Marked by Rune *Gonna Remake*

[Lunaheart]

Chapter 12: Playing with Magic



“So…that’s our magic? How the hell do we actually use the magic?” I whisper.

Galoran trots over to me. Try concentrating on Blaze’s fire. Feel the fire’s heat grow in you. Or use my fire if you want.

I look over at Aero who seems to be reading his book. I turn back to back to Galoran. I stand up and look at him. His fiery mane glows bright. I concentrate on the heat, remembering the feel of the mane on my hands whenever I ride Galoran. I feel my hands get warm and I look down to see a nice big flame above my hand. I let it consume my own hand. I feel the heat but not the burn. Blaze barks at me. The presence of Blaze’s own fire feeds my power over my fire. I shake my hand and the fire diminishes. “Let’s try a few things,” I say under my breath.

I take a step back. I put my hands out and hold an invisible ball. The fire grows into a moving orb of fire. The farther my hands grow apart, the bigger and bright the flaming orb gets. The orb becomes the size of a volleyball until I diminish it back to a grapefruit. I grab the orb and feel its solidity. I toss it back and forth. “Hey, Blaze, think you can catch this?” I ask the hellhound.

Blaze jumps to her feet and wags her tail. Make it bigger and I can see if I can!

I make the orb grow bigger, about three times the size of a grapefruit, and throw it hard. Blaze sprints after it. She opens her mouth and clamps it shut on the orb of fire only to feel air. She runs back. Guess you can’t catch them, she says with a droopy face.

“Wonder what else I can do…” I ask to no one in particular.

Ha! I know! You can spar with me!

“Seriously? With fire?”

Just throw a few protective spells on you and we can fight!

I shrug. No harm in testing my abilities. I put a few protection spells on me to keep my clothes, hair, and skin from getting burnt. I step away from our little spot and clear enough space to practice my fire. Galoran stands on the sidelines looking very anxious. I sigh. “You want to join?” I ask.

YES!

“Jump on in then.”

Galoran trots over to stand by Blaze.

Eb, this is going to be so fun!

“You’re not the one that is going to be beat up!”

Oh well!

Blaze grows once. Taking in a deep breath, she lets out a burst of massive fire from her mouth. Galoran’s voice pops up in my head, Catch it! Bring it into a ball then throw it back!

I open my hands wide enough to hold a grapefruit. The fire’s impact force sent me a few feet back, but I remain standing. I slowly curl and enlarge the fire orb until I hurl it back at Blaze. The hellhound took a step forward before leaping to the right and rushing toward me. I feel the fire consume my right hand. I watch as blaze come closer, fire growing in her mouth once more. I aim my hand toward the hellhound and let loose some fire out of my hand like Blaze does with her mouth. The hellhound also lets her fire out. The two flames clash and extinguish. I see Blaze take in another breath and let out another stream of fire. I bring my hands together and then throw them to the sides, creating a protective fire ring in front of me. The fire from Blaze knocks into my fire ring. Both disappear. We continue multiple fire techniques, each time my ability to call upon the fire quickens and grows stronger. Galoran joins in and throws some fire at me much like a flamethrower.

After an hour, my strength with the fire continues to grow, but I become tired and so does my hellhound and resurrection horse. Galoran asks for a break and I gladly agree. Walk over to my stuff and sit down. Runeza perks her little serpent head out from my bag. “Hey, Neza,” I say with a hint of a pant in my voice.

Can you try air magic in a little bit?

I smile. “Sure,” I say.

The little Etainian Quetzalcoatl hatchling chirp-hisses in joy. “So, you’re a fire magi then,” Aero says.

I look at him and then shake my head. “Not really. I just have fire companions.”

“I read that part too. Mind if I practice with Galoran and Blaze once they’re ready?”

Blaze and Galoran nod their heads. “Aero, what’s the name of your Quetzalcoatl?”

“Oh, him? That’s Scoar. I got my Direwolf, Dicaro, from my mom. She said that she got him from a breeder in Synara City. And you know where I got Sync.”

“Where is Sync and Dicaro?”

“They are somewhere. Sync is in the air and Dicaro is possibly in Silva Forest hunting out his adopted pack.”

“Oh…”

“They are more free then Scoar. But he is just a hatchling as well.”

