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Long Live the DragonRiders (Open/Accepting/Started)



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Sat Jan 25, 2014 7:58 pm
ladcat13 says...



Plot:
Spoiler! :
Everyone on Dunia thought that the Dragons and their famed Riders were dead. No one had seen them for centuries, after all. But, unknown to the rest of the continent, two DragonRiders were in hiding with the last ten Dragon eggs in existence in their care. For centuries since the DragonRiders were forgotten, they waited with their precious keep for the time to be ripe. They waited for a time when something lurked in the shadows, when people were afraid, when war loomed, and when the DragonRiders were needed again. That time has come, for rumors say that something evil has lodged itself in the unexplored mountain ranges of the north, and that it threatens to destroy the continent. The High Council in their shining capitol city, Dari Menara, has already sent troops to explore, and none have returned. Towns and villages in the northern tundras have been burned and raided with none left alive. People are afraid, for a long age of peace has made the army weak. No one knows anything solid about the enemy because no one who has encountered it has come out alive. Fear, suspicion, and blame is turning people against the High Council; and the elders are now telling tales of the DragonRiders once again.


Where You Come in:
Spoiler! :
To allay the suspicions and fears of the people, the High Council in Dari Menara has declared a feast day in all the cities of Dunia. In the castle grounds of every city, people take advantage of the feast day to rest and have fun. Merchants from far and wide have come to sell their wares. Puppet shows, plays, gypsies, magic men, storytellers, dancers, and musicians have flocked to the courtyards to entertain the people and, hopefully, make a little money.

Your character spots a fortune-teller's stand and comes over. Sitting outside is a cloaked figure. He seems to be running the stand. You approach him and he seems to study you, though you can't see his face because of the deep cowl on his cloak. After a minute of this, he leads you inside without a word, closing the curtain behind you. He takes off his cloak and reveals himself to be a tall, young-looking man with blonde hair, blue eyes and a trustworthy face. This fortune telling booth seems unlike others you've seen before. Anyway, you sit down at one end of the table and he sits at the other. Instead of doing some mumbo-jumbo and making you pay for it, he has you tell you about yourself. (You are traveling alone, have little/no family to miss you, you are low on the social ladder and have little to no ties to any one place.) You wonder why, and he tells you that he predicts the future, but can't read the past. He just likes to know a bit about someone so it is easier to read them, that's all. Then he has you put your hands on his crystal ball while he puts one hand under the table and one hand on top of yours. Now he peers into it, and it begins to glow a bit. Then it pulses, then the pulsing glow gets brighter. You realize it is pulsing to the beat of your heart. He looks at you with narrowed eyes, then back at the crystal ball. Then back at you. Then he says something scary:

"You have been chosen. What is about to happen will change your life forever, if you want it. If you come with us, you must leave everything you know behind. Are you willing?"

You pause, frightened, but then the pulsing of the crystal ball glows brighter. You know you probably shouldn't trust this man, but you nod yes anyway. He takes the hollow crystal ball off to reveal that under the table, the thing that is glowing is a Dragon egg.

He and another woman you didn't see before pack up the stall in a manner of minutes, and you ride off with them right then and there. And as you gallop away from the city on one of their horses, you realize that you are about to become a DragonRider.


Your Character Profile
Spoiler! :
All the characters fit into one of three categories: a bad guy allied with The Darkness, one of the eleven members of the High Council, or one of the ten new DragonRiders. To make a character, copy and paste the profile below and put it in the "Description" box. You can delete anything in parenthesis, however.

Dragon's name and gender (If applicable):

Age:

Gender:

Alliance (High Council, The Darkness, DragonRider):

Physical Appearance (must start out as a regular human being):

Personality:

History (No, you don't already have powers):

Other:


Rules about being a DragonRider:

Spoiler! :
Just go here and read this: Descritpion of a Dragon
I know it's kinda long, but this SB is gonna be high-maintenance : P


SB Rules

Spoiler! :
1) Cursing is allowed for realism, but try to keep it PG-13.
2) Romance is allowed. In fact, it's encouraged; by the end of this SB there should be six pairs of Riders all ready to make more Dragons.
3) Sex is allowed, but don't get all graphic and detailed. Again, keep it PG-13
4) No god-modding. That's my job : P
5) Don't go changing the rules about being a DragonRider. I'll be flexible, but if you have an idea please run it through me in the DT first.
6) Don't join unless you have the time to post at least once a week, because this storybook need time and effort.
7) I expect all posts to be consistent with the map of Dunia, so we can keep all the locations of things straight in our heads
8) There can only be ten Dragon-Rider pairs, since two of them are already mine. A Dragon-Rider pair counts as one character page.
9) Have lots of great ideas! That's why I made this SB; I need ideas for my novel, where this ACTUALLY happens.
10) I hope you don't mind if I actually use your ideas in my book, but if I do and my book gets published with your ideas in it, I will definitely give everyone the credit they deserve!
11) Most of all, have fun!


