Worlds Collide 2.0

A

Aragon-Draco

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Our story begins in the land of the Elves, Dragons, Dwarves, and Fae magic that permeates everything, that world we call the Fantasy Realm. An elven seer spoke in a sonorous voice, "There be many strange powers at work. In a world of evil and sin, a man of ill passions opens evil passage. He shall cause great wars and the destruction of the realm that now we see. Be warned, People of the Forest, Be Warned!" That was over thirty centuries ago, and few have ever seen the writings that the listening scribe had copied.

Now, a dragon-elf Hybrid, Michael "Dragon-Singer" N'Draco walked along a path of stone, when strange magic pulled him from his home into a strange world. He fell onto a haystack in a barn and fainted.

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Aiden Farris was certain that his hair was standing on end for some reason. And the fact that the dogs on his land were acting very strangely, made it all the more weird. Try as he might, he could not come up with a reason for this feeling. It was as if power was seeping into the fabric of the planet, a power that was just too massive to understand.

He polished his Katanas, and kept a watch on the forest's edge.
 
Heh, it was just another day in the life of Ariel Winters. Her life was no glamor and fame, complete opposite in her opinion. However, one had to do what they had to do to survive in the world, right? Especially when you lived in the heart of a corrupt city, the streets were no place to be so you would do whatever you could to stay off them. Going into the alley a moment, Ariel light a cigarette and took a long drag, letting the cancerous chemicals fill her lungs, "God I needed that...another long night in 'Paradise'" she said with a smirk. From the streets the cries of sirens flew by, a commonality in these shady parts. Pulling her shawl around her body so heat wouldn't escape, she tilted her head back against the wall of the run-down piece of crap building she currently worked in as a 'dancer'. Where she was, it was late, an overcast darkened sky above. Not that it mattered, you could never see the stars, even on clear days. The door nearby opened as a head popped out, "You're on in five" the stage manager said before ducking back in. Sighing, she put her cigarette out as she turned to go back inside. A breeze blew past, brushing her wavy brown hair from her face, and she paused. Something about the air that night didn't sit well with her. Something wicked this way comes... the familiar novel title by Ray Bradbury came to mind for some reason. Shrugging off the feeling, she turned and went back inside to prepare for her 'dancing performance' at the Paradise 69 Club.
 
Maskannai Donnodel had been keeping busy lately. She'd had several orders in recently for armor repairs which had kept her in her smithing shop late several nights in a row now. The female elf was a tireless smith and loved her work and was already renowned for abilities to shape any metal better and stronger than it had been. She'd also been having bad dreams, premonitions of something bad to come, so she didn't sleep well any time she closed her eyes to either meditate or sleep, which didn't give her much reason to try. For these reasons she just stayed awake as long as she could manage and then passed out through sheer exhaustion.

This particular night she was working strongly, just finishing with a repair on a thick metal cuirass when a cold breeze drifted through her shop. The breeze brushed against her arm and chilled her to the bone completely, which made her arm ache so much that she had to put down the cuirass and rub the sore muscles to try and get the ache out. Once her motion was halted she felt the evil feeling that the breeze carried with it and grew concerned.

""What evil drifts our way?" she asked of the night softly as she walked out of her shop and into the open forested area surrounding her home. She looked up at the black night sky and the stars above that glittered brightly. She grew even more concerned when she couldn't actually identify some of the stars above her, as if the constellations themselves had shifted and changed their forms.
 
Michael, having awakened shortly after his fall, left the barn, not knowing the least bit of the terrain. It was dark and none of the stars were in familiar patterns. So, like a good elf, he began to use his senses and his magic to guide him. One thing he noticed was a thread of consciousness that linked him with someone in this new place. A male, this person was someone that made his heart sing, but he knew this person was in danger just as he was.

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Aiden stared at the woman before the strange edifice. Her ears were pointed, and she had a strange eye shape. Looks like an elf... Though how he knew that, he could not say. He stood still, waiting for something to happen, as he watched her. He hoped she as friendly, because she seemed to possess a strange strength that sent chill up his spine.
 
Per usual, April's performance was a screaming success. She'd made a nice sum of cash for the night, and it was still young. However, something about her short stent outside really bugged her, but she couldn't pin-point what. The men outside were cheering for her to come back on stage for an encore, but she rarely did those anymore these days, unless she really was strapped for cash. The men, her 'fans', were usually disappointed, but April wasn't. She never was a big fan of some of the things she had to do, but she needed to survive somehow. The stage manager was begging her to do an encore for the night, but she wasn't having it, "I did my show...I'm done for the night"

"But April, baby! They LOVE you! Listen to them!!...come on April! For me!"

