chapter 1

                                    

                                          
Note: This is the third installment of the 'Dragon of Legend' series, following on from 'A New Era'.
                          
This is also the un-edited and un-cut version. Edited and re-written versions of any of the books in the DOL series are not available on wattpad.
                          

                          
Dragon of Legend: Deception
                          

                          
Chapter 1 "Beginning"
                          

                          
Rain dripped down her fingers, passing along them and down onto her sword, flowing across its sharp blade. Akira stood, legs apart, as she stared at the two people kneeling some way in front of her, their hands bound behind their backs, their faces both filled with different expressions of fear, disbelief and horror. 
                          
The drops of rain that fell into Akira's eyes didn't seem to bother her and she did not even blink once. It was when one looked closer at her eyes that the realization that something was not quite right would hit. There was something off about their normal blue color, something different. 
                          
"Kill them!" the command was spoken with a tone of authority, a tone of satisfaction, of glee and of delight. Delight not at the command itself, but at the knowledge that it would be followed. 
                          
Without the slightest hesitation Akira began to walk forward, adjusting her grip on her sword so that she would be able to send the killing blow with the slightest flick of her wrist. Her steps were full of purpose, of confidence, as she approached the two people before her, both of them watching her with disbelief in their eyes. 
                          
"Akira, please," one of them whispered. 
                          
Akira didn't even blink as she continued on her path. A few meters before them she lifted her blade, pointing it at the first one. The green eyes that stared at her pleadingly had no effect and Akira's face remained expressionless, not even a hint of pity in her eyes. As she didn't break her step the smaller of the two figures turned her head to face the other beside her. 
                          
"This isn't how I saw it end, Dominique," she whispered, her eyes filled with grief. 
                          
Dominique stared back at her. "It'll be okay Gina, It'll be just fine," and yet, even as he spoke, he had the sinking feeling that it would not be okay. 
                          
Slowly he turned his head back to look at the approaching figure of Akira. His eyes widened as she reached Gina and then suddenly thrust her blade forward. As the blade slashed through the air Gina kept her eyes on Dominique, a small brave smile on her lips. 
                          
In the background, stood a great white dragon, watching, sadness in his eyes. And yet he stood, not moving to do a thing, not trying to stop his rider. 
                          
"Akira," he thought sadly. And yet he knew, no matter what he said, Akira would not listen to him. For the Akira he knew, was no longer here.
                          

                          
One month before. 
                          
Five hundred years in the future;
                          

                          
His breath came in rugged gasps as he ran, his heart pounding and his lungs gasping for air. The footsteps behind him drew closer and the swishing sound above of dragons did not cease. They had him. One mistake and it would be all over. Dodging past a tree he continued on, determination moving his legs. 
                          
He was almost there, he knew it, and if everything had gone to plan his dragon would be waiting for him, ready to go. His hand clutched tighter around the object in his hands, just to check that it was still there, just to make sure. 
                          
Moments later he burst into the clearing. In the darkness he caught sight of a large shape, waiting for him in the middle, the shape of a dragon. The dragon's head snapped around, relief flooding through him as he caught sight of the rider. 
                          
"We have to hurry, they're right behind me," the rider thought as he ran up to the dragon. Yet no sooner did he reach it than figures burst out of the woods behind him, coming to a sudden halt as they caught sight of his dragon, seeming to momentarily lose their confidence. Then, as dark shapes of dragons appeared in the dimly lit sky above, their confidence seemed returned. 
                          
One of the men stepped forward, and in the moonlight one was able to see his green eyes and red hair. "You're surrounded," as he spoke more figures stepped out from all sides of the woods. "There's no way out," the man smirked, "Its time you gave up, little brother." 
                          
The figure by the dragon slowly lifted up his hand, opening his fist to reveal the object within. It was a white scale that shone ever so briefly when the moon momentarily peaked out of the clouded sky. "You're wrong, Ray," he spoke, his own green eyes filled with grief. "There is a way out," as he said it he and his dragon suddenly seemed to glow. "I'll be back for you," he promised as those around watched in surprise as both dragon and boy began to fade. "I'll find Akira, she'll know what to do, she'll make it all right..." 
                          
"Dominique!" Ray growled, running forward. He reached a hand out to grab the boy and yet when he touched nothing but air he stopped, a look of shock and surprise filling his face. For both boy and dragon had gone, seeming to have disappeared into thin air. 
                          
"So, he got away," Ray whirled around at the voice and at once he dropped to his knees on the floor, bowing his head in respect. 
                          
"I'm sorry master, I have failed you!" he said, seeming more than disappointed at having done so. 
                          
"No, you have done exactly what I wanted of you," as the same voice spoke again a large dark shape of a female dragon stepped forward from where she had been standing in the corner of her field, camouflaged by the darkness. Not even the brief moonlight would light up her color, for she was pitch black. On top of her sat a man with hair, as black as his dragon's scales and grey eyes, a satisfied smile on his face. 
                          
"You got the boy to do exactly as we planned," he continued, his dragon's yellow eyes filled with the same satisfied look. 
                          
Ray nodded not asking further. For what his master was up to was none of his business. 
                          
"So, he has gone back in time," the man on the black dragon murmured, a fascinated look upon his face. 
                          
"I told you it was possible," a tall, lean, brown eyed man with slicked back hair, stepped out to stand beside the black dragon." 
                          
"I know you did, Nemis," the black dragon rider turned to him with a smile on his face. "I just wanted to see it for myself." He turned back to the space where Dominique and his dragon had been only moments before. "So, what do you think, Deception?" he asked his dragon, a smile on his face. 
                          
There was a spark of excitement and deep satisfaction in the black dragon's eyes as she spoke, "She'll come, I'm more than sure of it. And even if she did not, now that we know, we can always travel to her time." 
                          
"Yes," the riders smiled widened. "I'm sure your right, and in that case, it's only a matter of time now until we can go ahead with our plan." 
                          
The black dragon below him nodded in agreement, yet as her rider turning his attention back to Nemis she turned her yellow eyes on to the spot where Dominique and his dragon had only stood moments before. Her look of satisfaction turned to one of thirst, yet it was soon taken over by a look of patience. Things had been finally set into motion, things that not even her rider knew about, things that would change everything.