The Desert World

Rating: Fighting and cussing.

A/N: wow I finished this chapter fast. Sweet now I can work on the other story. Enjoy.
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Dryden closed his eyes and waited. When nothing happened he opened one eye, “Troy?”

“Still here.”

“I’m killing you when this is over.”

“Love to see you try.”

Rollin chuckled, “Interesting, Daray won’t like this little tidbit. What did you do, memory block or was it something else?”

Troy looked at Dryden, and smirked. “How about you attack him and I follow up.” He was pulling on some fingerless gloves as he talked.

Dryden had his swords out and was already charging. “I don’t think so.” He tossed a smoke bomb on the ground and smoke covered the area. Dryden skidded to a stop and covered his nose.

“Troy! Where did he go?” he sneezed and tried to keep from inhaling the smoke.

Troy looked around and saw him running, “He’s after Zane!” Four arrows hit the ground in front of Rollin and he rolled to the side to avoid another volley of arrows. He turned and found Troy, “Hi.” Then Troy reared back and slammed his fist into his head. Rollin stumbled back and started laughing. Then his form started to shift.

Luka reached into the smoke and pulled Dryden out, “Your okay?”

“Peachy.” He started coughing and shook his head, “My sense of smell is fucked up.”

“Where’s Zane?”

“With Ari.” Dryden rubbed at his eyes, “My eyes burn.” Aiden jumped down next to them.

“I’ll take care of Dryden, go get Rollin.”

Luka nodded and turned to run when he stopped, “Holy shit.”

“What is it?” Aiden had Dryden looking up, “Hold still I got to wash it out.” He uncapped a bottle of water and poured it over Dryden’s eyes.

“There’s a black dragon over there.”

Dryden knocked the bottle out of his hand as he looked over, “What!” He could see a black dragon rearing back, “Troy, get the hell out of there!” He could see Troy jumping back trying to dodge the snapping of the jaws. Dryden tried to run to help but Luka stopped him, “Damn it Luka, let go!”

“Dryden, hold on just one minute.”

“What!?”

“I’ll help Troy.”

“But…”

“What about Zane?”

“Zane, oh shit Zane is probably scared.”

“You go get Zane and I’ll take care of this.” He looked at Aiden.

“I’ll go with him.”

“Thanks Aiden.” He watched as Dryden and Aiden took off past Troy and the dragon. Luka walked up and when the dragon lunged at Troy he grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pulled him back, “Go help Dryden.”

“No way, I owe this bastard another punch in the face for what he did to Dryden.”

“He’s not the real one.” Both of them jumped back.

“And how do you know that?”

“Go help Dryden.” He shoved him in the same direction that Dryden had gone, “You’ll be in my way.”

“Damn and I wanted to kick his ass.”

“In the way, leave!”

Troy turned and walked off. “I get the next one.”

Luka rolled his eyes and jumped back, “No sneak attacks.”

The dragon growled and lunged at him. He jumped up and landed on the snout of the dragon. It reared its head up and Luka grabbed onto the horns. He jumped over and pulling out one of his dagger pushed the dagger up under the scales behind it head. “Next time, don’t make it easy.” He pushed the dagger in deeper as the dragon roared in pain. Blood seeped out and on his hand; Luka pulled the dagger out and dropped to the ground only to be picked up off the ground by the dragon. Then he cried out as the black dragon squeezed his body.
^^^

Dryden skidded around a corner and ran down the hall, “Ari!” He stopped outside a room and pushed a door open, Dryden stopped when he came face to face with sharp objects. “Whoa!”

“Daddy!”

Ari let the boy run up to Dryden; he picked him up and hugged him. “Sorry about that, what’s going on?”

“Rollin’s back.” Aiden was standing behind Dryden, he pushed the door closed and walked over to Ari, “You okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Why didn’t you go to your father’s?”

“We got locked up in here.” Dryden watched as the two hugged and he smiled.

“I remember when you two would pick on each other.” They both looked at him and he grinned when both of them pulled away. “Now is there a way out of here?”

“Yes there is, anyone who’s worked as a guard knows about it.” Ari stopped talking, “Rollin was a guard.”