"No means no, Rick...now move or I'll quit. Besides" she stepped forward and cupped his chin a moment leaning in as if she were going to plant a kiss on his lips. He leaned forward expecting it but she moved her head next to his and whispered something in his ear as his eyes widened, "Do'nt think I wouldn't either. I know you love your wife and children...now be a doll" she tapped his cheek lightly and stepped back. Rick sighed and grumbled something before letting her pass. Pulling her coat closer to her body, as she was still dressed in her rather scant clothing consisting of little more than her heels, stockings, a skirt that barely could be called a skirt, a top that was more of a bra, and a webbed covering to give her a little more modesty but not by much.

Shivering, she hurried out into the streets and hailed a taxi. She needed to get out, get some fresh air. The best place to do that was to wander out to the country and have a walk in the peace and quiet. The taxi would only take her so far, so she was dropped off near the edge of the city, but she still had a walk. Finding a random path, she let her feet lead her as she tried to clear her mind of whatever was bothering her. She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was, but something in the air...something about the day...bothered her deeply.
 
Another chill breeze drifted past Maskannai and sent a chill down her spine. She knew something was changing, but what was it and what meaning did it hold? Dressed only in leather pants and a linen shirt with her leather apron over for protection she wasn't well dressed for any kind of cold weather. The stranger thing was that it was midsummer, or should be, and the air around her was growing colder by the second as she stood in the darkness. Amazingly now she could see her own breath as small puffs of white and her concern deepened further. She turned around to head back to her shop, but was she found was not what she expected to see. Behind her was an unfamiliar forest and her home was nowhere in sight. She could see what appeared to be stone ruins of some kind in the distance and a form in the shadows watching her.

"Something wicked this way comes..." she whispered softly to herself as she peered around the dark forest that was completely different from the one she knew she'd been in minutes before. She could feel the breath of the forest, its life force so very different from her home forest. That proved to her that she was somehow in a completely different world than her own, though how this had transpired she had no idea, yet.
 
Michael followed his impulses, and found himself looking at a familiar face. An old acquaintance, Maskannai, walked along the path he was on. He was about to speak to her, when his eyes beheld the reason for that thread-link he'd found earlier. Somehow, he knew the name of that person... Aiden.... The name was like water to a thirsty throat.

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Spotted..... Aiden's heart raced frantically. He fell to the ground behind the edge of his porch, trying to hide. Suddenly a new feeling encroached...something like a new mind.... A strange feeling of warmth grew within him, but his eyes remained focused on the elf woman.
 
Reaching under her shawl into her purse, April pulled out her packet of cigarettes and an old lighter with hearts running down the side of it. Pausing in her gait, she light up and took in a deep drag of the cancerous substance, letting out a long sigh, "Perhaps this will calm my nerves" she thought as she continued down the path. The path was little more than a semi-warn old dirt road that wound along the country and near a woods nearby. Up ahead to her right she could very faintly make out what appeared to be a house of some form. It had been a while since she'd come this way, but she never remembered seeing the house. Perhaps she just wasn't paying attention. Yes that must be it.

Another gust of wind blew through chilling her to the bone. Finishing off her cigarette and tossing the butt to the ground and stomping it out, she decided to see who might live out this way. If it was a simpleton hick maybe this could be a profiting walk after all. If nothing else she could warm up a little before walking back to the city. Losing herself in her thoughts she continued to wander closer toward the house.
 
Maskannai realized that what she had thought of as ruins in the distance was actually the strangest grouping of buildings she had ever seen. The building was square and had a slanted covering on the top, all made of some strange material she couldn't identify. She wondered where the evil night had taken her, then decided that she could always demand answers from whomever had been watching her from the building. She approached slowly, cautiously, towards the strange building. As if the watcher realized they'd been noticed she saw a flash of movement and the shadowy form disappeared. She narrowed her eyes as she crept ever closer towards the building, a dagger in her hand just in case.

"Show yourself," she called out to the night, her voice musical and alien on this plane of exsistence. She stood straight and poised, her leather working apron at least some protection if she were to be attacked. She felt the absense of her whipdagger and rapiers, all of which were back at her own house and she with no knowledge of how to get back. Her long pointed ears stuck out from the back of her head, their strange length a clear indicator of the fact that she was not of this world even in the darkness of the night where the only light came from an unknown source within the building in front of her.
 
Michael heard Maskannai's voice, and replied, telepatically, He is bound to me, friend Maskannai. Please harm him not. Outloud he said, "Aiden. Do not fear me. Nor should you fear her. I am linked by my soul to you. There is one other, to whom you are linked, and one other to whom I am linked."

Aiden stepped into the yard area, shaking and simply fell to the ground in fear.
 
