Eternal Darkness: Chapter Seven free porn video

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Chapter Seven:
The Darkness Erupts


Richard awoke the next morning alone in his bed. Pale sunlight was streaming in through the windows and the fire in the fireplace crackled lazily as it burned what little remained of the log. Sitting up, Richard looked around the room for Daiya but couldn't find her anywhere. The room was totally empty except for himself and the furniture. The air was cool as he climbed out and he quickly threw on a pair of pants. He noticed that Daiya's cloak that was normally hung near the door was missing, along with her shoes. She must be helping with the clean up from the previous nights sudden attack.

Before he could throw on his shoes and leave to go and look for her, there was a soft knock on the door and Lillin let herself in a moment later. She looked somber this morning and was dressed in her long and heavy grey robes that let others know that she was the Master of Lightning and Wind. She looked at Richard who was sitting in a chair tying his shoes and smiled softly.

'I'm glad you're awake. I was hoping I wouldn't have to get you up,' she said and closed the door behind her. She slowly moved a few steps into the room and looked around, as if taking stock of everything in there.

'Have you seen Daiya?' he asked and finished with his shoe. 'She wasn't here when I got up.'

'She asked me to come and get you,' Lillin answered but there was no emotion in her voice and it was bugging Richard. 'We're to go to the Palace.'

'The Palace? But why? What about the school? Shouldn't we help clean up?' he asked and stood up. He grabbed his cloak and was about to put it on but Lillin stopped him. She grabbed the cloak that had the Elysian royal symbol on one side and the symbol of the Dragoons on the other and handed it to him.

'The academy has been closed and all students are to vacate by the end of this day,' she explained as she picked up Dark Star and held it out to him. 'Professor Proud and Daiya asked me to escort you to the palace with your friends.'

Richard grabbed his sword slowly and slung it over his back, flashing Lillin a confused look. 'Are they there? Daiya and Aura that is?'

'They left for the palace earlier. Now come, I have a carriage waiting for us, and everyone else is already there,' she said and turned towards the door. She left without saying another word and all Richard could do was stand there and stare after her, trying to figure out what exactly was going on. He was sure she was keeping something from him, but he didn't know what.

Shaking his head, Richard followed after his master and descended the long spiraling staircase that led to the bottom level. Every floor he looked in on had students rushing around, carrying their belongings in bags and making sure they didn't leave anything behind. Lillin's story about the school having closed down seemed to be true and that bummed Richard out a little bit. He supposed there really was no other choice though, not after the attack last night. Who knows if another one was going to happen again.

Walking out into the cold morning air, Richard had to pull his cloak around his body to prevent himself from freezing. It was probably the coldest day he had felt on this world before and even breathing hurt. Lillin was getting into a large carriage near the front gate and Richard followed her, finding Lythia, Lisbeth, Karo, and Sabina already sitting there and bundled up against the chill air. Each one of them had grim looks on their faces and bags under their eyes; it looked like they didn't get much sleep that night. He kind of felt bad that he had, but he couldn't really help it. Being wrapped up in Daiya's warm arms with his head resting on her breasts was just too comfortable for his own good.

'Morning,' Karo yawned and Richard nodded to his friend. As soon as he closed the door behind him and sat down next to Lisbeth, the carriage began to move and the sounds of the wheels over hard packed snow and ice filled the air.

'Are they really closing the school?' Lisbeth asked in a hushed tone and Sabina nodded solemnly.

'Yes,' the third year answered. 'Twenty two students died in the attack. It wouldn't be safe to keep it open now that the war has somehow reached the school.'

'How long do you think it will be closed?' Karo asked.

'Until the conflict is resolved,' Lillin answered but never took her eyes off the window she was looking through. Richard noticed her slender pale hand near her dagger and he wondered if she thought they would get attacked on the road to the capital or something.

They fell into silence, everyone lost in their own thoughts. After a little while Lisbeth nudged Richard on the shoulder to get his attention. 'What about Loki?' she asked with concern.

'Shit... I forgot about Loki,' he berated himself. He held his left arm out and cast the spell to contact his dragon. Loki was snoozing in some cave while wind howled outside and Richard hated to wake the big guy up, but it would be better if he had Loki near him in the capital. So he called out to him and visualized the palace in his mind, hoping Loki could find it. 'There, I let him know where we're heading.'

'I wish we could have flown to the city on him,' Karo sighed. 'We would have been there a lot quicker.'

'He wouldn't be able to carry all of his,' Richard explained halfheartedly. He would rather have flown on Loki as well, he had just never thought of it.

Nearly three and a half hours later they were finally entering through the massive palace gates, their carriage coming to a halt as an attendant opened the door for them. They were all led in to the palace and shown to some rooms they would be sleeping in on the third floor in the south wing. Richard really wanted to see Daiya but when he was shown to his room he didn't see any of her stuff there. Then again, they were dealing with Reiea so it was possible that she refused to let them sleep in the same room while staying in her palace. He quickly left his room and went to find an attendant he could ask about his wife, but came face to face with Lillin who had been standing right in front of his door; almost like she expected him to come rushing out.

'Where's Daiya and Aura?' he asked.

'I haven't seen them,' she answered and took a step back to let him out of his room, 'but they're probably with the Queen right now. I just came to let you know that breakfast is being served in the dining hall on this floor and everyone is already there.'

'Can I speak with my wife first?' he asked but Lillin shook her head.

'If she's with the Queen right now then probably not. I believe there is a war council being held right now and no one is allowed in without permission.'

'Then how do you even know she's there?'

'Her father, the King of Elothia arrived this earlier; so if she were to be anywhere right now it would be with him. Come now, the food is going to get cold.'

Richard let himself be dragged off to the dining hall, even if he didn't feel like eating breakfast. Most of his friends seemed to be in the same frame of mind and only Lythia and Lillin ate anything substantial. Richard had been expecting to find Coni dining with them, but she wasn't there and this had him even more puzzled. If Aura and Lythia were staying at the palace, then shouldn't Coni be as well? It's not like she would be in the war council right now, would she? Aura was there because she was Reiea's personal advisor, and Daiya was the next Queen of Elothia and probably learning the ropes of what her life would become one day. Coni was just the student council president of a school that was no longer open, so it's not like she would be with everyone.

