For future reference... < > = thoughts * * = emphasis ***** On a distant hill, two figures clashed swords. One wearing a dark blue hooded cloak, concealing mostly all her facial features. The other dressed in a pair of tan colored loose pants and a white tank top. Clang. Swoosh. Clang. "You're getting better," exclaimed a winded male voice. A giggle left the other fighter's lips. The man grimaced as his sword arm began to protest the movements he was making. His dark hair was plastered onto the sides of his face with sweat. His deep blue eyes were beginning to sting from the sweat pouring into them. "I know." The soft voice was carried away with the wind. The harsh clang of metal on metal continued for endless moments until the hooded warrior skillfully knocked away his opponent's sword. With an efficient tug she pulled away the cloth which shrouded her features revealing a young girl. Her unbound silver hair tumbled around her elegant face. Her deep purple eyes were gleaming with mirth. Placing the steely blade against the downed man's neck, she hissed, "Do you yield?" The man grumbled something incoherent and the mocking voice asked again. "What was that? I didn't quite get it." Blue eyes narrowed dangerously. The warrior glared up, eyes promising vengeance, but at length he growled, "I yield. Now let me up." Fury warred with shame as he awaited the victor's decision. Soft laughter followed as a slim hand helped the larger man off the ground. The man dusted himself and looked at the winner in disgust and amazement. "How do you do it Alexia? Everyday we practice from morning to mid-day and still...you always beat me! How?" Alexia smiled secretly and whispered, "A Dragon never reveals her secrets." The man, whose name was Denar, smiled wickedly anger slowly fading from his face. "I'm pretty sure you have quite a few that I wouldn't mind finding out." He nimbly dodged the hand that was aimed at his head, ran down the hill and across the field. Laughing all the way. Alexia shouted at his retreating back, "Don't even think about asking for dinner tonight!" ***** In the Nether Realm, Talpa was performing his daily "brain wash" of his generals, making sure that none of them would ever turn traitor to him. He remained in his dark throne room, where the only light was the few torches he allowed to burn on the stone walls. Talpa finished his other generals, Dais, Sekmeth, and Anubis. It was time for Kale. "Kale..." he called. A dark figure stepped out from the shadows and moved forward. Kale stood before Talpa's throne and then got down to one knee. He took a deep breath and opened his mind to his Master. He gave a small shudder as he felt Talpa enter his inner most thoughts and mind. Talpa roamed the dark plains that were Kale's mind and smiled at the desolation. He truly was the Warlord of Corruption. He was about to leave when a certain flash of light caught his eye. Talpa turned around and noticed something new. Something that Kale must have been hiding for a while now. He moved over toward the light to investigate the strange phenomenon. The light shifted and changed as he drew closer. It took shape of a tall tower. There was a small opening toward the top and he moved toward it. A quick peek inside might be able to explain the reason for the tower. Talpa looked in and let out a gasp. He couldn't believe what he saw! Inside was a small, sparsely decorated room. But the occupants are what caught his attention. A small girl of about the age of four was playing with a small silver dragon. The small girl laughed with pleasure as she and the dragon frolicked in the small confining room. Talpa quickly left the dark plains and returned back to the throne room. "Rise Kale.." Kale stood up and remained silent. Talpa knew there was a reason for the light tower and he meant to find out....by any means necessary. "What does that little girl and the dragon mean to you?" Kale's eyes flashed for a moment but he remained silent. Inside was a different story. He felt like kicking himself. He quickly quieted his internal argument. He'd deal with that later. "She means nothing to me my Master," he answered in this normal stone cold voice. "Ahh. You lie to me Kale. I will only ask once more....what does this girl mean to you?" Kale's mind was reeling out of control by now. He couldn't allow Talpa to find her. He wouldn't! "As I said Master, she means nothing to me. She is but a part of the past, which I will never see again. She means nothing to me." He hoped this would end the interrogation. He couldn't handle anymore. Sparks began to form at Kale's feet and then suddenly, an electric current began to run through Kale's body. He shut his eyes but refused to let out a scream of pain. He gritted his teeth and eventually ended up biting down hard onto his lower lip. "Tell me Kale! I am your Master and you will obey me!" Kale fell to his hands and knees cringing in pain. He would hold out! His hands began to clench the stone floor and his fingers actually dug into