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Relax Dame... I'm not sensing him anywhere in the vicinity... Kinda strange considering the council was talking about this place. Hmm, maybe the locals will know something.

Ryugi kept walking, Ryudo, Vargus, and Cuxis following him.

Moonblade calmly looked around the shrine, taking everything in. To him, this meant quite a bit. Moreso than anyone else here. Such places were hardly traversed by the non-draconic, though they were the things of fables. On top of all this, Silver was a follower of Bahamution and Adamant Beliefs. This was the most holy place in all of Angara, so one might venture to imagine what this ment to him.

His respect for the Draconic almost practically dwarfed that which he had for the moon.

Upon seeing the five dragon statue, he stopped to mumble a small prayer. It wasn't every day that he came to a monument built for Monuments, not to mention the elemental Adamants. When he finished, his eyes rested on the giant Stone Ring, triggering something in the back of his mind.

It's been a while...hasn't it Silver?

Ryugi grinned, but it was hidden behind his scarf. He knew what his friend had on his mind, and to be honest, Ryugi was sure that Silver was thinking the exact same thing.

I know what you're thinking, and I'm thinking the exact same thing... We have something to finish, don't we?

He turned to face forward, not looking towards his friend, still grinning, the facial expression still hidden by his white scarf. He then began to walk a small distance away from his friend, but stopped about twenty feet away, turning to face him again, looking at him out of the corner of his eye once more.

And Silver... Fight for all you're worth, and don't hold back.

Silver closed his eyes for a moment and looked downward grinning. His eyes suddenly flashed open as he leaped back a bit quickly. His eyes never left his friends. He pointed the dragon head of Dragoonair at Ryugi as he spoke, the seven foot spear reaching about halfway between them.

"I wouldn't have it anyother way. Now my friend... En Gard!"

It was an incredibly intense and drawn out fight, one of the best either of them have been graced with. Blow after blow, cunning wit after raging attack, they both fought with incredible guile. From the start, combat was fast passed, laced with trash talk and powerful techniques.

CARBIDE CANNON!!

KABAAAAAAAMM!!!

Moonblade was thrown by the powerful force of the explosive punch. He flipped backwards in the air so that he may land on his feet, skidding across the ground as his feet touched down. Grinning, he literally leaped forward with great speed. He would get about twelve feet in the air, the jump being more horizontal than vertical.

He was spinning the shortened spear over his head to build up momentum. As he neared Ryugi, he would slam down with a powerful and quick vertical smash.

"Eat this, Dragon Boy!"

From there, things would only get better. Silver pulled something out of his his long sleeves, his dirty little trick putting him out on top.

Moonblade placed his spear on back with his right hand while dragging him quickly. Grabbing the strong scarf with both hands, he began to spin his opponent in circles. Bringing him off the ground, Moonblade would spin him around for a bit before launching him through the air.

Hck...ngh...*gasp*

Ryugi's trash talk started to get annoying after a while, especially after he burned him with the emerald fire.

Trust me, I KNOW what it's like. I've lived quite a while remember. Now, why don't we get back to ou~

Moonblade had already started to charge, grinning. Dragon Boy had a tendancy to talk way to much, which usually allowed people plenty of time to act. He was like those evil villians wholiked to give away their plots before killing their victims, minus the evil killing.

Oye! Pay attention!

When Moonblade threw up his Moonlight and the going got tough on his friend, the dragon Metamorphed into an incredible Hybrid Form, beating even Silver in Aerial Combat. After being thrown around like a ragdoll, there only result could be the Climax: Ryugi's White Knight was pitted against his very own Wyrmkiller.

Slowly, Silver would see his friend's white wings begin to sheer away from the force they attempted to hold back, the massive bolt of green energy beginning to take effect on Ryugi's dragonlike form. The beautiful haunting wings of his White Knight form began to erode away like ice to flame as they took most of the attack. If Silver were to look even closer he'd see the light around Ryugi's body begin to erode away as well as he sacrificed the energy from his form simply to hold off the attack. His teeth were gritted from the strain, his eyes mostly shut, arms crossed in front of his form as the green blast continued to tear into him. Another pulse of energy...