As most of them rolled their food lazily around their plates, the maid Richard had met his first night walked into the room. He couldn't remember her name, but she had been the one personally in charge of taking care of Reiea's needs when she was just a princess. She had grey hair, a face creased with wrinkles, and a hard face that said she had seen things and had probably forgotten more than most of them would ever learn. Just looking at her again brought back memories of his first day being in this world, and he was stunned at how far he had come since then. He was a totally different person than he used to be.

'Welcome everyone,' she said in a gruff voice that seemed to grate on Richard's nerves. 'I have come on behalf of Her Majesty, Queen Reiea, to greet her honored guests. Her Majesty is currently busy and will try to make an appearance later this day.'

'Umm,' Sabina said and held up her hand like she was in class, 'why have we been brought to the palace? I can understand Richard and his family, but why everyone else?'

'Right now it is dangerous for people to travel the roads leading back to numerous towns and villages, so Her Majesty has extended the hospitality of her home to Lord Proud's friends for as long as they wish to stay. If there is anything you need please don't hesitate to ask the staff. You are free to explore the city and go wherever you wish, but if you plan to return home make sure you tell everyone before doing so.'

'When will the war council be over?' Richard asked. If anyone knew the most about what went on within the palace walls, it would be this woman. She he was sure she could give him an answer; which she did; just not one he had been expecting.

'I've been asked to come and fetch you, Lord Proud,' she spoke directly to him. 'His Majesty, King Dycoz and Her Majesty, Queen Reiea have asked that you attend the council being held. If you would please follow me.'

The old maid turned to leave and Richard got out of his seat to follow her. As soon as he got to his feet he noticed that Lillin had as well, mirroring his actions like some sort of guard dog. The maid noticed this as well and she turned back to see what was going on, her eyes narrowing in suspicion when she saw Lillin trying to follow them.

'I'm sorry, but only Lord Proud has been summoned,' she spoke and her words were ice. She really was a nasty person and he was beginning to remember that now.

'Wherever my disciple goes, I go as well,' Lillin answered in the same tone the old woman had used. Richard quickly stepped in between them and held his hands out to apologize for his friends words.

'This is Lillin DuColt, Master of Lightning and Wind, and also my teacher,' he introduced her.

'A Master? Hmm... very well, you may come as well.'

Shaking his head and sighing softly, Richard followed after the woman with Lillin in tow. She walked two feet behind him and never said a word. He could feel her eyes on his back and he felt a little like a caged animal being put on display. She had been acting weird all morning and she hadn't so much as left him alone for more than five minutes; it was as if she was afraid he was going to just disappear if she took her eyes off him. Did she think he was dangerous or something? He just really wished she would say something, because this near silent treatment was really starting to get on his nerves. Perhaps she was mad about him rushing off into the fight last night, after she had told him not to go. That was really the only thing he could think of that would explain this behavior.

They were led down to the main floor and through a series of beautiful hallways until they finally came to one that was long and only had one massive set of double doors at the very end. There were no windows here and the floor slowly sloped down as if taking them underground. Which was very possible; the room up ahead was probably the center of all military power in the kingdom and it would need to be protected somehow. There were even two battle mages dressed in full metal armor standing guard on either side of the door, large pole arms in their hands and a menacing look about them. When the old maid led Richard and Lillin towards them, they stepped aside and opened the two massive doors that swung open on noiseless hinges.

The maid motioned for them to continue and then turned on her heel, walking off in the direction they had just come from. Richard and Lillin entered the shadowy room lit only by a few large torches on the walls and found a group of people standing around a large table in the very center of the area. Richard had met most of these people when he had first come back to this world, most being from the Council of Lords. There were some men and women dressed in battle gear standing around the table as well and Richard figured they were from the military, both martial and magical branches. Standing at the very head of the table was Queen Reiea dressed in tight fitting leather clothing and a thin tiara on her silky locks. Standing right next to her in traditional Dragoon armor was King Dycoz, a few fresh scars added to his manly face. It was quickly apparent that Daiya and Aura were not here, and that realization sunk Richard's heart. He had really thought he would finally get to see Daiya again.

'Ah, welcome!' King Dycoz called loudly and his voice echoed throughout the entire room, causing everyone to look. 'Who is your friend, Richard? I'm sorry, but she'll have to go. This is a military briefing.'

'Your Majesty's, King Dycoz and Queen Reiea,' he called back and bowed his head to them, 'I would like to formally introduce Master Lillin DuColt, Master of Lightning and Wind Magic; and my teacher!'

Both monarchs looked at the young redheaded woman standing next to Richard for a moment and then turned to glance at one another, both shrugging their shoulders as they had obviously been confused. 'How is it that you are the Son of Wind and Lightning, Richard?' Reiea asked curiously and the King nodded at the good question.

'I... uh...'

'Richard is not the Son of Lightning and Wind,' Lillin answered for him when all he could do was stutter. She took a step further into the room and bowed her head toward the two powerful people before her. 'Richard is the Son of Light, and I am simply helping him with the knowledge that I have. I have yet to choose a Son or Daughter of Lightning and Wind.'

'I see,' the King said slowly and then smiled, 'won't you join us? If I had known there was an Elemental Master here I would have officially invited you as well. Your presence would be greatly appreciated, young master.'

'Thank you, and I humbly accept your invitation. Please, do not let my presence get in the way of your council. I merely wish to observe my student.'

Richard had to hand it to Lillin, she really knew how to conduct herself when speaking to royalty. She kept her voice loud yet even, and she bowed her head after saying anything. After speaking for the final time, she moved towards the table and took a position standing just beyond the light that was illuminating it. She had a good view of what was going on from where she was, but she wouldn't get in someone's way and they wouldn't notice her unless she spoke. It was like she had been doing these sorts of things her entire life. Which very well could be possible; Richard knew absolutely nothing about what she was like when she was younger, before she became the Daughter of Wind and Lightning Magic.

'Please, join us Richard,' Reiea said and motioned for him to come to the table.

