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Post by Illusion on Mar 11, 2014 19:22:26 GMT -5
The world of Pylaeis was just one of the many kingdoms Grace's husband, Kenji Chan, ruled over as part of his empire. It was relatively unknown which made uninvited visitors quite uncommon, and was also also the world where the two of them spent the most of their time together, usually after Kenji had been busy with his many duties as emperor. As such, for the most part, Grace felt quite safe and at ease around here. The capital was at its heart, as was the palace Grace and Kenji called home. But, particularly around the outskirts, where few ever bothered to come - there were no long-term human or human-like inhabitants around those parts, either - the terrain differed greatly, varying from open grassland to the rocky cliffs of a coastline. This wide variety only made Grace like it all the more.
Soaring softly and silently downward on her golden, feathered wings - she had flown quite the distance, but in relatively little time and had not tired - she landed in the field of long, emerald-green grass that led toward the cliffs of the coast. Unlike a certain previous venture away from home she hadn't made any sort of attempt to disguise where she was going, or indeed that she had left in the first place, because this time she had absolutely nothing to hide. She was simply here to relax, nothing more. She hadn't been to this particular region of this world before but, admittedly, very much liked it immediately. It was nice and quiet, so pleasant and peaceful...
Smiling lightly to herself and sighing softly in relaxation, Grace sat herself in the soft, green grass and cast her eye into the azure skies in the distance; she wasn't quite near enough to the coast to see the silhouetted form of the cliffs on the horizon, but knew this field led on toward that area. Perhaps after a short break to relax she would fly on to see Pylaeis' coast for herself. Yes, that sounded delightful. Perfect, even. A nice way to spend some time.
Grace knew, of course, that she would eventually be followed, most likely by Kenji, but that was by no means a problem. Far from it; as much as she liked to relax in solitude, she loved his company even more. It might have been a simple thing to others, but it certainly wasn't to the two of them. To them, it was everything. It was a feeling they wouldn't give up for anything, ever.
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Post by Archer Zero on Mar 11, 2014 19:39:55 GMT -5
Indeed, Kenji had debated for a long time where to make his headquarters for his empire, and in the end, another world was chosen - one at the heart of his empire, and yet it was neither Heaven nor Hell. Its already-set vast infrastructure and civilization made organization and management quite a bit easier. It was to keep neutrality and remaining unbiased, so as to not anger either realm by showing favoritism. The tensions between Heaven and Hell were still quite fierce, despite being part of his empire and ruled by him.
Still, the realms of heaven and hell were certainly being blurred - portals had been opened up by Kenji's command between the two realms to establish trade, relationships, and of course, military strength. Although it was rocky, Kenji had also set up enforcers and sentinels to make sure nothing extreme broke out. Quite honestly, Heaven and Hell still hated each other with a passion, and it was often Kenji's will and power alone that was keeping them in check.
And that was merely one of his responsibilities as emperor. Small wonder he hated his job.
When Grace came to this world, a Paladin had followed her. Although he wore full armor, he seemed to be an easy-going sort - he wore a cowboy hat and had twin revolvers at his waist, and seemed to be at ease. All in all, not an appearance one might expect from one of the finest warriors Kenji had, but Kenji was not an idiot. Appearances could deceive, and this Paladin quite deserved his position, for his skill and loyalty and power. He stayed a respectful distance away, giving Grace the privacy and space she needed, yet keeping a wary eye on her. His gaze instantly turned to a whirlwind of darkness with a golden light shining down and reflexively, his hand went for his revolver, until he saw his emperor appear.
Kenji strode forward, still in his armor, and looked at the Paladin, who bowed low before him. Kenji nodded back, then said, "I would like some time with my wife. Take a break if you wish, Paladin Maxwell." Max instantly nodded. "Gen'rous of you, m'lord," he said with a bit of a drawl. "Don't mind if I do." With that, he rose up, tipped his hand, and turned to walk away before vanishing.
That dealt with, Kenji came up from behind her, and gently hugged her from behind. "Hello again, Grace," he said softly.
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Post by Illusion on Mar 11, 2014 20:02:53 GMT -5
Grace had the feeling when she left that she would probably be followed right off the bat by one of Kenji's Paladins; this was done as a security measure, to prevent harm from befalling her. It might have seemed a little over-the-top to others, sure, but Grace had quickly learned not to mind it. After all, she and Kenji had both lost precious things in their time, loved ones included, and both knew the pain of losing family. Now, even more so after Grace's near-death incident of several months ago, she knew Kenji just couldn't lose her, just as she couldn't lose him. Thus, she understood perfectly why he wanted to protect her wherever and however he could.
