Well, here's another chapter...and yes, we've established the first chapter is crap. I will re-write it when I finnish other stuff, seeing as I have three stories to update and a Geography assignment to do.
Moordryd
curls up on the few blankets that make up his 'bed'. It was cold as
hel down the ruins, but it was too early after the attack to go back
up to the surface. The muscles in Moordryd's bad leg twitch and he
groaned softly. Whatever greater being was out there had decided he
wasn't going to sleep tonight.
He got up slowly, hating that his
leg was about to give out on him for simply moving. He rubbed the
offending muscle for a minute before realising that wasn't going to
help and tried to ignore it. Trust him to put his painkillers on the
far side of the room when he couldn't move!
Moordryd hugged his
legs to his chest, trying to will the pain away. He jumped as he
heard someone kneel down next to him, instinctivly snarling and ready
to fight.
Artha smiled at his friend and rivals reaction.
"You're
a little jumpy, huh?"
Moordryd snorted and stretched out. "Is
there any reason you're in my room in the middle of the night?"
Artha
smirked. "Yeah, the others think there's something of intrest
that the wraiths left behind. It's kinda stupid I know, but it might
be worthwhile." He suddenly stopped smiling. "You're leg
hurting you again?"
"Yeah. Can't reach the pills."
Moordryd sighed, embarassed.
Artha got up and brang him the little
white bottle. Moordryd nodded his thanks.
"You could tell
someone if you're hurting that bad." Artha says sadly. Moordryd
swallow two of the painkillers and waits patiently for the
effects.
"I mean it Moordryd. We're not enemies anymore, you
can trust us."
Moordryd grunted and slowly stood up. "We
should go see what all the fuss is about."
"Okay."
Artha muttered almost angrilly.
"What
do you have for us?" Artha asked with a yawn. Phistus glared at
him for a second, obviously angry he had to wait for the two of
them.
"The wraiths left this behind. Some of their own
technology it seems." Pyrah muttered, snarling at the small
device in her hand. It was black and small, looking alot like a small
computer without anything to type with.
"What is it?"
Artha asked, confused.
"Some sort of communication device."
Parm picked it up, turning it over in wonder. "But it's much
more advanced than anything I've ever seen, even Word Payne never had
this kind of technology!"
"And why would the Wraiths
have this stuff?" Artha continues, cutting Parm off.
"It
says 'River City' on the back here." Parm points out.
"'River
City?' Where is River City? I thought this city was the only one."
"River city was a small settlement to the West of the city."
Conner sighed. "It died out years ago, before you were born."
"I
remember there was a call to settle in River City, but then no one
came back." Phistus growled. "Were the wraiths around then?
Could they have killed the city?"
"No. They died because
of an instability in the land." Conner said quickly. "It
would be dangerous to go there for nothing more than a hunch."
"Of
corse Conner." Phistus sighed.
"The wraiths must have
found the wreakage and stolen what they had." Conner sighed. "To
think they would sink that low..."
"They eat people
Penn. They've sunk lower than that." Moordryd snarled
softly.
"Show some respect Payne!" Phistus yelled.
Moordryd smirked and tilted his head to the side slightly. "I'm
allowed to speak any way I want Phistus."
"It's alright
Phistus." Conner said softly. "I really don't
mind..."
"Well I do." Phistus growled.
"Forget
it." Moordryd turned and waved over his shoulder. "Call me
back when you have something interesting to say."
He nodded
at Artha as he passed, confusing the dragon booster.
"What
was that about Moordryd?" Artha asked, finding Moordryd leaning
against the wall outside.
"Was it just me, or did Conner seem
a little jumpy at the mention of that town?"
"Dad just
thinks it's dangerous." Artha sighed. "Why?"
"I
remember something Word said once. It was about the River something.
And from the way he was talking about it, it wasn't nothing to
him."
"Are you saying my dad's lieing?" Artha
growled.
Moordryd sighed quietly, closing his eyes.
"I
don't trust him Artha. He's lied to you too, I know that. Why do you
come crawling back to him?"
Artha suddenly slamed Moordryd up
against the wall, hands fisting in his clothes. "Don't you ever
say my dad is a bad person Payne! You're not sqeeky clean either! He
lied to me because he had to!"
"I'm not saying it like
that Penn!" Moordryd spat. "I'm saying that he's covering
for someone, something for all we know! Didn't he seem a little fast
in dismissing it?" He struggled angrilly. "Let me down you
asshole!"
"My dad is not hiding anything!" Artha
rasped, thinking back to the meeting. God, Moordryd had a
point.
"Please let me down."
Artha dropped
him.
"Let's just check out this River City place, okay?"
Moordryd said softly, trying to calm him down. "Tell Conner. See
how he reacts. That's all I'm asking."
Artha turned on his
heel, stalking away. This wasn't right. If Conner had betrayed him
again... There was no going back to the nice father/son relationship.