it! Sweat began to run down his face as well as blood dripped down his chin. Lightening began to swirl around him and Kale soon resembled a living ball of electricity. Suddenly, Kale began to feel his mental blocks and barriers beginning to break down. He felt them crumble and he fought with the last of this psychic strength. But it was all in vain. It had been a while since he had a psychic battle with someone and he was no match for Talpa. "No....forgive me-" he whispered before darkness claimed his consciousness. He fell completely to the floor unceremoniously. Talpa laughed and said, "So, this is what she is to you. If she knew what you have become, what would she do? She would be a useful ally though. Or maybe even..." He telepathically called his other generals to remove the unconscious Kale from his throne room. As they disappeared, he said to himself, "...a useful toy for me to play with!!" Talpa's laughter rang out into the Nether Realm. ***** Denar was waiting at her kitchen table when Alexia finally came in. She had the most bewildered look on her face. She came in and placed her sword on the table with a loud thump. This was strange. Alexia treated her sword as another part of herself and would never just throw it on the table. Something was up. He decided to take the nonchalant direction. "So...anything happen out on the field while I was gone?" Denar noticed her back tense up then quickly relax. "Umm....No. What makes you ask such a silly question?" she said quickly. Alexia brushed some loose strands behind her ears and crossed her arms over her chest. She pasted on a bright smile and then turned around. But Denar noticed the shakiness in her voice and stood to go behind her. He put his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. He looked over at her and asked again. "Alex...I probably know you better than you know yourself and you were never a good liar." Alexia was torn. This was not something she could talk about without the consequences coming back to haunt her. But this was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Any secrets now would only tear them apart. She turned in his arms and smiled up at him. She pulled him toward the couch by the fireplace. "Please sit.." she whispered. Denar was completely confused by her sudden change in demeanor. He quickly obeyed and sat down. Alexia perched nervously next to him. She took a deep breath and said... "I have a brother-" Denar made a confused face and snorted. "So." Alexia shook her head and a single tear fell from her purple-blue eyes. Denar was in awe of this. From a warrior who could beat the best of them to the women who had stolen his heart and to the small scared child that was now silently weeping in agony. "Its not that I *have* a brother...but its' *who* he is..." An ebony eyebrow went up in surprise and Denar gritted his teeth. This was not good. Alexia never kept any secrets from him. "Tell me Alexandria. Who is *he*?" Alexia internally winced as Denar used her full name. Only her father called her that. And her father was not who she wanted to have on her mind right now. She shook her head as more tears continued to fall like a crystal waterfall. She opened her lips to say the words. The words that left screaming from her lips at night. The words that she heard her father cry out in anger everytime she learned a new lesson without her Black Blade Sword. Denar was furious by now. Secrets! Secrets! How could she keep Secrets from me?! But in the back of his mind, he was truly worried about her. He knew she hardly slept at nights. Nightmares were all to common for her. Denar reached out and grabbed her left wrist. He stood up and pulled her soft body roughly against his. Alexia let out a gasp of surprise and attempted to pull away. But Denar kept his iron fist around her slim wrist. "I'll ask only once more...*who* is he??" Alexia looked up fearfully into Denar's normally shining indigo eyes, which were now as cold as ice. She gently lifted her other hand to trace his jaw. It fell away and she looked to the floor. Denar's cold blue eyes softened. "Talon..." The whispered word floated around the room like a ghost. Denar released her and stepped away. He looked at her as if she had grown another head. "Please tell me your lying...??" Alexia shook her head and wiped her tears off her cheeks. She was a Silver Dragon. She wasn't supposed to cry! She closed her eyes and calmed herself. Fire-filled purple eyes suddenly snapped open and stared at him in surprise. "Wha-what are you doing?!?" Denar's body was glowing a dark blue and the air in the small hut was being riddled with energy. Alexia couldn't believe what she was seeing. The man she loved more than anything in the world, the dragon she planned on making her life and soul mate, her future husband, was going to call his Dragon Armor!! He looked over at her and then back outside the door. Nightfall had come but a challenge was a challenge. No matter what time of day. He disappeared in a flash of