Fly With Me - A Story of Survival ((IC))

[BookDragon]

Ariéas did not know how to respond at first to this newcomers words. The creature seemed sleek and cunning, not one to hold an evil scale or a single hint of malice in her tone. However, the mere thought of abandoning this territory on the words of another unknown dragon made him slightly angry. He was no coward and though her words did strike him with fear, he dared not show an ounce of it. He lifted his head to the sky and scented the air which was still thick with static from her pulses. The scent that caught him first was one of intense greenery rising up on a breeze form the southern end of his domaine, the second was a brief whiff of death from the dragon corpse to the west. Immediately Ariéas knew what to do.

He nodded at the kenetic dragon with a humble gaze and tucked his wings to his sides. He cleaned the now drying blood from his maw and nodded at the healer who had come silently to his aid. Without wanting to seem fearful he cleared his throat and let out a long slow growl, a symbol that whatever was to come from his mouth next was law to his followers.


"We shall heed the warning of this dragon who has come at such a vulnerable time in our history. However, we will NOT back down from any threat but instead must seek the danger that threatens our existence here in this place....and destroy it." The deepness of his tone was thick with heat from the bubbling anger in his chest, this would be the first time he would call his dragon flight into any kind of battle and part of him feared for their lives. A flash of their dead corpses piled up and rotting on top of each other flashed across his gaze for an instant but he shook it from his mind and continued. "These demons of black magic must be snuffed our from our world and since none have risen up so far to meet them, we must answer our ancient call to protect the magic blood that runs through our world."

Ariéas bellowed a low roar after he spoke signifying his decree. He eyed his pack mates and waited for any of them to turn wing and flee, but they did not. A welling pride rose in his breast at the sight of his flight standing their ground before his call to arms. He turned back slowly to Syril'th and met her piercing gaze, she had no fear and he liked that.

"You clearly have a need to seek and destroy these creatures and we have a need to defend our way of life. I can see you would be an ally to us in this time of war, I invite you to stay as a comrade in Our midst until our task is complete." He bowed low to the ground and stuck the earth with his weight causing it to shake momentarily, War had begun. Against what he could not be sure but knew that they would need all the help and heart they could get....

 

[BookWyrm]

It had taken three hours after sundown for the Anrik to take the bait; The Horned Fen'Zi had been crippled earlier that same day. The venom coursing through it's body only made the various superficial cuts over it's body weep continuously. The plan hadn't been to kill it outright.

No.

Valos was bored, and hunting Fen'Zi was only so entertaining. He'd left the Drer' a day prior for ranging. It'd had always been simpler feeding himself, but now that there was a flight involved Valos had to keep tabs on how many herds were in the area, what their health was, how many other predators he could find, and so on. It had taken him half a day to gather the needed information. So, instead of flying back and reporting to his Zu'rs what he'd found Valos had decided he'd stay out and enjoy the solitude.

Besides, he needed a challenge. And what better way to get one that to outsmart another predator?

Again, the Anrik had taken three hours to come within scent range. It had taken another two hours to finally relax enough to track the wounded Fen'Zi. By the time it had finished the prey off it had relaxed enough to drop it's guard. That was when Valos had struck it with the first venomized spine. The quill-like razor sank deep into the Anrik's shoulder, prompting a howl of pain and surprise. It had turned and swatted at the quill only to come face to face with the laughing black eyes of Valos.
"Run. Make my day."

~.~.~.~

Valos had been on the wing, the Anrik in his claws, when the storm abruptly stopped. All morning he'd been hearing some form of commotion from the Drer'. He'd chased the Anrik within a mile of the den and had ignored most of the calls up until the lightning bolt that had stopped the storm. That had caught his attention for certain.

Now he circled over the Drer and his flightmates. There were two newcommers by sight and scent; One flying below him bellowing some madness, the other standing on the ground below, facing off with the Zu'rs, and crackling with energy.
"And this morning started off so pleasantly," Valos groaned as he turned the Anrik's body loose, letting it fall down to splat between the newcommer and his flightmates.

The body hissed, bubbled, and boiled, fleshed sliding or peeling off in layers from the caustic saliva. Hissing drops began to splatter in sporadic patterns against the dirt. From above the gathered dragons a flanged cackle descended. Valos tucked his wings and dove, purposefully missing Azrael by only a few feet on his way down before unfurling his wings and circling the newcommer. Valos' quills rose and rattled against each other as he hissed, his venom dripping from his bared teeth as he flickered his claws.

Yet when the pale hunter landed his mannerism became aloof, careless even. "I leave you all alone for a day or two and suddenly we have new faces?" Valos' voice was laced with casual sarcasm as he gracefully strolled in between the storm dragon and his flightmates. "Was this the cause for all that commotion this morning? By the gods that was such a clatter."

As Valos approached the Anrik it moaned and tried to stand on broken legs. Black eyes flashed with malicious intent as Valos playfully leapt onto the Anrik, pinning it beneath him. His lips curled back in a wicked grin as the flangelated cackling echoed from his maw, "You are a lively one aren't you?"
Valos raised a foreleg, flickering his scythe-like claws against each other, before sinking them into the base of the Anrik's skull. "Play time is over though. Too bad for you."​

 

[Equusheart]

Marahuté shook the rain from her wings as she emerged from the small bit of shelter she had found to wait out the storm. With her pack's home so close, Marahuté normally would've flown on through the rain if it hadn't been for all the thunder and lightning. Marahuté had been worried that the storm would only get worse, so she decided to take shelter for the moment rather than risk a broken wing. Or worse.

The golden colored female looked off to the northwest, in the direction of the Drer´. There had been an awful lot of roaring today, loud enough that she could hear it from here. Ariéas and Rya must be angry about something, though exactly what Marahuté couldn't fathom. But then Rya had been particularly grumpy of late. Hopefully, the Alpha female's mood would improve once her clutch hatched.

With a sigh, Marahuté turned to the cobalt blue Fen'zi she'd killed earlier and scooped it up into her mouth. It wasn't a very big Fen'zi, but still Marahuté gave a soft purr of pride as her jaws clamped around the creatures body. Her stomach growled in complaint at her for not having eaten any of the Fen'zi. Marahuté gave a soft shake of her head in answer. This kill was meant for someone else.

Picking up another round object in her claw, Marahuté turned and spread her wings. She reared up on her hind legs and with a great downbeat of her wings lept into the air. A few more wing beats lifted her higher as she angled herself towards Drer'. With the storm now gone it didn't take Marahuté long to reach the clearing among the structures where her pack made their home. She made a loud chirping that was muffled by the Fen'zi she held in her mouth as she curved a lazy circle around the clearing before awkwardly landing of three legs. Marahuté hobbled up to Zendyr's side and set down the Fen'zi before giving the blind Omega a friendly nudge in the shoulder with her muzzle.

"What's all this shouting about?" Marahuté asked brightly despite the tension in the air. She turned her head towards the others, now noticing the two strangers among them. "Oh! We have newcomers!"

