I woke up in a cold, dark, stone cell. I stood up and winced as my side throbbed in pain where the dart had hit it. My dragon scale armor and weapons were gone, all I had on was a tunic and leggings.
It was extremely cold in the cell, and I was still wet, making it ten times worse. I looked for anything that could keep me warm, but finding nothing I looked out of the cell door.
When I looked out of the cell door I could see a table with a map in it with red pins marking some of the islands on it. I moved closer and realized something.
All the islands that he's taken the dragons from are marked with red pins. She thought, looking at where Stoker Island and Sky Island were on the map.
They weren't marked with names or red pins.
Yet.
I also noticed that the Hidden World wasn't marked at all on the map.
At least the Hidden World is still hidden and safe. I thought.
And Nighstar, Starlight and Joel are still safe.
Suddenly the door opened and Grimel walked in, followed by two of his guards and a Deathgripper.
"It was considerate of your friends to leave me with you." Said Grimel, looking me in the eye, his voice cold.
"I told them to go." I said.
"I didn't want them to fall into your hands."
Grimel laughed a cold, heartless laugh.
"You think that they won't come back?"
He circled around the table and stood in front of my cell door.
"When they come back for you I will capture them, and from you I will get the location of the Hidden World."
"I'll never tell you." I growled, anger gathering inside me.
"Ah, but when your dragon is at my mercy we shall see what becomes of your courage."
Grimel smiled wickedly and fear welled up inside me. He was going to use my own dragon against me. Grimel must have seen the fear in my eyes because his evil smile widened.
"Your world will fall, and with it the dragons." He growled.
Then he turned and stalked out of the room, whistling to one of the Deathgrippers who came and curled up in front of my cell.
Then she heard the iron door close and lock behind Grimel. I sighed, sitting against the farthest wall of the cell, hugging my knees to my chest in an effort to keep warm, which was made a little easier by the warmth radiating from the Deathgripper.
I wonder where Starlight, Nightstar and Joel have gone. I thought to myself.
Probably back to the Hidden World.
I wished as I looked up at the stone ceiling that I could tell them not to come back for me, that they were in danger. I knew that it would hurt to tell them not to come, but if I could I would, to protect them, and the other dragons.
Please make the right decision. I prayed silently.
Please.
**                                    **                                   **
I had watched Amaya fall, knowing that I couldn't do anything about it. I couldn't go after her, couldn't save her.
Nightstar tried to go after her, but was driven back by the guards below. We had retreated back into the clouds. Now as I looked at Nightstar I could see it in his bright blue eyes. He missed Amaya deeply, and I knew that he would fight all of Grimel's men to get her back.
I would to. I thought.
I had known Amaya for twelve years now, since we were six years old. We were both captured by Dragon Hunters because of our special ability to calm any dragon and get them to trust us.
We had met on one of their ships. What amounted to four years later, when we were ten, Nighstar and Starlight showed up. That's when we escaped. We released them from their cages, and we were gone before the guards knew it with their most prized dragons.
After that we bonded quiet well, and Starlight and Nighstar led us here. The dragons that lived in the Hidden World took awhile to adjust to having humans with them, but after awhile we were excepted, and we began our role as protectors of not just the Hidden World but of all dragons.
We protected the islands around the Hidden World and rescued dragons from Grimel. I looked over at Nightstar, who was flying wingtip to wingtip with Starlight, and he looked at me, his blue eyes sad.
"We'll find her, I promise." I said.
Nightstar growled in agreement, like he was holding me to that promise. He was in a way. If I didn't rescue Amaya, Nightstar would most likely never forgive me.
Which is why we're going to.
I knew that Amaya wouldn't want me to, that she would say if was safer if we didn't, but I knew that we could do it. I saw the Hidden World coming up and Starlight and I dove down to skim the water before diving into the waterfall.
We returned as normal to the throne room, I took off both Nightstar's and Starlight's saddles, bringing both to the cave. I hung them on the pegs and began taking off my armor. After that was done I polished the glittering white armor until it sparkled, trying to keep my mind off of Amaya. It didn't work, and when Nighstar and Starlight came back I had an idea.
"I know how we can get her back." I told Nighstar.
He cocked his to the side and softly growled in interest.
"I need you to gather the dragons. It's the only way we can fight off the guards and the Deathgrippers." I told him.
Nightstar nuzzled my hand and bounded out of the cave. Starlight looked back at me before following Nighstar, giving me a soft growl of encouragement. We were going to get her back no matter what.
I looked at the armor that I had just taken off, and began to put it back on, getting ready to rescue Amaya.
We were going to bring her home.