A Dragon's War

[Bitterblue]

Vivian was still introducing herself and Halian when the big cat Cavyr came up abruptly. Not surprisingly, he had been snarling viciously at Grimsfeldt. Vivian was grinning ear to ear, attempting not to laugh at Cavyr's reaction to the big creature. She failed. A chuckle escaped her lips as she put her bow back in place. Cavyr was most definitely a curious animal. It would be interesting traveling with two creatures as large as they were. But then again...she was larger than both in her dragon form. That brought a slight chuckle from her lips. She wondered what reactions that would get.

"Oy, Cav! Get out tha nice man's face, ye brutish creature!" Vivian watched as Sytiavi came up to try to control her beast. It's obvious the tiger was intelligent, it was plain as day. He just had no way of communicating. As Sytiavi started introducing the group, Viv noticed the blonde girl again. She tipped her head slightly, wondering if all was well. She was interacting with what appeared to be her brother. They looked....uneasy. Hopefully one of them was a chosen one, not just here loitering for no reason, and hopefully, if one of them was, they would be able to communicate, or work well with others.

"'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!" Sytiavi's outburst brought her mind back to the problem at hand. Looking around, she realized Sytiavi was right. All in all, there were about seventeen men and women here. She raised her eyebrow, wondering who the Chosen Ones were.

There was an easy way to figure out. "Okay, all who had the dr-" she cut off mid-sentence. There was an obvious reason why. Wind started howling, causing the leaves and the blossoms of the tree to swirl in a sort of mystical way. Hair going everywhere, Vivian looked around for the source. Places elsewhere seemed to be calm, it was just this one spot. Her eyes fixed on the source. Out of seemingly nowhere appeared a dragon. Not just any dragon, the dragon from her dream. He seemed to be roaring, but with no sound coming from his mouth. Seemingly to have a voice granted to him, the irridescent dragon spoke, his voice sounding as beautiful as he looked.

""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."

Vivian looked around, more than half the people here were not chosen. So half of them would likely die if they stuck around. She had just opened her mouth to ask a question when the dragon spoke again.

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

Vivian smiled. "What shall we call you, sir?" she hollered up to stall for time. She had loads of questions, but was only going to be allowed a few.

"Why us? What's so special about us, how were we chosen?" she started, this has been a question of hers right from the beginning. "And as to this evil dragon, I think you said Vaeros? How do we even know where to find him? What shall we expect in this....prophecy? What are we supposed to do?" her mind was filled with questions. She didn't even know where to start. She looked up at the great dragon, awe in her eyes. She had never in her life seen something or someone so majestic, or beautiful. She curtsied deeply, her head bowed far enough her chin was touching her chest. She held it for a good minute before she regained her normal posture. "We saw him kill those two people, but other than that, what else has he done? Just because he murdered two people in cold blood doesn't mean the prophecy has come to pass. It's just a story!" she started to ramble, fear starting to take hold of her. She felt her dragon coming to the surface. She stopped talking and took several deep breaths, calming herself. "What would you have us do?" she asked bluntly.

She stared up at the blood moon, its eery light cast down on the group. The great dragon looked down on them with kindness, but also wisdom in his eyes. She would trust what this dragon had to say, for he was obviously older than anyone she had ever met.

 

[Soulserenity20]

The-Six

The dwarf too the names to memory; Halian and Vivean, paying great care to remember the beautiful, blonde elf's name. Vivian. The name simply dripped off the tongue. Upon her question of his homelands he dipped his head in a lavish manner. "I hail from none other than the Ironwoods, M'lady. A strong land yields strong dwarves! A beard this thick doesn't grow on just any man's mug!" He chuckled to himself, stroking his prized mark of manhood. His attention then fell on a quirky brunette lass piked his interest but before he got the pleasure of knowing her name, a great set of nebula eyes encased in unusually toned fur blocked his line of vision.

"Well good day puss! Aren't ya a pretty one-ooh!" The large cat chilled the words from his tongue when it planted a rather large, rather wet, and rather cold nose against his cheek! It inspired deeply, taking in his scent. Moren laughed a deep, jolly laugh at the creature's curiosity, reminding him much of a young Grimsfeldt, before the beast had turned from a bear to a blubbering marshmallow. The feline went about its business before briefly inspecting a rather surprised Grimsfeldt (he'd never seen a cat of such a size and wondered if it could have been at all related to the kittens of the Ironwoods so called lions of the mountains), and then returning to Moren to continue its inspection. It wasn't until a brilliantly accented voice chirped up and a slim figured woman came prancing up to detain the beast.

"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'...." Instantly Moren was fond of the little lass. She had spunk enough to contain a beast of such a size and he'd be damned if her accent wasn't thicker than his own! A fine young lady indeed! "Oh? Is that so? Well he seems to be well tamed enough! Nothin' of a bother to me then! It's a pleasure t' meet ya Miss Sytiavi, and you as well Cavyr!" Then as the young woman started listing off the names of all the others in the company and quickly noticed the unusually large number present, a great pair of golden eyes would blink a few times, and then narrow, focusing on the colorful hide of the tiger Cavyr. Grimsfeldt may not have cared much for what Moren had to say half the time but the fact was, the bear was crazy about him nonetheless. Seeing the cat take such an interest in his dwarf was more than unsettling. What could that long tailed, rainbow coated, feline want with his dwarf. Getting up off the ground, the bear issued a low growl at the cat when it returned to sniffing about Moren. Luckily the striped creature was retained by its companion before he had to step in to clear some space for his dear Moren.

Ignoring the low growl that resonated from the bear behind him, Moren rolled his eyes and returned his attention to young Sytiavi who had grabbed him by the sleeve and was now leading him, and apparently the rest of the party on their way. "Oh ho!" Cried the dwarf in amusement at the little human's fiery personality, he couldn't help but laugh at how curious a sight it must have been for an onlooker to see a man of the mountain being tugged about by a little girl like some kind of bewildered puppy. He liked this one! And so, without bothering to call his moody beast of a companion, he set about his way, following the rest of the group and a spunky Sytiavi to where a noticably more impressive Cherry Blossom tree loomed over them.

When they at last reached their destination and Moren's allergies had sufficiently set in, the most unusual of events occurred before their eyes. An invisible force seemed to swirl about the grove, picking up every loose pedal and blossom and twisting them about into a vortex of color and wonder. It would have been quite the site if Moren hadn't been sneezing his beard clean off his face the whole time. It wasn't until a dazzling beast submerged from a fissure of matter that the swirling stopped and in turn, his sneezing. A dragon of the most peculiar tone and texture stood gloriously before them. He'd never before seen such a species and for a brief moment, something deep inside him stirred, as if rolling over in a hibernative sleep. He shuttered at the feeling and refocused his attention at the beast, and what a beast it was!

Then the dragon spoke.


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

Moren scoffed in surprised at the drake's statement. What wasn't a question at this point? Then the slender elf woman spoke, asking some good questions of the radiant being and Moren couldn't help but wonder at the answers that might be supplied, if any at all. What were they doing here? To ensure defeat befell the dark one, yes, but how? If the prophecy was even slightly true, this Vaeros didn't seem like the kind to be defeated by six alone, but rather 6 thousand, if not more. What could they do? Even a man of the mountains and a dire bear could do little against a dragon, let alone one of such power. And so Moren listened, as any man would do.

