FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

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CHAPTER 11

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The market place was as busy as ever, dozens of dragons going about their lives in a relatively small area, I followed in Laguna's wake as he made his way through the crowds. For the most part I was ignored, but every now and again I would see someone recognise me. I knew that they were making a fuss over who my father was and not the fact that I was part wolf, well maybe not all of them. But when I notice someone point me out of a crowd I can't help but think that they were mocking my heritage. Old habits die hard.

Eventually we managed to slip into a quieter corner of the marketplace, I turned to view the crowds we had managed to escape, with a sigh of relief turned to continue following Laguna and felt myself bump into someone.

"Sorry!" I apologised.

I reached out and grabbed their arm, in case I had knocked them over. I froze in place and felt my breath hitch when I saw who it was I had grabbed into. It was Kassandra! My mind immediately flashed to the dream I had of her. I blushed and took a step back, carefully releasing my hold of her

Our eyes met and and I could see the surprise in her eyes quickly engulfed with rage. She shoved me away and glared at me for a long moment before moving past me, her eyes never leaving mine. If looks could kill I would have died a very painful death right then and there. I didn't dare turn my head to watch her leave, only when I could no longer hear her footsteps did I remember to breath.

"Wow, and I thought she was cold shouldered! But you! Oh man, she looked ready to kill you!" Laguna said with a half laugh, trying to lighten the mood. I didn't trust myself to speak so I simply nodded, daring to cast a glance in the direction that Kassandra had gone, thankful that she was no where in sight. "Well the place I'm taking you is just round the next corner, come on!"

He lead me to a place I hadn't been before, there were still some vendors here, but unlike the busy area just a few turns away these were filled with weapons. A sound of repetative clanging that could only come from metal hitting metal faintly rang out from several directions. I peered into the entrance of one such place and saw a smithy, the dragon was wearing a leather apron as he shaped a piece of steel with his hammer.

"What is this place?" I asked.

"This is the smithies quarter, not as busy as the food quarter back that way." Laguna explained, turning round so he was walking backwards as he spoke to me. "Zangar was once famous for it's steel!"

"Yeah, I'd heard about that."

"There are quite a few vendors here but a few of them are well known for certain pieces. Like Rajor's up a head is the best place to pick up a bow and arrows, and he's the only place you'll find a crossbow! Hathar's is the place to get quality leather armour, but he is expensive, but considering you're an Anaris I guess cost is nothing to worry about."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh come on! The Anaris House was known as one of the wealthiest families in the entire Tribal lands! They even pay for most of the supplies we import to the village and sell them cheap!"

"Seriously?"

"You didn't know?"

"No." I replied, honestly a little surprised that my father was so rich. "But wouldn't they have lost their riches during the last war?"

"No, the Killik House sealed the three houses with thick walls of stone, along with many of Zangars deeper levels. The village was mostly unscathed by the time the wolves breached the outer walls. Afterwards most of the areas were unsealed, but there was no one to fill up the village. Only a quarter of the residents came back, most of them left to build New Zangar while others travelled further to escape the wolves." Laguna explained while still walking backwards, he seemed to be quite skilled at it. He hadn't even come close to bumping into a wall or another dragon.

"Well it certainly is much more crowded than this place is."

"You've been?!"

"Yeah, it was one of the first places Eric took me to after I joined them."

"I'm so jealous! I've heard stories about it, I hear it's pretty impressive!"

"Yeah..." I sighed some memories of Rose resurfacing. "Hey... where is this place you're taking me too? You said it was right round the corner like six corners ago!" I said attempting to change the topic.

"Oh yeah! It's just over there!" He declared pointing at what was literally a hole in the wall.

The entrance was an opening several feet above the floor, and was particularly snug as you had crawl a few feet till you were able to stand upright. I began to think that Laguna was trying to trick me or something, but it turned out it was an eating place. At the far end of the room there was a kitchen that rivalled Harold's, a rather podgy looking Zangarian dragon wearing a dirty apron was busy chopping something while a table of six dragons, around my age were busy eating and having a good time.

The shoulder pads they wore told me a lot about them, Xavier had explained it to me during our last lesson. A warrior wore plain steel shoulder pads, smooth with no design on them, while a trained bender would wear ones with a raised edge, and would be engraved with a symbol of their affinity. There were three ranks of bender, adept, master and grand-master. A master bender would have shoulder pads lined with gold. Grand-masters like my father and Callidus had specially made shoulder guards.

