Chapter 9, in which a lack of alcohol causes some minor trouble, and some dragons causes some major trouble

Rhiannon Datwood
-Rhia woke... What on earth had happen? Had she been knocked out?

Danger
The spirit laughed...

"I must leave now..." He said his voice fading.

"I... remember every thing." The young mage said surprised.

Roku Yarit
"Damnit!" he cursed out loud. "I revealed myself to these people and I lose the one thing of interest in this damned place!" Kicking a large rock across the ground out of anger. He heard a loud, but stifled. snicker from behind him and he span around to glare at Palin. "Oh be quiet, Dragon! Or you’ll be the next one to disappear!"
Palin was not one to be yelled at by anyone, especially not the broken handed sorcerer. "Listen, human", he practically spat the words. "Do not blame me for your misfortune or you will find your beat in between my teeth!" The ground shook underneath his feet from the dragon’s raised tone and he knew it was not smart to continue the argument. Turning to face the others and fumbling around for that damned amulet to protect his mind from these telepaths, he scratched his head casually and straightened his robes. "Well, uh, hello there..."

Rhiannon Datwood
- Rhia looked around... "That Aura..." she said surprised... "I remember now. He has the same aura as the old man!"

-Rhia walked up to him slowly at first seeing the dragon... He had looked so familiar, that dragon...

Red Un
The Emperor gave Red Un an angry look.

"RED UN! You have used illegal spells, dragged a demon over here and almost destroyed Kazordoon!"

Red Un swallowed nervously.

"Yeah...but on the bright side, I held it back for quite a while."

The Emperor laughed.

"Very well, I'll make it even this time. No reward, no punishment. Just get goin'!"

"Right. HEY GROUP! We're goin' to the desert!"

Vodok
"I 'ot 'ome business 'ere at 'e momen'. I'm jus' gonna kill some'un then we can get going" the short dwarf said to Red Un since he happened to be beside him. The other dwarf that challenged Vodok to a duel was walking against Vodok. "PREPARE FOR YOUR LAST MINUTE IN THIS WORLD!!" The taller dwarf yelled against Vodok. "ERRR... OH YEAH...??" The short dwarf yelled back since he couldn’t think of a snappy comeback. The taller dwarf drew his war hammer. "Beat yeh up now, Vodivir!!" The taller dwarf apparently called Vodivir started to charge at Vodok. Vodok took up a sudden death rune and fired it. Vodivir though was only stopped by the blow and some blood flowed. Then he charged at Vodok. Vodivir got a nice clean swing at Vodok, luckily he got his two handed sword in the way by mistake. Vodok took another rune and tried to fire. Alas it was a blank rune so it didn’t effect Vodivir too much... Vodivir though got a chance to swing his sword at Vodok and this time his hit came through. It pierced Vodok's armour and lots of blood came out from the wound. Vodok quickly got down and got his hands on two sudden death runes. That old guy must have spent all day long making these things Vodok thought but didn’t think about it too much since he had to kill Vodivir. Vodok fired the rune and quickly bent down for another one. Vodok felt a war hammer go past his ear an inch from him. Vodok fire the other rune he had in his hand. It held him up a second or two. But after that time Vodivir got a fairly good hit at Vodoks helmet. Since the helmet already was broken by flying crossbows the helmet split and Vodok was dying. Vodok lay down on the floor. "I'm going to stand here and watch you bleed to death" the dwarven knight said as a matter of factly. But since the dwarf was a knight he had forgotten certain healing methods... "Exura Vita... Exura vita... Exura Vita" The dwarf said. Before Vodivir got to know what spell Vodok had used, Vodok took a dagger and stabbed Vodivir right in the armour’s weak spot. Vodok couldn’t handle daggers that good but he did know that he was in the lead of this duel. Vodok pushed Vodivir to the floor and got some runes. They seemed to be one explosion and one energy bomb. The short dwarf shot the energy bomb and the explosion and the dwarven knight was in deep pain. Vodok now had time to look for the useful runes. He lay another energy bomb on the floor in case the dwarf got the strength to move then he took out a few sudden deaths. Vodok shot them until he had no sudden deaths left and Vodivir’s life was hanging on a very weak thread. "Spare my life and you will have my service and all of my things I own." Vodok had forgotten he would get all his stuff if he died so he healed him with one of his last healing runes and then said "If yeh break yar promise I 'are say 'at 'e emperor 'ill kill yeh with 'is men. Gimme my 'ings now.”

