Rise like the Phoenix

A/N Well here it is Demodius' new life, what will he do and what things will he accomplish with his new start? Well that you'll have to wait for but now feel free to read the first chapter. As for everyone who has followed along this story will be hopefully short so I can get back on track.

Chapter 1

Demodius had been wandering for almost two weeks and by now had finally left the burned lands for good. He was exhausted, he barely rested and when he did it was because his body forced him to by passing out. He kept himself fed on a diet of squirrels and other small animals and also found some much needed water when he found the forest.

Every day he would motivate himself to walk on only by his new dream of living an honest life and was ready to stop as soon as he found some town or something. He looked back and thought about all the lives he killed or made move from their homes and sighed. He didn't think long about this knowing how to deal with remorse and guilt from years of serving Malefor and continued his journey.

Surprisingly enough when he entered the forest it got hotter than the burned land, the trees made it harder for heat to escape through the canopy making a self contained heated area and he felt dehydrated again. He stopped to catch his breath and panted like a dog. "Damn it it's hot" He sucked up saliva back into his mouth and started to sway feeling dizzy. He could feel himself about to pass out and the light from the sun started to shine through the tree tops more and he squinted pulling his paw up to his eyes. "I got to… stay awake" he said out loud.

He took a deep breath to slow his heart and blinked several times to focus. It started to work and the light dimmed and he sighed in relief, after a few moments he went off again at a slower pace to avoid passing out. It was almost at the end of the day so he sighed knowing he could sleep a bit. He found a place to lie down and lowered his head as another day that had dragged by ended.

In the morning he awoke to voices, not directly where he was but off in the distance. He jumped up from his sleep instinctively and looked towards where the voices were coming from. Eventually he found an earth and fire dragon that looked like they were out hunting, they seemed calm and talked leisurely to each other as they walked down the trail and Demodius followed.

After a bit of eavesdropping one said "So I guess we should head back to the town, don't want to be attacked" Demodius became more interested at the mention of a town and followed them back. After half an hour of following he could see up ahead there was a wooden fence, not one for defense just one to be a general boundary line. The dragons entered the town and he started to scout around the area, the town was fairly big which surprised him and he eventually saw a sign saying the town's name "Portum"

Demodius said "Weird name but ok" He turned invisible and moved towards the town making sure that the place might be a safe place to live. Everyone was happy and he was a small market and moved over to a clothing stall. He found a cape with a hood that was black and took it since he didn't have any money then ran to get away from the town again. He put it on so all of his face except for the end of his snout was cover and most of his body; he needed this walk around in case someone recognized him so the cape all his menacing parts except for his tail.

He walked into the town hoping not to draw attention to himself so he could scout out the town and easily found an inn which had a tavern on the ground floor. He got a better look at the market and continued on seeing small houses all around. He saw a market and a mill and made sure to come back knowing he'd need a job. He kept thinking about a job sitting near a fence and thought maybe he could work at the tavern too or maybe on a farm, he knew that they couldn't be living with only some kind of farm.

He scoped out most of the town and was about to walk away out of the town get some food when he heard someone say "Hey you" Demodius tensed up ready for anything in case he recognized him and turned to see a large muscular dragon around his age, the dragon was obviously a male from his deep voice. The dragon was dark green all over his body except his chest, wing membrane and the end of his tail which was a large menacing rock mace with spikes around the ball. His horns were curved to look like a ram. All around he looked like a smaller version of Terrador except his green was a bit darker then his and his snout wasn't as rounded at the top and inward facing spike was right above his nose.

Demodius said "Ya, what do you want?" The dragon seemed like he wasn't trying to be hostile and Demodius lowered his guard and the green dragon said "Just wanted to ask who you were, haven't seen you around here?" Demodius thought over his options but knew this place was too small to say a fib and said "I just came across the town and decided to stay a bit" from behind the shadow covering his face he had a totally straight face and this dragon could only see halfway down his snout and his black eyes.

The dragon smiled friendly "Well then may I suggest living in the Portum inn for your stay" Demodius sighed and said the one thing he had totally forgotten about "I don't have any money" he lowered his head while he said this and the dragon said "Oh, then what will you do for shelter?" Demodius shrugged and said "I can live in the wilderness until I have some money I've been doing it for the last few days anyway" He really wanted to get away from the dragon but he said "No you need a place to stay luckily for you I can get you a job and a bed"

Demodius looked at him and said "Why would you help me, I'm just a random guy who strolled in five minutes ago?" The dragon said "We've been getting people lately from some disaster of an army that destroyed their homes and we've learned to help people a bit more often" he smiled friendly. Demodius said "Ok so what do you have in mind?" The dragon said "Well I could talk to my watch commander and get him to give you a watch position during the night, as for the room I got a spare bed in the inn" he offered.

Demodius thought and shrugged and said "Go ahead, thanks" The dragon smiled and said "By the way, my name is Torque" Demodius shook his paw and risked using his real name "Demodius" Torque gave him a suspicious look and said "Weird name but ok, I'll show you where you'll be living" Demodius followed not lowering his hood.

