The city of Tarsis. Legends about it's vast markets, and about it's fabled white winged ships were numerous. Yet once the fiery mountain was hurled earthbound by the gods, the wonderous seaport city was landlocked. The people who came miles to trade and admire, failed to travel the distances anymore. Tarsis the beautiful was overrun with thieves and villians, muraders and murderers. It's people grew suspicious, shunning all the outside world. Isolated in the far south, beside a sea of sand, Tarsis the Beautiful, with her whitewinged ships, faded from mind except for children's tales.
It was this very city that a ragged looking bunch of travelers attempted to enter; unseen and unheard. Blayze led the group down a filthy street, entering the first inn in sight. The tiny establishment was called, ironically, the Tides Inn, and it was said to have been built in the place of one of the most prosperous taverns and inns to predate the Cataclysm.
Blayze threw down some coins, grunted roughly for rooms, and food to be brought to them. The Innkeeper eyed them all suspiciously, yet handed over a couple rusted keys. Artemis grabbed them, and climbed the dingy staircase that led to the second floor. Cylan followed, with the elf behind, and Blayze taking up the rear.
After tossing a menacing look about the common room, Blayze strided down the hall after the others, taking note of every possible escape route while he did so. Artemis turned the key, kicking the ancient door open, while pulling her hood off. Cylan glanced around the small room, and set about building a modest fire.
Daminthos took the other key from Artemis, who refused to look at the elf. Sighing, he pushed the next door in the hall open and gazed around in disgust. Two beaten beds were shoved under two rattling windows, and other than a chair, the room was empty.
Turning to state his discontent, Damien caught the eye of Artemis, the cold blue gaze seeming to freeze the words to his tongue. Without a word spoken to either of the disguised dragons, the female brushed past Blayze in the doorway, sprang down the stairs and into the cold night air.
~oOo~
Cylan jogged after the human girl, though soon lost the other in the crowd. After ten minutes of being pushed, crushed and shoved by drunkards that staggered through the filth littered streets, Cylan declared herself lost. Sighing with frusteration, the 'guised dragon broke into a frantic run, oddly hued eyes filling with tears.
Without knowing, the crowds thinned, the street became cleaner. The air was sweeter, no longer filled with the stench of smoke or the reek of refuse. Slowing to a walk, Cylan blinked back her tears. Buildings lay in ruin, once grand columns now crumbled to dust, spilling onto the street.
It was among the ruins of a great structure that Cylan found her quarry. Artemis was hidden within a great spire's shadow, cloak of midnight concealing the slender frame. Huddled body shaking with the fem's sobbing, yet never made any sound that would give away the vulnerable woman's hiding place. Cylan approached the other, slowly. Bronze flecked hazel eyes saw the tensing of muscles that would be invisible to any other, as well as the deft hand movements.
Slender fingers closed around cold steel, a soundless sigh of relief uttered at the secureness of steel. Having the sharp dagger in her hand, Artemis felt confidence and emotionlessness returning. Turning her head, the form of Cylan was only a shadow against hallowed light.
"Artemis?" Cylan inquired softly, to which the fem' snarled at the familiar voice, releasing the dagger. Rising and turning, Artemis cast cold hued eyes on Cylan. "Artemis, why did you leave?" Cy questioned, fighting back tears once again.
"Because of that insolent elf boy, because of you, and Blayze.." A shudder racked Artemis' body, before she continued. "Because I can't do anything right." Once again, the slender woman sank to the ground, knees drawn tightly shaking chest. "That's not true! Artemis, you saved me from those hunters, you brought back Ayña and Cyma's stolen eggs. You saved your people from becoming slaves to goblins!"
"No, the only ones who saved you was Blayze and Thron. Thron lost his life because of me, and you nearly did too. If I hadn't led those thieves back, then the nest would have been safe in the first place. As to my 'people', the only one I cared about was Hammana, and I didn't even save her." Crystaline tears, hued deep crimson, flowed down pale, almost translucent flesh.
"They abandoned me because I destroyed them, I destroy everyone. That's why I cry tears the shade of death. It's their blood, all of their blood." Artemis sobbed, her words unusually soft. "That's not true... it can't be." Cylan replied, settling beside the human girl, unsure of what to say.
~oOo~
Blayze jogged down the street, attempting to fallow his nestmate and friend. Daminthos followed, every so often brushing a thin hand across almond shaped eyes. The armored warrier turned, skidding to a stop on cobbled stones. "Old city" was all he said to his companion, sprinting towards the ruins.
