Chapter 7 Villiage relief and new members?

Following the strongest flow of life force, his eyes closed as his magic slowly scans through every inch of the dragonlings body, slowly gathering droplets of poison he had annitially missed. A small inch wide marble of green liquid gathered before him just as he reached the doors to a small palace, the doors opening to reveal a dark red tailed Kitsune, her shimmering crimson eyes lighting up as they rest on the dragonling.

"I was worried she wouldn't make it. Aura found you in time, how is my daughter?" She says softly, a twinkle in her eyes as they rise to meet Alisters.

"Aura is fine, and resting with my companions. It is good to see you Brianna, it has been a while." He says with a low chuckle, his eyes gentle as he looks down at the reddened bandages around her abbdomen and right thigh. "burns?"

"Yes, you know burns from dragon fire are hard to heal for us." Turning away she walks into the open room off to the right of the main hall, 12 kitsune lay in verying states. Green tinged bandages covered the torsos of 6 males, their breathing slow and labored.

Wordlessly Alister walked into the middle of the room, and sat down cross-legged, setting the dragonling down in front of him as he did. Taking a deep breath his aura flared out, a massive veil or white fire and lightning drapped over every wounded soul in the room.

Brianna watched from the door way, her eyes glowing slightly as she channels mana to her eyes, protecting them from the brilliant light that once again surrounded her childhood friend. A look of wonder upon her face.

"You've grown up Ali." She whispers with a tender smile curling her lips.

Waves of silver light spread out across the shimmering silver-white veil, pulses like ripples on a pond were clearly visable. Brianna stood still as a statue, hypnotized by Alisters healing light every sense entagled by the sight and feel. Behind her, Valiora, Aura and Holy walked into the manshion, the twins supporting Aura between them. Eyes widening at the sight before them.

After hours of delving mentally into the kitsune's bodies, drawing out every speck of poison, a fine green mist slowly gathered within the veil. The color slowly faded as the flamelightning veil purified the poison. The light from the veil began to dim as Alisters eyes opened, the mana slowly flowing back into him. Dropping his head into one hand, he pants slightly, his shirt heavy with sweat.

Snapping out of her daze, Brianna ran to Alisters side. A pitcher of water and a glass floated, into her hands from a shelf at the back of the room. Kneeling beside him, she fills a glass and holds it for him as he wordlessly drinks. Dark bags under his eyes showing just how much the healing had taken from him. Without pausing, She refilled the glass three times before he had the strength to hold the glass by himself.

Smiling weakly, he looks into her eyes. The color in his eyes darker then normal. "You were always my mothers favorite student. One of a handful she trained longer then the one year trial." He says in a strained voice. Standing up slowly, Alister looked around at the now peacefully slumbering soldiers and civilians.

"You haven't changed at all, still pushing yourself to hard. If your mother was here your ears would be bleeding from the rant she would be on." Brianna chuckles softly and smiles up at him, her eyes shifting from Alister moments later as the patter of feet on tile reach her, bracing herself with a heart beat to spare Brianna catches a crying Aura.

Glancing over his shoulder he raises a brow. "Aura and Valoria felt the negative energy settle, we packed up and she led us here. You've been here for nearly 12 hrs Alister. Holy was starting to worry you would streach yourself to far."

Reaching up, he scratcheed the back of his head. "She already has me pegged does she?"

Giggling Valoria walks up to his side and winks. "She is a master empath, and can read the smallest change in others emotions. It simply took me explaining what happened after Aura appeared for her to organize the emotions she got from you. The pain you took from Aura, the exhaustion she felt creeping up on you even then."

"The poison was a by product of a fallens experiments. Somehow this young dragon escaped. The pain she was in drove her into a rage. Imagine every muscle being on fire, slowly being ripped apart and being stitched back together." Shuddering at the echo of the dragonlings suffering, he shakes his head. "Not a soul here will blame her for the damage done. The kitsune know all to clearly how horried the fallen regimen are. They are worse then Demons, at least with Demons the worst thing you have to worry about is a dangerous fight, and eternal slavery. The Fallen dissect, merge, and manipulate the dna and mana of their captives. The lucky ones survive as a mishmash of species, abominations. Those not so lucky, I won't say."

