5- Outsider
#7 of The Legend of Rift Book II: Resurrection
Rift dragged himself through the woods, his tail spade knocking into every root and branch on the ground. Whatever happened a few nights ago did damage on a near comet-strike scale. It was a miracle the cave he found shielded him, lest he had been caught in whatever it was as well.
No leaves could be seen in the forest; the trees were all twisted and rotted from the inside, and the grass was all dead. The wind carried the scent of burning, but also a hint of something different... something he couldn't quite put his claw on.
Exhausted was an understatement for what he felt. He hadn't eaten in a week, and sleep wasn't even an option; he was too far on edge to take the chance. One step after the other, that was all that mattered.
He brought a paw down, and heard the sound of snapping close by. Inhaling quietly, he whipped his head to his right and fired a plume of flame to a small tree on his right. The tree squealed and twisted from the heat, and quickly burned down to ash.
Nothing... He confirmed, shaking his head as he continued on.
A few minutes passed before he heard another snap. Glancing around nervously, he swelled up his chest and released a burst of fire magica, creating a ring of flame that shot out around him. He listened as all the already dead flora around him incinerated. The noise died down after a few moments, leaving him in silence again.
Nothing... Again! There's nothing here! Everything is dead! ...I must be getting delusional...
He marched on, ignoring the screaming from his muscles. His destination was still an age away, but he wasn't going to stop for anything. He stretched his wings out, attempting to give them another test, but the searing pain that poured through his chest nearly crippled him. He forced himself through it however, folding his wings back up and resigning himself to walking.
Minutes passed into hours, and Rift's mind had dazed into a semi-dozing state. All he knew to do was walk forward, one foot after the other. He stopped for a brief moment to catch his breath, when he heard yet another snap. Shaking his head to try and clear it, he looked straight ahead and kept moving.
Another snap was heard to his left. He kept moving. Then another to his right. Rift could feel his apprehension rising, and began to pick up his pace. Soon enough, snaps were being made all around him, and he had broken out into a run. A large, dead tree came to view in front of him, but before he had a chance to turn and go around it, a figure dropped down from it.
Spearing his claws into the crumbling soil, Rift skidded to a stop a few metres in front of the hunched figure. He watched as it stood, his apprehension turning into fear as the creature showed its face.
"Pyrite!?" Rift growled, not knowing how the ape could still be alive.
"Not quite, fool. Pyrite was my father. I am FeS Perido, here to avenge him." The ape spat, drawing his sword and pointing it at Rift. "Prepare to die!"
Taking on a defensive stance, Rift prepared himself for a fight. The Ape in front of him, however, simply waited, grinning. The sound of clumsy feet surrounded the air around him, and he looked around to see Apes had began to walk in from every direction, brandishing a variety of weapons in front of them and bearing armour that glowed and crackled with dark energy.
Helplessness began to flood Rift, the feeling of dread causing him shake. FeS saw this and used the opportunity to wrap a foot around Rift's muzzle and slam it into the ground. He was dazed for a moment, before he felt something press itself against the scales on his back, forcing them apart and burying itself into his flesh.
The searing pain caused him to scream into the dirt, long enough for him to flick his eye back and see the sneering ape stood on his back. The Apes face went from one of victory, to one of surprise as Rifts tail-spade whipped upwards and pierced into it's throat.
Shaking his head to remove the foot around his muzzle, Rift stood and roared, issuing his challenge to all around him. He saw FeS sneer, and charged at him just as the Ape yelled;
"Destroy this whelp!"
Rage fueled his every action, from swinging his tail to biting down through steel and flesh alike. He fought with what he had, but he was already at his limit before the fight had begun. The Apes rushed him, overpowering him with sheer numbers. Daggers and blades slashed at his wings, maces and clubs shattered his scales. The blunt side of an axe caught his rear leg, toppling him and leaving his belly vulnerable. Sharp pain began to consume his every thought as the clanging of steel against scale filled his ears.
