Disclamer: Yeah, so I forgot to put this in the first chapter. Oh well. As
I'm sure you have all heard MANY times before, I do not own the game Legend
of Dragoon, or any of the names associated with the actual game. However,
all of the characters NOT in the game (Rayen and the rest) are MINE and you
may not copy them without legal consent from me. Have a nice day.
Chapter 2
Rayen pulled the car into the garage. Work was over, and he was finally home. His dad's car was in the garage as well, which relieved Rayen greatly. It would not have been the first time his father had been out that late. The commute to Lohan was a long drive, especially during traffic. But he was home. Rayen shut off the car and walked into the house.
Joseph O'Connor was in the living room, watching TV while eating a plate of pasta. His father had been so busy lately he couldn't even take time off for dinner during work, and he had learned to eat whenever it was most convinient. When Rayen entered, he looked up.
"Ah, Rayen! You're home. Did you get your paycheck for the week?"
Rayen nodded and showed his father the check. Then he went into the kitchen, grabbed a small snack, and went out to sit by his father. This was the time they spent together, the little time they had left. They would sit and eat, and talk about sports or politics or whatever they liked for a few hours. After a couple hours of this, Rayen and his father went up to bed.
Rayen slept peacefully; for about an hour. He was jerked awake by his father. He mumbled a sleepy protest, but as soon as he saw the look in his father's eyes he was instantly awake. His father was also carrying the handgun he kept locked in his nightstand drawer. Rayen knew immediately this was serious. His father never acted like this.
"There's something in the backyard. Grab your sword. Quickly."
His father left the room. Rayen grabbed his sword, a present for his 15th birthday, and followed.
"Keep quiet."
They peeked through the glass door from around a corner. What was outside made Rayen wonder if he was either dreaming or taking an illegal substance. Outside in the yard were two large lizard-like creatures that stood on two legs and had small arms with gigantic claws. But the thing behind them was weirder still. It vaguely resembled a human, but its skin was blue and its ears pointed. It wore armor, and it floated. In midair. Rayen rubbed his eyes, but the creatures were still there. The scene became even stranger when the floating man spoke.
"Why in the world would the portal open here? In the middle of a human settlement! So much for stealth."
Rayen was so surprised to hear the thing talk he audibly gasped. The things heard it, and they turned and saw the two of them before they could duck away. This led his father to do something truly desparate. He threw open the sliding glass door and pointed his gun at one of the lizard things. Rayen followed, his sword ready, although he felt none of the mysterious confidence his father suddenly gained.
"I don't know who or what you things are, but this is my property. Get out now!"
Brave words, but the creatures didn't seem intimidated. The floating abomination threw back its azure head and laughed. Joseph O'Connor obviously felt he needed to get his point across. He fired his gun at one of the lizards. The bullet penetrated flesh, and the monster hissed and spit, but the would seemed to be little more than an annoyance.
The floating thing had stopped laughing. He looked at Rayen and his father, as if trying to decide what to do with them. Finally he gestured to the lizard creatures.
"I tire of this interruption. Kill them."
The lizards obviously didn't speak English, as they conferred among themselves in a combination of warbles and grunts, but they understood it. The monster that was shot by the elder Mr. O'Connor advanced, obviously intent on revenge. Rayen did the first thing that came to his mind; he threw his sword. The beast simply stopped, and with one swipe of those huge claws, shattered the blade into pieces. In desparation, Rayen searched his pockets, and his hands closed on the ruby he found before work. It began to glow and get hot in his hand.
It was worth a shot. He pulled the red stone out of his pocket and held it at arms length. It flashed even brighter, and Rayen pulled his hand back in surprise. His palm and fingers were scorched. He looked up, and he nearly choked. The gem was floating where he had left it when he left go. As he straightened up, his breath ragged, the jewel suddenly shot backward and imbedded itself in his chest.
White-hot flames spread all over his body, and Rayen thought he would be incinerated in an instant. But it didn't happen. The flames hardened, became armor that was as red as blood and incredibly light. More flames sprouted from his back and became wings that were like a bat's- or maybe a dragon's. Finally, in his formerly scorched hand, a sword formed from the flames, a blade like none he had ever seen before.
The transformation ended with another flash, and the lizard closest to him screeched and fell back, its body blackened. Then the lizard dissappeared, seemed to fade out of existance. All of the three living creatures in the area, including his father, were looking at him like he was walking around without a head. The floating creature regained its composure first, however.
