“Right.” Scott spoke, his voice seeming suddenly all too undaunted. “That’s what I was afraid of.”

Edgar’s legs suddenly felt a tiredness which he had not previously been aware of. He sat slowly, bracing his hands against the gritty cement floor. Despair flooded his mind as he directed his eyes down to the sprinkled. His mind tried to capture everything that he was now facing. They were alone, surrounded by desert, with no food. It seemed utterly hopeless.

“I don’t suppose it’s that bad though,” Scott said, his voice containing an upbeat tempo.

“How?” Edgar’s dad asked.

Edgar looked up again at Scott, a small spark of hope appearing in his mind. “Well, I know I’ve got a half full box of cereal bars in the front of my car.”

“And how’s that going to help us?” Edgar spoke,  suddenly incredulous. “We can’t well live on that for very long.”

“Oh no, of course not. But,” explained Scott. “My car won’t be the only one with food in it. Look around us. See all these cars. I sure that some of them have food in them.”

“But, that would be stealing,” Edgar’s mother spoke, her voice shaking.

“The people who owned those cars are gone, dead.” Scott’s voice faltered as he said the last word, but then after a second continued. “They don’t really own there possessions anymore.”

“But..”

“Mom,” Edgar’s voice sounded to his ears stronger than he had expected, “We don’t really have a choice. We have got to eat.”

It was the beginning of the second day of the journey. Triastar did not know how many more there would be until the end, but he hoped it was not many. The first day had almost been more then he could handle.

As Triastar had departed from his mother and sister he had felt for a while a sense of guilt. He was doing the direct opposite of what he had been instructed to do, what his family had trusted him to do. His father had given him responsibility; he had been given a chance to prove his ability to his father, but he had spurned it all. After a while though, the feeling had worn off. Surely he would prove his ability to his father in the endeavor that he had chosen to undertake.

Soon Triastar had been happily running after his father and looking forward to the day in which he would fight the men with him side by side. He had been at ease then for a while, just skipping along with joy, enjoying the surrounding scenery. He occasionally had made attempts to fly, but unsuccessfully. Beautiful trees surrounded him. Sunlight shone through their green leaves that hung over the earth. There were flowers in clumps sparsely spaced on the ground. He had seen the places he had traveled through on previous wanderings; he was still close enough to home.

As the day had progressed though, and as the sun had grown high in the sky, the temperature became hotter. And Triastar, who had been hurrying after his father for quite some time, had started getting tired and found himself falling behind. He had forced himself to pick up his pace. He had been tired. Every time one of his legs were lifted off the ground it required great strength and concentration. He had wondered if his father would ever stop, and when the sun had reached its highest he finally had, much to the relief of Triastar.

But he had not stopped nearly as long as Triastar had hoped, for after only an hour he rose up again into the air. Triastar had made himself rise up after him and follow. The rest of the day had been a blur, and Triastar remembered little of it. He had been hot, tired, and he had been very glad when at last, at nightfall, his father had stopped to sleep.

That was what it had been like, and Triastar hoped that his father would be tired after the previous day of traveling and slow the pace. He did not attempt to fly once. He felt that he had to conserve his strength for later. And though it was still early in the morning Triastar was already tiring. He dreaded midday and the heat that came with it.

But slowly the sun crept higher into the sky. And two hours later Triastar found himself trudging along, once more exhausted. The sun once more bore down cruelly on his back. It seemed that the trees he trudged through had a million branches that hung down causing him to duck and dodge them continually.

How Triastar continued on was more than knew. But somehow he managed. And after what seemed like an eternity, his father finally came down to rest. Triastar was relieved. Finally he could stop. Slumping down upon the ground, he stared at the dirt. His heavy body gasped for air to fulfill the huge shortage that was within him.

For a few minutes he lay there, tired. When he lifted his head to view his surroundings, the sight was not a familiar one. He was in a part of the world he had not been to previously. He had collapsed in the midst of a small clearing filled full of lush green grass. The trees he had run through were behind him, but many more stood between him and where his father rested. The sky was empty of clouds, and as Triastar continued to not move, a cool breeze that stirred the leaves in the surrounding forest brushed quietly over his body.

In the distance Triastar soon heard the softly running waters of a nearby brook. The sound itself was pleasant to his ears, but the thought of relaxing in it’s rushing waters caused him to rise and travel towards it. It was only a short ways into the trees, and when Triastar reached it, he sank down into shallow contents.

It didn’t take long before Triastar was cooled to his usual temperature, his tired body resting in the rushing waters. He was exhausted, so tired. The world around him became dim as his heavy eyelids started to droop. His mind started to slowly wandered into another world, and before he was aware of it, Triastar fell fast asleep.

