1=BE
<Calindeth?>

<I see them Darrkon.  You should see for yourself.>  The dragon let Darrkon=
 see through his eyes.  The dragonrider only counted seventy men.

<Is that all there are?  Or are there more on the way?>  Darrkon was somewh=
at insulted that Ardomok hadn't thought him enough of a danger to bring at =
least a hundred.  Calindeth alone made that necessary.

<There were more.> Calindeth answered <But many took paths that lead to dea=
d ends or dead endings.  More of them fell to the traps.  Besides the wild =
riders, that is all of them.>

<All right.  Let's get this started.>Darrkon replied.  Calindeth pushed him=
self up from thhe ground, shaking off the foliage it took Darrkon hours to =
cover him in.  He launched himself into the air and immediately recieved a =
response.

Six dragons appeared in the sky, all focused on their gray adversary. <What=
 first Darrkon?>

<Take them to the caves.>

<That might not take care of them all.  Two look  too large to fit in.>

<You're just gonna have to improvise.  Darrkon climbed from the tree and be=
gan toward the shore.  <You've got to get rid of them if the plan is gonna =
work.>

<OK, I'll try.>  Calindeth hovered in the air and let the other dragons clo=
se the distace.  There were two blues, a green, and an ill tempered red, Ca=
lindeth was sure he could lead them into the caves.  It was the large blue =
and gigantic black that he has sure would not fit. "I must think of somethi=
ng. " The dragon thought.

Before the wild riders and their dragons could take position around him, th=
e gray dragon closed his wings around himself and plummeted.  When he was s=
afely out of their reach Calindeth extended his wings. There was an unbelie=
vable strain on his wings.  He had to flap them one, tow, three times befor=
e he could regain control.  When he and Darrkon were in the wild Calindeth =
could fall twice as long with half the effort.  He had allowed himself to a=
llow warren life to make him soft.  Darrkon would not be pleased.

<..>

Darrkon reached the shore just in time to see Calindeth fall from the sky, =
evading his pursuers.  He climbed into the boa he had left waitingand watch=
ed as his dragon expertly cancelled his dive.  The only other time he had s=
een a dragon perform that maneuver was during mating flights.  Mainly becau=
se it was danmed risky,  Darrkon knew -his- dragon could handle it though, =
and marveled as Calindeth taunted his opponents with his choice of flight p=
atterns.  Darrkon proudly and confidently pushed himself from the shore, re=
ady to undertake his part of the plan.

<..>

As the four smaller dragons began closing in on him Calindeth changed his f=
lying style for the fifth time.  It wasn't going to be as easy to lead them=
 to the caves as he thought.  After much twising, turning, diving, and dodg=
ing they reached the area he was looking for.  <Catch me...if you can!> he =
dared his pursuers.

The red was the only to answer <After your human is gone we won't have to w=
orry about you.>

That response answered the question that had been botheringCalindeth all th=
is time.  Why hadn't they taken position to flame him?  Of course, they wer=
e delaying him so the humans could kill Darrkon.  But why?  If one dies, th=
e other can't go on.  Does it really matter who dies first?

While he was thinking this Calindeth had gained ground on the dragons behin=
d him.  This territory was new to them, it made sense that they would fly c=
arefully.  Finally Calindeth spotted what he was looking for.  He maxed out=
 his speed as he flew into the familiar cave to his right.

The dragons were forced to fly single file, the red took lead.  The cave wa=
s too small for the smallest adult dragons to fly in pairs.  Calindeth cont=
inued at breakneck speed since he knew the cave so well.  Small torches app=
eared every now and again, providing just enough light for  those in pursui=
t of Calindeth.  The gray dragon continued toward the back of the cave, gla=
ncing back a few times to locate his antagonists.

Calindeth's red eyes saw the turn he had been waiting for approaching.  As =
he reached it, he arched his body and glided up into the turn.  At the same=
 time he flamed the back wall.  The oils which had ben spread earlier caugh=
t fire.  The blaze quickly spread across to the other wallsand created a ri=
ng of fire.  The other dragon passed through the ring unharmed.  Just as Da=
rrkon had planned.  They also didn't notice the ropes burning within the ri=
ng.  Again as Darrkon had planned.

