I'm Bigger. I Win. (OPEEENN!!)

[Brisinger987]

Veraxitoc stood on his mountain. He had slept here for a couple of hundred years now. Now he could show this mountain range he was boss. Adelan Thunderblack's were smaller than him, not by much, but he was ancient. Most of these dragons were newborns to him. He remembered all his old rivals, as he observed the vast cloud layer. If Ornusjalil had survived, he would very much like to play a game or two with her. She was a nice dragon, but she was Connlaothian. Not a good match. She was roughly his size though. Maybe if he got bored, he would see if he could enkindle a friendship. They could make sure no war like that of which they witnessed occurred again. Innocent and good dragons had died in that war. His friends. They didn't get to sleep a few centuries. They had moved on. To some heavenly paradise, where the gazelle ran faster, the sheep more abundant and mate's readily available. He had seen them die painful deaths, of fire, and steel. They deserved a better afterlife.

A few hours passed, and he decided he was awake enough to roam the countryside. Perhaps meet the locals. He stretched his wings, and in a great bound, leapt off the top of the mountain. It felt good to fly again. The locals had flown by and given him a friendly or respectful roar. Some had blown a challenging fire, others had seen him and turned away. He would not be in amazing rapport with them, and he expected no great party in his return. The humans wouldn't be amazed to see him. He respected them, he found them a generally peaceful race, but they got irritating when they constantly panicked at the sight of winged scales. The locals had given Dragons a bad name. Maybe they needed to be taught how to behave. Silly teenagers, they have no idea how to behave anymore, they just run wild, burning villages and stealing the best sheep, he thought to himself. He glided around, until he saw a group of dragons, five, two fighting, three females watching. Hormone driven teenagers.

A minute later, he landed next to the two dragons. They both stopped, looking at him angrily. Then they pounced at him. In seconds, he overcame them, pinning them to the floor by their necks. "Enough! You call yourselves dragons?!" The girls, two a bright pink, brood sisters, and an odd yellow one, bunched around Veraxitoc's side. The yellow seemed to lead the other two around like some sort of princess.  More teenage dragons. Just what he needed. The females took interest in him, and this irritated him. They were too young as a first, he was an aged, ancient dragon. These girls lacked the class required to interact with him. "Show some more intelligence you stupid little boys. Grow up." Veraxitoc turned and left, careful to make sure the girls got a faceful of dust as he took off.

Half an hour of flying later he came across a small town, situated in a valley between two mountains. From here he could see Adela, and the Serha plains. He was at a trading pass. This town would have massive amounts of travel in it. Time to go and see how bad the reaction from the guards would be. He flew in at a high angle, with his wings outstretched. That used to be the sign of a friendly dragon, as visible as possible, landing at the edge of town. No fire, no circling, just a straight glide down, and a gentle coo as you descended to alert the townspeople of your presence. Bugger. He'd forgotten to coo. As he landed, he tried to remember the technique. What happened was a strange croaking sound. Great, now he looked like a sickly dragon. The townspeople would rush healers over to him if they remembered the signs. If not, he was gonna see lots of guards.

And that was exactly what he got. He wouldn't kill the guards. Just bolt the horses. He saw the guards approach him, and line up in formation. "State your business dragon." Had dragons really racked up that bad a reputation? Dragon see, dragon do. Dragons of this day must have grown up hearing of their parent's ferocity and violence, dragons who had lost parents to human weapons.  Now the rapport between dragons and humans was worse than ever. Great.

"I am a friend! I am not here to hurt you." He bowed his neck and opened his mouth. If they shot him, he could defend himself. If not, he would go in peace. Killing guards was not something he felt up to. One of them would likely land a shot in his eyes. And he didn't wanna be angry on his first day awake.

