Dragon Slayers part 1

The Dragon Slayers

Chapter 1. The Queens Request

The night moved closer around the shadow that glided threw the darkness. Entering the small town, she moved with stealth and grace as her kind did, clutching a small bundle to her with her claws. Ducking in to an alley she glanced behind her warily. Heading towards a wider street with some commotion and activity. The sound of a bar winding down could be heard at some distance away. With out warning she changed in to her human form, a girl of eighteen or so with long black hair that fell to her waist and large dark eyes. She looked almost Elvin in appearance. She was dressed in a black gown that seemed to float around her before they settled. Her cloak taking a little longer to settle, giving off the appearance of wings wrapping around her. The bundle in her arms stirred slightly, she crooned quietly to it. Before moving gracefully in to the street full of drunken men and women. None of which paid her any attention. A poor man sitting on the side of the street watched her suspiciously. She waved her hand casually and the man fell over asleep. No one seemed to notice or care.

She was more interested in the building at the top of the hill, where all of these happy people were coming from. The scent of dragons came from that direction, mixed with the scent of sweat and drunken humans, elves, and witches. She made her way swiftly up the hill, constantly glancing behind her. The windows of the inn were smoked over, so no one could see inside. But she could sense that the entire building itself was drenched in magic, inside as well as out. This was the place she had been searching for.

Above the large wooden doors hung a sign in the shape of a dragon painted scarlet holding a sign reading the Red Dragon Inn. The doors each held a plaque with the words ‘come ye in peace and no harm shall come’ engraved over and over in many different languages. It was a saying all were welcome in this in as long as they wished no violence.

What brought her to this inn was a rumor that had started some years ago that the azh ky’ath, dragons star, had been found, and was a frequent visitor of this inn. The dragon star was a being that protected all dragons and would be able to save them from the serious threat of the ever-populating slayers. The hope of all dragons. It was said that the azh ky’ath was a female, a dragon keeper, who frequently came to this inn to relax at night. With another look at her bundle the girl pushed open the door in to the inn. She was affronted by a lot of noise and the smell of alcohol and sweat. Here she and her bundle would be safe, at least she hoped. The bar was beginning to close up. She was afraid she had missed the keeper, as she looked about franticly. The scent of dragon was still around giving her no help in locating the keeper. She made her way carefully to the bar making sure to avoid touching anyone. The tender for the night was just cleaning up for the end of his shift. He looked at her with a half smile. His dark hair speckled with silver, she got the sense that he was older than he appeared, and knew more than anyone could guess.

“Can I get you anything lass?” He asked in a light tired voice. He looked at her curiously, throwing his cleaning rag over his shoulder.

“Could you tell me if the keeper of dragons is here?” She asked shyly.

“Ye mean Lanya?” He asked looking off in the direction of a young woman with long blonde hair pulled back in to a tight braid that hung down her back. She was dressed all in black dragon hide; her cloak was most unusual as she sensed it was drenched in a strange magic that pulled the shadows to her. She was talking with a man that sent a chill down her back. He had blonde spiked hair, and wore wizard robes of the darkest red. Looking closer at the woman however she could see a scar under her left eye, her eyes alone were strange as they were gold. When she smiled her teeth were slightly more pointed than a regular humans.

Taking a deep breath the girl made her way over to the keeper’s table. “Might you be the keeper of dragons?” She asked tentatively in dragon. Lanya stopped talking to the blonde man and looked her over curiously. Her friend looked slightly confused and curious stared intently at her.

“Yes mighty dragon, I am the keeper of dragons” Lanya replied in the same language, bowing her head slightly at the girl. “What can I help you with?”

“I am in need of your help.” She said clutching her bundle closer as the man eyed it.

She watched as Lanya turned back to the man, getting to her feet. Changing languages back to English. “You will have to excuse me Nickoli, I have business to attend to.” Lanya then walked away pulling the girl with her gently. She was surprised that she was taller than the keeper. She watched as Lanya nodded to the bar tender that was still there, and hold up two fingers. He nodded as Lanya sat down at an empty booth on the other side of the room back in the dark corner. “The walls have ears sometimes.” She said switching back to dragon. She looked the girl over again her eyes resting on the bundle in the girl’s arms. “What’s your name, and what can I do for you?” she asked.

“My name is Sahli, honorable keeper of dragons” Lanya raised an eyebrow not being used to such titles.

“Please Just call me Lanya.” The barkeep came over then with two cups of tea setting them on the table. “Thank you Doze.” She said switching languages again.

“Sure thing Lanya.” He said with a wink, walking off. Lanya watched the girl waiting for her to continue.

“I was sent to find you by the queen of shadow dragons. She bid me bring you word about the slayers, they have sworn to take out the royal family and I fear they may succeed.” Lanya sipped her tea calmly listening intently. Slayers were worse than poachers, a dragon’s natural enemy. Shed had a run in with one once.

“And what does the queen wish of me?”

“She wishes you to protect her only daughter, and protect the royal line.”

“So I’m guessing that hatchling in your arms is the queens only remaining line?” Sahli nodded.

“You’re the only one who can stop the slayers and keep her safe, and teach her.”

“And if I choose not to?”

“Then all is lost.” The girl said sadly looking at Lanya with pleading eyes. “I cannot keep running, they are after me and will soon kill me. The fates have said so.”

Lanya snorted. She didn’t believe in fates. “The slayers wont kill you here, and if you come back with me they wont find you. I can offer you protection at my house.”

“I cannot go with you I must try and return to the queen, let her know you have her daughter. But you must take the hatchling. It was the queens wish.”

Lanya nodded with a sigh. “Who am I to argue with a queen?” She held out her arms for the bundle. Sahli handed it over and watched as Lanya deftly made a sling for the bundle and putting it at her waist just as a Sahli looked at the door as it creaked open. Three cloaked figures entered in to the inn scanning the room.

“They are here.” Sahli said fearfully. The figures were big, almost twice the size of a normal man. Lanya concealed the bundle with her cloak, then stood shielding the girl from their view, the corner growing even dimmer thanks to her cloak.

“About five paces from you is a hidden door, you are going to go in and out of here. Good speed to you in returning to your queen. I will care for the hatchling.”

“But what of you?”

Lanya glanced at Nickoli and nodded toward the men. ‘I need a distraction for them’ she said only to Nickoli. He grinned and went over to cause some trouble. “What about me? I have my ways.” Lanya said with a shrug as she watched Nickoli walk up to the men. She couldn’t hear what he was offering but seemed to peak their interests as he lead them over to a cabinet in the wall. Making a show of pulling out a key to open it. “Get ready Sahli.” As soon as the key was in the lock Nickoli jumped back as the door opened and a portal to who knows where began to suck the slayers and anything nearby in. “Move now!” Lanya said pulling the girl to the hidden door, deftly she opened it and pushed the girl inside, closing the panel. Ducking behind a table just as an explosion shook the inn. When she looked it appeared the slayers or someone nearby had attempted to blow up the portal, to avoid being sucked in. One of the slayers had probably been sucked in as she saw only two left. Nickoli was across the room behind the bar, holding a broken nose, and half being lifted by Doze the tender. Doze waved his free hand and the cabinet doors closed on the portal. Silence followed with the exception of scraping chair legs, as the remaining patrons moved to their feet or readjusted themselves in their chair. Most looked quite displeased having been disturbed, and their drinks spilled.

“Where is she?” Demanded one of the slayers.

“Where is who?” asked one of the patrons who looked most disgruntled about the whole situation, merely wanting the intruders to leave.

“The wretched dragon. And the spawn she caries.” Lanya couldn’t help but growl slightly, not loud enough for them to hear.

“There aren’t any dragons here tonight nimrod.” Nickoli said still holding his nose. Some of the patrons glanced back where they knew Lanya was standing in the shadows. As if on cue Lanya stood to her full height, making sure to conceal the hatchling from view.

“If you are looking for a real dragon, you’re looking in the wrong place. But if you’re looking for me, you’re in for a load of trouble.” She said letting her eyes glow under the dimness of the corner the shadows following her, as if resistant to release their hold on her. “I don’t treat filthy dragon slayers kindly.” She said with a low growl in her attempt to intimidate the pair. The two slayers sneered obviously unafraid of such a little girl. Both their faces were covered in scars that wrinkled over, making them look slightly disfigured. The one who wasn’t talking had a few missing teeth she noted. It was apparent that they didn’t really care too much about loosing one of their men.

“We smell her on you, along with the filthy stench of many others of her kind. It would be the right thing to kill a dragon lover.” The slayer said. They both moved toward her drawing long sharp swords that were concealed by there capes. Lanya was aware of Doze and Nickoli, coming up behind her to stand with her.

Doze crossed his arms glaring at the slayers, Nickoli still holding his broken nose had his wand out. “If you both know what’s good for you, you will both turn around and leave now.” Doze said raising his voice.

“After we rid the world of that dragon lover and him. Then we will leave.” The slayer said gesturing at the pair.

“There will be no killing in my inn.” Doze said raising his voice. Lanya wondered when he had started referring to it as his inn.

“Too bad” the second slayer said uttering his first words. Both Slayers jumped toward Lanya and Nickoli. The first one took a downward sweep at Lanya with his sword. With lightning speed Lanya produced two daggers and crossed them in front of her catching his blade. A shower of sparks and the sound of blades clashing rang threw the air. She had no time to glance at Nickoli and Doze as they battled the other slayer. Throwing his blade to the side she kicked him hard in the side with enough force to send him back a few steps. He recovered easily and came at her again. She ducked his blade moving in side his defenses to get a slash at his side she heard him grunt and moved out of the way as she slashed at her again his blade slamming in to a table smashing it apart.

All fighting stopped as an ear-piercing scream filled the air. Lanya’s eyes went wide as she realized what had happened. The two slayers began to laugh. “We now have what we came for, hope to run in to you again, little girl.” Grinning evilly they backed out of the inn not taking their eyes off of Lanya, as they exited out.

As soon as the doors closed Lanya’s dagger went flying at it sinking in to the wood with a thud. “Damnit!” Lanya growled whirling around she took a seat roughly on the bar stool, hanging her head on the bar top. Only partially aware of the bar returning to normal activities after the distraction.

Nickoli sat down next to her placing her dagger in front of her. “I think you need to watch your back.”

“I watch my back just fine thank you.” She said snappily, looking up at him. Doze was back behind the bar no worse for ware that she could tell serving up one last round of drinks before he left. Nickoli dabbed at his nose that was still bleeding. Lanya reached up to his nose, Nickoli moved away. “I wont hurt you let me heal your nose.” He gave her a dubious look but allowed her to move her hand closer. Her fingers glowed healing his bloody nose. Some blood was still there but his nose was no longer broken.

