The North (Closed)

[heartofcourage]

Fiona curled into her husband, letting his presence at her side lull her into relaxing. There was something about being with him in that moment that made her relax completely and before she knew it, she was drifting off to sleep. She let out a soft sigh as one arm came to drape along his chest, pulling her close to his side. She clung as if this was her last night on earth and he was the only person that could save her.

 

[KieranSoares]

As Fiona drifted off, her sleep was mostly uninterrupted save for flickers of memories long past A weather-worn cabin door. A path through the Inverness woods. A modest gravestone of dark slate. And then the image of a key, strange and four-pronged, matching the key to Margaret Blackstone's tomb and the tattoo on Tatiana Olegsdottir's footpaw. White fur flashed by and a beautiful Fox in her prime grinned. "Well, look at that," a soothing, melodic voice chuckled in lilting Swedish. "Look at my little kit... a legend, a mother, a wife... but most of all, Queen of the dragons and their keepers. Looks like I won after all, Owen. Margaret's so proud." The barely-visible apparition giggled and darted away in a bounding streak of white and blue, more comet than Fox. Whether it was dream, visit from beyond, or vision, it wasn't clear.

An hour before dawn, the night watch in camp all gathered to wake the rest. At Soma's orders, everyone geared up while breakfast was prepared, but few had any appetite in the face of what they saw as the blue-grey light filtered in from the horizon. A regal but terrifying serpentine head rose high above the trees, many cracking and falling out of the way as Hesperus himself approached on foot. He seemed to stroll along in no great hurry, knowing he was rather early. When he arrived at the edge of the treeline, he emerged fully and paused seeing a number of Riders and their partners waiting. They were gathered and ready to fight, afraid that he'd just launch into his attack right away. But without a word, he simply scanned around, then meandered away into the wide-open meadows to await his opponent's arrival. He stretched and circled before finding a place to lie atop a large outcrop, like a great lion overseeing his territory. And there he stayed in silence with his mismatched eyes occasionally checking the horizon and scanning for Fiona Blackstone.

It was Hesperus's arrival that awoke every sleeping Caller in the area, warning them that danger was nearby. Sam and Fiona awoke at the same moment, the hair-raising feeling of being near death even making Sam shudder. He instinctively reached for his belt and knife, but knew an instant later what it was he was feeling. Looking up at the sky where the canopy broke, he sighed heavily and sat up beside Fiona.

"Fuck," he muttered, rubbing his eyes before looking at her. She was his first concern. "... Love?"

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona lay there and stared up at the leaves above them, letting out a shaking breath as her mind held on to the memory of her mother while trying to grapple with the fact that Hesperus was there and waiting. It was time to be a dragon slayer, she thought to herself as she quietly sat up and glanced over at Sam for a moment before she stood to pull on her trouses and boots.

"Go find the children." Fiona murmured softly, turning her gaze towards her husband. "I have work to do."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Got it," Sam confirmed, rising to retrieve his shirt and shake it out briefly before putting it on. But before he set off, he spared a kiss for Fiona and met her gaze. "I'll be right beside you when it's time," he promised firmly. He headed back at a jog to get Dzana on his way, knowing Fiona knew exactly where Hesperus was and could easily get to camp without directions.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona waited until she was alone to kneel at the side of the creek, washing her face to wake herself up. She blew out a sigh, closing her eyes to center herself for a moment before she was up and walking towards camp. She didn't even glance in Hesperus's direction. She was focused on making it to her tent to dress in her armor. As she pulled on each piece, she took a moment to think through what she was going to have to do. She was going to drive a weapon into his heart. She was going to hold it there until he took his last breath. She was doing so because he was a wild, unpredictable dragon that wished to be put down. Absolutely none of that made sense to her as she fastened on her chest plate.

 

[KieranSoares]

Andre and Riley had just finished getting their gear on when Sam arrived. He'd found Dzana and retrieved his own armor in record time and was still fastening buckles as he landed and slid off, while Idunn was close behind with Soma.

In his heavy full plate with his new blade at his hip, Sam faced Andre and Riley and Soma came to join his side in his own gear. "Kids," Sam spoke up in a low rumble, "it's just about time... Fiona's gearing up an' Schaller's waitin' on her."

"We're about as ready as we can be," Andre answered quietly. "But I don't think anyone can be ready for this."

"No, maybe not. But Fiona needs us focused. Our job is t'back her up an' make sure Hesperus goes down. Her officers have command so the five of us can work together without distractions. Andre, Soma, you two need to stay in your saddles as much as possible. Riley, you're the fastest. If your Ma and I go down, you need to get in there and finish this, but you may only get a shot at his chest on foot. But whatever happens, Hesperus doesn' leave Scotland."

