Fantasy Even Dragons Have Their Ending ||Closed||

[Starlit Night]

Hundreds of years ago, a great Darkness fell over the land, corrupting minds and hearts and spreading evil in its wake. Through the efforts of many great heroes, it was at last vanquished and sealed away forever—or so they thought. But now the meddling of a young witch too proud to admit when he has made a mistake has broken the seal and released the Darkness into the world once more. Already it is spreading, corrupting kings and leaders wherever it goes.

The noble Dragon Riders have already fallen, along with various other kingdoms. And others are sure to follow quickly, if the evil is not stopped.

It has only been about a month, and people are just beginning to notice the changes. Most, however, have no idea what it is that is causing the Riders to start demanding tributes and kings to seclude themselves in their castles and refuse to see their people.

This is the state of the world, as our story begins.

Posting Order
Canth (Co-creator)
Christy (Co-creator)
Rey
Miko
Quad
​

 

[Starlit Night]

(Please note: This reply is being re-posted on behalf of Canth , with her permission.)​

Sasha Ivanovich was a large man of strong build. His shaved head, piercing blue eyes, and stoic nature meant most people stayed out of his way. His accent was thick, his voice deep, and he spoke only when he felt it necessary. He lived at the edge of town, keeping to himself except for on Sundays when he went into town for his weekly errands. He had finished early this morning, only needing a few things, and found himself suddenly hungry. He passed through the large bustling crowd of the street market, a thick wooden cane in his right fist, and came upon The Broken Home. It was a small Inn and Tavern owned by the good Mr. Arthur Brown. He was a respectable family man, father to three beautiful daughters, husband to the late Eliza Brown who was taken by pneumonia two years ago. He kept a clean and orderly inn and was friend to nearly everyone in town.

Sasha sat in his usual spot and caught Arthur's eye. The tavern owner nodded and sent his youngest daughter, Elizabeth, to fetch the man's soup and drink of choice. Beth returned not long after with a bowl much too hot for her small hands and a heavy mug filled to the brim with something cool and refreshing. She set them upon the table.

."Thank you, dear.".

."S'no problem," she replied with an excited smile. Sasha paused and turned a stern look upon the girl.

She was quick to correct herself. "Oh, sorry! It is no problem, I mean. You are very welcome, sir.".

Sasha watched her for a moment more before nodding in approval. He motioned to the seat across from him. "Would you like to sit with me? I would like to know how your week has been. Have you been on any new adventures?

It was a tradition of theirs. Sasha had known the girl all her life. Ten years, to be exact. And from the moment of her birth, he had spent every Sunday afternoon here at the tavern, first to visit the new child, then to watch as she learned to walk, and finally to hear her elaborate stories of all the mischief she got herself into through the week. Beth jumped into the seat, her excitement plain upon her face, blue eyes wide and sparkling and cheeks rosy with joy. Of all her sisters, she was indeed the most adventurous. The others, older than her by a few years each, spent most their time worrying about boys and their future. All Beth cared about was the now. What sort of fun she could have then and there, without worrying about the consequences or outcomes. Her second favorite thing to do aside from going on adventures, was to tell her stories to Sasha.

Beth went into her latest saga full force as Sasha listened, sipping at his drink and finishing his stew. He set the bowl aside and leaned back, mug in hand, eyes watching the child with something akin to admiration. The young were so innocent. So untainted by the world. They saw joy in everything and carried none of the world's weight upon their small shoulders. How he envied her passion and excitement, her complete naivety of all the evil in the world.

."And when I got back," Beth continued, detailing how she had managed to rescue one of the poor pigs from a neighboring farm. Every once in a while, her excitement would get the best of her and her speech would suffer, but she did her best to keep Sasha's tutelage in mind. "I didn't know wha' tah do with it, 'cause i's a pig, y'know!" She exhaled quickly and drew in another breath. "So I brought i' over tah Mr. Carver, yah see, an'….sorry, I mean, I took it over to Mr. Carver and he said: 'Wha's yous doin' with that there pig?'—I only say it like that 'cause that's the way Mr. Carver said it. And I told him I was rescuing it. I said Mr. Stephenson was going to slaughter it, but it was only just a little one, not even quite an adult yet, and I didn't want it to die before it had had a few adventures of its own. So, Mr. Carver, being very nice and very understanding, he told me he would keep the pig for safe keeping, make sure he gets lots of adventures before he gives it back to Mr. Stephenson. I thought that was good, and we don't have anyplace to put a pig here, so I didn't have any other choice.".

Sasha did not have the heart to tell Beth that Carver had almost certainly brought the pig right back to Stephenson, who had probably slaughtered it soon after. No need to break the girl's heart. Better to let her believe she had accomplished something good. The tales of heroes and rescues were just that these days, especially in the small farming town of Rhoddhiim. It was refreshing to speak to someone who considered them more than just stories.

."Now, you tell me a story, Mr. Sasha. Please." Beth folded her legs up on the seat, settling in. She leaned forward to rest her elbows on the table and nestled her chin in her hands. She always loved his stories.

Sasha thought for a moment, mind searching back for one he might not have told yet. After ten years, it was hard to imagine he had not shared every one.​

But, maybe Beth might get lucky.

."Did I tell you the one about Dragon Valley, when we fought off the hoard of evil sheep?".

."Yessss!" Beth shook her head as laughter bubbled inside her. "You told that one already!".

Sasha nodded. "Alright, alright. What about when we were sent out to find the lost princess?".

."You told that one, too!".

."I think I've told you all my stories, child," Sasha sighed.

."What about when you moved here?".

Sasha fell silent, eyes drifting down to his mug. "That is not a good story, child.".

."I think it is. Otherwise we wouldn't be friends." Beth watched Sasha, curious as to why his smile had faded and he seemed to shut down. When he did not respond, she hesitated.

."Actually, I wanna hear about the evil sheep again," she nodded, clapping her hands. "That's a real funny one.".

Sasha looked back up at Beth, before smiling. "Alright. Dragon Valley is where all the dragons from the Northern Mountains gather to feed. All the livestock purchased from local farms are brought into the valley and allowed to roam free. They are enclosed within the mountains, but have room to run and plenty of grass to eat. There was a small herd of sheep, maybe twenty years ago now, that had managed to survive down in the valley for many months. They recognized the sound of the dragons' wings as they approached and would hide themselves in the mountains, like goats. They all came from he same herd and although I am certain sheep are not known to form packs like this, I can assure you they did. Maybe they were not fully sheep. We did not notice this pack of sheep for a long while, not until one of our smaller, faster dragons, a lithe green one by the name of Cora managed to sneak into the valley with little sound. The sheep noticed too late that the dragon was upon them, and they all went racing to their usual hiding spot. The rider, a young girl by the name of Larissa who I had had the pleasure of instructing, took notice of the fact that while the other sheep raced off in different directions, five all gathered together and made for the same spot. She took this information back to the Mountain and we sent watchmen to observe.".

Beth was having trouble containing herself, shaking her head at the idea of sheep outsmarting dragons.

."The next time we brought our dragons to feed, Lolath and I hovered above to keep watch as the smaller dragons dove in after the sheep pack. They turned out to be a formidable foe.".

Beth lost it. She covered her mouth as she rolled, gasping for breath between each bout of laughter. Sasha smiled and continued.

."It took five dragons three hours to finally draw the sheep out of hiding. At which point, we let them go free. If they were smart and courageous enough to take on five dragons, they deserved their lives. It is said, to this day, that their offspring live in the Northern Mountains. Terrible, fierce sheep with such courage and ferocity that any man who comes across them is sure to meet their end.".

It took Beth a while before she was able to speak. Sasha took this moment to finish his drink. He leaned back in his seat, watching the girl as she struggled to catch her breath.

."But, they're sheep!" she cried. "And you guys had dragons! How?!".

Sasha shrugged. "Animals are amazing creatures. Even the sheep can prove themselves in desperate times. Now, would you mind fetching me a refill?".

Beth slipped off her seat and grabbed Sasha's empty mug. She took it to the counter, shaking her head, still smiling at the thought of dragons being afraid of sheep.

~~~

In the booth at the very back corner of the tavern lay Alexander Bell, fast asleep. He had been there since the night before, passing out around four in the morning with an empty mug still in his hand. He was smaller than average, maybe five-foot-seven and weighing about as much as the average ten-year-old, and fit quite nicely on the bench, one arm hanging off the side.

A heavy boot kicked the table.

."Wha—?" Black curls messy and obscuring his face, Alex wiped at his mouth as he pushed himself up. He winced against the sudden sunlight coming in through the few windows and the opened tavern door. He blinked, propping himself up on an arm and looking up at the innkeeper.

."Git up, kid. S'mornin'." Mr. Arthur Brown dropped a massive jug of water atop the table and left to tend to his more pleasant guests. Alex pulled himself up in his seat. He pushed his hair back out of his sleepy blue eyes and let out a rather involved yawn. Morning time already? Why could he not just sleep through the rest of the day? Goodness knew he had had enough the previous night to knock him out for a good long while. He considered moving onto the next tavern down the road, but his tab was still open. Might as well oblige.

Beth, who had finished her second round and was about to go back to sit with Mister Sasha to tell him more about her week, was waved down by the odd man in the back. She frowned, wrinkling her nose and preparing herself for the awful smell of a man who had not showered in at least three days. Except in the same stuff he had been drinking since he had shown up a few days ago. Dad had said he was just a wanderer looking for a place to lay his head for a few days and would move on eventually, but Beth was already feeling he was going to be here a while. He made no indication of moving on.

."Yes?".

."Be a good lass'n git me 'nother, yes?" Alex mustered up enough of a smile for the child, though it was more sad than happy. The smile of a man who was trying very hard to forget a good many things. Beth eyed him carefully before taking his empty mug and going off to find her father.

Alex leaned back, rubbing at his eyes and releasing a heavy sigh. His head pounded, but that was not anything new. He just needed to get some liquid in him, hydrate up. Beth returned soon enough with his mug, and he sat back, turning his eyes on the rest of the tavern. The girl went back to the large man at the center round table, hoisting herself into the chair across from him and continuing where she had left off. Sasha looked past the child, eyes flickering back so that his and Alex's met. Alex offered a sarcastic half-smile and raised his mug in acknowledgement. So long as the big guy stayed over there and did not try and bother him, everything would be fine.

~~~

Ellery had zero interest in participating in Alexander's pity-fest. Sure, he had brought on the possible end of the world in his latest attempt at immortality, but there were better things to do than sitting around drinking and feeling sorry for himself. Like, for example, trying to fix the mess he had put everyone in. Of course, Alex was not one to jump at the opportunity to fix anything. The world was messed up as it was, he always said, why bother trying to fix anything when someone else is just going to come along and mess it all up again? Ellery knew he did not fully believe that, but his actions tended to prove her wrong most of the time. Which is why she decided to take it on herself to get him out of this one. Like how she got him out of most of the other situations he got himself into. There were many. And this would certainly not be his last tight spot, though it was quite a big one indeed.

A small white cat, spotless despite the mud from last night's rain, trotted through the streets. She had spent the better part of the day observing, searching for anyone who might just be of use in her plan to fix the world. There was little to work with in this town, like the town before. Not much in the way of heroes and valiant knights. The Dragon Riders of the North had drawn her attention, but there was turmoil within their ranks. A leader who had come into power not long ago, a new generation of Riders with little regard for the honor and respect of their predecessors and a corrupt interest in themselves. No to mention they had recently succumbed to the Darkness that Alex had unleashed, leaving them out of the question. They had been her best hope however, and it was only a matter of time before the Darkness took all, leaving her with very few options. She would have to broaden her criteria and strive to be less picky.