In a last ditch attempt, Rift flung out his wings and released a ring of fire around him. He heard the screams of pain from the burning, broken apes he had thrown, but more soon took their place. He kept struggling until an errant swing of a club bashed into the wound on his chest, utterly immobilizing him.
He heard cheering as he collapsed, watching out of a bruised eye as FeS approached him.
"So it ends, Dragon" The Ape sneered, looking directly into Rift's eyes before delivering a kick to the side of his head.
More Apes came around to join him, and Rift quickly felt his consciousness fading. A loud thud and a roar was the last thing he heard before his vision went black, his mind failing as darkness overtook him...
Rift awoke to a sharp hissing noise and the pounding of his head. He tried to move his neck, and regretted it instantly as a migraine hit him. His back was motionless, as were his legs and tail. Panic set in as he tried to move his body, and realised he couldn't.
All right, calm down. He thought slowly, trying to steady his breathing. Not gonna think straight if I'm panicking. Alright, where am I?
He flicked his eyes around, trying to move his head as little as possible to avoid pain. The area he was in appeared to be some sort of bedroom, as he could see a stone bed across from him. Glancing down, he realised he was lying on the same style bed. Soft warmth seemed to radiate from it, despite it appearing to be made from regular stone. The room itself seemed to be lit by odd tubes that were attached to the wall, their transparent sections revealing a glowing blue liquid.
Flashes of bright light lit up some kind of doorway frequently, each flash accompanied by the hissing noise he could hear. A particularly loud hiss was followed by a clanging noise.
"Gah!" he heard, his mind not quite sure how to react to knowing someone was there.
There's somebody here... Do I call out? Do i stay silent and wait? He wondered, looking around again. I'm not chained down, so I'm not a prisoner... but I can't move either... What do I do..?
Screw it. He decided, willing to risk it. He attempted to call out, but his throat was sore and dry, causing him to just make a strained gurgling noise. He winced at the pain, but laid his head back down, keeping a squinted eye aimed at the doorway.
Rift watched the doorway for a few moments, and preparing himself for the worst. He was surprised when the head that appeared was that of another dragon. It was covered in deep black scales, coupled with black eyes. A pair of odd looking goggles sat atop the head, their band wrapped around the curved, white horns that protruded from the dragon's head.
"Ah, finally awake, are you?" The dragon asked in a distinctly male voice.
Rift tried to pick up any trace of malicious intent, but could only hear a slight concern. he tried to speak again, but was still to sore to do so.
"I'll take that as a 'yes'" the dragon said, disappearing again. "One moment."
Rift started to panic again.
This isn't right, that guy seems way too innocent to have just found me. Where did he go? What is he doing?
He began jerking his head, side to side as he struggled to move.
Fuck this! I need to get out of here!
Rift strained to get his muscles to move, gaining control of his tail and knocking multiple bottles on the ground. His fear rekindled as the mixed contents of the bottles created some kind of acid that melted the rock floor. He hadn't even noticed the black dragon re-entering entering the room.
"You've been out for a while now, I'd imagine you... Oh...." He began, noticing the acid. "I knew I shouldn't have put those potions together. At least you didn't touch it."
Rift turned his attention from the hole to the dragon, his eyes widening and freezing in fear. The black dragon walked around, observing him.
"Right, so you've been out for... quite a bit of time... a week, to be precise; so there may be a slight chance that you have a minor case of... serious brain damage."
At that, Rift's panic flared again, causing more stress than he was capable of dealing with, and forcing him into unconsciousness once more.
The black dragon blinked. "What'd I say?"
"Ugh... this one's still bleeding. Gotta change that."
Rift's hearing came back, allowing him to hear the sound of something tearing. He cracked his eyes open and noticed the black dragon wrapping something around his head. Glancing down, he noticed a pool of red liquid surrounding him. He inhaled deeply, and noticed the strong metallic smell that was blood. HIS blood.
"Finally, I've been trying to get you up for a half hour. Can you move?"
Rift tensed his muscles, confirming that they were finally responsive. Catching the other dragon off guard, he launched away from where he sat. In his moment of panic, he took off out through the doorway, into another, larger room. He saw sunlight streaming through a door over to his left and bolted, forcing his aching muscles to go as he heard the black dragon say something in a foreign language. Angling his shoulder, he prepared to bash the wooden door down, but crashed into a barrier that appeared in front of it.