Out of the six dragons only two of them were benders, adept level, which meant they were considered to be capable of bending during a fight and not just in a practice arena; which I could barely do. It made me curious, just how powerful was my father compared to the likes of Kassius and Xavier? When one of the dragons turned to look at me I realised that I was staring and looked away. I followed Laguna up to the podgy dragon at the back who was doing the cooking.

"Ah, good day Laguna!" The podgy dragon smiled as he looked up. "What can I get for you?"

"Good Day Fyis." Laguna greeted the podgy dragon.

"And who's your... OH! You're Lord Anaris's son!" Fyis exclaimed as he laid eyes on me.

"My name is Malakye." I said coldly, I hadn't intended on sounding like that, I was just getting tired of everyone seeing me as just Kaldor's son. I was me, who my father is doesn't change who I am!

"A pleasure to meet you!" Fyis bowed his head. "What can I get for you?"

"I'll have my usual Fyis." Laguna replied. "What about you Malakye?"

"Uh..." I looked round the kitchen area, I had no idea what I wanted. I also knew very little about draconian cuisine. "I'll have what ever he's having." I replied pointing at Laguna.

"Coming right up! Please take a seat I'll bring you you're food when it's ready."

I followed Laguna to a table near the middle of the seating area. I didn't miss how the six older dragons were now watching us with interest, but I tried to ignore them, not giving them any sign that I had seen them looking.

Laguna began to ramble about something, I just nodded and made a few grunts in response to his questions, but I wasn't paying much attention to him. The group of dragons across the room, I could feel them staring and it was making the scales on the back of my neck crawl.

It didn't take long for Fyis to bring us our food, some sort of roasted meat and veg skewered on long wooden sticks. I sniffed them cautiously, earning a giggle from Laguna, watching him eat his own I just picked up one of the sticks and bit a lump of meat off the end.

The meat was juicy and tender, cooked perfectly, but I didn't recognise it. It was gamy and strong tasting. I pictured a number of animals I had seen on Laguna's fathers farm that I had never seen before. This meat could be from any one of them. We ate in silence, a pleasant change from Laguna's constant rambling. He seemed to love to talk, but he often didn't seem to talk about anything in particular; as if he hated silence.

"So how's your food?" Laguna asked, he had now finished his food as I was just starting my last stick.

"It's good." I nodded.

"Fyis here is one of the best cooks in Zangar!"

"He's good, but I think Harold has him beat though."

"Harold?"

"He cooks for the Anaris household. Little yellow dragon, he really knows how to cook!"

"I've never seen him."

"I don't think he goes out much, Jovani probably gets all his supplies for him."

"I'd love to meet him sometime."

"I'm sure that can be arranged." I grinned.

"Yo!" A voice bellowed. I turned to see the six older dragons were now approaching us. I stood up to face them. "You Lord Anaris's kid then?" One of the fire benders asked. I simply nodded in response, but gave them a glare to them that I wasn't intimidated.

"So you're the one that beat Kassandra in a fight then?" the other bender asked.

"Damn right he did!" Laguna cheered.

"Well then, I'd love to see how you fight. How do you fancy coming with us for a little sparring session then?" The first dragon asked, it seemed he was the leader of this pack.

"Really? How awesome is that Malakye!?" Laguna chirped

There was something about these guys that gave me a bad feeling. But Laguna seemed stoked about the idea. Either I was just being paranoid or Laguna was just too trusting. But maybe it was time I started trusting others a little more easily, this isn't a village of wolves, and the dragons I'd met so far seemed to have no problems with my heritage. Maybe this would be a good opportunity to make a few new friends my own age. If I intended to stay here then it was better to get off on the right paw with these guys.

"I guess I have a little time."

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We were led to a wide open space next to one of the circulation tunnels, even from here I could feel the gentle breeze from it. There was two large urns burning brightly on either side of the room, illuminating the area we stood in.

"Okay then, we will have a gauntlet match." The leader of the group, Hazani, announced. "You will be fighting all six of us, once you beat one of us the next will immediately jump into the fight."

"Six on one!?! THAT'S CRAZY!" Laguna argued.

"I'm sure he can handle it!" Hazani replied confidently. "If he can beat Kassandra then this shouldn't be too much of a challenge for him, would it?"

