Fantasy Broken Balance

[Klader]

Gathrea shook his head at Starfall. "Unsure. Until recently, dragons have not come to my home. A question we drakes are trying to understand."
He then decided to add some humour. A bit of light in this dark time could be of use. "Perhaps our undying zealous loyalty to the Great Ones got to them. Some of us tend to get a little too comfortable around dragons."
I like this one. He's like a younger Fenris.

---

Sabato eyed Starfall with a stone-cold face. Letting him know he isn't one to be toyed with. The last thing the kitsune needs is to be annoyed by a dragon with constant jokes.

"From what Elijah has taught me. The Dragon spirit can quickly form attachments to its host. Even if it is absent. It has a way of leaving a strong influence. Valadir may be drawn to it. We must be vigilant when speaking with him. I believe Elijah called it dragon sickness." Sabato spoke further with Blade on how to proceed with Valadir. They have a very delicate case in their hands.

On the way to the sleeping gold dragoness, Sabato's worst fears came to light. Starfall is indeed filled with jokes. The dark kitsune's ears flattened, expressing his distaste.
"I'll take that as a compliment." A serious voice from him. Clearly not amused by his joke.
He didn't give the dragon anything else. Perhaps he will drop the jokes if he ignores the lizard long enough. Hopefully.

Sabato stood several paces away from Starfall in case he needed to get physical. He'd rather not be in the way.

---

"Grab her chains!" A booming voice interrupted her sleep. The white dragon's eyes snapped open. She focused on the entrance of her cell, from behind the black iron bars. A fat human with a menacing grin stared right at her. The torturer. Every time she hears his voice. Something bad happens. Six guards in black armour around him. One of them started to open the door.

The white dragon roared as best she could with the muzzle guard, restraining her from even opening her jaws. She got to her feet. Her wings are strapped against her back. A rough metal collar with a chain around her neck. Metal bracelets around each of her feet also connect to a chain, locked against the stone walls. This prevents her from taking a couple of steps in each direction. Years of wearing them have caused constant bleeding and bruising.

As soon as the door opened, she took a few steps. Everything in her body is telling her to run. There is nowhere to go under the city of Diabmoure. No one knows where she is. No one has come to save her. The guards rushed in with swords and whips, shouting at the top of their lungs. She heard the frightening crack of the whip, then pain across her neck. She whimpered and curled up to protect herself. Another crack. Instant pain in her thigh. They started unlocking the chains from the walls. With the combined might, they dragged her out of the cell.

---

The gold and white dragon flinched as soon as Blade made contact.
"No! Please, not another one! Leave me alone." She pleaded with Blade.

The dragoness snapped her eyes open, hyperventilating. She jumped to her feet. Swivilled her head left and right. Big dragons are around her, and a small fluffy creature looks like Ganjiro. Her eyes widened as soon as she saw the kitsune.
"No. I don't want to go back!" Her voice was in distress.

She took a few steps back before crouching and covering herself with her gold feathered wings. Not wanting to look into the eyes of her persecutors.
"Please... leave me alone."

Sabato felt pity for the dragoness. This one has been through some shit.
"I will leave this one to you, gentleman. I suspect she does not like me."
The kitsune walked away.

---

"You're always thinking about something. Maybe she's telling you to stop." Jura sarcastically said back to Ashe. However, there is some truth. Ashe does tend to overthink. To be fair, she has a lot on her mind.

She nodded at Ashe, giving her approval to go with Valadir. She will be here if anything happens.

"Hello Cel. Good to see you." She opened with a greeting. First time seeing her in months.
"With Starfall with you, I'm sure your bags only contain food. Can you do me a favour and keep an eye on Valadir. I don't particularly trust him."

 

[CreareunderCreare]

Ashe raised an eyebrow at Valadir’s hesitation. He dodged my question, are we? she mused, finishing with the clean bandages on her thighs. “So, you’re a mage then?” she pressed, her tone casual but with a hint of challenge. “Having an affinity with mana and wielding it is nothing to be ashamed of.”

