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Scales and Honor: Darkened Skies

Chapter 16: Fragments

Athenais stood in a half-formed fog, dark swirling shapes appearing through the thick clouds ever out of her reach. How had she gotten here? Her heart was pounding as blood curdling screams rend the darkness. She winced, ears splaying as dread wrapped firmly around her heart and squeezed like a vice. The figures got closer. She knew not who or what they were, but she knew there were hundreds approaching in on all sides of her. Even if she couldn't see them she knew they were there. She tried to fly but found herself unable, her great brown feathered wings had started to boil and bubble. She screamed, yet pain did not course through her. She was left sprawling on the ground as her own body followed suit. Every inch of her beautiful self melting like wax. She took a step, her entire limb plopping away onto the grass now smeared with brown colored droplets.

She awoke with a low gasp, clutching at her chest feathers with her black scaled claw. Breaths came quickly as the beating of her heart sounded more like a stampede then anything else. Her body tingled with the dread that had carried itself to the waking world. It had seemed so real, that horrid dream. It had been plaguing her for nights now after the incident with the melting orcs. “Just a dream." She whispered to herself as she slumped back onto the soft patch of dirt covered ground she had fallen asleep in. Her ears splayed as she checked each part of her with gentle pinches, just to make sure she was all together and indeed awake. With a relieved sigh she took one last long breath, letting the small tingling of cold wash through her and cast away the fear. That's when the skies warm golden glow had appeared to her, the tell-tale signs of dawn slowly starting to part the darkness of the night. “At least you waited until now to wake me up." She groaned, pushing herself to all fours with a tail swishing grumble. The last few nights the dream had woken her up in the middle of the night and she was forced to toss and turn to get back to sleep. With a quick stretch she looked to the others, all of them asleep save Garroth. The man was still on his watch, stoking a lone dwindling fire with a stick.

“Morning." He grumbled, giving the flames one more poke before giving her a smile. “Sleep good?"

“Fantastic." She replied, making sure the man heard every syllable of sarcasm that was lurking within her. “Had the damn dream again."

“The melting one?" The man gave her a searching look from tail to beak. “That was rather hard to watch, kinda odd your having dreams about it though."

“How'd you manage to stay so chipper about it?" She hissed, looking to Axton and Soggu who were fast asleep in sleeping bags they had brought. She passed by them on her way to the fire, being mindful of her steps as to not wake them.

Garrtoh pulled a flask from his belt, swishing the container of it's contents. “Spirts help of course." He laughed, thrusting it out towards her. “Care for a drink?"

“No." She waved to him dismissively, “Don't need to have my wits snatched from me this morning."

“True." The man stowed the flask, flashing her a sly grin. “Know how wild you can get whilst you drink."

“That was ONE time." She chuckled, striding around him with a flick of her tail. “And don't even expect it to happen again you metal clad brute." Once clear of him she rose her beak, taking a long drag of the morning air. The scent of pine, rocks, the morning dew, and damp earth came to her all at one in a strong myriad of scents. She sighed, kneading the grass below her in her claws. “Any sign of the wizard yet?"

She glanced over to the still dormant body of the metal dragon that dominated most of the clearing they had fallen asleep in. The object didn't stir at all, morning dew having clung to its framework and coating it in a wet sheen. It was like it was dead. Not that she minded of course, the thing had been growing stranger and stranger since the night with the orcs. She'd often find glowing eyes looking to all of them, unwavering, determined. She would get a tingle down her spine that they were being hunted. Like it was biding its time until the perfect moment to pounce and rip them all to shreds. She had been thankful for the wizard when he was around, using a simple spell on the thing whenever it fought him. She wasn't sure how exactly how it did that, but it didn't help the uneasiness lurking within her bones.

“None yet. Still no where to be seen. I'm not worried though. He said he'd be back. So, he'll be back.

“I hope you're right in that regard. Else I don't see how the quest can succeed." Her brow narrowed as she looked to the horizon, admiring the thin strands of light that threatened to spill over the treetops and cast away the stars. Nigel had left them the other day with hardly any word being said. Though when he did it made her worry about why. For it had been one day while they were taking one of their many rests. One so that they could rest weary limbs from the boredom of flight and to help keep the construct in check. Nigel's eyes had flickered with worry as if caught in a predator's gaze, his limbs freezing in place as he had begun to weave his spell for the construct. The idea terrified her at the implications. The wizard that had showed little worry or concern for hardly anything now looked as though someone had threatened to kill him.

“I have to go." He had said sternly, turning to the others and repeating the phrase but more urgently. When they had asked him why he would not tell them, instead insisting that he was making sure they were not found. By whom he didn't say, but with how scared he looked. She didn't really want to meet whatever it was.

The only comforting thing to her feathers about him leaving was there was no wizard. He had instructed all of them to keep following the metal dragon after the red one. She had voiced her concern with an irritated chirp at the metal dragon's behavior, asking how they were supposed to keep the creature in check. She got a brief chuckle for her trouble as the wizened wizard gestured to Axton with a smile.

“The boy shall be the one looking after the dragon in my stead." The man said coolly, sliding over to Axton like a specter before clamping a hand onto his shoulder. “We have been practicing such things, I'm sure he will be up to the task. Though one thing must be made clear to all of you." Nigel shot them all narrowed looks. “You are not to engage the red dragon if you catch up to him without me. If you do manage to find them, observe them instead." The wizard had looked beyond them to the countryside but looking as though he were casting his gaze to oblivion. “I shall not be tarrying too long, perhaps a few days at most."

“What if the dragon just decides to pounce them? We can't really stay hidden after that." She rolled her eyes, flicking her tail to the metal creature.

“Then let it." Nigel glared at the metal dragon like an unruly dog. “It would have lived its purpose then. You will still hunt after them. I trust in your abilities. It's why I hired you and provided my enchantments and gear. I do not make investments such as this lightly."

“And you believe Axton can keep the thing in check?" She had cocked her head to the nervous looking boy. Whose eyes were filled with hesitation as he looked to the great towering metal construct that had been eying him with swaying tail. She doubted the wizard had told him about the plan.

“That I can gryphon. We all saw how talented he was. The spell to keep the dragon enchanted is much easier than that one. So, I have no worry that my delighted apprentice here can keep a simple construct in check."

“How will you be finding us after words?" Garroth had clapped his hands together, looking a little too joyful at the time.

“I have my ways." The wizard had smirked, offering Axton a parting wave and demand to stay safe.

Athenais and the boy had stood in surprise, perhaps at the care that had been present within the wizard's voice. Nigel had then uttered a phrase and strolled away, raising into the air as if lifted by a thin invisible wire, then flying into the sky.

That had been two days ago now, and nothing had been heard from the wizard. Not a single word. She grinned to herself that maybe something horrible had happened to him. It would certainly be a load off her mind if that was the case. Course that means no treasure. Her grin suddenly faded as she scratched at the ground. Damn him. Of course, I can't want him dead.

She sighed, glancing down to a small symbol that had been painted onto her left claw. It was drawn in white paint and looked to be a roughly drawn gryphon. She chuckled at how sloppy it looked but had been thrilled when Axton had drawn it on her the night before Nigel's departure. They had been discussing things as the little spirit Celes jumped around trying to smack at her tail with her little red paws.

“It's a friendship symbol." Axton had smiled to her and Soggu, pulling out his white paints and brush. “Mixed with a little of my own spells."

“Will it hurt?" Soggu had cocked his head sniffing at the paints and wrinkling his snout in disgust, making Athenais laugh.

“Scared of a little paint? Don't your people paint their entire bodies?"

“They don't use magic." Soggu hissed back as Axton had drawn the symbol carefully. Once he was done he had sprinkled on some grass, circling his finger and pressing it firmly to her. All at once she remembered the rush that had coursed through her. Like she had taken a whole cup of human coffee in one go. “This is fantastic!" She had exclaimed, happily chirping as she had admired the white gryphon head. “And it's a gryphon! What's it do?"

Axton had blushed at her kind words, telling her it allowed them to call upon the minor magic once per day. Just by tapping the symbol they could heal a minor wound or restore some energy. It wouldn't be able to be more than a simple cut, but it was something. She had hugged him tightly before he had moved onto Soggu. The lizard had held out a claw, twitching as the boy drew the picture of a lizard on his hand.

“Mine looks better." Soggu held up his claw, showing off the symbol with a grin. Athenais had chuckled, pushing him away with her wing as Axton turned to Garroth. The warrior had held up his hand, refusing the symbol despite their teasing. With a quick ruffling of her feathers she was drawn back to present as the morning wind kissed her cheeks.

“I'm going for a flight." She said calmly, glancing back to Garroth and the rest of her sleeping companions. “Clear my mind from the dream I think."

The warrior nodded, gesturing to the others with a flick of the stick. “Just don't be too long. We got a long day ahead of us. Dragon to catch and all that. Don't want ta have to waste time looking for ya."

“All heart I see." She snapped her beak, spreading her wings wide over the ground as a faint breeze washed over her and fluffed up her fur.

“Being honest."

