Disclaimer: I don't own Kamen Rider, except for Kamen Rider Ryu and the assorted characters.

Episode 6

Fist of Stone

He gasped as he saw the mage, who has holding onto an unconscious Little Wolf. The mage turned its head toward him and hissed. Adrian charged at him, but the worm mage sank into the ground, avoiding the rider's kick.

A pile of chewed up macadam and freshly turned earth was the only evidence that the mage and Little Wolf had been there. Adrian growled and kicked a large chunk of macadam sending it flying across the ground.

Meth unwrapped himself from around Adrian's waist, the Ryu suit vanishing in a cloud of flames as he did. "Come on, let's go find them."

"I'll go find them," Adrian said, his tone growling. "After your last performance, I'm not interested in continuing my partnership with you."

"What?" Meth sounded hurt.

"You heard me," Adrian said. "Get out of here."

Meth sighed and opened his wings, flapping them and soaring into the sky.

Adrian glanced back at the warehouse. He crawled back in and made his way over to the unconscious earth dragon. He carefully picked the dragon up and placed it in his backpack.

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Adrian gasped as he felt the dragon squirming in his backpack. He checked to make sure the streets were abandoned and slung his pack off his shoulders. He unzipped the opening and the earth dragon stuck his head out of the opening.

"What's the big idea?!" he demanded.

Adrian clamped a hand over the dragon's mouth. "Quiet."

"Where are you taking me?" the dragon asked, wriggling out of the pack and dropping to the ground. He grunted as he hit the pavement.

"Back to my house," Adrian replied.

"Where's Little Wolf and that mouthy fire dragon?" the earth dragon asked, crawling after Adrian.

"I told Meth to buzz off after the fight," Adrian said, rubbing the bandages on his arms. "The mages took Little Wolf."

The earth dragon stopped and frowned. "Are you going to go after them?"

"Of course."

"Without the mouthy fire dragon?"

"Yes," Adrian almost shouted. "He's too hotheaded for me to trust him."

"But without Meth, you can't become a rider," the earth dragon pointed out.

"Well, can't-."

"Meth bonded his powers with you, I can only give you my powers if they're channeled through him," the earth dragon said.

"That's just great," Adrian sighed. He glanced down at his feet. "What's your name anyway?"

"Korthin," the dragon replied.

Adrian repeated the name, glad that it wasn't as long and difficult to pronounce as Meth's full name. "Well, Korthin, do you know where that logging company is at?"

Korthin shook his head. "I couldn't find it from here."

"Then I need to stop by my house," Adrian said.

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Meth growled as he circled overhead of Adrian and the earth dragon. They had stopped and exchanged a few words, but now the earth dragon was in the backpack and they were continuing on their way.

The dragon raised his head and glided several feet away. It looked like Adrian was heading back toward his house.

I'm not going to leave you alone, Meth thought. Like it or not, I need you and you need me.

Meth paused as something on the ground caught his sensitive eyes. Two people emerged from an alleyway next to a parked limo. He did recognize either of them, but since they were carrying the unconscious Little Wolf, he guessed they were the mages that had attacked them. Meth watched as they loaded Little Wolf into the backseat of the limo and then both got into the front.

As the car started and headed down the road, Meth changed direction and pursued it.

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"How's that going to help?" Korthin asked.

Adrian looked up from the glowing computer screen. "Well, I've found out the name of the logging company from there I've found their active logging sites and found the address of the site here. Now all I have to do is plug all that information into mapquest and we've got all the information we need."

"Suppose they take Little Wolf someplace else?" Korthin asked.

"That's the only place I could think of," Adrian said. "Unless they're going to hold them in one of their houses, or an abandoned warehouse, that's the place to look."

"And how do you plan to get there?" the earth dragon asked.

Adrian opened his mouth to reply and then remembered that he needed Meth in order to get his uncle's motorcycle to run. He glanced at Korthin. "Meth enchanted my uncle's bike so it would run, can you do the same?"

"I can try," Korthin shrugged.

"All right," Adrian said pushing himself out of his chair. "Let me go see if I can find my helmet."