They ended up going to the inn and he followed Torque to the next floor and he entered a room at the far end of the hall, inside was a fairly basic room and had two beds. One half of the room was decorated for his taste and had a poster of a hot earth dragoness on the ceiling and he said "Miss Earth of last year" he blushed totally forgetting about that. Demodius said "No problem we all got tastes"

Torque nodded and said "Well that's your bed so feel free to do whatever unless it's damaging the room" Demodius tested the bed and said "Ya sure, now as for the job?" Torque said "Just wait and I'll go ask him I'll find you later. So get comfortable and I'll be back" He left and Demodius took the cloak off and started searching around his half of the room just in case there was something odd about him but he found nothing and took a quick sigh of relief and looked at the other pictures around the room.

He saw Torque and he was with an almost completely white dragoness with him and he had his wing draped over her. "Must be his girlfriend… but then how does he get away with the poster up there?" and realized it might have been someone he wanted to have as a girlfriend or was a good friend. He shrugged and walked back sneaking a glance at the poster and thought "He's got good taste though"

He took a much needed rest after that only to be woken about half an hour to "Hey man wake up" Demodius snorted awake and said "Uhhh what?" Torque smiled "Nice to see you're at least getting comfortable but I got some news" Demodius got out groaning and Torque gasped and said "Do your body is like, a killing machine" Demodius said "Ya don't mention it, anyway what's the news?"

Torque said "Well I talked to the watch commander and he said that you could help but you'll have to be stuck with me since apparently 'you're my problem" Demodius chuckled and said "That's fine, as long as I get some money besides I should probably be paying you back for letting me stay here" He expected that the only reason left for letting him stay was so he could get a bit more money off someone when he said "No don't worry about it as you said you're passing through so it won't be a problem"

Demodius smiled to the kind dragon in thanks and looked to the pictures on his side of the room again and asked "Who's that, someone you like"? He said meaning the white and black dragoness Torque surprisingly made a grossed out face and said "Her no, she's my sister that's gross" Demodius chuckled and said "So where is she, don't you live together?"

Torque said "No she gets her own room since she works at the tavern downstairs" Demodius asked "She works here, bet you get discounts for the room then?" Torque said smirking "Officially no but actually yes, but keep that one between you and me" Demodius smirked and said "Nice, what's her name anyway?" Torque smiled to him and said "Awan, why?" Demodius said truthfully "No reason just wanted to know when I inevitably meet her"

Torque eyed him with suspicion but shrugged and said "Well I guess we can head downstairs and grab a drink if you want?" Demodius looked at him and said "Umm you're already housing me you don't need to feed me" Torque chuckled and shook his head "Don't worry I got plenty of money because of my 'discount' and I don't know what to do with it"

Demodius shrugged not really caring and feeling thirsty anyway and threw on his cloak then followed him downstairs. On the way Torque asked "Why are you wearing the cloak?" Demodius lied "I'm a shadow dragon I don't like the light so this cloak helps a bit" Torque shrugged the rest of the way downstairs. When they got there the tavern was pretty deserted except for the odd dragon or cheetah that was with a friend enjoying a drink.

Demodius sat down across from Torque and while they waited he asked "So Demodius, where you from?" Demodius didn't know how to respond since his home would blow his cover and said "Umm I haven't had a real home before, my family were more wild then tamed but I adapted to both lives when I need to" Torque raised an eyebrow and said "Well that explains why you're just passing through"

Demodius nodded even though he kinda wanted to stay here, he was done with constantly moving and was sure he'd be here longer then Toque expected and said "Ya, you from here?" Torque smiled and said "Well not originally I lived back at Warfang but as soon as Awan and I were able to we left and found Portum and thought it would a nice place to stop and live" Demodius suddenly asked "So are you the same age or no?" the green dragon smiled "No she's my older sister by one year"

Demodius nodded when suddenly he noticed someone beside the table and looked over to see Awan standing beside them with a friendly smile. Now that he could see her instead of just a picture he could see she was completely white except her chest and the end of her tail, her eyes were pale white. Her wings were also completely pale white and her horns were ivory white. He looked at her body and saw she was very curvy and almost got caught staring when she said "Hey Torque, who's the new guy?" she was using a Boston like accent until Torque said "Funny, but this is Demodius he just arrived today and needed a place to stay"

She turned and said in her normal voice "Well nice to meet you I'm Awan Torques brother and also your waitress, what may I get you?" Demodius smiled and only asked for a beer so as not to use too much of Torques money and Torque ordered the same. She smiled and walked off saying she'd be back in a minute.

Torque said "So you like her?" Demodius gave him a look and said "What?" He chuckled and said "Just messing with you I just meant do you at least not hate her?" Demodius mentally sighed "Oh, ya she's fine I guess" Toque nodded as she came back and placed them down and asked "Will that be all?" Torque said "Thanks sis, that'll be fine" Demodius also nodded and she cheerfully walked away. The two drank without talking about anything important and they finished.

Torque got them another round and Demodius said "You don't have to do that" but Torque said "Come on your gonna pass up free alcohol? Come one more" This continued for another three times until Torque said "Alright, that's enough, we have to be sober for the watch tonight" Demodius nodded even though it wasn't enough to make a dragon really start to wobble and when Awan came to check on them Torque said "So, we're good sis" he payed and Demodius walked upstairs with Toque and laid down to rest it off for the night.

Ok so that's the first chapter of this story, I feel this will be a bit fun from what I've got in mind, I'd like to quickly thank Native Avenger for allowing me to use Awan and also helping me with another character that I'll mention later.

Admiralkirk