The shadow dragon raced across the overground quickly and silently. To any who looked up they could mistake the dragon for a crow or some other dark bird. On the back of the dragon was a human. He had a single edged blade strapped to his back that seemed to hum of energy, and his skin was paler then the normal human. His fingers were clinging tightly to the saddle on the dragon’s back, and he was shivering like he was in a snowstorm without a jacket. His eyes were tightly closed but not in the way one might when enjoying a good dragon ride, it was almost as if he was asleep, having a nightmare. Suddenly the man gasped and fell forward in the saddle, and falling flat onto the dragon’s back. The dragon looked up at the man in worry.

‘Are you alright Derrick?’ asked Shadowrang, worry evident in his thoughts.

Derrick placed his hand on top of the dragon’s head and gave him a half hearted pat, ‘You know perfectly well how I feel.’

Shadowrang whined slightly. He knew Derrick was fighting against something, something he didn’t know how to defeat. He didn’t even know what it was, yet, second by second, year by year, the thing was slowly degrading away at his rider’s mind, yet nobody could help.

“Derrick!” yelled a voice, snapping me out of my horrendous daydream.

I almost fell backwards from the chair I was sitting on. Looking up at the voice I noticed Charole. I gave her a slight smile, for it was all I could manage at that moment. Ever since that time in the shadow house my imagination powers seemed to be going haywire. I often fazed out and sometimes even accidently used my powers. It didn’t help the nightmares that haunted me every night. The dreams I was having about the world of ash and shadow. If only they weren’t.

The young women standing in front of me raised her eyebrow, “Are you awake now?”

“Yes, yes,” I replied tiredly, getting up and stretching.

She gazed over me, “Are you feeling alright? You’ve been acting strangely these past few days.”

I nodded, “Just feeling a bit tired.”

“Then make yourself untired,” she replied.

I raised my eyebrow at her, before imaginering energy pouring into me. The energy woke me up more, but there was still that tinge of tiredness in the back of my mind. It just kept coming back no matter how hard I tried to get rid of it.

“What did you want?” I asked.

“Oh, his majesty wants you back at the castle for questioning of the people from the shadow house, and Derrick is coming back, the other one,” she explained.

“Thanks,” I said, shivering slightly on the inside, remembering the daydream I had just had.

“No problem,” she replied, looking at me strangely, “Are you sure you’re alright?”

I nodded at her and smiled again, “Yeah, yeah I am.”

“Okay,” said Charole, not entirely convinced.

With a smile I imaginered myself at the castle, and instantly appeared. I walked inside with a sigh and made my way to the castle throne room. The people we had rescued from the shadow house didn’t say much about what happened while they were in side. They were only talking about some nonsense about a moving shadow, no one controlling it. I believed them, though no one else did.

That day the castle didn’t look as amazing as it usually did. It seemed a little grim, not exciting at all. Maybe it was just the way I was feeling. I opened the throne room doors. Behind them was the usual clamour of the room. People arguing over pointless things like taxes, the kingdom’s enemy, the fact that Rogan was king. Pointless things. They should have payed more attention to what was about to happen.

I took my seat at the table, without bothering to call of the arguments like I usually did. My mind was all over the place that day, the noise wasn’t helping. I felt myself begin to phase out again as I entered my mind.

Derrick spotted the city over the horizon. He wasn’t looking forwards to getting back there but he knew he needed to. His brother had probably set up a banquet or something for him. Another successful mission probably. The only thing was, it hadn’t been a successful mission. Not at all. The castle he was supposed to sneak into was now destroyed by the power that took control of him. A power he had only just been able to keep within him.

Shadowrang sensed his rider’s emotions. He felt confused. His rider wasn’t the only one who was feeling the effects of this power. Recently he had been feeling a greater bloodlust, and found himself killing a lot more then not. It worried him. The dragon never liked to kill others.

