(Unedited! Sorry for it being so short- I promised I would put it on today so I wasn't able to finish it because my dad's taking away my laptop. But please, enjoy and tell me anything you want to happen before this book is done!)

Red and Green. Together, you think of Christmas, a nice time where everyone’s nice and you get presents. But with dragons, red and green do not mix.

            Jaydon saw that streak of scarlet in the swarm and his eyes spazzed with electric hate. Ralem, where are you? His mental voice was urgent and ominous, his head snaked around to find his soul brother in the crowd of exploding Felinus and slashing soldiers.

            I am here. And Ralem jumped out of the crowd, swords lashing from both hands, his shirt splattered in a mixture of black and red blood. He touched down lightly on the ground before Jaydon. What-

            Jaydon grabbed the back of his shirt with his teeth, carrying him lightly to the saddle before spreading out his glorious wings, reveling as the muscles pulled and stretched, the tendons snapping into place. Immediately the wind was at his side and he shot like an arrow to the struggling fire dragon.

            Cahal roared in defiance, shooting another pillar of fire which roasted ten of the dark scaled dragons to bones, then ashes. His claws flailed, knifing through the sky, sometimes hitting a Felinus, sometimes not. They rushed at him like angry bees, relentless, irate. Some had made it past his fire wall and had latched their teeth into one of the few parts of his body that was unarmored; his wings. They tore gleefully into his wing’s leather, ripping it apart with their talons and teeth. It didn’t pain him… but he was losing altitude. Fast. Alroy was doing his best. With his double-sided axes, he was wreaking havoc into the little leeches, his blades like a blur before he cut off their heads or severed a scaly paw. But even he could not stop what was coming

            So when he saw the flash of green, he was relieved. So Lauri did have reinforcements… but as the green dragon approached, its size also increased. And it was every bit as big as he- the Fire King of the North. He didn’t know Lauri had a dragon this big… “About time you came!” he greeted the new dragon in a gruff voice as he struck like a viper, tearing a wyrm’s wings from its body and spitting it distastefully out. “I was starting to think I’d have to finish this myself!”

            Then they collided.

            Cahal’s fire sputtered in his chest, his scarlet eyes widened in surprise as he was thrust backwards. On his back, Alroy dove for the horn of the saddle as the world tilted underneath him. Once he grabbed it, it took all his strength to curl his body up and force his legs completely upside down into the stirrups. Grunting, he strapped himself in. Cahal, scayle? Alroy asked, as he felt his dragon’s wings strain under him to keep himself aloft.

            See for yerself! Cahal pulled his Rider’s essence into his body and Alroy’s breath caught when he saw the emerald dragon’s huge mouth shooting forwards to clamp on his neck. They bellowed, deflecting the attack with the crushing blow of a heavily spiked wing. “We’re on yer team!” Cahal yelled as the green dragon’s head was blown backwards.

            The other dragon hissed and the Felinus Draconis seemed to back down to watch the fight between the two flying giants. “You don’t remember us, do you?”

            Cahal’s blood turned to fire. He did know that voice… he burped up a flame as his heartbeat quickened. No, it couldn’t be…

            “Let me help you out here,” his voice drawled. “I remember very distinctly you-“ he slashed across Cahal’s chest, rupturing his scales, “BURNING”- he struck again, this time leaving a gash on his fiery flank, “MY RIDER!” this time he bent his head down before jerking upwards, his horns ramming into the soft part of Cahal’s jaw.

            Cahal’s wings whaled away at nothingness, his eyes rolling back in his head for a split second as he began to fall…

            “Naw, Cahal! Cahal!” Alroy yelled pitifully, his voice ragged. “Cahal, me brother! Git out a’ dis, ah know yeh ken!” He yelled, his eyes brimming with emotion. “Come on, big lad! Fly!”

            Cahal’s wings were frozen, spread, but not filling with wind. The ragged holes cut through their awesome span only aided his fall. He twisted… and dove.

