Dragon League

Dragon League Book I

Act I

Episode I

(Xahn's story)

A loud bang woke me from my slumber and I rose from my perch. A Wolf Shifter . What is a wolf doing in my domain? My leathery wings and my long tail swooshed as I glided to my cave entrance and I silently grabbed the wall. A female. I stalked the young girl that had entered my domain. The freezing wind wailing outside. The smell of blood filled my nostrils as she strode in. Her obliviousness made me sick as she made for the back of my cave.

"Fucking Humans." She snapped and sat down. She began searching through a bag that had been strapped to her back and pulled out a white cloth. Her struggle caused noise to erupt throughout my dwelling. At this point I wouldn't be surprised if she woke the entire mountain side. I observed the girl's struggle, laughing occasionally when she failed in her endeavor to clean her wound in the dark. Her failed attempts usually ended in cursing and yelling making for an amusing show. After her fifth failed attempt a deep reverberating laugh left my body and the Girl's figure tensed up instantaneously. Her eyes glided along the darkness, searching for me.

"Who's there!?" The girl yelled. A red hand left her cloak, gripping a dagger.The dagger was lined with silver that burned my nostrils the moment it's scent entered my nose. I backed away, keeping quiet and cautious. I could tell the dagger was inducing a sleepy side effect on her. Her wolf growled in response to the poisonous metal.

"That is unwise in your state...Wolf." I warned.

"Face me and we'll see about that!"

"Who wounded you wolf?" I asked.

"Why should I trust a voice in a cave?" She retorted.

"Not saying you should." I implied. I jumped to a perch closer to her and examined her wound from afar. She must have gotten the dagger from her own wound. Wolves and Wyverns have the same reaction to silver, "Found that out the hard way," I spoke to myself. Her ears perked up when I spoke. Shit, wolf forgot.

"Not too fond of strangers are you?" She asked.

"And how would you know that wolf?" I asked, I stopped at the edge of my perch in range of a pounce kill.

"Your personal boneyard tells that story all too well." She retorted.

"Depends whether you wish to die or live, wolf." I implied.

"I would like to live but that isn't up to me now is it?" She snapped.

"Do you wish for fire?" I asked, remaining hidden.

"What!?" She spoke with a confused tone.

"Do you wish for light and warmth from the dark cold air?" I asked once more. I let my fire well up in my chest in wait for her answer.

"It would be nice, I guess." I transformed and my fire danced around in my palm. I threw it at a premade pile of wood and then jumped down wearing a pair of black cloth pants and black leather boots. Light filled my cave and I heard her making her way to the fire I had conjured. Her wincing made me cringe as she sat down on the cold stone floor. I Grabbed a bunch of herbs from my stone shelves and sprinkled them into a bowl of water. I began speaking an incantation, I knew the wolf shifter wouldn't understand it. I turned around and the moment she saw my form she scurried back.

"I am not human," I allowed my scales to run over my right arm revealing my reptilian form. My revealed form seemed to only make her more afraid of me.

"Drink this and you'll live to see tomorrow." I said and held the thick mud mixture in front of her. She gave me a look of uncertainty that was really starting to piss me off.

"Here," I took a drink of the mixture and then set the bowl down in front of the girl. She took a small sip and made a gagging sound that made me snicker.

"All of it," I ordered with my back turned to her.

"And lose that dagger." I ordered and heard the wretched weapon clanging on the stone cave floor.

"Why do you enter my abode?" I asked. I continued summing up the girl that sat in front of my fire. Her light hair matched her blue eyes beautifully and a scar ran on the left side of her neck. She must be a Snowfoot wolf. Of all the caves she could have stumbled into, why did it have to be mine!?

"I did not know a dragon resided in this cave, I'm sorry." She said, The sudden accusation riled up my wyvern nature. I wanted to kill her for saying that. I swallowed my pride and calmed my wyvern nature and groaned in annoyance.

"I'm sorry," She pleaded.

"You still haven't answered my question wolf." I titled my head and my neck popped.

"I came for shelter. There is a killer snow storm outside and as you might have seen, I am not fit to travel." She answered.

"What is a Wolf Shifter doing this deep in The Wailing Mountains?"

"Why do you care.?" She snapped and pushed the wooden bowl to my feet aggressively. I exhaled and picked up my bowl and spoke an incantation. The bowl was cleaned in a second and it returned to its rightful place on my shelf. I turned around and leaned back on the cave wall.

"Do you not own a shirt?" She asked, her eyes locked to the floor. I grunted in frustration and conjured a shirt for the top half of my body. The cloth felt weird on my skin, The sleeveless shirt hugged my chest and my large arms were left bare. Not that I cared.

"Good enough for you, your highness." I said and mocked a bow.

"You're an ass," She retorted.

"I may be a reptile but far from a donkey."

"Fuck you,"

"Ouch, are you always this grouchy?" I asked.

"No, I..." She stopped talking and looked up. Her eyes drifted around my cave but not once did they reach mine. I conjured clothes identical to the clothes the girl was wearing and set them on my shelf.

"Your clothes are covered in blood. These should fit you but you do not have to wear them if you do not want," I snapped my fingers and more of my healing tonic filled the same wood bowl. I set the bowl next to her change of clothes. "Drink this before you sleep and the wound will heal on its own. Unless you would rather bleed out by morning." I snapped my fingers again and a cloth hammock appeared behind her and a stack of furs and pillows. "You can sleep there and I will check on your wound in the morning." The girl glanced at the clothes and then to me standing in the vicinity.

"Could I... get some privacy?" She asked in a weak voice.

"Oh," I jumped up and returned to my perch summoning boulders to hide her quarters giving her the feeling of privacy she seeked. Even though I could not see her I could hear her wrestling around and grunting as she tried to change clothes.

"NEED HELP?" I yelled. I suppressed my laughter when I heard her fall down.

"FUCK OFF REPTILE!" She yelled back.

"DID YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE CLOTHES FIT SO DAMN TIGHT!?" She yelled, clearly frustrated. I snapped my fingers and my imagination conjured a large sweatshirt around my size and a pair of loose sweatpants. Her yelp filled the air and my laughter roared through the cave.

"Little warning next time!" She yelled.

"You're welcome, your highness." I yelled back mockingly.

"He's sarcastic... great." Her whisper was barely audible but I could still hear it. I did not answer this time, she did not need to know that I could hear her. When the wrestling ended I jumped down from my perch and phased through the boulders I had conjured. Her yelp filled the air once more and then her anger heated the air afterwards.

"Could you see me!?" She demanded.

"No and why would I watch you change. Unlike your kind I have honor. Now drink that tonic or I'll kindly watch you die from blood poisoning or watch you bleed out, whichever comes first." I said. I heard her gag as she downed the tonic and then coughed. I held out a cup of water and was surprised when she snatched it out of my hand. I grabbed the bowl and cleaned it with my incantation and set it back on my shelf.

"How do I know you won't eat me before dawn breaks?" She asked.

"You don't, All you can do is trust that I won't and besides... Snowfoot wolf meat is sour."

"I did not need to know that." She said with a pale look.

"I'll check up on you in the morning, hopefully by then the snowstorm will have passed by then and you can leave my cave." With that I jumped back to my perch and put out the fire. I removed my clothes and transformed, I felt more comfortable in my true form. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the wolf girl getting out of her hammock and returned to the hot coals of my fire. My head perked up and I looked as she slowly brought the fire back to life. Fur began replacing her human flesh and soon a large white wolf replaced her. Her white fur was stained red where the wound had resided. She laid down by the dead fire and a whimper filled the cave, a whimper I had only heard once before. I rose to my feet and moved away from the edge of my perch deeper into the cave. I heard her rise from the ground and I knew that my tail had been revealed to her. She already knew of my reptilian nature. Wyverns were suspected of being extinct since we vanished after the Great Reaping. After the Whimpering died down I made myself comfortable. The longer I could keep my true form hidden the better. The last thing I need is for the entire world to know that I exist.

Episode II

woke up and the smell of fresh meat filled my nostrils. If the wolf wasn't in my cave I would have allowed frenzy to take me over. As calmly as I could I stretched and yawned. A soft roar left my mouth that echoed throughout my perch and probably the entire cave. I made my way to the edge of my perch and saw the wolf girl wearing the oversized clothes I had conjured for her. Eleven snow rabbits and a lynx sat on my cave floor, all skinned and gutted. All the material she hadn't used had piled in my boneyard... as she had tagged it. I transformed and slid down the shale wall off my perch and summoned clothes to cover my body, by her request.

"Damn, quite the huntress." I said.

"Well You healed me, I thought this would at least start to repay that debt." She said and returned to cooking. I walked over to the guts of her kills and began speaking incantations. The Organs slowly dried and shriveled up. Jars floated off my shelves and organs filled them. After I was done I grabbed the familiar wooden bowl and spoke a familiar incantation into it and the mudish sludge filled it once more.I held the bowl out and the girl snatched it and began to drink it. Her gagging sound still made chuckle and her sour face sealed it. After she downed the tonic she coughed and wiped her lips clean. Four cooked Rabbits filled a bowl and I looked at the other raw kills and laughed.

"I can take over with the cooking you eat." I said.

"You know how to cook?" She glanced over to my boneyard, By the devil that is a weird name.

"Hey, I have my talents. Now turn around so I can summon my fire in peace." I couldn't let her see my wyvern fire.

"Can't you just do it on command?" She asked.

"Just turn around!" I ordered.

"Ok." I quickly summoned my flame and roasted the remaining kills and in mere seconds they were cooked and steaming.

"Ok, you can turn around again." The girl turned around and looked at the cooked kills in awe.

"Have you never met a being of my nature?" I asked.

"Sorry?"

"A fire wielder." I added.

"Oh, no I've met beings with that ability but most of them try to scare me off or just try to kill me. That and I don't remember any dragons having such long tails." She said and my wyvern nature kicked back to life. The need to kill her rose up in me, almost breaking loose this time.

"Who said I was like other Dragon shifters?" The fact that I just called myself a dragon almost made me puke.

"Sorry to push the subject." She said,

"Reptilian is what I am and it is what I always will be." I set the last of my jars back in their place and turned to the lynx. I let my left index finger morph and a long black talon replaced it. I sliced through the lynx with ease and the meat from the bones leaving no waste whatsoever.

"Eat, please." The wolf offered.

"These are your kills. It is only fair that you get the first choice as to what you want to eat." I insisted. Please, just shut up and eat!

"If you insist." She grabbed five rabbits and a quarter of the lynx meat and dug in like a gremlin. I shook my head and huffed out an air filled laugh.

"What?" She asked with a full mouth.

"Oh, nothing. Just forgot about the appetite you wolves have." I grabbed the remainder of the meat and scarfed it down almost twice as fast. Perhaps this wolf would be different from the others. I watched as she finished her food and then laid down on my side. Her eyes became glued to the flames.

"How do you control it?" She asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Your magic," She insisted

"This was forced on me at a young age. I either controlled myself or the elements around me went into chaos. I bring control to chaos for my kind." I glanced over to the entrance to my cave and saw the snowstorm was calming. I cleaned up the mess I had made from eating and started speaking incantations and the bones went into the pile of others. I grabbed my wood bowl from the shelf and spoke the tonic incantation and held out for the girl to drink. The girl snatched it from my hands with a forced smile and moved to the counter where I had summoned a glass of water for her. I walked to the entrance of my cave and looked out along the mountainside. The bright sun shone off the white snow making the mountain side look covered in diamonds. The freezing air cooled the fire within me as I took in a long deep breath.

