CHAPTER 2: "The Red-Eye of Courage"
When Christa arrived home she piled her school books and undone homework on the kitchen counter. The counter was small and plastic but cheap was what you got when somebody else supported you. The furnishing was from the late 60's, the sofa's lost a couple of springs and some were poking out from the couches and the last bit of paint that was on the walls was beginning to peel-off, leaving a very rank smell of old rotting wood. The courtesy included poor plumbing, a kitchen about the size of a closet and a nice handful of bills every month. Christa put aside the quality of her living space and ate a small quick meal and dressed for work.
Her job was in the city at a Sally-Mart, which was an ancient replica of Wal-Mart and K-Mart. The salary was low but so far it was the only job that accepted failing students and Christa had to work somewhere. Christa stood behind her cash register and began checking people out. She worked five hours a day and weekends were no exceptions. The company had to compete with five other companies in the area and was barley holding onto the weight and shift of customers and profits.
It wasn't long before a large line formed ahead of her and Christa was filling plastic bags and typing out receipts as fast as her hands could move. Purchase after purchase and another line went through her register. It was only a month away before December and already the town was abuzz in Christmas shopping. Items and toys were effacing off the shelves and bigger lines were forming behind registers. Christa was a tad more impolite then she usually was. She was tired and felt from that moment when she closed her register that it was going to be a long night. And indeed it was.
"Christa!" The blonde turned around to see Jerry the manager running up to her. He was a sturdy guy of twenty-one with dark skin and dark hair. He stopped infront of her and Christa had the feeling. "Look at this crowd, eh? We don't even have enough cashiers to work them all. I hate to ask but we need you tonight."
"I just finished my shift. I'm ready to go home." Christa replied sharply.
"Don't we all?" Jerry asked lightly. "I wouldn't give for a soft pillow right now. Sorry but you have to reopen and take care of that long line."
"You can get somebody else."
"Hey thanks but I've tried that." And then he ran off back to his office. Christa glared at him wishing dozens of bricks would fall on him or something. Just something that would vent off her anger. With deep resentment she gave in and reopened her register and again the line washed through. Her temper was rising from frustration and it reached its peak when a grumpy redneck cut in line of an elderly woman.
"E-e-excuse me young man but I was infront of you." The woman said shaking her cane at him in his face. The man dropped his purchases on the conveyer belt and turned to look at the old woman.
"Look lady I've been waiting in this line for the past thirty minutes and no old bark is going to tell me what I can't do." He growled angerly and the woman stepped back intimidated. The one thing Christa couldn't stand was big rednecks bullying other people around. She glared at the man and said quite firmly with many sparks of fury.
"You will not be served by cutting other people in line, sir." The man looked at the blonde that had spoken to him and his temper fumed.
"Oh and what are you going to do about it?" He challenged. He slammed his purchases of food onto the scanner. Christa stood there her eyes afire. "Do it!" He nearly shouted. Christa took the can of beer and threw it in his face.
"Not at my register! Go kill somebody else's nose with you stench and rags you dare call cloths and the road maps on your arms!" This was not wise to get to fiery elemented people together with peaked tempers. The man grit his teeth and aimed a punch at her. Christa dodged it quickly grabbing his arm and twisting it hard to the right. There was a long deadly cracking noise and a loud thud of food products falling upon the redneck that was holding his arm in pain.
"Now get out of my line!" Christa screamed and the man scrambled to his feet and ran for the nearest store exit. The woman and people behind her were scared to come closer and quickly scattered to other more full lines ahead of cashiers. Christa, satisfied with her defeat grabbed her gear and headed for the door. Jerry was at the exit waiting for her, his face completely changed. He was furious.
"Right in my own store." He said firing daggers at the blonde woman.
"He deserved it." Christa remarked not saying anything else to defend herself.
"In my own store. You're lucky I won't press charges." Christa rolled her eyes.
"I wouldn't care if you did, and it's your fault for not seeing the stress level was growing rapidly. If you let me off this wouldn't have happened." Jerry stood there for a moment and then walked away with a mutter that Christa heard.
"You're fired!"
*~*
The arch of the fiery back of a phoenix, which could not be seen from deep within the volcano, Villude, burned in red flame. The crooked hand from up above the volcano glowed in a pale red color and the phoenix was forced out of the lava and up above the powerful sorcerer.
