Chapter Three: The Knight In Shining Black Leather
To the trembling Aiko's left, a horse and rider exploded through the willows into the clearing with graceful agility. In one swift movement, the rider dismounted the moving animal, drew his sword and gave the horse a smart pat on its rear, sending it back the way it came.
The rider's hair caught the gleam of the sunlight, as did the steel of his weapon. He intercepted the beast just in time, standing between it and Aiko.
Dilandau, wearing the black and blue uniform of the Dragon Slayer Army laughed scornfully at the dragon. "Hah hah hah! Fool! Thought you could hide, huh? Well I've found you. Now I'm through playing games, so let us finish this, SHALL WE?"
The lizard's response was a terrifying screech complimented by saliva spray and followed by flaming breath. But none of these phased the knight, for he expected it. His heightened senses, speed and strength allowed him to dodge safely and lead the Dragon's attention away from the bystander. He sprinted towards the beast with his sword expertly poised, while the dragon swung its nasty tail around.
Dilandau used his shield to block the razor attack while thrusting his blade into the tender underbelly.
The dragon was no match for the perfect soldier of Zibach. Cornered against the rock base of the waterfall, the dragon howled and shrieked in agony, as Dilandau's weapon found its entry point and bit into the soft flesh.
After its long, drawn out death, the giant creature collapsed, partially into the stream, sending a spray of bloody water into the air.
Dilandau plucked the bright pink orb from the Dragon's wound with ease and whistled for his silver horse. Then he walked over to her girl lying on the forest floor.
He crouched down to her, observing her odd clothing- light green pajamas- and then her hair, copper coloured, her fair skin, and her deep brown eyes, shimmering up at him with admiration and gratitude.
He smiled to himself at the thought of such a pretty thing being in his debt. He was going to like being a Dragon Slayer soldier. "Well now," he reached his hands out to her and helped her up gently. "What do we have here?"
"What was that?"
"That was a Dragon. I am Dilandau Albatou."
"Pardon me. My name is Aiko. Thank you! I don't know what I would have done! I was so frightened!"
"You don't need to thank me. I was just doing my job." He could see she was disappointed slightly, and he certainly didn't want that. "Of course, I am very glad I got the chance to save you from that wretched thing personally."
Aiko's smile spread across her face again as she replayed all of his fantastic maneuvers in her mind. Suddenly, several other horsemen rode into the clearing.
Miguel, at the head of the small troupe, was wearing a red and black uniform, while the others wore the same as Dilandau. "Excellent work, Dilandau! Objective complete!"
"Thank you, Sir."
"And who might you be?" asked Miguel of Aiko.
"I am Aiko. Dilandau saved me from that Dragon."
"Oh did he? Well done, again, Albatou!"
"Thank you, Sir!" All of the other Dragon Slayers looked approvingly at Dilandau, and curiously at the young girl.
"Are you hurt at all, Miss?" Asked Miguel.
"No. I'm fine," Aiko started to answer.
"Is there anywhere we could drop you off? What were you doing out here in these forests? Are you Fanalian?"
"No. At least, I don't think so. I don't know where I am. You see, I was carried by a light, and this world is very strange to me, uh, Sir."
Murmurs spread over the group, and Miguel and Dilandau both silently studied her. "Where are you from? Do you know?"
"Well I suppose I am from. the Earth."
Chatter now rose, as everyone exchanged glances.
"Well! You must come with us immediately back to Zibach." Miguel decided.
Dilandau liked the idea, but was soon disappointed when Miguel asked him to help Aiko onto his horse with him. At the front of the group, Miguel and Aiko rode, while Dilandau kept somewhere in the middle, hardly noting the congratulations of his comrades.
* * *
"So how long have you been a knight?" Aiko asked, her arms wrapped around Miguel from behind. It was going to be a long ride, Miguel had told her. She didn't mind. Aiko loved horses.
Miguel chuckled happily, "Two years. We start when we're twelve. You have to be very, very special to become a Dragon Slayer. knight!"
"I'm fourteen too!" Said Aiko excitedly. "What other things can you do? Only slay dragons?"
"Oh! Heavens no! We must be perfect at everything. Hand to hand melee combat, thinking quickly, riding, flying, operating guymelefs, and being stealthy. among other things."
"Wow! You sound very important." Aiko felt Miguel puff out his chest in pride.
"Indeed. Do you know, I have slain 43 dragons in my two years!" He was excited and filled to the brim with pride.
"How many did Dilandau slay?"
Miguel frowned. "I. I'm not sure. I don't keep track of all of their records."
"Oh." Said Aiko.
"We're almost there!" Said Miguel, changing the subject.
They had been riding for a while, and seemed to have reached the edge of the forest, and then the edge of a cliff. There, a large ship-like creation was docked and floating in mid-air, suspended by mysterious forces! To Aiko, the whole metal mass seemed cold and unfeeling, so black.
"This is a Zibach floating fortress!" Said Miguel proudly, as if he himself had built it. "You are in the care of the Zibach Dragon Slayers now. Once we board, I'll notify the proper authorities, and maybe the Emperor himself will want to see you! You are from the Mystic Moon, no?"
