Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Knights, Mineko Ohkami does.
Ch.6 Of Light and Darkness
Ruwalk was sitting at a table whose every chair had been occupied by an overseer of a particular region of Dusis. The Yellow Dragon Officer was trying hard to appear interested in the current conversation at hand, but…well, there was no doubt in denying it-it was infuriatingly boring.
At first, the red-haired man had been excited at the prospect of meeting with the lords of the land, and for he and them to put their heads together and think up new ways and strategies to make the way of living easier and better for the people in the kingdom. However, he had soon discovered that the overseers had no intention whatsoever of helping anyone other than themselves. In fact, the first topic brought up in the convention was two lords-both cousins-squabbling over land they each claimed to hold possession of.
In fact, no other subjects had been brought up since then.
In fact, they were still fighting about it.
In fact, Ruwalk was getting a VERY LARGE HEADACHE at listening to their incessant yabbering.
In fact, he wanted to scream at them and throttle them into oblivion. However did the Dragon Lord put up with these people?
In any case, though he was fulfilling Lykuleon's duties by being here, he hadn't the slightest chance to voice his opinion over the matter yet, which was just as well, because what was on his mind at the moment was the urge to jump up and yell:
SHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTTTT UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPPP!
The Yellow Dragon Officer sighed inwardly, trying not to let his head thunk down on the table's surface. He wanted nothing more than this dreadful meeting to be over so he could retire to his room, curl up in a nice warm bed with his fluffy white teddy-bear, Goo-bah, and zonk out.
"-Isn't that so. Dragon Officer Ruwalk?"
Ruwalk blinked, started out of his wonderful day-dream and fidgeted uncomfortably when he realized that every overseer's attention there, was fixed on him.
"Er," he began nervously, sweatdropping, "What was the question again?"
"I said," repeated one of the lords who was fighting with his cousin for the same land, "That that land most assuredly and undoubtedly belongs to me, as it was given in my father's will! Don't you agree?"
"Uh…" Fortunately, the Yellow Dragon Officer's reply was cut off as the other cousin pounced on the proclaimation.
"You most certainly are not!" he declared, pounding on the table top quite red in the face, "That will your father wrote is not legal! He did that just to spite his brother who the land really belonged to-my father! So, technically, the land is MINE!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"IS NOT!"
"IS TOO!"
Oh my, Ruwalk thought strainedly, rubbing his temples, I think I have a migraine. He knew it was going to be a looooooooooooooooooooooong day.
"IS NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!"
"IS TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
The Yellow Dragon Officer slowly closed the door to his room behind him, walk dazedly up to his bed and fall face-forward onto it. He finally had a chance to rest after the mentally exerting meeting with the overseers was over. Dusis, he was tired. The red-haired man stretched out and felt around until his hand grasped his fluffy white teddy-bear, Goo-bah and clutched it to him tightly. Sticking a thumb in his mouth, the man was swiftly out like a light and on his way to Slumberland, dreaming…
Which quickly turned into a horrible nightmare…
He dreamed that Alfeegi had barged into his room while he was sleeping and was trying to force him to get up…Sweet Dusis, the man wouldn't leave him in peace even in his dreams! Well, this was one time he wouldn't let Alfeegi bother him-even if it was a dream.
"GET UP, YOU LAZY LOUT!" he dreamed Alfeegi was yelling, "HURRY UP! YOU HAVE DUTIES TO ATTEND!"
Dusis! The man was going to make him go to another terrible meeting of lords who would probably go on arguing about something worse than properties of land this time!
"No…" he heard his dream-self mumble into his pillow, "Go…'way…"
"GET UUUUUUUUUUUP!" the dream-Alfeegi screeched and then tried to pull his dream-self out of bed.
His dream-self, however gripped the edged of the bed tightly and wouldn't let go.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" came a loud cry in his dream-one that sounded strangely close and the next thing Ruwalk knew was a blindingly painful blow came crashing onto his head.
The Yellow Dragon Officer, all of a sudden, found himself wide awake, on the floor seeing stars and a heavily breathing, red-faced, irritated Alfeegi with a mallet standing above him.
Ruwalk blinked up at him, his dazed mind only comprehending one small fact-not the fact that all that just happened was not a dream, but that-
"I'M GONNA HAVE TO MEET WITH THOSE OVERSEERS AGAIN? NOOOOOOOOOOO! I DON'T WANNA! WAAAAAAAAAHHH!" then the red-haired man promptly threw a temper tantrum on the floor.
Alfeegi stared at the scene his fellow Officer was making, then glanced at the mallet he was holding, quizzicly. Hmmm. Perhaps he had used the weapon one time too many on him. Oh well, he'd better get under control where they were going.
