Return of the Dragon Tamers: The Plague of Ogual

[Soulserenity20]

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• 
  
  
  
  
  
  Return of the Dragon Tamers
  The time has come for the dragons and the humans to join forces once again...​
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  Hunting the Blackshire Stags
  
  Narien, Illyria, Avren, Pomona
  
  Reverie, Xylia, Alder, Saira
  
  ​
  ​
• 
  
  Terria has been rescued and returned safely to the meadow. Her retrieval came at the cost of another talented tamer: Goliath, and his dragon Hezekiah. Terria slumbers in sickness of the body and the mind even as Merrik has spent more than a week at her side, healing her thrice daily, doing everything in his power to bring her back to the Order.
  
  The party that ventured to eastern Galidus to sort out the issues in Kibran returned with a new stranger who turned out to be the bondmate of the Valor dragoness, Andraste. Alder Grey has joined the ranks of the Order and now works to find his place.
  
  Shortly after the Order's reuniting in the meadow, a council was called the a vote was ordered for the army's next tactical move. With the votes in, the Order is now set on unlocking the memories of the strange man Bren and travelling to Galidus to meet with the new king, Kylvest Brohn of Trespa while simultaneously meeting with the People of Dragons elders.
  
  Before the Order sets off once more, they are taking time to return to their training at the meadow and heal their hearts and bodies. At current, Merrik has chosen to mix things up and brought the Order out to the north-eastern woods to hunt for Obsidian Nova's favorite game: Blackshire Stags. After a great deal of drama in Kibran regarding Merrik's decisions on leadership, he hopes that the Order will begin to sort itself out within the ranks and grow to trust each other more deeply in a time when trust among comrades is a necessity.
  
  
  
• 
  
  Character Hex Colors
  [spoili]
  Aerarya is #800080
  Saira is #33cccc
  Merrik is Red
  Nova is Black with Shadow and Italic.
  Avren is Green
  Viridian is Yellow Green with Italic.
  Terria is Dark Azure
  Taega is Medium Gray with Glow and Italic.
  Requiem is Maroon
  Aleria is Dark Green.
  Agni color is #999999
  Narien is #0092b3
  
  [/spoili]​
  Soulserenity20 ---- Merrik Tetra ----- Obsidian Nova, Nightmare Dragon
  Soulserenity20 -----Terria Tetra ----- Ataegana Kuu'iah, Lunar Dragon
  Soulserenity20 -----Avren Lebram ----- Viridian, Forest Dragon
  Rainjay -----Saira Rinien ----- Aerarya, Atmosphere Dragon
  Rainjay -----Illyria Rowena Renthir ----- Mirazh, Desert Dragon
  Firejay1 -----Narien Ki'ila ----- Angi, Arcane Dragon
  White -----Rèverie Gray ----- Celeste, Celestial Dragon
  Mowkie ----- Pomona Ayelet Muldell ----- Katla, Vanity Dragon
  Mowkie ----- Alder Balthazar Grey ----- Andraste, Valor Dragon
  Crimson77 ----- Xylia Kalei Iwalani ----- Deventh, Swamp Dragon
  
• 
  Tetra Estate - Coliseum, 8:17am
  
  The morning air was cool and crisp, the last signs of Winter nipping at Spring's hold on the lands. There was a deep fog rolling in over the eastern forest, blanketing the ancient trees with an eerie, chilling veil. A pair of deep green eyes scanned the surrounding landscape from a hundred feet in the air. Their owner felt no fear, no discomfort of the altitude, being as much at home in the skies as he was on the earth. While the height and the crisp morning air did not bother him, a deep concern was festering within the corners of his mind. It was not unusual for worry and concern to waft about in his thoughts, but the intensity of today's concern was unprecedented.
  
  There was a silence that surrounded him, cocooning him in its peaceful tendrils, broken only by the steady whoosh of powerful wings. With each heavy downbeat, the man in the sky would exhale, taking in the pristine air the ancient woods provided and letting it out in a meditative manner. His dark hair swayed gently, not by breeze, but by wing-beat. The man was concentrating on the legend that was about to begin a hundred feet below him. The man was sorting out his thoughts, organizing his concerns, perfecting his plan of action. Worrying. Concerning himself. Stressing.
  
  The mind is of no use when it is tangled and knotted with stress and worry.
  
  Merrik Tetra opened his eyes as a wave of reassurance swept into his mind, settling what had been stirred up, putting his last lingering thoughts in the right place, and shouldering the mental burden that so commonly threatened to crush him.
  
  "Your wisdom could not have been more welcome. But to execute concern would be unwise. Today the stories of the world will shift mid-sentence, a new chapter forcing its way into a tale of growing darkness. Today the legends of old will be reborn, history repeating itself at the hands of peril upon these lands." Though his lips did not move and no sound rang out into the air, his words found their way into the mind that commanded the wings beating powerfully at Merrik's sides.
  
  The man in the sky was not alone.
  
  A hundred feet above the Tetra Estate, a creature of myth lingered in the air, sustained by the grip of its thick wing membranes on the cool morning air. The creature was massive, larger than any common animal of the lands, and it wore a cloak of scales as black as a night sky devoid of any stars. Blood red eyes that made every onlooker feel like prey blinked slowly as they stared at the distant fog bank. It's vast wings, cloaked in the same obsidian scales that coated the beast's muscular body, wore rings, red as the most scalding lava.
  
  The creature was a dragon. A Nightmare Dragon, to be specific; a beast of legends and fairy tales from a time long ago, long before the memories of even the oldest human. For hundreds of years the sound of heavy wing-beats parting the air could not be heard in these lands, or any other for that matter. For hundreds of years, the great draconic race was thought to have been extinct, perished by the hands of elves or man or even time itself.
  
  Few would believe their eyes. But Merrik Tetra would not so much as blink at the site of such a creature, for the dragon of nightmares and terror that claimed the skies was his dragon, and Merrik was its human. They were soulmates, best friends, companions, one.
  
  More than 2 decades ago, when Merrik was just a little boy, he was brought down into a damp, dark cellar in the depths of his family's manor. There, he received an egg. From within that egg came a voice, though not one any other person would hear, unless it so chose to be heard. Within that egg was a hatchling nightmare dragon, the same drake upon which Merrik sat at that very moment. The dragon was given to him by a strange, mysterious old man who called himself The Oracle. This man changed Merrik's life, shifted his path of fate to one of severity and ultimatum. His life for the next two years was leading up to this moment, this cool spring morning.
  
  Today, Merrik was going to form an army, a re-birthed order of old, summoned up again to bring forth a the great protectors of Illos. Today, Merrik was going to change the lives of a group of individuals, the very same individuals that stood a hundred feet below him in the center of a coliseum. Behind the doors that lined the walls of the coliseum were more dragons. More disbelief shattered by flesh and blood. Two years ago, Merrik had once again been summoned into that musky cellar where The Oracle appeared once agian. This time, Merrik didn't receive one egg; he received an entire clutch, each one a different color, texture and size.
  
  From those eggs hatched dragons, one of each of the draconic species, apart from the Nightmares. Those hatchlings had spent the last two years of their lives growing and learning from Merrik and his dragon, Obsidian Nova. They were being trained and prepared for this very day, this moment. Each of the drakes behind those heavy wooden doors lacked a piece of its soul, a part of it that could never have been filled. Not until now.
  
  The group of people standing, uncertain in the middle of the coliseum, were chosen long ago, though they could not have known it. The Oracle had selected them at birth, when their souls entered into their bodies with their first breath. Each soul chosen, was the missing half of one of the dragons below. And today, those two souls would collide and fuse together, changing the fate of Illos forever.
  
  "They know so little of what is to come." Came Merrik's soundless voice from his own mind into the dragon's.
  The less they know, the less they can fear and fight what is to be. Though we know that each of the humans below is the soulmate of one of our yearlings, the yearlings do not know for certain. They believe that these are mere potential candidates for the bond. They will test them just as a wild dragon would have tested the first of the dragonlords so long ago. The humans will pass these tests, of this we have been assured by The Oracle. Everything is set into motion.
  
  Let their oblivion be their guide, for both dragon and human. Let the bond work in its natural ways, it will give them strength in the long run. The humans MUST prove themselves to their drake, not only for tradition's sake, but to unlock the power that hides within their blood. Tamers are not made, they are born at the very moment a dragon's soul awakens. In that moment, the two become connected, separated only by distance and time. The tamers have an ancient magic within their veins, though they do not know it yet.
  
  Today, the bond with unlock that magic and change their lives forever. We should not delay it any longer.
  
  Obsidian Nova had a way about him that commanded submission and trust. There was no one else in the world that could calm and reassure Merrik in such a way as the black dragon. Nova had an ancient wisdom to him that came with being a direct descendant of one of the first bonded dragons of the Order of Old. Though merely 21 by age, the dragon's wisdom went on for centuries. Merrik agreed without a word or thought.
  
  With perfect intent-directed synchrony, the dragon descended, lowing the pair and coming to rest on a great stone perch that sat at the head of the coliseum. As the dragon's talons touched down on the stone and his great wingspan retracted to a resting position, Merrik stood up from his place at the base of Nova's neck and slipped down off the dragon's back without a sliver of difficulty, landing on the thick, stone perch below.
  
  The attention of the visitors in the centre of the round mass of earth focused on him. Some eyes shone with excitement, others with a sly intent, and others with a plain annoyance. There was too much personality within that circle for Merrik to handle all at once. He silently thanked the gods of old that he didn't have to get up close and personal with the entire group just yet. For now, the focus of attention was on dragons, and Merrik was completely at home in the realm of dragons.
  
  "You have all be told of your purpose for standing her today. I can understand if some or many of your minds linger in disbelief, this is an event of dreams and myth. But make no mistake, you are here to become heroes, legends, and leaders. You are here to become one with beasts of old, powerful creatures not seen in these lands for hundreds of years." He walked to the end of the perch, balancing casually on the round, stone hold.
  
  "The doors that surround you are the temporary dens of the dragons of Illos. The doors will open in a few moments. You must all be strong, be fast, and be brave. Today, you become dragon tamers."
  Then, Merrik's deep green eyes became twice as vibrant as any human's and he swirled his right index finger in a curious manner, concentration clear on his expression. The doors slid open, lifting up to reveals cascading plumes of steam as the temperature difference made itself apparent. The cool morning air welcomed the sound of wingbeats, too many to count, as a mass of dragons shot out of the dark spaces and soared up into the air. Flames of every color decorated the skies, scaled beasts of every shape, size and color bolted about before peeling off from the group and honing in on select individuals.
  
  One of the dragons shot a jet of colored flame down at the ground, nearing searing one of the soon-to-be tamers. The tests had begun.
  
  Merrik and Nova watched silently as the young dragons they had raised from hatchlings attacked, questioned, chased, scared, and tested the group of visitors. Each was seeking a human worthy of their soul, of their life, of their bond. Each would find a human, though they did not know it, and until then, they would test their worthiness endlessly. Merrik pitied the men and women below, for they had not been informed of what the bond was, nor were they informed of the fact that the tests the dragons subjected them to would look more like an attack than anything, despite the fact that the drakes would not actually harm them. This pity went away mere moments after it arrived as Nova's presence in his soul shifted with the drake's emotion. Any amount of terror and confusion was worth the bond of dragon and tamer.
  
• 
  
  Combat Event Guide
  +Steps+
  

  1. GM Scenario Introduction.​
  2. Player Response. Combat Begins.​
  3. GM Response to Combat. Required die roll will be presented.​
  4. Player Response. Player Roll. Player may close combat.​
  5. GM Combat Close Response (if necessary)​

  
  +Basics Behind the Rolls+
  
  Three Types of Opponents: Basic, Challenging, and Boss.
  Basic: Just classic battling. It is generally expected that your character can handle this with general ease.
  Challenging: These will require higher rolls and a bit of strength in whatever technique the character uses to attack.
  Boss: These will require the best rolls, the most creativity, and the best weaponry/spells/approaches suited to the character.
  
  Three Types of Character Approaches: Strength, Weakness, Long Shot.
  Strength: The character attacks within their class/strength/ability.
  Weakness: The player attacks in a class/ability that they are not necessarily comfortable or entirely skilled at.
  Long Shot: The player is being an idiot and doing something that would never work unless the die gods are on their sides.
  
  +How Opponent Types and Character Approaches work together+
  BASIC OPPONENT
  Strength Base Roll: 12
  Weakness Base Roll: 14
  Long Shot Base Roll: 16
  
  CHALLENGING OPPONENT
  Strength Base Roll: 14
  Weakness Base Roll: 16
  Long Shot Base Roll: 20
  
  BOSS OPPONENT
  Strength Base Roll: 18
  Weakness Base Roll: 20
  Long Shot Base Roll: 25 (requires stat bonus)
  
  NOTE: In a boss battle, there will be much more discretion for creativity and teamwork between players. Successful rolls will mean successful hits, NOT kills. Furthermore, for boss rolls, because they are much more difficult, the player will get a 'second chance' roll if their first roll is not successful.
  In Step 3, where the GM presents the required roll, it will have the relevant stats already added in and will be presented in a manner to explain the reason the roll is what it is. Stats are applied by level of skill, as portrayed:
  5% = Beginner ----> No Mod
  10% = Applicable ----> No Mod
  20% = Novice ----> +1
  30% = Adept ----> +2
  45% = Advanced ----> +3
  50% = Expert ----> +4
  65% = Sage (Mortal Mastery) ----> + 5
  
  Example:
  Shirin Vs. Challenging Opponent, Strength (Longsword)
  Base Roll: 14
  35% in long sword, +2 Bonus
  14% in valor, +1 Bonus
  14% in strength, +1 Bonus.
  
  14 - 2 - 1 - 1 = 10 Required.
  
  The player will then post a blank post with "Rolling..." posted and then roll a 20 sided dice (D20) on that post. Then the player will post a SECOND post with their response in accordance with how their roll went. They can wrap it up themselves (Step 4), or the GM can add a post in at the end to wrap it up accordingly.
  
