Ridaim's Quest For The Swords Of Power

[Ridaim Fitter]

I was sitting outside on a bench when a beam of light appeared to the south off in the distance . . . I could feel the power from here . . . what could it be. Then it started raining . . . . . I looked down to my hand as i placed it out in front of me and saw that it was crimson in color . . . .

"Blood!?"

I stood up and started walking southward and put my hood up on my cloak. I wanted to confront what ever it was that caused that . . . . Maybe this time I would have a challenge.

[Toemi]

The town had grown still and the night was still young when the first drops of the strange rain fell on my face.
I looked up into the dark, my brow furrowed with confusion.
"Why would it be raining blood?" I paused and then looked to the south . . .a light . . .in the middle of the night?
That seemed just as strange as the blood rain. So, I slipped down from the roof that I had been perched on and landed gently on the street below, a street lamp was the only light around to illuminate my shape in the dark.

I took a few paces towards the light off in the distance and soon detected the one scent that I knew best of all.
I couldn't help but smile.
He was not far from where I stood, only a few minutes away . . .
There was no doubt that he had seen the light as well, not to mention this rain. And, wherever it was that he was going, I would follow.

[Ridaim Fitter]

As I neared the edge of the town I could see torches off in the distance in the woods . . . I hurried my pace and but as I got closer they seemed to fade. .

"They must know I'm here," I thought to myself.

I only got close enough to see the last one vanish into a black portal of mist . . .

"Who are they and what were they doing out here?" I asked myself.

Just then I realized that Toemi was not far from me. I smiled and waited for her while inspecting my surroundings for anything out of the ordinary.

[Toemi]

I came to the edge of town and saw Ridaim. His attention was obviously focused on something . . .and as I came to his side, I knew what it was.
There was something in the woods, something that seemed all together unatural . . .
I glanced at the patch of forest where the disturbance and taken place . . .a strange aura hovered there . . .I wondered . . .
But then, I looked over to Ridaim.
"You have that look in your eye, love." I said with a devilish smile "Not thinking of doing anything rash are you?"

[Ridaim Fitter]

I smiled back and said,

"Me, thinking rash. . . . Naahhhhhh. . ."

With that said i jumbed into the portal of black mist to see where it would go. I was standing but i could not see a thing at all. . . it was true darkness that created this. . . there was not even a spec of light. . .Even with my vampire eyes i could not see my hands right in front of me.

I took a couple of steps forward and steadied my breathing and listened for anything that might live in this portal of darkness. . .

[Toemi]

I didn't even have time to make a comment before Ridaim took off and leapt into the strange portal of darkness!
I stood there for a moment, arms crossed. Then I just smiled and shook my head.
"I guess I'm not surprised." I muttered under my breath. I sighed "Oh well, what fun would life be . . ." and then I ran in after him, not knowing where the portal led or where it was that Ridaim had went . . .
To my surprise, I was swallowed in utter darkness upon entering the mysterious vortex. I stopped and tried to see a path that might lead me out but could find none. Taking a deep breath, I took one step after another, blindly picking a direction and hoping it was the right one.

[Ridaim Fitter]

I stopped when I heard Toemi came through the portal . . . I stood still listening carefully . . . . I could hear the sound of feet moving very quickly but stealthily . . .

"Damn there is something in here alright and it knows we are here." I thought to myself.

I still could not see in here but this other thing could . . . I crouched down and held perfectly still listing to see if it would try something . . .

"Love listen, just don’t speak, listen and ready your guard,” I said to Toemi telepathically.

[Toemi]

Not long after I had entered the portal, I heard Ridaim through the black. He did not call to me as I thought he would, but he spoke a warning in my mind . . .

And in a few seconds I knew why.

I could not see in this darkness but, like my beloved, I could hear very well . . .and my senses told me that we were not alone here. So, I did as Ridaim had instructed and I sank low to the ground, a hand on the hilt of my sword and my other senses straining to pinpoint the source of the mysterious footsteps.
A beed of sweat trickled down the side of my face.

I didn't like this . . .not in the least.

[Ridaim Fitter]

I stood there only moments when I heard all the footsteps stop. . . . I tuned into the sound of the thing that was watching us and it sounded hungry. It made its first move and I realized that it was much larger then I was hoping it would be. I clenched my fists and got into my fighing stance and waited. . . . I heard a wooosh sound through the air. . . . It was coming from my left. . . . Toemi was to my left. . . .

"JUMP!" I shouted.

I rushed too her aid and withdrawing my sword draging it on the ground creating sparks to give a little light. . . . I caught a glimps of what we were facing. . . .

A DRAGON. . . I wispered to myself.

[Toemi]

It wasn't long before all sound died around us. There was that breif and hidious scilence in which I knew we had been seen. And then I heard the movements of some great thing in the darkness . . .it sounded big . . .very big.
Seconds later, there was a swoosh! It was coming! ON MY LEFT!
Ridaim's warning . . .
My heartbeat . . .
I jumped . . .and looked as my lover's sword provided what little light was needed to see the thing that was attacking . . .I was poised in midair for one terrifying moment as I saw it.
*A dragon . . .*