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((Legalities out of the way. 18+ (For both clean and yiffy stories of mine due to violence and such) readers only, any younger, be off with ye! Zato, Demon Dragons (Sin Dragons), Characters in this story all © Me=Zato. Now...Shall we get on with the story?))

"Hmm...Night Approaches..."

Zato looked off to the his side and looked to his mate. He hated to sound like a cheesy romance stories, but he could not help but feel the love for her build up in his chest as he moved a claw up and gently trailed it over her cheek. She was so peaceful when she was asleep, it was almost unnatural. Her soft smile, the gentle breathes she took and the occasional little squirm as she readjusted and got comfortable again. The image only increased as the blanket was barely covering her breasts and only a thin fold of it was between her legs, so she had both cute and sexy going for her right now, and he couldn't help but laugh at it. She would NEVER knowingly get into this kind of position.

His little trance was broken when a soft knock sounded out, to which he mentally cursed. He had no choice but to get up and make his way to the door as quietly as he could before easing the old door open and peering out, smiling a little as he spotted Aditi with a few...he hated the term, Slave Boys, each one carrying a piece of armor, and a few lugging his weapon.

"Daddy...King Godaris asked me to bring you this stuff and for us to get you ready in his chambers."

"So...from the Armory in the basement, you had these poor boys bring these heavy pieces of armor up to my room, PAST Godaris' chambers, and now want them to walk back there. You do realize that, right hun?"

Aditi simply turned her head and looked them. Each and everyone clearly tiring out and standing with shaky legs before she just looked back to her father and shrugged. Of course, this warranted the reaction from her father of her getting swiftly back handed and sent the ground.

"You listen here Aditi Sagara! We DO NOT use slaves, we DO NOT believe in having slaves."

He looked to his daughter for a moment, he hated to hit females, let along his own daughter, but at times such as that it was warranted. He then shifted his sight onto the slaves and watched as they shook in fear, and simply waved a claw. They took to the signal instantly, they sat the stuff down on the ground and bolted down the hallway and around the corner.

"I still must make time to talk to this Dragon Council and tell them to ban this damned thing. Slavery is for beasts such as humans and Orcs, not Dragons. Not those with Pride."

He looked to his daughter once again and extended a claw, to which she took and stood with her head lowered.

"I'm sorry father....but..."

"No buts, just...don't do it again. We dragons do things ourselves, we don't need slaves to help us. Nor do we believe anyone one person is above another. Don't let me EVER see you with one of them again or you will be punished."

She gave a little whimper and nodded as her father made his way past her and simply made the armor and weapon levitate, then simply vanish in a neon blue flash.

"There IS a reason we have been called lazy in the past."

He made his way back to the door and looked into the room to his still sleeping mate. She had rolled over onto her back and looked quiet comfortable in her dreams, so he simply and quietly shut the door and made his way down the hallway with Aditi on his heels, rubbing over her cheek where he hit.

-I wonder what mother is dreaming about...-

=====

A crisp Summer wind blow over the plains outside of the Kingdom of Dragons and made the endless grass fields seem like a living ocean of green and brown. The sea of grass continued on for as far as any eye could see and only stopped at the river far to the East that now laid where the old magic wall use to be. Of course, the sea to the south and mighty mountain ranges to the north could be seen, yet when you left the kingdom all you seen was a sea of bright green staring right back at you. Yet, today, there were shapes dotting the pristine scenery as they bolted in the air and ground at different times.

"Daddy! You cheated!"

Aditi screamed out at the top of her lungs as he father pinned her down and began to tickle her sides, making the poor dragoness squirm hard into the ground trying to fend her father off but to no avail. So she surrendered herself to the tickles and began to giggle aloud as her tail and legs flailed behind her father.

Her torture did not last long though, for Sin and Grave quickly came to her rescue and tackled their father off of her and began to wrestled him onto his back and pinned him down. Both held strong as their father simply laughed before his daughter stood before them and grinned to her father.

"Revenge!"

She pounced on top of him and began to tickle him, laughs erupting from them all as a silent shape watched them while resting herself on a small blanket. She would have joined them, but the wonderful image of her entire family enjoying their day out was ruined by the Soldiers that patrolled the sky and the Guardians off in the distance. Just once she wished they could simply go out and enjoy themselves. Zato and herself could fend off anyone, and with Zatos training, their kids could as well.

"Pink! Why do you not join in?"

Zato said out through dieing laughter as he sat up and gripped around his daughters neck with his arm, giving her head a noogie as she squealed out and squirmed hard, Sin and Grave simply laughing to her now.

"Oh my love...I am fine....epp!"

She had not seen him, but in a flash Zato was behind her and hoisted her up onto his shoulders while he made his way back to their kids.

"Nonsense! You worry of work and such far too much! Play time!"

He placed her down and before she could even utter a word, their kids were on top of her and the only thing that left her maw was loud laughter as she was quickly under the torture of tickles. However, she did not let this last long as she quickly began to fight back and wrestle with them, tickling them every time she could. And now it was Zatos turn to smile as he watched while he reclined back and sprawled out on the grass, the black clothe shirt and pants he wore now riddled with grass, dirt, and an assortment of bugs.

Pink continued to fight and wrestle with her kids for a good, long while before a loud lightning clash rang out and she sprung up, her head shooting around as her children vanished and the bright afternoon sky was instantly replaced with an eerie overcast with rain heavily pelting her...armor? She was just wearing clothe! Where did...

"Zato! What happened!?"

She looked to the spot he was just laying and gasped, tears instantly welling up in her eyes as she spotted the dead form of her sister. She knew instantly Ruby was dead, if not because of the large pool of blood under her, because of the large chunk of her neck missing and the spear sticking her to the blood soaked soil.

"No!"

Pink readied herself to bolt to her sisters corpse before a loud and sickening crunch sounded behind her and she instantly spun around. The sight she seen only worsened the tears now streaming down her cheeks. It was Veon.

Veons body was much worse then Rubys. Her armor was torn asunder, so many wounds and so much blood. Bone poking out through her scales, and her body horribly contorted in so many ways it should not be. Pink had to close her eyes to the sight and fell to her knees as she held her chest, feeling as if her heart was shattered.

Her mind was so heavily taken over with the lose of her sisters that she did not hear nor notice the other bodies hitting the ground until she felt someone grip her tail with a weak grasp. She did not jump, yet she just forced her eyes open and looked behind herself, wishing she had not a second later.

"Aditi! No!"

She spun herself around and pulled her daughter into her arms, a second voice in her head told her that her daughter was too light, but she did not question it and clung her to her chest as her sobs deepened as well as grew in volume.

"M-...mo..."

"Hunny...don't talk...."

Pink looked to her daughter before her eyes shot open in shock, she was only holding the top half of her daughter! Where was the rest?! As if in a cruel and sick joke a thud and cloud of dust caught her attention for a second and she seen it was there, deep teeth marks in it and thats when she noticed, to her horror, the dead bodies of everyone she knew. Godaris, The new Council, Sin, Grave, Rayjita, Kizna, Ryu, The Five Mercys, and all of Zatos friends.

"Who is doing this?! Why!?"

A form in the air finally caught her attention. Nothing more then a silhouette to her, but she did not care. She laid her now dead daughter on the ground and instantly took to the air, headed straight towards the silhouette. It was huge, but she did not care. For without a second thought, her hand was behind her and gripped her long sword before a bolt of lightning hit down and illuminated the sky. Showing the shape to be none other then the Demon Zato.

"NO!!! Zato!! How did you lose! Why?!"

Zato only grinned a manic grin, revealing bits of armor and blood soaked teeth.

"That's it! You're dead! You're not my mate!"

She spread her wings and was about to fly towards him before something impaled her from behind, a gasp sounding from her as she looked down and noticed to her dread that the tip of his Zanbatou was sticking out of her chest. With what last bit of strength she had, she simply looked to her mate one last time and muttered out an I love you before she plummeted out of the sky.

=====

Pink shot up with a start and cried out, soaked in a cold sweat and covered by sheets. Her breathing was hard and fast and her body was shaking. It was a dream? No...not a dream, a nightmare...an evil, horrible nightmare...

"Y-yes...it was..."

