Disclaimer: I do not own Drakengard, or the franchise though I wish to my bones I did!

This story was inspired by UnmercyfulDeath's "Not A Part of The Plan" and "Life Is Too Much Of A Miracle" sorry if it seems to be a cheap copy!

Chapter 5: The Art Of Blood

Half way through the beating Opal lost all sense of pain and disorientation. Her senses were clearer then they had ever been. She felt unnatural bloodlust rise and take reign over her mind. They paused to catch their breath and to hear her weep. But what they got instead was her licking her lips. "What was so tasty about that?" Tinver's friends burst into laughter. None of them were expecting a thing, witch made it all the more fun.

Her head raised, and eyes of a demon stared at them. Tinver and his closest crony flinched and backed off her immediate range. The rest stared at her uncertainly. What could she do when nailed to a building and her only useful arm was disabled? A demonic laugh escaped her. Fools, all of them! They didn't understand what she was capable of. Opal stood strait… then stepped forward and tore free of the bolts as if not noticing them. They all jumped back faces molded into disbelief. "No human can do that!" She wasn't sure who said that, but then her cut arm lashed out and a gurgling sound reached her ears. Elation filled her, a beautiful sound!

The rest started backing off slowly, their friend writhing on the ground trying to hold the gaping wound close and stop the massive bleeding. Opal watched it with mild interest, elating in the fool's dieing screams. When he stopped moving the rest stood before her, stunned into silence. The one in the back looked tasty… she'd save him for last… stepping up to the next closest she bit into his neck and tore his jugular out. Spitting out the bloodied flesh she watched he tried to scream, and make some sound but a choking one that sent a few into flight down the alley. The hybrid frowned. Food wasn't supposed to run… or was it? She couldn't remember but decided that it shouldn't run. She pulled to of the shafts out of the wall behind her and flung them at the fleeing figures. They both fell to the ground with bolts poking out from the back of their heads. The rest seemed to get the message: no running away. So one by one they hesitantly drew weapons. This was going to be much fun! Opal stepped forward and two rushed her, blades raised. She swung her arm and shattered both blades, then impaling one she bit the other in the throat and twisted her neck 'till a satisfying crunch sounded and the body slumped in her embrace. Four remained. Three charged her but met similar fates of the first few. Tinver was the last to stand before her. Smiling she advanced.

Caim grimaced. It had been years since he had flown with Angelus: whom had changed back into her true form with more then a little difficulty for being in a human form for so long. He could almost drown in her worry for their child. He did not have the mental link with Opal that his mate did. Yet from what he had heard so far his daughter had bit off far more then she could chew. His maimed eye was cold against the wind along with his fresh (some how kept that way) clothes and recovered sword sheath. His sword was a comfortable weight on his back. One Caim had wished he would never feel again, bloodlust could overcome him at any moment and he might kill his daughter. More then once had he killed his own men in a fight, and he never wanted to become a battlefield monster again. Angelus had been more then willing to help him change that fact about him. Years of counseling and meditation aided him much. Now it was that same monster he had tried to expel that was the only real hope their daughter had of being saved. Would he ever be able to recover from this? Would he even want to? He clung to the sword on his back more then he did to Angelus. That very thought horrified him. Yet at the same time he found it… comforting. He shuddered not for the first time during the flight.

"You ok?"

Depends on what you mean…

"You keep shuddering. It can't be that cold."

I'm just thinking about what will happen after this is all done.

"You mean about the sword?"

Yeah.

"I don't know if I'll ever be able to return to human form now."

So… this is what we are to become?

"What do you mean Caim?"

Are we meant only to kill?

"I do not know any more."

Our love for each other was sparked by death… and now to save our child we have to kill. Is this all we were meant for in this world?

"I believe not."

Then I think you might have to hold that belief for us both.

He watched as the town Angelus had named, "The Front" came into view. Half was peaceful; the other was a raging battle. Suddenly the dragon recoiled, what is it?

"That! No! Let it not be that!"

What is it? Angelus! Tell me!

"She had bloodlust!"

