A Dragon's War

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Bitterblue

Love is the only thing worth fighting for
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I'm a huge Fantasy fan. Also a big fan of Science Fiction and Action/Adventure, mix a TINY TINY bit of Romance in these plots and call it good! :)
A Dragon's War: The Beginning of the End




A man named Matt was exploring a cave with a group of his friends. They were looking for a rare gem that was known to be found in these caves. They were just out for fun, hoping to get lucky. It was a dark night, the eve before the blood moon. The guys decided they would all propose to their girlfriends that evening, and wanted to give them an extra something with a ring. Sapphires are super rare on Valeroma, and only the super wealthy can afford them. Matt and his buddies just hoped they would get lucky.
They were all exploring different areas of the cave; which when you think about it, isn't very smart. But that's men for you. Anyway, Matt was in one of the caves farthest from the entrance. He came to the very end, and was about to turn around when an item caught his attention. It was glowing a soft orange color, with black in it, kind of like a piece of coal. As he got closer, his excitement grew. He picked up the object, and a small scroll fell off. Setting the object down carefully, he turned on his flashlight. He bent down and picked up the scroll. Carefully unrolling it, he read the letters written in beautiful calligraphy:

When the night is dark and the moon is red
Hatched will be a dragon of dread
Eyes like amber and scales like the earth
More than the world his head will be worth
The dragon of dread will be a shifter and more
The kind of monster you read of only in lore
He will seek to rule the last of his race
And make the whole world know of his face


Matt stared at the words. He had heard this short poem all his life, but why was it written on an ancient scroll? He stared at what must be a dragon's egg. A smile lit up his face. He found his something special, a baby dragon for his fiance was the perfect gift. He carefully put the egg in his pack, and stuffed the scroll in his pocket. Working his way out of the cave, he found his friends already waiting for him. They were all empty handed. "What took you so long, Matt?" they asked. "Just taking my time, being thorough, and all." He said, wanting to keep the egg to himself and his soon to be fiance.

The next evening


Matt took his girlfriend out for dinner. When they finished eating and came home, he brought out his pack with the egg, plus a small blue box. He walked to his girlfriend, and cupped her face in his hand. He smiled as she leaned into it. He lead her outside, for she loved the outdoors. They looked up at the sky, seeing that there was indeed a blood moon. He turned to Amanda and carressed her face again. "Amanda, I am deeply in love with you. Every week, every day, hour, every second I see you, and my heart leaps in my chest. I have no idea what is in store for us, but together I know we can get through anything." Getting down on one knee, he opened a box containing a diamond ring. "Amanda Renee Shiloh, will you marry me?" Amanda covered her mouth with her hands. "Yes, Matt. A million times yes." She held her left hand out and Matt slipped the ring onto her finger. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hard.

When they pulled apart, he took her hand and led her to the swing overlooking the lake. "I have something else to show you, dear." He said, swinging the pack off his back. "The guys and I went exploring yesterday, and I found this." He pulled the egg out of his bag, and held it in front of her. "A weird place for a dragon egg, but it's-" He cut off as the egg started to shake. He set it on the ground, excitement growing on both of their faces. "Matthew, you got me a dragon? That's amazing!" she said.

The egg continued to shake and crackle. Finally, a crack appeared on the egg. A little dragon worked it's way through the egg. It squawked at it's 'owners'. The Dragon changed to a full grown man. "I am Vaeros. Thank you for finding me. Now die." he had barely finished talking when he grabbed them both by their jaws and twisted sharply. Their necks snapped and their bodies fell to the ground.

A sick smile grew on his face. "I am fire. I am death. I am, Vaeros." He said, changing back to his dragon, which in the few minutes he was alive, had grown to almost half his original size. He roared, and headed to the nearest city, eager to fulfill his purpose.

In the next few minutes, Vaeros was at his full grown size. His powerful wings sent him flying through the air at unimaginable speed. He reached the nearest town, and he roared his loudest. Now that he's gotten the town's attention, he let huge streams of fire erupt from his maw. Fire consumed entire houses, and quickly spread. He swooped down and obliterated more by swiping his tail on the structures. Once that city was practically in ruins, he flew on; he gave a good roar once in a while to announce his arrival.

Vaeros moved from town to town. Wherever he went, he left destruction in his wake. By morning, the entire world new of Vaeros' arrival, and his purpose. They stood in fear of this creature, this creature who seemed bent on chaos and destruction, for that is what was written.

The prophecy has been fulfilled. Vaeros runs free across all of Valeroma, wreaking havoc on everything he comes upon. What stands in his way? A small group of heroes, chosen from birth. With guidance from the infamous Ykhrut'e, these six young men and woman could very well defeat the greatest threat Valeroma has ever faced.
Will they succeed?

 
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The Second Prophecy
As the blood moon rose upon the horizon, while each of our heroes slept and dreamed, and the evil Vaeros made his first kill and grew into his full size, each dream took the form of something new. The gentle face of what has come to be known as the Radiant Dragon showed itself, granting each of them the ability to hear and understand that this was more than just a dream. The mountain of a dragon came to rest before them, his body gleaming in the blood red moon, looking up and out towards it, showing them that the darkest night had finally fallen upon them, his words ringing like the songs of a thousand angels as the prophecy was spoken directly to each of them.

When the night is dark and the moon is red
Hatched will be a dragon of dread
Eyes like amber and scales like the earth
More than the world his head will be worth
The dragon of dread will be a shifter and more
The kind of monster you read of only in lore
He wil seek to rule the last of his race
And make the whole world know of his face


The ominous power in his voice rang true before he took each of them to see the hatching of a beast before two simple humans, shifting almost immediately into a full grown human male and snapping their necks. Each reaction was different as the Radiant Dragon brought them back to where he had found them in their dreams, silencing anything that might have been spoken as he looked upon them with piercing blue eyes. For there was another part of the prophecy...a part that had been written moments after the first had come to be.

Six in tide, Six are true
Six to be lead by a spirit of hue
Long awaited in the endless sin
They are the saviors of many a skin
While they live, he cannot survive
While he is here, they cannot thrive


Within each dream, he looked to each of the chosen, bowing his head respectfully. As the prophecy rang through their ears, he sat silently, watching each of them as they reacted, little expression on his shimmering face. He answered no questions, nor did he ask any. He simply sat and waited, for that was what he was sent to do. And when each of the Chosen were finished reacting to the prophecy, he bowed his head and spoke once more, his voice no longer ringing with the prophecy, but with the power of a spirit guide. "Meet beneath the cherry blossoms, for they are not far away. There you will find the first of your journey. There, you will begin to hunt the evil that has begun to plague our land."

For those who protested, he gave a solemn and sturdy look, his form already beginning to move with the wind. "If you do not, you doom this world to the rule of the most evil tyrant. If I come to your dreams again, and you are not beneath the cherry blossoms, you will see the destruction you doom this world to become a part of. Do not make me burden you with any more of a task than I already have. Come to the cherry blossoms. Begin your journey."

And with that, he faded away from each and every dream, his voice still echoing in the thoughts of each Chosen as they woke and began their journeys separately. Soon, they would be together, and the evil within the world would know fear.
 
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Even though there was a scheduled blood moon for that night, Vivian was fast asleep in her bed. Dreams of Emma ran through her head, causing her to smile in her sleep.
* * * *
Emma was riding on Viv's back again, only this time, it wasn't with a saddle. Somehow, Emma was managing to stay on her back without falling off. "Take me to the waterfall, Vivvie!" she screached to be heard over the wind. Emma hasn't gotten the concept of mindspeak yet, so Vivian just grinned her toothy dragon grin, and roared in response. Emma loved it when she roared, she didn't think it was scary at all.
Vivian veered sharply, with Emma practically glued to her back. Emma was laughing hysterically on her back, causing Vivian's toothy smile to grow larger. They reached the waterfall, their favorite haunt. <Hold on, Emma!> she said, and folded her wings. They went shooting towards the ground at breaking speed. Both Emma and Vivian were screaming/roaring with pure thrill. Gently, Vivian flared her wings, slowing them down enough for a soft landing in the water, sending a giant splash through the air. Before Emma slid off her back she headed towards land. Emma slid off once they were on hard ground and moved far enough away so that Vivian's change wouldn't hurt her.

Changing was still a little painful, but not as painful as it had been at first. Her overall size changed, Her trunks that you call legs shrank to human size, sending the rest of her to the ground. Her neck shrank and shrank as her head slowly morphed into her human head once more. The last thing to go were her wings. She paused it right there, and got up off her hands and knees, and opened her wings, making her look like an angel. Emma squealed and clapped her hands in the way the little kids do. Finishing her change, Vivian's wings finally disappeared.

Immediately, both Emma and Viv headed into the large pool at the base of very large waterfall. The roar was almost deafening. Emma tackled Vivian, and Vivian laughed as she fell to the ground, even though it wasn't enough to make her lose her balance. They were splashing and just having an overall good time.

Then everything went black. Vivian looked around, seeing just the trees; she looked up and the moon was blood red, with a mountain's peak almost touching the moon. Emma was gone, which made her heart leap. "Emma!! Emma! Where are-" Emma's eyes went wide as an iridescent dragon worked its way into her dream. "Wh-who are you? And why are you here?" she asked, truly frightened.

