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Ch.7. To Be A Dragon Knight
-Recap-
"RATH ILLUSER! COME OUT RIGHT NOW! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! ANSWER ME RIGHT NOW!"
There was silence for a minute, except for the sound of water sloshing everywhere and the people staring at him as if he were crazy.
Then a colossal-sized pillar of fire exploded from somewhere over the grounds, incinerating everything in its path as if burned and blazed brightly like some monster sating its hunger.
Then the screaming began.
The elf snapped out of his paralyzed state and streaked forward to aid the citizens, shouting over his shoulder, "WATER! COME ON! KIRIN, GO BACK TO PALACE AND GET HELP!"
Behind him he could hear the Dragon Fighter's feet as he ran back towards the capitol and the flapping of Water's wings above him. Rune's heart was in his throat as he hurried as fast as his legs could take him towards the turmoil.
The fire had come out of nowhere and had managed to become catastrophic in a matter of seconds. No normal fire could do that. Only the kind with special powers…special powers like the kind Rath had.
Rath! Something was wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong.
…a smooth chilling voice spoke into the air.
"Well, isn't the little boy needing his nap?"
Rath's head shot up and he started backwards, his limbs freezing over and his eyes widening in recognition at who he saw.
"Oh, look, Shyrendora, I think he remembers us."
"You look a bit different than the last time we saw you, whelp," the male Yokai said, "It's amazing, the stupidity the Dragon Lord possesses…to keep something as monstrous as you. Shall I tell you of your past, or do you already know?"
Rath glanced about, searching for a weapon, wishing reverently that he had his sword. The only thing he spotted was a rusty old cooking kettle someone had discarded. Snatching it up, the child took a defensive position, glaring at the two Yokai defiantly.
The female Yokai laughed in cruel amusement, "Look, Shydeman! The brat thinks he'll defeat us with a kitchen utensil!"
Shydeman only smiled slightly, his eyes narrowing, "So, whelp, you have nothing to say? No questions or Dragonish outbursts of 'You'll never take me alive'? Perhaps your Yokai side has already taken over. In that case, our task will be done fairly quickly. Shyrendora, the bottle."
Rath watched in avid curiosity as the woman Yokai reached into the folds of her cloak,
and pulled forth a small bottle filled a shiny, translucent liquid. At the sight of it, the young boy's blood froze over and a fear somewhere deep inside him swelled up. He had no idea what the liquid was, but every inch of his being and forgotten memories struggling to emerge, were screaming at him to run.
Shyrendora held the bottle up so he could see it clearly, a expression of sadistic glee on her face, "Feeling scared, brat?" she crowed in evil delight at the stricken expression on the child's face.
"There, there," she crooned mockingly as she advanced to where the young boy stood frozen, "No need to be. Soon…there will be nothing to be scared about…"
Rath's fear of the liquid and hatred of the Yokai collided with each other in astonishing proportions, the sheer overwhelming intensity of the emotions at swarmed over him like a tidal wave and broke free of their imprisonment, creating a catastrophic explosion of fire.
"What's the old windbag fired up about now?" Kai-stern inquired to the Dragon Lord, as he and Crewgar were greeted by everyone from their long trip.
Lykuleon smiled amusedly, "It seems Rath has been a bit more…zealous...than usual while you were away. Alfeegi has a theory that he was under orders from you."
"DON'T PRETEND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, YOU POOR-EXCUSE-OF-A-DRAGON-OFFICER!" Alfeegi raved in fury, "YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HELL MYSELF AND THE OTHERS HAVE GONE THROUGH THESE PAST WEEKS! RIGHT AFTER YOU LEFT ON YOUR LITTLE JOY-TRIP ALL OVER THE KINGDOM, RATH BECAME OUT OF CONTROLL!"
"And that's different how?" the Blue Dragon Officer asked, raising his eyebrows.
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Alfeegi screeched, his face turning purple, "I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO EXPLAIN HIS ACTIONS! BUT EVERYONE HERE CAN AGREE THAT RATH HAS HARASSED THEM IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER, EVEN THE DRAGON QUEEN!"
"Oh, come now," Kai-stern brushed off his fellow Officer's comment as just another over-reaction. He was dissuaded by Ruwalk.
"NO, IT'S TRUE!" the Yellow Dragon Officer stated emphatically, "HE PROCEEDED TO KIDNAP MY GOO-BAH, THEN WHEN I HAD RESCUED HIM AND PUT HIM SAFELY AWAY, HE SPIED ON ME TO ATTEMPT TO KIDNAP HIM AGAIN!"
"HE FOLLOWED ME AROUND, HASSLED ME WITH POINTLESS QUESTIONS, COMPLETELY MESSED UP THE ACCOUNTING BOOKS I HAD RECENTLY UPDATED, AND DESTROYED MY ROOM AGAIN WITH THAT BLASTED FIRE OF HIS!I HAVE NO IDEA HOW; I TOOK AWAY HIS SWORD!" Alfeegi screamed, putting his two bits in.
"He scattered and mixed up the clothes the Dragon Queen and I were going to give to the poor," Cernozurna spoke meekly, as if ashamed to admit faults of the child, "He ate the pies I had cooling, then tried to make some more to replace them. He made a mess in the kitchen, broke half the dishes, and used up most of the food."
"HE KEPT SNEAKING IN FROGS AND PUTTING THEM DOWN OUR DRESSES!" three maids voiced out loud.
"I could not conduct my swordsmanship class with the Dragon Fighters, because he stole all the swords."
Everyone jumped at the voice, which was hardly heard, and gaped at Tetheus.
Kai-stern frowned. If the Black Dragon Officer was complaining, then Rath must have really been quite the little horror.
Everyone turned to the Dragon Lord who sweatdropped and said, "Well, that's strange. I haven't seen hide nor hair of him at all. Do you suppose he's avoiding me?"
At this, everyone sweatdropped.
"Well, all I can say, is that he is a growing boy," Kai-stern stated, crossing his arms, "Boy's are not exactly made of sugar-and-spice-and-everything-nice. He's probably just bored, and I can understand why. I can count on my fingers the number of times he's actually been out of this castle."
"Which is why, I decided to have Rune take him into the capitol for today," Lykuleon put in helpfully, "Hopefully, the trip will tire him out for a couple of days. I'm just glad you're back, Kai-stern. You're the only one of us he listens to, besides Rune, of course."
Dusis, if he only knew, Kai-stern thought sweatdropping. Then out loud, he said, "I take it he and Rath aren't back yet? Do you think we should send someone to look for them? Rune may have gotten lost, after all, he doesn't know his way around."
"No, I'm sure they'll be back any minute now," the Dragon Lord said, "I had a Dragon Fighter go along with them."
Then, as if on cue, a red-haired Dragon Fighter burst through the doors, face flushed, shouting, "CAPTAIN TETHEUS! CAPTAIN TETHEUS!"