Red Un
Red Un sneered.

"Pah, magicians. There's nothin' like a good sword in the hands of a good dwarf."

Roku Yarit
It was about to fall apart. The woman recognized him. She would ask who he was and what he was doing there. He would lie of course but until he found the amulet she could pry into his head. See the truth for herself.
She would see that he was only there so they could open the door to the library that Roku could not lay his hands upon. She would hear what Detlin had told him about the books inside. She would know that he cared nothing for them and would sacrifice their lives to save his own. And Roku could not let that happen.
He searched his robes but it was not there. He looked up. It was lying across the grassy field, a few feet from Red Un’s stubby feet...

Red Un
Red Un saw Rokus eyes move to a spot at his feet. He looked down.

"Hey, 'tis looks like a neat li'll trinket."

He picked it up and looked at it with critical eyes.

"Hmph. Barely worth bendin' down for."

He threw it into the river...

Pheonix
- Rhia looked at the amulet that that red un had picked up. Ahh so that’s it... now's my chance!" she thought, quickly looking through the Unknown Sorcerer's mind...

Danger
The young mage saw the amulet as it was thrown in the water...

"What manners... that could have belonged to someone..." he said in his cold voice.

Even though he seemed to be himself he felt a presence in his amulet... Not the evil one he usually felt... but a new one. One of hope and wisdom. Could it be? Had he really combined the gems?

Roku Yarit
Roku went livid. "YOU STUPID, BEER-SWILLING, MIDGET!!!" He tore past Red Un, nearly knocking him down in the process. He stopped at the river, getting on his knees to search around in the faint hope he could catch it in between his twisted fingers. He could feel nothing. Standing quickly, he drew up his sleeves. "Bend the River! Scorch the Air! Raise the Water! Before my Stare!" There was a brief flash of light and the ground shook terribly. Slowly but surely, the water before him was cut off from the rest of the flow and raised off the ground. He felt its weight deep within his bony frame but held it high, staring through it for the amulet. And there it was. The Amethyst stone was burning brightly in the translucent waters. Twisting a broken hand, the water dropped slowly, leaving the amulet dangling in the air and drifting towards Roku, almost in his grasp.
Almost, almost, closer, that’s it, got it!
His bent fingers wrapped around the amethyst stone but something was wrong. The stone was fading, its magic drifting up into the air and disappearing, never to return. It was now useless...

Pheonix
-Rhia looked in alarm... The river!

-"Stop!! Your hurting it!" She yelled. She charged at the sorcerer knocking him down. The river fell back into place. "You... How could you be so selfish! May Dadga have pity on you!"

Danger
The young mage drew his staff as he watched his sister tackle a unknown sorcerer.

"What’s going on Rhia!" He said in alarm. "What did he do?"



Roku Yarit
Roku rose to his feet quickly, still clutching the useless amulet. "I am not so in tune with the spirits as you. Do not take my actions for selfishness if I cannot hear their cries." He was lying and he knew she knew that now. He smoothed out his robes gracefully and turned on his heel, walking towards Palin. "May Dadga place her pity on those who care..." he muttered under his breath.

Palin was eyeing the woman suspiciously, ready to defend the Sorcerer if necessary. He knew all too well what Roku was capable of but also knew that in a battle of physical strength he could lose. His hands were a testament to that...

Red Un
"...raise the water...before my...stare...heh, that's a classic. I gotta write it down."

Red Un took out another piece of old paper and scribbled down Roku’s spell. Then he noticed that perhaps a fight was about to start in his party.

"Hey people! We need to get to the desert now, before there is another hot day."

Nobody except Red Un had noticed that the sun was settling again.

"So, let's get movin'!"

