Chapter 3: Escape

       Zenith had not seen his beloved friend Taya for nearly three years.  Every day at dawn Zenith would circle for miles around in hopes of seeing a sign that Taya was still out there. Her promise stuck out in Zenith’s mind, that she would come back for him; she would send a beam of light across the sky indicating her whereabouts. Zenith spent the majority of his days hunting for food and finding shelter. He could no longer stand to be in the place that Taya had called paradise; without her it was empty. Far away from home, Zenith began to lose his sense of where he was. This made him grow doubtful that he could ever be reunited with the one dearest to him. Nonetheless, the search never stopped. 

Story upon story still pouring out of Zoeloft’s mouth, Taya finally devised a plan. In the last tale about how they met, Zoeloft had mentioned that she was to return to her dragon. This was very valuable information, for she could signal her location to summon a rescue. Each night, when Zoeloft had officially bored himself to sleep, she would go to the tallest tower and shine her light across the black night sky, in hopes that Zenith would be watching. Taya was very hopeful, but after months went by she began to wonder if Zenith was out there at all. Nevertheless, Taya continued to shine her light from the tallest tower right after Zoeloft had fallen asleep. She would stay in the tower all night, but as it was approaching six months with no response, she then resorted to spending two hours when the sun had not quite risen. 

It had reached day 197. “Where are you?” Taya whispered desperately. At that point, Taya gave up all hope. She wouldn’t go up in the tower again, she decided. It was time to settle down and make the most of her new life with Zoeloft.

In almost complete exhaustion Zenith collapsed on the hard ground. He closed his eyes and pointed his snout up in the air, letting out the loudest, most depressing cry a dragon could ever bellow. Just as the sound left his body and was taken by the night, there it was! A sign. A light that slightly kissed the sky with it’s greenish glow. Zenith knew that wherever this light was emitting from was where Taya was surely held captive. Zenith summoned whatever strength he had left in him and drove his wings into the air, struggling at first, but at last soaring towards that ever persistent green light. The closer he got, the stronger the green glowed. Zenith knew this would be his only chance to find Taya; he could not let this opportunity pass. Nearly two hours of flying had passed for the young dragon when suddenly the green light went out.

Zenith went crashing into the the earth in discouragement, while only a few miles away Taya slumped to the ground as well. Zenith was now close enough that if he were to cry out Taya would easily hear him, but all the dragon’s energy was drained from him, he couldn’t even muster a sigh of defeat. The night sky began turning into the light of day and the time was up for the light to return. Zenith finally closed his eyes for a short spell to numb the pain of missing a loved one.  Zoeloft wandered up to the stairs to find his long-awaited bride asleep atop the tallest tower.

“What are you doing up here?!” he demanded. 

Taya woke up, startled, “I just wanted to enjoy the view!” she exclaimed.

“I do not believe you, Taya,” Zoeloft sneered, “Do you want to know what I think? I think that you were trying to contact that monster of yours. Yes, that’s exactly what you were doing.” 

“No! I... I wasn’t! Leave him out of this!” Taya cried. The prince stormed out of the room, slamming and locking the door behind him. He assembled his men, ordering them to grab weapons and torches; it was a hunting party.

Zenith awoke to commotion and what appeared to be small red lights in the distance. He did not know what it was but he sensed that it was not good. Driven by survival, the only motivation he had left, he flew up into a large cloud. Peering down, he observed what appeared to be a large castle. There was a familiar voice faintly cutting through the air. It was desperate and sorrowful. Zenith waited for the red lights to finally disappear into an outcrop of trees, approximately where he had most recently fallen. Swooping down, the voice faded away, but in its place, the brightest green light that the Dragon had ever seen came bursting through the window of the tallest tower. It gave light to all of its nearby surroundings like a full moon over a lake. At last Zenith flew in towards the window and his best friend.

Taya could not believe it. She called out, “Zenith! You came! You found me!” Zenith made a motion, almost as if to nod. He carefully positioned himself so that Taya could climb through the window and onto his silver back. After what seemed like hours, Taya was finally secure on the back of her mighty dragon. 

However, the green light Taya had used to call to Zenith was also a beacon to Zoeloft and his band of miscreants. The red lights and the loud noise came bumbling back to the castle.

“Quickly!” Taya whispered to her friend. Zenith silently rose above the trees and continued toward the open plain, trying to put as much space between them and Zoeloft as possible. 

All of a sudden the great beast faltered and roared in pain. An arrow had pierced his wing. Zenith continued to fly, somehow managing to summon the strength to travel far enough away that the men would not be able to follow. He did his best to land softly, but the pain was so great that he crashed through several trees and ground to a halt near some large boulders. Taya tumbled off his back, sobbing.

“No! You can’t leave me, not now, not like this,” she choked out. Zenith looked up at her as he slipped into unconsciousness from the pain and exhaustion of the last few days. As his head rested in her lap she bent forward and wept.