The Agnimitra

[Dragonhatchling]

((I'm coming in....somewhere....))

 

Shadow walked around a little bored but not enough to send her somewhere where she'd eventually get into much trouble. She turned a corner and saw Horo, Ddraig and Dark along with another boy who she'd never seen. Shadow paused wondering if she should go talk to the boy as from Horo's look she wasn't too happy with him being there. Deciding to see if she could possible get Horo's mind off him Shadow walked over and stood waiting calmly buy a wall close to the group. Don't jump in...or jump out. She thought wondering who this new person was.

 

((let me guess I screwed something up...if I did...tell me and I'll edit it to go somewhere else.))

[Kira1]

((you're just fun Dragonhatchling ^^))

 

Midnight sat silently as Adam looked at her, the two most likely thinking the same thing. He then asked if she had anything else to report on. She paused to think if there was and there were a few things.

"Repair on the mansion is going fine. Should be done by tomorrow or the following day," she began, "and the groups of Agnimitra who will not fight have been leaving without any problems. There has been no word if any have been ambushed at all."

She paused now before going on with something a bit more worrisome to her.

"Where did Puppy go? Who is he with? He sent a thought to me telling me that he was sorry and should have listened to orders but then he shut his mind off to me and I couldn't get in touch with him. I'm worried about him and whoever else might be with him," Midnight looked to Adam, for once not too sure on what to do. Her mind was running with things that might have gone wrong, trying not to, but it troubled her greatly.

 

Ddraig was about to speak when Dretch suddenly appeared, speaking loudly and being as direct as usual. The red dragon glared slightly at Dretch when he called Horo a "new toy." He spoke to Horo first however.

"We have captured Stick and he is in the cell that was prepared for him," he informed her, before looking back to Dark, "and of course he'll be there until you say otherwise, Dark."

He was slightly giving Dretch a cold shoulder since he didn't exactly like the crazy outspoken Agnimitra. And obviously it was up to Dark if he would spare a moment of his time for Dretch.

Ddraig then noticed someone watching and glanced over to see Shadow. He might talk to Shadow if Dark had nothing for him to do at the moment.

Edited December 12, 2009 by Kira1

[leodoug]

(Ummm, so what should i do??? I think everyone has plans for puppy getting out... can i help somehow, or if you dont want me to, how can i get involved?)

[Kira1]

((my advice is to PM Dash and ask about what Leo can do. ^^))

[Key2Universe]

((Your post looks perfect Skarx. Leo, There are some seriously awesome plans in place for the escape. Dash and I are talking over ways to fit you in now. First, your concern could be how your character would even come close to a base of such magnitude and power. If you think it will be easy, I suggest you read Kira's earlier post on it.))

 

Adam nodded as Midnight went through her list of the current happenings. He was pleased to hear that everything was going as planned. His thoughts drifted to Rain for a moment, wondering where she was and what she was doing. Then, he heard the concern in Midnight's voice and focused his full attention on her.

 

"Puppy? Wasn't he one of the new members you brought with you? I do not remember him much at all." Adam said. He scrunched his eyes in an attempt to recall any sort of information on the name. "My advice would be to ask around. I have no idea where he could be or why he would send that to you." Adam said. All of the current going-ons were making Adam get a little overwhelmed.

 

Dark turned when he heard Dretch (We have a lot of D names) enter the courtyard. He watched the man for a moment, then smiled his darkest smile.

 

"Ah, Dretch. What a surprise this is. Back from Brazil so soon? I thought I gave you a few Resistance Temples to finish off there." Dark said in a amiable voice. He was in a good mood in general, but Dretch got old fast. The other man would have to be careful with how much of Dark's time he spent before the Black Dragon got angry. Out of the corner of his eye, Dark noticed Horo's reaction to the man and a familiar looking woman in the shadows nearby. He made no move to acknowledge anything but Dretch's entrance.

[Kira1]

((lol, we do have a lot of D names.

and see Leo? Everything will be fine, they'll include you in the plotting. ^^

haha, i feel like having most of my RPs where it's just us. We RP well together.))

 

"Yes, Puppy was one of the new Agnimitra I brought with me. And yes, I'll ask around to see if anyone might know something," Midnight answered, looking down at the desk as she thought of who might know something of Puppy's whereabouts. Sayuk might know something, but he wasn't one to keep watch on people plus he had been busy with other things. When was the last time she saw Puppy? It was yesterday, wasn't it, and then she left Puppy with Stick and Rain. Stick had left, she knew that but she didn't know all the details.

"If you'll excuse me, I'll go see what I can find out about this," Midnight standing up before walking around the chair and out the doors to Adam's office. Once she was out the doors, her pace quickened as she rushed to find someone who would know anything, anything at all. With her mind being all befuddled, she almost forgot that she could send a message to everyone in the temple about her question.

