Young Writers Society

Ciru

We are to accompany the general, it appears the Saviours have left the rider alone. The rest of the soldiers are to return immediately.

He nodded, gesturing to the lieutenant. The platoon pulled away, many of them disappointed to miss a chance at the Saviours. Months of isolation and observation had left them itching for a fight.

Otraol and Shyen dropped towards the streets, people moving out of the way so they could land, assuming them to be Saviours. Ciru scanned the crowd before noticing a young man with two wolves. He looked to the general, who nodded slightly. Ciru slid off Otraol's back and began making his way through the crowd towards the boy, "Sir! We would speak with you."

Haven


Oh shit!

Dark Riders have found him! Haven remembered the conversation he had overheard between, Bella, General and Azrayel. His eyes blazing red, "It's either them or . ." she drew a line across her kneck.

I've got to get to him!

Ley follow above.

Ley replied with out delay, High or low?

High, keep your LIE on.

The dragon's conscience fluttered further out of reach. Haven ran into the crowds. A fake smile on his face he dodged one person and another.

Haven fianlly reached Azrayel to hear, "Sir! we would like to speak to you."

Oh hell no!

Haven dragged Azrayel's arm and pulled him into the crowd. He ducked down, the two wolves growled. Haven gestured to them with a finger on his lips the universal sign for silence.

They hunched down next to him. The man asking Azrayel for a talk was now looking around for him.

Azrayel was possibly in shock. Haven laughed and called, "LEY!"

Ley came diving in still looking yellowy and gold and still known as Krill.

He landed with a thud. Haven eyes went firey red as he dragged Azrayel onto the dragon, the wolves hopped on as well.

Ley glanced at them, What's this? I can't take you all with the LIE still on!

Haven laughed, "Trust me."

Ley launched off the ground with a burst of pure power. He spread his wings, but they were already sinking to fast, but now they were out of view.

"SOOTHSAYER!"

They turned into their original selves and Ley got bigger; he flew off into the sky.

Haven turned towards Azrayel and the two wolves, "I'm Haven and this here is Ley."

Haven patted Ley and Ley continued, "And together were HavenLey. Ha, worked that all out on our own we did!"

Haven smiled his actual genuine smile, "Get it you know HavenLey, heavenly?"

Ciru

Ciru's eye searched the market place, trying to find where the boy had disappeared to. A shout from the general took his gaze to the sky, where he saw a dragon beginning to grow back to its normal size before beginning to fly away.

Ciru sighed, "We only wanted to talk...but you Saviours try my patience." He gestured at the dragon, increasing the gravity around one wing. There was no need for an attempt to increase it on all of them, that would waste valuable energy. A dragon couldn't fly with one wing, though.

He strode towards the place where they would be forced to land.

(OKay, note! It doesn't matter what they do (azrayel and Haven), to other people who do not know about LIE or LYING it will look like they are best friends (if Azrayel hit HAven, it would proably been seen as a pat on the back, or caress, depending on where he hit him). If someone witnessed Haven using LIE close up, it would have no effect on them, but as Ciru (You, Billy) only witnessed it from far away; only know of the fact that the dragon can change. OKAY! ^^)

Haven


Ley began to sink to one side, "Ley, what's wrong?"

Gravity is increasing on one side, someones holding me down. Maybe another rider.

Haven laughed, "Time for some fun, huh?"

This might be another time for LYING, Haven.

Haven nodded with a fake smile his eyes going emerald, he touched all of the beings near him, "I am Chris,18 years old, this is my dragon Krill she is three years old. The truth is that she can change colours and shapes. I do not have any powers. My eyes are blue and my hair is blonde, I am 186 cms tall, this person is Azrayel my best friend for 10 years and these are only wolves nothing else. They are normally coloured and know me as well. We are not part of any Rider group yet, we are still trying to figure out which one will suit us."

Haven began to change, blue eyed, blonde-haired. Ley satyed the same except that his eyes changed blue as well. The wolves took on normaller colours.