All watched as he streaked across the room, collapsing at the Black Dragon Officer's feet, in a crumpled heap, panting from exertion.
Tetheus bent down concernedly to exhausted young man and everyone crowded around curiously.
"What is it now?" the black-haired Officer inquired as the Dragon Fighter struggled to catch his breath, "Did you and Rune break out into another mini-war, or did you have trouble playing Hide-And-Seek with Rath?"
At this, everyone glanced at him in puzzlement and the red-haired young man shook his head furiously, and opened his mouth, trying to explain the situation, but all he got out were a few hoarse croaks.
Cernozurna brought him some water, which he gulped down and quickly, then revealed the reason for his dramatic entrance.
"Something happened at the carnival! We went looking for Rath there and all of a sudden there was a huge explosion with fire everywhere! Rune sent me to get help; we have to hurry, there's people hurt out there!"
The Dragon Fighter was hauled up bodily by Kai-stern who shook him firmly, demanding, "WAS IT RATH? IS HE HURT? WHAT HAPPENED?"
"I don't know!" Kirin shouted.
"Kai-stern!" the Dragon Lord reprimanded and the Blue Dragon Officer reluctantly let go of the young man's shirt.
"I'm going to the carnival," Kai-stern stated strongly, as if daring anyone to try and stop him.
Lykuleon acknowledged his decision with a nod of his head, "Hurry then. We will be there shortly also. Tetheus!"
"Kirin, go and get ready the Dragon Fighters and Durnas!" the Black Dragon Officer commanded.
The red-haired young man nodded and rushed off hurriedly.
"Ruwalk, Alfeegi, stay here and attend the castle. Come, Tetheus!" the Dragon Lord issued orders swiftly as he and the Black Dragon Officer rushed off towards the Durna Stables.
Kai-stern was well on his way out of the doors of the palace when his name was yelled.
"KAI-STERN!"
The Blue Dragon Officer halted his flight with Crewgar on his heels to see Alfeegi rushing towards him.
"What is it now?" the man asked frustrated, "I don't have time to listen to you lecture me about meaningless nonsense!"
"SHUT UP AND TAKE THIS WITH YOU!" the Yellow Dragon Officer roared, hurling him an object which the man caught deftly.
"I already have a sword, Alfeegi!" Kai-stern exclaimed, his nerves reaching the breaking point.
"THAT'S RATH'S SWORD, YOU MINDLESS IDIOT!" the strawberry-haired man raved, wondering once again, why he was surrounded by incompetent fools, "GIVE THAT TO HIM WHEN YOU SEE HIM! HE MIGHT NEED IT!"
Kai-stern didn't even bother to apologize and sprinted forward across the grounds to the Dragon Castle's gates, Crewgar along side him matching every stride.
Alfeegi's sour expression turned to one of worry as he stood on the palace's steps and saw a large cloud of smoke rising into the sky from beyond the city. He hoped no one would be hurt.
The crowd screamed in terror as the giant reptile swooped down to the ground to pick up his master.
Once in the sky, the elf cast anxious, wandering eyes on the ground below, searching for any sign of the small boy.
He only hoped he would find him before it was too late.
"Shydeman!" she cried out desperately, fearing she had failed the task.
"Wait, sister," her brother said, unperturbed in the slightest, his eyes slanted into slits as he stared into the smoke, as if he could see through it.
A gust of wind arose suddenly and the smoke was brushed away, giving the two Yokai a clear view of a small black-haired child scrunched into a ball in front of a destroyed caravan.
"See, sister. The whelp is still within our grasp."
Shyrendora smiled maliciously as she started towards him once more.
It had happened again.
He had lost control again.
The odd, over-powering heat had rose up in him again, and he had allowed it out.
The young boy whimpered, hearing the distant people's screams and the burning roars of the fire.
The fire he had created.
He had tried to so hard to forget the Snowy Mountains and the memories that had resurfaced there, yet once again there were dancing in front of his eyes, taunting him cruely.
Bodies strewn across the land, too numerous to count, mutilated beyond recognition.
People's terrified screams.
Their panicked-filled expressions as the monster cut them down.
As…he cut them down.
Yes…he was a monster.
"I'm a monster," Rath whispered, hands covering his eyes, unwilling to let him see the utter destruction he had caused.
"Well, I'm glad you realize that, brat," came a harsh voice above him, "Perhaps you'll be a bit more docile in letting me pour this on you."
Rath took his hands away from his face to see the female Yokai standing over him, holding the bottle with the crystal liquid within it. Abruptly, all his self-pity turned into over-whelming fear again and the odd heat inside him threatened to emerge once more. Swiftly, the child suppressed it before it could cause anymore ruin and inched away from the Yokai slowly, his breaths coming in fast, raspy pants.
Shyrendora smiled at the child's obvious fear, "Calm down, brat. I'm just going to give you a little christening. You're a big boy. You're not afraid of a little water, are you?"
Rath's chest heaved in panic as the Yokai uncapped the bottle and raised it over his head…
"!"
Both the boy and the two Yokai looked up startled, in time to see a huge blue dragon launch itself out of the sky towards them.
Rath's heart gave an almighty leap as he jumped up and screamed, "RUNE!"
"I'M COMING, RATH!" Rune cried, flying towards the child.
"Not so fast, Dragon!" Shydeman's voice came, and suddenly the elf reeled Water back in order not slam head first into several large winged demons which had abruptly appeared in front of him.
"Gifts from Lord Nadil, elf!" the male Yokai shouted, "He made them especially for you. Defeat them if you can, which I highly doubt. Water only makes them stronger!
Hahaha!"
"RUNE!" Rath screamed in horror as he was assaulted by all winged demons at once.
"Now for you, whelp," Shydeman said and the child's attention was drawn back to the Yokai, "You've been stalling us far too long. Shyrendora, kindly desist toying with your prey and pour the blasted bottle on him!"
The female Yokai scowled at her brother and turned to the young boy, eyes blazing as she tipped the bottle over his head.
Or tried to anyway.
For in a split second, the Yokai had been bowled over and set upon by a viscous, vengeful demon-dog.
"CREWGAR!" Rath cried anxiously.
"GET AWAY FROM ME YOU STUPID MUTT!" Shyrendora shrieked she tried not to spill the contents in the bottle and fend off a angry demon-dog, "SHYDEMAN, HELP ME!"
The male Yokai gave an immense sigh of exasperation and thrust out his hand towards the enraged demon dog, hurling him forcefully away with magic, and slamming him painfully into the debris of the caravans.
Rath gave a wounded cry and made to run towards the now still Crewagr, only to be blocked by the now very-irked Shydeman.
