Dragon Riders II: Revenge of the Riders (started, accepting)

(This is just after Manarian storms away. More explanation at the end of the post. Sorry I've been away!)

Manarian

How could he? Manarian raged, storming off into the trees. He must know what she did, who she is! What she took from all of us, from me? The pounding of his staff of the ground left marks as he walked, he was slamming it down so hard.

And I was starting to like him! Of all the… he threw his staff down, sending it clattering against tree roots, before sinking to the ground himself. For five minutes he sat, seething, his face in his hands, his elbows resting on his knees. As his shock and anger began to cool somewhat, he began to feel slightly, well, embarrassed about his outburst. This sort of thing was happening far too often lately.

His Dragon, his Reitsprea, had always been the better half of their partnership. She had always been more kind and forgiving than Manarian had. More even-headed too, possibly. Would she approve of his actions towards her killer?

Manarian moaned and buried his knuckles in his eyes. It was too painful to think like that. Too painful to imagine... to imagine... What was that?

He looked up sharply, and found he had not been mistaken. He had heard wing beats, and now that he looked, he saw a great silver shape flying towards him.

“No,” he said, closing his eyes tightly and clenching his fists. “No, no, no. You are hallucinating. Snap out of it.” But then there was a crunch, and a rather cheerful voice saying,

“You picked a bad landing spot, Manarian. I almost caught my wings on the branches.”

Manarian felt like he had been punched in the gut, but he could not help snapping his eyes wide. His dragon was standing there, alive, in front of him. He couldn’t speak. Reitsprea seemed amused.

“What is it? I thought I would get a better welcome.”

Manarian’s voice was choked, when he finally managed speech. “I... I thought...”

“That I was dead?” the dragon finished. Manarian nodded dumbly. Reitsprea practically scowled. “Yes, Eighth did a good job there. I thought you were dead for the longest time. But then I learned differently.” That was it. A logical excuse, a logical possibility that this was his real dragon, not just a figment of his usually inactive imagination. He flung himself forward and wrapped his arms around her neck. He felt the coolness of her scales and the beating of her heart for a moment, before she vanished. Manarian fell into a crumpled heap on the ground.

She hadn’t been real. She was gone again.

When Reitsprea died, Manarian's grief was too great to cry. But now, as it was, he howled. His cry diminished into the sobs of a man who has lost everything. It was hours before he could regain himself, and even longer before he could face the camp. And when he finally re-entered the circle of firelight, he did not have the energy to even wonder who the new addition to their troop was. He simply lay down, his comforting staff in one hand, and fell into deep and troubled dreams.

---
(Mmmkay, I don't know if you've read the DT, but the general idea is that the Stone protects itself by showing people what they want the most, and then taking it away. This can drive people to insanity. But it only happens when you're alone. That's what just happened, if you're wondering.

AWW! Kelcia. Poor Manarian!!!

Brystianne

Bree hugged herself tightly and curled up next to a tree crying silently. It seemed like she spent most of her time crying these days. She didn't use to cry. Bree had always, always been admired by others for her strong personality. She lost that when she lost her life. She really had lost her life too.

Laughter made her look up. The silent tears never stopped trailing down her cheeks, however she stood, entranced by the sound of the laughter...laughter that sounded so familiar. That was her laughter...but it couldn't be her...she was standing right here.

Long, fiery red hair hung to the middle of a short, frail young woman with pale skin and a smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks. She was laughing and her stormy gray dragon was standing beside her proudly and shaking his head in mock frustration.

"Me?" she whispered. Yet...this new Bree looked...healthy and different. Like she had before Eighth's rein. She has healthy and not gaunt looking with black circles under her eyes and cheeks. And the the thing that kept her her staring with a want so strong it racked her body with waves of trembles, it was the look it Bree's eyes. She was actually happy and as easy to read as a book. Not like Bree who shut herself off from the world and keep her eyes cold and empty.

"Please...go away," she shook her head to erase this mirage. She was truly crazy now. "It isn't real."

She would always look and act like a poor actress trying to copy the an old and more expeirienced actress. Bree's breath hitched in her throat.

Manarian followed by his dragon walked towards the mirage Bree. He was patting his dragon's neck and he was smiling. The sight made her shiver. She had almost forgotten how his whole face seemed to light up when he actually gave a real smile.

"Manarian!" the new Bree grinned, running towards him. She raised herself on her tiptoes and Manarian bent down to her face. And they kissed. Not a little kiss on the cheek or a peck on the lips. It was a passionate lovers kiss.

Bree stared her want growing so strong it literally hurt. The mirage began to fade, Manarian and the new Bree still kissing.

