The Dragon Riders Origins

Adaire and Tarsus sat side by side as they waited for the fruit to take effect. Knowing what was coming Tarsus flinched internally. Neither of them liked to think about the pain that would occur within the bodies of these young dragons, but desperate times called for desperate measures. It just so happened that these were desperate times.
 
( WHAT THE????? I'm gonna kill you! My poor Nekura! Ack, you're awful!)

Falathiel hadn't really paid attention to the taste, nor had she thought it important. Pulling out of the crowd, she retreated to the edge of the clearing where Nekura was tearing into an elk haunch. She sat down beside him, her back leaning on his stomach and wings. Perhaps he was a bit small, but all living creatures started that way, didn't they? If it wasn't for this place and it's teachings, she would have had him grow naturally, just like a wild dragon should. Nekura's mind briefly touched her own, wiping away her doubts on the matter. Sighing, Falathiel wished for the dark of night and the glow of the stars.
 
Before too long, Kirin and Vas had gorged themselves to the point of near bursting. Kirin stood up and stretched. "Gahhh that was delicious." He unfastened his belt and patted his belly happily. "How do you feel Vas?" he asked his companion. Vas yawned sleepily. "I think I'm ready to find somewhere to rest for the night Kirin." His large blue eyes drooped heavily. "The grove where we all met Adaire and Tarsus seems like a good place," said Vas. Kirin nodded and the two made their way to the grove to rest for the night. They laid down by the water, Vas curled up around Kirin. The clear skies revealed more stars than Kirin could count. He drifted off to sleep, listening to Vas's heavy breathing.

A few hours had passed before Kirin woke to the deafening sound of Vas's roar. AAhh Kirin! What's going on? It burns!" Kirin went to sit up but cried out in pain. His whole body felt as if it were on fire. Every muscle, sinew, bone, and nerve ached as if they were going to explode. Vas writhed in discomfort as he fought to find a comfortable position amidst the agony. Kirin managed to crawl over to his companion and lay a comforting hand on his snout. "Don't worry my friend. Stay calm. I think it was that fruit that Adaire gave us." he reassured Vas, though words can only do so much. Vas let out an earsplitting roar and his claws dug into the soft ground. Kirin clutched his abdomen. "I feel like my insides are in a knot." He gritted his teeth against the gutwrenching pain. "I knew she said it would be painful but I didn't know it would be like this..."

The pair spent the rest of the long night fighting spasms and pain, hoping that in the morning it will have all paid off.
 
( She didn't tell us this would happen. Falathiel is going to be soo ticked. She is going to take Adaire's head off.)

Falathiel and Nekura ate their fill while keeping their distance from the other riders and dragons. As the sun began to set and a few of the riders departed to find a place to sleep, Falathiel began pondering their own resting place. Naturally, it would be safer to stay near the camp, in case of an ambush, but the dark shadows of the forest beckoned deeply. We should set up a primary camp to stay at tonight, Falathiel murmured quietly to her partner, We will be here for a while, so I would like to stay in the comforts of the forest. That way we won't come to be dependent on those who have fed us tonight. Nekura watched her quietly for a moment, his black eyes staring into her own. Very well, He decided, moving again, I believe that would be for the best, as well.
It seemed she was not the only one who missed their solitude.
 
( She did tell us... >_> )

For the night the two had chosen to simply stay close to a tree, close to the place whee they ate their fruits. Ellian was rather calm, pain was something she had been trained on to accept and shut out when needed. Ryag let out soft grunts and shuddered now and then. Every muscle in her body was twitching and burning, as if they were trying to escape her body on its own, for Ryag it had to be much worse seeing his size and age. Ryag, are you ok? She questioned her partner, he told her he's fine but from the way he moved she could tell differently. With a sigh she took great caution while pulling his head on her lap, pain was but an emotion. Don't worry Ryag, you can shut it out, father told us this. If I can manage to tame pain than it should be cake for you. Her fingers traced the grooves between his scales, the pain would increase over the night... how long could she suppress it was the real question. I can't... The dragon wailed in her mind, she closed her eyes, focusing on the creature. "Embrace the pain Ryag, don't fight it but accept it to be there... it will become bearable. "
 
( Where? What page is it on? I might have not seen that post.)

