Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2000 04:14:09 EDT
From: Morbddream@aol.com
Subject: Crimson tears - 6

Disclaimer: This is a work of complete fiction. It is not meant to imply
anything about the sexuality of any of the members of Nsync. If you're too
young, you should go. If reading this is illegal where you are, you should
really go. Since I know you won't anyway ... Don't get in trouble 'cause of
me ... K?

****************************************************************************
From 5:

"Dragon? Having one of those so close doesn't seem too safe!" I chuckled.
"It isn't . It's probably gonna stay on that side of the canyon. If you do
see any part, even a wing, that means it's seen us and we should run as
fast as we possibly can." Just then something I wasn't expecting happened.
The dragon lifted above the canyon completely, and flew toward us at full
speed.
****************************************************************************
Chapter 6:

	Bursts of flame were shooting from the dragons mouth. The rider was
undead. A skeleton, to be exact. Justin stared at the beast flying at
amazing speed. He was hypnotized by the blue scales gliding through the
air. I grabbed his arm and pulled him into the nearest building. We ran
through the corridors until we reached the other side. Everyone had
gathered in the courtyard. I opened the door to the hall where we stood and
yelled to the others. "Dragon! Get inside, now!" They all looked at me and
began running toward us. Once they were all inside I slammed the door
shut. "A dragon? Where'd it come from?" Asked Vincent. "The other side of
the canyon." I replied. "What color is it?" He looked very
concerned. "Blue, why?" His look of concern changed to a look of
terror. "Blue dragons are very dangerous. They can hypnotize you just by
flying." "I noticed that." I said, looking at Justin. "He looked at it?"
Vincent looked really worried now. "Yeah, whats wrong?" Everyone was
starting to get worried. He sighed and looked down. "His mind is trapped."
"What?!" Exclaimed Lance. "His mind is trapped inside his ... mind. It's
complicated. When you stare at a blue dragon in the air a magical force
binds your mind to itself. You can't do anything. Thats why he's been
staring through that wall all this time. Thats why his eyes are completely
black. If I don't get to my bag, conveniently under the dragon, he'll
die. You can't live without a mind." Without another word I ran through the
double doors toward his bag. I didn't know why I was risking my life for
his, but I couldn't stop myself.

	The dragon lifted toward the sky when it saw me coming. Bolts of
fire were flying everywhere. It's scales were vibrating, gliding swiftly
through the air. I could hardly keep from looking at it. I grabbed the bag
as I ran past it. I turned swiftly and started toward the building. The
dragon was circling in the air. I was a good distance from the
building. Just far enough for the dragon to have time for an attack. It
dove for me, but hit the ground instead. 'I may have a chance.' I thought
to myself. I dodged it's attacks, running for the others. I finally reached
the doors and they swung open. I ducked quickly as a spear of ice flew past
me.  I heard the screams of a dragon in pain behind me. Vincent stood in
the doorway grinning. "It would've been a lot easier if you had let me take
care of it." He took the bag from me and pulled me inside. He opened the
bag and took out various things. "Uh oh. I'm missing a couple of things." I
sighed. "What things? I'll get them." He smiled. "Well, one of them will be
easy to get. Dragon scales. We also need spring water, balm berries, and
something a little harder to find." I sighed again. "A mind orb." "A what?"
I asked. "A mind orb. There should be one in a cave in the canyon. You can
pick up some spring water while you're down there. I'm sure the berries
grow somewhere around the pool down there. See? easy." I shook my head and
took a flask, a small leather pack, and a larger cloth sack. I attached the
pack to my belt, put the flask in sack, and hung the sack from my
shoulder. I walked off toward the canyon, looking back to see Anthony had
dragged a small bed from one of the rooms and placed Justin on it. Our
visitors had all gathered around the bed. Some crying, some on the verge of
crying. I knew I had to hurry.