"Come on, Ruwalk ," the strawberry-blond haired-man said, grabbing hold of the back of the other man's shirt, pulling him with him along the floor, "You have an engagement that cannot delay."
"NO!NO!" Ruwalk pleaded, clinging desperately to Alfeegi's legs as he was dragged forcefully out of the room, "DON'T MAKE ME! I SHALL PERISH IF I HAVE TO HEAR 'MINE', 'IS NOT', 'IS TOO' AGAIN!"
"FOR DUSIS' SAKE!" Alfeegi roared, shaking the Yellow Dragon Officer loose, "PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER, MAN! THE DRAGON LORD HAS RETURNED! ALL THE OFFICERS ARE TO MEET IN THE COUNCIL ROOM! NOW QUIT YOUR CATERWAULING!"
Ruwalk stopped his terrified wailing and voiced questionally, "Lykuleon is here?"
CONG!
Yet again, the Dragon Officer lay knocked out on the floor for the umpteenth time by the deadly mallet.
"THAT'S 'HIS HIGHNESS' TO YOU!" the strawberry-blond haired man yelled indignantly, "HOW RUDE!"
Ruwalk made no comment at that, being as he was unconscious at the time.
Alfeegi sighed strainedly, making a memo to himself to try and contain his temper…until he actually had time to hit his victims when they weren't required to do something right away.
"Oh, come along, Ruwalk," the White Dragon Officer sighed exasperatedly, nudging the fallen man in his side with his boots. Ruwalk didn't stir. Growling irritably, Alfeegi grasped the man's red hair in his hand and resumed walking, dragging the hapless man behind him.
Ruwalk twitched slightly, gaining enough consciousness to gasp out and cry, "Ahh, Goo-bah, help!"
Alfeegi kept on his pace, trying to ignore the fact that his fellow Officer had just spoken to his teddy-bear. But, then again, he had always suspected that Ruwalk had never been all there.
Lykuleon unwound the long outer cloak which was wrapped around him and gave it to Cernozurna who took it and exited the room.
"Have you found him?" he questioned Tetheus inquiringly.
The Black Dragon Officer shook his head apologetically, "I am sorry, My Lord, but none of the Dragon Fighters has sighted him, and they searched high and low."
The Dragon Lord nodded as if he had been expecting the news.
"I fear time is running out for us. We must find him before his trail grows too cold," the golden-haired man said somberly. Then looking around the empty room, he asked Tetheus quizzically, "Where are the others?"
As if summoned, the door to the Council Room burst open and White Dragon Officer Alfeegi stormed in, dragging a feebly struggling Ruwalk by the hair.
"Alfeegi," Lykuleon smiled, sweatdropping, "Were there any problems while I was gone?"
"None that I know of, Your Majesty," the strawberry-blond haired man stated, reaching the Dragon Lord and Tetheus, "Except for a small insanity episode by this feckless Dragon."
Ruwalk managed to pull himself free and hoist himself upright only to hurl himself on the Dragon Lord exclaiming through joyous tears, "Lykuleon! I'm so GLAD your back! I had the most-(sniffle)-HORRIBLE day!"
Lykuleon half-smiled, patting the Yellow Dragon Officers back, "Now, now, Ruwalk, the meeting with overseers couldn't have been all that bad, now could it?"
"NOT THAT BAD?" Ruwalk screeched, pulling away indignantly and everyone raised their eyebrows. Usually, it was only Alfeegi who dared to throw a fit of rage in front of the Dragon Lord.
"DO YOU HONESTLY CALL THOSE PEOPLE OVERSEERS?" the red-haired man continued, "THEY DON'T EVEN WORRY ABOUT THEIR OWN FELLOW COUNTRYMEN WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE THAN THEY ARE! ALL THEY DO IS WHINE OVER WHERE THEIR LAND'S BOUNDARIES START AND END!"
"Oh, my," Lykuleon said surprisingly, "Are they actually on to a more important topic?"
"I HARDLY THINK THAT IS AN IMPORTANT SUBJECT, MY LORD," Ruwalk went on heatedy, "WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE HURTING OUT THERE WHO DON'T HAVE AS MUCH AS THOSE TWO DO!"
"Yes, Ruwalk, I quite agree," the Dragon Lord said, "However, at the last meeting when I was with them, they were fighting over whether who got to keep the wooden rocking horse they both shared when they were little."
Ruwalk blinked, then sweatdropping said, "Lykuleon, I just want you to know for future reference, I don't envy your job one bit."
There was not one person there who disagreed.
The Dragon Lord looked around once more, then seeing that one of his Officers was missing, asked, "Has Kai-stern returned yet?"
"No, My Lord," Tetheus replied.
"Well, let us hope he is having better luck than we are," Lykuleon said resignedly then looked away as if something else was bothering him besides finding Rath.