"Do you know why my kind chooses to live in cold mountain climates?" I asked, keeping my eyes on the snowy mountain side.

"Because it's secluded.?" The wolf girl answered hesitantly. A small chuckle left my mouth at her semi correct answer.

"It helps my kind control our fire, or rage.We also stay because of the seclusion.We hide our nature from humans and other Dragon Shifters. Why do your kind stay up here?" I turned my attention to the girl and allowed our eyes to meet.

"Because it is where we were born and raised." She answered. I shook my head in disagreement and disappointment.

"No, what I mean is; Why do you stay here?"

"I was born here." She returned. I let out a gust of air and shook my head once more.

"You misread my question. What I mean is why, why do Snowfoot shifters insist on living in the cold. There's little food here and the climate is harsh. Why not live in the summer forests or the great plains of Los Herr?"

"I guess... we like the challenge of survival. We're built for this climate so we stay here. The cool dry air and the sparkle of the snow every morning. The songs the wind creates on the mountain tops. I guess another reason is because of the fear of the wyverns. Not many dare venture up here due to the tales of the wyverns." My head perked up and pride filled my core.

"Clever trick, Have you ever seen or heard a wyvern?" I asked.

"I guess I haven't. Although I think they were just misunderstood when the dragons and humans hunted them to extinction. Although there are tales that several still live within the caves of the Wailing Mountains along with Wyvern sympathizers." I huffed out a big breath, black smoke left my nose as I let my fire have its way. This wolf was smart, but clearly clueless as to who and what she was talking to.

"I'm gonna head out for a patrol. You can stay if you'd like, but the snow storm has passed and your wound is healed. Just stay away from silver blades next time, alright.?" I insisted. Before she could answer I began my transformation and summoned a sight blocker so that she wouldn't see my wyvern form. I turned around, peaking my head from the sight blocker. My razor sharp teeth hanging out of my mouth. My black scales and large horns filled the entrance and my big purple reptilian eyes were set on the girl. She looked at my large scaly head, awestruck and fearful.

"I have no need to kill you, yet. Reveal my dwelling and I will." Her eyes went wide when she realized I had just spoken to her telepathically. I spread my wings and with one flap air raced into the cave and I lurched back. I roared as I took off, making my presence known to all trespassers. I heard the wolf girl rushing to the cave entrance, but by the time she made it there I had already vanished above the clouds. All my abilities flushed through me. My fire, Lightning, Acid, poison, and even the snow rose up to meet me as I raced by. Warning horns began to sound as My waning call reached the nearby villages and wolf packs. I could hear them all as they scurried into the hidey holes. I could even hear dragons answer my cry with their own, warning me not to pass into their territory. The layout of a village caught my eye. The new roads fueled my curiosity and I descended on the outskirts and transformed. I summoned my Black cloth pants and my black leather boots. I summoned a large black pelt that draped over my bulky shoulders and a cloth cloak that covered my back. A hood covered my head making my long black hair run down my pecs. I did not summon my shirt as was custom among dragon shifters to show off their invulnerability to the elements of their territory. If a dragon was here they woud sum me up and choose wether to challenge me or not. Dragons, Wyverns, and Wolves war much bulkier than humans while in human form. Shifters are bigger to boast to other shifters, a show of power. I walked into the new village and eyes immediately were on me. My bulky build caught the eyes of the women that passed me and my heavy walk warned the other men to stay back. I made my way into the nearby building that smelt of a tavern. The moment I opened the door people began looking my way. All talking ceased shortly after I took my first heavy step into the tavern. I slowly walked to the bar listening to the whispers.

"Is that a dragon?"

"Shut up!" I chuckled at their little argument. I took a seat at the bar and set five solid gold coins on the bar counter.

"DRINKS FOR WHOMEVER MAY WANT THEM!" I yelled in a deep musculine voice. The bar owner looked at me with surprise. I knocked on the table and he scurried to his barrels filling cups upon cups of beer for the tavern. Men and women alike made their way to the counter and grabbed their drinks. As the flurry of drunks rushed to the bar for their free drinks I examined each and every one of them, taking stock of this new village. Men hit my back and some even tossed silver coins in front of me. I grabbed a beer for myself and gulped it down, beer leaked down my thick beard as I tipped the cup up. I slammed the cup down on the bar and roared, then tapped the counter for a refill and then continued taking stock of the humans that accepted my gifts of beer. Through all my years of living with humans I found beer is the easiest way to gain their trust. Throw some gold at a tavern keeper and yell "Drinks all round!" and men will take a liking to you in no time. I leaned in close to the tavern keeper and smiled.

"How long has your wonderful village been here?" I asked, taking another gulp of my beer.

"About five winters sir. What brings you in here?" I took another sip of my beer and chuckled. I gave the bar keeper a sideways smile and flicked another gold coin at him.

"I like to know the people I live with." I answered and let my scales run over my arm.

"A dragon," He said with little surprise. I nodded my head, Hiding the growl that rose up in me.

"Have you had any problems with wolves recently?" I asked, faking a concerned tone.

"As a matter of fact we did, just a couple of days ago. A pack of Snowfoot rodents broke into my food storage. I managed to kill four of them and wounded another." The man spoke with pride. His wicked smile made me want to decapitate him where he stood. I finished my beer and slammed the mug onto the counter.

"I'll see to it that your... problem is solved and your loss will be returned in double." I promised. I spun another gold coin on the table and walked towards the door. Out of the corner of my eye a girl with deep blue eyes caught my attention. Thunderbolt, in my territory. The smell of her dragon riled up my wyvern making me suppress a growl.

"Clever trick old man." She sent her thoughts to me and my growl exited my mouth as I left the tavern. I noticed her following and removed my hood.

"You should choose your next words carefully little girl." I hissed. The girl began roaring with laughter.

"What are you going to do about it!?" She yelled. The wind began to pick up as I summoned my abilities.

"Congrats you can control the wind." I gave her no reaction as I let my abilities rise up through my core. My purple eyes began to light up and the sun became covered by the clouds I had conjured. Before she could understand what I was doing a bolt of lightning struck her making her launch back into a tree. The tree cracked as it fell to the ground with an earthshaking boom.

"Leave, little girl." I ordered. Acid dripped from my hands, melting the bricks as it dripped to the ground. The fear that hit her eyes was intoxicating.

"I'm sorry, I...I didn't know that you were the alpha."

"Leave before I change my mind and fry your ass and sell your scales for gold." I warned. Without a moment's pause she bolted away transforming mid sprint. Her massive dark blue dragon form retreated faster than an eagle making me laugh. I noticed the villagers looking at me differently now that they knew what type of shifter I was. Sure, I am an alpha but not the alpha they may think I am. I may share similar abilities as the Spear-Tail but Scalins are far more rare and far more dangerous. I pulled my hood up and walked to the outskirts of the village to find the dead wolves the Bar Keeper had spoken of. I knew where the wounded one was but she wouldn't pay for this.

Episode III

I could still hear the Wolf girl in my cave as I returned. Anger filled me as she didn't leave when I offered. I conjured the sight blocker at the entrance of my cave and began slowing down. As my feet hit the cold stone I transformed and dropped the sight blockers. I walked past the wolf girl straight to my stone shelves. Her presence was becoming annoying.

"Why are you still here?" I asked in a harsh voice.

"I didn't want to leave, I'm sorry. If you wish me gone I can leave.?" God for someone so clever she can be really stupid. I snapped in my mind.

"That isn't a wise decision." I knew the other wyverns in the mountains hunted at night and a lone snowfoot wolf would be too easy of a kill to pass up.

"Those tales you heard as a child, what do you think of them?" I asked, hoping to explain indirectly why she shouldn't leave now.

"I suppose there is truth in them." She answered.

" Now answer me this. When did wyverns supposedly hunt?" I glanced back at her.

"Didn't they hunt at night.?" She answered, unsure.

"If a panther sees a lone elk and a pack of elks, which will go for?" I asked.

"The lone elk, I get your point." She huffed.

"Good,"I reached behind my back and tossed four dead Snowfoots at her feet. Horror struck her face and then anger.

"There is a new village down there that is very determined to see you dead for getting into their food stores. Did you really think I wouldn't find out?" I asked.

"Why did you bring their bodies here!?" She snapped. Her white fur started to show on her arms.

"Well as I see it, you can either choose one of your friends to lose their head or I take yours. If I don't then the humans will come into my territory and start hunting your kind like they did the wyverns. Is that what you wish for?"

"NO! Of course not, but...." Her glossy eyes fell to her fallen pack.

"BUT WHAT!" I yelled. My fists turned white from the pressure. I let my left arm partially transform and long talons replaced my fingers. I moved towards the closest wolf and held my talons to its neck.

"NO STOP!" She yelled in defense. I dropped the wolf and then moved to the next.

"I SAID STOP!" She warned. Her wolf side began surfacing. I moved to the next and her anger flared even more. Not until the last one did she transform.

"GET OFF HIM!" Her deep voice roared and leapt forward at me. Out of instinct my wyvern form raced to the surface in an attempt to protect me. I tried to fight it, allowing the girl to land a strike on my arm. Blood ran down my arm and my wyvern form riled up even more. My tail came first, then my scales. My wyvern form slowly over came my human form and soon after I had completely transformed. I fought my rage so that I did not kill her. My tail shot around her neck and I threw her into the far side of my cave. I stood in place over her pack. The wolf girl rose to her feet, her wolf form shook to get the gravel off her fur coat. I bared my teeth at her but didn't move. She bared her teeth at me and slowly made her way towards me. My wyvern form stood almost two times taller than her wolf form but she didn't seem fazed at all. Finally, after a full minute of staring each other down I turned and let her return to her fallen pack. I transformed back and summoned my magic. The wolf girl transformed back and the fallen members of her pack began shaking.

"What are you..."

"SHUT UP!" I ordered and kept chanting my spell. I opened my eyes and the wolf she had defended the most slowlyrose to his feet, followed by the rest of her pack. I dropped to my knees breathing heavily, pain raced through my body as my magic regenerated. I dragged my body to my shelves and grabbed one of the jars of herbs and one of the organs from the rabbit kills and spoke an incantation. A dark ooze filled my wooden bowl and I quickly drank it. Energy rushed through me as my tonic boosted my energy. I slowly rose from the floor putting all my weight on my hands. Quickly after I regained myself a male wolf shifter was nose distance from me with his claws on my throat.

"Who are you!?" The wolf demanded. I morphed my tail into being and tapped him on his back.

"That would be unwise. I am the shifter that saved your mate and you from silver poisoning. The human that thought he had killed you was lousy at checking his kills. A simple extraction spell saw you and your entire pack revived. You ought to thank me."

"What are you?" The wolf asked as he stepped away from me.

"You should ask the member of your pack that was smart enough to run away." I gestured to the wolf girl.

"He...he's a wyvern." Her voice filled with awe, fear and surprise. The entire pack took a step back from me.

"Oh please, If I wanted you all dead I would have let all die and killed the girl the first time I saw her." I said and laughed. My tail receded back into my body and I turned around.