Blaze shakes herself and walks over to Alasia. The little hatchling seems to be bigger than the last time I saw her. The two hellhounds talk through a series of growls and barks a little ways away from our little camp. Alasia’s little fire grows bigger and bigger with every growl from Blaze. “What is she doing?” I ask Aero.

Aero moves closer to me as we watch the two hellhounds. “Can you tell what they are saying?” I ask.

“Alasia closed her mind to me.”

“Blaze too.”

Blaze’s fire seems to become brighter while Alasia’s darker, the blues and purples in the fire becoming more distinct. Alasia seems to get a little bigger every time the fire gets darker. “I know what Blaze is doing now!” Aero says.

“What?” I ask, totally lost.

“Technically, Alasia is ten years old and still a hatchling. She should have become an adult about a year or so ago.”

“Okay…”

“She has the power to grow into her true form anytime she wants.”

“Okay…”

“Blaze is encouraging her to become a true hellhound.”

“Oh, I see now!”

“So, we are going to have another full grown hellhound.”

“Correction, you’re going to have a full grown hellhound. She’s yours, remember.”

I look at Alasia, her fire almost completely blue and her body growing bigger every second. Within minutes we have another, gigantic hellhound, except that Alasia has blue fire. “Um…why does Alasia have blue fire?” I ask.

She was trapped in the ice for so long that blue has basically become her color of fire. It’s not unnatural, just rare, Galoran tells me.

Alasia and Blaze extinguish their fires. Alasia is as big as Blaze. Her coat seems to be darker hints of blues and purples like her fire. Her horns spiral more and she carries her tail in a sickle fashion, not just hanging down like most hellhounds. She is lankier and longer in the legs then Blaze and seems to be more of a runner than a fighter. But she still has muscle upon muscle just like Blaze. Her eyes are not yellow but a deep maroon color. She barks, a deep, soft rumble coming from within her chest. It’s more puppyish than doggish. Alasia’s muzzle is narrower and longer than Blaze’s. All in all, her overall structure seems to be more hound like than Blaze’s rugged fighter structure.

Blaze growls at me. She’s not what I would have expected, Eb. She is more of a runner than a fighter, Blaze says.

“Well, that’s what she has grown up to be, Blaze.”

I’m just not used to it. It looks…different than normal. Especially her fire.

“Blaze…”

I’m just saying, Eb. She’s a different breeding of hellhound. She must have had parents that are quick in attack and use stamina to defeat their enemies. She is quick and light on her feet. I mean, she can still carry Aero with ease; it’s just that she will be more nimble than I. She will be able to run farther and faster. What she makes up in speed and stamina, she lacks in brute strength and force. That can always be a disadvantage for her in battles.

“That’s why she has us.”

Eb, when it comes to a real battle, she will need all the speed she can get if she is going to use quick attacks.

I look at the lanky hellhound. She seems so fragile next to my big brute Blaze. “You’ll just have to teach her the quicker moves and the fast takedowns.”

I know, Eb.

“She looks a lot like one of my old hellhounds,” Aero says. “My parents used to breed the more hound-like hellhounds to each other, occasionally throwing in the standard hellhound to keep the strength and size in. I can’t remember why though.”

Alasia growls for a moment. “They were used for quick attacks and kills back then. That’s why,” Aero says, translating the growls from Alasia.

“Why don’t you spar with her?” I suggest.

Aero shrugs. “Sounds good to her. Might as well,” he says while getting up.

I stand up and walk in the opposite direction of the hellhounds and Aero with Neza. Alright! Show me what you got! Think of the wind in your hair and the feeling of freedom when you ride on Galoran’s back, Runeza says in my mind.

I capture the image and feeling of the wind in my hair when I ride Galoran. I feel the cool breeze on my skin. The air around me builds up until there is a little mini tornado in the palm of my hand. Now, make it bigger, Runeza instructs me.

I take my left hand and place it a little ways away from the little tornado. I slowly pull my hand away from the tornado, making it bigger. I drop my right hand and slowly enlarge the tornado, keeping it off the ground. I stop when it is more or less half the size of me.

Push it away from you some, but still keep control of it. Capture the energy around the tornado and control it.

I reach and grab that little strand of energy with my mind. I flick my hand up a little and watch as the little wind gust does the same. Runeza flies over and into the wind gust, spinning and flying high once she is spit out. I bring the tail of the wind gust into my right hand, controlling it almost like a whip. Runeza flies into it once more. I flick my wrist up, the wind gust following in a whip-like fashion. Runeza goes flying out the top and into the air. I disperse the air with a few flicks of my hand. “What next?” I ask.

