(Jason's POV) One month after the crash.
I watched my crew work diligently to complete their assignments from my spot on the deck of my newly reconstructed ship. The main gun was still in Zanarkand but Hellfire's group is bringing it back down, the man said he could carry it, I know he is stupid strong but that thing is massive so I told him to take his time. They still aren't back yet. Hellfire, Kyet and Newind are with the team so they should be okay, if trouble comes, he should handle it. I pulled my thoughts back to my new ship. Musaki had a Phoenix painted on the white shell. She did the main color in black and outlined the wings and tail in gold, how she pulled that off I'll never know. It's wings were outstretched like it was flying the ship. She was currently working on my new equipment. The woman was enjoying this. She knows that every single time I use my skill I loose my clothes in the process, yet she still makes me do it. Thank God Esqueezeme found a dragon cave and was currently in the process of wiping them out for Musaki to experiment on their hide. She said she doesn't like seeing me bare assed every day. They all are enjoying this, I know it. Dragons were known to have flame resistant scales and skin, according to Kyet's notes. Esqueezeme took on the assignment with two others. She handpicked the two men, Chuck and Darrell as her backup. For some reason Esqueezeme's men kept dying. These two lasted the longest out of her original group. She personally trained both men to handle the missions she carried out. I idly rubbed the now healed scar on my chest. It throbbed more when I went out to practice with my new sword. I took to calling my new skill Holy Judgement. I could summon the flames of the Phoenix to burn my enemies to ash. I had to always take extra clothes with me each time I went out, but now I can control to intensity of the flames when I wield my sword. Phoenix Heart. I decided to call it that because of the emotions I feel radiating from it whenever I summon the blade. Musaki was driving me nuts, she kept having me test the training facility I had Newind build for our men. I understand that she wants to make sure it can withstand the spells that are being hurled around the room. But why me? Noise drew my attention to the camp gates.
I watched Hellfire's party return with the cannon. His group of men looked exhausted, he was probably running them into the ground but they are soldiers, they should be used to it by now. Musaki was talking to them and pointing to the ship. I knew that if she was excited we should probably run. With the cannon finally here I knew that soon we would be leaving this place. Khimari wants me to visit the towns to understand the people here better. I was able to persuade Dale to join my crew as the guild manager for the Hunters Princessa trained. Shani said the idea was fine as long as we are heading towards Midgard while we do so. I turned back to go inside to the bridge when I caught a glimpse of two men running flat out for the entrance to camp. "Chuck and Darrell should be with..." I broke off mid sentence and jumped off my ship to the camp below.
(Princessa's POV)
I was panting now, my left arm was numb. I sent Chuck and Darrell back to camp to keep them safe as I battled the dragon in front of me. It's body was a royal purple with a ruby red underbelly. It had no wings but blades on both it's upper and lower jaws the tips of wich pointed towards the opposing blade. More blades ran parallel with it's spine and tipped it's massive feet. The deadly pinchers were what nearly sliced off my own arm and the reason why I was using only one of my guns. The boys would bring the Captain back. At this point He was the only person who could take on a dragon and live. The bladed tail whipped towards me and I had to roll to quickly get out of it's range again, I felt the blade slice into my back, searing pain hit me. I heard a horse neighing in the echoes of the cave but my mind was numb at this point. "Lieutenant!" I heard the Captain's voice, I knew I was going to die, I expected to feel the talons slice into me. They never came. I looked up hoping it was Jason, but the man in front of me wasn't him. He was in full black armor a blood red cape draped across his back. He held a massive sword that was dual ended his own arm blocked the dragons taloned foot. [Can you stand, my lady?] The voice was calm. The man was easily taller than Hellfire. I met his glowing green eyes. A skull mask covered his face and head, leaving only his pulsing eyes visible. "I can stand." I stood up to prove my words. [Good, now wield my sword and fell this Beast.] He tossed me the sword and vanished into black smoke, the sound of a horse neighing came to me again, this time it was a battle cry. "Okay then." The blade was light yet I could feel the power coursing through it. Each opposing end was shaped into a hooked blade that was both jagged and smooth, My hand sparked as it gripped the center pomel. Thunder clapped as the Dragon met me blade for talon. The Dragon was pissed, his easy kill was taken from him. The Dragon lost it's calm and bored attitude and started to really loose it. I didn't let it affect me as I danced around it. my injuries forgotten as I moved in and out of range of it's sharp claws. I began to notice thin cracks in the talons on the Dragon as we fought, like my weapon was stronger, sharper. I grew calmer now. I could win this fight. Whoever that knight was, I had to thank him. He gave me the tool to finish my fight. I felt knowledge pour into my mind and I separated the blades, dual wielding them. I twisted in a whirling dance and red lightning danced around me with rose petals swirling in the air as I sliced into the dragon again and again until it died. I stood in the middle of a bloody pool with petals floating on the surface, lightning arcing along the blades.