[Aetius]

Trekking into the mountains and hills of Thunderblack had been the farthest this young fae had traveled.  Normally she was content to reside in her forest, but one day who knows how many weeks ago she had taken a look at the distant mountains and found herself being drawn in to the sense of exploration.  Despite this bold move into the mountains she travelled with nothing but her clothing for comfort, nature blessed the Fae with ease dealing with problems of survival.  When needing to disappear, even a young fae could do so at a whim.  Food was no issue either, being able to enchant the sap of trees to provide the same nutrients that a full meal of meat and vegetables would provide.  Truly her kind were built to live this hedonistic wanderer's path; living without care or responsibility. 

Truly this travel into the mountainous regions bore better fruit than she had first expected.  The fae Ash'elin had discovered that humans lived clumped up together; building shelters and entire communities together.  This was quite unlike full-blooded Fae, who lived in solidarity from one another unless they were called together for something that concerned them all.

At this moment Ash'elin had been observing the small town from afar, watching what she could of the daily interactions.  A part of her wished to watch from within the town, but even a fae knew that enclosed surroundings did not belong to their kind.  Not to mention the threat of cold iron always stood ready from Human settlements.

Luckily something much bigger would attract her attention as she saw a massive elder dragon land right outside the town, meeting the human inhabitants and yet strangely not attacking.  It was a curious thing to see something so big be willing to even acknowledge people so small.  She wanted a closer look but dared not come directly just yet.  At that point she had what she felt was a clever idea; however she wondered if dragons were immortal and thus capable of seeing through illusions.  Having never spoken or seen a dragon's bones before she wasn't sure what to believe.  Of course that would not stop her as Ash'elin harnessed her inner energies to create the illusion she had planned.  Within the forest she would suddenly create a massive white dragon with scales that had the same coloring as pearl.  She wasn't sure if dragons came in that color but frankly she didn't care, hubris and a desire to make the dragon similar to herself motivated its coloring.  The dragon itself was based off the real dragon before her since other than now she had only seen them flying in the air from afar.  It would have slight differences though, appearing more slender in shape to differentiate it from a male dragon.  She assumed the females were smaller than the males; it was how it was among the fae after all.  Having finished her illusion she would clear her throat and again using her glamour magic would release a powerful dragon's roar that would surely get the attention of the guards and dragon.
She released her illusion toward the town, having it crawl slowly all while looking at the male dragon.  Hiding in the bushes Ash'elin would watch to see how the two would interact.  Using her illusionary dragon like a puppet she would boom out a voice from her false dragon as she asked the question that most intrigued her.

"Why do you give time to creatures so much smaller to you?"

It was not likely that her ruse would fool the dragon, but it did not matter either way for she simply wanted to grab his attention while Ash'elin still hid in thickness of a tree. 

[Brisinger987]

The guards had begun to calm down and the captain had spoken to him, curious as to why Veraxitoc was not plundering and pillaging. He explained that he came from the Dragon Rider war and had slept until this day. The guard spoke ill of the Thunderblack breed. He mentioned of their choice to wreak havoc on the towns, and thus were untrustworthy. A few minutes of general conversation ensued and it went peacefully. Except for the new dragon. He was oblivious until it roared and spoke. He studied the dragon intently. He was no immortal but he knew it was an illusion the wrong colors to be a Nightspinner, as they always came in black with vibrant highlights. This dragon was clearly female but incorrect in anatomy.

"Show yourself sorcerer! Learn your dragon breeds before creating an illusion which is so obvious. I do applaud your creativity in approaching me however. But I must ask that you do away with the illusion and show yourself. Before I burn you out of the forest." He did not wish to burn the forest down but he would not let a sorcerer terrorise this town. Not many dragons were silvery white. The few that did have white scales were frost dragons, or skytoppers, and he knew few other breeds that did. Nightspinners were exclusively black, and albinos came in a charming crimson. He had once had a teenage crush on a crimson nightspinner. But alas she had turned his offer down. Her loss.