Now, lets try something like your little flame throwing technique. Basically, you are taking the air around you and throwing it in a certain direction. Feel for an energy link with your mind, grab it, and with your hands throw it in a certain direction. Try diagonally and I’ll ride it.

I follow Runeza’s instruction. I grab at the energy around me with my mind, hoist the air into my hand, and throw it. I can visibly see the air spinning counterclockwise in the air. I watch as Runeza half opens her wings and rides the air up. She comes back with a happy trill.

You control the air just like the fire. You can throw air balls, slice stuff with the air, make tornados, and a whole bunch of things!

I nod. I continue my practice with Runeza for a little while until a tap on my shoulder stops me. I turn and face Aero. “Why don’t you try controlling both elements?”

“Like, make fire and use the wind to control it?”

“Exactly. If you do it, then I will too.”

Blaze jogs up to us. Are we doing it? Are we going to make a fire wind gust? Blaze asks.

“Sure,” I say with uncertainty.

I create the tornado again, and this time, I add the fire to it. I watch as the fire slowly spins into the air until they become one. Then I throw it into the air and watch as a perfect spiral of wind and fire twirl together until they disappear into the air. I look at Aero and watch as he does the exact same thing.

No spell book will ever teach us the way our creatures can.

Of course, spell books would be helpful.


********


Comments? Ideas? Critisism? Questions?

[LightningRip]

Moar

Aero should totally start having a crush on Ebony now

If he doesn't already that is..

[Lunaheart]

I'm working on the next chapter tight now

I guess I should make that more obvious now lol

[LightningRip]

From some of the settings, I figured he had a crush on her(it seemed pretty obvious Ebony had one on him), but sometimes he was so quiet there was no way to tell, in my opinion lol ^^ *sets a chair with her name on it down and waits for the next chapter* I like this story

[Lunaheart]

I should change Aero's character description because he is a quiet person.

Thanks for liking this story. I've tried really hard to make sure it is good.

[Lunaheart]

Chapter 13: A Lil' Reading



I sit on the grass and open Rigel’s journal. It is small with very few pages written on, but what was written I will read. No harm in reading it…I hope. I get comfortable, leaning on Blaze and Runeza comfortably on my shoulders. Galoran lies down a little ways away and takes a nice nap. I look over at Aero. Apparently, the same thing is on his mind. We all get comfortable and begin to read, the story going straight to our creatures’ minds as well through our magic…

To start off, I might as well tell why the Marked Ones will always be hunted. For one, their magic is stronger than any other. The second reason is that they will do almost anything to keep the ones they love safe. Is just so happens from time to time in the stories I have heard that the Marked Ones’ families, friends, and lovers will be taken and tortured unless the Marked Ones to exactly what the people want them to do.

Unfortunately, the Marked Ones always end up destroying themselves in the act of saving others.

Which is also why they don’t last long.

Sad really.

Anyway, I was told that once the Marked Ones found each other, they would be unstoppable. With their combined magic, they could rule the world at will. That is why the dark mages always want them. The Marked Ones once put up such a great fight, the magic that flowed out of them killed nearly half the world’s mages. Of course, that was a while back.

The Marked Ones have innumerable amount of power, power that can control almost anything. Problem is they only use a portion of that magic unless they are severely angered or upset. They basically go into overdrive if their feelings affect them too much.

One of the main reasons that the dark mages want the Marked Ones is because they want revenge. They want revenge on the non-magical humans for treating them like outcasts. They want revenge on the non-magical humans for making sure that mages obey them. In a way, non-magical humans take advantage of the mages for their unique abilities to control the natural elements around them. Humans are self-centered and care for only what is best for them. Mages and their companions just so happen to be the very people for that job. One way or the other, the humans are slowly cracking down on the mages and their creatures.

With the power of the Marked Ones strengthening their own power, the dark mages could easily take over the world. They have already started too by destroying the villages that protect and support the Marked Ones. Their next step is to take over the cities and enslave the humans.

The Marked Ones don’t ever survive long. Maybe this time, it will be different.

Once they find me, I can help them with their training. I can show them how to harness their powers completely. I can help them put down these dark mages forever.


