The Skahvynlyn Tale (IC)

[roan]

The Royal Palace

-One thing that the picture does not have that is important is a very large landing balcony for those in flight to arrive that leads to the Grande Hall.

The enormous structure was built nearly seventeen thousand years ago by the first eight member of the dragon court. Viktorio, a respected female of The Court, was the head architecture. She spent nearly all her years supervising the construction, checking back to her original plans for possible portion redesigns. The Royal Palace needed to be able to accommodate at least two-hundred of the largest dragons in the realm if ever the occasion called. It required the utmost magnificent décor that Skahvynlyn had to offer and absolutely needed to be near indestructible to the most powerful of magiks. It is a wondrous construction that is located in the capitol of the realm: Feytrion.

._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._ ._._._._._._._

It was growing near a fortnight since the arrival of the first onyx dragon. The Court was on the tips of their talons with worry for their kind and the safety of the humans they shared their land with. The individuals that were sent for would arrive today, and woe to those that didn’t show. Their death would travel on swift wings should anyone refuse The Court’s request. Jewleria, the youngest female of The Court, stood on the balcony overlooking the courtyard below. The indigo blue of her scales caught the sun, making them shine like brilliant gems.

She was a beautiful dragoness, no one could deny that, but her heart and mind was what placed her within The Court. Today, the elite would show, and she alone would greet them. With a contemplative sigh she turned and entered the grande hall. The ceilings were nearly four-hundred feet tall, a concave mosaic of color. Since the palace’s completion nearly everything stayed in its original form. Lady Viktorio, Jewleria thought to herself as she gazed at the long dead portrait of her hanging from a wall, what a marvel she was.

Suddenly a tingle ran down Jewleria’s spine and immediately she looked in the direction of the balcony. “Here they come.”

[Ushima]

Fafner awoke, cold sweat and breathing heavily. He hated when the court contacted him like that, it always effected him."Damn." He let out a heavy sigh and got out of bed. From the second floor he descended the stairs to the first. He grabbed a cup from the table and drank.

Tossing a small fireball he lit the fiepit. The light showed a long row of bookcases, filled with ancient texts and spellbooks. "I can always tell whe you're up to something old friend." A voice filled the room.

"King Lucien, you always know what's going on in your castle." Fafner bowed before the King of Arathi. "I'm being called by the court. You must understand this is something I cannot ignore." Fafner looked at the king, he was young at twenty eight.

"I understand." Lucien watched Fafner put his gear on. "In your absence your treasure will be protected as per your agreement." Fafner nodded. "The other Generals will have to step up."

"They're more than capable I'm sure." The two men shook hands. "Stay strong my friend."

"You to Fafner." Lucien watched Fafner depart, soon went to the window and looked out to the courtyard. Minutes later Fafner appeared and took to the sky.

-

Fafner was flying for what had been four hours. The distance Between the Country of Arathi and The Court wasn't that great. His dark scales made him invisible in the darkness, though it was approaching dawn soon. Fafner had red markings over his body and a red jewel in the center of his head. A large white jagged line diagonal on his face.

-

The large black dragon landed on the platform and let out a mighty roar announcing his arrival. Instead of wating for someone to greet him he walked into the castle toward the grand hall. He knew the way as he'd been here multiple times. A blue dragon was standing there. "jewleria, how nice to see you again." Fafner greeted.

[Falcon Red]

"C'mon Blane, we could use your metamorphises as an excellent side show. It'd keep the audience wondering, and pouring in."

Clearance the ring leader of the circus had Blane in his office for his weekly plea to use Blane's dragon side as a show in the circus. Blane already showed off enough with his fire tricks that he didn't want more attention drawn to him. Of course the entire camp knew what he was, but that's how things were in circus life, no secrets, and you helped out everyone in your family. That's what you were, family.

"I'm sorry Clearance, but I can't do that. I need a certain...." Blane's eyes rolled in the back of his head as his mind went blank, and was filled with a white room. He was in his red scaled dragon form, surrounded by the council. By dragons much older than he by a long shot.

It was a few moments before Blane came too. His eyes rolled back and he shook his head, Clearance was smacking his cheek trying to stir him awake. "Jeese kid, don't do that to me again, I nearly wet myself."

"I'm sorry sir. I need to go, I will be back, but the council has called me. I can't ignore them."

The seriousness in Blane's eyes stopped the plump, balding ring leader from arguing. "You go kid, your trailer will be here for you when you get back."

"Thank you sir."

