Okay first off, I AM SOOOOO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING IN TWO WEEKS. Just had to say that I've been feeling kind of guilty, but with school and stuff I just didn't have time. And I know how it feels to read a story and wait for the next chapter. -.- It's not fun, hehe. So hope this chapter makes up for it, and since I didn't update in two weeks I'll try to get chapter 7 up before today is over, no promises but that's my goal. (:

Chapter 6

I gasped as the sudden power struck me full force. My eyes widened as I tried not to lose hold of my dragon and the energy world. I fell forward with effort, my nails digging into the cold, damp night ground. I tried to block off the sudden rush, that assaulted my being but I couldn't. I cried out, and I frantically searched for my dragon. I couldn't see her clearly though, only blurs of red. Actually I couldn't see any of the dragons just blurs of the dragon's scales.

What were they doing?

I gasped again as my dragon tried to block the power being thrown at her and me. She was holding them off, but only just barely. Which was what I was most afraid of, me and my dragon not being able to work together—fight together.

To fully function I have to be one with my dragon, I have to focus on what she's focusing on, and the same for her with me.

The knowledge came to me naturally. I blinked, was this coming from Kinra? I took a deep breath, I didn't have time to worry about that now. I tried to focus on what my dragon was focusing on, and I got hit with a painful slap of power. I took another shaky breath, and instead of focusing on fighting I focused on peace, tranquility, calmness. These dragons, for whatever reason, need peace, they need to calm down. So I focused on my Hua, and soon my dragon's Hua was the same as mine. We were both calm. Then I turned me attention to thee other eleven dragons. I opened my eyes to see each and every one of them standing in a patient line, they were no longer furious with me. It confused me for a moment, and I almost sighed in relief, but I didn't have time to. I was then ripped from the energy world, and I was greeted with a painful smack of pain...Again.

"What happened?" He growled. I wasn't sure who it was at first, he was blurry because I was ripped away from my dragon so quick but then I remembered, and repressed a shiver.

I'm in camp, with Sethon. Who wants to kill me. Lovely.

"What. Happened?" He repeated, obviously fed up with me. I tilted my head, he couldn't of known what was happening with the dragons? Could he? But then my panic subsided a little bit when I looked around camp. He was referring to the camp site. All the tents were strewn around in disarray, anything that had survived Sethon's men were now thoroughly destroyed. Sethon's men, no matter how tough or built they were, were now all laying on the ground either passed out or I'm guessing dead. There were piles and piles of branches, leaves, dirt, just everywhere. As if there had been a battle. If only he knew.

"Answer me!" Sethon screeched, and as if I hadn't been slapped enough today, slapped me again. That's when I realized he's reached the end of his patience. Well I couldn't really blame him. If my men had been killed by a "little" girl, my conquered camp destroyed, some war that I couldn't see was going on, and the person I want dead is still alive? Yeah, I'd be a little mad too. I slowly turned to look at him, and met his glittery black eyes. I opened my mouth, as if to answer, which I might have. If only I knew what had happened. It's true I wasn't sure what had happened, how could I tell him if even I didn't know? So this time, I kept quiet, but not because I was trying to be defiant, but because I was clearly at a loss for words.

Sethon seeing my silence as being defiant, glared at me, then marched over to Kyra. I tried not to squeak, or cry at the sight of her, when he dragged her closer to me. I tried not to stare for her sake, but I just couldn't look away. Her nose was bleeding, and looked crooked; probably broken. Her arm was also bent in a very unnatural way. Her red hair was plastered to her scalp with sweat, and the flame in her eyes, usually like her hair, was put out completely. Sethon wasted no time, he unsheathed his sword very slowly, most likely to instill fear upon me, though, then for his enjoyment.

"Now," He said very professionally, as he drug his blade over her throat. He grinned, "I'm going to give you ten seconds to speak, or she dies."

I tired not to panic, well I tried to not make it look like I was panicking. Then he started to count, "One." My eyes searched for an answer, I couldn't let her die, but I couldn't let him win either.

"Two." He said dragging out the 'o'. I almost blurted out everything, until my eyes caught a gleam in the moonlight. I quickly looked away for fear of Sethon noticing it. Sethon, without knowing it, threw me near my sword when he slapped me. "Six." Six? Was he skipping numbers? My eyes flashed to Kyra's and the look in her eyes told me he was skipping numbers. Who does that anymore? Toddlers? I shook my head, I could dwell on his IQ later. I looked back to Kyra who was crying now, but she was shaking her head. She was telling me not to give in, to save myself.