Richard slowly walked over to an open spot at the table right next to Reiea, settling in and looking around at all the tired and anxious faces around him. It looked like they had all been there for quite a while because not only was the table covered in maps that showed troop deployments and missives from commanding officers at the front, but there were also empty plates and cups for as far as they eye could see. Not to mention that a few of the older women from the Council of Lords looked like they were ready to pass out where they stood.

'Um, if I may,' Richard spoke up as silence hung over the room for a few moments, and King Dycoz nodded that he was allowed to speak. 'Where is my mother and Princess Daiya?'

Out of the corner of his eye he could see Lillin stiffen at his question and he realized that the thing she had been hiding from him had to do with where they were. Reiea sighed heavily and looked towards King Dycoz with an 'I told you so,' look on her face. The older and larger monarch simply shrugged his shoulders and addressed Richard's question with tense voice.

'Your mother, wife, and aunt were here early this morning for a council,' he explained and Richard could tell from his voice that he wasn't going to like what he would hear next, 'and they left for the front shortly before you arrived.'

'Left for the front?' Richard repeated the words and they felt like ash in his mouth. 'W... why?'

'Because it is their duty, Richard,' Reiea answered softly and placed her small soft hand over his. 'Coni and Daiya are in their fourth year at the academy and as such they are honor bound to defend their countries during a war. Your mother, Aura, well she's one of the most powerful mages in the world and it is her duty to go where she can do the most good.'

'Why didn't anyone tell me? I would have gone with them!' he cried and tore his hand away from Reiea's. 'Isn't it also my duty to be out there too? Am I not a Dragoon Lord and a member of this family?' he demanded.

'Richard!' he heard Lillin call out and he looked over towards the pale girl. She was pointing to his left arm and when he looked down at it he saw that his bracer was glowing brightly. He hadn't even felt his magic power rushing through his body and it startled him a little bit.

'S... sorry,' he mumbled so softly that only those right next to him could hear.

'It's alright, Richard,' his father in law said softly and nodded gently at him, 'this is your family we are talking about, so it would be understandable.'

'Where were they sent?' he asked and tried to keep his voice calm, a surprisingly hard task considering the circumstances. 'I'm sure I can catch up if I leave on Loki right away.'

'I want to tell you, honestly; but Queen Reiea is the head of your family and since you are underage she must be the one to allow you to enter the military before you would normally be allowed,' King Dycoz spoke and Richard had to swallow the anger rising in his throat. Was he not a Dragoon? Was he not married to his daughter, a woman of higher social ranking? The decision should be the Kings, and his alone.

'We can speak of this later,' Reiea said and she didn't meet his eyes. She turned back to the table and smoothed out a map in front of her before pointing to a region on the border of Alysia and Elothia. 'For the last week the citadel between our two kingdoms has been repeatedly attacked. I don't need to tell you all that if it were to fall, the enemy forces could cut off the flow of ground troops from both sides of the border, and we must not let that happen. I believe we should send a detachment to the citadel to bolster the defense force already stationed there.'

'What about the northern territories?' a middle aged woman asked and pointed out the regions she was talking about on the map. 'Most of the small villages to the north are defenseless and are totally dependent on the capital for their protection. We can't just leave them out in the cold when our enemy is knocking down our front door.'

'We don't have enough troops to cover both areas,' a man in full battle attire responded and sighed heavily, causing the metal on his body to shift and groan. 'Something needs to be done though, we can't afford to lose either of those fronts.'

'Why not send a detachment from the Dragoons to build a camp in this region,' Richard offered and pointed to a spot right in the middle of the northern territories and the citadel. 'They can provide assistance to both areas quickly and maintain near constant patrols of the surrounding areas in the process.'

'Would that work?' a military representative asked, his question directed to the Dark Elf King and head of the Dragoon forces. 'Or would the troops and their mounts be run ragged?'

King Dycoz looked over the map thoughtfully for a few moments and then lifted his head with a small gleam in his eyes. 'It won't be easy, but it's certainly possible. Dragons are more resilient than their riders so the only thing we would need to worry about is the troops energy. Good idea, Richard!'

King Dycoz quickly wrote out new orders to one of the Dragoon squads and passed it to a young woman who promptly ran from the room to deliver it for him. The meeting continued but Richard had a hard time concentrating on any of it. His idea had been a lucky guess and when it came down to the gritty details, he was totally out of his depth. It didn't help that he couldn't stop thinking about Daiya and his family, who could be out there fighting for their very lives while he sat in some hidden bunker in the palace and played general. He wanted to be out there with them, protecting what he cared about and making sure everyone came back home in one piece.

Lillin must have known what was going through his mind because she continued to stare at him, watching over him like a hawk. Whenever he looked towards the doors he could feel her eyes harden on him and he could mentally picture her shaking her head. He didn't see what any of this had to do with her though. It's not like he was really her student, she was just the only one willing to take him on right now. The truth was that no one knew exactly how to train him, and for all he knew what he was doing with Lillin was actually detrimental. He wasn't ungrateful though. He knew she was doing the best with what she had. He just wished that there was someone or something out there that could tell him everything he wanted to know about his power and who he had once been.

There was someone actually, but there was no way she would be of any help to him right now. May would know everything there was to know about him, if she was who she claimed to be. After their last couple of run ins there was no way she would willingly tell him what she knew though. He would be lucky to get away alive the next time they met. He still didn't even really know why she was acting the way she was. She was a lot like a crazy stalker from those psychological thriller movies, and he was honestly afraid of her. Even if she didn't have the tremendous magic that she did he would still fear her just because of how crazy she acted about him.

Someone must have asked him a question directly because he suddenly realized every eye in the room was on him as he stood staring blankly at a map of Elothia. He quickly looked up and turned to Reiea and King Dycoz, 'Sorry? I'm a little tired so I zoned out. I'm terribly sorry.'

'We were just about to conclude the meeting and asked if you had anything more to add,' King Dycoz spoke. Richard did have something he wanted to discuss, but he was sure it wasn't going to be answered right now.

'No, I don't,' he said instead. When the words had left his mouth he felt an audible sigh run through the room and people began to file out, their legs stiff and rubbing sore spots on their backs and necks. Richard went to follow them but was quickly called back by Reiea.

