Return of the Dragon Tamers: The Plague of Ogual

Soulserenity20 · May 24, 2014

[btn=modc|https://www.iwakuroleplay.com/threads/return-of-the-dragon-tamers-the-plague-of-ogual-ooc.52827/]OOC[/btn][btn=modc|http://www.soulroleplays.com/]Information Site[/btn][btn=modc|https://www.iwakuroleplay.com/threads/micro-return-of-the-dragon-tamers-courting-thread.154410/]Courting Thread[/btn]

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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]

White · Apr 4, 2017

Reverie was certainly not too happy that Bren would join them back in the meadow, the fact alone that he felt familiar was enough to make her consider, perceive him a threat.
Bakc in the meadow, only after a very brief break, Bren was questioned once more.
Eventually, Aglares joined them. Merrik and Aglares spoke about probing into Bren's mind, then Bren was allowed to leave and Aglares continued to tell about her background and the need for ancient dragon bones. Nova exclaimed in anger at the mere idea, accusing Aglares.
"If you keep an eye on him, I volunteer to travel to the Silent Peak to excavate those bones," Reverie dropped the bomb as soon as she could. "Let me explain as to why, it is simple, I lack the morale standard that Nova and others here uphold. To me, the dead are gone, the dead do not need and do not have any use for their remains, like those bones."
She looked merrik in the eyes. "Nova is not happy about this, he is your other half and while he would understand, you do not need this strain." She then looked at the others. "Avren? He is kind, let us not make him do that, he has a good heart. Saira? I peceive her to be similiarly good as Avren. Pomona? She need all the time she needs to practise and the same applies to Xylia and Illyria. Goliath is the most experienced of us..." She stopped a moment, letting it sink before continueing. "Last, of all of us, I trust Bren the least. The familiarity... It is like my soft touch when I soothe, just that it seems to create trust, familiarity, rather than calmness. This is how I perceive this familiarity and given the option, I would put him into a cell, keep him watched at all times until he speaks or I found a way to force the important information out of him. As I trust him the least, well, this adds another reason for me to do this, a very good one I might add... So in conclusion, it would be best for me to burden what I think most of you consider to be immoral and to retreive what we need to probe his mind."

Mowkie · Apr 5, 2017

[BCOLOR=transparent]

[/BCOLOR]

The flight home was hard on both dragon and tamer, and yet their minds lingered on the stranger that was coming back with them. While Katla knew to trust in the ancient wisdom that she drew from her ancestors of the Old Order, Pomona was not so easily swayed. Many things went through her mind - what he could possibly do to them if he somehow had a powerful shield that protected him from the barrier of the Meadow, what would happen to them if he really was a danger to them, how to help everyone in her current state if a battle did arise.

Not soon enough, they finally arrived at safe and familiar sights. Upon landing, Katla was adamant on making her way to her favorite pond to soak her scales in for part of the afternoon. Pomona smiled at the mysterious appearance of the wildflowers, having heard about the delight of the Gardeners before, though never having met them. She returned to her own room and let her short, white hair loose for the first time in over a week. Setting her very few remaining belongings and placing the armor she had gained upon becoming a member of the Order back on its stand in the corner, she set out for a bath and took her time, letting the water soak her weakened muscles and drive away anything that might have been festering in what remained of her acid burns.

The warrior was one of the last to arrive at the dining hall, white hair barely brushing against her shoulders, dressed in a fresh tunic and pants, her old, worn boots on her feet as always. She seated herself towards the end by the doorway and listened in, grabbing her own meal from what had been prepared and pouring a bit of ale from the jug offered to her by her neighbor.

The conversation between Bren and Merrik only made her more paranoid, and though she appeared calm on the outside, her distrust further pushed aside the instinctual need to familiarize herself with him. Remaining silent and eating calmly, she continued to keep an ear out while Aglares was introduced and spoken to.

Surprise filled the warrior when the elf refused to open the stranger's mind. Miss-matched eyes stared up from her plate, distrust once more filling her, this time towards Aglares.

When the she elf began her story, a part of Pomona was not surprised. This made sense, seeing as Aglares was the only one of her kind remaining in Illos. And it made sense to draw her mana from the bones of dead dragons - after all, the dragons no longer needed these remains. And yet, a part of her felt that this was a desecration of the worst kind. Trying to put herself in the shoes of Obsidian Nova, whose anger now burst out as he attempted to stare in through the door, she realized the hatred that filled her at the thought of her family's bones being reduced to ash for something as simple as the need for mana. Her own thoughts betrayed the discussion to Katla, who now felt her own anger rise.

~She should not be allowed to live! How can we trust that she will not desecrate the remains of our fallen brothers?!~

~We cannot, save for the oath that she gave to Merrik. I do trust that this oath will force her to keep her word. What she says must be true.~

~Still, she shouldn't be allowed to remain here! She should be cast out to die alone!!~

~Calm yourself, Katla...she is our only chance at understanding who this stranger is. And we both know that this is more important than our fallen friends and siblings. It is more important than any of us...I know you felt it as well.~

A silence fell between the two as Pomona finished her meal, betraying no emotion as her face remained neutral. Finally, Katla responded with a hesitant acceptance and understanding before letting her mind close off to her tamer. The anger the dragoness felt was understandable, and Pomona could not be upset about such distress. While she did not know Shirin and Byriarti, she knew that Katla cared deeply for her clutchmate, just as she did all the other dragons. It was understandable that she would feel so strongly.

The warrior's gaze drifted to Reverie, who spoke calmly her explanation for going alone with the elf to get the bones of the wild dragons. While she could agree with the young woman's explanation on her needing the practice - especially in the use of mana - she could not agree with only Reverie and Aglares going.

"I do not think that is wise," she said plainly, having listened to the entire discussion. "While I can agree with every point you make, I believe you need more protection than just yourself and an elf that only just now gave us the story of her life and her secrets of using mana. You should have someone who is more experienced...and I believe that Goliath should be that person. As you said, he is the most experienced, and his experience along with Hezekiah's mana nullification ability should prove to be most powerful to you should we learn that she cannot be trusted."

firejay1 · Apr 7, 2017

((I don't know where this poem came from. Don't ask me for the purpose. Though it does have meaning....))

Grief and Hate. Death and Pain.
One to fall, one to rise.
The solid to fade.
The strong to break.

And one? One to see and do naught.

Speaketh the watcher whom none hath touched:

"In the darkness shall he call me.
In the peace shall I hide.
In the past shall I breed hate.
In the present shall it be defied."

He who has seen once,
grows callous to the shade.
Yes, singeth the watcher,
who stands beloved by Fate.

Or is it, by Hate...

--

Narien had spoken a word to no one since the battle of Kuhl had ended. Not even to Agni in the privacy of their minds.

Narien and Agni had reacted to the death of A'untyr and Dalaith both as they ever would have. Agni mourned privately; Narien comforted her, but felt none of his own grief for their loss. He did not claim it was foolish, for they learned that the Gold Drake and his tamer had been destined to die anyways, but it was a sacrifice nonetheless, and the Arcane tamer felt no glory in sacrifice. The battle had mostly been won by this single act. It had simplified matters, just as he had wanted. He had known then that his attitude was cold and perhaps unfeeling, but he had learned to honor the dead by taking full advantage of their loss. Thus it was, that he felt only the unease of losing another tamer. From a practical perspective, there were few enough of them as it was, they could little afford to lose another.

He had ventured into the castle with the others, and there was little he gleaned from the dark "moss" and decrepit walls. Ogual, however, Ogual changed everything. Narien had not offered to use his mana, as Goliath and Reverie had, because mana draining would only make him vulnerable towards whatever evil was lurking there, and of all of them, he had somehow known he might have been the most susceptible to it. He hadn't expected what had happened when they called forth a shard of Ogual himself, though. The hatred had burst into the room and flooded into Narien. Hatred and grief. A little of the grief was residual from Agni, but the rest of it was him and Ogual.

It was a nightmare for Agni. Unlike her brethren, as she felt the ferocity of emotion explode through their bond, she did not scream in pain from it. Though never at this magnitude, Agni had felt this before. It was their bond all over again. Rage and hate and a desire for death and destruction. So she let out a long, slow breath from between gritted jaws, and did what she always did when these things happened, as they did none too infrequently: she spread a peace with the world into it. For him, hatred had always been tied with grief, and to Agni - to one for whom grief was still raw and fresh, but not angry - it became her way in. To her surprise, as she did so, she felt him accept her in with open arms. It was as if he had known what she was going to do and had simply steeled himself long enough to wait for her to do it. The hate was so real, so ever-fresh and ever-strong. Let the world burn. He'd thought that for so long that it did not overwhelm him to feel it again. I will take vengeance against Fate herself. It was too late for that. He had already been faced by his powerlessness over and over again. Why could Ogual not see that he would never win, for Lady Fate played her games with savage aplomb, but she always won because she had no one to play against her. They were all only her pawns. There is no hope for Illos. There is no hope for you all. Give in to despair. Since when was there any hope to begin with? He felt himself laugh remembering Queen Valaeria punch King Norvik in the nose. Although he had believed himself to laugh openly, his body made no movement.

