Rocky brings up his sword as he blocks an axe attack from the hooded figure. He then pushes her away, and thrusts his sword at them, and they parry it to the side.
The two then slam their weapons together, pushing against each other. They both let out a grunt, before Rocky manages to push the figure back. They stumble back, and he goes to swing his sword, but several silver spine fly in and land at his feet.
Rocky stumbles back as he points his sword to the side, and suddenly a silver dragons runs it, and gets between Rocky and the Hooded figure. The dragon loudly growls as it flexes its spine at Rocky.
Rocky slowly lowers his sword as his eye widens in shock. "A Razorwhip." he looks at the hooded figure. "Your not a Hunter?"
The figure stands up and pats the Razorwhip on the neck. "Of course not. Are you not?" A feminine voice comes from them.
Rocky rests his sword at his side. "Never! I'm here to free the dragons they've captured."
She stares at Rocky with suspicion. "How do I know you're not lying?"
Rocky sheathes his sword, as he sees Niether flying down towards him, with Raincutter by a side. "Well, my dragons are coming to my defense."
"Dragons?"
Suddenly Niether and Raincutter land in front of the Razorwhisp and the female. They both growl as it as they bear their teeth. The Razorwhip growls in return as the hooded figure stares in shock. Rocky flips his eyepatch down.
"Woah..." She mutters in shock.
Rocky steps forward as he pats the two on the back. "It's okay, I don't think she's a threat." He stops in front of them. "I'm Rocky, I'm here to save the dragons and burn down the island. So, may I know the girl who attacked me?"
The girl sighs as she takes her hood down, and Rocky's eye widens in shock.
The girl has dazzling green eyes. Long hair that frames her face with a fringe parted on the right side and a side braid placed over her left shoulder. She has a long-sleeve, light gray shirt with a black, short-sleeved hooded shirt over it, a brown mask hanging from her neck. A brown leather vest, wristbands, and dark grey leggings and brown boots.
She has three black belts. She also has metallic-like shoulder guards, bracers, knee pads and shirt, all scales from her dragon.
"Woah..." Rocky mutters in shock, and Niether gives him a side eye.
The girl steps forward, as she puts her axe on her back. "I'm Heather, and this is Windshear."
Rocky motions to the Briskwind Boltren, then to the Stormcutter. "This is Niether, then this is Raincutter."
Heather steps up and looks over the two dragons. "I've never seen these kinds of dragons before. They're so large."
Suddenly they hear yelling in the distance, as thundering of footsteps approach them. Rocky sighs as he looks to his two dragons.
"Well, since you're here, might as well stay!" Rocky turns to Heather. "We gotta move."
Rocky takes off running, as his two dragons follow, running near silently. Heather and Windshear follow after them, and as they leave the area, a group of Hunters appear. They run up to their knocked out friends and start helping them.
After a little bit, the group is hiding in a thick brush as they peer into the large dragon camp. They see dozen cages, all with tarps over them. Several dragon roars echo from the cages. Nearly a dozen Hunters move about the camp, weapons in hand.
Rocky hums in thought as he scratches his chin. Niether lets out a rumble as he nudges Rocky.
"You thinking, what I'm thinking?"
Rocky nods and he turns to Heather. "I think I have a plan."
Heather glances at Windshear beside her, before looking back at Rocky. "Let's hear it."
Rocky nods as he looks back to the camp. "If you can cause a distraction, me and Niether here will sneak in and release the dragons." Raincutter lets out a quiet chirp, and he glances at her. "Think you can cover Heather?"
Raincutter gives a nod as she tilts her head.
"You're putting a lot of trust in me." Heather points out.
"Well, you have a dragon that willingly follows you around." Rocky motions to Windshear, who lets out a happy rumble as he rubs against Heather. "So I'm putting my trust in that."
Heather pats her dragon on the chin. "I hope I can trust you."
"You'll just have to see." Rocky rubs Niether on the side. "You ready?"
"Of course." Niether lets out a quiet roar.
Rocky then turns to Heather. "We'll wait for your signal, then we'll head in and rescue the dragons. Meet back here once we do."
Heather nods as she sneaks off, with Windshear following. Raincutter shuffles after the two, before giving Rocky and Niether one last glance. Then she continues after Heather and Windshear.