Ariel wasn't even sure why she was so drawn to this farm house anymore. She just kept walking, one foot in front of the other. She was starting to try and convince herself now that the only reason was so that she could warm herself up a bit, and possibly get a free meal or 'other' valuables from this small walk of hers. She deserved at least that, right? Shivering, she pulled the thin jacket closer to her scantily clothed body hoping to trap the heat within, though really it made her feel colder.

Arriving closer to the farmhouse, she began to register that there were voices coming from its direction. That was a good sign, that meant she could find some 'hospitality' to possibly take advantage of. Hurrying forward, she suddenly stopped "Aiden. Do not fear me. Nor should you fear her. I am linked by my soul to you. There is one other, to whom you are linked, and on other to whom I am linked," she distinctly heard a male's voice speak. Another shiver went down her spine and for a moment it felt as if someone had taken a hold of her chest and tightly squeezed. Gasping she fell to her knees a moment before cool air rushed into her lungs and seemed to push out the constraining feeling allowing her to properly breathe once more. What the fuck was that... she thought to herself as a nasty cough gave away her position.

Getting back to her feet, her hand rubbing her chest, she moved forward, "Hello?" she called, "I hear voices. Please, can I have some place to warm up from this weather?" she said innocently enough, her voice easily carrying forward. Only a hint of a slight rasp from whatever had just occurred was present in her tone.
 


The Pentagon
Washington D.C.
1422, US Eastern Time...


"The Chinese, the Russians, the Brits... Everyone's swamped." Admiral Baker said to General Meirson, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Almost all personnel in the Pentagon were in fatigues, enlisted men wearing flak jackets, helmets, and carrying weapons. Civilian employees had been assigned armed escorts and could not go anywhere without them.

"Jesus fuck..." Meirson swore as Baker opened a door for him, the general entering a large room with banks of monitors and a wall full of screens, several showing satellite feeds and live news feeds.

"Half of Iran is burning... Did they or didn't they bring nukes to the party?" Meirson asked. A tech at a console turned around and stood, saluting the general.

"Sir, We've got the feed..." Meirson made his way to the man's console and looked at the screen. He saw a satellite feed of a flight of Iranian Su-27 Flankers engaging...

...a dragon?

"What in the hell..." Meirson swore as the jets opened fire with their guns. The dragon whirled around and incinerated two of them before giving chase to the third. The jet was torn asunder as the dragon grabbed it with its claws and pulled.

"A whole mess of them descended upon Iran and started torching the place. Orders have been sent out to all forces not to engage the dragons."

"And on the ground?"

"We're stretched thin as it is. Even after calling up reserves and National Guard units we're still not able to fill the gaps that have appeared." Admiral Baker replied to Meirson, taking his side. "The best we can do is try and isolate where we think the rifts are and try to hold them."

"Any success?" Meirson asked.

"No..."

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RangersandAPC.jpg


The Stryker moved at a snail's pace, if only to allow the disembarked leg infantry to keep up with it.

"TOC, This is Sergeant Major Wylder. We're approaching the farmstead now." Jenks said, pausing as he keyed his radio.

"Copy that, Wylder. Hold position until we vector a Predator in to sweep the area first."

"TOC, I copy." Jenks said into his radio. He then held up a fist, the soldiers with him stopping. The Stryker ground to a halt. "Hold position!" The soldiers took a knee, weapons held tight. The gunner on the fifty caliber machine gun reached up and yanked back on the charging handle, the sound of the bolt slamming back into place with a live round more than audible.
 
(OOC: In order to continue the story, and to help the plot a bit, I am introducing Michael's Dragon, Renka.) The huge dragon flew above her rider-mate, observing the surroundings. Renka flew silently, and glided on the wind. She sensed something very disturbing on the wind. She changed her trajectory and flew in the direction her senses told her the disturbance was.

Men in strange identical uniforms with metal weapons approached the farmhouse, the yard of which held Michael and several other individuals. She sent the image to Michael, and proceeded to attack the strange rolling vehicle she saw as the major threat. Gouts of fire and energy poured from her roaring maw and her claws ripped huge gashes in the armor plating of the vehicle. In short order, she had the vehicle disabled completely.

Now the men proceeded to open fire on her, but discovered that the ammunition they had was wholly inadequate. Her senses suddenly reeled, because she detected the other soul that was linked with her Rider-mate. She angled toward that man. She looked him in the eye, tenderly and said, "You I shall save. My rider is in need of you." With a great claw she took the man gently, but firmly in her claws and held him, while she flew off. She had swept away his weapon, and had his arms pinned to his side. She landed near Michael and presented her gift. She was proud of her work.
 
