Red Sapphire

[focusedheart]

It was impossible to ignore the heavy scent of blood that coated the area. It hung like a thick blanket in the air, showing no signs of being gone any time soon. It's source was mixed as there was the scent of human but also that of creatures old. Demons, dragons. Many had shed blood. The forest was darker than normal with it's heavy presence of death lingering.

Within the depths of the forest was a camp. Hunters that took joy in the killing of creatures not like themselves. They were on a raid, killing any being that wasn't human. Their armor was thick and made with the scales of dragons, their weapons made with the teeth of demons. The ranged in ages from little boys to old men. None of them knew any other life but to kill things that weren't human.

Their tents took up the space of almost two miles. For the night they were resting and celebrating their more recent conquest. A dragon. The guardian to the forest who had gone to fight the humans in an attempt to protect the rest of the creatures from their slaughter. She had failed. The large sapphire dragon had been brought down when the men had used poisoned and weapons she had never seen before.

As the men gloat in their victory, only a few men stood watch over the dragon. They had brought with them chains made of the strongest metals, put together by warlocks. With the chains they used them to keep her in place. Her muzzle chained shut and her body pinned down unable to move even an inch. Her blue scales were no longer the color of the night sky, they were dark red, coated in her own blood. Gaping wounds that refused to heal covered her hide. One of her wings had been broken in her fall.

Her eyes were all she could move, and she would watch. Watch as those watching her would change shifts with other men. None of them spoke to her, none even looked at their prize. They kept her alive for the dark purpose of discouraging the rest of the creatures of the forest. Wanting to bring fear to those they would finish hunting at sunrise. The spirit of the forest was broken and Sapphire could feel it as the plants began to die slowly.

Could she get free? Who was it that would lead such men on such a campaign? Before her death, she would get such answers. She needed to.

[gravitron]

Alistair sat nearby, drinking from a flask. He was one of the hunters; a much newer recruit, but seemingly one of them. At least, the hunters thought he was one of them. But he normally only pretended to fight the beings of the forest. There was a reason for this.
He was a vampire, one of the inhabitants of the forest. One day, he had been looking for a creature ripe with blood, hungry, only to find himself surrounded by hunters. He'd done some quick talking, saying he was a human chased into the forest by a vampire. He'd been wandering around ever since, looking for a way out, or at least something with which to defend himself. He considered himself lucky that no hostile creatures had found him. The hunters believed him and asked for his name, and he said it was Roy. They then recruited him, and he'd kept them convinced of his lies. All this time, he'd looked for the opportunity to destroy the camp and free the forest from the humans' grasp.
And now he'd found it. A chained dragon. He just had to figure out how to free it without being caught and discovered- And soon. It was almost time for "Roy's" shift guarding the dragon, and that would be the best time to strike.

[focusedheart]

The dragon had grown weak from the loss of blood and had long since stopped trying to free herself from the chains that held her. Her strength had left her.

Her eyes watched the movements of the new guard that was replacing the current guard. The scent. He smelled of a creature, not a human.

She watched him carefully with as much movement as the chains would allow. It was almost impossible to get a full look at him.

[gravitron]

Alistair gradually made his way closer and closer to the dragon, moving slowly so as not to be noticed by the hunters. Eventually, he had made it within whispering distance.
"I'm going to get you out of this," he whispered to her. "I'm a vampire, my name's Alistair. The people here know me as a human by the name of Roy, though. They think I'm on their side. I had to pretend to be a mortal to survive. But they have to be stopped. I've been looking for a way. And I think you can help. You're a guardian of this forest, right? You'd want to protect its inhabitants?"

[focusedheart]

As the guard got closer she was able to catch his scent. His words only confirmed what her sense of smell had. A vampire. Such creatures had taken to the villages and cities where food was plenty for them. It had been a long time since she had seen one in her forest.

Her eyes flicker slightly and she gave a nod to him. Her voice when spoken was smooth and soft as a fall breeze but held harsh power to it. "I am in horrible shape but I will defend this forest and it's creatures with my life."

[gravitron]

"Good. These humans always think they're better than us, that we don't deserve life. They'll regret that. If we're gonna stop them, we'll have to free you from those chains. I can get the keys, but I'll need a distraction. Any ideas?"

[focusedheart]

Her eyes look around a little, then says "I can draw them to me. I don't have much strength left but I can still cause a a flame." She looks to a small tent that had been placed by her. "It will burn quickly but it will draw them out long enough and should give you enough time."

[gravitron]

"Good. I want you to give me a minute to get in position once my shift ends, then do it. I'll free you quickly, before they can make sense of things."

[focusedheart]

She regards him carefully. "Alright, be careful." She says and closes her eyes a moment. It would take a lot of her strength for this but it was possible.

Opening her eyes ,she looks around carefully, waiting.

[gravitron]

Alistair distanced himself from her again until being replaced by another man and heading off towards a tent in the distance. Within the minute, he was hiding nearby and nodded to Sapphire. It was time.

[focusedheart]

Getting the signal from him, she managed to try and move in the chains. It was enough that she was able to get her mouth to part enough to allow the flames to rush forward.

The tent closest to her instantly caught fire and began to burn quickly. She growls and tried to thrash around in the chains as the guard panicked. Several more men came running, trying to put the flames out as others dug spears into her scales to force her to stop her struggling.

A sound of pain left her before after a moment she stopped moving. The flames had destroyed the tent and had gone out.

