Post by DMis on Nov 15, 2013 21:08:46 GMT -5
Chapter 1
Blaze! The Daring Flame of Victory!
In an apartment a loud ring and crash was heard. A female glared at her old alarm clock. She seems to be wide awake as the sun is just peaking up over the horizon.
"I set you for 7 am not 4 am! YOU STUPID ALARM CLOCK!" the brunette yelled picking up the alarm clock and throwing into the wall again.
The alarm clock held but stopped ringing as she exited her room. The rest of the apartment was neatly kept and seemed to smell of ancient incense. A sigh came from the girl's lips as she moved to the kitchen area.
"Of all the mornings to wake up early why this one?" she asked as she turned on the faucet to put water in a measuring cup.
Once the cup was filled to the correct level, she set in the microwave. She set the machine to the correct time before hitting the start button. While her water was heating up the girl went to look for her choice of tea.
“At least I can be on time today, and Felicia won’t get on me again for being late,” she mused looking through the tea selection. “Should I have Papaya and Passion Fruit or Pomegranate White for today’s tea?”
She shrugged taking a bag of each and the one she didn’t pick would go in her jean pocket for later. The water dinged and she took it out carefully.
For her it was an unusually slow morning. Nothing seemed to be quite up to speed just yet as her tea finished steeping. She quietly nodded to herself before putting her favored drink into a thermos so she could take it to work with her. A single sip went down her throat before snagging her old worn out jacket and heading down to the garage where her mode of transportation was stored.
On her way down she had tripped and managed not to spill her tea. Mentally she was cursing at herself and the stairs before reaching the ground floor where her transportation was stored.
She slipped the thermos into a saddle bag on the side of her seat as she got on. A black helmet emblazoned with an oddly stylized dragon looked back at her. She put it on and kicked up the kick stand before turning the keys. She drove off shortly after.
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Tall skyscrapers towered over head as she drove through the city.
One more block and the red light. Then I turn right and into the back lot of work, she thought as she came to a different red light. Cars shuffled across the street as she waited. The violet tinted visor hiding her eyes from the other drivers.
Also note to self: Get a haircut! It’s getting too long to be in the helmet with the rest of your head, she mentally etched into her mind as the light turned green and she went straight. A few pedestrians gave her curious and confused looks as she drove pass them. A small ghost of a smile was on her face.
She did as told to her by her roommate and co-worker before pulling into the back lot. The girl pulled her tea out of the saddle bag. She sighed before parking and heading in while humming Treat’s “Turn the Dial”.
“Someone’s in a good mood,” teased a female voice.
“Barely. Stupid alarm clock got me up 3 hours early,” the girl replied as she removed her helmet. “Think you can cut my hair short again? It’s getting too long for the helmet.”
“Ride without it,” teased the blonde from behind the front counter.
“I like being among the living thank you very much, Sierra!” she replied.
“Fine, cranky. I’ll cut it, Chrys. But on one condition,” the blonde, Sierra, responded with a smirk.
“What’s the condition?” the girl with the helmet asked. “Also anything new besides Felicia’s temper?”
“You let me dye your hair any color of my choice,” Sierra answered with a smirk before a small sigh. “Besides you being early for once? Felicia is running late. Get your uniform on.”
“I’ll think about the hair cut thing and I was just checking in,” Chrys replied calmly. “Maybe I’ll go to that Camelot Corp owned saloon down the street instead.”
“You wouldn’t,” Sierra shot back.
“If you dye my hair bright hot pink again I will,” Chrys answered returning the fire before heading into the break room.
Chrys set down the helmet and removed her jacket to show pale tan skin hiding under a simple crimson t-shirt with a black crown with a rose graphic on the front. She sighed picking up a brown toned apron and a small name badge reading ‘Chrystine’ before putting them both on. Chrys set her helmet in her locker and hung up the jacket before heading back out to the main area.
She headed back out and flipped the ‘Closed’ sign to ‘Open’. Chrys sighed again looking to Sierra and the empty store.
“So think we’ll get any business today?” she asked in a bored tone.
“Probably not. This place has been a ghost zone since Camelot Corporation put in that new book store they own,” Sierra replied calmly as the bell in the back was heard. “Felicia that you?”
An older dark skinned woman walks in and takes off her coat. “Yeah it’s me alright. Where’s that slacker- Chrystine?” the older woman responds in a cross tone.
“I’m right behind you, Boss,” Chrys answers calmly tapping the woman, Felicia, on the shoulder. “I got here before you ma’am. You can even check the surveillance tapes for proof.”
“Be lucky you still have a job, slacker,” the older woman warned the twenty year old as she glared at her.
“And I’m thankful for it ma’am,” Chrys answered before taking a box of books and going to put them on the shelves. I can only brown nose so much to her before she threatens to fire me again and actually does….. she added mentally as she put the books on their proper shelves.
People came in and out of the old family owned shop. Sierra and Chrys tried their best to help the ones that needed it.
“Miss,” a male looks to Chrys’ name tag before asking, “Chrystine…. By chance do you have any new comics?”
“We have a few manga and their corresponding anime. I think we have the newest Masked Hero in,” Chrys answered before going to retrieve the said comic. “Here it is and it’s the last copy. I guess this Hero is going to be popular.”
“Well she is the first one to be a female as the main hero. My friend said that this hero is going to be cool,” the male replied to her before taking the comic up to the front counter and paying for it.
Chrys gave a small smile before going back to organizing the shelves.
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“You two are free to go for the day,” Felicia decided out loud as she looked to her two employees. “This place has been in a lull for three hours. Go home.”
Sierra and Chrys nodded. The two roomies didn’t need to be told twice before going to the back and hanging up their aprons. “Thank you Felicia! We’ll be in early Monday!” they chorused before heading out the back door.
“Like sure as Hades you will,” Felicia muttered as she closed the shop.
With the pair of women, Chrys was trying to get Sierra to go with her idea of an adventure.
“So now what?” Chrys asked with a smirk.
Sierra rolled her eyes. “We head back to the apartment and report to work on Monday. Same old, same old,” she answered.
“But why force ourselves into this continuous and stupid rut? We can break free for one day. Just one. And I think that day is today. I mean the signs are all there. Felicia let us off early and I got up at 4 am,” Chrys pleaded as she put her helmet back on her head.
“You’re crazy. You always have been. But, then again, I like my rut! At least I know it’s safe!” Sierra retorted as she rolled her eyes again.
“And boring as heck! Heck even the legends were more interesting!” Chrys fired back as she put the keys in the ignition and revved her cycle’s engine.
Chrys took off towards the edge of the city closest to the mountains. Funny thing about Sea Bay, it was located right between a mountain range and the sea. The mountains were filled with caves and caverns that Chrys loved to explore. The roads turned to worn dirt paths that wind through the mountains. Most worn by either hikers’ feet or the wheels of vehicles.
The path she took that Friday led up one that seemed to be forgotten and overgrown with vegetation. What can be down this way? I mean there is a path, but why does it look so abandoned? Chrys thought as she turned off her cycle. She dug in her saddle bags for climbing equipment. Chrys soon pulled out a harness, several picks, latches, and a hammer along with a single hard hat with a light on the front.
Chrys secured her anchor hook into the ground near an odd opening down into the earth. One new cavern or shaft for me to explore~! Chrys thought as she tied off the line tightly.
