The Time of Dragons, an Magic.. *All welcome*

[Dracona]

Ona stood staring at the door for a moment. A tightness gripped her throat at the realization that she was locked in and she struggled to take a calming breath…then another. Assess the situation, her inner voice said.

Staying where she was Ona began to survey the room, her eyes taking in every detail as she turned slowly in a circle. It was a smallish room, simply furnished with a bed with a chest at the foot and a table. There was a set of shelves against one wall and on the opposite what appeared to be an alcove of some sort concealed by a hanging curtain. As cells went it was quite comfortable, but for all intents and purposes a cell it was. That dragon man had told her to stay here and stay she would. No matter how uncomfortable being confined made her.

She walked over to the curtain and drew it aside cautiously, then smiled. A watercloset….modern convenience at its best…imagine that. Her eyes roved over the room once more as she sat on the edge of the bed. She wished that she had thought to bring her things with her. She would have liked to change out of her travel gear. But at least she could perhaps clean up a bit, if she had some water…

Jumping to her feat she went to the door and knocked hard. It struck her funny that she was knocking on the door from the inside and she grinned. For a moment it seemed that no one would answer, and she knew that a guard had been left. Then she heard shuffling and a muffled voice reached her through the wood.

“Yes?”

“Hello,” Ona put on her most friendly voice, “I was wondering if it wouldn’t be too much trouble to get a basin and some water. I’d really like to wash up a bit and since I can’t leave….I’m sure you understand.”

There was another long pause. Ona could hear the breathing of the guard and almost feel the idea whirling around in his head.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thanks ever so much…..I’ll just wait in here.” Ona heard a reluctant chuckle from the guard and smiled.

With nothing to do but wait Ona went back to the bed and lay down on top of the coverlet. She closed her eyes and let her mind drift. Maybe, if she were careful not to be too invasive, she could get a sense of the others and what had befallen them.

 

[Screech]

Valanthe found her passage stopped as she walked, a guard appearing behind her.

"You! Servant! Water is required for the Natriarch's visitor!"

Valanthe turned around and bowed slightly. "Of course. I have a picher of water with me right now" She looked back at the guard. Oh how she wished she were not here...

"Very well, that will do. I will fetch a basin. Go to the Matriarch's antechamber at once" The guard turned on his heel and strode away

Nodding, Valanthe made her way to the Matriarch's antechamber and knocked once on the door. "Your water is here"

 

[Dracona]

Ona heard voices in the hall and then a soft knock.

"Your water is here"

It was a female voice, soft and musical. Ona went to the door and placed her ear near the wood.

"The door's locked...the guard must have the key." She thought for a moment and then grinned to herself. Phalanx had said she'd be killed if she tried to escape. Surely unlocking the door herself couldn't be seen as an escape attempt if she didn't leave the room. "Hang on just a moment..."

Concentrating on the locking mechanism Ona felt for the tumblers and gave them a mental twist. She heard the clank and groan of metal against metal as the lock gave way. Grinning broadly to herself she stepped back letting the door swing open on its own.

A woman stood there, an elfen woman to judge by her greenish hair and her delicate features. What was one such as this doing here acting as a servant? The newcomer held a pitcher of water in her hands and Ona reached to take it from her.

"My thanks..." Ona glanced out into the hall and wondered where the guard had gone. "I'd invite you in, but I would hate to get you in trouble. The guard might not be too happy that I unlocked the door myself."

Ona couldn't help but laugh at her situation. Here she was, locked in a room with the threat of death hanging over her head and yet her curiosity was once more trying to get the better of her. Why was this woman here?

The sound of heavy footsteps coming their way caused Ona to step well back into the room as the guard came into view. She winked at the elf woman and raised a slender finger to her own lips before turning to place the pitcher of water on the table nearby.

 

[Screech]

"My thanks...I'd invite you in, but I would hate to get you in trouble. The guard might not be too happy that I unlocked the door myself."

The woman in the antechamber seemed to be held almost against her will. Valanthe could sympathise his her. Certain members of the dragonkind seemed to take a dim view of outsiders doing anything that they deamed 'a potential threat'

Heavy boots on stone resounded from down the corridor, and Valanthe knew it was the gueard returning. To say he would be unhappy would be an understatement. Quickly, she stepped inside the large room and pressed herself up against the wall so that the guard could not sense her, and slowly closed the door so as to not raise suspicion.