 

[heartofcourage]

Riley glanced at her father as he stated that she would have to take the shot at Hesperus if they both went down. "It won't get that far." Riley murmured, choosing to believe that she wouldn't be the one that brought down the great dragon. "Ma...is determined that it won't."

She paused as she saw Schaller lumbering their way with Fiona riding on his crest. She cut a figure, most certainly, in her scale plate with her helmet held under one arm.

 

[KieranSoares]

With their dragons gathering and others in the camp awaiting orders, everything was eerily quiet there in the meadows. With Hesperus's great gold and brass form looming to the south, no one felt in the mood for jokes and merriment, not even Jani. She was watching Hesperus like a hawk from Avfairn's back.

"Ready, love," Sam called up to Fiona with a determined but worried gaze.

"Everyone else knows their roles," Soma added, his eyes stony and focused to avoid the fear welling up. "Ready, Ma," he repeated, trying to be as strong and brave as a fifteen-year old boy could possibly be for her sake.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona glanced down at Sam and Soma but didn't say anything, choosing instead to put on her helmet. Words would fail her in that moment if she spoke. Instead, she glanced towards Hesperus and considered her next moves.

"It's you and I, love." She murmured to Schaller. "We're in this together."

 

[KieranSoares]

Schaller stared across the distance at the waiting mass of brass scales and he took a deep breath, his chest beginning to gather heat as he steadied his nerves. He was used to being the largest and eldest til Dzana returned with them from Svalbard, but Hesperus was a different class entirely. He was afraid for everyone, and that showed especially in how he glanced off to Rikke and Dzana briefly.

"I've decided something, Fiona..." Schaller murmured back as he began his slow march toward the open meadow. "When this is over... I will ask Dzana to be my mate again." He kept his eyes trained forward and his pace steady, seeing everyone else fall in behind in his periphery. "You give me courage, my love," he added softly. "I am terrified... But I will be brave for you alone. I will see you home. This I promise you, my dearest little love."

Schaller was rarely one for such sentiment, but he knew it was possible these might be his last words to her. He would not leave his love unspoken.

As they came closer to Hesperus beyond the edge of the camp, the great titan slowly rose to his full height and faced the approaching small army of Riders. His mismatched eyes traveled over each warrior, finding fear but also immense determination staring back. A slight smile twitched at the edge of his maw and he faced Fiona and Schaller fully before giving a slight bow. "Your Majesty. Your Lordship. The sun and clear skies grace this auspicious occasion... Flowers are blooming. The breeze is just right. Not a cloud to be seen. A beautiful day to die, isn't it?"

As he leveled his gaze at Fiona, his lightly-glowing blue eye grew brighter and more fiery. "It is an honor," he rumbled, "whatever the means of my end today."

 

[heartofcourage]

"An honor for you, perhaps." Fiona responded, tapping Schaller to lower her to the ground so that she might approach the great dragon alone. "I take no joy in this, but you already know that."

Fiona approached cautiously, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. "I will offer one last time the chance to simply be put back to rest. There's no need for bloodshed today. As you say, it is a beautiful day in Scotland, one that we might enjoy."

Fiona stared up at him in silence and knew where he stood immediately. There was no backing down from this. At the end of the day she would cement her legend.

"Margaret told me her secrets. I know what needs to be done. She failed once but I won't fail this time. I will drive my spear into your heart and hold it there until you finally still. You see, in all of your folly and all of this blustering, there are things that you didn't account for. I know your heart is weak. I know you are too large to be of any use in battle beyond brute strength. You can try to kill me with your flame, but it won't work. In all of this, I truly do have the upper hand."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Perhaps you do. And perhaps I have tricks Margaret never knew. But we shall see, little Blackstone... It is my destiny to die in battle, not sit another millennium letting my mind wither further." Hesperus's gaze turned to Schaller then, the smaller Elder's muscles tensed and ready to lunge if Hesperus struck at Fiona. "Remember me well, young man... And take care to die before you're my age. You will have no place in this world soon, too old and too powerful for humans to give you peace. And then one day, gold will gleam brighter, blood will taste sweeter... And you'll be a monster like me. Sick and twisted beyond all recognition."

"You could go peacefully and be yourself again on the other side," Schaller reminded quietly.

"I don't even remember who I was... Perhaps Margaret does. My old friends Aegeus and Skolgeir... And I never did meet little Ulf." Hesperus seemed melancholy for a moment, a flicker of his former self perhaps once his memory was jogged. "I loved them. And then one day I wanted to kill them all... I don't even know what for."