Ellery slipped into the tavern, nose perked as she sniffed for her witch. He was an easy scent to pick out, even without their Familiar bond. She jumped up on the table, crystal eyes on her witch with the judgmental gaze of a mother looking upon her broken son. There was love in her eyes, though it was temporarily set aside for the more important emotions of frustration and annoyance.​

 

[Starlit Night]

It was a simple truth that if, in the middle of a pleasantly warm, sunny day, you were to wear the hood of your overrobe up, then you were going to draw some raised eyebrows. Add to this the presence of an ornate, curved bow and a quiver of arrows strapped to your back, and you would be the recipient of quite the strange looks, indeed.

It was more attention than Kaida had wished to draw. Sadly, she knew that wearing her hood down would only serve to enhance her strangeness in the eyes of the townsfolk, not lessen it; and so it remained up, casting her face into deep shadow. Hiding the pointed ears and twisting silver runes that had once been so easily recognized, and welcomed.

But those days were past, now; her people had chosen to withdraw from human society, to pull back to their home among the trees and leave the way open for humankind, to let them live their lives and find their own way, uninfluenced by the older magics. And now, her people had become like myth; stories to be told, without believing in them.

She only emerged now because of the troubling rumors that had come to her ears, the murmurs of unrest that had reached even to the tranquility of the elves' home. There was trouble among the dragon riders, and the human leaders—and though she was not one to intervene every time the human leadership hit a bump in the road (to do so would be to undermine the very reason her people had withdrawn in the first place), there was something disturbing about this. The dragon riders turned their backs on honor, kings hid themselves away and blocked out their people; it all set Kaida ill at ease, and she had long since learned to listen to her instincts.

And so she was here, making her way through the crowded market street, earning odd looks. And yet, despite the gravity of what had brought her here, and despite the necessity of her hood, she could not help but smile, soft, as she took in the hustle and bustle of people going about their everyday lives.

She had almost forgotten how lively it was, in human towns.

And now at last her eyes found the Inn she had been searching for, the sign swinging above the door proudly proclaiming its name—The Broken Home.

It was darker inside the inn than out in the sunshine on the street, and she paused in the doorway a moment to let her eyes adjust before glancing around the tavern room. But the figure she was looking for was not to be found; she must have arrived before him. So she found and claimed a table along one wall, where she could watch the door and the room at large, and set about unbuckling her bow and quiver from her back. They were set carefully on the chair beside her, close to hand should she need them (though she doubted there would be call for weapons here); then she settled in to wait.

Her hood was still pulled low over her face, but if one were to watch very carefully, they might catch the glint of light reflecting off of bright eyes (and there was something odd about them, something about the coloring, though it was difficult to make out in the shadows) as she took in the tavern, and the people filling it.

~

Ellery was not the only person looking for Alex. She was not even the only cat to do so.

A little brown-and-black tabby, well out of kittenhood but still too small to be fully grown, was winding her way through the streets, weaving nimbly around tramping feet and swirling skirts. Occasionally she would leap up onto a higher vantage point and look around, before jumping down and melding back with the crowd again, apparently dissatisfied.

The truth of it was, she was lost.

She knew what tavern Alex was at—The Broken Home, quite a memorable name, that—but she had been significantly taller when she had left him last night, and everything looked very different when you were so close to the ground. Not to mention all the people that were out in the daytime, bustling about.

Teddy—for that was the name of the cat-who-was-not-quite-a-cat—had just climbed up a stack of boxes, hoping something would be recognizable from the higher perspective, when she saw a flash of familiar white fur disappearing down the street. If cats could have breathed sighs of relief, she would have—instead, she simply jumped down and went after it.

It was a gamble, assuming that Ellery was returning to Alex instead of simply heading off to continue doing whatever it was that had kept the Familiar occupied today; but the gamble paid off, and she followed Ellery all the way back to The Broken Home. She slipped inside on the heels of a cloaked woman, who paused in the doorway; Teddy didn't so much as glance up at her, making a beeline for the back corner of the tavern.

Where Alex was considering yet another mug, Ellery watching him from the table with silently judging eyes.

Teddy jumped up onto the table to join the white cat, going over to rub her head against Ellery and purr softly, partially in greeting, partially in an attempt to soothe the Familiar's frustration and annoyance. Then she went to Alex, leaping from the tabletop to his shoulder in a smooth, practiced bound, balancing there for a moment before shifting to drape herself across both shoulders and nuzzle at his cheek affectionately.

Then she turned her head and sneezed, sensitive nose protesting being put so close to the strong, sour smell of unwashed Alex.

He needed a bath.

 

[Starlit Night]

(Please note: This reply is being re-posted on behalf of Reynarda , with her permission.)​

-"I hate you."-
The smaller of the duo rolled his eyes. "You were the idiot who fell off—I had nothing to do with it."-
-"You don't put your dragon into a crazy dive without warning your passenger," the redhead said, rubbing his ribs where the dragon's talons had dug into his flesh when she had desperately snatched at him.
-"Oh, yes," the darker one agreed sarcastically. "Next time a winged-horror drops out of a cloud, I shall take precious moments to explain the situation to you."-
-"Good." Setting his hands on his hips, the redhead looked around. "Why are we here, anyway?"-
-"I told you, Abraham, to figure out what is happening to this land."-
Abraham—Bram—rolled his eyes. They had had this argument already, but neither had conceded. Bram thought the dragon riders were just power hungry. His companion thought something darker was at work. "Would it surprise you to learn that I don't give a fig for a bunch of snobs who ride monsters?"-
-"Then give a fig for solving this problem before the 'snobs who ride monsters' hurt someone." He shot the redhead a look. "Are you really calling Starless a monster?"-​

-"I consider /you/ a monster, Vlad." Bram reminded him.
-"Vlah-di-mir," Vlad corrected, pronouncing the missing syllables of his name in a sharp staccato.
-"I'm starving," Bram complained, ignoring the correction as it was too long to say. "Let's eat, first."-
-"You just ate."-
-"Yeah, well, I'm not scrawny like you." He tapped his chest. "I need sustenance to maintain all this raw power."-​

As ridiculous as it was, Vlad had no argument for that.
As Bram pushed into the nearest tavern, eyes scanning the crowd, Vlad smoothed his messy dark hair over the pointed tips of his ears and kept his lips firmly closed. His kind were not usually seen in these parts, but a traveler might read the tell-tale signs. He may be mistaken for another race, but he was not willing to take the chance of having to deal with trouble from someone who might recognize what he really was. Unlike his loud companion, Vlad was small and had deep tan skin and black eyes. Bram was pale, and his eyes were blue. Bram's physique had been developed through years of hunting the various monsters of the various lands, but Vlad's was the result of many hours spent pouring over books.​

At least the tavern was clean, Vlad decided. A far more respectable place than Bram's usual haunts. Hopefully the likelihood of Bram getting into a fight would be small. And there was a little girl. Surely Bram would not fight anyone so close to a little girl.
Locating the owner of the Vlad-approved establishment, Bram said, "Can I get whatever smells so good and something to slake my thirst?" He pointed at Vlad. "And something to warm to drink for him. You don't happen to have coffee, do you?"-
Vlad promptly sneezed, making Bram wonder if the cook was fond of garlic. Vlad sensed magic oozing its way through the floor. Shifting his gaze, he turned just in time to see a white cat parade through the door. Not a cat, he realized with a jolt. This was confirmed when she jumped up on a table and gave the booth's occupant a disapproving scowl.
Vlad slid his eyes hastily away, not wanting his stare to alert the duo. Keeping his other senses alert, he lightly touched his companion's arm. Bram glanced down, and Vlad flicked his eyes towards the booth in the corner before sneezing again. Showing a rare display of discretion, Bram glanced casually at the two cats and kid.​

He gave Vlad a slight frown of confusion. Vlad was giving him a look that said something was amiss, but that was two cats and a kid. Vlad's look had turned knowing, but Bram was not a part of this knowing. And then Vlad sneezed again.
Oh, Bram realized. To Vlad's horror, he marched over to Alex's table. "Hey, my, uh... companion is allergic to cats, so do you mind sending them elsewhere?"-​

Behind him, Vlad smacked his forehead. That was, of course, not what he had been attempting to convey. He had been trying to tell the big idiot to keep an eye on the trio, not to go over an address them. And now he was calling attention to them. Vlad wished he had left the hood of his cloak up so he could disappear into it.
He quickly found a table, which he realized too late might be a good distance from the cats who were not cats, but it was right next to a cloaked person who was not human. After moving through town after town with nothing but average humans, this was jarring. He wanted to figure out what was happening, but he wanted to do so quietly—not the Bram method of marching over and making demands.​

 

[Starlit Night]

(Please note: This reply is being re-posted on behalf of Mikotsuhime , with her permission.)​

It had been just over a week since May had left his hometown for the second time in his life, and he'd spent just about all of that time strung out and exhausted. Travelling for six months on his own had been tough, but doable; he was a quick learner, and while he never quite blended into crowds very well, he at least knew how to be amicable and warmed himself to people quickly, so he had managed even though he had no experience outside of the Domina sect before leaving.

This time, though, he was not alone, and while he normally loved company, this particular company was going to be the death of him.

Agni, the deity that the sect worshiped (though he was really just a spirit given a physical form, but May was enough of a black sheep already without any further drawing the ire of the former high priestess by making a point of it) had been growing restless lately, what with the events involving the dragon riders. Normally, such things were beneath his concern, since they so far had not directly impacted the sect itself, but there was a kinship between fellow draconic beings, of sorts, that had drawn his attention, and he had decided to investigate the matter on his own.

The sect had been in an uproar over his decision, to say the least. The high priestess, the only human technically allowed to converse with him, would normally have been his travelling partner, but she had refused in favour of looking after the sect in his absence, which had driven the elders into a frenzy over who should be allowed to be in the deity's travelling party. In the end, Agni had grown tired of it and selected May, the local black sheep, to be his escort.

And what a job it was. Agni had insisted that they try to blend in with the locals in order to remain inconspicuous and perform a proper investigation, but May was certain that he had never done a single inconspicuous thing in his entire life. In the week that they'd left the sect there were already false rumours floating around about some kind of runaway royal travelling through the countryside. Agni certainly was not making things any better either, by waltzing into town from their camp in the nearby woods without even so much as waking May up, causing the young mage to frantically search everywhere for him before finally throwing open the door to the local tavern, twigs in his hair from his quick search through the forest and his breathing ragged.

Just as he thought, Agni was there, seated primly at a table and looking rather sourly at a cup of water sitting in front of him. He stood out like a sore thumb in his humble surroundings, wearing a robe made from fine red silk with complicated golden embroidery and several gold and jewelled rings that might have cost more than the entire establishment. His ruby earrings glinted in the light from the windows, and May groaned as he hurried over and threw a cloak over his head before he could draw even /more/ attention to himself, if that was possible.

Agni made an undignified noise as he was covered in the heavy wool, May quickly pulling it over his expensive clothes so that only his shoes and jewelry stood out as being far fancier than they should have been. May had half a mind to take the rings from him as well, to put them in the pouch where he kept his magic jewels, but the glare that Agni was levelling him with said that he might lose a finger if he tried.

."Serpent," Agni said, clearly annoyed that his companion had caught up with him so soon. May's eyebrow twitched slightly at the unlucky title, but he forced a pleasant smile on his face as he sat down next to his 'friend', looking far more at home in his simple common clothing. He had ditched the acolyte's tunic early on in their journey to try and be more discreet, but so far that was working about as well as pigs could fly.

."Agni," he said sweetly, resisting the urge to kick him under the table. "You didn't tell me you were headed to the tavern. I just woke up and bam, you were gone! How about that. You'd think I'd never told you before that you're supposed to wake me up and tell me before you go anywhere, haha! Except I remember telling you that, last night, how funny is that."

Agni wrinkled his nose at him, clearly not interested in a lecture, and instead reached for his glass of water.

."I wanted some morning tea," he said, and May thought he looked and sounded more like a petulant child than a powerful dragon spirit. "However this place did not have the leaves I wanted."