dark blue light and reappeared outside in the field. Alexia shook her head in disbelief. This would get them nowhere. Her body began to glow silver and in a flash of silver light she to appeared on the dark field. The two combatants glared at each other across the field. Each one having a reason to defeat the other. To Denar, he had his honor to win back. To Alexia, she had his trust to win back. "Please Denar. Don't do this..." He shook his head and sneered. Alexia was unsure of what to do. She didn't want to hurt him. She knew how much more powerful her Dragon Armor was than his. He had rarely seen it and didn't even know *whose* she had. Dragon Battle Armor was passed from first born to first born. Depending on the rank of leadership in your clan, the powers of the Dragon Armor could be as weak as a foot soldiers or as powerful as the Armors of the leaders of the clans. Each clan controlled certain powers. The Silver Dragon clan controlled mainly electricity. The Black Dragon clan controlled water. This included rain and ice. The White Dragon clan controlled light and dark energy. Alexia being of all three clans made her extremely powerful. She bared the armor of the leader of the White Clan. Her mother gave this armor to her. From this she had her White Blade Sword. From the Silver Clan, there was no leader armor, but she was given full use of all the magic they had and all the powers they contained. But from the Black Dragon Clan- BOOM!!! The loud crash signified the arrival of her mother's "not-so-better half." She took a deep breath and looked over at Denar. He to had heard the crash but had no idea where it had come from. She decided to enlighten him. "Beloved?" Denar looked up sharply at this. He was going to protest but she held up her hand to silence him. "No. Just listen." Denar nodded his head in agreement. "After all this time, have you not wondered who my father was? I mean, you met my mother, Selendra, one of the high leaders of the White Dragons. But, you've never met my father, have you?" Denar was confused now. He nodded his head in agreement and momentarily stopped his glowing. "No. I've never had to pleasure of meeting him. I always figured you didn't want us to meet since I was just a Black Dragon and he was probably some high Silver Drag-" "NEVER!!" Denar stopped at her interruption and glanced at her strangely. "Never think you are not good enough for me. Never!" He shrugged and continued with his explanation. "I jus' figured you never had the chance to get around to it." She smiled mischievously and tipped her head to one side. "Prepare to meet my father. I'm sure you'll be most pleased to see him." The trees around the field shook with an unseen wind and suddenly a cold shiver ran down his spine. This is *not* going to be good... Suddenly, a red glowing figure appeared in the middle of them. It glowed brightly for a moment then began to die down. The figure turned and looked over at Alexandria and smiled. She smiled back and ran to him. He opened his arms and Alexia ran into them. He gave her a quick squeeze, then released her. She stepped back and looked at Denar who looked like he was going out of his mind with jealousy and anger. The figure turned to look at him. Denar turned pale as he got a look at the face of the figure. Silently, he wished he'd never even mentioned coming out here... ***** Kale's deep blue eyes opened and viewed a mass of green in front of him. After blinking a few times, he realized who it was. He sat quickly, then r egretted it when the room began to spin wildly. Fighting the nausea that threatened to consume him, he choked out, "S-Sekmeth...?" The Warlord of Venom turned around and viewed the occupant on the bed. "So, 'Sleeping Ugly' has decided to wake. Tell me something, what exactly *did* you do to anger Master Talpa??" These thoughts coming from a dark shadow in the corner. Kale sat up completely in his bed and swung his feet around to touch the floor. "You can come out to the shadows now, 'Spider'." Dais stepped out of the corner looking mildly surprised. Kale immediately read the look on this face and smirked. "Don't be. You may be the 'Master of Illusion' but this is still my domain. *Nothing* gets by me." Dais returned Kale's smirk with a cold smile of his own. "Do tell us Kale. What did you do? I thought you were Master Talpa's favorite. After Anubis that is." Kale swallowed the bile that was quickly rising in his throat. "Leave me now." Both Sekmeth and Dais walked into the shadows. Kale sighed with relief as he felt them leave his presence. He sat back down on the bed's edge, seemingly too weary for his own legs to hold him up. Sighing deeply, he allowed one small tear to fall down his cheek. It traced the sword-like scar over his left eye. Kale shook his head and angrily wiped the tear away. He mentally called his armor to him. A cold smile of pleasure crossed his face as the familiar Armor of Corruption covered his firm body. Taking his helmet off and tossing it onto the