"No!" Bree screamed, her voice breaking. "Don't leave! Oh, God no!"

Manarian and her old self died away. Her old dragon and Manarian's dragon, alive and well, faded. Bree fell to the ground and she dived towards the mirage.

"No! Please, no!" it was a whisper and she sobbed on the ground. She could have loved Manarian before. Her old self would have been repulsed at first but Bree now knew him like others didn't. She would have loved him. But she couldn't now. He wasn't the same person and neither was she.

"Please, Nuk, I need you," she cried. Because it still felt like she'd lost half of herself with the mirage.

**I like these visions because look how much info it gives about characters. o.O I almost feel bad for Bree. Almost.**

***I won't be able to post much this weekend. I have a mini-movie I have to make, for one of my classes. Ugh...***

Fitz

Fitz laid awake, back turned to the fire. He was watching Zara, slumped over and crumpled against the tree. Get rid of Eighth, she had said. That's all she would say that entire time he tried to start helping her, to befriend her. He sighed, shaking his head. What had he been thinking?

Manarian had stormed off and been gone for hours, probably to vent an intense anger with him. Bree, having witnessed it all, broke and cried in the corner, just out of the firelight. And only God knew what that new kid was thinking, considering the fact she witnessed all of it. He, Fitz, had been the start of it all, because he just wanted to help Zara...and she blatantly refused his offers. She didn't even care... What a mature display, they all had shown... Tch.

Don't lose hope, Shyen crooned, half wearily. He looked over at where she lay; she had one eye open, watching him. We are new to this; we don't know what exactly happened. And we probably never will. But don't give up on it, yet. It will all work out eventually.

He smirked, nodding. Thanks...

She settled back down, closing her eye. Get some sleep, knucklehead.

He chuckled softly, gaze returning to Zara. He sat up and picked up this blanket; he was fine without it, for he was near the fire. He carried it over there to her still form and knelt in front of her. Maybe just showing kindness would help...? God, he hoped so. He draped the fabric over her shoulders, making sure it was tucked around her and wouldn't fall. He didn't even notice if she woke or not, or paid him any mind; he just returned to his bedroll and laid back down, arms under his head as he stared up at the stars.

((That's okay, Ayumi. ^^))

Zara:

I blinked, weary. Fitz had given me his blanket? Why? What made me worth something? Frowning, I looked up at the stairs, then back down at Fitz. Alright, the boy had given me his blanket. I could feel my old self coming back...and then I noticed the shadows around me. Wide awake, I stared hard.

The elders. They were all standing around someone. A young girl with red hair. With a start, I realised it was me. Me. Before I'd been captured by Eighth, before I'd killed them all, before everything had happened. The old me. No, no, no, no, no. This couldn't be happening. One of the elders--the one who had sat beside me as my wounds healed--turned towards the mirage me and said something. I don't know what, but then the old me laughed. I closed my eyes. I didn't want to see anymore.

After a while, the voices faded and I realised I was crying quietly. I opened my eyes and looked up. "Fitz," I called softly. He stirred but didn't get up, didn't look towards me. "Fitz."

Fitz

Fitz...

He flinched, brow furrowing as he was woken subtly in the night. Who...? Isold...? She ignored him, grunting agitatedly as she shifted and fell back asleep.

"Fitz."

He opened his eyes, blinking. The fire had died down, the stars had shifted. Had he fallen asleep? Apparently so...

"Fitz..." someone sobbed beside him. He swallowed, turning his gaze toward the voice. It was Zara. She was awake, and crying again; but she had called for him, in the middle of the night! What was going on...? Unless, his theory proved correct...

He sat up, rocked to his feet, and approached her. He knelt in front of her, just sitting there. She only looked at him, tears in her eyes and running down her cheek. After a moment, he reached up and wiped a few away with a finger, just a subtle, kind gesture. "You want to talk about anything," he asked, then hesitantly added her name, "Zara?"

Zara:

"Zara?" He asked.

I swallowed, turned my face away and told him everything. From being captured by Eighth, being tortured, having the 8 carved into my forehead, killing the elders.... Killing Manarian's dragon. I told him about everything. About why I was here, the stone. Eighth plans... I told him everything I knew, tears streaming down my face. The only thing I didn't know, was why I was telling him everything. Not that it mattered. He was frowning when I finally found the courage to face him again.

And then I reached for him, chains rattling but before I could touch him, he was jerked backwards. By Manarian. I swallowed, looking up at him. "I'm sorry," I said, looking away. Seeing my old self had made me realize something; this was what Eighth wanted. Well, I wouldn't give her the satisfaction. "I'm not going back to Eighth. I don't care about her anymore. I just want my life back."