<You'll have to do better than that!>  The red dragon taunted.

The dragons were now flying upside down.  Their momentum was lagging in the=
 tight space.  The two blues and the green slowed their pace, but the red w=
as intent on catching his adversary.  Calindeth entered the cavern that wou=
ld allow him to right himself, it also led back to the cave entrance.  <I h=
ave done much better.> He finally answered to the red.  The rgay dragon tur=
ned to see the angry red had righted himself as well and was mere feet from=
 his tail.  <If I were you, I'd slow down.>  Calindeth warned.

<If I were you I'd be a coward!>  The red spit back.

As Calindeth came closer to exiting the cave he saw the large black outside=
 hovering.  He also saw the ropes, hidden high in the corners of the cave, =
giving way.  When he realized the red wasn't slowing down he answered <If I=
 were you, I'd be a fool!>

When Calindeth reached the end of the cave the roped finally did give way. =
 The purpose of the ropes was to hold two wooden pillars in place at the en=
d of the cave.  When the tension from the ropes was relaesed the pillars be=
gan to shake.  Just as Calindeth exited the cave the pillars fell, releasin=
g the weight of the boulders on top of them.

<..>

By this time the red dragon and his rider realized this was all a setup.  T=
hey also realized there was no way to stop or turn in time to avoid a fatal=
 impact with the rocks.  Their last effort was to flame the dragon responsi=
ble for their demise.  They closed the distance between themselves and Cali=
ndeth to inches.  The red released its flame just as Calindeth exited the c=
ave.  Instead of flying straight, the gray dragon veered up and to the righ=
t, and a horrified dragon and rider immediately saw why.  Directly in the p=
ath of their flame flew their great black companion.  It continued hovering=
 as flamed licked at its wings and engulfed its rider.  The red tried to cu=
t off its flame, but it was too late.  The dragon and his rider were halfwa=
y out of the cave when they were buried by the rubble.  The weight of the b=
oulders crushed all of the remaining air from its lungs, sustaining and int=
ensifying the flame.  As darkness invaded his sight, the red dragon saw the=
 charred and rui!
ned hulk of his black companion fall from the sky.

<..>

Calindeth looked back and saw the two corpses of his fellow dragons.  From =
the caves he heard the remorseful bellow of their compatriots.  No dragon w=
ould have been hurt if things had gone right.  The gray dragon kept an eye =
out for the large blue, but saw no sign of her.  He returned to the lake to=
 continue with the plan, but Darrkon wasn't in position.  Perhaps he wwas t=
oo tired from that strange ritual of his.  Calindeth decided to instill som=
e fear into the humans until Darrkon could get placed.

<..>

Darrkon heard a sound he had not planned on hearing tonight.  The death kee=
n of dragons.  But he had no worries.  The dragon he saw flying toward the =
men on shore was Calindeth, he was sure of it.  But he decided ot to commun=
icate with the beast because they had to concentrate on their tasks.  Darrk=
on was halfway through the lake, his arms and back were aching.  In years p=
ast he could have crossed the lake three times and felt less strain.  His f=
atigue could be due to bloodloss, or to the fact that he had only eaten onc=
e since yesterday's picnic.  But those were all excuses, Darrkon had to adm=
it that he had been slacking off ever since he became comfortable at the wa=
rren.  That would change when he returned.  After all Calindeth was in perf=
ectly good shape, why shouldn't his rider be?

While rowing closer to the shore Darrkon saw the dragon in question mock at=
tacking the warriors.  He would dive down and pick away their shields, or f=
lick his tail and send ten men flying at once.  Never enough to hurt them t=
hough.  When Darrkon reached his post things really got interesting.

Calindeth started acting like a dragon gone mad.  He would flame things tha=
t weren't there.  He would twist and spin and dive and roll, never hitting =
anyone so they wouldn't run away.  He was putting on quite a show.  But to =
be safe the warriors found themseles steadily moving toward the lake.

