RDM RP Page #13

-"A fire!"- exclaimed Erindor with worry seeing a plume of smoke in the distance being lit with moonlight. -Aye, and its right where Elithian is...-" Erador's responce was cut short as he began sifting through the night's many scents with his keen nose. Air forced through his nostrils flowed out of his mouth in a continual loop, filling his senses with a new smell, -"...burning...meat...-" 

Erindor could hear some of Erador's tendons popping, and his joints working to transfer the great forces to keep the heavy dragon airbourne at such a remarkable airspeed. "-Well don't kill yourself!-" Erador's responce was a vauge mental growl. The dragon bared its teeth to the firce wind and ripped forward, the air being driven and tortured as it was pummeled by the empowered dragon. 

-"Mine eyes will see what is Elithian, and who hath done this terrible thing and is now trying to clean it up...-" came Erador's venom dripping words, laced with an ancient anger. Series of images flashed between dragon to rider from Erador's seething mind, they weren't kind memories to say the least. -"Just attempt diplomatic relations before you blast and rip anyone there to pieces?"- pleaded Erindor, but was ignored.

---

Amrevar stepped forward torwards the flames and closed his eyes with tears. "May there be peace after death..." Amrevar said in a trembling voice. Then he returned to his love's side with a sigh. "We must leave... There is no other choice..." Taking the reins, Amrevar stared at the ground with narrowed eyes of heartache in deep thought. He led the horse into the woods and the army of Hert'zar followed him reluctantly as the moon gleamed down upon there thick armour. The stench of the dead had been deluded with the smell of smoldering ashes. Burning the bodies was the only choice Amrevar had, for if they were left to rot, then desease would begin to spread. He slowly shook his head when the images of the dead's faces ceaselessly appeared within his mind. It was a nightmare to relive what he saw in images that haunted him in every thought.

---

By the time rider and dragon were in range to the see the ruined city, the fire at its center was allready burning itself out. The molten coals at its base the only light in the desolate city. Erador was exhausted, his tongue hanging to the side of his face, and saliva foaming from the breathing effort. At last, he gave way from the speed and glided to the center of the city. He extended his legs for landing, but they gave way and his chest rammed into the stone street with tremendous force, sending large stone slabs flying. Erador slid chest first across the ruined streets, armour sparking viciously below him and carving a swath from the stone streets. 

Coming to a screeching rest some one hundred yards from their touchdown spot, the dragon breathed heavily, hot air condensing in the night. Erador laid his head on a ruined house's flat terra cotta roof, he was dissapointed in his lack of getting them there fast enough. Erindor sprang from the saddle, running up the top of Erador's neck to kneel on the roof beside the head of his brother. He reached out and put a hand on his brother's head. His hand half the size of the scales on Erador's head. -"Why did you push yourself so?-" A large, tired eye swiveled to look upon him, -"why? you ask? Because we were just five minutes away from an answer...I've failed in the most valuable clue we could have had."- Erador puncuated his forlorn thought with a pitiful roar, more of a moan of desparation and effort wasted. 

-"Sleep now, in a few hours we'll get food for you. No doubt you burned up a couple day's worth of food in that flight.-" -"Of course Erindor..."- came the dim reply before Erador moved his head, more so slid it off of the flat roof of the home and curled up as best he could. Some of his chest armour's joints had been fused on impact, and he couldn't move well. Erindor looked down at Erador sadly, "goodnight Erador." 

The rider stood and surveyed the scene before him, it was clear that whatever force gathered to annihalate the city was ordered to clean it up. Every dead body burned at this massive inferno that was providing the heat for their night's slumber. What where they to find that they could report to Malias? Where their words to encourage the lord of Sar'dan in falsehood? Erindor jumped down and strided next to the now sleeping Erador. He rested his body on the cold ground, his back warmed by Erador's warm jaw. "You did not fail brother..." Erindor said before closing his eyes. -"I know..."- was the dreamy responce. "We did..."

The Dark Lord sensed the presence of Erindor and Erador and looked up to Mavria with a clam sigh. "I shall be back... I am sure that Erindor and Erador are looking for me... I sense them in the city... Go on ahead for Mavenethar without me... I shall return..." Amrevar left her the reins and left without allowing Mavria a chance to speak. He return to the city, gazing upon the great fire with narrowed eyes of regret. He peered up at the star covered sky, hoping that if Erindor and Erador were here, that it wouldn't be an ill council. Amrevar unsheathed his sword and tossed it to the side, for if he was to fight, he would make sure he didn't have his sword to protect himself; to show the two something. He tried to calm himself of the sorrow that still lingered in his heart for the people who died. No one should have to go through such a cruel fate. He wished it were he and not them.

In the shadows of destroyed homes, a deep throaty growl resonated somewhere in the night very near Amrevar. Its source shifted until the expression of a very ornery dragon was lit with the meek light left from the failing fire from before. Erador has his lips raised over his hundreds of ivory white fangs. Above his mouth, his armour accented eyes narrowing around their glowing emerald firestorms, glaring with dialted pupils at the dark lord. -"Amrevar...-"

"Malthinae Amrevar kalfya!" roared a vibrant male voice behind the dark lord in the rubble. Magics immediately sought out Amrevar's calfs, holding them rooted to the spot, leaving him quite imobile. With the hair raising sound of a sword being drawn from its sheath, the same voice spoke again, "speak why you are here Amrevar, lest we should believe you ordered this massacre, then you too shall join their ranks if that is so."

