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Deep within the mountains, in one of the few valleys in the rocky terrain, night covered everything like a blanket. The dying, bare trees twitched now and then as the chilling wind twisted through their withered branches. The tall grasses, most dead, created waves of tan gold. Mingled among the trees and grass were patches of green life, newness nothing in those parts had apparently seen before. Shadows danced along the ground and the mountain peaks that surrounded the relatively flat valley. The cloudless sky looked like a void, with only a few stars sprinkled through out. It seemed to compliment the gloominess of the valley. Aside from the occasional sound of the wind, there was a deathly silence. Nothing stirred. At least, nothing that was living. Suddenly, the thundering of hooves echoed through the silence, multiplied to intense volume. A sleek black horse leaped from a mountain path in to the valley, tearing through the tall grass in a frenzied manner. Covering it's head and body was black armor that glimmered in the small starlight. Jewels of red decorated the battle armor. Spikes jut out, curving upwards, while a red skirt flapped in the wind. On it's face, the battle mask gave the horse the appearance of a unicorn, with a horn of glimmering ruby curving upwards. Upon closer look, smaller cured horns could be seen lined up under the unicorn horn. The horse's eyes glowed red as it's hooves trampled the dry dirt of the valley. Upon the horse's back, holding on to the reigns and driving it on, was a rider wrapped in a tattered black cloak. Two hands covered in tough black leather grasped the horse's reigns while black leather boots rested in the stirrups. The horse and rider raced across the plain, mane and cloak flapping in the wind. An inhuman screech joined the sound of the horse's hooves. A monstrous beast swooped down at the horse and rider, clutching a jagged sword in it's claws. The beast looked to be almost reptilian, like a gargoyle, though it was slim. A tunic of orange danced in the updrafts caused by the beast's mighty wings. A coarse gray hide covered the creature's body and it's brown eyes glittered with an almost sinister delight. It screeched again and dove at the rider, it's sword outward in hopes of impaling it's target. The rider jerked on the horse's reigns and the horse leaped aside, dodging the beast. The beast's sword, instead of cutting in to the rider's back, sliced in to the dirt, harmlessly. The beast flapped it's wings and gained altitude, pulling it's sword out of the dirt. The beast roared in anger and took a swipe at the rider. The rider ducked and punched the beast in the face with a leathered fist. The beast hissed in pain and rage and fluttered back. The rider jerked roughly on the reigns of his steed, causing the horse to dash in to the bare trees. The beast veered off, unable to follow due to the tightly packed trees. It howled in rage and circled the trees. The rider and the horse didn't exit the trees. The beast roared again and, with mighty flaps of it's wings, took to the sky. It turned and headed back in the direction it had gone. The beast looked back a final time and uttered a growl of rage. Then, it dived off and disappeared in to the distance. Silence again took hold. A few minutes after the beast had left, the horse and rider slowly stepped out of the forest. The rider brought a leathered hand to it's face and peered after the beast, then grabbed the reigns again. The horse shook it's head and snorted. The rider tugged on the reigns. The horse snorted again and turned, stamping on the ground. Then, it reared and leaped, bursting in to a mighty run. Within moments, they too disappeared in to the shadows of the valley.

The sun glimmered brightly over the mountains, shining upon a small ruined city. The city was a bunch of ruins and ancient buildings mixed in with multicolored tents surrounded by a high brick wall. A giant hole in the ground was in the center of the city. The roads were stone and sand. In the back, a massive ancient building stood out most of all. Covering it were carvings of dragons and cracks where time had worn it down. The entrance to the building was sealed off by a huge pile of rocks. Opposite the sealed building, there was what could be considered a market place. People dressed in various colored tunics walked about, to and from stalls. There were fruit stalls, meat stalls, and clothes stalls. The town was not that large and there were no other cities about for miles so the small market was essential. Among the people ambled weird camel-like creatures carting heavy loads of goods. Surrounding the city was sand, much like a desert, but not quite as hot. There were patches of green life, as if the world was trying to fix the landscape, but it was not doing much good. It was still much a wasteland. Surrounding the wasteland was towering mountains that reached up to slice open the sky, like knives. From off a mountain path stepped a black hoof. A midnight black horse wearing black battle armor with ruby decorations wearily trotted off the mountains towards the town. The rider stared off at the town. The cowl of the cloak was pushed back, revealing a male human face. The rider stared at the town with shimmering green eyes, his jet black hair tied back in a pony tail. He was quite handsome yet his expression was as cold as ice. On his forehead was a tattoo of a black dragon with red glowing eyes. The horse tromped through the dirt, wearied, and approached the town gate. As soon as the horse came to a stop, all noise within the town ceased. The people turned and glared at the rider, who ignored the looks he received and slid off his horse. He grabbed hold of the reigns and lead his horse down the road. He slipped between the tents and made his way to the farthest corner of the city. In the farthest corner, a lonely gray tent was huddled under the shadows of the wall. The rider sighed and entered the tent. The floor of the tent was stone, surprisingly clean. There was a single bed with a tan colored blanket, a water pot in the corner, and a stool. There was also a highly polished wooden dresser. It was quite old. The rider looked upon it with great pride. At the other side of the tent was a tent flap that lead in to another tent that was attached to the first one. It was his 'stable'. Inside, it was dirt floor covered with dead grass. A water pot was in a corner, same as the main tent. The rider unsaddled the horse and removed the battle armor. Then, he led the horse in to it's stable. He brushed down the horse with a stiff bristled brush. He scooped up water from the water pot with a ladle, which the horse drank hungrily.

" Here you go, Thunderclap," the rider said. He fed the horse an apple and put a soft blanket on it's back. Then, he returned to his own tent. He sighed and took off his cloak, resting it on the stool. Underneath his cloak, he wore a black leather vest. His pants were black as well, matching his boots and gloves. Under the vest was a red shirt. His belt was of gold color, with a red jeweled buckle. He wore a gold wrist band with a red jewel on his right hand and on his left foot, on the hem of the boot. His hair was tied back with a red band. At his side, was a sleek sword with a black handle in the shape of a dragon. The sword was in a black and red hilt, the red making the design of fire. The rider undid his belt, sword and all, and placed it on the dresser. He slipped off his boots and gloves, also placing them on the dresser. He then took off his vest and placed it with the rest. He stretched and yawned.

" Kuromoui! Kuromoui!" a small voice called from outside the tent. The rider looked up, eyes narrowed. A small child ran in to the tent, grinning. The child had wild blue hair and matching blue eyes. He grinned lovingly up at the rider. He wore a pretty blue tunic and white slacks. He wore brown boots over his small feet. He looked to be dressed quite plainly compared to the rider. The child ran up to the rider. " You came back safely, Kuromoui!" the child said as he hugged the rider. A glimmer of kindness appeared on Kuromoui's face.

" Hi Shaihikari!" Kuromoui said, laughing. He ruffled the child's hair. " Miss me, Little Shai?" he asked. Shai giggled and swatted at Kuromoui's hands.

" Everyone thought you wouldn't come back!" Shai said. Kuromoui snorted.

" You mean, everyone WISHED I wouldn't come back," Kuromoui grumbled under his breath. Shai looked up at his friend.

" I wanted you to come back...," he said, sheepishly. Kuromoui smiled.

" Well, I know YOU did, Little Shai," he said, ruffling the child's hair again. He walked over to his bed and sat down. Shai looked at him, tilting his head.

" Is he still there, Kuromoui?" he asked. Kuromoui jerked and looked up. He sighed and nodded.

" Yes. That demon spawn is still out there," he replied. Shai recoiled in fear.

" Does he know...?" Shai began. Kuromoui shook his head.

" Not yet. I did not lead him to our town. But he's bound to find it eventually. It's hard to miss for very long," he said.

" But the Elder said that if he DID find it, he wouldn't suspect that...," Shai whispered. Kuromoui laughed.

" The demon isn't THAT stupid, Little Shai. All their little tricks won't fool him for ever," he said, scornfully. Shai tilted his head and nodded. Then, he smiled brightly.

" Let's go outside and play hide and seek!" he said. Kuromoui grinned and nodded.

" Allright. I'll be 'it'. Run and hide and let's see if I can find you again!" Kuromoui said. Little Shai nodded vigorously and ran out of the tent. Kuromoui shook his head. Such youth and innocence. He was once like that. He only hoped that Little Shai would STAY that way. Kuromoui sighed and put on his boots. Then, he headed out of the tent and peered around. Shai was no where in sight. Kuromoui grinned and headed out in to the main square of town. He glanced at pots and around walls. No sign of Shai. Kuromoui kneeled down and peered under a bench.

