The Dragon's Den Chronicles

We wandered outside, beginning our journey. Well, actually, we were faced with the problem of what to do with the water dragon and the southerner. The water dragon looked miserable. She had apparently been away from water too long. The southerner was standing slightly away from them and looking at the scenery.

“You’re an elemental,” the water dragon stated as soon as I walked out. I nodded heavily. I could sense what she wanted.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t have what you are looking for. That nasty little spell is on a piece of parchment that has been avoiding people for years. Only the Elements knows where it is now.” I shook my head, eyes to the sky. The water dragon dropped her head.

“There is,” I put out tentatively, “a spell I could use to help you for now. It’s nothing great,” I commented quickly, seeing the look on her face. “But it will enable you to stay out of water. It’s a pretty easy spell to do, but it only lasts a week and a half. I, or someone who knows the spell, would have to be with you to refresh it. I could probably teach it to you, but it would take time. At any rate, the spell consists of creating a bond to lakes, rivers, and oceans everywhere. There would be a thin sheet of water going across your skin at all times. This has its advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantage would be of course you’d have to keep refreshing the spell. The advantage would be you’d be able to stay out of water.” I paused wearily, then stood on my own, without support. “The problem is, for you to learn it, you’d have to come with us, and we are going into dangerous territory. But then, you were already planning on going with us, weren’t you?” I continued on. She jumped as I smiled.

“Well, onto the other,” I commented, looking at the southerner. “You are Dirk Ironclaw, are you not?” I questioned, surprised in spite of myself. “A good fighter and an extraordinary Healer, as I have heard. Are you to join us as well?” He opened his mouth as I held a hand up. “No, silly question. Don’t answer that.”

The dragon lay unconscious, his body twitching spasmodically as he lay on the dungeon floor. With a satisfied noise, the sorcerer who stood above him turned, and left the presence of the ailing beast. As soon as the quiet crackling hum of a magickal field sounded, announcing the exit, a golden slit appeared from under the blood red scaled eyelid. With a sigh of relief, Wyrlin opened his eyes fully, and pushed himself upright, balancing on the tail, the sorcerer had given him, after taking his legs from him as a young dracling, leaving his front arms to develop. This was the same tail that lashed in anger, a great hatred towards the sorcerer who had ruined his life, sweeping in long arcs across the stone floor. It slowed as he got to work on the wall in his cell, tearing at the stones frantically with his claws. With a grunt of effort and satisfaction he uncovered the tunnel he'd been working on for 93 years, that had been started by his cell's previous owner. He shuddered when he thought of their fate.
He responded to the sorcerer's 'treatments', as he called them, uniformly for the past 96 years, becoming unconscious and twitching in spasms. Suddenly, about three months ago, they stopped. His body had acclimatized. So as not to arouse suspicion, he acted as though they had the same effect, adding some extra moans and twitches for effect now and then, but gave him more time to work on the tunnel. He'd gotten farther in the past few months than he had in 60 years. Usually the sessions left him too weak to dig more than a few pawfuls, but he knew that tonight, he would be free, or else he would go mad.
He balled a fist and hit the tunnel end, knocking some rubble loose. Rubbing the knuckles, which by this time were quite sore, he made a fist again, and punched through . .into air. Hot tears ran fast and furious down his huge face as he cleared the rubble. He was free. With a great shove, he heaved the last of the rocks out, and looked upon The Chasm.
It stretched for over 500 yards, and looked bottomless. Wyrlin didn't plan on testing that theory any time soon. With a defeated sigh, tears of sadness now streaming down the scales, he began backing down the tunnel, when a small voice near his tail suddenly made him jump.
"Can I offer some help?" it asked, ever so politely.
He looked down to see a spider, no more than one-fourth of an inch across, looking up at him expectantly. He began to laugh, a great thundering laugh, "You have succeeded in cheering me up, my bretheren, but how can you help such a great beast as me, in as much trouble as I am in?"
"I can spin."
"And so can a grandmother, my friend. How does that get me out of here?"
"Watch."
The spider climbed up into the window, and spun a thin thread around one of the bars in the window, and jumped, into the wind. It began to float on a breeze, out towards the canyon. An hour later, it came back along a taut thread, making the wyrm's amber eyes widen.
"I understand now," was all he said, quietly. He moved to the window, and muttered an engorgement charm he had heard the sorcerer mutter many times. The thread began to swell, until it became dragon sized, and with the same strength that spider silk is known for, stronger than any substance for its weight. Wyrlin reached up, and grabbed the rope with both hands. He wrapped his tail around it for balance, and began swinging out across it into the chasm. He felt the warm sun on his back scales, something he had not known for nearly a century. A cool breeze blew through his spikes, and he smiled, a real smile of happiness, for the first time that he could remember.
When he reached the other side, he wept again, and kissed the ground. Turning around, he saw the spider had followed him. He grinned toothily through his tears at the small arachnid. "My small friend, you have brought me amusement and my freedom in one day. How can I ever repay you . .mister. . .?"
"WebJumper, your dragonship." the spider replied respectfully.
Wyrlin roared in laughter at the title, "No, no my brother. I am part scorpion, your relative, so call me no more than Wyrlin, and treat me as no more than a friend. Again, you have brought me amusement and my freedom, how can I repay this unwarranted deed?"
The spider thought for a while, and then looked up excitedly, "Make me big, Wyrlin!"
Wyrlin smiled at the ambitious spider, and then murmured the engorgement charm again. WebJumper grew to a foot and a half across. It bowed to the dragon, "Thank you, my brother."
"No," corrected Wyrlin, "thank you. Without your help, I should still be languishing in that dungeon, not here, making you the size of a supper dish."
The arachnid laughed a hearty laugh, and clambered onto Wyrlin's shoulder. "So, brother, where shall we go?"
"Away."

The man who had once called himself Cort, sat drumming his fingers on a table and staring at the wall. Of course, he acctually saw far beyond the wall, it was simply where his eyes happened to be focused at the moment. The Dark Lord have given him great power, and at the moment he was considering how best to use the gifts.
He could see them all, the fools who thought to oppose his master, they were on their way, traveling towards the source of the Dark Lord's power. It was he, Hemal’to’Dharrik, who had been charged the task of destroying them. His drumming paused and his eyes shimmered a moment at the thought of that. Only, what should I do? There are so many opetions.
Perhaps simple was best, calling upon some of the Dark Lord's many minions. If they survived, they would at least be weakened, and he could send something stronger to face them.
His mind made up, he raised the hand that had been resting on the table and made a simple gesture. That was all it took, the master had made him that strong. He quickly mindcalled the servants he required and gave them their task.
He leaned forward in his seat then, and rested his chin on folded hands, a small smile comming to his face. Though he still seemed to be simply staring at the wall, he couldn't wait to see how the little group fared through this.

Dragonsong12 sighed as they walked. Their journey was not going well at the moment. They knew too little of each other, that was the problem. They were reluctant to talk, and they were all more than a little confused and apprehensive.
Except Faz.
The firedrake was flying slowly over her head without a care in the world. She eyed him in annoyance, then shook her head, it wasn't worth trading words with Faz, he almost always won.
A weight settled on her shoulder. "Problems, Kala?" Faz asked, with a grin.
"No, no," she replied, try to keep her face expressionless, "Just thinking." She expected some smart comment from him for that, and was almost dissapointed when he was silent. At last, she ventured, "Faz, what do you think of all this? I mean, do we have a chance to win? Or are we just going out here, and nothing's really wrong? Or...oh, I just would like to know what's going on."
"You will, you will," Faz said in a reassuring voice, though the grin never left his scaled face. He took off her shoulder again. "But how can you doubt our chances? Look at the group we've got!" He gestured towards the others, "Let's see, there's a very large elemental, that's good right? And, hmm, we have a fire-water skitzophrenic, also quite large, we have a spy, a swimmer (minus the water), and a nice mist dragon, who has the amazing ability of being able to get herself the heck away if things get bad..."
"Faz," Dragonsong12 frowned angrily, "stop that, that's mean!"
"...and the cream of the crop!" Faz continued, turning his head to look at the warrior, Ironclaw, walking near them, "Dirk, warrior prince!"
Ironclaw looked up and narrowed his eyes. A small angry growl rose in his throat and his grip on the battleaxe tightened. "Ironclaw," he corrected, "and don't forget it!"
Dragonsong12 reached up then and grabbed Faz's tail, pulling him down out of the air just as he was about to pick on the warrior further. "Faz, cut it out!"
He pulled his tail away from her sharply, but was grinning again when he looked at her. "And last, but not least, Kala the first!"
"Well and good, Faz," she said in annoyed tones, "but you shouldn't pick on someone who can chop you in half by just flicking one wrist. What were you thinking?! You just-"
A loud angry screech cut her off and all eyes turned straight forward. The was before them was barred by a large gryphon. The beast looked at them through red eyes and screeched again. Instantly, twenty other gryphons only slightly smaller than their leader surrounded the group. The all had the same markings, brown and tan with streaks of black on their heads and manes.
"Oh, this is not good..." Dragonsong12 muttered as the leader spread his large wings and leaped into the air, preparing to attack.