Character Slots

Spoiler! :
DragonRiders:
-Female: Mirayah, Rider of Limok (ladcat13)
-Female: Arryn Rivatha, Rider of Pythe (Basilthecat)
-Female: Tali, Rider of Temperance (AlmondEyes)
-Female:
-Female:
-Female:
-Male: Ash Dewalt, Rider of Birul (ladcat13)
-Male: (AfterTheStorm)
-Male: (AlmondEyes)
-Male: Brother Hadrian (Shadowlight)
-Male: (Griffinclaw)
-Male:

High Council Members:
-Judge: Harrevie Oswill (Everyone's character)
-General: Mao Cordia (Buggiedude2340)
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The Darkness:
-Nathair (Everyone's character)
- Alinne Dawn (kat13254)
-Arianna Jordan (SecreteJournalist)
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Last edited by ladcat13 on Sat Feb 08, 2014 4:25 pm, edited 12 times in total.

Millions of miles from home
In the darkness before the dawn
In the swirling of this storm
When I'm rolling with the thunder
But bleed from thorns
Leave a light, a light on.





User avatar
120 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 2520
Reviews: 120
Sat Jan 25, 2014 9:02 pm
ladcat13 says...



Here's the map of Dunia. I expect all posts to be consistent with it, so feel free to use this as a reference, so no one gets confused. I know the small text is hard to read, but if you double-click the map and then zoom in it's a lot easier.
Attachments
Map of Dunia.jpg

Millions of miles from home
In the darkness before the dawn
In the swirling of this storm
When I'm rolling with the thunder
But bleed from thorns
Leave a light, a light on.





User avatar
171 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 872
Reviews: 171
Wed Jan 29, 2014 3:21 am
SecreteJournalist says...



;o Finally.... I have found the perfect first story book to participate in c:
"I write for fear of silence." Apartment - Young The Giant





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Reviews: 170
Thu Jan 30, 2014 6:54 pm
deleted5 says...



Same! Will Pm you tommorow :D
I AM YOUR GOD. -AlexSushiDog
Checkmate Atheists.





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Gender: Female
Points: 33593
Reviews: 557
Fri Jan 31, 2014 10:37 pm
Ventomology says...



Mao Cordia, High Council

Judge Oswill's chamber felt small. Its walls were covered in velvet purple curtains, and the centered furniture cluttered up an already cramped space. At the same time though, Mao figured that it suited the old man.

She glanced around the room, standing in the dead center of a rug that covered the floor. "Hello?" she called, "Sir Oswill?"

"Ah, good," said a voice. Mao whipped around, her hair flying since she left it loose while in dress uniform. "I was worried that you wouldn't show up."

Harrevie Oswill was by no means tall, but even hunched the way he was, he still stood taller than Mao. His wizened face smiled and he gestured to a wooden couch upholstered with lilac fabric. "Do have a seat, Miss Cordia."

Sitting down, Mao frowned. She still hadn't gained enough respect to be called 'Commander Cordia,' and it bothered her immensely. "So Judge Oswill," she started, "Why did you call me here?"

The old man sat down across from her on a cushy chair in the same lilac color. He oomphed a little, his joints crackling with age. "Well, you know already that Dunia is facing troubled times."

"Of course. Everyone does. I hear it on the street that some evil is ravaging the North."

A trolley mysteriously appeared beside Judge Oswill's chair, and he picked up a teacup and plate to sip something warm. "And right they are," the judge said, "for I can feel it already." He narrowed his eyes and continued. "I need you to go to the North, Miss Cordia. Retake what your predecessor lost, and plunge the evil back into the darkness from whence it came."

"The only thing the late Commander lost was his life and his title," Mao spat. She crossed her arms, wrinkling her finely pressed green uniform. "We never really held power in the North anyway, so why campaign there now?"

The old man raised an eyebrow. "I nearly forgot, Miss Cordia. You haven't been here long enough to know the consequences of you taking the late Commander's life in that duel."

It was Mao's turn to narrow her eyes. She leaned back against the couch and looked down at Judge Oswill. "Oh?"

"You killed a man with control over an entire army sent to the North to investigate. The troops that were there are dead now. All of them, and it is your fault for killing the man who issued orders."

Mao shot up from her seat. "It wasn't my fault! It was his! What kind of good Commander leaves his troops and duels at home? Besides, he started that fight."
"No, you did, by taking offense. Your temper is short, and it's why you haven't yet gained the respect you desire. Maybe if you accomplished something for someone other than yourself, you would earn such respect."