The door slammed open and she looked up to see her mate standing there in the armor she had forged, his face full of concern as he scanned the room. He continued to scan the room even as he made his way to her and gently sat in the bed while his armor simply molded in under his scales, gripping her to him as he watched her shudder and shake.

"My love...what happened? What's wrong?

She wrapped her arms around him tightly as she curled up into his lap and snuggled with him, whimpering every now and then while he began to rub soothingly over her back and listened to him coo down to her.

"It was nothing hun....just a nightmare....horrible nightmare."

"Speak of it hun...you know better then to hold those kind of dreams in..."

She nodded and thought for a moment before simply emptying her mind of every word. She was brought to the brink of tears as she spoke, but she forced them back to clearly continue and she watched her mates reactions. It was...odd, even during the darkest parts, he held a blank expression, yet his slits continued to narrow and relax, at the times the blue slits turning his whole eye blue. To which was a sign of him in deep thought, and at times his slits were nothing more then a thin line the size of a piece of parchment.

When she had finished his expression had simply set itself back to the one of concern as she let out the tears she had been fighting back, crying fully now and shivering against him. It was scary enough last time he gave in, she feared they would have ended up killing him. What if it happened again? No...it wouldn't happen again, will not happen again...can not happen again.They were both so in-tuned with the other that neither heard the knocks on the door, nor it openings with three shapes moving into the room and looking to them as Zato just held onto his mate and she hugged around his waist crying.

"Mother....are you alright?"

Both looked up to Aditi and couldn't help but laugh. It took those three this long to get here?

"Yes...yes, I am fine...just a dream is all."

Pink smiled to their kids and wiggled around a bit to cover herself with the blanket as Zato simply stood up and let the armor cover his scales again, this time the helmet moving around his head and clasping shut. She couldn't help but find him sexy and intimidating in that armor. It fit him so well, the spikes adding a lot to the classic design.

"My love, remember. The duel begins in an hour...as the sun sets over the horizon..."

She gave him a nod and watched as he lowered his head down and let the helmet sink back in before he pressed to her in a loving kiss, causing a little coo to escape her as she happily returned it. Of course, this sight caused the kids to look away and giggle to each other. They may have a lot of burden on their shoulders, but they still acted like kids.

"Please make sure to come hun. You know you are my support."

She gave him another nod and watched as he left the room with his helmet once again covering his head, with their kids soon following him after giving her a soft kiss on the cheek, to which she happily returned. And once Sin shut the door, she went back into thought.

-What if the worst were to happen and he turned again...? How would I truly kill him? Anyone with that matter...last time was just lucky that it had happened during a war, what if he did it during these times and took the kingdom by surprise? He knew all of the...well, use to know everything the Kingdom did and how it ran....-

"That's it! He is himself because he is not sleeping! He has not been trying to learn of all the changes and new laws!"

She couldn't help but giggle at her realization. She had taken to the books when he was imprisoned in hopes of finding SOMETHING to help her bring him back. And each and every detail of the demon dragons, or Sin Dragons, was that at one time or another they went into a deep sleep while their minds scanned the Kingdom to learn of everything they could and how best to attack and do their...deeds. That was the time most of them were killed, but it was a heavy chore to hunt them down.

Her thoughts were interrupted as a loud crash sounded out from the bottom floor of the castle, directly underneath her room, and she was up and in her armor without a second thought. She knew it was no vase falling to the floor, it had the distanct thud of someone hitting a wall, and her mate and kids were down there. She could only pray it was neither mate nor child that just hit the wall.

Though her mind was, slightly, calmed as she heard Zatos distinct roar and the tone showed he had been the one that was most likely the reason the crash had happened at all. As she rounded the corner, her thoughts were confirmed, yet she understood why as six dragons stood there with spears aimed at him and a seventh was sprawled out after having his head slammed into a wall, he was clearly alive but he was out cold.

Her sight fell onto her mate as he stood there with the blue trims on his armor glowing, a thing she had added to show when he was angered, while in a clearly battle ready stance. The finger armor on his gauntlets shaped into six or so inch blades with another six inch blade on his tail, the size most likely due to him always being concerned about causing unneeded damage.

"I told you before I am myself! Do I look like a demon?! Act like one?! The Dragon Council can shove their thoughts up their tight tailholes and take a fucking from the fact I am myself and I am back!"

"We are under orders to bring you to them, sire."

Zatos tail slammed on the floor in pure anger and snapped the gem laden tiles as he kept his sight on the leader of the group. He knew it was foolish to think if he did end up killing him that the others would run, but if anything, he most likely had more experience then the others yet Zato was reassured knowing he had the most.

"They can wait until after, AFTER, my duel with Godaris!"

"They've said to bring you in right away, it is not like we are trying to kill you Sire."

Zatos eyes narrowed and he let out a low growl as he pointed a claw at the one he had thrown at the wall.

"Then why, by the gods holy names, did he thrust that stick at me?"

He gave the spear by his right foot a swift kick and sent it flying, to which the leader nimbly dodged and the two of them watched as the end of it embedded itself into the far wall. The leader only laughed at that and looked right back to Zato.

"You've just attacked the head Guardian. By the laws-"

The leader was cut off as Zato bite at the air.

"Lies! I am the head Guardian, or whatever the hell you are calling them now!"

A grin settled on the leaders maw as he took a step forward now.

"When the traitors were rulers, you've lost your position."

Zatos eyes widened a bit in shock as the leader continued to approach and his mind wondered before he felt a familiar presence next to him, to which he looked and grinned his own grin. He was actually saddened his helmet hid it. And a second later, he snapped his head to look dead into the leaders eyes.

"Wrong! The laws state that all Guardians, save for two which shall not be named, from the Elders remain in their positions! Pink, Ruby, Veon, Osia, and myself all have authority over ANY new Guardian! I wrote the new laws! And if for any reason I lose my position, Pink was to take over and then follow down the line! I know she has not lost her position!"

Both Pink and the leader were confused, he may have written most of the new laws, but how did he know of the safety of removing him from his position of head guardian? No one had told him..

The leader was so confused that he did not see Zato charge and did not notice it until he heard his comrades, but he moved too late and was frozen in place as he felt three blades put to his neck and a loud, ear killing scratching noise fill the room as Zato trailed a blade tip over the golden armor.

"Why is it no matter what that golden dragons are given the positions in place of others and think they are so grand, greater then everyone else?"

The leader looked down and let his expression swiftly change to that of shock, he felt like he was staring down the devil! Black, soulless eyes stared into his own and he felt cold, as if he was buried under a mountain of snow and ice.

"What the-"

The leaders was cut off as he was suddenly lifted into the air and thrown out of the castle through the front door, though his comrades fared worse as they were thrown directly through the stone that made up the castle.

"Fuckers..."

Zato gave a few blinks and shook his head before he made his way outside. Of course, he heard Pinks constant "Stop!" and "Please don't!" but he had to make a point, and he was not about to stop half-way through.

"Demon!"

He was pleasently surprised to see the six dragons had already recovered and each held a sword, save for the leader who still held his spear, and he simply grinned to them.

"Tell me....it was recently placed into the laws...so, do you six even know how to change into feral? You seem too young and if your parents wished it, you would have had to listen and never change."

They each gave a little look to each other and began laughing. Sure, the law was still young, but most had forgotten how to change their forms save for the royal dragons and those in high positions, Ferals were the proudest of them and were the dragons image.

"Like you do, demon? You were in a cave for...who knows how long."

Zato heard Pink take a few steps back and simply grinned all the wider, each and every white fang gleaming in to the sun as he let his body flow with energy and a bright blue aura erupt around him. HE knew this was going to draw more of a crowd then that had gathered, but thats the fun.

"See for yourself....whelplings!"

With that said he let his aura erupt and blind those around him as his body shifted. His form hunched over and stretching out, growing some four times his normal size and body quickly dawning the typical feral shape before his muscles took their new places and his wings and tail stretch and extended. It did not take long, surprising both him and Pink, for his body to readjust to changing and it was complete in under seven minutes, when most would take a week to succesfully change after the long pause of him changing shape.

"Zato! You're....bigger!"

He couldn't help but feel Pinks statement was rather redundant but he knew it was true. His feral had somehow grown in size. He was about twice the size he was during the war, maybe his body changed it to better reflect his age...no, he couldn't age.

