A/N: Look! I can finally make italics!!! LOOK! Hehehehe
Okay, okay, on with the chapter... .
I know it's a little short, but I'm a little pressed for time now. Better job hunting and having a new crew is taking it's toll. We're getting closer and closer to the end...maybe subconsciously I'm trying to make this last forever... Hehehe.
Enjoy!
Chapter 24
The further away they got from Drogen, the warmer the air seemed to become. It came as a relief, though, to Nina who had spent those days in the dragon town praying to see the sun without a cold, gray haze over it. The gentle, rhythmic beat of Ryu's wings was soothing, and calmed the fear that crept around in her heart. She looked back, and watched the wind flow through his long snow white mane.
Her gaze fell slightly. It still bothered her to see him like this. Generally, it was the same Ryu...but there was something about his eyes that still screamed "monster".
"It's like another personality... I don't feel like the same person in this form."
"The dragon." That's what he had called it. But was "it" really an "it"? Was it really a completely different personality trying to break through? Was he really just a host for a power crazed monster?
Ladon. The Goddess. Weretiger.
All of them fighting for what they believed in...but who...was right?
She shook the hair from her eyes. Maybe that was they were ultimately trying to figure out.
A sharp grunt from Ryu caught her attention. "Y-yes?"
"Look, Nina. The clouds ahead of us are getting darker."
She lifted her head and peered out, eyes narrowing in the wind. Below them, the clouds were rumbling and darkening at a rapid pace. Her eyes followed a streak of blue lightning "Incredible...look at that storm..."
"It's right over Worent."
Nina looked up and shook her head to let the wind push her hair out of her wide eyes again. "Are you getting a bad feeling as well?" She asked noting the strange tension brewing in her gut.
She shrank back unconsciously when his red eyes met hers. "Yes. And I think I know why."
"Why?"
"It's him."
She blinked "Him?"
Ryu tore his gaze from her and nodded briskly. "Tsunaia."
"Tsunaia...am I correct?"
"Er...yes..."
Shyong looked up slowly, nervousness flowing over him. Princess Nina smiled and lifted her hand to her face, pushing her long honey bangs from her face beneath a large straw hat. She stood against the wind with her hips jutted to the side; all her weight focused on her right foot. Her short white sundress, riddled with bright yellow pansies, flowed against her small form in this cool afternoon breeze. Her wings fluttered and he watched the sun's rays reflect from the snow white feathers. "I'm sorry I didn't stay to talk to you the other day." She said softly.
The young soldier managed a nervous smile and set the sword he was polishing on the grass beside him. He rather liked doing his chores out in the courtyard, especially on a day like this...and with the possibility of seeing her again. He remained sitting and ran his hand through his short, het black hair. "Oh, it's quite alright, your highness, I just..." He closed his ice blue eyes. "This is rather embarrassing, but at first, I didn't realize who you were..."
She giggled and he looked up. His smile widened. She had a bit of freckles on her small dainty nose. Her hands clasped behind her back and she switched her weight to the other foot. "It's alright, soldier! I was just so preoccupied with everything..." He watched as she lowered her head and removed her hat, it's long white and yellow ribbons waving frantically in the breeze. "I did want to say, though..." She said gently, her bright sea blue eyes gazing at him with an odd expression of respect. "You were going to 'save' me."
He chuckled and brought one knee to his chest. "I told you, I didn't know who you were... I didn't see your wings." His hands went to his head again and he scratched nervously. "I feel like an imbecile...I just..."
"...but regardless, you were going to save me had I fallen."
He regarded her with his own odd stare. "Ah...yes...I guess you are right..."
She clutched the hat in front of her hard and lowered her head. "I don't understand why you would do that..."
Shyong blinked. "Why...would I not?"
A strange smile crept across her innocent features. "Why would someone care so much...for a stranger?"
Dark, wet, grainy mud.
Shyong spat at the ground, feeling around his mouth with his tongue to get the foul mess from between his clenched teeth. Wincing, he rolled over onto his back. What the hell had hit him? He remembered staring at those two guardians and then...blackness. He strained to bring focus back to his eyes.
The rain was still roaring all around him. His ears rung and stung; he was pretty sure they were bleeding. Slowly, painfully, and with his hand grasping the still throbbing wound on his shoulder, he sat up. Gasps chorused within the crowd of Worens and the circle tightened. He growled and his eyes swivelled from one gaping face to the next. What were they staring at?
It was then, he felt the hot breath cascade down his back.
Hot, humid, and definitely not human.
