First Fight

The collar looked to be made of some kind of metal. Two pieces that slammed together. On the bottom was a square piece, possibly used to unlock it if need be. A red glowing magical ring went around it.

“You were stupid to bring a dragon here without a collar.” Hadrik said, “It’s mine now.”

“Damn! This isn’t good. I had no idea they could just slap one on.”

“Let her go! She isn’t yours!” Aiden yelled.

“She is now.” Hadrik looked at Vel, “Kill him.”

Vel looked at Aiden, then back at Hadrik.

“I will not.” She said.

Everyone was in shock, including Aiden.

“How… How can you still talk?” Hadrik was stunned. “I order you to kill him, now!”

“Again, I will not.” She reached up with her talons and tried to yank it off. However, whatever it was made out of was too strong.

“How is this possible?” Hadrik drew his sword as did the rest of the guards with their weapons. The dragons also getting ready to attack.

Aiden had no idea what to think or do. He hadn’t expected things to go like this.

“Do we run or fight?” He couldn’t decide. He looked at Vel and she looked at him.

“Keep calm.” She said, “You know what you must do.”

“She’s right!” He shook his head, one of the guards shot out red streams of light like before, wrapping around Vel. “I have to act!”

He swung his sword and broke the link like before. Then, out of instinct or possibly adrenaline, he lunged the sword at the bottom of the collar, stabbing through it with ease. The red glowing ring vanished and the collar crumbled. Vel roared. Everyone, including the other dragons, shuttered at the sheer magnitude of the roar. It even made the ground shake. Aiden was the only one not affected by it.

“HOW!?” Hadrik yelled. “Those are impossible to break!”

“Oh yeah? Let me show you something else you will think is impossible.” Aiden swung his sword a few times at the guards around them. Each time an arc of blue fire came out, making explosions like before. The guards were blown back. Dirt clouds were all around them now.

“What do you have planned?” Asked Vel.

“You take out their dragons, just don’t hurt them too much. I’ll take on the guards.”

“Understood. You be careful, Aiden.”

“You too, Vel.”

As the dirt clouds settled, they saw that more guards have shown up because of the explosions.

“Did you have a nice little chat? Did you say your goodbyes?” Hadrik laughed, “The collar may have not worked, but you both won’t make it out of here alive. That fancy blue fire magic won’t help you against all of us.”

“Enough talk!” Vel yelled and charged at the dragons. She looked back at Aiden and smiled before continuing her charge. She ran into the big red one, knocking it over with ease.

“She should be fine. She is at full strength right now.”

“Where are you looking?” Hadrik swung his sword, but Aiden blocked it with ease. His body seemingly reacting on its own.

“Tch!” Hadrik jumped back, “What are you all waiting for? Attack him!”

About fifty men came at him. He moved around like his body was made of air. Dodging and blocking swords, daggers, magic, and arrows with ease.

“I can move pretty good, but I’m still not fully used to this yet. I just need to knock everyone out. There is no need to kill these guys. They are only following orders. I’ll also need to conserve my magic, since I don’t know how much I can use yet.”

Aiden started to attack them back, hitting them in the stomach or making them blow back with his magic. Sometimes breaking their weapons with his sword. He took a quick glance at Vel after knocking another guy out. She had knocked out quite a few dragons. The big red one was still coming after her though. It was the biggest one there so of course it was strong.

“AHHHHH!”

*THUD*

Hadrik ran into Aiden while he was looking at Vel, knocking him off his feet and landing about twenty feet away. His sword flew out of his hands and landed on the ground.

“I warned you when you looked away before.” Hadrik laughed, “Left you wide open.” He started to walk towards Aiden, but stopped suddenly when he saw Aiden start to get up.

“I think I understand why Vel put her trust in me.” Aiden brushed off the dirt that got on his clothes.

“Dammit!” Hadrik clenched his fist around his own sword.

*WHOOOSH*

Vel suddenly went tumbling past through the air.

*BOOOM*

Vel landed hard on the ground and rolled over many times before coming to a stop.

“VEL!!” Aiden screamed. He started to run towards her, but a person appeared in front of him, punching Aiden in the face before he could react. It sent him flying, spinning in the air before crashing into the stone wall next to the city gate.

“Knight Elric,” Hadrik started to speak, “I had everything under control, you di—“ He was also punched by Elric in the stomach. Only he wasn’t sent flying, he just fell over.

“You are worthless, Hadrik. Can’t even handle these weaklings.” Elric smoothly said.

“I’m sorry, Knight Elric.” Hadrik said from the ground. “But the collar didn’t work, and that guy has blue fire magic, also his sword broke the collar.” He spoke fast.

“That is intriguing.”

*crumble… crumble*

Aiden was pushing the rubble off of himself.

“Oh ho,” Elric sounded surprised, “I didn’t think that would kill you, but I also didn’t think you would still be conscious. Maybe punching Hadrik was misguided on my part.”

“Nothing seems broken, but man that hurt.” Aiden stood up slowly, he wasn’t expecting that hit. 

“Now, why are you here and why did the fight start?” Elric asked.

“It started because Hadrik here tried stealing my dragon.”

“Hmmm, yes… I see. Well that can’t be helped, the guards are ordered to trap any dragon not wearing a collar.”

“Why do you enjoy enslaving dragons?” Aiden asked angrily.

“Enslaving?” Elric chuckles, “We aren’t enslaving them. Looks like Veltheryn didn’t tell you everything.”

“Wait… How do you know her name?” Aiden asked with a shocked look.

“About fifty years ago, when she was just a little dragon, she went crazy and attacked the city. I was the one that chased her, though she eluded me.”

“What? How can this be? Vel isn’t crazy. He has to be lying.”

“I don’t believe you.” Aiden fully stood up, “And you don’t look thirty let alone over fifty.”

“Ah yes,” Elric chuckles again as he started walking towards Aiden. “Knights are granted longer life. I myself had just become a Knight right before Veltheryn attacked the city.” He pauses for a moment, “And as for dragons, they started going crazy a few hundred years ago. Attacking humans and sometimes other dragons. Humans had to do something or we would have been wiped out. That it why we captured them, it’s not slavery.”

“LIAR!!!” Vel roared.