Of Dragons and Men [Inactive]

[Kyero]

Date: August 4th, Present Day


Location:Aquestrian Border, Western Highlands

​

The sun was high on this midsummer's day in August. The temperature was soaring as heat waves above the earth shimmered and fluctuated creating mirages and muddling the ability of the eye to discern truth from fiction. The winds were low, almost extinct, only increasing the heat as a pair of black boots trudged along through the rocky outcrops of the Western Highlands on the Aquestrian border.


The individual whom the boots belonged to was a young man in his early twenties wearing a white V neck shirt, white pants, black undershirt and boots. His brown hair waved gently in what little breeze graced the lands, and as he looked about all he could see was rocky and dead land devoid of much grass, herbs, or trees. It was a desolate place, and had it not been a commonly traveled trade route, he'd not have taken it at all.


His destination was entrance to the mountains in the north, just off to his right in the distance. They were a good three days walk from where he was, but there was a city nearby called Linxeh where he could rest and restock his supplies. His water was running quite low and he was out of food. Along the way he'd encountered a group of bandits whom demanded the remainder of his food stuffs, and given his already dehydrated and exhausted condition, he gave it away to preserve his physical well being as the bandits went off with his food. Now two days on an empty stomach, he was desperate for a cold drink, a warm meal, and a place to lay down.


He walked for what seemed to him like hours, and finally the city of Linxeh came into view. He saw it below him as the rocky outcroppings came to an end and gave way to the first grasslands he'd seen in a good while. Behind him was nothing but a rocky desert, and ahead lay a lush grassland. How the Gods managed to create such vastly differing yet side by side environments was beyond him, but he didn't complain. The temperature on the grasslands was immediately lower than that on the rocks, and the relief was a most welcome one. He took a second to stand still and rest his eyes before making his way towards the city gates.


Upon arrival, he was asked to display his belongings to ensure he wasn't an unsavory character. All he had was a dagger at his hip for self defense, a nearly empty water jug, and a pouch with some basic provisions and medical supplies. Once cleared, he entered the city.


Linxeh was a large city despite how well hidden it was beyond the rocks he had come from. It was home to nearly 60,000 people, which was the fourth largest in Aquestra. The city was a well traveled trade spot, and a great place to rest and resupply given how many vendors and shops were available. The young man made his way towards the first inn he saw where he used what remained of the coin in his pocket to pay for a room for a single night. After receiving his key, he made his way to his room and fell asleep on the bed almost immediately. Upon awakening, it was already the next day and he realized he had no more money for food.


He thanked the innkeeper for his hospitality and left, wandering the city until he saw an opportunity to gain some coin to help pay for a meal. There was a vendor selling goods at over the top prices, and the boy smiled as he saw a young woman preparing to buy a jeweled necklace. The necklace was of a silver chain with a large purple gem in the center resting on what appeared at first glance to be platinum, but something caught the youth's eye as he inched closer to observe the sale.


"Pardon me, but you should not pay for that." He warned her as he approached.


The girl looked at him, confused, as the vendor himself walked around from behind the stall and confronted the young man.


"Do you have a problem with the good lady's choice my lad?" He asked forcefully.


The youth shook his head.


"The choice she made was wise, but the price is beyond unreasonable." The youth countered.


The vendor's eyes widened in anger as he placed his hand on his stall.


"These wears come from lands beyond our own boy, and they are of the highest quality and value. You wish to tell me that I do not know the price of such goods? I have spent a lifetime acquiring them and preparing them for sale. What do you know?!" He demanded.


The boy cleared his throat.


"What I know is that the jewels on the young woman's necklace of choice are fake. One can easily discern this by the shape and texture of the gems." He said, asking to hold the necklace.


The vendor was a bit reluctant to let him hold the item, but relented when the young lady insisted.


"Now, see here?" He asked the girl, pointing to the largest jewel in the center.


"This gem is known as a Midnight Sapphire, or at least it would be if it were the genuine article. This replica is nothing more than a substance known as Ventil Cors, a glass-like material which can be colored rather easily to replicate the appearance of almost any known gem. If this were a genuine Midnight Sapphire, this would not happen." He said, taking the jewel and giving a single good bash on the wooden stall next to the vendor.


Against wood, the jewel cracked upon impact. The vendor's eyes widened and the boy held it up for both the vendor and the young woman to see.


"A true Midnight Sapphire is hard enough to withstand up to five full force swings of a common smithing hammer. Not only that, but the texture is, as I mentioned before, inaccurate. A Midnight Sapphire has a rougher surface as if it were a liquid bubbling under extreme heat. The so called platinum is nothing but painted steel, as proven here." He said, scraping it on the wooden stall and taking off small streaks of paint from a now shining silver-ish surface.


The young woman took in a breath and looked at the vendor, giving him a cold glare before turning and walking away.


The vendor, while not as tall as the young man before him, was none the less an imposing man. He took a breath and glared at the young man with ire in his eyes as he slammed his hand on the stall.


"Where do you get off doing this to me boy?! Do you have any idea who I am?" He yelled, drawing the attention of a few nearby onlookers.


"I know that you're a man who's going to be spending a great deal of time in prison once your wears are exposed as the fakes they are. Is anything here genuine, might I ask?" He asked, looking again at the assortment of jewels.


"I can think of some very interested parties who would pay me to turn you in right now. I spoke with the guards at the front gate upon my arrival but yesterday, and they informed me that a handsome reward is promised to those who turn in con men and thieves. You… My good fellow, are both." The young man said, giving a confident stare in the vendor's direction.


At just over six feet in height and having a superb muscular structure, the young man clearly daunted the vendor who could only glare back at him. The vendor said nothing as he looked around at those watching the conversation, and smiled at them as he waved them away assuring them that there was nothing to see. As they began to leave, the vendor looked again at the young man with ire as he walked closer.


"Fine… You win. Just stay away from me and my stall and I'll give you coin enough to pay for that necklace." He said.


The youth gave him a glare.


"You mean, coin enough to pay for what the genuine article would bring. Correct?" He said, straightening his head a bit.


The vendor shot him a look and was about to protest before the boy gestured to a pair of patrolling guards. The vendor's mouth shut immediately as he looked at the youth and gritted his teeth before nodding his head vigorously as he walked behind the stall.


"You seem to know everything about all this, so what is it worth to you?" The vendor asked.


"Such a piece, at full and genuine price, is worth no less than 2,400 gold coins." He said.


The vendor was dumbstruck, his mouth slowly hanging agape as he looked at the boy as his suggested price. The boy again motioned to the guards and the vendor cursed him under his breath as he handed the youth a small chest filled with coins. The boy set it down on the stall and opened it, examining the currency within. Once confident it was genuine, he took a mere one hundred coins for himself and closed the chest, handing it back to the vendor. The man was perplexed as the boy turned and began to walk away.


"Wait! What is this?!" He demanded.


The youth stopped in his tracks, turning slowly and giving him a rather sinister glare.


"You'd prefer I take full payment?" He asked.


The vendor was about to protest until he realized just how foolish that would be, and shooed the youth away.


Satisfied with his deed, and satisfied with the coin in his pocket, the young man wandered the merchant quarter searching for food, water, and other necessary supplies to reach the mountains. He had received a strange scroll which was sealed until his flesh made contact with it. Once it opened, inside was a summons to the Aquestrian Mountains in the northwest along the border between Aquestra and its neighboring kingdom of Durhum. The young man didn't know what lay within the mountains, but he had a feeling, given the strange writing style and a rather unique and intriguing symbol on the bottom of the letter that it was an invitation to the Dragon Kingdom.


Why the Dragons would seek him out was unknown, as he was just a humble tradesman. Still, it was a summons he could not very well deny. Doing so was the epitome of foolishness. After all, how often does one receive a summons to the Dragon Kingdom? Not often at all. He knew his father had, but that was the only instance he'd ever heard of. He'd even researched the topic during his teenage years, yet he found almost no records beyond that of his father's experience. He also knew from reading the letter that there were going to be others traveling to the same location, and that they'd know their destination when they found it.


For now, he resupplied his basic necessities and prepared to depart for the mountains. It was another two days walk at least, and he had no idea what to expect upon arrival.

 

[Nizrindane]

The sun was high on this midsummer's day in August. Like a winged beast taking flight in the vast sky, so high was the temperature that heat waves shimmered and fluctuated above the earth creating mirages and messing the eye's power to discern the real from fantasy. The winds were low, almost extinct, only increasing the heat as a pair of black studded heeled boots trudged along through the rocky outcrops of the Western Highlands on the Aquestrian border.


These arguably classy boots were worn by a young man in his early twenties wearing a cream sleeveless vest with light brown gloves that went past his elbows, white pants with black cloud patterns. His silver white hair waved as if dancing with the small winds, the man laughing slightly as he turned to the path ahead of him: A path with more earth than grass, plants or even herbs. The path was desolate and there was another way, he would be heart pressed to take that route.


Off in the distance to the right, the Aquestran mountains lied in their mystery to this man's mind. But he knew one thing: His curiosity and perhaps great opportunity lied at those mountains. It would be a three day hike and even though his brothers made him a very big meal before he left and has had much rest throughout the trip, he was quite hungry and his water gourd was near empty. Right in front of him was the town of Linxeh. Home to 60,000 people and a perfect place to get provisions and he knew he needed that.


As he neared the city, the guards asked to search him simply to see if he was on the up and up. All on his person was the dagger he made by himself and a water gourd. A female guard went as far as to check underneath his vest, smiling slightly as she could some toned muscle. Once cleared and his face flushed from the woman's little search, he entered the city a bit relieved. But for now, he resupplied and got back on the road, looking at his summons. The Dragons wishing to see him? It was quite laughable as he thought about it, it could be beyond serious. He was only a fledgling mage and a blacksmith. Of what use could he be to the Dragons? He was fascinated about dragons for years but never imagined he would have the chance to encounter them. Of course, he would not be the only one travelling to the same place. For now, with more provisions for the two day hike, Blake felt a whisper of a breeze and started to crack a smile, running with his excitement in his step.


(Lol I'm starting to debate if I did this.)

 

[Pandadise]

Earth and dirt rose up from the ground as a pair of small boots made contact with the rocky ground, also bringing waves after waves of heat. It wasn't the most pleasing sensation, and it only got worse when the bearer of the boots decided to quicken the pace. There was low, almost to no wind, and the situation only got worse because of the rocky ground and lack of lawn.


The bearer of the boots, a woman with brown hair, dark red eyes, and clothes mostly hided by a dark green cape, thought only in arriving in the nearest city she could find, and so, with a quick pace, she marched in the Western Highlands's direction. Thinking about this, she took the water jug she had brought to her journey and also brought it to her lips. She didn't expect, however, for the jug to be empty. Slowing her pace again, the woman cursed herself, turning the jug upside down. What happened was what she had expected, however: No water came out of it. She cursed herself again and attached the jug to her waist belt again.


The red eyed woman looked up and almost fell to the ground when she saw something in the distance. Something very, very, small, but she was sure of what she had seen. It was no mirage, though she considered the possibility, for the heat was almost unbearable, and her cape didn't do much to help her. But as she ran towards it, the woman knew she had found Linzeh, or whatever the name of the city was. She soon reached the end of the rocky ground and a green path opened up in front of her eyes, reaching far and wide.


