[] Albion speaking
[] Albion talking into Zanders head or thinking
{Dawn speaking}
{Dawn talking to Alex alone or thinking}
"Speaking'
'Thinking'
{Switch between locations or points of view}
The snow has stopped falling in the mountains and in the forest animals that are still awake begin to again move about looking for any food or water. Under evergreen trees a single white tail deer with its head to the ground is seen. *hoo* Its head raises and it locks eyes with an owl as white as the snow. It ignores the owl. The owl is too small to threaten it and it needs to find some food. *Crack* It raises its head again. It turns its head and is met with blue slit eyes and then a sharp pain in its neck. It attempts to run but is picked up and slammed into the ground breaking its back right leg and knocking the wind out of the animal. Its veins blackening as the venom courses through it destroying everything it touches. After a moment it stops moving, its innards almost completely destroyed.
Alex retracts his fangs out of the neck of the deer. "Damn it that scared the shit out of me! I thought I would have to fight the thing far more than I did. It is good to see my new strength in practice."
[You broke one of its legs. Even if you didn't have the strength to continue fighting it we wouldn't have had to do much beside simply chase it down and kill it when it was weak. Though you even considering a deer to be a fight is hilarious. You could fight a polar bear head on and not even get a scratch from it.] Albion says with some mild amusement
"well its better to be cautious rather than be a fool and end up dead for a second time" Alex responds before looking up to the owl and motioning to his right shoulder "Dawn!" he calls out. The owl jumps from the branch he was perched on and gliding onto his shoulder.
{Did I do well master?} Dawn asks Alex expectantly
"You did very well Dawn. If it wasn't for your scouting I probably wouldn't have found and hunted it so flawlessly" Alex says to him with genuine appreciation. It has been a week since his reawakening and without Dawn he wasn't sure he would have had as good a time as he has been having. He helped him find water, food, and shelter. Dawn has been invaluable. "Now lets take our prize and head on home." Alex says as he grabs the deer and hauls it over his left shoulder before manifesting his light wings.
[Yes] {Yes master} Both Albion and Dawn say. Dawn vanishes in motes of blue light into Alex and he rockets into the sky and to the Northeast for about 5 minutes.
{Cave in the Appalachian mountains}
Alex sets down 30 feet from his cave and walks in before setting down the deer carcass on the left wall. "Haaa now lets start the fire. Dawn?" Dawn re-appears and Alex looks away. Dawn flashes and to Alex's right now stands an gentleman with slick backed Grey hair, blue eyes, a black suit without the jacket, and overall height of six feet. (A younger Walter from Hell-sing is probably the closest you'll get)
{Right away sir} He says as he walks to the middle of the chamber and kneels down to a small pit. Picking up two sticks he begins the process of relighting their fire.
Alex takes of his suit's jacket and runs a hand through his own snow white hair and resting for a moment before grabbing the deer carcass and dragging it outside. After making sure nothing will drag off their prize he leaves it there turning back around and walking back into the cave where Dawn has gotten the fire going again "Thank you Dawn now could you get me the knife I made? I need to skin and prepare the deer so we can get some water-skins and some food" He asks
{Yes Master. Though I wish you would let me handle that. It is what you made me your familiar for.} Dawn says sadly retrieving said stone knife from a small cot at the left back corner of the cave and walking back to Alex. Alex shakes his head and takes the knife.
"I know Dawn but as I have said before I need to make myself useful just as much. We can't be picky about who does everything out in the wilderness." He says turning around and walks out but not before saying "Please watch the fire ok? I want to try and make some jerky tonight as if I succeed we will have a good food source we can keep without it spoiling overnight." Dawn simply nods his head and sits down next to the fire.
Outside Alex begins the grueling process of skinning, cleaning, gutting, and cutting up the deer. It takes hours but is fairly easy when you have a master hunter in your head to make sure you don't do anything stupid. Not to mention it is a distraction from everything. He is especially thankful for that.
*crack*
Alex's head shoots up and around from the half done carcass. He has been at it for an hour and has made good progress. Back to the sound he focuses his sense and he searches for the source of the sound and doesn't find anything at a glace, he is still new to using his new senses so they are now optimized yet. He tries to hear or smell out what he heard but it seems whatever it was is already gone. Narrowing his eye slits he resumes his work without incident for the rest of the process. After another hour of work he has a pelt and meat. He brings it all in and puts the pelt to one side and sets up the meat above the fire so he can start the process of making jerky.
{Anything I can do sir?} Dawn asks
"No Dawn but I am going to go to sleep, the sun is setting and I need rest for training tomorrow. So, Dawn. Return."