'Stay for a moment, won't you Richard?'

He stopped in his tracks and turned back towards the young Queen. People continued to file out and when the last person had left, only Richard, Lillin, King Dycoz, and Reiea remained. Reiea quickly looked over to find the young master and clicked her tongue in an annoyed manner, waiting for the girl to leave on her own. When she didn't, Reiea spoke once more.

'You can wait for Richard outside. This is a family matter.'

'I really think I should stay, Your Highness,' Lillin said and didn't move from where she stood in the shadows.

'Please don't make me repeat myself...' Reiea cautioned and her tone was courteous yet harsh. Lillin stood her ground for another long moment but then nodded her head. She bowed stiffly and quickly left, her heels clacking loudly against the floor and the door slamming shut a few moments later. That girl really didn't like being told what to do, no matter who it came from.

'What did you want?' Richard asked and dropped the pretence of acting noble in front of royalty. One was his father in law while the other was a family member and someone who had been after him only half a year ago. He really didn't think formality was needed right now.

'I'm sorry no one told you about your wife going to the frontlines,' she said gently, but the way she said the word wife was not at all gentle, 'but it was Daiya's wish that you not know until they were well on their way.'

'That's my daughter for you,' Dycoz grunted and he was obviously not okay with the situation either. He had tried so hard to keep her away from the war and now he had probably been forced to send her right into it.

'If you tell me where they were sent I can still catch up.'

'You might as well tell him, Reiea. If he's even half the man I believe him to be, he won't sit idly by while those he loves are in danger.'

Reiea sighed and looked at Richard meaningfully. For a brief moment he was looking into the face of the awkward and unconfident girl he had first met all those months ago. She looked innocent and lost, but above all else she looked extremely worried. That outward appearance quickly changed and she was once more the strong and young Queen that had been leading her country through a war for the last four to five months. It had really forced her to grow up quickly.

'No, Richard will stay here in the palace,' she spoke and her voice was strong. 'He is only seventeen and I refuse to send someone that young into the conflict. And I will not hear another word on this subject.'

'Reiea-'

'Not another word!' she yelled and her voice echoed through the room and crushed down on him. 'It is far too dangerous! You are next in line to my throne and you should act as such!'

King Dycoz cleared his throat as Richard and Reiea stared one another down, gathering their attention. 'How about I give you two some time to discuss things. This topic really has nothing to do with me anyways.'

He quickly gathered up a few maps and some loose bits of parchment and then excused himself from the war room. Richard looked back at Reiea and fumed as she had apparently taken more interest in something on the table. She pretended to read the words on the paper but Richard could see that she was just staring at it; her eyes weren't even moving. He felt like slamming his fist on the table right in front of her to get his point across, but he remembered his outburst earlier and knew he had to keep his cool as much as possible. If he lost control of his magic now he would do more than just damage the building around him.

'Look at me, Reiea,' he said through clenched teeth. The young girl sighed and slowly looked up towards him, an almost haunted look in her eyes. 'Just tell me where they went, please!'

'I absolutely will not,' she answered and Richard actually growled in his throat at the response. 'I can't... I can't do it. I can't send you out there knowing that you can die. Don't make me do it!'

Reiea suddenly broke down and thick tears began to stream down her face as she sobbed softly. Richard couldn't tell if this was a ploy to garner sympathy from him but he honestly didn't care. He was not going to just stand back and do as he was told. He wouldn't let someone else dictate what he could or couldn't do.

'There's nothing you can say to make me stay, Reiea. You and I both know that I will never take the throne because it is not mine to claim!'

'Wh... what if I made it so you could be the rightful heir?'

'I don't want it! I have no right to it and I refuse to take it! I wouldn't make a good king because I've never been prepared for it like you were for your entire life! Now please tell me what I want to know.'

Reiea suddenly rushed him and wrapped both her arms around his chest, pinning his own arms to his sides so he couldn't push her off. She continued to cry into his cloak and shirt and she mumbled words he couldn't understand. She was once more back to being that same girl who had snuck into his bath just so she could wash his back and Richard wondered if everything up until now had just been an act.

'I can't understand what you're saying,' he sighed and tried to wiggle out of her grip. It didn't work though.

'Please... please don't go!' she cried and squeezed him tighter. 'I can't lose you! Not again! I never stopped loving you!'

'Reiea, I'm married now...'

'I don't care! I don't even care if you love her and not me... I just don't want to lose you! You're the only man I can touch, even to this day, and you mean more to me than the world. Stay married to Daiya, have a family, do whatever you want; just stay alive!'

'Reiea...' he breathed and tried to think of something to say. He had no idea how to deal with this situation though.

'Please... don't go!'

Richard swallowed hard as a thought occurred to him. It was stupid. No it was beyond stupid, but it might just work. He really didn't want to do it though; he couldn't bear to do it. But if was the only way he could get what he wanted then he really didn't have a choice, did he?

'What... what if I gave you a kiss? In exchange for the information I want?' he forced out of his mouth and Reiea suddenly stopped sobbing and looked up at his face, big thick tears clinging to her long eyelashes. She regarded him for a moment but then shook her head.

'I don't want a kiss,' she whispered and her cheeks flushed red for a moment. 'I want something else...'

'Do I even want to know?'

'I'm the Queen of this kingdom, and eventually I will be expected to produce an heir. I can't though. How can I bear a child if I can't touch a man without freezing up and freaking out? When it's time... I... I want you to give me an heir...'

'What?!' Richard yelled and finally used his superior strength to throw the girl off him. He quickly stepped away from her and held both hands up in front of him, like he was afraid she was about to jump him now. 'That's impossible! Even if I wasn't married and in love with Daiya, it would still be impossible! How would you explain that to the Council of Lords? They think we're related for Christ's sakes!'

'No one needs know who the real father of the child is. It would be nothing for me to find a man who wants to raise his standing within the kingdom and will say the child is his!'

'I'm not doing it! I won't betray the woman I love like that!'

