Rave: So, how has everyone been?
Alfeegi: Maybe if you'd show up every once in a while you'd know.
Rave: That's not very nice, Feg. Why don't you run along and balance some budgets.
Alfeegi: Rude. *wanders off grumbling*

School sucks. School should die. That is all I have to say at this time. -_-

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The Crystal Prison

Book One

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chapter six

Sadea turned down another hallway, Psyche close behind. There seemed to be no end to this winding maze of corridors. It was so unfamiliar. How am I ever going to get out of here? She asked herself. She found this entirelly ridiculous. The great Sadea Ruvoi, DragonKnight, escapes captors only to be held back by a few stone walls. She would have laughed if the situation wouldn't have been so damned severe. "Looks like more rocks, eh, Psyche?" She said aloud,trying to lighten the quickly dampening mood. The dragon did not answer; she was too busy flapping her wings to reply.

Suddenly from ahead a group of Queiin's - - or she assumed it was his - - men came from an adjoining hallway. Sadea skidded to a stop, nearly slipping. Psyche almost slammed into her, but quickly caught her berrings. "Oh, shit. Not good." Sadea whined, turning to go back the way she came. She would have to find another way. It didn't matter anyway, everything looked the same.

"HEY YOU!" One of them cried out, apparently seeing her.

Sadea didn't even hesitate. She kept running, hoping to reach the corner before they got to her. If only.... yes! She spun around the corner, gripping to side so she didn't have to slow down. As soon as she was safetly concealed she crouched nearby, waiting for them to pass.

"She went this way!" another one yelled. "You saw her!"

"Avinir is gonna have our heads if we don't catch her!" A third complained.

"Hell, who cares about Avinir. Queiin's the one we need to worry about." The first one said. They all agreed. Obviously Queiin was not a character to upset. Well, if all went as it should then Sadea would be out of there and wouldn't havet to find out exactly why everyone was afraid of him.

As the men split off to look for her she leaned back against the wall in the little nook she had found and breathed a sigh of relief. "That was a close one, Psyche. Damn I thought we were had." The Dragon nodded enthusiastically.

After a moment to make sure they were really gone Sadea crept from her hiding place. She didn't hear the soft footsteps quickly approaching her from behind. They were the footfalls of a hunter, someone who excelled in stealth and had perfected the art of silence in the chase.

***

Thatz and Sa'an continued up the stairs. This was it. What they were looking for was up here. All the answers lay up there. "How much trouble do you think is up there?" Thatz asked seriously.

"A lot." Sa'an said honestly. "If Avinir's up there we might have more than a minor inconveniance."

"And what about this Queiin person that he told you about?"

"I get the feeling that if we run into him that we will not be enough to defeat him." Sa'an's face was deadly solemn. "Avinir only does business with the elite. Those with power, money. Otherwise there would be no point in dealing with them."

"You haven't seen the work of Dragon Knights, have you?" Thatz grinned. "Don't worry about it. We'll have this Queiin guy disposed of quicker than you can say - -"

"Door." Sa'an intervened abruptly, brushing passed the Knight.

"Actually," Thatz said, confused, "That wasn't what I was going to say I was going to say- -"

"No. Door." Sa'an said. Thatz followed his gaze. Up a few steps lay a heavy wooden door. Behind that door everything would change...

***

Avinir stood in the center of the darkened upper chamber. Queiin sat in a high back chair against the far wall. "I suppose Ms. Ruvoi has not been caught yet?" He asked absently, his hand tilting the crimson-filled glass in it this way and that way. He raised his eyes to regard the young demon.

"No, she has not. She has managed to elude all my men thus far." Avinir informed. He was sure that Queiin would turn his anger upon him for failing. He was surprised when he only laughed. "What is funny?"

"I did not expect her to be caught, she is a very resourceful young woman. To add to that she is a Dragon Knight. One of Lykouleon's finest. Of course I have never seen her work, but I have heard much from my Master. She is an incredible force. Be glad none of your men have encountered her."

