To the Eldest! by Jordan Pierce (best classic romance novels .txt) 📕

“My home was attacked by humans and their Hounds. We were a community of eighty. Only three of us survived because we were the smallest. We were four days’ journey away from our mountain when I saw another dragon about to be killed by hounds. She could not fly away because the Hounds had broken her wings. That is why I’m here. My friend is being carried by Crusher right now.”

“We will do what we can to help your friend,” a white dragon with emerald eyes said. But, tell me Kalli, when was the last time you ate? You seem thin.”

“Oh… I don’t know. I guess I haven’t eaten since the attack. I’ve not been hungry.”

“When was the attack?”

“Almost six days ago. But I didn’t eat the day of. So, it’s been almost week since I last had a meal.”

“You must eat. If you continue to fast, you will lose your strength. Come with me. I need to check you out. I need to see if you’ve begun deteriorating.”

I obeyed the medic and followed. He led me to the smaller cave with the three other dragons in it. He directed me to sit on a table.

“Will you stretch your neck for me?” I did so. “Now, I need you to fully extend your arms and legs. Good, good. Now claws. Can you spread all of your toes?” I stretched the toes on three of my feet, but not my fourth. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing. I just don’t like spreading those toes, they cramp.”

“You’re not hiding anything are you? Any muscle deterioration? An injury? A disease that affects your joints?”

“Nothing is wrong. I have no disease, no injury, my muscles are fine. I’ve flown for four days straight. It’s true that I’m hungry, but I’ve not had time to eat.”

“Then are you hiding something by holding it between your toes? You can tell me. Many dragons confide in us. I tell no one about what my patients tell me; not even my own mate.”

All at once, the pain of the loss of my mother and home washed over me. I lowered my head and let the scale slip from its hiding place. It landed softly on the hard stone.

The white dragon looked softly at me and asked, “Whose is it?”

“My mom’s. She was the Queen. I took it from her after she was killed. The mountain was about to come down and I rushed back to her body to burn her. Before she fully caught flame, I pulled it from her belly. Please. Don’t tell anyone about it. I want to keep it a secret.”

“I won’t tell.” He assured. “You know, I watched my father die. He got sick. I was a healer, but I couldn’t help him. I watched him wither away. No one could help him.”

I hid the scale between my toes and slithered off the table I was on. The healer led me back to Cobolt just as Crusher arrived with my friends. The healers all gasped in unison when they saw Lucia’s mangled wings. Two of them rushed to her and whisked her away to a private room. Jinx was about to follow but another healer blocked his way.

The white dragon simply shook his head then said, “They are putting her to sleep right now. They will do emergency surgery to try to save her wings. We’ve never seen ones broken that bad. Your friend may never fly again.”

Jinx’s demeanor fell. “What?” He asked, exasperated.

“Only time will tell,” was all that the healer explained. Then he spread his wings and ushered everyone out—even Cobolt.

We were pushed into the main cave where Crusher was sitting. He was describing the scenes outside of the mountain.

“It’s gotten worse. The humans and HellHounds are everywhere. They kill any dragon they come across. It’s a good thing that the young dragon that came here has such a large wingspan. We would not have gotten to her friends in time if she wasn’t so fast.” He looked at Cobolt then saw me. “There she is, in fact. Kalli, dragons want to meet you.” When I didn’t move Cobolt used his tail to nudge me forward. I stumbled and nearly fell as I tried to catch myself. I did not like this kind of attention. The dragons gathered around looked at me like I’m a savior. I’m not a savior.

When I got to where Crusher was he grabbed me and held me up. “This hatchling—err, fledgling—risked herself to help her friends. I saw her dive at a Hound and she sent the other Hounds flying.”

The dragons all expressed their amazement at once, making it to where I couldn’t hear any single phrase.

Crusher continued his monologue saying, “She is only seven years old but fights like a seasoned warrior. She has shown me that I need to move on. I made a mistake. It’s time for me to right my wrongs. I will fight the human armies until my last breath. I will finally have my revenge. Who will fight with me? Who will help me take back our home?” Dragons roared and beat their wings in a display of loyalty. In a community with no Queen, everyone looked for someone to be a leader.

“Before we attack, Crusher, we need more dragons,” Cobolt interrupted. “All of the fastest dragons—myself and Kalli included—are to fly to each community. We will all assemble on the Eldest’s back on the highest ridge. If humans follow us there, they will have quite the surprise waiting for them. I will go into the sky. Kalli, will you come with me?”