Alfeegi started as he realized what was wrong with the image of the Dragon Lord standing before him. Always, he had not been alone. Something had always been at his side, keeping virgil over his master. That something was not there now.
"My Lord," Alffegi voiced, "Where is Light?"
The Dragon Lord sighed worriedly, turning back to his Officers who were glancing at him expectedly.
"I do not know," he began, "He was with me when I went into Draqueen, but sometime between referring to people if they had seen Rath and coming back here, I'd noticed he had gone."
"LIGHT LEFT YOUR HIGHNESS!" Alfeegi cried increduously, "DRAGONS DO NOT LEAVE THEIR MASTERS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!"
"Alfeegi," Lykuleon said sweatdropping for the second time, "If Light did leave by his own free will, I am sure he had a sound valid reason for doing so."
"What do you mean 'by his own free will'?" Ruwalk asked perplexedly, "Do you think he was captured or taken ?"
This seemed to visibly trouble the Dragon Lord a great deal-his features darkened under stress, "I hope not, Ruwalk," he said, "I sincerely hope not."
Alfeegi was about to berate the Yellow Dragon Officer for worrying the Dragon Lord with even more burdens-namely whack him a good one with his mallet-when suddenly the doors to the Council Room flew open yet again and a Dragon Fighter raced in, yelling excitedly, "Captain Tetheus! Captain Tetheus! Come quickl-"
The Dragon Fighter stopped short in his tracks when he saw Lykuleon and bowed hastily, exclaiming, "Your Majesty!"
The Dragon Lord stepped forward hurriedly and asked, "Is it Rath? Have you found him?"
"N-No, My Lord!" the Dragon Fighter said trying to sound apologetic, but only managing to be flustered, "But it's something just as good! Hurry! You must come at once now!"
The Dragon Fighter sped out of the room, motioning the others to follow him. They did-and quickly.
The Dragon Fighter led them rushing down the palace's hallways-corridors and rooms flashed past them, and they ran until they reached outside, where on the ground a crowd of servants and more Dragon Fighters could be seen standing in a circle, bending over something.
Lykuleon pushed his way through the large group with the Officers directly behind him. Upon reaching the center, the Dragon Lord gasped in astonishment and Ruwalk voiced his surprise as well.
"Fire?"
Kai-stern gasped at the horrific sight which greeted his eyes. Upon his mad dash into the cave, the first thing he saw was what could only be described as several thick pulsing veins beating in an almost rhythmatic manner-and right in middle of them, tightly bound was Rath.
"RATH!" Kai-stern cried in horror, desperately hoping that the boy would show some sort of sign that he was still alive, but the child didn't stir.
The Blue Dragon Officer cast anxious eyes about the giant pulsing…thing…hoping to see some sort of weakness in it so he could get Rath out of it-then he noticed the bird.
An ebony black-colored bird was hovering slightly above the freak creation pouring out a dark mass of aura which lead from him into Rath. Kai-stern's eyes narrowed. He didn't know what it was that the bird was passing to Rath, but he knew without a doubt it was not helping the child.
Get rid of the bird first, he decided, Then destroy the veins!
Unsheathing his sword, the man hurled himself forward, leaping upwards-his weapon slicing through the air ready to make contact with the ebony-black bird-when his charge attack was abruptly halted.Kai-stern gasped as he found himself suspended in mid-air for several seconds, then without warning he was flung backwards into the cave's far-side wall. The Blue Dragon Officer winced in pain as his back hit the hard rock-wall violently and then as he slid down to the bottom over uneven surfaces.
"Tsk, tsk," chided a voice from within the shadows, "Attacking my loyal subjects and my new experiment? Not the best way to get on my good side."
Kai-stern glanced up from cave's floor in time to see a figure step out from the shadow's depths.
A figure with thick white hair and garbed in white clothes.
Afigure on whose face wore an amused smile.
A figure who was Yokai.
Kharl had seen the man appear suddenly as if out of nowhere. The alchemist had been overseeing Right Bird's progressive work on the boy with a mildly bored interest, when the man had dashed madly into the cave, looking wildly about before spotting the boy held fast in his new masterpiece. The man had cried out the child's name in a panicked fear and then to the Yokai's amusement and surprise had proceeded to launch an attack on his bird. Of course, however entertaining the man was, Kharl could not just sit there and let him try to destroy his experiment. So, as the man was in mid-jump, the alchemist had flung out a handful of ash in his direction, halting him in the air-then flung him backwards into the cave wall. Kharl waited until the man had slid on down to the cave floor-rather painfully at that-before voicing outloud his comment and stepping out of the shadows.
Kai-stern felt a surge of anger and resentment at the man who had halted his attack.
"Are YOU the reason that Rath is in that-that-that…THING?" he inquired of the white-haired man accusingly.
