Dragon Riders

*It's okay, Sylver. I'm just glad you caught up. Keep up the awesome work! *

~Ariadne~

As everyone landed in one of the meadows, Ari and Ian looked around.

"It's so...beautiful," commented Ari. She dismounted Gautier while Ian and Ray dismounted their dragons as well.

"Yes, it is." said Ray, smiling, walking towards Ari. She was still busy looking around. "That is one of the reasons why we don't let many outsiders in here. If they knew what this place really looked like, then so many people would want to make there homes in Kettia that it would be too much for us. All of our trees would be cut down and our fields and groves demolished to make room for more houses. All of the regular inhabitants would hate it and possibly revolt."

"I would, too, if outsiders were invading my home city. Hey, get your ass back here or I'm gonna have to beat you!" Ari yelled to Ian.

Ian had been walking away from the group towards the trees, just to have a look around. "Sure you could," he said sarcastically. Nonetheless he shrugged and walked back to where everyone was standing. Even though he wasn't too fond of her temper, he loved to see the dangerous spark in her ice-blue eyes.

It worked; he saw it for a moment, but it quickly vanished. "Hell yeah I could, and I'd show you now, but you'd be too easy to beat, considering you're wounded."

**Sorry for my absence. Spent all of yesterday on the beach, didn't get home until AFTER midnight. Ugh...**

Ianeil

I chuckled at her threat. This girl was amusing, that was certain. She was so cocky, so aggressive, and yet so gentle at the same time. I stepped up next to her. "Let's not forget yesterday's battle, Ari. I don't need physical strength to win."

I saw the anger rise up again, and I could only snicker. This was fun! Teasing her was actually fun; unlike anyone else I could try to joke with, she was the only one who responded in a cute manner.

"Ray, when and where will this meeting be held?" I asked our friend and guide, leaving Ari hopelessly fuming about my behavior towards her.

It's only natural. I'm older, you're a girl, and you're attractive. It's only natural.

Azrayel-

"I will not laugh. I will not laugh." It was funny the way Ian provoked Ari constantly. Shaking his head Ray answered Ian''s question. "The palace and the hall of the council are in the eastern quarter. Actually you were heading in the right direction before Ari called you back." He nodded towards the forest. "That wood opens up into the plaza between the two buildings. It's a ten minute walk from the eastern lake"

Ian laughed and headed back toward the woods. Grumbling, Ari followed. Ray heard her muttering under her breath, something about idiot men who wouldn't have the sense to come in out of the rain.

Ray let the others get into the woods before he gave in and laughed, then he followed after them. Taiou and Yoru changed back into their wolf forms running after him into the forest.

*agh! I'm stuck.*

Al'thorn

I watched the two strangers with Azrayel closely. They were both youthful, one male and one female. The female was similar to the sketches I occassionally got with reports on the armies. Slender, curved, long whitish hair, sky blue eyes, and the blue attire that only showed her figure more.

But the boy...I had difficulty placing him. Red hair, amber eyes, black leather with gold accents and seaming. Did he have a tunic on? No...that was a bandage extending from beneath the right shoulder of his vest, another small bandage around his left wrist. He was also very familiar, very similar to me. Only more attractive.

I headed along the walk, strolling through the palace's covered walkways overlooking the forest and lake, until I reached my post at the gate.

Hey! to anyone that is posting on this storybook:
C.J. will not be on for a VERY long time. She says that you can continue with it or wait she doesn't care.
Just thought that I would let you know Have fun with your storybook you creative people

Name: Nerad

Age: Looks 27

Gender: Male

Creature: Elf

Rank(if Dragon Rider): Captain

Hair: White

Eyes: Pale blue.

Any other noticable features (scars, cut off fingers, mowhawk, etc.): Nothing.

Power: Intangibility

Side: Dark Knights

Background: He was recruited by Hanik himself, after being freed from a Damali dungeon. Prior to that, he had been a murderer in the capital, which Hanik used to further corrupt him to the point where he was a Dark Knight to the bone, supporting the coup fully. He had known Ciru since his recruitment, but had always disliked him a little, though not as much as he did most people. The only two he gets along well with are Hanik and Lieutenant Kaniy.

Dragon: Orcamo

**Welcome back. You didn't miss much, but C.J. had to disappear for a while...As of now and until her return, I control both hers and my characters. Feel free to jump in any time.**

Ianeil

The forest was just like my home...tall trunks, wide canopies, low underbrush, and no tangles anywhere. The sun was split into a million rays that showered upon the ground, making it even more beautiful.

I love it here! Shyen trilled, gliding around playfully.

So do I.