 

[Soverign]

With the rest of the flight making their way back Rya was pleased that they had returned to full strength. With war agreed upon and declared it was a must. But the alpha had a nagging pull to her mind. Like when a place or word escapes her when she describes something. Shaking her head the dragoness looked to Valos. Her first impressions when he joined was a malicious murdering dragon that was best to be put down rather than invite into a dragon flight. But she saw something in him. Strength and abilities sure. But something to grow from guidance. As of yet, she had not been successful. She growled at him in annoyance and slight irritation "Hunt when you need to Valos. I will not say this again. Kill when you need to. I need not remind you of your place as a hunter. Not a wasting killer" She growled at him again then looked at the Anrik body. It was so broken and damaged by his potent venom. Getting any sustenance from its flesh wasn't possible now that his venom had corroded and infected it. Approaching it Rya kept her gaze down at the brutally treated predator. She was not unfamiliar with combat or war. An enemy dragon you would use your greatest skills against. But how Valos hunted this Anrik was excessive and gave nothing to the group. She had been trying to curb his behavior but it has been very slow work. Standing she was close to Valos she could whisper and it be clear. However she growled again baring fangs this time along with feeling like a small quake "As reward for this you and i will spar later. To teach you restraint again. Clean.Up.Your.Mess" She said in a cold unyielding voice. Not at all impressed. With that she snapped at him making a clamping noise a foot from his neck prompting him to leave.

Moving on she returned to Arieas taking a breath so the anger of her unruly student no longer held in her words "I agree war should be made. But the dead should be buried from further desecration. And some require testing into the Flight. Once forces are at their strongest could wars be won. Don't you agree?" She said calmly. She loves Arieas and knows he means to lead them to victory. But even the greatest leaders need the most resources to win against such an unknown foe. Looking back at the electric magic female Rya looked her over again "One in our flight has yet to take the trials. You are welcome to do the same so in truth you are one of us. After our cause you will be welcome to stay. Or if you wish to depart once our shared goal is complete will be a decision i leave to you" Rya then walked past Arieas and found herself looking over Zendyr and Marahute. The ruby dragoness smiled looking from the omega then to her student.

Rya had taken Marahute in and when teaching her she became her daughter. Though by blood she had no right to call herself a Zur's daughter. But blood in this case she had not cared. To teach and raise Mara was a blessing she had not thought possible for at least another thousand years. She was a promising young dragoness and of that already made her swell with pride. Unlike Valor who seemed the most difficult task she had to face yet Mara was a skilled student. Her only flaws were she would often loose focus at times and even wander off to explore. Having experienced these habits herself as a young dragoness they were understandable. Rya stepped closer nuzzling Mara and smiled again "I am glad to see your adventuring had not harmed you this time" She then looked to the Fenzi and sighed "Go ahead and feed yourself. This clutch was like the last my dear. Do not starve yourself for that" With greetings out of the way she was about to speak when that feeling returned. That nagging of forgetting something yet the answer escapes her.

Looking to the side away from Mara she stared at the Drer floor. Thinking, combing through thought and emotion trying to detect what it was. What was it she was missing "Maybe a lesson?" She cocked her head back suddenly and blinked. The voice acted like an echo. Once spoken it faded out into the beyond of her mind. With such echoing it was impossible to tell the gender or from who. Taking a breath she looked at her mate once again "I shall bury the fallen dragon and say words of peace. I will return shortly afterward" She said to Aireas but also to her flight who listened. Opening her wings and lifting off leaving the group behind. Following the stench of death leading to the body she was to bury.

 

[NatureG9]

Well things were getting interesting to say the least, Azrael was genuinely surprised to see there were others in the flight, he had never seen the 2 new dragons. Keeping an eye on the kinetic dragon, he scanned the 2 new dragons that showed up. One was a sleek looking male, the other was a female, with a hooked tail end. He saw them mingle with the zurs and zendyr, suddenly Azrael felt like an outsider, not that he wasnt, but he felt not needed.

The dragons both brought hunts, but as he looked at the prey his anger ran hot, one was a mangled mess of an anrik. "No self respecting predator, does that to his prey, not by the dignity of his soul". Azrael knew that either this dragon didnt loose his childishness, or he was a ruthless psychopath. He chuckled inside " Ha look who is calling others psychopath, 20 years ago your face would have been the bane of anyone's existence". The other dragon was a female, still quite young, and with a beautiful golden color, her tail grabbed his attention but nothing else did, other than Rya's regard for her, he thought of his mother, the mother that he never had.

He was thinking of this, as this new dragon spoke, she definently was scared, he could taste fear in the air. But something struck him, in her speech, he had heard of shadows before, shadow stalkers, Azraels face hardened at the thought of those murderous Firacos. In his mind he saw the image of a young dragon, with beautiful wings, and a graceful face, his eyes held such beauty and charm, his image shifted to see into a pair of eyes, they were dead, with no color or life in them, ONLY FEAR. Azrael remembered that day when the famous drakian massacre took place. He was called to defend the small dragon flight, but everything went wrong when their force leader betrayed the flight, and said they will not defend. The day he disobeyed an order for the first time, he tried to defend the flight, but to no avail, there was only so much one dragon can protect. He still remembered when he walked through the field after the battle, and saw the civilian casualties. And then he saw the shadow stalkers, loads of them near the edge of the woods.

It was the real reason he left the alliance, that and killing his superior officer, though he doesnt feel guilt for killing that backstabbing frisso.

"Some wounds time never heal". He landed softly, shaking his mind out of the image, and readied his eyes on the field again. His scales had returned to white, and he was feeling quite weak. He certainly adored this stranger's bravery, but he thought that Airease pledging his packs life to war with an unknown fow was quite prideful, and arrogant, but he thought no more of that.

He heard Rya call that she was going to bury someone and took of. He wanted to follow her to get some fresh air, but he wanted to meet the new dragons, and get to know them better, if they were gonna fight together atleast he could know their names. With this he walked towards the stranger and Airease, still holding a dangerous eye to the stranger, but with a hint of admiration.


A day this has been, and he couldnt wait to curl up on a warm bed of sand with his tail tucked towards himself and sleep like an infant. He spoke to the stranger and Airease together, he turned to the stranger and introduced himself, then he said to all of them" well me and Dreidre brought some food for us from the hunt, and I'm not one to waste food, so let's eat something, we all need our strength"

 

[KnightsCalatrava]

"I am yours to command, Lord Aireas, Lady Rya," Zendyr bowed to his zu'rs, facing their general direction before he raised his neck just as the rays of sunlight glinted off of the great crests on the sides of his head. "I have followed you since the earliest days of the dragonflight, and I will continue to follow you to, through, and beyond the edge of night."

The declaration of war sent a chill that ran down the sightless dragon's spine, and it was only with the arrival of the other members of their dragonflight did the Omega remember that he was not alone. At least, not anymore. There were Aireas and Rya, the shining pillars of his dark world, holding the foundations of the things he had lost and the only things he had left. There was Deirdre, a kind soul who saw past his blindness to find a friend enmeshed in the shackles of the past. There were Marahute and Valos, reminding him of the child and curiosity that sparked life and a thirst for knowledge though his eyes could see no longer. It was a reassuring thought that Zendyr felt more alone when he could still see compared to now in his state of blindness.

