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The Path to Power [Blink!]

Started by Marakai Trin, June 22, 2017, 09:38:35 AM

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Marakai Trin

High above the misty mountain peaks, a massive dark creature soared. This wondrous beast, clad in scales as black as midnight and covered in barbed spikes of the same, kept a keen eye on the various valleys and peaks below him, searching with eyes as red and bright as hell itself.

Passing through the hanging mist, the black dragon caught sight of his destination at last - emerging from the haze was a plateau of sorts, rising high in a gap between mountains. At its base appeared a perpetual blanket of fog and mist, surely an obstacle if one dared travel on foot. At its top, though....

A massive citadel, rising above the roiling mist and bathed in the afternoon sunlight. A castle of sorts, it's architecture taking up the whole of the space afforded to it by the plateau it was built upon. For a moment, Kranath felt nostalgic, as he was reminded temporarily by his ancient familial home back in the Thunderblacks, now only so much rubble and ruins. This, of course, was his true target.

If only he could get in. There was great power locked within that place, the Aerie of his ancient, long dead clan. Access had been left to only one dragon.

The brother he had so foolishly killed, in his pursuit of the ultimate power.

Shaking that thought from his head, Kranath descended from the clouds towards the citadel below, his massive, tattered wings opened widely in a slow glide. He circled the whole plateau once, twice, and one more time, taking note of the ancient building. This place seemed to be even more ancient than the Aerie itself.

Perfect.

Suddenly, his form shifted and shrank in midair, black mist rushing from his transforming flesh as his draconic form shifted to that of a man. For two hundred feet he plummeted, long black hair rushing upward in a stream above a deathly pale face, black longcoat fluttering around him.

And those swords - three beautifully dark crystal blades, seemingly forged from the shadow itself, rattled and shook against his back as he fell, harnessed in a complicated network of leather straps and steel braces.

Despite the great distance of his fall, he landed lightly and easily on his feet, walking immediately after he landed. Black booted feet made not a sound on the carved marble foundations, and those hellishly glowing red eyes stared at the path ahead, unblinking.

His stride carried him quickly to the massive landing before a large door. He stared upward at the tall portal for only a moment, his senses telling him that it wasn't secured in any way - despite the aged tinge of residual magic in the air, none of it was attached to the door itself. There was no security, whatsoever.

And so, he entered, nudging the door open with just one foot, creating a slim opening just large enough to let himself through.

Inside, it was dark - the brightest source of light was that radiating from his own gaze, a crimson shine washing over the dusty marble floor. It seemed as though no one had been here in a very long time.

However, his senses were still picking up traces of an old power, one that tasted almost like one of his own. He could feel the lingering traces of the void in these halls, and could hear the echo of it as surely as he could if he'd been present when the spell was cast. Something had gone awry, and someone was missing.

No matter.

Allowing his own gaze to light the path for him, Kranath followed his senses to a large door, simply marked "library" in a script of draconic that most wouldn't recognize anymore. Here, in this spot, he could smell the lingering presence of earth, as if a mage were playing about with their power, whiling away the hours in constant boredom.

No matter. There was no one there.

Kranath pushed this door open as well, pale fingers pressing against it. He stepped inside, a shadow flitting about more shadows.

He cast his gaze upon an old table, littered with old scrolls and dusty tomes. This, he decided, was where he would work and, after quickly ascertaining that none of the documents were what he was seeking, he swept the tables contents to the floor with one arm.

And then he went searching,  looking for the best leads he could find. He carried tomes of Dragon Geneology, books filled with Arcane legends, scrolls that may have a single scrap of useful information.

There he sat, and he read. He'd go through the whole library if need be.

Blink

It had been a few months since she last checked in on it, the citadel where she grew up. Jaela was supposed to be there watching it and already Kaida was imagining what she was doing to pass the time. Since Emelia's decline and Aeizith's desertion it was just Kaida, the lone sibling left to restore what was left behind. She still wasn't quite sure how she was going to do it, but one day everything would be as it should be again.

But all good things came with time and Kaida had plenty of it. She was patient, she knew that things wouldn't get better overnight. She knew that it was going to take a lot of hard work and careful tactics to get things back where they should be.

The citadel came into view between the clouds and Kaida soared downwards, flapping her wings as she prepared for a landing. As usual just before her claws would touch the ground she transformed, small red shoes now planted gracefully on the marble landing. Her eyes scanned the area as nastalgia set in. It still looked the same, except there was a thin layer of dirt covering most everything. However, it would probably never feel the same as it once did.

Despite that this was still home and Kaida would treat it as such. Striding towards the door she pushed one open and slipped inside, not even taking notice to how it was already partially pushed open. Kaida assumed it was just Jaela being careless and that she would probably find her in the throne room sprawled out over Emelia's seat.

