The Dragon Rider's Chronicles

"Iris," Matthais said tersely, "we still can stop this." Sikstaxen flew faster for the island. "Just a few more seconds." He gritted his teeth as the wind buffeted his face as they dove over the edge of the canyon and towards the hanger. He heard Neera's scream as he was dismounting and redid the straps on his legs. He leaned in close to Sikstaxen hugging the back of her neck. I'll make a hole. He thought as the power of earth flowed through his arms and he broke any doorframe that stood in his and his dragons path. Debris fell around them as they charged towards the sound of despair. I only hope we aren't too late. Sikstaxen thought. We aren't. Matthais thought. We can't be.
 
Far away, a light shone in the darkness around Kenzo. It was like a small star that could somehow slip through solid objects as if they weren't there. It expanded and its light wrapped around him. A voice cut through his unconscious mind.


Child of the Soromine. Do not sleep just yet. You still have a part to play in this. In his mind, Kenzo could see the giant golden head of a dragon with a sun symbol twisted into the scales of its forehead. Go. Save your beloved before the darkness takes her. In that moment, Kenzo felt more alive that he had ever felt in his life. All of his energy returned, every wound was gone. Even old scars disappeared.


----


A force like no other suddenly gripped Sanz, stopping him in his tracks. You may be strong enough to resist Auntyrmarun... The silky voice of Elise sheered through Sanz's fury. But you cannot resist my will. Sanz was pulled out through a hole that was conveniently blasted through the wall though metallic breath. Merona, the Metalai dragon of Kirion, flew next to the giant body of Elise. Upon her back, Kirion Sentoni shook with all of the anger in the universe. But he knew that there was no way to stop what had already happened. "Neera!" Neera's head jolted up and she saw her brother. Without a thought, she ran towards him. But something was in her way.


Cyrus leveled his bow at her, firing. Ziri slung her wicked cat of nine tails. Reginald stood directly in her path, his axe at the ready. Neera thought in that moment she was going to die.


Suddenly, a burst of light filled the room, deflecting the arrows, shoving back the whip, and throwing Reginald back into the other Dragonborn. Light emanated from one point in the room and moved between Neera and her enemies. "Go child." The older, white-haired light fairy medic named Merise spoke from the light. The aura that radiated from her was pure light energy. "All of you. Go." As if to accent her point, light beams flew from her body and whipped around the room, shoving anyone still in the room towards the hole. Their dragons hovered with Elise and Merona, waiting for their signals.


Neera jumped onto Eldran quickly, clutching to his back with a blank expression on her face. There was no thought in her head, only the image of her dead mother still lying there on the floor. Ardra also got onto her dragon, her eyes scanning the horizon for Kenzo. Elise placed Sanz in Auntyrmarun's care then pulled Draconas to her.


"Stop them!" All mirth was gone from Mistriel's eyes. The three Dragonborn began to move towards them when they met an impassable wall of light.


"No. You will not do that." Merise's voice was strained as she erected a light barrier around their enemies, stopping them from following or attacking. Her frail body shook as she stood there. "Draconas. Go." Her words were final.


"Elise....go...." Draconas was barely conscious and Elise was holding him on mentally. Elise signaled to the others and began flying away.


----


A barrier erected in front of Matthais, stopping his flight. The all-too-familiar voice of Solonosus came into his head. The others are taken care of now. Take Iris. Join the others and live to fight another day. Solonosus wasn't really giving him a choice as he ordered Sikstaxen to leave now.
 
Kenzo's eyes shot open and he bolted upright. In amazement he gave himself a quick examination: No wounds whatsoever; very little scarring; all of his strength had returned...no, he had more than before. Incredible!


He reached out with his mind until he could barely feel Bane. Though at this range he couldn't contact her, he knew what direction to go in. With that, his cavern began to move towards the shore.


-----


In minutes he'd reached shallow waters. He collapsed his earthen bubble and darted to land, kept dry by his wind magic. He dashed towards the island's center, his speed dramatically boosted by, once again, wind magic. He felt incredible: he'd never gone this fast in his life.


In another few minutes he realized he could manage to contact Bane at this distance, which he did immediately. Bane. Forgive my momentary laziness. Debrief me.


Bane's head perked up as he received his message. Kenzo! Thank goodness you're ali-...er...you sure took your sweet time, Bane corrected herself to remain stern and proud. It's...not good. It's awful, actually. I'll...bring you here. You need to be here yourself. Bane could hardly believe what was happening...what had happened. She couldn't quite summon the words to describe the horrors she'd just witnessed. Without a word to the others she flew off, heading to her rider with desperate speed.
 