May highly doubted that a tiny inn and tavern in a farming village served tea at all, and he groaned as he laid his head down on the table.

."Agni, we have tea leaves back at camp, I totally could have--"

."You would have used stream water," Agni shot back, as though that were probably not the exact same thing that he were drinking right now. May tried very hard to resist the urge to strangle him.​

 

[Starlit Night]

(Jay had a reply here. If she later joins us and gives permission, I will add it in at that time.)​

 

[Starlit Night]

(Please note: This reply is being re-posted on behalf of @Canth, with her permission.)​

Arthur Brown was confronted with the most patronage his tavern had seen in a long while. Not only was it nearing capacity, but it appeared most of his guests were not from around these parts. Not wholly unusual, but given the sheer number of wanderers taking refuge in his modest establishment, he wondered if something might be going on in the world that he was not privy to. He thought on it for no more than a few seconds before deciding such worldly matters were hardly his concern. What was he to do about them anyway? The Inn and his girls were his responsibility and nothing more.

."Coffee?" Brown blinked up at the large man before him, coming out of a small thoughtful trance. "Ah, yes, I jus' got ah shipmen' in th'other day...lemme see..." he ducked behind the counter and went to rummaging. When he showed his face again, the man was gone, off talking to the bum in the back. The Innkeeper scanned the room until he found his daughter.

."Beth, c'mere ah moment," he called over to her. The ten-year-old released a very audible groan, turning in her seat and afflicting her father with the largest of puppy-dog eyes she could muster.

."But, dah, I'm talkin' with Mister Sasha! Can't Cass or Sarah do it?".

."They're with the teacher. C'mon, child, only for a minute. Then you can go straight back.".

Beth sighed, but slid from her chair and made her grumbling way over to her father. He passed her a bowl and a mug, and draped a rag across her arm.
“Ummm...Ah, yes, that man over there. I think it's a man. The one at the table. I believe he was with the man who ordered. Tell 'im the coffee'll be out soon. An' would you check on the other guests? I 'aven't been able to make a round yet.".

Beth did as she was asked, leaving her grumbles for her father and replacing her annoyance with a smile as she went over to the one her father had pointed out.

."Mornin'," she greeted, eyes bright as she set the bowl and mug down. "My dah says the coffee'll be done soon." Beth, ever the curious sort, could not help but notice the man's eyes. They were...black? Maybe just really dark brown. Or black? Did people have black eyes? Beth tried to recall anyone she knew with black eyes, at which point someone called out to her.

."Oh, excuse me," she smiled once more before spinning on her heel and scurrying over to another table that required her attention. She paused, finally looking up as she came within a few feet. Wide eyes followed all the way up to the large horns atop the head of what appeared to be a....centaur? No...Pegasus? No, that was not right. Something to do with a horse, maybe. But, horses did not have horns...Beth found her mouth was left open and she quickly shut it, glancing over at where Mister Sasha sat monitoring the rest of the tavern. He had not noticed her rude slip-up. Good.

Beth gulped down her surprise and took the last three steps to the table, at which point she finally noticed the one who had actually ordered. Beth did her best to keep her awe from her face, but it was a lost cause.

."Uh, two drinks, yessir. I, uh...I'll be right back." She raced off, nearly skipping, unable to wait to tell her dad about their newest guests. Today was shaping up to be such an adventure, she was already starting to forget about the poor little pig she had saved from certain death.

Beth returned soon enough, mug in either hand, failing to keep any of the contents from splashing over the sides as her hands shook in her excitement.

~

Alex looked up as first Ellery and then Teddy jumped up onto his table. He frowned, taking a rather pointed swig of his drink, as if daring either of them to say anything. He allowed Teddy to jump onto his shoulder, holding still as she took her perch, and then turned his eyes back on Ellery.

."What?" He knew well enough what, but he was not about to acknowledge the fact that both of them considered him highly irresponsible and were waiting for him to do something about everything that had happened the last month. Whatever that was supposed to be.

Ellery dropped her head, releasing a hiss of breath. Her eyes narrowed.

You know very well what, her voice came as a soft and comforting purr in his mind. While Teddy and I are trying to figure out this mess of yours, you're here…doing whatever it is you're doing. I do not approve.

."Well, for your information, missy, I don't really give a—".

Alex looked up at the rather large man now standing at his table. He blinked, trying to figure out when this guy had walked inside the tavern, let alone strolled up to them mid-conversation. He seemed to stand out enough that Alex should have noticed him.

."Uh, actually, I do," he glanced behind the much larger man to a more average-sized individual who seemed to be attempting to hide away on the other side of the tavern, most likely the companion he was speaking of. Who was this guy to try telling him what to do with his cats? "He seems okay sitting over there. Otherwise, might I suggest another tavern?".

Ellery tensed as she turned her attention from Alex to the man addressing them. She would like to say she was tense because she was wary of strangers, but in truth it was because Alex never did very well with them. And true to his nature, instead of simply apologizing and suggesting Ellery and Teddy leave and return in their humanoid forms, he decided to be difficult. Were she not currently a cat, Ellery would have jumped at the opportunity to apologize for her witch's rude behavior and any inconvenience their presence might have posed. Unfortunately, she was presently stuck.​

 

[Starlit Night]

Well now, this was unexpected.

Kaida had only picked a table where she could watch the tavern room out of simple curiosity; she had thought that there would be only the usual comings and goings of travelers, nothing especially unusual. And yet, scarcely had she sat down before she was noticing quite a number of unusual individuals. Including, to her surprise, a great many non-humans.

Take, for example, the richly-dressed man who had just been joined by a rather more harried-looking companion. The sense she got from him fell more in line with that of dragons—and yet, he was clearly not a dragon. At least, not exactly. Curious. And the companion was no ordinary person, either; there was magic in him.

And he was not the only one she sensed magic in. The young man in the back corner was another. He did not look especially out of the ordinary, but his magic—and that of the white cat that sat on the table in front of him, watching him with disapproving eyes—suggested otherwise.

His was not the clean, bright feeling of magic that she was accustomed to, however. It felt dark, almost twisted; and underneath it there was something else, something sour and festering...Sickness, she realized with a jolt. He was ill.

And despite how wrong his magic felt to her senses, prickling and shadowed and off, at the realization her eyes went soft and sad.

Humans could be so fragile.

The appearance of a small tabby cat brought Kaida back out of her thoughts before she could begin to wander down this tangent, however; for the cat, although it appeared to be nothing more than a cat to the eye, was also far from normal. No ordinary cat was wreathed in magic, as this one was. It was a different sort of magic than the young man; clear and sweet, but wild.

They made an interesting trio, the young man and two cats who were not exactly cats. And it seemed that she was not the only one to think so: they had drawn the attention of the minotaur who had just entered (and it was strange, to see a minotaur here—but there was clear friendship between him and the gnome that had entered with him, and after a moment of deep consideration Kaida quieted her misgivings), as well as that of a large, red-haired man (who, refreshingly, seemed to be both human and non-magical) and his smaller companion.

But there her interest in the trio would have to be set aside; for the smaller, darker man turned and headed in her direction, taking the table next to her. And he was very much not human.

She was not sure just what he was, however.

And so she observed him as he settled in, noting the black eyes with some curiosity. It was an uncommon color, though enough species could have them that it did not tell her which of them he might be. She pondered the mystery he was for a few moments, wondering what could have drawn so many interesting people to a small farming town.

Coincidence, perhaps? Or something deeper?

At last she inclined her head to the black-eyed man, in silent acknowledgment and greeting, and turned her gaze away, sweeping around the room. In such mixed company, perhaps she would not stand out as much as she had feared, if she were to put her hood down...

Her eye caught on the young girl bustling about, waiting on the tables, and after a moment's consideration she lifted a slim hand to catch the girl's attention.

-”Pardon me, child. Might I impose upon you for a bowl of the same?” she called, with a nod towards the bowl on the table beside her, which was steaming enticingly.

Her own companion had yet to appear—she might as well eat while she waited for him.

~

Teddy had nothing so convenient as the ability to talk in someone else's mind, so while Ellery and Alex argued (and she knew that they were arguing; Alex's tone and the look on Ellery's face told her as much) she just made herself comfortable on Alex's shoulders, content to watch and wait, in case Ellery needed backup.

They didn't get nearly far enough for that, though, before they were being interrupted. Teddy shifted a little so she could peer up at the large man who was...asking Alex to send her and Ellery away?

Teddy wasn't sure if she wanted to take offense at this or not; but before she could decide, Alex was answering. And he, predictably, did not take well to a stranger telling him what to do.

And she didn't really feel like leaving to shift and come back—she had just gotten comfortable—but neither did she feel like having to break up a fight. The man who had come over was big, and looked like he could break Alex in two on a good day, and today was very much not a good day. After a full few days of drowning his sorrows, Alex was in no condition to be fighting anyone—but she knew that wouldn't keep him from antagonizing the big guy, if he took offense.

So she plapped a gentle paw against Alex's cheek, claws retracted, and twisted around to slide off his shoulder and back onto the tabletop. Then, tail high and ears pricked up, friendly, she trotted across the table to sniff curiously at Bram, before looking up at him with bright amber eyes and mrrowing charmingly.

Occupied with the potential trouble in front of her, she didn't notice the attention of the minotaur who had just entered the Inn.

 

[Starlit Night]

Please note: This reply is being re-posted on behalf of @Reynarda, with her permission.​

Vlad smiled back at the little girl, pleased that the tavern had his favorite beverage. He nodded politely to the woman at the table next to him before turning uneasy eyes back on Bram.
His companion did not discriminate based on size. If they were bigger than him, he would fight them, and if they were smaller, he would fight them. Vlad had spent enough time with the big idiot to be able to read his body language, and right now the lines of his shoulders were suggesting he was going to fight the young man with the dark hair and strange magic.
Bram had come over with every intention of having a polite conversation. But this little punk was being mouthy.​

He glared down at Alex, contemplating grabbing him by the collar and dragging him outside. Fortunately for the tavern owner, it was then that Teddy addressed him. Bram had absolutely nothing against cats, and this one was decidedly cute. The tension easing from his shoulders, he scratched her behind the ears.
-"Look, kid, I'm—" He cut himself off as he sensed something behind him.​

Bram turned and found a minotaur just sitting casually at a nearby table. He was momentarily alarmed based on their reputation, but suddenly started laughing.
Very, very loudly.
Vlad groaned and attempted to hide in his hair. He should probably get up on a table and apologize to the entire tavern for whatever offense Bram would cause.​

He chanced a glance up and found Bram making sure that he had seen the gnome. Of course he had seen he gnome—he had perfect eyesight. Vlad could practically feel Bram holding in the desire to tell him he had finally found someone shorter than him. Bram was always making fun of his size—as if he was the abnormal one. Bram had, at some time in his life, decided that he was not tall, everyone else was just short. Especially Vlad. Bram had apparently missed the young man who had come in before the minotaur and the gnome as he was also shorter than Vlad. If he could not see their auras, he would have assumed they were some rich lordling and his retainer. But the finely-dressed one had the colors of a dragon in his aura, but it was not a dragon's aura.​

The annoyed one was a mage of some sort, but not of a sort Vlad had seen before.
It was as good a time as any to attempt to get information. If he waited much longer, Bram would most likely get them kicked out of the town. And this town seemed promising.
The elf had seemed polite, so he leaned over to her. "Excuse me, m'lady. Do you know if this town is normally so busy?"-​

 

[Starlit Night]

Please note: This reply is being re-posted on behalf of @Mikotsuhime, with her permission.​

Now that he was settled and sure that Agni was properly contained (for the moment), May actually had a chance to look around the place, and realized that it was actually quite bustling. There were all sorts of nonhuman folks that he normally wouldn't expect from such a small village, though Agni hardly seemed surprised and instead sipped his water bitterly.

