~A Tale Of Two Dragon Riders

[Manda-Panda]

((This is a Private RP))

A rough, cold hand connected to the smooth warm flesh of her cheek. Her head turned from the force, but she didn’t verbally express her pain. She didn’t have to. A loud roar from outside erupted, and shattered the stained glass windows of the upper levels of the castle. Vanthm cackled lightly, and turned to walk away from the female Dragon Rider. His boots crunched on top of the broken glass, but he ignored it and circled back around to approach her again. His eyes were a menacing deep maroon, but she stared up into them bravely. All Riders were taught to not show fear. Fear meant weakness, and if they didn’t show it they had a larger chance of surviving.

“You’re braver than your Dragon, and he isn’t even the one taking the beating…” He smirked, and glanced out of the broken window. Without looking, he took a step back and placed a hard blow to the center of her stomach with his foot. Adriana coiled and fell over onto the floor. She had suspected that blow, but her clenched abdomen muscles hadn’t been enough to block it. The Dragon outside swapped the side of the castle with his tail, causing dust to fall from the ceiling. Then, the large beast crooned miserably. “Point proven.” He muttered, squatting down so that he was closer to her. Surprisingly gently, he ran his fingers up her back, tracing the tattoo he had branded her flesh with. A large black, decorated, ‘V’. “Even in death you’ll always be mine…the last Dragon Rider…or maybe you don’t have to die.”

It was satisfying to him, to have the last known Dragon Rider chained to his bedroom floor and her Dragon bound outside. Grabbing a handful of her dark red hair, he pulled her head up towards him and planted a kiss upon her cheek. A low growl started in the Dragons throat down below, but grew louder the longer Vanthm kept his lips on her cheek. Grasping her moment of opportunity, she brought herself up onto her hands and struck her elbow back against Vanthm’s nose just as he pulled away. Shocked, he threw her down, and jumped to his feet. He couldn’t allow her to go unpunished.

With the tip of his boot he kicked her in the side, on the neck, and in her stomach. Draken, outraged and worried, attempted to take flight. However, the thick chains holding him back knocked him back to the ground, and his claws scratched the side of the castle on his way down. Rage had completely taken over Vanthm’s face, and mercilessly he drew his foot back for a final kicked in the face. “Master! …” Adriana let her head drop to the ground with relief when Vanthm turned his head to look over his shoulder at the shouting maid. “This better be good.” He muttered threateningly. The young maid looked from her masters eyes to the captured Rider on the ground. It was obvious that she was weighing her options. Was what she had to say important enough to interrupt him? “Someone penetrated the castle! The front guards are dead; I thought you should know…”

“Rrrrrrrr! What now?!” Vanthm turned and delivered his final kick to Adriana’s hip, mostly out of anger towards the maid and the new situation. Storming across the room he shoved the maid backwards, knocking her down the stairs. She rolled all the way down the stone steps as he briskly walked towards the front entrance of the castle. As he went, he tried to connect his mind to his Ra’zac followers, warning them to be alert and to help him address the new situation.

For a moment, the only think keeping her conscious was the sound of Draken whimpering on the muddy ground down below. In the back of her mind she tried to calculate how many days she had been in the castle. Four, maybe five? She was lucky that neither her wrists nor her ankles were broken. A few of her ribs, however, weren’t so lucky. She growled as she sat up, fighting back the urge to just lay down and wait for Vanthm’s next episode. No, she had to go on. Adriana only hoped that whatever was now distracting him, would keep doing so for just a few more minutes…

Will you stop being such a big baby? She jokingly snapped into Draken’s mind, trying to keep him from completely losing it. He would never get out of the chains, but that didn’t mean he might try and end up harming himself.

[Aerandir]

Blood splashed onto the stone road as a man in a dark brown cloak ripped his black sword from an armored guard's neck. His foot pushed the still standing corpse's chest, sending it flying down a small flight of stairs leading up to the main castle's keep. His once midnight black sword now was crimson from the many guards he slew in order to reach the castle.

Looking around him, he heard a Dragon's growl that slowly grew louder and louder. The heavy chains clashed together loudly as the beast, perhaps knowing of his presence, tried to escape his bounds and attack him, or was afraid for it's life.