 

[DearDeath22]

HALIAN​

The Dragon flew down and Halian was breathless. It was just as beautiful as in his dream.

"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."

He sighed. He had come alone. Alone as always. He continued to listen, and almost had the urge to stand close behind Vivian. For some reason, she made him feel safe, even though she was a total stranger. She seemed strong. He liked it.

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

He thought he would have a lot of questions, but he couldn't think of any. He glanced at Vivian, who apparently had many, and chuckled softly.

 

[CrystalScorpion96]

The company had a varied reaction. Some scrambled for their weapons, others cowered, others just stared, dumbstruck. In general, the dragon was majestic, and seemed to carry an air of superiority to the men. The warning shook some of the mercenaries, and they turned uneasily, looking at each other, then at the ground in shame. Silently contemplating the company's reaction, Boris walked forward, as if the ask the great dragon a question. Stopping, he instead turned around.

"If your unwilling now, then you'll only be a burden. Very well, come, time to go home." Boris walked away from the group, and beckoned the company to follow away. The mercenaries hesitantly followed him at first, then broke off from the group. Turning, Boris saluted his captain, "A mercenary's life is measured in coin, not valor. It would be selfish to keep any man or woman here away from their household, captain, when there is a near certain guarantee that they will not return. As much as I would like to come, I fear an old man such as myself would be an unnecessary burden. Ah yes, and, no offense captain, but your sword would do next to nothing to a dragon. One of our contractors has actually offered to lend us one of their top of the line weapons. In a week's time, the weapon should be ready, and at that time a messenger will deliver." Doing an about face, the old lieutenant led the company away from the cherry trees, waving a good bye to the group in general. Some of the mercenaries kept their faces downcast, some looked disappointed. In general, many had wanted to stay. However, when true danger threatens one's life, they treasure it.

Personally, Torsten had never fought without his company. Now, all had left, and instead he was left with a foreign group he didn't know. It was an odd feeling, being stuck in such an odd group. However, he knew that, as much as he wanted to, he couldn't turn back.

Forcing his eyes away from his men, he turned to the dragon, and awaited it's answers to the question one of the elves had asked.

 

[Mowkie]

An Answer to the Questions

The great Radiant Dragon looked towards the group of men a moment as they prepared to make the right decision in leaving their captain to his duties as a man, smiling slightly at the downcast faces and guilty, sad expressions. Sending them a wave of courage and encouragement, he turned his piercing gaze towards that of the elf who had spoken when others did not. Those around her were silent, even the precious Sytiavi, who instead leaned heavily against the cat that now stood beside her comfortingly. So, this elf was destined to be leader. Very well.

At the elf's first question, the dragon smiled warmly, his body glowing slightly with his amusement. "You may call me Ykhrut'e, young dragoness, for that is the name I once took and will choose to take again." A hint of sorrow flickered in his eyes before he listened to her other questions, nodding slightly as he took each one in silently. They were good questions. Strong questions. They would get the job done. But not all needed answering. When she finally finished speaking, he spoke one word of finality before seeming to take a breath for a long-winded explanation.

"Patience."

When his eyes came to look upon the group again, their minds were snatched away and placed in what might seem to be a dream that was more than a dream. Flashes of images played out in all of their heads - visions of themselves and each other fighting side by side against a dragon the size of a mountain and much more powerful in his evil ways. His voice entered clear into their visions as he continued to display them to the group. "You have been chosen and seen by the Fates of the World for many centuries. None know why or how just yet, but with time and patience, all will be of understanding to you." Suddenly, the fight scenes ended, the dream-like vision turning into a blood-filled scene. Hundreds of dead dragons lie all around the mountain, through the great lair of the Dragon King. The final image was that of the king dying by the claws of Vaeros and the great red beast seating himself upon the throne. "Vaeros thinks himself king and emperor to the world, and he has already conquered the throne. That will be where we go first. With time....and patience....all will be seen."

When the vision ended, their true sight was given back, and the Radiant Dragon looked down at young Vivian with a small and gentle smile. "Do you believe now that the prophecy has come true, child? Think to yourself...if it were just a story, would you have come to the cherry blossoms this day?"

Turning to meet the eyes of the others, his gaze lingering only a second longer on Sytiavi, the great dragon spoke once more. "If you do not believe you are up for the task, then why did you come to this place? Why bother arriving at all? Know this, young ones. There is a destiny for all of us, and though you have the choice to write your own destiny, sometimes that entails writing the fate of the entire world. You cannot be replaced, and Vaeros cannot be destroyed by any other than you. It is imperitive that you come to and understanding about this now."

He began to feel the thoughts of the others. The insecurities. His gaze turned to Moren first, and he smiled, his voice entering gently into the thoughts of the mountain dragon. ~When that man contains the strength of a mountain dragon, there is much to be done, young dwarf. Have patience.~ His gaze then went to Halain, whose mind projected no actual questions. So, instead of speaking words of encouragement, the Radiant Dragon sent him a wave of courage. To Tortsen, he also sent courage and joy, speaking softly to him as though his voice was the man's internal voice. ~Have courage. Sometimes a new group can be a good experience, and this way your men are safe.~

Finally, he came to look at Katarina, who had yet to speak directly to anyone. ~Beware, young dragoness. When riding the lightning, it is always best to study the dangers. Do not feel so inclined to taking your young brother when he has yet to be able to shift.~

With that, he once more spoke aloud, his great blue eyes looking upon the group ominously. "If there are no further questions or objections, I do suggest we depart. We do not want to waste too much time. It is a long journey to the Lair of the Dragon King."

 

[Bitterblue]

The Beginning of a Journey

[dash=hotpink]

"Patience."
Vivian gasped as the world around her changed. She looked around briefly. Seeing herself and the others fighting side by side, trusting each other. They were ffighting Vaeros. She looked back to Vaeros. Her mouth dropped open. He was a mountain! She had never in her years of life seen a dragon that big. Impossible, how are we supposed to defeat that? she thought briefly, but a quick look from Ykhrat'e silenced her thoughts. She continued looking around in the dream. Such detail, such power in a simple dream.

Vivian noticed all the little details in the dream. The flowers smell was still present, overpowering the smell of sweat and blood of the fight. To her right and to her left the chosen ones watched as they fought the behemoth called Vaeros. She saw shock and fear on their faces. She looked a little deeper, and saw just a slight bit of wonder in each of the persons eyes.

"You have been chosen and seen by the Fates of the World for many centuries. None know why or how just yet, but with time and patience, all will be of understanding to you."

She looked to the group fighting the dragon, seeing them trusting each other without hesitation. Without reserve. To fight like that together required a strong bond, either friendship or something more. She was still looking at the fighting Chosen Ones when the dream turned into a vision.

Vivian gasped and let out a cry of grief and outrage. Hundreds, possibly thousands of the ancient ones lay dead. Slaughtered like animals. Burning anger coursed through her veins like wildfire. The scene changed to the leader's chambers. Vaeros, in human form slew three full grown and practically unbeatable dragons with just a sword. In under 5 minutes. Vivian gasped. Not possible.

