Chapter 11



"You can open your eyes now, Princess."

It took Nina a second to realize that her eyes were squeezed shut. Grimacing, she cautiously opened them. Her vision blurred, then focused on a figure standing in a shadowy corner near her.

Eyes widening and glancing wildly around, she backed up against a wall. Her mind still felt a bit fuzzy and tired. Where was she? If she listened closely, she could still hear the cries of the crowd and the slow beat of the music running through the crude speaker system. So at least she was still in the bar, but where?

"You look frightened."

Her gaze went back to the figure. The deep voice proved it was a man. "I'm...not scared." she whispered softly.

"Then why are your pretty little wings trembling?"

Fighting to steady herself, she glared at him. "Who are you...?"

The man walked forward and into a dusty ray of artificial light. He was cloaked in dark gray, a hood covering his face. Laughing softly he brought his arms out from beneath the cloak, heavy metal plates glinting across his forearms. He lifted the hood, letting shaggy dirty blonde hair come forward.

Nina pressed herself harder against the wall. "You're...the mercenary I saw earlier...!"

The man laughed again, shaking his bangs from a surprisingly young looking face. "Mercenary...? My dear, do you not know who I am?"

She shook her head.

His smile faded. "You mean, you don't recognize this face? It's plastered all over Valcomn."

"I've...never been to Valcomn..."

Dark brown eyes narrowing, he crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you mean you...oh, I get it. Of course they wouldn't let you out. You are the Princess of Windia after all."

She blinked, trying to get her tired eyes to focus better. "...What?"

He stepped forward and leaned in, taking a closer look at her. "You aren't really what I imagined you to look like." Nina winced as one of his hands came near her face. "You're quite small. I can't see much coming from this tiny body."

"What are you talking about...?"

"You're nineteen, right?" He asked shaking his head and moving back. "Still small. If it weren't for the wings on your back, I would have never guessed."

"What do you want with me?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't properly introduce myself. I figured you'd just know me. Anyways," he said bowing. "I am called Mikhal Bevelle, but I'm better known as the 'Dragon Assassin'. I was sent by your father to retrieve you."

"Assassin? Why would my father send..." Her eyes widened. "He wants to kill Ryu? Why?"

Mikhal smiled. "So the dragon told you his name. Interesting... Well your father didn't necessarily instruct me to kill this 'Ryu'. I was just sent because the dragon attacked that other knight before. The King just wanted someone who could stand up to him. After all..." He pounded a fist on his chest. "I killed all of the dragons that destroyed Provacio! Five of them! I think one wouldn't be that big of a deal. It is a shame, though. I really did want to fight this one. I heard he was strong. I guess I have that stupid cat to thank for getting his attention. We were able to get out of there without too many distractions."

"I'm not going back."

The assassin looked down at her. "Ah, yes they warned me you wouldn't want to come back. Thing is, you have to. You're important to them, and...to me."

Her blue eyes narrowed. "You don't even know me..."

"You're right, I don't, but you're worth a lot of money."

"Money?"

Mikhal laughed loudly. "Of course money. You think I'd do this for free? Your father's paying me quite a hefty sum for this."

"How much?"

"You really want to know?"

She nodded slowly.

His lips curled into a smirk. "One million zenny."

"One million?!" She cried. "He really wants me home that bad?!" She looked down, her eyes widening slowly. "Still...I can't go back. I don't want to be there anymore. I told Tsunaia already that I'm better off staying with Ryu..."

"You have seen him transform, correct?"

She looked up. "Yes..."

"You've seen how powerful he is when he's angry." His voice was soft now. "What if he ever got angry with you?"

Ryu? Getting angry at her? Could he seriously ever get that angry?

"Don't you think it couldn't happen. I've seen it."

She shook her head slowly. "No, he wouldn't...He did all that to protect me..."

Mikhal shrugged. "I don't know, someone capable of that much power... You really think he's to be trusted?" He waved his hand in front of him, casually. "You see, dragons can't be trusted. You've heard this many times before, I'm sure. It's not that they are bad people, it's just they...abuse the power they were given. For example, the ones that destroyed Provacio. A bunch of kids, yes, but they were corrupted by the power bestowed upon them. Do you know what they did?"