I was woke up from that world by a tap on my shoulder. Rogan was there, standing beside me. The council members continued there arguing, which didn’t look like would be dieing down any time soon.

“Are you feeling alright?” asked the king.

I looked up at him, “Yes, but there is something wrong with Derrick. I don’t know what. My imagination has been going a bit haywire lately.”

I decided not to tell him about Derrick’s mission. I should have, but I didn’t.

“Do you know when Derrick’s going to get back?” asked Rogan.

I nodded, “He should be here soon.”

Rogan nodded his head, then went back to his throne. He looked tired as well. I wasn’t the only one who had suffered from the shadow house. Leivite and Seltic were probably suffering as well. I looked around at the arguing council members. They didn’t seem tired at all, was my first thought. I shook my head and tried to focus again.

About an hour later the doors opened once more. Derrick was standing there, looking as sick as ever. His skin was pale and his usually brown hair was almost black. If anything he looked like a vampire.

“Come to report an unsuccessful mission,” his voice rasped across the throne room.

Everyone stopped and looked over at the sickened worrier. He gazed back at them, leaning heavily against the doors, before turning around and walking back out. The throne room doors banged shut. Both Rogan and me were instantly on our feet, and rushed towards the door after Derrick. The other council members just sat there in shock. Derrick failing a mission was unheard of.

We found the shadow rider walking across the hall towards his room.

“Derrick!” I called out to him.

He turned around. I felt Rogan cringe slightly beside me. He was unused to seeing his brother in such a bad state. Derrick gazed at us, trying to make sense of what he was seeing, before shaking his head and talking a huge sigh.

“What do you want?” he asked breathlessly.

“What happened?” asked the king instantly.

Derrick shook his head again, “Nothing, nothing. Just not feeling to well.”

“I can see that,” said his brother.

“Then you know I need some rest,” said Derrick rather harshly.

We both looked at each other.

“Let me heal you.” I said, trying to get him to listen.

Derrick instantly shook his head, “No, I’m feeling fine.”

“You just said you were sick!” exclaimed Rogan.

Derrick looked confused, “Did I?”

I felt worry well up in me. Something was definitely wrong with him. I began to walk up to him.

“Derrick, let me heal you,” I said.

He took a step back, “I’m feeling fine.”

“No, your not,” I said.

“Yes I am!” he yelled at us, before turning around and making his way towards his room.

Rogan ran up to him and placed his hand on Derrick’s shoulder. He twisted around faster then he should have been able to. He grabbed his brother’s arm, and there was a snap. Rogan cried out in pain, and took a couple of steps back, his hand cradling his broken arm. Derrick looked down at him with surprise and fear. He turned and ran towards his room. I walked up to Rogan and placed my hand on his arm and healed him.  

Rogan got up and placed his hand on my shoulder, “You need to heal him. Something is very wrong with my brother.”

“I know,” I replied.

“No, something is very wrong,” said Rogan, “When he gripped me fear shot through me, and as he ran, the blade on his back, I recognised the hilt. It was the shadow blade. The Forbidden Blade.”

I looked the way Derrick had run. He couldn’t have been that person who had done that to the house. Even with his Forbidden Blade he couldn’t have conjured up the power to cancel my imagination like that.

“I’ll go after him,” I said.

Rogan nodded. I ran up the hallway after him. When I got to his room he wasn’t there. The window was open however and in the distance I saw Shadowrang with his rider, flying out of the city once more. I felt worry gnaw at me.

I felt another presence at my mind, and sighed in relief.

‘Hey Reflamen,’ I said to my dragon.

‘Hey,’ he replied happily.

He had been out hunting and was probably now just above the city. I felt his mood change as he looked through my mind.

‘What’s wrong?’ he asked.

‘Derrick, he’s… acting strangely,’ I replied, ‘We need to find him.’

My dragon agreed, ‘I’ll be right there.’

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New Chapter, hope you enjoyed. Vote and Comment if you did, new chapter out soon. See Ya!

Pennator^^