"Why, yes," the Yokai replied, his smile growing slightly wider, "I believe I am." He sounded rather pleased with himself.
The Blue Dragon Officer's temper flared up and at once he found himself on his feet yelling at the Yokai in a furious rage, "HOW CAN YOU BE SO HEARTLESS! DON'T YOU KNOW YOU'RE HURTING HIM! FOR DUSIS'S SAKE, HE'S ONLY A CHILD!"
"Only a child?" came the Yokai's voice in a strangely quiet voice. The white-haired man's smile vanished and his eyebrows furrowed down low as he stared at the man in front of him in a coldly calculating manner.
Kai-stern could not help but shiver slightly-the lack of a smile made the Yokai seem more dangerous…more evil.
"Oh, no," the white-haired man continued and his voice was a low hiss of a whisper, "The boy is much, MUCH more than a mere child…and I…I believe you know that…don't you…"
The Yokai's eyes roved over the man's oddly-garbed outfit before meeting the other's eyes in the end, "…Dragon," he finished with a sneer.
Kai-stern's mind reeled with the impact of what the Yokai had just implied and the man's nerves did nothing to soothe his fear. The Yokai knew-he knew what Rath was, or at least had been once. The Yokai knew and since he did, the situation here and just turned for the worst. A Yokai who didn't know about the possibilities he could wreak with Rath, Kai-stern could probably have defeated or persuaded that the child was not worth the effort over risking his life over. But someone that knew-someone that knew would NEVER relinquish the boy. Especially someone as powerful as this Yokai standing in front of him was. If Kai-stern could sense the demon aura from where he was right now, then obviously the Yokai had VERY LARGE amounts of potential and power.
Kai-stern gulped. All the man could think of at the moment was: I'm doomed.
"Yes, you know full well what the boy is and what he would be capable of if he were reverted to his true form," the Yokai restated his smile reappearing at the Kai-stern's notable panic.
Kai-stern's gut wrenched, "Is that-," he started, looking up at Rath once more and his face drained of color.
"That is what I doing right now, yes," the white-haired man affirmed and again there was a note of satisfaction in it, "I like testing out new experiments. I find them rather…fascinating to observe."
The Blue Dragon Officer's fury rose again and overwhelmed all other emotions, "YOU SICK BASTARD!" he yelled clenching his fists at his sides, "DO YOUR OWN EVIL EXPERIMENTS ON YOUR OWN FILTHY KIND! LEAVE THE INNOCENT ALONE! TAKE RATH DOWN THIS INSTANT! HE DOESN'T DESERVE THIS!"
The Yokai ignored his outburst as if the man had been softly humming instead of screaming. Smiling more broadly than ever, he said, "But that's just it, my dear Dragon, he does deserve this! I'm giving him what you and the others in the Dragon Tribe stole from him."
Kai-stern was growing increasingly more angrier and annoyed every spare minute, "OH, REALLY?" he cries sarcastically, " AND WHAT IS THAT!"
A single word was spoken:
"Freedom."
Kai-stern started, the apparent shock and blow of the simple statement cleary visible on his face.
Kharl smiled even broader at this, "Yes, don't try and delude yourself otherwise," the Yokai said boring his eyes into Kai-stern's, "You and the others of the Dragon Tribe may make yourself believe that you are only helping the boy, but in reality we all know it is a false charade. Let's stop playing pretend, shall we? What you and your 'noble' Dragon Lord did was clearly done without Rath's consent. He had no choice in the matter did he? He may not be able to remember the exact incident of what occurred when you imprisoned him in that miserable shell of a Dragon, or have any recollection that there ever was a time when he was not in the form he is now, but I can assure you, whatever you did to him was done without his consent. No…freewill… I think it's called?"
The Blue Dragon Officer resolute was growing more and more dimmer. With every accusation the Yokai threw at him, the man winced as it were a knife. Yes, sometimes it hurt knowing what he, the other Officers and the Dragon Lord had done to Rath and also for the purpose they were raising the child for, but…
It wasn't as if we had any choice in the matter either. Thousands more would have died if we hadn't done what we did, Kai-stern thought.
The Yokai kept up his everlasting smile as he saw the man's front faltering, "So, as you can very clearly see, I'm only restoring to him his true self which you and your exuburant Dragon Lord has so plainly denied him."
Kai-stern shook himself out of his frozen guilt state and declared stoutly, "You talk of free will! You say you are the one giving that to Rath! Tell me the truth-WAS IT THE FREE WILL OF RATH'S TO BE PLACED IN THAT THING AND BE REVERTED BACK TO WHAT HE WAS!"
"Ah, another valid reason why I so despise the Dragon Tribe," the alchemist sighed, his smile slipping from his face, "They always twist one's words against him."
