and wounded, the men fighting swords and the fleeing people until she came
to the burning inferno at the castle gates. In the mists of their mutiny,
they shone fiercely and above were wrapped in a black cloud. Each fire
burst into new flame crowned with the storm of smoke. Grace called out to
Drake, but the fires and screams drowned out her voice.
She looked around frantically then noticed Drake inside the castle threw the wall of burning flames. Grace glared at them and with one jump she leaped through the tongues of fire as smoke rouse about them in vapor and steam. She ended up in the court tumbling from the burning coals and got covered in suit; the fall wasn't so bad as she looked up at Griffin and Drake in a fight. Drake and Griffin fought, their mouths crunched and screamed out against the noise. They viciously snarled struck and bit at each other. Then Drake attempted his breath weapon of ice but it was smothered in a rain of flames. Griffin pounced on Drake digging his claws into him. While Drake imbedded his teeth into Griffin they rolled, tumbled, and threw each other back raging and snarled getting lost in the crowd of horrified people.
The people had nowhere to go except higher into the castle where they hoped to escape on the rafters that were built for escape. The terrified people fled straight in wild frenzies, their shadows racing from them. There was no mercy for the poor souls, for the hungry flames opened its vast jaws on their heads, turning the widows tears, the children's cries, for husbands, soldiers, the dead and wounded's blood, the pinning ladies groans for fathers, betrothed lovers that were swallowed in the controversy to death, a plague stealing a hundred souls that burrowed their own. The flames roared like screaming demons rising higher around the castle and they hissed in the dark.
It was a horror not many experienced and hoped for a savior under the pale sky of eve. The smoke built up clenching the air with its mighty fist. The sky darkened, clouds swirling around the land took color out and reduced everything to a vogue gray. Within the court, Geoff crawled against the stone floor keeping clear from the smog. He made his way to the king's throne and hoped that the flames had not reached the open balcony where there was a possible escape. Just then, a fragile hand blackened by suit and burned by the flames took hold of Geoff's arm. Geoff tuned slightly to see the maiden in black, holding her stomach and winced in pain. His features showed sympathy toward her. And her eyes looked into his," you must give her the gems". " Who", Geoff asked," Grace". " Yes" the woman smiled," the guardian of dragons who was sent from the future to save this land.but she's more fragile then she seems". Slowly her hand reached towards Geoff's face caressing it with the blood stained on her hand. " She needs you help and his love.or she will die.". Her hand slowly fell as she began to choke on her own blood.
Geoff was puzzled as to what she meant by when she said he. Geoff then dismissed the thought and knew he did not have much time before the flames would engulf him. While Geoff had been in the lower parts of the castle, Drake was stabilized in the higher parts ensuring everyone had gotten to knights who loaded victims on the escape rafters. In the flood of frightened people, Grace managed to catch up with Drake. Circling the air, Griffin peered down toward Grace. Just as he dived down toward the castles wide opening, Grace called out Drakes name and grabbed his attention. She ran with the flood of crying people. Then stopped in her tracks when Griffin landed in front of her causing a scare amongst the people, making them scatter.
From the distance, people climbed onto the rafters and were lowered to safety. Drake's eyes widened to see Grace trapped by Griffin. Grace stared at Griffin for a moment waiting for him to attack her. However, to her expectations he resumed. Instead he slowly proceeded toward her", my dear Grace, there is a matter I must discuss with you". His teeth shimmered off the fires that continued to rise about the castle. Grace defensively looked toward Drake as if crying out for help. " What I mean to ask is, where are the four gems Grace?" Griffin questioned drawing closer to her. Grace said nothing as she watched Drake slowly approach Griffin from behind. " Tell me where they are!" Griffin protested growing impatient by Graces silence and glared at her as she paced backward away from him.
The castle court had been thick with heavy smoke and the temperature was rising by the second. Geoff sank below the thick smoke and grew frustrated as he embraced the fair woman with his arm. Lightly he shook her," hey don't die". The woman choked up spurts of thick blood, her eyes rolling faintly, and her face shooken by pale death that set thin and bloodless. " Hey wake up where are the gems?" Geoff pleaded.