The woman's grin was wide as she stepped of the green grass, and she sighed, feeling the heat slowly fade away. She continued walking until she reached the gates of the city and was asked to be searched. The men were almost tempted to search them, but a female guard stopped them and began searching her. She cracked a smirk and couldn't help but blush slightly. The female guard only found her knives, her bow, a water jug, a pouch which would have used as a place for her food if she hadn't eaten it all, and another one for money, though, and advised her to keep out of trouble inside the city. Then, she was cleared to go, which the woman did, avoiding eye contact with the guards while still blushing. She entered the city with new spirits, almost enjoying being there. Almost.


Thinking about the letter she had received, the red eyed woman didn't know what to think about it. She had asked her brother to search about the weird symbol on the letter, but they suspected it belonged to the Dragon Kingdom. As she thought about it, she decided to resupply. She didn't know what she would find there, but decided, with a little help of her brother, to go anyways. If she didn't find anything, at least she would know more of the world she had lived since she was little and only knew through maps. Or at least she hoped so. She didn't even think about the other people she might encounter there, which was more than obvious that would happen for a person who read it carefully. When she was finished ressuplying, the brown headed woman decided to keep going on her little journey, thinking it might be worth it. It had to. And so, Pandora kept going to her destination.

 

[Greatmar2]

The man leaned against the wall of a house at the edge of the market square in Linxeh. He lowered his hand into his satchel and fiddled absentmindedly with the letter of summons he had received a few days ago. The man, named Rylan, thought back to when he had received the scroll and the events thereafter.


His Godfather had come in for a visit, arriving early one morning. He held a scroll which he said had been in the mailbox and he handed it to Rylan. Rylan watched with amazement as the letter unfurled itself slowly as he touched it. After emerging from thought as to who would send him, him of all people, an enchanted letter. It seemed to be from the dragon kingdom. But what would they want with him? After reading the letter, he decided that he should go, as he had heard that it is unwise to refuse invitations from the Dragon Kingdom, as rare as they are.


It couldn't be better timing anyway, he had leave from his duties for the next several days, as each guard got their turn. How closely have they been watching me? he wondered. Anyway, he packed as soon as he could, his Godfather telling him exactly what to expect on the road and where the best spots to camp were. Hi'awa'tha even told Rylan the best route around an area that had many bandits in.


Rylan was amazed how well his Godfather knew the lay of the land and guessed it was probably because he was travelling most of the time. Without delay, he said his goodbyes and left on his journey the day after receiving the letter.


He encountered little difficulty and had taken the perfect amount of supplies, which still surprised him despite all the advice he had received. When the guards had searched him, they found his sword, which he had insisted on taking, despite his godfather reiterating that he would not run into bandits on his route, an empty food bag and water bottle, a scroll and his gold: he had taken a bit extra gold in case there was something interesting he could buy as a souvenir of his journey.





Hence he was at the market. He had found nothing worth the gold so far and was leaning against a wall deep in thought. Suddenly his attention was drawn to a short jewelry vendor shouting at a young man. He watched with interest as the man indicated a pair of guards nearby, the vendor now looking worried. Sparkling on the table caught Rylan's attention as he saw shards of what looked like gems lying on the table. What is going on, he wondered, walking a bit closer, hoping to hear what was happening.


...2,400 gold coins." the young man said. The vendor took out a chest of gold and the boy took a handful of coins after inspecting them, then walked away.


"Wait! What is this?!" The vendor demanded.


The young man stopped and glared at the vendor.


"You'd prefer I take full payment?" The man asked.


The vendor stayed silent while the man walked away, andering the marketplace.


Curios, Rylan followed the man, meaning to ask him what had happened, but the man suddenly stopped in a quieter part of the marketplace and drew a scroll out of his satchel, unfurling it to read it. Rylan stopped, unsure whether to interrupt, until he glimpsed the sigil on the scroll. He hurried to the man and asked, "Uh.... Hello. Have you been summoned too?", not sure what else to say to a complete stranger.

 

[dot80]

The vast endless expanse of flat, empty, grass-covered land running in every direction for what to Nootau forever was almost sickening. His mood had taken a plunge since leaving the Eastern forests weeks ago. Out here, exposed to the wind and rain, he felt helpless. It was in these moments of depression that he would think back to his village, and the day he was ripped from it by a mysterious summons.


He had been spending the day away from the hustle and bustle of the village, out collecting alchemical reagents to mix together the many medicines and potions he and his master had to brew on a daily basis just to keep up with the many needs of the villagers. There was a cool breeze running through the trees, the sun shone through the leaves in the upper canopy, and the woods were vibrantly alive with animal and plant life. Utterly at peace, he packed up all his ingredients and started on the walk home. It would take the rest of the day to get back to his village from where he was, and he loved that fact. Lazily strolling through the forest, he enjoyed his last day of Shaman life for a very long time.


When he arrived back at his village there was an anxious feeling in the air. Everyone fell silent when he came near. Something was wrong. Kwahu was the only one who would look him in the eye. “You have received a letter.” As the older man held up the parchment scroll in his hand, Nootau was dumbstruck. A letter? For him? The Diné rarely ever received letters from the outside world, and when they did it was usually a summons for a hearing. Hearings always resulted in imprisonment. Nootau didn’t know what to do. He had went and done the rites a mage must do in their culture, he hadn’t hurt or even come in contact with anyone from the lands beyond the forests, it must be a misunderstanding.


“What do I do?” he asked in disbelief.


“Open it boy.” Kwahu said, his voice shaking a little.


“I- I can’t read.”


“We’ll have to take it to Naalnish.”


He took the scroll, hands quivering. Upon his first touch the scroll unravelled, revealing a strange symbol in a language neither of them had seen. For some strange reason however, Nootau knew exactly what to do. “I am being called to the dragon kingdom.”


“Dragons? What do the Diné have to do with dragons? We have not been in contact with dragons since the first age.”


Nootau shook his head, looking at his teacher, he said with some new-found determination:“I must go.”


Kwahu, with his knowing grey eyes conceded. “If all my years have taught me anything, it is to know when a man has set his mind. Go Nootau and pursue this summons. I will pray to the gods for your safe passage.” His face softened. “Please be careful on your journeys young one. The world outside is not like the village. It is a cold, dark place.”


“I will return soon master.”


“You cannot be sure of that, and I will not hold you to it. Go. If you intend to meet this summons you should make haste.”


“Yes master.” Nootau said with a final word, before hugging him tightly and leaving the hut. He gathered his things in secret, and left in the dark of night. Kwahu would explain his departure. He didn’t have the heart to say goodbye to the rest of them. They were his family.


Pulled back to the reality of the plains, he noticed before him a city growing in the distance. Something inside told him this was the place. “Finally,” he whispered under his breath. Wind whipped and tired, he pushed on faster, determined to make good time to the city. Unexperienced traveling in the plains, it took him much longer to arrive than he ever would have predicted. Happy to be inside the walls he set up his tent along with all the other makeshift shanties that lined the buildings of the lower district. It was as good a place as any! He settled down into a heavy sleep.

 

[Kyero]

"Uh.... Hello. Have you been summoned too?"


He looked to the side towards where the voice came from, and then back to his scroll.


"It appears so, if that's what you'd like to call it." He responded, tucking the scroll away and letting out a sigh.


"I can't say that I'm too pleased about being 'summoned' to the Dragon Kingdom, as I've never had a reason nor desire to do so, but if nothing else it should prove to be a good learning experience. Seeing Dragons and learning about them by observation while I'm there sounds like it'll be interesting." He commented, continuing on his way towards the northwest.


He hadn't really been in the mood to do much talking, but the new arrival had sparked something of an interest as he said he had been summoned as well. What could the Dragons need the mortals for? He knew that they'd invited others to join before, but as far as he knew they were only invited one at a time, and sometimes decades apart from one another. Why would the Dragons invite the two of them, and likely others, now? The questions had no answers for him no matter how much he wracked his brain on the matter. It was frustrating, but also very intriguing.


"If you'd like to tag along, I'd welcome the company. Walking all this way by myself has not been what I'd call pleasant." He said, looking back over his shoulder. 
I just moved into my new apartment for college, hence my absence the last few days. My apologies.

 

[Greatmar2]

Rylan listened as the man spoke, growing more confused. Deep, in thought, he stepped quickly forward, nodding and following the man, when he said Rylan could "tag along". After thinking for a short while, he decided to voice his thoughts. "I wonder how they chose us. I mean were they watching us? Surely they didn't just pick us at random? There are more than a few Dragon-haters. Also I don't really know much about them aside from the stories that everyone knows. My dad favoured them, but never was summoned, and never got more involved than once or twice escorting a person who had been summoned. Maybe it was my Godfather that had something to do with it? He's gone most of the time... Sorry," he shrugged, "I should probably stop making wild guesses. We will probably find out when we get there." Rylan paused, then asked one final question, aware that he might be talking a bit too much, "So, what's your name? I'm Rylan." He left it at that, not wanting to talk too much

 

[Kyero]

Delok'Zara looked at his companion and was about to speak when he suddenly cut himself off.


"… Just call me Delzah…" He said halfhazardly.


From that point on Delzah walked in silence as they pressed onward towards their objective. For a good amount of time there was no conversation, though he did finally open up to some idle chatter as they crossed the plains and entered the mountain pathways leading up towards their destination. It took two more days of trudging and wandering to reach the mountains, but once they did they wasted no time in ascending the pathways snaking through the peaks and valleys within to try and find something that would lead them to the fabled Dragon Kingdom.


However, there was nothing.


They wandered the mountains for two more days taking every path they could find. There was nothing. The highest mountains never seemed to get any closer no matter how fast or far they walked, and the other peaks were small enough for them to see the top and realize that there was no Dragon Kingdom within. Delzah grew disheartened with every step on the third day of their trek when their provisions ran dry and they still found themselves no closer to their goal. He looked around and heaved a sigh as he sat down on the edge of one of the mountainside trails and leaned back against the rocky wall.


"Well this is rather disappointing." He mumbled to himself.


His companion Rylan was nearby, but he didn't really care if he'd heard that or not. He was exhausted, disappointed, and in a foul mood given the length of time and distance he'd traveled to get here. And for what? A summons that led to nothing. That was what. He pulled out the scroll from his pouch and read through it again to see if he'd missed something, but all it had said was to come to the mountains. Was it hidden within the mountains? He doubted it. Most Dragons were creatures of the air, not the Earth, though some of those too did exist if the books he'd read about them were to be believed. Still, his mood was getting worse by the minute as he put the scroll away and looked up at the skies.


"So now what?" He asked, speaking to the Dragons more than to Rylan.


"Do we just sit here and die of starvation and dehydration because you guys failed to show?" He demanded.


He stood up for a moment and scowled at the sky above his head.


"Answer me!!" He yelled, his voice carrying out and echoing several times through the valleys below him.


He heaved another sigh as he dropped his hands to his sides and looked out at the sky as the sun began fading beyond the peaks before him in the west. He breathed deeply to try and calm himself, and as the air began to cool with the fading light, something else began to take place as well.


Delok'Zara's eyes opened as he felt something new in the air. It was a small gust, not unlike that which you'd experience in the mountains and valleys with the ever changing wind currents. However, this gust was warm, unlike the air around it. And it hit again, and again, and again. Delok'Zara looked around for a moment to try and find what was causing it. He looked to Rylan, but he seemed just as lost. Delok'Zara felt the gusts increase in intensity, and finally one of them hit him hard enough to knock him back against the face of the mountain. He looked up as he felt something heavy beginning to weigh down upon his shoulders, and as he looked up he saw the form of a Dragon descending upon their position.


