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Rexkin - Part 1

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Rexkin

Summary: Shortly after Liza joins the team, she is also intrigued by Theresa's status as the leader. When she asks, the dragoness gives her the same answer she gave Aiden. However, even as the words pass her lips, memories rush back to her. Just how did Theresa become the leader of the Draconic Armies, second to the King himself?

Liza wiped the sweat from her brow and sunk to the ground, resting her back against the nearest tree. Their last combat training session had been relentless. With a sigh, the blonde girl looked up, amazed to see her new mentor twirling her blades as if the last hour's exertion had meant nothing at all to her. Theresa glanced over, noticing the girl's stare, and chuckled, dismissing her blades, Snow and Fire. Raising an eyebrow, Theresa crossed her arms.

"Is something the matter, or are you just trying to catch flies?" she teased.

Liza blushed and quickly closed her mouth, giggling, "Sorry, it's just, you're incredible, Theresa. All those years at school and I never knew…" she glanced over to where Seamus and Aiden were still sparring. The former laughed wildly as he dodged a reckless swing and thwacked the poor boy on the head. Aiden cursed at him and quickly fell back on the defensive.

"Thanks, but it's taken years of dedication and practice to get where I am now…" she clenched her fists and sighed, "And I've still lost so much of the power I used to have,"

"This isn't even your full strength?" Liza gasped, stumbling to her feet. She doubled over, catching her breath, 'You mean, you were even more powerful?"

"Mm…" came Theresa's cryptic reply, still staring at her hands.

"That must be why you're the leader, right?" That question snapped Theresa out of her revere. She giggled and brushed her hair away from her face.

"You could say that...to be honest, I can't say for certain why the Dragon King chose me to be his second...there were so many other options," she mused, her voice trailing off.

Nearby, a sword, the legendary Warfang, slid into the ground and it's owner slouched beside it, panting. "You never lighten up, do you?" he shot at the green dragon.

"What good would that do ya, Kiddo? It is my job to prepare you, afterall," Seamus teased, giving Aiden a playful sock in the shoulder and catching a bottle of water offered to him by Theresa. He took a long swig and messily wiped his mouth, "You want the honest answer?" he asked, winking at Liza. The blonde girl nodded eagerly, while Theresa visibly tensed up, "The truth is, Thes was chosen because she was the best, and the King knew it. Best swordsman in the kingdom, a fierce commander on the battlefield, a real prodigy, she was," he accidentally slipped into his fake Irish accent, laughing sheepishly.

Nearby a gruff voice scoffed, drawing their attention. The four looked up as Garrett approached, axe hefted onto his shoulder. With a grunt, he let it fall to the ground, where it promptly vanished.

"You're simplifying a complicated situation, Seamus," he explained. "Theresa was chosen, yes, but there were other candidates. She hadn't even earned command of her own squadron when the King chose her." He explained, shocking the two humans.

"Wait, wait, wait," Aiden stuttered, trying to take in everything Garrett had just told them, "You were just a regular soldier?"

Whatever answer he had expected, the cold shoulder was the furthest from his mind. Theresa's arms were crossed tight across her chest, her fingers digging into them. She stared at the ground with such force, such ferocity that Aiden half expected the ground to split wide open.

"I was chosen by the King, and that is the entire story. It's time for your strength training; this break is over," she hissed, turning on her heel and storming away from the group.

"Hey, Theresa-" Liza called out.

"That's an order!" Theresa shot back, so harshly that flames flickered on the corners of her lips. Without another word, she disappeared from sight.

"What...was that?" Aiden mumbled.

"I'm not sure, actually," Seamus mused, glancing back at Garrett, "You have any idea?"

Garrett frowned, which wasn't unusual. But, this time, there was almost a hint of sadness to his expression. With a grunt, he turned away, "She served under Logarius," he growled, storming away to begin Aiden and Liza's training. Seamus stared after him, his lips slowly parting. Eyes wide, he turned to look back in the direction Theresa had disappeared.

"Oh no...Thes," he murmured.

"Who?" Liza and Aiden asked in unison. To their surprise, Seamus just shook his head.

"It's...look, don't worry about it, alright? Just...just focus on your training...I uh...I'll go find Theresa," he started to leave, only stopping when Aiden called out.