bed, he quickly crossed the room to a dark corner. A low creaking sound emanated from the shadows. Kale walked out of the shadows carrying a long, blanket covered object. He quickly untied the string that held the blanket to the object. A flash of light struck his room as the object was revealed. The forgotten blanket drifted to the floor. A sword was revealed. A long beautifully crafted sword. Its blade seemingly crafted out of moonlight itself. The dark almost black colored metal reflected the light of the few candles Kale allowed in his domain. A large hilt adorned with a dragon's claw. As the light reflected off the walls memories began to tear into Kale's mind. Barriers of pain and regret were knocked down in the barrage. Shaking his head in pain and anger, he knelt to the floor and grabbed the blanket and string. Fighting to control his shaking hands, he quickly re-wrapped the sword and headed back to the shadows. Another low creak signaled that wherever the sword had come from, it had returned. Slowly, almost dejectedly, Kale made his way back to his bed. Turning and sitting down as if a thousand grindstones were resting on his shoulders, he let out a soft sigh. There was one memory that kept replaying in his mind. The one memory that would never leave his mind...no matter how corrupted it got... A soft wind gently caressed the grassy field. The sun's quiet rays reflected off the low hilltops. A lone man stood on one of those hilltops. His long raven colored hair blew recklessly around him. Cold gray eyes surveyed the field, as if looking for something or someone. A cold smile covered his lips. His dark blue loose cotton pants and long sleeved white shirt hid his muscular physique. His face was a mask of beauty. Flawless in every way. His lifted his head suddenly. His body tensed. His ears perked up. The sounds of the land surrounded him. The whistling birds. The soft bubbling creek that ran just behind the circle of forest that surrounded the clearing. Suddenly, a soft feather-like touch caressed his left cheek. He quickly turned to his left to catch a glimpse of the object. When he turned, there was nothing but a soft laugh that floated in the air. The cold smile was replaced by a mischievous grin. "Come on 'Himeko'!! No fair cheating!!" The laughter continued to float around him. A flash of silver light caught the corner of his eye. He turned to find a beautiful young girl standing off to his right. Using unnatural strength, he lunged at her. The young girl's laughter turned to a gasp of surprise then a cry of pain as they tumbled down the hill together. The pair ended up in a large heap on the bank of the hill. As the young man opened his eyes, all he saw was silver. It took him a few moments to realize it was the girl's hair that was clouding his vision. Her body was strewn on top of his. A soft groan announced that she was awake as well. "Himeko...get up....you weight a ton!!" A sharp poke in his side answered him. Using whatever strength was left in her limbs, she rolled herself off of the man. "Oh shut up..." She quickly stood up and offered her hand to the man on the ground. He looked at it disapprovingly and muttered while grabbing the offered hand. "I can get up myself..." The girl frowned and answered back. "Fine!" She let go of his hand. The young man landed back on the ground with a rather painful sounding thump. She cringed as she saw his anger begin to mount. "I'm sorry." The apology did nothing to sooth him. He looked up with cold fire burning in his eyes and a smirk on his lips. "Well! Look at the sun! Time for me to get going home! It's been great fun! Catch you later!" With that said, she turned and began to run back up the hill. "Oh no you don't! Not this time!" The young man quickly stood up and began to run after the fleeing girl. A few quick strides and he had already caught up with her. Tackling her a little more gently this time, he brought her down to the ground. Her body below his this time. Her face flush with excitement and her eyes gleaming with fury. She tried to frown at the young man who was lying on top of her. "Now...what was it you said that started this whole thing?" the man asked her softly. The young girl's eyes widened in surprise and her cheeks became rosy from a deep blush. "I-I don't want to repeat it.." she managed to stutter out. The man's eyes gleamed dangerously and his hands rose from the ground to her waist. "Fine. Then an apology is all I ask." The girl let out a soft laugh and smirked up at him. "To you? Never!" The man raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Is that so?" His hands moved quicker than she could've imagined and soon gales of laughter were leaving her lips. "Alright! Alright! Forgive me! Please!" she managed to breathe out between giggles. The man stopped and looked down at her. She had tears of laughter s treaming from her deep purple eyes. Her smile never left her lips. The man moved and held out a hand to help her up. She took it and quickly stood