Eternal Darkness: Chapter Four free porn video

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Hey everyone! Rate and comment! This is a bit longer of a chapter for all of you so I hope you enjoy!



Chapter Four:
Rumble in the Jungle and the Bell of the Ball


'What did you just say?' Richard demanded and tightened his grip on Dark Star. May shifted slightly in the large saddle on the red dragons back and regarded him thoughtfully before answering.

'I said that people didn't call me the Lady of Dragons for no reason, Richard. Had you not figured that out yet?'

'You've lost your mind, May! The Lady of Dragons lived over two thousand years ago!' he yelled out. He was furiously trying to figure out what to do in that moment; it was obvious May was off her rocker and if this turned out anything like the last time he saw her he would probably end up fighting her.

May sighed and released the reins in her grip, jumping deftly from the back of her dragon a moment later. Richard took into account that her arm with the bracer was pointed towards the ground but he still didn't put his sword down. He had no idea what was going on or how she had found him, but he wasn't going to take her lightly anymore. He had once considered this woman his best friend but he realized now more than ever that he knew nothing about her; and that scared him.

'My birth name was Lady Monica Rysto,' she said and took two steps closer to him, 'but I've gone by many names. You know me best as May, but you've also known me as Nurse Samantha who was one of the first people who held you when you were born. There was also Ms. Simmons who was your preschool teacher, and Lily who lived next door when you were young and babysat you. You were probably too young to remember those times though. Which is a shame; we sure had a lot of fun.'

'Do you actually expect me to believe that?' he asked and took a step back. The black dragon on his right side mirrored his movements and they both continued to stare at the fearsome duo before them. 'I've seen a lot of weird things here but you're shoveling something that just isn't possible!'

'Would you like to see my real form?' she asked and a shimmer of red magic ran over her lithe body. It rippled for a second and then her height shifted as she grew taller. Her hair grew out longer and looked a little dull as wrinkles popped into existence around her eyes and mouth, a small scar on her left cheek. 'I'm not quite fond of how I look when I am using my old body; too many wrinkles. Maybe you'd prefer a younger body.'

Once more red magic washed over her and she shrunk down until she was a little over three feet tall. Her hair came down to the middle of her back and her eyes shimmered with youth. She smiled a wide toothy grin at him and two buck teeth appeared, giving her a cute beaver kind of look that was almost comical; if the situation wasn't freaking him out. She had to have been around eight and Richard found it hard to believe a grown woman had been standing before him just a second ago.

'What do you think? I'm cute, right?' she asked and her voice was still the same as always.

'How are you doing that?' he asked breathlessly and took another big step back as he brought his sword up higher. His hand was shaking on the hilt and he had to swallow hard just to get his body to obey his commands.

'It's a spell I developed before going to Earth,' she answered and she resumed her normal college coed body that filled out nicely. 'It's pretty neat, eh? Now why don't you put down that sword and we can get out of here.'

'I don't think so. Why don't you tell me just what the hell is going on? If what you're telling me is true then why the hell have you been stalking me my entire life? You're the one that put the rune on me, weren't you? The one that suppressed my magic?'

'You really haven't figured anything out yet, have you?' May sighed and shook her head. 'I would've thought that you being back on this world would have jogged your memory at least a little bit. I'm not the only one who has had other names, Richard. You used to be called something else as well. Does Roku ring any bells?'

'My ancestor? What about him?'

'Oh jeez… this is ridiculous! You are Roku! Get it now?'

'You know what, we're done here! If you're not going to at least take my questions seriously then let's just get this over with!'

Richard moved forward a step and raised his sword above his head, his bracer filling with power in the same instant. He was quickly stopped though. The large red dragon opened its mouth and showed its teeth, a flicker of bright orange flame building at the back of his throat. In the next instant Richard took a step back and lowered his sword while the black dragon to his right lowered its body slightly and started to growl menacingly.

'You might want to be careful around Ryolas; she's not as forgiving as I am,' May cautioned and patted the massive beast on the leg as it closed its mouth. 'And if you're going anywhere, it better be with me. I'll need a few more weeks to gather enough power to send us both back to Earth again. Until then, well I'm sure we can find something that will pass the time.'

There was something in the way she said the last part of her sentence that made Richard blush a little, but right now he didn't have time for that. 'I… I'm not going back to Earth. That world has nothing for me anymore!'

'I'm sorry, but you don't have much of a choice in the matter.'

'You're going to have to do it by force again,' he growled and once more gripped the hilt of his sword. 'And I don't think you can. You yourself just said that you didn't have much power right now, so what's to stop me from just knocking you out and leaving?'

'I'm doing this for your own good, Richard!' May yelled and her face was twisted in anger. A wind ripped through the trees around them and Richard knew it had nothing to do with the weather; it was May's magic. 'Everything I have done to you has always been for your own good! If you stay on this world you will die! That's why I suppressed your magic; so you would never have to come back to the this place ever again! Your magic will end up consuming you and you will do horrible things because of it! What don't you understand? Come with me and you will never have to feel pain ever again! I promise you, Roku!'

'I'm not Roku! It's impossible! I'm just his descendant and nothing more!'

'That's true, but also wrong. You are from his bloodline, but you are also Roku's reincarnation! Do you know the truth about the Great War? How it began? I bet no one has ever told you, did they?' she asked and Richard didn't answer; he couldn't. 'You, me, and Prince Wales were the students of the strongest mage in the world. One day he asked us to use magic to obtain eternal life, and the first one of us to do it would be the next master. Only something went horribly wrong! Our master was also trying to become immortal and his use of banned magic back fired on him, turning him into a being of pure magic. He was the one who tried to destroy the world, and that's why we fought against him for over thirty years!

'Like me, you never stopped working on the cure to death. You fled from this world because you were dying, and the low magic content on Earth would sustain you until you could finish your work. When I learned that you had gone to another world I went after you, but I was already too late. All I found was a woman with a child and a strange note written in the language of the elves. You hadn't been able to safely stop yourself from dying but you did create a spell that would cause you to be reborn somewhere down your bloodline. So I watched, and I waited. Then seventeen years ago when your mother gave birth to a baby boy I knew instantly that the spell had worked. You had come back! You are Roku, Richard! The fact that you can use the same magic as him is proof enough. No one else in your family ever could, not even that bastard son Celia spawned!'