I don't know what you're complaining about, Crimson said. You're not the one who's reduced to a mere voice!
"No," Blizzard conceded, "but I am the one who's been a mere voice for the last few years. And now I finally get to use my whole body and you expect me to give it up just because you've asked?"
Crimson snorted.
Well, I was here first.
"You were not! It wasn't until Hema-"
"Don't say the name!" Crimson yelled, forcefully enough to be heard through Blizzard's mouth.
He immediately regretted it. Every head in the group had turned to look at him. Or rather, at Blizzard.
Do not say that name, Blizzard, Crimson said firmly. How many times do we have to go over this?
"I think it'd be worth telling someone about-"
No! Nonono! Not now! Not ever!
"Will you calm down! These dragons seem...different somehow. More fair-minded at least. Supporters of justice and-"
Oh will you just SHUT UP! Crimson said angrily. Shut up and listen to yourself! If these dragons are, as you claim, 'fair-minded' and 'supporters of justice' and believers in truth and all that, how do you think they'd feel if they found out you've been deceiving them?
"Me??" Blizzard protested. "You're the one who said, 'don't tell them anything about us'!"
I know. If any of this gets out, I could be-
Crimson's protests stopped abruptly, much to Blizzard's surprise.
Then Crimson focused Blizzard's eyes beyond Dragonsong12 and Faz and the waterdragon saw why.
"Gryphons," he said weakly. "Twenty of them."
Hey, you can count! Who'd've thought?
Blizzard was not a violent dragon. On the contrary, he much preferred to spend his time relaxing and eating. He'd always been repulsed by Crimson's attitude, which could probably be summed up in the simple phrase 'if something starts acting hostile, chase it off. If it doesn't, wait for it to start acting hostile. Then chase it off.'
The waterdragon much preferred to live and let live. But now, facing down a herd of hostility, Blizzard really needed to know; what did you use against gryphons?
Water! prompted Crimson from within.
"Call me callous, Crimson," Blizzard said, edging nervously away, "but I hardly think that now is the time to trot off and have a quick drink."
No! Water. It clogs their feathers so they can't fly as well as usual.
The largest gryphon (Alpha, Crimson explained) spread his wings and leapt straight for Dragonsong12.
Blizzard, in a panic, called the first words that came into his head. If he could just get rid of this...this apple...
A sensation of shocking wet cold enveloped him.
Soak them, not us! Crimson protested. And it's 'alpha'.
Blizzard, who had never bothered with the terms or any kind of language beyond his own, tried again. The problem was, since the Shirak incident, Blizzard had refused to use his water powers and was consequently out of practice. The next attack came in the form of several thousand litres of water--delivered with about as much force as a soft summer shower.
Don't sprinkle them, drench them! Crimson yelled.
"They might drown," Blizzard argued.
Good!
With a sigh, Blizzard concentrated the force of water onto one single gryphon that was edging towards Malafyss.
The unlucky creature collapsed under the sheer weight.
That was- Crimson, suddenly realising he was about to compliment his alter-ego, changed his sentence abruptly. Is that all you can come up with? One out of twenty?
"That's all I can do."
Guess it's better than nothing. It'll save us, anyway. Do it...Crimson spotted the leader engaged in a furious battle with Dragonsong12. Faz was darting about, getting in a slash here and there but for the most part, the two combatants were too entwined for the others to risk helping.
That one. The alpha.
"Are you crazy?" Blizzard shrieked. "If I miss, the full force of the water's gonna come straight down on Dragonsong12! And if I hit the apple-"
Alpha, snapped Crimson, who had developed a strong suspicion that Blizzard was getting it wrong on purpose.
"Alpha, then. If I hit it, Dragonsong12'll be crushed under both gryphon and water."
Well...blow on it, then.
Blizzard shook his head stubbornly.
"No. Not that one."
He turned abruptly and spouted a jet of icefire at a single gryphon that had thought to sneak up behind him and Crimson.
Blizzard's fire had two interesting properties. One, it could be cold enough to make anything into an ice statue. Two, it could be so cold it burned the unlucky victim.
Blizzard chose number one.
When the resulting steam cleared, a perfect ice sculpture of a gryphon in mid-leap stood on the path.
Nice, Crimson commented.
"It'll thaw soon," Blizzard said. "We need to--"
A small ball thrown onto the path cut him short. Blizzard had never seen one before. Crimson, who had spent a little more time around humans (while Blizzard took a quick nap,) recognised it immediately. Sheer panic gave him the ability to take over Blizzard's wings and flap, hard.
"What the-" Blizzard began.
No time to explain! Move move move!
Blizzard started to say that Crimson wasn't really giving him a lot of choice in the matter, then decided against it and settled for trying to regain control.
What are you doing?! Crimson yelled, flapping as hard as he could with the one wing still responding to his commands. The fact that this only made him fly round and round in circles simply added to his frustration.
"What are you doing?" Blizzard countered.
The explosion cut both of them short. It was very small, with about the same diameter as Fazelspitz.
Crimson felt stupid.
The gryphons backed off, startled.
"What's going on?" Malafyss wanted to know.
"Gryphons have very sensitive hearing," Crimson explained through Blizzard. "That explosion scared them off...for the time being." He raised one of Blizzard's claws to point to where the herd was regrouping. Or what was left of it. The other dragons hadn't been idle and only fourteen or fifteen of the original herd remained.
"Does that mean we're safe?" Dragonsong12 wondered.
"No," Crimson said with absolute confidence. "They'll attack again soon."
"But who threw that ball?" Blizzard wondered.
Crimson was silent. Humans were the only ones with those balls, he knew. The last few encounters he'd had with them had been...well, they'd been different. And far less pleasant.
A human, he answered.
"A human?" Blizzard echoed.
The bushes to the side rustled, and a male human with black hair stepped out.
"Jared?" Dragonsong12 said, not in the tones of someone politely inquiring but more in the tones of someone finding it very hard to believe the answer could be 'yes'.
Jared!
Before Blizzard could do anything, Crimson had wrestled back control and changed their shared body. He leapt, pinning the terrified human to the ground.
"You," he grated in a voice thick with anger.
Jared looked frozen in fear, and no wonder. Crimson wasn't a huge dragon-but fifteen foot was quite large enough to a human.
"I-I..."
"You what?" Crimson demanded.
"I-I thought-thought you...you were dead!"
"No, although it's not for want of human effort!"
"I saved you," Jared said bravely, swallowing against the talon on his throat. "Back in Marrinal. I was the one who stopped them from--"
"Enough!" Crimson snapped, as much to stop the young human blabbing too much to the listeners as anything.
"The question now is, what do I do with you? And what can you offer me to let you live--again?"
"I saved you," Jared repeated. He indicated the remnants of the ball.
First time I've ever seen one of those, Blizzard remarked, trying to divert Crimson's wrath.
"Yeah, well, you're about as smart as that deer I had for breakfast last week," Crimson muttered.
Uh, were you talking to him or me then?
"Both! And for your information, Blizzard, explosions aren't the only things that come out of those things!"
How do you know that? Blizzard said. I don't know that. So how can you?
Crimson hesitated briefly.
"I've had...experience," he said darkly.
Whatever he was thinking of caused him to turn back to Jared with a renewed snarl.
"So, Jared," the firedragon said, making the name sound like an insult, "after all you did, what can you offer me to spare your life for a second time?"
The human froze.
He couldn't think of any answer.

Startled as they were, the other's attention was pulled away from the giant dragon who was about to rip the human's head off. The danger was too great.
There was an angry silence that filled the clearing as gryphon stared at dragon, and dragon stared right back. The lead gryphon made a small shriek, and the others began closing in, but Nightwhisper moved forward to the front gryphon. She and the gryphon stared at each other for a moment.
“Are you going to run?” Faz asked with pure pleasure.
“No, my good friend, you know me well enough to know what I’m going to do.”
“I was afraid you were going to say that,” he replied gloomily. Obviously, he thought the fact of Nightwhisper running away amused him and he would hope it would happen. There were reasons for that.
The group watched, amazed, as Nightwhisper gazed at the gryphon, and the gryphon gazed right back. She first bowed to the gryphon, who, amazingly, bowed right back after a moment, but it was a more jerk of the head. Nightwhisper opened her mouth, as if to speak, but what came out of her mouth was not a word. It was a low, guttural roar/bird-like squawk. The gryphon cocked its head to the side, as if considering, then voiced its words in the same language. Nightwhisper spoke to them.
“Gryphons were supposedly extinct, which why I was surprised. However, I know their language. This one is the head female. I asked what was going on and she’s replying.” Nightwhisper paused a moment, then, “ ‘The worlds beyond this were less formed. They were of mists, and many of the dead was there. It was a world where nothing was solid, but was of complete light. Suddenly, in our lives, an unbreakable voice called to us, brought us in the living. Our mission was you’re life and we were promised our lives in return.’ ”
“Don’t they know that even the Dark Lord can’t give a dead creature a new life?” Malafyss asked. “They have to wait to be born into the life again.”
The gryphon made an annoyed noise and Nightwhisper translated.
“She says she can understand the common language as well as her own. And you can’t lie around gryphons.”
“You can’t?” Agra asked curiously. Nightwhisper shook her head.
“It’s a kind of ‘truth aura’ they have around them. She knows I am translating exactly what she is saying. But if you don’t believe me, go ahead and try to lie.”
Agra’s mouth worked, but no sound came out. Finally, she snorted contemptuously and turned her attention to the gryphons surrounding them.
“Anyway,” Nightwhisper continued, “no, she didn’t know that they couldn’t have a real life. Gryphons are proud, so now they must make a decision. They know now that the Dark Lord cannot give them what they want, so they are not sure if they should carry out the orders.”
There was a moment of tense silence until the female gryphon let out a short roar. The gryphons moved away from the travelers and let them pass.
“Here we go,” Faz mumbled from above the group. Malafyss looked up at the tiny firedrake, then suddenly twisted her head to look behind her.
“We are being spied on,” she hissed. “The Servant is not going to be happy we passed this test.”
“Servant?” Dragonsong questioned.
“Hemal’to’Dharrik, the Servant to the Dark, Cort, whatever you’d like to call him. He’s been watching us the entire time, and he’s not going to make our trip easy.”
An uneasy silence filled between the group as they continued on their way. Nightwhisper stayed close to the front, nostrils wide as she continuously siphoned in air to make sure what was coming to them. Faz looked around at the group and thought of who to antagonize (friendly wise, of course- wouldn’t do any good to be bit in half), and dropped down onto his target’s shoulder. Malafyss looked at the chicken-sized dragon sitting on her shoulder.
“What’s with you?” he demanded. “You look like you’ve got a mite under your scales.”
Which is in fact what it did look like, because she kept scratching the back of her head.
“Sorry.” She put her hand down. “It’s just, the Dark Lord’s power feels. . . a lot like my own family’s. I don’t know.” She looked at the group they were traveling with. Nightwhisper had dropped back and was next to Malafyss, giving her silent encouragement to continue with what she was saying. This was the way she was good with. Nightwhisper could use people as a mouthpiece, manipulate them to what she needed. And if she pushed the right way on Malafyss, the elemental might saw what she wanted known.
“I don’t know who guides you, Faz,” Malafyss continued on. At his shocked look, she commented, “I don’t know who or what it is. I just know it’s there. You must realize, I’ve been talking to spirits since I was in my egg. My parents thought I was crazy for a while.” She paused in thought of her past. Finally, she broke out, “What are we getting into?!”
The six dragons stopped and turned to her. Faz’s eyes remained on her.
“Seriously. What in the Fates above are we getting into? We’re fighting something that hasn’t been seen from in centuries, that its power has been mixed and mutilated as time goes on in stories, and we’d all turn on the other at a drop of a hat! Trust is not easy, not to someone who is a spy,” she pointed to Agra, “not to two that hate each other,” and she pointed at Crimson and Blizzard, “not to a southerner who fears how we will react,” she continued, looking toward Dirk Ironclaw, “and not to a true elemental being,” she finished, looking at Nightwhisper. Malafyss sighed. “We have a lot to learn.”
Silence descended once again, and Nightwhisper almost felt drowned in it. Apparently, either Malafyss had a lot on her mind, or Nightwhisper had pushed a bit too hard. Oh well.
Suddenly, she lifted her head. A smell came drifting to her nose. She coughed, and stopped the group. “Not good,” she whispered quietly. “This ain’t going to be a good fight.” She breathed in again. “Four wyverns, three mages (all on the Dark Lord’s side), one banshee, and two ogres.”
“That’s it?” Agra commented viciously. “That will be a synch to get past.”
They waited for them to appear. Nightwhisper hardened the spikes on her elbows and ankles and grew more over her body. Malafyss stood straight and looked to where they would come. Dragonsong appeared to have brought some weapons along, but did not seem to be comfortable using them. Agra had short blades in her hands, and Nightwhisper guessed she had many more hidden. Dirk had moved his axe out, but looked unhappy at the prospect of fighting a battle. Faz hovered above in the air. Ailwynn had moved to the center of the group and seemed to try to be preparing herself for the task ahead. Crimson’s muscles tightened, ready to pounce. There was an anticipatory silence until the wyverns, mages, banshee, and ogres appeared. They grinned, having finally found their prey. Crimson roared loudly and shot toward one of the wyverns. Agra shook her head and went after an ogre. Crimson, who seemed to have forgotten Jared for a moment in the danger of it all, had been full of fire, but it was quickly extinguished as one of the wyverns ducked, while the other two caught him and sent him back. Nightwhisper, in her own sardonic humor, would have found that amusing on its own until he hit smack into Malafyss and sent her careening back. She gasped a couple of times, more out of shock then anything because Crimson was smaller than her, and managed a sour joke as he stood.
“You sweep me off my feet,” she commented, brushing herself off. She took a moment more than she usually would, giving him a moment more to head back to the fight so she could see what was going on. She looked up and saw that things were going badly. Nightwhisper managed to look up at Malafyss and nod. Nightwhisper had already given Malafyss the idea, and Nightwhisper had known she was going to use it. She just hoped the group would forgive her for the idea, and not Malafyss for using it.
“That’s enough,” Nightwhisper whispered to herself. “Go for it.”
Malafyss roared loudly, attracting both offenders’ and defenders’ attentions. “Enough!” she growled. She opened her mouth, and singsong words ushered forth, but they were deadly words.