The being responded by repeating the words of the ancient prophecy.
When the night is dark and the moon is red
Hatched will be a dragon of dread
Eyes like amber and scales like the earth
More than the world his head will be worth
The dragon of dread will be a shifter and more
The kind of monster you read of only in lore
He wil seek to rule the last of his race
And make the whole world know of his face


Vivian shuddered at the power in his voice. He had barely finished prophesying when the world shifted. They were transported to this area near a lake. She recognized it briefly as a town they had visited when she was just 20 years old. What really drew her attention was the fact that there was a couple, probably just engaged by the way they were clinging to each other, standing in front of an object. A glowing orange dragon egg was cracking, and a little dragon finally broke it's way through. It squawked once, and then immediately changed to a human adult. Her eyes went wide. No one in history has ever changed that fast. The newborn then snapped the necks of the couple, causing her to cry out.

A look from the shimmering dragon silenced her as she returned to the base of the waterfall. He continued on, his voice ringing with power, finishing the prophecy, a part she had never heard before.
Six in tide, six are true
Six to be lead by a spirit of hue
Long awaited in the endless sin
They are the saviors of many a skin
While they live, he cannot survive
While he is here, they cannot thrive


Vivian's eyes kept growing wider and wider the more the dragon talked. She gasped as he nodded his head at her, realizing that she must be one of these so called Chosen Ones. "What am I to do? I'm just a normal shifter! I'm nothing speci-" she cut off after realizing he was staying silent, and not answering any questions. She was panicking though, truly scared for the first time since she had dropped Emma off her back.

"Meet beneath the cherry blossoms, for they are not far away. There you will find the first of your journey. There, you will begin to hunt the evil that has begun to plague our land."

For those who protested, he gave a solemn and sturdy look, his form already beginning to move with the wind. "If you do not, you doom this world to the rule of the most evil tyrant. If I come to your dreams again, and you are not beneath the cherry blossoms, you will see the destruction you doom this world to become a part of. Do not make me burden you with any more of a task than I already have. Come to the cherry blossoms. Begin your journey."

His voice was no longer ringing with power as he spoke, but he still had quite a bit of authority. She was about to say something when the dragon disappeared and her dream ended.
* * * *​
Vivian sat bolt upright in her bed, sweat pouring off her brow. This was unreal. It couldn't be happening. She had this uncontrollable urge to go to the place he had mentioned, even though she didn't want to. Grunting with frustration, Vivian got her pack out of under her bed, and threw some clothes in it. She strapped her bow to her pack, as well as her quiver and her sword. She headed outside and changed back to dragon, clutching the pack with her paws, she set out to find the cherry blossoms.

She flew for a bit taking her time, enjoying the night breeze on her skin. The light that the blood moon cast was an eery color, screaming death and chaos. She thought of the dream, and when he had killed those two people with that sick grin on his face, as if he enjoyed it. She didn't understand that kind of killing....

She found the cherry blossoms about 10 minutes later, and landed softly. She changed quickly, and noticed she was the first one to arrive. She sat under the tree, eating an apple that she had brought with her, awaiting the arrival of the other 5 chosen ones.
 
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HALIAN

Halian's eyes stared, concentrated, on the prey in front of him. The deer that was standing in front of him, ready to be killed. Halian slowly slid out his hunting knife and gripped it tightly. The deer sensed his presence and looked up. It's big brown eyes were alert and its ear twitched. Halian moved slowly to the side, close to the ground. He crouched near the base of a tree and used its thick roots as a launching pad. Using his strong legs, he leaped and sent himself flying through the air. He landed on top of the deer and swiftly stabbed it through the eye and head. He gaped in awe as it disappeared in a flash. He blinked and stood up. He looked around and suddenly he was face to face with a giant, dark Blood Moon. He stared at it in awe when he heard a bellowing voice in his head.

When the night is dark and the moon is red
Hatched will be a dragon of dread
Eyes like amber and scales like the earth
More than the world his head will be worth
The dragon of dread will be a shifter and more
The kind of monster you read of only in lore
He will seek to rule the last of his race
And make the whole world know of his face
He recognized the famous prophecy, but he wondered why he was hearing it. A shimmering egg suddenly appeared in his hands, which were glowing in the surrounding light of the blood moon. It cracked and split, crumbling to dust as a small dragon crawled out of it. Halian's stare turned to the creature in his hands. It seemed to hold a malicious glint in its tiny eyes. He suddenly felt more fearful than ever before. It seemed to fade out of his hands and turned into a man.
"Thank you for hatching me," It said in a voice that dripped with acid. "But, you must die." Halian was frozen with fear, but was relieved when the man/dragon walked right through him, like a ghost. Halian turned around as he heard two loud snaps. He saw a man and woman laying on the blood-red ground, their necks were twisted and broken. He wanted to scream, but he couldn't. The man and woman melted into the ground and disappeared.

A large, clear dragon flew down and stood tall in front of Halian. He had the same bellowing voice as before. He felt comforted by his presence.

Six in tide, six are true
Six to be lead by a spirit of hue
Long awaited in the endless sin
They are the saviors of many a skin
While they live, he cannot survive
While he is here, they cannot thrive

Another part of the prophecy? He'd never heard it before, but it was obviously connected. He thought about what it could mean. Six? Six people. Six chosen people...
Was he a part of that? It must be why he was dreaming this. He hadn't dreamt about anything besides his father in years. He was still confused. If he was one of these chosen ones, what did he have to do? As if the dragon heard his thoughts it spoke.

"Meet beneath the cherry blossoms, for they are not far away. There you will find the first of your journey. There, you will begin to hunt the evil that has begun to plague our land."

He raised his eyebrows. He had to remember that. He needed to write this all in his journal before he could forget.

"If you do not, you doom this world to the rule of the most evil tyrant. If I come to your dreams again, and you are not beneath the cherry blossoms, you will see the destruction you doom this world to become a part of. Do not make me burden you with any more of a task than I already have. Come to the cherry blossoms. Begin your journey."

Halian nodded. He felt himself slowly slipping out of the dream world. It felt like he was falling.
***​
Halian woke up and jumped to his feet. He went through the dream in his head. Running straight to his satchel hanging near the front door, he pulled out his journal and started writing.
 
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Katarina S. Frost - Storm Dragon, #a64dff
Dark clouds loomed over the forest. A flash of lightning crackled, followed by a rolling of thunder. A massive dragon soared across the clouds, flying through the stormy weather. A young woman rode on the back of that dragon, laughing freely. Adrenaline coursed through her veins. She relinquished in the raw energy flowing through the clouds. Her eyes gleamed a brilliant storm purple. A grin plastered on her face. It contradicted her uncouth nature. She leaned forward, gripping the horns of her dragon. "This is amazing!" she exclaimed. She never felt so alive! Was this how her father felt when he stored his energy? The Great Storm Dragons are capable of moving faster than lightning. However, that speed is accomplished during a severe storm only. On the other hand, her kind was capable of storing lightning in their body. She wondered if she had that type of power.

"You will in time, young hatchling. Time is your friend," the dragon assured.

She listened to her inner dragon. In her dreams, her instincts manifested into a spiritual embodiment. In the beginning, Katarina was confused. How was it possible? Over the years, she realized it was her ancestors watching over her, guiding her. She was a descendant of the Great Storm Dragon. Unfortunately, she possessed little control over her abilities. One day, she wanted to ride the lightning!

"Soon, very soon. Patience," her dragon soothed.

Suddenly, her storm clouds vanished, revealing a blood moon. Her dragon stopped, screeching in alarm. Katarina nearly fell off, but she managed to catch herself. "What the f-" she cut herself off. Her eyes drawn to the mysterious moon. A voice bellowed inside her mind, as if the moon spoke itself,

When the night is dark and the moon is red
Hatched will be a dragon of dread
Eyes like amber and scales like the earth
More than the world his head will be worth
The dragon of dread will be a shifter and more
The kind of monster you read of only in lore
He will seek to rule the last of his race
And make the whole world know of his face
Her dragon thrashed, as if she was being tortured. This time, Katarina lost her grip. She plummeted to the ground. A scream tore through her throat. From the corner of her eye, an object illuminated. She whipped her head to her left, inspecting it. A dragon egg? An unknown force urged her to capture the egg. After her hands grasped the object, her scenario changed. She was standing near a lake, miles away from her previous location. She stared down at the egg. What just happened? Once it began to crack, she dropped it. A small dragon slithered out of it, peering at her with malicious eyes. A shiver surged down her spine. Her instincts screamed to run. For the first time in her life, Katarina didn't react violently. A scene in front of her showed a couple repeating her discovery. It was the same egg, same dragon! Her eyes widened slightly, watching as the dragon transformed into a man. She wasn't an expert on dragons, but she knew that was impossible! Dread clawed at her heart, twisting her soul viciously. She witnessed the demise of the couple. Katarina suppressed the urge to hurl.