Rocky lets out a sigh. "I hope I did the right thing."
Niether lets out a rumble. "So, want to explains something?"
"Explain what?" Rocky looks at him in confusion.
"Your recent reckless behavior?"
Rocky crosses his arms. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Niether pushes Rocky with his head. "You've been just charging in with stuff, not going over a plan with me. Doing random things that could get you very hurt. We may be the same person and have the same mind, but I can barely understand what you're thinking!"
Rocky huffs, before letting out a sigh. "Okay, I've been very stressed."
"Stressed? You've been stressed. You're not the one that's a dragon!"
"And that's the point, Niether. You're a dragon, you can fly, you can fire plasma, you're scales are hard as steel!" Rocky throws up his arms. "And I'm just a squishy human. And we've started a war, and I'm..."
Rocky goes quiet as he looks away. Niether tilts his head in confusion.
"You're what?"
"I'm scared okay! I'm constantly surrounded by large dragons, and I'm not strong at all. And now we're going against someone who's very smart. Sigewulf, he's very smart, even if his ego is very large. And I started a war with someone who's so much better at this! Dragons are predictable, but humans aren't. So I've been trying to do stuff that is outside my comfort zone, stuff that makes me worried. So that hopefully I can build the courage to continue this!"
"That's why you gotta confine in me, I'm literally you. No one else could understand you, better then me."
Rocky glances at his dragon. "I.. I guess you have a point."
"Of course I do. So from now on, you gotta talk to me more. I'm you, and you are me. And if you keep doing these dangerous stuff without telling me, how is anyone else gonna trust you."
Rocky chuckles as he nods. "Alright, you make a great point. I'll... only be reckless when the time calls for it."
Niether shrugs as he smiles. "I can work with that."
Rocky nods as he glances back at the camp. "You know, I wonder what Heather's distraction will be?"
Suddenly several trees fall in the distance, creating a loud thud along with several dragon roars. The Hunters around the camp glance at each other, before half of them charge out of the camp towards the noise.
"That's probably it." Rocky comments.
"Let's go."
The two swiftly exit the brush and sneak into the camp. They hide behind a cage with a tarp over it. A Hunter walks around the corner, only to get whapped in the face by, Niether's tail, and dragged behind the cage.
Rocky sees a Nadder under the tarp, and it growls at him. Rocky holds his palm out as he speaks softly.
"Just hold on, I'll get you out." Rocky smiles and the Nadder seems to calm down.
Behind him, Niether takes down two more Hunters that came over to check on some noise. Rocky walks to the front of the cage, as Niether runs across the path and tackles a Hunter to the ground, and stomping on his head, knocking him out.
Rocky pulls out his sword and puts it against the lock. he then roughly tugs to the side, and the lock breaks off. He rips the tarp off and opens the cage. Rocky steps to the side as the Nadder runs out, and flies off.
"Hey!" A Hunter yells as he sees Rocky, only to be slapped by Niether's paw, and knocked out.
Another Hunter runs over, only to be tackled by Niether and stomped on. Knocking him out as well. Rocky looks over with a smile.
"Good work, Niether." Rocky calls out.
Niether gives Rocky a nod. The human runs over to the next cage and rips off the tarp, finding a Gronckle. The Gronckle wags its tail as it sees Rocky. The human chuckles as he breaks the lock off, and frees the dragon.
Niether walks over as the Gronckle flies off.
"So far so good." Rocky mutters as he runs over to the next cage and pulls the tarp off. "Uh... what?"
Inside the cage is empty, but for a small stone dragon on the ground. Rocky opens up the cage, that's unlocked and walks inside; sheathing his sword. Niether tilts his head as he grows confused.
"This is odd."
Rocky kneels down and picks up the stone dragon, and his eye widen. "The Dragon piece from Maces and Talons."
"Uh oh!"
Suddenly the rest of the tarps on the cages go flying off, as Hunters run out and aim bows and crossbows at the two. Rocky steps out of the cage as he grips onto the piece.
"Of course this was a trap." Rocky complains as he holds his hands up. "Why wouldn't it be a trap."
"Great, Rocky, nice going." Niether growls as the Hunters as they aim their weapons at him.
"Yeah, I'll give you that one."
