Dragon Wars Ii

[Vixandra]

Sylvia

"A wise stance," I said with a nod. "Would you care to join us in our current mission? If you came from the councel's areas you've heard that the Transparent dragons of myth walk and fly across this land again, slaughtering innocents, reletively speaking. We're going to get some flesh from a dead one so I can set up a tracking program."
If it works, I thought to myself with an inner sigh. I tossed my hair over one shoulder and smiled. "So- want to help us save the world?"

 

[poohlive]

"He's been following us," Kort said with a yawn, startching down on the cool grass to finish his sleep. From what he could tell of time, he'd only had a nap of barely an hour. He hadn't had a wink since before the battle with the orcs, and the stiffness in his bones was really becoming worried. He wanted to stay up, maybe teach this young pup not to follow those unless he wanted to fight, but his droopy eyes stopped that.
"He's been following us for a good day now. I don't know if he's an enemy, but no one who is a friend would be that sneaky. Or dishonest."
He turned back, remembering how much she had distrusted the dragon providing information earlier. This seemed a similar situation, a man with unsure morals, looking to butt in on their journey. Maybe he was a spy for the transparent dragons, making sure they never went north...
Spar was a spy for the dragon's council, that much was clear.
More thoughts tried to wrap around all of this, but they left soon as they came, and without much of a stiff grunt, Kort let sleep blanket him.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Rheamus

True. The elf was bright, at least the conscious one was, though I felt fairly certain that the toher was stirring or awake, which i couldn't be sure exactly. He didn't seem too comfortable there, maybe afraid he'd fall off. I'd given the request not to allow him to fall, but had he, I was sure I'd have grabbed him up without even thinking. I laughed to myself, seeing the poor dwarf, who'd fainted at the mere sight of me, and wondering what his reaction might be to first, falling from so far up, then being caught by my jaws. Poor thing would think I was trying to eat him.
And why not eat him? Anyhting so tasty as a freshly frightened elf?
"Yes, we should go there, but perhaps we should arrive carefully, not to startle them."
I circled around, flying overhead as the fire below us began to burn higher, not particualrly high, but high enough for me to make out what was going on around it in the new light it cast.
A funeral?
bad news, Iwas certain, and hoped that whatever trouble that had been caused had not be done by a green dragon. Elves or not, it might be my funeral next, should they mistrust my motive.
Once I'd rounded the area twice, I moved off to what I guessed to be the entrance to the caves, then lowered to the ground in a sudden swoop, mostly to scare the uneasy elf, then settled carefully on the cliff there and lowered down on my haunches to let them dismount.
"All exit to the right. If you need to vomit, well...go ahead."
For just then, I would stay in dragon form, just in case I needed to fly in a hurry. Bravery I often found more than enough of, but stupidity, especially the kind it would require to face off against whatever an entire council of dragons could muster up...Not in my genes, friend.

 

[chewbacca71]

Selwen

Selwen thanked the dragon for the ride to the council. He was about to jump down from his back when he saw Melthis fall off the side, landing on his head. It couldnot have helped much, since once again, he was sleeping with Prince Valium. At least there was no blood, Selwen noticed that no one had yet noticed their presence. He was not sure if that was a good sign. He entered further into the cave when a dragon sentry yelled halt.

Selwen looked up at the toothy grin in front of him, noticing a leg of lamb imbedded in the dragons molars. "I have important news for your leader. I have come from Lord Garbon." Holding the book to his chest like a small shield, Selwen started to follow the dragon. He looked back at the dragon that had saved them. "Are you coming? Or do you want to stay and guard Melthis till he awakens? "

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Rheamus

Was I going?
I glanced back at the sky behind me, at the openness of it, the clear freedom and safety it provided.
I knew that path, knew that it meant both safety and freedom, but also loneliness, something I knew all too well.
Time to rejoin the world, even if the risk meant death.
And it will, old friend...
I shook my head, scattering the words. The voice was getting aggravating, too agravating, and its presence was egging me to follow the elf, just to not be alone with it any more.
"I'm coming," I replied, "ANd I hope that I can find peace here, with my fellow dragons."
This last comment was meant for the sentry to hear more than anything, but saying the words made me relax some.
I reached down, scooping teh unconscious elf into my jaws, careful not to hurt him, then moved forward, my legs tense, still not convinced I wouldn't need to flee.

