The Bonded

"It's your choice what to do with my power."


Damius looked up at her, he was still young but he still noticed her beauty. He forced himself into a sitting position with a soft grunt straightening to face her. "Well I guess you have yourself a deal, I'll be your master. Oh how I have dreamed of traveling. So is there a process to all of this? You are a very complicated creature."


He chuckled softly as he stood picking up both of their bowls, bringing them to the entrance of the cave to set them out in the rain to was them out. He turned towards her placing his hands on his hips sighing loudly. "You know what, I've asked a lot of questions. I've agreed to be your master, so lets have at it." He said tossing her a wink, a confident smile on his face.
 
Mia raised an eyebrow and scrambled to stand when he approached her, "Pardon? 'lets have at it?'" She asked, not the slightest idea what he was asking, "What you want me to bond to you now? I don't think that is very wise... The bonding process is... painful for the master. I was just going bond us while you slept. What most do..." She said, she tilted her head to the side a bit as if examining him. She crossed her arms over her chest, though mostly out of giving her hands something to do. "Of course... there is always the brave soul who want to 'prove themselves' to the Galvent. They always pass out. I've not known anyone to not.. pass out."
 
"I have nothing to prove, but I shall face this head on. Pain or no pain. In the end I will be stronger." He said shrugging slightly, his eyes locked upon Mia. He was confident, he was young and foolish. I wonder how painful this is going to be... What happens if I don't survive? Well I've gotten this far and a demi-god would get me a whole lot further. He thought to himself as he tried to slow his heart rate, it didn't work.


"Even if I do pass out, well you'll be here to protect me." He quipped giving her another smile. "But just so I know, there's no chance you this will kill me?"
 
"There is no way to die from this... Its just painful." Mia said, a little shocked that the kid was actually wanting to do this. He probably had no idea what kind of pain he was about to experience if he really choose to do this. She was giving him one more chance to back out of this, but if he truly wanted it. "Also... I forgot one more thing... if we do this, and I die, you will die with me." She warned him. though she thought it might be a bit to late to say something like that. It was much harder to kill her than it was to kill him.
 
"Also... I forgot one more thing... if we do this, and I die, you will die with me."


Damius stood expressionless for several heartbeats, the sound of rain reverberating around them. He stared at the ground in front of him although his thoughts ran circles. So if she dies, I die. But she's a demi-god and I don't think they die easily. He thought, losing himself in his own mind.


Eventually he raised his vision towards her, a confident look on his face. He took a few steps towards her. "Like I told you earlier, one part brave, two parts fool." He said grinning as he came to stop a few feet from her, the warmth of the fire coursing across his leg.
 
Mia allowed him to think on this. She was about to interject that he can leave and come back to her when he had made a decision, but he had already approached her with his overflowing confidence once more. He was almost slightly overbearing. One parts brave and two parts fool indeed. She wondered if he had some kind of ulterior motives to bonding with her while he was awake even though shes told him this will be painful.


"Very well." Mia said with a sigh, though she had a small smile of her lips when their eye's meet. She took several steps backwards before she raised her arms, her eyes never leaving his. She gave him enough chances, and now he was going to get what he asked for.


When Mia raised her arms, Damius saw everything before him blacken, and it was as if only him and Mia who was standing before him existed. A light seem to burst from his chest and spilled over, almost like an endless waterfall pouring from him. The light would fall and then suddenly rise like little fireflies. It was a pleasant and light feeling, almost indescribable.


The feeling did not last long however, Damius soon felt like something moved inside the light, inside him. As it moved it was a horrible twisting feeling, almost as if something was being ripped from him in the most painful way possible. It was then from this light that a long thick iron chain launched from his body, and attached itself around Mia's neck. Mia did not move from where she was even as another chain ripped itself from Damius's body and wrapped around Mia. The process happened about three more times, each chain coming out bringing about a whole new ripple of pain, and each chain wrapped itself around Mia.


After the fifth chain wrapped itself around Mia, everything seem to appeared back to normal. Damuis could hear the rapture of raindrops and the crackle of the fire once more. The cave surrounding reappeared in his vision and he could feel a horrible numb and sick aching feeling hummed deep in his chest.


Mia however was no longer a woman, but a little girl, though her eyes still shone the same bright violet color.
 
