Ace Hunters

[Princessa_de_la_Heartless]

"Your friend is a dragon hunter. How is this possible? He was filled with so much rage and hatred for our kind last time we met." Isabella entered the cavern and walked to Ace's body. She brushed a strand of hair out of his face and sat near him, holding his hand. Her body soon fell forward, and she entered into his mind.

A woman stood in a meadow near Ace, and Isabella got the feeling that she was his sister.

"Who are you?" the woman asked.

"Isabella. An Icescale. I do not wish anyone harm, but I need to bring Ace back from his slumber. Asharda is worried."

"How do you know her name?" the woman asked.

"I entered her mind. It is impossible to give memories without learning the receiver's name."

"I see."

"Ace, how are you found asleep in a dragon's cave, being watched over by a dragon? You were filled with rage and hatred for us when I last met you. Wait. You must explain while you are awake. Lady, let him go."

"Not until he agrees to come with me and learn with the elves." Isabella transformed into a dragon as the lady said this.

NO. He comes with me. Now. Unless you want me to cause him to freeze to death. I can do it, and I have reason to. Ace has killed Icescales, and many dragons. You must release him, or he will die. Isabella's mind shouted to the lady.

"I say no!"

Cold ice enveloped the meadow. All the plants died, and the lady and Ace had ice crystals crawling up their bodies. Isabella was the only one unaffected by the cold, and she smiled cruelly.

"No! Stop! What are you doing?" the lady shouted.

"Let Ace wake up."

"Fine!" The cold disappeared, and Isabella opened her eyes, finding herself human. She also found that she was half-laying on Ace. She looked at Ace's face, and found that his eyes were open. A sense of total relief washed over her at this discovery.

[Calida Blaize]

In a matter of moments, Ace had grown to despise my sister. She wasn't how he remembered. Ace tried to force himself to face the truth: the sister he knew was dead. In her place was a cold, empty being whom he hated.

Ace was shocked when the girl appeared. Who was she? How had she entered this dream? Was she a friend of his sister's? So many questions flooded his mind, but he held his tongue. This wasn't the proper time to ask. So instead he sat there and watched the women argue.

He was surprised to hear that this woman was half dragon, too. He wondered how many there were in the world, and why this one had left the icelands, since she claimed to be an icescale. He blinked in shock as she transformed into a dragon, with white fur and feathers instead of scales. Her fox-like face was beautiful, and she opened her mouth and transformed a summery meadow into an icy wasteland. Ace shuddered at the cold, and ice crystals began to crawl up his legs. He clenched his teeth against the nearly unbearable cold, trying to keep his teeth from chattering.

His vision faded to black, and he wondered if he would die. He opened his eyes, however, and was pleasantly surprised to see that the girl was half-laying on him. He rested one hand on her shoulder and smiled as she looked up at him. She was beautiful, he realized, and it was the first time in a long time that he had thought that about a woman.

"Hello, beautiful," he said, smiling, "Thank you for saving me."

[Princessa_de_la_Heartless]

Isabella blushed when Ace put his hand on her, and blushed brighter when he called him beautiful.

"N-no problem," she stammered.She quickly sat up and walked towards Asharda. "I hope you don't mind that he's awake. I know he hates dragons like us," she muttered as she passed. Isabella walked out of the cave and changed into a dragon. She flew over the forest to the sea. She then landed on the beach and drank water from the ocean, ignoring the salty taste.

An old man in a boat screamed at her, yelling Ace's name. Isabella tilted her head and walked towards the man.

"Stop! I'm warning you! I've seen Ace Dragonsclaw kill a dragon without any weapons! He can do worse to an icescale, since you don't have scales!"

Of course I have scales, you old fool! All dragons have scales! her mind yelled, If you were to pluck all the fur and feathers from my body, which might fall out anyways since it's so warm here, then you would see scales which could be blue, silver, grey or white.

The old man fell backwards in shock. Isabella laughed, which came out more like a good-humored, shaky growl. She knocked the man onto the beach and easily crushed the boat .The man whimpered pathetically.

Isabella bared her teeth and walked towards the man. He got to his feet and tried to run into the forest, but Isabella took flight and caught him, lifting him high into the air. The man screamed, and Isabella enjoyed the sound. She flew higher and higher, performing intricate maneuvers, causing the man to scream louder. She flew higher still, and dropped the man.

Isabella dove quickly and caught the man, breaking his shoulder in the process. Oh well, she thought. She roared and flew out over the sea. She dove straight down, swimming under the water for as long as she guessed the man could hold his breath.

Isabella broke the surface and flew into the sky, observing that most of her feathers had fallen off in the water. See? Icescales do have scales! she thought to the man. She then flew to Asharda's cave and pinned the man to the rock.

"Don't kill me!" he shouted, "Ace!"

Ace won't help you now, Isabella said, placing her claw over the man's chest. He squirmed a little, fearfully trying to escape. It was a futile attempt, and he knew it. Isabella skewered him on the end of her claw, killing him.