He dreamed no dreams in his sleep. He fitfully rolled his body over and over. Occasionally his mind would rise in a state close to wakefulness, but it would always lapse back into his restless sleep.

When he finally did fully awake, his eyes opened and glanced at his temporary abode. Slowly he raised his body into a sitting position and sat there. It took him a few minutes to acquire his bearings again. His hot body was more chilled than he was used to, and shivers were sent down his spine.

Glancing at the sun, Triastar saw that its position had moved down considerably since he had last been awake. For a moment he continued to sit there, not realizing any significance to this observation. Then, suddenly, he did. Leaping out of the water, Triastar ran off into the direction his father had been traveling. How long had he been asleep? Stopping, Triastar scanned the sky. He saw nothing. No small speck in the distance that he could possibly conceive as his father.

What was he going to do? He did not know where his father’s final destination was, and he had no way of knowing when and which way his father would turn. He had been traveling east. That was all Triastar knew. Perhaps he should turn back to the home he had known all his life. He had failed.

But no, he could not turn back. He could not fail the mission he had embarked on. He had to make his parents proud. If he were to turn back, then he would be considered nothing but a disobedient son and a coward. He had to continue on. It did not matter how. He had to continue, and continue he would. Moving his heavy legs he ran on, to the east, after his father.

—

A knock came on the door of Sir Gunther’s personal quarters. Rising from his sitting position on his bed, he walked slowly towards the door. Composing himself, he pulled the door open.

“Sir.” A man stood in the open doorway. “There’s somebody here representing the Council who would like to speak with you. He’s waiting in the courtyard.”

“I see.” Replied Sir Gunther. “Tell him I’ll be there in just a moment.”

“Yes Sir.”

The Council. He had not had any word from them for quite a while. He had occasionally wondered what they thought of his actions, but had ultimately decided that it was better that they were not constantly interfering with his affairs. But they could not keep quiet indefinitely, and here someone was. He had known they would come eventually.

Sir Gunther picked up the belt with sword that lay by his bedside and put it on. He then walked through the still open door of his quarters. Swiftly he walked through passages until he came to a large hall. Red banners hung loosely from the ceiling and gold designs covered the walls. People that filled the room saluted as he passed them by.

When he came to the courtyard he looked around. Near the left wall a man stood. He had armor that covered his arms and legs and a breastplate with the Council’s symbol upon his chest. His feet were placed in iron boots. He had a belt that contained both a long sword and a dagger strapped around his waist. He held a helmet in his hand, and all in all he looked not much different from one of the soldiers in Sir Gunther’s army.

“Good morning.”

The man quickly turned around. “Oh, hello there.” He said, “You must be Sir Gunther.”

“Yes,” replied Sir Gunther, “That I am. I heard you needed to see me on account of the Council.”

“That’s right.” There was a short pause before he spoke again. “My name is Jacob Tanish. I’ve been sent by the Council to give you a heads up on how they feel about the crusade.”

“I see,” muttered Sir Gunther softly.

“The Council has been impressed with the progress this crusade has made. From the outside, I must say, everything looks absolutely splendid. The dragons are continually being pushed further and further backwards and people everywhere are feeling their oppression ever less.”

“And the Council sent you all this way to tell me that?” Sir Gunther asked, rather surprised at the message was being delivered. “Surely there must be something more.”

“Well, there is something else.” Slowly began Tanish. “Though the Council is very impressed looking at the whole endeavor from the outside, they don’t feel like they have much knowledge of what goes on, on the inside. And they feel like, to properly conduct their actions, they need to have more knowledge. It makes sense, if you think about it.”

“It does.” Replied Sir Gunther, thinking. “What are they going to do to get the knowledge they want?”

“Well,” Started Sir Tanish. “It’s not that complicated really. For one, they have appointed me to, basically, stalk you. Also, they have appointed a large number of soldiers that are under their direct command to be included in your squadrons. They will continually report what goes on out there directly to the Council. This and a few more minor details will be implemented immediately. You don’t mind, of course?”

“No, I don’t mind.” Sir Gunther lied. He did mind. This whole business made him very uneasy. First this, but what would come next? Sir Gunther did not like to think about it.

His eyes slowly moving over the area found Kiash standing not far away also gazing out at the surrounding scenery. Perhaps his father was thinking the same thoughts that he himself was thinking, not wanting to leave. But even if he was, it would not matter. Triastar’s father would travel and fight the men. That was the character of a great warrior, and unless he was a coward, Triastar would do so as well.

Kiash turned his head in Triastar’s direction and started walking towards him. Arriving by his side he remained quiet for a moment as they both stood there. Finally, still looking far away into the distance, he spoke. “Triastar,” he said. “Your whole life has been easy. You’ve lived in peace ever since you hatched. You have never known what it’s like to be at war. Now, the dragons are entering a time of hardship which could last possibly for years. Don’t let your dreams get the better of you Triastar. Wait. Your time will come.” And with those words spoken, he leapt into the air and flew away, to the east.