"I risked my ass for this to work and almost got caught in my wyvern form out in public because of your little wolf girl. I watched as my pod was killed in front of me when I was hatchling. I wasn't gonna let that happen to her." Sudden flush hit the air that no one sensed but me. My eyes shot to the wolf girl and her eyes were glossy and on me as well. I let out a big breath and walked to the entrance of my cave.

"No one can know of my existence, not yet. There are more of my kind within these mountains. Thousands of us, I witnessed the fall of my kind. I claimed these mountains and killed any creature that set foot here. For the past decade I've slacked in my duty and your kind moved in, Humans built a god damn village here. You are welcome to stay here for as long as you like. But do not mistake my intent as kindness. I saved you for the wolf girl so that she could have a decent life unlike I did. Now there is a second cavern down that passage and you may sleep and set up there. I've blocked that entrance but if you wish it opened, I shall open it. Do not expect further help from me." I moved past the wolf that had tried to threaten my life and moved down the old passage to my old quarters. My green fire danced in my palm as I lit the way forward. After walking for a full minute a large cavern appeared and I released my fire. Lamps and torches lit up all around the room. Revealing several perches and shelves upon shelves of books. A similar pile of bones filled one corner and massive chests filled the other. Gold I presume. I moved forward as my guests took it all in. I spoke an incantation and the entrance appeared. Cold wind blew in the second the entrance opened up, cooling down my core and settling my fire. I spoke another incantation and the cobwebs vanished and all the wear and tear vanished with them. The cavern became furnished and the perches became sectioned off by walls and stairs leading to the upper portions of the cavern.

"I hope you all like it as I haven't seen an actual house for over a century." I stood as the rest of the wolf pack walked into the cavern. Finally the wolf girl entered last and her mouth dropped.

"May I show you to your quarters?" I extended out my hand towards the wolf girl and her eyes locked with mine.

"Sure." I transformed and let my head down.

"Wait, you want me too..." Before she kept talking I grabbed her with my tail and began climbing the wall towards her quarters. I had put her quarters just over the entrance. The same place I used to sleep when my pod was still here. I transformed back and summoned my clothes I had worn in the human tavern. I watched as the girl took in the room. She spun around With her arms out wide. Her gesture made me laugh and she laughed in return.

"I based all the rooms off your pack's thoughts and implanted their locations within the cavern within your minds. That way you'll never lose your way. Each room is in a strategic location for defense if any should enter the cavern unwelcomed." I said.

"Thank you... for everything." I put up a swide ways smile and turned to leave.

"What is your name?" I stood at the edge of her quarters. "I've known you for almost a week and I never found out your name."

"Xahn, My name is Xahn" I answered.

"My name is Zarlein." She returned.

"Well Zarlein, you do realize that if your pack was dead I wouldn't have been able to revive them right?"

"Understood. Hey, Xahn..." I jumped down from her room and made my way to the center of the cavern that the wolf pack would stay in and started my incantations. Wards started appearing around the cavern, their humming annoying me. After the wards were up I fell to one knee. Now at least other reptilian shifters won't be able to enter.

"There... Now other shifters like me won't be able to enter without us knowing. If there are any problems, speak to me tomorrow." I moved towards the exit and transformed mid-walk. I made my way to my perch and sat down looking down at the dying ire at the center of my cavern. The crunching of snow filled my ears and the clanking of weapons was next. I watched as a group of about twenty humans entered my cave. I transformed, conjuring the same outfit I had worn around the humans before and remained in the shadows.

"Why have you come here, humans?" I hissed.

"A shadow took four dead wolves from our village. A kid called it a wyvern. You wouldn't have happened to have seen it, mighty alpha." I jumped down from my perch and walked to my shelves summoning a large scythe.

"You should leave, human. There are beasts up here that hunt at night." I warned.

"Beasts like you, you mean." I stood my ground as the human made his accusations.

"You see, I did some research on the dragon alpha. The thing is, the alpha dragon lives nowhere near here, in fact she confirmed it herself. You have purple eyes and yet, you are no Crolan. So I did some digging... Did you know that the wyvern alpha shares the same abilities as the dragon alpha but has purple eyes and black scales. Like the scales you showed the kind Bar Keeper here."

"I said... you should leave." I let the scythe slide on my stone counter. I just hoped the wolves would hear it and hide. Suddenly I heard a click and a loud bang filled my cave. I yelled in pain from the strange projectile that had ripped through my shoulder. Well if the wolves didn't know the humans were here, they sure as hell did now.

"You had your chance." The silver rock dropped out of my shoulder and the wound healed almost instantly. Fog filled my cave in mere seconds and I leapt into the air as more bangs went off. I waited and waited until I heard them all drop to the floor. I spoke an incantation and the fog cleared up revealing the group of humans. I dropped to the ground and pulled up a live one and slit his throat. I went from human to human slitting their throats as I went. Suddenly a click echoed through my cavern and two more invisible arrows hit my back. The two surviving Humans darted for the cave entrance thinking me a goner.

"Fucking... silver." I said as the stones fell to the ground.

"XAHN!" Zarein was the first to reach me.

"Now I see why your pack was beaten so quickly. ho boy. You grab a rabbit liver, the red herb on the top shelf and my brown bowl." The four wolf shifters stood staring at me.

"MOVE YOUR ASSES!" Zarlein yelled. The wolf shifters sprang into action and grabbed the materials I needed.

"Zarlein, grab that knife and hold it over the fire." Zarlein did as I said and the rest of the wolves brought me the rest of the materials. I started speaking incantations and a liquid filled the bowl. I drank it and then grabbed the knife from Zarlein and pressed it to one wound and then to the other. My growls filled the cavern as my flesh sizzled.

"What about the humans?" The lead wolf shifter asked sternly.

"They won't survive an hour out there in the dark. Wyverns hunt in these mountains at night."

"I'll track them tomorrow, for now we sleep."

Act II

Episode I

(Eli's story)

"Just focus, you'll get it eventually Kina." I looked at kina's hand, my fire sparking to life. Before she could form it into a flame it died.

"Dammit!" Kina yelled in frustration.

"Calm down. Just focus on your fire and push everything else away. Focus." Her hand sparked a little bit and then an even bigger spark came but no sound followed. "SHIT!" Before I could react, an explosion sent me slamming into the opposite wall.

"Oookay. That was rough... and painful."I shook the dust from my clothes as the door slammed open.

"What the hell happened?" The king's voice boomed.

"Was teaching your daughter to control her fire and she knocked me on my ass." I retorted.

"Well she does have a thing for striking authority figures." Willow's voice added.

"WILLOW!"Kina shot from her bed and hugged Willow.

"When did you return?" I asked.

"A day ago actually." Willow answered.

"Any news about the recent snowstorm ravishing the Wailing Mountains?" I asked.

"Not much, the storm has actually worsened. The village there was nearly buried in snow when I arrived.

"Well then it is good you arrived when you did." The king added.

"That it was." Willow said with pride.

"Oh yeah there was one thing. A pack of Snowfoot wolves attack the village for food. One managed to escape but it was stabbed by a silver dagger. Most likely dead by now. Other than that nothing happened." Before I could keep talking, the king's hand rose up.

"If you wouldn't mind I would like to speak with my daughter... alone." I nodded, bowed and then followed Willow out of Kina's room.

"Eli, she'll be fine, let's go for a fly." Willow insisted.

"But what if she..."

"SHHH! Door!" Willow demanded.

"Ok, but not far." Willow rolled her eyes at me and then yanked me into motion. Don't get me wrong, I loved flying. I just hated leaving Kina's side.

"It's not like she can go anywhere. Now come on you pouty dragon." Adrenaline overtook me and I began running alongside my lifelong friend. I let my clothes shred off my body as I transformed mid sprint. I grabbed my friend's puny body and tossed her into the air effortlessly. Her transformation came quick as she hurdled through the air. The thunder that followed as I flapped my colossal wings to gain altitude shook the air that resided within me. My Dragon form dwarfed Willow's and my gold scales shined as the sun bounced off of them. I roared as I gained speed and altitude, spinning as I rose into the air. God I missed this feeling. I let my thoughts run free, closed my eyes and let the scent of the fresh air rush into my nostrils. The mist hit my scales as I raced through heavy rain clouds, gliding above the palace listening to the people talking and trading. The sounds of a living city were their own kind of music. I let my mind guide me through the air letting my thoughts race everywhere. All the responsibilities of being a royal dragon had made me pack away my stress. I had forgotten about the freedom flying gave.

"Enjoying yourself?" Willow's mind weaved with mine as she spoke within me.

"Thank you for this Willow." I thanked, keeping my eyes closed.

"I could tell you needed it." Her mind responded.

"Have you found a worthy rider yet?" My mind asked.

"Yes and no, I found a possibility." My eyes shot open as a picture of a hot country boy raced into my mind.

"You weren't supposed to see that." Her mind said, embarrassed.

"So a mate then?" I teased and sent playful scenarios into her mind.

"Ew, no! I'm a bit young don't you think?" I banked the right nudging willow with my right wing.

"Willow, we're almost two centuries old. You are beyond old enough to mate in a human's eyes. Besides, you can't tell me you don't like the boy." I teased.

"Ok, Ok, I'll get to know him. Now stop being so nosey!" She snapped playfully.

My eyes glanced down to the sound of Kina's horn. It was gentle and the song rippled through the air. I turned back and slowly descended from the clouds. I flapped my wings as I came down to land in the palace courtyard. Kina sped to my side and I lowered my head. Her gentle touch sent a ripple through my body making a low grumble arise within me. Her soft giggle was her reply to my deep reverberating grumble.

"How was your flight my sister?" Her thoughts riddled my mind.

"Mind settling. Would you like to join me?" Implanted my thought into her mind and she smiled.

"Maybe another time, my father awaits our arrival in the throne room. We have special guests here at the palace." My ears rose up and stood up to begin my transformation. I felt my body slowly turn back from dragon to human and my bones moved around within my body as my figure became smaller and more compact. Once my human form had surfaced and taken hold Kina tossed me my gauntlets and I summoned my traditional attire. A pelt covered my shoulders leaving my arms bare. A cloth covered my chest leaving my stomach open. Scale like pants hugged my legs and boots reached half way up my calves. Leather bracers covered my forearms and leather fingerless gloves were the last to materialize.

"No wonder humans go crazy for dragons. You guys never really hide much." I arched my brow at her but kept my mouth closed. Kina nudged my shoulder making me crack a smile that made my dimples show. I held my hand up in a vertical position and waited for Kina to intertwin her hand with mine.

"Eli, we don't have time..." I grabbed her hand gently and placed it in mine. I closed my fingers around her hand and our foreheads touched.

"Just focus and imagine your fire. Don't look," I slowly summoned my fire and waited for Kina's fire to dance with mine. Moments later heat enveloped my hand and I knew she had done it. I cracked a smile, "Open your eyes." I said softly. Joy filled her eyes when she saw her fire weaving in and out of our clasped hands. A gentle laugh left her mouth and then we fell into a hug.

"See, I told you you would get it. Just takes time and practice. I pulled away from her and nodded to the palace main entrance and she turned and walked towards it. Her mind was filled with joy from her accomplishment but discontent still lingered within her.

"You've made the first step, don't worry. Control is learned with years of experience. I've had decades where you've had maybe a month to learn control. Like I said, it takes time." I said, setting my hand on her shoulder as we weaved through the elaborate palace halls toward the throne room.

"I just feel like I'm failing." I placed my hand in front of her chest making her stop.

