Aurora and the Fire by Jessica Hammatt (the ebook reader TXT) 📕

would not venture that deep. He required air at all times if he expected to do anything. It disoriented them somehow. At least that’s what Aurora was hoping was true of this one as she dove to a safe enough depth and waited. Fire blazed far above at the surface. She could feel the water heating, only slightly at her level though, above was a different story. It was boiling hot where he was hoping to cook her she supposed, but it can only last for so long. Even dragon’s breath has it’s limits and his had just about reached his. As the black smoke filled the air above, and just when the air in her body was just about out, Aurora sped, glided through the water using nothing but the force of herself pf her body and energies. Just before hitting near the surface, she brought her wings around her, protecting her from the heated water that she was going to pass through. Then she was out. Air hit her face, hair, body, wings, her everything, and when she completely broke, her wings spanned.
For a moment, the dragon thought he saw a burst of light flowing all around her then she was gone, straight toward the heavens. Oh no, he was not letting this one get away, not now.

His gigantic wings stretched to either side of the mountain circle, he had to push off high enough to begin his flight, if not, he would of surely snagged his wings. The roaring and rushing of wings upon air could be heard in the distance. Two flyers racing toward the heavens at a speed you would have to see them quick before they vanished from sight. Aurora was beyond the mountains’ peaks now. The air would begin to thin out and that was ok with her. She was the air, and went distances no one else would dare go. They didn’t have the ancient spirits within them. She does and this is what makes a fine fairy warrior and peace keeper. Her ears could hear the humming of the gigantic dragon hurling, rushing her way. Oh please let me be right, she thought. Best she could see it, Aurora knew of written word and honest tales of dragons, so there was no real worry. Just prayer it would work in time before he reached her. She was faster than anything seen, true. The dragon’s wings, however, allowed more force to push himself upward. Yes, Aurora’s heart fluttered for a quick moment when his jaws just about reached her. Then she already knew what she had to do. As his eyes blazed , teeth shown, and breath was felt, she dove down then twisted around and rolled in the sky until she flew directly above him. Fortunately by that time, he had used all he had in him for the final thrust to catch her and crush her bones. The thin air finally worked it’s magic. The dragon began to breath heavily, and what Aurora had not counted on happened. He began to fall straight toward the earth like a meteor about to crash land. Oh no, not good.

If the massive dragon fell from the height he was at, which was pretty close to the atmosphere of one of the other worlds, the fall would do irreparable amounts of damage both to him and to her world. Great, going to have to fly him down but how. Aurora didn’t think, she didn’t have time, her body already knew what had to be done before she did. Diving underneath him, which was really the top of him since he was falling backwards of course, she drew him around the air until he was right side up falling toward earth. At least while this way, the dragon’s wings could open with simple air resistance and with the two combined they could glide at little more softly, a little. Wrapping her arms and legs best she could at his throat area and sides, which were of course humungous, Aurora called on the winds to guide her path and they did. She had to work for it, twisting harder than she ever thought she could have the strength to do but evidently she could do it, and more. As she flew the dragon and the earth finally coming into view, she could see heaven. It was the ocean dividing another nation, but luckily within the bounds of her lands. Unfortunately, the dragon was going to have no choice but to go deep under water and Aurora was going to have no choice but to haul him out. How she was going to do that she didn’t know and then she became very troubled. She wasn’t strong enough, he was too massive, and the depth he would take would bring too much pressure, they couldn’t go deep. Then what? The Waterfalls Beyond. That’s what they are known as, and of course no one has tried to venture it. When they were first surveyed by the ancients, they noticed how they fell from the west side of the top of the world and fell down into a tunnel that led through toward the center of the world. Since then, it was law not to venture there. No one really knows why, it was just made law she supposed they didn’t want to disturb the harmony of all that surrounds them. Harmony was going to change to chaos if she didn’t use that waterfall. Aurora, hoping to hit a water filled tunnel that led into a pool or something would be great or could end into death. Either way, it was her only option with the least amount of damage, she figured. Aurora surveyed, moved and twisted until they were in position. Ok, all or nothing here we go was her last coherent thought before both dragon with fairy atop, hitting then skidding the water’s edge right at the waterfall. The next all she could do was ride the wave that was to come.
Bonded

