Return of the Dragon Tamers: The Plague of Ogual

[Soulserenity20]

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

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

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

[spoili][/spoili]

 

[Chrome]

When you share quarters with an Iron Dragon, you have to put cotton in your ears to sleep, and that is just what Goliath did, after a aggravated night with Hezekiah shifting his metal blades in his sleep, Goliath is finally asleep.

3 hours later.

Goliath is awakened by the rustling of his new partner, Hezekiah; as he gleams sunlight in Goliath's face. Hezekiah immediately leaves the quarters and goes to find a quick snack.

On his way back to check on his 'worthy' human he turns to see Obsidian Nova talking with Byriarti.

[Hezekiah to Obsidian Nova and Byriarti]

*nods head* < Sounds great, you can count me in >

After Hezekiah darted out of the room, no doubt wanting to get training started early; Goliath drags himself up. He puts his light training garb on and his sword belt as he heads out. Upon leaving Goliath witnessed a wonderful sight in the sky, a blood eagle, a northern blood eagle, in dragon territory.... Goliath dashes after it.

Stopping hurriedly as the blood eagle named Evyria asks Goliath to help her find her son.

[Goliath to Eyvria]

"You're son will be found Lady Evyria" Goliath stands up straight and looks directly at Evyria as he says "Point me in any direction you wish" re-enacts his overly practiced courtly bow. "Goliath Atreus, at your service"

 

[Crimson77]

Ethiriél had wandered around the area as her Tamer left for the festivities, she observed the many different decorations and preparations until her eyes had finally landed on Obsidian. She carefully made her way towards him, making her presence known by clearing her throat.

[Ethiriél to Obsidian Nova]

" Good morning." Ethiriél bowed, as she stared at her brother's troubled face. "Does something bother you, Brother?"

 

[Soulserenity20]

[Obsidian Nova to Hezekiah, Byriarti, and Etheriél]

Three dragons approached. Three. Obsidian Nova signed slightly within himself, knowing the others were too 'busy' to help maintain the land that offered them a place to live and food to eat. Alas, there was no point in fretting about those who did not wish to do their part, for those who did, he would make sure they were rewarded for their work.

Byriarti was the first to arrive, to Nova's surprise. He didn't take the solar drake to be the type to do manual labor, no doubt he'd believe it was for man and the lower creatures to do. Perhaps it was the reward... he was, in fact, the type to want to get ahead on training. Whatever the reason, he'd accept the help gratefully and without question.

"You have my thanks for your assistance, brother. We'll wait for any others to offer their assistance, 3 more should do, and we'll begin clearing the meadow and near woods of debris." He stood next to his solar brother and waited while Hezekiah and then Etheriél offered their assistance as well. Pleased, he decided they had enough to get started.

"My brothers, clear the woods and meadow of any fallen trees, summon me any too large have fallen and you're in need of assistance." A sly wink was offered as he teased the two younger males. He knew full well as they did that the fallen tree would have to be from the most ancient grove to prove too difficult for an iron and orange dragon. Turning to the smaller female beside him he nodded towards a large collection of leaf litter, blown in by the wind. "Etheriél, you and I'll set to igniting some controlled burns to rid the area of lighter litter."

Nodding at the three to confirm they all knew their jobs, he readied himself to take off when suddenly he smelled it. The massive, black drake quivered in disgust at the scent-now-stench that wafted into his nostrils and as he looked up at the source he saw the silhouette of a blood eagle descending upon the meadow. His lips curled in a snarl as she took hold of the sacred ground of the meadow. His instincts screamed for him to attack, but his sense held him back as her voiced boomed into the minds of all in the meadow. She was seeking help. Her chick was lost... he could not bring himself to send her away. He looked at the yearlings before him and remembered their younger days, when they were small and vulnerable. What would he have done had he asked the eagles for help in finding one of the lost young ones and they turned him down? No... his feud would not surface today.

With peace in his heart, if even just for now, he lifted off and flew towards the forest. Staying low to the forest floor, he began igniting the piles of litter on fire with a low intensity flame and flew in circles around the burn to control it. So began the clean up.

 

[Soulserenity20]

[Eyvria to Dalaith, Shirin, and Goliath]

The first to approach was a white haired female human. She was a meek little thing, hardly big enough to feed her chick, let alone help it, but her words were dipped in cunning, and despite Eyvria's seeing right through the kind words - no human could understand the honor and loyalty of a blood eagle, humans were spineless little creatures, living only long enough to care for ones self - she decided having a sharp mind out on the look for her chick would serve her well. She nodded to the small human.