"What are you waiting for? I said, kill them!" The remaining lizard looked at Rayen with apprehension, but the floating thing's influence was obviously too great. It pounced at Rayen. Out of pure instinct, Rayen raised his blade and brought it downward. The creature let out a croaking shriek as its body, which had withstood the handgun bullet so easily, was cleaved in two. Then it too seemed to dissapate into the air.
"It's impossible! After more than a thousand years, how could they return now?" The floating blue man quickly weighed the current situation. The red warrior had dealt with his minions easily enough, but he was much stronger, and it was doubtful this boy had yet developed the deadly magic that the winged warriors were known (and feared) for. He would cause too much trouble if allowed to live. It made up its mind. It would destroy this impertinent youth before it became a major problem.
Rayen watched as the floating creature raised its hand towards him. A beam of inky blackness shot from the indigo palm and slammed into his chest. The blow sent Rayen stumbling backward a couple steps, but he stood back up, only momentarily fazed. Rayen suddenly felt a presence in the back of his mind, a presence he could neither understand or explain. His body began to move on its own. The wings on his back beat in a steady rythym, and he floated in midair.
The monster and his father stared, transfixed, as Rayen's arm, moving on its own, threw the new sword high into the air. Both his hands cupped around the large gem on his chest, where a red glow formed. The red glow became an orb of fire, which grew until it became larger than Rayen's fist. The fist, however, was moving backwards. Then his arm snapped forward again, his fist slamming into the fiery orb and lauching it at the floating beast.
It was over in an instant. The globe exploded into flame, consuming the blue creature and the air around it. When the smoke cleared, the thing was gone, like the other two. Only Rayen and his father remained. They stared at each other. Then the stone in his chest glowed again, and the armor disappeared. The ruby detatched itself from his chest, and it bounced off the patio and into the grass. Neither of them needed to say what had happened. There was not a single day without a song about the warriors of the past.
"I didn't want this, Dad," Rayen choked.
"I know, Rayen, I know. Someone will probably call the police. You had better hide that gem somewhere."
He was right. The explosion had roused one of the neighbors. True to her role as a concerned member of society, she quickly dialed the police.
Rayen nodded and picked up the jewel. He stashed it away in his drawers. He got dressed and went down into the living room, where they would wait for the authorities. He quickly thought of a way to explain the night's events, all the while listening. Sure enough, soon the sound of sirens split the night.
Chapter 2
Rayen pulled the car into the garage. Work was over, and he was finally home. His dad's car was in the garage as well, which relieved Rayen greatly. It would not have been the first time his father had been out that late. The commute to Lohan was a long drive, especially during traffic. But he was home. Rayen shut off the car and walked into the house.
Joseph O'Connor was in the living room, watching TV while eating a plate of pasta. His father had been so busy lately he couldn't even take time off for dinner during work, and he had learned to eat whenever it was most convinient. When Rayen entered, he looked up.
"Ah, Rayen! You're home. Did you get your paycheck for the week?"
Rayen nodded and showed his father the check. Then he went into the kitchen, grabbed a small snack, and went out to sit by his father. This was the time they spent together, the little time they had left. They would sit and eat, and talk about sports or politics or whatever they liked for a few hours. After a couple hours of this, Rayen and his father went up to bed.
Rayen slept peacefully; for about an hour. He was jerked awake by his father. He mumbled a sleepy protest, but as soon as he saw the look in his father's eyes he was instantly awake. His father was also carrying the handgun he kept locked in his nightstand drawer. Rayen knew immediately this was serious. His father never acted like this.
"There's something in the backyard. Grab your sword. Quickly."
His father left the room. Rayen grabbed his sword, a present for his 15th birthday, and followed.
"Keep quiet."
They peeked through the glass door from around a corner. What was outside made Rayen wonder if he was either dreaming or taking an illegal substance. Outside in the yard were two large lizard-like creatures that stood on two legs and had small arms with gigantic claws. But the thing behind them was weirder still. It vaguely resembled a human, but its skin was blue and its ears pointed. It wore armor, and it floated. In midair. Rayen rubbed his eyes, but the creatures were still there. The scene became even stranger when the floating man spoke.
"Why in the world would the portal open here? In the middle of a human settlement! So much for stealth."
Rayen was so surprised to hear the thing talk he audibly gasped. The things heard it, and they turned and saw the two of them before they could duck away. This led his father to do something truly desparate. He threw open the sliding glass door and pointed his gun at one of the lizard things. Rayen followed, his sword ready, although he felt none of the mysterious confidence his father suddenly gained.
