Post by Arrowbid on Aug 22, 2007 19:03:51 GMT -5
Tales of War and Peace
Dr’rik sped along through the clear blue river, twisting and turning, and splashed at the surface every now and then. Wynd and Streke made their way along the pebbled bank and waded in the white water as the bank narrowed, they soon found themselves swimming along side Dr’rik as the bank disappeared altogether. Using their tails like rudders and tucking their limbs under themselves, they swam like crocodiles and easily kept up with their speedy guide. With Streke keeping his comments to himself they made good time and swam lazily through the sun likened river. When the sun began to go down over the water and cast its fiery display, Dr’rik made his way to a small inlet in the river and slid out onto the bank. He stood up and groomed his fur, watching as the dragons waded onto the shore and cleaned their scales of the water. A few caimans splashed down into the everglades at their arrival, and dove under as a dragonfly zipped overhead. Wynd looked around the glade, sundown had brought steam drifting up from the moist earth and insects flitted about in the night air. The fading light was visible in strips as it reflected across the steam, and Wynd shook himself as the moisture fogged up his scales. Dr’rik padded up over the moss covered tree roots and called back to them, “Well, come on then. It’s just a little further.”
Streke shook himself and padded up the marshy bank, “Where are we going exactly?” He looked around the marsh and swiveled his ears as a jewel bird flitted overhead. Light quickly gave way to darkness as the ball of fire finally set over the river, and millions of celestial lights suddenly filled the sky. The otter hobbled further up the bank and shook himself, spraying water everywhere and smoothed out his fur. “We are going to see Drateco… he sent me to find you after we saw how the crows had gathered, and attacked.”
“Drateco? That’s a dragon’s name. Don’t you think you could have mentioned this earlier?” questioned Wynd. Dr’rik paused for a second and looked up confused, “What’s your point?”
“Never mind, just lead the way” he sighed. Dr’rik nodded, shaking his head; he padded off over the moss, and made his way further into the dark glade. The black sky shone with the galaxy of stars that had awakened with the suns departure, they shone brightly through the leaves and vines of the marsh. One tree sparkled with fireflies, and reflected along with the moons glow, casting shadows and dancing lights across the still water and rocks of the shore. A fox, taking pleasure in the cover the shadows gave, snuck around the moonstones. She twitched her ears as she peered out behind the phosphorous stones. Watching with large sly eyes as the odd troop wandered through the emerald forests path. She flicked her tail and bounded up over the forests highlands and her coat shone like fire in the moonlight, as she disappeared without a whisper. Dr’rik sniffed the air and twitched his whiskers as the canines scent entered his sharp nose. He felt the spongy moss give beneath his tramping webbed paws, as he froze at the spot with fright. Dr’rik looked around at the dappled ferns and vine covered moonstones, searching for his red caped adversary. The small otter paused and looked up to the beautiful night as a strange sound filled the air and his fear ebbed. The vixen snarled and hid her face in the shadows of the ferns and listened intently, the sound of bells came from the vines dripping leaves. The water beaded off the long green stretches and bounced off down the lustrous carved stones. Wynd slowly worked up a deep growl as he spied the red fox, its’ sly eyes flashed white with the moons reflection and her sleek face was visible through the ferns as she gazed intently at the otter. Wynd whispered a message to Streke and he to in turn spied the little fox; Streke snickered and turned his gaze to Dr’rik. He was curious as to how the otter would react, but Wynd moved his great scaled body behind Dr’rik and the fox grew uncomfortable at his presence. Wynd passed the little otter though, and continued down the moonlit trail glancing back slyly at the vixen.
The fox hissed and swept around through the trees, her body disappeared into the darkness. Silence swelled, and Dr’rik snickered at the fox’s disappearance, he motioned for the two dragons to follow and worked his way up through the hills of slim aspen trees. Streke laughed at the otter that only a moment ago was shaking, “Where is this dragon you’re taking us to anyway?”
“Just over the rocks, his cave is on the base of that ridge up there” whispered Dr’rik. He looked around the dark forest nervously as he could still smell the pungent odor of fox. Streke growled at him, “Don’t dwell on it, as long as we’re here I’m the only thing you need to watch for” and he smiled devilishly. Dr’rik shook his head and trotted up the shaded aspen forest, he eventually came to a fast running stream. White water ran smoothly over the large polished stones and picked up forming rapids as it curved down the ridge. Dr’rik stepped cautiously onto the stepping stones, his body was long and slung low to the ground, so he had to wade through most of the stream to cross. Whereas the two brothers walked through it without barely getting their feet wet. Streke chuckled as he watched the little otter bumble around and climb up the slippery rocks. The otter crossed the stream and climbed to an over hanging boulder. “Right, it’s just beyond the bend here” Dr’rik hobbled down, dripping water, a rustle in the bushes sent his eyes whirling. He chirped and slid down the rocks just as the vixen burst forth from the wood. The sleek fox leapt at Dr’rik, teeth bared and snarling. Smoke suddenly rose from the stream as fire met water, and Streke brought his tail swinging. The sly vixen yelped as she was slammed into a nearby tree trunk. She fell from the tree and landed with a splash into the white water. Shaking herself she leapt away nimbly and dashed off running away through the glade. Scowling, “Meddlers!” as she vanished.
