Chapter 13

Edith lay curled up silently, her dragon form big enough to nearly fill the caves entrance. Since she could not sleep, the young dragon decided to keep watch, another form of warning for her companions and savior. She could hear a mouse scampering across the forest floor from miles in the air, very little could escape her notice aslong as her attention didn't lapse.

Part of her mind kept going back to what Alister had told them, she wondered what abilities her blood would grant him, and what he thought about her growing up in a human village. She was the first Silver dragon to ever form attachments with the short lived humans. Edith new from a young age that she would outlive the couple that took her in, but she didn't care. Excepting the pain she would surely feel at their passing, so she could enjoy the love and joy that came with being part of a caring family.

Her eyes opened slowly, gaze resting on Alisters sleeping form. His black fur blending near perfectly with the shadows of the cave, even with her enhanced sight. His presence calmed her like nothing ever had before, with him around, the pain of loss dimmed and the rage faded to a manageable level. With her power the young dragon knew, very clearly, that if she let her rage control her.... utter destruction would follow.

"For the memory of my adopted parents, I will contain my wrath to the fallen who killed them before my eyes. They will know the wrath of the Dark Lunar Flame." She growled softly as she turned her gaze back to the caves entrance, a flickering rage clear in her silver gaze.

Across the cave from Edith, Alister lay silently as if asleep. One ear turned towards the legendary being that had chosen to follow him. In all his years, the male couldn't recall a time that he had gained this level of peace. His past was full of sorrow and destruction, with short periods of happiness and rest.

In his memories, war, blood and death eclipse almost everything else. He always seen himself on a battlefield surrounded by dead or dying warriors all around him, some impaled upon their very own swords. Others bleeding out from precise thrusts, just enough to sever arteries leading to lingering deaths.

The memory of one life in particular, he would happily have forgotten. He had been locked in a multitude of wars, betrayed by his people, his wife and child tore from him by his closest confident. A man he thought to be his closest friend.

With a low sigh, he shakes his muzzle, dropping his train of thought. "Not even I can change the past." he whispers softly before pushing himself up and making his way around the fire pit, coals still glowing within, and pads slowly to Ediths side. His tail flicking slowly back and forth in agitation.

"Try and sleep my friend." He says softly as he lightly buts his head against her side. His voice gentle, yet forceful as he sits back to look her over. Ediths curled form was so still, that if you could not feel the gentle heat radiating from her you would think her a statue.

After a moments pause, Edith's head rose as she turned her gaze to the lupin. Her eyes half closed as Alisters calming aura pressed down upon her, nodding she shifts silently and walks over to lay down by Aura. A gentle smile curling her lips as the kitsune's tails curl around her, one of the fluffy nine tails cushioning her head.

His shimmering gazes follows the young dragon until she settles into a deep sleep. A light smile reflected in his eyes he slips out though the barrier, and pads out to look over the damage his fight with the fallen had caused. Looking over the deep gashes in the mountainside, he noted the sides shown like black glass. The energy he had put into that last attack....

"My sisters would Reem me for hours." Alister whispered to himself, eyes shimmering with a trace of laughter as his eyes drift to the scorch marks between the divided in the stone. If it wasn't for the blackened rock, few would take a second glance at the mountain face, and even fewer would notice the faint shimmer from the near invisible slash in the stone.

"How did you do it Ali?"

Turning around slowly, his eyes meet those of Aura's before flicking to Edith's still sleeping form for an instant.

"I've been a master of controlling energy in every life I've lived." He whispers softly, his shimmering gaze shifting back to the mountain side. Only to dart back to Aura as the sound of fluttering fabric, and the dull thud of her robe hits the ground. The heated look in her eyes setting his blood to boiling in an instant. A teasing smile grace her face as her tails curl around her, hiding every bit of her, below the neck.

Shifting in a flash of silver light, and glimmering mist. Alister crosses the few yards between them, his lips meeting hers as he lifts her gently. Sitting her upon his right arm as her arms circle his neck, low moans rising in the silent mountain night. Her silver furred ears flicker around, at the same instant a low growl rises from her, a flash of pure gold illuminates the mountain path, and mocking laughter fills the air only for it to be cut off as the intruders attack bounces back at him, shearing a foot of her right wing off as she barely dodges.

Pivoting on his right heel, His sword shimmers into being, gripped firmly in his right hand.

"No magic Alister, you can't risk it right now." Aura whispers into his mind, just as she channels hers into support spells. The golden shield she had conjured molding perfectly around him, even folding over his crystalline blade adding a serrated coat of pure energy to it.

"As you wish."