[Aetius]

Ash'elin could not hold back the irritation she felt when this dragon so easily saw through her illusion; despite knowing little about dragons she still felt annoyed that her creation was apparently easy enough for the creature to detect.  Defeated she would allow her illusion to poof into nothingness leaving silence where there once were the breaths of a false dragon.  This never occurred when she manipulated humans, of course it was easy to hide an illusion behind thick plates of armor or clothing when she wished to deceive their kind.  Nevertheless a Fae did not take being wrong lightly, and their grudges could make them be willing to even face a dragon face to face.  Gritting her teeth she conceded to the beasts threat as she popped her head out of one of the thick branches of the tree.  She would crawl down the tree as if she was walking horizontal, being able to stick to the tree and defy gravity.  Landing on the floor she would rush toward the massive dragon moving on all four like wolf, her long white hair flowing behind her as she moved with top speed.

She'd stop right in front of the dragon, a tiny creature half the size of any of the guards.  She looked like any of the children living in the town only pale white skin and hair-save for her eyebrows which were black.  She'd sit still with her feet and palms both touching the ground as she looked up at the being who as of now annoyed her so.  Twisting her palm she'd suddenly cause the ground around her to erupt into a pillar as it raised her up to eye level of the dragon.  Looking at him obviously mad she would stand up and say with her hands to her hips.

"I suppose you believe yourself to be very clever and strong don't you?  But by the Fair folk should you harm my forest with malice in your heart I can return the damage ten fold back to you!"

[Brisinger987]

While fae were generally considered gentle, loving creatures, they were capable of being enraged. This fae had certainly tried to make a point by trying to frighten him. But he was experienced. Wrong move. Gently, he grabbed the fae, and with his other paw, knocked the pillar of earth down, then set the fae on the floor, and sat, positioned much like a dog, over the tiny little creature. He was not fond of challenges but he was also the guardian of these lands. He would not harm any that did not harm him or other inhabitants. He would simply keep repeating this move until she gave up. Or she lost her temper. Whichever came first. She was simply just trying to compensate for something. Maybe she felt threatened. Maybes she felt offended. He wasn't interested in either issue. As long as his task was not impeded he didn't care.

"No reason to be grumpy my dear fae. I wished no ofense, I was merely defending the innocent townspeople. Please forgive my threat to the forest, I merely wished to diffuse any conflict, even if that was by an elevated threat." He thought for a minute. She smelt like a Draconis resident, not native to this forest. Why had she ventured this far into the mountains? It was unlike fae to leave their resident homes. Especially alone. "Why do you cross from Draconis forest? That is, you smell strongly of Draconis, and I assume that is your home? And are you alone, or are you with a company?" He had made sure to set her down gently, but he didn't know what being picked up felt like. His mother and father had abandoned him before he hatched, and he grew up as a predator. He had never felt what being loved was. In some senses he felt he wanted to be, but he was to find love in his own species.

[Aetius]

Although gentle in his actions, the dragons grasp would be to quick for even the agility of a fae to escape.  His grasp was simply too massive, even if she hadn't been caught off-guard most likely she would have barely reached the tips of his claws before he tightened his grasp.  Her tower of stone would come crashing down as well as she found herself safely on the floor without any harm done.  Through this whole encounter she never felt fear of dying, that dread seemed to only appear when facing foes wielding iron.  No for an ageless creature death seemed to be a difficult to grasp concept; Ash'elin herself had never even witnessed a fae dying from physical harm. 

Having been set back down to the floor she would take a gaze at the startled guards who had taken a good many steps back after all this elemental magic had occurred.  She'd note their spears, swords and other weapons; all made from cold iron-the slightest touch upon her skin being capable of causing magical burns as if set aflame.  It was true, despite her curiosity for these mortals she hated their weaponry and how it harmed her people so.  It was almost as if the world was set up to keep the fae separate from everyone else; after all it seemed every other race used iron in their daily life.  A more experienced fae who had lived a millennium or more may have put some philosophical thought to this; and realize the threat that came from these mortal kingdoms continuing to expand their world and reduce the forests where the fae lived.  Of course Ash'elin was not such a fae, by terms of years she was little more than a child in her society and to be frank she acted as such in her daily experience.