Damien nodded, sprinted among the rubble. The male elf was startled to find a sword pointed at his throat when rounding a corner. Blayze found himself in a similar situaton, as the villians took his long sword. A whistle pierced the air, of a feminine origin. Atop one of the broken foundations, stood a slim woman, with long bronze hair and metal flecked hazel eyes.
"Cylan!" Blayze shouted, though his next sentence was cut off with a jab to the male's torso. Five of the eight villians approached the seemingly defenseless woman. Smirking within the shadows, Artemis watched the fools go after the fleet footed dragon. A dirk in each hand would reduce those five to three, and Blayze might be able to free himself amid the chaos. Clear visage passed to Damien's captor; snarling at the sight. The human was nothing like the others, for he was composed, calm and calculating. He was a soldier of the dark armies.
Swearing softly, Artemis flung the dirks at Cylan's pursuers, two falling, dead, to the stone. Blayze managed to free himself, his captor's sword severing the shady character's head. "Artemis!" Damien shouted, the leader turning towards the pale faced female, sword drawn.
He was a commander of the armies, the blues by the scale armor and ordaments he wore. "Ah, so this is the one who's been causing us so much trouble." The creature laughed, as did his remaining mercenary. "Artemis, is it? Well, my dear, here you have a choice... Free your friends by surrendering, or watch them die, starting with the elf."
The woman remained calm, sword held still in skilled hands. She watched the man's face, shiftig to take in the frightened visage of Damien. Cylan stuggled against her captors, as Blayze growled at once again behind held prisoner.
"Don't be a fool woman!" The man spat the last word. This act of impatience twitched the corners of crimson lips slightly. "What is your name, toad?" She replied calmly, shifting to lean against a shattered wall of stone. This infuriated the soldier further.
"Sinakas! Subcommander of the Blue Army, Servant of Azuran the Mighty." The man stood taller at his title, glowering at Artemis. "Subcommander huh? Let me guess, you want to score points with this Azuran, and be promoted to general, right? So by capturing an 18 year old girl, an elf, a warrier and a tailor's daughter, you'll get more prestige and pay? How the hell is that supposed to work?" Artemis questioned, watching the varying expressions on Sinakas' face. "You fools! You said they were spies of the knights!" Sinakas whirled, slaying two of his own men, the rest fleeing.
Artemis shook her head. "Now you've done it. One on four is not very good odds, especially if two of those four happen to be magic users." An inferno blast crackled through the air, setting Sinakas aflame. Artemis blinked at the dying man, then at Cylan, who shrugged. Blayze rose, having had to push Damien out of the way. The elf staggered to his feet in a daze.
A flicker of gold caught Artemis' attention, and the girl sprinted after it, the others close behind. After following the apparition into one of the buildings, Artemis found herself jogging down a steep, humid and dark set of stairs. Without warning, a fiery flash intercepted the girl's path, causing her to fall down the rest of the stairs.
Groaning in pain, Artemis strained for a glimpse of her surroundings. A light flared, illuminating a deep, underground cavern. Blinking in the sudden light, Artemis attempted to rise, yet fell back. "Bloody hell." was the words given, as pain seered up the female's leg. Leaning back, Artemis could only glance around again as she set about examining her injured ankle.
A puff of smoke startled the human from her thoughts, and Artemis found herself gazing into orbs of flame-licked gold. Another puff of smoke billowed from tiny nostrils, as the gold hatchling gazed at Artemis. The young woman began to hum, not really knowing what else to do. Pulling off her boot, she studied the joint for signs of breakage, seeing none.
The little gold, only reaching Artemis' waist when standing at full height, sat back and watched Artemis. The human smiled inspite of herself. The gold wyrm was so attentive at what Artemis was doing that it didn't notice the figure behind the female. Daminthos watched for a minute, then knelt beside Artemis. "Why is it down here?"
"I don't know. This is too far south for golds, it's too cold." Artemis, satisfied nothing was seriously injured, tried to stand. Almost falling again, she found herself glad to have Damien's arms around her waist in support. "Thanks"
Artemis limped forward, once regaining her balance, Damien fllowing close behind. The wyrmling chirped, springing ahead of the two-legged beings. The young woman guessed them to be in an underground cave, as thick walls of man-made structures gave way to dark obsidian.