"By the law's of the heavens, I challenge you to The Dance of Death." Alister calls out, his eyes flashing silver.

The fallen angels eyes flash with rage as Golden chains of light appear around her, binding her wings inch by inch, forcing her to land. As her bone white sword rises seemingly of its own acord, the rage in her gaze shifts to hatred. "Blade to Blade, no assistance save the support spells already in place. By my place in the Fallen Army, I vow to hold to the laws of Heaven."

Golden chains once more appear, binding their magic, and Alisters ability to manifest his wings. The golden shield faded from around Alisters blade as he swung it with full force, the sound of shattering glass accompanied a blast of wind.

With a half smile upon his face, Alister began to move. Every shift of his body flowing into the next, even as the Fallen Angel matched him step for step as the ancient ritual began, only one would walk away from this, the other would join Death in her realm.

A low pitched whistle began to fill the air as the Dancers swung their swords, almost like looking into a mirror, the two blades followed a predescribed path. Their curling footsteps slowly bringing them closer, with every step. As the pace increases, a circle of shadow and light form around Alister and the black winged angel, forming an arena of clashing energies.

After what felt like days passed, the two whirling swords passed by each other close enough for the flat of the blades to shower the ground in sparks, the first speck of light to land upon the stone blazed up, and began to spread, a wave of light forming the final addition to the Ritual fight. A pentagram, made up of fluctuating energy. As the finally line formed, the swords moving as if guided began to move faster, until they blurred to all those beyond the barrier and blood began to flow. To Aura it seemed to last mear seconds before Alister stagered back out, his face leached of color, breathing labored as blood streamed from hundreds of miniscule cuts. The instant he dropped to one knee, the shifting barrier shrank to encampose the Fallen. A smile formed upon her face as the color of her wings melted away, until they shown a shimmering silver-blue. With a blinding flash, the winged being vanished in a pillar of pure light.

"He earned his place back among the army of light, I have a feeling we will see him again. That time, we maybe fighting side by side." Alister whispers softly, his gaze still on the light pillar as it slowly faded.

"What is The Dance of Death, Ali?"

"The singular means for a fallen to once more enter the realms of light, if one can follow the steps to the end, without faltering. They can redeem themselves in the eyes of the council of spirits."

Pausing, Alister glances back at Aura, as their eyes met she only then noticed, not a single drop of blood could be seen upon him, the only thing remaining from the ritual was a pale gold line about three inches long just over his heart, a near perfect match to the redeemed angels blade. "The final step, well, I'm sure you can picture what that entails." Alister whispered as he lightly traces the scar over his heart, before his legs folded under him as he lost consciousness.

Even with her enhanced hearing, Aura barely heared his last words. Noting the light in his eyes dimming, Aura moved faster then she ever had before. Closing the ten feet between in nearly an instant, catching Alister before his knees could touched the ground.

"Rest." Aura whispers softly.

After carrying Alister back into the cave, Aura sat down with his head resting upon her lap. the five girls around looked down at the male for a few moments in silence, before Valiora spoke up.

"We've been traveling together for about a week now, yet aside from my sister I only know your races. Why don't we get to know eachother better?" She said softly, though like the other four she couldn't pull her eyes from Alister.

Shaking her head Edith turned and smiled at Valiora.

"I'll begin. As Alister mentioned to the two of you, there is only ever one Silver dragon. I have a record like memory, sets or files of events that I know dragons before me lived through. Several of them hated humans, I on the other hand was raised by a middle aged couple. They found me not long after the death of the last Silver Dragon, her name was Sear.

"From what my Adopted parents told me, they stumbled upon a Knight in white armor fighting a red dragon that had been ravaging the country side. Sear joint in and with very little effort, killed the Red. As she dealt the killing blow. The Knights spear peiced her heart, he used the last of his life force to power his enchanted spear. A sacrificial art, thought to be long lost. As the couple watched, Sear breathed her last, and as soon as the light of the full moon shone upon her body. It broke up into countless balls of light before condensing into me. Barely three inches from nose to tail tip. They took me home, i lived on their land for 20 years before a fallen angel tracked me down. Killed my adopted parents and took me away."

"Why didn't you use your Moon Fire?" Holy asked softly.

"She was too young, a Lunar dragon isn't able to use the Moon Fire until 25 years of age. if they attempted it sooner, it would destroy them. The silver dragon would vanish for centuries before she could reform." Alister whispered softly as his eyes slowly open. A tired light dancing in his eyes. "I've seen it happen, Rage strong enough that it pushed a 15 year old Silver dragon far enough it turned a 20 square mile patch of land into a barren wasteland. As for getting to know each other better. Why don't I tell you all more about myself?"