… Massive… was an understatement. (Mountain Crown Dragon)


This Dragon was absolutely enormous. The creature's eye alone was a little more than twice Delzah's size, to say nothing of its head which was over ten times larger. The Dragon's body filled nearly the entire valley. It's wings were relatively small for its body size, and it seemed to lack forearms. It was a large, reddish/brown coloration with a fairly flat face and a serpentine body structure. Despite the wing to body ratio, the Dragon could fly. Delzah's logical mind was trying to put together how that was so, but it didn't seem to matter anymore as the creature landed.


The ground shook violently upon impact as its feet hit the valley floor and it leaned its body against the mountain as it reared its head back to look down upon the two tiny humans before it. Those massive eyes locked on Delzah for a good amount of time before it… 'spoke'?


State your business humans, or perish where you stand! Came a voice in Delzah's head.


Judging by Rylan's reaction, he too heard the voice.


"… We were summoned here!" Delzah declared, holding up the scroll for the Dragon to see.


The Dragon leaned in dangerously close, its eyes scanning the document in Delzah's hand. The Dragon's head reared back and it looked to the skies before leaping off the ground and flying away. The gusts of wind and dust forced Delzah's eyes to close as he struggled to just remain against the mountain in the face of such forceful wing beats. After a time, it all settled, and the two of them were left standing there on the mountain trail once again in silence. The valley was empty, the skies were empty, and they were back to where they started.


"… Great." Delzah muttered.


However, the sound of a human footstep soon cut through to Delzah's ears and he turned to face the figure now walking down the pathway towards them. It was a young woman, and a beautiful one at that. She had platinum blonde hair which flowed gently down her back like a waterfall and swayed evenly with every step she took. Her bangs framed her face wonderfully, and her smooth, pure skin almost seemed to shine in the fading light. Her eyes were a deep green, not unlike Delzah's own, and she bore a sweet smile that even forced Delzah's guard to drop. But what really struck him was her attire.


She wore a tiara of some kind that seemed to be made of bones and rose up almost like a crown with a single red jewel in the center. Delzah recognized the jewel upon closer inspection as a Gods-Eye Orb, meaning this woman could use magic. But what kind? She wore pure white robes which cascaded down and framed her body quite nicely. She had a genuine hourglass figure with shapely legs and a modest though still impressive chest. Delzah had to admit she was incredibly attractive, and had he not been in such a foul mood he'd have asked her name already. However, now wasn't the time. Something about this woman told him she was dangerous despite her sweet and innocent appearance. The exotic clothing style and the Gods-Eye Orb put Delzah on edge, but then she spoke.


"Welcome gentlemen, to the entrance to the Dragon Kingdom." She said with a bow of her head.


"Your names are Delok'Zara and Rylan Avner, correct?" She asked calmly.


Delzah's eyes went up at the mention of his full name, and in front of Rylan no less. It wasn't that he didn't like his own name, but it was not exactly a… human name. His father, having been in the Dragon Kingdom for a time, had named him with a Dragon's name. Originally, it was meant as a gesture of respect to the Dragons. But over time, Delzah began to understand that there was more to his name than met the eye.


"If the two of you would be so kind as to follow me, I will lead you to our gates." She said, turning her body to the side and gesturing with her hand.


Delzah gathered his things and followed, silent and content to at least be getting somewhere.


The three of them walked in silence for over an hour, and Delzah began to notice that they were taking paths that didn't exist before when he and Rylan were walking alone. He looked at the girl ahead of him with suspicion, and asked the obvious question.


"Let me guess… The Dragon Kingdom is protected by magic isn't it?" He asked.


She nodded her head.


"It is. The Dragon Kingdom is protected by a powerful veil of illusion which creates never ending pathways around its base to forever prevent mortals from entering the Dragons sacred world. You could almost say it's another dimension altogether." She replied.


Delzah nodded, slightly shaking his head at the same time in kind of an 'of course' manner.


Finally, they came to a stop as the girl turned to face them with her hands overlapping each other against her stomach.


"We have arrived." She said.


As she turned around, she leaned her head back slightly and closed her eyes. Her hands came up to her chest level and clasped together, and she began to sing. The melody began mid range, rose to a higher pitch by mid sentence, and then slowly fell away. It was almost like listening to the waves of the ocean if they were translated into speech, rising and falling, ebbing and flowing, and Delzah's mind and body reached a state of utter relaxation as he listened to what was arguably the most beautiful voice he'd ever heard.


Irl é sa'h aati no'tem vu kahl


Uum dac'em tanmoh


Wueh rax'il Vo


Irl é sa'h aati Aht'me ahn shii


Uum dac'em tanmoh


Prad'vil ahm vu koh


Naa'lanaa y't mah kum'co ti'ir


Ma tiik meh, ah Delok'Zara





As the song came to its end, and Delok'Zara heard his name, he began to wonder further what his father had done to him. The air before the girl began to sizzle and crackle as sparks of energy began to fly too and fro before finally turning into what looked to be a portal of some kind. The girl turned to them and gestured towards it.


"Please, enter. His majesty is expecting you." She said sweetly.


Delzah was taken, almost as if by a trance, and walked through with only a final passing glance towards the girl as she smiled at him. He was overcome by white light, and a strange feeling surged through him as his body was exposed to something… new. A strange energy coursed through him, and he swore to the Gods that he could feel something more deep within him. What it was, he didn't know, but it was there. Slumbering, waiting, almost taunting him as it was so close now yet still so far away despite being a part of him. Then, the light faded, and Delzah's eyes opened. Rylan was standing next to him, and they were standing in the middle of an entirely new world.


All around them the skies were filled with Dragons flying about leisurely while others stood on the edges of the platform that Delzah and Rylan now stood on. The platform itself almost looked like some kind of ritual platform with runes carved into the ground which were aglow with a strange light. The Dragons around them were of varying types, some being serpentine and others almost appearing avian. They were just as diverse, if not more so, than the books and legends made them out to be. Delzah looked about and found that the platform they were standing on was well over a mile above the ground, and the only thing separating him and this platform from falling into oblivion below was a thin walkway leading to a massive castle that was so large he couldn't even accurately measure how tall it was or how far back it went, but it had to be a few miles long at least and went well into the distance.


Another girl, dressed just like the one from before though also accompanied by a man with similar clothing, approached the two and gestured towards the castle. Delzah and Rylan followed, and as they entered through a pair of ungodly large double doors leading to the most vast chamber Delzah had ever seen, there, on a specially crafted throne-like platform, sat the most elegant Dragon he'd seen yet.


The Dragon's wings were bat-like in shape, with a tight skin membrane extending between the 'fingers' within. It's body was shaped almost like that of a big cat with a large muscular chest and a slender abdomen. Its legs were much like those of a feline as well, though the rest of its scaly body said otherwise. A large white frill ran down its neck to its shoulders, with two prominent horns adorning its head and two smaller pairs on either side of its cheeks and one on its lower jaw. It's chest was ridged, almost as if like a saw, and there were runes glowing throughout its body. The wing membrane, the body, the frill, even the eyes seemed to carry a single rune shape within them in place of a pupil, and the Dragon's body gave off an eerie yet beautiful glow as it looked at the two humans who approached its throne accompanied by what Delzah could only presume were Dragon Priests and Priestesses.


Delzah looked at the Dragon on the throne, and then to Rylan, and then to the Dragon Priests. Finally, he returned his gaze to the Dragon before him, and he let out a soft sigh through his nose as he waited for the giant before him to speak like the first one had.

 

[Nizrindane]

(I kept to my word and I hope I'm not too late.)


With the thought of encountering a dragon practically infecting Blake's mind, had the road not been straight and narrow, Blake was practically craving some conversation. He would even talk to a goat for humor's sake. It took two days of trudging and wandering to reach the mountains, but still have some rations on hand. But once he noticed this, he wasted no time in ascending the pathways snaking through the peaks and valleys within to try and find anything at all that would lead him to the fabled Dragon Kingdom.


Feeling like he was so close, he ran as fast as he could before he heard what might have been a loud stomp. Blake quickly turned around only see nothing behind him. "Surely... I'm just psyching myself out..." Blake chuckled as he started to continue to walk on before a small growl. From the ceiling and onto the ground, a beast marched up behind the unsuspecting boy, giving a much louder roar, sparing no expense to appear dangerous close to him. Blake's thought of shock and possible turned to joy and excitement "So this isn't a joke at all?" Blake slowly turned to see the beast before, his mouth agape from what he saw. Before him on all fours stood quite a large and fearsome beast. A beast with shockingly sharp teeth and razor-edge scales covering its whole body and one on each forearm. The blades were as shard as a diamond dagger that could pierce through stone and run through an army, leaving blood and corpses... The Razorwing Dragon. Rumored not to have a breath, but in truth it didn't need one.


"You are either brave or foolish to come here. Stay your business, human." Came a harsh voice into Blake's mind.


"I have come in response to this summons, not to fight a fight I cannot win." Blake said plainly, showing his scroll to the dragon. The Dragon leaned in closer, almost face to face with Blake, its blood red eyes scanning the scroll.


"You're a liar. This summons was written not by a Dragon Priest's hands. You will die for your deception, human!"


"I was afraid this would happen!" Blake's smile turned back to fear as he ran underneath the beast's underbelly, running as he could, turning back to see the dragon on his tail and gaining. After a time, Blake took a moment to look back, slightly relieved to see the dragon gave up the pursuit. But at the same time, as he was at the mountain trail once more. No valleys and no clouds in the sky, those two days wasted wandering.


"Careless... I was so excited to see what this summons was all about that I ran off trying to avoid that dragon. Perhaps I'll just go home in shame." Blake's face was glum as he turned around before the sound of human footsteps cut through Blake's thoughts of defeat and made Blake turn around to see a figure walking down the path towards him. It was an elder-looking man who eyes were completely white and with no hair on his head to speak of. He looked old enough to be Blake's grandfather but his attire is what struck out the most.


He wore a necklace around his neck that looked it was made of bones with a small skull, holding a red jewel in its mouth. Blake knew that gem quite well. Because he had the same gem in his bangle, a Gods-Eye Orb, which meant this man was capable of using magic like he was. But what kind? He wore pure white robes which fell down to his legs. Blake was a bit unnerved that this man was about to tell him he had done something wrong. But as the man cracked a smile and held out a hand, Blake lowered his guard and shook the man's hand.


"Welcome mage, to the entrance to the Dragon Kingdom." He said as he let go of Blake's hand. "You are Blake Ixias Alluria, I take it?"


Blake's light blue eyes went up at the mention of his full name. "That is... scary and if I may, I wish to ask for your name."


"I am known in this world as Verdelet, now... follow me, I will lead you to our gates." He said, turning his body to the side to see Blake quickly walk over to his side.


The two walked in silence man at his side, with utter confusion of what was going on. "Even more careless... I didn't even take in account that Dragon Kingdom would be protected by magic. Was that dragon chasing after me really an illusion?"


Verdelet smiled and nodded his head. "You are correct. The Dragon Kingdom is protected by a powerful veil of illusion which creates never ending pathways around its base to prevent mortals from entering the Dragon's sacred world." He replied.