Griffin was about to make a move when Drake distracted him," What do you want with her". " Simple answers Drake, simple answers," Griffin said in response. Grace rushed over to Drakes side looking at the crowds of people in panic to get to safety. " This is the only way down and is a place where the fire hasn't reached," Grace said turning toward Drake. Drake and Grace watched as Griffin backed away with a scheming smile. " I wish the both of you luck on getting down to safety" he cackled. He then flew off from the tower breathing fire down on the castle where the people had been lowered to safety. Drake snarled baring his dagger like teeth and through his large wings up in anger.
Geoff coughed from the smoke in the court as he tried to get an answer from the maiden in black. " Please don't fade away.where are the gems?" He asked, growing more frustrated. Slowly the maiden looked with in Geoff's eyes and raped out an answer", the gems.are.in.me.". She faded closing her eyes, letting her head fall slowly down on the ground. With a complicated look Geoff asked," what?". Geoff tried to distinguish what she had said.
Many people had been still loading on the rafters going as quick as possible to get away from the burning flames. Grace watched the numbers shortening. " Women and children first" proclaimed the knight shuffling people in order to the towers railing. " Grace why did you come here?" Drake asked. " I was worried I had a feeling that I would have lost you." Grace replied looking over Drakes injured body. Painfully Drake shifted his left sprained wing to the side looking towards the people getting to safety. Grace looked at Grace with worry painted on her face. Drakes eyes slowly wandered to the towers floor." Grace you should get to safety."He said in a soft whispering voice. Grace shook her head," no Drake I can't". Drake looked at her frowning. " Your wing, it's injured and there's no escape. If I leave how will I know you'll be okay," Grace said her voice muffled by pain. " I'll find away out I promise" Drake said faintly. His eyes watched the proceeding knight heading for them in the clusters of frightened people.
Geoff crouched against the floor and thought briefly about what the maiden in black had said." The gems are in me?" He asked. Then he finally figured it out but knew it was too strange. His eyes defined the wound on the maiden's stomach. Carefully his fingers reached inside the wound digging deeper into the squishy guts and thick blood. His face winced from disgust as his fingers moved around probing the imbedded tissue and the slimy walls of the dead woman's stomach. Geoff groaned in disgust as he reached something hard. He then grasped his hand around it slowly pulling the object from the maiden's body. Geoff examined the gem marked with an ancient dragon symbol that was stained with blood from the maiden's body.
A few feet away from Geoff the knight Ronald crawled his way towards the stair well leading to the king's throne. He was brutally wounded from battle and choked from the smoke and fires that had been rising dangerously around the castle. A look of horror depressed Ronald's features watching what Geoff was pulling out of the woman's stomach. Geoff carefully wrapped the four gems in an old fabric then looked around for an escape. He however found none and soon the heat had been too much for the two knights. The smoke lowered just inches above their heads and they cried out for help but none could hear them over the screaming fires. They collapsed from the heat unable to escape the hungry flames.
Drake looked back at the raging flames, hungry bonfires able to burn anything and everything they met. " Are their anymore women and children?" the knight asked looking around. As more people flooded the rafters, Grace was pushed amongst them. Drake proceeded toward Grace stopping at the edge of the tower. From the shadows of another tower, Griffin watched Drake and Grace hoping the gems would be revealed. When most of the people had been loaded onto the rafters, Grace looked blankly at Drake. A knight grabbed her by the arm", come on lass lets get you to safety" He inquired helping her onto the rafter. He then stepped himself grabbing the rope that was nearest to him and began to lower the rafter. The knight on the other side of the rafter helped also.
Alone on the tower Drake watched Grace on the rafter with flooded people who's eyes moved on her appearance of being an angel. One of the men behind her breathed in dispensed fear," If what you are and miracles do happen angel why not grant us one now". Grace looked toward the man then toward the people. Thoughts ran through her mind all at once but the heaviest thought drowning her fear had been Drake. In slow motion, she looked up toward him. His eyes never leaving her. His tongue was as thick as ice and his thoughts were heavy and shallow. His throat felt all choked up at his slow emotion. His eyes looked into hers, stars did den in their depths of threatening tears. Drake watched sighing in a heavy silence of sorrow. With a heavy heart, Drake watched Grace's features reflect the saddest emotion he had ever seen.
Slowly as the rafter carried the people down the wall of the castle, Grace felt as if she had been drifting away from Drake, slowly sinking in a feeling the stiffened her heart.