Without another word, Blane ran outside and jumped into the air turning into his heavily muscled serpintine body, red scales shimmering as his wings flapped speedily raising him into the air. Once he was in a comfortable steady glide, he let out a roar of goodbye to his friends and flew to the Royal Palace.

----

The palace came into view. He circled around the structure, lowering altitude all the whlie until he reached the landing platform. He landed with his back feet out, slowly lowering to his hands. He was able to walk on two legs and stand, but it was much more comfortable going for legs. He walked to the door and allowed himself entry.

Blane himself hadn't been to the palace much himself, he was just a performer what was his buisness here? Yet he had heard rumors of Fafner, and he had met Jewleria on a few occasions so he curled his lips into a smile and nodded. "Good day, looking lovely as always Jewleria." Blane stood up onto his hind legs and bowed in respect to her before navigating along the halls a bit more leaving the two to talk.

[spirits breath]

The walls shimmered, reflections bouncing off eachother to form a hazy blur. A cool breeze formed, brought on by a sudden exaust of air from Haid'ku's lungs.

He lied there, front left arm twitched. A dragon, possibly female seemed to talk to him. His eyes peeled open reluctantly. Haid'ku lifted up his head, searching for the intruding guest. Still he heard some message about a councel meeting, and nobody seemed to be in the cave with him. "Who is there, I command you to show yourself." No reply was heard except his own.

He pushed up, using his left hind leg to push up onto all fours. His tail bushed behind him, body cooling off. Yet it felt comfortable. But then again sleeping on and around ice leaves that impression on most. councel meetings, again. We just had one some time ago. Now which way was it?

Walking slowely, he walked on the surface of the icy floor to his little stream. He lapped at the water, moistening his throat and getting something for the way there without passing out. He stepped back, his tounge licking his scaly lips. The cave grew brighter, and ice dissapeared a little. He was, outside.

The sun reflected off of his bright blue scales, gleaming like a small gemstone engraved on a crown. His claws pressed into the soft ground. He spoke softly to himself. Facing towards the entrance to his cave by looking over his back. The wind ruffled the main along his spine. "If I land comming in that way. Then that means the councel must be in about... this way?" His body curved on itself towards a arch in a mountain.

He walked forwards, gaining speed slowely and ice broke off of his body to land onto the warmer ground. He gained speed and spread his wings out. As he was in a galloping sort, he stated to flap. Wind curving out beneith him as he pushed off with his strong hind legs. The first few flaps, always the hardest, but once he was able to level off to near cloud level. The air no longer melting away at his peice of home.

Flying for what seemed like a few hours, kept company by thoughts of what the councel would need him for raced back and forth. Out of the side of his right eye, he saw the top of a spire. Well a familiar spire with a nice large entrance to go along it. Forming a wide arc, Haid'ku turned towards the spires opening. Flapping once again to gain altitude, and spreading his wings out for gliding.

As he neared the opening, he looked for any other incoming dragons. None were within sight. He arched his neck up, forcing his body to follow. He flapped against the momentum he had, slowing his decent considerably. He landed with a heavy thud, it was inevitable, needed a bit more time to slow down, and the room felt warm with the air thinner.

A female guided him towards a large room. Course, Haid'ku wasn't focused on the ground she walked on, but up a bit by the tail base.

"Enjoy the view?" As Haid'ku looked up at her face, it gave her an oportune moment to tail whip him in the face. His head followed the path of the tail, feeling a familiar stinging sensation.

He stepped back, cheeks darkening to a purple. "Sorry, just trying to remember you... well to let my kin know who they will have the pleasure of meeting them one day."

"Oh, kin is what you are looking for? Well, then they can see their father become a mother." She glared, baring her teeth.

Haid'ku had nothing to say. Head waiting for another impact, with eyes closed. Nothing could have prepared him for what happened next. She nudged him with her head, and tail whiped his rear. "You just have to go in the open doors to the right. Mabie we shall meet again soon under different circumstances. As well as face to face so you aren't staring at my lower underbelly."

"Guess this is a bad time to tell you I am kinless. Though, I still say you look rather... enchanting."

"I should have told you my name. Tis Mariana."

"Haid'ku. I must be going, and we shall see eachother again. You can always stay besides me in my place..."
Haid'ku gave a cheery smile, and walked down the hall. He turned right, and into a large room with a few dragons. Each of them unknown to him. "Haid'ku. You summoned me?"

He looked at the other dragons present, a shining gem atop ones head. The black and red dragon, such a foreign looking build. Yet some bard's tale spoke of. Whatever breed he was.

