Broken

[sheroknight]

Shero and Flamie were still scouring the lands when Flamie began to panic. "Something's wrong Shero, something is happening to Kia!" "WHAT?! What do you mean Flamie what's wrong and where is she!" Shero yelled. "So help me who ever is responsable for what happened shall pay dearly!" Shero swore to the skies. Flamie growled deeply, "You'll have to stand in line I think my dear friend, you shall have to stand in line." The pair rushed onwards towards where Flamie felt Kia's pain.

[Lynx]

So now the girl was not happy! For once! A low rumble of triumph shook the earth as Karsha landed. Blood began to pool around the broken body, ivory bones streaked with red protruding from the tan skin. Such delicate creatures were humans. Their skin wasn't tough at all! A hatchling could have sustained less injuries at twice the height! Her snout hovered close to the body, wondering at the final words. Sorry for being an irritant? Sorry that she had intruded upon business that was not hers? Or was it sorrow for Karsha's own pain? The giant purple beast had heard enough of petty apologies. Nothing would bring back her soul, her heart mate. Sniffing deeply, she reveled in the coppery smell of fresh blood. Her tongue flicked out, tasting it. Yes, it was thick and rich, strong with health. Human blood, however, wasn't as good as animal blood. It was probably a good thing for the general population that her body was wired to enjoy animals more. She would have to eat whole villages of the humans to satiate her hunger. With a slightly purring growl, she lay down, a giant mound of purple black shining scales in the depths of the cave. To anyone walking or flying by, she would disappear into the depths of the mountain. Her unblinking eyes watched the girl, waiting for that mystifying golden glow. She was injured much worse this time - it might be a while before it happened.

[micaylah]

Kia’s body lay on the floor of the cave soaked in her own blood as it pooled around her. Her breathing was ragged and irregular. Her heart was barely beating any longer. It wasn’t long until it stopped completely. The last breath of life left her lungs and then there was only silence left.

She felt like she was flying. Her mind was alive and free as she soared above the pain and misery below her. Slowly the sight of the battered, broken body beneath her grew smaller and smaller. The pain left her as she rose above it all. She felt the warmth within her spirit left for the next realm. The next phase of her adventure loomed before her. She had no cares, no worries, there was no pain. The only thing she felt was exquisite bliss as she rose further and further away. There was nothing tying her to this physical world.

She stopped suddenly as she felt great pain. It wasn’t supposed to be like this but something was beckoning her back. She closed her eyes and felt it stronger than any feeling she had ever experienced. Shero. Kia felt great sadness within her soul at that moment. Shero’s love for her was strong. It pulled at her, calling her back to the lifeless body below. She felt Flamie, felt their fear, worry, their anger, but most of all she felt their love for her. Kia smiled, knowing what to do and what the cost would be.

The warmth flooded the cave as the golden glow erupted from her body in blinding intensity. Slowly her body began to mend itself. The veins and arteries mended first followed by internal organs and bone reforming with sickening cracks and pops as they moved back in correct alignment. Next skin mended deep within until every opening closed. The bruises faded as the blood pulled back from the tissues. Her heart began to beat faintly at first but sped up until it reached a normal rhythm. Her body jerked violently as her lungs drew in a large breath and then let it out only to flow into an even rate. Kia moaned. Her body healed but the ache would remain with the weariness. She rolled over with great effort. She lay on her back as she turned her eyes on the dragon. “Karsha. Are you happy yet?” She fell into darkness again as sleep took her.

[sheroknight]

"I'M LOOSING HER!" Flamie roared. (No! It can't be... he can't loose her, not yet not now!) Shero's thoughts raged within him. His heart was aflame with anguish and rage. "It is getting stronger, her pain it is increasing again for a while there I... I thought she was gone... but she's back! There up ahead in that cave!" said Flamie eagerly. Flamie's eagerness to get to her side was as strong as his riders. Their hearts and minds were as one as they quickly aproached the cave they must get to her as soon as they could! At full speed they dived into the cave, kicking up rocks and debries as they stopped themselves. Shero jumped off of Flamie and rushed onward with Flamie right behind him, his body a ball of flame as he screamed "Where is she?! WHERE IS KIA!?" His every word echoed with Flamie's roars.