Roshan had better get back to me soon, or I might end up having to hurt her. Tilting my head to one side, I opened the link, calling her name. Zara? she answered and I could hear the frown in her voice.

Where are you? I asked, staying still.

The answer was almost immediate. We are getting close to where Eighth wants to camp. You know where that is.

I looked up slowly. "Eighth's camp is about two days flight north-west of here."

Fitz

Despite being sprawled on the ground on his back, Manarian standing over him with his entire body rigid, Fitz smiled. He had broken through the ice, freed the remnants of the old Zara from this empty casket of a body. Even Manarian couldn't deny that; it was obvious she was going to recover, to return to her old self. All Fitz did was show kindness and offer an ear to her. How had he been so oblivious to it, why hadn't he taken that route before, if it was that simple?

He looked up at Manarian, still smiling. When the guy glared down at him, probably still annoyed from earlier's outburst, he shrugged half-sheepishly. "Well? It's working, isn't it?" he said, hoping not to anger him further. But it was the truth.

Zara was helping them counter Eighth.

Lillian Thanks again, White! Is Bree's dragon still alive?

I walked lazily through the forest, Naj behind me. Every now and again, hs voice would peep into my head:

Are you sure your ok?

I'm fine, Naj. My father was a filthy idiot anyways. I'm just upset I didn't kill him. I finally replied. Yes, my dad and I were close, but that was before he killed my mother and before he ran off. I just learned he was killed. Good riddance.

I stumbled into a girl, alone in the forest. I realized she was crying.

"Are you alright?" I asked her, kneeling. She nodded, slowly, I think. It could of just been me. "Are you hurt?"

Stay back there. I told Naj, silently.

"Not physically." She mumbled.

"Is there anything I can do?" I asked the stranger.

"Not unless you can bring back a mirage." She barked sarcastically.

"I'm sorry, I really can't." I replied.

"I'm Bree."

"Lily." I replied to the girl- bree - before finally getting up.

"Why are you all alone here?" Bree asked, still crying.

"Same thing to you, but I'm not alone. The other half of my party is in the woods nearby." I replied.

"I needed to get away from this madness. But it follows me." Bree said. "Who's your partner?"

"Please, don't freak out. He's tame." (She doesn't know that there are other dragons, btw) Naj trotted up gaily behind me. I silently waited for the girl's reply.

Is that ok?

Manarian

So… Fitz’s plan is working. How interesting, Thought Manarian dumbly, staring at the grinning rider on the ground. And we know where Eighth is camping. Can we afford to wait?

“It seems,” he said slowly, “That no one is going to get much sleep tonight. We’re moving in one hour. It’s almost light anyway.”

He lent Fitz a hand up – there was such a thing as courtesy, after all, and Manarian felt that he had been very hotheaded of late. He began to turn away, but paused. Zara…

“If you unchain her, Fitz,” he said. “She’s your responsibility.” And then he hurried away.

Why was he letting Fitz take charge of Zara? Because he was tired. Tired of the load, tired of the drama, and most of all, tired of taking revenge. That was the one good thing the vision of Reitsprea brought him. Letting Zara go, as someone else’s responsibility, was a relief. He no longer cared weather she lived or died, or, at least, that was what he told himself.

So, he set his mind on Eighth. She was the core of the matter, and she was the one who needed to be defeated. He would take her out. And then… what? Assuming he got out alive, what would he do? Set up a new Riders academy? How? He wasn’t even a Rider anymore, strictly speaking. He couldn’t set up an academy, not when the students of the last one were massacred.

I’ll deal with it later, he thought, scanning the camp for Bree and the new rider. They were nowhere to be found.

Everyone else was up, some looking a little groggy, but otherwise fine. He cursed quietly, scuffing out the embers of the dying fire.

“Has anyone seen Bree? And the new one?” he finally asked. Kallo shrugged, looking up from his backpack.

“Last time I saw the new person, she was just leaving camp,” Manarian frowned, but didn’t speak. “And as for Bree, I think she wandered off ages ago.”

“Again?” He sighed, irritated. How many times did he have to go looking for the girl in one week?

Not far from the clearing they were camping in, Manarian began to hear voices, one choked and unsteady, the other older and helpful.

“I need to get away from this madness,” said the choked one.

Bree! thought Manarian, breaking into a faster walk. If something happened to her…

“But it follows me,” Bree finished. There was a long pause. “Who’s your partner?”

“Please don’t freak out,” said the older one. “He’s tame.” There was the deep patter of dragon feet, and Manarian, through a break in the trees, could just see a set of giant Dragon wings, almost black in the dim light.