May's voice was getting louder with each sentence she spoke and Richard could tell she was close to losing it entirely. If he didn't do something now things would escalate and he probably wouldn't be so lucky to get away with just being sent back to Earth. He had to think quick; think of something that would leave her vulnerable and he could get the upper hand. That's when it hit him. All he had to do was get her to give up her source of power; the bracer.

'If I really am Roku's reincarnation then give me my other bracer to prove it!' he yelled.

May held the bracer up for him to see and Richard could feel the magic being stored up in it. It was glowing a bright red and he knew that if she released the power she was forcing into it there wouldn't be a tree standing for a mile in every direction. As she looked at it, a wide smile broke across her face and it was more twisted than he could have ever imagined.

'Come with me and I will think about giving it to you,' she said and waved for him to come closer. Richard stood his ground though. There was no way he was going to get closer to her right now.

'It doesn't belong to you! It never did!'

'It didn't belong to Celia either! Yet she took it without permission! So I hunted her down to take it back and keep it protected!'

'What did you do, May?' Richard asked and knew that he really didn't want to know the answer. The glint in her eyes was more than enough to form his own conclusion.

'Like I said, I hunted her,' May cackled and a shiver ran up Richard's spine. 'I took the bracer and then used her and her son's blood in my spell to become immortal. It was too easy a death for them, but I was short on time.'

Something in Richard snapped at the jovial way she was talking about murdering two innocent people and he was suddenly charging towards the inhuman beast that May truly was. Before he had take four steps the air around him cracked with power and a red beam shot forth from May's bracer, streaking right to Richard's face. Instinctively he lifted his sword up and thought with heart wrenching certainty that the blade would shatter into a million pieces from the sudden pressure and resulting explosion. Instead he was surprised to find that the beam hit the blade and suddenly disappeared as the metal began to turn from black to red. Thinking something bad was about to happen he pushed his arm with the sword in it from his face and was amazed when he saw a red beam shoot out of it and smash into May a second later.

The beam would have connected with her chest if she hadn't brought up her bracer and deflected it off into the jungle, trees falling as it came into contact with them. There was a loud explosion somewhere close by and debris ran down around them as May stood up and dusted herself off, an annoyed smile on her face.

'So you don't remember who I really am but you know how to use Dark Star properly? This is going to be fun!' she roared. 'Ryolas, attack!'

The massive red dragon reared up and spewed dragon fire all over the area, forcing Richard to pull a shield up over himself at the last second in order to live. The black dragon that had been standing beside him suddenly beat it's thirty foot wing span and blew the fire right back at the red dragon before leaping in and attacking it with its powerful jaws. Both dragons became solely focused on one another and Richard could turn all of his attention back to May, who was currently chanting under her breath as she forced a spell through her body.

Blood red flames suddenly leapt into existence and curled around May's body, their heat pushing Richard back five feet just so his skin wouldn't blister. The spell was like nothing he had ever seen before and he realized that May was fusing her strange red magic together with her element, causing a spell more powerful than either one could be alone. The torrent of flames coiled around her and hissed like a living creature, tendrils of smoke and flames striking out at the air every once in a while. With a sinking realization Richard knew there was no way he could fight against someone this powerful. He doubted even Daiya could.

'This is your last chance, Roku! Come with me and I will spare your dragon!'

'You and I both know that I won't do that. You're going to have to kill me!'

Richard released all the power he had been collecting in his bracer all at once, causing a brilliant explosion to ripple through the jungle as he leapt to his left. A second later the strange red fire cut through the light and lashed out at where he had been standing, hitting the ground with a thunderous boom that shook trees all around him. In the next moment he was on his feet and charging through the light, his sword held straight out in front of him as he aimed to impale May on it. When he emerged he realized that May had been expecting the feint and a beam of red magic was headed right towards his chest. All he could do to avoid it was twist his body in midair as he leapt to the side and watch, hoping it sailed past unimpeded. It didn't though. The instant the beam grazed his shoulder he felt his entire body convulse in pain and he landed roughly on the hard ground, breathing heavily and covered in sweat.

Nearby he could hear the two massive dragons thrashing around, the sound of jaws snapping, trees cracking, and fire being expelled ringing in his tender ears. He couldn't tell who was winning but he didn't think it really mattered. He was stuck on the ground and writhing in pain like May had just hit him with a taser. Her face swam into his blurry vision and he could see her smiling at him, her blonde hair falling around her normally pretty face.

'Are you done?' she asked with raised eyebrows and placed a soft hand on the side of his face. She knelt down and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead before moving back and smiling at him. 'This is exactly the reason why you shouldn't be here, Roku. You can't control your magic and one day it will control you. If you can't even beat me then what did you plan to accomplish here?'

All Richard could do was glare at the woman as she smiled brightly down at him. Her spell was still in effect but he was beginning to get movement back in his fingers; all he had to do was wait a little longer. He was not going to lose this fight. He wasn't going to rely on someone's help anymore. If he couldn't do this on his own then he deserved to die. May was right, if he couldn't even fight her with all of his strength than what hope did he have of saving his friends and family? If things got even more out of control May could start actually targeting them, and there wouldn't be a thing he could do about it. He didn't want to lose anyone ever!

'What's with that angry look?' May asked and used two fingers to push up the sides of his mouth into a hideous smile. 'Once Ryolas is done killing your dragon we'll all be on our merry way together. So just sit tight, please.'

There was a massive crash just off to Richard's left and he felt the ground tremor under him as one of the dragons was thrown down. There was a horrible and tear jerking roar of anger and fear and Richard knew it was coming from the black dragon. He couldn't see what was going on, but he could imagine it. The image of the massive red dragon standing over a hurt black one with its teeth around its neck was horrifying and Richard could feel his anger start to bubble over. Something extremely hot and powerful began to course through his body and his head began to spin as something much greater than him took over.

