The Gathering

[drake]

This is where we part ways, Drake. On your journey you will be tested many times and undergo many trials and tribulations. Stay true to yourself and you will always know which path to take.

Drake happily walked down the dirt path, taking a deep breath of morning air. He couldn't help but to smile upon smelling the musty air of the rainforest floor. Dead leaves, moss, lichen and dirt made such a beautiful combination, and composed Drake's favorite scent. When the half-angel first returned from heaven, he found himself in fertile farmland under the moonlit sky. Now he joyfully trekked through the forest. What wasn't to love about Dheathain?

He came to a cross section in the roads and stopped for a moment to look around. Vines casually hung down from the canopy ceiling, about halfway to the forest floor. Colorful birds fluttered from limb to limb overhead while monkeys swung amongst the vines. Baby trees sprouted amongst the vegetation on the ground, while bright green little plants grew knee high. Colossal ferns, too large to support their own weight, leaned over to the side, some against trees and some into the path.

The young angel closed his eyes and spread out his arms, peacefully breathing as he imagined himself taking off and bursting through the treetops and into the sunny sky. Drake couldn't wait to learn how to use his wings.

"Do not move, or we will kill you." A voice hissed behind him. Drake kept his eyes closed, humoring the aggressors for a moment.

"Sir, what should we do with him? He is just a boy." The soft draconic voice came, now from in front.

Drake opened his eyes and saw a green, scaly man with yellow eyes and black slits for pupils. He bared his teeth, revealing sharp canines and a forked tongue.

"We treat him no differently," A harsher, sharper voice said. "He is trespassing, and unwelcome here." A taller humanoid with red scales clad in a leather cuirass stepped into view. He sported a long two handed sword across his back and had long, sharp claws on the end of each finger. "Why are you trespassing in Drakari territory, human?"

"I'm just passing through," Drake said, "I'm sorry. I didn't know I was unwelcome."

"Wrong answer," The red scaled figure hissed.

Figures jumped out from the vegetation- at least six of them- all coming at him from different directions. Stepping left and preemptively crouching down, Drake exploded into a blue scaley figure. He shoulder checked the humanoid and bashed him under the chin with a forearm, sending him to the ground. All Drake needed was enough time to escape...

Shifting his focus to the yellow scaled Drakari from the right, Drake knocked the wind out of him with a powerful sidekick to the stomach. As the figure doubled over, Drake took off running down the path. He made it no more than ten yards before a Blue Scaled Drakari tackled him to the ground. Five of them all pounced at once.

"Hold his arms and legs!" One of them shouted. Drake began to kick and squirm to no avail.

"Let him breathe," the leader said as he approached the half-angel.. "Now, give me one reason why I should let you live."

"I do not negotiate with the likes of Evil," Drake said, and spat on the ground.

The drakari's face contorted in rage and he punched Drake in the face. He then drew his long claw down the side of Drake's face, leaving a deep cut.

"I'm going to beat you to a bloody mass, and then I'm going to cut off your head," The enraged Drakari hissed, "Then I will take your body to our shaman to incinerate with his breath."

Drake simply smirked, and began to hum a simple hymn that he learned in heaven. He continued humming as the entire band began a massive beating on the young angel.