The Eater of Mountains!? (OPEN!!)

[Juer Kalmuri]

Darkness, the first thing anything really sees when they first awake, it is a special type of panic one finds when they have returned to the land of the waking, to see nothing but a sea of black. Paranoia, even for a split second sets in as the terrible sight of the unknown sets in. Forgetting for a moment that they must first open their eyes. For a creature as old and has slept for so long as Garbak however, it is an entirely different paranoia. Instead of fearing what they do not know after being torn from the land of dreams, they fear if they are trapped inside of it. If the nothingness that they see is death and that they are never going to wake from this nightmare. Even still, Garbak has an unique fear even to those. The fear that he is not dead, and that he must return to this world that he loathes once again.

The cracking of the earth, stir of the soil, snapping of trees, it was a type of morning routine for him. His feet pushing himself off the ground, forcing the ground around him to make way as he forces his body out of the darkness of his shell, no longer able to pretend to be a mountain. Spikes of the earth coming off his massive shell, his head emerging from his body of bedrock. a yawn escaping his massive lungs, coming out as a roar for anything in the area to hear. Rock, soil and plant life that had piled for hundreds of years just falling apart off of his body as if it was nothing to him. Garbak looked around at the landscape and how it had adjusted so slightly since the last time he had laid his head and became a sleeping spectator of the earth. Another roar would escape his body a few moments after this first, this time however it was not a yawn, it was his apatite. The Dragon-Turtle was Hungry.

Most dragons take nourishment from the souls or flesh of the living, Plants, animals, mortals, even immortals should the dragon get lucky enough. Garbak however was not most dragons, he required to be filled with the guts of the earth, minerals from soil and stone. In this way, he was surrounded at all sides with what he needed to feast his full. In hopes he may consume enough to go to sleep before he is found out. As should anyone find him out here, eating his dish the hunt would be sure to be on, and he would have to deal with riders, mortals, and whomever would come to see him not get to sleep. Garbak hated that, and so would immediately get to work on a nearby cliff, his enormous beak chomping down on the side of the cliff, boulders and chips of rock falling off, collapsing as Garbak would greedily take bite after bite out of it. The noise being made would be easily enough to attract anyone in the area, if they were interested in the the noise at all, of coarse.   

[wolfie]

Alerri was just flying high enjoying being able to just soar. She was learning much in this great world of Humans. She often wondered if there were others out here like her alone and wandering the lands in search of something.

She heard the noise wondering what could be so loud. Sighing she went in that direction knowing her curiosity wouldn't be satisfied until she sought out an answer. It's how she rolled. She soared in that direction opening her mind to see if she could find out what it was. She didn't want some being tossing an arrow in her direction. She felt no humans though grateful for that.

Landing nearby she spotted the thing making the noise. It looked like a giant turtle feasting on the mountains. She wondered why it did that and who it was.

Hello there, I'm Alerri. Who are you? Why eat the mountains? She thought not realizing this was another of her kind just different.

[Juer Kalmuri]

Garbak would be hungrily munching on a large pile of rocks the inside of his mouth grinding them down to it's bare minerals to be absorbed into his body when he heard his first visitor come to detract him from his lonely life. Looking up at what looked like a young dragon, standard looking really with nothing that would be clearly different from any other dragon for now. Garbak would let out a sigh, a sound that to her would sound like a howl, like wind rushing though a cave. A would answer in a dull, lazy but agitated tone.

"You...already...ask...too much." he would say, rocks pouring out of his mouth as pebbles or stones as he spoke, taking breaths between each word. "I...am Garbak...." is all he would concede to answer of her barrage of questions. Afterwords he would go back to chewing his mouthful of the earth, looking up to her with hollow sockets, hiding inside them timeless eyes that stared though her as though she was already not even there to him.

[wolfie]

She listened to what he was saying. He didn't seem to want to give her the time of day. She thought maybe he wanted to be left alone. She just wasn't one to give in or leave anything alone it wasn't in her nature.

I know I do. I'm very curious about life no matter what form it comes in. It's nice to meet you Garbak. What are you? She thought not sure if she should change forms. It didn't seem to matter that she was looking like a dragon just then. She didn't want to scare anyone. She got the vibe that he wasn't scared of her.

She wondered if perhaps she should lay down and relax while talking to him. Alerri was a pest she knew that. Once she started asking questions it was hard to make her want to go away.

[Juer Kalmuri]

Gabrak remained uninterested, seeming to just simpily not care what it was that she did or wanted to do, however, in his head, Garbak decided that he was going to have to drive her away using his magic, understanding that she was most likely not one of the immortal races, and so his magic aura of depression would start to have an effect on her, should she stay for too long, and eventually she will find herself with little choice in her own mind but to go away. By that time however, it may already be too late, and she would find herself in a permanent (without magic cleaning or therapy) depression.

It would start very subtle at first, as that is how his magic works. she would not hear a voice, she would not suddenly be hit by a wave of hopelessness, that was demonic, or primal magics that lacked any sort of real influence over a person. Real power comes not from forcing, but from convincing. So she would start to feel slightly...tired. not a tired as in she wanted to sleep, and not a bad tired, she could easily shake it off and move on, but she could feel strain in her wings...perhaps by pushing herself a bit too hard? Maybe she should rest a bit while talking to Garbak..