Agni coiled herself around Narien and Narien somehow left himself. Together, the two of them stood and watched the events that unfolded. They watched it with a sort of empty clarity. Those signature pale blue eyes of his - those empty, piercing orbs that could make one feel as though eyes alone could see through to the soul of the world - saw everything. They were the only things he seemed to have control of. Something in him whispered that it was not his time. He had no power here. Too many others were attacking. He was too used to fighting alone and close-quarters to be of use, and his bonded mana would only open him up to Ogual. He became a recording device, a scribe, a bard, a spectator. The shadowy figure attacked Merrik. The others threw themselves at the enemy almost recklessly. For Pride. For Illos. For Love. What were these things they fought for? His body side-stepped a vine threatening to curl around his ankle. The shadow entered Merrik and consumed him for a bit. Shadow-Merrik turned upon the others, but Narien did not move enough to draw attention to himself. He was not intent on fighting, he merely wanted to observe. His body dodged attacks from both sides whenever one came close, but was otherwise perfectly still. Except for those eyes of his, never resting, roaming the hall as if watching a distant memory. When at last Nova performed his extraordinary feat of magic, the Arcane pair saw it from both their eyes. The shadow of Ogual was cast from Merrik and for now the fight was done.

Narien had not opened his mouth since this moment. They had returned to camp and he had silently helped with whatever he could. He had helped pack, and supported the healers still working hard in the aftermath of the battle. He hadn't been thinking, he had only been feeling, and a strange kind of feeling it had been, too. He felt the sadness for every lost soul, the anger at Ogual, the relief slowly rising for the end of the fight, and the joy and pride in their deed that had yet to break through the haze of darkness. They were his own feelings, but extraordinary in that they were no different from what he knew others must be feeling. They were muted, but present, and he was more acutely aware of them than he had ever been. He approached the issue of Bren the same way. While normally he would have felt more suspicious of the man precisely because of Agni's instinctive familiarity with him, a part of Narien that had settled its place in the pit of his heart decided that the man felt right.

It was Aglares, oddly, who somehow brought Narien back to himself. The whatever-it-was that had possessed him for a bit was still present and would perhaps forevermore remain with him, but the fog he'd been wandering around in for over two weeks now began to dissipate, and in listening to her story, all his calculating, cynical humor returned. For the first time in weeks, Agni felt the sting of a hidden grin pass through their bond. It was tinged with something new this time, though. Agni closed her eyes and let out a contented breath, resting her great head on her healing paws. He did instinctively trust Bren, as Agni did, but there were secrets to be had, from both Bren and perhaps Aglares.

He was the third to speak after Pomona and Reverie. "I also want to go." He said softly, though with no hesitation, then he looked around the circle and gave them all his usual, gentle smile. "I wouldn't mind going with Reverie and Goliath, and I... do think I trust Bren, but if we can learn more before having to go rescue Terria, that's better, right? Learn from what he can teach us, I mean. Reverie doesn't trust him. I do. We have the same goal, but different reasons for it. It's a good balance, right?" Even he wasn't completely sure of the logic behind his words, but the words came more easily than before and he found himself slipping into the role he'd created when he'd entered the Order.

Soulserenity20 · Apr 7, 2017

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Merrik sat quietly and listened to his comrades speak but with each new voice that spoke up, he found himself both startled and deeply confused. Did they think he would wait to go after Terria? He was shocked by the how foolish Reverie to suggest anyone go alone, and in fact, it was angered by the thought. After Narien spoke out, Merrik decided he had had enough of letting this foolish planning play on.

"Under no circumstances will I allow you to break off into a small party and cross the continent. If we go to the Silent Peaks, we all go. How can you even think to fly across the lands, new tamers as you are? Have you forgotten of my sister already? Forgotten that she was overcome by Ogual without warning, even with Taega nearby? She is a stronger mage than any, myself included, and she could not defend herself against the Dark Lord. And yet, you think it safe or wise for you to venture out alone? With mere months of experience under you? Terria has trained for 5 years, day in and day out to defend herself, to fight, and she was taken in a moment. I cannot allow it. Such talk displays insanity." He did well in keeping his voice calm and collected but frankly, he was shocked at how naive the others were acting.

Aglares spoke up then, before Merrik had a chance to continue. "Merrik is right. You've sorely underestimated Ogual in the past. You've lost more than one dragon and tamer. You cannot proceed foolishly. And yet, it begs the question of your mission to retrieve Terria. Merrik, what risk do you take in seeking to enter Ogual's fortress?"

"It is not a question, Aglares. Terria is of the utmost value in this war, and it is my duty, as her brother, to see she is returned. Do not take me for ignorant of the reality of this rescue mission. It is why I will not ask any others to join me. But with what happened in Kuhl, with the shadow... Terria could be turned into our greatest weapon. She is powerful, her magick is vastly more diverse than mine. I fear she may be used against us and then tossed aside. I cannot allow her to remain in his keep. I will not be swayed. In one week, I will leave to get Terria. Once she is returned, we will venture to the south and follow up on what Aglares has said."

Obsidian Nova filled the room with smoke then, anger thickening the air.

"Enough!" Merrik's voice was angry and he stood up and quickly pulled the door shut, closing Nova's invasion off only slightly. The dragon snarled and lifted its head above the tall gate, bearing his teeth down at Aglares from above, in the open space of the stables.

"This is a time of war, Obsidian Nova! I understand your anger but there is no room for your honor here. Not now."

Dark sparks licked at Nova's lips as he snarled aggressively at Merrik, who stared up at him with a defensive expression. Their gazes locked for a moment but then the elder drake turned and left the building, the heavy winds of his wing-beats kicked up the dust in the halls and threw papers and clothing around in all of the rooms as he took to the skies and soared away to the north.

Merrik let out a sigh and returned to his seat after a moment.

"There is... one more issue." Algares said, after a moment of calm. "Surely you've heard of the Silent Peaks and their great illusions?" Merrik sighed. Another obstacle.

"I hadn't thought of it."

It was Bren who spoke out next. "The Shield. Yes. That will be a problem." He turned to the others and explained. "The Silent Peaks are protected by some of the most intricate and ancient magicks ever woven. The dragons of old devoted entire lifetimes to creating a protective spell that prevents anyone from finding the sacred burial grounds of the dragonkind. Only wild dragons could find the pathway through the Shield and when the Order formed, the bonded dragons lost their way, no longer only dragon, but sharing the soul of a human. It was only through the grace of the dragon kings that the Order were allowed to bury their tamers, those who housed the souls of the dragons. The wild dragons would deliver the remains to the sacred burial grounds themselves, allowing the tamers to rest alongside their dragons. But now, there are no wild dragons! The way will be lost, forever hidden to the world."

Aglares smiled at the words of the old man. But it wasn't a look of amusement, rather, something else, something hidden.

"You speak the truth, Bren. We cannot hope to reach the burial grounds ourselves, for the wild dragons alone could navigate their magicks. I do, however, know of one place that might hold the answers we seek. But it will not be easy to reach these answers, as the one being that can reach this sacred place is the one that just tore out of these stables."

Merrik's face twisted into a grave expression. "The Scorched Halls are legends, Aglares. Nobody has ever found a possible location."

"Such is the ignorance of mankind. Tell me, Lord Tetra, have any of these seekers sought its location on the back of a Black?"

"He'll never allow it. He won't help in this task. His hatred is bound by his Ancient Wisdom, Aglares. The Red Age saw the near eradication of his kind and of his bloodline. He will never consent."

"He must, Merrik! His pride cannot be the reason Ogual wins."

"I am his soulmate, not his guiding mind!"

"Then we cannot hope to gain the knowledges locked away in Bren's mind. It is done." She bowed then, and made her way to the door, coating her hands in soot as she pulled it open. "If your sense returns, I will be in the woods." And she left.

Merrik leaned forward over the table, bracing his arms up on their elbows and resting his temples in open hands. Sighing, he looked to the Order. "The Scorched Halls are a mythical realm of the dargonkind, said to be the Primal Mana Source, on Origin Island. The Black Dragons are steward to its keep, or so it has been said. For millennia, they were said to guard the history of the dragons within this sacred place, using their black flames to write the history and secrets of the dragon race on the walls of an eternal hall. There is no wisdom of this place in any of the journals here and Nova has no knowledge from his ancestors. Yet, the Myth has carried on in my family and in the lives and bloodlines of past tamers. If it exists, we can be sure the secret to the Silent Peaks will be hidden there. However, it is said that only a Black may enter, and as you can see, Nova isn't exactly receptive to the idea of Dragon Relics."

He got up and poured himself a large tankard of ale. "One must ask if your knowledge is worth such an endeavor, Bren. Aglares has expressed a weight in your mind, but her riddles leave even the best of conversations unclear." He looked to the others and spoke in a calmer, apologetic tone. "I cannot let you leave on this mission alone. It will prove fruitless, no matter how you look at it. But I do know that we must get my sister back. Once she is home, we will investigate this idea. We must agree on whether Bren's mind is worth our time, or if it is better spent preparing for our final battle with Ogual."

Bren remained silent, a look of uncertainty about his face. "I cannot say, Master Tetra. For my mind is to clouded to know what wisdoms hide behind the veil."

