X07895A

~genetic experiment "X" #7895 type A~

***

I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
I'm just out to find
The better part of me

I'm more than a bird...I'm more than a plane
More than some pretty face beside a train
It's not easy to be me

Wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
About a home I'll never see

It may sound absurd...but don't be naive
Even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed...but won't you concede
Even heroes have the right to dream
It's not easy to be me

Up, up and away...away from me
It's all right...you can all sleep sound tonight
I'm not crazy...or anything

I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
Men weren't meant to ride
With clouds between their knees

I'm only a man in a silly red sheet
Digging for kryptonite on this one-way street
Only a man in a funny red sheet
Looking for special things inside of me

It's not easy to be me

*** Five For Fighting: "SuperMan" ***

 

 

 

"He's finished..." a tall scrawny looking man mumbles to one of the people standing next to him. He has dark brown hair and brown eyes which are magnified greatly by his large thick glasses. His flimsy frame is covered by a long white surgeon's robe and in the left breast pocket, there are three pens. Each is neatly clipped onto the outside of the pocket.

 

The person he mumbled to, another tall and scrawny man nods and pulls a black ball point pen from his neatly kept pocket, like the brown haired man's. This guy however, is blonde and a little heavier than the other man. His hair is neatly gelled back but his glasses give his eyes the same magnified apperance as the other guy's. He scribbles something on a clean white piece of notebook paper he had kept in his other pocket.

 

"shall we?" The blonde guy asks, nodding towards the table on which something covered in a clean crisp white sheet lies, something of Rayllomain technology.

 

The brown haired guys nods enthusiastically. "We should try a few more tests, then we can gather everyone in, to see him..." He sighs. "He's our project, not anyone else's. We should be left alone to conduct our work, but of course, stupid Mr. Samoto..." He mumbles pushing his black framed glasses back up on his nose.

 

The blonde haired man sighs along with the brown haired. "Jeff, it will always be like this, he is in charge. We probably will never be, they listen to millionaires, not scientists..."

 

"I guess your right Phil, there's nothing we can do...but maybe, just maybe we could raise him right, unlike what they're going to do to him. They're going to turn him into some evil human-killer. I know it, it's going to be the next Garth..." Jeff, the brown haired replied, clutching the table until his knuckles turned white.

 

"Don't even speak of such things! He is alive now, he can hear you..." Phil, the blonde responded. Both men gazed upon the white sheet and the tall silhouette that lay underneath. For a moment all was quite and the sound of a very faint breathing was heard. Phil sighed, and wrote something down on his paper again. "Jeff...there will never be another Garth. As long as Sargon is around, we are safe from that madman's cruelties, and we will not let him turn evil, it would be to dangerous."

 

"Dangerous is an understatement, in the words of the people of earth...It would be Armageddon.."

 

***

 

"I present to you, X07895A..." Jeff the brown haired said. He cautiously walked over to hard metal table surrounded on all sides by computers of Rayllomian technology, the best computers know to any creature in the universe. A group of people surrounded Jeff, all looked to be around 40ish and their hair was begging to whiten and fall out. They were dressed in laboratory jackets and had clipboards and pencils.

 

Jeff looked back at the group of men, who all had the same greedy expressions on their face, as if they where little kids allowed to go nuts in a candy store. Jeff smiled smugly and gently pulled the clean white sheet off the steel table revealing something that would bring awe and wonder to anyone who knew what it was. "X07895A..." Jeff whispered gazing at his creation. "Rise." He commanded stepping back.

 

His creation was marvelous to behold, if you knew what it was. To an ordinary man it looked like just another Rayllomian, nothing special. However, this was something special, a perfect genetically engineered life form. Phil and Jeff had spent almost a year and a half coming up with the necessary genes and materials, it would be their life's work, for both were begging to show signs of aging.

 

X07895A looked like an man from the waist up, a very strong and lean man. Golden red hair was on top of his head though it was a little messy, and not neatly trimmed like Jeff's and Phil's. His face was thin and angular, with a defined chin, and his eyes where pulled at the corners giving them an evlen look.

 

One eyes was blue, very light blue and if he looked at you with it, you felt as if you were being read, judged. You could not hide anything from that one blue eyes, it looked into your soul making judgment and either passing you, or not. The other eye gleamed a color indescribable to man. It was if all the colors in the visible light spectrum had joined together to make one color. And it was not what you would think, it was not white or black it was the color of life, and sometimes the color of death.

 

His chest muscles and arm muscles looked  extremely strong, as if he could lift the table he was upon, a table made entirely of steel. Plus he packed a mean punch. On his left shoulder blade, there was a tattoo that read his calling card and name: X07895A, so he could be easily identified. It was not that the scientists at the lab which he was in had anything else as powerful and big as him, but it was printed on all of their projects.

 

From his waist down was something entirely unexpected. He had the legs of a strong beast, but of what kind it was hard to tell. They where full of muscle and striped like a tiger's. And yet they had the claws of a Rayllomian dragon, sharp, long and retractable. They where red and gold in color, much like his hair. From his rear a tail very long and dangerous looking sprouted, the same gold red color and striped pattern. But at the end was a dangerous tail blade, definitely of a dragons'.

 

X07895A stood up at his "master's" command and gazed at the group of scientists with his unblinking eyes. They all wore looks of shock and fear, but the one at the head wore a twisted look of pleasure. "What else can he do Jeff? We were promised the perfect life form, all he can do is stand?" the approached X07895A and waved a hand in front of his face. X07895A watched it intently and glanced sideways at Jeff with his mysterious eyes.

 

Jeff smiled at the older man and looked towards X07895A. He nodded and watched as the old man was lifted by his feet and sat upon the metal table that had kept X07895A under control for quite sometime. "Senator, he is the perfect life form. He can hear 10 times better than a human, hhe can see 50 times better than us and detect all of the electromagnetic waves that exist. As in he can see ultraviolet light and infared, but he can only sense gamma and x-rays, possibly radio and microwaves.

 

X07895A is stronger than anything alive, 20 times the strength of a dragon and he is smarter than anything you can name. For we have given him all the knowledge that we posses, and all the knowledge in Rayllom. And only the gods know what else he is possible of doing. And if I were you, I would not insult him, for I don't think he takes kindly to it." Jeff finished looking and feeling rather smug.

 

The senator, who was the old white haired man, climbed of the table and walked back over to his group of scientists, defeated by the wise words of the head scientists for project X07895A.

 

"Jeff, when Mr. Samoto finds out that he will not be used as a weapon for war, and what you plan to use him for... I don't think he'll take to kindly to it." The senator said and walked out of the huge dome shaped laboratory followed by the rest of the on lookers.

 

Jeff sighed and sat down on the metal table and motioned for both X07895A and Phil to sit besides him. " X07895A...we have a lot of work to do, you mustn't fall into the wrong hands."

 

X07895A curved his lips into a sort of half smile and form in him issued a smooth and unreal sounding voice, that sounded as if you were listening to a god speaking. "they will not use me as a simple weapon, for I am much more than meets he eye. No one perhaps you and Phil can control me if I don't like their sick minds and plans..." He paused staring after the senator. "And let me tell you Mr. Samoto, and his little goon...they have sickly twisted plans for me..."

 

*****

 

" X07895A....we need to give you a real name..." Phil said sitting next to X07895A in the library, teaching him about the gods and goddesses of Rayllom. It was one of X07895A's favorite actives, after all their where so many and he wanted to learn about them all.

 

"A real name? Like yours?" X07895A said in his ultra smooth freakish like voice.

 

Phil nodded pulling down another book from the large laboratory library. The book was old and the gold letters where peeling of the front, but it looked quite interesting, it had a picture of a redish dragon on the front. "I'll ask Jeff if he has any ideas, but for now you can look at this." Phil handed X07895A the old tattered book and smiled. "It's a complete list of all the people of old, and the original gods, it's quite interesting. For Rayllom has had some interesting people.."

 

X07895A smiled up at Phil with his slightly fanged teeth. "I shall enjoy this, for it is the only part of Rayllom's history that you did not included in my memory." He opened up the book eager to start reading.

 

Phil half smiled at X07895A's eagerness but was worried if he learned of some of the rather unpleasant things in Rayllom's past. Like the whole Garth episode... "Just be careful X07895A..." Phil said at length and turned to leave.

 

X07895A blinked wondering what Phil meant by his last remark but shrugged and opened the ancient book. There was a complete list of all the gods and goddesses and what they where famous for.  His eyes stopped on the god of the unborn, Kyrix. The name had a feeling of power to it, and when X07895A tried it out it followed from his mouth and seemed to perfectly fit him.

 

"Kyrix.." He said again and again. Finally he turned to the page talking about this god, and his accomplishments. There was a picture of a tall white eyed red haired man, he looked unreal, unholy to strong and powerful to be human and yet he looked wise and unforgiving. X07895A gazed at the picture and wondered about this man, and his past. He sensed a power flowing out of the old book from Kyrix, and he knew he wanted to know more. He read the script in it's fancy thin letters:

 

"Kyrix was the god of the unborn and the god of eternal suffering. He watched over the children that we aborted while he punished those who did such things, to kill people and animals before they even get a chance to live. Kyrix was son of Akil, the god of death and Kiel, goddesses of knowledge. So Kyrix was very intelligent and very very dangerous."