"You will not interfere." The man, hidden beneath a huge black cloak of stars, said coolly. "For thousands of years I have wandered the Earth and now I will regain my flesh. You will not stop me." He clenched his fist tightly and slowly and the Phoenix was slowly dying from the pressure of his power. The flames started to dim as the fist tightened. From deep below the guardian's power to control, the blood red sphere of the spirit of the Red-Eyed Dragon emerged from the safety of the phoenix. The burning gold eyes gazed on the spirit of the Dragon that was clutched tightly in the sorcerer's hand. There was only one way to call it back from his powerful hold.
The heart of the phoenix cried out mightily to the entire world searching for a heart as pure as the one who once held its power. A song of despair reached back into the phoenix's heart, a faint cry of help. Instantly the Dragon spirit flew out of the hidden man's grasp as if by mental control and flew up into the sky and flew away to the west.
"Now I may die in peace." The phoenix thought before falling to the volcano's lava never to rise up again. The hidden man stood watching it fly with a fly grin forming on his lips.
"Nothing will stop me, not even the cry of a fire bird." From his cloak came a dark surge of power that formed into a bolt of lightning and flew up after the sprit and struck it with a powerful force that changed the Dragon's coarse to its new master.
"After over 20,000 years of waiting I will rise again and build my throne upon the briers that dare to oppose me. Rebirth to the warriors of Fire, Light, Wind, Earth, Darkness, Thunder and Ice, of the light will you descend to earth and out of the dust will you die, life of destiny and death by fate. Rebirth of the Dragoons."
*~*
"Let me go alone." Rose said nothing and only nodded as Zeig turned to descend Vol. Villude.
"I trust you." She said making him turn to face her once again. Those words had two meanings, 'I know you'll be ok' and 'I love you'. He smiled reassuringly and stretched his hand and started climbing. Rose stood and watched, patiently waiting for the Red-Eye Dragoon to be born. The fiery red eyes were waiting for the warrior in red armor to fight him. There was awe in the man's heart and a feeling of respect for the creature he was about to slay. The blonde man drew his sword and charged at the dragon. The dragon lifted his wings and flew up above the warrior and blew a great gust of flames.
Zeig covered his face with his armored arms and felt not the pain of fire. The dragon, seeing that fire wouldn't work to rid himself of the human. Quick and agile, the Red-Eyed dragon swooped over Zeig and pounded his huge talons into the man's armor. They both were in the air and Zeig was dangling for his life. His sword still in his tight fist suddenly rose up and pierced the scaly armor of the Red-Eye.
The dragon flung him from his claws and Zeig fell to the earth. His back screamed for mercy as it hammered against the sharp rocks below. He managed to sit himself up but was soon against the rocks. His sword slipped from his hand and his eyes went dim. Then he felt the dragon's hot breath against his cheek and he was lifted from the rocks. The pain was unbearable, a sure sign that Zeig's back had been broken slightly. Zeig felt the earth again under his body and saw the great dragon stand over his body. His sword was held carefully in the jaws of the beast.
"Kill me." The Red-Eye said through his eyes. "I can't stand the pain of war anymore." Zeig gazed up at him and reached for his sword. "Aim for my eye and I will give you my spirit." Zeig could barley lift his own sword because of his condition. He would make his first kill and the dragon was giving up his life and spirit to aid the humans. The dragon seemed to feel Zeig's hesitation and showed his words through his deep red eyes. "It is better that one should fall to the earth then a whole race collapse."
Wise words and the man knew that it was true. It was either the life of a dragon for the lives of the human race. Zeig found the strength in his mind to thrust his sword into the red eye and instead of blood; fire bled from them and engulfed both the dragon and Zeig. There was no more pain in Zeig's body and the flames didn't burn his skin. For a moment Zeig floated in the air in Dragoon armor and watched the Red- Eye dragon descend into heaven with the Red-Eye Dragoon spirit glowing brightly in his hands. ~
*~*
Christa pondered more on her dream the next morning. A dream about a dragon and a warrior. Well she guessed it didn't happen to just anybody. But it seemed like it had really happened before, but that was crazy. Dragons didn't exist and men didn't go around looking for them and then getting this cool armor. Armor. That armor was nothing like she'd ever seen before. It was powerful and beyond humans in a way that it fascinated Christa. It must've had power enough to destroy millions of lives and cities in just one strike, like a nuclear bomb. The only difference was the armor had a more respective awe about it.