"You know, whelp, in all my days of serving my lord with the utmost faith and loyalty, this is the only time I where I have wished to go against his plans. I do see the possibilities presented to us by pouring the Revival Water on you. After all, the Dragon Lord has allowed his shield protecting his castle to receive you, Yokai though you may be. And I do see how you would be able to slip past his wards and do our dirty work for us, however…you are trying my patience."
The black-haired boy stared up at the Yokai, finally realizing what purpose the liquid in the bottle was made for. They wanted inside the palace. But what did he mean, do our dirty work for us?
As if seeing the confusion in the young boy's eyes, Shydeman answered the unspoken question, "When I pour the Revival Water on you, your Yokai side will be fully awakened. And it will be more than willing to do what I request, especially if it's against the people who sealed it away in the first place. I want you…to kill the Dragon Lord."
Rath felt his insides freeze, and his heart to constrict in shock. They wanted him to kill Lykuleon? He couldn't do that! Even if he didn't like him. The child started as the male Yokai began to speak again.
"We've been watching you from afar," Shydeman continued, as Shyrendora came to stand beside him, "To say we were surprised when the Dragon Lord took you in, would be an understatement. Amazed at his stupidity would be a better phrase. However, we soon realized it was fate to have a creature like you so close to our enemy. And so we watched, waiting for the perfect opportunity to catch the Dragon Tribe off-guard and seize the occasion. And now we have you, little Yokai. Soon our foes will be no more and Lord Nadil will be ruler over all of Dusis…all thanks to you."
And the Yokai smiled.
Rath shivered as his world began to shatter around him, not knowing what to do or what to think. Time seemed to come to a halt. The young boy looked over to where Crewgar was lying limp on the ground amidst the rubble of debris, his white coat mottled with splotches of red. He glanced into the sky to see the Water Dragon appallingly outnumbered by winged demons, trying to fend them off, but in every attempt to do so, having them grow even stronger. He saw Rune on the dragon's back covered in scratches and numerous open wounds, battling to the brink of exhaustion looking particularly haggard.
All because of him.
It was always because of him.
Everything.
Should he just give up?
And then came a familiar voice, filling him with fresh, new hope.
"RATH! RATH! HOLD ON!"
The black-haired child looked up, heart leaping…and saw the Blue Dragon Officer charging towards him, sword drawn, and another hanging from his belt.
"KAI-STERN!" Rath cried, his world suddenly bright again. Everything was all right now. Kai-stern was here. Kai-stern wouldn't let anyone hurt him.
"So, the first of the calvary has arrived," Shydeman stated unfazed as the Officer drew closer, "I wondered how long it would be. I suppose I shall have to deal with this situation, since you seem to be inept at dealing with the simplest tasks, my dear sister. I trust you will find some way to get the Revival Water onto the whelp before the rest of his rescuers arrive?"
The male Yokai started forward to the on-coming Dragon Officer, while Shyrendora simmered in anger behind him. As if reverent to prove her brother wrong, the female Yokai whirled on the young boy wrathfully, gripping the bottle with a kind of ferocity.
"Time's up, brat," she snarled, advancing stealthily towards him, "I'm going to enjoy this."
Yokai, the Blue Dragon Officer sighed inwardly, Why does it always have to be Yokai?
He remembered quite clearly how strong the Yokai on the Snowy Mountains had been, and he sincerely hoped he wasn't going up against another. The man's thoughts screeched to a halt as the Yokai abruptly attacked without warning.
Kai-stern swung his sword to slice the flying, jagged piece of wood in two before it could pierce through him. He brought his weapon up again in time to avoid another piece from severing him.
And another.
And another.
And still the debris kept coming, while the Yokai stood safely back.
"COWARD!" Kai-stern yelled, his sword destroying another large object, "WHY DON'T YOU FIGHT ME?"
"I am fighting you, stupid Dragon," the male Yokai stated rather boredly, as he sent several more ruined pieces of the caravans towards him.
The Blue Dragon Officer slashed through most of them, however some could not be deterred, and he winced in pain as they found their target.
I shouldn't be surprised, the man thought, holding his hand over one of his open wounds, Yokai never fight fairly.
Kai-stern tore his eyes away from his adversary to glance over where Rath stood, with another Yokai swiftly approaching the boy, holding a bottle filled with shiny, clear liquid inside. The man cursed violently inside his head as he recognized the Revival Water, grasping the Yokai's plan instantly.
They want to unleash Rath's Yokai side! He'll still be able to gain entrance into the castle. Lykuleon! I can't let them pour the water on him!
The Dragon Officer's attention was torn away from the child by Shydeman catching him off-guard by a powerful spout of magic, which sent him flying backwards and crashing through one of the caravans partly destroyed by the fire.
"AAAHHH!" Kai-stern gasped, all his focus completely on the pain in his body for the moment.
"KAI-STERN!" he heard Rath dimly shout as if from far away, then a shadow fall over him, and he looked up to see the Yokai standing above him with an expressionless face.
"Game's up," came the smooth voice, "You lose."
A ball of pulsing magical energy appeared, hovering in the palm of Shydeman's hand, as he summoned a spell to finish the Dragon off.
Then the Yokai hissed in pain and shock and reeled backwards as a long, sharp missile suddenly embedded itself in his side. His face twisted in a grimace, Shydeman grasped the shaft and yanked it out of his body, staring at the spear-looking weapon in disbelief.
The Stone of Fuma! Kai-stern realized in amazement. The spiritual stone was excellent defense against Yokai.
Turning his head, the man's vision was met with the sight of the Dragon Lord and Tetheus charging towards him on Durnas with a league of Dragon Fighters at their back.
It's about bloody time, the Officer thought wryly, as he eased himself up as fast as he could manage, keeping a wary eye on the near-by Yokai.
"Oh dear," Shydeman said, his voice unnaturally calm as he held his robes out aways to see the damage. His wound was rapidly healing, one of the Yokai's fortunate abilities, but it was not his injury that he was speaking about.
"Very well, Dragon," the male Yokai stated, addressing Kai-stern, "Since you and your fellow clansmen have obviously decided to make this task immensely more difficult than it should be, you will receive my full attention," here his voice grew deeply tensed, "No one…soils my garments!"
Then a maelstrom of violent Yokai magic blew up around them and flung itself like a hurricane towards the oncoming Dragon Tribe. Kai-stern saw Tetheus being thrown off his terrified Durna and cracking his head harshly on the ground. The Black Dragon Officer did not get up again.
"CAPTAIN!" came the panicked Dragon Fighters cries as they tried to reach him, but it was all they could do to manage not to be blown away themselves.
"STAND YOUR GROUND!" Lykuleon shouted, sticking his sword into the ground as something firm to hold onto as the magic swirled in rage about them, "HOLD TIGHT TO SOMETHING!"
