Hidden Kingdom

⊱Chapter 35 🗡Sky Trials⊰

Last Chapter update of the day. The next few chapters are being reworked as I changed a bit of the plot. So please be patient as I try to finish editing them. Now onto the 5th update of the day.

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Fear struck deep into my belly as my feet left the edge of the cliff. Burying the feeling, I focus completely on my bondmate. Angling my body so I am in a dive I find Serina underneath me. Grabbing one of her spikes I pull myself onto her back as she switches direction to steeply climb high into the sky.

Allowing myself to let out a breathless laugh noting I had made it safely onto her back. I had actually made it despite it being my first time doing such a thing.

With my improved vision, I could see the first loop directly ahead of us, the second much lower than the first. Serina climbed a bit higher in the air turning into a sharp dive as soon as we entered into the first hoop.

Only pulling out of the dive when we had shot through the second hoop. The third obstacle was a series of hoops that moved of their own accord. Probably testing the maneuvering ability of the challenger along with testing the ability of the rider to move along with their dragon.

Serina spun gracefully in the air, clearing every hoop. As she twirled I clutched to her tightly as I was turned upside down, appropriately adjusting myself that had become second nature to me. "We are about to come up to the obstacle where we have to split up." Serina warned.

Leaning over her shoulder slightly I could spot a series of hoops that were too far small for Serina and another series that were more fitting of her stature intertwined with the smaller ones, much like the stands within a rope. I feel myself grinning as I take in the hoops, "It is just like free falling." I murmur more to myself than her.

This was breaking my new found promise to my King. Oh well! I knew beforehand that it was going to be short lived, and this was going to be fun!

I maneuver myself so I could slip down her wing. Letting go I slide down the leathery surface as Serina tosses me into the air, hitting the middle of the first hoop precisely. Twirling through the next six or seven hoops as Serina danced through hers. Extending my limbs out I try to stay still as I fall through the eighth hoop landing carefully on Serina's back as we go through the ninth hoop.

"We have another pair of hoops up ahead. Yours is directly above mine." I scurry to climb up her neck using her spikes as a makeshift ladder of sorts. Taking extra care as to not injure her or myself as I stand on top of her head. Springing from her head to cleanly jump through my hoop as Serina glided through her own. Falling, I summersaulted once. Landing lightly on Serina's back once more in a crouch.

As we continued to circle about dummies began to pop up out of nowhere as knives were launched at us. I was confused as what to do about the dummies but blended air molecules togehter to construct a solid wind shield around us to stop the attack of the oncoming knives.

Serina clearly wasn't confused as she made three clean shots with her violet flames. Knocking the dummies out of the air as they burnt to a crisp. Dropping the shields I cling to the spikes in front of me once more as Serina started to twirl in the air as we exited through a hoop I didn't see until we were already through it.

"Looks as though you have to throw a weapon as well." Serina mentioned as she gazed below us. Peering down I see a spear imbedded into a rock, a number faintly hovering by it.

I didn't know why they would want me to use a spear in these obstacles but I wasn't going to question their motives. "Very well." I inform with a shrug she couldn't see. Clutching Serina's spike tightly I braced myself as we tilted into another steep dive.