Moordryd's lullaby
Chapter 1: The birth of a legend & Moordryd's first friendship
It was a stormy night in dragon city when a she-dragon hummed to her self in her warm stable. She was beginning to give birth. When she looked down some hours later two young male dragons met her eyes ,both black as the night above. But one bore gold markings while the other one bore what seemed to be gray to her eyes. One she knew was destined for great good, she was unsure of her other offspring. Beau looked up at his mother and wondered why she was so different from him and his brother, she was a blue nautilus class dragon. Conner Penn when to check on his dragon come day break and heard the scuffles of little feet. "Sora thank you for being a good mother." He said as he looked in to see the black and gold dragon of legend. What surprised him was when the second showed its self by roaring at him. "So there are two born, the legend and the leftovers." The dragon growled and he walked in to the small cubical and picked up the black and gold.
"Beau that is what your name will be young dragon." Normally Conner was not so hard on new born dragons but this was why be became a dragon breeder, to breed back into existence the black and gold of legend."So I guess you will need a name too." The black and gray stepped into the light and his markings glowed in the light. "A black and silver? A freak of a dragon if I ever saw one. I'll name you later. I am off to visit my newborn son." And with that he put the little dragon back and closed the pen; leaving the yard he shook his head that black and silver would never be worth anything but a pet.
Five years past and the dragon pups moved into there own stables and his son grew into a curious toddler. His wife wanted a second child and he was more then happy to oblige her. It was time for the festival that would bring several children to his stable to be introduced to young dragons to see who would be a good match for whom. He smiled on the way to bathe and get ready for the festival.
Lyra Hiwatari was a happy little girl she was finally old enough to go to the dragon greeting festival that all five year old children in the city went to. She was dressed in a black pair of shorts and a black shirt with a sky class dragon on the front that said 'Speed demon' in silver, her feet were covered with little rider boots her father had made for her. As they walked towards the entrance to the stables Lyra heard dragons roaring and whining inside. "I so excited!"She chirped and swung her father's hand in time with her walking stride. When they arrived and were signed in by a man with an official badge. "Ok Lyra you can explore to your hearts content but stay inside the stable grounds at all times. We will be near the main house if you need us or want us to see someone you like." Her mother said as they let go of her hands and gave her a hug each before walking down towards the house, Lyra ran for the pasture lands where according to her father the dragon pups would be playing about now. She skidded to a stop seeing that there were a lot of kids there They all turned and looked at her before one voice she knew stopped her cold. "Looky here its the freak Hiwatari."
The voice was of one Kari Martin, a blue eyed girl with soft blond hair. " I ain't a freak." Lyra said and before she could react a rock cracked into her temple and she fell to the ground, her eyes tearing up with tears of pain and anger. "You liar. Be what you are and get over it, your a freak you shouldn't even be here." And With that several other kids picked up rocks and threw them at Lyra. Lyra turned and ran deeper into the field, loosing the other kids within a few minutes of running. When she looked behind her to see if anyone was following her she ran into something solid. "Owwy" She looked at the rock and walked around it to see that the field was full of dragon pups in front of her. She noticed that there was one sitting out side the wiggling pile of wrestling pups. She made her way over there and as she was only a few feet from the quadruped she noticed his coloring.
He was all black except his silvery markings that glittered in the morning light. "Hello dragon."She said. The dragon turned to look her in the eyes and she gasped at his silver eyes. "Your beautiful dragon." The dragon nosed a ball of stuffed straw towards her and she rolled it back. "Lets play! I'm different too." Lyra and the strange dragon played for a while when she heard someone coming she stopped and looked where the other dragons were to see that they were watching her play with the black. "Hello dragons." The black and silver got up and walked towards her and, rubbed his nose against her chest. "I love you too dragon." He laid down and cocked his head at her . "You want me to ride?"He nodded and she climbed up on to his back after grabbing a stick near by and using it for a handhold she got on to his back and settled her butt there. "I ready." The dragon stood and she squealed softly as he walked towards the part of the stable where the dragon pens were. He took her to his pen and she read his nameplate that was on the outside edge on left of his door. 'Nameless'
"You need a name dragon it not fair."She thought and thought until an Idea crossed her mind. "I Name you Nyghtmayr." Nyghtmayr tossed his head and strutted around the area picking up his feet and looking like the dragons in the parade just a few days before. "Yay" Then she heard someone calling out and looked to see her mother and father walking towards her with a man she didn't know. "I see your daughter has found a friend." that's when he noticed what dragon she was riding. "Nameless?" Lyra shook her head at the man before her mom said something that stopped her short. "Conner I know children are supposed to choose there own dragons but this one looks defective." She looked at the man in shock when he picked her up and called out to a dragon from the pups. "Beau come here." The black and gold left his playmates and walked towards his master and trainer. Beau trotted over to the man and allowed him to place the little girl on his back, he waited for his aura to toss her off but she stayed put.