“Bree!”

Lillian

"Bree!" The man yelled as he broke through the woods. Naj immediately growled at the newcomer, crouching.

"Naj! Down... it's ok." I told him. "I'm sorry... hey, you were at the camp!"

"Bree, are you alright?" He asked. Way to go. Ignore me. Bravo. He seemed very concerned, but Naj didn't do anything. Were they like a thing or something?

Fitz

This was great! Everything was going so well!

Not yet! Isold hissed. You have permission to work with her, yes, but can we trust her yet?

He sighed, reality sinking in. No...I guess you're right...Not enough, yet. He looked at the red creature, her eyes hard as she glared down at him. But I promise you like I promised Manarian - I will be careful. And all responsibility is mine. If anything happens...I'll let you and him both beat me for it.

After a moment, the dragoness nodded, shifting back into her previous position. She crouched, waiting only for the others.

The campsite came to life, Kallo and the others gathering their belongings and arranging things on their saddles. He might as well get started, as well...but he didn't have that much to worry about. Just a bed roll and the satchel that had all of his clothes and whatnot. He bent over and rolled the pad up, tying it closed with string before slipping it through the straps of the bag. He walked it over to where Isold lay before returning to Zara.

She looked up at him, some light coming back into her eyes. She watched him carefully. He cleared his throat. "So... Would you like some water? Or anything else...?"

Bree

Bree's head turned sharply towards Manarian. It didn't take a half crazed girl to realize this was the Manarian from her mirage. He was the man who had lost his dragon...and essentially his heart and soul.

"Bree are you alright?" he asked, wide-eyed. His fear almost made him look...like old self again.

Bree squeezed her eyes shut against the tears. She wouldn't cry. Not in front of him...not anymore. She was done with the useless tear. She gave Manarian a fake half-smile.

"As great as can be expected. I just ran into this girl here, Lily, and her dragon friend," she told him.

Bree's heart ached as she watched the pair, dragon and rider, together. So much like her mirage of herself and Nuk. Poor Manarian would never have her dragon back again. Nothing would ever be the same. She should have realized this when the Elders were murdered. They didn't stand a chance against Eighth and her cronies.

She just wanted to lay here on this dirt and give up. Let her body cave in to the endless fatigue of running and hiding. Forget what could have been and focus on ridding her body of the terror that now consumed her. Bree hung her head in shame and dissappointment. She had never before been afraid. She had been fearless and strong.

Bree looked at Manarian and sighed. "Nothing wrong," she said firmly, attempting to regain her composure. "Nothing. What's important is getting this girl a place to sleep and something to eat. She and her dragon have been on the run a while, I presume. It can't have been nice."

Brystianne stood and smiled at the girl named Lily. She knew that it would reach her eyes.

"Come one, let's get back to camp. It's not safe to be so far from it. We'll talk there."

The girl glanced, half-shocked, half-curious at Bree before turning to her dragon and walking with him to the camp site. Manarian grabbed Bree's upper arm, stopping her from following the girl.

"What's going on? Where is Nuk and what happened?"

"Nothing," she hissed.

He was very handsome. Not quite as good looking as he used to be. Being on the run for so long had taken everything beautiful from her face and distorted it, so she knew she looked so much worse. Bree sighed, the longing filling her body once more.

Once upon a time, they might have been together. But he was no longer the same man he once was. And she certainly wasn't the same woman she had been. They couldn't be the same and any relationship bond they might have formed was shattered. She didn't deserve him now, anyway. He could do better.

"Look, Manarian, we'll talk later," she said, moving her head to follow the other girl.

She would not be called crazy by him or anyone else. She jerked her arm from his grip. It still tingled from his touch.

Sorry guys, it may take a few days for me to post. (OR even a week!) But I've got a ton on my plate. But I promise to post. And make big old long posts like this which take 30 minutes. xD

(Sorry for the long post, you guys! I just wrote one version (a shorter one) and then I was like - Nah. I'm doing this properly. At least it pushes us ahead some.)

Manarian

“Oh, no you don’t!” Manarian growled, grabbing Bree’s arm again and spinning her around. Normally, he would never have acted in this way; he would have let her go, confronted her later; there was too much work to do. But the vision of Reitsprea had shaken him, badly. And seeing Bree’s tear-stained face… It was too much. Too much, seeing the one person he knew would always be there, slipping away.

“You’re falling apart, Bree,” he hissed, his gaze boring into her eyes. She looked down, blushing, struggling to break free.

“No, I’m not!” she shrieked, on the verge of tears.