“Thanks” he said as he felt his nose.

Lanya sighed putting her dagger back away. “Doze give me something strong.”

~*~*~


“She doesn’t have her.” One of the three slayers said cleaning off his sword. The other slayers circled the dead shadow dragon.

“What do you mean she doesn’t have her?” Said the leader of the slayers. He was the tallest and the biggest of the pack. Saying pack would be more appropriate because that is how they hunted.

“The beast doesn’t have the hatchling spawn.” Said the same slayer still cleaning off his sword.

“Someone must.” The leader growled flinging his sword as the dead dragon. Just then, the other two slayers from the inn joined them, one of them holding his side. “Do you have the dragon spawn?” he asked of them. Before looking at the pair. “Where’s Vilgar?” The two stopped in their tracks.

“Vilgar got sucked in to a hole in the wall, some sorceress trickery. Doesn’t the beast have it?”

“No we checked.” Spoke up the younger slayer.

“What happened at the inn?” Asked the leader.

“Little rat boy tricked us, then this little girl who reeked of dragon….” The second slayer began. “The girl must have it.”

“Do you have her scent?” The leader asked. Both slayers nodded. “Then lets take what’s rightfully ours.” The leader moved back to the dead body of Sahli, picking up his sword. The other slayers quickly moved around the dragon each of them pulling out their swords. They began to chant in the darkness, the tips of their swords touching her body. Her energy and magic were drawn in to the swords, in turn in to the slayers. When they finished there was nothing left of Sahli. The leader looked to his men with his one good eye glowing in the darkness. “Lets hunt”

~*~*~

Chapter 2. Hatchlings and Magic

Lanya stuck around the inn for another half an hour trying to control her mood. She was aware of the hatchlings discomfort. By then Nickoli had gone home. Leaving Lanya to sit alone. Finishing her drink she got to her feet. The inn was almost empty now, save for two tables with a few people talking. Not even doze could be seen behind the counter. Walking over to the wall, she snapped her fingers and waved her hand in a circle. “Atha’an azh.” White mist flowed out of her hand to cover the wall in a swirling circle, creating a portal. “Goodnight everyone.” She said dully as she stepped threw the portal. As she disappeared so did the portal. She didn’t know, that just outside the inn the slayers were making plans to attack.

She arrived at her house greeted by Anibus’s thoughts. Anibus was her companion dragon a very large gold male of 16 years. He was half her soul. He informed her that all was well and everyone was asleep, everyone being, her own son Syrus, and her best friend Justine, who was living with her. Along with Justine’s son Jaden, who was the reason why Justine was living with Lanya. Jaden’s father was a Slayer, one that was doing everything in his power to get Jaden. In the process, destroying Justine’s house, and practically everything Justine owned. Lanya took off her cloak, hanging it next to the door before wandering in to the kitchen. Carefully setting the bundle on the counter, she unwrapped the blankets, revealing a tiny day old hatchling dark blue in color including its oversized wings that hung limply at the hatchlings side now that the blanket no longer held them close to the hatchling. It looked up at Lanya with large dark sorrowful blue eyes that reflected the light in the kitchen. “Kay’tar eliaan, egsahna?” she said speaking to the little dragon in its language, greeting it and asking if it was hungry.

The hatchling replied with a nod and a tiny squeak. Lanya walked to the fridge, pulling out a variety of foods for the hatchling, knowing that they were omnivorous and preferred a selection of food. The tiny dragonet never took its eyes of Lanya as she brought it food in a few bowls. Lanya sat down and watched the dragonet choose its meal, sniffing each bowl before picking up a grape and examining it. “What am I gonna do with you?” Lanya asked curiously switching back to English, as she watched the dragonet stuff its maw with grapes. The hatchling paused in its eating to stare at Lanya. An idea hit Lanya, more like a vision at how it was presented. She knew that the idea wasn’t hers it came from the hatchling. A vision of herself holding a child in her arms, not her son, but a little girl. “Now that will be something to pull off.” Lanya muttered sitting back in her chair deep in thought. “What shall I call you anyway?”

‘Zenala’ came the telepathic voice of the hatchling in Lanya’s head tinkling like a small child. The first actual word that the hatchling had spoken to her.

“Well Zenala, if your gonna become human, you might need to be born again. So as not to cause any suspicion around people I associate with. It’s the only way I know to keep you absolutely safe from others. To make you of my blood.” The dragon tilted her head in confusion.

Lanya sighed and concentrated on an image of the dragon being reborn in to a human. When she opened her eyes the hatchling nodded then continued to stuff itself on grapes. Lanya sighed staring out the window deep in thought, knowing whatever was to be done. Had to be done tonight.

~*~*~

The youngest slayer entered in to the Red Dragon Inn, his sword drawn. He’d been sent ahead to see if the dragon lover was still there. Her scent hadn’t left the inn that the slayers could tell. He looked around the practically empty inn save for two tables that each held a couple of people, drinking and talking quietly. They looked at him without much care before going back to their conversations. He noticed a furry brown mouse sitting on the bar top, nibbling on a crumb.

“Where is the dragon lady?” The slayer barked loudly. There was no reply save for the side-glances and glares from the patrons, as they tried to ignore him. “I said, where is that wretched, foul dragon lady?”

“Oy, mate, people are sleeping. Keep it down. And if yer referring t’ who I think ye are, she went home. Not like tis any of yer business. She wouldn’t deal with th’ likes of ye anyway.”

“Where is her home?” The slayer asked advancing on the man who had spoken up swinging his sword back and forth casually. The man eyed the slayer and his sword before glancing at the mouse on the bar top.

“Don’t know, no one knows and she likes t’ keep it that way. And if I were ye, I’d put that sword of yers away, before ye gets yerself in t’ trouble.” The slayer laughed.

“And who’s going to make me? You?” the man at the table sat back in his chair crossing his arms and shook his head before glancing at the mouse again. The mouse was still on the counter glaring at the slayer, twitching his whiskers. The slayer then glanced at the mouse. “A mouse? You have got to be kidding me? No one can defeat me. Especially not a mouse.”

“Apparently you don’t know anything about this inn.” One of the other patrons piped up, joining the conversation.

“Well apparently you don’t know what I am.”

“A thug, and a bad one at that.”

The slayer grunted. “I kill dragons, and since I cant kill the dragon lover, I guess I will just have to kill all of you as a message to her.” He said reaching in to his cloak pulling out a handful of throwing stars. He threw them at the patrons.

The mouse twitched his whiskers and the throwing stars stopped dead in the air before getting near the patrons, then clattering harmlessly to the floor. Next thing the slayer knew he was floating in the air and out the door, the doors closing behind him. The mouse sat happily on the bar top cleaning his whiskers. After all nothing in the Red Dragon Inn was ever what it seemed.

~*~*~

Lanya sat with the open spell book propped against a boiling caldron full of a thick green potion. She was in a square room in her house that had one tiny window that was cracked open ever so slightly. Shelves covered opposite walls from floor to ceiling, full of potions, ingredients and other odds and ends of magical devices. Two shelves were dedicated to just potion books. On the outside wall all around the window hung an assortment of weapons, most of them daggers swords and throwing stars. The hatchling took all this in as it watched Lanya create a new spell on a scrap piece of parchment. The room itself normally stayed locked, and for good reason as it would be dangerous for the children. Lanya instructed the hatchling not to touch anything unless told to.

Lanya straitened up and set down the quill she had been writing with. “Ok I think I’ve got it.” She walked to a shelf and picked up one of the magical items, wrapped in black velvet, unwrapping it as she walked back. The hatchling was surprised to find it was a mirror about a foot and a half long and a foot wide. It had a border of inch thick silver engraved with various runes. As Lanya set the mirror flat on the table the hatchling looked in to it. Seeing only her reflection she tilted her head and peeped. “Touch it.” She said looking over her spell again. The hatchling reached over with a tentative claw, barely touching the silver frame. Gray swirls formed instantly over the glass, blocking all reflections. Suddenly the image of a slayer surfaced threw the mist. The hatchling squeaked in fright and jumped back, ruffling its oversized wings. “Its just an image I don’t think it could hurt you. It merely projects your thoughts and fears. Until you do a spell of course.” Lanya explained. “Ready?” The hatchling nodded. “When I say blood for blood we both need to drop a little blood on to the mirror, ok?” The hatchling went wide-eyed and glanced at the weapons on the wall. “There wont be any pain I promise.” The hatchling nodded and squeaked quietly.

Lanya waved her hand and a dagger came off the wall to float to her hand, she grabbed it out of the air and set it on the table. Holding the mirror with one hand she began to trace a recurring pattern on the surface. The hatchling gently set its claws on the edge of the mirror again, watching gray and blue swirls lazily following Lanya’s finger as she ran her finger over its silver glare. Every now and then images would pop up only to disappear in to the smoke again. She began her voice taking on an echo effect even though she was talking quietly.

“What was born of dragons blood,
Be reborn in human form,
Take back the months to embryo size,
Let the thoughts and personality survive,
As dragon form it is now,
Be reborn a human child,
To save a life and a line,
Now make this hatchling,
A child of thine,
A drop of blood to complete the task,
Blood for blood,”

Lanya picked up the dagger and pricked her finger. Then reached over to prick the hatchlings wing tip that it extended to her. Both of them dropped blood on the surface of the mirror. The gray mist that had been swirling turned blood red instantly. “Now be one.” She finished. Nothing seemed to happen for a moment, seeming to be frozen in time. Then the mirror flashed red engulfing them both in its red glare. The house began to shake and she was aware of Anibus in her mind quite worried, and two little children screaming. Just as suddenly the earthquake was over. The lights that had turned off without her notice flickered back on. Lanya looked around for the hatchling that was no longer around. She could feel its thoughts and feelings within her, the feeling making her light headed and dizzy. She clung to the table for a moment her head slowly clearing from the overwhelming presence of the dragon. She let one hand travel to her stomach to feel a slight bulge that wasn’t there before. If she were to guess how far along she would say three or four months along.

Lanya carefully put back the mirror on the shelf, stuffing the spell in to her spell book putting that back as well. She waved her hand and the dagger flew back to its spot on the wall before she left the room locking the door behind her. She went to the living room where Justine was rocking a crying Jaden, trying to calm him down. Syrus was sitting next to them.

“Mama” Syrus yelled running to Lanya. Justine looked up with relief in her face still white from shock.

“Lanya, thank god, there was an earth quake…” she trailed off as Lanya picked up Syrus and hugged him.

“Sorry Justine that was my fault.” She walked over and laid a hand on Jaden’s head, crooning to him. Jaden began to calm down.

“Lanya what did you do?”

