Chapter 26

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To save the kingdom was a difficult task. He had read about the amazing feats performed in history books and fiction. It was a task meant for heros. And they were no heroes.

Mia stepped out into the open, confusing the citizens of Allura with appearance. She announced that she was a rebel. Many people gasping lightly before Mia was able to inform them of the situation.

"Your Mistress is dying."

The crowd that had gathered gasped, screaming in terror.

Her speech allowed them just enough time to escape the building. The heat was almost the worst. The sun nearly high into the sky. They left quietly. The less attention they would draw.

A few rebels followed them with weapons, pointed them in the direction of the dragon stables.

"Alastair left early this morning!" Emmy shouted as the three fled down the streets. "She has a three hour head start!"

A few people watched them go by, curious as to what they were up to without their hoodies or makeup on.

No guards were around to arrest them, Wilson noted.

Perhaps they didn't care.

"Have you guys ever flown dragon-back?" Wilson asked quietly, not taking his eyes off the streets.

"No, have you?" Answered Emmy.

"Nope but today is a good day to try."

000

They were lucky to have found the dragon stables. The orange stone curved around them, shadows casted on the scaly monsters. Long, snake like sand dragons curled up in sunspots. Their bodies flopped onto their back as they basked in the light. Wings spread awkwardly on top each other.

The skies were their only escape.

"The riders must be celebrating or something..." Argo tiptoed around one of the dragons, carefully climbing onto its sattle. It yawned, amused by his approach. They seemed rather docile for ferocious, fire breathing dragons.

Where those footsteps charging down the street? Perhaps someone had noticed them come down the street?

"You two, grab one of the others, hurry!" He urged them, getting a feel for the reins on the winged-beast. It sat up, shaking off the grains of sand between its scales.

Wilson went for the closet one, its scales colored a peach color and its eyes shut tight. He leapt onto its saddle, the monster perking up from its sleep.

Emmy climbed onto her own dragon, patting it down to calm the beast.

"Wilson, go!" A rebel demanded, drawing their weapon, "We'll try and catch up!"

"Hey!" A stranger screamed.

Time was up. Wilson kicking his heels into the dragon's side. Biggest mistake.

It roared in alarm, not giving him enough time to think about his choice, before launching into the sky. Dust was kicked up, the other dragons taking off with them.

The other two followed while their previous owners shouted insults and curses.

The rebels would handle them.

He hoped they would.

The wind whistled by his ears, other dragons soaring into the sky to escape the confines of the oasis.

Wilson clung to its neck, grip tightening onto the reins. He couldn't fall. The dragon flew higher, spinning its wings around as it flew from the mouth of the oasis cavern. Around him was nothing but desert, the other dragons soared off into the wild.

"Will!" Argo shouted, clearly struggling to keep his own dragon on track.

Wilson sat up, straightening out the monster. He pulled at the reins, the dragon hovering in the air. Far below them the colorful flags of the Alluran Kingdom were miles away.

He almost puked.

"Let's get out of here before the others come looking for us."

And with that, they fled the desert.

The dragons traveled based on memory. It made Wilson both relieved, not even sure how return to the kingdom he called home, and saddened at how often the dragons had traveled with the mission to kidnap people.

Charred ruins poked up from the sand dunes and a ravine cut through the two kingdoms.The sand dunes quickly passed, changing to forest as the heavy wing beats of the dragons soared overhead.

They traveled in silence, Wilson keeping an eye out for any sign of Alastair's balloon. There was nothing in their way.

Wilson glanced down, noticing an unfamiliar town as they passed by. Unfamiliar faces watched them before they were replaced by the forest once again.

"Emmy, go home! We can handle this!" Wilson shouted to the girl, realizing just how close they were getting to Wilson's old town. He hoped everyone was okay. He prayed that no one was hurt.

"Never! We do this together!"

She wanted to go home so why wasn't she? It was stupid to stay with them to stay together. Wilson would have called it bravery had the situation not been so stupid. She was flying headlong into danger.

"Fine, just don't get killed."

"Speak for yourself."

Easier said than done.

WIlson cringed as they approached the mountains in at least an hour. For a moment, Wilson had hoped that he would have enough time to atleast think of something. A solution. The mountains loomed overhead like sharp daggers. The cliff sides coated in shadows to hide anything.

A flurry of arrows soared down.

"Get down!" Emmy cried out. A defense system the Capital had put up, Wilson hoped. The dragons, as if on instinct dodged the attacks, tilting their wings to swoop closer to the ground. Wilson cringed, one flying by his ear.

They needed a way out. Flying three dragons into the Capital would be too difficult. He scanned the mountains before settling on the cliffs. It would be enough cover from any attacks.

Wilson leaned forward, "Go!" He shouted, pressing the dragon to go faster.

It did, zipping past the mountain cliffs and the rocks. It climbed over the rocks, the arrows stopped firing.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Wilson saw a black creature soar down to his side. He braced himself, expecting Cinnabar's claws to come crashing down. Instead, Argo's dragon swooped in from above.

Emmy flew in from below, sitting upright and attentive. She looked around as if she heard something none of them could.

Argo shouted, "Do you guys smell that?"

Was that fire?

On the last bend, the wing beats of three dragons blew up debris.

Wilson half expected to see the large balloon that Alastair had taken to the Capital. The flying ship parked with the rest of them as a crowd of people celebrated to the 'symbol' of unity.

Instead, he gasped, the Capital was burning in flames.

The army marching up the capital streets and highways, fighting against the two armies as more and more people turned to side of the bell.

The deep chimes of the bell signalling from the castle.

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