He wrote a note and left it on the fridge for his aunt and uncle in case they should get home before he came back. It explained that he had headed over to Mandy's. Then he headed into the garage and found his motorcycle helmet. He brushed several cobwebs off it and returned to the living room.

They headed outside and Adrian removed the tarp from the old motorcycle. Korthin stared at the bike for several seconds and then inhaled sharply, before breathing a yellow ball of energy out. The ball floated over to the bike and when it hit, the bike glowed yellow briefly before it was engulfed in flames. Adrian pulled his hands away, in spite of the lack of heat. It changed into the same red and gold dragon themed bike it had when Meth had enchanted it.

"That's the best I can do," Korthin frowned.

Adrian slipped the helmet over his head, grateful it still fit. "It's fine."

He swung a leg over the bike and Korthin leapt up after him, climbing into Adrian's open backpack. Adrian bit his lip for a moment as he repeated the directions in his head for a moment and then turned and drove out of the driveway, hoping no one would recognize him.

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Meth swooped down and wrapped his claws around the mouse. He was tired and hungry and needed something to eat before he tried to rescue Little Wolf. The limo had headed to the logging site and Meth had watched from the air as the worm mage had his flunkies drag the kicking and screaming boy into a mobile home.

They tied him up and threw him in a back room. They had left a window open. Meth took a moment to digest his meal and then leapt back into the air. He beat his wings and soared over the clearing. He turned and dived toward the open window. He beat his wings to kill his speed before he reached the window and flew through it.

Little Wolf gasped as the noise and rolled over to face the dragon. Meth raised his tail in front of his mouth and made a shushing noise. He prowled over and bit at the gag covering the boy's mouth, tearing it off.

"What are you doing here?"

"Rescuing you," Meth said, fluttering over to Little Wolf's bound hands. He opened his mouth and began biting at the thick strands of rope. "Don't ask stupid questions."

Little Wolf was silent for a moment as Meth bit and tugged on his binds. "You don't like Korthin because of something his ancestors did."

"The earth dragons promised to help us fight the mages and they betrayed us," Meth muttered through his mouthful of rope.

"But Korthin had nothing to do with that," Little Wolf said. "He said he barely even spent a lot of time with his parents. You can't blame him for something somebody else did."

Meth didn't reply; he was too busy with the ropes.

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Adrian turned the motorcycle down the dirt road. He felt relieved to have found the logging site without getting lost.

"What do you plan to do?" Korthin asked.

"Sneak around; find Little Wolf, then sneak back out?" Adrian tried. Korthin sighed.

Adrian slide the motorcycle to a stop as he found the road blocked. A large burly man wearing a grey jacket blocked his way. The man's silver hair was pulled back into a ponytail. In spite of his hair color, he looked quite young. Just beyond him, Adrian saw the logging site, which was completely abandoned.

"Out of the way," Adrian growled, revving the bike's engine.

The man smirked in reply and then leapt into the air. His foot connected with Adrian's chest and sent him flying off the bike. He grunted as he hit the ground and rolled across it.

Korthin slipped out of the backpack and spat an orb at the mage. A grey glow surrounded the man as he transformed into the Cerberus mage and swatted the orb of energy to the side. The earth dragon leapt off the ground and slammed into the mage's chest, releasing a spray of sparks and causing him to stumble back.

"Get moving," Korthin called at Adrian, who leapt off the ground, and grabbed the handlebars of his bike, lifting it up and climbing on.

The mage attempted to leap at him again, but Korthin leapt off the ground and slammed into him a second time.

Adrian sped into the logging site, heading toward the mobile home in the center of it. His eyes alert for the worm mage. He pulled the bike to a stop in front of the home, and got off it. He pulled off his helmet.

The ground beneath Adrian's feet rumbled and the worm mage rose out of it, wrapping its hand around Adrian's neck. The mage raised Adrian into the air. Adrian grabbed the mage's wrist and squeezed, but it didn't have any effect.