“Earth and Water, Wind and Fire
All see what can conspire
By my love, by my power
With my words, magick shower

“Kissing wisdom, pearling drops
Rolling energy non-stop
Eight lives join the Fate
Power flowing to the date

“An Earth dragon; one who quotes
The Fates know the Travels wrote
A Water dragon filled with despair
Over something that isn’t there

“A Fire and a Water fight to see
Which is which, which will be
One will growl, one will fight
One will kiss, and one will bite

“A hissing word, a seething glare
This one’s fast on land and air
A southerner for none to know
In deadly peril the very foe

“A small Fire, but something wrong
A spirit-friend with voice of song
A quiet one with past not shown
This one’s thoughts stay unknown

“Eight powers group
An unbreakable loop
Fixed on a space
A strength to place

“With hope at stake
We have no fake
The fight begun
This spell is done!”

As Malafyss spoke 'an Earth dragon; one who quotes' Dragonsong began to feel her power leaving her. With 'a Water dragon' Ailwynn also felt the loss of power. The verse of the Fire and Water fighting drained both Blizzard and Crimson, and the 'hissing word and seething glare' made Agra extremely tired. 'A southerner' gave Dirk Ironclaw thought of sleep, 'a small Fire' made Faz think of his spirit friend, and 'a quiet one' gave Nightwhisper the new feeling of being powerless. Malafyss was used as a channel, and all eight dragons’ powers fed through her, destroying their enemies. Malafyss slipped to the ground as the powers abated, leaving her unconscious for the moment, and everyone felt their powers return. However, there was a difference. In having all their powers together, they were all left with a tiny piece of everyone else in themselves. The spell not only vanquished their enemies, it brought them together. Nightwhisper went to Malafyss to see what she could do.

Agra shifted nervously, watching the other dragons tend to Malafyss. She didn't like this feeling, this new strange bit inside herself. She flexed her claws, resisting the urge to dig at herself to try to dig out the feeling.
First having her mind read, now this! Why was she still here? Whatever these other dragons had to say about it, she didn't like the group, didn't trust them at all. Not even with something of them, some awareness, floating around in her phychie. ESPECIALLY not because of that. She felt her size and lack of magic more acutely than usual.
One more problem and she was out of here.
She caught Ailwynn looking over at her, a curious look on her face. The dragon's body glittered with the natural sheen of a sheet of water.
"What, prying again?" Agra questioned contemptuously.
The watery dragon shook her head and answered, "No. I don't need any magic to see this. are you back to strength again?"
Nodding, Agra turned away. "More or less. Though less, I think. I know you can feel it too. You cannot pretend not to. Everyone... all of us!"
Ailwynn simply nodded. "I feel it. Think on what it means." And then she turned and walked over to Dragonsong12. Agra never felt more dismissed in her life.
She heard a small noise from the group around Malafyss and started to pad over there, concerned for the larger dragon. But the group was tight around their fallen ally. There was no room for her there. And She'd only be in the way.
Quietly and quickly, she moved into the trees, relishing the feel of the shadows on her scales. They always felt so deliciously cool and smooth.During their fights the long day had finally begun turning again to night, and that only deepened the sensation.
She contemplated moving into the sky, stretching her wings, when a sudden movement caught her attention. Off to her left in the bushes, something moved. Agra crouched, still and silent for a moment. One clawed hand went to the beads in her hair, holding them lest they strike against her scales. And when nothing made sound for a moment or three, she cautiously bound up the beaded bit of hair and moved in for a better look.
What she saw almost choked her. A human form, but burned all over. It moved painfully but purposefully. The air smelled heavily of burnt flesh and... magic? A mage!
She understood what she thought happened in an instant. They'd pulled power from everyone to combat the enemy, but she didn't have anything for them to pull. They maybe took her strength, but not anything to power the spell. And somehow that allowed at least this one to survive. That had to be it.
She thought about going after him herself, but foolishness and bravery were not her strong suits. It took magic to fight magic. So instead she slipped stealthily and speedily back through the shadows. She had to get back to camp and warn the others.

"Someone's coming."
Malafyss was awake and moving again, though she still seemed incredibly weak and tired-looking. The rest of the dragons looked at the water-dragon wearily.
Nightwhisper nodded. "She's right."
And as though on cue, Agra rolled from the treeline. Dirk started forward with his axe before realizing who it was and only just stopped the swing. The aura of prepared magic surrounded the rest of the dragons with bright colors.
"It's one of us," Nightwhisper said, allowing the aura to dissipate.
"Kill it anyways," suggested Faz in a hard-edged teasing tone.
Agra stood, flipping at that bit of hair which was, for some reason, tied up. "Shut up," she said smoothly in Faz's direction. Then she addressed the whole group with some disturbing news.
"A mage, coming this way. We have maybe ten minutes on him. He's hurt, but if this "dark one"'s powers are as great as all that, I don't know if that'll be mugh hinderance."
Ailwynn searched mentally for the mentioned mage while the rest of them buzzed in conversaion, either with themselves or one another. Dirk hefted the axe, looking as though he meant to have use of it. So she addressed him.
"Dirk. Would you aid me in dispatching this... problem?"
Without waiting for anyone's say-so, the two of them devised a plan. And it worked beautifully in its simplicity.
The mage trundled from the forest, looking like a cooked haunch of meat, and prepared to throw a spell. Ailwynn, the only dragon not sent to hide waited for it.
He threw the spell, and she blocked it with her shield. And before he could prepare another, Dirk had the creature sliced quite neatly in half.
"That was easy," he mumbled, watching the two halves eventually stop twitching and lie decently dead.
Crimson nodded in agreement. "Too easy maybe?" Then he apparently got into another one of his fights. She wondered once what it would be to eavesdrop on one of those conversations.
Dark encroached on them, so they disposed of the body of the mage, then agreed on who would be first watch, and second and so on before getting to sleep.
But something woke Ailwynn in the middle of the night. Something wrong. And as she looked around the little camp, she saw what it was.
Agra was not asleep, not on guard... she was gone from their camp.

Dirk opened his eyes to find the camp in an uproar. “What’s wrong?” he asked sleepily.
“Agra’s gone,” said Dragonsong12.
“Gone where?”
“If we knew that, Dirk, we’d know where to look,” said Fazelspitz.
“Good point, Frazelspit,” said Dirk. The drake gaped at him. “So if everyone would SHUT UP for a moment…? Thank you,” he said in the sudden quiet. The others watched as he closed his eyes and turned his head this way and that. After a few minutes he nodded and walked around them and stopped at the western edge of the camp, where he bent down and sniffed the ground. “She went into the woods here, and she’s someway over there,” he said at last, pointing.
“How do you know?” asked Crimson.
“What magic did you use?” asked Malafyss with a frown.
“None. The forest animals are afraid of something over there,” explained Ironclaw. “Agra might be excellent at sneaking, but the bush knows she’s there.” He slung his pack and weapons into place. “I’ll find her. If you want to follow then keep back. And you-“ he pointed at Crimson, “You stay well back. When you and the other you argue there’s a lot of noise.”
“There is no-! I know, I’m sorry- I’m-“ Crimson’s mouth slammed shut and he looked away, muttering.
Dirk silently berated himself for triggering another of the strange one’s internal arguments. “Wait here,” he whispered then slipped into the woods.
He moved forward silently, his dark blue scales making him almost invisible in the shadows of the trees. Every so often he stopped and listened to the sounds of the woods, or bent to smell the ground. After half an hour he came across a small clearing by a stream. Agra was there, sitting in the shadows by the water. She jumped as he came up behind her.
“What are you doing here?” she hissed.
“My question exactly,” murmured Dirk. “And where are you going?’
“Away!” hissed Agra with some heat. “Somewhere people won’t probe my mind. Or steal my life.”
“Would you rather a friend borrow some of your energy, or an enemy take it by force?” asked Ironclaw. Agra turned to look at him, but her gaze was caught be something in the clearing. The sense of danger struck him.
Ironclaw leapt backwards into the air, drew the battle-axe and turned. A mage! The dragon brought the axe down on the man’s head, but it struck something hard. The blade rang and threw up sparks, the force of the blow jarring Dirk’s arm into numbness. The axe fell from his nerveless grip.
The man stood unharmed, and smirked. “Well, well,” he said. “Dirk Ironclaw.”
“Do I know you?” asked Ironclaw as he held his staff with his left hand.
“No,” said the mage as he brought his own staff up. “And you won’t have time now.”
The clearing rang as the pair blocked and parried blows. The man was fast but Dirk had lived with a fighting weapon at hand for many years. Even fighting one-handed Dirk had an advantage, and soon the mage’s staff was flying into the night. The dragon struck instantly, stabbing his staff down on the man’s head in a killing blow. The Mage’s hands blurred and he caught the staff an inch from his head.
Dirk struggled but could not move the weapon. It felt as though it had been set in stone. He stopped struggling, but still held on to the staff. “Say ‘oops’” said Ironclaw.
“Why would I say-“
Agra flinched as the staff made a loud bang and watched in amazement as the wizard fell backward stiffly, blood pouring from a hole in the middle of his forehead. She ran forward and gazed at the body. “Dirk?” Ironclaw said nothing as he showed her the end of his staff. A foot-long metal spike protruded from the wood, blood smeared along more than half its length. She blinked at the blade for a moment. “Oops?”
Dirk nodded. “Oops. Never assume your enemy is defeated until he is defeated or dead.” He dropped his staff and cradled his right arm. It had begun to ache as feeling returned. “Can you clean the blood off?” he asked then doubled over and groaned.
“Can’t you heal yourself?” asked Agra as she wiped the spike with the dead man’s cloak.
“It’s just painful, not injured,” said Ironclaw. “I’ll be right in a minute.”
The clearing filled with noise as the others arrived. They stared at Agra and the body of the mage.
“It appears we missed one of our hunters,” said Dragonsong12. “Well done Agra.”
“No! I-“
“She saved my life,” said Dirk quickly.
“No, he saved mine.” Agra picked up the battleaxe from where Dirk had dropped it. “And he’s trying to stop me from leaving.” She held the weapons out to Ironclaw, but he just blinked at her.
“How did you do that?” he asked softly as he took the offered battleaxe and stared at the blade. “Gilnar will let none but me and her creator handle her. What did you do?”
“Nothing,” said Agra with a shrug. “I just picked it up.”
“A mystery to ponder, Dirk!” said Fazelspitz. “We should rest here until dawn.”
“I agree, Faz,” said Ironclaw absently. “I’ll stand watch until then.”
The group settled down and drifted off to sleep. The only sound for a while was a regular click as Ironclaw wound the spike back into its hiding place in the staff. Then that, too stopped.