She rolled her eyes, starting to gallop before pouncing into the air like a large cat. She flapped her wings strongly, kicking up some dirt as she carried herself into the light filling sky. She spiraled upwards for several moments, passing through some low hanging clouds and closing her eyes in enjoyment as beads of water flowed down her feathers. She did a spin, letting out a joyous chirp before extending her wings and entering a glide.

She passed over a babbling brook far below that was littered with rocks. Water splashed against them spraying the rock. Birds rose up as she passed over the treetops, their angry squawks drawing a smile to her beak. She returned their sounds with a loud chip of her own, making them give her a wide berth. The morning sun managed to finally crest over the horizon, great rays of gold flowing down to cover the land around her in a honied glaze. She shifted her wings, swirling over the multicolored treetops that made the world beneath her look like a mismatched quilt stitched together. It was not long during her flight that hunger started to eat away at her like a ravenous wolf, so she descended towards the river and caught herself several fish to devour away. When she had her fill, she spiraled up above the earth, setting her sights back towards the camp. Garroth did tell her to not stray too far after all.

She scanned the vast forest below, eyes tracing over ever rock, tree, or bush that spread out around her. It was not long before gazing at this expanse she found the familiar parting of trees, the glint of metal sparkling in the sun. She passed over the clearing, getting a good look of the metal dragon still sleeping away, if she could call it that. Its snout was pressed to the ground, it's eyes dim and giving it the look of some great skeleton.

With a tilted wing Athenais circled the clearing, eyeing her companions who were up and preparing their spells for the day ahead. Soggu was standing tall, his eyes closed as he chanted under his breath a mantra. The siigonis swirled his hands with a slightly moving tail. He had told her it was his way to commune with nature, attune his spirit to the land as he focused on his spells. She closed in on the ground, shrugging as she had to take his word for it. She instead set her eyes to Axton, who was sitting down cross legged with a leather-bound book in his lap as the Celes curled around his neck insisting that the human wizard pet her ever so often.

“Good morning all." She announced, backwinging before she landed in a bumpy trott.

“Welcome back." Garroth grumbled coming around the other side of the metal dragon. He rapped the thing with the back of his hand, his eyes narrowing as the man paced around the metal behemoth.

“Are you sure that's wise to poke that thing?" She asked, taking position a good distance as Garroth continued his inquisitive prodding.

“The stupid thing has just been laying here dormant. It's like the damned thing went to sleep." Garroth kicked the metal scales with a dull thump, making Athenais leap back in a surprised chirp.

“Are you crazy?" She shouted, heart pounding in her chest as she stared at the dormant construct's snout. Thankfully it still seemed to be asleep, and not even stirred. “You're going to get us all killed!" She snapped her beak back to the calm looking warrior who had his gloved hand to his chin.

“Not likely. I already kicked it four times before you got back. It didn't wake those times either."

“Four times?" She gasped, ruffling her feathers as she shot daggers to him. “You're testing fate then. I swear to the heavens Garroth. One morning you do that the damned things going to kill you." She strolled passed the man with a chuckle working its way through her throat. “and I'll be laughing away because you didn't listen." She held her head up in a huff, giving the man an irritated squawk before strolling away towards the others.

Let him keep kicking the dragon.Idiot.

“Are you done ssshouting to the hevansss?" Soggu opened one of his eyes lazily, shifting from one foot to the other as his muscles flowed like the water. “Sssome of usss are trying to ssstay focused." He turned away from her, flicking his tongue against the air.

“Depends." She replied, starting to stretch and bend her body. Little tremors of cold flowed through her bones in a most delightful fashion. She made sure to let a long groan escape her beak as her feathers trembled slightly in delight. “If Garroth stops being an idiot." She flowed up her chest, pushing her hinds down as her tail swished over them. “Then maybe."

“Ssso thatsss going to be never then?" The siigonis chuckled, taking a small, forceful step onto the earth. The sand around his toe talons began to rise up slightly, as if the gravity no longer had them under it's sway. “You ssshould really take thisss up. Would help with that ssstresss that courses through your veinsss. You can sssee it in how you carry yourssself."

“Oh I've heard this one before lizard." She rolled her eyes, settling down onto her haunches with a flick of her tail. “And you're the one to help me work off this stress no? Maybe with something in those lower regions of yours? Please." She dismissed him with a wave of her claws. “You will have to try harder than that."

“Not that." Soggu hissed, taking another step onto the ground and getting the same results. “I meant massssage or meditation." He punched the air with a claw, sending out a small funnel of wind that brushed aside any loose leaves that had scattered on the ground. “I am quite good with my clawsss. Though not usssed to handling you sssoft thingsss in sssuch a way, it can bring clarity and pleasssure. Help work away the ssstresss that lurksss within you like an untamed animal."

“Fine." She rolled her eyes, “Just admit you wanted to get your claws on me then you can help me relieve this tension you think is all encompassing of my being."

“I've already had my clawsss on you patchesss. Ssshould I remind you of all the times you've been in my tender care?" He gave her a tooth filled grin, his eyes glinting with a hint of lewd mischief.

She felt her face grow a little warm as she investigated the calm lizard going about his movements. She flared up her wings, giving a large flap and knocking him over onto the dirt with a buffet of wind. “I could use that massage sometime. Just remember to not have wandering claws."

“Seems like you're the one who can't wait to sink your claws into me." Soggu grinned, pushing himself back to a standing position with swaying tail. His blue scales shinned ever so brightly in the sun they looked really pleasing to the eye. Athenais looked away with a swaying tail as her cheeks started to warm. She instead tried to focus on Axton, who had stood up and clasped his book tight with a proud look plastered on his face.

“Sssee sssomething you like in my ssscalesss?" The lizard chuckled behind her making her freeze before rolling her eyes and giving him a dismissive laugh of her own.

“Damn lizard. Like I'd find your dull scales attractive. You're a dullard to other men we've met."

“Right...All the men we have met….Ssso there are two othersss asss of late. I don't think he's your type little birdy."

She nearly stumbled with her next step as she pictured the wizard. “Oh, shush that ugly snout of yours." She curled her head back, ears splaying in embarrassment. “Unless you want a pair of talons in your nethers." She held up her claw, showing off the sharpened talons. “You know how sharp they can be."

“Not sssharper than that wit you are using with your sssilver tongue it ssseemsss." Soggu sighed, clasping his claws together as he let out a lingering sigh. “There." His tongue flicked across his snout. “Ready for the day. The lizard's head snapped towards the metal dragon as Garroth's boot made connection with a dull smack. “Ssstop trying to wake the beassst human! The human sssaid it would only react to the boy!" Soggu gestured to Axton with a casual wave, making the boy suddenly freeze as all eyes went to him. The boy had been playing a game of catch Celes who had been scampering just out of the boys reach making little trills of joy.

“Yes! But it's never looked this deactivated before." Garroth shouted, “Boy!" The man's brow stitched together as he pointed to the metal beast with his sword drawn. “Did you go and break the damned dragon?"

“No!" The boy shouted as Celes started to nip at his boots. “I did everything my master told me! I don't have a clue why its being so weird!" The boy's voice cracked as the warrior sheathed his sword and walked over to him with forceful steps. His boots impacting the ground as if they were determined to make the ground around them quake.

“Then try again boy. I don't intend to be stuck here on my palms while our quarry gets further and further away. I'll be damned if that red drake makes a fool of me again!" The man hissed, sliding a hand around Axton and pointing to the dragon with a thrust finger. When the boy's eyes fell to the dragon Garroth gave him a violent shove forward. “So, make haste!"

“You don't have to be that hard on him you know." Athenais growled, slinking over to the warrior as Axton hesitantly approached the metal dragon. Her eyes drifted from the tentative step taking human to the sleeping dragon. Axton extended his hand with an open palm. She had seen the boy do such a thing before over the previous day, command the dragon with a mere wave of his hand. Though as he did it now nothing happened.

“Something wrong boy?" Garroth shouted with a taught voice. His hands clenching into fists as the situation became apparent to the mercenary. They were going to be stuck here.

“I told you it was being weird!" Axton spun around, his color draining from his face. “Somethings wrong!"

“You know if something could be wrong. How much do we even know about a controlling a construct? Especially one like that?" She tilted her head back to Garroth, giving the man an inquisitive chirp with a tilted head. “

“Too little too late I'm afraid." The man grumbled, giving Axton a dismissive wave and snort. “Hate being at the mercy of a mere child. We're going to miss out all because of him!"

Axton must have heard the man's comment cause Athenais watched as the boy's face suddenly reddened and went back to flailing at the air with large swishes of his hand at the air. “Come on blasted thing!"

“Yelling at him isn't going to get it done faster. It's only going to make him nervous and mess up even more." She grimaced as the image of the orc bubbling and pooling into a bloody mess. “He has a lot to put up with right now. Just look at what happened with the orcs."

“Still say it was good for him." Garroth rolled his shoulders his eyes brimming with irritation that threatened to boil over. When it became to much he tossed his hands into the air. “I'm going to search around for anything. Holler if anything happens." The man strolled to the edge of the clearing with a confidant stride but not before thrusting a finger back at the still trying child. “Better fix that dragon boy! Or I shall tell your master it was all your doing we were late!"