"Your assistance is welcomed, little human." She looked up then as a second female approached, this one much seeming to be more physically fit for the task. She'd do nicely. As the blonde one spoke, the great eagle nodded in approval as she admitted that she knew nothing of how the ancient raptor was feeling, for this was true as true could be. Her power may not be much, but she would be of great help.

"I know not of the direction for I saw not her path of flight, nor can I track her scent with the smell of scales so prominent in the air here. She's near though. I can feel her in the winds." Then, a third human approached. It would appear she'd get the party she sought after. Two females, one of mind, one of body, and a male, strong looking, as males should be.

But then he opened his mouth and the eagle reared up, fluttering her massive wings in offence.

"Son? You would think my beloved Etyrn is my son?? Do you know nothing of the names of elegance given to our kind. No male should hold such a beautiful, feminine name as Etyrn. How foolish of you." But then the human bowed in an unusual way and offered her his assistance, and his name. His name. Goliath Atreus. Neither of the others had offered their names and while she was not surprised the humans lacked manners, she was quite pleased to see that the male, though lacking in sense, had manners. She settled her wings and dipped her head down to the level of the man.

"Your service is accepted and I point you north. All of you, I point north. Travel in a pack, I'll take the skies above. We'll search until we find my beloved Etyrn, though keep a careful eye out for there are predators in these woods and their migration brings them near this time of year." With that, she lifted up to the sky and waved her head north, beckoning for them to follow as she glided, at the slowest imaginable pace, across the skies above.

 

[Rainjay]

[Aerarya to Obsidian Nova]

It was dreadfully boring, laying about without her tamer to amuse her with her weird habits and antics. Now that Saira was away on the hunt, the young drake found herself with nothing to do, other than to lounge about- something she was not finding quite as entertaining as she had thought it would be. Eventually, she crawled her way out into the open meadow, and that was when she spotted the gathering of drakes around Obsidian Nova, preparing to clean off the land for the festivities. It didn't seem like the activity she would like most to do- quite frankly, a good flight with her brothers and sisters would have suited her interests just fine- but perhaps this would have to do, if it would grant her some time with the other drakes without the tamers busying about.

She tailed after Obsidian Nova a little bit late- the others began to disperse already, but she caught up quickly. "I apologize for the interruption and late arrival. Would you perhaps make use of another helper?"

Aerarya relaxed in relief when the older drake greeted her and welcomed her help, and she set off alongside him and Etheriél to help clear away loose leaves and litter, practically bouncing with energy she was eager to spend.

 

[Erranruin]

[Yennefer to Tara, Aranel and Falor]

She gave them all a very pleasant smile, truly grateful, and rather surprised, for their generosity. She gestured towards the doors. "Let us go then!"

---------

It only took them twenty minutes or so of flight to reach the Canyons, cracks in the earth that grew larger and deeper as they went, streams running through them and over them into the ground or out towards the sea. Methuzar landed Yennefer just next to an edge that seemed to have some ancient steps cut into its side, leading down to the bottom. She dismounted and waited for the other to do so, looking over the edge to pinpoint a few areas where the particular herbs she was after might be.

 

[Mowkie]

[Byriarti to Obsidian Nova, Hezekiah, and Etheriél]

As Byriarti slunk over, wings spread slightly to bask in the warmth of the sun above him, he sent his great black brother a smirk. Obsidian Nova knew why the Solar Drake agreed to this in the first place, and it pleased him to no end seeing the look of surprise on his brother's face. A chuckle thrummed through his chest as he came to stand beside Nova, his odd, hair-like tendrils whispering on the breeze. Nodding in agreement towards his brother, the orange dragon watched as his shiny, metallic brother almost seemed to trot over, ever-happy to please. Rolling his eyes before sending a smile towards his smaller sister, Byriarti turned his attention once more to Nova, who spoke again.

He huffed at his brother, smoke billowing from flared nostrils as, briefly, his stormy blue eyes went cold and pale with irritation. Immediately, he turned, obviously ignoring any further words Nova might have for him, Byriarti leaped to the skies, flying low in search for any fallen trees.

He hadn't imagined the place was such a mess. He certainly had his work cut out for him. Diving towards the trees, Byriarti extended his talons, grabbing a fallen log, its trunk twisted and sore, leaves dead or dying, and decided it best to create a pile to burn later. Finding a clearing near where he had grabbed the log, the orange beast dropped the log on the ground with a thud before backwinging and looping towards Hezekiah.

~Stack the logs over there, brother. Perhaps then, we can burn them and create a colorful flame to make our little humans happy.~

With that said, the prideful Solar Dragon went back to his menial task.

