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

Zara:

They tied me up with chains... Chains. I started coughing as soon as Manarian let me go. It was horrible, not knowing where I was or where my dragon was. I didn't even know if she was still alive. I watched Bree through slitted eyes as she leaned on her dragon, her eyes on me.

I was not going to beg. I was not going to beg for food. I was not going to beg for them to find my dragon. I was not going to do it. They'd see me as weak....but I was hungry. Really hungry. I was starving and hadn't had a proper meal in weeks.

Bree would hurt me if I tried anything. I was a fire rider! I was supposed to be brave! What was wrong with me? I wasn't brave, I was a freaking coward. A useless, scared or tortured coward... What had happened to me?

Eighth. Eighth had happened to me. And I hated it. Hated what I had become. Hated what Eighth had made me become. I had changed. Because of her. I hated myself...

They'd tied me to a tree on the edge of the clearing. I let my head hang forwards, eyes now closed. I could smell the food and it just made me hungrier. It was cruel. Torture, almost. I'd felt torture, seen torture and given torture. It wasn't as bad as what I'd seen Eighth do, but hunger was almost just as bad.... You just died slower. It was just as cruel as torture.

"Bree," I croaked and looked up, eyes wide.. She's turned to look at me. "Please," I begged, not knowing what I was asking for.

"Shut up, Traitor," she hissed and turned to watch the others eat.

I let out a little moan of despair and closed my eyes. "Bree," I whispered. "She's looking for something..."

"What?" Yep, that got her attention. "What are you talking about?"

"Eighth," I said. My chest hurt. Maybe the damage from the lightning is worse than I thought. "She's looking for something....something that could give her the power to rule the world.... And destroy every other dragon rider not working for her while she's at it!"

My eyes teared up again and I opened them to look at Bree. She was frowning at me.

"Bree," I whispered. "I don't want to die."

Fitz

Fitz frowned, watching the woman. A traitor? He still couldn't quite grasp it, and Ryl had said not to worry, but he couldn't help it. This Zara was a fire rider, just like him. And to see her broken...something had happened.

What if I make contact with her dragon? I'm sure I can find it; we're like-minded -

No, he cut her off. You heard what Bree said. She'd only capture it or kill it; I don't want dragon blood on my hands. Foe, or not.

But Zara's going crazy, tortured! Can't you see?

He swallowed, staring at the fire. Yes, I can. And I want to do something, believe me! Seeing one of my own kind suffering is almost as hard as suffering yourself.

Ryl nudged him. She had noticed his blankness, how he stared into the fire and fidgeted with his hands. "Relax, okay? Everything will be fine."

He shook his head. "I..." He sighed, glancing at Zara one more time. He had to get away from this, to calm down and think. He came up with a quick excuse. "I'm going for a walk, see if there are any more...enemies...around. I'll be back shortly." He stood and stretched, picking up his sword and striding toward a game trail; he had seen that it made a single loop around the camp, giving him the privacy that he wanted but the close proximity to the people that he needed. "Isold? You coming?"

The dragon snorted, joining him.

Aw! But I just brought Alice back in! She can still jump in!

Eighth

I was anxious. And nobody wanted to be within a mile of me when I was anxious. Zara still had not come back. My greatest secret was at risk. If she had been captured,I, for one, knew how easily she broke under torture.
I walked outside to the training grounds. Several villagers were clumped together, clutching swords. They saw me and charged, thirsty for blood and revenge. I skewered two at once with either of my swords, kicking a third down while I got them back. I threw them in the air, and as they twirled, I threw three daggers into the remaining standers. I caught one of my swords, and gave a roundhouse kick to the other. It took its new direction and stabbed the villager on the ground.

I felt a bit better. With the Stone, the Riders would never stand a chance. And the world would crumble under my fists. I removed my dagger from the bodies, and wiped them off on the ground. I re-sheathed them, and stuck my swords back into my back sheaths.

A voice in my head made me start.
Eighth
I turned. Phobos had been unusually talkative lately.
A dragon. Zara's. Outside the gate.
I nodded, muffling a chuckle. Phobos never bothered to articulate.

I walked outside. A reddish black dragon lay slumped outside the gate.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" I snapped, kicking it hard in the side.An arrow protruded from its neck. It wasn't a deadly wound, but it was deep. The dragon wouldn't be able to keep up the connection with its Rider and heal at the same time.Peasants, probably. Always shooting at anything that remotely resembled a dragon.
"Zara... she's in pain somewhere. I don't know. I can't talk to her. I can hardly move myself. Had to... crawl to get here. Humiliating." the dragon wheezed. My fingers itched to stab it, but it could prove useful.
"Indeed. I'm not here to baby-sit you. Get yourself inside before the wolves and angry peasants come.I'd kill you myself, but you might be needed." I snapped.
I went back inside the gate. So Zara had been captured. She would spill, of that I was sure. We would leave to find the Stone tomorrow.