"Alright today class we have a new visitor that just moved in from Tokyo Japan. Class meet Erica Echo." There was never such silence in first period. * They're probably trying to figure out what "Echo" rhymes with. Nobody has a last name like that. She'll be teased for the rest of her life. * But there was no teasing, no snickering, and no muffled laughs, only silence. Christa looked up from her desk and saw the figure everyone stared at. Erica was tall, thin, tanned skinned and beautiful with an oriental elegance. She wore a skin-tight white v-neck long sleeved shirt with a hood in the back and a long jean skirt with a loose belt. Her sleek black hair was styled and in a bun and her violet eyes showed no fear around people and the innocence of a young lady. * No. With a looks like that she'll never be teased. She'll be admired and loved, unlike me, an outcast.* Christa bowed her head and scribbled on her paper.
"Please take your seat next to Miss Farrah." The teacher said pointing to the desk next to Christa. Erica gracefully approached the desk and smiled at Christa who ignored her completely.
"Hello." * I can't believe she just said that. * Receiving no reply Erica took her seat and took out paper and wrote down notes about the famous American water colorist, Winslow Homer. A movie started and a narrator spoke with a muffled voice. It fell onto many deaf ears and the day wore on. Second period went by followed by third and fourth period.
Erica happened to be in Christa's lunch period the last two more of her classes. The gorgeous girl repeatedly tried to grasp the blonde's attention but was constantly ignored. It wasn't until last period when Christa was walking towards her car in the parking lot did Erica finally have her eyes.
"Why do you ignore me?" She asked walking up to her. "What have I done to you?" Christa gesticulated with her hands and shook her head.
"You shouldn't be talking to a person like me."
"Why?"
"Don't you get it? There are people in that school now that would die to hang out with you and instead you come to me asking for friendship? That decision could hurt your social status."
"Oh? And you have one?" Erica replied angrily. "Look I don't want to hang with people that are full of it." Christa stood there with an anger growing inside.
"I don't hang out with people and I don't go looking for them." With that she hopped in her car and left the girl standing under a cloud of anger and bitter disappointment.
When Christa arrived home she piled her school books and undone homework on the kitchen counter. The counter was small and plastic but cheap was what you got when somebody else supported you. The furnishing was from the late 60's, the sofa's lost a couple of springs and some were poking out from the couches and the last bit of paint that was on the walls was beginning to peel-off, leaving a very rank smell of old rotting wood. The courtesy included poor plumbing, a kitchen about the size of a closet and a nice handful of bills every month. Christa put aside the quality of her living space and ate a small quick meal and dressed for work.
Her job was in the city at a Sally-Mart, which was an ancient replica of Wal-Mart and K-Mart. The salary was low but so far it was the only job that accepted failing students and Christa had to work somewhere. Christa stood behind her cash register and began checking people out. She worked five hours a day and weekends were no exceptions. The company had to compete with five other companies in the area and was barley holding onto the weight and shift of customers and profits.
It wasn't long before a large line formed ahead of her and Christa was filling plastic bags and typing out receipts as fast as her hands could move. Purchase after purchase and another line went through her register. It was only a month away before December and already the town was abuzz in Christmas shopping. Items and toys were effacing off the shelves and bigger lines were forming behind registers. Christa was a tad more impolite then she usually was. She was tired and felt from that moment when she closed her register that it was going to be a long night. And indeed it was.
"Christa!" The blonde turned around to see Jerry the manager running up to her. He was a sturdy guy of twenty-one with dark skin and dark hair. He stopped infront of her and Christa had the feeling. "Look at this crowd, eh? We don't even have enough cashiers to work them all. I hate to ask but we need you tonight."
"I just finished my shift. I'm ready to go home." Christa replied sharply.
"Don't we all?" Jerry asked lightly. "I wouldn't give for a soft pillow right now. Sorry but you have to reopen and take care of that long line."
"You can get somebody else."
"Hey thanks but I've tried that." And then he ran off back to his office. Christa glared at him wishing dozens of bricks would fall on him or something. Just something that would vent off her anger. With deep resentment she gave in and reopened her register and again the line washed through. Her temper was rising from frustration and it reached its peak when a grumpy redneck cut in line of an elderly woman.
