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Summer, 1392
The cell was at the very end of the chamber and reeked of blood, of fear, of death. Upon sensing the place, the two dragons paused, unsure of what to do, before Rargesteyae frowned and powered on, quickly followed by her brother. Unlike the other rooms of the prison, there was no locked door here, only a heavy portcullis pulled down and locked in place. With a few minutes of tinkering with the skeleton key, Asaewath managed to open the lock, and using his forearms quickly pulled the chain down, lifting the heavy doors. Light poured into the chamber, and musty air and dust came out.
Tentatively, the two dragons entered.
The fear here was overpowering, the stench of decay stifling, and there, huddled in the corner, was the silver dragon that Asaewath and Rargesteyae had encountered earlier at the river bend. The silver dragon was slightly younger than the two rescuers, lither and with more horns, a dragon of the North. She had been badly maltreated in the interim of their last encounter, malnourished, weighed down by chains around her limbs and a heavy collar around her neck and bearing numerous slashing scars of torture.
The silver dragon flinched at the light and shied away from the two shadows entering, until she realized that they materialized into more dragons. Then she looked around in shock, glaring around the newcomer dragons for any sign of cultists.
*You are not here to sacrifice me.* She finally stammered.
Asaewath moved forward. *We are here to rescue you.* He gently replied.
The silver dragon stared at Asaewath warily.
*You’re that green dragon that tried to rescue me a few weeks ago.* She stated, matter-of-factually.
Asaewath smiled. *Yes!*
That joy was not reciprocated.
*You’re a damn fool!* The silver snapped. *You’ll get yourself killed! These fundamentalists kill dragons. They’ve killed so many!*
Asaewath's smile evaporated. *We know. They killed our mother decades ago.*
The silver looked at the two other dragons incredulously. *Then why did you come?*
*We’re trying to stop this all. You are coming with us. All of the prisoners are coming with us!* The male dragon replied.
The silver shook her head. *That you two are here means that I am doomed. Flee if you still can.*
*Why?* Rargesteyae asked as she stepped up.
The silver turned to face the brown dragon. *They usually come in with a captive dragon perhaps every few months. And then the longest lasting dragon is sacrificed. With you here, that mean that I am next! *
*That assumes that they get us.* Asaewath replied, to which the silver nodded.
*They will get you two. They always do.*
The green dragon was about to continue arguing before his sister quickly interrupted.
*How many dragons have gone?* Rargesteyae continued.
*I’ve seen only one, but they showed me the remains of six. You passed by my predecessor’s hide on the wall when they brought you down. They make sure we know.*
Rargesteyae instinctively began glancing backwards, then caught herself and stopped. The dragons collectively shuddered.
Gently, Asaewath moved closer to the silver dragon.
*We’ll take you away from this cursed place.*
The silver looked at the green in confusion. *Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me and the others here?*
*To avenge our mother.* Asaewath replied. *And because it is the right thing to do. Because we need to defend each other in this cruel world.*
The silver gave a mocking laugh. *What damn fools you are! Who are you?*
*I am Asaewath, and this is my sister Rargesteyae, of the Southern Ranges.*
Suddenly a fire lit up in the silver’s eyes.
*Your father is Meratezatgh, the old Lord of the Southern Ranges! The Mourning Lord!*
*Yes!* Asaewath went over to the silver, offering the skeleton keys. After a moment's pause, the silver acquiesced, exposing the shackles immobilizing her neck and limbs for the green to unlock. The green dragon quickly began working on the chains shackling the silver dragon to the wall.
*He was a brave dragon. He fought the Lord of the Earth!* The silver offered.
*He did, and he won!* Asaewath beamed.
*Your father weakened the Miscabbards, but even he failed.*
*Dad survived!*
The silver frowned. *They say a part of him died here.* She stated, as both Asaewath and Rargesteyae flinched, before adding. *Where is your father?*
Rargesteyae sighed. *We...don’t know. He said that the Miscabbards were back, then disappeared into the Betakakin Ranges. A week later, the Miscabbards attacked our home, and we went looking for Kavi to destroy it.*
"Are you two dragons done freeing your brethren?" Favcn interrupted, calling out from the other cell. "The guards won't go unnoticed forever, and I'm still waiting to be free from my imprisonment!"
The silver finally broke a smile. *May the both of you and your father forever fly above the fickle winds and changing tides. I see now that you two have you father’s blood. You are fools. But you are true, and you are brave.*
*I guess.* The brown dragon shrugged.
The silver dragon nodded as Asaewath opened the locks that immobilized her to the room. Though the shackles remained on her neck and limbs-it would take too long to be thorough- she was free.
The silver began to unsteadily rise to her feet. *I am Jagewaoyia of the Terzboid Hills.* She stated. *We are all doomed. But they have not broken me yet. I will fight. I will die, but I will die a dragon.*
Asaewath offered his paw to support the silver dragon. *Welcome, Jagewaoyia. We will gladly fight by your side.*
After a pause, Jagewaoyia grasped it and immediately began moving towards the cell exit, quickly followed by her rescuers. *You will die by my side!* She warned, before continuing on. *But I welcome the chance to die with heroes than die like a caged beast.*
Michelle Branch - All You Wanted
Courtesy of
TheRoguez!