She smiled her slightly mischevious smaile at the woman as they heard the guard's footsteps approach the door, and then stop. A rattling of keys, followed by a grumbling signaled his disaproval of her not having 'arrived' yet. Valanthe supressed a giggle as the guard fumbled with the lock. She wondered what he must be thinking, finding the door unlocked.

The great doors opened and the guard slid a basin into the room. Here's your basin. A serving wench should be here with your water soon. She will be diciplined for her lateness" After a second, the dor was pulled closed, and the keys could be heard rattling in the lock.

Valanthe allowed herself to breathe once again, a grin plastered on her face as she forced herself not to burst out laughing

 

[Dracona]

Ona chuckled under her breath as she retrieved the basin and put it on the table with the water pitcher. She shared a conspiratorial grin with the elven woman.

"Technically I haven't gone against what I was told to do." Ona whispered. "I am still inside the room and haven't tried to leave. I only hope that you won't really be punished..."

There was a small wooden chair beside the table and Ona waved to it with an exaggerated flourish inviting the woman to have a seat. Everything suddenly seemed very amusing and she found herself fighting laughter as well. There was an air of children misbehaving behind adult backs.

"I really despise being confined in small spaces. I am used to my freedom." Ona realized that she would soon be babbling if she didn't do something. She poured some water into the basin thinking to wash her hands and face at least then realized that she had no towel or cloth or anything. She sighed and cast her gaze around the room.

The large chest at the foot of the bed caught her attention and something connected in her mind. This would be where such items were kept for guest's use, even unwilling guests. She crossed to it and threw back the lid, nodding to herself as she reached in to remove the items she had been hoping to find.

"If they are going to keep me here then they aren't very well in any position to object to me using these, are they." Ona smiled at the woman again and realized she had smiled more in the last few minutes than she had since she left her home in the woods. "I'm Ona, by the way...."

 

[Screech]

Ona. A very simple name for such a tallented girl. Obviously she had skill in the magical arts, and when one knew magic, one often chose an outlandishly long name to go with it.

Valanthe bowed after she was offered the use of the chair. Walking over, she gracefully lept through the air, landing on the table without hardly making a soun and, more importantly, without distubing the basin of water. She grinned at her own blatant display of acrobatic skill

"I'm Valanthe Nailo, Wildling of Avalon, and huntress extrodiniare" Again, she gave a short bow from her squatting position as if she were some sort of circus entertainer. "...And I know exactly how you feel about confined spaces, Ona. Right now, all I wish to be doing is to be back in my forrests, hunting game like I used to..."

Her eyes suddenly seemed full of sadness. "...three years ago"

Their normal sparckle returned quickly after as she grinned. "Oh, and don't worry about my punishment. I've always proved far too spirited for them, and it's normally just being locked in a room for a few days. Besides, I've got an excuse" She reached into her pocket and pulled out a large key. The giggled slightly to herself. "Ta-da!"

 

[Dracona]

Ona watched Valanthe’s display with a delighted smile. She made it look as if she were lighter than air. She patted her hands together in mute applause so as not to draw the guard’s attention.

Three years Valanthe had been here in servitude? Was that the fate that would be her own once she had been brought before this Matriarch? No, one way or another that would not be the case. She knew that if she wanted to escape from here she could walk out with no one the wiser. She’d not be held here against her will if the Matriarch decided she could not be trusted. If she had to she would fight for her freedom and her life, no matter how repugnant the thought.

The glimmer of the key in Valanthe’s hand caught her attention and brought her out of her thoughts. Her blue eyes glimmered with mirth.

“What have you there, Lady Valanthe….and what mischief will it unlock for you?”

 

[Screech]

Valanthe grinned with mischeif as she toyed with the key. Casually she tossed it from hand to hand in high arcs, catching it each and every time. Her eyes glinted slightly as she did so. "This little thing? Why, it's just a skeleton key that will unlock every door in this place" She grinned. "Except the Matriarch's door. Magically sealed"

She dropped the key back into a pocket, and leaned forward slightly. "So. What you here for? Matriarch requested your presence, or is it something else?"

Valanthe couldn't help but be interested in Ona. She was, without a doubt, the most interesting human she had met in a very long time

 

[Dracona]

"So. What you here for? Matriarch requested your presence, or is it something else?"



