Kendra let out a cry and slashed with her sword again, missing just as the person knocked into her. Together they fell through the air.

"Kendra?" The shout was almost lost to the wind, but her ears caught the word and she focused on her attacker.

Gavin

He looked at her with deceivingly human eyes, the curly hair blowing back from his face made him seem ever-more human.

She felt rage burn within her, more strong than before. She gritted her teeth and swung her sword overhead and aimed for his heart. A wind current blew her sword away as they fell; she cursed her bad luck and tried to summon it back. It fought the wind to come to her. She didn't notice the ground fast approaching as she concentrated on bringing the weapon to her.

Gavin's arm wrapped around her and suddenly they were soaring just above the ground. Kendra swung from the talons of a large, black dragon and hung on for dear life as the world around her spun.

When they landed, Kendra scrambled out of the dragon's talons and spun to face him, holding out a hand to catch her sword. It came to her hands moments later; she took an offensive stance and rushed at the dragon, fuelled by rage and hatred, forgetting her fear and the paralysis that should have taken control of her mind.

The dragon swept its tail in front of it and knocked Kendra aside. Blood seeped from where a scale grazed her head, but she stood back up with her knees shaking from exhaustion due to her fight Celebrant, and ran back at him. Light began shining from her sword as she charged, echoing her brilliant aura as she slammed her sword into Navarog's hard, and obsidian-like scales. Her sword cut into the flesh beneath the scaly armor and black blood spurted from the wound. Navarog roared and backed off, suddenly in the form of teenaged Gavin Rose once more, facing Kendra with no weapon.

She gritted her teeth and glared at him, "If you think I'll show you mercy in that form, you are sadly mistaken!" She yelled, almost out of breath and feeling dizzy as the sword drained yet more energy from her.

Navarog looked at his opponent and staunched the blood flow from the wound at his side made by her sword. He felt strange, seeing her eyes so full of hate directed at him when for years of subconsciousness inside Raxtus he had only felt her gentle love. Through the small dragon he had felt her kindness, and longed for that caring touch. It was also her that had brought him back. His essence drifted through Raxtus, growing stronger and feeding off of her energy, and now, he was back. He lived for her now.

They both heard the roar of Celebrant as he swooped down after his prey that had gotten away from him. Navarog transformed back into a dragon, causing the King of Dragons to pause, and then slowly realize just who his real opponent was.

Kendra, already tired and bloodied, was too weak to move away as Navarog snatched her up again and flew off, leaving the dragons far, far behind.

When she woke, she was warm, despite the cold air blowing through the cave entrance. Then she felt Gavin's- no- Navarog's arms around her shoulders. She shook him off, but then instantly got goose bumps because of the chill.

He woke and stretched, "Hello, Kendra." He said, as if he hadn't betrayed her at Wyrmroost two years before, back when she was fourteen. He still looked like a handsome seventeen-year-old, but Kendra knew better,

"Dropped the stutter, huh?" She remarked spitefully, crossing her arms in anger and to conserve warmth.

He shrugged and stood, "It didn't really suit me." He held a hand out to her, "Where would you like to go, Milady?"

His words eerily reminded her of Lost Mesa, making her distrust him even more.

"Why should I trust you?" Kendra glared at him fiercely with contempt, "You betrayed me and killed others." She accused, "I know what you are."

Navarog sighed and leaned over her, coming close to her face, Kendra didn't want to back off or show any weakness, but she flinched. He put a hand to her face and looked into her eyes, "Not completely." His dark brown eyes looked sad, which startled Kendra for a second.

He then turned away and walked out of the cave, tossing Kendra's sword back to her, "Be careful," He said, looking out the cave entrance, "We're still not off the preserve. I can't find a way out past the burier. We have to keep moving or they'll find us." He turned to look at her and saw tears falling down her cheeks.

He went over to her quickly and looked flustered, "Hey, hey! Why are you crying?! I'm upsetting you, aren't I?"

"You're going to betray me again, right?" She hiccupped and wiped her tears away, gritting her teeth to stop it, but then giving up as another wet hiccup escaped.

He grabbed her by her shoulders and said quietly, "No, Kendra, Kendra! Listen to me. I won't ever do that again, please believe me."

She shook her head and tried to pull away, he held her closer to his chest.

"Kendra, I'll do anything you ask of me, just let me feel that love that I felt while I was within Raxtus."

Kendra looked up at him, "You were conscious?"

He nodded and wiped a tear away from her eye, "Yeah. And I realized that you are full of such goodness, I just couldn't help myself. You've changed me. I need you."

Kendra just let herself cry a little into his jacket, and somewhere deep inside her, an old flame that still had a spark left, burnt a little brighter.