	As I passed the dragons corpse I noticed something stirring under
one of the enormous arms. I thought a moment, and yelled to Vincent. He
sent Gail. "The riders still alive." I said.  "What? Damn. I'll go ask
Vince." I smiled. "Vince? You're gonna get in trouble..." She stopped me
"Vince. Damn. I said both of those. If you tell anyone, I throw your ass
off a cliff. Got that?"  She smiled sweetly and walked off toward the
building. I shook my head, sighed, and walked on.

	I stood at the edge of the steep cliff, looking down into the
depths. I look around the sides of the canyon, searching for a way down. I
started talking to myself. "Well, looks like we have a genuine problem!"
"Looks like it." "Uh-huh." "Maybe we should jump?" "Nah, we'd die."  "Good
point." "Idiot." "I'm not the one talking out loud to myself." "I believe
you are..." "Oh, shut up." I laughed at myself and tried to figure out how
to get down. "Maybe I can help." I turned to see Gail smiling. I turned
red. "Hey, don't worry! I didn't hear the entire conversation. Very
interesting, though." I turned a dark red. She noticed and smiled warmly.
"I won't tell a soul. What do you prefer? Ice stairway, or a ride on a
dragon?" I gave her a confused look. "What are you talking about?" I
asked. She laughed. "Shape shifting runs in the family." I nodded and
turned away. "Ice stairway." I said flatly. She walked around and faced
me. She looked into my eyes. I thought she was going to ask what was wrong,
but instead she started laughing. She spoke each letter as it's own
sentence. Asking about each one. "P? M? S?"  She giggled and her form
started vibrating. She turned into a flowing mass. The mass began to
glow. When she started taking shape again, I could make out what she was
changing into. I blinked and when my eyes opened an ice elemental stood
before me. Jagged blade-like crystals protruding from it's shoulders. It's
entire body was transparent. "I can see right through that disguise."  It's
face twisted into a look of disgust. "Terrible pun, Jakey. If I hear
anything like that again I'll..." I cut her off. "You'll what? Keep
following me anywhere I go?" I smiled sweetly, and she glared at me. "I'm
going to hurt you very badly one day." She turned away from me and extended
her hands toward the canyon. The air around her began forming into crystals
of ice.  The crystals moved to the edge of the canyon and began forming a
simple stairwell. When she finished building the stairwell she changed into
her natural form and started down. "Be careful.  It's slippery." I grinned
and jump over her onto the stairwell. "I always go first." I smiled again
and started down. She laughed and leaped over me. She faced me and had a
devious grin on her face. "I told you I was going to hurt you one day. That
day just came a lot faster than I thought it would." With that said I felt
the back of her hand strike the side of my head. I lost my footing and
began my descent. I could see her standing on the stairwell. Laughing.
Suddenly she leaped into the air and fell past me. I twisted myself
around. She was standing at the bottom of the canyon with her arms
extended, ready to catch me. I grinned suddenly stopped in midair. I looked
at her shocked expression and couldn't help but laugh. I floated down and
landed beside her. "Why didn't you do that in the first place? I wouldn't
have had to waste all that time making that damn bridge!" I shrugged and
walked toward the pool in the center of the canyon.

	I kneeled next to the pool and filled the flask. I looked around at
the vegetation around the pool and found what I was looking for. I picked a
handful of berries and placed them gently in the leather pack. "Now all we
need is that orb." She continued to question why I didn't fly down int he
first place. I continued to ignore her question. By the time we reached the
cave she had given up. I looked inside. It was complete darkness. I
groaned. "This trip certainly calls for a lot of energy!" I
exclaimed. "Yep. Shall I cast it, or will you?" I snorted. "I don't need to
cast anything. I'm emotionally powerful." I winked at her and my eye began
to glow brightly. I looked away so I wouldn't blind her. My other eye began
to glow as well. I walked into the cavern. There were several unlit torches
on the walls. She seemed to be concentrating on one of them. Suddenly the
torches burst into flame. She grabbed one, and slapped me upside my head.
This caused my eyes to dim and slowly stop glowing. "Meanie!" I yelled. My
voice echoed eerily through out the depths of the cave. I shivered and
grabbed a torch from the wall. The cave was like any other cave. Various
rock formations here, and there.

