Disclaimer: I think you know where to find it by now. Warning, it gets bloody and gory from here. Rating upgraded to "R", just as a precaution.
Legend of Dragoon: Legend Reborn
Volume I: The Gathering
By Red-Eyed, Divine Dragoon77415
Dragoon Spirits Awaken!
It is a peaceful summer morning in a forested area on the outskirts of Blue Springs, Missouri, or it was until the sounds of Motley Crue began blaring through the forest. The sounds of clashing metal on metal can be heard, as seven young people engage in mock battles with each other. After their initial meeting at the Liberty Memorial, Chris and the new generation of Dragoons began their training. After a quick visit to a local martial arts supply store the seven warriors-to-be procured their respective weapons.
Chris already had the katana that his instructor, Master Jonathon Barton, had given to him as a birthday present. David chose a superb bo staff, which he later modified by adding a spearhead to the end, giving him a lethal halberd. Azrael followed the lead of her predecessor, Rose, and chosen a light rapier, Bud came away with a massive ax, which had drawn many suspicious glances when he had bought it, Nick, Master Barton's son, had forgone a weapon and elected to use just his fists, Jen had broken with tradition and picked a pair of light daggers over the giant hammer that Damia and Meru had used, After some coaxing from Chris, Jacque had selected a simple longbow, and after a few near accidents, found that she had a natural talent for it.
Chris and Jen were engaged in a mock battle with each other. Chris went in for an overhead strike which Jen gracefully avoided with a series of cartwheels and flips. Jen had trained as a dancer and gymnast for years. This training added up to a superb agility that few people could duplicate, and was also quite a beautiful sight to behold. Jen tried for a quick stab but her dagger was intercepted by Chris' katana. Jen next when for a broad x-slash with her knives, only to have Chris pull a page from her book and execute a picture perfect back flip. Chris responded back by faking high but going low. Jen may have had agility on her side, but Chris had the longer weapon and more experience and the battle ended in a triumph for him as he slapped the flat of his blade on her thigh.
"Rats!" Jen hissed, "I'll never be as good as you and David are, Chris."
"Don't be so hard on yourself Jen. Remember, when it comes to fighting this way, David and I have more experience. You have your own talents. Had this been real combat, that overhead strike could have killed you. However, that didn't happen, you avoided it quite easily. All those years of dance and gymnastic training have given you greater speed and agility than any of us," said Chris.
Chris and Jen paused in their fight to watch their fellow Dragoons in action. Jacque had become quite proficient with her bow, and had started on mastering multiple arrow launches at once, hitting a line of targets set up on or near the center every time. Nick and Bud were engaged in their own little brawl. It was a clash of opposites as Nick dodged and weaved trying to avoid the broad swipes of a wooden training ax that Bud used in place of his real one.
"Nice try Nick, but you can't avoid me forever!" Bud said as he heaved a massive horizontal arc. Then Nick surprised everyone by dropping into the splits, spinning around on his back and evaded it. He then kicked up and knocked the axe out of Bud's hands with a jump spin hook kick.
"You were saying?" Nick said with a smug look on his face. There was a huge war cry as everyone's attention was drawn to the final training fight that was occurring between David and Azrael.
Their fight would have done Rose, Lavitz, and Albert proud. Azrael moved with a lethal grace and beauty that made it appear that Rose had come back to life. Every attack of hers flowed into the next. David was no slouch either. His bo staff twirled and spun that with a fluid. Azrael's wooden training sword clashed with David's spear, neither fighter gaining any headway. David then decided to end the fight quickly, but Azrael had other ideas. She dropped her sword and quickly grabbed the other end of David's bo and flipped him clean over. Azrael held the staff at David's throat, a predatory grin on her lips.
"Damn! I'm glad she's on our side! Did you see that!" said Bud visibly nervous, knowing how cutthroat the future Black Burst Dragoon could be.
"You know it's really a good thing that this was a training battle. If this was a real fight you probably wouldn't have any trouble taking my head clean off would you?" said David in a dry voice as Azrael helped him up.
"That depends if you had pissed me off or not, if you had then I really wouldn't have a problem. God knows that I would love to decapitate Chris Jericho, Eric Bischoff, and quite a few other people on the WWE roster" said Azrael thoughtfully.
The seven tired warriors trouped out of the woods went their separate ways. As Chris, David, and Azrael drove back to Chris' house discussing their plans for the rest of the day.