[Calida Blaize]

Ace heard the old man yell for him, but his gut feeling was one of hopelessness. He wouldn't be able to save him.

"Half-dragon, fly me to the beach!" He said, his voice falling into a tone of authority, "This is important. If it weren't for the man who brought me here, I'd be dead! And now he might be in trouble!" He jumped to his feet, looking into Asharda's eyes.

[Ignis_Scientia2010]

Asharda glared at Ace as he all but demanded a ride to the beach from her. She stormed over to him, shoving him a bit. "Why should I help you, after all you've done to me? You want to get to the beach, you can walk down there. Your friend is probably dead already, anyway. So it would just be a waste of time" she snapped at him.

[Calida Blaize]

"And here I was, foolish enough to believe you were different than every other bloodthirsty dragon!" Ace grabbed a sword and charged at Asharda, swinging at her neck when he was close enough, tears streaming down his face.

[Ignis_Scientia2010]

Asharda glared at him, letting her arm change into a dragon's arm as she blocked his sword, her claws wrapping around his sword. "I AM different! Have I killed you yet? Tried to eat you? NO! Because my mother taught me better than that!" she yelled, crushing the blade. "You want me to be like every other dragon you've met?! FINE!!" She grabbed his shirt and threw him out of her cave down the side of the mountain.

[Calida Blaize]

Ace screamed as his back hit a rock as he fell. His vision turned red, and pure hatred for Asharda blinded him. He screamed in anger as well as pain, and he wondered if he was going to die. He caught hold of a branch and felt as if his arm would be torn off. He clenched his teeth and screamed through them. He dropped to the ground and walked slowly, trying to shake off the pain.

"You almost kill me, and you sentence the man who saved my life to death! You monster! I'll kill you!" He screamed at the top of his lungs.

[Ignis_Scientia2010]

Asharda walked over the the edge of her cave, glancing down over the ledge at him. "The only monster I see right now, is you! You think you're so much better than the rest of us!! All I see is another dumb dragon hunter who thought he could master the world!" she yelled at him. She turned away from the ledge and headed back inside....she would worry about him when he came back.

[Calida Blaize]

Ace glared at Asharda. He walked towards the beach, trying to think of a way to get off the island. When he reached the beach, he stopped. Isabella was standing over the bloody corpse of the old man.

"You killed him! Why? What did he do to you?" Ace screamed, running to the body.

[Princessa_de_la_Heartless]

Isabella looked at the body, waiting for Ace. She knew he would come. She smiled at his sorrow and quickly stepped on his back, forcing him to the ground.

I could do the same to you, Ace, she hissed. I could kill you so easily... she stroked his spine with her claw, barely touching him.

[Calida Blaize]

"Why did you kill him? Why would you kill me? What did we do to you?" Ace asked, closing his eyes, hoping Isabella wouldn't kill him.

[Princessa_de_la_Heartless]

You are human. Vile creatures. All they do is kill and destroy. I wish to rid the world of you monsters. I would love to have the pleasure of killing my father. But since I can't do that at this moment, I'll just have to settle for you. Isabella slowly drove her claw into Ace's back, smiling at the pain she caused. She felt her claw hit the ground beneath him and tore it out. She changed into a human and flipped him onto his back. She kissed his lips softly, her breath full of magic which revived him and healed his wound.

"I am half human, however, so I would have to become a full dragon in order to be rid of your race. I hate humans like you hate dragons. And speaking of dragons... that dragon that lives up on the mountain... We must get you back to her. She must be missing her lover." Her voice became mocking as she said this, and she smiled cruelly.

[Calida Blaize]

Ace screamed in agony as Isabella's claw went through his back. His last thoughts were of Asharda and his sister. He hated the demons who killed her. Who were now killing him. He saw a white light which blinded him, and there was only darkness after that. In the darkness, he saw a flame. A single flame, like a candle. He walked towards the candle, and found that it was his mother, a young woman now, holding it. Ace looked around more and saw that there were more candles. Each candle was held by a dead person. The old man Isabella had killed, Ace's father and mother, his aunt, dead kings, half-dragons. One candle, however, sat alone with no one to hold it. Ace sat down near it and reached out for it, but as soon as his hand touched it, it went out. Ace felt like he was falling, he opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out.
Ace opened his eyes to find Isabella's lips on his. He was confused for a moment before he realized that he had died. She was speaking, and he tried to focus. She was saying that she was going to take him back to Asharda. He wanted to say no, but he was too confused and weak to say anything. He didn't know what was going to happen, but he hoped that she wouldn't torture him like that again.

[Princessa_de_la_Heartless]

Isabella changed into a dragon and picked up Ace gently. She was pleased with herself, knowing that she had done what many dragons wish they could: Kill the might Ace.

Not so mighty now, are you? Isabella thought. She flew with Ash in her claw until they were high above the ground. Isabella looked over the island and dropped Ash, swooping down and catching him before he hit the ground. Isabella then flew to Asharda's cave and walked inside, Ace in her hand.