	We came to a huge iron door set into the cave wall. "Must be in
there." I said, pointing at the door. "Yup." Replied Gail. "Sissies first."
She said, pushing me toward the door. I grinned and grabbed the handle. I
pulled slightly and the door swung open. "That was a little lighter than I
thought it would be." I said, dazed from my short trip into the wall. I
shook my head to clear it and walked through the doorway. Gail followed
close and her eyes darted from one formation to another. I saw a slight,
green glow at the back of the small room.  This part of the room was man
made. The walls were painted block. The emblem of the academy painted on
either side of a small golden chest. I kneeled in front of the chest and
tried to open it, but to no avail. "Damn. it's locked." I said. Gail
sighed. "Look around for a switch, or something." I stood and examined one
of the crests. I didn't see anything unusual at first, but when I looked
closer I saw a small portion of one of the warriors eyes was sticking out
slightly.  I lifted my finger to they eye, and pressed down. The eye slid
into it's socket, and the cave began to shake. There was a loud rumbling
sound, then a voice. "Who dares enter my cave?" Asked this voice, with
force. "Jacob Sanders." "Gail..." The voice cut her off. "Leave now! never
return to this canyon, or you will feel the torture of hell on earth!" The
force of the voice boomed throughout out the cave. Gails face twisted into
a look of rage. "Who the hell are you to tell us to leave?" She
screamed. "I am the guardian of this cavern! Leave now!" She was flushed.
I knew her anger would overtake her soon. "Give me your name, Guardian!"
Silence. "Your name, now!" her anger was flowing through her words. A
shadow appeared in front of the chest. It slowly took shape. It was a
middle aged man. He stood about five feet. His red hair was cut short, his
dark eyes locked on Gail.

	"Big voice for such a tiny guardian." Taunted Gail. The man laughed
loudly. "Child. I do not dare show my true form to mortals. It would
destroy your mind." I stepped into his line of sight. "Thats why we're
here, actually." He raised an eyebrow. "Let me explain..." I told him what
had happened to Justin. "What did you say his name was?" The man asked
quickly. "Justin." I said flatly. His eyes shot open. "The boy cannot
die. The boy must live. The prophecy is true."  The man vanished and the
lid on the chest flew open. "Take the orb, save the boy!" The voice
demanded. Gail grabbed the orb and stuffed it into the cloth sack I held
open. We started walking out of the room when the voice stopped us. "Your
pace is slow! Move as fast as possible!  The boy will soon die! If the boy
dies, the prophecy is destroyed! Derux will be doomed!" We looked at each
other and began to run. When we reached the mouth of the cave I grabbed
Gails arm and jumped. I flew toward the building. She broke from my
grasp. "I can fly, too." We flew like lightning toward the academy,
reaching the doors to the building in seconds. We ran through the doors
only to see the man from the cave standing next to the bed. I handed the
packs, and flask to Vincent and he hurriedly set them next to two bowls and
a small stand. "Everyone out, now!" He said, ushering everyone out of the
building. The man stayed behind, detected only by Gail, and myself.

*****************************************************************************

So short! I know! This chapter was unbelievably hard to write! I've been
going through emotional hell lately. That prevented me from writing
anything. I just wanted to get this out so you guys wouldn't have to
wait. It's better than nothing, I hope! :) Please don't send mail to
Morbddream@AOL.com anymore. I created a corny little e-mail address special
for you guys! :) TruAmricanBadAss@AOL.com IM at Morbddream, still. Unless
I'm being a Bad Ass. ;) ICQ - 75287134, OR 72484179! :) Please write!
PLEASE!! :) Bye-bye!