" What are you doing!??" someone growled. Kuromoui ignored the growl. He continued to look for Shai. " Answer me!" the person again growled. Kuromoui stood up and turned to face the speaker. He narrowed his eyes.

" If it was any of your business, I would have told you the first time," he snapped. The citizen grew red in the face. He raised his hand, as if to strike the young Kuromoui. Kuromoui growled and slammed his fist in to the citizen's gut. The citizen doubled over, gasping in pain. " Bah. You have grown soft. All of you. No wonder you went in to hiding and needed a young child to save you," Kuromoui sneered. He then turned and continued looking for Shai. He peered inside a tent away from the main square. Inside, the floor was made of stone. The room was empty except for a single statue of a dragon. A statue of the great Dragon God, Ladon. Hiding behind the statue was Shai. Shai giggled and hopped out.

" You found me again!" Shai laughed. Kuromoui grinned.

" I always do, Little Shai," he said. Shai nodded, then ran and hugged his friend tightly. Kuromoui smiled and picked up Shai. He then turned and walked out of the tent.

" You called?" a sleek white tiger asked as he walked towards a platform. He had crystal blue eyes and wore a blue vest. He flickered his tail and fiddled with the long wooden staff he called a weapon. He looked about the room. The walls and floor were of navy blue stone. Darkness surrounded the platform, hiding whatever dwelt outside the circle of light. Presently, a slithering sound echoed through the darkness. A beautiful woman slithered in to the light. Her hair and eyes was deep blue and she wore a cape of purple with a matching vest. She bore a golden staff with a crystal ball at the end. The most extraordinary thing about her, though, was that she didn't have legs. Instead, she had the lower half of a snake, green and yellow skin with her underbelly white. The snake woman smiled.

" Thank you for coming, friend Rik," she said. The tiger bowed.

" No thanks needed, Deis. Or are you again calling yourself Bleu? Always glad to help," Rik replied. Deis smiled, then slithered up the platform and set down her staff.

" Have you found anything yet?" she inquired.

" We have heard rumors, Deis, and we're checking them out," Rik replied. Deis sighed and nodded.

" Sometimes I wonder if I am doing the right thing....," Deis said. Rik smiled toothily.

" We all think you are," he said. Deis smiled.

" But do I have any right to seek out the next Ryu?" she asked. Rik flickered his tail and shrugged.

" Who's to say? It's never been done before," he replied. " Either way, you've got good intentions," he added. He leaned on his staff. " C'mon, Deis. Don't give up on us NOW," Rik said. Deis laughed.

" I am not giving up, Rik. It's too late for that. I'm just wondering what's going to happen because I have done what I have done," she replied. She tilted her head. " I should have died, Rik. All those years ago, I should have. I should have died. But I did not. For some reason, I did not die. Something protected me," she said. Rik blinked.

" That was out of the blue. Hehe... I made a pun. Err... nevermind. Anyway...," Rik rubbed his fuzzy chin. " Who could have saved you? Who WOULD have?" he inquired. Deis looked at Rik.

" Ladon," she replied. Rik blinked again.

" Ladon? The Great Dragon God? But why would... he's never...," Rik began. Deis waved her hand, silencing him.

" I myself wonder what purpose he would have had saving my hide. That's when I decided to find the next Ryu. He must want me to find his champion and train him, so I thought. Why else would he save me?" she inquired. " Oh, Rik, what if I misunderstood Ladon's will? What if it WASN'T Ladon?" Deis mumbled. Rik shrugged his shoulders again.

" What's the point in that? We may never know. So why worry?" he asked. Deis smiled again and nodded.

" I suppose you are right... allright, go. Continue the search and report back to me if you find anything," Deis said. Rik nodded. He then turned and ran out of the room. Deis stood still, silent and thoughtful. Then, she turned and slithered off of the platform.

Night came quicker than Kuromoui had hoped. The entire town was covered in a deep blanket of shadow. Lanterns were being lighted everywhere, bringing a soft glow to the streets. Kuromoui would have preferred utter darkness. He stood inside his tent door, looking at the main street through the alley. He snorted with disgust. He sighed and walked towards his bed and flopped down on it with a heavy sigh. He stretched and closed his eyes, intent on getting sleep. It was not to be. Thunderclap neighed loudly, panicked. Kuromoui jerked up, blinking. He rushed towards his horse's tent.

" Thunderclap? What is wrong with you?" he demanded. Thunderclap paced around the tent, bucking and jerking his head in a frenzied manner. Kuromoui scratched his head. Then he tensed. " Oh dear Ladon, no...," he hissed. He ran and grabbed his sword from off his desk and rushed out of his tent. Silence. It was as if the entire city was at peace. Kuromoui looked about, tense and uncertain. There seemed to be nothing wrong. Kuromoui felt a wave of embarrassment. Here he was standing at arms when it was probably a rat. Kuromoui shook his head. Suddenly, an earth shattering shriek echoed through the town. Kuromoui yelped out and drew his sword. It came from one of the tents. He recognized that tent. " SHAIHIKARI!!!" he yelled as he ran towards the tent. He threw open the tent and gasped in horror. Shai was huddled under his bed, trembling. He was covered in blood. Upon the floor, lay the two mangled forms of Shai's mother and father. They were senselessly rendered apart. Hovering over the bodies was the demon. A reptilian gargoyle with an orange tunic and a hide of gray. His wicked sword was covered in blood. The gargoyle laughed with evil delight and grabbed the edge of the bed, not noticing the intruder. Kuromoui let out a beastly roar and leaped at the beast, sending his sword deep in to the beast's shoulder. The monster roared out in utter pain and jerked. Kuromoui yanked his bloody sword out of the beast and slashed at it's face. The beast ducked and leaped out of the way. It hissed with rage and leaped at Kuromoui, who leaped back and lashed out with his blade, slicing the beast right below the eye. The monster shrieked and clasped a claw over it's face wound.

" You filthy little wretch!" the beast snarled. " How DARE you mar my face!"

" I DARE and will do it again, you murdering trash!" Kuromoui growled as he held his sword's handle, tightly. The beast spread his wings and hissed. Suddenly, he jerked. Cries of surprise and the sound of footprints could be heard. The village was awake.

" You will pay. But not yet. We SHALL meet again, young demon. And then YOU will be the one marred!" the beast hissed. Then, it leaped upwards and tore through the roof of the tent, taking to the sky. Cries of surprise echoed as villagers saw the beast leap upwards. Kuromoui hissed with rage. His eyes flashed red, as did the eyes of his dragon tattoo. But when his eyes focused upon the shivering child, Kuromoui regained control. He approached the terrified Shai, who scrambled out from under the bed and wrapped his arms around Kuromoui's neck. Shai buried his bloody head in Kuromoui's neck. Yet he made no sound. Kuromoui lifted up Shai, a feeling of despair creeping in him. Why? Why did this have to happen to Shai? He was so sweet and timid... who would want to hurt HIM? He stepped out of the tent and was confronted with a mob of angry villagers.

" YOU!" the Elder growled. " YOU caused this!"

" I did no such thing," Kuromoui replied as he hugged Shai tightly.

" Do not touch that child, you demon! Put him down!" a woman hissed. Kuromoui looked at Shai.

" Ask Little Shai if he wants me to put him down," he said, bluntly.

" Child, tell us what that horrible monster did to you!" the woman crooned as she tried to take Shai. Shai shied away and held Kuromoui tighter. He said nothing.

" Shaihikari, answer us. What did Kuromoui did," the Elder commanded. Shai said nothing. He looked at the Elder, then Kuromoui and buried his head in his friend's neck yet again.

"... Little Shai, can you speak?" Kuromoui inquired, a feeling of dread forming in his chest. Shai looked up at him and said nothing.

" He's gone in to shock!" a man cried.

" That demon caused the child to go in to shock!" another man growled.

" Stone 'im! Kill him! He caused the creature to come!" a woman yelled. All the villagers cried out in agreement and waved their torches. Suddenly, Shai reached up and grabbed Kuromoui's ear and whispered. Kuromoui blinked.

" He says to leave me alone," he said. Shai nodded and whispered again. Kuromoui's eyes filled with sadness. " He says I am a hero," he added. The people stared in disbelief. The Elder approached Kuromoui and Shai. He placed a hand on Shai, who tensed. Kuromoui narrowed his eyes.

" Will you talk to us, child?" the Elder asked. Shai shook his head and hugged Kuromoui tightly. Shai whispered in to Kuromoui's ear.