"H-hey! Let me come too, she's my best friend," he pointed out.

Seamus just shook his head, "Our Rexkin gave you an order. Proceed with your training," he shot back, eerily strict. That stunned the two humans. This time, Seamus disappeared before they could ask any more questions

XxXxX

Theresa stood at the edge of a small outcropping, staring at a small, bubbling creek that ran through the forest. She flinched at every sound around her, still digging her fingers into her arms. Were she truly a human, she'd likely have bruises already. Not for the first time, she praised the gods she was born a dragoness. Her ears perked up and flames licked her lips when she heard a twig snap behind her.

Seamus froze under the weight of her emerald stare. Dark circles around her eyes, fire brewed inside her. For a second, just a second, he felt the full brunt of Theresa's own Dragon Stare. It passed as soon as it appeared and a look of shame washed over her face. She covered her mouth, turning away from him.

"I'm sorry, Seamus, that was...that was inappropriate," she murmured, her voice cracking.

The green dragon just shook his head, holding his hands up to show he meant no harm, "May I join you, Rexkin?" he asked, his voice low. Theresa nodded slightly and Seamus joined her, taking a seat at the edge of the outcropping. He kicked his leg and glanced up at where she stood. She still wouldn't look at him.

"I wouldn't have said anything, back there, if I had known. I'm sorry, I didn't know about-"

"Not many ever did, I kept it to myself," Theresa quickly interrupted him. "I didn't want that...legacy hanging over my head. It was enough to know the truth, I had to keep it hidden. For the King's sake. For...for my sake," she explained.

"You were really just a private?" Seamus asked, truly intrigued. When at last he met her, Theresa of White Fire was already a household name, famous across the kingdom. The greatest swords mistress to ever live. Rival only to the Dragon King himself, she'd led the armies of the Dragons against countless foes and left spectacular victories in her wake.

Theresa nodded slightly, "I was on the verge of a promotion, my...rexkin was going to make me his own second," she shuddered and a growl bubbled up in her throat.

"...Logarius," Seamus murmured. The air around them grew stiff, hot. Just the name alone was enough to put her in the foulest mood he'd ever known. Seamus swallowed, his pride and his nerves, and forced himself to say the words, "What really happened?"

Theresa remained silent.

"Thes, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories. Listen, just forget it-" Seamus began to apologize. Once again, she cut him off.

This time, she sat down beside him, dangling her legs from the outcropping and staring, a distant look in her eyes, at the creek. She remembered too well what happened. Even now, it came back to haunt her. She could feel the flames, hear the screams, taste the blood...see his face.

"Logarius...Aba Terridar," she whispered.

Seamus swallowed, hearing that title. One given to him and him alone. Arch-Dragon Logarius, Aba Terridar.

The Butcher.

"It's a long story...but I'll tell you...what really happened," Theresa began, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

XxXxX

The clang of steel and grunts of exertion filled the courtyard. Countless dragon soldiers, of every shape and size, threw themselves at one another. They were determined to prove themselves, to better themselves, to be worthy of the great honor that had been bestowed upon each of them. Near the edge of the training grounds, a young woman with stark white hair dodged a particularly brutal swing from her sparring partner. Her eyes narrowed, her weight shifted backward, just barely pulling away from his follow-up attack. A small smile slid across her lips, seeing her moment.

As he pulled back for another strike with his warhammer, she slid forward, almost too fast to see. His hammer came down and his eyes flew open, his jaw trembling. She had a grip on his wrist, and the tip of her blade against his throat. With a small laugh, her green eyes glimmered through the veil of her bangs.

"You should yield," she whispered. The soldier sighed, throwing his hammer down and holding his hands up. The woman grinned, sheathing her sword and resting her foot on the handle of his hammer, lest he try for a sneak attack.

The action around them came to a sudden halt, all sound ceasing save for the sound of clapping. The dragons stood at attention, hands flying behind their backs and chins rising to give him proper respect. Their rexkin sauntered to the young woman, a proud grin on his face. His amber eyes twinkling, he rested a heavy hand on her shoulder.