~*~

[Shirin to Eyvria, Dalaith, and Goliath]

Nodding towards the beautiful eagle before her, Shirin looked back in time to watch another of the tamers arrive. Golaith, she thought to herself. He was one of the few that she still had little conversation with. Her eyes widened when he said son, and as the warrior looked back at the now rather offended creature, she did everything she could to stifle a laugh, which promptly sent her into a small coughing fit.

Wonderful. Now she appeared weak.

Grumbling to herself, Shirin once more bowed towards Eyvria, clearing her throat and murmuring a small apology. "Right away, Great One." Motioning towards her other two companions, the warrior instantly darted North, heading outside the walls in search of Etryn. She called the chick's name, smelling the air in hopes of finding a scent much like that of Eyvria and looking back to see her companions doing much of the same. "Where do you think we would find a young blood eagle?" Her questioning gaze fell upon her scholarly fellow, Dalaith, in hopes of finding an answer.

 

[Chrome]

[Hezekiah to Obsidian Nova, Byriarti, and Etheriél]

Hezekiah, overly eager and aggressive, dealt with the logs by using his massive bladed jaw, tearing the logs into more manageable pieces before moving them. He prided himself in the way his mandible locked back into formation with each crunch, the old log bits shattering from the powerful pressure and filling his mouth with delicious insects. Hezekiah doesn't care what the other dragons think, insects can be a great snack, especially during a fun task; destroying things. He looked over to Byriarti as he told Hezekiah where to put the logs and Hezekiah was grateful for the guidance, though he was lost in the moment having fun making the logs smaller; there is much more work to be done.

<Great idea brother, the humans will be pleased and impressed>

And with that Hezekiah resumed his task and moved the logs to the specified location. He won't ask Obsidian Nova for help, he thought to himself. If the logs get too big it just means Hezekiah chomps more. (om nom)

[Goliath to Shirin, Dalaith, and the blood eagle; Eyvria]

Righteous and swift is the arrow that drives Goliath to find Etyrn, especially after his slip up.

"Apologies Lady Eyvria, Etryn will be found." and gave a sharp nod. As this was all occurring, Goliath couldn't help but realize that he hasn't been very social in his arrival. He saw Shirin, a woman he has seen before the bonding with the dragons. Shirin slayed many men at once in front of him during the battles against the Plague, a dancer with blades. Not before long, Goliath realized he started running without thinking about the words "travel in a pack". Eyvria's words. Goliath turned back and ran to the amused faces of Shirin and Daliath. Scratching his head Goliath said "Got caught up in the moment I guess, perhaps a near a body of water?" looking at both of them. Looking at Shirin he says "Shirin, I have seen your handiwork during the battles with the plague, done expertly." And to Daliath "Lets find Etyrn". Smiling.

 

[Shadicmaster]

Dalaith felt bad that she had overlooked the step of even introducing herself, but the response that the well secluded Goliath got was enough to keep her satisfied with not having taken her introduction too far. With Shirin apparently taking the lead, the silver haired tamer briskly folllowed, confused by what the eagle had said about the scent of scales. Reptilian creatures did of course have a distinct smell to them, even after having eben cleaned, but the scent was so faint, and they had all been around it for so long, that it was near being completely written out of the small collection of tamers' senses by now. Birds themselves also had a specific scent to them, but the scent of a blood eagle seemed to be quite a fair bit stronger, leading for a slight bit easier tracking. Dalaith did, however, hear an abundance of life within the forests, not knowing if they were to be friend or foe. It was then that the scholarly tamer was called upon for assistance, she focusing on the task on hand a bit more whole mindedly.

"I agree with the ever eager Goliath, that water is essential for all things, but from the brief flights Ive had with A'untyr in this general vicinity, I had never seen water. The forest here is, however, thick. We may be very soon losing all light due to canopy cover. So be on an even more hightened alert for predators. Food or water sources will be our best bet at finding the blood eagle's spawn." Dalaith replied only after Goliath had finished, knowing that there wasnt a way she was going to be able to butt into his ever so 'glorious' speech.

 

[Kyara]

[Tara to Yennefer, Aranel and Falor]

Tara released herself from the harness and landed lightly beside Zarketh. A brief flash of mischievousness through the bond was the only warning she had before the dragon jumped over the edge of the canyon. She caught herself awkwardly about half way to the bottom of the deep fissure, her wings knocking into the walls. She drew them in and extended them again, this time not to their full width. The yellow stripes on her wings flashed faster than the humans' eyes could follow as she struggled to make up for the hindrance.