Finally, they came to a stop as the old man turned around, smiling at Blake.


"Here we are." He said.


As he turned around, she leaned her head back slightly and closed her eyes. Her hands came up to his chest level and clasped together, and he began to sing. The melody began mid range, fell to a lower pitch by mid sentence, and then slowly fell away. It was almost like hearing the song of a man confessing his love for a woman he truly loved if they were translated into speech, rising and falling with, and Blake mind was just as at ease as his body as he listened to this man sing.


Irl é sa'h aati no'tem vu kahl


Uum dac'em tanmoh


Wueh rax'il Vo


Irl é sa'h aati Aht'me ahn shii


Uum dac'em tanmoh


Prad'vil ahm vu koh


Naa'lanaa y't mah kum'co ti'ir


Ma tiik meh, ah Delok'ZaraAs the song came to its end, Blake was wondering what was waiting for him now. The air before the man began to sizzle and crackle as sparks of energy began to fly too and fro before finally turning into what looked to be a portal of some kind. Verdelet turned to them and gestured towards it.


"Please, enter. His majesty is expecting you." He said with a smile.


"Thank you, Verdelet." Blake bowed his head to the man as he stepped through only to feel his heart skip a beat and his mind all aflutter. All around him... As far as his eyes could see, the skies were filled with countless Dragons flying at their leisure while others stood on the platform that Blake now stood on. The very platform appeared to be look like a parts for a ritual with runes carved into the ground that glowed in a strange light.


"Contain yourself, Blake. There are dragons everywhere but you are here to see what this summons details and why the Dragons have called upon you." He reminded as he decided to press on with a small smile. Had he been younger he would've tried to touch one of the dragons but watching them was sufficient enough. There were so many Dragons of some many various kinds, some he knew and some he never knew about at all, some like serpents and some appearing to be like birds. Such diversity, if not like he read in the books he read about Dragons. The only that phased Blake about all this was the only preventing him from falling into certain death was this platform and the thin walkway leading to an enormous castle. A castle so huge that he would need to get to that castle to actually determine how big it really was but he assumed it would be a few more miles he reached his destination.


Another girl, dressed just like Verdelet though also accompanied by a man with similar clothing, approached the man and gestured towards the castle. Blake followed, and as they entered through a pair of ungodly large double doors leading to the most vast chamber Blake had ever seen, there, on a specially crafted throne-like platform, sat the most elegant Dragon Blake would never imagine to see. This was about a dream coming true for him and he felt he was not worthy of this honor.


The Dragon's wings were shaped like bat's, with a tight skin membrane extending between the 'fingers' within. It's body was shaped almost like that of a big cat with a large muscular chest and slender abdomen. Its legs were similar to a feline's as well, though the rest of its scaly body begged to differ. A large white frill ran down its neck to its shoulders, along with two prominent horns adorning its head and two smaller pairs on either side of its cheeks and one on its lower jaw. It's chest ridged, bearing the appearing of a saw, and there were runes glowing throughout its body. The wing membrane, the body, the frill, even the eyes seemed to carry a single rune shape within them in place of a pupil, and the Dragon's body gave off an eerie yet beautiful glow as it looked at the two humans who approached its throne accompanied by what Blake could only assume were a Dragon Priest and Priestess. As Blake walked near to two travelers he noticed before he gaze upon this dragon but quickly looked away so the marvelous creature would notice him shedding a tear.

 

[Kyero]

I am sorry, but you are too late. The post is nice, but the deadline for posting to remain as part of the RP was yesterday. I am aware that you said you had problems with your internet due to a blackout, but I will make no exceptions and accept no excuses. I thank you for your participation and wish you luck with all your future RP endeavors.

 

[Greatmar2]

Rylan noticed his companion looked as if he were about to say something, but then he stopped, just semi-mumbling "… Just call me Delzah…"





Rylan mentally shrugged, then said "Nice to meet you, Delzah." There was no response, so Rylan kept quiet, guessing his new companion, Delzah, must be thinking. Why would asking his name do that? Well, I won't bother him about it, decided Rylan.


They wondered around the mountains, searching for some sign of the Dragon Kingdom, but they found nothing. After some time, they started chatting again to pass the time while walking, yet they still could not find the kingdom and the two lost spirit.


"Well this is rather disappointing." Dezah mumbled, barely audible to Rylan. Rylan mumbled his agreements and sat down nearby, since Delzah had apparently stopped for now. He wanted to rest in shade, but there was none nearby.


"So now what?"





"I don-" started Rylan, only to be interrupted by Delzah talking again. He opened his mouth in indignant protest for being blamed, but then realised that Delzah had said "you guys". I wonder if they are actually watching us now...?, Rylan thought, Maybe shouting will draw their atte-


"Answer me!!", Delzah's voice echoed around the mountains and valleys.


That'll probably do, Rylan thought and rested his head on his knees and closed his eyes, preparing to wait.


They came sooner than he had expected, or rather it, one dragon. It started with a light breeze that Rylan welcomed as contrast to the heat. He felt close to getting a sunburn. Then the breeze turned to gusts, which quickly became strong enough to push Rylan, who had stood up, down to the floor again.


There was a deep and resonating BOOM as the magnificent, and titanic, creature landed in front of the awed pair.


State your business humans, or perish where you stand! came a thunderous voice in Rylan's head. Delzah seemed to hear it too. Delzah told the creature that they had been invited there and held up his scroll. Rylan quickly reached into his bag, fumbling with his own scroll then holding it out to the draconic being as it finished unfurling itself.


Not speaking, the dragon once again took flight, flying away. The first gust caught Rylan, who had been trying to comprehend how the creature could be so big, by surprise, blowing the scroll out of his hand. He ran after it and then turned to watch the giant fly away.


"So much for finding the Dragon Kingdom," Rylan sighed and walked back towards Delzah, whom he was a little distance from now. When he arrived back next to the other invitee, he noticed a figure approaching them. What was someone in that garb doing here? The lady looked more like a priestess. She seemed very... different... to most people he had met.


"Welcome gentlemen, to the entrance to the Dragon Kingdom."


Rylan face-palmed, a dragon-priestess, he thought, silently berating himself. When the priestess cast a quizzical glance towards him, he mumbled, "Nevermind."


"Your names are Delok'Zara and Rylan Avner, correct?"


"Yes," said Rylan. He noticed Delzah flinch at his full name and wondered why, not noticing anything strange about it. Maybe it just has a meaning in another language or something. I've heard strange names like that before.





Rylan followed the other two and didn't speak as it seemed it was not the time to ask his hundreds of questions. When Delzah asked about a the Kingdom being protected by magic and the priestess responded affirmatively, Rylan nodded his head, it makes sense.





The priestess suddenly stopped and after saying that they were there, she began singing a song ringed with more of that peculiar feel. It isn't human... that's why. It's Dragon, Rylan concluded and when the song finished, he glanced to his companion with surprise as the last word in the song was Delzah's full name. What's that about? Is his name in draconic... or whatever the dragon language is called? wondered Rylan.


He followed Delzah into the portal , glancing behind him at the priestess before white filled his eyes. The whiteness almost seemed to seep into him. Soon, the whiteness passed, but he could still faintly sense the something new.


Rylan looked about with awe and amazement. He hadn't known much at all about dragons, since he had not gotten to reading the records further in history and he didn't spend only read archive history in his meagre free time. But the dragons blew his mind. They were every shape, size and colour he could imagine. And their... he wasn't sure if it qualified as a castle... Well... technically it was a castle but one that belonged to giants, or dragons, and was upscaled accordingly.


Two dragon priests, of opposing genders, approached them and motioned for them to follow, and so Rylan and Delzah did. They entered the castle scaled up by at least about 10 and after walking across the giant floor, approaching another dragon, this one on a throne. They stopped a respectful distance and then Rylan stood there in silence, the thought of introducing himself completely slipping his mind as he started at the strangest, most amazing and most majestic creature he had ever seen or imagined.

 

[Bone2pick]

Clew drizzled water from an old ladle into the crown of her wide-brimmed hat. She had drank her fill, and now she was preparing for the remaining summer day. The oak barrel that had contained the water had given it a subtle sweetness, and the sheltering roof above had kept its temperature cool. Once properly soaked the hat was gingerly placed back atop of its owner. The dampness drained through her hair and refreshed Clew's senses, and she took a moment to enjoy the water trickling off her ears.


Highland Run, that was the stable she was standing in. It was the first place inside the gates of Linxeh that would take in Grits. Grits being the name of her faithful, but currently fatigued, horse. She had just booked an open stall for the stallion, and she imagined Grits was likely dipping his head into a trough of water to beat the heat.


As a drover she was accustomed to being away from home. Her past was filled with open blue skies, silvery starred nights, and enchanting tangerine sunsets. She had rode more miles in a single season than most folks did in their lifetime. Yet somehow, in the heart of this city, Clew felt more alone than ever. It wasn't the strangers or the unfamiliar territory that left her heart empty, because Clew had outgrown those fears long ago; it was what she'd left behind. There was no herd to tend, no calves to bring in, no drovers to swap stories with, and no ranch to ride towards. She was now a runaway cowgirl.


Clew ran a slender hand across the scroll fastened to her belt as she sorted through her heavy thoughts. The scroll had brought her here. It had pulled her away from everything she loved. She could recite it, word for word, without mistake. Just in the last three days Clew had carefully read its contents dozens of times. Someone out there knew who she was, they knew where to find her, and most intriguingly of all, they wanted to meet with her. From the moment she was given the summons a voice began to whisper at the back of her mind. It spoke of the identity of those that had sent for her, but Clew entertained that voice as much as one entertains a child's imagination. Still, she was here all the same.


The border mountains were close; close enough to now walk to. She had arranged to keep Grits stabled until she finally made her way back. If she ever made her way back. Clew shook the nipping fear off her shoulders like a dog shook its fleas. She figured if someone wanted her dead then they'd have found an easier way to do it than concoct this elaborate meetup. Besides, she couldn't think of any enemies she'd made this far out west. With her horse taken care of and daylight burning fast, Clew decided it was time to move.

• ---- ---- ---- ----
  

She wept. The tears that dropped from her dusty cheeks left trails of moist clean skin behind them. She was still standing, too stubborn to kneel in total defeat. There in the middle of a mountain path, Clew's spirit broke. She had traveled so very far. Rode across the entirety of the Aquestrian nation; through its desolate Highlands to its furthest Durhum border. As commanded she had hiked into the forboding mountains, all the while conquering her mortal impulses to turn back. But those mountain paths had finally revealed their true nature, they were wicked.


Endless. Soulless. Merciless. Clew had hiked the rocky trails for days. There was no destination to be found here, just more of the same, deadend after deadend. When the reality finally hit her, the reality that she had fended off as long as anyone possibly could, it was overwhelming. Clew had given her savings, her time, her strength, and her sanity...for nothing.


When she tasted the salt of a shed tear she ripped the scroll from her belt and cast it away. Clew closed her eyes and let her face fall towards the earth.


"You fool...You silly fool." The words came in-between quiet sobs.


"Clew Chrontyre."


A voice called out to her. As to be expected Clew was startled and nearly jumped out of her boots. She snapped into a stronger posture and wiped her eyes clear from crying. When she looked forward again she noticed the discarded scroll had been picked up, and the stranger now holding it was a beautiful woman draped in white robes. The woman's eyes were green and gentle, and her expression was one of sympathy.