“Ari it’s been a while.” All three of them turned when they heard a voice.

“Rollin!”

“Hi Aiden, I never expected you and Ari to get together.” Aiden had an arrow notched in a blink of an eye and it was pointed at Rollin. “Put the toy away you don’t want anyone to get hurt now.” He looked over at Dryden. Dryden backed away while holding on to Zane, a growl was working its way up. “Now, now, we don’t need this.”

“I won’t let you touch him.”

“That’s just it, I can.” He disappeared and appeared next to Dryden a knife in his hand. “Now Aiden let’s put the arrow away.” The bow was slackened, but the arrow stayed notched, “All the way.” Aiden pulled the arrow away and put it back into the quiver.

Zane whimpered as Rollin grabbed him, “Daddy!” Dryden reached out but Rollin held the knife against his throat.

“Watch it you might hurt yourself.”

“Bastard he’s just a child.” Ari growled out.

“You two out the back way.” They moved to the hidden door and as soon as they were in there it slammed shut.

Aiden turned and banged on the wall as Ari moved to find the switch. “The switch is broken!”

“Damn it!” He kicked the wall and turned, “We need to get out of here!”

“Follow me I know the way out.”


Dryden watched as he locked them behind the wall. “Bastard.”

“Why so harsh?” He walked away from Dryden, Zane whimpered and reached for Dryden. “Now, I’ll make it easy,” he sat the kid down on a chair and grabbing some rope he tied Zane to it. “If you want the kid to live you’ll hold still.” Rolling walked over and started to tie him up.

“Why are you helping him?”

“Your father?”

“He’s not my father anymore.”

“Don’t know, but after he gets what he wants, I’ll just take it.” Dryden winced when he gave a sharp tugged on the rope, “Let’s hurry up now, I don’t want to miss the fight.” The door slammed open and Troy was standing there. “One more for the show.”

Troy saw Dryden and he was about to attack, “Troy don’t, he’s got Zane.” He stopped and growled, “Please don’t.”

“You move to the wall.” Troy growled at him. Rollin was next to Zane, the small child whimpered.

“Troy please.”

“You're giving up already?”

“Damn it, Troy!”

“Fine.” He moved over to the wall and stood there.

Dryden looked over at him, “Trust me.”

Troy flopped onto the ground and Rollin looked at him, “What, you’re going to lock me in here right, might as well get comfortable.” Rollin untied Zane and bound the boy’s arms. Picking him up by the back of his shirt, he walked over to Dryden.

“Move.” Dryden walked out of the room and Rolling closed the door, locking it.


Luka growled as he struggled in the dragons grip. He heard someone laughing and looked down, “Hello, Luka.”

“Bastard!”

“Ah no let’s not do that,” He held Zane up, “Unless you want the boy to become food.” He saw Dryden standing behind him with his head down.

“Damn it this is low even for you!”

“Desperate times call for desperate actions, but you would know all about that wouldn’t you.” Luka struggled against the dragons grip.

“I don’t know… what you’re… talking about.” There was a loud crack and Luka cried out.

“Oops was that a rib?” Dryden growled at Rollin, he yanked on the rope and Dryden fell to the ground.

“What did I tell you?” He put his foot on his head, “How about I crush your head?”

“Stop don’t you hurt my Daddy!” Rollin held the boy out as he tried to kick him.

“Shut up little runt!” Rollin let go of the rope and grabbed a hold of the squirming child.

That was all Dryden needed, “Zane, do what you did to Luka when he picked you up.”

“But!”

“Zane!”

Zane turned and sunk his teeth into Rollin’s arm, he howled in pain. Rollin smacked the boy over the head only to hear a loud growl. He looked behind him to find another boy standing there. “What the hell?” Mark jumped up and slammed the heel of his hand into Rollin’s jaw. He wrapped his hands around Zane and jumped back.

“Run Mark!” Dryden flipped onto his feet and slammed his shoulder into his back, he jumped back. He stood there watching as Rollin climbed to his feet.