“Late?" She whispered to herself. The wizard hadn't revealed a time and place they were supposed to meet. At least not to her anyway. Her brow narrowed as she glared daggers at Garroth, imagining he was the face of that smug Nigel. “Figures." She rolled her eyes as she turned back to the apprentice and began strolling over the grass towards him. The wizard of course was keeping things ompartmentalized. Good. Efficient. If he didn't creep her out so much she might have commended him for it. “How goes the spell casting my little fledgling?" She asked with a happy chirp, hopping over to Axton with a flap of her wings.

“Can't get the darned thing to work." Axton crossed his arms, staring at the metal hide with a tapping boot. “No matter what I do."

“That all?" She gave him a disapproving squawk as she strolled around him, lowering her beak below his shoulder. “You seem fairly capable. Perhaps its you're distracted by something? Some pretty girl that has caught your eye in the travels? Someone we don't know about?"

“No!" He pushed her beak away as his face burned a brighter crimson. “I'm not even into girl's yet."

“Boys then whatever." She snorted, watching the boy look away with somehow even brighter cheeks. If she did not know better, she almost expected them to burst into flames.

“Can't seem to connect to the damned thing." He held out his hand, palm wide with extended fingers. “Usually I just have to close my eyes and focus on the thing's energy and move my arm like this. “He swished down his arm but nothing happened. “But still…Nothing."

“Maybe my idea does have some merit."

“What do you know about magic? You can't even cast it." He snapped, looking back at the dragon's tail.

She didn't mind his little outburst, he was embarrassed and frustrated after all. She wiggled her hinds and made a pouncing leap, landing softly on the grass. “That might be true little fledgling, but I have traveled around with that overgrown salamander over there, and he talks about concentrating and meditating all the time. Maybe a little of that transfers over to this as well? Besides can you really fault a gryphon for trying to wing it?" She rose her brow, smiling as the boy's demeanor softened and he chuckled into his hand.

“Fine." He straightened his pose, extending his arm with his legs firmly planted on the ground. Fire flickered in his darkened pools as he held back his other hand with cupped fingers. He swished it through the air, his fingertips glowing a faint cerulean as the air itself started to tingle. “Uthe" He whispered softly.

The darkened slots where the dragon's eyes had been suddenly ignited like a flame. They started to glow like two suns had been given life. The metal behemoth rose to all fours, its joints and gears clicking and filling the air with metallic clacks that sounded more like a clock. It rose its snout high, dirt scattering from its paws in a great wave. It tilted its snout, its eyes looking to them all in turn before letting out an ear-splitting roar.

“You did it!" Athenais shouted, ears pinning against her head as she lowered herself and tried to cover them with her claws. “Why did it roar?" She got her answer as the construct suddenly whipped its body around, it's metallic tail heading right for Axton. She leaped to the boy and tackled him to the ground, feeling the cool tail swish over her fur as they slammed into the ground. When she had flipped over to watch its movements the beast had taken a mighty bound into the sky without another sound. It scattered droves of birds as the canopy caught its limbs and was ripped apart with a mighty crack.

“What did you tell it to do?" She snapped as she had to cover her eyes from the bright metal glinting in the sunlight.

“I just told it to wake up!" Axton shouted, his voice cracking as she leaped off him.

“What just happened?" Garroth came running back to the clearing, a worried face on him. “The fock is the dragon?"

“Working on it!" Athenais shouted, leaping after the metal dragon without another thought. Without the dragon there was no job, no money, and certainly no road to fame. She narrowed her eyes and broke through the canopy with several poundings of her wings. “I'm going to see where it's going!" She called down in a keening cry, “Just stay there and wait for me!"

“Sure thing. Not like we can fly after you anyway!"

She rolled her eyes and adjusted her wings, scanning the sprawling horizon for the metal behemoth. It wasn't hard. The great silver shining beast standing out among the multicolored hills that went for miles. It was following the river, gliding easily above it without a care. She ignored the pounding of her heart and raced after it. It wasn't hard to keep up with the dragon, it wasn't particularly fast like her wings. Though she did keep a warry distance from the creature. There was no need for it to suddenly turn around and snap at her from the air or blast her with its energy beam. No, she was fine to stay far behind it and trail it's movements. Despite the voice in her head asking her what she was doing she ignored it. The promise of glittery coins and fame too much of a distraction for her to give up now.

Like rolling waves of gold and crimson the trees moved with the earth like it was breathing. Separated by varying shades of green and other brights it looked as if a painter had spilled their paints into a collection of mismatched hues that somehow made an inspiring view. If not for the urgency in chasing the dragon she might take a few moments to take in the breathtaking sight with her eyes. Instead she beat her wings, gliding towards the low hanging clouds almost within claws reach at her height and glowing with morning rays of light. She and the dragon stayed right below them, little sections of the fluffy things rippling in their wake.

For miles she followed the metal winged creature over the surface of the earth. Its snout swishing back and forth for something, looking downwards as if it were inspecting the trees and water that ran below it. When it had found what it was looking for the creature spiraled down towards the ground, breaking trees like twigs before it with mighty cracks. Bark shattered, and wood splintered as the creature let out a metallic screech on the air. She hovered in place as birds suddenly burst up from the canopies squawking in alarm at their metallic intruder. Still it didn't stop there.

She followed it's path of destruction as it knocked aside loose trees, upturned rocks, and ripped apart bushes in it's search for something that eluded her mind. With another roar the dragon found a turned over tree that was larger than it in size. Its roots were hanging in the air like little tendrils that broke and fragmented as the dragon barged its way in with little effort. With a series of clanks and a final grumble the metal dragon settled onto its belly, curling its tail around itself like a mighty city wall.

Curiosity whispered through her veins as she circled overhead. Why had it decided to come here? What was the point? How could it rebel this badly? She glanced back the way she came knowing the answers she sought were most likely in that direction. She stared through the trees almost as if she could spot the nervous form of Axton's face as he babbled away in worry over her safety. The human child must have been beside himself with worry. Garroth probably wasn't taking it easy on him either and berating him for making the dragon leave. With a final glance back to the dragon she made sure that it was still dormant. Her heart pounded in her chest as she watched the air around it settle, and the life it had been showing suddenly look to be no more than a passing thing. Yet somewhere in the back of her mind she expected it to burst forth from the ground to get her.

“You're not going anywhere are you." She mumbled to herself, the uneasiness within her gut starting to spread further out into her wings. Satisfied that it wouldn't be leaving she angled her wings and carried herself around the forest below and set her sights back towards the camp, letting out a loud echoing cry. One that would let her friends know she was alive and well.

She glided back to the camp, the cold air warmed only slightly by the sun's morning rays. Who could have predicted that a standard day had already evolved into an adventure on it's own right? She snapped at the wind in frustration. It was only another delay to chase after the red_._

One less day of freedom, one less day of fame, and one less day without treasure.

As she moved with the current she closed her eyes, blissfully imagining the sparkling coin that would await her. Every clink of it would sound sweet to her ears as she counted it in detail. She chuckled at the image of her spread out over the hardened metal with her wings extended as she wiggled away with soft groans. Wonder if I was meant to be a dragon? She eyed the clearing as it broke free of the trees, starting her downward spiral with a loud chip of hello.

“Did you lose it?" Garroth was the first to ask. He was jogging over from the tree line in his darkened metal plate that was made to fit him. He had his gleaming great sword slung over his back with a leather belt, right alongside his makeshift backpack. “Thought we might have lost you." The man's eyes flashed with anger to the human child, who was currently sitting on a rock reading his spell book, his eyes practically glued to the pages. “Damned kid almost got us killed and messed up the quest. If not for the wizard I'd say to ditch him at the first hovel we come across. He's too much trouble then he's worth."

“And you'd have my claws grabbing your balls faster than your head would spin." She growled, giving the warrior a gaze sharper than his blade. One that told him to not even try that with her. In case he didn't get the idea she made sure to hold up her talons, let him inspect every detail of their sharpened nature. “Understand?" She wiggled them in the air.

“Bah!" The man scoffed, “Your funeral then." His eyes looked up to trace the form of a cloud in the shape of a pegasus, dark and heavy like there would be rain in the future. “Where did it get off to anyway?"

“Not too far from here. Few miles up the river. Damned thing went down and started ripping up trees. Fell asleep soon after, if you can even call it that." She passed the warrior, flicking her tail across his leg with his tail. Her attention went to that of the human mage, who didn't look that upset as she thought. Soggu was leaning up against the tree nearest to him and pointing down to the book with a claw, a brief smile on his snout before his tongue graced the air with its flicking.

“What's the shaman doing?" She cocked her head to the side as Axton let out a loud cheery laugh. One that made her heart warm a little as the little dragon spirit stared down from his shoulders as if trying to read with them.

“Damned ssscaled bassstard thought it would be intriguing to compare ssspellsss." Garroth hissed, giving his best impression of the lizard before taking a swig of his tankard. “Going to be a rough morning if I'm already taking more sips of this."

“Just don't have your wits snatched from you by the drink you drunkard." She rolled her eyes with a clack of her beak. “Stay here while I go get the others ready to go."