Azrayel stayed the same, but the wolves energy aura died down to that of normal wolves and they're colouring slightly differed once again to normal wolf colours.

Haven laughed, "Ley land NOW!"

Ley folded his wings in and dived. The gravity now helping them. the ground was coming up fast and at the last second, without breaking his wings unfolded them and landed with a little puff of wind.

"Good GIRL! Krill that was very good for a first try."

They were greeted by the same man who had asked to speak with Azrayel.]

Haven smiled at him, "Hello? Why were you talking ot my BESTEST friend for?"

He clutched onto Azrayel's sleeve.

Ciru

The Dark Knight frowned, rubbing at his eye a little. Was it playing tricks on him again? The dragon was changing, and not only that, it was changing to the dragon they had earlier identified as belonging to the impostor. He smiled a little to himself. He would play their game for now, after all, he had the boy within reach. The general was a little way behind him, the two dragons circling above them. The impostor and the boy had nowhere to go.

"Good girl! Krill, that was very good for a first try!" Ciru frowned. It couldn't be the imposter, then. His dragon had been showing consderable skill in flight. But the boy he thought to be the impostor was treating it like a hatchling. Well...he'd just have to bluff him into the open.

Ciru smiled amiably to the two of them, "A first try? Your dragon will be very skilled when she is older, friend. As for my interest in your friend, it should be clear to you. I am here as a representative of the Dark Knights. We would like to offer you a position in our ranks." He saw their eyes widen a little, "No doubt the Saviours have told you that we are...not the best of people. We assure you, however, that this is a lie. The Dark Knights wish only for peace among the dragon riders." He looked from one to the other, "You will come with us, now. My commanding officers would like to speak with you themselves, I am just a messenger."

*ack they loaded at the same time, just say this is before Ciru showed up.*

Azrayel-

Ray shook his head. The buzzing in his ears had stopped, glancing at Taiou and Yoru he shrugged. It was pretty clear the other boy had a power similar to his own, but rather then Compel people he made them believe what they wanted to.

Looking back to the older men he studied them carefully. The pair walked like men used to being obeyed. Probably fairly high ranking in their own faction. "I hate hard headed people. So difficult to influence." Not wanting to mess up the other boys performance, Ray waited silently for the other men to talk. But just in case he slipped the dagger hidden in his wrist band free.

Haven


Haven frowned, something wasn't right . . . Ley, is my LIE working porperly?

It would seem so . . . but that Dark Knight is acting like he knows something that we don't

Haven nodded outwardly, "I am Chris and this is my BESTEST friend in the whole world Azrayel! Now what were you saying about how the Saviours were lying. Cause I heard that you guys aren't that goody-too-shoed?"

He smiled; it didn't reach his eyes. Haven laughed then cleared his throat, "Alright you caught me. I was pretending to be one of you guys before, now I know what you're thinking, 'What kind of a perosn is this "imposter"?' For one thing imposter isn't exactly right, we weren't really copying you at all! Truth is," he began to whisper, "It's my dragon that has powers not me . . . she can change dragon forms, like you know that golden yellow one you saw before? That was her! Brilliant, huh?"

Haven bobbed along, his blonde hair sawying in the wind that the two dragons circling above were kicking up.

Azrayel stared at Haven and smiled, Obviously not as good as an actor as Haven was it was veyr forced; but in LIE form it would seem like warm smile between friends.

Haven put a thumbs up, "Now let's see, what this guy wants, bestest buddy!"

(Okies . . . ^^ ehehehe . . . kind of strange, but meh, you get that, your turn! Who ever is next ^^)

Ciru

So, he was the rider they'd seen before. Though apparently, it was his dragon who had powers, not the rider. He'd been told no dragons had powers, but most riders did. Well, if the rider was telling the truth, all the more reason to be recruiting these two. On the other hand, if he was lying and he was a Saviour assigned to protect the boy, he would have to capture them anyway.