Her arms were crossed, partially from her settling temper and part from the worry that the iron clad guards brought.  Her fears would be distracted when the dragon spoke again, she'd look to him as the creature used its sliver tongue to settle the dispute between them.  Still when he mentioned the fact that he defended the townsfolk she would mutter in an audible tone.

"They seem well enough defended..."

She'd make a quick glance back at the guards to make sure they were still a safe distance.  She didn't want to suddenly be encircled by iron wielding guards and a dragon.

He would suddenly change the topic back to her as he accurately described her homeland and asked if she travelled alone.  Looking the dragon in the eye she would respond, "Yes I am from that forest and yes I am alone.  My reason for coming here is solely to see what it was like in the mountains that always stood in the distance of my home."

She would ask slightly suspicious "And why are you here?!  You claim you are here to defend these humans, but I do not see anything that endangers them."

[Brisinger987]

"The guard force seems well defended, but in an ideal world, the one we should ALL, work towards, there shouldn't have to be a guard force." He twinged slightly as a frustrated heartburn attacked his chest. He turned his head to the rubble, and shielding the fae from the splash of fire, threw out a long breath of red hot tongues. As it finished he turned to the fae again, and involuntarily coughed out a pile of smoke. So he was ill, he just hadn't felt the symptoms yet. "I only did what I did because I believed you posed an inpersuadable threat. I will not allow necromancers and demons to plague these lands." He turned and coughed again, and this time bigger piece of soot came out. Had he been ill in his sleep, and the illness had taken hold in that time? After all, it was his first day awake. If he was majhorly ill, he would feel it for the next few days. Badly. He wondered what his affliction was. Magma cough? Sky flu? It could be any number of things. "Excuse the coughing, I appear to be ill. Nothing that you or humans can catch. We should be fine here captain, go back to your town. I'm sure a drunkard took advantage of the lack of guards to hurt someone." Dragons experienced weird symptoms when they fell ill. Grumpiness. Spitefullness. Sooty coughs. Throwing up chunks of magma.

[Aetius]

Ash'elin would find herself once again being cupped by the dragon as he suddenly released a stream of fire that sounded forced.  Despite this he would release a lesser cough of soot that would burst a cloud leaving the fae layered in the black soot.  She pouted at being made so filthy, but refrained from chastising him since she already had an assumption that perhaps this was something out of his control.  As it turned out he would admit that this hacking was some sort of dragon illness, which would immediately gain some empathy from the young girl.  Being a fae she never experienced natural illness; only disease coming from dark magic could afflict an immortal such as her.  Yet she knew of sickness through helping the creatures of her forest; coming to the aid of creatures big and small who showed injury or disease.

Shaking herself free of some of the soot she'd decide to help the dragon as best as she could.  In a softening voice she would make an offer to her sick acquaintance, "If you lay on your back dragon I will help you the best I can."  Earlier their less than perfect first impressions had left the girl more tense and rigid than usual, but as time passed she seemed to return to her more free and cheery state.  The opportunity to use her magic to help another creature always livened her mood; it was rare when she lacked the power to cure what ailed a mortal.

She would stand waiting for the dragon to accept or decline her offer, she would not force the issue if the dragon was too proud to accept help.  She could understand that sickness brought pain to mortals, but if this dragon wished to remain this way for whatever reason then she would not fault him.  She would tap her foot waiting for his response; the girl was rather impatient even for a Fae. 

[Brisinger987]

Help him? Not a chance in hell. He would recover this illness on his own, no fancy fae magic could beat a good rock crunching and the right set of smoked leaves. He would not be at the mercy of anything smaller than him. Least of all a fae. He was too proud for that. Too strong for a petty cough to hold him back. If the humans could survive a cough he would thrive.

"I will be fine, no small cough is going to keep me down. Now, I believe we are unacquainted by name. I am Veraxitoc, guardian of the people of Adela. Might I ask your name?" He muffled a cough with one paw. The illness had taken hold quickly.