"E-e-excuse me young man but I was infront of you." The woman said shaking her cane at him in his face. The man dropped his purchases on the conveyer belt and turned to look at the old woman.
"Look lady I've been waiting in this line for the past thirty minutes and no old bark is going to tell me what I can't do." He growled angerly and the woman stepped back intimidated. The one thing Christa couldn't stand was big rednecks bullying other people around. She glared at the man and said quite firmly with many sparks of fury.
"You will not be served by cutting other people in line, sir." The man looked at the blonde that had spoken to him and his temper fumed.
"Oh and what are you going to do about it?" He challenged. He slammed his purchases of food onto the scanner. Christa stood there her eyes afire. "Do it!" He nearly shouted. Christa took the can of beer and threw it in his face.
"Not at my register! Go kill somebody else's nose with you stench and rags you dare call cloths and the road maps on your arms!" This was not wise to get to fiery elemented people together with peaked tempers. The man grit his teeth and aimed a punch at her. Christa dodged it quickly grabbing his arm and twisting it hard to the right. There was a long deadly cracking noise and a loud thud of food products falling upon the redneck that was holding his arm in pain.
"Now get out of my line!" Christa screamed and the man scrambled to his feet and ran for the nearest store exit. The woman and people behind her were scared to come closer and quickly scattered to other more full lines ahead of cashiers. Christa, satisfied with her defeat grabbed her gear and headed for the door. Jerry was at the exit waiting for her, his face completely changed. He was furious.
"Right in my own store." He said firing daggers at the blonde woman.
"He deserved it." Christa remarked not saying anything else to defend herself.
"In my own store. You're lucky I won't press charges." Christa rolled her eyes.
"I wouldn't care if you did, and it's your fault for not seeing the stress level was growing rapidly. If you let me off this wouldn't have happened." Jerry stood there for a moment and then walked away with a mutter that Christa heard.
"You're fired!"
*~*
The arch of the fiery back of a phoenix, which could not be seen from deep within the volcano, Villude, burned in red flame. The crooked hand from up above the volcano glowed in a pale red color and the phoenix was forced out of the lava and up above the powerful sorcerer.
"You will not interfere." The man, hidden beneath a huge black cloak of stars, said coolly. "For thousands of years I have wandered the Earth and now I will regain my flesh. You will not stop me." He clenched his fist tightly and slowly and the Phoenix was slowly dying from the pressure of his power. The flames started to dim as the fist tightened. From deep below the guardian's power to control, the blood red sphere of the spirit of the Red-Eyed Dragon emerged from the safety of the phoenix. The burning gold eyes gazed on the spirit of the Dragon that was clutched tightly in the sorcerer's hand. There was only one way to call it back from his powerful hold.
The heart of the phoenix cried out mightily to the entire world searching for a heart as pure as the one who once held its power. A song of despair reached back into the phoenix's heart, a faint cry of help. Instantly the Dragon spirit flew out of the hidden man's grasp as if by mental control and flew up into the sky and flew away to the west.
"Now I may die in peace." The phoenix thought before falling to the volcano's lava never to rise up again. The hidden man stood watching it fly with a fly grin forming on his lips.
"Nothing will stop me, not even the cry of a fire bird." From his cloak came a dark surge of power that formed into a bolt of lightning and flew up after the sprit and struck it with a powerful force that changed the Dragon's coarse to its new master.
"After over 20,000 years of waiting I will rise again and build my throne upon the briers that dare to oppose me. Rebirth to the warriors of Fire, Light, Wind, Earth, Darkness, Thunder and Ice, of the light will you descend to earth and out of the dust will you die, life of destiny and death by fate. Rebirth of the Dragoons."
*~*
"Let me go alone." Rose said nothing and only nodded as Zeig turned to descend Vol. Villude.
"I trust you." She said making him turn to face her once again. Those words had two meanings, 'I know you'll be ok' and 'I love you'. He smiled reassuringly and stretched his hand and started climbing. Rose stood and watched, patiently waiting for the Red-Eye Dragoon to be born. The fiery red eyes were waiting for the warrior in red armor to fight him. There was awe in the man's heart and a feeling of respect for the creature he was about to slay. The blonde man drew his sword and charged at the dragon. The dragon lifted his wings and flew up above the warrior and blew a great gust of flames.
