A Knight's Story

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"A day by horse back. A Camel would get you there by sundown. However such a journey would take some time to prepare, a lot of water and proper blankets. I'll get those ready for you. If you rest well tonight I'll wake you up at twilight so you don't have to worry about the sun. " He said softly giving Riko a bit more water.  

[SkySong278]

“Okay thank you Sir Delu,” Cody said in reply after hearing everything the older man said before putting Isabo back down near the phoenix and then laying down afterward. He then closed his eyes shortly afterward, falling asleep soon after.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

He nodded. 

 

---

 

Just before dawn Delu's familiar nudged Cody awake carrying Isabo in a sling in it's mouth. It walked a few steps twords the door then stopped looking back at him to see if he was following then headed out. 

 

The creature did this several times, peeking around corners at Cody always a few feet ahead but made sure he wasn't lost. When they came to the courtyard a camel waited on the ground with Delu holding the bridle. "Leave now. Your pack contains lots of water and some food. Do not drink too much in the sunlight, it can lead to heat stroke. If you are still tired tie yourself to the seat. I have told  Oodeb where to go. He is the strongest and bravest I have. Isabo will guide you when you get to the mountain. Be weary, bandits often hide in the many caves." He said helping the knight in the camel and  strapping him in as the beast got up. He handed him a compass, Isabo and a necklace that had a rat skull with runes painted on it, a feather and a bit of ivory from a whale. "This will allow you to speak to the creatures of land, sea and sky as we mages do. You can understand them, and they you. Keep it hidden, dragons do not like non magic users being able to listen to them speak. May Zar watch over your journey. Ha!" He said and smacked the backside of the beast and it bellows heading off at a faster pace then a horse could run. 

[SkySong278]

Cody woke up after being nudged awake by Delu’s familiar and followed it to where the older man waited in the courtyard. He could tell it was very patient from seeing how many times it stopped to wait for him and also from making sure he wouldn’t get lost. He saw him waiting next to a camel and approached them before listening to everything he said, getting strapped in on the desert beast while listening. “I understand. I’ll make sure to drink sparingly in the sunlight and a lot when it’s down. I’ll also make sure to keep the totem hidden around any dragons I might encounter. Thank you,” he said in reply before they were on their way towards the mountain after Delu hit the camel. He made sure to hold onto Isabo so that she wouldn’t fall out of his hands.

Edited September 9, 2022 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Isabo cherped softly waking a little bit. "We're coming master..." Came a weak call from her. 

 

 

--------

 

Elsewhere in the depths of a cave Avery woke up on a bed of large palm branches it was dark, he didn't like the dark and he was terribly hungry. Mustering up some energy he managed to make a ball of flame in his palm, however the surrounding area was like a thick curtain of darkness. He felt so small and pathetic. A gust of hot air blew off his headwrap and knocked him over on his back extinguishing his flame. It stank of burning coconuts with a hint of rotted meat. Dragon. He began to tremble. 

 

"I am still very tired. No light. ........ Why do you tremble? " A sound similar to tons of silk sliding against itself and a warm thick coil around him squeezing him tightly. Avery whimpered.

[SkySong278]

Cody patted Isabo gently on the head out of comfort when he heard what she said softly. “We’ll find him and rescue him,” he said reassuringly as he let the camel continue to gallop across the sand. When the camel slowed, he took that opportunity to sip a bit of water and did so before giving some to Isabo as well. They continued to ride for awhile and he fell asleep when he could see the mountain in the distance up ahead. He made sure to tie himself to the camel before then so he wouldn’t fall off.

Edited October 5, 2019 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

As the sun rose in the sky a thin stream of faint light reached Avery. The scales where lovely, pale white and blue like the sky on the top part, and golden browns and reds of desert sand along the lower regions. From afar it would appear to me a mirage or simply the shimmy heat off the sand. Then he noticed that they were darker colors in the shadows that he could see beyond the lighted spot. These colors were of a night desert scene.

 

He marveled at this light activated camouflage the creature has developed. He jumped a little when he felt a twinge in his chest. Isabo! Avery thought suddenly realizing that the bird wasn't with him and that twinge was their familial bond reattaching itself. 

