' This ... this ... this can't be , this is Alhan's energy , this is the energy I taught him to channel , how did it reach me ? D... don't tell me he came searching for me from Elentos... this power feels very far away , he could have just arrived at the forgotten continent , if that's the case then Lance and Gilyu are probably with him . Dammit ! On the chance that they are here I have to make a choice , do I go back and reunite with them or do I plough on and reach the portal . ' Rogue's options conflicted , either way he will never know if he made the right decision .
' If I continue and actually find a way to go through this portal , I might never see them again l will have to live with that for my entire life , that is if I can even get through , there is a good chance it might kill me. But on the off chance I try to reunite with them , they may not even be here , maybe Alhan has unlocked a large amount of amount of energy somewhere else and it's essence has just reached me now . There are too many possibilities . Each option has the potential to change my life forever but I have only known Alhan less than a year and I was never to fond of the lightning brothers so would I really risk losing the key to my true identity for them ? ' He pondered after deeply contemplating his choices .
He suddenly heard a screech from near by , a gust of wind swept over the trees and winged shadow followed , whatever this was it was huge , much larger than the tiger Alhan had fought previously and even larger than Blaze , the magma monster Alhan and Rogue had both fought a long time ago .
The creature flapped it's wings and landed beside Rogue , it was a large charcoal black and bloody red dragon , it's eyes were like the hottest flames of fire country , it's scales were so strong and firm they could slice a mountain in half and it's tail was so long and muscular it looked like it could wipe away portions of forests with minimal swings . The beast looked Rogue in the eye and it was at that moment Rogue knew who he was facing off with .
' You ... you are Ryu ! Exclaimed Rogue , ' Alhan told me about you , he... he told me that he won you as a prize in a tournament long ago , he told me you stuck by his side until he entered lightning country , after that you just up and disappeared , he was devastated . ' Rogue told the large towering creature . ' You are Alhan's dragon , I know it , although I have never seen a dragon before I just know that you are one ! ' Rogue announced in amazement .
The creature that stood before Rogue was indeed a dragon and that dragon was indeed Ryu , Alhan's dragon . Ryu began to start flapping his wings again , the gusts of wind this created made dust swirl around . Ryu let out a vicious loud roar , the vibration of the sound knocked Rogue off his feet and blew him into a tree trunk behind him .
' W...w...why are you here , did Alhan send you , is this where you have been living ? ' Questioned Rogue even though Ryu could not speak . Ryu groaned as if he was annoyed at Rogue's inability to understand that he could not speak . Ryu then began to trudge toward Rogue , ' Ehh , um , what are you doing ? ' Nervously pondered Rogue as Ryu got closer and closer until he stopped and exposed his long plated back to Rogue .
' So you want me to ride you . ' Concluded Rogue as he smiled and raised his right eye brow . Ryu purred in comfort as he positioned himself so that his back was easier for Rogue to climb on . Rogue slowly and cautiously treaded toward Ryu , ' Easy now . ' Rogue reassured him , he gently touched his cold rough leathery scales , next he put one leg up and then the other followed , he was now successfully sitting on Ryu's back . ' There that wasn't so hard was- ' Rogue tried to say moments before Ryu swiftly ascended to above the trees , his wings flourished in the open air because they had space to stretch out . ' Ahhhhh ! ' Rogue screamed in terror as he clung to one of Ryu's plates , he was holding on for dear life and trying not to look down , his eyes finally led him a stray and stared straight down at the forest beneath them . ' We are like six hundred metres in the air Ryu ! ' Bellowed Rogue in an insanely fearful state .
If you didn't already know , Rogue has a crippling fear of heights , you'd wander why since he had grown wings to save himself once before , the answer is slightly complicated , Rogue didn't have parents , growing up he didn't have any other relatives or an education so he never properly learned about what the sky was , being this high brought out an inner fear that he had never experienced before .
Ryu started descending again , quickly too . He dived like a falcon and Rogue was about to pass out from the adrenaline , they got so low again that Ryu swept the trees with his wings and skimmed the water of the river that Alhan had illuminated . It was at this moment that Ryu realised that the energy Alhan had transmitted into the river was different , this sent Ryu mad , he started violently thrashing in the air , it was a miracle Rogue hadn't been tossed off yet . In another sudden burst Ryu ascended once again but this time he was going much faster and much more vertical . He reached cloud level and started to look for where the river Alhan had illuminated started from . Ryu then started following the river back the way Rogue had been travelling , the same direction in which Alhan had actually performed the energy manipulation .
' NOOO Dammit ! ' Rogue guldered in a fit of rage because they were going the opposite direction in which Rogue believed the portal to be in .
Ryu had picked up some wind under his wings and was going at a fast pace but once again he suddenly stopped dead in the air , not losing altitude or even falling at all . Rogue didn't know why , could it be that Ryu actually listened to him ? Never the less this gave Rogue time to stop howling in fear and actually appreciate what was beneath him . He gazed and saw the luscious jungle under the dusk setting sun . He could see for at least one hundred miles , he saw everything , large volcanoes and mountains , many many trees and countless rivers and small creeks filled with Alhan's serpent energy . Rogue suddenly felt comfortable with the height he was at and with the fact that they were going toward Alhan and not the portal .
Ryu started flying again but not forward , he dynamically turned as a roar of thunder belched and lightning struck , a tropical storm befell them and Ryu started flying back toward Rogue's original direction , toward the portal ...