Tara watched her fly away from them, narrowly avoiding collisions and serious injury, with a mixture of fear and pride. Zarketh was practically gloating through the bond, a non-verbal stream of praises for her own flying skills making its way to Tara. Tara scowled through her amusement and annoyance and directed Zarketh's thoughts back to the supposed purpose of her flight, looking for dangers.

 

[Erranruin]

[Yennefer to Tara]

Yennefer gasped to see Zarketh's reckless abandon, feeling herself and Methuzar tense up at each sharp corner and flinching when her wings clipped the edges. Methuzar rumbled in some concern, letting out a strained, pleading bugle for Zarketh to come back or at least be more careful. Yennefer flicked her eyes over to Tara in concern, but saw that her friend seemed accepting of the situation. Seeing this, she let herself relax slightly, though she still felt a well of concern. She knew very well that most of the dragons couldn't perform such impressive feats of flight.

"Goodness, Tara, how do you stay so calm!?" She said it jovially, but still with a hint of anxiety.

 

[Kyara]

[Tara to Yennefer, Aranel and Falor]

Tara turned to Yennefer and Methuzar with a smile that was only slightly strained. "As reckless as she seems I trust in Zarketh's knowledge of her own ability." Tara paused and huffed a small laugh. "Though truthfully I am very practised at staying calm in stressful situations. Zarketh will fly to the end of the canyons to check for danger."

 

[Mowkie]

[Byriarti to Hezekiah]

Once more, the orange drake found himself rolling his eyes at his way-too-enthusiastic clutchmate eating bugs like some strange bird and making a large mess of splinters all over the forest floor, which in truth defeated the purpose of cleaning in the first place. But alas, Byriarti would not say anything, finding that it would be more interesting to see what Nova would have to say about it. Instead, he remained quiet and continued to stack his logs as neatly as a dragon in flight possibly could.

It wasn't long before the stack had grown a fair amount, and most of the area had been cleared of any logs. Flying higher in order to see farther out, the Solar Dragon found himself smiling in satisfaction before looking out towards his shimmering brother with a sigh.

~Shall we report back? Or do you think Nova would want us to clear out more of the woodland area?~

[Shirin to Goliath & Dalaith]

Blinking at the strange and sudden comment from Goliath after his words about a body of water, Shirin gave a questioning, "Thank you," before turning towards Dalaith, her brow furrowed in concentration. She slowed to a walk, pondering her comerade's words a moment before nodding. "One would think that there might, perhaps, be a creek or stream at the very least near here. How else would we get so much lush greenery? Perhaps that is what we should search for. It is only natural that a creature, tired and thirsty, would search for anything at this point. I also agree about the danger. Let us keep our ears and eyes open."

Now regretting that she had forgotten to wear her armor, the warrior was glad that she at least had her trusty sword at her side. Her hand rested on it, her body tensing, readying itself for any sign of hostility. She turned towards Goliath and nodded her head towards her right, motioning for him to fan out slightly in order to cover more ground. Then, turning towards Dalaith, she motioned towards the left. The woman didn't look like much in the form of warrior material, but already Shirin was comfortable knowing that the young bookworm could hold her own if it came to a fight. Just in case, however, she kept her eyes open for anything that might create a weakness for any of them.

Once her companions were ready and settled, Shirin made her way forward, once more raising her speed, this time into a very light jog. "I am sure there is something near here that the youngling could have gotten into. We will find her."

 

[Chrome]

[Hezekiah to Byriarti, Etheriel, and Obsidian Nova]

The bladed drake Hezekiah looked over just in time to see Byriarti soar overhead scanning the area for more logs to move, he found it nice to have a clutchmate with some sense and a strong task-driven mind. After moving the remainder of the logs to the massive pile, Hezekiah flattened the remaining splinters and fragments of the defeated logs into the surrounding soil knowing that the ground and all the tiny bugs within need food too. As he thought about this, he was confronted by Byriarti.

<I remember Nova saying there are some undesirable animal paths that need to be leveled out, If he says we are done with clearing this area, then we can start doing that, lets go find him>

Not long after, Hezekiah and his brother drake Byriarti found Obsidian Nova engulfing some overgrowth with his controlled blackened red flame along with Etheriel.

<Byriarti and I have moved the logs Master. Do you wish us to expand the cleared area further or do you wish us to begin evening out the animal paths?>

[Goliath to Shirin and Dalaith]

Goliath nodded when Dalaith explained the lack of bodies of water in the area, and was relieved to be in the presence of two chosen dragon riders whom share the task of finding the spawn of the blood eagle. Obviously Merrik chose each person for a reason. Goliath took up the same jogging pace on the right of Shirin and as he jogged he observed the ground and landscape for any eroded markers in the terrain that could indicate a floodplain or terraced land form. Goliath was new to tracking a blood eagle, and an finding an adolescent one could prove difficult. Minutes into the jog with little sign of even a small swamp, he said "Do either of you see or smell signs of a fresh kill?" and sniffed the air.

