We had been flying for hours. We flew for so long that I actually fell asleep, on a dragon's back! I usually find it hard to sleep on a car seat, let alone a dragon's back. I guess I was that tired. 

I woke up to find the sun just coming over the horizon. Sunrises in this place were amazing. I watched as the orange sunlight chased away the night sky, causing an amazing array of colours streeking across the sky. Orange, purple, green, it was beautiful.

As we flew over a hill I saw a large mountain in the distance. I had seen this view in my mind many times but, as before, nothing compared it to real life, especially with the sunset coming over the horizon. It almost glowed.

"There she is!" called Rogan over the wind, "Dead mountain. The most dangerous place in the world, unless you're allies with the resistance of course."

He looked back at me with a sarcastic stare, "You're allies with us, right?"

I smiled at him, "Of course I am!"

Rogan allways says this when he brings a newcomer to dead mountain, and they always reply with a nervous 'Yes sir!' After that he usually cracks up laughing.

"You know!" yelled Rogan, "You're the first person to ever get that joke!"

"I know," I yelled back.

Rogan looks at me surprised for a second before yelling out, "You know you're going to have to tell me how you know all this stuff one day!"

"Maybe," I yelled back, "But if I did you'd probably think I'm crazy."

"Maybe, but you're still gonna' have to tell me," He yelled back.

I smiled. I liked Rogan. Well, I always liked him, he is one of the main good guys, but now that I'd met him personally I was beginning to enjoy his company, although when we get to camp he'll probably get a lot more serious. It always happens, that's why he enjoys being out by himself, with his dragon. He doesn't have to deal with taking care of over a thousand people and keeping an alliance with the dragons that lived on Dead Mountain.  

As Dead Mountain got closer we both grew silent, watching as the rather imposing mountain drew closer and closer. I was beginning to see dark shapes circling the mountain top. Suddenly two of those dark shapes started to fly towards us.

As they got closer the dark shapes revealed themselves as two dragons. One green and one yellow. They flew up along side us.

"Rogan!" the one on the green said, "you've finally returned. What made you come back so quick?"

Rogan laughed. The men often made jokes about how often Rogan would travel. He usually leaves for around a week or so before coming back. This time he had only left for a day or two, I think anyway.

"Found a new recruit," said Rogan.

"Oh really," said the green rider. He gave me a crooked smile. His teeth were disgusting, like he hadn't brushed them in a year. It was then I recognized him. His name was Leo. He often used a giagantic double sided battle axe, and wielded it as if it were nothing. He is extremely tall, almost eight foot, and his body was filled with muscle. When you got into a fight with him, you tried extra hard not to get hit, but more about him later.

"He's young," said Leo, "you think he's good enough?"

I smiled at that. Leo doesn't think very highly of the younger generation, but I like him.

"He broke the kings magic," said Rogan, "So yeah, I think he's good enough."

"Really?" said Leo with new interest, "Well then, we could use this lad."

I smiled at him. He had no idea.

I turned to look at the next rider, Charole, I thought instantly as I looked at her. She is about a month younger then me, the youngest dragon rider in the resistance. She had beautiful blond, red hair and a narrow body. When I first started writing about her I instantly fell in love with her, but she was a book character so I didn't really think much about her, but now I might actually get a chance. Her father, surprisingly, is Leo, but there different in every single way, except the fact that their both incredibly good fighters and they loved each other dearly, an almost perfect father and daughter realationship. You would often see them walking together, with their dragons behind them, talking and when they were on the battle field they were the most formidable force in the army.

She saw me staring and smiled at me. I blushed and quickly looked away.

'Oh great,' I thought.

We flew over the mountain top. I looked down, and sure enough, there was a village down there, made of wooden huts and tents. Despite the climb to get up here the mountain top was completely flat making it the ideal place to build a village.