"Thank you for saving me, but you must die," the hatchling hissed. Katarina averted her gaze towards the dragon she saved. She stepped back instinctively. Why did this look familiar? Katarina faintly remembered a legendary prophecy. Before she was destroyed, a transparent dragon descended in front of her, protecting her. With a mighty roar, the hatchling vanished. An identical booming voice circulated through her psyche,

Six in tide, six are true
Six to be lead by a spirit of hue
Long awaited in the endless sin
They are the saviors of many a skin
While they live, he cannot survive
While he is here, they cannot thrive
What? That wasn't apart of the prophecy, at least the version Katarina learned. What did this dream mean? Why was she connected to the prophecy? What was her goal? A scowl carved into her expression. She wasn't a hero! Teamwork wasn't her forte.

"Meet beneath the cherry blossoms, for they are not far away. There you will find the first of your journey. There, you will begin to hunt the evil that has begun to plague our land."

Her expression darkened. She didn't ask for this! She couldn't afford saving the world. Her brother was more important! He would be in danger! Her gaze filled with defiance. Katarina wanted to protest, but it seemed she lost her voice. She glowered at the transparent dragon.

"If you do not, you doom this world to the rule of the most evil tyrant. If I come to your dreams again, and you are not beneath the cherry blossoms, you will see the destruction you doom this world to become a part of. Do not make me burden you with any more of a task than I already have. Come to the cherry blossoms. Begin your journey."

Katarina wanted to laugh. Why was she so special? She was an ordinary hybrid! She wasn't destined for greatness. Fortunately, the dragon vanished, leaving her alone. Anger bubbled inside her chest. This wasn't her destiny! Find some other dragon! Kian was all she had left. If she lost him to this quest, it would destroy her.

"You are wrong, young hatchling. This has always been your destiny. It's time you finally accept me completely," her dragon murmured, materializing next to her. A large nose nudged her gently. "Go, you must leave. May the spirits protect you and your brother," her dragon instructed.


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Her eyes snapped open. Katarina shot up with a gasp. Her eyes darted from side to side. She was currently inside a room she rented at the Inn. She faintly remembered stopping for the night. Her brother was exhausted. A frown marred her lips. She racked a hand through her cropped platinum blonde hair. "Great," she grumbled. She slipped out of her bed, careful not to disturb her brother. She intended to bathe before waking her brother for the day. As much as she wanted to rebel, Katarina couldn't deny her instincts.
 
The Death of the Leader
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Vaeros came upon the home of the dragons. Perfect, just what he came to do. He flew down and landed a few miles away, knowing they would have seen him even then at his enormous size once he landed, he shifted into his human form. He started walking towards the mountain range the dragons resided in. Walking in the middle of the path, he came upon people on horseback riding towards him. "Halt!" they yelled. "State your name." they ordered. Vaeros rolled his eyes and continued on, heading straight into the path of the three soldiers. Drawing their swords, the men repeated themselves. Vaeros didn't break his stride. They charged him, hoping to restrain him and bring him into custody. Vaeros jumped in the air, and ran his hands down the blade and connected with the palms of his opponents, breaking their hands. Their swords dropped to the ground, and Vaeros ducked right before a blade swooshed through the air where his head had been. Grabbing one of the dropped swords, he stuck it out and slashed the horses belly, sending both it and it's rider to the ground, and blood splashing on his face. The two men who he disarmed were back for a second round. He ducked under their fists; but as they went by, he reached up, grabbed both of their wrists and yanked down with incredible strength. They both came crashing off their horses, landing in a heap upon the ground.

Grabbing one of the nearby swords on the ground, Vaeros quickly decapitated the two on the ground, and turned to face the third. He looked at his dead companions, and rage filled on his face. He retrieved his sword, and ran towards Vaeros with a scream. Vaeros grinned. He loved dancing, especially when it included death. The two danced for a few seconds, but Vaeros ended it quickly with a clean cut across the neck, severing his head from his spine and sending yet another spray of blood on his face.

He mounted one of the spooked horses and calmed it down. He then took off for the mountains, looking like death. For death is what and who he was. Time to eliminate the Dragon that kept the peace over the world, the dragon who practically controlled the entire race of dragons. Once he was dead, Vaeros would be in control.

Vaeros reached the base of the mountains and plead with the gatekeepers that he had an urgent message for the leader. They refused to take Vaeros in, so Vaeros changed right then and there. No other dragon on the planet could compare to his size. He was almost 400 feet tip to tail, and about 80 feet in height. Roaring, he caught the entire dragon races attention. Stomping on the two guards before they had a chance to change, guts spilled everywhere, with a POP noise. Leaping into the air, the current created from his wings knocked two structures crumbling to the ground.

Dragons started rising in the air to face this unbeatable foe. They rose to defend their family, their supposed king. They would fail. Vaeros flew through these dragons, even as they threw themselves at him. He ripped throats out, ripped off wings, and did horrendous things to anyone who got in his way, which was the majority of the dragons, only a few were wise enough to remain on the ground. By the time Vaeros reached the leaders dwelling, an enormous amount of carnage littered the ground for miles upon miles of mountainside. Blood was seeping into the streams, turning it red, polluting it for anyone to drink. He landed right outside the door, his feet the size of a house, causing the soil to shudder at his weight. Thousands of dragons were dead, and they had only managed to place a gash on Vaeros' left shoulder, and it wasn't life threatening. By the time he was done, only several hundred lived.

Changing back to human, Vaeros walked in the dwelling of the leader. He found him surrounded by 3 small dragon guards. "Leave." he said in a low, menacing tone. The dragons shuddered, but stood their ground. Drawing his sword, he got in ready stance. "Okay then, let's dance." Vaeros launched into action against the three dragons. For any normal human, the odds would be completely against them, they would die within seconds. But Vaeros was no ordinary human. He was the death brought to this world. In a matter of minutes, the dragons lay dead on the floor, leaving him alone with the leader.

He looked up at the old dragon. "You have lived and served well, my lord." he said in a solemn tone. "But your time is up, and it's time for a new ruler to rule the earth. Will you step down willingly?" he asked coldly, hoping for another fight. His hopes came true.
"I will never let a tyrant like you take the seat willingly. Let's get this over with." the old dragon said, knowing this was the prophecy. "You are the fulfillment of the prophecy, but beware the other half. Six united will be your undoing, Vaeros." he added before throwing himself at the unbeatable human. Changing then, Vaeros met the old dragon midair. The fight lasted longer than Vaeros had expected. The leader did manage to wound him, but only a minor wound before Vaeros ripped his throat out.

Vaeros roared with triumph. His voice rang clear throughout the mountain range, heard for miles upon miles upon miles. Jumping in the air, he hovered several hundred feet over the ground. He was visible to every dragon still living. "You're leader is dead! He died with honor! I am your new leader. Anyone who wishes to protest, come forth now and we will battle to the death." he roared, his voice scratchy in his dragon form. No one rose to fight him. He smiled his toothy smile. "Leave the carnage where it is, I want everyone to remember this day. The day when Vaeros came to power." [/dash]
 
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Under the Cherry Blossoms
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Dreams were always such strange things to handle. Particularly those after a wondrous night of music and dancing and drinking. The violins still played in Sytiavi's head as she lay against her curled up cat, listening to his gentle snores and smiling as his paw twitched against her. She was just barely asleep, just entering the dream world as the smell of wine and cherry blossoms played in her nose. And then the dreams came. The first one was strange, though a normal kind of strange. Riding upon the back of her beauiful Cavyr, she once more saw the shape of a grand dragon, standing at least 150 feet in length with a beautiful head of golden and silver horns, piercing blue eyes, and scales that shined like a sunset. Many times, she had seen this dragon, just standing there, watching her. Or perhaps watching over her would have been a better term. This dragon never spoke or acknowledged her, save for moving his head in stride with where she moved. Always did he sit upon a mountain, body coiled around the stone, just watching. Watching as she played and ran and rode and fought. Anything that happened within her dream, that dragon watched, despite the fact that she never truly remembered him when she woke.

And then, something even stranger happened as Sytiavi was finally released into her deepest slumber. The dragon of golden and silver horns disappeared to reveal the frightening appearance of the blood moon. Out of it came the spirit of a dragon that took a strange resemblance to the one she had always seen, save for his incorporeal, same hued appearance. Pausing upon the back of Cavyr, she looked up at him, realizing that he looked directly at her. Through his shimmering appearance, the blood moon glowed ominously.

Then, he spoke the prophecy. For Sytiavi, this was always nothing more than an old tale spun to scare children. Then again, she was never relly that normal. "When that monster hatches, he'll come for children like you! You will make the perfect minions in all your evil ways!" Of course, this was never true. And yet here came the prophecy on the back of a strangely familiar dragon with piercing eyes and a shimmering body. And as suddenly as she thought this, she and Cavyr were transported to another place, no longer in the woods with the music and the fighting, making Sytiavi wonder briefly if Cavyr was experiencing this as well. It was a fleeting thought as she noticed the town they were in beside the lake, a town near the residing dragons. She knew it well, for she had been there many times to protect it from various tiny dangerous as well as bring merriment to the townsfolk. She even remembered the man standing beside the woman - a man named Matt - for he had asked her to come and bring music to his upcoming wedding. A small smile rose upon her lips before she even noticed the dragon egg hatching before them. Then, she looked down to see it, a stone-like item of blood and fire, trembling ominously before cracking and shattering to reveal a slimy little dragon. For Sytiavi, this experience was not pleasant, for her entire body screamed that this was wrong. Cavyr growled as she drug herself from his back and took a closer look at the tiny serpent. But before she could get close enough, he shifted into a full grown man. Eyes widening, she watched in horror as the man spoke to the couple. As he went to snap their necks, Sytiavi lurched forward, yelling, "Stop!" But she simply fell through the man, hearing the cracks of both necks and feeling herself shudder and begin to cry silently.

