The Legend of Dragoon - IC

[TearsoftheWorld]

Army of Justice​

Every muscle in Farnis' body screamed as he pushed against the boulder that had fallen on top of his body, and blood and sweat dripped down the side of his face as the large rock finally started to roll off to the side. His mystical green armor was cracked and he could sense his power fading away as the strength of his patron dragon was failing. He reached for his weapon, a large, ornate spear, and used it to pull himself up onto his feet, leaning heavily on it while he caught his breath.

The young dragoon looked around him and saw the bodies of many friends and foes alike. He turned and looked up as the sky was covered in a thick blanket, the extensive dark clouds completely blocking out the light of the Sun. Fires raged all around, and over the ridge of the mountain he knew the final battle was reaching its end.

It had to end.

They had all fought so hard... so very hard to get to this point.

It had to end.

The wing's coming from Farnis' armor spread out wide and a trail of green energy followed after him as he flew towards the top of the mountain, reaching its peak moments later and finding the firelord Ragnaros engaged with several of the High Dragons while their loyal dragoons fought against his minions. It didn't take long for Farnis to discover the location of Eonis, the dragon that gave him his power, and the ancient emerald beast had taken to the skies to fight against a monstrous phoenix that had been raining destruction down on the champions below.

Chaos was everywhere, and soon Farnis, with what little strength and magic he had left, flew off to rejoin his brothers and sisters.

Since they could not completely destroy the firelord, the last of the High Dragons sacrificed themselves in order to banish him for all eternity, and a great explosion suddenly rocked the mountain and shook the world to its very core. The magical bindings that kept Ragnaros tied to their world fell towards the ground, and when the smoke cleared there was no sign of either the mighty elemental or the noble dragons that fought against him.

Victory had been achieved, but at a terrible cost.

The age of the dragons was over, and the fate of the world was left in the hands of humans. Although their power was greatly diminished, the dragoons did what they could to steer the world towards a better future, but evil was not wholly eradicated, and over the course of several thousand years history was forgotten and the truth distorted. Great kingdoms rose and fell into ruin, and the dragoons were soon forgotten.

They became nothing more than fanciful legends.

Stories told to children at bed time... and those telling the stories became fewer and fewer.

~ ~ ~

The Legend of Dragoon
7,000 years later

The Museum at Carin​

Laya de Theodora, known more commonly now as Calista the Red, waited until nightfall before she snuck into the museum, having heard that a new gallery would be opening in the morning, and she didn't feel like waiting to learn what riches would soon be put on display. Laya had run into a bit of bad luck recently, and she hoped she could turn it all around by walking away with a profitable withdrawal from the exhibit. The young thief with long dark hair and sharp amber eyes crept slowly and carefully down the long hallways, her padded boots helping her to avoid the posted sentries as she drew closer and closer.

After searching for nearly a half hour, Laya finally picking the intricate lock that kept the metal links wrapped around the handles of a set of twin doors, and pulling them open she quickly slipped inside and then shut them behind her. She pulled a small torch free from the wall next to her and then lit it, holding it out in front of her and off to the side so that the smoke and heat didn't bother or hinder her. The room she was standing in was full of rare treasures, hardly any of them interested her.

She cared little for rusted swords and shattered spears.

She crouched down towards the ground and tugged at the strings keeping a large satchel tied together, and turning it upside down she grinned as its beautiful contents began spilling onto the floor.

"That's more like it," she said softly, picking up some of the larger gemstones and placing them in a smaller bag that she had brought with her. Laya tucked a gem-inlaid knife in her belt and continued looting the precious stones, though one in particular caught her attention. It looked like some sort of blood-red opal, smooth on all sides and fitting quite comfortably in the palm of her hand.

What surprised her even more was how it started to glow, growing brighter and brighter the longer she held it.

It seemed to be... calling out to her.

Resonating and evoking memories that were not her own.

Laya suddenly heard a deep and monstrous roar, and she dropped the stone onto the floor as she drew back. The rays of crimson light coming from the gem faded away until she was left standing there, the flames from the torch flickering and biting at the air around them. So startled was she at the strange occurrence that she hadn't noticed the doors behind her had been opened again, and her heart nearly leaped out of her chest when she felt a strong hand clasp down against her shoulder from behind.

"You're not supposed to be in here," a masculine voice spoke, calmly but with a great deal of authority, and turning around Laya sighed with relief when she saw that it was Seyfio, one of the city guards. He had often turned a blind eye towards her antics, letting her go free so long as she relinquished whatever he had caught her stealing. They were nearly the same age, and while she had dark hair his was almost golden, but the same sort of intensity burned in their eyes.

"Well, you know me. I just hate surprises," she said as she started to calm down. Seyfio smirked and reached forward, his fingers wrapping around the hilt of the knife that Laya had tucked into her belt, and he pulled it out and then set it off to the side.

"I know. I thought I might find you in here. So what else are you hiding?"

"You could pat me down and find out for yourself," she suggested with a playful smile. Seyfio smirked but made no moves against her.

"I suppose I could, but we both know where that particular road goes, Calista. Come on, get your things and get out of here before the other guards catch on."

