Dragon Binder: Book One of the Dragonblood Priestess Series (First Draft)

Chapter 29: Cost of Battle

The trio moved quickly following the stranger as they weaved in and out of the trees.  Now that the fighting was over the falling mist reminded them how tired and wet they really were.  Regardless the group pushed on trying to gain as much distance as they could.  

Yina kept glancing worriedly at Tyn as they traveled.  At first it was due to the wounds that he had received, cuts covered most of his body.  They seemed to be shallow cuts but still quite a few of them.  The more she watched him the more she noticed how his eyes were glazed over, occasionally he would glance at his hands shuddering.  Tyn's clothes still had quite a bit of blood on them even with the mist causing it to slowly run down his body.  

The group continued this pace for roughly a hour before Yina moved up next to the stranger and grabbed his shoulder causing him to stop.  Tyn still in a daze stopped at the same time, more out of instincts then actual conscious thought.  "We need to rest."  She demanded.  

"We really should keep moving."  He stated turning to look at the two of them.  Sighing he nodded his head seeing just how ragged the two were looking, especially the non bound young man.  Scanning the forest he spotted a nice tree that was large enough to shelter them from most of the mist.  

As soon as they got into the shelter Yina pulled out a canteen and rushed over to Tyn trying to get him to come back.  Handing the canteen to him he lethargically lifted it to his lips and took a few shallow gulps of it.  "You alright Tyn?"  Yina asked placing her hand on his knee.  The young man just continued to stare into the ground.  

Giving up, Yina stalked back over to the stranger, who still had Tyn's sword and what looked to be a copy of it in his hands.  "Not worried about those draining your magic?"  Yina asked eyeing them remembering the pain of being stabbed by one.  

"Not really, my magic is not very offensive so if I am low it is not that big of a deal."  Near the end of his statement he stabbed the two blades into the soggy ground.  

"What exactly is your magic?"  Yina asked she had been to busy trying not to die in her fight to really know much of what happened with the other fight.  

The stranger sighed looking at her, "Normally I keep it a secret, but he did see me use it.  I figure once he gets over his shock he will tell you anyways."  Pushing himself back to his feet he strolled over to Tyn and removed his scabbard from his belt.  Tyn did not react to this just allowing the man to remove it.  

"My magic is quite unique."  The stranger muttered as he held the scabbard in both hands a red mist erupting from his hands coating the object.  Taking a deep breath he pulled both hands apart with only a little resistance before a small pop rang out.  Instead of one scabbard he now held one in each hand completely identical in every way.  

"Wow, that is amazing.  You can just make copies of things, why don't you make a few hundred of those and sell them having more money then you could ever need?"  Yina stated her eyes wide with excitement.  

"No, I can only copy a single item once.  After that both the source item and the copied item are nt longer able to be effected by my magic.  Regardless it is a good way to stay well off financially.  Any reward I get is always doubled, which is nice."  As The stranger spoke he slipped the blades into their own scabbards and set them gently against a nearby root.  

"Then why be a mercenary if you can duplicate things?"  Yina asked eyeing him with a bit more apprehension.  

"I prefer moving from place to place.  Not to mention a lot of people and places are not fond of a Bound who does not have a country that they are aligned to.  We are quite dangerous if left unchecked after all."  

"Then why did you accept my grandmothers request.  I am sure this is a more dangerous task then most others?"  She was still confused why someone as clearly skilled as he was would do such a task.  

Chuckling he stood up and wiped his hair back from his face the water for the mist keeping it in place.  "Your grandmother knows a few of my secrets that I do not wish to be known."  

Before he could even continue farther Yina cut in.  "So she is blackmailing you, I did not realize that me and her had so much in common."  Her lips twisted into a sly smile as she thought about that.  He must have some serious secrets to be forced into fighting the Raptors essentially alone.  

"Pretty much, but it is fine, she pays really well."  The stranger stated stretching out his arm muscles staring at Tyn a slight worried look on his face.  

"What happened in your fight to cause Tyn to go into shock?"  Yina asked turning to stare at her best friend.  He had gone through so much in his life, she could not even fathom what would have caused him to go into shock like this.  

A long pause fell across them the only sound was of mist hitting leaves above them.  "He put my halberd half way through a mans body.  I doubt he has ever killed a man before and that takes a toll on the mind."  The strangers eyes went a little distant for just a few moments before snapping back into the moment.  

"So he killed that other bound?"  Yina asked shocked.  All she remembered seeing was a whole bunch of vines wrapping around a person.  

"I am pretty confident that the Bound lived.  The vines would not have encased him in that protective shell if he was dead.  A person's magical powers vanish as soon as they die, we bound are quite resilient especially if our magic can do things like his did."  The stranger muttered.  

Letting this sink in, Yina thought back to the fight and what she remembered.  Facing the man that saved them she remembered a little snippet.  "So you killed and ate the other Raptor's dragon?"  There had been a pause in her fight when that conversation happened.  

Chuckling he smiled to himself.  "No, but if that man thought I had then he would go into rage.  We make more mistakes when we are fueled by emotions, more dangerous yes, but we tend to get sloppy.  I did however kill the dragon, they will need to go back to at least Ardasha to rebound to the dragon."

"Which will give us more time to get to Alary."  She was impressed that this man was this talented in tactics.  Thinking far enough ahead to take out the tracker before engaging with the rest of them.  It reminded her just how unprepared she really was to be out in the real world on her own.  

"What is your name by the way?"  Yina asked blushing a little bit with embarrassment that she had not asked him before now.  Seemed like such a basic thing, her mind had just been on to many other things to really ask.  

With a contemplative look he waited a few moments before responding.  "My name is Lien." 

"He lies, his name is Adar."  Nyssa sent through the telepathic bond.  "His dragon told me so."  

Shaking her head at the man Yina smiled.  "Nice to meet you Adar."  The reaction was priceless as he took a step back his face lined with confusion.  "Your dragon told mine."  She added to explain how she knew it.  

Grumbling he kicked a rock and had a look as if he was sending his own dragon a reprimand.  "I am Yina and that is Tyn.  I figured you knew my name, but he was probably a unknown factor."  She had no idea how much information her father had sent to her grandmother or how much was then given to Adar. 

"Actually, I did know about him as well.  However I figured he would be more useful."  Adar stated, gathering up the swords and strapping them to his waist.  "We should get going, see if you can get him to snap out of his shock."