Ryl

Ryl watched Fitz trot away from camp. Isold joined him, and they began to walk down an old game trail. Ryl raised her eyebrow in a dissatisfied frown, and hopped up to follow him. Kallo looked sharply up at her.

"Where are you going?" he asked. Ryl shrugged.

"He's the new guy. Enough said."

Ryl walked off in the direction Fitz had gone. Bane growled at her.

You aren't coming with me, Ryl said casually. Bane narrowed his eyes. Ryl sighed, and moved to rub Bane's head. You, she said affectionately. Are a big, scary dragon. You are intimidating to them, I know it. Just for this once?

Bane shook Ryl off of his head. You have ten minutes, impling. Be back by then, or I swear I will -

Ryl laughed at him and pranced off. She became quiet upon entering the forest. Ryl hated being loud under the cover of trees. In the air, yes, in a meadow, yes, in a clearing, yes. But under trees? There was a silence that should never be broken.

"Fitz?" Ryl called when she saw the imposing silhouette of the dragon. Fitz jumped, and turned.

"Ryl?" Fitz sounded disappointed. Ryl was slightly taken aback. Fitz was quickly becoming the closest to a kindred spirit Ryl could find around the Riders. Kallo was a close second, but in a completely different way. Something in Ryl twinged at the tone of Fitz's voice.

"That's me," she replied, surprising herself at the tentative tone that came out.

*Dude, sorry I've been away so long! Garr, I hate hotels.*

Manarian

“Bree…” Zara whispered. Manarian could hear her from across the clearing where he sat. “I don’t want to die.” He gave a muffled snort of derision. Really? She doesn’t want to die, eh? There’s a big surprise.

Fitz and Isold padded from the clearing, and Ryl, Kallo frowning after her, followed.

Bree was glaring at Zara, and Zara was looking pleadingly at Bree. Manarian gave a mental sigh, stood, picked up his staff, and walked over to where Zara was chained up. He motioned for Kallo to follow.

“Right,” he said quietly, “I would have liked to save this for tomorrow, but you brought it up yourself.” Zara’s eyes fixed onto him.

“What-” Zara began.

“Something about ruling the world?” Manarian said icily.

“Oh,” she said. “Yeah. Eighth… she is looking for something… I don’t really know… I…” Manarian raised an eyebrow.

“Could you be less specific?” Kallo said, rolling his eyes. Manarian nodded grimly and waited for Zara to speak.

*Sorry this is short, but I'm REALLY pressed for time right now!*

Fitz

Fitz sighed, shoulders drooping. There went his privacy...and his thoughts. He glanced at the young dragon, who had grown rigid at Ryl's appearance.

Fitz, now what? You know I'm going to call the other dragon, but I can't do that if she's here!

He glanced at her, keeping his expression as dull as possible. His heart was racing, but half due to the past few minutes. The raid, Kallo, Zara, Bree and Manarian... Zara... He shook his head, looking at the ground. Do it subtly. But be careful; there could be another foe out here somewhere, just waiting for a signal to track.

He cleared his throat, looking up at Ryl. The girl approached him cautiously, standing next to him on the path. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he said, voice constricted in his bewilderment. "I'm fine." He began to walk away.

She caught his arm. "No, you're not. Talk to me - "

He ripped away from her; he stopped himself from lashing out and shoving her backwards. Calm... "Please... Don't touch me right now." She swallowed, eyes a little wide and wary. He had scared her, he knew it. But maybe it was for the better. A fire-rider on edge was not someone to tangle with, friendly or not. He exhaled slowly. "I'm sorry. I'm just really...confused and-and shaken right now. Seeing one of my own kind suffer and break like that..." He shook his head, resuming his walk. He glanced at Isold. Any luck?

The dragon huffed, trying to seem passive to the entire event. Almost. I can feel her presence back toward the village...

Okay. Be careful.

Zara:

I stared at Manarian, biting my lip. Would they believe it? Best to just come out with it. A dull ache began in my chest, spreading to my ribs. What had Bree done with that lightning?

"She said something about a Stone of Eternity," I told him. His eyes narrowed and he tapped his staff against his leg. "And..and...something about ruling the world." I swallowed and adverted my gaze. "She said she was going to kill all the Academy riders.... Me included."