Then the Yokai looked up at the man standing before him and Kai-stern saw that his smile was once again back in place.
"He'll thank me for it later," the white-haired man spoke, his smile now turning into smirk.
Kai-stern forgot about everything-the man's annoying smile, his guilt of Rath's present state, and his own fear of the Yokai's power. All he could feel now was a definite outrage and intensifying anger to the man who would be cruel enough to do conduct one of his 'experiments' on a defenseless child. With a deafening roar, the Blue Dragon Officer found his sword suddenly drawn out of its sheath and himself rushing towards the white-haired Yokai on fury-driven legs. As he drew closer upon his intended target, he thrust the weapon out in front of him, feverently desiring to see the other man impaled on the end of his blade. The Yokai simply stood there waiting for his attack almost patiently, an amused smile imprinted upon his face.
He never even made contact with him. One minute he was there, then the next Kai-stern was slicing through a cloud of swirling ash that clogged his throat and made him want to cough.
"Dear, dear, what's this? Tired of brandying with words and now we are to brandy with swords? Can't you Dragons think of other ways to amuse yourselves?"
The Blue Dragon Officer whirled about, his eyes still stinging from the ash. The Yokai now stood behind him, his arms crossed in front of his chest comfortably.
"YOU CHEAT, YOKAI!"
"Now, I wouldn't call it cheating, exactly," the white-haired man said, "Just a different and more superior method of defending oneself."
Kai-stern's mind raced. He couldn't defeat this Yokai. He was far too quick and cunning. But he had to rescue Rath! The man looked behind the Yokai at the thick pulsing veins which held the child firmly in place. An idea formed itself in his mind. Directing his gaze back to that of the Yokai's he pretended to be angry and cried out, "DIE, YOKAI!" then charged.
As he had anticipated, the white-haired man once more disappeared into a cloud of ash, but Kai-stern did not stop. Dashing forward on borrowed time, he ran towards the vein-like creation and struck at it with all his might-sincerely hoping the veins would do what he thought he did.
The sword shone in a silver streak as it slashed through several veins, severing them from their grip on Rath. The veins-now free writhed in the air searching for something to wrap around. The nearest thing was Right Bird. The ebony-black bird screeched in panic and fear as the groping, grasping tendrils wrapped themselves snakelike around its body. The black demon aura the bird had been pouring into Rath stop completely.
Kai-stern allowed himself a grin in satisfaction, only for it to be wiped away as the veins abruptly halted their attack on the bird, cascaded back down and resumed their hold on Rath. The Dragon Officer whirled about to see a very amused, yet very irritated Kharl standing behind him.
"You just don't learn do you?" the man's voice was cool and collected, yet it held a deadly tone in it, "You can attack me and I will be both flattered and entertained at the same time. You may even find I become more pleasant each time you try and kill me-however," and the smile vanished from the man's face, "I don't like my experiments disrupted."
Before Kai-stern even had time to think, he was lifted into the air a second time and suspended in space. Thinking he was to be dashed against the cave's wall again, he grimaced and closed his eyes, waiting for the blow. It didn't come. Opening his eyes, the Dragon Officer saw that the Yokai's smile back and was grinning at him evily.
"Don't worry," the white-haired man said and directed both their gazes to Rath held captive by the veins, "I'll take good care of him."
Kai-stern's blood boiled madly. Oh, how would he love to take his sword and hack at the Yokai until his damned infuriating smile was unrecognizable. But he couldn't move a single muscle.
"I'll be sure to tell the Dragon Lord his Officer fought and died admirably." The Yokai said, reaching out and plucking Kai-stern's sword from his immovable hand, holding it up to the man's neck, "Goodbye, Dragon."
It was in that instant a snarling, biting white form hurled itself on the Yokai.
Lykuleon knealt down to the Fire dragon and took in his battered and bruised body and its crippled wings with a worried expression. The little dragon remained in a crumpled heap, unconscious.
"When did he arrive here?" he asked the Dragon Fighters and servants who had been first on the scene.
"Just a couple of minutes ago," a red-haired Dragon Fighter replied, "We were all coming back from searching for Rath when we saw something zig-zagging kind of crazily in the air. Then, all of a sudden, it dropped-right out of the sky and fell here. We were to far away to catch him."
"Cernozurna," the Dragon Lord called and the woman stepped forward, "Attend to his injuries. We must find out what happened to him. He may very well lead us to Rath."
The blonde-haired woman hurried to the hurt dragon's side and began applying remedies to the wounds.
The Dragon Lord turned to his Officers and said in weary voice, "This new dark event has made me loathe to try and think of what could have possibly happened to Rath if Fire has been this gravely wounded."
The Dragon Officers all looked at each other in grim concern.
All of a sudden, there came a muffled cry of surprise from Cernozurna and a loud gasp from Fire as he abruptly snapped into consciousness.
