Sky Riders: The Rising Sun

“Eliana! Eliana!” a familiar voice called.

She stopped her sparring match with Teleas and glanced around, searching for the source of the voice. Her eyes settled on a beaming childish face as the tall elf came racing towards her.

“Iocus!” she called back happily.

Immediately upon reaching her, Iocus swept her into his arms and spun her around. She gave a short laugh of surprise until he finally set her feet back on the ground. His lips brushed her cheek, and she stiffened; she had nearly forgotten about Iocus’ forward behavior.

“It’s wonderful to see you!” he said, his hands on her waist.

She took a subtle step backwards. “And you,” she replied truthfully. Though his feelings towards her were very much unwelcome, she was still fond of him; he was one of the few people she knew that she could truly consider a friend.

Iocus finally seemed to notice Teleas. He extended a slender hand towards the red-haired man. “Sorry, I must have interrupted your sparring. My name is Iocus.”

Teleas grasped the elf’s hand in his own large, callused one. A few days ago, the man still hesitated to shake hands with an elf, but Eliana was pleased to see that he took Iocus’ hand without any apparent thought. “Teleas. I’m from Vegrandis, the village where Rider Eliana was born.”

Iocus nodded politely, then turned back to Eliana. “Caelum sent me to fetch you. He wishes to speak to you right away.”

She looked at Teleas. “Do you mind?”

He shook his head. “Not at all. You must attend to your duties.”

She thanked him and followed an eager Iocus back towards Amiscan. He chattered animatedly about things that had occurred since she departed for Vereor with Caelum. Eliana only half listened, her mind preoccupied with what could possibly be so urgent that Caelum would send Iocus to fetch her; his aversion to the childish elf was hardly a secret.

Caelum was standing beside the large hill in the center of the village, which concealed the entrance to her quarters. He was deep in conversation with Denio, his voice low and quick. They didn’t seem to notice their approach until Eliana and Iocus stopped a few feet from them.

At last, the two princes looked up. “Eliana!” Denio said with a smile, stepping forward to embrace her. “It feels like weeks since I last saw you.”

She chuckled as they parted. “Only one week. But how much time can a king have for his lowly subjects?” she teased, dipping into a curtsy.

Denio laughed in amusement. “Now, Eliana, you know I always have time for you. I believe that it is you who does not have time for me, oh mighty Rider.”

She smirked and looked at the blonde elf beside the king. “Well, my commanding officer has been keeping me busy. Did you have something to speak to me about?”

Caelum’s face was serious—the face of the army’s captain, and nothing more. “We need to scout the surrounding areas as quickly as possible. We want to ensure that no enemy has slipped in without our attention. The sooner it’s done, the sooner we can begin to establish our defenses. I want you and Oriens to do that as soon as you can.”

She nodded in understanding. “Very well, but I’ll need someone to direct me. I don’t know the land well enough to know the places I should search.”

“I’ll go with her,” Iocus quickly volunteered, not giving Caelum a chance to answer.

Caelum looked at Iocus with a flat expression. Iocus gazed steadily back.

After a pause, Caelum shrugged. “Very well. Iocus, you will accompany Eliana. Be sure to scout all possible hiding places on both sides of the mountains. Eliana, have Oriens fly a short distance out to the west of the peaks as well. Keep a sharp eye for any of our enemies.”

She caught his emphasis, knowing that he meant more than the soldiers. Both Peior and the Dark Rider could be patrolling the skies nearby.

“And be careful.” The command was spoken firmly in her mind, Caelum’s blue eyes piercing into her amethyst ones.

Eliana nodded, acknowledging both commands, then called out to Oriens. His mind had been elsewhere, so she relayed their duties to him and told him to meet her in the cave. She spoke briefly to Iocus, planning to meet him in the same place in a few minutes’ time. Then, he departed to retrieve his bow and quiver. Denio strode off to the other side of the grassy circle, where Kana sat cross-legged, playing with her brothers.

Now that they were alone, Caelum reached out and gently took her hand. Eliana looked up at him and smiled; the captain was gone, and her Caelum now stood in his place. His free hand found the back of her neck, and he pressed his forehead to hers.

“Why do I keep sending you off to do things without me?” he asked quietly.