Vivian fell to her knees as she watched Vaeros slay her leader, her king... Losing control, Vivian felt herself shift. Roaring out of sheer anger, Vivian's voice was heard for a mile around. She managed to get control of herself, but not enough to be able to shift back. It was just enough control to keep herself from running away or hurting the others.

The vision ended after this. "Do you believe now that the prophecy has come true, child? Think to yourself...if it were just a story, would you have come to the cherry blossoms this day?"

Ykhrat'e's voice was soft, comforting. And his smile was even more so. Trying to reign in her emotions, she settled down on her belly, her tail wrapped around herself. Nodding her head deeply, she agreed with the spirit dragon. Vaeros had to die, hopefully by her hands.

"If you do not believe you are up for the task, then why did you come to this place? Why bother arriving at all? Know this, young ones. There is a destiny for all of us, and though you have the choice to write your own destiny, sometimes that entails writing the fate of the entire world. You cannot be replaced, and Vaeros cannot be destroyed by any other than you. It is imperative that you come to and understanding about this now."

Vivian didn't need more convincing. She was going to kill that bastard. As Ykhrat'e suggested they depart. She stood. Finally having gotten control of her emotions, Vivian was able to shift back to her elven self. "You heard him, let's move." she said before jogging off in the direction of the Dragon's Kingdom.
​

[/dash]

 

[Rowlet]

Katarina S. Frost - Storm Dragon, #a64dff

"Patience."

The world around her morphed into a valiant battlefield. She stiffened completely. Her eyes fixated on her other self, fighting next to the male Elf she stared at moments ago. A foreign sensation bubbled inside her chest. Why did her other self interact with that Elf so naturally? The answer was on the tip of her tongue. She shook her head in response. Katarina focused harder. Suddenly, dread filled her heart; her brother wasn't with her. Katarina refused to be separated from her brother. She taught him how to fight. He was too stubborn to leave her side. When trouble found her, Kian fought with her. Despite his age, he was often mistaken as her twin. At the age of seventeen, Kian Frost surpassed her height, standing at a whopping six foot. She knew he was capable of defending himself, but her overprotective nature prevented her from straying. She lost too many loved ones in her past. Trust wasn't her forte. If it weren't for Kian, she would of wandered around the world, alone.

She denied the image vehemently. She was capable of teamwork? Preposterous! Katarina ignored the vision with every fiber of her being. She was a firm believer of decisions. The future constantly changed based on a person's decision. Her brother wasn't destined to perish! He may be dragged in a war that she was destined to fight, but it wouldn't stop her from protecting him. Kian deserved to live in a world of peace. She promised her mother she would watch over her brother. She would risk her life for the sake of his happiness. Katarina observed the rest of the vision. She didn't cringe at the sight of inexplicable evil. Her gaze reflected no emotion. She wasn't afraid of death. Her inner dragon recoiled at the sight of fellow kin lying on the ground, dead. Her nose scrunched up with distaste. A low growl escaped her lips. Her fingers curled into fists. She dug her nails in her palms, focusing on the pain. The last thing she needed was interrupting the majestic dragon with her angry retort. She would save that for later. Before she could react, the female Elf transformed into a snarling dragon. Katarina immediately stepped in front of her brother. She released a warning roar, baring her fangs at the distressed dragon. Her body crackled with energy. Her instincts screamed to shift in her dragon skin, but her anger prevented her from performing her transformation.

"Calm down," Kian murmured. He clamped a hand firmly on Katarina's shoulder. However, she didn't listen to him. Her eyes remained fixated on the snarling beast a few meters away. One false move, she wouldn't hesitate to attack. After her brother whispered a few reassuring words, she reluctantly calmed down.

A few minutes later, the scene vanished. Katarina tuned out most of Ykhrat'e's words. She didn't agree with his explanation. She didn't have a choice! Her instincts led her to this location. Her inner dragon warned her about her impeding destiny. If she had a choice, she would of been long gone. Katarina didn't care about the world, as selfish as that sounds. She wasn't meant to be a hero. With her track record, she was better off as a villain!

"Beware, young dragoness. When riding the lightning, it is always best to study the dangers. Do not feel so inclined to taking your younger brother when he has yet to be able to shift."

Katarina reacted immediately, opting for her usual approach; anger. Her icy blue eyes flashed a stormy amethyst. "I'm aware of that!" she snapped. Unfortunately, her outburst was spoken out loud, thus attracting unwanted attention. Her expression twisted with a scowl.

"You heard him, let's move."

Her expression darkened. "Great, we already have an idiot playing leader," she hissed bitterly. She followed her brother, whom listened to Vivian's command.

 

[Soulserenity20]

The-Future

Moren was not fond of the radiant dragon's decision to pour such a vision into his mind without permission. If there was one thing that should be kept private and free of violation, he firmly believed it should be a man's mind, and what he saw made him feel quite exposed and violated indeed. The cherry blossoms fell from the trees around them, wilting into black flakes of dark ash that drifted down from the once blue, now grey and stormy sky. The trees themselves went up in flames and became the burnt pillars of a demolished forest. Before him was a beast so colossal he dare not call it a dragon, but a demon of the most insidious nature and intent. Before him the land was being raped, stripped of its integrity and forced down into a landscape of rubble and ruin. The bodies of his once-kin lay lifeless, ravaged beyond recognition on the grounds all around him. The mountain that once spawned a past form of himself was half fallen from a powerful strike of the beast's behemoth claws.

He walked forward, stumbling about as he crossed over the carnage that surrounded him. At his sides were the other 5, pressing on along with him in the direction of the hell that awaited them. As they neared the grounds of evil, so shaken by the steps of the beast known as Vaeros, the great monster turned to face them and snarled a mighty storm that brought even Moren, a sturdy footed dwarf, to struggle to keep his footing. The great beast reared back and raised up his blood covered claws, readying for the strike. Out of nowhere, Grimsfeldt tore past the group and positioned himself before them, snarling and roaring about in defence of his dearest companion. When the demon brought down his terrible claws, the bear was skewered and flung to the side like some kind of pest. That was when Moren forgot everything he had cultivated over the last 3 decades. That was when Moren Ironthorn gave up his identity and birthed the being of his past. A massive bronze drake erupted from the body of the dwarf, dissolving the humble form and crashing into existence, stealing up a large portion of the skies. The bronze beast roared a horrifying roar, filled with bloodlust and impossibly deep agony as it shot off towards the demon, giving up his life for revenge.

Moren was pulled back to the grove of cherry blossoms by a single tear that dripped down his cheek and rolled off his beard to meet the earth. While consumed by the vision, he had taken on a wider stance and planted the head of his axe in the earth before him, leaning over it, using the handle for support as his head hung in sorrow. When he reclaimed his true place, he wiped the tear with a rough hand, not saying a word until he could reclaim his character. After a few moments his mind came back fully from the vision that had seemed so real.

Was this his fate? His eyes fell to Grimsfeldt who had claimed a patch of earth some ways away and was now resting, not keen on the spiritual drake before them.

"It is imperative that you come to and understanding about this now."

He nodded at the dragon's words. He would not let such a fate befall his dearest companion, nor would he allow the earth to be so ravaged by the evil that awaited them. He looked at the people around him, knowing nothing of their pasts or even of their presents, but feeling a powerful sense of protectiveness, especially over the young one, Sytiavi.