Turning slowly, his eyes widened.
Gabriel grasped on to Deja's shaking form. She was paling even more than before, and was cold as ice. He shook the mass of wet gray hair from his eyes and pulled her close. Her ears twitched and she brought her eyes to his.
His heart sank. She was scared. Even though she had risked her life for Red...she was scared. She didn't want to die. Not yet..., but this was what had to happen. This was the way she was supposed to die...so why? Why was she staring at him like that? Why had she been so ready to give her life before, but was like this now?
Was it not right?
Something...was wrong?
Squeezing his eyes closed, he opened his robe and tucked her inside. If she wasn't ready, then it wasn't time. "Don't worry." He whispered softly, leaning down. "I won't let you go like this." And with that, the hand that held her head slid forward and began to glow a faint blue.
Red stood before Shyong, completely transformed. He was hunched close to the ground, spine arched high in the air and head bent down. Saliva dripped from his long fangs and hot mist poured down. The soldier attempted to move, but stopped when the Woren grunted menacingly. He clenched his teeth and spat out water. What was he waiting for? He was just standing there, glaring at him with those bloodthirsty crimson eyes.
The cat grunted again and suddenly crouched lower, bringing his head almost into the mud. The muscles in his back tensed and he reared back. Immediately, Shyong threw his arms in front of his face and braced.
He felt the wind, he heard the movement...but the scream that pursued, was not his own.
Bringing his arms down slowly, he turned to see the crowd of Worens frantically dispersing. He looked down at where the Weretiger had stood. All that were left were two crude gashes in the ground. Swaying slightly, he looked back at the crowd, noticing now the tawny blurred figure weaving through.
One by one, Worens fell and Shyong's eyes widened. It was like watching a dream. One minute a Woren would be glancing frantically around and then there would be a fountain of blood. He snickered and squeezed his shoulder tight. "What stupidity...This is all the protection Worent has to offer?" he cried out, lurching forward. "I'll have you know-..."
Pain suddenly seared through the left side of his face and he turned to the sky.
What...was happening...?
Everything was so hazy... so...damn...was this...reality?
Blood flew and Red screamed. He didn't know who's it was, he tried to care...but his mind was telling him he didn't have to...
It doesn't matter. No one matters. Let go.
No...he couldn't. Not now...
You have to.
But it was so easy to let go.
It's the only way.
No!
Another mangled body passed Red's blurry vision. Deep within the recesses of his mind, Red tried to reach out. His small, childlike fingers fumbled through the clouds, but they couldn't get a grasp.
It's useless...just let go.
But he couldn't! Even if he wanted to, there was no way...
The clouds swirled and condensed before his widened, bloodshot eyes. Darker it became...until all he could see was nothingness.
Fear struck his heart. Maybe letting go was all he could do now.
The pounding of his heart slowed, and from within the darkness, two crimson eyes burned through.
Purge...
Nina squeezed her eyes closed as rain tore at her face. "Ryu! You have to dive now! We have to get out of the air! The rain will...!"
"Shut up! Don't you think I know!" Came his gruff voice. "Now, grab on. I won't be responsible if you fall." After shooting him an angry look, she nodded and grasped his forearms. He pulled his wings close and after a second, they began to fall.
The feeling of weightlessness hit her like a shot and her stomach went to her throat. Exhilaration flew through her and she couldn't help but to smile into the torrents whipping at them. She hadn't felt flight like this in a long time and it was even better because Ryu was experienced; she had a feeling she would never be able to go this fast. The black clouds careened past and before she knew it, the city of Worent came into view. Nina placed her hands over her eyes and strained to see. They widened. Was that...? Smoke?
They continued to fall. Everything started to get clearer. Smoke. Flames. Panicking Worens. Blood and...
Her hands lowered. The rain didn't matter anymore. His stare burned right through it.
"Tsunaia..."
Ryu's wings billowed out and Nina felt her body jerk violently back. His feet hit the ground gracefully and he stood, holding her in front of him protectively, his long white mane coming forward and flowing down over his shoulders and hers. Her body shook and her wings ruffled. Her heart slammed against her chest.
His face...
Shyong's hand grasped his shoulder tighter. The pain intensified when he stared into that goddamn beast's eyes. He swayed and growled. Ryu grasped Nina tighter. "You..." The soldier seethed venomously. "Don't you dare touch her..."
Nina's eyes trailed over the scars on his face, widening even more when they reached his left eye. The cold blue she once remembered was now nothing but a clouded pool of blindness. No color. No emotion. Destroyed.