That simple statement shook Caim to his core. No… it couldn't be… how? Damn Vita! He would have her strung up if he had a say in the matter!

Angelus! Let us hurry! If her bloodlust is anything like mine she will not be able to fully distinguish between friend and foe!

"I already know what her bloodlust is like." It came out in a whimper. A sound that was sickening to Caim hearing it come from Angelus. What had he really missed in the fifteen years of self-imprisonment? "It is like and unlike yours. She can distinguish clearly between friend and foe. She is almost clairvoyant… but she toys with her victims. Yes she kills them but slowly… oh dear Vita no! Don't do this to me! To US!" Caim was shaken. Something he rarely was. His human bloodlust mixed with a dragon's certainty and sense of superiority.

We can no longer linger. We must stop her before it gains a foothold in her mind! Prey to what ever gods that watch over us that we are not already too late.

"I believe you are the only one that can stop her." It came out weakly. Caim knew what she meant. Only his bloodlust could match her blow for blow. He felt Angelus's slight shift in direction, they sped up as the town came closer and closer. It was like the old days… but now he had a reason to wield the blade he now had in his hand. The dragon gave a roar that shook building and shattered windows. Their presence was now known. Yet they had not been seen on a battlefield for decades all who had survived the war between the Empire and Union knew what that roar herald. He saw soldiers from both sides look up into a crimson sky: Ogrey's troops started running.

Opal savored Tinver's blood and flesh. So she ate him slowly. Stepping out of the alley she was licking her fingers, front covered in blood and watched as soldiers fought. Frowning she walked down the street. Men who attacked her fell to the ground in pieces, and allies who tried to convince her to run were ignored. She was looking for fools who had insulted her. They had all been Tinver's friends and she knew they all were traitors. The weakling had spouted it all out just before her teeth had sunk into his neck. Foerd's entire house was a traitor. And were working right under his unsuspecting nose the entire time. The noble him self was loyal, but everyone else were going to end up like Tinver. Opal knew a few might taste bad so she rescinded that thought. They would at least all be dead. The hybrid smiled at the thought. See her mother call her useless then! The thought of actually harming her own birth mother had never entered her thoughts; she would never lay a hand on her to harm Angelus.

Then the echoing roar filled the town. Glass all around her shattered and Opal fell to her knees. Pain and rage had filled it; everyone in the town was probably going to be dead by the end of the day by a dragon that pissed off. Looking up Opal could see with deft clarity that all of the traitors were turning tail and starting to run… strait towards her. She smiled and waded into the cowards. She was drenched in blood by the time the pack was cleared up. A shadow drowned out the light from above, and the hybrid looked up in time to see a titanic red shape flash past. The dragon… Opal turned around when a thump sounded behind her. A warrior had landed in a slight crouching position. Opal frowned… she had never seen him; his armor and weapon were unlike any she had ever seen either. The blade was bloodstained, and when the raven-haired man stood and turned to face her, his sapphire eyes were dead. Eyes of one who had slaughtered countless people, Opal was filled with bewilderment. She was obviously his target but did he honestly think he was a match for her? The warrior readied his blade, and the dragon from before landed behind him. It somehow felt familiar… "Opal!" the mental burst was almost deafening, "You can return to your home one of two ways. The easy. Or the hard." She frowned. Some was defiantly familiar with the voice. Soldiers started gathering around, many stared in disbelief at the warrior. The rest fell to their knees. The captain in charge of local defense ran up to the dragon, "Lady Angelus! I am sorry but we tried to hold them the best we could." The dragon motioned him to back off. Opal was backing off slowly. Her mother was in her dragon form? Then who was this man, and why was he with her mother? She gritted her teeth.

"You!" She pointed an accusatory finger at the dragon, her bloodlust dragging her sentiments out into the open, "You always held me back! I was never allowed into the open! You never let me out of your sight for more then eight minutes! You never even told me what was behind that Vita-forsaken door!" All the soldiers recoiled. None knew about it… but the dragon seemed to heave a sigh.