That being considered, however, Grace often didn't notice the guard sent to keep a careful eye on her until she decided to go back home or, by the slim chance it should happen, she should become endangered in some way. The Paladins were very good at what they did, and followed their orders - for the most part - right down to the letter; they gave Grace plenty of space and privacy when she ventured out, only intruding should the need to do so arise. As such, while she didn't turn round to look back behind her just yet, she wasn't too surprised to hear a Paladin's voice, which followed that of her husband whom just arrived. Looked like Kenji got some time away from his duties for the two of them to spend together.
She felt him hug her from behind, enjoying the warmth of his arms wrapped around her. Smiling, Grace turned to face him and gently kissed his cheek, a soft gesture of her affection.
"Hello to you, too, Kenji..." she replied just as softly. "I had a feeling you'd arrive sooner or later." She chuckled lightly, maintaining her smile. "How are you, then?"
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Post by Archer Zero on Mar 11, 2014 22:02:54 GMT -5
It was worse before. When Grace had first resurrected, she had been assigned three Paladins and Black Knights each. Kenji himself only had one at most, and so did most of the nobles he trusted. None of them had thought it was a good idea, and Kenji eventually reduced it to having one Paladin and Black Knight each watching over her. His love had just died, after she had rescued him from the depths of utter despair - could one really blame him? But still, at least they were understanding of it and just told him not to overdo it rather than it not being necessary at all.
Even in this calm location, the Black Knights assigned to Kenji and Grace still remained. If the Paladins were the front of Kenji's military power, the face, the show of his force and strength, his sword and shield, the Black Knights were Kenji's daggers and arrows. Nobody except him, Grace, and the Paladins knew of their existence. They were given cover identities and worked as spies and assassins. They were just as powerful as the Paladins, and were used for missions of absolute secrecy and diplomacy. And because no one knew who they were, they could be anywhere, making them the perfect secondary bodyguards in case someone was clever enough to slip through the Paladins' vigilance, or trapping those who believed that they outfought or outwitted the Paladins. An insurance policy, so to speak. But a very effective one.
Hello to you, too, Kenji...
Kenji smiled as she kissed him on his cheek. A simple show of affection, but Kenji had long realized that it was the simple things in life that were the most cherished. After wading through seas of blood, fighting countless enemies and driving back corruption and injustice by himself, such a thing was what he needed most before they pulled him under. He dearly loved Grace for that, just as she loved him. He simply held her closer and gently kissed her neck.
I had a feeling you'd arrive sooner or later. How are you, then?
"Tired as usual," he said with a sigh, letting go of her so he could sit beside her, looking weary. Grace was the only one he showed any of his weakness or tiredness around. Even around his Paladins and Black Knights, he had to maintain a show of strength, so as to have them still respect him as their liege. But around her, he let his guard down, for he knew she would never betray him, never manipulate him, never exploit him. That was one of the reasons he loved her. She was innocent and pure - something that a soul plunged into darkness and evil like him needed, so he wasn't infected by the same injustice he constantly fought against.
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Post by Illusion on Mar 12, 2014 2:49:49 GMT -5
Grace knew, of course, that she was the only one Kenji allowed himself to show any trace of weakness around. His status gave him great power, yes, but it also meant he had to stay strong pretty much all the time, to prevent anyone from exploiting or using said weakness to their advantage. Of course, this could take its toll on him. Grace remembered the first time they met, and remembered that back then he had looked physically exhausted, but was ignoring the tiredness completely, or so it had seemed to her. But it was more than that...thinking back, Grace remembered looking into his emerald-green eyes and seeing more than physical exhaustion. She had seen a deep-down weariness in him, an emotional tiredness he, again, seemed to be trying to ignore...but it definitely showed.
That wasn't the case any more, though. Far from it, in fact. Now the two of them were married and had each other to go through the tough times with, the both of them were much happier. Kenji, especially. Grace had seen quite a change in him; his physical tiredness had lessened a little, and most of all that emotional weariness she had seen in him had reduced drastically. There were still traces of it, Grace thought, but their feelings for each other had greatly relieved it from his systems. Their love for each other, and the prospect of having a family together, had brightened them both considerably.