"But in any case," the boy continued, "We were told you guys were pretty evil."

Ciru's smile faded and he sighed, "It's true there are many extremists within our ranks. General Ianeil, my companion, is currently trying to prevent them from anything too warlike. The rumours that the former General, the king of Athanasia, wants war with Damali, were started by these extremists. There are like-minded people in the Saviours, the ones who gave me this," He gestured to his scars. "That aside, we're here to inform you that the Dark Knights simply wish to bring peace to this land, though no doubt the Saviours told you otherwise. They probably told you that we were pure evil and that we would give you the option of either joining us or dying."

The boy nodded, "Are those the only options?"

Ciru smiled, "Of course not! But there is one final matter: you have been hunted, correct? For raiding caravans through the desert?"

He frowned, "How did you-"

The Dark Knight gestured at a poster on a nearby wall, posting a bounty for the capture of him, "You are Azrael, are you not? They are unlikely to welcome you here. Unless the Saviours vouch for you. That is the option they will no doubt give you. Join them, or they will leave you at the city's mercy. I realise I will appear biased here, but...well, which of us sounds to you like they are giving you the option of 'join or die'?"

The two of them appeared to look to each other for a moment, then turned away from him to whisper amongst themselves. He raised his voice a little so they could hear him before deciding, "Come with us, both of you. Don't believe that I would seem polite simply because I am a messenger. Come to our camp and meet the others in our battalion. Then decide if we are pure evil."

Haven (Uhh, question Billy, when Ciru talks to the "boy" who is he talking to? Haven or Azrayel.?)


Haven tilted his head to one side, "I'm sure WE would be glad to go."

Another LIE took effect, Azrayel looked a bit upset to Haven, but to the Dark Knight, he looked quite pleased.

"Take us to see your UN-sadistic troops!" Haven said.

Azrayel said outloud, "Are you sure we should be trusting him? I mean we're not exactly friends of the Dark Knights, you being a Saviour and all?"

But what the Dark Knight heard was, "Are you sure we should trust him? But we aren't exactly friends with the Saviours either, are we?"

Haven just nodded, as if understanding everything. He cast a smile over to Ciru and laughed, "Is my dragon allowed to come?"

"She has a bad temperment when we're seperated, " he walked up and whispered into the man's ear, "she tore apart a caravan once because she couldn't see me. . . I was actualy in it . . robbing it of course. Funny thing is they only ever caught Azrayel robbing them, he sucks at escapes. "



(I think someone else needs to wirite! ^^)

Viedna

Roslyn sat perched on a mountain top watching a valley below. From her back, Viedna attempted to count the soldiers passing through it, but failed. The troops marched under the banner of Athanasia, which of course now meant under the flag of the Dark Knights. They had scattered the desert herds before them in their march.

They might take weeks to reach Damali, but cavalry could reach the border in days. Dragon Riders might already be there.

It seemed absurd to Viedna that the new king would think to attack Damali without thoroughly consolidating his own rule first.

Is his madness not already evident?

"True" he replied to Roslyn. "What should we do now? Damali is not strong enough to resist Athanasia, even with the Saviours to aid them."

We clearly have three choices. We can warn the powers of Damali and beg sanctuary, return to the Dark Knights and hope for forgiveness, or wait here in the desert as we have thes last few weeks.

The new king is mad, he will not forgive us and he will not rest until he is without rival. That means our only choice is to renege to the Saviours.

So be it.

Roslyn unfurled her wings and took flight for Damali.

*Am I right in thinking everyone else is in Damali?*

*yes, Rubric, it seems like everyone is in Damali.*

~Ariadne~

Gautier landed in front of Ariadne as another golden dragon flew up out of the crowd quite a ways away.

Ariadne looked at Gautier, puzzled. "Who is that? I don't recognize them."

"I don't know. We're too far away to see who it is. I don't sense anything bad about them, though. They aren't Dark Knights."