And then, it fell away to darkness before once more the smell of cherry blossoms with only a hint of wine. She could see the pink petals floating in the wind as the sound of her own violin began to play softly in her ears. The dragon once more stood before her with a grim smile as the second half of the prophecy was spoken. Sytiavi looked at the creature with wide eyes, leaning heavily on Cavyr, who stood rigid.

The dragon then bowed his head slightly, as if sorrowful. "I am sorry to put you through this, child. Fortunately, you are already beneath the cherry blossoms, so all you must do is await the arrival of the others. Do not leave that spot until all five of you are there." His piercing eyes rose to stare at her, and suddenly she realized that his eyes were the exact shade of the dragon that always watched her dreams. He gave a slight nod before taking a breath, his form beginning to shimmer away. "Do not be afraid, child. You have been chosen for many years, and the gods do not choose lightly. Now wake and watch as the cherry blossoms call the others to you. I will be here. I will be watching."

Sytiavi did not protest, nor did she panic or freak out. Her entire being shouted that she was meant for this and this alone. This was what she was born to do. Instead of acting like a child, she leaned heavily on Cavyr and willed herself to wake.

The sun was already shining and rising over the horizon, but the blood moon was still in the skies, high and mighty despite the defiance of the sun. The morning air was thick with dread as the cherry blossom trees waved and groaned in the wind. Beside her, Cavyr looked out towards the horizon, body rigid. Sytiavi stood and brushed herself off, feeling herself ache with the thought of everything she's about to have to do. But everything told her that she was supposed to do it, and she simply could not ignore who she was, even if she didn't want it. So, she waited, watched, and listened.​
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A mighty roar sounded in the distance, probably miles away. Probably the dragons having a tournament. Vivian smiled and then started suddenly as she realized she was not alone. Right on other side of the enormous trunk came the sound of footfalls, and then someone settling down. Silently drawing her bow and knocking and arrow, Vivian silently stalked around the tree. As she rounded the corner of the tree, she jumped out, her bow in front of her and ready to shoot. "Who goe-" Vivian's jaw practically hit the floor at the sight of the enormous cat. Sitting against it's side was a young woman. She could smell the dragon on her. Vivian slowly lowered her bow as she walked forward, her eyes never leaving the gigantic feline. As she walked forward, she came round the cat and noticed a hat upon his head. She smiled, for it gave him a kind of comedic look.

"Hello, I'm Vivian. I'm assuming you've also been Chosen for an impossible task?" she said, storing her bow after assessing the cat wasn't a threat. She held her hand out for what humans call a "Handshake". "Sorry if I frightened you, I didn't know anyone was already here." she confessed, not living up to the myth that Elves were always alert. But she was strange for an elf, she was half dragon. She looked up at the blood moon sending it's eery light down on the water. "It's kind of surreal, isn't it? Like something happening in a story that you've read. Something that would happen to anyone but you..." realizing she was probably freaking the human out she stopped. A slight blush rose to her cheeks as she realized she's overstepped herself once more. She dug into her pack and pulled out another apple and offered it to the woman. "And who are you?" she asked, genuinely curious. [/dash]
 
"Well then, what say you all?" Dirt covered his grinning face, and the cloak surrounding his armor for winter combat didn't help his appearance. "Not sure if you guys can come along, but any help is appreciated! Plus, I'm sure that these... others are far more well equipped than we are. Remember, manpower is our strength. We'll be the unsung, unappreciated, heroes, with nothing but perhaps a free pint of ale. Who shall remember the small mercenary company, compared to the others, no doubt great heroes and accomplished warriors? However! Shall we ignore such a call? Will we abandon this lush and beautiful world to the merciless claws of... that dragon!?" His men shouted back. Luckily, most of them were hot blooded, young, and ready for an adventure. A few faltered on being unappreciated and unsung, but they quickly rallied after Torsten told them the fate of the world if abandoned. Taking in a deep breath, their captain winced, his hand involuntarily jerking to his chest. One of the veteran soldiers walked up. Clearly the oldest of the mercenaries, his black hair was hiding gray hairs beneath. "Sir, with all due respect, are you sure you haven't had a pint too much of the ale? As much as I would love to help protect Valeroma, I fear this may be a task beyond us." Torsten lifted his head, and wearily grinned at his old friend, "Boris, there is nothing to fear.... Tell me, if this is, as you say, a drunken delusion, then what? What more of our lives do we have if this dragon attacks? That, I cannot allow. If there is even a chance, a small glimmering opportunity of me helping, then I'm taking it. There will never be a time my father would have said, 'I wish you had done less.' Instead, we shall go, see for ourselves. We will wait three hours. Of course, that's if no one is there." Finishing the little spiel, he turned his attention back to his men, "Okay lads, first, preparations. Let's go!"



Racing for his personal tent, Torsten equipped his armor. In his tent, he made a quick check of all of his gear. "Cloak... check... armor... check... sword.... check.... backup.... check....spirits...." He paused, "...Spirits?" Running outside, pushing past Boris, he sprinted to the village they were guarding. After ten minutes, he returned, with a small flask, and several small jars. Running back into his tent, he continued the inventory check, "Spirits.... check!" Stepping outside of his tent, the soldiers were ready. "Okay, square formation!" The nine soldiers assembled themselves into a small square, three in each column and row. Standing in front of the group of mercenaries, Torsten gave the command, "Move, out!"

...ten minutes later...

"WHAT'S A CHERRY BLOSSOM!?" Torsten yelled out angrily, causing a few of his men to chuckle. Sighing, Boris walked over, "When we get there, I'll tell you. I know what they look like. Come now, let's keep moving." As the... pink purple mist dragon had said, the cherry blossom tree was not far. They had just caught sight of the tree when they were interrupted "Halt." Boris gave this order, drawing the company to a still. While the main leading and combat roles were supplied by Torsten, Boris always held the role of the more level headed and tactical adviser of the group. "What is it, Boris?" Torsten was about to step forward, but Boris raised his hand sharply, signalling silence. "Focus, and watch." Torsten narrowed his eyes, watching for the thing Boris had seemed to see, "Ah..!" In the horizon, barely identifiable, a trio of odd figures. One figure was much more animalistic, while the other two seemed humanoid. Exchanging a glance with Boris, Torsten nodded. "Company, advance slowly, keep your weapons sheathed. However, be ready to draw weapons at any time." The square formation moved once again, this time, slowly and cautiously.
 
HALIAN

Halian looked at what he'd written about his dream. It was so strange. He read the part about cherry blossoms. He thought for a minute. Where had he seen cherry blossoms before? He wasn't sure but maybe if he went far enough in the woods he would find them. He took some biscuits, salted pork wrapped in paper, a canteen filled with water, and his journal and put them into his satchel. He started off from his cottage. He passed by his family's old house, which was now owned by a nice couple with five children. He sighed at it as he passed.

He walked for at least 40 minutes, quietly, calmly, enjoying the scenery, before he came to a stream. He stopped to fill his canteen, when a butterfly landed on his hand. It was bright red, and black. It stayed for a moment and he stared at it curiously before it fluttered up. His eyes followed it and it landed on a rock a few feet away from him, as if it was waiting for him to follow. He stood up, closed his canteen and walked towards it. The butterfly flew away again, but stayed close, leading him by the side of the stream. They came to a canopy of weeping willow branches. He pushed through them and saw them. The cherry blossoms, up ahead. He crept up behind the tree and peered at the figures who stood beside it.
"Oh, hello." he said quietly.
 
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A Wound Up Beastie
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The roar in the distance had Cavyr on his feet in an instant, his fur beginning to rise along his spine as a growl sounded low and long through his muzzle. A slight snarl rose back over his long, sharp teeth as the scent of another rose to meet his nostrils, and even as Avi turned to pat her great beast and calm him, he continued to growl in the same direction. It was about this time that she heard the voices. There was one on one side of the tree - a woman's voice, gentle in nature, but somewhat frightened. But what caused her more alarm were the boistrous calls of men in the distance. They sounded merry, but in an instant, they went silent, which means they spotted Cavyr.

