By, Vanpi
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, all of the characters in this story that are from Dragon Knights do not belong to me. A rare thing, but I'm using them at the moment to satisfy my always-twisting and turning imagination. – Usually this only includes my own characters, but this time it spewed this up and I'm unfortunately only along for the ride.
Parings: None so far and I don't know what's going to happen down the road.
Notes: The sentences written in Italics are thoughts.
Warnings: This story takes place in a time lap that doesn't directly follow Mineko Ohkami's plot line for the manga. This also means that, of you haven't noticed that a lot of the characters I've used are out of character to a certain extent. There may be some slight yaoi involved as well as some angst. This is also rated M for mature due to the language. If you're fine with all of this then I hope you enjoy the story. -
"Black Wings…"Chapter 7
Awakening Effect
A ray of bright sunlight pierced through the window of where Rath lay asleep after a long night of severe pain had left him with hardly any rest. The young Dragon Knight winced and rolled over onto his side as a ray of sunlight hit his face, immediately regretting it. Bolts of severe pain shot across his sides, abdomen and chest, causing the poor boy to gasp and curl up into a fetal position.
His eyes watered as he wished that he had died and had this over with before anyone had found him in this state. All he wanted to do more than anything at the moment was just get up and take off, but he couldn't. He thought to himself; "And why is this? Because I have no memory of who I am, no clue of what I'm doing here in this retched place, let alone why, and no idea of who my enemies or friends are. Great going…Hell, I don't even know my own name! I did it this time. I fucked up everything, almost got myself killed and best of all, lost my own damn memory to boot! I'm so fucked up and I can't do anything right. I should have just died and that would have made everything better."
Looking down at his shirt, Rath frowned. The teen then looked up to notice that there was a door located right across from him on the other side of the room. "And great… there's even a bathroom staring strait at me. I guess a shower wouldn't hurt too bad… or would it? Fuck it! If anything, it'll help me clear my mind."
After slowly forcing his body into a sitting position, the teen then placed his feet on the soft-carpeted floor. He slowly stood, afraid that his wounds might reopen, causing the pain to return. He then staggered across the room and on into the bathroom. Rath noticed that a shower/bathtub awaited him to the left upon entering the room that was complete with a sink and toilet to the right. The teen then slowly staggered to the other side of the bathroom and carefully sat down on top of the toilet seat. He then noticed that to the left of him coincidentally sat a towel and washcloth that had been neatly folded and placed on the sink counter sometime long before he had awaken.
"I might as well just get this done and over with." Rath whispered to himself.
The teen then began the painful task of removing his cloths. An intense burning sensation lashed at his side as he bent over to remove his pants, causing him to wince before continuing. The dark-haired Dragon Knight was grateful that his shirt didn't prove to be as difficult to remove.
As his figure stood naked before the mirror, a body covered in bandages stared back. The white of the bandages covered so much of his badly beaten and torn body that Rath now realized that taking a shower wouldn't be as easy a task as he had first thought. The teen then slowly removed his bloodstained bandages and got into the tub. When Rath turned on the shower and allowed the water to run down his severely beaten and torn body he immediately regretted it.
/&/
Gil walked down the corridors of his master's home, steadily making his way to check on Rath and see how he was doing. "Rath's most likely asleep or else he'd be trying to escape with every second he had a chance to do so due to how hard headed he is. I don't blame him though because I'd do the some thing. Poor guy, caught in a trap with no way out…Kind of reminds me of someone I know."
As the servant made his way to Rath's room he opened the door to gaze at only an empty chamber. The bed was empty, meaning that the hardheaded kid was awake and wondering around. "Oh gosh, I got to go and find him. I hope his wounds haven't reopened due to recklessly moving around."
"Meow…?"
As Gil turned to leave he noticed a ray of light in the doorway of where the bathroom was located. When he walked towards it to investigate the guy heard the sound of the shower running.
"Ah! God damn it!" Where the words that echoed throughout the bathroom a few seconds later and nearly scared Gil shitless. A load thud followed soon after.
"Meow…? What the…?" Gil was now standing in the doorway of the small shower-room.
Having just noticed the figure of Rath falling into the tub behind the curtain, he instinctively ran to the Dragon Knights side and pulled back the sheet of cloth. The naked form of a badly beaten, torn and bruised body belonging to Rath stared back at Gil. Somehow the washcloth that the boy had been using had landed perfectly on Rath's body, cleverly hiding his torso from view. Gil blushed at the sight and then quickly came back to reality. He then immediately turned off the shower.