            Suddenly a scream knifed through the air. Listening through Jaydon’s ears, it sounded like a song. An urgent song. Jaydon, he’s on our side. Help him! If he dies I WILL kill you.

            Jaydon hovered there, his emerald eyes stormy.

            He watched as Cahal fell with a grim smile. Here was his justice that he had been waiting for. Finally Cahal and Alroy could feel the pain that they had put Ralem through, the anguish, finally they would-

            Revenge didn’t taste as good as he thought.

            Cahal’s wings flailed, his tail flashing. As his eyes flashed a desperate scarlet, he reached out a paw. “Fire… brothers?” he gasped.

            Jaydon and Ralem looked at the paw. Was this a mocking gesture about how he had burned Ralem like he was nothing but a pine?

            Cahal was almost to the forest, his eyes started to dim with the realization that the next breath would be his last.

            Then green and red collided.

            Jaydon’s paw clasped around the thick of Cahal’s forearm and Cahal’s talons tightened around Jaydon’s. Cahal’s snout puffed with smoke as he held tighter, for his life. Jaydon’s face was stoic, unreadable. His nostrils flared and his lips curled back to reveal his fangs as if he were going to strike. Somehow, Cahal was held suspended just five feet  over the prodding embrace of the ancient trees. “Don’t kill me,” he said, and his voice managed to retain his dignity. It was a rare sight to see a fire dragon even feign begging. “For the sake of my Rider. He had nothing to do with this.” His talons were starting to slip, sparks flying as they scratched down the plates of Jaydon’s forearms.

            I forgive him, Ralem said a startling statement that made Jaydon recoil in shock. How-

            Killing them isn’t the answer. Weren’t they there just now, fighting for our country? He didn’t even notice as he called Baroke ‘his country’. It was all a misunderstanding-

            How could you call this a mis-

            Jaydon just trust me. Let them live. Ralem said with finality in his voice. Jaydon grunted. “My Rider has chosen to forgive you,” he said in a low voice, using the wind to settle them softly on the forest floor. “So I will let you go. But, after this is all over, if I see you again you will have a fight you will never forget.” He rumbled.

            Cahal nodded, “Don’t worry, fire brother. You will not be seeing me again. But, war does not wait for yammering dragons like ourselves, does it?” He laughed throatily before bursting out of the treeline into the swarm of men, Alroy whooping on his back.

            Jaydon roared and took to the skies once more. In a flash Fraylon was at his side. “Nice to have you back,” Daemon called, his blonde hair flying in his face.

            “It’s nice to be back,” Ralem replied, flashing an adrenaline-fueled bared-teeth smile.

            Fraylon flapped hard to fight Jaydon’s personal wind current. “We thought you were dead,” he said, his soft voice brimming with joy.

            “We don’t die that easily,” Ralem teased as they hit the first wave of black dragons.

            It was the most insane minutes that followed. The dragons came from everywhere, their claws slashing and teeth snapping. Jaydon’s back was immediately a battleground. Ralem’s swords moved in a blur, swinging in wide arcs leaving a path of devastation. The dead dragons rolled down Jaydon’s side and fell to the earth with limp wings. A large spade-headed one dove low, its claws aimed for his face. He grabbed it by the knobby bone of its ankle and thrust it back where it came from, using the wind to propel its body headlong into the rush of new dragons. Before he was even finished the motion, he swung the sword upwards, slitting a dragon’s neck and dodging its body as it crashed against Jaydon’s spine, impaling its chest on one of his spikes.

            For a second Ralem glanced over at Daemon and found his fighting was the opposite of Ralem’s savage blows and brute force. His fighting was like an art, his sword cut through the air in practiced movements as if he were just having a merry spar with a friend. He dodged the dragon’s attacks like they were made by children just to slash his sword into their chests or flanks. Fraylon was just as graceful. He was a breathtaking white, like a star in a coal sky. His majestic wings fluttered like a sparrow’s as he weaved around the other dragons, nimbly avoiding their teeth and grasping claws. Every once in a while, he’d open his mouth to eject a dangerously sharp icicle, which met its mark with scary precision, breaking into a million shards on impact to cause massive damage.

