Look at me, I just don't know when to quit, do I? Jaykay, the nice mail some people have sent me and the subscribers help out. Uh, so, here it is. Some more things are explained. And I finally get to toss in Geoff and Drake {/dances}
Den of Thieves: Thanks for reviewing! Uh, haha, yeah I try hard not to go out of character for anyone . I might... a little, but I'll probably draw the line at dressing Geoff up and having him do the meringue. If I am, let me know. Seriously.
That goes for err'body, feel free to slap me in the face. I'm pretty understanding (I might cry a bit) and I won't be a butthurt about it. C:
Oh and, Ashley, if you're reading this, DON'T READ ANY FURTHER.
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Hearts cannot live if they do not beat.
Hearts cannot survive if they are alone.
Hearts cannot endure if they are wounded.
Hearts cannot continue if they are tired.
Hearts cannot exist without one another.
Fierce amber eyes fixed on hazy sunset as shades of red, purple, orange, pink and yellow spread across the darkening sky. His goal had been reached, so then why was there so much confusion infested within his heart? Draco allowed a low growl to vibrate in his throat as he took the wondrous chance to stretch out his leathery, black spotted wings. His golden armor scales glittered in the dancing splashes of sun. They glistened and gleamed as they were stretched to their full extent. The dragon folded his majestic wings back and shook his enormous horned head, catching a glimpse at the young girl studying him with crossed arms. To that he raised one of the elevated ridges above his eye; an action that might have counted as raising an eyebrow curiously.
"Speechless are we?" Notice the jugs of smugness poured into just those three words. Draco knew straight away that the girl hated being proved wrong, especially in such an elaborate manner as this. "Surely you won't resort to any churlish actions that would warrant your inevitable loss of this argument." A deep toned chuckle stung against Alex's ears who, right now, was more paralyzed by fury and rage than by fear and utter horror at the defiance of most logical scientific theories. And yet, nonchalantly, the dragon smacked his lips hungrily, "Ah yes, now what is there to eat. Sustenance, sustenance." Now he was just acting like a mother wandering about the kitchen wondering what to whip up for supper. Alex stared, utterly mortified at the size of the creature before her. And now she was a believer.
"What do you want me to do, use that stick over there to skewer myself?" And there re-surfaced the caustic melody forever stitched into the woman's voice.
"Ugh, revolting." His lip curled up in vile disgust, exposing his sharp, closely packed, dagger teeth. "Did you not listen to a thing I said? Dragons do not eat humans." Stern features twisting even further, he continued, "And don't flatter yourself." That earned him her attention for sure, "Who could stomach you? Your skin is probably too tough, then your dryness would burn my throat." He rested his coal black claws upon his long, armor scaled, neck for a visual reference.
"Awfully bold now that you're a giant dragon, huh?" How she longed for him to revert back to a human so she could beat him senseless. "So what is it you do eat? Hm?" Impatiently glaring at him for an answer, Alex saw a passive curiosity come over him.
"Where could I find more of that Mackenchess?" Draco lowered himself to rest his belly on the ground, one forelimb crossing over the other as he stretched his neck over towards her, ever so slightly.
"Excuse me, what?"
"Those glorious yellow arches." Pulling back his neck to stretch at full height, he waited or an answer, as if his description would bring forth an immediate answer.
"Mac N Cheese." Her tone flat, she replied. Not only had he devoured her entire supply of macaroni for the month, he was demanding more.
"Ah, yes, that's it." The sun was so gone behind the hills by the time Alex was able to drill the reason as to why revealing himself to other humans was a very bad idea. Even when she could have sworn she'd wrung out every last drop of explaining to do, "Preposterous, we dragons used to be guardians to you humans." Even if not, his most recent actions should have changed human views on dragons. Einon was gone, the kingdom was safe, Bowen and Kara were more than likely the ones to look to. Draco took another moment to survey his surroundings. Then again, this was not the homeland he'd become familiar with during his lifetime. The foreign air of this land forced him to unwillingly latch onto the short-tempered female in such a strange way.
"Used to, dragon! Key words here: used to!" The last thing she need was for him to prance right into the center of such a busy city. Tanks, planes, bombs, other weapons of mass destruction pulled out of a hat.
