I heard a crack and it all went black. When I awoke, the back of my neck hurt and there were five shadowed figures, one of which towering over the rest by at least a foot and a half. I knew I shouldn’t have joined the Lykonans, I knew this would happen. My life is about to end because of my own foolishness. Then I heard it, the tall one’s name.
“Pendragon, are they all tied up?”
“It’s done; I’m ready to get moving.”
Pendragon, I repeated his name over and over in my mind until it clicked: Theios, the Draco-wolf; half dragon, half Lykos, hardly known to those who had been born after the Chardian-Lykosian war. My father had told stories of this wolf and how he fought like Sucas, the god of war and death, himself. He must have heard my breathing; he leaned down now, his fiery gaze burning my very soul. My fate is sealed now, there is now way they’d let rebels like myself and my friends live.
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My wings flapped gently as I admired my handiness, the rope had been tied so the knot lied at the center of my captive’s backs. There is no way they’d be able to get out of it now. There was a soft, audible breath and I quickly found its origin. A small, gray Lykos was one of the soldiers we had captured. He couldn’t have been much older than fifteen years. I leaned down and stared into his eyes, they were full of fear; he couldn’t know who I am, could he?
“You filthy rebels, we should torch you for what you’ve done,” said I, “You’ve destroyed not only my life, but the lives of countless others. I take it your leader won’t stop here, either.”
He tried to talk, however the rope gagging him made it impossible. This poor kid, I thought, he shouldn’t have to have been put through this.
“Listen, when you get out of here, don’t come back. Quit your military and go home to your parents,” I tried to sound generous, but his eyes were still filled with visions of his own death, “Now, tell me if there are any other patrols out here or I’ll cut your tail off.”
He shook his head violently, and I wondered; Why only one patrol? They must be expecting us. A trap, good, I love a fight.
With that, the team returned to the trees and continued to their target. The team couldn’t be deterred now, we had to save our friends, families and livelihoods from this new evil.
![The Battle of Rustheim [Part 1]](https://va.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/1197/1197918_PendragonScribbles_the_battle_of_rustheim_pt1.jpg "The Battle of Rustheim [Part 1]")