Amrevar closed his eyes as he grew calm, trying not to leave a burst of anger. "I have returned here because I sensed your presence from within the city... I know you want answers... so I shall give them to you... I did not instruct my armies to do this treachery, Erindor. My Hert'zar were decieved by another Dark One by the name of Morac... My brother," Amrevar replied as a tear strolled down his face. "This was not my doing."

The rider stepped out of the rubble into the failing light of the molten coals of the fire beside them. Its dying rays giving great constrast across his snarling face, Valourne rested in a ready position to his moderate front. Erindor began sidestepping around the Dark Lord, "oh, now've another brother? Convenient to place blame as quickly on a lie," he hissed. -"Caution brother, I think that we've been paying attention to the wrong people again,"- warned Erador. -"Oh how so?"- barked Erindor, irritated at these unstable shifts in the hierchy of the dark realm. -"It would explain many things that Amrevar has another brother, and a terribly dark one at that."- 

Erindor skidded to a hault sharply, a frustrated growl fleeting from his maw. "Even if what you say is true, why should we believe our nemesis?"

"Because..." Amrevar turned his head to look back upon Erindor; the tear was still there upon his face. "I tell the truth." A growl almost exited his mouth as he spoke, but kept it back as he continued to keep himself at peace.

The rider scoffed, raising his sword slightly in Amrevar's direction. "You tell the truth? Even that could be a lie I'm afraid. Under more normal circumstances, if you were not the menace you are now, I might take you under my temporary trust till you can prove genuine. I'm afraid to say, these are far from the norms Amrevar. Give me something that I can entrust one iota of belief in your words." 

There was a tense pause in the smokey twilight air. Scraping metal and stone sounded in Erador's direction as he stood, having chunks of his armour and much of the street he had demolished before crash to the ground. The dragon stepped with deliberate, fluid steps towards Amrevar until the two were nose to nose. Those emerald green hawkeyes of Erador's drilling into Amrevar's. -"You're...Amrevar, you've changed your ways...you have control.-" The dragon held his unblinking iron gaze, his clear-cut malachite eyes searching the pale face of the Dark Lord. 

Closing his eyes again, Amrevar nodded at Erador's calm voice. Indeed, I have, Erador... but I am still trapped within my father's will... Please tell Erindor that I am telling the truth... I mean no harm to anyone, even to Malias of Sar'dan... All though I have changed, I still keep my distance from from the great city... I cannot risk it... It is all because I cannot predict what my father shall do with me next... For some reason, he has been silent... and this silence is disturbing me greatly, Amrevar replied in a serene tone. The Dark Lord ignored Erindor for the moment.

-"Understand this, Amrevar...I, understand that what you are, what you've done is not because of your soul. External evils have shaped your life, but not your being...there still exists light in there somewhere. A light that your father or your brother could never destroy. One beacon of hope in an entire being could destroy the evils, why do you think Malias has been trying to help you? Allowing that light to flourish will weaken your father and your brother, but yet...that is the war in your own family. I'm afraid to say it, but you're the pawn who gets the blame and hate while your father and brother roam free."- Erador still held his unblinking gaze, even when relaying what had been said to Erindor, who nodded calmly, angular eyes softening on Amrevar. 

"You've won your token of trust from me Amrevar, but you've not won us over. We'll be watching you, but I respect you for wishing to talk with us. It was both brave, and the right thing to do, thank you," said the rider, sheathing Valourne at his back and releasing the magic that held Amrevar. -"You said we wanted answers...we do, now answer that to the best of your ability if you would. It could help us decide the fate for this turgid world."-

A tear shed from the Dark Lord's eye, slowly drifting down his face. He opened his eyes and turned towards Erador, but his face still held calm. Indeed that is true, Erador.., Amrevar said to him, sadly. Then he looked up at the sky whose starlight glittered so gorgeously. "You are welcome, Erindor... Now... you want answers to why the slaughter had happened, correct?"

"That is what we wish Amrevar, I only wish we had some food to eat while we talk." -"If you'd be willing to join us at camp in the forest over supper Amrevar to talk...either way, I'm eating"- It wasn't wise to argue with a famished dragon anyways. Erador sauntered off in the direction of the woods, keeping a keen mental connection with Erindor, if anything should happen. "We'll walk and talk, this carnage brings back distasteful memories," suggested Erindor moving in the direction of Erador. He paused after a few strides and waited for Amrevar's reply.

"Very well..." Amrevar replied as he followed Erindor and continued to gaze up at the sky. Then he turned his gaze to the rider who walked before him, but then he immediately halted when the sound of a galloping horse could be heard wthin the forest. He turned only to see Mavria upon Starlight with the child still held within her arms. "Mavria, why have you returned? You should have left for the castle..." The Dark Lord came towards his love with worry in his heart, fearing that something had happened.

"I didn't wish to leave you back here, darling... You could be in danger being here..." she said, worriedly. Amrevar held onto her hand with a calm slime upon his face.

"I will be fine, Mavria... Don't worry about me... but since you are here, please join us," Amrevar said serenely and then he took the reins to the horse, leading it towards Erindor and Erador. "Erindor, I hope you do not mind that my wife joins us..."