I nodded and beat my wings once to lift into the air. Cobolt followed suit and we were off. We flew out first and were followed by twelve other dragons. We all split apart and headed to separate communities. Cobolt and I flew up while the others stayed along the treetops. We got above the clouds from here I could just see the nearest nest. Cobolt nodded toward it and turned in its direction. I flew up next to him and beat my wings hard. He got my message. Want to race?

We both spread our wings more and gained speed. I saw him push harder and harder, going as fast as he could. I let him have the lead before I fully extended my wings. I felt the wind pool under my wings and I pushed against it. I put on a burst of speed and overtook Cobolt. I soared faster and faster until the clouds below me were nothing but a white and gray blur. I dipped one wing down and did a barrel roll. I kept getting faster and faster… then I heard the BOOM! Believing that Cobolt was injured I slowed down and raced to him. He was hovering above the clouds with an astonished expression on his face.

“Are you okay, Cobolt?” I asked, genuinely concerned.

“Me? Why are you asking me? I should ask you that.”

“What do you mean? I heard an explosion behind me.”

“That explosion came from you.” Cobolt said. “You flew so fast that you created that explosion. Never before has any dragon done that. Kalli, I’m going to say this again: you are the start of a new kind of dragon.”

“Let’s not hover here all day,” I said. “We need to keep going. I want to make it to the nest before dawn.” I nodded toward the sun, which was beginning to drop below the clouds. Cobolt nodded and we took off again, this time matching each other’s pace. We flew straight through the night and reached the first sky-community by daybreak.

This community was like nothing I’d ever seen before. It floated on clouds and the early morning light made the clouds glow gold. Sky dragons spiraled through the air, not noticing the two misfit dragons in their midst. These dragons were carefree and act as though none had seen a battle before.

“Their Queen is more hospitable toward guests. Let’s go straight to her. She spends all day in her nest taking complaints and requests.” Cobolt led the way to a walled-off portion of the community. A gap in the wall was guarded by two huge males, both a shade of light green. When they saw us, they moved to block the gap and face us.

“State your business, Cobolt and Stranger.” One said.

“You’ve never brought a guest with you. Not even when your mate was alive. What is so special about this Fledgling?” The other guard said.

“I must beg a favor from Queen Lyna. I bring Kalli as a witness to what is happening below us.”

“Very well. She’s not with anyone right now. Go on in.” Both moved aside and let us fly in. I had to bite back a gasp when I saw the Queen. She was long and slender with a ridge of fur down her spine. She was silver and gold with deep emerald eyes. Her long whiskers twitched as we came in. She seemed to light up as she recognized the bright blue dragon approaching her.

“Cobolt!” She spun up from her perch and wrapped herself around him. She completely covered him and almost made him fall. She let go and approached me. Her serpentine body circled behind her as she got closer and closer to me. Up close her eyes were more than a bright green—they were a green and blue with specks of gold.

“I’ve never seen you here before,” she said. “Why do you seem so distressed?”

“You’ve heard of the humans that recently journeyed to our land, correct?” Cobolt asked as he stepped between us.

“What dragon hasn’t? A few of my healers went to visit them and see if they were settling alright. They’ve been gone for a full week and not returned. The humans must have needed help badly.”

“Oh no. Lyna, did they really go to the humans? They’ve been slaughtering us for our lands. Your healers are probably dead by now.”

“By the Eldest! What do you mean? No human can kill a dragon.”

“The humans don’t. They have creatures that we named HellHounds that can kill us. The Hounds obey the humans and attack any dragon they see. We came here to ask you to lend a flame. We land dragons are preparing to launch a counter attack on the humans. Sky dragons are unparalleled when it comes to attacking from the clouds.”

Queen Lyna spiraled up and puffed up a frill I didn’t even know she had. She hissed and bared her fangs at the sky. The sudden anger that rolled off of her almost overwhelmed me. She spiraled back down and looked Cobolt in the eye. “You have my alliance, Cobolt. My dragons will fight these pests. We will avenge our healers. Follow me, I will address my warriors.” Cobolt and I flew after the seething Queen. When she was spotted by her people, they all rushed over to hear what she had to say.

“Let all ears hear my words!” She called out. “Humans have over-stepped their boundaries.   They have begun to attack dragons! They have either killed or captured the healers we sent to them. I have decided that we will join our cousins in an attack. We will force them out of our lands and take vengeance on