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Rainjay · Apr 7, 2017

Saira remained silent throughout the beginning of their meeting. Broken ribs did not make for easy speaking, and it took much of her conscious effort to breathe slowly, and deeply, as she'd learned to do in past circumstances. She had been assured that she would heal fine, already quick on her way to recovery with thanks to a touch of Avren's assistance, but the thought of her potential uselessness should these broken ribs escalate to something more worried her. This was not the time for injury, yet it had been her mistake to do something so foolish... but she had not yet found it in her to regret it. In the time it had taken the others to react, she could only imagine what may have happened to Avren, an imagining that pained her to think of.

Although it comforted her more to stay silent during this encounter she couldn't help but feel irritation to Merrik's response. Granted he was correct in one way: Terria, by all means, must be rescued first and foremost before anything else became a priority. This stranger could wait. But despite his flawless argument something about his insistence against the offerings of the other tamers irked her. They may not be as strong as Terria or Merrik and may not be for years to come, but their roles in the Order were not simply to wait and follow. It was beginning to dawn on her that although it was very much their responsibility to protect the land and stop Ogual, it was also important that they become independent. They were still learning, but they were being too sheltered for fear of loss. A respectable and understandable fear, but one they needed to overcome, she felt, if they were to grow.

But it was perhaps a discussion for another time.

Instead she turned her attention to the topic of Terria's rescue, and these Scorched Halls. "It is your job then, to talk with Nova on the subject. I do not think the feelings of our bondmates on Bren ought to go ignored. With everything that has happened to us so far--I cannot believe I am saying this--surely he has found his way to us for a reason. Just listen to the man. He knows things the rest of the Order does not. He cannot be a simple common man. Although definitely not more vital than the rescue of your sister, recovering his memory is important... and perhaps with time Nova will come to understand that with your help."

"In regards to your leaving though, I feel we all might agree; your reasoning for not allowing us to leave to the Peaks alone does not exempt you. If Terria could be caught off guard so can you. You should not go alone--cannot be allowed to go alone to her aid. She is important not only as an asset but as our ally and friend, and to some more. But you, too, are important. We cannot lose two birds with one stone, so to speak." She paused, taking in a deep breath and gritting her teeth at the ache it caused in her chest. "I want to come with you, even if no one else does, which I doubt. Do not go into this alone. No man can carry the weight of such a task alone."

Rainjay · Apr 7, 2017

The Scorched Halls? How interesting. Though not as interesting as the old man that was sitting amongst the Order. Illyria hung on to his every word, unable to deduce a fitting reason to his state of amnesia and his insane knowledge of the Dragon world. Teeming with so much information, he was simply waiting for her to come and wring him out--

Perhaps not the best analogy, Illyria? He is not a towel.

Ria smiled at Mirazh's words. He was right, of course. But the old man certainly was full of interesting knowledge, and it was always easier to learn through the tongue than to decipher text, even if she did have to really wring it out of him--though to this point he seemed to have no issue with sharing how much he knew. The guy certainly was not here to play games! It only further assured her of his trustworthiness. He made it to their home, was trusted by their dragons and seemed to hide nothing. She couldn't imagine anything else he might have worth keeping from them more important than what he knew about the dragons.

... But unfortunately, the others were right. It wasn't as important as rescuing Terria. She wondered how the Tetra was still alive. What Oguals purpose in keeping her was. What if...

"Saira is absolutely right!" She said on a sudden thought. "To Ogual, Terria must be like a wonderful steak--err, that is to say, a tool? No.. sorry." Her cheeks flushed bright. "Shit, I mean, he could be totally using her like bait. She's a prize to him, and I wouldn't be surprised if he did expect Merrik to come alone after all this. Then it wouldn't be hard to fish the rest of us out. Horrible metaphors aside, uhm, there could be any number of traps waiting for you Merrik. You need more than one set of eyes to help you spot them."

"Would it be a bad idea for us all to go? We can't all follow you into the depths of Oguals home, but it might be smarter to prepare for the worst. Just in case you need an out. We are stronger together. What is your plan right now, anyways?"

Soulserenity20 · Apr 7, 2017

Merrik looked to Saira as she spoke and responded only when she had finished. She spoke in a calm voice that denied him any anger or frustration, her reason showing through. "It is not so simple, Saira, to be a comrade and a friend, a leader and a brother. But do not think I have not considered the dangers of going after Ogual. As your leader, it is my duty to ensure you do not wander to the same fate Terria met. As your leader it is my duty not to command you to your deaths. But as your leader - and hers - it is my duty to get Terria back, and as a brother that duty is solidified. I am not blind to the risk I take in trying to save Terria but I can see no other alternative. Have you any? Can you think of anything that would be more effective, or less dangerous, than sending the most experienced mage in all of Illos to accomplish the task? Even if Ogual is too powerful a foe, does it change the fact that I am the single most capable soldier of taking on this task? I am aware of his power, for a mere shadow of it consumed me. You need not caution the weary."

He paused to drink and listen to Illyria who had chosen to speak her piece. As she went on to refer to his sister as steak to Ogual, Merrik found the need to drink a significant volume more of his ale. But as she neared conclusion, he spoke in return. "Of course I've considered what kinds of traps he's set for me, but mana is curious in that its presence cannot ever be wholly masked. Mana sensing is a trait all mana-based being possess, ourselves included by the bond. It is how your dragons sensed the death of their brothers when they fell. I have trained for many years in mana sensing and I will utilize it to the best of my abilities to locate potential traps or the presence of plagued beasts. The plague is dark magick, yes, but it is magick nonetheless. I may not know what is in store, but I will know when I am about to face something and I will prepare my abilities to face whatever comes." He paused, as if struggling to find his next words.

"It is a difficult decision. I am torn between my obligations to you as a leader, and my love for my sister. I cannot command you to come, but it is true that some of you, I would trust to have at my side. Others, the newer or less experienced, are unfortunately of more concern to me. What happened in the throne room at Kuhl struck a sobering fear into my heart, reminding me of the reality of Ogual's strength. I do not take this lightly but I have no choice in the matter: Terria must be reclaimed and no matter how I look at it, I am the most qualified. Furthermore, no matter how I view it, each time we venture out, I risk another death in the Order. Another of your lives." He said this with a stoic tone, but his eyes betrayed his loss.

He heaved out a sigh and drank more of his ale, finishing the large cup and looking longingly at the jug. "Terria didn't see it coming. None of us could have known to expect a kidnapping, but now we do. I will not be caught off guard ." He looked at Saira then. "And as for my plan, well, that can be discussed once we've settled this disagreement, for plans may change based on what comes of this discussion." Looking around the room, he spoke to them all. "I understand how this must look, how it must sound - like insanity - but I am trying to minimize loss. My sister cannot be left to die, but neither can I send you all to your deaths for her sake."

Soulserenity20 · Apr 7, 2017

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"You don't have to ask us, Merrik." Avren spoke now, for the first time all day, it seemed. "I will follow you to Ogual's Mountain, and I will venture into the darkness with you and when we find your sister, I will use all of my powers to heal and restore her. I will support your strength, fortify your body, and I will offer my self as a weapon. I am not the most skilled with my blades, but I will use what skill I have." Merrik stared at him, unblinking, which made the man rather uncomfortable. Suddenly, he began to regret speaking out and began longing for some fresh air.

"You've already started. Finish what you have to say, you fickle thistle."

"I... Merrik we didn't have a choice in joining this Order. We were brought here by... fate, or whatever forces may be. We don't have a choice when fighting in this war, we were faced with an undeniable reality that Ogual exists and he has curses so much of the lands. We cannot choose to be a part of this, but we can choose where our loyalties lie. And mine lie with you. Terria is a friend, a comrade, and as asset to the Order. She is worth saving. I can understand if you forbid us from travelling alone, but you cannot forbid us from travelling with you, lest you bear the mark of a hypocrite for having led us to Kuhl, and to Ylandre, and the monastery and Espella and - "

"Get on with it, Avren."

"What I mean to say, is that I will follow you. And I think, well, I think Saira has expressed the same resolve." He looked at her with caution, as if afraid she might lash out against him for what he had said, but she did not.

He sat back in his chair, feeling proud of what he had said. Long had he struggled to find his place in the Order, long had he feared asserting his values, but after everything that had happened, freedom was his cause and if he could not be free of fate, he demanded he be free to choose who he would follow and when. If he marched to death... at least he did so of his own free will.

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Mowkie · Apr 7, 2017

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Her brow raising ever-so-slightly, Pomona listened to Merrik's words, her lips taut. He was right to be angry, livid - even. And yet, he displayed a calm demeanor despite his obvious anger. The warrior was glad of this, as she understood how important it was for the leader to remain calm in times of turmoil above all else. She could not answer to the accountability of the other tamers, as she was still very inexperienced as a dragon tamer, herself. But they were not the only ones to underestimate Ogual - Merrik had as well. If anything, he had underestimated the evil creature of a man the most, his body and even his soul being overtaken by a mere shadow.

She could agree with Merrik in the fact that Terria was valuable, but a part of the warrior knew that this Bren was also extremely important - perhaps even more important than her leader's beloved sister, no matter how painful it was to admit such a thing. But a part of her felt as though he was letting his love for her drive his decisions. And when he mentioned leaving for the fortress by himself, Pomona's own anger threatened to suddenly overwhelm her. How dare he even think of such a thing after demanding they all stay here like mindless children!