 

[Shadicmaster]

Dalaith was satisfied with the response given by the leader of the party, following her instructions to fan left as they were given, though she wasnt so sure of her ability to hold her own without any form of weapon on hand. She could, of course, make due with improvisation if the need arose, however. Dalaith was one to take a more steady pace, only speeding up when she had examined everything in an area, thus allowing her to keep in step with the others sufficiently. The only problem was the lack of leads that she picked up. There was an old trail of bird prints, but they were from at least a day or so ago, far too old to be the young blood eagle they were seeking. There was, however, use in the trail, allowing her to duck away from the group quickly to follow it around a growth of bushes. Perhaps, if another creature had found water, Etyrn could have found the same source from another route. Unfortunately, the only thing that became of the short trail was a vast clearing with enough opening for a bird of size big enough to leave to prints to escape the thick forest canopy. Huffing slightly to herself and muttering under her breath, the silver haired tamer returned to her original course. She was fortunate to have done so when she had, as Goliath had called out an inquiry as to if any had spotted or scented a kill. A more accurate descriptor, however, would be if someone saw a trail for one, as a hatchling blood eagle, though strong and large, would not have been able to fly with a kill. It would likely have need to drag it through the soft dirt of the forest floor. That fact alone worried her all the more.

[Dalaith to Shirin and Goliath]

"We need to pick up the pace. Not only are there predators, but there are plenty of scavengers. And I can guarantee that they have better noses than we do. If we're going to find this chick, we need to find it fast, before another animal finds it, or even finds any kill it may have gotten its hands on. Look for trails, thick dragging marks through the dust." The gold dragon's tamer stopped speaking, looking behind her as she thought she had heard a snapping of a twig, but seeing nothing and her senses concurring, she jogged ahead. A steep slope was upcoming on her path, and she wanted to see if there could possibly be a river running at the bottom of it, giving them an even better lead on location.

 

[Crimson77]

[Etheriél to Obsidian Nova]

Etheriél nodded her head and followed her brother's lead. As she did, she too had heard the blood eagle's cry. Her heart was heavy with a worry of the eagle's child but Etheriél watched as her brother ignored the eagle and she hesitantly followed him.

As she did her task and bellowed light flames from the pit of belly. It was simple and easy to control as she took care of a separate part of the fields. As she mimic her brother's movement. When she was done, Etheriél slowly landed beside Obsidian and bowed, "I have finished the other half, brother. Is there anymore that is wished to be done? Shall I join the others?" Etheriél asked, her eyes watching her other siblings.

[Aranel to Yennefer, Tara and Falor]

Aranel watched as her fellow companions landed on the canyon. She had to admit, she had taken a sharp intake of breath upon seeing how Tara and her dragon interacted. As she jumped off Etheriél, she walked and stood beside Etheriél's head which was currently bowed to Aranel's height. Etheriél had given Zarketh a stare as though to be careful and quickly turned her attention back to her tamer and nuzzled into her. Aranel allowed a small smile to pass and turned to Tara, "Etheriél will join Zarketh." was all Aranel said, not even asking for permission. And Etheriél took off into the air, fast, and caught up with her sister. "What herb is it that you seek, Yennerfer?"

 

[Soulserenity20]

[Eyvria's Plight]
[GM to Goliath, Shirin, and Dalaith]

There was indeed a fresh kill in the area, but it was not the kill of the young blood eagle, rather the kill of something much less desirable to come across. As the tamers wandered through the old woods, searching with the might Eyvria in the skies above, they were drawing more and more near the scared chick. But they were not the only ones who wanted to find little Etyrn. Something dark and dangerous had abandoned its kill when it caught scent of the young blood eagle and it too had been hunting. When it came across the humans that wreaked of dragon hide, it snarled silently and stalked them, knowing they may find the chick before he. Further and further into the woods the group ventured and all the while the creature followed. The great eagle above would not be able to detect him, no, his scent would not meet her keen senses, his figure would not be caught by her vision, for he was a master of stealth, one of the few who could keep his location hidden in the presence of a blood eagle.


Forward still they pressed, searching for a body of water, a likely refuge for a lost young fledgling.They picked up on his kill, nearby, the one he'd abandoned for the delicious, tender flesh of a young avian. Then, a sound rang out, the quiet, meek call of the young eagle. The call was muffled, not loud enough for the mother to hear from her place so high in the sky, this was likely why the mother had failed to retrieve the child up to this point. Again the call rang out; they were getting close.