If anyone has any information about Puppy's, also known as Golden, whereabouts would they please let me know? She asked, and waited for a response as she racked her mind for anything that might help.

 

((and I'm going to hold off on Ddraig until Horo posts and maybe for Skarx to post again.))

[Skarx]

Dretch smiled to Dark and since he was still having Dark attention he decided not to waste any time. Time was precious and he had a lot of things planned for the day. Couple of prisoners to play with.

"Finished Dark. A bunch of small fries I say! Nothing much of a challenge I still got some new promising toys out of it though. I'll raise them to be as close to my best piece up until now for your command and pleasure! I do believe you appreciate Sayuk's work."

It would be his to since he had good time with them. The beating, the torture, the mean things he made them do. He had so much in mind!

"Well anyway. Let's get to the point shall we. You need me somewhere else or do I have to find a new past-time until you do? I noticed my favorite toy was around. You don't mind me having some "fun" with him again don't you? Sayuk is such an obedient boy. He does everything I say!"

He laughed thinking about how much Sayuk actually feared enough not the even think twice about everything he said. Running from him as much as possible and doing everything he could to stay in his good grace. It was comforting, but sad too. He had not played with the boy in a long time now, he still have everything ready in his room just in case! Special treatment!

 

-------------------------------------------------

 

Sayuk, not being able to find his sleep in fear of having a nightmare, decided to do some exercise in his room to keep himself in good shape. With Dretch around he was sure to see him once and he would need to be in the best shape possible.

While he was doing some push-up he heard someone run in the hall in a hurry. He wondered what it was about, but refrained from leaving his room if only to take a peek outside. There was a couple of people looking worried. He spoke to them since they were near his door.

"What happened here?"

One of the woman, a small nurse with short purple hair, answered him.

"One of the cook just ran past us. He had blood on his hand! What is happening? I'm worried..."

Another women that he noticed also worked in the infirmary, she was the one taking care of him the time he had passed out. She was not wearing her uniform so she was probably on her day off.

"Some bad happened in the temple. The blood smelled like Agnimitra's one and since he didn't stop for us the nurses that means it's probably a dead one..."

Sayuk knew what was happening, but since they didn't ask him he decided to make sure they would not.

"I see. I'll go see what is happening you girls should get back to the infirmary just in case."

With that he went back to get his normal clothing, he didn't train with them, and left his room going in the direction the cook was supposed to have passed. Curse that Dretch for causing him trouble!

 

Meanwhile the said cook had ran to Adam's room opening the door. He stopped realizing he should have knocked then decided it was too late.

"Adam! It's horrible! Sammy... he... he... I found him dead in the meat house!! He was bathing in a pool of his own blood! He... He was killed!"

The man was obviously scarred and very sad.

Edited December 12, 2009 by Skarx

[Dragonhatchling]

Shadow listened to the conversation out of habit and tried to stop when she realized she was eavesdropping. So crazy boy is named Dretch? Odd.... She thought watching the group talk. Shadow knew this could come off as rude but she didn't think it was that much trouble just watching. Her eyes widened as she heard the comment on Stick. She looked in a random direction then and tried to block the sound. He's in for it then...bet he isn't too happy to be here either. That thought brought a small smile to her face but she dismissed it and concentrated on the wall in front of her.

 

((My plan worked! I am allowed on on the week only after my homework is done....yay...sorta I hate homework my math teacher makes to many mistakes ))

Edited December 13, 2009 by Dragonhatchling

[leodoug]

(haha yeah, i plan to like, swim through some sort of waste system into the castle. *gags* but anyway, ill wait till you guys pm me. Trust me, i dont expect it to be easy, i just thought it would be fun.)

[jaina]

(("attention all members of dark's army! tonight's dinner shall be refried beans"))

[leodoug]

(*glares* now i have to swim through 90% poo and only 10% water compared to the normal 50 50, i now hate beens...)

[Walker]

((Skarx... The OOC thread explains it all... We're just out for the holidays. Key is busy cleaning and stuff for a family reunion. I have writer's block out the wazoo, Kira can't post untill Key does and we're planning to get back on track after the holidays.))

[leodoug]

Leo flew over land for hours, it was longer than he had expected. The sun began to set, and Leo began to tire, he was more of a swimmer than a flier. It didn't matter now anyone, he was to tired to do anything. He descended to the ground and gently landed, the egg only slightly moving in his scaly arms. Leo lay the egg on the ground and quickly changed back to his human form, only to pick the egg back up again. Leo leaned up against a rock, dreams already swimming before his eyes. But before he completely closed his eyes, he thought he saw a small crack in the egg. Overwhelmed by exhaustion, Leo dismissed it as a trick of the light, and went to sleep.

[Kira1]

((because I'm bored, i post...))

