"It should be just a little north of here. Or west. I do wish he gave better directions."
Rory folded a small piece of parchment and tucked it away in a pocket near his breast. He sighed as he paced forward, pounding the bottom of his staff into the ground with each step. He had just strayed off a small path that led towards a village near the outskirts of Ketra, where he sought information regarding his current mission. One of the researchers in the Wardens had been working on finding the remains of an old, albeit small according to the research, dragon kingdom known as Du'varoth. Evidence shows that early tribes in Adela and the dragons of Du'varoth intermingled frequently, and lived with one another freely within the Draconi forest. Dragons of the Thunderblacks despised these dragons, who were naturally quite smaller, and laid to waste the entirety of their tiny kingdom. All records were presumed to be lost and desolated. However, upon Rory's participation in the research, he found that some dragons and humans did survive, having left the kingdom some years before, moving to a small island off the coast of Adela and northwest of Essyrn.
Gradually after generations passed by, more of the survivors of Du'varoth traveled elsewhere and either established their own communities or joined existing ones. An unfortunate bunch may have even had their descendants sold to slavery, as the only traceable lineage Rory found suggested.
"So your name is Kyoko."
This was the latest entry in the rudimentary family tree that he acquired. Thankfully, at least to him, there was some commotion a while ago within the Adelan military about a girl and a dragon. Her thievery, as the Adelan military account goes at least, of the dragon was a good sign that Rory was on the right track. Perhaps her blood could be used to locate the whereabouts of the Du'varoth ruins, if any even existed. At the very least perhaps traces of magic in her exist in enough concentration to be able to match possible relatives who have any more information on Du'varoth. Whatever the case may be, he had no idea where the girl was, and his best bet was to search in the massive country that is Adela.
Rory wiped his brow and sighed as he looked up at the sun that gleamed between the leaves scattered above him. "They don't pay me enough to do this."
Se'zeh sensed the intruder before Kyoko did, her head snapping up and a low growl thrumming through her chest. The young woman cursed as the arrow she'd nocked flew wide, the sound startling her into releasing before she'd really aimed.
The arrow clattered against a trunk some thirty yards off, spooking the doe she'd been lining up. "Damnit." She glowered over her shoulder at the dragon. "Well, I hope you're proud of yourself. You're catching dinner tonight, now-"
Se'zeh's tail whipped out and she growled again, eyes flashing. Kyoko froze, snapping her head in the direction the dragon indicated as she tried to listen.
Footsteps. Shit.
Quietly as she could, she slipped toward Se'zeh and climbed up onto her back, one hand still hovering over her quiver, ready to draw another arrow if she needed to. She gave the dragon a little nudge with her knees, telling her to start moving, but quietly. If they could get out of here quickly, without flying, maybe they'd be able to avoid detection from the nearby town.
Damnit. Damnit damnit damnit. I knew we shouldn't have come back. They should have left Adela far behind.
The sun was quite past its zenith and it would be only a few hours until it reached its final descent into the mysterious horizon. Almost giving up for the day and setting up camp, Rory heard a sudden noise in the distance. An audible clunk against the tree and the steps of an animal as it ran past through the bushes.
I should be careful. Rory quickly jerked his staff towards the northeast, creating artificial footsteps to confuse any nearby creatures, and twirled his staff once more as recited a simple--at least to him--invisibility spell in his head. He paced forward to the north in search of the source of the sound he had heard. However, he did not care to muffle his footsteps, as he assumed at best it was an animal of some sort that managed to barge into a tree.
These footsteps Kyoko heard, and both she and Se'zeh stilled, trying to pinpoint the source of the sound.
Sounds. Two fronts.
Fuck.
So much for subtlety. Leaning low over the dragon's neck, Kyoko whispered, "Fly."
Se'zeh's wings spread wide with a snap and she bounded forward, then leaped into the air, beating her wings powerfully to gain altitude. Kyoko twisted on her back, bow drawn and an arrow to the string as she prepared to fend off any assault that may chase after them.
Rory looked upwards into the sky as he heard the loud flutter of leaves, even though it was not a particularly windy day. He removed his layer of invisibility and rushed forward determined to get a better view of the source of the gust of wind.
His jaw dropped slightly when he saw the scaley wings rapidly ascending into the sky. "Wait!" he shouted. He saw a girl with her weapon drawn ready to protect herself, and was certain that this was who he was looking for.
Instinctively, Rory cast a spell creating the image of a wide pure black dome barrier around the dragon and himself, hoping to scare the duo to come down. However, he mistimed the casting and created the image too near the dragon. It would only work if the dragon immediately stopped, or else it could continue with its momentum further upward and shatter the image.