Nova's own anger began to overwhelm the room as smoke filled it, and then Merrik lashed out. Surprise overtook the warrior as she watched silently, her appetite leaving her as she poured a fresh mug of ale and guzzled the entire thing in hopes of keeping her from spitting out the words running through her own head. Remembering her place, she kept quiet and let the others hash things out for a while longer.

The news of the barrier threw another curve into the already massive issue at hand, and Merrik's own anger clouded his judgement over the entire matter. He had it in his mind that the only thing that could be done was utter suicide. Sneak into Ogual's fortress and steal Terria back without getting caught. Like that would happen!

The others attempted desperately to be a voice of reason, and yet their leader could not be swayed. Her anger finally boiled over, and she stood abruptly, having been silent since the talk of Terria began. "Master Tetra, might I have a word with you in private later this evening? I do not wish to speak outside of my place, as I am still quite new to the Order, so what I have to say cannot be said before my comrades."

She looked at the others, her mismatched eyes sparkling as she attempted desperately to control her own emotions. "I know that few of you know me very well, and I understand that my place in the Order as of right now is to follow you in our linked fate. But I cannot sit idly by while you bicker over who is more important. I believe that these missions are equally as important, and I also believe that our greatest course of action, no matter which one we choose to do first, is to all go together...but again, it is not my place. If you will all excuse me, I must go train so that I can better focus my own mind. If anyone needs me, I will be in the eastern grounds. Good evening."

With that, she bowed and excused herself, having no more desire to sit and bicker, wasting her breath on a leader whose own mind was too clouded to lead properly. So, she headed exactly where she said she would, and it was there that she would spend a great deal of the night harnessing her own strengths and getting out her own frustrations.

firejay1 · Apr 8, 2017

Narien flinched slightly as Merrik spoke, and kept his head bowed. Their leader's displeasure was keenly felt, despite how determined Merrik seemed to contain it. Unhappiness permeated the company. Except for him, that was. This conversation, Bren, and Aglares were proving themselves to be a wealth of information. It was precisely why Narien had been so eager to join in when Reverie had suggested going on a quest for ancient bones, despite some part of his own head starving for the logic behind it. Scorched Halls and the secrets of dragon graves. He was no intellect tamer, but knowledge was survival. From outside the door of the kitchen, where she was gathered with the other anxious dragons, Agni snorted softly. She knew the truth. Knowledge was interesting. Illyria, at least, seemed to share his enthusiasm, or exceed it, rather. While Sairantha chose to speak for their leader's plan, words of compassion and loyalty soothing an obvious fight waiting to happen, Illyria all but jumped at the chance to help, though making an excellent point about whether the party should split up. Sairantha's warning and Illyria's concern were both perfect examples of excellent points. Merrik himself seemed aware of the danger he was putting himself in, and the possibility that he was being a little reckless, perhaps even a little selfish. Then Avren spoke up to voice his loyalty, as well. The shy ones were growing out of their shells now, weren't they? The battle had changed them all in terms of more than their mana, it seemed. Rather, their mana was changing because they were changing, he felt.

It was Pomona, though, that finally prompted Narien to speak. He watched her go quietly. Asking for a private audience with the Dragonlord Merrik Tetra, and claiming they were bickering when the only ones getting angry were her and Merrik. It was almost like she was in love with Merrik. He'd been there when they'd fought together in the tunnels, and as well when she'd thrown herself into the fray when Merrik had been in danger. True, they had all fought desperately, but what was it that had her clinging so tightly to Merrik? Love. After so short an acquaintance? Not likely, he consoled himself. Still, he'd have to keep his eyes wide open and hope she wouldn't suddenly discover that Merrik's well-being meant more to her than all of theirs. He turned back to the company, looking speculatively at their table. "I'm sorry." He spoke quietly at first, but raised his voice and his eyes to meet Merrik. "I'm sorry. We didn't forget Terria. She's important. It's just... I think we just got caught up." He cast a slight glance at Reverie. "I wish Pomona hadn't left. We didn't mean to say any one was more important than the other, and if you're going to go then I don't want to stay behind. But Merrik." Here he paused and spoke to Merrik alone, though everyone else could hear what he said next. "Right now aren't you... the most dangerous? To go, I mean. To Ogual's... place. You're mad. Obsidian Nova is, too. It's... more than that." Nova's rage at hearing of Aglares's desecration, Merrik's bitterness towards the perceived slight of their forgetting Terria, but most of all the hatred he must harbor for Ogual for taking his sister. This fight had always been personal, he supposed, but now it was more than that. "Being mad isn't evil, I don't think, but it doesn't look like you're... controlling it." He pointed one rough finger straight at their leader. "Isn't it kind of controlling you?" Like it did in that castle.

He looked down again, and started a tiny lick of flame hovering between his palms. With the Arcane, glassy color, it was almost too small to see, much less to leave any kind of a mark on the table, but he passed it from one hand to another, in an almost self-soothing gesture. His voice became very very small again, as he finally said, "I don't think the shadow went after you just because you're the Dragonlord.... And if you turn on us again and Nova can't save you..." The tiny little flame settled in his right palm and he closed his fingers around it, extinguishing it. "We're all gonna die." He met Merrik's eyes again, gravely. Well, it was a little dramatic, but Merrik's previous conduct and his tired anger now could actually be bad signs, and Narien wasn't about to give his life for a suicide mission simply because their leader hadn't noticed what his reckless suggestion meant about the state of his own mind. If such a small fragment of Ogual could turn Merrik's power against them, how much more damage could an entire stronghold of the evil influence do?

White · Apr 8, 2017

Reverie sighed hearing Pamona's and Narien's suggestions. It was her intend to go alone, so that the others would remain and undertake such things as Terria's protection. Especially Narien made her cautious, she may have changed but she still would not know where to place him, could she ultimatively rely on him if things came to the worst? Probably not.
She sighed again at his response, he completly missunderstood her intend. She was still the most suitable to go, not only based on experience while and since she has been with the order but also before. She was a hunter afterall, she considers herself quite stable emotionally and as such, illusions, manipulations are less effective as there will always be a point of rationality and self awareness that comes into play.
She was even more disappointed to see Pamona leave and the discussion that ensued after.

It seems contrary to go storm into Ogual's Fortress without knowing for certain where Terria is kept while disallowing a single Tamer to venture out on a mission by herself... That is what she wanted to say... if everybody else was not feeling the nead to speak.

Narien may have had a point, but it would be of no matter, Avren almost blindly decided to follow Merrik.
In the end, she sighed again, her lips curled into a gentle smile. "What a beautiful day it is today, don't you all agree?" Looking towards Goliath, then the others, then to Merrik. "Maybe we should celebrate our victory?" the smile persisted, joyfully she stepped towards the door, hoping this distraction defused the whole negativitiy in the room. Naughtily she turned again, pursed her lips with a finger in the air, like a stop, warning. "I'll be waiting for all of you outside." giggling she turned and left to go outside, the place where Terria first had made an impression, the show of beautiful lights in rememberance of shirin and her dragon.

Soulserenity20 · Apr 8, 2017

Merrik had no chance to respond to Pomona before she left but his attention was immediately redirected to Narien and the words the Arcane Tamer spoke rang true in Merrik's reasoning. He looked at Narien with a newfound respect, something that had been happening more and more towards the Arcane tamer as of late, and he nodded slowly, listening carefully to what he had to say.

"Your words betray a wisdom beyond your years, Narien, and I honor them. You're very right. I haven't been able to control my emotions as of late, at least not to the best of my abilities. I've focused my efforts elsewhere and paid the price. What happened in Kuhl is a sobering reality that we all must face: Ogual will seek to use each of us against each other and I am the greatest threat. It then becomes my responsibility to train harder than ever to defend my mind, soul, and bond, as well as to come to terms with whatever emotions are running rampant within me. I owe this to you, yes, but also to myself. Trust that I will devote my time to improving my shortcomings. Beginning tonight."

He was humbled. Narien had pinpointed exactly what he could not identify: the major issue in Merrik's mind. He had grown angry with the war, with Ogual. Shirin had been the first breaking point, then Terria, and the loss of Dalaith had pushed him over the edge. His hatred for Ogual was sincere and heavy, making it a significant weakness against the Dark Lord.

Reverie spoke up then, a peculiarity as usual, and seemed to adjourn the meeting with a light giggle before she rose and departed. Merrik was a bit surprised, but he was tired, exhausted even, and wished for nothing more than a rest from the war, the planning, the disagreements. He needed to think in what had been said and come to a decision about how they would proceed, but first, he needed to clear his head. And so, he gave a nod, as if anyone could deny Reverie's conclusion at that point, and rose.

"I will consider what has been said and call a meeting in a week's time to formal discuss my decision. Trust that I have heard each of your concerns and I will take them to heart. We will discuss my decision at that time. For now, I suggest you rest and get a good night's sleep. Training resumes tomorrow." And then he left.