(Jason's POV)
I watched in awe as my Lieutenant danced with the dragon her once white uniform now red with it's own blood. The macabre ballet was both beautiful and disturbing to watch. When the deadly dance ended she was standing in the red liquid her once platinum hair was now blood red from the intense fight. A shadow of a knight in black armor with a red cape stood behind her holding the exact same weapon. I blinked and he vanished in a wisp of black smoke. "Esqueezeme, report." She jerked around to me. The grip on her new weapon tightened then the blade vanished. I knew that they would appear on her arms as tattoos. "I located the reason for the over population of dragons in the area and then as the fight progressed I realized that I could not defeat it. I sent Chuck and Darrell back for aid and their own safety. Then I began to lose and a man showed up in full armor and gave me his sword." I watched her as she stared at the corpse. "I bet it's like what happened to me, only you remember the fight. I had to have Shani show me the video of my fight."
"Your saying I gained a summon?"
"Show me your arms."
She removed the remains of her officer's jacket and her smooth arms were held out to me. Sure enough, on both fore arms was an identical tattoo of the swords she wielded. "Turn around. Show me your back." She turned, still in shock. On her back I made out a large tattoo of a black knight riding a horse with six legs the horse was rearing up on hits hind legs and the rider had glowing green eyes. "It's exactly like mine only yours is the knight, mine is the Phoenix." Princessa was stunned, her eyes were wide with shock. "Did the Phoenix speak to you?"
"No but I could understand it's emotions. Why?"
"The knight spoke to me, he gave me the knowledge to battle the dragon. His voice was calm and almost bored."
"That's cool, at least you don't loose your clothes every time you use him." I grumbled as I lead her out of the cave. I sent the men who followed me to go get the corpse. Musaki would want to test it.
As we made our way back to camp I began to actually believe my men could survive the trip to Midgard. Chuck and Darrell were waiting for us at the entrance to camp. I could see the worry they had for their Lieutenant on their faces. "Get cleaned up Lieutenant, then I will have you meet with Khimari, he came with Prince's group just before your men showed up."
"Yes, Sir." She saluted me and went to her tent. I knew she had questions, but I wanted to speak to Hellfire and find out why he was on edge. Last time I saw him loose it, an entire federation base collapsed. I can't afford him to go nuts here. Shani built the training room to contain his raging temper. I walked back to the ship and spotted Kyet staring in the direction of the ship. "Care to share?"
"Why did Prince grow scales like dragon?"
She saw him use a skill we hid even from our own government. It was a unique adaptation of his people.
"Where you have fangs and the claws of a cat, he has the scales and temper of a dragon. It's not widely known. His people could literally become the very thing they fought and ate. I don't know the how's and why's of it. Only that he can do it." It's the only explanation I could give her for his very dangerous skill. I left her standing there and went up into my ship, I picked my way through the crew as they loaded and prepped for take off. I could feel their anticipation. They wanted to explore this unknown world and help us find a place in it. I could forget about returning to my home, and Trillian. I had to think about my men now. We were the Aliens here. My job now was to keep them safe.
I made it to my office and Hellfire was waiting for me. I could feel his tension mounting by the second.
"Master Gunnery Sargent Hellfire, field report."
"As we neared the Ronso village I began to notice a drastic drop in fiend activity. Kyet informed me that a stronger fiend was in the area. I motioned to the technicians to drop back and the behemoth that I hit the first time came back. Kyet was injured in the process of the fight. I defeated it and went to the Village for aid."
He ran a hand through his hair. "I may have done something stupid."
"I'll say. She saw your scales, big guy. Kyet knows your basically a dragon."
"Worse than that, actually. Khimari has decided that since I have once again saved her life. I am now her mate, or spouse. He calls it Mate, I call it married."
I couldn't process what he just said. "Back up, you married her!" I lost all ability to think at this point. He looked wounded by my raised voice but I didn't care. "I let you out of my sight for one day and you get hitched!"
The temperature in the room began to climb. I could feel the fire build. I took a moment to collect my thoughts and cool down. This was the stupidest thing he could have done. I don't care if they marry in their own time. But we were leaving this continent. Kyet would end up alone. "Khimari gave her to me as a mate. His words confused me, but he said my actions during the fight spoke louder than anything else. So he married us and said she could leave with me as my wife." That was easy. I thought I was going to have to force him to leave without her. "Very well, since this is a done deal, I won't oppose you. But, you are responsible for her. What she learns is on you." He nodded and I watch his tension melt away. "As a new member to the team, you are to train her in tactical warfare and combat strategy. I don't want a loose cannon."
"Yes Sir." He saluted me then quickly left me before I could change my mind. I sighed and looked at the holoframe photos of my wife. "Sure could use your wisdom right now." Trillian's smiling face stared back at me.