Everything that transpired as she bonded herself with him was really nothing more than a painful blur. One minute he stood facing her, things blackened and he could only see her. A light burst forth from his chest and he wasn't sure how to react. He didn't really have time as the first large iron link chain burst forth from the light.


Oh how the pain did tear through him and he did crumble. He hit the ground hard with his knees, his head hung low. The second chain burst forth, a whole new wave of pain tore at him. He growled attempting to push the pain aside. The third chain had his muscles taunt, his face a bright shade of red.


He kept his focus on Mia as he fought to keep conciousness, the chains that shot forth wrapped themselves around her. She did not budge a single inch. The fourth chain had his vision darkening, his teeth clenched tightly. Every inch of being felt like it was being ripped to shreds. The fifth chain had him almost completely slumped forward, his forehead inches above the cold cave floor. His eyes were closed and his body trembled violently.


Slowly the pain subsided and he could feel his limbs, if albeit only a little. He attempted to raise himself, wobbly knees unsure if they could support his weight. As fast as he could he scrambled towards the cave entrance on all fours. The rain outside was cold and it quickly drenched him. His stomach felt twisted and convinced slightly at first before he heaved up the stew he had just eaten.


He knelt there in the rain, his body not giving him control of his limbs for a long while. So he knelt in the rain, the wind and the rain whipping around him, the storm above seeming to calm.
 
Well... he didn't pass out. She was almost sure he would. Mia shook her head a bit watching him. She tired to warn him, and he did not heed it. Which really didn't make her feel bad for him at all. Mia finally took several steps outside and pulled him to lay down. Even in her new child form she was strong, but that didn't make this kid any less hard to carry because he was much bigger than her.


Pulling his shoulders as hard as she could, she dragged him back into the small opening and near the fire. Quickly, Mia went to get his jacket and folded it the best she could and placed it under his head as a makeshift pillow. "You should sleep. You will feel normal again in the morning." She said a bit soothingly to him. Mia jumped up from his side and walked a few feet over to the extra firewood before picking up a few logs and then gently placed them into the fire so that it would continue to burn and dry Damius. If he started to get cold during the night, she'll just transform to her tiger form and try and use her fur to keep him warm.
 
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She had drug him from the rain, although now she had taken the form of a young child. She had laid him out by the fire and cushioned his head. His eyes were barely opened though they stared at her. "Is... That... It?" He asked softly, but he drifted off before the answer could come.


The rain continued through the night, slacking off in the early hours of the next morning. As the first rays of light fluttered into the cave he shifted, rolling over onto his side. His head was throbbing and he still felt a bit odd. Though there was no residual pain as he sat himself up blinking a few times as he looked towards the cave entrance.


Slowly he stood, hobbling towards the entrance where he grabbed onto the rock wall to prop himself up. He looked out over the forests before the cave, the ground loose and very muddy. The Tygress in the distance looked visibly large from all of the rain. He reached around his back with his left hand and pulled forth a small water flask that had been tucked away neatly. He pressed it to his lips the cool water flowing into his parched mouth, several streams running down his chin.


A relieved sigh escaped his lips as he lowered the flask, replacing the top and tucking it away again. "So, is this where my journey begins?" He asked himself quietly, not expecting an answer as he turned himself to locate Mia.
 
Mia laughed and shook her head when he passed out. He might do alright, he was strong. He had a long way in life to go... she will hopefully be every step of the way to guide him. She finally settled for the night by leaning on a wall closest to the fire, closing her eyes and falling into a light alert sleep.


The first sign of something moving awoke her, causing her eyes to snap open. Of course it was Damius as he picked himself up from the ground and walked over, a bit shaky she noticed, to the entrance of the cave. After he pulled out a flask of water, she turned her head to the side to look at the cold fire pit. Trying to stifle a yawn, Mia rolled over on her side and stretched. After that she sat up and the yawn came to her anyway, so she covered her mouth with an open hand.


When she looked over to Damuis he was looking at her. She gave him a small pleasant smile before she spoke up. "Good morning Master Damuis." She greeted him. She even sounded like a child, almost bubbly and full of energy.
 