“You have things to tend to here,” she answered. “The elves’ captain has been gone quite enough already. I don’t need to deprive them of you any more than I have.”

He sighed, “But what if I like to deprive them of me?”

She felt Oriens glide by, far over head, moving towards the upper opening to their quarters. “I should go,” she whispered.

Caelum cradled her chin with his hand, tilting her head up and brushing her lips with his. “Be careful of Iocus too. His infatuation with you still unsettles me.”

She laughed and shook her head slightly. Returning the kiss, she answered, “Do you really think you have anything to worry about?”

“No,” he replied, “which is the only reason why I’m letting him accompany you. Now, go saddle your dragon and return to me in one piece.”

Eliana turned and trotted down the opening in the hill, following the long tunnel to the round room beyond, where Oriens stood patiently waiting. He greeted her warmly, and with excitement. It had been a few days since they’d last flown together; Caelum had kept her training hard most days, practicing everything some swordsmanship to sorcery, usually against men much larger and stronger than her.

Now, Oriens was ready to be off. She could sense his eagerness to finally have some time alone together. She had not yet told him that they would be having company on this flight.

Footsteps echoed around the stony room, trotting down the tunnel. Eliana finished tightening the last strap on the saddle. Iocus appeared a moment later, his quiver and bow across his back.

Oriens rumbled deep in his throat, a trail of smoke rising from his nostrils. “What is he doing here?” he asked her with irritation.

Eliana grimaced sheepishly. Oriens’ aversion to Iocus seemed to be even stronger than Caelum’s, which was why she’d put off telling him about their navigator. She told him now, and Oriens growled again, emitting another puff of smoke.

She batted the grey cloud away from her face. “Tone down the smoke, would you?”

“I can’t,” he answered, his voice still sharp, obviously irritated that she’d concealed the situation from him. “When I feel the fire rise in my belly, smoke comes with it. I cannot stop it.”

Eliana couldn’t help but smile a little at his words; she knew it must mean that he would soon be able to breathe fire, but she didn’t say this to him. She turned to Iocus and greeted him as he approached with his usual bright smile.

“I’m ready when you are,” he said.

She nodded and climbed into Oriens’ saddle. As Iocus made to step on Oriens’ elbow and mount, the dragon’s long golden tail flicked out, sweeping the elves’ booted feet out from under him. He hit the ground with a surprised grunt.

A deep, coughing laugh echoed from Oriens’ throat. She scolded him silently, but Eliana was struggling not to laugh herself.

“I’m sorry, Iocus,”she called down to the elf as he stood and brushed off his trousers. “I don’t know what came over him, but I promise he will not do it again. Will you, Oriens?” Her dragon simply snorted in reply, and she continued, “Please, go ahead and mount.”

Iocus stepped forward again, more cautiously this time. He briefly stepped on the scaly elbow, then leapt into the saddle behind her. Once the elf was secure, Oriens pulled them up through the top of the mountain. They rose into the cloudless sky, and Iocus pointed out towards the eastern cliff.

“Start down there,” he instructed. “We’ll search the beaches first, then come back up and scour the mountains.”

Oriens turned towards the ocean, and they dropped over the edge of the cliff, flying close over the wet sand. Their three pairs of eyes raked over the beaches, searching for footprints or extinguished campfires—anything that would indicate that someone had recently roved those sands. The beaches were completely untouched for as far as they could see.

They rose back up over the cliff top and made their way to the mountains. For hours, they crossed back and forth over the mountains, examining every area that Iocus thought could be hiding an enemy. They found nothing. At last, they had examined the entire rocky spine. All that remained was to fly out west a short distance and see if any enemies were approaching.

They crossed the mountains once more and flew out over the forests, gazing down at the thick canopy of branches, which now bore the fresh, green leaves of early spring.

“See if you can sense anyone,” she told both Oriens and Iocus; it was too difficult to spot any signs of an enemy through the trees.

Eliana reached out with her own mind to the forest floor far below, feeling for any signs of life. She briefly touched the minds of dozens of scurrying forest creatures, but found nothing more intelligent than an owl nesting in the trunk of a hollow tree, waiting for dusk. Oriens and Iocus reported similar results.

She stretched her arms skyward and sighed, “Well, it looks like we can head back now.”

