A Dragons Favor

The iron shackles felt cool on my skin, they rattled as I shifted my weight on the alter. Looking over I could see Felix as uncomfortable as I was.

"It's ok Felix, It'll be over soon." I said trying to comfort both him and myself.

A whoosing above us sent wind tunneling down blowing my hair everywhere, the breeze was refreshing. A dark black dragon landed on a ledge overlooking Felix and I. My breath caught in my throat, I have never seen such a beautiful shade of black. The dragon gave us a toothy smile before mindlinking with us.

'Good evening little one.' Amusement twinkled in its dark eyes.

'let's begin shall we?'

I let out a shaky breath, I was terrified of what was to come. The dragons chest started glowing bright orange in between its scales. Fire shot out from its mouth straight ahead into a hole into the wall. The fire converted into a thin ray of light that started to pass in between Felix and I. The pain was immediate, searing. It felt like my skin was being slowly ripped from my body. I screamed out in pain, through my tears I could see Micah struggling against the dragon holding him back. He was shouting something although the pain made it so I couldn't make out his words, all I knew was he was angry and frantic. I looked over to Felix, he had a satisfied smile on his snout he was asleep. At least the pain didn't affect him as it did me. The dragon increased his fire causing another ripple of pain to course through my body, I let out another scream causing the cave walls to vibrate sending dust falling over our bodies.

'Only a little longer!' Landon shouted in my mind.

My vision was becoming blurry, I wouldn't be able to remain conscious much longer. As one more wave of pain ripped through my body everything went black. I felt like I was on fire, spiraling down a hot dark hole. Empty and alone I knew my link to Felix had been terminated. I felt like a mother who had just lost her child, tears poured down my face as I tried to adjust to the emptiness I felt inside.

'Ellie?' Micah shook my shoulder softly whispering into my ear.

I was shaking, covered in sweat when I was able to open my eyes.

"Oh Micah..." I was crying again, looking around I could see we were alone. The dragons were most likely too excited to have Felix to hang around to see if I was ok.

shakily I rose to my feet.

"Careful now. Take it slow."

"It's over..."

"Yes. You're free. How do you feel?"

"He's with the other dragons."

"I need to see him."

"Ellie we need to leave. The dragons don't want us here."

"I know. I just need to say goodbye."

"We can see if they'll let us."

Micah guided me slowly into the main cavern that held the dragon lords throne. We saw Landon with his wing around Felix, clearly they were mindlinking. When we approached them they stopped and looked at us before Felix huffed and turned back to Landon. I was nothing to him now, just another human in the way.

"Landon?"

'Yes little one?' he sighed clearly annoyed I was still here.

"I've come to say goodbye to Felix before we left."

'You are nothing to him, you don't owe him anything.'

"I know, it's a silly human tradition. We tend to need to say goodbye to things when we know we'll never see them again." I said flatly.

'You aren't going to leave until you said your goodbye, Are you?'

"That's correct. I'll make it fast."

'fine.' He rose to his feet before flapping his wings to give us privacy.

"Felix, I know you are with your kind now. You're safe, and will begin your training. I know one day you'll make a great dragon lord. It's been so great being your caretaker, I will miss you deeply." I said though tears before kissing his snout.

Micah and I started to walk off where Winifred was waiting to take us back up to the outside of the mountain.

'Good bye mother. I love you.' I could hear Felix in my mind as we ascended.

Never had I imagined how hard saying goodbye was, my heart was breaking.