Disclaimer Anything you recognize I don't own, and if you don't recognize something, then it's most likely from the inside of my skull. Enjoy :- )

This is a story about the blue dragon Khellendros. He is not the most popular of characters, but I feel that his personality and his motivations should be interesting to develop. The large part written in italics is a flashback. I hoped that it would be obvious, but not too sure I succeeded. Even though I write for my own benefit, it's always nice to receive constructive criticism.

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Politics

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The Storm Over Krynn kept watch over the desert. He was certain that some dragon or other had claimed this barren landscape as their lair, but he had yet to find out whom. And so he kept watch. On his flight west as of yet he had not been disturbed, but that was most definitely a chance occurrence. He had better quickly assert his position in this world or Khellendros could suffer some serious setbacks.

This preferred terrain had been discovered after almost an entire day of flying, with short stops to feed and rest. The human villages he had encountered had of course not known him, but had tried to flee from his visage anyway. He had seen no cities, no elves, no dwarves, no kender. Only primitive humans. Dragons were in plenty abundance, though The Storm so far had kept his distance from them all, as he wished for no confrontation at the moment.

Khellendros glanced behind him. The mountain range at his back was thick, and he had noticed when he had passed over it that it was shaped like an open circle, with the gap facing northeast. Farther northeast from this there had been a forest. He had felt powerful magic emanating from there. That would require scouting on his part in the future. Notice had been taken.

As he turned to face west once again, he caught a glimpse of setting light glinting off scales. Brass colored. A metallic. Where were the blues? He would need an already established hierarchy if he was to have rapid success. He noted a second brass dragon. Closer. It was time for Khellendros to leave. He would stick to the desert, but only to the edges. He knew not how far into the waste extended the metallic dragon's territory. South and west was the way to go for the blue.

Night had spread its cover over the west for quite some time when Khellendros spied another blue to his north. The former overlord kept at the desert's edge, unwavering in his predetermined course of flight. Besides, that other blue was most definitely not a dragon overlord. It was much smaller than Khellendros himself.

Khellendros felt the temperature drop. The mist around him swirled with half-viewed images, shapes of undefined reality.

"Kitiara! I am here!" His voice and mind called out to her, expanding and pulsing in all directions, searching. He waited for a response. Time and distance in this world was warped, could be twisted by its inhabitants for their own purposes, each as they pleased.

"Hello Skie. I knew you'd find this wretched place again."

Khellendros faced her, trying as best he could to separate her much-faded consciousness from the dark surroundings. He felt pride welling in his chest, his lips parting in a draconian grin of self-consciousness as he conveyed his joy in his success to her, and the disappointment of his failure.

"I told you last time I was here that I'd return for you. I was unable to bring with me a body suitable to house your presence. I will need some time to find another body."

"Have you found a way to transfer my existence to this body?"

"I wouldn't be here if I hadn't, Kit." Though he could not see her expression, he knew Kitiara was pleased with his long overdue report.

"It's an improvement from your last visit." Khellendros waited until Kitiara next spoke. "You have found a way to give me a body, but you have not brought this body with you." The frown on her face was felt by The Storm.

"I experienced minor annoyances on attempting to return here. However, with the proper magic I will be able to complete your transfer, and once we return to Krynn we will already have resources at our disposal. In the time I was gone I have found a suitable lair and built an army for our use."

"I'm getting excited Skie! How soon can you transfer my spirit?"

"I will need some time to gather artifacts to use the Window of the Stars again. I know of a world where I should be able to reunite the necessary magic. I am sure it will not take too long"

Khellendros could imagine Kitiara parting her lips in that trademark crooked grin that he loved to see.

"Do it Skie." she commanded.

The Storm noticed he had started to descend and slow. He pumped his powerful wings to level out, keeping both eyes open and re-extending his senses outwards.

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Several days passed, and Khellendros spied on the blue territory almost constantly, using his magic to disguise or hide his form. He had seen many dragons here, at least thirty. But a particular one had caught his eye; a male of large proportions who clearly was served by the rest; treasure was brought to him, he did not hunt for himself but others brought him food, and no dragon went against him. However, he was lazy. This overlord seemed too comfortable, yet the other blues served him. There must be something special about him. Khellendros had finally found his first objective. Now, to complete it.

On the morning of his ninth day in a world of dragons, mighty Khellendros, overlord of blue dragons on Krynn, made himself known to all others. His title, his nicknames, his achievements, were completely ignored and unheard of by every single blue dragon that saw him as he soared over the desert and heard his roars of proclamation.

"I am Khellendros, The Storm! Loved by Kitiara, feared by all else! And now, you all serve me!" was what every blue within auditory radius heard from Khellendros at that moment.

Quickly, the not soon to be anonymous alpha male was in the air to face The Storm's challenge.

"And I am Vrahtha, known to all as The Gauntlet! You are none to be making such proclamations! Serve as my lieutenant, and I shall allow your words to pass into oblivion."

Khellendros replied with a single, delicate word.

"Esh."

Thusly said, the newcomer quickly wrapped his wings around himself until the tips touched each other. As they did so, a small spark ignited between them. In a fraction of a second, the blue had opened his wings once again and then flapped them closed. The spark soared towards Vrahtha, growing rapidly and constantly into a fireball. By the time it had reached the dragon overlord, it had already surpassed a diameter of three meters. It struck The Gauntlet on his left wing joint, tearing the membrane and cauterizing the edges. Vrahtha furiously flapped his right wing in a futile effort to maintain his altitude, while screeching at Khellendros and breathing lightning bolts upon the other blue as quickly as he could. However, as Vrahtha crunched into the dust to lay there twitching, Khellendros gently descended his massive intact frame onto Vrahtha's back.

"A storm is unstoppable by any force. A gauntlet ceases its function when the hand inside it stops moving."

Khellendros swiftly leaned down and clamped his teeth upon Vrahtha's neck and twisted his jaws. The overlord came to the conclusion of his spasm.

The Storm raised his eyes to view his spectators as he withdrew his maw from Vrahtha's flesh. The blood on his muzzle served in the same way as a crown would serve on the head of a human king.

"Any doubts?"

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