"I never told you because your father wanted me to keep it a secret. He wanted me to try my hardest to keep you safe from what was behind it! But now I am forced to open it to save you from your self! Bloodlust has token a hold of your mind!" Now the soldiers were backing away from Opal. The door was meant to keep her safe? From what, she said she was forced to open it but what had she released? Her father had wanted what was behind it kept a secret. And where was he to dictate this? He had vanished the day of her birth or so everyone expected. Her mother never commented about it. The dragon looked to the warrior, "Caim… go easy on her." The warrior nodded sadly before stepping forward.

Opal felt the sudden power radiating from him. She could sense he had skill enough with the blade in his hand to match nearly any man or beast easily. Her bloodlust flared, she would not fall to some simple human! Her feet left the ground as she surged forward on a sudden air current, sweeping her arm around to bring claws to bare and shred the pitiful weapon then run him through like she did so many others. He swung the blade and blue sparks filled the air between them. Opal could only stare as her claws were stopped cold against the gleaming steel. This was no ordinary sword…

Caim had barely budged from the impact. He knew his strength would not last long from fifteen years of malnutrition. Constant exercise in the small ribbed cubicle had kept him fit and helped pass time. It would also help him here to defeat his wayward child. He knew the only real way to win would to let his blood thirst to take over. Yet he was strangely reluctant. How could Caim trust him self to pull out of the state in time to stop himself from killing him?

"Do it. I'll stop you." The message from his mate calmed him. They had discovered that she could suppress it long enough for him to regain control. The private message made him smile, then nod. Opal frowned as Caim searched within him for the small bubble he had locked his thirst away in. Finding it he hesitated only for an instant before popping it: he felt it flood him. Strength unlike any other filled him and gave him strength. Then a machine took reign as the real fight started.

Angelus could only watch. It was beyond agonizing. Caim had locked himself away to avoid having to do this, but now it was the only hope their child had. None else on the planet could stop their child in a blood-crazed state. A perfected form of Caim's state it made her neigh indestructible and unbeatable. They seemed to dance around each other. Caim's blade flashed like lightning, and stuck against claws like thunder. Opal's arm flickered like a mirage, one moment there then one moment not. Ruined body keeping up with Caim step for step. In a sickening way it was beautiful. Angelus wanted to wretch. Blue sparks filled the air as draconian claws met magical blade, neither giving nor gaining ground.

Then suddenly Opal brought her wings into play. Ruined and unable to fly in their condition their claws proved to be more then useful to the blood-crazed fighter. Caim was suddenly strained. The dragon knew if she tried to intervene now either he or she would be slain… witch would mean the other would be also. She let out a mournful bellow, startling Opal leaving her open.

She could only stare. Pain was nothing new to her. She had been in far more pain then even most dragons had been in. Yet the pain of having a sword sticking out of you was… odd. Opal couldn't really place it. It felt like he had somehow missed all her organs, a feat that was nearly impossible in the midst of a fight. Yet from the look on his face he thought he had dealt a deathblow he did not wish to make. His face was lined in horror. His hands dropped from the handle and he fell to his knees staring at the wound. Angelus gave a pitiful wail. As darkness crept into her vision she heard some one else say in a weak voice, a numb one that was devoid of all emotion. "He missed…" and knew it was she who said it.

Caim felt like he couldn't breath. What did she mean he missed? His daughter stood there as if to strike but head limp. Blood dripped from the wound in her chest. The one his sword was sticking out of. A soldier rushed forward to her and felt for a heart beat.

"She's alive! Get a healer! Now!" The words shocked Caim out of his death trance. His daughter was alive? Healers rushed forward toe check on her. One removed the blade and handed it to Caim, "Milord?" He nodded absently, taking the sword from the medic and stared at it. He had saved some one with this blade instead of killing some one with it? Perhaps he truly was changing.

W000000000000000000T!!!! Longest chapter yet! I think… At least I know you guys didn't see that coming. I know Caim and Angie are probably OC but still, you got to admit it made the thing dramatic. And to those who don't notice what I put in: Opal was run through the chest. Then with infinite impossibility missed her ribs, lungs, and heart. How we will never know, but I'm praising Vita right now xD