[Aetius]

"Hmph, very well I will respect your decision even if I do not understand it."  She would say, her head held high with slight annoyance toward the dragon's pride.  She could not comprehend why a mortal would allow themselves to remain ill when treatment was offered to them.  Despite being prideful herself, she seemed unable to link their similar personalities together.

After that he would grant her his name which settled the situation again.  The Fae always loved to learn new people's names, though she rarely was the first to give her own.  Standing straight up and clearing her own throat she would follow after him in the ritual of introductions.  "I am Ash'elin of Draconi Forest, protector of that which I choose to care for."  This was the nature of the fae, the most important object for them was first themselves and second whatever they wished to protect.  Usually that would include their home in the forest, and whatever beings they found which interest their curiosity.  It was a wonderful gift to befriend a Fae, just like it was a curse to incur their wrath; it was no different for their younger kind like Ash'elin.

Finishing her introductions she would look toward the dragon again as she asked.  "Now that we are introduced, perhaps you can answer my first question.  Why do you choose to protect the people of this land.  If I am not mistaken do you not eat all that is smaller than you?"

[Brisinger987]

So she thought he merely considered himself a predator. He saw how it was in his eyes. This fae was confused as to why he hadn't eaten her. He knew just what to do. "Well I can still eat you whole if you desire. I haven't eaten breakfast yet you know." He chuckled. "You would be a starter of course. Fae aren't very filling. Never have been. A good filling meal, need two sheep and a cow. Wonderfully filling. All it needs is a good roasting, maybe some salt. I've never tasted salt actually. Too small. Maybe there is a big chunk of it somewhere that I can eat." He remembered her question. But before he could answer another coughing fit struck him. Smoke and soot poured out of his nostrils and mouth as huge plumes of fire were doused in his throat.

"There is simply no point to terrorising what can never truly hurt me. I am no immortal but few mortal devices can even scratch my aged scales." He let a final cough out, finally clear of the taste of soot. He realised he had coated the fae in soot and dust. Oops.

[Aetius]

 The girl would not show any intimidation toward the dragon's comments about eating her; for one she was confident in her ability to escape even an elder dragon and second she did not feel that all of his comments were just a ruse.  After all  Veraxitoc seemed on rather friendly terms with the humans of this region so she could expect that her own life was safe from his jests about eating her.  The dragon would begin coughing again, she expected him to turn away like before and the first time he would do so saving her from being layered in his soot again.

Ash'elin gave a sigh of relief that she didn't have to deal with being made filthy again, it was at that point that she heard his real answer to her question.  She seemed willing to believe his claims that it was pointless to attack other sentient beings, after all cows and sheep couldn't mobilize to hunt after dragons unlike humans.  Hearing his comments about dragon scales interested the fae, but before she could get a closer look she would find herself once again covered in a thick layer of soot and dust.  Stuck in the cloud she'd cover her mouth and nose as the cloud settled leaving her white skin completely darkened by debris.
 
Once she became visible again she found herself at the last straw with this sick dragon.  She held her breath; her cheeks puffed out as she made a angered pout.  Pointing at the dragon she'd say with sharp eyes, while stamping her foot down in rage "You will lead me to a water source Veraxitoc; I will not spend one more moment in your soot and ash!"  It certainly was an interesting sight, a soot covered fae and dragon bickering next to a human town.

[Brisinger987]

As a dragon, most humans thought that very little scared him. As a big dragon, most naturally assumed he had nothing to fear. But enraged women had a way of being terrifying, even if they were fae. He began to noticeably shrink he bowed his head and lowered to the ground slightly, bowing in an odd submission to the fae. He had trouble believing he was doing it, but he was submitting to the scary, angry fairy-lady. His current eye line scanned her body over. By human or fae standards she was probably pretty, even beautiful or sexy, but not to a dragon. He blinked once in process as the fae burst out a command at him. His brain processed the request.