White · Apr 10, 2017

Reverie paced quickly to the place she aimed to go to. Upon arrival, she and Celeste let go of their magic, lighting a light for every soldier, every civilian, every tamer, every child, simply every single one she saw die in her life with her own eyes. "A light for every soul lost to Ogual..." Then the two of them proceeded to move the lights into the shape of Dalaith's gaze as to the best of the extend of her ability and turned to look at whomever had come along. "When Narien and I had joined the order, Terria did something similiar to this for shirin, it was incredibly beautiful and certainly left an impression. This is for Dalaith and all the others that have been lost to the dark of the north." The lights that formed Dalaith's gaze ascended to the skies, slowly. "I live, thanks to her. I truly do not think I could have survived the blood beasts without her sacrifice, yet, I will not mourn, I do not wish to mourn the sacrifice, I wish to cherish it, just as I cherish each of you being alive and well." She smiled as the gaze seemed to silently explode into hundreds of falling stars lighting up the skies just as Celeste could be seen behind it, spilling her white flames.

Reverie had to grin, it seemed silly to her for Celeste to do this. "To victory my dear dragon," she gently spoke. More lights formed behind Celeste, one in red, for all the flames of war. One in Purple, for all the ones lost, another in white, green, yellow, a dark pink in all the colours of the tamer still alive with the final touch of a glowing black, forming the eyes in what was the end result: the sigil of the order. Colours in light interwoven, shaping each other, completing one another.

"Together have we defeated an essence of pure hatred," she started again, looking about hoping to find Pomona. "United have we retaken Khul." her eyes closing, goliath visibly in her mind. "Alone, some have we wandered through suffering, hardships, what seemed like fated burden." Terria came to her mind. "But together we have achieved so much. Soon Khul will be rebuilt and people will return, families will come back together, children will happily run laughing through the streets, merchants and prosperity will return to it as smiths begin to hammer metals, tailors will once again craft fine gowns and cats will return to hunting mice." Of course she knew it was not that simple and a hint of sarcasm mixed into her tone. "I am honestly proud that I was a part of it, I am proud to have fought alongside you, let us not waste times on words tonight, but embrace that which we have alltogether achieved."

Crimson77 · Apr 10, 2017

[fieldbox="Quiet, seagreen, dashed, 10, Tahoma"] Xylia had been quiet the entire meeting. It wasn't as though she had nothing to say, on the contrary, she had a lot to say. It was simply whether it was worth the effort to speak. Everyone in the Order seemed to have their own ideas and thoughts, and though it overlapped incredibly, the main goal in the end was whether or not they would be walking to a place filled with evil and rescue Merrik's sister,Terria, who may or may not even be at where they argue to go. Arven had said things that she agreed with the most, nodding her head every time he spoke the most sense. The man, Bren, who may have the answers, clouded with more thoughts than all of them could probably cope with. Xylia sighed, this was no good, too many voices wanted to be heard but even she didn't know which to trust and follow as she saw her leader nearly decapitate her fellow Tamer had he not regained control.

Lost in her own train of thought, Xylia could not help but remember the memory from the attack in the throne room. It knocked her out pretty badly but it was a memory she could not shake away. Is it possible that her parents were still alive? Was there hope that Ogual kept them much like Terria?

Xylia didn't speak for another reason, she was still weak; not strong enough to protect her teammates when the time called for it. Yes, her bonded ability allowed for her to leave a battle with the least amount of scars but it wasn't good enough to help her fellow Tamers. She did consider herself to be one, if not actually the weakest Tamer compared to the others. She couldn't say the same for Deventh; he's really strong but not herself. In her village, the weaker hunters had no say in what were to be carried out unless they had proven themselves worthy to the pack.

Much to her dismay, Pamona had left the meeting whilst Xylia was deep in thought. Reverie then left in a manner she deemed (even for her) rather odd. Xylia remained in her seat as Merrik too, left. Sighing, Xylia crossed her arms over the back of her head and leaned back in her seat. Everything was so confusing but, all she could do was carry out training and better herself for her team, she supposed, looking around at the other Tamers that remained in the room. [/fieldbox]

firejay1 · Apr 11, 2017

Narien wasn't sure who had stunned him more as Merrik and Reverie left the room. There was Reverie. She'd been sighing moments earlier, only to suddenly break into a girlish giggle and talk about the weather and their victory. He could feel a strange parallel with what had happened the day they'd first arrived, when Terria had invited them all outside in remembrance of their fallen companions, but the bounce in her step added a levity that had him questioning her sanity... as he had done before. Narien was sure he was no easy read himself, but Reverie was an utter mystery to him. At times she made astute observations, and she was always raring to push herself into the action, but at other times that same quiet enthusiasm seemed to burst out of nowhere in almost inappropriate ways. It was beyond even his twisted understanding of the world. But no, it was definitely Merrik who had stunned him more. This was the second time he'd seen Merrik giving him a look of... approval? It was almost respect. What madness was this? The first time Merrik had surprised him had been his praise after Narien had jumped off of Agni's back onto a flailing plagued Blood Eagle. Even he'd thought that was more than a little stupid, and Agni had been keeping her censure in for weeks. Now this. Not that he felt he'd been wrong here. It was simply that he had at best been expecting to have his words casually accepted, at worst to spark the fight the others had managed to avoid. It had been one thing for Merrik to take his words seriously, quite another to look right at him and seem to respect... him specifically for having said it.

He stood up from the table, realizing he was dawdling. Giving those remaining a brief smile, he said, "I guess that means it's time to leave huh?" Out the door he went.

Agni was there to greet him. She looked calm, but they had had little real communication for some time. Narien. Let us return. She voiced his thoughts precisely. I am in no mood for festivities today. The two of them headed back to their room in silence, rather as they had spent the last few weeks, but it was a loaded silence. Loaded, yet not uncomfortable - a waiting silence. They reached the door of her stable, and Agni began. So you have returned. She said no further than that, but they both knew what she meant. Just as it had been when they had bonded, her voice was devoid of any sort of desired answer.

He stepped inside, following her large form, and only when he had closed the door behind him and she had turned to face him did he take a breath and respond. "Yes. Far have I wandered, only to find my way back to you. As ought be." He stood in front of her, one man dwarfed by a young dragoness. The two of them stared at each other in perfect silence, then to her extreme surprise, he knelt down in front of her on one knee. He lowered his head, placing one arm across one knee like a knight in front of his queen. "There is much you see, but here I declare my intentions, that no doubt may remain within your heart. The Order does not claim my loyalty. I do not fight for Calidar, Sylvis, Galidus, nor for the ideals of all of Illos. Not for the horrors of my past, or the fear of my future. My allegiance lies with you and you alone, Agni Lu'ule, last of the Arcane dragons, the remaining half of this incomplete soul. For your peace, your kindness, and your vision alone do I take up my weapons. Not to sacrifice the world for you, but to uphold that which you hold dear." Finally, he stood and looked straight at her, extending his hand towards her, palm up. "So I ask now, my dearest friend and bondmate, that you share your weakness with me, as you have shared your strength."

Agni for a moment simply looked at him, as impassive as the day they had met, surveying him with those glowing white eyes. Then, she moved her head closer until her snout was mere inches away and opened her mouth. They were so close that he could feel the warmth emanating from her scales and see, with perfect clarity, the rows of sharp teeth. Last time she'd put her head this close, she'd roared at him for his stunt with the centaur, so he steeled himself for another. Instead, she snapped her teeth closed right in front of his face and began.... WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING? Flashes of memories came pouring from her. This time. There he was, purposely allowing himself to get cornered by two plagued soldiers, narrowly dodging several swings before tripping one into stabbing the other. And then. There he was again, kicking one about to take a downward slash at a fallen comrade and being forced to dodge the subsequent angry throwing daggers. AND HERE. Now that memory had to be a fabrication. He most certainly didn't remember grabbing a wayward blade with one hand and stabbing its plagued owner with the other. AND MOST OF ALL THIS. Okay, well he did remember the Blood Eagle jump. You could have been killed, times too numerous to count. The memories went by so fast Narien couldn't keep up with them, but they all shared the same general feeling of abject horror from Agni. The complaints she'd kept in while she was fighting now came pouring out, as she loomed over him. You who believe you are beloved by Fate and unwanted by Death, have you ever been right about your destiny?! Her tail slammed once against the floor and a hot breath snorted from her nostrils, still a little too close for comfort.

Is caution so abhorrent a practice to you? Do you not understand what happens when a dragon's tamer dies? Her words grew sober. It is not my death I fear, but the loss you of all people must understand. The knowledge of my ancestors warns me of what awaits, what the death of your ancestors did to them. The pain of a dragon....

Narien reached forward and stroked her snout slowly. "The loss of two." The tears that had not fallen as she had publicly mourned and comforted her kin now fell. There was much they had had to do and much still left to do. Through it all, she had kept her grief to herself. Narien himself had not been an outlet her emotions. He had cared little for Dalaith, and knew nothing of Shirin. This was her grief alone, and it was she who had to feel it to let it go. Agni cried for her fallen brothers. While Reverie honored their fallen outside for all to see, the two of them held a little ceremony just the two of them, that the dead might be remembered not for the glory of their deeds, but for the reality of their companionship.

Soulserenity20 · Apr 15, 2017

Merrik X Pomona
[dscroll]
Merrik strolled out across the long, emerald grasses of the meadow, moving briskly towards the eastern end where the training grounds lay. He had planned to spend the rest of the evening, into the late hours of the night, training. The night had always called to him, kept him alert when his mind should have longed for sleep. This was Obsidian Nova's essence within him. The Nightmare Dragons were almost entirely nocturnal by nature, though Nova had conditioned his body to remain active throughout the day to fit his duty to the Order. Nova had still not returned, and from the ebbs of the bond, it felt as if he had flown far north, too the northern coast where he hunted in the waters for large fish.

