Whoo! First Dragoon fight! I like these, they're fun to write. This one's
pretty short, but the others will be better, I promise.
Chapter 6
Rayen opened the car door and stepped out. He drew his sword and pointed it at the Jade Dragoon with the mace.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
"Why waste your breath with a question like that? You know as well as I do I was sent to find you."
"Then I shall rephrase my question. Who sent you, and why did they send you?"
The man shrugged.
"How should I know. All I was told was that I would receive a great deal of money for your head, whether it be attached to your body or not."
Rayen swore. This man was a simple mercenary, he couldn't tell him anything of use. Well, it was clear enough his Dragoon-hood was no longer a secret. He wasn't safe here anymore. If he survived this battle, he would have to leave home. He decided not to worry about that now and focus on the task at hand.
He pulled the Dragoon Spirit out of his pocket, held it at arms length, and let go. As it had in the first battle, the Spirit remained suspended in midair. With a flash, it imbedded itself in Rayen's chest. The familiar flames spread around his body and hardened into the red armor. The wings formed on his back, and his sword was cocooned in flame before becoming the larger sword he had used in the first battle.
The Jade Dragoon unhooked the mace from his side.
"Very well, let's get this over with."
He charged. Rayen was ready. He pushed off the ground hard with his legs, then dove downward and slashed with his sword, intending to slice off the man's arm. But his opponent appeared prepared for this move, and he turned around and blocked Rayen's strike with the handle of his mace. With his free hand, he grabbed Rayen's arm and flung him hard to the right.
Rayen had not expected this. His back hit the ground hard, but he wasn't hurt too badly. He quickly placed his hands on the ground behind him, flipped himself into the air, flared his wings, and landed with both feet on the ground. This time, it was his turn to charge. He flew forward, and right before he was in range of his adversary's mace, he planted his feet, pushed himself into the air, landed behind his enemy, turned around, and slammed his knee into his opponent's back.
The Jade Dragoon stumbled forward a few steps and groaned. Rayen took this chance to aim another slash at the man's neck, but his opponent again turned around and blocked it with his mace. Then his assailant countered with such a vicious swing of his own that Rayen had to propel himself backwards to avoid losing his rib cage.
Now Rayen began to have serious doubts. He hesitated once he regained his balance. This man was obviously experienced, or at least well-trained. His sword had become useless on the offensive, all he could do with it was stop his enemy's attacks. This was turning out to be more than he had bargained for.
Phil Jackson sat in the car, staring with awe at the two figures dressed in gleaming armor. It seemed so unreal, to have the Dragoons return after more than a thousand years. To think that one of them would be his best friend! Yet, the more that Phil thought about it, the more it made sense. The new sword, the way he fought at practice earlier today, even the way he seemed troubled after the lesson, as though he didn't know he could do it and now that he knew he didn't like it; it all fit. The facts were there, and Phil knew it.
The two Dragoons returned to the fight, dodging and weaving, slashing and clubbing. Although to a casual onlooker it might have seemed like a stalemate, Rayen was in reality losing badly. The man was bigger than he was, and more experienced. His main weapon was reduced to a defensive necessity for survival. He needed to do something quick.
He racked his brain for memories of his first battle, then he heard Dart Field's voice in his head. Of course, the magic! He had not been in control of his body when he cast the first spell, so he had forgotten about it in the adrenaline rush of the first round of battle. Well, he remembered it now. Keeping Dart's advice in mind, he focused the fire into an orb, not too unlike the one Dart had made himself in the first battle, and hurled it at his foe.
The effect was tremendous. His opponent had to roll over in midair to avoid the projectile. Rayen caught sight of his opponent's face. He would swear later that the man's eyes had nearly bulged out of his head. He stared at Rayen, dumbfounded, and Rayen realized the effect was more psychological than physical. The next thought hit him like a lightning bolt; his opponent couldn't use magic!
The tables had turned now. Rayen had a weapon, a weapon more effective than his opponent's spiked mace would ever be. He sheathed his sword; he wouldn't be needing it anymore. He let loose a barrage of flares and flames, sending his opponent dodging and rolling, all the time getting within range of causing some real damage. He saw his chance, and struck. He punched upward, hitting his rival on the bottom part of the jaw.
The Jade Dragoon's head snapped backwards, but as he had done before, he grabbed Rayen's fist and flung him into the air, clearly meaning to bash his skull in. But Rayen was too quick for that. His arms were at too high of an angle to punch again, so Rayen focused as much heat as he could into his foot and lashed out viciously to the side of his foe's face. The man's skin blackened, he howled in pain. In one fluid motion, Rayen drew his sword and rammed it through the Jade Dragoon's chest.
Both fighters dropped to the ground. Unlike his other opponents, this one did not disappear. He bled there, his ribs broken, his organs writhing in agony until they ultimately stopped. Rayen would never forget the sight of that body. He calmly walked over to the sidewalk, bent over, and was violently sick.
He stood back up and wiped his mouth. The Dragoon Spirit on his chest shone once again; the armor disappeared. He sheathed his sword and pocketed his Dragoon Spirit. He looked back at the body; it was his first kill (as far as he was concerned, the monsters didn't count). He was not proud. He never would be.
He walked over to the body and picked up the emerald that lay in a pool of blood.
"Hey Phil! Catch."
He tossed his friend the gem. Phil, caught off guard, reached into the air and grabbed it. It began to shine brightly. Rayen almost smiled with the irony. He wouldn't be alone. He would have someone to drag into the horror with him. He walked over to the car, drew his sword, and touched the emerald with its steel point.