Why she wanted to go to a water source, he did not know, but instinct told him she wished to wash the soot off herself. It made sense. But if she planned to heal him she would have a challenge. "Can I ask why? You can tell me as we walk. Come, this way." He turned and sneezed, a huge cloud of soot appearing in front of him. The fae would probably have killed him if she had been in front of him. But she wasn't. The soot cloud settled and he sniffled as he wiped his nose. Maybe he needed to sleep this illness off. It usually worked. If not he may try a healer.  But a dragon healer.

[Aetius]

Her firey temper would simmer when she noticed that she was having a reaction on the dragon.  For a moment she would look with surprise at the fact that this beast seven times larger than her was submitting like a dog that had been chastised by its master.  Seeing this made it difficult for Ash'elin to remain mad; by the time Veraxitoc spoke again she had already ceased openly raging at him and was in a frigid silence.

She would look up to him and would follow as he lead them to a place with water.  His foolish question would stoke what angered she had settled slightly as she said, "Was I not clear?  I wish to be rid of this soot and ash and you know these mountains better than anyone I assume."  She'd rub her eyes roughly, the ash irritated her eyes though she did not wish to make this known to her new acquaintance.  Besides he offered to lead her to water so the momentary sting would subside once she could clear her face.  She would not catch the similarity, but the fact was both of them were rather prideful in how they handled problems.  Though the fae for the most part had to depend on wile and manipulation while a dragon could easily be independent while still having an effect on the outside world.

As they continued walking Ash'elin's anger would settled down as they moved in silence for some time.  she would feel it was necessary to show her appreciation, after all Ash'elin was not so naïve as to not realize that a dragon had no obligation to help her and that he could have easily flown away laughing at her misfortune.

Turning her head to him she'd notice one of the coughs which she heard as they traveled, at that moment she'd say, "Thank you, for doing this.  Also, I suppose I must apologies for being so cross with you-it was not an intentional action against me." 

[Brisinger987]

He knew where the nearest water source was. But it was a while before he remembered that he was going the wrong way. "All I can do is apologise, and hope that such a graceful young fae accepts. An, uh, one other thing. I think we're going the wrong way." He laid down, blowing a small smoke ring as a sign his nose was clear. Or rather, blowing a lack of smoke rings. He felt the urge to snooze but instead flitted his eyes towards the sun. Ow, the sun is bright today, perhaps the goddess of the sun is having a good day, he thought to himself. Or she has a fever.

"We were going the wrong way, I remember now. If you climb on my back, I will fly us there. It will be quicker. And hopefully the dust and ash is not stuck to you. The wind should blow some away anyway. Come to think of it, I should have thought about flying earlier really. Sorry." He spoke sheepishly, realising that he was being slow, and he was also being stupid. He wasn't doing well.

[Aetius]

Ash'elin would break into a beaming smile upon hearing Veraxitoc's reply, hearing such compliments made the fae giggle with glee before she answered with a "Hehe, of course I accept."  It would not bother her that they had been travelling in the wrong direction, she had nowhere to be and the stinging in her eyes was for the most part dealt with through applying some gentle rubbing and wiping. 

She stood quietly as she listened to the dragon's proposal to fly them to their destination.  In an instant she found herself overtaking with excitement; after all how many opportunities did anyone have to experience the feeling of flying.  Ash'elin had always held a strong interest in observing birds and other creatures in flight, and now here she stood being offered to be lifted up to the sky-a place that perhaps even the most elder fae had never experienced.  Certainly now she felt that it was worth getting a bit dirty.

She would leap up upon the dragon's back, the scales felt smooth upon her legs and arms.  Her mood would turn a complete opposite from before as said, "Ok, I'm ready!  Let's go, let's fly!"  she used her magic to allow her hands and legs to stick to the dragon's scales.  Even if he were to fly upside down the fae would not detach from his back.  There was a wide beaming smile as the girl braced herself for the take off.  She imagined this so many times in her idle dreams and now she would experience it first hand!

[Nemo]

((Mind if I toss in some dark magic in this happy lil picture? :3 Mebbe give a dragon and a fae girl something to do, something to worry about? I have some serious necromancer muse going on...))