"I don't care about respect, or about anything," Mao said, stamping her foot. The carpet muffled the sound, but she still shook the floor. "All I care about is winning. Tell me to win a war, and I will."

"You'll win by sacrificing millions on both sides!" Judge Oswill argued, replacing his teacup on the trolley. He shook violently, clearly angry at Mao's ignorance.
Mao shrugged and turned her back to the old man. "Then tell me not to and I won't. I will honor your decision, regardless of how effective it is in war."

Then, even without dismissal, Mao strode out of the room, her fingers lingering on the rapier at her hip. Old fool. He didn't even know what she planned on doing.
Smiling, she climbed down the stairs to the main hallway. Win a war without taking too many lives? Fine, she could do that. Send soldiers north and have them survive? Easy as pie.

Mao brandished her sword and admired it, wondering how effective guerrilla tactics would be in life as well as war.
"I've got dreams like you--no really!--just much less, touchy-feeley.
They mainly happen somewhere warm and sunny
on an island that I own, tanned and rested and alone
surrounded by enormous piles of money." -Flynn Rider, Tangled





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Points: 2520
Reviews: 120
Sun Feb 02, 2014 7:58 pm
ladcat13 says...



Spoiler! :
This is a joint effort between AlmondEyes and me, since Tali is her character. Enjoy!


Laustrûm

Ash opened the curtain to let the little girl out of his booth, and she scurried back to her mother's side to tell her the story Ash had made up. The child had been sweet, but far too young. He hadn't bothered with the egg. Ducking back inside, he went behind to the alcove where Mirayah was keeping guard. She looked up from her staff as he entered. He saw she was putting another carving in her staff's handle, to pass the time. She set down the knife as he knelt on the ground next to her stool.

"Jeez, that kid had a grip. Did she smear the makeup when she hugged me?" He asked her as he straightened his headband. It had some mystical symbols painted on it, which had absolutely no meaning except to look fancy, along with the make-up. Mirayah used the brush from their kit to touch up some of the makeup on her husband's cheek. Their disguise kit needed more pigments, and she resolved to get some more before they left. It seemed every person within thirty miles of Laustrûm had gathered in the city squares for the third day of the feasts; someone would have some to sell. They would have to leave the next morning if they were going to make it to Pozin before the festivities began there. They had followed the feast days from Baridi south to Laustrûm, and so far without luck. Mirayah picked up her dagger and began to carve the symbol for "hope" into her quarterstaff. She hoped they could find a Rider today, for their search had so far been fruitless.

Outside on a stool by the booth, Ash scanned the crowd. His own hope was falling; no one here seemed interested in his fortune-telling at all. He decided it was time to make it interesting. He hated this act, for Mirayah was much better at it than he was, but it attracted people. He withdrew a dagger from his belt; this one was more ornamental than anything. He placed the pommel on the top of his index finger with the blade pointing straight up, then let go. The dagger remained vertical, for he was balancing it perfectly. Now for the hard part... He tossed it up in the air point-first and it came spiraling back downwards in a perfect arc. Instead of catching it (that's a good way to cut yourself) he used his other index finger to spin the tip around until it was falling pommel-first. People nearby 'ooh'ed and 'aah'ed as the dagger flashed, arced through the air and danced at his fingertips. It never touched the ground, nor did he ever catch it in his hand. The only time it rested still was when it was balancing on the tip of his finger.

Ash snatched the dagger out of the air as a young woman approached. A purple cloak hid her face, but he could tell she was looking at him. He stood up and put his cowl back, as a gesture of good faith, and smiled. She was tall, just as tall as he was, and she had a lean look about her. He extended a hand and as she shook it, she put her own hood down. He eyed her face. Red hair; sun-tanned skin; a scar, showing she'd been through a scrap or two; and the strangest eyes he had ever seen. He decided he liked the look of her; tough, no-nonsense. Ash kept his act to the bare minimum; she didn't look like she wanted mumbo-jumbo.

"My name is Ash, fair lady. Would you like your fortune told?" He offered with a small bow and a flourish. The girl stood there for a long moment, debating what to do, then nodded. Ash opened the curtain for her and tied it shut behind. It was rather warm in the tent, so Ash undid his cloak with a flourish and hung it on the back of his chair. This helped to hide the two eggs that he kept under his chair; one silver, one gold. The girl seated herself in the opposite chair as Ash settled in.

"So what is your name?" He asked in a friendly manner. She looked at him with her strange eyes, obviously expecting her gaze to unnerve him. He held firm.

"Call me Tali."

"Tell me about yourself then, Tali. I'd like to know a little about your past before I predict your future."