With out hesitation Grace summed up the courage to get off the rafter. Just as she moved to the ledge, the people muffled out in cries. Without any effort Grace shifted her dove-white wings spreading, them fully out from her. From the tower Drake was left gaped from what she was about to do. He heard the cluster of people shouting at her and crying out. With one leap off the rafter, Grace hovered slightly gaining height into the air then glided toward the tower and Drake. The cries from the people broke out as the rafter caught off balance, swaying slightly from the drop below. " Drake!" Grace shouted out, the wind no longer able to hold her wings up. She began to fall, but with hope of rescue, Drake dived toward her grasping his clawed hands over her left arm and slowly pulled her up over the ledge of the tower.
" It's alright I've got you" Drake said, then his voice softened as one of his wings embraced her shooken up body", your safe.". Grace looked up into Drakes eyes", I'm sorry I couldn't leave you", her voice stringed in panic. Tears burnt Drakes eyes and he squeezed them tightly shut, pulling Grace towards him. In a gentle cracking voice he whispered", I was afraid.I was afraid I would have lost you.I lost you once and I don't want to lose you again". From the shadows, Griffin swallowed a sorrow of false guilt being taken in by the sadness he witnessed between Drake and Grace. It started to thunder, the lightening spread like fingers across the sky and a heavy rain poured down putting out the surrounding fires. The whispers through the rain chilled the people, drowning their agony and brought fourth peace for the time. The rain had fallen over the castle washing away the blood and death that stirred before the fire had engulfed the castle. There had been a gap left behind over what had happened to the innocent, the gap might have closed the wound might have healed but a scar would always remain, like a memory unforgotten.
The dawn rose creating a solemn atmosphere dedicated entirely to the lives of those who spent the day salvaging bodies at the castle and placed them in a proper memorial. Soon the people hoped that everything would be back to normal. However, they were terribly mistaken. The evil would be back but much worse than ever. The hymns sung by devoted monks echoed through out the monastery. Drake rested near Grace who slept on his mountain of pillows. He frowned looking over her. Her wings were stained with suit from the ashes of the flames, parts of her dress, which once shimmered like the stars had been torn, faded, and burnt shedding in overlapping silk that covered her body. As she delicately dreamed Drake brought on a faint smile gently taking his clawed fingers and ran them lightly through her cherubic curls, parting a piece of them out of her face. He then brought his wing over her blanketing her with it.
She looked around frantically then noticed Drake inside the castle threw the wall of burning flames. Grace glared at them and with one jump she leaped through the tongues of fire as smoke rouse about them in vapor and steam. She ended up in the court tumbling from the burning coals and got covered in suit; the fall wasn't so bad as she looked up at Griffin and Drake in a fight. Drake and Griffin fought, their mouths crunched and screamed out against the noise. They viciously snarled struck and bit at each other. Then Drake attempted his breath weapon of ice but it was smothered in a rain of flames. Griffin pounced on Drake digging his claws into him. While Drake imbedded his teeth into Griffin they rolled, tumbled, and threw each other back raging and snarled getting lost in the crowd of horrified people.
The people had nowhere to go except higher into the castle where they hoped to escape on the rafters that were built for escape. The terrified people fled straight in wild frenzies, their shadows racing from them. There was no mercy for the poor souls, for the hungry flames opened its vast jaws on their heads, turning the widows tears, the children's cries, for husbands, soldiers, the dead and wounded's blood, the pinning ladies groans for fathers, betrothed lovers that were swallowed in the controversy to death, a plague stealing a hundred souls that burrowed their own. The flames roared like screaming demons rising higher around the castle and they hissed in the dark.
It was a horror not many experienced and hoped for a savior under the pale sky of eve. The smoke built up clenching the air with its mighty fist. The sky darkened, clouds swirling around the land took color out and reduced everything to a vogue gray. Within the court, Geoff crawled against the stone floor keeping clear from the smog. He made his way to the king's throne and hoped that the flames had not reached the open balcony where there was a possible escape. Just then, a fragile hand blackened by suit and burned by the flames took hold of Geoff's arm. Geoff tuned slightly to see the maiden in black, holding her stomach and winced in pain. His features showed sympathy toward her. And her eyes looked into his," you must give her the gems". " Who", Geoff asked," Grace". " Yes" the woman smiled," the guardian of dragons who was sent from the future to save this land.but she's more fragile then she seems". Slowly her hand reached towards Geoff's face caressing it with the blood stained on her hand. " She needs you help and his love.or she will die.". Her hand slowly fell as she began to choke on her own blood.
