Council of Wyrms

B

Boss Frost

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In a secluded valley, far up through the cold mountains - so high up that the other races of the world don't know it's there. Magically altered to be comfortable to it's inhabitants... who, admittedly, would probably be comfortable anywhere they wish. However, the lush green grass warm with a magically-created sun always seems to comfort. The tall trees with crystalline bark and the very tasty critters within them only serve to sweeten this place: all in the caldera of an ancient extinct volcano. 'Mount Highup', as the other races call it, a very amusing sort of name to those that exist there... dragons.

Considered a meeting place, dragons find their way there to alert other dragons of threats to their existence, or perhaps a dragon gets bizarrely lonely and asks to meet others. Perhaps another would-be Dragon Lord wants to strike up an army of allies and lay waste to the surrounding areas. All are quite viable, as dragons have varied reasons for being. However, there are a few dragons that stay there at all times: the Council of Wyrms. Raised to care for this place and the interests of dragons since hatchlings, these creatures are considered worth respect.

That is, of course, save for those that merely serve the Council: like the young dragon known as Orbak. Orbak was merely a caretaker, in charge of one of the old ruins that lay within the caldera. It was a surprise, then, when Orbak himself called upon all the dragons he knew. This was rather unheard of - and if he didn't have a good reason to do it, he'd likely be executed.

So, Orbak lay there, nervous. His green-gray scales blended in well with the ivy and stone of the ruins, but poorly with the tall grass he rest in. While it would be shoulder-length for a human male, for Orbak it merely rose to his chest. Admittedly young and small for a dragon, he did possess the lithe, streamlined look of a swift dragon, and his eyes often glimmered with the intelligent look of a spellcaster. Still, he lay for all to see upon this stone: waiting for others to arrive.
 
Vanessa walks up and sees the dragon lying in the grass. "I thought I would never see one again." She takes a few steps toward the dragon.(Is it ok that I'm human?)
 
(Sure! Happy to have you! :D)

Orbak startles a bit, his head rising and looking at the human standing just a little bit away. In very un-dragonlike behavior, his jaw drops a little and his eyes widen. His voice reverberates in his throat, before emitting an unintelligent-sounding "Uhh..." He cranes his head over, sniffing at her - assured that one of the other dragons had cast an illusion to trick him. She smelled legitimate, though. He whispers to her, "How did you even get up here?" He chuckles, actually a little relieved. He always liked humans, even if other dragons didn't. "I'm Orbak."
 
Vanessa smiles. "I'm Vanessa and I forget how I got up her. Wow. I haven't seen a dragon since I was really little. It's hard to remember when." Vanessa chuckles.
 
Orbak gets an embarrassed expression, his tail fidgeting slightly. "Well, you're not... well, running in fear, so I guess you have good memories of dragons." He smiles, bowing his head. "Well, regardless how you got here... It's a pleasure to meet you, Vanessa." He inspected her for a bit, considering a few things. "Where are you from? I was hatched up here..." He gestures at the beautiful, magically-sculpted landscape. "...And raised to be the next Grand Caretaker." He nods, "If you wait along here long enough, you'll see a few more dragons, soon as they show up."
 
Vanessa grins and walk up to Orbak inspecting his scale carefully. "Your very interesting. Diffrent from all the other I've seen."
 
Orbak was, indeed, rather smaller than others. She assumes that's what she means and gets defensive, emitting a small whine. "I'm still growing. I'm only in my hundredth year." His green-grey scales glisten slightly, and he nods. His horns and crest wriggle a bit, as the young dragon nods at her. It takes a while to realize she started with 'you're very interesting'. His body radiates heat for a moment: dragons don't have flesh to blush, this must be the equivalent. Embarrassed at jumping to conclusions, he asks for explanation: "Wh-what do you mean?"
 
"Your scale are completely diffrent from the ones told about in books and from the ones I saw in the sky years ago." She reaches out to touch touch him but stops mid point . "May I?"
 
He nods at her request. His scales would be abnormally warm, and smell just faintly of ozone. "Well... I'm not surprised." He nods, "I'm a crossbreed of two 'races' of dragon, so I'd probably look a little strange to someone who's used to someone else." The human was so much smaller than him, it caused him to be a little perplexed. "You know, I was told humans are around the size of bears. I figured they'd be... bigger. I mean, I like humans..." His tail flicks, "But I've never really met one before, just heard about them in stories."

Now that's a twist. A dragon considering humans mythological.
 
Vanessa runs her hand over his scales. "The size of bears? I wish but no. I'm the average size of a normal human girl."
 