  WARNING: If you delete ANY POSTS in these events, I will assume you're trying to cheat and get a better roll. I don't want any explanations, I won't believe a word you say, and I'll roll FOR you with a penalty of 5 added onto the battle. This means, for example, Shirin would need a 15 instead of a 10. If you make a mistake, for example, roll a D6, or roll twice. LEAVE IT. I have eyes. I can see the mistakes.​

[spoili][/spoili]

 

[Shadicmaster]

Tetra Estate - Coliseum

​

Looking about her surroundings, a young girl shifted. Her long, silvery hair clung to her neck due to the humidity of the mid-morning fog, she shifting her jacket to keep the bite of the faint chill out. Her pale skin was littered with swatches of goose bumps as she waited for Merrik to return to the gathering's terra bound level, her body kept warm in sheer excitement of the things to come, as well as fear and uncertainty. She had left behind many stabilized jobs and scholorary advancements to come to this small, but very important congregating of people of all sorts. Looking back to the ones who surrounded her, the girl noticed that she was possibly one of the youngest, or at least in the younger age group. There was a man who looked to be rather elderly, he having been who had caught her eye first, but maybe it was just battle experience and discipline that aged his features? She wouldn't ask, and thus, had no way of telling. The only one she knew about here was herself.

Dalaith Malai, a girl born to a poor family from the town dwelling beside the Mystic Lake of the country Calidar. One would not have thought her to have journeyed so far when she was so gifted, one able to learn and understand the most complex of subjects and, due to such, able to take up work in most any sort of field. She could have apprenticed as a carpenter, or a huntstress, or a shoe maker, maybe even a weaver of cloth, but she had chosen to put aside such endeavors, even putting away her life long love of studying the left knowledges of the ancients, just so that she could be here for this momentous occasion. Any information she could have gained she would surely have time to learn later. This, however, could never come about at any other time, and due to what she knew at this point, it was far more urgent of a matter than her being burried in a scroll.

With eyes of a crystal blue hue, Dalaith looked up to the loud, resounding sound of beating wings. It was a sound she wouldn't have soon forgotten after her first encounter with this mysterious man. Alas, that memory was one to be recalled at another time. She had to focus, to think, to quell her emotions. Listening to the motivational words of the man who was situated high above the ones in the coliseum, Dalaith came to terms with what would soon take place. Or at least, what she thought would take place. As far as she knew, she would be aiding in a great cause to rid the world of the horrid sickness that currently plagued the world's minds, feeding off of one being, only to spread to another. But what she hadn't known was that there would be a test. A test that none of them could have prepared themselves for. Awe captured the girl's mind as the wooden barriers around them were lifted without any connections at all, a thicker, foggy mist emerging as the heated air from within spilled out into the coliseum's main basin. Only a brief moment of stillness let her appreciate it, however, before a thunderous chorus of beating wings sounded about the stone walls, accompanied by the majestic, though bestial frames of the mythical beings they would soon befriend.

At least, she had hoped it would go so smooth. For a split second, all time slowed down around the girl, she making the most use of what time she had to see through the situation. Fire burst in a vast blossoming jet as one of the colored winged beasts attacked, the flames licking at her back as she scrambled away, not even remembering having told herself to move. Dalaith's mind was working in one of the ways she had found it best in a situation as such. She let it run free, observing anything and everything that it just so happened to find important. Such as the dragon that was suddenly before her, a mighty clawed hand being swiped low at her feet and legs. Clenching her teeth, she dashed forwards, hoping to make it unscathed between the dragon's legs, not taking into regard the tail or wings the great creature boasted, but even so, she made it away without harm as the beast didn't use them. Another dragon flew down in a low circle about the arena, fire spewing from its mouth as it seemed to almost be hearing the humans it attacked about. Dalaith, though, ran across the arena, the sword sheathed at her side completely forgotten as she tried to work a way out of this situation, and, more importantly, a way to get everyone out safely. That, of course, was when the force of a shock wave pounded through her body as a dragon of shimmering gold landed heavily before her, crouched low in a slow stalk towards her.

"Now you don't really think you'll be able to just run away from us all, now do you? Wouldn't it be so much easier on you're tiny little body to stay still?" rumbled the deep voice of the dragon as its emerald eyes bored through her, she backing up slightly before standing her ground more firmly.
"Just because I run doesn't mean I am running away from my danger." she replied, not letting her gaze waver, not letting any doubt enter her mind. How could she? If she did, surely the dragon would back her into a corner, spelling the death of her. All she could think to do was to keep talking, keep the dragon occupied. "Is it not cowardice to manipulate a person for your own benefit? Would it not serve your cause better, and give a better impression of yourself, if you were to be able to work without a need of conn and trickery?" Yes, this would work, it would have to. She spoke with confidance, but with persuasion, trying to work in the same manner that the dragon had. The dragon, however, only seemed to smirk at her, a glint in the male dragon's eyes as it crept closer.
"And what is to say that your words are not hypocritical and as twisted as you claim mine were? I had only attempted to give you some potentially life saving advice." The booming voice of the dragon sounded within the girl's mind once more, but even so, she let her focus shift from the words to the dragon's eyes. There was a slight twitch of the eyelid, a faint shift in direction as the dragon's head lowered down to her own level, only a foot or so away. There was a halftruth in his words somewhere, and Dalaith had to find it before the sharp teeth, fangs, and golden fire consumed her.
"You convey advice that is meant to save, but the way you give it is cryptic, is it not? Hadn't your words said to the weaker minded, that one should give up and give into whatever foul fate that was laid forth? But alas, my mind is not so weak as you take. Your words hid what I truly wished of you. What you had said was that I should remain still, stop running, and face the dragon before me."
"Your words ring true of my intent. But if you claim such intelligence, the do tell, what is it that i wish of you?"
"Is it not what the want of many is? You wish to know whom it is you face, just as I do. You wish to use the minds of others to your advantage, just as I have learned to do."
A long silence stretched between the two before the dragon backed away, sitting, and then laying down. He seemed to be content with Dalaith's answer, but the girl wouldnt back down just yet. Not until she knew she was safe of any threat. But the dragon's next actions let her come to ease. He ligtly rested his muzzle on top of the girl's head, she cringing as a warmth spread within her, accompanied by generations of knowledge from the great dragon, one far wiser than it's years. Dalaith's sheltered life and persuits of knowledge were hardly anything in comparison to be looked through, but even still, the mighty beast was intrigued by the feeling of fear, acceptance, and relief that flooded over him due to what his new partner now felt.
"Dalaith, why is it you still fear? Knowledge is what erases such feelings, is it not?" The dragon pulled his muzzle back and gently lifted the girl's chin with the tip of his nose.
"J-Just excess nerves I guess... A'untyr, was it? What a strange name..." Dalaith meant no harm from the words, actually sounding a bit more curious. Sensing this, her dragon gave more description.
"It's A'untyr Miirym. And you should be happy for the name I am given and that i live up to it. It means 'wise guardian'." His voice was a bit quieter, not quite so imposing now, as he looked about at the other dragons and humans that stil scurried about in their sepparate battles.
"... Still a little inconvinient saying all that, though... How about Unityrim?" the girl mused as she followed the dragon's gaze. The dragon looked back and smiled slightly before picking her up by the back of her shirt and lifting her onto his back as he shifted.
"What you wish to call me is what i shall be called, though my true name still stands as my own." He said definitively as the watched the other's being tested.

 

[Erranruin]

-Tetra Estate - Coliseum, 8:17am-​

Yennefer had prepared herself well for this moment. She understood the various stages and triggers of shock and could pot her own reactions to the second. She had kept the image of the giant black dragon in her mind, forcing herself to understand how large and ferocious they would seem to her and grooming herself to remain calm in the face of such forces. She could have no idea what was going to happen in this arena, but the atmosphere had taken on a latent tension and the air around her tingled as though electrified. She was suddenly very aware of every sound, every movement, and her body had naturally tensed up and hunched her into a more defensive stance. Abruptly there was the sound of fire and a gust of cold wind, eddies and currents catching and playing with her thick red hair and billowing about her face, she had forgotten to tie it up this day of all days. Her skirts ruffled around her ankles as well as she snapped her neck up briefly to catch a glimpse of the pitch black dragon spiraling through the sky and wonder at its grace for a moment, lost slightly in her awed gaze.

She was snapped violently out of her wonderment by the creak of a giant wooden gate, a sound that sent a pulse of energy up her spine and made her wheel about to face it. She forgot her fellows in the arena and focused on slowing the beat of her hammering heart, her self preparation leaving her as quickly as it had come. The gate fell open further and she wrestled to seize back control of her mind and body, forcing her spine upright and battling to still her wild thoughts, something she had great practice in. You could not save lives with shaking hands. There was a moment of calm when the doors were fully open, three shuddering heartbeats pounding against her ribcage... and then everything fell into chaos. Fire and heat swirled and crescendo-ed around them and the roars and screeches and wing beats of enormous creatures pounded at her eardrums. She cried out and covered her face and head, maintaining her footing but shivering away from the scorching heat and roaring noise. She opened her eyes to find she was blind from the brightness of the flames, only ever glimpsing flashes of coloured scales now and again before they disappeared back into the inferno. Delirious, confused and frightened, she desperately tried to cling to her wits against the barrage of sensation filling the stadium.

All of a sudden there was a massive, quaking thud to her left and she spun around just in time to watch a great behemoth of muscle and scale stride out of the fire towards her. His head towered high above hers, massive curled horns arching back and around his skull like a crown. Yennefer's heart skipped a beat as his Bronze eyes met her own and his massive maw snaked down from its great height to face her completely. She only faltered for a moment, wavering on the spot, fighting the urge to step back from the terrifying jaws of the beast and standing her ground against the colossus. Again there was a moments silence, just the thunderous breathing of this Mahogany giant as they both searched each other's faces, tension rippling through the atmosphere. Yennefer felt ticks and twitches run across her skin, her mind in a whirl of possible ends to this scenario. How was this operation going to go? What could go wrong? What was the best course of action? How would her subject react? The Dragon's eyes were a void to loose yourself in, so young and yet seemingly older than time. She sensed a wealth of intellect and pride behind its gaze, a mentality of nobility and poise that was not self-aggrandizement but just simply the truth. She saw these things, she diagnosed her subject and considered how she should react, how would she normally react to a meeting? Something clicked. Then, ever so slowly, Yennefer gathered her skirts and dipped low into a well controlled curtsy and held her position, eyes lowered, as she awaited his reaction. There was another moment of intensely charged silence and then a sound like an avalanche on a mountainside filled the air. Yennefer opened her eyes to see her Dragon, head low, eyes closed, wings stretched flat on the ground with one massive front paw elegantly clasped across his chest, bowing chivalrously before her. The site of him seemed to rock her grasp on the fabric of space and time, some ancient vibration quaked her soul and pulsed against her heart as she watched his eyes open and his head rise to its cloudy heights once more.

And what treasures do you guard, My gracious Lady?

His voice in her mind thrummed like the drums of war.

"The Lives of the living, Noble Sir."

He hummed thoughtfully, the reverberations making pebbles on the ground bounce and dance at his feet.

And what thieves do you guard this treasure from?

Yennefer stood taller, her heart still thrumming and pulsing with some unknown force.

"Death. I guard them from death. But I do not succeed as often as I should like."

The Dragon rumbled in approval and stretched his wings out so that their glimmering Bronze underside caught the light and suffused Yennefer in a copper glow and she was struck in awe at his majesty.

I am Methuzar, My lady, I hear your mind.

His name hummed in her thoughts and threaded into her unconscious mind, weaving into the pattern of her memories and enveloping her essence of being. She hadn't known her head was so empty before now, but she could not be gladder to fill the hollow spaces. Methuzar hummed in warm agreement and lowered his head once more so that he might touch the peak of his nose to the crown of her forehead, the most delicate of brushes from the softer lip of his muzzle as he breathed in the smell of her. They quietly familiarised themselves with one another, blissfully unaware of the drama unfolding about them.

 

[Kyara]

Tara stood at the edge of the group of humans nervously waiting to see the creatures of myth they had been promised. She would have dismissed Merrik as a madman when she first met him if she hadn't seen his dragon for herself and she was still somewhat sceptical about what they would find here. But even a small chance of getting revenge against Ogual for what he had done to her country, to have a purpose again after five years, was enough to get her here. Now her heart thudded hard in her chest, she felt more nervous than she had since her first job as an assassin. She hadn't let herself think too much about what it would be like to be bonded to a dragon on the way here, not wanting to get her hopes up, standing here now she couldn't help it though. It would make her strong, give her real power, enough to actually do something about the darkness infecting the land. She had felt helpless for so long. What would it be like to share her life with the creature though? Merrik had said they were as intelligent as humans and she had seen enough of Obsidian Nova to believe that was true. The pair seemed to be able to communicate silently, telepathy was her best guess and she wondered how far that connection went. The idea made her feel uneasy, almost sick. She valued the privacy of her mind and had no wish to share it with another, especially one she had never met before. She pushed the feeling away, this was no time for second thoughts. She had committed to this and for good reason, a little nervousness wasn't going to change her mind.

They had a few words of warning then dragons and fire were filling the air. She backed away slowly, eyes flicking from one dragon to another, trying to find any that were paying attention to her. A flash of grey and yellow in her peripheral vision was the only warning she had to throw herself to the side. She rolled and came up quickly to see a dark grey dragon turning in the air and flying back towards her, slower this time. She allowed herself a brief moment to take in its lithe beauty as it opened its mouth then a beam of yellow fire leapt from its jaw to the ground a little way away from her, moving quickly closer. Was it trying to kill her? Test her? She only had a second to decide how to respond and she span around to sprint in the opposite direction. It only took a few seconds before she could feel the heat of the fire directly behind her. She feinted in one direction then threw herself in the other, very aware of the fact that if the dragon wanted to kill her there probably wasn't anything she could do about it. There was no way she was just going to wait for it to happen though.

She returned to her feet to find the dragon stood in front of her, its shoulders about twice her height, head stretched down towards her on a long neck, wings spread wide showing off the bright yellow lines running through them. She was ready to bolt in any direction even as she studied it, however it wasn't making any aggressive moves, even looked like it was studying her back. The stillness didn't last for long before it opened its jaws again and a sound so loud she could feel as well as hear it hit her. She took an involuntary step back but didn't move any further. The roar felt like a challenge to her and she had already determined that running wasn't very effective. The sound cut off and she was left with a painful ringing in her ears.

The dragon tilted its head then a voice spoke in her mind and she almost ran but kept herself locked in place.

Fast, for a human. Brave, or just stupid perhaps. Where did you learn those things little one?

Telepathy, indeed. Tara took a moment to collect herself and consider her response then replied, "As a soldier and later an assassin. Those things have kept me alive."

A soldier and assassin. You kill for others at their command?

Tara could sense the dragon's contempt and she had to keep herself from snapping her response though it still came out cold, "I chose to kill for someone I respected in service of a cause I considered just. I am my own person."