 

Arasi went to her room for a quick change of clothes before she had to return back to her work. Her mind kept wandering to Leo and all the events that happened today and in the past. Though, at this point could she really just not think about him and get on with her life? No, she didn't think that was possible. She would have to do something about this otherwise she would be stressing over it for awhile. First, a change of clothes.

 

She went to her room which was located in an apartment like complex in one corner of the stronghold. They were very nice rooms that were well furnished and free of pests, leaks, and mold. The beds were comfy and the rooms spacious with clean running water, and a fridge to store food if desired. She entered her room; a plain room with wood furniture and colors of sky blue and white for fabric. The walls were covered with a nice sky blue wallpaper with a white trim. The first room was the living room which was open to a small kitchen and dining room. Down a short hall was the bathroom and her bedroom. Arasi went down the hall and to her room, closing the door behind her as she stripped off her clothes. She went to her dresser and grabbed a clean pair of jeans and a black T-shirt and pulled them on. After brushing her hair out, she turned to leave the room, her mind of course still wondering what to do about Leo.

 

Maybe she should go find him. She could request that stating he might become a problem. But the others thought he was dead because he was electrocuted in that lake. She didn't want to think that he was dead. It just couldn't be possible and it was a horrible thought to think. She still remembered that day long ago when Dark first came to the temple where Leo and her lived. Arasi stayed to fight, wanting to give others a chance to escape, others like Leo. The light dragon who had been caring for Leo took him away and Arasi didn't know where to since she had been occupied with Dark's army. All she remembered was Leo begging for her not to leave him. He simply wanted his friend to stay with him, and not leave his side. It broke Arasi's heart to have made him leave like that.

Dark's army was swift and strong and it was obvious to Arasi that they weren't going to win that fight. Still, she had tried her best to protect the temple as the others escaped and before she knew, she had been captured. They gave her two options, join them and live, or refuse to join and die. It wasn't much of a choice and she chose to live. Her training began and soon she found herself seeing reason in what Dark was doing. Arasi saw the destruction around them that the humans were causing, killing the planet slowly. Dark also had not harmed a single human since he started his plot. The most he had done to the humans was interfering with things that would have hurt the planet more. He stopped forests from being cut down, removed toxic waste that had been dumped, and so much more that would help keep the planet clean. The humans were just getting what they deserved. They had no right to this planet anymore and it was time the Agnimitra stood up for the planet and stopped the humans. But all the Agnimitra had to be united as one with no one opposing Dark except the humans. At the moment, humans didn't know Agnimitra existed so they didn't really count.

It wasn't very right of Dark to kill so many innocent Agnimitra and luckily so many decide to join. There is an issue of space, but their strongholds are always expanding and extra hands could always be helpful. Of course, Dark never really sees it that way and just wipes down anyone who opposes him. It was hard to live with, but she had to if they were to bring justice.

 

Arasi left her room, planning to find Ddraig and ask if she could track down Leo, the dragon that they thought to have died in that lake. She planned to argue the fact that he might have survived since Agnimitra are very strong. If he did survive then maybe she could convince him to join them because he would be a very good asset for them. Though, how things would go would most likely be Leo refusing to join and would try to get Arasi to leave with him. They would then go their separate ways once again only to see each other on the battle field. It was a sad fate but it would do her no good to not do anything.

[leodoug]

Leo yawned and rose from the ground, completely restored after his long rest. First priority, Leo looked to his egg and was surprised to see a large crack in it. (Me thinks it needs more views, lol.) Leo decided it was about time to let everyone know he was alive, if they could even pick up his message. Leo sent out a small telepathic message simply telling his friends that he was alive and ok, and that he was coming. Next, he would need a more efficient way to carry the egg. He took off his jacket, he really didnt need it, so he ripped it and made the best bag his could. It was shabby, but it was strong and it would hold the egg easily. Leo put the egg gently on the ground and scrounged around for some old leaves, or something soft and warm. Leo unexpectantly came across an old fox den. It had soft warm fur lining it, first meant for the cubs, but it was up for grabs now. Leo leaned in and pulled out the fir, lining his bag with it. Leo then ran back to his little camp only to find something startling.

 

A wolf was sniffing the egg and stuck out it's tongue to lick it. A gutteral roar escaped Leo's throught making nearby birds fly away in fear. The wolf however turned in Leo's direction, an unimpressed expression on it's face. Instead of acting aggressivley, it sniffed the egg one more time, then ran off. Leo ran up to the egg and checked it thoroughly, nothing seemed wrong with it, but Leo was worried non the less and gently placed it in the bag.

 

Before flying again, Leo went back into the forest to hunt. There was nothing for a long while, until a large doe passed through a grove in the woods. Leo silently came in firing range then fired a quick icicle into its side, killing it. Leo proceeded to melt the ice, then drag the doe back to his campfire. He only cooked a small part of it and ate it quickly, then left the rest of it for the animals of the woods to reclaim there fallen brother.