----------
Mirayah listened, silent and still, in her hidden alcove. It baffled her how easily Ash got Tali to talk to him; she could never do that. The girl didn't seem like one to trust easily, though she did seem at ease with him. Tali didn't talk much, but told him about her having no home, no family, and just herself. Now all that was left was for the Dragons to accept her. Mirayah hoped they did, because this was their last chance.
----------

"All right, put both your hands on the crystal ball and close your eyes," Ash told Tali. She complied. He withdrew the silver egg from under his chair and, putting it through a hole in the table, held it under the hollow crystal ball. He then put his own hand on top of Tali's. "Now you may open your eyes." He proclaimed, letting his voice take on a dreamy tone fitting for a fortune-teller. She did, and he peered at the crystal. She did so, too, though she wasn't seeing the same thing he was. He was looking under the crystal, at the faint glow that the egg gave off. It was nearly undetectable from under the opaque glass, but he could see it getting stronger. He realized that Tali could see it too; it took her an effort to tear her eyes away from it and look at Ash. She had a strange look in her eye.

"What... what is that?" She murmured in rapt curiosity as the glow grew stronger, and began to pulse.

"It's pulsing to the beat of your heart." He replied, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice. He heard Mirayah get up and come out of her hiding place to stand behind him, and felt her rest her hand on his shoulder. Tali didn't even notice. "It doesn't do that for everyone. In fact, it will only do that for you. Would you like to know why?" he continued in a soft, serious voice. She nodded, but still he hesitated.

"I will warn you before you accept this. If I show you, your life will be forever changed. You can never go back; you must leave everything you know behind." He cautioned. Tali glanced up at him again.

"That doesn't sound a whole lot different than the life I'm living now. What do I have to lose?" She asked him. He smiled as he removed the hollow crystal ball.

"Nothing," he replied as he brought the egg up for her to see. "You have only everything to gain."

The silver egg was the source of the light, and it was still beating in time with Tali's heart, though she wasn't touching it anymore. It was about the size of her head, with an opaque surface that looked very hard. She stared in wonder, forgetting to keep up her cold demeanor.

"It's... It's an egg. What's inside?"

"A Dragon." Mirayah answered her question in a serious voice. Tali's shock snapped her out of the rapture with which she was gazing at the egg in Ash's hand.

"Who are you?" she stood slowly.

"His wife." Mirayah replied coolly, pointing down at Ash. "My name's Mirayah. I know this is a lot to take in very quickly, but we don't have much time. You'll understand later; right now we have to get out of here before that egg starts hatching. We need to be far away from this city in about thirty minutes." Mirayah told the girl as she ducked back into her alcove to fetch her quarterstaff. She slung it under the cross straps behind her back and took the egg from Ash, putting it in a fur-lined pouch. Tali stood up abruptly and reached for the bag in Mirayah's hand.

"Well if it's going to be my Dragon, then shouldn't I carry it?." She raised a brow. Mirayah chuckled dryly, jerking the egg out of Tali's reach.

"She's quick, this one. But you can't touch this egg, not if we're going to have time to escape. The less you touch it, the longer we have until it starts hatching. We need to be far away by then. Here, help Ash take the tent down and pack it up." She Instructed Tali. The curtains all went into a saddlebag, the chairs collapsed into a bundle of sticks. Mirayah and Ash had few possessions with them in the marketplace, and in a minute or two they had all their bags wrapped up.

"Do you have a horse, Tali?" Ash asked her as he hefted his knapsack. She nodded and picked up the wood bundles that used to be the chairs. Ash turned around and took off his fortune-telling headband, using it to smear the makeup off his skin. He took his fancy scarf off, too, replacing it with a much more mundane version before Tali could see what he was hiding. She noticed Mirayah was wearing one too, despite the warm weather. Ash brought two horses out from behind the booth. Mirayah strapped her bags to the saddle on the gray, and Ash did the same on his chestnut. Tali brought her horse from the post nearby where she'd tied it up just a few minutes ago. Mirayah and Ash led the way through the crowded square. As soon as they passed a bend in the road outside the walls, they broke into a gallop. Tali silently followed the other two on the mad dash down the road. The wet, scraggly, treeless moors on either side of the road began to level out as they went further downward and inland. Then suddenly, Ash and Mirayah veered off the road and across the hills. Tali followed, and as she drew level with them, she noticed that Mirayah's eyes were closed and her lips were moving. Then suddenly her eyes opened she scanned the skies, like she was expecting something. Tali's attention pulled back to her riding as her horse faltered.

