Verbena released a trumpeting roar into the cold air in her seemingly boundless energy, 'home! Warm caves and the familiar scents of an aaven!" She shook herself and released a plume of exhaled breath through her nose.

"That potion really energized you," Celia awed, then glanced back to the other dragon rider team. "Maybe we should slow down and let Xan and Irin catch up. I know we are leading them, but we cannot lose them."

Verbena crinkled her nose and snorted, 'but I wanna get back to the aaven and sleep with a blanket and drink warm water and bathe and not have snow on me at almost all times and talk to more dragons other than just Irin!'

Celia laughed a bit and lifted her left hand off of the harness handle and patted the dragon's side. After a couple of affectionate pats, Celia reached into the left saddlebag and recovered the compass from within the pouch.

The circular object's moving needle continued to point north. Celia glanced to the arrow's tail as it pointed due south, which according to the map, was the way to Rien from Zuin. "Hopefully we will get there soon," Celia glanced westward as billowing northeastwardly bound clouds continued to roll over the landscape like a scroll. "I also hope that Ahsa's magical aid will last until we get there."

'I still feel great,' Verbena swiftly replied as she glided for a few more moments so Irin could catch up. 'Irin got to sit around in a cart for a while so he can catch up to me.' She glanced back to Irin and waved her tail a bit in a childish taunt, then looked ahead and flapped her wings once for a boost of speed.

Celia sighed a bit, then gently laughed at Verbena's childishness as she placed the compass into the saddlebag. The human paused as her hand brushed against a bundle of dark cloth. The black blanket wrapped around and protected two spherical objects: the two rays of sunlight.

If Levi's journal recorded the last sunset and the theft of the sun's final glow properly, then only four crystal spheres of light existed. With the two hidden away in Verbena's saddlebags and the one in Guild Master Orthos's possession, the dragon riders only need one more ray of light.

However, the fourth one was under the protection of a black dragon. Celia glanced up to the stars and remembered how the black beast descended upon them under the cover of the dark sky. Even when the creature was below them, it was hard to distinguish in the darkness of the eternal night. In order to defeat the monster, or at least pass the creature, they needed to create a plan.

Celia took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she descended deep into thought. Perhaps a team of dragon riders could safely distract the monster while she slipped into the city. Celia hesitated after her thought, as it relied on a single important event: Guild Master Orthos had to let her be the one to enter Urre.

Celia shivered at the thought of what the Guild Master might do to her. She also had no idea whether or not she and Verbena would be praised as heroes or punished for breaking the rules. With a sense of dread, Celia reminisced on how she had practically abandoned her home in order to depart on the quest.

'I think I can see the mountains,' Verbena suddenly broke Celia's train of thought, 'It is still rather far off in the distance, but I think I can see the home in the distance.' An excited trumpeting noise rose from her throat.

Both happiness and nervousness welled up inside Celia as she drew upon her dragon's immense sense of sight. Sure enough, a small white mound rose from behind the horizon. Finally, her home was within reach.

Verbena flapped her wings and shuttered a bit in excitement, "we are almost there!" She roared again in a call out to the distant mountain.

However, for the time being, no reply rang out from the mountain during the clear night. The calmness and silence of the night both assured the female rider and increased her nervousness. "Almost...home," Celia exhaled, then determinately stared at the looming mountain in the distance. "Whatever happens, at least we will be together," a small smile crept across her face.

The massive peak slowly became larger and larger as the travelers approached Rien. The distant town below seemed empty and lifeless compared to the other places around Roahla. No forests or tunnels constructed of ice stretched across the land. Instead, only unblemished snow blanketed the aboveground surface.

Suddenly, the snow on the mountain's northern slope and Verbena's attention immediately snapped to the disturbance. A riderless ice-armored dragon spread its wings, then leaped into the air and approached.

At first, Verbena did not realize how much larger the other dragon was compared to her. As she realized the exact size of the scouting dragon, Verbena noticed that even though she had grown over the moons, the dragonet was still small compared to adult dragons. The approaching dragon even made Irin, who was larger than Verbena, seem small in comparison.