Ari got on Gautier and launched themselves off of the ground, unsettling dust and dirt. "Hey, Gautier? I don't think Private Haven went to the castle. He's too much of a misfit to follow small orders like that."

"I don't think he did, either," said Gautier, launching himself off of the ground. With one sweep of his wings, he dislodged rocks and dirt from their crevices. "He's not a bad kid, though. Disrespectful at times, but very loyal. He'll be fine."

"Yeah, you're right. I'm kind of worried about Azrayel, too. I don't want to leave him alone and unprotected."

"I assume you haven't seen the flyers, then. He's wanted for robbing big-time caravans. I'm sure he can take care of himself."

Once Gautier got to the castle gates, he flew to the throne room, reaching out with his neck towards the window and setting his chin on the sill, keeping his wings as far from the wall as possible. Ariadne stepped onto his neck, head, and leapt down to the marble floor. Once she got off, Gautier flew away from the window and perched himself on top of the roof, sending little bits of the ceiling to the ground.

Ariadne stood at attention once she reached the kings throne. "You wanted to see me, Your Highness?"

The King of Damali looked up, his eyes giving away the many nights of worry.

*I'll add more to this later!*

Ianeil

I smiled as the two followed Ciru. Well done, sergeant. Well done, indeed. I stepped forward when they got within earshot.

"Ciru, I applaud you," I grinned, patting him on the arm. I looked at the two boys, studying them carefully. "I am Ianeil, General of the Dark Knights. Come. We have much to talk about."

I waved to Shyen, touching her mind with mine. Check these dragons. I want to know everything there is to know. Fly back to the base.

She slapped her tail as she banked, turning back towards the canyons. Very well. Also, the king wants to see you. He wants a report.

Fine. I'll go later.

Azrayel-

Things were really confusing, it was clear even to Azrayel, who spent more time in the desert then the towns, that the tension between the two rider factions was peaking. War was in the air.

When one of the dark knights offered him a ride on his dragon he shook his head. "Just because my boys look like wolves doesn't mean they're stuck like that." Ray turned towards Taiou and Yoru.

Light flickered over their bodies and when it faded they were replaced with two young dragons one a pale blue shot through with silver. The other a golden-orange. The sun and moon markings remained on both of them.

Ianeil

I stared at the wolves. No, dragonets. Young dragons in wolf forms? That was peculiar. I had never seen anything like it in my twenty-one years of life!

"May I see them?" I asked their rider, waiting for his permission to step forward. Of course, I was general, but it was common courtesy to ask before approaching another's dragon...or dragons.

He hesitantly nodded. I stepped forward.

The beasts were well built to be so young, and beautiful. Twins, more than likely, and a lot alike. With time and training, they would be wonderful steeds, fliers, and fighters.

"Fine dragons. And they are both yours?"

What was the point in hiding my fascination? I knew my expression showed it.

~Bella~

Qiira flew in the clouds above me as I ran on the water, which was now ice.

I don't see why we have to go seperately, she said. It's completely

unnessecary.

I rolled my eyes. I've told you many times: The Dark Knights know me

when I am with you, and they know you by your unique features. Seperately,

we're indistinct.

Qiira sniffled. I feel naked without a rider, and you're so far away that

your thoughts begin to become fuzzy.

Relax. We'll be together once the lake pans out and ice becomes brittle

to walk on. Besides, you should feel free. For once, I can't tell you not to

do corkscrews.

Qiira was silent for the rest of our travels. Finally, the water became more

shallow, and Qiira swooped down to pick me up.

I also, she said, don't understand why we camped outside of Damali

just to go back into the city today. You're reasoning confuses me.

I frowned. It should be obvious. The Dark Knights are looking for us. To

the rest of the Athanasia, we're criminals. Though Damali is the only safe

place for us, I do not trust the king's subjects enough to stay with them

unguarded, and you shouldn't either. Always be wary of your surroundings.
Qiira nodded in acknowledgement.

We flew over the fortress of Damali, and I wondered who would turn up to

this meeting that Ariadne had called.