The rider stopped and turned toward the pair with a warm smile, "we'd be honnored to have you join us Ma'am. Perhaps you could add some interesting insights into the answers of some questions our hungry minds crave. But alas, our stomachs come first in this order of feeding." Light flashed in the distance of the forest. Shadows casted by trees in the way created a black and white contrast, like spokes on a wheel. -"Dinner is served!-" exclaimed Erador's voice happily from within the woods. -"Must you be so flashy brother? Oh...Amrevar's wife, Mavria will be joining us."- -"Very well"- replied Erador, ignoring Erindor's previous comment purposely. Erindor grinned and proceeded on astride Amrevar, his wife and the horse. Erador no doubt was eating with all the inpolite gusto he could now as to appear more better mannered after taming his hunger when the rest arrived to dine as well.

"So, please Amrevar, detail your version of the massacre of Elithian. Or I should say, the specific reasons why it happened," requested Erindor in a calm, serene voice. His gaze was also taken by the stars, wonder spreading on that milky band stretching across the sky. The forest was silent, save for a distant wolf's yowl every now and then. Leaves and twigs crackled and snapped under foot, the soft soils dampening the horse's steps.

Before Amrevar said anything, he carefully took the infant from Mavria's arms, cradling him is his own. He gave her his remaining hand to help her off the horse's back and when she got down, he handed her the child. Amrevar aided her to sit down before he leaned against a tree with his arms crossed in thought. "I was the one who sent the Hert'zar, but for other intentions. I sent them to ensure that there was peace among Elithian's people, but I had not gone with them for my own reasons. I did not wish to disturb the people with my presence. Then I decided to leave for Elithian with Mavria... yet... when we got there... the entire city was destroyed and its people scattered upon the ground to soak within their own blood.

No time sooner did I see my twin brother Morac lead the army of my Hert'zar towards me dressed in what I wear now... He said he ordered the slaughter and insulted me greatly. He decieved my armies having them think that it was I who led them... He used my absence to his own advantage... Morac changed the instructions I had given to them... He is a grave threat to Agarsenus..." Amrevar closed his eyes with a growl of anger that came forth from his lips. Mavria only nodded, knowing that what her darling said was truth, for she was there during the argument. "Before he left," Amrevar continued, "he said that he had to take care of a hatchling... He has no doubt stolen one of Illatrius's eggs... There must be three left within the nest if this is true."

Erador's attention was galvanized from Amrevar's final sentence, -"stolen an egg? Stolen?!"- Rage boiled inisde the dragon at the sickly deed that was done. -"Poacher, murderer, contorted black heart...and now the theif of dragons still in their eggs?"- Erador swung his tail in frustration. It collided with a nearby tree with such force the great plant's trunk shattered and crashed to the ground away from those gathered. -Please, calm Erador, these such emotions are best in battle, not civil conversation.- It wasn't really soothing, but the dragon regained control of his anger, shrugged, and went back to eating his fifth serving of elk. Apparently the flash from before was Erador vanquishing a sleeping herd. "Its much too cold," complained Erindor collecting wood for a fire. The rider paused after lifting a large log, "...Morac..." he said under his breath getting used to the word. 

---

Illatrius woke up with a sudden gasp and looked upon her eggs; there were only three in the next, but there were supposed to be four. A tear streamed down her face while she tried to wak up Drazon with a nudge. "One of the eggs is gone! Zello'rox is gone, Drazon! And the eggs are supposed to hatch soon!"

Enrias woke up from all of the dragon shouts and blinked with confusion, but then he peered over at the dragon eggs with a growl. "Who took it!?" Enrias's shout woke up Theria in an instant. The small dragon, Ar'rias, was laying beside her until he felt Theria move, causing him to wake up as well. It yawned, standing up upon its feet; the young draogn had grown these passed three weeks and it seemed to becoming as tall as Theria, but only came up to her shoulders.

---

A harsh cough suddenly erupted from Amrevar's lungs, causing blood to seep from the side of his mouth. The coughs came ceaslessly as if to torture him. Mavria handed the infant to Erindor while her face suddenly became to look worried. "Please hold Za'nix for me... I must take care of Amrevar... His condition is worsening."

Erindor dropped the log to the side and took the babe carefully in his arms. Erador seemed to have forgotten his meal and stood behind Erindor, maw covered in crimson from the elk. "Condition? what condition is this?" The dragon standing beside his rider bared his bloody teeth, sensing a possible reversal in Amrevar.

Mavria sighed as she laid Amrevar down upon his back, laying her right hand over his chest. She didn't need to speak the ancient language to perform the light that emanated from her palm; the Dark Lord's coughing halted soon after the bright light that faded away. She sat down, gazing into the forest. "Amrevar said that the cause of his condition happened a few weeks ago when his father stabbed him through the chest and into his lungs... Unable to reach a healer, he healed himself, but was only capable of of healing the outside... His lungs remained untouched. I can only sooth the coughing for so long..."

"How is it possible that he has lived this..." Erindor's words died off as his mind realized a dooming possibility, eyes widening. "We need to get him to healers, and soon. I believe he may have been able to live so long with an internal injury such as this because of some other magic. Someone wants him alive, to use him. They're now forgetting about him and leaving him to die, to kill that light within him." Erindor put his hand on the babe's head. It's comfortatingly warm touch calming Za'nix. "We cannot stay here, Amrevar needs help." -"If you would agree Mavria, it would perhaps be best to take you and Amrevar to Sar'dan to have healers there help."- Erindor sighed, "I know it sounds foolish, but it will help all of us when more know that Amrevar is not our true foe." He moved to prepare the saddle on Erador, careful not to disturb the babe in his arms. "It'll be easier to enter at night, now, in secret than any other time. I don't think that waiting is wise with Amrevar's injury."