"On the way home, I'm getting a triple latte and then a nice warm shower" said Azrael.
"I'll pass on the latte but I'll take the shower," said Chris. Then the Dragoon Spirits of the Red-Eyed and Jade Dragons began lighting up like a Christmas tree.
"Better scratch that idea," said David, "There's a Dragoon Spirit nearby."
"Then we need to get it. Who knows what kind of person may be in possession of it" said Chris.
"But what about my latte and shower?" whined Azrael.
"Oh get over it, we need to find that Dragoon Spirit now!" said David, "If someone undeserving of a Dragoon Spirit finds out what it can do, it will be big trouble."
"Fine, I'll wait. It's something I've grown accustomed to" said Azrael, sulking in the back seat.
The closer the Dragoons got to the source, the brighter the two Dragoon Spirits began glowing and the louder they resonated. After driving for about two hours to the outskirts of town, Chris, David, and Azrael pulled up in front of a battered old warehouse.
"Typical villain hideout number 5: Creepy old warehouse" quipped David.
"Azrael, hang back and provide us with back up" said Chris, "I'll take point. David I want you to cover my back. Who knows what we'll be up against."
"Odds are it will be less than pleasant" said Azrael. Her words would quickly be proven true at the sight that beheld the three warriors as they silently entered the building.
A massive altar was set up at the other side of the room. Large blood red banners with a midnight black eye lined the wall. There were about 50 people wearing hooded robes as black as midnight kneeling prostrate before said altar. A drum began playing as a woman with flaming red hair, wearing a skintight black silk dress that showed a heavy amount of cleavage, and black high heeled boots walked out from behind a curtain. She strode with the grace and poise of a queen up to the altar.
"A cult? We have to retrieve the Dragoon Spirit from a freaking cult!" groaned Chris as he slumped against the doorway of the warehouse.
"Okay, tell me how we ended up walking into the Temple of Doom," said Azrael.
"Never mind the Temple of Doom, Chris look at the banners" said David.
"I see the banners what about them?"
"Take a look at the symbol, could it be anymore obvious?"
"Oh yeah. Any LOD nut would recognize it" said Chris with a smirk, "It's the Black Burst Dragoon Spirit. no questions asked."
"So then where is it?" said Azrael.
"Guys, look up there" said David. Both Chris and Azrael looked to the altar and groaned. Sitting in a position of prominence on the altar was a small perfect crystalline sphere about the size of a golf ball in the color of a deep midnight blue. The Dragoon Spirit of the Black Burst Dragon then started giving off a dark purplish light. The red haired woman began speaking.
"Behold my brothers and sisters. The Sacred Oracle sends the message we've waited almost ten years for. The time of the Reckoning is upon us. The Dark Leviathan is ready to emerge and lead us to glory. We will conquer all and no one will stop us."
"She don't know us very well do she?" said Chris, "I have an idea. David, you and I will distract these nut jobs. Azrael, that's your Dragoon Spirit up there, so it will be up to you to claim it. This is our trial by fire. Let's not muck it up shall we?"
"Finally, all will know of our strength! The Dark Leviathan shall drench this world with the blood of our enemies. We will rule for all eternity!" the woman declared in a loud voice.
"You rule the world? Don't make me laugh" Chris said, as he and David marched with a purpose into the warehouse, the cult members all with looks of surprise on their faces.
"What is the meaning of this!" exclaimed the woman, her face turning the same color as her hair.
"The meaning of this is very simple," David said with steel in his voice, "The two of us are here to shut you down."
"Oh really? Then I would like to see how you two can accomplish that" she purred, "I am Cassandra Askani, high priestess of the Cult of the Shadow Eye, and the last time I checked my dears, there are only two of you and 50 of us. How can you hope to beat us when we have the numbers, isn't that right?" On that note all of the cult members produced machetes from their robes.
"Actually, you should redo your math, sister. There are three of us, and we're going to beat all of you very quickly" said Chris in an all too calm voice as he and David drew their weapons.
"Where is this third person?" said Cassandra with a sneer on her face.
"Right behind you bitch!" said David. Azrael vaulted over the high priestess and landed next to her two teammates. The Black Burst Dragoon Spirit in one hand, her rapier in the other.
"NO! THE SACRED ORACLE! GET IT BACK! KILL THEM!" screeched Cassandra.