Triastar sat musing over what his disappearing father had said. Perhaps his father was right. Maybe he should not follow him. Was he still too young? Should he wait? But, no. He could not wait. Yes, his whole life had been easy for him, and yes, the dragon race was entering a time of hardship, but that was all the more reason that he should follow his father. What if he could not wait? What if it would be too late if he waited? He had to go.

Coming from out of the cave his sister Decorecta soon stood beside him also. Putting a claw on his back she spoke. “He’s not trying to be mean, you know.” Her voice was soft and reassuring. “He’s just trying to protect you. He is already very proud of you, Triastar. He loves you.

“Yeah, I know,” Triastar responded. “I’m going to go down to the stream to wander around and practice my flying skills. I’ll be back before nightfall.” And then he left.

—

In a dream, Ormarr stood in the center of a clearing. There was a clear blue sky above him, and all around him were blooming flowers of many colors. Sunlight beamed down upon the whole world. It was beautiful. Birds flew overhead. Everything was free, peaceful.

Looking into the distance Ormarr saw a cloud, but he paid no heed. Before he was aware of it the cloud had multiplied and had moved to cover half the sky. A dark feeling came over Ormarr. Raising himself up from the then shaded ground he ran, trying to get passed the front of clouds and back into the sunlight. He could not catch up. He was desperately trying, but he could not.

“Ormarr!” A sudden shout raised him out of his sleep. Opening his eyes he saw a figure looming over his body. In its hands it held a large sword which was raised high above its head. Ormarr made a quick connection. He quickly rolled his body over as the blow of the sword came down causing it to fall and bounce off of his scales. Then, with a hard hit from Ormarr’s tale, the man crumpled to the ground, dead.

Rising up and looking around him Ormarr assessed the situation. A squadron of men, twenty of them, surrounded himself and Dygaar. The men must have come upon them in the night and decided to attack them while they were still sleeping. If he had not been woken up by Dygaar he would surely have been killed.

The men rushed towards them. A blast of fire from Ormarr’s mouth ended the lives of three men as  Dygaar’s mighty tail swung mercilessly killing two more. Picking up another man in his mouth, Dygaar crushed him and then dropped him to the ground. Another one was dead.

Suddenly on the offensive, Ormarr charged forward into the ranks of the men. It was a dangerous move, but turned out to also be a successful one. The men scattered in chaos and fled in multiple directions. Ormarr picked one of them out, and chasing it down trampled it under his feet. Turning, he saw two more parish in flames that Dygaar had produced.

The men were separated, and one by one they were picked off by Ormarr and Dygaar until there was only one left. Looking around they saw him, running away in the thicket about one hundred yards away. They chased him. The man was frantic. He desperately ran pushing aside branches with his arms.

Ormarr and Dygaar ran after him. With their longer legs and longer strides the distance between them decreased rapidly. The man then turned around to face them. He drew his sword and shouted loudly words that Ormarr did not understand. He then, with his sword raised high, charged at them, making the distance close even faster. Watching the man come towards him, continually shouting, for a moment gave Ormarr a tinge of fear, but it did not last.

As the distance between Ormarr and the man came to a close, Ormarr changed his direction slightly so he was on course to trample the man under his pounding feet. But when the point came which Ormarr had planned to dispose of his remaining enemy, the man jumped, scaling Ormarr’s head and landing on his back. Sliding along the ground, Ormarr came to a screeching halt as the man made an attempt to stab Ormarr through his scales, but there was no harm done.

Ormarr suddenly rolled over on the ground causing the man to leap off of Ormarr’s back and onto the ground where Dygaar stood hovering over him. Trying to crush the man, Dygaar pounded the ground with his feet. Each time Dygaar smashed his foot into the ground aiming for the man, the man would roll over dodging the blow. And soon there was a great number of large imprints in the dirt.

The man, after rolling under the body of Dygaar, managed to raise his sword up in a strike. Dygaar cried out in pain, and with his clawed leg kicked the man out from underneath him.

Seeing Dygaar rolling on the ground made Ormarr mad. The man on the ground scrambled up as Ormarr came rushing towards him. A burst of fire was singed the man’s leg as he dived out of the way. No cry of pain was heard. He rose up once more, and there the two circled each other for a few minutes, neither one making any move to attack.

Then the man called out something, incomprehensible to Ormarr, to someone behind him. After a moments silence he called it out again. Though he didn’t want to turn his back to the man before him, Ormarr knew it would be wise to see who was behind him. Circling so that the person being called out to was on his side, he looked. What he saw was a man upon a horse. The horse was black, but it had three white stripes that ran from it’s nose upward which glistened in the moonlight.