"Land. Gold. Blood. Just as you said before," a voice joined in as Markos approached with his partner. "You have been sick a long time, old friend. Time to go."

"Indeed..." Hesperus sighed with a somewhat relieved smile. He reached out a massive claw and Markos didn't flinch, instead placing a hand on the ridged surface.

"We'll speak again someday when we aren't quite so... Mad," Markos assured him with a smile before Hesperus turned away and walked off a few paces. Markos returned to his saddle and readied a set of poisoned javelins, signaling for everyone with poisoned weapons to load and aim. Turning back toward Fiona, Markos gave her a nod. "By your leave, Your Majesty."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona pulled herself up on Schaller's crest and stared at Hesperus. She heard Markos give his leave but nothing happened. She was considering and pondering her move, judging what he would do.

"Catch me if you can." She murmured, giving Schaller his lead to take this battle to the sky.

 

[KieranSoares]

The instant Schaller leapt, all of the dragon Riders behind them exploded forward too with Fiona in the lead. Those on the ground were atop swift drakes, meant to distract and fire poisoned projectiles.

Markos and Diana streaked in a different arc, swooping around Hesperus to give Markos a view of his eyes. The poisoned javelins could give them an extra advantage if they hit an eye. A rain of poisoned arrows and bolts began, trying to hit everywhere possible to slow him down quickly. And atop their own partners, Fiona's family readied their blades to start hacking away scales. They could slow Hesperus down with some bloodloss as well, but each knew the goal was to get in close to cut an opening for the dragonsteel glaive over Hesperus's heart.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona pulled Schaller back around so that she could overlook Hesperus and see the field from a higher vantage. With her whistle, she called out commands, watching as dragons scattered to do as she asked. The soldiers on the ground were in the most danger, especially as Hesperus didn't seem concerned with following her. She reached down and unhooked the glaive from the temporary harness they had put together for Schaller, holding it at the ready. She gave another sharp blast on the whistle and gave Schaller his leave to dive.

 

[KieranSoares]

Under the direction of Fiona's officers, the other Riders did everything in their power to distract Hesperus. While they had the advantage of speed, Hesperus knew his own speed and strength too and how to use them against such quick opponents. Not even a minute after the battle began, Hesperus was anticipating movements around him and snapping veteran Riders and dragons out of the air with surprising agility. His gigantic wings were solid enough that he could disrupt the flight of a normal dragon, and the time it took them to recover was when he struck. One veteran was snapped off her partner's back and he crashed some distance away. Another veteran, their saddle, and a section of his partner's spine were slashed clean through leading to another crash, both dead before they hit the ground. And a third Rider was ripped out of the saddle and caught by an ally while her partner was grabbed in Hesperus's claws and smashed into the ground, their ribs crushed.

Schaller began his first dive when he saw an opening, having to carefully maneuver to give Fiona a shot. The only way he could get in tight without smashing into the ground afterward was to tuck forward and prepare to roll out at the last second. But Hesperus didn't even let Schaller get close, suddenly standing on his hind legs and backing off out of reach. It was while he stood up high that he saw a perfect opportunity at someone more important, recognizing the officers among the chaos by their unique armbands. Before they could pull up, Danica's partner was snapped up in Hesperus's jaws. The male wheezed in pain but had the wherewithal to tear his own saddle off and throw Dani away with it to save her. Sadah made the catch, cutting Dani free of the saddle while they watched her partner be thrown to the ground like a ragdoll.

Schaller rounded back for another try as Hesperus landed back on four legs and flared his wings out to give himself some space. "Back up!" Schaller roared to their allies, seeing Hesperus's chest begin to glow white-gold under his scales. Even contained within his body, the sound of his fire gathering was loud, like a building landslide or volcano ready to go off. He let out an ear-shattering roar as he opened his titanic jaws and let loose a torrent of blinding white fire, turning in place to force everyone back on all sides. A couple unlucky souls couldn't get clear in time, killing two Riders and sending their dragons into emergency landings as their scales burned and melted against the ancient elder's incredible flame. As soon as he closed his jaws, the bright white form of Rikke smashed into the side of his face and exhaled her own powerful green flame in the brief moment she'd dug her claws into his maw. It would hurt but not really injure, but that wasn't the point of the attack. While Hesperus reeled for a precious instant, Andre got a shot at his amber-gold eye. For the first time, Hesperus roared in pain as Andre sunk his dragonsteel blade hilt-deep into one great eye and ripped it away as Rikke jumped back. A claw swipe caught Rikke's tail, but she was able to steady herself and flee upward safely so they could regroup for another potential strike.