The spell that was keeping him from moving suddenly lifted from his body all at once and he clenched his fist as his rage started to spill out of his him. He could feel it envelop him and he grabbed onto it hard, pushing out mentally as violently as he could. In an instant the entire jungle for three miles in every direction was engulfed in a massive explosion that ripped trees out of the ground at their roots and tossed them high into the air. May was thrown back in the powerful detonation and she cried out in pain as she hit her head brutally on a rock. A terrifying roar from where the dragons were hit Richard's ears next and he could hear as a massive bone snapped on the red dragons wing, knocking it onto its back.

A second later Richard jumped nimbly to his feet and slowly walked towards May as she lay motionless on the ground. There was a small amount of blood on her brow and her eyes were closed, a look of pain etched all over her face. Richard gripped Dark Star tightly in his hands and raised it above her, the sickeningly sharp tip pointed right at her chest and over her heart. His anger coursed through his body and urged him on as a terrible power tried to grip hold of his mind and take full control. In that moment he wanted to kill her. He had never wanted to kill someone before, but he did now. She had stalked him, attacked him, taken away his magic and made people hate him. And for what? He didn't even care. She had to pay and that's all that mattered.

With a grim smile he brought the sword down onto his enemy. The strike never connected though. As the tip was a mere inch away he felt something strong and powerful grip him around the waist and the next thing he knew he was being hauled into the air; May and the whining red dragon sinking into the distance. Looking up Richard saw that the black dragon had grabbed him with its talons and taken him away, green blood oozing from scratches and puncture marks all over its massive body. As it flew it looked down towards him and its reptile eyes pierced right through the cloud of anger that hung over him. He slowly came back to his normal self and could feel his body trembling over what had just happened.

Not wanting to be held in the sharp claws anymore, Richard grabbed hold of the scales on the dragons legs and used them to climb up onto its back. He wrapped his legs around its massive neck and gently patted the beast on the head, mentally thanking it for stopping him. The dragon almost purred under the comforting gesture and slowly turned in a wide arc as the profile of the massive volcano came into view. It was taking him back to the city.

They hadn’t even been flying for more than five minutes when suddenly Richard could hear the sound of wings slicing through the air. Looking around he half expected to find May chasing after him, but instead found a large yellowish green dragon quickly approaching them with a rider. When it drew nearer Richard saw Daiya sitting on the back of the dragon and when she was only a few feet away from him she leapt off her dragon and through the air, nimbly landing on the back of the black dragon he was on. In an instant her arms were around his neck and her lips were pressing into his, warm tears splashing onto his cheeks. The kiss lasted longer than he would have expected, but he really didn't mind. It was what happened after the kiss he would have rather not happened.

'That's for being okay, and this is for not jumping off when I told you to!' she yelled and slammed both of her fists hard onto his chest, pushing the air right out of his lungs. 'Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?'

'I… I'm sorry,' he coughed and rubbed his sore chest. 'I'm alive though, so isn't that a good thing?'

Daiya stared at him intently before breaking eye contact to look around them. She seemed to have noticed they were flying on the back of the black dragon that had almost killed him because her eyes suddenly bulged and she gasped loudly. 'What is going on here?'

'It's a long story, and I promise to tell you everything soon. But first I need to see Aura as soon as possible. There's something I need to ask her.'

Daiya regarded him curiously for a moment but then nodded her head, her eyes never leaving his. She once more wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body to his as their lips met once more. It was a more gentle kiss than the first and Richard found his own arms wrapping around her back and holding onto her body tightly as his feelings poured out of him. After a few moments of kissing they pulled back from one another and Richard could see a slight pink coloring in Daiya's cheeks as she breathed heavily out of her mouth, her eyes a little glazed around the edges. She cleared her throat and let go of the grip she had on him before running her hands over the dragons scales.

'Can you answer one question? Are you flying this dragon or are you still stuck on it?'

'Well I don't think I'm trapped on him anymore,' he answered with a small smile, 'we both kind of saved each other's lives. As for the other part of the question, well I have no idea. I don't think so though, he just took off in this direction without me doing anything.'

Daiya moved further back on the dragons broad back and sat down, grabbing a scale in each hand so she didn't fall off. She looked back towards Richard and said, 'Let's find out then. Try shifting all of your weight to the left.'

Richard did as he was instructed and the dragon began to bank slowly in that direction, a soft growl coming from its mouth. Wanting to see if that wasn't just a fluke he leaned the other way and was amazed when the dragon began to bank right, it's massive wings beating in the air loudly. He could hear Daiya gasp behind him so he turned to face her, a questioning look on his face as the Dark Elf Princess stared at him wide eyed.

'What?' he asked.

'Richard, this shouldn't be possible. The only humans who could ever tame dragons were the First King, the Lady of Dragons, and the-'

'The Eternal Master, General Roku, right?' he finished for her and she nodded at him. 'We'll get into that later. There's a lot I haven't told you yet but there's even more I don't know. That's why I wanted to talk with Aura. I want you there with me.'

'Fair enough,' Daiya answered and shimmied back towards him so she could wrap her arms around his waist. 'Flying without reins is very tricky with dragons, and very rarely done. This dragon seems to be quick with the commands given though so we shouldn't have too much of a problem. Lean left or right to turn or bank, and if you want to fly higher lean back. When we come in for a landing just lean forward and the dragon should do all the work for you.'

'Sounds simple enough. Should I head for the volcano?'

'No, take us to the palace. I told everyone that I would head there once I found you, so they'll be waiting. I can't wait to see the look on my sisters face when she sees you flying a dragon! Maybe it will change her attitude towards you.'

'Doubtful,' Richard laughed. It felt good to be away from May and have Daiya with him, but he couldn't shake off the feeling he had when he was about to kill May. It still clung to his heart and he knew if he saw her any time soon he would try to finish it right then. That scared him. He had never harbored that much hate to anyone before and he didn't know how to control it. It was like there were two separate sides of him and the newest one was beyond his control.

When the city came into view Richard leaned forward like Daiya had shown him and the dragon began to gradually descend towards the ground, an almost sad shiver running through its body. The palace was before them a few minutes later and they touched down in the back courtyard softly as maids and attendants came rushing over, speaking to Daiya in their tongue. Both he and the Princess nimbly jumped off the back of the dragon while it curled up on the soft grass and quickly fell asleep, smoke and steam hissing out of its large nostrils. A moment later the large glass doors of the palace burst open and King Dycoz rushed out with his wife Queen Rina, Aura, Lisbeth, and Lythia.