Tali saw that the ground was sloping upwards again, then all of a sudden they were on a ridge. Below there was a steep ravine, like a scar in the land, stretching perpendicular to their path. Ash and Mirayah dismounted and led the horses down the sides of the ravine into the forested valley below. At the lowest point, they came across a river. The three re-mounted and set off at a canter through the trees along the river's shore. They crossed the river at a ford five minutes later, and continued. The river widened and grew stronger, and became rocky. It made a soft roaring as it crashed over the stones and rushed past in its bed. Mirayah and Ash turned left, away from the river. They were still within earshot of it when they came across a clearing in the woods. Here, the walls of the ravine were sheer, vertical rock. The forest grew right up to the rock face, except for this clearing. There was an opening to a cave mouth here that was partially blocked by a fallen boulder. Ash ducked inside the cave with the egg while Mirayah unsaddled the horses.

Millions of miles from home
In the darkness before the dawn
In the swirling of this storm
When I'm rolling with the thunder
But bleed from thorns
Leave a light, a light on.





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Reviews: 43
Mon Feb 10, 2014 7:44 pm
AlmondEyes says...



~Tali~



Spoiler! :
Sorry it took so long, but I got it in, though it's a tad on the long side :)



I waded my way through the unruly crowd of people, trying to find something to occupy my time. I'd just arrived in this small market place on her way to no place in particular. I'd been traveling for the last few days and was in need of good night's rest, but it was early in the day, so I had to find a way to occupy myself. She turned, her eyes zeroing in on a man and made my way over.


He withdrew a dagger from his belt; this one was more ornamental than anything. He placed the pommel on the top of his index finger with the blade pointing straight up, then let go. The dagger remained vertical, for he was balancing it perfectly. Now for the hard part... He tossed it up in the air point-first and it came spiraling back downwards in a perfect arc. Instead of catching it (that's a good way to cut yourself) he used his other index finger to spin the tip around until it was falling pommel-first. People nearby 'ooh'ed and 'aah'ed as the dagger flashed, arced through the air and danced at his fingertips. It never touched the ground, nor did he ever catch it in his hand. The only time it rested still was when it was balancing on the tip of his finger.

He snatched the dagger out of the air as he caught sight of me.

He was well muscled with sandy blonde hair and soft blue eyes that makes a person want to trust him.

"My name is Ash, fair lady. Would you like your fortune told?" He offered with a small bow and a flourish.

I stood there for a long moment, debating what to do, then nodded. What harm could it do? It was something that would occupy my time. Ash opened the curtain for me and tied it shut behind. It was rather warm in the tent, so Ash undid his cloak with a flourish and hung it on the back of his chair. I sat myself in the opposite chair as Ash settled in.

"So what is your name?" He asked in a friendly manner.

Staring at him for a pause, not sure if I should, I do anyway. "Tali."

"Tell me about yourself then, Tali. I'd like to know a little about your past before I predict your future."

I debated on whether or not to say anything at all because I knew someone else was in the room. Maybe I shouldn't have agreed to do this. I didn't like people I didn't know hearing about my past. Ash was able to gain enough of my trust to get me back here, but talk in front of someone who wasn't there didn't really sit well with me, but then again, he hadn't done anything to warrant my suspicion.

**************


After telling him the gist of everything about me, he spoke. "All right, put both your hands on the crystal ball and close your eyes,"

I did as instructed and waited. He then put his own hand on top of mine. "Now you may open your eyes."

I opened them and peered at the crystal as he did the same. It was nearly undetectable from under the opaque glass, but saw the light getting stronger. I realized he'd spotted it before me. It took an effort for me to tear my eyes away from it and look at Ash.

"What... what is that?" I murmured in rapt curiosity as the glow grew stronger, and began to pulse.

"It's pulsing to the beat of your heart." He replied, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice.

I heard the person who had been watching me, apparently a woman, step up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. "It doesn't do that for everyone. In fact, it will only do that for you. Would you like to know why?" he continued in a soft, serious voice. I nodded, but still he hesitated.

"I will warn you before you accept this. If I show you, your life will be forever changed. You can never go back; you must leave everything you know behind." He cautioned.

I looked back at him. "That doesn't sound a whole lot different than the life I'm living now. What do I have to lose?"

"Nothing," he replied as he brought the egg up for me to see. "You have only everything to gain."

The silver egg was the source of the light, still beating to my heart, though she wasn't touching it anymore. It was about the size of my head, with an opaque surface that looked very hard. I stared at it, countless questions swirling around in her head.

"It's... It's an egg. What's inside?"

"A Dragon." the woman next to Ash answered her question in a serious voice.

That snapped Tali out of my thoughts, and I stood slowly, reaching for a dagger. A Dragon? "Who are you?"


"His wife." Mirayah replied coolly, pointing down at Ash. "My name's Mirayah. I know this is a lot to take in very quickly, but we don't have much time. You'll understand later; right now we have to get out of here before that egg starts hatching. We need to be far away from this city in about thirty minutes."