“Don't need your leaders help?"

“No, I don't want you scaring them away you grumpy bastard. Gryphons are more suited for something like this anyway."

“Bah! What do you know?"

“More than what's between your ears human!" She turned her head back, making sure to grant the man a peek back with a beak parting laugh before strolling over the grass with a sway in her haunches. “Having fun?" She asked cheerily as she slid over to the spell casters. She locked eyes with Axton, who suddenly looked nervous and snapped away with reddening cheeks. “What happened with the construct?" She blurted out, watching as the joy suddenly drained from the boys face like it had sprung a leak.

“Well..thats…um.." He stammered, shifting his weight on the stone.

“Axton." She sighed, taking a deep breath before making her voice dead serious. “I need to know if you can do this. We could all have been injured or killed because of your meddling. What if it had wanted to attack someone?"

“I know!" He folded on himself, his hands seeking out his hair and gliding through them. “I know." His voice came weaker, almost cracking. If Athenais didn't know any better, she would say the human was on the verge of tears.

“It just requiresss more manipulation of the ssspirit." Soggu stood up, rotating his head with a snap of his jaws. “The ssspell isss sssimilar to my own. I think with sssome practice he can do such thing easssier." Soggu curled his head down to gaze upon the boy like some proud parent. “He'ssss a fassst learner."

“Fine." She shook her head, gesturing around them. “Where can we take him then to practice this with you? We don't have all time. Our leader is impatient and looking for results."

“Sorry." Axton rubbed his boot on the ground as Celes climbed over his shoulder and softly nudged at his cheek with her snout.

“It wont talk long. I think he wantsss the dragon yesss?" Soggu's tongue flicked out of his mouth as his gaze shifted to Garroth behind her. “Otherwissse we won't be able to find it. It would drag on for much too long." He flashed her a tooth filled grin, one that made her put her beak into her claws.

“Really? A pun? A pun at a time like this?"

“I thought you liked them." The lizard chuckled, patting Axton on the shoulder and instructing them they had a better place to practice. One that would set his mind in the right state for the trial ahead. Athenais had instructed him it had to be near the metal dragon just in case it decided to move and they had to follow behind. Soggu didn't protest but did mention off hand that he could teach it anywhere. Garroth had been a tad reluctant at first going off into his usual rant about wasting time. She had countered with a calm suggestion that he was free to go wake and try to command the metal beast on his own. “I'd relish the chance to split your share of the reward with Soggu there." She had replied with a coy chirp. One that had left the man red faced and brimming at the seems with irritation. She was delighted that he shut his trap and just glared at her. She hadn't minded. So, what if he were mad at her? He'd be thanking her when this was over anyway.

So, it was they followed the riverbank with well-placed steps, Soggu leading the way through the underbrush as she circled ahead and kept them on course towards the dragon's resting place. She was amazed that he strolled through the forest with such ease that the thick underbrush seemed to not be there. When it looked as if there were no way to progress around a thick bunch of bushes and branches he always found a way for the others to navigate. She almost expected that the forest was bending and shaping around him to fit his purpose, but she dismissed it with a shake of her head and quick twirl in the air. That would be silly. It was not long until they found something that the lizard had decided was a perfect location for his purposes. Why that was she had no idea, but it was a small section of the river that wound around in a half moon with a large sandy area that was littered every now and then with rocks. There was one that drew her attention, a large smooth shape that jutted out of the ground like a shell and seemed large enough that she might be able to sprawl out and have a good sun bathe. It was a dark onyx in color, with many scratches and dents along it's surface.

She landed and inspected the rest of the place, finding that the river didn't seem all too deep. It only would come up to around her belly when she walked around in it. The bed of it seemed to be covered in many tiny rocks and specks of green that clung to the dirt like dying souls for life. She rose her beak, figuring that from the edge of the river to the water was around two lengths of her wings, and the beach another three on top of that. She flicked aside some of the sand as the others dropped their gear and shuffled into the beach.

“So, you lot are just going to practice?" Garroth snorted as she curled her head around, settling onto her hinds.

“That's right." She gave him an amused look and gestured back to the forest behind her with a wing-tip. “Feel free to go keep our metal dragon company if you grow bored. Make sure it's not moving. Soggu and I can help the young mage after all."

He gave her daggers with his eyes, but she chuckled right back and strode happily over with the water with a pleased chirp. “Bah!" Garroth waved his arms at the air and wandered off into the forest grumbling away to himself.

She splashed some of the water around, not really minding the cold that licked at her hinds and claws. It was rather bracing as the sensation spread to the rest of her body. She breathed in and out with closed eyes, slowly refolding her wings against her. She slunk out of the way as Soggu and Axton wadded in after words. The boy having left his boots back on the beach with all his important books and whatnot. Celes gave a pleased marf before leaping into the water with a little splash and starting to paddle away like a dog with a trill.

“You have to ceassse your ssshivering, or you won't be able to focusss." Soggu said sternly, crossing his arms across his chest as the human child chattered his teeth and hugged his own chest like a viper strangling its prey.

“E..easy for you to say." Axton quivered, “The water's freezing!"

“Easssy?" The lizard scoffed, flicking his tongue at the air. “Boy, I'm cold blooded. If anything, it's even worssse for me."

“Why can't we practice over on the sand?" Axton gestured to the nice dry beach with his neck. “At least its more comfortable over there."

“Thisss isss a way to help pusssh thingsss from your mind." The siigonis snapped. He held up a claw, flicked his tongue once more at the air and began his slow methodical movements through the air. “It will be good for you. It is how I learned to sssenssse the ssspiritsss."

Axton sighed, mimicking the lizard when he was asked to do so. He did however toss Athenais a pleading look. One that just begged for her help like a wounded dog.

“I'd listen to the shaman fledgling." She stared to the water instead, eyeing several gold speckled fish with two sets of fins on either side of their body. They started to lazily swim around the group, seemingly unaware of their presence. “Things like this will help keep you alive. Life is not easy even at the best of times." She grumbled, memories of hardship with her family coming to the forefront of her mind. How lost her parents had been after the loss of their son. They were soon dashed away at the prospect of all that glittering coin they were after. Her stomach gave a loud grumble as she followed the fish's movement with her beak.

But you just ate.

Her stomach groaned once more as if to answer her defiantly.

You did!

Another rumble as the fish curled around her limbs as if caught in her orbit.

Fine.

She lashed out with her beak fast as lightning. She caught the creature before it was even aware of her. With a snap bones and scales splintered before her mighty beak, the tasty treat disappeared in a loud gulp and chirp of satisfaction.

“Now how many ssspirits do you think are here right now?" Soogu's calm voice pulled her eyes to him as he flowed his arms through the air as if he were shaping the water around him.

“Uh…one?" Axton pointed to Celes who squealed happily at the attention.

“No." The lizard flicked his tail against the water, cupping a claw and raising it up with a sigh and deep breath. From the water suddenly rose three pseudopods roughly two feet in height. They surrounded the pair and started to shift and turn as if guided by an invisible hand while Axton watched in utter awe. “There are the three in the water." The lizard took a stride, his claw going down and the pseudopods going with it. “Ssseveral more in the foressst around usss and many more in the sssky." Soggu extended his arms wide towards the cloud above. “Ssspirits are around usss almossst at all timesss. You just need to know how to sense them."

“Which is why you brought us to the freezing water." The boy shivered again, but still had a smile on his lips.

“Precisssely. Little human. In addition to toughening your ssscalesss a tad."

“But I don-“

“Itsss an expression youngling." Soggu chuckled in his throat, sliding around the boy and lifting the human's arms and guiding them into swaying motions. :I want you to focusss on how you typically cast your spellsss, but instead of looking inward to yourself I want you to reach outwardsss. Try to visssualize being part of the treesss or one with the water. Take sssuch feelingsss and let them grow inside of you. Give them life until they threaten to burst outwardsss."

Silence fell as Athenais watched with bated breath as Axton closed his eyes, letting Soggu guide him through the motions. Slowly they danced through the water the only sounds being the slow breaths and babbling of water running by.

“Focusss on your breath as it entersss your lungsss and givesss you life. Mind the water rushing below usss and caresssing our limbsss. Lisssten to the foressst asss it fills your earsss with the chittering of insssects and birdsss.

Celes made a cute little roar that made Athenais chuckle into a claw.

“Ah yes. And senssse the little Celesss here too. She is apparently jealousss."

“I.." Axton's voice quivered as his face wrinkled in thought. “I can feel them!" He suddenly shouted, a large smile dominating his face as he broke away from the lizard and hoped for joy. “There's so many around us!"

“Yesss child there are." The proud shaman smirked, watching as the child scampered around the water and Celes chased after him with little splashes of her own. “Thisss wasss jussst a sssmall tassste in how my own magicsss work." He moved gracefully through the water, another psudeopod rising up as his arms curled around in the air. “Now can you get one of the sssspirits to ssshow itself?"

“How do I do that?" The boy stared, arms slumping as he stood transfixed by the simple swaying of the water.

“Jussst focusss on the feelingsss we just went over. But also have the feeling you wisssh them to appear."