Aurora and the dragon rode the waterway down through the tunnel with all it’s twists and turns. ‘Just don’t let something spear us please’, she thought. Instead, they came to another waterfall that dropped them into a gigantic pool. Surrounding the pool was a cave. A very old, ancient, cave. Aurora was able to take this into account quickly as she mustered all the strength she could to haul the dragon as much by the head than anything. She was able to drift his head to his throat to the edge of the pool. Then, like always when she would go on such a ride, the energy went out of her. This time, however, it wasn’t as bad. It seemed to make her feel really alive. Tired, yes, but really a part of something. She couldn’t tell where the feeling came from, but it warmed her all throughout allowing her to doze into a blissful rest.

She wasn’t sure how long it had been, but finally Aurora woke and the dragon was gone. The cavern was huge yes, with tunnels leading all over the place but much too small for him to fit in. The only way out was back through the way in and as far as she knew he was much to weak for that. She had felt his fading energy as she held onto him for their ride through the water. She could feel him still. Something struck inside her that could not be spoken or expressed. Simply felt. Then a voice, his voice coming from the shadows of the cavern. This time, however, he was speaking her language and with his actual voice. “Now I am bonded to you, Aurora, daughter of the Children of the Skies”, with that he stepped from the shadows and she saw him. The dragon.!. He was!.
No way, Aurora had never heard of this. Thought it to be possible, yes. No actual accounts to her knowledge has she ever known a dragon that could transform to … well… her form. His tall muscular build towers her by a mere couple inches. His air though short enough, was wild and framed his handsome face. Aurora knew better though. She knew that behind those dark eyes, was a fire ready to be unleashed. The question was, what did she already unleash?

“Yes, I know that you are confused but all will be revealed in due time. You are very clever, Aurora. Oh, and my name is, well not one you could pronounce, but otherwise named Dreka. By the law you seemed to know so well, you challenged me in battle and defeated me. My guess is you were after the bond promise. Yes, I know of things and things to come, same as you”
“ Yes, Dreka. You are correct about what I was after and about my confusion. Right now I simply want to know how much it is you think you know about what is to come”
“All in due time”
“No!!” Aurora roared so deep and loud she nearly scared herself, but he did not seem frightened, just annoyed.
“All right then, shall we go into all this now before we haven’t even had the chance to talk instead of going right into heading for battle? I think I’ve had enough for today. You have a strong spirit, otherwise I would not have chosen the bond.”
“Chosen?” she asked.
He smiled slightly, almost innocent. It made her insides flutter slightly. “ Ah, yes my little fairy warrior. Dragon law is truly meant for dragon nations. When a bond is wanted and the battle is begun, it is what happens during the battle that decides if a bond will be made. There is no such thing as one being defeated that would mean they have no choice. If the connection is wrong, it simply won’t happen. Since ours was right evidently, here I stand. I’ve never heard of anything like it mind you, but I had a feeling about you and went for it. Of course, I would have eaten you at first chance.”

“Ha. You never got close enough. By the way, how’s the head?”

“Hammers like hell. Thanks.”

“Come here”, she says as a new surge flows through her. Her wings glide across the water of the pool as she glides over it and stops in the center. Dreka wasn’t sure what he was witnessing. The light that exhumed from her body intoxicated his every sense. After gliding toward her, inches away from one another, Aurora’s wings came around her toward him until stopping just before they touched his skin. The wind swept around them and then the water from the pool. Both of them surrounded by a swirling cocoon of water. He watched her for her eyes were closed. How beautiful she looked with all her light and the images of the water bouncing off the markings that wondrously shown on her skin. Symbols lay amid the tribal, Dreka knew they meant something but he’s unsure