Ghost Rider

CHAPTER XXIV: Out of the Cauldron, Into the Lava

   I woke up to the smell of smoke wafting through my nostrils. Something was burning, but I was so tired I didn't care. I just wanted to sleep. I hadn't gotten a decent nights sleep since the night before I commanded the attack on that dragon hunter island.

Back when I was a Valkaydan. I wasn't one anymore. I played by my own rules. I did what I wanted, when I wanted, and how I wanted to do it.

It was nice; not having any responsibilities. Just Amber and I against the world.

Granted, there are times when I miss my home. My fur bed, my best friend, my mother, and just the island all together. But that was behind me now, and there was no use pretending any different. I could never go back. But now that I'm free, I'm not sure I want to go back, even if I could.

I was pulled out of my drowsy thought process by gentle, but frantic nudging directed to my side.

I sleepily opened my eyes. Thor, my eyelids felt like led.

As my slumberous eyes focused on the creature in front of me, I realized it was Amber who had woken me up.

"Ambeeerrrrr" I whined.

Getting up was the last thing I wanted to do right now, I wasn't going to scope out the port until dusk, and then attack later that night, if it looked like Amber and I could pull it off. I had the whole freaking day to sleep in.

However, the sounds my Deathsong was making, told me there was danger near by.

And that got my attention.

I sat bolt-upright, and whipped my head around, quickly circumspecting my surroundings for said danger.

What I saw nearly made my heart stop.

I was surrounded by white-hot, bubbling lava.

There was about a six foot space all around me in the cave, that the lava did not cover.

Amber was gingerly standing in the space, but the lava was closing in on her, faster than i was comfortable with; but then again, it was lava; so who would be comfortable with it surrounding your best friend, wether it was swift or not? not me.

I quickly grasped for my small bag of belongings, swung myself atop of Amber, and sped out of the cave.

"That's what that black stuff that coated the cave was! It was FREAKING OBSIDIAN!!!" I ranted. "I slept in a lava chamber! What and idiot!"

Amber roared in response.

I sighed. "Ugh, we'll have to go to a saddle shop in the nearest village we can find, since yours got burnt up by the lava."
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   After flying west for about half an hour, we finally spotted a large enough village to assume that it had a saddle shop.

We found a bare patch of land to touch down on, some distance from the village, so that they wouldn't see Amber.

"Hide in a sea stack in the waters surrounding the island, and when I need you, I'll use my horn, and we can meet back here, got it? Good girl."

Amber flew off, and I bounded in the other direction.

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   I pounded my fist on the splintered wall of the saddle shop.

"Hello?" I shouted.

No answer.

I pounded again on the wall next to the window, where orders were placed.

"What do ya want?!" Was the answer I received.

"I want some fresh yak milk." I stated sarcastically, placing my hand on my hip in an annoyed manor. "I'm at a saddle shop, what the hell do you think?"

A drunk, obviously surly, and bearded man appeared in the window of the dimly lit saddle shop.

"What kind of saddle do you want?" He questioned boredly.

"I already wrote down the measurements." I stated, handing him a piece of worn leather with coal scribbled on it. 

"These are interesting measurements." The man mused to himself, studying my rough handwriting.

"This isn't a saddle for a horse, is it?"

"That is none of your business. You're a saddle maker, so make the saddle. I'll pay you extra to keep quiet; deal?"

"Deal." The saddle maker reluctantly agreed. 

That's the thing about money. Almost nobody can refuse it.

The surly fellow said that my saddle would be done in a few hours, so I decided to make a trip to  the local pub, and maybe afterwards I would go to the village market for some supplies, since all of my not-so-essential things got burnt to a crisp in the lava incident. Including my stash of bread from Marlene. Now, don't get me wrong, I love toasted bread; but burnt to a crisp in bubbling lava is a little too toasted for my taste. 

I found the pub fairly easily. All I had to do was follow the sound of men and women shouting, and singing. I swung the doors open and strutted up to the counter to order my drink. 

"Half pint of ginger ale, please." I told the the man behind the counter.

He curtly nodded, and poured me my drink.

I walked slowly through center of the pub, searching for a vacant table, dodging fighting people here, and there. 

I spotted someone sitting in the middle of the table in the hub of the saloon.

He  looks really familiar. I inwardly pondered.

Then it hit me. 

Well, to be more specific, someone hit me. 

"get out of my way, whats wrong with you?!." a drunken man slurred at me. He was at least twice my size, but he was also drunk. I could fight him, no problem.

"The only thing wrong with me, is the fact that I'm talking to you. Are you looking for a fight? Because I'll sure as hell give it to you!" I might seem a little snappy at this point, but I was fed up with everything that had been going wrong today. I wasn't able to get much sleep because of the lava flow. A lot of my stuff burned in the fire, except for the bag of belongings that I always kept with me. I had to get a new saddle made, and find another place to sleep, which would put me behind schedule; and now i had to deal with this drunk fool; I just had enough.

"You think you can b-beat meee?" He questioned, stumbling not only on his words, but on his feet too.

I dealt a quick, and slightly--well, more than slightly satisfying, punch to the man's jaw, knocking him out cold.

I had everyones attention now. 

I smirked, and strutted down the center of the pub, but something stopped me.

I looked down to see that someone had grasped my arm. It was the person sitting at the middle table, the one that looked familiar to me, but I couldn't place a name to the face.

He looked at me strangely.

"Rider?" 

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Hey guys, Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Sorry it took me a while to write, but I've been going through some shit lately; I've been having problems with depression, and anxiety, but I'll try to update as fast as I can. thanks for your support!