Damius winced when she called him master, "Must you call me master? And you are in the form of a child now, why?" He said as he moved around the cave slowly cleaning up, collecting his needed gear. After replacing all of the supplies in the chest and hid it back behind the stones he wrapped his cloak about his body and moved to collect his bow and quiver.


He stood tall once he had finished, the sun cresting the horizon. A few clouds drifted lazily through the bright blue sky. Several birds sang a beautiful song between each other in the distance.
 
"Sadly yes. The gods sense of humor. I calling you Master can place you in several uncomfortable and awkward situations. It was written in the tree. Most people don't like it, so I tend to omit that part in the explanation and let people find out the hard way." Mia said, her smile or tone never faltering as she explained it. It was a fact to her, nothing new or life changing. She watched him walk around the cave for several things, replacing the secret chest. She only paused in her explanation for a moment as if to give him time to think about the first bit of information before moving on to the second portion.


"Also, I don't know how much of the ceremony last night your remeber, but there are several chains binding me that are directly connected to your soul. Depending on how strong you are directly reflects how strong I am, in a sense..." Mia said quietly, "I lost my Adult and Beast form bonding with you. I have my Animal form, which is the tiger and this form, a child. I can morph between the two at will. My tiger form is my lowest and most basic form... a tendency of preference for masters so they don't have to explain a child calling them master." Mia huffed with a shrug of her shoulders. As he moved to the cave entrance, Mia scrambled up and then rushed past him. As soon as she got outside she jumped into a large puddle, splashing the water everywhere. Mia was barefoot, and didn't really like shoes at all. Most humans made her wear them though because without them they looked like horrible fathers or slave owners. She was going to enjoy her bare feet for probably the last time while she can.


After the water settled underneath her, Mia swerved to look at Damius, "What are we going to do today?" She asked a bit excited.
 
Damius chuckled as he watched her jump into the puddle, water splashing everywhere. She did seem nothing more than a child, the way she seemed to act and speak. It was a little strange he had to admit, being bound to her. So I'm now her master, mother and father aren't going to really understand any of this. Although I suppose I can keep her a secret.


"What are we going to do today?"


He started forward motioning for her to follow him. "At this point we should make our way back towards our farm, mother and father will be worried." His feet sunk in the muddy ground with every step, sticks and branches littered the ground. As they worked their way back up hill towards the farm Damius spoke to Mia. "So what do your powers consist of Mia?"
 
"Strength, speed, animal instincts, and most importantly, energy." She said answering his question in a quick manner. She ran ahead of him several paces before she stopped up the hill, "See watch!" She said before held out a fist in front of her. placing her hand on the top of her wrist, Mia slide her hand across the first and slowly. a light golden color gathered where her hand moved, extending what looked like to be a blade about two feet long of pure light.


After she was done, she turned around on a thin trunked tree and sliced the blade through it, causing the tree to trample over. As soon as she was done the blade disappeared in a brilliant flash of light, ascending in the air like fireflies. "Basic Galvent skill." Mia said in a matter of fact way as she swung her hands to her hips. She looked rather proud of her accomplishment, winning the battle against the tree. She was showing off, but she didn't care. Though a small after thought of getting in trouble with Damius for cutting down a tree without a good reason crossed her mind and she secretly hoped he didn't say anything. "It takes a lot of energy for me to maintain and do skills like that. I gain energy through food or sleep. I can go without either for long periods of time, but at risk of making me weaker. Leaves you open as well. Though I've not had a deep sleep in years, to wary to sleep like that."
 
"It takes a lot of energy for me to maintain and do skills like that. I gain energy through food or sleep. I can go without either for long periods of time, but at risk of making me weaker. Leaves you open as well. Though I've not had a deep sleep in years, to wary to sleep like that."


Damius watched curiously as she formed a blade of pure light which she used to fell a small tree. Impressive, he thought to himself as he continued up the hill towards her. "Quite impressive, I assumed you're skilled with that blade." He quipped as he neared her, his eyes narrowing on the stump. The cut was amazingly clean, no sheared edges or broken bark, the blade had passed cleanly through it without resistance.


A soft rumbled resonated from behind the mountains, but the sky above seemed clear and Damius didn't give it a second thought as he continued up hill. Moments later he stepped in a particularly muddy spot and the ground beneath his foot rolled downhill slightly. He lost all traction and fell forward into the mud attempting to stop his fall with his hands, it failed.