After about ten minutes Calindeth came out of his lunatic frenzy and flew a=
way over the lake.  The warriors stood amazed at what had happened, until t=
hey saw the shadow rowing calmly toward them.  The soldiers were ready to c=
harge into the water, but their captain opdered them to retrieve the boats.=
  The "boats"  turned out to be wooden planks about six feet long and  two =
feet wide.  The combatants rushed into the lake, two to each board.  Darrko=
n rowed closer and closer until the fighters were about ten feet from him..=
.

<Now Calindeth!> He urged to his dragon <NOW!>

Darrkon's enemies had been so focused on capturing him, they didn't notice =
the dragon had circled around behind them.  They also didn't notice the lak=
e's surface was not water...but oil.

Fire erupted from Calindeth's lips and touched lightly upon the lake.  The =
flame eagerly consumed the oil and danced across the lake, eveloping all in=
 its path.  As the orange inferno raged towards Darrkon's boat, he dove int=
o the lake and swam to its depths.

Darrkon swam to the bottom of the lake and grabed a rope he had waiting for=
 him.  <I am ready Calindeth.>  He was immediately pulled through the water=
, the screams of the warriors penetrated the water to fill his ears.  As th=
e depths became more shallow Darrkon let go of the rope.  Now was the time =
he would test the most dangerous part of his plan.

The masked dragonrider lay at the bottom of five feet of water.  The lake a=
bove him still burned fiercely.  Slowly Darrkon stood.  His head passd thro=
ugh the watery barrier and entered the flames unburned.  His neck and shoul=
ders also passed through the flames unharmed.  Earlier in the day he applie=
d a balm that he had stolen.  The balm was supposed to prevent the wearer f=
rom being burned.  So far it was working.  Darrkon waited until he could no=
 longer feel the flames on his face before he opened his eyes.  On the beac=
h he saw the astonished faces of his opponents.  He ripped away the burning=
 shirt he had forgotten to apply the balm to, and walked toward the shore. =
 As he reached the waters edge, the dragonrider reached down into the sand =
and pulled the last rope he had hidden.  Attached to it were his weapons.  =
As his enemies still stood dumbfounded he strapped them on.

Darrkon scanned the men who stood against him.  He caught sight of Illium's=
 giant champion in the rear of the group.  A burning rage, ten times hotter=
 than the blaze behind him ran though his body.  This was the man responsib=
le for all that is happening now.  For Marina's condition, for Darrkon's we=
akened state, for the deaths of his own people's dragons, and for the two d=
ays he has been without Lacey.  If not for him none of this would have occu=
rred.  If all else were left standing, that man would fall.

Fear had gripped many of the warriors and they ran away.  Now only seven da=
red face him.  Three fell quickly to his throwing knives, but Darrkon felt =
no satisfaction.  He threw the knives to the ground and drew his swords.  T=
wo men approached and clumsily attacked him, in only minutes they were disp=
atched of.  Now only the captain and the giant remained.

As the captain approached Darrkon saw that this would not be a quick fight.=
  He moved slowly and cautiously, sword drawn, and shield raised, waiting f=
or Darrkon to make his move.  The dragonrider struck out with his left swor=
d, the captain easily blocked it and countered with a swipe of his own, whi=
ch Darrkon blocked as well.  The combatants tested each other in this manne=
r for about fifteen minutes.  They could not block every attack and soon fo=
und themselves covered in blood.  The captain was visibly tired, Darrkon ra=
ge had worn off and his strength was lagging and well.  But as the wind whi=
pped across his face Darrkon realized he had a new weapon he had never had =
before, the bluff.  When the captain next raised his sword Darrkon summoned=
 all of his strength, gathered himself up...and smiled.

