Whew! Long chapter, but I hope you like it so far :)
The forest was deep and very old. Many trees grew healthy and strong, but they all carried the same mossy dullness, the same worn appearance that made them look a thousand years old. Axel grumbled slightly as he trekked through the dense forest, trying to keep up with Leon. The man didn't seem fazed by the natural obstacles, and merely kept going at his fast pace.
"Geez, Leon! Would you slow down a little?" the redhead snapped irritably, pulling the pack of food up a bit on his shoulder and pulling his foot out of a thick base of mud. Axel grimaced at that, slowly pulling his feet up and out to walk forward. "How do you even know where we're going in this place?"
"We just have to keep heading southeast, Axel." the man said casually, breaking off a few branches of trees he passed by and holding them under his arm. "But, to answer your question, Axel, Cloud and Saix are following overhead. They'll let us know if we're going in the wrong direction."
Axel sighed lightly in annoyance, pulling harder at his legs. He began sprinting awkwardly until he'd reached more solid ground, flopping down on the grass even as his master kept walking.
"Can we...take a...break?" he panted. "How long...have we been walking...anyways?"
Leon sighed and turned back to him, a look of slight impatience on his face.
"Axel, it's only been a few hours. At this rate, it'll take us two days to reach Zhari!"
"Is it really that far?" Axel whined. "Wouldn't it be easier to go north? And why can't we just ride there?"
The old brunette sighed again, dropping the twigs he was carrying and sitting down beside his lazy student. "If we headed north, in the direction of Lake Lyli, it would take us several more days to finally get out of this forest. We'd also be a little closer to Arentail than I'd like. Zhari, the closest village to the southeast, is further from the capitol, and still partially closed off by the forest. We should keep our dragons covered for as long as we can; we don't want to frighten people or give them the wrong idea..."
Axel looked thoughtful at that, but he still groaned.
It was then that they both felt a small, pleasant breeze, gently shaking the leaves and flowers in the wind as it passed through. An instant later, several small, glowing balls float up from the grass, practically dancing around in the air like fireflies on a hot, summer night. Leon smiled and held out his palm, watching one of the little bulbs of light land on it softly, light as a feather. He laughed as the tiny being smiled.
"It seems we ended up in a nest of faeries. I've never seen ones so docile like this..."
"That's because they're not!" Axel grumbled, swatting his hands as the bulbs tugged his hair and clothes. One small, blue faery dove into his bag and came out hoarding a small bundle of fruit and crackers, almost flying away with them before Axel caught the little imp in his cupped hands.
"Gotcha! ...Hey- Ow!" He pulled back his hand quickly and examined it, while the faery laughed and fluttered away, disappearing in a nearby knothole. The other little bulbs of light seemed to disperse as well, going back about their business in the grass and trees. Leon watched them go as he laughed, listening to the redhead whine like a baby.
"Hey! It's not funny! The stupid thing bit me!"
"Sure it is. Axel, the self-proclaimed ultimate dragon rider, is afraid of a few wood faeries. That's quite the weakness..." The brunette snorted, barely covering another laugh. Wood faeries were relatively harmless creatures, though they had been known to pick on lost and weary travelers for the fun of it. Faeries in general were a little mischievous by nature, but they could swarm like a horde of bees and claw and bite attackers, leaving many bloody little souvenirs that took a long time to heal...
"Im not afraid!" Axel spat back. "Their bites sting! Like a weasel's or a ferrets almost!... And being such a great dragon rider, like you said, shouldn't we ride at least part of the way to Zhari?"
"No! If you want to be a true dragon knight, you have to train the body as well as the mind!" Leon said knowingly, propping his back up against a tree and pulling a paopu fruit from his pocket. "A little exercise is good for you, being so skinny and all, you could do to build up some muscles..."
"Oh, please. I so do have muscles!" He pulled back the sleeve of his tunic and flexed it, grinning widely. "See?"