“What I was asked to do, you don’t have to worry about it. Everything is fine.” Justine looked her over worriedly she was still a little jumpy after the ordeal with Jaden’s father, and loosing her house. “Come on little man time to get back to bed.” She said turning and heading toward Syrus’s room, bouncing him along the way.

Justine sighed and followed Jaden was close to being asleep in her arms. Lately she had been talking about finding her own place. Lanya rather liked Justine living with her and Syrus. Few people knew how to find the place, and it was virtually safe, dragons came and went as they pleased. Protecting while they were here. Spells and enchantments protected it from anything else. The house itself was large enough for all of them with room to spare. Lanya liked the company while she was here and liked the fact that someone was there when she wasn’t. She had told Justine to stay the summer while she was away, working with another group of keepers. She wouldn’t be home for the rest of the summer and there would always be something needing taken care of. This summer it would be the kennels of animals Lanya was training to sell. And the occasional injured dragon perhaps.

~*~*~

Chapter 3. By The Dagger’s Blade

The slayers were at a loss, as they huddled around a fire close to the inn. The dragon lover’s scent didn’t leave the inn yet as far as they could tell she hadn’t left, at least not by normal means, because she most certainly wasn’t there.

The youngest slayer pouted as he sharpened his sword. The leader wasn’t happy with him at all and he wasn’t too pleased with himself for being thrown out of the inn by a mouse. At least her thought it had been the mouse. Not that he would tell the other guys that. They would make fun of him to no end. He had told them that it had been a big guy who threw him out, not that that was any better of a story as the others kept teasing him for the past three days relentlessly.

For three days they had waited for her to show back up, and trying to get leads on her whereabouts but no one seemed to know. They had given up the sixth man, Vilgar, for dead as he still hadn’t shown up.

Suddenly the four slayers sitting around the fire perked up. Two words were spoken in all of their minds “She’s here.”

The leader grinned drawing his sword. “Lets get her.”

~*~*~

Lanya had just stepped in to the Red Dragon Inn threw her portal, when the hairs on the back of her neck prickled in warning. She had created the portal to disappear behind her. It wouldn’t do for her to turn back now; opening another portal would risk what ever was bothering her to get back to her house. What ever was coming she would just have to improvise. She looked around warily the inn was packed with Friday night drinkers; it was impossible for her to tell who it was that was making her nervous.

A tiny mouse ran toward her only to stop at her feet, and look up at her. She had seen the mouse on many occasions and had never known it to harm anyone, much less interact with anyone. Kneeling down she extended her hand to the little brown mouse. The mouse crawled on to her hand running up her arm to her shoulder squeaking the entire way. “Hi whiskers, what’s up?” she asked the mouse loosening one of her daggers as she stood back up and made her way to the bar. Finding a stool she sat down in between two men one of which was a regular she knew was a vampire, he was sipping sulkily on a glass of blood wine. Lanya’s nostrils twitched at the scent of the blood. The other was an old man that appeared very drunk, wearing a wizard’s hat. He was rocking back and forth slowly as he sipped on his drink.

The tender for the evening came over looking flustered and tired. Her name was Colleen, a lady slightly older than Lanya with mousy brown hair, green eyes and a smile that lit up the room when she chose to. “Evening Lanya, th’ usual?” She asked brushing her mop of hair out of her face.

“Evening, I think I’ll have a tea tonight instead.”

“No wine? What ever is th’ matter with ye tonight?”

Lanya shrugged a shoulder aware of the mouse crawling down her arm to the bar top. “Something’s going to happen tonight I can feel it. I need to keep my wits about me.” They both watched the mouse run to its hole behind a line of bottles. Colleen watched the mouse without fear or enthusiasm.

“Friend of yers?” she asked raising an eyebrow, in reference to the mouse.

“Friend or foe, I hope it’s a friend.”

Colleen smiled shaking her head. “I’ll get yer tea now.” She said heading to the kitchens, serving another customer on her way. Lanya was still very much on edge and took the time to look around the inn to try and find the source of the hostile feeling. She did see one of her friends sitting farther down the bar. Her name was Kara, she just so happened to be Khi’s wife. Kara and her got along well together, and had fought side by side at times. She cut off her thoughts as she noticed the old wizard eye her up and down. She frowned slightly before noticing the mouse was back in front of her, holding a throwing star larger than he was in his tiny paws. He offered the star up to her squeaking. She reached down picking it out of his paws.

“What’s this?” turning the star over in her hands she looked it over closely. It had an insignia on each side. “A clan mark. Was this one of the stars that the slayer had? One that was after me a few days ago?” the mouse squeaked and nodded. “Thanks whiskers you’re a pal, I can keep it right?” The mouse nodded again, as Colleen came over with her tea.

“Here ye go Lanya.” She said setting it down as the mouse ran off again.

“Thanks Colleen,” She said as colleen walked off to serve another customer. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled again as the door opened, turning around she noticed four hulking shapes move threw the door. They were looking around for her. “Shit” She muttered with a growl, as she jumped over the bar landing on the tenders side, spilling her hot tea all over the drunken wizard in the process. The man yelled in shock jumping to his feet unsteadily and managed to bump in to a few people accidentally. She ducked behind the counter, as a fifth slayer that had been hovering in the shadows joined them.

They must have caught sight of her as she heard angry words and the movement of chairs and tables being pushed out of the way rather violently. “HEY WHATS THE BIG IDEA?” Colleen yelled her voice carrying over the loud din of the crowd. The slayers paid her no mind as they headed toward the bar where Lanya was.

“Friends of yours?” Asked the vampire curiously looking down at her before looking back at the slayers.

“You could say that. Want to help me give them a proper welcome?” the vampire shrugged taking another sip of his wine. “Come on I’ll let you suck their blood.” The vampire’s eyebrows lifted in surprise.

“I see your full of surprises.”

“Always,” she said with a grin as she heard a scream and the crashing of a chair. Along with Colleen’s constant yelling.

“Come out, come out, dear dragon lover, and hand over what’s ours.” Yelled one of the slayers.

Lanya muttered a spell under her breath rubbing her star pendant. An image appeared behind the slayers to her exact likeness. “Awe, does the ickle wittle slayer need four others to take on one tiny little girl?” Her image asked mockingly of the slayers. They turned around the closest one withdrawing his sword slashed threw the image of Lanya. The image disappeared as the sword passed threw it.

Another image appeared on the balcony looking over the crowd that had gone almost silent as it watched what was going on. “Besides, even if I did have what you want, I wouldn’t give it to you lot of mongrels.” A throwing star came at it; passing threw the image, it too disappeared. The star hit the wall with an audible thud.

“Stop with these games dragon lover, you’re only delaying the inevitable.”

“And that would be?” She asked standing up behind the bar, her arms crossed.

“Your death” another star came at her.

Deftly she caught it out of the air. “Ooo, pretty shiny.” She said looking unconcerned as she looked the star over.

The slayers only paused for a moment before the leader yelled. “GET HER!” The other four slayers charged at her. Patrons scrambled out of the way as the slayers charged at her.

Lanya jumped on to the bar top and hooked her foot under the edge of her stool, flinging it at the advancing slayers. “Come on at least make it a fair fight, one on one.” She yelled as the stool went flying toward the slayers. Only one of the slayers got caught up in the stools legs, falling hard on the floor with a splintering of wood. She picked up another stool flipping it in her hands before swinging it at the closest slayer who shattered it with his sword. Simultaneously she saw another stool and a dagger go flying threw the air. The dagger sunk itself in the hip of the slayer closest to her, who barked in pain grabbing his hip. Lanya took the opportunity to turn in to a round kick that knocked the slayer in the head and off his feet. As the slayer fell she withdrew two daggers.

“Remember, you promised blood,” The vampire said to her dusting off his hands before he withdrew a long thin sword.

She glanced at him then at Kara who had put herself on Lanya’s other side. “Hello friend, you appear to be outnumbered. Can I join the fun?”

“Just a bit. Have all the fun you want.”

“Wonderful” she said grinning as she dodged past one of the slayers, slashing with her daggers as she went. Lanya jumped doing a flip over another slayer as he slashed at her legs. She landed on the floor in a crouching position and swung her leg back kicking the feet out from under the slayer, moving out of the way as the leader came after her. Her dagger clinking as she fended off the much larger sword of the slayers.

Suddenly one of the slayers went flying toward the ceiling. Crashing in to the rafters then roof on his way up before falling back down. Hitting the rafters again as he passed them. To crash in to a table before being flung in to the air again. The little mouse sat on one of the bottles of wine behind the bar twitching his whiskers.

The fight didn’t stay hers for very long as the other patrons joined in. Many of them were warriors and fighters of some kind anyway and seemed to enjoy the skirmish.

~*~*~

Justine unlocked the magic room. The lights flickered on as she looked in to the scented room. Quietly she entered closing the door behind her. She wasn’t forbidden to be in there, but she had never really liked snooping. She had waited three days for Lanya to spill what was going on but she hadn’t. Perhaps she wasn’t intending to tell Justine, or she might have been distracted by the injured dragon that had showed up taking up all of their time. She picked up a spell book that looked like it had been put back hastily. It was one of Lanya’s spell books with created spells for her mirror. As she opened it to flip threw a piece of parchment fell out and on to the floor. Justine picked it up reading over the spell.

The spell itself sounded like it had to do with making a dragon in to a human, threw rebirth. “A blood spell, did Lanya make herself pregnant?” Justine asked herself. She put the spell back in the book and the book back on the shelf. Her question half answered. Her eyes caught hold of one of the daggers on the wall. The dagger that had a small amount of dried blood on its tip, the blade Lanya had used.

~*~*~

Chapter 4. The Star Reveals

“So who was it that flung the guy in to the rafters?” Colleen asked the calmer crowd now that the fight was over. The slayers had been pushed, shoved, thrown out. What ever the right term was for the particular slayer.

Lanya glanced up from the arm she was bandaging up on one of the patrons, which had gotten caught in one of the slayers swords. “Wasn’t me. I thought we couldn’t use magic and mental attacks that could harm.”

“Can’t, as far as I can tell.” Kara said bandaging up another patron. It was true that magic and mental abilities were used as long as they didn’t cause harm to anyone. How the inn knew the difference Lanya didn’t know.

“If I knew I could have, I would have used them.”

“Ditto” Kara agreed.

“I’m sure those friends of yours would have if they could.” Said the vampire back at his spot at the bar elegantly sipping his wine. The mouse covered his face with a paw and shook his head.

“They can normally, they get in your head and make you go crazy. They are regular T and T’s.” T and T’s stood for telepathic and telekinetic abilities. “I bet they are quite pissed that they couldn’t use their powers.” She said finishing up the bandage.