Spotting the elf woman on the other side of her great cat, she heard her introduction and her question. Giving a smile to the blonde, Avi bowed and smiled before rising and shaking her hand lightly. "G'day, m'lady! Aye, I had a dream o' a big ol' dragon who flew fro' tha skies an' told me a prophecy. Strangest thing I've ever seen, tha's fer sure!" Her thick highland accent rang true in her words as her dark eyes sparkled with dozens of tiny sparkles. She looked out through the grove again, checking for signs of anyone else. The area of the cherry blossoms, itself, was small, containing no more than fifteen trees decorated with the fair-smelling, pink blossoms. The trunks were somewhat thin, particularly compared to the extremely thick trunks of the forest outside, and yet through the trees, one could see the hills and valleys of the land before them, the sun still defiantly rising to push away the blood moon, who still refused to lower into the west. "Seems this 'ere task'll take more than six tae do!" That was when she heard the beautiful elf woman ask of her name, and she once more bowed graciously, hand over her waist and everything. "Aye, sorry! Tha name is Sytiavi Lhanar, beast rider an' bard extraordinare! This 'ere's Cavyr...dun worry tae much 'bout 'im. He's a big ol' grump most o' tha time!"

About this time was when Cavyr leapt from beside Avi towards the group of men, roaring his warning towards what he would guess was their leader. To these men, this may appear as a wild beast ready to eat them, but for Avi, it was understood as him simply trying to protect her from what looked to him as a group of hunters. "AYE!! Cav, ye big lumberin' beastie! They ain't botherin' ye!" She ran over towards the tiger, tugging on the amulet around his neck and pulling his nebula eyes towards hers. The moment their gazes locked, he visibly relaxed, and he huffed at them in one last warning lying down with his back to them all. With a sigh, Avi turned and looked at the men with a sheepish smile. "Sorry 'bout tha', ol' chap. Cav cannae get a little riled up with new folks 'round. Ye all 'ere fer this prophecy thing, then?"​
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Vivian started as the tiger growled suddenly. She slowly took the arrow and put it in her quiver, and slung her bow on her back, once she assessed he wasn't a danger. She smiled as Sytiavi introduced herself and Cavyr. Walking up to the big cat, she looked at Sytiavi for permission, but slowly placed her hand on his side, feeling the strong muscle that lay beneath his skin.

The girl had a heavy accent, and a way of making one smile. When Sytiavi mentioned the prophecy, Vivian's face darkened slightly. "Yes, it does indeed. The dragon, iridescent....I've never seen the likes. And us? What's so special about us that we are said chosen ones?" she said softly so the men approaching didn't startle. The big cat took off after them, with Syviati in tow, trying to calm her big friend. He visibly relaxed and came back, laying down. Syviati started talking to the men, which Vivian didn't have any interest in unless one of them was a chosen one, which was likely since they were heading this way.

Vivian sat back against the tree, her hand resting against the hilt of her sword, ready for anything. Her thoughts were reflecting back on her life, what it had been.​
* * * *
Emma was just a baby elf, Vivian was just entering her adulthood. She remembered the day her parents brought Emma home. They decided on the name Emma because it was simple, and they liked simple. Vivian took Emma in her arms, her eyes filled with love. At birth, this baby had her big sister wrapped around her tiny little fingers. She would become her fierce protector, the girl she turned to when she had questions, or just needed a shoulder to cry on.
Emma and Vivian were inseparable. Vivian quickly became her best friend, and her confidant....then it all changed.
Emma was hurt, not once, but twice by Vivians own hands. Her parents didn't blame her, and Emma didn't blame her in the least, but Vivian always blamed herself. For it truly was her fault. She left shortly afterwards, and made a life for herself in a village a dragon could cover in 10 minutes, but what would take her family several days to cover.
A Few Years Later
Vivian met someone. Arlen was a bit younger by her, but not by much. Their relationship never developed past the stage of friendship, it didn't have the chance. Arlen was killed in a freak accident while he was hunting. A large tree branch fell and crushed his skull. No matter how much magic was used, he was dead. Vivian had lost her only friend in this world, the only person she ever felt....herself with.
*****​

"Oh, hello." The soft voice brought her mind back to the present. Vivian lifted her head. Her eyes settled on a young elf, probably around 40. He was cute, if he was a bit older she may have taken a bit of an interest. Although, he looked very familiar. She may have seen him around in the village, but never really stopped to talk to him. She smiled softly, but it lacked the normal brightness her smile normally had. It would be nice to have another elf in the group. "Hi!" she said, standing up. "I'm Vivian." she held her hand out. Her eyes softened, he was just a kid. He shouldn't have this burden placed on his shoulders. No one should. This shouldn't even be happening. She shook her head, her eyes and emotions sad. "This is all just....so.....wrong." she said. [/dash]
 
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HALIAN

A very beautiful woman greeted Halian and when she put her hand out for him to shake, he took it gently into both of his hands and went down on one knee for a second. "It's nice to meet you." He wanted to be as respectful as possible. He stood back up and let go of her hands. "Vivian... a pretty name. It suits you." He blushed at his awkward words. Maybe he shouldn't have said that. Was it too much? He pushed his unwanted thoughts away. "I'm Halian. and...what is 'wrong', may I ask? I'm not really sure why I'm here. Or why..." he looked around at everyone who was crowded beneath the blossoms."you're all here." He smiled shyly and gripped his satchel strap. "I had an incredible dream." It was especially incredible because it wasn't about your father's death. He breathed in. He needed to stop thinking about that. He realized that he'd been staring off into space for a moment and looked back up at Vivian with another blushing smile. "It told me to come here."
 
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A-Storm to Remember

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The sound of slopping mud and curse words rung out through a valley just west of the Ironwoods and every few minutes a low grumbling growl joined in with the sounds only to be cut off by a "Oh shut it, ya brute!" The growling and huffing would cease, but only for as long as the cursing would, which wasn't very long at all. The eagles that soared above the treeline would look down on a curious pair following a rather unappealing path through the woods. A dwarf man and a bear, both with hides as brown as the fertile soil of these lands, trudged through the aftermath of the storm that hit the area last night. It had been a vicious and ruthless storm, the kind not often seen this far east, but it had hit nonetheless and it hit hard.

Far beneath the coniferous tree-tops a dwarf by the name of Moren Ironthorn struggled onward down a dirt path that more resembled a bog after the downpour of the previous night. While he was indeed known to curse aloud and spout vulgarity at many an inanimate object, this was not the case today, for Moren was not travelling alone and therefore he needn't find an object to yell at at all: he had Grimsfeldt for that! The dire bear trekked after the grumpy dwarf, flicking his massive paws up with every step in an attempt to free himself of the sticky muck. This wasn't particularly enjoyable for the burly, earthen toned bear, but as it stood he was having a substantially less difficult time than the stout man before him.

"Curse that bloody storm, curse this damn path, and curse that god-forsaken dream that put us here in the first place! If I hadn't seen it for m'self I'd think I'd lost m' damn mi-" His words were cut short, no pun intended, by a branch or a root somewhere under the mud that stole his footing and landed the now fuming man, beard and all, in the sloppy mess below him. What came out of mouth behind that mud-covered beard after that is best left unsaid, for the sake of younger ears. Mud covered from head to toe, the dwarf struggled to right himself in the slippery mess but failed miserably. It wasn't until massive jaws took hold of his chainmain tunic and hiked him out of the mixture that he stopped flailing about like a fish out of water and that the man reverted to a silent, stone faced creature that swung about under the jaws of a great bear, arms crossed and face red with silent rage.

The beast of a bear carried that dwarf a good ways down that mucky path, finally dropping him, with no great care, on the hard earth when they reached a drier patch of earth.

"Mawwwrrr." Said the lombering giant, now sitting on his bottom, scraping the mud from between his toes.

"Yeah, yeah! I get it! Don't go thinking a smartass move like that is gonna get ya any extra portions at meal time! I never offered a word of need or want of your help. I'da done just fine without your drooling jowls soaking my hide!" Pulling himself up, the dwarf dusted off his ego and then went about tidying his attire. When he was reasonably pleased with his appearance he turned to the bear he had been fuming at while he worked only to have a fresh slop of mud flung at his face by the bear's recoiling paw from his gnawing grooming process.

Needless to say, most the valley was made aware of Moren Ironthorn's presence in those woods and would have gotten a clear idea of his vocabulary.

Despite the rough beginning, and it was rough indeed, the pair had made it far beyond that muddy valley, past the chance of turning around the see the great pines of the Ironwoods beckoning over the horizon. Moren hadn't a clue where he was going, and yet he couldn't have been more sure. This wasn't the first unusual bit of behaviour to come from that particular dwarf on that particular day. Earlier, so much earlier that it could have seemed like a late yesterday, he had woken to the crack of thunder and the stressed grunting of Grimsfeldt outside. Normally this wouldn't have been much of a deal at all, but that night, things were different. Moren had entertained the most curious of dreams that stormy night and when he woke he found himself very much burdened within his mind and very much bothered. So much so, in fact, that instead of shouting at his companion to man up and brave the storm, he tugged on his ram's skin bathrobe, tugged on his usual work boots and lit a candle to lead him up the hall to his front door. Instead of tossing the bear some fish to calm his nerves and stalking off to bed once more, he collected a jar of honey, the beast's favorite, and trudged through the whistling rain and wind, into the stone shelter nearby. The dire bear was pacing back and forth, anxious and in distress for it had never truly liked the booming and crashing of thunder and the shrieking display of lights brought on by lighting.