beside him. They both stood in silence as she wiped the tears from her eyes and cheeks. She let out a soft sigh and took a step away from the man, seemingly surveying the land as he was. She looked over her shoulder and smirked. Turning around, she titled her head to the side and used the toe of her boot to dig in to the soft earth. "What?" the man asked, She looked up at him and smiled. "Now that I think about...I take it back! I did mean what I said! You are a Momma's Boy!" She shrieked with laughter and began to run away from the man with all the strength in her young body. The young man stared after her...her laughter ringing in his ears...the sweetest sound he had ever heard... ***** Denar's voice finally began to work again. He took a small step toward the two and shook his head in disbelief. Alexis smiled at his response. She loved to shock her friends when she told them or showed them who her father was. Tilting her head to one side, she smiled. "Denar, beloved. I do believe you've met my father before. Lord Dragus, of the Council of Black Dragons." He slowly nodded and tried to assimilate the information. Startled indigo eyes suddenly snapped up to glare at Alexia. Cold fire burned through him. "You have both armors?!?" Confused purple eyes glanced to her father then her lover. A silver brow raised in question. She quickly decided that childish antics were not going to solve this problem. "Wha-" "You could've killed me?!?" Alexia was now beyond anger. Even her father took a step back. "Oh really?!? And what were you planning on doing with me?!? Confessing your love while bashing my head in with your sword?!?" Denar was about to be outdone. A cold smile graced his lips. His eyes narrowed and Alexia could literally feel the rage emanating off of him. "Never! Why would I *ever* want anyone from your bloodline?!?" A gasp of shock left her soft lips. To insult ones' bloodline was to insult ones' soul. Their very essence. A fiery sword of pain sliced into her soul. Her heart felt as if it had fallen to the ground and broken into a million pieces. Dragus took a step toward his former student. Quiet anger more than evident in his pale silver eyes. "You didn't mean that-" Denar shook his head vehemently. His cold eyes never left Alexia's pain filled ones. "Oh...but I did." A whisper left her lips, "But I love you..." "Do you think that changes anything?!? You lied to me-" "I never lied to you! I may have kept a few things from you, but I never lied. The only thing I feared in revealing my secret was your reaction! Look at us....LOOK! Is this what you envisioned for us-" "Enough talk. This is a challenge. Dragus, you will keep out of this?" The ancient dragon let out a soft sigh and turned toward his only daughter. His only dragon child. "Only if my daughter wishes it..." Alexia was beginning to look very pale, even in the bright moon and starlight. Yet, she was a Silver Dragon. Daughter of Lord Dragus and Lady Selendra. She would never back down from a challenge. Her eyes left Denar's for a split moment and she smiled sadly. "Father, please. This is my fight..." Her father shook his head. Dragus nodded his consent and in a dark flash of light, he teleported to the edge of the clearing. Allowing the two dragons to sort out this mess. "Well?" "Well what, Denar? You really want me to hurt you?" Denar smirked and almost let out an evil laugh. "You think you could hurt me? Let's just see how it goes. Come on! Call your Armor!" Alexia's eyes flashed with anger but she reigned it in. Anger was the way to lose. Anger only clouded the judgement. Thrusting her left hand high into the sky, she called upon her Armor. "Armor of Kaze! Surround!" A streak of lightening shot across the clear sky. But no thunder followed. Another streak flew, but this one struck Alexia's outstretched hand. Denar fought the impulse to run to her. To protect her. Swallowing the bitterness that was quickly filling this soul, he tried to concentrate on his anger. On his betrayal. The electricity swirled around her hand. It quickly traveled down her arm and spread to the rest of her body. The lightning begins to solidify and create a sub-armor of sorts. She brings her hand down. In a suddenly flash of white light, her Kaze Armor is now in place. Denar is confused. "Where is your Sora Armor? I thought you were his daughter?" "I don't want to talk about that right now. I have something else to tell you." Denar nodded his head for her to continue. "I won't fight you. I'd rather die before I even had to think about harming you in anyway-" "Then allow me to change you mind!" With that, Denar charged at her. Alexia looked at her beloved with infinite sadness. Why does my life have to be like this? Why must the Elder Gods punish me so? Releasing the sword that was strapped to her back, she threw it to the ground. In a flash of light, the armor disappeared. Now only dressed in her normal clothes, she closed her eyes and opened her arms. As if to embrace him. Blinded by rage and angry