{Yes sir} He jumps up and with another flash he turns back into his original form and vanishes back into Alex in motes of light.
[What do you plan to do?] Albion asks through his wings with interest. They haven't trained much since they left the egg and now that they have shelter, food, and ability to gain and keep water he is interested in what Alex will come up with.
"I plan to start to train my physical attributes and hopefully work on that aura of ours. I can barely do anything at all with it" Alex says with annoyance remembering aura practice in the egg.
[Hey don't get yourself down too much with it] Albion says [Usually, the only beings able to use their aura like I did are gods. You are currently a very special case encase you forgot. Even being awful with it is downright terrifying to most. Even if it is weak.]
Alex raises an eyebrow in surprise. Albion gave him a basic rundown on the worlds history and overall etiquette when interacting. Power levels were not part of the lesson. "Gods?! You didn't tell me that! What else have I not been told!?" He immediately asks annoyed at such crucial info being kept from him. Yes he is aware a bite from him might as well be a death sentence to almost everything under the sun but if he can use aura then he would get a massive boost in power. So that begs the question "What other crazy things can I do that I don't know!?" He almost demands. He needs a goal he can achieve to distract his mind and this seems an almost perfect opportunity.
Albion knows why he is asking but decides to indulge him for now. Not like he will do anything overly stupid with the information. [Well you see dear Alexander there is something called Balance Breaker...]
Oh how wrong he is
{The next day}
Alex is training like a maniac. Push ups, sit ups, running, uprooting trees, carrying and shattering boulders (Which scares Alex since he very much so is not use to either feats and his ability to pull it off astonishes him and is not even impressive to Albion), and anything else he can think of. Yesterday Albion decided to finally tell him about Balance Breaker and Alex could barely sleep with anticipation. He got a basic run down of what Albion called Scale Mail his, and whoever holds Ddraig, Balance Breaker and he immediately set out to try and achieve it.
An armor exclusive to the Heavenly Dragons that removes the divide limit, increases all his attributes, and can even repair itself from damage. Alex wants it as soon as possible. Hell even being told it was a Dragon like armor he could employ already got Alex to want it. Everything else was a bonus that made him go into overdrive. Although that might be a bit of a pipe dream at the moment...
"Haa. Haa. Haa" Alex sits against a tree trying to breath. He just got done with what felt like a marathon.
[Well is that it?] Albion asks, causing the light wings to appear knocking Alex forward and slightly off the tree, with no small amount of amusement. He knows how much Alex wants his armor but knows that he won't achieve it for some time. He also knows why he is throwing himself so far into training for it.
"Haa... Yea I think I need to practice on my aura now. If I try to keep training my physical side I think I will throw out my back" He says tired. Hundreds of push ups, sit ups, carrying and breaking boulders, and he is tired beyond belief and feels no closer to anything.
[I think that is for the best. It will take time to achieve Balance Breaker and even with your head start being turned into a dragon and then your honestly ridiculous training you just tried to pull you are probably gonna drop dead before reaching it let alone living afterword] Albion says almost laughing as Alex tries to stand and his legs almost give out before getting really serious [Ok, yea no more suicide training for you. I will think up a regiment for you and you will follow it, think of me as your personal trainer in this endeavor. Got it? I can already tell you trying to do a sprint towards the armor is going to kill you before anything on this planet will. Encase you forgot you are my last host and I don't need you dying from exhaustion because you were to eager for something you have eternity to get now. I will not let you kill yourself, you made your choice now live with it.]
Haveing been seen through Alex grits his teeth. "Got it Albion...I think I am going to be sore for days" Alex says angry now remembering where Albion is. As he looks around and trying to catch his breath a bit more his he sees movement out of the corner of his eye. He jerks to the side and looking to the hill not to far away but sees nothing there. "Did you see that?" He asks Albion
[See what exactly? I see everything through you.] Albion says back to him only slightly confused. He saw it to but doesn't now what to say[What on earth is watching us? And why can't we sense it? I am dealing with a kid who is acting fine but is anything but and we are being watched all at once!] He says to himself distressed. He can even feel it will get no easier today even with meditation.
{Back out in front of Alex's cave}
Dawn in human form sits 50 feet from Alex who is on the ground with crossed legs and watching him try to train his aura.
A small white boundary is around Alex. It ebbs and flows with the wind as with every breath it falls and rises with intensity. Unlike Physical training aura requires Alex be entirely calm and focused on his task to train it until its second nature. Although right now he can't do much but show he has aura which causes his owl to be rather inquisitive as to the purpose of his training.
