Age of the Dragons: Shouken's restoration #1

Episode 4

         "Who's Kamren mum. . . And what's the Real meaning of this tattoo? You said it was a birth mark" Choryrth said softly.

        "Just so you know, I can never accept an Elemental as my brother!" Mako retorted before running off.

        "MAKO!" Sareena yelled.

        "Go after him, come with me Choryrth" Elder Sharman said.

        "Chory y. . ." She paused as Choryrth stepped away from her. Elder Sharman didn't waste any more time, he turned around heading towards his hut while Choryrth followed.

Sareena's hut:

        "Have you gone mad Mako! How could you do that to your brother!" Sareena yelled 

       "He lied to me! You two did!" Mako yelled.

       "We did it to protect Chory!" She cried.

        "That's the problem! All you ever talk about is him, you only care about him!" Mako yelled.

         "I love you as much as I love him! Chory needs us, he needs you!" 

        "No! He's no different from them mum!"

        "From who!"

        "Those people who killed dad!" He cried.

        "Mako. . ." She broke down.

Elder Sharman's hut:

         "It hurts to know our relationship meant nothing to him, the moment he found out he deserted me" Choryrth said softly.

         "Just like you, Mako needs time to process how he feels about this. His father was killed by the guardians after he was framed" Elder Sharman replied as he lit a candle.

         "Guardians? That gibberish again?" Choryrth retorted "and who's Kamren? Is he my father?" 

         "One at a time Choryrth, you said you were held hostage?"

         "Yes, a soldier helped me escape"

         "What if you were being followed"

         "Then that's not good, they could hurt everyone because of me" Choryrth cried "oh no, what have I done? What if he helped me so he could find out where I reside? . ."

         "They won't if they can't find what they're looking for. . ." The elder turned around with an old piece of paper.

         "What do you mean? Are you asking me to leave the village?"

         "More like running away and coming back when the time is right" the elder smiled "if you wish to know who you really are then you'd have to make up your mind to leave"

        "Where would I go? I've never been to the main town before" Choryrth asked, his voice was shaking and his mind was blank.

         "It's more of whom you're meant to meet" he sighed and handed the piece of paper to Choryrth "there's a priestess who brought you here eleven years ago, she told me that when you are ready you will come find her" he pointed down at the writing on the paper 

         "Crimson woods. . ." Choryrth read out.

         "It's around the borders of Sidel" he sighed "should take you about half a day to get there, she lives in an old cottage just up the hills"

         "But I don't even know her" Choryrth retorted.

        "But she knows all about you, you have between now and sundown to decide. If the Red Dragon soldiers eventually f. . ."

        "Elder! Elder!" A young man cried as he crashed into the hut.

         "What is it?" The Elder asked.

         "I think Choryrth is in danger! I saw some soldiers at the streets of Sidel, they've been moving from house to house in search of him, it's only a matter of time until they find out about this camp" he turned to face Choryrth "exactly what kind of trouble did you get yourself into this time!" He yelled.

        "Thank you for that information, you may leave" the Elder said.

        "Ok sir. . ."

        "Inform the villagers to remain indoors" he yelled after the man who was in a haste to leave.

        "I could just surrender myself to them and save you all" Choryrth suggested.

        "They'll kill us all for harbouring you in the first place, we have no choice but you have to leave the village now. . ."

Sareena's hut:

        "Choryrth doesn't have a mum and dad like you do Mako, he looks up to you in everything he does. He's humanity's last hope!"

        "What are you saying?" Mako retorted.

        "Choryrth is Chief Kamren Imai's son! He's the next in line of the leader to the guardians of shouken! His tribe was destroyed during the great purge where he lost everything he had! I believe you know the history better than I do!" She cried.

        "No. . .no" Mako stuttered.

Everyone had their battles to fight, for Choryrth, finding out more about his family was more important to him since the only one he regarded as family chose to desert him, that's how it has always been. Rejected by his people, rejected by his family, Elder Sharman had managed to convince him to leave but he left without saying goodbye, he didn't return to the hut that evening, rather he was horse back riding his way through the woods with nothing but the piece of paper Elder Sharman had given him and a mind clouded with thoughts and Although he didn't say goodbye, he left something behind. . .his heartfelt gratitude towards Sareena and Mako.

Sidel woods: late night

Spak! Spak!

"Ugh!" Choryrth flung what was left of the spark stones in his hands, he had never been outside of town before, at least not alone but here he was fending for himself in this cold and lonely night. All he could see ahead was the silhouette of his white stallion amidst the moonlight, which was a beautiful scenery if you ask him :-)

Would definitely make for a lovely painting had he been an artist, he couldn't even start a camp fire, he didn't pack a sleeping bag, nothing. . . Just the pendant and paper Elder Sharman had given to him. Which by the way was an impressive piece of art, the pendant, that is. It had six sides, each with different colors from white, dark green, light green, red, blue to yellow, he suspected it was the colors of the elements each with different markings. But there was something else about the pendant pieces, all the colors were dulled out apart from the red and white color, he couldn't decipher why but believed his curiosity would be satisfied once he gets to meet the priestess. He had so many questions flooding his thoughts, but the cold wind that blew past occasionally could barely let him think straight, all he could think of now was surviving just one night alone in the cold, hopefully he'd have to get moving by dawn.

