Knightshade Forgotten.

Underestimation

I just remembered why I hated shifting, it hurts like hell. Every piece of flesh on me is ripped off and replaced with sharp scales. Vexthel was shaking with rage and hatred as he saw me and then started laughing. "Yes! That's what I wanted! Oh, if we could tame you and keep you caged up-" Plythus had fired an electric blue bolt at Vexthel and knocked him over before he finished his sentence.

He then turned to me, "White blood! Put away the stone! There's no need for that, not now and hopefully not ever." I stared at Plythus allowing my instincts to calm. "Ser, he's cost us the lives of innocent people who had hoped to free their home, you plan to let that be forgotten along with their names?" "Such is an consequence of war Reflet. You may save as many as you can but you can't save everyone."

"Heheh...this won't go unpunished Lance, the boy is in your division is he not?" I could hear Vexthel wheezing as he started speaking to Lance. "He is indeed, however this is out of my hands, if you'd like to take it up with the shifter be my guest." He said quite calmly. "Azura, I'd like to see you when this is over so that I may see what to do with you." I bowed my head to acknowledge him. "Plythus, let me kill this unholy beast." Vexthel said slowly as he drew his sword, combat magic swirling around it.

Plythus backed away to make sure the arena was empty for the safety of the recruits. I had pulled myself out of dragon form and held up Molarus's bow with blades along both ends. "Vex, why do you hate Lance and Molarus so much?" I had to know for myself so I knew what I would fight for. He shrugged, "They're idiotic." "How so?" "They just are." A feeling in my gut told me that he didn't know himself why he hated them. "Lance killed the old Wyngeria, they're too soft for their own soldiers, Lance had the nerve to bring a child into war! All idiotic!" I fired an arrow made of jolts of water, slowing any sudden movements he might make.

But he's acting like he planned- "Oh gods.." I quickly turned and ran for the medical bay, something's going to happen to Molarus, if he's killed because I wasn't there...No, Lance was with him right? I slammed through the doors, loading an arrow into the bow. Lance was out of breath with his wounds reopened.

One of Vexthel's high ranks looked at me with joyful gleam in his eyes, "Azura, you're just in time, help me deal with these two traitors." A thousand thoughts ran through my head, "What are they being accused of?" I asked with a firm grip on the bow, bad choice of weapon considering I was always the worst during practice. "They attacked me out of the blue! Their wounds are only an act." I looked at Lance and Molarus "Let me see for myself then." I walked to Lance who didn't take his eyes off the high ranking soldier.

"These wounds are reopened, not fake. If they were I'd have plunged a dagger into them." I aimed the bow right between his shoulders. "Take this as my resignation Mane." I let the arrow fly into his left shoulder, making him drop his sword. I turned around and hoisted Molarus, "Lance listen, I know you have a lot of questions and you think I have the answers. But for Molarus's sake, we need to leave. Understand." Lance nodded and led the way, his greatsword hefted in front of him.

"Reflet...are you..okay?" I heard Molarus whisper over my shoulder. The wounds on my back had healed slightly so I wasn't in much pain. "Worry more about yourself okay? I don't need anything more bearing down on me." He grabbed his bow out of my hand and kept an arrow ready.

"Traitors! All of you! You shall be hunted like the dogs you are!" I could hear Mane screaming behind us. "Shut your fucking mouth Mane!" Molarus managed to yell behind him before lodging another arrow in him, only making him scream louder. I looked to Lance for a safe way out of this place, I've had enough of reckless warmongers.

We stopped at a cliff overlooking a large lake below, I set Molarus down, expecting what actions we may have to take. "Lance this is a crazy idea." I warned him. He helped Molarus get ready to fall. "Look kid, it was your choice to help us, so I'm doing the same for now. You obviously care about my son so you won't screw this up okay?"

I nodded and pulled out my dragonstone as I turned to face Vexthel and his group of soldiers. He started laughing, "So you're going help those thorns in my side?" I firmly planted my feet in the ground as a response. "You've got guts kid, you would've been the finest weapon we've ever had. But without you and the others, I'll lead this pathetic Wyngeria." I bit my lip before I said anything foolish, "I've told you before Vexthel I'm no weapon, nor do I want to be. I pick my own actions and I expect you to respect my wishes." I held my dragonstone to the sky as they started to approach me. As they started to back off, I felt something punch me in the side, right under my left shoulder.

I fell to the ground at the sudden blast of wind that lodged an arrow deeper into my arm.

I could hear them, all of them. All the screams of the people I killed, I never thought it would be so many. I could feel both my head and my brand burning, must've been stepped on once or twice. Vexthel lifted me into the air with his hand around my throat. "And now, the Azuran family dies with you." He tossed me over the side of the cliff as Lance and Molarus jumped.

"Rho aias!" I created a barrier above us before using my stone. I had no idea how to fly or if I could in the first place, but if the dragon has wings, I can slow the fall. Stretching my wings, I angled them toward the Knightshades, catching them before they could hit the water. "This is a stupid plan father!" I heard Molarus shout.

I looked at my shoulder to see that the wound was larger than it looked. "Sorry guys! We gotta crash somewhere!" I shouted back at them. "Make sure it's well hidden!" A large rock fired from a catapult hit my wing, forcing me to glide and crash land into the forest across the lake.

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"You okay friend?" I heard a familiar voice say. I opened my eyes and saw a figure in heavy armor holding my dragonstone. "Now then, to deal with these asshats." I knew that voice and..that warhammer. "Janggo wait! They're friends." I fell to the ground coughing up bile and blood. Lance looked over me, his helmet had fallen off. "Hang on Azura, we'll find some help."

I woke in a bed late that week to see Lance and Molarus sitting down watching me. "Patch!" Molarus cried with joy. "Are you two okay?" Lance brushed the rest of the dirt out of his hair. "We'll live thanks to you, but...." I sank down, Wyngeria was without Lance. Plythus relies on the Knightshades to help keep things in order but without him, "You look like shit, Azura." Janggo said as he walked in. "I thought the torturers in Drachen would've done worse than what happened to you." "You? You were the-" I started coughing before I could finish.

"Yeah the 'Samurai' armored me was Kal, my other son. But enough about that, Janggo has news for you." I tried to get out of the bed and fell over in pain. "Reflet! Get back up there!" Molarus helped me back into the bed. "They broke your leg with thecatapult, cheap shot too. Janggo tell him the news, he'll need it to lift his spirits."

Janggo came closer, "This may come as a shock to you okay?" I nodded, "Faylinn's alive and well." I sat up, "You saw her? Where is she?" He gave me a grim look. "She's a lodestar in Drachen's army."

I fell back down to my pillow thinking a million things at once. "Reflet Azura don't you dare.." Lance said "You can't move fromhere okay? As a debt to repay.....Molarus and I have agreed to go find her."