The Awakening

by Andrew Wichland

  Mr. Orleaus bowed again, moving to the center of the living room. Then he cleared his throat and turned to face them, arms wide.

  “Listen well, for the tale I tell is a part of everyone in this room. We are each controlled by our past, and unless we learn from it, we have no chance of a better future.

  “Ages upon ages ago, after centuries of hiding, people and creatures of magic revealed themselves to the non-magical beings. For a long period after that, they worked happily together and reached for the stars. They even found and restored dead planets, including the one we now stand on.

  “Unfortunately, prejudice and mistrust began to grow between the magical and the non-magical races. One day the tension rose so high, both parties seemed to snap. No one knows who started the fighting, but it grew to such an intensity that both sides realized that if they continued, they would annihilate each other.

  “Therefore, one-day emissaries from both sides called for a cease-fire. For an uncounted time, they negotiated, until they finally decided to find a way to link the races, binding their fates together as one, for the sake of peace for all. Ultimately, so that conflict could never rise between the nations again, they decided to create a band of immortal warriors to keep the peace and bring justice to the stars.

  “These warriors would not be a part of one of the nations, but both. This would ensure that no warrior would ever be biased to other party. Rather, they would honor and respect a perfect blend of magic and technology. Through this agreement, the emissaries planted the seeds that founded one of the greatest and bravest groups of men and women in all the ages: The Dragon Knights.

  “For years, the non-magical beings pooled all their knowledge of technology together, a knowledge that surpasses ours even today. Then seven members of the most powerful magical race, the Dragons, poured their magic into that greatest technology, and thus they forged the armors of the Dragon Knights.

  “With the armors completed, the Dragon Knights chartered a star ship dubbed the Sherwood to reach out to all the people of the stars. And for millenniums, peace reigned throughout the nations, and under the protection of the Dragon Knights, all people and creatures flourished.”

  Mr. Orleaus paused and shook his head sadly. He said, “If only it could have lasted.”

  Then he sighed deeply and continued. “From within the ranks of the Magical and Non-Magical Council whose members included the representatives of all races, a mighty Black Dragon considered the pact between the magical and the non-magical to be a joke. His objections grew to such an extent that one of the leaders of the council, the Gold Dragon, who was the strongest of all the magical beings, forced him to leave. For a few more years, peace continued, and the Black Dragon’s words were forgotten.

  “Then one day, on an agricultural planet, a shadow fell as the Black Dragon and his army descended upon the people, enslaving the non-magical beings. At first, the Gold Dragon sent emissaries to the Black Dragon, but all messages were ignored, and many messengers were killed. Soon the Black Dragon’s forces had spread like an evil wave. Then the cold day came when war was declared, and the Knights were called in to lead the forces of the nations.

  “As powerful as the armies and navies were, they were no match against the power of the Black Dragon. The only one who could match his might was the Gold Dragon, and when the two finally met in combat, a battle waged like never before. The lives of all free people hung in the balance.

  “For days, the two dragons battled for supremacy over the other. When the battle finally settled, the Gold Dragon was slain, and the Black Dragon proclaimed himself ruler over all. Over the years, hope faded as one by one the Knights were hunted down and killed, their armors seized.

  “And from the day of the last Dragon Knight's death and the disappearance of the Sherwood nearly a century ago, enslavement and fear have met the masses of the people of both nations, forcing ours into hiding. No one knows what happened to the Sherwood, and the only clue to its location was a message transmitted from the last Knight, saying that it is ‘within the eye of the god of the gods.’ But from these ashes was born the Resistance, whose leader is shrouded in shadow and mystery. Now fighters both magical and non-magical gather to await the next generation of Dragon Knights, and with them the birth of the next Gold Dragon,” Mr. Orleaus concluded.

  The room was silent as the story ended. Some people exchanged uneasy looks, and Ryuu saw his father put a comforting hand on his mother’s shoulder. After a couple minutes, people started muttering. Taking a breath, Ryuu wiped his eye and looked out at the setting sun.