 

[Khadgar]

Worraps

Worraps cocked an eyebrow and looked at Sylvia. "Save the world? what could possibly have happened in the last thirty years? I certainlyneed to meet more people, i see no reason why not to at least accompany you on your journey."

Worraps looked overto Spar and nodded. "that is, if he'll have me."

 

[hybirdx]

Spar sighed, once again his big mouth got him into another confrontation. "Me? I have no problem with you comming along."

 

[chewbacca71]

Canth

Canth was scarcely back to his room before he received the message that two elves and a unknown dragon were coming to see him. Two elves thought Canth, I wonder what brought them here. He was interested to see what they had to say, so he had some food brought while waiting for them to arrive.

Canth stared at the strange dragon that accompanied the elves as they crossed his threshold. He had a good memory for all the dragons he had met in his lifetime, but this one he was sure he had never met. He looked towards the elves and noticed only one of them was awake. Astonished to see how gently the dragon had put the other elf out of his mouth, Canth walked over and offered greetings.

After a moment to catch all their names, Canth asked them. "Ok Selwen and Rheamus, what has brought you here to the dragon council? Unfortunately , things have been rather hectic lately so I have very little time for polite conversation. "

 

[chewbacca71]

Selwen

Selwen stepped forward towards Canth. "My Lord, I was recently one of the elven rangers at the settlement. I was sent out by my Lord Garbon to find the whereabouts of Monarth, his dragon ally. Two other rangers and myself found the tattered remains and were summarily attacked by an invisible presence. I was saved by a red and black dragon from a terrible fate of being dragon dinner. I know my lord that it is hard to believe that dark dragons would help the elves but its true. "

"The dragons engaged in a desperate battle to try and defeat these invisible adversaries and their orken allies. I saw a few of these invisible creatures become visible in death and they seemed to be dragons of a sort I have never seen before. My Lord Garbon had this book that was written by his ancestors in the time when dragons had helped the elves escape certain racial destruction. I have read some of the pages, but there was not much about these *Transparent Dragons*."

"I came here in hopes that this book would give you the answer to how to defeat these creatures. I want to kill them more than life itself. I saw too many elves fall to their claws and jaws and want to exact retribution for these heinous acts. I wish there was more in the book, but the last 20 pages or so are all blank. I imagine that the author of the journal died before he could finish it. My Lord,I would ask for your leave to go back to the settlement and see if any other elves are still alive, since I did not see many when we left. This dragon Rheamus is the only reason that we are still alive. I wish there was something I could give him to thank him."

 

[chewbacca71]

The Paranoid people of Reswen

His chamberlain escorted the two young dragons out of his throne room. Luckily they were in human form or they would never fit under his doorways. The king watched as his two guests left the room to have a banquet that the king had laid out in their honor. The kings brow furrowed as he thought of what the two dragons had told him. Mackenzie had lived a long life as king by being able to process information fast. Whether that information was said or not.

The dragons were very circumspect when they talked. They had enquired as to how the city was going , which of course was as well as always. Then they had asked if there had been any orc activity or strange occurences recently. This close to the Valstad mountains , there was always some orc activity. His city always had scouts out keeping an eye on the orcs. However, when he had asked what kind of strange occurences, the two dragons looked at each other and said nothing.

It was all very strange , a puzzle that he would have to think through. Obviously, some other kingdoms were having an orc problem. That was not suprising given the bloodthirsty nature of the orcs. But what else could so worry these great beasts. They had tried to hide their fear, but the dragons tails keep quivering at the tip. Mackenzie had learned over the years what that meant. Mackenzie took a sip of his fine red wine just as his Master at arms entered the room.