Falathiel gathered her things and Nekura took off into the air above her. They quickly and quietly made their way through the forest to rest at the clearing they had previously camped at. The sun was down and the stars were out, but Falathiel was restless. Hunters are most active under the cover of darkness after all. Without speaking, She got up and retrieved her bow. She had not made a fire, though it was cold. She didn't want anyone to be able to easily find them. Nekura took flight on quiet wings, following her as she stalked through the undergrowth. Though she was quite full, her instincts demanded a sacrifice. A small group of deer lay ahead of you. Nekura murmured, though there was no need to tell her; she saw through his eyes as he saw through her own. She was now quite as ways from camp; and the other dragons. She raised her bow, drawing it back as far as it would go. The buck would be dead in one shot. Suddenly, Nekura crashed through the trees, startling the deer. He landed hard in the enclosed clearing with a pained grunt. Falathiel ran forward, sensing and feeling his unimaginable pain. She herself stumbled, the pain burning through her own muscles. She landed with her back to the sky, unwilling to move. The pain burned through both of their minds, both of them experiencing their own and each other's pain. Gritting her teeth, Falathiel refused to make a sound. It was agony, but she wouldn't tear her mind away from Nekura's.
 
(I think it was on the fourth or fifth page)

Traka started thrashing around like a fish out of water. Her long tail smacked into trees, breaking branches, disturbing birds. She roared as her claws dug into the ground, creating long, thick grooves into the earth.
Iodin wasn't faring much better. It felt to him as though he were undergoing a full-body muscle spasm. It was like he was being stretched and then crushed, over and over again.
This is what Adaire was trying to warn us about? Traka-Shen asked through her pain. She roared and wrapped herself around a tree, tightening herself to it in an attempt to alleviate some of the pain. The bark made snapping sounds as she wound tighter. She could have stood to be a little more clear!
"She said it was worth it!" Iodin told his dragon, trying to calm her as well as himself. "And you said it, too. I guess we just have to...hold out!"
 
(Adaire told you! She's a very honest woman I promise!)

Adaire turned and threw her arms over Tarsus as she heard the pain the others were experiencing. Oh Tarsus! I've done a bad thing! I know it hurts, I remember when we had to take it to stop the war, but we had the assistance of the wild dragons. Tarsus nudged Adaire slightly with his large head and spoke softly. There were many of them, and only two of us. We could help them Adaire, if you do not mind the pains of helping them then neither do I. Adaire thought carefully of the things he spoke of. She may not want Tarsus to go through the pain of this, but she also did not want her students to endure this alone. Slowly she nodded her head and Tarsus gave her one last nudge with his large head before reaching his mind out to the other dragons. Slowly, one by one and starting with Traka, he touched the mind of all of the dragons.

A sweet melody came with the touch of Tarsus'. Quickly Adaire melded her mind with his and aided in the complexity of the melody. Although it would mean little to the dragons at first, the melody would begin to ease their pain. The pain came like a sharp slap in the face to Adaire. Slowly they pulled pain from all of the dragons in equal amounts until Adaire's smaller body could take it no longer. She lay nearly paralyzed with the pain that they had together siphoned from the other dragons. It may not be but almost half of the pain gone, but it would no longer incapitate the young dragons and their riders. Her students had proved their bravery and she thought that perhaps helping them would make them hate her less for this. Through the night Adaire and Tarsus lay in the exact positions they had started in. Each of the dragons pain would be cut nearly in half and make it more bearable for them and so Adaire took comfort in that knowledge alone as she waited for dawn.
 
Suddenly, there was a sharp flat in the melody. Falathiel was forcefully ripping her mind and Nekura's away from the teachers' touch. With one last painful tug, she shattered the ties to her mind, leaving behind only a fierce hatred towards Adiare and Tarsus. She cloaked their minds in a dark fog, hiding their location and effectively shutting out anyone who would try to access their minds. In short, creating a large sign that said, Stay Away From Us!
 
Draigon and Korra ate their fruit as soon as they got not listening to what Adaire said about the pain. It effected Draigon first. It felt like a bad head ache but he thought it was from all the ale he drank. He saw some of the others leaving for the night and figured it would be a good time to go and sleep it off. Without saying farewell to any one he stumble along the woods with Korra close behind who was starting to feel the effects too. They made it about two hundred yards from the clearing before Draigon suddenly collasped before Korra realized he did she collasped as well. Laying on the ground he started to sweat and his body ached. He lost track of time, who he was, and where he was. The only that existed was pain.

He soon heard a soft melody coming out of no where. It eased the pain enough for him open his eyes and look over at Korra who wa slaying next him still thrashing about. He reached over and placed his hand on her. It seemed to help her some what for she stopped thrashing but he could still her hear heavy breathing and he could still feel her body quiver a little. Before he could do much else the pain came back in full force and blacked everything out.
 