"I am sorry your wait has been so long and unpleasant. Please forgive our privacy measures."


Relief poured into Clew's body and spirit faster than a kettle could fill a teacup. She had made it. It had not been for nothing. The cowgirl jerked her hat down in front of her face and laughed awkwardly into it. She took a moment to compose herself, a moment to roll back her mixed emotions, and then returned her hat to its proper place atop her blonde hair.


"Lady, I'm just glad I'm not crazy."


Both women smiled heartily at one another. And just when Clew began to think she would finally calm down, her guest spoke the next words.


"No my dear, you are most certainly not crazy. Welcome to the gates of the Dragon Kingdom."

• ---- ---- ---- ----
  

And then she stepped into a dream world. At least it was all surreal as a dream. No longer in the western mountains, she had been transported to the center of a decorated stone terrace. It was elevated, wondrously elevated, above a breathtakingly deep valley. Runes in the surrounding stone itself softly glowed displaying their non-mundane nature. But it was the sky that thrilled Clew. Up there, on majestic wings, were creatures of myth and legend. It was a sight she would never forget. They almost seemed to dance, with their serpentine necks slowly rolling and their tails swaying rythmically. In every color imaginable, and nearly in almost every size, the dragons floated just under the heavens. It took an approaching host to eventually pull the cowgirl out of her trance.


"Welcome Clew Chrontyre, his Majesty has been awaiting your arrival."


She caught her breath at sound of the title. "His Majesty" Clew was going to meet with dragon royalty. Euphoria coursed through her veins at the thought of the invitation. The middle-aged man before her was dressed in the familiar white robes from her last encounter. He was large, tightly brown bearded, and barrel chested. Despite his burly build he looked entirely welcoming. He wore a slight smile smile, and its palpable sincerity spoke louder than the size of the gesture.


"Please follow me."


Together they walked along a narrow stone bridge towards a nearby castle. It was a building of monstrous proportions. Its highest spires speared into the wispy clouds overhead, and it stretched back far enough to house over ten kingdom's armies. Its entryway, a pair of double doors fit for the gods themselves, was open. Her escort walked her promptly into the palace.


Clew let her eyes feast on the specimen that she immediately recognized as "his Majesty". His body shined radiantly in its own glory as he sat atop his throne perch. The dragon's scales were covered in mystical symbols, each one being unique from the other. His head was raised proudly, and his royal gaze peered down at Clew as she entered his chamber. She forced her breath to slow in order to still her racing adrenalin. There were others in the room, she didn't look to them but she could feel their presence. She couldn't presently spare any of her attention away from the dragon king. Without a better idea, and under enormous social pressure, the cowgirl introduced herself with her customary greeting; by tipping her blue wide-brimmed hat respectfully forward.

 

[Kyero]

The massive Dragon gazed down at the humans before him and took in a massive breath before letting it out slowly through its nose. A small heave wave shimmer appeared around its nostrils as the heat of its body escaped to the air around it. The creature took a single step forward with its right foot, and as it stepped down the ground shook a little under its weight. Delzah noticed that the stone beneath it took the impact as if it hadn't happened, which made him wonder what it was made of.


The Dragon took several more steps, and in about six to seven strides it had crossed the room to stand directly before them no more than about fifteen paces away looking right down at them.


"Welcome, weary travelers. You have all been invited to my Kingdom here in the skies because a crisis has struck the Mortal Plane" It said.


The voice in Delzah's mind was even stronger than that of the enormous Dragon that had appeared to himself and Rylan earlier, and he almost felt like he had to cover his ears, but it was an inside noise as opposed to outer noise so doing so would not have done anything.


"The humans known as the 'Corruption Cult' have managed to amass enough power to begin resurrecting ancient Dragons of old, and none of them have ever called the Light 'home'. These Dragons have power beyond even my own, and if their resurrection is not halted before it is complete, then both of our worlds will fall."





Delzah could hardly believe that such a band of misfits as the Corruption Cult could amass such power. They must have had help. As far as he knew they were nothing but disgraced mages who had fallen to Corruption throughout the years. True they banded together which made them powerful as a group, but how could they amass the power necessary to resurrect a Dragon? Let alone multiple?


It was all so surreal to be hearing this, but here he was.


"If any of you have questions as to the reason which you specifically have been summoned while others have not, speak now." It said.


Delzah looked about, checking to see if anyone else had questions to ask before he poured out the flood of questions he had waiting in the wings.

 

[Bone2pick]

Clew tried to collect her thoughts but they were spinning around her mind like a tornado. The commanding presence of the dragon king was both terrifying and marvelous. The creature had invaded her mind. It had put its intentions, its unspoken words, directly into her consciousness. Clew had closed her eyes and dropped her head in response to the mind speak; a feeble reflex to shield her inner privacy. It hadn't taken long for the cowgirl to confront the futility of her resistance. She was here, in the court of a near omnipotent, so she had better damn well get use it.


She dug deep and mustered up part of her spirit; and for the first time, looked around at the folks next to her. One was very young, possibly still being in his late teenage years, but with an equal chance of being in the dawn of his twenties. He was lean, pale, and heavily armoured. It wasn't hard for Clew to place this young man as a professionally groomed warrior. His companion, or at least the man standing beside him, was more matured. He was smartly dressed, slightly dignified, and all of his outer evidence pointed him at being a patrician. Clew noted his custom leather glove, a piece for combat rather than fashion, and realized that this powerful young man was adept at fighting. One thing was now clear, her new found company was more than ready for any trouble.


"If any of you have questions..." - Dragon King


She quickly glanced at the two men next to her to judge their reactions. Neither of them were quick enough for Clew's boiling curiosity so she spoke first.


"Yeah I've got a couple of questions...Er...Your Majesty."


The cowgirl flushed at her lack of grace in dealing with the dragon king. Then she pushed her blue hat back from her face in order to speak freely.


"When you said 'our world will fall' what exactly did you mean by that? I mean, I've got an idea, but that's something I'd like to be real clear on."


Clew's hands crossed behind her back and she toyed with her lasso while she worked out the next question. She could feel the attention of the room collapse on her, but there was no where to hide. The cowgirl blew a few wild strands of blonde hair out of her face before she continued.


"And...Er...Your Majesty. What can the three of us here put a stop to that a Dragon Kingdom like this one couldn't?"

 

[Kyero]

The Dragon King looked down upon the young girl who asked the first question.


"Yeah I've got a couple of questions… Er… Your Majesty." She had said.


He nodded and awaited her question.


"When you said 'our world will fall' what exactly did you mean by that? I mean, I've got an idea, but that's something I'd like to be real clear on." She said.


The King nodded, but sensing her further confusion, he waited just a little longer.


"And...Er...Your Majesty. What can the three of us here put a stop to that a Dragon Kingdom like this one couldn't?" She asked.


The Dragon King looked up towards a massive skylight in the room that was several hundred feet wide. It was made of some king of glass-like material with numerous decorative designs intwined within it. It was beautiful, like so much of this world. Delzah could see why it was that the girl was confused as to why the Dragons couldn't stop the calamities which he said were coming.


"Valid questions, my dear girl." The King said as he looked back down to her and the others.


"When I said our world will fall, I meant exactly that. Our world is linked to yours, and though magic cloaks the entrance and makes it impossible for those without our guidance to enter, if your world falls, so too will ours. One cannot exist without the other." He said, taking a step away from them and letting out another breath.


"As for why the three of you will work to stop the coming calamities, I'm afraid that is a fault that lies entirely with me…" He said, bowing his head in shame.


"Long ago I made a solemn vow to the Gods that myself and my kin would never directly interfere with your world again after the atrocities which were wrought due to our existence. However, through careful communication and study, we have found a way around that vow which does not violate it, and therefore can now lend to you assistance which should help you accomplish the task" He said, looking back up to them.


"However, even with our assistance, there is no small amount peril awaiting you should you accept. If you do not feel up to the dangers of the journey ahead, there is no shame in asking to be returned home." He said calmly.

 

[Greatmar2]

This place and its inhabitants amazed Rylan. Normal ground would have cracked under such an impact of the footfall of the majestic creature. Rylan also faintly felt the vibrations, the floor, whatever it was made of, seemed to absorb the vibrations and cancel them out... He saw the air the King exhaled shimmer with heat, as air does above a fire or in the arid landscape they had trekked here in. This hinted at the power contained within the great creature.


Rylan, who had been standing deep in thought about what the Dragon King had said, once again focused on the present as the newcomer spoke. He looked at her as she asked questions. She looked older than both himself and Delzah and seemed to be more of an outdoor person, she might work on a farm or something. Once she had asked her questions the Dragon's voice boomed once again inside their heads. Rylan didn't like it that his mind could be so easily invaded, but he knew it would be pointless to resist. Besides, the Dragons did not seem to bear any ill-intent.


Well, the farm girl asked two questions that Rylan had been wondering about. But there were still plenty, so after the King had answered and it seemed the lady was not going to ask any more, Rylan asked a couple of his own.


"Forgive me asking, your Majesty, but why did you choose us? I hardly know anything about dragons..." he paused briefly, trying not to let his voice quaver, before continuing, "How do you plan that we defeat these undead dragons if they are more powerful than even you?" He was scared. Of course he would try his best. Thats what soldiers did... sacrifice themselves for others. But he was scared that it might be in vain. But he decided to stop worrying now and listen to the Dragon King's answer, mixed feelings about what it might or might not be.

 

[Kyero]

The Dragon King looked down at Rylan as he asked his question. The massive creature nodded its head as Rylan finished, displaying an understanding of Rylan's confusion.


"Your confusion is not unwarranted, but I can assure you there is a good reason why you specifically as individuals were chosen for this task." He began.


The Dragon King reared back his head and let out some kind of strange pulse that Delzah could feel right down to his bones. It wasn't incredibly percussive such as the wing beats of the other Dragon which nearly blew him away on the mountain side, but it was enough to make him start slightly in surprise when it hit. It was over in an instant though, which Delzah was thankful for. One single burst was all it took, and the King's head returned to a neutral position.


"In a few minutes, all will be made clear to you. I do apologize for not answering you directly, but it's easier to show you why you were chosen." He said calmly.


Delzah decided now was as good a time as any to ask what was, at least personally for him, the obvious question.


"I don't suppose you know anything about my father's disappearance do you?" He asked.


The Dragon King was somewhat taken aback by Delzah's question, but composed himself quickly as he thought about how best to answer.


"I have not, though I am familiar with him. His time spent in our Kingdom before your birth was rather brief, and I'm afraid that when he chose to return to your world he severed contact with us. Our attempts to communicate with him proved futile, so we stopped trying." He responded.


Delzah's heart sank.


He had been hoping that his father had taken refuge here or something, or perhaps at least told one of the Dragons he'd become familiar with about intentions so that they'd be able to keep an eye on him. If his father had broken contact, then it was all but back to square one in trying to find him. Still, there was another lingering question on his mind which he knew had to be asked.


"… What's the significance of my name?" He asked.


The Dragon King was less surprised by this question than the previous, unless he was doing a better job of hiding his surprise. Still, his reaction was somewhat comforting to Delzah. Surprise at such a question would have made Delzah uneasy.


"Your name…" The King began before he stopped himself.