She ducked back into her alcove to fetch her quarterstaff. She slung it under the cross straps behind her back and took the egg from Ash, putting it in a fur-lined pouch. She stood up and held I my hand out toward the bag. "Well if it's going to be my Dragon, then shouldn't I carry it?."

She chuckled dryly, pulling the Egg out of my reach.

"She's quick, this one. But you can't touch this egg, not if we're going to have time to escape. The less you touch it, the longer we have until it starts hatching. We need to be far away by then. Here, help Ash take the tent down and pack it up." She instructed.

The curtains all went into a saddlebag, the chairs collapsed into a bundle of sticks.

"Do you have a horse, Tali?" Ash asked me as he hefted his knapsack. I nodded and picked up the wood bundles that used to be the chairs. Ash turned around and took off his fortune-telling headband, using it to smear the makeup off his skin. He took his fancy scarf off, too, replacing it with a much more mundane version before she could see what he was hiding, and noticed his wife was wearing one too, despite the warm weather. Ash brought two horses out from behind the booth. his wife strapped her bags to the saddle on the gray, and Ash did the same on his chestnut. I brought my horse from the post nearby where i'd tied it up just a few minutes ago. They led the way through the crowded square. As soon as they passed a bend in the road outside the walls, they broke into a gallop. I silently followed the other two on the mad dash down the road. The wet, scraggly, treeless moors on either side of the road began to level out as they went further downward and inland. Then suddenly, they veered off the road and across the hills. I followed them, noticing that the woman's eyes were closed and her lips were moving. Then suddenly her eyes opened she scanned the skies, like she was expecting something. My attention pulled back to her riding as her horse faltered.

I saw that the ground was sloping upwards again, then all of a sudden they were on a ridge. Below, I saw a steep ravine, like a scar in the land, stretching perpendicular to their path. Ash and his wife dismounted and led the horses down the sides of the ravine into the forested valley below. At the lowest point, they came across a river. The three re-mounted and set off at a canter through the trees along the river's shore. They crossed the river at a ford five minutes later, and continued. The river widened and grew stronger, and became rocky. It made a soft roaring as it crashed over the stones and rushed past in its bed. They turned left, away from the river. They were still within earshot of it when they came across a clearing in the woods. Here, the walls of the ravine were sheer, vertical rock. The forest grew right up to the rock face, except for this clearing. There was an opening to a cave mouth here that was partially blocked by a fallen boulder. Ash ducked inside the cave with the egg while she unsaddled the horses.

I unsaddled my horse and tied it up to a nearby tree. Ash returned from the cave with all the things they would need, and began to lay them out. Mirayah knelt to help him and they whispered while they worked. They thought they were being quiet about it, but she could hear them.

"Do you think we should both stay, or just one?" Ash

"I don't know. I think she trusts you more than she trusts me. Maybe I should go and you should stay." his wife answered.

"I dunno. You and her are very much alike."

Ash didn't know Tali well enough to say that.

"That's a weak argument."

"You are!"

"You barely even met her yet! You've known her name for exactly twenty-five minutes-"

"And she's only known ours for the same amount of time. Trust me on this. I know people, you don't,"

Ash might have known people, but he didn't know her very well. She would have rather gone with Ash.

"All right. I just hope she doesn't flip out when she sees Limok and Birul..."

Limok and Birul? That made her wonder....

"Speak of the devil." She said

At that moment, a whump, whump sound echoed through the ravine and the grass in the clearing flattened from the wind. I came over to where Ash and Mirayah were kneeling and shouted over the noise:

"What is that?"

She smiled . "That, dear girl, is the sound of a Dragon flying!"

As she said that, two massive, glittering shapes came in low and fast over the tree tops, their wings blotting out the sun and making the whump sound as they flapped. First one, then the other backpedaled and landed in the clearing, each folding their enormous wings to make room for the other in the limited space they had. One was slightly bigger than the other, and colored gold like the sun. The other, slightly smaller one, shimmered silver as moonlight. The two Dragons, as they lay down in the grass, encircled the entire clearing like a living barrier of flesh and armor. I watched as the golden one yawned and laid its head down on the ground with a contented rumble. The silver one remained crouched, looking past at the cave.

"You called us back from the pond in the middle of sunning; what has happened? Are the eggs alright?" The voice was feminine, but with a strange accent. It also sounded as if it was echoing down a tunnel in her mind. Mirayah, still smiling, laughed at my expression and sauntered past, towards the silver one. It lowered its huge head down to Mirayah's level, and allowed Mirayah to scratch behind its jaw. The Dragon's head was twice as long from snout to the tip of its frill as I was tall, and its swimming silver eye was the size of a dinner plate.