-I wonder...-

His thoughts were quickly set to rest as he suddenly felt his body weighed down with unbearable weight and was quickly pinned down, yet no one nor nothing was on top of him. The crowd that had been drawn to the spectacle were all still in place, and most anthros would not try to attack a feral. The Guardians were still in shock, and Pink would never do something like that. His thoughts ran on how this could have happened until he seen Pink bolt in front of him and stand with her arms out to her sides and her wings extended wide, trying her best to block him.

He continued to squirm, fully pinned down on his stomach with his back threatening to cave in. His weight, and the unseen weight, cracking the floor underneath him as he did everything he could think of to move, he would not have his mate guard him from whatever it was that was doing this, to which it seemed Pink heard his thoughts and smiled back to him before looking to the sky.

"Elder Sky! Do not harm him! I have given him permission to do the Changing! He has wished to stay in feral and not anthro! He will not shift again!"

Zato tried to cock his head to the side, but could not. Was she talking to the sky?

"I, Pink Swiftstrike, gave Zato..."

He seen her lower her head a bit and quirked an eye ridge, what she thinking of? She knew his last name. Matter-of-fact, why was her different?

"Heavyswing permission to change and live in feral!"

-Ok...now I am lost...-

He let out a loud whimper as he felt the pressure on his back increase and sank his claws into the ground before the weight was suddenly gone. He tried to stand soon after but only managed to cave back down onto his stomach and just simply looked to his mate, mind now wondering as he watched her lower her head and kneel down in front of him.

"Thank you Elder Sky for your understanding."

She spun around and looked to him with a sickening smile, one of both happiness and most likely on the verge of laughter, to which he just huffed out a ball of smoke at her.

"Oh don't give me that hun, I just saved you from a life as a paralyzed feral. You should be thanking me."

He narrowed his eyes a bit and forced himself up and cracked his back from the move, groaning out and shaking as he felt his body weaken a bit from the sudden move. Just how much weight was on him?

"Pink Swiftstrike, I thank you..."

She gave a rather nervous smile and rubbed over the back of her neck as he turned and began to make his way to the arena, to which she quickly bolted to his side and moved up to walk in pace with him, walking by his front legs.

"Hun, the new Elders gave us names based on how we fight. Swiftstrike is mine, Keeneye is Ruby's, Greenaura is Veons. Yours is now Heavyswing."

"So an elder was crushing me because I didn't have yet ANOTHER last name?"

She quirked an eye-ridge to him and shook her head.

"Of course not! You had not gained permission to shift your fo-"

"Permission?!"

He yelled out and lowered his head to look at her, a few others stopping from the yell to look at them.

"I don't need permission from any new elders to do something I want to do! I may have made this law, FOR WAR, not for our daily lives!"

She drooped her wings and hung her head from that.

"Listen Pink. Those laws were what I was going to leave here to better our race, but look."

He pointed forward to a red dragoness that had stopped to look at them, mainly the huge feral Zato, and then he pointed to the leash and collar attached to a green dragoness with her tail lifted and her head hung.

"What are we? Animals! Humans? Our own kind using our kind as slaves? We are taking in slaves, for that matter?!"

He began to point her to various pairs of dragons with human slaves, some with other races as slaves, and some walking around with thick shackles and brands on them.

"This is not how I seen the laws being put into place, and I know I never wrote anything about slaves, other then never to have them. We do things OURSELVES, we are not lazy humans who take in other races to clean their houses. If we need other means of service, we go to our mate, not to a slave market to BUY a mate for the night then just send them back!"

He shifted back to anthro and glared to her, holding her head with his claws to look right into his eyes.

"Pink! Answer me! What have we become?!"

Tears began to stream down her cheeks as she clung to him and cried into his chest. He held her close and began to rub over her back as he twirled his tail around her own, of course the shift had drawn for that weight to return to him but before it got too heavy, it just vanished. He did not care of it though, his mind was on his mate, who he had hurt.

"Pink...I'm sorry. I...I just can't deal with these new laws and how things are ran. It's not what I expected to come back to. I expected to come back with the king at the highest power, with The Guardians above him only in times of HIS danger...not another kingdom ran by Dragon Elders."

He listened to footfall approaching but he ignored it as his mate lifted her head and looked to him, gently lifting one of his claws to remove the tears from her cheeks.

"I'm sorry as well hun...I should have done more-"

She was stopped halfway through by him pressing his lips to hers in a loving kiss, just as the twelve or so dragons that had been walking to them stopped behind him, with all others dragons bowing down around them. Of course, he seen this out of the corner of his eyes, and knew who to expect behind him...after the kiss.

"Zato "Freehaven" "Sagarana" "Heavyswing" Sagara...I presume that is you?"

He felt Pink stiff up and break the kiss and simply smiled to her as he patted her rear, causing her to meep and blush.

"Go to the arena my love, tell Godaris I might be a LITTLE late for the duel."

She looked into his eyes and seen something she wish she hadn't there, he had the same look in his eyes when he had fought the other Guardians, but she knew not to try and stop him because it didn't work. So, she simply nodded and bolted off as he spun around and snapped his armor on, helmet off for the fun of it.

"Aye...it is me."

He looked to the white dragon in the middle of the group, and then the varied colors of the others. Always one of every color, he knew to expect that much, but they all looked like they had just came into their teen years, none even up to his shoulders. And he couldn't help but smirk at that.

"Can I help you whelplings?"

He heard varied gasps from the dragons on the floor bowing, but he couldn't help but burst out laughing while they just stood there. Yet another council who did anything and everything. If anything, he gave the credit, they actually moved about the kingdom and did not sleep for twenty hours a day. Even the white and gold trimmed robes they wore fit the role, though still, Zato thought no dragon should take the time to wear clothing, only armor.

"We are the-"

Zato cut them off with a wave of his claw as he quieted his laughter.

"Yeah yeah, Dragon Council, blah blah blah. What do you want? Last time I dealt with a "Council" they bit my tail and betrayed me and the kingdom."

A dark brown dragon moved past the others and stood in front of them all. The robes hood up and over his head with only a bit of his maw sticking out from underneath, though Zato did not have to see the rest of it to know a grin was plastered on it.

"Last time the members of the Elders elected themselves into their role, this time we were chosen by the populace."

Zato couldn't restrain quirking an eye-ridge as the brown dragon spoke. He knew the voice and tone. It was sharp, seeming to cut right into your ears and bury itself in your brain. Who was it, he knew he had it before!

"I am surprised it has not come to you yet Zato."

The brown took a few steps forward until he was roughly four feet from Zato and thats when he caught a strong scent of metal and ash, yet he had a heavy trace of runic magic on him. Very few in the kingdom had this scent on them, due to how powerful that magic could be, yet he knew who it was now. Though, any doubts were quickly kicked out of Zatos mind when the brown said next the few words.

"Those short bastards could make a dagger out of dirt if they wanted to."

"Boros!"

Zato moved up and gripped the smith around the waist and hoisted him up while clenching around him, Boros just letting out a laugh and patting Zatos back.

"What do you know! The Demon remembers me! How shocking!"

He continued to chuckle as Zato put him back down and chuckled himself. He could not believe one such as Boros could be among the Council, but he did earn it with all the weapons and his few apprentices made in under a week. If anyone deserved a position of importance, it was him.

"We would like for you to come to the Elders tower Zato. I shall walk with you."

"Why?"

Zatos head cocked to the side before he noticed that the other Council members had vanished without a trace, Boros the only one remaining with an even wider smile on his maw with the hood now pulled back. Revealing that he now had quite a few scars on his face and neck with a couple of markings, or tattoos, on his face as well.

"We seek an audience. Wind has already taken care of Godaris."

Boros turned to walk but not before snapping his claws and looking back at Zato, as he just continued to ponder if he should go or not.

"Oh! By the way, I'm Earth now. The Councils names reflect elements, emotions, feelings, and so on. Depending on what best fits the member."

Zato quirked his eye-ridge again and watched as his old friend began to make his way down the street. His mind was telling him not to go, but he something else told him to. He was not sure what he should do, but he could at least ask questions if he did go. Going won. He snapped into motion and ran up beside Boros, or Earth, and began to follow along side.

