threw the area where the dragons and their riders were supposed to be waiting. Crystal looked around and said, "well find my father our way, a day or two more isn't going to make a difference."

Forest looked at Crystal and asked, "do you have a plan?" Crystal looked around and said, "Yes, first well rest for the rest of the day by the lake Starmist and I discovered and early tomorrow morning we try to reach the mountain summit. If the resistance is close by we could see them from the mountain top. There will be a lot of dragons around them so that's what we will look for besides you already know my father and we did promise Mira we will deliver this message to him."

The group made camp next to the lake that night and the next morning they started off for the mountain at dawn. The group landed at the mountain top that afternoon and looked around.

Crystal noticed a village in the valley below but noticed that the group of dragon rider they were travelling with wasn't there. "Come on are you telling me they lied to us about where the camp was." Crystal said.

"looks like it?" Starmist replied. "That village down there is an anti-dragon zone," Forest said. "What is an anti-dragon zone?" Crystal asked. "It's a zone that if a dragon lands there or a rider they will be killed," Forest replied.

"Let's go back to that in then, someone has to know where the resistance is hiding." Crystal said. "This is becoming a real pain," Nylla replied.

"What if we look for a keeper instead?" Crystal asked, "Why a forest keeper Crystal?" Forest asked. "They are elves that protect the forest, so they must be able to communicate with one another so maybe they can tell us where the resistance is." Crystal suggested.

"That is not a bad idea but asking favours comes at a price, Crystal," Starmist said. "I don't have money on me." Crystal said. "Favours for the elves doesn't always mean money, Crystal," Forest replied.

"What do you mean Forest?" Crystal asked. "With humans, you can earn money by doing jobs or selling things you make or find but with elves, if you asked for a favour you usually have to prove yourself first, and only then will they decide the price," Starmist said.

"Well, we can go to the capital?" Forest said, "Isn't that where this war started, is it save to go there?" Crystal asked. "We will have to teach you how to use the gear first," Starmist said.

"This is a real problem, let's go back find a save area to hide in, and decide what to do then." Crystal said, "the group made its way back to the forest, and once on the ground and out of sight they started thinking of a plan.

"That group know we have a dual rider and elder dragon. They also know we have a letter for your father and both Starmist and Nylla are rare creatures that normally wouldn't take riders.

That's going to cause trouble if hunters spot us." Forest said. "True Forest," Starmist replied. "Forest according to the story you told me, my father is in the kingdom of Borus, so what if the resistance is in an area closer to Avalon's border that hard to get to," Crystal asked.

"That would require you to be an expert at riding and you just started riding Starmist." Forest said. "so we need to find an area where we can hide safely while I learn to ride Starmist and Nylla grows stronger for the trip then." Crystal replied.

"Yes, that might be the best thing to do since we have to stay on the move as much as possible, finding isolated locations might help to rest if no one finds us" Starmist replied.

"Okay let's find another place to stay for a few days. Starmist will teach me how to be a better rider and if it's okay Forest you'll keep a lookout for danger?"

Forest looked at Crystal and asked, "I don't mind looking out for danger but how are you planning to find your father?"

Crystal thought for a while and replied, " If we keep travelling well run into a village or a town eventually but if I can ride really well we might be able to get a job and make money.

That we can use to get information on where my father and the resistance really are, maybe that's how we will find them?" Crystal said. The group looked at one another and Starmist said, "looks like it's our best plan right now."