  Clearing his throat, he thanked Mr. Orleaus, picked up a drink, and walked to the middle of the room. When he was sure he had everyone’s attention, he said, “Well, I just want to thank everyone for this party, though some of you whom I won’t name are now on my hit list.” A couple people laughed, and he smiled at his friends. Then he continued, “But again, thank you for coming, even if it’s for someone as boring as me . . .”

  A few more people laughed, while others just shook their head.

  “. . . and for all the gifts and everything. I know it’s starting to get late, so I’ll conclude with this.” He raised his drink.

  “To the return of the Knights!” he declared.

  Around him, people froze in their tracks and stared. For a long moment, he stood there with a raised drink as only silence met him. Then Bryan, Allison, Erik, and Aiolos raised their drinks.

  Bryan said, “To the return of the Knights!”

  “Dragon Knights unite!” Allison offered.

  “To the Knights!” Erik chimed in. “And the downfall of the Black Dragon!”

  “Dragon Knights kick butt!”

  Everyone looked at Aiolos for a second. Then all of the guests raised their drinks, and soon the room was filled with a milder version of that toast. And, as Ryuu smiled, they all drank.

  Chapter 8

  The Right Thinking

  As Alec was in this kitchen saying goodbye to a few of his neighbors, his friends came up, and Allison slapped him on his shoulder.

  “Now you definitely remind me of me, because the speech was nice and short, and that toast took a lot of guts!” she said and handed him another drink.

  “Thanks.” He smiled. “You guys do realize that I’m going to get you back for this, right?”

  Aiolos said, “Oh come on, man, you know you loved it.”

  Ryuu laughed in spite of himself and nodded. Then, as they moved back toward the living room, he froze. He could hear Dulglad’s loud voice coming from outside.

  “That freak is going to get us all killed one day!”

  Ryuu’s face hardened, and his friends frowned. When Ryuu glanced out the window, he saw Dulglad talking to his friends.

  “If we’ve got to deal with a son like this, I can only imagine what kind of person his mother was,” he heard Melinda say.

  “Probably some drifter colony bum or drunk,” Kade said.

  Ryuu clenched his fingers and started to shake with rage.

  “More likely she was a lowly slave girl,” Dulglad said.

  The glass in Ryuu’s hand shattered under his grip.

  Before his friends could stop him, he raced out the door and, launching himself from the porch, nailed Dulglad with a flying sidekick. Duglad lurched forward as Ryuu landed nimbly on his feet. For a second, Dulglad’s friends looked at Ryuu, dumbfounded. Then Bamber and Melinda took out small rods that extended to bo-staffs, and came at him.

  Kade started with a punch, which Ryuu countered with a kick to his chest, sending him back before he side-kicked Babieca to his right. He turned in time to grab Melinda’s arm and threw her over his shoulder as she attacked with her staff. As he slipped her staff from her grasp, he ducked under a swing from Bamber.

  As Ryuu turned to face Bamber, he kicked Kade back to the ground and blocked another attack from Bamber’s staff. When Bamber withdrew his staff, Ryuu dropped down and swept his legs out from under him. After blocking a blow
from Melinda with the staff, he then jumped to his feet, locked her arm up, and threw her to the ground.

  Releasing the staff, he then did a couple handsprings, landing back on his feet. Babieca and Kade grabbed his arms as Bamber came at him, fist raised. He leapt up and wrapped his ankles around Bamber’s neck, and using his body weight, he went to the ground and sent Bamber over him onto his back behind him. Leaping to his feet, he side-kicked Kade back to the ground, ducked under a crescent kick from Babieca, and, standing, backhanded him across the face.

  When none of them got up, Ryuu walked over to Dulglad, and the two faced off. Dulglad threw a crescent kick, which Ryuu ducked under, and tried to follow up with a spin kick, which Ryuu blocked. Then Ryuu counter-punched him in the face, sending him spinning. Stunned by the blow, Dulglad froze as Ryuu leapt up, nailing him across the face with a spin kick that sent him to the ground.

  His anger still boiling, Ryuu reached down and dragged Dulglad to his feet, holding him by his collar. Then he turned Dulglad to face him.