"MY LORD, I have news....." Mackenzie shushed the man to quiet him down. "Gerald, if its this important , please do not shout it out for the whole kingdom to hear you. What is your news? " Gerald looked up at his king. "My lord, Denral has been devastated two days ago . I just received word from a carrier pigeon message. "

Mackenzie dropped his glass of wine in suprise, the metal goblet rolling across the floor. "Denral, one of the most defended castles in our world? How did it happen? " Gerald looked scared for a moment , staring down at his feet. "My lord, the message says that it was dragons in league with the orcs that has destroyed them all. Those treacherous beasts, always pledging peace and then attacking with no warning. "

Mackenzie's heart was thumping wildly in his breast. *dragons, my god, why would dragons attack humans. Was their peace treaties no better than paper to wipe you arse with*. Mackenzie thought for a moment, then turned to his man. "Gerald, I have a mission for you. Those two young man that just went down to the banquet are emissaries from Canth sent to check on our wellbeing. They must be dragon spies sent to view our defenses. "

"I want you to take down a squad of archers and your best men at arms to quietly surround them and slaughter them just like they killed the good people of Denral. So says your king. Do I make myself clear? .......Good, bring me back their heads so that I may display them here in my throne room. "

 

[chewbacca71]

Gerald

Having spent most of his life in the palace, Gerald was familiar with all the secret passages in the castle. He moved some of his people through these passages until he had 20 men surrounding the room . The three secret passages as well as the two doorways gave ready access to the room. After cautioning his men to come out and fire at his signal of "RETRIBUTION", he left the secret passage.

He entered the room through the south door. He studied the two young men. They would not have seemed out of place in any of the small villages that were along the river bordering the city. He went to the two young men. "Gentlemen, my Lord the king has asked if you would come to the center of the room here. He is on his way down here to join you, and would love to see your selves as the center of attention. "

The two young dragons were glad to do as the Master at arms asked, putting down their food as they walked to the center. They had their arms at their sides as they waited for what they thought was a visit from the king. Sadly, instead of that visit, their bodies were visited with a host of arrows that had whistled through the air when Gerald yelled "RETRIBUTION".

One of the dragons had started transformation, his face was changing to a scaly visage just as four arrows had rapidly pierced his heart. The two dragons, now no more that arrow pincushions, fell to the floor in a heap. Gerald looked around the room at his men. "You all did well, your king is proud of you. Cut off their heads for a trophy to the greatness of our king. See how the dragons send their own to spy on the humans. The dragons have struck the first blow, but ours will be the last."

 

[Vixandra]

Sylvia

"Okay then its settled, we're going together." I shifted back to dragon and walked over to Kort. "Come along sleepy head, hop on."
He was comfortably seated and the four of us took to the air again. At our current pace we should reach the elvin settlment by sunset, I told my companions before settling into the groove of long distance flight.

 

[chewbacca71]

Canth

Canth took the journal out of Selwen's hands. He looked at the journal for a moment before turning to the blank pages. His brow wrinkled as he examined the pages closer. He brought a blank page and held it up to a nearby candle. After a moment, the page heated up and words started to appear.

Excited by this discovery, Canth held the other pages to the candle. All the pages were covered with a spidery script that was hard to read. Canth was able to read some of it and it gave some better information on the transparent dragons. It gave the instructions for the use of the gem.

Canth was fascinated to read that if you spoke some key words to the gem, it would break into many small pieces. If these pieces were attached to the dragons, it would allow them to see the transparent dragons. Sylvia had been able to unlock part of its ability which spoke much for her magical powers.