“You owe me blood lady.”

“Thank ye mam.” Said the man.

“Well since none of the Slayers died, how about a pint of dragons blood or a bottle of blood wine?” she asked.

“You could always lick my dagger that was in the slayer.” Kara said helpfully grinning.

“How about your blood?”

Lanya considered this and shrugged. She often let Khi drink her blood as it kept him sane. He was a Vampeian and like a vampire required blood. The only difference was Khi would eventually die of old age unlike vampires that were immortal. “I really do need my blood now though.”

“Oh, why is that?”

“If I told you that, I’d have to kill you.” Lanya said half teasing.

“Not even a taste? You’re already bleeding.”

Lanya cringed. “You don’t have to remind me I can feel the cut.” Her upper leg was starting to throb. She was already favoring the leg leaning heavily on her other one.

“Your leg is bleeding? And you haven’t bandaged it up yet?” Colleen said in shock. “Get over here right now and let me bandage you up.”

“I’m fine Colleen, it’s just a scratch, besides I heal quickly.”

“It could be infected or poisoned.” She protested. Kara shook her head knowing how well Lanya healed.

“If you heal that quickly, then you must not be human.” Lanya grinned, looking at the vampire who had spoken, tapping the tip of her nose with a finger. “Then what are you?”

“Something you will never come across again.” She said as Colleen dragged her to a chair making her sit down.

“Where are you bleeding?” Lanya moved aside her black cape to reveal a gash across her leg that had gone threw the dragon leather pants.

“You call that a scratch? He nearly cut to the bone. You need stitches.”

Lanya rolled her eyes. “Oh I do not. I wouldn’t even have this cut if not for their swords”

“That’s what swords do, they cut.” Kara said sitting next to Lanya and examining her leg since she was the only official doctor in the house. “Quite nasty Lanya”

“Their swords are special, sharpest things around. Normally a slash from a sword wouldn’t have cut threw the dragon hide.” She noticed the vampire lick his lips as he stared at her bleeding leg. She pointed a finger at him. “You are incorrigible.” She said before wincing as Kara cleaned the wound with an orange liquid before wrapping it up in a white bandage. “Colleen, would you be sure to give my vampire friend here a bottle of your best blood wine on me.”

“Sure thing Lanya.” Colleen had gone back behind the bar to serve a few loyal patrons that hadn’t left yet.

“As your doctor and friend I suggest you buy me a bottle of white Elvin wine for helping you with those slayers. And then go home and rest.” She said tightening the bandage on Lanya’s leg.

Lanya winced. “Yes mam. You heard the lady Colleen, a bottle of Elvin for her, on me. And now I shall be off for the night.” Gingerly getting to her feet. Kara was by her side supporting her but she really didn’t need it.

“Can’t I at least have someone’s blood?”

~*~*~

“Curse that wench.” Shouted the leader. The trees around them trembled. “Some good you lot are. Can’t even kill a measly human, and why couldn’t we use our powers in that inn?” He asked of his men that were in various states of wounded conditions.

“Must be spells preventing us using them.” Piped up one of the slayers.

“I know that.” The leader bellowed. A tree near him was pulled from the ground by his mental fury, that then went flying threw the air at the other slayers. The slayers scrambled out of the way as the tree crashed in to the other trees. “And what was with you flying threw the air.” He said rounding on the youngest slayer who had been trying to stay out of all the yelling. He cowered in fear.

“I don’t know.”

“I want you all to spread out and find her. And don’t come back till you do. Don’t screw up this time I want her dead.” The leader barked.

“Yes sir.” The muttered and gratefully wandered in to the dark forest glad to distance them self from the fuming leader.

~*~*~

Justine had just entered the living room when Lanya’s portal appeared on a wall. A moment later, Lanya stepped threw the white mist, limping slightly. A large white bandage wrapped around her leg. “Oh my god Lanya, What happened?” She asked coming to Lanya’s side to help her to a chair.

“Had a little too much fun I think.” Lanya grinned leaning on Justine, before reaching a chair. She sat down heavily. “I’ll be fine by morning.”

“How bad?”

“Bad enough.” She took off her black cape and set it on the back of the chair.

“Can I get you anything?”

“A cup of tea would be nice.” Lanya said grabbing her bag that stayed attached to her belt most of the time, and starting to rummage threw it as Justine left the room. She pulled out the two throwing stars. Looking over them carefully.

Justine came back soon with a tray that held two cups of tea. Handing Lanya hers she sat opposite her on the couch. “What’s that?” Lanya tossed one of the stars at her, and she caught it deftly. Looking over it for a moment before looking back at Lanya with confusion.

“Don’t suppose you recognize the mark on it do you?” Justine shook her head no. “It’s a clan mark. A slayer clan mark.” Justine’s face paled slightly. This was too close to home for her. “Maybe, maybe not the same clan as Jaden’s father.” She paused taking a sip of her tea. “I don’t think it is though, because Jaden isn’t their target this time.”

“What do they want?”

“Something I have that they want, and they just want to kill me for the hell of it.

“Does it have to do with the earthquake?” Lanya nodded sipping on her tea some more. “What do they want exactly?”

Lanya sighed, “They want a dragon, more precisely they want the heir to the shadow dragons. Sahli died getting her to me to protect.”

Justine figured that Sahli was a dragon. “So where is this dragon you are protecting?” She figured she knew the answer already but she wanted Lanya to confirm it. Lanya laid a hand on her stomach and patted it gently. Justine nodded understanding. “Khi and Bai are going to flip when they find out. They will think you are completely off your rocker for sure now. Not only that but Khi will forbid you going anywhere. Especially that inn.”

Lanya snorted. “It was the dragons idea. Besides you’re not to tell them a thing. And Khi has already forbidden me from going to that inn. It didn’t work, just like him forbidding Kara from going, who was there tonight thank Sorin.” Lanya said praising the mother of all dragons.

“What if the slayers come here?” Justine asked wordily.

“They have to find the place first, besides I have a plan to keep them away from here. As long as I can get the ball rolling you shouldn’t see hide nor hare of any slayer this summer save for your son who we all love dearly.” She said grinning raising her glass to Justine’s son.

Justine frowned. She didn’t like this at all, but there wasn’t much she could do about it at the moment.

~*~*~

Chapter 5. Realm of the Dalri

It was early morning as Lanya began packing for her summer trip. She had rested a few days so that her leg would heal properly. Kara had sent her a note saying that the slayers hadn’t shown back up at the inn. At least while she was there. So it appeared that the slayers were having no luck finding her. Justine was jumpy and nervous even though Lanya tried to reassure her that the house was safe. Syrus and Jaden were up already, playing outside in the sun. Justine was watching them from the porch swing in the back yard near all the kennels. They really didn’t need watching, Lanya thought but Justine figured they did.

A rap on the door made her jump slightly and she turned to see Khi leaning in the doorway. He was dressed as casually as any wizard could in a white shirt and black pants, his black cape hanging over one arm, he was looking her over carefully threw his sunglasses, his violet eyes resting intently on her abdomen, before looking her in the eyes slightly surprised. “When were you going to tell me?”

“I figured I wouldn’t have to with you being so perceptive, and all.” She said with a slight grin going back to folding clothes.

“Is it mine?” He asked curiously, he knew perfectly well how Lanya’s dragon pendant worked and might have overlooked it last time he fed off her. The pendant worked off of Lanya’s emotions, in some cases such as close contact with another person could result in Lanya getting pregnant. Such was the case of Syrus; he was a child of three fathers even though he only looked to one as his father.

Lanya paused thinking of what to say. “No.” She said finally, deciding to not tell him the whole story. She glanced at Khi to see what his emotion would be. Khi sighed sounding almost disappointed.

“Is it Jaimden’s?

“No.”

“Then who’s is it?” He asked surprised.

“It’s mine.” She said smiling at him.

“Besides yours.”

“Just mine.”

Khi shook his head slightly and came in to the room the rest of the way looking around. “I see your still going.” He said changing the subject, looking in to the bag to see what she was packing.

Lanya nodded. “Yup, in a few more days.”

“Don’t suppose I could talk you out of it?”

She shook her head. “My minds made up, even if I am pregnant I still have to go.”

“Why?”

“Because they need me.”

“And what if I said I needed you?”

Lanya smiled not looking in to his violet eyes as she packed another shirt in to her bag. “You don’t need me Khi, you didn’t need me before you met me, you don’t need me now. Besides you have your beautiful wife Kara, and Bailey, to keep you company.” She watched him shake his head and run his fingers threw his short dark brown hair.

“They aren’t you.”

“I think Kara is quite like me, except for her volatile temper.” Lanya did consider them alike, they both chose daggers as their weapon of choice, both had an inner demon that sometimes took control of their actions. They thought alike and when together often causing much mischief. They had become friends instantly years ago, after a battle that had almost killed her, around the same time as she had met Khi, who by chance had been around to save her.

She watched as Khi shook his head again. “You two are nothing alike.”

“No?” Lanya shrugged. “But, you don’t need me. They on the other hand do.” Khi sighed looking out the window.

“I’m going to miss you, we all are, and Syrus too.”

“I’m going to miss you too. Besides its not forever, we will see you again soon, and I need you to look after Justine and Jaden for me.”

Khi nodded moving away from the window. “I can do that.” He took her in his arms and hugged her tightly. Lanya hugged back, she felt a kiss on her cheek before he let go. “Later, Lanya be safe.” He said walking out the door.

Lanya wondered if he knew just how much she cared for him. She knew she wouldn’t see him again for a while. “Goodbye love.” Lanya said quietly to the empty doorway.

~*~*~

The leader of the slayers was fuming. None of his men had caught any scent or whereabouts about the dragon lover they were now sworn to kill. His temper seemed to worsen day by day as his men continued to scour the countryside.

He wanted to kill her slowly, perhaps he would make her a slave for a while, humiliate her as she had humiliated him. Oh she would pay, as would the hatchling. The queen may have gone in to hiding and sent her daughter to someone to take care of her, but not before he had killed the rest of the family. He had to pay them back for killing his mate and children. The shadow dragons had attacked his entire village, killing most, except for ten of them that had slowly been reduced to just the five of them. Since the attack they had sworn to kill every last shadow dragon they came across. They had to kill the treacherous creatures, to save future generations from the evil shadow dragons. The dragons didn’t deserve their powers that rightfully belonged to the slayers.

Generations of hate and jealousy fueled the slayers to kill dragons and anyone who associated them selves on the side of dragons. Eventually they would rid the world of the abomination.

