Sonic, Shadow, Rouge, etc. all belong to their original creators. Cuervo, Rika, Ry, Krysta, and future characters all belong to me. The term 'Wishmaster' belongs to the band Nightwish based on their song 'The Wishmaster.'
See, I told you I'd update soon? I'm feeling better now, but damn it it's still so cold here. Oh yeah, thanks for the reviews! You're all so great! A little bit of action in the beginning in this chapter. Hope you enjoy.
Windfield, you drew a picture of Ry? That is so cool! I would love to see it! Please show me! :)
Chapter 7- Enter the Firedrake
This is not good.
As the others finally realized his attempt to escape, the reptilian figure unfurled his delicate looking wings and flew off, crashing right through the door as wood pieces scattered all over. He rose through the sky, though slowly as he still felt sore.
"Wait! Stop!"
He turned his head around and saw the white bat and the two-tailed fox flying straight for him. Both grabbed one arm firmly. As he tried to pull away, the trio fell towards the ground in Amy's backyard. While Knuckles ran up to them quickly, the escapee gave a roundhouse kick to Rouge and Tails, sending them colliding into the echidna.
The reptile then saw a blue hedgehog approach. Without hesitation, he went after him with claws outstretched. He would die first before he got taken back there again. Sonic dodged the attack, surprised when he saw the figure's eyes full of hate. He kept swiping his razor sharp claws until Sonic delivered a right hook to the face, sending the attacker backwards. Using his wings to stop the fall, he flew towards Sonic but was stopped by a light beam that had been shot by Shadow. Sonic curled into a ball and struck the reptile to the ground.
"Hold on a sec! We don't want to fight!"
Not listening the individual got back up and was once again heading towards the blue hedgehog. But then all of a sudden he could not move. At all. He felt a great force holding him down. He tried to struggle against it, but it proved futile as he was brought down to his knees. He looked up and saw the lioness Krysta who held out one hand towards him, binding him to the spot.
"Knew we couldn't we trust him."
He tried to break his invisible chains and started to grow frustrated.
No…I will not go back.
He opened his mouth wide and a pillar of fire shot out, the flames heading for the lioness. Krysta dodged in time, though the blaze almost burned the poor imp who happened to be nearby.
"Aaahhh! My hair's on fire! My hair's on fire!" Ry ran around screaming for a couple of seconds and then dumped the cereal bowl he carried on his head. (He claimed he could not fight on an empty stomach). Milk dribbled on his face, the tiny Froot Loops clung to his hair as he gasped for breath.
Krysta, though taken aback by the assault, had still kept a firm psychic grip on the reptile. "One more sudden move and I'll snap off your wings," she said in lethal voice.
He replied with a snarl that showed off his sharp teeth.
"Great. Now what do we do?" asked Knuckles as he, Rouge, and Tails got back up.
"While you figure that out, I'll just stay back here thank you," said Ry who was near the big hole in the house that used to be a door, away from the others. "What? I just don't wanna lose any more of my precious hair."
"….Yeah. Anyway, maybe if we act nice to him he won't hurt us," suggested Amy. She walked cautiously toward the reptile who looked at her threateningly. "Um…Hello…My name…is…Amy…Do…you…have…a…name?" she asked him, stretching out the words as if she were speaking to a toddler.
"Yes, I have name," he replied in a quiet voice, annoyed. "Not that I would tell some freaky little pink rat who is obviously beneath me."
"Hey, he talks!" shouted Ry who was now inside the house.
"Rat!?" Enraged, she took out her Piko Piko hammer (from who knows where) ready to smash the insulter flat. "You're gonna regret that!"
More annoyed than ever he opened his mouth again and the same gout of fire emerged, aiming for the screaming Amy.
In the nick of time, Sonic grabbed Amy out of the fire's path in his arms. "Amy! Don't ever do that again!"
"Oh, Sonic! You saved me!" She once again hugged the breath out of him, ignoring his warning.
The strange looking being on the ground grunted in pain as the pressure that was forced upon him increased.
"I told you what would happen if you did that again!" The lioness clenched her fist, increasing her power.
"Wait!" shouted Shadow. "We have to try to talk to him!" He knew that somehow he was meant to save this person and that he could not let Krysta put an end to him already. There was a reason why he had rescued him from those pursuers. If he wasn't, then why was he shown that dream in the first place?
Krysta paused. She still did not fully trust the reptile but unlike the other creatures she fought, this one seemed to have intelligence in his eyes. But he could be working with them anyway. Not all were created. There were those that would join of their free will, the ones who yearned for power, the ones that were branded with the name traitor. But still…
She sighed and loosened her psychic grip.
