Something More to Life
By: Shihoshi Ryu
Disclaimer: You know the drill. I don't own Dragon Knights. I do own any misc. characters I might decide to throw in though. ~_^
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Ch. 1: He Appears
"GIL!"
Gil winced visibly next to Thatz when he heard Alfeegi's familiar shout. The tone in Alfeegi's voice told all who heard that Gil had messed up again, and was, in short, in deep trouble.
Thatz gave Gil a sympathetic grin. Gil had a tendency to miss certain duties, being a bit forgetful, and didn't always put things back where he'd found them. It was enough to make the fretting Alfeegi rip his hair out.
It had been almost two years since Thatz and Gil had first come to the Dragon castle. They had been best friends, as well as partners in thievery, for as long as either could remember. When they caught word about the goods kept in the Dragon Castle, they'd come naturally, and wound up unlocking the dragons of fire and earth, thus joining the Dragon Tribe.
"Shouldn't you run?"
Thatz nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the familiar voice behind him. Both turned to see Bierrez leaning against the wall, a small smile on his lips.
"If you don't want Alfeegi to catch you, you might want to make like the wind and head for the hills."
Thatz frowned. "Is the Red Dragon officer offering us a ticket out?"
Bierrez merely flicked back his forelocks. "I might know a way around his line of vision."
That was enough for Thatz, and he hooked his arm in Bierrez's, grinning. "Well, then, lead the way!"
Bierrez pulled his arm free of Thatz's grip before turning and walking away. Thatz followed with a grin, Gil behind him.
He led them down a hallway and then out into the gardens, taking a rather narrow path that wasn't really a path at all. The whole time Thatz had his ears trained on Alfeegi's voice, which gradually became quieter and quieter until at last it could no longer be heard.
"Yes!" Thatz cheered, grinning cheekily. "Way to go, Bierrez!"
"Yes, thank you," Gil added.
Bierrez shrugged. He had never really been buddy-buddy with the members of the Dragon Tribe, being that he was a demon beforehand. But Lykouleon had always been kind to him and treated the way he treated everyone, with kindness and respect. He soon realized that the Dragon Tribe might not be as bad as it first seemed.
He glanced at the animated Thatz, who was suggesting what they should do now that they were free of Alfeegi's clutches. Bierrez smiled faintly. These two weren't so bad either. In fact, they seemed to be the most interesting of the Dragon Tribe. Perhaps it was due to the fact that they were much more relaxed then everyone else, except maybe Kai-stern.
Suddenly, Thatz turned to him and grabbed his arm again.
"Come on, we're gonna explore!"
* * * * *
"UGH!"
Ruwalk chuckled. "Oh, calm down Alfeegi."
"Calm down!?" Alfeegi growled, grabbing Ruwalk's collar, "Calm down?! I'll calm down when I find them and then strangle them for running away!"
Ruwalk laughed nervously. "Eh, heh, heh, I'm sure they're around somewhere."
Alfeegi's eye glinted. "You'd best not have had anything to do with their escape, Ruwalk."
Ruwalk gulped and shook his head.
"Now, now, that's enough Alfeegi," Lykouleon said smiling from where he was seated at his desk.
Alfeegi sighed and released Ruwalk. He sat on the couch.
"You're too easy on them, my lord," he said, folding his hands.
Ruwalk leaned against the window and smiled. "Really, Alfeegi, is it so cruel that he saved them from your clutches?"
Alfeegi glared. "I am enforcing the rules."
"All right, you two," Lykouleon said chuckling. "In any case, I don't expect you'll be seeing them anytime too soon, Alfeegi. You may as well find something else to do."
A knock then sounded at the door. "Come in."
Kai-stern poked his head through the door. "Have any of you seen Bierrez?"
They shook their heads.
"No, what did you need him for?" Lykouleon asked.
"I just wanted to ask him said."
"Do you remember where you last saw him?" Ruwalk suggested.
"Well, one of the castle servants said they saw him with Thatz and Gil a little earlier, but I can't find them."
A strange, tense silence settled over the room. Ruwalk and Lykouleon turned to Alfeegi. Kai-stern blinked, confused about the suddenly tense atmosphere. Alfeegi's shoulders went rigid and he tightly clenched his fists. A growl escaped his throat.
"BIERREZ!!!"
* * * * *
"Ah, the sun sure feels good!"
Gil shrugged. "Enjoy it while you can. Alfeegi's gonna kill us when we get back."
Thatz grinned and stuck out his tongue. "Ah, Alfeegi's just got a great, big stick up his ass. Hehehe!"