 

X07895A shut the book and stood up. He knew what he would want to be called, for this Kyrix was too much like him to just be passed up.

 

****

 

"Kyrix?" Jeff asked. "Are you sure you want his name?" He asked looking puzzeled.

 

"yes...what is wrong with Kyrix?" X07895A asked looking around at Phil who was busying himself with his computer. "I want to be called by a real name, I am not some silly experiment of yours anymore Jeff.."

 

Jeff sighed and scratched the back of his neck. "Whatever you want is ok by me I guess..." Jeff said then as X07895A turned to leave his eyes flashed with a spark of blue. "Kyrix...what does suffering mean?"

 

'Kyrix' shrugged. "I don't know Jeff..." He said and turned to go back to the library leaving Jeff and Phil there staring after him.

 

****

 

"It's just as I feared...we taught him all the knowledge Rayllom posses but we forgot to teach him about feelings, and common sense..."Jeff said his hand still on the back of his neck. He stood there his thick glasses beginning to slide down onto the bridge of his nose. "Oh dear...this is defiantly not a good thing. He knows how to defy to law of gravity, but yet he knows nothing about emotions.."

 

Phil sat absentmindedly chewing on a sandwich and looking thoughtfully up at Jeff. "Well....it's no biggie, we were bound to make at least one mistake..." Phil sighed. "c'mon now Jeff.. the only way we can keep him around longer is to pretend he needs more work. And I mean when we had him screw his voice up the last time and we pretended that he needed vocal adjustments..."

 

"Well I guess your right." Jeff said his glasses about to fall of his face. "But I'm worried Phil. Did you hear him? He's not our silly experiment anymore..." Jeff pushed his thick black glasses back to the top of his nose. "And he knows it to well.."

 

"And we must teach him about fear and hate, he always comes to me asking what the smell he senses is..." Phil added taking a bite of his sandwich. "Just make sure he never gets a taste of meat of blood or anything... I've kept him away from it so far, but every once and a while his eyes sort of gleam and get all dangerous looking when I bring out something that was once alive..."

 

Jeff laughed. "I'm glad your taking care of his food, I could never live off eating the things you feed him, but it seems to do him good." Jeff smiled. "And you know me, I'd stuff him full of pretzels..."

 

*****

 

"Today...We're going to teach you care and selflessness. " Phil said pulling up a chair and sitting besides Kyrix.

 

"Selflessness? That is not in my vocabulary.." Kyrix announced emphasizing the word vocabulary with his inhuman-godly voice. His un-colorable eye gleamed a thoughtful orange.

 

"Yes that means putting other before yourself. Caring for someone so deeply you'd be willing to give your life for them." Phil replied watching his words carefully, it was only yesterday they had taught Kyrix about anger, greed and hate. A lesson that had gone very badly.

 

Kyrix sat there with a weird look on his face, pondering what the statement his 'friend', a word he had learned a few lessons ago, meant. "So if say, you where in trouble, and I happened to be around, that if I helped you out, like saved you....would that be this 'selflessness'?" Kyrix asked grasping at the point Phil was making, or trying to make.

 

"Well that would be if you where putting yourself in danger to help me out." Phil paused trying to think up a better example. "Well, say that you and me are very hungry. We have had no food in days, we are starving, lacking nutrition." Phil explained, catching Kyrix's puzzled look. "Ok so we're really hungry and all the food we have is only enough for one of us. If I gave you the food, that would be and act of selflessness."

 

Kyrix nodded. "And I if gave the food to you I would be portraying selflessness..." Kyrix said smiling, so his fangs showed over his bottom lip.

 

Phil nodded. "Caring you see, means to feel a love for someone and you don't want them to be hurt, of sad or anything." Phil explained moving his arms in circles.

 

Kyrix nodded. "I understand...." He said watching Phil's arms inattentively. "what shall I learn next?" He asked when Phil stopped moving his arms.

 

"Well, I'm going to teach you to care for another, Kyrix. You will leanr a lot from this er, 'experience' that will do you good in life and when you are released out there." He gestured to the window and pointed to the forest that surrounded the lab.

 

"Well...?" Kyrix asked flicking his tail back and forth, a thing Phil had noticed he did when he was eager or agitated.

 

"Well here..." Phil said and pulled from his jacket a tiny ball of rusted red colored fur, that matched Kyrix's almost perfectly. The ball of fur had bright green eyes and the beginning of a mane sprouting from his neck. It had tiny little stripes on the elbows of it's four tiny legs and sharp claws from the tips of it's little toes. It squealed when it saw Kyrix and jumped up into his arms.

 

Kyrix stood there holding onto the little squealing creature and staring at it intently. "This is a ligon, one of...Sargon's.." He said. Phil nodded. "And I have bonded it, I guess?" He asked a half smile spreading throughout his face. Phil nodded again. Kyrix smiled warmly at the little creature and stroked it's fur with one of his fingers, the ligon chewed lovingly on his finger causing a slight bit of blood to run down from it's tip.

 

"Uh...What are you going to call it?" Phil asked nervously watching Kyrix's intense and dangerous stare, directed at the small bit of blood.

 

"Huh?" He asked as if coming out of a daze. "Oh...er..." He stammered. "Keriu..." Kyrix said at length smiling down at the little blood red ligon who was curled up in his lap.

 

Phil was still pale, the sight of Kyrix's reaction to only a slight bit of blood had shaken him. "Here a go, don't forget to feed him.." Phil said pushing a crumpled note into Kyrix's large demon like hands.

 

Kyrix nodded and sniffed the air. "Phil I smell it again.." he said not letting go of his hand. "why are you afraid?" He asked looking around nervously. "Is there something wrong?"

 

"No..no...nothing..." Phil muttered and walked hastily out of the room, leaving Kyrix to tend to Keriu, which just happened to be an old zerainean word for 'bloody one'.

 

*****

 

"So that triggers it..." Jeff said entering the data that Phil had given him into his computer. "I was wondering what would do it, but blood seemed about right." He turned around to face Phil who was very pale in the face and clutching his clipboard so hard his knuckles where turning right. "We need to run a test, just to be sure..."

 

Phil shook his head violently. "No, no tests, we know and that's all we need to know. We can't risk it Jeff..."

 

Jeff nodded. "I know your scared Phil but be reasonable he was probably just trying to figure out what it was, thin about it...has he ever seen blood before?"

 

Phil looked at the floor intently. "I guess we can run a test.." He glared up at Jeff. "ONE test..." Phil said. "As in only one. I can't bear to see another outburst like last time...that was to much to bear..." Phil glanced to the large domed shaped room where they had first brought life to X07895A.

 

"listen Phil everything will be fine...X07895A will be under control, he will not do that again. That was very disturbing.." Jeff said. "I mean we gave him the gene and everything but little did I know he new how to use it..."

 

"I've heard it's a natural thing..." Phil said opening up the door to the metal gray room. "I really just want to get this over with.." Phil said taking the bag of A+ blood Jeff had handed him. He walked into the room where Kyrix sat and placed the blood on the table. Kyrix immediately pricked up his right eye flashing a dangerous red. He licked his lips with his forked tongue and looked at Phil suspiciously. "It's just a test Jeff wants to run..."Phil explained and hastily turned around but before he could leave Kyrix had Phil's wrist and pulled him down to eye level.

 

"It is the smell of fear is it not?" Kyrix hissed his ultra eerie voice sounding three times worse than it had before. His right eye, the uncolorable one flashed from an angry red to and even louder color that seemed to be of the infrared wavelengths.

 

Phil nodded pulling away but Kyrix only tightened his grip. His blue eye looked worried and for a moment his eyes turned the same creepy light blue. "Phil...don't let him do this to me again...I don't like the hurting I do..." Phil was wise in deciding not correct Kyrix's incorrect statement but to listen to what he was saying. "they are watching the time is up, they have come for me..." He hissed and glanced over at the room at the very top of the steel dome. Phil could see nothing, for his eyes where to weak and he needed a new pair of glasses but Kyrix saw two men, the senator that had been rude to him at their first meeting, and a man he guessed correctly to be Mr. Samoto.

 

He released Phil's hand and stood up watching the men intently. "If it happens again..." Kyrix hissed to no one but himself, Phil had already dashed away to hopefully stop Jeff. "I will kill those fools and their stupid intentions...I can see clearly what they want with me..." Kyrix started to walk towards the bag filled with a thick substance unknown to him.

 

One of the twelve speakers that lined the dome shaped room clicked on hissed out to Kyrix. "X07895A I want you to open that bag..." It was Jeff's strong voice, but Kyrix could hear plainly that he was nervous and he was beginning to smell the faint aroma of fear again.

 

"Fool..." Kyrix hissed but obeyed his creator's commands. He walked over to the bag and slit it open with one of his dagger like fingernails. He sniffed the substance and snorted when a little of it got into his nasal cavities. It smelled heavily of salt and smelled of something else that Kyrix was vaguely aware of. "Blood...?" He hissed and stuck a finger into the now dripping bag. He lifted it to his lips and tasted it. He spat it out at first but then realized he was drawn to it's taste and he licked the sick sweetness that it left in his mouth. He lifted the bag and let the thick red blood slide down the back of his throat. He drank every drop and licked his finger he had opened the bag with.