The mud was wet and cold, now it covered the whole front of his frame. He spat as he picked himself up, seeming quite miserable at that moment.
 
Mia actually froze when she heard a rumble, turning her head and ears the direction the sound had came from. A landslide? Her thoughts immediately snapped back into place when she was warned that Damuis was falling, just a sharp tingling feeling in the back of her mind. When she looked to him, he was already mid fall. Mia didn't really reached to try and help him because he was in no danger of dying from the fall, the worst would happen was his cloths got dirtied. When he got up, he was pretty much covered in mud on one side of him. She smiled because if she made him lay down on his back, he might pull off a decent disguise to the ground.


Mia carefully trotted over to Damuis's mud mark on the hill side and admired it before she looked up to him. "Are you ok?" She asked him.
 
"Yeah yeah yeah," Damius said waving his hands dismissively. He attempted to wipe the mud from his face, smearing it instead. "Well let us not tarry here, our farm is only a few miles ahead." Again a rumble came from just beyond the Albazor mountains to the north, this time sounding closer. He turned scanning the horizon, nothing visible to his eyes.


"Mia, I'm sure you heard that rumbling. Twice now, from beyond the mountains. Best keep on your gua-" His words fell short as a large winged figure soared from behind the mountain. The large red wyvern soared over the snow covered peaks quickly descending until it glided just feet above the tree tops. Moments later a second wyvern crossed over the mountain tops. It was larger than the first wyvern, with scales as black as night, outfitted in dark grey armor. Atop its back stood a man clad in black armor, he carried a shining greatsword on his back. He held in his hands a large chain pulled taunt that wrapped around it's neck.


The black wyvern closed the gap on the red wyvern quickly, soaring many feet above it. Damius watched as the aerial battle ensued. The black wyvern dropped down hitting the red wyvern with claws and teeth gnashing. It tore at it's back and wings, ripping through it's scales and into soft flesh. A roar of pain rippled out from the red wyvern as it tried to keep aloft.


The two dragons soared around for several moments before the red wyvern turned on it's foe, opening it's massive maw. Fire burst forth from it's large jaws in such quantities that it seemed to engulf everything in front of it, for a moment the black wyvern and it's rider disappeared into the fiery cloud. A black bolt of energy burst forth with terrifying speed slamming into the red wyvern jaw, it's body twisting away with the impact.


The fiery cloud dissipated and the black wyvern bulled into the red wyvern, claws digging into its chest drawing forth large amounts of blood. Howling in pain the red wyvern whipped it's head over towards the black rider and the ensuing blast of fire engulfed everything. The flames hit the earth below engulfing the forests in flames which quickly spread out across the hillside. Black smoke began to rise thick in the air masking the battle, but with each roar of pain came another blast of fire ripping across the hillsides.


The flames quickly tore through the forest around them, smoke roiling about them. Damius pulled up part of his cloak covering his mouth and his nose. "They'll burn down the whole forest at this rate..." He stopped cold, sweat beading on his brow. The ensuing battle grew more distant, but his heart dropped when he noticed exactly where they proceeded towards. His home.


Flames raged all around them the heat of the flames beginning to intensify. He turned towards Mia, only his eyes were visible from behind the cloth. "We must hurry Mia!" He exclaimed as he turned in the direction the wyvern's battle had taken them.
 
Mia watched as the two flying lizards continued their struggles, leaving destruction in their wake. Was that red one wild or did it have a master as well? The one in the black did not seem to be having a hard time handling the unarmored wyvern. It hardly seemed like a fair fight at the moment. It was only a few heartbeats later that Mia realized that there was a fire spreading, and the forest was indeed going to burn down if nothing was done.


She turned to watch the as they battled away, she could only see the black wyvern coming out as the victor. She was not sure what was going on between the two beasts and the rider, but by the look of Damuis's face that was not what mattered at the moment.


"We must hurry Mia!" He said loudly over the raging of fire before turning to run closer to the battle.