"So...how did you get into this position exactly? And what exactly am I needed for? I was looking forward to this duel with Godaris..."

=====

Whisper slammed her tail onto her bed and roared out as her claws sunk into the ground underneath her. The cause obvious as Breeze's tail was buried deep into her cunny and juices raced down the tail and onto the bed underneath them, clearly from her hitting a climax, with a satisfied smile on Breeze's maw.

"I take it that will calm your need for now? That was your tenth, after all."

Her question went unanswered as her sister fell onto the bed and was sound asleep in a blink of the eye, causing her to laugh as she pulled her tail out and licked the juices off, soft purr coming from her throat from the taste. Sure tails, claws, and tongues were not male and AS satisfing, but they loved helping each other, no matter if they fought before or after.

"Breeze! Come in here please?"

"Alright Star, one second."

Breeze lowered her head down to give the puddle of juices a few, slow licks before licking along her lips and murmuring happily. She would have to do this with Star soon, she had the best taste of them all. But before her need got to great, she rose up onto her legs and stretched out a bit before making her way into the cave where her other sister awaited her.

Their cave was overly crowded with chambers, pots, kettles, everything that could hold water. They needed them to keep an eye on the world below, since the gods they lived among could not give them the all seeing eye. Though, at least, it was far more organized then one would presume. Each pot was aligned perfectly so you could run in here without knowing the setup and completely miss each pot, but you could find a specific viewing portal in a second if you so wished it.

"In the fourth room."

Her sisters sweet voice rang out and she nodded to herself, following the voice and smiling as she rounded a corner into another room with even more pots, though this one was different only because it had more beds for them if they grew tired of sleeping outside under the stars.

"What is it my sister?"

"Come...look at this."

Breeze moved up alongside Star and peered into the viewing portal and could not help but grin at the sight. It was Zatos mate, Ruby, locked in a heated kiss with the leader of the Guardians from earlier, her boyfriend as the knowledge entered her head from Star.

"It would seem that she has taken an interest in Godaris' son, don't you agree?"

The grin on Breeze's maw only grew to reveal every sharp fang in her mouth as she gave a soft little nod. This was good. They knew that at least Ruby seeking another mate, yet they could never get to the right portal at the right time. It was either after she had mated with a male, or when she was barely planning it.

"Goda...I can not continue this...my mate is back...."

Both gave shocked expressions, as well as Goda, and they both let deep growls emit in their throats.

=====

"But Ruby! How can you go back to that beast!? You know what the council plans to do to him!"

Goda moved up and held out a claw, begging her to take his claw and continue this relationship. He had taken in an interest in her some time ago, back when he was a hatchling and she was training in the courtyard of the castle, where he had watched her every day.

Her body was perfect, though she had let herself go after Zatos departure he did not mind. Her moves, how she moved, how fluid everything was that she did. Her voice...perfect, as if an angel was talking to you. And most of all...no matter what, her mind and her attitude was always perfect to him. Her mind was always clear, no matter what hit her, and he knew that her love for what she truly cared for held strong. Her cheating on Zato proved she did not love him.

"I should never have been disloyal in the first place! My need grew to too high a level when I first made that mistake! I am not making it again!"

Ruby had tears streaming down her cheeks now. Zato would kill her for cheating on him, even though he somehow knew she had. But when she admitted it? It would not be just a smile and laugh like earlier, there was no way. It was one of the biggest things he held onto. Never be disloyal to your mates.

"Listen! He doesn't even have to know!"

Ruby had a look of pure disgust on her face now as she swung her tail around and smacked the side of his face. The impact sent the male right onto the ground as she just growled over him and barred her fangs and claws.

"Don't you ever! EVER! suggest something like that again! I'm done!"

She turned and quickly made her depature of the scene as a few onlookers moved to make sure the male was ok. He was dumbstruck, how in the hell and why in the hell would she start this mate ship behind her mates back and then suddenly end it? She had even said at the beginning if he did come back she would end it.

=====

Breeze and Star were both on their backs laughing at the scene of Goda getting smacked. The face he had on after the hit was absolutly priceless, it was as if he never knew it was coming, when they clearly knew it was! Saying something like that to one of her mood? It was surprising she did not claw his face off!

"M-maybe we...we can use this....as potiential to...get Zato here..."

Star stuttered out between laughs and gasps for air. She could not believe it was herself that was laughing this hard! But what she had just witnessed was priceless! Whisper would be pissed to know she missed something such as that!

"A-ye...we shall...have to talk to Whisper once she is awake."

They both gave a nod to the other as they forced themselves to quiet down and struggle to keep down anymore laughing. They insides hurt already, they could not imagine what more laughing would cause. The gods would probably be coming soon to check in on them anyways, and seeing them laughing like that would cause them to ponder their sanity.

=====

Zato and Boros made their way through the streets and past the many bowing dragons without even so much as looking to any of them. They were completely locked in their conversation of what has happened during Zatos "abscence" and Zato carried a heavy look of shock. He could not believe some of the things that had happened!

"I can not believe nearly every race has began to speak of peace treaties. Even the orcs! Wyverns living amongst us, humans allowed to come and stay amongst for up to a year, likewise to their own kingdoms. I can not believe it..."

Boros just smiled to his friend and gave his shoulder a hearty smack, his talons clicking on the armor he still wore.

"Believe it my friend, it was due to your book that it was, is, possible. I can not believe the Zato that was so focused on his training, his fighting, his weapons was also so inclined to politics."

Zato could not help but laugh to that statement. He found it odd himself, those thoughts would just strike him at random times and he always had to write them down. He had no idea why and truly, if all of this was happening, he truly did not care.

"Aye my friend. I did not think it would have been possible, that one of my mind and attitude, would have thoughts such as those as well."

They both gave the other a nod and continued on their walk. Zato truly did not know where they were going, didn't really matter, yet Boros knew exactly where they were going. He was leading his old friend and client to the Tower. He only hoped nothing bad would happen on the way there. He truly loved to have Zato back, but the need of the kingdom came first.

"You know Boros...I now realize where we are going."

Boros hid the shock inside himself. By the gods he already knew, that ruined the plan, or so he thought.

"You could have asked you know. You could have just asked me to come to the Tower. Not send your little...servants. I feel I know what is to come of this, but, I shall wait until I get there to voice it."

Boros gave a soft nod and the rest of their walk was filled with a heavy, uneasy, silence. How did Zato find out about where they were going so fast? He took a completely new path Zato did not know of, the kingdom had changed a lot since Zatos days, and he wasn't even letting it slip!

"Boros...stop thinking of it so hard. A council member talking with a "Peasent" is hardly something that occurs for everyday, 'specially after the other Guardians came to me. I wont fight, cause a ruckus, nothing."

Boros noticed Zatos wings droop and his tail become limp, dragging along the stone on the floor, yet he still walked with pride and each step came with grace. Seems those were the only signs on his feelings he would show. The only other sign Zato could notice was that Zatos eyes were on the ground, not on the road ahead. Boros felt horrible for what they were going to do, but it could not be helped. He had to be banished from the kingdom.

"Boros..."

Boros perked as Zatos voice hit his ears, just as they began to approach the tower, and simply looked to his friend and let out a soft "Hmm?". Though, from the depression clearly tinting each word, he knew what it was.

"Have my mates come to the tower...please."

He gave a confirming nod to Zato and shut both of his eyes and stood in place for a moment. He was clearly talking to the other council members in his mind, so Zato just stood there and waited. Though, the wait was not long, as only after about a minute of waiting, Boro opened his eyes again and looked straight to Zato as his wings snapped open, cealry posing for flight.

"Zato, I am going to go and retrieve them. The Council members are awaiting you at the top."

Zato gave a nod to Boros before he watched the brown give a strong flap of his wings and take to the air. He could only shake his head after. On top of the tower once again, not inside. Just how dumb are these dragons? Oh, let holds these meetings on top of the tower! Not inside! He could only sigh as he opened his wings and took to the air, flying straight up to the top of the tower.

"Hope this goes quick..."

He only a third of the tower left to fly up before he stopped in midair. He strained his wings, continuing to flap and struggle to fly or even move! Only his wings were moving, nothing else! What the heck is going on!

