Well, your reviews of pleading me to keep writing have worked. :3 Though, be warned, since I haven't written in a while, the next few chapters -if I get that far- won't be up to the same caliber as the others, but hey, what the hell?

Shadow of a Soldier

Chapter 14

Inuart's Mutiny

The bright dawn from earlier was soon dulled and dimmed by an oncoming thunderstorm, turning the sky and morale of the group gray. The clouds above growled down at them, warning them of what was approaching. Caim, with nothing else to do, was sitting on a log, whetting his sword. The earlier argument between he and the dragon still stung at the back of his mind as he slowly sharpened his blade. The dragon had stayed near the edge of camp since the argument, not wanting to be associated with the small band of humans.

Caim sighed heavily and looked around the small camp. The tents had been hastily reinforced for the oncoming storm, and the more useless components of said group were sleeping or -in the hermit's and elf's cases- off gathering food. Furiae lay sleeping not far off, whimpering in her dreams. The sounds saddened him; nightmares plagued her since she first became the Goddess. Before he could go back to whetting his sword, the dragon's voice growled in his mind.

"What now?" Caim growled back at her.

"Quiet, Imbecile," she snarled softly at him. "Look up! That shadow... That smell..."

Confused, Caim looked up as he was told and saw a black silhouette circling above them. He squinted his eyes against the harsh gray of the sky. Before he could try and make it out, the old man stumbled out of his tent and stared up at the sky as well. "Another dragon?" he asked in his withered, quivering voice.

The dragon circled lower and lower, and as it grew closer, the dragon's growls became more and more threatening. Caim tensed; the dragon's anxiety became his own, and he prepared his sword when the rider hopped down. However, when he saw said rider, his sword lowered and his mouth dropped a little. Inuart...? Caim turned his head to look at the dragon; though she knew who Inuart was, she wouldn't stop growling. Why...?

Furiae had emerged from her tent by then, and when she saw her former fiancee, a large, exhausted smile broke out on her pale face. "Inuart!" she exclaimed happily. She took a couple of steps toward her former lover.

"With a dragon!" Verdelet exclaimed, seeming to be a little impressed. Caim was as well; he didn't think Inuart would have the gall to even approach a creature for a pact, much less a dragon. Though, Caim still couldn't shake that feeling of dread the dragon was emanating. There was something horribly wrong... "That means... you have made a pact."

Inuart ignored Verdelet and turned to Furiae. "Furiae... Come with me, there is nothing to fear. The world will be better now; you need not be he only sacrifice..." His hand extended, he took a few steps toward her and the dragon's growling grew louder.

It was then Caim realized what it was, that feeling of dread. Inuart's eyes held the same blood red irises as the Imperial rats he killed. That same inhuman evil that was shared with his damned black steed. Caim snarled as well and moved between Furiae and Inuart, blocking the latter's path. Furiae, a little startled, moved back a little.

Angelus knew she smelled the stink of a rat when she first caught their stench. She had slowly moved behind her human and the Goddess, glaring at the black dragon. The black dragon grinned cruelly at her, but said nothing. She kept her eye on the other dragon. "He has been broken," she warned the others in the group.

Inuart snarled at the dragon, then glowered at Caim. "I'm not weak anymore, Caim," he growled. "Why are you staring at me like that, I'm strong now!"

Caim could only watch Inuart carefully. He felt betrayed and mocked; his best friend through all of this time... Angelus felt the her partner's conflict, but growled. "He's traded himself over to the enemy, Caim!" she snarled. "Don't become soft on him now!"

Caim growled at his indecision. Inuart... The traitor snarled at Caim. "I've traded my songs for strength, Caim." He turned again toward Furiae, who had backed up a little more, unsure of what to do. "I can protect you now, Furiae..." His hand reached toward his love a little; she was so close... He so longed to hold her once more...

"Don't let him near her!" the dragon cried in Caim's mind. He swallowed hard and took another step to be between Inuart and Furiae, pointing his sword at his old friend, The traitor's snarl contorted; it now held the betrayal Caim felt.

"Don't give me that face, Caim," Inuart warned, his eyes narrowing. "I can see the scorn in your eyes! You would sacrifice your own sister in the service of revenge!" He swept his sword at Caim, but was too far away to hurt him.

Inuart pointed a gloved finger at the other. "We settle this today, right now!" he growled. "I have grown weary of always being in your shadow, Caim!" He nearly spat the other's name. "With this new power, I'll prove to you that I am as good-- NO! That I am BETTER than you are and could ever hope to be!" He turned and walked out of the camp to the open, barren field where his black dragon was waiting.

Caim took in a shakey breath and followed. Though he didn't want to hurt Inuart, he couldn't chance the traitor taking Furiae. Inuart might think he was saving Furiae, but his naiveté would only aid the Empire in capturing his sister. He silently followed Inuart out to the field and the dragon behind him, keeping her eye on the other dragon.

Inuart stopped a few yards away and turned to face Caim, his face contorting upward in a sinister smirk. He couldn't help a small, cocky chuckle as he stared down his old rival. This would be the day... The day that he finally out-shined Caim. The day when Furiae would be safe in his own protection, when she would finally look up at him with the same adoration and love that she gave Caim. That oblivious fool...!

