Fan Fiction ❯ Dragon Tale ❯ Part Two-The widening road of evil ( Chapter 2 )

Part Two: The widening road of evil.

Note: again credit given when credit us due and it's Due for Geo =P Hehe i luv Liam's line about the rose ^^its my fave saying of all time. Go Liam! okei okei back to the story.
A small side dedication to the few and far between fans i have of this story. They're the ones that keep me typing. ^_^

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a weeks rest, Draco and Ultima set out.

They both agreed that it would be less obvious if they traveled in their humans forms so they shifted into them just outside of the hideout.

Tucking her silvery blue hair under her hood, Draco took a curious look at her companion's human form.

Ultima's hair was the exact shade as his scales had been. A rich thriving forest green. On his back, sheathed, was a sword. He was easily several inches taller then her and about two years older. He was slightly tanned, an off contrast to Draco own pale skin. She caught herself stealing several glances at him as they walked.

They traveled along a dirt path in an awkward silence.

Draco was use to traveling alone and even when she'd been with Liam, they had walked in a comfortable silence.

Hours passed and just as Draco was about say something, anything to break the silence, a piercing scream on their left drew their attention.

Draco bolted to where she'd heard the scream, followed closely by her companion. They came to a small clearing in the forest where a baby dragon was tied up with long coils of chains to a tree.

Ultima hesitated, taking in the situation and trying to figure out what to do. Draco kept on going without a single thought otherwise.

Draco's scythe whipped out and in a single slice she freed the dragonet. With an unnatural hiss, the Dragonet rose to it's feet and twisted shape, taking the form of a mage. Snickering and smirking the darkly clad mage brushed off the remnants of the chains off his arm.

Draco stepped back but a small band of hunters had surrounded her from behind, cutting her off.

Freezing instinctively, Draco's eyes darted around quickly with rising panic. This situation was getting all too familiar to her.

Suddenly a man on her left fell, sliced neatly in half by Ultima's blade. The mage fired a blast at Draco, one which she barley deflected back, the blast hitting the tree harmlessly behind him, destroying it.

Scrambling out of another bandit's way she took her scythe in her hands and dealt with two of her attackers with several well aimed swipes.

Ultima worked just as quickly, staking some of the attackers on their own blades. He worked hastily and almost soundlessly.

Draco would have admired him for his skill had she not been busy with the mage.

The mage had her cornered now, having used the other bandits to inconspicuously back her up against some of the thicker grown trees.

Draco had called upon her own magic to hold her attacker off but the mage was skilled and deflected any of her attacks harmlessly.

However, skilled as he was in the use of magic, Draco's attacker made the mistake of coming too close. Draco's scythe hissed through the air, leaving the mage's right hand a bloody stump.

With a wail of agony the mage blasted at Draco with his remaining hand, missing her in his blind rage of pain and was sliced in half by Ultima a second later.

The rest of the bandits had fled by then, leaving the two dragons and several dead bodies in the clearing.

Shaken by what had happened, the two took off without a word, leaving the clearing behind them.

It was several minutes before either of them dared to speak.

"That was one of the dumbest things I have ever seen anyone do. What were you thinking, jumping in there without any thought what-so-ever?" Ultima asked, sneering slightly at the younger girl.

Truth was, he'd been just as startled as she'd been by the surprise attack and it had shaken him up though he didn't show it outwardly.

Draco's temper flared. "I was thinking about freeing that Dragonling."

Ultima scoffed. "Some Dragonling that turned out to be. If you had an ounce of sense in you, you would have waited and seen what a bad trap it all was!"

"Nothing happened and we got out alright" Draco objected. "So I leapt before Ii looked, it's not like it's the end of the world."

"It could have been for you if you had been caught and killed." Ultima pointed out. "If I hadn't been there to save your hide, the dragon hunters would have a new hide to sell on the black market."
Draco knew that he was right and was grateful for his help, however, did he have to go rubbing it in her face so much? She asked herself bitterly.

"I can very well take care of myself. "Draco argued defensively. "I don't need anyone coming and rescuing me. Ever!"

"Oh yeah, you really proved that back there AND in the forest with T.K. That's twice you'd almost gotten yourself killed." Ultima replied with the slightest smirk.

Draco flinched slightly. "So i messed up. Big deal! Why don't you just shut up already?"

Draco took on ahead of him and the conversation ended then. Deep down she knew he was right. That was what made it so horrible. She'd been a completed idiot twice and no one liked to be made a fool of, even if it was their fault.

They continued on in a tense silence. After a long walk the two came to a split in the road. Draco's knowledge of the land told her that the path to the left led straight into Dragon hunters territory and the one to the right, was Bandits' land. Decisively Draco stopped and turned to face her companion for the first time since they had argued earlier.

"We should go left."

Ultima shook his head. "are you crazy, that's Dragon hunters land. Going there is pure suicide."
Draco frowned. Something inside her called to her from that way, she couldn't' explain it and she didn't' feel much like trying to at the moment either. "No I'm telling you, the next gem is there."
Ultima shook his head. "Either way will lead us to Syn city....at least the bandits' way is safer..."
Draco looked at the mountains that made up Bandits' way. It wasn't that much safer if you considered all the bandits. Bandits could be just as ruthless...