“Time to take the plunge!” Chrys exclaimed after attaching a small mini notebook and pen to her harness set up. She checked her line once again and then started to repeal down the shaft
Chrys stopped every few feet to take notes on what was around her and how the shaft walls had started to go from hard, craggy, rough rock to a surface as shiny and smooth as polished crystal. At one stop she slipped and started to free fall. Her mind was racing as her hands tried to reach for the rope that was quickly starting to come up short.
Below her a ritual was starting. It gave off a mystic and almost ethereal glow that reflected off the walls. Silently Chrys was praying to live and if she was to die to let it be quick and painless. The odd noises below just starting to reach her ears. She gulped. So this is how it ends? I die to crazed cultists after falling to my doom from one slip up. Maybe Sierra was right…… Chrys thought as odd purple tendrils started to catch her.
One of the beings below hissed and clicked its tongue at what was happening. Chrys gulped again as she was scared by the glowing along with the new beast that seemed to be mad at her now. The odd chanting consisted of chirps, warbles, clicks, and some weird guttural growls. Chrys screamed as her fall was broken by the ritual. She had her eyes clenched shut as her fall stopped. The other beings kept up their chanting.
A dark amethyst colored, bipedal dragon with black leather membranes hanging off of two spare dark limbs was wearing a simple tan colored loin cloth and a strip of crimson red cloth across its chest. The being clicked at Chrys. She inched back out of fear as the magic infused itself into her bumping into one of the cloaked beings.
“-you done?!?!?!” the dragon like being asked in a masculine voice, still angrily chirping and growling at her. “You’ve ruined the ceremony!!!”
“Ruined the ceremony? What ceremony?” Chrys asked in a scared tone.
“The ceremony that would have made me my people’s – Wait a second. You understand what I’m saying?” the dragon like being asked as he glared at her.
Chrys gives a weak nod out of fear. “Your people’s what?” she asked.
“Hero. I was supposed to be their hero. I was meant to inherit the Arach Driver and protect them. But no. You just had to fall into the ritual and our territory and ruin that chance for me!” the dragon being growled.
Chrys inched back even more out of fear of what this male being might do to her. “I didn’t mean to fall! Honest to those above!” she replied with a whimper.
Another being stepped forward out of all the cloaked ones who had started to back away. “Jarak. Be easy on her. She has an extremely dangerous and hard fight on the road ahead,” the cloaked one commented as they stepped forward.
“Yes Elder,” the dark male, Jarak, replied before backing off slightly.
The Elder offers Chrys a calloused claw to help her up to her feet. Chrys stared at the white claw with radioactive green markings.
“Stand up child of the surface world. You’ll have to forgive my grandson. He’s wanted to have that job for a century or two now,” the Elder offered.
Chrys accepted the help meekly. She was still scared after Jarak started ranting and yelling at her. Chrys followed the Elder closely with Jarak not far behind them both. Jarak glaring at the above worlder and cursing her in under his breath. Chrys’ attention wasn’t really on the dragon like beings in front of her but more on her surroundings. The walls glowed with luminous crystals off all colors as plants grew and crystal clear blue water flowed in creeks and canals. Different animals of all types ran about.
“Jarak. She is our guest and you of all Dracor knew that you wouldn’t have the roll. Even as the prophecy states,” the Elder noted as they came to a small hut hewn out of stone and with a thatched straw roof. The hut was one of many in that community.
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The Elder moved a dark cloth with white runes aside so they could enter in. Chrys gave a look back to the world she lived above before following Jarak in.
“Prophecy, smophecy! We all know that it’s better off in a full Dracor’s able claws,” Jarak shot back.
“Full Dracor?” Chrys asked meekly.
“Nothing for you to worry about child. Take a seat,” the Elder replied.
“I think I’m good standing, Ma’am,” she answered with a hint of fear in her voice.
The Elder nods as she lowers the hood on her cloak. The Elder’s face looked similar to that of Jarak’s but aged with white scales that had the same radioactive green markings that were on her claws. Though the trait that kind of surprised Chrys was the fact that the Elder seemed to have two pointed dog like ears that twitched at the slightest sound as her tail poked out of the edge of her cloak. The tail seemed to also have hints of white fluff coming off the tip.
“Welcome to my humble home, Hero,” the Elder offered as her cloak fell away to show a simple black toga.
“Thank you Ma’am. But where am I?” Chrys asked as her eyes looked around.
“In the Grand Elder’s house,” Jarak barked as he rolled his eyes.
“That’s not what I meant. And by the way you could use a breath mint or a full tube of toothpaste. Your breath reeks of rotten flesh and rotten fish,” Chrys fired back at the dark Dracor.
Jarak growled at Chrys. She growled back.
“JARAK! BEHAVE!” the Elder shouted before taking a breath. “You’re in the World of the Dracor-
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“Yes Grandmother Star,” Jarak replied as he backed off a small bit.
The Elder, Star, sighed before looking to Chrys once more.
“Please forgive Jarak. He’s always a little hostile towards new comers,” she offered.
“More like just stupid squishy humans,” Jarak huffed as he glared at Chrys.
“Don’t get me mad,” Chrys warned as she brought up her hand and red energy glowed around the hand, “and don’t even think of insulting me. This is your first and only warning.”
Jarak scoffs, “Like you can hurt-“
Chrys fired a bolt of the red energy at Jarak effectively cutting him off out of surprise. Jarak was hit in the shoulder and staggered back a few feet.
“Want to try that again Jarak?” Chrys asked as Jarak started to move close again.
“Child. Quit what you are doing,” Star warned.
“My name isn’t child!” Chrys exclaimed out of annoyance.
“Thief is more like it,” Jarak hissed with a smirk.
“Okay that is it!” Chrys shouted before firing another shot of red energy at the Dracor male.
Jarak dodged the shot and stuck out his tongue at the frustrated human girl. That in turn caused her to fire three more shots. All of which missed their intended target. The two continue to bicker and throw insults at each other like small children fighting over a crayon in pre-school. Star rolled her eyes and watched them argue. Through trials and hardships they will have to work together, Star thought as she stood up to separate the arguing pair.
After having separating them, Star has punished both by forcing them to sit together on the same odd couch like thing. Jarak was watching his grandmother while Chrys wasn’t looking at either one of them.
“Now are you two finished or do I have to make you hold hands and make mating eyes at each other?” Star asked in a serious tone.
“No Ma’am,” both parties answer.
“Good. Now Chrystine,” Star commented as she looked to Chrys.
“I never said my name. Even my given one at least….” Chrys offered meekly still kind of embarrassed of what she had done.
“Wait up a second. You’re telling me that she’s that Chrystine?” Jarak asked in a very confused and bewildered tone.
“Prophecy is always right, Jarak. And I know. It’s my job to oversee what or who is to protect us,” Star answered calmly.
“So you’re an oracle?” Chrys asked.
“Seer,” Star corrected.
“Same thing just a different name,” Chrys responded.
Jarak nudged Chrys and gave her a look. “Show my grandmother and the Grand Elder some respect,” he muttered for Chrys to hear.
“Sorry Ma’am,” Chrys apologized.
“It’s fine. You meant no harm. But you will need to know and heed my warning of the road you’re about to travel. It’s going to be long, difficult and harder than anyone could imagine,” Star responded calmly as she brought out a shallow silver dish filled with what looked to be smoking water.
Figures of knights, Dracor, sphinxes, fae, dragons, nagas, griffins, and other legendary creatures moved about in the smoke. As Chrys focused on it the images started to become clearer. Star’s voice was muffled in the background as the sounds of coins and gems clinking together filled the girl’s ears.