The dragon snorted. As you say. I would know more about you human, open your mind to me.

Tara tried to keep the disgust and to her annoyance fear that caused from her face and voice. "No. Ask me anything and I will answer truly."

You believe you are in a position to say no? You know if we are bonded, as you must have come here hoping for, we will share minds completely and have no secrets from each other?

That was as bad as she had imagined and worse. But if that was the cost she'd pay it. "Then bond with me if you wish to see my mind. I will not allow you in until it goes both ways." She held eye contact with the dragon, trying to impress that she would not intimidated.

You do not seem very keen on being bonded. Why are you here?

"I... my country, the people I cared for, were destroyed by Ogual." Tara paused, not sure how much she wanted to share with this rude and judgemental creature. But she would have to get used to sharing if they were to be bonded and despite her reservations that was truly what she wanted. She needed to be honest. "So revenge for what I have lost. To redeem myself after failing to protect them. But more than that, I want to protect the people he has not yet hurt. And to have purpose, I have spent the last five years without that."

The dragon was silent for a few moments. Very well then. And with that a part of her mind she hadn't known was closed off opened and her mind was flooded with memories, emotions, sensations. It was too much to take at once. She dropped to her knees and raised her hands to her head. It wasn't pain exactly but she was hard pressed to tell the difference at the moment. She groaned as she tried to make some sense of it, shove it down or away or something so it wasn't so overwhelming and confusing. One emotion came across more strongly, she identified it as alarm after a moment. It seemed the dragon... Zarketh, she knew its... her name was now, was just as unprepared and overwhelmed by this as she was. She didn't know how long it took but eventually things settled down a little and though she still felt like she had the weirdest headache she'd ever had and random memories kept popping up in her mind, she could think straight. It wasn't as bad as she'd thought. It actually felt... comfortable. She felt Zarketh's smugness. Surprised?

You know I am. She thought back at her, amused rather than annoyed now. It felt strange talking like this but also not. Confusing. She could feel the part of her mind that was Zarketh, bits and pieces flowing back and forth between them. She tried focusing on it and the overwhelming press was back, easier to deal with this time though. She could feel the dirt under her claws, the push and pull of muscles as she shifted her weight, her curiousity and excitement as she sorted through her human's memories. The possessiveness in that thought should have bothered her but she was surprised to find it didn't. Zarketh was hers too. The dragon huffed a hot breath at her for that thought and rammed her head into Tara, knocking her to the ground.

 

[Nue]

And to think that he was still alive...
One moment, Falor passed out while walking in the desert one day. In the middle of nowhere, nobody would find him, so he felt like he was doomed to die in the sand...

And the next moment here he was, in the arena with tons of strangers just as confused. It was obvious that he was the oldest of the group, for most people looked to be in between their 20's-30's a few even younger than that,and Falor was like, 50. The main leader, known as Merrik,went off to 'prepare some things'. When he left off, Falor turned around to study the crowd he was in. Some people caught his attention. There was a short woman with a very comforting and homely appearance, and thick, red hair that one can spot from a mile away. There was also another woman, she had flaxen hair that shines like the sun, and golden-hazel eyes that shimmer with diamond flecks of blazing orange and a starburst of emerald green. And there was yet another woman! She had a kind appearance unlike the last one, who stood out and acted very pompous in terms of visual aptitude, but that was not for him to judge! The kind woman looked quite young for her age, with a strange, silvery grey hair that stretches down to just below her shoulders. Amongst the group of women there actually stood a man, unlike Falor, this guy looks like in good shape to pick up some of these ladies as he was well-built, younger, and has brown hair which is fine, soft to the touch, and it falls a little past his ears. It seemed as he was already giving off glances to the ladies, except for one. This lady didn't seem to want to mingle with anybody, Falor honestly did not see why not, for she has the most beautiful of hair, a platinum, blonde hair that is tied into three feet long, braided twin tails. Falor has no other words to describe the woman, other that she is here and he wishes he had a hair color like that. Another woman just walked by Falor. He fixed his attention onto her, as she had solid, black hair, and seemed to not have the friendliest of looks on her. Finally, he saw another girl, looking directly at him, studying him as he is studying her. She was the direct opposite of him in every way except that both of their hair color is black, and the fact that the are the only ones staring at each other. She looks like she is the youngest of the group, as she is the tiniest and the smallest in the group.
After his recent survey of the people, he glanced one more time to see Merrik and his dragon, Obsidian Nova. Merrik gave a wag of the finger, and the giant wooden doors, of which have been rustling with a strange noise, burst open, and in the brief moment of silence, he drew in a deep breath, and stared for a brief moment in awe at what swooshed out of that door.
Dragons! Dragons, the sole thing he was looking for 25 years, is right in front of his face, who knew!

Apparently no-one as total chaos preceded to happen and dragons and humans alike started to brawl, Falor noticed tha a huge blast of fire almost sear that young girl, and one dragon spur out of the door with a hilarious trot, sort of like a horse's straight through the middle of the arena. He wanted to give a chuckle soo badly, but he felt a huge surge of air blow from behind, so he turned around to see what it was
[spoili]

[/spoili]
He saw a dragon, tan in color, tower over Falor and gave him a sly look, and sent a message to his mind. "Hello, Mr. Bearded Elder. You must be really smart right? 'Tis why I chose you." Falor replied, "Me? Smart? You must have me confused with the wrong person." The dragon encircled around Falor, "Oh really? Than you wouldn't mind answering a riddle no?"
"Okay?"
"Good! The terms are simple, get it wrong, you die. Get it right, you're smart. So here is my riddle, What can be taught, but never learned?"
Falor rolled his eyes, and sighed, "It's nothing, Dragon. Are you satisfied?" The dragon, pranced around Falor, shaking the ground, meanwhile, Falor kept a straight face on him the entire time, and crossed his arms. The dragon finally stopped and pressed his head up against his body. "Oh, so you think you are so great because you answered one riddle right? Let me tell you this, grandpa, I am the smart one here! And I'll prove it too! How about telling me the first name I called you?" After the dragon's charade, Falor raised an eyebrow, "My name's Mr.Bearded Elder, and yours?" The dragon raised his head in astonishment toward the old man's short term memory. He cocked his head "My name is and shall always be, Dakan Surad, And your REAL name grandpa?" Falor gave a bow toward the frustrated dragon "And my name is Falor Hadrian, now please calm down." But Dakan just wouldn't calm down. He scurried to a wall and spat endless questions and annoyance toward him. He did not care, he just slowly walked up toward him and Dakan got so angry he spewed fire at the old man, who easily dodged it, the dragon replied with an angered desperation in his thoughts, "Why are you not answering my questions? You are smart! you can answer them!" Dakan thought as he continued to spew fire at Falor, who dodged ran up the wall and onto Dakan's back, who then proceeded to flail in frustration, Like a bull Dakan flailed and grunted and blew out fire and steam, until he came to his senses and calmed down. He lied down and asked Falor a last question, "Falor, why did you not kill me? For I sure wanted to do that to you!" Falor shuddered at the thought of it, "It's a secret." Dakan's face lit up like a bright sunny day, "Oh I just love secrets! Tell me! Tell me! I promise to guard it and you with all my life! This, I swear!"
Falor has never felt someone so happy about one of his secrets before, so he shrugged "Why not? It's not like you will yell it out toward anyone anyways...I thought you were a part of me, a family, if it is strange to you, and I am not a kinslayer. This same thing happened to my brother, Sedi, he went mad and tried to kill me, but I overpowered him, and eventually got into a position where I could kill him, or not. I decided to run away and let him live. that's my only life story to tell, happy?" The dragon nodded, "Indeed I am, grandpa...on the other side, did you see that girl that almost got seared by her dragon?"
"Oh, yeah, that was some scary stuff!" Falor said as he sat on top of Dakan, and gave him a small hug and a nudge.
Falor and Dakan have never felt happier until this point. And it... was happy, both tried to savor every bit of it, while stil watching those other ragtag weirdos holster their dragons.
now THAT, is something hilarious!

 

[haybalebarn]

Rita
&
Wither

Well, he was here. Quite frankly, he wasn't sure why, for he sure didn't deserve it. But here he was, standing in the arena. It didn't take much to guess what happened here; here destinies were made, and from this moment he would never quite be the same. That was, if he were to get past it. Normally, Rita would be focused on the people around him, trying to observe and figure them out, but this moment was far too important to waste on people. There would be plenty of time for play after he was bonded; if he managed to bond with a dragon at all. He didn't truly believe he would bond. After all, dragons were supposed to be noble beasts of lore. One glance up to the sky where one circled overhead confirmed that notion. And what sort of noble beast would desire a bond with him? And to make it worse, he couldn't lie, which was a problem. He always lied. When he didn't lie… Bad things happened. He didn't want to touch upon those issues, not now. So what was he going to do?

He wished to have more time to think on the issue, but it seemed the time to think was at an end. The majestic beast slowly descended Rita couldn't help but marvel at it. He didn't even hear the words of Merrik as he spoke as he just stared at the dragon. In a few moments, he was expected to bond with one of these. The huge amount of power, intelligence, and nobility wrapped in such a frame was incredible; it far surpassed any other creature that could ever exist. Somehow, he was supposed to find one who matched him. He shook his head ever so slightly, clearing his mind of thoughts, and turned his attention to the man he didn't particularly like. He managed to catch the last line, something noble about becoming a dragon tamer. Not hiding under and act, he couldn't help but smirk at the pretentiousness of it all.

Then, the gates opened. Rita's body tensed up as the waves of hot fog poured out of the opened gates. Wing beats thundered into the air from every door, and the confusion started a few seconds after. A cacophony of noises filled the air, the sound of wings, roars, and flame. Rita suddenly felt the air around him grow heated, and he dived out of the way as a lick of flame roasted the ground where he was a moment before. He didn't manage to see the dragon that targeted him in the confusion, but he did make note of the flame. It was green, completely unnatural. Quite fitting for dragon fire, he supposed.

Now to locate the threat. Rita kept his feet moving, not wanting to be a sitting target. His eyes scanned the surroundings, flicking from one dragon to the next, trying to locate one that would fit the flame which had nearly shortened his lifespan by an unhealthy amount. Finally, his eyes lighted upon a light green dragon, small, slender, and sleek. Something about it didn't feel right to him, and it was so small compared to the other dragons… it just felt like it wasn't the one for him. He was right.

Rita almost missed spotting his dragon the first time. It sat calmly on the ground, away from all the mayhem, observing the proceedings. The best word he could use to describe his first impression was feral. All dragons looked ferocious, but none looked quite as wild as this one, with its olive green color and harsh yellow eyes. Its wings looked to come from the jungle itself, almost as it they were composed of vines instead of flesh and blood. In the heat of combat this dragon would be a dangerous beast indeed. Then, the dragon turned its eyes to him and Rita nearly froze in his tracks. All the ferocity he viewed in the beast became near alive and near paralyzed him as it stared him down. Then, it began slowly stalking towards him, ignoring the mayhem all around, glaring at him all the while. A grin flashed onto Rita's face, and he began slowly doing the same.

In one fluid leap the dragon was on top of Rita. He couldn't help but admire its liquid motion in the instant before he was slammed to the ground beneath a clawed, webbed paw. The air was forced out of his lungs and he struggled to breath for a moment before the dragon let up ever so slightly to allow him to breath. When his vision cleared he was staring directly into a feral yellow eye. A grin of enjoyment covered Rita's face; he was having fun. The voice that invaded his mind surprised him a little. He wasn't expecting it to be feminine, but it was every bit as wild as he had hoped. What makes you worthy of a bond with me, human?

Rita took a moment, and then he let out an abrupt laugh. He was holding back his laughter even as he tried to respond. "Worthy? I'm sorry, but if you're looking for someone worthy, you picked the exact wrong person here. Go find another one while you have a chance, before all the good ones are taken, because I'm certainly not worthy. I find enjoyment in lying to others, laughing as I toy with their lives. And you know what? It's fun! I wouldn't stop even if someone tried to force me to! Half the reason I'm here is because it's certain there's going to be at least one interesting person to mess with! Probably safer than being my friend anyways, last time I had friends I ended up accidentally making them kill each other!"

Rita's voice peaked and faded in its semi-insane fervor, but the crazy intensity remained in his eyes. He had touched a little too deep there. He wasn't going to do it again any time soon. A single tear rolled down his face, but he didn't notice. He did notice a subtle change in the eyes of the dragon before she spoke again. You have passed.

Then, she lowered her head until her muzzled touched his forehead and the bonding began. In a confusing rush of emotions Rita became aware of her name, Wither. He could feel her pity for him, her desire to help him, and her desire to protect, along with many other confusing emotions washing over him in an instant. She became aware of his guilt and remorse for the past, his genuine love of watching a person's whole world fall apart as his had, and his dedication to not mess up what he was just now gaining, as well as the whole wash of both his twisted and innocent parts. Slowly, they began the process of becoming both one and two.

 

[Mowkie]

The First Meeting

Isn't it strange to think that dragons actually exist? That the things of story and legend can come out of that door at any moment? That there is actually one flying above your head? Perhaps this is a dream. A dream that has cast you away from all the memories of war. After all, it is things like war that gives a person nightmares. No human being should be able to live with themselves after killing another...especially if they just kept killing. This is Shirin's thinking, anyway. Every face has stuck with her, and though she takes pride in her abilities as a warrior, she cannot take pride in the faces that will no longer be seen by those who once loved them. It is by her blade that hundreds have died over the years. And yet...here she stands, in a dream to take away the nightmares that haunt her reality. Or is it a dream? Perhaps this truly is her reality...

She stares up, standing in the very center of the strangely large colliseum with a group of others, unsure of how to believe what her eyes seem to be seeing. The mighty Nightmare Dragon, a creature of stories told by her father on nights they would go camping in the woods, hovers above them, a rider on its back. Just the sight of the creature has her shuddering slightly. But then she remembers that fear is necessary to win a fight, for without fear, you are a madman. It is at that remembrance that she remembers why she is here. Her family. Parents dead because of her....brother lost his leg because of her. And for what? To continue wandering around the country in search of the next battle, never knowing when her next meal would be? The chill in the air makes her shiver slightly...or maybe that's just her mind beginning to once more reveal its insecurities. Her armor is freshly shined and polished, every little ringleg devoid of dirt and debris. Even the blue outlines seem to glimmer. Her hair is tied into a braid, and the silver circlet around her head reveals tiny orange stones with turquoise resting between each one. Time seems slow...her mind wishes to wander. But instead of allowing it to do so, she focuses herself, going into battle mode. It's just like any other battle. You fight. You survive. That is the way of war.