~*~*~

Lanya had one stop to make before she took Syrus away for the summer. It would help ensure Justine and Jaden’s safety while she was gone. More for their safety than hers, but she wouldn’t risk them getting hurt on her account. She grabbed her cloak as she exited out the door, wrapping it around her shoulders as she walked in to the forest, down a path barely visible from the house. The path would eventually lead to a road that was heavily traveled, but she had no intention of going that far. It was faster to use portals. She had set a very special one just off the path. It didn’t lead to any place that was recognizable on any map. After ten or so minutes she veered off the path to stand before a large stone that came up to her shoulders. She tapped the rock with her foot, snapping her fingers over the moss-covered top of the rock. “Miradalam” she said waving her hand in front of her. White mist flowed from her hand as it created a portal. With one last look toward the house, even though it was out of view she stepped in to the portal.

A chill ran up her spine as she stepped in to a forest much like the one she had left. It always gave her a chill switching realms. Something had happened to this world in years past that had devastated it. The world was darker here, as if the sun itself were dying. Even the trees around her seemed to struggle for life, but for the most part they were dead. But even here she had one friend. Before she headed out of the forest she turned around and closed the portal that was now invisible. With the same word spoken backward.

Getting her bearings she headed out of the dead forest. It wasn’t long till she arrived at the wall of a castle; its tall spires touched the sky, piercing the dark clouds that hung low in the sky. The grounds around the castle wall seemed deserted. The town inside the castle wall was just as devoid of life. It appeared to her as if it hadn’t been occupied in years or even centuries. The buildings were beginning to crumble. Lanya slipped threw the rusted gates that swung slightly in the stale breeze. The wind seemed to whisper secrets about the place, what had happened to its people or perhaps it was the whispering of those in hiding or those long gone. Lanya could never quite tell here, the feeling made her edgy, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. It was the feeling of being watched, hatred from what was here long ago at her presence. The feeling of the emptiness and hatred sent a chill down her spine and she hurried her pace to the castle.

Reaching the castle walls she pushed open one of the large doors. Once they had been covered in gold and jewels now stripped of any worth. Not one flake of gold remained, just the scars that told a story all their own, as the wood decayed on its hinges. A servant rushed to greet her from a room farther down the large entrance hall. He stumbled as he hurried toward her trying to bow at the same time. He was old by Lanya’s standards; his gray hair was long, tied back with a red string that matched his dark red robes. He regarded Lanya with hatred, his pale thin face only amplified by his clothing.

“How is the good Dalri today?” Lanya asked of the man as she walked up to him. He rushed to a stop before her, panting slightly from his rush to intercept her.

“He is fine M’lady. He bids I wish you well and that he may see you another time, perhaps?” He asked hopefully. It was no secret to Lanya who knew it was only the servant that didn’t want her to see his lord. He distrusted her magic, feared it even.

“I’m afraid I must see him today.” She said shaking her head.

“Very well m’lady, come with me.” He said with a bow. Even though he didn’t like her he would be respectful to her. He turned on his heel and headed back the way he had come. Lanya followed looking around intently. It never ceased to amaze her at how this place changed at every visit. Last time it had been completely bare, this time full of random artwork.

She guessed that’s what you get when dealing with a Phaser. What she knew is he could Phase threw time and realms. He often visited her realm, had taught her how to get to his realm. In dealing with time he could also change his own age and appearance at will. The fundamentals of time and space seemed to need not apply.

She paused momentarily to stare at a picture that had caught her eye. It held a remarkable resemblance to herself in demon form she thought. With long white hair that traveled down to her ankles, her body had a slight blue tint to it. The only thing that bothered her was the outfit, all different shades of blue, it was very revealing in appearance, something she would never wear. Even so it was an interesting picture. She even held fireballs in each hand. Something resembling Lanya’s star pendant was imbedded in to the girl’s chest. Absently Lanya touched her own star pendant, Khi had given her, before realizing she was being left behind. She hurried to catch up to the servant.

They entered in to another room shortly after, the room itself was quite bare except for a pile of pillows near the wall. Upon them sat a boy wearing elaborate robes, watching something on the floor that was moving in front of him. Which was strange because Lanya knew the boy was blind. At least he was in the sense that most people knew it. Yet his perception of the world was unparallel to anything she had known before. As she walked toward him she watched him brush his short brown hair out of his face. Last time his hair had been long and red with silver streaks. He looked up to her with his white eyes, and smiled.

“Hello my friend, what do you call these?” he said gesturing to tiny flames in the shape of little fairies dancing in front of him, just beyond the cushions. He wanted the dragon name for them.

“We call them Elliteviaim, or little friends of fire.” She said taking a seat on a cushion nearby. He repeated the word to engrave it into his memory, before regarding her.

“I see a change in you, and a request.”

“Yes Andrew.”

“You will address him as Lord Andeross…” The servant chimed in. Andrew held up his hand toward the servant cutting off his words.

“That’s not necessary Vahn, Lanya never has or will call me lord and I accept that.” Lanya was surprised, what Andrew said seemed rather mature coming from someone who looked no more than eight today. “What is it I can do for you to day Kitten?” He asked tilting his head to the side like a confused puppy. Lanya figured he already knew but wanted to hear it from her. She rummaged in her cloaks pocket. Withdrawing one of the slayers stars she tossed it at him carefully. He caught it feeling the engraved surface with his fingertips.

“I need you to help me find and give a message to the bearers of that clan mark so I can send them on a goose chase after me. Can you help?

Andrew seemed to consider this for a moment as he twirled the star in his fingers. “Sounds like fun.” He finally said with a grin.

~*~*~

Chapter 6. The Break Away

The youngest slayer thought this constant perusal of the dragon lover was a waste of time. There time would be better spent going after any dragons other than a particular shadow dragon that has taken refuge with a person they couldn’t even find. The slayer had made his way to a small clearing in the middle of a forest, stopping dead in his tracks as a dagger came flying past his head rather close, he heard it thunk in to a tree behind him. He drew his sword and a hand full of stars as he looked around the edges of the clearing. He had wanted to fight something for days. “Come out of hiding you coward.” He shouted.

A moment more of silence and he was answered by a laugh that sounded rather familiar, the sound was all around him so he couldn’t tell where it was coming from. Suddenly the forest all around him began to darken starting from the opposite side, about where the dagger had come from. A figure half the size of him self, wearing a long black cloak that covered the persons face came slowly walking out of the forest toward him. Only moments before the sky had been sunny and bright, now he was surrounded in darkness. It suited him just fine, as it was his element. All he could see now of the person was an outline in the shadows and a pair of gold glowing eyes. He guessed it was female from the sound of the laugh that could still be heard echoing threw the darkness. “It’s you.” The slayer grinned as he ran forward swinging his sword at her. The sword gleamed in the darkness as it passed threw her without harm. “Aarrggh sorceress wench.” He yelled as he continued to slash threw her.

“My, my, violent aren’t we.” The image said he imagined a smug grin on her face. With a grunt he gave in and set the tip of his sword in the ground leaning on the handle.

“Alright wench what do you want?” he said glaring at her. She didn’t answer him. He watched as she glanced to her left at something.

“Now that wont do you any good, pulling up and throwing trees at me.” She was either off her rocker or all the slayers could see her the same as he did. Or she was both; he figured it was the later. “Good now that I have all your attentions and you have all stopped trying to attack me. I have what you want, and I’m not giving it to you without a fight, as I said before. And just so you know I’m not even in this land anymore nor will I be. So your searching is futile. But just to give me something to do. I’ll give you a clue to where I will be. Follow the sinking sun to the land that’s all day and no nights. Cross the ocean swells, you’ll find me waiting for you in a place no map shows.”

“How are we supposed to find that?”

“Have fun with your hunt.” The image of the dragon lady said before fading out, the darkness fading out right behind her. The day was returned to its sunny brightness and the slayer was left blinking to readjust his eyes.

“Yup shes nuts.” He said sheathing his sword. Just then he heard the leaders voice in his head.

“Lets regroup.”

~*~*~

Lanya opened her eyes to stare into Andrew’s blank ones. She had been in a trance to perform the projection of herself. She noticed the sky outside Andrew’s window was darkening. “Thank you Andrew for helping me.”

“Your welcome kitten.”

“I best be getting back home, its getting late.”

“Only here, you know it will be the same time as when you left if you wish it to be.” Lanya stifled a yawn; nothing seemed to wear her out more.

“You will watch them for me? Tell me their progress?” Andrew nodded leaning back he touched the wall behind him. A map appeared over the wall showing just where the slayers were in red dots. The slayers were making tracks toward each other. She didn’t see how this did Andrew any good since he was blind. “I better go then.” Lanya said starting to stand up. Before she could, Andrew reached up and grabbed her hand. Her vision blurred and she felt a chill run down her back. When she could see again she realized she was back in her forest. The trees rustled above her as the breeze moved threw them throwing spots of sun on the ground. She could hear Syrus laughing back at the house. Andrew wasn’t anywhere to be seen but she was glad to be home. Yawning again Lanya made her way back to the house.

~*~*~

“It’s a trap I tell you.” Said the youngest slayer.

“Maybe, but I want that dragon and she has it.” The leader said facing the youngest. The other three slayers watched with varying degrees of interest. Mainly not caring what they did. They would follow their leader, what ever the decision was. “Besides she’s not strong enough to take on all of us at once. We attack her together she will die, and that abomination too.”

“She might have help wherever it is she’s went, I doubt she would be alone.” Protested the younger.

“Then we will just have to catch her off guard.”

“But she’s expecting us, how can we catch her off guard if she knows we are coming, and by today’s show of magic she also knows where we are. Probably at all times so it’s impossible to sneak op on her.” The leader growled knowing the young one had a point. “She’s probably protecting someone around here, that’s why she’s having us follow her.”

“Enough!” The leader snapped. “We don’t know what she’s protecting if she even is at all, besides the beast, and that’s what I want. She’s given us a clue we will follow it and destroy her and the beast. If you don’t like it then leave.” He was tired of the young one always disagreeing with him he’d had enough. He had only intended to cower the boy in to obeying with out question.

“Fine then, I’ll leave. Who needs it anyway? I can start a new clan.” He said grabbing his few belongings he stomped out of camp. The leader scowled after him. He hadn’t expected the boy to leave. The other three slayers watched in amazement. Hardly ever did anyone leave the pack willingly.

“If anyone else feels the way he does then you can leave as well.” The leader snapped, looking at the other slayers. They shook their heads. “Alright then, lets go west.”

~*~*~

“Very interesting.” Andrew said watching the one slayer move away from the pack on the wall. He was blind as most people considered it but he could see. Images past threw his mind showing him what he wished to see. The detachment of one slayer could prove hazardous to Lanya’s plan. “Vahn?”