It wasn't the first time the elder drake had departed from Merrik's presence. After all, twenty years homes many disputes among friends, especially those as closely connected as Merrik and Obsidian Nova. Merrik did not let this stop him from his intent to prepare himself. He had found a new facet of his bond that he had never experienced before and his intent was to begin his mastery of it. As he neared, he saw a familiar twist of white hair whirling around as the glint of a sword struck a practice dummy with great precision and power.

Pomona. He sighed, knowing he was to speak to her that evening, but a bit frustrated that it would have to be now. He sought the comfort of training, the familiar place where all that existed was himself, his mana, and the journey to understanding. Nevertheless, he closed the distance between himself and the warrior and cleared his throat. "Good evening, Pomona." Was all he said, standing a few feet from her working space so as not to interfere with her flow.

The anger and horror of Katla's discovery still permeated Pomona's mind, fueling her own irritation over all that had happened earlier, and though her stomach growled uncontrollably, she continued to practice her series of movements on the unsuspecting wooden dummy. She had attempted desperately to find a blade that was somewhat to her liking, but none were exactly like the one she had lost in Kuhl. Frustration mounting, she finished her routine before giving a yell and finally cutting the already-chopped head clean off.

It was right at this time that Merrik cleared his throat and greeted her. She whirled around, sweat beaded on her brow, now flushed with mild embarrassment. Giving her commander a respectful bow, she put the sword back on its rack and wiped her brow. "My apologies for my outburst, Master Tetra. I did not mean to upset you."

She was surprisingly formal. Perhaps it was due to her sheer irritation, her desire to give him respect when she knew she was about to scold him, or simply because she didn't necessarily see him as a friend just yet. She could tell from his demeanor that he did not wish to be there, either, and giving a sigh, she let her shoulders relax and blocked out the still raging emotion of her dragoness to the best of her abilities, keeping Katla's anger from making her act out of place.

"From how you look, I would imagine you did not originally come here to speak to me, but to train and clear your mind as I did? If so, please let me be as brief as possible."

Taking a breath, she let herself calm before saying what was on her mind. "I mean you no disrespect, sir. You are my leader - my commanding officer - and because it is my duty to Illos, I will follow you. However, such a display of outright anger and backwards thinking is not what the Order needs. Telling your soldiers that they cannot go anywhere without you and then turning around and stating that you will go to the most dangerous place in all Illos by yourself to save your sister is not only obnoxious, but as a leader, it is downright dangerous. You are basically telling your soldiers - the people that will most likely follow you to certain death - that you do not have faith in them because of their inexperience compared to yours and the Lady Tetra's. While I understand that none of us can compare to you or your sister in sheer skill, I do believe that we have all proven the heart we have and the capabilities we show. We are not children to be scolded and sent to our rooms...we are your tamers, and we deserve respect as much as you do."

It was a long winded speech, and she knew that she had probably gone on a little too long. But what was she to do? This was the first time actually speaking to Merrik on her own, and a part of her did not know how to handle herself. She knew he had lost tamers - she even witnessed one of them die to save the rest. But that could not and would not let his outburst slip past.

He shrugged at her apology, insisting it wasn't necessary. At this point, he was used to outbursts from the other tamers. Under the best circumstances, no position of power ever went unquestioned and these circumstances were far from the best.

"Yes, Pomona, I've come here to train. There has been a shift in my bond that needs attention, and I owe it to myself, and the rest of you, to hone my capabilities to their highest level of precision. I expect I'll be spending almost all of my time her over the next week or two, until I feel I am back to full strength."

He summoned up a dark blade, woven of the black mana he so often went to. The blade was blacker than black, with no reflection, no light giving it depth. He rarely used his mana for this, as the weight of this sword was a far cry from his own blade, but since he had to talk to Pomona, he might as well do it on a field to which she took comfort. He raised his sword as he answered then, inviting her to spar with him.

"Adhering to duty and offering respect are two very different things. Duty is bestowed, whereas respect is earned and given. You need not respect me to follow me, Pomona. But you do need to trust me. Something I've come to question in light of your attitude towards my decisions." He danced lightly forward, initiating contact as his blade met with hers, a light assault before dancing back and circling. "You seem to know much about what an Order of Dragon Tamers needs, Pomona, thought I question where your expertise comes from. This is no ordinary army. This is not a war of swords and manpower, but one of mana and of mind. Magick changes everything. It challenges the most powerful, overcomes the masses, and threatens any and all who dare partake of it." He made a sharp movement to the side and spun his blade around, connecting with her sword as he followed through with his strike, twisting his body and landing behind her as she re-positioned herself with ease to maintain her stance towards him.

"It isn't the same as letting an army of novices march out, knowing they can protect themselves, to some extent, at least. Ogual has proven capable of overcoming our most powerful mage without any warning. Surely you can see why I hesitate to allow you to venture out on your own. And yet, can it be denied that the task remains? Terria must be rescued. Leader or not, you cannot argue that I am most qualified to go. I have scolded no one, nor have I deferred any respect, but heart is not enough, Pomona! I cannot Order another tamer to his or her deaths! Two and their dragons have died at my command, I will do everything in my power to prevent that from happening again." He struck hard this time, his blade coming down heavy and though she gracefully deflected it, he used the motion to curve his blade into another strike from the side.

"I have heard reason. Narien spoke a bitter truth and I heed his words. I recognize the danger, the threats, but, it is not so simple to allow everyone to fly to Ogual's lair and struggle for life simply to be fair."

At Merrik's mention on the shift in his bond, Pomona's brow rose in surprise. Having felt her own shift, perhaps due to the sheer desperation and helplessness she had felt during the battle in Kuhl, she was glad to hear that she wasn't the only one.

"I have felt such a thing in my own Bond, but I've been afraid to touch it...my history with any sort of mana hasn't been the most successful, after all."

The other brow rose, her forehead crinkling as his dark blade came into view, and she turned and grabbed the blade she had put to the side. Still heavier and longer than she was used to, and accepted his offer upon finishing what she had to say.
She listened to all he had to say, their intricate dance of battle ensuing almost delicately. When he finally finished, she took a few moments to process all that he had said, pulling her blade to her side to deflect his pass at her side before taking a step backwards and using the momentum from her deflection to make a swing towards his shoulder.

"I must admit, it is hard for me to trust anyone in these dark times. Even you, Master Tetra. I apologize for having such difficulties, but it is even harder after watching you so swiftly succumb to the darkness, yourself. Do not get me wrong, sir, I'm happy that you've come back...but it makes me fear for the future of Illos. What do we have if the leader of the Order of Dragon Tamers cannot stay strong in the face of madness?" As he deflected her pass at his shoulder, she spun lightly on her feet, swinging for his legs as his blade came down and met her steel once more. "I know that I am not experienced in the art of dragons, nor am I experienced in mana or any forms of magick. That is not what I am trying to explain to you. No matter what this war is over, if your people cannot trust that you have faith in them and their abilities, then how can you expect them to believe they can win this war at all? You were acting as though you can face Ogual by yourself, but we cannot complete a lowly errand outside the protection of the Meadow. That is hard on morale. And, for me, personally, it makes fate that much harder to bear. I am not built to stay put, Master Tetra. Perhaps some of the others are. However, I am not. Especially not when my leader - my commander - is telling me that he's going to head to the source of death, destruction, and madness to save another, risking the fate of not only himself, but also all of Illos, including his tamers."

She felt frustration fill her as her mind fell back on her family, lying dead somewhere in the streets of Otamur, and her eyes flashed a second as she swung hard for his blade, watching as sparks flew from her blade as it connected with Merrik's once more. As they returned to normal, she gave a breath and spoke again. "I understand that you are afraid that we cannot handle ourselves - I, myself, know that I am no match for Ogual in my current state. And yet, I listen to you speak of your qualification when you are not even wholly yourself after our most recent exchange with a sliver of Ogual's power. It took everything the Order had as well as your own dragon to pull you from that...it took almost all of us. And yet, you say you cannot order us to go when you are our leader, and we have already accepted that death may be what comes of us in the end. If we are even to have a small sliver of a chance, we need Terria, for she is the most powerful mage we have. Two have died because that was what fate had decided of them. Now let us help fate decide things for the rest of us. No matter what, some of us will die, and some will go on living. As our leader, you must accept that death is a part of war, and that you will lose some of us." Another twirl came, and she swung at his side, her sudden ferocity showing the passion she felt in the words she was saying, brow beginning to once more bead with sweat.

"I am not asking for fairness, Master Tetra. I am asking for your respect as your fellow tamer. If I have not yet earned such, then I have no reason to be in your Meadow, eating your food and using your weapons. I have a job to do, and if I cannot do it with you as my leader, I will simply do it without!" As her blade bounced back from his, she swung high and put a great deal of force behind it, feeling her mana flow through her. Her daimond skin formed across her arm and began reaching for the sword guard, showing a small hint at her new adaptation. As this swing was deflected, she bounced back and threw her sword to the ground, anger adamant on her features, her breath heavy.