She glanced up, catching Valadir’s gaze. When we first met, all I saw was nothing but hostility, she recalled. Now, I see something more: a familial loyalty, grief... and perhaps, she speculated, an anger, it is buried but potent.

A snide comment from the dragon drew her gaze to Sabato, who stood nearby, solemnly engaged in conversation, the white fox perched on his shoulder. The kitsune remains an enigma, even to me, she considered, before returning her attention to Valadir. But one thing is clear – there is tension simmering within our group. It seems there is animosity amongst the group.

She replied with a slight smile at his remark, “Yes, I did appreciate the jewellery. So, how did you find Rhinehart’s lands?” Ashe’s eyes softened, recalling the bustling marketplaces of the West. The territory, though without a coast, was renowned across Eraylia. One day, I’ll see those vibrant days return, she vowed quietly.

She sobered, letting the memories fade. “But tell me, how does an experienced merchant like you end up caught in a continental war, and allied with its most powerful leaders, no less?”

 

[Friendly_Dragon]

"Damn it..." Starfall uttered. No way of knowing why his and Cellie's parents didn't say a word. He relayed everything to his dear sister. She didn't utter a word. She's processing it.

Oh. These people and his race do that thing together?
"Didn't see that coming. You all better leave my dear sister alone in that field. Or else" He firmly said.

"But well, dad had some really good hearing. I've inherited it"

Starfall smiled at Sabato's reactions of his jokes. Tough public. For that, he already likes him. In him, he sees a challenge. The little hairy guy will laugh. That's one of his objectives in this trip. No one can resist a good joke. Besides, he looks grumpy and in use of something to laugh at.

Starfall sat when the dragoness he recently beat came to her senses, just so he puts himself in a more vulnerable position and thus looks less intimidatie feels bad for her. Blade is slightly behind him. He's seen her... dream. Or rather, her memory. He feels bad for her. She's suffered. To an extent they share some of it. Both at Diabmoure but with a different trait. They have been slaves, but both have been submitted to a different kind of slavery.

"Young one, we mean to provide you with aid" The white dragon told the dragoness as she pleaded him to go away.

"I have gone through her mind in order to awaken her. She has been enslaved. She is in need of freedom and safety" He told Starfall.

"Lines up with what he said before passing out. Good thing we crossed paths. I love taking down slavery rings and overall criminals" Starfall sound half serious and half jokeful.

"I sense your social skills are greater than mine. This and your profession grant you greater capabilities for dealing with this matter. Hence, we'll obtain greater results if you communicate with her compared to me"

"Me having to make contact with an unknown person? Where have I seen that before?" He briefly joked. Then he went serious. "I hope you have my back if things get ugly"

"Take it for granted"

"We want to take you to safety. We can't do that if we leave you alone" Starfall said with an easy gentle voice. "Somewhere the little fox can't reach"

He briefly debated getting a bit closer to her but decided not to given she's on the defensive.

"I'm Starfall. What's your name?" He asked in the same gentle tonem

---

"Good to see you too. You been missed" Celestina matched Jura's greet. "As for our packs, not really..." She casually said after Jura's implications on the contents of their bags. "Meds and survival basics too. Tools. Surely you can see the sleeping pelt. It's just the usual mission kit. Oh and by the way, i'm keeping watch and he's sleeping after we reach a safe spot"

"You don't trust him, do you? But he's such a hotty..." Celestina told her former boss.

---

"I don't know what you are trying to imply" Valadir chose to dodge the question thrown at him. Evident he isn't comfortable talking about it. He briefly stared at where Ashley was when she turned her head, reminding himself that he has to ask about what happened to Crystal and see if the plan of burying dad is still going.

"It was a nice place. I could tell the effort put into it" He voiced his opinion about Rhineharts' place. "After all of this is over I'd love to return and see how much has changed. Bet it looks better than last time"

Crap. What's with this girl and her questions? For some reason she loves doing the kind of questions he doesn't want to openly talk about. Specially since he doesn't know where she stands in this yet.

"Survival needs. It was that or dying. Surely you know the benefits of having friends in the right places" Hopelly he doesn't ask too much.