Mavria nodded as she helped Amrevar up who had awakened no sooner and heard everything they had said. "I... I cannot go to Sar'dan... If I did... I'd be putting the people at risk... I can't..." Amrevar said weakly. "Don't..." He stood up on his own and backed away from them. "I don't want to end up killing someone again..."

"But Amrevar..." Mavria said softly. "You have no choice... You'll kill yourself..."

"Rather that... than to kill unwillingly under my father's control... I have to be taken care of in Mavenethar..." Amrevar said to her and then looked at Erindor with dimmed eyes of weariness until another cough came, causing him to close his eyes as he covered his mouth with the side of a fist; blood left his mouth, falling to the ground.

Erindor let out a breath and looked at the ground by his feet. He felt rather helpless, this was all too strange. Erador nuzzled Erindor's hair with the bottom of his chin. -"Have hope and conviction Erindor, we both know that this sort of injury can really only be dealt with by light workers. Flesh cannot be simply mended, it has to mend itself."- The rider was somewhat comforted, but still troubled, -"then Amrevar has two chances for recovery. The first being healers at Sar'dan...the second...us."- -"Aye brother..."- -"I'm no good at healing others, you know that Erador.-" 

-"I'll meld my mind with yours to share my power with you...it can be don-" Erindor cut in brusqely, -"it can be done only if we quite litterally cut him open from front to back to heal the internal wounds from the inside out. Its so risky, especially here.- The dragon sighed, lighty placing his head on Erindor's. Erindor stood for a moment under the power above the crown of his head. -But it can be done, I won't let Amrevar die on our hands if he chooses us to help him,"- soothed Erador. Erindor sighed, -"we'll propose the idea, if they don't like it, so be it."-

The rider took a preparatory breath, "Mavira, Amrevar...because of the nature of your wound, your flesh can only mend itself with the energies of light. That leaves Sar'dan...and, me. Erador will share his power to help, but...I must warn you, its a drastic procedure here or at Sar'dan, or especially at Mavenethar." He stroked Za'nix's hair subconciously with his right index finger while he spoke.

"Very well... I shall go to Sar'dan..." Amrevar coughed. "I only hope that... my father doesn't take advantage..." Mavria came over to him and held onto his arm. She led him over to Erador carefully, making sure that Amrevar was alright.

"I must say I'm relieved at your choice...wait, the horse? I'm assuming that you, Mavria, are wishing to be with your husband. Can it find its way back to Mavenethar?" queried the concerned rider, trying to gauge the mechanics of their next couple of actions. -"All animals understand the ancient language Erindor, if you must be reminded of that."- Said Erador calmly, slowly lowering his body to the forest floor. "Sometimes the mind is set on one course of how to do things in hard situations. Works fine until twists confront it, sorry, and thank you brother." 

"Yes and Starlight knows her way," Mavria said, smiling as she looked to Erindor. "I thank you for helping us..."

Erindor bowed slightly before handing the babe in his arms to Mavria, "please take him a moment." With his arms free again, the rider walked to the horse, "Starlight, eka weohnata néiat haina ono. Gánga aptr du Mavenethar." Instructed Erindor to the horse quietly before it whinnied and galloped off in the direction of the dark city. "Good, let us be gone from the lands of this dreadful place," he said climbing atop Erador's large, angular shoulders and sat in the front of the saddle. He offered his hand down to Mavria, "come first with Za'nix. It'll be easier to get you all on with you two on, then Amrevar."

Taking Erindor's hand, she pulled herself up onto the dragon's saddle and cradled the child within her comforting arms.

"Good...now you Amrevar," said Erindor now offering his hand to him. -Daylight will be in a few hours, we should be able to get there without me pushing myself as I did to get here Erindor.-" -"Good, don't push yourself, Amrevar is the one that needs the attending to, not anyone else,-" Erindor replied happily, but with a curt note to his words.

Amrevar took Erindor's hand, pulling himself up, but could barely make it. He got up onto the saddle with a slight cough before he looked up at the sky, hoping that Malias would be willing to aid him even after all he had done to Sar'dan.

"Malthinae..." uttered Erindor, magic manipulating the leg straps of the saddle to secure the legs of all riders. "Lets go Erador, time is of the essance, but all your strength isn't back yet. Just relax." -"Right, but you'd be suprised brother,"- replied the dragon with a grating chuckle deep in his chest. "That I have been before..." admitted Erindor with a wry grin. Erador stood, coiled his hind legs and shot into the air, claws on his hindpaws carving deep swaths in the damp forest soil. Beating his large verdant wings thrice, the dragon cleared the forest canopy, breaking out into the wan moonlight. One could see the velvety blanket of unending trees stretch out in every direction save for the grey, jagged snow capped mountains. The voyage to Sar'dan had begun. Erindor checked a leg strap, "one thing that I hope for this night, is that Illatrius and Drazon do not go in search of their missing egg. That would result in a rather bloody conflict if we were to meet them somehow en route."

"Indeed..." Amrevar said, looking at the infant Mavria held. "That child... is the only survivor of Elithian..." He gave out a deep sigh that only ended up to become a cough in the night.

That cough of Amrevar drove Erador's wing faster, much to Erindor's worry. "It is some miracle that he lived through that slaughter. Every living inhabitant being murdered like that...and by Morac's orders. Why would he order an attack on his own city? It only weakens his empire...he must be truely insane."

"No... to weaken my empire... I needed that city, so he destroyed it... He does not care about the lives of the people who once lived within that city... They were all of Man kind..." Amrevar said calmly. "Morac is exactly like my father..."