Hemal’to’Dharrik angrily picked up the small table and threw it across the room with all his might. The table survived its flight mostly intact…
…but the window wasn’t so lucky.
He was still staring at the broken window with an angry expression, and rubbing his chin in thought, when the innkeeper pushed the door open. The innkeeper, a fat, red-faced man stared at the window in shock, then turned his attention to the culprit, who hadn’t yet moved.
“What’d you do?!” the innkeeper demanded, “destroyin’ my property! I could have your head for that!”
Hemal’to’Dharrik calmly turned his head and looked over his shoulder at the innkeeper. “I could have your head for considerably less, dear friend.”
The fat man’s red face paled a bit. “You owe me, Master Cort, you’ll owe me more for breakin’ that window!”
The dark-haired man slowly turned on one heel and walked over to the increasingly frightened innkeeper. He leaned over the shorter man and said, “I will pay you what I will pay you, and you will take it and be happy that I leave your inn in one piece and your family alive. Now get out.”
The innkeeper wasted little time in leaving the room. Hemal’to’Dharrik, hardly noticed him, his mind went back to what had caused the burst of anger a moment before. That group of dragons, his enemies, had found their way through all the trouble he had sent to them thus far. He couldn’t believe that with everything they’d already gone through, they’d managed to survive without any grave injuries. They were far more powerful than he had anticipated.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a book. The book that had been written by Straigo, then he looked around the room and sighed in annoyance that there was no table for him to sit at. Opening the book, he flipped through it absently, for he knew most of it by now.
The book held more valuable information than anyone could’ve guessed. Mostly because the book was only meant for the eyes of other dragons. It told of the types of magic in all of his enemies. How their powers worked, their weaknesses, everything. (except for the mist dragon, it seemed that Straigo never encountered such a creature before)
There was a problem, however, and that was that a page was missing. He really had no idea what was on that page, but he was certain that it was vital to destroying those that would dare to face his master. He was certain that the page was missing from the original copy, and his was not the original. Therefore, no copy would be likely to have that missing page. He needed to find it. He needed to find it now, but where to look? Where would some random page torn from a book be located?
He shook his head. All right, maybe he couldn’t destroy them right away, but he needed to stall them until he found out the information he needed. What could he send? He had no armies readily available…but he could make an army, with the help of Nightfang.
Nightfang was the only werewolf to turn himself over to the Dark Lord. In a week, Nightfang could make an army of monsters out of humans.
For a moment he wondered what would happen to a dragon bitten by a werewolf. Surely the reaction would be different than a human’s reaction. Rather than pondering it further, he mindcalled Nightfang, After which, he would be leaving this filthly little inn. He had to find that page.

Fazelspitz landed on the ground near Dragonsong12. They were camped again for the night, and the larger dragon had out one of her books and was studying one page with a puzzled expression. “What’s in the book, dear Kala?” he asked.
She jumped at his voice, then looked up. “Faz, do you remember what Malafyss said. That weird poem, or whatever it was.”
”Prophecy, Kala” Fazelspitz corrected. She did tend to mess up words when she was upset about something.
She nodded absently, “Yeah, well, it the same as what’s here in this book, see?”
Fazelspitz leaned over to look at the page. “I disagree, it’s not the same at all.”
She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Quit being smart, Faz, you know what I mean. Look, the words are different, but it says the same thing! I don’t understand.”
Fazelspitz was silent for a moment. “Well, perhaps they knew what would be happening now, back then, but it’s more likely that something similar happened a long time ago. Who wrote that anyway?”
Dragonsong12 frowned, looking carefully at the bottom of the page. “It just says ‘Dragon Mage.’” She said, “wait, that makes no sense, there’s no such thing as a dragon mage. Dragons either have magic or they don’t, but they are not mages.”
”Yes, but humans don’t know that,” Fazelspitz simply replied, “a human wrote this, I’d wager, and saw a powerful dragon with magic deliver this prophecy.” The both looked at each other then. The similarity was very striking. Fazelspitz cleared his throat and asked, “What book is it, anyway?”
When Dragonsong12 turned the cover so that he could see it, the firedrake’s blood nearly froze. “The Prophecies of Nerith,” he read, his voice a whisper.
That name should be familiar, correct, my dear Fazelspitz? Ky’arin’s voice laughed, Some things come back to haunt you.
Not funny, Fazelspitz thought, knowing that she would hear him, Nerith is gone. He paused a moment, Besides, you were the one who guided me there as well as here, Ky’arin. That was as much your fault as mine.
Ky’arin laughed, Oh, Fazelspitz, as much as I enjoy toying in the lives of mortals, I made no decisions for you. I merely kept you alive once you had made the choice. I am your guide, my dear, not your master.Funny, she spoke of mortals in the same way the firedrake spoke of humans.
Fazelspitz only barely contained his annoyance. My guide are you, Ky’arin? Then why did muscles-for-brains over there hear you?
He is as important as you, my dear, the spirit’s voice was still merry, and he is far more than you and the others perceive him to be.
The firedrake snorted, but remained silent for a time, gathering his thoughts. I will not let any harm come to you Fazelspitz, said Ky’arin suddenly, You should know that by now. I will and can protect you from all danger on this quest. Oh yeah, he had forgotten that Ky’arin knew all of his thoughts.
What about the others Ky’arin? he demanded almost immediately, What of them? Will they die? Or will you save them as well? I have no wish to be the only one remaining.
The spirit was silent for a time, and Fazelspitz thought she must have left again, but then she spoke. It was very rare to hear Ky’arin’s voice sounding either sad or angry, but it sounded so now. I am your guide alone, Fazelspitz, I can only save you. The tone of her voice made Fazelspitz think that she would gladly watch over all of them if she could. You must think, my friend, she continued, If I were to save one of them from death, it may be that their death is needed in order to succeed. You, I am sworn to protect, so I can only assume that you are meant to survive. Then she was gone.
Dragonsong12 sat next to him, absorbed in the book again, she hadn’t noticed her companion’s silence. “Those who are ignorant of the past,” she muttered, “are doomed to repeat it.”
Fazelspitz took off. The mood here was so somber, so serious. He hated it. He needed to lighten the mood a bit, and he spied his next target.
The human, Jared, had been mostly ignored in the excitement that had happened. Crimson had been the only thing keeping him there, now he was edging off again. Trying to get away from this group of large, moody dragons.
The firedrake grinned and landed on the man’s shoulders. Compared to Dragonsong12 he was about the size of a chicken, but to humans he was very large and very heavy. Jared fell over and looked up to see Fazelspitz’s face close to his own.
”I know you know my friend, Kala,” the firedrake said mischeiviously, “but I don’t believe we have ever been introduced. I am Fazelspitz the Great, and you have some explaining to do…”

I watched the young man, the “Cort” stare moodily out the broken window. I was in human form, and from the phrase you should be guessing I am a dragon. You’re right. My name is Kalon Skye, but most know me merely as the Thyef. And that’s exactly what I am. I stood and moved through the shadows and out of the room. This Cort had my attention and I have found the best way to learn about someone is to see their personal possessions. I broke into Cort’s room.
“Hmmm . . .” He had quite a few things of interest, but only one I saw that struck me as wrong for a human to have. He had a crystal ball, and while that wasn’t weird, what was weird was the fact that it was made of opal. Only dragons knew that opals were the most powerful magic stone. He shouldn’t know that. Which means he either got it from a dead dragon’s horde (in which case he wouldn’t miss it- much), or he was using it, which meant I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing. Then I stopped dead. What if this human was really using it? I shook my head. Then that meant he was one too powerful human and I wouldn’t want to be the one to deal with him.
I got out of his room and passed him on my way out. He had set the book down on the table. As I walked silently by, I slipped the book smoothly into my hands and under my cloak. As I walked out, I looked at the cover. Prophecies. Hmm. By Straigo. Well, I hope Cort remembers a lot of it, because he won’t be seeing this book again. No human should have it in his hands. I slid it into by little shoulder bag and pulled out some money to give to the innkeeper. I tossed him about twelve gold pieces which would buy him about seven new windows.
“Keep the change,” I told him, winking. He smiled gratefully. I strode out, hand in my bag, lightly touching my two new objects: the book and the ball.
“You!” a voice called behind me. I turned and watched Cort stride down to meet me. He stopped before me and asked, “What’s your name?”
“Nalok Eyks,” I replied. I never give my real name.
“What’s your profession?” I felt like I was being interrogated.
I gazed at him silently for a moment, then stated quietly, “I’m a thief and tracker.”
“What do you track?”
“Humans, dragons, orcs, gryphons,” I replied with a shrug. “If the money’s worth it . . .” I trailed off. “Are you going to ask for my services?”
He jumped. As a thief, one of my natural habits is to know what people are going to ask before they ask it. I also knew what they are going to do before they do it.
“Yes. I need you to track a group of dragons.”
“Why?” As a thief, I have gotten myself into a few messes by not asking why. I learn from my mistakes, and this Cort seemed to be a powerful person. And I hate magic even though I use it.
“I want to keep them out of my business,” he replied with a careless shrug. “Nothing more, nothing less. I am offering three four-inch opals per hour.”
I was silent for a moment, then, “I have to think about it. If I decide to, then you’ll know.” I wanted to say yes, but there were things that nagged at my brain. The book for one. The crystal was another. And finally, the fact that he was offering to pay in opals. I’m greedy. I’ll admit it. I would love to have all the opals. But the one little sentence had given this man away. I would never do his bidding. But I was going to find the group of dragons he talked of.