 

Phil sighed a short sigh of relief, besides the fact Kyrix was drawn to it, everything had gone well. And that was when everything started to go terribly wrong.

 

Kyrix was licking the bag wanting more and more blood. "blood..." He hissed looking around the room. He spotted the senator. "he has blood and he deserves to bleed...." Kyrix said feeling the power that had resided in him for more than 6 months now flicker in again. He smiled his mouth still dripping with the sweet red liquid and he felt his shape turn from a 1/3 dragon, Ľ human 1/3 cxi into a being of unimaginable power.

 

He stood 45 foot tall shifted, almost to big for the dome. He was blood red and gold striped with extremely long wings and cruel looking tail ringed with 10 ft blades of cold steel. His face looked something like that of a dragon's and so did his 4 clawed feet but his body was of something different something that glowed and hazed, something of old blood. Blood so old, event he early Rayllomians knew little about it. This creature was called a Cxi and they where the first Rayllomian gods...and Kyrix was their direct descendant....technically...

 

His eyes, which had remained the same odd colors, now glared evilly upon the two evil men who planned to use him for war purposes. With one punch he shattered the small glass looking room and plucked out the senator, grasping him with his scaly glowing hands. He brought the old white haired very close to his face and snarled angrily. "Yes old man, I can as you see, do way more than stand..." He bellowed in his godly voice.

 

The senator almost fainted but a conniving look was in his eye as he called out to Kyrix. "X07895A, do not hurt me or all will be lost join me and we can rule the world together, create another empire like Garth's. With me and you together not even Sargon will be able to stop our supreme power!"

 

Kyrix hissed under his breath. He could plainly see what the old man planned to do and he the stench of betrayal issuing from him was almost unbearable. " do not think me a fool old man. I know well that there are more people than Sargon who are will do everything to stop another Garth. And do not take me lightly Senator! I am no man's experiment to play around with!" Kyrix hissed emphasizing the last statement for an unforgettable effect.

 

The old senator crumbled and admitted defeat. But all of his cries went unheard because it was already to late for him. Kyrix threw him to the ground listening to the faint snap of the man's backbone then stomped on him with a large clawed foot. The man's blood poured out onto the floor and everyone in the lab was starting to notice the large Cxi descendant standing upright in the metal dome causing the mass chaos.

 

"security breech!" the loud speakers echoed again and again, magnified 20 times in Kyrix's head. He swatted at them angrily with one paw and held another on his ear. But his rampage wasn't through yet, he wanted to find Mr. Samoto and make him pay, after all it was his idea to give X07895A the Cxi gene, and to give him the reaction to blood. And Kyrix knew it all the first time he had looked at the dark haired evil minded bastard.

 

Kyrix punched a speaker and started to aim for another which was squeaking a high pitched warning sign, when he spotted an oily looking man fleeing from the on looking room that Kyrix had shattered minutes earlier. Kyrix snarled, it was Mr. Samoto, though he was a great distance away, he could tell that the man was sneaky and very greasy looking.

 

Kyrix bent his massive Cxi head to snatch up the little brat and teach him a good lesson, when he felt a sting and then another, hitting him in the back. He whirled around angry and found three men shooting very large guns at him, they bounced off his impenetrable hind and landed with a clank on the floor. Kyrix glared at them but then he noticed something odd, the entire place had gone up in chaos, and the government had shown up to stop him. Kyrix blinked coming back to his sense a bit and realized that he better get out of here, and get out of here fast.

 

He shifted again back to his human form and madly dashed for the room in which Phil and Jeff where monitoring his 'progress'. His speed was so great, the guns men couldn't even lock onto him. Kyrix felt his heart race he h knew he must be experiencing fear for the first time, he had never been afraid before, so why now?

 

He skidded to a halt and walked into the totaled laboratory, he knew that he had not caused this; he only went after the senator and the oily old Samoto. He carefully walked through the wreck, looking for signs of Phil and Jeff. Finding nothing, Kyrix turned and began to leave, but something stopped him, it was the sound of harsh breathing. Kyrix pricked up his ears and looked around for signs of life. He thought he saw heat generating from a knocked over bookcase and carefully walked towards it, to his surprise he found Phil lying face down and breathing unnaturally heavy.

 

"Phil?" Kyrix asked gentlely turning the man over so he could breathe. Kyrix brushed some of Phil's blonde hair away from his face and put his pair of large black glasses back onto his face. Phil coughed and sputtered up blood all over his clean neatly pressed white collared shirt. A dark thought pulled at Kyrix's mind. "did..I do this?" He managed to ask.

 

Phil blinked and looked up at Kyrix his cornflower blue eyes magnified by the thick glasses. He shook his head. "I knew this would happen...one day they were going to come for us...we shouldn't have done it Kyrix. But I am glad we did....i would have missed the chance at a good friend if we hadn't..." He said. though Kyrix didn't quite understand what Phil meant he didn't say anything for he knew something bad was dawning on them but he didn't know what. He didn't know what death was...

 

Phil smiled up at him for the last time and pulled something form deep within his pocket. He handed it to Kyrix and mumbled "open it later.." before he closed his eyes for the final time. Kyrix didn't know exactly what to do, he knew that Phil was somehow gone, but he didn't understand how or why he was gone, taken from him to early. All he knew was this was Samoto's doing and that slimy old coot would pay dearly.

 

Kyrix got up and searched the rest of the room for signs of Jeff or any other 'victims'. But he was no where to be found only the dim light of his computer blinked on and off, catching Kyrix's eye. Kyrix wandered over to it and activated it by tapping the screen. A 'enter password' box popped up and he wondered vaguely what Jeff would use for a password. Brain bubble! He had it and it would only be one thing, and that one thing Kyrix knew alone.

 

He leaned over the busted chairs and typed: "Military property" into the little gray box and patiently waited for the screen saver to fade. When it did document was left up and it simply said "no time find the Sargon....no time..." the it looked as if Jeff had fallen asleep on his keyboard, like he had done once or twice before, but come one Jeff! Kyrix stood their wondering why the name Sargon sounded so familiar. He figured he should find him, and maybe ask him what the heck was going on.

 

It was quite clear to everyone else that Kyrix had indeed been far away from the room where Jeff and Phil were stationed. But a particularly oily fellow had been seen snooping around.....

 

When Kyrix finally found it fit to leave he was stopped once again. This time however he was glad to hear a faint growling behind him. He turned to find his playful little ligon hissing at him from behind a bookshelf. It was Keriu's strange little way of showing affection for his friend. Kyrix walked over to him avoiding Phil's fallen body and picked up the little blood red half lion half firelizard. "there there..." He said and stroked him with one of his long fingers. "we need to get out of here Keriu....we need to find 'Sargon'..." Kyrix said pushing the now teenage ligon's growing mane away from his face.

 

Kyrix....i know the Sargon he is in charge of all of us ligons and tigers he raises us and stuff along with our mothers. He was the one who gave me to Phil to give to you... Keriu muttered into Kyrix's head with his harsh cat like voice.

 

"Then we can find him a bite easier knowing where to look?" Kyrix asked his uncolorable eye filling with a green light, a very strange green light.

 

Keriu struggled from Kyrix's arms and landed on the floor with a soft thud. He looked up at Kyrix with his big green eyes. Maybe...but it has been a while.. He muttered harshly into Kyrix's head. He lead Kyrix out of the destroyed lab and into the surrounding forest, where Keriu hoped to find someone...

 

***

 

Kyrix and Keriu wondered trough the forest gazing at the sights and listening to the sounds of nature. Kyrix was awed, after all he had never been out of the lab and this stuff was new to him, he knew what it was and could tell you exactly how to make it if you where dealing with a kneopiois machine, but after only seeing pictures of it, he was very stunned. "Keriu? That's a fur tree!" Kyrix said rushing over to a large green and brown tree.

 

Keriu laughed a harsh and loud sound echoed into Kyrix's head, maybe ligons weren't meant to laugh. He stopped abruptly and glared at Kyrix with his big green eyes. Ok at first that was funny but after the seventh time it was creepy...now it's just weird...Keriu said, and it was true. Sad but true, Kyrix had shouted for Keriu to wait every time he saw a tree or bug. Very sad...

 

"Ok...fine..." Kyrix said and winked at Keriu. "Ya know....I've never been out of that lab, how would you expect me to act?"

 

decent!...you know where being watched!  Keriu snapped turning to face Kyrix. You may be the world's most perfect life form but you are sometimes a little weird...

 

Kyrix smiled flashing rows of fangs. "Only today...tomorrow I will be normal, and Keriu of course I knew we were being watched and if you don't mind not mentioning the whole prefect life form thing..." Kyrix muttered through gritted teeth. "They may be Samoto's goons..."

 

Keriu nodded and wandered back on through the narrow path that lead through the eerie forest. It was pretty but there was something ancient and evil about it that Kyrix didn't wholly trust. And his trust would pay off in due time...