“Wrong move.” He turned and looked over at dragon, “Crush him!” Luka cried out as his whole body was being squeezed, he was getting lightheaded.

“Get your hands off my little brother!” He could see movement on the ground and the ground was rushing up at him. Dryden slid across the ground and snapping the ropes he pulled out both of his swords. A woman had just taken down the dragon and was helping Luka.

Dryden ran at him and slammed the butt of the sword into his jaw. He blocked Dryden’s attacks with his sword that he pulled out of nowhere. There was a clash of swords as the two fought. Dryden jumped back just as Troy delivered a round house kick to the back of Rollin’s head. “That fucker was for what you did to Dryden.”

“Yer still not over that!”

“What? You wouldn’t have that huge ass scar on your back.”

Dryden glared at him and sighed. “Look the past is the past. So get over it!”

“No way, no one hurts my family and gets away with it.”

As the two stood there arguing Rollin stood up and ran at them. Then they both turned and drop kicked him. “Can’t ya see we’re trying to talk here?”

“I swear people like you are rude as hell.” They both squatted and looked at him, “Fire?”

“Nah. Something worse.”

Troy looked over at Luka, “What about we crush him like he did Luka?”

Dryden made a face, “hmmm, I don’t know.”

“Let’s wing it then.”

“Fire Dragon.”

“Hell yeah.” Rollin tried to get up but both of them stepped on his shoulders. Dryden bit down on the heel of his hand and let the blood pool into the palm of his hand then he took two fingers and wrote something on the ground around Rollin’s arm. Troy copied his movements and at the same time as Dryden a flicker of flame appeared in his hand. The blood caught on fire and they jumped back.

Rollin started to struggle as the fire burned him too. “How long will it hold him?”

“Long enough.” Then two giant red dragon hands appeared out of a rift in the air and wrapped around Rollin’s arms. He struggled as it held him, then a dragon’s head appeared and loomed over him. Its scales looked like they were on fire. Dryden yawned and stretched his arms above his head.

“He’s all yours.”

“You’re going to check on Luka?”

“Yeah.” Dryden walked away he could hear Rollin screaming as he walked away. He walked up to a woman with long black hair that was pulled back into a high tail. She looked up from Luka and her eyes were the same golden color. “Is he all right?”

“Just a few fractures, a couple of ribs are broken, and he’s out like a light.”

Dryden knelt down and ran his hand through his hair, “Luka wake up.” He rubbed his cheek and then grabbed it and pulled. “I said wake up!”

“Ouch! I’m up!” He winced when he sat up.

“Hold still I’m going to heal your bones.”

“No you need to work… owowow!” Dryden pushed him down on his back.

“I can see fine. Zachariah kind of fixed it.”

“How?”

“He pushed me out of the way of an attack.”

“Daddy!” Dryden turned around and held his arms open as a small boy collided with him. “Is he gone?” Mark stood off to the side with his hand over his nose.

“Yes, he’s gone.” Zane looked over at the woman, he waved at her and she smiled. Dryden looked over his shoulder at the woman. “Who are you?”

“I’m Luka’s sister.”

“Say what?” He looked at Luka, who had turned his head away.

“I’m going to say that you didn’t know, but then again grandfather ignored mother and him after she hooked up with Liam.”

Dryden looked at Luka, “And ya didn’t tell me why?”

“I doubt he’ll tell anyone.” She stood up, “What would you do if someone in your family didn’t recognize you as a part of the family?”

Troy coughed and Dryden looked at him, “What is it?”

“What do we do with the dust?”

“Put it in a jar and drop it somewhere where no one can find it. Make sure it’s the deepest of the deep.” Dryden said as he placed Zane on the ground. “I’m going to mend his bones.” Luka was about to argue when Dryden jabbed him in the side. “Say something and I’ll make ya heal the normal way.” He looked away as Dryden held his hands over his arm and wrist.

“How do you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Get him to listen.”

“That is none of your business.” Luka growled.

Dryden jabbed Luka in the ribs again, “You mouth closed or I won’t let ya in on a secret till I find out if it’s true or not.”

Luka blinked and sat up, “What secret?”