Geoff was puzzled as to what she meant by when she said he. Geoff then dismissed the thought and knew he did not have much time before the flames would engulf him. While Geoff had been in the lower parts of the castle, Drake was stabilized in the higher parts ensuring everyone had gotten to knights who loaded victims on the escape rafters. In the flood of frightened people, Grace managed to catch up with Drake. Circling the air, Griffin peered down toward Grace. Just as he dived down toward the castles wide opening, Grace called out Drakes name and grabbed his attention. She ran with the flood of crying people. Then stopped in her tracks when Griffin landed in front of her causing a scare amongst the people, making them scatter.
From the distance, people climbed onto the rafters and were lowered to safety. Drake's eyes widened to see Grace trapped by Griffin. Grace stared at Griffin for a moment waiting for him to attack her. However, to her expectations he resumed. Instead he slowly proceeded toward her", my dear Grace, there is a matter I must discuss with you". His teeth shimmered off the fires that continued to rise about the castle. Grace defensively looked toward Drake as if crying out for help. " What I mean to ask is, where are the four gems Grace?" Griffin questioned drawing closer to her. Grace said nothing as she watched Drake slowly approach Griffin from behind. " Tell me where they are!" Griffin protested growing impatient by Graces silence and glared at her as she paced backward away from him.
The castle court had been thick with heavy smoke and the temperature was rising by the second. Geoff sank below the thick smoke and grew frustrated as he embraced the fair woman with his arm. Lightly he shook her," hey don't die". The woman choked up spurts of thick blood, her eyes rolling faintly, and her face shooken by pale death that set thin and bloodless. " Hey wake up where are the gems?" Geoff pleaded.
Griffin was about to make a move when Drake distracted him," What do you want with her". " Simple answers Drake, simple answers," Griffin said in response. Grace rushed over to Drakes side looking at the crowds of people in panic to get to safety. " This is the only way down and is a place where the fire hasn't reached," Grace said turning toward Drake. Drake and Grace watched as Griffin backed away with a scheming smile. " I wish the both of you luck on getting down to safety" he cackled. He then flew off from the tower breathing fire down on the castle where the people had been lowered to safety. Drake snarled baring his dagger like teeth and through his large wings up in anger.
Geoff coughed from the smoke in the court as he tried to get an answer from the maiden in black. " Please don't fade away.where are the gems?" He asked, growing more frustrated. Slowly the maiden looked with in Geoff's eyes and raped out an answer", the gems.are.in.me.". She faded closing her eyes, letting her head fall slowly down on the ground. With a complicated look Geoff asked," what?". Geoff tried to distinguish what she had said.
Many people had been still loading on the rafters going as quick as possible to get away from the burning flames. Grace watched the numbers shortening. " Women and children first" proclaimed the knight shuffling people in order to the towers railing. " Grace why did you come here?" Drake asked. " I was worried I had a feeling that I would have lost you." Grace replied looking over Drakes injured body. Painfully Drake shifted his left sprained wing to the side looking towards the people getting to safety. Grace looked at Grace with worry painted on her face. Drakes eyes slowly wandered to the towers floor." Grace you should get to safety."He said in a soft whispering voice. Grace shook her head," no Drake I can't". Drake looked at her frowning. " Your wing, it's injured and there's no escape. If I leave how will I know you'll be okay," Grace said her voice muffled by pain. " I'll find away out I promise" Drake said faintly. His eyes watched the proceeding knight heading for them in the clusters of frightened people.
Geoff crouched against the floor and thought briefly about what the maiden in black had said." The gems are in me?" He asked. Then he finally figured it out but knew it was too strange. His eyes defined the wound on the maiden's stomach. Carefully his fingers reached inside the wound digging deeper into the squishy guts and thick blood. His face winced from disgust as his fingers moved around probing the imbedded tissue and the slimy walls of the dead woman's stomach. Geoff groaned in disgust as he reached something hard. He then grasped his hand around it slowly pulling the object from the maiden's body. Geoff examined the gem marked with an ancient dragon symbol that was stained with blood from the maiden's body.