"I..am....A dragon...Turtle.." Garbak would say boorishly, seeming to give in to her desire to learn from him, as he always did, once he starts using his magic he felt bad, knowing what exactly he was doing. But he easily allowed himself to be free of his guilt, once he started giving them what they came for. After all, it was them whom came to him, right?

[wolfie]

Alerri felt magic being used. She was good at that, but not good enough to ensure she would be able to sense what type was being used. She also had no idea what spell was used. It wasn't in her to figure that out.

She laid down relaxing a bit. She tucked her wings getting settled. It felt only natural to do so. She listened to what he said about himself wondering how such a thing was possible. He was alone that she could see. Had other dragons tried to befriend him?

Why are you alone? She asked knowing like everyone else he would tire of her questions. She expected that. It happened all the time. She would leave if he really wanted that he would just have to say so. She wouldn't admit it though considering she didn't want to leave without answers.

[Juer Kalmuri]

Garbak would keep chomping on the side of the cliff even as she spoke, clearly not minding what damage he did to the cliff side, Garbak knew that he was more part of the earth than close to anyone ever was. So it did not matter to him what he did, he knew that it would only return to the way it was in due time. Garbak would look up at her once again, focusing ever so slightly on his magic as he watched it take hold of her, even if she was able to feel it, it would be hard for her to realize just what it was doing to her due to how subtle it was having it's way with her mind.

Her weariness in her wings would not go away even as she tucked them away. It would seem that whatever she ahd done during her flight to strain them really did a number, or perhaps they were just growing and soon she will have an even wider wingspan to boast. Ether way, it was starting to feel slightly sore around the base near her body, not a bad pain, but a very deep down one. One that coudl be ignored easily, but the moment it is forgotten about, the moment she is left alone without anything else to cloud her mind, it would be there.

the clock is ticking....
would be the only thought in Garbak's mind when he answered her question with a lazy and half-assed answer, half wanting her to just grow tired of him and go away on her own, with the other half wanting to see how long she would stay for, and what would be the effects of that. "No one...raises turtles....we...grown on our own..." Garbak would say, turning his head to face the cliff and taking another huge bite out of it's side, seeming to start to carve out a cave right off the side of the cliff

[wolfie]

Alerri felt it. She wasn't sure where the pain was coming from. She wanted it to go away, but thought maybe she should just ignore it. If her wings were growing again there would be a slight pain. It was very similar to this.

She figured she flew too far for the day. It wasn't every day that she was in this form. Her body was more used to the human form she inhabited on a daily basis. She thought maybe that's why there was pain. She didn't use her wings enough. It made sense.

"So you too are all alone? Do you like it this way?" She asked not sure that she liked being alone at all. She knew some creatures though enjoyed having their space. She thought of flying off. She thought of leaving him to cave creating glad to see that someone was making places for their kind to live in.

[Juer Kalmuri]

Garbak shook his head, rocks and soil falling off of it as he did, pulling his head out of the small cliff side cave his eating had created. Looking up at the young dragon. His face unlike a human's gave nothing for her to tell what he was thinking, he would just look at her a moment more, letting his influence have the time it needed to sink in.

The aura, when it starts to really affect the mind would still not do anything that would give itself away easily, it would play on the doubts and thoughts that already plagued the mind it was inside. It would be harder to shake off this feeling now, this feeling that maybe she should just leave, that, no matter what she did to pry, she would not get the answers that would satisfy her. By extension, she may never learn what it is she is seeking to know. While the thought of giving up was not there, and she could still power though these doubts to try and gain the wisdom she seeks, the doubt that she would never really learn what it's like would still start to swell within her.

"I..am alone...I..have always..been alone." Garbak would answer simpily, plowing his maw back into the cliff side, awaiting for her next response.

[wolfie]

Alerri was no stranger to doubts. She often doubted herself and her abilities. She doubted she would make friends or find the answers she sought. This was nothing new to her. She understood what it was like to be different. She was more different than any creature roaming the lands. She was a dragon who hid herself to learn what it was like to be human.

"Wouldn't you like to be with someone though?" She asked not sure she could understand liking to be alone. There were times when being alone was good. It gave her time to be her dragon self. Being truly alone though wasn't something she enjoyed. She just couldn't understand this. She figured she was just too young and naive to understand such a thing.

[Juer Kalmuri]

Garbak would pull his head out once more to look at her again, not having eaten his full, he would slowly pull his legs inside of his body, his body lowering, crushing the rocks and plant life undertow, with only his head exposed, he would look up at the young dragon once more, and then lay his head down lazily.

The effects of the aura would remain the same for now, not progressing much worse, but still there, attempting to eat at the edges of her mind, wanting to flay her self-confidence. It was a truly sadistic magic, from a source completely unexpected.

"No...I..would not....Mortals....annoy me." Garbak would say in his always lazy voice. Being short spoken, boorish and lazy at the same time would turn almost anyone off from wanting to be friends with garbak, and Garbak was ok with that.