Vodok
"'Ait a 'econ' Reddy, I gotta get some stuff. 'Odivir! You owe me 'uff! What d'yeh 'ave??" the short dwarf yelled. Vodivir walked up a little closer Vodok with a sly smile on his face. "I just gave all my stuff away to a friend.” Then he thought but only untill you're gone... Then he started to speak again. "So you won’t get any gold or anything" Vodivir said. "Bad shot goes stuffless into the desert!!" some nearby dwarfs yelled. "'ONT 'ALL ME BA' SHO'!!!" Vodok yelled. "Or what?" a dwarf answered calmly. "Or, Vodark, Ill b'ow yer 'ead of with an explosion!!" Vodok said back in a threatening voice. "Bad... Shot” Vodark said. "GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!" Vodok practically dived into his backpack in order to find an explosion rune to blow Vodark's head off but he didn’t find a single rune in his backpack. Vodok did some fast thinking. "I'll let yeh off 'is 'ime. Red Un, Le''s ge' goin'."

Red Un
"Aye lad. EVERYONE LET'S GET GOIN'!"

He started to walk once again, hoping the rest would follow...

Roku Yarit
Roku heard the dwarfs instructions but ignored them for the time being. His eyes looked ahead but his mind looked over his shoulder, watching the young mage as he walked towards his dragon. "Put your weapon down, Oriel."

Rhiannon Datwood
- Rhia stared at the Sorcerer then to the dragon... Wait a dragon? In this part of Thais? This was interesting.

-"Why do you pretend, you know I already know the truth?"
Danger
"Rhia... What are y--" The young mage paused in mid sentence. "How do you know my name?!" He demanded from the Unknown Sorcerer.

Roku Yarit
Roku did not answer Rhia. Anything she wished to know she could just take from his mind. "As for you name, Oriel." He paused to lay a calming hand on the Dragons head as it laid on the ground to receive it. "He told me..."
You listening to my thoughts yet, Follower of Dadga? You know why I’m here and that I meant that Dadga can take yer pity to someone who gives a damn! Don’t get in my way. You or your brother. Understand?

Vodok
The short dwarf set off to follow Red Un. "C'MON 'VERY'UN!! WE'RE GOIN' TAR THAR DESERT!! 'URRY UP!!" The short dwarf yelled while trying to catch up with Red Un.

Red Un
Red Un stopped as he saw that some kind of argument was going on. He decided to wait for them to finish, and sat down. Then he looked up at the sky...

...was the sun growing larger?

Pheonix
- "You have no idea who you are up against sorcerer! Would you dare take on the wrath of a half phoenix?" she directed in to his mind

-Rhia considered the odds... The sorcerer and dragon could easily be overpowered by everyone in the group, but where was the honour in that?

-"We will not fight now but I am going to keep my eyes on you."

Danger
The young mage was still baffled by what happened. He decided to drop the subject and join the others.

Rhia... What are you doing? The man's magic... It rivals mine! are you trying to get yourself killed?

Red Un
"Right people, if that's the end of that, let's get goin'!"

Red Un started walking and looked up at the sky again.

Nah, he had just imagined...

Roku Yarit
You have no idea...
Roku quickly hid the smirk that had appeared on his face and turned his back to Rhiannon. "I suppose you want to know my name then?" he said to Red Un. "I am Roku Yarit of the Seventh House of Chelestra." A light shove from behind made the Sorcerer continue. "And this," motioning to the Dragon, "Is Palinthalasa. He belongs to...a friend of mine."
With a wide grin, if you could call it a grin, the Dragon bowed and stood straight and tall over all who gazed on his green scales.

Red Un
"Great, 'nother magician..."

They were almost at the end of the Northern river. There was a gleam far to the south as the last rays of the descending sun hit the billions of sand corns in the desert and reflected back the light.

Vodok
Vodokn who hadn’t had a beer in at least one and a half days, was starting to get a little bit grumpy. The more drunk he is, the happier he is and the drunkness had passed by now. Now Vodok was getting very desperate. "I'm 'irsty... 'ust 'ave beer..." the short dwarf went around saying to everyone in the group of people, even if he had lots of water, but he needed beer. The short dwarf was getting big time grumpy. When the dwarf tripped over a heap of sand he stood still yelling at the sand for at least 15 minutes and he could barely talk since all his voice went to yelling at the sand. When he had gathered some strength he yelled with all his might "GIMME BEER!!!"