 

Leo lay back against a tree and thought back to Arasi, Will she ever come?, Leo thought. He knew his path was the right one, but he could not deny that Darks cause was not completely flawed. He was right about a few things, like the humans did destroy the planet and were selfish. The only thing he did wrong was killing so many to get what he wanted, and not give the humans a chance. That was a big one. All things deserved a chance, no matter how bad they are. Who knows? Maybe the humans could turn themselves around in a peaceful fashion. In His mind, that was the number one goal of the resistance. Not only to stop Dark, but to bring about peace with the humans and restore the world to the wonderful place it should be. In the end, Leo would always let the humans, just to give them a chance. He just hoped they didn't cross the line, then he might have to make them listen to the things he needed to see.

 

Leo was finally ready to fly. He transformed and grabbed the bag and took to the skies with one thought in his mind. Would Arasi listen?

[Walker]

Mark glared hostilely at the wall in front of him. All sorts of vile words bubbled up in his mouth as he struggled to find some appropriate way he could have responded to Gadget's increasingly insinuating and insulting comments. He hated that man, a lot. He regretted the day he had ever saved his miserable life. Things would certainly be easier without him around.

 

The whole flight back to Dark's base had been torture. He and Gadget had had a ball of annoying each other and throwing insults. It had really ruffled Mark's feathers... scales. The worst part of it was that he knew he couldn't afford to change into his dragon form and rip Gadget to shreds. He needed that slimy little worm to get his goals done. It made him want to puke, but he knew that right now he was completely dependent upon Gadget doing as he had promised. That was a disturbing prospect at best.

 

Now he was sitting in one of Dark's cells, memorizing the patterns on the walls. Fun was the only word to describe it, sarcastically speaking of course. He was avoiding doing what he really wanted to do. The urge was building at a tremendous speed. He really shouldn't... but he knew he would. It was the only way to stave off his boredom and to get a larger insight into his newest quarry. Sighing, Mark twirled around and leaned his back against the walls and waited for the flood of images to come.

 

Mark had learned from experience that looking into the future was a tricky thing at best. Every person had a million different possible futures and he could only examine one at a time. Somehow, it also seemed to come back to bite him whenever he looked into the future and acted on what he saw. Present actions can't be determined by what is going to happen in the future because he couldn't be sure which actions would lead to which of a one in a million futures. Looking into the future was also incredibly painful. Sometimes he saw things that were terrible and couldn't be unseen. This was the whole exact reason he never looked into his own future. He didn't want to know what could possibly happen to him.

 

This is also the reason he hadn't ever looked into Falcon's future, a fact he regretted now. Even though he knew it was impossible, he felt like he should have seen her death coming. He should have known what to do to stop it. Being a seer but still being clueless about the future was really a terrible combination. His abilities did have its advantages though. As he scrolled through Puppy's different possible futures, he examined all the different possible futures that led to Puppy's death. There were a larger number then any normal person would have. That was good indicator that Mark would succeed in his plans someday.

 

He settled in and sighed, watching the deluge of disturbing, happy, and sad futures Puppy possibly had before his mind locked on a particularly strange one.

 

Puppy sat on the porch swing and sighed. So much had changed since he was young. It was true time healed all wounds. He hadn’t thought of his past or his cousin Stick in ages. Thinking about Stick still left an ache in his chest with raw unhealed edges, but it was bearable now. He would always be sad about losing his cousin, but he was old enough to understand that it wasn’t the end of the world. Death was simply a part of life.

 

His wife seemed to be staring off into space too, perhaps also thinking about her turbulent past. She and he both shared similar pasts. It was comforting to know he had a partner who could share all his woes and happiness. It also seemed fitting she should be the one he ended up with. It was as if they were made for each other. Looking up, he examined his wife with his large eyes. As he had aged, the childish roundness had faded from his cheeks, but still he somehow seemed to retain a perpetual innocent and childish air. It was something that seemed to hang around him, a magic that would never leave him.

 

Unlike himself though, his wife seemed more aged and grounded. As she turned her deep brown eyes to meet his, she smiled a beautiful but tired smile. Puppy couldn’t help smiling back. He wasn’t sure if this calmness was from himself or emanated from his partner, but it hardly mattered these days. They were so close that what she felt was what he felt also. They were as interconnected as the fibers in a string. It couldn’t be any other way, considering his powers and hers. She always knew what he was feeling because she was an empath and he knew her feelings with a simple brush of his hand across one of her prized possessions.

 

The both smiled at each other for a moment before reality crashed back down in a huge dosage. Their smiles turned to brooding frowns as they considered their predicament. Their twins 15th birthday was approaching soon and still no… They both knew what this meant, but neither had brought it up, hoping it meant what they thought it meant and dreading it at the same time too, but the moment was approaching much too quickly for them to ignore anymore. It was time to speak what had both been on their minds.