As she walked down the halls her eyes flicked towards the many paintings lining the walls, most of them adorning Emelia's face in one way or another. But there was still the one, the largest of all the tapestries hung in the opening hallway. All five of them were in it, Kaida sitting gracefully in her eldest sister's lap while her brother Electi rested a hand on her shoulder. Every time she laid eyes on the portrait it stirred memories within her that would take days to shake.

Standing in front of the picture with arms crossed Kaida took it in for all it was worth... until she heard it. It was the sound of a page turning in the library down the hall. Normally something so insignificant wouldn't even make her bat an eye but there was one problem here, Jaela didn't read books.

Cautiously she moved towards the library before coming upon the door left ajar. Wrapping her fingers around the door frame she peeked her head in to see a man sitting at one of the tables reading from one of the many books in their collection. He was a man she had never seen before so therefore he was an intruder.

Stepping back into the hallway Kaida weighed her options on what she could do. Of course she didn't want to attack, at least not within the citadel and most importantly not in the library. There were too many important things in there that could easily be ruined in the face of battle.

With a deep breath she pushed herself off the wall and stepped into the room, her hands held behind her back as she strolled up to the man hesitantly.

"You know it's rude to not only enter a house that does not belong to you, but to also go through their things." Kaida then noted the pile of books thrown on the floor. "Not to mention making a mess of such valuable things... Who in the hell do you think you are?"

Marakai Trin

The ancient dragon could hear, from down the hall, the soft footfalls of a light person making their way toward him, hear the very parting of the air as small feet took their steps. He noted the sudden pause, just outside the door, and ascertained that the other had noticed his presence. The silence was palpable, but still imperfect - he could hear a second heartbeat, different from his own, small, strong. He also scented this other.

Female. Dragon. Young.

When she spoke, he closed his eyes, and she might notice the sudden lack of light as that hellish shine winked out. He listened to her words, and lifted his hands away from the book.

Slowly he stood, and turned around to see her. He towered over her by nearly a foot, he noted, opening his eyes and again releasing that hellish glow, bathing the smaller girl in crimson light. He took in her features, small, thin and slight, long white hair. Crimson eyes like his, but lacking the glow that marked a dragon's true strength.

"Hmm," was all he said at first, seemingly ignoring her question. Slowly, he dragged his hands out of his wide sleeves, and crossed his arms over his chest.

He stared down at her, his expression bored and jaded, unblinking and faraway despite the fact that they'd locked eyes. After a moment, he allowed the glow of his eyes to fade away.

And then he spoke, his voice a sonorous tenor.

"I am Kranath...house of Trin. You are of the Black-Hearths. I apologize for my intrusion. I'll be out of your way when I am finished with your library."

With that, he turned away, brushing her off as he looked over the books again."

Blink

It didn't matter that he towered at least a foot taller than her. It also didn't matter how high on himself he felt. This man was in HER citadel, reading HER books. He was a guest, or intruder, in her eyes.

"So you expect to just walk in here, throw my families things around, greet me with such...." She had to pause as she thought of a way to describe it. This man was rude, something Kaida did not deal with very well.

"... disgrace." The word trailed off her tongue like poison.


Kaida tried to keep herself looking proud at least, something she had trouble doing as of late. But her anger would always get the best of her in these situations, something she inherited from her sister.  Without another word she stormed up to the table and took the books he was reading, holding them in her arms as she glared at him with hateful eyes.

"Leave... now."

This was her families territory and he was intruding. It was rude and a break of some silent code held between dragons.



Marakai Trin

Such a spiteful little thing, this one. She spoke as if she were his better, and this irked him slightly. But he was, as ever, patient.

"Perhaps you didn't understand me, youngling..."

When she took the books from the table, from literally right in front of him, he let out a short, amused sort of chuckle. He'd been in the middle of turning the page, and when the book disappeared from his grasp he simply let his hands fall flat on her table.

"I said that I would be out of your way... when I am finished."

With very deliberate slowness, he stood again. "So in short, little girl..."

Those eyes of his flared brightly, illuminating the thin features of his face, the bored expression slowly turning amused.

"Make me."

Two short, inconsequential words, though his voice carried but a tint of his power, laced with a bit of spine-crunching fear.

Blink

Was he seriously trying to sway her to allow him to stay like this? This dragon had piss poor manners, probably worse than her own. Even as he towered over her again she did not even flinch, but instead gracefully walked over to another table and set the books down.

"As I am sure you know I am Kaida Black-Hearth, the youngest child to the Black-Hearth lineage and youngest sibling to the five who once ruled this territory," Kaida spoke very matter of factly, not showing a twinge of fear or impatience with her words.

"I am also sure that you know my eldest brother Electi's specialty was personality manipulation." Kaida then drew in a deep breath, as she felt each word of explanation was a waste of oxygen on this dragon.

"So your attempt at scaring me with your words will not work. I assure you my brother... was much better at it than you are." With that last bit of her statement, Kaida stared him down once more, even tilting her head to the side a bit curious if he was comprehending the words coming from her delicate lips.