“Athenais?" Axton swayed his hands, giving her a questioning look. “Are you guys murderers for hire?" She saw him gulp as she gave him a hardened glance.

Why would you ask that? Now of all things? “Focus on your lesson." She replied coolly.

“But what if the dragon you're after is a good one?"

“I said focus." She splashed some water at him, striding passed him with a raised beak. “Its not all we do child. We do other quests as well."

“And what if he's good?" The boy wiped away the water as it dripped down his face and plopped into the river below.

“That's subjective fledgling." She sighed, “In the end it only matters protecting those you care for and keeping yourself alive. Everything else is secondary. You will learn in time such things."

“Would you die to protect me?" His voice came meekly, as he followed the Siigonis through the motions.

She held her tongue, considering the boy's question. She knew the answer that lurked within her that swirled like a beast. True she did like the child and had many things to say to him, but it did really beg the question if she would die for him. It made her clack her beak and tell him to focus on his lesson then things such as that. “I will make sure it never came to that anyway." She had assured him. “Although if it ever came down push to shove. You're not a loved one Axton. I would choose my own life."

“That's..cruel." The boy sighed, looking as though he were physically wounded by her words.

“No." She curled her head around. “It's just the way of the world. You will learn when to seize the moment child. Like a hunter waiting for the perfect moment to strike. By this journey's end I hope we toughen you up, and instill the lesson that your own survival is paramount. Something your dragon mother would have wanted." She nearly winced as his eyes filled with pain. Part of her wanted to go back and apologize for such words dampening his spirit as she trotted away with splashing water.

No. She reminded herself. He needs to be tougher. He can put up with a few hurt feelings if it gets the lesson across. She strolled away to the shore and quickly scampered over the much warmer sand. When she had neared the large rock on the beach she shook her fur and feathers, scattering water in all directions like a dog. With that completed she ruffled a few of her feathers before taking a seat on the stone with a flicking tail. With eyes occasionally going to the pair in the water she began to preen her feathers, making sure to stroke the water from her feathers with each pass of her beak. She watched in amusement as the pair went back to their lesson. They went into a steady rhythm of Soogu showing him something with his tail swishing over the water and some with his snout raised to the heavens. The boy was smiling the entire time despite the harsh words she had shared with him. Eventually though they traded the water for the shore. Once there they began their strange dance like motions. Although this time instead of being swaying and water like they were now forceful and rigid. Every movement telegraphed and containing a weight behind it as they moved. If Athenais had to describe it in one word she would have said it reminded her of a rock.

She chuckled to herself as she continued her work, Soggu raising a claw in tandem with her preening to summon up several columns of sand. Just like the water before they began to shift and change to match the lizard's movements as he stepped and moved around the beach. Celes had decided to charge at one of them with her head, smashing through one in an explosion of dirt before rolling head over tail until she was sprawled out on her limbs. She glanced up, giving Soggu daggers with her eyes.

“Don't blame usss for your anticsss little one." The lizard had chuckled, sliding around to Axton and helping him with the movements here as well. “Now focusss human on what the gryphon said." Soggu made a fist with his claw and punched out towards the treeline, the columns of sand following along and leaping like frogs to the other sections of the beach.

“That's awesome!" Axton clapped as Soggu turned to Athenais and flashed her a grin.

“You could bend ssspiritsss or guide them in sssuch the way given practice. Anyone could. Even lazy gryphonsss!" The snarky lizard turned to her, cupping his snout with his claws. It made her wiggle and give him a disappointing groan.

“I'm not lazy Soggu!" She shouted, “We talked about this. I work smarter rather than harder! It just appears as though I'm lazy!" She chirped away happily as she sprawled out on the stone, spreading her wings out and letting the sun warm her feathers as the two snickers and whispered among themselves. “You know." She sighed, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. “Your words and whispers make it seem like you're up to something."

Be careful She reminded herself, you might fall asleep like this…Though what would be wrong with that? I've done a lot! Not to mention it would only be fair because of the nightmare after all. Soggu had the situation with the boy handled, Garroth was off doing human things. She could afford to lay out, wings spread and just rest away to the forest sounds around her. All of that ended abruptly when a mound of dirt rose up and suddenly covered her.

“Ahhhh!' She squawked in surprise as she suddenly thrashed and tossed sand every which way in panic. She was on all fours in an instant, her limbs tensing for combat as she scanned the area for the intruder. All she found was the human and lizard pointing at her with snickering snouts and faces. “Oh..So it was you." She chirped, crowns extending as she strutted towards them her senses brimming with mischief. “You think this is funny?" She flared her wings out at them, showing off sections that sand now stuck to them like it was paste.

The human burst out laughing, while the lizard gave her an amused look and held his composure while he snickered. “It wasss the human'sss idea." Soggu gestured, taking a step back and leaving Axton before her. He gulped as she took a step towards him.

“Let's see how funny it is when you're covered in dirt!' She suddenly chirped. Leaping at him as instinct filled her. He dodged out of the way by rolling, leaving her to land on the ground in a shower of dirt. She quickly recovered and bound towards the cackling mortal once more. “Stay still!" She protested with a laugh as the wily human swerved and dodged just out of her way. It didn't help when another wave of sand washed over her and pushed her to the ground with a laugh. “Soggu!" She cackled, rolling along with the sand. “I was after the human!" Coming to a rest she pushed herself to all fours, staring at the shaman who looked rather proud of himself.

“Yesss, and I was protecting my pupil from your sssandy vengeance!" The lizard smiled as he took a step backwards, tensing his body as his eyes watched her movements like a hawk.

“Oh, so that's how it's going to be." She found herself giggling as she shook off the sand all over her fur. Part of her mind realized she just might have to take another bath to get rid of it all. She didn't take a moment to realize the irony before pouncing towards the ready lizard. Though this time it was Axton that came to her aid. Soggu's eyes widened in surprise as a thin strand of sand wrapped around the lizard's leg and disrupted his stance, long enough for Athenais to capitalize and tackle the lizard to the ground with a happy chirp. “See?" She smirked down at the squirming lizard, lowering her beak. “The human even traded sides. So much for your star pupil." She glanced to Axton, who was laughing away.

“I saw the moment and seized the opportunity!"

“Oh, look at that. He's using our own lesson against us." Athenais pushed off of Soggu and set her sights for the human with a lowered neck. “Although…" She took a step as Soggu rolled his head around. “I think it's time we taught you a lesson."

“Oh no!' Axton went to run but it was too late. Soggu pushed him over with a rolling wave of sand that send the cackling child head over feet into a pile of dirt. Though this wasn't enough. Athenais was on the boy in a second, pinning him to the ground and tickling away at his neck.

“You think it's funny to get me all covered in dirt?" She chirped in amusement as the human's body spasmed uncontrollably. “I'll show you human." She continued her assault to the babbling human until tears came to his eyes as he playfully batted at her limbs.

“I leave and come back to this?" Garroth shouted from the clearing. There was a vein popping from his head as his face started to turn a bright shade of red. “This is your training? Playing?"

“Oh, I was teaching the human here a lesson." She rolled her eyes, letting Axton go to compose himself. “He and that lizard you hired decided it would be funny to cover me with dirt." She showed off her wings. “I was making sure he got what was coming to him."

“Utterly fantastic then. Well I hope you were at least busy while you were goofing around while I was doing the actual work."

“Really?" She gave the man a withering glance, “Do enlighten us our stalwart leader." She bowed mockingly before him and chuckled when his narrowed gaze squared in on Axton.

“I kept an eye on the dragon. Did the boy even manage to get some practice in?"

Athenais strutted around the boy, whose face was bright red and doing whatever it took to look away from the harsh warrior's gaze. “Really Garroth, you expected me to not get what I said done?" She placed a claw to her chest. “You think us such poor teachers? Well you can rest your frilly stockings. I can assure you that there was little actual playing. The lizard and I taught him well." She sat down proudly on her hinds around the boy, puffing out her chest like a fortress as she gestured to the wizard to do the same. “isn't that right Soggu?"

“That would be true." The lizard flicked away some sand from his scales, striding over to stand tall before the warrior and glare down at him. “The youngling did well today. I would think that he'sss ready to face that dragon once more. The worst thing that happensss is we're ssstuck here."

“Hear that kid?" Garroth leaned over to glare one last time at Axton. “The whole adventurer is hanging on you…So no pressure." The warrior grabbed his pack, tossing Axton one last annoyed look before stomping into the forest with a series of clanks.

“Think I can do it?" Axton;s voice came softlyas he picked his pack from the sand, dusting it over with several smacks that covered Celes in a shower of dirt. She sneezed, flicked her tail and scampered away.

“No doubt about it." Athenais brushed passed him, playfully leaning against the nervous mage. “You just need to relax. We saw how you handled the elements. You're a bright kid."

Soggu nodded in agreement as they stared to pad their way to the treeline. “I have ssseen young lizardsss do such deeds in my village. You're not that bad." Soggu pulled aside a branch, letting the pair travel along unhindered through the foliage.