The two dragons, who'd been hovering above, landed a few feet away in a gust of wind. Leaves and trees rustled a bit before settling down again, and Axel grinned as his partner sat down next to him, propping his head up against the scales.
"Well, I guess I've been overruled, haven't I?" Leon smiled a little as he stood, walking around to several trees and snapping the weaker branches off. Axel watched him curiously for a few minutes, listening the Cloud and Saix argue about who would go out hunting that evening.
"What's with all that stuff, Leon?"
The brunet raised an eyebrow incredulously, as he snapped another large twig in half.
"What's it look like? Something tells me it'll be cold tonight..."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
In no time at all, dusk fell over the woods, and all the life that buzzed within began to settle down for the night. It was cold, just as Leon predicted, and he piled the wood high in the center of the clearing before Cloud set it alight.
The small group huddled around the crackling flames, as Axel turned the rabbit Saix had caught on a small spit above the fire. He smiled watching the embers dance and swirl, as the smell of roasting meat floated up in black smoke into the air...
Soon, everyone had eaten, and the dragons settled themselves down to sleep nearby, allow for plenty of space to stretch out. But the two humans were wide awake, and the younger of the two was especially curious, as he stared up at the tree tops and the stars that scattered across the sky.
"Hey, Leon? You came through this forest before...What sort of dangerous things live here?"
The brunette smiled, turning his tired blue eyes to watch the dying fire.
"These woods are filled with many strange plants and animals; some harmful, some benign. But just about anything can be dangerous when provoked, as you saw with the wood faeries..." Axel snorted indignantly, muttering as Leon continued.
"Appearances can be deceiving, Axel. Always remember that. The smallest, cutest looking ones can also be the nastiest, meanest fighters when it comes to defending themselves...And it can also work vice versa for things that we don't understand that terrify us. The key to a healthy balance is knowledge, and putting it to good use."
The redhead nodded, then watched curiously as Leon picked up a small, vibrant red flower in his gloved hand. Just as he reached to touch the center, the flower petals snapped up and engulfed his finger, making a strange sucking noise as it did so. Leon didn't panic, didn't even flinch...he just spit on the head of the flower and the bud snapped open again, releasing his finger.
Axel gaped, alarmed, to see that the finger was now black and charred-looking.
"This pretty little flower is known as Firaga's Teeth, named of course for the great dragon clan. As you saw, it acts like a fly trap, sinking its barbs into the flesh to hold it in place, and then excretes a strong-smelling, acidic liquid into the bud, burning its prey as dragon fire would." Casually, he pulled the glove from his hand, revealing the still pink, healthy finger beneath. "If it weren't for these thick, raw-hide gloves, I probably would have lost that finger..."
The redhead was still staring at the blackened glove, scooting further away from another flower he was sitting a little too close to. Leon chuckled, reaching out to the little blue flower and holding its bud gently in its palm for his student to see.
"This one won't hurt you, Axel. It's actually a very simple, yet rare flower called Skybright. It only really grows in the darker parts of the forest, but this one is an exception..."
Axel came slowly closer, hesitant to trust his master's words. The hermit had a strange, almost warped sense of humor at times, and getting his student sick, burned, battered, or cursed was not out of his list of possible tricks. After a few minutes of gentle prodding and starring, Axel leaned back, satisfied that it wasn't going to change colors or spontaneously combust on him.
"So...what does it do anyway?"
The brunette smiled, tracing his finger along one of the soft petals. "Nothing, on its own. It is beautiful though, isn't it?"
"I guess," Axel sighed, stretching a little to get the soreness out of his muscles. They really had been walking quite a while. "Kinda boring though. It's a let down after that other one you found..."
"Don't be so quick to judge, oh great, wise dragon knight," his master chided, looking faintly amused by his dismissal. "Skybright does not burn or break flesh, or attack much at all. This makes it quite vulnerable to the other inhabitants of the forest, and thus few are left alone. They are rare because the animals and even some other plants consider them a delicacy."