********


Commets? Ideas? Critisism? Questions? This is a filler chapter by the way, if you didn't notice. Just sayin.

[Lunaheart]

Chapter 14: Suprise attack



“I’m exhausted. I didn’t get any sleep last night. How bout you?” I ask Aero.

“Me? I didn’t sleep either. That stuff in the book really unnerved me,” Aero says in a monotone voice.

I roll my eyes. “We have to get moving. We’ll be traveling through the Etain Desert, Blaze. My favorite! A hot, sandy desert!”

Hell yeah!

“I was being sarcastic.”

Oh.

We pack up and mount the resurrection horses. Ebony, Scoar and I will scout ahead and tell you if there is any danger, Runeza says.

“Be careful though,” I warn my hatchling.

She chirp-hisses before taking off with Scoar by her side. “Ready?” I ask Aero. I look at my companions left: Blaze and Galoran. They look eager to set off.

“Sure.”

Galoran and Corona take off at a fast past. The hellhounds linger further back to make sure we are not being followed by unwanted people.

***

We ride for what seems like hours before we stop to switch mounts. Ebony! I can still go on! I’m not even tired yet! Galoran argues with me.

“We are switching whether you like it or not!”

Come on! You’re really light compared to Mark! I can carry you for days on end!

“Galoran! We are switching!” I say, pronouncing the switching like you would to a child.

Galoran puffs himself up and glares down at me with his neck arched. I can carry you still!

“Are you seriously still arguing with me?” I say with the exact same tone.

Aero lays a hand on my shoulder. “Galoran, we need to switch. We don’t want you to tire out. Besides, the hellhounds are tired of running behind so it’s only fair to switch up.”

Galoran turns his deadly glare from me to Aero and then back. Ebony…

“Galoran, we are switching!”

“If looks could kill then you both would be dead!” Aero mumbles.

Galoran finally gives in. I mount Blaze and wait for Aero. Alasia comes up beside Blaze and we head off again with the two resurrection horse circling back every now and then. “That was a big blow to his ego,” I say after a while.

“What was?”

“The whole switching. He’s a proud horse and likes to run himself into the ground before admitting he is tired or doesn’t want to go on.”

Aero is quiet and deep in thought. We slow to a stop as our Quetzalcoatls come soaring at us. Ebony! They are coming! Runeza cries in my head.

“Who is?”

The ones chasing you!

I look in the distance and see those same blood red eyes of the person chasing us. He is the leader of an arrow formation of dark mages, seven in all. They all ride black horses with red eyes. Not magical horses that can control something or unicorns. They do have dark magic in them to enhance their qualities, but other than that, they are normal horses. Running next to every horse are silver tigers with metal plates along their backs. Kuras tigers. “Go back!” Aero says.

We turn to see an opening. Just as we are about to turn and run back the way we came, a black wall of fire roars up around us. The only way out is through the dark, forbidding forest to our left or through the dark mages which is the most unlikely choice. Blaze growls, Through the forest!

“We could get killed-”

We can get killed just standing here! Now hold on! Alasia, go first!

Alasia nods. The swifter hellhound races into the forest. The resurrection horses go next followed by the Quetzalcoatls. I look once at the mages and then race after Aero into the forest.

The trees loom close and the light is blotted out. I get a few cuts here and there from the whipping branches as we race past. Blaze jumps over several fallen logs and boulders. She dashes through a stream, scattering the small fish. I feel her wince at the water and I hear the sound of steaming water as she tries to lessen her fire. The dark mages are close behind us, their kuras tigers coming ever so close to us. I look back and stare into the eyes of a kuras tiger. The eyes are blood red without a pupil. This poor creature was tortured with dark magic until it became this. I feel regret rise in me as I let go a surge of fire from my hand and watch as it sends the tiger flying back into a tree, it’s chest devoid of fur but not burned. For a moment I see the eyes clear, and then it falls unconscious.

We continue running through the forest, slowly gaining ground away from the mages.

That’s when I sense it before I feel it.

The arrow’s head slices my left side, barely embedding into my back. Pain shoots up my body as I feel the full force of the arrow. Another just barley misses my head and a third lodges itself in my left arm. I grab the arrow in my arm by the very base of the arrowhead and pull it out. I feel my blood flow out of my wounds. My right hand is covered in blood. I throw it to the ground and hold on to Blaze with my legs and right arm. It takes all my strength and will to keep me from falling off of Blaze’s back.

