Jára's beautiful white feathers wiggled in the nighttime breeze. Her talons rested below her body and her tail waved in the wind. Doryu looked over at his father, who rode on the back of Parvin in the saddle and holding loosely onto the reins. Parvin flew silently and calmly, his wings like the quietness of an owl's. Speaking of owls. Lorcan was nestled in Doryu's lap. So much for night hunters.

I can still hear you, ya know, Lorcan spoke. I'm old. I'll hunt when needed. Otherwise, I stay with my master until he needs me. The barn owl softly cooed.

I know, Doryu responded as he released a sigh. Under the five were Danuška and Alaois. The two dragons shadowed them. Danuška was fast and nimble. She kept her head low and talonsteps soft. Alaois tried to replicate her motions, but would often get left behind and had to catch up with flight.

She's barely taught me anything, Alaois growled to Doryu.

She will. It's only the first night. What do you think we're doing up here as well? Having a party? Doryu sarcastically responded. We'll have a lot of time depending on how far we're traveling.

You should probably ask him where we are heading. I don't want to spend an eternity wandering, he suggested. Doryu couldn't argue with that. He also wanted to know where they were going as well.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Ġellieda," İzzet answered. "We're heading to the Ġellieda." Doryu repeated his father's words to Alaois.

"What is the Ġellieda?" Doryu rubbing his fingers through Lorcan's feathers.

"Not what. Who. The Ġellieda are people who are with the idea that dragons are needed in the world. They were formed once Bokon killed all the Riders and dragons, besides me. Now, they run their society in secret, waiting for the day I bring back the new leader. I helped form the Ġellieda, along with making the city Idovine."

"Idovine? What's that?"

"A city hidden under the ocean. You've heard the tales of the metropolis living under our feet?" Doryu nodded. "That's Idovine. I used my magic to create a civilization under the water without having to worry about drowning. It's a safe place. Many people who were with the Ġellieda moved away to live in Idovine due to the fact that they felt they weren't safe in most places in Gildham." Amazed, Doryu asked more about Idovine, along with passing the knowledge to Alaois.

"How long did it take to make Idovine?"

"Magic makes everything faster, but with a cost of a lot of energy. I completed the project in about three moons. I also enchanted a spell to keep the place hidden for those who are enemies. That's why it's an old fishers tale. When people sail the seas, they catch a glimpse of the city as long as they believe what Bokon did was wrong. They bring back the story to home, then it passes to Bokon who'll send his soldiers to check it out only to find nothing."

"What does the Ġellieda actually do?" The dark gray clouds rumbled in the distance. Doryu turned his head around to see the Goderath Peaks faintly.

"They fight against Bokon and his army to try and prove their point that Rider's and dragons are needed to keep the balance. Many of them want revenge for their fallen family and friends." İzzet looked below him to make sure the dragons were okay. "I must warn you; you'll be bombarded with citizens. I am known all along Gildham and Idovine, yes, but I am not the future. You are. You're the first Rider to appear in sixteen years since the battle. The people will admire you, ask for advice, and you'll be questioned about things you won't know the answer to. You may have some odd requests as well."

Don't worry, I'll protect you, Alaois said. Doryu smiled at his protectiveness.

I'll be sure to call you if I need it. He turned back to his father. "How long will it take us to get there?"

"If we don't run into any distractions and continue flying non-stop, a week. But it's impossible to continue without rest, water, and food. We also have to travel slower because we're fugitives." The image of soldiers searching Narris, burning down buildings and houses popped up in Doryu's head. İzzet continued. "...we might stop at some towns on the way to get some real food and more supplies. I don't think that bow will last much longer." There was a pause as İzzet mumbled to himself.

"In the circumstances right now, it'll take us about three weeks, if not longer, to reach Idovine. They're not in a rush to see me again, so we can take our time. We must be cautious and vigilant about every move we take. The dragons will have to be extremely careful not to be seen as well."

The rest of the night the two remained silent. The moon made its way down over the hours. The stars soon faded as an orange tint was revealed behind them. Danuška suggested to the two that they stop for a minute to eat. İzzet agreed. They instructed their Griffins to land, but not without a little trouble from Jára. Tying the two to a nearby tree, Doryu's father set off to find some food while Danuška flew in a different direction, leaving Alaois and Doryu alone with the Griffins. The green dragon puffed out smoke from his nostrils and waved his tail on a tree.

Hate being treated like we can't do anything, he growled. Leaving us here to look after your rides? Ridiculous. Doryu patted his scaly shoulder. He had gotten much taller from when he had hatched almost a week ago.

Why don't we take a little flight through the sky? he suggested. Alaois turned to his rider and grinned. Doryu climbed onto the dragon's back and gripped onto the loop on his saddle and rested his feet in the circular stirrups. Alaois leaped from the ground, scaring the Griffins in the process from the sudden wind gust. The dragon twisted in the air before diving back down and gliding above the treetops.

If only we didn't have to hide we could do this a lot more often. Alaois agreed.

We'll find a way for the world to return to normal. Your father will understand that. He'll for sure want Bokon out of control.

Yes, but how long will it take for him to trust me? I understand he wants to keep me safe being his son, but I'm not a child. I can't be overlooked by my parents my whole life. Doryu looked below him as something blue caught his eye. It was blue and moving. There's something down there, he warned Alaois.

Should we investigate? Alaois asked. He kept his flaps quiet as he hovered. Doryu thought long and hard about it before he said yes. The dragon then turned around and dove into the forest. Doryu caught sight of the blue creature again on the ground in front of them. In an attempt to escape, it spun around and began to hop between the trees.