The man called out to the rider again. The rider and the horse stood there for a moment. Then the rider turned his horse away, and he rode away into the other direction. Turning back to his enemy, Ormarr charged once more, this time dealing a fatal blow to the head of the man with his two front legs. He had defeated his enemy.

Soon he turned to tend to his wounded friend. Looking over the place that had been struck by the sword, Ormarr soon realized that it was not fatal and would heal in a few weeks. They would have to rest for a while, but they could manage that.

—

Decorecta stood staring out over the surrounding area, looking. Where was he? He had said he would be back before nightfall, it was night, and he was not yet back. Beside her sat her mother, Lyiaa. She also stood, waiting. Why was he worrying them so? He should not have done this to them. Even though Decorecta refused to let herself believe it, she feared she knew where Triastar was and what he was doing.

But why would he even want to go to war? War got dragons killed. Why did Triastar want to take part in that? She did not know. It was something about men that she did not understand.

Yes, she was pretty sure she knew where he was. But she would wait until morning to do anything about it. Then she would go after him.

In vain, your wealth.

Your life on Earth no more accepted,

So ready yourself.

“It was during the winter of eight years ago as I was staring out the entrance of my cave at thickly falling snow.” Tilkash had said, his eyes gazing into the past. “I saw him through the snow walking along the ground. No one could have flown in that wind. He would not have stopped, but seeing that he was a dragon with the prime of his life far behind him I called out for him to take shelter inside of my cave. He did.

It took him a while to settle down. After he did I asked him his name and where he was from. The name he told me. To the other question he said that he could ‘never in short give an answer’ for he had traveled much in his time, but he was most recently from an area in the northeast. He then started to tell stories. Stories of himself and of how he had won many great battles with the men. Ah, some of the tales fascinated me. I was thoroughly engrossed when he decided it was time to cease. For some reason I believed everything he told me. I still don’t know why.

When morning came he decided to leave. I asked him where his final destination was. He gave a vague gesture pointing south and slightly east. Then he left. That’s all I know of him.”

Southeast. That was where Sciacio he was. It was still a very large area to search, but at least they had gotten closer.

So they flew through the air and towards the southeast. Up in the air. That was where Ryuu loved to be the most. That was why he fought the men. He did not do it for the glory, that was just an added bonus. The reason he fought in battle, risking his life and everything he had, was to keep it so that all dragon kind could fly in the freedom he was feeling. But all that was at risk.

Night was drawing near. Ryuu and Adalinda started their decent and landed on the ground to rest. Since he had not fed for a quite a while, Ryuu left his mate to hunt. Flying high above the earth, Ryuu scanned the ground. All the radiating heat could be seen by his probing eyes. Many small animals ran around on the ground, but they were too small. Down below he saw some unwary animal drinking from the flowing waters of a bubbling stream. With a sudden dive he caught the animal between his claws and crushed its fragile body. It was a young buck, fair sized, and in one bite it was gone.

Glancing around the surrounding area he saw none of the animals that had been there before. It was like they had all vanished. If he had not seen them earlier he would not have known they were ever there, and after killing his prey he would have thought that he had killed every animal in the surrounding area. But he knew he had not. Leaping up again he went to join his mate for the night. He would need to be rest to digest his food and to continue his journey.

—

On the cold floor of the cave, in the dark silence of the night, Triastar lay wide awake. His mind dashed between devious thoughts. He did not care what his father thought. His father did not understand. How would he ever learn to be a great warrior if he never got the chance? He had to go, even if his father would not let him. He would just follow  behind his father for a while until they were far enough away from the cave that he would not be sent back. His father would be angry for a while, but after a that Triastar would make him proud.

He still had three days, but his mind planned out the events thoroughly. After his father left, Triastar would wait. Then he would claim that he was going out to wander around and practice his flying, which would not exactly be a lie. He would then chase after his father. It would work. Triastar was sure.

Glancing beside him, Triastar saw his sister Decorecta sleeping soundly, the graceful curve of her body changing slightly with every breath. She would be worried about him. Perhaps his father was right. Maybe he needed to stay home. But no, his sister and mother could do just fine without him. After a while a message would be sent back to them saying that he was fine. He was going to go. Triastar turned over and stared out of the cave, waiting for the morning light to shine through.

—

Swords clashed in the courtyard. Sir Brawn blocked with ease the blows that his pupil, William, dealt, while the ones he gave caused his opponent great difficulty. Despite his furious efforts William was chased backwards until he was pinned against the stone wall of the courtyard. His attempts to strike Sir Brawn were in vain. At last, with a single thrust of Sir Brown’s blunt sword that hit his breastplate, the fight was over.