Day 38: Midnight
I hate this planet. I really do. Oh sure, it's pretty enough and all, but it's SO boring. Well, all that's changing at least. But not for the better. I know I haven't been keeping up with you, diary, but I just haven't had any significant events to write about. All I've been doing so far is walking. That is, up until now. This morning I stashed some more stuff. I went down to the bare essentials as far as both clothes, weapons and money. I can't travel without at least a bow and some knives, so I took the smallest I had. On the plain, just heading into the woods, a blinding headache struck me, throbbing intensely. A voice swirled on the wind, wrapping itself around me, and speaking in the voice of the darkness I had heard before. Aieka it growled, you are about to meet my most trusted servant, Cort. You will do him no harm, and he will aid you substantially on your quest. My quest. Go . . . The headache subsided, and I collapsed on the ground in unbearable pain. After I recovered, I walked a bit further, until I saw this man, on the road from a town. He looked like the normal, "wealthy traveler" type, who had obviously just eaten a rather substantial inn breakfast by the way he was walking. I stood up from my observing spot in the grass, and met the eyes of my greatest fear.
I stared at him, and he stared right back at me. I don't think that it dawned on him immediately what I was, but he could tell that something wasn't quite human, even though I had disguised myself, making my hair appear brown, as well as my eyes. He obviously saw through that, with something other than normal human power. That's when I realized that skill and magick couldn't get me out of this, only my wits could. And thankfully, I had plenty of those.
I smiled warmly (I nearly never do that, but this was a dire situation) and held out a hand. He took it after a moment's hesitation, and shook it slowly, eyeing my smooth, black leather travelling clothes with great suspicion. "Greetings fellow traveler, my name is Aikeya," I said in a (I hope) rather demure tone.
He looked at me through slitted eyes, and then, softening, squeezed my palm and answered me, "My name is Cort . .where do you come from? I can't quite place your accent."
"I come from an island . ." I waved in the general direction behind me, "in the South." I always lied to people I didn't know. Even if they were allied with the greatest dark power the planet had ever seen. He gave me a skeptical look. He's a smart one Cort, I'll give him that. We began to walk again, taking to the path, which is what I have been trying to avoid, to look more inconspicuous. We walked until nightfall, because that's when Cort seemed tired. I can go on for days, but I didn't want to arouse any suspicion (humans are so suspicious). He lit a campfire (a pathetically small one, but I didn't say anything), and we roasted a rabbit that I had in my satchel. Over dinner, we discussed ourselves. Turns out he was quite familiar with Dragonsong 12 . . .and swindling her. He seems to have something else to do with her, but that may be just a hunch. My stomach turned in disgust, he was a professional slimeball, but then again, so was I. I shrugged it off, and made up a story about myself, which he didn't buy one Drakkar (*editor's note: Drakkar is currency, equivalent to a human dime) of it.
"Right," he addressed me after I had finished, "I'll admit that you had me going for a little bit, but tell me what or who you really are."
I sighed and stood up. The Dark Lord had it deep into this one. Excellent powers of observation. He would make a wonderful par . .No! Shake it off Aieka!
Anyway . . .
I stood up, and fixed him with a steady eye. Then, drawing myself up to my full height, I responded in the iciest tone I could muster (which is pretty good, I must say), " I am Aieka, the Bringer of Darkness, also known as . . ."
"The Liquid Blade . ." he finished for me, breathing an appreciative sigh. "I have heard of you, but," he faltered, "I thought you were a man."
I laughed sardonically, a cold laugh, which is usually the last thing my victims hear, "You and so many other fools, Cort." That's when he changed. Not so much physically, but when he looked up at me, something in his eyes had changed. I knew who it was inside him now, and when he spoke, in that same grating voice of this morning "You cannot fight me Aieka. It is your destiny, my dracling, Bringer of Darknesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss"

The last 's' hissed in my ears long after Cort/Dark Lord fell silent. He was alseep now, peacefully. I sit here writing this, alternately looking at him, and staring at the embers of the dying fire. What can I do? Can I actually be falling to his call?

Day 39:
Dawn
The day has dawned bright and miserable. As I'm writing this, I keep looking around. I feel something coming. Someone important is near.This is extremely confusing. I hope I'll understand more later.

Noon

We walked all morning, avoiding the towns, but sticking to a general path. I don't know where Cort is taking me, but he seems to believe that I am serving the Dark Lord. I don't know myself what or who I am serving. I've always thought that I served nobody but myself, but something seems to be changing. I feel a bond, more ancient than the one I felt towards my family, drawing me to this man. Am I meant to be here. I cannot say. At about half past nine, we stopped, and I could tell someone was near. We were close to a castle, one that I knew to be inhabited by a slightly crazy wizard. Well, last I checked it was. Cort seemed to have another knowledge. Then I knew. This was the lair of the Dark Lord. Cort had taken me to his master.

And somehow, deep inside. I know that he is my master too.

I wait.
Wait wait wait wait wait. Stare around, stare at the walls, stare at the cave ceiling. Stare at nothing. Stare and wait.
Soon, I think. I KNOW! Near, near, near he comes, the lord of all light, the Dark Light.
He sends people.
People? No, not exactly. Who is ever exactly? I am a dragon, yes, but who knows what else? Nothing else, just a dragon.
Don't you understand? The world turns, the world moves, and it turns and moves to a purpose to a specific, deliberate purpose! The world put me here for a reason, for so long...
Not so long. A week, human time, since I felt the call draw me here, to this cave. A week out of my sneaking and thieving. And looking for my double, my twin. I have a twin! draconic twins are something interesting, eh? Do you know the specialness of twins?
I know where she is, vaguely. A direction, a sense. I thought sometimes to go find her. But then she might figure it out, figure out my big secret, where I get all my power. And she could take some of it from me if she knew.
So I stay here in my cave and I wait.
I am aware of others. There are other with her. There are three alone near here. They wander their seperate blind ways. One searches for truth, one for falsehood and one knows noth what they seek. Strange, strange beings...
Ah! Wait wait WAIT! They come, they approach. They won't stop here, of course not. my Lord says not, he is wise, he is wise. They know that I am not good together, so they will go and I will follow until needed.
I will follow.
They come.

I pad lightly up behind the human... Jared, I think Faz called him. One claw clacks against the beads in my hair as I play with them a little to get his attention.
He only sort of turned, probably scared to turn his back on any of his present company. Can't say as I blame him. He had less surety of survival than I had in this company.
"You were with the griffons?" I asked, watching his eyes for lies. No magic in that, but a skill I learned long, long ago.
He shook his head... and that wasn't all that was shaking. But it was most prominent. "I... I scraed them off. Or more. Because..."
"Because?" Faz's voice held a curiosity, but also a strong edge. The human's head snapped back around to look at him.
"Because I needed your help. Well, hers." He motioned to Dragonsong 12, who looked suprised. "I saw something, and I needed to tell her. I didn't realise it was a crime to worry about other people!"
His voice took on something akin to hysteria. That, too was understandable.
"And what, dear human, did you have to tell Kala?" My voice was sticky sweet. I wished the others weren't around. People were always less intimidated by one small dragons than a veritable gaggle of huge ones.
"Cort. he's... I don't know, He's going to do something. He's not like he used to be, and I think he means to kill you..."
He said more, but I wasn't listening. Another moved in to take my place by him, barring his way, and I moved off alone. Off to the edge of the woods. As he'd said that someone meant to kill Dragonsong... or all of us? Either way, as he said it I felt that strange sense of vertigo I got every so often. The feeling that someone is watching me closely, following every move. It has a magical feel.
I don't like it.
As Jared further explains, I long even more to slip away into the woods. They'd find me, they'd get me. I am drawn to them like I am to nothing else.
And the feeling continues.

I stared at the two people who were walking towards the castle. The man seemed very self-assured and aware of the castle's occupants, but the woman seemed a little wary. Then she shook it off. I couldn't understand why they wanted to go to that horrible place, where I had spent so many years of my life, tortured. Perhaps they were friends with the sorcerer who lived there. I suppressed an urge to attack them. Webjumper breathed comforting words in my ear, and I subsided. As soon as they had disappeared across the drawbridge that lowered for them, I turned and left angrily. I had to leave, for, I knew that I hadn't enough power to defeat them then. I didn't have any magic that I knew about, but perhaps, I hoped, I could learn some.
As I slithered along, I wondered, What did the sorcerer want with me? Who was my family? Where do I belong?

I began travelling away from the direction they had come, as fast as I could get my tail to take me. Soon, I heard a screech. Gryphons. I knew that sound from the castle. The sorcerer had kept several as pets. Perhaps they were his, come to find me. I shrank into a bush, horrified that they might find me and return me to that horrid place. I desperately wished that I could change the color of my bright red scales to blend into the bushes better, but to no avail. Soon, a flapping of wings announced that the gryphons were flying right on by me, and I exited the bush. I traveled on, comming across the remnents of a battle of some kind, and a little further on, I ran right into a dragon that seemed to be talking to itself. "I told you Bliz--"
The talking stopped immediately as the red dragon saw me. It was much smaller than me, but I was abnormally big, due to the experiments that the sorcerer had performed on me when I was younger, causing me to grow at an abnormal rate. It seeemed to be a fire dragon, but occasionally it twitched, and a blueish sheen came over its scales. I introduced myself formally, "Greetings, I am Wyrlin, of the . ."I stopped. Where was I from.
The dragon seemed to be biting its tongue, and suppressing something it wanted to say. I gave it a concerned look, and it seemed to come to an agreement. "Very --pleased, I'm sure --to make your acquaintance --my name is --Crimson Wyldeburn" he forced out finally. He panted with an exertion I couldn't figure out. Suddenly, something akin to a cannonball struck me in the stomach. I looked down to see a small green firedrake detatching itself from my chest scales.
"Excuse me!" it addressed me pertly, and promptly stuck out a paw, which I shook gravely, "My name is Fazelspitz the Great"
"But everyone calls him Faz," came a voice from behind me.
I turned to see a pretty blue-green dragon. She somehow seemed familiar, but I didn't know how. Fazelspitz flew over to her and sat on her shoulder. They seemed to be extremely good friends. I introduced myself to them. The female introduced herself as Dragonsong the Twelfth, but Faz insisted on calling her Kala.
"I'll explain later" she told me with a wry smile.
The three took me over to a group of dragons, who all welcomed me warmly.