“Long ago it was told that the Dracor and Humans live in harmony. Humans above in the bright sun hunting and trapping game and the Dracor below becoming scholars and mining out gems and ores of great value. Each traded with the other and a few other races- our mighty cousins the Dragons, the wise Sphinxes of the Deserts, the ever enchanting and mischievous Fae of the Northern Forests, the calculating and crafty Nagas of the ocean’s deep and the ever protective and proud Griffins of the Eastern Aeries hidden away in the mountains. Each traded what their kind was known for. It was a golden age for all. Everything seemed to be at peace and perfect,” Star spoke in an even tone as her eyes dimmed.
Chrys’ mind was seeing the events as they happened. To her she was among the humans that traded with the other beings. Scents of spices from the deserts swirled in her head along with notes of cedar from the Northern Forests and different fresh fish from the deepest parts of the ocean. She saw the beings as Star spoke of them and their wares seemed to be fresh.
Jarak just watched the human as his grandmother kept spinning her tale. To the dark Dracor, Chrys’ dopey expression meant she was paying attention and in a small trance.
“But sadly the Golden age ended in greed and squander. It started with a rumor and soon escalated to people and beings stealing from each other. Prices of goods had started to rise as well. Not meeting the demand but the greed each race started to have. This act started out subtly but then jumped quickly- much like your oil prices of today. The first to lash out was the Humans living within the village that is now your sprawling city. This was against the Sphinxes and their fine metal workings from the distant deserts. These priced had almost doubled in a single day. Each race fought and tried to win. The battle field was littered with Nagas attempting to strangle anything that they could and did get their tails to wrap around. Dragons and Dracor used their varying breath weapons against the attackers and each other. Sphinxes swiped and bit Griffins as Fae squabbled and distracted the humans with their own magic. As time went on the others either gave up and left or died out from the fighting. Some of the stragglers from the other races joined the humans with shallow promises of victory and protection. This wraith soon turned onto the Dracor,” Star calmly described as she looked to Chrys.
Chrys shuddered as the scene she saw turned from peace and tranquility to nothing but rage, war, and blood. She gulped and attempted to hide underneath one of Jarak’s wings. He opened it for her to hide under.
She is only a hatchling by our standards. Why would Grandmother tell her the story of our people now instead of later on and with the Wadjat bowl too? Jarak thought as Chrys shut her eyes and tried to hide. Star moved from her seat to get down a small box.
“Not one of the Dracor saw it coming. We had been a peaceful race until that war was started. We took what our scholars had gathered and used what power it had given us to fight. The Elders then saw that the fight was not going as they had hoped. Each poured their energy into a single dial and a device that could harvest the energy from the dials. It was to be given to one half Dracor by the name of Chriesthinth, which was later translated to Chrystine by a scholar of the Haloz Tribe, and that being would be the only one that could use it to end the war once and for all,” Star finished as the shallow bowl quit spewing smoking.
Chrys shuddered as she started to come out of the trance. Jarak moved his wing away as she started to withdraw from his warmth.
“Sadly that war never ended and the foretold Hero never came,” Star answered to Chrys’ unasked question as the trace ended.
“That’s the old legend I was told as a kid by my foster parents,” Chrys offered as she cradled her head. “Also what the heck was that?”
“History,” Star answered simply.
“So you believe that I’m this Hero that never came?” Chrys asked shakily. “I’m nothing but a clerk at a bookstore.”
“Yes but you’re the only human to ever come down her in the last one thousand years,” Star replied as Jarak sat back and watched quietly.
“But thing is, I’m only just a normal human…. Not some half Dracor hero,” Chrys stated simply.
Star nodded. “But in all honesty this does belong to you, Chrystine,” Star responded offering to Chrys an odd belt buckle.
The buckle itself seemed to be made of some metal with the front depicting two clawed hands making a cup to hold something that left an empty hole. The hole seemed big enough to hold an odd shaped disk. Chrys looked from the buckle to Star.
“This is yours. There is no doubt about that,” Star offered as she still held out the belt for Chrys to take.
Chrys gulped and nodded. “Thank you,” the human girl answered. “And just call me Chrys. It’s easier that way.”
“Though this does raise one question; does she have any of the dials?” Jarak asked while rolling his eyes.
“Dials? You mean those odd token things I saw when Elder was using that bowl?” Chrys asked in a confused tone as she looked to the pair of Dracor with her.
“That would be what he meant, Child of the surface,” Star offered.
“Then no I do not have any of the dials,” Chrys replied calmly as she looked down to the floor.
Star offered an old and worn smile. She offered a small box to Chrys. Chrys gave a curious look before accepting the box and opening it.
“She does now. And that’s the only one I have to start off the Hero. The other you will have to find or earn from the other tribes,” she noted as Chrys pulled out a dark ruby token.
“Thank you… But one question….” Chrys offered meekly.
“Go on a head and shoot,” Jarak replied.
“How do I get back up?” Chrys asked as she flipped the dial in between her fingers.
Star and Jarak both let their snouts meet the palms of their claw tipped hands. Jarak almost started to laugh.
“You two haven been up top… Have you?” Chrys asked in a very confused tone.
“I haven’t but Grandmother has,” Jarak pointed out calmly.
Chrys looked to the oldest of the pair. Star only waved it off and sighed.
“I was young and stupid then. Not to mention I’m the last of the Rift tribe because of it,” Star answered to the unasked question.
“Sorry to hear that ma’am,” Chrys apologized.
“What if she used the suit to get out? I mean it has wings right?” Jarak asked as he thought.
“Wings?” asked Chrys.
Star nods. “Good to know you did pay attention in class, Jarak,” she replied before looking to Chrys. “Yes wings. They can channel the magic type of the disk and one’s own energy. In your basic state the wings will be always ablaze with the victorious flames of the Blaz Tribe.”
“One problem with that though…. I have no knowledge on how to fly,” Chrys noted as Jarak turned to the cloth door.
“I believe the phrase is ‘It’s as easy as riding a bike’ for you human,” Jarak teased as Chrys lunged at him. He successfully side stepped her.
She gave a cough after landing. “To someone born with wings maybe but if you haven’t noticed…. I don’t have wings naturally,” Chrys retorted as she rubbed some dirt off of her face.
“Doesn’t mean you can’t learn,” Jarak fired back. And that I can’t make a fool of you while doing so, he added mentally.
“He has a point,” Star mentioned with a nod and pulled back the cloth. “Jarak. Steer her in the right direction.”
“Yes Grandmother,” Jarak answered as he rolled his eyes and tugged Chrys into the main area.
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Chrys followed Jarak pass shops, a forge, and several other homes. Each Dracor member looked different like each truly belonged to a different element. A blue more aquatic looking female watched over a few smaller members- one looked to be a purple aquatic member and the other seemed to be a more terrestrial dark blue member. Chrys waved to them and they waved back. Other Dracor watched the pair and whispered among themselves.
“Come on. We need to get to the place where you fell in,” Jarak commented.
“Okay cranky scales. I’m coming,” Chrys muttered as she was tugged along.
Once they got to Lightkeeper’s Peak, the proper Drackian name for where the ritual was held, Jarak looks to Chrys.
“Okay first things first- you need to use the Arach Driver and the Blaz Dial in order to actually have use of the wings,” Jarak instructed.
“And I do that how?” Chrys replied.