"Kina, you are not failing. I chose you because you show courage and strength in everything you put that beautiful head to. Just give it time, you hold a part of me within you. Unlike others you have several abilities, not just one. It will take time if not years to master them all. Fire is just the stepping stone, you will learn to control all of your abilities. I'm here to help and serve you princess. I am yours just as much as you are mine. Just find yourself in all of that chaos and wield it. Learn to wield yourself and the rest will come naturally, ok." Kina nodded her head and wiped away a few stray tears.

"Now, let's go to that throne room and give your elders a show of power they so selfishly seek." Kina responded with a hesitant smile.

"Hold on, I have an idea..." I stepped back from the throne room door and summoned my wings and tail. Scales covered my back and crept around my hips. My tail and wings sprouted from my rear and my wings barely fit in the hall even though they were folded up. "... There, now they'll see you for what I know you to be. I will show them power and you will show them courage for claiming a beast such as myself." Kina rolled her eyes.

"You're not a beast."

"It's just a show, nothing more." I replied. Kina nodded to the four guards standing at the sides of the colossal throne room doors. They creaked as they slid open and the throne room entered my view. My massive wings spread out enough so that they didn't drag on the ground. Almost every soul stared at us as we walked to the center of the room. We both took a knee to honor our king and then I took five steps back leaving my princess... my rider space to speak.

"You got this, sister." My mind was reassured, making her smile.

"Speak with power and let your intentions run like mountain rivers."

"Eli, shush." She ordered.

"You summoned me father?" She said, her voice packed with authority.

"Talus this is my daughter, Kina." The king spoke. Kina bowed her head in reply.

"Talus is an acid wielder, summon your acid if you can. Impress, show your power." I gave her the confidence I could spare and her mind became clear as she did as I advised. Green vapor began to leave her hand and pride took over me as she juggled a droplet of acid with her hands.

"You truly are talented." Talus replied while he bowed. I summoned my fire as Kina tossed the droplet into the air; My fire hit it, incinerating it mid air. Talus's eyes fell to me next along with his dragon I presumed.

"This must be your dragon." Talus said, examining me as he walked past the princess. I nodded in agreement and let the human examine me. His dragon smiled in my direction and I bowed my head in response.

"What is your name?" Talus asked.

"My name is Eli." I said firmly.

"It is nice to finally meet you." Talus said.

"It is an honor to meet you Eli" The dragon's mind spoke within mine.

"Your rider likes to examine women, I see." I replied. The dragon had suppressed a laugh.

"He is here to offer a treaty with your king." Before I could reply, the king clapped his hands.

"Let's eat!" The king walked to the princess and then nodded to me.

"Eli your wings." Kina ordered. I obeyed her order without pause. My wings slowly receded into my back along with my tail. I moved closer to Kina.

"Eli you may leave, Kina will signal if we have need of you. You both did well today. Kina will accompany me and the queen to dinner and she shall return when the treaty has been made." I nodded to my king but waited for Kina to relieve me.

"I'll be fine Eli. Go to your room, I'll see you tomorrow." Kina said.

"You'd better or I'll be on the war path." I directed my warning toward the king. The throne room doors opened allowing me to leave. She better return or that Talus guy will be my next lunch.

Episode II

I woke to a sudden yell and I fell flat on my stomach when my feet hooked in my blanket. I hurried to my feet and lurched the door open and Kina stood there crying. I had no clothes on as I had been sleeping. Without hesitation I picked her up and walked into my room. I set her on my bed and grabbed a sports bra and a pair of shorts, pulling them on in mere seconds. I jumped onto the bed and sat next to her shaking body. I searched her mind for the cause of her sadness but her mind was a mess. Thoughts came and left like lightning as she kept crying in my arms. I said nothing, letting her get it out of her system. Then suddenly the reason for her crying entered my mind. Anger flared up inside me.

"Wait here, I'll handle this." I waited for Kina to lay down and then I bolted out the door to the king's chambers. Literal fire seeped out of the corners of my mouth as I stormed down the palace halls. Guards rushed out of my path as I stomped forward.

How could he do this! To his own god damn daughter! My mind roared. I slammed the door open and the king's eyes were on me in an instant. He was only wearing a towel and his long brown hair was still wet from his shower. I stood at the door with a death stare directed straight at him.

"I know why you are here." The king said as he walked into his closet.

"How could you!?" I asked in a venomous voice.

"I will not stand by while you give my rider to someone else, especially that freak you call a king!"

"ENOUGH!" The king's voice ripped through the air and pounded on my chest.

"She will do her duty and marry the Vik king and you will accompany her. This alliance will save thousands if not millions of lives. I can not risk war with the viks." The king said. If he hadn't been my king my fire would have vaporized him on the spot.

"She looked up to you. If you do this she will never see you as her father again, She'll hate you, you do realize that right?"

"DO NOT... tell me what my daughter will and won't do!" He spat.

"I AM IN HER HEAD! I hear every thought that passes through her mind! I can feel what she feels. I can see predictions of the future. So why can't I!?" I yelled.

"I am still your king... and you will do what I command! Is that clear.?" he hissed.

"Crystal, but don't expect me to respect my new king when I leave with your daughter... my king." I bowed mockingly and strode out of his room, slamming the door behind me. Why were humans so damn stubborn and self centered! I stomped back to my room and pushed the door open. Kina shot her eyes open and sat up. My face instantly changed to gentle when I saw that I had woken her up with my aggressive behavior.

"I'm sorry princess, you can sleep." I was glad she finally felt comfortable sleeping in the same room as me now.

"Wanna talk about it?" She asked in a gentle voice that made me melt everytime she used it.

"These people do not deserve someone as gentle as you." I complimented.

"Being a leader is not about what we deserve but rather what we can give to our people. You and I instill power and protection to our people. Yes, some may not deserve it but we give them that feeling of safety anyway." I smiled at her.

"You truly are a worthy rider, I'm lucky another dragon didn't snatch you up before I flew down from my mountain." Kina laughed at my compliment.

"I'm guessing your talk with my father didn't bear fruit?" She asked. I knew she had already seen my entire conversation with her father but I answered anyway.

"Well ,it did but not the kind you were hoping for. I read his behavior as we were talking. He is hiding something, something big. Whatever it is it has to be the reason why he is giving you to this vik king as a potential wife. He loves you too much to not know what he is doing. You may want to ask him in the morning, as you may have seen he won't trust a dragon with this information. He might tell you though, you being his only daughter and all." I laid down on my bed next to Kina and pulled the blanket over her. I tossed a ball of my fire into the fireplace, lighting it instantaneously. "Good night princess," I put the thought into her mind and she just smiled and returned a good night to me.

I laid in my bed and watched the princess sleep. Her back rose and fell as she breathed. Her dreams flowed through my mind and whenever they turned bad I stepped in and changed the outcome into something good. She sure was strong, for a human that is. I got up from the bed and went to the fireplace. I summoned my fire and lit the logs once more. My mind brought forth old memories from the old human wars. The sound of my brother as his roar pierced the air haunted me. He had died on the battlefield. It was the same battlefield I had met Kina on. She proved to be a worthy rider that day. Thousands of humans died that day and a couple hundred dragons including my brother's cadre of soldiers. I remember his mauled dragon form when they brought his lifeless body back home. It had broken me then and still does to this day. He was all I had left after mother and father died.

"You are not alone Eli." Kina's gentle voice entered the air, making me sniffle. I wiped tears off my cheeks as I heard her walking towards me. I could feel the sun starting to rise and with it, the birds came to life. I missed the old days, playing in the sky with Willow and my family.

"We all lose someone close to us in life, we just have to move on and adapt. Your brother may have died on that battlefield but his legacy carries on within you, Eli." I smiled and sniffed again.

"I know, I just wish he could have gotten to know you better." I said with a sad smile.

"You wanna go fly to the lake?" I asked.

"Sure, this is likely our last week here in Los Herr so we might as well enjoy ourselves while we still can." I giggled at her comment and stood up. I began taking my loose clothing off and walked to the window. I grabbed the sides of the window and pulled myself into the windowsill ready to jump.

"You ready?" I asked as Kina's arms wrapped my neck.

"Yeah." She answered. Without a warning I launched forward and transformed mid air. I winced a little when my rear leg grazed a spike on the edge of the roof during take off. My wings conjured thunderous sounds as I flapped hard to gain altitude. The sun shined off my gold scales as I rose majestically into the sky. The sun's warm bright light announced the arrival of a new day. The cool dry fall air raced through my lungs as I raced through the clouds.

"WOOOO HOOOO!" I glanced back to see Kina hanging on to one of the spikes on my back with one hand while the other waved through the air. I started descending towards the lake and came to a soft landing. Although due to my colossal dragon form, trees crunch as I landed on them. I let Kina slide down my wing and I transformed the instant her feet hit the ground. After my five minute transformation back to my human form Kina tossed me my clothes.

"I can't believe I stormed into your fathers room in a sports bra and sports shorts." Kina burst out in laughter at my embarrassment. A sudden noise from the nearby words made my defenses go up.

"Kina, get behind me, now!" I whispered harshly. Kina summoned her fire and I did the same. My pink flames ran up my arms and stopped at my shoulders. I could see two pairs of eyes in the dark. A pair of deep blues eyes locked with mine and Khales mind synced up with my own.

"Dammit Khale!" I yelled.

"Jeez, so jumpy." Flynn retorted.

"Oh shut up." I snapped.

"So how is the princess doing?" Khale took a step towards Kina.

"Great, thank you." She said, I closed my eyes and shook my head.

"Why are you here?" I demanded.

"We came to warn you. Although, we didn't think we would meet you here." I looked at Khale with a confused expression.

"Warn us of what?" Kina asked sternly.

"War is coming." Flynn said as he removed his hood. His dual swords were strapped to his back like always and a pair of pistols sat at his hips.

"Kina this is Flynn. He served with my brother during the last war." I said and Flynn bowed.

"The Nexians have declared war on the Viks and Norians. I fear with the treaty our king has broached with the Vik king we will be pulled into this conflict. We must notify our king at once with this information. Los Herr must be warned, Zaylon was already attacked. A wyvern was also spotted at the border of the Wailing Mountains. slaughtered an entire pack of Night Hounds as I heard." Flynn said

"We'll wait till the meeting later today, until then let's swim" I ran into the lake and summoned my fire.The water heated up as I swam around and soon the water bubbled like a hot tub.

"Oh come on!" But none of them were looking at me but rather at the other side of the lake. A large guy was butt naked in the lake, washing. I shot a devilish smile at Kina and she wore a disgusted look when she heard my thoughts. I dove under the water and lurched into motion. I slowed down as I neared the human. His hulkish body made me bite my lower lip. Suddenly the human burst into motion and his bulky arm shot into the water after me. Before I could flee his hand pulled me out of the water and he lifted me up by my neck effortlessly.

"You're quick, I'll give you that." The man threw me backwards back into the lake and began walking to the shore.

"Name is Kio" He said with a smile as he pulled a pair of pants on. I couldn't help staring at his hulking body. The man ran a belt into his pants and then put on a sleeveless t-shirt.

"You gonna introduce me to your friends?" The man asked.

"Why did you follow us Kio?" Flynn seemed to be annoyed by the hot guy's presence. His blonde hair and silver eyes jumped from mine to Flynn's.