"Well, what about dragon-slayers? They're bigger than normal people, aren't they? Clad in fake scales shaped by fire and force, torn from the earth in a show of human might, forced to wield claws of twisted metal and created only to spread pain and misery?" The dragon shudders, both at the touch and the memory of tales of dragon-slayers. "Or all they all... well, sort of like you?"
 
Vanessa laughs. "There are no loger dragon slayers but they were mostly men. Men are taller and stronger than girls. All they care for is violence to each other these days." She looks up at the sky and can tell its getting dark.
 
Orbak tilts his head up to the sky as well, looking nervous. It takes him a long time to admit, "I've been waiting here for a week... for the other dragons to arrive." He continues, "It normally only takes a day or two for at least one to arrive. I'm starting to get worried." He looks down at her. "No more slayers... please, tell me. Is the reason for that being... that there are no more dragons, save for the remote ones up here? You mentioned you haven't seen dragons in a long time." He shakes his head, rising off of the stone he was resting on, pointing at it. "I found this in the ruin I care for."

The stone shows pictographs of dragons fading away. "I got... worried, so I wanted to ask the older dragons what it was about."
 
Chyta smelled the human before she saw it. Her eyes had seen many things in her years, but they often missed the smaller details these days. Even Orbak was hard to spot among the ruins, but then, he wasn't exactly among the giants. Chyta's annoyance at being summoned doubled at the idea of a human. She had always liked Orbak, and trusted him despite his age. But this summons? and now a human? She hesitated before making her final dive for the ruins. Do I really want to get tied up in one of Orbak's schemes," she asked herself. Despite herself, she angled herself down towards the ruins, landing with an ungraceful thud. Old age never ceased to be embarrassing.
 
Vanessa sighs. "I don't anymor but I do know your extremly curious. Are all dragons like this? Well I guess humans are worse. We push forward to make things better. No matter if it hurts us or anything around us. We are the most evil creture on this planet."
 
Orbak's head rose at the thud. His eyes brightened, and he sounded relieved, "Chyta!" The young dragon tipped his entire body forward, letting his wings flutter as he bowed to the older female. He sits once more, "You're the first to arrive." He pauses, "Well, first dragon to arrive." He indicates Vanessa, smiling at her for a moment. He gestures at Chyta with an extended, scaled paw. "You didn't... happen to see anyone else as you arrived, did you?" The concern is easy to read in the young dragon's voice.

Finally, he remembers his manners. "Oh! Chyta, this human's name is Vanessa. Vanessa, this is Chyta." He nods, fidgeting slightly. "I hope you didn't have any trouble getting here."
 
Chyta acknowledges Orbak's greeting with a not and glances at the human. It's a smaller one. Female. Probably harmless, but one can never be to sure. "I have been keeping watch on the North Peak. I haven't seen anyone since the solstice." she says curtly. Visitors to the north peak were rare."

She glances at the human again and finally asks, "What is that doing here?"
 
"I have no idea. She says she doesn't remember how she got here."

Orbak turns, gesturing a claw at the tablet. "I found this in the ruin." He moves over to it, brushing off some of the dust. Inscribed upon the cart-sized slab were pictures of dragons fading from view. He translates the words from ancient draconic, "When the light finds it's way to touch the peak of experience, the great fears of old will vanish to the dawning of a new age. Seventh is the son of man, royal in blood and in nature, to bring about the end of..." He squints, "I think that word means 'chaos'." He continues, "Five is the number to break the seal, though not all five will see the end."

He turns to Chyta, "I think it's a prophecy."
 
Chyta squints, inspecting the tablet, unwilling to admit that she could barely make out the inscription. The words strike a chord with Chyta. Somewhere in her breeding, in her family memories, she is sure she's heard these words before, but they have faded through the passing of generations. She knows immediately that Orbak's suspicions are correct, but she isn't ready to let him know that, not without the rest of the council. Orbak is well liked and trusted by the council, but he is not one of them, and certainly discussing matters with a human within earshot would be a poor idea. Unless we eat her, Chyta chuckles to herself.

Finally, deciding to ignore the presence of the human, she asks "so what do you think it means, Caretaker?"
 
Orbak admits readily, "I have no idea." Not entirely a draconic thing to do. Most have their pride to worry about: Orbak was too young to even have a hoard of treasure to sleep upon. He often dozed on warm rocks or within the grass of his home like a common beast instead of a mighty dragon. Luckily, he had looks going for him. He glances back at the tablet... it was so large. He had difficultly bringing it out here without breaking it into chucks, which he assumed would have been a phenomenally poor idea. "It's not written clearly. A lot of flowery phrases and symbolism. I'd swear a sphinx wrote it, but they wouldn't abandon it, they'd stick around to brag."
 
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