“Put the driver over your midsection. It should turn into a belt,” Jarak replied. That’s common knowledge101 you stupid, stupid human!! He added mentally.
Chrys nodded and did as told. She held it steadily over her midsection and the Arach Driver did as Jarak had told her it would do. The driver produced a good strength belt that held the main component over her navel.
“Okay. Then I presume the Dial goes in the empty spot?” she asked holding up the ruby toned dial.
“Correct,” Jarak affirmed before looking over the human. “And sorry about earlier,” he added with a hint of false sincerity.
“No problem. I’m the one that dropped in and ruined your big day,” Chrys offered not noticing the false sincerity in Jarak’s voice. “But think of it this way- you have a student in need of guidance and willing to learn.”
“Student?” asked Jarak as he raised a fin like ear in a confused way.
“Someone that engages in studying about something,” Chrys answered calmly.
“Oh! You mean a disciple!!” Jarak exclaimed with a sharp toothed grin.
“To a lesser degree, but yes that is one way to look at it.” Chrys offered as she took a breath.
“And you’re willing to be mine for that?” he asked calmly.
“If it’s allowed,” she answered.
Jarak nodded and replied, “It’s perfectly fine. Though I am studying under my grandmother.”
“Elder?” Chrys asked as she flipped the dial in her fingers.
“Elder Star Shine but yes that is her,” Jarak replied. “Now are you going to keep clicking your fleshy beak or are you going to try the driver?”
“Okay then. Sheesh. I was just trying to learn a bit about those I’ve been roped into helping,” Chrys replied before sticking out her tongue.
She took a breath then inserted the ruby toned dial into the spot on the driver. It gave a weak red light.
“You have to say something,” Jarak commented.
“Like what?” Chrys barked back.
“Henshin. It’s one of your above worlder languages. It means transform,” Jarak offered calmly.
“Okay then,” Chrys replied before looking to the belt. “Ummmm… Henshin?”
“Dial set!” commented a disembodied voice.
Jarak looked from Chrys to the belt. The red light grew brighter as the driver whirled to life.
“Blaze Dial Activate! Energize the victorious flames! BLAZE MODE!!” exclaimed the voice as a few rings of fire circled around Chrys.
As the rings started to close in, her usual day wear and climbing equipment was being replaced by a tight fitting black body suit that had dark almost blood red armor with silver accents holding it to the suit. The armor set seemed to be topped off with a helmet that had two flame shaped visors. Two dark jet black arm wings hung flat against Chrys’ back as she looked over the armor. An ivory toned claw tipped each finger. Three of them were on the front of each of her odd boots that had her standing on the balls of her feet and a single back claw was on her heel.
Jarak looked to the newly armored human and gave a whistle.
“You look good,” he offered. “Even with that suit being as tight as it is.”
“Don’t remind me. And thanks Jarak,” Chrys replied through the helmet as it slightly altered her voice to sound more like a male’s. “Does my voice sound funny?”
“No more than usual. But anyways, light those wings of yours. You’re learning to fly now,” Jarak commented as he opened his.
“Couldn’t I just climb up since I have the claws?” Chrys asked looking at the claws on her gloves.
“Nope. That would wear them out and if you haven’t noticed they’re your weapons,” Jarak replied. “Just think about them a light with fire.”
“Oh….” Chrys replied before taking another breath. Her mind focused on the two unlit wing arms as they opened up. A red energy crackled up them before they caught ablaze.
Chrys yelped seeing the fire. Jarak nodded.
“Now try to flap them,” he offered showing Chrys with his own wings. The wings he had slowly went up and down as he started to rise up.
Chrys nodded. “O-o-o-okay,” she replied before trying to do the same. She hovered for a few seconds before attempting to follow Jarak up the shaft.
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A light could be seen from the above as Jarak lead Chrys up the shaft, after a few run ins with the walls on Chrys’ end. Jarak was trying not to laugh at the human turned rather funny hatchling. The stars and a sliver of a moon hung over head.
“So how far did you fall anyways?” Jarak asked as the pair came close to the top of the shaft.
“About a quarter of the way down… I think…. At any rate if the ritual hadn’t have caught me I would pretty much be a pile of broken bones and dead at that peak,” Chrys answered having grown used to the helmet’s voice modulator. “Are you sure you want to go above ground?”
“Yeah. I’m curious,” Jarak replied. “Maybe after you get used to being the Hero we can teach each other about our cultures- so no one makes any social mistakes?”
“Sounds like a deal,” Chrys replied with a smile that was hidden by the helmet.
Shortly after both of them flew out of the cave shaft. Chrys hovered in the air with Jarak for a bit as to take in the sights of the city lit up at night. A few people were letting paper lanterns float into the sky on the calm summer night.
“Now let’s see how decent of a lander you are,” Jarak teased as he smirked.
“Land? You never said anything about landing…” Chrys noted.
“All you have to do is this,” Jarak instructed as he put his digigraded feet forward and touched down to the soft sandy ground of the beach. “And the ground is soft so you’re not going to hurt yourself.”
“O-o-o-okay,” Chrys murmured before gulping and attempting to follow suit.
She attempted to land shortly after he did. But instead of landing on her feet she caused herself to be a flaming pinwheel and somersaulted into the nearby ocean waters. Jarak just collapsed on the shore doubled over out of laughter with his student’s actions as said student is starting to come out of the surf.
“You suck. You know that?” Chrys asked as her wings folded after being snuffed out by the water.
“Yeah but you so earned that!!” Jarak replied while still laughing.
“Consider the challenge accepted,” Chrys responded as she shook off some of the excess water.
“Good,” Jarak accepted as he was hit with water droplets.
A garbled roar was heard coming from the ever lapping surf. Chrys gulped and started to step back. She kept stepping back. Jarak just rolled his eyes before looking to the thing coming from the surf. It looks serpentine in shape but colored in different shades of blues and teals. The upper half looked like that of a human but covered in sickly white barnacles. Green, blue and yellow kelps and seaweeds created the beast’s clothing. It roared again.
Jarak charged at the beast. Chrys, still in the armor, went looking for her bike as to run.
“Hey Hero! GET YOUR SORRY BUTT OF HUMAN FLESH OVER HERE AND FIGHT!!!” shouted Jarak as he was bit by the beast. “Nagas are weak to your current element!”
“I’m soaked. I doubt I could catch anything-“retorted Chrys as she looked to the claws of her gloves as they ignited, “Never mind!” She turned back around and started to go after the beastie.
It hissed and squirmed as the pair fought against it. The naga’s tail thrashed in the sand as it attempted to coil around the pair. This was prevented a multitude of ways- Jarak chomping down on the tail if it became too tight or Chrys using the fire tipped claws to scratch and burn the naga.
The naga recoiled a little before lashing out at the pair again. Chrys was thinking on her feet since she honestly had no training in fighting. A wing instantly caught fire and blocked the naga’s attack. Jarak took a deep breath before expelling a dark cloud of gas. The naga started to sputter and cough.
“Finish it,” Jarak coughed.
Chrys nodded as she jumped up in the air and used her wings to gain a little more height before pointing one of her clawed boots forward. She snapped her wings shut and started to free fall.
“RIDER BLAZE STIKE!!” screamed the disembodied voice as she made contact and the naga seemed to vaporize. The ground below the hit turned to a polished glass as Chrys landed and a flash of red light removed the suit to have her in what she was wearing beforehand.
“Can I go home now?” she asked looking to a vacant space where Jarak once was. “I’ll take that as a yes…” she muttered under her breath before going to get her bike and riding home.