The reptile was able to breathe normally again. But he was ecstatic. He had found the one he was looking for. The moment Shadow spoke he saw the crystal sphere around his neck. The woman in white had told him to find this person and here he was. But the other was not here. The sense of accomplishment he felt began to fade. The woman in white had said that when he found one he would find the other. And the other was nowhere near. But he must admit he was lucky enough to find even one. After deliberation, he stopped struggling against the binds.
Sensing this, Krysta guessed he was ready to cooperate. "Look, I'm going to let you go now. But when I do, I don't expect any more of your random attacks. Understand?"
He nodded.
The lioness put her arm down, setting him free.
He slumped down, putting his arms out before he hit the ground face first. After a moment, he stood up slowly facing the others.
"Okay then, what is your name?" demanded Krysta.
He paused before he answered. "Draken."
"Alright, Draken. Why were you being attacked by those creatures?"
The one called Draken did not answer.
"We're not your enemies. We won't hurt you," said Sonic.
"Unless you were one of those monsters!"
"Shut up, Ry!" Krysta yelled back.
"Because they were trying to stop me," Draken finally replied.
"Stop you from what?" asked Shadow.
"From finding you," he said staring straight at the black hedgehog.
Pause. Time no longer moved.
"Me? Why?" he asked in an unemotional voice, no visible change was shown in his face.
"Because she has asked me too."
"Who is 'she?'"
"I cannot repeat her name."
Both talked on, ignoring the stares from the others as if they were the only two in existence.
"Why not?"
"I just…can't."
"Fine. Can I at least know why she wants to see me?"
"She will tell you once you meet her."
"Where?"
"It is at a place called the Scarlet Forest where I am to bring you, about a day's journey from here."
Shadow crossed his arms. "How do I know this isn't some kind of trick?"
"You just have to trust me."
"After what just happened?"
Draken sighed. "I thought at first that you were my enemies. My instincts took over. I apologize."
Shadow did not speak as he thought on a decision.
"If you're going Shadow, then so are we."
The black hedgehog turned to Sonic who had spoken to answer but was interrupted.
"No, only he can come. No one else," said Draken.
"Well, we're going anyway," Sonic talked back.
"I said no." Draken tensed up for another fight.
"I will go if they come along." The reptile turned to Shadow. Even though the black hedgehog was anxious to know what was really going on, he tried to maintain his head, knowing that all this could be trap.
Draken was at a loss. The woman in white had told him about these people that would accompany Shadow. He had only expected to find the black hedgehog and the other. But as he looked into Shadow's face he knew that the hedgehog was sticking with his choice.
He was giving Draken an ultimatum, and he had to go along.
"Fine then," he said exasperated. "They may come."
"Okay then," said Sonic. "In the morning we can-"
"No. We must leave now."
"Um…okay."
"Crud. I'm too tired for this," muttered Knuckles. "Hold on, how are all of us going to travel? Can this 'Scarlet Forest' be reached by car?" he asked Draken.
"Uh…no."
"We could use the Tornado," suggested Tails. "I just finished fixing it."
"But not all of us are going to fit in there," said the echidna.
"I can carry you all," said Draken.
"Hey, no offense," said Ry who finally came back outside. "But you're kinda small, plus you don't look too strong. Heck, you probably won't even be able to carry me and I'm very small-boned-"
The reptile's eyes glinted menacingly.
"Uh, b-but what do I know? Please don't flame me. After all I'm just an imp."
"Exactly," said Krysta.
"Hey!"
They were about to get into another fight argument when everyone noticed something was happening to Draken. Eyes closed and arms outstretched, his wings began to move slowly, beating back and forth. Then the wings grew bigger, stretching to an impossible length. His face elongated, the tail lengthened past him, his horns taller, his arms and legs growing larger by the second. He began to crouch, standing on all fours. The already long claws extended, sharper than any sword man could ever create. Growing before their very eyes, the surrounding group stayed rooted to spot, watching the miraculous transformation. He finally stopped.
Draken was on four legs now, his claws sharply edged. He had reached an enormous size, twice the size of Amy's house. His leathery wings were more magnificent than an eagle's, his neck slim and sinuous like a snake. The horns on his head as slender as a deer's, and the green scales seem to shine with their own light. He looked down at the others, his eyes still showing that same intelligence that Krysta had seen before. He was such a truly awe-inspiring creature. Something that came out of legend.
No one moved, even Shadow who had always concealed his true thoughts showed amazement in his face.
THUD.
Sonic turned to his left to see what broke the silence and saw Amy on the ground who seemed to have fainted a shock. "Amy?"
"Whoa!" shouted the excited Ry. "It's a big…giant…lizard thing…with wings!"
"It's a…dragon," whispered Krysta as she stared at Draken.
"I knew that."
"But…dragons aren't supposed to be real," said Tails, still astounded by the transformation.
"You sure?" Ry squinted his eyes at the beast. "Looks real to me."
Draken spread out his wings, flattening them on his side so that they created a ramp that led to his back.