Nina continued to shake her head as he neared her. "They went to the town to start trouble. We know this because, when everyone figured out they were dragons, they tried to leave them the hell alone out of fear. This made the kids angry, though, and they killed a little boy walking by them, hoping to get a rise out of the people. Killed that little boy in cold blood." he watched with amusement as her body began to shiver. "They were right, it did get a rise out of the people. The fighting almost destroyed the whole town. I guess afterwards, the dragons' conscience finally kicked in, because they fled. That's where I came in. I hunted them down and killed them. Just as they had killed so many others."

"Ryu's not like that."

He laughed. "Have you not heard? Your 'Ryu' tore half of that Tsunaia man's face off. Do you really want to be with a thing that's capable of that much power?"

"You can't...you can't say that about him. You don't know him...."

"Oh I don't know him, do I? It seems as though he started something with that Woren. Fighting is all the dragons know how to do."

"Shut up!" Nina cried, tears sparkling in her eyes. "You shut up right now! You don't understand! Yes, Ryu did that, but some humans are bad too! Humans...dragons...it's all the same! You can't determine the actions of a whole race by what just a small group did!" She closed her eyes tight, letting the tears flow down her quivering cheeks. "You're just as bad as Tsunaia... Ryu's not bad...he's not a bad dragon!"

She looked up sharply as Mikhal grasped her shoulder tight. "How dare you..." He rasped slowly, dark brown eyes glaring sharply at her. "You little bitch...how could you mock everything I stand for? Good dragon my ass...all of them are bad!"

"Let go of me."

"I hate all of them! Nothing good ever comes from them! If you only saw the destruction...!"

"I said let go of me."

"You say it! Say they're bastards! Say it now!"

"Let go of me right now!"

A light. A bright blinding light filled the room. It washed over the both of them and tore their sights from one another. Nina blinked into the bluish haze. Something was happening. Mikhal's hand was slipping from her, the fingers feeling as though they were breaking off.

Warm, bright light.

She closed her eyes as a scream pierced her ears.



* * *

Weretiger.

How the hell was he supposed to know Red was one of them?

Ryu watched, mesmerized, as Red's body began to convulse. The angry Woren swung a large fist out, smashing a nearby table to bits, receiving loud cheers from the crowd. Red smiled and lifted his head up, his crimson eyes slowly becoming slits.

"You see this power...?" a deep scratchy voice echoed through his elongating fangs. "You're dead...!" A sharp snapping sound filled the air as Red's shoulders pulsed, the muscles rippling and expanding down his arms. The remaining bandages ripped as the rippling went to his hands, the claws extending and sharpening. Growling loudly, Red threw his head back, mouth opening wide. A roar burst forth, shaking everyone and everything in the bar.

Ryu slid one foot back, attempting to get a grip on the beer soaked floor. He had to do something. If his memory served him right, Weretigers were berserk. Scowling, he moved his head sharply, tossing his hair back. The crowd was ecstatic. Red's name was being chanted all over the bar, along with the clink of beer mugs. There had to be something. All these people...they were in danger.

Ryu glanced up at the Woren's snarling face. "This is insane!" He cried. "You can't transform in a place like this! What about all of these innocent..."

His head suddenly flew back as a gigantic paw struck him broadside. Ryu staggered back, dazed. Fighting to gain control, he glanced upward. Red was barreling towards him, teeth bared, claws outstretched. Ryu leaned on his back leg and brought his hands up, grasping the claw before it came in contact with him, the force of it pushing his boots into the wooden floor.

"Red!" He cried pushing his face forward, staring at the berserk tiger's bloodshot eyes. "You have to change back! I don't want to fight you!"

Red growled and pushed his fist forward, ramming Ryu's body into a table.

Ryu held on tight, clenching his own fanged teeth. "I mean it! You can't hurt these people! They're just..." His voice broke into a scream as Red's other claw plunged into his shoulder. Red leaned up, smirking as blood flowed over his fur.

Through the pain, something snapped within Ryu. His body suddenly went ridged, his eyes widening and starting to flicker red.

No! Not now...

He felt the familiar surge of power shoot from his feet to his head, his hair beginning to float gently.

Anytime but now...

His head jerked to face Red, a dead expression on his paling face. He fought to gain control, as one of his hands reached to grasp the Woren's neck.

Suddenly someone burst through the screaming crowds of people.

"Red Warin! That is enough!"

Ryu slowly turned his trembling head towards the voice, eyes still fading into red. It was the fox girl. She was breathing heavily, jet black hair falling in strings over her bare pale shoulders. Violet eyes wide, she leapt towards Red, wrapping her arms around one of his forearms. "Stop it, Red! You know you can't do this!"