The Dragon King looked to one of the Dragon Priests for a moment, who nodded silently to the King before departing the room.


"As with the reason why you're here, it's best if I show you the significance of your name." He said.


Delzah was getting tired of that answer, but at least it was a solid answer. He would finally find out why his name was of the Dragon language. His father had never answered that question, at least not honestly. His father's answer was always 'your mother and I liked the name', but Delzah could see through his father's lies. There was something much more serious involved with the truth, and his father was always reluctant to bring it to his attention. Finally, he'd have a true answer to that question.


But first…


Delzah turned around slowly as he felt and heard the footsteps of several Dragons beginning to approach. At the massive double doors stood two large Dragons. They weren't nearly as large as the King was, but they were still massive compared to Delzah and the others.


One of the Dragons was surprisingly horse-like in appearance, only more reptilian in skin. Given that it was a Dragon, it wasn't at all surprising to see. Still, it held a certain majesty and regality to its appearance. The way it walked was calm and controlled, and though it was a Dragon and didn't have any of the human facial features which could give anything away about its personality, Delzah could sense a sort of benevolence radiating from it. Its body was comprised of something of a dark purple/blue color and its wings looked almost demonic despite the vibe it was giving off. Either way, Delzah was just glad that it seemed peaceful.


The other one was much more like a typical Dragon in its appearance and the way it walked, but it had a thick check with multiple large scales running through its neck and chest which gave it a very hardy appearance. This thing could definitely take the hits and keep on coming back for more if it had to. It was something of a grayish color which varied on its neck and underbelly when compared to the rest of its body and had a dark tan underwing skin color. It was a bit less benevolent in appearance and overall feel, but Delzah still wasn't picking up any hostilities… thankfully.


There were no others appearing though, which made Delzah wonder why those two were approaching all of a sudden. Another figure appeared, but it was a woman. Strangely enough… She looked a lot like Delzah himself.


The King gave a gesture with his head and the other Dragons began approaching. Their steps were calculated and cautious, a sign of submission to their King no doubt. Respect seemed to run deep within the Dragon Kingdom, and that was something which Delzah admired quite a bit.


"Rylan, Clew… You are both wondering about something right now aren't you? Why do you feel such a strong connection to the two Dragons whom have appeared." He said, looking back to the Dragons themselves whose gazes were set squarely on Clew and Rylan respectfully.


"These two summoned you here." He said at last.


The two Dragons gave bows of their heads to Clew and Rylan.


"Clew, you were born on October 3rd, year 514 of what you humans call the 'Common Era.' So too was the Dusk Dragon before you. When this Dragon's egg was laid, it let out a pulse of energy into the world of man. That pulse found you when you were but a fetus within your mother's womb, and it latched onto you forever binding your heart and soul to this Dragon. The same is to be said of the Dark Horse Dragon standing before you, Rylan." He said.


"If the two of you ever felt in life that there was a piece missing from your heart, these two Dragons are the reason why."


"This is how Dragons choose their respective 'Partners' in life during times of crisis. It is written into our species' blood that when the world is out of balance, a very small percentage of Dragons during their early stages of development will seek a bond with those of the Mortal Plane in order to acquire the strength to bring balance to both worlds."





The two Dragons looked at Rylan and Clew as the Dragon King spoke.


"We have no control over this evolutionary aspect of our kind, as it was a mandate of the Gods themselves when they created us. However, the option for you to walk away remains. These Dragons are bonded to you in heart and soul, and will be so until the day you die. Whether you choose to undertake the task set to you by the Gods or not, these Dragons will fight in your name against the coming calamities. It is in their very being to combat these evils, as it is the entire reason for their existence. They will not blame you for walking away if you feel you cannot stand against what is to come, and should you request to return to your home they will sever the bond and set you free of this task. You have but to ask."





As the Dragon King finished speaking to Rylan and Clew, he turned his attention to Delzah as the woman from before walked up to him.

She had his hair, his bearing, a strong resemblance in facial structure, but most importantly was that she had his eyes. That same deep green with a strange reddish hazel flex within. Had Delzah not known better, he'd have said this woman was a close relative of his… Possibly even his mother given how much the two shared. But she looked too young to be so, no more than her early twenties at best. Worse yet, her ears were pointed which was a trait only held by the Dragons when in human form. That much his father had told him. She was approximately 5' 9" and probably weighed about one hundred and thirty to one hundred and forty pounds of lean muscle. From what Delzah could tell, she had almost no body fat. She looked the warrior that she was, as she was dressed differently than any of the Dragon Priests, wearing instead of robes a suit of black armor which resembled the look and shape of Dragon scales. In fact, if Delzah's eyes were not deceiving him, they were Dragon scales.


"Delok'Zara… This is your mother." The Dragon King said calmly.


Delzah's eyes trailed very slowly to the Dragon King before finding their way back to the woman beside him. Her eyes were settled intensely on him, studying his every detail with a slight shimmer present within those soulful orbs. Delzah couldn't tell if she was happy, sad, frightened, angry, or all of them at once. Delzah would go so far as to say he was intimidated by this woman, as she gave off the aura of a true warrior who had seen battles he cannot imagine. Though her body was fair and even without any scars or serious signs of injury, her posture and facial expression were both enough to display her confidence and unflinching nature.


This woman was dangerous… That was all that needed to be said.


"… How can you-" Delzah began before being cut off.


"It's a long story, boy. I'll tell you about it later." She replied, returning her gaze to the King.


The King nodded, and she bowed to him and turned on her heel to leave the room. Delzah almost felt like going after her, but the authority present in her voice from her previous response had been enough to convince him it was a bad idea. Mother or not, she didn't seem to like him very much. It was best not to press his luck. Even though she was four inches shorter and nearly sixty pounds lighter, Delzah had the distinct feeling she'd literally wipe the floor with him if he tried to go against the King's wishes. Instead, he returned his gaze to the King.


"I am sorry you had to find out this way, Delok'Zara. It was never our intention to have to disclose this information to you. This is your father's mistake, not yours, and yet you are the one paying the price for it." He said.


"Paying the price? For what?!" Delzah demanded, his tone causing the other Dragons in the room to all turn their gaze upon him at once.


"Be at peace, Delok'Zara. All will be explained in time. Just know this: Your name has great meaning and significance to our kind, and your father gave it to you without our consent." He replied.


It was in that moment that Delzah understood his mother's cold reaction to him. If his name was that important, and it was one he should never have held, it was no wonder that his mother would bear some resentment towards both Delzah and his father. Worse yet, Delzah was raised by humans as a human. If his mother was here in the Dragon Kingdom with those trademark pointed ears that could only belong to a Dragon in human form, that led to a single inevitable conclusion which also lent itself to her resentment. Delzah's guilt began to run deeper, and his desire for answers was quickly beginning to dull.


"… What is to become of me?" He asked, his tone growing distant and saddened.


The King's head tilted to the side in questioning fashion.


"If all of this is true about me, then I doubt I'm here for the same reasons as these two." He said, gesturing to Rylan and Clew.


The King nodded.


"It is true, Delok'Zara. Originally your purpose here was different, but I have come to see that perhaps it is best if you share their purpose." He replied.


Delzah's eyes trailed up to him, still saddened and unhappy about the recent turn of events.


"You are familiar with the one named Nirla'ana, correct?" He asked.


Delzah's eyes widened a bit, but returned to normal after a moment.


"Don't tell me… She's a Dragon isn't she?" He asked.


The King only nodded.


"She is, and a very powerful one at that despite her youth. If you were to convince her to initiate the same kind of bond as these two share with their Dragons, you too would be able to fight alongside them and share in the same strengths as they will come to possess. Be warned, however, that Nirla'ana is not likely to desire your involvement in this venture. She may yet try to stop you entirely, and if she sets her mind on that course of action there will be little you can do to stop her from carrying it out… She's a special breed of Dragon, and one which most Dragons, myself included, would not dare engage in battle. For your sake, I hope you can persuade her to join you rather than stop you." He said, a slight hint of concern in his voice.


Delzah only chuckled.


"Oh she'll try to stop me alright, but I don't think it's something that can be helped. We're childhood friends after all, but I'll do my best. I don't really have anything more important in life to consider than returning balance to the world and preventing it from being destroyed. You can count me in, but before I do anything else I think it would be best if I spoke with my mother." He said.


The King nodded, gesturing towards the gates where his mother had gone and allowing Delzah to leave the room.


(((You two are free to continue questioning the King about whatever you want, even about what has just transpired)))

--------------------------------------------------

​

Delzah made his way out the doors and asked nearby Dragon Priests where his mother had gone. They all pointed to a single small building nearby. Delzah made his way over to it and knocked on the door, and as the door opened a young girl looked back at him.


"Can I help you mister?" She asked.


"Umm… Yes, I'm here to see my mother." He said.


"Mommy?" The girl asked in response.


Delzah's eyes widened a bit. Yet another surprise to add to the list.


"Y-Yes… The woman who lives here. She is my mother." He said.


The girl closed the door and yelled "Moooooommy!" behind it. The gesture was almost cute, and Delzah had to wonder what his mother was like when she wasn't silently seething. If the girl was this sweet, then she had to be a nice woman deep down. Loving and kind, or else the girl would have been more rigid and disciplined like she was.


Then, the door opened again.


The woman revealed to be his mother stared at him, silent as stone. Yet those powerful eyes glared at him without remorse, tearing away at his soul as they again scanned the entirety of him before locking on his eyes once more.


"Umm… I… I really don't know what to say." He said quietly.


Her glare hardened.


"Then why come here?" She demanded.


Delzah looked at her and opened his mouth, but before he could speak he received a hard slap in the face which sent him off his feet and sliding across the ground into a stack of wooden crates. The impact destroyed the crates and sent fruit crashing down on Delzah. Luckily none of it broke or got squashed in the process, or else he'd literally have a sticky situation to get out of. He sat up, shaking off the dust and debris of the crates as he shook his head and placed his hand over his cheek. It burned. The wound stung worse than any cut he'd ever received, but as he looked back at his mother he saw a sight waiting for him that was truly unexpected.


She was crying.


Her eyes held anger, but her tears and facial expression held pure and unbridled agony that was threatening to burst forth at the seams. Her body was shaking, her hand frozen in time where it stopped after the slap off to her side and across the front of her body. Hey lips were parted revealing teeth that were grinding against each other as she fought to hold back her sobs and gasps for breath. Delzah was in shock that such a woman as he'd seen before could be brought to tears like this. Delzah wasn't sure what exactly was causing them, but he slowly began to stand up. He pushed himself forward onto one knee, but before he could make it to his feet he felt a pair of arms wrap gently around his head and his shoulders. He was gently pulled into a warm and loving embrace, the sound of his mother's heart beating against his left ear as she brought his head to her chest. Her brief gasps for breath through her stifled sobs was enough to make Delzah begin to tear up, but none fell yet.


"Delok'Zara…" She whispered, gently stroking his head as she pressed her cheek against his crown.


"My Delok'Zara…" She whispered again.


As the moments passed, Delzah could feel the sensation of something falling into his hair. They were tears. Silent tears as his mother held him close and began to finally release her hold on her emotions. She took in a deep breath, and as she exhaled a wail came with it. It was a long, mournful wail. A cry of agony such as he'd never heard before. This woman was in true pain, and all of it because of him. Delzah's own tears began to fall as he sat back and let her hold him.