'Thank heavens you found him!' Queen Rina exclaimed and hugged her daughter quickly before hugging Richard tightly. 'Are you two alright?'

'We're fine mother. It turns out there wasn't much to worry about. Richard had everything under control.'

'Is this the dragon that took off with him?' King Dycoz asked and pointed towards the massive sleeping form of the black dragon on their lawn. Richard was going to answer but he suddenly found himself suffocating as Aura hugged him tightly and cut off his air supply, causing tears to come to his eyes.

'Yes,' Daiya answered for him, 'when I found him he was riding on its back and headed towards the city.'

'How did you get it to land?' Aura asked him after finally releasing her hold.

'It was all Richard,' Daiya beamed but everyone looked at her like she had just lost her mind. 'No, really! The dragon moved with his commands and everything! Watch! Richard, go mount him for a moment.'

Sighing, Richard moved back towards the black dragon and gently ran his hand over its scales before leaping deftly to its back. All he wanted to do right now was get Aura away from everyone else and ask her some questions about what May had told him, but he should have realized that wouldn't be quite so easy. Daiya was making a pretty outrageous claim and they would need to back it up with some proof if they wanted people to understand that they were telling the truth.

As soon as he landed on the dragons back it awoke and stood back up until Richard was sitting nearly twenty feet off the ground. He climbed into his spot on the dragons neck and gently leaned back as the dragon flapped its massive wings and lifted a few feet in the air. He kept it level for a few seconds before leaning back even further. He and the dragon flew around the courtyard a few times before landing once more. Once he had gotten off, the dragon went to sleep again and Richard realized it was probably tired from its fight against May's red dragon.

'That's… that's amazing,' Queen Rina breathed and Aura nodded her head in agreement. The King regarded Richard hard for a minute before walking towards him and slapping him hard on the back as a wide grin spread across his weathered face.

'I knew I picked the right man for my daughter!' he yelled with a loud barking laugh and Richard had to force himself not to shrink away from the imposing man. 'You impress me with everything you do, Richard! I don't know whether to praise your abilities or feel jealous because I don't have them!'

'Umm, thanks… I think.'

'Dycoz, dear?' the Queen spoke and grabbed her husband's attention while everyone else stared at him with stunned looks on their faces. Even Aura looked like she had been frozen in shock. 'Richard and the dragon have formed a bond…'

'Oh, right! Where is my head at? Richard, it is our law that anyone who is bonded to a dragon is permitted to keep the dragon. It's highly uncommon for someone to bond with an adult dragon, but it doesn't change the fact. This strapping one is now under your care and you will have to look after all of its needs. This also allows you the right to join the Dragoons and ride your dragon whenever you want. The only thing you must do to accept this great honor is give him a name.'

'Richard get's to keep the dragon?' Lisbeth asked and her face had once more lit up with a wide smile as she thought of the implications. 'You have to let me ride on it at least once, Richard! Please?'

Richard looked at the powerful Dark Elf King and couldn't find any lie in his words. Only an hour ago he was fighting for his life trying not to be killed by a dragon and now here he was being given that dragon as his mount and friend. It was hard to wrap his mind around and he didn't think he would ever have enough time to get used to it. But, he had come up with a perfect name for the dragon already.

'I'll name him Loki,' he said and everyone tilted their heads in confusion. 'Loki is an ancient god from where I grew up. He is apparently the god of fire and is known as the trickster. I think it fits this dragon perfectly, especially after all the trouble he gave me today.'

'God of fire and tricks, eh?' King Dycoz mused and then suddenly smiled. 'I think you have yourself the perfect name for such a unique beast! From here on forth, this Greater Black Dragon will be known as Loki, the companion of Lord Proud!'

Loki lifted his massive head and gazed at them for a moment, almost like it understood that they were talking about him. Figuring nothing bad was going to happen it lowered its head once more and drifted off into sleep that kept proving to be elusive. Queen Rina came and hugged Richard once more before whispering something into her husband's ear and taking her leave. King Dycoz seemed to contemplate something for a moment and then split into another wide smile. It was almost becoming a permanent part of his face.

'I believe I have something to negotiate with now,' he said to Aura and she nodded gently. 'Let's go resume out talks and let the young ones have some time away from their parents.'

Aura smiled and turned to walk away with the king, but Richard grabbed her by the wrist and moved in close so only she could hear him. 'I really need to talk to you about something; in private. It's really important,' he whispered into her ear.

'Wait for me in your room, I'll try to come by as soon as I am able. I'd suggest taking a bath and getting your wounds looked after while you wait,' she answered in a hushed tone and then walked off, disappearing into the palace a moment later.

Realizing that he must stink to high heaven and that he was covered in cuts and bruises that oozed blood he quickly asked Daiya to come to his room once Aura was free and then took off towards the bath. He soaked in hot water laced with oils and soaps for a good hour before getting out and allowing the maids to attend to his wounds. There was a pretty nasty one on his left shoulder from where one of the dragon hatchlings had grabbed onto him and he was told the area May had hit him with her spell would take some time to heal. He was given something for the pain thankfully, and didn't worry about it too much.

Because of the events of the day his lesson with Master Riyo was cancelled and he was allowed to eat in peace while secluded in his room. He could have gone down to the dining hall with the rest of his friends but he didn't feel like socializing right now. There were too many things swimming through his mind for him to sit still or hold a decent conversation anyways. Perhaps Loki felt the same way because whenever Richard looked out the window of his room he would find the massive black dragon lounging on the vibrant green grass right underneath where he was. He was going to have to ask Daiya for help when it came time to feed the big fella, because he honestly didn't know what they ate or when they ate.

The moon had risen by the time someone came and knocked on his door. He was expecting to find both Aura and Daiya there but it was only the Princess. She was dressed in a thin green sleeveless dress and her hair had been tied back in a tight and high pony tail that showed off her long and slender ears. She looked absolutely beautiful and all Richard wanted to do in that moment was hold her in his arms, but there was a tense air between them and he couldn't find the courage to do it. He knew she was dying to know what had happened in the jungle and she was pretty quiet. Little did she know that she was going to hear a whole lot more than what had just happened that day.

