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Chapter Four

Mallumo looked at her, irritated. "You need to know where you're going before you get there!" he growled.

"Well, sorry!" replied Jillia, "I just left, like, last night. I was just gonna travel around until something happened. But...yeah, maybe I could have thought this out better."

Suddenly, Jillia noticed something in the sky. "Look at that!" she shouted. Mallumo gazed up as well.

There was a large formation of lights in the sky, glowing red and orange. They were following another dot, who soon reached the mountain and then disappeared. The rest of the lights faded away after that.

"What was that?" asked Jillia.

"I...I..." stammered Mallumo. "I have no idea." he admitted finally.

"So...where are we going?" Jillia asked.

Mallumo thought for a moment. "Well...we could climb that potentially dangerous mountain."

Jillia blinked. "Potentially dangerous?"

"The mountain's name is in gryphon, and I it's difficult to pronounce. Translated into walkese, it's 'Potentially Dangerous Mountain'. Anyone, especially someone who lives just a few miles from it, would know that. It's the sight of many historical-"

After that, Jillia ignored him. Climbing the mountain and heading into the world outside the meadow seemed as good a plan as any, so she headed towards the large jagged cone in the distance.

Many hours later, they were halfway up Mount Potentially Dangerous. Apparently, mountain-climbing was much harder than it looked.

They were freezing and exhausted. Their faces were raw from the intense winds which they felt would blow them off at any second.

"Are we gonna make it?" Mallumo gasped, sprawled on the mountainside.

"I'm not sure." Jillia responded unconfidently. She took a step forward. "But we have to keep going."

"Whatever you say." replied Mallumo, unmoving. He looked exhausted.

"Actually, maybe we should stop for the day." Jillia said, feeling tired herself.

"We're on the side of a mountain. Where will we find shelter?" Mallumo asked.

Jillia looked around. "I think there's a cave over there. Come on."

They hoisted themselves onto the cliff above them and walked along the side of the precipice.

Sure enough, they found a cave. The opening was no more than a small hole on the mountain, about as big as a dinner plate.

They squeezed inside. Mallumo immediately collapsed on the cave floor.

"I'll stay here." Mallumo panted, "And you go look for dragons."

Jillia examined their shelter. It was larger than she had expected, but still on the small side. There was a pile of sticks in the center of the room.

"I don't know about dragons." Jillia remarked, "But I don't think we're the first to camp out here."

    "Who could have found this place?" Mallumo questioned.

    "I have no idea, but they must have left before lighting this fire. Mallumo, could you-"

    "Of course! I am a dragon after all. Unlike you walkese, my abilities are actually useful." Mallumo boasted.

    "Well, I did find this cave!" Jillia shot back.

    "As anyone with a brain could. Or without one, in your case."  said Mallumo. Jillia sighed. He was back to his usual obnoxious self.

    "Whatever, just light the fire." Jillia ordered, rolling her eyes.

    Mallumo walked up to the pile of sticks. He stared at the wood for several seconds.

    "Get on with it!" said Jillia impatiently.
    "Alright, alright! Sheesh. Fire breathing, unlike digging, is an art, you know." he said, though not as confidently as usual.

    Mallumo took in a huge gulp of air. Then, he exhaled dramatically, producing a small green spark. Jillia's eyes widened. Was Mallumo actually as talented as he had proclaimed?

    No. The spark fizzled out as it landed on the wood. Mallumo blew on the stick pile sharply, producing more embers that didn't seem to do anything.

    "I knew you couldn't do it." said Jillia.

    Mallumo didn't meet her eyes, embarrassed. "Well, ah, fire-breathing never was my forte." he admitted sheepishly. Mallumo changed the subject. "Can't you big a tunnel or something?"

    "I can't dig on solid rock! Besides, it wouldn't be warm like, I don't know, a fire, anyway." she said.

    "Well then, we'll have to-" Mallumo was interrupted by something that sounded like a combination of a fire sizzling and a large bird flapping its wings. It was almost a "voom" sound.

    A large blazing shape soared into the cave, turning around as it was about to hit the back wall, then fading away.

    A bird about the size of a falcon nervously walked out from the shadows. They were orange with black feathers lower on the body. Jillia recognized her as being a phoenix. She had heard about them from her fellow walkese.

    "Hey." she said, "Can I join you guys?"

    "Um...sure?" replied Jillia, unsure of how to respond.