"Pardon my mistake, your empire. So their goals are not quite conquering as so much as they are goals of killing for...entertainment?" The thought made him sick. -"Its fair to say I was beyond disgust millenia ago"- said Erador dryly.

"Morac is a murderor... like I once was... like my father is," Amrevar said.

"Its good that you finally decided not to keep with the family tradition," joked Erindor morbidly. The moonlight blanched forests below gave way to rocklands before the foothills preceding some small mountains. On the other side of those mountains, lay the glowing web of Sar'dan. "This has been the finest weather we've seen for some time..." observed Erindor feeling the warm air with a loose hand.

"Indeed... I have been looking forward to it for some time," Amrevar said with a calm smile as he felt the warm breeze upon his face. 

"It makes one believe that there is still good in this world with the brushing caress of sweet wind such as this. Lifts your spirits as a dragon's wings would, soaring your being into an involuntary bliss. Its lovely that such things still exist that pleases one so easily," Erindor said smoothly. "Tell me of your happiest days Amrevar and Mavria."

"Happiest?" Mavria asked with a serene laugh. "The only times he and I were joyful was during the times we spent loving eachother." She heard Amrevar laugh, but then he coughed causing blood to come forth from the side of his mouth. He only smiled at her.

Erindor smiled into the wind, "then that's all you need." -"What we all need is love, or understanding at the very least,"- added Erador, paying only half attention to the conversation on his back. The remainder of his attention was drawn to things like thermals from hills, micro jet streams hidden by clouds, and the everpresent danger of being seen. -"Are you strong enough Erador?"- queried a concerned Erindor. -"Of course...why brother?"- -"Two things...just because I'm worried about you. We'll have to fix that armour when we get back. Two, can you go faster?"- That was a potentially dangerous question to ask a very strong willed dragon. Erindor had to grap the saddle loop in front of him to prevent his inertia from pulling him back into Mavria and Amrevar as Erador accelerated drastically in a shallow dive. The dragon leveled with the world again some seven hundred feet above the peaks of the mountains that separated Sar'dan from Elithian. It would be another half an hour at the least...perhaps a quarter of an hour now. 

"Yes," Mavria said happily. "That is all we need." She held Za'nix close to her when the dragon dived down towards the ground. Memories long forgotten had returned to her mind; it had been so long since she last sat upon a dragon's back. She sighed.

Erindor took note of Mavria's sigh, and guessed that it was one of old memories revived. "When was the last time you rode on dragon back Mavria?" he asked, usually he was pretty keen with observing people. -"Well lets not make it the last...-" commented a slightly irate Erador. The dragon shook its snorted smoke and shook his large emerald head, causing the flexible armour plates to dance like waves of water down his neck. -"What is it?"- -"Skyrblaka..."- was the grim reply preceeding a night shattering shriek from below. "Hold Za'nix!" yelled Erindor hunching over in the saddle, "and hang on!"

Tightly holding on to the child, Mavria closed her eyes with her head bowed. It was too long since she had last been upon a dragon's back, far too long. "I used to be a dragon rider... until Dravescar killed my dragon... She was Illatrius's mother..." she replied.

Erindor was fascinated by her calm reply, dealing with these flying mountain beasts was no easy task. "Wonderful, now all of you, do nothing unless I tell you to!" The rider more or less ordered as Erador answered a second skyrblaka's blood-chilling scream with a rumbling bass roar. The very saddle viabrated from Erador's hostile bugle. Seconds later, a earthy fured creature snapped from Erador's left flank, its razor claws dancing across his armour shedding sparks. The dragon retaliated by folding his right wing, putting him into a tight right spin whipping his armour clad tail into the hairy-bat winged beast. On impact, a great shudder ran the length of Erador. The victim of the tail ram squawked in agony before it passed into silence, plummeting to the moutain valleys below. 

Three more of the terrible creatures, their homelyness only turely revealed in the wan moonlight, spun after Erador like angry wasps. It was all up to Erador at this point, magic didn't affect these beasts in the slightest. The emerald dragon contorted through the air, shifting on thermals and diving with corkscrews to the left and right. Another ear-splitting shriek from the skyrblaka came, this one of pain from its own stupidity when it attempted to bite a chunk out of Erador's armoured leg, resulting in a mouth full of broken fangs. Erador kicked the injured beast in the maw, snapping its oily, coarse hair covered neck. It too joined the ranks of the dead with the previous skyrblaka from before. 

Killing them only seemed to provoke them more, and soon more of their kin persued Erador through the air biting, clawing, ramming and jarring the dragon in every way. -ENOUGH!- roared Erador from mind and maw before snapping his wings foward to bring them to an almost dead stop into the air. The skyrblaka group flashed ahead, suprised by the sudden action, and one paid for it in in blood when Erador sought out the flank of one with his maw. Six and a half tons of bite force shattered the monster's leg, pelvis and lower spine. The dragon's sides rumbled with a tempest from within, and moments later the rest of the mortally wounded prey was engulfed in a lethally hot stream of fire from Erador's maw. The blue and white torrent lit up the clouds around them, and the mountain peaks below. 

But, the game was, kill one...piss off the rest and have two more join. Erador groaned and dove, dodging another two of his opponents before grabbing one in his talons and crushing it with sure grip. Tossing the corpse into another of its comrades, Erador gained the advantage and let loose another flaming tempest at the center of the circling group from below. Most scattered, but two where caught in the firey swath and were incinerated in mid-air. Erador burst through the ashes with a shock of speed. 