Aiko looked at him quizzically, and then followed his gaze up into the sky. There the Earth and its moon hung, looking so peaceful and small, and very, very far away!
"Yes I am. But I don't want to go back." Aiko warned. They started boarding the building via a ramp.
"That's fine! I'll let everyone know! For now, if you wish to do so, go with the Slayers to the stables, and take this horse with you. I have other matters to attend to." He took his gloves off and then turned to the last horse boarding the floating fortress. It was Dilandau. "Dilandau! You're coming with me. Don't forget your energist!" Miguel barked. The two of them left in the opposite direction.
Another Slayer took his own horse, and Dilandau's, while Aiko followed, leading Miguel's horse. 'Such a calm and docile animal,' she found herself thinking. The stables were very close, and as soon as all of the slayers had lead the horses into their respected pens, they began to feed them and groom them.
"Commander Miguel, and Dilandau will do there's later." Gatti told her. "My name's Gatti," he patted the great black horse on the side of its neck. "And this is Raven."
"Hi there, Raven." Cooed Aiko.
"Great hunt today, huh?" Called one of the boys from a stall.
The reply were a few others whooping and calling back.
Aiko went to the last pen, where the most magnificent horse was kept- a beautiful silver animal, filled with grace and beauty. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were a unicorn." She whispered to it. She took its harness off. It read, "Blaze" in fancy letters.
"Come, Aiko." Called Dalet, the only one left in the stables. "I'm Dalet. I'll give you a small tour of this section of the building, and get you a room for the night. You must be tired. It's getting late."
"Okay." Aiko quietly followed.
* * *
".And this is your room." Said Dalet, finally. "If you don't remember, it's okay. We're always around so we'll help you with anything you need!"
"Thanks, Dalet." Sighed Aiko.
"Okay. Good night Aiko."
"Mmm hmm." Aiko nodded, and went into her room. She went to the window and looked out. 'It was so beautiful in that forest.' She sighed. 'Why can't this palace be like the one I imagined?'
The whole building was like its exterior: bland, cold, dark, and unfeeling. Even the room where they ate meals and talked leisurely as companions, was colourless. lifeless. Aiko wondered if there was a room anywhere in the whole building that was beautiful. 'Beautiful like Dilandau.'
Aiko sat up straight. She had let her thoughts wander, and they wandered right back to him. 'Why am I thinking about him?' she asked herself. 'He really is so charming and heroic. He saved my life.'
She smiled at the moons. 'As long as he's here, I can learn to love my new home, because every dark room will be brightened by his presence.'
To the trembling Aiko's left, a horse and rider exploded through the willows into the clearing with graceful agility. In one swift movement, the rider dismounted the moving animal, drew his sword and gave the horse a smart pat on its rear, sending it back the way it came.
The rider's hair caught the gleam of the sunlight, as did the steel of his weapon. He intercepted the beast just in time, standing between it and Aiko.
Dilandau, wearing the black and blue uniform of the Dragon Slayer Army laughed scornfully at the dragon. "Hah hah hah! Fool! Thought you could hide, huh? Well I've found you. Now I'm through playing games, so let us finish this, SHALL WE?"
The lizard's response was a terrifying screech complimented by saliva spray and followed by flaming breath. But none of these phased the knight, for he expected it. His heightened senses, speed and strength allowed him to dodge safely and lead the Dragon's attention away from the bystander. He sprinted towards the beast with his sword expertly poised, while the dragon swung its nasty tail around.
Dilandau used his shield to block the razor attack while thrusting his blade into the tender underbelly.
The dragon was no match for the perfect soldier of Zibach. Cornered against the rock base of the waterfall, the dragon howled and shrieked in agony, as Dilandau's weapon found its entry point and bit into the soft flesh.
After its long, drawn out death, the giant creature collapsed, partially into the stream, sending a spray of bloody water into the air.
Dilandau plucked the bright pink orb from the Dragon's wound with ease and whistled for his silver horse. Then he walked over to her girl lying on the forest floor.
He crouched down to her, observing her odd clothing- light green pajamas- and then her hair, copper coloured, her fair skin, and her deep brown eyes, shimmering up at him with admiration and gratitude.
He smiled to himself at the thought of such a pretty thing being in his debt. He was going to like being a Dragon Slayer soldier. "Well now," he reached his hands out to her and helped her up gently. "What do we have here?"
"What was that?"
"That was a Dragon. I am Dilandau Albatou."
"Pardon me. My name is Aiko. Thank you! I don't know what I would have done! I was so frightened!"
"You don't need to thank me. I was just doing my job." He could see she was disappointed slightly, and he certainly didn't want that. "Of course, I am very glad I got the chance to save you from that wretched thing personally."
Aiko's smile spread across her face again as she replayed all of his fantastic maneuvers in her mind. Suddenly, several other horsemen rode into the clearing.
Miguel, at the head of the small troupe, was wearing a red and black uniform, while the others wore the same as Dilandau. "Excellent work, Dilandau! Objective complete!"
"Thank you, Sir."
