Chapter Eight: Another Week Later…

Sean had used the ropes to tie heavy stones to his wrists, shins, and torso, and had gone on runs, and performed his exercises with the extra weight for the last few days, but today, he cut the ropes, and felt well over three hundred pounds fall from his body. He moved around, astounded at how much lighter he felt by simple motion alone.

He clenched his fist, and saw his new muscle ripple. But Sean wasn't just stronger in body. He'd identified his problem and had dealt with every situation in his mind, and only one redemption remained to be performed, and he could not accomplish that here.

Sean took a look around this clearing that had served the Dragoons' purpose for so many years, as a group and now individually. He smiled as he picked up his sword, then turned. He was hopeful that the Wingly posing as him would have some way back to Ulara for him, but he'd find out when he got there.

Sean began running, and his powerful legs carried him faster and stronger than ever before, he dodged every out-stuck branch in his way and suffered no stings while passing through the woods to return to his home.

He stepped inside and quickly changed from his reeking, sweat-soaked clothing. Then when he left his room, his double was there to meet him, holding out his fist. "Charle sent me something to help you get home," he said.

"Thanks," Sean said, he held out his hand, and the Wingly dropped the Spirit of the Divine Dragon into his hand. On contact it shimmered with blinding toxic green light.

Amazing, Sean. The Divine Dragon said.

What?

Your new power, your strength of mind, everything about you has changed dramatically. You had better thank Mike when we arrive in Ulara. He answered. You are centered, and I can feel your own individual power radiating from you.

Good, then I'm not just imagining some improvement, Sean thought. He said his thanks to the Wingly, and stepped into a secluded area behind his house.

The others have improved tremendously, the Winglies forced them to pull out their Dragon's powers in such strength that it took a toll on their bodies, and it strengthened both human and Dragon each time. Also, they've been training with their weapons, learning to be faster and more accurate than ever before. Each of them has changed greatly.

"Excellent," Sean said. He was eager to see his friends. "Let's fly fast and get to Ulara."

Agreed. The Divine Dragon said.

Sean felt the light shine all around, covering his body, flowing into his pours, after only two weeks, he didn't think it would feel this different. He felt the power more vividly than ever, as it swarmed around him, and he was keeping it low for conservation purposes. Six wings sprung from his back and pumped with strength unfelt by Sean, and the Divine Dragon ever before, he was lifted from the air and soared across the sky towards Ulara.

CLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANG!

Mike threw his axe over his wrist and turned it to the offensive position to counter attack Roberts five lightning fast stabs. He'd turned his axe blade flat to provide as much cover for his body as possible.

Rob came at him again, but from the air, swinging downward in an attempt to stun Mike, but Mike was no fool, this was what was to be anticipated. He turned his axe upside down, caught the shaft between the blade and the handle, and locked it. He then proceeded to smile as he sent Robert sprawling.

Robert got up and took up a stance Mike hadn't seen yet, and they stared off for approximately fifteen seconds, reading each other, at the same exact instant they both rushed forward. Rob's quickness served him well, this battle had ended as soon as Mike raised his axe above his head. Rob dashed in towards him, and stuck the end of his spear in the dirt, and perched the tip of the blade on Mike's stomach. Mike, meanwhile, had frozen in place, for fear of being stabbed. Rob lightly leaned on Mike's back, and smiled.

"Oh, what a shame, the Earth Dragoon died, and we gotta find a new bearer," he chuckled. Mike dropped his axe, spun around and wrapped his rippled arm around Rob's neck.

"Did I hear Earth? Cause I'm pretty sure it's the Wind Dragoon that cant squeeze in any oxygen right now," Mike whispered into his ear. Rob tried in vain to breathe, but as his consciousness was slipping he tapped Mike's arm and Mike let go. Rob fell to his knees and began laughing as soon as he could breathe again.

"You would have had me if you hadn't have boasted," Mike said.

"Yeah, but it was right there, I couldn't resist," Rob said.

They looked around at everyone else, taking in once again how far everyone had come, a week had gone by and everyone was faster, stronger, and smarter than they'd ever been. Mike crossed his arms and enjoyed the sight, for a moment, but something ringed in his ear. He looked to where it was coming from and he saw a dim silver light coming at them, leaving a streak of powerful magic in its wake.

"Well, he's finally back," Mike whispered to himself.

The light dove low, spun around them and shot up. It disappeared and a human Sean flipped backwards and landed gracefully on the ground with a smile. Everyone's eyes widened when they'd seen what he'd done with himself, he had made as much improvement as any of them, without the help of Winglies.

Mike stepped up first, "So, you finally decided to come back, are you your old self again?"

Sean looked grim, crossed his arms and stared Mike straight in the eye. Then a smile slowly spread across his lips and he spoke two happy words. "Choke me."

Mike chuckled once and placed his hands around Sean's neck. Sean grabbed both his hands with both of his own, and placed his thumb in the middle of the bones in the center, and wrapped his fingers around the meat in mike's hand. Then he jerked Mike's hands outward.

"AAAAAAHHHH!" Mike yelled. Everyone, except Rob, gasped. Rob had a reaction of his own.

"OOOHH! I hope it hurts!"

Sean then bent Mike's hands inward toward their owner, forcing Mike to a knee with little to no effort.

"AAAAAAHHHH!"

"OOOHH! Mike he's makin a wuss outta you!"

