Sorry to be tardy to the party! But enough of my bickering, let's get started

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Magic: The Gathering or its characters. I only own the idea for this fiction and any made up characters that are added.

WARNING: Same stuff as before. Adult situations, violence, bad language, sexual situations and other such things. If you don't know the routine by now, SHAME ON YOU ALL AND A HALF! Jk. Leave now if these offend you. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

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Chapter 25 – Fanning the Flames

The ball of super heated plasma washed over the two like a tsunami wave crashing against the shore. The smell of ash, soot and toxic fumes invaded their nostrils. Themis held on to Zyerne and she held on to him as they readied themselves for death. Though they felt the heat, they did not feel the burn.

'Dying by Dragon breath must not be as painful as I thought.'

Themis wondered as he slowly opened his eyes. But what he saw before him was something unexpected. The dragons fire breath had been parted into two, a wave of fire flowing past them on either side. Something had cut through the plasma to keep it from striking them. But what? Themis turned back to the dragon and found the answer. Spinning between him, Zyerne and the dragon, hovered the pure white Circle of Red Protection. Though the dragon breathed its fire in a continuous flow towards the circle, it stood fast, parting the flames into two.

"Zyerne. We're alright!"

Themis said to her, yet still holding on to her. Zyerne finally opened her eyes and saw the magnificent sight before her.

'I must not have extinguished it right the first time.'

Themis thought as he tried to understand where the circle came from. Or perhaps the white gemstone reacted the same way the green one had. But he couldn't wonder about it at the time. Though the circle protected them, they still had to escape.

As the Shivan Dragon ended its fire, confused as to why the two human creatures weren't dead, Themis took a moment to gather his thoughts. That's when he noticed it. When the circle divided the dragons attack, one of the flame trails must have brushed against the cave wall. When Themis pointed at something, Zyerne followed his gazed and noticed a black burn on the wall here the chain was once mounted on the cave wall. At her ankle the shackle remained, along with a chain that had been melted about two feet from her. Zyerne never felt more relieved.

"I'll keep the dragon busy."

Themis told her.

"Get out of here."

"Don't be a hero Themis. You'll get yourself killed."

She said with genuine worry in her voice. Themis smiled to himself. The fact that she was worried for him proved that she may have forgiven him.

"Don't worry about me; I've got to get you out of here."

Themis stood and faced the dragon with the Circle of Red Protection still spinning in front of him.

"Get out of here now!"

Themis shouted. Zyerne stared at him as she laid in the cave floor. Her mind was screaming at her to do what he said, but her body froze.

"Goddamn it Zyerne! MOVE IT!"

That somehow broke her paralysis. Swiftly she got to her feet and ran towards the exit with two feet of chain dangling behind her.

Themis watched her go, waiting for her to get a good distance between them. Then he looked up at the Shivan Dragon before him.

"Alright you over-sized iguana!"

He cursed.

"Come and get your snack."

Why does he feel he needed a suit of armor with a sword and flame resistant shield?

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When Zyerne reached the mouth of the cave, she felt like she was going to pass out. Never before had she run so hard. The rough terrain of climbing up the cave did not help her condition. Her legs ached and the shackle around her ankle made it swell. Out of breath and tired, Zyerne fell to her knees while placing her hand against the stone wall for support. How could she just leave Themis down there with a Shivan Dragon? Somehow she felt she could trust him to return. Then she remembered what he said.

"I believe."

She repeated his words, almost fearing to do so. When they last spoke, Themis had told her that the world of Magic was imaginary to him. A fake plane of reality. He said he didn't believe.

'He said he didn't believe. Now he does.'

Zyerne looked back into the dark depths of the cave behind her. She saw nothing, but she heard the faint echoes of the shouting of Themis' battle cries and the roaring of the Dragon he fought.

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Themis stood his ground as the Shivan Dragon cocked its head back, breathed deep, then shot forward with its jaws wide open as fire exploded forth. Out of reflex, Themis threw his arms over his face, expecting to feel the fire burn him. Instead, the circle once again parted the trail of fire just like Moses parted the Red Sea in Exodus.

Themis withdrew his arms and thought. The white gemstone fed mana to the circle each time the dragon attacked. And for every three steps Themis took towards the exit, the Shivan Dragon would take one mighty step forward. The dragon attacked once again, and as before the magic circle deflected the attack.

"Just give up already, there's nothing you can do to harm me."

Themis told the dragon. It was doubtful, however, that the dragon understood human language. Once again, the dragon breathed fire. It was obvious that the creature had grown irritated and angry, that nothing it did, could slay the human intruder.

'Damn. It won't give up. But I can't just walk out with it still attacking. If it knows of the village, it might attack them, and I can't protect everyone.'