"And who might you be?" asked Miguel of Aiko.
"I am Aiko. Dilandau saved me from that Dragon."
"Oh did he? Well done, again, Albatou!"
"Thank you, Sir!" All of the other Dragon Slayers looked approvingly at Dilandau, and curiously at the young girl.
"Are you hurt at all, Miss?" Asked Miguel.
"No. I'm fine," Aiko started to answer.
"Is there anywhere we could drop you off? What were you doing out here in these forests? Are you Fanalian?"
"No. At least, I don't think so. I don't know where I am. You see, I was carried by a light, and this world is very strange to me, uh, Sir."
Murmurs spread over the group, and Miguel and Dilandau both silently studied her. "Where are you from? Do you know?"
"Well I suppose I am from. the Earth."
Chatter now rose, as everyone exchanged glances.
"Well! You must come with us immediately back to Zibach." Miguel decided.
Dilandau liked the idea, but was soon disappointed when Miguel asked him to help Aiko onto his horse with him. At the front of the group, Miguel and Aiko rode, while Dilandau kept somewhere in the middle, hardly noting the congratulations of his comrades.
* * *
"So how long have you been a knight?" Aiko asked, her arms wrapped around Miguel from behind. It was going to be a long ride, Miguel had told her. She didn't mind. Aiko loved horses.
Miguel chuckled happily, "Two years. We start when we're twelve. You have to be very, very special to become a Dragon Slayer. knight!"
"I'm fourteen too!" Said Aiko excitedly. "What other things can you do? Only slay dragons?"
"Oh! Heavens no! We must be perfect at everything. Hand to hand melee combat, thinking quickly, riding, flying, operating guymelefs, and being stealthy. among other things."
"Wow! You sound very important." Aiko felt Miguel puff out his chest in pride.
"Indeed. Do you know, I have slain 43 dragons in my two years!" He was excited and filled to the brim with pride.
"How many did Dilandau slay?"
Miguel frowned. "I. I'm not sure. I don't keep track of all of their records."
"Oh." Said Aiko.
"We're almost there!" Said Miguel, changing the subject.
They had been riding for a while, and seemed to have reached the edge of the forest, and then the edge of a cliff. There, a large ship-like creation was docked and floating in mid-air, suspended by mysterious forces! To Aiko, the whole metal mass seemed cold and unfeeling, so black.
"This is a Zibach floating fortress!" Said Miguel proudly, as if he himself had built it. "You are in the care of the Zibach Dragon Slayers now. Once we board, I'll notify the proper authorities, and maybe the Emperor himself will want to see you! You are from the Mystic Moon, no?"
Aiko looked at him quizzically, and then followed his gaze up into the sky. There the Earth and its moon hung, looking so peaceful and small, and very, very far away!
"Yes I am. But I don't want to go back." Aiko warned. They started boarding the building via a ramp.
"That's fine! I'll let everyone know! For now, if you wish to do so, go with the Slayers to the stables, and take this horse with you. I have other matters to attend to." He took his gloves off and then turned to the last horse boarding the floating fortress. It was Dilandau. "Dilandau! You're coming with me. Don't forget your energist!" Miguel barked. The two of them left in the opposite direction.
Another Slayer took his own horse, and Dilandau's, while Aiko followed, leading Miguel's horse. 'Such a calm and docile animal,' she found herself thinking. The stables were very close, and as soon as all of the slayers had lead the horses into their respected pens, they began to feed them and groom them.
"Commander Miguel, and Dilandau will do there's later." Gatti told her. "My name's Gatti," he patted the great black horse on the side of its neck. "And this is Raven."
"Hi there, Raven." Cooed Aiko.
"Great hunt today, huh?" Called one of the boys from a stall.
The reply were a few others whooping and calling back.
Aiko went to the last pen, where the most magnificent horse was kept- a beautiful silver animal, filled with grace and beauty. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were a unicorn." She whispered to it. She took its harness off. It read, "Blaze" in fancy letters.
"Come, Aiko." Called Dalet, the only one left in the stables. "I'm Dalet. I'll give you a small tour of this section of the building, and get you a room for the night. You must be tired. It's getting late."
"Okay." Aiko quietly followed.
* * *
".And this is your room." Said Dalet, finally. "If you don't remember, it's okay. We're always around so we'll help you with anything you need!"
"Thanks, Dalet." Sighed Aiko.
"Okay. Good night Aiko."
"Mmm hmm." Aiko nodded, and went into her room. She went to the window and looked out. 'It was so beautiful in that forest.' She sighed. 'Why can't this palace be like the one I imagined?'
The whole building was like its exterior: bland, cold, dark, and unfeeling. Even the room where they ate meals and talked leisurely as companions, was colourless. lifeless. Aiko wondered if there was a room anywhere in the whole building that was beautiful. 'Beautiful like Dilandau.'
Aiko sat up straight. She had let her thoughts wander, and they wandered right back to him. 'Why am I thinking about him?' she asked herself. 'He really is so charming and heroic. He saved my life.'
She smiled at the moons. 'As long as he's here, I can learn to love my new home, because every dark room will be brightened by his presence.'