Richard turned and started walking back towards the door. When he reached the point where they should open on their own he noticed that they remained closed, and when he pressed up against them it felt like they had been locked; which was strange because there was no key hole or bar to put across it. He turned back and found Daiya standing there with her hand up, a large and gaudy ring glowing purple as she pointed it at the door. Tears were still trickling from her eyes and she had her head lowered, her chest heaving softly.

'Don't... go...' she breathed and didn't look up at him.

'You can use magic?' he asked in a whisper. For reasons unknown to him he clenched his left fist and stared the young girl down, not trusting what she might do next. She was getting a little unstable and if she could use magic then who knew what she would or could do. 'Open the door, Reiea.'

'Please...' she cried but Richard cut her off before she could continue.

'Open the door or I will open it myself!'

'No... st... stay here and stay alive...'

'I will not stay while my family is out there fighting!' Richard roared and he flexed his fist. He heard the metal doors behind him groan for a moment and then a thundering crash rang through the room, smoke and dust flying past Richard. He stared at the stunned girl for a moment and then turned and walked through the doors that had been torn off its hinges and tossed aside like tinfoil.

Lillin had been standing on the other side of the doors and she stood there in a cloud of dust and smoke, her long dagger held protectively in front of her. She looked at Richard in mild shock and then sheathed her weapon as he walked past her and didn't say a word. He could feel her following him closely and her eyes were boring holes into the back of his head, but he ignored her. He made his way through the mildly confusing hallways and eventually found a door that led outside, pushing it open and breathing in the cool air deeply as he tried to calm himself down. He had once more lost control of his emotions and had done something he would probably regret, but for now he didn't worry about it too much.

'Are you going to yell at me now?' he asked after a few minutes of silence. He couldn't see Lillin but he knew she was standing behind him still.

'As your master I probably should, but you're going through something right now so I will save the lecture for later.'

'Good, because I'm not in the mood for that right now.'

A cool wind ghosted through the palace grounds and kicked up little white swirls of snow, chilling Richard to the bone as he tried to continue breathing deeply. He wanted to ask her if she knew about what he had been told, but he was already pretty sure that she did. He could try asking her for the information as to where they went, but he highly doubted she would ever tell him. That's probably the reason she had been watching him the entire day, to make sure he didn't lose his cool completely or try to leave on his own. It made a lot of sense now, but he wasn't going to let that stop him.

He continued to stand out in the cold, just hoping Lillin would get too cold and want to go inside. She would probably end up dragging him with her, but he might just be able to get rid of her. He really had no sense of time though, and after what felt like an hour she hadn't moved from where she stood and she wasn't so much shivering. She was like a statue standing behind him and out of the corners of his eyes he could make out her pale form as light snow drifted down around her.

'We should go now,' she said after a little while longer, startling Richard as he hadn't been expecting anything from her.

'Go where?' he asked and turned to face his master with a hard look on his face. 'If you're cold just go back inside.'

'No, to continue your training. We'll be heading to a place where you can train in peace and away from any distractions. It is imperative that we leave before midnight.'

'Why is this the first time I am hearing about this?' he asked in a cold tone. He didn't like how this had just come out of nowhere; she was definitely up to something and it was really bothering him.

'Because you didn't need to know until this moment,' she answered in a similar tone to his and Richard could see in her eyes that she wasn't asking him to go; she was telling him. 'As my disciple you must follow my orders when I give them, and you are only told as much as you need to know at the time. Is that understood?'

'What about Daiya?'

'Do. You. Understand. Me?' she said every word separately and her eyes were hard. Her arms were crossed over her chest and he could feel her magic bubbling to the surface as she tried to make herself as imposing as possible. The problem with that was that it wasn't working. He didn't feel intimidated with the amazing flow of magic being released from her body. He wasn't afraid of her. There was only one thing on his mind right now and that was finding Daiya, Aura, and Coni.

'Fine,' he stated and looked away from her face, 'just let me go and get my stuff.'

Richard turned walked by Lillin and opened the large glass door that led into the warm interior. He went to close it behind him but noticed that Lillin was following right behind him once again, her arm held out so he couldn't close the door on her face. He stopped and faced her, flashing her an extremely annoyed look that she just shrugged off.

'I already have my stuff packed and ready to go,' she answered in a monotone voice and he could tell she was lying to him. 'I might as well help you pack.'

'It's fine, I didn't unpack when we got here this morning. There is something else you could do for me though. Can you find King Dycoz and let him know that I will be leaving Loki behind and that someone will need to look after him?'

'You can do that on our way out,' Lillin suggested but he shook his head from side to side gently.

'I don't think I can face him right now,' he said and started to play with his masters head a little. 'You keep telling me that I need to remain calm, and if I talk to him and he mentions anything about Daiya I'm not sure I will be able to handle it right now.'

Lillin looked at him strangely for a few moments, then nodded her head and walked away from him. For the first time since he had woken up that morning, Richard was finally alone. He did plan on going to his room and grabbing a few of his belongings, but he had no intention of meeting up with Lillin after that. So he ran through the palace halls as fast as his legs would carry him and breezed up several flights of white marble stairs until he was busting down the door to his room. He quickly put on his Dragoon armor as best he could, messing up a few of the straps but not letting it bother him right now. He tossed on the Dragoon cloak he had been given at his wedding and then picked up Dark Star. He hurriedly drew the blade to check its condition and a small piece of parchment fluttered out and onto the floor. He picked it up and unfolded it, reading over the flowing script written on it.

You didn't learn this from me, but Daiya was sent to the Northern White Plains with the First Dragoon Raiders. Protect my daughter.

Richard read over the short message several times before placing the parchment in his pocket and thanking his lucky stars. Until then he had no way of knowing where Daiya had been sent, but now he did know and he wasn't going to let anything stop him from going to be with her. He rapidly strapped Dark Star to his back and ran out of his room, not even bothering to close the door behind him. In less than two minutes he was rushing out into the back gardens of the palace, already having casted the spell that called Loki, who hadn't been very far away.

In the same moment he heard his dragons massive wings beat through the air he also heard the back door blow open and heavy feet rushed through the snow towards him. He focused solely on what he was doing and quickly jumped onto his mounts back, grabbing the reins in his hands tightly as he prepared to take off. Before he could do so, a small bolt of yellow electricity arced right in front of his face and shocked his nose as a warning. Looking back towards the palace he found that Lillin, Reiea, Karo, Lisbeth, and Lythia had all come out to get him.