Shydeman sneered at the Dragon Fighters futile attempts to withstand his gaelstorm, then without breaking his attack, the Yokai chanted another spell which resulted in his summoning enough demons to match his adversary in number. Only then, did he dismiss his magic storm, and poor Dragon Tribe members barely had time to catch a breath, before they were leaped upon by an army of Yokai.
O.K., Kai-stern thought sweatdropping, We've done it! He's officially pissed off now!
"As for you, Dragon," Shydeman addressed smoothly, turning to let Kai-stern see the sinister smile upon his face, "I've had a sudden epiphany. Why don't you stick around long enough to watch as all those you hold dear end their wretched existence?"
The Yokai snapped his fingers and to Kai-stern's absolute horror, he found his limbs could not move a muscle and he lay frozen where he had fallen.
"I have to admit your seat is a bit uncomfortable, but you'll get a good view of the show," Shydeman declared, pride glinting in his eyes as he gazed at the Demon and Dragon armies clashing.
"You're disgusting," Kai-stern spat venomously, finding his mouth could move if nothing else, "And you're plan is too!"
"Disgusting?" Shydeman echoed airily, "I don't know. I think it's quite clever…and amusing as well. Why don't we move on to the next stage, shall we?"
Smirking superiorly at the confused expression on the Blue Dragon Officer's face, Shydeman turned his face heavenward and called out a command to the demons which had Rune severely outnumbered.
Kai-stern could only watch helplessly as both the Water Dragon Knight and his dragon were hurled down heavily to earth, crashing into the ground by the weight of the winged enemies.
Rune ached all over from numerous open wounds.
Something warm was trickling down his forehead into his eyes, making his already blurred vision worse.
The elf struggled strenuously to draw in air into his sore and bruised chest which had been injured upon slamming hard into Water's neck upon their fall.
Rune was sure the recent unfair fight had damaged his ears, for he could not make out sounds very distinctly. Everything was a murmured roaring.
Wait…roaring…was that Water? Was he alright? Had he been hurt?
Rune could feel the labored breathing of the dragon from under him, and see the weary, agitated movements of his head and long neck stretched out in front of him, but the elf could do nothing.
Both he and Water were pinned down and held in place by several massive sharp claws.
"BASTARD!" the elf heard a familiar voice shout, "WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING?"
Blinking his eyes dumbly, Rune cast his hazy vision around until it landed upon an immobile white-haired man on the ground.
Kai-stern, came a voice from the depths of his numb mind, His name is Kai-stern.
"How ironic do you think it will be," said a new voice and Rune searched with his tired eyes until the figure of a pale-haired male Yokai came into them, "For one Dragon Knight to slay his fellow Knight? I think a slight detour might be a good warm up for our soon-to-be traitor here before accomplishing the main goal. Shall we begin?"
What is…he talking about? Rune wondered, his thoughts drifting to and fro in a daze, What's…going on? Where…am I?"
Then came an anxious desperate cry that jolted the elf back to his senses at long last.
"!"
Rath…
At the carnival…
The fire…
The Yokai…
Rath.
Rath!
RATH!
Rune's eyes flew open as he gasped, becoming aware of his surroundings abruptly.
He and Water were gripped tightly by the winged demons, Tetheus was unconscious, Lord Lykuleon and the Dragon Fighters could not get past the blockade of ground Yokai, Kai-stern was bound fast in place, and Rath…
Rath was sitting hunched over, eyes downcast and shivering violently, while a female Yokai identical to the male which had recently spoken stood before him, gripping a bottle of crystal clear liquid.
The elf's eyes widened as understanding dawned on him and all the puzzle pieces fell into place. Faeries knew all about Revival Water. How could they not, when they had created the polar opposite of the substance, the Water of Purity. In any event, a tumult of revelations were uncovered for Rune about the Dragon Tribe in that one instant when he had seen the Revival Water, the first and foremost being Rath.
Rath, the high-spirited young boy, the prank-playing adventurous little kid, the child with the face of a cherubic angel, but with the character of a…demon.
A Demon.
That's what Rath was.
A Demon or part Demon at least for the Yokai to assume pouring the Revival Water on Rath wouldn't kill him, merely unleash his more…aggressive side.
Rath was a demon.
Like the demon which had rampaged all throughout Dusis several years earlier on a killing spree.
Like the demon which had killed most of Rune's clan.
How, how, how could Rath be a demon?
Were the fates really this cruel?
Shydeman smiled satisfactorily at the expression of shocked disbelief on Rune's face and took great delight in directing Rath's attention to it.
"You see, whelp," the Yokai stated matter-of-factly, "You are a monster. Even your fellow Knight thinks so. See how you appall him so."
Rath brought his head up for his eyes to see the horrified stricken expression on Rune's face. The young boy flinched as if someone had kicked him the gut and quickly averted his gaze, but he could not avert the agonizing pain that pierced his heart.
"Ah, such is the manner of all friends when they find out something unpleasant about oneself," Shydeman stated gustily, "Tell me, whelp, does it pain you greatly at how easily the ones you hold close toss you aside? Do you feel as betrayed as they do by that? Is a small smidgeon of your pain really anger? Do you want to the others to feel as much hurt as you are right now?"
Rath was silent and merely sat numbly on the grass, making such a pitiful-looking, down-trodden figure that Kai-stern opened his mouth to try and lift the boy's spirits and tell him all the Yokai was saying wasn't true; that he already knew his secret and didn't think any less of him of it and that Rune didn't either. But to the Dragon Officer's horror, he found that the immobilization spell had worked its final magic and had wound its way around his throat. He could not utter a single sound.
Kai-stern raged in helpless fury, silently pleading to the fates that Rune would snap out of his shocked state of mind and refute the Yokai's poisonous words. But the elf, it seemed, was in hurry to allay the situation, and lay pinned, gazing at the Rath as if fully seeing him for the first time. Kai-stern felt his heart sink. What if all the Yokai said was true? What if Rune really did feel that way?
"Don't be set in stone with your misery, whelp. My sister and I have the perfect solution to free you from your sorrows," Shydeman proclaimed, nodding to Shyrendora to ready the Revival Water.
"Just lay back and relax, brat," Shyrendora jaunted, stepping forward and uncorking the bottle, "This will all be over in an instant and you won't feel a thing."
It was twighlight and Rune and Rath were lying just outside of the Dragon Palace within the midst of its spectacular garden. The two had been there since sunset, while they had watched the last fiery red rays disappear and the magnificently rich copper tones of the surrounding land transform into a smoky blue hue as the first glimmer of stars began to peek through the purplish night sky.
"So, you come here often?" Rune asked the young boy, as he lazily chewed on a strand of grass.
"Usually only when Kai-stern is back from his travels," Rath answered, hands behind his head as a make-shift pillow, "It's too lonely by my-self."