Laya started to turn when she suddenly slipped and fell, her hands reaching out towards the ground and the edge of the table to break her fall, and even Seyfio moved forward to help her back up.

"Thanks," she said as she regained her composure, leading him out of the room as she secretly slipped the strange red stone she had picked up when she had 'fell' into a small pocket hidden away on her belt. Seyfio turned back towards the doors and replaced the lock, bolting it shut and checking the chains before he turned back around and found that was he was alone.

Laya found herself sitting on the roof of a building under the light of the moon, holding the red stone out in front of her as if trying to discern its secrets.

What made it so special? Why had it... glowed when she picked it up? What exactly had she seen... and what made that violent roar?

"What are you?" she asked the stone, looking at it long and hard for a few more moments before she finally tucked it back safely into her pocket, rising to her feet once more and disappearing into the night.

 

[Jedi_Khan]

While the animal skins that Ragotho wore were sufficient to keep out the rain for the last few days, nothing could keep out the cold that went straight to the bone. For the last few days, Ragotho had to put up with the rain and cold, but he was an Agassi mountain man; he had endured worse in the past. Fortunately, the rain had let up a few hours ago, and despite a low fog that hung over the ground, the sun was shining, providing patches of light under the massive trees that defined the area.

It seemed that this far into the mountains, everything was bigger, from the plants and trees to the animals that lived here. Many back in the village believed that the ground was higher this far into the mountains, but in reality, the trees are simply big enough so that the tops of them can be seen from the village, creating the illusion of a rising landscape. In fact, Ragotho knew that the terrain didn’t really start rising towards the mountains for another day’s walk from where he was; that’s how massive the Agassi mountains were.

A few minutes ago Ragotho had picked up the trail of what appeared to be a deer from lower down the valley that had wandered into the neighborhood of the larger animals and was now tracking it deeper into the mountains. While the big game posed a unique opportunity to the grizzled hunter, the smaller game was much easier to take back to the village without having to leave half the kill behind.

It wasn’t long until Ragotho had found the animal he was tracking warily grazing in a small patch of grass among the trees. He got down low, using the fog and the animal skins he wore to provide some cover as he pulled out his bow and set an arrow to the string. As he settled into position to take aim at the deer, Ragotho felt the ground below his feet shift slightly, but before he could pass it off as simply wet soil, the ground opened up, sending him tumbling into the darkness below.

 

[DeathsKnight]

Dennis Norvak

"Hey Harrier, you brought us some dinner?"

Dennis grinned at his fellow guard

"You can see it, so why do you ask?"

He shifted the spear that he carried with him to a more comfortable position and lifted the fish he was carrying

"Ah yes, I'm sure Cook will make a grand soup out of those"

"You and your soup, you should really try to fry them one day, they are just as tasty"

The guard laughed and waved him through, Dennis made his way towards the barracks. The streets was quiet by now, most shops have closed down and only the taverns still operated. He actually detested the smell of Carin, being used to clean air all his life, the stench of humanity just became overpowering at times.

He could feel the stone around his neck tingle, sending out a soft vibration, it's been almost a week now that these little tremors have resonated through the stone, he had no idea what or why it happened, but at times he could swear that a voice was trying to speak to him...but that was crazy talk, talk that he could not afford at the time, he had to focus on his training and his work. He dumped the five big fishes on the counter and strolled past Cook

"Hope you have a nice soup recipe, sounds like the guys want fish soup again"

Cook gave him a flat stare

"I hate it when you have free time, you ALWAYS bring back work"

Dennis chuckled and left the kitchen, heading for his quarters

 

[LeoHawk35]

Leo

Leo muttered in his sleep. Something about a dark dragon and "that blasted divine". He turned over in his sleep and opened his silver eyes. They had often been wondered over by himself as well as others, considering their uniqueness. In fact, his alias, Silveron, was because of them. He stared up at the moon and pulled out his gem. He held it up next to the moon, and heard its whispers again. He looked at it and memories flashed into him, along with a roar. A dragon's roar. He wasn't sure how he knew that.

He bolted upwards and the memories ceased. He rubbed his neck and slid the gem back into a pocket hidden in his glove. He stood and brushed off his black leather armor, and then strapped on his three belts of throwing knives. They were light, so he could have easily carried more than that. But why would he need that many? Each belt held six. He strapped one on behind his right shoulder, slipping it into the hidden slot, one vertically under his left arm, and one on his left boot. They were well hidden, of course, as he would attract attention if someone saw him wandering with all those blades. He rolled his shoulders and pulled on his leather shoulder cape. It went on over his left arm, and hid the sheathes for his daggers and the belt of knives.

Leo stepped over to the edge of the tower he had slept on. Ironically, it was a guard tower. He peeked down over the edge and waited for the guard to not be looking his way. He dropped over the side and caught himself on a ledge, then proceeded to climb down the tower before hitting the upper rooftops. He wasn't sure exactly why the building in this town were so close together, but it sure made things easier on him. He walked calmly across the rooftops with seemingly no clear destination in mind.