"Spare me, not this 'dragon' business again." A low, menacing growl embedded itself underneath his words. "You are just like him." The moment those words came out of his mouth, they were instantly regretted. How could he compare his dear friend to... this. Bowen was a deeply kind man, who'd striven to protect the Old Code and uphold its values. He'd fought valiantly for what he believed in and, as many times as Draco had begged him to, refused to sacrifice his friend. Yes, that's right, the knight was his friend. A ball of sorrow welled up deep within his chest, pushing against him to bursting point. Would they be there upon his return? Time was working against him.
"Who? The last guy you pissed the hell out of? I don't blame him for acting that way after being around such an giant uptight lizard." Alex said, startling Draco into opening and closing his mouth in wordless protest. In frustration and sheer wrath, the creature bellowed a sound unnatural to human ears. On his hind limbs, he lunged at her, landing a few feet away, his body crouched in a predator stance. From his nostrils shot out a jet of hot steam.
"I misspoke. You are nothing but a cruel child vying for attention." He turned abruptly, his armored tail sliding against the dirt floor, He was unwilling to spend another hour arguing with the girl, especially on a baseless idea he wasn't ready to concede to yet. "He, on the other hand." His voice significantly softened "Was willing to believe in the impossible; goodness, change, friendship." A sudden memory of Bowen standing next to Kara flashed across his brain. "Love." Softly chuckling, he lowered himself to the ground again, his back to Alex. Tomorrow was a new day. Meaning another chance to uncover much needed answers to his predicament.
"Love." She spat out the word like a bad piece of meat. "Real love is only found in stories." Really, she had to stop trying to kick people when they were down. His back was to her, showing the deadly pattern on his back; spikes that could very well slice her in two, spaced themselves all the way down to his tail. "In old folklore, hundreds of years ago, there's a story of a husband and wife who shared with each other a love deeper than the depths of the ocean itself." Crap, what was she doing? Giving in, that's what. "Day by day, they were always seen together and described as 'inseparable'." No movement or reaction came from the dragon, prompting Alex to bite her lip. "Their land was torn by war and both were destined to face the inevitable head on. The husband was sent away to battle, leaving behind his wife and unborn child with the typical empty promise of 'I'll come back'." Still no response, but Alex knew the dragon had to be listening. "Though the man suffered grievous wounds and unexplainable hardships, his will to live kept death at bay." The stillness in the air was...awkward, to say the least, "Upon his long-awaited return, he was greeted with a shower of kisses from his beloved and his newborn son." A miniscule step was taken in the backwards direction, "Life went on as usual, their days filled with nothing but bliss and their nights fueled by passion... until..." Dejected, defeated, and somewhat humiliated, the girl resorted to quitting while she was ahead. No, not technically 'ahead', more like buried neck deep in quick sand.
"Until what?" Impatience swirled in nicely with peculiarity. His head lifted and turned to her just as her decision to simply leave was settling in. "Well?" Biting the insides of her cheek, the human cleared her throat.
"Until the husband began noticing some strange things." Draco's brows knitted together, pushing deep the lines running along his face, "Ever since he'd come back, not a single one of his friends had stopped at his house or greeted him on the streets. In fact, many of them regarded him in, almost, terror whenever he went into town for business." Her arms crossed again, "One day, a handful of his most loyal friends pulled him aside in secret and revealed to him the truth that his wife died in childbirth while he was away fighting." The dragon's mouth opened, then shut. "Shocked and insulted that his friends would play such a trick on him, he attacked them. Disbelieving of such an absurd story, the husband brought it up with his wife later that very night." A short pause for a continuing breath, "Everyone her husband named met a very grisly end that night. Everyone that she deemed stood between her and her family felt the wrath and anger of the wife's vengeful ghost. Blood painted the small wooden houses of the town." This was becoming the long route for a simple 'I'm sorry'.
"Unnerving." Draco shifted into a position he identified as more comfortable.
"Fear blanketed the town as more and more people desperately wanted to tell the husband about his already deceased wife, but ultimately deterred by the repercussions. Those bold enough to speak were murdered shortly after." Eyes wide, mouth slightly ajar, Draco brought up perfect mental images of her story. "Their love—." FLASH.