Se'zeh squawked and banked right, hard, narrowly avoiding slamming into the obstacle that had suddenly been thrown in their path. Kyoko gave a sharp cry of her own and had to throw herself forward, clutching at one of the dragon's spines to keep her seat. She managed to keep ahold of her bow, but the arrow she'd nocked fell back to earth.
The woman's eyes darted from the ground to the dark barrier before them, then narrowed. Their pursuer was a mage, that much was obvious, but just how powerful did someone have to be to create something out of nothing?
"Se'zeh, ram it."
The dragon screeched again. Are you crazy?!
"Trust me, it's an illusion! We have to get out of here, fly!"
Rory turned himself invisible once more. It appeared that the dragon and its companion had realized the barrier was just a trick, however the moment of hesitation gave Rory the opportunity to draw in closer.
Rory began to channel a spell that would take a half-minute to complete. He wanted to create an eye in the sky several yards away from the dragon to get a better view of what was going on. This, however, exhausted him and given the magnitude of his prior spell he only had enough energy and magic in him to pull off one more big spell after creating the eye.
With a shriek that was half defiant, half terrified, Se'zeh charged the barrier, ducking her head slightly as she braced for impact.
An impact that never came as dragon and rider passed harmlessly through the illusion. Kyoko gave a quiet huff of relief. Her hunch had been right then.
"Atta girl." She stroked Se'zeh's neck gently, but she was still tense, anxious to be away. "Alright, let's get some distance. Northeast?"
Se'zeh churred an affirmative and banked slightly to follow her directions, gaining altitude and distance with every beat of her wings.
Using the eye Rory created, he tracked down the direction the dragon was headed. However, he grew weary quite quickly and decided it was time for him to replenish his energy.
First, he walked further northeast to get a slight head start for tomorrows adventure. His legs grazed multiple shrubs and sticks, clanking against his armor and grazing his sheathed broadsword. He finally found a suitable open area, where the now red, emblazoned sky sneaked through the leaves. His magic had not replenished completely, but he had enough energy to cast a camouflage barrier around himself to protect him from wild beasts.
He sighed as he shut his eyes, waiting to fall asleep so he could get up early the next day and search for the dragon and its rider once more.
Kyoko couldn't be sure exactly how far they flew, but they covered a good bit of distance before she felt Se'zeh's energy starting to flag and urged the dragon to land.
Se'zeh was anxious, pacing and growling even when Kyoko warned her to keep quiet- they were deep in the tall pines of a northern Adelan forest, hopefully far from any prying eyes and ears, but one could never be too careful.
"Shh, girl." Kyoko scratched at her chin, though she was rather on edge herself. "Just for a few hours, okay? You need to rest."
Rory awoke before the crack of dawn, and immediately set off due northeast. He could waste no time, he already could not keep up with the dragon and its humanoid as is. He walked swiftly, marking trees and rocks when he could so he could remember his way back if needed.
He had been walking for three hours when he noticed an odd shape in the pine trees. "Hello!" he desperately cried out, hoping the human was at least somewhere nearby.
Completely exhausted, both woman and dragon had fallen far too quickly and deeply into unconsciousness.
And both were startled awake by the call.
"Shit." Kyoko sprang to her feet, scrambling to get up on Se'zeh's back as the dragon lurched upright, eyes wild. "Come on, we've got to move!"
Rory heard the commotion from far down below.
"Please! I just want to talk!" He begged incessantly, as he did not wish to startle the dragon and its companion more. He did not want to fight--and would refuse to if it came to that--but he knew that they would not give in without much of a struggle. After all, they were wanted by Adela.
"If you are who I think you are, I am not here to bring you back to the Adelan military. Especially since I'm not even with the military. Or Adelan." He returned his staff to his backside, and raised his arms in the air as he walked slower, still unable to see the dragon or the human.
They both froze. Se'zeh shook her head, growling.
Kyoko hesitated. "He might just keep chasing us," she whispered. "He's obviously a mage- if he can pull off an illusion like that, who knows what else he might be capable of?"
The dragon glowered, claws flexing into the earth beneath her feet, but she didn't immediately take off.
Raising her voice, Kyoko called in the direction the stranger's voice had come from, "Who are you? And keep your distance- one wrong move and my dragon will burn you to ash."
Rory smirked and let out a relieved sigh. That's it, that's progress. He left his hands up in the air just as a precaution.
"Burn me to ash? Why I quite like not being a heap of firey goodness." He gently reached across his breast and quickly rummaged through his pocket. He pulled out a note and slowly moved it towards his face, all while having his opposite arm still in the air.
"Wanted: Kyoko. Crime: Dragon theft. Reward: 30 glints. I have a sneaking suspicion that this must be you." Perhaps if he could provoke her, she would come down from the dragon's back and speak more openly. "But, to answer your question, I am a professor from the country north of here. I came here in search of your help."