Today, however, was one of those days when Kenji's duties ended up tiring him greatly. Of course, Grace immediately wanted to help him how she could; for now she simply sat closely beside him, enjoying the warmth and closeness between them. She knew he loved that feeling, too. And should he ask anything else of her to help alleviate his tiredness, she'd definitely do it. She genuinely enjoyed making him happy and helping him out how she could. She would always enjoy it. And, most of all, Grace knew Kenji very much appreciated her efforts to assist him in any way she could. Their mutual sense of appreciation for each other was one of the reasons why their love was so strong.
"Anything I can do for you?" she asked. She didn't think so, but asked nonetheless in case there was anything she could do to help him further. Might as well be sure.
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Post by Archer Zero on Mar 12, 2014 19:46:42 GMT -5
Exhaustion... it was the best way to describe it, yet it was not enough to truly encompass it. He was tired of it all. He was tired of his sword, of fighting. He was tired of his ideals, of being a hero. He was tired of being alone and seperated from all he knew and loved. He was just tired of everything... and he was in deep despair because of it. He was about to fully turn on his family's ideals when she found him - to cast out all his emotions, his heart itself, so he could fulfill justice once and for all, and able to eliminate all who stood in his way - innocents and guilty alike.
Grace stopped that from happening. She stopped him from turning into a monster. And for that, he would forever be grateful.
Anything I can do for you?
Kenji smiled and shook his head. He knew his wife always did what she could to help him relax from his duties and burdens. He loved her dearly for that. She made sure he didn't end up crashing or killing himself, and made sure he didn't lose himself to his ideals or to blood. "Not today," he said, lying down on the grass beside her. "I just need to relax today, is all."
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Post by Illusion on Mar 13, 2014 2:46:07 GMT -5
Grace knew all too well that, had she not met Kenji when she had, he would have cast his heart out and become little more than a husk or shell set only on his ideals of absolute justice across the worlds. He would have become less of a person and more of a force, a powerful force that would purge worlds of their evils without question or hesitation. After all, at that point, he had lost pretty much everything - his world, his wife, and his children - and saw no chance of getting that happiness he had with them back. Grace had felt something similar, but since she had no ideals to stand for like he did, hers translated into a pure, unimaginably deep sorrow that slowly tugged more a and more at her heart, and that probably would have killed her in the end.
But she didn't have to even think about that possibility now. Having met Kenji, Grace recalled, she remembered them bonding somewhat over the fact that they had both lost everything truly important to them, and that that mutual understanding and emotion, coupled with Grace's natural sense of empathy, led them to getting to know each other even better. This eventually turned into a deep love for one another, and, finally, led to them marrying...ergo, the two of them were now about as happy as they could ever be.
Smiling, Grace lay down in the grass beside him. Her hand soon found his and her fingers gently threaded through his own, simply holding his hand as they lay together and relaxed. The sky was a bright azure blue, dotted at intervals with a few clouds high above them. It was quite lovely, beautiful and soothing to look at. And with Kenji just beside her, she might well have drifted off into a relaxed state of sleep... Until she heard it. It was only faint, like it was quite a distance away and high up, but she could have sworn she heard some sort of screech or roar. Not a bird's sound, no, nothing like that. And it sounded vaguely familiar... Could it be...? No, surely not. That was impossible. It couldn't possibly be -
Then she saw it. She actually saw it. Very briefly, yes, but there was absolutely no mistaking it.
As she observed the blue sky above her a shape darted from one cloud to another, disappearing from sight in what seemed like a mere second. But there was no doubt as to what it was...it certainly wasn't a bird, because it had four legs, and a long whip-like tail. It's wings - four of them, oddly - were quite unlike those of any bird either, being more reminiscent of a bat's than anything. It was a dragon, that much was obvious. But...its slender, lightweight build, its four wings, and indeed the great speed at which it had been flying set it apart. This dragon seemed different...and Grace knew why.
She sat up in the grass, her body tensed up just a little...not out of fear, but our of shocked recognition. "Impossible..." Her voice spoke merely in a soft whisper as she thought for a moment. She hadn't been seeing things. She really had seen it. But...how? How could it be true...?
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Post by Archer Zero on Mar 13, 2014 14:33:00 GMT -5
Kenji smiled as she held his hand, and he held hers in turn. Indeed, this was truly relaxing, with the sun shining down on the warm grass, it felt truly comfortable. And like his wife, he was about to fall asleep too. Kenji was never one for comforts. He was a scholar first and foremost - he was more at home in a study filled with books or in a laboratory where he could continue his research than in castles, mansions, and palaces. Even their vacation home reflected that - located on another world, it was a simple small house that was comfortable in its simplicity, and nowhere was it lavish or showed signs of expensive taste. And of course, it didn't matter where he was, in the end - so long as Grace was with him, he felt truly at home.
