DISCLAIMER: I do not own Dragonheart, all credit goes to those who worked on the films, I am however responsible for my own OC's and Plot. Thank you.

A/N: Apologies for the late upload, College has been hectic, I have assignments coming out of my ears, you can blame my psychology tutor for that as all my tutor cares about it assignments. Just a short shout out to White Hunter and The RPG Master for their reviews, pass the message along to your friend if you think they will like this story.

Enjoy the next chapter.

Dragonheart: The Return

Chapter 2

Sister's Duel

"I do enjoy a sword fight." Mortimer said swinging his sword around. "Many a times do I go for beheading my opponents, now and then I have a change of heart. I think I will use the beheading method on your youngest sister. Such a pretty thing. I wonder what fear her eyes will tell me when I am dealing with her!"

"Harm Drea or Tia, and my spirit will claw your insides until you are forced to take your own life." Meta spat as she raised her sword above her head.

"Dark." Mortimer chuckled. He too raised his sword above his head.

Both charged at each other, yelling before both swords clanged with each other sending sparks flying in their eyes blinding them temporarily.

Mortimer yelled, Meta had recovered and swung her sword trying to slash Mortimer's neck, Mortimer's eyesight recovered in time for him to bend backwards as Meta's sword missed by inches to pierce his neck.

Mortimer lunged at Meta, Meta – quick on her feet – dodged his attack by grabbing Mortimer's blade, punching him in the mouth and throwing him against the nearest tree.

Meta looked down at her hand, she wore a thick black glove, but Mortimer's blade had cut through it. She pulled off her glove and threw it to the ground and saw a deep gash wound in the palm of her hand.

"Very energetic, for a cripple!" Mortimer said as he gained his baring's.

"Never judge a book by its cover."

Meta ran and jumped holding her sword high, Mortimer foresaw the attack. He rolled to safety just as Meta's sword struck the tree. Meta easily yanked her sword out of the tree and swung it backhanded.

"Yargh!"Mortimer yelled as he sliced into Meta's wrist, this caused her to drop her sword. Mortimer swung his sword above his head.

Seeing her opportunity, Meta ran and tackled Mortimer where both crashed to the ground. Meta slammed her fist hard into Mortimer's stomach before bringing her elbow down forcibly on his stomach. Meta pushed her elbow further into his stomach, she saw Mortimer turn purple.

She kept her eyes fixed on Mortimer whose face now turned blue, he then stated to shimmer slightly as well–

Meta shook her head, Mortimer was shimmering, and then he began to fade in and out. Meta narrowed her eyes. It wasn't Mortimer, it was her. Something was wrong with her eyesight, she blinked a few times hoping to shake off the effect of whatever it was that was happening to her.

She heard Mortimer chuckle. "Something the matter?"

Meta coughed and spluttered, her head began to burn, and her stomach began to churn violently. She broke off her attempt to crush the air out of Mortimer.

"Oh, thank you, I can breathe easily now." Mortimer said struggling to get to his feet.

Meta tried to stand, but she found her strength had suddenly dissipated. She gasped for air. "Wh-wh-"

"Poison is a nasty piece of work, can take life in silence, without warning, and without mercy." Mortimer held up his sword with pride. "You shouldn't have touched my sword."

Mortimer's voice to Meta sounded like an echo.

It wasn't before long Meta began coughing up her own blood.

"Namnoir, in the language of the Shyee it is known as 'the slow death'. Well…that's not exactly true, it's more of a metaphor really."

Meta did her best to crawl away from Mortimer, but he grabbed her by her golden white hair. She didn't have the strength to fight back, her body was going limp, and she continuously coughed up her own blood.

Mortimer brought his blade to her throat. "I told you there would be a death before the end of this night," he whispered into her ear before slowly dragging his blade across her neck.

Meta's eyes widened as all the air rushed out of the tearing wound in her neck. Her eyes dropped and Mortimer dropped her to the floor.

Mortimer regained his posture and looked down the path where the two other sisters had galloped down, he strode down the path leaving Meta to the wolves to feed on.

Dragonheart: The Return

Tia was a few paces in front while Drea brought her horse to a trot and stopped. Tia noticed that Drea had brought her horse to a complete stop.

"Drea!" Tia called. "We have to keep going."

"I still think we should go back and assist Meta!" Drea pleaded.

"Our priority right now is the item, we have to get it the other side of Fern Woods!" Tia sounded.

"We can't leave our sister alone with the beasts that lurk in this beastly wood!" Drea pointed out.

"Drea, we have our mission, if we do not get this item to the land of Kilgharrah and into safe hands, the Shyee may find use of it. Meta is strong, she placed her faith in us to get the item away from evil." Reasoned Tia.

"But Meta–"

"Is dead."

Tia and Drea's faces held desperation which fell into fear. Slowly their heads turned to see Mortimer standing in front of them. They never saw him pass by them, they were confused to see how he got in front of them.

"You can't hide from me in Fern Woods, I know these woods." He told them smiling.