"But Skybright is not just some weed to be easily trod on or ignored. It has very strong healing properties..."
Leon plucked one petal from the flower before slowly wringing it over his discarded glove. After a moment, a few small, clear dew drops of liquid dripped from the petal and landed on the deep brown hide. Axel blinked and grinned slightly in awe as the black began to wash away, removing the char as the drops rolled down.
"The petals are good for rashes and burns of varying degrees, but the leaves are really the miracle workers. They are often crushed and mixed to make healing salves and potions; some of the strongest out there, to those who know their craft..."
"Then we should sell it, or take it with us on our journey!" The young redhead reached out to pluck the flower from the grass, but Leon caught his hand, shaking his head sternly.
"Why not? Aren't you the one always saying, 'Let's be prepared for the worst of all possible outcomes'?"
The brunette smiled, silently relieved that the boy had listened to at least one of his lectures.
"You have a point, but the life of this particular breed is very brief, even as flowers go. If we took it with us, it would only wilt faster, and once they've wilted and rotted, both the petals and leaves become utterly useless. We would have to crush them and keep them contained in order to preserve them, and we don't have the right tools to do that now."
Axel sighed at that, this time reaching out to stroke one of the soft petals himself. He was surprised by how thin and light it felt, rolled between his rough fingers.
"Try one of the petals and tell me how it tastes..."
When the redhead shot him an incredulous look, Leon chuckled. "It's quite safe, I assure you. The entire plant is edible..."
Axel stared at the petal for a minute before hesitantly slipping it into his mouth. He instantly tasted something sweet, like a sugary pastry fresh with honeyed glaze, and hummed contently, savoring it.
Then, not one second later, the petal dissolved on his tongue and the tasted vanished. Axel shot Leon a look, praying this hadn't all been a trick just to watch him squirm and be miserable. But the man just smiled without a hint of malice.
"It's sweet, isn't it? It isn't very substantial when you're surviving on it alone, but it rejuvenates the body by supplying a burst of sugar and energy to fuel you until you can find something better. But be careful; it can make you sick if you eat too much too soon, with nothing else in your system..."
A burst of sugar and energy, huh?...Note to self: Not a good souvenir for Kairi...
"So we've seen a few plants. What kind of animals live in here?"
Leon rested his chin on his hand, looking thoughtfully at the fire again. It had almost burned down to nothing, and he grabbed a stick and prodded the dying embers slightly.
"There are the usual animals like birds, rabbits, squirrels...The occasional wolf or two will climbed down from the Stone Den Mountains and end up here...Other than that, there are beings of magic. You found out yourself, years ago, that dragons may sometimes appear here, but there are also the faeries, the nymphs, and others of the smaller folk. Nothing too dangerous comes out in the open, unless there's prey involved. But we have two dragons on our side, as well as weapons the creatures here are not familiar with, so we should be fine..."
"Oh..." Axel replied, staring off into space a little now, but still listening. "Where do fairies and things like that come from?"
"Magic draws its power from the earth and all living creatures...but how certain beings became more in tune with it than others, or could even control it, is beyond my knowledge. Very few still know exactly how magic is used to create, but there are many who know its capabilities for destruction..."
Axel nodded, a frustrated scowl working its way across his features. The merchants who occasionally stopped to sell their wares in Nalgo would sometimes stop at the local tavern and tell tales, sharing rumors and news of other villages and cities that called the island kingdom home. Growing up, Axel had heard many stories of the queen and her magical powers, of how she had burned entire villages to the ground and punished the people harshly without just cause.
No one was entirely sure how she gotten a hold of such powers in the first place, but they raved that she was a cruel woman who did as she pleased and killed with no remorse, using the once great dragon knights as a gang to terrorize and subdue her people...
