Hi all! This is Redblaze speaking, er, typing. Now we have a treat for you today! Dark-Crystal Dragoon and I have teamed up and are now writing what I hope will become a successful fic. And please oh please review! We would love to hear comments about the fic. Any way, we don't have it completely planned out yet so bear with us until we know what we're doing. Thanks and enjoy! And just so you know, POV will change.

P.S. Both our characters will appear, so be prepared.

P.S.S. A double space means a new POV.

I quietly traversed the long trail ahead of me in my ever-continuing journey. With every step I managed to keep myself going. I held tight to the bloody gash across my chest. With every second, I lost blood. I cursed at my foolishness for even thinking of going there.

I had traveled to the ancient graveyard at the foot of Mount Draconis. I ignored the old adventurer's warnings about the spirits that guarded the spot. But I had heard a rumor of one such as I who lived therein. One who hadn't been born of fully of human blood or of wingly blood. But perhaps that is all they were. Rumors. I had left the graveyard, glad to be alive.

But even though the rumors seemed false, I will never give up as I journey onward to find one who shares my species.

As I traveled, darkness fell. Yet my wound had not healed. Blood still oozed from the area beneath my fingers. I felt the warmth of my blood and continued walking, ignoring the feeling of lightheadedness. I would never give up on my mission. And yet, I knew that I was meant to fail it from the beginning. Fate would have it that I was the only one. But I don't believe entirely in fate.

I felt more blood leave me as I began to drag my feet along the trail. Even though I had applied much first aid, the wound healed none. I managed to find my way to a small canyon with high rock walls. It may have been because of the loss of blood, but I felt as though I were being watched. Twice I believed to have seen a shadow dart across the moonlit walls.

I felt an uneasy feeling as I walked deeper into the canyon. My wound felt as though it had finally began to slow its bleeding. I heard a light but definite footstep. I slowly reached into the veils of my robes and withdrew a bluish sword attached to a silver handle. The Diamond Star.

I took another step before hearing a rock clatter down the side of the wall to my right. I turned sharply, to see what seemed to be a shadow disappear behind some rocks. I uneasily began to walk again and felt eyes watching my every move. I walked into the shadow created by a small tunnel. Darkness swirled around me. I raised the Diamond Star to my lips and muttered a few words. The blade glowed a bright blue. As it lit up, I felt as though something else was very near me, maybe a few feet away. But when I turned, I saw nothing.

I stood quietly, surveying my surroundings when I saw a chip of a stone fall from the ceiling of the cave. I looked up. There, a few feet over my head, was a beast with eyes that shone a bright white color. But I could feel that this had been in here for a long time and had not been following me. But it attacked me all the same.

In my weakened condition, I had barely begun to raise my sword when I was thrown to the ground. I felt the darkness closing in before hearing the anguished cries of the beast and a sound of a fighter. I felt my consciousness begin to go. Before I passed out, I caught a small glimpse of what appeared to be a woman with a disgusted look on her face. I barely got a glimpse of the silver eyes above me before the last of my consciousness left me.

When I awoke, day had risen. I felt my head and realized that my robes had been removed. I looked around. I was in a clinic in some town. I stood and found my robes quickly. I reached for where the Diamond Star was hidden within my robes. I tossed my hood over my head to hide my face. As much as I dislike it, no one may see my face and live.

I walked out of the room I was in and stopped the first nurse who passed me. "Who has seen me since I was brought here?" I asked in a toneless voice.

"The whole town had seen you when you were brought to this village. I don't see why you wear that hood. You have…" She was cut short as I thrust and withdrew my blade from her body. I now knew what had to be done.

I stepped outside the clinic, wiping the blood that belonged to the workers off the Diamond Star. I strode from building to building, finding out who had seen me before slaughtering the people who had. I hated when I was forced to kill the innocent, but no one may see my face and live. But what of the woman who had brought me here? She had not been one of the people who had begged at the end of my sword.

I turned to walk away. I had heard what was coming long before it had come close. I spun around and grabbed the arrow out of the air. I slashed through the air with the Diamond Star and a flame flew from the tip. The town was gone in half a minute. 'And now,' I thought as my brow furrowed, 'the woman must be found.'

I found my location soon. I had been in a small village to the northeast of the village of Seles. The canyon where I had seen the figure lie to the east of me. I journeyed there, wondering what I would do when I got there. The woman had clearly been a master fighter, for it had seemed that she killed the beast with little effort. I chuckled darkly to myself. "It will be the first good fight in years." I then entered the canyons.

I climbed the peaks of the canyon, and sat upon the highest one. I stared out across the desolate plains, waiting the fall of night. I felt the curve of the Diamond Star and laughed. No matter how good a fighter she is, she has no idea of the power I possess. I felt the black stone that I had been given the day my parents were killed. I'm not sure I'll even need it.