tears, Denar missed seeing her disarm herself. Suddenly, a blinding wave of pain flowed through her chest. Her eyes slowly opened to reveal a sight her soul was unprepared to see. Her lover, Denar of the Black Dragon Clan, standing before her, with his sword buried within her chest. Bright red blood began to stream down the silver blade. Like small rivers of pain. Like the river of tears that were cascading down her cheeks. Her teary eyes looked up into Denar's unfeeling eyes. Her mind was busy trying to assimilate the knowledge she was witnessing... "B-beloved?" Denar's heart twisted in pain at the endearment. So, he twisted the sword buried within her chest. A small whimper of pain escaped her trembling lips. A thin stream of blood appeared at the corner of her mouth. It traveled down her pale skin to drip onto his wrist. Seeing no further use for his sword being where it was, he yanked it back out of her body. A loud crunch was heard when the sword finally released her body. Alexia quietly fell to her knees, her hands clutched to her chest, trying to stop the blood that was pouring from her wound. Her eyes never left Denar's. The blood soon ran over her hands and down her body. Denar tossed his sword beside him and knelt before his former lover. Sneering with evil, he grabbed the back of her head and yanked on her hair. Causing her head to snap back painfully. Yet no sound of pain left her mouth. She glared back at Denar. Accusations and hatred conveyed more strongly that words ever could be. "Before I go, I have one last thing to take care of. Hence, the wound in your chest." Denar lifted his free hand as it began to glow. Alexia's eyes grew wide with fear. She knew Black Dragon's reacted strongly when their loyalty had been betrayed, but she began to see pieces of something else glowing in Denar's eyes. This was a quest for vengeance. The same one that had almost killed her brother. The same thing that had controlled him was now controlling her beloved. Denar angrily tore her hands away from her wound. Blood splattering over his black pants and shirt. "I take!" Denar's hand reached into her wound, curling around the torn flesh. Fire began to course through her body. Tears flowed unheedingly. "My heart!" He twisted his hand and ice began to crawl up and down her spin. Alexia tried to form words, but only small gurgling sounds whispered out into the quiet night. "From your greedy little hands!" Sweat began to pour from her brow. Mixing with the blood already trickling from her lips. "And!" Another bolt of fire struck her battered soul. Alexia managed a soft outcry of pain. "I take a piece our your Soul!" Pain was clouding her consciousness. Only his words reached her mind. Imprinted onto her very being. "So, that you may never betray another of your Clan again!" Alexia was beginning to pass out. Darkness was edging around the corner of her vision. As Denar threw one last bolt of pain through her, Alexia let out a scream. One that sent shivers down even Denar's spine. No one should have to go through so much pain. The last thing she saw was Denar's cold indigo eyes, burning into her soul. As her eyes rolled back into her head, Denar threw her body back onto the ground. He looked at the wound and noticed that her dragon blood was already healing the wound. Now...to leave you something that you will always remember me by... With his hand still glowing, he placed it above her wound. The edges began to turn silver. Alexia moaned in pain. Denar's hand stop glowing. That should be enough. He took one last loving look at Alexia and turned to pick up his sword. As he bent to pick up his sword, a cold voice behind him sent ice pricks down his neck. "Leave here and never return..." "I was planning on that. You won't tell her where I go?" "No. But leave now. Before its to late..." Denar quickly teleported back to the hut. Grabbing only a few essential things, he took one last look around the home they had shared for the past 35 years. He angrily wiped the tears that were cascading down his face. Letting one soft sigh escape his lips, he disappeared in a flash of dark blue light...never to be seen again in that realm... ***** The young girl stared out into the horizon. The sun was still high into the sky. The clouds flowed by on gentle winds. Her long silver hair tickled the sides of her elegant face. But no smile graced her lips. It had been to long. Raising a slim hand, she gently traced the long jagged scar through her soft white shirt. It's bright silver color shining through the cloth. She gently shook her head. Shaking unpleasant thoughts from her mind. Thoughts of a happier time. Exactly 200 hundred years ago. Today was the exact anniversary of her Betrayal. Today was the day she would finally start her quest. Today was the day she was to begin a mission to destroy. Those who had betrayed her. Those who had hurt her. I will find you. I will regain what is rightfully mine. Even if it takes me for the rest of eternity. I will succeed. I will...