At that that moment all three Dragoon Spirits began glowing brighter than ever, if there was ever a signal that it was time for the Dragoons to return to battle, this was it!
"DRAGOON SPIRITS AWAKEN!" yelled Chris, and did they ever!
Chris let out a primal yell of power as he was engulfed in roaring flames. The flames died away to reveal the flame red armor of the Dragoon of the Red-Eyed Dragon that Zieg and Dart had worn proudly so long ago. A red jeweled headband with 7 small green stones sat on Chris' forehead. Flames flew up out of his back to form his wings. Chris slashed his sword in an X formation and stood ready for battle.
David's Dragoon Spirit started glowing and he was enveloped in a screaming green whirlwind. The tornado blew outward to reveal David wearing the brilliant jade armor of the Dragoon of the Jade Dragon like Syuveil, Lavitz and Albert before him. David twirled his spear over his head and brought it to a ready position.
Azrael let out a short growl as purple lighting shot out of her Spirit, enveloping her in a pitch black sphere. The sphere collapsed in to reveal Azrael in the midnight blue armor of the Dragoon of the Black Burst Dragon, only the second person to have that honor after Rose herself. Azrael's headband sported the same catlike protrusions. Azrael's rapier, razor sharp, glinted in the dim light of the warehouse.
The Legend had been Reborn, The Dragoons had returned.
"Wha-What is this?" Cassandra gaped, "What is this power that I'm sensing from you?"
"Simple sweetheart, this power is that of the almighty Dragon!" Chris said, "And it will be the last thing you'll ever see!" It was an all out slaughter. The cult members proved to be little threat to the three new Dragoons. A litany of spells rang through the air.
"EXPLOSION!", Chris roared, as he drove his sword into the ground. A firestorm of flames roared up and reduced five cult members to tiny little ashes. He got a shark's grin on his face as three guys clumsily swung their machetes and they bounced off his armor. Chris then promptly removed their heads from their bodies. Blood spurting out as their heads bounced across the warehouse floor.
"WING BLASTER!", David yelled, cult members were tossed around like rag dolls by the green bird shaped gust of wind as it impacted in the center of the group. David then swooped down like a giant predatory beast. He wound up with his spear and skewered four cult members all at once.
"ASTRAL DRAIN!", Azrael screamed. She had busy with Cassandra and while she had been a powerful sorceress, Cassandra was no warrior. Azrael's rapier flew, straight and true like an arrow before burying itself into Cassandra's chest. She promptly screamed as she withered away and disintegrated as her very life was sucked out and put toward healing the other Dragoons. The Dragoons were triumphant.
After briefly surveying the scene, wordlessly they flew out of the warehouse. Chris charged up a Flameshot spell and hurled it at the warehouse. The building exploded into a blazing conflagration. As the building blazed, the three Dragoons still said nothing. Chris, David, and Azrael shed their armor. It took all of five minutes before it sunk in that they had actually taken human lives and they all promptly threw up. After they finished removing the contents of their stomachs the three warriors stared at each other, unable to find words for what they had caused.
"Did we really do all this?" said Chris, "I know that we stopped whatever it was these people had planned. I just didn't think that it would cause such a huge hole inside me. I feel sick."
"So do I", said David, "It's really good that the others weren't here. I don't think that they could have taken that."
"It was them or us, and we got my Dragoon Spirit. Isn't that what we came here to get?" said Azrael, "Didn't both of you say if this thing picked a less than worthy bearer, it would be disastrous?"
"Yeah, we did say that. In the long run, this will save the lives of a lot of people. Although I would like to know just what these people were up to" said David.
"Me too, I guess we'll just have to wonder" said Chris.
"Can we leave now and get my latte and shower?" pleaded Azrael.
"Let's go home you two, I think this has been more than enough action for one day" said Chris. They piled into Chris' car, and left the scene as quickly as they could, unaware that there had been a witness the entire time. A young woman with platinum blue hair wearing an armored blue one piece swimsuit with thigh guards, ankle length high heeled boots, and a massive silver sledgehammer in her hand.
"Not bad for a first time" Meru said, "If only they knew how many lives they saved."
With a flourish of her Dragoon wings, Meru followed her three new charges.
Author's note: Can it be? Yes, it's an update! I hope it wasn't too gory for everyone. Meru has arrived to mentor the new Dragoons and help them become warriors. They'll need all the help they can get! Read and review as always.