In the aftermath of his reflections, the golden dragon caught the whiff of the excreted poison trademarked by the younger poison dragon. Valos' childlike personality, whilst abrasive against Aireas and Rya who valued rigid discipline and obedience, Zendyr found his demeanor refreshing since it created a sense of diversity in their small community. Still, it did not mean that the rather brutal dragon could not be guided to further hone his abilities. In some strange sense, Zendyr viewed himself as a possible mentor to the dragon who shared his poison abilities.

"Friendly as always, Marahute. I reckon you might always put strangers at ease," He chuckled at the smaller golden female as he tried to give her a friendly nudge, only for his aim to be too far that he lost his balance as he staggered down to the grassy earth with an embarrassing thud as he let a minute whine escape his jaw.

Zendyr wobbled back up with haste, trying for nonchalance and normal as he cleared his throat as he turned to Valos.

"Perhaps we could train on controlling the lethal doses of your venom, my friend," Zendyr offered with a smile as he looked up at the skies. "Hard to be a hunter for food if your catch is inedible to the rest of the flight, do you not agree? Besides, I believe we will need to start preparations for the incoming battle on the darkened horizon. The way forward is always the hardest after all, especially, when it is written with scars,"

As he said the last statement, Zendyr shifted his blank gaze in the last known location of the one who started this entire chain reaction: the Bearer of the Storm. He snorted, allowing the sounds to echo off of the surface to provide him a clearer idea of the herald's location. Putting one clawed foot after another, he approached the storm dragon as slight tingles filled Zendyr, little jolts running from the tip of his snout all the way down to the swish of his tail. He was sure now that it was a she. Her voice bore trembles of exhaustion, the pained tone laced with a need to repent for those who she had failed to save. Zendyr knew this tradu'r was hurting. The omega winced at the sudden twitches, the sudden foreign urges welling up inside of him... Was she in season?

No. He had already condemned himself never to think about this. He did not deserve happiness. Not with everything he had done.

"Thank you for telling us this approaching shadow, stranger," Zendyr spoke to the Storm's Herald with a bow. "Such a selfless act could have only been born from loss. To lose everything you once held dear. And," Crests losing their golden sheen as they drooped, the golden dragon let a sad memory course through him before he continued. "Loss and I are intimate friends."

Wings unfurling as the healing mists seeped out of his body, Zendyr launched the medicinal wave towards the herald in order to help her recuperate should she have needed it. As he finished, Zendyr took a step back.

"I hope you find the home you lost here with us, and if you do choose to stay, then, I hope you find the peace you so richly deserve," Zendyr nodded before turning to Azrael who had introduced him and Deirdre to the stranger. The sightless omega decided to follow suit. "Thank you for the catch, Azrael and Deirde. And, Stormrider, you can call me Zendyr."

Then, Zendyr turned in Aireas' direction.

"Dark clouds loom over us, my lord," Zendyr began with a sigh. "But, it will always be dark on the horizon if we only look up during storms. Down below, we have five dragons willing to follow you into the heart of combat and a Stormrider who defied Death just to warn a flight she had no connections to." He grinned at his liege with his scratched scales glistening. "I may not be able to see, my lord, but I believe that what we have down here shines brighter than the skies above."

 

[Queen Sonia]

War, that was one of the few words Deirdre understood. She was quite confuse and frazzled. All of this information was new and very intense. They were at war? Towards who? The beings that killed the other dragons. She didn't even really know what or who it was but the thought of war brought fear to her heart. She didn't want to go to war and she didn't want to lose her family. War always ended with death and destruction, nothing good came out of war but she supposed as a disposable pawn it did not matter how she felt. She bend her head down not saying a word but trying her best to keep herself strong. She wasn't a coward and even with her limited strength and skill she was gonna do what she did best and heal and help any dragon. She promised herself that she would never let anyone die even if it meant that she died. She didn't want to see anyone die anymore. She had lost too many people already.

she turned her head up when Zendyr spoke up. She felt a bit more relief as he spoke. Hearing his voice brought more comfort to her than hearing her Alpha's voice. She would never of course admit that as it would probably offend the alphas and cause her some trouble which was not what she needed at the moment. As Zendyr approached the new dragon, he stumbled a bit causing Deirdre to go to his side nudging him up. "Are you okay?" She asked him although he seem to get up on his own with only a bit of trouble. She watched as he approached the new dragon and pause. She didn't know why but she felt a bit threaten by the new female dragon but she kept her emotions in check staring down at the floor.

when Valos came back Deirdre was quite bothered by the poor creature and the state it was left it. It was sizzling as it's flesh slide down onto the floor. She felt her stomach turn and shook her head. "I'm not very hungry but feel free to eat from what me and Azreal brought back" she said. "Once this meeting is over may I be excused" she asked Rya and Aireas

 

[RONSTROCITY]

Her heart sunk at the declaration of war. Syril'th had hoped the alpha male would take his flight to safer skies. She had no say in what decision he made for them, but she understood. From above, the broken body of an Anrik landed with a bone crunching thud between Syril'th and the other dragons. The ghastly sight of bubbling flesh and eroding bone had taken her aback, causing her to send a spark off her tail. She curled her lips in protest, exposing her serrated teeth, as her nostrils were singed by the sharp smell of venom. A waste… She thought. Syril'th looked up to see a dragon whose appearance was quite unique. A hunter no doubt, that had quills which rattled, knife like claws, and a color variant in his scales that she hadn't seen before. He feinted a dive at the distressed young male above, a mocking gesture, and swiftly glided to the ground. His eyes were black like death itself. Syril'th followed him with an intrigued gaze and studied.

Next, another young female like herself, appeared with a Fen'zi in tow. The tail caught her attention first. It had a stinger like no other she had seen. The rest of the flight greeted these other strangers with welcome wings. Syril'th had to absorb all the events happening around her. The bond she witnessed between these six individuals gave her hope that there was a future for them. They chirped and bellowed to each other in greeting.

Valos.

Marahute.

Deirdre.

Rya.

Arieas.

She spoke their names to herself. She would remember, as she did the others.

There was a brief conversation between the alpha female, her mate, and the new arrivals. The red maiden lifted herself into the sky until she was a streak on the horizon. Arieas had spoken of trials to be inducted into the flight. The request was so sudden Syril'th did not have time to react. She stood there speechless, tilting her head to the side like a curious bird.

The golden healer made his way to her. He snorted and stumbled clumsily in her direction, and she bit down a bout of laughter. Gods, how long has it been since she laughed? The closer he came the more she felt unsteady, as if a herd of Fen'zi were racing in her chest, sending static through her body. If he touched her, he would surely be shocked. Syril'th dug the tips of her claws into the ground and folded her wings tight to keep herself from jolting into the sky from this male's presence. Instincts she buried for so long were itching to rise to the surface.

