Book 3: Chapter 56: Proving Himself
The bad weather had given Arthur one advantage: He was able to keep secret how many dragons hed brought with him. Only his retinue was close by and visible in the gloom.
Thinking quickly, Arthur directed Brixaby to send a message directly into the minds of his followers: Land safely, get under shelter, and above all else, stay quiet.
Brixabys stated range was within shouting distance. Out in the open, even in a storm that meant he could easily reach most minds he wanted.
Meanwhile, Arthurs retinue followed Sams and the rest back down to land on the newest level.
On the ledge, the temperature was artificially warmed thanks to environmental card magic. Even the outcropping the dragons landed on was dry the rain evaporating inches above the surface.
Arthur took in a breath of fresh air that smelled familiar in a way that the Mesa Free Hive never had.
Were back, he thought to himself.
But he only allowed himself a moment to relish it.
Horatio had dismounted off his dragon the moment Samss claws hit firm rock. He came striding up to Arthur, boggling not only at him but at Brixaby as well.
Rumor had it your dragon hadnt been growing, he said, Seems you figured out what was wrong.
Nothing was wrong! Brixaby boomed. This hive simply did not afford me the right opportunity to grow!
In more ways than one, Arthur thought.
Horatio, how are you here? Why arent you at Buck Moon hive?
His friend shook his head impatiently. Never mind that. How are you even alive? News came in that you died during a scourgeling eruption. I didnt want to believe it at first, but then it seemed to be true because my friend would have sent me a message. He glowered at Arthur, just in case he didnt get the point.
Arthur didnt have time to let the guilt soak in. Several of Horatios other riders had dismounted and had come striding up to listen. But a few of their dragons had slid off to speak to purple messengers who clung on crags off to the side. Those purples quickly buzzed away.
No doubt word of their arrival and miraculous survival back to Wolf Moon Hive would quickly spread.
Arthur glanced over his shoulder long enough to ensure the rest of his personal retinue of Cressida, Digger, Laird, and Tannai had landed safely behind him.
Turning back, he stepped forward to grip Horatios upper arm. We dont have much time. Tell me whats going on. Why is there a storm beating down on the hive? Is Valentina is her dragon he trailed off, unsure how to finish.
He would never say hed been friendly with the other two Legendary riders especially after theyd failed to prepare him for his visit with the king. But out of the two, he much preferred Valentina over Whitaker.
Horatios expression went from shocked and offended to grim.
No one official has said anything. Sams and I are Rares, but were still low on the totem pole. Valentina and her dragon havent died, he added quickly, but the general gossip is that their strength is failing.
Then why do I sense three Legendries? Brixaby asked in a dangerous voice.
Arthur winced. If Brixaby could sense three of his kind, they could likely sense him soon if they already hadnt.
Horatio shrugged at the dragons question. Politics. Its part of why Im here, too.
The other hive leaders thought we were dead and took the opportunity to try to take over the leadership of Wolf Moon? Arthur guessed.
Horatio nodded once in affirmation. Buck Moon has been leading the charge and you never answered my question, Art. How are you still alive?
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Its a long story Arthur began.
Oh! Oh! Behind them, Joy jumped up and down. We were kidnapped by a hive thats outside of our Kingdom, but now we get to save one of their sister hives, instead. Maybe them, too. I dont know. Its very twisty. Hi, Im Joy, she added to Sams who was looking down at the pink in puzzlement.
Horatio sputtered. What do you mean, a hive outside the kingdom? Theres nothing outside the kingdom!
Turns out, Arthur said, Not only is there livable land outside our kingdom, there are other kingdoms. Ill explain later, he added, But I have to speak to the leadership. Id like an escort through the storm to back up top, but well get there on our own if we have to.
One of the Uncommon riders who stood near Sams objected. Thats not a good idea, sir. We dont know if these people are who they say they are. They could be using an illusion or body mod card to impersonate someone. We should wait to get them checked out by one of the mind mages.
That isnt going to happen, Arthur said. He wasnt about to let anyone go shifting around his, or Brixabys mind.
Beside him, Brixaby flared two of his wings in a threat. I dare any white dragon to shuffle through my mind and come out the other side!
Which was a good point. As a Legendary rank, Brixaby could likely overpower any Rare or Uncommon the hive could throw at them.
From the shuffling of feet and uncomfortable looks, others knew it too.
Arthur turned back to Horatio. You and I were roommates at the orphanage. We both worked at a restaurant, scraping card shards together
But Horatio shook his head. Thats common knowledge for anyone who does a little research. He considered for a moment, and then his dark eyes narrowed. When we were kids, I snuck out and went to the festival one of the first youd seen, if I remember right. You remember what else happened that night?
Arthur felt a grin stretch his face. Yeah, except I was the one who snuck out and you followed. And you took me to see card duels. Id never seen anything like it.
Horatio stared at him for a moment as if trying to weigh his answer, but Arthur knew he had spoken true.
Finally, he nodded and looked to Sams. Its him.
I can feel the weight of their Legendary cards, Sams added. Assuming that is not some sort of trick.
Its not, but we need to speak to leadership, and we need someone to light the way. Arthur looked at Sams who, as a yellow, was a dragon with naturally light-based natural magic. Didnt you once ask to be part of my retinue?
Instantly, the troubled look on Horatios face faded and he grinned. Arthur had just won him over.
****
For all the commotion on the lower levels, word had not yet spread up to the top of the hive.
The storm was every bit as bitterly fierce as it had been before, but this time Arthur and the rest of his retinue were prepared for it.
And, most importantly, they had Sams to light the way.
The big yellow dragon glowed like a miniature sun ahead of them.
Through the driving blizzard, Arthur lost track of where his position was in the sky, and most importantly, the stone-hard sides of the hive. One gust of wind could dash them all against the rocks.
But the dragons seemed to know where they were, and so Arthur was forced to put his faith in Brixaby.
Life was so much easier now he could ride his own dragon.
So instead of worrying about what could happen, Arthur let himself focus on the rapid beat of Brixabys four wings.
Odd. Hed always thought of it as a droning buzz, but now he realized that there was a pattern to his wing beats. The bottom pair beat a little less rapidly than the top pair. They were broader and stretched to cup more air with every wing-stroke. The top two were faster but bent more with the wind.
He realized that the bottom pair focused on stability and power. The top was for directional control.
Arthurs revelation was rewarded with not one, but two additional levels in his Dragon Riding skill.
The moment the notifications came, Arthur gained the wisdom to shift his seat slightly back toward Brixabys center of gravity.
The dragon grunted something in surprise Arthur couldnt catch the words, but thought they were affirmative. And he didnt think he imagined that Brixaby powered through the air faster than ever.
However, the wind got worse as they rose in altitude and the temperature plunged. If this continued, Arthur worried hed get frostbite on his exposed fingers and nose.
Just when he wondered if he should direct the retinue back into the hive and climb to the top from the inside the glowing beacon that was Sams came in for a landing upon a platform wide enough to hold a Legendary dragon.
Or, in this case, three of them, if Brixaby was right.
Brixaby landed with Joy right behind him. Cressida, on her neck, yelled something that was lost to the winds.
In front of them, something gigantic moved.
It took Arthur too long to understand what his eyes were trying to tell him. He hadnt forgotten the size of Elissa, Valentinas old Legendary dragon, but she was a cloudy blue color and the lines of her shape were obscured by the storm.
He thought it was clouds from the storm moving until a massive dragon head resolved itself out of nowhere and stared down at Arthur and Brixaby with the stern expression of a disappointed grandmother.
You, the massive dragons voice was even louder than Brixabys but still quivered with age. You have arrived, at last.
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