I had a family.

Who is he? Blizzard wondered. Where does he come from?
"Oh sure, like I know," Crimson snapped. This...Wyrlin...was unlike any dragon either of them had ever seen. "I don't even think he knows that."
And why does he have a giant spider sitting on his head?
Crimson had to admit, this had also intrigued him. He'd met spiders in his travels, both giant and regular. The regular ones had simply ignored him or, when he'd asked, given him directions. However, due to their relative sizes, the only realistic way to follow an ordinary-sized spider's directions was to put your snout right to the ground and keep a look out for what could conceivably be called a 'large leaf' when you were, at best, ten inches across including the legs.
The giant ones though, they had been another matter. As far as Crimson knew, they always appeared around humans and the smallest of them could reach a grown man's waist. Vicious and unpredictable, the large arachnids were just as quick to turn on their human masters as they were dragons.
Quicker, really, Blizzard said, seeing they can't eat us.
"Yeah, well, the ones back in Marrinal didn't seem to know that," Crimson muttered.
Where is Marrinal, anyway? Blizzard wanted to know. You've mentioned it before, and Jared said something about it, but I know I've never been there. Is it some kind of human settlement, or a draconic one like the one we seem to have joined?
"Yes," Crimson said curtly, and Blizzard knew that was all he'd get out of the firedragon.
Okay, fine. If you're not going to talk to me, at least talk to this Wyrlin. Why does he have a spider on his head? And what kind of spider is it, anyway? It's like a cross between a giant and a regular, if such a thing was possible. Ask him, would you?
"Okay! Okay!" Crimson half yelled. "Anything to shut you up!"
This had come at a rather awkward moment, as Ailwynn had just asked if Wyrlin would excuse her to go and take a quick bath in a pond she could smell. The newcomer had been intrigued by the sight of one of her kind so far from the ocean, so she'd been telling him how she came to be part of this group.
"I didn't mean to-" she began.
"No, no, I was talking to Blizzard," Crimson explained hastily.
"I'm sorry, Ailwynn," Blizzard added.
Crimson noticed Wyrlin looking at him with something approaching open suspicion and sighed.
"My name's Crimson Wyldeburn, I have an alter-ego called Blizzard Coldfyre who's been with me for almost as long as I can remember, Blizzard's a waterdragon and can control my body if I let him, he can also change my body to resemble his, and no, I'm not going to tell you how it happened or anything about myself. Or Blizzard for that matter." He paused. "Any questions?"
"Yes," Wyrlin said. "Is that why you were turning blue when I first found you?"
Crimson sighed again.
"Yes. Blizzard was angry enough to try and change my body."
Ask him! Blizzard prompted. And you shouldn't have tried to rip Jared's head off.
"Blizzard wants to know why you have a big spider sitting on your head," Crimson said bluntly. Wyrlin looked up, as if suddenly remembering his passenger.
"Forgive me, I didn't introduce you," he said. "This is my friend and most trusted companion, WebJumper."
"Happy now, Blizzard?" Crimson demanded.
Happier. How did WebJumper get to be that size?
Crimson bit down his initial reply of 'Ask him yourself', in the fear that Blizzard might do just that, and settled for:
"Oh, so now I'm the spider expert, am I? Look, I know which spiders are poisonous and which aren't, I know how to speak a few words in their language and that's it!"
"Wyrlin put an Engorgement Charm on me," WebJumper said, almost as if reading Crimson's-no, Blizzard's-thoughts.
Crimson just grunted and turned away, not bothering to reply. W
hy don't you like spiders, anyway? Blizzard said. I don't have a problem with them.
"It's not that I don't like spiders," Crimson snapped untruthfully. "After all, the giant ones in Marrinal turned on the humans there and indirectly helped me to escape from--"
He stopped, aware that both WebJumper and Wyrlin were listening attentively to him.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to eavesdrop?" he demanded.
"Eavesdropping usually means you hear both sides of the conversation," Malafyss said unexpectedly from behind him.
"Yep," Fazelspitz said, "and there's no chance of that with Crimson Blizzard here."
Crimson resisted the increasingly strong urge to tell Faz exactly what he thought of him and his 'greatness'. The drake had recently come up with a new name for him and his alter-ego, and couldn't be more pleased with himself.
"Will you quit calling me that?" Crimson said, through gritted teeth.
"Why? It suits you." Faz did a loop the loop, dodging Crimson's not altogether playful attempt to swat him.
"Blizzard put you in a bad mood?" Malafyss wanted to know.
Crimson snorted.
"How'd you guess?"
"Crimson?"
"Hm?"
"Where did Blizzard come from?"
"I have no idea," Crimson said flatly.
And it was true. He really didn't know where Blizzard had come from. He did know how there had come to be two of them in the same body, but since Marrinal he'd decided to take that secret to his grave. Malafyss hesitated, like she was going to say something else, then shook her head and walked off to talk to Dirk about something.
Crimson watched her go, his gaze lingering on her for slightly longer than usual, then shook his own head, violently, and went to see if he could find Jared.

Dragonsong12 sat back on her haunches, her brows furrowed, one arm folded, and one claw rubbing the side of her head as though she were thinking. She wasn’t thinking, however, she couldn’t think at the moment. The headaches had grown fewer in number as time passed, but had gotten more intense, so she tried to hide them when they did occur in order to lessen the worry of the others. They had enough on their minds as it was. Some of them (she knew she wasn’t fooling all of them) even thought that the headaches had stopped entirely.
When the pain subsided, she sighed and opened her eyes to see Aiwynn staring at her. “Come up with anything?” the water dragon asked, “you looked as though you have some problem on your mind.”
“I do,” Dragonsong12 said with a smile, trying to look as though she were joking, “and no, I didn’t, but perhaps answers will come, eventually…”
She trailed off at a sudden snarling out burst from nearby. Oh not again! she nearly groaned, running toward the sound, but when she arrived at the source of the sound, she was entirely surprised to find that Faz was not the reason for the snarling. Rather it was Jared. Crimson…or Blizzard…or whoever he was looked completely ready to tear the human’s head off. “For the last time!” the large dragon snarled, “Tell me why you’re - !”
“STOP!” Dragonsong12 ran into the clearing, anger and confusion on her face, “Stop it! What do you think you’re doing?! There’s no need to go attacking a defenseless human! What’d he ever do to you?!”
Crimson (yes, it must be Crimson) raised his head to look at her in surprise, then in annoyance. Dragonsong12, for her part, was just as surprised. She didn’t lose her temper with others very often. The red dragon snorted, “What did he do to me? More than you could know!” He stood up a little taller to glare at her, “Let’s get something straight here, I don’t trust humans! They are far from being defenseless, as you claim! Why this human, Jared, is more than you know. He-“ he broke off suddenly, as if he were afraid of revealing something. When he spoke up again his voice was more controlled, “Humans are no friends to dragons! You should know that by now! You were the one betrayed by Cort! I don’t understand why you let him tag along after us for so long! I will be doing us a favor by killing this one now before he turns on us or gets away!”
A paw came down on Crimson’s shoulder, and the red dragon turned and jumped. Ailwynn was standing there, immensely tall in comparison to either one of the dragons standing there, and with a much more peaceful expression than either as well. “He saved us,” she said calmly, yet forcefully, “He deserves respect for that much.”
Crimson stared at her a moment more, then started sputtering angrily, so upset by what they implied that he couldn’t get a word out. Jared, however, calmly stood then and dusted himself off. The other dragons were gathering around now, wondering what all the commotion was. Jared looked up at Crimson and said in a strong voice (well, for a human) “Regardless of what I may have done or failed to do in the past, I am here offering my services solely to help you. If you give me the chance, you won’t be disappointed. I am not Cort.” Here he looked over at Dragonsong12. “If you need proof of my trust, I will give you my oath.”
“The word of a human!” Crimson snarled, but didn’t comment further.
Dragonsong12 said nothing. She was beginning to wonder herself if humans were really as trustworthy as she had imagined. Cort had betrayed her trust, and it seemed that Jared had offended Crimson at some point in the past. Things were getting so complicated…

It was nighttime in a small village. One young man was still out, coming home from the tavern. He walked down the street, oblivious to all around him, his mind was too caught up in the events that had taken place that night.
A sudden noise startled him and he turned to look over his shoulder, but there was nothing. He continued walking, trying to ignore the icy feeling that crept slowly down the back of his neck. The noise came again, like a bark, only…not quite. This time he stopped and looked around him. Where was it? When he started forward again, he was running. He knew if anyone saw him, they would probably laugh that he had been so afraid, but that was not enough to slow him.
A dark shadow rose up in front of him suddenly, and he stopped dead in his tracks. He slowly let out a breath, the shape appeared to be human. “You shouldn’t go around at night scaring people like that!” he said, “Who are you?”
In a gravely voice, the stranger returned, “I am Nightfang, and I’ve been sent here on a mission.”
“Well,” the young man started to push past the stranger, “mission or not, you still shouldn’t-“
A strong hand on his arm stopped him, and he turned back slowly, his fear rising again. “Let me go!” he said, but the stranger ignored him. “What do you want?” he asked frantically, “What’re your doing? You-you’re not going to kill me, are you?”
“No,” the stranger replied. He stepped towards the young man and leaned closer so that his captive could see his long snout at sharp white teeth. He raised his free hand, which appeared to be covered in something wet and snickered softly. The darkness around the two was suddenly filled with dark shapes, growling and laughing. “No,” Nightfang repeated, “I am not here to kill anyone…”

They've gone by me, and the power, the power fills the air like a heavy fog over the land, fills my mouth and my eyes and my brain and I drown in it, in all the power.
Wait! Stop stop stop, must keep a clear head. The dark lord's essence surrounds me, surrounds the cave I hid in, surrounds my body in its caress, soft as a breeze. It watches over me and keeps me safe, I know.
I sense what I have to do next, scent it on the breeze like one of those humans' hounds. How I used to enjoy killing them, oh yes, they yelped and screamed and then were gone. The dark lord is always pleased with a death, for him. Death, for him, it the greatest of gifts.
The lord wishes me to call out to my sister. I cannot do it from so far away, so I move closer. I'm fast, faster than anyone I've ever met. They can't keep up with me, no no no. No speed to that of the raven. No cunning to that of a mad dragon. Cunning and madness are one and all, after all. You know, you know! The world howls of it!
Closer and closer. Through the night I go. Dark, dark dark dark. Slip in the shadows like a fiend. Slip slip slide. Closer and closer still. And at last the sense of her mind touches me, stronger than I have felt in a long, long time. I meant to talk to her then, but the dark lord, the lord stopped me just in time from my mindless mistake.
No side thoughts! This is just me here now in the forest in the shadows in my sister's mind making her know what she needs to. I learned how to do this when it was done to me. She will pain, she will, and I will too for feeling her presence. But she must, everyone must, for only through pain of the body can the spirit come to know the true strength and power of the dark lord. My lord wants a spy, a spy who is a friend, but not a friend to him.
She blocks her mind, but I can get in there, oh yes. I can make her hurt until she mentally drops that barrier. She won't know that's what stops me, oh no, not even know its me. And eventually she'll train herself to unconciously drop the shield at the slightest prod, and I'll see in her eyes and feel in her mind.
Sister dear. I feel your presence, clear as my own heartbeat. Forgive me, and may you see the light.