Taking a cloth from the things she had found in the chest Ona dipped it in the basin of water and began to smooth it over her face and neck. The water was cool and felt refreshing.

“Something else, I am afraid.” She said as she continued her meager ablutions. The cloth made several return trips to the basin as she did her best to wipe away any signs of travel from her face, arms and hands. “I seem to have made a bad first impression on the one called Phalanx. I displayed a regrettable lack of control in front of him and now I am to be taken before the Matriarch to be judged on my trustworthiness. Hence the guard at the door. I’m not allowed to leave just yet.”

Another peek into the chest yielded a stiff bristled brush. Ona closed the lid of the chest and perched herself on top, her fingers quickly unbinding her hair. With long strokes she began to pull the stiff bristles through her thick brown and red locks.

“It’s unfortunate. I entered the Keep in the company of a few others who I had hoped to join forces with, an Elf and his hound companion, a Drow and a Werewolf. Now I may never leave these stone walls…..at least not without a fight. I am not even sure what became of the others. Although I am sure they must be receiving better treatment than I.”

Ona set the brush aside and began to plait her hair once more. She had once tried cutting the unruly mass that occasionally had a mind of its own, but it had grown back so quickly that it wasn’t worth the effort. When she had finished she pulled her feet up crossing them beneath her and rested her elbows on her knees.

“Tell me, Valanthe, if you will….why are you kept here? Or, at least, why do you stay when you could escape with that handy little bobble you have hidden in your pocket?”

Ona had a feeling there was more to this woman than she let on…but then wasn’t that the case with herself as well?

 

[Screech]

“Something else, I am afraid. I seem to have made a bad first impression on the one called Phalanx. I displayed a regrettable lack of control in front of him and now I am to be taken before the Matriarch to be judged on my trustworthiness. Hence the guard at the door. I’m not allowed to leave just yet. It’s unfortunate. I entered the Keep in the company of a few others who I had hoped to join forces with, an Elf and his hound companion, a Drow and a Werewolf. Now I may never leave these stone walls…..at least not without a fight. I am not even sure what became of the others. Although I am sure they must be receiving better treatment than I. Tell me, Valanthe, if you will….why are you kept here? Or, at least, why do you stay when you could escape with that handy little bobble you have hidden in your pocket?”

Valanthe sat and listened to Ona's tale. She knew the elf of whom she spoke, however. She did laugh at the referance to Phalanx. "Oh don't mind Phalanx. He doesn't trust anyone"

She cast her eyes downward. "Hope that the Matriarch takes pity. If she does, and you are deemed 'dangerous', she might only relegate you to servant instead of death"

She bightened up and chuckled at the comment about her key. "Well, I could escape any time I want. Only thing is, I probably wouldn't get far. I'd be hunted down and braught back, even with my fantastic skills"

She shook her head. "No. I need to be let out. I was hoping that Master O'Bonn, uhh, the elf with the hound? I was hoping that he would be able to vouch for me. We knew each other. A long time ago"

 

[Dracona]

Ona gazed at Valanthe curiously, struck by the novelty of a commonplace occurrence. To meet someone again after much time had passed. If she were to meet someone she had known in the past what would they have to say? Would they be pleased to see her? Would they great her with joy or hatred? She supposed it depended on the sort of people she had known. It was a concept alien to her … ‘a long time ago.’ There was no long expanse of time in her ‘ago,’ the past for her consisted of the last two years. She knew that there must be something beyond that, the headaches and flashes of familiarity proved that. To her, however, it was like the blackness between the stars … there but empty.

“Have you had a chance to speak with O’Bonn?” Ona asked, “Perhaps if he were aware of your situation here he would be eager to speak with the Matriarch on your behalf. I cannot say, I do not know him. As for myself, I can only hope that there is something about me that the Matriarch finds worthy. There is no one to vouch for me … I can not even vouch for myself.”

 

[Screech]

Valanthe shook her head. "I have not yet had the oppotunity to speak with O'Bonn. I would very much like to as he is about the only one here who can talk to the Matriarch about my release."

She sighed.

"As for you, I would vouch for you myself, but my word carries little here. And, I havn't exactly known ou a long time, Ona" She chuckled at the last part

 

[AmenRa]

O'Bonn woke. Sleep was useless. His impending meeting with Thorn had driven sleep from his body. Not even dreams would find him this night.

