The Ghost of A Dragon's Touch

But As the Snows Melt...

Vengeance is a curse, it wears and digs into your mind until your kindness and sense of empathy are erased. Your heart is clawed and chained, making it hard to breathe in times of peace. Vengeance can only be settled by a true lover, or someone who cares deeply of the afflicted. And once vengeance turns to bloodshed, there's no turning back.

---

Ghost tread through the storm with steps of fury, his strides quick and determined. He didn't know where he was going, but he dug through his memories to draw up the map. Once he knew the way, there was no turning back. He was on a set mission.

Now, miles away from the temple, the rain pounded on his back. Once more, lightning cracked the sky in two, revealing the glimmer of anger in Ghost's eyes. He stopped for a moment to listen to the roar of thunder. It reminded him of Yuuval. Gritting his teeth, he moved on.

On and on he walked, even when he could no longer feel his legs. His cloak was soaked in rain, it having seeped into his clothes and weighed him down. Still, he continued on, his mind set on avenging Yuuval. He wished that he could've saved him, but Life has it's own journeys, and Heaven was closer to Yuuval than he had thought.

---

Once the storm passed, Ghost stopped in a clearing by a riverbank. He unshouldered his pack and cloak, setting them on a large boulder to dry. He took out his water skin and filled it in the river, letting the clear water ripple around his hand. He smiled, he remembered this place from a fishing trip Yuuval had taken him on.

Ghost had been at the temple a week, protesting the fact of his tension. Yuuval had given him a bamboo fishing rod with a string attached. He had taken Ghost down the steps of the temple, the sun shining on their backs. It was about noon, the skies clear and washed blue from the storm a few days ago.

They headed down through the village to a small, grassy clearing at the river bank. A few boulders broke the green carpet, their massive forms gray against the sky. The river bubbled gleefully nearby, small fish darting past in flashes of color. Yuuval looked at Ghost and flicked his string into the water, the end trailing downstream. Ghost watched in secreted awe, doing the same.

His hook ended up in the back of his hood, pulling it up over his head. Embarrassed, he asked for help. Yuuval only smiled and pulled out the hook, taking Ghost's arms to show him how to cast his line.

Within a few minutes, his line snapped taught. Excitement filled him as he pulled up on the rod. It gave a slight bend as a carp exploded from the water onto the bank, flopping helplessly. Ghost smiled up at Yuuval for the first time, proud of himself. Realizing his mistake, Ghost quickly hid his smile. Yuuval laughed, asking what was wrong.

"I was told that smiles show weakness..."

"Who on Earth told you that? Smiles show confidence, power, love, and strength. You should never be ashamed of a smile."

The carp slipped back into the water, Ghost smiling again.

"Never will I forget you, Yuuval..." Ghost said to his reflection in the river, pulling out a small bamboo rod from his bag. He dug a small hole in the bank a few inches deep and stuck the end of the rod into it, burying it so it stayed still. The line he tied to a tree nearby, the hook attached to a small piece of paper. On the paper, was a drawing of him as a boy and Yuuval fishing and laughing together, a carp flopping on the sand.

With a smile, Ghost sat on the tallest boulder, his legs crossed. He relaxed, his hands on his thighs. He closed his eyes to the rising sun, soaking up the warmth. He cleared his busy mind, and began to meditate.

---

A few hours later, his trance was interrupted by a splash in the river. He glanced in the direction, a small carp staring at him from below the rippling surface of the water. Staring back, he kept his place. The carp only kept staring, its fin waving to keep it still in the current. Mesmerized, Ghost leapt down from his perch. He landed softly, going over to the river. The carp still watched him, having swam into the calm shallows.

Ghost sat on the grass on the bank, tilting his head.

"Now, what are you staring at me for, little carp?"

The carp didn't move, blowing a single bubble from its mouth. Ghost narrowed his eyes in confusion. What was this fish doing?

Finally, Ghost rose to his feet and went over to his cloak. Testing it with the back of his hand, he took it up by the collar and slung it over his shoulders. His then shouldered his pack and went on his way, the sun at his back, and the skies clear painted blue.

---

Miles had gone by as he reached the Hundoran Hills that edged the valleys leading to the sea. Ghost took it all in, memories of terrifying beasts scratching at his mind. He had come through here once before, being attacked by a dark creature with eyes of flame and skin of metal. It hadn't hurt him, but it had followed him for miles until he reached the edge of the Forest of the Dragonoids.

He's heard only one roar from a distance, and even then, it chilled his skin and sent shivers down his spine. He's heard tales and rumors around the nearby village lately of a single Dragonoid that kills wolves for sport and hunts everything that moves. Ghost was strong, but not strong enough to take on a beast such as a Dragonoid. With a defeated sigh, he trudged on-wards.

The river bubbled nearby, flowing down the rocky hillside into the forest below. The trees were dark and eerie. The air grew cold as he reached the bottom, the carp splashing in the shallows once more. Ghost groaned and went over to it.

"What do you want??" he asked it, leaning down to see it clearly.

It gave him an empty stare and turned sharply, splashing Ghost's face. Ghost sat there, an annoyed look on his face with his eyes closed. He sighed and dabbed his face dry, standing upright. When he opened his eyes, the dark forest wasn't dark anymore. Instead, it was bursting with color and life. It was as if some veil had been lifted from his eyes.

The trees were no longer black and depressing. Instead, flowers of all colors bloomed in between bright white leaves. Creatures of all shapes and sizes scurried through the undergrowth. But the pleasurable sight was interrupted by a loud crashing boom of a roar.

Ghost turned toward the thick of the forest, the creatures still in their spots as if nothing happened. Was it an illusion? Was he hearing things? Turning back toward the river, his face met nose-to-nose with a huge, scaly muzzle. Behind the muzzle sat two amber-red eyes set underneath thick crests of horns that curled back under its ears to face forward. A hefty blast of warm air met Ghost's face as his eyes widened in fear. In front of him, stood a blue and white Dragonoid.

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A/N Sorry for the lack of updates, I've been having issues with school and life in general lately... But, I think you'll like what comes next! Poor Ghost is staring face-to-face with a ferocious Dragonoid. What will come of him?? Find out next part!

~Blood