Snarling mouth salivating, the Weretiger's head jolted to face her, his eyes narrowing. A growl escaped his throat as he lifted his arm and swung it, trying to shake her off, but she held on, small fanged teeth clenched. "Fine! If you're going to be like that...!"

Ryu watched as the girl's hands began to take on a white glow. She closed her eyes, the light beginning to flow over her arms and shoulders. Her hair lifted from her back, the ribbons tying the many ponytails back snaking into the air. She began to whisper something softly, her mouth moving in a language Ryu couldn't quite pick up.

Something was happening to Red. He wasn't moving. The growling had stopped. He was just staring at her.

The fox girl's eyes suddenly shot open and her fingers dug into Red's arm. "Now, Gabriel!"

Ryu swung his head over to see the crowd part for the dog man. He was also whispering in that strange language, holding a glowing string of red prayer beads to his lips. The beads glowed brighter and brighter until finally it was almost blinding to look at them. Then, with surprising speed, Gabe dashed forward and tied the beads onto the arm the fox was holding. When it was secured, they both jumped back into the crowd.

Ryu's eyes widened and returned to green. He felt his body relax as Red's claw slowly pulled from his shoulder. The Woren's arm was glowing the same color as the beads, the light spreading and engulfing his entire body.

"Come! You must get away!" Ryu felt his body jerk back from Red's and into the crowd. It took him a second to realize it was the fox who grabbed him.

"What's...going on...?"

"He's transforming back."

Ryu glanced up at the dog man who looked back down at him, his shaggy gray bangs completely covering his eyes. "You're safe now."

"I..."

The crowd cheered as the glow faded, revealing Red's normal form. The cat swayed, then crumpled to the soaked floor. The fox and the dog ran forward, lifting him onto them.

Ryu winced and grasped his bleeding shoulder. So much for this shirt, he thought scowling. It was a nice one too. He wondered where Nina was.

The crowd was jumping and screaming, making it hard for Ryu to locate the bar, much less Nina. He hoped she was alright. He thought he remembered seeing her in the crowd during the beginning of the fight but...

"Hey, dragonboy, I need to speak with you."

He slowly turned to face the fox woman.

"How did you..."

"It doesn't matter. Just come."



* * *



Blood. Everywhere. What...had happened?

Her heartbeat was deafening. How...had she...

Wide, shaking blue eyes gazed down at a bloody gray cloaked form. It was twisted in a grotesque shape, the face angled up to the sky. It's eyes were wide; so was the mouth. A silent scream.

Nina reached up and clutched her head, trembling violently.

How?

She couldn't have done this.

No...

Blood was all over her. All over the wall. All over him.

She couldn't breathe. Her chest was heaving, but no air was reaching it. Her hands fell down to her heavy cloak. Grasping it tight, she fled from the room.



* * *



"I want to apologize for the way Red acted. He shouldn't have tried to transform."

Ryu shook his head as he stared down at Red's limp body, laying in the dog man's lap. The prayer beads on his arm glowed faintly. "Hey, it's okay, I guess."

The woman sighed. "No, we are his guardians. We should have stopped him before it had got out of hand."

Ryu looked up. "Guardians? In this day and age?"

She smiled slightly. "Worent likes to play the old fashioned way. " she turned towards him and extended a pale hand. "I'm Deja. Deja Visl."

Ryu shook her hand gently. "My name's Ryu Dragoneye. It's...well...interesting to meet you."

"This guy over here is Gabriel Tyler." she said pointing to the dog man.

"I prefer Gabe, but I'll bet the woman at the counter told you who we were already."

Ryu nodded. "Yeah, she did. By the way," he said turning to face Deja. "I would like to know how you..."

"Knew you were a dragon?" She smiled again, reaching up to twirl a small beaded strand of hair on a finger. "You've got blue hair. Human's don't have that."

"You smell like one." Gabe said as he dabbed a wet cloth on Red's forehead.

Ryu's nose wrinkled. "What do you mean...?"

"Dragons smell like sadness."

Deja put her hands on her hips. "Gabriel, don't be mean."

Ryu shrugged. "It's okay."

"So, what were you going to ask us before Red attacked you?" Deja asked.

Ryu scratched his head. "Well, see...my friend and I..." He glanced around. "Who I can't seem to find at the moment...Well, we're kind of trying to avoid anyone having anything to do with the Windian kingdom. I heard you guys travel a lot and I was wondering if you knew of a good back road to Drogen?"