Hazel eyes move with the movement of the beast above, orange flecks sparkling in the morning light. Periphreals open up, and depth perception has grown. Every little movement is seen within a 45 degree angle from either side of her. All sounds, particularly that of the wingbeats coming from behind that giant wooden door, are heard and accounted for. When he lands, she draws her blade. And when the door opens, she takes a dive, seeming to know and comprehend that something is about to go either very, very bad or rather good. It's her choice how the odds are.

Orange flames lick at her as bursts of color are blasted at the party behind her. It seems a beast has already taken interest in her strange reaction. Her hair is singed at the tips, and her armor has suddenly grown rather hot. Fear is apparent, but instead of smothering it, she lets it flow through her, feeding her adrenaline. Then, choosing courage over fear, she turns and faces the beast who blasted her. Its face is closer than she had suspected, right behind her. Her blade comes up, bounces off the small scales of its maw as frighteningly blue eyes stare at her with a mixture of curiosity and contempt. She glares back at the dragon, focusing more on its face than any other part of it, even as her eyes soak in the glory of its shimmering scales, the odd strands dancing along its back. It's just another battle. Fight to survive.

Her body grows rigid, and she readies another strike when the beast pulls its head back and stares her down. She hesitates, her gaze rising with his face. It is much larger than she, almost twice her height at the shoulders with the neck adding another of her height on top of it, and yet it appears smaller than some of the other beasts here. Nothing special, it would seem. But it is in that moment that something intrudes on her thoughts. She feels it before it even speaks, her sword lowering almost completely.

~Why do you attempt an attack at me, human?~ The voice is a deep bass, obviously male, and the word is almost spat out. She thinks about it, choosing to speak honestly and with a firm voice, ignoring the strange battles around her.

"I attack to survive. You hit me, I hit you back. That's the order of things." Her voice is sturdy despite how she feels fighting a creature she knows she could never kill alone. She has done much, but killing a dragon is not on the agenda. The dragon takes a moment, his brow furrowing, his mind lingering in hers, as if trying to probe her. She fights back mentally, shoving him out as best she can. Next thing she knows, she hears a mental chuckle as the same laugh rumbles aloud from the creature.

~I do not thing pushing at me will do you any good, human. I like your spirit. You dove away, unlike the others. That lets me know you think a little differently than they do. Perhaps you are mightier than they...perhaps you might actually deserve something as mighty as me or one of my brothers and sisters.~ He laughs again, both inside and outside her head. ~And yet, you do things that would surely get you killed. Why?~

"You fight. You survive. That is the lesson in life." His gaze narrows once more, and slowly his head lowers back to her level, nostrils flaring and taking her scent in.

~You do nothing but war with others, fighting them like you are better than they are. Even more disgusting than a regular human. And yet...you intrigue me. You might be able to pass...but first, you have to fight me. Prove you can survive, human, and then I will open my mind to you...and you to me.~

Before Shirin can even utter a word, the dragon once more pulls his head back. Time slows down for Shirin, and her eyes take in every stage of events that happen within the first five seconds. With his breath at its peak, his chest begins to glow...orange light illuminates the areas between his gem-like scales, reaching up his throat and running along the undersides of his jaw. But just before he lets out the fire that she knows will kill her in an instant, she catches something...one of those hair-like strands catches between the back of his neck and his back. He winces, though not faltering. It's simply a slight facial expression, the sudden squinting in the eye, nothing more. Shirin dives, glad she had kept her sword in hand, managing past the burst of orange flames that hit right on target where she had been mere seconds ago.

The beast lets out a roar that shakes the ground beneath her...or is that really him? She stumbles but instead of continuing to run, she turns, circling him. At this point, she's glad is a little bulkier than most, making him less nimble. He skitters along the hard ground, finding it a little harder to turn, and she takes the chance to leap upon his side right, grasping his wing for support. He snaps at her, narrowly missing her right leg, and stretches his wing out in hopes of shaking her off. But the warrior does not give up that easily. She holds tight with her left arm, crying out at the pain of the old battle wound on her shoulder, and pulls herself high enough up to grab a few of the strands, propping herself up on where his wing meets his shoulder. This time, he gives a small cry, eyes widening, instantly stopping his attack.

"So....this...is your weakness..?" The words are choked out as her ragged breaths are sucked in, the adrenaline pumping through her veins. "This...will make you stop?"

He bows his head slightly, his eyes narrowed, and once more intrudes on her mind, still unable to see her thoughts. ~Yessss...~ His voice has a hiss to it, the end of the word echoing through her. ~You have proven your worth, human. I ask that you not harm me further. I shall do as you command.~

Shirin takes a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh before loosing the little strands to dance in the wind and dropping to the ground, her sword falling from her hand as she falls to her knees, the pain in her shoulder now almost too much to bear. Tears form in her hazel eyes as she looks at him, watching him bow his head to her almost submissively. And yet, there is still a great deal of contempt in his eyes. "I only ask...that you be a friend in a time of need. I ask that you not be my enemy...for I have far too many of those already."

There is a hint of a smile rising to the dragon's lips, and the blazing contempt subsides slightly. His head rises, and he nods to her. No other words are needed, for in that instant, there is a bond of friendship that opens the minds of both human and dragon, forever holding them as one. His life pours into her head, his knowledge and wisdom following suit, and her horrors stumble into his, revealing the reason she needs a friend as much as she does. It is in that instant that they learn the names of one another, the lives, the losses...every little thing is seen and cherished.

"Byriarti...what a name." The words are whispered from Shirin's lips as she lets her hands catch her, her hair, now fallen from its braid, cascades across both shoulders and curtains her face.

~It means Son of Fire, as that is what I am.~

"Well, Byriarti....it's a pleasure to meet you."

 

[AnastiaCrest01]

The air was silent and chilled, yet still filled with adrenaline of a sort, along side much nervousness. The only sound Diari could hear was the pounding of her heart within her chest, not of fear, no, of pure excitement. After all, she was here for a very important reason. The bonding of a Dragon. She thought it unlikely a Dragon would choose her, but that didn't quell her hopefulness and energy. She bounced from foot to foot, eager to get started. As she waited she examined her surroundings. The large doors made of wood caught her attention, she wondering what could be behind them. Then she turned her attention to those around her. Diari realized, with a slight laugh, that the majority of the crowd were female, with the exception of two men. Everyone looked drastically different, too. Different ages, different attire, different expressions, even different backgrounds, it seemed. Though to be expected by their varying ages, they were all different heights. And to Diari's dismay, they were all taller than she was. This made her nervous, being so petite. Even more so with knowing her sword was broken again and she had no time to fix it. Not that it mattered, anyway. Diari Zega was never known to draw her blade willingly when it comes to harming others, not helping them. She favored peace and will try anything to get out of a fight. Her gaze fell on an older man, certainly older than the rest, or so she thought. As she was just grasping what kind of person he was, he turned to look at her. Their eyes met and Diari was about to wave before wing-beats broke the silence. At first she thought it was her heart beating louder. Then she realized it wasn't coming from her chest, but from the sky. She stared upwards, watching the majestic and fierce black and red dragon land on a perch made of stone. Then off came his rider, his movements smooth and fluid, making Diari wish she could move the same.

She recognized the man as Merrik as he came to the edge of the perch to speak. Her eyes closed and she took a deep breath to steady herself. She listened closely as she did her little breathing exercises, preparing herself for what was to come. Suddenly, there were loud creaks from all over the arena. The immediate rise in temperature started to thaw her out, Diari not having realized how cold she was until now. Her eyes shot open just in time to see flashes of color escape the confines of the rooms beyond the doors, of which were now opened wide. Then silence once more. But this was brief, as there was a sudden roar of screeches from the creatures that circled over head. Diari found herself frozen in place as fear and awe took hold of her body. Though only for a short moment, for it was interrupted by the first flame scorching the earth, only a mere inches away from her. The heat caused her to stumble backwards, her legs not yet working. Looking skyward, she saw the one who unleashed the first attack was a small jade colored dragon with emerald wings. It seemed to snicker at her, and she would have called up to the dragon if she wasn't in the path of more fire. Collecting her wits, she jumped then rolled out of the way. She wasn't prepared for that kind of welcome, not at all, and it took her longer than it would have for her to think properly, if this was a normal situation, which it was not. Her mind was still racing as teeth and claws lashed out all over the stadium. Her senses were on high alert as she dodged everything that came her way, even pulling others out of dangerous fire streams and gaping jaws filled with pointed teeth.

She soon found herself close to the wall. Sensing something behind her, she feared being roasted to a crisp, so she ran at the wall. She ran up it as far as she could go, that being only a few steps, before Diari kicked off and flipped backwards. She barely missed a green fire blast, it singing the ends of her hair, and she landed square on an unseen object. As the object flung skyward, she realized in horror that it was a dragon somehow blending in with the world around it. It seemed just as surprised and fearful, she assumed based on the jerky and rapid movements she felt beneath her, causing a rough ride. She managed to find the dragon's horns and held on for dear life as they climbed higher and higher. Suddenly, the dragon stopped moving, falling back towards the earth below. Dirai felt the creature pull in its wings and they plummeted even faster. She couldn't hold on anymore, and slipped, falling head first. She felt the dragons wings beat again as it righted itself, though causing Diari to fall faster due to the air from the wing beats pushing her downwards. after her moments of sheer terror, she regained her ability to think and move properly. She spun in air so she looked as if she was going to belly flop. She forced her body to relax, hoping the falling technique she heard about from others work. Just as she was a few feet away from the ground, she started to twist slightly so her shoulders hit the ground first. She closed her eyes tightly, knowing the hard dirt was even closer than before. Right before she hit it, however, claws dug into her shirt. Then she was gently dropped to the ground, a few centimeters beneath her. Though it was a small drop, she was still winded. She opened her eyes, panting heavily, to find herself confronted with that same jade dragon who tried to fry her up for breakfast earlier. It's dark brown eyes held worry and remorse, and it nudged her gently.

" Are you alright? I hadn't mean to drop you like that, but you quite startled me when you landed on my back." The words echoed in Diari's mind, the voice was of a female's. " I'm okay... I'm alright.... Wait, I scared you?? You scared me! Nearly to death! The fire and the claws and jaws, and that flight..... I think I had enough for one day....." The dragon was silent a moment, lowering her head in what appeared to be shame. " I apologize..... I never intended to harm anyone, just give them a scare..." Diari reached up and gently rested a hand on the green dragon's great muzzle. There seemed to be a response within that gesture, making the dragon relax and feel better about what had happened. " I apologize for my actions as well. Musta drove you crazy." Diari chuckled slightly and brought the dragon's snout to her lips, giving her a light kiss, as one an owner would give their dog. " The name is Diari. Diari Zega. I am from Deltan in Sylvis. It's a pleasure to meet you, er-"
"Halazes. My name is Halazes. It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Diari Zega." The dragon let out a hot breath, as if she had been holding it in. Diari did too before laughing some more and nuzzling the still in reach muzzle. She gasped as Halazes lifted her into a sitting position. Then she smiled and nuzzled the dragon once more, their souls and minds becoming one as their bonding commenced.

 

[Soulserenity20]

​

Tetra Estate - Coliseum, 9:36am

Merrik and Nova stood in near silence as the events before them unravelled, the sheer beauty of the bonds silencing their thoughts, drawing them in to a reverent appreciation. To witness the first bond between man and dragon in over 300 years was truly an event of colossal proportions. They were equally, deeply honoured. While it was true that Merrik had gone through the bond himself, he did not experience it at all like the others were now. For you see, Merrik and Nova could not complete the bond until Nova hatched. Instead, Merrik spent 3 months toting around a large, black egg. He carried it everywhere he went, constantly in silent conversation with his new friend. The two became inseparable within their minds, despite the fact that the bond had not yet fused their souls. The thing with children, is that they don't have mental walls in place, they don't feel the need to shut out areas of their mind of at all control their thought flow. It was this innocence in Merrik that allowed the two to ease perfectly into the bond.

The day Obsidian Nova hatched, was a much more important day for Merrik's parents than it was for him and Nova. The two already knew each other, through the constant exchange of thought and emotion. Merrik already knew the color of Nova's scales, the color of his rings, the shape of his talons. The moment the small drake fully emerged from his egg, Merrik simply scooped him up, wiped the drake's face with his t-shirt, and went about his day as normal. There was no rush of overwhelming emotion like there was for the new tamers, for they had already explored each other's minds, shared their memories, grown accustomed to the other's presence. Needless to say, neither of his parents could truly understand how Merrik was so un-phased by the arrival of the dragon, even his father who was so informed in the ways of the dragons and the bond, could never grasp what exactly went on between little Merrik and the black egg. But Merrik knew, and Nova knew, and that was all the had ever mattered.

The sight before the now-grown pair was stunning in its rawness. Each of the dragons tested the soon-to-be tamers in interesting and unique ways. There were moments when Merrik would flinch slightly, when a jet of flame singed the tips of one woman's hair, or when Halazes nearly dropped her future tamer. But within his heart he knew no harm would befall any of the humans below, and Obsidian Nova's calmness reassured him further. Methuzar, the largest of the yearings, chose a woman with fiery red hair. Not particularly tall or strong looking, which would have seemed to match the brown dragon's type, but there was something about seeing the two together that urged Merrik to believe that the choice could not have been more perfect. He kept his eyes on the redhead for a while longer, a distant part of his mind itching to take in her appearance.

"Nova, who is that woman? The red haired one bonded to Methuzar? I didn't notice it when we first met her, but I know her..." He knew his mind would not let it go until he figured it out. His brow furrowed into an all-too-familiar expression of concern as he raked through his memories, trying to place who the woman was.

Ah, I see you've remembered Miss McNeill. I was wondering when you'd notice. Do you not recall the wild, redhaired girl that would come to the estate on the odd occasion to play with Terria? She was kind to you, she pitied the isolation you endured, and would often sneak into the study to play hide-and-seek with you during your study hours. The dragon pushed some of Merrik's memories back into his mind, for they had remained more clear in his own draconic mind. The dragon felt a momentary rush of warmth, of fondness, of nostalgia, as his lifelong friend recalled one of the few truly carefree moments in his childhood. However, at the words "pitied" and "isolation", the man's mind recoiled into a less enthusiastic state as he was reminded of the severity of his upbringing. The great black drake turned his massive head to look down at his tamer, empathetic in a perfect way, and spoke.