" He does not want to speak to anyone but me," Kuromoui translated. The Elder looked at Shai, then Kuromoui.

" You have cast a spell on the child," the Elder said.

" If you wish to believe that, then do. I cannot convince you otherwise," Kuromoui replied, coldly. He pulled Shai away from the Elder. " I will take care of him, since he trusts me enough to speak to me alone," he snapped. He turned and walked towards his tent. " We are leaving. That monster will try again," Kuromoui added, bluntly. " So don't worry your pretty little heads about it,"

" Go and leave the child. You have done enough," a woman said.

" No," Kuromoui replied, then entered his tent. A rumble of anger echoed through the villages.

" Let him go," the Elder said, eyes narrowed. The villagers turned to look at him. He shook his head. " And may the Great Ladon protect Shaihikari,"

Daybreak. Dawn inched over the foreboding mountains. Kuromoui was all packed and ready to set out. He had packed all of his belongings, as well as all of Shai's that he could salvage from his tent. Kuromoui thought of selling his tent but it was quite plain that none of the villagers wanted anything he had touched. They wouldn't even burn it, for fear of contaminating the village. So it was to be left in the far corner of the city. Left and to be forgotten like a bad memory. That suited Kuromoui just fine. He tied down the bundle to Thunderclap, who stood silently. He rocked back and forth, a tad anxious to go. Kuromoui turned to look at Shai, who stood behind him, wrapped in a massive white cloak. It was far too big for him. It looked like a massive robe. Shai looked up at him with sad eyes. Kuromoui sighed heavily. He scooped up the tiny child and hugged him, then set him upon Thunderclap. Shai held the reigns tightly. He never said a word. Kuromoui sighed. Shai hadn't spoken above a whisper ever since his parents.... Kuromoui shook his head. No, do not dwell. Not until they were safe. Kuromoui climbed up on to Thunderclap, right behind Shai. Shai snuggled up against him. Kuromoui gave the reigns a snap and Thunderclap leaped forward and raced through the gates. Neither Kuromoui nor Shai turned to look upon town. The town of Dragnier. They raced across the plains and in to the mountains. Kuromoui knew where they were to go. The mainland. The green land, as he called it. Across the sea. He already knew how to get there. He would go to the Colony and take the transporter there to the mainland. He couldn't use the one in Dragnier for it was sealed up for some unknown reason. Most likely due to stupid fear. Kuromoui sighed. It would be a long trip. He felt bad for taking Shai with him. But he also felt a strong desire to protect his only friend, a friend he was sure had been punished for not shunning him. And that desire was stronger than any excuse he could possibly think of to keep Shai from coming. Thunderclap leaped and bounded through the rocky path, heading for it's destination. The first of many. Kuromoui just hoped he was strong enough to protect Shai. And he hoped that the villagers were wrong about him.

Dawn had long since come and gone upon the mighty city of Wyndia. Noon approached, bringing warmth to dry the morning dew. The people of Wyndia scampered around to do their daily chores and work in their businesses. In the cafe upon the second level of the city, a white tiger reclined in a seat, drinking some coffee from a tan colored mug and reading the newspaper. His wooden staff was cropped up against his seat. He uttered a content growl and twitched his tail. A bird twittered upon the stone railing but the tiger felt himself too important to go chasing birds. Besides, it was too small. The tiger's ears pricked up as the sound of heavy footprints echoed against the stone floor but he didn't bother to look up from his newspaper.

" Hullo, Sledge. What's up with you?" the tiger inquired, calmly. A massive armadillo creature wearing a maroon tunic approached the tiger's table. He squinted his eyes to see the tiger and even bent over a little.

" Not much, Rik. I heard you were in town and decided to drop in," the armadillo replied. He cracked his neck and rubbed his shoulder. " Aye, work's been a bit rough at the armor shop.... but I love it," Sledge said, grinning. Rik looked up from his paper and grinned.

" I always said you were as strong as an ox," Rik teased. Sledge sniffed, indignant.

" ARMADILLO, Rik. Not ox," he said, bluntly. " I am not a hairy beast nor do I have massive horns and a thick skull," he snorted. Rik laughed.

" Aww, I'm just pulling yer tail!" he said.

" I don't have one of THEM either!" Sledge said, grinning. " You snotty old alley cat!" he added. The two shared a laugh. Rik gave Sledge a good-natured punch to the arm, then winced and rubbed his hand. " What brings you around here, Rik?" Sledge asked, grinning at his friend's discomfort.

" I'm searchin' for someone," Rik said, smiling. Sledge raised an eyebrow.

" Deis sent you?" he asked. Rik smiled and nodded, picking up his coffee mug.

" Yep," Rik said as he took a gulp of his coffee. Sledge eyed Rik.

" Who you lookin' for?" he asked. Rik glanced around, then waved to Sledge to come closer. The massive armadillo obliged.

" Th' next Ryu. You know all the legends. Each time darkness threatened the land, a guy with blue hair came 'long and saved the world. And each time his name was Ryu an' he was a light dragon," Rik said. Sledge laughed and slammed Rik on the back, causing him to choke on his coffee and almost fly across the cafe.

" It's about TIME you bloody realized it was more than coincidence! Gah! You're all fools fer taking so LONG. And STILL no one truly realizes it. Oh... and there's ANOTHER sign," Sledge said. Rik blinked.

" There is? What?" he asked. Sledge grinned.

" A princess named Nina is born. Ain't there ALWAYS a Princess Nina?" he asked. Rik blinked.

" You know... yer right. There IS always a Nina.... but I thought...," Rik began.

" Aye, Rik, you've been gone far to long. FAR too long," Sledge said, smiling sadly. Rik tilted his head.

" But...?" he began.

" The Queen gave birth to a Nina 14 years ago. YOU need to stop hanging around Deis so long and get out more," Sledge laughed. Rik blinked.

" She did? I didn't realize.... it has been a tad too long since I actually paid attention to the outside world....," Rik said as he itched his fuzzy chin. "... so you believe ALSO that the cycle begins anew?" he asked. Sledge nodded.

" Aye. Though I didn't expect a warrior of light so soon. Don't the forces of Darkness usually wait a few hundred years 'til they attack again? Hasn't been nearly that much time. In fact, one or two of the heroes are still around, though they's showing their age. Professor Momo.... that plant thing....," Sledge said.

" Peco," Rik interrupted as he sipped his coffee. " And don't forget my grandfather, Rei. He's still around," he added as he grinned.

" Aye, him too. Usually, the dark forces wait until the heroes are dead. Then try again. Oh well.... It's kinda obvious that dark forces are at work. Didn't ya notice the rise in the monster population?" Sledge said. Rik nodded.

" Yeah... now that you mention it... but I never really pay attention. I just hit 'em a few times and continue on my way," Rik admitted. " And as for the dark forces, they may be just trying to get a head start. Which is exactly what WE are going to do," he added. Sledge let out a snort and smiled.

" Enough of this. No more business talk!" he said. " If I wanted to talk work, I'd have stayed at the armor shop! Let's talk 'bout the old times,"

" Oh, knock it off, Sledge. You make it sound like we're a bunch of old men," Rik laughed. Sledge chuckled and sat down in a chair next to Rik. " Though with age, comes beauty," Rik added, grinning.

" In your dreams, tabby," Sledge retorted. The two shared a laugh. " Ya know, with your VIGILANCE, I'll bet your target has slipped right under your kitty litter nose," Sledge snickered.

Kuromoui stared in awe. He had NEVER seen such a large town before in his life. So this was Wyndia, home of the legendary bird men. It was a HUGE change to the town he came from. Kuromoui felt Shai snuggle up against him. Kuromoui glanced down. Shai was fast asleep. He was exhausted. Kuromoui sighed. He would have preferred to find somewhere that was NOT heavily populated. But, he must think about Shai. Not about himself. Thunderclap stomped a hoof, impatient. He gave the reigns a jerk and glanced back at his rider. Kuromoui sighed again and gave the reigns a snap. Thunderclap slowly trotted towards the gates to the massive town. Kuromoui tensed when he saw the armed guards, even though there was no reason for him to. They did not know him. They did not know who or what he was. Why should he be worried? Still, he tensed. Much to his surprise, the guards nodded happily towards him and even bid him a good afternoon. Kuromoui stopped Thunderclap and looked at the guards, astonished.

" What is it, young man?" one of the guards inquired. Realizing how stupid he must look, Kuromoui regained his dignity.

" Could you direct me to the safest Inn within this city? My friend needs sleep, as does my horse," he said, trying to sound more mature than he looked. The guards grinned at him.