 

***

 

Ok...I'm hungry now... Keriu muttered into Kyrix's head hopping up into one of the old spruce trees to sleep for the night.

 

"Keriu....it's almost midnight...and your hungry...?" Kyrix asked climbing up right after him. He was not sleeping on the ground, defiantly not. He wasn't scared but he sensed another presence that had been following them for a long time and he didn't want to be caught off guard.

 

But I'm to tired to hunt down something and you've got all the energy in the world!  Keriu complained rolling onto his back on a large tree branch and batting his eyes.

 

"And you call me weird..." Kyrix said poking the ligon in the nose. "Fine but your eating fruit or something I'm not going after anything living tonight not after what happened earlier. I wonder where Phil is..." Kyrix said his right eye changing from a soft purple to a wondering yellow.

 

Keriu rolled over and tilted his head sideways at Kyrix. Kyrix...Phil is dead... He said gazing up at the half cxi wondering why he hadn't known. You watched him die...

 

"Dead?" Kyrix asked his right eye changing abruptly from yellow to an angry red. He searched his mind for the meaning of the word. Kyrix shook his head. "I am to slow...i should have known that..." He said on the verge of tears. "and that means I killed the senator?" He asked a tear falling from his face down to the ground far below.

 

Keriu watched Kyrix with his large green eyes unable to help him out. He didn't know what to say, after all Kyrix ha slaughtered the man. He had evil intentions... Keriu added.

 

"I'm a killer..." Kyrix said almost breathless and unable to move. "Just like that rotten bastard knew I would be...someday he knew that they would test me. He knew that Jeff couldn’t stop  conducting research on me and find out more things. " Kyrix said his eye glowing a shade of infrared. "Samoto...you will pay dearly...for what you have done..." Kyrix said his godly voice crying out in the night echoing off the surrounding trees and causing the birds to scatter.

 

SHH!!  Keriu hissed slapping a paw over Kyrix's mouth. They are close... Keriu hissed twitching his ears backwards and looking around anxiously.

 

"Let them come...if they try and hurt you I will kill them..." Kyrix spat. Glaring down at the ground accusingly. A twisted smile crossed his face. "I can smell fear..." He hissed to Keriu and hopped down from the tree branch. He landed with a soft thud in a bush next to the tree and shifted his form into a full blood human. He had kept that form hidden from Jeff and Phil, for he liked his cxi legs and tail and didn't like being human much. He didn't trust the smell they had and there twisted minds...

 

He lifted his head up and scanned the area looking for life. He stopped when he sensed someone directly behind the old spruce they had been hiding in and walked up quickly to it sniffing the air. It was a female he could tell and she smelled to sweet and good to be one of Samoto's men. Kyrix slowly and quietly stepped out form behind the tree and almost fell over with shock.

 

A cloaked figure stood at the base of the tall oak tree glaring up at Keriu and hissing something at him. It was a female no doubt and Kyrix leaned closer to get a better view of her. She was wearing a long gray cloak with black leather pants and a tight gold shirt underneath. Kyrix couldn't see her face but she had long dark black hair that came down to about her shoulder.

 

"Get down here Keriu I will not argue with you!" she hissed in a smooth voice that sounded nothing like anything Kyrix had heard before. The women he had dealt with where old and cranky not like her she was young, or at least Kyrix guessed. "What?" she hissed again stepping forward and looking up at the tree angrily. Kyrix stepped back not wanting to be seen quite yet.

 

She had golden eyes and a slim cute face. She was beautiful and Kyrix was quite taken with her. Very taken. Kyrix! A little help??  Keriu called out mentally. She wants to know who my 'bond' is...

 

wonderful...who is she? Kyrix mentally hissed back wondering who this raven haired beauty was.

 

She's the daughter of Sargon, her name is...er, I know I remember. Ah...Akinta.. He said slinking back into the tree and spitting at her.

 

Akinta... Kyrix thought to himself. what a beautiful name for such a beautiful girl... He hopped up into the tree and made sure he looked 'ok', and slunk up behind Keriu. Act natural...and don't mention anything irrelevant ! Kyrix yelled at Keriu who was sitting glaring at him and spitting at her.

 

"Ahoy!" Kyrix called down to Akinta gazing down from the tree. She starred up at him and blinked her golden eyes looking up at him.

 

"Are you Keriu's bond?" She asked glaring at the blood red ligon who was over come with a fit of 'ligon giggles'. what kind of word is 'ahoy' Ky? He spat almost falling over.

 

Kyrix ignored him. "Yes...what is the problem?" He asked pushing Keriu in the side rather roughly. The ligon rolled over and stopped laughing, but continued to smile.

 

"That stupid brat!" Akinta yelled up at Keriu. "He was 'supposed to go to the laboratory not out to one you elves!" She said and threw a stick at Keriu. "Get down here NOW!" She spat and like a bad little puppy Keriu climbed down the tree obediently and sat at her feet tail between legs.

 

"Elves?" Kyrix asked hopping down after Keriu and landing next to him with a faint thud. Keriu snickered evilly. <I>hehee..</I> he cackled into Kyrix's head.

 

Akinta blushed bright red and looked the other way. "Boy have you heard about pants?" she said still staring intently the other way about to crack up with laughter.

 

Kyrix sat for a moment and then it hit him. "Oh jeez! Yea..." He said. He shifted his form back to half cxi and blushed to the color of his hair.

 

Akinta turned around and cocked one eyebrow at him. "you a half dragon?" She asked noticing his long spiked tail.

 

"Well  sure, yeah..." He mumbled feeling a bit self-conscious. He gazed down at his own gold and red striped tail, it sure looked like a dragon's. "Is that bad?" he asked.

 

She shook her head and smiled. "No, no!" She looked around. "If you promise not to tell...one of my uncles was a half Cxi...but we try to kept that quiet. See my grandpa wasn't exactly the one wife kind of guy..." She said and winked at him.

 

Kyrix smiled. "I won't tell...you don't have to worry about me..." Keriu exploded into a fit of giggles and rolled on the ground hissing and 'giggling'.

 

"Boy he's gotten weird..." Akinta said and kicked him gently. "that's enough now your coming back to Azon with Him," She gestured to Kyrix. "to get the papers straitened out. Father wants to keep things clean, no false records.." She looked back over to Kyrix and smiled at him. Kyrix felt his knees beginning to give out. "So what do they call you?"

 

"I'm called X-..." He began. "Kyrix..." He said blushing even redder. Akinta's eyebrows shot up but she didn't say a thing.

 

"C'mon we're going to have to walk back to Azon...Kurt and Phantom took of, so we can't fly..." She said gesturing for him to follow her, and he did, like a school boy with a crush...

 

***

 

My feet hurt! Keriu whined. And I'm still hungry! they, being Akinta, Kyrix and Keriu where sitting on the ground in the middle of the creepy forest about to go to sleep, or at least they hoped. You never know with annoying red ligons.

 

"Yeah and I'm wearing riding boots, try walking 15 miles in them..." Akinta snapped back at Keriu pulling a small sack from her cloak. She opened it up and inside was what looked like beef jerky. "Here.." she handed a chunk to Keriu and was about to offer some to Kyrix but the blood red ligon snapped a paw down on her wrist.

 

It's better if you don't give him anything that was once living... the blood red said kindly removing his paw.

 

"That's rude Keriu!" she snapped at him and offered the beef jerky to Kyrix. He shook his head and pushed it back at her.

 

"Trust me, it's best if I don't eat anything that had blood in it at one time and you probably don't want to know why..." He said softly and turned around to stare into the forest again. "Someone is following us..." He said bluntly, trying to chance the subject.

 

"So?" Akinta said chewing on the jerky. "It's no biggie. They're elves they don't know you, so they're following us. They have no problems with me I can assure you. But see you are different and you are intruding into their land..." She stopped and set down the jerky. "Kiuy Xavior!" she said. Kyrix translated it to; 'hail Xavior'.

 

From within the darkness a voice called back. "Hello my dear Akinta.." and out stepped a tall proud looking elf. He was ancient and very handsome but there where 3 strange things about him; he was cloaked in all gray, he had at least 3 earring and there was a tattoo underneath his left eye. "what brings you out here?" He said and glanced at Kyrix, and cocked one eyebrow. "You one of our blood?"

 

Akinta smiled and him. "Hello Galador, I figure that Xavior back there if faring well." He smiled and nodded still entranced by Kyrix.

 

"I don’t think so..." Kyrix stammered becoming interested in a ugly black rock that was sitting on the ground.

 

"You look it..." He said gazing at him. "you're sure your not of evlen blood?" he asked his gaze was almost haunting and Kyrix felt as if he was staring strait through him.

 

"You do look it..." Akinta said twisting her head sideways and smiling. "Do you know who your parent's where?"

 

"Well..." Kyrix said scratching his neck like Jeff used to and glancing sideways at Keriu. "No...i was raised by 2 of my close friends..." He stammered. "But I don't think I could find out if I wanted to, my foster parents where recently killed in a fire..." He said. "Not to far from here.."

 

Galador nodded and accepted his story, but Akinta's eyes flashed dangerously. "You say recently?" She asked. "Like how recently...?"