As he spoke the color drained from Holy's face. Sorrow dimming her eyes. "Don't tell me to leave Sis. You know I won't do so easily." She whispered softly, leaning against her sister as the young girl closed her eyes. A feeling of peace decending upon everyone in the room. A few moments later everyone sat up, yawning and streaching as if they just woke up from a full nights sleep.

"Everyone, the last Guardian is among us. Long may his light shine." Brianna said in a gentle carrying voice, her eyes sparkling as she looks to Alister and curtsies, a playful smirk curling her lips.

"Long may his light shine!" Every other Kitsune in the room repeats, before they all burst out laughing as Alister shakes his head and sighs. His eyes only opening again as he feels a small hand touch his cheek.

Looking down at Aura's tear stained, smiling face. His legs fold beneath him, and he droped to one knee as she pulled him to her. Tears he had held back streaming down his face as Aura combed her fingers through his dark-gold blonde hair. Without a sound, the kitsune clan gathered closer circling him and their youngest daughter. Their arms around the waist of the one on either side, along with four tails twining together, their ninth tail weaving a web of fire behind them. Each of the 13 ninth tails weaving threads of multicolored flame together. Steping back from Alister, Aura smilee gently and kisses his forehead. All of the conjured flames gathered above her, the flickering settling as a cloak floats down to drap over the kneeling males shoulders. Reaching out, Aura closes the crystalline clasp in the image of kitsune in wolf form, each tail made up of a different color. Red, blue, clear black, silver, purple, white, yellow, and gold. The body shifting between the nine colors.

"With this gift, we renew our vow to your clan. Should you ever need us, call and we shall come, for you are family and your loss is our loss. Elora, Aleron, Irena, and Era they will forever be in our hearts, and in our songs."

Clutching the clasp Alister slowly stood up, his eyes shimmering with the tears still streaming down his cheeks.

"I thought I lost my family. Now I know i was wrong, they will forever be with me. I will carry on my families mission, I will return to the Forest of Life to the animals of the forest. But first, I must aquire the power to do so." He says in a gentle tone, eyes dancing with his usual vigor. Turning to Valiora and Holy he smiles and winks.

"Where ever you are going, I will be following."

Turning towards the musical voice, Alisters gaze settles on the dragonling.

"If you are going to challenge the Fallen, then I offer my power to your cause. I am Edith Riven, the silver dragon of the current age. The Fallen took my adopted family from me, and I will not stop until their plans for this world are stopped." Edith spoke softly, but the steel in her eyes sparked a fire through his veins.

Glancing Aura, he slowly walks over and drops down to one knee. Taking her right hand in his, Alisters eyes meet hers as he turns her wrist over. As one they look down at their bare wrists, their hands clasped just so that the infinity symbol formed perfectly.

"A choice draconian bonding... Alister, this is the first time in centuries that a dragon has willingly bound themselves to one of another race. This bond links their life with the linked, when you die she dies, not before." Tilting her head Aura smiles slightly, laughter and suprise in her eyes. "With most that would be a loss to the dragon, with you she just might out live the oldest dragon in memory." Aura says with a shake of her head.

"It looks like you have two knew companions instead of one. Aura closed the clasp, she choose to follow you." Brianna says with a sad smile, the mirror image of it reflected by the rest of the clan. Pulling his gaze from Edith, Alister glances at his old friend before turning to her now blushing little sister.

"Well, have her bag packed by morning. I will take care of her Brianna, you have my promise." He says with a gentle light in his eyes, slowly he meets the gaze of every kitsune in the circle before bowing low. "For you, for Aura, Edith and everyone else threatened by the Fallen, I will uphold the Darklight Guardians Oath. Even in the darkest pits of despair, my light will forever shine."