We landed in a field set aside for dragons. Rogan slid down the side of his dragon and landed on the ground with ease. I looked down Sophire's side and gulped. I took a deep breath and pushed myself of her back. When I landed I stumbled and almost fell over, but managed to stick the landing pretty well.

"Well done," said Rogan, raising an eyebrow.

I smiled and took a step forward, to late a realise my mistake and toppled over. You see, riding a dragon for a few hours is like being on a boat for a long time. When you make it to land you get 'jelly legs' or, when you're riding a dragon 'scaled legs'.

Rogan laughed. He held out his hand. I took it.

"Don't worry, it happens to everyone on their first dragon ride," he said.

I smiled.

"So," said Leo, "This is our camp, village, whatever you'd like to call it."

I nodded and looked around. As I thought, every building was exactly how I had imagined it to be. All of them were made out of wood and usually had their 'door'. Which was really just a whole in the wall, and all of them had a secret entrance or exit.

"Hey Derrick," said Rogan, "Come with me, I want to show you to the head masters, then we'll sign you in and give you a tent of some sort, until you can get a house that is. Do you have any parents?"

"Yes," I said, 'Wait a minute, what about my parents, they must be worried sick.'

When the lightning stuck, I was in a cab travelling from a another town about half an hours drive away. I was around two in the noon then so that means that this must be my second day here. My parents would be worried sick, they probably thought I had been varpourised for all I know. I started to panic, 'How do I get back?'

"Hey, are you alright?" said Rogan.

I looked at Rogan and managed a week smile.

"I'm sorry, if its anything I said," said Rogan.

"No no," I said, 'Should I tell him. No, not yet.'

Rogan nodded but still looked concerned.

"Ok, lets go and meet the head masters," I said.

Even though Rogan was the leader of this place, he had his advisers, the head masters, who helped him make all the tough desicions. Rogan didn't really like many of them, but they helped.

A few minutes and a dozen stumbles later we finally made it to the tent where the head masters sat. The tent was huge, bigger then most of the houses, and had red and white stripes running down the length. 

Rogan walked in with me close behind. The master looked up from what they were doing, there were six of them, one of them was somewhere else, all of them above fifty. 

"Rogan," one of them, Grunnal, said, "And I see you brought a new recruit, and a young one at that."

"His names Derrick," said Rogan, "He got in big trouble with the king."

"Really," said Grunnal, "and what did this young lad do, and how did he survive?"

"He insulted the king, before breaking one of his spells," said Rogan, as if it were obvious.

I hid a smile, Rogan always like this to the masters. 

"Did he now," said Grunnal, ignoring Rogan and looking at me with more interest. 

I saw one of the masters wince in pain. I had to smile, 'Serves you right for trying to break into my mind.'

I recognised the person as Leivite. He was probably the best magic user in the masters and tought most people who had a magical protential. 

I saw another master wince in pain. This time it was Villan. His name says it all. He is a very powerful mage and compitant swordsman, but he is secretly in league with the king. I frowned at him, he is going to be trouble.

"He has mastered the ability to shield his mind," said Leivite, "Which is surprising for one so young."

I smiled at him. I like Leivite, he is a very calculating person, and knows what risks to take and what not to take. He also understands people easily, and is the only reason Rogan gets to go anywhere by himself.

"So Derrick," said Villan, "I take it you want somewhere to stay, am I right?"

I nodded.

"Well, there is a small hut at the edge of the village, would you like to have that one?"

I frowned, I could guess why Villan wanted me there. It would be the easiest place to 'kidnap' me and take me away to the king. He always assigns the new comers there, and if they show potentail, he captures them and takes them to the king, usually through that house.

"If it is all the same with you sir, I would like to stay with Rogan," I said, "He is the only person I know in this place, if it is alright with Rogan of course."

Rogan looked at me with somewhat surprise. Then he smiled.

"Sure, you can stay with me, but I wake up early, so you will have to too," said Rogan.

I smiled, 'As long as it beats kindnapping, I'm fine with it.'

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Pennator^^