"Thank you for telling us about this approaching shadow, stranger. Such a selfless act could only have been born from loss. To lose everything you once held dear. And, loss and I are intimate friends."

Syril'th noticed the color drain from his crest. She ached to comfort him. She knew loss as well… He raised his head out of dark thoughts and spread his massive wings around her. A healing mist fell in slow motion from him and swept forward like a wave until it enveloped her. She felt her energy return throughout her body. Her eyes closed as her muscles eased and her breath was no longer labored. Whatever healing magic this dragon knew, he was a master. As he stepped away from her, Syril'th stretched out her entire body. Her claws felt sharper than ever as she drug them through the ground. Her wings felt as if they were strong enough to lift her beyond the heavens. She opened her maw wide and let out a low bellow that ended in a sharp whine. A bolt of electricity danced over her snout as she snapped her teeth shut. Standing up tall, she raised her mighty golden horns, shaking what was left of the storm off her sapphire scales and let her wings spread over the grass.

Maybe I could stay after all…

"And, Stormrider, you can call me Zendyr." He spoke.

She returned her gaze to Zendyr, pondered for a moment, and returned conversation.

"Although Stormrider is an interesting title, my name is Syril'th." Her words caught in her throat for a moment. "Zendyr, you may call me Lith." She let a small smile creep across her face as she bowed her head to him. With a heavy breath of resolution she turned to the rest of the dragons and continued, "Every wing and every claw will be needed in this war. I can only prepare you so much with the knowledge I have gained. The rest is up to you and our victory depends on the strength you have inside your hearts. I would be honored to stay within the safety of this mighty flight as we face this darkness together."

 

[BookWyrm]

Valos felt a swell of morbid pride at the reactions he received. The display had been intentional from the beginning; New comers meant possible competition, and what with Valos already having caught an Anrik, well, the opportunity to show off had presented itself.

He had just stuck his snout into the bubbling remains of the Anrik, slurping down a mouthful of the partially liquified meat, when Rya's approaching form caught his eye. Strings of viscera, venom, and gore fell from his mouth as Valos curled his head up at the approaching Zu'r.
What does she want now?

"Does this look like a waste of meat to you?" Valos growled in response before tearing the spinal column from the body, swallowing the now softened, noodle-like bone with ease. "It's not my fault none of you can stomach this."

Despite his prideful exterior Rya's reprimand stung. In a way Rya was the only reason Valos was still alive. Most dragons gave him a wide berth if they weren't outright hostile towards him. This flight had been the first to accept him, and yet he continued to distance himself from them all. And now Rya had it in her mind to punish him yet again.
Valos growled at Rya in response. When she snapped just shy of his neck Valos roared in defiance before taking to the sky, leaving the still dissolving corpse where it sat.

It wasn't until Rya had flown off herself that Valos returned to what was left of the Anrik. His quills rattled irritably as he slurped down the remaining material. He knew Rya was going to work him over until he couldn't move when they sparred later that evening. Just the thought of the whole ordeal to come added to his irritable mood. Valos growled deeply as he slurped and licked up the remaining Anrik. His quills rattled and dripped venom, adding to the already acrid smell in the air.

Zendyr's voice snapped Valos out of his grumblings. His head shifted attention, slinging Anrik gore along the ground near the blind dragon. As usual, Zendyr spoke with the stilted wisdom of a dragon that had seen far too much. But, again, as per usual, Zendyr was right.
Valos had lost himself in the hunt. The Anrik had turned tail and ran. In the excitement Valos hadn't paid much attention to how potently his venom had been running, nor how much he'd pumped into the poor creature. By the time it had hit the ground the Anrik's skin had been a casing to hold the stew of partially digested meat inside.

Valos' only reply was a quiet grunt as he surveyed the remains of his kill. There wasn't much left save for scoured ground. There. He had cleaned his mess. With quiet resignation to his fate Valos took to the sky once more and flew off from the others. There was still time to kill before his inevitable beating and Valos wanted nothing more than to be alone. The air still held the pleasant chill of moisture. Valos closed his eyes as he drifted through fog and cloud. The feeling of drops against his scales sent chills and shivers, prompting said scales to raise for a moment. A content rumbling echoed from Valos' chest as he opened his eyes once more to the sky around him.

He knew he'd have to land again. But for now, he was free.​

 

[Equusheart]

Marahuté's wings drooped slightly as her light heartedness visibly shifted to sorrow. No hatchlings? She made a soft crooning sound as she looked down at the Fenzi, suddenly not feeling very hungry. She had been so excited at having little ones to play with and help look after.

Sighing sadly, Marahuté watched as Rya flew off. Part of her wanted to follow after her Zur, but another part of her suspected Rya might want a few moments alone. Scooping up the Fenzi in her mouth, Marahuté moved to a warm grassy spot towards the edge of the clearing where she laid down and began to lightly tire into the carcass. Her hunger winning out against her sorrow.

As she ate, Marahuté listened and watched as her clan members interacted with each other. She eyed the storm dragon curiously, having never seen a dragon that welded electricity before. She seemed nice, if only a little skittish. Zendyr seemed to like her, though there was an odd scent in the air around them, but Marahuté couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.

She lifted her head to watch as Valos turned away from the boiled remains of his kill and lept into the sky. Turning away from her own meal, Marahuté took off into the sky after him without waiting to be excused.

"Hey Valos!" Marahuté called out, seemingly unaware of the venom dragon's mood. "Where you going?"

 

[BookDragon]

The air was thick with tension once more. The wind forced down from his mate's great wings washed over Ariéas like a spring breeze in April. He watched her silently carry over them all towards the body of the dragon who lay slain in its prime. He shook his great head form side to side, such a waste of a strong creature. He would have liked to know the dragon and how is had come so far from its home. Had it also been on its way to warn them of the coming storm but been struck down by forces much greater than the greatest lightening bolt? They would never truly know, only Rya would be able to see into his mind and even then she may not be able to see the whole truth either.



Sighing deeply Ariéas stood from his haunches and shook his scales sending stray raindrops glistening down onto the ground around him. He stretched his wings and felt his mind become tight with stress. There was much to do to ready his Flight for the perils ahead. Yes they were all strong willed and could probably hold their own in a fight, but there was only one way to know for sure. They needed to run the trials as Pledge dragons for the flight to prove their hearts and loyalty. The trials had been designed years before by a dragon scribe called Warlex, an old creature much advanced in his years with wisdom to match even the greatest of leaders. He had been humble and kind but knew that a battle hardened dragon flight really was the way to succeed in such troubled times as he was born into. He designed the three trails of proving to bring out the best in young dragons and show their true potentials as assists to the flight they were fighting to join.



Ariéas himself remembered his trials, though without a flight to join he had run them on his own until he had perfected them. Rya used to laugh and tease him when she would look into his mind and see him coaching himself through the first trail and how he would relentlessly chase Fenzi until they would fight him in place of an actual Element Golem. A smile crept across his maw, they were young and naive then as many of these dragons around him were. Zendyr had completed the trails when he first came to them and despite his lack of sight he performed exceedingly well. Ariéas looked at him now and bowed, he knew there was no sight but the mist dragon had a way of still knowing exactly what was going on.