Legna snarled and kept his eye on the red dragon. He could tell she had just changed and was not yet suited to her new form. This would be easy... He opened his maw and readied himself to launch into the air.

Caim watched his two adversaries and readied his sword. He had beaten Inurat plenty of times before in sparring, but... "Do not let your guard down, Caim," the dragon warned. "These two are stronger than any other adversary we've come across. If you see an opening, do not let your pity get in the way. He needs to die." Caim took in one more deep breath as he heard his sister call his name, trying to stop him. The black dragon rose into the sky, his serpentine tail writhing behind him, the red dragon roared, and the battle was on.

Inuart ran at him, a greedy, warmongering expression written on his face. Caim frowned and braced himself for the impact, which when they clashed, sent pain shooting up both his arms. As their swords locked, Caim saw Inuart's blood red eyes glaring up at him, his sinister grin promising death. Caim was taken aback by the expression for a moment, and Inuart took advantage of it. With only a few more strokes, he had knocked Caim back and off his feet.

Inuart couldn't be happier, watching his former rival hit the dirt like he had so many times before. He watched, triumphant, as Caim silently groaned in pain on the ground. "How does it feel, Caim," he asked in the latter's mind, "to finally be where you belong? How does it feel to be dethroned of your perfect status? How does it feel that I am the one who did it?"

Angelus hadn't had time to get airborne, and took the black dragon's attack head on. His long finger-like talons drove themselves into her hide like butter and she couldn't help but a yelp. As she threw her head back to cry out in pain, he bit into her neck and gnawed at the tender flesh, enjoying her dying cries of pain.

Caim's back protested greatly as he slowly sat up, ignoring Inuart's jeers. He turned to where the dragon was fighting and his face paled at the horrific sight. Blood poured down the dragon's crimson and beige hide, and as if to further mock him, the black dragon stared at Caim, as if daring to try and stop him. Once they locked eyes, the general's inner eye flashed back to the horrible night the Empire lay siege to his old home.

His father...

His mother...

Those red eyes...

His back or any other injury no longer complained as he sat up, his rage swelling within him. That dragon... It was the dragon that had taken almost everything from him... The dragon that had killed his parents and forced him out of his old home. The dragon that had ruined almost everything he held dear... With his red dragon in his jaws, he felt the bloodlust rise not just because his and the red dragon's fates were linked, but because he couldn't lose another part of his life to that damn beast!

Forgetting Inuart entirely, he dashed toward the two interlocked dragons. Angelus cried out for him to stop, roaring to try and return his sense to him. "You fool!" she cried in his mind. She felt the black dragon chuckle, and as she shook her head for Caim to stop, he shoved her head down with his feet and launched himself back into the air. The black dragon took in a great gulp of air and tossed a fireball straight at Caim.

"CAIM!"

Caim didn't have time to react and before he could try to dodge the fire, a great crimson wing blocked his path, shielding him from the fire. He looked up in shock as the red dragon took the fireball to the back, letting out a bloodcurdling shriek of pain. "DRAGON!" Caim shouted. She whimpered and collapsed to the ground as her hide sizzled. Caim grunted as he was thrown off his feet again since the red dragon's wings knocked him down.

Inuart watched, pleased, as his dragon returned from where he had started. The black dragon let out a puff of smoke, letting his partner know that they were no longer a threat. With that savory information in mind, he couldn't help but swagger up to Furaie, who had backed behind Verdelet. He scoffed. If Caim and his "mighty" dragon couldn't stop him, what made this old fool with one foot already in the grave think he could?

As the old priest started reciting the old incantations, Inuart simply cut the man with one causal swipe of the sword. The ancient man grunted and fell to the ground, proving his uselessness yet again.

Furiae, with no one left to protect her, stared wide-eyed at Inuart, fearful of what the traitor might do to her. When he was only inches away -and for lack of another idea- she slapped him hard across the face. Inuart merely scoffed. What made her think she could act like that? He was her champion now, not Caim. He reached toward her face, that lovely, perfect face, and pulled her to his and locked her in a kiss. She fought against him and tried to pry herself away from him, but in vain.

Caim would have moaned if he could as he tried to pry himself off the ground. His vision was fuzzy as he searched for his sister. Had Inuart...? A sound to his left grabbed his attention and he saw Furiae faint into Inuart's arms. Caim tried to move, but his legs wouldn't obey. The dragon's pain and his own bombarded his mind and body. He lay there, helpless, as Inuart took his sister to the black dragon that stared coldly down at he and his dragon.

Once Inuart was mounted, he took in a deep breath, as if some sweet scent were flitting through the air. He surveyed his victory and smiled as he lulled, "Welcome to a world without song." He then tossed something in the air before patting the black dragon's hide.

Caim growled to himself as the bastard flew off with his sister and with great effort, pushed himself up. The stank of the red dragon's burned flesh choked his senses and made his eyes tear. He took a few staggering steps before Inuart's old harp harpooned itself into the craggy soil. Caim sighed to himself and turned to get some medical supplies when he heard a gasp. He turned to see Arioch and Leonard with budles of food and supplies.

Leonard sniffed the air and frowned at the stench of charred flesh. "...Did we miss something?"

Well, there it is in its hideous glory. That's what happens after two years of inactivity, folks. Still, I hope this is enough to get me going again. It felt nice to keep my computer on for more than updating my Zune.