" Sure, kiddo. There's an Inn just up the street a bit. Can't miss it," one said. Kuromoui nodded his thanks. He slid off of Thunderclap and laid Shai down on the horse's back. Then, he started leading Thunderclap down the road by the bridle. It was apparent that Thunderclap enjoyed the city as much as Kuromoui did. The last thing Kuromoui wanted was for Thunderclap to panic. So he decided to lead his horse. He headed towards the Inn. He glanced at the building. It was a lot different than the tent he was used to. For one, it was made of wood. Wood was rare where he came from. He would not call that place home. It had never been one. Merely a place he had been forced to remain for a period of time. Kuromoui tied his horse to a fence post and peered inside. A nicely dressed woman stood at the desk. She smiled up at Kuromoui.

" How may I help you, young man?" she asked. Kuromoui was shocked and suspicious of such kindness. Not even his father showed him this much. He raised an eyebrow and stepped inside. Shai yawned and opened his eyes. He glanced around. His eyes opened with utter awe as he saw the majestic beauty of the town. What particularly caught his eyes were the huge green trees and the grass. Shai smiled happily and slid off of Thunderclap's back. Thunderclap snorted and looked down at Shai, not moving an inch so as not to accidentally trample the child. Shai beamed and raced towards the trees. He placed a hand on the bark and stared, enthralled. He touched a leaf and a blade of grass. He let out a silent giggle. Then, his little eyes caught sight of a flower. It was blue and white. To Shai, it was the most beautiful thing in the entire world. He just HAD to show it to Kuromoui! Shai grinned and gently scooped up the flower, even taking the dirt and roots so as not to harm it. He then turned to run back to Kuromoui. He bumped in to something and let out a silent cry of surprise. He glanced up and blinked. Standing before him where three tall children. They were older than him and dressed differently. There was a chubby boy with greasy brown hair, brown eyes, and a blue tunic. There was also a scrawny girl with fluffy blonde hair, green eyes and wore a purple tunic. Finally, there was a slightly tall, muscular boy with red hair and blue eyes. He wore a red tunic. All three looked at Shai. They made him uncomfortable. He blinked.

" What are you doing?" the chubby boy asked. Shai blinked.

" Answer, kid," the girl said. Shai tilted his head. " ANSWER! What? You DEAF?"

" What do you think's wrong with the kid?" the chubby boy asked. The girl shrugged.

" I think the brat's stuck up," the tall boy said, a sneer growing on his face.

" Yeah! I beat you're right!" the chubby boy said, sharing the same sneer as the tall boy. The tall boy shoved Shai, slightly. Shai stepped back, blinking. They scared him.

" Answer, kid, or we'll beat an answer out of you!" the girl taunted. Shai said nothing. He stared in surprise. What did they want? The tall boy growled and grabbed Shai's cloak.

" What are you, stupid?" the tall boy hissed.

" No, he just doesn't want to talk to you," a voice growled.

" And WHO are YOU-" the tall boy growled as he whirled. His eyes bugged out. He was staring at knees. He glanced up higher, in hope of seeing a face. He came face to face with a demon. Kuromoui. Kuromoui's eyes were narrowed, practically glowing with rage. Kuromoui's tattoo WAS. The dragon eyes to his tattoo glowed blood red. The tall boy gulped. Was it just him or did that dragon tattoo just turn to look right at him? Kuromoui bared his teeth.

" Who am I?" he hissed, his voice deep and threatening. " Who am I, you ask? I'll tell you who *I* am. *I* am a demon with the name of a demon," he growled. The three children scampered back. Shai blinked and tilted his head. " Now hear this. If you EVER... EVER harass my little friend again... I swear, by whomever you hold holiest, NONE shall find bodies," Kuromoui snarled. " Now get out of my sight,"

" Y-Y-YESSIR!!" the tall boy croaked. The three children practically tore at each other as they tried to run. Kuromoui glared after them as Shai blinked. He then grabbed Kuromoui's pant leg and tugged. Kuromoui glanced down. Shai grinned and held up the flower. Kuromoui smiled.

" It's gorgeous, Shai! Do you wish to keep it?" he said. Shai shook his head and put the flower back in the ground where he found it. He patted the dirt down and kissed the flower petals. Then, he stood up and hugged Kuromoui. Kuromoui hefted up Shai. Shai grabbed Kuromoui's ear and tugged. He whispered. He was tired and hungry. Kuromoui smiled and nodded.

" How about a BIG meal, Little Shai?" he asked. Shai nodded vigorously. " How about this... I go to the cafe and get you some MMMM-MMMM food while you take a nap in the Inn?" he asked. Shai nodded again. Kuromoui smiled. " Allright! Now... FIRST we got to get you napping and Thunderclap taken care of," he said. He grabbed Thunderclap's reigns and took him around back, tying him to a post. After Kuromoui and Shai had finished feeding, watering, and brushing down Thunderclap, Kuromoui hefted up Shai once again and entered the Inn.

" What's all the commotion about?" Rik demanded as he glanced around. Sledge shrugged.

" Some kid took care of a couple of bullies. Nothing to worry your fuzzy head over," Sledge said. Rik raised an eyebrow.

" What did he look like?" he asked.

" NOTHING like the one you seek, so don't worry," Sledge said as he shrugged his massive shoulders. " I doubt your search will be THAT easy,"

" I guess you're right," Rik said. He took a final sip of his coffee. " Though it would have been nice if it was him,"

" You optimistic alley cat," Sledge teased. Rik laughed. Then, he tensed. His ears flicked back and he glanced back. A young man dressed in black leather with long black hair and glowing green eyes. A dragon tattoo was on his forehead. He carried a cold feeling about him, causing people to give him respectable distance. He approached the counter to the cafe. The cafe owner glanced at him.

" How may I help you?" he asked, smiling cheerily. The man seemed uncomfortable with the cheeriness and wrapped himself deeper within a cloak of gloom.

" What kinda food do you have?" he asked.

" Oh, let me show you our selection!" the cafe owner said, grinning. Rik tilted his head and watched the young man. He was quite out of the ordinary. And the tattoo was one in a million.

" It's not polite to stare, Rik," Sledge scolded. Rik jerked, then smiled.

" Yeah. Sorry 'bout that. The kid just struck me as odd," he said.

" And a white tiger man ISN'T?" Sledge inquired. Rik blinked, then laughed.

" Allright, allright! I get your point!" Rik said, waving his paws in surrender. He tried not to watch as the young man walked away from the cafe carrying food. It was none of his business. Besides, it wasn't the one he was seeking. Why should he care? Rik leaned back and stretched. Sledge snorted.

" HONESTY, Rik. How can you possibly find him if you aren't more alert?" Sledge scolded.

" I'll figure it out," Rik laughed.

" You are about as responsible as your GRANDFATHER!" Sledge said, chuckling.

" Why thank you," Rik grinned.

" What did you say he looked like again?" a lean young woman inquired. She had long blonde hair and hazel eyes. She wore gold colored armor decorated in green gems. Under it she wore a green tunic. She wore a cape of green and her boots and gloves were dirty brown leather. She had a sword in a golden sheath attached to her plain brown belt. He had a green headband around her forehead. She stood in a dark alley by the cafe, looking down upon a child with red hair.

" He looked like a demon, ma'am! And I SWEAR, that tattoo on his forehead LOOKED at me!" the child cried. He brushed the dirt from his red tunic and nodded. " An' he even admitted he was a demon!"

"... hear this, Pike?" the woman asked, turning to look over her shoulder. A young man leaned against the wall of the alley, polishing a deadly looking spear. He had shoulder length chestnut colored hair and brown eyes. He wore a plain outfit of green pants and shirt with brown leather boots and vest.

" Indeed I do, Cris," the man replied. " Sounds like demon to me,"

" As it does to me, Pike," Cris replied. She narrowed her eyes. " Thanks, kid. We can handle it," she said. The child nodded, a slight grin appearing on his face. Then, he turned and ran. " This is GREAT, Pike! Our chance!" Cris cried, rubbing her hands together. " A REAL LIVE demon!"

" How can you tell?" Pike asked.

" Come on, what kind of person has a tattoo that MOVES?" Cris asked, smiling. Pike nodded.

" Good point. So now what? We haven't killed a demon in months. Are we ready?" he asked. Cris laughed.

" Come now, Pike. Is that any way for a Dragon Slayer to talk?" she giggled. Pike grinned.

" You're right. So, when do we attack?" he said.

" Tonight," Cris said. She held out her hand. Pike grinned and grasped it.