 

"Like today recently that's why where out here in the forest-" Kyrix said but was cut off by Keriu who hammered him in the ribs with his paw.

 

IDIOT!  he screamed into Kyrix's head. she's no fool!

 

Akinta was glaring at him with her golden eyes. She smiled suddenly and got up and came over and stood over him smiling. He looked up at her from behind the log he was sitting upon before Keriu knocked him off. She helped him up and sat down next to him. Stupid hormones... Keriu muttered. Your going to blow it all for a stinking female....

 

"A rather cute female thank you Keriu.." she said and grabbed Kyrix's shoulder and glared at his tattoo, the one given to him by Phil and Jeff. "Ah ha!" she hissed looking at the numbers scrawled upon his shoulder. "I knew you were to goodie to be a half dragon!" she spat.

 

Galador smiled. "Well I feel awkward...why don't I give you guys a lift back to Azon...they have rooms to sleep in...and I know you people don't like the forest to much..."

 

Kyrix swallowed hard and looked over at Galador. "That would be great...when do we leave?" He asked feeling the heat generating from his face.

 

Galador laughed. "Now c'mon.." He said standing up and walking into the forest. Kyrix hopped up and followed him quickly, and so did Keriu with Akinta following them both. She was still staring at Kyrix, searching him, but finding nothing...

 

***

 

"Dragons?" Kyrix asked backing away from a large bronze-white dragon with huge horns. A smaller blue was on his right side. Both the blue and the bronze where marked with the same odd under-the-eye tattoo as Galador.

 

Galador nodded. "How else do you think we'd get there so quickly?" He laughed suddenly and Kyrix wondered if he wasn't meant to laugh, the same way Keriu wasn't meant to laugh. It was a harsh almost angry sound pouring form the mouth of the elven man.

 

Akinta walked past Kyrix brushing his shoulder with her long cloak and making him shiver, but not form the cold. She walked right up to the big bronze and patted him on the muzzle. "How are you Xavior?" She asked stroking his cheek.

 

I am fine m'lady and how are you this dark and drank evening... A strong proud voice rumbled into all the surrounding folk's heads.

 

Akinta laughed. "Oh I'm fine..." she said and scratched him behind the ear.  She glared over at Kyrix and whispered something that she didn't want him to hear, though he could and he did. "I just want to know who he truly is....i mean he nice and everything and defiantly cute but who is he?"

 

Kyrix blushed bright, bright red, brighter than his hair and looked away from  Akinta and Xavior, the big bronze-white. She thinks I'm cute!  he called out mentally to Keriu.

 

Good for you... Keriu said and rolled his big green eyes. Kyrix smiled, maybe this hadn't turned out so bad..

 

"Ok time to get going it's almost 10 o'clock..." Galador said to the group and drew their attention away from Akinta and Xavior who where having a private conversation, well almost private..

 

"Rordir!" Galador called and from behind the blue a small blonde haired man appeared. He was a little chunkier than Galador and had a quiver of arrows and a bow instead of Galador's long sword, but again with the tattoo.

 

"Yes...?" He asked his gaze falling upon Kyrix. "Is he of-"

 

Galador shook his head. "No time, Kyrix you ride with Rordir and Rudrik and Akinta and Keriu you will ride with me and Xavior." Rordir nodded and gestured to Kyrix who immediately followed after him to the side of the small blue, maybe smaller was better..

 

***

 

"Anyway..." Rordir said to Kyrix when they where air born. "Are you really of out blood?" He asked turning towards Kyrix. He didn't have to yell because the air was calm and the night was quit, you could plainly see all of the spring constellations forming in the black night sky.

 

Kyrix shook his head. "To be honest have no clue, I was orphaned..." He said trying not to stare at Rordir's tattoo, it was smaller and slanted more then Galador's and not as dark. "May I ask you a weird question?" Kyrix asked in his god like voice.

 

Rordir nodded, "if I may ask you one first. What's with your voice?" He asked before Kyrix had a chance to answer.

 

"My voice?" He said a little unsure of what the elf meant. "Well I don't know, I remember my foster parents told me my dad had a voice like this but it's not mechanical or anything..." Rordir nodded as if he understood. "Ok...well what is with all you elves and your tattoos?"

 

Rordir laughed a merry sweet sound, he was made to laugh. Riding with him, Kyrix had found he was a little to happy all the time, but he didn't mind it, it was comforting. "Well you see, we are a wing, called Forest Edge, or Forest's Edge if you will. We are a rebel people, living in Rayllom and not the 'old' worlds as we should. So to define or people and to determine rank, we give our people tattoos." He paused. "And we give them to the dragons also, but they don't seem to mind. It's kind of like how Sargon gives Azon's dragons earrings..." He shrugged.

 

"Oh I get it..." Kyrix said. "So if one of you ever gets separated you will be able to find them?"

 

"Yea!"   Rordir said nodding in agreement. "there's other reasons but it's hard to explain..." He said glancing down over his blue's shoulder. "We are here...Welcome to Azon..."

 

Kyrix glanced down at the large brown-gray buildings and gasp. It was lovely in the moonlight, it sort of shined a sliver gray and the large lake in the back reflected the full moon perfectly. There were people about, and dragons, still up at the late hour pacing back and forth and looking skyward. As soon as they spotted the group of odd travelers they called out and waved. Rordir brought Rudrik down to a soft landing followed closely by the large bronze Xavior.

 

A tall blue skinned man ran towards the two dragons and waved. His feet and knees where that of a demons and a long pointed tail emerged from his back. He had long dark blue hair and bright blue eyes, and he smiled at them showing rows of sharp fangs. Running past Rordir and Kyrix he stopped in front of Akinta. "Sargon is about to hit the roof! You said you'd only be gone a short time!" He held up a clawed hand to help her down.

 

"I know I know, but I got lost.." Akinta said quietly. "I'm sorry Kurt, but hey I found Keriu's bond. I don't really know who he is but I found him..." She brushed a strand  of her dark black hair away from her face and smiled at Kyrix. "We just have to convince him to trust us, that's all..." Kyrix blushed again and hopped off of Rudrik, landing besides to overly happy elf.

 

"Well...not all of us can be trusted Akinta.." He said watching Kyrix. "I know you trust me, and I defiantly trust you, but not all people can be trusted... What does he call himself?" Kurt said changing the subject quickly. He was an odd fellow but if Akinta trusted him...

 

"Kyrix!" She called to the cxi/elf/man, he wondered over to her eyeing Kurt suspiciously. Kyrix noticed that he looked similar to himself with half creature half man-ish apperance. "This is Kurt, he's my father's most trusted search rider."

 

Kurt nodded to him and reached out his hand. Kyrix shook it and wondered if he did the right thing, it seemed right but he wasn't sure. He didn't want to offend the man. "Hello..." He looked Kyrix over. "Are you a..?"

 

"Half dragon I think...." Kyrix muttered in his odd-nonhuman voice suddenly his sense pricking up. He looked around, something wasn't right. "What's that smell?" He asked trying very hard not to start sniffing the air, he thought he'd look pretty foolish if he did.

 

Kurt pointed over to a weird looking animal lying on it's side in a pool of crimson red blood. "Phantom couldn't wait until morning we where just on a flight scouting out-someone..." He said. "Don’t worry though they're just feedstock."

 

Kyrix nodded his eyes fixed not on the creature but more on the blood that was streaming slowly towards him. "Well...where to we sleep?" He asked almost having to kick himself to stop staring at the blood, the want was taking control of him, the thirst for blood.

 

Akinta yawned. "Yes, I'm tired out I'll deal with dad in the morning, come on Kyrix I'll show you to your room. We have plenty..." she mumbled and started walking towards one of the massive brownish buildings.

 

***

The next morning awoke rather early and snuck down the long dark hallway past Kyrix's room to find Keriu she had a couple questions to ask that annoying ligon...

 

Kyrix stirred her presence, even though she was somewhat far away, for the rooms at Azon where large and cozy, was making him tense up.  He arose and quietly followed her down the hall, not making a sound. She'd surely be angry with him if she found out, so Kyrix retracted his claws as far back as he could. That way they wouldn't make that clanketiy-clank sound down the hallway.

 

She opened up the door where Keriu was staying with some of the other adult ligons and slipped in. Kyrix watched and found himself even more tense than before, she was so pretty. Her white nightgown that clung to her shapely form made her look like an angle, or at least Kyrix thought so.

 

"Keriu you little rat! Get out here!" She called, Kyrix knew he should be hiding so he quickly climbed a wall, careful not to leave claw marks and sat on one of the lofty rafters. He watched from above the blood red ligon emerge from the room rather sleepily and stand attention at Akinta's feet. "Now I have some questions for you..." she muttered softy. Causing Kyrix to lean forward in order to hear better. "Who is Kyrix really?"

 

Keriu flattened his ears and looked from side to side. Well....There are to sides to Kyrix... He said still looking form side to side, as if someone was watching. There's the Kyrix you know, the sweeter gentler one. He's very intelligent and easy to please and the kindest guy you'll ever meet. Kyrix smiled to himself feeling rather smug. And then there's X07895A, the darker deadly Kyrix. He was created by the two men who where killed at the lab Phil and Jeff. They had good intentions for him, to use him for breeding to make some super human or something, but Mr. Samoto the man who funded this whole thing had bad ones. He wanted to use Kyrix, who was military property, in the military, as a weapon of destruction....

