Creatures of the Light
**LEGAL DISCLAIMER: I don't own any part of VHD. Or any songs marked with an asterisk.**
Despite the fact that the woods were next to the Barbarois, where many a freak and monster dwelled, birds chirped merrily and various other woodland creatures were busy making their own noises.
It was a calming experience to say the least. Reen soon felt her fears of what happened earlier slipping away as she walked beside D, the two of them following Czaz. The Wecon walked with slow and easy grace, and once in a while would stop to commune with an animal here or there. Once a large white wolf came up to them. Reen watched in awe as Czaz knelt down and patted its head, growling softly. Soon it had turned and left and they had continued on.
"This place is pretty peaceful, considering its location," Reen commented wistfully as they went. Czaz nodded and placed her hands behind her head.
"Yeah, lots of the Barbaroians don't come here. They don't like the peace is emanates. They tend to keep to the dark shadows of the Barbarois."
Reen was getting ready to respond when suddenly her right foot shot through a deep yet thin hole, hidden by rotting leaves and thick dirt. She gave a surprised yelp as she hopped to keep her balance. She was about to fall when D caught her wrist and helped her up. He knelt down then and worked her foot from the hole as Czaz watched, her brow slightly creased.
"Are you okay?" she asked as D stood and Reen shook her foot. She nodded.
"Yes, I'm fine. I suppose I should be more careful, eh?" She suddenly realized D still had her wrist. She gave a soft cough, and D abruptly let her go.
"You're lucky your ankle didn't twist or sprain," he said as Reen began to blush. "Otherwise we would have had to head back and one of us would have had to carry you." Reen blushed more at these words as they started off again. Reen's eyes, needless to say, remained quite fixed to the ground.
About an hour later, they agreed it was time to start heading back. They were passing a small pond when suddenly a large, lizard-like head popped from under the water's surface and sprayed them with a powerful blast of water.
"ARGH!" Reen shouted in shock as the freezing water hit her. D gave a wince at the chill and Czaz gave an angry growl.
"THAT'S NOT FUNNY!" she yelled angrily as the beast laughed, its head pulling back under the water. Reen stared, wet, cold, and somewhat miserable, as the creature moved through the cold pond with ease.
"You'll have to pardon Ishio. He's a WaterDrake, and is keen on playing tricks and soaking people," Czaz hissed. Ishio's head popped back out and he gave a hoofing laugh. The Drake's scales were iridescent blue and green. He seemed to be about ten feet long at the most, and his wings perked above the water in spots. Reen could see the glint of irritation in D's eyes, though anyone else would have missed it. She shivered.
"Come on, I'm fr-fr-freezing," she stuttered, wrapping her arms around herself as they started off once more, Czaz shooting the still-laughing WaterDrake daggers.
Soon they came from the woods and stepped into the waning sunlight, which had close to no effect on the cold that had settled into Reen's bones.
"Well well, what happened to the three of you?" the Barbaroi asked with a laugh as Reen, D, and Czaz approached. Czaz snarled as she attempted to wring her clothes out for the tenth time.
"Ishio," she said nastily. The Barbaroi laughed more.
"Ah, that troublemaker eh? You should have known to avoid his pond! Ah well, come in, dry off, warm up."
"That would be desired," D said flatly, thoroughly annoyed with being as soaked as he would be stepping from the shower. The Barbaroi laughed more and led them inside.
***
"So...he failed. And still they are free to find the last! But not if I can get her first..." The Vampire's voice was dripping with anger as he watched Mushin burning in the light of day. He waved a hand and the portal vanished with a faint hiss. He turned away and snarled.
"Milord..." a lower demon said meekly. "You know where the third of the least is...why not send one of your army to fetch her? And the other two as well? For you know where they are as well do you not?"
"I do, but I cannot reach them while they seek shelter at the Barbarois. That would be a fool's mission. As for the girl...I believe we would do good to wait for the three of them to meet. Then I shall send Drakino. He will fetch them for me. Until then, I have other business to attend to."
"Yes, Master Zaicondii," said the little demon, bowing as the Vampire took his leave.
***
Time seemed to pass quickly. Soon Reen was well-rested and ready to continue. The Barbaroi stood with them as they readied to depart.