Ailwynn shook her head slowly. All this time and they were getting nowhere. She could sense the evil in the air. It seemed to thicken with each hour that passed. And everything always so strained in the group. Crimson fighting with himself and the human, Malyfuss fighting the powers inside her, Faz, Kala and Agra all fighting their own demons...
And what was she? A pacifist in the midst of a battle. Why was she even there? A good question to ponder, she thought. The sea called her to look for a spell, not to try to stuff the dark one in this strange company.
"Ailwynn?"
She turned to see the mist dragon moving easily through the thinly wooded space to the rather large clearing Ailwynn currently occupied. "Yes?"
"Just wanted to talk," she said, her voice a seeming echo of her name. It was soothing. "Everything's so... strange lately."
Ailwynn nodded. "Especially with the new one... what's his name.. Wyrlin? And that human. And... well, and everyone I suppose. We're all kind of odd."
She paused a moment, then continued, "I don't know if I can stay much longer. Its so hostile. Agra absolutely hates me, and the rest act like they'll break me if they shout. Except Dragonsong the twelfth, but she's got her own troubles."
"I get that feeling too," Nightwisper said quietly. "I just want to be alone in my cave again, in the quiet. But you know, it is a nice thing to get out once in a while. And how often does a dragon get the chance to save the world?" She smiled wanly, and Ailwynn returned the look. It felt good to have a certain ally in the camp.
They sat in silence for a while, strangely comfortable with the silence that surrounded them. After the chaos caused between all the talkative dragons, it was a relief not to have to hear their constant quarrels and conversations.
Finally Ailwynn turned to the other dragon and said, "should we return before they think WE'VE run off too?"
Before she could answer, a piercing yell broke through the trees from the direction of their camp.

Malafyss watched as Dragonsong and Ailwynn spoke to the human Jared. Crimson looked about ready to pounce between the two and squish him. Malafyss moved next to him and put a clawed paw on his shoulder.
"Don’t friend," she said, her voice soft. She could feel him stop moving, but his muscles remain contracted under her hand.
"It will do no good to kill him. I don’t know what happened between you two, but it will not help the situation to shed blood."
He snarled, not at her, but rather at the fact that he knew she was right. She watched sadly as he stormed off.


Rest did not come for Malafyss. As far as she knew, except for Faz, she was the only one awake. Faz was on watch, which gave Malafyss the chance to sit back and go into a meditative calm. It felt extremely good; she was able to let go all of the frustrations and anxieties of the past days. After about an hour, she opened her eyes to find a pair of eyes that were mixing between aqua and amber. Malafyss watched complacently as Crimson jerked back, startled.
"Sorry. I thought you were dead. You weren’t breathing."
Malafyss smiled as she stood and stretched. "Actually, I was breathing. Just very slowly." She shook her head in amusement as Crimson backed away in embarrassment. Malafyss wandered into the forest. She needed to be alone to sort through her emotions. As she moved through the darkness that held scattered moonlight rays, her footsteps grew quiet. Something was out there . . .
She turned suddenly and her silver eyes met green ones. Both pairs of eyes blinked, amazed.
"Kalon?" Malafyss questioned. "Kalon Skye?"
The dragon before her grinned suddenly and wickedly, saying loudly, "Hi Malafyss!"
Malafyss gave a cry of joy and threw herself into the male dragon’s arms.

A scaled eyelid snapped open, revealing golden-brown pupils. Mursan lifted his head and looked around. The spirits drifted and murmured lazily. They didn’t show any of the sighs of what had woken him from his slumber. So why had he woken so suddenly? Ah. Syana was invading his dreams again. His dead mate’s memory haunted him continuously, and he had begun to be able to wake himself from dreams of her. It was sad that swamp dragons only took one mate. That’s why there were so few. And Syana had felt the spirit death. She had been murdered . . . with a hatchling. Mursan’s only daughter. Syana had chosen to stay in the spirit worlds so she could stay near Mursan. The world was too big now to chance them meeting again. Mursan’s daughter, however, decided she wanted to experience life, and in a short amount of time later, a daughter was born to the House of Vision. His daughter had been born into the world well. Which was why he enjoyed Malafyss’ company.

A scent drifted to his nostrils, one very faint and brought to him by the spirits. It was the smell of Syana’s murderer who was still alive. Mursan stood and moved toward the edge of the swamp, the spirits trailing him. It was time to go. His life was spiraling toward its closure, and by the time this journey was over, he would be with Syana. His life would be gone, but in dying, he would kill Syana’s murderer Nightfang . . .

Agra screamed.
She hadn’t in a long time, not since being a dragonling outside her mother’s cave. How little she remembered of those days. But the one day she remembered, the day she and her sister and brothers had found their mother dead… that she remembered vividly.
Greph and Killigan, her brothers, set out at once. Miribelle lay down beside their mother and took to weeping. She wouldn’t take food or water and died three days after.
That had been a pain like this, but that one was in her chest. This one centered in her head, pounding, exploding.
She closed her eyes and backed up, trying to run from the pain. Her tail touched a tree, warning her to stop just in time. The pain, the blinding pain. She couldn’t think…
Slowly the pain eased a little. She opened her eyes to see Kala and Dirk immediately before her, and the others all around. Except Malafyss, where was she? Only it didn’t really matter, because the pain was receding like the waterline at tide-out.
"Agra? You okay?" asked Dirk. She half expected a half-sarcastic remark like his usual, the ones where she didn’t know to laugh or take him seriously. But he didn’t. And Kala’s face, wavering in the sheen of tears in Agra’s eyes, looked frightened beyond measure.
Agra nodded slowly. "Just… a headache. And a bad dream, all together. I’m sorry." She pushed between the two of them, snaking her way to the woods. She hated people seeing her cry. But before she got there it hit again.
The pain pulled her to a stop, but this time she did not cry out. She bowed her head, digging her nails deep into the packed earth. More pictures she’d long hidden. Squat Greph, with that hard look in his eye. Killigan, her twin, never crying but following Greph "In case he gets hurt." Miribelle wasting away, weeping until there was no water to weep. Leaving… running…
"You’re not okay. Why is everyone in this company cursed?" muttered a voice. She couldn’t see whose it was. There was a sense of something large next to her, then something irritated inside her mind.
The pain redoubled.
Everything felt strange, red. Agra opened her clenched eyes to see Crimson nearby. Slowly she moved to him and looked up, blinking to try to clear her eyes. Her thoughts would not clear.
"Help me," she whispered. Oh, asking this was almost more painful. But no. "Something is inside my head. How can it.."
And then she ran, down to the river, and plunged in so that no one would hear her raging scream. "Miribelle!"
And then she gave up. Gave up hope that it would stop. Hope that she would live beyond the next moment. And miraculously, it stopped.
She returned to camp, trying to ignore the strange looks. No one asked what had happened, they simply stared, and that was worse. So she was more than relieved when Malafyss approached the camp to take the eyes off of her.

Fazelspitz raised his head as Malafyss approached their makeshift camp with some strange newcomer, and blinked in surprise. Those who were also seated around the fire, seemed to be as startled by this sudden appearance as Fazelspitz was. The newcomer, however, either didn’t notice their looks, or didn’t care. He confidently walked up next to the fire, and swatted jokingly at the firedrake with one paw, “Move aside, tiny, make room for the larger species.”
Fazelspitz snorted angrily, but scrambled out of the way as the stranger at down. He perched back in the shadows in a huff and glared at the newcomer. Malafyss chuckled and shook her head, “This is Kalon Skye, everyone, he’s…er…an old and dear friend.” She nodded as if satisfied.
Kalon grinned, “Yes, although dangerous dragons, mysterious humans, and irate firedrakes are not the sort of crowd that I’d expect you to fly with, my dear.” He paused a moment, thoughtfully, then said, “Quite frankly, I would’ve expected it to be a lot worse, well done.” Malafyss shook her head again, but she was smiling. A few of the others started laughing, though Fazelspitz quite frankly couldn’t see what they thought was so funny.
I don’t think I’m going to like this Skye fellow, he thought sullenly, such an arrogant, show-offy, egotistical -
Funny, Ky’arin’s sing-song voice drifted out of the air, He sounds just like you, my dear Fazelspitz.
Fazelspitz had no answer to that for some time, which Ky’arin seemed to find extremely amusing.
”What brings you this way, Kalon?” Nightwhisper asked, “this is not your usual route.” The new dragon looked at her then with an expression that mixed surprise, confusion, and grudging respect.
He nodded, “That’s true, this is not the way I normally travel, but I wanted to shake someone off my tail.” He looked sharply at Malafyss then and grinned, “And before you ask; yes, I’m up to my old tricks again. I took an object, from someone…an object that that someone never should’ve had to begin with. I was a bit worried that he may come after it.”
Dirk growled a bit, “Took, eh? Don’t soften it up so, you’re a thief, you may as well admit it.”
Fazelspitz nodded to the warrior, finally they found something that they agreed on. Kalon merely smirked and shrugged, “thief or no, if I had to make the choice again, I would,” he pulled out a small object, “no human should ever own this.”
All those present leaned over and stared at the book in shock. “A human?” Ailwynn asked softly in shock, “A human had that?! How did he get it, and…and who was it?”
Fazelspitz shook his head, I’ll bet I know who had it, this is very bad… That was when he realized that Dragonsong12 was not was not with them.

Mursan traveled along the road. “I’m not as young as I used to be,” he sighed, “but what must be done, must be done.” He shook his head a bit, then looked up, “I know, Syana, I know.” Much as it had to be done, though, it didn't make the road any smoother, or his old bones ache any less.
His eyes widened suddenly, and he lifted his snout, sniffing at the winds as they came. He lowered his head again and began to listen. He listened to the voices that so few could hear.
”So,” he said at last, “it has already begun.”
With a resolute expression he lifted his wings, and began his flight. Old as he was, his skill in the air could put most younger dragons to shame. However fast he flew though, he doubted that he’d make it to where he needed to be in time.