Julvig steps out in front of the Hunters. "Give up Dragon Rider, and we won't hurt you, or you dragon."
Rocky growls and glances to the side, spotting Heather, Windshear and Raincutter hiding in a thicket. Heather reaches for her weapon, but Rocky lightly shakes his head, and she looks at him in confusion, before nodding. Raincutter growls as she clings to a tree.
Rocky looks at Niether as they glance at each other. They stare at each other for a moment, and nod.
Rocky then looks at the Hunters and sighs. "Fine, just don't... Don't hurt my dragon."
Julvig chuckles as he motions to them. "Get them."
All the Hunters lunge forward and they grab onto Rocky, and the rest grab onto Niether. Niether growls at them as they pin him down. The Hunters take Rocky's sword, and the satchel off Niether's neck.
A few minutes later, Rocky's hands are bound behind his back. Niether is locked in a cage on top of a cart. Rocky gets shoved forward by a Hunter, forcing him to walk alongside the cart, he still holds the stone dragon piece in his hand.
He glances back on last time to see Heather and the two other dragons hiding. He gives them a 'wink', before he's shoved forward by a Hunter again. Rocky walks alongside the cart as Niether lets out a rumble.
"You really think this will work?"
Rocky smirks as he gives him a side glance. "We'll have to see."
"Quiet!" Julvig slaps Rocky on the back of the head. "You'll want to save your voice, for someone wants to talk to you."
Rocky looks at him in confusion. But then a few minutes later, Rocky is sitting in a chair in the bottom of a chip, as he glares in front of him.
In front of Rocky, Sigewulf stands across from him at a table, holding the stone dragon piece.
"I must say thank you, Rocky, for brining me my missing piece." Sigewulf smirks as he sets the piece on the Maces and Talons board. "You know, I didn't think we'd be meeting so soon. But you're very predictable."
"Really?" Rocky asks in a bored tone.
"You're attack yesterday didn't go unnoticed. Once I heard word, I figured you would come here. The wood here is very tough, and has a high resistance to fire." Sigewulf smirks as he sits down, putting his hands together. "I knew you would also notice that my ships have been getting harder to burn and destroy. So given your young and reckless nature, you would come sooner then later."
Rocky stares at Sigewulf. 'His ships we're harder to burn and destroy? I didn't even notice, Niether's plasma burns through the wood all the same. Mulic's fire is hotter then most Monstrous Nightmares, so he didn't notice. Spine and Snips's fire is already hot enough to melt steel, and Leafwisp' acid just melts anything.'
Sigewulf chuckles as he motions to the board. "We have a long trip ahead of us, Young Dragon Rider, why don't we play a game?"
Rocky raises an eyebrow as Sigewulf smiles.
Hours pass as the massive ship sails across the night, moonlight shining down onto it. In the distance a massive fleet lies in wait at the edge of an island. The Vanquisher sits in the middle of the fleet, with its large sails rolled up.
On top of the deck, Rocky is on his knees with his hands bound behind his back. Niether lies in a cage beside him, with his mouth and wings chained up.
Sigewulf stands at the front of the ship, a hand on Rocky's sword that's attached to his waist. He motions out to the fleet. "Look, Young Dragon Rider, the Vanquish Fleet. The strongest fleet in the Archipelago, nothing can match it. And I built it with my bare hands, my own gold, my own supplies! No dragon can ever escape it."
Sigewulf turns around and walks to Rocky. He stands in front of the boy with a smile.
"So, want to explain why I'm not dead?" Rocky questions as he looks up to Sigewulf.
"I think it would be a shame to kill you soo soon, you provided to be a nuisance, but a fun one. I haven't had a challenge in a very long time." Sigewulf walks to the side and stands in front of Niether's cage. The dragon growls at him, as he fights against chains. "My brother's think I'm the weakest link in the family. My older brother Ryker doesn't think I have the strength to do this kind of work, and Viggo says I don't have the mind or patience for it!"
Sigewulf slams his hand on the cage, making Niether growl at him louder. Rocky raises an eyebrow as Sigewulf grows angry.
"I will show them that I can handle my own! They'll see it once I bring this Briskwind Boltrens hide to them!" Sigewulf takes a few breathes, before clearing his throat and taking a step back. "Sorry for my outburst, it was rather unprofessional of me."