The black dragon walked back over to him, sitting down and going straight back to fiddling with the now dazed Rift's head.
"Would you please cease this foolery? All you're doing is harming yourself. And now I've got to clean up the blood all over the floor."
Rift gasped as he inhaled, at last his voice returning to him.
"Who are you? Where am I? How did I get here? And why is everything so glowy and blue?"
He blinked, letting out a whimper as pain shot through his skull. He snarled at the black dragon, showing his disapprovement. The black dragon pulled away, quickly capping a large bottle of red fluid.
"Ah, apologies. I forget that this healing potion has a kick for first timers. Relax, I'll try and be gentle."
His breathing halted as he felt the black dragon move around him and begin to wrap a bandage around his rear leg.
"Don't get anywhere near there, or I swear to the ancestors, I will rip that tail clean off."
The other drake said nothing, ignoring his patients complaints.
"To answer your questions; I am Sithris. You are in my den. I dragged you here after scaring off those apes that were attacking you. I like glowy blue things. Understand?"
Rift tensed up at the mention of apes, forcing himself to stand and flick his eyes around again.
"WHERE THE FUCK ARE THEY? I'LL KILL THEM ALL!"
He glared daggers at Sithris, ignoring the agonizing pain in his chest.
"Release me now, before I turn you and your den to rubble."
He watched as a small smirk appeared on Sithris' face, before lines of his scales began to glow blue.
"What are you-" Rift began, before he felt a heavy weight drag him down. He struggled against it, but in his already weakened state, it wasn't long before he collapsed to the ground.
"The Apes ran off, I don't know where they went, so I cannot answer that. I would however, appreciate you not attempting to destroy me or my property. I am trying to help."
Rift lied there, defeated, as the dragon continued to move about him, checking and changing the bandages that covered his body.
"I'm rather impressed with how much you've managed to live through, however, you undertook some substantial damage, and I cannot allow you to leave until I'm sure you will be able to fend for yourself."
Rift growled, attempting to move again.
"I need to go. You can't hold me here."
Inhaling sharply, Rift drew back his head, drawing his remaining strength into a fireball. Sithris glowed once more, uttering another word. Shaking his head, Rift felt the fireball dissipating within his muzzle. He snarled.
"Don't push me blacky. If you say you are helping me, then let me the fuck out."
Sithris shook his head, sighing and walking over to a stone and metal table in the corner of the room.
"I'm afraid I can't, in good conscious, let you go out there with your current injuries."
"So what, you're holding me prisoner!?"
Sithris stood still for a moment, looking back at the orange dragon. A moment passed before he nodded to himself.
"If restraining you to ensure your safety and wellbeing titles me as your captor, then so be it."
Rift growled once more, before resigning himself to just laying on the floor. He watched the black dragon move about, picking up and rearranging scraps of metal and odd looking tools. Confusion crossed Rifts face as the odd dragon slid the tip of his tail into some kind of socket in the ground.
"You may wish to close your eyes." Sithris said, pulling his goggles down over his eyes and holding up a single claw. Sparks began to fly out of it, before he brought it down to the metal on his table.
Rift cringed as a bright light appeared, and quickly closed his eyes against it. The loud hissing noise he had heard earlier filled his ears once more, slightly louder now that there was no wall between it and him.
Seconds passed before the noise died down, and Rift squinted carefully, seeing the dragon holding up a small cog with a pair of long tweezers. The dragon nodded before turning to the wall next to him, drawing back his paw and thrusting it forward.
The cog pressed against some kind of translucent blue material, before tearing through it and into the space beyond it. Another hissing noise was heard, this one the sound of hot metal contacting cold water. Sithris held it there for a moment, before pulling it back out. Rift watched the material, expecting it to begin leaking water from the hole, but to his surprise, it had somehow mended itself.
"What... What is that?" Rift questioned, catching the dragon's attention.