The sun was now peeking from the few remaining wisps of clouds in the sky and it warmed his scales. Finally, he decided it was time.



"My fellow dragons, it has reached the hour in which you must all be tested. There are three levels, as you all know, in which you will be tested to prove your worth, your skill, and you loyalty to us." He paced slowly in front of the newest dragons eyeing them carefully and sizing them up. His thick muscles rolled smoothly under his scales as he trotted in front of them and continued on. "I will be the judge of the first level: The great hunt! Anyone wishing to join this family will need to complete all three levels of challenge at mine and Rya's standards, or else risk your life for nothing. You will be tested in all areas and be prepared to lose a few scales. I do not pity those that cannot cut it, if you are weak on your own, you will only weaken us as a pack." Golden eyes bored deep into the eyes of each of them before him. Everyone liked healthy and ready to leap into action. 'Good' he thought and smirked, 'they are eager to prove their worth. We shall see which of them delivers'



"Zendyr, fetch the binding rope. Deirdre, the medicinal herbs in case someone breaks a wing..."



He opened up his jaw suddenly and stood up on his back feet, wings outspread and a strange bugle like call escaped his lips. The sky around them immediately erupted with Kalu fleeing from the imitation sound of their main predator; bigger Kalu. Ariéas watched them all flutter around the treetops and then settle almost as quickly as they had shown themselves. He raised and eyebrow at the lineup before him, "So, who's first?"

 

[Soverign]

The flight over to the corpse was an unpleasant one. No doubt Aireas will have the new dragons start the first test soon. She needed to be there for the second. So she only had some time to work. That an....she hoped it would be enough to honor the fallen dragon for his sacrifice even though the void now has him. Landing by the body it smelt more of aging flesh and Rya pushed the rotting smell away and began digging. The grave she dug was just deep enough to hide it from other predators. It took great effort but with magical assistance she was able to get him into the grave that was now his. She stood over the grave and sat back on her haunches "You fought for freedom and survival. You wanted to live so you traveled as fast as you could. Mortally wounded you wanted to warn others. If it is at all possible you hear this fallen one. Know you succeeded. Know your last desperate fight is remembered. As long as i shall live" Wanting to keep it brief she started to cover the grave. Her mind however reached out and spoke to one of her flight in particular 'Valos. Come to me. Loose any trail so you are not followed' With that she now focused on the burial. She had a seed of a very tall tree that grows by the Drer's and other mountains. She placed it under the soil moving the final patch of dirt over it "In death even we have a purpose. When this tree grows you will have a legacy to feed the tree. To feed those who live on and around it. Even in death your magic will live on" She stated then turned walking away. Blinking Rya hadn't realized she had a tear on her cheek. She sighed then removed it wanting to focus on the trials or whatever they may have to do.

When the white scaled dragon landed she sat in front of him "Valos i have been needing to teach you restraint. And i have found a way to test you. If you pass there will be a reward of respect and even less punishment for your mistakes. But you must earn it through learning. And if you fail there will be serious consequences. Are you prepared?" She asked calmly slowly going into detail of her plan. And what he was to do.

--

On the way back Rya had flown back and smelt the other dragons preparing. She had helped design these trials with Aireas so that any who joined the flight would be powerful in their own right. The hunt of a magically gifted Kalu was something of a basic test but one that mattered. When designing it they wondered how to catch prey if they were limited. Thus giving their own flight a similar lesson. Adapting to restrictions is critical. The first trial was a good start to teaching them this. Flying over the Drer she watched the group 'I will prepare the next trial. It will take some time to mold the stone' She had said to Aireas in his mind. Landing by the fields outside the Drer she basked in the heat. She rested and began practicing. Though Aireas had control of the first trial she would be key in the second. She needed to focus and gather the correct magic ingredients to make Golems for the trial runners.

Magic gripping the ground she closed her eyes and touched the earth with tendrils from her mind. It carved up the soil and started molding the stone beneath it. It was painstaking since one like Azrael could alter their magic breath making him a unique foe. On either side of her were two sets of four feet. Stone slowly built up them building the shape of a dragon but with very few specific features. A green magic glowed at where the large stone sections were bound together. Like a puzzle every sliver of stone found its spot and held together. She had only gotten up to the shoulder when her progress slowed. She focused and had finished with the main body the one thing left was their wings. Though they were not able to fly, her magic did not allow this in these golems, they were given them for a possible weapon or tool in the fight. Each was the basic body plan of a dragon. Four legs, two wings but they glowed green as magic held the stones together where they were bound. Eyes being green as well. They stared straight ahead blankly. Once both identical golem bodies were done then the most difficult part began. Rya took a breath then started to mold their powers. Everything a golem was only was there if given to it. A personality, a power, a resistance it all was in them because the molder put it there. For these Golems she had some work to do. And soon the world was pushed to the background as she started to make them the perfect foes to fight their possible flight members.

 

[NatureG9]

The air lost its seriousness soon, noone really paid attention to his request that the hunt be eaten. He saw Zendyr, and the new dragon, " Syril'th" were introducing. Zendyr turned to him after that, and said thank you. A part of Azrael wanted to hug this wise dragon, "If I am to be in this pack, this is my duty brother, no need for any thanks". Of all the faces he had seen in his life, Zendyr's was different, he has seen, and experienced things, Azrael was sure of this. The new dragon was looking at Zendyr, and Azrael didnt want to disturb her, nor take Zendyr's time.

He started to walk over to where he dropped the fen'zi. He noticed the acid dragon had taken off, and his eyes landed on the young dragoness, he walked towards her to introduce himself, but before he got there she too had taken off after Valos. She probably hadn't seen him comming, he sighed " or not". Dreidre had said she wasnt hungry, he decided to go ask her anyways, walked up to Dreidre, " please, join me if you can, it would look bad if I am the only one who is eating", but he didnt want to pressure the dragon. When he got to the fen'zi he stood beside it and put his right paw on the creatures head, "I thank thee again, kind soul. May you find peace once more, you have given me your life to sustain mine and I shall forever be debted to you". As he ate, he started to feel as if he didn't fit in this pack, everyone is so gifted, and special, he was a curse that was brought forth. As he was thinking, he heard Airease speak.

Azrael was near him in 3 strides, Airease was talking about the trials. Every pack has their own trials which are made by the zur's it evaluated the aspirants to deem them fit or not. Airease explained the first test, and called to see who would come up first. Without hesitation, he jumped in, " If it is alright, test me first". He was tired, having lost control had really drained him, but the fen'zi brought back some energy, and anyways hunting always replenished him.

