Me and Rafael had ran into battle with an improvised plan that had failed. Rafael slept in my arms while I tried not to get trampled by the hurt dragon. There were no visible wounds, so I knew well that he was fighting the magic staff's power in his master’s palms. I gave one sorrowful gaze to my beautiful prince with his blue scales and feathery wings and rode off.

            The plan seemed straight forward. All I had to do was get up the stone wall that blocked Questin from Verlo and take away the one thing that stood between Erlan Dolos and freedom.

            To a dread like no other, a wooden sound cut the air the second time, and I clenched my eyes shut, praying that Erlan would be stronger the same way I knew he did.

            He whined and roared, but not a minute later, his eyes dilated in a wild way and the dragon was now just a beast like any other. His movements were sharp and viscous, swooping with his claws and roaring through the army. “Oh dragon, I know it’s easier this way for both of us,” the master croaked like a sick goose would, and I knew just by his voice that I despised this man. I climbed off the horse and jumped on the stone wall with one swoop while others were too busy taking care of the dragon in their mitts. With Rafael in my arms, climbing was difficult, but I pulled with all my strength. Stone by stone, I held my grip between the rough edges, climbing my way higher and higher. With sweat pouring from me, I reached a bigger hole in a massive wall where I could sit and rest before making the whole way.

            A whisper reached my ear, and I turned to the battle to see who was calling me. The wizard was still under Questin’s leader's control, or so it seemed at first sight. Dolos was clawing at the common enemy of Verlo and I could hear disappointed yells from above and the thudding sound of the staff hitting the ground too many times. That’s when I heard my name again. It was Erlan who was whispering it! Blue smoke peeked through his mouth and wisped away as if a million candles had been blown out. The smoke spread like snakes in the air, making their way to the enemy's side and setting on fire everything it came close to.

I burned inpatient and climbed the rest of the wall without a break, confident of our chances. Erlan Dolos had defined the one thing I thought impossible too and everything else was up to me.

            The tips of my fingers reached the edge, and I breathed a big breath. I made it! But a sourcing pain ventured through my body and I looked up to meet eye to eye the man whose shadow Rafael and Erlan Dolos had fallen under. He had the staff on my fingertips, making me slip. “Was it your plan to go down?” His sticky voice said, and all I saw in the man’s eyes was vengeance. There was no colour in them and he was as dim as a rock would be. Another finger lost its grip, and I looked down, where a sure death awaited me. But for some reason, I was still staring at this man with the devotion I had to make a stop to this. I heard a growl and confidence ran through me. A stream of smoke reached the so-called master and he set on fire, his dreadful eyes falling on me and kicking my fingers off the edge with pain. Suddenly my body felt light as a feather, in contrast to what it felt like to hang on the very edge with all my strength, and I felt a familiar touch. It was warm, and I instantly felt safe. I stood up and the ground beneath me raised above the wall where Questin’s leader screamed in agony. “Why are you not listen!” He yelled at the dragon, but it growled back with me on its nose. My hair wiped in the sky as did Erlan Dolos blue smoke and at that moment I felt like I was stronger than the world, not because I was on the side of a dragon. It was because I was under the watchful gaze of my starry blue love. “He is not yours!” I yelled. He held his ground: “if it's not mine, then whose is it!” I shook my head in disagreement and fury that was rising from the words he had used to address my prince.

            "I’m hers!” The mighty dragon roared, and it split the air in half, making time split apart as everyone stood still in fear of the sound they had just heard. “I will not obey you, your a fool to think you could be more powerful than a dragon!” Erlan roared again and his master seemed small now. “But I am stronger! Questin has risen as no other kingdom! See my POWER and STRENGTH, princess!” he raised his hands with pride, but there were none who looked up to him with passion or applause. He was alone, Questin’s army falling behind, for most had fled in fear of the dragon, who hadn't taken their side. “Your power? I do not see it any more, it’s gone! You do not hold any power now and neither had you before,” the dragon whispered, and it made even me shake in tension. The man tumbled, looking for help in his surroundings, but the dragon was speaking the truth. He held no power. He was alone.

            I jumped off Erlan's snout and picked up the starry staff, holding it stiffly so as not to let it be taken. The man tried to get as far as possible from me and Erlan by almost crawling backwards. If it hadn't been in such a situation, I would have laughed, but my eyes met the man’s and I saw nothing. Where once stood a ruthless and strong man, now lay a pathetic and evil man who wanted just to feel the strength of being better than everyone else. The power he held was never there and now you could see it as well as ever. “Let’s go home, Erlan!” I broke out into tears, leaving the man behind to find his own escape and running into my love's warm hands. Erlan Dolos shifted into his human form, holding me tightly with all his might. It made little Rafael peek through my arms so that he didn't get squished in the middle of us. He had his starry blue coat on and his hair was as wild as ever and I saw my prince in dazzling lights. Erlan’s eyes were bright with the sun and everything that made life worth living. Although he didn't stay the same for too long, I still loved him with his scales and wings and we stayed wrapped around each other, with my arms on his neck and his wings over my head.

            Rafael stood near us looking up with a sort of sad expression.” Is this the end?” Erlan turned to the crow with one of his bright smiles.” I like this ending!” The Sun broke through and the knights of Verlo and Omarga called out victory. Rafael and Erlan Dolos were free from their wicked masters' control and they were as free as the wind was. “I love this end and I never ever want to leave your side, Erlan!” Erlan broke out in laughs of joy and he pushed his head closer to mine, almost petting me with all his soft feathers. My starry blue prince was even brighter and colourful now in his dragon form, and it made me happy we both had found common ground and peace. Erlan opened up my grey world, and I knew his claws and dragon eyes would never scare me again.

                                                                                         The end.