Rune realized that Rath must have been more excited about getting a playmate close to his age than the Dragon Tribe gaining another Dragon Knight when he first had been initiated as a member.
A shooting star streaked its path across the night sky in a splendid streak of twinkling white light.
"Look, Rune!" Rath shouted, pointing excitedly, "Did you see that?"
"Yes," Rune said smiling, a feeling of happiness engulfing him for no other reason than simply being where he was at that very moment, "Did you make a wish?"
"Yeah," Rath said, his childish voice growing unusually quiet, "I wished that we would be friends forever…"
The small boy's voice trailed off and Rune found himself frowning at the wistful tone.
"What's the matter, Rath?" Rune questioned confused, "Don't you believe in your own wish?"
"Do you like me, Rune?" the child asked with searching eyes.
"Of course, I do," Rune affirmed, feeling more puzzled than ever. Had he given Rath a reason to doubt that?
"So you'll promise to be my friend no matter what?" Rath asked almost pleadingly.
"I promise, Rath," Rune stated solemnly, hoping the young boy would see how serious he was, "We'll always be friends."
"Forever?" Rath whispered into the stillness surrounding them, gazing up to the stars as if wished to suddenly sprout wings and fly among them.
"Forever," Rune promised.
And only the twinkling of the stars and the soft rustling of the foliage around them told they were witness to the powerful pact just sealed.
And from its lingering traces, Rune grasped his answer to the shocking revelation just found out.
"Rath!" he cried out, lifting his head as best as he could from the strong forces holding him down, "Rath! Don't listen to them! You're not a monster! You're my friend! And friends stick together no matter what! Remember? That night, Rath-I won't break my promise! We're friends, Rath and we'll always be!"
Rath lifted his gaze from the scorched grass in front of him to the elf pinned down by the winged demons, and a small sliver of hope could be seen shining within those eyes.
"Well, isn't this little scene simply touching?" Shyrendora simpered, laughing at the futileness she found in the action.
"My sister is right," Shydeman stated, not showing any emotion, the only sign that he found the situation amusing was one corner of his mouth slightly turned up, "You're a Yokai, whelp. And friends do not matter when you invoke on a bloodlust. You'll just end up killing them along with anything else that gets in your way. Why don't you just embrace the inevitable and save yourself the agony?"
Rath's eyes dimmed as his hope slowly began fading out of existence and his body slumped lower to the ground as he realized there was no escaping his doomed fate…
"It doesn't matter if you're Yokai, Rath!" Rune shouted desperately, hoping the child would not give up so easily, "You can't help what you are! That doesn't mean you're automatically evil! That's only if you choose to be! Don't give in, Rath! You can beat these two! We can beat them! Together! BECAUSE WE'RE DRAGON KNIGHTS AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES US STRONG!"
"You know, you're becoming quite an annoyance, elf," Shydeman stated, turning to Rune, his eyebrows narrowed, "I think I'll forgo that prior decision of letting the whelp kill you and do the pleasure myself."
Rune could only watch helplessly as the Yokai summoned a ball of demon energy in his hand and prepare to fling it at him and Water, ready to engulf them both into nothingness.
Instead, Shydeman was bowled over from behind by a huge inferno blast that violently slammed into the Yokai's back and sent him flying a good ten yards before the Yokai got over the surprise attack and halted himself from being hurled face-first into the ground.
All eyes turned to the figure who was behind the assault and who was now standing firmly upright on two legs with a determined and feral facial expression, as medium-sized bursts of fire flickered hungrily about his head and shoulders.
"Don't. You. Dare. Hurt. Rune," Rath snapped out savagely, his eyes a swirling angry blood-red color.
Shydeman leered at the young boy, obviously unimpressed by the child's defiant bravado charade.
"So, we're going to go about this the hard way, are we?" the Yokai inquired, starting towards Rath, "Do you think that is very wise? When you can hardly manage to control your fire power?"
True to his words, the strain of reigning in his mastery of fire so it would not explode out of hand as it had before, was showing clearly on Rath's face as small beads of sweat rolled down the sides of his head.
This was bad, Kai-stern thought. Rath was still too young and inexperienced to have complete command over his fire element alone. Alfeegi hadn't taught him those classes yet. If he had Fire with him, then the dragon could have balanced out his power for him, however the dragon was in Rath's sword. Kai-stern had the sword, yet he was unable to move his body so that he could hand it to Rath.
All he needed was a diversion. Something that would distract the Yokai, so his spells would become unfocused, long enough for him to break through them and give Rath the help he so tryingly needed.
The diversion came in an unexpected form.
A very unexpected form.
"HEY, YOU YOKAI! OVER HERE!" came a familiar voice ringing with overconfident brazenness that so often got on Rune's nerves.
The elf turned his gaze towards the voice, already knowing who the owner was, yet still becoming as stunned as everyone else at the spectacle he was seeing.
Kirin spurred on the horses driving the caravan he was seated in front of, with a rapid lashing of the reins, herding it directly into the midst of the demons blocking Lykuleon and the rest of the Dragon Fighters from reaching Nadil's two second-in-command Yokai.
The caravan tore into the offending demon's forces with a vigorous might, scattering their numbers left and right. Then continuing on its path, it came barreling at breakneck speed to where Rune and Water were held down in place.
Water snapped his neck out to reach under the oncoming caravan, then once he had the vehicle firmly fixed on top of his head, reared its neck back and flung the caravan straight into the winged demons faces. All Rune caught as the covered wagon was launched over him, was a glimpse of Kirin's determined face, sword at ready, his freckles standing out in excitement and a flash of streaking red hair.
The elf felt the claws which had kept him prisoner relinquish their grasp on him at the same time as Water did and both leapt into action the minute their limbs were freed.
Shooting out his wings, Water vaulted into air and whirled onto his fellow winged creatures with an enraged, unappeasable fury; while springing upright, the elf shot forward as fast as he could, vaguely hearing himself give out an euphoric battle cry, aiming his sword directly at Shydeman's chest.
The Yokai blocked the strike with a calmly raised hand, invoking an invisible barrier between him and his attacker, however, killing him, had not been the reason for Rune's onslaught.
Kai-stern felt the Yokai's binding spell on him disband with the distraction the elf had given, and immediately jumped up.
"RATH, CATCH THIS!" the Blue Dragon Officer exclaimed, flinging the sword through the open air to the young boy.
"Shyrendora!" Shydeman barked out, his orders to intervene the weapon implied clear, however his sister was busy with another matter at the moment.
"Dragon scum!" Shyrendora screeched in pure hate and frustration as she was left with the task to halt the Dragon Fighters now that they had found their way through the opening Kirin had given, when he had propelled the caravan through the demons blocking them.
The female Yokai was not as strong as her brother. Her force shields could not hold all of the Dragon Fighters back, only a couple at a time, and slowly, ever so slowly, she was pushed back several paces.