    "Are you going to dignify us with your name? Or, you know, where you come from, why you were going so fast, why you're in such a rush to hang out with us...that kind of thing." Mallumo said, suspicious.

    The phoenix paused, as if she were not sure whether or not she should answer. "My name is Masama." she said eventually, ignoring Mallumo's other questions, "Who are you guys?"

    "My name is-" Jillia started, interrupted by Mallumo.

    "I am Mallumo, Prince of the dragons." he said.

    "Oh right, I thought I recognized you." Masama said with a nod. Mallumo seemed tot ake great pride int he fact that he was at least somewhat famous.

    Jillia spoke up before she could be interrupted yet again. "And I'm Jillia."

    Masama asked another question. "Where are you going?"

    "We're heading over the mountain to try to get back old walkese territory." Jillia replied.

    "Great! I'll come with you. I mean...can I?" Masama said awkwardly.

    "Su-" Jillia was pulled aside by Mallumo before she could finish.

    "Are we sure we want to hang around her? Seems pretty suspicious to me." Mallumo said cautiously. He made a good point.

    "We'll give her a trial period or something. A phoenix could be helpful." Jillia argued.

    "We don't need her.  What use could a phoenix possibly have?" Mallumo said.

    "Oh hey." Masama piped up, "Why haven't you guys lit this fire yet? It's freezing!"

    "Well..." Jillia started to explain, glaring at Mallumo who shrank back.

    "Here, let me take care of it. It's the least I can do." Masama gave a simple flap of her wings and the fire was lit. Jillia grinned at Mallumo.

    "Alright, whatever, you've made your point." Mallumo said, exasperated.

    They warmed up by the fire. Jillia told stories of her exploits back with her family. She felt a pang of sadness as she talked about her mini adventures with Matte and Erintrude back in the tunnels.

    Mallumo bragged about settling disputes in the city with his mother and traveling to far away places with his father, though Jillia got the feeling that he hadn't been all that helpful and he hadn't actually traveled very far. Masama didn't say anything about her past, though Jillia hadn't expected her to.

    Suddenly Jillia saw something in the corner of her eye. She raced to the cave entrance and saw a pale blue dragon coming towards them. It was strange, when most dragons flew their flapping was very loud, but everything around the dragon was eerily silent.

    "Mallumo, I think we have a problem." Jillia called back. Mallumo walked up to join her.
    "What is i- Oh no." he said, gaping at the shape in the distance.

    "What is it?" Jillia asked, unsure whether or not she actually wanted to know the answer.

    "That's Bianca the Cold, royal assassin and most feared dragon in all of Mystic." Mallumo replied.

    Masama flapped up to join them. Jillia could see shivers running through her. "I've heard of her in stories. I never thought I would see her, though. What do you suppose she wants?" Masama looked from side to side, as if she felt guilty. Jillia couldn't imagine why.

    "I don't know." Jillia said, "But we better get out of here."

    Mallumo and Masama both nodded grimly. Jillia wondered where they would go. There was still a pretty bad snowstorm outside, and Jillia didn't think perfect shelters like this one were common.

    They climbed out of the small exit to the cave and were instantly blasted with wind and snow. They walked along the cliff. Jillia's instincts screamed at her to run, but she knew that that would be suicide, since they could very easily slip off.

    They soon lost sight of Bianca. Jillia sighed with relief. But suddenly, she felt the rush of air behind her. Mallumo and Masama leaped out of the way. Jillia looked behind her in time to see Bianca the Cold swooping at her, claws outstretched.

    Jillia felt Bianca on her back. Her claws were light, but also strong at the same time. She was slammed against the side of the mountain.

    "Back away from the prince." Bianca said. Her voice sent a chill down Jillia's spine.

    Jillia chilled as she took in Bianca's full form. She was so intimidating, and so cold that the snow seemed to burn her skin. Jillia's companions seemed terrified as well.

    Jillia managed to break out of Bianca's spell.

    "Run!" she said. The trio dashed away, Bianca right behind them. Jillia saw a crack in the rock ahead, large enough from them to fit in. But Bianca was catching up quickly.

    "I don't think we're going to make it!" Jillia heard Mallumo say.

    "Give up now and you will receive no punishment for your actions." Bianca bargained.

    Masama donned a look of determination on her face, "Not if I can help it." she said under her breath.