"My Delok'Zara!" She cried through her tears.


She sobbed uncontrollably, shaking as she held him to her chest and released all of the pain and suffering she'd been holding in for Gods only know how long. Every beat of her aching heart was a thunderclap against his ear, each one driving a steak into his heart and making him realize just how much she had suffered in his absence. Perhaps it was because she was a Dragon. Perhaps it was because she was his mother. Whatever the reason, Delok'Zara's mother was able to communicate her suffering in a way nobody else could. The sensation of pain in her heart seemed to be shared in his, as if she was well and truly using some kind of magic to make him feel the pain she was going through. Her grip on him tightened as she held him yet closer.


"My baby… My Delok'Zara." She sobbed.


It was a good several minutes before she was able to compose herself and cease her tears. Delzah could sense that yet more were to come, but for now she had regained control over them. She trembled softly against him, finally allowing him a moment to stand up before burying her face in his chest and continuing to sob quietly against him. Her hands grasped his tunic and wouldn't let go, and Delzah wrapped his arms around her shoulders.


"I'm so sorry, for everything." He whispered.


Her head shook against his chest slowly, her hands gripping his tunic all the more.


"It is no fault of yours, Delok'Zara… What happened to you is both my fault, and that of your father. You bear no responsibility for what has transpired here." She said through muffled sobs.


Delzah wasn't sure how much more he could take of all this mystery surrounding his father and what was going on, but at the same time he was relieved to know that his mother wasn't angry at him as he'd thought before. Still… Why the slap?


She finally backed away a few steps and wept the tears from her face as she gained control over her breathing and ceased to tremble any further. She looked over her head and gave a short shout.


"Xia, come here please." She called.


The girl from before appeared in the doorway, hiding behind one of its edges before running behind her mother. The woman chuckled lightly as she turned and embraced the girl, cooing to her as they turned together to face Delok'Zara.


"This is your half sister, Delok'Zara. Her name is Xia." His mother said quietly.


The girl hid behind their mother for a moment longer before slowly making her way out in the open.


"Hello Xia." He said calmly.


"I'm Delok'Zara. But if you'd like, you can call me 'Delzah.' Most people do, actually." He said, extending a hand to her.


The girl looked at his hand and then up to his eyes. Her tiny hand made its way to his, and she slowly came forward before wrapping her arms around his waist. He placed a hand on her head and stroked her hair as she hugged him tight. The grip was actually a little painful, but seeing as how she was a Dragon it was no surprise. Even in human form they were stronger than most humans by a fairly substantial margin according to his father. Now it all was less fantasy and more fact, as Delzah didn't believe most of the stories his father told him when he was a child.


"I'm Xia." She said quietly.


Delzah chuckled, looking up to his mother who was smiling warmly at the sight of her children embracing.


"My name is Meya… At least, that's the name I gave your father. My full name in our tongue is Mey'alna Rok Shiir. I am a Leviathan Dragon, as is my daughter, and to answer the obvious question: Yes, you do share in the blood of Dragons." She said as she came forward and placed her hand on his cheek.


"You've grown so very much…" She whispered.


Delzah smiled.


"Humans do that." He said softly.


She shook her head.


"Humans, yes, but you are no human Delok'Zara. You are a half breed, part human and part Dragon. While most of the traits of Dragons are lost to you due to the impurities of the blood mixture, two of our strengths have remained. For one, your aging has since come to an end. When you were born the Dragons who oversaw the birth used what humans would call magic to determine your life expectancy, and you are expected to live as long as any full blooded Dragon would. The other trait you've inherited is our ability to sense the Mana, which will be invaluable to you in your upcoming journey."


Delzah looked over at the building where the others were still talking to the King.


"That's why I could tell what those two Dragons were like, isn't it?" He asked.


She nodded.


"Yes. A Dragon's Mana is directly linked to their mental state. The calmer the Dragon, the calmer the Mana. The more chaotic the Mana, the more aggressive the Dragon." She replied.


Delzah nodded.


"I see." He said, as Xia finally let him go and returned to her mother's side.


"Delzah, were that I could accompany you on this journey. But I am forbidden from doing so. As your mother, I cannot initiate a bond with you to assist you, but Nirla'ana can. I'm certain the King already told you of her." She asked.


Delzah nodded, and Meya smiled but also gave him an expression of concern.


"Please be careful Delzah… Nirla'ana is a gentle soul, but her Dragon form is as dangerous to her allies as it is to her enemies. You must promise me that you'll remain cautious around her." She said.


Delzah nodded.


"I know… I believe I know what the problem is too." He said quietly.


Meya nodded, smiling at him as she changed the topic.


"I am happy beyond words that I could finally lay eyes on my son after all these years… I was only able to hold you one time before you were taken away from me." She said, soft and silent tears beginning to well in her eyes again.


Delzah smiled, walking forward to embrace her once more. She returned the embrace in kind, and as they parted she leaned forward and kissed his cheek.


"Take care my son, and know that I will always be watching over you. Even if I am forbidden from assisting you directly, I will always be with you whenever you need me." She said.


Delzah nodded, looking down at Xia as he patted her on the head, much to her delight.


"Take care Xia. I'll see you again someday soon alright?" He said.


Xia gave a fervent nod.


"Okay!" She replied happily.


Delzah and Meya chuckled, and Delzah turned and walked back to the double doors where the others were still speaking with the Dragon King.

 

[Bone2pick]

She couldn't remember ever feeling more confused. There was a part of her that actually believed she might have a role to play in the presented epic quest: a part of her that virtually ignited at the thought of earning the respect and admiration of the royal dragon before her. Unfortunately there was also a flip side to that coin. Despite her dreams of future heroics, Clew was still painfully aware that she was merely a tiny mortal. And as a mortal in a world full of monsters and magic she was woefully outclassed.


The bestowed responsibility was infinite. Every known life, and every unknown future life: That was the prize she would need to seize, or that was the cost she would have to pay. Her blood nearly turned to ice water at the thought of it. The decision had Clew feeling like she was standing on the edge of a knife blade. One step backwards and she'd be running home, one step forwards and she'd be fighting the greatest darkness the world could throw at her. As great as her uncertainty was, it was no match for her dragon.


When the two creatures entered the castle the cowgirl quickly fixed her focus on the stormy grey beast. The Dragon King was still speaking inside her thoughts, but his words were secondary to Clew's own reflection. This creature, this silent being, was familiar. The two souls then locked gazes, and Clew lost herself in a pair of powerful silver eyes.


I know you.


Thought Clew. It was a statement that she had assumed went unheard, but it was answered.


And I know you.


Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. She had made contact. Clew had unconsciously opened a mind speak with the dragon. The two were undeniably connected. A joyful smile bloomed across Clew as she reveled in the elation of uniting with her lost sister. Sister? Yes, somehow she knew it to be so. Clew pushed another thought out into the mind speak.


I'm glad you called for me.


Once again the dragon answered.


And I'm glad you came, Clew Chrontyre.


With child-like enthusiasm the cowgirl tipped her hat in appreciation.


These Dragons are bonded to you in heart and soul, and will be so until the day you die. Whether you choose to undertake the task set to you by the Gods or not, these Dragons will fight in your name against the coming calamities. It is in their very being to combat these evils, as it is the entire reason for their existence. They will not blame you for walking away if you feel you cannot stand against what is to come, and should you request to return to your home they will sever the bond and set you free of this task. You have but to ask." -Dragon King


Clew promptly addressed the Dragon King after he had finished speaking.


"I may not be the most qualified person to save the world, but I sure won't be the first one to refuse the job. Count me in your Majesty."


The comforting mind speak from her bond sister came again.


That's my girl.

 

[Greatmar2]

Rylan wasn't fully satisfied with the answer the King gave, but he did also say it would be made clear to them in a few minutes. Rylan half-listened to Delzah's questions, thinking about what it could be. It must have had something to do with that... pulse that the King made, which had given Rylan a bit of a surprise. What could be easier to show them than explain? Rylan hadn't done anything great in his life, and if he had it would be easier to explain... maybe it would be better to show so the others know about it. But still, he couldn't think of anything that great that he'd done. Besides, he was not nearly the best soldier at even just the barracks he trained at. Maybe it was... he didn't have any good ideas. He would just have to be patient.


Rylan still did not feel reassured about their chances of victory. But the great Dragon had said there was a good reason, and Rylan trusted him. Still... the fate of two worlds is quite a bit for three humans to handle...


He heard the footsteps of more dragons from behind him. Before he even turned around, he felt something familiar behind him. He turned around and looked towards the source of the familiar feeling. He was not sure how, but a rather scary looking Dragon with an equine resemblance seemed to be the source of that feeling. Despite the Dragon looking rather intimidating and large, at what Rylan guessed was about 3.5 metres high and 13.5 metres long, Rylan felt like somehow that Dragon was a part of him that had been missing his whole life. The Dragon, while advancing respectfully and looking at the King most of the time, looked towards Rylan occasionally.


"These two summoned you here." The Dragon Rylan had been watching bowed it's head to him and the greenish one next to it bowed its head to the woman. However there didn't seem to be one for Delzah... Rylan listened with interest to what the Dragon King said, but the whole time his and the dragon's eyes remained locked in silence.


To think... he hardly knew anything about dragons, yet here was on that had been and shall be bonded to him for life. The name of Dark Horse Dragon definately fitted the appearance his partner, but to Rylan he didn't seem as menacing as he looked. Maybe he felt it because of their bond? Rylan eventually looked away from the Dragon when the Dragon king said Delzah's mother was there. She wore an armour that looked like it was made of Dragon scales... She also was not dressed like a priestess.


Well, she doesn't seem to be a priestess... Was she summoned here specially to meet Delzah... But why summon two humans all the way here just to meet each other... Why not the human realm? And how on earth did she get dragon scales? Maybe she is a dragon prophet that is more of a fighter? Rylan wondered. He had finally thought his questions to be answered but even more arose. Who was this Nirla'ana they spoke of? The King wouldn't want Delzah to bond with one of the resurrected dragons, so what kind of Dragon would this one be that the King would particularly want to pick a fight with her? Delzah hadn't told him that he knew any Dragons on the way there. Also, he had said "Don't tell me… She's a Dragon isn't she?" How would one be a childhood friend with a Dragon and not know... wouldn't it be rather obvious?


Delzah left and Rylan turned back to the Dark Horse Dragon before him. "Um... Hello," he said nervously.


Hello, Rylan. We are bonded, therefore you can speak to me with your thoughts, if you wish.





Rylan smiled weakly, Oh. What's your name?


I am Dar'lith.


Pleased to meet you, Dar'lith. Rylan walked slowly forward and reached his hand out to the Dragon, pausing, he asked, May I?


Of course.





Rylan reached forward and felt the Dragon's reptilian skin. He felt hot breath down his back and looked up and smiled. What does Delzah's mother do? Rylan asked, She doesn't seem like a priestess to me, maybe a warrior?


You are correct that she is not a Priestess, and she is a fearsome combatant, but she is not human. She is a Dragon in disguise. A leviathan Dragon.


What? Rylan simply asked, not understanding what Dar'lith had just said.


Dragons have the ability to disguise themselves as humans.





Rylan remained silent for some time, thinking once again. So Delzah is a dragon? He didn't seem particularly pleased about coming, and he said that it could, however, be an opportunity to learn about them... I'm just confused now.