"You better hope he never hears you say that," Bierrez said, "I said something similar once, and Alfeegi sure let me have it."
"Thanks for the warning, I'll keep it in mind."
Thatz then paused and glanced around. "Now which way should we go now? Maybe--"
He never finished as suddenly a chilling aura swept over them. Bierrez's eyes narrowed as a chill ran down his spine. Gil trembled slightly. Thatz looked worried.
Back at the Dragon Castle, others also noticed. Lykouleon raised his head and frowned, Ruwalk, Alfeegi, and Kai-stern becoming alarmed.
"What was that?" Ruwalk wondered out loud.
"A demon aura. It's so close," Alfeegi said, running a shaky hand through his bangs.
The door opened and Tetheus stepped in. "Your highness, that aura."
"Yes, we felt it too. Can you offer any insight?"
"From what we can tell, it's coming from the edge of the shield," Tetheus explained.
"Round up everyone inside the castle."
"Very well."
Rune then stepped in as well, his long blonde hair falling over his shoulder.
"Your highness, I can't find Thatz or Gil," he said.
"Don't worry, Rune. I'm sure they felt the aura. They'll probably head back to the castle, if they aren't already. They're smart enough to stay out of danger."
Rune nodded, still looking worried.
Lykouleon sat back in his chair, his face etched with worry.
'I hope Gil, Thatz, and Bierrez are safe...'
Meanwhile, the three were still wandering.
"Where are we going?" Gil asked.
"We're going to find out what that was," Bierrez answered.
"Did you feel how cold it was? It was like ice. Whatever it came from is probably really dangerous," Thatz commented.
"If we get into danger, we'll just have to fight until we find an opportunity to escape. You two are Dragon Knights, I'm sure you're more than capable of taking care of yourselves. Besides, this energy feels different, somehow. Different from the many demon auras I've sensed."
They trekked through the brush, lightly pushing branches aside.
"Ah!"
They paused and turned to Gil.
"What's wrong?" Thatz asked.
"The energy...can you feel it? It's coming from just inside the shield."
At this, their eyes widened.
"You mean that thing's inside the shield?" Thatz nearly shouted.
"Yes, I can feel it too. Let's keep going."
The broke into a run, heading toward the aura. Gil suppressed the urge to shiver as they got closer and closer. They stopped when they reached a clearing.
"Do you see anything?" Bierrez asked quietly.
A gasp from Gil told them he had. He pointed and they turned to see.
Both's eyes widened.
"What...?" Thatz whispered in awe.
Standing a good 30 yards away from them was not a monster, but a boy who looked about their age. His dark, black hair swayed in the breeze, and his face was serious, expressionless. Thatz noticed a lick of snow white in his hair.
The boy stared at them. His cloak flutter slightly in the wind, and he was covered in blood, crimson pooling at his feet. And his eyes…his piercing ruby-colored eyes seemed to see right through them. They felt their knees go weak.
Time seemed to stop as they stared at the strange boy. He didn't advance or even move. Just stood there, staring at them. Then Thatz broke the silence.
"Who are you...?"
His words seemed to break the spell, and suddenly the boy's stoic expression turned to one of pain. His body trembled and fell to his knees, coughing blood. Then he fell to the ground, limp.
Something about seeing that stirred something inside of Thatz, and he hurried over to where the boy had fallen, ignoring the others' protest that it could be dangerous. He kneeled next to the limp body, turning it over and pulling it into his lap to better observe him.
The boy was soaked with blood, gashes covering his lithe frame. His face was pale yet flushed, beads of sweat rolling down his face. Thatz brushed his fingers against his forehead. It was hot to the touch.
Gil and Bierrez sound knelt around him, staring at the fevered and wounded boy in slight awe.
"Is he...?" Gil asked.
"No, just passed out, I think," Thatz said.
Bierrez touched the boy's cheek. "His aura is so cold, but he doesn't feel threatening at all. How strange."
"Well, his aura is also very weak," Thatz pointed out.
Bierrez gave him a mild glare. "I know that. What I mean is his aura itself doesn't feel threatening. Just so very, very cold."
Thatz watched him for a moment, then looked down again at that pale face. He absently stroked his cheek.
'I don't know who you are, but we'll help you. So don't worry, it'll be okay.'
"He's got a fever," Thatz said. He stood and lifted the prone body. "Let's take him back to the Dragon Castle. Maybe we can figure out what to do with him."
They all nodded and turned, starting the trek back to the castle.
_____________________________________________________
There's the first chappie. Please review! I want to know what you think!