"It's fine Laguna." I said. "It's one-on-one fights, it'll be fine."

I was putting a brave face on it. But I was getting worried now. I had literally given them permission to gang up on me. My instincts were telling me to back away and leave, but another part wanted to prove my strength to them.

"Calm down kid." One of the dragons said swatting Laguna on the back. "Come on, you step to the side and let the big boys show you how it's done." Laguna grumbled but complied. Once he was out of the way the dragon who had spoken to him stepped in front of me, while the others took their place surrounding us in a circle.

"Guess you're first." I smirked.

"He-he! This is gonna be fun!"

"No bending allowed, this is a fight of skill and strength." Hazani declared. I took up the first stance of Tigers Palm, deciding that defence was a good way to start. "Now... FIGHT!!"

The second Hazani declared the fight I felt all six dragons spiritual energy flare up, I was caught off guard and confused by this for a second, bending wasn't allowed in this fight. That's when I remembered yet another thing that Xavier had explained to me.

'Spiritual energy isn't just used for bending, many warriors are trained to use it to enhance their speed and strength. Every dragon receives training on how to control their spiritual energy, even if they don't possess an affinity.'

Even if I wasn't sure how to use my spiritual energy to fight without bending I wasn't going to give these guys any advantage over me. Thanks to my earlier practice with Xavier, drawing on my own energy was much easier. I didn't need to focus on drawing it out, I just opened a gate and let it pour out. My spiritual energy poured out through my body and into the air surrounding me, nearly enveloping the entire room, I could clearly feel where everyone was in the room as my energy washed over them.

My opponent charged directly at me, his right fist drawn back, he was too slow for a direct charge like that; he was making it too easy. I stepped forward to meet him, changing into Tigers Fist and driving my knee into his gut. He grunted in pain and began to stumble backwards clutching his stomach, I used that moment to grapple him and rotated my body, using my bodyweight to throw him over me and into the ground with a perfectly executed hip-throw.

A second after I had finished the hip throw I felt the dragon directly behind me move, his body pushing against my spiritual energy. I also sensed his own spiritual energy flare even more as he focused it into his legs. His speed was much faster than that of his comrade and if I hadn't sensed him coming I would have been defenceless against him.

I spun on the spot, my right arm deflecting his extended arm away from me, his momentum carrying him past me, he had to leap over his fallen comrade to stop from falling over him. I ran at him, using the moment of his jump to catch him off guard. As he turned to face me I was already upon him, leaping over the fallen dragon I extended my right leg and caught him in the chest. He was sent tumbling head-over-heel across the ground; two down, four to go.

Once again I sensed them move as they pushed against my spiritual energy that enveloped the area, I turned to face them and slipped into the second stance of Tigers Palm, I stepped backwards while blocking their blows. His attacks were fiercer than the other two, he was focusing his spiritual energy into his arms. The moment I sensed his spiritual energy move into his right leg I knew what was coming, I leapt back as lashed out with a kick, once I had dodged the attack I lunged at him with my fist drawn back.

He hadn't regained his balance and caught off guard by my sudden counter attack, I saw it in his eyes that he knew he had made a mistake. He raised his arms in an attempt to stop me striking him in the head. With his vision of me now blocked by his own defence I slammed my right foot-paw into the ground to halt my momentum and shifted my weight and struck him in his exposed side.

He doubled over from my blow and I followed up by bringing my right knee to bear into his head, snapping him back up to a vertical base as he recoiled, I then drove my right fist into the square of his chest which knocked him flat on his back.

I knew that that had hurt him and his comrades didn't take too kindly to it. The remaining two of them launched themselves at me. I turned to face them, blocking the first two punches from the first but felt the second dragon drive his fist into my side. I grunted with pain and the first dragon landed two good punches across my muzzle while the second dragon kicked my in the stomach.

I staggered backwards, my legs shaking and my knees threatening to give way, knowing that if I fell this fight would be over. I saw Laguna run towards the two dragons, he was shouting something but my head was ringing from the force of the blows that I couldn't hear him.

He was intercepted by Hazani, Laguna attempted to fight him but Hazani was too skilled for Laguna, too experienced for him to overcome. As I saw Laguna fall to the ground with a bloodied muzzle I felt my anger flare. The two dragons were once again upon me, I felt my spiritual energy flare, it felt different now, it felt hot and dangerous rather than the encompassing embrace that it had before.