  “Call my mother a lowly slave, will you?” he demanded. He threw his opponent ten feet, where he landed hard on the roof of a hover car.

  With one leap, Ryuu was on the hood, crouching over him. This time he grabbed Dulglad by the neck, fist pulled back to strike.

  “RYUU!”

  He froze and looked back. His friends were staring at him from the bottom of the steps.

  “Ryuu, he may have it coming, but he’s not worth it!” Bryan said.

  Ryuu glanced down at Dulglad, who cowered beneath him.

  Allison yelled, “Ryuu, we heard what he said—a lot of people did—and believe me, I’d do worse and you know it. But you have to ask yourself, would hitting him make you any different?”

  “My sister’s right, Ryuu,” Erik insisted. “The taste won’t be sweet but bitter.”

  “Do the right thing and make both of your mothers proud,” Aiolos said. “Be the bigger man and let him go.”

  Ryuu remained still, breathing hard, trying to get his inflamed temper in check. Then, with a brief yell, he shot his fist forward and struck the force field next to Dulglad’s head. Slowly he let Dulglad go, stood, and hopped back down from the car.

  “You’re right,” he muttered. He started to walk toward his friends.

  “Coward!” Dulglad yelled from behind him.

  “Hey!” Allison shouted. “He kicked all your asses! More important, by walking away he just proved he’s more of a man than you’ll ever be! So why don’t you shut up!”

  “Besides,” Ryuu growled, “I still owe you one.” As everyone looked at him, he spun around and threw a hard punch into Dulglad’s face, launching the teen off his feet.

  “That’s for the flash bang and for nearly getting me killed!” he snapped, jabbing a finger.

  Dulglad clutched his broken nose while people gawked.

  There was a soft cough from the porch, and when they all turned toward the sound, Ryuu saw his parents. They were standing on the porch with their arms crossed. Jun held Ryuu’s gaze for several long moments before they slowly turned and went inside.

  “Oh, man,” Ryuu muttered.

  Aiolos patted his back. “If you survive, we’ll see you later.”

  Ryuu managed a weak smile and nodded.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow, guys,” he muttered. Then he took a final look at Dulglad and his friends. Bamba and Kade were still moaning on the ground, while Babieca was clearly nursing an injury. Turning his back, he went inside.

  The living room was dimly lit, but most of the plates and glasses had already been cleared away. Sitting on their knees in the middle of the room were his parents, eyes closed.

  Sighing, Ryuu started toward his room. Then his mother’s voice called out, “Ryuu, come back in and sit by us.”

  Sighing again, he rubbed the back of his neck and stopped. Then he gave a quick moan and said, “It’s still my birthday. Can’t this wait?”

  “Birthday or no birthday, you’ll listen now,” his father said firmly.

  Ryuu remained still for a moment. Then slowly, face downcast, he walked forward and slipped down to his knees before them. When he was seated, they opened their eyes and looked at him. For a few seconds he held each of their gazes in turn. Then he lowered his eyes to the floor.

  “Tell us the most important thing we taught you,” his father said.

  Ryuu shifted his weight from side to side. “To possess the right frame of mind in order to gain strength, knowledge, and peace.”

  For a second, the room was filled with silence. Then his mother placed her hands lovingly on his cheeks and said, “Alec-Ryuu, we’ve tried so hard to channel your anger about the fact that your birth mother had to leave you. But so much is left. You’ve chosen to face it alone, but you must not forget your friends. And you must not forget us.”

  Then she cupped his chin and lifted his head so his gaze met her eyes. He looked at her, breathing in gasps, and a tear formed in the corner of his eye. Before it could fall, his mother pulled him into an embrace, and he cried into her. Soon his father’s strong arms held them both tightly as Ryuu cried in wheezing gasps.

  “Shhh,” his mother soothed him. “We’ll always be here, Ryuu. We always will.” She rubbed his back.

  “Why . . . why . . . why did she leave me?” he said, between gasps.