By: Shihoshi Ryu
Disclaimer: You know the drill. I don't own Dragon Knights. I do own any misc. characters I might decide to throw in though. ~_^
____________________________________________________
Ch. 1: He Appears
"GIL!"
Gil winced visibly next to Thatz when he heard Alfeegi's familiar shout. The tone in Alfeegi's voice told all who heard that Gil had messed up again, and was, in short, in deep trouble.
Thatz gave Gil a sympathetic grin. Gil had a tendency to miss certain duties, being a bit forgetful, and didn't always put things back where he'd found them. It was enough to make the fretting Alfeegi rip his hair out.
It had been almost two years since Thatz and Gil had first come to the Dragon castle. They had been best friends, as well as partners in thievery, for as long as either could remember. When they caught word about the goods kept in the Dragon Castle, they'd come naturally, and wound up unlocking the dragons of fire and earth, thus joining the Dragon Tribe.
"Shouldn't you run?"
Thatz nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the familiar voice behind him. Both turned to see Bierrez leaning against the wall, a small smile on his lips.
"If you don't want Alfeegi to catch you, you might want to make like the wind and head for the hills."
Thatz frowned. "Is the Red Dragon officer offering us a ticket out?"
Bierrez merely flicked back his forelocks. "I might know a way around his line of vision."
That was enough for Thatz, and he hooked his arm in Bierrez's, grinning. "Well, then, lead the way!"
Bierrez pulled his arm free of Thatz's grip before turning and walking away. Thatz followed with a grin, Gil behind him.
He led them down a hallway and then out into the gardens, taking a rather narrow path that wasn't really a path at all. The whole time Thatz had his ears trained on Alfeegi's voice, which gradually became quieter and quieter until at last it could no longer be heard.
"Yes!" Thatz cheered, grinning cheekily. "Way to go, Bierrez!"
"Yes, thank you," Gil added.
Bierrez shrugged. He had never really been buddy-buddy with the members of the Dragon Tribe, being that he was a demon beforehand. But Lykouleon had always been kind to him and treated the way he treated everyone, with kindness and respect. He soon realized that the Dragon Tribe might not be as bad as it first seemed.
He glanced at the animated Thatz, who was suggesting what they should do now that they were free of Alfeegi's clutches. Bierrez smiled faintly. These two weren't so bad either. In fact, they seemed to be the most interesting of the Dragon Tribe. Perhaps it was due to the fact that they were much more relaxed then everyone else, except maybe Kai-stern.
Suddenly, Thatz turned to him and grabbed his arm again.
"Come on, we're gonna explore!"
* * * * *
"UGH!"
Ruwalk chuckled. "Oh, calm down Alfeegi."
"Calm down!?" Alfeegi growled, grabbing Ruwalk's collar, "Calm down?! I'll calm down when I find them and then strangle them for running away!"
Ruwalk laughed nervously. "Eh, heh, heh, I'm sure they're around somewhere."
Alfeegi's eye glinted. "You'd best not have had anything to do with their escape, Ruwalk."
Ruwalk gulped and shook his head.
"Now, now, that's enough Alfeegi," Lykouleon said smiling from where he was seated at his desk.
Alfeegi sighed and released Ruwalk. He sat on the couch.
"You're too easy on them, my lord," he said, folding his hands.
Ruwalk leaned against the window and smiled. "Really, Alfeegi, is it so cruel that he saved them from your clutches?"
Alfeegi glared. "I am enforcing the rules."
"All right, you two," Lykouleon said chuckling. "In any case, I don't expect you'll be seeing them anytime too soon, Alfeegi. You may as well find something else to do."
A knock then sounded at the door. "Come in."
Kai-stern poked his head through the door. "Have any of you seen Bierrez?"
They shook their heads.
"No, what did you need him for?" Lykouleon asked.
"I just wanted to ask him said."
"Do you remember where you last saw him?" Ruwalk suggested.
"Well, one of the castle servants said they saw him with Thatz and Gil a little earlier, but I can't find them."
A strange, tense silence settled over the room. Ruwalk and Lykouleon turned to Alfeegi. Kai-stern blinked, confused about the suddenly tense atmosphere. Alfeegi's shoulders went rigid and he tightly clenched his fists. A growl escaped his throat.
"BIERREZ!!!"
* * * * *
"Ah, the sun sure feels good!"
Gil shrugged. "Enjoy it while you can. Alfeegi's gonna kill us when we get back."
Thatz grinned and stuck out his tongue. "Ah, Alfeegi's just got a great, big stick up his ass. Hehehe!"