{Master?}
"Yes Dawn"
{What are you doing particularly?}
"Haaa..." He sighs "I am attempting to train in the use of aura." He says tilting his head towards Dawn
{For what purpose?}
"You are being very inquisitive Dawn"
{Well I just want to know why you would go from a massive amount of physical exercise to...This}
"Albion was able to attack people with aura like gods. So with my ability to use it I need to train it so I can use it like he once did to augment myself in combat and make pure attacks of the stuff. I know I am only to make a small outline that doesn't do much right now beyond maybe intimidate people but in the future it might be the difference of life and death" He says hoping that will stop the questions. 'Maybe in the future I need tasks that can keep him busy'
{Oh}
"Yes"
They sit for awhile until {Shouldn't you be able to use it immediately like he did since you share a body with similar DNA?}
Alex turns his head to look at Dawn with a vein starting to be seen in his forehead "It took Albion hundreds of years to be able to use his aura like that and I just started Dawn. It won't be immediate. Now leave me be I need to focus" Alex turns back to look strait ahead before closing his eyes. Dawn nods and goes inside the cave to leave Alex to concentrate.
Not that he is able to. He has far to much on his mind. Survival, training, how he got in this mess, the Fallen, and his family. Hence attempting. Training his body was easy as it was a distraction from it all that occupied his mind , survival is just as great a distraction, but meditating here and trying to use aura lets his mind drift to it all again. Seeing his mother on the floor of the forest and his father against the tree... With so much on his mind his aura simply vanishes after a few minutes.
"DAMN IT!" Alex yells in frustration. He thought he could quickly move past it all but it is quickly becoming an apparent he was far to hopeful to believe that.
[Trouble] Albion says as his wings manifest. He knows Alex is starting to understand his own problem. It makes it easier for all involved when he doesn't need to be the one to try and get through to him
"Yea" He says a small tear going down his right cheek
[Maybe you should try that one idea you had for your wings. You won't be able to fully awaken your aura like this Alexander] He tries to give an idea ALex could work on. He wants Alex to face everything now instead of later but he will NOT force him if he doesn't want too.
"No I got this!" He says not want to give up but he can't even get the outline back "Rrrrr" He growls in frustration as his hands dog into the ground 'DAMMIT WHY WONT YOU WORK! I CAN'T STOP!'
[Alex]
Alex stops and stares at the ground. His head low and reddening.
Albion looking at Alex's state decides that while he won't try to force him he will try to give him advice. [I know you want to do all you can to make the choice you made to stay here and live instead of leaving to join your loved ones worth it quickly but you don't need too. It is okay to go slowly. Until this month you lived a normal life with a loving family and never thought you would be doing anything anywhere close to this. It is okay to break down and mourn them Alex. You don't need to hold it in. No one would blame you for taking time and just letting yourself go. Dragons have always been an emotional species and we can feel and know loss.] Albion says directly to him trying to get the point across.
After a moment tears start to stream down his face. He has been trying to be strong but how can he? He just lost the only other people he had in his life less than a month ago to a bastard who just wanted him out of the way even when he didn't even know the supernatural world was even a thing. Yes he has Albion and Dawn but he has known them both for less than a month. He just lost his mother who was always there along with his father who taught him everything he knows and believes on the same day. So he is left with a single question.
Why? Why did they need to die for the plot of a damn no name! They never even had an idea of the supernatural worlds existence let alone the fallen. So why? He just didn't understand at all.
Albion moves the wings around to encompass Alex [There, let it out. Don't hold it in] He parrots something similar to something he heard while with another host (Whose husk has been somehow absent along with all the others) that he thinks would help. He has ZERO experience dealing with this. Most of his hosts were grown adults and were all less than good and stable people in most cases and most never talked to him. This is just as new to him as everything else is to Alex. He just wishes that he had someone to help his partners psyche.
*Crack*
Albion turns his attention to behind Alex and Alex himself slowly turns his now thoroughly red, wet, and runny face back to...an old women?
"Hello my little hurt dear. Are you alright?" The women asks. She wears a black cloak, has grey and white hair running down her back, a staff she leans against, and a necklace that seems more otherworldly than Alex's own butterfly.
he jumps up his eyes dilate into sits, his fang teeth chattering, and his wings extending to there full width of 10 feet. The old women brings her right hand up with her left still leaning on her staff. "WHO ARE YOU!?" He says to her. His aggression skyrocketing.