"Daddy I like the other dragon.. He fits me, This is a nice dragon but I like the one like me."Her mom looked at her and watched her daughter pet the black and gold when he turned his head to look at her but nothing else happened. "She isn't the one you want Conner. But she obviously is well suited to the dragon. But he hasn't chosen her."Her father chimed in then. "It may be that they are both too young yet to bond." The two looked at him in shock, before looking at one another. "He might be right" Her mom said ads she looked at the bald man. "Um-mm Can I get off now?" Lyra said when it was quiet though her voice startled the adults. The bald man lifted her from the dragons back and placed her on the ground. When he released her she headed for Nyghtmayr to await whatever was going on. She was getting on his back when she heard the other kids approaching and got a rotten idea. "Let's play dragon racer! I'll be the racer racing for the academy and your my dragon!"
She picked up the stick and finished climbing onto the dragon's back. "Lets go." As the dragon got up and began to walk away, her mother noticed something. " Lyra your bleeding. What happened?"She sighed and told her mom the story of how she met Nyghtmayr and became his first friend and playmate. And her mother was astonished to learn that the little girl could be so loving. "I think she should have the little dragon Dear."Her father said as she turned Nyghtmayr around and had him walk back to her parents. " I like Nyghtmayr!" She said looking at the man when she said the name she gave him. "The pup circuit begins in a month, If she wants to race she needs a good partner."
Lyra grabbed her dragon and held on tight to the stick as he started trotting again. "Lyra be careful!" Nyghtmayr slowed down and she tossed the stick in the air and caught it with her other hand. "Yes Momma." "Ok Conner lets tack her up with this dragon." Conner smirked and went in side and grabbed a pup saddle and a small set of reigns. For you see the pup class rode on their dragon's back since there mag energy was still growing to accommodate the growing rider. So he lifted her off the dragon before showing her how to saddle him up, which straps to tighten and witch to leave a little loose. It took a little while for her to get it right but she finally got the saddling under control, and her father promised to check her saddle every time before she raced.
She smiled and rode away and around the corner, her stick held on one hand and her reigns held in the other. When they rounded a blind corner they collided and both riders wound up face to face on the ground.. "Owwy" Both said as they looked one another over seeking any bad boo-boos,that would require a mommy. Seeing none, the two finally stood and got to their feet and brushed themselves off. She looked at him and smiled slightly before sticking out her hand to him. "I'm Lyra. Who are you ?" He finished dusting himself off before looking at her a moment realizing she stuck her hand out in dragon racer greeting an equal. He grasped her hand firmly and shook it, making sure not to hurt her but also not to insult her either.
"I'm Moordryd. This is Decepshun my dragon."Moordryd waited for her to introduce her dragon when he noticed she was checking her dragon over for any bumps or scratches. "He is Nyghtmayr, My Dark Avenger." they talked over all the things little kids talked about even that there were in separate classes. "I'm registered for the pup class and I start racing in three weeks and what about you?" Lyra asked as they walked their dragons around the courtyard the Moordryd
had found Decepshun in, and they sat on the bench in the middle letting the dragons play and roughhouse in the open areas. "I start class tomorrow, how to train and race your dragon. Its sixteen weeks long three days a week and after I get to start in the furling rank."Moordryd hoped she didn't care she had higher status then him she was obviously the daughter of an aristocrat. Lyra laughed for a moment at something the dragons did. "I'll be a furling before you get out of class." They heard something that sounded like a stampede and they both swung on to their dragon's and rode up to the big adult holding the mic.
