Chapter 6

Hunter

Lady Plaguebringer smirked, her features twisting into a grotesque parody of a smile. "Don't worry young Naerea; you will be reunited with your dear brother soon enough," She laughed, the sound of her mirth creating great waves that washed across the surface of the Wyrmwound above; the pestilent liquid reaching high on the rim and tugging several unlucky dragons into the cauldron of disease.

The demonic ruler only laughed harder at the screams of the dragons as they were consumed by the Plaguebringer's minions. She allowed the image of Naerea to fade back into the red-tinged surface of the mirror that hung from one of the arched columns torn from the rusty rock, turning away to slither back into her fortress of death.

Far across Sornieth, a red Spiral male stood at the edge of the Shifting Expanse. He had been sent there to slay a particular Snapper who had escaped Lady Plaguebringer; one who had committed crimes against said Lady by consorting with Lady Gladekeeper.

His scales were bloody crimson, his wings duller but no less red. Upon the end of his whip-thin tail, sat a sharp metal barb, a single drop of blood slipping down it to fall to the ground. Reaching a claw into the leather pouch 'round his neck, he pulled out a small reddish mirror fragment. Pulling a small glass bottle from the pouch, he sprinkled the green-red powder within onto the mirror fragment.

"Astria scryr. So'me te Lady Plaguebringer!" The mirror swirled with ugly red and green and other colors unnamed, until finally clearing to show the image of a dragon.

"My mistress." The Spiral bowed in obeisance, making sure to keep the fragment where the dragon within could see his face. "Sitaris," The dragon within acknowledged. "I presume your mission was a success? Of course, you wouldn't dare contact me if it wasn't unless you wished to die a very painful death." "Of course, Lady Plaguebringer. Orios is dead, as you ordered." "Good. I have another mission for you…."

In the center of the Sea of a Thousand Currents, Naerea skirted a large tidepool, intent on reaching the home of her clan. Dawn and Zuri followed and Kyras walked beside his sister. "What will you do once we reach your clan?" The younger Coatl asked."I don't believe that you will just go back to your normal life and wait for Lady Plaguebringer to come kill you." "You're right Kyras. I won't just wait to be killed. I intend to get some supplies, then search for my father, if he is still alive." Naerea's four eyes stared straight ahead, focused on the colorful strings of shells that were strung around the caves and nests of her clan.

"Where will you look first?" Was her brother's next inquiry. "Before I left Wind Flight, Jassa- she knew our parents- told me that Ragki had a hideout in the Ashfall Waste. That is where I will go first." "I wish to come with you. Ragki… he is technically my father too, though I never met him." Naerea stopped, turning to face him. "Kyras, it's too dangerous. The Ashfall Waste, if Ragki is even there, is a harsh place. You came from there, remember? Besides, that place is prone to attacks from the Shifting Expanse."

Kyras wavered a little at this, but pressed on. "No. I'm going to come; you don't know your way around! I do, and I can help you!" "No, Kyras! That is my final word." With this, the black Mirror walked away. Kyras stared after her. Why couldn't she see that he just wanted to help?

"Naerea? Naerea!" Rikuto rushed over to the Mirror in question, his face shining with happiness. "Did you find your parents?" was his eager question.

Naerea's face fell; sorrow colored her voice as she haltingly explained what had befallen Oriana and Gareki. Rikuto bowed his head as she finished. "I am truly saddened by what has befallen you and your family. I wish them eternal happiness in the Endless Sea." "Thank you. Rikuto, I would like you to meet Kyras, my brother." Kyras stepped forwards, a shy smile curving his mouth. "I am honored to meet you at last, Rikuto. Naerea has told me much of you."

"She has?" Rikuto asked, surprised. "She said you were her beloved mentor, a dragon wise in all the ways of healing and the Sea of a Thousand Currents, as well as beyond." A grin threatened to break onto Rikuto's face.

He would so be teasing Naerea about this. "Well, I am glad she thinks so highly of me." By this time, Nae was looking torn between shooting Kyras a truly fearsome death glare, or denying everything. As it was, she managed to do both.

"Ky, you shouldn't tell tales," She scolded jestingly. "Oh, but I so clearly heard you say as much!" Kyras looked innocently at his sister, orange eyes opened wide so as to look even younger. His sister was not fooled. "Why don't I show you around, Kyras," She said through clenched teeth, an evil smirk spreading across her face. "I don't know…" Her brother began, but was cut off by Rikuto. "Oh come on! It would be a great honor for Naerea to show you around!" Nae pulled Kyras along, heading for the edge of the clan.

"Watch your step here," She cautioned him, keeping one eye on the pools of sticky mud that sat a short ways below them.

Her smirk widened as Kyras inched his way towards her on the narrow shelf of rock above previously mentioned mud pools. The mud pools were a feature of the Tsunami Flats that occurred where the Aedi River mixed with a set of tidepools. The river ran all the way from the open sea, through Ashfall Waste, and finished , the river was usually clogged and muddy with ash from the Flamecaller's domain.

Kyras's foot slipped; he scrambled to regain his footing as small pebbles skittered into the muck with small plops. Naerea saw her opportunity, lashing her tail out and knocking her brother off balance.

Kyras toppled off the ledge, falling straight into the mud pools; his fall creating waves of muck that splattered over the stone. "Hey!" He sputtered once he resurfaced, spitting out globes of mud. "Oh, sorry Kyras. My tail slipped," Naerea apologized innocently.

Her brother glared at her, trying to appear mad, but a smile broke free of his façade. He tossed a glob of mud at her; Nae dodged. That was all Kyras needed. He fired a volley of mud at her, so fast that Nae couldn't dodge them all. Her foot slipped on a patch of mud; she fell straight into the pool beside Kyras.

"Okay, you got me," She acknowledged, spitting mud out of her mouth. "Truce?" "Truce. Starting once we are both mud-free!" The younger Coatl hurled a claw-full of mud, smacking his sister on her snout. Her claws flew up in surprise, then she realized what just happened. In an instant, they were both hurling mud at each other.

Sitaris stood above the dark entrance to a cave worn into the side of a mountain. A black and deep purple Mirror stood just outside the cave, handing a small pouch over to a Snapper. Even from this distance, Sitaris could tell it was full of coins. In return, the Snapper gave the Mirror several crates of assorted edibles: vegetables, some meat, so on.

After the Snapper vanished down the winding path that led to a nearby village, the Mirror turned to return to his cave, only to leap back in surprise. "Ah!" He cried. Sitaris was standing in front of him, blood red scales gleaming more vibrantly in the mid-day sunlight and highlighting the eyespots on the Spiral's wings.

"Sitaris? Is it you?" Ragki asked cautiously. "Yesss…" came the harsh, grating hiss. "Sitaris, please. I have done nothing this time! I have not betrayed Lady Shadowbinder, or any other deitys! I have simply lived here." "It is not your fault- though I suppose it is. If you hadn't betrayed my new mistress, I wouldn't have to kidnap you and your daughter to be executed most painfully."

Ragki blanched, his dark scales fading to a shade of light gray. "You- you've come for me and my daughter? You are employed by Lady Plaguebringer?!" "Yessss," Sitaris hissed again. "You can come with me willingly, and die quickly, or you can attempt to flee and warn your precious daughter. If you flee, I assure you, you die an agonizing death second only to that which your daughter will receive."

If possible, Ragki paled even more. What did he do? Would he try to warn the daughter he had never met, then die an agonizing death, or go willingly with Sitaris and die quickly?


Okay, here's the next chapter. Just saying, 24 hours awake and trying to change flights is horrible. *yawns* Please review as a treat for this poor tired author?