As the creature chuffed and huffed about, shaking its head and clawing at the ground, Moren relit the now extinguished candle and cooed the beast to get its attention and to calm it enough for his approach to be deemed safe. He lathered up a deer's leg bone with some of the sweet, sticky treat and offered it to the panting creature. He pulled up a stool he kept in the corner and sat down next to the great bear as it lay itself down on the earth, gnawing and licking at the bone nervously. The dwarf pat the bear firmly on the side and began to stroke its thick coat almost out of reflex and as he did so he sang a most curious song.

When the night is dark and the moon is red
Hatched will be a dragon of dread
Eyes like amber and scales like the earth
More than the world his head will be worth
The dragon of dread will be a shifter and more
The kind of monster you read of only in lore
He will seek to rule the last of his race
And make the whole world know of his face

The storm seemed to rage on, rearing up, bearing its fangs as the man's low voice filled the stone shelter and mixed in with the screaming winds outside. The cold seemed to bite a bit harder and the lighting and thunder crashed and flashed harder than he'd ever seen before. But he kept singing, for this ballad was in his mind, stored there by the most curious creature from within his dream.

Six in tide, six are true
Six to be lead by a spirit of hue
Long awaited in the endless sin
They are the saviors of many a skin
While they live, he cannot survive
While he is here, they cannot thrive


As the last of the words left his lips and lingered in the air, Grimsfeldt looked up from his bone and met his master's gaze. That bear didn't often look like it knew anything or that it had any intentions of learning anything, but that night, in the wavering night of the candle light, that bear's eyes told Moren so much more than an onlooker could have know. He looked back at the bear, peering into the molten, gold eyes of the beast and he knew his dream was not of a natural nature. There was darkness in the winds that night, and it wasn't only he that knew this. The bear was a beast of the land, it knew the winds better than any other, and it was clear that Grimsfeldt had felt the uncertainty in the storm that night, that he'd smelt death and chaos on the winds. Of course none could know for sure what the bear was thinking. None but Moren Ironthorn.

And so he pair heed to urges of the strange illuminated creature of his dreams. He travelled where he knew he should without knowing at all where he was travelling to. He accepted within himself the responsibility he had been given by something that wasn't there to give anything in the first place. And Grimsfeldt followed, as he always had, and as he always would.

The pair journeyed for 3 days and 4 nights, seeking certainty that they have arrived at their unknown destination, but each time they found themselves under the Cherry Blossoms they soon after found themselves continuing on their journey, not yet satisfied by their destination. On the morning of the fourth day, however, Moren felt a shift in the winds, sudden and unnatural, and he somehow knew he was close. By the time evening stole the sky, he found himself a few hundred yards away from a collection of pink-capped towers of crooked, earth-toned wood.

They had reached their destination.

He hadn't a clue where he had wandered or how far he had come, but for unexplained reasons, he felt such a feeling of... peace, of absolution in his location that he couldn't bring himself to stop now. He trudged forward to the place where the Cherry Blossoms offered their petals to the wind. As he approached, he heard the voices of several others; some female, some male, none dwarf from what he could tell. Perhaps and elf or two? Could he count 5 other voices?

As his feet carried him further into the grove of trees, a low growl came from the jaws of the great beast behind him. Moren turned to see Grimsfeldt's hackles standing on end and his powerful nose working furiously to decipher whatever scent had set him off. The look in his eyes should have told Moren to act sooner, but then, the bear never listened to damn thing he said anyways.

"Don't even think about it! You stop that damn nose twitchin' of yer's before I st-" The bear was gone. And Moren was left shaking his head, walking after the thundering steps of the bear. He reached a point where he couldn't help but say "Ah, that's what set him off."

The bear had taken up a defensive, aggressive stance a few yards away from what seemed to be a massive, unusually toned tiger. Moren picked up his pace when he saw a woman and.... a girl? Cursing under his breath he stormed up to the bear, planted himself between it and the exotic cat and stuck his index finger out towards the snarling mouth of the bear.

"Listen here, Grimsfeldt." He said, thwapping the bear on the nose with his think, callused finger. "Can't you see there's a lady in your company? Two, in fact! What kind of a beast are ya to be snarling about and spitting your fowl spit in the presence of a lady? You put me to shame, you do." The bear stopped dead in his motion, a puzzled look taking over his expression. Moren turned around, folding his arms and facing his back to the massive beast. "I won't have nothin' more to do with ya until you apologize to these here lasses. No bear o' mine is a bear that snarls at a lady."

The bear's curled lips flopped to their normal place and shortly after, the ground shook as the bear flopped his rump down on the ground, a low whimper resonating from his deep chest. Moren wasn't letting him have it that easy. He shifted his weight, huffing a bit, his eyes closed, his nose to the air. The bear howled dramatically and flung itself forward onto its stomach. It placed its head on the ground and clapped his goliath paws over his eyes, whining and howling like an injured hound. Moren peeked one eye open then, looking at the grovelling giant. Finally, seeing the bear felt guilty enough, he turned to it and place his hands on his hips.
"You're done making a fool of yourself now are ya?" The bear responded with a meek growl.

"And you're done with disrespecting these fine women?" The bear lifted one paw from his eyes and looked at the she-elf and the young girl. Nodding his head, he chuffed quietly.

"Right then, get up. I think a formal introduction is in order." He turned to the party before him. Taking the tip of his beard in his right hand, he folded his right arm across his chest to keep his beard off the earth as he bowed deeply before rising to meet the gaze of the group. "Moren Ironthorn at your service. This big lug is Grimsfeldt. He's all bark and no bite. ... Well, most the time. I'm hopin' at least one of you can tell me I'm not losin' my gems and that you've been summoned here by some eerie dream dragon as well?"

 
Katarina S. Frost - Storm Dragon, #a64dff
[One Hour Later]


"Where are we going, Kat?" Kian inquired.

Katarina tilted her head back. She was currently sauntering down a road, following her instincts. She peered into her brother's crystal blue eyes, identical to her own. She mustered up a small grin. "On a new adventure," she answered nonchalantly. She averted her attention towards the road. After she bathed, Katarina awakened her brother. Both of them exited the Inn under thirty minutes. Her inner dragon urged her to travel North. She remembered the first time she saw a cherry blossom tree. It was years ago, back when her mother was alive. It was a distant memory, locked deep inside her soul. However, she never forgotten the sweet, delectable scent. After she unlocked her dragon side, her senses enhanced. She used that memory to guide her towards her destiny.

"What kind of adventure?" Kian added.

She reached over and ruffled his hair. She laughed softly as he swatted her hand away, grumbling. "Remember that dream I told you about?" Katarina questioned.

An eyebrow raised in response. "Yeah, what about it?" he replied.

Katarina grasped the hood of her cloak and pulled it down, revealing her face. "We're heading for the cherry blossom tree," she announced.

Her brother's eyes widened. "Are you serious? You're actually listening to that rubbish?" he exclaimed, disbelief evident in his tone. Kian didn't believe in the dream. His sister wasn't exactly social material. She loathed teamwork. Large crowds weren't her forte. He doubted anyone would accept her uncouth nature. He was the only one capable of enduring his sister's wrath. "You actually believe in that vision?" he continued.

A sigh escaped her lips. Katarina racked a hand through her short, cropped hair. "Honestly, I don't give a damn. I don't want to be apart of a huge legacy. However, my dragon assured me it was real. My instincts never been wrong," she admitted.

Kian clamped a firm hand on his sister's shoulder. "I'm sure you'll be fine," he replied. He presented her a small smile.

Katarina shrugged his hand off. "It's not me I'm worried about. The dream didn't mention you. If I'm suppose to help a group of strangers fight an evil dragon, I don't want you caught in the crossfire," she pointed out.

A scowl carved into his expression. I'm not defenseless, Kat! I know how to fight. I'm seventeen!" he protested. He folded his arms across his chest. He knew his sister meant well, but he hated being protected. He wasn't a kid anymore! He was almost of age. His sister taught him how to fight. He showed signs of unlocking his dragon! A part of him wished his sister was skilled in sword fighting. He preferred that weapon over his bow. She knew the basics, but she wasn't a master. "I'm not going to die that easily," Kian grumbled.

Katarina rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to have this conversation again, Ki," she replied. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. A faint trickle of cherry blossom tickled her nose. They were near. Fortunately, her previous location wasn't too far from her destination. "How convenient," she thought bitterly. Katarina was aware her over protective nature irritated Kian. He was showing signs of triggering his inner dragon. He already developed enhanced senses. His reflexes were sharp. She was proud of her little brother, but terrified. Katarina didn't want to drag him in her war. To be frank, she wasn't aware what would happen. Will her brother be part of her destiny? If he was forced to leave, where would he go? Her hands curled into fists. Katarina refused to be separated. Her brother was her world. He was the only person she could trust.

"Is that it?" Kian announced.