Growling, the mage turned and walked past the mobile home. Adrian tried to turn his head and see where the mage was taking him. He gasped as he saw the edge of a cliff. The mage screeched and tossed Adrian through the air, sending him flying over the edge of the cliff. At the same time, something red dashed out of the mobile home's window.

Adrian gasped as he saw Meth diving after him, the small dragon quickly caught up to him and wrapped around his waist. Adrian reached for the Ryu Belt's buckle and pushed the horns together, not sure how transforming would save him.

Flames spewed out of Meth's mouth and attached to Adrian's back, forming into a pair of wings. The wings spread and Adrian twisted from falling head first to feet first, his decent slowing, until he was hovering. He beat his wings and flew up the side of the cliff. A flaming dragon's head extended above his own and slammed into the worm mage as soon as they reached the top of the cliff.

"I'm only working with you because I have no other choice," Adrian told Meth as they landed. He hit the button on the buckle and Meth's mouth snapped closed. "Henshin."

The wings covered Matthew forming into his armor, while the dragon's head covered his face and formed his helmet.

Ryu turned to face the worm mage, who was picking himself off the ground.

"Mess with me and you're going to get burnt!" Adrian shouted, charging at the worm and swinging his fist at its head. The blow connected as well as several more punches. The mage stumbled back and Ryu stepped forward, pressing his advantage with a kick.

Ryu grabbed Meth's tail and wings and stacked them on top of each other, forming his dagger. He swung the weapon at the monster, which blocked with the claws on his oversized hand. Adrian's next slash connected with the worm's chest. The worm stepped back and sank into the ground.

Adrian gasped and glanced around. The mage shot out of the ground a few feet in front of him and flew through the air like a missile. The mage slashed its claws across his chest as it flew past. Adrian spun around, to find the worm burrow back into the ground. It shot back out a moment later and hit Ryu from the side. Adrian gasped and glanced around. He stopped and closed his eyes, listening for the rumbling he had heard before.

He snapped his eyes open and dived to the side as the mage shot of the ground behind him, Adrian spun as his hit the dirt and drove his foot into the mage's chest, sending him sailing over the edge of the cliff. The mage screeched as it fell.

"Little Wolf is in the home," Meth said.

"Is he safe?" Adrian asked.

"Yes."

"Then we'll go help Korthin first," Adrian decided, turning and running.

Korthin was jumping in and out of the ground, slamming into the Cerberus mage in much the same way as the worm mage had done to Ryu. The mage roared and swung its fist, landing a lucky hit and sending Korthin flying through the air.

Adrian raised his dagger and charged. He slashed the mage's side, the creature grunting in surprise. It turned and swung an arm at him. Adrian ducked and slashed him across the chest. The mage roared and drove both of its fists into Ryu's chest. Sparks flew from the rider's chest as he flew through the air.

Ryu groaned as he hit the ground and rolled across it, stopping facedown. Adrian started to push himself up, but the mage stepped over and slammed a foot down on his dagger, preventing him from lifting it, then it kicked him in the chest.

The mage kicked the dagger across the ground, as Adrian stood up and raised his fists. The worm mage screeched as it shot out of the ground and slashed its claws against Ryu.

Landing on the ground, the mage turned and released another angry screech before it charged at Adrian. A yellow orb slammed into its chest.

Adrian glanced over at Korthin.

"He is my prey," the Cerberus mage growled walking over to his companion.

"I will not let this fool get away with harming me," the worm growled back.

"I guess you guys don't get along too well," Adrian laughed.

"Earth dragon!" Meth shouted. "Do you still want to help?"

Korthin nodded enthusiastically and leapt into the air, spitting a small yellow object out of his mouth. Adrian raised his hand, the object coming to rest in his palm. It was a small jewel that resembled Korthin's head.

"All right, let's shake things up!" Adrian declared, inserting the jewel into the segment of armor on the right side of his belt. He pulled back on the legs there and the dragon's head was thrust out the front. The dragon's mouth opened and a yellow orb of light shot out.

"Energize! Earth Form!" Korthin's voice seemed to come from the belt.