"What? Its a race to see who wins the honor of naming the owner of the stables newborn son you better get in line if you want a chance." The got in line together and their dragons snorted and side stepped one another, the gong rang and they were off following the red flags. Lap after lap turn after turn the dragnets stumbling and some even falling. Till it was only five left. Kari,two of her henchmen,a boy named Jake, Moordryd and Lyra. Lyra was having to use all her might to hold Nyghtmayr back from sprinting till his energy ran out. Moordryd on the other hand was having trouble keeping up with Lyra but she swerved in front of him and he used her drag line to keep her brutal pace. The two henchmen dropped out dragons spent, Jake tried to catch up but Kari had shoved him and he fell off his dragon and was nearly trampled by Nyghtmayr and Decepshun but they jumped over him at the last moment and were running right beside Kari.
"Look the freaks have banded together." Lyra snarled and yanked her reign and slammed Nyghtmayr into the smaller dragon, before letting him have his head. "Run boy! Let nothing touch us but shadow!" Nyghtmayr kicked himself into overdrive and did as his rider bid him to do, he left that girl and her sky-class dragon in the dust as he was given his head and allowed to run full out. Nyghtmayr felt Decepshun on his tail and rolled his tail at the pretty Psi-class. They blasted across the finish line and skid to a stop in front of a shocked crowd before two women emerged and hugged them close to there hearts. "Mommy?" Came from both and both children relaxed as the dragons coiled around the mothers feet like a cat who wanted to be petted. "The winner is Lyra Hiwatari." She looked up at her mom and asked a question that unknowingly would link the three families together for all time and start the dragon human war once again. "Mommy can my friend Moordryd come too? I want his help." The two women smiled and nodded, the two kids with dragons trailing walked to the main house. The looked at the woman holding the small child and grinned at one another. "What do ya wanna call him?" Moordryd asked softly. Lyra thought for a moment. "Why not Lance? My daddy's middle name is Lance." Moordryd smiled and nodded. "Lance..I like it Lance it will be!" Mrs. Penn said with a smile. The two left the house and returned to their dragons. They met several times over the next couple weeks, on Moordryd's days off of school.
Lyra finished her food with a happy sigh, it was Saturday. Moordryd would have no school and they could play together all day. Her mother smiled at her as she helped Lyra pack a picnic lunch. She knew her daughter was quite attached to Moordryd Paine, she also remembered the heartache she herself had endured at the hands of his father. She saw her daughter run back into her bed room and bring out a little black velvet box. "What is that my dear?" Lyra looked at her mother with a grin. "its a present for Moordryd! I bought it with the drackles in my dragon bank." she shook her head gently, she knew her daughter had been saving her allowance since she was three. "I hope he likes it!" She heard her daughter chirp as she went outside to saddle her dragon. Lyra opened the dragon pen and grinned at her dragon. "Ready Nyghtmayr? Today's important!" The dragon growled happily and she gave him a nice brushing and settled his saddle on him, checking the buckles she was surprised when her father's hand pointed one she had missed. "thank you daddy." he smiled and watched her do up the strap and then checked them over for her. "all good my dear, you get his gear situated and I'll set your saddle bags in place." she smiled and thanked him before getting the reigns down and got them settled on his neck. The collar type of reigns gently used the dragons mag energy to help the rider steer and got the dragon used to quick changes in directions.
When she was finished, she waived good bye and rode out of the gate towards mid city. She arrived at their favorite spot and waited. A few minutes later Moordryd rode up with Decepshun. "Hey Lyra!" she smiled and set up the picnic. The two dragons enjoyed themselves and Lyra finished her food and scooted closer to her friend. "Moordryd?" He swallowed his last bite and set the plate down. "Yes Lyra?" Lyra held out a small black box to him. "this is for you.."He was shocked but took the box gently, he opened it in shock on a black chain hung a emerald crescent moon. He knew it was her symbol, her house's was a crescent moon but emerald was her signet stone. He smiled and pulled a green box of the same size out of his pocket. He held it out to her and he watched her eyes light up as she softly took and opened the box. She pulled out a black dragon eye held on a silver chain, it laid flat against her hands and she looked into his eyes.