 

Akinta leaned back. "Wow....i knew he was different but wow..."

 

there's more...you see Kyrix isn't a half dragon, he's a full blooded Cxi... Keriu looked around again, and Kyrix wished he'd just finish up the story, after all he didn't know half the stuff that he was telling Akinta. We're being watched...i can feel it...

 

"don't worry about it! It's probably just Tyrus, he's overly nosey...plus he's and invisible shifter..." Akinta said looking around at nothing. "I want to hear the rest!"

 

Fine! Well anyway...when Phil and Jeff first where assigned to create him, they didn't have clue where to start. First they thought about making a mechanical type, but then they realized there was something more powerful than any machines that could ever be built. Now you and I know that Cxi's are extinct and have been for centuries, plus cxi shifters are very rare. So Phil and Jeff had to hand in there heads to get some of this blood to make the cxi part of X07895A. he human part, is an elf more or less, and Phil actually chose to make him elven because of the dragons, the original dragons that where part Cxi.  You know how the elves or Rayllom where actually the first riders..?  Keriu said rather asking Akinta then telling her.

 

She nodded. "Well...wow...I didn't know..." she paused. "Is there anything else that triggers this change into X07895A?"

 

Well actually yes... Keriu said. But I really shouldn't tell you... He looked at the ground.

 

"If you don't tell me you little red fur ball..."

 

Fine!...so far we've found that; blood, meat, extreme emotions, and well anything sexual triggers it... Keriu muttered. I'm sorry Akinta I knew you finally found a guy you actually thought liked you and not well, you for....other things

 

Akinta threw her arms in the air. "I know it's so typical isn't it?" Keriu nodded. "Well you know my luck, and my standards but hey I mean Kyrix is perfect. He's very hot, he's very nice, he's strong, he's got neato eyes, he's defiantly capable...if you know what I mean..."

 

Kyrix sat up on the rafters feeling very cocky, he understood all of her comments, expect the last one. I do...but he wouldn't.. Keriu said trying to keep a strait face.

 

***

 

Kyrix walked after Akinta down the hall to talk to her father about why she hadn't come home last night, she said she needed him as a witness. "My father means well, and is always trying to do what's best for me, but he's a little over protective.." She explained leading him down an extravagant hallway decorated with banners of Rayllom's history, more or less centered around 1000 years ago with the uprising of Garth.

 

"I understand, my, er parents where very overprotective, I mean I couldn't even go outside..." Kyrix said, pretending he didn't know that Akinta knew about him. She understood the truth of the statement. "so is he really the Sargon?" Kyrix asked changing the subject quickly to avoid Akinta's cleverness.

 

"Yes he is really the Sargon who went head to head with Garth. He's got the scars to prove it too. He's a really great person to, and like me, he's immortal, but my mom and brother aren't..." she sighed. "another great thing about being in Sabbar's bloodline, you have to watch your family die..."

 

Kyrix patted her on the shoulder, he had learned that 'touch' to people was important to society. "Well I'm immortal to, so when everyone else dies, you'll still have me.." He shrugged. 

 

"Why doesn't that make me fell better?" She said taking his hand in hers and smiling. "It's the thought that counts.." Kyrix blushed beat red, and looked the other way, wondering where Akinta had taken them. They had arrived at the end of the hallway, and there was a large door with metal plates. "c'mon this is dad's high tech room. Don’t' touch anything that flies or he'll have your head.."

 

Kyrix nodded and followed the young black haired girl into a very large very high tech looking room. On one of the four main walls was a computer screen that was larger than anyone Kyrix had ever seen. On it was a picture of Samoto labs where Kyrix had technically been born.. "Dad!" Akinta called out. "I'm here!"

 

From atop the platform that rose up to the top of the computer in the middle of the room, Kyrix heard footsteps, then a large swish. He blinked watching the pillar open up and out walked a very tall very handsome looking man. It was easy to see where Akinta had gotten her looks, and her eyes...  "Well you better start explaining yourself, now beginning with him..." the man who could be no other than the Forbidden King himself said his eyes locking on Kyrix.

 

"Well this is Keriu's bond, who we don't have on record. When I was out looking for Enlos so we could ask him to officially join the Sanrix, I saw a blood red shape in one of the very old oak trees so I went closer to investigate. I don't think Kyrix here saw me because I was in my wolf form.." she smiled at Kyrix. "Dad this is Kyrix, or otherwise know as X07895A..."

 

Kyrix pretended not to here her. "Ah...I've heard of you..." He said waving his hand behind him and the computer screen went blank. "I used to know Phil..."

 

Kyrix pricked up. "Really? Before he got dragged into," He glanced sideways at Akinta. "Making me?" She smiled at him, again her yellow eyes still locked on his, making him feel a bit self conscious.

 

"Yes, but that is old news. You are Welcome here for as long as you like..." Sargon glanced at Kyrix's legs. "but you might want to stay in your elven from, We'll find you some pants in your size...and a room! We have plenty but for now you can stay with Akinta in hers, the one that they put you in last night was tiny compared to the good ones! "

 

Kyrix smiled feeling a bit more welcome. "Thank you sir..." He said and bowed, he had learned that that was considered 'polite'.  Sargon smiled showing a couple of fangs.

 

"well we best be going..." Akinta said grabbing Kyrix's hand and dragging him out of the room. Sargon nodded and she raced down the old hallway back into the main one. "Whew! I thought he was going to go nuts when I told him that!"

 

"Why would he?" Kyrix said watching her gasp for air a bit, of course he was fine, but these humans had a way of needing extra oxygen when they ran.

 

Akinta shrugged. "Like I said before..over protective..." She stopped heavily breathing and stood up. Hey Kyrix, I want to show you something..." An evil glint passed through her eyes for a brief second.

 

"Ok..." Kyrix said unaware of what she had in mind. He followed her down another of Azon's long and brightly lit hallways, this one passed by the sands, where green Isemoth had just laid her eggs. He looked up and saw Akinta standing at a door waiting for him. He walked cautiously to her, she had an evil grin on her face and Kyrix sensed that he was going to be betrayed but went anyway. Love was making him foolish...

 

Akinta opened the door wider and told him to sit down. There was a large wooden table surrounded by various cooking machines, an oven, a grilling range, and other things Kyrix had never seen, but knew them by name. He sniffed the air, and smelled something barbequeish and sweet, and before he could think about it, his mouth was watering. "um what is that?" Kyrix asked watching Akinta return to the room with a plate full of food, food Kyrix had never seen before.

 

"taste it.." She responded simply placing the plate in front of him. Kyrix sniffed at a large brownish piece of beef, he thought it was a potato and picked it up. As son as it was in his hands he felt the same odd sensation he always got when he was to near to blood. His eyes narrowed suspiciously at the chunk of beef and he looked from it to Akinta. "well go on..." she said. He bit just a little bit and swallowed it, savoring the flavor of dead cow flesh. He licked his lips and scarfed the whole thing down feeling the darker side of him take over. He looked up at Akinta and swallowed the last bite.

 

"you accomplish what you wanted to?" He asked narrowing his eyes. She nodded and handed him another chunk of meat. He swallowed it whole. "why?"

 

"I wanted to see..." She said innocently batting her eyes. Kyrix, er, X07895A rolled his own. "I did!" Akinta objected. "Plus meat is good for you, and you should learn to put both sides of you together so people don't think you’re skitsofranic.."

 

"why?" He asked chewing on a piece of the tougher meat. "I'm not a skitso I have control over myself and there aren't really two personality's I just react to different things different ways..." He shrugged.     

 

"I guess..." Akinta said taking him by the hand and pulling Kyrix up to her eye level, he had to bend his knees slightly for she's wasn't that tall and he was just around 7 foot. "listen...i don't care if your there's two sides to you just keep them both under control or you'll be in big trouble..." she said her eyes locked on Kyrix's. Then she did something tat Kyrix would have never even began to think she would do, she kissed him on the cheek. He blushed and felt a strong surge through his body. "C'mon now, I have errands to run and your coming with me..."

 

"uh......." Kyrix stammered fighting off the impulse to do something he'd really regret. "Uh, ok?" Akinta smiled at him her golden eyes flashing and walked out of the kitchens down to the riding docks, followed perhaps a little to closely by Kyrix.  

 

***

"We have to go find Enlos and tell him that Sargon wants to talk to him." Akinta explained to Kyrix as she walked up a very large marble spiral staircase. It reminded Kyrix of something he'd seen in a book on mythology of earth.  "But first we need to stop by my room..." Kyrix gulped, the high didn't bother him, he was accustomed to it, it was the fact he was going to Akinta's  room.

 

"uh, why?" Kyrix asked looking out one of the 4 or 5 windows that they had passed. Akinta smiled at him and kept on walking up the stairs without turning to answer his question. Kyrix shrugged and hurried after her, up another 20 stairs. She came to a halt at a large wooden door and stood in front of it. She flipped open a panel on the right side and leaned close to it, Kyrix watched amazed as the door swung open.