In the chaos, Hesperus swiped at his injured eye, involuntarily tears and blood streaming down the side of his face. "I have not been properly struck in centuries..." Hesperus half-chuckled and half-snarled, his glowing blue eye following Rikke. "Well played, little one."

 

[heartofcourage]

In the chaos, Fiona took her chance to switch dragons. Armed with her glaive, sword, and shield, she left Schaller to give his commands and was snatched up by Marth. Hidden in his hand, she let Riley have the lead to get them close. Marth's dark form streaked across the sky, diving into the fray shortly behind Andre. As Hesperus reared back, Riley drew her own sword and hacked at his vulnerable chest. She only got a few slashes before they were forced to retreat as well, thick dragon scale raining on those below.

As Marth sailed backwards, Fiona took her chance to leap. She stabbed her sword into his throat and used it to leverage herself. She was climbing the titanic form as if she were scaling a wall. If his grasping hands came too close, she withdrew her sharpened axe, the head replaced with a piece of sharpened dragon scale, and inflicted pain to get him to withdraw.

As his chest started to warm again, the sound of fire building, she gave another blast of her whistle to tell everyone to retreat as she scurried up his neck and settled behind his head on his crest.

 

[KieranSoares]

Hesperus clawed at Fiona as she went, but true to their original evaluation of him, he was so bulky that once she got to the base of the back of his neck, he couldn't reach her. Snarling in frustration at her getting into a blind spot, Hesperus's wings folded and he threw himself to the ground to roll and try to dislodge her, if not outright crush her. The Ghis brothers on their drakes came charging in, ready to pick Fiona up if she was thrown off or injured. Riders above dove in with poisoned lances, sinking them between scales and breaking them off before taking flight again. Idunn was close behind, Soma in her hand instead of her saddle, and she got him down on Hesperus's chest for a split second. Soma's dragonsteel blade bit and hacked into the titan's chest around his old scar a few times, only for the young strategist to be snatched away by his partner to get out of reach.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona held on tightly to his thick ruff, flattening herself against his neck as he started to roll like a crocodile. Her armor took a brunt of the attack but he failed in getting her off. She was slung around as he fought against Soma and the other rides, but she refused to let go. She couldn't let go. If she let go, she would be killed.

Riley turned Marth back towards Hesperus as the great titan rolled along the ground. She watched as Soma worked on the old scar to break away more scales before she pulled her crossbow free. If anything, she was going to annoy the hell out of the elder dragon as she aimed at his maw and fired bolt after bolt to sting and distract.

 

[KieranSoares]

Hesperus thrashed and roared like a beast possessed, wincing away from projectiles to protect his other eye. As he began to stand, Dzana flashed onto the scene and dug her claws into Hesperus's arm, using her weight to collapse the limb momentarily and keep him on the ground a second longer. Sam hacked at Hesperus's chest just as Soma had, but this time more than scales began to fly. With his newfound gift, Sam had the strength to sink his blade in deeper and cut out entire chunks of flesh, bathing his arm in bright red blood.

In that instant, every Caller in the area felt a wave of shock as Hesperus felt fear for the first time in five-hundred years. Adrenaline made him faster, and he was able to get a bite at Dzana despite her best efforts to grab Sam and dodge away. Hesperus's jaws caught her arm and he catapulted her across the meadow while Sam managed to slip out of her grasp just in time to slide down Hesperus's arm. His partner torn away and lying wounded in the field, and Sam himself now on foot right next to the most dangerous creature alive, Sam only got a few paces away before Hesperus's clawed hand came down on him.

Many voices cried out at once for Sam, the loudest being Soma who instantly changed course toward his father. But Hesperus reeled back shaking his hand in pain. In a last-ditch attempt to defend himself, Sam had impaled Hesperus through the hand and wrist and he managed to stumble away, narrowly escaping death. Brogan was atop Kennah, and the pair surged in to pick Sam up and get him out of Hesperus's reach.

As Hesperus was reeling, Ezra and Sarah came streaking in to keep the titan distracted, only to be caught off-guard when Hesperus recovered faster than expected. Sarah was struck by Hesperus's wounded hand, claws sinking into her side and tearing open several deadly gashes. Ezra's saddle belts were shredded and he was thrown clear. With no one close enough to catch him and Sadah falling too, the grizzled Rider fell some forty feet to the ground, ending with a full thud. His sword was left wedged between Hesperus's scales below his blue eye, so close to blinding the titan for good.