"Erador, heads up!" roared Erindor drawing Valourne from its sheath...there wasn't enough time. Three skyrblaka looped down from the dark heavens in a chevron. Erador banked over, exposing his belly to the sky while protecting his riders from attack. At the same time exposing some of the areas where his armour had been damaged before. Erindor's mind was all but blotted out with bloody images of pain pulsing with vile intensity from his brother. A pained roar tore through the air, even more ghastly and hollow than that of the skyrblaka's sickly calls. A collision so profound resulted when the skyrblaka chevron rammed maw first into the areas of Erador that had no armour, including his wings and a section of his neck. The dragon folded its wings and let gravity drag them to the earth, skyrblaka following them like hungry birds of prey.

Thick, dark crimson blood flowed from Erador's fresh wounds where his opponents attacks had prevailed. Erador was loosing conciousness, Erindor had to do something. "GARJZLA!" he bellowed with all his bodily might, the word echoing as it ripped into his magics. Moments later, Erindor's body became a blinding beacon of white light, nearly as luminous as the sun in the sky. Blood would have poured out of the ears of all from hearing the skyrblaka's cries as they recoiled from the light that flooded the sky and mountains below were it not for the spell Erindor had uttered in the exhaustion that followed. Erador took the moment of playing dead to snap his wings open with a thunderclap, looping his great speed back up into the air chasing after those retreating skyrblaka with fireballs. Intense spheres of burning firevenom and oxygen hissed through the air, and detonated on impact with their furry targets in great tempests of fire. Explosions richocheted through the air as Erador exacted his revenge on the monsters, their ranks being shredded by the deadly cannonade from behind. 

Erador backwinged to a hover in the air, glaring at the remaining beasts as they fled in fear. The dragon let loose a deafening roar of victory, complete with throaty overtones. -"Erindor! you fool..."- exclaimed Erador when he felt Erindor's energy as a mere weak pool. How he had drained himself so with that spell. The dragon melded minds with his rider, sharing his strength with Erindor. Erador's wounds were no more than puncture wounds from claws and fangs, but still fairly deep. Erador pumped his wings with dominating importance towards Sar'dan once again, being sure to glide on thermals as much as possible. -"Everyone in one piece back there?"-

"Yes," Mavria replied with worry. "But are you alright, Erador?" Then she gasped when Amrevar fell into unconsciousness; all that happened had shaken him causing things only to become worse in his condition. Then only thing that held Amrevar to the sattle was the leg straps that kept him in place upon the dragon's back.

Erador pushed his battered body as quickly as it would move through the air. -"I'm well enough, these sorts of injuries your kind, humanoids I mean, would consider scratches from a fall. Nothing more, but I'm afraid that through the heat of battle, Amrevar didn't fair as well...and consequentially, nor did Erindor. Fool to think to save us like that...courageous and valiant, but foolish.-" Erindor was in a tired stupor, eyelids flickering amidst blurry and shadowy vision. "I, I am not going..." he swallowed and closed his eyes, focusing on a ravenous hunger in his belly, "I'm not going to do a thing such as that again..." -"That would be a brilliant idea brother. Despite the lack of thought for consequences, it did buy me a perfect advantage over the skyrblaka, and that I thank you for."- Erindor nodded and put a hand to his throbbing head. "Amrevar!" he gasped when he saw the unconscious man slumped on the back of the saddle, only a dozen leather straps keeping him from plummeting to his doom. 

A knife slipped out from the Dark Lord's hands and there was a fresh wound in his chest. It seemed like a suicide attempt, but the knife that had fallen was covered in both black and red blood. So it would seem now, he had tried to aid Erador as much as he could, yet when the dragon had moved to fight back at his attackers, Amrevar's body looked as if it was forced forward into the knife's blade, cleaving him as well. Mavria wished so much that she could do something for Amrevar, but it would risk the life of the child if she tried to attempt anything. She knew that she had to wait until they all reached Sar'dan; hopefully before it was too late. Thoughts of him trying to kill himself was to sudden and Mavria knew that he wouldn't try anything like that. She heard his bated breath from behind her, yet she smiled when she heard his voice.

"Erador... is everything alright?" he asked, but then clenched his teeth in the pain that raced through him. "I fear that... while I was trying to aid you... I was unintentionally thrown ... forward into my dagger..." He calmly laughed. He was interrupted by a returning cough that was followed by blood. "At least... I was able to damage one of the beasts' eye..." Amrevar began to serenely laugh a little bit more, sitting himself up. He held his chest in agony and could only wish that they would get to the city before time would run out for him. Lifting his right hand away from the wound, he looked down at the blood that stained it.

Erindor's face was locked in horror at this fresh injury in Amrevar. Erador's mind questioned Erador for a moment before swinging his neck around and looking at the four people at his shoulders. -"Amrevar?!...sketh, however shall I get you to that city without...hell...I will.-" Growled the dragon before leveling inside the cloud deck, and streaked ahead with intense vigor. His wings thrusting him through the air faster than he had flown to Elithian. Erindor was still dazed, his concentration being dragged to his hunger, and by Erador's feeling of physical agony and thirst. 