[Housekeeping]
[Obsidian Nova to Byriarti, Etheriél, Hezekiah, and Aerarya]

The cleanup had come along quite well, it wouldn't be long before they were finished. It seemed the males had finished their work clearing logs in the nearby woods and he and the females had cleared the forest floor, leaving the ashes to work as a fertilizer for the land. When the group gathered to touch base, Nova spoke to them all at once.

"The animal paths can wait, brother. I've just remembered a much larger job that'll require all of our strength. About a mile into the woods on the east end there's a grove of truly ancient growth trees. In my flights through the forest I've noticed one has fallen. As you well know, the most ancient groves are home to the gardeners, who help keep these lands beautiful. Come, shall we repay the small ones who do so much for us?" He hoped they were in. The trees in the old growth groves, though the entire forest was old these were particularly ancient areas, were massive, almost unfathomable in size. It was humbling, seeing living creatures larger than himself, for he was among the larger of beings in the land. With being so large, Obsidian had grown to respect the most miniature of beings, for he'd learned they often had the purest, and largest of hearts, the most courage, and the most humility. He truly had a soft spot for the little ones and he was devastated when he first saw the wreckage of their home that had come to pass since the falling of the thousand year old tree.

NOTE FROM THE GM

Hello all,
some of our players are finding it hard to keep track of which event each character is in. To make it easier for them to follow along, please post, in blue and bold, one of the following event names. From here on out, Erran and I will provide the Event name for each event we present.

Current Events:

Eyvria's Plight (Shirin, Goliath, and Dalaith)
Housekeeping (Nova, Byriarti, Etherièl, Aerarya, and Hezekiah)
Dinner Plans (Merrik, Ahab, and Saira)
A gift for Yen's Family (Falor, Aranel, Tara, and Yennefer)

Simply write them in your posts the way I did for this post.

Thanks,
~Soul​

 

[Esmeray]

[Asa to goliath, Dalaith, and Shirin]
(Missing Blood Eagle Event)

"You murderer."

Asa heaved frigidly upward from her bed gasping heavily for air. Her eyes widened in sheer terror as they dart, looking around the dimly lit room by the early morning light. Slowly leaving her state of panic she would push her body back and press her back against the cool wooden head board. Still panting heavily from the rush of adrenaline she would prop her knees up and rest her elbow on them, while resting her forehead in the palm of her hand. The beads of sweat plaguing her forehead would wet her clammy hand. After taking some time to calm herself, and quit her horrid shaking, she would drop her arms to her sides. Her pale orbs staring up at her ceiling, and she drew in a heavy breath. Exhaling she would sigh and leave the confines of her bed in order to get ready for the day. The platinum blonde haired girl would get dressed sluggishly feeling weak. Then she only had to fix her hair by moving to her mirror. She approached the mirror and stood there looking into it. She stared at her reflection….and hated it.

"Asa…" Verebera pushed into Asa's mind gently, feeling her partner's condition was nearly heart breaking. The white scaled dragon could feel the tamer slowly slipping away, and it's only been a few days since the attack on their minds. Verebera wished that Asa could see the good in her and let the past go.

"I am fine Vere. I'm fine." Asa lied, and it was clear to the both of them that she was lying. Verebera felt the urge to point it out, but knew it would only cause Asa to lash out. The last thing the celestial dragon needed right now was to be forced out of Asa's mind. The gods only know just what Asa could or would do in the state she is in.

"Maybe talking to the others will help get your mind off things sweet heart." The dragon pushes.

"Perhaps." Asa responds before her mind falls silent, and the two stop talking.

Asa finished readying herself for what today had in store with some very much needed breakfast. Her bow and arrows attached to her as she sat on a stool just outside the stables. She was watching everyone go about their day, and she could feel her eyebrows furrow as a pang of jealousy sprouted with in her. Surely she was not the only one plagued by past deeds, doubts, and nightmares. It left her questioning how they could be so unaffected, or at least seem like it. Asa's tiny nose scrunched up in disgust as her appetite leaves her completely. Suddenly a massive rumble of weight hitting earth sounds throughout the meadow while she is wrapping up the remainders of her breakfast for later. Curious Asa reaches down for her bag and hoists the strap over her shoulder. She lifts herself from the stool and proceeds to search for the cause of the ruckus. After a handful of moments looking around she came across a massive brown eagle with blood red accents and a small handful of her fellow dragon riders.