Sooner on Vodok could have sworn he saw people in black capes in the desert. But he thought he was only seeing things.

"We strike soon. They are a threat to the secrets. They know too much" said a figure in a black cape to another person.

Roku Yarit
"Damnit Vodok!" Roku walked over the river and filled a empty flask with it. Holding it in one hand he let it fall but quickly cause it with his magic and held it in the air. Positioning one hand on either side and saying not a word, the blue liquid turned dark and then lighter, then green, then blue, then brown. "There, you happy now?" he asked, throwing the flask over to Vodok as he followed Red Un with the Dragon trotting loudly behind him.

Pheonix
-"What’s the matter brother, do you not trust my judgement? Did you forget I can now read his mind?” she thought calmly to her brother. "I know what he is going to do as he thinks it."

-...I fear that you may follow his way's my dear brother. You heart has be blackened with so much hatred... she thought to herself.

-She frowned at the thought of her brother caring only for him self... He already pretends not to care.

-Rhia was so busy reading all of Roku's next moves she did not notice the new aura's in the area at first..

-"Strange..." she said quietly, people could only hear if the were listening closely.

-Who else could be in this desert? she thought to her self
Red Un
"Hey Roku, you gotta learn me that beer-creating spell some day."

Finally, they reached the desert. The last rays of the sun made it glow like a ghostly landscape.

"Great, we're just in time."

Red Un had walked this place before, and knew that the best time to move through it was in the cold night, not in the burning heat of the day. He took out the old book that had started their whole adventure and looked up a map on one of the pages.

"Kinda hard reading in this darkness..."

Suddenly, there was light.

"Ah, thanks for that spell, whoever did it."

Then he raised his eyes from the book. He looked at the horizon.

The sun was...coming up?

"Hmm...something is not right here. Well, I guess we'll have to get goin' anyhow..."

He put back the book and started walking.

Vodok
"BEER!!!" the short dwarf yelled and snatched the bottle from Roku. Vodok drained the whole bottle in one single try. "EWWWW!! What is 'is stuff?! Whateva 'tis I 'ate it." The short dwarf threw the bottle away into the sand.

Some of the members in the group had started to sing some song about a desert. Not Vodok though... "99 bottles of beer on a wall. 99 bottles of beer. Take one down and drain the beer. 98 bottle's of beer on a wall. 98 bottle's of beer on a wall." And so on. He sang in a very clear voice that the short dwarf only used for making runes and singing. "OI!! Any'un 'ere gotta 'une I can 'ave??" the short dwarf yelled.

Suddenly the short dwarf felt fresh blood trickling down his neck and everything was fading away. Luckily the dwarf didn’t have a blank rune to waste his mana on, so he could heal himself a little bit. "Ex... Exur... Exura... Exura Gran." The dwarf could just press through his mouth. He had been struck by a throwing star. Whoever or whatever that threw it, was gone now.

Red Un
Red Un swung around as a throwing star came flying and hit Vodok.

"What the heck was that?"

He walked over to Vodok and picked up the star. It was...star-shaped. And black. Red Un looked over at some nearby dunes.

"Well, I guess we have been ambushed...Get your weapons ready, we might face some opposition soon..."

The sun had risen again...and now Red Un was sure that it was growing.

Roku Yarit
"Palin!" With that single word the Dragon leapt into the air, scouting out the lands with deadly accuracy. Anything he couldn’t see behind was doused in flames but not a scream was heard.
"There is no one here," the Dragon bellowed from the air, circling a few more times to be sure.
"Looks like our attackers can either move at incredible speed or disappear entirely. I think since the sun was risen rather oddly we should travel by air across the desert. He can carry all of us...even if some would rather walk," he added softly, looking down at Rhiannon.

Pheonix
-"I heard that!" She thought annoyed. "I can fly on my own!"

-"Shhh whosh sh" Rhia said in a rasping language.

-The air began to blow violently under her. If she were a full blooded human the wind would have hurt her, but lucky for her she was part Aletha.