-Calm yourself young one. We are in control of you now, just relax.-

Zato could let out a much longer sigh and he let his body relax, his wings folding up behind his back and his tail down along his leg while he let both of his eyes close. Just as he did, he felt himself being moved up along the rest of the way to the roof of the Tower before he felt cold stone greet his knees. Not even a second after that, he felt cold metal shackle clasped around his ankles and wrists with two much thicker and wider ones wrapped around his wings and yet another clasped around his neck with a thread clearly stopping him from moving his head to see anymore then what was directly in front of me.

"Young one, open your eyes."

-Same voice from earlier, quite a beautiful voice.-

-Why, thank you young one-

He couldn't help but chuckle as he opened his eyes, only to be greeted by a beautiful dragoness perched before him. She was colored like the sea had bright blue eyes to match. She held a wide, calming, smile on her maw with her fin like tail swaying slightly behind her, wings folded up neatly at her sides.

"I am Water, or Sea if you would."

He returned her smile and bow his head as best he could, while diverting his eyes to look at the ground for a moment, clearly showing he was trying to bow.

"Nice to meet you Sea. I must say you are one I would expect to see among the Council."

"Thank you again, young one."

"Now...I do not wish to be so rude, but can you get directly to the subject as to why I am here."

Her smile held as she backed up a few steps and eased down onto her haunches. His eyes could not help but drift down her form. No breasts, true feral, lithe. Fitting into the role as one of the Council members down to a T.

"Straight to the point. The history on you is correct."

She took in a deep breath, clearly about to speak a long, long time and launched right into it just as the door sounded and the other council members formed a circle around him, save for Boros. And such as Sea, they were all feral.

"You are a Sin Dragon, A Viper Dragon, you have killed many of our own kind. Such actions and being what you are, would condemn you to death. However, you are one benefactor to this great age we, as well as most of the island, now live in. Your words lead us down this path, and one of your standing can not be killed. In addition, you protected this kingdom with your life at times, yet survived each encounter. You were also a pawn in the Elders role to destroy the kingdom in the past, but your demon stopped them as well as our great human enemy, Ragan Freehaven."

She paused, clearly letting him add to it, and he could not help but add to it.

"That is true. I was also one of the first dragons to mate outside of my kind openly. Taking two Raptor Clan and one of the Nagas. To which, none voiced any distraught. Everyone accepted it from the beginning, because all dragons know that a dragons blood is stronger. So no matter what happens, our blood and our kind will continue on ,even if in hybrids. Dragons will always be."

He watched her give a nod before looking over to the white dragoness from earlier, who moved up to Zato and stood with her maw directly in front of his own. Her breathing became slow, focusing on his scent most likely.

"You smell of Cherry Blossoms. An unusual scent among our kind. Such a scent would make you a breeder. You are quite the oddity among our kind, Zato."

"Yes, something I've heard everyday of my life."

Each of them nodded to him and he couldn't help but saying it.

"I am marked for death, yet I can tell what I've done is making you put that out the window. The only other thing I can think of is that you are going to either banish me from the kingdom, or lock me up in the prison."

Sea moved up next to the white dragon and bumped her aside, giggling a bit.

"Yes...we've been debating on which to do. We feel most of it is balanced out with good/bad. You have done so much for and to this kingdom. We could not kill you, and we still feel banishment is too much."

He hung his head as best he could and let out a soft sigh.

"I ask for banishment."

All of the elders now wore a look of shock on their face, he actually choose banishment?

"But...Zato, what of your mates?"

He smiled and looked to his left, though his head did not move, and listened as his mates and Boros landed. The council member quickly taking his place and feral form, while his mates ran in front of him and began to bombard him with questions.

"Loves...shush."

Each went wide-eyed before quieting themselves and moving off to the side, bowing to the Council members.

"Ruby has been seeking other mates, beginning two months after I had changed and been imprisoned."

All looked to Ruby now and hung her head low, whimpering with tears coming down her cheeks once again.

"I am not mad at her, nor do I hate her. I still love her with all of my heart and soul. That is why, I am allowing...no, freeing her as one of my mates. She is now single."

Pink and Ruby gasped with the latter bolting in front of him, but he continued before she could speak.

"Ruby. If I was good to you and you were happy with me, you would never even think of doing what you did. Once again I state I am not angry or upset, at first I was, but I've noticed my folly. Now please, go to Goda."

She went a bit wide-eyed and even more tears streamed down her cheeks before she ran off the tower and flew off. Pink feeling as if her heart was shattering, Ruby truly did that? How could she?!

"Veon."

Veon perked up and looked to him, only seeing the back of his head, and knew what was coming.

"She is my friend, my mate, she is my blood-sister, and she is the one I guard. I was at one time her mate, but in her mind, she has dropped me and has already mated with another and sired ten hatchlings."

Pink once again went wide-eyed and looked to her other sister, who had her head down and eyes closed, tears silently falling.

"I am not mad, nor upset. I will always be there for her, and like Ruby, I understand why it is that she did this. Please, return to Rayjita and tell him you are completely free of me."

Veon stood and walked to the edge of the Tower before looking back to Pink, tears still falling.

"I am sorry I hid it Pink, I could not break it to you....I'm sorry."

With that, she jumped off the edge and flew to her home with Pink only looking to her mate now, knowing she was next.

"Pink...the only one to stay true to me. She has always been there for me, and my alpha mate. She has done so much, took on so much burden because of me. She took my role when I..changed. That is why I wish for her to be the one to brand me with the Banishing Rune."

A few of the council members allowed grins to settle on their maws as Pinks jaw nearly slammed into the ground, before she moved herself in front of her mate and slapped him as hard as she could across his cheek, him nimbly moving forward to dodge it.

"I will not mark you with such a thing when you have no-"

She was cut off as Zato bit the air in front of her stomach, a deep, resonating growl emitting from his throat as he did.

"Pink! I am a Demon Dragon! I have attacked the kingdom! I am not sure the demon is truly gone! I need to get away from you all before I end up doing something stupid again! I gave in three times! Two of them I regained control, my mind will not always win!"

Pink took a few steps back and more tears began to stream down her cheeks. She looked deep into her mates eyes and seen the pain he was truly feeling and she knew that he was doing this because of them...her. Her heart was breaking, cracked, but she knew she had to. Her head hung as she extended an arm to the elders who promptly handed her a large pole with a brand on the end, the rune nothing more then two dragons biting the others tail, already heated far more then enough to easily burn through his scales and scar him for life.

"Do it, then leave. Raise our kids well hun, and I am sorry I will not be here to help you...and that I was not here to hold your hand while you laid."

The shackles on his hands hummed with ancient magic and moved his right arm in front of him with the back of his hand facing her. The position seemingly painful, but the magic made it harmless.

"I'm sorry Pink..."

She looked into his eyes once again before she placed the brand directly on the back of his hand, his eyes still locked onto his. His body did not react, but his eyes did, yet he held them onto hers.

"You should be."

The brand was held in place for a minute before she dropped it on the floor and ran off of the tower and took flight towards the castle, as he simply kneeled there, now free of his shackles, staring at the brand now forever burned onto his hand. It was already healed, yet the pain was still there, and blood dripped from the front of his hands. Showing he had balled his fists tightly and cut his palms.

"Oh...we have more of your banishing planned Zato."

"I guessed as much..."

=====

A dark figure, a moving shadow with no source, moved along the wall of a highly decorated cave wall. It hid behind the various pictures of mountain ranges and fields, slid in behind golden vases, took the shape of random other shadows along the walls and continued on its path to the sound of faint voices.

Each and every time it hid behind something new, the voices grew louder and louder, closer and closer. Until it found the source and a gleaming white line appeared along with a maw, head, bright golden eyes and then two sickly twisted horns. More and more added to the head, a long, thick neck. Broad shoulders and a powerful chest, two wide, heavy wings. Each time a new point of the shape came out, it revealed more and more pitch black scales that eerily gleamed in the dark of the cave.

"Ah...if it isn't Star, Whisper, and of course Breeze. How lovely it is to see you all again!"

The three dragoness', that were busy looking into one of the viewing pots as Zato went through his next stage of banishment, shot their heads to the clearly male voice and all gasped at the sight and then quickly set about defensive postures.