"What do you mean, Meta is dead?" Drea asked a slight croaky feel edged in her voice.

Mortimer cocked his head. "Wouldn't she be here rather than I?" he asked the youngest.

Drea's voice quavered. She chocked back a sob.

Mortimer made his move towards the two remaining sisters.

"Back!" Tia shouted where her outstretched hand seemed to force Mortimer back against a tree.

"Taika!" Mortimer sounded surprised.

With her arm outstretched Tia turned to her sister. "Drea, it is up to you now, just keep running and don't stop, do you hear me?"

Drea nodded. "Will I ever see you again?"

"I hope so my dear sister, I hope so." They held each other's gaze. "Now, go!" Tia said smacking the back of the horses' rear end. The last Tia saw of her youngest sister was being swallowed up by the darkness that lingered down the path, which offered a possible way out of Fern Woods.

Tia sighed and released Mortimer from his hold. Tia threw off her cloak, revealing a similar shining silver armour to that of Meta's. Unlike Meta, Tia withdrew two swords from her sides.

Mortimer's eyes glistened with excitement. "Oh, this is going to be good." He said licking his lips.

"It better be." Tia said. She sliced at thin air causing a ripple effect, which sent shock waves towards Mortimer pushing him back against the tree he was pinned too before. Tia sent another shock wave using her swords, except this time Mortimer used his own sword to block the effect. He struggled with effort.

The shock wave diminished and Mortimer saw Tia run at him speedily, her swords raised.

Mortimer jumped and summersaulted over Tia, though he jumped, Tia did her best to strike her opponent. As Mortimer flew overhead, their sword battle had begun.

As Mortimer landed on his feet, Tia swung around only for Mortimer to deflect her attack. With the use of a second sword to her advantage, she held nothing back in using them.

Tia was quick and lethal with her swords and Mortimer seemed to be having slight trouble keeping up with Tia, she managed to inflict a blow by slicing into his right leg, though this did little to slow him down.

Their sword's clanged dully, very often would sparks – generated by the friction of their blades affecting each other – fly in the air.

By a stroke of luck, Tia disarmed Mortimer. "Looks like I win." Tia said bringing down her sword on Mortimer who used his hands to shield himself.

Tia's sword clanged against Mortimer's arm. He was wearing armour underneath his dark clothing. "On the contrary, I think not." Mortimer said as he deflected more of Tia's double sword wielding attacks.

Mortimer who had the upper hand this time, he somehow managed to disarm one of Tia's swords leaving her with one. Though she could manage to combat with just one sword, her advantage was with two.

Mortimer swung his arm towards Tia who ducked and slicing yet another wound onto his right leg. Mortimer grunted. Caught off-guard Mortimer used his left leg and kicked Tia straight into the stomach.

Tia's blue eyes widened. At the sudden pain, she dropped her sword. The force of the kick nocked so much wind out of her that it even dented her armour chest plate. Mortimer grabbed Tia from the floor and twisted her arm. The next thing she heard was a crunch.

"ARGH!" she yelled, though her voice did not carry.

Mortimer forced her to face him. He whacked her in face, where in the process he dislodged her jaw, breaking it.

Tia could no longer speak, but the pain from her arm was so painful the only thing she could do, was mumble.

Mortimer forced her to kneel before he grabbed her head and twisted it. A sickening crunch was heard and Tia fell lopsided onto the floor of Fern Woods.

Mortimer breathed heavily, catching his breath, he laughed. "That was delicious." He said licking his lips and then looking down the path where Drea had travelled down.

Dragonheart: The Return

As her horse sped through Fern Woods, which now seemed bent on mirroring each single path and tree and darkness her eyes set on, Drea could not have felt more lost in her life. Granted she was a teen, and relied mostly on her sisters, she felt a heavy amount of burden being placed on her shoulders.

A tear rolled down her eyes as her horse sped through the Woods, she held onto the brown sack with all her might, but most of all, she wanted her sisters. Alone she was open target.

Her mind raced with a range of emotions: fear, dread, guilt, and determination. It was the determination that urged her to carry on, the determination to make it to the other side of Fern Woods, to get to daylight, to get the item in which she clutched tightly to safety.

As her horse ran, she felt a slight gust of wind; she looked up and saw a branch swing down to meet her face. Being small had been an advantage to her as she ducked with the branch missing her by at least two inches.

She looked back at where the branch had tried to swipe her.

Her focus returned onto the path in front of her, where the sound of a tree being ripped from its roots fell onto the path in front of her. Her horse did not falter as it jumped over the massive trunk now lying in the road. Drea's stomach dipped as her horse landed on the other side and hastingly carried on. It seemed that Fern Woods was eager not to let her reach the other side of the woods.

The distance between her and her sister had now grown exponentially. She appeared to be making good time, or so she thought.

As her horse carried on running, she checked to make sure that the item was safe. With her focus on the item, the sudden rush of air flew passed her as she felt herself fly off her horse and landed awkwardly on the hard path.