Rath caught the sword by the handle and raising its tip to the sky, did not even hesitate in summoning the fire dragon with a valiant cry, "FIRE, COME OUT!"
The fire dragon burst from his sword in an impression flash of dazzling orange-red light and soared above his young master, channeling all the extra un-needed fire power the boy possessed into his own body, and waiting for orders for what to do next.
Rath breathed a sigh of relief as the awful tensing strain he had felt keeping his fire element under control dissolve. The young boy gave Shydeman an eerie sort of smile, his eyes no longer blood-red , but now glowing with a strange pinkish hue.
"Tell your boss, next time I see him, I'll cut off his head…and this time, he's not getting it back," Rath spoke, addressing Shydeman in deep gravely voice that sounded nothing like the cheery high-pitched one of a child.
Shivers of fear made their way up Rune's arms and his back, even though he kept telling himself that it was Rath, no matter how…different he sounded.
Even Shydeman, it appeared was unnerved by the young boy's declaration, and stared at Rath with narrowed, knowing eyes, as if understanding perfectly what Rath was talking about.
"Ah," Shydeman stated softly, never breaking eye contact with the boy, "So it's you…now I understand…"
"Get rid of them," Rath commanded to Fire, the deep gravely tone still in use, "Get rid of all the Yokai!"
Fire let loose a flurry of shooting fireballs and pillars of flame, all of which, due to the dragon's calculated aim, hit their intended targets and disintegrated them into a pile of acidic black dust. Both the demon forces attacking the Dragon Fighters and the winged demons assaulting Kirin and Water were incarcerated almost immediately.
Shyrendora suddenly found herself nose to nose with a very angry, very battered Dragon Lord.
"You seem to enjoy the sight of blood," Lykuleon stated in a drained, yet solemn voice, "Would you care for a closer look?"
The Dragon Lord held up his sword hand which was covered in slash and bite marks from his previous demon foes' teeth and claws. The bright crimson blood seeped down across his arm in a variation of crisscrosses from the fresh open wounds.
Shyrendora screamed in a panicked fright, knowing full well what would most likely happen to her if she touched the Dragon Lord's blood. It was lethal almost to everyone, even those of the Dragon Tribe.
The female Yokai disappeared from in front of Lykuleon then reappeared just as abruptly from behind her brother, still shaking at her close encounter.
"I suggest you Yokai leave," Lykuleon advised stepping forward, "The tables have turned and your plan is foiled. Go back and give Nadil this message: that friendship and love make the strongest weapons of all."
"How very poetic," Shydeman said, stoic-faced, "I'll be sure to tell him…right after this!"
Rune would never forget happened in the next several seconds. He would relive the memory over and over, wondering questions of how and what and why did the Yokai do what he did next and why hadn't he stopped it.
He should have seen it coming.
He should have been more alert.
It would have been so very easy-a simple, sidestep out of the way.
But Rune's mind at that moment was reeling with questions and worries about Rath, like why the child sometimes acted like he was eons old, how did he come to have Yokai origins, why did he have such a weak immune system, and how did Nadil's two second-in-command have knowledge of a small, seemingly insignificant child?
Rune let his guard down, and for that one precious moment, it was enough.
All the elf could recall was an enormous purple-black swirling round cloud sizzling with electrifying force impending swiftly towards him.
Perhaps it was because he was the nearest figure next to the Yokai.
Perhaps it was because he was a Dragon Knight.
Or perhaps it was because Nadil's two second-in-command had decided not to return to their lord without something to show for it.
It all happened so fast.
Within a blink of an eye, one minute there was nothing between him and the full-swung assault except empty space, and in the next, Rune's vision was filled with the sight of Kirin's shocked, pallid expression, his face a ghastly, ash white as the red-haired Dragon Fighter slumped to his knees on the ground, amongst the driblets and small patches of a deep red fluid oozing from his mouth and his chest.
Rune was aware of some awful, wailing sound and then realized it was himself screaming in horror as he flung himself down next to the Dragon Fighter who had taken the blow meant for him, and gripping the young man's shoulders in disbelief.
"What a pity," Shydeman stated, sounding immensely bored, "But nevertheless, the day hasn't been a total loss. One less Dragon in the world will do everyone a bit of good."
The Yokai turned to take one final glance at Rath, who was staring wide-eyed at Rune frantically shaking a hoarsely breathing Kirin. The small boy's whole demeanor seemed to have reverted back into a regular child's as he gaped at the scene in front of him in an awed and fearful manner, his face and clothes stained with the blood splatter of the Dragon Fighter whom the Yokai's attack had sliced clean through his body.
"I'll be sure to give our lord your message, whelp," Shydeman vowed, a hint of sadistic amusement ringing in his voice, "This experience has been…quite interesting indeed…"
Then with a swirl of their cloaks and cover of black haze, the two Yokai were gone.
The red-haired Dragon Fighter chuckled weakly, or tried to, but only succeeded in choking on the liquid slowly welling up in his throat.
"You've…gotta…w-watch yourself more…blondie," Kirin managed to cough out, his chest heaving with the strain of talking, "Dragon Knights…c-can't be that obl-livious…"
"Dammit!" Rune swore as he attempted in vain to tap into his elf healing powers, only to find that either he had forgotten how or they were lying dormant inside him due to his becoming a Dragon Knight.
"Why won't they work?" Rune howled in anguish, pounding the earth with his fists in frustration, "WHY WON'T THEY WORK?"
The elf was dimly conscious of the crowd growing around them, and the silent sorrow shared among them. Rune ignored them, desperately trying to awaken his powers, however it was if he had never had them in the first place.
"No! No! I won't let you die! Not when it's my fault!" Rune cried, knowing there was nothing that could be done to save his friend.
"Shut up…b-blondie, y-you'll mess t-that p-pretty face up with those t-tears," Kirin joked, smiling feebly, his lips an unnatural blue color.
Rune smothered back a hysterical laugh at the retort. Even on the verge of death, and the Dragon Fighter still found it entertaining to tease him about his feminine looks.
"Hey, promise me something…" Kirin rasped out, leaning heavily against the elf's left side, the only thing supporting him from falling over, "D-don't go easy…on the r-rest of us Dragon F-fighters…because of t-this. G-give them h-hell…like you always do…"
Rune nodded, afraid that if he opened his mouth, all that would come out would be crazed sobbing.
"I'm glad…that I met you…Rune," Kirin said smiling peacefully, then the elf felt the Dragon Fighter's chest slowly release a breath of air and did not bother to take one in.
Only then did Rune feel it safe to cry uncontrollably.
The sound of a sword hitting the ground nearby made the Blue Dragon Officer pause and look around, and for his gaze to land on Rath who had let his weapon fall from his numb hands. The young boy was observing the situation playing out in front of him with the familiar response of someone having just lived through their first real battle and only now receiving the aftershocks.