Sithris turned to him and raised his goggles, following his line of sight before a broad grin spread across his face.
"This? This is one of my earliest and proudest inventions." He declared, unplugging his tail and standing next to it. "It's a simple material that absorbs the energy used to puncture it, and uses that energy to mend itself once the object has been removed."
He demonstrated this a few times with a claw, before walking back over to Rift.
"It's quite useful, and I believe you'll be getting quite acquainted with it until your wings heal."
Rift's eyes widened, turning to his back and unfurling his wings. Sure enough, his wings had patches of the stuff all over them, clearly showing him just how much damage the apes had done to him.
"I... I don't...." Rift stuttered, the realisation of just how close he was to death sinking in.
"Calm down," Sithris said, sitting down in front of him. "I can't have you fainting on me again. You're not the lightest thing to move"
Rift shook his head, clearing his mind and turning back to the dragon. "O... Ok..."
Sithris nodded, taking the cog out of the tweezers.
"Now, I need to finish fixing the wound on your chest, but I can't do that unless you're sitting up. Can I trust you to do so, without causing more complications?"
Rift turned his head in disregard. "That wound has been there for year.The best clerics and healers have tried to fix it, with no success."
"Yes, it seems to be infected with some kind of dark magic. I am also unable to fully heal it, but i plan on protecting it until it isn't quite as damaged."
Rift huffed, his mind still trying to comprehend what was going on. "Fine..."
Sithris smiled, glowing again and speaking in a tongue Rift could not comprehend. He felt the weight holding him down dissipate, and stood up slowly, allowing his muscles to stretch. He kept an eye on the strange black dragon as he sat down, still cautious.
Sithris nodded, leaning in and inspecting Rift's chest. Rift looked down himself, and was surprised again to find a large piece of metal had been attached to his chest. He watched as Sithris put the cog on a small spoke around the center, before he reached over to the side and picked up a large, flat plate of metal.
"Now, this may sting a bit, but I assure you it is for your own good." Sithris said, placing the plate over the metal and slotting it on.
He turned it to the side, and Rift cringed as a tight feeling surrounded his chest. He hissed as Sithris turned the metal, before a 'chink' was heard, and the pain stopped.
"There, that should hold the wound closed for now. It may need to be tightened every couple of days though."
Rift glared straight into the other dragons eyes.
"Couple of days!? Just how long do you plan to hold me here?"
Sithris stared back blankly, his eyes showing hints of wisdom... and madness. He sighed, turning away from Rift and heading back over to his table.
"I can see that you have something urgent to attend to, but like I said; I cannot just allow you to go and get yourself killed." He said, turning back to Rift with a look of genuine concern. "I will let you go, but on two conditions."
Rift snorted, shaking his head. "And what would they be?"
"Condition one; you spend at least one more night here. That chest brace needs to be monitored, else it get too tight or not tight enough, and you won't be able to fix it by yourself." Sithris stated, a somewhat stern tone to his voice.
Rift stared at him, before realising he didn't really know how to deal with the magic seal on the door, nor just how powerful this drake was. "Fine. I'll stay. And the second condition?"
Sithris nodded, turning back to his table. "We'll discuss the second condition tomorrow."
Night had fallen, the light seeping through the wooden door had long since disappeared. Rift had occupied himself by stretching his sore muscles and testing the odd material that had been sewn into his torn wing membranes. The odd black dragon had continued to work on his strange contraptions, warning Rift every time he was about to make that bright light again.
After Sithris had moved through a door at the back, Rift began to survey the strange room he was in. It was very round, the walls and floor making a circle. They were lined with the stone the cave was probably carved from, lined with occasional metal bits.
The center of the room was dipped slightly, a couple of stone steps carved into the floor. A stone table sat in the very center, surrounded by four wide, wooden sitting stools.
Four doors were fixed into the round walls, each symmetrical with it's opposite. One of the doors led to the bedroom he had woken up in. The front door was to his right, and led to a room with a mix of grass and stone littering the floor, before it came to another door, out of which Rift could see the outside.
