"Soldiers..." muttered the gold-scaled half dragon, kicking over the corpse of the recently slain warrior.
Seven human bodies were littered upon the rocky mountain soil around Barak. Who they were was apparent from their uniforms and weapons. Why they were here was a mystery in itself...
It was not some random patrol. This place was too far from any sort of civilization to warrant one. These men must have been seeking something to bring them out this far... The half-dragon could not deny his slight curiosity.
It did not matter to Barak why they were here, not anymore. They were dead now. He had no love for any sort of Adelan authority, and they had come too close to where he made camp to leave any alive. A sudden and horrific bolt of lightning, followed by a few quick strikes, was enough to fell the entire troop in only a minute or so. He wanted to head back to his modest lean-to, but not yet...
The golden-scaled rogue had to make sure the threat was thoroughly eliminated first. The thunderclap of his initial lightning attack was loud enough to be heard for dozens of meters at least. Any stragglers could be attracted right towards him.
He stood silently, using his advanced hearing to listen for any sounds of incoming movement.
From her lofty cave in the thunderblacks, Zyneth felt a looming presence. It was an omen that something was coming, something with ill intent towards her. She closed her eyes and cast her preternatural senses to the winds. She inhaled deeply and knew by the smell of sweat and metal that a band of soldiers were marching through the thunder-scorched terrain to meet her. It was no-doubt because of the dragon-egg hatching ceremony she foiled yesterday. Ten dragonets murdered before they hatched-- a fate Zyneth saw would have been more pleasing than for those innocent young ones to be enslaved by such a thankless barbaric race who knew nothing but to wage war amongst themselves.
Zyneth smirked. It would take more than a pitiful band of metal men to take her down. She will show them. She sprang into the empty air outside of the cavern entrance and burst into a looming dark dragon. With the flap of her wings, she made short work of the distance but by the time she arrived, what greeted her was the sight of a demolished army and a lone golden warrior standing in the wake. She slowly descended and burst back into human form, landing on one knee. Standing, she greeted the loner. "Should I be thanking you for this, brother?"
The sight of a large dragon looming in the skies over him was enough to startle Barak. He raised his guard, as well as his spear. Even the sight of it taking human form did little to put him at ease.
It did not seem hostile. This was odd for a dragon, despite its origins. A dragonrider's would have attacked when it saw its comrade solders defeated. A wild dragon would have taken this opportunity to either attack or chase away the half-dragon to acquire food. Not many dragons could take human form either... This was a rare power for such beasts to possess. Barak did not know what to think of it, so he kept himself readied.
"Do not call me "brother". Who are you..?" He responded, keeping the spear's tip raised against the stranger.
Zyneth raised one brow and stepped slightly forward undeterred by the spear. "You are part dragon, are you not? Forgive me then, I merely thought that all draconian races should be... in alliance with each other no matter how... diluted the blood may be." Then she looked straight at him and walked nearer. "Put down your spear. I will not harm you. On the contrary, for whatever reason, you saved me some effort in finishing this motley crew." she said, spreading her arms wide to indicate the slaughter. "Tell me then, stranger, what I may call you."
The reasoning that Barak was seeking was revealed right away. It was his monstrous appearance that saved him the trouble of a confrontation with this dragon. She seemed unfazed by the fact that his spear was readied against her. Either she was confident in her fighting prowess, or she underestimated the combat ability of the half-dragon. Regardless of which, Barak withdrew his spear, bringing it up to stand beside him. Yet his guard had not fallen. The spear was not his only form of defense.
"My name is my own..." he replied calmly and solemnly.
The dragoness showed no hostility, so he too offered none in return. Yet, he would not trust a stranger with his name. Not yet...
"You know why these men have come? Is it you they seek?"
Zyneth smiled. "My my... what a very cautious young one we have here. Shall I invent a name for you then?" raising one brow at him. "Perhaps 'Golden Warrior' or maybe 'Sunborne'" she suggested, stifling a laugh. "Yes, maybe Sunborne might suit you."
She turned her back to him and kicked at a severed head. "You presume right. But why should I tell you anything more?" turning back to him and raising a brow once more.
Barak scoffed at the dragon's silliness. Her smug and carefree demeanor only unsettled the half dragon even more. He held on to what little patience he had, and continued.
"I have a camp not too far away."
Barak took another glance down at the corpses at his feet. He was able to discern one thing, one important thing. He put one foot on the chest of a fallen soldier, along with a good portion of his weight. His golden eyes came back up, his slitted pupils focusing on the she-dragon.
"These were just scouts... I need to know if I should be expecting an army."
"Oh I do not doubt that they will be sending more of their ilk once they start missing the lot over here." she poked at a severed arm with one foot, made a disgusted face and turned back to the golden half-dragon. "Come to think of it, why are YOU in these parts? It is not often I see like you around here. A lot of old dragons, a few wild young ones, and sadly a lot of.." shuddering "humans.... but not much of your... kind."
Barak's face grew much more serious.
"I have no 'kind'..." he said, looking away.
"Men made me into this... thing."
Flashbacks raced through his mind now. Horrid memories of only a few short years ago. The gold-scaled half-dragon kept his stoic disposition, despite the brief thoughts of pain and agony that flashed in his mind.
"Oh but it seems we have something in common after all." she smiled at him-- a sly smile. "Human-- they are such a vile, greedy race. They seem not to know what honor is and if they pretend to they mistake it for pride. If left unchecked they would swallow the world and descend it into ruin. If it were up to me, the world needs less of them."
"Perhaps we do..." responded Barak.
The dragon was making a decent point. However, it was not all humans were so. It was the ones with strength... The ones with power... It was those men that destroyed his home and family, and then ruined his entire life.
Barak's guard had almost completely fallen. This beast was strangely charismatic, her words giving a sense of trust. The golden-scaled man's face shifted somewhat as a thought entered his mind. What was she doing here, speaking with him? With the scouts dispatched, what purpose did it serve to stay?
"What is it that you want? Is there something... you want of me?" he asked.
Zyneth looked about the carnage scattered about her feet then glanced up at the half-dragon and smiled. "Lend me your strength, Sunborne, and I shall lend you mine. Do you not want vengenace for what they have done to you? I want what you want."