Where was he?! Vanthm surely would have known of his appearance.... was he biding his time? To make him fall into a trap? Well if he moved any further into the dark castle, he might have. He stopped himself at the top of the stairs, just ten feet from the large heavy oak doors.

He had waited years.... perhaps 10 years for this. His mentor, Halt, was one of the last of the elder Dragon riders. And in a great battle with Vanthm, ten riders fell. and the last remaining follower riders of Vanthm fell as well, leaving only Vanthm and himself. He did not last more than two minutes before he was wounded, almost fatally. His Dragon took a heavy toll from Vanthm's much larger and more powerful dragon. For some months, he hid away in a cave, deep in a forest to nurse himself and his dragon back to fighting health. He couldn't have done it without the help of an elf who had seen him fall from the sky after the battle. Once healed, he trained day and night, to become stronger than he had before. Now, ten years after the battle with Vanthm.... He was ready.

"VANTHM!" He screamed as loud as he could. He opened his mind slightly to reach anyone with the the mental strength to hear him. "Come and fight me you Coward! I Have come to avenge the Dragon riders you betrayed!" As he screamed that, two more guards came running with their swords unsheathed. He growled and his left hand turned into a fist as he watched the guards try to make a foolish attempt to bar him from his goal.

He took two steps forward, and with each step, he blocked both swords, and on his third he ripped his blade through one guards stomach and in the same motion severed the other guards head. The action was fluent, and only three seconds long. "You hide yourself behind your men! Come and fight me! Or are you afriad you Cannot stand up to me!" He roared.

He felt a familar touch to his mind... "Verrick... don't be over confident.... that was exactly what happened last time..." Onixia softly stated. "Please be more cautious." Verrick growled. "Don't worry Onixia.... I'm stronger now. Just stay away, i don't want you to get hurt..."

"I get hurt anyways you foolish boy. Just let me..." She started to say, "NO! just watch for his dragon!"

[Manda-Panda]

((This isnt my final post. I'll respond with Vanthm and such later. Gotta go, this is just my way of saving it)

Adriana was sitting up completely now, crossed-legged on the stone cold floor. She was struggling to both stay conscious and to get the metal cuffs off of her wrists. Over the last few days she had been deprived of water, food, and sleep. Adriana had used up all the energy she had on magic, to try to distract Vanthm enough to get free. He kept the keys for his prisoners on his person at all times, so that he could go torture them anytime he wanted. Footsteps distracted her, and her head snapped up as she gasped. Had he returned already?

A small head peeked curiously around the corner of the entrance. It was the maid. Her head was bleeding, and her nose was obviously (by the way it slanted to one side) broken. Her hair was frizzed, and one of her eyes was bleeding out of the corner. Right when she noticed Adriana looking at her, she quickly turned to run away.

“Wait!” Her voice was pleading. If she wasn't so worried about surviving, she wouldn't have bothered to sound so innocent and sweet. The maid paused, and stepped into the room shyly. “Could you help me? Just hand me a piece of glass...he will never know that you gave it to me.” She figured that she could use the broken glass to pick the locks around her wrists.

“Master knows everything...” The maid mumbled, her eyes wide with both fear and sadness. She took another step towards Adriana, and brushed her bleeding hand onto her white uniform.

“He just pushed you down the stairs...how can you be so loyal?” Adriana whispered, swaying a bit. It was so difficult to sit up straight. Her entire back felt as if it were on fire, from the process she had gone through for that tattoo to be placed on her. The servant took another step forwards, and reached down to pick up a big piece of glass. With a heavy sigh she handed it to Adriana, but before the young Rider could take it...the maid savagely struck the piece of glass across Adriana’s face.

“YOU dont know HIM!” The crazed maid screeched, but before she could slash at Adriana again, she was kicked to her knee’s and punched squarely in her broken nose again. She fell forwards onto the ground, silent. Adriana wasn't for sure if she was dead, but then again...she didn't really care.

A castle full of madness... Draken spoke into her mind, his tone sounding both worried and angry. Look around, try to find something to smash the chain.

Adriana, obediently, glanced about and noticed a small dagger that had been used to threaten her earlier. Crawling upon her hands and knee’s, she seized the dagger and testily struck a thin chain that was hooped around her ankle.