The cell was at the very end of the chamber and reeked of blood, of fear, of death. Upon sensing the place, the two dragons paused, unsure of what to do, before Rargesteyae frowned and powered on, quickly followed by her brother. Unlike the other rooms of the prison, there was no locked door here, only a heavy portcullis pulled down and locked in place. With a few minutes of tinkering with the skeleton key, Asaewath managed to open the lock, and using his forearms quickly pulled the chain down, lifting the heavy doors. Light poured into the chamber, and musty air and dust came out.
Tentatively, the two dragons entered.
The fear here was overpowering, the stench of decay stifling, and there, huddled in the corner, was the silver dragon that Asaewath and Rargesteyae had encountered earlier at the river bend. The silver dragon was slightly younger than the two rescuers, lither and with more horns, a dragon of the North. She had been badly maltreated in the interim of their last encounter, malnourished, weighed down by chains around her limbs and a heavy collar around her neck and bearing numerous slashing scars of torture.
The silver dragon flinched at the light and shied away from the two shadows entering, until she realized that they materialized into more dragons. Then she looked around in shock, glaring around the newcomer dragons for any sign of cultists.
*You are not here to sacrifice me.* She finally stammered.
Asaewath moved forward. *We are here to rescue you.* He gently replied.
The silver dragon stared at Asaewath warily.
*You’re that green dragon that tried to rescue me a few weeks ago.* She stated, matter-of-factually.
Asaewath smiled. *Yes!*
That joy was not reciprocated.
*You’re a damn fool!* The silver snapped. *You’ll get yourself killed! These fundamentalists kill dragons. They’ve killed so many!*
Asaewath's smile evaporated. *We know. They killed our mother decades ago.*
The silver looked at the two other dragons incredulously. *Then why did you come?*
*We’re trying to stop this all. You are coming with us. All of the prisoners are coming with us!* The male dragon replied.
The silver shook her head. *That you two are here means that I am doomed. Flee if you still can.*
*Why?* Rargesteyae asked as she stepped up.
The silver turned to face the brown dragon. *They usually come in with a captive dragon perhaps every few months. And then the longest lasting dragon is sacrificed. With you here, that mean that I am next! *
*That assumes that they get us.* Asaewath replied, to which the silver nodded.
*They will get you two. They always do.*
The green dragon was about to continue arguing before his sister quickly interrupted.
*How many dragons have gone?* Rargesteyae continued.
*I’ve seen only one, but they showed me the remains of six. You passed by my predecessor’s hide on the wall when they brought you down. They make sure we know.*
Rargesteyae instinctively began glancing backwards, then caught herself and stopped. The dragons collectively shuddered.
Gently, Asaewath moved closer to the silver dragon.
*We’ll take you away from this cursed place.*
The silver looked at the green in confusion. *Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me and the others here?*
*To avenge our mother.* Asaewath replied. *And because it is the right thing to do. Because we need to defend each other in this cruel world.*
The silver gave a mocking laugh. *What damn fools you are! Who are you?*
*I am Asaewath, and this is my sister Rargesteyae, of the Southern Ranges.*
Suddenly a fire lit up in the silver’s eyes.
*Your father is Meratezatgh, the old Lord of the Southern Ranges! The Mourning Lord!*
*Yes!* Asaewath went over to the silver, offering the skeleton keys. After a moment's pause, the silver acquiesced, exposing the shackles immobilizing her neck and limbs for the green to unlock. The green dragon quickly began working on the chains shackling the silver dragon to the wall.
*He was a brave dragon. He fought the Lord of the Earth!* The silver offered.
*He did, and he won!* Asaewath beamed.
*Your father weakened the Miscabbards, but even he failed.*
*Dad survived!*
The silver frowned. *They say a part of him died here.* She stated, as both Asaewath and Rargesteyae flinched, before adding. *Where is your father?*
Rargesteyae sighed. *We...don’t know. He said that the Miscabbards were back, then disappeared into the Betakakin Ranges. A week later, the Miscabbards attacked our home, and we went looking for Kavi to destroy it.*
"Are you two dragons done freeing your brethren?" Favcn interrupted, calling out from the other cell. "The guards won't go unnoticed forever, and I'm still waiting to be free from my imprisonment!"
The silver finally broke a smile. *May the both of you and your father forever fly above the fickle winds and changing tides. I see now that you two have you father’s blood. You are fools. But you are true, and you are brave.*
*I guess.* The brown dragon shrugged.
The silver dragon nodded as Asaewath opened the locks that immobilized her to the room. Though the shackles remained on her neck and limbs-it would take too long to be thorough- she was free.
The silver began to unsteadily rise to her feet. *I am Jagewaoyia of the Terzboid Hills.* She stated. *We are all doomed. But they have not broken me yet. I will fight. I will die, but I will die a dragon.*
Asaewath offered his paw to support the silver dragon. *Welcome, Jagewaoyia. We will gladly fight by your side.*
After a pause, Jagewaoyia grasped it and immediately began moving towards the cell exit, quickly followed by her rescuers. *You will die by my side!* She warned, before continuing on. *But I welcome the chance to die with heroes than die like a caged beast.*
Michelle Branch - All You Wanted
Courtesy of
TheRoguez!
Category Artwork (Digital) / Fantasy
Species Western Dragon
Size 1280 x 944px
File Size 152.4 kB
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