 

“Their human Lilia.” Puppy whispered to his wife.

 

Lilia nodded sharply once and then dropped her eyes towards the ground. “I know Jacob. I still hoped they would find their wings, but… it’s much too late now.”

 

Puppy dropped his gaze too. They both stared at the ground, considering what this meant for their children's future. “It was a possibility. We always knew that. You had a human parent as did I. There was always the chance they would be like them.”

 

“I know.” Lilia murmured guiltily, as if this was an accusation.

 

“They have a future now though Lilia. They can be human. There will be no worrying about if they’ll die in battle or be recruited to Dark’s side. They can be normal.” Puppy whispered, almost reverently. There were upsides to this situation.

 

“We’ll have to watch them age and die while we stay young. If they have children, they could end up like us. Their normal life would get thrown out the window then. They're tied up in our world whether we like it or not. Something about this life is bound to track them down eventually. There’s no escaping being the child of an Agnimtra, even if you’re human. This perhaps only makes them more vulnerable.” Lilia voiced both of their worries.

 

They took each others hand silently and had an internal conversation. Puppy’s finger instinctively touched the wedding ring on his wife’s finger, allowing her feelings to flow through him while she did the same using her powers. Puppy couldn’t do this with most people, know their every thought by touching something that belonged to them, but he was so in-tune with his wife it was like breathing. They were so completely absorbed in the other, they didn’t hear the frantic footsteps from inside of the house. It wasn’t until the front door burst open that they looked up at the exact same moment.

 

Puppy’s face clouded with panic as he watched his son fly onto the porch, eyes huge with wonder. He stood up immediately and asked “What’s wrong Jacob?”

 

His son looked up at him with frantic eyes. “Lilia… Lilia… she…”

 

Lilia stood up too, watching her son struggle for words. Frantically, she asked “Yes Jacob?”

 

Jacob Jr. looked at his parents, struggling for any sort of hold on the words he was trying to force from his mouth. “Lilia… Lilia… SPROUTED SCALES!”

 

Jacob and Lilia both paused. One of the twins had gained her dragon form at 15. It was so late, and yet it had happened. They both looked at each other for a moment and knew what it meant. They had twins. Their daughter was an Agnimtra and by all appearances, their son was going to be human. Lilia Jr. would now have to watch her twin brother age and die too. The two were inseparable and yet they had just been separated into two totally different species. It would change everything for them forever.

 

Mark shook his head to clear away the strange glimpse into the future. That particular future was intriguing, but there were a million different possible futures. Odds were, that wasn’t the future Puppy was going to end up with. As he continued searching, he jumped as he heard the door rattle. Growling, Mark looked up as the door swung open and Gadget poked his face in.

 

“Hello there Mark.” He said, a feral grin on his face.

Edited January 1, 2010 by Dashidragon

[Key2Universe]

((Okay, I think i got this down.))

Adam nodded to Midnight and watched her leave. Her message passed through his mind and he sighed. Adam began rubbing his temples, trying to relieve some of his ever-present stress. Running a temple was not all fun and games. It was a lot of work. Adam sat there, trying to collect his thoughts, when a knock came from the door. Adam looked up, and sighed.

 

"Come in." He said, softly. He had started to get a headache from how quickly everything had fallen apart. The door opened and Tick hurried in. In his hands were the arrow, and just upon seeing it, Adam knew who's arrow it was. His memory shot back to the last time he had seen her, and he remembered Mark saying something about her. Mark! No one had told Mark about his brother. Adam shivered when he realized the whole situation

 

"Thank you Tick. If you could, just leave that here and head off to help with what I asked you before." Adam said, his voice soft. He was very concerned that this was becoming a migraine. Tick could see that Adam wasn't looking good. Instead of freaking out and taking up more of the busy man's time, Tick nodded, placed the arrow down on Adam's desk, and left. Adam sat there in the silence for a moment, trying to figure out what to say. Adam decided being direct was the best idea. He took a deep breath, and sent the message.

 

Mark...I have bad news, old friend. Your brother was found dead. Your wife's arrow was found in his heart. I'm sorry you didn't found this out sooner. If there's anything we can do, just let me know.

 

Dark looked at Dretch and could feel his boredom rising. This guy never changed, always obsessing with these people he tortured. Dark had only put up with him this long because he was fantastic at getting the job done. A cruel smile covered the Black Dragon's beautiful face as he remembered all that Dretch had done. The man had set records. Dark looked him over.

 

"Nah, go have fun. And make sure you stay good and busy. I'll come find you when I need you." Dark said. The man was good, but he was so annoying. Dark felt his patience nearly gone. He wanted his alone time with his brother, this was his first chance to have time with his brother, and he was not going to waste it with Dretch.