            “Ah!” Ralem clutched his chest as the beautiful dragon became lost to view. Ralem, be aware of your surroundings! Jaydon snapped.  Ralem rolled his eyes as he backhanded, his sword knocking the lights of a dragon crouching behind him before thrusting forwards with both hands, slicing a forest dragon’s neck. A dribble of its spit landed on his shoulder and he hissed as it ate away his flesh. With a distasteful growl he shoved it over the side.

            Suddenly a huge black dragon touched down on Jaydon’s hindquarters right before the sails that protruded from his hips. It roared and reared to its hindquarters, stretching its pitch wings to the sky. Ralem took a step back, already forming an air shield in case it decided to attempt and squash him like a bug.

            But instead the creature started to melt like a dying shadow, its wings crumpling up and wrapping around its rapidly wasting body. Ralem watched, transfixed as its scales turned into obsidian waves of silvery black, swathing around a horribly disfigured form, bending it like hot metal. Ralem took another step back, his hands tightening on his sword, his eyes narrowed.

            Suddenly two hands emerged, scratching at the thick black exterior and unfolding like wings across its body. Two black wings sprouted from its back, smaller than the ones before, shaking themselves as the rest of the body became more defined and it stepped forward.

            “Ralem… at last,” it hissed, it’s lips curling up. It’s dark hair ruffled in the wind, violent green eyes glared like sinister glowing orbs  that forced the rest of its face into the background. It took out two glimmering swords that were fastened to its back, between its wings.. “I’ve been waiting for this day…”

            “Why does everyone have to shapeshift into me?” Ralem said under his breath, glaring at his demonic double. He crouched in a defensive posture, both hands on his sword. “Have we met?” he asked cockily.

            “Oh yes, I believe we have. You.. little blithering mortal turned me into a… kitten and tortured me, stripping me of my pride! And for that, I will chop off your head,” it snarled, its swords swinging to slice Ralem’s neck like an old fruit.

            Ralem ducked swiftly, dropping to Jaydon’s back and swinging out a leg to trip the cat. In response, it jumped well out of range, touching down fifteen feet down Jaydon’s spine when the dragon gave a burst of speed. Without skipping a beat it charged at Ralem, its swords moving in a blur too fast for the average eye to see.

            But of course Ralem did not have average eyes.

            He blocked both blows with his sword, his muscles straining as he pressed the dual swords away from his neck. The cat seemed to be surprised at his strength. “You know how simple it is to kill you?  I just cut off your.. head,” it gasped before jerking back one sword to plunge it into his chest. Ralem deflected it with an instant air shield, blasting him backwards to land on Jaydon’s protruding wing bone.

            Ralem rushed him like a bull, trying to shove him off Jaydon’s wings and into the torrent of Jaydon’s wind current. It growled and twisted, forcing his momentum to plunge him on and he barely kept himself from diving off Jaydon’s side. Immediately the cat’s hand was wrapped around his neck and jerking him forwards over the distant earth below. Just then, Jaydon rocketed skyward and Ralem’s feet slipped.

            Ralem grit his teeth and shifted his wrist, digging into the cat’s side savagely. It bent over with a hiss. Ralem took the chance to backflip until he was resting safely on Jaydon’s wing bone. He extended his sword, ready for another bout.

            It lifted its head, its green eyes dripping with black. “You fool,” it snarled, pouncing. At that moment Jaydon shot up to snatch another Felinus and the cat shrieked as it almost fell off, its claws scrabbling at Jaydon’s wing webs and tearing them like paper. Ralem sumersaulted forwards before slashing at the cat’s paw. It shrieked and withdrew, sliding closer to the edge. His eyes glittering in victory, Ralem stepped forwards, lifting his sword for the final blow.

            Then Jaydon shifted yet again.