"It would seem you are heading in the direction of the old Caves," he said with a sly grin. Reen nodded as D went to get his horse. The Barbaroi chuckled. "Why on earth would you want to go to those ruins of a place? Surely you know of the we'crishon that lives there?!"
"That is our own business," Reen said with a touch of disdain in her voice. The Barbaroi chuckled merrily and nodded.
"Very well then," he said, seemingly not ruffled at all by Reen's attitude. She turned to face D as he approached when suddenly a white wolf came up behind her, nudging her left hand. Yelping, she turned to face the beast. The Barbaroi laughed heartily as D rushed over, sword drawn.
"Czaz! You should watch yourself. Your new friends haven't yet seen you in a form other than your human one!" he said with a loud, annoying cackle. The wolf gave a growl and then waved its tail as it turned to face D.
"Czaz?" D asked as Czaz approached him, lowering his sword. Czaz gave a happy whine and nosed his hand, then turned and walked to the horse and faced them, waiting. Reen sighed and went to join her.
"Let's get going. We don't have much time," she said, mounting up. D nodded and followed, sitting behind her. Then, with a flick of the reins and Czaz beside them, Nightmare whinnied and shot off across the land.
***
"Finally.....they leave....." Zaicondii hissed softly, watching through the floating portal as the three of them sped off. "Now....the time has come. Drakino!"
After a few seconds, a deep rich voice answered within his mind, ~Yes master?~
"Go to your old caves. Take any who are there already and who come to them prisoner and bring them here. You are to leave at once."
~Yes Master.~
"And Drakino?"
~Master?~
"Do not, and I mean do NOT kill anyone you catch. If you do I shall be most unhappy."
~As you say Master. I shall kill none.~
There was a moment's silence, then there came a bellowing roar and the sound of large wings pumping outside. Zaicondii watched as he avoided the morning light pouring from the window as a huge red Dragon lifted into the air. The beast was at least twenty feet tall. Zaicondii laughed.
The Dunpeal, Dracloye, and Wecon were about to learn that nothing could stand against a Dragon's might. Nothing at all.
**Curse all the short chapters! This one would have been longer but I know people are waiting so I decided to make it a bit shorter. I promise next chapter will be longer and packed with action!!! PLZ REVIEW!**
**LEGAL DISCLAIMER: I don't own any part of VHD. Or any songs marked with an asterisk.**
Despite the fact that the woods were next to the Barbarois, where many a freak and monster dwelled, birds chirped merrily and various other woodland creatures were busy making their own noises.
It was a calming experience to say the least. Reen soon felt her fears of what happened earlier slipping away as she walked beside D, the two of them following Czaz. The Wecon walked with slow and easy grace, and once in a while would stop to commune with an animal here or there. Once a large white wolf came up to them. Reen watched in awe as Czaz knelt down and patted its head, growling softly. Soon it had turned and left and they had continued on.
"This place is pretty peaceful, considering its location," Reen commented wistfully as they went. Czaz nodded and placed her hands behind her head.
"Yeah, lots of the Barbaroians don't come here. They don't like the peace is emanates. They tend to keep to the dark shadows of the Barbarois."
Reen was getting ready to respond when suddenly her right foot shot through a deep yet thin hole, hidden by rotting leaves and thick dirt. She gave a surprised yelp as she hopped to keep her balance. She was about to fall when D caught her wrist and helped her up. He knelt down then and worked her foot from the hole as Czaz watched, her brow slightly creased.
"Are you okay?" she asked as D stood and Reen shook her foot. She nodded.
"Yes, I'm fine. I suppose I should be more careful, eh?" She suddenly realized D still had her wrist. She gave a soft cough, and D abruptly let her go.
"You're lucky your ankle didn't twist or sprain," he said as Reen began to blush. "Otherwise we would have had to head back and one of us would have had to carry you." Reen blushed more at these words as they started off again. Reen's eyes, needless to say, remained quite fixed to the ground.
About an hour later, they agreed it was time to start heading back. They were passing a small pond when suddenly a large, lizard-like head popped from under the water's surface and sprayed them with a powerful blast of water.
"ARGH!" Reen shouted in shock as the freezing water hit her. D gave a wince at the chill and Czaz gave an angry growl.
"THAT'S NOT FUNNY!" she yelled angrily as the beast laughed, its head pulling back under the water. Reen stared, wet, cold, and somewhat miserable, as the creature moved through the cold pond with ease.