[gravitron]

In the chaos, Alistair had been able to disappear into the tent he had hidden by and now slipped out again unnoticed. He approached Sapphire, offered the guard to take over him.
"Thanks, Roy," agreed the guard. "It chose a bad time to act up. You need a favor, talk to me."
The guard, among almost everyone, disappeared to the tents. Those who remained outside worked on the tent. Alistair and Sapphire had a moment, but no longer. He hurried to start freeing her.

[focusedheart]

As the weight of the chains were released from her body, she started to move. As soon as all the chains were off, she rose to her full height. Blood had soaked the ground were she had laid and it still came off her body.

With a rumbling growl she looks to the vampire. "Take to the forest. I shall burn this camp to the ground." She roars and let her flames go, taking out the closest tents first.

[gravitron]

He started to argue, then hesitated. "As you wish. I'll be nearby if you need help. I needed the feed anyway."
He ran off into the forest, taking a human with him to drain of blood.

[focusedheart]

Her eyes seemed to shine as she moved through the camp. Her fire burning through everything as she let it rush forward from her mouth. Her tail swiping and taking out men who were rushing forward in an attempt to stop her.

[gravitron]

Alistair threw down the man's bloodless corpse, then started back when he heard a rustling. Nearly ten armed humans faced him.
"Well, Roy," one said. "It seems we were wrong about you. You'll pay for this treachery, I promise."

[focusedheart]

Sapphire had managed to destroy a good chunk of the camp before the humans got close. They threw chains with hooks to her back, hoping to tie her down again.

With a resounding roar, she thrashed and knocked her tail threw the group. As they fell, she stretched her wings out, letting the gust from one flap tear through the remaining tents.

Turning she took off in the direction the vampire had gone.

Her eyes narrow as she drew close to where his scent was. Growling low in her throat.

[gravitron]

Alistair rushed them, snapping one's neck and grabbing another. He thrusted the person in front of him as a human shield.
One of the remaining men shot at Alistair, who protected himself with his victim's head.

[focusedheart]

She had reached him just as the last man shot. Moving quickly she leaped forward. Her mouth closing on the man and swallowing him whole.

She trembles slightly then shakes her head. The taste of men was never appealing to her. She turns her eyes to the vampire. "Are you alright?"

[gravitron]

"Yeah, fine. They didn't get me, though not so much for lack of trying as for lack of skill. And you? Are all the men dead?"

[focusedheart]

She nods her massive head and motions for him to follow her as she starts to head into the forest. "All were slain though some cowards flees. The forest with take care of them on its own."

She sighs and glances to her wounded body. "I must rest. Their weapons are nothing like I've seen before. "

[gravitron]

"Yes. These stupid humans progress their warfare quickly forward as the years go on, to attack us and to fight amongst themselves. They are a violent people, that's for sure. They would be better off all dead, unable to harm the world or its other inhabitants -namely us- further. I hope to see that day, eventually."

[focusedheart]

The dragon seemed to smile a bit but shakes her head. "As much as I distaste their kind, killing all of them would never help this world. There are a few who deserve to live. Not many but a few."

They had reached a large lake and slowly she walked into its debts. The water darkened with her blood before it seemed to lighten and glow softly. "This water in this lake has many good qualities to it and will heal almost anything."

[gravitron]

"Water? No. I need some good old-fashioned blood. Haven't had much as of late. And as to the humans- Maybe a few are bearable. One or two might even be good. But, are they worth keeping the race alive? Do their voices ring over those of the crowds? No. The race causes more harm than good, I tell you, and they're getting worse as time goes on. I even have a few friends who have gone into hiding, and several more who were killed by the humans. Humanity is a plague to this world, and I believe we can be the cure."

[focusedheart]

She sinks low into the water so only her head was above it. "You must remember though, your kind comes from those humans. You yourself once was such a creature." She shakes her body a little beneath the water.

"Do not let hate flood you. It can block you from many things. "

[gravitron]

"Yes, I was human once. I was just like the rest, filled with disdain and hatred for anything not like me, human in every way, with all their flaws. Five centuries ago, that is. Not long before they started the Salem Witch Trials. I have learned much since the 1600s, though, unlike humanity. Vampirisym was a gift. Yet they view it as a curse. Humans fear what they don't understand, that has always been their way. And the root of their problem."

[focusedheart]

A heavy sigh leaves her as she slowly walks from the water. Her wounds were not all healed but they were in better shape than before. The bleeding had stopped.

Moving to the edge of the lake she lays down. "It is their nature as you say. Fear does many things to any and all." She seems to smile to him.

She nods in the direction of the burnt camp. "There should still be some there for you to fees from."

[gravitron]

He looked her in in the eyes. "Yes, I'll take them. But I promise, when I'm done, I'll get the rest. I will destroy humanity, starting with the worst and the most corrupt."

[focusedheart]

She lifts her head and gazed at him quietly before she nods softly. "Then I recommend you set some morals for yourself. Leave children alone...they are the only truly innocent ones of this world." She stretches a little then relaxes. She could feel the forest stirring, the creatures were aware of her condition.

[gravitron]

"Alright, alright. Seems fair; I've never had a kid try to kill me before. But I'll keep an eye on them- When they grow up, they could lose their innocence like so many others. Not that the humans would care if we're young, but I suppose I might as well show that we, at least, are merciful. Any more helpful advice?"