[Lynx]

Almost eagerly Karsha watched. The chest of the girl rose and fell raggedly, blood seeping to pool around her body. It reached the dark silver claws of the great dragon, but still she didn't move. Then the girl breathed no more. For a few seconds all was still, only the giant slow breaths of the dragon moving the air. Her claw crept forwards, gently pushing the broken body. No movement again. Sighing in a way that the air whooshed around the two of them, Karsha let her massive head fall to the rock with a thud. The body shifted slightly, but she attributed that to her movements. Pity the little human had to die like that. She wasn't so strong after all. Karsha was about to pick up the mass of flesh and bone and dispose of it when the skin began to glow. No, not glowing - shining bright and brilliant as the sun. Karsha couldn't stop watching, her black pupils narrowing in the light until they were no more than dark lines in the silver. Only then was she able to withstand the light. The body twitched and cracked, jumping as if possessed as the bones snapped into place, breaks healing and blood ceasing its tireless flow. The breathing began again, slow at first but then steady as the body slowly returned to normal. Then the girl was awake, though her eyes fluttered with weariness.

Happy? Happy was an emotion that had died with her Rider. "No, never happy," she murmured in a voice so low it was barely audible. But the girl was unconscious. Karsha scooped her up in a claw, still lying down, and brought her close to her snout. Interesting creature, the human. They were resilient, yet weak skinned. They were all sizes, all colors, and all different personalities. This one, for example, was one of those bravely sympathetic ones, the kind that no doubt saw good in everyone. Karsha snorted, ruffling the dark hair of the girl with her breath. Such odd stuff, hair was. With her other paw she ran a claw tip through it, wondering what it's purpose was. On beasts, she knew, it was for warmth, but humans did not have it everywhere so that couldn't be it. Very odd indeed. Karsha's dark silver eyes, the size of the giant golden platters seen in the most extravagant of dinner halls, blinked slowly. She felt like sleeping as well. Suddenly wingbeats could be heard and her giant head swiveled around on the neck as thick as a tree trunk. A dragon, complete with Rider, skidded into the cave, almost tripping against her tail in their hurry to stop. Blasted dragon! The little runt kept roaring as if in pain while the flaming man on his back was shouting for.....Kia. Ahhhhhhhhh so the little human did have a lover. How very opportunistic.

Now that Karsha had poured the rage of her bleeding heart on the nearby village, she felt like being more devious now. No need to get into an all out battle yet. After all, she would destroy the smaller beast with ease. She had fifty years of Ridership under her scales - the dragon didn't look even half of that age. Red blood would look quite stunning against his pure snowy scales....but no. Time for emotional pain, the kind she dealt in every day. Unfolding her wings and standing, her bulk towered over the two. Her thunderous voice filled the cavern as she laughed cruelly, her eyes narrowing. "This petty little sack of flesh?" she asked, knowing full well the answer was yes. She brought her paw around, displaying the pale little creature lying fully encompassed in her deadly claws, dark hair spilling over deep purple. "You know better than to take her from me," she mocked, "for a single move and I will crush her like a mouse." It was a good conundrum and Karsha would enjoy the anguish it brought. The lover could not save his love or she would die.

[singent]

'Great, now two dragons,' thought Thokul. What a day this was turning out to be...

Just that morning:"Please, give a few more day, and I'll have it paid off," weeped a hysterical goblin. "No, now before I get the bruisers, you'd best just hand me that paper," commanded a short stout goblin. Thokul's wife standing behind him, brightened up. "Here's your ring, you bastard," she promptly stated dropping it on the floor in front of him. "What?" Thokul was lost in a haze. "You dumb thrall, we've been married for 8 months, who baby did you think this is?" she laughed into his face. Just then, a hulking orc came up behind the short gobbo, leering he growled,"Time to leave, weakling." Thokul didn't give it a second thought, picked up the ring, his overcoat and simply left. He found a cave sometime later in which to curl up and die in. But he was disturbed from his concentration of death...

Why here of all places? Sighing with disbelief at his luck, he sat towards the back of the cave thinking. Oh! But this is just the easiest of solutions. "Excuse me? Miss Dragon?" Thokul was never shy to his credit, or doom. He slipped his now divorced wife's ring onto his own finger. "Did you kill everyone in the town below or just destroy everything? Well, either case, I want to thank you for being the first being to do something nice for me. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart." Oh wait...what am I doing? He quickly looked for a rock , one he hoped would be big enough to protect him from the breath of the dragon, and one he could jump to quickly. But he held his ground and put on a big oafish grin.

