The Rider's Truth.

The New Unknown

Unedited. 

Chapter 27:  The New Unknown

Nethore and I didn't return to Ithrall straight away. My veins were alight with awareness, and I felt an old, ancient power residing in the back of my head like a slumbering beast. One that when awoken could inflict a terrible onslaught of destruction and death.

They had taken me far from the city according to Nethore. My Change was violent and with every wave of pain, the earth trembled and the wind howled. Derralann lake rippled violently, gathering in the centre before pushing mercilessly at the little boats crossing the previously still water. Nethore had gathered me up without consulting them and brought me to an uninhabited plain where there was no civilisation for miles.

They didn't argue with that decision when my back arched, and with one scream, I had set the forest a mile away up in flames. It was an inferno so scorching that even the dragons balked at the heat. Only Demor, Arthur and Claret had been able to get close enough to grab escaping animals and bring them to safety. They especially didn't argue when my nails dug into the soil, and into my skin and deeper gouges appeared in the earth, slicing down through years of build-up.

I would have destroyed the hospital, or at least part of it had they kept me there.

The thought was sobering, but it wasn't the only thing on my mind. Nethore had taken a long nap to replenish his strength while I changed into the clothes left in his saddle-bags and nibbled at the food packed in the bag. Jamie had been nice enough not to leave me any meat: I had never declared that I no longer ate it, but my friends were far more observant than I gave them credit for.

Nethore told me they had stayed for as long as they could before the climax of my Change brought pain onto them and they couldn't handle the blooming bruises, or in Abner's case, the crushed knuckles.

Oh dad.

After Nethore slept, and then ate, we took a long flight together. He was iffy about bringing me back where there would be more people, more things to become aware of. It was as if the Change had peeled open all my senses, and strengthened my body. I could feel shadows clinging to my body, and felt their whispers even when I stood in the light. There was no name for my affinity – there hadn't been one mentioned in the memories I saw, but I had seen great and terrible things done by the past Vidalins at the curl of a fist, or the deep, echoing command that sounded too old for the person speaking.

I lay a hand against Nethore's shoulder, my fingers splayed against the smooth warm scales. The good thing about the Change was that it would make me a stronger Rider. It had infused strength into my bones, and a new awareness in the bond where I could sense the direction of Nethore's thoughts instantly.

At first, it felt like an invasion of privacy especially since I could see everything through Nethore's eyes more clearly. Memories of his that I could see at will, and in every one that included me there was a such a deep and unbreakable need to make sure that I was never harmed, that it humbled me.

I knew he loved me, but now I felt every surge of that like a flood of warmth in my veins, a drug so addictive that it would cripple me if it was gone.

The bond hummed and Nethore banked to the right. His wing movements were soft and unlaboured, and each heavy breath sent a plume of heated breath ahead, a spark of obsidian flame dancing in the air before it was doused.

We were flying nowhere, we had no time-limit in our minds and I loved it. The untamed freedom of dragon-back couldn't be denied where the lush green of the countryside of Valaxia sprawled out beneath us. Miles in the distance, there was the intimidating rise of the Whitethorn mountains. Miles to my right, the sea churned, a deep and grumbling beast who I could sense. I had no hope of seeing it but there was salt on my tongue. A feeling I remember from days at the quay, drawing the boats in the harbour.