"Moordryd..." He smiled and got up holding out his hand to help her to her feet. "you put yours on my and I'll put mine on you." she nodded and took the one she had given him out of his hand as he picked hers out of her hand. They stood together only a foot or so apart, and Lyra held the crescent neck-less out. "From this day forwards, You Moordryd Paine are mine and I am yours. This is my gift to you, wear it close to your heart for you will always be in mine." He smiled remembering the words from his parents wedding ceremony. He felt her clasp the neck-less around his neck and grinned before speaking. "From now until our deaths. You are mine Lyra Hiwatari and I am yours, This is my gift of protection unto you. Wear it close to your heart for you will always be in mine." He clasped the neck-less around her neck and they hugged, he was surprised when she kissed him. He kissed her back, they broke apart blushing but smiling. They went back to playing but hadn't been playing more then a few minutes when they heard dragon's approaching. The both turned to see two Sky-class dragon's skidding to a stop in front of them. "Raza? Toko? Why are you here?"
Lyra said as she stepped towards them. "My lady, we must take you home." She shook her head. "No, I have mama and daddy's permission to be here. I'm playing with Moordryd today." The man looked at the woman and sighed. "Toko we don't have time! We need to leave, now!" He looked behind them. The woman named Toko got off her dragon and walked over to the young child standing before them. "I am truly sorry for what I must do my lady, I hope you can forgive me one day."A confused look passed over Lyra's face before the woman picked her up and handed her squirming form to the man. "I'm sorry young Paine, but you should go home also." The woman re mounted her dragon and the two dragons used their mag-energy to pick up the black-dragon pup. "Moordryd!"The small red-head cried. "Lyra!" He watched as they turned and ran carrying the child and her dragon. He got on to Decepshun and rode home as fast as he could, he ran into his father's study and skid to a stop in shock. Word Paine was on his knees, face buried in his hands, crying. "Father? What happened?" Word gestured for Moordryd to watch the screen.
He saw a video was paused and pushed play, he saw his and Lyra's mother's racing side by side. He saw that they were on the last curve of the track before the final stretch to the finish line. He saw them start the curve then saw some other woman behind them launch a energy drain pod and it caught his mother's dragon. He saw her dragon stumble and bringing Lyra's mother with her the two women and their dragons slid into and through the railing. He saw Fira Penn skid to a stop and use her repel gear to grab onto the saddle. He saw his best friends mom holding his mother around her waist. He saw Lyra's father grab a hold of the line and try pulling them up. "Tannis! Come on climb up!" The red-head smiled but shook her head. "I can't Sean, my leg is broken and my shoulder dislocated. Fira!" The black haired woman leaned farther over her saddle and grabbed for the redhead. "Yes Tannis?" She smiled at the woman. "Can you grab Zulay?" The woman was astonished at her friends request. "What about you?" Her oldest friend had been in love with Word since they were kids but he had an arranged marriage and the former third member of their trio became his wife instead. The two hadn't spoken since. "I am not the type of woman to allow my first love to lose his wife."
Moordryd was surprised to hear this and he heard his father let out a gasp, and watch the screen. He hadn't watched the video this far earlier. "Damn it Tannis! Stop thinking about Word and do this for you!" Fira yelled as she grabbed the knocked out woman's belt. "He needs someone Fira, he has good in him." The dragon slid a little farther its claws digging in for all she was worth. "Dammit! Sora pull!" She said to the dragon under her and she pulled the repel line in more. They saw Connor running towards them. She felt the piece of the track they were standing on start shifting. "Connor here!" She had Sora mag Zulay to Connor. He caught her just as a great screaming sound came from the track. "Let go! Its giving way!" Tannis yelled and both refused then hearts stopped. The piece of the track fell and the three looked at each other and Fira reached for Connor as she fell. They saw Tannis clutch something around her neck as she fell. Word saw that it was the chain with his symbol on it, the same one he now used for his corporation logo. The group fell out of sight and they saw Connor hand Zulay to the healers. "Is momma OK?" Moordryd asked Word shook his head. "She died before they got her off the track. She was bleeding inside her body. I got the call a few moments before you arrived." The two men were silent as they thought over those they had lost this day. Moordryd put his hand over the chain around his neck and picked up the pendent, he swore he would never take it off.