• tab Pyra stared at the screen for a moment, trying to think of what creature she knew of that had solid blue eyes. A Half Dragon…? No… It couldn’t be. Half Dragons don’t have this type of power. Wait, the transmission said something like ‘not dragon, emon.’ Emon… Emon… Demon? She rewound the tape and watched it a few more times, deciding that she couldn’t get a good angle with this shot. She backed up a few screens until she found the map of the wall with the camera names inscribed on it. She chose a camera that was on top of the wall.
    tab The camera showed a lone sentry looking into the distance, then suddenly dropping to the ground as a flash lighted the wall top. Before the sentry could recover, a shadow leapt onto the wall, engulfing the sentry. The shadow then turned toward something off camera, and rushed towards it. Pyra went back to the camera map, and chose a different camera in the same area. This camera faced down the length of the wall, showing that there were two sentries, not one.
    tab Pyra watched as the flash lit up the wall, the sentries falling to the wall top as the view screen shook. The blast from whatever weapon was used to destroy the walls must have caused the shockwaves that dropped the sentries... The screen stopped shaking, and the shadow appeared on the wall, obliterating the male sentry. The female sentry staggered towards the camera, reaching below it and pressing something. The shadow turned toward the sentry, its features blurrily illuminated from a second explosion in the direction of the Fourth Gate.
    tab The creature rushed the sentry in a blur, lifting her into the air by her legs and torso while ripping her in half with an almost lazy twist of the wrists. The halves fell off-screen, and the creature leapt off the wall. A few seconds later, the screen turned black and green letters appeared on the screen, “Camera destroyed.” Pyra stepped away from the panel. She had found what she needed.


    tab Several floors below the Dragon Academy, Saber and Red walked calmly down a metal hallway lit by fluorescent light. They were heading to the main medical facility located in central Tyrra, eight-hundred thirty miles away. Saber was pushing a floating gurney with the collapsed hatchling on it, Red, busily taking notes on a clipboard, walked beside her. They walked in silence, each consumed with their own thoughts.
    Red, was a twelve foot two inch White Dragon, a genius in the field of biology, and the current head of all medical and biological affairs. No one really knew where or when he got his nickname, but it is assumed that he was called Red, as a joke, when he was transferred to Red Dragon territory at a young age. Saber on the other hand, was exactly four feet shorter than her mentor, did not sport the scales of a dragon, and had solid blue eyes whereas all the dragons around her had solid red. Her transformation was interrupted somehow, making her a half dragon. Most of the other medical students say that is the only reason Red chose her as an apprentice.
    tab Red’s thoughts were completely on the hatchling. Saber’s mind was drifting towards her bed in her room four floors above them. They stopped at an entryway where Red punched in a code to unlock it. The door hissed open to admit them into one of the spokes leading to the main teleportation hub.
    tab Dragons moved out of their way as they walked past a technician seated behind a counter. The technician took one look at them, and punched in a few numbers on his computer screen. He called out to Red, “Portal seventeen is free.” Red waved absentmindedly as Saber steered the gurney in the direction of the spoke leading to portals ten through twenty. They walked up to a door labeled 17, and waited while the technician behind the door checked their purpose with the main counter. Shortly after, the door slid open with a hiss, allowing them to walk into a circular room with a ramp leading up to a blank wall.
    tab The technician punched a few buttons on a panel near the entry door, and the blank wall seemed to melt into a spiral, slowly swirling until a light at the center consumed the whole wall. The light faded, revealing a room identical to the one they were in. Red’s com unit beeped just then, and he reached up to answer it, “Hmm? Red speaking.” Saber could hear a frantic voice on the other end of the com, but couldn’t make out the words. Red’s eyes narrowed, “Yes, I’m in a portal room right now.” A few more frantic murmurs, then Red shouted, “You did what?! No! Don’t do anything, I’m on my way!”
    tab He turned to Saber, “I’m sorry, but could you fill in for me for a few hours? One of my idiot colleagues just let a rare species of aquatic gripper run amok in the bio labs.” Saber sighed; she had hoped that she would have the rest of the day off. “No need to apologize, Sir. I’ll fill in for you.” She walked up the ramp and into the other room. As soon as she was on the other side, the wall melted back together.
    tab Red turned to the technician. “Punch in the coordinates for the bio labs, quickly!” The technician punched a few numbers on the keypad and the wall turned into another room again. This one had blue tile on the floor, blue markings on the walls, and dragons in white lab coats standing around looking worried. Red marched up the ramp into the other room, the wall closing behind him. He looked at the assembled biologists, saying through clenched teeth, “Who in the three rings of Hell let the gripper loose?!”