May groaned and waved down the girl that everybody else was directing orders to, pasting a smile onto his face as he did so.

."Hey, excuse me! Do you think we could just get some hot water? Ah, but I can't actually let a little girl carry hot water, that would be dangerous," he added almost as an afterthought, before his eyes strayed to the minotaur in the room.

His eyes widened at first, and then he found himself staring. Then he was practically vibrating in his seat.

He had never seen a minotaur before! He had read about them, of course, because he had read a lot of books back in the monastery growing up, and he knew of several magical properties that different parts of their body had, but he had never actually /met/ one! Even though his magic focused almost exclusively on gemstones, he was already up and out of his seat before he could stop himself, rushing over to the minotaur's table and quickly bowing politely to both him and the gnome before taking a deep breath.

."Excuse me! If it's not too much trouble do you think I could have your fingernails?" He asked, and Agni took a long, quiet sip of his water as May realized exactly what he had said to a complete stranger.

May's eyes widened and he quickly began waving his hans around as though to shoo the unpleasant implications away.

."I mean! I'm sorry that was really rude, and stuff, what I mean to say is I'm a mage, you know, and I've never met a minotaur before! I think you're super cool! I mean, like, in a general sense, and you personally are probably super cool too, but like I only know what I've read in books, but minotaur horns are supposed to be, like, a really powerful ingredient in some healing potions, and I figured that, hey, you know, fingernails and horns are both made of keratin, and I was really curious if you could substitute one for the other, you know, but nobody actually sells minotaur fingernail clippings and this is something I've been /really/ curious about for a really long time! I mean if you don't want to, that's cool, if some weird guy came up to me asking for my fingernails I'd probably say no too, I didn't really think this through before I came over here and started talking and now I really can't stop talking because if I stop talking then I have to actually face the consequences of what I just said and--"

He broke off, having run out of breath, and inhaled deeply so that he didn't turn blue and pass out or something.

Agni didn't even get up from the table, but he snorted through his nose derisively.

."Serpent," he said, as though he were talking to a particularly dumb animal. "You're being rude. Come back and make my tea."

 

[Starlit Night]

(Jay had a reply here. If she later joins us and gives permission, I will add it in at that time.)​

 

[Starlit Night]

(Please note: This reply is being re-posted on behalf of quadraxis201 , with his permission.)​

A single, unpatched violet eye gazed upon the town as Aksil took careful steps from the forest his dragon was carefully hiding from the public eye in. It was bad enough that the Riders had earned quite a bit of infamy, but nearly everything about his appearance positively screamed "assassin", and that was more or less what he was. Most would consider Aksil's decision to be a lone wolf in a group that centered around teamwork to be unusual, but in truth, he had his reasons. As someone who mainly worked in stealth, he found that having others join him proved to be a liability, at best. He didn't particularly hate anyone, though.

Aksil was a particularly tall young man, at six feet in height and visibly no younger than 30. His skin was on the lighter side due to his preference for night work, and had a few scuffs on his face, particularly around his eyes and nose - when his nose wasn't covered by his scarf, that is. This scarf was a deep purple color and bore designs resembling black thorned vines that ended in roses, and its only loose part hung down to the left side of his chest. His right eye was a rich violet color, but his left one seemed to always have a patch over it, not because he couldn't use it, but because what was behind it was not only only a major hint of his job, but his eye was... a bit frightening, to say the least. His raven hair had several strands that hung over either side of his face, as well as a long ponytail that resembled more of a fox tail resting gently against his back, waving gently in the breeze. The rest of his uniform was a long black coat with purple trim and rose designs similar to his scarf, a matching pair of trousers, a pair of padded, fur-lined boots to aid in quiet movement, and a set of tight-fit gloves. Across his waist was a belt that carried a pair of ornate daggers, the hilts of which had dragon designs carved into them, along with pommels shaped like talons grasping amethyst orbs. These were hidden by his coat due to the designs, and also to help not draw attention to him.

As Aksil explored the town, he received a number of strange looks, though Aksil did not pay any mind to them. It wasn't long before he came across an inn named the "Broken Home". Quite a fitting name, considering the situation.

He placed his hand on the inn's front door, but not before darting his eye this way and that way, to see if anyone was still questioning his outlandish attire. With a quick push the air outside was quickly traded with the much-recycled air of the inn. While there were quite a number of other humans present, what could not simply be ignored were the minotaur, gnome, cats, and a particularly curious individual whose presence seemed otherworldly. Aksil surveyed them for a moment before he pulled down his scarf in a quick motion, to reveal his mouth. There was an empty seat at a table that was a little bit distant from everyone else, and Aksil took it upon himself to seize it. Looking up at the owner, he said, "Excuse me, would you get me something that won't make me... sick? A bowl of mushroom broth will do. As for my drink... nothing strong. I need to concentrate." His tone almost seemed forceful, but in truth Aksil was trying his best not to sound rude, being an introvert. As he waited for his orders to come, he shot glances at the remainder of what would presumably be the questing party he would be accompanying. He began planning his next course of action to himself, his thoughts racing. /After I eat, I'll move a bit closer to them. Easy does it, no need to rush or cause panic. I'm only a rider of a Dark Dragon, and one with a special gift, no less. If I can singlehandedly take down an entire band of thieving lycans without alerting their alpha, a bit of decent social interaction should be a simple task... right? Still, that is quite the unusual bunch... and, a vampire, even? How did I miss THAT at first?/

 

[Starlit Night]

(Please note: This reply is being re-posted on behalf of @Canth, with her permission.)​

Beth's wide eyes moved from the gnome to the Minotaur, watching as either took up their drinks she had brought. She accepted the money with a small bow of her head, noting the extra coin. Her smile widened as she tucked it into her skirt.

."Oh, thank you very much, sir," she replied, remembering Mister Sasha's teachings. She was about to skip off when the gnome introduced them, and Beth would have loved to stay and hear all their stories, were it not for all the other orders she had yet to fill. She would come back directly afterwards, with Mister Sasha of course.

."Really? I mean, thank you again, that is very kind." Beth giggled, clapping her hands together, grinning at the thought of the Minotaur coming to fight with her. Of course, he would never have to fight for her, she could handle herself, just ask her sisters. But, he seemed like a fun fighting partner. She was curious as to whether or not he used his horns when fighting. They would certainly be useful, she imagined.

Beth was called off, and she dipped in a hurried curtsy before moving from one table to the next to take her next batch of orders. First the pretty lady with the strange eyes and her mysterious hood, then the awkward young man who seemed worried she might burn her hands before becoming distracted by the same giant creature who had amazed her. And finally, she took the order that had been given to her father and raced to fill them all. She would have to bring them all out one at a time, carefully, and she did so. She moved slow through the tavern, balancing bowls and mugs in either hand and along her arms, until she finally collapsed back into her chair across from Sasha, who seemed thoroughly engrossed in the conversation happening between the large man and the weird guy and his cats.

Beth sighed. "This is the busiest we've ever been, I think." She slumped in her chair and tried to catch her breath.

."Did you remember to wipe down the empty tables like your father asked?" Sasha turned warm eyes on the girl, fighting the laughter that threatened to come out at the sight of the worn child.

Beth groaned loudly, making her annoyance known, but slipped off the chair and did as she had been asked. She returned once again.

."Hey, did you see the man with the horns? The, uh...half something? Goat? No...is he a Pegasus? For some reason I wanna say he's a Pegasus."

."That's a Minotaur, child," Sasha corrected. "They have a sticky past and a shaky reputation. It is not polite to rush to judgments, but neither is it wise to ignore our history."

."He seemed nice. He gave me a coin!" Beth drew out her treasure and showed it off with a wide smile. She tucked it back into her skirt for safe keeping.

~

The witch knew what Teddy was up to, turning her large kitten eyes on the big strong man and enticing a fond pet. Obviously she was trying to distract the man from taking any sort of physical action against him. To be honest, it had been a long while since he had been in a good fight and he had kind of been eager to get into one. Just a small one, nothing too out of control. A little sparring of talent and wit, goodness knew Alex was not going to win in the strength category anyway. He was not much of a man, thin and sickly beneath ragged clothing many sizes too large for him. But, his physique was not his real strength, thank goodness. He had other tricks up his sleeve. He liked this tavern however, and thought maybe it was best not to set it on fire.

Alex cocked a brow, curious as to what the man was going to say in response, when he seemed suddenly distracted. Frowning, the witch followed his gaze to the odd pairing near the center of the tavern: a Minotaur, of all things, and what appeared to be a gnome? He was not sure of the last time he had seen either of such beings in person. His mother had dealings with Minotaurs from time to time, but that was simply business in horn trading.​

They went for a heavy price and there were plenty Minotaurs who overlooked the morality of such a business for the monetary reward. None of the Minotaurs his mother had had business with could be considered of good nature or honor. But then, neither was Alex, by most standards, so who was he to judge? Often times Alex found it was those of dark intent who were the most honest about themselves and spent little time trying to hide their true nature.

The gnome did not seem too enthused by the man's jovial reaction to his unlikely company. You could hardly blame the man, they did look rather strange, traveling together. But, Alex decided he liked this gnome. He spoke his mind. That was a rare quality.

."Sounds like he's got a problem with you laughing at him," Alex encouraged from his seat, wondering how a gnome of such stature might fight a bear of a man. Without the minotaur's help, of course.​

 

[Starlit Night]

Kaida thanked the child with a smile and a coin for the trouble, breathing in the aroma of good, hearty soup appreciatively. Regretfully, it was still to hot to eat, so she left it where it was, stirring idly to help it cool while she watched the going-ons inside the tavern.

The sudden burst of laughter—loud laughter—brought her attention back to the tall red-haired man, and she blinked at the sudden change from annoyance to amusement, wondering what had inspired such mirth. The answer was, apparently, the gnome; who, for his part, seemed rather affronted. And, admittedly, his chosen company did make for quite an unusual contrast, the minotaur looking even larger than he likely was when compared to the gnome, and the gnome looking even smaller, dwarfed by the minotaur; but she wasn't sure that it merited that much merriment.

She quirked an eyebrow, unseen beneath her hood. A pained-sounding groan drew her attention, and she glanced back to the man sitting at the table beside her; but the poor man looked as though he would very much like to disappear, so she didn't comment, instead turning back to her soup. It had cooled enough to eat, now; and when she tasted it, it was as good as the smell had suggested.

For a few moments she let herself enjoy the simple pleasure of good food. Then the man at the next table, apparently recovered from his embarrassment, leaned over, and she looked back up at him, light catching in the gold of her eyes.

-”I couldn't tell you, I'm afraid,” she said, honestly regretful. It was a question she herself would have liked to know the answer to. Surely this many travelers was not usual? “I've only just arrived, myself.”-

The gnome's shout made her wince, glancing back at the source of his displeasure.

-”...Your friend?”-

~

Teddy pushed her head up into Bram's hand, purring as his fingers found a good spot and scratched at it. All potential for getting upset and starting a fight with Alex aside, the big guy could give a nice scratch. She appreciated that in a person.

Sadly, the scratches were not long-lived. Something else caught his attention, and Teddy made a small noise of complaint as he turned away. The sudden laughter made her startle, her ears folding back, unprepared for the sheer volume of it.

But at least he wasn't focused on Alex, now.

So of course, Alex had to go and try to egg the big guy and the new focus of his attention into a fight. That was only marginally better than picking a fight himself, and Teddy shot him an exasperated look and batted at his hand to get this message across.