"Bandits or hunters...they're not much different and I'm telling you...we have to go left."

The two argued tensely for several minutes.

They were bored tired and grumpy and in the end decided to split up, Draco heading down the Dragon hunters' way and Ultima over Bandits' way.

They agreed to meet up in Syn city once they got there.

So, the two headed in their own directions. Ultima following what his rational mind told him was the safer way and Draco following what her heart told her way the right way...however, was either of them right?

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Still annoyed over the earlier fight, Draco proceeded down her chosen path as Ultima continued along his.

Draco continued down the well worn path for about half a day. Scattered trees accompanied her but she saw no signs of any hunters. Beyond the trees the land that rose around her was barren save for the driest bushes here and there.
Eventually the path led the dragon girl to the base of a large cliff. Craning her neck to see the top Draco figured that the quickest path was up and over. he cliff stretched far and wide in all directions. Going around it, though certainly a easier task for the body, would have taken an immeasurable amount of time. Settling on the over and above method Draco stretched and settled down under a dry tree.
It was tempting to turn to her dragon form, however, in Dragon hunter territory, a move like that was purely suicidal.
As night fell upon the traveler she curled up behind some rocks after a light meal deciding to settle down there for the night.

In the lonely darkness, Draco's mind wandered. What was she doing? Was this quest just a mad goose chase? What was her former companion doing?
"Nights questions can only be answered by day: She whispered to herself, comfort found in those words.
Closing her eyes Draco fell into a dreamless sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dawns early rays awoke the youth. Stretching and grabbing a quick breakfast Draco surveyed the challenge before her.

There seemed enough adequate foot and handholds to make the task possible, and overall Draco figured she'd be able to accomplish it within a few hours.
Cloak resting on her back over her small bag she began the vertical ascent.
Stray roots and other sharp plant life scattered along the Cliffside scraped the girl as she pulled herself up. Like the hunters that ruled the territory, the landscape itself seemed cruel and unwelcoming. Occasionally she's find a ledge big enough to hold her and she's take a small break on it to even out her breathing and to let her muscles relax.
The sun was now breathing down on her with unwavering ferocity. A climb which at first had seemed relatively easy had turned into a rather straining task.
Suddenly the root Draco had been holding onto gave way. Desperately the girl tried to regain her balance against the cliff wall but she was thrown back and her foothold crumbled under her.

Draco fell, tumbling against the cliff face until a lucky desperate grasp fount it's target. Draco's hand closed over a stronger root and she dangled there for a few moments, blood now dripping from several cuts all over her body.
The dragon-girl threw her weight and found a small ledge she had rested on earlier and crawled back onto it. She collapsed trying to even out her breath. That had been too close. True she had only tumbled for a few feet but a few more and it might have resulted in a fatal injury.
"If I were in my dragon form I'd be over and done with this bloody hill in seconds" Draco muttered to herself. It was a tempting thought but in the end the practical part of her mind told how foolish it would be to attempt that.
Rather reluctantly now Draco rose and proceeded , more slowly now, to climb upwards once again.
Several more hours passed, only Draco's draconic stamina kept her going, that and a born stubbornness.
As her hand was inches from the sharp curve of the top ledge and warm hand closed over the unsuspecting girl's and pulled her up but it.
Draco's eyes widened in surprised as she was sent down on the ledge and got a glimpsed of who'd helped her.
"Liam?!" She asked, trying to make sure that it was indeed who the cloaked figure before her was.
Liam let go of her hand. "Draco you idiot, never planning ahead, never thinking." His voice has a coating of ice over it, it made Draco shift uneasily. His next words made her freeze completely. "We knew we could count on that."
Liam took a step forward and Draco took a step back, her heels brushing the edge of the cliff. What was going on? She glanced down quickly below her and wished she hadn't. Dragon's weren't afraid of heights, after all they flew great heights themselves. But as Draco stood at the edge in a weak human body, it was the human's fear which she felt and related with at the moment.
Hastily her eyes turned back to her friend. "Liam you, you wouldn't...would you? I mean, what in the seven hells is going on?" Draco's nervousness was clear in her voice.
In reply Liam took a wordless step forward.
Unintentionally Draco tried to step back again, her foot met thin air and with a screech of surprise she fell backwards.

All caution was gone now, replaced simple with the desire to survive. Draco's wings burst out from her back, spreading they tossed her back onto the ledge where she landed in a heap at Liam's feet.
Liam's smirk was twisted and sinister. "Amusing but pitiful" Liam muttered and Drew a small dagger, hutting Draco across her head with the hilt before she could gather her wits. The girl collapsed to the ground unconscious as her wings folded and disappeared again.