The thunderblacks were a home of dragons, a place where they lived and died. The spirits had led Poe here... And the dark-cloaked, hooded figure alone in the twilight strode now ever closer to the grand prize. She could almost feel the power calling to her... She could feel the spirits here... Seeking... Yearning to be free... All she needed was the time to find her way there... The chance to find...

The Tomb of Dragons.

A joyful grin spread across pale, dry lips that cracked painfully. She licked them, and realized how thirsty her body was, how hungry... Accursed husk, it wasted so much of her time with its needs, its petty insistent desires. Pain... Pain was annoying, but it was useful. Emotion too was something she could accept. But sleep? Hunger? Thirst? Addiction? Lonliness? These bridled in her, festered like a gaping wound, and she resented them to the core of her being. Weaknesses, the lot of them.

The sun-baked moors in the lowlands surrounding the Thunderblacks were giving rise to fog, and... Ahead, light. She peered into the twilight... And grunted. A town, then. It made sense, she supposed, the runoff from the mountains probably made for a decent underground river these peasants and serfs could use to nurture their crops. The fog growing around her swirled and took shapes in her presence. She stood in indecision... But perhaps those shapes had more rhyme or reason than mere random patterns of mist. Poe's presence intensified them... Made them more noticable.

"..." One said, her face ghastly as she wailed in silence, in a voice only the necromancer could hear. Poe grinned. A man's spectre wrapped himself around the hooded figure and whispered into her ear. The wind gusted and further swirled the fog that grew around Poe. She licked her lips again, and broke into an even wider grin, her yellow teeth borne to the wind an sky. From beneath the shadow of the hood... one gleaming mad eye, the pupil a pinprick in a sea of bloodshot white, was briefly visible, dancing with malign excitement. Yes... People... Yes in...deed...

The shadowed figure moved in again, and it seemed... she brought the night and the fog with her, to a little town in the foothills.

[Brisinger987]

As Veraxitoc flew back over the town, he noticed many things. The final resting place of an ancient dragon, older than even him. But he doubted this dragon knew he would never wake. If a dragon was not slain by convention, but mortally wounded, they could die alone, and asleep. But dragons were too proud to even know when they are mortally wounded. He may have been a long lost warrior. Or a father doing his duty. Or a brother protecting his siblings. Or a nobody. Someone like Veraxitoc. He never had anyone to truly confide him. He had to be cold, and distant, and fair. But his head really told him to burn the world. He had ignored it so long now, but he didn't think it was worth ruining his name. Not that these humans knew his name. Or these dragons. Or his mountains. This world was his. Why not ruin a long lost reputation?

He thought as he flew, and as they passed back over the town he noticed an unnatural fog rolling in. From further in land? "Ash'elin, that fog is unnatural and dark. We shall vanquish it before we move on to the water. I hope you don't mind me doing this." He folded his wings out, extending the claws at each wing tip. In a rapid swirl of movement he spun and dove. An unnatural scream filled the air as his claws took great effect. He would sound like a demon, and hopefully scare this summoner away. He also decided to use an old mating call. No one ever knew what it was exactly, but it was feared among all but Nightspinners. He pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth. He felt a small twinge as the chamber in his nose opened, and he billowed out fire. The fire itself was coloured a dark crimson, from special crystals in the chamber. The noise that came out was somewhere between the sound of fire and a deathly demon scream. He protruded his claws, and swooped down before the fog, roaring at it.

[Aetius]

There was a weight in her heart as they took off; she clenched tightly despite not needing to as they soared up hovering over the trees and mountains.  She looked all around her at the environment as she found her heart racing in excitement and fear of this great height.  The view was beautiful from up above, flying seemed to meet every expectation that she had dreamt up as she gazed at the light fog begin to thicken slowly moving toward the town.  Something about this sudden change did not feel safe, and for a moment she was glad that they would be leaving this site for whatever water source they planned to go too.  However over the sound of his beating wings Ash'elin would hear Veraxitoc say that he intended to check out this eerie fog and deal with whatever was causing this disturbance in nature. 