"Hold on White Dragon. I just want to talk" She says softly. "I was the one observing you. If I wanted to hurt you I wouldn't have revealed myself like this now would I?" She says holding out a hand
Alex turns his head slightly to the side. "So you were the one?" She nods "I knew someone was watching me!" He says with a smile, he was happy his senses were adjusting well. But back to the problem. He focuses on her and gets the feeling she is not a regular old women and especially when she not only am not freaking out by his appearance but she referred to him as White Dragon. "What are you?" He asks "Not only are you calm about me but you referred to me as The White Dragon so you know who and what I am."
She does a small bow "I am a but an old witch White Dragon Emperor." She brings her head back up "Though if we are talking about calmness you are far less calm than me. Before I even showed up" She points to his face.
Quickly wiping his face he stands back up straight and folds his wings against his back "Well I have a lot going on. I only became the White Dragon Emperor less than a month ago"
She tilts her head at that. She can see how much of a Dragon he is and that he is out here to what seems to be alone so she believed him to be much older "How old are you?"
"15"
She has to stop herself from falling. '15!? What has this poor child been through!?' "15? What have you been through to be out here all alone as The White Dragon Emperor?"
His eyes fall to the ground "A lot" is all he says to her
[Maybe we should head inside to continue this conversation? The sun is falling and we don't want to be out in the dark]
The old witch looks to the wings after hearing Albion talks but before she can say anything
"That would be better than being out here. Is that okay with you Ma'am?" He says to her already half turned around
She lets out a small smile "Yes that is fine with me" Alex then leads her inside. She is flabbergasted at the state of the place. There is barely a bed in the cave with food simply stored to the side. Her attention is then captured by a small flash to her side and a snow white, blue, and gold owl flies to Alex and lands on his right arm
"Hello Dawn. Anything happen while I was gone?" He then begins to simply nod confusing her for a moment before a thought comes to her 'A Familiar?' "Yes this old witch is with me." The owl then vanishes into motes of blue light
'Less than a month and he already has a familiar? Wait where did it go!?'
"So do you mind telling me why you were watching me...and why I couldn't detect you?" Alex asks her while folding his arms.
She clears her throat "Well you are actually near my home and I wanted to make sure you wouldn't simply come in and try hurt me or steal things."
[A lot of my hosts did have a problem doing that. Can't blame her for caution] Albion says to Alex
'Your past hosts were awful' Alex responds a bit perturbed
[My worst ones were usually better than some of Ddraig's middling hosts if that tells you anything]
'Wow then there is a good chance I may just need to kill my rival on sight then?' He gets and affirmative grunt from Albion before remembering the old witch "Oh sorry talking to Albion. But on your fears I won't do any of that. I didn't even know I was on any bodies land what so ever so your worry was unfounded but I must ask what about now?" He asks "If you want me to leave I can pick up my things and we can leave you in piece" He offers her
The witch thinks for a moment before asking "Where would you go though?" She asks
"I would probably head North and try to find a new cave or hole to base myself from. I must train as much as I can and I don't want to bother anyone" He says to her
The witch leans down. 'He has all that power and doesn't even want to bother anyone? Oh now I must ask' she thinks before straightening herself and putting a hand in her cloak "And what are you training for?" She asks in a questioning tone
"To survive" He replies getting a skeptical look. He breathes hard deciding he might as well tell her enough to calm her down "Look the whole reason I am here right now is because I wanted to live...I lost everything and returning home would make people question what happened to me and possibly put people at risk. I just want to keep living...for those that didn't make it" He says almost breaking again
'Oh poor thing' She thinks remembering one of her sisters that was just like him. 'Others first before himself. It was probably the poor things parents that were taken and he is living on for there sake. No, not living but surviving for them.' She swallows a bit wanting to confirm "Was it your parents?" He looks up and into her eyes and simply nods sadly after a moment. 'Knew it. Haaa...what would she do?' She says knowing exactly what her youngest sister would do as she has done this exact thing for another less than a couple years ago. Whats another? "Would you like to come with me?"
Alex looks up at her "What?"
"Would you like to come and live with me. It would give you food, shelter, and safety to some degree. Hell I could even teach you a bit of witchcraft sense you seem to have some aptitude for magic"
"It is really Dragon type magic though. I don't think I would be very good with other types" He says a bit overwhelmed by the sudden change in tone
"Oh don't worry about that deary." She says with a smile "I am an old type witch. We don't use the same kind of magic the youngsters use now. I am sure with your determination you'll do just fine" She says with a smile
"Why?" Alex finally asks as his wings twitch and his eyes halfway between slits and orbs
"Why what?" She asks
"Why help me so suddenly? You said you were trying to make sure I am not a threat, so why be so welcoming now?" He asks both skeptical and worried.