"It's hideous, isn't it, Princess."
She jerked back as though struck and he immediately covered it with his blood soaked hand, turning from her slightly. "It's not..." she stopped, but her look said it all. Yes it was. Ryu had destroyed him. Her hands grasped his forearms tighter. Was this what one had to live with...after an encounter with "the dragon"?
"Nina." Ryu's voice suddenly cut in. She saw Shyong suck in his breath. She turned and the dragon pointed a red clawed finger towards the giant statue in the middle of the town.
Her eyes widened slowly with the turning of her head. Gabe glanced up after pulling his blood soaked partner back a bit. "Is that Gabe? And...Deja?" She asked softly.
The only sound that followed, was the rain.
She turned back towards Shyong. "Tsunaia...did you..." She asked in a tiny voice. "She's not moving, Tsunaia..."
The soldier lifted his hand from his wound and shook the blood from it, running it back and forth through the torrential downpour. "...In the way..."
Nina swallowed and pulled away from Ryu, who reluctantly let her go to her surprise. "...In...the...way?" she managed to choke out. "Tsunaia, have you gone completely mad?"
Shyong's hand went to his face and squeezed. The pain searing through intensified. "Not mad," he croaked. "I just know how to deal with things in an efficient way."
"And...the village?"
"All in the way."
"What of Red?"
"What of him?" He spat.
Nina pushed her wet bangs from her eyes with a trembling hand. "Tsunaia, where is Red?"
A smirk crept to his lips and he lifted his head. "Out there, somewhere...probably killing more people..."
"...What?"
"Juun's dead too."
Nina looked back and followed Ryu's finger to a body lying on the other side of the statue. "Red's father too? Tsunaia...how can you possibly call this 'efficient'...? It's murder! And...!"
His hand slipped down and covered his bad eye. "I can't think with that...thing around. Princess, be a good girl and dismiss him."
She heard Ryu growl behind her. "Dismiss who, you bastard?"
She took a deep breath. "Revert." Nina said without looking back.
"What?"
"You heard me." She said a little more fiercely. "He wants the dragon gone...so it shall be done. I don't want anymore meaningless bloodshed. I'm sure all of this can be fixed by talking and..."
"It can't be fixed with words!" Ryu cried stepping forward, wings unfurling. His angry crimson eyes bulged through the wet wisps of white hair stringing over his face. "You must be an idiot to think...!"
"I said revert, dragon!"
At the sound of her high pitched yell, a sound he had never heard before, he immediately shut his mouth. He wordlessly reverted, producing the familiar aura of light around his body. The light dispersed and then settled on his human likeness.
"I choose to believe you have done as I asked." She almost whispered, not moving until she heard a small grunt of approval. "Very well then." Her attention went back to Tsunaia, who looked a touch more comfortable. "Now..." She gave another glance around, noticing a few more bodies scattered about and some rustling near them. "Are you going to tell me..., your Princess, what the...hell you have done?"
Shyong's smirk broke into a full blown grin. His arms went out. "You're knight is here, Princess Nina!" he cried with a jovial voice that, to Nina's horror, couldn't be considered sarcastic. "I've come to take you home. Your father misses you! He sent me all the way here!" He twirled and swayed a bit. "I endured such hardships to see your angelic face again! I had to...coincide...with these...these..." He turned a disgusted stare to Mustadio who glared back. "Vagabonds..."
"Vagabonds?" Mustadio cried. "You killed Yhon!" He glanced down at Greytall's body, grimacing at the arrow protruding from his giant stallion head. "You brought upon the downfall of one of the greatest Taneumas this world had ever known! How can you say that you endured hardships? And..." He managed to smirk within all this anger. "She's not necessarily a picture of perfection, like you said. She looks a little under the weather if you know what I mean..."
"No...I don't. Enlighten me." Shyong hissed.
Quickly, Nina intervened. "Stop it, Tsunaia! It doesn't matter!" She cried. "I don't want you to hurt any more people!"
"Then come with me."
"...But, I..."
Ryu walked forward and placed two, to her relief, human hands on her sagging shoulders. "She belongs with me now."
"Ryu..." She whispered looking up and through the rain at him. He matched her gaze with a slight smile.