The other two doors remained a mystery to him, however. The one to his left appeared to have a locking mechanism on it, and the one on the far wall was where Sithris had entered. He was laying against the edge of the round room, keeping an eye on that door. The smell of meat had wafted out, and the sound of sizzling had caused Rift's empty stomach to stir.
At least this weirdo knows what fire can do to food. He figured, still not quite decided on what to think of this dragon. I don't trust him though... He must be up to something...
A few more minutes passed, before Sithris reappeared from the back room. A metal tray was against his chest, held upright by a few straps that were wrapped around his neck. Rift tensed when he saw what was on the tray; Two large chunks of seared venison sat on it, the smell instantly causing him to drool a little.
Sithris carefully walked down the steps, placing the tray down on the table and unhooking the straps. He flicked a small latch on the middle of the tray, popping it into two. He slid one half across the table, and hopped up onto a stool in front of the other.
"I only just went hunting yesterday, so this is still pretty fresh." He said, looking up at Rift and gesturing at him. "Come on, you're bound to be hungry."
Rift simply stared, weighing up whether or not to approach.
"Suit yourself." Sithris said, bending down his neck and taking a bit of the meat.
Rift's stomach jumped, desperate for food. Slowly, he stood and walked down the stairs, approaching the opposite side of the table. He could really smell the meat from here, and it was making him dizzy. Keeping an eye on Sithris the whole time, he hopped up onto the stool and sat down.
"How do I know this isn't poisoned?" He asked, staring straight into Sithris' eyes.
"You don't" He responded between chews. "But i didn't plan on using my healing potions on you just to kill you. Nor do I have to feed you."
Rift thought for a moment, his eyes flicking down to the meat.
"Maybe you just get some kind of pleasure out of seeing me die a specific way then?" He spat, attempting to keep the desperation out of his voice.
Sithris swallowed, looking up at Rift and shrugging. "You don't have to eat it."
"That doesn't help. I'll just starve to death."
Sithris hummed, nodding slightly. "And then I'd have a rather thin corpse to dispose of. Would certainly be lighter than when I dragged you in"
A growl forced it's way out of Rift's throat, his eyes focusing in on Sithris once more.
"Do you wish to die?"
Shrugging once more, Sithris gestured to the meat in front of Rift. "Either you eat it, or you don't. It'll save me from having to prepare one tomorrow."
Rift glared at him, but his look was not returned. Huffing to himself, he swapped glances between the black dragon and the meat in front of him.
"I'm not going to get very far if I starve to death, and you're not going to let me out unless I eat this, are you?" he asked, his voice wavering slightly.
Sithris nodded once, before going back to eating.
"Figures" Rift exclaimed, shrugging and biting into the meat.
He focused entirely on what he could taste, trying to pick out anything that might be a poison. He instead, tasted a lot of blood. Swallowing, he drew back his head and blew a puff of fire over the meat, searing the outside and starting the sizzling sound again.
"If you're going to cook it, at least do it right." He said, finally allowing himself to relax slightly.
His instincts took over, and before long, he had grease smeared over his muzzle, and was biting chunks off readily.
Sithris stopped when he was halfway through his meal, cleared his throat and began to speak.
"So... what brings a dragon of such.... uniqueness.... to my area?"
Rift stared at him. "Unique as in..?"
Sithris grinned slightly, shrugging his shoulders.. "Any way you wish to see it."
Snarling, Rift glared at the black dragon. "Fucking push me blacky, and we'll see what's left of you."
Sithris sighed "Tch tch tch. So angry... May I at least enquire as to your name?"
Rift mumbled something under his breath, barely loud enough to be heard by either of them.
"Come again?" queried sithris, as he began to eat again.
"None. Of. Your. Business."
"Now that isn't very nice, especially after how hospitable I've been."
"Your face isn't very nice"
"Wow. Such a gentleman."
"Go fuck yourself"
Sithris only laughed, leaning over the table and looking Rift in the eye.
"I could either respond to that, and leave you mentally scarred, or ignore it, and have you tell me your name"
Rift pulled back, an odd look on his face. "It's Rift. Happy now?"