"Tali," Mirayah began as she continued to scratch the Dragon's jaw, "Meet my Dragon, Limok. This is Ash's Dragon, Birul." Mirayah studied the girl as she took all of this in. Ash, too, was watching her from where he stood at Birul's head. I was not frightened, Mirayah was pleased to notice, though she had this odd look of curiosity of the Dragons' size. Mirayah continued. "Limok, I want you to meet Tali. We brought her back from the city because she caused one of the eggs to start hatching." Mirayah told her Dragon. Limok reared her head up and snorted in agitation. I heard Limok's voice again.

"Well if one of my eggs is about to hatch, what are we doing here, dallying?" said the Dragon. The other one spoke for the first time.

"They're not all your eggs, dear, only five of them. Please calm down; the hatching is supposed to be a private moment anyway." The huge golden beast opened one eye to look at his mate, then closed it again as he was done talking. Limok switched her baleful gaze from Mirayah, back to Birul, and back to Mirayah.

"Well, which one is it? Is it one of mine or one of the other ones?" I asked.

I was becoming increasingly antsy, and I realized she shared the feeling. Mirayah stole a glance at both of them, seeing that they were agitated. She knew what was happening almost immediately.

"It's one of yours, Limok, which is probably why you can sense that it's about to hatch. Ash, can you go to the river and get some water? I'll stay with Tali. And you, Limok, can calm yourself." Mirayah snapped before approaching the girl. "Come on. I'll explain as fast as I can." She said, taking me by the hand and leading hme towards the cave at a trot. They passed through the low opening into a dim, cool space. I couldn't see for a few seconds, and waited for my eyes to adjust. Mirayah seemed to know exactly where she was going, and went to kneel in the center of the cave. I felt the floor give underneath her boots, and realized it was sandy. My eyes were accustomed to the half-light now, and she looked around.

The little cave was oblong in shape, resting parallel to the ravine wall. The egg -her egg- rested in the center of the floor, in a bed of clean rags. In the back of the cave up against the wall, nine more eggs sat in a depression in the sand, like a nest. A faint glow hung over them, but it was nothing like the pulsing light that radiated from my egg. Mirayah was kneeling beside the bed, and she beckoned me over. I moved next to her, my eyes fixed on the silver orb. "Alright," said the older woman in a soft but urgent voice. "Listen carefully. The little Dragon in that egg chose you from inside the shell. She's been in there a long time, and she decided to hatch, just for you." The egg rocked. "What do you know of the DragonRiders?" She asked.

"Umm..." I started, my attention only half on what Mirayah was saying. The egg was twitching and rocking gently every ten seconds or so. "You're partnered with Dragons. You're elves, which means you have special powers. You can talk to your Dragons with your minds, and tell the Dragons what to do with mental commands. You can use magic, and... You're immortal. Wait... Does that mean... I'm going to be immortal?" I asked Mirayah. Mirayah swallowed her exasperation before answering:

"Well, yes. But you have this all wrong. We don't tell the Dragons what to do with our minds; it's not a master and servant relationship. The Dragons choose us, and bind themselves to us. They give us our magic. The Dragons are the ones who establish a mental connection; they're the ones who are special. Without Dragons, there would be no elves, no immortality, no magic, for the Riders. There's another thing that you're missing about being a Rider. I don't just talk to Limok with my mind; I share my mind with her. Her soul and my soul, her consciousness and my consciousness, are one and the same. She feels everything I feel, and vice versa. Do you understand, now?"

"Somewhat. What's next?" I replied. Mirayah saw that the egg was rocking more violently now, and spoke faster.

"Alright. Here's what's going to happen to you. This Dragon, when it hatches, is going to be disoriented. Don't touch her or try to help her sort herself out, let her right herself on her own. Once she's upright, she'll come to you. Don't worry about the bond; she won't bond with anyone else, not once she's hatched. The moment you touch her is when the change happens." Mirayah took a deep breath before launching into another speedy explanation.

"Here's what will happen when you change. First, it will feel like you're on fire. It'll hurt, but it'll be a good hurt. Don't be afraid, though. That's the feeling you'll get when your body is morphing into that of an elf."

"What's going to happen to me?" I tore my eyes away from the jumping, rocking egg to look Mirayah in the eye.

"Well, one of the things you'll notice is that your ears are different." she replied. I glanced at Mirayah's ears. Mirayah passed her hand over the sides of her head. When her hands went back to her lap, I saw what they really looked like; long, pointed, and somewhat large.

