7Chapter Four: Two New Companions
The intrusive beast was skinned and roasted on the now roaring fire, and the bodies of the poachers and would-be thieves were buried outside the clearing, where Sean had just finished telling a brief tale of the night's events. Ben and Robert sat wide eyed.
"So there's ANOTHER Violet Dragoon?" Robert asked.
"And you got his Spirit from the Dragon corpse from the ruins at Doel's castle?" Ben confirmed.
"Yes, and yes." Sean said.
"So what do you guys intend to do?" Robert asked.
"For the time being, find as many more as we can," Sean answered.
"Whoa," was all the men could bring themselves to say.
"What are you two doing out in the forest?" Sean asked.
"Honestly we don't know," Ben said. "We had that conversation earlier. Robert owns a weapon's shop in Seles, and I inherited my parents' farm outside the town. We both grew up in Seles, and got sick of seeing the same thing every day. We both set aside some time off to just explore the forest two days ago."
"Well what a coincidence," Sean said, looking up to the stars as he pulled the beast from the fire, and prepared it to serve.
Brett stirred and rolled over, drawing all of their attention for a moment, but his slumber was uninterrupted.
"What about you?" Ben asked.
"We have to get to Seles within three days, and Brett and I are using the other two we'll actually need to try to find the corpse of Feyrbrand," Sean said. "He was a Wind Dragon, the vassal of the Jade Dragon. He fell in this forest, by Dart Feld's hand, but was left there, so his Spirit hasn't been harnessed."
"We'll help!" Robert exclaimed.
"…You will?" Sean asked, perplexed.
Why are you telling these men so much!? The Divine Dragon roared in Sean's head, unable to bear Sean's divulgence any longer.
Think about it, if I keep these men nearby, I can judge their character before too long, perhaps one of them will be chosen by Feyrbrand. Maybe they will just want to help us, once they see things from our perspective, Sean thought in response.
And if they don't?
We both know I'll do what I have to do to ensure the success and security of our endeavor, Sean thought.
"Do you mind?" Sean asked. "It'd be nice to increase the odds of finding his body, and who knows, maybe a bearer as well.."
Ben and Robert's eyes perked, and they looked at each other, excited by the prospect of possibly being chosen by the spirit of a Dragon.
"Definitely!" they both exclaimed.
"Great, well let's turn in after we eat, and we should arrive in the general area that the Dragon fell around noon tomorrow if we get a move on at dawn," Sean said. At that, he laid down, and Ben and Robert ate and went to sleep.
Brett was woken by a shake to his shoulders from what was probably the deepest sleep he'd ever experienced in his life. He bolted up to his feet, and then off of them. When he landed he looked up to see Sean standing in front of him, looking satisfied. He said nothing, so Brett felt the need to begin the conversation.
"I'm a Dragoon," he said awkwardly.
"Indeed you are," Sean said. He turned, revealing the two new companions, "These are Ben and Robert, they were attracted by your spectacle last night. We ate the wolf that tried to kill you, and they're going to help us try to find the Spirit of Feyrbrand."
"Ah, nice to meet you," Brett said. He was relieved when he received two friendly hellos in return, rather than the gruff and domineering tones he'd received from the poachers the night before. "Where are those two poachers?"
"You killed them, they're buried about thirty feet that way," Sean said, gesturing.
"I did what now?"
"You killed them, I believe your spell's name was 'Reckoning Hour'" Sean said.
That hit Brett like a ton of bricks. He stumbled backwards a little, light headed from the revelation that he was now a murderer. "I….killed them?"
"You killed them."
"Oh, by Soa," Brett said, scratching the back of his head. He began to look downward, but Sean put his hand up.
"Don't do that. They were going to kill you, and you would have been powerless to do something about it," he said.
"How do you know?"
"I was watching," Sean said calmly. "I would have intervened if you were actually in trouble, but the Dragon had you well taken care of. Life is cheap out here in the wilderness, if it wasn't the wolf, it would have been them. Since it wont be them, we'll just have to see what tries to kill you today." At that he turned and picked up his satchel. "Are you ready?"
Brett was dumbfounded. He'd been raised to respect life in all ways, and his Dragon had even said that he enjoyed that aspect of him. Was he truly supposed to just shrug off the fact that the ground nearby held two hearts that no longer beat?
You must not fret those men, Alastor spoke. Sean is not lying, those men would have killed you, there is no doubt of that. If their lives were spared, they may have reported you, or worse, hunted you. I cannot protect you if you are asleep, which is likely when they would have attacked you. Either way, their lives were folly. You merely saved yourself.
Alastor's words comforted Brett slightly, he wasn't sure if it was Alastor's actual emotions making him calm or his words, but it was a relief to know that no one viewed him as a murderer. He was sure to keep contemplating this as time went on, but for now, the mission was still at hand.
The four men gathered their luggage and weapons, and took to the forest, where Sean led the way southeast. After a few hours, Sean climbed up a tree and began to look around.
"Here is where we should split up, everyone can cover some ground. The Dragoon's journey led them this way over six hundred years ago, so if you come across fallen trees, that are completely overgrown, with slashes, or unusual looking breaks, that's where you want to start looking harder," he instructed. "Brett and I will use our Dragoon Spirits to get a general direction."
Sean dropped down and pulled out the Divine Dragoon Spirit, and Brett mimicked his movements. Each heard their Dragons' voices in unison.
South.
Ben followed Sean, and Robert followed Brett, and they set off to begin looking. Robert and Brett began chit chatting, mostly about the businesses they ran, as an hour or so passed, and found that they had quite a few ethical business motives in common. Sean and Ben, however, seemed to get along better by their preference to put their heads down and work when there was something to be accomplished. The hour went by, and they regrouped to consult the Dragons again.