Do not smother the good with bad Merrik. Embrace any thing that puts joy into your heart and mind, for the days now are too dark to push away the light. If any passer-by could have heard the words the dragon offered, they'd have fallen over mad trying to understand how a beast named after the darkest fears of the earth could have spoken such uplifting words. Merrik nodded and took a moment to gather his thoughts before mounting the drake: they were going to go meet the new members of the New Order.

The vast wingspan of Obsidian Nova cast a notable shadow over the grounds as he effortlessly soared down into the coliseum from the stone perch above. The pair observed a number of newly bonded pairs, respecting each dragon's choice. Some pairings made immediate sense to them, others were.... not so clear in their reasoning, but all in all, the Oracle's choice in humans was proving to be true and complete, for the dragons continued to combine their beings with their soulmates. Each bond in its own shot out an overwhelming wave of bliss and love, the sheer power of the accumulated events created what felt like a rushing flow of liquid emotion that spiralled around the high walls of the stone structure and submerged them all in an unexplainable ecstasy. This moment would leave a mark on theses ground; this amount of light mana pooling into this one area would no doubt solidify the ancient spells cast upon these lands.

As Obsidian Nova's muscular hind legs took in the impact of the earth before his front legs came to meet the ground in grace just moments after, Merrik slid off the dragon's right shoulder, his feet meeting the ground without falter. The pair send out a respectful mental greeting to Methuzar to notify him of their approach, and as they closed the space between them, Merrik spoke out to the red haired woman.

"You're lucky to have been chosen as Methuzar's soulmate, though it was hardly a choice at all, at least not on this level of awareness. None the less, you've bonded with an extremely brave and noble drake. His size could not compare to the vastness of his character." Merrik looked up at the mountain dragon, a fond glint in his eyes as he felt the returning wave of nostalgia rush into his mind. He recalled fond memories of the last two years spent with the yearlings, with Methuzar. When the brown drake was newly hatched, it had taken him nearly 3 weeks longer than the other dragons to find his wings, his bulk and build working against his favor. While Merrik knew mountain drakes were more of the earth than of the skies, he had admired the dedication that dragon put in to completing whatever task that was put before him. He never let his size get the best of him and never missed a moment to use his size to his advantage.

Seeing the dragon bonded now to a small, delicate human, a woman nonetheless, made his appreciate the drake's dedication and constant strive for greatness that much more. He would protect that woman with his life, and he would do whatever it took to ensure that they fit perfectly with each other. Merrik imagined the brown dragon learning how to walk with a lighter step so as not to rumble the earth upon which his soulmate tread. A smile crept across his face as he shared his thoughts with Methuzar.

Obsidian Nova dipped his head in a slight bow to Yennefer before lowering himself to the ground, laying down out of both respect and for ease of eye contact. He then spoke to the woman, allowing his words to be heard by Merrik and Methuzar so as to include them in their conversation.

My lady, you've grown into quite the woman. Never in my life would I have thought that one so close to the Tetra family at one time would return here once more to claim a place among the legends. Perhaps you remember the rare summer days when young Miss Tetra would convince her mother to allow her friends to come play in the meadow? Perhaps you would remember the day you thought you saw a bat in the library and continued to cause quite a ruckus over the fact that that bat could have been "injured and disorientated, lost and afraid, and that you must help it."

The dragon winked at the woman, a knowing look to his blood red eyes. You should know now that that "bat" was not a bat at all, but instead a young nightmare dragon keeping watch over his dearest friend without allowing himself to be discovered by an outsider.

Despite the fact that the woman had spent only a handful of days at the estate, decades ago, it was an unusual, pleasant feeling to have a memory to recall with another person, something Merrik rarely had the opportunity to do.

 

[Erranruin]

The odd pair stayed unusually still throughout the ruckus and drama that played out around them. Methuzar's huge wings gently and slowly had begun to encircle Yennefer's tiny form as she sighed and leaned her body into his nose, naturally conforming so that they were in as much contact as possible. They had their eyes closed as they both tried to brace against the waves of euphoia and memories and emotions that crashed between their minds. It was intense and staggering and Yennefer herself was unsure of how she would ever move from this spot, how she could ever distract herself away from just being with this being and feeling him all around her. But Methuzar knew better, his strong ropes of thought were easy to hold onto and he helped her keep just on the surface of reality. For while Methuzar's mind was a solid and sturdy rock of durability and strength and straight lines, Yennefer was used to letting her thoughts run free to wherever they wished to go, following her ideas down whatever rabbit hole they lead her and letting them be uncatchable and ethereal, like air. They both knew for certain that they were the best match for eachother that could possibly have been.

Jarringly and suddenly, they were struck from their personal and quiet reverie by the thunderous landing of Obsidian Nova's bulk nearby them. Methuzar's wings whooshed back to expose Yennefer to the outside while his head jerked back a little, sending her stumbling forwards at the loss of support before he caught her once again on his nose. She gave a little laugh under her breath as she looked into Methuzar's swirling bronze eye before quickly tucking a thick lock of red hair behind her ear and pushing herself upright to look to her new mentor. It had been strange to see him so grown up after all these years, she had felt it would be very rude to have reminded him of their shared past when he clearly had not remembered her. It had been his dear little sister she had been closest with at the time. But she had still felt affection for the lonely little boy. Well he was not a lonely little boy any longer. Now he was a warrior and Dragon Rider a Commander of an Army of Dragon Tamers and she was his student and a Soldier under his command. She knew enough of war and soldiers to know how she should treat him now and that was not like a little boy in need of a friend. So as he approached she held her back straight and her hands behind her back and bowed her head slightly in respect as Methuzar did the same to both Merrick and Obsidian Nova.

"You're lucky to have been chosen as Methuzar's soulmate, though it was hardly a choice at all, at least not on this level of awareness. None the less, you've bonded with an extremely brave and noble drake. His size could not compare to the vastness of his character."

This ellicited a small but brilliant smile from her. How she agreed with him. She mimicked Merrick's line of sight to gaze up at her bonded mate with indescribable affection. She felt such pride at having been chosen by such a creature, yet she felt Methuzar's genuine joy and gratitude at his luck at finding one such as her to be his partner. Yennefer realised the risk of being drawn back into her Dragon's mind and quickly blinked and dragged her attention back to her Mentor.

"I would be the first to agree with you, Mentor. I will treasure him.." It was a simple sentence but she truly meant it. She already felt her heart beating in time with his and wanted to suffuse his world in her love and trust and respect for him. She felt more than heard his rumbling hum of complete reciprocation. She was vaguely aware enough of Merrick's existence that she saw his own look of affection directed at the huge mountain dragon. Seeing Methuzar's childhood and relationship with Merrick through the dragon's eyes, she noted his respect and desire to grow worthy of Merrick and Obsidian Nova's trust in him. She saw that Merrick had always supported the dragons and raised them with love. Her respect for him bloomed.

The stream of images and predictions Methuzar received flowed straight through him and into Yennefer's, like water following its natural course, and she chuckled heartily at them, nodding in silent agreement. That certainly sounded like her Sir Dragon indeed. At that moment a large shadow crept over her that caused her to turn and watch the nightmare dragon approach her and then drop to his belly so that she could properly see his face. There was a moment of silence where she stared up at his lean and graceful form before a thrumming and intoning voice echoed into her mind.

My lady, you've grown into quite the woman. Never in my life would I have thought that one so close to the Tetra family at one time would return here once more to claim a place among the legends. Perhaps you remember the rare summer days when young Miss Tetra would convince her mother to allow her friends to come play in the meadow? Perhaps you would remember the day you thought you saw a bat in the library and continued to cause quite a ruckus over the fact that that bat could have been "injured and disorientated, lost and afraid, and that you must help it."

She blinked in mild confusion before her mind clicked at what the dragon was intimating and she actually held her forehead in mild humorous distress. Mistaking a Dragon for a bat? What kind of fool girl had she been all those years ago.

You should know now that that "bat" was not a bat at all, but instead a young nightmare dragon keeping watch over his dearest friend without allowing himself to be discovered by an outsider.

"Well Mentor, you were certainly accomplished at both those tasks since I have not given the occurrence a second thought until now. I hope I do not make the same mistake again and mistake Methuzar for a hill. Ah but!" She turned quickly to Merrick beside her, a bright and interested smile upon her face. "How is your Sister, Mentor? I have not heard from her in many years." She remembered fondly a young and bright girl, eager to learn all Yennefer had to teach her and kindly and delightful to talk with. They had been fond friends once.

 

[haybalebarn]

Rita
&
Wither

Slowly, the rush came to a stop as their bonding came to an end. Rita was rather glad, to be honest. Sure, it came with a sense of euphoric rush, but delving that deep into his memories brought up too many painful sensations he tried to suppress. He didn't mind too terribly that Wither had gone through them; he just didn't want to relive them himself. He looked up at Wither as she sat on top of him with a contemplative look and he couldn't help but smile. Sure, she might be a little bit easy to figure out, and a bit too "good" for his tastes, but now he was certain they were made for each other. His smile grew a bit wider. He supposed he had lost hope of finding any confidant in another intelligent being. It was a nice feeling, to trust. He shifted uncomfortably and shook away these strange and more pleasant emotions so that he could solve his current problem. "Wither, I'm happy that we're bonded, but is it common practice for a dragon to sit on top of their partner until he dies of starvation?"

This seemed to snap her out of her contemplation over him, and she let out a small growl as she slowly shifted off of him. Perhaps it would be better for the world if I did sit on you until you died.

Rita smirked as he stood up and wiped some of the arena dust off of himself. "I'm sure it would, but the world would be a whole lot less fun now, wouldn't it! Besides, you know you don't mean it." Wither only snorted in reply, but he could see the teasing glint in her eyes which he already knew was there. Now that he was finally able to stand, Rita began looking around at the other pairs that were beginning to form. It was time for him to start enjoying himself and begin understanding the playthings he'd be stuck with for quite a while. Now, who to approach first… Rita noticed that Merrik had begun conversing with a bonded pair and narrowed his eyes at Merrik. Guess he wouldn't be talking to that pair for now, even though the brown dragon certainly looked interesting…

But then his eyes set upon a dragon that looked equally as interesting. The best color to describe the beast would be orange, but it truly was hard to describe the color of it's scales. It seemed to be made up of a multitude of warm colors, from yellow to red to pink, all of the sunsets and sunrises of the world trapped in each scale. It was an impressive looking beast. Wither traced Rita's gaze and answered his question before he had even asked. He's a Solar Dragon. Close connection to the sun. His name is Byriarti. A bit aggressive and overbearing, but his heart is in the right place. Unlike some people I know. She shot Rita a glance.

He simply chuckled. "I don't think mine needs to be if you're going to nag me about it so often. The sun, eh? Sounds interesting. Powerful even. Looks a bit clumsy though, I bet you could dance circles around him in a fight."

Wither neither confirmed nor denied his statement, her eyes now focused on the woman who appeared to have bonded with the Solar Dragon. She had been on the ground and was just now standing up. Wither wasn't surprised; it was rather like Byriarti to force someone into a full blown fight before bonding with them. The woman certainly seemed to fit him though. She looked the most like a warrior out of anyone else around, clad in ringmail. Perhaps a little bit unpractical with her flowing blonde hair and silver band upon her head, but she would certainly be a force on the battlefield. When Rita started walking towards the pair, she joined him, just as intrigued as he was.

Rita smiled a bit as he approached the pair. Time to start the act. He made note of a few scuffles in the dirt and the overall rough shape of the pair. Seems the two had a little scuffle before bonding, which told him a little bit about the dragon. He preferred action, unlike Wither who liked to take her time before jumping straight into a situation. When he was close enough, he addressed the dragon first. "I hear you're quite the fighter from this lady over here." He inclined his head towards Wither. "Your name is Byriarti, yes? I look forward to fighting with you in the future." He now turned towards the woman, who had picked herself up off the ground. "And you certainly look to match your partner." He smiles warmly and gives a polite bow to the pair before addressing the woman again. "My name is Ritathelion, but you can call me Rita. May I inquire what your name is?"

Wither took no such pains to introduce herself. She barely even gave Byriarti a glance as she stalked over to the human beside him. She leaned in close until her head was about a foot away from the woman and looked over her, analyzing the woman with her critical yellow eyes. As Rita continued his introduction Wither backed off a bit, but she still kept her eyes closely trained on the woman.

 

[Soulserenity20]

"How is your Sister, Mentor? I have not heard from her in many years." Merrik paused, his gaze locked on hers, still consumed in his current thoughts of his past and of the days when Yennefer's freckles stood out like dapples of fire about her cheeks. Her skin had long since evened out and her complexion smoothed into the mature, healthy palette of a woman. He blinked away the thought and smiled lightly.

"She is better off where she is now that she would be if she was still with us. She would have been proud to see you where you are now, one with the soul of a great dragon." His words seemed to trail off as he looked over to Methuzar, his expression unreadable but quite obviously not quite as it should be. He cleared his throat before speaking again. "It's good to have you around again Yennefer, I look forward to seeing what you've learned over all these years. We'll catch up at some point, but for now, I'll leave you to enjoy the power of your newly formed bond." He lightly bowed to the woman in a chivalrous manner, Obsidian Nova dipping his massive head down in a similar gesture before he rose up to his full height, Merrik backing up and taking a place at the drake's side. "Methuzar, m'lady." He nodded once more before turning to make his way around the scattered happenings of the coliseum. His mind wandered about, his brow furrowed in its usual manner of deep thought as he felt a sense of responsibility for Yennefer, despite her being his elder of 2 years. She had been kind to him at a time that he had needed it most. He would not repay that kindness with the allowance of injury during these dark times.

You will protect her, just as you have protected the dragons that surround you, just as you will protect these lands for centuries to come. Do not heavy the burden on your mind, for the weight will offer you no gain. Do not dwell on what has not and may not ever come to be.

Merrik simply nodded, his agreement apparent in his emotions to the dragon at his side. As the pair walked slowly about the grounds encased by great stone walls, they held a great respect for the events before them once more. All around them the young dragons were completing their souls and the hope of the future was growing stronger and stronger. Before their eyes, the New Order was forming and Ogual's power over the lands was steadily losing its strength as a great army rose up before him. As Merrik's deep green eyes scanned the duos around him he found his gaze lingering on another pair with a second wave of familiarity itching at his mind.