"Um, may I ask what you were doing?" The blue haired demon asked as he looked down at the figure in front of him. Rath looked awfully surprised due to the situation but his wounds were so painful that he was afraid to move. Due to this he just sat there blushing slightly.
"What the hell are you doing here first?" Rath yelled a few seconds later as Gil got up and walked across the room, opening the closet doors in the corner.
"Helping you, I have to say. Unfortunately if you like it or not, I'm sorry." Gil pulled out an extra washcloth and shut the door. He then walked back over to Rath's side and knelt on the floor.
"You were taking a shower obviously. Now, do you want me to help you take a bath because I don't think you should try that again, at least for a while? I don't believe that it's a good idea for you to move around just yet by yourself anyway." The demon servant then looked at Rath, wondering what the boy wished to do next.
Rath gazed up at Gil with a look of utter disgust for a moment and then frowned as he looked back down at his knees. "Shit! What have I got myself into this time?"
"Well, I was trying to wash up. I suppose I should just get this done and over with for the time being. God, I hate this!" Rath hung his head in defeat as his pitch black hair fell in his face, hiding it from view. He had just allowed this guy to help him. Not just to help him get dressed, but to even wash up as well.
"Don't worry; I'll try to be as gentle on your wounds as possible. You've been in enough pain as it is. I'm sorry, you're not the only one that feels strange in this situation." Gil said as he drew the lukewarm bath water.
Rath quietly sighed. He felt defeated, but at least the water that touched his wounds now felt cooler then before. He was grateful that the burning sensation had dropped to a mild, yet still annoying ach. What a few degrees difference of water could do?
"Is the water cool enough for you?" The blue haired demon asked.
"Yah, it's fine."
Gil then began to wipe down Rath's body. When he came to the boy's neck he lifted up his collar to cleans the skin underneath.
"Hmm…"
"What is it?" Gil asked.
"Could you please remove that annoying thing? It makes me feel like a damn dog." Rath blurted out.
"I'm sorry, but I can't do that." Came the servants reply.
"And why not?"
"Master Kharl has the key and I guess it's also there for you own protection." Gil said in protest.
"What the hell? Kharl, who the hell is he?" Rath nearly yelled, clearly annoyed by what Gil had said.
"The guy that owns this place, which found you and asked me to help nurse you back to health. Here, I think that you can do that much by yourself. In the meantime I'll get you a clean change of cloths." Gil said as he handed the washrag to Rath and pointed at the other cloth hiding his torso.
"Oh, yah…" Rath said, blushing slightly. He then pulled the curtain shut.
"Gil then walked out of the bathroom and pulled out a pair of blue jeans and a large black t-shirt from the dresser sitting next to the bed. The blue haired demon then proceeded back into the bathroom only to find Rath wrapped in a towel as he sat on top of the toilet seat. The servant then helped the teen into his jeans before gently picking him up and carrying the boy back to his bed.
"What about that shirt?" Rath asked after Gil laid him on the bed.
"Well, you can't run around without your wounds bandaged. They'll get infected if you do." Kharl's pet protested as he pulled out the first-aid kit from under the bed.
"Hmm…"
"Here, let me bandage those wounds back up and then I'll go and grab you something to eat that Garfakcy cooked for breakfast earlier."
"Garfakcy…? Who is that?" Rath asked as Gil wrapped up his chest.
"Kharl's human assistant who's sneaky and insidious."
"And…Why's that?"
"It's just the way he is. That's maybe due to his desire of wanting to become a demon."
"Ok…" Rath looked at Gil with a slightly surprised look on his face but didn't say anything more. After the servant had finished cleaning up and putting everything away he proceeded downstairs. When he returned, the blue haired demon sat by the teen's side and kept him company as he ate in silence.
"By the way…Who are you again?" Rath asked after he finished his plate, breaking the slightly eerie silence surrounding them.
"I beg your pardon?"
"I mean…What's your name?" Rath asked again with a better choice of words.
"Sorry, I forgot to give it. My name is Gil." Gil said with a slight smile that played at his lips and seemed to slightly brighten up the dim room.
"Yah…That's cool, I guess." Rath replied as he yawned.
"It looks like it's time for you to rest." Gil said quietly when he noticed that the teen was beginning to doze off.
"Hmm…? Yah…Maybe."
"Well then, just rest and I'll bring you up some lunch later on. If you need anything just stay put and it'll be taken care of." Gil then stood up, took the tray and turned to leave. Rath groggily watched him as he left and then finally slipped into a dream.
/&/
Rune suddenly caught himself drifting off to sleep when Water began to roar excitedly.