Delzah is half Dragon. He has never met his mom until now. Most of the skills and abilities full Dragons have, he does not. However there might be a couple, but I am unsure which.


Oh. So full Dragons can just disguise themselves as humans whenever they choose? I have alot to learn about Dragons.


They can't, it costs a lot of Mana and we can only safely remain in human form for a maximum of four days if we previously had maximum Mana.


It makes sense. Mana... there are only a couple mages at the barracks where I work... used to work. I personally never bothered to take that test thingy they have to see if I can be a mage.


Rylan talked a bit with the being bonded to his heart and soul, as the King put it, then a thought occurred to him. Dar'lith, about what you said earlier with Dragons only being able to go into human disguise for a maximum of four days?


Yes?


My Godfather, Hi'awa'tha, only ever visits for a maximum of four days. He also has a strange name like Dragons seem to have... Is he possibly one?


Yes, he is. He is a Irontail dragon.





Rylan paused before saying I understand the he probably was not allowed to tell me, but still... it would have been nice to actually know. How was my father involved in all this?


Your father was offered the position of Dragon Priest, but he instead chose to aid the to be Dragon Priests in reaching the Kingdom safely in times when Dragons were hate by most. He and Hi'awa'tha got on very well and became good friends. Hi'awa'tha told me about your father and you. Even though I couldn't meet you yet, it was nice to hear what you had been doing as I also grew up.





Rylan just nodded and leaned on Dar'lith's leg thinking, while waiting for someone else to say something.

 

[Kyero]

((Keep going you two. Delzah would still be outside with his mother during these exchanges. Keep asking the big guy questions and have a ball with it!))

 

[Bone2pick]

Life sure can move fast sometimes. One minute you're a poor girl driving cows into one-horse towns, and the next minute you're standing in the middle of a castle making a deal with a Dragon King to save the world. Had fate designed this crazy turn of events, or had it all been a simple matter of the right place at the right time? Only the gods could answer that one.


Clew sorted through the recent events as best as she could manage while pacing around a loose circle. She put a hand on her curled whip as she thought of the dangers she and her newly acquired companions would certainly face. A wicked cult. Black magic. Undead dragons. She realized they needed more information so she addressed the Dragon King once again.


"What can you tell us about the Corruption Cult?"


Clew continued.


"Where can we find them, and once we do, how do we stop them?"

 

[Kyero]

The Dragon King looked down at Clew.


"Hmm…" He thought quietly.


"The Corruption Cult is a very secretive group of individuals whom the powers of magic have corrupted. When the heart weakens, the always present forces of darkness are harder to block from one's mind. As the mind weakens, so too does the heart, and the darkness begins to seep into your very soul. It starts with simple negativity, growing into anger, hatred, pain and woe. Eventually they lose themselves to the weight of their own despair, and their hearts are forever darkened against the light of day." He said.


The Dragon King looked to the other Dragons for a moment, and a subtle exchange was made during which the two Dragons bowed their heads and began to leave the castle.


"I am afraid there is little I can tell you of these beings of darkness which now stalk the landscape. They are beyond my sight and senses, as the Corruption within them blinds us to their collected Mana. When Mana becomes corrupted within the bodies of these individuals, we can no longer sense it as we can normally. I am sorry that I cannot tell you more, but what I can say is that they wield powerful magic that, if it makes contact with you, has the potential to turn you into one of them if it doesn't kill you first. Their magic is twisted and warped, and we have already lost a small handful of our kin in your world to such a fate. You will not be facing only men when you return to your world…"





The Dragon King reared his head back and gave a small roar, which was loud given his size, but not so much so that everyone would have to cover their ears and run for the exit. The ground shook just so and as it came to an end the Dragon King began to lean forward and bring his head to the ground before them. Upon his crown sat two small glowing orbs that were barely visible from the distance the others were standing, but it was clear that two bright shining objects were now there which weren't previously.


"Take these orbs with you on your journey. I cannot explain to you their purpose, as that is information only the Gods possess, but I can promise that they will serve you a purpose beyond any simple piece of jewelry." He said, setting his jaw on the ground and moving his right arm forward flat against the ground so that they had a walkway to go get them on top of his head.


Now that he was flat against the floor, the color of the orbs could be seen. One was a deep violet, nearly perfectly matching the darkness of the Dark Horse Dragon while the other was a more earthly coloration with a slight hint of gray/silver running through. It was obvious which gem belonged to which individual, so all they had to do now was ascend to the Dragon King's crown and retrieve them.

 

[Bone2pick]

"I must go now."


She turned to watch her bond dragon leave. Clew wanted to stop her, the fear of losing something so special after just having found it was stirring inside her.


"Please stay."


She sent the mind speak out to her dragon, who then replied without looking.


"We will reunite soon. Be at peace."


Clew turned back to face the Dragon King, choosing not to watch the final steps of her soulmate's departure. She pulled her emotions together in time to look on in amazement as the royal dragon lowered his body down until his serpentine head rested on the floor. His barrel sized nostrils flared, exhaled, and Clew was forced to grab tightly to her hat to keep it from blowing off. A gigantic foreleg slid forward until it was flush against the front of his jaws, his foot now serving as a makeshift ramp.


The Dragon King had brought them gifts. There was one for each, the cowgirl and the soldier. A pair of radiant orbs that sparkled as brilliantly as diamonds could only do in one's dreams. They were balanced on top his brow, the very brow that proudly supported a mirror finished golden crown.


Clew slowly turned her face towards the nearby soldier. She was smiling with the same type of smile a maiden wears as she looks down fondly at her engagement ring. The two exchanged a brief nonverbal discussion until it was decided that Clew would go first. She shrugged, nodded to herself, and then stepped towards the dragon's foot.


In a moment of clarity she paused to stomp her boots, freeing them of any excess dirt. Just because a King offered her the unthinkable opportunity to step on him, doesn't mean she shouldn't wipe her feet first. Clew hesitated and her heart responded by pounding in her chest. The settling realization that she would soon be walking along one of the world's largest dragons was more than a little stressing. She spread her hands out for balance, cursed herself out loud, and then finally took the first step onto the Dragon King.


The shield sized scales beneath her boots were thankfully not as slippery as expected. The flesh of the dragon had the texture of super hardened leather; which gripped and supported her every footing rather than repel it like polished steel surely would have. She couldn't help but look down at each symbol that covered the warm golden scales of the Dragon King as she continued forwards. Each pattern, each rune, was unique; and every so often one of the mystical runes would catch the light from above and flicker with a ghostly illumination.


Clew climbed higher across the surface of the prostrated creature. This trip would only take mere minutes of her time, but it would without a doubt go down as one of the greatest journeys of her life. She then passed under one of the King's breathtakingly big eyes and Clew spared a glance into its soulful pupil. Later, with a tiny and carefully measured leap, she jumped onto the jaws of the dragon.


The offered jewel was now a few small steps out of her arm's reach. It was a perfect sphere of what could pass for sparkling charcoal. It glowed from within, undoubtedly magical, and flashes of liquid silver would frequently swirl across its surface. Clew brought her tanned face forward and let the orb's light bathe over her skin. Then, with two cupped hand, she scooped it into a cradled and brought it to her chest. With the same care a mother gives her baby she carried the jewel back down the resting dragon. When Clew finally had both of her feet back on the familiar stone of the castle floor she spoke to the waiting soldier.


"Your turn."

 

[Greatmar2]

The king wishes for me to leave. We shall see each other again soon, said Dar'lith.


Oh... Goodbye, responded Rylan.


After the Dragon King spoke, he lowered his head, two gem-like orbs one his crown, each matching the colours of the recently departed Dragons. Rylan did not know whether he had not noticed them earlier, or they had somehow appeared as the King lowered his enormous head. The King then moved his arm forward so that the two minuscule humans could reach the gems upon his crown.


Rylan let the lady go first, and watched as she climbed and then retrieved the gem intended for her. She then climbed back down and the looked toward him, saying "Your turn." Rylan nodded and then stomped his shoes clean of dirt, afterwards walking towards the Dragon. Glad Rylan did not have his armour weighing him down, he climbed carefully up the side of the huge Dragon with its shield-sized scales.


Upon reaching the Dragon's head, Rylan reached towards the strange orb and, giving it a soft tug, dislodged it. He lifted it and inspected it. Now's not the time for that, he decided, since he could stare at it for ages. He cautiously descended the gargantuan Dragon, to stand next to the cowgirl. He silently looked towards the dragon and waited till the King spoke again.

 

[Kyero]

As Rylan climbed down from his crown, the Dragon King stepped back and stood up once more. It was a slow ascent, and each and every foot looked like a mountain being forced up from the earth as his head went higher and higher until he was standing at proper posture again. He looked down at the humans before turning away from them and walking back towards his throne. Each step, a small earthquake. Every breath, a small gust of wind through the room. Finally, he reached his throne and turned to face the Dragon's Chosen heroes.


"It is time, brave warriors. Seek out your Dragons beyond my doors, and learn of your connection and your collected power. As I said before, by the grace of the Gods they were born specifically to face this task. It is a heavy burden they bare, made easier by your very presence alone. Together, you will find the answers you seek that lie beyond our sight."





The Dragon King let out a roar, and as he did so the entire Dragon World seemed to roar with him. It was deafening, but it soon came to an end as the King looked down upon them.


"Now it is time… Remain still, and receive the blessings of the Gods from our Dragon Priestesses." He said.


No more than a few seconds later, a gathering of nearly one hundred Priestesses, all wearing pure white silken robes, walked out and formed four rows of twenty five across the room before them. They looked to the far left, to a priestess slightly taller than the rest, who looked back at them and nodded. Together, they closed their eyes and clasped their hands in front of their hearts. They began to breath. One breath, two breaths, three, four… Until at last their breathing was synchronized. Together as one, they tilted their heads back ever so slightly and began to sing.


(( triple dots, "…" = sustained syllable of approximately three seconds ))


The melody started low, and rose in pitch slowly, snaking its way up and down like a serpent. The fifty on the left began with the most intensity and power as the right side remained soft, slowly inching the intensity across the choir from left to right as if to imply a Dragon in flight. The notes range clear, reverberating throughout the massive room creating its own accompaniment and an angelic sounding of overtones in the vastness above which made the song that much stronger.


Uum Dahl Thra… Nehc Om Ai Vi'il… (Unto our kin, we beseech of thee)


Rok'la Khon... Thu Um'du Rhi'l… (Blessings upon their sacred quest)


Sah Lok Ra'dahn… Nah Om Ni Ul'dh (Oh Gods above, To you we pray)


The song was short, sweet, and angelic. Even from outside the room Delzah could hear it and was nearly moved to tears by how beautiful the sound was. He felt a small surge of power upon the song's conclusion, and a sudden spark within his chest which held a familiarity to it went off as well. He couldn't place what it was just yet, but he knew it… Or, in some small way, had experienced it before.


The Dragon King nodded to the women who bowed to their heroes and walked out single file from the room as the King waited. Upon the last priestess's exit, he took a breath.


"And so it is done. With those words the blessings of the Gods above be upon you. They will watch over you and grant you their strength should you ever need it… Now go. I have kept you here long enough." He said, bowing his head to the heroes.


The rest of the Dragons too bowed their heads to the heroes as they backed away from the exit to allow them passage to the outside where their Dragons waited for them.