~X~

"VANTHM!" He screamed as loud as he could. He opened his mind slightly to reach anyone with the the mental strength to hear him. "Come and fight me you Coward! I Have come to avenge the Dragon riders you betrayed!"

Vanthm’s heart skipped a beat. He was just on the other side of the oak doors, and the other’s voice had been heard loud and clear. ‘avenge the Dragon Riders you betrayed’? Did this mean that this man was, too, a Dragon Rider? Could he had been mistaken in thinking that he had the last one in chains? Or was this person just a mere peasant, looking for a death wish?

"You hide yourself behind your men! Come and fight me! Or are you afriad you Cannot stand up to me!"

“Who said I was hiding?” He waved his hand towards the oak doors, and they slammed open against the walls on either side of them. Vanthm was now exposed, without anyone around to protect him. He didn't need protecting. Vanthm had proved this many times in battles against Dragon Riders. “I had some...business to take care of.” He smirked, giving Verrick a little wave with his hand (which was splattered with Dragon Rider blood).

For the first time Vanthm observed the mans face, and his mind flashed back to an earlier battle. It was a battle against the last of the Dragon Riders. He now recognized the Dragon Rider, but he could swear that he had killed him off ten years ago. His Ra’zac had reported to him that there was only one Rider left, Adriana. Their incompetence angered him.

“Did I...kill you at one time?” Vanthm inquired, placing a sarcastic hand on his hip and squinting his eyes towards Verrick. He had a sword under his long black cloak, and dark magic on his side.

[Aerandir]

Verrick Stood, the wind blew his cloak gently to the side, revealing a hard trained body in simple cloths. He looked like a peasant with a sword of a Dragon rider. Vanthms statement only infuriated Verrick even more. His hand hurt from gripping his sword tightly.

He reached his left hand acrossed his body and slowly brought it back. As he did, five swords lifted from the ground, all belonged to the closest dead guards. "You nearly did, but in your arrogance you thought I could not survive.... that was your first mistake.... Your second was not having your ra'zac search for me. Your third was killing my dragon!"

He didn't want Onixia's existance known, it could help them later in battle. It could make vanthm over confident in battle and go easy on Verrick and when the time came, he would use it against him.

His left arm pulled back now as he spoke, but he suddenly threw it forward. The five swords shot forward, all aimed for Vanthm. As the blades shot past Verricks head he bolted forward. "IT IS TIME FOR YOUR DEATH!" He knew Vanthm could easily block the swords if he wanted to, but he wanted the split seconds so he could catch him in the process.

His sword wipped back, the blood spraying off around him. His footfalls were light and swift, barely making a sound as he readied to slash at Vanthm. His blade flashed in the dieing sun as he swung with all his might for vanthms stomach.

He then flexed his left hand and pulled it back as he swung. "BRISINGIR!!!" His left hand exploded in flame and as it did, he threw his hand towards Vanthms face, hoping one of his blows would hit Vanthm.

[Manda-Panda]

Ting…ting…ting!...

It was working. The thin chain around her ankle was beginning to break. The little links slowly wore away the longer she slammed the strong blade down upon them. Soon, her right ankle was free, and then her left one too. It was tiring for her damaged body to repeatedly move and shift in order to slam the blade down upon the chains. Her entire body ached, and she found herself growing impatient with Draken.

Shouldn’t you be looking for a way out too? I mean…without your wings how far would I-… Her thoughts were cut off, and she was interrupted by her Dragon. Shush! Do you hear that? Do you feel that? Another Rider… Draken murmured, sounding amazed. Adriana could feel him looking around in the sky for another Dragon, but he wasn’t spotting one. However, they could both feel the presence of another ally power that was, perhaps, even stronger than theirs. Keep trying!

Adriana jumped at the loudness of Drakens voice in her mind, and she began slamming the blade down upon the chains that hooked her wrists. Soon her right wrist was free, and then not long after her left. A victorious shot of adrenaline ran through her veins, and she hopped to her feet excitedly. However, her body rejected her quick movements and she crumpled over against a post of Vanthm’s four poster bed.

Try asking for help! Adriana suggested, making her way over to the window to peer down at Draken. He was now gnawing on the large chains that bound his front paws to the ground. Sparks were flying out from between his teeth, but the chains weren’t budging. If only he could breathe fire. He was almost old enough to do so, but even if he tried now…the flame would be took weak to do much.

Heeding Adriana’s words, Draken tilted his head back and roared into the sky loudly. The castle shook, and the sound even made her insides ache. He hoped that the new Dragon he was sensing would come and help. Vanthm’s Dragon was way down below the ground still, unbudging. Vanthm had probably told him to stay asleep, since the lord didn’t feel the least bit threatened.

~X~

"You nearly did, but in your arrogance you thought I could not survive.... that was your first mistake.... Your second was not having your ra'zac search for me. Your third was killing my dragon!"

Vanthm snorted, but took on a fighting stance when he heard Verrick shout and saw the five blades shoot forwards at him. Concentrating, he wheeled out of the way just before any of the blades could do any serious damage. However, one caught the back of his thigh and nicked him enough so that blood began to ooze from the wound.

"BRISINGIR!!!"

The flames smashed into Vanthm’s tall, thin body. When the smoke cleared, his face and hands were charred. He was grinning. Vanthm had been evil for so long, that he no longer felt pain. Or at least, he could block the pain out of his mind enough to keep fighting. “You Rider’s and your Dragon’s. When will you learn that you are really only two separate beings? It’s too bad that I didn’t kill you instead, which would have ultimately ridded the world of your Dragon as well.”

Vanthm’s hands opened up at his sides, and the swords that had passed him rose up behind his back. The blades then slowly began to melt and contort under his power, and eventually they fell to the ground useless. The metal from the blades continued to melt, and eventually the red molten droplets of metal rose into the air. All at once, hundreds of tiny hot metal balls from the blades shot out towards Verrick.

[Aerandir]

Verrick Winced as a Dragon roared, making his body shake from the force...Almost as soon as it happened Onixia quickly said. "A dragon... ANOTHER DRAGON it's not Vanthms! There is another Dragon rider!"

Verrick looked around quickly and said, "What? That was another one? Well We got to help them, just stay out of Vanthm's sight. Maybe they could help us."

Onixia snorted, "i don't see why you think that will help in the fight if i can't even show myself..." She didn't wait for an answer as she twisted in the air and dove through the clouds towards the Chained Dragon. Right at the last moment her huge black wings snapped opened giving her just enough time t land softly right infront of the younger dragon... "Hello little one..." She said with a smile on her face.(if dragons could smile)Her voice was deep and soothing, as smooth as warm chocolate. "Where is your rider?" Her black scales sparkled like a thousand stars in the dieing sunlight.

With a large breath she let lose a very hot flame that almost incinerated the chains almost instantly.

Verrick looked back to Vanthm to realize he melted the swords and now was about to shoot him with little molten hot balls. "Shi..." He said as he crouched. it was to late, he jumped out of the way, but most of them pelted his cloak and body, instantly burning holes in his clothes and his skin. Blood began to slowly soak his clothes.

He tried to land on his feet but he couldn't seem to control them. He fell down the stairs and rolled like a ragdoll down them. Coming to a crumpled heap at the bottom... What the hell? He managed to burn Vanthm, cut him...but it seemed nothing would phase him.

He slowly tried to get up with his sword as his crutch. He looked up to Vanthm and clenched his teeth. His hood had fallen back, revealing his elvish features... but his hair was different, it was black, short and spiky... a hair style more used by a human.

He tried to force the pain away as he swung his sword into a defensive stance.

[Manda-Panda]

Draken spotted the diving dragon before she could reach the ground, and crouched low out of habit. He wasn’t used to other dragons, and he especially wasn’t used to them diving at him from above. It made him nervous, and since she was older…he was also naturally intimidated. Once Dragons reach complete adulthood, age doesn’t really count except for experience. He wasn’t too far behind. Draken just had to gain enough confidence to breathe fire, and then he would be well on his way to helping to defeat Draken.

"Hello little one..." She said with a smile on her face.(if dragons could smile)Her voice was deep and soothing, as smooth as warm chocolate. "Where is your rider?"