Asa was in sheer awe, she had heard about the blood eagles from her grandmother's stories and even read books on them in her spare time. She had never imagined being blessed with seeing one, or even having one speak to her. Though it appears she had arrived late to the conversation as the blood eagle concludes with "Your service is accepted and I point you north. All of you, I point north. Travel in a pack, I'll take the skies above. We'll search until we find my beloved Etyrn, though keep a careful eye out for there are predators in these woods and their migration brings them near this time of year." With that, she lifted up to the sky and waved her head north, beckoning for them to follow as she glided, at the slowest imaginable pace, across the skies above.

Almost immediately after the eagle left, Asa stayed briefly to catch wind from the others over any possible explanations or solutions.

"Where do you think we would find a young blood eagle?" Shirin's questioning gaze fell upon her scholarly fellow, Dalaith, in hopes of finding an answer.

Asa watched Goliath turn back and run over towards the amused faces of Shirin and Daliath. Scratching his head he mentions "Got caught up in the moment I guess, perhaps a near a body of water?" looking at both of them. Looking at Shirin he says "Shirin, I have seen your handiwork during the battles with the plague, done expertly." And to Daliath "Lets find Etyrn". Smiling.

Asa wasn't entirely sure what he was talking about in regards to being "caught up in the moment", but she felt like it would be of no importance to her and decided to ignore the comment; as well with Shirin's handiwork with battling the plague. Asa wasn't much aware of the fact that Shirin had even done anything to combat the desecration of northern Illos. Though, that wasn't really important given the current situation and it didn't take Asa very long to put the pieces together and realize just what exactly was going on. From what she could tell the blood eagle was missing a loved one, and recruited the others for aid. That's all Asa needed to know. Their mentioning water was quite clever, though Asa had spent time in the forest recently and never recalled there being any bodies of water. Though there was always different ways to obtain water. Asa recalls that some birds would simply acquire water through plants, but felt as if the beaks of blood eagles were not suited for such tasks.

"I agree with the ever eager Goliath, that water is essential for all things, but from the brief flights I've had with A'untyr in this general vicinity, I had never seen water. The forest here is, however, thick. We may be very soon losing all light due to canopy cover. So be on an even more heightened alert for predators. Food or water sources will be our best bet at finding the blood eagle's spawn." Dalaith replied only after Goliath had finished, knowing that there wasnt a way she was going to be able to butt into his ever so 'glorious' speech.

Asa couldn't agree more with the fact of water being essential for all things, however this wasn't a normal occasion. If the blood eagle has been missing for today only it is quite possible that it will hide until found; not even bothering to fetch food or water. Though Asa was unsure as to how long the creature had been without food or water, and if several days have passed then it would end up being forced to leave concealment for food or water. Then there is the possibility that the blood eagle was injured and completely unable to fend for itself, in which case Asa highly doubts the bird would last very long.
Asa followed after them when they ran into the forest in search of any signs to follow. She took notice that Goliath had been eying the ground for any disturbed terrain. Her bands shook gently against her cheeks as she shook her head. She personally believed that an animal of flight wouldn't leave any distinct impression on the earth.

"Oh! Except maybe the droppings of the creature." Asa blinked in realization as the entered the forest. Unfortunately Asa was unaware of what the feces of a Blood Eagle would even look like. She knew some birds pooped a white-yellowish liquid, but others would poop pellets full of bones and other materials much like the owls. This would surely be difficult.

Minutes into the jog with little sign of even a small swamp, he said "Do either of you see or smell signs of a fresh kill?" and sniffed the air.
Asa glanced at the man before turning her attention unto the forest floor below her. She kneeled to the dirt and began to look for any tracks or signs. There was nothing there, not even any torn branches where they were. When Dalaith spoke up Asa stood erect again and returned her attention to the gold dragon tamer.

"We need to pick up the pace. Not only are there predators, but there are plenty of scavengers. And I can guarantee that they have better noses than we do. If we're going to find this chick, we need to find it fast, before another animal finds it, or even finds any kill it may have gotten its hands on. Look for trails, thick dragging marks through the dust." The gold dragon's tamer stopped speaking, looking behind her as she thought she had heard a snapping of a twig, but seeing nothing and her senses concurring, she jogged ahead. A steep slope was upcoming on her path, and she wanted to see if there could possibly be a river running at the bottom of it, giving them an even better lead on location..

Asa watched Dalaith run off before returning her attention back unto the thought of a fresh kill. If they wanted to see such a thing it would be much easier to see it from higher ground. Asa looked up at the forests canopy and noticed that she could possibly see farther if she could just find the right branch. After they pressed onward a bit more she finally decided to climb up a tree and scour the area. She was able to catch the sight of some disturbances in the forest floor. Then climbed down to notify the others that maybe following that direction might be better?