Zeig covered his face with his armored arms and felt not the pain of fire. The dragon, seeing that fire wouldn't work to rid himself of the human. Quick and agile, the Red-Eyed dragon swooped over Zeig and pounded his huge talons into the man's armor. They both were in the air and Zeig was dangling for his life. His sword still in his tight fist suddenly rose up and pierced the scaly armor of the Red-Eye.
The dragon flung him from his claws and Zeig fell to the earth. His back screamed for mercy as it hammered against the sharp rocks below. He managed to sit himself up but was soon against the rocks. His sword slipped from his hand and his eyes went dim. Then he felt the dragon's hot breath against his cheek and he was lifted from the rocks. The pain was unbearable, a sure sign that Zeig's back had been broken slightly. Zeig felt the earth again under his body and saw the great dragon stand over his body. His sword was held carefully in the jaws of the beast.
"Kill me." The Red-Eye said through his eyes. "I can't stand the pain of war anymore." Zeig gazed up at him and reached for his sword. "Aim for my eye and I will give you my spirit." Zeig could barley lift his own sword because of his condition. He would make his first kill and the dragon was giving up his life and spirit to aid the humans. The dragon seemed to feel Zeig's hesitation and showed his words through his deep red eyes. "It is better that one should fall to the earth then a whole race collapse."
Wise words and the man knew that it was true. It was either the life of a dragon for the lives of the human race. Zeig found the strength in his mind to thrust his sword into the red eye and instead of blood; fire bled from them and engulfed both the dragon and Zeig. There was no more pain in Zeig's body and the flames didn't burn his skin. For a moment Zeig floated in the air in Dragoon armor and watched the Red- Eye dragon descend into heaven with the Red-Eye Dragoon spirit glowing brightly in his hands. ~
*~*
Christa pondered more on her dream the next morning. A dream about a dragon and a warrior. Well she guessed it didn't happen to just anybody. But it seemed like it had really happened before, but that was crazy. Dragons didn't exist and men didn't go around looking for them and then getting this cool armor. Armor. That armor was nothing like she'd ever seen before. It was powerful and beyond humans in a way that it fascinated Christa. It must've had power enough to destroy millions of lives and cities in just one strike, like a nuclear bomb. The only difference was the armor had a more respective awe about it.
"Alright today class we have a new visitor that just moved in from Tokyo Japan. Class meet Erica Echo." There was never such silence in first period. * They're probably trying to figure out what "Echo" rhymes with. Nobody has a last name like that. She'll be teased for the rest of her life. * But there was no teasing, no snickering, and no muffled laughs, only silence. Christa looked up from her desk and saw the figure everyone stared at. Erica was tall, thin, tanned skinned and beautiful with an oriental elegance. She wore a skin-tight white v-neck long sleeved shirt with a hood in the back and a long jean skirt with a loose belt. Her sleek black hair was styled and in a bun and her violet eyes showed no fear around people and the innocence of a young lady. * No. With a looks like that she'll never be teased. She'll be admired and loved, unlike me, an outcast.* Christa bowed her head and scribbled on her paper.
"Please take your seat next to Miss Farrah." The teacher said pointing to the desk next to Christa. Erica gracefully approached the desk and smiled at Christa who ignored her completely.
"Hello." * I can't believe she just said that. * Receiving no reply Erica took her seat and took out paper and wrote down notes about the famous American water colorist, Winslow Homer. A movie started and a narrator spoke with a muffled voice. It fell onto many deaf ears and the day wore on. Second period went by followed by third and fourth period.
Erica happened to be in Christa's lunch period the last two more of her classes. The gorgeous girl repeatedly tried to grasp the blonde's attention but was constantly ignored. It wasn't until last period when Christa was walking towards her car in the parking lot did Erica finally have her eyes.
"Why do you ignore me?" She asked walking up to her. "What have I done to you?" Christa gesticulated with her hands and shook her head.
"You shouldn't be talking to a person like me."
"Why?"
"Don't you get it? There are people in that school now that would die to hang out with you and instead you come to me asking for friendship? That decision could hurt your social status."
"Oh? And you have one?" Erica replied angrily. "Look I don't want to hang with people that are full of it." Christa stood there with an anger growing inside.
"I don't hang out with people and I don't go looking for them." With that she hopped in her car and left the girl standing under a cloud of anger and bitter disappointment.