Dragon Lady

Time's Wheel

Ch.10: Interlude

Disclaimer: * grins * Guess what? I do own this, so I don't need a disclaimer. These are mine!

Author's note: The interludes are short mini chapters that I'm throwing in that are going to be clearing up some of the plot later on, so please read them, you'll see where I'm going with them eventually.

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Relecos, One Thousand Five Hundred years in the past: Serpent's Reach

A loud explosion rocks the area as a cloud of smoke erupts from a small cottage on the outskirts of the town, slivering through the cracks in the roof and shutters. The crunching of glass can be heard from within the small cottage, sounding like a blind man walking through a hall of mirrors.

The shutters of the house are thrown open and a young man leans out, gasping for breath, and pushing his shoulder length blonde hair out of his gray eyes. His fair skin is covered in black soot, as are his white robes. He reaches out a thin hand and grabs the windowsill; the other hand brushing back his hair, revealing somewhat pointed ears.

"Riem!" cries a voice from the path that leads to the lonely cottage.

Two figures race up the path. The first is a young woman who can be no more than twenty at the oldest. Long, dark brown hair streams back behind her, surrounding a beautiful oval face with high cheekbones. Her bright green eyes, the color of the brightest emeralds, shine with worry. Her chest heaves, giving air to her small, petite body. She is dressed in light leather mail, a pair of daggers and several sets of throwing knives strapped to her body.

The second is a young man, a little older. His light brown hair is tied back loosely with a leather thong, out of the way. His face is young, the beginnings of a beard on his chin. On his back, he carries a broad sword, which looks like it would be deadly in his strong arms. Like the girls, is dark brown eyes look on in concern at the cottage.

As they reach the door, the man yanks it open. A cloud of smoke billows out, causing him to gasp and choke.

The girl puts a hand beside her mouth. "Riem, where are you?"

A coughing nearby gives the Riem away. Suddenly, a gust of wind fills the cottage and the smoke clears, revealing a room that looks like it as been through a miniature war. Glass bottles and books litter the floor and pieces of parchment are flung everywhere. If one where to step closer, the outline of a desk might be seen beneath the piles of text.

"I'm right here Aine!" Riem answers, dusting soot off of his white robes.

The other young man walks through the doorway, surveying the mess. "Jeez, what happened in here?"

Riem smiles at him. "I've done it Iain, I've finally done it!"

"I'll say you've done it!" Aine mutters, wrinkling her nose at the left over smell of smoke.

"No, I've really done it! I've found a way to create Heaven's Gate!"

"Great," Aine says smiling. "Now he has an even bigger mess to make. Lucky us."

Iain walks over to Riem's worktable and begins to study the items on it. A jet-black talisman catches his eye and he reaches for it eagerly.

Riem sees where his hand is wandering and immediately stops him. "Don't touch that!"

Iain snatches his hand away and places it at his side. "What is it."

"I don't know exactly, but it's evil, something that should never get into the hands of either race, demon or human."

Iain nods, but doesn't say anything. Instead, he bends down and picks up a piece of shattered glass. "Well, we should probably start cleaning. Your little experiment is going to take many hours to clean up."

Riem groans. "Well, it only took me seconds to make it."

A pair of small arms encircles his waist and holds him closely as he looks down into a pair of shimmering emerald eyes and smiles. Aine leans up and kisses him lightly on the mouth.

"Don't worry, between the three of us, we'll have it cleaned in no time," she assures them.

Iain groans. "So she says."