 

----

 

Isabo jumped awake with a cry as they entered the shadow of the mountain. "He's here! Further in but here! "

[SkySong278]

Cody jumped awake as well but only when he heard what Isabo said in regards to Avery being there. “Okay then we’re close. How should we go about getting him away from the dragon?” he said and asked in reply while rubbing his eyes free of the sleep stuff that formed around his eyes when he slept.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"Dragons don't take mages for nothing. He is probably hurt, or something." Isabo cherped turning her head to peer at the caves. "Turn left then start heading up.... Or down? I can't tell"

 

---

 

The dragon woke up and with a snort a line of flame shot from it's nose and onto a large rock pile making it glow with embers. It then realised a trembling Avery and stretches, blew another tounge of flame lighting a Chandler of torches and illuminating the cave before moving a stone and letting in sunlight. It was a underground city, ruins of a lost civilization and they where in a castle carved from thick columns formed underground and the stone was blocking the window to the balcony overlooking the entire dessolet kingdom. 

 

The dragon had no wings, long and slender like a snake with thin slender horns and snout. A female dragon. And the pile of stones she blew fire on was a nest of coal, obsidian and basalt covering a clutch of three eggs that shone like mirrors. She moved on short legs, short but powerful. A majority of her length was her neck and tail, waddling like a kimoto dragon or simply tucking her limbs to her side and slipping along the earth like a gigantic serpent. She fixed Avery with a large milky eye, then turned her head to see him with the other one, a deep mud brown with large streaks of green as a long neon blue tongue flicked from her slender mouth. "You. You dress like a woman, but don't smell like one. I asked for a female mage, but your twin soul would be enough. Keep the fire going. I will be back with food. Hope you enjoy dates."  Came her gravely but musical voice and she walked to the edge of the balcony and slipped over. Her shoulder would reach the top of Avery's head, but her body was thrice as thick and powerful enough to crush stone like a constrictor along with fire and, judging by the stone eroding under the sliver of spittle she admitted when speaking of food, acidic too. Avery, too afraid to move and seeing the only way out was down or up with smooth stones and a sheer drop downwards he stayed where he was casting balls of fire into the nest to keep the eggs warm. 

[SkySong278]

“Okay and it looks like the cave might be in the up direction to me from here,” Cody said in reply before hearing something coming from the cave when they were about to complete the left turn around the corner. He hid behind the cavern wall when he heard a slithering sound coming from the cave. As he watched around the corner, he saw a wingless dragon leaving the cave while slithering like a giant snake. He thought he could see its limbs up against it’s body but couldn’t really tell due to them being the same color as the body as a type of camouflage. He put himself up more against the wall and behind a cropping to try to stay out of sight of the hunting dragon.

 

((if all that’s okay. I can edit if it’s not but only thing I could come up with))

[AroaraAngelwolf]

((that's perfect!))

 

The dragon stopped and lifted her head flicking out her tounge. "Ugh, this place stinks of men. Those brutes could use a bath. Now... Sheep should be in this cave. Little mage is working hard, I should feed him- her? Them. Yes them. Need a good meal to keep magic strong and...-" it was at this point the creature slipped into another cave further down and was still speaking to herself. 

 

Isabo was looking at the small dunes the dragons girth made as it slithered in the soft sand. It lead right to a pit with a small oasis around it, a small stream of water falling into the pit. 

[SkySong278]

((okay ))

 

Cody heard the dragon speaking to herself as she passed by his and Isabo’s hiding place and then when she was gone, he went to the place that she had left a few minutes ago that Isabo seemed to be looking at to see if Avery was there. He climbed carefully down into the pit and saw a few small fires going towards a nest of some sort a ways in front of where they currently were and figured that’s where he was. “Avery?” he asked as he stepped a bit more into a cave-like place in the pit and tried to see him in the darkness but his eyes hadn’t yet adjusted so he couldn’t tell exactly where he was.

 

((edited))

Edited September 16, 2019 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

((into the pit, it's deep underground like the Godzilla city if you've seen the new movie))

[SkySong278]

((I edited the post slightly and yes, I have seen the new movie))

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Avery looked out into the darkness able to see the light and a silhouette of a man. A screech sounded and Isabo bolted from Cody into the darkness and rammed into Avery's chest. "C-cody? You came?! Oh thank the merciful heavens! Isabo will guide you to me, but you need to have a rope to get to the nest. The dragon will come back any moment now hurry!" He sent isabo back to Cody who sat on his shoulder and trilled directions in his ear to the base of the castle that held the nest.

[SkySong278]

“Of course. Sir Delu gave me a compass to get here and I think I also have a rope,” Cody said in reply before taking it out and then following Isabo’s directions to where Avery was afterward. When he got to where he needed to use the rope, he tied one end of it to a small rock that was nearby that had a sharp top before starting to go down to where the nest was. When he got to the bottom, he could make out Avery’s form a few feet in front of him. “Avery,” he said before holding his arms out to him.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Avery got up after throwing another fire ball into the nest ready to run to him, but his expression of Glee quickly turned to absolute horror as he dashed forward. "No!" His shout echoes through the cavern as he flung a spell twords Cody and the dragon's snout hit a invisible bubble around Cody. The creature was so quiet it would have swallowed Cody in a instant if Avery was a second too late casting the spell. 