-"Do you wish to ride that thing? Or do you want to fly with my brother?"

Roku Yarit
Playing people against their fears, Rhia? Tsk tsk tsk how low you’ve sunk.
Roku shrugged, "Do what you wish. I prefer to trust my safety with something tangible that won’t disappear from underneath me." Raising his hand, Palin came down to the ground softly and hastefully. He climbed up onto the Dragon’s back.

Red Un
Red Un looked at Palin with distrust.

"Hmph...well okay then, I'll ride the dragon."

He took out the book again and checked the map one last time.

"Okay, I'll say where we go, someone else steers."

Meanwhile, on a dune far away, two hooded men used magic to see a long distance.

"It was unfortunate that they had a dragon."

"Yes, we must take care of it, or it will affect our plans."

"They mustn't find the ruins of the Key."

"Do not worry, they will get into trouble before then."

One of the hooded men turned around and made a strange cry. From behind the dunes rose two enormous dragons with black scales and red, burning eyes...

Vodok
The short dwarf who had enough problems hanging on to the dragon with his short arms and legs gave out a very scared scream. "EEEEEEEEP!!! Those're 'agon lords!! Me ol' dad said how 'ey look like!! 'Ike a dragon bu' red an' more desstrucktive!!" The short dwarf didn’t have any runes and even if he did have some he wouldn’t be able to take a hand off the dragon because then he would fall off it. The dragon lords let out a threatening roar and it scared the lights out of Vodok. "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!! G' DOWN G' DOWN G' DOWN!! DOWN I SAY!! The short dwarf yelled in panic. The dragon lords were now less than 60 feet from Palin. The closest dragon lord let out a spell which hit the dragon. Vodok couldn’t hold on anymore and he first flew up, then he started to fall very fast. I’m doomed. Im gonna die here if not suddenly someone catches me in the air. "SAVE ME!!” the short dwarf yelled.

Roku Yarit
"Damnit Vodok!" Roku acted quickly, turning Palin around and weaving the same net he had used to trap the demon. The net found its way behind Vodok before he hit the ground and ensured him a safe landing. "Let’s see about these damned Dragons." Drawing up his sleeves, leaving no hand to grab the dragons back to keep himself on, he began to chant. "Scorching lands of burning soil, break the bonds with shadows toil. Let Chelest grant us a shield, to stop our foes and make them yield!" Blue, sparkling, dust erupted from his hands into the air, casting their radiance over Palin, Roku, and Red Un. The small grimmering particles were warm to the skin and would prevent a good portion of physical damage done to either, but not all. The Dragon Lords snapped and clawed at the mist but in between the blue dots were a wall of magic that could not be broken by strength alone. "Begone, Dragons!" Roku bellowed, firing a bolt of lighting from his finger tips. "I will not warn you a second time!"

Danger
Obviously Rhia was using her telepathy so the young mage could hear Roku's thoughts. "Playing people against their fears, Rhia? Tsk tsk tsk how low youve sunk" he heard.

"If you don’t mind the company Sister then I'll be happy to join you. Utamo Vita" he said grabbing his sister's hand. He has done this before, It was extremely fun. It fell as if you yourself were flying. Their hands connected and they both began to float.

As he got into the air he saw the others being attacked by dragon lords!

Rhiannon Datwood
-Rhia had not seen the dragon lords coming, but obviously the wind had. It blew violently at the dragon lord knocking it out the air.

-"Graaaor hisst Gra?!" Rhia yelled questioningly to the dragon lords. They did not respond.

-"Why are you here! Why do--" They are being controlled!

-"Do not kill them! They are being used to fight against their will!" She yelled to her brother and the others.

Roku Yarit
"I’ll give you a chance to restrain them then Rhia, but if you fail I’ll take it into my own hands. Palin let’s go." Roku held the dragon as he began to circle through and around the dragon lords, the shield protecting their bodies from harm. He did not have to hang on very tightly, his magic bound him but he couldn’t turn around to be able to see if Red Un was having such a easy time.

Red Un
Red Un got an idea. He yelled out a quite unused spell.

"Exani Hur forward!"