"Get on," he said in his still quiet voice that seemed strange coming from something so large.
"Okay!" Ry walked up to the wings but was pulled back by the collar, almost making him choke.
"What do you think you're doing?" said Krysta
"He said get on!"
"I'm beginning to have second thoughts," said Knuckles.
"Yeah, me too," replied Rouge who unconsciously moved closer to the echidna.
"Amy? Amy?" Sonic kept on repeating as he tried to revive the girl, even shaking her a bit.
Shadow had not said a word. The shock he had felt began to fade away, able to put back on the emotionless mask as he faced Draken.
Amy finally came around and opened her eyes. When she saw the dragon, she sighed. "Oh, I guess it wasn't a dream after all."
Draken started to grow impatient. "We are running out of time," his voice echoed through the night. "I don't really care if you people do not want to come, but he must." He pointed one large claw at Shadow who did not even flinch.
"Hold on. Just give us a minute," said Sonic.
Draken grumbled something that they could not understand, and turned his head away.
The others gathered around trying to decide. Their trust in Draken was starting to waver since this new 'side' of him had surfaced.
"I think we should go with him," said Sonic, his famous confidence showing.
"Sonic! You can't!" Amy clung to him.
"C'mon. It'll be okay. We've been through worse before."
"Sonic, do you even see this thing?" said Knuckles in a low voice. "The minute some giant, freak of nature asks you to come close, you're just gonna go hopping along like that idiot Ry ("Hey!") without even a thought that he's going to gobble you up-"
"Excuse me, echidna. But this 'freak of nature' thinks that if you have a problem with me you might as well just say it to my face."
Knuckles grew pale as Draken's words sunk in. "Oh…so you can hear me."
"Nice going, Knucklehead," said Sonic.
"How was I suppose to know dragons had super-hearing?"
Before coming back with a wisecrack remark, Sonic saw Shadow move away from the group out of the corner of his eye. "Wait, where are you going?"
"Where do you think?"
He stopped before Draken the Dragon, seemingly undaunted by the creature's immense size. As he looked at the once mythical animal, he knew what his decision would be. Caution would get him nowhere. He walked without hesitation to the wings.
"No, Shadow!" shouted Rouge. "How do you know this isn't a trap?"
"I don't."
He calmly sat on the back of the dragon who started to beat his wings.
"Hold on! I'm also going!"
"Sonic, no!" Amy cried.
Not paying attention, the blue hedgehog moved toward the giant reptile who laid his wings on the ground for Sonic to walk upon. He never backed out of danger before, why start now?
Amy, though frightened beyond belief, followed her hero. Then came Tails, Rouge, and Knuckles, who still looked pale. Ry started to follow but noticed Krysta had not moved from her spot.
"Aren't you coming?"
"Not to that thing."
"C'mon! Why not? Are you scared?"
"No! It's just unlike everyone else I think before I act."
"You think too much." He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the dragon, though she did not exactly resist.
They all found plenty of room to sit on his back that was so large they could have fit another twenty people.
Amy looked at her house sadly as she saw the big hole in the side. "How am I going to pay for that?"
Krysta looked at the house and raised one arm. The wood pieces on the ground rose into the air and, piece by piece, they fitted over the gap and attached themselves together like a jigsaw puzzle. Soon the pink wall of the house was fixed so perfectly that not a scratch remained.
"Maybe later I can try to fix your car."
"Thanks, Krysta!" said a grateful Amy.
"Yeah, yeah."
"Everyone, hold on tight," Draken's voice cut in.
"On what?" shouted Knuckles.
But Draken was already flapping his wings back and forth and pushed off the ground with his hind legs to launch himself into the air. The wind flattened the passengers on the dragon's back, the pressure of the wind crushing them as they held on to the green scales.
They could not take much more, their bones were going to snap. Then the wind eased back and became a gentle breeze, lightly touching them as if it was a caress.
Once they were able to sit up, Ry looked over to the side. "Wow, we're so high!"
Indeed they were. The city below them seemed to tiny. The electric lights were like glittering diamonds in a sea of shadows.
"Hey, I can see my house from here!" shouted the imp as he pointed at one of the homes.
"You don't even have a house," said Krysta irritated.
"….I could get one."
Draken beat his wings slowly in steady rhythm and flew through the blue-black night sky.
Hope you liked it. I'm gonna try to get another chapter up by Wednesday because I'm leaving for vacation soon. (Not someplace warm, though). And I'm not rushing through it, I'm taking my time. I've already started it! Now you must review! You have no choice! Well, you do have a choice but please give me one anyway! Oh yeah, I know I haven't gotten any flames yet (which I am totally surprised by) but when I do please make it constructive and not too hurtful. Or as Ry would say, "Please don't flame me." :) Now I go do homework. Happy holidays!