Artemis gasped, blue eyes catching a glimpse of what she had feared. The golden wyrm lept towards a mass of metallic scales, elf and human following slowly. Shattered eggshells and small golden corpses littered the lair. Artemis felt her knees fail, and was surprised to feel Damien's arms around her once again. She buried her face in his chest, unable to look at the graveyard of dragons. Damien's hand slipped through ebony tresses, holding the human close to him.
It was this very city that a ragged looking bunch of travelers attempted to enter; unseen and unheard. Blayze led the group down a filthy street, entering the first inn in sight. The tiny establishment was called, ironically, the Tides Inn, and it was said to have been built in the place of one of the most prosperous taverns and inns to predate the Cataclysm.
Blayze threw down some coins, grunted roughly for rooms, and food to be brought to them. The Innkeeper eyed them all suspiciously, yet handed over a couple rusted keys. Artemis grabbed them, and climbed the dingy staircase that led to the second floor. Cylan followed, with the elf behind, and Blayze taking up the rear.
After tossing a menacing look about the common room, Blayze strided down the hall after the others, taking note of every possible escape route while he did so. Artemis turned the key, kicking the ancient door open, while pulling her hood off. Cylan glanced around the small room, and set about building a modest fire.
Daminthos took the other key from Artemis, who refused to look at the elf. Sighing, he pushed the next door in the hall open and gazed around in disgust. Two beaten beds were shoved under two rattling windows, and other than a chair, the room was empty.
Turning to state his discontent, Damien caught the eye of Artemis, the cold blue gaze seeming to freeze the words to his tongue. Without a word spoken to either of the disguised dragons, the female brushed past Blayze in the doorway, sprang down the stairs and into the cold night air.
~oOo~
Cylan jogged after the human girl, though soon lost the other in the crowd. After ten minutes of being pushed, crushed and shoved by drunkards that staggered through the filth littered streets, Cylan declared herself lost. Sighing with frusteration, the 'guised dragon broke into a frantic run, oddly hued eyes filling with tears.
Without knowing, the crowds thinned, the street became cleaner. The air was sweeter, no longer filled with the stench of smoke or the reek of refuse. Slowing to a walk, Cylan blinked back her tears. Buildings lay in ruin, once grand columns now crumbled to dust, spilling onto the street.
It was among the ruins of a great structure that Cylan found her quarry. Artemis was hidden within a great spire's shadow, cloak of midnight concealing the slender frame. Huddled body shaking with the fem's sobbing, yet never made any sound that would give away the vulnerable woman's hiding place. Cylan approached the other, slowly. Bronze flecked hazel eyes saw the tensing of muscles that would be invisible to any other, as well as the deft hand movements.
Slender fingers closed around cold steel, a soundless sigh of relief uttered at the secureness of steel. Having the sharp dagger in her hand, Artemis felt confidence and emotionlessness returning. Turning her head, the form of Cylan was only a shadow against hallowed light.
"Artemis?" Cylan inquired softly, to which the fem' snarled at the familiar voice, releasing the dagger. Rising and turning, Artemis cast cold hued eyes on Cylan. "Artemis, why did you leave?" Cy questioned, fighting back tears once again.
"Because of that insolent elf boy, because of you, and Blayze.." A shudder racked Artemis' body, before she continued. "Because I can't do anything right." Once again, the slender woman sank to the ground, knees drawn tightly shaking chest. "That's not true! Artemis, you saved me from those hunters, you brought back Ayña and Cyma's stolen eggs. You saved your people from becoming slaves to goblins!"
"No, the only ones who saved you was Blayze and Thron. Thron lost his life because of me, and you nearly did too. If I hadn't led those thieves back, then the nest would have been safe in the first place. As to my 'people', the only one I cared about was Hammana, and I didn't even save her." Crystaline tears, hued deep crimson, flowed down pale, almost translucent flesh.
"They abandoned me because I destroyed them, I destroy everyone. That's why I cry tears the shade of death. It's their blood, all of their blood." Artemis sobbed, her words unusually soft. "That's not true... it can't be." Cylan replied, settling beside the human girl, unsure of what to say.
~oOo~
Blayze jogged down the street, attempting to fallow his nestmate and friend. Daminthos followed, every so often brushing a thin hand across almond shaped eyes. The armored warrier turned, skidding to a stop on cobbled stones. "Old city" was all he said to his companion, sprinting towards the ruins.
Damien nodded, sprinted among the rubble. The male elf was startled to find a sword pointed at his throat when rounding a corner. Blayze found himself in a similar situaton, as the villians took his long sword. A whistle pierced the air, of a feminine origin. Atop one of the broken foundations, stood a slim woman, with long bronze hair and metal flecked hazel eyes.