"Nicely done, Esa," He clapped her shoulder again, turning away and missing the beaming grin that spread across her face. The tall dragon looked her partner up and down and sighed, tapping his chin, "Your strikes are strong, but you're still leaving yourself open to retaliation more often than not…" he mused, pacing across the courtyard. With a flip of his wrist, he glanced back over his shoulder, "You've got strength and size to your advantage, but you need to do more than capitalize on your own strengths. You need to see your weaknesses, and play to overcome your opponent's strength," he explained.

The soldier nodded, straightening his posture and glancing at the young Theresa. She was still grinning, though her expression quickly faded when she noticed her partner glaring at her.

"Esa is quick and much smaller, but that's not a weakness. In fact," in an instant, the rexkin was in front of the soldier, fingers at his throat. The soldier's eyes widened and he nervously took a step back. With a little grin, the tall dragon slid his fingers up his jaw, "It makes it quite easy to get inside your defenses. That's twice in five minutes you've died, Tobias. You understand what I'm saying?"

The soldier nodded, swallowing nervously. The tall dragon nodded and grinned, clapping him on the shoulder.

"You've got a lot on your mind, I understand. Let's talk, come, come!" he led the soldier, Tobias, away. Clearing his throat, he glanced over his shoulder, "Esa," the young woman snapped to attention, "Ten minutes, then this break is over. I want you to resume sparring, in-fighters against mid-range. In-fighters, work your way into your opponents defense; mid-range, keep your distance and watch your openings. I expect someone to have Esa yield before I return," he laughed, slipping his arm around Tobias shoulder and leading him away from the courtyard.

Swelling with pride, Theresa nodded, clenching her fists. This was her chance to prove herself. Taking a deep breath, she picked up her sword and returned to working on her form. She would have time to rest when training was over. For now, she still had too many openings, and her footwork left something to be desired.

"You heard our rexkin. Ten minutes, then we'll divide up!" she called. Despite the looks she received from some of her senior officers, they knew better than to argue with Arch-Dragon Logarius's orders, and, it was no secret that the Arch-Dragon had taken a liking to the white-haired whelp.

XxXxX

It was much later that evening when the troop finally called it a day and broke for the evening. Her legs hurt, she was covered in cuts and bruises, but Theresa couldn't stop grinning. Despite Logarius's challenge, she'd managed to overcome anyone who offered to face her. She planned to stop by the mess hall for a quick bite to eat before continuing her training, but something caught her off guard.

"Esa, are you free?" a voice called. A rush of excitement ran down her spine and Theresa spun on a dime, standing at attention.

"Yes, rexkin!" She called, her chest fluttering when Logarius laughed, motioning for her to be at ease.

"How was the rest of training? I'm sorry I couldn't make it back, I had a lot to attend to," he asked, leading her away from the mess hall. She glanced back, her stomach wanting to growl, but wasn't about to refuse a chance at casual conversation with Arch-Dragon Logarius.

"It went wonderfully, rexkin," she explained, "Most of the in-fighters managed to overcome the mid-range specialists, but with a bit of coaching and a few bumps, by the end most fights were ending in a stalemate."

"Well then, did you yield?" Logarius asked a knowing grin on his face. Even catching sight of that grin in the moonlight was enough to bring the butterflies in her stomach to life. Theresa couldn't help grinning wildly.

"Not once, rexkin," she beamed with pride. Logarius laughed, resting his heavy hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

"That's my Esa, I expected no less!" His expression softened. He patted her shoulder, "I've told you, haven't I? You remind me of myself at your age."

He had told her before, and, like always, it brought a fierce blush to her cheeks. Theresa brushed her hair behind her ear, nodding. Her voice failed her.

"That talent, that latent skill we have, it's what makes us special," he explained, "The others can see it, of course, that's why they look at you the way they do. Trust me, I got the same looks back in the day." Logarius laughed, finally pulling his hand away. Theresa bit her lip and nodded. "Don't be ashamed though. Some of us, we're born for greatness. It's just...infused in our bones. It's something to be proud of. That's why I chose you, and why I'm choosing you again."

Theresa blinked, swallowing nervously.

"What do you…" she cleared her throat and stood up straight, "Choosing me for what, rexkin?"