[sheroknight]

The goblin was a prescious distraction, but he feared not enough of one. There was no chance of Shero being able to save her from the dragon's grasp, but maybe there was still a slim glimmer of hope. He would not let this beast of a dragon kill his love, he would not let it steal her from him. The flames surrounding his body began to darken and became a dark black. Anger, fear, hope, and love flowed through him. He was afraid that Kia would not survive this day, he was angry for what he was about to do, and he hoped his love would survie. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "You shall not have her!" He yelled at the dragon as a shard of solid black flame impaled Kia. Steam rose from the falmes that surrounded Shero, his face may have been hidden... but not his tears of anger and sorrow.

[Lynx]

At least someone was grateful for her efforts, though Karsha had hardly done it for his benefit. Considering that she did not hold a quarrel with the green little creature, she would allow him to live. He seemed nervous to speak to her, which was understandable, but for now she ignored him. He would do nothing to save or hurt Kia. She chuckled deeply, the air vibrating with her voice. "You see, Rider, not everyone is angered by what I do," she growled with a cunning grin. Her teeth flashed white against the deep indigo of her scales. Then the man began to change. The flames that had surrounded him turned dark, darker than even her scales, but yet still flame. A mage then, was he? Then, in an unexpected turn of events, he shot out a black flame that pierced the little healer. With a roar of surprise, Karsha opened her claw. Yes, it was somehow solid, though it made no sense. "You fool!" she snarled, her long neck snaking towards him, "you killed that which you loved when she was not in danger? I would not have killed her, you impetuous brat! She healed once, she can heal again. But you...you have just cosigned yourself to life without her!"

With a roar, she galloped the short distance to the cave entrance. Her wings and tail beat against the smaller scaled creature, shoving him out of the cave as she erupted from the entrance. Not waiting to see if the dragon hit the ground or managed to fly, she took off, shooting an angry spout of flame into the darkness. Then the dragon dissolved into the purple blue sky, only a shadowy beast of anger and hatred. In her grasp she still held the girl. Maybe she would die, maybe she would recover. Whatever the case, she was Karsha's now.

[micaylah]

Kia felt the searing hot shard as it pierced her skin. She could smell the flesh but thankfully the pain receded after the initial insult as shock to her body set in. She had heard the exchange between Shero and Karsha. She had heard someone else as well but could not place the voice. Shero’s emotions had roused her before he let the shard loose. She twisted so, her body moving the fraction of an inch that gave the blackened fire path through her but saved injury to vital organs. Shero wouldn’t know this and she had no way to reach him. She felt his pain and anger, the rage was so intense that it dwarfed Flamies in comparison. She pulled strength from that rage to do what she had to do.

Kia remained still as Karsha spoke her thieving words meant to drive the final blow of the knife through Shero’s heart. They were airborne again. She felt the wind. She felt the vibrations of flight as the mighty dragon’s wings whipped her through the sky. Kia opened her eyes. “Karsha,” she said weakly but alive. “If you seek misery and to be alone why do you keep me close? Why not just drop me from the heavens? He will follow. As long as I live, he will follow.” She knew her words would anger the dragon again but she pressed on. Her body began to glow again. The warmth exuding from within her as the shard was pushed out from the inside. Slowly, she healed all but the faint redness of a forming scar that she would keep. A scar near her heart born of sacrifice in the name of love.

[singent]

Well, that was just insanity on a level Thokul thought he would never see. He tried to kill the one he loved? But the dragon seemed nice enough, and even a little upset that he tried that. This was all too confusing. Thokul walked over to the human. "Look, I know that it feels like life isn't being fair, trust me I know. But, I've lost everything I've ever had or wanted, so look maybe we can figure something out together, yea? If it makes you better, I can pretty much do anything that you might need done."

Literally, this was the only thing Thokul even wanted to try, since there was nothing left in the village, literally, for him. And he's run out of things he's ever wanted to do in live, so maybe this was his last chance for anything, to help these two lovers get back together. In fact, they could even use the rings; rings that he bought from some man he met in a market. Though the man smelled like a distillery, he said the rings were magical...apparently the magic had nothing to do with love or marriage.

