The night bugs were singing softly in the night air. Their song carried from miles around by the light breeze. A golden moon shown over the Royal City of Airyglyph. The snow lightly fell onto all around. Albel sat shivering outside. It was his last night before the Accession of the Flame Ceremony. "Hey Al, your going to catch cold if you sit out here any longer." A green haired girl, around Albel's age of fifteen said.

"Well it very well could be the last time I see this."

"Don't talk like that. Here, put this around yourself if you're going to stay out here any longer." She said removing the thin blanket from around her shoulders.

Albel gave her no reply, but just hesently took the blanket. "You know, it's peaceful out tonight." She said sitting next to Albel.

"Yeah." He looked over at the girl. "You should go back inside."

She smiled. "I just want to be here a little longer." Her violet eyes beamed with happiness.

"If you say so Kara." He said turning his ice blue eyes away. Albel brushed some of his light blonde hair out of his face.

Kara stood up brushing her blue tunic off. "Well I think I'm going to go home in a little while."

"Are you going to still be there, at the Ceremony I mean?" He asked hopefully.

"Yep. See you tomorrow." She laughed turning toward the wooden door opening it slowly sighing a bit. She hung her head walking toward the large room.

"Kara, you heading back now?" Glou asked.

"Yeah at least one of us needs to sleep, but I don't think either of us will find much peace." She said walking toward where Albel's father sat in a large chair.

"You do know you can't come."

"But I just told Albel I would be there!" She stated.

"Yes that maybe so, but it is not a safe place for a young lady such as you." He said rising. "Don't worry nothing will happen to Albel."

"I know, I have complete faith in him, but I can't help but worry."

"Just run on home, and when it is all over I'll send Albel straight to you." He smiled patting Kara on the shoulders. She sadly nodded her head walking out the door. Turning down one dark street after the other, and soon coming upon the Airyglyph Castle. She slowly walked up the icy steps, avoiding the patches of slick ice. Her shoes made light clinks as she asinded. Woltar stood just inside the doors pacing around. He looked up to see Kara walk inside brushing the snow off her tunic again. She walked toward the Storm Brigade Captain.

"Hello Woltar." She said sadly.

"So Glou told you that you can't come, huh." She nodded her head. "You know I might have an idea."

When Albel groggily got up the sun had not yet risen over the landscape. He looked out the window seeing the snow piled up on the seal. After a moment of hesitation he got up, now in only a few short hours the long awaited Ceremony would begin. When he left his room his father had already left to get ready for the days event. The moon was still high in the sky, and morning would be far from this point. Albel threw on a tunic and pants as he made his way out of the small room. He left the house in a rush meeting up with the group of men waiting for him outside.

"Where's Kara?" He asked looking around.

"Son this is not really the place a lady should be going. The Urssa Lava caves are very dangerous you know this." Glou said walking up to his son.

He sighed. "Alright I understand." The king of Airyglyph walked up smiling.

"Well I bet you anxious for the day to begin, so lets be off if you're ready." Albel nodded his head. As he walked he put his elbow length hair up in a pony tail. Woltar walked just behind Albel, and Glou and his dragon, Crimson Flame. Vox stood off by himself, and the four guards stood around the king. One of the more 'open minded' guards named Shelby griped and complained about having to come along under his breath.

"This is just one big waste of time." He said sticking his right index finger in his ear, and flicked some of the wax off his finger. "And what's with you your one of the shortest guards I've ever seen." He said looking behind himself.

"I-ugh?" The guard stuttered.

"Whatever." He said grunting. They looked around as they neared the split path to the Mountains of Barr continuing upward. A small dragon charged at the group heading for the smallest of the guards. As the guard jumped out of the way the large black helmet flew off. Green hair fluttered all around. The dragon stared Kara down soon running up the side of the mountain. Glou looked angered at the girl who was being helped from the ground by Albel.

"Kara!" His voice bellowed. She jumped realizing that she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"Y-Yes sir." She stuttered.

"Why have you come here, I told you last night not to come."

"I-I'm sorry." She said hiding behind Albel.

"Well we're too far for you to go back on your own. You had best keep up Kara." She nodded her head slowly, and walked along with the rest of the group. "Take off that armor, and put it on my dragon." He said as the small band walked in the mountains. Kara unclasped the heavy black armor, and gave it to the large dragon that walked beside Glou. The moon still shown over the distance illuminating the landscape. A few dragons could be heard sturing about as they prepared for the sun to rise; so they could laze about in the sun light. Kara finally took the armor off and straightened her tunic. Flame nudged her forward making sounds similar to laughing. Kara walked behind Albel. Glou watched as the entrance to the Urssa Lava Cave came into view. He turned back to see his son gulp and start sweating a bit. He placed his hand on his shoulder saying nothing. Albel looked up nervous but determined. Glou smiled letting him pass. Kara tried to go in after the rest, but Glou stopped her.

"It would be best if you waited out here." He said walking in. Kara stood in the entrance way sadly hanging her head.

Albel stood in the lava filled chamber awaiting the arrival of his soon to be dragon. He looked around in the chamber seeing nothing more than the red cave walls. Glou, Woltar, Vox, and the king all stood around twenty feet behind Albel in a semicircle. The three guards looked around seeing nothing as well.

Kara sat on a stone with her arms placed on her legs folded. Flame clicked wanting her to scratch his hide. Kara smiled rubbing his scales. He made soft clicks with his tongue saying that he was content. She removed her hand looking back to the cave. Her feet hit the stone with a thump, and she walked quickly to the entrance peaking around the corner. She was just able to see Albel standing in front of a dragon slightly bigger than Flame made up entirely of flames. The two were staring each other down. Nether daring to blink. All of a sudden the dragon reared up on its haunches snarling. Albel fell to the ground petrified. Without thinking Kara ran out standing with her arms outstretched in front of Albel. Her knees buckled as the dragon took its large paw slapping her across the face. She fell into Albel holding her slightly bleeding cheek. The dragon opened his large mouth and closing it again bearing his large canines down. The two teens clutched onto each other, and Kara buried her face in Albel's shirt trying to hide her face. The dragon reopened his mouth sending flames to burn the failed boy. He looked on as the flames drew nearer, but were blocked out by a figure shielding him and Kara. Glou was prepared to sacrifice himself for his only son taking the flame of the dragon in Albel's place.