“Wait,” Iocus said, pointing off in a southeast direction. “There’s one other place I want to look. Fly that way, along the mountain’s base.”

Eliana sensed Oriens’ weary agitation, but the dragon turned in the direction Iocus had pointed. They flew along the mountain ridge, staying low above the treetops.

After twenty exasperating minutes, Eliana finally asked, “What are we looking for, Iocus?”

“That,” he responded, a smile in his voice.

She followed the line of his extended finger to see a vast expanse of glassy water. The sun reflected off the smooth surface of the massive lake in a blinding glare.

“Want to go for a swim?” Iocus laughed in her ear.

Eliana smiled and nodded, urging Oriens on. She sensed that he was eager to reach the lake as well, and his wings beat a little harder and faster, propelling them quickly towards the waiting pool. They landed beside the perfect waters, and Iocus and Eliana quickly dismounted.

“Get this thing off of me,” Oriens said, squirming eagerly under his saddle.

She quickly undid the straps and pulled it off his back, dropping it to the grassy earth. The dragon immediately jumped into the air and splashed into the water, disrupting the perfect surface and sending waves out towards the banks. Iocus quickly yanked off his boots, pulled his tunic over his head, and raced towards the water.

“Come on!” he called to her as he plunged into the lake.

Eliana laughed, pulled off her own boots, and sprinted after him. The water was chilly as she dove in, but the direct rays of the spring sunlight took away some of the icy bite, and her body soon adjusted to the cold. Iocus swam up to her as she surfaced, his smile bright and cheerful.

“What do you think?” he asked.

She laughed, her head barely above the water, her toes just touching the soft bottom of the lake. “This is wonderful,” she said. “How did you find it?”

“Out on a scouting trip some time ago,” he said. He moved closer to her and put his hand on her waist, pulling her body close to his, holding her in the water. “I’ve been hoping to bring you here for a long while now.”

She drew back quickly and was about to form a response when she felt a strong, tugging sensation in her mind. She turned her head towards the center of the wide lake. Oriens was circling happily on the surface of the water, watching her with a green eye and smiling slightly. The silent, tugging sensation was coming from him, and her body replied without thought. She struck out towards the center of the lake without a word to Iocus.

“What are you doing?” he called after her.

She didn’t answer. She didn’t really know the answer. She knew only that Oriens was calling to her, his mind pulling on hers, and she had to go to him. He waited patiently for her until she finally reached him. She grabbed hold of a spike on his neck and pulled herself onto his back.

“Ready?” he asked, eyeing her with an adventurous glint in his emerald gaze.

She didn’t know what he meant, but she grinned back at him. “Absolutely.”

“Hold tight, and hold your breath!”

She gulped in as much air as her lungs would hold. Oriens dipped his golden head and they plunged below the water’s smooth surface. Eliana opened her eyes, seeing clearly through the perfect waters. Oriens flew through the water as she held to him, beating at the clear liquid with his massive wings as if it were air. He flicked his long tail from side to side, using it like a rudder, steering them.

Eliana’s wide eyes took in their underwater surroundings with a sense of wonder. They dove deeper and deeper, scattering colorful fish as they went, until she felt a strange pressure in her ears. She squirmed uncomfortably, but still held tight. They reached the lake’s bottom, which was far darker and colder than the surface. Oriens wove between massive rocks and long fingers of green plants, which seemed to reach out to grab hold of them.

Her lungs began to burn. She expanded her mind, sensing the microscopic bubbles of air in the water around her. With a flick of her wrist, the air gathered around her, forming a large bubble before her. She breathed in the summoned oxygen, refreshing herself.

Suddenly, she felt a jolt of surprise in her stomach. “What is it?” she asked Oriens, trying to shake off his emotions, to separate them from her own.

“Look.”

She squinted through the dark water, searching for what had caused Oriens such an upsetting jolt. The same feeling of sickening surprise returned to her stomach; this time, the feeling was her own.

A pale figure danced before her, swaying slightly in the shifting waters. Her blonde hair swirled around her head. The slender wrists and ankles were tied together and, down the length of a worn rope, she was tied to a large boulder. Her head lolled to the side, revealing her face. It was Raena.