"Cylan!" Blayze shouted, though his next sentence was cut off with a jab to the male's torso. Five of the eight villians approached the seemingly defenseless woman. Smirking within the shadows, Artemis watched the fools go after the fleet footed dragon. A dirk in each hand would reduce those five to three, and Blayze might be able to free himself amid the chaos. Clear visage passed to Damien's captor; snarling at the sight. The human was nothing like the others, for he was composed, calm and calculating. He was a soldier of the dark armies.
Swearing softly, Artemis flung the dirks at Cylan's pursuers, two falling, dead, to the stone. Blayze managed to free himself, his captor's sword severing the shady character's head. "Artemis!" Damien shouted, the leader turning towards the pale faced female, sword drawn.
He was a commander of the armies, the blues by the scale armor and ordaments he wore. "Ah, so this is the one who's been causing us so much trouble." The creature laughed, as did his remaining mercenary. "Artemis, is it? Well, my dear, here you have a choice... Free your friends by surrendering, or watch them die, starting with the elf."
The woman remained calm, sword held still in skilled hands. She watched the man's face, shiftig to take in the frightened visage of Damien. Cylan stuggled against her captors, as Blayze growled at once again behind held prisoner.
"Don't be a fool woman!" The man spat the last word. This act of impatience twitched the corners of crimson lips slightly. "What is your name, toad?" She replied calmly, shifting to lean against a shattered wall of stone. This infuriated the soldier further.
"Sinakas! Subcommander of the Blue Army, Servant of Azuran the Mighty." The man stood taller at his title, glowering at Artemis. "Subcommander huh? Let me guess, you want to score points with this Azuran, and be promoted to general, right? So by capturing an 18 year old girl, an elf, a warrier and a tailor's daughter, you'll get more prestige and pay? How the hell is that supposed to work?" Artemis questioned, watching the varying expressions on Sinakas' face. "You fools! You said they were spies of the knights!" Sinakas whirled, slaying two of his own men, the rest fleeing.
Artemis shook her head. "Now you've done it. One on four is not very good odds, especially if two of those four happen to be magic users." An inferno blast crackled through the air, setting Sinakas aflame. Artemis blinked at the dying man, then at Cylan, who shrugged. Blayze rose, having had to push Damien out of the way. The elf staggered to his feet in a daze.
A flicker of gold caught Artemis' attention, and the girl sprinted after it, the others close behind. After following the apparition into one of the buildings, Artemis found herself jogging down a steep, humid and dark set of stairs. Without warning, a fiery flash intercepted the girl's path, causing her to fall down the rest of the stairs.
Groaning in pain, Artemis strained for a glimpse of her surroundings. A light flared, illuminating a deep, underground cavern. Blinking in the sudden light, Artemis attempted to rise, yet fell back. "Bloody hell." was the words given, as pain seered up the female's leg. Leaning back, Artemis could only glance around again as she set about examining her injured ankle.
A puff of smoke startled the human from her thoughts, and Artemis found herself gazing into orbs of flame-licked gold. Another puff of smoke billowed from tiny nostrils, as the gold hatchling gazed at Artemis. The young woman began to hum, not really knowing what else to do. Pulling off her boot, she studied the joint for signs of breakage, seeing none.
The little gold, only reaching Artemis' waist when standing at full height, sat back and watched Artemis. The human smiled inspite of herself. The gold wyrm was so attentive at what Artemis was doing that it didn't notice the figure behind the female. Daminthos watched for a minute, then knelt beside Artemis. "Why is it down here?"
"I don't know. This is too far south for golds, it's too cold." Artemis, satisfied nothing was seriously injured, tried to stand. Almost falling again, she found herself glad to have Damien's arms around her waist in support. "Thanks"
Artemis limped forward, once regaining her balance, Damien fllowing close behind. The wyrmling chirped, springing ahead of the two-legged beings. The young woman guessed them to be in an underground cave, as thick walls of man-made structures gave way to dark obsidian.
Artemis gasped, blue eyes catching a glimpse of what she had feared. The golden wyrm lept towards a mass of metallic scales, elf and human following slowly. Shattered eggshells and small golden corpses littered the lair. Artemis felt her knees fail, and was surprised to feel Damien's arms around her once again. She buried her face in his chest, unable to look at the graveyard of dragons. Damien's hand slipped through ebony tresses, holding the human close to him.