 

"Truspasser!  Interloper! He's after my eggs! Let me kill him mage! All men who enter here must die!" She roared angerly coiling around the bubble and squeezing it like it would pop if she squeezed tight enough.

[SkySong278]

Cody smiled when he saw that Avery had a look of glee on his face but then it faded a bit when he noticed it turn to one of horror. He was temporarily confused before he heard the dragon roar out what she did and then the feeling of being slowly squeezed came. “Tell...her...that...I...mean...no...harm...to...her...eggs...” he said while trying to breathe between each word but it was hard as he was slowly being squeezed tighter.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Avery ran twords them. "Stop he's here for me! he's my boyfriend and got worried please let him go! He won't harm your eggs, but can help me stay awake to keep them warm while you hunt. Let him go!" Avery started to cry beating on the dragons mirror like hide.

 

She tilted her head. "A male human with a twin soul? I didn't know such a thing I possible. Alright, I'll let him go. But only if he doesn't draw that sword!" She snarled and let him breathe again. 

 

Avery ran to Cody sobbing. "Are you okay? Don't draw your weapon okay? Did you get any cracked ribs? It'll bruise for sure, but I can make cream for that..."

[SkySong278]

Cody took slow breaths and tried to keep from passing out but it was a bit hard to do with how tight he was being squeezed. He was then able to breathe much better before letting out a few coughs after being released and before he could answer Avery’s worried questions and his trailed off statement that followed.

 

“I’m okay. I won’t and wasn’t going to in the first place. I don’t think so but I’m also not sure. It definitely feels like I have a really big bruise and that would be great,” he said in reply with a small smile as he gave him a small hug.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

The dragon watched this exchange as Avery hugged him tenderly and kissed him all over his face. "I was kidnapped by ruffiens to be brought here and given to the dragon as an exchange for sanctuary. She just wants her eggs safe and warm. She hasn't eaten anything since they were laid a month ago. She needs something other than sheep to sustain her and produce milk for the hatchlings. " Avery explained leading Cody to the nest he woke up on and helped him sit. 

[SkySong278]

Cody hugged Avery back and took the kisses that the other gave to him before listening to everything he said as an explanation as to why he was brought here. “Is that all she wants and will she let you go after she’s hunted to get both enough food and milk for the eggs?” he asked him as he was led to the nest and was helped down to be sitting.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"And a visit every month until my eggs hatch. I am so lonely and my mate was killed by hunters who like to use our hides as armor and sell out bodies for black magic users."  She huffed out a cloud of smoke.

 

"And a few visits until they hatch once a month. I don't mind, her mate was killed otherwise he would take care of her, but I guess that's why she doesn't take to kindly to men. Don't tell my sister or parents about this though. They will worry about me being here, dragons are rare and very powerful both physically and magically. And besides, she's lonely. I don't like seeing great creatures sad.." he gave Cody a puppy eyed pout batting his thick eyelashes at him with his golden eyes wide. 

[SkySong278]

Cody nodded just the slightest bit when he heard what the dragon said but disguised it as understanding to everything that Avery said instead, chuckling a bit at the look the latter gave him. “Of course you can. You’d be helping her out after all so I don’t see why you can’t,” he said in reply. “I promise that I won’t tell Alex and your parents about these trips to visit her.”

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"Oh thank you my love!" Avery grinned hugging him gently and kissing him on the lips deeply. "You are the best. Now let's see those bruises. " He said digging around his waist and located a tin of cream. "I bruise so easily that I always carry this around. There where a few times you saw the bruises on my arms from bumping the coldren and you looked so adorable and worried about me... I didn't want you to worry about me while you're working with sharp objects and children-" a grumbled sounded. "He's training them to defend themselves, boys and girls and twin souls like me... Whatever that means-" he said softly calming the dragon down as she spit fire on her eggs again. 

 

"By the way... My name is Avery, this is Cody. May I receive your name? " Avery asked the creature getting off topic, the dragon looked surprised at such a question.

 

"None has ever asked me my name. They call me beast or dragon." "Surely you have a name. All creatures should be treated with respect, and if I'm going to be visiting you, it's polite to know my hosts name." Avery said in his lady like tone. 

 

The creature bore her teeth. It looked menacing, but the sparkle in her eye said it was a smile. "Gulgathstar. This is my name. Hard to say, but call me Star."

 

Avery curtsied politely. "Pleasure meeting you Star! Now, Cody your bruises ..."