"Thank you. Well Rift, I am... Pleased? to meet you."
Rift put on a lazy show of bowing. "The pleasure is all mine."
"Your acting is terrible." The black dragon said, chuckling. "You need to put more effort in."
Rift shook his head, seating himself back down and returning to his meal.
"My acting is perfect," He said, struggling to hide a smirk. "After all, I'm not constantly laughing whilst talking to a guy wearing some goofy ass goggles."
Sithris mockingly put a paw to his chest, acting offended.
"Oh, Mr. Grumpy has hurt my feelings, whatever shall I do?"
Rift smirked "You can start by letting me the fuck out."
"Then what?" Sithris began, pushing his now empty tray forward on the table. "You go out, already wounded, fail to win another fight, and I have to drag your limp body back and waste more potions on you?"
Rift growled, finishing his meal himself and sliding his tray forward.
"The sooner I get out of here, the sooner I stop being your problem"
An uncertain look flickered across the black dragon's face for a moment, before being replaced by a chuckle.
Rift stood up, looking back at Sithris.
"I appreciate the food, but I'm gonna need some rest to get out of here tomorrow."
Sithris nodded, looking at the ground for a moment before returning his gaze.
"I've got to ask, for your own safety; May I place a weak binding spell on you while you sleep with that chestplate? Just so you don't bash it against anything."
Rift growled again. "Try it, and your spine will be removed from your body."
SIthris rolled his eyes and shook his head. "A simple 'No' would have sufficed"
Walking back over to the bedroom area, Rift looked over his shoulder and saw the black dragon cleaning up the trays. A slight feeling of guilt crossed him, before he turned back and kept walking.
The glowy lights on the walls had dimmed somehow, bathing the room in a soft light. He lifted himself up onto the stone bed he had woken up on this morning, still surprised at how warm it was.
I'm coming Kara. I'll find a way to bring you back... He thought with a sigh, curling up on the bed. Freedom is just a sleep away...
Thunder boomed in the distance, waking Rift up with a start. He tried to lift his head, and regretted it instantly. His head felt both numb and oversensitive simultaneously, and his mind was drowning in pain. He cracked open an eye and saw red. There was blood everywhere. Rain was hitting his body, chilling him down to the bone.
What... Happened..? He tried to piece together his mind, before a single thought came to mind. KARA!
Struggling to his feet, he forced himself to move despite the pain that wracked his body. He scanned the area, making sure not to move his head too fast, lest the pain cause him to faint. Dragging himself to the cave that served as his home, he glanced around inside but saw nothing. A gurgle forced itself from his maw as he tried to call her name, but winced as his throat scraped.
Bringing a paw up to his head, he drew it away and discovered a wound on his head was still bleeding. That would explain all the blood. He hobbled over to the lake that boarded the cave and peered down at his reflection. From what he could see between the ripples caused by the rain, he had a few broken scales around his head, and a long bruise across his neck. And that would explain my throat.
Rift began scanning the lakes edge, searching desperately for any trace of Kara. There! A spot of bright white behind a tree. He began to run, tripping over the wet sand as it clung to his paws. Pulling himself back up, he resigned himself to a brisk walk. He saw the end of her tail, and rounded the tree. What he saw stopped him dead in his tracks.
Kara's body lay still on the ground, her blood staining the earth around her. Daggers and short-swords protruded from her body, and multiple areas of her scales were shattered from some kind of impact.
No.... Rift dropped down beside her. "No... No. No, no NO!"
Tears began to well in Rift's eyes, dropping down to join the rain on the ground. How could I have let this happen..? Why... why her? Why not me? What did she do to deserve this? Why....
A shadowy figure stepped out from behind a tree, startling Rift. Laughter echoed around him as the figure revealed itself as a black dragon, a strange mechanical contraption fixed over his paw.
"Wha-what did you do to her?"
The black dragon laughed maniacally.
"Why, I conducted some experiments on her of course. Apparently, she couldn't take much more pain, and decided to die. A shame, really. I also saw some apes do some really... despicable... things. You really wouldn't have wanted her back after what they did to her anyway."