" Tonight," he said.

Darkness filled every corner of Wyndia. Crickets chirped loudly within the grassy plain surrounding the city. A gentle breeze whipped about, tickling the shutters. Kuromoui snuggled against the warm blanket, unused to sleeping within such solid walls. There were two beds in the room. One for him and one for Shai. When Kuromoui and Shai had retired that night, they went to their separate beds. Then, to Kuromoui's surprise, some time during the period of uneasy sleep that followed, Shai had snuck in to Kuromoui's bed. Kuromoui had discovered this when he felt tiny pairs of feet planted right in to the middle of his back. Kuromoui retreated from his bed with dignity and allowed Shai to sleep in it while he himself slept in Shai's bed. But Shai would not have it. Again, Kuromoui felt tiny feet against his back. Kuromoui grew exasperated. He again changed beds and settled down. It was not to be. During Kuromoui's sleep, Shai changed beds and was snuggling up in Kuromoui's, sticking his feet in to his friend's back. Kuromoui gave up. He allowed Shai to have his way and did his best to sleep, ignoring the cold feet against his flesh. Now, he was partly awake and feeling the fury of Shai's kicks. He tried to ignore it but ever so often, Shai kicked with a tad too much force. Kuromoui sighed. He supposed it wasn't something to get upset over. The kid had gone through a lot. Let him have his comfort, even if it meant allowing the child to beat him black and blue in his sleep. Maybe he'd eventually start speaking to others again. Kuromoui closed his eyes and relaxed as best he could, considering how he had someone kicking his back. He listened to the crickets, hoping they could sing him to sleep. Instead, he heard a sound that greatly disturbed him. The sound of footsteps in the hall. Kuromoui jerked up. He tensed, listening. Yes. Footsteps. And they were heading for his room. His instincts told him this, CLEARLY. Kuromoui grabbed his sword and unsheathed it. He crawled out of bed. The only thing he wore were his pants. He let Shai snuggle up in the warm spot his body had caused to form on the sheets. Then, Kuromoui inched towards the door. He held his sword high over his head, in preparation to swing. Fatally. The footsteps stopped but Kuromoui did not relax. He trusted his senses too well to allow himself to rest. And he made the right choice. The door knob turned, slightly. Kuromoui tensed. A woman's head appeared in to view. She had long brown hair and wore armor with mostly green cloth. Kuromoui remained hidden in the shadows and glared. Woman or no, he would not hesitate to kill if need be. The woman turned slightly and looked at Shai, who was curled up in the bed. The woman grinned slightly. She inched in to the room. Kuromoui acted. With a roar, he slashed at the woman. The woman managed to leap back before the blade came down. The blade sliced open her arm. If she had waited a mere second, it would have been her head. The woman shrieked out and reached for her sword and dashed out of the room. Shai opened his eyes, saw the blood, and whimpered.

" Shhh... shhh, Little Shai... it's allright... I'm going to handle EVERYTHING...," Kuromoui whispered over to Shai as he inched out the door. The woman was no where to be seen. Kuromoui narrowed his eyes and slink down the hallway, his gaze darting around the hallway. Where was she? He neared the corner and peered down the stairs towards the main office. A shiver ran up his spine. Kuromoui whirled just in time to see a sword come crashing down upon his hands, causing him to jerk back and drop his blade upon the floor with a clatter. Kuromoui leaped back, growling out curses at his clumsiness. The woman grinned, delighted, and pointed her sword at Kuromoui.

" Your reign of terror ends NOW, demon!" the woman said.

" WHO are you?" Kuromoui hissed as his eyes narrowed.

" I am champion of the weak! I am Cris! I come to right wrongs and triumph over evil!" Cris cried out, as if reciting a speech. She began making all sorts of odd gestures. Kuromoui blinked in surprise. " I am avenger of the innocents! Warrior of the wronged! Defender of justice! Challenger for the incapable! Power for the powerless! Savior of the frail! Fighter of the flimsy! Hero of the aimless! Keeper of the peace!" Cris cried out as she grinned defiantly, making for ridiculous poses and gestures. Kuromoui raised an eyebrow and snorted.

" Oh for Ladon's sake.... where do these people come from? FROST!" Kuromoui groaned. A blast of chilling ice shot forth from Kuromoui's hand, slamming in to Cris. Cris stumbled back, crying out in pain and surprise. She scrambled back and leaped behind the corner as Kuromoui reached for his sword and swung at her head.

" HEY HEY HEY!" Cris cried. " You weren't supposed to do that!"

" Yeah, well I do a LOT of things I'm not SUPPOSED to do," Kuromoui hissed. Cris cried out again as Kuromoui leaped at her, his sword positioned to impale her. Cris seemed thoroughly distressed by Kuromoui's lack of fear towards her. She brought her sword up, it's blade meeting Kuromoui's in an attempt to fend off the slashing blade.

" AIEEEE! PIKE!!" Cris yelped out. Kuromoui didn't realize the full meaning of those words until he felt a searing pain within his side as a tall man dressed in green clothes leaped out of another room and slammed a sharp spear in to his side. Kuromoui uttered a hiss of pain and rage. He leaped back and clamped a hand over his bloodied side. With a grunt, he stepped back. The one called Pike stepped forward, holding out his spear, which oozed with blood. Cris regained her dignity and stood tall and defiant. " All outta tricks NOW, aren't you?" she taunted. Kuromoui snorted.

" Hardly," he snapped. " SLEEP!" he cried as he hurled a magic spell at the two. Cris cried out in surprise as the spell slammed in to her. She laid there for a bit, comatose. She heard footsteps but the sound did not register. Finally, slowly but surely, her senses returned and she again could think. Chris stumbled to her feet and turned to look at her companion. He was fast asleep upon the floor.

" Pike!" Cris cried. " Pike, wake up!" she demanded. Pike let out a content sigh and continued to sleep. " This is NO way for warriors of justice to act!" Cris scolded. Suddenly, a loud neigh echoed from outside. Cris ran to the window and peered out. The demon! The demon and the little child were riding towards the gates on a black horse in battle armor! " PIKE!" Cris cried. " They're getting away!!!" The only answer she got was a snore. " Dangit.... we were supposed to WIN!" Cris mumbled. " Don't worry, Pike. We'll get them next time," Cris said, flicking her hair. " And next time, I'll have his head!"

After what seemed like eternity, Thunderclap finally ceased his blazing ride and stopped to rest deep within a forest due east of Wyndia. A small pool glittered and Thunderclap approached it, thirstily. Kuromoui slid off of Thunderclap and set Shai upon the ground. Then he sat down and leaned against a rock. Placing his sword next to him, Kuromoui peeled off his shirt. He had put it on quite hastily in his mad dash from the Inn. Now, it was soaked in blood. An ugly gash ran down his side from where the spear had punctured him. Kuromoui grimaced and shook his head.

" CARELESS. That is what you are. Careless," he scolded himself. Shai blinked and approached Kuromoui. He kneeled beside Kuromoui and hugged him tightly. Kuromoui tensed as Shai touched his wound. Shai looked at it, then ran to the pool. Kuromoui blinked. Shai ripped off a chunk of his sleeve, dipped it in the water, then ran back over to Kuromoui and gently dabbed his wound with the cloth. Kuromoui hissed in pain as Shai tenderly cleaned the bloodied wound. Kuromoui smiled through his pain down at Shai. Shai smiled back at his friend. " Thank you, little Shai!" Kuromoui said, grinning. Shai let out a silent giggle and threw his arms around Kuromoui's neck. Then with a silent little yawn, Shai snuggled his head against Kuromoui's neck and drifted to sleep. Kuromoui blinked, then smiled and leaned back gently so as not to awake the tired little child. He relaxed by the pool, and looked upward through the tree tops, at the stars in the sky. The crickets sung loudly and, much to his dismay, he found himself beginning to doze off. The lose of blood and fatigue began to take a firm grip upon him. Within seconds, he had drifted in to a deep sleep. Silence reigned as the two slept, content to allow the world to pass them by. Apparently the world had no such plan.

" The dummy asleep?"

" Dunno,"

" Look, Dummy!"

" NOT A DUMMY! YOU'RE A DUMMY!"

From out of the bushes floated two odd little creatures. They had long flowing hair, glistening bug wings, and puffs of hair on their wrists and ankles. And both wore not one scrap of cloth on them. Fairies. One of the fairies had sparkling orange hair while another had forest green.

" They dead?" the orange haired one inquired.

" No, dummy!" the other one snarled.