"If you have seen reason, you can expect that I will at least come with you to Otamur. If I cannot go to the burial grounds to unlock Bren's mind, I will help you save your sister. And I will do so with or without your permission." A daring look played across her features, inviting him to say something against her wishes. She was ready for a fight, no matter the cost.

The more Pomona spoke, the more Merrik realized he couldn't trust or rely on her. She had as much control of her emotions regarding the matter as he did, except that she didn't have a sister in the clutches of a Dark Lord, leaving him to wonder what was pushing her to such a state. Her words were oddly juvenile to him, as she rebelliously spit at him that she didn't want to be here if he didn't respect her. Where else would she go? She was the worst mage of the bunch. If Terria was subdued and he was consumed by Ogual's shadow of hatred, what chance did she have? Frustrated, he returned and parried each attack she offered and when the odd one landed, he returned it two-fold out of frustration at her words. She was good with a sword, but a sword did little against a mage attack from the distance.

In all she said regarding respect, she made it clear that she lacked any and all for him. Between her spiteful terms of having a job to do, with or without the leader that taught her everything she knew of mana and of dragons, and her insistence that she would help him rescue his sister, regardless of what he said, she painted herself a grim liability to his efforts. He decided then and there that he didn't want he anywhere near his mission to rescue Terria and in fact, he found himself sorely missing the reasoning of Goliath and the loyalty and cool-headed nature of Shirin. His thoughts of Shirin quickly drifted to Dalaith and from there, to his shortcomings.

"Consider your concerns voiced. I will leave you to your training. It isn't swordsmanship I need to focus on." What more could he say to a woman that didn't trust him, respect him, or see any need for his leadership? Her past as a wandering mercenary was shining through and brought him to question if she would ever be an effective member of an Order. He let the black sword fade, bowed, and strode swiftly away from the woman with the white hair to the far side of the training grounds where he set began work on his new ability. First, he created 5 foes of his dark mana. When he set them to attack him, he worked on using his shadow ability to phase through any attack they landed. Fueled by frustration and a sincere vow to regain control of his emotions and his army, he worked tirelessly into the night.[/dscroll]

Later That Night

As he trained, he set to work on sorting out the concerns of the numerous tamers that had spoken out. Narien had proven cool-headed and a critical thinker, something of great value to the Order at such a time. Saira had spoken her piece, but had done so in a calm, controlled, and respectful manner, something he respected her greatly for. She was a passionate being, but she never let her emotions get the best of her -- something he could learn from her.

Avren had vowed his allegiance to Merrik and while he wasn't sure what to think of such blind trust, he was thankful for the loyalty the man offered. Reverie's heart was her strongest suit and it had proven to be enough in numerous instances. She was constantly seeking to grow and become better. She was careful, always thinking and planning, and she would prove a valuable asset on a mission like the one he had in store. Xylia, well no doubt a good fighter with high spirits, lacked the experience as a warrior and a mage to be put in Ogual's direct line of fire.

And then there was Illyria. She was a sharp mind, a valuable asset, but he feared her lack of experience with warfare and mana would be her demise. Goliath could always be trusted. Merrik had grown certain of this, for Goliath had the experience of working as a commander and a soldier and had the experience with mana and combat to be of infinite use. Not to mention that Merrik had grown to trust him more than any of the others. And he cared for Terria. Goliath would certainly be at Merrik's side as they moved to the Volcano.

And so it was decided that night, as he worked and trained, that Saira, Reverie, and Goliath would accompany him to Ogual's Lair to reclaim his sister. The others would not be pleased, or at least some of them would not, and so he needed to find a way to make busy them. Shaking his head, he found himself in awe that he had to keep the tamers entertained. Avren would have stayed behind without a fight, trusting in Merrik's decision, and he was reasonably confident that the same was the case for Illyria, Xylia, and Narien. All truths be told, he wanted Narien on the mission with him but he feared how the Arcane pair would handle being so close to the taint of Ogual's darkness. His biggest concern was the wild card he had sparred with that night. Pomona was unpredictable and uncontrollable. She wouldn't simply adhere to her commander's orders, rather she needed to be made to feel useful to have her calm down. But he didn't trust her alone.

When his training came to an end, into the early hours of the morning, he made his way back to his desk in his loft, past an empty stall, for Nova had not yet returned. He took out his most recent maps of Illos and of the plague and began looking for a location to send the rest of the Order. Everything was a risk now and he couldn't avoid the threat of Ogual taking another. The Order refused to listen to his warnings, refused to acknowledge the fact that every single time they had left the meadow up until now, they had his own mana protecting their minds and bonds. This would test how well they stood up to Ogual on their own.

Misery Lake Town was at risk, but Trespa was near enough and at risk enough to be well involved in the fight against the plague on the southern banks of the Bewildered Lake. The Frozen Forest Village was still safe on the coast, but Kibran was a village of very pious but very helpless people. This eventually became the destination of choice. Pomona would not feel restless if she was in battle and Merrik could send Narien and Avren along to keep an eye on her. Illyria and Xylia could accompany them. Surely Avren and Narien could handle the other three. Avren could serve to heal most of the injuries that might come to be and Narien had gained Merrik's confidence in his ability to survive and succeed at battle. At nearly three in the morning, Merrik got up from his place at the desk and flopped down onto his bed, falling quickly to sleep.

~~~~

He took the next week or so to go over the details of his plan, to communication with the new King of Galidus, Kylvest Brohn, natural King of Trespa, to confirm the presence of Ogual's forces in Kibran. The king welcomed the Order's presence in the north as the Trespan army had been working tirelessly to push Ogual's forces back from the northern Storming Plains. The mayor of Kibran had been killed and so the village was acting under the authority of the local priest. The town had come to believe that the curse of the Old Gods had brought this upon Illos for the peoples' lack of piety. They had "forgotten" the gods of old and in so doing, brought their wrath upon the land. It would be a delicate manner to navigate the public eye for the tamers sent to the region, but Merrik had confidence in Illyria to handle the majority of the public proceedings.

It was just over a week after they had returned to the meadow when Merrik summoned them together once more for a meeting.

"Having considered everything that has been said regarding the matter, I've reached a decision on how we will proceed with our next actions in this war. I will depart to Ogual's lair with a small team to rescue Terria. Saira, Reverie, and Goliath, I would ask that you accompany me on this very dangerous task. You've every right to decline. I will not order you to join me, but I ask that you do." He then drew out a map, marked in blood red where the plague had spread. The markings had grown since he last showed them this map and he motioned towards North-Eastern Galidus.

"Kibran is in need of help. The Trespan armies are spread thin, defending the Storming Plains tribes and the new capital. The mayor of Kibran has been taken by the battle and the village has fallen into near madness under their religious leaders who now fill their minds with a new reality for the cause of this war. You must tread carefully in how you present yourselves."

He turned to Illyria then. "I wish for you to use your knowledges, study up on the religious beliefs of the people of Kibran and of the Old Gods, and use it to navigate your social interactions. We must maintain the image of the Order as an army for all peoples."

Then, he turned to Narien. "I would ask that you lead this mission. Avren will join you to serve as a healer, and Pomona, Xylia, and Illyria will fight at your sides." Then he spoke to the group ordered to Kibran. "These people need you. They are not warriors, they are helpless, confused, and without a leader. I ask that you fortify the village, push back Ogual's forces nearing in the West, and find a new leader for their people. Talk to the citizens, find out what happened and how the Priests came to power."

He spoke to them all, then. "What say you of this plan?" He looked at Pomona specifically, the one that had given him the most grief on the matter.

White · Apr 15, 2017

Reverie leaned to the wall at the place of meeting after Merrik asked for everybody to come and gather. She listened intentively before she finally gave a nod and voiced her thoughts smiling: "I am a bit heartbroken that you thought I would be unwilling to come along for this." because if it was not me, it may have been one of them to potentially die, she finished her sentence in her mind.

She had prepared for it, been willing to sacrifice the secret of what she found in her shared bond to make sure she came and not another. She prepared for it, too: Each day she wandered away from the meadow, a fair distance into the forest. Practising her newfound ability together with Celeste, it proved to be difficult at first, finding and combining elements and by the end of the week she thought she was able to make do with what she had already at her disposal. Fire that heals? Light that soothes? Purifying water? The only downside she faced was that it could be very taxing if the mana she was using, changing was more complex... like her purification but surely all this had been enough to make sure she would go and not another.

Goliath would have been more suitable as the leader of the other party, except that they would very much need him with them. He was by far the most experienced fighter and the more she considered it, the more she thought she understood why Merrik had choosen Narien. Turning her head to Narien, with a firm and serious expression, seeking eye contact with him: "I also believe that Narien would do well as a leader figure. He certainly deserves this chance."
No matter in what perspective she put it in her mind, no matter the distrust and distance she felt to him, yes, he was rational and he spoke in reason. He kept himself patient and even though she knew little of him or his background, she knew he was watching, noticing, alway... just as his rationality implied him to be somewhat calculating. How much calculation was happening in his mind, she could not tell with the rift that was constructed between the two of them before the events that changed her and perceived to remain from his side.

Her eyes wandered over the ones new to the order. They are safe, she thought, her gladness reinforced that none of them would come along into the lair of hatred and while she understood Narien to care little for others, her gut told her that they will be safe with him... or at least significantly more safe than to where she was going.

Wandering further, her eyes found Goliath and she begun to stare. She knew how grave the danger was to where they were going, how possible it was for her to lose her life. She wished she had more time to train, practise and she felt something, like a hunger growing, lusting for power deep inside her heart. Power to be capable enough to protect him and everybody else here, to protect the people of Illos, everybody... but specifically those she cared about.
She saw how powerful a mere fragment of Ogual was, she fought it and it costed all she had left inside of her. Yes, if only she had more time...
she shook her head. There was no time and there was no power to do what she desired. A frown playing on her gaze as her attention returned to the other tamer.
She had to silently accept it. They were powerless and would continue to be powerless until they had enough time. Ogual would not wait, this time he let them have their victory, next time, he may pressure up on their weakness and finish them off for good. This was just a game for him, a game of tormenting the tamer and the people on Illos. Everytime they lost somebody, would he be laughing? When Otamur fell, was he smiling as the army shattered and children lost their fathers, women lost their husbands, was he... no... it does not matter. She stopped herself as she felt a hatred grow within her. No... finally, she breathed out. It does not matter what he was doing, if he enjoyed it or not. Hate would only become a weakness, she reminded herself, slowly processing through her own experiences of slow hate, remembering them. And then there was the hate in the castle. No, she must not allow herself to fall to hate. She was above it.

Requiem · Apr 15, 2017

Requiem's eyes snapped open sharply, for the first time in what felt like months, his soul was at one with his body. The battle, the loss, everything that had happened prior felt as though a fog had invaded his mind, overwhelming his ability to feel the world around him. His body had been moving of it's own accord, doing what it felt was necessary, but his soul had been absent, and so he had been absent. Only flashes of battle came to him, blood, death, pain. He had received injuries to remind him of his failures. Requiem tried to focus, to clear the fog from his memories, but he could not. That time was lost to him, and so he had no choice but to carry on.

The conversation was currently regarding the recovery of the only one who had shown him any true kindness since his arrival in the camp. He desired nothing more than to join on the rescue team, but there was no place for him. He had shown nothing to give that he was worth trusting or capable in battle beyond his most basic skills. Even Aleria it seemed worried for him over the span. He could not go with them to rescue her, he was nothing but a pirate, filled with wrath and pain. He turned to face Merrik, "I... Will see to what you request for Kibran." He could not say more, the world was catching up to him, his stomach churned. "If something changes, please, let me know." He stood and turned to leave the room, to get away from them.

When he made it outside, he relieved his stomach of it's contents, stood, and began making his way to his stable where Aleria was. "You're with us again I see." She commented, noticing the significant difference in his being.

Requiem gave a solemn nod, "Forgive me for my failures." He mumbled as he pressed towards his bed and collapsed upon it. "I will do my best to ensure that it does not happen again." He sighed from the mattress, "I have much to atone for."

Mowkie · Apr 15, 2017

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A part of her knew and even understood Merrik's frustration with her. Pomona was a loner, having never gotten along with others after losing the people she loved. She had no respect for leaders who could not treat their followers as more than simple children, and at the point, she felt like nothing more than a child in his eyes. Frustration mounting, she watched as he turned his back on her and walked away, and when he was on the other side of the training field, she whirled around and hit the nearest training dummy with all she had.

Her desperation to get out her emotion is what forced the diamond blade to appear in her hand, consuming the steel as her scale ward had covered her flesh. Surprise filled her, and she found herself forgetting about her talk with her leader almost entirely, instead choosing to focus on this newfound ability. She would practice throughout the night, even after Merrik left the training ground, doing her best to find ways of calling upon the blade of her own free will. Yet no matter how hard she tried, only her desperate need would bring it to her hand.

Finally exhausted and frustrated with herself, she, too, left the training grounds and headed back to her room, through an empty stall. Before heading upstairs, she opened up her mind in search of Katla, but the dragoness could not be felt. Perhaps she just needed some time alone and had chosen to hunt and sleep in the forest tonight. Pomona could not bring herself to care enough, her loner nature overtaking her need to find her greatest companion. Instead of going out in search of Katla, she accepted that the Amethyst could take care of herself and went to bed.