Axel growled, getting angrier just thinking about it. He had never seen the damage done to the other villages, but just hearing about it made his blood boil. The good name of the dragon knights was being dragged through the mud, and people were losing faith that there was anyone who could stand up for them anymore.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
After another day of traveling brought them to the edge of the forest, and Axel thanked every merciful god he could think of that they would finally have beds to sleep in that night. The young redhead scratched the hair around his goggles, sure that he had ticks and bugs crawling in there from the nights sleeping on the cold ground. His hair must have looked pretty warm and inviting...
"Cloud, you and Saix stay in the forest until we summon you. There's no way we can bring the two of you into town without causing a panic, and the thick trees would do the best job of hiding you from spies."
The golden dragon grinned widely, his massive sharp teeth glistening.
"You got it, Leon! And don't worry, Axel! I'll keep this punk in line til you get back!"
The blue dragon snorted indignantly, and Axel didn't bother to hide his amused smirk. Saix was the type that did what you told him, but he'd curse behind your back like a drunken sailor. He bottled stuff up a lot, letting it simmer and flare...and he didn't doubt the dragon was pissed at him for leaving him at the mercy of Cloud.
With that, the two dragons disappeared into the forest, and Leon and Axel took what light things they could carry on their backs, and made their way across the grassy hills to the village.
"Finally! We can stay at an inn, get a decent meal, have a-"
"Axel..."
The redhead glanced at his master, puzzled, as they began walking up a surprisingly tall hill before them. He scratched his itchy scalp again, frowning.
"What's you're deal, Leon? We're almost there! Aren't you happy not to be sleeping on the cold dirt anymore?"
The brunette's blue eyes narrowed slightly, darting various ways as they neared the peak of the hill. The younger boy could instantly tell he was bothered by something...
"Something seems off here. The field is not thriving like it was the last time I came through here, and I feel a tenseness in the air..."
But just as they came over the hill, both of their eyes widened.
What stood before them was a barren town of filthy streets and dusty, worn-looking buildings, surrounded by a large wall that looked new and surprisingly well-kept by comparison. It looked like it had been nice and prosperous...once...
Having a full view from their angle, Leon watched the crowds of people wandering through the main square and streets, some being directed by men in armor. It glinted brightly in the early morning sun...
"The queen's knights," Leon said simply, though his calm tone belied the bitter, harsh note beneath. Axel looked back at him, determined.
"They overran this place, didn't they?" The following silence confirmed his question. "Let's call Saix and Cloud and fight them off! Come on! We can take these cowards!"
But the brunette shook his head. "No. If we fight them here, it'll draw too much attention. News will reach the queen of other dragon riders, and she won't hesitate to hunt us down and bind us in her service."
Axel growled, preparing to argue, but he was cut off as Leon continued.
"Fighting here could cause trouble for the people as well, and it looks to me like they have it hard enough as it is." Zhari was a free place for people to come and go, or live if they chose... or at least it had been. If the village was now being occupied by soldiers and knights from the capitol, Leon had to assume that they were either using the village for supplies or free labor. Or perhaps they were looking for something...
"Fine." Axel grumbled, slinging his pack higher on his shoulder as he began descending the hill towards the gate. Leon sighed and followed him quietly, observing carefully as they approached. Even in his silence, the redhead's temper was flaring, his master knew. At that moment, the boy was anything but fine.
Before they reached the gate, Axel stopped and turned to his master, completely serious.
"Should we really be going down there if it's so dangerous?"
The brunette sighed again, rubbing his forehead in mild irritation. "Whatever will happen at this point, will happen..." In truth, their supplies were running on empty, and even with the hermit's amazing hunting and tracking skills, the forest didn't have everything that they needed to survive.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Entering the village was relatively easy. Leon lied to the guards, telling them that they were forced to abandon their home when it was consumed by a great fire, burning up until there was nothing left. They had salvaged what little money and possessions they could, but had decided to come to Zhari to work for a while, until they could earn enough money to go out and find a place of their own someday.
Axel was convinced that the only reason they got in was so there would be more free labour the soldiers could take advantaged of, but he could've cared less about that. He was still fuming that these once great men of honor were now pillaging the village like common thieves.