“Flex your arm.” He did and Dryden smiled, “See, all better.”

“What about you?”

“Perfectly fine.” He turned to Troy, “You explain why it didn’t happen.”

“The command.”

“I asked.”

“Who?”

“Take a guess.”

He hung his head and laughed, “Ya sneaky little twit.”

“Who are you calling little.” The two glared at each other.

Zane crawled over to Luka, “Why is daddy and uncle Troy fighting?”

Luka picked him up and placed him in his lap, “I don’t know why, Zane. Maybe there sick.”

They both turned on him, “This coming from someone who smacks his brother in the head!”

Luka’s sister laughed at the three, they all looked at her. “Which one is dating you?”

Troy snorted, “No way is he my type.”

Dryden looked at him, “Ya don’t have a type!”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Do they fight a lot?”

Luka turned to her, “Define a lot.”

“I see.”

Luka started coughing and Dryden was next to him, “Luka!” He pulled back his hand and found blood, “Fuck.” He turned to the woman, “You take Zane. Troy help me out here.” Troy grabbed one arm as Luka’s sister picked Zane up, and then both Troy and Dryden lifted Luka up.

“Fuck, it hurts.”

“Sorry but we need to move ya.” They quickly moved towards the hospital.

Zane turned to the woman, “What your name?”

“Shasa. Your Zane right?”

“Yep.” The boy reached down his shirt and held the stone in his hands.

“Is that yours?”

“It is now. Daddy took it from dad and gave it to me.” She smiled and walked after them, Zane looked over at Mark, “You coming Mark?”

The nine year old ran after the two and fell in step with Shasa. Mark knew he was going to have to keep a better eye on Zane. He made a promise and he’ll keep it.
^^^^^^


Luka walked out of the room. “Luka get back in the damn bed.” Eva was yelling at him as he walked down the hall.

“Hell no. I’m not staying here.”

“Damn it Luka!”

Dryden had walked in the door, Liam and Shasa was following him. He stopped and turned around, quickly walking down the hall away from them. “Luka freeze!” The red head stopped and turned around, it’s best not to ignore Liam.

He stood there as Dryden walked up to him, “Yer an idiot. You,” he jabbed him in the side, “should be in bed.” Luka grabbed his hand and held it.

“Why do I want to do that? I’d rather be with you and Zane.” Dryden pulled his hand away and flicked him in the nose.

“That’s not going to work.”

Eva saw Dryden, “Oh, Dryden, good you’re here. I need to talk to you and Luka, Liam you can join us if you want to.”

“That is all right, we already know it’s a maybe.”

Luka looked between the two, “What is the secret?”

Then Eva opened the door, “This way please.” As soon as Luka walked past she said to him, “I’d sit down if I were you.”

“Um, okay.”

Liam watched as the door closed and counted, “Five, four, three…”

The door opened and Eva walked out, “Well that was funny.”

“What happened?”

“Luka can’t talk.” She walked down the hall, “Number two will be here in a few months.”

Shasa looked at Liam, “So he’s a carrier.”

“Yep.”

“Poor Luka.”

“Yep.”

“If he’s anything like mother he’ll get through it.”

“Oh yeah.” Liam smiled and looked at her, “So why are you here?”

“Grandpa is dead and I’ve been picked to replace him.”

“And…”

“I’m here to tell you and Luka you’re welcomed to come over any time; he’s a part of my family even if we only have the same mother.”

“How is your father?”

“He still hates your guts.”

“Still!”

“You did still his love away.”

“Ha ha.”

“If it helps I think you’re a better father than him.”

“I’m touched.” Liam chuckled when she grinned, “You’re a funny girl.”

“Thank you.” She folded her arms behind her back and took a few steps back, “Well I’ll be in one of the guest rooms. Tell Luka I need to talk to him.”

“I will.” He watched as she walked out of the hospital and he shook his head. “Funny girl.” Liam walked up to the door and knocked. “Can I come in?”

“Sure.” Liam opened the door and found Dryden sitting on a chair and Luka leaning against the door.

“So?”

“Zane’s going to have a little brother.” Dryden said from where he sat.