'Get off the dragon this instant!' Lillin roared and her entire body crackled with lightning as her power grew in her anger. 'Just what the hell do you think you're doing?'

'What does it look like?' Richard shot back and raised his bracer towards his master. It glowed bright gold and made her stop in her tracks as she trained her ring on him.

'Richard get down, please!' Reiea begged but he ignored her words. Twice she had asked the impossible from him and twice he had to forcefully reject her. He didn't want to be around her anymore, not if she was always going to be like that. Why couldn't she just understand that he would never feel for her the same way she felt for him? Why couldn't she just act like the Queen she was supposed to be and leave him the hell alone? He just wanted to be with Daiya!

'I'm not letting you leave, Richard!' Lillin barked. 'I know you're afraid of losing Daiya, but you cannot go after her! She is the Daughter of Fire and she can handle herself!'

'You will have to kill me if you want to stop me from going! And I don't think you can!' he yelled as loud as he could and a pulse of power rippled out from his focus and a gust of wind tore through the gardens as the same time; they were battling without even casting actual spells. Karo and Lisbeth pulled out their wands and held them tightly in their hands, looking from Richard to Lillin as they tried to figure out what was going on and who they should be sticking up for in that moment. They were two of the best friends he had ever had, but if they got in his way he wouldn't hesitate to bury them in that moment.

'You don't understand, Richard! You're barely at a level where you can wield your magic without losing control of it! If you go I can guarantee you that something bad will happen! You need more training!'

'Either attack me or shut up!'

Lillin glowered at him and her ring began to burn brighter, another ripple of her awesome power rushing through the air and striking Richard like a stiff wind. She quickly blinked though and her ring died out as she lowered her hand and growled loudly, stomping her foot in the snow in frustration.

'If you leave, you will no longer be my student! Do you understand that?'

Richard didn't answer. He flicked the reins and Loki jumped into the air, beating his powerful wings and shooting higher up until the palace was nothing but a gleaming white spot in the distance. Only when the palace was completely out of sight did Richard allow his magic to flow back into his body and he let his arm drop to the reins he had been holding in one hand. He took a long and very deep breath to clear the shadows from his mind, but found that they clung to him like a thick veil. He had been angry that he was actually willing to hurt his friends and he felt ashamed, but he also felt justified.

Loki seemed to notice that Richard was distressed because he would glance back at him every once in a while and growl gently in his throat, like he was trying to ask him what was wrong. Richard simply patted the big beast on his scales and whispered that he was fine before bundling himself up in his thick cloak to protect against the vicious winter winds ripping at his skin. He thought it had been cold on the ground but it was ten times worse flying directly into the wind eight hundred feet above the ground. Thick grey and white clouds covered the sky for as far as the eye could see and Richard did his best to avoid them at all costs, but it wasn't possible and he was soaked to the bone every time they had to fly through one.

He had a rough idea of where he was heading and he pointed Loki in that direction. He had heard of the Northern White Plains in school and had seen the general location of it on the map in the war council that morning. Being up in the air and trying to navigate made things pretty difficult though. He couldn't see the ground below him well enough to make out any landmarks that would tell him he was going in the right direction. He used his spell to communicate with Loki and let him know where they were going, hoping he would make up for any mistakes that Richard made along their journey. He also shared how important it was that they get there as fast as they could. If they were really on the front lines then they could be in a fierce battle at that very moment.

Just thinking about that made him push Loki on faster, his massive jowls open as he breathed heavily from the pace. He knew his friend wasn't able to keep this speed up for very long, but he was thankful that he was trying his hardest not to lag behind. He had heard that a dragon and his rider can actually bond on an emotional level, some to the extent that the riders emotions are mirrored in his mount. If that was true than Richard figured that's what he shared with Loki, because as frantic as he was feeling the dragon seemed to be just as much as well.

The sun that had been near the middle of the sky when he had left the city was now quickly descending to the line of mountains to the west and forced them to fly through long shadows cast by the heavy clouds above them. The further north they got the colder the air felt, and thick wet snow flakes fell on their heads as they sped along through the sky. The land below them had gone from being free flowing plains run through by twisting and winding rivers and streams to rocky and mountainous regions. It looked like something out of a movie Richard had once seen he was struck by the majestic beauty beneath him, but he couldn't focus on it for very long at any point in time.

It wasn't until the sun had fully set that Richard began to see his first signs of the war. In the inky black darkness that touched everything from the sky to the ground, Richard could make out a faint red and orange glow in the distance. It started out being barely noticeable, hidden behind a mountain; but as he and Loki continued to fly towards it the light became more pronounced and even other colors were added to it. The wind carried the sounds of combat, loud yelling and explosions ripping apart the very world. He couldn't believe that it looked like he was still a ways away from it.

When he finally crested a massive mountain range that had been on the horizon most of the day, Richard was completely stunned by what he saw below him. An uncountable number of men and women fought savagely on the ground and in the air, massive spells arcing through the space and causing havoc wherever they landed. Large ice spikes, tidal waves, massive chunks of earth, bolts of lightning, huge tornados, and blazing fireballs tore the massive area apart and sent men and women flying into the air in a dazzling display. Large dragons from Elothia buzzed the enemy lines and breathed deadly dragon fire on them from above, sending panic and fear through the ranks. But even with all of this destruction, only a small fraction of the two battle forces were taken out.

The sound of battle deafened Richard, and Loki seemed to be having trouble dealing with it as well, he kept roaring and shaking his head like he was having a fit. They were a good five hundred feet above the other dragons and no one had seen them there, which was probably a good thing as dazzling spells rocketed through the air and tore some of the Dragoons down. Rider and dragon alike were crushed into the blood soaked snow on the ground and the sight disturbed Richard greatly. The battle at the academy had been a horrible event, but it truly paled in comparison to what he was looking at right now.