"You'll have to pardon Ishio. He's a WaterDrake, and is keen on playing tricks and soaking people," Czaz hissed. Ishio's head popped back out and he gave a hoofing laugh. The Drake's scales were iridescent blue and green. He seemed to be about ten feet long at the most, and his wings perked above the water in spots. Reen could see the glint of irritation in D's eyes, though anyone else would have missed it. She shivered.
"Come on, I'm fr-fr-freezing," she stuttered, wrapping her arms around herself as they started off once more, Czaz shooting the still-laughing WaterDrake daggers.
Soon they came from the woods and stepped into the waning sunlight, which had close to no effect on the cold that had settled into Reen's bones.
"Well well, what happened to the three of you?" the Barbaroi asked with a laugh as Reen, D, and Czaz approached. Czaz snarled as she attempted to wring her clothes out for the tenth time.
"Ishio," she said nastily. The Barbaroi laughed more.
"Ah, that troublemaker eh? You should have known to avoid his pond! Ah well, come in, dry off, warm up."
"That would be desired," D said flatly, thoroughly annoyed with being as soaked as he would be stepping from the shower. The Barbaroi laughed more and led them inside.
***
"So...he failed. And still they are free to find the last! But not if I can get her first..." The Vampire's voice was dripping with anger as he watched Mushin burning in the light of day. He waved a hand and the portal vanished with a faint hiss. He turned away and snarled.
"Milord..." a lower demon said meekly. "You know where the third of the least is...why not send one of your army to fetch her? And the other two as well? For you know where they are as well do you not?"
"I do, but I cannot reach them while they seek shelter at the Barbarois. That would be a fool's mission. As for the girl...I believe we would do good to wait for the three of them to meet. Then I shall send Drakino. He will fetch them for me. Until then, I have other business to attend to."
"Yes, Master Zaicondii," said the little demon, bowing as the Vampire took his leave.
***
Time seemed to pass quickly. Soon Reen was well-rested and ready to continue. The Barbaroi stood with them as they readied to depart.
"It would seem you are heading in the direction of the old Caves," he said with a sly grin. Reen nodded as D went to get his horse. The Barbaroi chuckled. "Why on earth would you want to go to those ruins of a place? Surely you know of the we'crishon that lives there?!"
"That is our own business," Reen said with a touch of disdain in her voice. The Barbaroi chuckled merrily and nodded.
"Very well then," he said, seemingly not ruffled at all by Reen's attitude. She turned to face D as he approached when suddenly a white wolf came up behind her, nudging her left hand. Yelping, she turned to face the beast. The Barbaroi laughed heartily as D rushed over, sword drawn.
"Czaz! You should watch yourself. Your new friends haven't yet seen you in a form other than your human one!" he said with a loud, annoying cackle. The wolf gave a growl and then waved its tail as it turned to face D.
"Czaz?" D asked as Czaz approached him, lowering his sword. Czaz gave a happy whine and nosed his hand, then turned and walked to the horse and faced them, waiting. Reen sighed and went to join her.
"Let's get going. We don't have much time," she said, mounting up. D nodded and followed, sitting behind her. Then, with a flick of the reins and Czaz beside them, Nightmare whinnied and shot off across the land.
***
"Finally.....they leave....." Zaicondii hissed softly, watching through the floating portal as the three of them sped off. "Now....the time has come. Drakino!"
After a few seconds, a deep rich voice answered within his mind, ~Yes master?~
"Go to your old caves. Take any who are there already and who come to them prisoner and bring them here. You are to leave at once."
~Yes Master.~
"And Drakino?"
~Master?~
"Do not, and I mean do NOT kill anyone you catch. If you do I shall be most unhappy."
~As you say Master. I shall kill none.~
There was a moment's silence, then there came a bellowing roar and the sound of large wings pumping outside. Zaicondii watched as he avoided the morning light pouring from the window as a huge red Dragon lifted into the air. The beast was at least twenty feet tall. Zaicondii laughed.
The Dunpeal, Dracloye, and Wecon were about to learn that nothing could stand against a Dragon's might. Nothing at all.
**Curse all the short chapters! This one would have been longer but I know people are waiting so I decided to make it a bit shorter. I promise next chapter will be longer and packed with action!!! PLZ REVIEW!**