Katarina snapped out of her thoughts. Both of them stood on top of a large hill. A familiar cherry blossom tree was down below, followed by a swarm of identical trees surrounding it. She recognized it from her dream. Her icy blue eyes narrowed. It seemed she was the last to arrive. It was filled with various strangers. Katarina wasn't looking forward to working with others. She wasn't cut out for socializing. "Unfortunately, yes," she muttered. Katarina suppressed the urge to draw her bow. She strolled down the hill, Kian close behind. A few minutes later, she stood in front of the cherry blossom tree. Her mind swarmed with memories. She instinctively pressed her hand against the bark. Another sigh escaped her lips. "I hate this," she grumbled. She turned around, leaning her back against the tree. Katarina folded her arms across her chest. She scanned her surroundings, inspecting her bystanders. Her expression twisted with distaste. "It seemed I'm not the only one with a crazy dream," she mused.

Kian shrugged. "It did mention six," he reminded.

Katarina snorted. "I know," she replied. She didn't bother acknowledging her peers. If they wanted to converse with her, they had to approach her. She didn't ask to be apart of this prochecy. All she had to do was teamwork. It didn't mean she was forced to befriend everyone. It would be foolish of her putting her trust in complete strangers.

"You will in time, young hatchling," a voice murmured.

She ignored her inner dragon.
 
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The young elf took her hands and knelt quickly. A deep blush came to her cheeks as he rose again. "No need for that, my friend." she said with a slight chuckle in her voice. In response to his bow, she curtseyed slightly, returning the action of respect in the elven tradition. A smile was quick to her face, a little bit of the brightness appeared back on her face, with a glint in her eyes. He obviously knew and practiced his manners. It would be nice having another elf join the group.

"Vivian... a pretty name. It suits you."

Vivian's cheeks kept getting redder and redder. She wasn't used to compliments, and was never sure how to take them, or what to say in return. "Thank you." she said with a smile. He was a small guy, thin too. He looked as if he hadn't eaten a decent meal in a while.

"I'm Halian. and...what is 'wrong', may I ask? I'm not really sure why I'm here. Or why... you're all here."

Vivian shook her head slightly. "It's nice to meet you, Halian. I'm sorry we couldn't meet under better circumstances. As to what is wrong....this whole thing. The prophecy is just supposed to be a story to scare people into being good...and to find that it's true?" she paused when he said his dream told him to come here. Nodding, Vivian's mouth twitched. "You too, huh? I think we all did....well at least--" she cut off midsentence by a loud snarl. Jumping up, she pushed Halian behind her. She quickly drew her her bow, knocking an arrow in it at the same time. She was ready to fire by the time she was on her feet and facing the.....bear? Vivian blinked twice, not sure she was seeing correctly. The bear was snarling at Cavyr. It was not very easy to startle Vivian, but this did. A single eyebrow was raised in surprise, her mouth slightly open in concentration. Her aim was for the eye, it should kill the bear instantly.

She was about to release her arrow when a dwarf came stumbling after the bear. She held her fire. This was most definitely interesting.

"Listen here, Grimsfeldt." the dwarf said in a stern tone, planting himself between the bear and herself. "Can't you see there's a lady in your company? Two, in fact! What kind of a beast are ya to be snarling about and spitting your fowl spit in the presence of a lady? You put me to shame, you do." To Vivian's surprise, the bear seemed to understand him. A look of what appeared to be confusion came across Grimsfeldts face. "I won't have nothin' more to do with ya until you apologize to these here lasses. No bear o' mine is a bear that snarls at a lady." Vivian lowered her bow, wide-eyed at what the bear did next. At first it was just a small pouting session, and when that didn't work....Vivian laughed out loud, her laughter bouncing on the wind. Grimsfeldt was throwing a temper tantrum. Howling and whimpering with his ginormous paws over his eyes, the bear looked hysterical.

After a few minutes of this, the dwarf seemed to think the bear had done enough grovelling to deserve forgiveness. The bear grunted his affirmative when the dwarf asked if he was going to behave.

Turning to them, the dwarf introduced himself. He grabbed his beard with an arm, and bowed very deeply. His voice was gruff, the way every dwarves voice was. "Moren Ironthorn at your service. This big lug is Grimsfeldt. He's all bark and no bite. ... Well, most the time. I'm hopin' at least one of you can tell me I'm not losin' my gems and that you've been summoned here by some eerie dream dragon as well?"

Vivian laughed as she put her bow away. She looked into Halians eyes quickly to see if he was alright. Seeing he was she turned back to Moren. Curtseying deeply, Vivian bowed her head in respect. She had only come across dwarves a couple of times, but every time they were pleasant. "Pleasure to meet you, Moren. My name is Vivian Alae, and this here is Halian." she said placing a hand on Halian's shoulder. "Interesting creature you have there, is he always like that?" she asked. She was taking her time in answering his question about the dragon, trying to figure out how to word it.

"Yes, an iridescent dragon appeared to all of us....well six of us anyway." she said. She noticed another girl, with short blonde hair and a young boy walking their way. She seemed to not want to be bothered, so she turned her attention back to Halian and Moren. "Where are you from, Moren? And you, Halian?" she asked, creating small talk. The six were together, they were all here....so soon they should be instructed by some sort of guide. At least, that's what she assumed. [/dash]
 
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One day earlier....
Torsten got up from the red soil, giving off a small, eerie smile as he walked away with his men. Behind him, course coughs and primal gurgling was heard, though the source was unknown and frightening to his men. Torsten marked numbers on multiple trees, each of them having a small, carved number on their sides. The numbers, in order, were 6, 9, 5, 9, 2, 8, 5, 4.


The small company had come to a standstill. By this time, more arrivals made themselves known, some quietly, some loudly. In front of the small formation, the captain and the second in command were having a hushed conversation, "Ya think we can tame a bear?" The mercenary captain had a hopeful look on his face, as if having a bear was a lifelong, childish dream of his. His second in command, Boris, was much more of a realist. As Torsten was excitedly chatting to his men about bears, Boris was muttering under his breath, "...Five..., discounting the animals, the men, and me. One is missing, I'll have to take note of them afterwards.... Two animals... large size.... two humans.... both of average size.... two... elves I'm guessing, have those pointy ears..... one dwarf...." Turning back to Torsten, Boris waved a hand in front of his face to get his attention, "Captain, how much supplies do we have in food, for our company?" Torsten frowned at the sudden question, "Hm.... about thirty days worth if we ration... ten days otherwise." Boris looked back at the figures, "Those animals are going to be a huge drain on supplies. The stereotypes of elves eating smaller and dwarves eating larger may not apply, we'll have to see." Torsten heartily smacked Boris on the back, "Come now! If you worry too much, your hair will turn gray!" Boris flinched at the blow, "It already is, Captain. At any rate, we should get going, shouldn't keep your....allies waiting for you."

The small company advanced at a moderate pace, with four mercenaries at either side of Torsten and Boris in solid vertical lines. Only then did Boris notice, "Halt, weapons at the ready. Potential hostile closing in." Almost instantly, the mercenaries pulled from their backs long glaives, each blade, instead of smooth, jagged. The mercenaries dissolved their formation, having four on each side of their command in horizontal lines. At the same time, Boris relaxed, and gave another command, "Raise weapons. Sheathed once more, potential threat reclassified as friendly." Again, almost instantly, the troops followed the command. At the time, it seemed that Boris did most of the commanding. However, the men knew that in tough situations, quick thinking and wit were far more valuable than a strategic mind. It didn't help that Boris spoke.... oddly compared to the rest of the men. Torsten reluctantly sheathed his swords, as if disappointed to find that the tiger was not attacking.

"Sorry 'bout tha', ol' chap. Cav cannae get a little riled up with new folks 'round. Ye all 'ere fer this prophecy thing, then?"

Torsten and most of the other men cocked their heads to the sides, silently thinking, What did she say..?

Sensing the confusion, Boris once again assumed command, "Correct, we are here regarding the prophesy. We thank you for controlling your companion."
As if slapped in the face, the company returned to normal posture, as if Boris had translated for them. Walking forward, Torsten extended a hand, "Torsten. Next to me is our company grouch, Boris." Looking at the tiger, Torsten grinned a bit, "Anyday you want, we'll see who's better, ya.... er.... um...." Quickly turning to Boris, he posed another question, "What IS that?"

With legendary patience, Boris somehow managed to not decapitate himself after smacking himself in the head, "A tiger.... you truly need to work on your mouth, Captain. Your manner of speaking won't be welcome everywhere."

Completely ignoring Boris, Torsten looked past, and yelled out his greetings to the others, "Hope all of you are prepared!"





It was what...... he had always wanted. A fun adventure. With friends... or people who were just stuck there.

Unfortunately, being this near to them made him feel even more uneasy since the beginning of the trip.

They should never know, they would never know, they could never know.

Instead, he kept pretending, wearing his mask of happiness, dirt, and falsehoods.

Sacrifices always had to be made in order to guarantee another's success.

One day earlier, someone had made the ultimate sacrifice.
 
HALIAN
The bear that started towards them startled Halian, but not as much so when Vivian suddenly pushed him behind her. He looked at the dwarf that came after the bear and realized that they were together. He sighed with relief and stood next to Vivian. He was especially interested in the dwarf. He had never met one before, not personally, not even when he was a slave. He smiled shyly. He was very loud, but polite. Halian decided that he liked him. He also decided that he liked Vivian. Vivian put her hand on his shoulder and he realized he wasn't really listening to their conversation.