" NOT A DUMMY!!!" the orange haired one growled.

" BOTH OF YOU! SHUT UP!" another voice barked. Both fairies stopped their talk and turned. From out of the bushes stepped another fairy. She wore a white tank top, tight tan colored shorts, hiking boots, white socks, and a tan colored vest. Her hair was purple with pink and blue stripes and her wings were purple and blue with pink spots. She planted her hands on her hips and glowered at Kuromoui and Shai. " What do we have here?" she mumbled.

" Dummies," the other two fairies answered.

" Humph. You're right about that. Dumb to fall asleep with THAT wound," the dressed fairy commented as she looked at Kuromoui's gash. " Oh well... don't you two dummies worry. Ol' Jiei will help ya. Take them back home!" she said. The other fairies looked at each other, than her.

" Dummy's home?" one asked.

" NO. OUR home," Jiei snapped. The fairies grinned and nodded. They floated over to the sleeping duo. Thunderclap neighed, angrily, and stomped his feet. Jiei grabbed the reigns. " Eeeaaasy, boy. Easy," she said, soothingly. The other fairies floated in to the bushes, carrying their cargo of the sleeping Kuromoui and Shai. Jiei smiled to herself and followed suit, guiding Thunderclap in to the bushes. A bright flash followed. Then, silence.

" Are you sure this is where you heard voices, Cris?" a voice asked. Scrambling through the trees came two familiar faces. Cris and Pike. They glanced around.

" I'm sure, Pike... Look! There's blood! Fresh too!" Cris said. Pike rubbed his chin.

" Well... where'd they go?" he asked.

" They couldn't have gotten far... let's look for them," Cris suggested. Pike nodded. He used his spear to poke at the bushes as Cris walked in to the woods a bit. From a top a tree, Jiei grinned broadly and leaned against a branch. Her blue eyes glittered mischievously.

" Hmmm..... it HAS been a while since I had a little bit of.... fun," Jiei giggled. With a laugh, she leaped down from the tree in to the bushes. Jiei's little head appeared just a few feet away from Pike. With an evil grin, Jiei pulled a sickly green and brown colored slime ball out of her pocket. The smell was HORRIBLE. Jiei held her nose and tossed the slime ball at Pike. Pike's nose twitched and he jerked. What was that RANCID smell?! He turned. His eyes focused on the slime ball as it oozed towards him. Pike's eyes opened wide.

" CRIS! A SLIME!" Pike yelped as he stumbled back, trying not to breath in the horrible odor.

" So? Warriors of justice are not worried about mere slimes," Cris retorted, disdainfully.

" But... but... the SMELL!!" Pike wailed as he scrambled back and tripped on a log. The smell was like rancid milk and manure combined. It was AWFUL. Pike started gagging and choking upon the smell. Jiei giggled from her hiding place. Pike dropped to all fours and started crawling away.

" Pike! WHAT are you doing?" Cris demanded. "..... And what is that SMELL?" she yelped. She held her nose and grimaced. " When was the last time YOU took a bath!?" she hissed. Pike shook his head vigorously.

" It's not me! The slime is...,"

" Honestly, Pike. You have GOT to learn to be more clean!" Cris scolded. Pike grew red in the face.

" I bathe!" he retorted.

" Once a month, yeah," Cris growled. Jiei cackled to herself. This was getting good. She grinned as the slime oozed over to the unsuspecting Cris. Without warning, the ooze clamped on to Cris's leg. Cris blinked and looked down at her leg. Then, the screaming began.

Comfort. For once, all he felt was comfort. Kuromoui woke with a start, thinking something was amiss. When he opened his eyes, he was surprised. Though he wasn't sure if he liked it. Kuromoui found himself in a big bed with massive, fluffy blankets and plump pillows. The room was otherwise bare, though the wall was oddly painted to look like the sky. Kuromoui blinked.

" Shai?" he whispered, looking about. Nothing. Panic rose from his gut. He leaped from the bed. He found a bandage covering his side wound and that all we wore were his pants. Kuromoui looked around, wildly. " SHAI!!!" he cried.

" Easy there, tiger," a female voice crooned. " The kid's eatin' breakfast,"

" Wha...?" Kuromoui gasped as he looked around. Standing in the doorway was a fairy wearing a tan vest, pants, hiking boots, and a white tank top. Her hair was purple with pink and blue stripes. Her wings were a shimmering purple and blue, with pink spots sprinkled here and there. She grinned up at Kuromoui, tossing her hair. " Who are you? What's going on?!" Kuromoui growled.

" Mmmm-mmm-mmm...," the fairy said as she examined Kuromoui. " Nice chunk a male, ain't ya?" she inquired. Kuromoui blinked. " What's yer name, tiger?" the fairy asked, grinning oddly at Kuromoui.

"... what's it to ya?!" Kuromoui hissed. The fairy shrugged.

" I'll just call ya Tiger," the fairy said. " I'm Jiei. But you can call me ANYTIME," she giggled. Kuromoui wrinkled his nose. " Hungry, tiger?" she asked. Kuromoui nodded. " Well, much as I hate ta say it... put yer clothes on," Jiei said, grinning. Kuromoui glanced around, looking for his clothes. Jiei pointed to a bundle in the corner. Kuromoui approached and picked it up. His clothes. Kuromoui glanced over at Jiei, who had every intention of watching.

" *ahem*...?" Kuromoui coughed. Jiei made a face.

" Oh, you're no fun," she pouted. She turned and closed her eyes. Kuromoui hurriedly put on his clothes. Adjusting his belt, he looked to see Jiei peeping over at him. She grinned. " Follow me," Jiei said, tossing her hair again. She walked out of the door. Kuromoui followed her and glanced around, in awe. He was in a HUGE house, though the floors were more arranged like a market's. Two stall-like rooms on the first level, separated by a massive hall with two stairs leading upward. Then, two more stall-like rooms, separated by stairs yet again that lead upwards. The entire building was arranging in a steep, climbing arrangement. In fact, the entire building looked kinda like stairs, with the first floor as step one and so on. Kuromoui followed Jiei out of the building. He blinked and rubbed his eyes. He was in the mountains! Though it was oddly arranged. Down some stairs to the west of the building was a beach that lead out to a huge sea. To the south, there was a small little shed. Farther south, down a winding path, was a ring of flowers. Kuromoui blinked again, unsure of what to think. It was like a small town made up of one massive building and a shed. But the oddest thing was that the only inhabitants were multi-colored fairies. Kuromoui rubbed his eyes. Was he dreaming? He suddenly felt a hard tug at his pants. He glanced down. Jiei grinned up at him. " Coming or not?" she asked.

" Where?" Kuromoui asked.

" To breakfast!" Jiei replied, laughing.

" Dummy," a nearby fairy giggled. Jiei glowered at her, causing the fairy to scamper away.

" Follow me," Jiei commanded. Kuromoui didn't feel like arguing. He followed Jiei towards the beach. Then, he noticed something odd. A rather hidden trail leading upwards. It looked fairly new compared to the other path. Jiei tromped up it. Kuromoui followed. After a little walk, the two arrived at a cute little tea house on a flat area of the mountain. There were little tables all around, surrounded with flowers and grass. In the middle stood a little building with a wrap-around porch. Smoke came from the chimney. Kuromoui blinked. He looked around, itching his head. " Lovely, ain't it? My idea," Jiei said, bursting with pride. " C'mon, Tiger. Lemme take you to yer friend," Jiei said as she walked. She took Kuromoui towards a table around back. Shai sat there, shoving cup cakes and dumplings in his mouth at an alarming rate. He looked up at Kuromoui and waved his arms vigorously. He ran to Kuromoui and offered him a dumpling.

" Thank you, little Shai...," Kuromoui said as he accepted the dumpling and took a bite. Shai grabbed Kuromoui's arm and dragged him over to the table, where they sat down. Jiei sniffed, disdainfully.

" What kind of breakfast is dumplings and cup cakes?" she demanded. The fairies about her shrugged. " *DUMMIES*!! Get GOOD food. Oatmeal. Bacons. Eggs!" she commanded. The fairies nodded vigorously and zipped off. Jiei sighed, shook her head, and sat by Kuromoui. Kuromoui tried to scoot away from Jiei but she scooted closer.

" Umm... I thought that...," Kuromoui began.