 

"Ddraig, if anyone thinks they needs me, they don't. I don't want to be disturbed. If anything comes up, you handle it." Dark said. His eyes fell on Horo, and he smiled. It was the kind of smile that women fell prey to, and he couldn't contain himself in this moment. He turned from them and strode off to the cells. He made his way down the hall and passed a man with a needle. The man kept his head down and nodded to Dark. Dark tilted his head the slightest bit to acknowledge the other dragon's presence, but he kept moving. He came to the last cell and saw Stick laying there, not moving. Dark's smile looked caring and warm, something no one on the base had ever seen. Dark felt so happy, his brother was finally there in front of him. He pulled out his large ring of keys and unlocked the cell door, walked through, and pulled it closed behind him.

 

"Well, well well. Stick. You finally made it to see what your younger brother has accomplished. I'm on top of the world, and you looked like you've just hit the bottom of it. I'm so glad that you've finally come, we have so much to catch up on. Don't you want to hear about your brother's success? About how I found your wife, oh wait, she never got to be your wife did she? Well I found her, and helped raise your beautiful daughter to be just like her uncle and love you as much as I do. She looks just like you, but you know that don't you. She's the reason you're here. Though, I have yet to see her. But, I'll check up on all that later, first comes you and me." Dark smiled at his brother and raised his hand. Water began collecting and freezing above his hand until it shaped out to be another dagger identical to the one he had made earlier that day. Dark just smiled at his brother.

 

"So, let's get started, shall we?"

[Kira1]

No one knew much of what happened to Puppy except for that they last saw him with Mark. What was she going to do? Someone had been murdered by someone who had been inside the mansion, Stick went crazy and then flew off, and Puppy was no where to be seen. Everything was just falling apart. Adam had enough on his mind, so she wasn't going to bother him. Rain left of her own accord, going off somewhere as she usually does. Only this time, Midnight could tell the situation for was a bit different, but Rain could handle herself. She did want to find out if Adam knew whose arrow it was that killed Mark's brother.

Adam, she called out to him, do you know who killed Mark's brother?

Midnight went to her room and flopped down in a chair as she waited for his reply.

 

"I understand," Ddraig replied to Dark with a nod to emphasize. He was about to speak to Horo when he saw Arasi briskly walk up to him with determination and purpose. "Yes?" He inquired, giving her permission to speak.

 

"I wish to go after the boy who we think to be dead at the bottom of the lake," she replied, looking very serious and made sure to not let any emotion onto her face.

"The one from the fight involving Stick, Mark, and the others?"

"Yes, sir."

Ddraig thought about her request for a moment and as to why she might want to do this. But the look on her face made it seem like she was being a cautious soldier who just wanted to double check that things were going smoothly. He knew she could handle herself and saw no reason for her not to go. There wasn't much for her to do here anyways.

"Alright, you may go. Return before sunset, dismissed," he told her.

"Yes. sir," she replied, trying not to smile happily until she had turned away and dashed off.

Ddraig looked back to Horo and asked, "What was it that you needed?"

 

Arasi ran to the nearest place with enough room to transform into her dragon form. She didn't even stop running when she changed into a dragon, using the momentum to leap into the air. Many Agnimitra around her shouted in annoyance but she ignored them and flew through the air towards where she last spoke with Leo. He might or might not be there, but she was going to find out where he was.

Leo! Leo, where are you!? she called out to him with her mind. She hoped he would hear her and respond so they could meet and talk.

[leodoug]

Leo had just taken off when his mind was hit with a message from Arasi. Leo tried to jump with joy, but he was in the air after all. He quickly made a u- turn to the direction he had received the message. With egg in hand, Leo flew faster than he had in a long time, making the trip seem far shorter. The egg wiggled slightly, but in Leo's excitement, he didn't notice. He just couldn't contain himself. The thought that Arasi just might come with him was enough to push all of the bad feelings of the day to the back of his mind, bringing forth only Leo and joy. When he finally saw Arasi, he sent out a friendly roar and landed gently. Leo changed back to his human form and greeted Arasi with a warm, "Arasi! I didn't expect to see you again so soon!"

[Kira1]

Leo! Arasi exclaimed when she saw him. She landed near where he did, quickly changing back into her human form. She ran the rest of the way to him and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "I thought they might have killed you," she said, holding back her tears, "I'm so glad you're alright."

It would have been horrible if he had been killed back there.