Blaze! The Daring Flame of Victory!
In an apartment a loud ring and crash was heard. A female glared at her old alarm clock. She seems to be wide awake as the sun is just peaking up over the horizon.
"I set you for 7 am not 4 am! YOU STUPID ALARM CLOCK!" the brunette yelled picking up the alarm clock and throwing into the wall again.
The alarm clock held but stopped ringing as she exited her room. The rest of the apartment was neatly kept and seemed to smell of ancient incense. A sigh came from the girl's lips as she moved to the kitchen area.
"Of all the mornings to wake up early why this one?" she asked as she turned on the faucet to put water in a measuring cup.
Once the cup was filled to the correct level, she set in the microwave. She set the machine to the correct time before hitting the start button. While her water was heating up the girl went to look for her choice of tea.
“At least I can be on time today, and Felicia won’t get on me again for being late,” she mused looking through the tea selection. “Should I have Papaya and Passion Fruit or Pomegranate White for today’s tea?”
She shrugged taking a bag of each and the one she didn’t pick would go in her jean pocket for later. The water dinged and she took it out carefully.
For her it was an unusually slow morning. Nothing seemed to be quite up to speed just yet as her tea finished steeping. She quietly nodded to herself before putting her favored drink into a thermos so she could take it to work with her. A single sip went down her throat before snagging her old worn out jacket and heading down to the garage where her mode of transportation was stored.
On her way down she had tripped and managed not to spill her tea. Mentally she was cursing at herself and the stairs before reaching the ground floor where her transportation was stored.
She slipped the thermos into a saddle bag on the side of her seat as she got on. A black helmet emblazoned with an oddly stylized dragon looked back at her. She put it on and kicked up the kick stand before turning the keys. She drove off shortly after.
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Tall skyscrapers towered over head as she drove through the city.
One more block and the red light. Then I turn right and into the back lot of work, she thought as she came to a different red light. Cars shuffled across the street as she waited. The violet tinted visor hiding her eyes from the other drivers.
Also note to self: Get a haircut! It’s getting too long to be in the helmet with the rest of your head, she mentally etched into her mind as the light turned green and she went straight. A few pedestrians gave her curious and confused looks as she drove pass them. A small ghost of a smile was on her face.
She did as told to her by her roommate and co-worker before pulling into the back lot. The girl pulled her tea out of the saddle bag. She sighed before parking and heading in while humming Treat’s “Turn the Dial”.
“Someone’s in a good mood,” teased a female voice.
“Barely. Stupid alarm clock got me up 3 hours early,” the girl replied as she removed her helmet. “Think you can cut my hair short again? It’s getting too long for the helmet.”
“Ride without it,” teased the blonde from behind the front counter.
“I like being among the living thank you very much, Sierra!” she replied.
“Fine, cranky. I’ll cut it, Chrys. But on one condition,” the blonde, Sierra, responded with a smirk.
“What’s the condition?” the girl with the helmet asked. “Also anything new besides Felicia’s temper?”
“You let me dye your hair any color of my choice,” Sierra answered with a smirk before a small sigh. “Besides you being early for once? Felicia is running late. Get your uniform on.”
“I’ll think about the hair cut thing and I was just checking in,” Chrys replied calmly. “Maybe I’ll go to that Camelot Corp owned saloon down the street instead.”
“You wouldn’t,” Sierra shot back.
“If you dye my hair bright hot pink again I will,” Chrys answered returning the fire before heading into the break room.
Chrys set down the helmet and removed her jacket to show pale tan skin hiding under a simple crimson t-shirt with a black crown with a rose graphic on the front. She sighed picking up a brown toned apron and a small name badge reading ‘Chrystine’ before putting them both on. Chrys set her helmet in her locker and hung up the jacket before heading back out to the main area.
She headed back out and flipped the ‘Closed’ sign to ‘Open’. Chrys sighed again looking to Sierra and the empty store.
“So think we’ll get any business today?” she asked in a bored tone.
“Probably not. This place has been a ghost zone since Camelot Corporation put in that new book store they own,” Sierra replied calmly as the bell in the back was heard. “Felicia that you?”
An older dark skinned woman walks in and takes off her coat. “Yeah it’s me alright. Where’s that slacker- Chrystine?” the older woman responds in a cross tone.
“I’m right behind you, Boss,” Chrys answers calmly tapping the woman, Felicia, on the shoulder. “I got here before you ma’am. You can even check the surveillance tapes for proof.”
“Be lucky you still have a job, slacker,” the older woman warned the twenty year old as she glared at her.
“And I’m thankful for it ma’am,” Chrys answered before taking a box of books and going to put them on the shelves. I can only brown nose so much to her before she threatens to fire me again and actually does….. she added mentally as she put the books on their proper shelves.
People came in and out of the old family owned shop. Sierra and Chrys tried their best to help the ones that needed it.
“Miss,” a male looks to Chrys’ name tag before asking, “Chrystine…. By chance do you have any new comics?”
“We have a few manga and their corresponding anime. I think we have the newest Masked Hero in,” Chrys answered before going to retrieve the said comic. “Here it is and it’s the last copy. I guess this Hero is going to be popular.”
“Well she is the first one to be a female as the main hero. My friend said that this hero is going to be cool,” the male replied to her before taking the comic up to the front counter and paying for it.
Chrys gave a small smile before going back to organizing the shelves.
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“You two are free to go for the day,” Felicia decided out loud as she looked to her two employees. “This place has been in a lull for three hours. Go home.”
Sierra and Chrys nodded. The two roomies didn’t need to be told twice before going to the back and hanging up their aprons. “Thank you Felicia! We’ll be in early Monday!” they chorused before heading out the back door.
“Like sure as Hades you will,” Felicia muttered as she closed the shop.
With the pair of women, Chrys was trying to get Sierra to go with her idea of an adventure.
“So now what?” Chrys asked with a smirk.
Sierra rolled her eyes. “We head back to the apartment and report to work on Monday. Same old, same old,” she answered.
“But why force ourselves into this continuous and stupid rut? We can break free for one day. Just one. And I think that day is today. I mean the signs are all there. Felicia let us off early and I got up at 4 am,” Chrys pleaded as she put her helmet back on her head.
“You’re crazy. You always have been. But, then again, I like my rut! At least I know it’s safe!” Sierra retorted as she rolled her eyes again.
“And boring as heck! Heck even the legends were more interesting!” Chrys fired back as she put the keys in the ignition and revved her cycle’s engine.
Chrys took off towards the edge of the city closest to the mountains. Funny thing about Sea Bay, it was located right between a mountain range and the sea. The mountains were filled with caves and caverns that Chrys loved to explore. The roads turned to worn dirt paths that wind through the mountains. Most worn by either hikers’ feet or the wheels of vehicles.
The path she took that Friday led up one that seemed to be forgotten and overgrown with vegetation. What can be down this way? I mean there is a path, but why does it look so abandoned? Chrys thought as she turned off her cycle. She dug in her saddle bags for climbing equipment. Chrys soon pulled out a harness, several picks, latches, and a hammer along with a single hard hat with a light on the front.
Chrys secured her anchor hook into the ground near an odd opening down into the earth. One new cavern or shaft for me to explore~! Chrys thought as she tied off the line tightly.