I see Runeza’s rune back fly through the air. Ebony, follow me and I’ll take you to our safe place!

I nod and hold on as Blaze surges after Runeza.

She crashes through the undergrowth and veers off and under a tree. Blaze dives into a hole hidden by the fallen trees. She continues through the small tunnel until she ends up in a small cave of dirt and rock. Alasia stands in one corner panting for breath. Galoran and Corona stand together, talking about what to do next. The cave used to belong to a dragon of some kind because there are scorch marks and scratches all along the wall.

As soon as Aero sees me, he rushes forward. “Eb, are you okay?” he asks as I fall to the floor like a sack of potatoes.

Blood coats my left side and left shoulder. I look up at Aero and see his worried face. “Ebony, what happened?” he says in a stern voice.

“I’m hit,” I say before I fall unconscious.

********





Comments? Questions? Ideas? Critisism?

[Lunaheart]

Chapter 15: Fading Fast

NOTE: this is in Aero's POV



“Galoran! Can you heal her?” I ask the resurrection horse.

Thank gods I caught Eb just before she hit her head. Galoran trots forward and tips his boney muzzle to Ebony’s head. He pulls back quickly. This isn’t good, Aero! That is dark, dark magic and poison! Only a dragon can heal that, he says.

I shake my head. I look at Ebony. Her features look peaceful, but pale. I pull a hand from her side and see her blood all over my hand. “What kind of dragon?”

What?

“What kind of dragon can heal this?!” I nearly yell.

Um…you’re not going to be happy about this.

“Galoran, just tell me!”

Galoran sighs. An amphista...

“Where the hell are we supposed to find an amphista? Those are impossible to find!”

Galoran turns away. I don’t know.

I shake my head and place ebony on the ground gently. I go into my bag and pull out a white shirt. I rip stands to bind Ebony’s wounds. “She’s burning up…” I murmur as I feel her forehead.

Are you guys alright? a new voice says.

I look around for the source of the voice. “Who’s there?” I call.

Me, silly! This is one of my hideouts. What are you doing here?

I look toward the entrance to the small earth cave and see a little fox head appear. Then the rest of the large red fox appears except that she has two tails instead of one. “Are you a kitsune?” I ask.

Of course, silly! My name is Tysa. What’s yours?

“Aero.”

Well, Aero, you sure have a pretty girlfriend. Is she sleeping?

“She’s not my girlfriend and she is hurt, badly.”

What’s her name?

“Ebony?”

What about theirs?

“The hellhounds are Blaze and Alasia, the resurrection horses are Corona and Galoran, and the two etainian quetzalcoatls are Runeza and Scoar.”

Nice to meet you all!

“You wouldn’t happen to know an amphista around here, would you?” I ask Tysa.

The kitsune barely gets dirty on her thick red fur as she pushes her way to us through the tight opening. She shakes her coat out and sort of prances forward. An amphista? I haven’t met one before. But, I do know a tinsel wyrm that knows of an amphista. He hasn’t told me who the dragon is. But I can take you to him, mind you he is the crankiest wyrm ever.

“Please, Tysa, could you?”

Just follow me!

I grab Ebony carefully. We manage to get out of the hole and into the forest once more. The forest has very green grass that isn’t to tall or too short, but it is quit soft. The trees in the area are big with dark green leaves. But the trees are wide spread and are not close together. Shrubs and other plants dot the area.

I wait for the hellhounds to come out and then the resurrection horses. I put Ebony on Galoran seeing as he had to carry more weight than Corona all these years, and I climb up behind her. Runeza and Scoar fly around Corona as we wait for Tysa. The kitsune comes out and nods. This way, Aero!

Tysa rushes off deeper into the forest. Galoran keeps pace with her as we head deeper into the forest. The forest flashes by in a blur, but this time, we aren’t pelted by stray branches. We slow down as we near a light stone cliff wall that stretches far into the trees above. Long tendrils of vines hang along the wall of the cliff. We stop in front of a particularly covered spot. Tysa walks forward and into the wall like there is nothing there. “Um…Tysa?”

It’s a tunnel, silly! Come on!

I shrug as Galoran goes through the wall of vines. We appear in a smooth stone tunnel that looks to have been made by creatures, fire and earth creatures to be exact. We emerge at the end of the tunnel into a plain that is almost as big as Odhran Keep. Tysa takes off to the other end of the plain. We end up at the other end in mere moments considering how fast we travel.