The poor child was shaking furiously, staring incredulously at the vast amount of red strewn about the surrounding area. Kai-stern could hear his short, gasping breaths of fright from way over where he stood. The man made to move towards him, but then the Dragon Lord appeared suddenly beside the boy and was bending down, enfolding the child in an embrace of love and protection.
Rath jerked away from Lykuleon's arms and raced across the length of land where Kai-stern stood and flung himself face-first into the man's chest, both hands gripping the material of his uniform tightly, as if he were to let go, he would never see him again.
Kai-stern cradled the child in his arms, stroking the top of his head comfortingly, and staring apologetically to the Dragon Lord whose face was riddled with weary sadness.
Hurt was an important lesson in growing up, however it was also something everyone wished to avoid.
Kai-stern only hoped that this experience would make the two Dragon Knights grow stronger than ever.
"Twenty-one minor injuries, thirty-four major wounds, Tetheus has a concussion, Crewgar broke one leg, Kai-stern's just badly bruised, Lady Raseleane is tending to Lord Lykuleon's arm, and poor Rath and Rune have succumbed to exhaustion," Cernozurna said, giving the report, brushing her damp bangs off her forehead, as she leaned against the doorframe tiredly.
"And one death, I've heard," Alfeegi inquired, hoping he was wrong.
"Yes, one of our Dragon Knights," Cernozurna replied sadly, "Poor Rune has made himself all wrought up about it. I had to give him a sleeping draught. And Rath…he hasn't said anything and merely clings to Kai-stern every waking minute. Hopefully, things will be better in the morning…"
"Let's hope," the White Dragon Officer said, turning from the room and starting back down the hallway from which he had come, never noticing that two of the occupants in the infirmary was awake.
Kai-stern sighed rubbing the back of the child who was nestled closely to him in his infirmary bed to give reassurance.
"Rune already knows what you are, Rath," the man remarked, "And he's already made it clear to stick with you to the very end. You heard what he said: you're his friend, no matter what."
"But I still don't want him to know," the young boy murmured, his small brow furrowing into an array of worried wrinkles, "I want him to forget. I wish he would forget. Please, please, let him forget…"
Kai-stern sympathized with the child, however he could see no alternative other than be thankful that Rune was an accepting and open-minded person who knew a good character when he saw one. Perhaps when the elf woke up and whenever his time for healing from his loss had ended, he could make the boy understand things better.
Erasing one's memory was not in the Blue Dragon Officer's, nor anyone else in the Dragon Castle's league.
Kai-stern continued to knead the child's tense muscles in an effort to get him to relax, and slowly, ever slowly, Rath's eyes began to droop and his body slackened its rigid pose, until the man's efforts were rewarded with the sight of the young boy cuddled to his chest in a deep sleep, looking to all the world like a bedraggled kitten having at last found a safe haven.
In a short time, the Blue Dragon Officer too soon found himself asleep, therefore he never saw the shooting star that swept across the celestial sky nor the figure mysteriously appearing in the room next to the elf's bed to touch his head with their tip of their staff.
The infirmary was bathed in a luminance of soft white light and the sound of a gentle voice which spoke only two words.
"Wish granted."
It really wouldn't have bothered the elf at all, except that the child made sure to kick him in the shins every time he moved his feet.
"Sorry!" Rath chirped, not sounding repentant in the slightest, as he leaped up and began skipping around the room in an attempt to wear off his impatience from waiting.
Rune sighed, wondering what was taking so long and wandered out onto the parlor's balcony, momentarily getting lost in his thoughts.
Six months. That's how long it had been since that fateful day in early spring when the elf had first unveiled his true potential as a Dragon Knight.
Six months ever since the day that Kirin had taken the death blow meant for him.
Six months filled with regrets and wishes of what he should have done.
Six months keeping his promise to terrorize the living daylights out of the Dragon Fighters.
Rune could not stop the vindictive smirk that crept upon his face at that rumination.
He had been soft on them at first, not finding it in himself to enact some bullying and scare-tactics as he had before, due to his lamenting over his lost friend. However, after a month, the elf came to his senses, took a look around and realized the Dragon Fighters deserved every bit of his "Alfeegi Clone" lecture that he preached at them. They were downright lazy, gluttonous, adventure seekers. It was his duty, not as a Dragon Knight, but as a concerned citizen of Draqueen, that the defenders of Dusis stayed in top shape! So, whenever Tetheus was not around, Rune made sure to hassle the troops into working overtime as a self-appointed honorary drill sergeant.
The elf had heard rumors that there had been complaints made to Tetheus about that, however when the Black Dragon Officer's response was to submit an official complaint in writing to Alfeegi, all that had been left was a large cloud of dust from frantically fleeing Dragon Fighters.
Rune just hoped that wherever Kirin was, that he was getting a good laugh out of all the antics of his friends.
Rath's high-pitched voice, bubbling over with excitement brought him back to reality, and the elf stepped back into the parlor room in time to catch the young boy exclaim, "We can go in now! We can meet him! Hurry, Rune, hurry!"
Rath caught hold of the elf's sleeve and began pulling him through the door into the adjourning room with an unconcealed eagerness, which Rune found was highly contagious.
After all, it was not every day, one met a brand new Dragon Knight. What would Earth's master be like, Rune pondered. Would be older? Someone both Knights could look up to? A mentor who would give them guidance and unlock hidden doors to the bonds between their dragons?
In any event, Rune was so psyched up on his imaginings, that when he first laid sight on the new Knight, all his hopes and dreams came crashing down to the floor (as well as the elf himself).
It seemed that the room Rath had led them to was none other than the dining room where a tall, gangly chestnut-haired young man was seated, gorging himself on the exquisite banquet set out before him. He was up to his elbows in mashed potatoes and gravy, quite literally, and was busy vigorously stuffing his face with a roasted turkey leg larger than his own head. Every once in awhile, his hand would dart out and snap up a piece of cake, whereupon he would swallow the slice whole. It was only when the young man apparently felt the need to wash down his appalling manner of devouring with a drink (from the pitcher itself, not a glass), did Rune and Rath finally catch a glimpse of his face.
The young man had two defining scars: a small one which was shaped like the X on a treasure map and a longer one which ran in a straight line across his face diagonally.
The newest Dragon Knight finally seemed to realize he had an audience and smiled lopsidedly at the two gaping figures. There was an uncomfortable, awkward silence that seemed to stretch forever, before the young man decided to break the ice by offering out a half-devoured loaf of bread to them.
"Hungry any?" he asked in a thick accent.
Rune and Rath fervently shook their heads, still unbelieving that this was the newest addition to their ranks.
"So, you guys must be the other two Dragon Knights the old geezer and the screamer were talking about," the young man stated, leaning the chair back on its legs and letting loose a gigantic belch.