Black. Nothingness. Sanz's mind had gone completely blank with the rage shut down, and it wasn't until Auntyrmarun had a hold on him and they were flying away. As he grit his teeth and took in a sharp breath, the actions that had preceded his blind rage hit him like a train.


"Dammit Auntyrmarun! Let me go!"


NO. I already took you back there once, I'm not going to let you throw your life away--


"I made a promise! If I don't go back there what was the point of the past--"


What good will it do you to die now?! The queen is dead, the dragon riders are falling apart. All with power will be needed for the coming storm, and I can think of one who will need the knowledge of someone who has lost all his has before.


The last thought came with a mental image of Neera, as if to illustrate his point. Sanz was still taking in hissing breaths through clenched teeth, but his struggling to remove himself from Auntyrmarun's paws had ceased.


"What power . . . I can't even accomplish the one thing I set my mind on after that day."


Auntyrmarun shook his head and sped up his flight. They needed to be away from here, both for physical safety and Sanz's sanity.
 
Matthais cursed and beat his thighs. He turned Sikstaxen about and they flew out into the night. "We've got to get back to the others." He scanned the black sky seeing several dragons streak from the lit center of the island. He climbed and caught up with them. Iris following closely. Seeing the several limp and unconscious bodies on the dragons they flew up to Ardra. "Iris tend to the wounded if you can." Then he turned toward Ardra "What happened in there? Where's Kenzo?"
 
Ardra's eyes were filled with tears as she desperately looked across the horizon. "...I....d-don't know...." Her entire body shook slightly as she tried to keep it all contained inside of her body. This was no the time to break down. Majeir quickly started sending out mental cries to Bane, wherever she was. Bane! Where are you?!


Neera continued sitting in silence, giving no orders to her dragon. Eldran quickly reached out to Elise. We've got to find a place. We're sitting ducks out here.


Elise nodded and flew. Draconas looked backwards mutely, knowing what was happening behind him. Merise knew the ancient arts of fairy kind and would utilize all of its methods to stop the others from following them. ...Elise. We need to go to the Sharna Outpost outside fairy territory. We're heading to Koda.


----


Behind them, Merise could feel her barrier beginning to weaken. She knew that she had only one choice and she had known all along that she would have to do this. Suddenly, the barrier became blinding lights that flashed beautifully in the air. Merise felt her life energy drain away, every drop leaving the core of her power. And as the last particle left, she felt her lungs falter, then cease. Her eyes became lifeless as she fell to the ground in silence.


From the outside, one would have seen a cone of light burst into the air brilliantly and one would have sensed that something had left the earth. Something had just died.
 
The meaning of the burst of light was not lost on Kenzo, who grit his teeth and begged his legs to carry him faster. Fortunately they would not have to bear that burden, as Bane had found him. In silence she flew up next to him and he leapt on. As soon as he was in the saddle she roared and flew as fast as possible towards the others.


What happened, Bane? Kenzo asked as they flew beneath the pale moon.


It's...you aren't going to like this, Bane said in warning.


Please. Tell me. I want to know what we've gotten into before we rendezvous. Kenzo asked, a bit of urgency in his voice.


Normally I'd tell you straight but this is a delicate political matter that I do not feel you are in any position to-


"Damn the dragons above Bane! Tell me!" Kenzo shouted above the wind.


...Verus Sentoni assassinated the Queen, Bane replied coolly. The person you thought you wanted revenge on was killed by the one that deserves your hatred.


Kenzo was silent the rest of the flight. Soon, the silhouettes of the other riders were visible in the sky as they approached from the flank. His red eyes glowed in the night's darkness, though what emotion they held was uncertain.
 
Sanz's eyes widened slightly at the burst of light that came from the island. He didn't need to guess, he didn't even need to see inside to know. He could feel it in his soul that someone else was dying to ensure his survival. Another life . . . how many more would need to be lost before he was finally able to stand on his own two feet? He grit his teeth, and blood was dripping from his palms where his nails had dug in


"Dammit . . . dammit . . . dammit . . ."


Little one--


"Don't 'little one' me Auntyrmarun. I should be fighting--"


If you fought--


"If I fought I would die! I know that! But how is that any different from the people who are dying there right now?!"
 
"Where's the Queen?" Matthais asked. He understood those downward looks. He grit his teeth as he turned his back on the island. He spoke loudly so the whole crew, including the newly arrived Kenzo could hear. "Sanz, you aren't wrong... but we are seriously outclassed here. There was nothing we could do. I couldn't even touch the dragonrider I fought, and he was just toying with me." He met the gaze of each rider that looked up. "Now we train. I don't see those Dragonborn stopping their attacks with that. There will be more and... after what happened tonight, it won't be too long until Dracosfar is in a full-on civil war."