He made a magical jump from Palin’s back, flew through the air with a blue sparkling trail behind him and grabbed hold of the neck of the nearest dragon lord.

"Bein' controlled eh?"

The dragon lord tried to shake him off, but he grabbed on harder and looked over at the distance. There...far away...was it just a mirage? Or did he see two hooded men? There was no time to think. He took out his firesword.

"Right me friend, you may be controlled, but if ya don't do as I say, you'll be dead."

Red Un knew that dragons could be controlled. But if their life was in danger, instincts would take over again.

"Now, fly me to those two people over there."

The dragon lord swung around in the air and made some impressive sweeps with its wings that carried it towards the distant couple. Meanwhile, Red Un took out his rarely-used crossbow...

Pheonix
- Rhia began to speak in the language of the wind. The clouds began to swirl.

-"I hope this works!" She yelled.

-The winds gushed towards the dragon lords, trying to shoot them out of the sky.

Vodok
The short dwarf saw what Red Un did and was impressed. Bet I can do the same thing the short dwarf thought. The short dwarf did the levitate spell but alas... all that happened was that he flew up and struck Palin in his belly with his helmet. I’ll start counting how many times this saves me now... if I was a decent counter. "CAN SOME'UN GEMME OUTTA 'ERE??" Vodok yelled.

Roku Yarit
"Palin, follow that Dragon Lord," he yelled, pointing to the dragon Red Un had hold of. Palin darted off, not moving around a lot to let Roku turn around to watch the other Dragon Lord get tossed around in the wind. "Coming, woman?" he yelled sarcastically back at Rhia who hung in the air.
Red Un
Red Un put a bolt in his crossbow. He wasn't good at it in the best of conditions, and now he was on the back of an angry dragon lord, his target was very far away and hidden behind the dunes, he was very thirsty and he thought that something tried to invade his mind again.

"C'mon, think positive!"

He fired.

...

The two hooded men stood at the distance and studied the battle. Suddenly, one of them fell, grasping a crossbow bolt that was in his neck. The other one looked down at the twitching body.

"You failed in your duty. The Brotherhood of the Dark Star does not need you anymore."

Then he made a gesture, and disappeared.

...

"WOOOO! I got 'im! I got 'im!"

The two dragon lords realised that the controller had left them. Their instincts told them that the little beings on the ground (and the one clutching to the neck of one of them) was the cause of this. They had to die!

Red Un realised that the dragon had changed attitude and was now trying to get him off with all its powers.

"See ya 'round!"

He jumped...

Vodok
"Erm... I 'eckon i''s time far us tar go now a'in' it?" Vodok asked seeing that the dragon lords seemed to be deciding if they should kill them for meat or if they couldn’t bother.

Roku Yarit
Palin didn’t want to give them that chance. The wind was thrashing his prey around, keeping them distracted. Roku yelled directions from his back as he swerved and dived and span. Catching up to the smaller of the two, Palin tore his claws into its flesh and bit down hard on its neck, tearing out its throat and letting him fall to the ground. Spitting out a mouthful of blood and the bits of dragon scales between his teeth, he chased after the second.
"Palin, where’s Vodok and the other Dwarf?"

Pheonix
-Rhia frowned... She knew that if she did not kill the dragon lords they would kill everyone else...

-"I'm sorry." she said in the dragon tongue. She made a booming noise calling thunder and lightning to help her. The lightning struck some of the dragon lords leaving a few left. She heard there cries as they broke out of the spell only to die. Her heart ached. She was tied with the creatures and elements. Being part phoenix, she could feel their pain...

Roku Yarit
"Oh come now, Rhiannon. You saved those who might have fallen in battle. Cant you at least be happy about that?" Feeling it useless to argue with the woman, Roku turned Palin around and began calling out Vodok’s and Red Un’s names.

Red Un
"Wait a minute, I don't need to be saved. This is just sand I'm landing on, right?

He landed.

"Oh FER CRYIN' OUT LOUD! The only cactus within miles, and I just HAVE to land on it!"

As he jumped down onto the sand, he heard the distant yelling. The heat was getting worse. He tried to yell back, but realised that his throat was dry.

"'Amn, I 'eed a 'eer..."