"Otaz! The hell are you doing here! You are forbidden from these areas!"

Stars voice boomed throughout the caves and she, along with her sisters, growled deeply at the demon god before them. They had all thought he had died ages ago, the gods had even thrown a party in honor of his passing! The coward must have been hiding!

"Oh...I know I am...what makes it so much fun being here!"

His grinned only sickened the girls as he began to move closer and closer, his claws eerily tapping the ground as he advanced. He did not make four full steps before Star bolted forward and tried to bite down around his neck, yet the instant she touched his scales, she dropped to the floor in a lifeless pile of scales.

"Star!"

He put his front left paw on her head and her body vanished into a pile of Cherry blossoms as he continued on towards the two crying dragoness, each still glaring at him but not making any moves to end up like their sister.

"You see..."

He stopped and picked up on the blossoms and blew it into the air, a sick smile still on his maw.

"Zato has helped me...you see, each time a demon possess' him and he beats it...I grow stronger, because the demon comes to me. I now have five demons inside of me and I seek more. One from my own time, one from the second dragon well....dragoness to beat the curse, and three from our friend."

He watched as the two backed away and he leaned his head down to view into the viewing pot and let a shocked expression come to his face at what he seen.

"Let us see you gain more demons now, Otaz! It is impossible!"

His expression quickly switched to one of pure anger as he locked his eyes on Whisper, the one who had spoken, and clawed at the ground under his feet. This complicated matters, but no matter, he would end up getting more demons. He would just have to help his source of demons. However, first he must deal with the two before him. He could not let them tell those annoying Grand Gods of his plans.

"Join your sister in the afterlife, Breeding Whores."

He did not bother to lunge, to attack. He simply spun around and smacked both of them with his tail, both falling to the same fate as their sister. Two lifeless bodies falling to the floor before vanishing into a pile of Cherry Blossoms.

"I must say...having this little ability comes in handy. I don't have to dirty my claws. Too bad it only works on Demi's...ah, no matter."

He sweeped his claws through the Blossoms and grinned a bit before he turned and made his way back out of the cave, not bothering to hide this time. The gods clearly did not watch over them as they had once promised, so he had no worries about being discovered. The whole reason he let those three know of his plans before killing them. Oh the torturous fun in being evil!

"Why Zato could not give into this glory, we shall never know."

He could hear the voices inside his head agree with him as he continued on his path. Least now he had more people to talk to.

=====

A long, strong wind blew through a clearing in the forest as a towering shape hovered in the air above the tree line. It was clearly a dragon, yet no features, scale colors, nothing could be made out on it. It was purposely hiding it self, save for its outline and an eerie black shape of itself, with a limp husk in its foot claws.

It continued to do nothing more then hover until its head shot to the tree line and a group of humans came out with weapons at the ready. Only then did it drop the shape in its claws and fly off at high speeds, leaving the group confused, but still at the ready.

"Silva! Look to what it dropped! We will keep guard!"

A human female in stark black leather with a hood drawn over her head nodded to her leader and moved forward, keeping her guard up and twin daggers forward. One along her arm, the other pointing out, both fit for an assassin. She kept this posture until she got closer to what the dragon had dropped and instantly bolted forward and checked the now clearly human for injuries.

"Its a human! He's out but he is ok! Looks to be a knight!"

The group of seven moved up and looked to him. His armor was black as night with a cherry blossom pattern along it and bright blue trims. It had various spikes on the shoulders, gauntlets, knees, and one on each boot. It also held a weird, various, other markings. A rose bud over the heart, and various others the group of humans soon ignored as they looked to the mans right hand. The gauntlet had been taken off by the female, along with other pieces to make sure he was truly OK, when they spotted brand burned onto the back of his hand. They didn't know why, or what it meant, but it looked fresh...yet it also seemed to have been there for some time. The brand itself was of two dragons biting the others tail.

"Why did a dragon take him? The ones around here normally do not attack."

Silva, the leather clad female, simply could not understand. Sure, there were those rouge dragons out and about around here, but most truly never attacked. This man must be quite unlucky to have gotten one of the few that did attack. However, she pushed that aside as she looked back to the leader of their group.

"Red, we need to get him to the king. He could be an enemy or one of the kings friends. His armor looks finely smithed, and you know that only those of great wealth can get armor like this."

Red moved forward and put a hand to his red hair, which was tightly pulled back into a ponytail, and sighed. He and his group were sent to inspect why a dragon was circling over head right here, then they find it hovering in place, THEN it drops this man. Something wasn't adding up. He should probably take this man back to the king.

"Fuck it."

He looked to his left, to a mountain of a man, who was ironically given that same nickname. He stood at an easy seven foot, muscled, and a large war hammer strapped to his back. His chest was bare with armored legs and heavy metal boots, and one arm covered in armor with straps holding it in place around his chest.

"Mountain, carry him back to the kingdom. It will take us all night otherwise."

Mountain turned his eyes to his leader, biddy brown things, and gave a nod before Silva got all of their attention.

"No need...he's waking."

They all looked to the man now as he moved about, stirring in his uncouncious state, before he shot up and looked around. Silva and the rest having jumped back at the sudden action, but they soon relaxed as the man began screaming out in a deep, raspy voice, clearly in pain.

"Calm down..."

Silva inched her way back to the man as he fell onto his back and began to pant out on the ground. She could tell he needed water, so she moved up to his side and held out a canteen to him, and he just looked at it and then her.

"Take it...it's not poison or anything."

He continued to look at her for a bit longer before he lifted an arm and took it, leaning up a tad with her help and began to take small little drinks. The group was rather shocked at this. The man was clearly in pain, yet here he was. Not making anymore noises, yet drinking water, clad in nothing more but a black loincloth with a blue dragon emblem on it with scars all over his body.

"Can you tell us your name, laddie?"

A man moved up from the back of the group, the only non-human there, a dwarf with a long red beard and a short, heavy axe used as a walking stick. Clad in heavy armor with a spiked helmet on his head. The man he talked to simply blinked a few times and got a rather puzzled look on his head.

"I...I don't know...I can't remember anything..."

Red moved up and crouched down in front of the man as he simply laid his head to rest on the ground, stareing up to the sky. He truly didn't remember anything save for right now. Simply waking up with that woman over him and the men and dwarf looking to him.

"I be a..."

The dwarf took a step forward and puffed up proudly as the man leaned up to look at him.

"A dwarf, man with red hair a thief with a bad body odor."

The others started laughing at that as he continued on.

"The tall man is a human, most likely either a berserker or someone who just likes smashing things. There are two mages here, one skilled with fire arts and the other water arts. The woman at my side an assassin and the man in the tree to the back is an archer with a preference for being hidden, but he fails at doing so with the sun beading down on him up in the tree."

Silva all burst out into laughter. He could not remember his name, nor most likely anything else about himself, yet he knew and could spot them. He was clearly a knight, a highly scaled one at that, how he ended up here would remain a mystery, it would seem.

"Come...we must get you to the king. Maybe he will remember you. But we'll need a name to call you..."

He just shrugged and stood up in a hop, pops and cracks sounding from him as he did so. He stretched out as he did and let out a long groan as well, shocking the group once again. He seemed perfectly fine. If anything, it was as if he was coming out of a long nap.

"How about Rick Armor? Rick was my fathers name...Armor because we found in your armor. It works, at least."

He gave another shrug as the dwarf moved up, after dealing with the intial shock of how this man was acting so soon after waking, and lifted a piece of his armor and examined. It was of perfect craftsmanship. Only the elder forgers in his clan would have been able to make something of this level, yet it held heavy enchantments as well. It'd take one to even make part of this armor a month, two tops.

"Laddie...you possess some grand armor."

Rick just looked to the dwarf and felt a weird impulse serge through him and just felt to go with it. He let his body relax and a light flash of blue appeared around him and his armor snapped back onto him and a helmet covered his head. Now he too was confused and simply began to examine himself, wondering what just happened.

The group had the same expression he had under his helmet. That was something they had not seen and it scared them to such a degree they had all pulled out their weapons and the archer was already aimed at him. However, their shock and surprise quickly dropped and they all began to laugh once again. This man was FULL of surprises.

