Chapter 47

Crystal was out hunting when she noticed dragon riders coming on the horizon. She returned to the library only to find Prince Leon was no longer there.

She was afraid that she might not be able to trust these people and so she went in to hide in a cave behind a waterfall she discovered yesterday.

She could hear the group looking for her but she was not sure if she could trust them. She remained hidden within the cave and that night her team travelled deeper into the cave.

"Starmist great job as usual?" Crystal said. "No problem, " she replied.

They travelled deeper and deeper into the cave until they found a cave opening into a deep and thick forest. Crystal knew that the group hadn't followed them yet. She felt the forest and for the first time, in many years she felt save.

She let Forest, Rose and Nylla out of the rider bracelet and said, "this feels like save place." As she sat down on the forest floor in order to rest.

Crystal felt someone shaking her awake and when she opened her eyes. She noticed a worried Nylla looking at her and asked, "You can't still be sleeping are you okay?" Crystal looked around and asked, "how long have I been asleep for?" Forest raised his head and said, "almost a full day."

Crystal was shocked and asked, "why did I sleep for so long?" Forest looked around and said, "elves called the forest there home, Crystal and you haven't been in a forest this save since you were ten, it's only natural that you slept for so long."

Crystal was brushing Starmist when she thought about the dragon riders. "Do you think the riders left?" she asked. Forest raised his head and said, "no I believe they are still looking for you and if we don't move they will soon find us."

Crystal let her team inside the rider bracelet once more and continued to travel threw the dense forest. It wasn't easy but she decided she wasn't going to get caught by anyone again. The good thing was she got to practice her abilities and was able to see the forest around her more clearly every minute.

The moment the men found the forest Crystals senses found them but she wasn't expecting that there was another like her and found it odd. "Starmist I think they also have an elve member?" Crystal suddenly said.

Starmist looked around and said, "he is a strong one." Crystal stopped for a second and wondered. "You don't suppose we trespassed, do you?" she asked. Starmist looked at her rider and asked, "why are you asking that question right now?"

Crystal looked around and said, "well this forest reminds me of where I grew up as a child but also where we lived to let Nylla grow." Starmist looked around and said, "these parts of the world are better protected but if you ask me they need to learn to put up a sign like no trespassers."

Crystal smiled and said, "I wonder where that other companion of ours went without saying goodbye?" Starmist was drinking water from the river and said, "I believe he knew what this place was and didn't tell us the truth why else would we be followed?" Starmist said.

Crystal suddenly became aware of a dragon over them. "Starmist above us, a dragon?" Crystal said. They grew very quiet and Crystal thought for a second what her chances are of getting out alive. She looked toward the elve that was behind them and noticed they were pulling back towards the forest.

There was something about this situation that screamed danger towards her and Crystal decided to keep moving. She was almost on the other side when she saw a cave in the distance. She touched Starmist and showed her where they were going.

They managed to reach the cave and after making sure it was saved she and Starmist hid inside. She looked at the dragon over the forest and realised it was the ancient rainbow dragon again. Crystal sat down deep within the cave and told Starmist. "I warned them ancient dragons shouldn't be taking riders, not everyone can bond to them without the power corrupting them."

Starmist understood her riders words, this war was created with corrupt dragons that now needs help to heal. Crystal felt pain from the forest being burned and destroyed. She looked at Starmist and said, "Too many have died so far I won't let another die, not for this." Starmist lowered herself and said, "Then let's go, Mira didn't ask me to be your second companion for nothing."

Crystal mounted Starmist who landed on the ridge where Crystal could see the destruction the dragon was doing. She closed her eyes and focused all her power, "forest lend me your strength and bind this evil to the ground throw the rider and keep them separated." Crystal commanded and withing seconds the forest reacted throwing the rider off the dragon. Crystal called onto Nylla and let Stamrist into the bracelet.

Nylla was angry withing secondes and the two dragons were preparing to fight. "I'll kill you if it's the last thing I do?" the rainbow dragon said freeing herself. Crystal let Forest and Rose out and said, "sorry guys she found us," Forest looked at the enraged dragon in front of them. Forest and Rose both took off and Nylla soon followed.

Crystal let Starmist out of the bracelet and went for the rider. "You don't get it, do you?" she told the prince. "I get you to want all the power for yourself?" the prince said as he raised his sword.

"The ancient dragons can not have a rider, having a rider corrupts them and eventually that power kills them and their rider. Don't you understand that you have doomed everyone?" Crystal shouted.

"You are lying and deserve to be burned alive?" the prince shouted. Crystal and the rider were fitting and even Starmist was doing what she could to protect Crystal. In the end, the ancient rainbow dragon fled with her rider. Crystal ran towards Forest, Rose and Nylla who was now injured. Some more them others, "why don't they get it?" Crystal said looking towards the dragon leaving.

Crystal looked at her team and notice two was poisoned and it looked like Nylla was coming down with another round of crystal sickness. "How does she do that? Poison two dragons and making a crystal dragon ill," Crystal realised something and said, "the poisoned dragons weren't Eione's doing but it was the ancient rainbow dragons doing all along."

Forest looked at Crystal and said, "you might be right but I didn't notice her when I got poisoned the first time?" Forest said.

Rose looked around and said, "not to scare you Crystal but we have company."

Crystal looked around and found herself staring at the group but her attention was back at her team.

She knew how to help her team, the first thing she did was to get both Forest and Rose's medicine ready.

She gave them the antidote and cleaned their wounds but treating Nylla was a different case since you need a lot of water to heal her.

"Starmist go and find a spring or river I need a lot of water?" Crystal said.

Starmist was off withing seconds and all Crystal could do was watch. "That was a big fight are they going to be okay?" the woman asked.

Crystal looked a the woman and said, "those two will be okay I had the medicine ready but this one is another case. Since she is a crystal dragon treating her is a different case. Pure light and pure water created from the elemental stone of light and water is all that will help her now. The problem is we need a lot of water since she isn't small,"

"You came here for the stone's I take it?" the elve asked. "Yes, this is her second time getting the fever, " Crystal said. "Your both an elve and yet not?" the man asked. Crystal looked at Forest and said, "we are not from here only chased here and now we need a plan but there is no plan," Crystal said.

Starmist came back and said, "there's no water anywhere in this are Crystal, it's like someone drained the whole valley taking its water. Crystal looked shocked at Starmist and asked, "what do you mean?" Starmist took Crystal to see what had happened to the water. Then on the horizon, she saw dark clouds coming towards them.

Crystal looked at her team and wondered what she was going to do now, "you will be coming with us, we have water but not the stones," the elves said. "don't worry I have the stones I healed her before I can do it again.

Crystal got to the group's village and once they gave her water she got to work on healing Nylla. They didn't like intruders so she was kept alone from everyone else but it didn't bother Crystal. She felt asleep below a tree next to her team who was currently resting from there injuries.