We stop in front of a castle-like fort that was built into the side of the giant canyon walls. Apparently, the canyon forms a bowl. The black and dark grey stone mansion loomed before us. Tysa rushed inside the ajar doors. I hop off Galoran and pull Ebony off after me. “Stay out here with Corona and watch our backs, please,” I say.

Get her taken care of, Aero, Galoran retorts.

“I will. Blaze, Alasia, come on,” I say to the hellhounds.

The hellhounds go in first, heads low. I follow with Ebony in my arms. I hear a loud roar from inside. That could only be the dragon. I walk in to a pretty bright room. The ceiling is high with intricate arch work along the sides of the ceiling and walls. A staircase has two sets of stairs that both curve up along the walls and to the second floor. A hallway between the two staircases leads deeper into the mansion’s rooms. Parallel to the first floor hallway is a second floor hallway and I bet there is a third floor above the second floor.

From the hallway below the stairs long, slender silver head appears. Two, pearl white horns rest on his head. His dark orange eyes glare into mine as the rest of his silver body emerges. Small spikes go from the very base of his head to the base of his tail. At the end of his tail is a thick set of spikes that if you didn’t know better look like feathers. Coursing his entire body and his legs is muscle, a lot of it. I look at the claws on his feet and see black, sharp talons.

Who are you and what do you want, human?! the cranky tinsel wyrm says.

“I just want to know where I can find an amphista.”

Why?

“My friend, she’s injured.”

You mean that thing in your arms?

“Yes,” I say, very agitated with the wyrm.

Tysa should know that I don’t like humans, mages, or anything of the kind!

Tysa prances forward. They just want help, Sindel!

I don’t help humans, Tysa! Never again! Not after what they did!

Sindel-

No, Tysa!

The little kitsune shrinks in appearance. She backs away slowly until she can turn safely and run. “Sindel! I just need the name of the damn amphista and where to find him!”

Why?!

Blaze runs over to the wyrm and growls in his face. My friend is injured badly and she needs help! I’m this close to ripping your freaking face off!

Sindel shakes his head. Ebony stirs in my arms as I set her down against Alasia. “What’s on her neck?” I ask Blaze as I catch a glimpse of something gold on her neck.

Blaze gives Sindel one last glare before she turns to me. She shakes her head. Those are runes. She was born with them. She tries to cover it up with makeup most of the time. I guess it came off when she hit the dirt.

Did you just say she has runes on her neck? Sindel asks.

What’s it to you?

I think I know her. Let me see her, Sindel replies in a grumpy voice.

The wyrm walks over to Ebony and leans over her, his snout close to her neck. He jerks back a few feet. That is black magic and poison in her blood stream! I’m surprised she is still alive…she doesn’t have much longer.

“How long does she have?” I say, anger bubbling in my voice at the arrogance and unwillingness of this damn wyrm.

Sindel yawns and sitts down. I’d say about a day or so…not much longer. She’s fading fast.

“Just tell me where the amphista is!”

The wrym yawns. Fine, I’ll tell you human.

“It’s Aero.”

An amphista by the name Dyh resides here, in this old Keep. He lives in on the third floor all the way in the back to where you need fire to see where you are going.

I sigh. “Thank you. Blaze?”

I’m coming with you Aero. Alasia can stay and watch this beast.

Sindel gives Blaze a glare before settling down near Alasia. I shake my head as Blaze and I head up the stairs to talk to Dyh.

********






Comments? Ideas? Critisism? Questions?

[Lunaheart]

Chapter 16: A Shared Memory

(NOTE: Back to Ebony's POV)



Slowly, I open my eyes. It’s a foggy place but I know from the hard stone floor that I’m in a Keep, a big keep at that. I slowly get to my feet, that pain in my shoulder and side gone. “Aero?” I call. “Blaze? Galoran? Where are you guys?”

No answer save but the soft echo of my voice. I look around the place. A mist lies about the place. The white stone floor and tiles can be seen if you look hard enough. Black stone torches with phoenix heads line the wall along the railing less staircase, strategically placed every three yards to provide maximum lighting in the dark. The black stone walls contrast the white stone floors. It’s a gorgeous Keep.