“Yes you are! We all are!” He tightened his grip on her shoulders. Her fists pummeled his chest, trying to break free. He lowered his voice, ignoring her cries of distress. “But we can’t let that stop us. You know that. Nothing has stopped you, and nothing will stop me. We’re here. We’re alive. We’re safe, right here, right now. And I don’t want to lose you before the fighting even begins. I don’t ever want to lose you, Bree.”

Bree had stopped fighting. Her shoulders were shaking. She seemed quite incapable of speech. As for Manarian, it felt as if something were clawing at his throat, twisting his stomach into a knot. He wanted to back off there and then, leave her standing in the trees… but he couldn’t. He had already said too much. He closed his eyes for a moment.

“I would be the most cowardly man in the world, if I let you lose yourself now.” Now Bree looked up at him. Her eyes were filled with something not unfamiliar to Manarian’s tortured heart; longing.

“But would I be the most selfish man in the world, if I never let you go?” Manarian whispered, aware at how close, how unbearably close Bree was.

“I…” she choked out, before he leaned down and kissed her full on the lips. His arms circled around her waist, and he pulled her closer, her hands resting on his chest.

After a moment, he pulled away, his head spinning. Why had he just… done that? I know why, he thought, studying Bree’s confused features, her sliver-blue eyes blinking rapidly up at him. Because I can’t stand being without her.

“Don’t you leave me too, Bree.” He said, letting go of her, but taking her cold hands in his. “Call Nuk,” he told her, trying his best to smile. “Sort things out. But make sure you’re back at camp in thirty minutes. We’ve got an Empress to fight.” And with that, he let go of her hands, and headed towards the camp.

-----

Ten minutes after he arrived in camp, still slightly dizzy from his kiss with Bree, he found that nearly everything was ready. Dragons were laden with supplies, bows were stringed and secured on backs, swords and knives were at the sides of the Riders. Manarian quickly equipped himself, but decided against bringing a sword. He took only his staff, a small dagger, and a bow. He spotted Fitz helping Zara get ready out of the corner of his eye, and made a point to ignore them. Instead, he made his way towards the new rider.

“I believe,” he began, uncomfortable around one older than himself, “that I was a bit… rude back there. I apologize. Also to you, dragon,” he said, turning to the blue creature, “for mistaking you as One of Shadow,” The dragon bobbed his head, and the woman nodded.

“No big deal,” she said. “I’m Lily, and this is Naj.”

“Manarian,” he said. “I’m informally running this whole parade, so let’s get right to business.” Lily raised an eyebrow at him.

“Okay,” she said slowly. “Shoot.”

“We’ve just received some valuable information, and we’re moving camp now. You can come with us if you like, but more likely than not, there’ll be fighting. You’ll be safer parting ways with us. And even if you want to stay, I’m not sure it’s a wise decision. No offense meant, but I don’t think I can trust you. Not yet.”

Manarian sighed and ran a hand over his eyes. Speaking almost to himself, he continued, “And yet, what harm could it do? If you’re on our side, we’ll have one more rider. If you’re not, we’ll have one more shadow to fight. What harm could it do? What harm could you do?”

lillian

"More likely then not? Hah! I've grown up with fighting. If I don't come, which I'm not saying I'm going to do, I'm not going to the Shadows. I'm not following my Da. No, if anything I'm a nomad." I said. A slight look of amusement crossed my eyes. "And I can cause a lot more damage then you would think." My mind, and Naj's, raced back to when we nearly destroyed a village looking for my Da. He snorted a bit.

"Are you coming or not?" He asked. Like any other decisions, I though of Pros and Cons. Well, I would be with fellows. Less chance of being mauled by animals other then humans. They could teach me more about dragons. But, they're being chased. I may be killed. But is being killed really worse then living life alone?

"I'm in."

Zara:

"So... Would you like some water? Or anything else...?"

I stared at him, curious. Oh, right. Zara, pay attention. He's asking you a question! "Water would be lovely," I said, leaning back against whatever they'd chained me to. "I can't remember the last time I ate or drank anything."

Fitz frowned at me. "You're serious?" he asked, eyes on my face. I nodded.

"Eighth never did look after her soldiers properly." I was hoping for humour, but all I got was a dry laugh.

"Yeah," he said, glancing towards the rest of camp. "I was wondering about that."

I chuckled, closing my eyes. Fitz sighed and stood up. I listening to him walk off, smiling slightly. I felt better--the guilt was still eating away at me, but I was hoping that by helping Manarian take down Eighth, I could slowly redeem myself. Of course, I would never be the old Zara, but hopefully I could happy again.

"Zara?" someone asked.