The dragon was immediately pressed in from all of his sides and swamped with questions:
"Fire! Are you alright?"
"What happened to you?"
"Where did you get all those wounds?"
"Where's Rath?"
"Do you know where he is?"
"Tell us, Fire, quickly!"
"Where's Rath?"
"STOP!" came a powerful and commanding voice. Everyone turned to Lykuleon who was staring down upon them frown of displeasure, "Do not wear him out with too many questions."
Kneeling back down, the Dragon Lord asked softly, "Fire, do you know where Rath is?"
The little dragon hardly had any energy left to answer anything, but exertingly Fire wrote down as much information as he could manage before blacking out again. Lykuleon picked up the small square sign where on it, hastily written was the message:
:Master…Snowy Mountains…Yokai…hurry:"Tetheus!" standing up, the Dragon Lord commanded, "Have the whole of the Dragon Fighters outfitted for battle! Prepare the Durnas! We ride to the Snowy Mountains!"
The sword in Kharl's hand was sent flying, knocked out of reach and the Yokai found himself fending off a dangerously, maddened demon-dog. The spell placed on Kai-stern dispersed and he found himself dumped unceremoniously on the cave's floor for the second time again. Leaping up, the man grasped for his sword and hurled himself forward prepared to run the Yokai clean through this time.
The alchemist annoyingly flung out a handful of ash into Crewgar's face to keep the demon-dog from relentlessly tearing him to shreds as he so clearly wanted to. From the corner of his eye he saw the Dragon Officer pick up his fallen sword and charge at him. The Yokai sighed in exasperation. When would these foolish Dragon members ever learn that they simply could not win against him?
As the white-haired man was attacked on both sides by the two, Kharl threw another batch of ash at the demon-dog again and the animal was lifted into the air and hurled backwards into the charging Kai-stern. The two of them slammed into each other with impossible speed and the force of Crewgar's acceleration drove them both painfully into the cave's hard rock floor.
The Blue Dragon Officer struggled to get up and resume the battle but found he couldn't budge an inch and neither could Crewgar. The man and the demon-dog watched wearily as the white-haired Yokai drew closer leisurely, an amused chuckle sounding throughout the cave.
"The both of you have been very entertaining," Kharl stated looming above the frozen pair, "However, I believe that your time has run out. I am bored of playing with you-it is becoming rather tiresome. So, I think I shall eliminate the two of you right now before one of you miracuously breaks loose and start waving that toy sword about."
Kai-stern glared angrily up at the Yokai who was going to end his life. It wasn't fair!
Rath, he called in his mind, I'm sorry!
And a dazzling radiant glowing white light filled the entire cave.
Kharl cried out in pain as the bright light swept over him, forcing him backwards away from the man and the demon-dog.
Gods, it hurt!
The white light was blinding-he could hardly see-and it burned his skin with such an intense heat, that the he felt that the very skin on his body would peel off and melt. The alchemist squinted through the brilliance to see if there was some place that would shelter him from the abyssmal light. There was none. Curses!Kai-stern felt the spell lift from him and leaped up-the presence of the light having no effect on him whatsoever. Beside him, Crewgar sprang up and immediately streaked towards the pulsing veins, making a surprise visit to the black demon-bird.
Right Bird, already weakened by the dazzling light, could not take any more attacks and screeching indignantly, flew off to its master who was trying to shade himself from the light by draping his long, white cloak over him.
The Blue Dragon Officer knew this was their only chance at freeing Rath raced towards the monstrous creation and cut and slashed his way through all the thick veins until he had reached the center and the child held in it.
Kharl knew when he saw the man reach Rath, it was over. He had lost. He would not get to see what sort of marvelous beast the child really was…at least, not yet. He would see the boy again someday-someday when this wretched, cursed light would not interfere! Perhaps, the boy would understand better then-after he had become used to his new demon side the alchemist had invested in him. Yes, there was no hurry-he could wait until later.
"We will see each other again, Rath Illuser," the white-haired Yokai promised smiling, even through the horrible blinding light. Then holding out his arm for Right Bird to perch, the alchemist threw a handful of ash down and in a swirl of the gritty brown substance, they were both gone.
Kai-stern was dimly aware that Yokai and his equally evil bird had gone, but that was not the main point his mind was on. At the very moment at hand, all of his focus was directed at the intent of getting Rath untangled from the still pulsing veins. It was very hard. Every time, he cut one that was fastened to the child lose, it went wild groping madly about until he was forced backwards by the writhing tenticle, which would then resume its recent hold on Rath. After the fifth time or so, Kai-stern cried out in frustration.
As if answering his call, the light pulled all its radiance into one bright strand of light and stretching itself forward, it dealt a mighty blow to the Yokai's creation-smiting every single vein there was.