“Yes M’lord?”

“My cloak please.”

“But M’lord?”

“Now Vahn.”

~*~*~

Chapter 7. The Island of Azh Isla

Lanya strapped on the saddlebags, and saddle on to Anibus who waited patiently. The sun was just lighting up the sky, the air was still chill and would be till the sun could shine down on them. Lanya wanted to be off before then. Not that it mattered; Anibus would probably time it to get the most sun. If they left now they would arrive in darkness.

Syrus leaned sleepily on Clio, his brown hair going any which way as he tried to stay awake. He was dressed in a dragon leather outfit Lanya had made for him. Dragon leather was extremely warm and durable, a recommended wear for those who hung around with dragons. Syrus pulled his cape around him resting his head on Clio and closed his eyes. Leaning on the young cougar who was almost the size of Asha and would continue to grow till twice the size.

Bailey and Justine were up to see Lanya and Syrus off for the summer. Mari, Baileys daughter was still sleeping soundly in Bailey’s arms. Her red curls falling off her shoulders, glinting slightly as the sun began to creep over the sky. Bailey and Mari had spent the night so that everyone could say goodbye and Lanya could fill Bai, and Justie in. “I wonder where Khi is?” Bailey asked curiously. “He should be here.”

Lanya shrugged, as did Justine who was leaning against the porch railing. “Who knows” Lanya said checking the straps. “I’m not going to wait around for him to show up, I already said my goodbyes.”

Bailey pouted, she never liked it when Lanya acted indifferent about people she was close to. Also worrying where Khi was. Lanya could sense her thoughts since she was making no effort to conceal them. Bailey also didn’t want her to go. Justine on the other hand had her feelings well concealed. “Alright Syrus, hug your aunties goodbye.” Lanya said sliding back down to the ground.

Syrus popped open his pure blue eyes, almost surprised, before dragging himself to his feet. He practically fell in to Justine’s arms for a hug. Then in turn to a half armed hug from Bailey. Lanya hugged Justine. “You know where to go if you don’t feel safe.” Justine nodded as Lanya let go. She then hugged Bailey and Mari who was still sleeping soundly.

“Be safe Lanya.”

“Always.” Lanya said letting go; she turned to the two cats. “Asha, Clio, up.” She pointed to Anibus who was still waiting patiently. Both big cats were wearing harnesses that could be strapped to Anibus in case they fell. Both cats jumped on to Anibus back and laid down. Lanya climbed up and strapped the two cats on. “Now you little man.” Lanya said standing up on her dragons back. Syrus climbed up easily and sat down in the front part of the saddle, strapping himself in. Lanya walked up and sat down right behind Syrus strapping herself in. She waved to Justine and Bailey before wrapping her cloak around herself and Syrus. “Lets be off then worm.”

Anibus nodded and stood up. He walked to the clearing before spreading his massive gold wings. Crouching down he took a jumping start, flapping his wings at the same time. Lanya and Syrus had braced them selves for the neck-snapping take off. Within moments they were above the tree line. The sun beating down on them what promised to be a great spring day. The next moment they were gone.

~*~*~

The one good thing about being a phaser, was if he didn’t like the outcome he could change it. Andrew thought as he wrapped his cape closer around him. Well most things, he looked up sadly at the stars reaching up casually toward one in particular.
He missed his daughter Andromida, circumstances beyond even his control had made him loose his daughter to the stars. There was always a higher power. He sighed making his way to the Red Dragon Inn. Someone would be showing up here.

~*~*~

Anibus appeared high in the air above an island surrounded by miles and miles of blue ocean. The island was quite large, made of many smaller islands around it. Mountains were reaching up to the sky some covered in trees others with snow that would eventually melt to reveal grasslands. Black sand covered the beaches as waves crashed along the shore and along the large black rocks that created reefs and rocks farther out that would prevent ships from getting too close. A few dragons could be seen sunning them selves on the black sandy beaches or the cliffs edges.

“Welcome Syrus, to dragons haven.” Lanya said hugging her wide-eyed son. Never before had he seen anything like this place. Dragons seemed to pop out of nowhere only to disappear again as Anibus began a spiraled decent toward the island. Anibus roared a challenge that shook Syrus and Lanya where they sat at the base of his neck. Dragons could be heard answering that challenge far down below. “This island isn’t on any map, it was created by a volcano, hundreds of years ago. Inside the island is riddled with caves and tunnels. It’s almost hallow inside making it ideal for dragons to use. See the cliff down there?” She said pointing to the left. Syrus leaned over looking where she was pointing at a large hole in the cliff side. “All along the cliffs are entrances to tunnels and caverns. And there are more dragons here than you have ever seen before. I think you will like it here.”

“Look mom, what are those?” Syrus said pointing out a tiny group of dragons that were flittering all over the cliff side, they were no larger than a seagull.

“Good eyes Syrus, those are rock hoppers.” Most of the rock hoppers were white, many mortals could easily mistake them for seagulls at a distance as they acted very much like the bird, and traveling in large flocks or colonies, they preferred Cliffside’s to build their nests. What many mortals didn’t realize was that most of the dragon species out there were quite small, not many of the dragons could afford to grow as large as Anibus with out destroying the ecosystem, or throwing it off balance.

“Look at that big red one.” Syrus said pointing to a large dragon sunning itself on a cliff edge. Anibus continued to circle lazily down toward one of the coves. On the beach waiting for them could be seen people coming out of the forest to greet them. “Who are they mom?” Syrus asked pointing down at them.

“They are the Keepers of this island. Made up of families who guard and protect the dragons here, and if I’m not mistaken, there should be some children here around your age to play with.”

“Really?” Syrus asked, he’d never really had someone else to play with besides Jaden and Mari, occasionally Damien, Ariana, and Calandra, who were Khi’s children. He hadn’t seen much of them lately and hadn’t had anyone who was his age to play with.

Anibus landed as softly as he could on the black sandy beach of the cove, stirring up sand that flew at the waiting crowd. They merely shielded their eyes, waiting for the large dragon to fold his wings. Lanya unbuckled herself from the saddle, waiting for Anibus to crouch down and extend his fore leg, so she could slide down. “Wait here for a moment Syrus.” She said as she stepped on Anibus’s shoulder and swung her leg over to the same side before sliding down his leg a few feet before jumping to the ground.

A tall broad shouldered man detached himself from the group of twenty people and walked toward her with outstretched hands. He was tall about six foot seven, with short light brown hair. It appeared he hadn’t shaved for days as a beard was growing in. She noticed his eyes were a watery light blue as he smiled at her. “Welcome, welcome, you must be Mrs. Snifferstock.” He said shaking her hand, his hands were calloused and firm, recent and old burn marks could be seen up his arms to a bright red Hawaiian shirt, matched with dragon leather pants he was an odd site to see.

“That’s me, call me Lanya though, and that is my son Syrus, my companion dragon Anibus and our two pets, Asha and Clio.” She said introducing everyone. “I hope you don’t mind that I brought them all.”

“No, No not at all, the more the merrier, by the way my names Chris, but everyone calls me Moose. I’m the new head keeper of Azh Isla, I suppose you knew Gerald?”

“Yes I met him ten years ago, retired now I suppose?”

“Yeah he got tired of being burned and bitten, wanted to keep a few fingers.” Moose said grinning from ear to ear. “Lets get you settled in and updated then.” Lanya glanced at Syrus who then got up and unhooked the cats. Both cats jumped down followed by Syrus who came to stand by his mother. Moose introduced them to everyone there. Some she remembered from years ago others were new faces. Afterwards Moose led them to a cabin in the woods. It was more like a tiny village with all the houses close together. “This cabin will be yours and Syrus’s, it has all the amenities I’m sure you’re used to.”

“It will do fine.” Lanya said with a grin, looking around the front room. Like many wizard houses it was bigger on the inside than the outside. “I’ve lived in much worse, with nothing but a fire for warmth and Anibus for a bed. This is luxury.”

“To tell you the truth you aren’t what I was expecting, for the famous dragon keeper.”

“Oh? And what were you expecting?” Syrus giggled stopping the conversation. Lanya looked over to see one of their other pets, Sirfuzzalot, a gray ball of fluff crawl out of Syrus’s bag to his shoulder. Clinging to Syrus with its six legs as it looked around warily with oversized nocturnal gold eyes, twitching its over sized ears, its long tail curled around his neck. Lanya sighed shaking her head slightly, she had told him no pets besides Clio and only what he needed. Apparently that was everything he owned since he packed most of his toys.

“And who or what is this intriguing creature?” Moose asked Syrus as he took a closer look at the strange creature.

Syrus backed up a step looking to Lanya before speaking in a quiet voice. “This is Sirfuzzalot, he’s a fuzzle, and he likes to be scratched behind the ears like this.” Syrus said scratching the fuzzle behind its bat like ears till it made a purring sound. Then the fuzzle not liking its surroundings squirmed in to Syrus’s shirt sending him in to another fit of giggles.

“Go find a room Syrus, and put your bag in it.” Lanya said looking around the room. The living room and dining room were one, a fireplace against one wall was set and ready to burn with plenty of wood stacked along side for use. A couch and three chairs surrounded the fire place, she could just see the kitchen from where she stood and three doors near the back end of the house for the bedrooms and bathroom.

She laid a hand on the closest chair to feel the material, leaning against it slightly. She rested her eyes on Moose “Not to be the bearer of bad news, but there is something I need to tell you so you can prepare.”

Moose finally lost his grin and took a seat in a chair. “What might that be?”

“I’m sorta running from a group of slayers who want something I have. In order to save my family and friends I sent them vaguely this way, nothing I’m sure I couldn’t handle if I had stayed at home, but I had my obligations here. And the likely hood of them finding this place are slim to none.”

“Slayers? You have Slayers trailing you? What could you possibly have that is so important that they would follow you this far?” He asked grimly. Lanya felt a stirring in her stomach.

“I can’t tell you that.” She glanced at Syrus who was watching them from the doorway of one of the rooms.

“Lanya do you know how long we have kept this island safe from poachers and slayers?” he asked raising his voice. “We have kept it safe for years and now you come here bringing trouble with you, if these slayers actually get to the island, it could cause total destruction. I would be fired immediately if I wasn’t killed in the process. I should send you and your son packing right now!”

“Don’t yell at her.” Syrus yelled at Moose, running from the doorway to stand in front of his mother defensively, his eyes glowing blue slightly.

Lanya leaned forward to Syrus. “Asos hailene Syrus.” She said speaking in dragon.

“Na cri.”

“Syrus”

Syrus turned to look at moose staring him in the eyes. “Dashi” he said lowering his head to stare at the floor before taking a seat on the couch out of the way.

