Chapter 1: Big Brother
Blue eyes looked out into the village he had come to. It looked like a normal, everyday village; but Ouryuu Zeno knew the truth. He could feel it due to the connection of the dragons of old. Ryokuyuu lived here and he was just curious to see how his wayward brother was doing. Shuten had never been able to stay in one play for a very long time; however, four or five years ago he'd felt a new Ryokuyuu take over, his energy was brighter than the ones before him, but he'd never left this area. Children should be allowed to play and jump around and get into trouble, but this one seemed sad and lonely. So Zeno had come to see why.
He watched groups of children playing and running around with bright smiles. He sat under a tree watching the daily coming and goings of the village. Nobody noticed him because he sayed off to the side, was dressed in warn out clothes and looked like a beggar. So he wasn't bothered by the people and was able to notice things like the bows everybody carried or the staff weapons that young men carried with confidence or the net shooters that some seemed to carry. He also noticed the towers at the four corners of the village. The village was like a prison with the villagers acting as the guards.
It was then he saw a green haired young man with a scowl on his face. His dragon leg visible as his pant leg had huge holes in it and his pants were worn, as if he hadn't had a new pair in years. The way he carried himself though had Zeno feeling sad. It was as if he was drunk and the shadows around his eyes showed how tired he was. This was not the Ryokuyuu. He once had been, but no longer was. Zeno could sense the dragon power leaving the man.
Zeno looked towards the cabin that this man had come from and noticed somebody was inside of it. He could see movement but he couldn't see who it was. He turned his eyes to the green haired man and watched him enter the tavern. Narrowing his eyes, Zeno felt the sadness from Ryokuyuu return to ten fold. Ouryuu did not like this. He felt his blood begin to boil, he wanted to protect his brother! Zeno couldn't understand why he felt this way, but he knew, he just knew, something bad was going on.
Night came and with it people began filtering into their homes. The green haired man stayed at the tavern and Zeno made his move. Using the clouds covering the moon to his advantage, the blonde haired dragon warrior made his way across the village to the lone cabin. Pushing the door open he paused as the moon shone into the single room home. The floor was covered by straw and in the corner of the room was a small boy cowering away. Attached to the boy's arm and leg were chains and when he saw the bruises covering his face, neck and arms and in that instant, Zeno felt an anger overwhelm all other senses.
Zeno rarely ever got angry. He was always joyful and smiling because that's what people liked to see when they saw him. He could fight, yes. He could use all sorts of weapons, thanks to Shuten and Guen. He, however, was not a violent person per se; but he was protective of those he cared for and the dragons were one thing he was very protective of.
Looking around the room he spotted a knife at the very end of a table that was near an actual bed. Taking the knife, he heard the boy whimper behind him. "Don't worry little brother," he said causing the boy's eyes to widen at him. "Zeno will never hurt you."
"Brother?" The boy asked in a quiet voice.
"All the dragons are brothers." Zeno stated as he walked over to the boy. "I'm the eldest. I'm the Ouryuu." He smiled at the boy. "Zeno is going to help you, then we will leave."
"Garou will catch me again!" The boy cried out in fear. His green eyes shimmered with unshed tears in the moonlight.
Garou. Zeno thought. So that's his predecessors name. He looked at the boy. "Ryokuyuu can jump high and kick hard; but Ouryuu has a strong body." He stated as he took the knife cut his hand in a single stroke, before he cut his other hand. Zeno showed the boy his hands as they healed causing already wide eyes to widen further. Zeno then took the boy's hand and placed it on his arm letting him feel the beginnings of his scales forming. "Zeno's body is as strong as steel." He said quietly before he stood, the boy's hand pulling away from him. Fisting his hand he punched the chains attached to the wall and watched as they crumbled away. Not wasting a moment he picked the boy up. He then waited a moment until the moon was once again covered by the clouds before he pushed himself into a fast run.
Another thing Zeno had discovered in the passed thousand or so years, was that once his scales appeared not only did he become stronger, but faster as well. He could cover great distances in minutes, if he pushed himself and tonight he was doing just that; pushing himself to his limits. The boy on his back clinging to him like he was his lifeline and in a way Zeno supposed he was.
M-Angel: This will probably be a short story. It's going to be mainly on Jae-ha nd how different his life would've been had Zeno helped him back then. Later on Yona will make an appearance with Hak, but that'll be awhile.