After a moment she leans against her staff "I know what it is like to lose family. I lost three sisters, a husband, and my children. I know what losing everyone you know and love is like and I want to help you through this. It doesn't help it that Pia would never forgive me if I left so a hurt soul like you out here alone. She would haunt me for it even." She says with a small smile.
Alex looks at her for a moment.
[I think we should go with her]
'Why?' Alex asks
[Because to be honest being with this witch might help you with your mental health just as much as I could with your physical] Alex winces slightly [If you want a pragmatic reason having a constant source of shelter, food, and learning her type of magic might help us tremendously in the long run] Alex looks down at the ground for a moment before looking up to the witch.
"Is there anything I could give you for such kindness?" He asks "I don't want to just take from someone like you. There must be something I can give. I can't take this without offering something in return"
She smiles again 'Yep just like her. Probably as mean as a Honey Badger to those who threaten him and his loved ones but the second someone tries to be nice he won't let them unless he can offer something back.' Laughing silently for a moment she says "Can you make anything with those fangs you showed off?" She asks slightly interested
"Yes I can but it is extremely dangerous since it is the same Venom that made Albion so dangerous in the first place."
"Then could I get some from time to time to see if I can use it in my potions then?" He takes a moment but nods slowly
"As long as you don't go off and try to kill anyone and everyone with it I think we can arrange that" She smiles at that knowing she is probably just keep it to say she has it or throw it out somewhere "Anything else?" He asks
She face palms 'Stubborn as a mule too' "Just help me around the place and I will call us even. Okay?" She says standing and going for a handshake
"Okay" He says shaking it
"Alright then. Grab your things I want to get there before the sun goes completely down. Can you carry a lot with those wings of yours?" She says pointing her staff at his wings.
"Yea. Give me a direction and I can probably get us there quicker than walking" He says as he grabs everything from the cave and putting out the fire
She points to the South East and says "Then take us ten miles that way"
"Alright" He grabs her by the waist and lifts of into the sky.
{The Witch's home}
After 15 minutes he land near a house in the woods "This the place?" He asks as she walks up the stairs
"Yep. No come on in and out of the cold" She says like a grandmother getting Alex to immediately walk up and into the house. As he enters he immediately sees a cauldron, cabinets filled with various ingredients, a large book on a plinth, a kitchen, a couple of couches, a rocking chair, a fire place, and five doors to other rooms. He also sees a crow that lands on the old witches shoulder like dawn does and a small black cat with two tails that approaches the witch while keeping a sharp eye on Alex. "Wow"
"I know it is kind of stereotypical but hey you do what you have to do. Also you can let out your familiar too. Dusk and Kuroka aren't to bad with owl" She says petting both animals.
"Alright then. Dawn" He says as Dawn reappears in a flash on Alex's right shoulder before it clicks "Dawn and Dusk. How about that" He says a small smile creeping onto his face
The witch stops what she was doing and looks up at him and after a moment of thought lets out a laugh "Hahahaha Yes I didn't even notice that!" She says with a smile walking to the fourth room to the house on the left side opposite the kitchen, cauldron, and entrance. Opening it reveals a small room with a bed in the middle of the room at the back wall, a dresser on the right side,a chair to the left of the bed,and window above the dresser. "This will be your room. We will being having breakfast early tomorrow and will start everything up okay?" She says
"Yeah okay." He says back to her as he walks in
"Get yourself acquainted to your room, I will be in my room on the other side and will show you everything tomorrow. For now? Get some rest. You need it." She says trying to close the door before looking down to see the cat walk under her feet and into the room. "Interested in our new arrival? Okay, just try not to do to much to him now. Kid needs stability not craziness" She says to the cat who gives her a look of annoyance.
"Hold on." Alex says "I am Alexander or Alex. Thought I would make it easier instead of you just referring to me as The White Dragon Emperor"
The cat stops for a second to look at him but the witch just say "And my name is Pyper and it is good to meet you Alex" She says closing the door 'That cat better not do anything to him or I swear I will skin her'
After she leaves Alex dismisses his wings and lies down on the bed looking at the ceiling. What has he gotten himself into? "Well at least we have somewhere to sleep now" He says absently to the agreement of both Dawn and Albion.
"Mrroow!" He looks over the bed and sees the black two tailed cat "Want to be up here too?" He asks grabbing it and putting it on the bed "Do what ever you like. I am going to get me some shut eye...will probably be the best I have had in a month" He says getting under the covers. He feels the cat walk around him for a minute before it too lays down at the bottom. To sleep? He doesn't know, he is just trying to figure out why he is smelling a mix of cat and brimstone.