He got ready, as Zendyr tied the binding rope to Azrael's forelimbs and tightened it over his shoulder. It was hard to balance for sure, and it would be even harder to be nimble like this. He took of thinking about how he could catch the kalu, which were small, and darty creatures. As he rose, he scanned the flight of kalu flying away, but something else caught his eye. There was a tar pit to the right of where the kalu were fleeing, an idea came into mind and he flew towards the tar pit not being too fast as to be out of balance. He flew as low as possible, and when he came over the pit he quickly dipped his hind legs to catch some on his claws. He smeared it all over his legs, and finding the right balance took of towards the kalu. He flew up into the sky higher than the kalus who have forward vision, trying to be as silent as he can, as the flight was panicked none looked behind which was good. When he was on top of them he tucked his wings and extended his hind legs like a bird of prey, he flew down as fast as he could while trying to maintain his balance, andbefore the kalu realized what happened he smashed into the middle of their flight, his sticky claws catching 2 in his claws, he quickly gripped his claws so they wont get away. As he caught his balance to hover, he looked at the stunned creatures and decided to let the 2nd one go as he only needed to catch one, kalu always protected their old, and they were always in the middle of the pack. As he looked at the 2 kalus in his claws he noticed that they were old, the dulling feathers were a close sign. It didnt feel right to let one go and wish the other to die, so he didnt kill them. He carefully took one in the mouth and started to scratch the other one's wings to get the feathers of, but the tar made it impossible. So he got the second one back on to his claws and changed his element to ice. He then started breathing slowly onto their wings being careful only to freeze the tar and not their bodies. After this he pressed on the frozen tar and it broke of, and with it the feathers on their wings also came of. Azrael brought the 2 kalus back to the drer, it had taken him 25 minutes to complete the test, and he hoped it was fine. He landed and released the kalus for a second and then caught their tail and pinned them to the ground.He had completed the first task.

 

[KnightsCalatrava]

"As you wish, my lord," Zendyr nodded to his zu'ur as he stood on his hind legs before his wings propelled him into the sky. Unable to see, Zendyr relied mostly on sound and smell to maneuver himself through the dangers of the Drer. However, it was also in his disability that the dragon realized how little he knew about his capabilities. Robbed of sight, Zendyr was forced to sharpen his other senses to be useful to a dragonflight. In a sense, while other dragons struggled with the first trial of hunting for Kalus who could meld with their surroundings to confuse their pursuers, the dragon could already hear the creatures' minute movements and breathing. He could smell the forest and the rain on them, allowing him to detect them without even using his sight. If anything, he hoped that these aspirants would pass the trials.

The Mistwalker turned in the general direction of the Drer as he released a roar to help him navigate through the olden structures. It still didn't mean that he had no difficulties. Whether it was bumping or even outright slamming into some unforeseen stones or steel, Zendyr knew each painful bruise and crack on his scales was a part of his lifetime of penance. His healing mists would continue to rejuvenate him as he damaged himself, enabling a cycle of eternal suffering to allow him to remember who he really was: a warmonger given a second chance. And, he would make the most out of it. So, Zendyr raced back to the small ruinous temple which he remembered housed the ritualistic materials for the trials. A few more roars later, the dragon had obtained the sturdy binding ropes that he carried gently in his jaws.

When he returned to the gathering, he began to tie their front legs with a bit of difficulty, starting with Azrael who was the most eager of the bunch. Even without his eyes, Zendyr knew that Azrael was a gentle and honorable soul who was longing for acceptance and a bond. His earlier remarks showed that he valued life as something more than just a grain of sand in the desert. He treasured each draconic life as equal and even greater than his own. Something that Zendyr himself never learned when he was Azrael's age a thousand years ago. The blind dragon couldn't have asked for a better ally in the fight against the darkness.

"One of the greatest honors I can obtain is to become your sworn brother in this flight, Azrael," Zendyr spoke when tightened the bindings as he stomped his front leg on one end before biting down on the other end with a pull. "Now, fly proud, Azrael. After all," Suddenly, Zendyr spoke in a low whisper so that only Azrael could hear him before stepping back to let the younger dragon take flight and begin his trial. "Deirdre's watching."

Was he trying to play matchmaker? Probably. He was essentially useless as an Omega with no hatchlings, and maybe he did want to do his job for once. Besides, it could never hurt to let his sister-in-arms find a possible match for her. She was a kind healer who looked out for the safety of everyone, even for a blind dragon like him. A noble dragon like Azrael would match her nicely.

As Azrael started his trial under Arieas' watchful gaze, Zendyr went over to Lith. He prodded forward gently as he dropped the ropes in front of her.

"It seems you've seen a lot of the world, Lith," Zendyr started as he tilted his head at her. "It must have been so hard to keep running without any chance to rest. But, you're here now with us, and while we cannot promise that you will be safe in this upcoming war, at least you won't have to face the darkness alone," He then grasped the ropes in his claws before turning back to her with a soft snort. "Far too many dragons rely on their eyes to make sense of the world. But, when one is shrouded in darkness, they begin to realize how much they can actually see without their sight. The soft rustling of the leaves, the footsteps of fen'zi as they graze, and the wingbeats of each living creature in the skies. Only when you're blind do you often remember that you can still hear, smell, and feel." He let a small chuckle escape his jaws as he gestured to bind her front legs as was ritual. "May I? I might need some help, though."

 

[Queen Sonia]

Deirdre straighten up when Arieas spoke to her asking her to get the herbs in case there were any injuries. If things got really bad then she wouldn't be able to heal them with her usual power as it would drain her too much. She ran into the cave her small body jumping a bit. She was quite excited to see these new dragons begin their trials. Not only did that mean that they could potentially have a bigger family but also more support for this war that was coming soon. That word again, war, it kept making her shiver but she pushed it aside. She had to be strong, for her family.

Soon she came back with the herb basket in her mouth and set it down watching the small pack prepare. She turn her head when Azrael spoke to her asking her to eat with him. She went over to him bending her head down towards the Fen'zi but didn't eat speaking to Azrael, "you should eat as much as you need for your strength. You'll need it for these trials. I wish you all the luck and will be rooting for you" she said with a smile before pulling back and going to her herbs watching Zendyr bind the dragons for their first trial.

She sat down seeing Azrael take off into the sky. He moved quite quickly and gracefully across the sky, he was confident in himself but didn't seem arrogant. She wondered where that young dragon was that she first saw. He seemed like a completely different being. She looked down at Zendyr again who was speaking to the new female. She had to look away quickly, she felt a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach every time she looked at the two of them. Perhaps she was worried and didn't trust this new dragon or something else. There was a strange smell in the air but she ignored it deciding to look back into the sky and watch Azrael do his trial.

 

[RONSTROCITY]

The atmosphere around the Drer buzzed with excitement and anticipation. The trails were here. Victory would be now. Syril'th was not one to shy away from a challenge nor to lose. She listened close as the alpha explained the first contest.

"My fellow dragons, it has reached the hour in which you must all be tested…I will be the judge of the first level: the great hunt…I do not pity those who cannot cut it, if you are weak on your own, you will only weaken us as a pack."

The 'hunt'. Those words were all too familiar to Syril'th. She was born to be a hunter, quite literally. It was be raised to kill or die. She was elite. Now, she was broken. But maybe here, with this flight, things would change. The younger arrival, Azrael the chameleon, she nicknamed, opted to compete first. She had no quarrel with his decision. Syril'th knew what she saw the day she arrived, the colors in his scales shift. It was quite enthralling.