"I am here by the king's request. I am the best dragon in the vik army and my rider shares the same title as the best swordsman.

"Eli, this is commander Kio of the Elite guard and prince Dantus of Vikorie."

"Ah, a prince. Greetings your highness. I am Eli, alpha of all dragons and this is my rider Princess Kina of Los Herr."

"Pleasure to meet you princess." Dantus said with a bow. I rolled my eyes and Kina snickered as she held out her hand. Her thoughts raced into my mind. "Don't you dare!" I warned her. The princess went to grab her hand but instead of sending him flying for the hills lightning zapped between them.

"Neat trick but I share your abilities and have more training." I searched the prince's eyes and then my eyes went to his dragon. I sighed at my stupidity, "You're a Moon-Wing... aren't you.?" I said with a dragged voice.

"Yup," Kio said proudly.

"What is a Moon-Wing?" Kina asked and we all laughed.

"What?" She asked, clearly confused with our reaction.

"A Moon-Wing is a Dragon of equal strength to the Spear-Tail. Moon-Wings are the only dragon that can challenge the alpha and take its place. But don't worry, I have no intention of doing so." Kina looked at me and then at me and then at Kio, still confused.

"Think of us as polar opposites, me as the negative and Kio as the positive. The spear-tail is more aggressive, the Moon-Wing is more passive. Dark and light. Understand?"

"Sort of."

"Good enough."

Episode III

"OW! The fuck Eli!" Kina screamed out of frustration.

"Kina if we go to war you have to learn to kill. Now come at me and try this time!" I demanded. Kina held up her shield and moved forward cautiously. I ran scenarios through my mind trying to predict her move. I kept my mind open so that she would see my thoughts. She needed to know how we dragons thought in combat for her to survive an encounter with one of my kind. I just prayed that a wyvern wouldn't be present. Kina lunged forward and I knocked her shield and blade aside and kicked her in the torso making launch backwards five feet.

"Uuugh! I fucking hate this!" She yelled

"Kina, they will kill you without a second thought, If you die, I die, same vice versa. I die, you die, Understand!?" I said in a harsh voice.

"I know you think killing isn't right, but it's a reality you must accept. If you don't you will doom us both."

"I know, I know. I just don't want to hurt you." She said in her defense.

"Fine, then face Willow." I ordered.

"Are you crazy!" She shrieked.

"Kina, you must train. If you can't even beat a dragon in its bipedal form then you no doubt will lose an encounter with a dragon in its true form." I said in a defeated voice.

"I'll train her..." Kio's voice rang through the air. I just looked at him in surprise.

"...What, I am your equal, she'll learn just as much from me than from you." I looked to Kina for her approval.

"I mean it's with a try right?" Kina said, I could sense her fear no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

"Remember, just weave your abilities in with your attacks. You may not hit your opponent but it will make them dive back. One thing Moon-Wings and Spear-tails have in common is our virus-like fire. If our fire hits any living thing the recipient will melt from the inside out. Just be careful when you use it. We four are the only ones immune to it." Kio spoke with much wisdom. Kio stood ready at the center of the room and waited.

"Eli and Dantus will demonstrate."

"We will?" I asked.

"Will you please just..."

"Ok, ok, I'll do it. What do you want me as... Dragon or human?"

"Dragon will do, if your dragon form fits in this room?" Kio implied.

"It will," I smiled and started undressing. I began my transformation and my size slowly grew. My scales replaced my human skin and my tail sprouted from my back, my wings slowly followed. I dropped to all fours as I became heavier. Two tendrils sprouted from my head and hung over my back. Spikes ran down the center of my back and two horns sprouted out of my head. After five minutes a colossal dragon stood in front of them. I turned to Flynn and he stood ready. He was no bigger than one of my claws and I laughed. The deep rumbling sound filled the room as I laughed at the puny human that thought he could best me. The human lurched into motion and my tail smacked into him sending him crashing into the left wall. Kio began talking to my rider and then jumped into the air and transformed in front of me. His Dragon form was far smaller than mine. His silver scales opposed the gold glint from my own. Within seconds we lunged at me and we started fighting like a pair of hounds. Seeing as he was smaller and faster I spent most of my time chasing after him. Kio suddenly bowed his head pronouncing that he yielded. He transformed back and I slowly followed. It took another five minutes for me to fully transform back. I could finally understand what the group was saying.

"See, If you know you can't win a fight. Call out to your dragon and she'll rush to your aid. Dragon on dragon is a better option Human on dragon is best avoided if possible. Since Eli is the largest of our kind many dragons will avoid her so stay close to her during battle. If not her than me. Remember, all beings fear our fire. Yours is pink while mine is white."

"Got it," Kina answered.

"What if a wyvern shows up?"Kina asked. The entire mood fell and I looked dead at her and sighed.

"Well, wyverns aren't much different from dragons. The only difference is that they walk on their wings. They don't have front legs so keep them on the ground if you can. They have long tails and a sleek body build. Most wyverns have tails that are laced with poison so don't let them cut you. If you encounter an Eitr, don't let it bite you. Eitrs are very small but extremely fast when in their human form. Scalins are the strongest. If you see a Scalin, do us all a favor and just run. Let me or Kio deal with it." I waited to see if Kina understood what I said. Her mind whirled with all the new information but she quickly made sense of it.

"Sorry that we don't have time to explain all this in more detail." Kio apologized.

"All you gotta do is keep breathing. My father had a saying when Dantus and I first bonded. "Fight as one or die as two" Dragons and their riders are connected telepathically and elementally. For example you have become the human half of Eli and Eli has become the dragon half of you. Without that bond you would not have her abilities. Once the bond is made it can not be broken. Death is the only known way to break it and if she dies you die. The two of you create one entity, dragon and human, together." Kio grabbed his shirt and slipped it over his body and then nodded towards his rider.

"Dantus can teach you sword combat. It should be his number one priority seeing what you will be coming back with us to the Vik Empire as a royal." Dantus grunted as he rose to his feet and walked over.

"Sorry about the tail whip."

"Don't worry, we'll have plenty of time to sparr when you come to Dan Hrafn." I nodded my head and cutsied as he passed.

"Don't worry, he doesn't hold many grudges. He'll get over it, just give the boy some time." I laughed at Kio's attempt at reassurance.

"Where did you find him?" I asked curiously.

"He was brought to me as an infant. The vik queen begged me to save him. I did so without hesitation. I made an oath to protect her son that day. I made him my rider, bestowed my abilities upon him to uphold that oath. How about you? How did you stumble upon the girl?" Kio asked.

"Met her in battle actually. She's still learning how to control her gifts but she is a worthy rider. I was surprised some other dragon hadn't claimed her as their rider. I lost my brother that same day and she lost her mother recently as well." Kio set his hand on my shoulder.

"Sorry for your loss, Eli."

"We all know the price of bonding with a human." I set my eyes on Kina as she sparred with Dantus. She was fast and an excellent fighter for her age. She held her own against the vik prince. I could tell he had more experience than her since he weaved his white fire in with his attacks. I lurched up when I saw Dantus cut her arm, "Eli, it's alright." Kina said and continued her training. Not even a minute later she was on her back with Dantus' sword to her throat. I could tell she was getting angry.

"I think that's enough for today." I said but rather than stop Dantus turned to me. He threw a sword at me, missing me by a few inches. By the time my eyes were on him he was feet away from me. I just smiled at him and summoned my lightning, forming a whip. The cord of pure lightning wrapped around the boy's neck and he shook as it electrocuted him. I let my lightning dissipate and Kio sat at the sidelines laughing.

"One defeat wasn't enough for you?" I asked.

"What can I say... we viks... are quite stubborn." Dantus croaked as he regained himself.

"Kina let me see those wounds." Kina protested but stopped and pulled up her shirt revealing several cuts and scrapes.

"Try to take it easy next time ok!" I yelled at Dantus.

"Eli, it's fine... really. OW!"

"Sorry! I don't commonly heal humans." I said defensively.

"There, just like new." I proclaimed. Kina looked at her non-existent wounds and smiled at me.

"When will I be able to do that!?" She asked in excitement.

"Time and practice," I said. Kina sulked at my answer, making me giggle.

"Now go take a shower. We have a meeting with the King in an hour."

"Ok mom." Kina said sarcastically and flicked her hair in my face. Her giggling made me smile as she trotted into the changing room.

"You love her don't you?" Kio asked from behind me.

"Of course I do. I practically took the place of her mother after her mother's death. She's like my sister. You seem pretty close to your prince." I teased.

"Oh shut up you horny dragon."

"HEY!" I yelled and slapped him. We both laughed at our humor.

"The prince and I see each other for what we are. He still has his mother and his father. I'm more of a brother in arms. Rather than a part of his family." My mind raced and Kina's imagination started flaring up. I locked my mind so that she couldn't butt into my conversation with Kio.

"So you're ok with me entering your territory permanently, by the sound of it." Kio cringed in response to my question.

"Humans have no respect for our traditions." Kio snapped.

"Hey, hey it's not like I'm gonna lay a claim to your territory." I retorted.

"Well you won't have problems if you don't start any." Kio said through gritted teeth. I bent down on one knee and bowed my head.

"You, Kio of Vikorie have my oath to respect your lands for the rest of my days." I could tell Kio was surprised by my gesture.

"I accept your oath... Alpha." Kio said and pulled me to my feet.

"Wanna sparr?" I asked.

"I don't see why not." I walked over to my locker and strapped my sheaths onto my back and waist and then tossed two extra weapons to kio. My four blades shined as the sunlight bounced off the hilts. I drew the two off my back and went into a battle stance. My first attack was at his neck while my second sword went for his leg. I wielded my mind ability in an attempt to confuse or disorient him. A second of hesitation was all it took for me to swipe his feet. I stood over him with my sword over his throat.

"Boo yah!" Before I could react my back hit the floor and Kio's forearm was on my neck. His face was inches from mine and I squirmed to get free.

"You're a good fighter." Kio complimented.

"Not.. good enough it would seem." I glanced down and he laughed.

"Good fight." Kio let off my neck and stood up. While he wasn't looking I kicked myself up and went for another attack. Seconds later my back met the floor again as he flung me over himself.

"Ok, That's nice." I said and released a series of coughs.

"Need a hand?" Kio offered. I accepted and found my feet. Clapping filled my ears and Kina stood in traditional attire for a royal meeting. Dantus came out in a luxurious tunic and black leather pants and leather boots. Both me and Kio chuckled and conjured traditional dragon attire. Our outfits revealed our features, but covered parts that humans didn't wish to see.

"Ready to go?" I asked

"I think so." Kina answered.

Episode IV

"My king, why do we involve ourselves in a war that has nothing to do with us?" A councilman asked.

"With our advancements in technology we could leave this world and find a new home!" The councilman said.

"And where would we go!?" The king stood from his seat. His gaze slid from one councilman to the next.

"Have none of you wondered why the Tilians never left this world. They had far greater technological advancements then we do now." No one answered the King's question.

"They vanished without a trace. We have allies in need of our help. Will we allow the Nexians to wipe out the Viks and the Norians? Is that who we are?!"The king asked, no one answered.

"Greetings, great council of Sarel. My name is Dantus, I am the crowned prince of Vikorie. We came here insearch of help. If you do not wish to fight then give us the means to defend ourselves. Teach my people how to use your technology and we will use it to push back the Nexians." The councilman whispered to each other in response.