"Where are you from, Moren? And you, Halian?"

Halian looked up. "Oh, I live in these woods. That dragon was right when he said the cherry blossoms were close." He smiled cutely at Vivian. It was strange, but he really liked her, right away. Maybe this journey wouldn't be such a bad one.
 
A New Beginning
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The instant he smelled a threat, Cavyr was once more on his feet, growling and snarling towards the giant bear that had suddenly come lumbering his way. Nebula fires sent daggers the beast's way, and as reaction sharp teeth were bared as the great tiger almost knocked his ward over trying to protect her. "OY!" Sytiavi grasped her cat's fur to keep her from falling over, which of course, the beast didn't notice. Instead, he continued to send death in the bear's direction, deep throated growls echoing from his throat as his ears lay flat against his head. He had no interest in the men he now stood so close to, instead keeping his body facing away from them as best he could while still facing the bear head on. He was surprised when a very short and rather stubby man came running - or was it waddling? - into the scene, and smacking the bear right on the nose. A sneeze at that as a nervous tongue flicked from between daggers for teeth. He wouldn't take that from anyone - not even Avi. Then again, he must be more well behaved than this...creature. His eyes narrowed at the beast, whose attention now rested on the short man. This man had his back to the bear with his arms crossed, and the bear seemed to fall defeated to his motions. How peculiar...

But what the bear did next would astound Cavyr out of his defensive stance completely.

It grovelled.

Grovelled to the point of howling and putting its paws over its face.

Cavyr straightened then, pulling his head back in utter shock, eyes widening at the scene that unfolded before him. Was this really happening? Perhaps he was having a very strange dream. But when he looked at his ward, he saw that she, too, had fallen into shock at the display of the giant bear before her. This bear, nearly the same size as Cavyr, grovelled before a man shorter than even Sytiavi. Cavyr ducked his head at the incessant howling, pulling on his favorite knit cap with a claw in hopes of blocking more of the sound, to no avail. And when the bear was done, the short man responded with his gruff acceptance. Cavyr had to go look. Pulling his claw lightly from the bright colors of the knit cap, he trotted over lightly, lowering himself slightly so that he could stick his nose right into the face of the short man. What was so special about him? What about him made this giant bear grovel in a way that took all dignity? He simply had to know! He gave a slight chuff in greeting before beginning a sniff all around both bear and short man, nebula eyes showing his amazement and utter curiosity. When he found nothing interesting about the bear, he moved back to the short man, sticking a wet and slightly chilled nose in the man's cheek and smelling.

Hearing the answers to the men, Avi held up her hand a moment, giving an apologetic smile their way. "Gimme a sec, fellas! Oy, Cav! Get out tha nice man's face, ye brutish creature!" Running the cat's way, even as Tortsen turned and made his presentation, which was completely ignored by Cavyr, Avi once more pulled on the amulet. Of course, this time it wouldn't work, for Cavyr was simply too interested in this strange, short man. How odd of a man of his stature to hold such control. The cat wonders where he hails and why he is so small. Perhaps his ward would know, but how can he get out his questions? It is hard to be so intelligent without really being able to speak. "Cavyr, tha' is nae way tae treat a stranger! Off with ye!" She slapped the cat's shoulder, and he jumped slightly backward, sending a short glare her way before backing off and sitting back on his haunches to lick his paw while still staring at the short man curiously. "Terribly sorry 'bout Cav...Moren, was it? He's harmless. Jus' needs some trainin' in manners. I'm Sytiavi, an' tha' big lubberin' beastie's Cavyr. Then there's Tortsen, Boris, Vivian, Halain, an'...." She paused after pointing to each respectfully, finally realizing that not all names were spoken and that there were too many heads for the prophecy to work. "'Ang on! Nae all o' us cannae had seen tha' dream! There's only s'posed tae be six! I'm nae tha' daft a' math!" Her eyes narrowed a moment before she finally spoke up loud enough for all to hear. "Maybe we should all go tae tha center blossom tree?" That was where the blonde who had yet to speak her name stood now, and as some were not actually beneath the cherry blossom trees, perhaps that was why the spirit guide had yet to arrive.

"Oy, come on, then!" She smiled at Moren happily before tugging on Cavyr's amulet and pulling him forward, sending a wink Tortsen and Boris's way. Cavyr grumbled slightly, standing and following his ward somewhat begrudgingly, keeping his gaze focused slightly on the short man, even as Sytiavi pulled him forward.​
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It was about this time that a rush of energy blew around all loose cherry blossoms, filling the area with the fragrant scent and a beautiful display of pink petals and blooms. The air swirled around to one particular spot around the largest of the fifteen cherry blossom trees, where a strange vortex began to appear and attempt to open. Within seconds, the face and body of a mountain of a dragon appeared, iridescent in hue with piercing blue eyes. The Radiant Dragon, the same spirit who had come to each dream of the chosen six, perhaps even recognized by others for his random appearances in the most hostile of dreams, stood before them all now, eyes aglow with the knowledge and wisdom only a spirit could possibly possess.

He smiled upon the group, happy and relieved that they had all decided to come, but beyond that, his emotions were a complete mystery. From him came only an aura of serenity and peace as he spread his wings and called upon the power of the Spirit World to give him a voice. The blossoms still danced upon the wind, now beginning to swirl around his slightly incoherent body as he seemingly took a breath and spoke aloud to the group before him.

"Greetings, and welcome to the cherry blossom trees. It is here that you shall start your journey, and I shall guide you. Heed my warning now, great Chosen Ones, for those who wish to travel with you cannot be guaranteed safety and may perish when you least expect it. Hold them close or send them away."

Closing his wings, he came to settle beside the tree, his body gleaming in the sunlight that broke through the forest top, which now rose above the hills and valleys of the area.

"If you have questions, now would be the best time to ask. However, I am not inclined to answer all of them."

He glanced at Sytiavi, whose jaw had dropped to the ground, and huffed slightly before beginning to scan across the group of Chosen Ones. At least they had all arrived.


 
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Katarina S. Frost - Storm Dragon, #a64dff

"Are you going to introduce yourself?" Kian whispered, motioning to the large group. He poked his sister's arm, capturing her attention.

Katarina snorted. She swatted her brother's hand away. "If they want to know my name, they have to ask it. I'm not here to socialize," she muttered. Her arms remained folded across her chest. A gentle breeze circulated through the air, nipping at her skin gently. A sweet fragrance of cherry blossoms wafted through her nostrils. She wouldn't admit it out loud, but it was comforting. Cherry blossoms reminded her of her mother. It use to be her favorite flower.

Kian presented her a deadpanned expression. "You're suppose to work with a team. Communication is important." he pointed out bluntly.

A deeper scowl carved into her expression. "Shut it Ki," she grumbled. Katarina didn't want to acknowledge Kian's words. She knew he spoke the truth, but she wasn't cut out for teamwork. She wasn't looking forward being apart of a prophecy. All she wanted to do was ride the lightning! However, that advanced technique required her to master her dragon form. She didn't have perfect control over her abilities, let alone dragon skin. She hated waiting. Patience wasn't her forte.

A chuckle rumbled through his chest. "I feel bad for your teammates. I bet you all my coins they'll try to kick you out under the first week," he teased. He ducked instinctively, dodging a punch. His eyes filled with mirth. He was the only one capable of teasing her without a violent reaction. She would hit him, but he wasn't beaten to a pulp.

Katarina shook her head. "Cheeky brat," she muttered. Suddenly, an odd sensation blossomed inside her chest. Her eyes averted towards her left. She peered at a young male Elf. A frown marred her lips. What was this feeling inside her chest? Something about him felt odd. She didn't realize she was staring until Kian waved a hand in front of her face. Katarina directed her attention towards her brother. "What?" she snapped.

"Watcha staring at?" Kian inquired.

A scoff escaped her lips. "Nothing," she replied defiantly. She racked a hand through her hair, pushing back her bangs. She interacted with Elves before. Her mother taught her the language. She didn't master every dialect, but she knew the basics. Katarina ignored the strange sensation. Now wasn't the time to focus on trivial manners.

"You will understand soon, young hatchling," her dragon murmured.

A swarm of cherry blossoms interupted her dragon. Katarina stiffened in response, detecting a mysterious presence. Her instincts screamed to defend. She remained rooted in her spot. Her eyes darted from side to side. A few seconds later, a familiar iridescent dragon materialized in front of them. She stepped back instinctively. "The hell?" she drawled. Katarina suppressed the urge to draw her weapons. She gazed upon the beautiful creature. She listened to his words. Her eyes narrowed into slits. Her icy irises flashed a dangerous purple. "Not on my watch," she declared. She clamped a hand firmly on Kian's shoulder. She refused to be separated from her brother. Katarina intended to protect him with her life.

"If you have questions..."

Katarina tuned him out. She didn't have anyting important to say. If she spoke, she would most likely insult the majestic beast. She wasn't exactly friendly. The last thing she needed was to be maimed by a spirit. Katarina removed her hand from her brother's shoulder. She folded her arms across her chest, resuming her position. Katarina stared off into the distance, waiting for instructions. What else was she suppose to do?
 
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