Well I guess I'll have to wonder about her IQ later if she thinks I"m going to run and leave her here to die. .

"Seven." I looked at Sethon, then my sword, then Kyra again."Eight." I took a deep breath, I had to sound like a girl when I talked. Sound like Eona, not Eon. You don't have to hide your real self from him any longer, just speak Eona. Speak. I sat there trying to give myself a pep talk , but it wasn't working very well.

"Nine, t-" He started to raise his sword.

Then I heard, "Eona!" It was barley above a whisper, but it was urgent enough and it sounded louder than anything to me at that moment.

"Stop!" I screeched out. He stopped mid strike and smiled sweetly at me, then lowered his sword.

"So you do talk?"

I ignored that comment, "Step away from Kyra, drop your sword, and I'll tell you what you want to know." I bargained, it was all I had at this point. But I was slightly surprised at the tone to my voice, it had a ring of authority in it and I was secretly proud of that. Even though considering the circumstances, I'll probably feel guilty later. But then my eyes widened, and I restrained a another slap to me cheek, there was no way he was going to fall for that it was way to blunt and obvious that I wanted him away from his sword.

"Oh?" He raised his eyebrows in amusement and laughed a short laugh, "You don't want me to hurt your friend—well anymore I should say." He mindlessly inquired as he examined the length of his sword twisting it so it gleamed in the moonlight. Then suddenly he looked at me and announced to me, more than told me,

"I'll sheath my sword, but I won't drop it." I just nodded as he did so, then once it was securely in his belt he slowly walked towards me.

I watched his feet, trying to not make it obvious I was waiting for him to falter. Him faltering, even if for a moment, was all the opening I needed to attack him. Because if he was on full alert then I would stand a chance, I knew. Then I looked at the moon, trying to make it nonchalant. But inside I was secretly hoping he wouldn't notice the sword under all the debris, that was in his path. It wasn't my sword though I gathered, in the short time I looked at it, but it might have been the Ryko imposter's sword. After all, this was quite near where I killed him. I felt a little guilt at that, but it was either him or me, and to many people needed me. Whether I liked it or not. But I also, felt a little helpless, just sitting here. It frustrated me, that all I could so was just sit here, like a helpless kitten. It frustrated me that I couldn't help Kyra, even though it wasn't in my best interest—still isn't if I want to live. But I'm not Ido, I'm not that person. I had to do something, but all I could do right now was hope. Hope and pray that Sethon didn't see that sword. It was the only thing that would make him falter enough-distract him enough. I hoped and prayed that I and Kyra got out alive. Hoped and prayed everyone who needs me is okay.

Then when I looked back at Sethon he was only a quarter of the way over. My brows furrowed, he should be over here already, or at least to the sword. Why is it taking him so long? Then I realized he looked like he was stalking towards me. But he couldn't be, could he? The I watched his feet once again and I realized he was doing it on purpose. His feet were carefully placed and poised to fight? Then his eyes flickered to my left and my heart almost stopped.

He sees the sword, he sees the sword.

He suspects what I'm trying to do, he wasn't stalking me, he was being careful. The hope that bloomed in my chest before deflated as if it was never even there.

I was going to die, I thought, I'm going to fail everyone.

But he was so distracted with my sword that he didn't see the one sword I truly didn't want him to see. I heard a loud grunt, and I almost didn't grab my sword.

Almost.

But I was up in flash, when I realized this was my last chance. I had both swords in hand, as I readied myself. I was tired beyond belief, I was surprised I was still upright actually. But the thought of Kyra getting hurt, the thought of all the dead Dragoneyes, and then I thought of Brannon... No matter how angry I was at him for crippling me the way he did, he did it because it was in my best interest at the time. No matter how furious I was with this fact his death still upset me, he was the only family I had since that Salt mine, so I lunged. I didn't care about stealth or strategy at that moment. But as I lunged I realized, this lunge was a stupid move on my part, because it easily became off balance and I faltered as I struck his sword. I wasn't surprised that he was prepared, I suspected as much. I saw a gleam of something flicker in his eyes—amusement, or sorrow? But I didn't have time to dwell on it, because he grunted loudly, putting force into his block and I fell backward. Faster than I could get up, he was on his feet with his sword poised to strike. Tears came to my eyes as I realized I couldn't do anything to counter him, but I refused to cry.

Dragon whips tail.