A few feet away from Geoff the knight Ronald crawled his way towards the stair well leading to the king's throne. He was brutally wounded from battle and choked from the smoke and fires that had been rising dangerously around the castle. A look of horror depressed Ronald's features watching what Geoff was pulling out of the woman's stomach. Geoff carefully wrapped the four gems in an old fabric then looked around for an escape. He however found none and soon the heat had been too much for the two knights. The smoke lowered just inches above their heads and they cried out for help but none could hear them over the screaming fires. They collapsed from the heat unable to escape the hungry flames.
Drake looked back at the raging flames, hungry bonfires able to burn anything and everything they met. " Are their anymore women and children?" the knight asked looking around. As more people flooded the rafters, Grace was pushed amongst them. Drake proceeded toward Grace stopping at the edge of the tower. From the shadows of another tower, Griffin watched Drake and Grace hoping the gems would be revealed. When most of the people had been loaded onto the rafters, Grace looked blankly at Drake. A knight grabbed her by the arm", come on lass lets get you to safety" He inquired helping her onto the rafter. He then stepped himself grabbing the rope that was nearest to him and began to lower the rafter. The knight on the other side of the rafter helped also.
Alone on the tower Drake watched Grace on the rafter with flooded people who's eyes moved on her appearance of being an angel. One of the men behind her breathed in dispensed fear," If what you are and miracles do happen angel why not grant us one now". Grace looked toward the man then toward the people. Thoughts ran through her mind all at once but the heaviest thought drowning her fear had been Drake. In slow motion, she looked up toward him. His eyes never leaving her. His tongue was as thick as ice and his thoughts were heavy and shallow. His throat felt all choked up at his slow emotion. His eyes looked into hers, stars did den in their depths of threatening tears. Drake watched sighing in a heavy silence of sorrow. With a heavy heart, Drake watched Grace's features reflect the saddest emotion he had ever seen.
Slowly as the rafter carried the people down the wall of the castle, Grace felt as if she had been drifting away from Drake, slowly sinking in a feeling the stiffened her heart.
With out hesitation Grace summed up the courage to get off the rafter. Just as she moved to the ledge, the people muffled out in cries. Without any effort Grace shifted her dove-white wings spreading, them fully out from her. From the tower Drake was left gaped from what she was about to do. He heard the cluster of people shouting at her and crying out. With one leap off the rafter, Grace hovered slightly gaining height into the air then glided toward the tower and Drake. The cries from the people broke out as the rafter caught off balance, swaying slightly from the drop below. " Drake!" Grace shouted out, the wind no longer able to hold her wings up. She began to fall, but with hope of rescue, Drake dived toward her grasping his clawed hands over her left arm and slowly pulled her up over the ledge of the tower.
" It's alright I've got you" Drake said, then his voice softened as one of his wings embraced her shooken up body", your safe.". Grace looked up into Drakes eyes", I'm sorry I couldn't leave you", her voice stringed in panic. Tears burnt Drakes eyes and he squeezed them tightly shut, pulling Grace towards him. In a gentle cracking voice he whispered", I was afraid.I was afraid I would have lost you.I lost you once and I don't want to lose you again". From the shadows, Griffin swallowed a sorrow of false guilt being taken in by the sadness he witnessed between Drake and Grace. It started to thunder, the lightening spread like fingers across the sky and a heavy rain poured down putting out the surrounding fires. The whispers through the rain chilled the people, drowning their agony and brought fourth peace for the time. The rain had fallen over the castle washing away the blood and death that stirred before the fire had engulfed the castle. There had been a gap left behind over what had happened to the innocent, the gap might have closed the wound might have healed but a scar would always remain, like a memory unforgotten.
The dawn rose creating a solemn atmosphere dedicated entirely to the lives of those who spent the day salvaging bodies at the castle and placed them in a proper memorial. Soon the people hoped that everything would be back to normal. However, they were terribly mistaken. The evil would be back but much worse than ever. The hymns sung by devoted monks echoed through out the monastery. Drake rested near Grace who slept on his mountain of pillows. He frowned looking over her. Her wings were stained with suit from the ashes of the flames, parts of her dress, which once shimmered like the stars had been torn, faded, and burnt shedding in overlapping silk that covered her body. As she delicately dreamed Drake brought on a faint smile gently taking his clawed fingers and ran them lightly through her cherubic curls, parting a piece of them out of her face. He then brought his wing over her blanketing her with it.