"You heard him, let's move."

The she-elf's words surprised him. Her sudden departure and will of iron damn near stopped his heart. The dwarf scoffed in amazement. "Now that's a woman!" he thought, his eyes glazing over a bit as he watched the elf's figure bounce from side to side as her body bounded across the grove. Moren decided this wasn't going to be so bad after all! It wasn't till he heard a snide remark from another woman, one of the five, that his gaze reclaimed its sharp, ever knowing glint.

"Oh?" The dwarf's eyebrows raised about as high as they could go then. As he turned his gaze to the blonde who had made the comment, he blinked once or twice, shocked at the nasty tone the human female had taken. He wasn't one to get involved in the drama and bickering of women (God knows he's lost that war a time or two before!) but he simply couldn't help himself.

"Well some one's got to, lass! And I don't see you volunteering your pretty little face! So if you'd excuse me, THIS dwarf is going to follow THAT idiot to the end! Come Grimsfeldt, we've a leader to catch!" The dwarf bowed deeply to the woman and winked at Sytiavi who had said very little throughout the encounter, nodding his head for her to follow.

What happened then was something that had rarely been witnessed before: Moren Ironthorn ran. He ran as fast as his stout legs could carry him until he caught up with Vivian. He hailed her down, heaving and gasping for air. He reached a point where he actually stopped and bent over, hands on knees, trying to catch his breath again. A moment later the man was taken out by a behemoth bear that came barreling along behind him, failing to notice the dwarf's halt. Had he not been in the presence of a lady, the air might have been filled with an arsenal of inappropriate and possibly unusual combinations of curses and adjectives of the most colorful nature. But, alas, he was indeed in the company of a lady and so instead, he looked up with strained smile on his face before allowing his body to give in and flop to the ground wholly. His breathing slowing down finally, the dwarf came to the conclusion that the ground was alot more comfortable than he initially thought, and so there he stayed, burying his anger and his embarrassment into the crisp smell of the earth.

 

[Mowkie]

Feeling Lost

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Eyes the color of a thousand stars glazed over as a usually happy and fear-free mind fell away to the darkest depths of the inner being. All around her, the world fell to ruin. Ashes rained from the heavens, and the refreshing feel of water was nowhere to be found. Before her, Sytiavi witnessed the horrors of what would happen should she and the others fail. The unspeakable tragedy of the wreckage left the young woman on the brink of tears - a woman who has not cried since she had been a tyke over fifty years before. Her body trembled with the weight of it, and yet she could not feel the beast that held her comfort beside her. Instead, seeing time slow down around her as a vision of the future showed as a single image in her head, almost like a stained glass window. She saw herself as well as the other five. Cavyr was charging the great mountainous dragon, his body and his eyes alite with the same fires that burned in his heart. And then, as swiftly as she had seen the first image, it changed into a more recent image, of the same man she had seen take down the five greatest dragons alive. Within her, something stirred at the blasphemy, roaring its outrage. She felt her entire body seem to change internally. Something was awakening. Something was growing.

She felt herself collapse to her knees, her trembling fingers losing its grip on the soft fur of her great beast beside her as the vision was torn from her mind, and she was gifted true sight again. She could feel the streaks of tears down her cheeks, the headache within her mind, the outrage that tore her soul-deep. She let out a low growl - one that was not entirely human - matched with the growl of Cavyr, who stood protectively around her, eyes glinting at the others dangerously. After a moment, she regained her composure. Just in time to hear Ykhrut'e speak once more. With a small sigh to herself, Sytiavi stood and looked up at the dragon who now looked down at her as the others began to run off, despite the words of the young blonde, which were ignored by the beast altogether. He gave a bow of his head, lowering enough to almost touch Sytiavi. She felt her heart race, and a feeling of familiarity rose in her breast as his piercing eyes came to look upon her. But she knew that this creature was only a spirit, and despite her desire to touch him, she knew she could not.

~I am sorry for everything, child. All will be explained in time. Now go. I shall follow once all have begun.~

Feeling lost and somewhat alone, Sytiavi sighed and nodded, turning to Cavyr and smiling. "Ready, Cav?" The answer was an encouraging chuff from the fiery tiger. Leaping with incredible strength and agility, Sytiavi came to land perfectly on her perch across the blanket on Cavyr's back before turning to look at the young blonde and her brother as well as the soldier man, glad that Cavyr had enough strength to carry four. "If yer comin' I'd suggest ye hop on. May nae catch 'em otherwise."​

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[CrystalScorpion96]

Blinking several times to make sure he was not hallucinating, Torsten stared incredulously at the unified group facing down the humongous dragon. However, he couldn't help but wonder if different races tasted different to dragons. Probably they all just tasted like chicken. He hated chickens, curse their tendency to poop on anything they fancy, including his boots. However, he really didn't know how to feel at the sight of the massacred dragons. One part felt confusion, another felt hungry. It was then he realized he never tasted a dragon. The mercenary captain took a second to ponder whether a dragon would taste like chicken.

Jumping a bit when the dragon spoke in his head, he could only hope to any deity in this land that dragons couldn't read minds. The dragon probably wouldn't appreciate the thought of dragons and chickens. Resting his hands on his swords, he recalled a lesson that Boris had given to him, when he was the lieutenant and Boris was still fit enough to fight in combat,

"Sir, what if, say, we ever encountered a dragon? What would be a viable way of, say, breaking through their tough scales?" Two years earlier, the company was a much brighter sight. Boris's head was full of black hair, Torsten didn't feel any pains in his ribs, and the men were always willing to challenge Boris to strategic games which they always lost. The younger Boris frowned at the question, before pondering aloud, "Any weapon we could manufacture would be insignificant against a dragon. Your swords, for example, would be absolutely pitiful, due to their function as a stabbing and slashing weapon. A weapon that would have much better leverage would be a blunt trauma weapon, such as a mace, or morning star. Such thoughts are useless, however. Dragons are the protectors, not the destroyers. However, I can appreciate some thinking ahead." Torsten hid his reply, in that he was just curious on fighting one for the thrill of it. Continuing on, the current captain spoke again, "Any smart dragon would be able to instantly crush or kill a human in combat. In general, fighting a dragon in combat would be foolhardy, reckless, stupid, and dangerous for the unprepared. A ranged weapon would be imperative, particularly a crossbow. As you know, crossbows are extremely efficient...."

Hm, wonder why I can't remember what came after that? After thinking for a bit, Torsten finally found the answer, Oh yeah, it was because I was busy chasing a chicken who had taken a shine to my boots! His thoughts finally at rest, he then realized something, he would be absolutely useless in combat against a dragon, even more so if the dragon the size the vision had depicted.

Yelling in surprise, he fell backwards as... one of the elves turned into a bloody dragon right in front of him? Of course, he had heard about shifters before, but it was crazy to think that there would be one right in front of him. How ridiculous it would be, if the majority of the group were shifters! Chuckling a bit, Torsten dismissed the idea as being too silly, shifters were uncommon in the world, the chances of more than one being in their group seemed preposterous. Calming himself after the elf shifted back, he heard the command, as the elf jogged forward. Hell, did they even know where they were going? Though, if the elf was a dragon, chances are that she knew where she was going. Boris had told him that certain types of birds had ways of knowing exact areas. Unfortunately, this shift in thought caused him to start thinking about chickens, due to their association with birds.