(Hey, why start with my dragon?! What, you think she can't handle it?)
Traka's thrashing slowly came to a halt. She still felt pain, but it had lessened greatly. Iodin's had, too. Both heard a soft melody. It seemed to Iodin foreign and familiar at the same time.
What's going on? Iodin asked.
I believe someone is taking our pain for us, Traka replied. Her head weakly craned over to Adaire, who had taken so much of their suffering that she couldn't move. It was a struggle for Iodin to move, so instead he called to her from where he was. "Stop! You don't need to take this on yourself. Even for you, this must be too much! If we want to be strong, we must be able to handle it, right?"
 
Adaire pushed her mind against Iodins comfortingly. "Do not worry about it Iodin. When Tarsus and I had to undergo the same trial the wild dragons helped us as well. There were many of them, however, and only Tarsus and I now. We will do our part to help you." There was a brief praise in which Adaire extended her mind to all others. "Relax and allow sleep to overtake your minds. We train on our dragons backs in the mornings. It will be very draining for all of you. Please, trust us to watch over you for the night." Tarsus gave a mental nod and nudged the other dragons minds softly, urging them to get rest. He did this in a kind way, concerned only that they be strong for the morrow.
 
Al Iodin awoke surprisingly pain-free. It was especially odd, since the last thing he remembered was a harsh, stretching and crushing sensation. But no. That wasn't the last thing he remembered. He was briefly aware that Adaire had set forth a spell to take their pain for them.
Not only did he feel no pain, but Iodin was also amazed to find himself with muscle that felt as strong as stone. He leapt to his feet, something he wouldn't have been able to do before eating the magic fruit. He felt light like the leaves and hard as the mountains. It was truly an unexpected transformation.
I have changed as well, Iodin.
He turned to find Traka Shen proud and tall before him. She looked stronger, and the energy she sent coursing into his mind told him that she had grown very powerful since last night. She may have even grown; Traka looked to be maybe a foot longer than she was last night. Her scales shined from the morning sunlight and she looked like a glowing figure of health and power.
I am now strong enough to carry you above the sea, she told him. Would you like to ride? Soaring and touching the clouds is a most wonderous experience.
"Perhaps later," he said. "We must first thank Adaire for this newfound strength. And perhaps see how the other dragons have fared."
 
Ellian ad Ryag did the same thing a the same time, the mere moment they felt the presence of Adaire they rejected it, a horrible and painful roaring. It was Ellian who started it but Ryag melded in with her anger and hate towards the elven lady. Ryag actually made a snappig motion with his solid jaws when he felt nudged by Tarsus, ripping their minds away from their teachers. The pain was theirs ad theirs alone. If they ever dared to make contact like this again they wouldn't stop each other from going into a rampaging mode. The azure eyes of the half elf peered through the shadow, seeking contact with the elf again but this time to only aim for a mental attack. Her mind was chaotic, just like the one of her dragon. Two sets of eyes, one blue and the other purple, filled with hate and pain. Let this be a warning. She grunted in her thoughts. Somehow she found pleasure in the pain running through her veins and ripping her muscles apart. There was only one way to get strong, and having pity for others, especially when it was towards your students. It was that her pain was turned into hate, making it almost easy to go on and stay awake.
 
Adaire sighed as she awoke the next day. Two of her students had rejected the help of their teachers. She was just glad they could help the others. You did the best you could little one. Whatever you say Tarsus. Adaire stood and stretched and Tarsus copied her. Let us check up on the littler ones. I hear little Traka, and she sounds quite happy. You were as well at first. Adaire approached Tarsus and leaped from the ground onto his hind leg and from there onto his back. Once she had nestled herself within his spikes he began to push through the brush. As he approached both of the younger ones they watched as Traka stretched and stood in her full glory. With Adaire's heightened senses she noticed a bulging in Traka's muscles and a slight sharpening of her scales. Good morning little one. How do you feel this day?
 
Traka chose to reply to Adaire directly.
Before I was strong. I could flow like the river and strike like the waves. Now I feel the full strength of the sea within me. There is nowhere I cannot reach and nothing we can't accomplish.
"I feel much improved, as well," Iodin added. "Before I was fearful because of how little I know. Now I'm looking forward to changing that. I wish to learn more magic, and perhaps skills to fight, in case we are attacked like we were yesterday. Thank you."
 
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