He walked over, and sat on the ground across a table of the fellow drakes. "Where are you from? Haven't seen you before to my knowledge." He shuffled in place, curling his tail to his front legs. "You see Mariana? She seems to like me. Palidin' my game, defend some for some wealth. Others for cause. One of those things that would haunt you for the rest of your memory until it fades away. One day I don't have to hunt for food. How about you red, what do you do?"

[Ceala]

Ramira sat in the back corner of the crowded tavern, her eyes glued to the rather fat, obnoxiously loud man across the room. The man had wealth and was out tonight to flaunt it. His clothes, made of only the best materials and covered in only the most ornate embroidery seemed out of place on such an ugly creature. He looked almost like a circus clown in his ridiculous outfit, the bright colors just screaming "Rob me! Rob me!".

Ramira lifted her cup to her mouth and tipped it upwards, letting the pungent liquid splash against her closed lips and then back into the cup. As a rule, she stayed away from alcohol. It only served to dull the mind she had spent her entire life sharpening. But you couldn't stay in the tavern unless you bought something, so Ramira continued to "drink" her mead.

She had studied him long enough. He was armed with a small knife, but his body language suggested he had never used it. He was paying for round after round of drinks out of a small bag of gold coins tied on the left side of his belt, but that was not where the real prize lied. Under the cloth of his coat, Ramira could see the distinctive contour of cut gems. He had several stored in the inside pocket, the precise identity of which she wouldn't be able to tell until she had successfully lifted them.

She stood up, pulling her hood down further over her eyes as she strode towards the exit, making sure to pass the fat man on they way. As she passed him, they collided; Ramira's hand slipping into his pocket.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light in Ramira's mind. She tried to resist it, her fingertips brushing against the silk bag surrounding her objective, but there was no defying the council. She cursed, falling to the ground without the jewels and covered in spilled beer.

"Yoooushsh doin' fine there, hhhuun?" the fat man asked, so drunk his words were barely distinguishable.

Ramira stood up and practically ran out of the door, the man forgotten. What did the council want with her? It had been so long since she had been in her dragon form that she had assumed they didn't even know she existed.

She sighed. She was within riding distance of the capital, so she wouldn't have to fly. Thankfully, she mounted her horse and was on her way. Hopefully the palace had a stable.

* * *

It was daytime before she reached the grand palace. She gazed up at the ornate building, not even pretending to hide her disgust. So much wealth concentrated in one gaudy location, and for what? She knew a few starving human children who could live for a week off of the money spent on a single brick of the elegant marble that surrounded her.

There were several dragons about, all talking. Ramira recognized a few, but she hung around in the background neither speaking nor taking on her dragon shape. For now she would just listen. Hopefully this was all some big mistake and she would be gone within the next few days.

"Of course," she thought looking around, "that would be after I've raided as much as I can carry from this hideous monstrosity."

[Ushima]

"Name's Fafner, son of Fafnir." Fafner nodded at the bluish white dragon before him. He seemed ok, Fafner was good at judging character. "I'm a Mercenary, but usually I stay within the Castle of Arathi and I'm one of King Lucien's generals. Its easy, once the enemy hears the Arcane Knight is on the battlefield they turn and run with their tails between their legs." Fafner chuckled. "I'm sure you've heard the rumors about me, Arcane Knights at least."

Fafner decided to elaborate more. "Arcane Knights represent a perfect balance between magic and physical combat. Now I'm sure you've heard how brutal us Knights turn out to be, and I can say that rumor is entirely true." Fafner paused, repressed memories came back but he didn't let them bother him. "So you're a defender? Let us hope you never end up protecting something I have to get to."

[Ceala]

Ramira held to the few shadows in the room, her ears open. She had passed unnoticed so far, but in a room full of dragons, that was bound to change sooner or later. There were beings far more powerful than her present in this room and Ramira had found that in this case (as well as in most other cases), the best plan of action was to simply draw the smallest amount of attention to herself as possible.

She studied the one called Fafner carefully. She could tell by his gait that he was a warrior, the words he exchanged with the ice-colored dragon confirming this theory. As for the ice dragon himself, she was having a hard time pining him down. He had a sense of humor, at least; a trait Ramira had always appreciated in a person be he dragon or human.

The only other female dragon in sight, Jewleria Fafner had called her, was one of the most beautiful dragons Ramira had ever seen. Considering the fact that she had effectively removed herself from the dragon community centuries ago, that put Jewleria at the top of a rather short list. Either way, Ramira was jealous, but she tried not to show it.