Sadah hit the ground as well, only to be sent sprawling by a strike from Hesperus's tail. Ezra, at least severely wounded if not dead, was left vulnerable beneath the monster as other Riders tried to distract and the Ghis brothers rounded backs in hope of recovering their ally before he could be crushed.

 

[heartofcourage]

Seeing one of her most trusted riders thrown to the ground and almost dead, watching as her husband was attacked, Fiona froze for a moment. She lashed out with her mind, grasping the last shreds of Hesperus's mind and causing as much pain as she possibly could. She twisted and tormented, gathering a hold of him and not letting go. As he thrashed and spun, Fiona let out a cry as she was tossed to the ground from his great neck, tumbling along the ground as she squeezed even tighter on his mind until she could get her bearings.

Grasping her glaive, Fiona pushed herself to her feet and glared at the great dragon. Running towards him, she only stopped as he released a great gout of flames. Planting her shield before her, she hid and let the flames envelope her completely.

 

[KieranSoares]

Fiona's entire world exploded in white heat and the roar of hellfire. Even Rikke's best efforts had only caused a little discomfort, but Hesperus's full power against her dragonsteel armor still felt like being thrown into a volcano. The grass and ground around her burned, even the stones here and there beginning to melt.

Seeing his wife engulfed in flames, Sam knew he had to get her on the move again. "Da, get off!" He commanded, both of them dismounting. Sam grabbed Kennah's bridle and pointed her toward Fiona whose shield was now half-melted and her armor smoking at the edges, even the crest of her helmet and her pauldrons deformed in the heat. "Get 'er, love," Sam commanded his faithful drake, and she burst away at a sprint alone to reach Fiona's side. It broke Sam's heart to possibly send his drake to her death, but he couldn't let Fiona stay on foot out of reach of Hesperus's chest.

Kennan came streaking along, slowing down enough for Fiona to grab her harness for a fast pickup. In the meantime, the Callers took Fiona's lead in attacking Hesperus's mind. He thrashed and backed up, a piercing roar filling the sky as he threw his wings wide and suddenly took off.

"The wings! Bring him down!" Diana roared Markos's orders for all to hear. At the same time, Jani and Avfairn darted in to grab Ezra in the vain hope he might still be alive. They dropped him nearby for Alex, then raced back in with Jani giving an Icelandic warcry.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona was withstanding the heat as best as she could, only daring to look up when the heat pulled away and Kennah came swooping in. She reached out and grabbed her reigns, letting the loyal drake drag her out of her danger. She left behind her shield, the piece nearly useless from a direct hit. Pulling herself into Kennah's saddle, she looked up to see Jani leading the riders in to attack Hesperus's wings.

Blowing on her whistle, she called Schaller back down. Steadying Kennah, she waited for the elder dragon to swoop in and pick her up in his claws before they took back to the sky.

"Throw me at his chest." Fiona called above the wind. "Straight at his scar. I have to take my chance."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can do you one better," Schaller growled as he got Fiona secured in his hand and Kennah sprinted away back to Brogan. Sam, meanwhile, was picked up by Rikke and Andre to get him moving again.

Schaller streaked across the sky as Hesperus clawed and bit and breathed hellish flames all around himself, sending a few more Riders crashing to the ground. Some were lucky enough to be saved from the fall by allies or partners who were still conscious, and some were dead before they hit the ground.

Keeping Fiona protected against his own chest, Schaller swooped under a dangerous snap of Hesperus's jaws. He dug his back claws and free hand into Hesperus's underbelly. He made sure Fiona had a hold on Hesperus's scales, only to be headbutted off with a worrying crack. Schaller fell briefly, but was able to recover while a few pieces of shattered horn and crest fell to the ground.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona let out a cry as Schaller was batted away with a sickening crunch, her head turning to watch as he fell and then regained his senses. She gripped Hesperus's scales tightly as she hung practically upside down. She gritted her teeth and climbed through sheer will alone until she was at his scar. She pulled her axe free and bashed at the thickened skin and scales, chipping away until she made contact with skin and sank her axe inside his flesh.

He started to roll again in the sky, like the roll on the ground, but this time to shake her off in the air. Fiona held on as she was slung from side to side, her axe fall free to the ground. She let out a cry as the monstrous claws crushed her against his scales, holding her tightly before trying to fling her away. She held on to his fingers, refusing to be thrown away so easily. She was sure there were broken bones, but she kept the pain out of her mind and focused on her next step.

For a split second, everything in her mind became clear. Everything slowed down and she saw her opening. She took the flying leap from his hands, the glaive held in her right hand. She drove it as hard as she could into his chest, praying that it found its way.