 

[Starlit Night]

(Please note: This reply is being re-posted on behalf of @Reynarda, with her permission.)​

Bram coughed to conceal another laugh. This concealed absolutely nothing, of course. "I'm sorry," he said, failing to hide his smile. "It's just that you're so short."-

Vlad smacked his forehead again. "He is not my friend," he told Kaida, more out of habit than anything else. "I am just so unfortunate as to be stuck with him."-
He glanced at her to give her a wry smile and realized instantly that she was no mere elf. Lovely. Someone else who could probably end Bram if he irritated them.
The young man's attempts to egg Bram on were the opposite of helpful, in Vlad's humble opinion. The big idiot needed absolutely no encouragement. What he needed was something that zapped him anytime he was about to do something without thinking. Or worse, Vlad amended, anytime he had thought about it and still decided to do it. Bram was not stupid, exactly. In rare moments, he was quite intelligent. In light of this, Vlad had decided that he was simply ridiculously optimistic. Jumping out of a window was fine because everything would turn out fine and Vlad was just a ki.ll-joy and a worrywart. Except for the fact that Bram most certainly would have been dead years ago were it not for the unfortunate fact that Vlad had to keep him amongst the living. His continued existence had only reinforced his opinion of how the world worked. Consequently, Vlad had to work harder to plan everything out so that Bram would not get himself killed. And then Bram's optimism was reinforced and —ah, it was a vicious cycle.​

One that Vlad was sure would be his doom.
Vlad had already seen about ten ways this poor tavern could end up in flames, and two of those included his own flames. One included his dragon's, but she was fairly used to hearing him curse Bram's ancestors and would not come charging in, thinking he was dying. Probably. Hopefully. That had only happened once. She would not do it again. Probably.​

Hopefully.

Bram chose this moment to notice the over-eager mage asking for fingernails—gross—was also on the shorter side of the spectrum.
-"Kid, how old are you?" Bram asked. "He's short because he's a dwarf. You're not a dwarf."-
Bram gestured at the Minotaur—who he had decided seemed decent enough—and the tall newcomer with the violet eyes. "Am I right?"-

Vlad groaned again.​

Bram was not good at species identification. "We also just arrived," he confided in Kaida. "And already my companion is making enemies."-
He shifted slightly, figuring now was as good as ever to begin digging. Before Bram got them thrown out, anyway.
-"I have not been here in a long time, but I have heard that the dragon riders are demanding tribute. I do not remember that being common practice. Has something changed?"-​

 

[Starlit Night]

(Please note: This reply is being re-posted on behalf of @Mikotsuhime, with her permission.)​

May perked up when it appeared that the minotaur was not put off by his rambling, and he practically beamed at the opportunity to try something new magically. He would likely be experimenting with potion making all night back at their camp, and Agni was no doubt going to complain about it. Either way, it was exciting.

He did wince a bit when he was called away, and he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

."Oh, that. That's more of a, uh, title or a nickname. My name's actually May." He quickly stuck out a hand for the other man to shake, glancing back at Agni's table for a second and chewing his lip. On the one hand, he was being summoned by his superior, but on the other, there was a minotaur actually willing to talk to him. He weighed te pros and cons before sitting down at the table, a wide grin on his face.

."Really, that would be super great. I've read so much about different magical races and whatnot, but books are always biased and stuff, you know? And I haven't had a chance to really meet all that many different kinds of folk, so it's always cool to talk to one!"

Agni was not very happy about being ignored, and his face twisted into a combination of a glare and a pout as he stared daggers into the mage's back.

Having to make his own tea was a relatively minor affront, but it was still an affront, and did nothing to help his mood any as he fished around in the satchel that May had left at the table for the dried leaves to put into the water that the girl brought. He did not thank her, which May would have scolded him for, but he had never had to thank any of the acolytes for completing tasks for him, so why should this be any different?

May blinked owlishly at being addressed by Bram, pointing one hand to his chest before he puffed his chest out proudly.

."I'm an adult, I just turned twenty," he exclaimed, though he did look a lot more like a teenager due to his small stature and boyish face. People made the mistake a lot.

."Also I'm pretty sure that man is not a dwarf."

Agni snorted something that sounded like 'such boorish behaviour' under his breath as he steeped his tea, though he was still scowling and May had a feeling he would be pouting all day and night at being ignored.​

 

[Starlit Night]

(Please note: This reply is being re-posted on behalf of @quadraxis201, with his permission.)​

Aksil's attention was quickly drawn from the group of strangers to his table as a bowl was placed in front of him, and with a considerable amount of haste to boot. With a "hmm", Aksil placed a few coins on the table for later.

After a bit of inspection, the broth inside seemed to be just what he expected - a nice, clear, light brown soup with thinly-sliced mushrooms floating inside like little boats, along with some scallions. Aksil placed his spoon in the bowl and collected some of the broth. It certainly smelled good, that much was for certain. With a quick blow, Aksil took his first sip, which was quickly followed by a second, then a third, a fourth, a fifth... and then the bowl was completely empty within several minutes. Aksil collected the bowl and coins and brought them over to the bar counter for Beth to collect. "That was... enjoyable. Here you go." He gave a very slight smile, which quickly vanished as he turned around to return to his table.

As he had promised himself, Aksil began moving the chair he was just sitting in over to the rest of the group. They seemed to be quite the interesting bunch with stories to tell, though one member in particular Aksil was most interested in speaking with was the minotaur. He had fought quite a number of minotaurs while tasked with defending mountainous areas, and for the most part they seemed only interested in trying to knock him into some sort of fire pit. This specimen, however, seemed to be getting along with the group quite well. Could it be that...?

Aksil cleared his throat. "Hello... would it be alright if I... sat with you?" Aksil's voice seemed to have a spot of trepidation. As he preferred to work alone, he wasn't nearly as good with social interaction as he was with surprise combat. He was about to explain how he was simply observing them at first, but that seemed much too weird to him.

 

[Starlit Night]

(Please note: This reply is being re-posted on behalf of @Canth, with her permission.)​

Ellery was relieved when the man seemed more interested in the other table than Alex's pestering. She shot her witch a look, who merely shrugged and went back to his drink. Ellery wrapped her tail around the mug's handle and yanked it from Alex's hand.

."Hey!".

Enough, she narrowed sharp eyes, nose wrinkling in her frustration. I have allowed this behavior for long enough. You are not well. You have done nothing but sleep and drink for the last four days.

."That's a lie," Alex was quick to correct, raising a finger. "I haven't slept much at all.".

That is not better, Alex, she sighed. Your body is weak enough as it is, it cannot bear this sort of treatment.

."In the words of my people, Mnye pohuyu." Alex gave a nod. "Or something like that, I never really learned it." He shook his head. "But why worry about the inevitable?".

But—!

."Now now, Ellery. You've never been one to lose your temper."

Ellery, whose tail tip was flicking back and forth and whose ears were pushed slightly back in her anger, produced a sort of growl deep in her chest. She held her witch's gaze for a few more seconds before, with a swipe of her tail across his face, she dropped from the table and trotted out the door. She needed some fresh air.

Sasha watched as the white cat slipped from the tavern, tail in the air and ears back, looking quite upset. At least, for a cat. He was not very familiar with the species and only guessed from what looked like an oddly human frown upon her face.

."C'mon, Mister Sasha," Beth was tugging on his sleeve.

."Give me a moment, child. I don't believe they will be going anywhere any time soon." He pushed back in his chat and grabbed his cane. His leg, which had been stuck out straight beneath the table, he pulled to him, bending the knee before pushing himself up to his feet, one palm planted on the table. He shook his leg out a bit before turning towards the Minotaur, who seemed to have garnered quite the audience. He was not comfortable with gawking over another being, man or otherwise, but Beth seemed infatuated and would not rest until she had heard at least three or ten of his stories. They took a step before Beth's father came running up to them.

There was movement at the door.

."Beth, honey," Arthur's voice was soft and harsh as he set a protective hand upon his daughter's shoulder. The child looked back at her father before following his eyes to the front door. She froze, but quickly remembered her training. She hurried back to the counter and ducked into the back storage. She drew in a breath, and then peaked her head around to watch.

In the doorway stood a man. He was of average height and build, with a strong jawline and tanned skin. His eyes were fierce, and yet young. Lit with a fire that was forged not with experience, but with haughty entitlement. He stepped inside the tavern, carrying himself with an overtly confident air that only meant trouble. Dark eyes swept the room, not really caring that the lot were strangers to him and the town. No matter who or what they were, they were beneath him. The man found the innkeeper and made his way to the counter, seating himself.

."Something to drink," he demanded. Arthur, who was trembling like a child, did as requested. He set the mug in front of the man and watched as it was downed in seconds. "Another.

Arthur refilled his mug. "How can I 'elp you, sir?" He was doing his best to remain in charge in his small tavern, but he knew this man and his presence here did not spell good.

."I'm here to collect," the man replied without looking up from his drink.

."But, sir, I paid my dues, earlier this month. T'was fifteen percent, straight from me earnings. I didn't expect you comin' back fer 'nother couple weeks.".

."We've upped the tithe. It's twenty-five now.".

."Twenty-five?!" Arthur nearly had a heart attack then and there. The man looked up at him with stern, warning eyes. The Innkeeper checked himself before continuing. "Sir, y'know I always pay on time. Exactly what yah ask for, sir. But...".

."But...what?" The man set his drink down and turned his eyes back on Arthur.

."But, sir, I uh, well y'see, I don't think I got the money this time. Only 'cause it's such short notice, y'see. If you give me a week, though, I'm sure—".

."You don't have a week." The man had pushed himself back to his feet. "Melkiell needs your offering now. If he does not receive it, he cannot guarantee your protection.".

."But—!".

."Now, now, there is no need to fret," the man's face seemed to soften, but though a smile spread across his lips, it was not a friendly one. "Melkiell understands this is short notice. He knows you have been true and kept your word. You have never missed a payment and have always been a most gracious host whenever we are in town. Your loyalty is not lost on Melkiell. He has agreed to give you five days to pay. All he requires is a deposit.".

."A...deposit? Of what?".

."Nothing big. Though it must be something of worth to you, of course. Something to ensure you will pay. You cannot blame Melkiell for his diligence. Most of your neighbors bear poor reputations for not paying their dues on time.".

."I'm not sure I understand. I don't know what I could possibly offer.".

."No need to think on it too long, it is already taken care of.". The man cast another glance at the tavern before making as way to the door. "Thank you very much for your hospitality, Arthur. I will see you in five days.".

."Wait, I don't understand..." Arthur scurried after the man, and nearly caught him at the door when there was first the deep roar of a large dragon outside his tavern, and then the cries of his child.

."Daddy!" It came from outside.

."Beth?!" Arthur rushed outside, squinting against the sun, shielding his eyes as he searched.

."Daddy! Please, put me down! Put me down right now!" She was hanging in the crook of a large man's arm. He tossed her up onto the back of a massive dragon, its hide a shimmering golden brown and its wings spanning at least twenty feet across. Its eyes, large blue spheres the size of a dinner plate, blinked long and slow as multiple layers closed over the orbs before opening upon the frantic father begging for his youngest to be returned. It snorted, lifting its head as it shook out its long neck, waiting to be rid of this place and in the air where it belonged. It looked to its rider, waiting on the command.

."Daddy!" Beth screamed from her perch, now strapped into the saddle and unable to free herself. Behind her, a row of five other children, all crying.

Everywhere throughout the town were the shouts and cries of families torn apart, children set upon dragons, brothers and sisters hiding for their lives, fathers and mothers fighting, clawing to get their children back. The riders were strong, healthy men who spent less time worrying about whether or not there would be food on their table and more about building their strength and training to fight larger foes than the farmers and craftsmen of Rhoddhim. These townspeople stood no chance.

Within minutes, the riders had swarmed the town, a few dozen moving from home to home, while eight circled above watching. The large black dragon Asroth and his rider Melkiell were nowhere to be seen. No doubt holed up in his mountain with his women and treasure.​

 

[Starlit Night]

Kaida considered Vlad, wondering why, if he felt that it was so unfortunate to be stuck with his companion, he did not simply leave. But she was too polite to ask, so instead she simply smiled in return—her expression significantly less wry than his—and inclined her head.