" That all fairies are stupid and need people to tell them what to do?" Jiei finished as she smiled. " They are. Except me," she said with a cocky grin. " See... since Ryu 'n the others stopped visiting, everything started going down the tube," Jiei explained. " Fairies started starving 'cause they weren't smart enough to look for food," Jiei said, seriously. Kuromoui tilted his head. Ryu? Who was that? " Atleast... until *I* was hatched," Jiei said, saucily, as she interrupted his thoughts. Kuromoui blinked again. He looked up and watched as a group of fairies brought in a tray full of food. They placed it on the ground, then stood there, staring at Jiei. As if waiting for her to say something. Or tell them to do something. Jiei grinned. " Allright.. you all can go and hunt," Jiei said.

" Already got all sorts of food," one fairy piped up. Jiei blinked.

" Then go and clear some more land," she said.

" Already cleared," another said. Jiei's eyes flashed.

" Go sweep the beach, then!" she snarled.

" Hokay!" the fairies said. They zipped off towards the beach, carrying brooms. Jiei shook her head, then turned and grinned at Kuromoui. Kuromoui blinked.

" Umm.. sooooo... why aren't there any males around here? I mean... the fairies all seem.... female. I mean... they lack... the.. um.... male.. characteristics," he said, quickly. Jiei shrugged.

" We don't need males. We grow from cocoons so we have no use for male counterparts," she said. Then she grinned wickedly. She snuggled in to Kuromoui's lap and grinned up. " But that don't mean WE can't have something special going on, tiger," she crooned. Kuromoui felt his stomach knot up. He did NOT like this turn of events.

" Actually.... me... and little Shai planned on heading out...," Kuromoui gulped. Jiei didn't seem to hear him. She was too busy touching his cheek.

" Mmmm-hmmmmm.....," she mumbled, grinning. Kuromoui grimaced.

" Ummm... Mrs. Jiei...," he began.

" Just call me Jiei, Tiger," Jiei giggled.

" Jiei... we really should be going," he said. Jiei's face fell.

" Why?" she asked, pouting.

" Well.. you see... there's this gargoyle-like creature...," Kuromoui began.

" Gargoyle-like...? Sounds like Guardian Garr," Jiei commented. Kuromoui's eyes instantly narrowed.

" Guardian... Garr?" he inquired.

" Oh, sure, tiger. He's this strong gargoyle-like beast who's Champion of the Arena," Jiei replied. Kuromoui's eyes shimmered with dark emotion. Garr? Gargoyle-like beast? Could it be... the one that attacked Shai's parents? He leaped to his feet. Jiei yelped out in surprise. " What are you doing?" Jiei cried.

" I'm going to MEET this Guardian Garr," Kuromoui hissed. He let out a piercing whistle. A thundering sound soon echoed from the path. Thunderclap leaped over to Kuromoui, bucking and neighing fiercely. " Where's Arena?" Kuromoui asked.

" Central Wyndia.... South of Wyndia the capital, past Maekyss Gorge...," Jiei said, surprised. " But...,"

" How do I get out?" Kuromoui asked as he hefted up Shai and placed him on Thunderclap's back.

" Through the flower circle to the south, tiger...," Jiei replied, blinking.

" Thank you! 'Til we meet again...," Kuromoui began.

" Wait! Tiger!" Jiei called. Kuromoui did not seem to hear her. He was down the path within moments, Thunderclap leaping and raced towards the ring of flowers. Before Jiei would say anything else, Kuromoui, Shai, and Thunderclap were gone. Jiei shook her head and sighed. "... but Garr's dead!" she whispered.

Kuromoui rode Thunderclap as hard as he dared along the road. The capital of Wyndia was in sight. With a determined grin, Kuromoui steered Thunderclap towards the turn to Maekyss Gorge. He was so intent on reaching Arena that he failed to notice a white tiger and an armadillo walking in the same direction, in the middle of the road. Thunderclap reared back, crying out, as he tried to avoid the two. Kuromoui yelped and pulled back on the reigns. Thunderclap reared back again and bounded aside. Then, he came to a stop. Kuromoui patted Thunderclap and mentally apologized to him for such a fright. Shai, on the other hand, had loved the ride. He was waving his little arms and laughing silently. The tiger and the armadillo were less than pleased.

" Why don't you watch what you're doing, you lunatic?!" the white tiger hissed. Kuromoui glared at the white tiger, defiantly.

" Why don't YOU go play in your litter box?!" he retorted. The white tiger's eyes narrowed.

" Trying to start something...?" the tiger growled.

" Only if YOU are," Kuromoui snapped. The tiger looked about ready to leap. Kuromoui's hand strayed to his sword.

" Calm yerself, Rik. He's just a smart mouth kid," the armadillo said, eying Kuromoui.

" Better get that cat neutered, mister," Kuromoui growled. " He might getcha in to trouble!" he added with a laugh. He then spurred Thunderclap on, who barreled past the tiger and the armadillo, who looked very angry. Kuromoui grinned to himself. Shai glanced up at him and smiled. Kuromoui felt a pang of guilt. He didn't need to have been so rude in front of Shai. He hugged Shai, who hugged back. He glanced back over his shoulder. The tiger and the armadillo were nowhere in sight. Kuromoui shrugged and set his attention on the road before him.

" Funky haired punk!" Rik roared after the retreating rider that had nearly run them over. He growled and kicked at the dirt. He looked at Sledge. " Did you see... why wouldn't you...," Rik began. Sledge shook his head.

" It was just some smart mouth kid, Rik. Just ignore him and continue on," Sledge said. Rik fumed.

" But he said...," Rik growled.

" I know what he said. Rik, would it have made you feel better to kill a child?" Sledge demanded, his voice stern. Rik blinked, then sighed.

" I guess yer right... but he was just so... so... arrogant!" Rik said, throwing his paws up in the air. Sledge smiled.

" That he was. But he was still a kid," Sledge said. ".. though I must say... that other child with him looked oddly familiar...," Sledge said. Rik blinked.

" You too?" Rik inquired. Sledge nodded. "... you don't suppose...?"

" Naaaww...," Sledge said, grinning. " I didn't get a good look, true... but he couldn't a been. Too soon in the search," he said. " Ladon never makes it that easy,"

" Yeah... I guess yer right," Rik said, shaking his head. " Let's hurry to the Arena. We don't want to keep Deis waiting,"

" Why IS she at the Arena?" Sledge inquired.

" 'cause Arena is holding another tournament," Rik replied. " She's hoping that the one we seek will show at the tournament. If anything, she'll atleast find some strong warriors to help us search," Rik said with a shrug.

" Ladon curse them to the darkest pit of the after world," Kuromoui spat out in anger. He glared at a large wooden bridge, the only bridge across the Gorge, which he had to cross to get to Arena. Unfortunately, he saw a familiar face. Cris was standing smack in the middle of the bridge and she was surrounded by Wyndian guards. Kuromoui spat out a growl and reared back Thunderclap. He could not go this way. Kuromoui scanned the horizons. Suddenly, something caught his eye. A lift! There was a lift in the mountains. It must be another way to Arena. It was a longer route, indeed, but it avoided unnecessary battle. Plus, he was sure the devil Garr would be warned if he attacked Cris and fought his way through. Kuromoui tugged on the reign and Thunderclap leaped back the way they had come. Shai peered up at Kuromoui and tugged his jacket. Kuromoui leaned down close. Shai grabbed his ear and whispered. Why did they want to find Garr? "... Well, Shai... remember that monster that... attacked your parents and... made them go to sleep?" Kuromoui inquired. Shai nodded, sadly. " Well, I think that monster was the one called Garr," Kuromoui said. Shai's eyes opened wide in fear. " Do not worry, Little Shai. I will defeat him. I'll make sure he'll never hurt you or anyone else ever again," Kuromoui growled as he tightened his grip on Thunderclap's reigns. " EVER,"