"Oy laddie! Don't do that again! Least you end up like the orcs!"

"Yeah...I wont...if I knew how to control it."

The last part was nothing more then a whisper that the group simply ignored. Of course, realization struck them hard. It was Red that realized it first as he looked to the sky and seen it was darkening. He let out a yell that got their attention and pointed back to the kingdom, to which they all got upright and bolted just as Red looked to Rick.

"Come on man, follow us. We need to get back before the Gate guards close the gates on us."

Rick just gave yet another struck and bolted past him, following the others. For one in such heavy armor, it was quite shocking to see someone like that past by him in almost a flash. Red shook it off and ran after his group and thanks to his skills, he was soon by Rick's side. Something was extremely odd about this person. He was running as if he was a thief in plate mail, he didn't seem effected by the weight, and he held nor bore any sign of a weapon. No knight fought his battles with his fists AND wore plate mail.

"Rick....where is your weapon?"

Rick held his pace and looked to Red as he thought, before giving yet another shrug. Should have seen that coming...

"You don't remember any weapon you used? No scabbard under your armor, no hidden blades? Nothing?"

Red was completely baffled now. He was caught by a dragon with no weapon, not even the meanest of dragons attacked without their attacker having at least a dagger. None of them really let fist fighters take them unless they chose to fight with other their fists, which most dragons did not.

"You're an odd one Rick."

Yet another shrug greeted him as they all emerged from the forest and their kingdom came into view on the horizon. A grand kingdom, yet one of the smaller ones of the human world. However, it was known because its huge army and location near the sea, making it a busy port kingdom.

=====

"You did what!?"

Pink screamed out at the top of her lungs to the council members. There were only eleven in front of her, their last member no where to be seen, but she did not care. She had found out that the Council had sent Zato on a suicide mission to the orc territories, they just said he would have nothing more then a two hundred year banish from the kingdom, not go on a mission such as that!

"Like we said Miss Sagara. We gave your mate an option of either taking his banishment time or cutting it down to a third of the time by going into the Orc Territories to kill four of their most prominent leaders. Three of which hold a vast army under their belts and the fourth has herded some of the Wyrms of the north lands. We are sure he can carry out this mission, we have no doubt of that in our minds."

Both Pink and the Elders were cut off short as the sound of wing beats caused them to look off to their sides to watch as Boros landed down into his spot and smiled to the others with a soft nod.

"Zato has safely been placed on the border of the Human/Orc terriotories and the moment he touched down he was off on his mission. I lost sight of him some five minutes later in the marshlands where two orc patrols swiftly vanished underneath the foot of water and muck. I do not expect him to take too long."

Pink glared at the brown as she moved in closer to him. The others simply moved aside with a soft chuckle and giggle, knowing their were not the target of her rage anymore, it was Boros' turn to get an ear full and a swift smack, most likely.

"Boros! You were his friend! How can you do this! You don't even have a way-"

As if he was able to read her mind, he finished her last question before she even asked it, with his smile staying put.

"Simple. I am to fly back there once a day and look for his sign. The rune that marks death will be written with orcen blood on the tree we landed near. He will, after leaving that rune, be free to do as he likes until his shortened banishment time is done. He said he would most likely go to the kingdom of Freehaven."

She kept her eyes narrowed and locked onto Boros, who simply held his smile and looked right back into her own, before she just turned and stormed down the tower with the other council members laughing loudly now.

"Now you know why we picked you as the deceiver Boros!"

Boros smile slowly faded and looked off to the forest. A heavy look of guilt hitting him as he thought of what he had done, while the others just continued to laugh before going one by one back into the tower. The last just glancing back at Boros, greeted by the same smile, before she continued on and the look of guilt returned on his face.

"I'm sorry Gods, Pink...Zato..."

=====

"Why have you brought this knight before me?"

A muscled, well built man, stood up from his throne and looked down to the group he had sent out towards the dragon. He did not fit the profile of a normal king. He stood an easy six foot eight, pure muscled form. Not overly, but he kept his shape up, and bright golden hair and beard with baby blue eyes. Even his regal robe did not match most, it was tattered and ripped, but still made of priceless silk from the spider clans and a war axe and sword were fastened to his belt, both highly crafted.

"Well, Fredrick? Answer me."

The king took a few steps down and stood over the man they had brought before him. A supposed amnesia victim, who had instantly knelt down before him and allowed the guards the remove his armor to show he was not armed. He was kneeled down before him, looking to the floor with a first on the ground and one along his chest. He did not remember most about himself, yet he knew of honor, respect, and even pride.

"My liege. I lead my band to the sight where you ordered us to and we did discover a dragon. However, it was concealing itself from our sight, a black shadow with no visible features, and fly off the minute we arrived. However, as it flew off, it dropped this man from its talons and he has no memory of who he is, what happened, nor anything of his life. We thought we should bring him back to you for you to decide his fate. His armor shows him to be of some importance, somewhere."

The king looked to the leader of his most treasured band of knights, The Glendale Ravens, and couldn't help but feel a bit of pity for them. They had left with every ounce of pride that they were about to slay another dragon, but all for naught. However, maybe this man was valuable.

"Rick Armor...rise."

Rick did so without even thinking and stood before the king. The drape of his loin cloth falling into place as he did and he stood with his eyes looking dead into the kings, and the king returned the look. This Rick had no emotion in his eyes, just a blank, cold stare that felt as if it was passing right through you. Only the most hardened of knights had this look, and most of them were towards the end of their lifes. Yet, he looked no more then twenty.

"I hereby dubbed you a foot soldier in the Ravens. You will be under the order of Fredrick, or Red as most call them. However, seeing your armor, I will allow you a house of your choice."

"The sea."

The king and Red tilted their heads a bit to that response.

"What?"

The king was clearly confused as he raised a hand and scratched his beard, trying to think of the mans response and what it meant.

"I wish for a house near the sea..."

"Ah! How could I be so naive! Aye! We have a manor suited for one such as yourself. Now...no soldier would be complete without a weapon. One of my servants will lead you to the armory and you shall choose any weapon, or even weapons, you wish. And I wish for my kingdoms emblem to be burned onto your armor, if that is alright."

Rick only responded with a nod and gave a bow to the king, who returned the gesture, which showed he was able to leave at anytime he wished. Which Red happily used and was gone like the wind out the window. Rick remained in his place as the king waved a hand towards one of his serveants, who quickly ran to him.

"This is Azura Quicktail. She will lead you to the armory."

Rick couldn't help but look the dolphin anthro over. She was an inch or so shorter then himself, placing her around six foot four, with a lithe build one would expect of her race. She wore servant clothing. A long skirt that touched the floor, a plain brown blouse to match the skirt and long gloves that ran up her arms, hiding her beautiful grey skin. And to top it all off she had wonderful bright blue eyes, which were currently down cast with a bright crimson blush on her cheeks. She looked so timid in front of him though, with her arms clutched together at her chest between her breasts, which most girls would kill over.

"I see you've already taken a liking to my newest servant!"

He gave a soft shake of his head to regain his composure, but could not hide the blush that slowly crept onto his own cheeks, setting most of the grand hall members into laughter.

"Sire, it would be a blunt lie to say I do not like how she looks. So, yes, I have."

He heard a soft click emit from her as the court once again burst into laughter. Rick was quite the entertaining man, but the king knew a way to entertain him now that he had shown a liking to his newest and purest servant.

"In honor of our newest knight, I shall hereby remove Azura as my servant, and grant her to him! A knight must have servants!"

The court let out a cheer and Azura lowered her head as the blush held firm on her cheeks. Rick, who was a tad confused, looked to her and gave a soft smile to try and comfort her, which seemed to have worked as her tense posture relaxed a bit. The king only laughed once again at this and simply gave a hardy pat to Ricks shoulder.

"Alright put your armor on and you can go. Azura, make sure to lead him to his house."

She gave a firm nod as Rick snapped his armor on, still not quite sure how he did it, but one of the court mages had said something about enchantments and the like was what was allowing him to do it, though they could not explain the way of control he had over them.

"Umm...Sir Armor?"