"And what would you do with our technology afterwards? If we give this tech, what is stopping you from attacking us?" A councilman asked.

"My king you can't be considering this." The man said as the King didn't respond.

"My king this is blasphemy!" The king's hand shot up and his eyes locked with the councilman.

"Wyverns... have been spotted in the Wailing Mountains. Scouts say they have seen nearly a thousand of them. A group of villagers were found after a snow storm, their bodies unidentifiable. If we leave this world the wyverns will attack. Thousands if not millions will die. Sure, we Sarelians would be safe. Do want that on our conscience, The extinction of our fellow homonyms because we are too self righteous to lend our aid. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT!" The King yelled. No one answered.

"Then it is settled, our army will aid The Viks in the war against the Nexians. Who will follow me into battle?" The king stood from his chair and awaited the councilmen to head his call.

"Zaylon heeds your call my king." One answered.

"Brenth will heed your call my king" Another answered

"Lasdin will heed your call my king"

"Quindel will heed your call my king" The throne room fell silent and all eyes fell to the last remaining councilman.

"Despite my strong opposition to this. Valous will heed your call my king" The last councilmember spoke.

"King Talus, we shall join you in this war. May we live long!" The king yelled

"OR DIE WITH GLORY!" The room boomed in response.

"Citizens of Vikorie join us for a feast." The king offered.

"We would be honored, great king." As the council members and the two kings left I sighed in relief.

"Guess this means you're coming to Vikorie." Kio said.

"I guess so." I answered. I followed the group to the next room where tables were packed with food. Massive kegs lined the back wall behind a counter.

"A feast indeed!" I proclaimed. I noticed the arena in view from the balcony. Humans seemed to like watching each other die a lot. I went to the counter with kio and we both grabbed mugs of beer. Dragons and Humans feasted together, some even dancing together. I was happy to see Kina enjoying herself on the dance floor. I sat at the edge of the room away from the crowd and let the humans have their feast.

"You don't drink much do you?" blurted a man with purple eyes. His breath smelled of booze. His short raven hair complemented his thick beard and the giant sword mounted on his back.

"And you are not human are you?" I said with an arched brow.

"That I am not. My name is Yulvax, Crolan of the northern territories." I pretended to be surprised.

"I am..."

"Eli, alpha of all dragons. Honey everybody here knows who and what you are." He said. I took a sip of my drink and then looked at him.

"What are your views on humans anyway?" I asked. The man took a big drink of his beer and then leaned up against the wall next to me.

"I think they have their purposes. They fear us, you know. They only accept us because they know that we can protect them against the wyverns. You have heard the stories right?" I nodded.

"My sister fought one not too long ago. That's her, right there." Yulvax started waving his hand at another dragon shifter. The girl walked over, her blue eyes and brown hair revealing her dragon side.

"A Thunderbolt. That's a pretty gnarly scar you got there." I said, looking at a scar that ran down the right side of her body in a zigzag formation.

"Lightning get the best of you?" I joked.

"She has yet to claim territory, she had her sights on Zaylon when she found another dragon there. Purple eyes, big body and keen mind. He knew what she was the moment he saw her. I watched the entire thing from inside a tavern. The man controlled both wind and lightning at the same time." I stopped mid sip and my eyes locked to the girl and then to her brother.

"Only extremely old alpha's can harness magic like that. I can't control my magic yet. So you were either attacked by an Alpha Oriental or an Alpha Wyvern. Alpha wolves can't control the elements and Orientals don't have a human form. If a wyvern has claimed Zaylon or the Wailing mountains then he may be trying to reclaim Garlieth." I said. My mind raced, running scenarios of what this wyvern could do if he rallied what remained of his species. Kina's vision raced into my mind.

"My rider had a vision of Los Herr burning and me dying. This could be linked to it but it could also just be a coincidence. I am leaving Los Herr and entering Vikorie. This territory will be open for claim. I will not help you claim this territory, new girl and many others will jump at the opportunity as well. I advise that you prepare for a fight. Thank you for this intel. Enjoy your night and enjoy the feast." I ordered.

I set my mug down on a table and walked out to the balcony. The evening sun turned the sky pink and orange. I took a deep breath and heard the balcony door open.

"I'll miss the air here." Kina said.

"So will I." I turned to meet her gaze. The sound of the music was muffled behind the doors.

"I could take you away from here you know. We could fly away and live elsewhere." I begged.

"And do what? Eli, this isn't something we can run from. We have our roles to play in this world. My role is to marry the Vik king and unite Sarel and Vikorie." My head sank as I knew she was right.

"Adapt and survive is all we can do. Right sister?" She asked.

"Right." I answered as we returned to the feast.. I'll

The next morning I woke up in my room and sat up in my bed. I put on some shorts and a t-shirt. I shot off my bed when I felt movement. I pulled the blanket down and screamed frightfully when Kio appeared. I stumbled back and nailed the back of my head on my nightstand.

"Whoa, you ok!?" Kio said as he hastily jumped out of my bed and helped me up.

"Wait, where am I?" Kio asked.

"You're in my bedchambers." I said and my face turned cherry red.

"Did we..." I froze

"To be honest I don't know. Last thing I remember is returning to the feast with you and our riders." My head was spinning in a hundred directions and bile rushed up my throat.

"Am I that bad?" Kio joked. I flushed the toilet and washed my mouth.

"You need to leave before..." Before I could close my bedroom door Kina looked dead at Kio standing in just his boxers in the center of my room. I yanked her into my room with a cherry red face.

"Kina, what the hell happened last night!?" I asked urgently.

"Wait, both of you don't remember?" Kina asked, dumfounded. I kept my eyes on her wearing a serious expression. Suddenly Kina burst out into laughter and both me and Kio were confused.

"Wow, you were that drunk." Kina said through her laughter.

"Kina, this isn't funny! I have to know if I mated with Kio!" Kina's expression turned instantaneously.

"Wait, seriously?" She asked in disbelief.

"What happened last night?" I asked loudly, nearly yelling.

"Well I'm sure the entire castle knows. You two weren't very quiet last night." Kina mumbled, rolling her eyes.

"DAMMIT KIO! If I end up laying a fucking egg because of you I'll cut your balls off!" Kio threw his hands up in mock surrender.

"Hey, I have no memory of screwing you ok. I just woke up here." Kio defended

"I'm sorry but how can two of the most powerful dragons on the planet not remember if they screwed half the night?" I shot Kina an evil glare.

"Just asking." Kina defended.

"Damn you male dragons and you fucking hormone boosters! RAAAAHHH!" I yelled as I walked into my closet.

"Eli, maybe it isn't that bad." Kina said.

"Oh trust me, it's bad. Dragons can only mate once in their life. We just did, without knowing." Kio said.

"Why is that so bad?" Kina asked.

"Well, since she mated with me I'm linked to her mind like you are. That's why she wants to know if we really mated last night or not."

"Ok, I see your point." I bursted out of my closet with a dagger in hand and pounced onto Kio.

"You're lucky I'm not pregnant you idiot. I can already hear your thoughts." I snapped.

"HEY! I never wanted this either! I was drunk and so were you! Deal with it!" Kio snapped back and pushed me off of him. A sudden knock came from my door and Kina rushed to open it.

"Breakfast is being served in the dining hall my lady." The servant said and walked on to the next room.

"I have to go, you guys sort out your differences and come down when you are ready." Kina opened my bedroom door and walked out leaving me and Kio alone in my chambers.

Act III

Episode I

(Zya's Story)

"Zya Deer." Bane whispered.

"Tatsu, deer." I relayed to Tatsu and his sights were locked to the group of deer.

"NOW!" We bolted from the tree line straight for the group of deer. Each of us singled out our kill and pursued it. Not seconds later both Tatsu and Bane were out of sight. I used my stamina to keep on the tail of my prey. The deer was slower and easier prey than most but still proved to be a pain in the ass to catch. As I chased the deer I heard Bane announce her kill, soon after Tatsu announced his. Suddenly I lost sight of my prey and I skidded to a stop in hopes of regaining its scent. I searched the ground for a scent but one stuck out and it was no deer. Humans! I walked forward and looked down the hill and saw a new human village. They did not build like the norians. They carried a weapon that stung my nose as I gathered its scent. I looked from one building to the next until my eyes caught an auburn eyed man walking among them. His brown hair complimented his eyes too well for a human. His arms and chest are too big for a human as well.

"Zya!" Bane's voice rang through the air. I turned to face her and her brother.

"We have a problem." I said and nodded to the human town at the base of the hill.

"You think they can see us?" Tatsu asked, his adrenaline kicked up as he spoke.

"Most likely, but I doubt they have the balls to attack a group of wolves without backup." Bane answered.

"I guess the war has finally reached us." I said and turned to leave.

"We have to get back and tell Taj about this." The sudden snap of a branch made all three of us look back. Behind us stood a black wyvern, its red scales spun around its body forming an intricate pattern. "Tell me what, exactly. What have you found, Zya?" Taj's voice rippled through my mind and I nodded in the direction of the Human town. Taj transformed and jumped onto my back and urged me forward. He conjured dragon attire as we trotted down the hill towards the town.

"Bane and Tatsu head back to the cave and warn the others. Zya and I shall check this out." Bane and Tatsu nodded and bolted off in the direction of home.

People gasped and ran for their semi-built homes as Taj and I entered the new town. Some of the newcomers looked at us with anger while others looked at us in awe. I could see the curiosity on the faces of a select few, likely scientists from Sarel. Taj pulled my hair softly urging me to stop in front of what looked like a tavern. Taj dismounted from my back and two men quickly walked over to us. Taj set his hand on my nose to keep me from lashing out. As the men neared I could see they were unarmed knowledge seekers. That thought alone calmed me. Taj sent a thought into my mind and I huffed a laugh at him.

"How did you tame one?" One of the curious men asked.

"Easy, you play nice and find a way into their heart." Taj added and I bumped his ass with my snout.

"May I?" The man asked with an outstretched hand.

"It is not I you should be asking." Taj answered and the man's eyes fell to me. I stood just as tall as the horses next to me. However, my large size did not seem to scare this human one bit. Taj took the man's hand and set it on my snout. To my surprise the man's delicate touch felt good. A soft breath left my mouth and the man laughed. His eyes were filled with joy and amazement. Taj grabbed a pair of leggings and a tank top out of his bag and grabbed the man's hand.

"Best give her space for this." Taj warned. Moments later the air filled with several popping noises as I transformed. I stood up on my hind legs and my fur drifted to my head. I grabbed the clothes from Taj and slipped them on fast. The human that had touched my head looked at me in awe.

I laughed, "Have you never seen a Wolf Shifter?"

"Never one like you, no." I raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'm a Zyaen, rare but powerful. I am a mix of all my kind. Kind of like your Alpha dragon, I just don't have cool abilities like your dragons." I nodded at the human and then followed Taj into the tavern. Nexian soldiers stared at us, especially at me.

"I'm gonna wait outside, Taj." Taj nodded and kissed me on the cheek.

"Give me a couple minutes and I'll be out. If you sense something is off, transform and I'll get the memo." I nodded and started walking out of the tavern. I pushed the door open and waited for him to finish his business.

"What are you doing here wolf?" A brute asked as he and his group walked over to me. I did not answer.

"I asked you a question, woman!" The man yelled. I heard his sword slowly exiting its sheath as he neared me.