“And how do you know that?” Luka asked.

“It’s a seventy percent chance of it being a boy.”

“What if it’s not a boy?” Liam asked.

“Then it’ll be a girl. In the history of our people out of every ten kids born only three are female.”

“Okay.” Luka pushed away from the wall and held his hand out to Dryden, “I’ll make sure I’m there for this one.”

“That’s good to know.” Dryden grabbed his hand and stood. He looked at Liam, “Will ya be there?”

“Of course it’s my second grandchild.” Liam grinned, “Now I need to get home and tell Syrita.” He quickly left the room and left Dryden and Luka alone.

“He’s happy.” Dryden turned to Luka and then he eyes widened. “Shit I forgot.”

“What did you forget? Wait you forgot something?”

“We need to talk, but not here.”

“Uh oh I don’t like those words.”

“Don’t worry it’s not that bad.” Luka gave him a wary look.

“Not that bad?”

The small male chuckled and wrapped his arms around Luka’s neck, “It not that bad for me, but I need your agreement if ya want to do what I’m going to tell ya.”

“Why can’t you tell me here?”

“I want to go home.” He kissed him and tugged on his arm. “Now come on.” They both left the room and Luka watched the blue haired male pull him along.

He smiled. Meeting Dryden was the best thing to happen to him, if he were to leave he didn’t know what he was going to do. Years ago if any told him he would finally be happy he would have laughed. But now he was walking in the rain with Dryden. The past is the past, but something told him that today wasn’t the last time he’ll be visited by his past. He rubbed at his covered shoulder; no it won’t be the last.
^^^^^^

He walked down the hallway; another one of his copies had been destroyed. He knew Daray will be pissed. Pulling down his hood Rollin knocked against the door. When he heard a muffled sound he pushed the door open and walked in.

Daray growled when he saw him and then he threw something across the room at Rollin, “You fucked up again.” Rollin had jumped out of the way.

“I didn’t think they would call the Fire Dragon.”

“Then think. If it wasn’t for the fact you can make copies of yourself I would have killed you already.”

“Well I did learn something.”

“And what was that.”

“Dryden can’t be controlled.”

“What did you say?”

“The commands didn’t work. I think his twin did something.”

Daray started laughing, “They surprise me every time.” He ran his hand over the box, “Doesn’t matter anymore, all I need to do is get the four dragons.”

“I thought you already had the black dragon I gave it to you myself.”

“Making a deal with the dragon of darkness is different from having it.”

“If I hadn’t then I wouldn’t have survived for this long.” Rollin turned to the door. “I’ll be on my way.” He left the room and Daray smirked.

“The descendant of the black dragon is out there we just have to find him.”
^^^^

Mark sat watching Jaden as he fixed the generator, then he turned to Mark. “That’s how you fix a generator.” He looked at the only arm that was covered. “Does that mark on your arm mean something?”

Mark shrugged and looked at the stuff in the room.

Jaden chuckled, “All the stuff in here was stolen by either Luka or Liam.” The boy hopped down from the self he was on and looked at everything. He could hear Jaden cleaning up his stuff and knew it would be a while before they left. A little look around wouldn’t hurt.

Mark walked past a door, “Mark…” and stopped. It was soft but he had heard it, Jaden was on the other side of the room so it couldn’t have been him. “Mark.” He turned and looked at a door.

‘Who was that?’ He walked back and pushed the door opened. In the center of the room was a wooden box. Walking up to the box he touched it and when nothing had happen, he slowly opened the box. As soon as he hand brushed the cloth a sharp pain shot up his arm as an image of a man flashed through his mind. He ripped his hand away and stumbled back into Jaden.

“Mark, there you are. I’ve been looking for you.” He looked around the room. The box was closed and Mark looked like he had seen a ghost. “You okay?”

Mark nodded his head and quickly walked away. The man he had seen was his dead father. So why did he see him now? He had to find out what was in that box.
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So what do you think of that? Yes I know Rollin is still alive but there is only one way to kill him they just haven’t found away to do it yet and I can’t think of a good way yet. ^^’’
Shade :)