Deja shrugged. "I'm not sure...There is one way, but..."

Ryu sniffed the air, and turned sharply to the right. There, in a small group of people was Nina. His nostrils flared. Did he smell...blood on her? Shaking his head, he waved frantically. "Hey Nina! Over here!"

The winged girl's head snapped up, her blue eyes wide. She ran forward, bursting through the group of now protesting people and grabbed onto him. He smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. I'm not too hurt." She was shaking, bad. Slowly, she looked up at him. All the color was gone from her face and tears were in her eyes. He frowned and leaned down, sniffing her cloak. Blood. Lots of it. "Nina...are you alright...?"

Suddenly a scream echoed through the bar.

Ryu looked up to see the bartender woman white faced, pointing to something in a far corner room. He squinted, trying to read her lips as she spoke frantically with some people.

Man...dead...blood...

He looked down at Nina who was even whiter now.

A hand on his arm brought his attention back. "Red's coming to. If you know what's good for you, you'll come with us." Deja said gently.

"But, we..."

"There's not much leeway for a killing here. Even if it was in self defense." Gabe whispered near them, holding up a staggering Red.

Nina's eyes widened.

Ryu glanced at Deja, then Gabe. "Alright, we're coming."



* * *



Lucia jerked backwards, her back pressing against the white headboard of her bed. A man. The man she saw earlier was standing in front of her. Moonlight outlined his frail body and splashed over his short white hair, giving it almost a glow.

"Wh-who are you...?"

Those eyes. He was staring at her.

"I asked you a question..." She said gaining a bit more courage.

He smirked slightly and turned to her window, walking into the transparent drapes.

Lucia clutched her nightgown tight, trying to calm the relentless beating of her heart. "You're not allowed in here. How did you get past the guards...?"

She scowled as he began to laugh gently.

"I'm serious!" She cried. "I'll call the guards!"

"You won't..."

She sat up slowly, her eyes widening. That voice. It was unlike any voice she had ever heard before. It was soft, yet strong at the same time. It was transparent, song-like. It was...like the voice of a spirit.

"What...makes you so sure...?"

He turned to look at her, his orange eyes bright in the moonlight. "I just know..."

"Who are you? What...are you doing here?" she asked, ears laying flat on her head.

He lifted a hand into the drapes, letting them drag over his thin fingers. "I need your help." he sang gently.



"What can I possibly do for you...? You obviously got past the guards on your own. What do you want with the Windian family?"

"I am weak."

"Weak...?"

He smiled. "You desire power?"

"Power...? I don't know what..."

"You and Sir Tsunaia."

Slate eyes narrowing, she crawled forward on the bed. "Wait, how do you know Shyong?"

"I can give it to you."

"Give me what? I don't understand anything you are saying." She snapped.

"Just give me what I want."

"What do you want?"

He sighed into the wind, a quiet melody filling the air. "Oh...nothing really..." he mused swaying slightly. "I...desire nothing more than a chance to talk with the Princess..."

She forced a laugh. "An admirer?"

His head lolled forward to face her. "You could say that."

Lucia shook her head and stood from the bed sharply. "You're mad. You can't just walk in here and demand..." Her eyes moved to one of his hands. It was glowing gently.

His smile broadened. "You will find her...I don't have much time..."

"You don't understand." She said softly. "I don't know what you are talking about. Power? Why would I want anything like that?"

"You hate this place. You were taken from where you belong." His eyes narrowed. "You know what your king wants and you don't like it. I...can give you the power to stop it..."

Her eyes widened. "What do you mean 'what my king wants'?"

"You know...even if you don't want to admit it..."

"I..."

"Come...I can make it better..."

Lucia watched, wide eyed, as he began to walk towards her, glowing hand outstretched.



______________________________________________________________________________

Note: Sorry this took so long. Summer courses are kicking my ass. Don't worry though, I'm not going to abandon this story. If it takes me a year, I will finish it! I did want to say that I was thinking about making a web site with some drawings of mine. I drew Red, Gabe, Deja, Ryu and Nina and I was going to maybe put them on...along with some other things. Tell me if it's a good idea. If you want to see any of them, email me and I'd be happy to show them. I just want to know if they're good enough to put up and if they portray the characters correctly. Also, does anyone know why some reviews are not showing up on the boards? I know I've gotten a few more and they're not there. I've seen that it's been happening to some other people too. I dunno. Anyways thanks!