Themis thought as the rapid heat from the dragons breath began to make him sweat. Yet he couldn't just stand there forever. As long as the white gemstone kept feeding the circle mana, he'll be ok, he thought. Then he remembered how he defeated the goblins. Hopefully he can call that creature back…

With much thought, Themis concentrated on the mental image of a Tunneler Wurm attacking the Shivan Dragon. With much subtlety as with the goblins, the Tunneler Wurm reappeared as it exploded from the cave wall and slammed head-first into the Shivan Dragon. Confused at first, the dragon snapped its head up and released another pillar of flame against the cave ceiling, rocks and stones breaking free, and raining down upon the creatures. Had it aimed at the wurm that had pinned it, the dragon may have escaped. The wurm slammed the side of its massive head against the Dragons scaled armor side, in turn, pounding it against the other side of the cave wall. Each time the dragon bounced off the wall, the cave would tremble and stones would fall from above. Themis could feel a cave in was coming, and he did NOT want to be in it. Ignoring to two battling titans, Themis turned away, and ran as best he could up the cave to the opening as rocks and stones fell behind him.

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Zyerne waited outside and wondered if Themis was alright. When she heard the loud roars of creatures, and felt the constant tremors coming from within the cave, she hoped Themis was still alive, so she could apologize to him for the harsh words they shared earlier this night. She also wanted to thank him for rescuing her a second time. Fate would be extremely cruel if it allowed Themis to die before she could speak to him. And yet, Fate is a weird thing. As the cave began to collapse, she could hear a faint yell that grew stronger as the person making it ran closer.

In the darkness she could see the glow of the white gemstone, and Themis held it before him as he ran from the falling rocks behind him. Themis didn't stop she noticed, he was running for dear life, and silently she goaded him on as she stood safely away. Themis threw himself through the opening just as a stone roughly half his size fell where he would be if he had not jumped that last foot. Dust bellowed from the cave to blanket both Themis and Zyerne as the cave finally fell in on itself.

The world was silent. Too silent for his tastes, Themis thought. Coughing dust from his throat, he rose on weak legs and even weaker knees. Zyerne stared at him with wide, unbelieving eyes. At her expression, Themis allowed himself a slight chuckle.

"Remind me never to fight a dragon while inside a cave again."

Barely staying conscious, Themis fell to his hands and knees, coughing and spitting. His body ached in incredible pain and he could scarcely stay awake. Zyerne came to his side and knelt beside him, her arms wrapped around his shoulders.

"You fought a dragon for my life Lord Themis."

She praised him. Themis glanced at her and gave her a weak smile

"Don't call me that."

He said weakly.

"Besides. That's what friends do."

Themis lost the last of his willpower and he fell against her. Zyerne held onto him carefully. She looked back at what was left of the cave and tried to imagine if the Shivan Dragon still lurked in its darkness.

At the same time, a pair of blue electrical eyes peered from the darkness, well beyond Zyernes sight, and watched carefully as it went unnoticed by the Leonin human hybrid.

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The Etched Oracle watched as well as Zyerne half carried Themis' limp body back to the mountain village.

"That was well staged my Myr servant."

The artifact creature said silently

"Continue your spying on him, but do not allow him to see you a second time. It will not be until he reaches Aphetto should he lay eyes on you again."

The Coretapper nodded its understanding in the Etched Oracles prism and it image faded.

"Now all that remains for this choreographed drama is that unpredictable blue mage…"

The oracles prism eye then fixed itself on Izan Vanheight, the Blue as he lies in wait for his next ambush on Themis.

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Narkgul stood outside the guest hut with his hand over his eyes, imitating the standard 'looking for something' posture, his head swinging from side to side, looking for what it sought. Because it could no longer stand sitting on Narkguls constantly moving head, Nesbit sat on the goblins shoulder instead.

"Where are they? Me no see them since we eat."

He mumbled. Nesbit said nothing but continued to clean its whiskers.

"Narkgul start to worry for two. Hope they no leave us."

He began to wonder where the human and the cat-girl were. He prayed they didn't leave him behind. But his fears were tamed when he noticed the Leonin human hybrid supporting the off-lander on his feet. Upon seeing them, Narkgul bounded off towards them like a hyperactive puppy going to greet its owner.

"Narkgul miss you both. Where you be?"

He asked as he hugged both of their legs.

"We were detained."

Zyerne said rather sternly as she glares down at the little goblin

"By your relatives."

"Relatives? Narkgul only have Nesbit. Nesbit only relative."

Narkgul said back, not quite understanding Zyernes anger.

"Then where did all the other goblins come from? The ones who abducted me?"

"Calm down Zyerne."

Themis said finally.

"If Narkgul says he doesn't know them, then he doesn't know them. Besides, I think there's someone else behind what's going on."

"Who then?"

"Unfortunately my friends."

Themis said as he began to walk on his own towards the guest hut

"I haven't a flippin' clue."

TO BE CONTINUED

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I would have liked to continue this chapter, but I'm out of ideas. So I ended it there. Hopefully I can get some inspiration to write the next chapter.

Until Next Time

Theo