            Jaydon, work with me here! Ralem yelped as suddenly the cat was propelled towards him. It grinned wickedly as it tackled him, digging its talons into his chest. “Argh!” he roared as his sword was thrown from him, bouncing over Jaydon’s tendons to come to rest on the crease between two wing segments. The cat laughed harshly as it lifted him, struggling, into the air like a banner. “Little Rider,” it laughed. “It gives me great joy to see you die…”

            Ralem spat blood onto its identical face and it hissed. “Not dead yet,” he snapped before jerking his knee sharply onto its neck.

            It roared, which sounded like a gargle and staggered backwareds, letting Ralem dive for his sword. When he flipped around to face his opponent, his weapon ready, a snarling doppleganger was snarling back at him.

            “Grrah!” It snarled, swiping wildly at him. He jumped backwards, gasping when his heel met open air.

            It stalked after him, the wing webs sinking under its boots. Once more, it took out its double longswords and grinned maliciously.

            Ralem bit his lip. He was going to have to improvise. With a wide slash, he bashed at the cat from its right side, forcing it to move to left as it fought it off the brunt attack. It stepped closer to the edge, where the wing sails were thinner.

            Then he realized his mistake. The cat had two swords and he had only one. By banging on its defenses on the left side, it was opening up a chink in his defense armor on his right. The cat seemed to notice at the same time. It laughed and blocked the next blow with it's left hand and struck with it's right.

            Ralem created an instant air shield and the sword rattled as it hit it's hard exterior. Having the advantage of shock, Ralem grabbed it's right arm and pulled at it, kicking at its leg in quick succession.

            Ralem! Jaydon's voice sounded frantic in his mind. What's going on?

            Haven't you been listening to me? Ralem seethed as he was nicked in the shoulder. He kicked the cat back futilely with his boot to its chest.              

            It responded with two lightning strikes to his neck. One missed and sliced open his cheek, the other he just barely deflected. The wind screamed in their ears as they drew closer to one another... And closer to the edge.

            Their attacks were getting faster and more desperate, each leaning heavily on defense and trying to keep their position. Finally Ralem saw it misstep and he smiled. It would be his last mistake. He summoned a huge force of wind to sweep it right of Jaydon's wings.

            But not before it grabbed his leg.

            Ralem let out a soundless yell as he felt like a giant grabbed him by his stomach and wrenched him backwards. His world became a blur of motion, his hands reaching for everything and grabbing nothing. He could see the green flash of Jaydon, his form distorted as he rapidly twisted in the air. His angry roar seemed to come from all around him, draconic cusswords streaming from his mouth like flame.

            Ralem! Jaydon cried, and Ralem could feel the wind around him suddenly change, whipping his hair back and forth as it responded to Jaydon's call and turned his humongous body around .

            But his attention was immediately wrenched from Jaydon when he felt something crawling up his leg! He looked down to find the cat was not giving up on its prey. Crawling hand over hand as if Ralem were just a rope, it started to laugh even as they fell from the sky in a stomach-twisting corkscrew fashion. Ralem was surprised it hadn't shed it's skin for a more powerful being.

            Ralem used his other leg to kick it hard in the face. It's grip tightened. Ralem kicked again and again, aiming for the nose. With a spurt of blood it broke and send it shrieking into free fall.

            Ralem! Ralem looked over to see his dragon was flying horizontal to him. He reached out a paw. Come on, the cats dead.

            Ralem cast his glance down, his stomach twisting in knots as he spread his arms and legs out like a starfish to slow his descent.

            The cat finally opened it's wings and was buoyed up by the wind like a kite.

            No it's not, Ralem thought grimly, pulling his hands close to his side and sticking his legs together to dive with precision.

            Ralem this is madness I could just fry him! Jaydon said harshly, arrowing after him.

            Jaydon, I can do this, Ralem said confidently just as he crashed right onto its back. Immediately it's wings caved under the sudden weight, they started to fall .