DragonKnights

"Tch!" Sadiir scoffed. "That doesn't prove anything," he muttered angrily.
Drake stared off where is Dad had gone as well, concerned. Could it really be that huge drake again?
Then they heard a roar in the distance, and a huge flash of lightning just as the squad to find the others set out. The storm began to calm down.
"It's over," Rikko sighed in relief.

"What's over?" Sephen asked.

"The battle," he explained, just as Drey was coming back with the rest of the dragons in tow.
"It was him alright," Drey said. "Though I don't know why he keeps attacking us. You'd think the idiot would stay down after a beating."

Sephen crossed his arms and tilted his head in confusion. "Who keeps attacking?" His brother, Resuyo, came up beside him.

OOC: So are we continuing this, Drey, or what?

OOC: yeah, let me set it up so we can skip over this part.

"A drake," Drey explained. "And a big one. Big enough and strong enough to hold off a dragon. This probably makes my third time having to fight him off." Drake had that feeling that his dad was holding information back. "Anyway, enough excitement for the day. I want to see what YOU kids can do."

OOC: and we skip ahead. Um... I think I want to skip ahead to the Fury training...I think...oh! Okay, yeah, to the Fury training, cuz after they do the lesson thing then they'll meet Soul, then Drake gets "attacked," and yeah... sound good?

OOC: Alright, sounds good! But remind me again, what do you mean that Drake get's "attacked?"

OOC: One of the trainees get into the lab and jump Drake with the Fury shot they were using to try and find a cure.

*later on...*

"Hey, Drake!"
Drake turned around to see Venge coming up to him. "Hey Venge."
"Hey, um, do you know what we're supposed to do today? i just realize Dreyden didn't tell us like he normally does. I've tried asking the others, but they just give me weird grins and say it's a surprise."
Drake gave a start. "No, I have no clue either." Now that he mentioned it, it wasn't like his Dad not to tell them at least in general what they should do for the day.

Sephen then walked up with Resuyo next to him. "Hey Drake, what's up?"

Drake shrugged. "I dunno. We kinda just realized we don't know what we're supposed to do today."
"Alright, big day today!" came Drey's voice, suddenly coming out from one of the main halls. "I've got kind of a suprise your y-"
"Yoohoo! Drey!"
Just as suddenly a very pretty enchantress with long golden hair and eyes as green as Drake's came flying in side-saddled on a broom, waving with cheerful enthusiasm.
Drey spun in surprise. "Kira?!"
Drake felt his insides squirm. Oh no...

Sephen just blinked as Resuyo asked Drake quietly, "When did we get a witch here?"

Drake just groaned in silence. This was not going to be good.
Kira came to a steady and fluid stop and practically glided up to Drey, hugging him. "Hi, Drey!"
He hugged her back in surprise. "Kira, what are you doing here? I'm at work!"
She danced back, grinning. "I know, I just thought I'd come visit and see how both my sweet hearts were doing."
At this she caught sight of Drake and came bouncing over to hug him as well. "Drake! Oh my sweety how are you? Goodness, you're getting so tall! You're already taller than me!"
Drake was appalled and thoroughly embarresed. "Mom!" he protested.

OOC: lol, I"m loving this.

OOC: Lol, if only Seth had parents... Arossory's lucky Maia and Seth aren't like that.

Resuyo chuckled, but Sephen slapped him upside the head. "Show some respect." he hissed.

Drake squirmed out of his mother's gripped. "Mom, cut it out!" he hissed in protest.
Then Drey was there. "Kira, seriously, this is a little too-"
"Oh, shush, Drey, I'm allowed to see my son and my husband. And besides," she added as he opened his mouth to protest, "Darren called me here anyway."
Now he was surprised. "Darren? Why?"
"Well, aren't you doing that special training today?"
"What does-" he started, and then it clicked. "Oh." then he grimaced. "He knows I have that under control. I didn't think it was to nessasary-"
"I thought it was nessasary, Drey," she said, serious now. "It's better to be safe than sorry. You could slip up; it's happened before you know."
"I know," he said, his voice low and soft.

OOC: And yes i know nessasary is spelled wrong.

OOC: It's okay, it's not like they can see how the words are spelled out as they're talking.