"Spirit of the Jade Dragon. Awaken."
Chapter 6
Rayen opened the car door and stepped out. He drew his sword and pointed it at the Jade Dragoon with the mace.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
"Why waste your breath with a question like that? You know as well as I do I was sent to find you."
"Then I shall rephrase my question. Who sent you, and why did they send you?"
The man shrugged.
"How should I know. All I was told was that I would receive a great deal of money for your head, whether it be attached to your body or not."
Rayen swore. This man was a simple mercenary, he couldn't tell him anything of use. Well, it was clear enough his Dragoon-hood was no longer a secret. He wasn't safe here anymore. If he survived this battle, he would have to leave home. He decided not to worry about that now and focus on the task at hand.
He pulled the Dragoon Spirit out of his pocket, held it at arms length, and let go. As it had in the first battle, the Spirit remained suspended in midair. With a flash, it imbedded itself in Rayen's chest. The familiar flames spread around his body and hardened into the red armor. The wings formed on his back, and his sword was cocooned in flame before becoming the larger sword he had used in the first battle.
The Jade Dragoon unhooked the mace from his side.
"Very well, let's get this over with."
He charged. Rayen was ready. He pushed off the ground hard with his legs, then dove downward and slashed with his sword, intending to slice off the man's arm. But his opponent appeared prepared for this move, and he turned around and blocked Rayen's strike with the handle of his mace. With his free hand, he grabbed Rayen's arm and flung him hard to the right.
Rayen had not expected this. His back hit the ground hard, but he wasn't hurt too badly. He quickly placed his hands on the ground behind him, flipped himself into the air, flared his wings, and landed with both feet on the ground. This time, it was his turn to charge. He flew forward, and right before he was in range of his adversary's mace, he planted his feet, pushed himself into the air, landed behind his enemy, turned around, and slammed his knee into his opponent's back.
The Jade Dragoon stumbled forward a few steps and groaned. Rayen took this chance to aim another slash at the man's neck, but his opponent again turned around and blocked it with his mace. Then his assailant countered with such a vicious swing of his own that Rayen had to propel himself backwards to avoid losing his rib cage.
Now Rayen began to have serious doubts. He hesitated once he regained his balance. This man was obviously experienced, or at least well-trained. His sword had become useless on the offensive, all he could do with it was stop his enemy's attacks. This was turning out to be more than he had bargained for.
Phil Jackson sat in the car, staring with awe at the two figures dressed in gleaming armor. It seemed so unreal, to have the Dragoons return after more than a thousand years. To think that one of them would be his best friend! Yet, the more that Phil thought about it, the more it made sense. The new sword, the way he fought at practice earlier today, even the way he seemed troubled after the lesson, as though he didn't know he could do it and now that he knew he didn't like it; it all fit. The facts were there, and Phil knew it.
The two Dragoons returned to the fight, dodging and weaving, slashing and clubbing. Although to a casual onlooker it might have seemed like a stalemate, Rayen was in reality losing badly. The man was bigger than he was, and more experienced. His main weapon was reduced to a defensive necessity for survival. He needed to do something quick.
He racked his brain for memories of his first battle, then he heard Dart Field's voice in his head. Of course, the magic! He had not been in control of his body when he cast the first spell, so he had forgotten about it in the adrenaline rush of the first round of battle. Well, he remembered it now. Keeping Dart's advice in mind, he focused the fire into an orb, not too unlike the one Dart had made himself in the first battle, and hurled it at his foe.
The effect was tremendous. His opponent had to roll over in midair to avoid the projectile. Rayen caught sight of his opponent's face. He would swear later that the man's eyes had nearly bulged out of his head. He stared at Rayen, dumbfounded, and Rayen realized the effect was more psychological than physical. The next thought hit him like a lightning bolt; his opponent couldn't use magic!
The tables had turned now. Rayen had a weapon, a weapon more effective than his opponent's spiked mace would ever be. He sheathed his sword; he wouldn't be needing it anymore. He let loose a barrage of flares and flames, sending his opponent dodging and rolling, all the time getting within range of causing some real damage. He saw his chance, and struck. He punched upward, hitting his rival on the bottom part of the jaw.
The Jade Dragoon's head snapped backwards, but as he had done before, he grabbed Rayen's fist and flung him into the air, clearly meaning to bash his skull in. But Rayen was too quick for that. His arms were at too high of an angle to punch again, so Rayen focused as much heat as he could into his foot and lashed out viciously to the side of his foe's face. The man's skin blackened, he howled in pain. In one fluid motion, Rayen drew his sword and rammed it through the Jade Dragoon's chest.
Both fighters dropped to the ground. Unlike his other opponents, this one did not disappear. He bled there, his ribs broken, his organs writhing in agony until they ultimately stopped. Rayen would never forget the sight of that body. He calmly walked over to the sidewalk, bent over, and was violently sick.
He stood back up and wiped his mouth. The Dragoon Spirit on his chest shone once again; the armor disappeared. He sheathed his sword and pocketed his Dragoon Spirit. He looked back at the body; it was his first kill (as far as he was concerned, the monsters didn't count). He was not proud. He never would be.
He walked over to the body and picked up the emerald that lay in a pool of blood.
"Hey Phil! Catch."
He tossed his friend the gem. Phil, caught off guard, reached into the air and grabbed it. It began to shine brightly. Rayen almost smiled with the irony. He wouldn't be alone. He would have someone to drag into the horror with him. He walked over to the car, drew his sword, and touched the emerald with its steel point.
"Spirit of the Jade Dragon. Awaken."