Before he could ponder further, the other, not so friendly human made a sharp remark. Not replying, most of the unease in his mind of going with a new group rose. Leadership challenges would devastate the group, and lack of coordination in general. He thought of giving the girl a talk, before he remembered that he wasn't the leader at the moment. The female elf jogging ahead was. He decided to let it slide for now, the elf needed to assert her leadership, it wouldn't help if he, as a random nobody gave the girl a talk that the elf should be giving. Hopefully, the stereotype of elven wisdom proved true in the situation.

Even furthering his shock, the short, stocky dwarf broke into a sprint, with his bear charging after him. After a while, the poor fellow fell into the dirt, where he refused to get up. Of course, he couldn't be one to judge. Perhaps, as a dwarf, he felt a natural affinity for earth and the need to, at times, bow down in prayer?

Turning again at the tiger tamer, his head drifted to the side, in confusion due to her accent. He then caught the eyes of the tiger, and then realized his men were no longer with him. He fixed his head to where the female elf had run, and started sprinting. Tigers had legendary appetites, and Torsten didn't want to know if humans were delicious to tigers. Stopping after catching up to where the dwarf had fallen, he then decided that he was not doing an earthen chant, hymn, or prayer.

"If you stay down and don't get up, always remember what the rest of us are for." Glancing sideways to make sure the bear didn't want mercenary captain for dinner, he reached down to offer the dwarf a hand up, "Later, we can set up tents, trust me, cloth is more pleasant to the face than dirt." Glancing a bit to the sides, he then whispered, "Makes a better impression for the ladies, too." Looking behind him, he beckoned for the others who had not yet moved to help him get the dwarf up, as he didn't know how much he weighed. Starting the journey by accidentally dropping a dwarf might end with a hammer shaped indentation in his skull, or at the very least a missing ear, if the bear decides he's hostile.

Looking back again, he yelled out, "I'll be fine, thank you! My armor makes me a bit heavy, wouldn't want to overly strain your tiger!" At least, he hoped she offered the tiger ride, he really didn't know what she said. Hopefully she didn't say, "If ya run, he'll chase ya, so, no matter what, don't run!" If she did, Torsten Regnes would turn to Torsten R.I.P. followed by the inscription, "Death by green tiger mauling shortly after pissing himself."

 

[DearDeath22]

HALIAN​

Halian was stunned when suddenly he began to see things, not of his own will. He saw all the people that had surrounded beneath the blossoms. Vivian looked especially magnificent for reasons unknown to him. She was almost glowing, but as he looked around, he realized that she was glowing in the hot, bright light of the enormous dragon that they were fighting. He felt a feeling of triumph.

The vision faded and he was back in reality. He looked back up at the dragon in front of them with a smile. It seemed to nod to him and he smiled even more so. He knew that this was all real. Their destiny. Their lives that had now crossed paths were meant to save many more. Finally, for once in his life, he felt like he was worth something. He wondered how the others were taking it. He glanced up at Vivian and his bright smile softened. He hoped to get to know her well, but for now, he felt it was appropriate to keep distance. His hands were shaking, but his determination filled him with a blast of excitement.

"If there are no further questions or objections, I do suggest we depart. We do not want to waste too much time. It is a long journey to the Lair of the Dragon King." The Dragon spoke aloud.

Halian nodded and moved to the outskirts of the group. He was ready to depart. Very ready.
"You heard him let's move." They were Vivian's words. He nodded and started off, keeping away from the group a little. He wanted to stay in silence for a while.

 

[Bitterblue]

Vivian was jogging slowly, not looking back to see if any were following. She would kill Vaeros with her own two hands if she got the chance. Six United. The part of the prophecy seemed to float through her head. She couldn't do this alone. Well if they get in my way, or in the way of this mission? They're going to seriously regret it. She thought. Thoughts about her family, her sister passed through her head. If she were to die....they would never hear from her again. Tears came to her eyes, but she held them back. She wondered if the spirit dragon was still there. "Ykhrat'e? Are you still here? Sorry, I probably murdered the pronunciation of your name..." she stopped suddenly. She was probably thinking to midair. But hey, it was worth a shot. "If something were to happen to me, would you let my family know? I don't want them wondering what happened for the rest of their lives...It would make them miserable." She wasn't able to bear the thought of her family wondering where she was, why she never visited, the thought made her dizzy and her step staggered a bit.

Vivian heard her name being called, so she stopped and turned around. She smiled shortly as she saw Moren running towards her. Never in her long life had she seen a dwarf run. But Moren was. But as he stopped to catch his breath, his bear friend ran smack into him, causing him to fall to his face. Keeping her chuckle to herself, she headed over to help him up. Torsten beat him to it, bringing a smile to her face. The group was coming together. Something in her heart started welling up, she didn't know what it was, but soon, it would guide her ways, guide her thoughts. It was what we call leadership. While she didn't know how to be a leader right now, she would. For she was destined to become one of the greatest leaders that will go down in history. A leader that led a group of men and women to defeat the greatest evil the universe had ever seen.

She walked up to Moren and Torsten. "Glad you could make it." she said with a sly smile. She looked behind the group, and saw Halian walking with them, but at a distance. Sytiavi was on Cavyr, waiting for blondie. She looked at Moren once more. Something about this dwarf, something that keened her interest. It would be fun to get to know him better. "We have some distance to cover if we want to make camp soon!" she said loud enough so everyone could hear. This would be an amazing journey, one that would bring these six, or seven, people together, in friendship. It had to. The world depended on it.​

 

[Rowlet]

Katarina S. Frost - Storm Dragon, #a64dff

"And I don't see you volunteering your pretty little face!"

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. Her eyes gleamed with defiance. Volunteering? She wasn't a fool. She possessed leadership qualities, but her uncouthness angered most individuals. She lacked the compassion that produced an effective leader. This group, excluding her brother, could rot! She couldn't afford caring. Katarina didn't understand her role. She wasn't hero material. A selfish, overprotective dragoness didn't complement a valiant team. A part of her wondered if the prosphecy made a mistake. Katarina snorted with amusement. "Sod off, dwarf. You lot wouldn't listen to me and you know it," she sneered. Her brother presented her a disapproving glare, but she ignored it. She doubted she would last a day before their leader kicked her out. A smirk plastered on her face. "I doubt I'd receive that luxury. I'll probably be scolded like a child," she thought sourly. Her hands curled into fists. She refused to be ridiculed by an Elf. Katarina wouldn't hesitate to fight back! Rebelling was her second nature. She wasn't the type that followed orders.

"If yer comin' I'd suggest ye hop on. May nae catch 'em otherwise."

A scowl carved into her expression. "I can catch up just fine," she remarked bluntly, dismissing the offer. Without another word, she sprinted towards the group. Kian expressed a proper apology, knowing his sister wouldn't initiate it. Her reaction was incredibly rude, but he had no power over her. He eventually caught up with Katarina, flanking her left side.