Then he heard a distant roar and frowned slightly. He hadn't heard of any reports of predators being so near this location, but he doubted they would come to any harm - they were still guarded, and besides, both of them had to deal with far worse than mere predators looking for food. Then he saw, flitting through the clouds, what looked like a dragon. A four-winged dragon? Kenji had to admit, he didn't see those too often. However, he was more surprised by Grace suddenly sitting up, wide-eyed, and whispering,
Impossible...
Kenji frowned and sat up. "What is it," he asked gently. He wondered what his wife saw, what she realized. He wanted to know.
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Post by Illusion on Mar 13, 2014 15:20:55 GMT -5
Grace's dual-coloured eyes were slightly wide, and she seemed to be in a state of shock, like she had seen a ghost. That was, in truth, what it had felt like when she had seen the four-winged creature high above, because...it simply shouldn't have been there. It shouldn't have been possible. And yet, there it had been. Only for a brief moment, yes, but it had been quite real, and right before her eyes. Grace heard Kenji's question only faintly, owing to her state of thought, but quickly blinked herself back to the here-and-now. She turned to face him, the surprise still very much visible on her face.
"There was no mistaking it..." Grace gently replied to him, almost dazedly. "Draconem elegans...the Lissom Storm Dragon, to give its common name. And they were indigenous to one world, and world only; my world, the world I lost to war." She shook her head. "How could one be here? Was I imagining it...?"
Admittedly, Grace was starting to wonder now if she had been hallucinating, or something along those lines. How else could she explain seeing a species that should have gone extinct long ago, when her world had been utterly wrecked by the war...? But it really had been there, despite all the odds. And it brought back memories...plentiful, wonderful memories.
"Dragon Riders would partner up with a Lissom Storm Dragon. The bond was deep, and lifelong on both sides," Grace went on after a moment, reflectively. "They flew for leisure, for aerial display - for special occasions, mostly - for competitive racing, or as battle steeds. They were the best flyers, you should have seen them back in the day." Grace smiled lightly, as though recalling a fond memory. "As for me...I was a Rider, too. Velox was my dragon steed...one of the fastest flyers you ever saw. We performed for ceremonial aerial display. But...when my world fell, I did not fight alongside him. He stayed with the colony in the western cliffs; I didn't want him getting hurt. Obviously, though, that was the last I ever saw of him. Dear Velox..." She trailed off into silence, thinking.
"I assumed the war caused their extinction," Grace went on, softly. "But...maybe, just maybe...a few of them escaped my world before it fell to war. Maybe some of them survived. I certainly hope so..."
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Post by Archer Zero on Mar 13, 2014 15:33:31 GMT -5
There was no mistaking it... Draconem elegans...the Lissom Storm Dragon, to give its common name. And they were indigenous to one world, and world only; my world, the world I lost to war. How could one be here? Was I imagining it...?
Kenji frowned. If the two of them saw it, he doubted it. Kenji had keen eyes - he had to. He saw the dragon as clear as daylight, and so did she. However, before he could ask, Grace began telling him about the history of the dragons, how they were used for racing and for war, how they bonded to a rider for life... Not that uncommon, now that he thought of it, but still, it was quite the bond. Grace was a dragon rider too - he didn't know that. Well, seemed like she still had a few surprises for him. Her dragon was one of the fastest, but that terrible day, she never saw him again. He considered. He wasn't seeing things, and therefore, neither was she.
"Paladin Olorin," he called out. A young man appeared, clad in the standard white and silver armor of the Paladins. He knelt before Kenji. "My lord?" he asked. Kenji turned to him. "Have you heard of something called a Lissom Storm Dragon? We saw one earlier, a dragon with four wings." Olorin shook his head. "I have not heard they were called such, but I have seen a few of them. There is a colony of them to the south, a distance away." Kenji blinked. Well, it seemed that the dragons Grace thought extinct still existed. "Well, that answers my next question. Can you lead us there?" Olorin nodded. "Of course, my lord."
With that, Olorin began walking. Kenji offered a hand to Grace to help her up with a small smile. If it would make his wife happy, he would do anything.
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Post by Illusion on Mar 13, 2014 16:08:57 GMT -5
Grace had to restrain herself from gasping out of surprise. So...the Lissom Storm Dragons weren't extinct after all? They were alive, and there was an established colony of them on this world? If it was true, and Grace could get to see them again after the years of them having been apart...there was no telling how happy she would be. Joyous, almost certainly. These dragons were, as Grace understood it, the last relics of her former world, alongside herself.
