Free Rise of Phoenix by Christina Ricardo Page A

stirrups and up onto the saddle.
    “FIN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” Ash shouted, clearly in a panic.
    The wind was beating hard against them as they sped along the treetops.  She could easily slip and fall, plummeting hundreds of feet to the ground, but she couldn’t allow herself to worry. She had to jump. Tentatively, she took to her feet and turned, grabbing Ash by the shoulders and leaping over him. Allowing the wind to do the work for her, she flipped over, turned, and landed in the saddle behind Ash.
    The dactyl swerved suddenly to the right, narrowly missing an arrow and throwing Serafin off balance. She grabbed Ash’s tunic pulling herself back into the saddle, before slipping her feet into the stirrups.
    The Guardians had caught up; there was one on either side and one above, preventing the dactyl from swerving too far either way. They would try and force them to the ground, where they would be arrested and taken back to the abbey. She didn’t know what they would face if they were taken back, but there was no doubt in her mind that they wouldn’t live through it.
    Serafin couldn’t just give in after everything they had been through.
    Holding on to Ash with one hand, she started to summon the magic from within her.  It was difficult so far from the ground, as she relied on the earth as the source of her magic, but she knew that there was magic in the very air itself. She concentrated hard and just at the edge of her fingertips she started to feel the usual flicker of energy.  She forced herself to draw the energy up, allowing it to bubble and surge within her.
    The dactyl swept to the side, avoiding another volley of arrows, knocking her out of her concentration.
    With Ash in control, the dactyl was sweeping not just left to right, but making dives and jumps. She started to feel sick from the motion and she was losing grip on her ability to build up a surge of magic.
    She shook off the nausea and focused. Drawing the magic from within her and forming a ball of pure energy in her hand, she cast the energy towards a Guardian.
    He easily swerved to avoid it.
    He was so close she could see the Captain’s badge on his chest; she could even make out his eyes beneath his visor. He pulled another arrow from his quiver, skillfully riding without his hands he loaded the arrow and fired. It missed again, their speed and movement proving too much.
    Serafin drew up another energy blast, casting it in his direction. He pulled away momentarily causing her to miss by a huge margin.
    Suddenly, the Guardian lifted the visor on his helmet, wiping his brow. He was so close she could see his dark eyebrows and the scars of acne across his cheeks. As he looked at her, he smiled, before placing another arrow into his bow.
    Serafin stared in horror as it sailed through the air.  She thought for a moment that he’d fired far out of range, but the arrow was moving directly into their path. She felt as though she was watching events occur in slow motion as it gradually drifted towards them.
    The arrow struck Ash.
    It thudded hard against his armor, but his howl told Serafin that the arrow had torn right through. He was flung back, clutching at his chest.  She grabbed him.
    “It’s alright,” he lied.
    She glanced sideways and saw the look of satisfaction on the Captain’s face. He’d already loaded another arrow. With little room to swerve, the dactyl was caught between all three Guardians as they fired at once.
    The dactyl buckled as it was struck in its haunch and its right wing was torn through. It lost height but battled on, its wings beating hard either side, but Serafin could tell that the poor beast was weakening.
    She threw Ash forward.
    “Grab the reins,” she shouted.
    He did as he was told, but she knew he didn’t have much time.
    She laid her hand on his back, summoning the energy to heal him in flight, and then turned to the Guardians as they soared in formation around her. They were readying themselves for another