Jenks had no idea what had happened. The last thing he knew for certain was that he was calling the TOC to report.

Then he was flying.

"TOC, I've been taken hostage!" he shouted into his radio, trying to get his bearings. "TOC, do you copy?" Jenks checked his radio and found the line from the throat mic had been severed. He would have to grab his radio and key it manually, except it was on his pack, set firmly on his back. All he could do now was relax and pray.
 
Renka landed in front of Michael, and set the man down. "This is the one you are linked to, Rider-mine!"

Michael looked at the military man, and said, "You need not fear us, nor use your device to get help. They care nothing for the thing that is happening. Do you feel that link that is in your heart?"
 
Jabry had dozed off while hiding in a tree. He had been flying ever since he first arrived in this strange new world, across vast mountain ranges and deserts, seeing everywhere the signs of devestation left behind by the pack of crazed dragons he was following. It had become clear rather quickly that Fakima was no longer among them. He knew this not only because he could not sense her presence, but because he knew she could never engage in such wanton destruction. Fakima had always been a regal and gentle creature. Indeed, those had been the very qualities that had drawn him to her in the hatchery.

After finally crossing the expansive ocean he thought would never touch land, Jabry had nearly collapsed from exhaustion. He no longer had the strength to maintain his draconic form, and so he had to revert to his more humanoid shape. Taking refuge in wooded country a few miles inland from the coast, sleep had taken him while he waited to recover. He had only awoken after hearing the sounds of exploding artillery and the angry shrieks of a drac.

Instantly alarmed and fully alert, Jabry dropped from his perch and deftly landed on the ground several feet below. He realized it probably wasn't a good idea to emerge from hiding when he hadn't really gained his bearings or found out where he was, but he couldn't resist the possibility of investigating a rogue drac. It might very well turn out to be the lead he needed to find Fakima and return home, if that was even still possible. He took off into a brisk run, partially reinvigorated after his brief nap, although he probably wouldn't be able to transform again any time soon. Breaking out of a thick stand of trees, he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the group of strangely dressed men surrounding the small farm. They were wearing some kind of armor and carrying metal devices that looked like they might be dangerous. More than that, they had with them large metal vehicles that might have been carts, except they were much to big to be drawn by beasts. Quickly stepping back into the cover of the trees to avoid being seen, Jabry watched closely to see what they would do next.

He had begun to wonder what had happened to the drac he had heard when he spotted a distant figure fading into the night sky. So, it seemed it had escaped after being confronted by these men. He wished to follow it, but he feared what would happen if he was spotted by the heavily armed group. Taking care to remain in the deep shadows of the trees, he slowly set out in the direction the dragon was flying. It took some time, but he eventually managed to get far enough away from the men so that he could move more freely. Jabry swiftly tried to catch up with the drac before he could lose its trail.


After a while, he saw the drac make a landing some distance ahead. As he drew nearer to the clearing, Jabry could seen that the drac held one of the armed figures in its claw, towering far above the ground. If the rogue tried to harm the man in its madness, he would have to stop it, whatever the consequence might be. These beasts had already caused enough trouble, he wasn't going to let things get worse by allowing one to kill somebody in this unfamiliar world. Creeping ever closer to the creature, he was startled to see what looked like another Dracis standing with it in the clearing. Could it be that this drac was not a rogue, but instead bonded with the Dracis? If so, what were they trying to do with the armed man?

Cautiously stepping into the clearing, Jabry stood awkwardly several feet away from them. He didn't want to seem threatening, but at the same time he didn't want to leave himself vulnerable. Trying to keep himself from reaching for one of the bolas clipped to his belt, he spoke up in a nervous voice "Erm... hullo. This drac, would it happen to be yours, sir?"
 
Michael turned to the voice and nodded, "Yes, Renka is my bond-mate. I doubt she would disagree. You are Dracis. What is your name, friend? I am Michael N'Draco."
 
"My name is Jabra'ail D'akosten, although most just call me Jabry. You are Dracis too, yes?" The one called Michael certainly looked like a member of Jabry's race, and the fact he was bond-mated to a Drac made it almost certain, but there was something else to his appearance that suggested he was of mixed-blood. That would mean he would have to be part Eld. Either way, he seemed to be a noble and wise character worthy of trust, at least until he did something to prove otherwise.

Noticing for the first time that there were other peple in the clearing, most of them near a odd-looking building on its far side, Jabry looked once more to the figure held in the clutches of the Drac. "I see you are not alone in this world. Pray tell, do you know what has brought us here from Terrae?" Even if Michael N'Draco did not know what had opened the rifts leading to this world, perhaps he or one of the others would know something of the rogue Dracs and where they had gone.