The dragon leaned forward and looked Rift square in the eye.
"All she did was beg to see you one last time. It was quite touching, really. Must be hard to think that I was the last thing she ever saw."
Rift felt his blood boil, his sheer anger causing him to forget all the pain he was in. He launched himself at the black dragon, crashing his body against him. His feet stomped on wing and body alike with strength fueled by pure rage.
"I'm gonna make you pay for that. The pain bestowed upon you will be beyond your body's comprehension."
He brought his jaw down and clamped onto the neck of the drake, who had begun screaming.
"Rift!" He called out, his mocking tone replaced by one of concern.
No matter. Rift continued to bite, the metalic taste of blood filling his mouth.
"WOULD YOU PLEASE WAKE UP"
Rift's eyes snapped open, and he glanced around at his surroundings. The lake was replaced by a bedroom, the dark and stormy night swapped for the gentle blue glow of some weird liquid lights. He looked down and saw the same black dragon's head beside him, his neck in Rift's mouth.
"Finally." SIthris said, a look of relief crossing his face. "You appear to have attacked me in your sleep. If you would kindly remove your jaws from my neck... "
Rift bit harder, a snarl forcing it's way from his throat. He pushed a foot into Sithris' face and removed his teeth, growling.
"YOU WERE THERE! YOU DID IT! AND NOW YOU MOCK ME WITH WITH THIS FAKE KINDNESS!" He roared, rearing back his head. "ANY LAST WORDS FILTH!?"
Sithris looked up at him through the toes of his foot. His usual calm look had been altered by a slight ounce of fear. "I do not know of what you speak about. Please, remove yourself from me and we can discuss this in a more civil manner."
Rift narrowed his eyes, heat forming in his mouth. "YOU DON'T KNOW? BULLSHIT! YOU KILLED KARA! YOU MURDERED THE ONLY ONE I EVER CARED FOR!"
Sithris' eyes widened in shock. "Killed? Murdered? If you are referring to another dragon, I can assure you that I have never-"
"ENOUGH!" Rift screamed, preparing to bite. "YOU DIE TONIGHT"
Rift watched as Sithris closed his eyes, and barely managed to pick up the words he whispered.
"I can see that reason will not work now, so please forgive me for this."
The very air around them went stale as Sithris open his eyes, their black sheen replaced by a bright red. Rift hesitated for a brief moment before attempting to lunge forward, but found himself unable to move. His body tensed up and his muscles strained, before he was launched through the air, colliding with the wall on the other side of the room.
Pain shot through his shoulder, being joined by more pain in his chest when he hit the ground. He forced himself up, and turned back to Sithris. The black dragon was stood on the ground between the beds, electricity arcing off of his body and connecting to the various metal things in the room. A sharp crackling noise filled the air, and Rift found breathing to be difficult.
"I ASKED you politely. I tried to REASON with you. I did NOT want to RESORT to this." Sithris half spoke, half yelled; one of his eyes squeezed shut, the other still glowing red. His white teeth shone in the dim light, more a grimace that a snarl.
The black dragon struggled to close his other eye, and stood still, his body shivering. The sparks and arcs died down, before he collapsed to the ground. Rift simply watched, his mind still too addled to comprehend quite what was going on.
A minute passed, and Sithris stood up on shaky legs. His eyes opened slowly, their usual black having returned. He turned to Rift, a cross between relief and desperation on his face.
"I am glad you are still conscious. Now, please, and I will beg if I must; Please... do not make me have to do that again."
He turned to one of the lights on the wall, before returning his gaze to Rift. "We have another hour til sunrise, can we rest peacefully until then? I will answer any and all questions then, if you wish to ask them."
Rift simply stared as the black dragon walked back over and hopped up onto his bed, curling around so that he could keep an eye on him. His heart was thumping in his chest, his lungs gasping at the slowly refreshing air.
Who is this dragon!? He thought, his mind racing like crazy. He can stop my fire with a single word, and can send me flying without any warning... And yet... He could've fought me. He could have finished me off there, and he didn't. Rift shook his head. One hour until morning he said. One hour and I can go.
