Dragon: I'm so sorry we haven't updated in such a long time.

Ice: It's all her fault.

Dragon: Shut up. You're the one who augured with yourself about everything in this chapter. Do you know how annoying that is?

Ice: Yes, well you're the one who took so long in typing it up.

Dragon/mutters/ She'll be the death of me. Anyways, Ice and I don't own Dragon Knights. Now let's get on with the story.

"Normal Speech"

'Thoughts'

/Gods of the Shadow/

"Gods of purity"

Memories/Dreams

Tale of the Moon Goddess

Chapter 4

"Please," came the soft whisper of Rune's voice, "you cannot let him get my patents' powers. Please, help me."

"Rune," Nadil whispered while Lykouleon looked on in shock.

"It must have taken the last of his energy for him to cast that spell," Lykouleon whisper as he sunk back into his chair.

Nadil didn't answer. There was nothing else to say. The only thing now was to take action. There were going to head to the Temple of the Sun god and they were going to take Rune back from the Shadow Creatures.

OOOOO

The Shadow Lord walked into Rune's room when he felt the pure magic fade. He saw Rune collapse on the bed as the last of his energy left him. Standing over him, the Shadow Lord smiled down evilly.

"What do you want?" Rune managed to breath out, though he was no longer able to move his body.

"/What do you think/" the Shadow Lord said as he traced the elf's pointed ear.

"Get away from me!" Rune hissed.

The Shadow Lord growled and pulled back his hand. "/Get your rest Child of the Stars. We leave for your father's temple in the morning. That is where you and your powers shall become mine./" Smiling once more he leaned over Rune and whispered, "/I shall make you a shadow creature and claim you in your own father's temple. What do you say to that Chankant/"

Rune gasped lightly as the Shadow Lord left. He had finally done it. The Shadow Lord had found a way to steal his powers.

OOOOO

Rune woke up when two of the Shadow Creatures tired his hands together and forced him out of bed. They dragged him to where the Shadow Lord was overseeing the preparations for the journey to the Temple of the Sun god.

Rune glared at him as he dismissed the two Shadow creatures that had brought Rune outside. "/No need to be like that little one./"

"What are you doing?" Rune hissed at him as the Shadow Lord dragged him through the crowd.

"/None of our shadow horses will carry you, so you'll have to ride your mother's horse./"

"Mucatiao? You kept her alive?" Rune whispered in shock.

"/Yes, but only hopes that she would lead us to you. Since we found you, there will be no use for her once you've become a shadow creature./"

A large white mare sorted and stamped her hoof when she heard this. Rune smiled upon seeing her, the first true smile he'd shown since he had been brought here. He ran over to her and began stroking her neck even though his hands were still tied together.

"I'm so happy to see you here, Mucatiao," he said stoking her velvet nose.

"As happy as I am to see you, young master, I still wish that you had never been captured," the white horse whispered in Rune's mind though she still glared at the Shadow Lord.

"I know Mucatiao. I know. I have no wish to be here. We will escape, I promise you that. Lykouleon and Nadil will come for us."

"You think that both the Dragon and Demon Lords will come for you?"

"Somehow, I know they both will come. They will come for me." Rune's voice was loving, as if the thought of the two was taking Rune away from this place and into their arms.

"/That's enough./" the Shadow Lord said as he lifted Rune onto Mucatiao. Rune, who was acting more childish as he remembered his former life, stuck his tongue out at the Shadow Lord.

The Shadow Lord ignored this and mounted his own horse in front of Mucatiao. He rode back over to Rune and tired Mucatiao's reins to his own saddle. "/I can't have you running off/" he said as he finished and then gave the order to move out.

OOOOO

"I can't believe that we're doing this," Rath whispered to Thatz.

It had been decided that the Officers, Knights, Fedelta, Saabel, Shydeman, and both powerful lords would go and see if they could find the Shadow creatures while their armies headed to the Temple of the Sun god. Fedelta, Saabel, and the two remaining Dragon Knights would be one group. Shydeman would go with the Dragon Officers, and Nadil and Lykouleon would be going together. No one knew why the Demon and Dragon lords arranged the groups like this but everyone decided it would be best not to question them.

"I don't really think they care that we're all probably going to kill one another," Thatz muttered back

"Now Thatz," Lykouleon said coming up behind him, Nadil beside him. "We're doing this so we can find Rune. I hope that you can keep that thought in mind." Without waiting for Thatz to respond both Lykouleon and Nadil walked away.

It was only a few minutes later that everyone began their own searches. The Dragon Officers and Shydeman headed south, while the Knights, Fedelta, and Saabel headed east. Lykouleon and Nadil would go west, while the Star Princess and Grinfish had promised to search the north.

There was a voice in the back of all their minds, urging them to go faster.

'Please hurry. There isn't much time left.'

OOOOO

Once again I'm sorry for the long wait. My computer decided to be evil. Anyways, please review if you want to read the next chapter.

Dragon