The last dragon in the room, a large red creature whose name she hadn't caught yet, was obviously a performer. He was strong, but not in the hardened way of a soldier. Every move he made hinted to a level of flexibility and grace that was unique to those of the preforming class. His scales were good-looking enough; Ramira caught herself wondering what his human form looked like and turned away from the dragon, focusing again on her surroundings. Patiently studying the room for any easily accessible valuable objects, she waited for others to arrive.

[Falcon Red]

My Bad It was late and I misunderstood a post haha

[spirits breath]

The gem seemed to sparkle as the black and red dragon before him, went by the name Fafner talked. It sparkled with the light and seemed to demand attention. Luckely it was by his eyes so it looked like he was looking at his eyes. Two words stuck out to him that brought Haid'ku out of a trance...arcane knight.

When Fafner stoped talking, he moved back a little. "I have heard of the arcane knights, let me guess. Your element of choice is fire. Least your blades are clean when they are finished. The battlefeilds... disgusting! Have you no respect at all for those you have killed? They are dead, or dieing. guess that is where that red came from?" He looked over to the door, some puny human was here.

His eyes closed as a part of his memory seemed to spark. The one time, before he became a defender, the time when a death of an innocent was cause by him. it was a pathetic way to go, freezing to death while trying to hide from some a family rivalry. The least he could have done was shelter her, get her some of the pelts he had from eating.

His head shook quickly, eyes opening slowely. He spoke quietly. "Nevermind that. Just something I regretted doing. "Let me ask you this, if you were in a extreamly cold place. Somebody came to hide, possibly ask for a single gold coin to get food, would you shelter them from the cold or let them have a simple coin?"

His right front arm went up to his head, pressing the main down and rubbing his left eye and then dropped slowely. As the red dragon, adressed as Blane told a little about his history. He wondered how it would work if he tried to do what he did. His face cringed slightly. "I would never work with fire, would end up dead before I got through a ring!" He pushed out a nervous laugh, quickly subsiding.

He looked over at both of the two dragons, almost past them to the wall. "My name is Haid'ku. Defender, and paladin. I work with ice, as you two with fire. As you can assume, I do live surrounded by ice. It is comfortable, to me anyways." He looked at the door, flicking his head back and motioning with his left claw for the human girl to enter.
"I can only assume we are here, to create some sort of peace talk. Or to get perspectives on a situation. I hope that we can get a new way for the councel to contact us. I am training to block out these kind of things. Have to, or you will have a bit of frost on your scales."

He looked over at Fafner, speaking sort of deeply. "If we shall have problems with our goals, then you may need to sharpen your claws. I will not fail, and at least we know eachothers names. As I will bring you down. But you may live. And each coin has two sides, I hope it doesn't come to that."

[Totenglaut]

The female smiled at the fallen man. Her white teeth glistening. "That should be a warning to you don't ever touch me again" Her voice was clear and sweet it fit her appearance if not what she was saying. She was small. Tiny really but she'd just downed that big fellow without so much as a sweat.

Something flashed behind her eyes. Silver blinked. Great a council meeting. She'd be late because she was so far away and to say the least her dragon form was small. She stepped on the man's hand on her way out. "Adieu"

Once outside she took the form of a small blue dragon. Her wings shimmered with many colors. She was delicate and small, hardly the form you'd think an asassin would take. She took off gracefully her shimmering wings catching the sunlight in a mesmerizing fashion. the angel was just right that she appeared to be leaving a trail of incandesance as she flew.

The little female absently pushed her dead down to streamline her body and pushed her wings down hard. The effect had her shooting forward but she'd still be late. Hmph, you'd think they'd call me earlier they know well enough how small I am. She touched down lightly her claws clinking on the ground.

She looked around seeing a small gathering off to her right. Yes that would be the best. Silver approached slowly. The delicate, little female dragon felt out of place as soon as she entered. At five feet she was at the very bottom of the spectrum compared to them. She poked her nose in. "I hope I'm not late." She said bringing her shimmering wings closer to her body to fit past someone. As in her human form Silver's voice befit how she appeared but it carried well so if she were speaking to a large group she wouldn't have to shout. Jewelria was familiar everyone else certainly wasn't.

There was another red, female bigger than Silver by only a foot or two. And many males. One who was black and red with a jewel on his forehead. Another who was pure red. And the last whom Silver had just squeezed past was big blue and frankly frightening. She recognized his race if not him. Ice dragon, mentally she clicked off all the other races of dragons present and smiled to herself. Only one of each it appeared.