From the misted hallway underneath the second floor balcony emerges a tinsel wyrm. His deep growl echoes throughout the place. Deep down, I know that this place isn’t supposed to echo. “Young magi, I believe you and I have a memory to travel through, the dragon says,” the voice echoing.

“What do you mean both you and me?” I ask.

“Ebony, you have the power to travel through one’s mind, to listen to any thought, to see anything you want. You have the power to bring one with you. I have chosen to come with you through this particular memory.”

“Why? I don’t even know you.”

“Ebony, this is my memory.”

“Which memory are you showing me?”

“A memory I have had before this Keep when it was in its prime.”

“Who’s Keep is it?”

“You’ll see.”

“Wait! What is you name?”

“Sindel.”

I follow the wingless wyrm up the stairs and to the second floor. A hallway leads deeper into the Keep while two more staircases curve off to the hidden third floor. We head up the third floor and stop on the hidden balcony. We walk to the other side of the balcony and to the hallway. Sindel continues to lead me deeper into the Keep. I see different bedrooms much like the one I have back at Odhran Keep. I’m thinking that the kitchen and mess hall are on the first floor. After what seems like hours of walking through corridors, bedrooms, bathrooms with ten showers and a giant pool that serves as a bathtub and a pool, we come to another set of stairs that leads back down to the second level, but you can go off to the left and deeper into the Keep. I nod to the left. “What’s that way, Sindel?”

The wyrm stops. “That leads to all fire creature heaven. I’m pretty sure you get what I mean. If you go to the right, you go to water creature heaven with natural underground pools, streams, water features, and all that stuff. I’m taking you outside, the long way.”

We continue through the Keep until we reach stairs, in the same fashion as the others, leading up to the third floor and up to a fourth and outside. We take the stairs up and out. We come to a miles of flat rock surrounded by forest. This place is definitely hidden and with a few enchantments, it can still be hidden by anyone who sees it from the sky. Sindel leads me to the very edge of this canyon bowl. The wide stretch of plain reaches for miles. I see the entrance to a stable protruding from the canyon walls. I smile. “This place is beautiful, Sindel,” I say in total awe.

The wyrm sighs as he looks about. “It was.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s not like this anymore. Well, not totally. The stables are hidden and completely down. The Keep itself is no longer black and white stone by grey. The fire is out. The Arena is broken down and crumbling. The water is dirty. The bedrooms and bathrooms are coated in dust. This place is a fixer-upper, but it can be home once more.”

“Well, where are the owners?”

“The original owners are dead but their daughter is still alive. They went off to visit relatives in your village for the holidays. Unfortunately, the dark mages decided that that was the day to destroy that very village you and your parents were visiting.”

I look at the tinsel wyrm with shock on my face. “You’re telling me that this, all of this, is mine.”

Sindel nods his silver head. “Once out of the dream state, I will find their will for you and show you myself once Dyh heals you.”

I look out on the Keep.

This is all mine.

This is insane.

********




Comments? Ideas? Questions? Critisism? Please guys (and gals)?

[Lunaheart]

Chapter 17: Dyh

(NOTE: Aero's POV)



We finally reach the top of the damn stairs without falling off the side. I look at Blaze. “You ready?” I ask.

Let’s find Dyh and make sure he helps us!

We start forward into the hall when Blaze stops. “What is it, Blaze?”

She cocks her head like a puppy would. Question…don’t amphistas have two heads?

I think for a moment. “Yeah, why?”

Which head is Dyh?

“How am I supposed to know that?”

Well, don’t you think Sindel should have told us?

“Good point.”

Let’s just be prepared for whatever is ahead. Let’s get a little light going here and find Dyh!

I close my palm and then open it; a small fire phoenix awakens in my hand. It flaps its wings and becomes airborne. It flies a little ahead of Blaze and I as we go into the hallway. With every passing hour I can hear and feel Blaze’s silent pain that she feels every time Ebony fades further. Eventually Blaze is nearly dragging her paws, her head low. I stop for a moment and wait for her. She stops and looks at me with glossy eyes. Aero, do you really think Dyh will help us? He’s an amphista, all they do is wreck vengeance on people and pull their stupid pranks.

I take Blaze’s head in my hands. Then I give her a hug. Beneath all that hellhound fire and the whole screw-you-and-go-to-hell attitude is a gigantic, soft puppy that really just wants Ebony to get better. I bury my hands deep in her warm fur and feel her shake. I finally let go and look Blaze in the eye. Soft, light tear streaks stain her fur. Her eyes blaze with a newfound fire. I swear by everything unholy that if this amphista doesn’t help, I’ll tear the poison head off!