 

[Kikori]

... ...
"Fear not what you can't see,
Hear not which you don't believe.
Our love shall keep you safe and sound.
Through day, through night, and all year round.
Rest child, rest child...
To enjoy another day.
Rest child, rest child.
Sweetest dreams do call your name."

Miri's voice was just above a whisper as she sang out to the twins, only growing softer the heavier the childrens' lids grew. Even a few years into hearing the song, and it still was the best remedy for a sleepless night that could be offered. Miri silently stepped back and closed the door, once again ensuring no sound came from the knob clicking back into place the best she could before turning and wishing the parents a good night. Even the parents seemed to be reluctant to keep their eyes open, though Miri had never asked if it was due to hearing the song or simply the day's stress. It was fun to flatter herself with the thoughts of her voice being responsible.

With Atka and Kate asleep, the town was winding down quite quickly. The stars and moon were casting more light upon the area than torches at this point, and the sound of the sea not too awfully far away crashed much clearer than any feet falling. With nobody else needing assistance, she simply hummed the lullaby to herself as she entered her home, ascending to the second floor's only room... hers. Clothes removed, body washed, and bed readied for her to cuddle up under the covers. Within a minute, she heard a howling sound. Piercing, but not frightful or haunting. And there was one unmistakable feature--it was howling out her lullaby.

Miri jumped from bed, barely remembering to grab a blanket and hold over her bosom as she looked out of the window. As she thought, nobody was bothered. Not a single head turned toward the sea, except hers. She could not prove this singing companion, but she was perfectly content to rest her chin on the windowsill and listen... after all, this voice both taught her many a melody, and sings along with many she has made. Somewhere was a creature that loved song as much as Miri, and she wanted to meet it... tomorrow. For now, she was happy to climb back into bed and rest to the soothing howl of her own music.

 

[DeathsKnight]

Dennis Norvak

He laid in his bunk and studied the gem. First he had thought it to be Jade, but it was not. The gem was made from a different material, yet it felt and looked like Jade,

"What are you?"

Oh how many times he had asked that question and as usual a voice started to build at the back of his mind. Why? Each time he addressed the stone, it felt like the stone was trying to talk to him. He shook his head, clearing the whispering out of his mind and looked at the stone. He had at times tried to throw away the stone, but through fate it always made its way back to him. He could swear that the stone was cursed...or maybe it was something else? He pondered these thoughts as he held the gem in his hand

 

[Kikori]

Birds chirped, and one fiendishly brave chipmunk scattered its little paws over the wooden bars composing Miri's window. The noise caused her ears to flutter open well before the rest of the town was up and moving. Despite losing a couple hours of sleep to the sounds, she felt wide awake, still hearing echoes of the sweet song within her ears. 'For years, the sound's been there. A little faint, but like the tide, it ca...' Miri's hands were sinking into a water basin, ready to splash a little cool liquid on her face to wake up. Her hands froze upon meeting the water. "Like the tide. High tide, I hear it perfectly, but when the water leaves, it gets faint... Something's there in the sea."

'And I know it's there for me. Or because of me. I'm not sure.' It's not the first time Miri had pondered this. She noticed the trend, even stating it aloud as she just had. But was there something? Miri had often wondered, and even thought of searching. But trips to the sea were few and far between, no matter how close it was. Fishing trips were common, sure enough, but she was expected to work more than search, and too few would grant her the freedom to dive and explore the shore of the water. But she could see it from the window, there was almost no light of the sun outside. And the restful sleep granted by the lullaby had Miri as ready to start the day as if she had waited the extra hours... Did she dare?

---

Fifteen minutes later, scythe still slung across her shoulder and bells still tinkling with every soft step, Miri soon felt her feet sink into sand and rock. She had reached the shore, following the gentle crash of the waves. The current wasn't too strong, but there for sure; to look around blindly now would be a fool's errand. Thankfully, Miri was neither a fool, nor blind. She heard it in her ears and almost felt with her mind where the source seemed to be. Not specifically, but something was able to lead her, at least somewhat. She swiftly stripped to her barest garments and shivered at the breeze of the sea against her skin, Miri took her first steps into the water. She bit her lip to the sharp cold, but kept moving swiftly in the direction she felt was right. The waves pressed her back, but only a bit at a time; soon the water was at her neck, and she was taking as much of a breath as possible before allowing herself to submerge completely. 'I know my limit... I just hope this calling does.' Miri could only walk forward, slowly getting deeper and trusting her feet to know where they were going. She couldn't open her eyes due to the salt, and couldn't feel with her hands from needing to save air... Was this search even worth it? The soothing ring of the voice in her ear seemed to tell her, yes.

As her lungs started to get a familiar tingle of needing air, Miri's foot slid over a rock. Unlike the others, this one was warm. Or at least, pleasantly cool. A second later upon contact with it, a sweet note erupted from it, filling the water with a sparkling blue light that Miri could only see through her lids. Something important was beneath her, and they had found each other. As she knelt down to scoop it in her hands, her lungs gave a violent burn for air. She was at her limit for staying under, and knew it... But she was calm. Something about holding the stone put her at ease with the water, allowing her to calmly push up and flutter her feet to break the surface, one hand holding her new treasure securely to her bosom... whatever her new treasure was.