 

"Well here we are..." She said walking in. It was amazing inside that room, decorated like it was still the 10th century. There were thick red carpets and big gaudy gold statues of unicorns and other 'fanciful' creatures. The room itself was huge as big as two normal bedrooms, and on the back wall a fire burned in the fireplace. The wall where decorated with pictures of unicorns and gryphons, the background was painted dark red and yellow. On another one of the walls was a 4 posted bed and large window where you could see the shores of the sliver sea and the sea itself. It was early afternoon and a haze hung over it, shielding the slivery sheen for the viewers aloft in Akinta's room.

 

 "wow..." Kyrix said following Akinta to stand next to the 4 posted mahogany bed. She hopped over it and leaned down. Kyrix coked and eyebrow at her and leaned over the bed to see what she was doing. A pure white ligon lay sprawled out on a carpet by the window, but there was something odd about this ligon, she had white bat like wings... "Um Akinta?"

 

the snow white ligon looked up at Kyrix and snarled, the hair on the back of her mane less neck standing up. "Calm down Aerilia.." Akinta said patting the ligon on her head. She snapped her teeth.

 

who is this jerk who dares to invade in your room Akinta? She hissed mentally into both Akinta and Kyrix's head. Kyrix leaned back surprised by the white ligon's ferocity.

 

"she's just as mean as Keriu..." Kyrix hissed back at her. Akinta laughed, and stood up Aerilia following at her heels.

 

"She's meaner, daughter of Garyle and Geroiu, the two first black ligons." Akinta smiled. "And she's the only white ligon that was ever born, I don't know why but they seem to be rare...it's a pity cause she's such a pretty girl...." Akinta said the ligon rubbing up against her leg and snarling at Kyrix.

 

"So why do we need her?" Kyrix asked backing up a step from the ligon, he didn't want to get bitten, she had very large teeth. The ligon put on a smug look and walked forward to him flexing her wings and purring, sort of purring. "Woah kitty...down..." Kyrix said backing into a wall the ligon still advancing. She rubbed up against his scaly like legs and purred.

 

Akinta laughed even harder. "she's not going to bite you...at least I don't think..." Akinta said walking up to the ligon which was circling Kyrix's legs. She grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and pulled her back.

 

almost had him to.. the ligon muttered and walked back over to the beside carpet and collapsed. Then she hissed words for Kyrix only; Stay away from Akinta or deal with me, you may have little Keriu for protection but he is toast against a queen...

 

Kyrix looked at Akinta who was still sort of laughing. "can we go now?" He asked watching the spot where the ligon had stood. "I think she was going to bite me..."

 

Akinta smiled. "you don't have a clue, the last guy who came into my room had to go to the hospital..." Akinta said walking up to what looked to be a closet and fiddled through it.

 

"why?" Kyrix asked walking over to her and watching what she was doing. It was a closet filled with girls things, but there where a few guy-like things. Kyrix wondered why..

 

"Well let's just say that he had to have his left testicle sewn back on..." Akinta said pulling a pair of black leather pants from her closet. "Here.." she handed him the pants and directed him to the bathroom in the back of the room to the left of the bookshelves.

 

"wonderful..." Kyrix muttered still wondering about that ligon. "she's certainly an evil one..." He hissed walking into the bathroom. He looked down at the pants and found that they where big enough for him, at least he thought they where. He closed his eyes and shifted to his elven form and slipped on the pants. They fit perfectly, and Kyrix rather liked the shinny part...

 

"They fit?" Akinta called from outside the door. Kyrix took one last look and walked out of the bathroom, still not quite used to his human like legs.  "good now we have to get you a shirt..." she said, looking at his bare chest.

 

Kyrix coked and eyebrow at her. "why do I need a shirt?" he asked suspiciously, he had never thought he needed one, after all he wasn't a female..

 

"because it's appropriate..." she said walking over to her closet and pulling out a red sleeveless one and handing it to Kyrix. "It'll be a bit snug but it'll work until I can find the tailor to fix up one that will go with those pants.." she said.

 

Kyrix pulled it over his head and found it skin tight. "you humans are weird..." he muttered looking into the mirror that was half way across from him on the other side of the room.

 

"well at least I don't walk around half way naked..." Akinta said. "Aerlila c'mon I want you to meet Keriu, properly..."

 

***

Why? I don't even like her! you’re the one with goo-goo eyes for Akinta I don't want to do this!  Keriu hissed at Kyrix sitting on the floor in Akinta's room.

 

"for one thing I don't have goo-goo eyes for anyone. For two you have to meet her, she's a queen and if you catch her you know how much good that would so for your reputation?" Kyrix hissed right back, but quietly so Akinta couldn't here. She was on the other side of the room talking to Aerlila and she probably couldn't but it would be embarrassing if she found out.

 

Keriu flattened his ears against his head. I'll do it, but I'm only doing this for your own good Kyrix1 I know you like her...why are you denying it? Did Sargon have a problem with you or something? Kyrix shook his head. Then why won't you fess up! she's the most beautiful human I've ever seen and you know she likes you!

 

Kyrix was quiet for a while and he glanced over at her, the girl he loved. " Keriu you know that I'd hurt her..." Kyrix sighed and stretched his legs out. "It just can't happen.."

 

Keriu snarled.  Kyrix! You idiot! You're not going to hurt anyone! Remember how you reacted to meat when Phil tested you? You didn't do that when Akinta gave you the beef! You're going to be fine, we only have to worry about blood... He stood up and paced around the room, he did that when he was ticked off.

 

"I'm going to hurt her! I still had the urge to kill something when I ate that meat..." He snapped back. "And I really don't want to get any closer to her....you know what happened when they tired using me for breeding..." He coughed.

 

Keriu sat down and smiled cat like. Now see that was funny, gruesome but very funny... Kyrix shook his head and glanced over at Akinta and the snow white ligon. Aerilia was staring strait at Keriu and when she saw Kyrix, she stopped.

 

"Keriu I think you have an admirer.."  Kyrix said an uncontrollable smile spreading throughout his face. Keriu glanced over at the perfect white ligon and then back at Kyrix, who was howling with laughter.

 

Jerk... Keriu muttered pushing Kyrix with one of his large paws. Kyrix only laughed harder. C'mon now I didn't make fun of you.. Kyrix stopped laughing but couldn't control his smile.

 

"Well then, I'm glad you and Keriu have decided to go through with this..." Akinta said coming up behind the two and leaning down to talk to them. "Cause she is overly due to rise, the only problem is that the only male ligons around are not kings..."

 

Your point?  Keriu asked rolling his eyes.

 

"well she'd have to run, and that wouldn't be fair to her..." Akinta objected looking from her white ligon to the blood red one. "She could hurt her feet..."

 

I'll be fine Akinta... Snow white Aerilia muttered into her and Kyrix's heads. I won't let anyone else catch me but him... she said quietly looking strait at Keriu who had missed the comment.

 

Kyrix bust out laughing again and Keriu jumped on him, and planted his rump square on Kyrix's head.

 

***

 

"Your really sure this was a good idea?" Kyrix hissed to Akinta watching her white ligon run off into the woods followed by a dozen male ligons, one of which who happened to be blood red.

 

"Never keep a female ligon, tiger, or dragon from mating when they're due, it causes haywire emotions and yes. It is a good idea, if Keriu succeeds just think, we'd have the first pink ligon ever... " she said leaning over and whispering to him. It was horribly cold outside for spring, it had fallen just below 50 degrees and it was staring to show signs of a storm.

 

"she better due this quick there's going to be a quite a bit of hail..." Kyrix muttered blowing into his fists and rubbing them together. "I don't see why I have to stay in this stupid body I want my fur!" he kicked at the ground.

 

"you'd scare the sh-" She was interrupted by a long high pitched growl that signaled that the males could begin chasing Aerilia. And the winner of the males who brought her to the ground got the privileges of mating with her, and sent mentally, all the emotions from it to their bonds.

 

Kyrix was quite and listened very hard as the wind ripped through his now shaggy red and gold hair for a sound that Keriu was close. He heard a deep and rough roar echo through the forest which signaled that Keriu the blood red was doing his job and keeping his promise. For if Keriu caught that snow white, the emotions would run strait to Akinta and Kyrix. Keriu laughed as he causally ran faster towards the sound of Aerilia's way to frequent purrs and hisses. He knew what the emotions would do to Kyrix and Akinta, but Kyrix did not, he was not aware of the, er, intensity of the emotions.

 

Be bellowed another cry spotting the snowy white curled up on a rock waiting for him. Hey handsome.. she called out mentally, flicking her tail at his and flexing her white demon like wings. What brings you way out here?

 

Keriu purred and roared a final time. Oh you know what bring me out here... Keriu said approaching the queen.  Kyrix is going to kill me but it's for his own good...

 

"Oh dear..."  Akinta muttered falling backwards into Kyrix's arms. "I think' she's been c-caught..." She clutched at her forehead with one of her soft delicate hands.

 

"Jeez!" Kyrix said loosing his balance and staggering backwards trying to support Akinta in his arms. "I think Ker-Keri-.." He said but not holy concentrating on what the ligons where doing. He was staring at Akinta who had a mischievous look in her eye and had turned to face him.  "what?" He asked meekly.

