He stood atop a small hill like a medieval hero, dressed in polished plate mail. The hilt of his broadsword shone in the last remaining rays of light as the sun set behind him. The shield he held displayed a mighty dragon slayer fighting a ruby eyed beast. The ensemble was accented by his pure white hair that blew around behind him. He stood staring down at them menacingly from his perch on the hill.
“Who are you?” Nydra yelled. His lip curled in a sneer and he jumped down, which seemed too high for a normal human to survive.
“I am humanities silent savior.” He announced, “I stay in the shadows, watching humanity flourish as I protect it.”
“Protect it from what?” Ryu stammered, still wincing in pain. The man laughed and drew his sword.
“Why from you of course!” he exclaimed, “From your kind!”
“We’re no threat to you or anyone else!” Sparcy exclaimed, he now had to look upwards at the three towering over him. Still he showed no sign of fear or anxiety.
“No? Then explain to me what would happen if you were well known?” he asked, “There would be mass panic! Humans would run, get scared, and attack because that’s what they do. Humans would rather shoot first and ask questions later!”
“They’re not like that!’ Ryu grunted, “Not all of them!”
“Ah but your missing the point.” He said, “The only ones who count, are those with power. If they fear dragons, then it’s the same as a whole nation fearing them!” He laughed and pointed his sword at them, baring his teeth, “I’m the one who will keep the peace! I’m the one preventing war!”
“War? What are you talking about?” Nydra asked.
“If dragons were real then the governments would seek out to destroy them! Especially if they only knew about how many of you there still are! It would be like old times, blood will be shed on both sides, because no one will stop to think why. Humanity thrives on war. They turn to it even now. Even when they dispute among their own kind!” he swung his sword through the air and held it at his side, “They say it’s all for religion. Bah! Religion is nothing but an excuse to justify one’s beliefs!”
“You’re lying…” Ryu muttered, “You treat them like war hungry savages!”
“You mistake me, dragon.” He said, “It is true that today, humans are more refined, civilized even, but whatever way you look at it, war is still war. It doesn’t matter if you use a sword or press a button!”
“You don’t know for sure what they would do!” Ryu shouted, “I have faith in them!”
“Faith?” his sneer became wider as he chuckled to himself, “Don’t put your faith in them, dragon. They can do nothing for themselves. They have to rely on others to do anything meaningful.”
“Isn’t that the point?” Ryu said, “Relying on others, accepting help and receiving it, making friends and having fun. Isn’t that what it means to be human?”
“You’re kind will never understand what it is to be human.” He growled, “You’re all a threat to them. A threat I help neutralize.”
“Is that why you experiment on Grim?!” Nydra yelled, “To find a better way to kill us?!”
“You’re friend is like death itself.” He said, “If we can learn how to beat it, then dragons wouldn’t matter anymore, now would they?”
“Who are you anyway?” Ryu growled, “Give me your name!” The man straightened up and his sneer curled even higher.
“I think you may have heard it before, dragon.” He said, “For I am Merlin.”
Rosette woke in her hospital bed, and even after a full night’s sleep, she felt as if she ran a marathon and was beaten by a baseball bat at the finish line. She not only hurt all over, but knew that he felt the same. She could feel him always, as if he was still there holding her hand. She couldn’t explain it, but she knew he was in trouble.
She turned onto her side and smiled when she saw Flora soundly sleeping in the chair beside her bed. The door quietly opened with a click and Michelle stepped inside, holding her coffee in one hand and a book in the other. It took her a few minutes to realize that Rosette was awake.
“Oh, hello! How are you feeling?” she said with a smile. Flora stirred in the chair and sat up, rubbing her eyes.
“Is Rosette awake now?” she mumbled. Her eyes lit up when she saw Rosette sitting up in bed, but her eyes softened when she saw her condition.
“I feel like I went ten rounds with a sumo wrestler.” She moaned.
“Really? I think I would have noticed a sumo coming in here.” She said, “And she’s been there since yesterday. She would have seen him for sure.”
“Are you going to be ok, Rosette?” Flora whimpered. Rosette looked down with a fake smile and patted her green hair.
“I’ll be fine. As soon as Ryu gets back, I’ll be good as new!” she said.
“Feel good enough for a few more visitors?” Michelle asked, “You’re friends keep showing up to see you and I have to keep turning them away.”