I remembered Kinra's tips, and I could actually perform this one because I was no longer crippled. I reached out and grabbed my dropped swords and blocked from Sethon. He saw this and laughed, he laughed in my face.

"Did you really think you could really beat me? Do you still think that you can beat me?" He laughed again, "Well you can't." That's when he brought down his sword, it hit my swords with a clang of metal and as he fought my block, I fought his strike. I kicked his knee to distract him, and he hissed but it worked long enough for me to get into the proper position and I swung my legs around as hard as I could manage and knocked him flat on his back. He dropped his sword and I could see I knocked the wind out of him. This was my chance to kill him.

Kill him. I thought about it for a second then shook my head.

No.

I realized that if I killed him our problems would be downsized by a whole lot. But for some odd reason, I couldn't bring myself to do it. I made the mistake of looking into his eyes. And in this state he looked so innocent. I shook my head but he wasn't innocent, he killed Lady Julia. So the why couldn't I still bring myself to do it, not even Kinra's fury would help me. The as I thought of Kinra this thought occurred to me,

Leave him. Leave him be.

I nodded to that, I would leave him but –not without crippling him first. After all I couldn't have him chasing after me and killing me. So I settled for stabbing his one leg and he screeched in pain. I then used the hilt of my sword to strike him on the head, just enough to knock him out. This, I knew, would give us enough time to get away. I pulled my sword from his leg, and tried not to wince as I did so, then slid it into my belt. I heard some moans from behind me and I spun around. The knocked out soldiers were waking up. I raced to Kyra and helped her up. She told me to leave her multiple times as I struggled over her weight, but I shook my head.

"I won't leave you." I told her multiple times. Then, I looked frantically for a horse.

"Over-" She coughed, "There." Her voice was weak and quiet but I heard her, and I looked to where she was limply pointing to. Right in front of us was a horse right there as if waiting for us. At this point I didn't care if it was a trick, it was a horse, so I ran to it. Well I tried to, and once we got there I helped Kyra on. She almost didn't' make an effort to get on, but seeing I wasn't going to leave her she tried to use what little strength she had left to help me get her on the horse. It worked, and I was grateful for that, I didn't want to be forced to leave her. But I myself, hesitated before getting on, I had to get on.

But you've never controlled a horse on your own.

I heard more groans, and I glanced behind me. The soldiers were stirring, I shrugged I literally had no choice. I got on with much effort seeing as I was as tired as I was. Once I was on, Kyra gripped my waist with a death grip. I grabbed the reins, and kicked the horse to go. The mare kicked into action with a jerk of movement but soon was galloping away. My hair was twisting and turning in the wind and it felt kind of nice. Then I scolded myself, Kyra is badly hurt and you almost died, and you're happy? The horse suddenly veered left, as we were riding. That's when I noticed I had no idea where to go, I had no idea where everyone else was at all. But at this point I didn't care where we went, as long as I was away from him. Then I also realized I wasn't steering the horse, yet she knew where she was going. My brows furrowed, and I looked to see if it was one of Sethon's horses, I saw a crest but it wasn't Sethon's. I almost laughed in relief, this was Ryko's horse. The black mare kept going turning, where she wanted. This mare could just be running and not going anywhere in particular, but I was willing to take that chance. She kept going until we reached a stretch a woods that she didn't even hesitate going into.

We ran for a few more minutes, maybe longer I wasn't really counting. Then we came to a road, it literally looked deserted. The mare slowed down to a walk on this road, and my hand automatically went to the hilt of my sword, out of instinct most likely. Kyra hasn't said much since we started riding, so I turned to see if she was okay. She seemed it, her eyes were closed but I could hear her slow but steady breathing. I sighed, at least she was relaxed. We went on like this for another hour or two, I was starting to think I chose wrong in letting the mare lead us. I looked up to the sky. The sun was being to rise, I could see the orange light of dawn already. I looked at all the trees and shrubs around me, and almost fainted in relief when I caught sight of Lady Dela running towards me.

She was okay, so that means everyone else is to?

Okay so I hope you liked it (: Review pwease, I would say at least one review for the next chapter but I won't because I know how annoying it is, especially when you review and they ask for a certain amount and other people don't review, hehe. So review if you want, (it would be very much appreciated ;) and well- I guess that's it. (:

P.S. I wonder if anyone actually reads these bottom author's notes.. Hmm, I have a favor even if you review just to tell me you read these notes, I don't care. I would love to know how many people actually read them, and if no one responds, well I have my answer...-.- lol (: