(1/5) A Muzonian Dragon Hunter

Return To Muzona

One and a half week later, Ann started to miss her home more and more by the day. She went to Viggo with the request to return to her island to get some personal belongings. "Sure, we can. Shall I prepare a ship immediately, my love?" He asked as he walked to her, taking her in his arms. "Please..." Ann said softly as she laid her head on Viggo's shoulder and put her arms around him. For a few seconds, they had an intimate hug which they both enjoyed. 

As they stopped hugging, they rubbed their noses and gave each other a kiss. Not long after they let go of each other, Ryker got in. "So what's the plan for today?" He said as he was waiting. "We will go to Muzona today. Ann asked me if we could get some personal belongings which might have survived the fires." Viggo said. Ann continued. "And maybe, we find some of my people...?" Ryker and Viggo both looked at her. "Yes, hopefully we do..." Viggo said with a little smile. "...and if we do, they can come with us! You need them if they are out there. You share the same culture." He continued. He turned to Ryker. "Prepare a ship. We leave as soon as possible." Ryker growled a bit, but did what his brother asked him to do. He had a ship ready pretty soon and they got on their way. It was a four hour sail.

When they arrived, the island was quiet. They docked their ship on the far side of the island. As Viggo, Ryker and Ann wanted to get to the village, the crew was ready to follow them. "No!" Ann shouted. They all looked at her like she was crazy. "If there are still people alive, they will get scared. They have never encountered so many people from other islands, especially Dragon Hunters!" She warned. "She's right, having everyone with us might scare them off. We need them to trust us if we find survivors." Viggo said. "Are you out of your mind?!" Ryker screamed. 

"No, but we have to respect Ann's choice as this is her island. Her home! She knows everything out here. You, Ann and I are going alone! Havòk, you're in charge here!" Viggo said as the three of them walked into the mountain pass. "Look out here. When these rocks get wet from the rain, they can get very slippery." Ann warned the two brothers. 

Not long after that warning Viggo slipped away, almost falling fifty meters down. Ann grabbed his wrist just in time and Ryker reached out for him as well. "Reach, brother!!" Viggo got as far as he could and could just reach for Ryker's hand. Together, Ann and Ryker lifted Viggo up the rocks again. "You okay?" Ann asked her boyfriend. "I think so..." He said while he tried to control his breathing again. "Told you..." Ann said with a smile. "Let's go further." She said still concerned a bit about him. Both brothers looked at each other for a moment, but followed her again. 

As they reached the other side of the mountain, where they had sight on the village, Ann got sad. All the terrible memories came back to her mind. Viggo laid a hand on her back and Ryker a hand on her shoulder, telling her they were there for her. They continued their trip.

Soon they arrived in the ruins what was once a blooming village. Ann looked from left to right and back. She was shocked to see all the houses and shops being just piles of burned down and blackened wood. She was remembering how it all looked like. "Hey Ann, can you give us a little image on how it all looked like? You think you are able of that?" Ryker carefully asked. 

Ann sighed for a moment, but she started to speak. "Where we are standing now has been the Market Lane. It was always very busy here. We had shops for like... everything! From a grocery store, medicines, tools... I loved the instrument store. Oh, and not to forget: the candy store!" Ann said with a little laughter. "I can understand." Ryker said laughing. 

"Not only for what you think, Ryker. I loved to come there because I always got a free bag of candy. A small one, but the owner loved it when I stepped by. I came there since I was a little girl." "A very friendly man, I suppose?" Viggo asks. Ann smiled and laughed a bit, but moved on quickly. Ryker asked Ann: "Where did you live actually?" Ann pointed to the head of the lane. "There! On the head of the streets, so we could oversee everything." The three slowly walked to the burned down house, which was about to collapse. They couldn't go in, it was too dangerous. 

When they got closer to the house, they heard a loud roar. "A dragon?" Ryker said surprised. A brown-greenish Monstrous Nightmare appeared from the woods. It roared right into Ryker's face, who was ready to take on the dragon. He drew his swords to kill it, but Ann shouted "STOP!" and stood between the two. Ryker was even more surprised to see what she tried to do. "Hey, it's me, girl. It's okay, they're friends. Calm down. Easy now, Riley. Easy." Ann said softer every time she saw the dragon relax until it calmed down.

"Impressive!" Viggo said astonished. Ann put her hand on the dragons snout. "That's it, girl." "How did you do that? That was impressive!" Viggo spoke to her as he walked to her. "Riley has been a friend of my favorite dragon, Serana. Remember that one Deadly Nadder you shot down, Ryker?" She turned to him. Ryker thought and realized what he did. He did not only shoot the dragon to protect her, but also sold it without her knowing it. What have I done? Ryker thought. 

"Do you know what happened to her? Where she is?" Ann asked him. Ryker turned and looked away. "That dragon has been sold." He spoke. "To who?" Ann said with tears in her eyes. "A mysterious buyer in the North. I don't know who that is, but he is my best client. He always sends some workers to buy them for him." Viggo said. Ann was sad hearing that he didn't know where her favorite dragon exactly was. She wanted to see her so badly.

As they tried to get into the house, they had to step back every time because something was falling down. Viggo even had to drag Ann out of the way as some rubble was falling down. Then Ann got an idea. "Riley!" She screamed and pointed to her house. The Nightmare flew up and grabbed the roof of the house, pulling the remaining walls with it. "Good girl, Riley!" It was save now to enter the house. 

When they got in, memories got back to Ann. All the stories her father told her, the lovely food her mother used to cook, the playful times she had with her sister. They searched for personal belongings. They found a few things, mostly damaged, but Ann was happy with everything they found. She didn't step far from her boyfriend's side.

After twenty minutes of getting through the stuff, they smelled something awful. "Ah! What is that smell?" Ann said having gag reflexes. Ryker found something what he didn't want her to see. "Ann, I bet you don't want to see this. Stay there!" He tried to say, but Ann was already next to him as she got the shock of her life. Two bodies were lying dead around the corner in the house. The bodies were already in the state of dissolution, what caused the intense and awful smell. 

Ann collapsed though her legs as she cried hard. Viggo immediately took her in his arms when he saw the devastating sight and tried his hardest to comfort her, but she was beyond that. "Who are these two?" Viggo whispered carefully, not meaning to hurt her even more. Ann tried to answer, it was hard and she couldn't get her breathing under control. "That.... Is my... mother and... sister..." Viggo and Ryker were shocked to hear that this was part of her family. "Take her back to the ship. She will not have any more conflicting sights here. Hopefully she will be able to calm down and get some rest." Ryker said to his younger brother. 

"Agreed. This trip has been too hard for her. She can be mentally exhausted and wrecked down. I can understand this is very hard for her, knowing loved ones are gone." Viggo spoke and looked at his girlfriend. "What are we going to do with the bodies?" He asked before he got Ann up on her feet again. "Leave that to me. You take care of her. You think she has been hearing what we said?" Ryker was concerned about her. "I don't think so. She is so devastated that she might not hear a single thing. I'll take her back now, she can barely stand on her own feet." Viggo dragged her back to the ship, laid her in bed and gave her all the attention she needed. He kissed and hugged her until she finally fell asleep.