Avinir did not understand what was happening. Things had slowly spiraled into unfamiliar territory. He had been hired to acquire the orb and he had done his job. The appearance of this strange girl confused him at first, then he realized that she had come from the orb. There was more going on here than what met the eye.

Queiin was keeping secrets, but Avinir didn't really care. The price he paid to keep those secrets were great. As soon as all this was over Queiin would leave and Avinir would be free. Until then he had to keep on his toes. He was getting paranoid. He felt like there was some fine print he wasn't seeing. If he wasn't careful he might get double-crossed or something worse.

***

A hand reached from no where, placing itself on the lost dragon knight's shoulder. Sadea froze for a moment, her heart stopped and then began to race. She spun around aiming a punch at whoever was behind her. There was no way she was being taken. She would die before she became a prisoner again.

"WHOA SADEA, CHILL!" Someone cried out, grabbing her hands. She struggled but could not break free. Then it hit her. This person knew her name. She stopped. Her attacker released her and she stepped back.

He was young and as tall as she was. He had black hair with one white streak through it toward the front. His eyes glowed with an unnatural colour. Memories flashed through her mind. Memories of the Dragon Palace.

"Sadea," the boy said softly, "do you remember me?"

Tears flooded her eyes and she nodded. There was only one person she had ever met that had ever looked like that. "Rath!" She threw her arms around him. "I thought I'd never see you again." She burried her head in his shoulder. "It's been so long."

"Yes." He whispered, returning her embrace. She was real, not his imagination. Sadea had returned! "It has."

***

Rath had seemingly disappeared. There was no sign of the Fire Dragon Knight. Rune was sure Rath had come this way. Of course, Rune had to remember, Rath was good at hiding when he didn't want to be found. Rath's strange behaviour was still bothering him. He had seen Rath do some pretty weird things but the events of this day were abnormal, even for Rath.

Another thing worrying the Water Dragon Knight was the person Rath had went after. Who was it and what did it have to do with their mission? Sometimes Rune wished Rath could just tell them things, tell them everything, and cut out the usual bullshit.

What if something happened to Rath while he was out running amok? What would they do? Rath kept secrets, but he was still a part of the team, and he was their friend. Rune couldn't picture the Dragon Knights without Rath.

"Rath, where are you?" Rune asked aloud.

***

The door swung open with an audible creaking sound. It was as eerie as the darkness that lay inside the room. "Here goes nothing." Thatz said, stepping in first. He could barely see anything. The darkness was dense and seemed to press in on every side of him. It made the Knight nervous, not being able to see his surroundings. Usually something like this wouldn't bother him too much, but there was something about this room that was off. He sensed something within it.

If only he could see...

Sa'an followed Thatz inside. He didn't have a good feeling about this. There wasn't any sign that there was anything bad, but he felt a prescence inside the room. He could feel a darkness within the darkness. "Thatz.." He said softly; the Dragon Knight had vanished into the shadows ahead of him.

Thatz didn't answer. Sa'an didn't even know if he had heard him. He was about to say his name again when he felt someone move near him, behind him. Arms encircled his waist, brought him back against a warm, broad chest. Lips descended to whisper in his ear. "Hello, Sa'an. Didn't think you'd see me again so soon did you?"

Avinir!

Sa'an stiffened, struggled. Avinir was too strong. "Relax. Don't worry about your little friend, Thatz," Avinir purred, "he'll be taken care of, and soon we'll be all alone..."

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Rave: Ya still gonna marry me, Teth?
Tetheus: I guess. You'll probably stalk me until I do anyway.
Rave: I will not! *appaled* I can't believe you'd accuse me of something so base!
Tetheus: So you wouldn't stalk me? *doesn't believe it*
Rave: *seriously* Why, of course not. I'd have a friend report in to me.
Everyone: *sweatdrops*
Rune: Sometimes I worry about you.

:: February 29, 2004 :: - - IT'S LEAP DAY!!!!!!!! WOO HOO!!!!!! Not that that's important or anything.