She raised her head and saw her horse continue onwards without her. She staggeringly got up, checked herself over for any wounds or injury, the only injury she had was the cut on her forehead.

She noticed that her sack was not with her. She eagerly looked around for the sack. She saw it lying on the floor from where she was thrown off the horse.

As she made her move to retrieve the sack, someone stepped into her view and picked it up.

"My masters have waited for years to retrieve this item." Mortimer said as he opened the sack and peeped inside. He gasped in wonder and his black eyes glinted in awe. "It is…beautiful." He said with a cold but tranquil emotion. "How you came to possess this is yet a mystery. But, I thank you for saving us the trouble of finding this."

Drea scrambled to her feet and pulled out her sword. She too, like her sisters was wearing a silver armour.

Mortimer turned his gaze back to the item in the sack.

Drea saw her chance to run.

Mortimer waved his hand.

Springing forth from the ground upwards, hot blue flames appeared in the path before her. Drea came to a full stop. Even as she attempted to near, the heat from the flames started to blister her face and melt her armour.

"The path is blocked." Mortimer said, his eyes still trained on the item in the sack. He reached in to grab the item before a searing hot pain tore across his back. He dropped the bag and saw Drea's hand reach out and grab it.

When he turned to meet Drea, he saw that she held her sword out towards him; her sword covered in the exact blue flame that was blocking the path.

She swung it back and forth, Mortimer keeping his distance.

"Put that down girl before you hurt someone." Mortimer reasoned.

Drea neared and continued waving the flame lit sword more erratically.

"First thing's first. Where are my sisters?" she asked.

Mortimer refrained from telling her, she threatened him again. "Okay, seeing as I am an honest person, I shall tell you: I disposed of them."

Drea's face fell. She slightly lowered her sword. Mortimer made a move only for Drea to regain her previous pose. "Now you are going to tell me how to leave this place!"

Mortimer raised his eyebrows. "You really think I am just going to let you leave? I haven't even had time to play with you yet before I cut your head off!"

He knocked the flame lit sword out of Drea's hand where it landed in a bush and instantly caught fire. He then proceeded to whack Drea in mouth where she flew and landed just short of falling into the path of the blue flame that blocked her path.

Mortimer pulled out his sword and casually walked up to Drea.

Drea held out her hand.

Mortimer looked at her. "What are you – ARGH!"

Mortimer rubbed his head and saw that Drea had summoned her sword, where the hilt whacked itself against the back of Mortimer's head.

Drea stood up and threw her sword at Mortimer's head where he ducked. The sword struck the farthest tree and lit the tree up in a brilliant blue glow.

Mortimer had followed where sword had struck; the next thing he saw when he turned back to Drea was seeing a fist collide with his face. He heard a crunch as Drea's fist struck his nose and broke it.

Mortimer clutched at his nose and saw Drea run towards her sword, where she yanked it free, but yelled as the heat from the blue flame blistered her face. She span around hoping to cut Mortimer down, but he blocked her attack using his own sword.

Mortimer pushed down on Drea's flame lit sword; he saw that the flame was cutting, literally melting through his own sword.

The top half of his sword melted off.

Drea saw her chance and whacked him full on in the face with the hilt of her sword. Mortimer fell backward and knocked his head on the ground.

Drea raced towards the flames that blocked her path. She had no choice but to go through them. She saw that the path was covered in flames as far as her eyes could see.

Drea looked back at Mortimer, who was out for the count. She looked back at the path, she held the sack real close, she knew that the item inside would be safe, even if the sack burnt away.

She had already suffered some burns to her face, what more pain could she bare from the flames, either way, she had to pass through them.

Taking a deep breath, Drea raced through the fire.

Her blonde silver hair caught fire instantly, and her face blistered, her skin peeling off like wallpaper. Her screams echoed throughout Fern Woods like a wailing banshee. Her armour began to melt and fuse to her body, her blood began to boil, and her hair had burnt all the way down to her scalp.

She had no idea how much pain she was in, she was not even sure if it was pain she was feeling.

As Drea walked through the fire lit path, her screams woke Mortimer from his slumber. Realizing what had happened; he quickly got up and looked down the path where he saw Drea staggeringly walking through the fire lit path.

Mortimer could not believe what he was seeing, the determination on this young girl was…he could not think of the word, just looking at Drea braving and enduring the pain of the flames that was lashing to her actually scared Mortimer. He would have gone after her, but even he was not brave enough to do what Drea had done.

Mortimer watched as the flames engulfed Drea.

As he watched, a slight whispering in the wind called out to him. He looked up at the darkening trees. "Come…" the voice, whispered to him.

Mortimer swallowed and looked fearful.

Copyright ©*

*Anything original such as new character and new plot is owned by me.

A/N: What did you think, if you have read my previous Dragonheart story you can see how different it is, I will agree it is much darker and different than the my first story, and it will get much dark as we go on.

Reviews would be nice, and if you want to throw ideas at me, go ahead, I will see if I can include them in my story. See you soon. (If college will allow me)

SoulVirus