A fluorescent white light, brighter than the last, engulfed the dragon and human in its blinding splendor. Both completely caught unaware, simultaneously cried out. Penetrating past the thin film of their eyes, the light wrapped itself around their brains, ripping away their consciousness.
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A dying orange ember glow speckled the burned wood as the smoke from the one strong fire began to wane. Three good stomps from a well-bound boot ensured that no stray flame skittered from the pile to the grass. The wind played at a particular individual's dark blonde hair with its fingertips, prompting it to be pulled back and secured with a string. A few sandy curls escaped their confinement to pester his forehead nevertheless. Inhaling deeply, Geoff felt the morning fog slowly flow into his expanding lungs. Gentle rustling from behind him took his attention. "Careful back there. I don't want anyone around here seeing you." His words were responded to with a small grumble of protest.
"It smells funny in here, I don't like it." Louder rustling this time, "I really don't how this is..." A branch snapped, "Ow. Necessary." From the opening between the trees, a Dragon's head emerged. Curious eyes peered forth. His once blunt horns had grown out into sharper points along the crown of his head. His dark-emerald and faded beige-lined armor scales blended in nicely with the surrounding forest.
"You know why." Almost fifteen years had passed since he'd first met his human brother. And how he hated seeing him like this. Geoff had always had an uncanny ability to make light of whatever dark situation they were pitted against. The two had left the abbey some time ago to fulfill both of their desires of exploring the realm. Their return had been greeted by something most unexpected. Hatred had spread it's black tendrils through the heart of the city years ago, crushed it, mutated it, and they hadn't budged since. The hatred had stemmed from the new appointed monarch who had hidden her intention for so many years before. With the king in a death-like sleep, the woman held all power with her, not one, but two Dragons. Another sigh ejected itself from the man's lips. Not only did they seek to oppress humans, but all remaining Dragons possibly in hiding. And here he believed Drake was the last. Then again, they also believed Draco to be the last. On countless accounts each claim had been proved wrong.
"Geoff? Geoff? You're not listening to me." Azure eyes blinked rapidly to dismiss his thoughts. He wasn't even aware that Drake had been speaking to him.
"Oh, sorry about that. I was, uh, thinking about something. And I probably shouldn't have had that fish last night." Geoff successfully accompanied his words with a small laugh to mask any unnecessary alarm. "Anyways, we should just keep heading North. Get as far from this place as possible." It wouldn't do them any good—not long-term at least, but for now it would have to do.
"Well, um, what are we supposed to do about him?" Geoff pivoted to see the man he'd tied up earlier.
"Right." Sourly, he advanced, "What should we do with you? Dragonslayer." As he'd so aptly dubbed himself. "Toss him under the frozen river? Hang him by his toes?" Mercy didn't sound appealing when someone had just made an attempt on you brother's life. "See if he can fly?" The prisoner, who's ability to speak was hindered by the cloth in his mouth, widened his eyes in shock.
"Geoff." the Dragon called softly, but firmly. The man held his arms out, then dropped them back down by his side.
"I was joking." For the most part anyway. His comrade's attention seemed to be directed elsewhere though. "Drake." Brushing the dust from his darker colored tunic, he observed the creature's eyes.
"Are there.. stars during the day time?" The knight was about to open his mouth, but decided to take a good gander at the sky first. Sure enough, there was a bright sparkle in the bright blue sea above their heads. Geoff scratched his lightly forming beard at the puzzlement. He wasn't sure how to give an answer to the ever-inquisitive Drake. Even the bound man had directed his attention skyward. Each of them had eyes of their own, giving no need for explanation. "Is it getting... bigger?" No doubt about it, the glow in the sky rivaled that of the sun. On top of that, it was getting closer. Geoff covered his eyes. Drake followed suit. The dragonslayer could only shut his eyes and turn away. Geoff squinted his eyes open for future reference.
"I'm going to go see what that was." As he assumed, Drake let out many statements of protest about his going alone, "Stay here Drake."
"You're leaving me here?" he questioned, "With the Dragonslayer?" Lowering his head at the human as a gesture to question his logic, the Dragon frowned.
"For just a second alright? I'll be back." What could possibly go wrong in ten minutes? Best not to question that. Fate always had a way of biting him in the butt.
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I own nothing, except Alex... and probably that non-named dragonslayer.
Thanks for reading C: