Author's note: Before reading this, I would suggest that you read "Boldheart:
Legend of the Desert". It is sort of the prequel to a series of
Boldheart stories that I will write.
Merato had traveled across the desert searching for Lancoth,
and for revenge, yet he still had not found the desert Tuskaninny.
"Thank you Mr. Boldheart for saving my family,"
a little girl Acara said walking up to him. Merato, who took up the name Boldheart
to everyone except for Lajonah, had found this Acara's family trapped inside
their wagon with a legion of desert thieves surrounding them. Most of the thieves
fled once seeing he and Lajonah run up, swords drawn, for word had spread of
Boldheart, the one who helped any passersby get through the desert without problems,
for he was the Robin Hood of the desert. In the desert he was practically a
myth, some didn't believe that he was real. Some said that he was a ghost, but
he was flesh and blood like any other creature of this world. The thieves that
didn't flee were made quick work of by he, with his sword, and by Lajonah with
her bow and daggers.
Merato smiled at the Acara, and the after patting
her upon her head, replied, "I have to go now young one. There are many others
in need of my assistance." And with that Merato stood up, and started to walk
away from the Acara family.
As he walked past Lajonah, he nodded, and with
a return nod, Lajonah hurriedly retrieved her arrows from the still thieves,
and from the sands, and caught back up to Merato, "You don't look very happy.
Usually you are after rescuing a family when no one gets hurt."
"It is just that I have not even heard word
of Lancoth's band of thieves in several weeks. I just feel as if he is up to
something. I-I don't know. It might just be me," Merato said shaking his head,
and then he and Lajonah walked off into the desert.
Merato looked over Lajonah; she had really changed
since when he had found her. She had a short sleeve top on with green folds
of cloth, and she had on white pants which went down to her ankles. She wore
a plain belt, and had a dagger tucked into it. Plus she had a bow over her back,
and a quiver of arrows. She had told Merato that before he had saved her that
she could not handle a blade worth a bucket of sand, and that she had never
even before seen a bow. Merato guessed that the red dragon had given her more
then just her life back that day on the oasis. He suspected that it also gave
her skills with weapons when it had entered her.
Since that day, both Merato and Lajonah had
lived each day, traveling across the desert from oasis to oasis saving others
from the desert thieves, and searching for signs of Lancoth. Merato still wanted
revenge for what Lancoth had done to his family. Sometimes at night he still
heard the sounds of his mothers voice, and last wishes. He hadn't listened to
them. He hadn't left the desert to find safety in a major city, because he had
found that he was needed here in the desert.
As they reached the next oasis, the moon was
high above their head shining an eerie silver light across all the countless
dunes of sand. The moon was full tonight, but even so, in the confines of the
desert Merato and Lajonah could see almost every star in the sky, and picked
out familiar constellations like Kiro the Gelert, the curved blade of the Pteri
warrior, and Merato's personal favourite, the red dragon of healing.
Soon, Merato could make out the silver light
upon the palm trees, and the reflection of the moon upon the water. Many oases
were spread out across the desert, the farthest apart by only a few days walk.
Merato smiled. They would be able to sleep here tonight.
As Merato and Lajonah neared the oasis, they
felt something was wrong, so they entered with more stealth. "You feel it too,
don't you Merato," Lajonah whispered as she saw Merato start to creep towards
the oasis hiding in the shadows, but Merato lifted up a paw signaling for quite.
"Shhhhhhhh! Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"Listen!"
And so Lajonah did, and at first she heard nothing,
but then she noticed the faint sounds of whispers in the night. She turned to
face Merato, but saw that he was already creeping into the bushes that surrounded
the outskirts of the oasis. So with a shrug, she went in after him just a quietly.
Merato held his staff in front of him as he
walked through the bushes. That staff was very important, for it held the sacks
of red dragon scale powder, which could save other creatures lives. It saved
lajonah's.
The voices were getting louder to the two Aisha's
ears as they walked through the underbrush. The bed of water was to their right,
and that was where the voices were coming from. The voices were quite loud now,
and so Merato was not surprised that when he looked past a large bush in front
of him that he saw the pets that were talking. He silently growled as he saw
them, for they all had the golden band across their forehead, which symbolised
that they were with Lancoth. Merato turned as Lajonah laid her hand across his
shoulder. She looked just as angry as he did when she saw the bands of gold.