The second his hand moved toward his pocket Kyoko had an arow trained on his slulll, ready to fire if he drew a weapon.
But what he withdrew was her wanted notice. Wonderful.
Se'zeh growled and her rider's lips pulled back in a snarl. "I didn't steal anything," she spat. "And why should I help a slaver? Or do you prefer the term "bounty hunter", professor?"
Re young dragon's wings spread open just a bit, ready to snap into a takeoff if she needed to.
Rory chuckled softly. "Oh so that's what you think I am? Sorry for the awkward introduction, let me try again." His arms grew tired, so he decided to let them fall down to his side.
"My name is Rory Harkon. I am looking for the remains, or descendants--or any evidence really--of an ancient dragon kingdom. My sources say you are the key. Are you more interested now?"
Before awaiting a response, he decided it would be best to make a better effort to extend a message of peace. "Alright, if you still think I'm a slaver, I can give you my weapons. You can keep them until you trust me--if you ever do trust me." As he said this, he crouched down and began to set his staff and broadsword onto the ground, and kicked them forward. He then raised his arms up once more in a gesture of surrender.
Se'zeh's growl lessened slightly, then rose again, ebbing and falling in a pattern that was really only apparent to her. Kyoko eyed the stranger from her back.
"You're a mage," she pointed out dryly. "Even unarmed you're dangerous. You think I don't know that?"
Still, she didn't cue Se'zeh to take off. Her curiosity was piqued, much as she might hate to admit it. "...What exactly do you think I am?"
"Dangerous? Oh flattery will get you everywhere." After all, illusion based magic wasn't the most respectable form, as those who delve in the arcane aspire to study the realm of elemental magic and conjuration. Nonetheless she had a point, he did try to trick them earlier, and how would she know that he didn't plan to again?
He smirked at her question. He carefully took a couple steps forward as he began to respond. "Years ago at the height of this ancient kingdom's prominence, it was attacked by its cousins to the south. The ancient kingdom lived in harmony with all manner of humans, elves, and fae, but that was not favorable with the dragons in the Thunderblacks."
He took a few more steps, before stopping abruptly for dramatic effect. "The entirety of the kingdom was decimated, except for a small population that happened to migrate to an island off the coast of Adela a few years earlier. With them they took many documents and artifacts belonging to this ancient kingdom. However, over the course of many generations the expatriates of the lost kingdom gradually settled elsewhere all of the world."
He paused for a moment. "Many of their true fates are unknown, but one particular lineage was deciphered and procured by my organization. That is where you come in." He looked at the dragon, and then back at Kyoko. "Does the name Du'varoth ring any bells?" The way he asked this question sounded hollow, directed to no one in particular as if he already knew the answer.
Dragon and woman snorted in unison.
"That's a nice story, Grandpa," Kyoko said, pitching her voice to give it a childlike lilt and batting her eyes at him as she leaned over Se'zeh's neck. "Dragons and magic and daring-do, all the good stuff." Her eyes narrowed. "But it sounds like a story to me, and it's got nothing to do with myself or Se'zeh."
She sat back, stroking the dragon's neck as her growling slowly started to subside. "I don't know any Du'varoth. Sounds old, and sounds Adelan. Can we go now?"
Se'zeh flexed shifted slightly, paw darting out to draw the mage's weapons closer to herself and caging them in the sharp, serrated bands of her claws.
"Grandpa!" Rory feigned offense. "Well I suppose there was that one time when I was 15..." He coughed to clear his throat before returning his attention to the more pressing matter of the apathetic fugitive.
"Come on Kyoko, I know you have the thrill of discovery in you. Why don't you join us. We can reward you handsomely, and perhaps even get rid of this whole 'wanted by a country that loves war and kill shit' business." Rory ran his hand through his jet black, nearly purple, hair and scratched the back of his neck, letting out a soft chuckle.
Se'zeh craned her head back slightly and girl and dragon exchanged a look.
"I'm listening," Kyoko said warily. The dragon huffed, shifting uncomfortably, and she patted her neck soothingly. "What makes you think you have the kind of authority to call off Adelan slavehunters?"
"The promise of money and secrets can sway even nations." It was a bold claim that he possessed either, but it was not necessarily inaccurate. Of course, the Wardens could not risk a diplomatic affair and threaten the temporary peace between Adela and Serendipity, but Rory was a headstrong and determined person and wouldn't let Kyoko and dragon get away easily.
"I'm sure whatever we may find would be of great interest to a people who prides in their dragonriders. Interesting enough to even use as a bargaining chip perhaps." He said this candidly, as he believed knowledge was meant to be shared anyway and would not mind revealing whatever he potentially finds to the world.
Kyoko withdrew slightly. "And what exactly do you want from us? What do you expect me to do?"