He couldn't let himself be lost in the brutality of war though, he was here to find Daiya and his family. He quickly scanned the vision before him, trying to pick out anything that would show him to his wife, but everything was so chaotic that he couldn't find any sign of her. It also didn't help that he was so high above the battle in the first place. He began to search the little specks with massive wings that were the dragons flying around the battlefield, trying to see if he could at least make out Cotaz, but once more there was just too much going on and he couldn't make heads or tails of what he was seeing. His time for looking quickly ran out as well.

As he had been so focused on the battle below him, he never stopped to take a look around at the height he was at for an enemy. Only at the last second did he catch a glimpse of a blazing pillar of orange flame racing towards him and Loki, and he pulled the reins hard to the left to avoid it. The attack missed by a dozen feet but the heat was so intense he could feel his skin burn slightly and he yelped in pain as he tried to get Loki under control once more. His dragon was roaring wildly and his wings were flapping savagely in the air, his entire body tensing under Richard. He had only seen him like this once before, when they had come across May and her massive red dragon. So he knew who had attacked before she even came into view in front of him, her long blonde hair being tossed about in the wind and a brutal glint in her eyes as she controlled her dragon with precision.

'May?!' he cried and the older girl smiled at him. It was not a friendly smile though and Richard felt his blood run cold just by seeing it.

'Leave this area now!' she yelled back at him. 'This isn't your fight!'

'W... what are you doing here? Are you fighting in this war?' he demanded of his old friend but she simply laughed at his question.

'This petty squabble is below me! I'm merely here for you! Now let's leave this place before you get caught up in the conflict!'

'What the hell is going on? How did you even know I would be here?!'

'I always know where you are! My focus is linked to yours, so I can always locate the other one! It's time to go back home now, Roku!'

'How many times do I have to tell you, I'm not going anywhere with you! Now get out of my way!'

Richard refused to allow this woman to do whatever the hell she wanted anymore. Everything had always been dictated on her terms, but no longer. He took the initiative this time and released an attack, shooting a ball of light towards her in the exact same moment that Loki released a torrent of flame at the red dragon. The impact of both attacks tore the air with a massive explosion and an ear shattering bang assaulted his ears. May had been able to bring up a wall of arcane infused fire to protect both herself and her dragon and when the explosion subsided she was already on the offensive, unleashing a pillar of flame that Loki narrowly avoided.

Loki and the massive red dragon began to fly tight spirals both higher up and down towards the ground, their mouths open and dragons fire lighting the night sky up. Richard blocked a flaming ball of red fire from May with his shield and then quickly condensed the shield into a tiny sun and threw it at her. His aim was off by a lot though and it flew safely towards an open portion of the fields below them, smashing into it and exploding on contact in a devastating display of power. He was in May's domain by flying on the back of a dragon and he struggled to both protect himself from her pinpoint accurate attacks and try to land some of his own. With the speed they were flying and the fact that they were circling one another in tight circles, he couldn't get any attacks near her.

A powerful red beam was absorbed by his shield, the power behind the brutal attack almost tossing Richard off of Loki's back as he struggled to keep his light wall in front of him. Before he could counter attack, the red dragon breathed fire on them and Richard and Loki were engulfed in the near liquid like flames. Richard's shield protected him but he didn't have a chance to extend it far enough to protect his steed, and Loki roared in pain and anger as his scales glowed bright red from the heat. The hulking beast shook in both rage and pain and Richard was amazed that he was even still able to fly; but Loki refused to give up.

Richard tightened his grip on the reins with his right hand and pulled them to the left, turning Loki away from the perpetual circling with May and her dragon. Before their enemies could adjust he kicked Loki roughly on the sides of the neck and made him blow a massive spiraling pillar of fire while he shot a beam of light at them. May quickly protected herself and her dragon from the fire, but she didn't notice the beam circling around from behind her. It smashed into her dragon and exploded, sending rays of light everywhere and obscuring his vision. A moment later he saw May and her red dragon fall from the sky, the massive wings of the great dragon furled up around its body and its mouth hanging limp. As the flash from the explosion faded he lost sight of his enemy as they fell into the shadows below and he had no idea what happened to her after that.

The high altitude fight had taken Richard and Loki away from the actual battle going on and they had to head back towards it. The fighting had gotten even worse and hundreds of bodies littered the crimson stained ground. Bright explosions of savage colors ripped through the whole area and people were tossed from their feet, melee weapons being scattered among the rising count of bodies. Richard still couldn't find the three people he was looking for, and every time he noticed a broken body lying in a pool of blood his heart seized up as he couldn't help but picture his family among the fallen. For the second time that night he was focusing too much on what he was witnessing and he and Loki had flown too close to the battle below them. The enemy nations spotted them flying high above and released a volley of dazzling spells that sizzled past them, lighting up the inky sky like a search light. A ball of fire hit Loki on the tail and exploded in a shower of sparks and embers, causing the great black beast to roar in anger and unleash a torrent of bright flames on the soldiers and mages below them; they were all killed instantly.

More spells rushed towards them and Richard quickly constructed as big a shield as he could manage, protecting him and his mount. He was about to unleash his own attack when he heard massive wings slicing through the air and a massive jet of red arcane fire scorched a massive line through the enemy ranks below him, setting everything within a thirty foot radius on fire. Looking back to his left Richard spotted May still on her dragon. They were targeting those who had just attacked him, but once the threat had been eliminated she turned her sights on him. There was a sinister glint in her eyes and Richard could feel her amazing magical power flowing from her body in waves as she unleashed an attack on him.

Richard shifted his shield so it was facing the massive attack, but it was instantly shattered like glass as the power behind the spell was like nothing he had ever felt before. It slammed into both him and Loki, tossing them out of the air like a wet sack of cement and pain coursing through every nerve ending he had in his body. They had been a few hundred feet above the ground when they had been stuck and Richard probably would have died on impact if Loki didn't have enough presence of mind to flap his wings hard a few times before they crashed into the red snow. He was tossed from the saddle on the dragons back and flipped and skipped over the wet ground, his head smashing into it a few times before finally coming to a stop.