Resuyo crossed his arms in impatience. "C'mon, can we just start training already?" Sephen just sighed.
He'll never change. he thought, smiling to himself.

"yeah," Sadiir said impatiently. "What is this special training anyway?"
Drey came back into focus. "Oh, that's right." Then he smiled. "I'm sure you've heard before joining up that I give a kind of 'special' training. Well, today is where we start that training. These past few months I've been gaging your strengths and weaknesses, and how your abilities grow. Now I think you're ready."
"Wait, don't forget me!" Kira said.
Drey chuckled a little. "Oh, and by the way, this is Kira, my wife. She'll be assisting in the training...sorta."
"I'm here to make sure Drey doesn't kill you guys," she said, grinning.
Drey grimaced. "You didn't have to say that..."

Sephen got interested quickly. "What do you mean that you're here to make sure he doesn't kill us?"
"Oh please," Resuyo scoffed. "She's probably just being sarcastic. Let's just start already."

"No, no, she's serious. What we're going to be doing is extremly dangerous, even for me and especially for you." He was completely serious now. "This is no small matter. It will take all your skills and quick wit if you're to pass this training, and mastering this or not could very well be the thing that determines life or death."
He eyed them each in turn for a moment. "Today I will be teaching you how to fight and incapacitate a Fury."
Suddenly it clicked for Drake. Of course! Drey was the only one who could properly teach this! He felt extremly stupid. His own father, and not even HE could put it together.

Sephen and Resuyo both asked at the same time, "What's a Fury?"

"Eh--don't tell me they never mentioned it to you?!" he said, surprised. "I thought for sure...geez, i'm going to have to talk to the supervisors at the academy again..."
He sighed. "Guess I have to show you." And he begun to transform.
Only this transformation was different. There was no dragon-aura about it. It was dark, is was tainted...it was unnatural.
And then he stood before them, a horrific creature from a nightmare.
"THIS is a Fury," came Drey's growl.

"AH!" Sephen screamed as he jumped into Resuyo's arms. The older brother stared at Drey in horror.
"H-how can you-?!"

Rengei trembled while Sadiir looked apalled. Drake was fine, but a cold disturbing chill always ran down his back when he saw his dad like this.
"It's a curse that I've had for a long time now. Do you remember the stories about Darcore?"
Venge and Rengei nodded.
Drey closed his eyes. "Well, a long time ago, maybe when I was a couple centuries younger than you, I ran away from the Academy searching for power, some way I could make everyone stop looking down on me worse than dirt. Unfortunately, I ran right into Darcore. He lured me with with false promises and deciet, and I became one of his experiments." He opened his eyes again and spread arms, his expression one that clearly said he wanted no one's pitty. "THIS was the outcome of that.
"From here on out you may never be able to look at me the same way again, you may think of me as a monster; that's good. In fact, that excellent. That's the first step towards your survival if you're ever unfortunate enough to come across a Fury. They're ruthless, mindless killers that won't hesitate a second to kill you...and they're still out there.
Drake felt Venge swallow next to him. "B-but what about you? I mean, your're oviously different..."
Drey's expression relaxed a little. "Over time I've gain control of myself; it's hard, and it's not alway perfect, but it's enough to be able to teach the DragonKnights how to fight them."

"Wow... So, I hate to ask this, but what's it like? You don't have to answer, but I'm just curious." Resuyo said as he helped Sephen back onto his feet.

Drey laughed. "It's fine, it's a perfectly legitamate question." He paused a moment.
"It's scary. Like having yourself split in two, one black, one white. Or grey. There's so much coursing through you, urges that turn you against yourself, and a feeling of helplessness. Half the time you don't know what you're going to do, and appall yourself to realize you don't care. And it's painful."
Sadiir had finally regained himself. "Painful?"
"Yes," Drey repeated. "VERY painful. Imagine the worse physical pain you have ever felt, and multiply that by infinity, and you might just reach just how agonizing it was."
Drake shivered. He could never be able to imagine that, let alone live through it.

OOC: little foreshadow there.

OOC: Ooh, I'm getting excited!

Sephen regained his bravery. "So, we're going to practice against you?"