Running wasn't strenous for her kind. However, she didn't want to mingle with her teammates. As a result, Katarina purposely moved behind them. Due to her pace, she would be the last to arrive. Her brother was irritated by her tactic, but he didn't comment. He was use to his sister's behavior. A sigh escaped his lips. He prayed to the Spirits his sister wouldn't kill someone. He couldn't control her when her temper flared.

"Let's hope no one is stupid enough to challenge you," Kian muttered.

A chuckle rumbled through her chest. "Unless they're spineless imbeciles, I doubt it," Katarina mused.

Storm Dragons were notoriously proud creatures. She excelled in close combat, relying on her speed. Despite her demeanor, she wasn't blinded by arrogance. Katarina was aware she wasn't the strongest Dragon in the world. However, that didn't stop her from training. She wasn't a chivalrous combatant. When she faced an opponent, Katarina played dirty. She was extremely competitive. She hated losing a challenge. "This lot is probably full of goodie goodies, preaching nothing but fairness and humility. Bet they would blow a fuse if they saw how I fight. The bloody Elf would probably want me to change," she growled mentally. Her eyes illuminated a stormy amethyst. Her instincts screamed to transform, but her anger prevented her from transitioning into her dragon skin. Katarina continued her pace, fuming silently. Suddenly, a soothing voice infiltrated her psyche.

"Much will change on this journey, young hatchling. Don't let your anger cloud your judgement. Release your hatred," her inner Dragon soothed. A wave of calmness washed over her. Her shoulders visibly relaxed. She slipped into a neutral expression. "One must sacrifice their beliefs to find the answers they seek. Keep your heart open and your eyes alert. You'll gain nothing if you're angry," it continued. A few minutes later, her inner Dragon vanished. A frown marred her lips. Katarina wasn't fond of her Dragon's wisdom. Why did she have to trust these strangers? If they wanted her respect, it had to be earned! Katarina wasn't the type that listened willingly.

"Bloody old coot," she grumbled.

"We have some distance to cover if we want to make camp soon!"

Katarina resited the urge to roll her eyes. She lost track of time. She wasn't certain how long they traveled. However, it didn't matter. She was capable of continuing. If Vivian wanted to cover more ground, Katarina wouldn't mind. Katarina stood off to the side, waiting for the signal to continue moving. Her assumption was correct. She was the last one to arrive, including her brother. Katarina folded her arms across her chest. A familiar sensation tugged at her soul. Her eyes averted towards the male Elf. Her eyes narrowed into slits. What made him so special? Every time she stared, that feeling increased. She wanted to question her Dragon, but she wouldn't answer.

 

[DearDeath22]

HALIAN
​

Halian felt someone's eyes burning into the back of his neck. His ears twitched and he turned his head slightly. For a split second he saw Katarina's eyes on him. His own eyes widened and he turned away so fast it hurt his neck. He really wished he knew why she was looking at him. It made him very uncomfortable. The wonder of what she was thinking crossed his mind. Did she think was weird, half-walking, half-jogging out on the side of the group? Did she dislike him? He started thinking of what he could say to her.

But, he remembered how she'd gotten into a little skirmish with Vivian and the dwarf with the bear. Maybe, though, she'd be nice if someone tried to talk to her, if someone tried to be nice to her first. He decided that would be a good idea. First, though, he needed to find something to say. "Hello, I'm Halian, I don't think we've been introduced." Maybe a bit too formal. "Hello, I felt you staring-" Nope. Don't be creepy. He sighed. Social interaction was not something he was good at. Like, trying to talk to Vivian for instance. He had basically stared at her the whole time, mouth open. He really needed to work on his people skills. Anger rose up in him. If he couldn't even talk to a woman, how was he supposed to help defeat an evil dragon!?

His hands clenched into fists and he turned, stopped for a second, then started to approach Katarina.
"Hello." It sounded more like a squeak than a greeting. "I don't think I've had the chance to talk to you. I'm Halian." He let out a slow breath and started to relax a bit. A nervous smile inched onto his face. He walked awkwardly next to her. Man, he felt really short next to her.

 

[Soulserenity20]

Where-to Now?

"If you stay down and don't get up, always remember what the rest of us are for." Moren huffed at this, is face still buried in the dirt - which held an unusually appealing aroma, not that he thought of it. Must have been the nearby Cherry Blossom grove who's petals would fertilize the surrounding soil. Fine earth indeed. "Later, we can set up tents, trust me, cloth is more pleasant to the face than dirt. Makes a better impression for the ladies, too." Another huff preceded the rising of the dwarf's head. His earten eyes fell on an extended hand and after a moments consideration of flopping back into the dirt, he allowed the man to help him up. When he was back on his feet, he clasped his other hand over the man's and gave it a sturdy shake, nodding as he did so, to thank the man. Those molten brown eyes then turned to the furry beast a few yards away and shot razors through his gaze. Grimsfeldt had gotten over is prior offence of offending the ladies of the group and had returned to his usual thick-headed self. The beast's response to the angry look from his companion was nothing more than a chuff followed by the great bear turning his back and wandering off to find any form of local edibles, be it berries or grasses.

Had the velvety voice of Vivian not met the dwarf's ears and turned his cheeks red once more as his attention was drawn to the dirt that covered his fine, well groomed beard, he'd likely have stormed off after the brute of a bear and taught him a lesson about trampling down a dwarf! But that didn't happen. No, Moren's attention was completely on the slender figure before him, hearing tuned in on her words, eyes locked on the movement of her thin, well shaped lips.

"Glad you could make it. We have some distance to cover if we want to make camp soon!" Moren remained silent for a moment as his mind tried to regather itself from the puddle it had become. When he came to again he blinked a few times and began looking around as if the other's knew where his mind had been and he now had to convince them it hadn't been anywhere but where it should be! Nobody had noticed, and the dwarf was steadily making a fool out of himself. This had to stop.

Nodding his head, he cleared his throat and began rummaging through a pouch on his waist before retrieving a capped pipe and a small box of matches. As the pipe was already packed with the finest tobacco in the Ironwoods, he removed the protective cap and lit up the aromatic substance. After taking a few puffs on the long wooden pipe to establish a healthy cherry in the pit of the tobacco wad, he began combing the dirt from his beard with one hand while his other regularly guided his pipe to his lips. Between puffs, the dwarf spoke, having regained his composure.

"Sounds like you've an idea of where we should settle for the night, then? A lady of the land I see. Impressive! I'll be of little use in these parts, I'm a dwarf long away from home and my feet don't know the paths of these lands. But it seems we've got a diverse group. I'm confident we've got all the pieces of the puzzle between the lot of us." He nodded firmly and took another deep puff from his pipe, releasing his lung's contents into the air in the most curious shaped rings of smoke. The muffled sound of heavy footsteps on the earth drew his attention to behind him where Cavyr approached, carrying his lady-rider, young Sytiavi. The girl brought a smile to Moren's face for reasons unknown even to him. Perhaps it was her spunk, or her thick accent. Whatever it was, he liked it and already he made it a personal mission to look out for the brunette and her cat. Even if Grimsfeldt had something to say about it. Where had that bear gotten off to anyway? Shaking his head, he looked back to the group before him, now growing as the slow-to-come others finally arrived at the meeting ground.

Looking from each individual to the other, Moren put on a great big smile and continued smoking his pipe. He was looking forward to this adventure! It'd certainly be just that with such a diverse group of individuals. He couldn't wait to see where this journey would take him.