There was indeed a fresh kill in the area, but it was not the kill of the young blood eagle, rather the kill of something much less desirable to come across. As the tamers wandered through the old woods, searching with the might Eyvria in the skies above, they were drawing more and more near the scared chick. But they were not the only ones who wanted to find little Etyrn. Something dark and dangerous had abandoned its kill when it caught scent of the young blood eagle and it too had been hunting. When it came across the humans that wreaked of dragon hide, it snarled silently and stalked them, knowing they may find the chick before he. Further and further into the woods the group ventured and all the while the creature followed. The great eagle above would not be able to detect him, no, his scent would not meet her keen senses, his figure would not be caught by her vision, for he was a master of stealth, one of the few who could keep his location hidden in the presence of a blood eagle.

Forward still they pressed, searching for a body of water, a likely refuge for a lost young fledgling.They picked up on his kill, nearby, the one he'd abandoned for the delicious, tender flesh of a young avian. Then, a sound rang out, the quiet, meek call of the young eagle. The call was muffled, not loud enough for the mother to hear from her place so high in the sky, this was likely why the mother had failed to retrieve the child up to this point. Again the call rang out; they were getting close.
​

Soon enough the four of them caught up on a fresh kill, and Asa kneeled before it to inspect the corpse. Perhaps maybe figuring out just what exactly they might be competing with in the race to find the baby chick. She reached for and picked up a nearby stick and began to prod the remains of the corpse with it, using it to lift certain parts up to inspect. She could see the gashes which could have been possible by claw or fang. It wasn't help for her. There were a number of creatures that could have attacked this prey in such a manner. Hearing the faint cry of a bird Asa would jolt her attention upward away from the tattered dead meat sack. She immediately stood and reached out towards her fellow tamers, making it fully apparent that she was indeed following behind them. Patting Goliath on the shoulder she lifted a note to him with her thoughts.

"Did you guys hear that?"

 

[Mowkie]

[Housekeeping]
[Byriarti to Obsidian Nova, Hezekiah, Etheriél, and Aerarya]

Nodding in agreement towards Hezekiah, Byriarti flew back to Nova silently, allowing his eager clutchmate to speak to Nova and for Nova, in turn, to respond. Bowing his head towards the older drake, the Solar Dragon found himself smiling at the thought of helping the little creatures, despite his greatest of pride. Perhaps this was due mostly to the soft heart of his tamer, or perhaps he was simply coming to terms with the fact that small creatures like the Gardeners deserved a little help every now and then. Of this, he could not be too sure.

Flying in near Obsidian Nova's right, Byriarti peered down to see just how large a task he and his brothers and sisters had laid out before them. This was surely a task that they needed to work together one hundred percent on. At the thought, the orange drake sighed, wondering just how well that would turn out.

~Ready when you are, siblings.~

[Eyvria's Plight]
[Shirin to Dalaith, Goliath, and Asa]

As the scent of death became apparent in Shirin's nostrils, the warrior could not help but feel as though she and the group were being watched. Nodding in agreement towards Dalaith, she slowly began to pick up the pace, and it wasn't long before death filled the air, and they came upon the tattered remains of what might have been an herbivore at some point. The beast was too large for a baby blood eagle to take out alone, and the markings across the blooded hide could never match that of a raptor.

"This is fresh. Keep your eyes peeled, for its hunter might soon be stalking us." This was said aloud as the warrior thought to herself, That is, if it's not already doing so. Not a moment after their find, a small cry sounded out. A wail of sorts that one might hear from a baby calling in distress. "She is near!" The mercenary's hand went back to her sword, which she swiftly drew, the metal ringing into the now thick air. "We must hurry! Come!" Darting around the mangled body, Shirin ran forward, looking back just long enough to see that her comrades followed. And as she traveled, the call grew steadily closer. As did the feeling of being hunted.

 

[Rainjay]

[Housekeeping]
[Aerarya to Obsidian Nova, Hezekiah, Etheriél, and Byriarti]

Aerarya wasn't quite finding burning rubbish and gathering leaves to be the most entertaining activity, but she was enjoying the flight time with her siblings, even if there was little conversation outside of the task set before them. With all of this training that had been going on lately, she'd barely seen her brothers and sisters, nonetheless talked to them. And even though she'd thought little of the menial task, it was nice to have something to do of use.

Now she was unsure if they could handle the next task- at least without a few more drakes to help. Moving one of the ancient trees sounded like difficult, tasking work, but the others seemed ready to at least try, and so Aerarya bundled away her doubt and readied herself.

I am ready when all of you are, Aerarya replied to Byriarti's words. Although, where do we expect the move the tree?