"Stop!" Doryu yelled. Leviteerima. His green glow emerged from his hands and spat towards the creature. He heard yelps of surprise and fear as a green cloud returned surrounding the blue creature above the ground.

"Real smooth. Using magic for everything, huh Rider?" the creature hissed. The being had a lizard face with spikes shooting out from the back of its head. He wore a white tunic and brown pants that ended at his knees.

"I'm sorry. I thought you were spying on me." He looks an awful lot like the creatures that attempted to kidnap me at Oxgarde, he told Alaois.

Then he's probably dangerous. Best take him to your father, he said. Doryu looked at the creature's face. He couldn't be more than a couple months older than him.

"If I let you go, will you promise me you won't run away." Alaois snarled at the creature as he shuffled his wings.

"Fine, whatever. Just stop me from floating. I like my feet on a firm surface." Gently placing him on the grass, he brushed off the dirt from his pants and glared at Doryu. "What is it you want?" he asked as he crossed his arms.

"What exactly are you? I was attacked by some creatures who looked very similar to you in Oxgarde. Are you with them?"

"Of course not. Those burdens can serve that Lord's rear end for all I care." He hissed out of anger. "I'm a Frukink. Ever heard about them?" Doryu shook his head. "Well, it seems like you met some of us anyway. You see, our kind had divided into two different Tribes. There's my Tribe, the ones who aren't loyal to that fowl Lord, and Bokon's Tribe, where they gave up their freedom to become his slaves." The Frukink hissed again. "Such disgrace upon our name."

I have a feeling he was watching us, Alaois spoke. What should we do with him? Doryu turned to the Frukink, who was swiping his tail above the blades of grass.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Kiragi."

"Okay, Kiragi. I'm Doryu and this is Alaois." The dragon dipped his head slightly.

"Wait-you said your name is Doryu?" Kiragi examined the Rider's facial features. Alaois inched closer as he waited for the Frukink to finish. "Take me to İzzet," he ordered.

How does he know your father?

"I know him in many ways, dragon. Good and bad. And yes, I'm able to communicate with him, though I won't do it often." Kiragi approached Alaois, who kept a watchful eye on, and climbed his saddle with ease. Doryu followed the Frukink.

What does he want? Alaois growled as he took off from the forest. Kiragi kneeled on the back of Alaois's saddle, watching the landscape fly by.

We'll find out. It didn't take long for the three to reach the spot where they left the Griffins. İzzet emerged from the shadows with Danuška by his side.

You're making it really hard for him to trust you, she said. Kiragi jumped off Alaois before he landed and faced İzzet.

"You finally show your face after sixteen years to me. Pitiful," he snapped.

"You think I wanted to leave you? Of course not! But I couldn't take care of you while constantly on the run. But you turned out fine, right?"

"Fethprist treated me nicely, and they still are."

"I'm sorry, but it seems like you two know each other? How do you know my father, Kiragi?" The Frukink breathed a heavy sigh as he stared at Doryu.

"He's my Godfather," he hissed.

"My mother knew İzzet when they were young. He would often visit Fethprist to see her. But then, she met my father and had me, you being born a few months later. It was the time of the battle. My mother knew she had to fight for her childhood friend. After my father left to join Bokon, she knew she couldn't care for me alone. Therefore, he was made my Godfather. And yet, he couldn't keep her safe, nor could he with his mate.

"An orphan, I was. One parent died in battle with honor, the other died by the blade of the very man who walks beside me." Kiragi glanced at İzzet, flicking his tongue. "And I don't want to hear your apology," he hissed as he faced away from İzzet. "The least you could've done was spare him as your prisoner."

"Fine, then don't accept it," İzzet scowled. Alaois glanced at Doryu and grumbled.

Think we've made a mistake bringing the Frukink here, he said.

Probably, but we are young. We're learning. We need to start thinking about things before we act. Alaois grunted in agreement as he shuffled his wings to be more comfortable.

"What're you doing out here, Kiragi? You're a long way from Fethprist," Doryu asked. What is Fethprist? he questioned Danuška.

The largest city for Frukinks. They live towards the West of Gildham in the Thurtawa Grove. Their city is very vast and beautiful. Their houses are inside the trees with magic and use bridges to travel, if they don't climb the trees themselves. Doryu then repeated what Danuška had told him to Alaois.

Sounds beautiful, Alaois responded with a small smile.

"Scouting. We've had many soldier's try to approach Fethprist, so I have been sent out to try and locate their current location. Some of my scouts have reported groups of the Lord's men heading towards the coastline city, Soirault."

Blazes. Soirault is where we need to go to reach Idovine, the gray dragon growled, smoke flaring from her nostrils.

"What seems to be your problem, dragon?" Kiragi hissed, flicking his tail and clenching his fists. "Jealous I'm trusted by my entire Tribe, yet you can't keep your youngest away from danger?" Danuška bared her teeth in Kiragi's face. The Frukink did not move, but instead crossed his arms.

"Danuška, Kiragi, enough!" İzzet yelled. The two backed away from each other, Danuška walking to her rider's side. "There is no reason to bicker. Doryu, bring the Griffins." Doryu followed his father's instructions, he untied their mounts and walked them to İzzet. He muttered the same words he spoke before and the gray circle reappeared. Parvin and Jara walked through and the circle closed.

"Kiragi, you'll be riding with me," İzzet announced. "Doryu, mount Alaois." He didn't dare question why, so he pulled himself onto Alaois's saddle and sat there. "We're going to Fethprist."