The captain amazed at what he was seeing struck out wildly.  Fear now showe=
d in his face.  He didn't know what he was fighting but it could not be a m=
an, for no man could still have so much strength after the slashing's Darrk=
on had taken.  Darrkon had underestimated the captain though, his fear had =
given him strength.  As Dsrrkon blocked the captain's strike his shield cam=
e crashing against Darrkon's face.  If not for the mask the dragonrider wou=
ld surely have been rendered unconcious.  Even as he fell, Darrkon sent a k=
ick to his nemesis' groin. =20

Darrkon regained his feet as the captain doubled over.  In seconds though, =
the soldier was swinging his sword in an atttempt to cut the masked rider's=
 legs from under him.  Darrkon blocked the blow, but the monentum knocked h=
is own weapon against his legs and caused him to fall.  Ardomok's warrior w=
as up in a second, his face was in a rage.  His eyes were wild with hatred,=
 his teeth were bared , his nostrils flaring.  The captain raised his sword=
 high over his head with the blade facing down.  It was evident he not only=
 wanted to kill Darrkon, he wanted to destroy his body.  But that was his m=
istake, Darrkon rolled back, pulled his dagger from his boot and flung it a=
t his adversary.  The blade whistled through the air and sank deep into his=
 enemies chest.  The captain fell to the earth an amazed and horrified look=
 on his face.  A few grunts escaped his lips, then he said no more.

All strength left Darrkon's body.  He collapsed to the earth intent on rest=
.  Until a hand on his shoulder reminded him of unfinished business.  His b=
attle-axe Soulcleaver was ripped from his back.  Two massive hands lifted h=
im off of the ground, the arms these hands belonged to wrapped around him a=
nd began squeezing out his breath.

"I'm gonna break you little man!" The giant screamed.  Darrkon's vision beg=
an to fade, when his head fell forward he summoned up what little strength =
he had left and snapped it back.  His head struck squarely against the brid=
ge of the giant nose, Darrkon felt himself falling to the earth.  He heard =
the giant screams behind him, but could not lift an arm to defend himself. =
 He couldn't believe it.  Of all the people he had faced, of all the fights=
 he had survived, Darrkon was going to fall to this man...This  clod!  Dark=
ness swept over his eyes, and all went silent.

<..>

Morning

When Darrkon awoke he was wrapped in a blanket.  His wounds had been dresse=
d and his cloths had been changed.  Sitting up send llightening bolts throu=
gh his body, every part of him protested movement.  But he got up and exami=
ned his surroundings.

Darrkon saw that he was o the same beach as last night.  He looked around a=
nd saw the bodies of the men he had faced.  He walked over to the captain a=
nd retrieved his dagger.  He picked up the belt containing his throwing kni=
ves and unlodged those he had thrown from their victims.  He picked up his =
swords.  He walked over to the giant who lay dead, and examined him.  To hi=
s surprise The blade of Soulcleaver lay embedded in the giant's back.

"So that's what all that screaming was about.  I guess luck is still with m=
e."

He walked over to Calindeth who lay a short distance away.  Marina was curl=
ed against his side, and he had something captured onder his claws. <What d=
o you have for me friend?>

Calindeth lifted his claw <He was after Marina, but I caught him.>  The man=
 revealed was Ardomok.

The ringleader looked at Darrkon with scorn and hatred, "I suppose you are =
going to kill me now Darrkon.  Well get it over with, I hate long goodbyes.=
"  Ardomo's joke failed to conceal his fear.

"You will not die today Ardomok.  I have spilled and shed more blood in the=
se two days than I would have wished to for the rest of my life."  Darrkon =
walked over to Marina, woke her and helped her to Calindeth's neck, never t=
aking his eyes from the bandit, "Before this incident I grew weary of the w=
arren.  Now I look forward to seeing its walls again.  I give you your life=
 Ardomok.  Use it wisely, for if we meet under the same circumstances it sh=
all not be spared again."

Ardomok scowled at Darrkon as the dragonrider climbed on his dragon's back.=
  The nights rest and the new morning had refreshed Darrkon.  Calindeth lau=
nched himself from the ground and Darrkon pictured in his mind, the warren.=
  He was surprised he could miss that place, any place so much in just two =
days.

Submitted by

Darrkon and Calindeth


NRPG:  And he's back!  So is this an epic saga or what.  I'm thinking pulit=
zer.  :)
der him.  Darrkon blocked the blow, but the monentum knocked his own weapon=
 against his legs and caused him to fall.  Ardo=80=DF&k=08
Ismail