Sikstaxen, at Matthais request flew close to Draconas at the head of the flight. "Sir, we need to train. As hard as we can. We need you to come up with something that will push us to the limit."
 
Draconas seemed barely present but he did answer. "We will go to Koda. We have to tell them about Merise and Kestus...." His voice fell silent as he seemed to be withdrawn into himself.


Elise swiveled her head around to face Matthais, but her words reached everyone. We're going to head to Koda. Don't let your guard down, people. Kirion, Merona, Bane, and Kenzo, I want you people in the front. Sanz, Auntyrmarun, Ardra, Majeir, Neera, and Eldran, I want you in the back. Iris, Verspab, Matthais, and Sikstaxen, cover the sides. I'll remain in the middle to make hearing my orders clear.


Ardra didn't even respond but Majeir did as he moved to the back. Ardra glanced back, her mind whirling with the impossibilities. Her father had just started a war that would rip Dracsofar apart. But for what purpose was this? It was no secret that Mistriel wanted vengeance for her father's death, but this was going beyond vengeance.


Neera responded sluggishly as she and Eldran fell back as well. Nothing but silence came from her. Her mind was filled with the image of her mother dying, filled with blood and death. Her emotions were threatening to release but she held it back, trying to not let it come out right now. This wasn't the time; this wasn't the place.


Iris and Verspab moved to the left side of Elise. Iris somberly looked back at the wrapped corpse of Kestus. Had it only been hours ago that the lively fairy had been flying around excitedly making food for the council? A sob caught in her throat and her eyes shot straight forward, trying to ignore emotion for the time being.
 
As Bane and Kenzo moved to the front of the pack, he was confused. Elise had issued no order for Kestus and his dragon. Kenzo glanced around, and his blood ran cold when he saw the wrapped corpse that, judging from the size, could only belong to the pyromaniac. Kenzo had to grit his teeth at the rage he felt, and his crimson gaze threatened to sear the very air with its intensity as his eyes darted around, keeping a watchful eye out for enemies. Half of him dared anyone to even try and attack them, but the other half knew it would end as before.


He actually growled softly at his own pathetic powerlessness. Bane, though she didn't vocalize it, knew how he felt.
 
Auntyrmarun took the far back of the back, flying near Eldran. While the psychic dragon may not have missed Neera's lack of presence, it was completely unnoticed by Sanz. The man was sitting cross-legged on Auntyrmarun's back, facing back towards the island. His entire presence seemed to be overflowing with anger, as if one errant sentence would cause him to completely snap. His eyes simply glared at the island, seething.
 
Sikstaxen glided to the right side of the party and Matthais trained his eyes on the horizon. It undulated with one darkness meeting an other. The line where the sea turned to sky was difficult to discern, but Matthais starred at it, watching for anything they'd need to run from... or send someone to distract. Why am I so useless?


You are far from useless little one, Sikstaxen replied.


I released the most power I ever had before at that guy and he dodged it like it was nothing.


He probably has years of experience on you and your efforts were just.


Does that really matter? I failed. I couldn't save Kestus... I wasn't even there to help when they attacked the queen.


But you tried my sweet little one. More than can be said for many. You ran at odds far stacked against you with a rational mind. You were angry, yes, very angry. But you knew what you were doing. Courage, Matthais, Son of the Rhux, is one of the most important traits in a warrior.


And surely actual competence is no match for a brave man.


Matthais closed his mind and returned to his watch with his hand gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. He thought of Dana and despite the usual anger at her plight and the plight of the Rhux there was only a deep sadness. He'd failed her too. If a civil war was to start from tonight's events then the Rhux would suffer greatly. Either being conscripted or left out for the oncoming army. They might very well need help as well... and he was in no position to give any aid at all.
 
Elise saw an island in the distance where they could stop for the night. She signaled to the other dragons, figuring that they were more competent at the moment. She touched the emotions of the others and knew then that they would have a very long road ahead of them. Her eyes were cast upwards towards the sky as she recalled the bit of knowledge that every dragon knew. The Prophecy that they would be following would lead them to a land that would change their existences forever. A land where rider and dragon would both evolve into something more.


They drew slowly closer to the island, farther away from their first taste of war. Closer to a new destiny, farther from their old lives. To move forward, the past would have to be forgotten. To survive, they would have to go beyond being human.


And perhaps, in the end, they would become the heroes of a land about to be re-born....
 