Logarius smiled, turning to face her. Crossing his arms over his chest, he took a deep breath. The look on his face, there was more than pride. It brought another blush to her cheeks.

"Theresa, I want you to be my second."

Her heart froze and her jaw dropped. Second to Arch-Dragon Logarius? Her hands began to shake. She folded her arms behind her back and dug her toe into the ground. A cold-sweat broke out across her body and her stomach felt ready to burst.

"R-Rexkin that is...that's...su-surely there is someone more-" She swallowed; he placed his hand on her shoulder again, then gently tilted her chin to look her in the eyes.

"Esa, there is no whelp, no Dragonguard, no Arch-Dragon more deserving to stand at my side than you," he said with a warm smile. Gently, he patted her cheek, "The gods never saw fit to grant me an heir of my own. For the longest time, I couldn't understand why. Now, though, I see the truth. Even should I have my own daughter, she could never live up to you in my eyes. I want you by my side, as my second, min Esakir."

A small gasp escaped from her lips. Esakir. Daughter. Was that why he always used that nickname? She swallowed and looked away. Suddenly, her stomach felt heavy.

"May I...may I ask you a question, rexkin?" she murmured, standing up straight once again. He nodded and pulled away from her, folding his hands behind his back, resuming their trek away along the path outside the training grounds. Theresa quickly caught up to him, falling in step behind him, "Are the rumors true?"

"Which rumors?"

"I'm sure you know, rexkin." She bit her lip, "The rumors that you...will become the Dragon King's second, now that Tyranil is gone?"

"Ah, yes." Logarius smiled, "Well, if I may have a moment to be prideful, I would say it is quite likely. The King is no fool, and he would have to be to turn me away,"

Theresa nodded, a childish grin finding its way to her lips. Arch-Dragon Logarius was the greatest warrior in the entire kingdom. His squadron commanded more victories than any in the kingdom's history, and he was, above all else, a hero to the Dragon race. Every whelp knew his name. He was...legendary.

"What then...when that happens? There are so many more senior officers. I don't think they'll appreciate you leaving the squadron to me," she trailed off as Logarius laughed.

He turned to face her, a grin on his face.

"Esa, do you think I intend to leave the squadron to you? No…you will be by my side, as my second, regardless of what title I hold," he explained.

Her throat went dry. Did he mean to say...she would become part of the King's elite guard? She hadn't even been out of basic training ten years now, and already her rexkin was offering her one of the highest positions in the entire kingdom?

"The King will...shouldn't you…" her mind was reeling. She couldn't find the questions to ask.

"When I become the King's second, you will come with me. Should the King refuse, I will refuse him. But, that would require the King to be a fool, and we both know that isn't the case," Logarius explained.

The two had been walking for some time now. When she looked up, Theresa realized they had circled the entire training grounds and were now back at the mess hall. She glanced at Logarius, who gestured for her to go inside.

"Th-thank you, rexkin. I...I won't disappoint you. I swear it, I'll make you proud!" she exclaimed and stood upright. Logarius just grinned and clapped her shoulder.

"You already have, min Esakir." he whispered. As he started to leave, a thought popped into Theresa's mind.

"Rexkin, what happened with Tobias? He never returned to training," she called.

"Tobias's eldest sister was wounded in a recent fight. His family is struggling, and I could tell it was affecting his ability to fight. I've sent him home, to aid them until she recovers," Logarius called, waving and disappearing in the distance.

Theresa blushed and clenched her fists, her grin so wide she felt her face might burst. With an uncharacteristic squeal of excitement, she pumped her fists and hurried into the mess hall. Now she would definitely have to redouble her training.

XxXxX

"Gods...so just like that, you were set to be in the Royal Guard?" Seamus asked in amazement. He'd worked his whole life to even get a chance to serve the King directly.

Theresa shook her head, resting her chin on her knees. She sighed, a sad smile on her lips.

"Yeah, you could say that. Gods, Seamus, even now, I feel so stupid thinking about it...so stupid, and so angry," her voice shifted to a low growl by the time she finished. Seamus nodded, but kept quiet. Taking a deep breath, he rested his hand on her shoulder. After a moment, she rested her cheek on his hand and sighed, "He was everything to me, when I was a whelp," she explained.