"Also," Mirayah continued, "You'll get something that looks like this on your own chest and neck." She said as she unwound her scarf. I stared at the mark on Mirayah's chest and neck. It was made up of many intertwining black lines, forming into the stylized image of a Dragon. The eyes rested above the hollow of Mirayah's throat, while the wings spread across the fronts of her shoulders, and the claws reached downwards below the line of her collar, towards her breasts.

"Does it go all the way down?" I asked, fascinated.

"Yup." Mirayah replied, lifting up her shirt a tad. The tail wound down the front of Mirayah's abdomen, ending just above her belly button. "There's a lot of other things that change, also, but you'll see later." Mirayah finished. Just as she was done speaking, a sharp crack echoed through the small cavern. Limok made a rumbling noise outside, and Mirayah mumbled under her breath.

"Alright. Here comes the moment of truth. Take your cloak off, you don't want it to get dirty, or get the hatchling's claws fouled up." Mirayah told me as I followed her instructions. All the extra garments went into a pile on one side. Ash hurried in with two large buckets of water and a pile of clean rags.

"Here, you'll need these. You'll want to use them to wipe off the Dragonet after you bond. We'll be right here." Ash reassured me as he and his wife went to sit in the back of the cave.

"So you're just going to leave me alone?" I turned, mostly focused on what was happening. Ash smiled at me.

"Don't worry; you won't be alone for long." Was his reply. Then the two others seated themselves in the shadows, and I watched as a huge crack rent the surface of her egg.

It blinked at me, and I caught sight of its eyes. They pulled at me, drawing my mind away from my body. I wanted to lose myself in the swirling, silvery depths of those eyes. Behind them, I saw a thunderstorm. It was like a roiling grey sea of unbridled emotions and thoughts. In brief flashes of memories that were not quite mine, I saw the open freedom of the sky and the high, mountains rooks full of… Dragons. This thing was a Dragon, I realized. Those eyes held me tight, compelling me closer and closer.

With tentative fingers, I reached out and touched it.

Fire raced up my arm and through my body, flowing in my veins themselves. My soul and mind was consumed by it, became one with it. My skin crawled and my mind burned, and I cried out. Yet the pain was akin to pleasure, and I wished it would never stop. How long this went on, I was unsure, but by the time it calmed I was aware of something else. It took awhile to put my finger on it before I realized what it was.

I had not noticed it before, but there had been an empty space in my heart and soul. Maybe it was put there by years of loneliness and hardship, or maybe I was born with it. Either way, it was now filled up. The sounds, the sights, the sensations of life, it was all so clear now. The air around the Dragon and I was humming, or maybe that was just the euphoria that engulfed me. Her mind was pressed up against mine, and I felt the storm that was hers become mine, as well. The bond was complete, and the fire began to fade, though warmth continued to spread from my chest.

“We are one now.” Came her echoing voice in my head. I smiled and reached down to stroke the little creature. A drop of water fell onto her gleaming silver scales, and I touched my cheek in bewilderment.

I was crying for joy.
"What is dead my never die, but rises again, larger and stronger..."

*Ride like Lightening, crash like Thunder*


"Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies..."





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Sat Feb 22, 2014 3:37 am
Ventomology says...



Mao Cordia, High Council

The water of Lake Agruida sat pristine and calm, sparkling with the afternoon sun. Mao sat menacingly atop her pony, growling every time a trainee giggled at her. She just wasn't big enough to comfortably ride a full-sized horse for hours on end.

Her second-in-command, a large man with broad shoulders and thick black hair, stood next to her, smiling at the new troops. "Seems like a fit bunch, eh Cordia?"

"They're all ninnies if you ask me," Mao said haughtily, "First they ask me why they've been running for an hour straight, then they ask me why they only get a small lunch, and then they just beg and beg for their afternoon jog to be shortened. As if those tiny rucksacks they're carrying weight even close to what they'll have during actual combat."

Wiping his sweaty forehead, the man laughed. "Yes, but they're all good at taking hits. I noticed during the hand-to-hand training that this group is much more proficient than the last."

"Of course they are," Mao spat, "They're street urchins, every one of them. Wouldn't have it any other way."

The second-in-command chuckled, his rumbling voice sending shivers down Mao's spine. "Are you glad that the late commander's army was wiped out in the North?" he asked.

Mao clenched the reigns of her pony to steady herself. What an unexpected question. Now that she thought about it, the second-in-command might have the right idea.

"Possibly."

"Why is that?"

That was for Mao to know, and for no one else to find out.
"I've got dreams like you--no really!--just much less, touchy-feeley.
They mainly happen somewhere warm and sunny
on an island that I own, tanned and rested and alone
surrounded by enormous piles of money." -Flynn Rider, Tangled








Dogs love their friends and bite their enemies, quite unlike people, who are incapable of pure love and always have to mix love and hate.
— Sigmund Freud