 

[CrystalScorpion96]

It was then that it had finally occurred to him in thought that they were in for one mess of a ride. Taking in his own reduced food (After Boris left with most of it, planning if possible to bring the full group in), he only could carry food for a week, and that was just counting himself, and going on meager rations. He really didn't know how much food the others had brought, or if they even had thought to bring any before the journey began, instead just jumping into the heart of things. All of this thinking was hurting the mercenary captain's head, however, and so he grabbed a small flask of ale at his hip, took off the cap, and took a small sip.

Mentally blanching, he jolted the flask down, then peered inside, looking as vindictive as if a bird had dropped a load on his head. Did he see his truest fear? Did he see a spider in his ale? Did he even see ol' Vaeros himself, grinning in the reflection? No. Even worse. Some devil had replaced his ale with water. Oh, the horrors of man! When one's dark heart leads them to steal one else's ale! He internally swore and pledged vengeance against this mysterious foe.

It was then that it had also occurred to him that Boris hated ale, and regularly swapped it with water. While maintaining a neutral front, on the inside he was a turmoil. gonnadiegonnadiegonnadiegonnadiegonnadieneedaleneedaleneedaleneedaleneedaleOHGODBORISWHYHAVEYOUDONETHISTOMEIHATEYOUWHATHAVEIDONETOYOUTODESERVETHISAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

All in all a normal day so far. After passing his internal fit, he then began thinking of Vaeros again. In the vision, he was clearly colossal, and the amount of damage two common steel swords would do would be tiny and negligible.

"So, Boris, I was thinking, about that whole dragon thing, what could I do to take one down?" The then captain responded, "You can't. Do you mind getting out, now? You've been in the bloody bathroom for three hours, and all of the men are getting pissed at you." Ignoring that, Torsten continued, "I was thinking, what if we constructed something, like a really big crossbow?" Boris wasn't inclined to listen anymore, "What if you allowed the other men to USE THE BATHROOM."

Looking out at the company, he saw some things, and he made observations. He also noticed some things:
Elves are short.
That dwarf is smoking.
That one elf is REALLY short.
That bear and green tiger would take up a lot of supplies.
Elves are pretty short compared to humans.
That dwarf is short.
That blond human girl is pretty short compared to her brother.
Wait, what?

He heard Boris's wise words resonate through his skull, "A very basic skill even you can understand, is counting." Torsten frowned, "But what if that's too hard?" The captain resisted the urge to injure him, "See those cherries? One, two, three, four, five, six..." Torsten heard his own hushed mutter, "...seven." Looking around again, he then confirmed it, not six, but seven were here, well, disregarding the animals. He realized he also didn't know if the green tiger had special powers, like mind reading or freaky magic like that. He hastily readjusted the numbers in his mind, nine. While he wasn't really superstitious, Boris had clearly thought that bringing the company would be a wrong move. To be honest though, the blond girl probably wasn't like Boris. Then again, he wasn't a girl. Then again, SHE wasn't a guy. Just like that, Torsten became confused once more, and instead of focusing on important things, he then argued with himself over what gender actually means.

As if a switch had been flipped, he then seemed to grow more serious. Speaking up, he spoke his words to the elf that was their leader, "If we have a ways to go, then we should arrange some things. Who should carry the majority of the supplies, provided everyone brought some. If the animals don't mind, then they could pull a fair portion of weight by carrying things like food, water, and... luxuries everyone may have brought. Also, I'm not sure how elves are in terms of how fit you all are, but, judging by how you said we have a ways to go, we should also arrange that." Nodding towards Sytiavi, he spoke again, "She offered for the tiger to take some rides. While I'm not sure how well the bear would respond to such an idea, it can help some of the less.... physically inclined, even if their pride wouldn't allow it. Other matters are important as well, but that can wait until we actually set up camp, captain." It seems that Boris had a bit of influence on Torsten after all, even if the mercenary was asleep through all of his lessons, he knew enough to at least contribute a bit with ideas.

Reverting back to his normal self, he realized he didn't actually know anyone's name, since he forgot them. He then decided to give them all nicknames he was comfortable with, and to be ambiguous when talking. Hopefully that would make up for it. At the same moment he had thought of this, a bird decided his helmet was the perfect place to drop a present. Silently, he looked up to the sky, and swore a silent vendetta against all birds of the sky, chickens of the land, and fowl of the world, as he started cleaning up the goop with a small cloth.

 

[Mowkie]

Things to Learn

[dash=#C0C0C0][dash=#00FF00]

If Cavyr had real eyebrows, one would have risen curiously at the sudden, almost fearful sprint of the human male before sending a curious chuff in his general direction, body tensing slightly to ready for the sudden spurt forward. Judging by the distance, the great beast could make it in less than five full bounds, but he wanted to give the rest of them a little more of a head start - particularly the strange short man whose face suddenly planted in the soil. Briefly, the cat wondered if the soil did anything to the faces of short people, or were their skin harder to marr than his sweet rider. That was a strange wonderment to Cavyr, but as swiftly as his mind fell upon the thought, it drifted away at the angry female that smelled much like his rider - despite the more electric feel to the air around her - broke into a sprint as well. They are all rather athletic - at least the ones that aren't so short. And then the other short one - the one Cavyr would consider more of a boy than a man - began to walk, attempting, it seemed, to talk to the other human female. How odd, this group was. He was in for quite a trip. After all, Cavyr had been around strangers throughout the entirety of his life - he killed strangers to protect his rider, and he loved strangers who loved her. It was odd for him to think or believe that these strangers could easily be a mixture of both. So, who would he have to keep an eye on, and who wouldn't he? The first one off his watch list was the Short Man - there was no way that lumbering creature could hurt his Sytiavi.

Sitting atop Cavyr, Sytiavi shook her head, giving a small sigh to all of those around her before patting Cavyr and bringing him out of his rambling thoughts. In an instant, the great beast took off at a bound, and in mere seconds, he came to a stop before the group. In that small period of time, Sytiavi felt the freedom she so loved when riding atop Cavyr. To her, it almost felt like she could fly. Oh, how she ached to fly...even if she did not have wings. It was strange to think that one without wings could ache so much to feel the wind beneath them. But Avi found the pleasure in the simple things, and one of those things was racing along the trodden road on the back of Cavyr. Once stopped, she leaned forward and patted her beast, receiving a happy chuff from him as he once more took a look upon the group that surrounded him and his rider. It would seem dirt did not marr the face of the Short Man - his skin must be thicker than most.

The strange man with armor spoke up with ideas then. Cavyr gave a huff at the sounds of him carrying more weight than normal, and that huff quickly turned into a growl of disdain as Sytiavi happily agreed. "Aye, Cav canna carry tha food, an' he canna carry mos' tha supplies, tae!" His head whipped around to look upon his back where she sat, fiery orbs of nebula purple sending her daggers. "Aw, stop, Cav. Ye canna carry it an' more!" Turning to look down at Tortsen, Sytiavi spoke again, smiling sheepishly and scratching beneath her pigtails slightly. "I don' suggest ye make him carry more, though. Supplies, aye...nae other riders, though." Another huff at the thought. Cavyr pulled his head back, sticking his nose in the air slightly, as though saying all of it was preposterous. He didn't sign up for any of this, and a cat has dignity and grace! They are not mules! A slight growl at the thought of becoming one. He felt a slap against the back of his neck, and once more he whipped his head to look up at his rider, who now glared at him. "Stop it, ye lumberin' beastie! Yer gannae be fine." No, he wasn't. He was going to fall apart beneath the weight his mean rider was making him carry. A whine sounded from him, slowly turning to a growl.