Athenais chirped happily as Axton's face filled with a joy. Or at least enough to fight back the growing worry that was painted across his face. It persisted over the root covered ground, the ones that seemed determined to snare her claws and pull her down to their level. She nearly stumbled twice and cursed their very existence. With each passing movement she could understand the dwarven stereotype to hate the trees. Eventually though Soggu took the lead, guiding her softly with a chuckle and swaying tail as he passed.

It was a short trip after that did the trees start to part and they found themselves in the area where the metal dragon had collapsed. Athenais suddenly stopped in tandem with Axton as the boy's face that had a glimmer of strength began to flicker away like a candle before a mighty breeze.

“I can do this." The human whispered to himself, raising his hand and clenching it into a fist.

Her eyes drifted from the mage to the metal dragon, that looked more like a sleeping mountain from this distance. She knew it sounded silly, but the thing looked to be even bigger than it usually did, even the area around it seemed to shrink as things became quieter. It was like even the forest knew something was going to happen, and that sent a tremor of unease coursing through her veins. Thankfully though the beast didn't seem to have moved, even some birds that were unaware of the danger had began to chirp away while scampering over the metallic scales as if it were a simple tree to walk upon.

“Yes, you can Axton." She reassured him, giving the human a beak parted smile that she hoped would distract from the growing worry in her heart. She internally chuckled that it might appear she was a mother, helping a young fledgling learn to fly for the first time. “You just need…to focus." She took the next step with him, extending a wing and keeping the dragon in her warry gaze.

Sounds dulled so that the only sound she could hear was the slight ringing in her ear and the dull thuds of her heart. With each step she tried to not think about what this malfunctioning metal beast could do. Her muscles tensed with every tentative step, ready to leap away with a bound of her wings with the mortal held tight in her claws.

“Aak" Soggu said quietly, his words almost a whisper as he placed a glowing claw onto the boy's hand that swirled with a green light. It spread over Axton from head to toe before bursting like a balloon. “Just a little guidance for luck." The shaman added as they shot him confused looks.

The next step brought the realization they were now two arms lengths away and Athenais did not think her heart could pound ever faster. It was already like her blood was coursing though with enough strength to make her heart explode as it beat away, threatening to leap from her chest. “Now focus." She whispered, tail flicking as her gaze traced every scale as hard as full plate, every dimly lit rune, each talon that could cut through bone with ease, to its hidden teeth that she knew could tear and rip right through… She shook her head as her claw trembled on the grassy ground.

Best to not think of such things.."You can do it Axton." She tried to sound hopeful despite the all-encompassing fear that had them all wrapped up tight in its coils.

“Okay." The boy held up his hand slowly, every inch accompanied by a little shake or tremble as the boy tried to fight back the fear lingering in the depths of his eyes. When he was halfway the dragon suddenly stirred, its tail flicking the ground behind it as it's runes started to glow brighter. What was once no brighter than a fireflies glow now burned as bright as lava fresh out of a volcano's maw.

The dragon's eyes suddenly filled as it snapped towards them like a cobra ready to spring.

“Look out!" Athenais called out, snatching up the others and bounding away with a mighty flap of her wings. They landed at least ten feat back and to Athenais' confusion the beast didn't follow them. Instead it sat there and watched them. The only other movement being a slight flicking of it's tail tip as it followed them. As if an alien intelligence was lurking behind those now flickering eyes.

Wait…Flickering?

She rubbed her eyes to see that she was not crazy. The eyes of the construct were indeed flickering on and off, like that of a firefly on a summer's eve. “It looks to be broken." She pointed to its eyes with a thrust of her talon. She glanced over to Axton with a chirp of relief but finding none in his face or that of the lizard. Their eyes were instead widened as they stared transfixed to the gleaming snout.

“It feels different." Axton said softly, pushing aside Athenais when she went to him and tried to stop his next few steps with an extended wing. “It feels like the spirits from the river.." The boy turned to Soggu with a look of confusion on his brow. “Can you feel it as well?"

“Yesss." Soggu replied calmly, eyes locked onto the metal dragon. Watching it's every movement as to not be caught surprised. “Though thisss feelssss…Wrong…Twisssted." The lizard's eyes flashed with a moment of burning fire. “Like whatever lurksss within that thing hasss been fragmented and ssscattered. Yet sssomehow isss ssstill alive within that thing'sss core.

“Wait.." Athenais felt a smell tremor of unease wash through her insides and settle in her gut. “Are you telling me that that thing has it's spirit still alive? That it's aware of its actions and such? I thought that was a joke about how crystals worked!"

“It seemssss to be the cassse with this one at leassst." Soggu hissed, one of his claws clenching into a fist.

“That's..," Athenais felt the unease shift into one of disgust as the dragon followed Axton's movements carefully. “Axton..What are you doing?"

“I'm going to try again. I didn't really get a chance to. You pulled me away. I can sense it…It wants there to be a connection."

“Soggu?" Athenais snapped to the lizard as Axton took another calm step towards the dragon that was looking more and more like a waiting hunter. She didn't want it to come down to her or the kid, because she knew she would pick herself. Best to stop it now before that choice was presented before her.

“Let him try." The Siigonis man's eyes narrowed as his claws cupped and he bent his knees in a sturdy stance. “I will be there ssshould he fail. Be his net."

Good. You won't get that choice. The lizard has already made it for you. That moment of relief did little for her though, not when Axton took another step and the dragon suddenly spasmed, it's whole body quaking as it's form thrashed and slammed it's limbs against the ground as it opened it's metal maw and let out an ear splintering shriek.

“Veledar!" The dragon cried, a beg for help that made Athenais' blood turn ice cold as Axton if sensing his own mortality backed away for a moment before taking a calming breath and continuing.

“You can do it boy!" She called out, silently praying to the gods for his success. It helped fight off the worry slowing rising within her.

“Uthe" Axton said calmly, raising his hand once more with extended fingertips and facinf his pallm towards the metal dragon. The orange runes that lined the creatures body suddenly started to flicker in time with it's eyes and appeared to be the same color cerulean that was now glowing from the boy's fingertips.

Veledar!" The dragon screamed, swiping the ground with it's mighty talons as the rapid flashing of it's eyes increased its frequency.

“It feels different!" Axton shouted, his voice nearly lost within the cracks of stone and splintering wood as the breast flailed and kicked up a large cloud of dust that left all of them coughing and desperately trying to shield their eyes.

“Push through it then!" She shouted. Perhaps he could even change the dragon. Get it to be calmer for the rest of the trip. Do a better job than Nigel could ever do. She felt pride for him, at least also for herself as the boy took another brave step, his fingers almost to the dragons snout as his other hand began to spin round and round and glowing the same color of his fingers.

The dragon let out a pained cry as it's flailing ceased. Whatever life that had been given to its limbs now faded as the orange runes vanished completely only to be replaced by a soft and soothing cerulean light.

“Veledar." The dragon sounded out weakly, every syllable seeming to be chore as it's limbs suddenly quivered and gave little flicks. Its voice was still very much metallic but it contained a hint of softness, realness. Part of Athenais wanted to think that it sounded feminine. A voice of whatever soul was trapped with the mana crystal at the thing's core.

“Veledar." The silver construct choked, wings drooping as it's formed seemed to shrink. Axton placed his hand carefully on its snout despite her and Soogu's warning cries.

“It's alright!" Axton called out in a near laugh. It was like even he didn't believe that he was able to do such a think without his hand being ripped off in a flash of metallic teeth. “I think she is fine for now!"

Wait.."She?" Athenais lost her composure for a second before righting herself and striding over. “What do you mean by she?" She flicked her eyes to the dragon's glowing blue spheres, not seeing a trace of emotion or anything she would even think of being a she.

“Yes." Axton said softly, his face forming a frown. “She was once a mighty dragon that lived in the hills and helped any mortal that sought her out. She had silver scales that would glimmer in the light and sought nothing but to bring peace and happiness to the world." The boy turned back to the dragon, rubbing her snout with a lowered head. “Her name was the Indominable Aegis." The moment the boy's words left his mouth the dragon's eyes suddenly darkened and faded. From the metal lining the length of the beast started to leak a blue lined fog. It billowed and curled over the ground as it threatened to swallow the surrounding area in its thick embrace.

“Axton!" She called out, fighting the urge to leap to his side as the boy was suddenly wrapped in the rolling cloud. She heard Soggu and Garroth voice their own concerns as the fog suddenly gained great speed. Like it had been blasted from the earth it swept over all of them, swallowing the mortals whole.

Athenais found her world suddenly consumed in cerulean light and dense fog. Like a pea soup she could not make out anything around her. She called out for the others, going to spread her wings but bumping into trees and other branches that clung to her feathers like grasping hands of wood. It smelled like mint if she had to put a name to the sensation now curling around her beak and permeating every breath she took upon the air. It made her skin tingle as a cold feeling struck at her core and flowed all the way to the tip of her tail. Even the forest around her seemed to have been concerned, as the sounds that had been letting them know life was around them suddenly ceased. The only sounds that came to her desperate ears were her own cries and those of her friends as they called out their concerns for the other.