The other bender of the group, other than Hazani, threw a punch at my head but I shifted my head out of it's way, feeling his fist scuff across the side of my muzzle. I hooked my right arm under his and like before executed a perfect hip toss. I spun back round to face the other dragon, taking a punch across the muzzle once again, but this time I hardly felt it, I drove my knee into his gut, then returned the favour by giving him three good punches to the face. He staggered back, blood seeping from a gash on the side of his muzzle, and I stepped forward with an uppercut. The blow snapped his head back and he crumpled to the ground.

I glared at Hazani, who was still standing over Laguna who was nursing his muzzle, my anger flaring to even greater heights. The first two dragons I had beaten were now getting back up and blocked my path to Hazani. The two urns of fire flared, their flames doubling in size as my spiritual energy touched them. All three of them hesitated, as if sensing my anger. The other two didn't matter to me, Hazani would pay for hurting Laguna!

I stormed forward, my eyes focused on my target. I didn't look away from Hazani as the first of dragons attempted to stop me. His movements cut through my nen allowing me to see him without looking. I caught his fist and then delivered a swift elbow to his side and neck. He fell to his knees and I continued towards Hazani. His final companion hesitated as I approached, but attacked me when I approached. I ducked under his punch and grabbed him by the arm. I spun round, dragging him towards me, and threw him over me. He landed hard on the ground, he wasn't going to get back up in time to stop me.

Hazani's expression became less confident, sensing that he was in trouble I felt his spiritual energy shoot out towards the nearest urn. I charged him but I wasn't fast enough, I narrowly avoided being burned by a large burst of fire that blocked my path. The fire curled around Hazani like a protective shield, I glared at him, but now with his fire protecting his confidence was back.

"Get away from him!" I roared. Hazani cast a glance down at Laguna.

"You think you can order me about you half breed?!" Hazani sneered. I felt his spiritual energy surge and backed away just as the fire rolled towards me a few feet before returning back to its position surrounding Hazani.

"You're going to pay for hurting my friend!" I growled.

"I don't care who your daddy is!" He snapped.

"Who said anything about my daddy?" I snarled.

His eyes went wide in fear, a surge of power rippled through my body and I lunged at him with my paws extended. I ran right through the wall of fire, feeling nothing more than a wave of heat wash over me, and grabbed Hazani by the throat and shoved him with all my might. He landed hard on the ground, the fire vanished as he lost control over it.

He quickly got to his knees and once again reached out for the fire, but this time I was ahead of him. I sprinted at him and drove my knee hard into his muzzle, enjoying the whelp of pain that escaped his muzzle before he lost consciousness.

I turned to Laguna who was just beginning to stand, the other five dragons were beginning to get back up, but I could see in their eyes they had no intention of continuing the fight. A mixture of fear, respect and disbelief in their expressions. I had proven my strength to them, shown them I wasn't an easy target for abuse. Their little plan had backfired on them.

"If any of you come near me or my friends again, I will not stop at a simple beating!" I growled. "Am I understood!?" They all nodded before moving to leave, two of them stopping to pick up Hazani.

I watched them leave, none of them willing to take their eyes off me, but none of them willing to make eye contact either. Once they were gone from sight I turned to make sure Laguna was all right. He was already standing, a bit of blood running from his snout, but he seemed relatively unharmed.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Yeah... thanks."

"Remind me not to spar with groups of strange dragons again."

"You were awesome by the way." He smiled. "Where did you learn to fight like that?"

"I'm used to being attacked by packs of wolves, plus Aceh has been giving me lessons. I still can't come close to beating him." I chuckled.

"He must be pretty bad ass then... I mean you've beaten Kassandra and now those guys."

"I wouldn't count what happened with Kassandra as a win." I admitted. "I may have won on points but she still kicked my ass a lot worse than I managed to do back to her."

"Ooooo... I think I smell a rematch!" He chuckled.

"I'll pass thanks. If I want my ass kicked I'll just ask Aceh for a spar, I don't need a dragoness with anger issues to do that." I laughed. "I need to be getting back. My lesson with Aceh will be starting soon, and he's always a lot rougher if you're late."

"Okay. So will I see you tomorrow?"

"If I get a chance."

"Just stop by the farm then, I'm almost always there if I'm not training."