"I will not make you do anything. I can only ask you politely to leave. Please. Or else risk any kind of alliance you once held with my family or any of our acquaintances."

Kaida did not need to confront this dragon physically, she felt no need to. No, all of this was just simply.... politics.

Marakai Trin

The laughter felt good - he hadn't had a good belly laugh in centuries, since long before his death and subsequent resurrection. She mentioned old alliances as if it were something he could possibly care about.

"....You really need to look through some of these books, then, and brush up on your history of the ancient clans. You mention alliances...it matters not whether Black-Hearth and Trin were allied houses. My house is gone - I am the last. I saw to that personally."

He glanced at her with a look of contempt, and strode towards the door, long black coat fluttering behind him. "The path to power is arduous, full of sacrifice, and typically a very narrow path. Both sides of the path hold naught but death. Someone here found that out the hard way."


Blink

"I have read all of these books more times than you can count." Yet another subtle insult to his intelligence.

"I am well aware of who you are Kranath Trin, younger brother to Marakai Trin." Well, now she was just on a role.

"I don't think you have room to be giving any advice on the path to power. You died, didn't you? Or was that a chapter I misread? All of you are the same... you're just like Emelia, aren't you? Assuming that you have to be the biggest and baddest thing to get what you want?"

Okay so now maybe she was just rubbing salt in the wound, but she had found a chance to vent and by golly, she was going to take it.

"The world has come a long way over the years. Turns out you can get most of what you want simply by asking. I mean... that would have gotten you a better look at my library at least." This part she meant. If from the beginning he had just asked Kaida probably would allow him to read whatever he wanted to his heart's content. He was a dragon after all and she did hold a certain kind of respect for her own kind when it came to these kinds of things. Or at least, she normally did as long as they were not belittling and underestimating her small stature.

Marakai Trin

"Indeed, and I've read many of them as well, in my travels. An impressive collection, though nearly all of them are mere second hand accounts. Now, the library inside the Aerie...."

He let that comment hang, and turned back towards her, his arms held behind his back, thumb rubbing gently over the hilt of his kodachi.

"And your 'Emilia.' I've heard of her." He tilted his head towards one of the nearby pictures.

"Naught but a whelp, in my time. Can't say I know much about her." He pointedly ignored the barb about his death at his brothers hand - he'd more than rectified that little mistake.

"And indeed, the world has changed. So much now that most of it is unprepared for a Dragon that can think for itself, and hold its own against the armies of man. So much that it seems your families mark on the world has all but disappeared, as mine has. Naturally, I'd assumed you'd all died off."

Then, he smiled, a thin, sinister quirking of his lips. "Besides..there was no one here when I arrived. It looked and smelled long abandoned."

Blink

Ugh, he wasn't leaving... that is just fantastic. Kaida thought she had shooed him off by now but clearly, he still felt the need to one-up her on every level.

"Unfortunately good help is sometimes hard to find." Kaida was, of course, referencing Jaela who was clearly anywhere but where she was supposed to be. "As for dragons and man... you and I see partially eye to eye on that one. But like I said, you are an intruder in my home so I owe you no such pleasantries in talking human-dragon relations."

"And of my sister, Emelia..." she let the name fall off of her tongue with distaste. "She is dead because she held the same ideals as you. I swear the lot of you are alike. Think you can just scare the enemy so that you can rule. Even me... a 'young and naive' dragon can see that there is such a bigger picture to be painted here."

"But again I remind you that since you are here unwelcomed that I do not have the time 'nor the patience to discuss such politics with you. Not like you could comprehend them anyways with your ancient and outdated mind."

"So again I ask please just leave."

Marakai Trin

Kranath stared at her for a long moment, a response forming at the tip of his tongue.

A part of him warred with the other - it'd be so easy to just wrap a hand around her throat and drain the life out of her, fueling his own fire for a few thousand more years. But the other part of him knew that this could be a...dead end to his quest, potentially. As far as information were concerned, anyway.

Eventually, Kranath just smiled. "Very well. I'll be off, then. And perhaps when I return, we can try again on better terms, hmm?" He reached a hand out to press against a black space on the wall.

In but a moments time, his hand burst into flames as black as the void as he pressed a small mark of his essence there, a permanent fixture for him to return to if he needed to.

When he pulled his hand away, left there was a shadowy outline of it, not quite a part of the marble yet still tangeably there.

"If you reconsider...well...you'll figure it out, I'm sure."

He offered a small nod, and stepped away from her. As he did, his form seemed to simply burst into a black fog, and vanish.

Blink

The moment he was gone Kaida let out an audible breath. She was happy to know that the confrontation did not proceed further than just a verbal disagreement. Not that she was afraid of protecting herself, but the library was just too special a place for something like that.

There was no time to worry about the mark he had just left on the marble, there were more important things to tend to.

Immediately her gaze turned furious as she whipped around and began storming out of the library.

"Jaela you idiot! Where are you!?"

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