Part II: Enter Zephyria, Original Fantasy (Chapter Four)

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I grab my leather bag, now packed with various things, and throw it over my shoulder. I take my sword from the bed on my way to the door. Dimitrio meets me outside of my room, where he had been waiting for me.

"Ready?" he asks, his lavender eyes trained on me.

I nod, and he offers me a white-sleeved arm. He smiles as he leads me down the flights of stairs, and leans in to me. "The dragons are here," he whispers, and I turn my head to look at him. A smile spreads on my face.

"The dragons?" I ask as we make our way to the courtyard.

"Cliff and Disko," he tells me. Even with his warning, I am not prepared for the sight before me. Standing in the courtyard is a grand, golden dragon. The ice dragon Disko is by its side. She is dwarfed by the grand creature, who lifts his great golden head as we enter. Something deep within my mind sparks as the dragon stares at me with large crimson eyes. Leo, Bella, Rozz, Cassy, and another who I don't know all stand beside the dragons. Leo stands next to the golden dragon, whose name I guess is Cliff.

"Cliff, this is-" Leo starts, but the dragon cuts him off.

"Aurora!" he bellows, his voice deep and booming. The ground shakes as the big creature bounds through the cherry trees toward me. He slows to a trot as he nears me, and thing from the back of my mind sparks, and I remember. A long time ago, when I was very young, I used to have dreams every night of a great, red-eyed golden dragon.

I release Dimitrio's arm, and step toward Cliff. He gives a deep, resounding laugh, and crouches down so his head is level to mine.

"My, how you've grown, young one," he starts, smoke curling out of his nostrils, which were the size of my fists, "I remember when you were just a wee babe," he tells me. I smile, still awed by the great dragon,

"You… knew me?" I ask. He bellows out another hearty laugh.

"Knew you? I practically raised you, lass," he says warmly, "You're Anne's daughter. She was a good friend of mine. I fought many battles by her side, and was elated to hear she had a little one on the way." The big dragon gives a pointy-toothed smile. "I was there at your birth, I was there to hear you utter your first word, and see you take your first steps," he pauses to sniff me, then touches his giant scaly cheek to mine. "Dragons have very good memories. I would never forget you, lass," he says, his breath hot. I wrap my arms around his large golden neck, and he gives a deep chuckle as he places a giant taloned paw on my back. I release him, and he does the same to me, and we walk back to the rest of the group. Dimitrio joins us. Leo steps toward me.

"Here, I'll take your things." I hand the ginger my bag and sword belt, and they are stowed in a brown box, which is strapped to Cliff's back. Cassy runs to my side and throws her arms around me.

"Hey, Cass!" I say, and run my hands through her hair. She looked up at me, her brown and blue-flecked eyes shining.

"I'm glad you're better, Roar!" she tells me, letting me go. She smiles at me, then skips to Leo's side and takes his hand.

"I'm riding with you, Leo, right?" she asks the knight. He beams and nods, and leads her to Disko.

"All right, Rozz, you're with Cassy and I on Disko, and Hoss, Bella, Aurora, and Dimitrio will ride with Cliff. Everyone understand?" All present give nods, and Leo climbs up on the silver dragon's back. With Rozzio's help, they get Cassy up. Bella nimbly hops up the giant golden dragon's back, with the other man behind her. Dimitrio climbs up after him, and extends his hand down to me. I take it, and he hoists me up to sit in front of him, in between the spikes that crest the golden dragon's back. Bella is seated a few spaces in front of me, right behind Cliff's wings. The other man is in front. I peer past Bella at him, and notice the long brown ears that poke out of his curly, sandy hair. He turns to face the rest of us.

"All ready for take-off?" he asks with a grin, his creamy brown eyes sparkling. Bella's tail twitches excitedly as she takes hold of the spike in front of her. She nods, and twists back toward Dimitrio and I. We nod, and I place a hand on my own spike.

"All set, Cliff!" she calls, facing front. The dragon's massive golden head turns to the side, his red eyes blazing. His body rumbles in a chuckle.

"Splendid. After you, love," he says, and Disko nods. The slender dragon spreads her glistening wings, and treads to the edge of the balcony. In a flash of silver scales, the dragon leaps over the edge. A gust of wind from her wings disturbs the cherry trees in a flutter of green leaves, and pink blossoms dance through the air.

"Our turn!" Cliff bellows, and pounds toward the balcony.

"Hold on," Dimitrio urgently tells me, and Cliff spreads his great golden winds, and is over the side in one leap. A sensation similar to that of riding a roller coaster comes over me as my stomach drops, and we fall parallel to the cliff.

Holy crap.

I hang on for dear life, gripping the dragon's scaly back with my knees, as Dimitrio hangs onto me from behind. Trees rush past us, and the city rushes closer. With a twitch of Cliff's wings, they catch the wind, and with a lurch of my poor stomach, we curve parallel to the ground. The dragon beats his wings rhythmically and the ride is pleasantly smooth. Bella throws her arms over her head, laughing.

"That NEVER gets old!" I give a deep sigh, and pry my stiff fingers from Cliff's spike. My knees ache as I relax them too, and flop my head back on Dimitrio's shoulder. He gives a small chuckle, and his lavender eyes look calmly down at me. He seems completely unshaken.

"Look," he tells me, his eyes shifting to the ground. I follow his gaze, to see we are above the city. The man in front of Bella, Hoss I believe, faces us.

"Beautiful, isn't it? But look," he says, staring past us, "grand indeed." I turn and look beyond Dimitrio's shoulder, and marvel at the castle of Grand Heights. Hoss was right. Towers and turrets and courtyards are scattered beautifully over the cliff's face. I turn back.

"So," the long-eared one starts, "You're Aurora." I smile.

"Undeniably!" He beams as well.

"The name's Hoss, my dear lady," he informs me, and a snort emits from Bella.

"Pffffffffffff, you wish!" She also turns around, smiling. "His name's Walter, but he goes by his nickname, Hasenpfeffer. " I give a laugh.

"The German dish of marinated rabbit meat?" I ask. She grins devilishly.

"The very same! Ain't that right, man-bunny?" she teases. Hoss sits up straighter, and strikes a pose of wounded dignity.

"Rabbit, fair maiden, it's Rrrrabbit!" he replies with perfectly rolled R's. I clap a hand over my mouth and giggle.

"Nice to meet you, Hoss," I say happily. He nods and winks a creamy eye, his long rabbit ears flopping up and down comically. I stiffly another laugh, and Bella rolls her eyes.

"Don't mind him, he's a big clown!"