“Let them come in.” she said. Michelle left for a moment, then returned with Rebecca, June, and the two girls that always stuck to her. They snuck in gingerly and took seats around her bed. Flora once again became shy and hugged into Rosette as the scent of roses filled the air.
“How are you doing, Rosette?” Rebecca asked, “Um, how is he doing?”
“I don’t know…” She muttered.
“Is he coming back?” June asked. Rosette nodded.
“He’ll definitely be back.” She said, “This is where he belongs.”
The air became still and the wind still blew through his hair. He was acting like a valiant knight, as if he was the hero. Like an archangel from heaven, he was sent to rid the Earth of evil, but all that was only in his mind. The sun had set and lights overhead flashed on, making his armor glow. The knight was supposed to slay the beast, as in many folktales and bedtime stories, but tonight you couldn’t tell the beast from the true knight.
“What do you want from us?” Ryu yelled. The sound of the ship’s horn blared and he waited for it to stop before responding.
“You can’t leave here.” He yelled, “If I can’t get rid of the evil, I can at least contain it!”
“Is that why you keep the dragons on this island?” Nydra asked, “To keep us from humans?”
“That’s exactly why, my dear.” He laughed, “Didn’t you find it odd that your paradise was an island, yet there was always food? Did you think that animals reproduce that fast?!”
“This was a paradise.” She said, “Until you ruined it!”
“You’re just cross because now you know the truth!” he laughed, “Ignorance really is bliss!”
“We know everything you say is a lie.” Crystal
“And you assume that a human is incapable of using magic as you do?” he yelled, “How conceited! I have more power than ten dragons! Besides, these ears are just a side effect of my power! You think I couldn’t use my magic to obtain eternal life?”
“There is no magic that can do that! Not after Bahamut died!” Crystal
“Bahamut may have been the only dragon who could give life, but who said he died?” he said. His lip curled in yet another sneer.
“What are you talking about? He was the first dragon! He’s been dead for eons!” Sparcy exclaimed.
“Is that what you think?” Merlin laughed, “I’m sorry, but you’re sadly mistaken! I assure you he is alive and well.”
“Then what about the other dragon?” Nydra asked, “What about Tiamut?”
“No one knows the outcome of that epic battle,” he said, “Spare me of course. Time magic is a very useful tool.”
“Then who won?” Sparcy asked.
“It was a draw.” He said, “Neither won, neither lost.”
“Then what happened?” Ryu asked, stepping forward. Nydra had to stand to keep him upright, but with her tiny body next to his dragonoid form, she wasn’t doing much good.
“I think you at least have the right to know.” Merlin said, “Then again her plan worked out better than expected. Hardly anyone knows of a dragon named Ryu. Subtle, yet…” he paused for a moment, “Rewarding.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The two dragons made a truce you see. Their fighting had ravaged the Earth and had scarred it beyond recognition. Their hate toward one another and their desire to rule the planet had ended up in failure on both endeavors, for neither could defeat the other, and they were left with a dead planet to rule anyway.” He said, “So they made a truce and set a plan in motion. They used their magic together to revive the Earth to what it is now, then nothing but a vague story of what had happened was created and passed down through the generations so that everyone would know they did exist. Doing so, they sacrificed their current forms, and reincarnated themselves, several eons later to try and continue what they had started.”
“So what does that have to do with Ryu?” Nydra asked.
“Bahamut and Tiamut were reborn. But once they had done so, they realized that the majority had assumed Bahmut had won the ancient battle, therefore becoming more famous than Tiamut. There was another fight, a minor one, and Tiamut became jealous of Bahamut’s fame. She erased his memory and changed his element using up most of her power in the process to make him more ordinary, stripping him of his fame. This caused her to lose her memory as well. They were found several years later by two other dragons, which took them in and raised them as their own. It was a coincidence that the female was bearing a child at the same moment, and gave birth to a thunder dragon. Starting to sound familiar?”
“You’re lying!” Ryu growled.
“Or is it you just don’t want to believe me?” he asked, “The only reason you’re younger than your ‘sisters’ is because of her magic. She tried to take everything from Bahamut. She wanted his fame! She took his memories, and took his time. Reduced him to a newborn, she did! It was just coincidence that those dragons who found him already had a thunder dragon the same age as Tiamut. They raised you both as their own and kept the truth from you!”