-”I see.”-

Her eyes strayed back to Bram, and she winced almost in time with Vlad's groan as the redhead mis-identified the gnome. Some could be quite touchy about such things—she could only hope that this gnome was not among them. The last thing they needed was a tavern brawl.

-”He is...quite blunt,” she said diplomatically.

That wasn't always a bad thing, though. People such as Bram were straightforward—they said what they thought, and you never had to guess at where you stood with them. Kaida, difficult as she was to offend, found such people refreshing.

Vlad's next question, though, drew her firmly out of such pleasant thoughts, and her eyes were solemn when she looked back at him.

-”It is n—was not,” she corrected herself. As long as she had known the Riders, they had never before demanded tribute like this; and they had certainly never gone around terrorizing villages to get it. The friends she had had among the dragonriders would have been appalled to hear of the state of their honorable society.

But those friends were long gone, now.

-”I have heard that the leadership changed, not very long ago,” she said. “And that it was not long after that when things began to change. It does seem odd, though, that--”-

Just what it was that seemed odd was to go unsaid, however, for she cut abruptly off and cocked her head to one side, eyes intent but distant, as if she were listening to something far away.

It was not strange, she had learned, to sense dragons passing by near to this town; but the dragons she felt now did not seem to be passing by. Unless she was quite mistaken, they were coming closer...and there were quite a number of them.

The distance cleared from her eyes as she turned to stare at the door; and between that moment and the moment that the door opened, the bow and quiver that had been on the chair next to her quietly disappeared under the table, out of sight. The feather fletchings were smooth under her fingers as she watched the young man framed in the doorway look around the tavern, arrogance stamped upon his features.

And as he made his way to the counter and ordered the innkeeper around as if he owned the tavern, she feared that what she had heard was true. As the conversation—if it could be called that—continued, it became clear that there was no doubt.

Twenty five percent? As a tithe for protection—but what was there to protect against, save for the dragonriders themselves? It was absurd, and beyond that, it was ruinous--and if the tithes became so large that the villagers could no longer afford to pay them, what then?

But stepping in now would achieve nothing but making the Rider angry, and causing more trouble for the innkeeper. Even were she to drive the Rider away, he would no doubt only return later; and if she were not there, then he would likely take his frustrations out on the innkeeper. As grating as it was to sit and do nothing, in this case it would not do to interfere.

That resolution lasted right up until she heard the child's cries from outside.

Then, despite herself she was on her feet, the quiver suddenly strapped to her back and her bow in hand. She was out the door before it even had a chance to swing closed behind Arthur, grateful for the hood that shielded her eyes from the sun as she glanced quickly around, taking in the situation.

It was utter chaos.

Everywhere she looked, families were being torn asunder, children ripped from their parents' arms. And her breath caught in her throat because no—no, they couldn't. Children were precious, to be cherished and protected—to humans as well as her people, she knew—and surely, surely the dragonriders could not be—

But these were not the Riders she had known, she had to remind herself. Much had changed over the years, it seemed; but there was no time to mourn what had been lost.

Kaida knew Beth only from their passing interaction in the tavern; and now, amid the chaos, she could not pick the girl out. So she did the only thing she could; she found the nearest dragon with children upon its back, and launched herself towards it. The dragon noticed her approach and flicked its long, heavy tail at her—she sprang nimbly over it and vaulted up its side, balancing lightly on the saddle.

Among the children, there was an older girl, her hands bound before her and frustration mixing with the fear in her eyes. She recoiled as far as she could from the hooded figure, but Kaida made a calming gesture and produced a small knife from under her overrobe. The blade was keen, and made short work of the girl's bonds.

-”Hey!”-

The shout came from below, and Kaida glanced down to find a man—presumably the dragon's rider—storming towards them, face twisted into a thunderous scowl and yet another child caught up in his arms.

-”The other children,” she said to the village girl, pressing the knife into her hand. The girl nodded her understanding and set to work freeing the others, as Kaida leapt lightly down to face the Rider.

~

Teddy watched Ellery go with an air of resignation, and as the white cat slipped out the door, she turned to give Alex a reproachful look that was far too human on a cat's face.

See what you did? the look seemed to say. But she doubted that Alex would feel properly chastened—when he got into a mood like this, he could be impossible.

She eyed him, wondering what she should do now that Ellery wasn't there to rein him in, but before she could decide there was a commotion at the door. It drew her attention up, and when she saw the man in the doorway she sank down lower to the table, fur beginning to fluff out with displeasure. And when his attention moved past their corner of the tavern, she slid silently off the table and into Alex's lap, out of sight.

He exuded conceit and over-confidence, clearly thinking himself above everyone in the tavern, and the moment he stepped in he was throwing his weight around; all adding up to paint a picture of just the sort of person she despised. But the simple truth of it was that men like that were dangerous—men like him could cause a lot of trouble for wanderers such as themselves. The less attention they drew, the better.

So she stayed still and quiet, hoping that the Rider would leave without troubling the stranger in the corner with his cat. And he did—he swept out of the tavern without so much as a glance back their way, and for a moment, Teddy let herself relax.

But then the shouting started, and she startled, alarmed.

Whatever was going on, it was widespread and terrible—she could hear dozens of voices, maybe even hundreds, all tumbling into each other and creating one horrible clash of noise. Dragons roared, and children cried, and—oh no.

/Ellery./

She jumped down from Alex's lap, but she didn't land as a cat—it was a girl who straightened up, impatiently brushing long, rich brown curls out of amber eyes. She looked young, perhaps fifteen or sixteen; and if any in the tavern were familiar with the reclusive Wild Born of the Eastern Plains, perhaps they would recognize this girl as one—the shapeshifting was a clear indicator, as was the way her eyes seemed to almost glow in the darkness, reflecting the light just as an animal's did. And yet there were oddities about her, as well. For she was on the small side even for a human, just over five feet tall, which made her tiny by the standards of her people, who usually averaged a full two feet taller. And the tattoos that those people so prized, which proclaimed their tribe and recorded the challenges and triumphs of an individual's life, were markedly absent from her skin.

But surely all had more important things to worry about than one girl's lineage; just as Teddy had more important things to worry about than how a cat turning into a girl might appear to strangers.

Someone screamed outside, and she seized Alex's arm and tugged, worry writ clear in her face.

-”Ellery's out there,” she said anxiously, her eyes flitting between his face and the door. “Alex, we have to find her.”-

 

[Starlit Night]

(Please note: This reply is being re-posted on behalf of @Reynarda, with her permission.)​

-"'Blunt' is certainly a polite word for it," Vlad said with a chuckle. He frowned at her explanation. The leadership? Of course he had been out of the loop for some time, but still. Surely a leadership change would not have caused this.
He froze when she did, holding his breath while he listened to his dragon. Images of other dragons flicked across his mind's eye, and he frowned more deeply.​

Of course this was what they had been hoping to find by coming to this part of the land, but that was far more than he thought necessary for a patrol. That it was not a patrol was quickly evident when a man walked into the inn.
Vlad gritted his teeth as the arrogant rider immediately demanding a ridiculous tribute. And protection from what? It was clear from the innkeeper's body language that he was more afraid of the man than anything else. Vlad slid his fingers over one of the many small knives under his cloak.
A stomping sound and a flash of red drew his attention, and Vlad was up and out of his chair before anything terrible could happen.​

He slipped in front of the angry and advancing monster hunter and ground in his heels, stopping Bram as best he could. This only slowed Bram as he was far larger and stronger than his slight companion, but it did give him pause.
-"Abraham, no!" Vlad hissed.
-"What are you doing?" Bram hissed back in the vampire's native tongue. "That bas—"-
-"Not in the inn!"-
However, at the roar of the dragon, Vlad was sprinting outside, Bram on his heels. Vlad froze, staring at the chaos in horror, but Bram didn't, nearly knocking him over in his haste. He drew a sword from under his coat—one that he claimed could pierce a dragon's scales.
-"Not the dragons!" Vlad shouted after him, resisting the urge to whistle for his own dragon. "Give me a boost!"-
Bram immediately dropped his sword and interlaced his fingers. Vlad ran at him and placed his foot in the nice step Bram had made. Bram then threw his companion up and over, launching Vlad over the nearest dragon's wings. The vampire somersaulted over and landed catlike on the dragon's back. Instantly, he began cutting the children free.​

The dragon was of course not pleased, and he ducked its tail several times.
Alarm and worry reached Vlad over his mental link with his dragon, but he assured her he was fine and told her to lay low. She didn't appreciate this at all, and he got the sense that several trees were now on fire. Still, sending for his own backup would only escalate the chaos, and no one would know that Starless had no intention of making off with their children.
Bram was crossing blades with the dragon's rider. It was rare that he actually had anything parry his blade, but that didn't mean he wasn't any good at it. He often made Vlad spar with him just to keep up his abilities. Of course, the little vampire was fast, not strong, so this rider was a bit of a challenge. But Bram quickly found Vlad's speed had increased his own, so he outmatched the rider in that, at least.
Still, the man was now swearing at him, questioning his parentage and demanding to know where he had come from. Bram, not one for chatting while fighting, answered by kicking the rider in the stomach.
-"Ready?" Vlad asked, appearing at his elbow.
Bram nodded, and they ran off to the next dragon and rider.​

 

[Starlit Night]

(Please note: This reply is being re-posted on behalf of @Mikotsuhime, with her permission.)​

May had actually been enjoying the pleasant conversation, up until all hell broke loose. He froze at the sight of the dragon rider, his blood going cold as he could do nothing but watch the scene unfold before him. Sure, he could fight, but only with magic, and while he was a mage, he was a rather unorthodox one. His magic tended to draw attention, and with the negative reputation of the domina sect (often called a cult by outsiders) he feared that making a fuss here might only make things worse.

Still, he shifted a little, discreetly drawing up the sleeve of his tunic and drawing one of many gemstone bracelets into his hand. His tracking spell was terrible at working over great distances, but maybe--

It seemed he needn't have worried, though. The others in the inn were immediately jumping to action, and they were far more skilled in battle than he was. He shifted his bracelet to a separate one and closed his eyes for a brief moment; a simple protection spell, though it was more of a slight luck boost than anything horribly substantial. Drawing his power thin over so many children who could be hurt in the clash as well as the combatants themselves - the ones he trusted, at least.

He opened his eyes just in time to see Agni step out of the inn, a look of sheer disgust on his face as he regarded the dragon riders. Some of them were still on the ground, some were in the air, but the extreme distaste he had for his cousins for aiding in such an action was clear on his face.

He stood like a king as he addressed them, as usual, but the air around him almost seemed to shimmer with heat, the soft amber of his irises glowing gold as his pupils slitted.

."What right do you think you have to do such a thing to children?" He asked derisively, as though he were speaking to his lessers. May gulped as he watched him raise a hand, and almost immediately his concentration on the spell dropped as he reached out and grabbed for Agni's waist.

."Agni, no! Bad idea, bad idea, please don't do what I think you're going to do, there are like a dozen dragons and riders here and--

His pleas fell on deaf ears as the dark skinned man leapt into the air, and then his form became insubstantial, like he was made of smoke before it solidified into something large and monstrous.

He did not look like the dragons that the riders mounted; he was larger, though not substantially so, with a long and serpentine body that was augmented by an impressive wingspan. His scales didn't seem to have colour to them, despite his dark complexion in his human form, instead seeming to shimmer like mirrors in the sunlight as he took to the skies.

May almost had a heart attack at the fact that Agni was not only endangering their cover, but being /incredibly stupid/ as he sunk his teeth into a dragon's neck, twisting and wrenching to the side with a sickening pop.