Old Sidel: The Tavern

"Yeah, I'm not supposed to say this but I think I know where you can find a boy with such descriptions" the bartender smiled with his hands outstretched, hoping for a tip.

"The bar could be the only source of livelihood to your sorry family" the captain barked "you don't tell me where the boy is and I'll burn this place down!" He yelled, as at this moment no one was allowed to leave and or enter the tavern since the captain himself was doing the search. He had an ugly encounter with the General when he had told the general that the ship was damaged by an Earth elemental and that the boy bore the mark of Mugen. Now he's forced to bring the boy to General Mao to prove he's not making up things as excuse for loosing the plans.

"There's a hidden route down the road that leads to a small Dallas tribe camp, you can find him there" the bartender blurted out.

"Very good" the captain smiled and snapped his fingers at a soldier who threw a bag of silver coins on the counter.

The Dallas tribe camp: Sareena's hut

      "He left. . ." Sareena cried "you have to go after him, the Red Dragon soldiers would be here any moment"

       "I'm not leaving you alone!" Mako retorted.

       "Mako. . . Please listen" she pleaded and grabbed a piece of paper from the shelf then took out the quail which was dipped in ink.

      "I'm not going to loose you like I lost dad! Choryrth can go find his parents for all I care, he leaving without any last words simply means that he had cut ties with us for good" Mako retorted.

      "Did you not see the letter Elder Sharman gave you? Mako whether you like it or not yours and Choryrth's destinies are tied together!. . ."

___________________________________________

Dawn: Sidel woods 

Sidel was known for it's uncountable species of the chipper birds at dawn, Choryrth was still fast asleep having the same nightmare as usual.

Gasp, he srpung up. . .like he always did, this time it felt normal, he was actually getting used to being in the same shitty nightmare every night, his white stallion neighed, startled at the sound of the incoming footsteps just behind the thick bushes, could they have found him already? He wondered. But he wasn't letting his guard down just yet, he was ready to attack, his feet apart as he took a hungar stance and when the footsteps came in closer he was ever ready to launch a boulder. . . Not until Mako shuffled out of the bushes with his hands on a thorough bred's reins.

"Woah! Hold it!" Mako exclaimed.

"You. . ." He took a deep breath and let the boulder hit a tree to the left "what are you doing here?" He retorted.

"I'm coming with you, what does it look like?" He smiled.

"Tch. . ." Choryrth wasn't ready to say anything to him though, instead he secured tightly the pendant around his hands and untied his horse from the stump ahead.

"Aren't you going to talk to me" he asked as he watched Choryrth mount the white stallion "I'm sorry Choryrth, I know I was being selfish an. . ."

"Hiya!" He whipped the reins and rode off.

"Rude. . ." Mako complained and mounted his horse as well "hya!" He called out and whipped the reins just before his horse chased after Choryrth's.

"Come on, don't you even wanna talk about it?" Mako could bare spell out from the gallops.

"Leave me. . . Alone!" Choryrth retorted, his attention fixed ahead.

"Look, I'm sorry! I know I messed up big time. . .I should've listened to you at least!"

"Yeah, maybe after I was dead!" 

"Hey I was on my way to come get you, I just didn't know you'd land an escape like that" Mako said, still surprised.

"Yeah right" he replied and suddenly his horse went ahead of Mako's "go back home! I don't need your help!"

"Hey! You need me just as much as I need you!" Mako yelled, his horse trailing about a hundred centimeters behind Choryrth's.

"I don't think so!" 

"What's it gonna take to get through to him. . ." Mako muttered, releasing a sigh of frustration. He admits that he was wrong and Choryrth was wrong as well but Choryrth was too angry to know the real reason he was even here, he sighed as his horse began to trot.

The silent ride went on with Mako trailing behind, they rode until it was almost noon and finally Choryrth's horse came to a halt deep inside crimson woods.

"Finally. . ." Mako mumbled as Choryrth dismounted his horse, Mako did the same and rushed up to Choryrth who seemed to be looking for something.

"You're still here?" Choryrth retorted.

"Chory I really am sorry, I was being a jerk. . .I deserve the worst possible punishment you could give"

"Really? Maybe I could give you to the Red dragons as a piece offering" ouch. . .both boys stood staring at eachother for split seconds "I'm sorry too, I should've told you when I had the chance but I didn't wanna upset mum"

"You know, I'm still against the fact you're an Elemental but I can forgive you since mum said something about you being humanity's last hope" Choryrth glared at him almost immediately ". . .BUT. . ." He dragged "that still doesn't change the fact that you're my little brother"

"Who you almost killed. . ."

"That's it! Y. . ."

"Hey I'm kidding, I forgive you, besides all I thought about was saving you" he lowered his head "I just didn't think you'd run away like that"

"Like I'm not doing the same thing right now" he muttered to himself.

"Huh?" 

"Look over there! It's the cabin Elder Sharman told me about!" He changed the subject.

"It looks. . ."

"Abandoned. . ." Mako concluded "are we going in?"

"Y. . .you go first" Choryrth stuttered.

"No way! So if she's some kind of witch I'd die first!" 

"Who's a witch?" 

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