Sir Gunther watched with interest the proceedings of the fight. The lad was a quick learner. In only three months he had become a skilled swordsman. After the boys story had been told, Sir Gunther had agreed to let him stay and train at the castle. He had done it mostly because he wanted to be done with and have no more responsibility over the boy. He had been pleasantly surprised when he saw how quick and determined a learner he was.

Walking into the courtyard Sir Gunther approached William and Sir Brawn. He still found it hard to believe how much the lad’s appearance had changed over the months he had been there. “It was fine fight. You are doing well, William”

William stared at Sir Gunther. He opened slightly his tightly pressed lips and whispered between his teeth, “I lost.”

The two warriors watched as he stormed away. “I must ask, Sir Brawn, is he always like that?”

“It’s his determination.” Replied Sir Brawn. “He wants to be the best. Can’t stand being anything less than that.”

“He’s good enough, you know, that we could put him a squadron now.” Spoke Sir Gunther again.

“I don’t think he’d like that. He knows he’s good enough, but he wouldn’t like it. He’ll be a great soldier. He’s got that potential. But, I agree, we can’t have him looking down on himself all the time.”

“Maybe there’s something we could do to boost his confidence. Say, send him on an important mission. Do you think that would work?”

“That might, Sir.”

“There is squadron that I sent into the territory of the dragons. I have not heard from them for quite a long time now. Send William on, say, a fine horse, to find them and bid them to come back. Give him all the directions and supplies he needs.”

“Yes Sir.” Sir Brawn walked away in the direction that William had disappeared to.

Early the next day Sir Gunther was up to see William off. The stallion he mounted was one of the finest horses in the stable. It was large and strong. Its black body rippled with the fine muscles it had within. Upon its forehead there were three white stripes that glistened in the morning light. The rider that sat upon its saddle was clothed in shining armor and upon his breastplate was the symbol of the Council. The sword at his side was put neatly in his sheath. A shield which also contained the symbol of the Council hung on his back.

His directions had been clearly laid out. He was to go, find the men, and return with them. If he could not find them after two weeks, he was to come back alone. After a few words were spoken between the two, Sir Gunther stepped back and watched as William rode through the open gate. As William disappeared into the distance Sir Gunther returned inside the castle. He had many things to do.

One that’s felt inside.

Love is not a dainty trinket,

To be idly tossed aside.

Love is something so much more,

Then any worldly thing.

Love is something larger than,

Held in a wedding ring.

Love is not just happiness,

And love contains no lie.

Love is not just anything,

That can merely be described.

It’s more than anyone can hold,

More than treasure in a cave.

The love I know is so much more,

The love that I know saves.

The days were getting longer now and the temperature hotter. Ryuu had  been looking for his old friend for quite some time, but he had come up with nothing. It seemed that Sciacio had just disappeared. Could he have died? The thought had crossed Ryuu’s mind, but had been pushed back out many times. He had to keep looking.

Flying through the air, he scanned the rocky terrain for signs of life. The trees that covered the ground lower down were not as thick nearer to the snow covered tips of the mountain tops. A goat in the distance leapt nimbly between the boulders as Ryuu flew past. They were now going west. It would make sense that Sciacio would go that way, away from the men.

For a long time they flew, rising higher scanning the tops of the mountains and then dropping lower to fly through the valleys between the mountains, until the sky was starting to darken and the moon was starting to show in the heavens. When the stars could be seen in the blackness above them Ryuu and Adalinda lay down to sleep.

Rising early the next morning they again took up flight. Through the air and through between the mountains they flew again, hour after hour until in the distance Ryuu saw heat radiating in such amounts that it had to be coming from the body of a dragon. Gliding down through the air he landed amidst the trees and began towards the dragon he saw ahead of him.

The beast was lying upon the ground and upon closer inspection it was seen that it was still sleeping. Ryuu knew how unwise in would be to wake a grown dragon out of its sleep and also knowing that if the dragon were to awake with him and Adalinda hovering over it, the friendliness would not be in abundance. So he and Adalinda, who were still a distance away, leapt back up into the air and flew a distance off to wait until he awoke.

It was odd that a dragon would be asleep, for the sun was almost high in the sky, but not knowing the circumstances Ryuu and Adalinda patiently waited until he could be seen moving about. And even then they waited for a while. When they did approach him he was standing near to an entrance of a cave which looked from the outside to be a small cave.

“Hello there.” Spoke the dragon while Ryuu and Adalinda were still a reasonable distance away. He was middle aged and his skin had not yet turned rough. The horns on his head were still long and his scales glistened in the sunlight. His voice was deep as he spoke, “Who are you?”

Coming nearer, Ryuu spoke in answer. “We’re travelers. And we have come to you to inquire about a great dragon and his whereabouts.”

