"Come now, Meza. I'd make you a fine husband."

"I said no. How many times must I tell you!"

Rage contorts his face and he grabs the woman's arm. "Who else would take you and that disgusting half-breed."

The woman struggles to get her arm freed. "Why would I ever marry a wretch like you!" She says spitting in his face.

The man reaches back his hand back handing her hard. The woman reels back and lands in a lump on the floor.

Groaning, she tries to stand to her feet, but the man's hard foot slams into her back pinning her to the ground.

Her dazed vision looks out towards the field, music drowning out her cries. It is dark except for the lights of the glittering stars in the sky. Tears run down her face. Thoughts of her son, her whole world race through her mind. The man raises his leg and slams it down on her head.

A piercing pain enters his back, looking down, he sees a blade sticking out of his stomach. Blood dripping from the cold metal.

The man slumps to the floor. The woman facing him now. Her lifeless eyes look at him mockingly. Blood sputters from his mouth as he gasps for air.

Footsteps tap lightly and the figure whispers in his ear. "She will never be yours." A roar sounds out before the man's head rolls away.

The young man lifts his mother's lifeless body in his arms as tears roll down his face. Gently, he rocks her willing her to live again. Knowing full well he would never get the chance to tell her how much she means to him, never tell her how he loves, never tell her goodbye.


KITH

Kith is startled awake. Instinctively, he reaches for his weapon but finds none. He pushes to his feet, his body protests the quick movements. Laughter sounds outside catching his attention. Kith looks about the room. Magic torches light up the small room. Kith grinds his teeth at the pain in his back. He thinks for a moment at the last thing he remembers. A blue dragon flashes in his mind and Kith's breathing becomes ragged and uneven. He rubs his chest, the room suddenly getting cold. Visions of Eris pop into his thoughts. His breathing calms. Kith tentatively walks to the door. Opening it, the sun's light blinds him. The stinging lasts a few seconds before slowly dissipating. Hot wind and sand gust by.

"Ah, you're awake." a darkened-skinned man says, perched on a nearby rock. Next to him stood another male. He looks familiar but Kith couldn't place him.

"Who are you?" Kith's voice sounds strange even to him. His throat hurts and he is forced to clear it a few times.

"I'm of no consequence." the dark man says with the flip of his hand.

"Here. Eat." The man bends down to stir a pot hanging over a small campfire. There are two buildings. The one Kith was just in and a larger one in front of him. A herb garden sits to the right of him behind the rock the man was sitting on. From the vials on the man's belt, Kith could guess he was an alchemist.

"What am I doing here? Where are my people?" Kith's impatience grows with every question. "Where is my weapon?"

The other male moves faster than Kith can blink. He stands in front of him. "Patience, my friend. You're being rude to the ones who saved you."

"Saved me?" Kith scoffs. "I needed no saving."

The alchemist chuckles softly. You were dead when he brought you to me. The alchemist flicks the top of one of the vials with a pop. "I'd say you were in desperate need of saving."

The man next to him points to the fire. "Come eat and sit before you fall."

Kith grunts at his weakness. The man was right. He felt tired and hungry. Ravenously so. He sits down in the offered seat. The alchemist hands him the food and Kith downs it in record time.

The men both laugh. "There is plenty of food, relax."

The alchemist hands him another serving. The stew is surprisingly delicious. Or maybe he was just that hungry. Then he remembered that the man put something in it and they weren't eating. His eating slowed and he felt himself sick at the thought. "What did you put in this."

"You have a very suspicious nature, Kith." the other man said. He sits down beside him and grabs a spoonful to swallow. "Why would we save you just to poison you?"

Kith shrugs. "People are cruel."

The men both nod. "True enough." the alchemist says. His eyes are saddened for such a brief moment that Kith thinks he imagined it.

The heat of the desert is sweltering and Kith wipes at his brow.

The alchemist rises. "It's time for me to go, Ryx."

Ryx nods his head. The two hug and hold each other's arms. "Thank you again, my friend," Ryx says with a smile before the alchemist turns to Kith, nods, and walks away.

Ryx turns to him. His face hardened. "Let's go. Time for your training."

Kith looks at him with confusion. "Training?"

"Aye. I'm going to make you better."

Kith laughs. "You think to make me better." The two walk out of the little courtyard to a clearing a few yards away. In a blur of motion, wind rips through the air and golden wings flap around Kith sending sand and rocks to batter roughly against his skin.

"Think I still have nothing to teach you, tiny orc?" Ryx says, mockingly.

Something pulses inside Kith's chest and he grabs at himself as if struggling to breathe. Kith is awed by the raw power of the beast in front of him and that which pulses through him. "Teach me."