“Time to take the plunge!” Chrys exclaimed after attaching a small mini notebook and pen to her harness set up. She checked her line once again and then started to repeal down the shaft
Chrys stopped every few feet to take notes on what was around her and how the shaft walls had started to go from hard, craggy, rough rock to a surface as shiny and smooth as polished crystal. At one stop she slipped and started to free fall. Her mind was racing as her hands tried to reach for the rope that was quickly starting to come up short.
Below her a ritual was starting. It gave off a mystic and almost ethereal glow that reflected off the walls. Silently Chrys was praying to live and if she was to die to let it be quick and painless. The odd noises below just starting to reach her ears. She gulped. So this is how it ends? I die to crazed cultists after falling to my doom from one slip up. Maybe Sierra was right…… Chrys thought as odd purple tendrils started to catch her.
One of the beings below hissed and clicked its tongue at what was happening. Chrys gulped again as she was scared by the glowing along with the new beast that seemed to be mad at her now. The odd chanting consisted of chirps, warbles, clicks, and some weird guttural growls. Chrys screamed as her fall was broken by the ritual. She had her eyes clenched shut as her fall stopped. The other beings kept up their chanting.
A dark amethyst colored, bipedal dragon with black leather membranes hanging off of two spare dark limbs was wearing a simple tan colored loin cloth and a strip of crimson red cloth across its chest. The being clicked at Chrys. She inched back out of fear as the magic infused itself into her bumping into one of the cloaked beings.
“-you done?!?!?!” the dragon like being asked in a masculine voice, still angrily chirping and growling at her. “You’ve ruined the ceremony!!!”
“Ruined the ceremony? What ceremony?” Chrys asked in a scared tone.
“The ceremony that would have made me my people’s – Wait a second. You understand what I’m saying?” the dragon like being asked as he glared at her.
Chrys gives a weak nod out of fear. “Your people’s what?” she asked.
“Hero. I was supposed to be their hero. I was meant to inherit the Arach Driver and protect them. But no. You just had to fall into the ritual and our territory and ruin that chance for me!” the dragon being growled.
Chrys inched back even more out of fear of what this male being might do to her. “I didn’t mean to fall! Honest to those above!” she replied with a whimper.
Another being stepped forward out of all the cloaked ones who had started to back away. “Jarak. Be easy on her. She has an extremely dangerous and hard fight on the road ahead,” the cloaked one commented as they stepped forward.
“Yes Elder,” the dark male, Jarak, replied before backing off slightly.
The Elder offers Chrys a calloused claw to help her up to her feet. Chrys stared at the white claw with radioactive green markings.
“Stand up child of the surface world. You’ll have to forgive my grandson. He’s wanted to have that job for a century or two now,” the Elder offered.
Chrys accepted the help meekly. She was still scared after Jarak started ranting and yelling at her. Chrys followed the Elder closely with Jarak not far behind them both. Jarak glaring at the above worlder and cursing her in under his breath. Chrys’ attention wasn’t really on the dragon like beings in front of her but more on her surroundings. The walls glowed with luminous crystals off all colors as plants grew and crystal clear blue water flowed in creeks and canals. Different animals of all types ran about.
“Jarak. She is our guest and you of all Dracor knew that you wouldn’t have the roll. Even as the prophecy states,” the Elder noted as they came to a small hut hewn out of stone and with a thatched straw roof. The hut was one of many in that community.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
The Elder moved a dark cloth with white runes aside so they could enter in. Chrys gave a look back to the world she lived above before following Jarak in.
“Prophecy, smophecy! We all know that it’s better off in a full Dracor’s able claws,” Jarak shot back.
“Full Dracor?” Chrys asked meekly.
“Nothing for you to worry about child. Take a seat,” the Elder replied.
“I think I’m good standing, Ma’am,” she answered with a hint of fear in her voice.
The Elder nods as she lowers the hood on her cloak. The Elder’s face looked similar to that of Jarak’s but aged with white scales that had the same radioactive green markings that were on her claws. Though the trait that kind of surprised Chrys was the fact that the Elder seemed to have two pointed dog like ears that twitched at the slightest sound as her tail poked out of the edge of her cloak. The tail seemed to also have hints of white fluff coming off the tip.
“Welcome to my humble home, Hero,” the Elder offered as her cloak fell away to show a simple black toga.
“Thank you Ma’am. But where am I?” Chrys asked as her eyes looked around.
“In the Grand Elder’s house,” Jarak barked as he rolled his eyes.
“That’s not what I meant. And by the way you could use a breath mint or a full tube of toothpaste. Your breath reeks of rotten flesh and rotten fish,” Chrys fired back at the dark Dracor.
Jarak growled at Chrys. She growled back.
“JARAK! BEHAVE!” the Elder shouted before taking a breath. “You’re in the World of the Dracor-
.”“Yes Grandmother Star,” Jarak replied as he backed off a small bit.
The Elder, Star, sighed before looking to Chrys once more.
“Please forgive Jarak. He’s always a little hostile towards new comers,” she offered.
“More like just stupid squishy humans,” Jarak huffed as he glared at Chrys.
“Don’t get me mad,” Chrys warned as she brought up her hand and red energy glowed around the hand, “and don’t even think of insulting me. This is your first and only warning.”
Jarak scoffs, “Like you can hurt-“
Chrys fired a bolt of the red energy at Jarak effectively cutting him off out of surprise. Jarak was hit in the shoulder and staggered back a few feet.
“Want to try that again Jarak?” Chrys asked as Jarak started to move close again.
“Child. Quit what you are doing,” Star warned.
“My name isn’t child!” Chrys exclaimed out of annoyance.
“Thief is more like it,” Jarak hissed with a smirk.
“Okay that is it!” Chrys shouted before firing another shot of red energy at the Dracor male.
Jarak dodged the shot and stuck out his tongue at the frustrated human girl. That in turn caused her to fire three more shots. All of which missed their intended target. The two continue to bicker and throw insults at each other like small children fighting over a crayon in pre-school. Star rolled her eyes and watched them argue. Through trials and hardships they will have to work together, Star thought as she stood up to separate the arguing pair.
After having separating them, Star has punished both by forcing them to sit together on the same odd couch like thing. Jarak was watching his grandmother while Chrys wasn’t looking at either one of them.
“Now are you two finished or do I have to make you hold hands and make mating eyes at each other?” Star asked in a serious tone.
“No Ma’am,” both parties answer.
“Good. Now Chrystine,” Star commented as she looked to Chrys.
“I never said my name. Even my given one at least….” Chrys offered meekly still kind of embarrassed of what she had done.
“Wait up a second. You’re telling me that she’s that Chrystine?” Jarak asked in a very confused and bewildered tone.
“Prophecy is always right, Jarak. And I know. It’s my job to oversee what or who is to protect us,” Star answered calmly.
“So you’re an oracle?” Chrys asked.
“Seer,” Star corrected.
“Same thing just a different name,” Chrys responded.
Jarak nudged Chrys and gave her a look. “Show my grandmother and the Grand Elder some respect,” he muttered for Chrys to hear.
“Sorry Ma’am,” Chrys apologized.
“It’s fine. You meant no harm. But you will need to know and heed my warning of the road you’re about to travel. It’s going to be long, difficult and harder than anyone could imagine,” Star responded calmly as she brought out a shallow silver dish filled with what looked to be smoking water.
Figures of knights, Dracor, sphinxes, fae, dragons, nagas, griffins, and other legendary creatures moved about in the smoke. As Chrys focused on it the images started to become clearer. Star’s voice was muffled in the background as the sounds of coins and gems clinking together filled the girl’s ears.