"I don't know who or what you things are, but this is my property. Get out now!"
Brave words, but the creatures didn't seem intimidated. The floating abomination threw back its azure head and laughed. Joseph O'Connor obviously felt he needed to get his point across. He fired his gun at one of the lizards. The bullet penetrated flesh, and the monster hissed and spit, but the would seemed to be little more than an annoyance.
The floating thing had stopped laughing. He looked at Rayen and his father, as if trying to decide what to do with them. Finally he gestured to the lizard creatures.
"I tire of this interruption. Kill them."
The lizards obviously didn't speak English, as they conferred among themselves in a combination of warbles and grunts, but they understood it. The monster that was shot by the elder Mr. O'Connor advanced, obviously intent on revenge. Rayen did the first thing that came to his mind; he threw his sword. The beast simply stopped, and with one swipe of those huge claws, shattered the blade into pieces. In desparation, Rayen searched his pockets, and his hands closed on the ruby he found before work. It began to glow and get hot in his hand.
It was worth a shot. He pulled the red stone out of his pocket and held it at arms length. It flashed even brighter, and Rayen pulled his hand back in surprise. His palm and fingers were scorched. He looked up, and he nearly choked. The gem was floating where he had left it when he left go. As he straightened up, his breath ragged, the jewel suddenly shot backward and imbedded itself in his chest.
White-hot flames spread all over his body, and Rayen thought he would be incinerated in an instant. But it didn't happen. The flames hardened, became armor that was as red as blood and incredibly light. More flames sprouted from his back and became wings that were like a bat's- or maybe a dragon's. Finally, in his formerly scorched hand, a sword formed from the flames, a blade like none he had ever seen before.
The transformation ended with another flash, and the lizard closest to him screeched and fell back, its body blackened. Then the lizard dissappeared, seemed to fade out of existance. All of the three living creatures in the area, including his father, were looking at him like he was walking around without a head. The floating creature regained its composure first, however.
"What are you waiting for? I said, kill them!" The remaining lizard looked at Rayen with apprehension, but the floating thing's influence was obviously too great. It pounced at Rayen. Out of pure instinct, Rayen raised his blade and brought it downward. The creature let out a croaking shriek as its body, which had withstood the handgun bullet so easily, was cleaved in two. Then it too seemed to dissapate into the air.
"It's impossible! After more than a thousand years, how could they return now?" The floating blue man quickly weighed the current situation. The red warrior had dealt with his minions easily enough, but he was much stronger, and it was doubtful this boy had yet developed the deadly magic that the winged warriors were known (and feared) for. He would cause too much trouble if allowed to live. It made up its mind. It would destroy this impertinent youth before it became a major problem.
Rayen watched as the floating creature raised its hand towards him. A beam of inky blackness shot from the indigo palm and slammed into his chest. The blow sent Rayen stumbling backward a couple steps, but he stood back up, only momentarily fazed. Rayen suddenly felt a presence in the back of his mind, a presence he could neither understand or explain. His body began to move on its own. The wings on his back beat in a steady rythym, and he floated in midair.
The monster and his father stared, transfixed, as Rayen's arm, moving on its own, threw the new sword high into the air. Both his hands cupped around the large gem on his chest, where a red glow formed. The red glow became an orb of fire, which grew until it became larger than Rayen's fist. The fist, however, was moving backwards. Then his arm snapped forward again, his fist slamming into the fiery orb and lauching it at the floating beast.
It was over in an instant. The globe exploded into flame, consuming the blue creature and the air around it. When the smoke cleared, the thing was gone, like the other two. Only Rayen and his father remained. They stared at each other. Then the stone in his chest glowed again, and the armor disappeared. The ruby detatched itself from his chest, and it bounced off the patio and into the grass. Neither of them needed to say what had happened. There was not a single day without a song about the warriors of the past.
"I didn't want this, Dad," Rayen choked.
"I know, Rayen, I know. Someone will probably call the police. You had better hide that gem somewhere."
He was right. The explosion had roused one of the neighbors. True to her role as a concerned member of society, she quickly dialed the police.
Rayen nodded and picked up the jewel. He stashed it away in his drawers. He got dressed and went down into the living room, where they would wait for the authorities. He quickly thought of a way to explain the night's events, all the while listening. Sure enough, soon the sound of sirens split the night.