Ryuu, under the eye of the other dragon, came to a stop a distance away from the entrance of the cave. Ryuu knew that it would be considered an act of aggression if he were move too close to the cave, or especially if he were venture to go inside of the cave, unless he was invited. For the stature of a dragon was determined by the amount of wealth the dragon had, and to have ones treasure taken away was a great disgrace. And the treasure of a dragon was protected very carefully.

“What dragon,” Asked the dragon, “Are you looking for?”

Ryuu answered an answer he had answered many times before to countless other dragons, “We are looking for a dragon called Sciacio. He was a great warrior against the men many years in the past and inflicted upon them great damage. About nine years ago he was going in this direction to settle down on the treasure he had stored up during his years. We have need of his wisdom now.”

At first there was silence, but then after a long pause where nothing stirred but the wind in the trees the other dragon spoke. “Yes, I have heard of him. Settle yourself down and I will tell you what I know.”

—

Arrows whistled past Ormarr as he dove straight towards their origin. It was a dangerous move. The closer he got to his destination the easier it would be to hit him in the areas of his body unprotected by his scales. And arrow whistled towards him, he spun in the air deflecting the arrow off his back. Another arrow flew towards him. A beat of his wings changed his direction as he fell and the arrow went by, inches from his body. Nearing the ground in his fall he swerved upward missing it by a couple of feet. A blast of flame burst from his mouth scouring the ground. He had missed his original targets.

But Dygaar had not. Following Ormarr he came blasting fire in the area and scorching many of his enemy. He then lifted up two of the men in his claws and, as he and Ormarr flew away from the enemy, he dropped them from his high height letting them fall to the ground, dead.

It had been a successful hit and run. The men were in chaos as the two dragons flew away. That was how it had been for a while now. Ormarr and Dygaar would search out an enemy company and attack it, but before the men restored order from the initial surprise, they would fly away.

They had not really been destructive to the men, and they were not really causing enough damage to really hinder the men’s advance. But, at least they were not running. They were doing something, and that was more than anything anyone else was doing.

“We have to leave the area.” Dygaar said after they had gone a distance away from their last encounter with the men.

“Why?” Ormarr asked, a little surprised.

“The damage that we are inflicting on the men will not go unnoticed. The men will send out many men to track us down. It would be foolish to stay in the near vicinity.”

Dygaar was right, Ormarr knew. So he consented. “Okay, we move south.”

—

Triastar cooled himself in the waters of the lake. His body sat still, but his mind wandering. Ever since Diaterr had come and spoken with his father, his father had not been the same. His father seemed worried. His mind seemed to be on something far away, and as much as Triastar tried, he could not get his father to tell him what it was.

Diving under the water and opening his eyes to the world beneath the surface, Triastar saw all the nearby fish frantically darting away from his plunging body. As he slowly moved forward, holding his breath, the fish continued to swim further from where they had started, and those not originally affected soon were, like the rest, afraid for their safety and hurrying to find a place where it might be protected. Soon one of the fish further in the distance paused, and then made a dash past Triasar’s large shape and to the other side, but it soon ran further into the distance in the other direction. The fish, as Triastar progressed, started slowly disappearing from sight as they moved further and further away, until at last, he could see none left.

A shout muffled by the water caused him to rise to the surface. Listening for a second he heard it again. His father was calling him. Swimming swiftly to the bank he came out of the water and started in the direction of his father.

Jumping into the air he madly beat his wings, straining to gain height. Remaining for only a couple of seconds he fell back to the ground. He was nowhere near as good as he longed to be, and he would never be a mighty warrior like his father unless could improve greatly. He was getting better, but despite his constant efforts, running along the ground still remained a faster means of travel. He continued though, to fly as much as possible until his wings grew so tired that he was forced to use his legs.

His short trip ended as he crawled to the entrance of the cave. Kiash looking out over the surrounding scenery turned, his brow furrowed and his eyes looking down to meet the quizzical gaze of Triastar.

“My son,” He began after a long pause, “You know of the men?”

“Yes father.” Triastar replied, a little confused.

“And you remember a few months ago when Diaterr came to this cave?” Kiash asked.

Triastars interest sparked suddenly as he answered, “Yes father.”

“Well,” Kiash spoke slowly. His eyes remained firmly fixed on his son’s, “I’ve been told that the men have made a significant move against out kind and are coming in great numbers attacking and killing as they go. Our kind is in sore need of aid, my son. I must go and provide that aid which is so desperately needed.”

Triastar’s eyes lit up in delight. Surely his father would defeat the men. He would bring back home great treasure and glory. Triastar longed for the day in which he would be a great warrior like his father. Then he would go and wage war against the men. He wished he would be there to see his father crushing the men under his feet in triumph and freeing the dragons from their oppression.

