Shadows of Ronco

Chapter 2: The Sound Gift.

“Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness.”
― Anne Frank’


   "Yes Sir. As you command Ronco will be taken care of.” Scaver said without any form of hesitation. I couldn’t believe what I had heard. Gaul is going to have me Eliminated? Why? Did he know about all the rule breaks? I stepped back as I felt tears building up before I started to run for the exit.

   “Scaver… Why? Why would you agree to do this?” I asked out loud as I ran on all four of my legs trying to get away from the base where I had grew up in. Scaver was the only Father like figure I had. He had been there since I was born. Why would he willingly go through with killing me? I wondered as I ran out the exit and heard the alarm go off behind me.

   I stopped and starred at the entrance before I dashed into the forest. If they didn’t know I was running before they are sure to know now. I can’t stop running if I do then Scaver will surely catch up to me. As the thought crossed my mind I felt something slam into my side and knock me into a tree. I shook my head and looked over at what hit me to see it was Scaver who had managed to catch up as if he knew I started running after hearing what I did.

   “Don’t run. Please don’t make this harder than it needs to be.” He said as he pulled his broadsword from its sheath on his back. And starred at me as I was getting up

   “Why?! Why did you agree to it? Did you ever really care about me?!” I screamed as I stood my ground.

   “I cared more than you know. But Gaul will kill us both if I don’t kill you…” he said not even bothering to maintain eye contact as he swung his sword at me missing me as I ducked but chopped the tree behind me down with a near full swing. I gritted my teeth as I head butted him with my horns in the stomach before I dashed off away from and into a clearing.

   “I think I lost him…” I said as I stood at one end of the clearing panting trying to catch my breath. I laid down and buried my head in my claws trying to hide from the world. I laid there for what felt like hours but was really just a few minutes before I heard someone walking closer. I jumped to my feet expecting Scaver to have found me again but was surprised to see no one near me but I turned to the direction where the footsteps were coming from to see a new person. One I hadn’t met before.

   “Odd to see a young dragon out by one’s self.” The stranger said draped in a red cloth like armor with orange trim on the sleeve ends and above his chest while his face was hidden under his hood but I could see a black button nose with orange fur on top of his muzzle while a brown streak followed by white fur on the side and under his mouth his legs and arms had orange fur that had brown spots on them while his arms had two red leather bracers on them.

   His paws only had a red cloth wrapped around his legs up to his knees with a feline like tail swishing around behind his cape his tail looked like his face it had a white fur streak on the bottom, brown spots like the rest of his fur but orange on the top half but tipped but a patch of black fur.

   “Yeah? So what if I’m by myself. Maybe that’s how it should be.” I said looking away as I wiped away my tears from my eyes. Before I slowly stood up.

   “One is never truly alone in this world little one. Now tell me what are you doing out here by yourself?” the stranger asked as if trying to get me to relax.

   “Why do you care? You don’t even know me. You out here to try to kill me as well?” I replied with a tone of sass as I looked up at the moon to see it full and brightened the sky up.

   “Kill you? Why would I want to kill you?” he asked quickly

   “Because people call me the Purple Menace…” I say lowering my head remembering that Red midget calling me that multiple times.

   “Well I don’t know if you are a menace but if you wish to be put out of your misery I can oblige it?” he said as he drew the bow that was wrapped around his back and quickly took an arrow and drew it back.

   I looked over to see him fire the arrow he had drew back and my eyes went wide as I thought he was actually going to kill me. I got ready to jump out of the way but before I could even react something pushed me out of the way and took the arrow for me. I rolled around a few times from being pushed. I grunted from the impact and I slowly got up and shook my head to shake off the dizziness from rolling in the grass.

   I looked around and saw the stranger smile as he starred at what he hit instead of me. I looked over to see that Scaver, of all people, saved me from the arrow. I looked Scaver over and saw that the arrow had hit him in the shoulder pinning him to a tree as the stranger smiled and drew back another arrow. I want to just let Scaver die but, he was one of the few friends I had. If not for him and Cynder I’d be so lonely. I can’t just let him die. I thought as I dashed forward in front of Scaver before the stranger fired off the arrow.

   “Stop it! I won’t let you kill him!” I shouted. As I stood my ground.

   “Step aside. He works for the Dark Master do you know that.” The stranger said as if I should know who that is.

   “I don’t know who that is but this is my friend! He has been there since I was born. I won’t just let him die!” I shouted at the stranger as I gritted my teeth in fear and anger.

   “Then your nothing more than pawns to the real evils.” The stranger said as he fired the arrow and I lifted up of my front legs and swung my head around as I felt something surging within me. A Power, a sensation I haven’t felt before.

   “I. Wont. Let. You. Kill. Him!!” I screamed as I landed back on my front claws and felt the power that was surging in me fly out empowered by my voice causing it to echo and be broadcasted louder and louder, as if I was generating waves of sound that echoed, with a force that caused the arrow that was still in the air to be sent flying into the trees and the stranger himself to be launched backwards from the force and he slammed into a tree and fell to his knees from the impact.

   I stood there after I finished screaming panting from the surge of power I had just released. I snapped out of my anger and rushed to Scaver who was staring at me like he just witnessed the impossible.

   “Ronco what did you just do?” he asked me as if I knew.

   “I have no idea. What matters is getting you back for help.” I explained as I used my tail to break the part of the arrow pinning Scaver to the tree. “Come on I’ll help you get back.” I said regretfully as I saw him get up perfectly fine without me.

   “Ronco I’ll be fine it’s just a simple arrow.” He said as took a few steps away from the tree. “Besides now that you have that power I think you can prove your usefulness to Gaul.”

   “Scaver Why? Why did Gaul even consider that!? Gaul and you have cared for me since I was born! Why suddenly kill me?!” I asked as I followed him back determined for answers.

   “Gaul has plans for you but for some time now those plans have been on hold thanks to you not showing any signs of gaining power. Until now that is. You’re definitely a special Dragon. I’ve never seen a breath like that before.” Scaver explained as we walked back and found the main path back to the base.

   We walked and talked but Scaver refused to give any answers I wanted before we stopped after hearing a loud roar over us and watched as a black silhouette fly at us and land in front of us.

   I backed away as Scaver starred at the dragon like silhouette that starred at me with a body emanating power as a strange black veiled covered the dragon from being recognized the only thing that was really intimidating was its blood red eyes feeling full of rage and anger. I starred at the eyes for some time before it broke the gaze as it swung its body around and slammed Scaver with its tail.

   I tried to run to help him as he was knocked out when he hit the ground but the dragon quickly swung back around and grabbed me with its front right claw. In one swift motion it pinned me to the ground by the neck.

   I tried to use my new power to get the dragon off me but as I swung my head around I caught a glimpse of the dragon quickly head butting me before it hit and knocked me out.




To be continued… </i>