Running into a heated fight between two powerful creatures and a possible knight was not exactly the first thing that Mia wanted to do, but the order's sunk into Mia's mind a she followed them. Mia soon took off behind Damuis, transforming into her tiger form running several paces in front of Damuis before she leaned down close to the ground. With one swirve of her head, she motioned towards her back to get on her. She couldn't speak to him in these forms yet, but hopefully that will be solved soon. Regardless, she hoped he held on.


As soon as he got on, she would sprint as fast as she could with the extra weight on her back and the muddy terrain to navigate as safely as she could through the fires to his home.
 
Damius had moved in the direction of his home, Mia coming up beside him in tiger form. He pulled himself over onto her back holding on as best he could. Her movements were swift even in the muddy terrain, easily bounding up the hillside. Another roar came from in the distance, a cry of pain. It took them only a short time before they crested the ridge before his family farm.


The farm came quickly into view and the sight made Damius's eyes water. Before them the ground was black all of the foliage burned away already, sweeping well past the farm house that now sat as nothing more than a large ball of fire.


They wyvern's had never paused continuing forwards further away. Their roars grew distant with each passing second. Mia's agility would take them past the flames of the forest to stand on open ground just before the farm. Damius lowered himself from her back as they came to a stop taking a few steps forward towards the burning house, but the intense heat forced him back to Mia's side.


His knees wobble and a few tears rolled down his cheeks as he leaned against Mia's muscled side placing his hand on her strong shoulder. It was all he could do to stop himself from falling over. As the flames burned several boards snapped and the entire house crashed to the ground, Damius wincing as he watched. He had no words, at this moment their was only pain. Slowly he lowered himself into a kneeling position beside Mia, wrapping his arms around her neck, burying his face into her fur.
 
Mia could only watch. She had seen many things in the small amount of years and traveling, but never does it get easier to watch things happen. As a Galvent she felt little when watching death, but there was always a small part of her that did not relish in watching it happen either. She ran through her mind possibilities. This boy was in her care now... but surely his parents couldn't have been in there? There is a large possibility that they had left when the farm house lit on fire. Though this was not just any fire... and how fast is spread was proububly faster than they even realized.


Damius finally crumpled next to her, she felt him seek comfort from her, leaning in to sob in her fur. She sat her hindquarters down in the ground to make herself more comfortable, they might be here for a while. Wrapping one muddy paw around Damuis, Mia pressed him into her fur softly, giving what little comfort she could. What was going to happen after this will be Damuis choice... his next choice could very well let Mia understand how the inner workings of their bond will be in the future. She can only hope to guide him.
 
They sat for a long while as the flames burned, eventually though they died out. It took Damius a while before he could stand, his knees still wobbled as moved towards the charred and smoking remains of what use to be his families home. Did they make it outside, or did they get caught in the blaze before they had a chance? He asked himself as he neared the blackened pile of wood. He stopped right at its edge surveying what use to be his home.


It seemed so surreal to him at this point, his mother and father were gone now, probably killed off by the dragon. If they had escaped he had no idea where to search for them, the entire forest ahead of him had also become nothing more than a charred wasteland. He bent down scooping up a bit of ash and burn wood, it was still somewhat warm to the touch.


"So is this how my journey starts..." He quietly said as he clenched tight his fists crushing the blackened pieces of wood. "I will not let this atrocity go unanswered for, it may take years, but justice will be served." He said as he turned back towards Mia, his muddy face beaming with determination. He opened his hand and let the ash pour from it, caught by the breeze it formed a small cloud which rolled away. "It begins today Mia. We can do nothing more here. Should my parents have fled and survived they would have head for Tamriel, that is where we will begin." He said turning his vision towards Mia, then to the south.
 
Mia looked up to Damuis, her heart going out to him. She hoped this did not consume him... There was a possibility he may come out of denial, if he is even in that stage. Mia shook her head and bit and looked to the south with Damuis and thought about what they had to do. Transforming, Mia took her child form before walking up to Dasmuis and taking his hand with hers, "I'll be with you every step of the way. Ask me and I can do it for you." Mia told him.


After a few moments, Mia let go of his hand before looking at it. She now had the blackened ash smudged on her own fingers. "Perhaps, if you would let me suggest, we should go to the river to clean ourselves a bit Master Damuis." Mia suggested. They were both looked pretty worse for wear at the moment, muddied and ash ridden. Smoke from the fires covered their face, It certainly coated Mia from her run through the blaze. She looked up from her hand and offered Damuis a small smile, knowing it won't make him any better. She could at least help keep the positive attitude.
 