Sigewulf walks to the front of his ship, and stares out to his fleet; as moonlight shines down onto him. He puts his hands behind his back.
"Tomorrow, I will have you transported to a prison on the island. Where you'll rot for several months while I trap every dragon in the surrounding islands and the Dragon isles. Then when I'm done, as a reward I'll have you executed in front of them men. It'll boost moral."
Sigewulf chuckles as he looks back at Niether.
"Tomorrow as well, I'll have him shipped out to my brothers. They'll be very happy to see an ancestor of the Night Fury right on their doorstep. His hide will make a nice welcome mat I must say."
Rocky and Niether glare at him, but suddenly the sound of something slicing through the air reaches his ears. He grows confused for a second and smiles, and he glances at Niether.
"Huh, it did work." Niether lets out a low rumble.
Sigewulf's smirk suddenly faulters as he notices the sound. His brows furrow as he thinks for a moment, before his eyes widen.
"A Razorwhip!"
Suddenly something speeds past the boat as it shakes. A moment later the mast falls over and Sigewulf dives to the ground as it smashes on the front of the ship. Rocky's sword goes flying off his hip, and landing at the cage.
He then looks up as Heather and Windshear hover above the ship. He growls in anger and punches the ground, before pointing up at her.
"Get her!"
Several Hunter Archers grab their bows and point them up at her, but suddenly the boat shakes again; throwing off their aim. They look back and see Raincutter on the side of the ship.
She gives a loud angry roar, making the Hunters panic and run away. She then breathes fire on the deck, setting a little bit of it on fire. She shakes the boat, making the Hunters around the deck, struggle to stay balanced.
Windshear lands on the deck, and Heather jumps off. She runs over to Rocky as she cuts him lose, and picks him up. Windshear runs over to the cage and cuts it open with her tail.
"Great timing I must say." Rocky smirks at her. "Any longer and I might have had to sprung my own plan."
"Well, we had to wait until the Hunters guards were down, and it was dark enough." Heather and Rocky run over to Neither, almost tripping a few times as Raincutter keeps rocking the boat. "Windshear isn't exactly a stealthy dragon."
Rocky and Heather manage to get rocky unchained. Rocky grabs his sword at the base of the cage, and attaches it to his hip. Niether shakes himself, before letting Rocky onto his back. Heather jumps onto Windshears back, and they take off into the sky.
"Raincutter!" Rocky yells down to her.
Raincutter roars as she pushes the boat away as she takes off. The three dragons and their riders fly away as the fire on the boat slowly spreads.
Sigewulf stands up as he growls in anger. But he takes a deep breath and laughs.
"Great work, Rocky!" Sigewulf yells at the top of his lungs. "But don't forget, this is far from over, boy! You can't stop the storm that's coming!"
Heather looks back at Sigewulf, before looking at Rocky. "He seems friendly."
"Yeah, he's the leader of this outfit, and he's very dangerous. He's the main enemy of our area."
Heather hums in through, but notices Rocky with a disappointed look. "What's wrong."
"My satchel was still on that ship, ugh!" Rocky lays back on his dragon. "My herbs, my berries, my map! UGH! ...I just hope it burned in the boat fire..."
Niether lets out a rumble. "That map took us a week to make, Rocky!"
Rocky crosses his arms as he stares up to the sky. "Well, at least we're away from them." He sits back up. "Let's head back to Wyre island." He glances at Heather. "Would you join us?"
"Join you?" Heather questions him.
"Well, it'll be a long flight back, but it's safe there. And I want to show my gratitude for saving me... even if I got me and my dragon into that mess."
Heather looks down at Windshear, and she gives a soft roar. She then looks back at Rocky. "Of course, lead the way."
"Yes!" Rocky pumps a fist and everyone looks at him in confusion. He then clears his throat. "Uh, of course! Follow us!"
Niether speeds up and the dragons speed off into the night. The three dragons let out a loud roar, that echoes in the night.
Back down at the stern of the burning ship, Sigewulf glares up where the dragons left as the Hunters put out the fire behind him. He hears the dragons roars echo.
But he ignores it as he looks down at his hand. Which contains Rocky's map of the Dragon Isles. Sigewulf chuckles as he puts his hands behind his back.
6-27-2026
3300 words