Good things come to those who wait, but I've been waiting forever... She thought.

Zendyr had finished tying Azrael's limbs to his body. Moments later, the youngling was awkwardly striding to the alphas side, flapping his wings, eager to start. Arieas bellowed from deep within his chest. The Kalu startled and flooded the sky. Then he was off. She wished Azrael luck and faced the healer who made his way toward her with rope in tow. He spoke to her. His laughed reminded her of a soft river bubbling over a rocky shore. It made her feel safe. Zendyr gestured for him to bind her arms.

"May I? I might need some help though."

"Oh, of course." She replied.

Syril'th leaned back to sit on her hindquarters, balancing on her tail. She stretched her wings to keep from falling over. As she tucked her arms to her sides, Zendyr began wrapping the binding around her body. His crest brushed her neck, causing her to hold in a breath. Unknowingly, a small spark of electricity leaped off her horns and shocked him behind his jaw. She jolted away from him, apologizing.

"My apologies healer! I did not mean to shock you…" Syril'th lowered her head, a sign of forgiveness. But she also bit her tongue in amusement. She hoped he was smiling also.

As he finished the bindings, Azrael returned from his trail victorious, his legs covered in tar. The alpha waited for the Kalu to settle into the trees once more so she could begin. Flexing against the rope, she looked at Arieas and nodded. At his roar, they flew, and so did she. Swiftly, she rose into the air and took a wide breadth. She circled far from the frightened Fen'zi, taking her time closing in. She studied the flock and spotted the males in the middle, small, red, and fast. Speeding up her closure, Syril'th took a sharp turn and headed right into the flock. She feinted an attack by lowering her back legs towards the Kalu causing them to disperse. As they separated, the males dove into the trees, and she followed. She pursued them with a predatory intent. Syril'th breathed hard and slow as she chased, weaving through the trees after her mark. Branches stung her face, but she paid no mind. Safety was what she was after, and she would rise successful. The Kalu took an impossibly sharp turn to the right and Sryil'th almost lost them, but she hooked the claws on her wing into the tree closest to her in order to make the turn. She muffled a grunt as she felt the muscle in her wing strain to the point of tearing. Almost losing speed, she pushed off the trunk with her legs to keep the pace. Syril'th no longer saw red. She remembered now why she found no pleasure in hunting these Kalu. They camouflaged, blending well into their surroundings before she could grab a male. Hissing in frustration she flew above the tree line. She hovered, beating her wings. Calming her breath, her pulse began to slow. The sound of wind, the other dragons, and the rest of the world around her became distant. Her body and mind grew apart. Reaching out with her magic she felt the heart beats of all things living near her. Six strong pulses down below, dozens of tiny pulses fluttering in the trees. Although her eyes were closed, she still squinted to focus. Hearing the beats, she could conceive an estimate on the size of the creature. The larger female Kalu were huddling on top of the males, who small chests were pounding in stress. There were three remaining after Azrael's test. One in particular stood out to her. She could tell he was young, and his crest feathers would return.

That one.

Inhaling sharply, she snapped out of her trance and let out a bolt of electric breath into the trees. There was a sharp crackle as her lightning struck, causing the Kalu to flee once more. She had her target in her sights. His red crests were flames against the blue sky and green trees. Syril'th pursued fast and true. She closed the distance between her and her prey. Feet became inches as she released a wave of static towards the male. Not strong enough to kill, but enough to stun. The Kalu let out a small chirp and fell, seemingly lifeless towards the earth. With precision, she grabbed his crest feathers and plucked them, while simultaneously securing him in her feet. She roared in triumph as she floated her way down to the rest of the flight. Landing on one leg, she dropped the feathers at the alpha's feet, and began removing her bindings. Once free, she took the unconscious Kalu and held him in her scaly palm. Such a small creature worth a priceless victory. He was breathing peacefully, almost as if he was dreaming.

How nice it must be to be unaware of the dangers around you now. Yet, once awake, you will not remember the mercy we showed, and your only instinct will be to run.

Syril'th lightly brushed her snout against his chest, sending the tiniest current into his heart. The Kalu rose abruptly, scared, and looked into her eyes for a moment before fleeing quietly to the safety of his flock. She followed him with her gaze until she could see him no more. Glancing down at her still open palm, a tiny reddish-gray feather lay between her talons. She smiled and let out a huff. The feather drifted to the ground and she turned to the rest of the pack, ready for the next trail.

 

[BookWyrm]

Serenity, sweet and blessed serenity, shattered swiftly.

Valos hated telepathy. He hated that someone had the ability to interrupt his thoughts, or lack there of. He hated that he was not versed in this ability as well. But most of all he hated it because it usually meant that there was trouble not far behind it. The only dragon who used telepathy on him was Rya.

What does she want now?

It took very little time to find her. Valos made it a point to familiarize himself with the scent of all of his flightmates, just for the fact that he might need to find them for some reason or another. Valos landed without flair or fuss, swiftly folding his wings and tucking them close to his sides. But, this wasn't the expected punishment. No, this was something different. A chance to try and prove, to redeem himself in a way.
As Rya explained the situation Valos kept his face as emotionless as ever, but something in his heart stirred. He'd never openly admit it to her, but Valos desperately wanted someone, anyone really, to be proud of him before he died.

Now, well, he might have a chance.

________

Valos had found an overhang above the trial grounds and laid out in the sun. His wings were half unfurled to aid in controlling his temperature. He'd left Rya earlier and caught Marahute on the way back to the trial grounds. Despite some resentment towards the "perfect student", Valos was fond of the golden dragoness. She was like a young clutchmate in a way; Annoying and adorable in equal measure.

"Hmph," Valos snorted as Azrael returned victorious. His tail flicked side to side in an almost amused state. "The tar wasn't a bad idea, really. Not that I'll ever tell him that." Valos shot Mara a side eye. "And I don't want to hear you say anything about me mentioning it either. I don't care how resourceful he is or will be, he's still a Tradu'r to me."

Valos' quills perked when he noticed Syril'th take off. The storm dragon was interesting for certain. Though, and he wasn't terribly sure yet, Valos thought that Syril'th smelt just a tad....off? He couldn't hang a fang on it yet, but when he had a chance to get close enough he'd find out.
The crackle of static and smell of ozone permeated the air around the trial grounds, drawing Valos out of his head. "She's using her electricity?"

Damn her brilliance. If I had used venom or acid I'd have failed.

Again, Valos snorted. He both resented and admired these newcomers. They were resourceful, dexterous, and thought on the wing. They have the potential to be good fighters. Valos growled, his claws digging furrows into the ledge as a toothy grin spread over his snout.
This could get interesting.​

 

[Equusheart]

"Hey Valos! Where you going?"

But the leucistic male had already flown off, seemingly unaware of the golden dragoness that had followed after him. Perhaps he hadn't heard her. With a sigh, Marahuté turned and flew back to the Drer, landing on an overhang to watch as the two newcomers were prepared for their trials.