I listened intently to many noises. A hawk screeching some twenty miles away. A cricket humming its melody. My head jolted up as I heard the sound rebound off the walls of the canyon, echoing back to me. A rock being moved by a strong foot. I smiled. So my opponent is still here. I'll keep a watch for her.

I had sat for nearly an hour and night had fallen before I saw her. I saw her appear suddenly on a pillar a small distance away. I stood and examined her features. She turned slowly to look at me. The wind blew, causing her cloak to ruffle behind her. Even at a distance, I could see every feature. I saw her silvery eyes staring at me as I stared back. Her ebony hair blew behind her with the wind. I quickly realized that she would be a good fight indeed. She seemed to have a lance and a blade, both black, strapped to her. It looked as though she had tried to hide it, but with my keen eyesight, I could see a small dagger hidden within her boot. I also saw something that managed to strike a twinge of fear in me. The Dragon Buster. Somehow, the fabled weapon had fallen into her hands. Yet no power can even match the Diamond Star.

I saw her eyes examining my every characteristic. Seeing as she had already seen me, I undid the hood so that my hair blew freely. She seemed to absorb every curve and corner of my body, as if looking for a weakness. I reached within my robes and felt the magic flow through me as I drew the Diamond Star.

She drew her own blade, yet neither of us moved. I decided that it would have to be me who made the first move. I closed my eyes and concentrated. I felt myself disappear and travel at faster than light speeds. I reappeared upon the pillar she was on. She seemed unimpressed by my technique and held her blade steady.

"What is it that you want?" She spat.

"I wish only to fight the one who saw my face." I smirked.

"So be it. Prepare to die!" She dashed at me and swung with excellent precision.

I dodged and blocked her blow. She made another slice that I narrowly missed. I swung at her and felt the Diamond Star connect with her own blade. I stared her in the eyes with not a look of hate as I normally hold for my enemies, but with a look of determination.

"You fight well. Never has someone survived even my first attack." I calmly spoke.

"This coming from the one who nearly died in a cave." She retorted.

I slashed again and flipped over her blade. I spun around and jumped, performing a spinning kick. I barely touched her as she dodged. She then spun and kicked me in the chest. I stumbled back, surprised by the force of the blow. I thrust my sword at her again before dropping down and swinging my leg. She jumped over my kick and I narrowly ducked her counter blow that was aimed at my head.

I backed slowly away with the Diamond Star held up in the air. "Diamond Star Wind!" I yelled, calling powerful gusts of wind to emit from the Diamond Star. It blew against her, pushing her back toward the edge of the pillar. It would all be over when she fell.

Suddenly she ran through the gales of wind and slammed into me with her elbow. I fell backward and had an idea. I pretended to accidentally fall from the ledge. I flipped as I fell and I landed harmlessly on my feet. I was surprised when she did the same. Only a wingly can pull that off! I can because I'm a half-wingly. How can she?

I had no time to ponder as the fight became a large battle. Few blows had been landed throughout the entire fight. I didn't dare use the stone's power for fear of the Dragon Buster.

I swung and missed by an inch. I realized suddenly what I had to do. I raised the Diamond Star high. "Sacrificial Burst!"

The Diamond Star flew out of my fist and embedded itself in the ground. As it did so, a mighty explosion ripped from it. I was flung back by the explosion. The same happened to my opponent. We both hit the ground and neither of us stood as the Diamond Star settled back into its sheath. I could see that she was unconscious. A second later, so was I.

I stood in the castle of Bale. Albert, the king of Serdio and a good friend of mine, had called us to this spot for a meeting. The king had greeted me with a warm handshake while we waited for the others. Soon all but Rose had arrived. I was confused when Albert said, "Good. Now that everyone is here, the meeting can begin."

"What about Rose?" I asked, concerned about my friend that I had helped resurrect.

"She is the point of the meeting." Albert said slowly.

"Why? What happened to Rose?" I asked.

"Yesterday, two large villages had been wiped out much the way Neet had been destroyed years ago. It is as if the Black Monster reawakened inside Rose. I'm sorry to say it, but we must stop her. But what confuses me is the second town. The few survivors reported being attacked by a man clad in black. That could easily be mistaken as the Black Monster. But how can Rose be in two places at once?"

"That's what I want to find out." I said quietly. Why must I fight Rose? This tears me up inside. She was once my best friend but now… I can't believe it.

Um… more to come in a while. Dark-Crystal Dragoon should be writing the next chapter. Uh, review if you liked it and we'll try to continue it as soon as possible. Thanks.