."KIDS, AGNI, KIDS," May hollered, because while Agni may have been one for blind rage and justice he also tended to forget that smiting was not always the answer, and May immediately acted on instinct, throwing out his hands and squeezing the stone in his hand, not even caring /what/ stone it was as long as it could give him strength and channel his energy in an attempt to keep the massive creature suspended in the air so that it wouldn't fall and crush its load. The effort caused sweat to bead at his forehead and his teeth to grind together, and the dragon slowly began lowering towards the earth anyways, even as Agni seemed to circle around for different prey. He was focusing so much on not dropping them, however, that he couldn't focus the fine motor movements needed to unstrap them, which would likely result in them falling to their deaths anyways.

Agni! Get someone up there to get those kids, you--!!" He broke off on what was likely an expletive, because the last thing he wanted was for Agni to get indignant and refuse to help.​

 

[Starlit Night]

(Please note: This reply is being re-posted on behalf of @quadraxis201, with his permission.)​

Aksil waited for anyone in the minotaur's group to respond to his question, though it seemed he would not get a reply. Then, everything started happening at once. A newcomer had practically barged his way in and had the waitress taken away. "She didn't even get me a drink..." Aksil said with a half-smile. "These guys really want to force my hand, don't they? Very well..." With a sigh, Aksil casually strolled out of the inn despite the utter chaos happening around him. His hand fell to the back of his head where his patch was secured as his timidity seemed to completely vanish. "I didn't want to have to do this, but... heh." Aksil removed the patch with a quick tug, revealing something that, if the rampaging dragons didn't do the job, would surely make a child cry - under his eyepatch was a completely inhuman eye - red, with a slitted pupil, like that of a dragon, and a complete contrast to his other. After pulling his scarf back over his face, he held his right hand in a grasping posture over the red eye. The eye let out a flash of light, and within seconds his entire form had conpletely disappeared from view. Aksil drew his weapons in a backhanded manner and began rushing at what he could only assume was a rookie among the hostile group. The rider began looking around frantically, trying to figure out where Aksil had gone. But, it wasn't long before he felt something grab him from behind, and then all he saw was complete darkness as a red pool formed quickly at his feet, followed by the thump of a body against dirt. "Amateur... complete amateur. I have seen goblins more perceptive than you... and at least you don't reek. Well... you will soon." While still invisible, Aksil saw another dragon about to take off and leaped onto its back, unnoticed by the accompanying rider. This dragon appeared to be gaining on the one that Bram was currently on, perhaps to provide backup. Aksil's form appeared behind the nameless hunter, who drew his sword as both combatants steadied themselves on the constantly moving creature. "A real challenge, at last. Bring it on." With a beckoning motion, Aksil ran along the dragon's back, taking care to avoid its beating wings. His opponent was certainly tough, but Aksil was faster about dishing out strikes. The enemy rider swung at Aksil, but missed and accidentally clipped his own dragon's wing, causing the creature to shriek in pain and shake. Thinking quickly, Aksil steadied himself before letting a combo of well-placed blows fall upon the rider, ending, of course, toward the neck, though this last blow wound up leaving a large wound on his hand after he had guarded it. "Excellent... I will enjoy this." Aksil quipped, his scarf blowing wildly in the gusty breeze.

 

[Starlit Night]

(Please note: This reply is being re-posted on behalf of @Canth, with her permission.)​

."Beth!" Sasha went running out of the tavern. He called to her, but she was already nearly twenty feet in the air and climbing, the rush of the dragon's wings knocking over stands and pushing people to the floor. Sasha grit his teeth, his jaw tightening as anger welled up within him. It was a hot rage, fueled by a temperament the man had been known for in his younger days. Eyes scanned the area as his mind moved quick. His cane he still clutched in his first, knuckles white as his fingers curled around it. It would prove useless in this fight. The dragons were taking to the air, most of them having accomplished their task and making to bring their loot home. A medium-sized dragon of a shimmery green color pushed off, on her back five children crying, clinging to each other as the rider ordered the dragon back home. Sasha saw his chance.

He moved quick for one of his size and impairment. His cane he left behind, reaching up and snatching at the dragon's hind leg just as it moved out of reach. He swung up, clinging to the leg as the dragon rose higher and higher, finding his balance before he began to climb, hoisting himself up onto the dragon's back. She bellowed, sounding to her rider, who spun in his saddle to see the man struggling to keep hold of the scales. They pitched forward, diving towards the ground before pivoting to the left and up, tucking a wing and spinning sideways through the air. Sasha held on, wrapping a foot into one of the saddle straps, refusing to be bucked. The dragon's rider cursed, reaching for his sword and drawing it. Sasha jumped, wrapping large arms tight around the man's body, crushing his arms to his ribs until he left the sword drop. It fell hundreds of feet, blade striking the ground at Ellery's feet. She looked up, eyes narrowing as they followed the men wrestling atop the large dragon.

Sasha struggled with the rider for a bit, finally managing to get an elbow up with enough momentum to bring it down against the rider's head. He went limp in the saddle, unconscious, not dead. Sasha took the reigns, sitting himself between the dragon's shoulders, legs wrapped around the neck for support and stability. Were it his own dragon, the reigns would be unnecessary. He gripped them tight however and yanked hard to the left, steering the dragon towards the one he remembered Beth to be on, the large brown one who bore an uncanny resemblance to Lolath. Perhaps a relative. She would have been disappointed to witness such days, when dragons were feared and Riders acted like cowards. Perhaps it was best Lolath had not lived to see these times.

~

Alex felt the dragons before he heard them. Not because they were dragons, or because he had some heightened sense for beasts, but because of the dark magic that surrounded their presence. The darkness that had infected the hearts of their riders, had turned them savage and heightened their instinct for blood and dominance. He felt their presence as their sick shadow descended upon the land. They needed to leave, get out of this town before it found him.

."What?" Alex looked down at Teddy, who had grabbed his arm and was urging him not away from, but towards the danger. "Ellery can take care of herself, we need to leave. Now." He slipped from the booth, drawing in a breath. "The back is clear. Hurry, we can slip away before they've noticed us." He made for the back door behind the counter, pausing only to turn back for Teddy. "Come on!" he hissed. They only had a small window before it would smell him.

~

Eight dragons remained unburdened by additional weight, assigned to patrolling and responding should things go wrong. They certainly had. Two came up from below, one dropped down from above, they surrounded the poor dragon now flying at the mercy of Sasha Ivonovich. They spiraled through the air, diving and dodging, Sasha managing to stay in place as they raced across the sky. It felt never-ending, and most of the children had passed out either from exhaustion or fear. Or both. Two clung to each other, waiting to die. Sasha was gaining on the dragon, he could see Beth waving back at him, both arms in the air, the fear in her eyes, the tear streaks upon her face, the poor child trembling and small.

There was a crash. The dragon beneath Sasha cried out. It was not the great and terrible cry of a powerful dragon, but one filled with fear and pain and betrayal. Beneath her, sharp teeth and strong jaw latched upon her neck, was one of her own. A black-scaled dragon by the name of Mishu. They had come up together, been like brother and sister. And as she felt the last breath escape her lungs, her esophagus crushed beneath the powerful jaw, she felt only love and compassion for her fellow dragon.

Sasha and the children were suddenly falling through the air. The children awoke as their stomachs lurched with the sudden fall, and their screams and cries were renewed. Sasha could hardly breathe, the wind rushing past them as they plummeted to the ground. He managed to crawl his way to the children, carefully cutting each of their bonds with a small knife he had tucked away in his boot. He clung to each of them, holding them tight against his chest, one leg twisted in the saddle straps so they would not all go flying from the dragon's back.

."Here, let me help."

Sasha turned to find a beautiful young woman, silver hair wild in the rushing wind, skin pale, almost translucent, blue eyes bright and strange, a black feline slit down the middle of each pupil. She was poised upon the dragon's back as if they were not in fact hurdling through the sky, crouched low and holding a hand out to him. Sasha eyed the woman, but felt an immediate trust. He had no other options anyway. He eased one child into her arms, and then a second. She gave Sasha a nod, and then disappeared.​

Seconds later, she returned, hands stretched out again for the next two. Sasha handed them over, and again she disappeared. And when she reappeared, this time she took both Sasha and the last child, disappearing from the dragon's back just as it finished the last hundred feet of its decent into the rolling hills south of Rhoddhim.

Sasha gasped as they landed back on the ground just outside the tavern. He held his stomach, worried he might empty it as he fell into a coughing fit. His head spun and he needed to sit down.

."My apologies." Ellery, now in her human form and standing beside the recovering ex-rider. "Travel through purgatory is always taxing the first time. And human souls are not guarded against the affliction. Breathe, and you should feel better in a few minutes. I believe this is yours?" She held the cane out to Sasha, who looked upon her for a few moments before accepting it. She was an interesting creature, to say the least. He was not sure he had ever met anyone like her. Beautiful. He both admired and feared her. There was power behind those eyes, immense, ancient power. She seemed both young and full of life, and yet old and wise with hundreds of years of life behind her. He was sure she would have plenty of new stories to tell Beth some day, when they found her.

~

Amidst the chaos, tumbling through the frantic streets, slipping through the tiniest cracks of burning homes, passing through crowds of crying families, was a shadow. A dark, sickly shadow of a purple haze that cast itself upon singed walls and trampled roads. It flickered, wavering in the dying sunlight, disappearing beneath the massive beasts circling above. It stretched and shrunk, coming to rest against a local tavern, watching as strangers fought to defend a town that was not even theirs. Foolish. It was not wise to expend so much energy, to risk life and limb for people who were not even yours, a home that was not yours. They drew her attention only for a second before she found what she had been looking for.

The magic emanating off of him was intoxicating. It was dark, evil, delicious. She wanted it. Needed it. She knew better than to just take it, however. Unlike these men and women fighting a fight that was not theirs, she was no fool. He was powerful, too powerful to be taken unawares. She had no chance of beating him with power like that. But, she had a job to complete.

The dark shape dropped to the floor, and under the cover of destruction and mayhem, it stretched upwards and took form. Not her true form, the form of the Dark Elves of the Southern Marshes, but a disguise, one she thought the witch might respond better to, that of a human female. She was of average height with a slim build, long chocolate curls, and bright emerald eyes. Her skin was tanned, and she dressed of moderate wealth, in fabrics of rich greens and browns. Beneath her forest green cloak, a dagger rested on either hip. She drew them for good measure, easing herself into the scene.

Mariah O'Connely was the name she chose. She had it picked out previously and had used it upon many occasions when her mission required this level of secrecy. She was a young woman from a neighboring fishing town that had thrived as the primary fish provider for the great Melkiell of the Northern Mountain. Five days ago however, the riders had pillaged the town and raced off with their children, just like they were doing here in Rhoddhim. Her brother had been amongst those stolen, and she had come to Rhoddhim in the hopes of finding someone who might be able to help her retrieve him. That was her story.

~

Jeremiah had not accounted for these strangers. His mistake. Still, he could not go back to Melkiell empty-handed, not if he wanted to keep his head. Already nearly a quarter of the children had been released, and though a few dragons had already managed to escape with their loot, there were many still filling their saddles. The eight who had been charged with patrol were now distracting as best they could, dropping to fight off the would-be rescuers with fire and sword. But it was not enough. They needed to win, for the sake of Melkiell and their respect. How could they ever get the townspeople to follow their command if they thought they were no longer to be feared? Word would spread, and before long no one would respect the Dragon Rider. That was something they could not have. Jeremiah would not be the cause of the fall of the Dragon Rider, not while he had anything to do about it.

His dragon was smaller than most others, but he was fast and swift. His roar was tremendous and his wit and cunning unlike any other in their ranks. He was above all others and would lead hem to victory. Jeremiah hoisted himself up, undoing and kicking the saddle to the ground to relieve the excess weight.

."Let's go."