Manarian snorted and put the end of the staff under my chin, forcing me to look at them. Kallo was there, standing behind Bree and Manarian. I'd forgotten about him. Hadn't even thought he was still alive... God, what was wrong with me.

"She leaves in a week," I said and felt my watering eyes get worse. "But she knows I heard her plan. She knows I'm weak...." I swallowed again, shifting my gaze off his face. I didn't like to admit that I was weak. "She'll know I told you and she'll change her plan... She'll leave tomorrow."

Manarian took the wooden staff away from my chin, restraining his anger. "You said you're weak?"

I nodded. "I've barely eaten anything in weeks... I can't handle torture - and believe me, she's bloody creative - or to watch people get hurt. It sickens me, what I've done.... What I've become..."

And then I broke down in tears, sobbing about hating myself and cursing myself for killing his dragon and everything I'd done. Sobbing, because I couldn't contact my dragon and muttering about my chest hurting, my heart. Muttering about losing my mind, because it certainly felt like I was going mad.

Bree coughed and I heard her walk off a few steps, someone following her. "Manarian, can't you see?" she hissed. "She's a wreck. Whatever Eighth did, it's ruined her." There was a long pause and then Bree shouted, "Look at her!"

Manarian said something that made Bree gasp and then I heard footsteps. He had walked away. Bree sighed and quickly followed him, leaving Kallo as guard. I closed my eyes, suddenly quiet and no longer sobbing. Where was my dragon? Where was she when I needed her?

"I wish I'd had the chance to tell him that I loved him before Eighth got to me," I muttered, barely audible. Kallo started laughing, but I ignored him. What was the point any more? I'd lost my dragon, my old life and everything that went with it when I'd agreed to work for Eighth. I was as good as dead anyway.

Ryl

Ryl's eyes were wide in shock for a second. Then, what Fitz had said struck a nerve in Ryl's system.

"Your kind?" Ryl snorted. Fitz stopped, seemed to collect himself, and turned back to Ryl. Ryl looked at him incredulously.

"Just how different do you think we are?" she hissed. Ryl began to count it off on her fingers. "One: You are a Dragon Rider. As am I. Two: Isold is obviously a fire dragon. As is Bane. Three: You aren't from around here. Nor am I. Get it in your head, Fitz! Don't you dare try to act above what is happening back at camp! The fact is, the Shadow Riders aren't going to stop today. They aren't going to stop tomorrow. Do you think this is about some revenge plot for me? No! I had barely come to the Academy when the original attacks came. But I am going to throw every ounce of my strength into stopping the Shadow Riders. Because, frankly, who knows? Their next victims might very well be our families."

Ryl glared at Fitz, who seemed shocked by her outburst.

Impling, came Bane's voice in Ryl's head. What is going on over there? I'm coming.

Stay there, snarled Ryl back. I'm coming back to camp.

Ryl turned back to Fitz. "Do whatever you came back here to do," she snapped at him. "I don't know where you came from, Fitz. But where I came from it was always taught to do everything you can to right a wrong. That is all I am trying to do."

Ryl spun on her heel and stalked away. She stomped back into camp and went straight to huddle next to Bane's massive belly. Bane put his tail around her protectively.

What happe -

Nothing, replied Ryl harshly. Bane gave a low growl at her. Ryl ignored him, choosing instead to slam her fist into the top of his tail. Some of her frustration ebbed away. Ryl glanced up to see Kallo walking over to her. Ryl shook her head vehemently and shoved Bane's tail aside. Ryl walked over to meet Kallo at the campfire's edge and listen to the goings on of the rest of the group.

Brystianne and Nuk

"Manarian, she's just...gone. Empty," Bree said, trying to force back the sympathy for the girl.

Just like me, she thought to herself. I may not be a traitor but I'm not ever going to be the same again. I'm just a shell of my former self. I'm not as far gone as Zara, but...I'm close. Even if I don't show it on the outside.

Brystianne! Nukpano's voice sounded loudly in her head Don't you think that ever! You haven't lost yourself. You're still you. You never turned on your people. You've never murdered an innocent dragon like her. You just...need time to heal your mind and body.

Unconsciously, she felt the wound on her stomach. It still felt a little sore, but mostly she would be okay. Physically, anyway.

Bree cut off her mind from her dragon. She hadn't meant to send that thought to him and he knew it. He had just been prying when she let her guard down. Her anger at her dragon flared.

"I told you not to read my mind! That was my private thoughts! You know what? Don't even speak with me using our mind again, Nuk!" Bree yelled. "I told you to. Stay. Out! So do it and stop prying!"

She gave him a mental shove and her dragon stepped back as if she slapped him.

"I can see you need some time to think then. I was only trying to help you. Because I love you Bree," he said.