Inside the blast of green energy, Ryugi was struggling. The sheer power from the attack was tearing into his protective clothing, beginning to make it shred to reveal the silvery strands of Dragonsteel woven within the thick black material. He could feel the energy on his face, threatening to tear into his skin. He knew that if Silver attempted to attack him now, Silver would be hit by the massive ammount of energy being released from Ryugi's disapating White Knight form, and he'd be trapped within his own attack and Ryugi's causing unneeded harm to both of them. His outside was taking a beating, but inside, Ryugi was going at it. Something was changing inside him, he could feel it, something wanted to break free!! Another pulse of energy flowed through his body, and then, his voice rang out.

It... isn't...OVER...YET!!! Graaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!

He remembered it as if it happened mere hours ago. It seemed like a certain win, but...

With a massive pulse of energy, accompanied with an explosion of bright light, the Wyrmkiller finally hit its target. Thick smoke and ash from the detonation covered the area where The attack had struck, and for a moment, all was quiet. But then, a figure could be seen emerging from the cloud of ash and dust. Thin tendrils of smoke drifted off from half shredded black garments. The blackness peeled away from glinting metal of a familiar sword. Scraped skin appeared, followed by two strikingly red eyes, and silvery spiked hair. It was Ryugi. He had survived the Wyrmkiller, and with a wiping off of a trail of blood from his mouth and a scrape on his forehead, he stared straight at Silver, his aura once more swirling about his body at full strength, Ragnarok glowing brightly with power along with a strong look of determination across his face...

...That...hurt...

Due to perciverance, and no short amount of pure will, Ryugi prevailed. Moonblade, who had all but run out of stamina, continued to put up a valiant fight. However, when Ryugi shattered his ribs with the blunt end of Ragnarok, Silver couldn't keep up. Finally, the mighty Dragoon collapsed in a cloud of dust. Unable to supress a huge grin, he could only have one afterthought.

Someday, our rematch will have to take place here. Maybe we could finish things once and for... no. With true warriors, the fighting is never over.

Ryugi wasn't aware what his friend was thinking, but he looked apon the statue and smiled, taking in a breath of the fresh mountain air. He then walked over to one of the monks standing near the statue, and calmly got his attention so he could speak with him.

Yes young man? How can I be of service to you on this Adamant blessed day?

The monk was what most would call...ancient. He was an old man even by dragon standards, and that meant something. While humans lived to an average age of about 80-90 years of age, dragons could live to be even older than that, in dragon years of course. This monk, for instance, was around 127 years old, or roughly 12,700 human years.

Ryugi nodded and answered.

Maybe. You see, my friends and I have come here all the way from the City of Adamants to investigate something. We'd heard that there were strange things happening here, and we thought it might have something to do with this rash of crimes that have been going on all over the continent.

The monk seemed lost in thought for a moment before he spoke.

Hmm... Yes, I know of what you speak. There have indeed been strange things happening here. Many of our strongest monks have gone missing, and have not been seen or heard from again. We do not have any clues as to what is going on, as none of them have returned to tell what they have experienced. We fear that dark forces are at work here, but thusfar, no one has been able to get tot the bottom of this.

Ryugi listened to the monk tell his tale, and then immediately thought of the perfect question to ask.

What were the monks doing when they were attacked, and where were they being taken from?

The monk responded with a nod.

They were merely going about their daily activities in the meditation area above the shrine and down the path to the Adamant's Grove. No one has any explaination for what happened other than they saw some strange lights, and then, nothing. No word from the monks, and no one has seen hide nor scale of and of them. Needless to say...we fear the worst has happened to them...

Ryugi nodded, and spoke to the monk for the last time.

Thank you for your assistance Elder.

After speaking, Ryugi turned and began to head back to the group.

Don't mention it, wielder of Ragnarok...

Ryugi turned quickly to find that the wise old monk had dissapeared. Shrugging, he moved back to the group and spoke.

Alright. I know where we're heading. We're heading to the Adamant's Grove. It isn't far from here, and just a bit above the shrine. THATS where we'll find whatever has been causing the problems...

Madison stood in silence as she was still unaware of what was really going on or the significants of the rocks.

Damrius stared in awe at the place. The glowing light was a bit much, but it was beuatiful.

Nice... But where's this trouble that's happening?

Dame pulled in another charge, and finally showed what was in his hand. it was the 8 inch long, 2 inch thick stick of diamond. It would come in use here. And that was not his only charge. He still had those ones from the palace they had just left. It may have not been a palace, but to him it was. He had even pulled in a charge on the walk here. Giving him five total.

Silver looked around, poking a small energy that floated by. The trees were an odd color and sort of... interesting. He had nothing to say at the moment, lost in his own thoughts.