Every inch of his body was in an extreme amount of pain and it took everything he had just to remain conscious. The sounds of fighting surrounded him in every direction and he could even tell that people were fighting tooth and nail within a few feet of where he had landed. Knowing that he was in extreme danger, Richard slowly pulled himself to his feet and pulled Dark Star from his back. As soon as he felt the meager weight of the ancient sword in his hand he also felt a twinge of pain in his wrist. He had landed on it wrong when he was being tossed around in the snow and had probably sprained it pretty badly, but he didn't have the luxury of worrying about it. If he didn't have his sword to deflect other weapons and absorb powerful spells he would be killed quickly. It was the one thing that was going to keep him alive right now, and he knew full well. So he grit his teeth hard and held his sword out, the black metal glinting in the moonlight as the full moon peaked out behind the heavy grey and black clouds above.

Being in the middle of the actual fight was a lot worse than flying around it on a massive dragon, and before Richard had even cleared the cobwebs from his brain he was assaulted by a very large man bearing down on him with a massive two handed sword that glowed slightly in the night. Richard quickly brought up his own sword and took a step to his left, moving away from the attack and avoiding harm. The instant Dark Star made contact with the other sword more pain flared up in his wrist and Richard almost let go of his lifeline as he screamed out in agony. He pushed the pain away though and focused on the swelling magic in his body, letting it flow forth from his bracer and striking his attacker in the face with a wall of light that tossed him twenty feet into the air.

No sooner had he dispensed with one attacker, another man took his place and rushed at Richard with a ten foot long spear. Before the blade could so much as get within five feet of him, Richard shot a beam directly at the man and felled him instantly, causing him to groan in pain as he buckled at the waist and clutched the spot he had been struck. Richard had put more power behind the attack than he had wanted, but he was sick of this already and he still had a job to do. Nothing was going to stop him from finding the woman he loved and his family. That's what he thought at least. As soon as he had taken out the spear carrier, something large and heavy hit him in the back of the head and he was tossed from his feet once more, landing face down in the snow at his feet.

Richard quickly flipped onto his back and looked up into the savage face of a brutally strong man with a long black beard and blood smeared over his features. His eyes were filled with bloodlust and before Richard could do anything to protect himself he found a massive hand around his neck and he was lifted off the ground, his feet dangling and kicking as the life was slowly squeezed from his body. He tried to will his magic to strike out at his attacker, but it had gone from being a powerful river to nothing more than a trickle within his body. His emotions were at odds with what he wanted and his fear of dying over powered his will to survive. He was completely at this man's mercy, and from the look on his crazed face he didn't have any of that left.

'Put him down now!' he heard May roar and a split second later a high density beam of red arcane power hit his attacker right in the face, disintegrating it in an instant. With no head left on his shoulders, the man's body went limp and he dropped Richard as he keeled over backwards. He was dead before Richard's feet had even landed in the slick red snow.

In a flash, Richard knelt down and picked up his discarded sword and spun on his heel to face the blonde girl standing ten feet away from him. Her eyes were lit up with excitement now and the soldiers around them suddenly became wary as her superior magic power washed out from her golden bracer. Not a single one of them attacked either him or her, focusing instead on keeping their distance and worrying about protecting their own lives in the bloody fray that spread out for what seemed like miles. Knowing that he wouldn't have to worry about the others for right now, Richard lifted his sword towards May and prepared himself for her next attack. He had to find a way to get the upper hand; something that wouldn't be easy considering her considerable strength and skill. He was sure she hadn't even shown him a fraction of what she was truly capable of.

'Just give it up, Roku!' she yelled over the loud din around them. 'I don't want to hurt you any more than I already have!'

'Leave me alone!' he roared and lashed out with his magic, tossing a small orb of light like a grenade. May easily dodged the attack, but he had been counting on that. She stood five feet from where the ball had landed in the snow and causing a depression in the ground from the weight of the condensed light. In the very next instant he clenched his right fist and it exploded savagely, tossing May five feet into the air as she screamed in pain and surprise. To someone as experienced and as strong as her, the attack was nothing more than an annoyance and she landed deftly on her feet a moment later with a smirk on her face.

'Fine! I'll knock you out and drag your ass out of here myself!' she spat and lifted her own bracer towards him. Arcane infused fire lashed out at him like a whip and he brought up Dark Star, blocking and absorbing the attack before spinning in a full circle and launching it back at her. May had been expecting that though and she waved her hands around in a circle, catching the spell and condensing it into a fiery ball that sizzled and cracked. 'You'll have to do better than that!'

She opened her palm and the ball of fire hovered there for a moment before shooting towards him. Richard tried to bring his sword up to absorb it once more, but at the very last second the orb exploded into six different balls, all zooming by the sword and exploding a few feet away from him. The explosion was so forceful that he felt his world turn upside down and he realized he had been tossed high into the air. Looking down he could see that he was falling from a height around fifty feet and he couldn't twist his body in midair so he wouldn't fall on his head. From this height he would be killed instantly. A second later he felt a massive claw grip his body and he realized Loki had leapt up and caught him, but now they were both falling and there wasn't enough room for the dragon to fly away. Loki landed hard on his back and roared in agony as he held Richard up and away from the ground, his claws releasing him a second later.

Richard fell to his knees at an extremely opportune time. A moment after being released, a massive red dragon leapt onto the prone black dragon and bit down savagely on his left leg, the sound of bone crunching under the pressure of the massive mouth. Once more Loki cried out in pain and Richard acted quickly, gathering his magic into his bracer and releasing it on the dragon in a powerful display. The red dragon was tossed off of Loki and skidded across the ground until it stopped a few feet in front of May who had been watching in interest. At the same time both dragons got to their feet and turned to face the other, standing next to their riders as they growled and roared in defiance and anger.

'Don't you understand that you can't beat me as you are?' May asked loudly and Richard gripped the hilt of his sword tighter.

'Shut up!'

'If you give up now and agree to come back to Earth with me, I promise to spare that little whelp you call a dragon!'

'I said shut up!'

Richard raised his sword and charged at the blonde girl before him, holding it out tip first. In the very same moment Loki began to charge as well, limping slightly from the wound he had sustained from the red dragon, but his eyes burning with fire and anger. Richard expected May to strike with her magic and was completely taken by surprise when she suddenly pulled out a long dagger from behind her back