Moose had been thrown off his anger by the conversation in dragon that he couldn’t follow. “He speaks dragon?”

“Yes, that surprises you?”

Moose nodded. “Well yeah, I had heard you could but its rare that the ability could be passed down.”

Lanya shrugged. “I told you about the slayers now so that you can prepare before they get here. I have an informant that will tell me if they are on the right track or not. Besides a sign of a good leader is one who prepares ahead of time for anything.”

Moose nodded looking pensive about what needed to be done. He finally looked at her. “You know your putting your son in danger.”

“I have more than that on the line.”

~*~*~

The youngest slayer stepped in to the Red Dragon Inn and looked around for anyone familiar. He saw the tender eye him suspiciously. “Not going to cause any trouble tonight are ye?” He asked whipping down the bar. The inn wasn’t very full of patrons yet as it was still early.

“Depends,” He said walking over to the bar.

“On what?”

“If she shows up or not, or if I get the information I’m after.” He took a seat pulling out a coin, tossing it on the bar. “Ale”

Doze served him a glass. “She’s not around any more, that’s all yer getting form me.” He said walking over to an elderly man who was drinking something that was smoking. The man wore a strange brown cape; a sword at his waist could be seen sticking out under the cape. The old man looked at the slayer with eyes that were so light they could have been blind. His face held a few old scars. He grinned taking another sip of his smoking drink.

“I know what you wish to know.” The man said before taking another sip.

“What would you know old man?”

“Enough”

“Oh? Like what?” The man had peaked his interest slightly.

“I know who your looking for, what it is she has, that you want, where she is…” The man was cut off as the slayer jumped up in a flash grabbing the old man by the collar and slamming him in to his chair.

“Spill it old man, tell me what you know.” The old man laughed as Doze came around the bar to separate them.

“Knock it off you two.”

“Nothing comes cheaply sprat.” The old man said tapping the slayer on the side of his head roughly. The slayer yelped in pain before letting go of the old man and falling to the ground unconscious. Doze let go as he fell.

“What the hell was that?” Doze asked the old man who was straitening his clothes.

“Well, you didn’t want him causing trouble did you?”

~*~*~

The pack of slayers traveled slowly west avoiding all major cities of the normal humans. They wouldn’t fit in there anyway. They traveled on foot without the use of portals that wizards used. They had a different power that the wizards didn’t. But it didn’t help them as they traveled.

The leader stayed just as determined to find the dragon lady as in the beginning. He wouldn’t let the evil spawn grow to adult hood, whatever it took.

~*~*~

The youngest slayer finally awoke in a dark forest. A fire was burning just beyond his vision. He could hear the flames crackle and spark along with the smell of burning wood. “Your awake I see.” Said the voice of the old man.

“Big mistake old man.” He said trying to get up but his body didn’t want to work for him. He growled in frustration.

“Do you really think I’m foolish enough to let you move?” he stepped around the slayer and squatted in front of him. “Now we can do this the easy way or the hard.”

“I’ll kill you,”

The old man shook his head. “Tsk, tsk, sprat, is that anyway to make an arrangement?”

“What do you mean arrangement?”

“You are dense, I mean I will give you the info you want in return for a similar favor.”

“What do you want?”

“First I want you to kill her, she’s far too bothersome in my line of work and there are many that wish her that fate who can’t dirty their hands with her blood.”

“What are you? A poacher?”

“Ahh I knew you had some smarts in you.” The slayer grunted. “Second I want to know what’s so special about this hatchling she has? Why you are so determined to kill this specific dragon.”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Oh but it is sprat. I worked long and hard to get this information, but if you don’t want to tell me then I guess I can just leave you here like this and let the werewolves get you.” As if on cue a howl could be heard in the distance.

“Alright. The hatchling the dragon lover has is the last descendant of the queen of shadow dragons. Our leaders on a revenge trip because the queen shadow dragon and her minions destroyed our village. Not that they don’t deserve to die, filthy abominations.”

“Such hatred,” The poacher said almost too quiet for the slayer to hear.

“Alright now tell me what it is you know.”

“She my new bulky distempered friend is west.”

“I knew that already old man.”

“Yes but you would be hard pressed to find exactly where west now wouldn’t you?” The old man said pulling out a map out of a hidden pocket, unfolding it on the ground. The map was old enough to be eighteenth century. The slayer strained to look at it but was still unable to move. The old man rolled his eyes and tapped the slayer on the head. The slayer could suddenly move, slowly and stiffly he sat up. Rubbing his stiff neck before leaning over and looking at the map.

“Now don’t be daft and try anything.” The old man warned. “Otherwise you will never get your mental powers back. Now we are here.” The old man said pointing to the Midwest of Canada near the states. “She went west, by north west.” His finger traveled over the map towards Alaska landing on an island far out on the elution chain near Japan “To here”

“How do I know your not just pointing to some random island?”

The old man rolled his eyes again pulling out a new map. “Do you see that island on this map?” He asked.

The slayer compared the two and shook his head. “Maybe it sank?”

“It didn’t sink.”

“What’s that island called anyway?”

“Azh Isla, or dragons haven.”

The slayer grinned. “Now what’s the fastest way there?”

The old man grinned back. “I’m glad you asked that.” He said withdrawing a small bag; he dumped out a small amount of powder in his hand. The slayer watched him warily before he could react the old man blew the powder in the face of the slayer. Again the slayer drifted off in to unconsciousness.

~*~*~

Chapter 8. Return the Old Habits

Lanya was amazed at how well the other keepers took the news that a group of slayers were coming. If taking it well consisted of dirty glances and protesting Lanya’s stay. “It wont stop them from coming unless I pop up right in front of them.” Lanya had said.

Moose was remarkable at turning them to preparing for the slayers. They doubled their spells at the perimeter of the island. Those spells that discouraged entry to the island, as well as those that alerted the keepers to the unwanted presence of people. Lanya helped out where she could, reacquainting herself with the island and its dragons. Syrus had disappeared with Clio only to pop up every now and then for food, happy as could be. Sometimes followed by other children of the island.

It was a sunny day during her short break as she sat down in the sun next to a large red dragon that was sunning himself. Moose approached sitting down next to her, but in a way so that he could pop up fast. “How do you do it?”

Lanya opened one of her eyes to look at him. “Do what?”

“Stay so calm about the whole slayer thing? And that you would purposefully turn your back on a dragon with a reputation for snapping?”

Lanya grinned. “Mereth wont hurt me, I’m calm because this is nothing new really, I don’t get nervous till I’m attacked. If I spent my entire time worrying about the future Mereth wouldn’t let me sun with him.”

“So if I attacked you right now, would you be ready?” He asked curiously.

“Care to try?” She asked arching an eyebrow. Watching Moose out of one eye. He shook his head as he pulled out a bag of papers and deftly rolled a cigarette. “You were mortal born weren’t you?”

“Yes, how’d you guess?” He asked lighting the cigarette with the tip of his wand.

Lanya shrugged a shoulder. “A clue here and there, you don’t act as if you were wizard born.”

“Is that a problem for you?” he asked puffing on his cigarette getting defensive.

She shook her head. “No, I was born the same.” Stretching she arched her arms over her head, her black tank top sliding up enough to see the bulge of her stomach where the baby grew.

Mereth gave a flick of his tail rumbling low as he watched Lanya out of the corner of one large yellow eye. Moose was on his feet and instantly on guard, as Lanya sat calmly not bothering to look at the dragon. She moved one of her arms much like a dragon would flick his wing.

“Its alright Moose, I know what that was about.”

“Sure, of course you would.”

“I do. Now at ease mun.”

Moose stayed on his feet. “What was it about?”

“He’s being protective of me I guess you could say.” She said grinning.

Moose snorted. “What ever for?” She was about to tell him as Mereth lifted his head looking behind him. A crooning scream filled the air by many dragons. The sound of dragons taking off was muted by the crooning screams. Suddenly over the tree line flew a female, flapping madly as she gained speed and height. Following her was a group of males; the female would fly until one of the males caught her. The dragons would mate then go their separate ways. Her eggs would be ready to lie next spring, as was the custom.

“Looks like breaks over.” Moose said watching the dragon’s fly threw the air. “I thought that one would fly soon.”

Mereth snorted making Moose jump slightly before laying his head back down on the ground.

“It’s alright old man, I know what you mean.” Lanya said patting the dragon on the side of his long neck, before standing up. “I bet you caught many in your day.”

“Look one got her.” Moose said pointing in to the mass of dragons circling around a pair that was entwined and falling to the ocean. The losers circled them, upset to have not caught the female. Screeching their discontent.

“Yup, time to go break up the fight that’s coming.” Lanya said heading back in to the forest. The losers would bicker among themselves, sometimes starting fights that wouldn’t end until one was killed. In some cases the males would go after females that have already mated or that were not ready to mate yet.

Moose followed closely behind her as they disappeared in to the forest.

~*~*~

Justine sat down wearily; she had been working out much more lately than she normally did. Deftly she twirled a throwing star in her fingers. She wouldn’t be caught off guard by the slayers again. Her mind ran threw all the encounters, the first one resulting in Jaden her son. Followed by the relentless attacks after he was born as the slayer tried to take Jaden away from her. Attacks Lanya was aware of and those that she wasn’t. She taught herself to fight, and how to use throwing stars and a sword. Her one sword was special and rare holding a power unlike anything else. It was called a dragons bow, given to her by Jaimden, Lanya’s old fiancé, for some reason they never got married. From there the attacks on her became even more relentless. He had destroyed her house when they weren’t there. The attacks continued until she fought the slayer one on one. It was a fight she hadn’t allowed any of her friends to help in. She had come back torn up, and probably would have died if it weren’t for Khi and Lanya’s healing powers. She thought she had won that fight. Until the slayer had attacked them all in his attempt to take Jaden away form her.

Lanya was the one who had killed him Bailey and her watched in horror at how Lanya killed him. She drank his blood, changing in to her demon form that she kept hidden from the world most of the time. She had turned primal, vampirish even. After sucking most of his blood she had sucked out his soul before he died. A trait of the kind of demon she was. Afterwards she had dragged the body in to the forest growling at them when they tried to follow. She hadn’t come back for hours and when she did she was a wreck, Lanya had told them she had buried the body around the forest in pieces. Justine was sure that the heart in a jar in the potion’s room belonged to that slayer. The entire day was the only time Lanya had truly scared her. She knew that Lanya had scared herself and since then tried not to change in to her demon form unless she had to. Later at night the nightmares drove her mad till she wasn’t even sleeping in her room anymore. Not that she slept all that long anyway. Finally Khi had suppressed the memories for her.