The city of Wyndia never looked so radiant than it did when the sun was shining upon it's neat roads and roof tops. Children giggled and rushed through the lanes, enjoying the gentle sun as it shimmered upon them. Suddenly, a growl of thunder echoed through the sky. All eyes darted upwards. From out of nowhere, a huge thunder cloud appeared within the sky, blocking out the sun's warm rays. People gasped in horror and scampered for cover as heavy drops of rain dropped down upon them. Thunder cracked loudly as lightning danced across the sky. Then, just as suddenly as it began, the cloud disappeared and the sun shown as bright as it ever had. Wyndians, old and young, stared in surprise and confusion. What they saw next changed their surprise to utter awe. Standing in the gates of Wyndia were two figures. One was a light pink, almost white, unicorn with a purple mane and tail. He stood upright on his hind legs and had hands instead of hooves on his forearms. He wore a light brown leather tunic with a black belt and black collar. His gold glittering eyes looked about the city. The companion of the unicorn was a man. He wore a deep red tunic and pants with gold and light red markings. His long hair was blonde with a single shimmering streak of crimson, tied in a pony tail with a red ribbon. Around his neck was a shimmering key tied to a red string. But what was most spectacular was that he had a pair of ruby red wings on his back. REAL wings. The feathers glittered in the sunlight. The man stretched them, grinning cockily. He was showing them off. Wyndians stared in awe. There had not been one with wings such as these in a long time. Ever since a Wyndian married one from another clan centuries before, they had lost their gorgeous bird wings and the ability to turn in to a mighty bird. Only their Royal Family ever stood a chance to grow wings. And those wings were a sad shadow of the true wings of old. More like butterfly wings than the majestic wings of birds. The man flicked his hair back and strolled up the stairs of the town, the unicorn following close behind. Towards the palace. People flocked out of their homes to stare in awe as the man strode by, his head held high. He walked with royal dignity and the Wyndians began to wonder. As he approached the guards who stood before the door leading in to the castle, they scampered out of the way and stared. The man opened the doors and strolled, grinning smugly, down the hall. Tapestries and statues of Wyndian warriors of old decorated the room, as well as red rugs with gold decorations. At the far end of the room sat three thrones. A massive gold throne, with two smaller thrones on either side. In two of the thrones sat Wyndians in royal garb. The king and queen. The third throne was empty. The Wyndians in the throne leaped to their feet upon seeing the man. The King growled.

" What are you going here?" he hissed.

" Such a greeting, daddy," the man snorted. " If I didn't know better, I'd think you didn't WANT me here,"

" Latinus, honey...," the queen whispered, her eyes warily locked on the man.

" It's allright, Melodyne. He is no threat to us NOW," Latinus growled. The man tilted his head back and laughed.

" I am every bit a threat as I ever was, daddy," he crooned. Latinus paled considerably.

" Do not call me that again. You are no son of mine," Latinus snapped.

" Oh yes... I forgot. You disowned me," the man said as he tapped his chin. He flapped his wings and smirked. He glanced over at his unicorn companion. " You see, Savage, I was thrown out of Wyndia in a rather disgraceful manner. ME, of all people. One of royal blood!" he said. He tossed his long hair over his shoulder and grinned even wider. The unicorn made no reply, though an evil smirk crossed his face. " Why DID you disown me? I forget," he said.

" YOU, of all people, should not have forgotten what you did," Melodyne said, her eyes sparkling with anger. " You tried to overthrow your own father and take over the kingdom. Or have you forgotten that?" she snapped.

" Oh yeeees... I remember. Though I STILL think I'd be a better king than daddy dearest. He just doesn't have the ambition," the man cackled. He again turned to his companion, Savage. " You see, daddy didn't have the guts to take over the Yraall Road, which would have given us a tighter control on trade in Wyndia. Tsk tsk... such a shame, eh Savage...," he said. Savage uttered a grinding chuckle. Latinus flushed bright red.

" How DARE you... how DARE you come here and say such things. You wanted to conquer ALL of Yraall to fuel YOUR hunger for more wealth and land! Get OUT, Faia! GET OUT! You AND your crony!" Latinus roared.

" The name is no longer just Faia, dear father. It's Kagerufaia," the man growled.

" What...?" Latinus mumbled. " Where did you get such a name like that!?"

" It was given to me, daddy," Kagerufaia said, grinning. He tossed his hair. "As well as this wonderful key..," he continued, his fingers straying to the key about his neck. "... AND my GORGEOUS wings," he added as he spread his shimmering wings. Latinus's eyes narrowed.

" By who!?" he demanded.

" That's none of your business, daddy," Kagerufaia said with a sneer. Latinus slammed his scepter down.

" OUT! OUT! GET OUT!" he demanded. Kagerufaia smirked.

" Only because you asked so NICELY, daddy. But I shall be back. And when I come, I'm the one that's going to be giving the orders. Not you. And most certainly not my little sister, who so rudely took my place as heir to the throne," he said. Melodyne flushed.

" Don't you dare touch-," she began. But Kagerufaia wasn't listening to her. He turned, grinning from ear to ear. Savage followed, his grin matching Kagerufaia's. Melodyne turned to her husband, her eyes wide with panic. " Oh dear... you don't think...?" she whispered.

" Don't even CONSIDER it, love... don't," Latinus whispered. " He wouldn't dare... he couldn't...," Kagerufaia strolled towards the door, grinning smugly. He turned and winked at his father.

" I can and WILL, Daddy dearest. Can and will," Kagerufaia called over his shoulder. With a flicker of his ruby wings, he and Savage were gone.

Thunderclap trotted down the road at a slow, steady pace. Upon his back, Kuromoui held the reigns, though he looked closer to falling asleep. Shai was already asleep, snuggling up against Kuromoui and curling in to a ball. The path was steady and quiet. Night was again upon them as they journeyed down the road towards the mountain lifts in the rocky terrain behind Arena. It was deathly quiet, as Kuromoui was used to in the land he had journeyed from. Shai sighed happily and snuggled deeper in to Kuromoui's jacket, seeking warmth to stifle the night cold. A smile creeped across Kuromoui's face. Suddenly, his face went cold and hard. He stiffened and glanced about with narrowed eyes. Thunderclap began to quicken his pace, apparently spooked. A chill ran up Kuromoui's spine and he jerked the reigns, forcing Thunderclap to leap aside. Just as he did, a volley of arrows buried themselves in the road where they had previously been. Kuromoui dig his heels in to Thunderclap, sending the horse barreling down the road. Shai awoke with a start and looked about in confusion. He held on to Kuromoui with his little arms, eyes opened wide with fear. Kuromoui mumbled out encouragement to Shai as he looked about, searching for his attacker. Another volley barely missed the horse and his riders. Kuromoui spurred Thunderclap on. Suddenly, from out of the shadows leapt men dressed in tattered clothes stained in blood. They ran and stood in the middle of the road, blocking passage. Thunderclap reared back, neighing loudly. Shai whimpered. Kuromoui hissed with rage.

" Stop, traveler, or we'll shoot you down," a voice called from within the shadows. Kuromoui's eyes flared up. He slowed down Thunderclap to a stop and glanced about. Out of the shadows stepped a deep sea blue female unicorn. The unicorn walked upright and had hands instead of hooves on her forearms. She had a tight black dress and a deep purple vest. Her mane and tail were deep green. Her gold eyes glittered as she looked upon Thunderclap and his riders. Kuromoui slipped off Thunderclap with great ease, his hand straying to his blade. The female unicorn let out a snort. " Are you so foolish, boy, as to continue this even though we have you trapped?" she inquired. Kuromoui's eyes narrowed in response. The female unicorn let out a high pitched neigh of laughter. " Do not under-estimate me just because I am a woman, traveler. I, Shimmer, am far your superior," she laughed. Kuromoui's face hardened and his grip tightened on his sword. " I must apologize. Our Master, one of the keepers of the Keys, sent us after someone. We thought you were them. But we still have to kill you. You've seen too much. So sorry," Shimmer crooned as her hand strayed to a dagger at her side. Kuromoui made no response. Shai ducked behind Thunderclap's mane, his big innocent eyes staring out. Shimmer grinned widely. " But think of it this way. You've had the honor of being slain by me," she laughed. Her laugh turned to a pained gasp as a blade slashed her deeply across the arm. She dropped her dagger and clutched her bloody wound as Kuromoui smirked. He tightened his grip upon the handle of his bloodied sword. Shimmer's face twisted with rage. She grabbed her dagger and lunged at Kuromoui, who leaped out of the way and slashed her across the back. Shimmer snarled and dug her dagger in to Kuromoui's side. Kuromoui winced in pain and brought his elbow down on Shimmer's back. Shimmer fell to the ground, hissing in pain. " SHOOT HIM, MORONS! SHOOT THEM ALL!" she shrieked. The men aimed their arrows and let them fly. Multiple things happened at that moment. An arrow whizzed by and embedded itself deep in Shai's shoulder. The child cried out silently in pain, his eyes wide. Thunderclap reared back and shrieked out his fury. Kuromoui's eyes flashed bright red, as did the eyes of his tattoo on his forehead. He dropped his sword and leaped at the man who had shot the arrow, intent on strangling him. Then........

It is said that the screams that issued that night echoed through the forests years later, when the happenings itself was but a faded memory.

Darkness surrounded him. He couldn't see anything, not even his own hands. So cold, he felt so utterly cold and exposed. A beautiful woman's voice echoed through the void.