Dragon: Hi again. I wasn't planning to start another story until I had finished Tale of the Moon Goddess, but this story I'm writing with Shadowwill, so I thought I'd go ahead and post it.

Shadow: Just know, any slash in here is a result of Iceheart's interference.

Dragon: Are you two fighting?

Shadow: No, we just happen to not like each other at the moment. Enough with that though. On with the story!

Summary: WE know that Kharl created Rath, but what about Thatz and Rune's parents? When the Dragons discover the shocking truth about the two Knights, will they shun them, or protect them with their lives?

Authors: Dragon of Dreams and Shadowwill.

Ice: What about me?

Shadow: How'd you get here? Wait, I'm not even going to ask. I already know. Dragon...

Dragon: I'm a perfect little angel! You can't prove I did anything!

Ice and Shadow: Right...

Dragon: Story time!

Origins of Innocence

Chapter 1

Ask the Barkeep

Tintlet looked up when she felt a powerful demon presence. She knew that this day would come but she was still dreading it. Standing, she felt like running, but she knew that she wouldn't get very far so she just stood her ground.

Nadil looked down upon the elf. He smirked when he smelled her fear. Fear. One of the few things he truly loved. "Where is he, elf?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tintlet answered, knowing that the Demon Lord wouldn't believe her.

The smirk suddenly disappeared from the Demon Lord's face as he lunged at the elf and grabbed her throat. "Do. Not. Lie. To. Me," he growled out as he squeezed harder on the girl's throat.

Tintlet struggled slightly before gasping out, "they're with the Dragon Lord, both of them. He took the one you're looking for from us a long time ago."

Nadil let go of Tintlet, the smirk coming back to his face when he heard the breaking of bones as she hit the ground. "You have your uses, Elfin Princess. I'll let you live just a bit longer." And with that he disappeared.

'Oh Rune, what have I done?' she thought as tears ran down her face. 'Please, leave the Dragon Tribe. You must run. If not for your own sake, then for all of Dusis.'

OOOOO

"Thatz, wake up!"

"But I don't want to go to school today mommy," Thatz grumbled in his sleep as he rolled over.

Rune, hating the fact that he had just been called Thatz mother smacked him over the head with his trusty mallet.

(a/n dragon: Shadow! What are you doing? Shadow: nothing. I'm innocent. Dragon: Give me the keyboard so that we can stick with the story and not your trusty mallets of doom.)

"Are they fighting more than normal, or is it just me?" Lykouleon asked as Rune stormed out of the room.

"I think they are. They can't stay in the same room with each other anymore without getting into a fight," Ruwalk answered from his place beside the Dragon Lord.

"Ow, my head," Thatz moaned as he got off the couch and rubbed his head as he headed for the door.

"Where are you going, Thatz?" Alfeegi asked, walking into the room with a stack of papers in his arms. Lykouleon and Ruwalk both groaned when they saw this, receiving a glare from the White Dragon Officer.

"I'm going to visit a friend in town," Thatz answered, not bothering to lie. "I'll be back before dinner."

"You better be," Alfeegi growled dangerously at him, before turning to Lykouleon and Ruwalk.

OOOOOOOO

Nadil smiled as he spotted his creation in the crystal he used to spy on the Dragon Tribe. "You really are the perfect being, even when the elves try to hide you from me," the Demon Lord whispered to himself. His hand was hovering just about the image in the crystal, the evil smirk on his face showing that he truly wanted his creation back. "You were so much more beautiful and innocent when you were by my side. How did the Star Princess ever steal you from me?"

"My lord."

Nadil looked up and growled at the door. If it had been anyone else he would have killed them. "What is it Fedelta?"

"Shydeman said that you had found your creation of innocence. He told me to come to you and get your orders for getting him back."

Nadil raised an elegant eyebrow at the Fire Demon. "Ready the army for an attack on the Dragon Castle." Fedelta bowed, but looked confused at his lord's orders. "He's at the Dragon Castle, Fedelta," Nadil said answering the unspoken question.

"The Knight?" Fedelta breathed out.