[sheroknight]

D**N that dragon! How dare she think she can keep Kia from him. "You Goblin, I have a job for you!" Shero yelled as he extinguished his flames and grabbed the diminutive man by the collar. Shero carried him to the lip of the cliff and jumped off slidding down the rock face to wear an injured Flamie was lifting himself up. "How badly are you hurt?" Shero asked, "Just a wing, I won't be flying anytime soon, but I can still run faster than you." Flamie replied as he began to head in the direction the dragon had fled. Shero ran up Flamies tail and onto his back tossing down the Goblin. "Sit there and look for the dragon!" Shero said as Flamie began to nock his way through the forest. "This is taking too long! OUT OF THE WAY FOREST!" Shero yelled as he whipped out with a thread of flame slicing and burning down a path through the trees.

[Lynx]

A golden glow began to form in her claw, causing Karsha to grin in anticipation. Kia had life within her yet, a positive sign. A little bit of spunk as well, it would seem. Her words made Karsha laugh, a deep belly laugh. It shook the skies like thunder and reverberated around the flying beast as she made her way into midnight blackness. She coughed midway, sending short sparking breaths into the air. "Any annoyance I may suffer at having you will be worth the anguish the Rider you love suffers!" she proclaimed, "following is good - it gives me more chance to wound him!" A chuckle rumbled in her throat once more.

At least her little prize was still alive. The glow had receded, meaning she was done with healing. Then another glow erupted. The forest below was being burned and Karsha knew who was doing it. So she had injured the little dragon. It would appear as if he could not fly. Well, Karsha wanted them to follow, but not to catch her. Veering sharp left, she increased her altitude and speed. Her dark form obscured the rocks of the mountains as she flew in front of them. Finally she cleared a peak, crossing over a sheer mass of rocks and dirt. Rocks could not be burnt and this would slow the little man down. Triumph would be hers in the end.

[singent]

"Uh, sir, the noble beast has flown up, out of my own sight." Poking Shero in the back," Also, I can tend to your dragon. I'm not saying it's the same but I took care of falcons for a while, and the wings are along the same lines." He said helpfully. Riding a dragon was a new experience. But the goblin was very scared, here was a man who can set fire? with an angry dragon. Whatever Thokul had stepped into was just too confusing for his simple mind, he just wanted to help out any way he could.

[micaylah]

Kia took a deep breath as she sat within the large dragons claws. The air was thin as they climbed higher but not bad at all. “Karsha what will this prove?” She frowned for a minute then looked at the dragon. “You get joy and pleasure from this. Do not deny it. Yes they are miserable like you. They feel pain and loss and agony of separation. They share that in common with you and that makes you happy on some level. By doing this you are not alone.” She looked behind them as the fires spread below. “Karsha. I want to show you how I feel. Accept or do not.” Kia opened everything within her, letting it spill to the dragon. Anger, pain, sorrow, rage, pity, compassion, hope echoed from within her. Then she began to glow brighter than ever before. Love. Her love for Shero and Flamie, her family, those for whom she had cared as a healer, and lastly…..love for the large purple dragon that was causing her so much pain. “Karsha…I do love you but I do not expect you to understand.”

[Lynx]

Why would she deny the fruits of the labor she had so savagely committed? The little human's mistake was in thinking the giant beast would be ashamed of the pain and sadness she had caused. At one time, in a past life forever lost, Karsha would have fought against ones such as herself, those who caused pain simply to revel in the anguish of others. But her perspective had changed. There was nothing in the world left for her now. But she still had at least one hundred years left to live. For now she wreaked her anger and sorrow on anyone near enough to feel it. The pain was still fresh and every sight of a Rider or a Shade re opened the wound. It would not heal, so Karsha didn't try to help it along.