'State your business,' the riderless male dragon telepathically spoke in a serious tone as he flew alongside Verbena, 'you did not smell like a member of this aaven.' Though Celia could hear his question, the dragon ignored Celia, and instead focused his inquiry to Verbena.

Celia opened her mouth to answer, but Verbena replied for the both of them, 'I am Dragonet Verbena the Green, bonded to Celia Soday. Behind us is Drake Irin the Blue, bonded to Xan Zyrai. I am from Rien and we have traveled far and recovered two of the rays of light. We wish to land and speak to Ralfa Valiant and his Chosen.'

The sentry dragon paused as he tried to conceal his shock at the news, "Follow me," he eventually stated, then banked and swiftly descended back towards the peak on the mountain and silently landed.

After Verbena allowed the other dragon a brief lead, she followed the ice-armored dragon to the surface. She carefully and gracefully set down near the sentry dragon, then watched as Irin roughly landed next to her.

'Wait here,' the dragon instructed with a snort, then returned to the air. He quickly towards the southern half of the mountain and became near invisible amongst the white background. After a bit of time, he rounded the side of the mountain and completely vanished from view.

Celia watched the dragon leave as Verbena calmly settled her wings to her side and laid down in the snow. "Now we wait," the human female sighed and relaxed, but did not dismount from Verbena's back. "I hope we do not have to wait too long. Though I have a small sense of dread, I do not desire to prolong this any longer than necessary." Celia shivered a bit, "I am worried about how Orthos will react."

Verbena craned her neck around and looked to Celia. 'I am sure we will be fine,' she gently nuzzled Celia's hooded face with the tip of her muzzle, 'Ralfa Valiant will be fair and understanding, as will Orthos.'

Celia smiled a bit, then reached a gloved hand towards Verbena's head. "You are right," she stroked Verbena's head, then gave the dragonet a light scratch behind the ears. As Verbena purred, a soft smile spread across Celia's face underneath her scarf. "No matter what happens, I am sure we will be fine."

For a brief moment, the world shrank back to just Celia and her dragon against the entire darkened landscape. As she thought of everything she and Verbena had come across, the world expanded once more.

Celia reminisced about how they met Xan and Irin and stifled a small laugh at the assumptions each side had made. They had slowly grown closer over time, and the two humans now considered the other as a friend and not just an acceptance or partner. Xan and Irin had helped immensely, and without them, Celia had no idea what she and Verbena would do if Irin and Xan had not come along.

Celia and Verbena probably would still be out in the white wilderness in what would seem to be a fruitless search. Xan was the one that knew the land well enough to know where to look for the rays of light.

Next, Celia thought about Hytha and her brother. Though Verbena was the one that learned more about them, Celia was still grateful for their help. To the female rider, the knowledge that even though they were prisoners to an unfamiliar race, there were still people who wanted the return of sunlight.

Celia thought to Ahsa and how she also wanted to return light to the world. Though Xan was initially skeptical of her, even he eventually came around (though with a bit of bribery). The siglya generously gave them the ray of light and healed them without expecting anything in return.

Celia took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The people who had helped her along her journey trusted her. Despite the great distance and the trials, both she and Verbena had returned to their homeland with two more of the rays of light. Furthermore, they knew the location of the final piece.

Determination welled inside Celia as she opened her eyes. Now was not the time to stress, as she had so many people counting on the return of light. Over time, Celia's journey became something more than to prove herself. Now, she wanted to return light to the world for everyone. Even if Orthos did not allow her to join the questing party, Celia would see this quest to its finish.

The sounds of flapping wings suddenly appeared from behind them. In response, Verbena alertly jumped to her feet and spun around to face the source of the sound. Likewise, Irin quickly moved closer to Verbena and halfway spread his wings in case he needed to make a swift takeoff.

The red eyes of a colossal white-furred dragon stared down at them as the being landed in of the four of them. In her time away from Rien, Celia completely forgot about Valiant's immense size. Now, as the alpha dragon looked down to them, Celia remembered.

Author Notes!!!!!

Celia is finally home, but what kind of welcome will she receive?

See you next week!