A flight that should have taken them fifteen minutes from the mountains to the northwest of Sar'dan totaled to a mere five. Daylight was creeping on the eastern horizon in meek glazes of a dark sapphire. Erador reached the apex of their journey, sighed tremendously, its tones shadowing into a growl as the dragon stalled in the air, locked his wings to his sides, and plummeted towards Sar'dan. Erador's drastic approach would be needed for stealth, it wouldn't be good to have the whole of Sar'dan herald the arrival of Amrevar inside its very gates. Air whispered around Erador, his tail occasionally swishing left and right to align their course with the earth. The dragon gradually deployed its wings, slowing it and its passengers in an increasingly gradual curve against the air. Talons clacked and a terrace shook with Erador's care taken landing. 

"The infirmary..." noted Erindor, strength coming back to his body in great waves. The rider unstrapped his legs, and uttered a few choice words of the ancient language to magic the rest of the passengers free. Erador lowered his body to the marble landing yard of the infirmary's terrace. Erindor took up his duty to help Amrevar by carrying the injured drow elf on his back down the saddle. Mavria could make her own way. -"Erador, please go get Malias, now...he alone must see Amrevar first, then we can help."- -"Of course brother, I won't tarry"- The rider sighed, making sure Amrevar could stand on his own. "Mavria, Amrevar...Erador will bring Malias first, I'll stay with you if...there should be trouble." Erador itched to get back into the air, not so patiently waiting for Mavria to get back off of his back. The dragon took matters into his own hands...er, jaws as it were. Erador carefully curved his head back, and secured a sturdy section of Mavria's clothing on a few fangs before gently lowering her and the babe in her arms next to Amrevar. 

-"I'll bear Malias here...and I won't be long.- Declared the dragon standing, and taking a few steps in reverse before climbing back into the weanling morning sky admist a torrent of wind from his wings. Erador's fresh injuries had left pools of thick, emerald tinted vermillion blood on the white marble. The sight of those tranquil pools was dreadful for Erindor. His unemotional face contrasted his internal ravings sharply as he moved and stood above a crimson pool. From Erindor's reflection, a single drop of water rolled from his red tinted reflection and rippled the pool's tranquil surface. It was as if the tear were only visible if one had been looking at the reflection of the rider in the blood pool.

Erador glided low over the castle before reaching the balcony to Malias' quarters. He was quite thankful that the balcony's design had been built with Illatrius, or any dragon in mind. The dragon landed swifty, and stuck his head and neck through the door before giving a friendly growl to wake the lord of Sar'dan. He didn't pay much mind to the fact that his blood was oozing from wounds on his neck, chest and wings. Erador's under armour was glazed in the warm crimson liquid. Minute streams of it ran down his forelegs, between his talons and onto the polished, dimly lit balcony.

Suddenly awaking, Malias sat up, becoming dazed. He got to his feet and headed towards the balcony; seeing Erador without Erindor caused him to worry.

"-Please pardon waking you at such an early hour, but we can't tarry."- The dragon paused and lowered his belly to the balcony. Erador hissed from the movement, some of his injuries finally registering. -"All will be explained in a moment...we'll fly there. If you would Malias."-

Malias nodded before he climbed onto Erador's and strapped himself in. "What happened, Erador?" he asked.

Erador looked over his shoulder, to check if Malias was strapped in. With a dozen high pitched screeches, Erador's talons squealed for traction on the polished marble as he launched into the air. -"Sorry about that...but what happened. My injuries where the result of a dog fight with a hunting party of skyrblaka over the mountains. As for why we are back so early..."- the dragon's head nodded towards the figures standing on the infirmary landing terrace. -"That's why..."-

Erindor turned away from the pulses of air blown from Erador's wings when he returned. Landing, the dragon sidestepped towards the infirmary doors before kneeling for Malias to get down. Erindor sprinted to the side of the saddle and looked up at Malias, "I'm heartened to see you were able to come...its important." His head turned towards Mavria, and the injured Amrevar. "Very important."

"What..." Malias then turned towards Amrevar with a gasp. This was the third time he saw his brother injured so badly, but he knew that there were times where it was extremely worse. "Amrevar! What happened to him..? And Mavria? I thought..."

"He..." she looked down with tears in her eyes, but looked back up at Malias; she was near to the bitterness of weeping. "has a condition that's been haunting him for weeks... caused by Dravescar and... he tried to aid Erador..."

-"He injured himself on his own blade during the fight with the skyrblaka. Most noteably, its the same place where Dravescar injured him before. Its the lung that's bleeding that is."- Added Erador pushing the immense, laquered oak infirmary doors open with his head. 

"I'm sorry Malias, there's no time...I've trusted him and Mavria this far...it hasen't been crossed." Said the rider coming aside Amrevar, putting a supporting arm around him to help him walk. "If you would please Malias, I know you're a great healer of others, I believe helping Amrevar now will be most...positive."

Nodding in understanding, Malias helped Erindor with Amrevar and found a spare room to tend to his brother's injury. Malias laid his brother down gently upon the bed before he placed his hands upon the Dark Lord's wounds. After puting his brother to rest for the healing, he muttered a few words and a great light came from his palms. The wound slowly began to heal as Amrevar slept silently. When it was done, Malias stepped back as he looked upon his brother; he couldn't believe this had happened. "It was just of you to bring him here, Erindor and Erador... How did he earn your trust, I wonder?" He shut his eyes with a calm sigh. "The city must not know of this... I must be held secret... No one else besides us should know of this... Not even the healers here. We must let my brother rest, but until he wakes... Any information on Elithian and why such a tragedy took place?"