Draken was instantly appeased, just by her voice. He stood up a bit taller, completely confident now that she wasn’t an enemy. At first he didn’t answer, as he was watching the bright flames blow out of her mouth to melt the chains that bound his front legs. He admired her instantly. Actually, at this moment, he would admire anyone that could breathe fire. She’s hurt and all the way up there…I don’t think that I can let her fly. She’s too hurt. Draken’s head was pointed upwards, towards the high window where Adriana was poking her head out.

Pish Posh! I can fly! Adriana spoke down, making her voice softer in the new Dragons mind than in Draken’s. She didn’t want to anger their new ally’s, and it could sometimes be considered rude to speak into another Rider’s Dragon’s mind. Draken ignored Adriana’s words, and then looked back to the new Dragon. Where is your Rider?

Up in the tower, Adriana withdrew her head from the window. Huffy. It wouldn’t hurt her worse to fly, or…at least she didn’t think so. She had a tendency to underestimate her wounds. Taking a deep breath, she winced, the pain nearly bringing her back down to her knees. How would she get down, if Draken wouldn’t allow her to fly? She didn’t want to remain in the tower, where she was still vulnerable to Vanthm.

~X~

Vanthm chuckled, following Verrick’s rolling body down the stairs. Each stone step would bruise the Rider’s skin and bones, and that very thought was completely satisfying to him. At the end of the steps Vanthm stopped just a few feet away from Verrick, and drew his own sword when the Rider took out his.

“I would just back down if I were you…you are worthless against me without a Dragon.” He muttered, back stepping up a few steps. A strange look had passed over his face, as if he had a new idea in his mind. “Especially when I have so many on my side…and you stand alone. Well…practically alone.” Vanthm thought about Adriana’s upstairs, and figured that (if she could) she would be fighting on Verrick’s side.

Vanthm took another back step up the stairs, still holding his sword down towards Verrick’s body. Yellow eyes were now flashing from the shadows all around Verrick. He had been surrounded; by Ra’zac no doubt. Vanthm wouldn’t bother with human guards anymore, now that he knew that they were pointless against Rider’s.

“I want him dead. No prisoners today boy’s.” Vanthm spoke out loud, and as if on order the yellow eyes began to get a bit closer. Then, the ugly bodies were visible as the Ra’zac stepped out of the shadows. The Dark Lord smirked, and then turned to head up the stairs. He had a few things to…check up on, and he had no doubt that Verrick wouldn’t be alive for another two minutes.

A Ra’zac on his right was the first to strike, coming at him with sharp claws and strong muscles The evil creature swung at his head, while a Ra’zac from behind him moved in as well.

[Aerandir]

She looked up to the rider in the window. A pretty one she was. Beaten, but pretty. Its very rare she heard of a Woman rider. She listened to her say that she could fly and Onixia stated softly, "Now now, don't be silly." Her voice was warm, as if a mother was speaking to a son/daughter. "Elves can't fly." She chuckled as she listen to the same question she asked the other dragon.

Onixia growled as she felt burning spots all over her body. Verrick.... She looked behind her worried. "He is currently tryinig to fight Vanthm...though i fear even now he isn't strong enough...."

Verrick clenched his teeth as he kept an eye on Vanthm... He began to leave. "A Coward...not able to finish a fight on his own...." He jerked back and brought his sword up cutting through the Raz'ac's hand, and with the same swing, swung the blade fully around and slashed again cutting through the creature's stomach.

He leaned on his sword again and looked to his left. Another raz'ac was charging towards him.... he wouldn't have the strength or time to lift his sword. Pulling his right foot back he placed most of his weight on the sword. Turning it slightly he kicked his foot against the flat part of the blade. The force knocked the blades tip up, while he fell to his side. Just in time for the raz'ac to run itself through....

"ONIXIA!" He screamed mentally.

Onixia's head whipped around and she lept into the air. "Theres no time Dragon, take your rider and fly! "

With four great pumps of her wings she was above the castle, twisting in mid air she managed to turn 180 degrees so she was facing the way she came from... Her wings opened just enough to land with out hurting her self... enough to make the entire castle shake.

letting out a tremendus roar, she swiped her tail at the Remaining raz'ac and scooped up verrick and with a great breath she let a flame soar towards Vanthm and a few Raz'ac.

[Manda-Panda]

"Now now, don't be silly." Her voice was warm, as if a mother was speaking to a son/daughter. "Elves can't fly."