'Their meeting just ended so Aura should be here soon,' she said and sat down on the couch in front of the fire. 'How are you feeling?'

'Not bad,' he admitted with a slight smile. 'The weird herb drink the maids gave me works better than Advil, so I don't feel any pain right now.'

They sat in silence for five minutes before Aura knocked on his door and entered before he could stand up. She noticed Daiya sitting there and questioned him wordlessly with a turn of the head as she slowly walked towards the couch where both of them were sitting. Richard just shook his head and stood up, allowing Aura to take his seat. He really didn't think he would want to sit too much now that she had finally arrived.

'Thanks for coming,' he said and was about to launch into his first question when she interrupted him.

'Even if you hadn't wanted to talk with me I would still be here right now. There's something very important I need to tell the both of you.'

'Me first,' Richard interjected a little rudely. 'Sorry, there's just a lot I have to get off my chest and even more I have to ask you. Is that alright?'

'Go ahead,' Aura nodded.

'Tell me the real reason for the Great war, not what you tell students in your class but the real answer.'

'Uh, what's this about Richard?' both Aura and Daiya asked.

'Is it true or not that the real reason behind the war was a man had gone mad in pursuit of immortality?' he pressed and Aura blanched at the question, her eyes bulging. She shot up from the couch and looked him straight in the face with her question written in her eyes.

'How did you know that?'

'So, it is true?' he pushed. He refused to let her change the subject on him. He had to know the truth!

'Y… yes. It's something only the Alysian royal family knows, so I ask you once more: How did you know that?'

'When Loki and I landed in the jungle we were found by May,' he answered and both women suddenly had hard looks in their eyes at the mention of her name. 'She told me before we got into a fight.'

'Did she say how she learned of this truth? It is very important that you tell me everything, Richard,' Aura spoke and her words were icy.

'When she cornered Loki and I, she was riding atop a massive red dragon that obeyed her commands,' he said and now it was Daiya who shot to her feet with an incredulous look on her face.

'Richard, maybe you were out in the sun too long,' she said and moved closer to him, grasping his left hand in hers. 'With you there are only four humans who have been able to ride a dragon.'

'What was Lady Monica known as during the Great War?' he asked both women.

'Lady of Dragons,' Aura answered automatically and she seemed to be piecing it together in her mind; but she still needed a another nudge.

'Who else would have known that Princess Celia had taken Roku's other bracer when she left the palace? The same bracer that May is currently in possession of.'

'O… only King Wales and Lady Monica…' Aura answered and a light flickered in her eyes as she saw what he was getting at. She shook her head violently a second later though as if to dismiss the thought. 'It's impossible Richard; there's no way that could be true!'

'Did the Demon King not achieve his goal of being immortal?'

'Yes, but he went insane and started trying to absorb all the magic in the world to feed himself. The spells he would have had to cast just to become immortal would have twisted his mind and soul until he was no longer human. There's no way Lady Monica would have done the same thing once she saw what happened!'

'She admitted to killing Celia,' Richard countered, 'and she also admitted to killing Celia's child. She knew the child was Roku's. She knew that Dark Star could absorb and return magic when even I didn't know that! And she knew that Roku went to earth after the final battle of the war! That can't all just be coincidence!'

'Richard…' Daiya spoke up and he looked over to find her staring at him intently, something odd in her eyes as she listened to them speak. 'This woman, is she the one that you said followed you to this world and sent you back home?'

'Yes, the very same one. Why?'

'She would be the only one who could have placed that rune on the back of your neck. When I got back home I was bothered by the strangeness of the mark and began to do some research with the help of the Fire Master. We found that the spell used to repress your magic was a very ancient one that hadn't been used in over two thousand years. And this May also used an odd form of magic that was red in nature; that much I saw for myself. There's also a dark ritual that was banned over four thousand years ago that involved using the blood of family killed in anger to empower ones magic. It turned your arcane power the color of blood…'

'So if Monica killed Celia and her son that would activate the ritual?' he asked and Daiya nodded her head; even Aura nodded slightly. She was the Daughter of Arcane so she should know something about banned spells and rituals. 'Look, I know it's hard to believe but all the evidence points to one thing; May is the Lady of Dragons. She, Roku, and Wales had at one point been trying to achieve immortality on their own.'

'You're right, it's very impossible; but troubling none the less. The last record of Lady Monica was of a sighting by a villager near the base of a mountain. He claimed that he saw her using powerful banned magic and that she disappeared from sight. There was nothing after that and her younger brother took over the family.'

Richard gently squeezed Daiya's hand and then let go. He moved towards the fireplace and looked into it for a long moment as he tried to gather his wits about him. He finally turned to face the two troubled looking women and told them the last thing he wanted to get off his chest. There was still the whole killing intent thing, but he couldn't tell them that he had been close to killing another living human with no remorse. Not yet.

'There's more,' he spoke slowly and both women looked up at him, 'she claims that Roku also continued his research into immortality. He apparently died before he could finish it completely, but she said he left a note with his wife and child on Earth. It was written in the language of elves and said that he would one day be reincarnated. May thinks that I'm Roku reborn, not just his descendant. Apparently not even Celia's child could cast light magic even with the bracer. No one else on my side of the family could either.'

'You're a descendant of the Eternal Master?' Daiya whispered the question and both Richard and Aura nodded. 'That might explain why you were able to tame Loki and ride him.'

'It's possible. But him being able to use Light Magic, a magic that was created by Roku, doesn't mean that he is the reincarnation of the great general.'

'It might,' Daiya offered and moved a step closer to Richard. 'His Light Magic is an elemental magic. It's already been proven that a person's affinity to elemental magic doesn't come from their bloodline. It's a random choice the magic makes based on the person's body. If Light Magic was created by Roku then it might only be able to be used by someone who is an exact copy of him. If that's the case then Richard very well could be him.'

Aura sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, sitting down heavily on the couch she was still standing by. She looked up at Richard for a few long moments and then sighed once more, obviously trying to choose her next words carefully. In the beginning Richard had only meant to ask questions to try and see what was really going on, but the more they talked about it the more it looked like May wasn't lying. It was just too impossible to be true though. The odds would be so against it that it should never, ever happen. Yet it looked like it was.