The group continued on their way the next morning, traveling through an ever thickening forest. Having Kalon along with them proved to be a bit of a blessing, for the thief was so outgoing and expressive that he couldn’t help but draw the others in. It was the first time in their journey that they were talking happily together rather that moving in silence. Fazelspitz said nothing, flying next to an equally quiet Dragonsong12.
The firedrake looked up after a long time staring at the ground, and was startled to see Nightwhisper breaking away from the others. In confusion, he followed her, and, when they were out of earshot he said, “I can understand why you’d want to leave, that Kalon’s babbling was getting to me too.”
She looked at him, a smile slightly. “No, I just needed to get away from them for a little while. Someone like Kalon is just what we need right now.”
Fazelspitz let out a bark of laughter, “Really? Then we definitely are in trouble!” When she said nothing, he flew ahead of her, and looked straight into her sky blue eyes, “Now that we’ve established that, you’re going to answer some questions. How did you know about our new friend there? How did you know about me? And how much do you know about me?”
She chuckled, “Fazelspitz the Great, you’ve involved yourself in quite a lot in the past haven’t you? You’ve never cared for any save yourself. How hard is it now that you do care? You see, I know quite a bit, but I never tell anyone how. Perhaps you should ask your companion if you’re truly that curious.” He only stared at her. She turned her head back the way they’d come, “I know many things. Most I don’t want to know. I know that he’s coming.”
Then, very abruptly, she vanished.
Fazelspitz blinked at the open space in shock. Then raised his head at a strange sound. It was like a massive chorus of growls, and it came from somewhere behind him. He yelped and turned towards where he’d left the group, flying as fast as he could. When he came over the rise where they should’ve been, they were no longer there. In the dirt were hundreds of werewolf pawprints.
”Oh no!” Fazelspitz snarled, as he took to the air quickly in search of his companions.

Malafyss and Kalon ran from the snarling mass of werewolves as fast as their legs could carry them. There were far too many of them to fight, and they would not be able to fly away, for if they began take off they would not be able to get high enough before the werewolves overtook them.
”What do we do?” Malafyss shouted over the noise. Kalon just shook his head, but she hadn’t expected an answer anyway.
They hurtled a strange object which laid across their path, and Malafyss skidded to a halt. “That looked like - !”
The “object” lifted as the werewolves reached it. It looked like a great red whip, and as it raised higher, the werewolves stopped as well, staring. Like a whip, it lashed out powerfully, sending the beasts flying. Chaos ensued among the beasts. Some were running back, some were running forward, and they were only fighting each other.
A thin, white rope dropped down next to the dragons. Malafyss looked up and was immediately awestruck by the immense size of the tree that stood next to her, and it’s massive, outspread, tree-sized branches. “Climb!” a voice urged, “Climb hurry! It will hold, climb!”
Malafyss didn’t argue, she scrambled up the rope into a great tree’s heavy branches. Kalon stayed on the ground, staring in shock as the “whip”, which proved to be Wyrlin came slithering towards him. The thief shook his head. “Up! Up!” he directed, “hurry!” Wyrlin nodded and, using powerful forearms, to climb the rope quickly.
One of the werewolves noticed that their prey was escaping and with an angry snarl charged towards them. Kalon didn’t seem to notice it as he helped Wyrlin climb, at least, he didn’t noticed it until the beast leaped up on his back, sinking its fangs into his shoulder. Kalon roared and reached back, seizing the beast by its scruff, and throwing it violently to the ground. Then he made his way up the rope as well.
”Are you all right?” Wyrlin asked him, looking pointedly at the blood streaming over Kalon’s shoulder.
”It’s nothing,” the thief said, “it looks worse than it is, it hardly even hurts.” He looked down to the base of the tree where the werewolves were gathering. “We’re going to have to leave here before too long…” he said.
It was then that a loud and terrible roar filled the air.

Crimson snarled in frustration that he was running from these puny little dog-humans. Why run from them, they were so small and weak, if only there weren’t so stinking many of them!
He noticed Ailwynn running near him, though there was something odd about her stride. She glanced at him, then looked forward, “Look, a cave!” He looked up to see the opening to a great cavern and nodded. The two of them ducked inside, where they both spun around and, in unison, which was amazing considering they never said a word to one another, they struck opposite sides of the entrance as hard as they could.
The old hillside, unused to being attacked by dragons collapsed, bringing a cascade of rocks down over the entrance, sealing the dragons in and their enemies out.
All was darkness and silence for a few moments, then, a small fwoosh as a flickering ball of fire appeared between Crimson’s paws. He looked up at Ailwynn and saw why she had been running strangely as she dropped one wingtip to the ground, allowing Jared to slip to the floor.
”You again?” Crimson asked angrily, “Why can’t I be rid of you?”
Ailwynn raised one eyebrow, but didn’t say anything. Jared shook his head, “This is hardly the time to be starting something like that –“
Crimson stepped forward, and cut him off, “Start something like what, human? I’m starting nothing, only finishing it!”
Jared, to his credit, remained completely calm this time, “Unless you forget, dragon, I’ve saved your life a fair number of times now. Here we are, trapped in a cave. We may be away from those stupid monsters, but nothing’s done, we don’t know where we are, how to get out, or even how much air we’ve got. So either quit wasting that air and listen to me, or let your other side take over, he seems much more sensible.”
Crimson narrowed his eyes, but sat back on his haunches and folded his arms, “all right, human, you better be a good orator, though. I’m listening.”
A terrible noise came in from outside then, shaking the cave and sending more rock raining down.

Fazelspitz soared over the heads of the werewolves. Where are they?! Oh, where on earth are they?! A group of dragons that large shouldn’t be so hard to find! Then he saw something below the trees ahead of him.
Ky’arin’s voice came suddenly as Fazelspitz dove towards them, Whatever happens Fazelspitz! Do not lose heart! I will be with you!
He didn’t have time to ponder what that might mean as he broke through the canopy to find Dragonsong12, Dirk, and Agra fleeing before the monsters. “What a lovely day for an epic battle, eh Kala?” he said dropping in beside his friend. She spared one moment to give him a faint grin.
”Enough of this!” Dirk shouted, “I’m not running!” He stopped suddenly and turned to face the oncoming monsters. The other three stopped as well and stared at him as he brandished the axe before him. “I will run no further from these cowardly beasts!” he growled.
The werewolves never hesitated, but charged the warrior. Many of them lost their lives before ever reaching him. Agra and Dragonsong12 exchanged glances before returning to fight off the beasts which crowded around Dirk.
It should’ve been no contest. There were simply too many of the lycanthropes, but they concentrated most of their force on Dirk, all but ignoring the others, and they hadn’t counted on his skill as a warrior. After a time, the remaining werewolves were doing their best to run from Dirk. The warrior himself looked ready to rush after them, and may have if Agra hadn’t stopped him.
Fazelspitz was amazed, he’d never seen anyone so powerful and swift in all his life. “Well,” he said, “you do have your uses, don’t you? Wouldn’t you agree Kala?” Where was Dragonsong12, she wasn’t with the other two?
”Kala?” he turned to see his companion holding her forehead in the manner she always did when she was getting a headache. Her eyes were tightly shut, and her teeth were clenched so hard that they were grinding against one another.
Suddenly she dropped to the ground, wrapping herself into a tight ball, as though she thought she could shield herself from the pain. “Kala? Come on now, it can’t be that bad.” He flew closer, feeling very worried, “Kala?!”
One blazing bright blue eye opened and glared at him. The firedrake almost fell backwards in shock, he’d never seen such hatred in her eyes before. She shifted position and brought up one of her paws, which was somehow larger than he’d remembered. The back of her fist struck him hard, sending him flying backwards. His uncontrolled flight was quickly stopped by a tree trunk, which he hit head first. The blow stunned him, and he almost collapsed to the ground but managed to collect himself in time. When his head cleared enough, he looked up.
Dragonsong12 was uncurling herself from her place on the ground, and there could be no doubt about it now, she was definitely getting larger. Her eyes seemed to glow with some strange light, and magic crackled in the air around her. Dirk was staring in shock, Agra was nowhere to be seen. Dragonsong12 crouched down and with one powerful flap of her wings was airborne. Fazelspitz flew after her, fear and concern rising at an alarming rate in him.
She was hovering high in the air, but not with the use of her wings, which simply stayed flared open. No, she was held aloft entirely with magic. None of her features had significantly changed, it was still obviously Dragonsong12, but there was a harsher look to her now. Her size easily rivaled that of Malafyss, and she continued to grow.
Fazelspitz took a deep breath to steady himself and began flying towards her again as she pulled back her head, drawing in a breath of her own, all the while staring and a black shape under the trees below. The black shape had to be Agra. The green dragon’s head shot forward and her mouth opened throwing forward a great ball of fire. The blast was so hot that it completely consumed everything that it touched and caused the nearby plantlife to wilt to near nothingness. The firedrake let out his breath in relief when he saw a black flash dart away. Agra had seen and dodged the blast in time.
He flew up next to Dragonsong12, “Kala! What’s wrong with you?! What are you doing?!”
She turned towards him and, as the blazing eyes focused on him, he felt real fear. Fear like this was not something he felt often in his life, and it only startled him more when he realized that his fear was not only for himself. The dragon’s paw came up, palm towards him, her paw was bigger than he was now. A bright blast flew from her outstretched claws towards him. As he dodged it, he wondered, Is it that she doesn’t recognize me? Or is it just that she doesn’t care?
No, he wouldn’t think that of his friend. Dragonsong12 had little or no control over this raging monster, who would attack both allies and enemies indiscriminately. He dropped down among the treetops to hide and the great dragon roared out loud and long that she had missed her prey. She began to throw blasts of fire and bolts of magic in all directions, roaring as she did so.
Fazelspitz watched, feeling completely helpless and very frustrated. Was this the power that Malafyss had spoken of? Was this what caused her headaches? What a terrible power it was, a curse more than a gift, with no control over what she was destroying. She was a berserker more than anything else, and that in itself was frightening. Berserkers were difficult to stop, in fact the only way to stop them was…
That thought was blessedly cut off as Dragonsong12, who, with one last great roar, turned in the air and began beating her gigantic wings. Fazelspitz yelped and leapt out of his hiding spot. She couldn’t leave! Not like this! …but as fast as he flew, she flew far faster than he could ever hope to. Before long, he gave up trying and hovered in place, watching the giant beast’s quickly vanishing form.
This was too much. Their group was scattered and separated, half of the others could be dead for all he knew, and now, the only one that he’d ever felt had been a close friend was gone, and likely in terrible danger, and he could do nothing for her. He’d never felt so lost.
…And worse, the one who should’ve been there to comfort him, or at least help him in some small way, was completely silent.