~~~*~~~

Unbeknownst to her tamer, however, Katla had long since headed out in search of Obsidian Nova. Once her own anger had been blocked off by Pomona, and her tamer's own frustration was not fueling the dragoness's need to be angry at the mention of defiling the bones of her ancestors, she thought through what all had been said and came to realize what was more important. It was this understanding that drove Katla to find her own leader in hopes of talking some sort of sense into him.

It took many hours, but when she finally did find Nova, his shadowy scales were almost impossible to see in the darkness of night. Still, perhaps due to her ability to see in the pitch blackness of caves, she spotted him and flew up to catch his current, tentatively touching the edges of his mind in a greeting.

~I know that you are angry, Nova...perhaps you would like to talk to another that is not a human that cannot understand the need to protect our ancestors?~

~~~*~~~

When the week had passed, and all of the dust had somewhat settled, Pomona once more found herself looking upon all of the Order. She had attempted to avoid the others for fear that her own frustration would lash out towards them, and they did not deserve that. Instead, she trained on her own, read the books she had available to her, and trained some more, trying hard to conquer this newfound ability, to no avail.

As she listened to Merrik speak, she nodded in agreement with his plan. It was a fair one, allowing for the strongest and most trusted to go to the fortress to protect their leader and the only one who could truly bring victory to Illos, while the less experienced ones would go to a city that was being ruled by crazy religion and driven almost mad. This was a good balance, and a good way for the less experienced tamers - lead by some of the more experienced - to prove themselves. Herself included.

"I say it is a good use of resources, Master Tetra. I will gladly follow Narien and aide him in Kibran." She gave a bow of her head before bowing formally to Narien to show her respect. "If that is all, I would like to go back to training. There is much I feel I must complete before we venture forth."

Soulserenity20 · Apr 16, 2017

Without any problems voiced from the Order, the plans were set in motion. The team heading for Kibran were to set out immediately while the tamers who sought to retrieve the younger Tetra remained at the meadow for one more week to go over their plan, work on specific mana skills, like cloaking, mind protection, healing, and their new bonded abilities. At the end of that week, they departed for the volcano lair of Ogual.

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KIBRAN EVENT STAGE I

Upon arriving at Kibran, after four days of flight, stopping to rest at the Lunate Monastery, the Stallion Tribe, and the eastern woods near the belly of the Bewildered Lake, they would arrive at a quiet town with a seemingly peaceful atmosphere.

The village is old and sturdy, lively, and seemingly at ease in light of the threat of Ogual's forces moving in from the mountains in the north west. When you enter the village from the eastern shores of the Bewildered Lake, coming in from the south, you can see a large church in the distance, looming over the village. You are welcomed by two young women, claiming to be the daughters of the deceased Mayor. They invite you to their home and insist your dragons can stay in the pastures nearby, so long as they promise not to feed on any of the livestock.

The young girls wait for you to settle into their spacious home and then offer you dinner, a stew of lamb with bread and fresh fruits.
"If I might, without sounding too obtrusive.... What are you doing here? Surely the heroes of Illos have more important matters to tend to than the pleas of a small, northern village."
The elder of the sisters cast a sharp glance to the younger. "Mira, you've no right to speak to the heroes in such a manner. We're not to question their arrival, only welcome them and assist them in their duties. I apologize for my sister, she lacks respect. We are grateful you have come. As you may have noticed, our village is not prepared to defend itself. We have survived only off the favor of the gods for many generations, but that favor has waned and this plague suffers our lands into darkness. Long have the legends told of heroes coming in times of darkness and liberating the sinners from their fates. The priests knew of your coming, even before we received word from our King." She turned to her sister then, "We must remember to offer more than our due tithe when they next gather to collect."

Mira seemed quite bothered by this, but she held her tongue, at least for a time. "My apologies for my disrespect, heroes. How can we assist you on your business?"

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VOLCANO EVENT STAGE I

After training in what they could before departing, Merrik, Goliath, Reverie, and Saira departed, leaving Taega alone in the meadow to await their return. It was not safe to bring her so near Ogual in the state she was in, and she had wished to see the dark realm of the evil one. The four set out in her name to reclaim the Lunar Tamer, no matter what came to be.

Their arrival came at early morning, having flown well through the night. The volcano's raging belly lit the dim skies with orange and red glow. Merrik had expected to see the plagued ones positioned across the face of the volcano but there was no presence of the living to be seen. They were tasked with their first challenge: finding a way in.

As they searched the landscape, taking in what they could of the grim mountainside, they saw numerous possible entrances from which they had to choose. There was a cave, cut into the side of the volcano, a large set of boulders that looked oddly out of place, a tunnel entrance a ways into the woods that surrounded the volcano, and of course the large opening at the mouth of the volcano.

Merrik looked to his comrades for their input. "We have to find a way in. Based on what we've seen, which do you think we should try first?" Each of the tamers was cloaked from view to any outsider. Only those wearing the invisibility pendants would able to see the four and their dragons, making it much safer to hover in the skies so near Ogual's fortress. Furthermore, each was cloaking their own mana, much like prey masking its scent from a predator. But these spells would not hold up for long and each minute they spent out here was more dangerous and more of a drain on their mana stores. They needed to find a way in before they were spotted.

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Return of the Dragon Tamers: The Plague of Ogual

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