Crawling slowly back onto the heated rock, Rift laid down, curling to face the other dragon. Both knew the other would stay up to watch, but neither said anything for a while.
Rift was the first to break the ice, speaking with uncertainty.
"So, um... Close call right?"
"Indeed" The black dragon answered simply, his voice tired.
"Had I not hesitated, things could have ended up quite differently." Rift mumbled, looking down at the stone beneath him. "That's the second time I've nearly killed another dragon. What the fuck is wrong with me!?" He shouted, tears beginning to well in his eyes.
Sithris sighed, glancing over at the lamp on the wall. "Questions in the morning, please."
Rift snarled, turning himself away from the black dragon. He stood up and walked over to one of the high set windows carved out in the wall. After a long while; the darkness slowly lit up, sunlight peeking over the tops of the trees he could see.
"It's morning now, can I go?" He asked, glancing over to Sithris.
The black dragon stood slowly, stretching before hopping down off of the bed. "As soon as we've eaten. I don't want you leaving on an empty stomach."
Rift half sighed, half drooled at the prospect, but decided to just follow the black dragon anyway.
"So what's with the goofy ass goggles?" He asked, trying to create some sound in the silent cave.
"They allow me to see when I'm welding, and also prevent anything from getting into my eyes while I work." Sithris answered, pointing to the table in the main room again, before heading back into the kitchen. "I'll grab the food."
"Why do you wear them all the time then?"
The black dragon stopped, as if to think of an answer. He shrugged, continuing to walk. "I like them."
"You like them, or there's a story behind it?" Rift asked as he sat at the table, waiting for Sithris to return. He turned to his side as the black dragon reentered, showing off a single white scale mixed in with his orange ones on his shoulder. "I don't have this just for shits and giggles. Everything has a reason."
Sithris sat, sliding another tray over to Rift. The portion of meat was slightly smaller than last night, but was still steaming with heat. Rift noticed his was slightly more singed this time around. He took a bite of it, glancing over at Sithris impatiently.
"Well?" he asked.
"Well what?" Sithris responded between chews.
"The goggles, they must be really special to you if you wear them to sleep."
Sithris sighed and sat up, glancing at Rift before taking off the goggles and looking at them with an expression of melancholy.
"I guess I did say I would answer any and all questions." He began, still looking at them. "These... These were my first creation. I made them for a project, and my master was surprised at how well crafted they were. I've kept them close ever since, fixing any damages and altering them to better suit my needs."
Rift watched as he strapped them back around his horns, and resumed eating.
"I imagine something happened, judging by your answer being so sombre."
Sithris looked up at him, staring straight into his eyes. "I know what I said earlier, but for your own good, some questions are better left unanswered."
Rift nodded, still curious, but deciding to leave the strange dragon to his thoughts.
The two finished their meals, and Rift waited at the table as Sithris took the trays back into the kitchen. The black dragon returned for a moment before walking over to the locked door.
"One moment please." He said, pressing his paw against the door.
A small spark bounced between the two, before the lock disengaged, and the door swung open. Rift tilted his head to try and get a look inside, but could only see the wall of a hallway. Sithris disappeared once again as the door swung shut behind him, and the sounds of metal rattling and clanging echoed out.
Fear began to rise inside Rift's mind for a moment, before he scolded himself. I can't keep getting worried over everything. I'll deal with things as they come, no point worrying over something that might not even happen.
He waited for a few minutes more, before widening his eyes in shock as Sithris reappeared.
The dragon was stood there, covered in various odd looking things. An oddly shaped metal bracer was attached to the end of his tail, glints of silver along the edges. Bronze brackets ran down the fingers of his wings, clashing brightly against his black scales, and a leather satchel was attached to his chest, a vertical pocket on each side allowing access.
Rift simply stared as Sithris walked over to the front door, raising a paw and dissipating the seal over it. He turned to Rift and spoke.
"You are free to go, however, the second condition of which I spoke;" He began, narrowing his eyes and smiling slightly. "I'm coming with you."