A light smile spreading onto her lips, she took Kenji's hand and stood up, walking with him as Olorin led the way toward the Dragon Colony. Grace was almost holding her breath out of anticipation; she was excited, there was no doubt about it. The walk was one of reasonable length, the soft grasses giving way eventually to more barren plains, rocky cliffs looming up in the not-so-distant horizon. And as they came into a clearer view, Grace gave the slightest of gasps in delight, her smile growing brighter and all words snatched right from her mouth as she saw what she had been so dearly hoping to see.
The cliffs ahead of them were alive with almost countless Lissom Storm Dragons, some resting on the rocky ledges, some in flight; those in flight flew with almost unmatched agility and grace. It was quite a beauteous sight to behold. And, on this closer inspection, their full appearance was much clearer to see. They had a relatively lightweight, slender build, with four lithe limbs and a long, whip-like tail, one that was tipped with an almost axe-like blade at its tip. Its neck was long and appeared relatively flexible, and was adorned with a distinct cobra-like hood, most likely meant for display or intimidation. And though they shared this figure, each individual dragon was quite unique; no two seemed to share the same colour scheme in their smooth scales.
"They're just as beautiful as I remember..." Grace whispered, softly. She looked up as a pair of sub-adult specimens swooped low, right above their heads, passing over them and toward the colony. And it appeared that they were being noticed; a few more of the Lissom Storm Dragons that were at rest had turned their heads, regarding the 'visitors' with what looked like intrigue...and, when it came to Grace, they showed recognition. It was quite probable that some of the adult specimens could recognise her as someone from the world whence they had come.
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Post by Archer Zero on Mar 13, 2014 16:51:13 GMT -5
Kenji was utterly surprised at the sight. Dragons - hundreds of them - were all around, flying, resting, eating, and so forth. From what Grace said, they were almost extinct. If they were, then they certainly rebounded their population quite well. He wondered if this was the only colony of Lissom dragons or if there were others. If this was the only colony, then they had a long way to go. However, even one colony held hundreds of dragons. This was a good sign indeed. They certainly didn't look like most dragons Kenji had seen before. They seemed almost part... naga. Well, no matter.
Then he noticed that they had been noticed. They were staring at the three of them, but they looked at Grace with some traces of recognition. Both he and Olorin stepped back. With Grace, they were likely to be less hostile (not like they seemed to be hostile or they would've been char-broiled by now) but still, they were ready in case they needed to do something. Most likely a needless worry, but it never hurts to be safe.
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Post by Illusion on Mar 13, 2014 17:32:49 GMT -5
Stepping further into the colony a little, it seemed the attention of most of the dragons, at least the ones at rest, had shifted to be on her. They seemed to be regarding her with equal parts curiosity and surprise, and some of the younger specimens seemed more intrigued than the adults, probably due to having not readily encountered humans before. Whatever it was, they differentiated yet again from a great number of dragon species in that they showed no hostility toward any of the strangers. One specimen, a young male from the looks of it, had turned its attention to Kenji and Olorin, watching them from its perch atop a rocky ledge, its head shifted slightly to one side.
The vocalisations of the creatures sounded a little odd, high pitched shrieks somewhere between your stereotypical dragon's roar and the shrill voice of a bird of prey. Sometimes they would growl softly, almost as though chattering amongst themselves, and some individuals were starting to move from their perches, getting up on all four feet to get a better look at their three visitors. Grace watched them all, smiling to herself, and was about to speak again, when quite suddenly...
A dragon that had been apparently perched atop the nearest cliff shortly beforehand emitted a shrill screech before taking flight, diving down directly toward Grace, unfolding its wings to catch the breeze and slow down before landing softly. It growled, but...the growl was soft, not hostile in the least, and almost sounded like a purr, or even a greeting. This particular specimen had the look of a fully-grown adult male, with colouration akin to that of a Boomslang snake - a lime green mottled with black along its back, tail and wings, and occasional flecks of light blue - and was about 3 metres tall at the head (perhaps more).
Grace made eye contact with the large yet lithe creature. It looked right back at her. Grace's hand gentle reached out and the dragon bowed its head lightly so she could touch it. Her fingers gently traced over its smoothly scaled snout, and her smile slowly seemed to be broadening.
"Velox..." she softly whispered, petting the creature again. "Hello, old friend."