    Masama suddenly did a u-turn, her body turning to fire once more. She hit Bianca smack in the chest. The large dragon faltered only for a moment, but it was enough to give them enough time to reach the crack. Jillia and Mallumo leaped inside, safe for now.

    As Masama turned to her normal bird form, Bianca the Cold snatched the phoenix in her claws and threw her against the hard, icy stone. Masama slid to the ground. Jillia held her breath. Was Masama okay?

    Masama was airborne again in a few flaps, but her flight pattern was irregular, since she had been dazed from Bianca's attack. At first, Jillia didn't think Masama would get to their hideout.

    "Masama, hurry!" Jillia called. This seemed to help the phoenix snap out of it. She dived down sharply and crash-landed into the crevice.

    Bianca's front claw's reached into the crack, trying to get to them. However, she soon gave up, realizing there was no way that she could fit.

    "Fine." Bianca said. "I will be back. And when I catch you, there will be consequences." Jillia saw her flap her wings once and the dragon was gone.

    "Let's stay here." Jillia said, "In case she comes back." Mallumo and Masama nodded in agreement.

    They soon fell asleep. However, in the dead of night, they heard the same "voom" sound as before. Jillia saw a large bird land outside the crevice. They were a reddish orange with a lighter crest and tail.

    "You!" he said to Jillia and Mallumo. Jillia looked around. Masama was hiding inside a snowbank.

    "Have you seen a phoenix with black feathers? She's wanted." asked the phoenix.

    Jillia and Mallumo exchanged glances. Jillia was about to reply when Mallumo spoke up.

    "Nope. Haven't seen her. We shall keep an eye out and alert you if we see anything suspicious, sir." he said.

    The phoenix narrowed his eyes, as if he wasn't sure whether or not to believe him.

    "Very well." he said after several seconds of silence, "If you see her, beware. She is very dangerous." With that, the phoenix flew away.

    "You can come out now." said Jillia after she was certain that he was gone.

    Masama walked forward, shaking the snow off of her body. "Thanks." Masama said shyly.

    "Well, you did save us from the most feared dragon in the world. That counts for something." replied Mallumo.

    There was a pause before Jillia spoke. "Masama, I think you should join us."

    Masama leaped up with joy, fluttering a few inches above the ground. "Really? Thank you so much! You won't regret it!" she said excitedly. Mallumo smiled, nodding to Jillia in agreement.

    "But hey, I have a question." Jillia asked, "Why are you wanted?"

    Jillia's words seemed to kill Masama's joy immediately. "Ah, well..." she said, "I left the phoenix village so I could travel the world, but see, my dad is one of the elders, and he doesn't want me to leave."

    Jillia couldn't help but think that Masama might be lying. Still, Jillia didn't want to dampen Masama's mood too much. She was sure they would find out in time.

    They fell asleep again, and when they woke up it wasn't snowing anymore. The sun was shining down on them as they climbed out of the crevice, keeping an eye out for Bianca the Cold.

    The rest of the climb wasn't that bad, and they were soon at the top of the treacherous mountain.

    "That was easy!" boasted Mallumo.

    "Mallumo, you were ready to faint a few minutes after we started climbing!" Jillia argued.

    "It doesn't matter." Masama said, "We're here now."

    Jillia looked down at the world in front of them and couldn't help but gape. It was so...big! There was so much more than just a meadow. There were rivers, and cities, and forests. It was almost too much to take in.

    "Where were you guys planning on going next?" Masama asked after a few moments.

    "We were going to climb this mountain, and then...and then..." Jillia trailed off. What were they going to do?

    Once Masama realized that they didn't know, she thought for a moment. "Well," she said, "You may want to try to go around to the other political powers. If we can get their support, the dragons might give in."

    Mallumo nodded. "Yes, I suppose that makes sense." he said, seeming a little annoyed that he hadn't thought of the idea himself.

    "We can go to the unicorns, the gryphons..." Masama listed.

    Jillia interjected. "The phoenixes." she said. Masama looked somewhat uncomfortable.

"I don't know, they don't usually listen to things. Pretty stubborn. And they're allied with the dragons, so..." Masama said uneasily.

"Really? My father has always told me that-" Mallumo began.

"Enough about your father already!" Jillia said jokingly. Masama laughed, clearly happy that the subject had been changed.

They stood for a few minutes of taking in the view.

"Come on, we better get going." Jillia said. They started down the mountain, feeling light-hearted and fulfilled, oblivious to the challenges that lay ahead of them.