"What is it Water?" Rune asked as his crystal-blue eyes darted around, looking at the landscape in wonder. The bluish-white dragon then stretched his neck slightly forward, signaling for his master to look straight ahead. The blonde Dragon Knight gazed into the distance in front of them, trying to see what Water had noticed. Upon first glance the former elf didn't notice anything unusual.
When he took a closer look at the horizon Rune finally noticed what Water had been trying to point out. There, just up ahead was where the skies and lands of Dragoon and Kainaldia crossed paths. From what it seemed, the portal leading to Draqueen was just out of reach, but they would be there in no time.
"Hey Kai-Stern, wake up." Rune said as he slightly pulled on the Dragon Officer's green coat sleeve.
"Hmm…? What is it? Is it Thatz?" Kai-Stern asked sleepily as he rubbed his eyes and glanced down at the weak Dragon Knight of Earth in his arms.
"No... He's ok for now, but look." Rune said as he pointed at the pink and orange horizon. The blonde Dragon Officer then slowly sat up.
"Huh… What?" Kai-Stern replied as he looked towards the direction of which they where headed.
"The portal that links this land with our own lies just up ahead where that blue light looks to the sky. We should be back in Draqueen in a few hours."
"That sounds good to me. Let's get some rest until then. God knows we can all use it, especially Thatz." Kai-Stern said with a sigh of relief.
"You go ahead and rest. I'll just stand watch because I can't sleep right now as it is anyway."
"I think you should at least try." The Dragon Officer replied.
"No, I'll be alright. Thanks for the concern though." Rune said as he tried to fight back a yawn.
"Ah, how I can't wait until we get back to Draqueen and out of this mess." Rune thought to himself as he glanced at the two other members of the Dragon Clan. He then watched Kai-Stern as he drifted off to sleep once again.
/&/
Deep in the chambers of the Demon Lord's castle Nadil sat, patiently awaiting the news of the Dragon Knight's capture. It was dark and dreary in this room of which the Demon Lord sat and a dark bluish hue hung in the air as like the rest of the castle.
"Shydeman…" The Demon Lord addressed his general.
"Yes, my lord?" Shydeman then acknowledged his master and bowed.
"I believe I told you to retrieve Rath and bring him to me after you killed the others. I take it that his absence suggests that you've failed in your attempt?"
"Yes, my lord. He slipped away after Perish's attack should have left him almost immobile."
"Hmm… And how did this happen?" Nadil calmly stood before his general and crossed his arms. His servant's long silver hair draped across the floor around him as Shydeman knelt before his master, bowing with nearly all respect.
"It seems that he staggered away from the scene and Kharl found his little pet before I could get to him. I followed the scent of Rath's blood to find where he had been hidden and he is, in deed, staying at the Alchemist's palace. We may retrieve him at any time you feel fit."
"Good, this might turn out better then I had first expected. Let the Dragon Knight rest up for the time being and when he's healthy enough to walk again we shall take him from his so-called master. Heh…!" An evil smile slowly played it's way across Nadil's lips as the thoughts in his mind twisted and turned, contemplating out the events that were to soon follow in the days to come.
"Shydeman, you're dismissed." Nadil said as he spoke again and then turned to leave.
"Thank you, my lord." With that the demon general known as Shydeman stood once again before his master and left his presence.
"Heh! My plans are working out better then expected. Rath…you're just going to have to wait and see what I've got in store for you. I hope you rest well until then my little Dragon Knight." Nadil sat down, leaned back and quietly laughed to himself as he thought about the events to play out in the days ahead.
"To be continued in chapter eight…"
An: Sorry everyone…. I've neglected this story by hardly ever updating it and I personally think that the penalty should be death for me. Actually, I'm really glade I got this chapter out because I had writers' block for a while there. If it wasn't that then I'd be too busy with other things to write when I had the urge to. This is not to mention my stupid computer, that things going to die I tell yah. I'm almost to the point where I'm going to throw it out the window and leave it there in a pile of snow until it stops acting up. Ah well, to bad that won't work.
Anyways, I hope you guys have enjoyed this story so far and I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. Poor Rath, it seems as though his torture shall never end…. Well, let me warn you that it's only just started but he'll be happy later on…I hope. - As long as I stick with the original plotline for now he will be. But…I don't know. I mean, I could be really mean…jk. Let's just wait and see what happens ok? But, for now, just bear with me.
Plus, please tell me what you think of the story so far and if you have any suggestions or questions just leave a comment or send me an e-mail. Oh... for all of you who might have been waiting for an update and are still reading this story, thanks for staying with me. Plus, thanks to all of you who comment, you help encourage me to become a better writer. I appreciate it more then you know…. Now, I think it's time for me to stop my little rant.