The Blue Dragon Officer felt the creation tremble and quiver beneath him. Knowing it was going to fall, the man gathered Rath up in his arms and leaped down to the ground just as the veins blackened and crumpled to the floor.
And just as suddenly as it came, the dazzling white light left.
Kai-stern paid no attention to its absence, though. He gazed down at the child who lay limply against his chest and took in his features worriedly. The boy's face was pale and drawn and even in unconsciousness, it held an expression of great pain. His left arm which hung loosely down at his side was slowly dripping blood which soon made a small crimson puddle on the floor. Whether, it was from the veins or the Yokai, the man did not know.
"Rath," he called anxiously, hoping for some response, "Rath?"
The black-haired boy did not stir.
When that didn't work, Kai-stern shook the child vigorously, shouting his name loudly in a controlled panic, "Rath! RATH!"
No matter how much he tried to wake him, the boy wouldn't stir.
Kai-stern stopped, realizing this, and looked about him as if for someone to tell him what he should do next.
Crewgar padded softly over to where the two were and nuzzled the child's cheek with his nose, whining confusedly when Rath didn't respond. The demon-dog glanced up at Kai-stern expectantly.
The Blue Dragon Officer could think of no other alternative other than to go back to Draqueen and let the Dragon Lord look over the boy. Surely, Lykuleon would know what was needed to be done. The man stood up, hoisted Rath up further to his chest, and started forward with Crewgar pacing at his side.
The cold chill air hit him with a blast of icy wind as soon as they exited out of the cave. Kai-stern shivered, then looking down at Rath, halted for moment and kneelt down in the snow. Placing the boy gently down in front of him, the Officer slipped off his jacket and wrapped the child up firmly in it. Then gathering him up again in his arms, the man stood back up…
And immediately fell back down.
The demon-dog did not to wonder what was wrong this time-he felt tired as well. The fight with Yokai had wore them both out. They had spent all their energy battling him and now they had none left to carry on.
"Oh, Rath, I'm so sorry," Kai-stern whispered, bending over the unconscious child to shield him from the snow and cold, "You don't deserve to die out here…but I have no strength for anything!"
Crewgar lay down beside them and the man felt a little warmth from the demon-dog's fur against him. The man smiled at his companion thankfully yet sadly, wishing feverently there was some way to get Rath safely back to the palace.
All of a sudden, the Dragon Officer felt a strange sensation and realized that the snow had stopped falling and the air was getting quite warm all around them. Glancing up, the man saw in the overcast sky, several ripples forming a circle in the air-a portal!
Kai-stern stared transfixed at the sight and as he was staring, the portal's travelers crossed from beyond it: A young woman with long red hair in flowing white gown draped over in layers and in front of her-resting in her arms-was the Dragon Lord's very own Light Dragon himself.
"Greetings, Blue Dragon Officer, Kai-stern," the lady spoke with a voice that sounded as if she might break out in song any moment.
Kai-stern gaped like a fish wondering if he was hallucinating, still under the Yokai's spell.
"Do not be afraid or confounded," she said with an air of gentle authority, "We have come to help you."
"W-W-Who are you!" Kai-stern managed to get out.
"I am the Heaven's Star Princess," the red-haired woman said and as she smiled down upon him, he felt as if a great burden had been taken off his shoulders.
"Please, can you help me," he gasped out, issuing to Rath, " Tell me what is wrong with him? Why won't he wake up!"
"You need to understand Kai-stern," the lady said, and there was sorrow in her voice and pain in her eyes, "Rath has never been strong, has he?"
The Dragon Officer thought back to the numerous times the child had become ill with the slightest little thing-a particularly windy, being in the rain for over a small period of time, strong heat spells, and if there were any sicknesses going around the palace, Rath had always been the first to catch it.
The man bowed his head and nodded, "Yes," then looking back up he asked, "But what is wrong with him?"
"He is dying, Kai-stern," the red-haired woman stated.
"WHAT!" the Dragon Officer exclaimed, not quite sure he had heard correctly, "THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! HOW COULD HE BE DYING! WAS IT THE YOKAI'S DO-"
The Star Princess cut him off, "Rath has been ill for a long, long time, Kai-stern. And now he is dying because his body is and never was suited for the form he is now in. I'm sorry, Kai-stern."
Kai-stern, however, was well past sorrow. He was extremely angry.
"SO THAT'S IT THEN!" he yelled at the lady, "WE ARE TO LET RATH DIE, JUST LIKE THAT!'
"No," the Star Princess stated and she smiled slightly, "Do you remember the Wind Dragon, Kai-stern?"
The Dragon Officer started. What did the Wind Dragon have to do with all of this?