“Father?” He asked without thinking, “Couldn’t I come with you and aid you with your in battle?”

“No!” Kiash said firmly, “You are not yet old enough to fight the men. You would be killed instantly if ever you were seen by any man wielding a sword.”

“But, father!” Triastar started to protest, but he never finished.

“It’s out of the question.” Stated Kiash. His stern face softened a little as he continued, “Triastar, this isn’t a light matter. Dragons die in battle. I could die. I need you to stay behind and take care of your mother, sister, and my treasure. If anything were to happen to me then you would inherit everything that I left behind. I’m sorry. You can’t come.” He turned away and walked into the cave. After a moments silence he called behind him, “I leave in three days.”

Turning back around, Edgar saw the rest of his party standing in the entrance. He stood there looking at them, and they looked back at him. Nothing was spoken.  For a while they just stood, bewildered. The rising garage was the only thing left. It looked strange in its empty surroundings. It was alone.

Finally Edgar trudged back. “There’s nothing but sand.” He said when he came by his father’s side. “This garage is the only thing left. There’s just sand out there.”

“I know.” His father replied. “I know, son.”

“I told you it was bad.” Scott spoke to the rest of the group. “Now maybe you can understand why I was so glad when I found out that you were here.” He paused for a moment, and then spoke again. “When I saw I would never make it to the nuclear bomb shelter in time, I started heading for this here garage. I had just drove through the gate when there was a sudden flash of light behind me, but there was no sound. When I turned around, this is what I saw.” He finished pointing at what they all could see.

“And it was no longer dark?” Asked Edgar’s dad.

“It was just like you see it now.” Scott replied. Then they stood there for a while more; staring out upon what just hours before had been a road with cars driving upon it. There used to be grass and flowers and trees, but suddenly it had all changed. There was nothing.

“Why are we still here?” Again Edgar’s dad asked a question.

“It doesn’t really matter does it, Ron?” Edgar’s mother answered. “We’re safe here at least. We’ll just have to make do with what we’ve got.”

“Yeah. About that.” Spoke Scott in a worried tone. “I’m just curious of course, but how much food did you guys bring?”

—

Authors Note: Alright my readers, I have something to confess: This is all I have had planned for this story. I have no idea how it will be resolved or anything like that. So, if the conclusion to this whole story doesn’t seem to be very good… well, just don’t get mad or anything like that.

Ryuu did not know exactly where he was going, nor how long it would take to get there. He was looking for the dragon Sciacio who he had last seen about nine years before. At the time he had been traveling to the south to, as he said, “quietly lie upon a heap of treasure” for the rest of his days. That would probably be what he was doing.

He and Sciacio had known each other since they were young dragons, and in the prime of their lives they were close friends. But as they had grown older their communications became less and less frequent. It was a chance encounter that they met. Just two dragons that were flying in the same direction. They journeyed together for a time before parting  ways. Then later in life they met up again this time both had mates of their own. Together they battled the men, attacking villages, eating and killing their livestock, and burning their homes and fields. It was in one of those attacks that he had lost his right forearm to a brave soldier. Then they parted ways once more both continuing to fight for the end of the oppression of the dragon race. They kept in touch of course, up until nine years ago which was the last Ryuu had heard from Sciacio. What better way to reunite than to once more fight side by side against the men? To relive the days of glory. Ah, that would be wonderful. Surely he was not too old to fight.

Ahead in the distance Ryuu saw mountains. That would be a likely place for an old dragon to spend the rest of his days. It was a very large space to search, and mountains were the most dragon inhabited part of the world. He was not sure how he and Adalinda would find Sciacio, but he knew they had to.

—

Sir Gunther stood looking over a want-to-be recruit named William recently brought to him by one of his registrar who had said, “I told ‘im he needed to wait a few, but ‘e was insistent on seeing ya.” And then upon request had left the room.

It was a lad in the early years of manhood, no older than twenty. The attire he wore was: a worn down leather shirt and grey pants with patches and tears that looked to be caused by the blades of a knives. The sandals upon his feet were thin and the straps frail. His crudely cut red scraggily hair fell over his dark eyes. A large scar streaked down his cheek. His muscles that could hardly be seen clearly could not properly wield a sword. And though Sir Gunther was not the type to turn down recruits, he did not like throwing men out into the battlefield just to die. “Lad,” He said after a his close examination, “I think that you should go back to your home and your parents and wait a while before you come back.” Then he added after a second, “Don’t worry, this crusade won’t end in a day.”

There was a silence for what seemed like forever before the boy finally spoke in a grim voice. “I have no parents.”

Sir Gunther wasn’t surprised. It was not unusual for a child to lose a parent, or both for that matter. “What about an uncle, a family? Surely you must realize for me to throw you out in your present condition would surely get you killed and cause grief to come upon them all.”