I can’t help but chuckle. “Blaze, you are the only hellhound I know that will tear someone’s head off if you don’t get your way.”

She wags her tail just slightly. We continue to walk until the walls start to show signs that a dragon lives somewhere near here. Scratch marks line some of the walls along with scorch marks and deep gouges that reek of poison. We round the corner. A dark cavern made just like any other cavern block our path. It’s a dead end.

As we walk toward it, I throw on a fire proof spell and a simple shield spell. I see the outline of a dark, snakelike form move about within the back of the cave. In a heartbeat, Blaze rushes forward with her fire bright. I shield my eyes for a moment, but the amphista has no chance seeing as the light and fire is directly for him. The dark blue scales of the amphista glint in the light of Blaze’s fire as she tackles both heads and lands her powerful jaws on the venom head. Get off me you stupid animal!

Blaze growls at him. Call me stupid one more time and you will be saying goodbye to your venom head!

The amphista’s poison head growls at Blaze as the venom head continues to fight. “Which one of you is Dyh?” I ask.

I am! the poison head screams.

“What is your second head’s name?”

My second head has no name! I control both!

“What do you mean?” I ask completely confused. “I thought an amphista is two creatures in one body? Twins connected together?”

We were until a blasted magi, a dark one at that, killed my brother! I had to take control of my second head using my magic, thank you very much!

“So, it’s just you controlling both heads?”

Exactly! It’s just me and a tail with a brain dead head.

“Anyway, we need help with my friend. She’s been shot with an arrow dipped in amphista poison.”

Let me up and I guess I can help you.

“Blaze?”

Blaze jumps off the amphista and stands beside me. Dyh picks his head up and stands on his two legs. His tail-head lays on the ground with open, glazed over eyes. What you need to do is dilute my tail-head’s venom with water. In the cavern across from this one is a stream. I’m pretty sure you can figure out what to do next.

I nod. “Blaze, stay here.”

I walk to the cave across from the one we are in. I lean down by the small stream in the cave. Aero?

I turn and see Tysa in the doorway. In her mouth is a vial. I…I wanted to help so I found this from a room in the Keep. I new you would need it. There is a glass of water downstairs.

Tysa walks forward and drops the vile in my hand. I walk back to Dyh. What is that damn fox thing doing
here?

“She’s helping me.”

Dyh get’s the tail-head to open its mouth for me to extract some venom. I stop the vile and stand back. “Thank you, Dyh.”

Tell me this, Aero, what is the name of your friend?

“Ebony.”

Blaze and I walk back out of the cave, leaving a totally stunned amphista behind us. Aero, hop on up. It’ll take us twice as long if we go on foot.

“Good point…”

I jump up on Blaze’s back, grabbing a nice fist full of her fur. I tighten my thighs as she takes off at a dead run back through the long ass hall. After an hour or so we arrive on the third floor balcony. “Careful going downstairs, Blaze,” I say.

Blaze growls in answer and races down the stairs. We finally skid to a stop by Ebony’s side. The tinsel wyrm appears by her side with a scroll in his mouth. Blaze walks over to Ebony. She nuzzles her pale face. Her eyes flutter open. Her hand goes straight to her head as she sits up slowly with Blaze supporting her. I feel vibrations in my mind as Sindel speaks to Ebony in her mind. I pour the venom from the vial into the glass and mix it well.

I watch as Ebony opens the scroll. Her eyes widen at whatever she is reading. “So it’s true?” she croaks, her voice hoarse.

Sindel nods his head.

“Here, drink this. It’ll help you heal,” I say, handing her the glass of the diluted venom.

She takes it with both hands, and drinks it, grimacing at the flavor. The color returns to her face and her side heals quickly along with the help of my own healing spells I have been reciting over and over in my head. With my help, she stands up. She smiles. “Thanks,” she says. “Now, shall we clean up some of my rooms so we have a place to stay or what?”

“‘Some of your rooms?’”

She smiles. “Welcome to Darh-Kai Keep. Apparently I have inherited it from my parents.”


********
NOTE: The Keep's name is pronounced Dar-Kie (like pie with a 'K')



Comments? Questions? Ideas? Critisism?