Canth looked over at Selwen. "I am not sure if it is a good idea to return to the settlement at this time. I am not sure if the transparent dragons will be returning there or not. There is not much help that you could do for them on your own. You may stay here with us for now if you like, until we have a better grasp of the motives of the transparent dragons. "

Canth looked at the dragon that had brought the elf from the settlement. " Rheamus, I wish that there was something I can do for you. But under these circumstances all I can do is offer your the hospitality of the council. If you have any information that you think will be helpful, please tell me. "

 

[poohlive]

Snore!

 

[Vixandra]

Sylvia

"We're here," I said, shaking my back to wake Kort up. About time too, I mused. I couldn't fly much more now, even with the slowed pace I'd set because I had a rider and Spar and Worraps were smaller then I. Kort dwarfed the lot of us though.
I landed, and shifted to human after Kort dismounted, shaking out my long red hair, pushing the silver streak back.
The elvin village smelled of death, rotting flesh and worse things. I touched the edges of the net I'd cast- nothing alive in the city anymore, a few of the transparant dead though.
"According to my net there's nothing alive here anymore," I said sadly. Loss of life, any life, is a sad thing, most of the time. The death of innocents though is a horrible thing that must and would be avenged. "Lets get our sample and then camp a few miles away- this smell's awful. I know I know- shift to dragon and I'd be fine, but I use less energy in this form."

 

[Khadgar]

Worraps

Worraps came down, stretching his wings slowly as he descended to the ground. he wondered if someone in the group had been hurt, why else would they be flying "ugently" so slow? Sylvia's powerful wings churned forth, and keeping just behind her, his smaller body kept up the pace with relative ease. he was lighter, and did not need the great wings that Sylvia did to dart along at high speeds.

Shifting and letting the darkness consume him again he dropped the lest few feet and emerged as man. he looked about him and breathed in deeply the smell of rot. "what is this place? why are we here? i don't suppose you know what happened?"

 

[hybirdx]

Spar slowed in mid-air, and began to morph in mid air. Soon he landed on the ground in human form, his bag around his back. "Oh man..." Spar grabed an shirt from his bag and wraped it around his nose. He had smelled death before, but not as strong as this.

 

[Vixandra]

Sylvia

I looked around. It truely was horrible. "Come along, fellows, we've got a dragon to skin."
I lead the way through the villiage, explaining what had happened, how the transparant dragons and orcs had attacked. The stone on my forehead winked ominously at the mention of the trans dragons but quieted down shortly after ward.
I pointed to a large stinking invisible pile of carrion. "That's one that I belive I killed."
I put my hands on it and whispered a spell, turning the dragon bright pink, the claw marks all over its body showing in red. "Yup, my kill. Come on, help me skin it."

 

[hybirdx]

"I got it." Spar walked over torwards the rotting dragon and Sylvia, pulling an blade out of his bag. It was just short of being an sword, but big enough to be called an giant dagger. "Just exactly how much do we have to cut off?"

 

[chewbacca71]

A close escape......

The young dragon winged away from Mikellon as fast as it could. His left side pained him greatly, the ends of four arrows could be seen sticking out of his scaly hide. He was saddened to think that his companion had not made it. The two young dragons had been in the human city per the instructions of Canth.

They had check with the ruler of the city to make sure that everything was going well. The ruler was very gracious for the attention even having the dragons sit with him for long stretches of time. Then at one point there was some excitement that pulled the king out of the room.

When the king reentered, he mentioned that it was something to do with his family. The king asked the two dragons to accompany him on a hunting expedition that he had arranged. The young dragons, being naive as only yearlings could be, agreed to ride with the king.

The group had scarcely entered the forest on the outskirts of the city when the ambush was sprang. From the cover of the trees, a force of archers had loosed a host of arrows. Luckily for Polanth, his horse was in the way of the archers and received the lion's share of the arrows intended for the dragon. His companion was not so lucky, his lifeless body dropping from the saddle.

Polanth realized that his horse would not be able to move much longer, so he decided to change to a dragon and get the hell out of there. He rolled off the horse, pulling in down on him as he started to chance. The horses body provided some protection until his scales were fully formed. That is why only a few arrows had pierced his body.