'I'll do whatever research I can on all of this,' Aura spoke a few minutes later, 'but this might be something we never know the truth about. For now I think we should keep this between just the three of us. If the Lady of Dragons really is wandering around out there then that could prove dangerous to anyone who knows who she really is. Lady Monica was considered to be just as powerful as King Wales, and they were seen as only a small step down from Roku. She's not someone we want to anger right now.'

'You're telling me,' Richard groaned and remembered that he had been easily beaten by her twice now. If he hadn't had lost control of his emotions and went nuts on her he might very well have been captured.

'She bested me in three exchanges. I've never see anyone that powerful before,' Daiya remarked coldly. Richard could tell that her loss to May at the Alysian Palace had really angered her and she probably wanted another go at her.

'Was there anything else that you think I should know, Richard?' Aura asked and he quickly shook his head. He felt so over stimulated and confused that he couldn't think about anything properly in that moment. He was sure he had a hundred other questions he wanted to ask, but nothing was coming to mind. Well, besides the obvious question of how to feed a sixteen foot dragon.

'Then how about you two take a seat. There's something that I must discuss with you as soon as possible.'

Richard and Daiya did as they were asked and sat down on the couch next to one another. Their thighs were touching and Daiya's hand reached over and clasped his tightly, moving it over to her thigh so she would be more comfortable. Aura noticed this and smiled a small smile before sitting down on the large wooden coffee table between them and the fireplace. She opened her mouth but hesitated for a moment.

'Is something wrong?' Richard asked. He had never seen Aura look this out of sorts before and it was honestly freaking him out a little.

'Not exactly,' she answered. 'You know that Reiea is visiting to speak with King Dycoz about his kingdoms involvement in the war, right?'

'Yes, but I don't think it will do any good,' Daiya answered matter-of-factly. 'My father isn't very keen on getting into someone else's war when we aren't threatened.'

'That may have been true a week ago, but things have changed on the front. Two other countries have joined against Alysia and we currently find ourselves badly outnumbered. If something isn't done Alysia will be over thrown and they will set their sights on the second largest nation, Elothia. Even King Dycoz fears an invasion and has said he would join our effort of protecting the southern kingdoms.'

'I'm guessing there's a but in here somewhere,' Richard said and Aura nodded. Daiya gripped his hand tighter all of a sudden and she must have realized something Richard hadn't.

'Both Queen Reiea and King Dycoz agreed that for our nations to work together they would need a symbol of unity to look up to. That's mostly what these talks have been about. For his part, King Dycoz has been pushing that an exception be made in the law that doesn’t allow students of the Majou Academy of Magic to marry while they attend. He wanted the two of you to be that symbol for the troops from both nations to look up to. He was still open to other idea's, but once Richard showed that he could tame and ride a greater dragon he refused to accept anything else other than your marriage.'

'Aura, are you saying… what I think you're saying?' Richard stuttered slightly and she looked him dead in the eyes.

'It was finally agreed on tonight. The law will be lifted on the two of you and you will be wed,' she answered and her voice and body posture were serious.

'W… when?' Daiya asked with a whisper.

'Two days from now, on Saturday evening.'

'Wow…' Richard sighed and it felt like his brain was being overstuffed with things he needed to worry about now, 'that's really… soon.'

Aura reached out and placed a gentle hand on his knee before speaking once more, 'If neither of you is comfortable enough or ready for it, Queen Reiea says you can decline the offer. She understands it is a big life decision.'

'I don't have any problems,' Daiya said confidently and looked over at Richard. 'Do you?'

'No, I… I guess not.'



It was amazing how fast two full days could pass when there was a massive life changing event waiting for you. Richard had tried to fill up his days with as much stuff as he could, but it still didn't stop him from thinking about the upcoming wedding that stared he and Daiya down. He trained with Master Riyo (only with wooden swords so he wouldn't get cut before the ceremony), learned how to handle, train, and care for a massive dragon, practiced his magic with Lythia and Lisbeth, and even began learning how to help out in the nursery. By the time he got to bed each night he would pass out immediately; only to wake up the next morning with his first thought being about getting married in another day or two.

Richard and Daiya were only allowed to see one another the second day before the wedding, and then she was whisked away by her mother, sisters, Aura and Coni to a private mansion the royal family owned on the edge of the city. Back on Earth it was tradition for the bride and groom not to see one another on the day of the wedding; here it was a full twenty four hours. This was tough on Richard as he really didn't know what to expect and he had been relying on Aura and Daiya's knowledge of the ceremony to help him out. Now he was left alone with a bored Lythia and Lisbeth who was more interested in feeding Loki slabs of meat while petting him.

One good thing to happen was that Richard was allowed someone to stand up at the altar with him, sort of like a best man. There was only one person he knew on this world who fit that bill; Karo. The minute he heard about this from King Dycoz he sent out an envoy to find Karo and bring him back, forcefully if need be. With the help from a Dragoon Knight, Karo arrived late afternoon the day before the wedding and even brought his fiancé Sabina along as well.

It had been three months since he and Karo last saw one another but they didn’t skip a beat. But it turned out that Karo took after Lisbeth and was so impressed with everything around him that he was little to no help. Sabina had to strongly remind him why he was there and that he now had duties since Richard chose him to be his best man. Unfortunately he knew even less than Richard did on what to expect and they both found themselves floundering horribly.

One thing Richard had learned was that unlike on Earth, married couples on this world didn't wear wedding rings to signify their bond. So Richard got the idea in his head that he and Daiya would be the first, and with the help of a palace attendant, he managed to get in touch with a jeweler and he ordered two ornate wedding bands to be made before the ceremony. He really didn't have any money of his own but he was sure that Aura wouldn't mind so he would charge it to their name and worry about it later. And with that out of the way he and Karo were fitted for brand new dress suits to wear for the occasion and it took the better part of a day just to get them finished. The work the tailors did was amazing though, and both young men looked very sharp as they checked it out in front of a large mirror.

