"Xellos, you've heard of that new Mazoku, haven't you, dearest?" Beast Master took a small sip of red wine from the cup her slender hand was holding.
Xellos knelt, his head bowed, "He's made quite an impression on a few Mazoku, already..." he replied, lifting his head a bit. His smile slight, not his usual bright.
Xellas, or Beast Master, whichever she preferred more at the moment, swished the red liquid in her mouth, savoring its sweetness until the last drop. Smiling contentedly, she put the glass aside. She sat up, turning to her General/Priest before her. Smirking, she cupped his chin in her hand and brought his face up to look at her own, "Perhaps you could... keep an eye on this new up-and-coming Mazoku. Rumor has it that he's a servant of the Demon Dragon King Gaav..." she batted her eyelashes, "and you know what that means..."
Xellos smiled a bit more and nodded, "Your whim is but my demand, Mistress." he bowed his head again.
Xellas took the intricate cup again in her slender hand and waved her General Priest off with the other, "Well, then, don't waste any time..." she smiled darkly for a moment as Xellos turned, "and remember..."
Xellos turned to her, raising an eyebrow, "Yes...?"
"To keep yourself in check, my dear." her eyes narrowed playfully, "There are many rumors about this youth..."
Xellos bowed cordially, and then teleported away.
Beast Master sipped her wine again, letting it dance about her mouth before swallowing it slowly. She flipped her hair aside.
"Good luck, dearest..."
"Yaaaah!!"
A blue green orb flew past its intended target.
"Dammit!"
A tall figure floated down, landing on the ground hard, falling to its knees. Blood dripped down its white pant leg. Its arms trembled in effort to keep it from succumbing to unconsciousness. Coughing a bit, it tried its best to regain its lost breath.
"Valgaav..."
A taller, larger figure floated down and knelt beside the youth. Placing a hand on his shoulder, the young man cried out in pain. He shut his amber eyes tight, his Aquamarine hair falling over his cheeks.
"That's enough training for tonight - "
"No!" the young man yelled, trying to stand again, only to stand halfway and collapse into the taller mans arms.
Gaav, the Demon Dragon King, chuckled good-naturedly. Hoisting up the young man, he shook his head, "Young and brash.. yet so full of potential..." he brushed a stray lock of aqua hair out of his face. Gaav studied his face a bit, smiling slightly, "yes, even I can feel the raw power pulsating within you..."
Xellos observed the two combatants for a few moments, appraising the smaller one's skill. He smirked a bit.... His bangs shadowed his eyes as he teleported away.
Searing pain, eternal hatred, voracious fear...
Val again dreamed of when he was attacked and left for dead by the Golden Dragons... Ally's... Friends... Forever enemies...
He stood in his human form, shirtless in the desert. His body battered and slashed. Stumbling over a dune he fell on his face, sending shockwaves of pain throughout him. His eyes unfocused for a moment... he felt... weak... Pushing himself up again, he looked back at the trail of blood that followed him.
Head wavering slightly, he stood his full height, trying to ignore the dizzying waves that crashed in his head. He kept walking forward... he didn't know why. All he knew was that he wouldn't just die, lying there. He'd fight it until he had nothing left.
Then a noise piqued his interest, turning his head, he saw two Golden Dragons... the same ones who attacked him earlier, flying above him, looking at him...
Val glared back, rage seething in his eyes. Holding his breath, he never broke his gaze with them, looking them right in their own slit pupils. Then the Dragons seemed to chuckle at him... laughing at him... He began to change into his Dragon form when they left, mocking him with their laughter.
He watched them go, then realized his strength was beginning to fail him, his lungs craved the air they were being deprived of. Falling to his knees, he coughed a few times. The wounds on his legs re-opened, staining his already white, yet blood-stained pants, almost causing him to black out.
Leaning his back against a dune, he tried his best to protect his wounds from the stinging wind that began to blow. Sand swirled all about him, but this wind didn't seem natural...
Squinting his eyes to see into the sandy oblivion, he saw a tall figure walking calmly towards him. The figure walked to within a few feet from him, when the winds died down, revealing a tall man, clad in a yellow overcoat with long vibrant red hair. His eyes were slit as well, only he wasn't a dragon...
"And now a Mazoku comes to watch me die...?" Val said, although it pained him a great deal to do so. His throat got cought up and he began to cough again.
The Mazoku smiled, evilly.
Val growled. He wasn't dying just to soothe this Mazoku's lust for his sadistic desires...
"You're finished... young Val, of the Ancient Dragons..." began the Mazoku.
"I'm not done just yet...!" Val clenched his teeth together, gathering all his strength to transform into his Dragon form. His transformation seemed to be working, but his woulds re-opened where he had changed, causing him to lose concentration. He cried out and fell on his face again, his wings retracting and arms returning to normal.
The Mazoku scoffed, "You're finished..."
Val struggled to sit up again. His loss of blood was beginning to take its toll on him.
"So... how does it feel to know you're dying?" the Mazoku asked, curiously.
"What does it matter...?" rasped Val and he fell on his back, his eyes shut tight, eyebrows twitching in an effort to contain the scream of agony he wanted to cry out.
"It matters a great deal..."
"And... why's that...?" Val tasted his blood in his mouth. (What could a Mazoku possibly want with me...? Dammit, he's probably stringing me along, prolonging my pain for his...)
"Because it could be the reason for your survival... For revenge..." the red haired Mazoku tilted his head a bit, "It's one of the only things that can really infuriate those trying to kill us..."
"Us...?" Val swallowed the metallic tasting liquid. (Why would a Mazoku help me get revenge...?)
"Yes, I'm on the run from the Mazoku Race. You and I aren't very different at all..." the Mazoku brandished his sword.
Val eyed the long, shiny blade for a moment, then turned his fading attention to the Mazoku. (If he wants my help, why is he going to kill me...?)
"The only way to get revenge on the Golden Dragons is to do as they have done so unjustly to you..." he smiled, narrowing his eyes.
Val raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean...?" he felt his pain beginning to disappear... darkness beginning to claim him... The metallic taste of his crimson blood dripping down his mouth, his chin...
"How about this... I kill you, and you become re-born as my servant for your basic survival... and I'll give you your revenge on the Golden Dragons..." he rose his sword towards the young Dragon.
"That couldn't be so bad..." said Val as he strugged to stand. Walking towards the Mazoku, his strength finally giving out as he collapsed against him. (What am I doing?! This isn't right! I can't take sides with Mazoku, they're our enemies!! But... the Golden Dragons...)
The Mazoku grabbed Val's arm and ran him through the stomach with his blade. Val's eyes widened, surprised at how badly that still hurt. Then he felt himself being claimed by the darkness that called to him. (I'm... so sorry, everyone... I'm just so... scared... lonely... angry...)
"C-couldn't be so... bad... at all..." the young Dragon went limp, the life drained out of him. Suddenly, a black mist began to envelop around them. Val's eyes shot open as his lungs once again received air, his life breathing back into him.
"From now on you are my servant, I give you my own name, you are now Valgaav..."
"Val...gaav..."