Justine was broken out of her thoughts by Meeko, her companion dragon who was in human form at the moment, carrying Jaden. Meeko had been a present from Lanya when she came back from one of her trips with Anibus. It wasn’t till later that Meeko learned to change in to a human, Lanya said it was because somewhere in his line a flame tail mated with a shadow dragon allowing the offspring magical powers and shape shifting ability.

“Cri, cri!” Cried Jaden reaching out for her. Since the time he was born Jaden had been around those that spoke dragon, she supposed it was inevitable that he would pick that up as a first language.

“English Jaden, please, say it in English.” She said putting the star on the table and taking Jaden from Meeko’s arms.

“Cri.”

“Yes Jaden?”

“Daragah Lanya?”

“English Jaden.”

Jaden looked at her thinking hard. “Where is aunt Lanya?” He said carefully.

“She is with a bunch of dragons.”

“Dola?” He asked referring to the drake Lanya was keeping as a pet.

“No not Adola.”

“Nibus?”

“Yes with Anibus, but far, far away.”

“Where?”

“In a place where there are many dragons.”

Jaden seemed to consider this a moment before turning to look at Meeko who had been standing there watching them. Jaden raised his arms. “Up”

Meeko smiled slightly and picked Jaden back up. “Anibus says they are fine you know.” He said quietly.

“I know,” she brushed her hair out of her face before fingering her necklace, a habit caused from worrying. “She would send word if anything was wrong.”

~*~*~

“You will apologize to your leader and share the info you have on the whereabouts of the girl, and when you are in her presence you will cease to fight at the mention of ‘Sorin’.” Said a voice in the youngest slayers mind. The words quickly left him as his mind seemed to cleat from a heavy fog. Slowly he opened his eyes to see it was completely dark, he had no idea where he was, or what he was doing there.

Stiffly he stood up. He felt like he hadn’t moved in days. His thoughts cleared further still and he remembered the poacher. The slayer looked around warily in the darkness sensing out with his mind. Where was he? There was no sign that the poacher had ever been there. He felt his clothes finding the two maps in his cloak. He stood there for a moment wondering where to go. He had the strong urge to go back to his clan. He didn’t know why, since he clearly remembered leaving them. Suddenly he felt the other slayers approaching. They were moving silently threw the forest. Stiffly and slowly the youngest slayer moved toward them. Catching up to his pack limbered him up, he began to move quickly and silently.

He was caught off guard when a star went flying past him in a warning shot. Then the pack moved out of the shadows surrounding him with their swords drawn. “Don’t strike, its me, (insert name).” He yelled dodging the blade of the leaders sword.

“I know its you what the hell do you want?”

The slayer fell to his knees. “I… I wish to apologize,” he had no idea why he was saying this. “Forgive me, let me back in to the pack, I have information on the dragon lover that you will find most useful, and most needed if you wish to find her.”

“What do you have?”

“Am I part of the pack again?”

The leader nodded. “If your information proves valuable.”

“I know where she is.” He said pulling out the maps a malicious grin on his face. The other slayers looked doubtful except the leader.

~*~*~

A mere shadow in the night watched the slayers reunite as a pack till they disappeared heading west. He faded out of the forest to fade back in to his castle. His servant scrambled to his feet.

“Lord.”

“Yes Vahn?”

“Your back my lord.”

“Yes I am Vahn, if all goes right I should be here for a while.”

~*~*~

Chapter 9. Threading The Battle

The summer months past quickly for Lanya, it wasn’t long before the others noticed she was pregnant as she started growing quickly. Moose was surprised as were most of the other keepers. She felt their mixed feelings on letting her continue working. Most of them worried about her when she was with the larger dragons. But she refused to quit, instead they all seemed to watch her closely to make sure that the dragons wouldn’t harm her. The dragons never did, none of them snapped at her, struck her or were overly rough around her.

Lanya knew it was because of the baby, her mind now referred to it as hers, even though she knew it wasn’t. She could feel its thoughts and feelings all the time and knew it didn’t mind. The dragons wouldn’t harm the princess of the shadow dragon.

The warning of the slayers had faded for the most part over the months. They still kept a vigil during the day and a night watch, the spells were still kept up to date, and none of the keepers had been slacking in the protection of this island.

Lanya sighed resting in her house. Syrus was next to her asleep using her leg as a pillow. She pulled a blanket over him tucking him in gently. Asha was curled up in one of the chairs asleep as Clio was stretched out on the floor right in front of the couch. She nearly jumped as Andrew faded in to her house.

“Jesus! Andrew you scared me, don’t do that.” Lanya hissed trying to keep quiet.

Andrew smiled. “Sorry, but I thought I would tell you that the slayers are almost here, they’ve stolen a boat.” He sat down in the empty chair pulling out a strange bottle of wine for him self.

“All of them?” Andrew nodded before taking a sip. Clio hissed at him getting to her feet. Asha just watched him.

“Down kitty.” He said looking at Clio. “One of them, the youngest has a block of sorts on him. You say a word and he freezes unable to fight back.”

“Really? What word?”

“One your most familiar with I believe, ‘Sorin’”

“How did you accomplish that?”

“He tried to break away from the pack, until he ran in to me. Weak minded sprat.”

“How long until they show?”

Andrew shrugged even though he knew exactly when. “Depends on how long it takes them to find the right island.”

“Will you be staying for the fight?”

“Wouldn’t miss it kitten.”

“Guess I better tell everyone to be prepared then.” Lanya said finally brushing a bit of hair out of Syrus’s face before moving him enough to get up.

~*~*~

The leader of the slayers glanced out of the port and starboard windows looking for any islands. A storm looked like it was moving in rollers crashed over the bow of the boat and the wind whipped around them. One of the slayers was leaning over the side of the thirty-foot fishing boat that reeked of old fish; he was presently throwing up his latest meal, apparently the ocean didn’t agree with him.

The leader was so close to his victory of killing both the girl and the hatchling he could taste it. Nothing would stop him now he would have his revenge.

~*~*~

“No, no absolutely not Lanya I forbid you from fighting.” Moose yelled shaking a finger at her he had gathered all the keepers not on watch together.

“This is my fight Moose and I will fight.”

“No. I let you keep on working with the dragons because they were gentle with you. I let you stay because you’re the best at what you do. But I will not let you risk your neck and your child yet to be born to go off and fight a pack of slayers that have a grudge against you.” He began pacing back and forth a cigarette forgotten in his fingers.

“You know, friend,” Andrew said cutting in to the conversation. “I saw her take on a typhoon of attackers when she was pregnant with Syrus. I think she can handle a few slayers with some help from you all.”

“Who bloody asked you?”

“I wont let anything happen to her.” Andrew and Moose had been introduced right off the bat and didn’t get along at all, it didn’t surprise Lanya as Andrew didn’t get along with many other people besides herself. She wondered when she had taken on a typhoon when she was pregnant with Syrus.

“Enough you two. I’m fighting and you can’t stop me.” She glared at the both of them before turning to the other keepers who were edgily watching them. “I want all the children and as many eggs and hatchlings taken to the inner most caverns, if the females protest sedate them. Syrus is old enough and speaks dragon he will help you. I want those of you that can’t fight as well to be in the caverns with the children and hatchlings. We are going to save as much as we can from the slayers as possible.” She saw some of the other keepers nod in agreement. Syrus among them, looking determined to do his best “Now snap to it we don’t know how long we have.” She looked at Moose who was slack jawed having been ousted of his leadership position momentarily he recovered flawlessly.

“Rachel, Marta take supplies in to the caves for the children.” Moose cut in taking over command like he should. “We have a lot to do before they get here.”

~*~*~

Tension crackled around the island, dragons muttered and roared their distress at being locked away. Syrus had done well she’d been told at getting most of the females in to the deeper caverns with their hatchlings and eggs without tranquilizing them. Not only had all the females and hatchlings moved but most of the male dragons were in the underground caverns as well, away from the females of coarse, to keep the hatchlings safe. Lanya stood on a high cliff side overlooking the vast ocean, rollers crashed on to the beach drowning out the sound of the dragons. Andrew was behind her leaning casually against a tree. Moose was also somewhere behind her refusing to leave her side.

Taking a deep breath Lanya raised her arms upwards. “Ready for a storm?”

“I’d like to see you pull it off.”

“She can.” Andrew said.

“Shut up.”

Lanya sighed they were like a couple of children, granted Andrew spent most of his time in child form but still. She closed her eyes concentrating. Her fingers began twitching, grasping at the air as she drew in threads of natural magic. Two rings on her fingers glowed slightly as she worked with the magic. The wind began to pick up, flipping her cape around. A few more flicks of her fingers created clouds that began to rumble above them. The clouds would soon bring rain, thunder and lightning. The waves below the cliff crashed louder on the shore. She let down her arms, her fingers still holding on to the threads of natural magic. “Well that’s a start.”

Green sparks suddenly lit up the storming sky behind them on the other side of the island. “They’re here.” Andrew said blankly, Lanya turned to look at them. Andrew was drawing his two swords, as Moose held his wand ready.

“We need a quick way there Andrew.” She said as rain began to fall down on them.

“You got it kitten.” He said waving his arm as he still held the sword. The air rippled as he created a portal, he walked threw. Moose was close to follow behind; a sword was in his other hand. Lanya followed continuing to grasp the magic threads. As she stepped threw she felt as if she were being pulled from one spot to another, a much different feeling from her own portals. With another step she emerged on the other side of the island where the keepers were taking points around a cliff. From her vantage point she could see three of the slayers climbing up the cliff side, she wondered where the other two slayers were. She pushed the thought out of her head and closed her eyes and lifting her arms, drawing in more threads of magic. Overhead the clouds thundered, and lightning lit up the sky, cracking down on the cliff side in between the slayers. She heard a shout and opened her eyes that were now glowing gold, sending down another attack of lightning, one of the slayers lost his grip falling a few feet before catching himself. The lightning wasn’t accurate but it was the best attack she could do at a distance. The rain began to pour down on them in droves now, the wind had also picked up speed, and within moments they were all drenched. The rollers crashed on the beach tearing up the rocky shore, logs were rolled over with little effort. The slayers were not going to be deterred by the storm, as they continued up the cliff.

“Lanya look out!” Came Moose’s cry behind her. She jumped slightly and looked behind her, jumping out of the way just in time as a sword came swinging at where she was a moment ago. Her cloak flying behind her was caught in the swords path, she heard the dragon hide rip as the sword sliced threw it like butter, only to get caught on the razor sharp edge of the cape. The force of the sword in her cape made her fall backwards on to the wet ground. Thoughts that weren’t hers swam in her head keeping her from moving, as she looked in to the face of the slayer that towered over her. Frozen in fear.

~*~*~