“You’re lying!” Ryu roared.
“No Hiryu. I’m not.” He said, “Or should I say, Bahamut?”
“There’s no way.” Nydra stammered.
“Oh it’s true!” Merlin laughed, “You weren’t named after Tiamut, ice dragon. You are Tiamut!”
“It’s not true!” Crystal
“You know the only reason I’m telling you the truth, is because I knew it would destroy you on the inside.” He said, “No lie I could come up with could possibly do that!”
“So what do you want from me?” Ryu growled. Merlin lifted his sword again.
“You are the king of dragons, Ryu.” He said, “I created the curse of the bond so that one day it could kill even you!”
“What are you talking about?”
“All dragons are immortal, but can be slain. Bahamut was the only dragon that could not be killed because he was life itself!” he said, “The curse is the only way to do it. The loophole in your magic! It takes but a single human life to end yours!”
“You leave Rosette out of this!” he roared.
“Just imagine. If I defeat the king of the dragons, then they would all submit to me! If I can defeat you, any other dragon would be no match for me!” Merlin exclaimed, and laughed. Ryu’s growl became so loud that his body began shaking. Nydra could easily feel his scales shake.
“YOU LEAVE HER ALONE!” He roared. He was about to lunge at Merlin, but to his surprise, Grim stepped forward and blocked his path.
“GET OUT OF MY WAY, GRIM!” He roared. Grim didn’t move, but rather placed a hand on his shoulder.
“If you truly are the dragon of life, then you should live.” He said, “You are bound to a mortal woman, and have become mortal yourself. Return to her.”
“Grim…..” Ryu muttered.
“I shall fight.” He announced, “You cannot kill death.”
“Oh really?” Merlin snorted, “Death isn’t the worst I can do to you.” He raised his hand in the air and a golden glow began to flow around it. Magical energy congealed in his hand as he shot it forward, and it soared over Grim’s head, and he turned to see that it was heading straight for Nydra. There was a flash of light, and Nydra hit the ground.
It took a moment for her eyes to adjust from the bright flash and another for her to realize that she had been hit. She was surprised that she didn’t feel any pain, but panic set in when she couldn’t move at all. She could smell the burnt flesh and seared fabric and knowing that it was her own made her sick to her stomach. She heard a moan, and it was that moment when everything made sense. She looked down to find Grim laying on her with a large scorch mark on his back.
“Grim! You saved me! W-Why?” she stammered. Grim looked up into her eyes and placed his bare hand on her wet face, making her jump at first, but she quickly relaxed.
“You’re my friend.” He coughed, “You need to protect your friends, right?”
“Grim…” she muttered, “Stay with me, Grim!”
“Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere. I can’t die like this.”
“Grim, you’re scaring me!” she cried.
“I’m sorry.” He said, getting up. He held out his hand to her and she took it, pulling herself to her feet. He finally flashed a slight smile to her alone and turned to Ryu.
“Take care of her, please.” He muttered, “Get out of here.”
“Grim, you sure?” Ryu muttered.
“Yes, I’ll catch up later.” He said, holding out his arm. Ryu watched as a black bone grew out of his hand, and formed into a long sword. The sword took shape, and rested in his hand, “GO!”
“I’ll deal with you quickly, and catch them after!” Merlin chuckled, “It’ll be a lesson in futility!”
“Let’s do this, Merlin.” Grim muttered.
His cigarette glowed brightly in the darkness as he leaned against the cold concrete wall and took a drag. He didn’t want to do this, but it had to be done. He knew it would hurt them, but it must be said. He couldn’t live with himself to have done this to them. Money has corrupted people, and he was no different. All of the money still lay in an account, untouched, and yet he got by without it. He didn’t need it after all and he laughed at himself for thinking he couldn’t. Still the deed was done, and his conscience was kicking him for it. Wrong is wrong, no matter how you look at it. Still, he wondered if what he was about to do was also wrong. Things couldn’t get much worse that it is now, he knew that, so he had nothing to lose. He took one last, long drag on his cigarette, stepped on it, and headed into the hospital. He tipped his hat to the receptionist and flashed his badge.
“Excuse me, miss. Could you tell me where I could find Rosette Pegasus?” he asked.
“Right this way, Detective Gantz.”
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