When Richard woke up the morning of his wedding he was in full panic mode and running around the palace like his head had been cut off. The rings hadn't arrived yet, his suite had a loose thread he was afraid to pull on, Loki had decided to take a mud bath during the night, and he still had no idea what was expected of him during the ceremony. Lisbeth, Karo, and Sabina did their best to calm him down and get him to eat breakfast, but he didn't feel hungry at all. He honestly couldn't believe he was getting worked up over something like this. Richard had been looking forward to getting to know Daiya over the next three and a half years before they were supposed to originally marry; but their marriage had now been turned into a political tool to help the war effort. He shouldn't be freaking out about it should he? But he was!

By the time lunch was served in the palace, Richard had only managed to get his suit fixed and Loki bathed. Tending to Loki took the most time and it was a total disaster as it seemed Loki didn't like to be washed. Richard had heard that trying to bathe a cat was a hard thing to do, but he would honestly take that over a nine hundred pound dragon that would try to fly away whenever you got close to him with a brush and bucket of water. He actually had to get Karo and Lisbeth to tempt Loki with fresh meat just so he could wash him and it took them close to two hours. After it was done he made sure to send Loki to the Dragons Den so he couldn't go off and find another mud puddle to lie in.

King Dycoz and Queen Rina were dealing with getting everything set up on such short notice and had already left the palace before anyone else had woken up. That meant Richard was left alone with Karo, Sabina, Lisbeth, Lythia, and Prince Pochiro who couldn't be bothered to do anything but sit in his room and read the entire day. It wasn't until around four in the afternoon that a very welcome and familiar person returned to the castle, and Richard almost tackled her in his glee to see her. Apparently Aura had left the others to come and check up on him, since he was technically her son; she was shocked to find that he had no idea what he was supposed to be doing.

Apparently the ceremony started at six that evening and it was expected that Richard and Karo were there at least an hour and a half before that. That meant they only had half an hour to get bathed, dried, dressed, groomed, and to the church on time. The next thirty minutes were the most rushed and harrowing of Richards life and by the time he, Karo, and Aura got into the carriage he felt like he was dying. He still didn't have the rings yet and had asked an attendant to go into town and track them down before the ceremony started.

On their trip to the church Aura proceeded to tell him what else would be going on. Both Richard and Karo tried to mentally catalog everything they were being told, but there were so many things that it was hard to remember even half of it. So Aura took them through it again. She wasn't able to finish the second time though as the carriage pulled up in front of the massive church in the heart of the city and they got out. People lined the streets in all directions and they chanted in both English and Elfish when he stepped into view. It was so deafening that he could barely hear Aura as she said something interesting about the church that stood extremely tall and had multiple spiraled steeples and towers coming out the top. He didn't have time to admire it though as he was soon being ushered inside the cavernous interior by a well dressed Dark Elf usher.

Guests were expected to start arriving any time now and Richard and Karo were led to a secluded room in the back of the church where they wouldn't be seen. Aura promised to come check up on them after she took care of setting a few things up and then left. The second she disappeared from sight Richard felt his knees start to buckle and he was forced to sit down in a rickety old wooden chair while Karo smiled on nervously. He was most likely thinking about his own nuptials that were scheduled for a few years down the road and realizing just how stressing something like this was. Richard would gladly trade places with him though.

'Do we bow to the King and Queen when they enter the church, or once they've sat down?' Richard asked as he had suddenly forgotten what he had been told. Karo flashed him an alarmed look but his face relaxed a second later as the answer came to him.

'We bow when they sit down, and then you and Daiya will bow to them again once you leave the church after the ceremony. Don't forget that Queen Reiea is here as well, so you will have to do it more than once,' the slightly older man answered and ran his hand through his long blonde hair.

They sat there in silence for a few moments and Richard's entire body began to shake in fear as he counted seconds until they turned into minutes. 'What do you think would happen to me if I ran?' he joked trying to lighten the heavy mood around him.

'I'm not sure what her parents would do, but I'm pretty sure Daiya would roast you alive if you did,' Karo answered with a chuckle and Richard forced a laugh out. It was hollow and empty sounding though. 'Take a deep breath, Richard. It's not the end of the world… well not entirely…'

'Thanks… that makes me feel a lot better,' Richard replied sarcastically and his friend laughed nervously as he took a seat next to his friend.

They continued to sit there in silence as the sounds of voices echoed through the larger section of the church. It sounded like close to a hundred people had arrived already and the wedding was still an hour away from beginning. Richard's mouth was starting to get dry so he shakily poured himself a glass of cold water from a pitcher that had been left out for them. It did nothing to quench his sudden thirst though and he slammed the glass down in annoyance. Karo noticed this and he reached into an inside pocket of his suit and pulled out a small animal skin flask, holding it out to Richard.

'Lisbeth gave this to me in case you started to get jittery,' he said and Richard tentatively grabbed the flask from him. 'You know how good she is with elixirs right? Well she says this one will calm you down enough so you won't make a fool out of yourself out there.'

'Remind me to thank her after this,' Richard said and pulled out the stopper. He put the flask to his lips and drank deeply from it, draining the sweet liquid in one gulp and swallowing it down hard. He felt a sudden warmth rush through his body and his mind cleared up a little as a small smile crossed his lips.

'Better?' his friend asked hopefully.

'Much better. I feel a little giddy!'

They both laughed at that and Richard didn't even seem to notice the tension hanging over him like a wet blanket anymore. With fifty minutes to go there was a knock on the door and an attendant let himself in. He handed Richard a small box with the two rings in it and then left quickly after wishing him luck. Richard really wanted to open the box to see how the rings looked, but he didn't trust himself right now so he handed Karo the box and told him to hang onto until he asked for them later. He didn't plan on giving it to Daiya until after the ceremony anyways; maybe during the reception back at the palace.

With only half an hour left there was another knock on the door and Aura entered, quickly followed by the Arch-Bishop from Alysia. Richard greeted Aura with a light hug so he didn't wrinkle her beautiful lavender dress that hung gently from her body, and then turned to bow to the Arch-Bishop. He didn't follow their religion but he knew this was a man of power and influence so it was proper to salute that side.

'I'm surprised you look so composed,' Aura commented as she closed the door behind them.

'You should have seen him thirty minutes ago,' Karo laughed and even the Arch-Bishop chuckled lightly at the remark.