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Post by Archer Zero on Mar 13, 2014 19:10:56 GMT -5
Kenji and Olorin had both noticed the dragon, who was staring at them inquisitively. Olorin was a hunter, and as such he had a natural affinity with beasts. When he hunted them down, he always felt the thrill of a hunt, of being the hunter and knowing he could easily be the hunted. It was very much like a battle, just with some different rules. And one of those rules was that he knew his opponent. And his opponents more often than not were wild creatures. Still, he didn't think of them as beneath him or anything - if anything, he respected them, and knew they could be just as intelligent as people.
With that, Olorin walked towards the dragon, then stopped, keeping a respectful distance from it. With a small smile, he extended a hand towards the dragon. He wanted to see what its reaction was. He was an odd sort of hunter, as he simply loved the beauty of beasts. Their wildness, cunning, savagery... as well as their kindness and surprising friendliness. He didn't hunt without a reason, and would prefer to be a friend to the creatures rather than their enemy. So that's what he did, and he waited for the reaction.
Kenji meanwhile watched Grace, and saw the dragon coming down towards Grace. His fingers twitched as he almost reflexively summoned his katana, but he soon saw it was unnecessary - in fact, this dragon seemed to know Grace quite well, allowing her to touch it. It looked to be a strong dragon, but lean and sleek - definitely made for speed, much like themselves.
Velox... Hello, old friend.
He blinked in surprise, then smiled. "So, this is the dragon you were telling me about, Grace?" he asked, looking at Velox.
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Post by Illusion on Mar 14, 2014 17:12:22 GMT -5
The young male dragon Olorin was interacting with was not quite as big as the adults, but was relatively close to that size, indicating it was perhaps just over a couple of months away from attaining full maturity. It was poised and alert, its long tail twitching subtly on occasion as though it were quite ready to take flight at any moment. It's scaled were a vivid, deep indigo in colour and flecked with black, with three gold-coloured tiger-like stripes adorning the back of its neck. The sleek creature's underside was a paler grey-blue, like the colour of dull rain clouds. It regarded Olorin with quizzical curiosity, watching him carefully as he extended a hand towards it. Pausing for a moment, the dragon got up and wandered over a little closer to him. After a further brief hesitation, it lowered its head lightly, carefully sniffing at Olorin's hand to get his scent before gently resting its snout in his palm. It seemed to be taking a liking to him, recognising him as not being a threat to either itself or the other dragons of the colony.
Meanwhile, a short distance away, Grace continued to gently pet Velox's snout, smiling in absolute joy. Hearing Kenji's question she looked over to him, eyes alive with happiness. "Yes, yes it is. Kenji, I'd like you to meet my dragon steed, Velox. Velox, this is Kenji, my husband." Velox turned his head to look curiously at Kenji. After a brief moment it nodded its head to him, almost as though mimicking a respectful human greeting. Grace affectionately ran her fingers over the smooth scales of the dragon's neck, under its then folded cobra-like hood, causing the creature to purr-growl softly in response. It seemed like he had missed Grace, too.
"I remember the old days when the two of us flew together," Grace reflectively went on, softly. "Velox and I were quite renowned amongst the people of my world for our skill in the many ceremonial aerial manoeuvres, or 'Air Dancing', as we called it." She smiled, modestly. "I enjoyed that, actually. Not only was it something of an honour to be so readily selected to perform for important occasions, it was genuinely fun. For the both of us." Velox nodded, growling softly without hostility. Grace smiled fondly. She seemed to be thinking about something.
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Post by Archer Zero on Mar 16, 2014 14:06:00 GMT -5
Olorin smiled as the dragon came down and let him touch it. It was quite a beautiful creature, still young, he could tell, but still quite strong. He moved a little closer to it as he reached up with his other hand to scratch its neck. It was a friendly, loving kind of creature, no doubt. If he had this dragon with his hunts, it would make things infinitely easier for him, and he had a feeling that this young dragon would relish the chance. But that would be in the future, if it was possible. For now, he simply spent his time with the dragon.
Yes, yes it is. Kenji, I'd like you to meet my dragon steed, Velox. Velox, this is Kenji, my husband.
Kenji smiled and nodded to it in return - a slow nod with eyes lowered, showing his respect and trust to the creature. He watched as Grace petted the dragon, simply relishing the fact that she was now back with her beloved companion. Kenji just watched quietly as Grace began explaining to him.
I remember the old days when the two of us flew together. Velox and I were quite renowned amongst the people of my world for our skill in the many ceremonial aerial manoeuvres, or 'Air Dancing', as we called it. I enjoyed that, actually. Not only was it something of an honour to be so readily selected to perform for important occasions, it was genuinely fun. For the both of us.