This was too much; he knew another of the women on these grounds, and to his own luck, it was not a woman he had seduced or upset before. She was familiar in her posture and her way about as she interacted with Byriarti, her soulmate. The solar drake and the warrior stood clasped in a deep embrace as the bond consumed them. Merrik allowed his gaze to linger, trying to place where he knew her from. He remembered her name was Shirin, from the information the oracle had provided him with. But his recognition went beyond his summoning of the woman. As his mind explored his memory banks, he watched Wither and a man Merrik knew to be Rita.

Watching Rita approach the pair, Merrik felt an anger rise up in him, recalling the grounds on which he had met the newly bonded tamer. "Nova, you'll watch him?" He said in confidence to the black drake.

I've been watching him since the moment he stepped onto the property. I wouldn't trust that slithering human for a minute. And of course, Wither will be spoken to regularly to address any issues that may arise between the two of them. Soul mates form at the hands of fate, but fate knows nothing of morales. You've nothing to worry about, I'll keep my eyes on the both of them.

Of course Merrik already knew within his mind that Obsidian Nova had been watching them and he knew that he was on the same page as he was, but even after 21 years of living within the bond, his human nature urged him to work off of his conscious, rather than his subconscious, knowings and to communicate verbally, if even by thought, rather than simply passively exchanging information.

Deciding he wasn't in the mood to converse with Rita, he took a mental note to take a moment to speak with Shirin at a later time, see if he couldn't piece together the puzzle of his past with the woman.

The heir of the dragonlords and the nightmare dragon continued making rounds. They encountered several pairs in deep connection with each other, some were still in the process of being tested and testing, others were levelling out after the bond and had begun making acquaintances with their fellow tames. Everything seemed so surreal, all these people surround himself and his dragons.

They are not your dragons any more Merrik. They have grown, they have 'left the nest', if you would care to compare our great race to the insignificant fowl of the lower skies. The dragon huffed a small puff of smoke, his pride swelling. Once upon a time, Obsidian Nova had partaken in quite a heated rivalry with a Bohdran eagle. Giant birds of the enchanted lands of Sylvis that grew to be 5 times the size of even the largest species of common eagles. At the time, Nova was about the same size as the bird and yet couldn't stand the idea of being bested by the meek, lightweight beings that had taken over the skies since his ancestors left these lands.

Merrik enjoyed the humour that came with his observations of the dragon's recollection, his memories fond. As the pair walked slowly about, Merrik's eyes fell on A'untyr-Miirym, the golden dragon, and his new tamer. The flowing silver locks of the young woman were peculiar and stood out in the midst of the happenings. He observed the two for a short while, interested in, though not surprised at, the lack of movement from the pair. A'untyr's mind was his greatest treasure, and Merrik could only imaging what he could be going through having another soul wandering about its halls without restraint.

Deciding he wished to speak to the silver haired woman, Dalaith, once more, he adjusted his movement accordingly. He recalled from their initial meeting, that she had a curiosity and passion for knowledge that would give A'untyr-Miirym a run for his horde. He smiled, drawing nearer and announced their arrival verbally to Dalaith, having already sought acknowledgements from the golden drake.

When they had reached a distance of no more than a few yards, he stopped, bowing respectfully to the woman. He lifted his gaze to meet hers, remembering just how beautiful the woman was. Her exotic hair color accented her soft features, giving her a mysteriously alluring aura. Knowing she was smart seemed to make her seem even more attractive. As he rose up from his gentle bow, it clicked in his mind that he was surrounded by a fair number of beautiful women. His humanity and his gender placed a cool smirk on his lips, slight and casual. Obsidian Nova's reaction to Merrik's temporary slip into his testosterone pool was enough to snap him back to reality. The exchange, though all within a few seconds, was sobering to Merrik.

He had prepared himself his entire life to be a leader, to be objective, and to have a clear mind. That wasn't about to change because fate selected more female tamers than he had expected. His brow furrowed in deep disappointment with himself for his momentary lapse of character. He would not soon allow such thoughts to enter into his mind again.

"A'untyr-Miirym, I should not be so surprised at your soul's choice. From what I recall, this young lady has quite the mind, not so different from your own." He smiled a cheeky smile at the dragon who had insisted for months before this day that he would not find a human sufficiently intelligent enough to meet his standard. Merrik's expression held a playful 'told you so' tone.

"Lady Malai, how've you been? I recall a great quest for knowledge heading your ambitions when we last met. Perhaps when the time is right you'll have some stories for me this time?" He walked closer, speaking more personally to the woman instead of standing several yards from the pair. Obsidian Nova took a place on the ground, closer to A'untyr-Miirym and dipped his head in respectful salutation to Dalaith when her gaze met his. The dragon then turned to the gold one beside him, looking down at the young drake, and offered his thoughts to the other as he had so many times.

Tell me, A'untyr, is it all that you thought it would be? You had filled your own mind with doubt for many moons, and yet your soul is now whole. What does this lead you to think of the humans? Do you see now that even one of common birth may hold the mind of a legend? Merrik is not a mutant of his kind, there are many with great wisdom and intelligence. Whatever lead you to Dalaith was fate, but I am curious what settled it within your own mind, your own heart. The black dragon cared deeply for each of the drakes in the coliseum. He had wished deeply for the bond to be everything they had hoped it would be. He truly cared about how they felt, about their best interests, about their well-being and their happiness. Furthermore, he held a fascination for the process of a bond so different from his own.

 

[Mowkie]

Painful Memories

Perhaps in other bonds, there is an embrace or even a touch of affection within the hearts and bodies of both dragon and tamer. But this is not the case for a pair as brutal as Shirin and Byriarti. For as the bonding continues, they seem to only wish to move farther apart. And yet, the great Solar Dragon rests his wing over her, just barely touching her back as if to shield her from the enemies she had just spoken of. And when the fog clears, Shirin looks up, hazel eyes blocked by dilated pupils, face dripping slightly with sweat. Her breaths are still ragged, and his have become so as well.

Slowly, she stands, the chill of the air finally sweeping over her as he lifts his wing ever-so-slightly as to not knock her back down. But when the shadow of his wing lifts from her, Shirin feels the light of the sun above her, and suddenly, she feels whole again. A surge of warmth and comfort fills her, and almost instantly the wince of pain in her shoulder disappears, eyes closing as she lifts her face to take in more sunlight. She lets out a breath of relief, her face completely relaxing into its emotionless state, eyes opening to look over at her dragon, who seems to be chuckling. Her mind clears, and she can hear his laughter within it, flowing as naturally as her own thoughts. And yet his frigid blue eyes stare her down warily.

"Is this how it feels for you all the time?" Her question is light, still slightly winded as Byriarti moves closer to her, letting her lean against his shoulder. He gives a brief nod before turning his gaze to the other dragons briefly. ~Solar Dragons are able to soak up the sunlight...we can heal using the vital energy. It would appear that upon bonding with me, you have been granted the same courtesy.~ Shirin smiles warily, nodding, before looking out as well.

It is about this time that she spots the man striding forward. Her body tenses, pupils once more dilating as she instinctively raises the sword that somehow remained in her right hand. "Rix..." This is a whisper, only heard by her dragon. Shirin feels Byriarti search her memories to find the boy she had come to know as a child. He is the same age as she, perhaps only a few months older. But because she was born on the outskirts of Televar, she would not come to know him until her early teen years. She remembers him, at first, quite fondly. After all, he had been kind to her. That was back when she was a bright girl with much emotion to show...that was back when she had Kaliduras to protect her. But then she remembers the deaths of those he had been close to, the disappearance of him when Shirin was only sixteen, no more than a week after her father died, and the rumors that spread throughout Televar about the boy and his...games. This is what causes the blade to rise as he addresses Byriarti, who narrows his gaze and growls warily, not wishing to speak to the man directly, for fear that it might only trigger something more...angry about Shirin...for fear that her anger might also consume him.

The dragon can feel Shirin's anger. He can feel the pain that sears through her, even though her face never once changes from its monotone state. Not even her eyes seem to glimpse at the pain that causes her to ache. After all, Rix had possibly been the only friend she made within Televar. She never got out much...she was home-schooled, and most of her work was over the art of the sword. So, seeing the painfully familiar face only brings back the memories of before she became a mercenary.

"You go by Rita now, huh? After the other one?" Her voice is strained, flushed with anger. "I take it you did that after you disappeared?" He would not remember her...this much Shirin can understand. She takes a breath, lowering her sword. She is not good at games. She never was. Byriarti looks at her before addressing Wither directly. ~Is he as painful a person as Shirin seems to feel he is? This is quite intriguing...~ There is interest there as well as obvious disgust...not only for Rita, but for Shirin, who can't seem to get any control over herself. ~We must see what comes of this.~ It is this time that he gives his tamer a mental nudge, allowing her anger, and through her, his anger, to subside.

It is about this time that Wither gets no farther than a foot away from Shirin, who instinctively begins to raise her sword...it is the art of the warrior to fight and survive. That much Byriarti has learned...even before the bond. He gives a growl as response to Shirin's reaction, but whether that growl is aimed at Shirin or Wither, one cannot be too sure. Shirin stands completely, no longer leaning against Byriarti, taking two steps from the dragon before waving her bastard sword against her waist and giving a slight bow. "Forgive me, I am Shirin, mercenary of Televar. Perhaps you have heard of me." This time, there is no anger in her voice. A simple monotone, perhaps hinted with a sly bit of sarcasm. Her eyes do not glimpse her emotions, and her body language speaks little of what she feels. This is only one of the arts she has begun to master. Rising back up to stand straight, Shirin places the tip of the blade on the ground, leaning on it slightly, knowing all-too-well that she'll have to sharpen it later. All these thoughts and memories have once more seemed to drain her, but she feels the strength of the sun and draws on it as best she can. Byriarti once more looks at her with frigid blue eyes before peeking over at Rita. What is his side of the story? What is he hiding?

Perhaps that is the question of the day.

 

[Shadicmaster]

Tetra Estate - Colesium

​

Dalaith was grateful for the rest that being able to sit atop Unityrim provided as she basked in the warmth of the steadily rising sun. Never had she thought that just becoming lost in her thoughts, and those of the dragon's, could be so comforting. She had only just managed to push aside the rapid playing of her own memories in her mind and went about in sifting through the wealth of information that her partner now provided, but strangely enough, as she tried to look through some of the memoires, she could feel an uneasy shift in the beast beneath her, a slight snort of contempt being released as he tensed and then slowly laid his head down. His whole body was ridged as he reminded himself over and over not to block her out, Dalaith hearing such reminders and becoming perplexed. Hadn't he wanted this..? The girl shook her head with a slight sigh. Privacy is privacy, and if the great drake wasn't ready to share all of his memories, she wouldn't force him. Especially considering a past as... turbulent as hers. She defiantly didn't want to be sharing. A slight sigh of relief seemed to wash over A'untyr as waves would wash over the shores of the ocean, the tension leaving his body. He would like to keep his mind his own for a bit longer, despite the pull to become even closer interwoven in the life of his new tamer. She was smart, but not just that. She was wise. She could apply what knowledge she had so as to make beneficial decisions, and quick ones at that. Such was proven in his test as he sensed her heart racing as fast as her mind was whittling through ideas so as to defend herself. Just thinking back to the experience brought the fresh memory to his mind, bathing him in her emotions and immersing his mind into her thoughts. He smiled slightly. Yes, this one was different than the others. Or at least, different than most of the others. There was one other who was like her that he probably would have chosen if not her. He could tell that in the breaks between her thought processes, Dalaith was looking at the same person. The man who had bonded to the swamp dragon, Rita as he heard from the pair's discussion. From what he could tell from afar due to the conversations around him, though clouded by the continuing tests, he was one with the art of trickery. His choices didn't seem all that intelligent though, as he thought more about it, and was glad he had the fortune of having the tamer he had first chosen.
Dalaith tried to distract herself from the thoughts of her dragon, but became pulled into the contemplations of her new partner none the less, becoming a little more nervous, but mostly sad at the fact that she might not have had the luck to be paired with who she now was. She looked up to the billowing clouds above them and forced herself to think rationally about it all. There was no difference as to whether this dragon had chosen her or not. There were other dragons that she could have bonded to, and now, they would have to live with what decisions they made, or didn't make. So caught up in her thoughts, the girl didn't notice the approach of their leader, Merrik, until he had announced himself, not even having let the returned greeting of her dragon rouse her from her contemplative state. Smiling slightly as she unsteadily slid herself off of the left side of her dragon, Dalaith landed rather jarringly and needed the support of A'untyr's wing so as to keep steady until she could get her legs under herself properly. No matter the times she had seen this man before her dismount his dragon, the elegant and noble Obsidian Nova, it was definitely not an easy task to land properly.
The dragon snorted slightly, shifting and raising his head to a bit of a higher level, not akin to being talked down to.
"She is sufficient, though there is still some left to want." he replied flatly, a boastful attitude prevailing over him so as not to speak truth. He hadn't thought that any of the tamers would suit him, true, but he also hadn't expected one to come so close to the standard he had set for himself. Dalaith was hurt slightly to hear the words, but then she felt the true words that he had hidden and lightly punched the firm shoulder of the drake.
"You know that you don't mean that you troll!" she protested, hiding a wince as pain had shot up her arm, her body fairly weak in comparison to most everyone in the arena. With a slightly nervous chuckle, she looked back to Merrik to reply.
"I am doing well, though I haven't found but one thing that I have come in search of. It's disappointing, but i would rather be here than out and about looking for knowledge that will serve me no benefit. I am rather glad that I had decided to come. This is an experience leaving nothing for me to be in want of." A smile slowly teased at the corners of the young girl's lips as a liveliness entered her eyes, betraying her joy and excitement. As she spoke, she let her gaze flit over to the dragon that was in Merrik's constant company, understanding their bond so much better now, or at least, coming closer to understanding it.
"Do tell, sir Tetra, by what would you so wish by way of 'stories'? I can fabricate anything for you to believe, but if you are in want of a tale of experience, you may be far better off asking one of the more adventurous of the people you had invited to this great gathering." She said, a lightly playful and teasing tone to be found in her voice.
A'untyr let the great dark dragon rest himself beside him as he watched over his tamer, being sure to keep an eye on her emotional state, a few memories that he had found within her worrying him greatly. He did, however, allow himself a conversing with his mentor, despite not liking how... prying the questions he asked felt.
"I find this experience to be much more than I had anticipated, though I should not have let myself think so lowly of them. I realize that there must be ones of intelligence among this fragile race, else, they would not have survived these centuries without the protection of the dragonic kind. I did require convincing of this girl's worth, However, and thus, gave a very simple test. Despite the test's simplicity, I am quite sure that few others would be able to answer as she had. She could read my intent as if I were a scroll opened before her with my words falling into place to be arranged in proper order. I find that we will at least be an agreeable pair, though differences between us are bound to arise." he replied coolly, using his mental voicing of opinion. He knew that the dragon had meant well in his questioning as he, on many occasions had expressed his concern over the small family's well being, and so he tried his best to answer without any form of deceit.