~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Cold cobwebbed walls surrounded Draco. They were the first thing to fill Draco's vision as she sat up. The floor was damp with an unknown substance. What little light there was came through slits in the only door set against a wall. The cell reeked of decay and magical runes on the walls prevented Draco from being able to change to her true form.
Draco was left there for a long time, she didn't know exactly how long. She was left with her thoughts and the dull throbbing pain of her body.
Over and over she mentally scolded herself. She should have seen a trap, expected it even. That wasn't the problem though. A trap set by any other hunter she could have dealt with, even expected but not one set up by Liam. Of all the people she would have never thought Liam was a traitor...
"That's my problem" Draco muttered bitterly, the sound of her own voice providing a minimal comfort. "I never think, they're right..." Draco's hand searched in the darkness and found her staff still strapped to her back as well as her bag. Other then providing some food both were useless to her at the moment, neither could help her escape her prison.
Evil seemed to be alive in the very walls and as the hours dragged by Draco found all of her hope beginning to drain. Was she just going to be left here to die?
Idly Draco wondered about her companion and hoped he was having better luck then she was. She knew that if he found out about her predicament he'd tell her, probably in very harsh details about how ignorant and foolish she'd been. However, in the silence that was her only company now, she longed for ever his criticism and company, anything was better then this.
As Draco was drifting off into a half sleep she was awoken fully but the door creaking open, filling the small cell with light. The light momentarily blinded the girl, who'd grown accustomed to the darkness.
Liam stepped in, illuminated by the light coming from behind him.
"Traitor!" Draco snarled once she was able to recognize the figure.

"Now don't have any hard feelings, evil is great once you give it a try." Liam smirked darkly. "Very rewarding."
Draco's eyes narrowed. "Oh I bet, and just how long have you been serving this so called great evil!"
"A Week" Draco was surprised by the answer. Seeing her surprise Liam's smirk merely widened. "And look what I am now, a prince of my very own palace when, I too, started out a mere prisoner of it."
From out of nowhere a black rose appeared in front of Draco. She stared at it suspiciously. Liam's smooth voice continued. "Evil is like this black rose. Beautiful but Deadly." He knelt across from Draco, taking her hand and putting it around the rose. Numbly Draco let him. Liam mad her hand close over the stem and with a small yelp Draco found the thorn digging into her flesh and tried to pull again. Liam refused to let her go, holding the hand firmly over the stem.
"Deadly to those who oppose it" He continued, his hand forced Draco's to tighten even more over the stem. Draco expected the thorns to dig in deeper but the pain vanished. "Deadly, but so beautiful to those who embrace it."
Draco felt a sudden warmth spread through her body starting from her hand. It was so soothing, all her pains and worries seemed to fade away into a comforting bliss.
It both relaxed and frightened the girl. With a sudden jerk she pulled her hand away, Liam let it slip from beneath his fingers. The feeling disappeared , brining back the pain which Draco welcomed. She knew that she had felt before had been evil at it's purest form. It hasn't hurt her...but it's seductiveness frightened her. She realized that if she'd held on any longer she would have fallen into it's grasp.
"I'm not like you Liam" Her voice quivered. "It takes a lot more for me to turn into a sick traitor like you." She rose to her feet shakily as Liam did the same, the rose floating up to his hand and disappearing. Draco continued, the words slipping out of her mouth without much thought. "I'd rather die first"
Liam shook his head. "And here i thought I could have you...but if that's the way you want it, well then I'm honestly sorry it's come down to it." Liam raised his hand, at his fingertips magical energy collected and flew towards Draco in sharp bolts.
Body protesting painfully as each movement, Draco whipped out her staff and reflected the arrack somewhat clumsily to the side.
Wounded, tired, Draco knew she didn't stand any sort of a chance against anyone, much less Liam who knew her so well.
Ducking another blast Draco countered Liam next attack with a feeble blast of her own which the boy brushed off as if it were no more then a pesky fly.
Magic came to Liam like lightning, Draco struggled to avoid it but each second seemed to weigh her down even more
In a blind attempt Draco attacked with her staff alone, tripping Liam who hadn't expected such a simple attack. The energy he'd had waiting at his fingertips was set loose and hit a wall wildly creating a long crevice in it.
"You're only wasting you're time resisting" Liam snarled, she stretched a hand out and Draco went flying, hitting the wall behind her. The mage rose to his feet, miffed that he'd been tripped in the first place.
Vision blurred, Draco slid down against the wall, her breath staggering through her lungs in uneven gasps.
A large blade started to descend down onto her and she just managed to raise her staff up in defense against it. A large crack split the loyal weapon in half and it splintered upon impact, the blade slide though and slicing into the girls shoulder.
Draco's hand, which had fallen almost completely useless to the floor, hit something cool. Her fingers brushed against the smooth surface and suddenly the shoulder healed up with a flare of bright green light. Liam staggered back, hand covering his eyes, blindly the blade went down again at the girl and she raised whatever her hand had found.
The cold blade met the object and with another flash of emerald light Liam was thrown back, bloodied and knocked out. Draco was thrown back as well, the building around her began to collapse at the abuse it had taken. A faint green light glowed around the dragon girl from an orb she clutched tightly in her hand. The orb, An Emerald, contained a shape of a black dragon seeming to guard something inside of it. Under the girls fingertips it glowed brightly eventually dulling down to a dim glow as the prison collapsed in completely on itself.


~~
Notes: Finally the seconds parts done!!!!!!! ohh bad bad liam *glomps Liam* ^-^ read and review people! read and review!