Streke looked to Dr’rik but he was already running on up the ledge; he shook his head and with a puff of smoke ambled on after him. Soon they came to the base of a great cliff, Dr’rik sent rocks scrabbling down the cliff side as he kicked and climbed, once on flat ground he sighed with relief “We’re here”. Wynd and Streke climbed up after him, they stood on a small ledge overlooking the desert and forest. Wynd snorted and looked around the plateau, there was a crack in the cliffs base just large enough for a dragon to squeeze through, and the land grew dried and cracked around the lair. “Not much to eat here, it’s just as bad as the desert” said Streke as he swatted away the gathering flies, a few frilled lizards scrabbled over the rocks and red sand. One noticed Streke and raised his frill hissing, before he followed the other down the cliff face. Wynd edged away from the precipice as his foot stumbled on its crumbling ridge. Footprints of some migrating herd could be seen trailing on far below, and a few distant bellows echoed in the canyon. “Well let’s hurry up and meet this Drateco already...” mumbled Wynd, as he panted in the desert heat. They squeezed through the crack in the pale rock, with Streke scratching a few scales off as he made his way into the cave.
Inside it was shaded and cool, a few rays of sunlight made their way in dotting the entrance. In the darkness, water had been able to last longer without evaporating and a few puddles lay on the rock with the limestone ceiling in their reflections. The cave itself seemed as if it was worn out by a glacier, it was a large circular hollow, with stalactites hanging from its ceiling and still dripping water. Just a single breath or whisper echoed and sailed never ending throughout the cavern; as if to prove it, a strong rasping voice boomed as the resident dragon stepped out of the shadows, “Dr’rik, whom have you brought to me this time?”
The proud old male looked down on them scrutinizing, his horns were cracked and worn with many battles and his crown was broken in places. Age had also dulled his scales as they were an old rustic color. Yet his eyes remained an odd dark and limpid blue. Staring at the brothers straight in the eyes he spoke to them, “I didn’t expect you to find them, thank you Dr’rik.” The otter nodded, he looked at the two dragons and back to Drateco, “You dragons are so confusing, why did you send me to find them any way?”
“That doesn’t matter now. You two, come with me. I have something for your ears and yours alone.” Drateco walked past them and out of the cave, Dr’rik followed along anyway. “What’s this all about?” growled Streke, as he walked out onto the ledge. Drateco yawned against the dry air and gazed out over the mountains. “I sent Dr’rik to find you because it’s not safe for old loners like me anymore.”
Wynd looked up interested, “You mean the ravens and crows? I was attacked by them too.”
“You never told me that” said Streke.
“I didn’t think you would believe me” whispered Wynd, and he looked down sheepishly.
Drateco leapt of the ledge, he opened up his wings and glided down over the valley, Wynd and Streke glided after him with D’rik hanging on his back. Drateco shook his head, “The crows are only pawns, they were promised power from the black one if they did her bidding.”
Drateco landed down at the end of the rapids and walked through the torrent stopping at the foot of a huge waterfall. “It’s all a part of the prophecy…” hissed Drateco, and he stepped through the falls and into the caverns.
Streke growled bitterly, “What does this have to do with us anyway!? All we want is to find the haven lands and be done with it, why should we care about a few ravens or some black rogue?”
“Because the haven lands are dead, even if you did find them they wouldn’t be any haven for you!” roared Drateco.
Wynd and Streke looked shocked; they followed the great male deeper into the caverns. Runes were carved all over the walls and stalagmites rose from the cave floor. Drateco stopped as he looked up to the black carved wall, the cave ceiling had been broken there, and the night sky was visible from the caverns. Drateco prepared himself and began to read the history from the runes.
“Long ago, after the isle of Avalon was lost to time, the dragons’ grand council gathered here to discuss the proposal of dropping their oath to watch over mankind. Zeara, a great black dragoness and the guard of wolves, Varg, had proposed something altogether different. They wanted to use man to control all the free races, to bring them all under one flag and assimilate for their own gain. They completely destroyed the old codes and told everyone who would listen that the great creator had abandoned them. The wolf guard, Varg, how ever turned on her and renounced the wolves support after he realized her true nature. Since then, the free dragons and wolves had lived together in peace and hid themselves from man. They lived in secret for many generations, until the day Varg died, and he foretold a prophecy of things to come.”