"Hey! What did I say about fighting in line?" One man in armor shouted at a crowd in one of the alleys. "By order of the Queen, you are to cooperate with our soldiers in our investigation! If I see any of you trying to start a riot, I can call my dragon and have you all burned to a crisp!"
"Investigation?..." The redhead wondered what they were looking for. As he followed Leon down the dusty street, Axel focused on just getting into a warm bed as soon as they found a place to drop their stuff. He let that pleasant thought slip in, trying to ignore his frustration as he watched people being pushed around and bullied everywhere. All by the once proud dragon knights...
Soon enough, Leon found a cheap inn that was willing to take them. The worn-looking owner smiled, getting up slowly from his chair and showing them the various rooms to choose from.
Finally, to Axel's relief, Leon decided on a room in the back of the building. The owner said it was the best he could offer them, and his student was more than ready to just chill for a while.
The room was small and a little dirty, with a tiny fireplace for cold nights, a large, single bed, a table and several old, termite-chewed wooden chairs, and a small extra room with a tub for bathing. There was also one window with old, tattered drapes, looking out at the street and a few more houses.
"Nice view we got..." Axel added curtly, flopping down on the bed and wincing slightly. It was stiff like a board.
"It'll have to do for now. " Leon replied, handing the man the money so that he could be on his way and let them get settled. Once he was gone, Axel cursed and rubbed his sore back, while his master laughed and sat down at the table.
"You're quite the primadonna, Axel..."
The redhead growled and snapped back.
"Shut up, Leon! I'm pissed enough as it is without you making it worse!...Now, bed..."
The brunette sighed and set his pack down on the floor. He watched as Axel turned his back to him on the bed, rolling over and immediately going still.
Leon left shortly after, claiming that he wanted to see what else had changed since his last visit. He could also mingle with the people and gather information, brushing up on local gossip. Axel only grunted in response, lost in his undead slumber, as his master left on his mission.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
It was hours later when Axel finally woke up, his stomach growling but otherwise feeling refreshed from the nap. Even a stiff bed was better than no bed at all...
Leon still wasn't back yet, the redhead realized, as he searched the room briefly and found no one there. Looking out the window, he noticed the sun just beginning to set beyond the horizon.
Maybe I'll go out for a bit too. Just to check this place and find some grub. The inn provided meals, but after seeing the state of the kitchens and store rooms, Axel shuddered in disgust. Though in this village, he probably wasn't going to do much better elsewhere...
Sighing, Axel pulled on a coat, his boots, and his trusty goggles before he set out into the streets of Zhari. As the sun sank lower, the people began returning from their work, going straight home and thus leaving most of the streets uncrowded. The redhead smiled a little, walking down the now quiet, peaceful street...
But the silence was a little unnerving, to say the least. No delicious smells floated in the evening air, evidence from the open windows that supper was on its way. Instead, the air was cool and almost stagnant, and the windows were all closed, if not tightly bolted shut. And no children were out and about in the streets, joyfully bringing their dreams and fantasies to life in play.
It seemed...dead. Like the village had lost it lifeblood, its vigor and excitement. Was this really what the world was like now, with the queen in control of everything?
Axel had been walking for god knows how long, thinking quietly to himself and wondering where the knights had all-
"NO! LET ME GO! SOMEONE HELP, PLEASE!"
The redhead's eyes snapped to attention instantly. Without hesitating, he turned in the direction of those screams, dashing into a nearby alley and soon running all out.
He vaguely remembered promising Leon he'd stay out of trouble. From the moment they'd begun this journey, Axel knew it was going to be dangerous at times. Possibly life-threatening. And this could be one of those times. If he just turned around and walked away...
No. Right now, it didn't matter that he could be running into a dangerous fight. Right now, all he cared about was finding whoever was crying for help.
The thing about Axel was: if he didn't find trouble, it usually would find him anyways...