He smiled as she reminisced. She looked so happy, and knew she truly was. When she was lost in thought, Kenji then said, "Well, then. It seems you missed flying with Velox quite a bit. Why not go fly with him once more? I'll keep up with you." Indeed, Kenji could fly as well, and he didn't need a steed to fly on. No, he had his own wings, so he could fly with them as well.
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Post by Illusion on Mar 18, 2014 7:25:54 GMT -5
The dragon being petted by Olorin seemed to be enjoying the attention, and almost seemed to be purring softly; being one of the younger specimens probably meant this was the first time he had come into direct contact with humans or the like. The adults of his species, however, likely passed on their knowledge and habits to him, indicative of his lack of aggression toward them. It was obvious they were capable of being fierce hunters indeed, one could tell from looking at their sleek form, their sharp claws and those blades adorning their whip-like tails...but, nevertheless, they chose to be pleasant toward the newcomers.
At Kenji's words it was Velox whom reacted first; he perked up and emitted a somewhat high-pitched chirruping sound, seeming to be excited by the prospect of flight. That made Grace smile, and she laughed a little; she could fly by herself, ever since her mysterious resurrection had given her an angel's feathered wings, but now she would fly on the back of her dragon steed, just like she used to. She reached up and petted Velox's snout one more time.
"Sounds delightful to me..." Grace softly said. Velox nodded, knowing exactly what to do; he bent his front legs to lower himself a little, allowing for Grace to hop more easily onto his back, and once she had done so and was in position, he straightened back up again. With scarcely a moment to spare the beautiful creature threw his head back with an echoing screech and, just like he and Grace had done so many times before, took to the air.
Grace felt ecstatic to be flying with him again, and could tell from Velox's behaviour that he did, too. And there was no holding back; they were going to enjoy this to the fullest. Velox had quickly ascended to the area above the cliffs the colony inhabited, and where a few other individuals were already in flight. Now the real fun began...after a moment of hovering, Velox dived forward, taking on extremely high speeds and nimbly turning every so often, doing so with beautiful ease, and a grace that even rivalled Grace's own. Sometimes he would somersault, or perform a barrel-roll like manoeuvre. it seemed that the dragon and his rider were communicating telepathically, as Grace didn't speak throughout. This sight was quite spectacular to behold, the stunning aerobatics the creature and his rider were performing...
...but this was a mere warm-up. Grace intended to perform a certain aerial manoeuvre that she and her steed used to perform a lot. A manoeuvre that was as spectacular as it was perilous.
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Post by Archer Zero on Mar 18, 2014 15:18:03 GMT -5
Sounds delightful to me...
Kenji grinned, and as his wife mounted her dragon, Kenji prepared himself for flight as well. Although he still wore his armor, his wings were specially enchanted. They grew out of his back and phased through his armor, allowing for unimpeded movement. They were odd wings, to be sure - a demon's wing and an angel wing. But it certainly represented Kenji quite well... and they served Kenji more times than he could count. With that, Kenji took to the skies, following his wife.
He watched as the pair began performing their acrobatics, and Kenji followed them easily, moving through the air as easy as he did on land. He doubted they had shown all their capabilities, and was quite eager to see them in action. He just had to watch...
Olorin, meanwhile, looked up at the three in the sky and had to smile. It had been a while since he had seen his lord enjoy himself so much. Olorin himself couldn't fly, and found himself slightly.. envious. Still, it was what he was. He absentmindedly continue to pet his dragon as he continued to watch them.
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Post by Illusion on Mar 18, 2014 16:13:23 GMT -5
The young dragon Olorin was petting had also turned his head to look up and observe the flight of Kenji, Grace and Velox high above them. It continued to purr, at least that's what it sounded somewhat like, softly as Olorin's hand gently ran over its smooth scales, and after a few moments more it averted its gaze from the trio above to look at the Paladin again. After a brief pause it gently shifted its head slightly to one side, in a seemingly quizzical gesture. Then, most likely to Olorin's surprise...it spoke.
Have you ever flown before?
The question was simple enough, and had been voiced telepathically; the male dragon's voice sounded distinctly like that of a young man in his late teens or perhaps early twenties. It was a mature voice, yes, but not one without a trace of an underlying playful or adventurous nature. It didn't 'speak' again just yet, simply (maybe even politely) awaiting Olorin's reply instead.