Massive wings unfurled, spanning many rooftops. His weight shifted back and, with a deep growl, he pushed off the ground and into the air. They paused, suspended, and when the wind caught beneath his wings, he dropped, falling back towards the ground before dipping his wingtips towards and allowing the light breeze to rush him up and outside the town's perimeter. Heavy pumps sent rushes of hot air down upon the town as Jeremiah and his dragon rose up into the sky, gaining altitude before looping back around.

He was not certain what exactly he was supposed to do, especially considering the large snake thing that had appeared out of nowhere. He thought it might be some sort of dragon, but he had never seen anything quite like it. Beneath him, Roan growled deep within his chest. He knew something about this, shaking his head as if trying to rid thoughts from it.

."What's wrong?".

Roan flooded Jeremiah's mind with images and words and thoughts, crashing against the inside walls of his brain like a tidal wave of immense emotion. He cringed against the pain and fear and anger that welled within him, Roan's overwhelming thoughts colliding with his own.

."We need to leave. Now. Call the others."

Roan snorted, dropping the back of his wings down and suspending himself above Rhoddhim. There was a deep grumble in his chest as a flame welled up within. It bubbled at the back of his throat, before he released it, an expanse of hot dragon fire filling the sky above them in a wide arch.​

With it, a tremendous roar that shook the earth and toppled burning homes.

At the signal, every dragon, whether they had filled their saddles or not, took to the sky and made for the mountains.​

 

[Starlit Night]

There was something very wrong, here.

Dark magic clung to the Riders and their dragons, heavy and sickening, and since when had dragonriders dabbled in the darker arts? But there was no time to ponder it now—now, her focus must be on the battle.

The Rider had shoved the child he held away, in his haste to draw his sword; the boy, sensibly, took this as his chance to flee as his would-be kidnapper clashed with the elf.

The man was strong, and well-trained; the dragonriders may have lost their honor, but it seemed that their teachings had lost none of their rigor. But Kaida had had lifetimes of man to hone her skills, years upon years upon years poured into training. And had she been fighting all out, then there could have been no contest.

But she did not want to kill this man. The past whispered in her mind as echoes of conversations long past, of sober explanations of what it meant, for a dragon and a rider to be bonded. What it meant for a rider to lose their dragon, or a dragon lose their rider. And so she held back, seeking to incapacitate without causing undue harm, and as she heard the dying screams of both men and dragons, and felt their presences vanish, she could not help but grieve—both for the lost, and for those left behind.

Her opponent, however, had no such qualms.

So they fought, he with angered determination and she with fluid grace, making it almost a dance as she slipped away from his slashing sword and darted in close, one surprisingly strong hand closing on the top of the handle and twisting it sharply to the side, breaking his grip. She flung it aside, and it struck quivering into the dirt, far out of reach; with a growl he lunged for her, bare handed. She ducked, but his hand caught in her hood and held fast, yanking it back from her face.

Silvery blonde hair spilled loose, tumbling down her back. No longer hidden in shadow, the pale runes on her face caught the light, shimmering softly like silver moonlight turned solid; they began at her temples and swept down to skim the tops of her cheekbones, half-framing each of her golden eyes. The runes were more than mere decoration; they told an interesting tale, if you knew how to look. But only a handful of outsiders had ever been gifted knowledge of the Guardians' secret writings, even before they had withdrawn from the world, and so whatever story was written there remained hidden away.

Kaida clicked her tongue, not pleased; but in pulling down her hood the man had brought himself close. She used that to drive the hilt of her own, still-sheathed blade directly under his ribs, driving the air from his lungs, and he fell back, gasping.

There was something ugly in his eyes, now, when he looked at her—but before he could attack again, Roan's roar split the air, calling the dragons back. And for a moment he hesitated, glaring at her; but in the end he turned and ran for his dragon, and Kaida, seeing that all the children had disappeared from its back, let him go.

Already her attention was turning elsewhere, fixing on the dragon that had gone limp in the sky, shrieking children still trapped on its back. It was lowering slowly towards the earth, not hurtling down as it would have been without the young mage's interference—but it would not matter how slow the descent was, if the children became trapped underneath the dragon's bulk.

In a moment she was at May's side, eyes moving from the limp dragon to the glittering, mirrored shape swooping across the sky.

-”If your friend can take me up, I will take care of the children,” she said, voice quiet but intent.

~

For a moment Teddy simply stared up at Alex (short as he was, he was still taller than her), not understanding. Not wanting to understand, perhaps.

She did not feel magic, as he did—she felt her own magic, bright and warm inside of her, but that was because it was a part of her, as comfortable and familiar as a second skin. But that was all. Her senses were keen, but they did not stretch beyond the physical world. So she did not feel the darkness cloaking the dragons and the riders, did not see the danger that Alex pulled away from.

All she knew was that Ellery was out there, amid the screams and the clash of battle (because there was a battle, now; the others people in the tavern had rushed outside, no less strangers to this village than she and Alex, but quick to take up arms despite that), and Alex—Alex wanted to leave her, to slip away out the back.

And what he said was true: Ellery could take care of herself. She was perhaps the most capable of them, and no doubt she was handling herself perfectly well out there. And with her and Alex's bond, she'd be able to find them again if they slipped away.

But that wasn't the point.

The point was that they were family, and family looked out for one another, whether or not it was needed.

-”Fine!” she snapped, frustration lighting her eyes, worry making her sharp. “Be that way! I'll look for her by myself!”-

And so saying, she whirled around and ran in the opposite direction, bursting out of the tavern and into the daylight. And she had expected the sun, so she shielded her eyes and didn't let it blind her; she had expected the chaos, so she wasn't taken aback by it. But what she hadn't braced herself for was the sound.

Her ears were sensitive even in her humanoid form, and now, no longer muffled by the tavern walls, the noise hit her like a battle hammer to the head. She winced and stumbled, thrown off balance by the assault on her senses, and clapped her hands over her ears. It only helped a little, but she didn't let that stop her; dodging bursts of fire, lashing tails and beating wings, she wove her way farther into the fray, searching for a flash of familiar fur or silver hair. And at last she found Ellery—back the way she had come, standing outside the tavern next to an older man who looked as if he might be ill—and relief flooded through her.

Ellery was safe. And now that she knew that, she could join her friend; because Ellery clearly hadn't chosen to stay out of the fight, and if she was helping, then Teddy would do the same.

At least, that was the plan.

But Ellery, and the other strangers from the tavern that had rushed to defend this town's children, all had an advantage: they were all grown. They were all adults, old enough that the dragonriders saw only opponents, not targets. But Teddy—Teddy was young, and small, and one of the Riders that had dropped down to aid his fellows looked at her and saw someone that could be stolen away.

The tramp of approaching boots was lost among the uproar around her, and she didn't notice the man coming up behind her until a large hand caught her wrist, yanking it away from her head. Startled, she spun, and found herself staring up at a large, brawny man who smirked down at her wide-eyed surprise and made to loop his other arm around her waist.

That broke her out of her shock, and belatedly she shoved at him, trying to yank her wrist out of his grip—but it was like trying to shove a brick wall. He didn't so much as budge, and his smirk took on a nastily amused edge as his hand closed even tighter around her wrist, hard enough to bruise. He was enjoying the futility of her struggles, and that made her angry.

She stomped on his foot as hard as she could, putting all of her weight into the movement, and at the same time she sank her fingernails viciously into the soft, sensitive webbing between his fingers, drawing blood. And that, at last, drew a reaction, the man hissing at the unexpected pain and unthinkingly loosening his grip. Teddy took that as her cue to shift, her form shrinking back into the tabby cat, which slipped easily out of the circle of his arm and sprang away.

The Rider cursed, not expecting the change; but despite his surprise he was already moving, snatching at her, and he managed to catch one of her front legs and yank her back. Teddy yowled, dangling awkwardly from his grip, and shifted back; and now he had her arm twisted sharply up behind her back, and she panted raggedly through the pain.

-”Let—let me go,” she tried to demand, but it came out unsteadily. She tried to stomp on his foot again, but he stepped slightly back, expecting it, so instead she drove her elbow into his stomach. His breath came out in one punched-out wheeze, and he bent forward, clutching at his stomach with his free hand—but his grip didn't loosen on her arm, this time. He wrenched it farther back in retaliation, making her gasp and her eyes water. “Let me go!”-

And ah, that time it came out stronger, but now her voice was pitching higher, real fear bubbling up inside of her. She gulped at air, blinking back tears; but still she reached behind herself, her free hand searching for his face, his throat, anything.

And then Roan roared, shaking the earth beneath her feet, and Teddy flinched hard, the volume making her head spin. It was enough to daze her, to make her stutter to a stop, if only for a moment—but a moment was all the Rider needed to capture her other hand. And then he cursed, again, because all around them dragons were taking to the sky, great wings stirring up dust and grit; and his own dragon was waiting impatiently, nose pointed up, waiting to follow the summons.

He pulled her second hand behind her back as well, trapping both of her wrists in one large hand as he started dragging her off; and Teddy fought, she dug in her heels and yanked with all of her strength, but he was twice her size and far stronger than she was, and the best she could do was slow him down. And she knew, she knew she should shift again, take a different form and surprise the man again—knew surprise was her best chance—but her head was spinning and the pain was sharp and she couldn't focus, when she reached for the shift it slipped out of her grasp—

And that scared her just as much as the Rider dragging her away.

-”Let go of me!” she cried one last time, high and piercing; and then, “Alex!”-

 

[Starlit Night]

(Please note: This reply is being re-posted on behalf of @Reynarda, with her permission.)​

Bram was having a grand time. It was so rare that he got to test his swordsmanship. He was happily distracting the dragon's riders while his companion freed their cargo.
Vlad was not having a grand time. The dragons had not taken kindly to his shenanigans, and one had set his hair on fire. He had quickly put it out, but it did not make him any less peeved.
At the roar, the dragon Vlad was on unfurled his wings. Vlad cursed and cut the ropes more quickly. Despite Bram's efforts, the rider broke away and mounted his dragon. Beating his wings down, the dragon leapt into the air. Vlad decided there was nothing for it and jumped off with one last child.
-"Vlad!"-
Bram shouted his name like a curse and dropped his sword. He ran at the dragon and leapt and impressive height, grabbing onto the saddle straps. The dragon paid him no heed, climbing higher and higher while Vlad cursed Bram's ancestors. Bram kicked his legs and managed to get a better purchase, using the dragon's forelimb like a step. The dragon rolled to the left, attempting to dislodge him. Bram clung doggedly on as the ground grew more and more distant.
Blast it. He hated dragons, he hated flying, and he hated Vlad.
Bram, much to both dragon's and rider's chagrin, managed to scramble up onto the dragon's back. He took one hand off the saddle straps to cut the last child free. Just he sliced through it, the rider saw his chance and directed his dragon into a barrel roll. Both he and the little boy came free, both screaming as they plummeted.
Vlad had been having a mental argument.
One that he was losing. Had lost, he corrected, clouds and wind filled his mind. It was just then that a pang reverberated through his chest and down his left arm. He jerked his head up, quickly spotting the falling figure—who had wrapped himself around the child.
Vlad ran, whistling long and too low for human ears. The mental answer was a smug humph.
A dark blue, nearly black, shape rose from the horizon, suddenly tucking her wings and diving to meet the falling figure. She caught Bram and the child easily. She swooped low over the burning town, a barrage of questions hitting her counterpart on the ground. Helpfully, she dropped her burden right over her rider.
Fortunately for Bram, Vlad broke his fall. Unfortunately for Vlad, he broke Bram's fall.
-"Get off," Vlad groaned.
Bram stood and handed him the child—who had passed out in fear.
-"Vlad!"-
Rolling his eyes at the hunter's inarticulate habits, Vlad passed him his discarded sword.
Without so much as a "thanks", Bram went straight for the man dragging off the girl yelling at that rude kid with the cats. He seemed oddly cat-less now, but Bram didn't give it a second thought. He swung his sword at the man, who was fortunately much taller than the girl.​