"Whatever," she replied, turning her back on him.

Nuk's pain lashed out at her as if her own heart was breaking. She felt his wings beat the air and he flew off. Bree's bottom lip trembled and she fell to her knee's. Look at what she'd just done. To her best friend. Brystianne couldn't hold it back. It had built up for too long.

She put her face into her hands and sobbed. Sobbed for herself. For Manarian. Even for Zara, though she wished she didn't feel bad for her. But mostly she cried for her dragon. Who never stopped trying to help her despite what she'd been doing to him.

Manarian's strong, comforting hand grabbed her shoulder. He sat on the ground beside where she fell. She looked at him, for once not trying to hide her tears.

"Manarian, I'm just like that. Like Zara. I don't want to lose myself," she whispered. "But look at how I treated Nuk. I'm a selfish, weak little brat and I'll never be the same. I don't want to lose myself."

The words kept playing in her mind. But if she was completely honest with herself she had known that she had already lost herself. The moment she survived the accident.

*Whew* this is pretty decent - hope it makes up for missing so much. : )

Manarian

Manarian sighed through his nose and closed his eyes. There was too much of this… this emotional stuff happening. He would like to shut it all out and just focus on what Zara had told them. But he couldn’t do that, could he? Life was just so complicated. It was irritating.

He patted Bree on the shoulder, unsure of what to say. Nothing in particular came to mind, so he just sat with her for a minute or two before standing up.

“Don’t worry so much,” he said at last, offering her a hand up. “While we’re here, we won’t lose you.” He padded over to where Zara sat, chained and staring at the cooking pot.

“Now,” He said, not in the mood for beating around the bush. “I want details. Where is the Stone? Why does Eighth want it? Tell me, and I’ll consider not slitting your throat just yet.” Zara gulped. Her face was red and tear stained, and her eyes bore a look that was not entirely sane. Still, she told him all she had overheard.

“The Black Mountains…” he mused. “Fitting." He stood then and, ignoring Zara’s whimper, walked over to where Ryl and Kallo sat talking.

“Where’s Fitz?” He asked Ryl. She shrugged.

“We, shall we say, had a disagreement. He kinda blew up in my face, I kinda blew up in his. I stormed back here, and for all I know, he could have tripped over a root in the woods and broken his neck.” She shrugged, looking disgruntled.

“Kallo bring you up to speed on what happened with Zara?”

“Yes,” she said. “Something about a stone or something, and also…” she exchanged a mischievous look with Kallo. “Something about Zara talking to herself.” Ryl grinned. Manarian had no clue what she meant.

“Alright,” he said, giving Kallo a sidelong look. “Good. Now, star t packing. We’re going after this ‘Stone of Eternity’ in the morning. If Eighth wants it, we certainly can’t let her have it.” He allowed himself a small grin. “Let’s get moving.”

Fitz

He sighed. He hated to have done that, but it was necessary. He looked up at Isold. "Any luck? Isold?"

The dragon didn't answer. He smiled softly; she had made contact. He waited patiently, just watching her gleaming eyes as she spoke to the other creature. She would fill him in in a second... If they had a second. He could hear people talking back toward the camp. Something was going on. What?

Isold blinked and looked at him. The dragon's name is Roshan. She's in Eighth's presence right now, wounded by peasants. She said Eighth is the woman who tortured Zara, and made her a traitor; she's also the one trying to kill everyone else while searching for a special object, like a stone of some sort. I couldn't understand some of it...

"That's fine," he said comfortingly. "That's all we need. Now, let's get back and find out what's going on." He approached her and climbed up on her back; Isold flapped her wings, propelling them skyward, and in an instant they were landing back in the camp. Ryl was beside Kallo, looking a little temperamentally better - until she saw him - and Manarian and Bree were off to the side, talking. The man had just given an order, apparently, for everyone was turning toward their belongings.

"And you," Manarian called, approaching Fitz as he dismounted Isold. "Where were you?"

"Walking. Getting fresh air," he answered, glancing at Zara, who was still chained; had she been crying? He swallowed, tearing his gaze away from her.

"Look," Manarian whispered, leaning on his staff in an almost foreboding manner. "I understand you're the new guy and all, but try to keep up. And be less suspicious. So far, I'm not liking you too much."

Fitz nodded. "I understand."

"Good. Pack your things. We're leaving in the morning."

Again, he nodded, turning to where he had dumped his pack and such earlier. But he couldn't help but look at the traitor one more time; why couldn't he get her out of his head?

I'll continue with this but I'm going to need someone's help bringing me in.

double post, my bad.

I'd be happy to.