“Long ago it was told that the Dracor and Humans live in harmony. Humans above in the bright sun hunting and trapping game and the Dracor below becoming scholars and mining out gems and ores of great value. Each traded with the other and a few other races- our mighty cousins the Dragons, the wise Sphinxes of the Deserts, the ever enchanting and mischievous Fae of the Northern Forests, the calculating and crafty Nagas of the ocean’s deep and the ever protective and proud Griffins of the Eastern Aeries hidden away in the mountains. Each traded what their kind was known for. It was a golden age for all. Everything seemed to be at peace and perfect,” Star spoke in an even tone as her eyes dimmed.
Chrys’ mind was seeing the events as they happened. To her she was among the humans that traded with the other beings. Scents of spices from the deserts swirled in her head along with notes of cedar from the Northern Forests and different fresh fish from the deepest parts of the ocean. She saw the beings as Star spoke of them and their wares seemed to be fresh.
Jarak just watched the human as his grandmother kept spinning her tale. To the dark Dracor, Chrys’ dopey expression meant she was paying attention and in a small trance.
“But sadly the Golden age ended in greed and squander. It started with a rumor and soon escalated to people and beings stealing from each other. Prices of goods had started to rise as well. Not meeting the demand but the greed each race started to have. This act started out subtly but then jumped quickly- much like your oil prices of today. The first to lash out was the Humans living within the village that is now your sprawling city. This was against the Sphinxes and their fine metal workings from the distant deserts. These priced had almost doubled in a single day. Each race fought and tried to win. The battle field was littered with Nagas attempting to strangle anything that they could and did get their tails to wrap around. Dragons and Dracor used their varying breath weapons against the attackers and each other. Sphinxes swiped and bit Griffins as Fae squabbled and distracted the humans with their own magic. As time went on the others either gave up and left or died out from the fighting. Some of the stragglers from the other races joined the humans with shallow promises of victory and protection. This wraith soon turned onto the Dracor,” Star calmly described as she looked to Chrys.
Chrys shuddered as the scene she saw turned from peace and tranquility to nothing but rage, war, and blood. She gulped and attempted to hide underneath one of Jarak’s wings. He opened it for her to hide under.
She is only a hatchling by our standards. Why would Grandmother tell her the story of our people now instead of later on and with the Wadjat bowl too? Jarak thought as Chrys shut her eyes and tried to hide. Star moved from her seat to get down a small box.
“Not one of the Dracor saw it coming. We had been a peaceful race until that war was started. We took what our scholars had gathered and used what power it had given us to fight. The Elders then saw that the fight was not going as they had hoped. Each poured their energy into a single dial and a device that could harvest the energy from the dials. It was to be given to one half Dracor by the name of Chriesthinth, which was later translated to Chrystine by a scholar of the Haloz Tribe, and that being would be the only one that could use it to end the war once and for all,” Star finished as the shallow bowl quit spewing smoking.
Chrys shuddered as she started to come out of the trance. Jarak moved his wing away as she started to withdraw from his warmth.
“Sadly that war never ended and the foretold Hero never came,” Star answered to Chrys’ unasked question as the trace ended.
“That’s the old legend I was told as a kid by my foster parents,” Chrys offered as she cradled her head. “Also what the heck was that?”
“History,” Star answered simply.
“So you believe that I’m this Hero that never came?” Chrys asked shakily. “I’m nothing but a clerk at a bookstore.”
“Yes but you’re the only human to ever come down her in the last one thousand years,” Star replied as Jarak sat back and watched quietly.
“But thing is, I’m only just a normal human…. Not some half Dracor hero,” Chrys stated simply.
Star nodded. “But in all honesty this does belong to you, Chrystine,” Star responded offering to Chrys an odd belt buckle.
The buckle itself seemed to be made of some metal with the front depicting two clawed hands making a cup to hold something that left an empty hole. The hole seemed big enough to hold an odd shaped disk. Chrys looked from the buckle to Star.
“This is yours. There is no doubt about that,” Star offered as she still held out the belt for Chrys to take.
Chrys gulped and nodded. “Thank you,” the human girl answered. “And just call me Chrys. It’s easier that way.”
“Though this does raise one question; does she have any of the dials?” Jarak asked while rolling his eyes.
“Dials? You mean those odd token things I saw when Elder was using that bowl?” Chrys asked in a confused tone as she looked to the pair of Dracor with her.
“That would be what he meant, Child of the surface,” Star offered.
“Then no I do not have any of the dials,” Chrys replied calmly as she looked down to the floor.
Star offered an old and worn smile. She offered a small box to Chrys. Chrys gave a curious look before accepting the box and opening it.
“She does now. And that’s the only one I have to start off the Hero. The other you will have to find or earn from the other tribes,” she noted as Chrys pulled out a dark ruby token.
“Thank you… But one question….” Chrys offered meekly.
“Go on a head and shoot,” Jarak replied.
“How do I get back up?” Chrys asked as she flipped the dial in between her fingers.
Star and Jarak both let their snouts meet the palms of their claw tipped hands. Jarak almost started to laugh.
“You two haven been up top… Have you?” Chrys asked in a very confused tone.
“I haven’t but Grandmother has,” Jarak pointed out calmly.
Chrys looked to the oldest of the pair. Star only waved it off and sighed.
“I was young and stupid then. Not to mention I’m the last of the Rift tribe because of it,” Star answered to the unasked question.
“Sorry to hear that ma’am,” Chrys apologized.
“What if she used the suit to get out? I mean it has wings right?” Jarak asked as he thought.
“Wings?” asked Chrys.
Star nods. “Good to know you did pay attention in class, Jarak,” she replied before looking to Chrys. “Yes wings. They can channel the magic type of the disk and one’s own energy. In your basic state the wings will be always ablaze with the victorious flames of the Blaz Tribe.”
“One problem with that though…. I have no knowledge on how to fly,” Chrys noted as Jarak turned to the cloth door.
“I believe the phrase is ‘It’s as easy as riding a bike’ for you human,” Jarak teased as Chrys lunged at him. He successfully side stepped her.
She gave a cough after landing. “To someone born with wings maybe but if you haven’t noticed…. I don’t have wings naturally,” Chrys retorted as she rubbed some dirt off of her face.
“Doesn’t mean you can’t learn,” Jarak fired back. And that I can’t make a fool of you while doing so, he added mentally.
“He has a point,” Star mentioned with a nod and pulled back the cloth. “Jarak. Steer her in the right direction.”
“Yes Grandmother,” Jarak answered as he rolled his eyes and tugged Chrys into the main area.
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Chrys followed Jarak pass shops, a forge, and several other homes. Each Dracor member looked different like each truly belonged to a different element. A blue more aquatic looking female watched over a few smaller members- one looked to be a purple aquatic member and the other seemed to be a more terrestrial dark blue member. Chrys waved to them and they waved back. Other Dracor watched the pair and whispered among themselves.
“Come on. We need to get to the place where you fell in,” Jarak commented.
“Okay cranky scales. I’m coming,” Chrys muttered as she was tugged along.
Once they got to Lightkeeper’s Peak, the proper Drackian name for where the ritual was held, Jarak looks to Chrys.
“Okay first things first- you need to use the Arach Driver and the Blaz Dial in order to actually have use of the wings,” Jarak instructed.
“And I do that how?” Chrys replied.
“Put the driver over your midsection. It should turn into a belt,” Jarak replied. That’s common knowledge101 you stupid, stupid human!! He added mentally.
