Dagon felt a strange sensation run through his body, filling him with a sense of strength and power that he'd never experienced before. In that moment he felt as though he could single handedly crush mountains and split the seas.
Glowing green energy began to swirl upwards from the necklace, moving towards Sephtis and wrapping over his back, where the energy solidified and became a saddle upon the dragon's spine.
Once the green energy faded out and the necklace was left glowing and softly humming, Dagon put it over his neck once again with a brimming smile.
As Dagon moved to Sephtis's side and the dragon bent low so the boy could mount it, Dagon heard the dragons thoughts soon as his hand touched the scales; *Pah. To be mounted by a mere child. How embarrassing.*
*Its not that bad, is it?* Dagon thought in return.
*Ah yes. The Kinship telepathy. And now I must deal with you invading my mind. How annoying.* Sephtis growled.
"Look, I'm young, yes, but I'm really more experienced than you'd think."
"And how's that?" The dragon growled.
"Well for one," Dagon spoke, then changed to telepathy, *I know mostly everything about combat, hunting, warfare and all that due to my father and Gena teaching me time again and time again about it.*
*That doesn't make you experienced, boy. For example, have you ever really rode upon a dragon's back? Do you know how to navigate?*
*Yes. Unlike with horses or other animals, you don't use reigns. You communicate with your dragon where you want to go and they will go in that direction. It's really quite simple. Also, I have rode upon a dragon before. You forget who my father is and the fact I was raised by Gena.* Dagon thought.
*I see. Well, if you are so experienced, then you'd have no problem flying, right?* Sephtis asked.
Dagon sat upon his dragon's back, holding tightly to the saddle as he clipped the hook to himself. Sephtis had made the poison that usually coated his scales dissipate near where Dagon sat, that way he wouldn't be burned.
*Nope. No problem at all. I'm actually quite excited to go.* Dagon smiled.
*Oh really?*
*Yeah, I am ready. Actually, I've been-*
Dagon let out a yell of alarm as Sephtis's wings exploded open and he shot upwards into the sky.
"WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!!!!" Dagon shouted in alarm as Sephtis climbed higher and higher into the air. "HOLY SHIT!!"
*Ready, hmm? You didn't seem ready to me.* Sephtis chuckled.
*I- no, I'm fine. Just.. surprised me.* Dagon returned.
Then, a moment later, Sephtis flattened out, now flying evenly to the clouds below them, no longer ascending. Dagon was surprised by how the dragon could simply extend its wings and glide for miles and miles without having to flap them once.
It was only about every few minutes or so that Sephtis had to stroke his wings downwards, pushing the air from beneath him and lifting higher into the air, continuing the glide. Dagon peered down over Sephtis's body at the world below, but all he could see were the clouds reflecting the sun's light above. It was blindingly bright.
Sephtis shifted his wings and they began to descend slowly through the clouds, which soaked Dagon when he went through them. The mist clung to his clothes, cold water soaking into his skin. He shivered from the cold, but he didn't notice it, as he was too astonished by the sight below once they broke through the clouds.
Below them, the Forest of Emerald Scales stretched on and on until, on the East, the forest was broken by the massive Iron Scales mountain range that climbed above the trees into the air. Mt. Fang rose up above all the other mountains, reaching high into the sky, it's peak barely out of reach of the clouds.
On the South side you could see the Iron Scales turning and winding about the forest and into the Crimson Desert, where you could, far on the horizon, see the Annagon Castle stretching up into the burning sky. Annagon Castle is one of the main cities of the Four Kingdoms, belonging to the Annuran Kingdom.
On the West side the forest stretched on and on and on until it hit the ocean side, where the last of the Iron Scales sank away into the sea. In the North, the Silver Fang Tundra rolled out as far as the eye could see, the white snow clinging to the black rocks and mountains that jutted up in spikes from the earth.
"It's stunning…" Dagon mumbled allowed.
Sephtis could not hear Dagon, but he could read the thoughts.
*Indeed. It is astonishing, this world. It truly is a shame that it's soaked in so much blood and greed.* Sephtis said.
*Do you think humans will ever come to accept our kind?* Dagon inquired as the wind beat against his ears.
*No. Not any time in the seeable future. You haven't any idea what they've done to the dragons…*
*What do you mean?*
*Any dragons that the Kingdoms capture are taken and, using black magic, they are enslaved.*
*Enslaved?*
Sephtis growled. *Yes. The human mages enchant and curse Black Drakeagen Ore and forge it into armor that they put over the dragons. When the armor is put in place, the curse magic takes hold and the dragon loses all self control and will, becoming slaves to the empire.*
*Really? The humans have that kind of power? When did they learn to do that…?* Dagon asked in disgust.
*About four years ago. All the Black Drakeagen is mined and forged into armor there.* Sephtis looked over at the Annagon Castle. Dagon didn't have to be told where the dragon was looking, he simply knew.
*Well then.* Dagon said, clenching his fists. *That is the first place we will go. We are going to tear down its walls and destroy everything.*
*Pah. It won't be quite that easy, Dagon.* Sephtis growled.
*Hey…*
*What?*
*You called me by my name.* Dagon laughed, *It would seem I'm growing on you, huh?*
Sephtis snorted, smoke rolling up from his nostrils. *Don't get full of yourself, boy.*
Dagon laughed. Little did he know, as he soared through the brilliant sky, he was being tracked.