Sanz leapt off of Auntyrmarun's back as soon as he hit the ground on the island, crashing through the undergrowth in a very un-elf-like fashion. His vision was red around the edges, and he could feel his head pulsing. He needed someplace that he could center. A barren cliff of rock would do. Maybe a stream of some sort. It didn't matter, so long as he was away from other people and away from that massacre . . . away from his failure. He grit his teeth and kept going. Auntyrmarun quickly jumped back into the air and followed above him, clearly worried.
 
Bane landed a short ways away from the main group and Kenzo leapt off. He strode into the forest wordlessly, eventually stopping in a small clearing. He sat cross-legged and focused his wind magicks...more specifically, focusing the rage and frustration he felt. He closed his eyes and the wind swirled around him, rustling the leaves and swirling the grass he sat upon. The air rushed faster and faster, and the swirling cylinder grew tighter, eventually lifting him slowly into the air. He was now hovering about two feet off the ground, the air swirling upwards and around him, causing his short hair to be blown straight up. He opened his eyes slowly, twin circles of flame alight amist the black void of his sclera.


Never again, he swore to himself. I will sooner die than fail to protect her again. Patches of earth beneath him splintered off from the rest of the ground, rising into the air, floating, and slowly beginning to orbit him as his resolves strengthened.
 
Neera's feet hit the ground running as she took off into the forest. The farther she went, more tears streamed down her face. When she finally reached the edge of a waterfall, she dropped to her knees as a sound of anguish and pain ripped through her almost like a scream. That....couldn't have just happened. Her mother....couldn't be gone. None of this could be real. Could it? Reality began to sink in as she collapsed into a state of tears.


----


Ardra heard the scream and knew what Neera was feeling. This was not the time to help her though. The others seemed weary and still in shock. Neera, Sanz, and Kenzo had disappeared. With a sigh, she looked over at Iris.


"We've got to set up a camp for when they return." She spoke quietly.


Iris nodded, glancing back briefly at the sea-weed wrapped, preserved body behind her. "....I'll set him down somewhere where they can't see him. I don't think they know yet about....Kestus....."


----


Kirion looked over at Draconas. He could hear the other two girls speaking a little bit away and he was glad they were thinking straight. Merona set down on the beach and Kirion collapsed on the sand, staring up into the stars silently. Merona's metal scales clinked silently as she curled up in a protective circle around him. No one was going to disturb her master tonight.


----


Elise set down wearily, her head hitting the sand with a thump. Draconas was still just sitting in the saddle, seemingly unable to move or think. With a sigh, she levitated him off of her back and down to lean against her. Her head stretched around and she gently began to soothe him into sleep. He was not going to be of any use for a while. Sapphire had always been his secret love. Of course, there was still the matter of her children....Elise's eyes popped open from her next thought. Things had just gotten really complicated.
 
The scream caused his meditation to falter slightly, and Kenzo steadied himself in the air. The orbiting dirt and rocks shuddered at the moment of broken concentration but steadied themselves. After considering to himself briefly Kenzo sighed and planted his feet on the ground, the orbiting debris falling with *thud*s and the wind calming down. He strode off into the forest after the person he knew the sorrow belonged to. Part of him felt he should leave her be but he couldn't. Not at a time like this, in a situation he knew all too well.


He silently walked up behind the doll-like form of Neera, placing a firm hand on her shoulder. "I know you probably don't want me here or care about what I'm saying at the moment," he said, his normally neutral voice taking on a more comforting tone, "but I know what you're going through. I am in no position to tell you what to do or think, as one who chose a path of revenge...especially considering that I initially desired revenge on your family myself," he said apologetically. "Still..,please, don't think you're alone." He took his hand off her shoulder and turned away, beginning to head back towards where they all landed. "You and I both WILL have our revenge," he muttered, and in a flair of rage the wind howled around him, slicing a thick tree roughly in half with the gust.


Kenzo made it back to the landing spot, and briefly hesitated as he glanced to Adra. However he realized he couldn't run from this forever and made his way over to her, dropping somberly to one knee, bowing his head in shame. "I apologize for my incompetence, Ardra," he said, shame in his voice. Bane sighed at this display, but was glad that Kenzo wasn't avoiding Ardra now.
 
Sanz had found what he thought to be a suitable location. A sheer cliff, with the sound of a waterfall in the distance. It was probably some ways off coming over the same cliff. However . . . just as he was about to start unleashing himself in the desolate place, the scream came. It pierced through his very soul, and sounded all to familiar to a young elf in his head . . . Sanz quickly shook his head with a roar and split a boulder in two. He needed release, needed to let his blade fly. He could calm down once that had been done. Ignore the scream--shut out everything else but battle. One more slab of rock . . . another . . . and another . . .