Then to top it all off, Sean took a step and flung Mike towards the edge of the bridge at the corner of the Wingly meadow. Rob ran over to him.

"WOW! I wish Mike's girlfriend was here to see him get whooped like that!"

Now, Mike was a very manly person around the woman he cared so much for, and took Rob's words, somewhat to heart. His instinctive reaction was to get up and body slam Rob. And that's exactly what he did.

Rob toppled off the side of the bridge, and for a moment all anyone heard was the whistling of the wind as Rob fell.

"Oh, come on, he has his Dragoon Spirit, he'll be back," Mike said nervously.

Still, silence surrounded the Dragoons for another thirty seconds, until Brittany claimed she heard something.

"……aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" came Rob's voice, followed closely by his body, clad in Dragoon armor. He clashed into Mike and they began yet another fight, laughing already.

"So, where'd you go?" Ben asked Sean. Sean looked away from Rob and Mike and Ben saw the old, warrior look in his eyes. The look they'd possessed years ago, but had been robbed of recently. Sean sighed heavily and Ben was surprised to smell absolutely no trace of alcohol on his breath.

"I had some things to deal with, that's all," he said. But even as he said this to Ben, his eyes drifted to Melissa, who was laughing at Rob and Mike.

Ben breathed a laugh, understanding.

"Well you missed some fun stuff here, our Dragons are stronger and so are we, after only two weeks. We all gained a new magic attack, one our Dragons couldn't even quite pull off in life," Ben said.

Sean's eyes widened. "Really? Whoa!" He said, he asked to be shown, but Ben shook his head.

"No, no, they sap us of everything we have, they're just a last resort thing for now," Ben said. "Plus we don't want to cause destruction on the only up and running Wingly city we know of, right?"

They laughed and shook hands, each one surprised with the strength of the grip of the other. Sean smiled brighter and put another hand on his best friend's, "Thanks for being patient, Ben. You too, Christie."

She hugged him and Sean walked to Mike and Rob as they finished. He helped both of them up and shook their hands, thanking them for sticking with him, and pulled Mike aside for a moment.

"You were the really heavy boulder that broke the camel's back, Mike," Sean said. "Thanks so much for making me realize my faults."

Mike smiled approvingly and nodded. "Just stay this way, okay?"

"Oh yeah, definitely," Sean said.

He looked to Melissa and took a step forward, but halted at that. Not in front of everyone, he couldn't, it'd be embarrassing. He'd catch up to her tonight.

Sean sat down in the middle of the meadow. "This is definitely a better sight than the clearing," he said and lay on his back, staring at the blue and white sky. Conversation continued amongst the now fully reunited Dragoons. No one spoke anything of the fight with Darteth, for the memory was still too tender to everyone.

They spoke of their training, their follies that could be laughed at, nothing bad at all, and thus it was a good day in Ulara. As if they'd been separated for months or years the Dragoons re-embraced their relationship as an indivisible team of friends.

The night seemed to come swiftly, and the band separated to separate things suiting their fancies. Brad and Mike left with Brittany to visit an item shop to find something interesting, Robert actually felt the need to train further, and went to the gym with a new friend and fellow spearman.

Ben and Christie went to a restaurant and Melissa walked off on her own, leaving Sean alone to his own thoughts, his own doubts.

She wont take me back, not after all this. Why would she? I was a filthy monster to her, ruthless and brutal, even if I didn't mean it. Oh, my chest hurts, this broken hearted pain again. She is my everything and I love her with all my heart, always will…So what kind of person would I be if I didn't try?

Sean jogged lightly, silently, until the darkness released Melissa and he could see her again, peering over the bridge, bright starlight reflecting off her skin and her bright, beautiful brown eyes. Eyes Sean would die to look into like he used to.

He stood awestruck at her beauty, every perfect line that cut her out from the painting behind her and made her something tangible, something he could have, had had, and lost. But he'd realized the error of his ways, and would make every effort to redeem them. Because the person that meant the most of all worlds was right before him, and he had been sent to this moment, not to fail.

He took a step…

What will I say?

Then another…

I should just be natural.

Then another…

I need to do this, and if she will hear me, it's all I can ask for, and more than I deserve.

Sean was right before her. And still she stayed as though fixed, natural beauties had always stolen Melissa's attention. It was no surprise.

"Uh, hey," Sean began nervously.

Melissa jumped and turned, "Oh," she smiled. "Hey."

"Mind if I join you for a sec?"

Melissa neither approved nor denied, she merely abandoned her smile and turned around. Sean took it as an indifference. He stepped up and leaned on the stone next to her.

"Melissa…I…" he stopped, this wasn't going to be easy. "I left for two weeks to sort out my life, and to find out why I was so miserable, and there were so many reasons, and I thought my friends, my enemies, and you were it."

"Pft, typical," she snorted indifferently.

"But I learned otherwise. Melissa please hear me out, I've been the cause of all my, and some of your, troubles. I want to rectify that, I've fixed every aspect of my life for good, except that you still aren't in it," Sean said. Melissa seemed stunned by this, she turned to Sean and looked him straight in the eye, as though with a stern scan for lies.

"Go on…"

Authors' Note: Thank you SO much for the reviews! This is more than we could have expected, incredible! We're hoping desperately that this story wont disappoint any of you, you're all being so kind. Thanks again, please keep up the reviewing, and we'll see you next chapter!