Adriana chuckled at the joke, as she leaned her slender body against the stonewall behind her. I like her! She thought, amused. The cool stone felt good against the sore fresh tattoo on her back. She sighed, and closed her eyes. It was hard to keep her self awake. That was when she realized that she had probably suffered a concussion somewhere along the line.

"He is currently tryinig to fight Vanthm...though i fear even now he isn't strong enough...."

With her mind strongly connected to Draken’s, she listened to the conversation between the other Dragon and her own. There was another Dragon Rider? Hope filled her insides, giving her strength to open her eyes and move back towards the window. When she had thought that it was all up to her and Draken to defeat Vanthm, she had felt hopeless. Now, though, she had more faith in the future of Dragons and Riders.

"Theres no time Dragon, take your rider and fly! "

There was a new and dangerous static in the air. Something had gone wrong. The other Rider was in trouble, but she knew her limits enough to tell that she would die if she tried to help him. Still, though, the female Dragon had ordered Draken to take her and fly away. Things were finally going her way.

I like her a lot. Adriana commented, once more, taking a step from the window when Draken shot up from the ground without hesitation and latched a claw around the corner of the opened window. He flapped his wings to cause resistance, and half of the stone wall broke loose. A tremendous roar rattled the castle, causing many windows to shatter from the mere noise. The sound rattled Adriana’s insides, and she whimpered and fell forwards. However, before she could hit the crumbling stone floor Draken caught her gently with his paw and soon they were shooting upwards; through the roof.

They were going to be safe. After five days someone had finally come, to distract Vanthm enough so that herself and Draken could escape. She couldn’t even pay attention to the pain shooting through her body, because she was so excited for her freedom.

Let’s regroup and finish this fight on another day… Draken suggested to Onixia, hoping that she would bring her Rider (even against his will) and bring him to safety.

~X~

Vanthm ignored the shouts of the Dragon Rider behind him, and he was still smiling to himself as he began up the stairs towards his tower bedroom. Anymore he didn’t like to be away from Adriana for too long. Any sort of comfort for her was just unacceptable. Though he hadn’t been the hand to kill Verrick, he was still satisfied with the outcome. (Of course, he was assuming the the Ra’zac finished him off).

A deafening Dragon roar shook the castle, crumbled floors, and shattered windows. It wasn’t the roar of Lushious (his own Dragon, who was still sleeping many hundreds of feet below ground), and it wasn’t the roar of Draken (who’s roar had been growing weaker and weaker over the last few days). Irritated, he placed a hand on his sword and shot up the steps as quickly as possible.

On entering his bedroom the first thing he noticed was the unconscious maid lying face-down on the floor. Then, the wall was being ripped apart and Adriana was suddenly snatched away right in front of him. How she had gotten out of her chains, he would never know. In a pathetic attempt to grab her back, he dashed across the room.

“AHHHHHHHHHHRRRRR!”…but she was swept away before he could even touch her. Draken, weak from hunger and exhaustion, beat his wings as hard and fast as he could. Soon they vanished above the clouds, heading for a small patch of forest in the distance. No doubt, Vanthm would be sending the Ra’zac after them as soon as he could bark the orders into their minds.

[Aerandir]

"ONIXIA!" He yelled as she scooped him up. "NO DON'T" He knew what she was planning... He didn't want to leave... even if he wasn't in the condition to fight. But it was too late, she had her two front 'paws' wrapped around him and with a great shove of her wings flew into the air.

"We must Go Verrick!" She said to him. "He is too powerful for you to fight alone!" She tried to convince him.

"NO. I was Careless! I know now take me back!" Verrick tried to wiggle free but winced as the pain from all the small holes in his body cried in pain. luckily they were shallow so it didn't penitritrate any vital organs.

"DAMN YOUR STUBBERNOUS VERRICK!" She Yelled at him. "LISTEN TO ME FOR ONCE!" She added.

Verrick pulled his hands to his head. Onixia had a powerful voice, that even made him, who was used to it, wince in pain from the migrane afterwards. He didn't say anymore... no use fighting a dragon.

Onixia soon caught up to Draken. "How are you little one? It seems it's been a while since you were free from those chains... do you need rest? And your rider....how is she?"