At least they're okay. She told herself, crawling along the clearing as if blind. For what else could she do? All other senses were being deprived of her. She called out to Axton one last time but only got the sound of a giggling little voice. One that she did not know and made her freeze.

“You'll never catch the best dragon of all-time mother!" A figure darted past her limbs, getting wrapped up in the fog before she could get a good look. She only got a flash of a red tipped tail. One that she had to guess belonged to a dragon. She rose her right claw, inspecting the ground as if in shock at what had happened. She took a breath, not even getting a slight hint that something had been there. Whatever that thing was just had to be an illusion. Right?"

“That is, we're your wrong little one." Chuckled a deep and soothing voice that sounded as though it came from the waves crashing against a shore. The gryphon cowered closer to the ground as she felt something large and scaled take several bounds over her, letting out a pleased rumble on the air before the fog consumed her as well. “I am a very proficient hunter. You're still a little wyrmling trying to hide from me."

“But I will be better! The best!" countered back the first voice, pulling Athenais along as if on a wire.

What is going on? She tilted her head to the side as she took a tentative step still on the ground below her feet. Memories? Illusions? Some wizard tricks? She followed the warm giggling coming further ahead. That was when she slowly bumped into Axton, the teen was standing still with his arms by his side. The fog that had been wrapping up everything tightly like a serpents coils seemed to lesson their grip, as the human and the ground around him soon started to come into focus. It seemed as though the tendrils of thick blue fog were repulsed by the idea of touching him at all.

“Axton..Whats." She started to say, tensing her muscles as she scanned left and right for the metal dragon. There was no sign of it before them, but what did lay before them was a grassy covered ground that had two distinct sets of pawprints in the ground. They were four digited with claws at the end of them. One set was much bigger than the other one, possibly a youngling and the other a grown adult. “Is this real?"

“I don't know." The boy sounded unsure, fear lingering in his voice as he slunk towards her. The wizard wrapped an arm around her furred neck, pointing to the paw prints. “Those seem real don't they? What did I do?"

He was asking the wrong gryphon. Everything could have gone according to plan for all she knew. “Answers for someone else I think." She turned, coming face to face with a little red scaled dragon scampering towards her with a large smile on his snout. The tan horned dragon darted passed before she reared up in fright and letting out a squawk.

“Veledar?" that voice once more called from the fog, seeming coming from all directions and swirling around them like a windstorm. It sounded pained, containing lingering fear that sunk into Athenais' bones.

The gryphon's limbs quivered as her ears pinned back against her head. Loneliness lingered in her mind as her heart began to ache. It took all her effort to not have her limbs buckle and collapse into tears.

“Can you hear me little one? I can't see you!"

“I can!" Axton cried out, clutching Athenais so tightly his fingernails felt like little needles to her skin. “Who are you? Are you the Indomitable Aegis?"

Silence suddenly fell as the throbbing in Athenais suddenly stopped. The raging emotions that were swirling around them suddenly died and were replaced with an eerie calm.

“Why do you keep saying you want to be the best?" The silver dragoness from before came strolling in from the fog as the ground beneath them shifted and changed to that of a rock covered floor that rose and fell like the waves of the ocean. She was sitting before a small rock with her snout tilted to the side as her frills fluttered in and out as her eyes looked down warmly to the form of the red dragon curled up on the rock licking at little wounds on his forelimbs. “You're going to keep getting hurt if you go after prey that is larger than yourself. You're still just my little Veledar." She lowered her neck, nuzzling the little red with closed eyes and a singular lick across his little face.

“Mother stop!" The red wyrmling went to push her snout away but Athenais had seen enough to know that this little one didn't have the heart in it. His mother must have known because she instantly was attacking the dragon with her snout, a joy filled rumble in her throat that sounded like tumbling stones, and a happy tail swaying back and forth.

“Mother!" Shrieked the gasping wyrmling as his paws tapped uselessly at his mothers attacking snout. “Please!"

“How mighty you are." The dragoness chuckled softly. “That you are defeated by a few tickles and licks." She pulled back her head until she was looking right into the little one's eyes. Her spheres filled with such warmth that Athenais couldn't help but think back to her own mother and the looks she had given her those years ago.

“Because." The red dragon smacked her snout. “All the good things happen to the best dragons. They get all the treasure, the adventure, the princesses."

“How about the princes?" The mother teased him with a lick.

“Yes, they get the princes too." The red wyrmling rolled his eyes with a tap of his tail on the rock. “They also get the knights." Then the little one's snout suddenly fell as his eyes left that of his mother and to a space far off behind the silver dragoness as his frills drooped. “They don't have anything bad happen to them either."

“Little one." The silver scooched closer with a low rumble in her throat. She moved in her snout to nuzzle at the young dragon with a sorrow filled whine. “ Bad things happen to the best dragons too. They just don't mention those parts in the stories."

“I miss him." The red dragon sniffed, nuzzling back against her as tears began to leak down from his eyes.

“Me to." The silver replied, voice cracking and eyes misting.

Athenais tore herself away as the strings of her heart were pulled taught. She could feel the emotion lingering in the air as her vision began to get all misty. It truly felt like she was in the silver's place in the moment. All the love, and sadness raging around inside of her like an unruly storm. She could feel it slowly swallowing her bit by bit. “Axton-“ She began to say, but a loud shriek cut her off.

“Please stop, make it stop! AHHHHHHH!" The female dragon's voice pierced through the fog like a bolt of lightning, even the ground beneath Athenais' claws seeming to shake at the sheer intensity of it. The two dragons before them were enveloped by the mists, and soon impossible to see within the thick blue cloud.

The gryphon held Axton close as he began to shake in fear, burying his head into her feathers as she wrapped her wings around him. Weapons clanged in the distance, the sound of steel on steel. She heard the ear pinning sound of flesh being teared from the bones of the living as its victim screamed out into the air his agony. Then came thunderous roars of pain, ones that came from the dragoness once more as she called out for whatever unseen attacker to stop. Then as quickly as it came, everything stopped. Silence once more fell as two glowing eyes appeared in the fog. They were like two glowing specters, keeping watch as Athenais swallowed the pit of fear and shouted out into the lingering fog.

“What are you trying to show us? We don't understand!" She stared into the glowing eyes as they seemed to focus on her, and stare right into her soul.

“Look!" Axton whispered harshly, pointing behind her and drawing the gryphon's attention with his widened eyes. When Athenais turned her head she came face to face with another large dragoness.

This dragon had thick purple scales and was standing tall among dark and ghost like trees, like amethysts they flickered in the pale blue light as her amber eyes ignored the pair like they were not even there. Her onyx under scales were marred with scars and injuries from encounters from years past, not even an inch of her seemed to be spared. Her midnight black horns split up the middle to form two pointed forms on either side, looking more like antlers on a stag than anything else. Her spined tail swayed slowly as she took a proud stride, her chest filling as her scales clinked softly against one another.

On either side of this dragon that stood twice the size of Athenais were at least a dozen knights clad in silver full plate that covered them from head to toe. Their visors were down to hide their race, but all bore the brown tabards of Lumara proudly on their armor. The golden gryphon was emblazoned on their chest, but all had a golden circular pin at the top of their chestplate with the symbol of a dragon's claw engraved onto it. They held the large crossbows of the military, humming softly in the air with terrible power. Swords rested in scabbards as sturdy shields were slung around their backs. They moved with the dragoness silently except for the slight clinks of their armor plates striking each other.

“Good evening Seogheith." The purple dragoness spoke, her voice calm like the eye of a storm. “It is wonderful to see you after all these years. When they said I was to go make contact with a silver I had no idea that it would be you."

“Zyadel." The silver dragon emerged from the fog, wearing a look of confusion on her snout with her head tilted to the side. “What is it that you are doing here?" She looked down to the knights standing like statues before them. “And why did you bring them? The message said nothing about Lumara knights." The dragoness' muscles suddenly tensed and Athenais felt the unease that gripped at her heart.

“You did get the message to meet the golden claws here did you not? I am their representative that they thought would suit the task better. The mortals?" The purple glanced to them a quick look before snorting and flicking her tail. “Servants that serve my every whim."

“Servants?" The silver's uneasy stance did not change as she watched each stride that the purple dragon made on the ground below that had started to shift and change once more to uneven dirt, stone, and patches of grass.

“Yes. Mortals that have seen the light and accepted their position beneath our claws. Never again will they ever raise a hand to strike back at their betters. Never to hunt down a dragon family and leave them parentless." Her eyes narrowed at the last part as it ended with a lingering hate filled hiss. “They have pledged their loyalties to dragons."

“We're they given a choice? Or were they forced into it?" Aegis asked, eyes lingering on the knights for a moment before following Zyadel as they paced around the ground.

The purple gave her a dismissive look and ignored her question. “ More importantly. I am here to extend our wing of friendship to you. Seeing as you're a powerful and wise dragon. We thought that it would be beneficial to both of us if you were brought in on the plan to make this world a better place for dragons."

“Just for dragons?" Aegis rose a brow, her eyes narrowing into a stare. “That is not the way and you know that. Your parents knew that. Those servants you have over there?" The silver flicked her wing talon towards them. “Are no better than slaves or pets. That is not the plan Bahamut laid out for us."