'It's common to be a little nervous on such a momentous day,' the elderly man said with a gentle smile, 'but I'm glad to see you're not letting the nervousness get to you too much. It really shows what great character you have to be smiling right now.'

'Well, I had a little help from an elixir a friend made for me,' Richard admitted sheepishly and Aura giggled.

'Whatever helps, right?' the Arch-Bishop said and took a step closer to Richard. 'I've just come to tell you that there's been a change to the ceremony. After you have been wed, King Dycoz will hold a special ceremony for you. He wants to keep it secret, so all I can tell you is that when he stands and walks towards you, you need to get on your knees and bow your head before him. After that there's nothing else you will need to do.'

'Um… okay…' Richard said slowly and wasn't sure what to make of this sudden change. It sounded simple enough though so he wouldn’t worry about it.

'Now, I must leave to go meet with Princess Daiya when she arrives. You and your friend stay here until someone comes to get you, and remember to have a good time out there. This is a joyous day for you and your fiancé and you should enjoy it. Be well, my son.'

Richard and Karo bowed their heads as the man smiled upon them and then left, closing the door tightly behind them. Richard lifted his head to see that Aura was still there and he smiled, hoping she would be there until the time came for him and Karo to leave. Ever since he had first arrived on this world she had always been there to help guide him along and he would feel lost without her.

'Your cloak is a little crooked,' she said and adjusted the deep purple royal cloak until it fit on his shoulders just perfectly. 'There, much better.'

'Thanks,' he said and it felt like the effects of the drink he had been given were starting to wear off. His hands shook slightly and his mouth was starting to get dry again. 'Will you be here until it's time?'

'I'm afraid not,' the blonde woman answered with a sad shake of her head, 'I have to go and greet the guests again. I'll be in the front row watching you though, so make me proud okay?'

Richard nodded and Aura pulled him into a tight hug before walking out of the room. As soon as she was out of sight he fell back into the hard wooden chair and let out a long and low sigh that rattled his lungs. It wouldn't be long now and he could hardly believe this was happening. The sound of talking coming from outside the room had turned up a notch and it was all Richard and Karo could to not open the door and peak out. On more than one occasion they had caught one another shifting slightly towards the door and it provided them with a good, albeit nervous laugh.

At ten minutes to go an usher popped their head into the room and notified them that they should make their way to the altar now. Both Richard and Karo stood stiffly and took a deep breath as the time had finally come. As they left Karo patted him heavily on the back and whispered a 'good luck' before they were out the door. The minute he stepped out into the main hall of the church he instantly wanted to turn around and go hide in that small room again. Close to five hundred people sat in pews and chairs and all their eyes followed Richard and Karo as they walked towards the large and ornate golden altar at the front of the church; they had even stopped talking and you could hear their footsteps echo off the stone floor with each step.

In weddings on this world it was customary for the groom to not see his bride before she was standing beside him, so Richard was forced to stare at the altar and he found it was the hardest thing he had ever done. Even if Daiya hadn't entered the building yet. Karo had promised him earlier that he would tell Richard how she looked when she appeared but it wouldn't be enough. She was already such a beautiful woman that he couldn't figure out how they were going to top that for this event.

His knees were shaking, his hands sweating, and his head spinning as he stood there on the spot and waited for everything to begin. They still had to wait for King Dycoz, Queen Rina, and Queen Reiea to arrive, so until that happened he knew he still had time to mentally prepare himself. Nothing he seemed to think about worked though and he was more focused on the feeling of hot sweat on his forehead more than anything else. He desperately wanted to reach up and wipe it away but he was painfully aware of the hundreds of eyes on him in that moment, so he thought better of it. He was so focused on that, that he didn't realize things had already begun until Karo nudged him gently.

'They're here,' he whispered and Richard forced himself to turn around. The massive wooden doors at the other end of the church had opened and the imposing figures of the King and Queen of Elothia walked slowly down the long and wide aisle towards them. Just behind them was Queen Reiea accompanied by Aura and Richard couldn't help but notice the massive scowl on the young Queens face.

It took them a good two minutes to reach their seats in the very front row, and Richard felt like he was going to fall over at any moment. His legs were threatening to dump him on his ass at any moment and he had to strain all his muscles to keep that from happening. As soon as all three Royal members sat down both Richard and Karo took two steps towards them and bowed deeply at the waist, just like they had been instructed by Aura. Each of them nodded their heads in approval and Richard was free once more to turn his back on the congregation and focus on one small section of the altar in front of him, forcing his eyes to not move from that spot no matter what.

The next few minutes were absolutely excruciating and Richard almost broke down several times as the thought to run burned through his mind. If Karo wasn’t standing on his right he probably would have done it. But finally, after an agonizing wait that seemed to drag on forever, the massive wooden doors swung open and Richard could hear as people left their seats and stood. A hushed whisper ran through the church but Richard couldn't make out anything anyone was saying. He was dying to turn around and thankfully Karo nudged him softly.

'Try not to faint when you see her,' his friend whispered into his ear and Richard felt a tingle of anticipation run down his spine.

He could hear two sets of heels clacking against the hard stone floor and the sound gradually grew closer as the tension in the room built higher. The walk down the aisle seemed to take five times longer than when the King and Queen's had done it and it took everything he had not to turn around. But finally, after a long wait, he felt a presence on his left hand side and he shifted his head to take in who was there; Richard actually had to do a double take.

Daiya stood right next to him with a nervous smile on her face. Her hair was done up in a very intricate and beautiful style with a small and thin silver tiara capping it off. She wore a long and very elegant light green dress (a traditional color for Dark Elf brides) and it hugged her delicious looking curves perfectly. She smelled of vibrant blooming flowers and there was a twinkle in her eyes that seemed to draw Richard in as he looked upon her gorgeous form. He was sure he was smiling like an idiot in that moment but there wasn't a single thing he could do about it.

'Don't stare,' she whispered and smiled at him, 'it's embarrassing.'

'S… s… sorry,' he stuttered, 'you're just so beautiful.'

A flush of pink touched Daiya's tanned cheeks and she gently touched his hand with hers before fixing her attention on the large altar ahead of them. A moment later the Arch-Bishop appeared before them and smiled warmly down on them as he came to stand in front of them, holding both his hands up to quiet the cro