Echos of a pent breath sighed through the room from Erindor. "There's quite a lot of information as to the cause of current...and in great possibility, to blame for past wrongs." He took to pacing, hands behind his back with fingers laced, "aye, the city must not know...for one, technically, Erador and I just committed treason, best interests or not. Amrevar cannot stay here, perhaps it best we get him out of the city walls before sunrise, then we shall talk...agreeable?" -"Only if I get water..."- added Erador dryly, a rather ironic statement. 

"Very well brother, you've earned it...go to the fountain in the northeastern courtyard...we'll meet you there to transport Amrevar from here." -"Earned it? Never you mind why I need it."- Erindor stopped pacing and frowned up at Erador. -"Meet me in that courtyard then...Mavria and Amrevar can find their way over a half a league. No closer..."- "One more thing Malias..." said the rider moving towards Mavria and the bundle in her embrace, "...I believe there's somebody you might want to meet, the only survivor of the massacre of Elithian."

"It is agreed then... Amrevar shall be taken back to Mavenethar before the remaining of the city awakes..." Then Malias turned to the sleeping babe with a smile. "A survivor..? At least one survived and that I am grateful... Who rescued the child?" Suddenly, Illatrius's voice came echoing into his mind. "Malias, I need you... and bring Marthril... The eggs are ready to hatch... Please be here soon..." Malias sighed calmly as he listened to her and replied serenely, "You might need to wait, Illatrius... I have things to tend to... Please..." He heard her grumble before her next reply. "Very well...I shall see you whenever you plan to arrive... but I plan to ask why you are going to be late... Best wishes..." "Thank you... you as well..."

Erador left with a certain crispness in his stride. Erindor shook his head and returned his attention to the others in the room. "Please, wake Amrevar...and let us go. We can talk a short while during the walk to that courtyard." He moved towards the door, checking the corridor for late night wanderers. "Amrevar will be able to tell you more about what happened than what he told me. First hand accounts are allways clearer, no matter how clear a second hand source's memory can be."

Malias nodded and tired to wake Amrevar up, but when he woke, Malias helped his brother out of the bed. "Amrevar, we have to take you back to your city... There shall be problems arising within Sar'dan if we don't... Forgive me for not giving you a decent rest..."

The Dark Lord only smiled. "It is alright and highly understandable..." Malias helped him out the door towards the courtyard.

"Tell me... How did Elithian become destroyed?" Malias asked.

"Hert'zar...but I have nagging feeling you're not asking me," said Erindor checking the corridor again before letting the room's other occupants passage. "Its clear, I'll stay ahead to spot anyone."

Malias calmly laughed. "I'm not, but that's alright..." Then his smile faded when his brother began to talk.

"Morac decieved them... and they thought that I was leading the creatures... Instead of making peace, Morac decided to change my instructions..." Amrevar said weakly.

"What!?" Malias could only growl.

-"Shut, up!"- came Erindor's stabbing voice in their minds. The rider motioned frantically from his position down the hall to get hidden. More so to the statues and columns to their left. -"Servants...I'll tell you when to go again."-

"Forgive me," Malias appologized. "Alright..."

Amrevar nearly growled. "Shut up..? grr..."

Footsteps dimly echoed from the passing servants. When even Erindor could not hear their paces, he stood out and motioned for the others to follow again. -"My apologies...it was that or get caught, pick it...lets go, come on people, make haste."- 

Smiling, Malias followed with Mavria close behind he and Amrevar who growled. "All is alright..." Malias replied.

-"Glad to hear it..."- responded the rider with a somewhat distracted tone. Erindor peeped around a pillar, looking down both ways of a corridor before motioning to the others the all clear. -"Left, courtyard...want to talk, its now."- A mental sigh followed, -"but keep it quiet..."-

The three only kept quiet as they moved on. Mavria sighed, hoping that this hiding would soon end. She hated it more than anything.

Roughly about a hundred paces down the corridor from the last intersection, there came steps leading down to the gardens of the courtyard. A sound behind Erindor, a sound alien to any of the three following him, came from the direction of a door on the opposite end wall of the hallway. -"Sketh!"- he swore mentally to himself. Immediately after, a bolt of emerald hissed down the corridor, grazing by Malias' nose prior it incapacitating the person behind the door some three hundred paces in the oppposite direction. -"Clear, courtyard is right this way...-" he said calmly. Sprinting down the steps to the courtyard, Erindor found his brother Erador draining a masterfully cut marble fountain with his large maw.

Once in the courtyard, Malias suddenly felt the pain, that had remained from his past injury, run through him and he fell to his knees, holding his stomach. Helping Amrevar get to the courtyard exhausted him greatly. He clenched his teeth, trying to fight it off. "Get Amrevar onto Erador..." he said as he tried to get up, but Amrevar aided his brother to his feet. "Thank you... Erindor, I am staying here... I did far too much... I'm sorry..."

"You're welcome..."Amrevar replied.

-"Cheery...lets go..."- commented Erador swinging his water dripping maw around to have its teeth nab the back of Amrevar's coller and carry him to the saddle. Erindor jumped up the saddle's side easily, easing in getting Mavria and Za'nix aboard next. "We'll talk soon Malias...we won't have you wait long." -"Also, Malias will have to be taken to Illatrius, something is happening...I'm not quite sure what however."- Erindor nodded, securing the leg straps of the passengers and himself. "Regain your strength here...we'll take you to Illatrius when we return. Erador mentioned something about it." With riders safely secured twenty feet above the ground, Erador surged into the air. His wings beating with nothing more than a whisper. 

.....

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