Vengeance of the Dragon Queen

Chapter 1

Jaden leaned back against the stone, wrapped her arms around her knees; and watched as the sun slowly set. The golden red light made the land around her look as though it had been doused in golden-red blood.
    At one point she would have been considered beautiful, however something had scoured the beauty from her, leaving only its shadow behind. Her eyes, were a strange shimmering of blues, one minute light and clear, the next dark and clouded; tall for a woman, extremely well built, with both battle and training scars on her face and arms; the most noticeable, a scar that ran from behind her right ear, and ended at the corner of her mouth. While her vermillion coloured hair seemed to shimmer in the sunset, tied into a warrior’s top knot, so as not to hinder her in battle.
    She leaned her head back against the cold stone, closed her eyes and smiled a smile full of bitterness, anger, sadness and loneliness. "You always loved sunsets, didn't you?" Her voice was soft, yet carried on the slight breeze. No answer came, as she was alone. "I've never liked them much, since I don't like the dark. But watching you gaze at the sun always made me happy, and made the dark less oppressive" Absently she brushed some stray hair from her eyes, and looked back out over the land.
    "This place used to have a beautiful view though didn't it; we'd stand here and gaze over Ra'sar. Just before the sun would set the light would reflect of the countless roofs and make the land look like it was covered in diamonds." She closed her eyes once more and tears flowed. Ignoring them she climbed to her feet, turned her back on the view and looked down at the stone she'd been resting against. Placing a hand on it, she stroked it, almost lovingly.
    "Yet in the end, even you betrayed me, the only person in this world I loved, and trusted completely. I would have done anything for you if you asked," Chuckling bitterly, her voice broke, the anger, love and pain mixed together causing her voice to become raspy and horse."If you'd asked for the moon I'd have found a way to get it for you."
    Clenching her fist, she punched the top of the stone; with a sickening crunch blood splattered the stone. "Yet you betrayed me, turned against me, even fought against me. In the end I killed you, but that wasn't enough for you was it," Her voice hardened in anger and suppressed emotions; she ground her fist into the top of the stone, numb to the pain and the spreading blood.
    "You forced me to fight you, drew it into a life or death fight and then, at the last second, dropped your blade. I couldn't stop..." The tears streamed down her face in torrents, "I couldn't stop, and even now I still feel what it was like as my blade cut through your armour and ended your life. I still hear your voice and those words you said, those words you whispered as you died." The tears dripped from her chin and splashed on the stone, mingling with the blood from her knuckles.
    Lifting her face up, she rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, smearing blood across her face, though seemingly unaware of it. Kneeling down she picked up the sword at her feet, ignoring the pain from her knuckles. "You recognise this don't you, it was your sword. Ever since that day I've only ever used this one; took me a while to get used to it, since it's longer and lighter than mine, and unwieldy at first. But I've grown accustomed to it now." Drawing the sword, she held it up examining the blade. "One of a kind, I remember when you had it commissioned, you gave the swordsmith nightmares because of your demands."
    She examined the blade stunned as always by the cold beauty it held. The blade was barely two fingers breadth wide, and despite being hollow, immensely strong. This was due to it being crafted from Aerathil Steel. The guard was small, barely able to be considered a guard; the hilt was twice as long as normal, allowing it to be used two handed with ease. Running through the core of the blade is what makes the sword so hard to master, liquid Aerathil Steel. The liquid steel added power, but made it unwieldy and hard to control precisely.
    "I've been using this sword for five years now, but, it's time for me to give it up, I'm tired. Tired of all the fighting, the running, I don't even know what I’m fighting for anymore. I'm tired, so very tired." A strange emotion had crept into her voice, a tiredness that went beyond normal fatigue; a tiredness of the spirit. She looked up the immense blade, some seven spans long, she then nimbly leapt into the air, spun the blade downwards, and as she landed drove it deep into the stone. The sound rang across the mountain side; sparks flew as the sword ground into the stone. Rising to her feet she looked at the blade, over four spans now embedded in the stone.