Something flowed into her brain, another consciousness that was Kia. Half of the feelings synced with Karsha's, feeding them and making them stronger. The other half were like vague memories. Yes, at one time she had felt compassion, felt hope. There was no hope any longer, only the darkness ever looming on the horizon. Love? Hah! The girl thought she could somehow change the dragon with love. The word was bitter in her mind. Karsha snarled, renting the night in two. "Love? You dare to lecture me about love? Your puny heart will never know what love I have felt! Yes, that is correct, at one time my heart overflowed with the feeling so much that I poured it out like a boon upon any who would receive it and many who would not. The cup is bitter now, poisoned, and I will never love like that again. Do not attempt to sway me with the pitiful inkling of what you feel - it is nothing! NOTHING!" she roared, shooting out another gust of flame. The only thing accomplished was making Karsha pull farther into herself.

[micaylah]

Kia shook her head as she was carried further from Shero and Flamie within the dragon's large claw. "Karsha, I don't seek to change you, merely to understand. I accept you such as you are." She had felt a glimpse of the dragon's love. It was there once, it would be again. She settled into the flight accepting that there was nothing she could do or say. Karsha's words put her in fear for her own love and she'd almost wished that she had died now. At least then Shero would not follow and place himself in danger because of her.

[sheroknight]

The constant exertion of elemental flames upon the forest had begun to tax on Shero, with a weakening of his strength, came a weakening of his rage. Shero released the flames and kneeled down on Flamie's heaving sides, "Its ok Flamie, we're done." "DONE?!" Flamie said, gasping for breath, "We CAN'T... can't..." Flamie trailed off as he gasped. "Flamie, you can't fly, and we can't see them anymore. We are both at our limits, we can't help her now." Shero said falling to his hand's and knee's on his friend's back. "Goblin treat his wing we shall rest and prepare to find her after it heals. How many days will it take?" Shero asked, tears falling. Flamie roared one last roar of frustration before bowing his head and emitting a low moan of failure.

[singent]

"Look sir, I can have it treated within 2 days, but the dragon here is going to have to rest,and you as you need one as well," the goblin said, after witnessing the display of power from Shero. "I do know of someone that can help, but he is how can we say...hard to get ahold of. He is relatively easy to find though. He has a way of manipulating energies, which I've seen him kill a tree to heal a child. But in the mean time, I can care for both of you, only if we stop this mad run!"

[Lynx]

Yes, yes, this was going to work out perfectly. The moonstruck rider and his small dragon would find their way to his true love, Karsha had no doubt. She remembered the feeling, remembered the tug on her heart that compelled her to follow wherever her Rider went. He would follow if he loved her, and by his actions Karsha knew he did. She chuckled darkly to herself, still holding Kia tightly. She didn't want to lose her key to causing the Rider anguish. In the end Karsha would make him choose. He would have to pick either his love or the other half of his heart. Either way he would leave from the encounter seared forever. It would please the great dragon greatly to finally have someone who understood her tormenting pain.

Karsha flew until nearly sunrise, traveling south and covering many miles. Even if the small dragon could fly, it would take him twice the time to reach where she was. Her tireless wing beats carried her far and fast. She knew the girl would not be in discomfort; her paws were big enough for a fully grown man to rest comfortably inside. Finally, once the deep velvet sky began to lighten to a fiery red, Karsha descended. She picked a mountain peak with a deep cave and went inside, going so deep she could not be seen. Yawning, she deposited the tiny human on the stony floor of the cave. "Now we shall rest," she proclaimed, curling up around the girl. Her wings extended down to the floor, creating a bubble of space in which the girl could rest. Her long, thick tail wrapped around until it touched the tip of her outstretched nose. In this way Karsha enclosed Kia in a veritable prison of flesh and wing. The only air came from a small gap above her head. Assured that the girl could not escape without her knowledge, Karsha drifted off into a light slumber, the breath from her nostrils warming the floor to a comfortable temperature even at the high elevation.

[micaylah]

Kia sighed as Karsha entombed her in a living prison. She moved over to lie against the dragon’s side, just under where her wing joined with her body. Kia laid her head on the floor as she curled into a ball. Karsha was warm against her and her gentle breathing made Kia’s prison comfortable. She closed her eyes as tears began to fall. Shero, Flamie, what was going to happen to them. Her heart ached as she had never before known. She was afraid for the first time. Her body shook softly as she tried to keep her cries silent. Quietly she prayed to the fates that Shero would not come for her. She prayed that Karsha would take her so far away that she would never be found, but she knew he would come. Worse, she knew that when he did, Karsha would do everything in her power to hurt him.