"Where is your pack?" The brute asked.

"In the forest." I said vaguely.

"Do you know who we are, wolf?" The brute hissed.

"Can't say I do, should I?"

"We are your new lords. Your people are scattered, unorganized. Nory will fall within the week. You may have a strong culture but you wolves and norians will learn your place below us."

I laughed, my gaze falling to the ground, "You are nexians then." I pretended to be surprised.

"In the flesh." The brute said proudly.

"Is there a problem, lords?" Taj asked as he walked out of the tavern.

"What is your business here and why do you keep a wolf as company?" The brute asked.

"She is my means of travel, lord." Taj said with a slight bow.

"So you've tamed her." The brute ran a finger under my chin. Taj nodded in my direction.

"Step back." I said and pulled my clothes off as I transformed. Within seconds I was in my wolf form. The men that followed the brute drew their weapons and stood ready to fight me.

"I mean you no harm, I am only following my master's command." I said and they all looked at me in shock.

"You speak english?" I huffed, annoyed. I laid down on my stomach so that Taj could mount on my back.

"I might be tame but my kin are not nearly as accepting as I. They will come and they will try to kill you. Norians are far more powerful than you think, this isn't a war you will win." I warned.

"Why not? The viks are all but defeated, the Sarelians want nothing to do with war, The norians run and hide and you shifters hide as well." The man smirked and his men laughed.

"You think we fear you. We have been watching you advance for the past year. We know of every weakness within your forts. We chase the game away and poison the water supplies. We do not fear you. Your kind are too blind to see that you have already lost." This time I could see the anger in the man's eyes. Behind his anger lingered the slightest hint of fear. I felt Taj mount on my back and before the Soldiers could protest against our departure I bolted into a sprint. I raced up the hillside, dodging trees and boulders with ease. I slowed to a trot after I left the view of the nexian outpost, town, whatever the hell they called that pathetic place.

"We can camp here for the night." Taj said and I skidded to a stopped.

"Was riding on my back into that pathetic settlement truly necessary?" I asked harshly.

"Well in a way, yes. Humans see a man riding on the back of a giant wolf and they respect that power. Humans fear shifters, so why not show that some shifters have united. As you said humans are to blind to their weaknesses. Just don't forget that we have weaknesses too." The sound of soft whistling caused my eyes to scan the woods. I transformed and saw the glint of a spear.

"TAJ...DOWN!" I yelled and caught the spear moments before it struck my chest. The spear's enersha knocked me off my feet and onto my back. I grunted as I tossed the spear to the side. Laughing filled the air and I knew it was Fury.

"Damn you Fury!" I yelled and pushed myself up from the snow.

"Hey, you gotta admit that was a damn good throw." I kicked the spear up and then punched the butt end of it. The spear grazzed Fury's ear and struck a nearby tree.

"Nice to see you too, show off." Yasky said as she bolted out of the darkness. She jumped into me and knocked me down playfully.

"Surprised to see me?" She asked.

"Nope, You still screwing a wyvern?"

"Haha, Same can be asked of you Zya." Yasky pulled me up and then skipped over to Fury.

"Any news from Zaylon?" Taj asked as he dropped a pile of firewood into the snow.

"Yes and no." Fury answered.

"Did you find him or not?" Taj asked impatiently.

"Yes, we found him. He tossed a dragon around like a ragdoll down in a village at the base of the Wailing Mountains..." Taj lit the fire, "...A wolf pack had gone missing along with a group of two dozen men." Fury stopped and locked his eyes to Taj's head as he tended to his fire.

"Rumors have it that Sarel has joined forces with Vikorie. Words about wyvern attacks in Zaylon have also reached my ears. If we are to survive this war we have to stand together. Wyverns will not survive another fall. We need our alpha for this plan to work. We have to find Xahn before the humans realize we are not as extinct as they thought we were.

Episode II

The run back home was long and tiring as we had to dodge nexian hunting parties. Several dozen Norians had been stalking us for the entire journey. I knew they were our allies but they didn't seem to like us very much. I kept my speed up with Taj on my back. Yasky and Fury were close behind me and their flirting was getting more annoying every mile. The occassional growl leaft my mouth making Yasky glare at me. The entrance to my den entered my view and I broke off and transformed. Suddenly a figure slammed into me and I slammed into a tree almost knocking it down.

"Still slow I see." A familiar voice said.

"Nice... to see you too Hakone." I said as I rose from the snow.

"What are you doing in my den Hakone?" I asked with a sigh and walked past him.

"Zarlein and the rest of my pack have gone missing. I lost their scent in the wailing mountains. I had hoped that one of your packs had spotted them." I could sense the concern in Hakone's voice.

"We heard reports of a pack of wolves attacking a village at the foot of Wailing Mountains. You must know, wyverns were also spotted there too. We both know what wyverns do to trespassers." Taj said sincerely.

"Zarlein is smart, she wouldn't have led my pack to their deaths without reason." I tilted my head in response to Hakone's choice of words.

"So this Zarlein is your pack alpha?" I asked.

"Not exactly, but my pack will follow her and listen to her advice when she has some." I could hear the admiration in his voice.

"I'll see what I can do, but no promises ok. Nexians Have crossed into our lands killing us as they move inland. Norians are already on the brink of extinction and we are not far behind. If you help me deal with our situation here I give you my word I will help you find your pack. Do we have a deal?" I raised an eyebrow and held out my hand.

"Taj you will bear witness to this oath." I ordered and morphed my claws from my right hand. I ran a claw across my palm, drawing blood. I held my hand out once more, blood dripping onto the floor. Hakone followed my example and soon his bloody hand slapped into mine.

"I give you my Blood Oath that I will do everything in my power to assist you in your endeavor Snowfoot, Hakone."

"And I give you my Blood Oath that I will assist you in your endeavor Zyaen, Zya." Taj handed both of us a long cloth for us to wrap our hands. I looked over to see Taj cutting a scale off his arm. Before I could intervene he spoke an incantation and the scale morphed into a beautiful ornate horn.

"A gift for you, Zya. Blow on this horn and no matter where I am I will hear it and rush to your aid." I looked at the ornate horn and then back at him.

"Are you leaving?" I asked.

"I will fly to the Wailing Mountains and track this man's pack while the two of you deal with the Nexian invaders. If I die that horn will lose functionality and no sound will leave it. Only use it if absolutely necessary, understand?" Taj looked into my eyes awaiting my answer.

"Yeah, I understand but..." Taj Kissed me before I could finish my sentence. I leaned in for more but he broke away.

"Come back, ok. That's an order." Taj laughed and stroked my cheek.

"I will try and you, keep her safe in my absence or I'll hunt you to earth's end" Taj said and then smiled.

"I would make a blood oath to you but your blood is laced with poison." Hakone said with a loud chuckle.

"You already made an oath to her and I love her, so you have my wings as long as you don't betray her or me.

For a solid week I ordered raiding parties on Nexian outposts and instilled fear where I could. The nexians were formidable fighters and determined to take Nory. I had lost a portion of fighters both Norian and wolf. Yet not one soul questioned my leadership. All my fighters respected me and had made oaths to serve and protect me to their last day. I loved all of them equally and regretted when my choices would get some of them killed. The vik clans have finally rallied and started fighting back against the nexians. I had sent scouts into vikorie to assess the situation and I didn't sound good. The viks were down to their last few cities and within days they would be overrun. Our situation was even more dire. With no allies and no decent weapons we were losing ground by the kilometer each hour. Each day less and less of my men returned from their raids. I had yet to hear anything from Taj and Hakone was always off fighting. I was stuck in my cave making battle plans and watching as my army dwindled into oblivion. If I didn't find a solution to our problem the nexians would succeed and the Norians would be killed off and my kind would be closer to extinction than ever before. The viks had sent their most trusted warlord to sarel to gain an ally in hopes of saving themselves. This was an option for us as well but none of the other homonyms liked the Norians or my kind for that matter. The Sarelians were more likely to kill me than parley with me.

"What is the situation in the west?" I asked with demanding eyes on Bane.

"Same as always. We're losing ground fast. The Nexian dragons control the sky and we can't defend against them." I sighed and moved my battle figures to match Bane's information.

"Tatsu, what is the situation in the east?" His expression fell the moment he was called upon.

"Dire, I've lost over half of my fighters. The constant dragon attacks keep us from sleeping. The east will fall by the end of the week if they keep this up." I grabbed Tatsu's piece and his army and pulled the figurines back to the cave.

"Then they may have the east. Tatsu you will fall back to the inner wood. Bane you must hold the nexians back long enough until Tatsu and his men can reach you. Under no circumstance can we lose the Valley pass. If they take that, we will all be dead within days.The Valley is the only descent way in or out on foot." I sighed and set Tatsu's figurines next to Bane's

"We must give Taj the time he needs to gain Xahn's favor. I will take my forces to the east and hold back the nexian armies there and keep you two from being overwhelmed. May the gods of old watch over you all and may we meet again, in this life or the next." I said as I placed my figurine on the table for the first time. No one in my rebellion had ever seen me fight. They had all heard rumors of my fighting years in the Vik arenas. I had wished to put that part me on a shelf, but one cannot escape their nature.

"In this life or the next." Bane answered. Tatsu soon after.

"May we live forever free." Hakone said with crossed arms, his claymore sword sheathed on his back.

"Radulfr you will stay here and patrol behind our lines. If dragons fly behind with men you are to kill or capture if possible. Keep an eagle eye out for any incoming wyverns. If Taj returns, you are to send him to assist Bane and Tatsu. The Valley pass takes priority over all. Understand?" I asked with wide eyes.

"Roll out as soon as you are ready." I ordered and everybody left except Hakon and I.

"Your soldiers fear you... Why?" Hakone asked.

"I wasn't always as free as you think." I said.

"It matters not now, we are in this fight together whether we win or lose." I took pride in his words and sheathed my axes on my hip and sheathed my two short swords on my back. I grabbed four daggers and sheathed one on each leg and the other to just below the pit of my arm. I grabbed my bow and mounted it on my back along with a spear. I chuckled when Hakone gave me a questioning look.

"Understand we they fear me now?" I asked with a devilish smile.

"I see, you are a weapons master. Rare talent for a wolf shifter. I will meet you outside with your men." I nodded and grabbed the horn Taj had crafted for me.

"I shall see you soon my love, in this life... or the next." I turned and marched down the corridors of the expansive cave that housed hordes of my men.. My rebellion.

Fighters nodded to me as I passed some cheering and yelling. Despite our situation they all looked ready and willing to die for our cause. Norians and wolves working together, never thought I would live to see the day. I slowly shifted from a two legged walk to a four legged sprint. My weapons clicked onto my back as my armor shifted to match my wolf form. Thousands of my kin followed my example. Norians morphed into their beast forms. Howls and roars ripped through the air as we all ran out of the cave leaving it empty and deserted. This would be our last stand if we failed we would all die. Four lines left the cave as my armies split up to accomplish their given tasks. The norian druids ran in their beast forms While the thousands upon thousands of wolf shifters poured out of the cave like a raging river. Night Hounds, Snowfoots, Wood Stalkers, and Zyaens ran as one united pack. Our ancestors would be surprised at our unity if they saw us now. I kept my speed at a down low so that the smaller wolves could keep up. Hakone and his snow white wolf ran by my side followed by several thousand others. This... This is what I lived for, this is what we lived for. Dragons and homonyms looked down on my kind. They hunted us, tortured us and drove us from our land. Today is the day they would find out how furious we had become. Today is the day we make our stand.