Eliana gasped, then choked in surprise as frigid water filled her lungs. Sensing her distress, Oriens pounded his wings and jettisoned them towards the surface. They broke out of the water and he snapped his wings open, sending droplets glittering through the air. She coughed and sputtered, clearing her lungs as Oriens circled just above the water.

“Hey!” Iocus shouted, still treading in the lake below. “What happened? Are you okay? Why were you down there so long?”

She didn’t answer any of his questions. “We have to get her out, Oriens,” she said, her hands shaking from the cold and the sight she’d just seen. “We can’t just leave her body down there.”

“I know,” he answered grimly. “Are you ready?”

She tightened her legs against the bare scales and readjusted her grip on the slick, wet spike. “Ready.”

He folded his wings and they dove back down towards the lake. The water broke over her body like an icy wall, nearly tearing her off of Oriens’ back. She clung tighter, barely managing to stay on as they raced back down towards the bottom of the lake.

Raena’s body came into view again, and Eliana fought the desire to vomit. Oriens stopped in front of the swaying form, and Eliana pushed herself off of his back. For a moment, she stared at Raena’s pale and lovely face, remembering when it had been contorted in hatred, trying to kill her.

Then, Eliana spotted something hovering near the elf’s perfect lips. It was a small bubble of air, not unlike the one Eliana had formed earlier to breathe. Cautiously, she pressed her fingers to Raena’s neck, and felt the faint fluttering of a weak pulse.

“She’s alive!” she exclaimed to Oriens.

“Then let’s get her out of here before she becomes otherwise,” he answered.

A long, white claw quickly lashed out at the rope, severing Raena from the heavy stone. Her body began to float upwards, but Eliana grabbed her around the waist and pulled her onto Oriens’ back in front of her. Holding tightly to the elf with one arm and clinging to Oriens’ neck with the other, Eliana signaled that she was ready. The dragon launched them towards the surface once more.

As they broke the surface, Oriens snapped open his golden wings again and raced back to the lakeshore. Eliana slid from his wet back, pulling Raena with her and laying her on the grass. The bubble around the elf’s mouth had disappeared, and Eliana leaned her face close to it, her cheek hovering over her lips. A whisper of breath touched her cold skin.

“She’s still breathing,” Eliana sighed with relief.

She sat back, gazing at the unmoving woman, her mind nearly as numb with surprise as her fingers were from the cold. Raena’s hair clung to her deathly-white face. Her skin looked nearly translucent. She looked like some beautiful, terrible angel of death.

“What’s going on?” Iocus demanded as he raced out of the water.

He skidded to a surprised halt as he saw the body lying in front of the Rider. After a moment, he inched forward, his blue eyes growing wider with each step. “Raena?” he whispered.

Eliana nodded. “She’s alive, but only just. We have to get her back to my mother and Laurus as soon as possible.” She stood. “Try to get her warm while I saddle Oriens.”

Iocus nodded, completely mute. Eliana hurriedly grabbed Oriens’ saddle and strapped it to his back in record time, while Iocus knelt beside Raena, his hands moving over her body with the soft glow of fire, trying to warm her.

Once the dragon was saddled, Eliana shoved her feet back into her boots and snapped at Iocus, “Hurry up!”

The elf hurriedly pulled on his tunic and boots while Eliana climbed into the saddle. Iocus lifted Raena into the Rider’s arms. She pulled her into the saddle before her and Iocus leapt up behind. Oriens’ claws dug deep gouges into the soft grass as he threw them into the sky.

She knew her dragon was tired from the hours of flying in circles around Amiscan, but his wings beat ceaselessly against the air in a powerful, rapid rhythm, spiriting them back towards the only people who could save Raena. She urged him on in her mind, giving him what energy she could from her own body.

They reached the village in ten minutes—ten long, anxious minutes. Oriens dropped to the grass as close to the village as he could. His golden sides heaved with labored breaths. His scaly knees buckled, and he fell to them in exhaustion.

Iocus jumped down and Eliana slid Raena down into his waiting arms. “Go!” she shouted at him. “Take her to Laurus and Ispera! Hurry!”

He raced away, clutching the limp body to his chest. With an exhausted sigh, Eliana fell forward against Oriens’ slick neck. She felt her dragon slip into an exhausted unconsciousness, dragging her into darkness with him.