He unsheathed his scimitar, running his fingertips over the runes carved into the blade. He remembered how the blade had glowed with his magic incantation, and how its steel had burned Morrigann when it had met her flesh.

He cast his eyes downward, for sadness took him briefly. Morrigann. He had known her, once long before, ages ago it seemed. He had loved her. And now, he had killed her.

O'Bonn began a kata with the sword, the arcing blade hissing through the air in his room. He continued until he had worked up a sweat, then sat cross-legged on the floor. The Fay hound lay down next to him, nuzzling his leg. O'Bonn closed his eyes, centered himself, and pushed away the thoughts that clouded his mind.

Idrial, the Half-Elf, and the man-child, depended upon him now. And now, this serving girl that had spoken to him, Valanthe was her name....she was familiar to him. He had known her before, but she was different.

Elves never change. Humans, he knew, did.

 

[Mantra]

Outside the Keep

"Ah. Yes, well, you see, I'd come back out here to see those lovely fellows that are being towed away by you're, uhhh, friends. I believe they may, uhhh, might havem known something"

The dwarf captain raised one bushy eyebrow. "Known somethin? Somthin like what I'd like ta know. Sides that, they be deader than stones at the mo. Whatcha be hopin fer there Fuzzy?"

 

[Mantra]

Elsewhere in the Keep

LoreKeeper had many duties within the Keep and town, not that he ventured out much. On top of all these duties there was his own research and studies and atop that, he had the great privlidge and honor to be the apprentice to the Matriarch herself. He was a Draconic schollar and had been for centuries, even before his tenure with the Matriarch had begun and was elder than all the other young dragons here by some three centuries. his wisdom, learnings and magic had served the commune well many times...just as it would tonight.

His reading and note taking was disturbed by a single chime of a crystal bell which hung suspended on a silver wire strung between two long crystal quartz stones. LoreKeeper whipped around as the chime sounded a second time. His golden eyes scanned the darkened room slowly as his talloned fingers flexed in anticipation.

"Zaz Ar Tyroth!" He called out, holding his left arm up. Intantly all the candles in the room lit, burning brightly as a great ball of light sprang into being in hi raised hand. As it did so, all the darkened corners and shadows were banished into the light....
..except one.

It was man shaped, with dark wings and was absolutlly featurless as shadows are save for yellowed slit-like eyes. It backed against the wall, as far from the light as possible upon discovery.

LoreKeeper hissed a deep and hateful hiss at the creature, bearing sharpened teeth. "Beast! Skulker! Demonic filth! Die now and be damned!"

The shadow leapt for the roof, as LoreKeeper lunged, but LoreKeeper had his own wings as well. The shadow avoided the first swipe, but LoreKeeper pursued, his own wings propelling him as he literally ran up the wall, knocking ober several books and papers in his climb. A second swipe with his glowing hand brought the shadow down with a screech and LoreKeeper landed atop it, making the killing stroke with ease.

That concerned him. True the shadows were easilly dispatched once discovered, for their power lay in stealth, but this one did not flee and would have had precious little chance in killing him even if it had attacked....assuming he was the target at all. But it was here, with him....at least one was....one shadow...two chimes....

...decoy!

LoreKeeper leapt across the room, battering open the doors to his own study and bounded into the hallway. He paused, sniffing the air. Nothing out of the ordinary, but there were two chimes...and he felt a chill in his bones.

After an intake of breath, he roared out, calling up the hallway in warning, the sound reverberating throughout the mountain and shaking the very stone of the keep. The roar held no words, nor did it need to for his bretheren, they would know.

 

[Screech]

Gar scratched his head and nervously chuckled. "Yeah, well, death is kinda a perspective thing, y'know? I mean, take me. I've been dead, like, 3 times. Or, uhhh, was if four? I forget. That happens"

 

[Dracona]

Ona chuckled a bit at Valanthe's words and opened her mouth to reply when a sound unlike any she had ever heard thundered through the room. It seemed to come from the very stone of the walls themselves. A chill raced down her spine and she found herself on her feet racing for the door before realizing she didn't even know what was happening. She threw a quick look back at Valanthe seeing the woman's eyes widen.

"What the blazes was that?!" Ona demanded. Every sense she had was on high alert...there was danger...but to who or what she couldn't tell. She turned back to the door wondering if she should call for the guard or just open the door herself and take her chances.