The elf let out a heavy breaths. He was already panting for reasons he could not explain. After another swing, he finally gave up. The sound haunted him . . . reminded him too much of the past. The massive blade came up over his shoulder, and he walked. It took some time, but he found the waterfall. Left there was the girl he had denounced as immature. Daughter of the queen. Princess of the nation. Rider. And now . . . orphaned. Much as he had so many years ago. Sanz walked up to her side, and there was a *crunch* as his sword dug a foot in the ground. His back rested against the flat of the blade, sitting cross-legged as he looked at the young woman--Neera. Trying to talk to her wouldn't help . . . she needed to take the first action herself.
 
Neera barely heard Kenzo in the midst of her pain. She barely felt him touch her shoulder and she barely felt him leave. She was still too trapped in the emotion. As she began to receive her senses again, Neera became aware that she wasn't alone. A brief glance upwards revealed that it was Sanz sitting near her. She hastily tried to wipe the tears from her eyes; how she hated for anyone to see her cry. But the tears kept coming and her voice broke as she tried to speak.


"...w-why are you...here?" The pauses came as she took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. But she couldn't stop crying. It was as if they had a mind of their own, streaming from her eyes.


----


Ardra and Iris were working hard on the beach to set up a base camp. Their dragons helped as they dragged limbs and such to create lean-to's to shelter them that night. When Kenzo came to her side, she barely noticed that he was there until he spoke. Her eyes turned to him, weary with emotion and fear. She just wrapped her arms around him then, not speaking a word to him. At this point, words weren't exactly possible. She released him and turned to Iris quickly.


"....should I go find something for us to eat?"


"....you've got a bow....you should be able to find something around here...." Iris wearily looked up at her.


"Okay." Ardra stepped out into the jungle, telling Majeir to stay behind. She was going to find something, all right. They were going to need food and strength to make it to the next day. Ardra looked back at Kenzo, still kneeling there. "You can come with me if you want, Kenzo...."
 
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Sanz kept his eyes trained on the girl in front of him, barely blinking. When he spoke, his deep voice remained even and emotionless.


"Because I know what it's like to lose your home and family in a single night."


He offerred no further explanation. His legs were crossed, and his arms were folded over each other as he continued to calmly gaze at the princess of the nation.
 
"This....can't be real...." Neera wrapped her arms around herself. "This has to be a...n-nightmare of some kind." Her eyes pleaded with Sanz to tell her that this wasn't real. That it was all going to end when she woke up in her own bed back at the training facility. "It has to be, right? There's no way that that could happen so easily." She was grasping at straws now and she tightened her grip on her own body. Neera was terrified, angry, upset, and so many other emotions. Her ability to be rational was going down. "....I want my momma...." She let go of her own body to bury her face into her arms.
 
Kenzo rose, a little surprised by the invitation. "I would be honored," he said, "but I'm not sure how much help I will be. I left my swords behind..."
 
Sanz let out a breath through clenched teeth. He had seen this before. He had experienced this before. He knew what mistakes she was making . . . and he was not going to let that happen. The man stood up and walked over to her, right before his hand grabbed the back of her collar.


"Stop."


His words held a tamed ferocity within them, like there was a veil over his anger. She was instantly pulled up to eye level with him, causing her feet to dangle off the ground


"Stop wallowing in your own mind, and LISTEN to me. The world has officially gone to shit right now. The council: dead. The island: gone. It's not a nightmare, and the sooner you accept that the sooner you can try to move on with your life. Your mother is gone now, she can't help you."


It wasn't nice. It wasn't pretty. But right now what she needed was the cold, hard truth. Sanz spent months in denial before he finally managed to accept the fact that his entire family was dead. He lowered his arm, letting the girl's feet touch the ground
 
"I want you with me...." Ardra looked away, a bit of vulnerability showing on her face. "Please....come with me?" She extended her hand out towards him with an imploring look on her face. It was taking all of her strength to keep from breaking down about the fact that apparently her family was the center of this coup.


----


Neera's eyes flashed open in shocked pain before closing again. "...I know....I r-really do know...." Her hand started shaking first, then her arm, then it started to spread to the rest of her body. The emotions were not something that she could hold back. She then did the only rational thing that came into her mind; she put her arms around Sanz and cried with abandon. These were not tears of shock like before. They were more of acceptance. He probably wasn't going to be happy with her because of this but right now she was incapable of much else.
 
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