    She kissed the tips of her fingers, and pressed them onto the stone, "For five years I've come here on this day, the day I killed you. To watch a sunrise by your side, but this is the last. I'll never be back again, so please forgive me. It's time for me to die. I never thought anything could be worse than killing you, but living on without you, knowing I killed you, is more than I can stand. You know me though; I could never do anything without a fight, not even this. So I’m going to cross the Harraken Mountains." For the first time mirth entered her voice as she chuckled. "You remember back at the citadel? We always talked about being the first to cross the impassable range and see what lay beyond. Well I’m going to go and try, though I never thought it would be without you, my last adventure." She reached and gently stroked the hilt of the sword. "Goodbye old friend." Turning she strode from the stone, without looking back.
    A few short moments later after Jaden had left; a ripple appeared next to the stone, followed by a tear in the air that let the light of full day stream out and over the stone, revealing the writing that was engraved on the stone:
    Herein rests Selen SoulSinger, beloved Friend and Blood Sister of Jaden SwordDancer and a daughter of the House of Tsuren; killed in the battle of Longharth. May she find rest within the embrace of the Goddess.
    From the light two forms appeared, one moved to the stone and touched the sword hilt with their finger tips, then the still wet blood. The other form moved to the side of the first, "You could catch her if you went now." His voice was soft, soothing, and melodic, almost that of a child, yet full of steel and determination.
    The other turned and looked in the direction Jaden had just left by, "No, she's not ready yet. Not only would it be against her orders, if I was to appear in front of her now the damage...well, you heard her. The wounds I dealt her are deep, and will need time to heal before they can be bared open again." The woman, for the voice is definitely that of a woman, touched the sword again, then placed both hands on the top of the hilt and gently pushed. The blade sunk down, smoothly this time without the sparks and grinding noises. Soon nothing remained of the sword as it was swallowed by the stone.
    "I'm glad she dropped the name Nel'kin though, that at least, I hope; is a sign she's reconciling her past. Though I'm not so sure the name she uses now is any better." She sighing and turned to the man, "Come, we need to report back that the sword is sealed. Though, one day nothing will be able to stop the seal from breaking, the day she calls for it. When that happens, I doubt anyone, God, Dragon, or Demon will be able to prevent its unsealing. Not even her will, will not be able to prevent the sword from answering its true masters call."
    Turning briefly she looked in the direction Jaden had left by, "I'm always near you Shi'Hang, even though you don't realise it. When the day comes that you do realise it I'll tell you everything. I promise." Ignoring the man, she headed back into the light and disappears. The man waits, and then turns to look at the path Jaden had walked down.
    "Ryu" His voice is softer than before, but carried even more authority. A voice replied, seemingly from nowhere, a voice older than time, soft, lyrical and beautiful.
    "I'm rather busy Apsu, what do you want."
    "Follow Jaden; keep me informed of anything that happens. However you are not to interfere for any reason."
    Ryu's voice changed, becoming firm and resilient, "you seek to order me. I who was..."
    Apsu cut her off, "You will do as my Consort commands, or will you go against your own mother?" there was silence, and Apsu carries on, "All will be made clear in time, much lies on her shoulders; but she must find the end herself. If we give her the answers the result will be meaningless. You remember the last time? The price we paid for that mistake was dear. Though I fear the price she will pay will be even more costly, after all it's a price that's been deferred for so long."
    For a few heart beats there was nothing but silence, then softly and growing fainter as though the person speaking was moving away, came the reply. "Very well"
    With a soft Sighing, Apsu turned and moved into the light, muttering to himself "She says that, but she won't stay silent if it becomes too dangerous, Ryu never could master keeping her nose out of trouble. Much rides on that child, too much for one so young, and mortal." He strode into the light which rippled and faded behind him, nothing remained to say anyone had been there, except for the now drying blood on the headstone, as the sun finally set and the soft pearly light of the greater Moon rose over the plateau.