 

[Nue]

Well it seems that Falor was already beaten by the red haired woman, who's dragon makes Dakan look pretty wimpy, not that he was jealous or anything, Dakan was a pretty great dragon, if you set aside his endless rambling and his egocentric ideals. Falor watched as the amazing Merrik flies down with Obsidian Nova from his perch toward the woman, they immediately acted as they knew each other and exchanged glances Dakan gave a sly remark to Falor, "showoff." He wriggled his neck and gave Obsidian Nova a look of distaste as Falor turned to him and raised an eyebrow, "And let's get things straight, until you can beat that 'showoff' in a race or a battle, you are not allowed to say that! It's insulting, even worse, he is leading All o us, and you should respect that." The dragon snorted in reply and he pressed his face against the ground, "By the way, the dragon's name is Methuzar, I have yet to have been told the soulmates' name, but i am sure we will find out soon enough." He never got to have a good look at Merrik, he was somewhat closer now, so he got a better view of Merrik Tetra. He looked like a legend just as much as he is one, his armor is sublime, with a dull look as it has been used for a while, yet it still retains its shape, nice. As for his face, it looked somewhat hardened, yet he cracked a friendly-looking smile toward the woman, and that assured Falor that this man was not one of those wise-butt bandit chiefs who he saw while defending the caravan, they would never lead a group as diverse as this. Merrik, on the other hand seemed well fit for the job of leadership role. Falor only wished he knew more about that red-haired woman, and why and how she knew Merrik Tetra. Right now though, a lot of things to this place seemed like a mystery...
Falor now fixed his attention on another pair of recently-bonded tamers, it seems that that other guy was actually going for it, that deserves some props in itself, however Falor was not the cheery type, but the woman then started to pull out a sword, and looked like she was going to kill him for a second, but a good look at it tells Falor that it seems that these two have actually known each other as well! That is truly sad, this poor, old man has yet to see anyone here he knows! It is not like that bothers him, it is the questions Dakan is about to spurt out in a second...
"Hey, Grandpa, do-" Falor cut him off to correct him, "No I know absolutely no one here, unless you cout the time i spent unconscious with Merrik Tetra as 'knowing him'."
"Does that make you angry?"
"No, your endless questions annoy me."
"Would you prefer that I prank the others instead?"
"No, that is too childish...I am really considering to reconsider the smart one here."
The dragon raised his wings and stood up to stretch while Falor proceeded to look at this second group, the feisty woman turned out to be the pompous, sunlit haired woman from his earlier observation, to kind of think about it, her armor reminded him of someone legendary, who his father said he hired once for some brief protection from a conspiracy plot against him, that woman's name was only known to him as 'Shirin' according to him, she was legendary, one of the best ,mercenaries around. The story of her and him versus The Conspiracy was by far one of the best, to put things short and blunt, she kicked a lot of people's butts, and brought down a major group bent on world domination. There were huge explosions and everything. He went to talk to his dragon about the woman's dragon, "What can you tell me about that woman's dragon down there?" Dakan replied smugly. "Oh, now you want ME to answer YOUR questions? No way bucko! That's not how I work, too bad." He face-palmed himself, "Alright, I get your message, you can ask me questions, but no more than three at a time, do we have a deal?" The dragon moved closer toward Falor, and proceeded to stare at him with his deep, yellow eyes. then pushed Falor lightly and attempted to beg to him, but he just crossed his arms and gave him a stern look. Dakan sighed and raised his head. "Fine. The dragon's name is Bryiarti, the solar dragon. He's a very strict and somewhat mean dragon, I honestly think he is always trying to be a suck up toward Obsidian Nova, but he knows better, super Overprotective, I almost feel sorry for her, but then again, he chose her, so it should work out just fine. His looks and stance, as you can obviously see, is always perfect, that obvious majestic look, Obsidian Nova always does it better, but he would always to come in a close second. I really don't like him..." Falor just gave him a 'thumbs up', "And what of the other dragon, the green one?" the dragon replied, "Oh the green one? That's Wither. I don't really know much about her, other than she is the mysterious type, she tends to stay far away from me." Now focusing his eyes back to the other group, Falor saw Merrik got back up on his dragon, and flew off toward another person who seemed like they just finished bonding, this was the silver lady that was noticed earlier. It turns out, she looked younger then she actually looked. Her dragon was of gold shading, its scales glinted in the sunlight, with a nice, pointed head and a lovely, sleek pair of wings. Dakan, finally bored and fed up with him just staring at people, decided to ask Falor another question. "Why do you like looking at people when there are, so many other, better things to do?" Falor, put his hand on Dakan's right shoulder, and spoke softly. "Because I love listening to stories." Dakan cocked his head. "You are making no sense!"
"I am making perfect sense, you do not just understand me yet."
"It appears as you are correct in that statement, grandpa."
Falor watched as both Merrik and the silver-haired lady both began talk. Falor whispered to Dakan. "Want to try and fly?"
Dakan nodded in agreement, "Finally! something that isn't boring!" Falor couldn't help but just roll his eyes.
This situation is fun, granted no one noticed the bond between him and Dakan, which was good, because people made him feel weird.

 

[haybalebarn]

Rita
&
Wither

Rita paused, then slowly whispered her name. "Shirin?" He blinked. Blink. Blink. Memories, memories. Crashing down. All around, all around. Past darkness, go away, stop searching for, the light of day. He thought he had enough of them today, yet here he was meeting a relic of his past he hadn't even recognized. But she had recognized him. How could she not? After all, he had abandoned her. His first friend. Most likely her first friend as well. She was the one who had made him decide maybe friends weren't so bad. Without her he never would have searched for others. Made others. Killed others. He wanted to blame her, but he couldn't quite do it. A small part of him whispered, "Run! Stay away! I killed the others, just watch; I'll end up killing you too!" He wanted to break down. He wanted to scream in anger. He wanted to hate himself, well, he already hated himself. He wanted to hug her, kiss her, hold onto one of the few truly good memories he had truly had before it slipped away as he was sure it would. But he was not the one to let emotions overrun him. He was the master of emotions, and so he would control his own, or at the very least direct them. He was quite certain he wasn't in the range of control for the time being.

Unlike Rita, Wither knew it was coming from the very start. She had recognized the woman from a flash of memory she had observed. She hoped this would be a useful tool. Only time would truly tell. She registered the words of her fellow dragon as they entered her mind, but she didn't respond immediately, letting her brain choose the right words. In the meantime she leaned in towards the woman and noted with some amusement as sword began to rise, and this brought a response from Byriarti as well.

"Forgive me, I am Shirin, mercenary of Televar. Perhaps you have heard of me."

There was a light tone in Wither's voice when she sent a thought to all present. And forgive me for making you uncomfortable, Miss Shirin.

It took a moment after Wither introduced herself, but then Rita spoke, although softly. "Don't do that. I prefer the anger. It's more real." He looked to the ground, an uncomfortable, uncertain, and ashamed look upon his face. This only lasted for a short time before he looked back up at her face, observing and trying to reconcile what he had just discovered. If anyone asked him if he was faking it, he would have said yes. But honestly, he wasn't sure where the fake emotion ended and the real began.

With that, Wither turned her gaze to Byriarti, offering her words to him privately, which she had thought upon earlier. She didn't pull any punches. He's worse, but he can be so much better. Everything is almost understandable, if you get to know his past. Almost. He's certainly rough, but I can make him better. She inclined her head towards the human pair. And I believe this is good. He constantly runs away from his past, but he'll never be able to improve without confronting it. I'd ask that you keep this secret from both her and others. Revealing what he's like will only ostracize him, make him worse. And if you wouldn't mind encouraging her to give him a second chance, I would appreciate it. I'd like to try and improve this diamond in the rough. It was hard to tell, but there was almost a pleased tone to her thoughts. This would be a project, to fix him. But perhaps if she had help, it could work. Especially if it was Byriarti; he was always ready to get into the thick of things in an instant, same as her. She liked him.

 

[Mowkie]

Acting on Memories

So he does recognize her. Shirin watches as Rita seems to fight himself, though over what, she's really not sure. Perhaps she is not the greatest master when it comes to actually controling her emotions, but she is the master at hiding them. Her eyes narrow slightly as her mind tries to play catch up to all that is happening before her. After all, this is the only friend she has ever truly had...the only person she grew to trust outside her own family. He was the one who is the reason she no longer trusts people. He is the reason she has grown so dark in her years. Perhaps all it took was her brother losing his leg to finalize the process that had started when she lost her father and her only friend...the boy in the love quarrel. Ha! He never noticed. He never seemed to care. Threw her away like garbage. Nothing left but hurt and lies. The anger swells before the dragons quells it. At least Byriarti is good for something.

The Solar Dragon keeps a close eye on her memories, watching them like movies playing through her head. All he needs is a good snack, and he'd be set. He watches young Shirin introducing herself. Back then, she was a beautiful little girl who wore dresses and skirts into town, ribbons woven into her braids, a more feninine circlet over her hair, a gift from her deceased mother. One would never suspect that this little girl was going to be one of the greatest mercenaries in the North. It can't be suspected that by this time, she had already begun to train with the bastard sword she wields now.

It is when she raises the sword that Byriarti reacts without thinking. Her anger is hard to control, and seeing as the bond is so new, the dragon doesn't really know how to completely control what is going on within her bondmate. He forces his growl to stop before it becomes something more, pushing aside his own strange, almost alien emotions, and looking back at Wither, who is just now apologizing to Shirin for getting so close. A lightness shimmers in his frigid eyes a moment, a hint of a smile rising on his lips. Shirin nods to Wither, speaking aloud. "Thank you...I would ask that you not get so close again. Battle instinct and all. I'd like to keep all of my limbs, and I can't do that if I'm going around attacking dragons." Once more, this is said in a monotone voice, perhaps with a little lightness to it. But there is no hint of any emotion...no anger. No joy. No sorrow....nothing.

"Don't do that. I prefer the anger. It's more real."

Hazel eyes flare with raging orange and emerald as they once more come to rest on the one she used to call Rix with such affection. That is the only shimmer of anger, and as quickly as it comes, it is gone, and her eyes are once more devoid of emotion. Her body trembles slightly with the outburst of rage, but she will not allow him the satisfaction of seeing her at her worst. She pushes against it, fighting the anger, to keep it from entering her low voice, even as Byriarti attempts once more to keep from growling, allowing only something slight to slip from his crest. She stares the man down, brows furrowing. "Tell me, why should I allow you the pleasure of seeing the real me when you cannot be bothered to let others see the real you? Do you even know who you are any more. I sure as hell don't." Surprisingly enough, there is little emotion even in her questions. She remains true to her word, not bothering to allow him the satisfaction of playing his little games on her. She leans rather heavily on the sword, driving the tip into the ground beneath her as the wind picks up just slightly, pulling at her waist-length hair.

Byriarti listens to what Wither speaks to him, pushing away his bondmate's emotions so that he can listen with a clear head. He gives a nod of understanding, knowing good and well that without a tamer, a dragon cannot fight as they were born to do...add this to the fact that without Rita, Wither would not be the same...if she were even here. When Wither stops speaking, Byriarti chuckles slightly, speaking directly to her, keeping his speech from his bondmate as best he can. ~It is a good thing that she does not seem the type to want to go through my head and pick things up like I do to her. She wants as much privacy as possible, the poor little human. But as disgusting as humans go, these two do not seem so bad. Perhaps they shall be worthy of us, if we take away what might make them so very disgusting. I shall do my best to shield this conversation from her, and I will push her to speak to him often. But memories are to be made in all places. There are more people she knows in this place, and there are more things for her to explore. This process will be a slow one, but it will be enjoyable nonetheless.~ He inclines his head towards Wither, a gleam in his solid blue eyes.

It is at this time that Shirin takes a deep breath, eyes staring at Rita with what might be contempt, though it is hard to say, and says, "Perhaps you should think more on your actions before asking me of mine." She looks away from him, turning her back, no longer wishing to speak, and yet not wishing to move, either. Byriarti looks to Wither once more before looking down at Shirin, spreading his wing slightly over her, as if to try and shield her. ~Perhaps if you made friends with him, you would have less enemies. You are the one who wanted a friend, not an enemy.~ The reaction is only more anger, but only mental. If a dragon could roll their eyes, Byriarti is doing so.

Humans really are silly creatures.

 

[Erranruin]

​

"She is better off where she is now than she would be if she was still with us. She would have been proud to see you where you are now, one with the soul of a great dragon." Yennefer frowned slightly, her mind suddenly turning analytical as she looked Merrick up and down, noting his strange behaviour for this situation and finding it slightly concerned her. Terria... was not still with them? That sounded like something someone would say if a loved one had died... Was that what he meant? She couldn't quite decifer his mannerisms. She was about to question him further when he cut her off, as was his right. "It's good to have you around again Yennefer, I look forward to seeing what you've learned over all these years. We'll catch up at some point, but for now, I'll leave you to enjoy the power of your newly formed bond." The woman answered his bow with a bow of her own, to Obsidian Nova as well, still frowning in thought and concern. She watched him go before turning her mind towards Methuzar once more. "Sir, was our mentor's manner just now usual for him? You know him better than I.." She noted the similar tendril of concern threaded into her Dragon's thoughts. No.. he seems distracted by something... But I would not worry over-much Milady, our Leaders are strong of will and body. I trust in them. Well Yennefer could certainly feel that. Methuzar had such a strong tie of loyalty to the pair, like a Knight Sworn to service with no doubts nor questions against their liege lord. It was good for him, but Yennefer was of a different frame of mind, she naturally questioned and no matter how much respect she held for Merrick and his position, she was bound to question him many times in the coming months and years.