    tab Kyle and Karin stepped through tall, metal, automatic doors, into a large waiting room at the base of the Control Tower. A counter stood against one end, behind it a large vault door was imbedded into the wall. Karin looked at Kyle as they walked towards the counter. “It’s been so long since we’ve last associated with the Dragons, that I’ve forgotten just how tall they were.” She said. Kyle grinned, “How tall do you think those medics were?”
    tab “Hmm, I’d say between ten and twelve feet.”
    tab “What are the Arc averages? Between seven and nine feet?”
    tab “Sure makes us look like humans in comparison, eh?” They both laughed as they stood in front of the counter.
    tab The vault opened, and a female dragon with ash-white scales carrying a stack of paperwork stepped behind the counter. She was wearing the red uniform of the Southern Dragon Army; two silver arches on both shoulders identified her as a Warrior, Second Class. Her amethyst earrings sparkled for an instant as she looked up from the papers, over the Twin Blades’ heads, with a questioning look on her face. She quickly corrected herself and looked down at the Twin Blades. “May I help you?” She said. Kyle grinned, “I‘m the Ambassador from Arc Twin Blade.” The dragon set her papers down and typed a few keys on the screen hidden behind the lip of the counter. “Kyle Arc Twin Blade?”
    She sounded a bit skeptical. Kyle removed his face mask, attaching it to a small hook on his chest. The dragon looked back at the screen, then back at Kyle. Recognition showed in her eyes, “Ah, you are Kyle.” She typed in a few more things, “The Council is busy at the moment. Would you please wait with the others in the room adjoining this one?” Kyle thought for a moment, and then he said, “That would be fine.” The dragon smiled, showing her sharp, pointed teeth, “Welcome to the Southern Control Tower. Please leave your weapons on the counter.” With a sigh, Kyle removed the scabbards holding his two rapiers, setting them on the counter gently. Behind him, Karin removed her two scimitars, setting them next to Kyle’s weapons. The dragon smiled again, “Thank you.” She picked up the weapons, and walked through the open vault door. Kyle glimpsed rows of bristling weapon racks before the door closed with a hiss.
    tab Kyle and Karin walked towards the archway leading into a spacious, circular, waiting room. Their black, leather and metal, mid-calf boots clicked on the metal tiles covering the floor. The waiting room was comprised of twenty or so deep red, soft, cushioned chairs arranged in semi-circles around small tables. An entire half of the wall was taken up by a floor to ceiling window that followed the curvature of the room. The only occupants were a couple of members from Arc Hammer, one of which was sleeping with her head next to a half empty pitcher of water and two cups on the table. Her shoulder-length, light brown hair covered her face. The Twin Blades sat in chairs across from the Hammers. The two groups looked at each other with slight mistrust; their armies had recently been involved in a bitter dispute. Finally, Karin spoke up. “Hello, Arc Hammers.” The man raised a hand in greeting, tab “Good morning, Arc Twin Blades.”
    tab At the words ‘Twin Blade’, the female Arc Hammer jumped to her feet, reaching for a weapon that wasn’t there. The man put his arm out to pacify her, “Cool it, Lilly. We’re on the same side as they are now.” Lilly opened her green eyes and blinked in confusion. She looked at Kyle, “The Twin Blades joined the Alliance?” Kyle crossed his arms and leaned into the plush chair. The man ran a hand over his bald scalp, tracing a raised, black spider web tattoo. “Well, the dragons have final say in that. Anyways, I’m Hammaas, and this,” he pointed at the woman, “is Lilly.” Kyle nodded greetings to them.
    tab Karin removed her face mask, attaching it to her chest as she sat in a chair next to Kyle. Lilly lost interest in the two Twin Blades and moved to stand near the window. Hammaas watched her for a second, and then turned back to Kyle. “How many are in your group?” Kyle shrugged, “Four, possibly three. Oh and, I’m Kyle.” He gestured in Karin’s general direction, “That’s Karin.” Karin laughed.
    tab Hammaas looked puzzled, “Possibly three? Did something happen?” Kyle looked out the window, “Not yet, but knowing Sasha, something will.”
    Karin grinned, “You want to bet on who reaches the Tower first?” Hammaas looked a bit shocked, “You left your squad behind?” Kyle pulled a few gold coins out of a pocket in his black cloak, holding up two fingers on his other hand, “Double digits, they’ll be alright.” Lilly, now interested, called over to the group, “Double digits? What are your ranks?” Karin fished around in her cloak, searching for gold coins, “Lowest to highest: Hallsoor: forty-seven, Sasha: forty-four, me: thirty-eight, and Kyle is thirty-two.” Lilly sneered at her, “Only thirty-eight? I’m rank twenty-three, the weakest in our group.” Hammaas shot a stern look at Lilly, “Don’t underestimate them just because they are lower ranks. Arc Twin Blade is the strongest army in the Great Arc. I’m sure any one of them could kill you blindfolded.”
    tab Kyle bowed in his chair, “Why, thank you for the compliment! Karin, I got ten golds.” He set the coins on the table. Karin set down another ten, “I’ll match you. Five if Sasha reaches the tower first, the other five if Hallsoor limps in.” Kyle grinned, “Five if Hallsoor reaches the tower first and passes out, another five if Sasha has to be carried in on a stretcher.”
    tab “You’re on. Oh and Lilly, while you’re by the window, keep an eye out for a couple of black cloaks will you? I’m going to sleep.” Lilly scowled at Karin while Kyle laughed.