Drateco looked kindly at the two young dragons that stood before him, “The betrayer will come, your brethren will no longer hide, and kin of your kin will make the blood river run wide… the black one will rise to gather its pawns, to control a great bane, that is their cause… Two more will rise, given from death, with the golden eyed gift, to confront the dark one and end the lies… two opposites, two brothers, two lives.”
Drateco stared sternly at them, who in turn looked confused, “You are the golden eyed brothers from Varg’s foretelling.”
Wynd stuttered with fear and disbelief, he shook his head, “How could we do anything to help? I can’t fight this Zeara much less an army, besides, lots of dragons have gold eyes.”
Streke frowned at his coward of a brother, he turned to Drateco and criticized him, “Is this real or just some stupid legend?”
“Oh it’s a real legend!” piped up Dr’rik. Streke jolted in surprise and stared at him, “When did you get here…?” Streke shook his head, “Never mind, what do you expect us to do anyway? I mean if we really are these two dragons that Varg prophesized?”
“Go to the broken haven, most of the free dragons have been killed or either forced to join Zeara by now, but you may be able to find refuge with the grand council.”
“Wait, refuge? Why? Is someone after us?” muttered Wynd, wide eyed.
“Calm down, all will be made clear, visit the dragons in the haven land, they will know what you must do” sighed Drateco, he sulked over to a clear pool in the caverns. The heavens were reflected perfectly in its tranquil surface. “The gold eyed gift will help you… for who can see farther than those with the vision of the creator” he rested at the edge of the crystal pool with sullen and weary eyes.
“The great bane… something with the power to destroy… Is this it then, are we becoming like them!? So much that one of our own kind is turning on us?” Wynd howled as he looked up to the sky. The constellation Draco was barely visible, yet all other stars shone brightly. Wynd stared coldly at the dragon’s heaven and then relaxed with realization, “I guess this is our task then” he sighed.
“Hmm? What do you mean?” asked Streke peacefully; he was having dreams of grandeur.”
Wynd smiled tranquilly as a tear slowly wove its way down his scaled cheek, and he remembered his sister and parents, “It’s like mother said, long before she died, we have to earn our place along side our brethren... a place among the stars.” Sadness crept over Streke for some reason unbeknown to him, as he gazed at the stars and their worlds unknown. What fantastical creatures or people could there be, just maybe facing the same plot or even at the same chance or hint, could be staring at the stars as well. Drateco smiled at the young ones, they didn’t know what lay before them and neither did he. The old king, a scarred and withered being was he, yet still noble like a black swan. He grunted, moving closer to the blue moon filled pool, and lapped up the water, and indubitably eyed the two hatchlings. Perhaps a hundred years younger were they, he didn’t know, nor did he care, but their lives would somehow shape a thousand destinies. Even this small interaction, a mere infinitesimal fragment on the vast ocean that was their lives, would shape their future and his.
For little did he know, that short glide to the waterfall hidden cavern, over the desert where the saurian’s migrated, through the emerald forest and beyond the white river, where D’rik the otter made his home… Drateco had used the last of his strength, and would die in that very cavern.
Drateco craned his neck and felt the presence of the brother’s fear and anxiety on him he chuckled to himself and wondered if he had been to abrupt in the foretelling, “Don’t fear, fear is the mind killer that brings total obliteration… Learn to use it as a sense rather than an emotion.”
Streke frowned and watched his brother who was deep in thought, perhaps wondering about the long journey that now stretched before them. “How do you expect us to do this task then, how can we fulfill the prophecy when we’ve barely been out in the world ourselves?”
Drateco’s eyes clouded over as he remembered something he himself had once been taught, and he grew eager to become a mentor before his death, “Do not doubt the power of a will. The world does work in complex ways but one person can make a huge difference. One person, or in this case two, can have the power to change a million futures.”
Streke scrutinized the old king with liberal eyes, “What do you mean changing futures?”
“I mean that the earth is a living thing, just like how I met you and thus affected your knowledge and future actions, you can do the same to others. And this makes all the difference” said the enlightened Drateco, elatedly. “You two are the ones to make such a difference. And with the gold eyed gift, the gift of foretelling and sight, you can lead the way. How to use this power, that you will have to discover for yourselves.” Drateco slowly worked his joints into raising his body from the stone, and he walked out of the waterfall hidden cavern to greet the dawn. The sun blazed like a forest fire and cast a rainbow of colors against the sky as if it were a painter working its canvas. The moon and stars slowly faded and the trees turned black in contrast. “This is your world… prepare to see it.”