The yellow orb moved up and hovered in front of Ryu's forehead. The orb pulsed and then split into a cloud of glowing dust particles which descended around Ryu, the red parts of his armor turning yellow, while the gold pieces turned bronze. Flames moved across the lenses of his mask as they turned from blue to orange.

Cracks developed in the golden dragon head on the back of his left hand and then it shattered revealing a new head beneath it, this one resembling Korthin's head.

"Oh, I like this," Adrian commented as he examined his new armor.

The Cerberus mage howled and charged forward. Ryu ducked a slash from the mage's claws and slammed his fist into the canine's muzzle. The mage yelped in pain. Ryu threw another punch, hitting the head on the mage's left shoulder. He kicked, he was disappointed that the blow did not have the same force as his punches, so he threw another punch into the Cerberus' chin and sent him flying through the air.

Korthin leapt into the air and toward Adrian's right hand. Korthin's sides flipped forward to lie next to his head, while his tail flipped around and covered the top of his head, the bladed tip of his tail in front of his snout and linking together with the sides. Adrian grabbed hold of the handle behind Korthin's head. He raised the newly formed shield-like weapon.

The worm mage screeched and spat a cloud of black liquid from its mouth. Ryu dodged the cloud and closed the distance between him and the mage. The mage attacked first, swinging its oversized claws. Ryu blocked with his shield and then slammed the weapon into the mage's shoulder, electing a screech and a spray of sparks. He slashed the weapon across the mage's chest, releasing another shower of sparks.

Ryu flipped the left segment of armor up and then pushed down on the legs. The golden dragon head was thrust forth and it released a fireball which revolved around Ryu and then moved up to the shield. Adrian gripped the back of Korthin's head and pulled back on the handle, Korthin's mouth opened and the fireball entered it. He pushed the handle back in and Korthin's mouth closed. A shockwave of yellow energy shot through the surface of the shield's blades and it start glowing yellow.

The two mages gasped as Ryu charged at them and then leapt into air, pulling his arm back for a punch. The worm mage grabbed the Cerberus' arm and pulled him in front of himself as Ryu descended toward them. Adrian slammed the shield into the Cerberus' mage's chest, sending both mages flying through the air. They landed several feet away.

The Cerberus mage stayed down, while the worm clambered back to its feet. The worm gasped in fear and turned, sinking into the ground.

"Don't let him get away!" Korthin's voice said from the right side of Adrian's belt. Ryu holstered his shield on the right side of his belt, directly behind the section of armor there.

Ryu turned and walked over to his bike, climbing on. He gunned the engine and flipped the left segment on his belt forward and pulled back on the legs.

"Flare up!"

A fire ball emitted from the dragon head again and flew toward the bike's head as Ryu rode forward. The bike's mouth opened and swallowed the fireball. It released a beam of yellow energy, which formed around the bike, the front of it forming into a drill. The drill burrowed into the ground, followed by Ryu and the bike. The earth bulged as the bike moved through it and then exploded in a cloud of dust. The worm mage was sent flying through the air. The mage climbed to its feet and stumbled into the forest.

Ryu's bike burst out of the ground, flying through the air, before landing. He glanced around and saw that both of the mages had disappeared.

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The worm mage gasped as he stumbled through the forest. He stopped and leaned against a tree trunk panting.

A growl attracted his attention and he glanced up to find the Cerberus mage glaring at him. The mage yelped in fear. "Wait, Grey Fang…"

Grey Fang didn't wait. Instead he leapt forward and plunged his teeth into the worm mage's neck. The mage screeched in pain and then exploded in a yellow fireball.

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"Are you okay?" Adrian asked. Meth flew behind him, while Korthin crawled across the ground.

"I'm fine," Little Wolf replied, walking next to Adrian. "Did you get the monsters?"

"I'm not sure," Adrian replied. "But if you see them, or anything like them again, let me know."

Little Wolf nodded. He glanced over at Korthin. "What are you going to do now?"

"I'm sticking with these two," Korthin replied. "They need someone dependable after all."

"What does that mean?" Meth growled.

"I'll give you a ride back to the reservation," Adrian said, heading over to his bike as Meth and Korthin began to bicker.