Meanwhile, high above, Grace and Velox were having the time of their lives. Both of them seemed impressed, too, that Kenji was able to keep up with their speed and the swiftness of their changes in direction; Grace knew Kenji was fast, just as fast (and sometimes faster) than she, which was quite the achievement, but she hadn't really had the chance to see him airborne until now. very impressive indeed. But now, it was time for Grace and her dragon steed to do something they hadn't done in so, so very long. Something that was stunning to see, difficult to perform...and notoriously dangerous.
As if on cue, another adult Lissom Storm Dragon took flight and flew toward them, flying directly beneath Kenji and soaring ahead a little, settling into the position of flying directly alongside Velox and Grace. This dragon too, judging from its size and the confidence it almost seemed to radiate as it flew, was obviously an experienced flyer. And it, Velox and Grace all knew exactly what to do. Both dragons let out an echoing screech once more, one after the other...and then the ascent began.
Grace was still smiling but had a look in her eyes that seemed to indicate a degree of concentration, and deep-down excitement. She clung to Velox's back as she had been doing as he and the other dragon ascended, gracefully swooping in and swirling around each other in a helix-like manoeuvre. Still making their graceful ascent, a few more dragons from the cliffs noticed what was going on, and they too took flight, mimicking the actions of Velox and the other dragon. It was a truly wondrous sight to behold...but this was nothing compared to the dangerous yet thrilling 'coup de grace'.
Having ascended to quite a distance above the cliffs and ground below in their helix-like climb through the air, Grace both concentrating on and enjoying the moment, her dragon steed and the wild dragon did something quite remarkable...they locked talons at the height of their climb, in a manner similar to the courtship ritual of some birds of prey, and dropped down at great speed, in a spectacular freefall. The other dragons that had taken flight paired up and did the same, locking talons and free-falling with them in quite the incredible aerial display. It was obviously dangerous in the extreme, but it was more than just risk...it was the ultimate show of faith between dragons, or between dragon and rider.
None of them showed any sign of slowing down as they plummeted, their talons still locked together. Even more extraordinary now was the way their bladed tails gave off blue lightning-like sparks, almost giving them the appearance of comets or shooting stars as they fell, and indicating an affinity for the element of Lightning. Still, though, they did not slow...but just as it seemed they would impact the hard ground below, Velox and the other dragon unfolded their wings and pulled up, ascending again, then hovering, watching as the other dragons did the same and scattered through the air again after the incredible display. Most of them, including the one Grace and Velox had flown with, returned to wherever it was they had been perched or resting before it had started. A few stayed airborne, perhaps to get the adrenaline from the event out of their systems and calm a little.
And as for Grace? She was smiling. Smiling so brightly, it was clear she had enjoyed every single second of it.
The dragon with Olorin had turned its head and watched the display. Now that's really something, huh? I may be a great flyer...well, a brilliant one if I do say so myself...but I've never done that manoeuvre before.
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Post by Archer Zero on Mar 21, 2014 13:08:35 GMT -5
Olorin blinked in surprise as the dragon communed telepathically to him. He looked over at his dragon, who was now looking at him, curious. He didn't expect these dragons to be fully sentient - intelligent, yes, but not completely sentient. It caught him off guard for a bit, but he soon regained his composure as he processed the information. Talking dragons honestly weren't that uncommon, so he wasn't left flabberghasted or anything of the sort. He simply smiled wistfully and looked up at the flying dragons, as well as his lord and lady flying up there.
No, I'm one of the few of my lord's Paladins that has no capability of flight, he said sadly with his thoughts. I can certainly move fast, but I always wondered what it was like to fly. I always forget about it because I'm so busy with my missions and the hunt, but when I see some of my quarry fly, or my companions take flight... Well, I'll admit, I end up a bit envious.
Kenji watched with curiosity at what Grace and her dragon Velox, as well as their partner, were trying to do. When they began ascending together, he watched, growing a bit alarmed as they locked claws together. He looked around and saw a number of other dragons doing the same thing. Then they began plummeting, looking in all the world like comets, covered in lightning instead of flame, shooting brightly towards the ground. That was what got Kenji scared. He thought he knew what Grace was doing, but now... he was prepared to intervene if it seemed like they were going to crash, when suddenly, they broke off and pulled up, just in the nick of time.
He let out a deep sigh of relief. That was not good for his heart. He flew beside Grace and Velox and clapped. "Very impressive, my love," he said grinning. "But next time, don't do that again. You nearly gave me a heart attack."
Olorin watched as well, and at his dragon's words, replied, Indeed. Risky, though. You could try, if you like.
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