 

"you know what..." she spat and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a very wet and sloppy kiss. 

 

 ***

Kyrix opened one eye and looked around Akinta's room wondering why he was there. He found he was no longer in his human form and he laughed when he saw that his leather jeans had been ripped in half, probably when he sifted, he was much taller and wider as a half-cxi. He blinked suddenly when he heard a faint sound and looked to see Akinta lying in bed with him topless. "No.." He muttered unbelieving. "Keriu you dirty little ba-"

 

Akinta rolled over and pressed a finger to his lips. "Shh....now we wouldn't want to go saying things we might regret now would we? You should be thanking him..." she said pulling the red and purple sheet of her four poster king sized bed up to her neck.

 

"but, but he tricked me!" Kyrix argued sliding sideways and drawing the curtains away from the bed so he could fetch his torn pants and go slaughter his evil red ligon.

 

"He didn't trick you..." Akinta said  sliding out of the bed after him and heading up to the loft-ey part of her room just above the library. "If I remember correctly you where the one who insisted that he chase Aerilia.

 

"but I didn't think, I didn't think..." Kyrix argued hopelessly flailing his arms about and sitting down. He blinked suddenly remembering what he was worried about. " I didn't hurt  you did I?"

 

Akinta blinked. "No....at least I don't think so. And that's right Kyrix you didn't think. If you would have thought about what happens dragoneers when their dragons get caught you have realized that ligons are the same..." She shrugged. "Well sort of the same...Kurt tells me that the emotions are a lot stronger..."  

 

"Well as long as your not hurt, I'm fine I guess..." Kyrix said grabbing the back of his neck and scratching it the way Jeff used to. He watched Akinta climb down from the loft dressed in riding leathers?  "Let me guess you have a dragon to accompany your white fur ball?"

 

"No...but we really need to go check up on Enlos at the Healing Den...I've been telling you this forever..." she said hopping down off the last step and sitting next to him. "you know what..." She whispered. "I think you'd do good with a dragon..."

 

"Oh no! I don't think so! I can barely stand Keriu!" Kyrix objected. "I don't think a dragon, a dragon..." He stammered. "It would just make things harder than they already are!"

 

"Well, if you really feel that way then I guess it's not worth my time , only dragoneers can stay at Azon..." She smiled evilly and walked out the door.

 

Kyrix's stomach twisted with nerves, he couldn't just impress! He would not suitable to ride a dragon!  What would other people think, with him a guy that could go spaso and kill all the people present if someone got a paper cut? "Where is it?"

 

"It's a nexus world..." Akinta said waiting impatiently for him at the door. Kyrix sighed, what a relief at least the people there wouldn't know what a Cxi was. Not many Rayllomians get to impress, very few go world hopping.  

 

"I'll try but you have to come with me..." Kyrix said watching Akinta with his uncolorable eye. "Because if all of the sudden something bad happens then you'll have to call in someone..."

 

"Who?" Akinta said a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. Her eyes flashed and she understood. "I'll go get Sargon he can come to, Bolton might be able to stop if you,... change . And plus we need a dragon to go between..."

 

***

 

Kyrix arrived at the healing den and found it to be very large, larger than he had expected. It was bigger than the Sargon's Sanrix though not as highly advanced. Kyrix snorted, these people had not even learned how to make matter out of thin air, but they where the best healers I the universe. Well at least Kyrix thought so, he had seen them work their magic on a few people. "What do they have to eat here?" Kyrix asked strolling down one of the long hallways and sniffing the air, a strong fragrant scent came from behind him and he turned his head to get a good whiff. Ahh....meat...

SMACK!

Kyrix feel backwards on to the floor with a thud and looked up blinking to clear his vision, to see what he had hit, or what had hit him. It was the MasterHealer herself and she was glaring angrily at him. "Who are you?" she spat and looked from Kyrix rubbing his head to Akinta who looked as if she was about to bust up in a fit of giggles.

 

She leaned down and offered The Master Healer, who still had an unpleasant scowl on her face, a hand up. "Hullo Baeris! " Akinta said cheerfully. "I have brought you a candidate!" She pointed to Kyrix who had no clue what-so-ever what he should be doing.

 

She smiled at Kyrix and looked from Akinta casually to Kyrix. "Hello.." He watched as her eyes fell down to his legs and tail. Then she looked back at Akinta and cocked one  eyebrow. "Is he a half dragon?"

 

"Actually I'm a.." Kyrix began but then saw Akinta glaring at him and shaking her head. "Yeah a half dragon..." He pulled himself up from the ground. "Hello, I'm Kyrix...and sorry for running into you..." He muttered the last part.

 

Baeris nodded and looked to Akinta, her eyes full of amusement and wonder. "And I don't think we've met?" She said looking at Akinta's eyes suspiciously. "But there's only one man I know to have eyes that color..."

 

Akinta nodded. "I'm Akinta his daughter..." She glanced back at Kyrix who was looking rather uncomfortable. "So is it ok to have him stand? I know that you'd accept rather odd candidates but I wasn't sure, he's very odd..."

 

Baeris nodded approvingly. "well I guess just as long as he keeps away from the unhardened eggs, we had a problem with a young man just recently about that. I'm glad he's gone.." she made a disapproving face. "I will never take another like him.." She glanced over at Kyrix who had gone very pale in the face and was scratching the back of his neck nervously. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What?"

 

"Nothing, nothing!" Akinta said drawing Baeris's attention back to her. "Just keep the lad away from blood, ok?"

 

"Blood? Why? Is he scared of it?"

 

"Quite the contrary..." Kyrix said in his god like voice that shocked Baeris as if she hand' heard it the first time. Which she obviously hadn't, he had rather mumbled that time.  "Let's just say I should have been born half vampire..."

 

~~~Kyrix is standing at Baeris Kshau's Healing Den~~~

 

It had been a long time since Kyrix had arrived that the eggs begun to shake. He had noticed that there where a lot of weird candidates and though Akinta kept him in his elven form he seemed to fit right in. "The eggs are shaking!" Someone informed Kyrix running past him and then off to warn the other candidates. Kyrix sleepily looked towards the eggs and then realized that they where shaking and that he probably needed to be there very soon. He blinked and raced down to the sands followed by Akinta to headed calmly up to the bleachers/benches. She's been at way to many hatchings already.

 

Near the end of the hatching Kyrix was getting worried what if this was all just a mistake? He wasn't meant to be, scientists had literally made him from something else. If he wasn't meant to be was their still a dragon out there for him? His thoughts where broken when a shinny opal white egg broke with a snap to reveal a stunning white-red Siamese looking dragon. His wing-tips where redish crackle and so where his feet and snout but his body shown mostly white-opal a beauty-with an attitude. His wing sails where pink-red and they shown the color of  Keriu's offspring, pink. Why pink? Maybe because her mother was white...hum..

 

The dragon snarled at the people who came near to it and for some reason as Kyrix's thoughts strayed elsewhere his eyes remained focused on the Siamese-red-white. It walked towards him and he was for the first time in his short life completely taken by surprise something he was built not to be.

 

You will have to get used to a little blood now and then my Friend. For now I am hungry very hungry and you are going to feed me. and it will be something raw, nothing cooked... A strong angry voice hissed into Kyrix's mind, he was used to it, after al he had Keriu but this was different he felt something in his heart go out to this little red-white dragon something he knew he'd never get back. Akinta would later explain to him that he had just bonded.

 

Kyrix stood their and realized that he had just shifted into his 'normal' form furry legs and tail shocking a few of the people in the stands and form around him, well at least he stunned the rayllomain ones. The rest of the group must have thought he was some kind of furry-dragon-tiger. "Well I suppose if your hungry, Damuth, I can make some exceptions, shock treatments have worked so far..." He sideways glanced at Akinta sitting front row-center along with Sargon and other cearsmen and weyrleaders.  She smiled at him and waved then went back to her popcorn.

 

***

 

"I like him, he's red-white and very mean. Just like you." Akinta said dodging a playful punch Kyrix aimed at her head. "I think everyone back at Azon will to..." she furrowed her brow in deep thought. "You know they're lots of other oddities like you at Azon and I think you'd do well with a group called Forest's Edge. In fact I think you'd do really good. " she smiled innocently.

 

"Forest's Edge" Kyrix asked processing his brain for the meaning of the two-words put together.

 

I think she means you'd fit in with that bunch of weirdo Elves that hang around Azon, She wants you to join a wing Kyrix... Dumath said between chewing the large bowl of very bloody meat that sat in front of him. Kyrix was having a very hard time restraining himself from grabbing it away and slurping it down.

 

Kyrix's eyes went wide. "Oh no not with them I'm not even an elf I'm...er.."

 

"Your 2/3 cxi, 1/3 elf. " Akinta announced glaring angrily at Dumath. "I think I changed my mind. I happen to like Galador and crew, Their more interesting that than bunch of weird earthians..." She said referring to J.P.A wing that was newly formed and wing leader-less.

 

Maybe we should wait till I'm a little older?  Dumath pointed out rolling his eyes at Akinta. She  shrugged and continued to eat her popcorn. It's up to Kyrix anyway...

 


 

 

***