William’s face turned dark as he softly said, “I have no family. They were killed just like my parents.”

This struck Sir Gunther with curiosity, and for no other reason than that he asked, “How? Go on, tell me your story.”

Opening his mouth William began. “I lived on a farm in the village of Gresh. We weren’t rich, didn’t have a lot of wealth, but we worked hard and earned what we did. That was up until a day seven years ago. I was twelve at the time and was out working in the fields when I saw it coming. I had never seen one before and I was afraid, but I ran to warn the village. I was too late and the dragon was quicker than me. When I got there the dragon had already gotten there and was bringing upon everyone destruction. I couldn’t find my parents and when I arrived at my house I found it burning with flames. At last, when I thought that I was the only one left I ran, but the dragon cut me off from escape. I would have surely died had not the village baker come beside me at that very moment, a sword in his hand. He yelled at me to run and then attacked the dragon. As I was running I heard the scream as he died, but I couldn’t stop. He died to allow me to get away and I vowed that day that for him, and my family, and the rest of the village that I would find and kill that dragon.” By the time the lad had ended his story his voice had gotten very quiet and the anger burning within him was shone clearly on his face.

Sir Gunther who had been listening very closely to for the duration of the tale, wished not stop the lad from fulfilling his vow, but he failed to see how it could be done. “There is no way you could kill any dragon in your present state. And besides, how would you know if you had found the dragon you were looking for?” He asked. His thoughts filled with doubt.

“Oh, I’ll know,” William replied, “When I was cut off I wasn’t blinded. The dragon who destroyed my village is missing it’s right forearm.”

—

It had been a day since the scuffle and Ormarr and Dygaar sat staring into the dirt, resting. No longer did Ormarr have so much fear of the men he had been fleeing from, for two together would surely be stronger than one. Glancing over at his newly acquired companion he recalled the story he had been told the day previous.

Dygaar had been in a similar situation that Ormarr himself had been in. When he had first encountered the group of men he, unlike Ormarr, had not attempted to fight. Instead, he flew away. They had been chasing him since and though they had gotten near a few times before, he had only really been in trouble the time when Ormarr came to his aid.

Ormarr looked at the hills in the distance, he was done running. He was no longer going to continue as he had been. With a companion he felt more secure. Enough so that he wanted to, instead of doing what the rest of the dragon race was doing, fight his enemy. The battle he had won with Dygaar gave him courage. He had seen the men run from him. They had been afraid.

Through their conversation Ormarr had learned that Dygaar felt the same way. They had agreed together to strike back. Now instead of being tracked down by the men, the men would be tracked down by them. They knew that either one or both of them could die, and they knew that they could not stop the men, but they had to try. To inflict damage was better than cowering away in some corner of the world.

Looking over at Dygaar, Ormarr decided their time of rest had come to and end and they must begin. Rising up without a word spoken he leapt into the air, and was followed quickly by Dygaar.

—

From up upon the precipice staring into the cool blue water of the lake below, Triastar stood poised for a jump. His bent legs extended as he hurled himself into the air. Wind rushing around his face he fell downward until he collided in a curled shape with the water. Momentum pushing him downward he went under. Then he rose a great smile upon his face ready to do it again.

Above in the sky he saw a dragon unknown to him flying in the direction of his fathers abode. This, though not uncommon, struck Triastar with a curiosity to hear why he had come. Climbing out of the lake he ran across the ground occasionally making a leap in an attempt to fly. He could not wait until he could fly like the older dragons. Then he would no longer be considered as a child, and besides, he would be able to move from place to place more quickly.

Arriving at the mountain where his father’s heap was, Triastar began to climb. The rocks he stepped on hurt his feet and often slid down the rising slope causing him to lose his footing and after a few minutes of climbing when Triastar reached his father’s cave he  was covered in dust and was sticky with sweat. He longed for the water he had previously been playing in, but now that he was there, he set out to do what he had come to do.

The floor of the cave was scattered with miscellaneous wonders that the common man would readily kill to have. And in the center of the cave there was a great heap of treasure, and on the top of that with a frown on his face was Triastar’s father, Kiash,  listening intently to the to the dragon who Triastar had seen fly overhead.

Hurrying over to listen in Triastar was disappointed to find out that he was to late, for the other dragon turned away and walked towards the entrance of the cave. Looking back he said, “they say it’s urgent,” and then flew away.

“Who was that, father?” Triastar asked expectantly.

Kiash, who looked to be staring out into space, pulled his gaze over and looked at Triastar, “It was Diaterr,”

“Aaaaand?” Triastar asked, but Kiash would say no more. Instead he stared out again the entrance of the cave.

Staring into black.

Standing, suddenly bold,

I will not turn back.