ERIS

The sorceress's heart was in tatters. They managed to get to one of the tomes. But just barely. They spent the next two days running from Arix's minions. She sits down on the edge of a cliff looking out over the vast landscape. The air thankfully is much cooler as the sun goes down. Soft footsteps sound behind him. She closes her eyes. She wasn't ready to deal with him.

Ren sits next to her not saying a word. After what seems like forever Renimil asks, "Do you hate me, Eris?"

Eris whips her head around to look at him. Tears burn in her eyes. "What the hell do you think, Ren?" Eris angrily wipes at her eyes. "I hate you for all that you said to him. For dragging me away." She stands to her feet, pushing him as she does. "I'm angry you lived and he didn't." Eris turns to walk away. Her breath hitches at the thought of what she just said. She didn't mean that. She didn't want him to have died. She didn't want any of them to die. She closes her eyes and turns back to him. "I don't hate you. I just," Eris's voice breaks. "I just love him. She sits down hard next to him again and hugs herself. "We had so much unfinished business. I want him back. I want him back." Eris cries into her knees. "Why did he leave me?"

More footsteps sound behind her as Kosh joins them anger and sadness war on his face. Even in the low light, his redden eyes are evident. Renimil stiffens.

Eris looks up at Kosh. "What do we do now."

Kosh looks down at her. "We keep moving." His voice is emotionless.

Eris and Ren sit there a long time and they watch the sun go down over the distant dunes. Eris rests her head on Ren's shoulder. "Don't leave me. Promise. You won't leave. Everyone keeps leaving." Her voice is soft. Her breathing steadies as she drifts off to sleep.


KITH

"Again!"

Kith huffs, moisture stinging his eyes. The desert sun cares not of the excruciating heat it emits. Fire burns in his chest and then out of his throat.

Ryx flashes behind to punch him. Kith pivots and blocks just in time. Knocked back Kith dashes forward to swing at Ryx's face. "Control!"

"Screw control!" Kith flies into a rage of kicks and dragon breath.

Ryx easily swipes and blocks everything the barbarian throws at him. The gold dragon grabs a leg and with an impatient fury of his own throws him into a boulder. Kith winces and grunts at the impact. He slumps to the ground trying to catch his breath after losing it.

"My fire is not so easy to control, tiny orc." he stalks forward to Kith. "If you don't learn some damn control that beautiful mate of yours or your friends could get hurt.

"Screw you!"

Ryx sighs. "Maybe I made a mistake with you. You have the ability but not the heart."

"My heart's just fine."

Ryx drags Kith to his feet and rips open his shirt. A huge scar mars his chest. "I see."

Kith closes his eyes. Something about Ryx reminded him of his mother and that burned him so much more than the dragon's constant badgering about his lack of control.

"You have two choices to make, Kith." Ryx backs away slowly. "You can take your chances and hope you never hurt anyone with the training you received. Or you can trust me and let me help you." Ryx's face turns serious. Deadly. "But if you leave now without proper training and hurt someone. I will find you and take back ALL that I gave you."

Kith leans back on the boulder but instantly regrets it as the stone is scalding. Kith grunts, frustrated, and walks off to think. He misses Eris and Kosh. And that idiot. Even Aluuna and Flig. He missed the mutt and Harrin sparing in the mornings. He missed all of them. What the hell?! Kith smacks his head. What is he thinking? Missing? Caring? This wasn't him. That shit died when his mother did. Didn't it?

Kith returned to their makeshift camp an hour later. "I," Kith takes a deep breath. Trust you."


Several months later...

Kith and Ryx traveled helping people along the way. They made their way high atop the Mindspin Mountains.

"We will settle here," Ryx says as they come upon an alcove in the side of the mountain. It is spacious even to accommodate men of their stature. Kith builds a small fire as Ryx removes preserved meats he'd been saving along the journey. "You must know your limitations and what it costs you to have these gifts I've given you, Kithyx." Ryx gave him this new name as a means of a kinship between them. Kith had refused to leave his mother's 'Cromstone' name behind and Ryx thought better than to test the already stressed barbarian.

"I'm not certain of your tone, Scales-master" Kith replies.

The smile the gold dragon gives is soft and apologetic. Kith braces himself for what his master says.

"I started to tell you of the consequences before but you didn't want to hear them. You're time with me like this is drawing to a close, Kithyx." His master took a deep breath before continuing, "You will live well beyond Eris. Double your normal lifespan now. And having children of your own will never be possible." Ryx eyes his student carefully. "I'm sorry."

Kith's heart skips a beat at the thought of having to watch Eris die. One lifetime would be enough, wouldn't it? The sound of the fire crackles and pops as Kith stares into the flames. Eris wanted to settle down and have a family with him. They spent a night or two talking about what they wanted to do once all this business with the tomes was over and done with, but would she accept him now?