"Yes," Nadil said nodding. "Soon, Fedelta, soon I will have my weapon back. The one that will destroy Lykouleon and make me the ruler of Dusis," Nadil said as he got up from his seat and walked over to a large tapestry that hung in the room.

"It seems so odious now," Fedelta whispered as he came to stand beside Nadil.

"Yes, but they will deceive us no longer. Lykouleon has no idea of the power his precious Knight holds, thus it will be easier to get our hands on him. He will soon be with us once more, my son."

The tapestry showed a beautiful figure. Even in a picture you could tell he was the most innocent creature on earth. His long black hair fell over his shoulders, framing his pale face. His moonlight pale skin was smooth and looked perfectly soft. He wore a black rode making his gentle features look even more feminine. The only thing that remained the same since the elves had hidden him was his eyes. His ocean blue eyes stared out at the world, showing his innocence even more in him.

OOOOOOO

Thatz walked toward Master's bar. He didn't really think about where he was going, his feet just seemed to be taking their own root toward the bar.

"Thatz!" The Earth Dragon Knight looked up when he suddenly heard his name. Looking behind him he saw Tetheus coming toward him.

"Hey, Tetheus," he said trying to sound happy, but knowing that the Black Dragon Officer would be able to see through it.

"What's wrong?" Tetheus asked him after the two had walked in silence together for a while. His voice was emotionless, but Thatz caught a hint of concern in his eyes.

"I'm going to talk to the Barkeep about it. He knew my mom and for a while now I've just been wondering whom my parents were. He won't tell me about my mother, to painful for him I think."

Tetheus stayed silent, remembering his own parents. Both had been killed a long time ago, though they had never cared for any of their children. That had been before Shydeman and him had become enemies. Even though he wouldn't admit it to anyone, he really did miss his little brother and sister. He had always been able to protect them, and now that they were serving Nadil he felt as if he had failed him.

"Do you want to come with me?" Thatz asked snapping Tetheus out of his trance.

Tetheus just shrugged slightly. Thatz took that as a yes. The two continued to walk in silence once more. Tetheus only broke the silence when Thatz walked right passed the entrance of the bar. "Thatz, I thought you were..."

"Master would have already closed the bar for the night so we have to go in the side entrance," Thatz said as he walked down the side alley that lead behind the bar. Tetheus followed only to find Thatz standing on tiptoes and reaching up an arm, searching for something on the ledge above the door. "Got it," he whispered as he pulled down a key.

When Thatz unlocked the door the two were met with burning candles. It was night already, but the barkeep was still up, drying a dish. He smiled at Thatz and Tetheus when he saw them and ushered them inside.

"So, what brings you two here?" Master asked as the two sat down at the bar.

"I need your help," Thatz answered in unusually serious voice.

"What is it?" Master said sitting the dish down his mood becoming serious.

"You're the only one who knows who my mother is. Please Master, I really need to know who she is."

"You never really cared that much before so why the sudden interests now?"

"I've been fighting a lot with Rune lately ad I just think that if I knew then maybe it wouldn't be so bad. I don't know how it's suppose to fix anything, but there's just something inside me telling me that I need to know."

Master sighed. "All right, I've kept this from you long enough. But, I must warn you Thatz, you'll hate the truth, and it could very well turn you against the Dragon Clan or the other way around."

Tetheus wondered just what could be so bad about Thatz's parents that would make the Dragon Clan hate him. He had fought with them for years and become really good friend to everyone at the Dragon Castle.

"You're mother was a very beautiful woman, do not doubt that. It was your father who messed up everything in her life. He came and in a vicious attack upon Hilover he destroyed everything. But, he took your mother as his Queen."

Tetheus' eyes suddenly filled with fear and shock. Hilover, that had been the town he had grown up in. That had been the place where Nadil had attack and taken both Shydeman and Shyrendora, made them stronger, and made them his generals. But, the only person who had ever attacked Hilover had been Nadil, so if what Master was saying was true then... 'NO!' Tetheus' mind shouted. 'Is he trying to say...? That's what he meant by the Dragon Clan would probably turn against him.'