Chrys nodded and did as told. She held it steadily over her midsection and the Arach Driver did as Jarak had told her it would do. The driver produced a good strength belt that held the main component over her navel.
“Okay. Then I presume the Dial goes in the empty spot?” she asked holding up the ruby toned dial.
“Correct,” Jarak affirmed before looking over the human. “And sorry about earlier,” he added with a hint of false sincerity.
“No problem. I’m the one that dropped in and ruined your big day,” Chrys offered not noticing the false sincerity in Jarak’s voice. “But think of it this way- you have a student in need of guidance and willing to learn.”
“Student?” asked Jarak as he raised a fin like ear in a confused way.
“Someone that engages in studying about something,” Chrys answered calmly.
“Oh! You mean a disciple!!” Jarak exclaimed with a sharp toothed grin.
“To a lesser degree, but yes that is one way to look at it.” Chrys offered as she took a breath.
“And you’re willing to be mine for that?” he asked calmly.
“If it’s allowed,” she answered.
Jarak nodded and replied, “It’s perfectly fine. Though I am studying under my grandmother.”
“Elder?” Chrys asked as she flipped the dial in her fingers.
“Elder Star Shine but yes that is her,” Jarak replied. “Now are you going to keep clicking your fleshy beak or are you going to try the driver?”
“Okay then. Sheesh. I was just trying to learn a bit about those I’ve been roped into helping,” Chrys replied before sticking out her tongue.
She took a breath then inserted the ruby toned dial into the spot on the driver. It gave a weak red light.
“You have to say something,” Jarak commented.
“Like what?” Chrys barked back.
“Henshin. It’s one of your above worlder languages. It means transform,” Jarak offered calmly.
“Okay then,” Chrys replied before looking to the belt. “Ummmm… Henshin?”
“Dial set!” commented a disembodied voice.
Jarak looked from Chrys to the belt. The red light grew brighter as the driver whirled to life.
“Blaze Dial Activate! Energize the victorious flames! BLAZE MODE!!” exclaimed the voice as a few rings of fire circled around Chrys.
As the rings started to close in, her usual day wear and climbing equipment was being replaced by a tight fitting black body suit that had dark almost blood red armor with silver accents holding it to the suit. The armor set seemed to be topped off with a helmet that had two flame shaped visors. Two dark jet black arm wings hung flat against Chrys’ back as she looked over the armor. An ivory toned claw tipped each finger. Three of them were on the front of each of her odd boots that had her standing on the balls of her feet and a single back claw was on her heel.
Jarak looked to the newly armored human and gave a whistle.
“You look good,” he offered. “Even with that suit being as tight as it is.”
“Don’t remind me. And thanks Jarak,” Chrys replied through the helmet as it slightly altered her voice to sound more like a male’s. “Does my voice sound funny?”
“No more than usual. But anyways, light those wings of yours. You’re learning to fly now,” Jarak commented as he opened his.
“Couldn’t I just climb up since I have the claws?” Chrys asked looking at the claws on her gloves.
“Nope. That would wear them out and if you haven’t noticed they’re your weapons,” Jarak replied. “Just think about them a light with fire.”
“Oh….” Chrys replied before taking another breath. Her mind focused on the two unlit wing arms as they opened up. A red energy crackled up them before they caught ablaze.
Chrys yelped seeing the fire. Jarak nodded.
“Now try to flap them,” he offered showing Chrys with his own wings. The wings he had slowly went up and down as he started to rise up.
Chrys nodded. “O-o-o-okay,” she replied before trying to do the same. She hovered for a few seconds before attempting to follow Jarak up the shaft.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
A light could be seen from the above as Jarak lead Chrys up the shaft, after a few run ins with the walls on Chrys’ end. Jarak was trying not to laugh at the human turned rather funny hatchling. The stars and a sliver of a moon hung over head.
“So how far did you fall anyways?” Jarak asked as the pair came close to the top of the shaft.
“About a quarter of the way down… I think…. At any rate if the ritual hadn’t have caught me I would pretty much be a pile of broken bones and dead at that peak,” Chrys answered having grown used to the helmet’s voice modulator. “Are you sure you want to go above ground?”
“Yeah. I’m curious,” Jarak replied. “Maybe after you get used to being the Hero we can teach each other about our cultures- so no one makes any social mistakes?”
“Sounds like a deal,” Chrys replied with a smile that was hidden by the helmet.
Shortly after both of them flew out of the cave shaft. Chrys hovered in the air with Jarak for a bit as to take in the sights of the city lit up at night. A few people were letting paper lanterns float into the sky on the calm summer night.
“Now let’s see how decent of a lander you are,” Jarak teased as he smirked.
“Land? You never said anything about landing…” Chrys noted.
“All you have to do is this,” Jarak instructed as he put his digigraded feet forward and touched down to the soft sandy ground of the beach. “And the ground is soft so you’re not going to hurt yourself.”
“O-o-o-okay,” Chrys murmured before gulping and attempting to follow suit.
She attempted to land shortly after he did. But instead of landing on her feet she caused herself to be a flaming pinwheel and somersaulted into the nearby ocean waters. Jarak just collapsed on the shore doubled over out of laughter with his student’s actions as said student is starting to come out of the surf.
“You suck. You know that?” Chrys asked as her wings folded after being snuffed out by the water.
“Yeah but you so earned that!!” Jarak replied while still laughing.
“Consider the challenge accepted,” Chrys responded as she shook off some of the excess water.
“Good,” Jarak accepted as he was hit with water droplets.
A garbled roar was heard coming from the ever lapping surf. Chrys gulped and started to step back. She kept stepping back. Jarak just rolled his eyes before looking to the thing coming from the surf. It looks serpentine in shape but colored in different shades of blues and teals. The upper half looked like that of a human but covered in sickly white barnacles. Green, blue and yellow kelps and seaweeds created the beast’s clothing. It roared again.
Jarak charged at the beast. Chrys, still in the armor, went looking for her bike as to run.
“Hey Hero! GET YOUR SORRY BUTT OF HUMAN FLESH OVER HERE AND FIGHT!!!” shouted Jarak as he was bit by the beast. “Nagas are weak to your current element!”
“I’m soaked. I doubt I could catch anything-“retorted Chrys as she looked to the claws of her gloves as they ignited, “Never mind!” She turned back around and started to go after the beastie.
It hissed and squirmed as the pair fought against it. The naga’s tail thrashed in the sand as it attempted to coil around the pair. This was prevented a multitude of ways- Jarak chomping down on the tail if it became too tight or Chrys using the fire tipped claws to scratch and burn the naga.
The naga recoiled a little before lashing out at the pair again. Chrys was thinking on her feet since she honestly had no training in fighting. A wing instantly caught fire and blocked the naga’s attack. Jarak took a deep breath before expelling a dark cloud of gas. The naga started to sputter and cough.
“Finish it,” Jarak coughed.
Chrys nodded as she jumped up in the air and used her wings to gain a little more height before pointing one of her clawed boots forward. She snapped her wings shut and started to free fall.
“RIDER BLAZE STIKE!!” screamed the disembodied voice as she made contact and the naga seemed to vaporize. The ground below the hit turned to a polished glass as Chrys landed and a flash of red light removed the suit to have her in what she was wearing beforehand.
“Can I go home now?” she asked looking to a vacant space where Jarak once was. “I’ll take that as a yes…” she muttered under her breath before going to get her bike and riding home.