“Bahamut?" The purple dragon snarled, her calm stride faltering as her head shot up. “That goddess of dragons that you speak highly of? The one you have carvings of in your cave and whispered how great she was into your children's ears?" The purple dragon snorted, thrashing her tail upon the ground. “What has this Bahamut done to protect dragons eh? For all the good she was supposed to bring it seems like dragons have suffered or been killed in droves over the years, where was Bahamut then? Do you think she gets pleasure at seeing her children suffer? I spit on your Bahamut. Our group is actually trying to do something while she sits up high and watches us all die." Zyadel took a few more strides before raising a scaly ridge. “I thought you of all dragons would understand our reasoning. Especially after what they did to your son. How can you still want to defend them? How can you still speak highly of Bahamut after that?"

“Because it wasn't ALL of them!" Aegis rose her voice, sounding as though thunder had echoed in the distance. “Surely you can understand not to blame the whole for the few that do such things!"

“There is not enough good of them Seogheith. I have seen enough of their compassion and their deeds. You can help us to finally create a world safe for dragons."

“Is this an offer that I can't refuse?" The silver's tail twitched as her eyes lingering on the knights, then to the purple's claws. “Or will your group really consider slaying their own kin? What kind of message will that set for others?"

“Will you stand with your kin Seogheith and help us build a better world? Or have you been corrupted by the lesser races into being their slave instead of their better?" Zyadel's voice was taught, no longer cheerful or containing any joy.

“I refuse your offer then. You're misguided, letting your own past get in the way of that. Your parents were kind dragons."

“Look where that got them! Skewered by the mortal races like animals!" Zyadel snarled, snapping her jaws as her eyes brimmed with flames.

“And what you have spoken to me about would have broken their hearts. They would be ashamed."

“How dare you!" The smaller purple dragon roared, leaping at Seogeith with claws outstretched as the knights all raised their weapons. Snaps of fire soon filled the air as the ground started to quake as the dragon's thrashed and rolled in a blur of claws and teeth. Then as quick as it happened, everything froze and then shattered like glass before Athenais' eyes. The fog slowly began to shift from cerulean to a dark crimson, as screams sounded out from all around them. Athenais' heart pounded rapidly as pain suddenly coursed through her being.

Her eyes clenched in agony as her limbs shook out of her control. She heard snarls, rips, rocks splintering as draconic words of spells were exchanged. Heat rose around her, like she herself had been tossed into a forge and left to burn. She gasped, desperate for air as it felt like all of her being was slowly being melted away. “Axton!' she cried to shout out but found she had no voice. She was doomed to experience such mind blinding pain that she collapsed onto the ground before stars burst behind her eyelids. Then as everything started to dull, and the pain started to subside she felt someone smack her beak.

“Wake up." Came Soggu's voice, it was filled concern as the lizard lightly smacked her again, making her open her eyes.

Athenais was laid out on her side, her limps sprawled out with her wings unfolded. She was beside Axton, who was currently groaning and squirming on the ground. She glanced up into Soggu's face, the Siigonis was staring at her, a small glimmer of relief on his face as his smacking had turned into holding her face with the upmost care.

“Welcome back to the living. You had us frightened for a moment." He looked up passed her, most likely to the dragon.

“Frightened?" She asked, groaning as her limbs suddenly felt sore. Like she had been flying for hours on end without any breaks in-between. She held her claw to her head as she tried to focus on all the memories that had swirled around her mind. Were they all delusions brought upon by her passing out? She didn't even remember doing that. “What happened?" She rolled over to her belly, glancing up to the silver dragon that still lay dormant before her. Whatever had happened to all of them, it still had not recovered.

“Your heart stopped for a solid minute." Soggu's voice darkened. “Thought we might have lost you. You were not even responding to healing magic." His claw moved to rub at her neck, slowly moving through the fur. “What happened? Do you remember?"

“You tell me about it spirit shaman." She said calmly, blinking at the facts. So, she told him every last detail of what happened. From the fog, to the memories, to the emotions that had filled her insides to her core. When she was finished she was out of breath and leaning into the scaled man's touch.

“Sounds as though you and Axton connected with the spirit within the stone's mind." He said flatly, glancing to the boy that sat up rubbing his temple. “And by the sounds of how splintered it is….Very dangerous. Perhaps telling him to keep pushing was a bad idea."

“I know that now." She sighed, turning to Axton and asking if he was alright. Thankfully he nodded to her, the experience leaving him quiet for now. “Though the dragon. If that was indeed her last memory…She should have taken that deal."

“The one to help that group enslave mortals?" Soggu's tongue flicked as Axton too looked to her with a confused look on his face.

“Yes." She made sure to look square into those ice blue eyes. The ones that were looking to soak in more that she was willing to offer. “Then she would have been alive." She refolded her wings, ignoring the little fragments of aching pain that coursed through every movement. “Remember that Axton. Learn from her mistake. Your survival is the most important thing."

“That can't be what she was trying to tell us." The boy replied softly, holding his side as he looked up to the metal construct. “She seemed to be a nice dragon from the memories. That purple one was the bad one I'm sure of it."

“Look where that got her." Athenais chirped, “Dead and turned into a crystal. Remember that kid."

Axton's face darkened before it fell to the ground, letting out a heavy sigh.

She knew it was a hard lesson for him to learn, but one that needed to be done. One that she had learned years ago. Course the idea there was a group of dragons out there plotting to enslave mortals was very concerning but seemed to be the normal for them.

But what about the red dragon? Her mind drifted to the little bundle of scales that she had seen. It looked very much like the one that they were hunting might of when he was little. Was he really related to this one? Was he as bad as the reports made him out to be? The feelings for him left her irritated, confused, she kneaded the ground to vent her frustration. People could grow up from being cute and into monsters. Dragons were no exceptions. Though with each passing second and the pained look on the Axton's face before her she suddenly found herself doubting her conviction to the money. Athenais looked down to the gryphon symbol on her claw. The white painted bird seemed to be judging her with its half parted beak. What do you know. She pounded that claw on the ground, followed by the smacking of her tail. It doesn't matter anyway. Good…Evil..It's all subjective. What really matters is your survival and those you care about. She was pulled from her thoughts as a familiar voice came from the forests edge, one that made Athenais groan and roll her eyes.

“It looks like I leave for several days and you get utterly lost." Nigel strolled in, standing tall with an aura of confidence lingering around him. His hands were at rest by his side, his robes looking to be in pristine order. “Are you okay child?" He asked, eyes focusing on Axton. When the mage nodded he returned it, though didn't offer any more warmth than that. “I am not truly disappointed in you Axton. Controlling this construct has even been difficult for me as well. Though I did not think it had progressed this far." The wizard glided over towards the metal beast, snapping his fingers and drawing a circle in the air with a dark red light. “This is most concerning."

The construct's runes suddenly lit back up, slowly raising before them without a hint of resistance. The only one that Athenais could see was that Nigel's brow furrowed and his teeth gritted, like it was a chore to even get the dragon to do this much.

“Yes…She has grown quite defiant." He thrust his other hand down, letting out a deep breath as he composed himself and squared his shoulders. “It will be best we find this red dragon sooner rather than later. I don't think the construct will be around much longer after that."

“Great." Athenais pushed herself off the ground, fighting the urge to groan as her limbs ached with a dull pain. “Then why leave us in the first place?"

“I cannot say much on the subject." The mage ran his hand along the metal dragon's flank. “There are much more powerful things in this world than I. Let's just say one such thing was looking for us. If not for my departure she would have found us."

“She?" Garroth asked, folding his arms across his chest. “Is there something you're not telling us wizard?"

“It's nothing to concern yourselves with for now. I have taken care of it in the meantime." He patted the silver dragon that rose up before them without a fuss. “She is occupied as of now, and we are on our way. Our task will be complete rather soon, and we shall be gone from her lands. Can you fly gryphon? You look rather exhausted."

“I'll manage." She groaned, thankful when Soggu placed a hand on her shoulder and began to chant away his healing magic. Though it did not fight off the ache completely, she felt it dull and weaken. She could manage flying for a few more hours like that she was certain. “For a few more hours at least. The damn construct here shared with us it's memories."

“Indeed. Though If I wish to continue I will shrink you down and you can ride with us. It is now more than ever imperative that we make haste. I cannot stress enough that while she is occupied it will not stay that way for long. She can sense me if she tries hard enough and will no doubt be after us."

“And who is this mystery woman that I see can put even the fear into your eyes Nigel?" She unfolded her wings as the metal dragon lowered itself in preparation to be ridden into the sky.

“The Queen of Eternal Flame." Nigel said flatly, helping Axton up onto the constructs back.

Though he didn't explain much further Athenais could still see the worry lingering in his eyes. With a quick thanks to Soggu for the healing she followed everyone into the sky with a series of flaps. She righted herself and followed along in the metallic dragon's wake, mind ever brimming with questions.

*******

Thanks for following along with the story thus far my friends! If you read the story don't forget to vote or fav it up. If you would like to discuss characters or events feel free to leave your comments below! Even if it's not the most recent chapter I do still respond to them! Have a nice day!