Rory frowned. "Unfortunately that requires you accompanying me to Ketra to see a colleague of mine. I can create a disguise using a spell and cloak your dragon with the invisibility magic I used earlier. However, those adept at magic will be able to detect your disguise and remove it and an invisible dragon is, well, still a dragon."
Another look exchanged between dragon and rider. "I'm not going back there," Kyoko growled when she flickered hr eyes back to him. "Are you crazy?"
Rory tilted his head and looked her in the eyes. "Kyoko, do you really think I'd go through all this trouble to put you in real danger? Wouldn't quite be the smartest move a Vice-President made."
"And I'm just supposed to believe you on...what? Faith?" Kyoko bared her teeth in an expression that made her look oddly reminiscent of the creature she rode for a moment. "Give me proof you speak the truth or get the fuck out of our way."
Rory took out several notes and letters that were in his breast pocket--including the family tree he had scoured over the Serha Plains for. He sorted them out neatly and tore off some fabric, creating a knot and adding a pebble as a weight. He tossed the bundle of parchments as far as he could in front of him before hitting either dragon or girl.
"Here is my proof."
Well.
This was awkward.
Kyoko cleared her throat a bit and turned her head, cheeks flushed. "I...can't read," she mumbled.
Rory's brow twitched as he clenched the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb. "You... asked...for proof. What did you expect?" Rory let out a deep sigh before chuckling. "Unfortunately literacy spells are beyond my scope. Mostly because they don't exist."
He boldly stepped forward, planning to get closer inch by inch. "But anyway, those are all the related documents I have pertaining to this mission. Letters from my colleagues, research notes, and even a family tree of all your ancestors. If you'd like me to read them to you, or better yet show you how, I can certainly do that."
There was a long moment of silence.
Then another.
And another.
"Show me." Kyoko sung down from Se'zeh's back and the young dragoness squawked in protest, darting her neck forward to wrap protectively in front of her rider.
"Shh, girl," Kyoko murmured, petting her about. More quietly, she murmured, "We can take him, if it comes to that."
Rory grinned innocently. He pulled out a pen and a roll of paper from his backside pouch. Luckily, the ink had not dried from the pen. "Here, I'll start with explaining the family tree." He began to write the Common tongue alphabet on the roll of paper, explaining the different sounds and types of letters. He went through a full and thorough explanation of the syntax and phoneticism of the letters, periodically asking questions cheekily, before explaining what was written on the family tree.
Then he began a long winded explanation of the history that was in that family tree, perhaps with a lot more details than necessary. Rory connected the alphabet to what was written on the parchment, trying his best to tie in his lesson on it. He capped off his spontaneous teaching session with a demonstration on how to write the girls name.
"And that's how you write Kyoko the Dragonrider." He smiled as he looked at the dragon.
She thought she understood about half of what he was saying.
Se'zeh settled herself behind her rider, curved into a prectectice semicircle, but Kyoko just sat and listened.
"Y'know, I didn't mean for you to teach me right now," she pointed out when there was a break in his speech. "It takes years to learn this stuff, doesn't it?" She gestured vaguely at the papers.
Rory chuckled softly. "Of course, no offense but I'm used to teaching well--er... people of different backgrounds." He had seemingly reached quite a lot of progress in his efforts to gain the girl's trust, however he was careful to not say anything pompous as he does on occasion.
"But nonetheless, your lineage is impressive." If true that is. There was still the matter of verifying if she was the same Kyoko as the one written in the document, as well as the issue of confirming the validity of the family tree. "It makes sense that you have such a great relationship with, uh," Rory said as he briefly paused, "Mind my manners, I never got the name of your dragon." Indeed, the 'wanted' advertisement did not contain any reference to the dragon.
Kyoko snorted, giving a rather clear impression of her thoughtsbin their merits of a person's "lineage". She eyed Rory sidelong for several long moments.
"Se'zeh," she said eventually. "Her name is Se'zeh." At the sound of her name, the dragon lifted her head and nuzzled Kyoko's shoulder.
"Ah I see," Rory bowed before the dragon, "A pleasure to meet you my scaley friend."
Se'zeh arched her neck and hissed. I am no friend of yours, human.
Kyoko suppressed a snort and opted not to translate that.
"So much for hospitality." Rory chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck. He sensed the hostility had not ceased much, but he was maintaining his optimism in being able to break through.
"So, what now?"
"I believe you're the one with the plan, Master Scholar," Kyoko muttered in a tone that practically dropped derision.
Rory chuckled. "Of course," he said as he inched yet a bit closer with smooth and slow movements, "So I take it you will come with me after all?"
Se'zeh hissed again and Kyoko glared at him. "Not to Ketra," she replied bluntly. "You won't get me within a hundred miles of that city."