Yennefer tried to take a more active interest in the bonds occurring around them and endeavoured to note each person with each dragon and memorise the couples for later... but she was still so intrigued with Methuzar's mind and nothing could really tear her from studying his memories for long. Methuzar and she had such mild manners compared to the other couples and no matter what their differences, which were indeed many and great, they both could see that they would tend towards peace and politeness and compromise in their relationship. However it seemed that something Merrick had said had pushed a thought to the fore of Methuzar's mind and he was certainly getting himself worked up about it. Yennefer felt him sift anxiously through her past, focusing on moments when she had been in danger and agonising over the details of the each one. At one point he found a moment where she had been in the centre of a battlefield in a hastily erected medical tent while trying to save the lives of five men all at once, when enemy soldiers had stormed her tent and held a sword to her throat, punching her in the stomach when she complained with indignancy about the intrusion. He brought it hastily to the forefront of her thoughts and she really felt that hit to her abdomen, it knocking some air out of her.

Coughing instinctively, she tried to calm him, retracting her mind from his to focus more on the present which allowed her to see his giant form begin pacing nervously, his head and tail swinging anxiously while a low and continuous keen registered his distress. You are so fragile! He whined at her, genuine fear and shock lacing his tone. He threw various incidents at her from her memories when she had hurt herself or been threatened by men with bad intentions or her body had just failed her naturally on its own. Humans are weak, Mentor Merrick is small and brittle but I could never expect, never imagine, something even more breakable than that! His own thoughts began to rush with all the various horrendous things that could possibly hurt her. It was rather unpleasant for Yennefer to watch and she pressed some calm onto him rather forcefully. "I am good at taking care of myself Sir, have I not survived until now?" He gave a very concerned and completely unconvinced rumble snaking his head down to stare at her with one swirling bronze eye. Yes, but how remains a mystery to me! So many points in time when you were at risk and I was not there to protect you.. She felt his heart skip a beat at that thought and he keened again, very genuinely distressed, although he was quickly returning to a more calm and collected manner. You could not break that stoney stability for long. She sighed at him in mock frustration. In truth, she was smiling at how protective he had become of her after such a short span of time and she could also see deep in his heart how impressed he was with her at managing to survive and thrive while also being so incredibly brittle. She reached up to touch his nose and soothe along the side of his scaled and spiny cheek, which at least ellicited a grumbling note of pleasure.

 

[haybalebarn]

Rita
&
Wither

"Tell me, why should I allow you the pleasure of seeing the real me when you cannot be bothered to let others see the real you? Do you even know who you are any more. I sure as hell don't."

Had real emotions always been so raw? He supposed so, but it had been so long since he had allowed himself to feel them, he had forgotten. How long ago was it since he left? Eight years. Eight years since he had allowed any real emotion to surface. Oh sure, he had felt annoyance or amusement in those years as his plans came to fruition or were foiled, but these were only minor things. Nothing with such gravity. He had forgotten how hard it could be to sort through emotions in the heat of the moment. A rush of things he wanted to say, things he could say, things he never would say. He decided to screw acting, he was barely in control anyways. Let the emotions do the talking. He had silenced them for so long, he should let them go free. And as his emotions sorted themselves in an instant, a burning anger found predominance.

Wither could feel the burning anger flare through their bond, and it pleased her. Perhaps anger wasn't the best emotion to be feeling, but he was feeling it, not controlling it, and that was important. However, decisions made in anger were regrettable, and so through their bond she helped combat the flaring anger slightly, urging him to save his words for a later time. It was far too soon and public right now. A slight breeze coursed through the arena and rustled both Rita's and Shirin's hair, and he remember a faint spark of memory from when he was a child, how much he loved to feel the wind through his hair. He had probably mentioned it to Shirin once or twice. He had forgotten…

It was in this introspective break by Rita that Byriarti spoke to Wither. She was rather glad he shared the same perspective as she did. She found his views on humans amusing though; they were not nearly as disgusting as he seemed to think they were. But she'd let him think what he pleased. Byriarti wasn't the one she was trying to change. I think they are already worthy. It will just take some time to reach their full worthiness. And of course there shall be memories to be made with others. I just have a feeling that these two may be the best for fixing each other. Call it instinct. There was a light, smirking tone in her voice. She was glad Byriarti agreed with her.

"Perhaps you should think more on your actions before asking me of mine."

Rita's anger returned in full force. The audacity of both this comment and her last rubbed him the wrong way. Never once had he intentionally hurt neither her nor his other friends. Never once had he tried to be fake. She was one of the few people he had felt he could be honest with. The first. And now here she was, presuming she knew everything about him. Wither let out a slight grunt at this new wave of anger and tried to combat it, but Rita wasn't going to let this comment slide anymore. He was done with the accusations. And now she had turned her back. It seems she didn't wish to hear anything from him. Too bad. His words were biting, laced with controlled anger. "I don't see what you expect me to say to you. Seems you already have me all figured out, which I must say, congratulations, that's quite the feat, considering how much we've talked since I've left. I hadn't realized you could know a person without ever talking to them. I suppose I'll keep it that way, just to make sure that actually hearing what I have to say won't confuse your knowledge of me."

With that, Rita turned and stalked away. He wasn't sure where to, and so he picked a spot that was clear of any other people. Some solitude would be nice. Wither merely looked as he walked away and let out a huff. She gave Byriarti a wink and then followed Rita, conversing and trying to distract his thoughts with other things.

 

[Soulserenity20]

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Tetra Estate - Coliseum, 9:36am

"Do tell, sir Tetra, by what would you so wish by way of 'stories'? I can fabricate anything for you to believe, but if you are in want of a tale of experience, you may be far better off asking one of the more adventurous of the people you had invited to this great gathering." Came the chiming response from the slender woman. A charming smiled tweaked at Merrik's expression, he was rather enjoying her spunk. She spoke with confidence in her voice but with words of humility slipping from her lips.

"Please, do not live beneath such a thick canopy of humility. While the shelter is kind, you'll soon miss the light. You've gathered an impressive amount of knowledge in your travels. You seem to ask the right questions, you approach concepts from angles beyond the norm, and your mind seems to have no capacity. I can't imagine what a person like you would do in the manor's libraries." He raised a brow at the thought, seeming to enjoy the idea of allowing such a curious mind into such a valuable, vast collection of knowledge. Perhaps one day.

"I know you have stories to tell, stories of your quest for knowledge. I know you've travelled in search of wisdoms of these elite beings, and those adventures would have carried you to an interesting variety of places. I've spent my own bit of time travelling these lands, I'd be curious to hear of your own experiences on paths I may have tread upon myself."

Merrik felt a strange feeling, conversing with this woman. It had nothing to do with the fact that he was surrounded by the most substantial happenings this land had seem in hundreds of years, rather the fact that in all of his life, he had not once found himself able to connect with others and speak openly in their presence. To be a man hiding the only living members of the draconic race on your estate, your life consumed in training and planning, it was not so easy to relate to others who's biggest complex at the time is dealing with an over assertive boss at the local lumber mill.

Looking around, he felt the same sense of home that he had felt his entire life on these grounds, and while there were strangers all around him, the feeling of comfort did not waver in the magnitude he had expected. These people, they were entering into his world. And while his world was not one of pleasant memories and lax days, he felt a great sense of gratitude to welcome others into to it and to allow the young drakes he had raised to complete themselves at long last. The army that passively formed before him left a staggering number of emotions brewing about in his mind. He pitied those who were being torn from normal lives, sympathized with those who felt they did not belong. He was proud of the dragons, glad for the tamers who had finally found their place, and yet filled with sorrow as he took in the happiness around him for he knew the ecstasy of the bonding ritual would not last. He knew this bliss would turn to a weary reverence as they faced the murderous darkness that loomed in the east. Their lives were changing, something that could not be reversed. This was all normality for Merrik, normality tweaked by the feeling of belonging that slowly crept over his solitary mind

As Merrik's mind wandered the vast landscape of his mind, he was drawn faintly into the conversation taking place between Obsidian Nova and A'untyr.

"I find this experience to be much more than I had anticipated, though I should not have let myself think so lowly of them. I realize that there must be ones of intelligence among this fragile race, else, they would not have survived these centuries without the protection of the dragonic kind. I did require convincing of this girl's worth, However, and thus, gave a very simple test. Despite the test's simplicity, I am quite sure that few others would be able to answer as she had. She could read my intent as if I were a scroll opened before her with my words falling into place to be arranged in proper order. I find that we will at least be an agreeable pair, though differences between us are bound to arise." The black dragon nodded, content with the golden drake's response.

The soul has curious workings and wills. One can never predict what will please it, what will satiate it, what will complete it. You have gained a wisdom from your bond, the truth in the strength of even the weakest of mind. It is wise for you to accept that differences are inevitable, and know that that will never change. After two decades Merrik and I disagree on certain matters, and from my studies, it would appear that even after centuries of the bond, a tamer and a dragon retain a part of them that is their own, and therefore, unique. It joys me to know that you are content with the one your soul desired. You will be great together A'untyr.

The dark haired man returned his attention to the woman before him. "But that'll have to be for another time, we have much to accomplish before the day is done and much more so after that. Come, I think it's time you all learn to fly."

With that, the tamer and the dragon combined their motions, their minds one and already in fluid agreement with each other's motives. Nova winked at the golden drake at his side at Merrik's words of flying and as he rose up from the earth, Merrik swiftly stepped up on the dragon's forearm, then shoulder, then wing joint before swinging his leg over the drake's thick nape and taking his place at the base of his neck with the final movements of Nova's rise. The towering dragon looked down at the woman with the silver locks, his piercing gaze penetrating her crystalline blue gaze. He sent a wave of encouragement to the small human and with a wink, beat down his powerful wings, the membranes tearing at the air and propelling him up into the skies. With one more thrust, the drake spiralled upwards, embracing a warm draft that columned above the bonding grounds.

As he took a place in the lower skies above the happenings below, he claimed solidity in his place, keeping aloft with the steady, even beat of his dark wings. The drake looked down at the newly bonded pairs that speckled the grounds below. He pushed his thoughts into the minds of every dragon and human below, a respectful urge of entrance preceding his words.

While this time is precious, and today a day to remember for the rest of your chosen eternal lives, we must none of us forget the true reason why this Order has been summoned. As he spoke, he began to circle the coliseum, slowly at first but steadily gaining speed. Why our great race has returned to these lands. His wings shifted slightly now as he flew, his body tilting from side to side in response. We are the New Order, we are the leaders of Illos, the protectors of these lands, and as we speak, they become tainted by an ancient darkness. Today you become tamers of dragons, today you become legends.

Merrik's words then continued the speech the dark drake had initiated as he slowly, but firmly rose to a standing position, his feet planted firmly on either shoulder of the dragon. His legs were bent slightly to allow his to adjust to shifts in Nova's flight. "But how can you lead without the knowledge to do so? How can you protect without the skills to defend? How can you be legends without a story to tell the world? And how, praytell, can you be dragon tamers without knowing how to fly?"

With the last of his words, he leaned forward, grabbing on to one of the spines on Nova's neck with his left hand, solidifying his stance. As he did, the drake shot up into the air at a sharp vertical incline, his speed surreal. When he neared the peak of his incline, Merrik let go.

The dragon shot upward, leaving his tamer in the sky, free-falling, body rigid. A split second later the drake opened up his vast wingspan and his entire mass appeared to contort the normalized concept of movement as he shifted his body and turned, mid flight, shooting off towards the earth below. He caught up with his tamer in a matter of seconds and as he shot past, Merrik shifted his body and clasped on to the dragon's neck spine once more and pulled his body back into his crouched position as the drake spiralled around and around, picking up speed. As they neared the coliseum, the nightmare drake released a spiralling vortex of black fire, two streams twisting and weaving around each other as the duo sped towards the ground. Just before the flames met with the bare earth beneath, Nova brought down the thick membranes of his wings, the power of the gust created snuffed out the flames, leaving a whirling concoction of black sparks and dust to settle to the earth. When his wings opened to extinguish his flame, he shifted his body just so that his path of flight levelled out smoothly, the drake soaring calmly across the low skies of the coliseum.

Merrik stood, knees bent once more, his stance casual as the dragon's pace slowed to a lazy glide. "You will be given the knowledge you need to lead and the skills necessary to defend. You will be rise us as legends like the tamers of old, with your own tale of greatness and victory. And you will fly, difficultly at first, but with time the skies will become your home. To truly be one with a dragon you must enter into their kingdom. You must trust each other, pay mind to each other's limits and capabilities. Do not push your tamers, young drakes, for this will not come naturally to them as it once did for you.

Within the dens that line these walls you'll find leather straps which will work as harnesses to keep you in place on your drake's back and give you something to hold on to. Collect them from your drake's den and secure them around their chest and neck. Tie the extra length to your waist and make sure you don't slack on your knotting, I'd rather not lost any of my soldiers to the earth's pull today."

Nova's words came next, direct more towards the dragons his voice took on a much more stern, strict tone this time as he spoke. You will begin on the ground. Take time to travel the perimeter of the coliseum for the tamers to adjust themselves to your stride and the movement of your bodies. When they feel ready, and only when they feel ready, will you take to the skies. There will be no high speeds, Zartketh, you especially will take it easy. There will be no maneouvers, no tricks, no showing off. You must understand that if you make even a slight mistake, it could cost you the life of your tamer. It is not uncommon in the history of dragons and tamers for a rider to fall and meet the ground before his drake can catch up, for a rider's spine to snap by the intense pull offered by speed when the drake shoots off without notice. It is not unheard of for a dragon to falter in flight and land on his tamer, nor is it an impossibility for a tamer to be knocked out cold after bring struck by the wings of her dragon. Humans, even the strongest, are brittle, breakable, and delicate. If I see any of you putting your tamer's lives in danger, even slightly, I'll scorch your hide.

The drake's blood red gaze showed no signs of humour. Merrik, smiling just barely at the lecture the dragons had received from their elder, nodded in agreement. He would not forgive himself if anyone got hurt. Not after he spent his entire life training to be the teacher and leader this army needed.

"When you've all taken to the air and attained a level of reasonable comfort, we'll depart for the Forest Garden, your new home. The sooner we get there the sooner you can all get settled into your new lives. Trust the comfort of your accommodations will make up for the vigorous training you'll soon endure. Some of you were soldiers before you arrived, but now all of you are warriors of fire. Now, get strapped in and find your place, we've no time to stand by idly."

"Zarketh and Byriarti." Nova nodded, agreeing without hesitation. Merrik's eyes went from tamer to tamer. Yennefer, Asa, Dalaith, Rita, Falor, Shirin, Tara, Diarai. His eyes continued to scan the coliseum as he took note of each person and their reactions to being placed atop a great scaled beast.