"I read stories, listened to people talk about him, wanted so much to be just like him. He was a prodigy as a whelp, and so was I. Before he even joined the military, he could hold his own against soldiers out of basic training. I made that my first goal. In basic training, he broke countless records and constantly defeated his own mentors. I worked so hard, pushed myself passed any limits I ever thought I had. I managed to beat a few of his records. I managed to defeat my own mentor," she explained. Theresa swallowed and lowered her head, staring at the creek.

"I wanted to be like him. I wanted to be a hero…" she whispered.

"Well, you did it, right? I mean, you are a hero. The best we ever had, even better than Aba Terridar!" Seamus assured her, slipping his arm around her shoulders. Theresa pursed her lips and shook her head, sliding a bit closer. She sighed.

"The day he chose me...you weren't in the military then, were you? Getting into Logarius's Squad...it was a miraculous event. At the end of basic training, every year, there was a chance he might show himself. When he did, everyone held their breath. He would pace back and forth through the lines, and pick one, two, sometimes even three recruits to join his squad," she explained. Seamus nodded. He'd heard the stories, but his own basic training finished after the discovery of Aba Terridar so that little tradition had faded by then.

"The day I graduated...I finished my sparring match with my mentor, the only person in our training class who could keep up with me, in record time. Then we heard him clapping," in spite of her feelings, Theresa blushed and began to smile, "He never did that...he was always so unimpressed and stoic. But for me...he clapped. He passed by everyone, refused to even look at my mentor. And he...he personally asked if I would join him. Every other time, he simply ordered it, but for me? He asked my permission…" Theresa rubbed her eyes and sighed, shrugging, "Of course I said yes, he was the whole reason I became a warrior! He was everything I wanted to be…"

"Yeah, I can imagine," Seamus chuckled, "I'm sure I felt the same way that day when you, ah…" he blushed and scratched his head, "When you asked me to join you," he finished with a small grin.

Theresa giggled and smiled, giving the hand on her shoulder a squeeze.

"I'm glad to hear that…" her smile faded, "He liked me, from the beginning. We were so alike. Neither of us would back down, neither of us agreed with our peers on the necessity of taking breaks. We were so much alike...he pushed me, harder than I could have ever pushed myself."

"When we were sparring, he never took it easy on me. I hit the ground harder, more often than Aiden did when we first started. He never stopped telling me how I could be better, how I could fight harder, how I could fight smarter. Sometimes, I could almost keep up with him, before he would put me back in my place. Those first few years, I pushed myself so hard, he would have to carry me back to my dorm. He had to order me to stand down, or I would have kept fighting, trying to best him."

Seamus laughed, "That sounds like you...gods, Thes, I had no idea you were so close to him. Listen, you don't have to tell me anything else, I understand enough-"

"No, you don't," Theresa replied in a cold voice. The wistful smile was gone, replaced by a glower of absolute fury, "You don't understand anything, not yet…" she swallowed and squeezed his hand again, "I'm sorry, I haven't told anyone this, ever. Can I...now that I am, I want to finish, alright?"

"Of course, rexkin. I'll stay and listen," Seamus responded, rubbing her shoulder.

Theresa nodded, "I became obsessed...I was obsessed with him, with trying to be worthy of his praise, with trying to keep up with him, with trying to be just like him. I stopped visiting home. I stopped writing. I think...before the incident, before I discovered the truth, it had been two, maybe three years since I last spoke to my family." Theresa bit her lip and rubbed her eyes angrily, her lips pulling back in a snarl.

"It was...a few days after he told me he wanted me to be his second...that's when it happened,"
So this will be my first fanfic for a new book series by a good friend of mine.

Dragonera: The Dark One Chronicles
Summary:
A young adult coming of age story complete with dragons, demons, and mythical creatures - in Virginia! An innocent blend of growing up and growing out. Fans of young adult fiction will love this book.

www.amazon.com/Dragonera-Adven…

Pick up a copy, you won't regret it. And keep an eye out for more fanwank from me. Because I'm just awesome like that.
© 2015 - 2024 Devil-Blossom
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SkylertTH's avatar
Watching you write the first fanfic for my books is amazing. It was a treat and I'm glad that I got to watch. ^_^