"Oh no, no, no, no, no little dragon boy bastard." Shyong mumbled loudly, whirling to face him. He noticed the man was starting to have little control over his left arm. The arm in question swung forward to point an accusing finger, looking more like a dead weight than an appendage. "Her father wants me to bring her back, The King of Windia! You can't disobey the King, I can't disobey the King, SHE can't disobey the King! Do you want her to die? He'll kill me, he'll kill her... I have to bring her back you see, because if I don't, he will be in my dreams again and I can't deal with that anymore, oh please gods, please come back beautiful...Princess Nina..."
Ryu's hands grasped her tighter. "He really is mad..." He whispered in a voice he was sure only she could hear. "The way he's speaking...the pace he's speaking at. I can't..."
Both of Shyong's arms came forward and a pained look crossed his face. "Princess, I need you...I've needed you for so long, don't you understand? You are the only one that keeps me sane, I can't let go of you. I can't loose sight! When you are around, he doesn't come to my dreams; he can't get into my head! Don't you see?!" His voice was becoming high pitched now. "I need you Princess Nina...I need you-.."
A roar erupted from the distance and tore through the air. As one, Nina, Ryu, and Shyong watched as what they could only describe as a streak of blurred color careened right into the soldier's unprotected chest.
Blood flying from his wrenched open mouth and eyes full of Weretiger, Shyong's body was flung back. "Red!" Nina cried when they both hit the ground. Behind her, Ryu poised.
Shyong's hands shot forward and caught the cat's jaws just before they came down on him. Sneering, he clutched the hot saliva covered fangs with trembling fingers. "You bastard! You hid in the crowd!"
Red growled and plunged his hands into the ground on either side of Shyong's shoulders. The muscles in his back and neck rippled and he pushed forward. The ground cracked, and Shyong's body sunk slowly in the debris. Eyes swivelling wildly, he fought to keep control.
"Red, what are you doing?!" Nina cried bringing her fists in front of her face and shaking her head frantically. He answered by roaring and pushing Shyong farther into the ground. "Red!"
Ryu's hand grasped the collar of her dress before she had a chance to run. A confused look met him. "Idiot!" he hissed to her surprise. "He can't hear you!"
"But...!" Her eyes went to the cat bending over the soldier. His size...dwarfed Shyong, and he was a large man. He was just... Red had grown ten times larger than normal, and the claws on his hands... they were like individual blood covered swords. The only distinguishing feature about him was the black bandana. Torn and ravaged it was, but still...a reminiscence of the friend she knew. Everything else...was gone. He still had the crimson eyes and all, but now... they were wide and glowing with an anger...she couldn't possibly understand.
"It's not normal anger." She looked back. Ryu's emerald eyes met hers. "He's berserk. Whatever anger he has...it's an empty anger. Do you know what it means to be berserk?" She shook her head slowly and he sighed. "One who is berserk...will fight, until his body ceases to function."
"Death?" She cried in almost a whisper.
"In extreme cases...yes."
She looked back at Red. He was still pushing Shyong. "Should we stop him?"
"No."
"Why? He'll kill Tsunaia!"
"He'll kill us if we get near him!"
"But Tsunaia!"
Ryu grasped her other shoulder and turned her sharply to face him, eyes wide. "Do you really care that much? Who do you care for more?! Red, or him?!"
Nina blinked back tears she didn't expect to come. "Well...I..."
"Doesn't matter." Ryu said, his expression softening at the sight of tears. "Either way, one will die. We just have to hope it's Shyong."
"So all we can do is watch?"
"What else do you propose we do?"
She looked back at Gabe, who was frantically running a blue hand over Deja's still body. "Can we..."
"Neither one of us can do anything for her. Gabriel has healing power. Do we?"
"No..."
"Then there is nothing. In both situations, we will be in the way."
"...But I can't just sit here and watch, Ryu! These are our friends!"
"Yes, but interfering can cause more problems. You really want to put yourself in danger? That's just something else for them to worry about."
Her mouth opened and then closed. She didn't think about it that way, but...to be a burden...
I'm a burden...
Her fists clenched.
A useless...stupid...Princess.
Hot tears began to stream.
The ones I love, I can't even help. I have no power...
Even though her frightened, frustrated eyes were wide, she barely caught sight Shyong's hand shooting up, and plunging deep into Red's neck.
P.S, next chapter we will be done with Worent. I'm planning on not posting the next one until it's at least 15 or so pages long. I found the new job and sadly...it's a full time one, but from now on I have every weekend free! I'll try to make some writing time soon. I really want to, today, when I tweaked this one, I felt pretty good. It relieves stress lol. That and watching 80 eps of Naruto and some Full Metal Alchemist... aghh oh well, I know you guys will stay with me until the end! Thanks!