Then it was over too soon. The forest gave way to a marble courtyard, and Azrayel gestured along a path. I moved to follow alongside Ari, but something happened. I had to close my eyes as a sudden wave of dizziness and pain swept through me and made me take hold of the railing.

"Ian?" Ari had moved and supported me. Azrayel ran to us.

I breathed deeply as the feeling subsided. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" they both asked.

"Yeah..." I opened my eyes and nodded carefully. "It's nothing." But I knew otherwise. I should not have moved yet...Ari's right. I'm TOO wounded.

Nerad

The captain's eyes swept past Ciru, focusing in on something behind him. Kaniy looked up as well as the three Dark Knights looked on the descending dragons. Nerad turned his sickly smile on Ciru once more, "Well, lieutenant? What do you make of that? Our former general in the company of that Saviour woman and the king of the desert?"

The scarred man looked over at him, "You're sure that's the king?"

Kaniy shrugged, "Who else would it be, sir?"

Ciru nodded, "I see your point. Well, there's really only one thing that can be made of that, Nerad, and that's that the Saviours have taken in Ianeil and made an alliance with the desert."

Nerad's eyes narrowed a little, He is far too free with the general's name. Almost as if they'd been good friends before. Hanik was right not to trust him. His grin then broadened a touch, "Well then, Ciru. Perhaps we'll be able to gain entrance to the city now. We'll simply have to convince the king that he has made a terrible mistake, and then we'll arrest the generals."

Ciru half-turned back to him, "And if they refuse?"

"Why, we'll kill everyone in the city then, of course!" the captain said with almost childish glee, "Your power can cancel the general's, although it wouldn't make a difference to us if he used it, and Kaniy and I can take the rest of them!"

Ciru

"Fine then," he said, turning away from the two other Dark Knights, leaving them to their twisted plotting against the three riders who were arguably more powerful than any other.

He walked back to the guards, "I see your king has returned. Would you take my message to him now?"

The man fidgeted a little on the spot. Clearly he doesn't want to let me past. Finally, the other guard turned to them, sneering, "If you'd paid any attention to those three dragons, you'd know that the king has important company right now. We can't let you through."

Ciru closed his eyes for a long moment, then spoke again, his voice soft and low, "You two are sorely tempting me to kill you right now, but that wouldn't make me much of a diplomat, would it? One of you will take my greeting to the king, and request an audience with him, and maybe I'll reconsider informing him of your ill-treatment of me. Perhaps," he continued with a gesture to Nerad, "I'll even consider stopping the captain here from turning you inside out."

The two men froze with fear, then one of them called out to a third soldier in the gatehouse, "Tell King Azrayel that there is a delegation here to see him immediately!"

Azrayel? Otraol's voice echoed in his head, Wasn't that the name of the boy we were trying to recruit?

Ciru frowned a little, nodding, That it was. It seems that we know everyone who's in power these days.

*One issue although Ray's station is equivilent to that of a King's his title is High Prince. And each clan chief has the title of Prince.

Azrayel-

When they came out of the woods the guards lining the path to the council hall saluted. A fountain stood in the center of the courtyard the three statues in it likenesses of the Desert's gods. Searlas the Sun God, and his sisters Lonata the Moon Goddess, and Khearisys the Star Goddess.

Ray shook his head wryly, at the guards. "It still feels unreal that I'm the High Prince. I never really wanted to be even before I was banished."

Yoru and Taiou leaned against his leg. "It's good that you didn't want to rule. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. The greatest rulers have always been those who never wanted power for themselves."

Nodding Ray led Ari and Ian towards the gates to the hall. The captain met them at the door saluting them before introducing himself. "Your grace, Sir Rajal is waiting inside the hall with the clan chiefs. I'm Guard Captain Al'thorn in charge of..."

The captain cut off when he caught sight of Ian. "Ian is that really you?"

"Dad?"

**I'm switching to third person, at least until C.J. returns. Also, sylver, Al'thorn is a Lieutenant Colonel, not a Captain. **

Ianeil gaped at the man, eyes wide in shock as realization hit. It was his father; the man had survived after all!

Ian hesitantly stepped forward as Thorn offered a hand to his son. "Good to see you, my boy."

"Dad..." was all Ian could say. He was at a loss of words. He felt Shyen in his mind. Ian, are you okay? What's wrong? You're thoughts are confusing, alarming!

It's my father...He's alive. He's here, in front of me!

"What? You have nothing to say?" Thorn teased, clapping Ian somewhat roughly on the left arm. Even though it wasn't the injured one, the jolt still hurt. Ian winced, putting his left hand against his shoulder when it throbbed. "Oh, forgive me. I forgot you were injured. Hanik...did this?"