  His parents looked at him and then at each other. After a few moments, his father said, “Because she loved you so much that she would rather have died than to see you come to harm.”

  His mother took his hand in her own. “Either one of us would do the same for you now.”

  Ryuu knew she was speaking the truth.

  Chapter 9

  The Next Generation

  That night Ryuu lay on his mat, his thoughts on his birth mother. He still stung with the shame of the fight with Dulglad, but more than that, he couldn’t stop going over what his parents had said.

  Did they know her? he asked himself repeatedly. Why did she bring me here?

  Finally, a clock in the hall chimed midnight, and he rolled over and went to sleep.

  About an hour later, he awoke with a jerk as he ears filled with a loud ringing sound. Twisting around, he used his feet to turn his clock to check the time. He growled when he saw it was only one in the morning.

  Still moaning, he slammed himself back down and stuffed his head under his pillow. For half an hour, he tossed and turned, trying to get rid of the sound.

  Finally, he gave up. As he got to his feet, he growled, “Whoever is making that noise had better find themselves a tombstone!”

  He continued to block his ears as he searched the house for the cause of the noise. Ten minutes later, he silently crept to his parent’s room. He froze when he looked in; they were sleeping as if nothing was happening. To him, however, the sound was so painful he began to grit his teeth.

  Leaving his parents to undisturbed, he turned and quietly walked into the bathroom. As he crossed the threshold, the lights turned on. He stepped in front of the mirror, and a little holographic woman appeared on the counter.

  “Good evening, Ryuu. Please state requirement.”

  “Medical,” he muttered. From the ceiling a ring descended and ran down him.

  “Bio temperature: normal. Digestive tract: normal. Skeletal: normal. Brain activity: normal. Abrasions: negative—”

  “Primary focus, ear canal, left and right, intense ringing sound,” he said through clenched teeth, and the ring raised itself to hover around his head level.

  The computer was silent for a moment. Then, “Ear canals: normal; cause of ringing sound: unknown. Do you still require assistance?”

  “No,” Ryuu moaned. He moved out of the bathroom before the computer would call him crazy.

  Back out in the hall, his hands clamped around his ears, he slowly made his way to the front door and slipped outside to the porch. Taking a couple steps forward, he moaned again. It seemed like the noise was even louder outside of the house.
After taking a couple steps forward, he stumbled down the stairs and landed hard on his back.

  He quickly rolled onto his elbows, hands flying to his ears. When he looked up, he was surprised to see his friends walking down the street toward him, hands over their ears.

  “You all right?” Allison yelled when they reached him. He got to his feet.

  “Yeah, mostly!” he shouted back. “You hear it too?” he shouted at Bryan when he got close.

  “What?” he barked back. For a second, Bryan uncovered his ear. Then he snapped his hand back in place.

  Almost doubled over, Aiolos stumbled a bit as he stepped forward, ears covered. “Whoever is making this noise had better have a death wish, because I’m going to kill him,” he shouted.

  “What?” the others yelled.

  Ryuu waved his head left and right. “It’s coming from that way!” He tilted his head and nodded toward the forest.

  “What?” his friends demanded.

  He sighed, removed his hand from his right ear, and pointed. As soon as he did, the group moved in that direction. Moments later, they were walking out of the village and into the forest. Deaf to the world around them, they stumbled through the forest. Erik emerged first, but as he did so, he nearly fell into the ravine they raced through and jumped over during the exam.

  Ryuu and Allison darted forward and grabbed him as he flailed his arms for balance. For what seemed like an hour, the three teetered along the edge before they were able to pull him back to solid ground. Breathing hard, Ryuu clamped his hands over his sore ears as Erik grasped his sister in a tight bear hug. Ryuu looked around as the others came out of the forest, and Allison gently pushed Erik away before he smothered her.

  Ryuu looked over the edge and cursed silently. The sound was coming from down the ravine, but he could see no way down. As he turned to shout this information to his friends, he eyed a cliff that ran to one side. Narrowing his eyes, he examined it more closely, and after a moment, gritting his teeth in pain, he picked up a stone from the ground and tossed it.