As she watched, Marahuté began to fiddle with the sphere she had found while hunting. It was an odd little thing. White with black checkered spots, it was both heavy and light at the same time. It bounced whenever Marahuté batted at it on tapped it with her muzzle. What possible purpose could this odd thing be for? She was still playing with the sphere when Valos returned and joined her on the ledge.

"Oh, don't be such a grump Valos," Marahuté replied as they watched Azrael return. Marahuté gave a purring croon of approval as she sat back on her hunches. "Honestly, more dragons might like you more if you weren't always so territorial."

Marahuté watched with eager curiosity as Syril'th began her trial. She'd never seen a dragon with lightening abilities before so Marahuté found the new female quite fascinating. And yet, at the same time Marahuté felt an odd feeling growing in the pit of her stomach. Syril'th seemed nice enough, though perhaps a tad skittish. Marahuté shook her head. Perhaps there was something wrong with the Fenzi she had eaten and it was affecting her.

 

[BookDragon]

The pledges dropped in front of him both with their feathery prizes laid at his feet. Ariéas nodded in approval to both of them without a word, they both had exceptional skills in problem solving: Azrael with the tar and Syril'th with the use of her electro-tracking. These two would indeed make excellent additions to the Flight, yet they had passed the first and arguably most simple trail. The next two would test not only their physical strength but he strength of their minds and souls.

Ariéas waited until they both had regained their breath before speaking. "Great praises go to you both. Each of you have displayed substantial amounts of understanding and problem solving through this first trail. I accept that both of you have passed and are permitted to move on to trial two." He nodded and scored the earth with one of the large spikes on the tp of his tail. On top of the deep scar in the earth he breathed a small amount of fire which scorched he ground black. Carefully he dipped a talon into the black ash and dragged it down the left side of each of the pledges, symbolizing their success of the first trail. If they passed the second they would receive a matching mark on the opposite side.

"We will need to move now to The Pit on the far side of the Drer. That is where the second trail will begin." Not waiting for them to reply Ariéas simply beat his wings a few times becoming airborne with ease drifted over the broken structures of the Drer towards The Pit. This was an area of cleared trees and thick white sand that was surrounded by four large structure skeletons of steel and iron. The metal had twisted over on itself after years of Mother Nature's groaning and become a dome of sorts over the sandy clearing, almost like an arena. Ariéas made his way over to the structures and gently touched down on the highest tip of steel. He took a moment to take in his surroundings: the beauty of the deep purples starting to show in the late afternoon sky, the light brushing of the wind over his chest scales, the sounds of all of his loyal dragons making their way to The Pit. His chest swelled in pride at seeing the all gathering and he could not help but smile, his father would have been proud.

"This trial will be run and judged by Rya. You will be and are at her mercy...." He hissed and a slightly wicked grin spread across his maw, "May the Gods have mercy on your soul....they may show you more than she will...."

He roared loudly across the arena in a deep throated gurgle, it was much different than the calls he had made before, it was a signal to his currently unsee mate that the time had come for the golems to be completed and pitted against the pledges. Ariéas turned to Azrael and almost whispered, "You shall go first since you started the trials first. Once Rya presents your Golem you will enter The Pit from over there, " He pointed a talon at a small opening in the metal off on the south end, "And you will not be permitted to leave until either you, or your Golem, are defeated."

He wanted to wish them both luck but decided it was better if he did not. He did not want to come across as soft or weak for showing any concern for these pledges....even though he did worry for the safety of everyone in his Flight and cared deeply for them all. Quickly he closed his eyes and prayed to whatever Gods ruled the land that no one would be too badly hurt. When he opened his eyes again, if felt as though the wind died down to almost nothing and an eerie silence filled his mind, like the world had stopped spinning for a moment.

 

[Soverign]

Rya had been at work on the Golems and when the call to deliver them had come she had only just finished. They were prepared. though she thought it to be her finest work compared to the last Golem she had made. She had expended a significant amount of magic to create them and to a normal dragon it would be a detrimental amount. But after her entire life training with magic she had learned what magic was. Her earliest teachings of it coming to mind as she started to walk the Golems towards their opponents. She had learned that magic was a well. A skill like any other part of life. But the more you practiced the deeper you dug your well. And the more magic you could build up then could expend. Over the thousands of years training she had considerable magic to expend. But not even against Aireas when they tested to be compatible with one another had she thrown everything she had. With power comes restraint. And with restraint, the knowledge when to use it. Returning from her thoughts she approached the group, her eyes glowed a bright and vibrant red. Matching her ruby scales. She had not considered the intimidation factor it may play. It was only a representation of a stage in her well she had accessed. The Golem to either side of her matching her gate and walking speed like they were one in the same.

Stopping before the group Rya looked at all present and smiled slightly "The challenge will begin and there are certain things you will be aware of in the fight. I do control them. And they can fight on their own to a degree. These Golems are skilled at learning. Your task is to defeat them. But you will be at a disadvantage from the start. Azreal this is your Golem" The Golem on her left approached the male dragon it was destined to fight and its empty eyes stared at him. The difference being unlike the green magic that bound the other this Golem had blues and reds where the rocks were bound. As if power adapting constantly was present "This test is not only of physical strength. It is understanding an opponent. I have gifted your Golem with resistances. You must find and exploit whatever weaknesses you can. Most prominent of all its resistances is to your own magic. Due to your instability in your magic abilities you will find this Golem adaptable in defending from magic attacks. You must task yourself with cunning and persistence to find weaknesses i have placed" Rya then looked to the female Syril'th and then her own Golem approached her similar to Azreal's.

"This Golem is equally immune to your abilities magically as well. Though your electrical capabilities are most impressive they will be unused in this fight. You will have to use strength and understanding. Learning an enemy is a sure way to defeating them. As one of this pack you also become our students. We will train you in the ways we know. This shows us what both your limits are physically and what we can push to further extents" Rya blinked and the Golems turned and entered the arena. As if given a command unsaid yet understood. Rya had followed until reaching the entrance only to turn and look at them both. Continuing in a stern unwavering tone "However this warning goes to you both. You are to fight your own Golem. If one defeats the opponent they face any interference in the other battle will earn swift judgment. Each one of you must be tested on your strengths and weaknesses. Interfering in such would make the trial false and removed from the territory or worse" She stated with a severe growl to push the point home. Once the point was made she turned and the Zur entered the arena.

Taking her place Rya was at the far end of the Arena. She was laying down casually but was as still as the metal around her. Red magic escaped from under her closed eyelids as her focus remained clear for now. She took a breath and started to see. In her mind lay two views. They both belonging to the Golems in front of her waiting for their opponents. It wasn't unlike a puppeteer commanding puppets on string. Except these puppets were masses of magically imbued stone and given abilities suited for the task ahead. Some she mentioned to the trial runners. And some, she dare not say until they experience it themselves. Letting the warm sand create a comforting ground to reside on. Her stone puppets got in a fighting stance. Fully prepared for those challengers to charge into battle.