[Walker]

Puppy was far from sure how long it had been. He was drifting in and out of sleep like a storm tossed by the waves. One moment he would be perfectly content and sound asleep, the next he would find himself in a terrible nightmare where he was trapped in Dark’s castle. Everything had taken on a ghostly otherworldly appearance that made the whole situation seem somehow false and intangible. It was as if someone had thrown a sheer veil over his head to obscure his vision but not blind him. As he watched from this second-party vantage point, his mind meandered slowly through all sorts of places he hadn’t visited in a long time. He thought back to the days he had been in Black’s army. Visions of his father’s death blared through his mind in horrifyingly gory detail.

 

He remembered his mother fondly as she thought of how she used to tuck him into bed. Childhood exploits of adventure with his friends took on the same magical quality they had had when he was just a little boy. Everything was so bright, vivid, and uncomfortable that it made him shiver, but the dreams and memories quickly lost their vividness. The drug wore off much more quickly for him then it would another Agnimtra because his healing powers were working constantly to combat it. It may have only been a matter of minutes before he regained his wits. All the events of the day crashed down on him like an avalanche. He tried to choke back the tears building up in his throat as the weight of Stick’s memories hit him again. His felt like his head was on the verge of exploding. He was just on the verge of crying out again, when he caught a flash of yellow in the corner of his eyes. Looking down abruptly, he blinked in dismay as he saw his old pair of fingerless gloves. His mind flashed back to his visit from his old friend Lilia and he smiled despite himself. Just thinking about her was enough to calm him down for a little while.

 

He wondered how she had managed to end up here too. Fate must be a very cruel taskmaster to make her appear in this cursed place too, under Dark’s service too, but Puppy really didn’t blame her. Dark had his way of getting people to do his will despite of whether they were good natured or bad. It was like a talent of his. He wanted to reach down and tough the gloves, but he quickly realized he couldn’t move. He briefly remembered the straitjacket and frowned. He must have been going crazy. He probably still was. He struggled against the restraint without success. He sure wasn’t getting out this way. There really was no way out. This thought inspired a fresh batch of panic and he resumed his fruitless struggling, but some part in the back of his mind kept him from screaming again. If he did, they would come back in and find him completely lucid.

 

It was too bad his fears of the screaming would attract unnecessary attention were completely unnecessary. Whether he screamed or not, Michealis was completely set on seeing his old ‘friend’ the dog. The door to the cell burst open as a fair-faced olive-toned child about the same age as Golden paraded into the room. Unlike Golden, there was no innocence in this creature’s face. Instead, it seemed more aged and adult-like then any child’s face should. Puppy immediately recognized Michealis and shrank back instinctively. Watching with cold hard eyes, Michealis seemed to approve wholeheartedly of Puppy’s fright. “If it isn’t the old dog from the training camp days. We were in the same barracks weren’t we Puppy? You were there for only a short while, but I remember you perfectly. How could I forget a traitor and a deserter?”

 

Golden merely blinked and stared dumbly at Michealis. This boy brought back all sorts of terrible memories. He was the boy who had first invented the nickname Puppy for him in an insulting sort of way. He had always teased him for his lingering bits of childishness. He had gone out of his way to tear the last shred of innocence from him and make him as hard and bitter as the rest of the soldiers in Dark’s army. Obviously, he had failed in his quest. Shreds of innocence clung to Puppy to like chunks of meat on a half-eaten carcass. The sheer impossibility of making Puppy into a monster had frustrated Michealis to the point that he had made it his mission in life at the training camp to torture the boy until he finally produced a visible result. He was still working on that it seemed.

 

“We have some catching up to do, don’t we baby?” Michealis sneered.

 

Golden blinked and withdrew into a deep inner place in himself that he had created long ago to escape Michealis. Whenever the boy came near, he escaped into this little place inside his head and tried to ignore the jibes and blows. It seemed to work as well as it had in the old days. The insults didn’t sting as much as they should have and the first punch to his face felt like nothing more troubling then a mosquito bite. Even as he remained hidden in his little ‘happy place’ though, he could still feel the blows that rained down on his body. It was impossible to forget completely. He heard every word too. He just attempted to forget what they meant. The blows and words had been reigning down for several minutes when he heard a gasp. His eyes flew open and he saw Michealis’ bewildered face. “Why do you have Lilia’s gloves you rat?” he sneered.

 

Reaching down, Michealis snatched them up with surprising speed and glared at him as if he had committed a criminal offense. “I asked you a question Retriever.”

 

Golden tried to respond but suddenly the door was thrown open with more force then Michealis had mustered earlier. Puppy blinked in displeasure as he beheld Lilia’s countenance. He had never seen her so… angry. It was like a totally different person. “Mikey?! I told you to leave him alone!” Lilia shrieked with rage.

 

Michealis seemed genuinely frightened as Lilia stormed into the room. Her face was clouded in furious red as she stomped up to Michealis’ feet. Michealis attempted to speak, but nothing came from his mouth. It seemed he had not been expected her.

 

“Well. How do you explain yourself?!” hissed Lilia.