"You better hope he never hears you say that," Bierrez said, "I said something similar once, and Alfeegi sure let me have it."
"Thanks for the warning, I'll keep it in mind."
Thatz then paused and glanced around. "Now which way should we go now? Maybe--"
He never finished as suddenly a chilling aura swept over them. Bierrez's eyes narrowed as a chill ran down his spine. Gil trembled slightly. Thatz looked worried.
Back at the Dragon Castle, others also noticed. Lykouleon raised his head and frowned, Ruwalk, Alfeegi, and Kai-stern becoming alarmed.
"What was that?" Ruwalk wondered out loud.
"A demon aura. It's so close," Alfeegi said, running a shaky hand through his bangs.
The door opened and Tetheus stepped in. "Your highness, that aura."
"Yes, we felt it too. Can you offer any insight?"
"From what we can tell, it's coming from the edge of the shield," Tetheus explained.
"Round up everyone inside the castle."
"Very well."
Rune then stepped in as well, his long blonde hair falling over his shoulder.
"Your highness, I can't find Thatz or Gil," he said.
"Don't worry, Rune. I'm sure they felt the aura. They'll probably head back to the castle, if they aren't already. They're smart enough to stay out of danger."
Rune nodded, still looking worried.
Lykouleon sat back in his chair, his face etched with worry.
'I hope Gil, Thatz, and Bierrez are safe...'
Meanwhile, the three were still wandering.
"Where are we going?" Gil asked.
"We're going to find out what that was," Bierrez answered.
"Did you feel how cold it was? It was like ice. Whatever it came from is probably really dangerous," Thatz commented.
"If we get into danger, we'll just have to fight until we find an opportunity to escape. You two are Dragon Knights, I'm sure you're more than capable of taking care of yourselves. Besides, this energy feels different, somehow. Different from the many demon auras I've sensed."
They trekked through the brush, lightly pushing branches aside.
"Ah!"
They paused and turned to Gil.
"What's wrong?" Thatz asked.
"The energy...can you feel it? It's coming from just inside the shield."
At this, their eyes widened.
"You mean that thing's inside the shield?" Thatz nearly shouted.
"Yes, I can feel it too. Let's keep going."
The broke into a run, heading toward the aura. Gil suppressed the urge to shiver as they got closer and closer. They stopped when they reached a clearing.
"Do you see anything?" Bierrez asked quietly.
A gasp from Gil told them he had. He pointed and they turned to see.
Both's eyes widened.
"What...?" Thatz whispered in awe.
Standing a good 30 yards away from them was not a monster, but a boy who looked about their age. His dark, black hair swayed in the breeze, and his face was serious, expressionless. Thatz noticed a lick of snow white in his hair.
The boy stared at them. His cloak flutter slightly in the wind, and he was covered in blood, crimson pooling at his feet. And his eyes…his piercing ruby-colored eyes seemed to see right through them. They felt their knees go weak.
Time seemed to stop as they stared at the strange boy. He didn't advance or even move. Just stood there, staring at them. Then Thatz broke the silence.
"Who are you...?"
His words seemed to break the spell, and suddenly the boy's stoic expression turned to one of pain. His body trembled and fell to his knees, coughing blood. Then he fell to the ground, limp.
Something about seeing that stirred something inside of Thatz, and he hurried over to where the boy had fallen, ignoring the others' protest that it could be dangerous. He kneeled next to the limp body, turning it over and pulling it into his lap to better observe him.
The boy was soaked with blood, gashes covering his lithe frame. His face was pale yet flushed, beads of sweat rolling down his face. Thatz brushed his fingers against his forehead. It was hot to the touch.
Gil and Bierrez sound knelt around him, staring at the fevered and wounded boy in slight awe.
"Is he...?" Gil asked.
"No, just passed out, I think," Thatz said.
Bierrez touched the boy's cheek. "His aura is so cold, but he doesn't feel threatening at all. How strange."
"Well, his aura is also very weak," Thatz pointed out.
Bierrez gave him a mild glare. "I know that. What I mean is his aura itself doesn't feel threatening. Just so very, very cold."
Thatz watched him for a moment, then looked down again at that pale face. He absently stroked his cheek.
'I don't know who you are, but we'll help you. So don't worry, it'll be okay.'
"He's got a fever," Thatz said. He stood and lifted the prone body. "Let's take him back to the Dragon Castle. Maybe we can figure out what to do with him."
They all nodded and turned, starting the trek back to the castle.
_____________________________________________________
There's the first chappie. Please review! I want to know what you think!