Rick gave a shake of his head and looked to the dolphin anthro, roughly the same height as him, and smiled to her. Her voice was soft and gentle, to him, a voice that could not be an ounce more pure for a women to bare.

"It is time I took you to your home and follow the kings orders."

He gave her a nod and made a "Lead the way" gesture, to which she quickly did, and he followed. Out of the Grand Chamber, down the hall, out the main doors and into the courtyard and then out into the city. The kingdom of Glander seemed as peaceful of a kingdom as you could get in the human world. Kids running on the streets with wooden swords, mixture of beasts and humans walking side by side, knights patrolling the streets and archers along the walls.

"Seems so peaceful here. You'd almost think this kingdom having an army would be useless."

Azura looked over her shoulder to the human behind her and looked him over. He had truly forgotten his memories if his statement was of that. Every kingdom looked peaceful, to some degree, but humans loved to ruin those peaceful areas with wars. And one was on the way here, if he had completely forgotten already that he was a knight. Though, even now, she could not help but remember what exactly hid beneath that armor.

His hair that ran down to the middle of his back, which was as white as snow and most likely soft to the touch, golden eye brows and a golden...what did the humans call it? Beard? It was not truly a beard, but little stubs of hair, which a male human gains after he has not shaved for a while. Other then that, his form. Well-muscled that fit him perfectly, not overly so like most of the knights here, and he held a tone of pure innocence in his voice. Even though he truly knew how to fight. Which brought another thought to her mind, how did he get those scars? What exactly kind of fighter was he?

Her eyes snapped open as she remember she had forgotten about the weapon and for the kingdom of Glanders emblem that had to be burned onto his armor! She panicked and spun around to face Rick, bowing multiple times to him, pleading out sorry over and over again.

"I forgot your weapon and the changes that need to be made to your armor! I am so sorry, please do not punish me!"

Rick gave her a few blinks and simply chuckled to her. It was quite funny to see her over react like this when she was clam but a moment before.

"It is fine, let us return to the castle."

She still held her panicked tone and held a bow now.

"The castle is off-limits to everyone but the royal family and guard at this time! I am so-"

She was cut off as he held her snout shut, still doing nothing more then chuckling to her. She was shaking, panicked, and clearly afraid he was going to hurt her. He must have given some indication he was mean, when he did that, he did not know.

"Calm yourself Miss Azura."

Her shock and panic vanished as she heard the Miss, she was of no royal blood, why was he addressing her as such? Yeah, the king and the other royal families would do so now and then to tease the servants, but it sounded so much different coming from him...he meant it. She forced her snout out of his hand and gave him a rather stern glare.

"I am no royal, do not address me as Miss."

He smiled and gave her a bow while moving his arms in the direction they were going, chuckling a little bit still.

"Shall we continue on our way then, Miss Azura?"

Her glare tightened but she ignored it and passed him without a sound as he quickly took place behind her. It felt odd leading him because so many people would pause and look to them. Compared to most of the armor in the kingdom, his was overly done like a Nobles. Yet, he was clearly a knight from the scars he wore. No Noble had scars such as him, they always sent their knights in and killed the weakened ones to show they still had skill, or at least knew how to swing a blade.

"Sir Armor, is there a certain weapon you wish to have brought to you?"

Rick simply shrugged for the umpteenth time as he scanned the various guards and those who bore weapons. Halberds, axes, swords, great swords, katanas, scythes, hammers, you name it someone held it. He knew them all yet he did not which he liked more, they all seemed fun.

"You!"

Rick stopped and pointed to a guard who shot him a look before making his way over. A large spear held in hand, but it was more of a double-spear. There was a spear head at one end, and a scythe on the other. Quite the oddity of weapons, but it seemed fun.

"May I borrow your weapon for a moment?"

The guard looked him over and seen him to be a knight, so due to the laws, he handed his weapon over and backed away as did Azura.

"Hmm..."

Rick examined the weapon in his hands and slowly began to move. His movements made a bit off with this weapon, but he soon took to the odd thing and he began to move it in time with himself. He would occasionally thrust it out before swinging the scythe head around, most likely chopping off the imaginary enemies head after impaling him.

This display soon drew a crowd. Peasents, passing Nobles, other guards as well as Mountain and Red. They all watched as Rick began to jump into the air and twirl the weapon around himself, throwing it at the floor and impaling it in the ground before landing next to it and forcing it back out of the earth, only to resume his odd, imaginary battle.

He moved so fluidly with the weapon, it was hard to believe he had lost his memories. It was like he did nothing more then live with weapons.

"Sir Armor!"

Everyone froze in place as the kings voice boomed over the chatter of the crowd, and the royal guard set about clearing a path for him. However, Rick simply stopped his little show and gave the weapon back to the guard, who promptly retreated back to his post. No one was afraid of the king, but the respected him far too much to ever do something to upset him.

"What wonderful handling of that weapon! Here!"

The king moved his cloak aside and unsheathe his blade. A five foot long blade, highly polished silver with a golden hilt and heavily accented with gems, even with gems running along the center of the blade. He gave it a gentle toss to Zato, who caught it by the hilt and immediately began anew with a new weapon. Though, now, his moves were much faster and there were a lot more thrusts. He would slice upward, diagonal, horizontal, and then began a flurry of slashes. Each move he made his body followed, he would spin, duck, jump and even slide with a few strikes.

Though, in his mind and stomach, he was sick. The sword the king had tossed him was horridly crafted. It looked nice, but the smith must have been new or drunk. It was heavily off balance, the hilt was twice the weight of the blade, and the gems made it hard to hold. Before it got to be too much for his stomach, he stopped and gave a little bow at the sudden claps and cheers. Seems this was something they didn't see a lot.

"You are truly an exceptional warrior!"

The king made his way up to Rick and gave a swift pat to his armored shoulder, only to have him bow down while placing his sword in front of him, returning the kings sword to him. This action only caused the king to laugh even louder and give yet another pat to Ricks shoulder before he took his sword back and placed it back into his scabbard.

"You have no memories of yourself, yet you remember almost everything else. How to fight, respect, your place, it's all so interesting."

The king held his laughter as he made his was back to the castle, the crowd slowly following his example and moving back onto their daily routines as well as Red and Mountain sneaking away as best they could. Yet, Rick could care less about them all, his attention was already back on Azura who had simply stood next to a wall as he did his show.

"A spear, please. A spear, a long sword, and a short sword."

She gave a nod to him and pointed a gray finger down towards a large boat sitting in the harbor. Three huge sails, all stark white, on a dull brown boat. A typical boat, why she was pointing to it, he did not know.

"Go to that boat, when at its bow, turn right and your house is there. It will most likely have a guard posted outside it, it is quite the expensive house. Just say you are Sir Armor, and he will step aside."

He gave her a nod and already began on his way, only to have her tail position itself in front of his feet to stop him. This action caused him to look back to her, who was simply smiling.

"I will return with them later as well as the one who has to burn your armor. So please, have your chest piece off when I return. Also....it was quite...exciting to watch you."

A blush quickly settled on her cheeks and she was gone before he could utter a word. A smile was on his face the entire time he walked down to the harbor.

The entire time he was looking around. It seemed this was a typical port kingdom. There were shops everywhere with merchants trying to get his attention, as well as his gold if he had any. There were the occasional "Ladies Of The Night" and an assortment of people preparing for a swim, and of course a load of sailors.

But his mind was soon else where as he approached his destination. His home...was no home, but a castle in its own rights! It was massive! It was three times the size of the other homes around it, and it could probably house the boat behind him! Large wooden planks highly polished and sanded, grey colored with white trims, and a long walkway with no plants or anything in the soil around it, most likely awaiting someone to plant something. And as Azura had said, there were two guards, not one, at the beginning of the walk way. Their two spears already pressed together to stop him from going to the house.

"I am Sir Armor, the king has given me this home."

Both of them relaxed their arms and moved their spears next to them, smiling to Rick as one moved an arm in a gesture to show him to continue on.

"Ah, then welcome home Sir Armor. The house is yours, and the shop keepers are on their way here to make lists on what you want."

Rick gave them both a nod and moved up the walkway to the front door, a massive wooden door with metal reinforces. His hand just rested on the latch to open it, he was truly in shock as to what was waiting for him on the other side.

To Be Continued...