Although spirited and willing to fight, Ash'elin was never one to search out trouble.  That was the problem with making yourself a guardian, for mortals you shortened an already short life in dedication of something greater than themselves.  To a fae becoming a guardian had even greater risk; after all even the wisest and oldest fae did not know what becomes of fae who die of physical destruction.  They were immortal in that they were ageless, however they are not invulnerable.

Still Ash'elin would respect his code as she shouted against the air currents, "Of course, let us set down."

They would land and Veraxitoc did not stop to ask questions.  She would hear his ferocious roar and witness a real billow of fire.  Ash'elin could not do much at the time for the threat had not made itself present yet.  Still now that she was on the ground Ash'elin could feel that this fog was dark in nature; she would stay close to the dragon lest they get separated by the fog.

[Nemo]

The sky cracked with a piercing scream, a cry from times of ancient fear. The thunderblacks were home to dragons - she counted on this, in fact. Even if she had attempted to prepare herself, even in the depths of her mania, she felt a terrible surge of fear that froze her in her tracks. Her body locked up... And there it might have ended... There the dragon would have crushed her, a hooded, dark figure in the fog - he was spot on and aimed directly for her... But she was not just some conjuror.

The ground swallowed her as flame blossomed around her, and the ancient dragon's hungry talons scored deep into soil and stone... But the briefly glimpsed figure was simply... Gone. Without a trace. In her shelter beneath the earth, the necromancer hissed at her own weakness... She would not fall for that sound again, that she could promise. Oh yes.

Poe pushed away her own fear and focused it into her hand in the darkness of her temporary womb of earth. It congealed in her hand, and she grinned insanely at the reddish brown ball of pure emotion. This would be useful... Dear me, yes. Her heart stopped racing and her hand steadied as she poured all of it into it... And the sphere of black emotion darkened to a malevolent rusty red. Mad Clarity took her once more... And she realized where she was. This was NOT dirt and rock, no...


This... Was the final remains of an ancient dragon. This... Was a dragon that had died in its sleep, and still its spirit lingered. It was horribly aware of her, too... And as she almost lovingly trailed her black, skeletal left hand down the side of one bone... She broke into another yellow-toothed grin that nearly threatened to see the top of her head come off!

It was the work of a moment to slit her right hand open with her kris knife and speak the words of the black rites...

Above, it had seemed like they had dispersed an illusion, the two courageous warriors, a dragon and fae... The fog was dispersing, and the night was absolutely quiet... But then a tree fell over with a crunch, simply collapsing under its own weight. Grass a few feet from the dragon's claws was gaining black veins at a truly alarming rate, the horrific rot spreading like wildfire that could not be seen towards the dragon's claws - black magic was at play!

The grass was crumbling to ask in moments - imaging the damage it could do to anything that touched it? Even the flies and bugs in the air immediately above the grass fell and crumbled! The stench was foul! But even that was just a side effect, as much damage as that could do... The ground started to shake. The spirit of the land was crying out in horror and agony for any who could hear it - like the Fae.

The ground ahead of them in the heart of the spreading blight of defiled earth... And then it happened again, and kept on happening! The ground billowed out into a massive shape... Made of boulders, of black earth, and of... Dragon bones. It took the shape of an ancient wyrm... And hateful green light filled its still-rotting eye sockets as it turned to face them.

The fear she'd gathered had indeed been useful... Poe drew the stolen life force of the grass and trees she'd blighted into herself and felt some of the power she'd used for her little creation... And surfaced behind it from the earth. She gestured at the dragon and his fae-guardian friend with her left arm of black bones... And said one single word.

"Vivisect." Poe said, her voice billowing black fog from her lips. The great abomination focused on them with its hateful pinpricks of light... And roared. Supernatural, magically endowed terror blasted from its lips with an unearthly wet bellow, and then... Something else flew from its maw! Not fire... But it had the shape of fire - it was made of ghostly dark green flame... And it was cold as the void, sailing towards the pair!