Chapter 26

Crystal looked at the king and said, "looks like we're on our own for now." The king went to look at the dragons that have been injured and said, "I can't believe this is happening again.

We promised those stones will be sealed and never be used again." Crystal took a walk towards the place she's been calling home and sat down on her bed.

She couldn't help but remember the evil presence she felt every time. The riders would bring another injured dragon elder and it really bothered her.

Simon came into Crystals home knocking on the door and asked, "what's wrong?" Crystal closed her eyes and debated if it was a good idea to tell Simon about the strange presence she felt every time.

"When the bring the injured dragons I can't help but feel an evil presence every time, it's like the riders are being controlled," Crystal said. Simon sat down on the bed next to Crystal and asked, "how long ago have you noticed this?"

Crystal remained quiet for a while and then said, "the riders have been here three times so far, come let me show you where they arrived the first time." Crystal mounted Starmist and Simon followed on his dragon Duke.

Crystal led Simon to the old Golsend palace and Simon was shocked to see the damage.

"This damage was recent and this library was full of books but my father destroyed the library and soon after Forest and Rose arrived injured the only book that survived was the book on dragon illnesses poisons and injuries" Crystal replied.

Crystal got used to closing her eyes when she felt something off and realised the dragon riders were back.

"Simon we have to go now, the riders are back." Crystal said as she mounted Starmist who took off in order to hide. Crystal and her team were barely able to hide when the riders returned with an even bigger dragon.

Crystal was shocked when she realised who the dragon might be an ancient dragons elder. She moved to try to go and help the dragon but Simon stopped her. A few dragons had trouble holding down Nylla who was really angry.

When the riders left Crystal started shouting for water and food. She also grabbed her book and ran over to the ancient dragon.

"She's really weak Crystal," Starmist said. Crystal knew there was no time for dought in her mind she had to make the antidote fast and so she ordered the riders around some was feeding the dragon others was making sure she was drinking water.

Crystal was making the antidote for the poison and gave the antidote to the injured dragon. The riders also started to wash the dragon's wounds out. Crystal spends days just trying to save the ancient dragon elder. Aqua and Sakura stood to watch over there friend and said, "those that harm us will pay?"

The king had to return to the kingdom of Callion and said, "ill send a healer as soon as I find one with a strong dragon to fly threw this storm." Simon his son stayed behind to help Crystal.

Crystal noticed that Nylla was getting irritated one day after tending to the ancient dragon's wounds. She looked over to the ancient dragons Aqua and Sakura but also noticed several other dragons.

"Simon do you think the riders could start looking for the other pillars. Where running out of time and the dragons are angry we need to make this island saver and I can't do it alone.

If we find the pillar this dragon belongs to we might be able to use the elemental stone to heal the dragon since every elemental stone purifies the land in some way or form.

She's white so I think she's either air, light or ice" Crystal said. Simon stood up and told the riders what they needed them to do."

We need to find the rest of the ancient elders and we need to find this ancient dragon. We might be able to help her if we find her pillar?" Simon ordered.

The riders soon found the next pillar and called Crystal to buy now Simon knew what to do to keep the ancient dragon alive and Crystal left to take the next trial.

She carefully places the keystone in the pillar and it wasn't long before an ancient fire dragon appeared before Crystal.

The ancient dragon walked over to his friend and asked, "how did this happen young queen?"

Crystal took a deep breath and said, "the war ist so far only affected the elder dragons but now it's the ancient dragons that have been affected. She needs help I was thinking of activating her pillar and using an elemental stone that it might help. We're doing what we can but were running out of time" Crystal said.

The ancient dragon of the fire looked towards Aqua and Sakura that has gathered and said, "I will give you my test pass it and you will know my name." The ancient dragon returned to his pillar Crystal was shocked to discover the island had grown as there now stood a giant volcano that she has not noticed before.

"My question for you is, what is the power to you?" Crystal was shocked the last thing she wanted to do right now was to answer a difficult question but decided to give it a try.

She thought for a while and looked at all the dragons around her and realised if power was everything why was Eione trying to control it.

"Power can be many things, I think power is the ability to truly help others, to know when to fight and when not to fight, its the ability to ask for help instead of forcing others to do your bidding.

Power to me is the ability to think and take the responsibility of your own actions" Crystal answered. The flame elder looked at Crystal and said, "My name is Drake and I am the ancient dragon of fire. Crystal looked at the ancient dragon and said, "your elemental stone do you know where I can find it?" Crystal said. "You can find it on an island made of fire."

Crystal mounted Nylla and in seconds they were off she looked for the island in the storm and found herself lost so many times and moments. Her will to help the injured dragons distracted her and she fell into the ocean.

Nylla caught Crystal with her mouth it was almost on the end of the storm when Crystal found the island made of fire it was another volcano and all though Crystal was afraid of the hot stone she and Nylla they brought the stone back to Drake where they placed it in the rock.

Crysta was amazed to see several hot water springs appearing. She discovered an even better herb to heal poisons and quickly made the new antidote. She gave it to the sick ancient dragon and soon she noticed the dragon was starting to heel.

Crystal and the riders took a deep breath and sat down in relieve. Crystal looked at the herbs and realised they would need a lot more herbs.

Crystal started making another herb garden planing even more healing herbs. She also replaced the herbs that were already used up. "If this keeps up we will have a problem healing dragons in the future," Crystal said. "Were almost out of most of the herbs?" Simons asked.

"Yes healing dragons takes a lot more herbs them humans would need." Crystal answered. Two riders came running towards Crystal and said, "We found the pillar of air and we found the pillars of metal. Crystal took a deep breath and said, "let's start with the pillar of air."

Crystal place the stone representing air in the keyhole and waited a while. She looked over to the sick dragon and realised, "she is the ancient dragon of air. I know what stone of element I need to go and find.

Crystal and Nylla took off towards the storm. They were determined to help the sick dragon and they were not going to come back empty-handed. Crystal and Nylla looked on almost all the islands and soon found the metal elemental stone but they kept looking.

It was only when Crystal fell of Nylla that she saw the elemental stone of air. Crystal brought back both stones to the island. She arrived at the pillar of air and noticed it was deep in the ground and high in the sky but she saw where the stone needed to be placed and put it in its place at the top of the stone.

Crystal asked the ancient elders for help once more and soon the ancient elder of air woke up and started to regain strength and asked, "you risked your life for me, why?"

Crystal looked around and said, "that's what you do when someone needs help, you help them." Crystal answered

. "My name is Alya and you are worthy to be named the dragon queen. Crystal noticed the barrier is thicker than before and sat down to rest for a while.

Crystal walked over to the pillar of metal and placed the last keystone activating the last of the five ancient pillars. She also placed the elemental Stone of metal in a small piece of black rock standing out next to the pillar. She waited and waited for the ancient dragon and soon fell fast asleep.

The ancient elder of metal arrived not long after she fell asleep but found all four the other pillar elders waiting for him. "Let her sleep, she is tired having done two trials in one day." Aqua told the newly arrived elder. "what happened?" he asked. "I got caught by the humans they poisoned me and she risked her life to save mine. Its good to see that there are still humans with a good hart around." Alya said