 

[AmenRa]

O'Bonn was in the hallway within an instant, his scimitar held tightly in his right hand. In his left he carried a glow stone, its light shining down the hallway that was lit only by an occasional torchiere.

The roar of a dragon had brought him forth from his meditation. He did not know the sound the roar carried, but he knew its meaning: danger!. The majai-hi had told him that much.

O'Bonn ran, towards the sound, descending a flight of circular stone steps until he came face to face with one of the dragonkind, sniffing the air and gazing at him with a look of dread upon his face.

"Thine call was a harbinger of danger about, My Lord. What evil has infiltrated this sacred lair?" O'Bonn asked.

 

[Mantra]

Outside the Keep

The dwarven captain didn't move a muscle, instead looking hard, stubborn, skeptical and generally...dwarven at Gar.

"Uh huh." was all he said.

The sudden reverberating roar from the keep quelled any further conversation between them, thank goodness. The dwarves all perked up at the sound, looking back at the keep.

"Oi, that ain't good." the captain said. "C'mon boys, back to the keep!" Each of the dwarves dropped what they were doing and ran as best they could through the snow and up towards the gatehouse. Gar suddenly found himself alone in the snow, save for about half a dozen dead ogres being covered by the falling snow.

 

[Mantra]

In the hall

O'Bonn came to a halt not far from LoreKeeper. The gazelle-horned dragon man glarred at his suspiciously, but soon deemed he was not a threat. Drakkon soon arrived at the base of the same stairwell O'Bonn had come down.

"Thine call was a harbinger of danger about, My Lord. What evil has infiltrated this sacred lair?" O'Bonn asked.

Drakkon came up behind the elf, nodding to them both as he did. "Yes, what has happened?"

"Shadows." LoreKeeper said. Phalanx then came charging down the hall towards them, running on all fours as he did so before literally skidding to a halt next to them. He said nothing, instead listening to what was being said.
"Two were detected, one has been destroyed. It is hiding within our keep."

Phalanx stood and addressed the others. "I go to the Matriarch and will search the inner sanctum. LoreKeeper shall search and secure the upper keep while Drakkon shall see to the lessers hall."

"Where is Reverend?" Drakkon asked. "And he has come to help." he finished, indicating O'Bonn.
Phalanx glarred at O'Bonn for a moment, as if recognizing he was there for the first time but addressed Drakkon.
"Reverend has gone to the town, you will take the lesser with you to search. Now go, we waste time here."

 

[Screech]

Valanthe looked to the doors and frowned. That sound wasn't good. She'd only heard it once or twice before.

"It's a call to arms, as best as I can figure. Someone, or something is inside this keep"

****

The loud roar seemed to shake the Dwarves, causing them to run back into the keep. Whatever was happening, it sounded dangerous. And danger was not Gar's friend. On the plus side, he was now alone with the corpses..

Moving over to the closest one, he started to cast a spell that would enable him to summon back the Ogre's spirit for communication

 

[AmenRa]

O'Bonn spoke the words that would make the runes inscribed into the scimitar glow. He watched the Elven script take shape and form along the blade, then turned to Drakkon.

"Let us seek out the shadows that dwell within the shadows," he said.

In his travels, in his battles, O'Bonn had never encountered a shadow. He would be interested to see how his magical blade fared against one.

 

[Keldun_Rae]

(well, i guess my chars done here, been nothing going on with him in awhile.)

 

[Mantra]

Outside

With the dwarves away, Gar was free to work his magic. Praying to whichever god was listening this week, he involked the spell of communion.

There was an uneasiness mixed in with the silence of the falling snow for a moment before the misty outline of the deceaced ogre became apparent. It continued to gain definition, until a pale but detailed phantom stood before Gar, although it was only visible to those nearby between the dark and the weather.

"Wha happun?" the phantom asked, confused.

 

[Mantra]

In the halls of the keep

O'Bonn and Drakkon had not gone very far in searching a lang hall with several doors. These doors opened into small living type rooms but all seemed empty or their occupants clamed to know nothing if the shadows. It wasn't before long before they entered a similar room with a pair of females chatting within, an elf and a human. Both turned to look at them with a start.

Drakkon cocked his head at them a moment before addressing Ona.

"I had wondered where you had gotten off to after supper, but why are you here?"