"Perhaps, if you would let me suggest, we should go to the river to clean ourselves a bit Master Damuis."


"And so we shall, but first there is something I must gather." He said as he moved away from Mia, moving around the back of the remnants of his home. He passed the well that seemed more like a blackened hole into the depths of the ground and moved behind what had once been their supply shed. He circled it coming to a stop behind it, here he knelt and started digging with his hands. He hand only gone about an inch under the surface when the tips of his fingers felt the smooth metal.


Without much urgency Damius pushed most of the dirt away revealing a metal box that was about four feet long and a foot wide. Dirty fingers opened the lid to reveal a polished short sword, it's blade only about two and a half feet encased in a blackened leather sheathe. Underneath that was a small bag of coins, mostly copper and silver with a few gold pieces scattered throughout.


There was also another water flask like the one Damius already carried as well and two cloaks that were folded nice and neatly at the very bottom. Damius gathered up everything strapping the sword and sheathe on his left hip. The sack of coins he tied up behind his waist before he wrapping up his bow, quiver, and second flask in the spare cloaks. He fashioned a sling and tossed the neatly wrapped equipment over his shoulders the sling holding nicely.


"Shall we?" He asked Mia as he turned towards the south. He carried no smile on his face this day.
 
Mia watched silently as Damuis walked around to the back of his house. When he disappeared from her view she turned to face off in the distance where the two wyverns had flown off to. Several thoughts ran through her head at that moment about the fight that conspired not an hour ago. She wished to know who the man was... surely he could have seen the wreckage he had caused while in combat with the red beast. Was he so narrow minded that he not see the wreckage he wrought through his path of war and not feel anything for it?


Mia soon turned her head back to the forest that was mostly burnt down to the ground. It had been beautiful... she was only sitting in it hours ago. Was the city going to send help out into the forest? An investigation? Did they even have any kind of concern for what happened? Were they involved? Questions buzzed through her head almost non-stopped as she crouched on the ground and waited for Damius to repair.


Silence encased her, except for the occasional rummaging from Damius's direction, Mia no longer heard birds or other forest creatures. It made her a bit sad. The transformation was too sudden. Mia shook her head, realizing her thoughts were repeating themselves again. Footsteps made her look up to Damius who was now holding what looked to be a sack, though on a closer look it was a cloth of some kind.


"Do you need me to carry something?" Mia asked as Damius lead the way to the city he was talking about. She had not been to this particular city before and was not sure what to expect. She was not sure what Damius was looking for either there either.
 
Damius looked back at her, "no I shall carry this, it is no burden." Damius pulled his vision away as he gain his bearings taking them on a southward course. They walked for quite a while eventually passing through the remains of the burnt forest into a living forest. The Wyvern's had made their way west, no doubt wreaking more destruction.


Eventually the sounds of chirping birds returned, breaking the silence as they passed through a particularly dense patch of pine trees. The Tygress was coming into view, it's powerful white water flowing swiftly. It was nearly twenty yards wide, completely uncrossable from their current location. Within several minutes they had reached the icy waters, the sunlight brightly reflecting off of the ever shifting surface.


"Let us clean up and then we'll follow the Tygress north where the river exits the mountains. There is a bridge that we can use to cross, though we'll make camp long after." He looked across the river extending his left hand to point towards a forest in the distance across an open expanse of land. "Beyond that forest lies Tamriel, it's a beautiful sprawling city, famous for it's market. The dragons don't seem to have intentions of heading this way."


He let out a soft sigh as he casually made his way to the waters cupping his hands under the water, splashing it across his face. It sent a shiver up his spine, the water was freezing but it felt good to remove the mud from his dry skin. He spoke as he cleaned the mud from his form little by little, "I know I cannot dream of fighting the dragon that burned everything I've known, I am but a boy and you are not at your full strength. We should warn someone though."


He paused dunking his face into the cold water running his fingers through his wet hair. He came up taking in a large breath of air as he turned towards her, his face feeling almost frozen. "Mia you have lived a long time though, what do you know of dragonkin?"
 
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