We ran for hours until we reached our planned position. I transformed back and began shouting orders for my men to prepare the defenses. X-bows, catapults, trebuchets, oil trenches and quivers were being set up in every possible location. Impact bombs were being made by the millions and packed into sacks for the catapults. Flak arrows were being prepared for defense against the dragons. Spike walls and pits were being formed at the front line to give us time to regroup after the first wave. I ordered my men to use the leftover dirt to erect a dirt ridge for a forward attack when we needed it. For hours upon hours of hard labor we prepared for our final stand. As the sun rose the sound of a marching, invading army followed. I ordered my men to rest and wait for the battle to come. By now the Nexian scouts would have seen our defenses and reported back. What they didn't know was that my Wood Stalkers lined the woods. They would be the first to attack. They would attack from the trees and bushes unprovoked and unseen. I hoped that this drastic action would ignite fear in the invading army and cut their numbers down some. The Wood Stalkers were under strict orders to attack not to force the nexians to retreat but to lure them into range of my trebuchets. Impact bombs would then be fireed on them. Their army would disperse and spread out. This action I had planned for and placed my catapults in their path. While the nexian fled for cover they would die. The nexians would be forced forward and fall back, over and over until none would be left breathiing. Everything had to work. Nexians maybe strong and skilled fighters, but they made the biggest mystake. They were under estimating their opponent.

"ARE YOU READY!" I yelled as the sun rose over the hills. My men answered with battle cries and then drummed their metal shields with their weapons.

Episode III

The first horn of battle sounded as the Wood Stalkers announced their task was complete. I yelled out orders and the growling of the trebuchets ripped through the air as they hurled death towards our foes. Yelling filled the air as the men rushed to reload. Explosions and pained screams rippled through the trees as the Nexian army was being blown apart. I ordered the Wood stalkers to retreat with a blue banner and a horn. I watched as thousands of wood stalkers exited the woods and sprinted for our fortified hill. My army formed a shield wall behind the pits and spike wall. I ordered with banners for my catapults to fire and the forest burst into flames. Suddenly flack erupted as dragons dove down from the clouds. X-bows hurled harpoons into the air as the dragons dove down to meet us. I drew my spear and hurled it into the air. I watched with pleasure as it hit it's mark. I held out my hand for another and watched as every single one of my spears hit their marks. The Nexian army ran out from the forest, disorganized and reeking of fear. As their dragons retreated the army fell into the thousands of oil pits lining the battlefield.

"ARROWS!" I ordered and fire arrows rained down on the battlefield. I closed my eyes and listened to the agonizing screams of the invading army as they burned to death. Soon after lines upon lines fell prey to the oil trenches. To my joy I saw the Nexian army come o a full hault. Their guns proved useless against our coordinated defense.

"HOLD! HOLD!" Their commanders ordered. I knew they could see me on top of the hill signaling my men, telling them what to do. I watched as a man stopped at the front holding a banner for cease fire. I grabbed my bow and knocked an arrow. I pulled back on the string and took aim. My target was five hundred meters away and I had one shot. I closed my eyes and listened to the wind and the whailing of the injured. I smelled the embers as they rose into the air. After finding peace I opened my eyes.

I released.

I watched as my arrow sliced through the air towards my target. I could hear it whistle as it flew. Pride filled my heart as it sang its deadly song. Suddenly the banner dropped and soon after, the soldier that had carried it. I laughed at their attempt at a cease fire.

"If you wish for a cease fire! Get your lazy ass up here and kill me you coward!" My men roared in response to my words.

"Hakone, you know the battle plans. Follow them by the letter. I shall join my men at the spike wall. Signal with banners and horns." I ordered and transformed. I sprinted down the hill towards the front line and within half a minute my wolf form was walking among my men. I transformed back and my armor shifted to fit my human body. I pulled my axes from my sides and watched as the Nexian army rallied in response to their fallen soldier. A war horn went off to signal the beginning of our battle.

HOLD!" I ordered. The Nexian army was only two hundred meters out.

"HOLD!" I yelled once more as the invaders ran forward.

"HOLD!" The nexians were less than fifty meters away.

Just as the first nexian stepped on the covers for the spike pits, "NOW! PULLLLL!" The mossy covers vanished and nexians fell to their deaths only five meters away from us. The few that tried to jump over were either impaled on the spike wall or stabbed by spears. A horn went off and my catapults began pummeling the enemy with barrels of oil. Blue fire, greek fire, soon followed. Arrows hummed towards their marks. The Nexians, unorganized and panicking, unable to get off a single shot.

"PULL BACK!" I ordered and oil began filling the trench we had been standing in. By now hundreds of thousands of the invaders had already fallen prey to our defenses but more kept pouring from the woods.

"THEY'RE ENDLESS!" one of my soldiers yelled. Just then a bang went off and one of my men dropped, holding his neck.

"DOWN, EVERYONE DOWN!" I ordered and thousands of bangs filled the air. My men started dropping like flies. Dragons took out catapult after catapult. The nexians were overpowering us.

"RETREAT TO THE RIDGE NOW!" I yelled and my men obeyed. Nexians poured into the trench and soon after another horn went off and more nexians fell prey to our fire. Suddenly the loudest bang I had ever heard ripped through the air. Soon after one of my catapults blew up seconds later another followed and then another. I watched as a metal monster moved towards us, spitting death from a barrel so big it dwarfed the rest. The catapults began pummeling it but nothing happened to it. I watched as the barrel raised up and took aim. I looked to where it was aiming and it wasn't the catapults but the head of my army. All I could do was watch as the shell raced towards the top of the hill. Soon after the entire hill top was gone.

"HAKONE!" Anger filled me and my eyes fell to the metal monster. Despite our odds, my men stood by me with the same anger. The need for revenge filled every soul, I could feel it. I yelled and pointed my axe towards the nexians and ran forward. I jumped over the fire, ran past the spike wall and jumped over the spike pit. Our unexpected attack caught our foes off guard and gave me a chance to kill several of them before the rest even reacted. The Nexian soldiers relied too much on their guns and fell fast to my axes. My men close behind cutting throuth the nexians like butter. Suddenly the lines broke and a large space between us and the battalion gave them the range.

"SHEILDS!" I yelled as the battlefield became filled with bullets. We formed our wall and bullets bounced off our shields.

"ADVANCE!" Maintaining our shield wall we slowly moved forward.

"DRAGON!" Suddenly our lines broke and a dragon ripped through my men while the nexians continued firing. I spotted a bullet and picked it up, felt it.

"This metal doesn't drain me." I said to myself

"The bullets, THE BULLETS ARE NOT SILVER. EVERY LAST MAN, TRANSFORM!" Within seconds my entire army transformed. The dragon toppled over as near a hundred wolves began ripping it apart. The nexians sounded their retreat as we ripped through their lines. They fled into the forest and my Wood Stalkers maneuvered them into a circle.

"ENJOY YOUR LUNCH!" I yelled and my army lunged forward at the remaining Nexian army. Their carelessness had been repaid with defeat.

The yelling of the wounded filled the air and I ordered my men to kill them. We left the Nexian dead for the next army to lay eyes on when they came to kill us. I made my way to the top of the hill to see if any had survived the explosion. Several men layed dead while others were strewn everywhere.

"HAKONE!" I yelled.

"Still... here." A muffled voice answered. I bolted to its origin and cleared away the debris. Once the last of the wood was cleared I saw him. A piece of wood lodged into his chest. I looked at the wound and then at him and then back at the wound.

"This is going to hurt like hell."

"I doubt.... AAHHHHH!" I threw the piece of wood away and ripped a piece of cloth from my cloak.

"Can you stand?" I asked.

"I guess we'll find out," Hakone answered with a pained chuckle. I took my arm and wrapped it around his neck. Hakone groaned loudly as I pulled him into a sitting position. I looked down at his leg as I cleared more debris and sighed.

"What... What is it?" Hakone asked hastily.

"Ah... Your ah... left leg... is uh, the bone looks to be completely shattered," I looked at him concerningly, " Your leg is flattened and I don't feel a solid bone."

"ZYA!!" A deep voice yelled.

"HERE!"

"Good to see you both survived." Radulfr said. I nodded to Hakones injured leg. Radulfr looked Hakone dead in the eye and set his hand on his axe. Radulfr pulled a bottle from his back and popped it open.

"Whiskey... for the pain." He insisted. Hakone snatched the bottle and downed half of it in a mere blink and then took a deep breath. Suddenly without warning Radulfr hit Hakone's temple with his axe handle knocking Hakone unconscious.

"Smart, but best you tell me next time." I warned.

"The whiskey will help him sleep through this." I nodded and seconds later Radulfr's axe cut clean through Hakone's leg. Radulfr spoke an incantation and his axe glowed red.

"Hold him." Radulfr ordered.I did so and Radulfr's axe hissed as it cauterized Hakone's wound. Hakone's body shook and grunted as the axe melted the skin. After a long minute the procedure ended and Hakone stopped shaking.

"He'll live"

"Thank you...", "No, thank you... Zya, without you Nory would have fallen months ago. You saved my people. My warriors will tend to the wounded and we shall return home. I think the nexians learned the hard way not to look down on us. All thanks to you and your fighters." Radulfr picked up Hakone as if he weighed nothing and carried him towards a group of Norians.

I looked down from the hill top and saw the aftermath of our battle. An entire Nexian army laid dead at our doorstep and a few hundred of our own among them. As my adrenaline eased, my wounds began to announce themselves. Cuts, bruises, and bullet wounds covered my body. If I were not a wolf I likely would have died today. I sat down on a rock near the edge of the hilltop. A once great view tarnished by war, the once green grass now stained an ugly red. The once majestic wood surrounding the hill, now charred and gray. War is a plague on nature, humans were always the cause. We shifters may not have liked each other but we learned to coexist. Humans, they thirst for power and dominance, not just over us shifters but over themselves. Wyverns were first to fall and now my kind were next on their list. With our numbers falling by the hundreds each day, we would be wiped out come next spring.

"Windrux... God of nature, here my call. I need your guidance, I beg you. Show me how to save my people, please." A tear ran down my cheek and fell to the ground.

"And here I thought you never cried." My heart jumped when I heard Taj's voice behind me. Without a second thought I turned and ran into his arms. I wrapped my legs around him and buried my face in his shoulder.

"I saw the dead and I feared the worst. Are you alright?" Taj asked. I nodded, my head still buried in his shoulder. After a solid five minutes I heard Taj breath deeply and begin to set me down. That was when I saw it. A wyvern I had never seen before. A wyvern I had only heard of in legends and myths. Its long tail swayed back and forth, its purpled eyes locking with my own. The sunlight vanished when it hit its scales and his breath heated the very air that surrounded me. I was in awe of its beauty. A sudden grunt snapped me out of my trance. The wyvern transformed lightning fast and his hulking body glistened in the sunlight.

"I see you brought a friend." I said as the wyvern summoned clothes for himself. Taj just laughed and stepped aside

"Impressive, holding back an entire army with wooden spikes and medieval aged weapons." The man said.

"Thank you, I think." I said with a raised brow.

"I've waited almost ten thousand years for this day."

"Who are you... exactly?" I asked and Taj smiled.

"You may call me.... Xahn."