"Tetheus, you ok?" Thatz asked looking over at him.

"Yeah, just some bad memories. I grew up in Hilover after all."

"Then you know...?" Before Thatz could finish his question, Tetheus nodded.

"Let the barkeep finish his version of the story. I know nothing of what happened after Hilover." Thatz nodded and Master continued.

"Your mother had one child before you, but she couldn't take staying with your father anymore so she left them both. I don't know how she really escaped, but she came here and that's how I met her. She hadn't known at the time that she had been with child, but when she found out she told me that she was grateful for the fact that she had escaped and was giving her second child a chance to live without your father's influence."

"So you're saying that I have a brother, and really horrible father?"

"Basically yes, and from what I've heard your brother is exactly like your father. But anyways, your mother died shortly after you were born. I told her that I would make sure that you stayed out of your father's grasp. That was probably the reason I never took you in and lied to you that I was your real father. Your true father would have known instantly who you were and come looking for you."

"What was her name? My mother's name?"

"Her name was Eliase."

"Eliase..." Tetheus whispered the name. It had been so long since he had heard it.

"You knew her?" Thatz questioned.

"Yeah. I had five siblings all together, Eliase being the youngest."

"Crap, that means you're my uncle!"

"Yes, it does," Master answered before Tetheus could. But after that he turned all his attention on the Black Dragon Officer. "You know who his father is then." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yeah," Tetheus answered, his voice hardly more than a whisper.

"Who was he? You guys are acting like it's really horrible. It can't be that bad. It's not as if the Demon Lord Nadil's my father or anything," Thatz said trying to lighten the dark mood that had settled over the room.

"Actually Thatz, Eliase was Nadil's Queen," Tetheus said, not looking him in the eye. The realization of what Tetheus was saying suddenly hit Thatz.

"No..." he whispered.

"Thatz, you are Nadil's son," Master said softly, clearly hating to say this to the Earth Dragon Knight.

"NO!" Thatz shouted backing away from the two. "I won't believe it! It's not true!" Thatz yelled at them before running out of the bar and out into the starry night.

"Thatz!" Tetheus yelled about to run after him but Master stopped him.

"There's something else you should know. It's about the Water Knight."

"Rune? What about him?"

"Nadil, a long time ago, created the most innocent creature on earth. He was going to use that innocence against the Dragon Lord. He found out that innocence was a more powerful weapon against his enemies than his own demonic powers. The Star Princess and her guard captured the innocent being before Nadil had a chance to unleash his powers. They gave him over to the elves in hopes that they would be able to protect him."

"Are you saying that Rune is Nadil's creation?"

"Yes, Rune is Nadil's most prized possession. The Star Princess disguised him so that Nadil wouldn't be able to find him, but I fear that Tintlet has betrayed us. Nadil now knows that Lykouleon has both his son and his creation of innocence."

"So he'll come for them."

"Yes..." Before Master could say anything else the ground shook beneath them and a bright light shot into the air, illuminating the night sky.

"What is that?" Tetheus shouted above the roar. The two had run outside and were now staring at the white light that came from the Dragon Castle.

"It's the power of Nadil's innocent creation. The Demon Lord must have come to claim his creation and use him against Lykouleon! He's awakened Rune's true self!"

OOOOOOO

Dragon: Well, that's the first chapter.

Shadow: Yep, the longest chapter I've ever written for any story.

Ice: Can we put in some Thatz/Rune?

Shadow: No.

Ice: Why not?

Shadow: Because I said so.

Ice: That's not a real answer.

Shadow: You didn't ask for a specific answer.

Dragon: Why don't we just let people vote?

Ice and Shadow: Fine

Dragon: All right, if you do or do not want Thatz/Rune in the coming chapters tell us so we can see if we have to fix any of the plot.

Ice: Review if you want to read more!

Shadow: Wait!

Dragon: What is it?

Shadow: Aren't we supposed to do a disclaimer?

Dragon: Fine. Shadow, Iceheart, and myself do not own and never will own Dragon Knights.

Ice: Once again, review if you want the next chapter.