Niyx Samantha Kroese (i am malala young readers edition .TXT) 📖

over the frosted forest. The Night Creatures obeyed, fleeing in droves back into the caves of the Den behind him.

Niyx watched the forest around them warily as the dragons circled overhead. He slowly backed toward the Den as well, determined to protect his people as they fled until every one of them was safe.

“Dragonslayer!” The dragons all screeched as one in horror as they fled for the cave, shifting to tiny forms to fit through the doorway.

“What? That’s impossible,” Demi said as he returned to Niyx’s side, his eyes narrowed.

“Dragonslayer?” Niyx asked, confused. Before Demi could respond, a large knight on a giant brown charger rode to the edge of the forest.

“Run,” Demi warned and turned to bolt toward the entrance.

Niyx stared after him, then turned back in confusion. It was one knight! He hissed, baring his fangs and swinging his blade around.

The leader of the knights dismounted and came to the edge of the hoarfrost. Mirroring Niyx’s actions the knight funneled his light magic through his sword and slammed it into the ground. The explosive blast of power melted the hoarfrost immediately and knocked Niyx backward into the cave entrance. The light shimmered through the air, falling like snow, and whatever it touched rose hale and whole. The ashes of the knights reformed into living knights once more. Even the dead Night Creatures were reborn.

Demi raced over to Niyx to help him to his feet. “Seal the entrance. Quickly!”

Niyx shot him a bewildered look, but pointed his sword at the entrance of the cave. Rock rattled and groaned as thick ice covered the way out of the Den, sealing it with what Niyx hoped was an impenetrable wall. After that display of light magic he was not so certain that this mysterious “Dragonslayer” would not come through it.

He growled and turned to grab Demi and threw him up against the wall. “Who is the Dragonslayer? He raised my Night Creatures into life! That magic shouldn’t exist! Do you know what this means?”

“Yes, it means the elves have summoned the help of the High King Eryk, the Dragonslayer, King of the humans. They must really hate you for freeing us. They called in the one being in this entire world that can destroy us both,” Demi gasped then wiggled free, pulling Niyx with him. “Come, away from the entrance. It may not hold him long.”

“Eryk?” Niyx said, incredulous. Then he glanced back over his shoulder at the sealed entrance in curiosity. His grandsire. Realization filled him with a bit of respect for the man’s power. Eryk was also a problem.

As they reached the main room, Niyx could finally survey the damage to his people. Many of his Night Creatures were injured, poisoned by the light magic. Sadness filled him as he made his way through the crowd, pausing to heal each of them with his magic, cleansing them of the poisonous light.

“What happened?” Kiril asked, as she and Onyx made their way into the room.

Niyx sank onto a chair and buried his face in his hands, overcome with sudden grief at how many had been lost. His people had been so tortured and few before, now only a handful remained. “Many have fallen. I destroyed the army, but there is one greater than I am out there. My grandsire has revived his army as well as brought any of our fallen back to life.”

A collective gasp of horror rippled through the survivors.

“What are you going to do?” Onyx asked, scowling as he walked up to Niyx. “You can’t stay here, he’ll come charging down the tunnels and destroy us all.”

Niyx looked up at the dragons and frowned. The tiny dragons flew in erratic circles around Demi who stood there looking at them with crossed arms. “I don’t understand,” Niyx said to him. “The dragons bring life to this planet. It is your magic that fuels the core of our world. The elves enslaved you to drain it. Why do the humans have a Dragonslayer? And why are you afraid of him?”

Demi growled. “I was not afraid of him in my real form. He would not dare cross the King of dragons if I were what I once was.” The room grew quiet at that, and everyone stared at Demi. He shifted uncomfortably and waved a hand to dismiss the silence. “Sorry, a minor detail I left out.”

“You are King of the Dragons?” Niyx stared at him, getting to his feet. “The mighty Deimios?”

“I was. The fool elves trapped me in this form. Now I am only Demi,” Demi responded in annoyance. The dragons fluttering around him made pitiful cries as they dove to nuzzle Demi’s cheeks or perched on his shoulders. “It was Eryk who helped them capture me. They poisoned his perceptions. They made him believe that my people were corrupt and evil. Much like they believe the Night Creatures are.”

“Great, so there’s a powerful zealot king outside breaking down our back door who hates all of us and thinks we’re the monsters?” Onyx hissed, shaking his head. “What are we going to do?”

“You do what kings do. Negotiate.” Everyone swung around at the unexpected voice. Somehow Sephyrn had returned and slipped inside unnoticed. He leaned against a wall nearby with a giant cheetah lying at his feet. “Eryk believes in honor more than most other things. Battle him, and he will destroy you. Appeal to his honor and ask for an audience, and he will not refuse you. I will go with you. Once he realizes you are his blood, he will be reluctant to destroy you. All you have to do is convince him he is wrong, that you are not monsters. Simple enough.”

“Oh, well, if that is all,” Niyx said, sarcasm heavily lacing his voice as he gave his father an exasperated look. Then he glanced at Kiril. “Kiril?”

Everyone grew still as Kiril’s eyes glazed over. Then she shuddered and nodded. “It is the only way. Be cautious, Niyx. It is not a guaranteed victory.”

“Demi, Onyx,