As he sprung up into the air, Polanth let loose a spray of fire that set ablaze the nearest men at arms that were around the king. Polanth was starting to wing away when he heard the king curse. "Death to all dragons . Humans will no longer be your chattel to kill at your leisure. We will meet again dragon." Polanth was not sure what had brought this all about, but felt he needed to get to Canth before his strength failed him. Turning towards the Linkin mountains, Polanth started on the path to the council.

 

[poohlive]

A few miles away, in a clearing that looked all too familiar to Kort, might not have to Sylvia, but she was unconscious during that time. He was in full dragon form now, still somber and sleepy though. That lullaby had done a wonder on him. He still felt like he could lie down and let the night consume him.
He laid on his side, waiting for the rest to finish their small accomplishment. Something struck him as wrong with all of this, especially bringing that new one along so readily. He had followed them, snuck away, for all Kort knew, he was a transparent spy.
He'd just have to watch the punk, carefully. Cut out his throat if he does anything suspicious.
Easy enough.
He made a nice fire going, something big for human, but relatively small for a dragon. A few old tree trunks and a little acid breath got the thing roaring.
They'd be back soon, with the spell, or whatever it was Sylvia needed. He let his head rest on his arm, eyes drooping closed with each passing second.
They'd be here soon.
He yawned.

 

[Vixandra]

Sylvia

I eyed the carcass for a moment. "Not sure what I'll need of it, because I'll be creating a new spell. Lets take the hide, the brain, heart and liver. That should be enough to start with. Welcome to Dragonic Anatomy guys."
I pulled out my own blade, a simple human sword and began hacking in to the creature, slitting it from neck to belly, occasionally shifting back to dragoness to tear through some of the harder areas. The skin stank, honest it did and was a gaudy pink side from the spell I'd placed on it.
"Look at this," I said, pointing to the inside of the skin. "THose odd looking things- shiney aren't they? How odd."

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Rheamus

I shook my head, "Nothing that I'm aware of. I hardly even got a look at one, and when I did..."
And what will you tell them? You had to shift your attention, to kill an elf?
"It was hardly more than a glance as some shape that only showed in a few places, where it had been burned with what I guessed to be acid."
I glanced to Selwen, a feeling of guilt creeping up on me. I hadn't intended to kill the elf, but how could I expect others to realize this? I'd been accompanying a group of traveling orc, the same group that attacked the city, and knew they carried along with them some dead bodies that were surprisingly elven in form. But I didn't mean any harm, honest.
It was a story I would never buy.
And shouldn't, as you smiled...
I looked to the sleeping elf, admiring him for the escape he enjoyed. The voice only ceased while I slept, and I was afraid of why that was, having awakened in several odd places at different times.
I looked back to Canth. Noble or not, the worry was apparent in his manners, his face. The world of the dragons and elves was in great peril. I might actually be of help here.
"I have travelled long, great dragon, and alone. It is time I did my part to join the world of dragons. I will do whatever I can to help."
...yes, promise your allegiance, Rheamus...promise it well. But remember your past.

 

[chewbacca71]

Canth

"Thank you for agreeing to help. All of dragonkind will need to work as one if we are going to survive this. Of course a few could run away and hide," Canth looked around the council chamber. "But for us to survive and thrive as a culture, we need to get rid of this threat. Please refresh yourself , I may have a task for you when you are rested. "

 

[hybirdx]

'Welcome to Dragonic Anatomy guys'

Spar gave an small grunt as began to cut into the dragon's body, trying to get to the liver. It took him a while to ignore the putrid smell, but he was too stuborn to admit it.

'Look at this,' Spar droped his blade and walked over to where Sylvia was. "What is it?"

Sylvia pointed torwards something reflecting light. 'Those odd looking things- shiney aren't they? How odd.'

"Hmm... What are they?"