[wolfie]

She watched the large dragon turtle lay down. He seemed to be done eating. She wasn't sure if it was her being there or if he was full. She didn't want to be the cause of him stopping his feast, but she was the curious one.

"So I am annoying you?" She asked wanting it plain. Maybe it was time to leave him. He seemed to be more happy alone than with her about asking her questions. She wouldn't be surprised if he was trying to get her to leave. She wasn't one for subtle.

[Juer Kalmuri]

"That..is what I said.." Garbak would state, his eyes looking back up to stare at her. "Ask..your questions..If you must.." Garbak would state again, the slight guilt of what he is doing to her mind once again setting in once he realized that she was not getting what shewanted out of this, and thus did not deserve whatever mental damage may come of this. The aura taking it's time and would go away should she leave, but if it is allowed to fester for too long, it may drive her mad. It took a long time for that to happen however.

Garbak would then move his eyes downward, closing them as he rests, but not sleeping, awaiting for the dragon to ask her next question.

[wolfie]

"I'm used to being a pest. Curiosity is second nature to me," she said wondering what else she would ask. It was evident that he was eating the mountains but wouldn't say why. He was created as a dragon turtle. She saw no wings about him. He was content to be alone.

What else could she learn? He wasn't fully answering her questions. She wanted to stay to befriend him if she could. Somehow though she thought it would be an injustice to do so. He seemed to want to be alone. He wanted to be like he was. Changing wasn't an option for him that was evident as well.

"I don't have any more questions. I asked them and you either answered or ignored them. I guess I should be on my way," she said still feeling tired and resting. She didn't want to pester him any more.

[Juer Kalmuri]

"If that is what you want..." Garbak would say with another howling sigh, he seemed content no matter what it was that she did. Having a sort of disconnection with mortals of the world due to him being an immortal and for the most part, shunned by those whom remember what he was. This girl however seemed different from them. She was someone whom wanted to learn from him, and that was equally annoying. Garbak at least was willing to tolerate her however, despite knowing what it is that he does to those whom are around him. It really was all down to her what it was that she ended up doing.

Garbak would let his words speak for themselves, once again resting his head and eyes on the cold ground, waiting for her to speak out what it was she was going to do next.

[wolfie]

"All I want is to learn. I like learning no matter who is teaching me. There is much I don't know," she said thinking still. There was something about this turtle that she didn't like. Something was nagging at her mind. She just couldn't place a finger on it.

"How old are you? Do you know any magic?" She asked not sure why she was asking this. It just felt natural to ask questions so she didn't question what she was asking. He liked being alone. She was beginning to think she should leave him be. She was about to think that these would be the last questions she would ask him.

Somehow she didn't believe that though.

[Juer Kalmuri]

"Thousands...millions..I don't know." Garbak would reply, not even opening his eyes to look up at her as she asked these questions, showing how little he thought of it. "I..watch the world...I...seen it all.." he would say again absently. His words may be vague, but it was hard to tell if this was due to him doing it on purpose, of because he did not care enough to explain fully.

Garbak would once again stand, opening his eyes and looking up at the dragon. It became clearly apparent that if she really wanted to, she could situate herself on top of his hill-like body, and turn him into a roaming nest if she wanted to. More rock and dust flowed around him as he created a wind funnel by his standing up. As the dust settled, he would start to move, his feet hitting the ground sends tremors though the nearby area, he moved slowly towards a random direction, stopping to turn back, staring at her expectantly.

[wolfie]

This is horrible. He's not answering my questions except maybe one or two. He's doing it on purpose. Well fine. She thought angry at this being. She hadn't done anything wrong. A few questions weren't going to kill this being. She doubt he could be killed considering how old he said he was.

She watched as Garbak got up and moved. She made sure she wouldn't lose her position as the ground shifted just then. She could see he wouldn't be moving often. Alerri wondered if he was trying to get away from her. She saw him looking back as if expecting something from her.

"Yes?" She asked wondering what was going on through this giant turtle's mind. What a dragon alright. He's worse than the ones I left behind.

[Juer Kalmuri]

Garbak would slowly turn his head away from her, he expected her to follow suit behind him as he started to roam, looking for another place to lay his head now that he had been found out. He was not going to tell her to come with him however, so if she did not on her own, that was just fine with him.

"...Always..with the questions.." was all that Garbak would say in response to her. Slowly making his way away from the newly formed cave and the young dragon. giving her no real hints on what he would want her to do, mostly because he did not care what she did.

[wolfie]

Alerri was tired of this guy. He wouldn't answer her questions all he did was give her half answers. She wondered why he had looked back at her though. It was like he expected her to follow him. She was done with the mind games though.

"Well here's a statement for you then. If you want me along you'll have to say so," she said and then closed her eyes. He could do what he wanted. She was beginning to hate dragons again. They never gave any useful answers. It was a reminder on why she had left her own kind.

She was feeling a little guilty at how she had snapped at him. If she didn't know better he would take that as an insult. Because of his behavior though she had a feeling he didn't care if he was yelled at.