Kith says nothing as he lies down, turning from his master and the fire. He closes his eyes and conjures images of Eris and his companions in his mind. He'd spent all this time learning to master his rage and focus it on his dragon powers. He never thought of what the consequences might be. He didn't want to.

Kith awakens to his master's face. The gold dragon smiles and throws a pack at him. Kith looks at him in mild horror. "What is that? Why are you smiling?" He stands up and joins his master looking down the mountainside.

Ryx points to a cave opening at the foot of a mountain in front of them. "Kill the creature inside and bring me its head."

Kith stares at him. "What kind of creature?"

"Are you scared, tiny orc? "

Kith growls. "How would I know what creature you want me to kill, Scales." He retorts between his teeth. He seriously wanted to punch his master in the face right now.

"You'll know, Kithyx," With that, his dragon master walks off to their campsite. "You have two hours." He says over his shoulder. "Clock's ticking."

Kith picks up the pack and starts the trek down to the cave's entrance. He enters as bats rush out at his intrusion. The cave is drafty with gusts of hot smoky air rushing to greet him.

This was the first time in years that he'd been on his own without anyone to back him up. He never realized how lonely it could be.

Rocks crumble as the mountain settles from time to time. Fissures of lava snake their way toward the back of the cave and Kith follows its trail. The more he journeyed inward the hotter it got. The small streams now opened up into the occasional pool of molten liquid. The heat reminds him of the hot springs he and Eris stayed in right before… A flash of blue crosses his memory and he shakes his head. Stay focused, Kith says to himself. Periodic bursts of hot air would shoot down the cavern tunnels. Perspiration drips down Kith's face, swiping it with his arm only makes it worse as his whole body is wet.

A low rumble echoes against the walls, and he feels whatever is in here is close. Movement up ahead causes the cave to rumble and rocks smash to the floor. Kith moves quickly dodging the larger ones. The hall opens to a large cavern filled with bones of every race Kith knew about, and some he didn't. Gold and jewels lay scattered on the ground and in the center rests a red dragon, who's eyes were currently focused on him.

"Shit." Kith takes out his sword, rage building within him. Unleashed, but controlled.

The dragon comes to her full height. The dragon wasn't nearly as big as, Master or even the blue dragon that took him from Eris. But a dragon was a dragon.

The dragon swipes at Kith with her wing and he is thrown back. Kith's fury is still controlled as he breathes in deep. Lava flows down behind the scaly devil as she dips her wings in to fling the molten liquid towards him.

He dives into a front flip and sprints towards the dragon. He slashes at her claws as they try and swipe at him. A large cut is left on her in the blade's wake. The beast screeches and Kith uses the distraction to vaunt up several boulders. Kith jumps once he reaches the top closest to her neck, landing on her in a downward thrust of his falchion.

The dragon shakes wildly at the painful strike. "You damn humans!" she curses at him.

Kith lands with a roll, still hurting his feet, ankles, and knees. He breathes through the pain. Nothing broken… yet, he thinks running to the right then left, right before the dragon tilts back her head. The temperature in the room is sweltering. Kith knew what was going to happen next.

In a flash, scales cover Kith and the dragon's fire shoots in a line as she follows him running across the room. Parts of Kith's hair and clothes singe. Despite indirect hits, the fire is too hot and his skin begins to blister.

Their fight precedes for what seems like forever. Both, are breathing hard and bleeding. He would have never been able to take on an older dragon and guessed this was a youngling.

Kith moves in towards the dragon again, dodging one swipe but not the next. He is thrown into the wall and falls harshly to the ground. Kith stands to his feet, clutching his side. He knows a few of his ribs are broken.

It was his turn now. He let his rage stoke his internal flames. His throat swelled and a burst of fire that rivaled the beast's burst forth and hit her in the face.

The dragon speaks in draconic. "Your bones will keep me good company."

"Your head will go great on my mate's mantle." he quips back to her in draconic.

She roars at him lifting in the small cavern. Her anger and inexperience would be her downfall. She is too big for the cave. Her wings and head hit the top of the cave, forcing her to dive haphazardly towards him. Easily enough to dodge, pivot, and strike.

Once to bring her down to her stomach.

Another to incapacitate.

The last to take off her head completely.

Kith huffs as he collapses to the ground. Breathing hurt. Hell, blinking hurt. How the hell am I going to carry this blasted head out? He thinks as he stands and looks at the thing begrudgingly. Skittering off in the distance warns him that he may still not be alone.

Much to his displeasure, Kith reaches down, wrapping the dragon's head in rope and ties it to his back. He was going to kick his Master's arse.


***Please leave me a review for "A Necromancer's Downfall." I'd like to know if you've enjoyed it and/or if there is something I can do better or change. I appreciate any CONSTRUCTIVE criticism

Tigerblaize