Merato then concentrated on listening to what they had to say.
"Did you hear Lancoth's new plan?" A Mynci said
in a high-pitched voice.
"Yes, I did," a female Lenny with a scar
over her face said in a gruff voice, "Quite odd really. I mean, what would a
red dragon do for him anyhow?"
"Haven't you heard that Boldheart can harness
the powers of the red dragon? Lancoth plans to do the same you moron!" a fat
Bruce said to them both.
"And how does he plan to do that now?" the Mynci
said cockeyed.
"That is not of your concern!" a black Lupe
said storming up.
"S-sorry captain!" the Lenny said saluting.
"We didn't see you there!"
Then the Lupe turned facing Merato and Lajonah,
"Just like those two didn't see me either." And suddenly, before Merato could
react, about six pets hurled themselves upon Merato and Lajonah, and knocked
them both out. As the two Aishas were dragged from the bushes, the staff of
the dragon laid forgotten upon the ground, where it had fallen from Merato's
hands. Forgotten to all except for a dark shape, which picked up the staff,
and then jumped into the air with a flap of its wings disappearing from sight.
***
"Droak reporting, master Lancoth," the black Lupe captain said bowing
before the Tuskaninny.
"I have no time for this Droak! Leave at once!"
"But master! It involves Boldheart!" The Lupe
yelled
Lancoth turned his head, an obvious look of
displeasure spreading across his features, "This better be good."
"I have managed to capture the one you have
been after for so long. I have managed to capture Boldheart and that Aisha female
that follows him around." And Droak smiled showing all of his teeth.
Lancoth jumped up. "Is this true!?!" he said
with a look of surprise, and the Lupe just nodded. Lancoth put on a malicious
grin, all surprise gone "Now at last I can find out how he controls the dragons
power, and then I can take it as my own. I will be the ultimate power."
"Yes you will be master," Droak said accustomed
to how to make his master pleased. If he kept this up, soon he would be at the
especially if Lancoth was out of his way!
***
"Ah, so at last I have the mighty Boldheart. Not so mighty anymore are you?
Now wake up!" and Merato woke up to being slapped by someone. He opened his
eyes, but couldn't make out anything, for they were still cloudy.
Merato made out an outline of a creature, but
could not tell who it was. "Who are you?" he asked.
"Why, I'd think that you would know Boldheart!"
The name was spoken with such hatred that Merato was taken back aghast. Suddenly
his vision was a clear as day.
"Lancoth!!!" He screamed looking into the desert
Tuskaninny's face.
"Yes, it is I," he said pointing to himself.
Then he turned to Droak who was next to him. "Droak, get me his staff of the
dragon."
"What… staff…" he said very slowly.
"You don't have it… do you," Lancoth calmly
said.
"Um, no?"
"CAN'T YOU MORONS DO ANYTHING RIGHT!!!"
"Nope. I mean yes. I mean… sorry!" Droak said
sounding quite unintelligent.
"I would kill you, but I spare you for not only
capturing Boldheart, but for finding the location of the red dragon." Lancoth
was shacking like a leaf he had so much anger. Then he turned back to Merato.
"So Boldheart. What can you tell me about the power of the red dragon."
"I will tell you nothing!" Boldheart blurted
out. "You can do anything you want to me, and I still won't utter a word!"
"Well, perhaps then this will help you decide
to talk." Lancoth smiled maliciously as he said, "Bring in the female."
A kicking and screaming Lajonah was then dragged
into the room. Merato instantly looked up, a mount of fret plastered upon him.
"Lajonah!"
"Don't tell him anything Merato! He will only
use it for evil!" Lajonah said quite bravely.
"Perhaps after seeing your female friend tortured
for awhile will make you talk, and if not." An evil grin came upon Lancoth's
face. "We will destroy her!"
Merato could not bear to see Lajonah tortured.
He could have endured anything that Lancoth had thrown at him, except for this.
So with a sad face Merato said, "I will say anything. Just let her be."
"Excellent. Just what I wanted to hear." And
Lajonah was taken down, and thrown into the cell with Merato. "Now tell me all
you know…"
The End
Author's not once more: This is not really the end, but the beginning. There
will be more to come of this series of short stories. | 