I sense him nearby, we are close. I would reach out, but his Spirit is so faint I fear he wouldn't even sense me, said the Divine Dragon. He's gone into a deep slumber, from being so stagnant for so long.
It must be torture to be trapped inside your body for so many years, Sean thought.
"This is hopeless!" Robert said, throwing his hands into the air. "How are we supposed to find the body of a Dragon, six centuries post mortem, in this giant forest, that would camouflage him even if he was alive and moving!?" He began to step back, shouting into the tree line. "Where are yo-!?"
Suddenly he fell backwards over a large tree trunk. "OW! DAMN!"
Brett stepped up onto the trunk, and reached down for Rob's hand to pull him up to his feet. Rob took the lift, and dusted himself off. "Thanks," he said, but looked to Brett to see Brett looking down at the tree they were standing on, perplexed. The tree was covered completely in moss, and ivy. Yet through the leaves Brett could see splinters of wood in one, two…four places, running a span of about fifteen feet.
"Something big knocked this tree over, and judging by the growth around it… it was a long time ago." Robert said.
"Six hundred years ago," Ben said confidently. "Give or take a few decades."
"What makes you say that?" Sean said, following Ben's gaze. Near the top of the tree, there was an ivory horn protruding from the greenery. "Ah." They all began pulling back at the overgrowth, and began slowly revealing a monstrous skeleton underneath the trunk of the fallen tree.
"That's a Dragon," Ben said.
"That's Feyrbrand, the green tusked Dragon," Sean said.
"How…. Do we get him out from under the tree?" Brett asked. At that, Sean removed his necklace, and set the Divine Dragon Spirit on the bones.
"We'll let the Divine Dragon take care of that," Sean said. At that the Spirit began to glow, dimly at first, but increasing in intensity by the second. Soon all four of them needed to shield their eyes from the light. Sean could hear the effort of the Divine Dragon within his mind. This process took a great deal of his power the last time he'd created a Spirit from the Vassal Violet Dragon's dormant body. He would need time to recover afterward.
After a few moments, the light died down, and suddenly the tree trunk shifted and sunk as the bones beneath it dissolved. When the light died down Sean reached down and picked up his Spirit in one hand, and a sickly green Spirit in the other.
It is done, The Divine Dragon said. Sean could feel the weariness in his voice. He will help us, but does not sense a bearer he prefers here. He would prefer someone more willful and voracious.
"Well Feyrbrand doesn't see anything he prefers in anyone here," Sean relayed. Ben and Robert's shoulders sagged.
"Oh well, I suppose we were just glad to help," Ben said. "I can honestly say I enjoyed it."
"Same here," Robert agreed.
"Well you're welcome to come with us to…" Sean trailed off. His eyes shot up, as the wind above the trees picked up, pulling leaves off and up into the sky. "GET DOWN!" He bellowed, and shoved all three of his companions off of the sunken tree, and into cover beside it as a tempest tore from the skies down into the area of wood. Sean grabbed his sword and Spirit.
Can you fight? Sean thought to his Dragon.
I need time, The Dragon admitted.
How much, that was a magical attack.
A few moments more and I can be of some magical aid. The Divine Dragon said.
"Brett, grab your morning star. Ben and Robert, are you proficient with those?" he asked, pointing to Robert's spear and Ben's scimitar. He received to nervous yeses in response. "Good, you're going to need them."
Before anyone could ask why, a green and yellow light tore into the woods, ripping trees and shrubbery away from the epicenter that was their landing site. The light shined brightly and died out. Ben, Robert and Brett peeked over the tree trunk, beholding two figures, in shimmering armor. Sean was slightly elevated above them, getting a better look.
The Jade Dragoon, Marcus Orieles, The High Knight of the Basil Knighthood and personal warfare consultant to the King of Serdio, stayed elevated in this dark green armor, with wooden accents, which were also reflected in the two daggers he held in his hands. His brother, Balkan, loomed beside him in the bulkier Golden Dragoon armor; with a mace dangling in his hand. Their wings beat in unison, and their eyes scanned the area.
"We know you are here, Sean Manifeld!" Bellowed Marcus. Balkan pat his left palm with the weight of the mace. "Get out here and face us!"
Brett looked to Sean, who seemed to be calculating the situation in front of him. He didn't seem afraid, more frustrated that they had been interrupted. Suddenly he slumped down, and gestured for the others to follow his lead.
"Are you alone!?" Sean yelled in response.
"We thought that when you intruded upon our last meeting that two of us were enough to handle you!" Balkan taunted.
"So you rushed right out here for little old me?" Sean asked. "No back up plan? No reserves?"
"As my brother said, we only need the two of us. You barely escaped with your life when we saw you last. I don't know what you're planning to do to interfere with us, but it ends here, right now." Marcus yelled.
Sean looked to his companions. "Anyone else tired of the smack talk?" Before anyone could answer, or protest, he hopped up onto the tree, Claymore in hand and pointed to the intruders. "Coming here without reserves, spur of the moment. That was the mistake I made last time. The big difference between you two and I is that I lived to learn from it. I doubt the two of you will be so lucky."
At that, Sean threw a magical item from his satchel that popped and flashed brightly, distracting the two Dragoon attackers, and Brett, Robert and Ben looked on as Sean leapt inhumanly high. He pulled back his Claymore for a mighty swing…
Author's Note: Hey all, we're sorry this took so long to update. Work's been crazy, and the computer's been finicky. While we were waiting we started thinking about where this story was going, and decided to not let this chapter only be filler. SO! Our heroes and their new friends seem to be pinned down by two experienced and malicious Dragoons, and Sean's Dragon is out of commission for the time being. What will happen next?! Review, and we'll hurry to let you know! Thanks again!