"The Wind Dragon," the red-haired woman continued, "Is able to cure the sick and revive the dead. Rath needs the Wind Dragon's power to live, Kai-stern."
The man stared at her and the lady went on, "I'm afraid that is not all, Kai-stern. Do you recall the bright light in the cave?"
Kai-stern nodded, wondering where the woman was headed.
"It was the Light Dragon's power," she said issuing to the dragon in her arms, "He did everything within his power to protect Rath from the demonic powers, and now he is terribly weakened."
"I don't understand," the Dragon Officer spoke, "Why did Light come to Rath's rescue? Why not Fire?"
"It is because Fire is not Rath's true guardian dragon-Light is."
Kai-stern felt as if the bottom had been dropped out of his stomach. If Light was really Rath's dragon and not Fire, then what did that make Rath? Sweet Dusis, he thought in awe, realizing.
"However, it seems as if the task of protecting Rath has taken its toll out in Light as well. Light will die as well, if we do not find the Wind Dragon ."
"What shall we do?" he questioned the lady inquiringly, "We won't be able to find the Wind Dragon in time to save them? What will happen?"
"They will die."
"NO!" Kai-stern cried, clutching Rath to his chest.
"There is a way," the red-haired woman stated, but her voice held within it a note of sadness, "However, all will not end in gladness."
"What?" the Dragon Officer demanded of her hurriedly.
"Light still has enough energy to give one final gift," the lady said and she unfolded her arms to release the white dragon, who lifted from her hold and flew above to where Rath lay in Kai-stern's embrace
Then without warning, the dragon transformed.
If the man had any doubts whatsoever of what exactly Rath was to the dragon, he had them all dashed. Dragons never transformed for anyone but their masters.
The Light Dragon towered above the man, boy and dog in a protective and reassuring manner. A feeling of peace washed over Kai-stern. Everything was going to turn out alright.
Then the Officer was blinded by a brilliant glowing white light. The light pulsed with soft warming heat growing stronger every second, and finally dived downwards eveloping Rath in its brightness. Kai-stern squinting their its dazzling radiance and saw the form of the Light Dragon pouring the bright light forth from his body and into the child's, and with every fiber it passed onto the boy, the dragon would shudder and slump down further where he stood in the snow.
Kai-stern cried out in anquish realizing what the dragon was going to do, but he was silenced by the Star Princess who said gently, "Let him be. This is what he wishes."
The Light Dragon gave forth one final boost of power that ended the bright light surrounding Rath, and the dragon's form stood wavering on his feet for a moment, before toppling forward into the deep snow.
The man did not bother rushing forward to see if he could help him. He knew that the form which snow was brushing over was only an empty shell and the Light Dragon was alive, only in Rath now.
"Rath's life has been restored to him," the red-haired woman said but tears were trickling slowly down her face.
Yes, it has, Kai-stern agreed, But at a price. He wondered how he was going to break the news to Lykuleon.
, Kai-stern agreed, . He wondered how he was going to break the news to Lykuleon."However," the lady continued, "Light has only put off Rath's dying until another date. The Wind Dragon still need to be found for him to be fully healed."
"What must I do?" Kai-stern inquired of her.
" Find the Wind Dragon, Kai-stern," the Star Princess said smiling through her tears and behind her the portal opened back up, drawing her in, "Find the Wind Dragon to help Lord Rath. Go well, Dragon Officer."
And before she had fully disappeared in the portal, the red-haired woman sent out a wave of warmth which settled into the skin of the three huddled together in the snow. Immediately, new-found strength came upon them and their weariness disappeared. And the portal sealed itself.
Kai-stern couldn't bear to look at where the lifeless dragon lay and kept his gaze on Rath, hoping to see a sign that showed him that Light's sacrifice had been suficient.
The child's eyes flickered and slowly opened.
"Rath!" Kai-stern cried and Crewgar barked joyfully.
But the boy's gaze focused and unfocused several times on the two and then finally closed his eyes again, he slipped back into unconsciousness once more.
The small show of movement had been enough to inspire Kai-stern into moving. Gathering the child in his arms, the man stood up with the demon-dog doing likewise.
As he started forward, the Officer couldn't help but to take one last look at the creature who had given his life to save Rath's.
The Light Dragon's body lay draped out across the snow which had already begun to cover it. With both the snow's and the dragon's coloring, soon it would be unrecognizable from everything else around it.
The man felt he couldn't leave without saying something to it, before leaving.
"Thank you, Light Dragon," Kai-stern said bowing, Rath held tightly against his chest, "I won't forget what you did. I promise I will find the Wind Dragon and save your master. On my oath, as a Dragon Officer, I swear it."
Straightening up, the man viewed the form once more, then turned, Crewgar steadfast at his side, and together they made their way down the mountain towards Draqueen.
A/N: Please share your fav parts, thanx!