Rune's left eye developed a sudden mysterious twitching.
"What old geezer?" the elf inquired, trying to sort out who the Earth Dragon Knight was talking about.
The screamer wasn't too hard, although he knew Alfeegi preferred the phrase, "unrelenting motivational speaker".
"Yah, that blonde dude that rules this huge joint," the chestnut-haired young man said scratching his head, "And it's a pretty nifty joint here indeed!"
"LORD LYKULEON ISN'T AN OLD GEEZER!" Rune screeched, feeling veins which had not popped out on his forehead for a very long time, reaffirm their existence.
The young man gawked at him awhile, before turning to Rath who had meandered over to where he sat and was standing in front of him with a blank wide-eyed expression.
"Er, hello…little…kid," the chestnut-haired young man said, giving the small boy's head two cautious pats, a bit unnerved by the actions of the other two Knights.
"Howdcha get those scars?" Rath inquired abruptly out of the blue, his tone a voracious curiosity, "Was it demons?"
Something brushed against the back of Rune's mind at that mentioning, however the elf's dim musing on what it could be was shoved away by the utter incredulity of the situation. This unruly young man was not even in their lives for even more than ten minutes and he was already corrupting the child's speech with bad grammar!
"Well, only this one," the young man said, pointing the long diagonal one, "The rest I just got from people being in the right place at the right time."
"Don't you mean the wrong place at the wrong time?" Rune questioned.
"There's MORE?" Rath asked eagerly, his eyes lighting up.
"No, I mean the people in the right place caught me at the right time about to spend some quality time with a few coveted items away from the so-named 'right place'," the chestnut-haired man stated, leaving Rune to figure the remark out, before rolling up his shirt and showing Rath his left side.
"Check this one out," the young man bragged proudly, tracing three small claw-like shallow wounds, "A momentum that I survived the most dangerous, devious, destructible demon ever known to the history of man-kind: the Kitchel!"
Rath gasped in awe and admiration, and clasped his hands together in delirious delight.
"OOOH!" the young boy squealed, stars practically exploding around his head, "I GOTTA GO HUNT THAT ONE!"
"Cool it, pyro," Rune ordered without even batting an eyelid. He had long since grown used to the child's unnatural obsession with demons.
The elf frowned as he felt like he was forgetting something yet again, then ignored that odd reasoning in favor of larger fish to fry.
"Aha! I've deciphered your little gangster code-talk!" Rune declared laughing triumphantly, pointing elatedly at the young man, "You're a thief!"
"REALLY?" Rath cried happily, gazing at the chestnut-haired young man in marvel, "THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER!"
"You're one weird little dude," the young man stated matter-of-factly to the child, popping some candied yams into his mouth before turning to Rune, "And so are you, but you're kinda cute, even for a guy, so I think maybe this whole Dragon Knights job deal will work out after all."
"Howdya know Rune was a guy?" Rath inquired interestedly, "Everyone always thinks he's a girl at first."
"Eh, the screamer warned me about that," the chestnut-haired young man confessed smirking, folding his hands behind his head, "Said unless I wanted to spend the first week here sporting a black eye as well as the probable loss of teeth, that I should be aware certain appearances are not what they first seem."
Rune felt several beads of sweat break out across his forehead as Rath giggled, obviously very entranced with the newest Dragon Knight's character. The elf hastily attempted to change the conversation's topic.
"So, you have no quarrels in taking on the role of a Dragon Knight?" Rune asked
"Sure," the young man said, shrugging, "You get three square meals a day, plus snacking in between as much as you want, a bed stuffed with goose feathers, and best of all, you get to keep almost any treasure you find on your daily quests of justice!"
Rune blinked as he watched the Earth Dragon Knight transform from a laidback, care-free manner to an avaricious, stimulated attitude, with the young man's glinting maniacally.
"So I decided if all that is required of me is to hunt some badass Yokai and make sure the tip of the sharp, pointy metal stick they gave me goes through the opponent's body, then I was all there!" the chestnut-haired young man shouted, pumping the air with his fist, before suddenly doing a double-take at Rath.
"OMIGAWD, ARE THOSE EARRINGS REAL GOLD? ARE THOSE RED THINGS RUBIES OR GEMSTONES?" the young man shrieked, practically drooling at the sight of shining, expensive jewelry.
Rune sighed. It seemed as though he had his work cut off for him to show the newest member of the Dragon Tribe what being a Dragon Knight was really about. Strangely enough…he was looking forward to the task. This would be the perfect way for all three Dragon Knights to form a strong bond together, a bond that no outside force could ever break.
"You're really a thief, mister?" Rath asked.
"Well, not anymore. They said my former job occupation was against their regulation," the young man laughed sheepishly, "And call me, Thatz, kid. But if you wanna hear some stories about super get-aways, I've got plenty to share. "
"Ooh! I know a story about a thief! Let me tell mine first!" Rath exclaimed excitedly, "There once was a young girl called Goldilocks…"
Rune decided it was best then to leave the room quietly and hopefully unnoticed, before Rath spilled the beans that the whole Goldilocks retelling had been hatched by the deranged mind of one very sleep-derived elf.
Finis!
A/N: Sorry, I know it's been a year since I updated and there were a variety of reasons, one being that I thought I had lost the chapter I had written, only to find out that I wasn't as stupid as I believed and had saved it. Another was I had to write serious scenes, something I have been out of touch with ever since I went on my insane, parodies spree. Another was the battle scene, which took up most of this chapter, it was very stressing to write. Another was the fact that I realized after I had written myself into a corner, because Rune finds out Rath is a Yokai until much later. Then I decided I wasn't going to delete all that hard work and took a shortcut by allowing the Star Princess who grants wishes make an entrance and delete Rune's memories. So perhaps that is the reason Rath said he hated everyone (in Vol.7), but never mentioned Rune, because he already knew that Rune had accepted him knowing what he was, even though he doesn't remember now. Purely my theory, not canon, but it fits this chapter, haha. Also, I had make sure Tetheus not be seen or see Shydeman and Shyrendora because they do not discover that all are alive Vol. 12, hence I knocked him out less than one minute into the battle. Also, note the similarities between Kirin's death scene and the battle scene in the beginning of Vol.4. Thatz almost died because of a lethal stab to the chest and Rune's long time meditating on regaining his powers must have paid off. I figured there had to be a starting point where Rune realized his healing powers would be a key objective in winning future battles.
In any event, I'm really sorry it took this long to finish this fic, but I hope you all have enjoyed it. I already have planned a sequel to this called Getting Acquainted. It's mainly a light comedy centering around Thatz and his first months as in the Dragon Castle.
Hope this chapter was worth waiting for. Please share your fav parts! It will make me very happy. I love hearing what made you laugh or smile. Thanx!