 

“I just wanted…” Michealis tripped out.

 

“You just wanted to beat him up Mikey. I know you. You’re a bully. Now give me those!” She hissed and tore the gloves from his hands. She glanced at them for a moment and then threw them lazily back into Golden’s lap.

 

Golden watched in astonishment as he watched Michealis hang his head in guilt, as if he really was sorry for the whole situation. To emphasize this point, he muttered “I’m sorry…”

 

Lilia glared at him furiously for a moment, but her face quickly softened. Golden watched in astonishment as her face turned into a pleasant smile. She giggled nervously and of all things took a step closer and wrapped her arms around his waist. Golden’s eyes were just about to pop out of his head as he watched Michealis return the gesture. The two stood intertwined like two young lovers on a date. To emphasize this point, Lilia giggled again and gently brushed her lips across his cheek. A half-choked gasp came out of Puppy’s lips.

 

Time was meaningless. Nothing made sense in this dancing colorful world. It was better that way. It seemed sense no longer harbored a place in his mind. For all he cared, sense was worthless anyway and way over rated. Wasn’t it easier just to forget his worries instead of dwelling on them like some old geezer on his death bed? As much as he wished it were that easy, even with the drugs clouding his mind, sometimes he would remember a face that would send a pang of sorrow into his heart. It was impossible to escape his past completely, but he figured, for a beginner at this insanity thing he was doing pretty well. As he was concentrating on forgetting, another of those stupid images that kept making him sad popped into his mind.

 

He saw Dark again. He sure wanted to cry, but he didn’t. It wasn’t from fear, just because Dark was just one more thing he had lost. This illusion seemed slightly different then others, more realistic and more alive. That, and it wouldn’t go away. As much as he tried to stop his insane mind from seeing Dark, it remained fixed on him. Stick sighed and gave up. Hallucinations were part of insanity right? He might as well learn to live with the all too real hallucination of Dark standing in the room. He decided the best thing to do was to try to ignore it and continue on in his delusions, and so he tried to tune the mirage out, but then it started talking. The talking was like a low annoying buzz in his ear. He couldn’t fully comprehend what it was saying, nor did he really want to. The buzz started to agitate him more and more. He continued trying to ignore it, but by this time Dark’s voice was roaring in his ears like the ocean, strong but still incomprehensible. Finally he had enough. Obviously this hallucination was not going to leave him alone unless he grabbed the bull by the horns.

 

“Would you shut up?! Can’t you see I’m busy!” he screamed at the stupid hallucination before turning his back on it.

[leodoug]

Leo returned the hug, surprised at how upset Arasi was. He held a moment longer, then let go and said, "I'm fine Arasi, I managed to survive. I am so glad you even bother to come look...". Leo looked into the sky and thought about Puppy and Stick. He barely new them, but for some reason, deep down, he knew he needed them to help. Most of all, he needed Arasi. Leo looked back into her eyes and said, "I know you believe in Darks cause and what he believes in, but thats not why i don't join him. I don't join him because he kills to get what he wants and doesn't consider other races". Leo grimaced as he continues, knowing this might hurt Arasi, "You can just overlook the fact that millions of innocent Agnimitra are killed daily. Cant you see that they, and the humans, deserve a fighting chance? If we can try to reason with them and stop them from ruining the earth, and yes, i know they wreck the earth, then we can end this fighting with peace!". Leo looked into Arasi's eyes and waited for an answer, he didn't expect her to turn on Dark, but it was worth a try.

[Kira1]

She smiled sweetly at him when he said he was glad she came took for him, but it slowly went away as he went on about how Dark killed many and that they should end it with peace.

"I know you mean well," Arasi sighed, "but I'm done giving the humans a chance to fix what they are doing. There are many humans who try to save the Earth, but then there are those who don't care and they only care about making money. I know it's wrong for all those Agnimitra to be killed, but we have to be united as one to stop the humans and Dark seems to be the winning at that. I also know that no matter what I say, you won't come with me to join Dark and that this might be the last time we can talk like this. I have until the sun sets before I have to return, we can talk until then."

If started to talk about her leaving Dark's side again though, she would change the subject to talk about something they could agree on. Things they used to talk about before Dark came to them.

[leodoug]

Leo sighed. He knew this would happen, he could expect on less. Leo tried to cheer himself and think of conversations that he could have in the little time they had. Leo couldn't think of anything and said, "Do you know what we should talk about? 'Cus i have no freekin clue.".

[Kira1]

"Heh, that's okay," Arasi replied with a smile, "and I'm tired from all the events today, Let's sit down and talk."

Since there wasn't much in the way of things to sit on out in the plains of Australia, Arasi sat down on the ground, not really caring if her jeans got dirty. She patted the ground next to her for him to sit there. Looking up at the sky, Arasi contemplated what they should talk about.