"Fine! Ye canna get back tae more importan' things. I'll jus' get off an' go without ye." She slipped from his back, falling to the ground gracefully and turning away from him. Instantly, the big beast was on the ground, slinking towards her and nudging her legs apologetically. This was humiliating, and so was carrying extra weight, but nothing was more important than his rider. "Nae, off with ye!" A slow whine made its way from his maw, his pupils dilating with the fear of losing her - the closest thing he had to tears. "Ye done, then?" A chuff in agreement. "Good, nae get up an' stop actin' like a baby!" On his feet instantly, Cavyr lifted Sytiavi by the back of her shirt, making her squeak and laugh. The moment she was back on the ground, the young woman turned around and hugged her great cat on the nose. Then, turning to the group, she nodded and gave the thumbs up. "Aye, he'll be carryin' supplies."​

[/dash][/dash]

In that instant, Ykhrut'e finally reappeared before the group. His first message was directly to Vivian, his voice soft and gentle. ~I cannot go to families, child. That is something you must figure out on your own. I am only here for spiritual guidance and to show you the right path to take.~ There was a soft apology in his voice, but as quickly as it came, it disappeared as he spoke to the group as a whole.

"Now that you have all decided to go, and your leader has been chosen, quick preparations shall be made before you depart. Know, younglings, that hard times are soon to come upon you. Make your travel swift, your journey short, and always remember to enjoy the little things. I shall only remain with you for a few short moments, so any remaining questions must be asked now. I will not appear to you again until the next crossroads. Good luck to all of you."

His body was already beginning to fade. But it seemed to hover there a few moments in waiting for any and all questions to be asked. It took a great deal of energy to remain in the world of the living, and though he did not want to leave them, it was his destiny to only appear at certain points in time. His eyes fell upon Sytiavi, and he seemed to waver with the desire to tell her his secret. But first, she had to know the truth about herself...and this would come with the journey she was about to embark on. Soon enough, she would know everything...all it took was a little patience.

 

[Rowlet]

Katarina S. Frost - Storm Dragon, #a64dff

A faint smirk plastered on her face. She noticed the Elf's reaction. Katarina averted her eyes towards her brother. "How long do you think I have before I'm scolded?" she mused dryly. She was certain their leader would disapprove her uncouth nature. She suppressed the urge to snort. Destined or not, Katarina wasn't the type to submit easily. She was a valiant Storm Dragon! Her kind were proud creatures. Most people rarely gained her respect. She wasn't keen on teamwork. How could she trust complete strangers? What stopped them from slitting her throat in her sleep? A prophecy couldn't change a person's demeanor.

"Hello."

Katarina stiffened. A sweet scent tickled her nose. Her inner dragon purred with delight. She direction her attention towards Halian. Her eyes narrowed into slits. Her expression darkened. She was about to perform a snide remark, but Kian elbowed her in the ribs, hard. She coughed in response, rubbing her side. She scowled at her younger brother. However, he gave her a pointed look.

"Be nice," he replied firmly.

A sigh escaped her lips. Her icy blue eyes focused on Halian. He was shorter compared to her five foot nine. She observed his appearance, incorporating his details to memory. "Katarina," she introduced, rolling the "r" in her name. She jabbed her thumb in Kian's direction. "My younger brother, Kian," she added.

Kian was surprised his sister listened to him. She was notorious for being defiant. He presented Halian a small smile. "Don't mind her. She's not exactly a social butterfly," he elaborated. He held out a hand. "Nice to meet you."

 

[DearDeath22]

HALIAN​

Halian smiled at Katarina and her brother.
"It's no problem, I don't expect anyone to warm up to me this quickly. I'm a bit anti-social myself at times." He shook Kian's hand.

"I'm glad we'll be fighting alongside each other. It's an honor." He released and nodded his head respectfully to Katarina. "Both of you." His hands were shaking, but he was glad that he had come over and introduced himself. He hoped that Katarina would soon learn that she didn't have to be so hostile around him. He looked at the ground and gripped the handle of his satchel. His eyes darted upward again and he took another look around, if only to make the silence less awkward.

He would have to try talking to each of these individuals. His eyes caught Vivian and he smiled. Turning back to Katarina and Kian, he shifted nervously.

 

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Vivian listened with Torsten. It would be good to have someone who had experience traveling like this. As she listened, she looked back and saw Halian talking to Miss Blonde. Vivian's eyebrow rose slightlly, but she didn't say anything. It would be good for her, and him if they became friends. She smiled slightly when Halian looked her way. She didn't know what it was, but a protectiveness rose within her. One she only felt towards her sister and her closest friends. She barely even knew Halian.

As Torsten stated they needed supplies, and someone to offer rides to others, she smiled as Sytiavi volunteered Cavyr to carry supplies. She smiled at Cavyr's mini temper tantrum, and then the grovelling to gain his charge's favor once more. It was cute, but Vivian didn't really believe in publicly humiliating anyone as a form of punishment, even if that someone was a highly intelligent creature such as Cavyr, or Grimsfeldt. But it wasn't her call, she wouldn't say or do anything if the people who care for them see it fit to do so.

She could have been at the mountain in less than a week, if it was just her. But she would be patient. She couldn't do this alone, that was already established. So she was forced to be patient. When Torsten also suggested that some of the animals carry others who weren't as fit as the others, Vivian looked up. Her eyebrow rose slightly. She wasn't above giving rides on her back in dragon form....it's just that she only offered them to people she trusted. But she would have to trust this group. She already trusted a few of them. She sighed. Moving a ways away so she didn't hurt anyone in the change. Vivian morphed into her dragon form. "I can carry maybe two or three, depending on how heavy they are. I can move fairly quick on land, so I wouldn't have to take to the sky if I didn't need to." Vivian said in their minds before changing back. Walking back towards the group, she had a serious face on. "I wouldn't offer to all the time, it would be a last resort. Also, we would need some kind of...protection for the riders. They're skin would chafe something bad on my scales. It would cut them open like scissors through paper."

It was then that Ykhrut'e showed up. She immediately looked at the dragon, hope in her eyes. She needed to know if he would talk to her family. If not... she would have to do it herself...and that was slightly out of the way. Not by much, just a few miles.

I cannot go to families, child. That is something you must figure out on your own. I am only here for spiritual guidance and to show you the right path to take

Vivian closed her eyes briefly. It was probably for the best this way. She looked up to Ykhrut'e and nodded slightly, showing that she understood. As the magnificent being spoke, and bid them farewell, Vivian went down in a slight curtsey, showing him her respect. She smiled up at him, and noticed his gaze towards Sytiavi. She smiled again. Sytiavi had a spirit that drew people to her, apparently. As Ykhrut'e slowly faded from sight, Vivian turned to the group. "We have a length to go tonight. So are we ready to get started?"[/dash]