Ari nudged Ray with her elbow, nodding to the meeting room. "We should let them catch up."

Ray nodded as he left Ian with Thorn.

***Where is everyone? I know why C.J. is absent. Post, people!***

While Ianeil and Althorn waited outside, talking, Ariadne followed Azrayel into the council hall. Elders were seated around the whole room, and there were places left open for them.

**Just trying to get it started up again.**

*I got my laptop back! *

Azrayel-

The council hall was a circular chamber, the domed cieling was made of rainbow crystal, so that the white marble seemed to shine like a rainbow. The elders were seated behind the clan chiefs, men who had proven themselves time and again on the field of battle. In clan feuds, or border raids, or even against al'aran and the other beasts that roamed the desert.

Twelve of the thirteen clans were already there, and each chief had brought their tribal heads with them, as well as a shaman and elder each. Taken all together their were over a hundred men and women in the hall. The under currents between the clans were tense as well, not just because it was a war council, the clans were at each others throats as often as not, the alliances between the clans often shifting.

The chiefs of the Storm Callers and the Sand Runners, were glaring daggers at one another. Viaran the Sand Runners chief, wasn't much older then Ian. His white hair and pale blue-grey eyes, watched Tadan with open distrust. The Storm Callers chief had to be fifty if he was a day, and he was head and shoulders taller then anyone else in the room. The Sand Runners and Storm Callers had been feuding on and off for the past two centuries. Getting those two to agree to anything would be like chewing glass.

It was a damn good thing that custom demanded only the Royal Guard could enter the Hall armed during a council of war. Shaking his head Ray took his place at the head of the table, as Damali's representitive Ari sat beside him. Taiou and Yoru flanked him, one sitting on either side of the chair. The council wouldn't start until the last clan, the Canyon Wilders came in half an hour.

Ari glanced around the room before leaning toward Ray, she spoke in a low voice so that they couldn't be overheard. "Tell me the truth Ray, not much is known about your people. What are the odds they'll aid Damali without a direct order from you?"

Ray leaned back in the chair and crossed his ankles. "To be honest. Not very good, the customs of the Desert are intricate, but if you want it boiled down it would be. Family before Tribe. Tribe before Clan. Clan before ousiders. But always Desert before foriegners. But that would be in normal circumstances, Hanik is a genocidal psychopath, the Desert is in just as much danger as Damali, if not more so, his armies have to go through us to get anywhere. That will spur them on more then anyone else."

**I don't know how to bring either of my characters in at this point **

**Ummm...hang on. I'll get them in.**

Thorn was distracted at movement at the end of the hall. When he stared, confusion written on his face, Ian turned only to swear. Ciru, Nerad, and Kaniy were being escorted to the council room by two guards. Ian whispered to his father, "Watch them closely. Especially the white-haired elf."

"You know them?"

"Dark Knights. Ciru was my second-in-command."

"Shit. What are they doing here?"

"Do not ask me."

Even as they finished the warnings, the Dark Knights came up next to them and stopped. Oh, great... was all Ian could think.

Ciru

He caught Ian's eye as the three of them made their way across the room, slowing enough that he could mouth the words 'help me' to the former general. Then he saw the man sitting next to Ian, he looked much like Ian's father had, before he'd gone missing. Except for the scars, although Ciru knew how to look past the scarring, to see who they'd been before. Seeing his own reflection after the accident had taught him that the hard way.

He looked to Nerad - anyone other than the three Dark Knights would assume that the captain was the ranking officer, so sure of himself he seemed to be. Nerad managed to make it look like he was meant to be there.

Nerad

Nerad's eyes swept the room as soon as they entered it, sizing up each and every person there to see how much of a threat they'd pose to the Knights. He couldn't see the desert tribes giving them much of a fight, just by their body language he could tell that they were less than unified. General Ariadne, Ianeil, and the man sitting next to Ianeil, on the other hand, looked like they could be dangerous.

And High Prince Azrayel? The voice of Orcamo echoed through his mind.

Nerad sneered, The 'High Prince' is just a boy. Whether or not he commands the desert, he doesn't need to be taken seriously.

Just remember not to voice that opinion aloud.

The captain cleared his throat a little and drew himself up to his full height, "High Prince Azrayel, my name is Captain Nerad, and my companions are Lieutenant Kaniy and Lieutenant Colonel Ciru, acting commander of the Dark Knights."

Ciru half-bowed to the prince, "We believed that it was necessary to contact you in the hopes of securing an alliance."

Nerad smiled, "It appears our...rivals have reached the same conclusion." He said, directing a mocking bow at Ariadne, "My greetings, general."