Unlocking the past

"A long time ago, the Three Dragons of Xavan were the rulers of this world, over all humans and other beasts alike. One was a red dragon, one blue and the last was silver. After about a thousand years of ruling, the humans grew tired of reptiles telling us what was right and what was wrong. We could tell for ourselves! Afterall, we had build roads, cities, weapons that could easily cut down a dragon... So why couldnt we govern ourselves?
Well, we though we could. So the human armys joined forces, right under the red dragons nose. We struck in its sleep and cut its heart out. It was Mated to the Blue dragon- so naturaly it killed the blue one instantly."

The old gate keeper stoped talking and leaned against the wall by the fireplace with a smug look. "They werent very hard to kill."

His aprentist, a boy named Emist, frowned, conitering the tale before shaking his head. "But what happened to the silver dragon?" he asked pouring his mentor yet another helping of booze. He had heard the guards talking about the key in the west- and the only key he knew of was to the gate he helped to protect. it was only natural for a boy to wonder...

"Ah." the gatekeeper laughed a deep belly laugh, a smile crossing his lips. "The Silver dragon. Well, we tricked 'im. He was a brute too strong for us humans to take down. so we made an 'agreement'- that we woudl govern ourselves and if we ever needed 'is help, we would come get him. So- when 'e let his guard down the works set to lockin him up."

"Works?"

"Wizards and suck." he waved a hand, then paused eyeing the boy for a moment. he grinned and pointed down, between his feet. "Ya didnt think we'de be guardin a gate for nothin would you?"

"But- theres only two of us." Emist pointed out with a frown. "Theres no way we could stop a dragon- let alone the dragon a whole army co-"

"Precisly!" he said. "Thats why, Emist. thats why we dont let nobody near the gate. Sos they cant unlock 'im and sick 'im on us." he nodded.

Emis refilled the glass when his teacher held it out and nodded slowly, forcing a weak smile. "I sugest going to sleep sir." he said and stood up. "Its not good for a man your age to be awake past the nights midpoint."

The old man waved him off, but not before taking the fire brandy bottle. "You go sleep. In the mornin- you gotta make sure those roost eggs get to town in one pice." he scolded drunkly.

"yes sir..." Emist said, turning his back to the man unable to hold back a grin.

-30 minutes later-

Emist took his masters swordout of its case, wrapping it in a sheet and tied it to his hip. he grabbed his ruck sack, gold and looked in the mirror one last time. his long blonde hair was in the sink, cut off harshly with a knife currently stuffed into his boot. Just incase, he gathered it up and put it in his bag. He couldnt chance a work making a voodoo doll on him...

Silently, he climbed out through the window- knowing the door woudl squeek and give him away.

Down below, he landded with a light thud, curling his nose at the smell of the compost heap. he coughed a bit at the stench but took off none the less, into the woods. the roads were closaed at ngith and always patroled by guards.

He'd rather face a beast over a guard anyday....

He shifted the sword, already desiding to buy a proper holster for it asap. As he looked around he began to realise just how diffrent the woods looked at night than in the day. it didnt matter. he woudl find his way. In the morning, when the sun rose he woudl be able to tell if he was still heading west. For the time being, he would go where he knew- or as close to as he could.

-2:30 am-

Emist pantted, running throughthe woods as quickly as his legs would carry him, tree branches and leaves tearing across his skin. The guard had spottedhim- most likely assumed he was an escaped slave. They were close in guessing right, but not entirly...

He winced, stepping wrong. The move resulted in a sudden sharp fall, down into the vally.

The guards panted, slwoing as they got to where he had fallen. "Think it lived?" one asked the other wiping its forhead.

"Noway." the second said breathign hard. "Thats a pretty steep fall. Nothin but dragon feeding grounds down there..." The first nodded his agreement- turning away...

------

Emist grimiced, not opening his eyes. A quick physical check; legs moved but hurt. Arms seemed okay. hands moved and fingers too. With a sigh he nearly cried out. Ribs- not check. He opened his eyes slowly, becoming instnatly aware of the odd angel he was in.

He grunted, pushing himself up to wrap his arm around his stomach. It was warmer than usual- but too dark and cold to tell if it was blood or just from the fall. And too dark to tell how long he may or may not have been out.

Thats when he heard it. The inmistakable clicking of a dragons toung on the roof of its mouth. Normaly it was a sign that you had agrivated it0- other times it was just smelling you. Either way wasnt a pleasent option at the moment.

He draw his sword, wiping soem blood out of his eyes, only to have it replace itself. He coudlnt see anything, but knew he'd hit his head. It felt like he was floatingon clouds....




OOC:

Okay, so no more pickels before bed of i dream this crazy shit up XD anyhoo. i need for either a person or dragoon [a person who can turn into a dragon] to find my guy and give him a hand. Say they recognize the sword, maybe know since hes blonde hes from Aissur- who knows- its your choice. The Silver dragon plays a very MINUTE role in this rp. Hes basickly non exsistent. the whole story line is going to revolve around finding this key to release the dragon thats suposadly sleeping underground. Kinnda political- kinnda Final Fanticy/ Baten Katosish. =D Dont ask, just join.

He swayed a bit, dropping the tip of his sword to the ground with a clank that coudnt have been good for the blade. "Sorry." he said. "I thought you were a guard..." his speach was slurred slightly as he reached up attempting to wipe the blood out of his eyes again, sucessfully spreading it wide across his brow.

His ribs ached with each breath, and like any creature hurt in the dark he had simply acted upon instinct and drawn up his defence. The blonde could tell by the voice it was a woman, and from the earlier sounds he was sure it was something else really.

He couldnt waist time though. "Please." he said. "Which way is west from here?" he asked. In the west there was no real hospitable land. marshes, tundras, deserts, pitted volcanic vallys. Nowhere a smart human would go. Rumors said even canibals roamed the west. They were, as it was, very near the western boarder. No towns were near there, and the request to head in that direction was a dead give away that he was up to something.

He did not seem to pick up on her harsh tone. a mighty blow to the hea could have that effect on a person.

He frowned, shoving the tip of the blade into the groung to use as a sort of krutch for the moment. "I suppose that simply means the Gods are smiling on me..." he murrmured. He had to head west. Where west? He wasnt sur... but he knew the general direction he had to search in. And hell or highwater- he would keep going.

He let her help him, feeling an odd sense of fulfillment when she agreed to show him the way. "Thank you." he murmured, still holding his side. Another accident like that and he would be done for.... The boy needed to learn to look before he leapt.

He didn't seem to notice any of the oddities brought about by the woman. His mind was too clouded by the pain and exhaustion that, even if he had, it was doubtful she would have gotten much of a rise out of the lad.
"If I don't make it west, noone'll find the key." he murmured having been thinking to himself- though the words slipped through his lips in his punch drunken stupor.

What a strange boy. He was young, with light hair- a unique occurrence as it were- and blue eyes. Typically, those were the makings of a mage, back in the days where dragons lived along side humans. And he was looking for a key. As the Gate Keepers apprentice, he had undoubtedly heard tale about the silver dragon, kept locked underground under a spell... Surely he must have understood the danger and stupidity of this journey of his.

And yet there he was, in the feeding grounds of feral dragons, seeking out the very key he was intended to help keep hidden.

Strange.

'This is going to hurt.'

He knew those words. Knew them well actually. Normally though, it was before he received a beating for failing to do a chore properly or for back talking to the Gatekeeper. Though he hadn't been prepared for quite the amount of hurt that wracked its way through his ribcage, resetting his broken bones into their proper place.

He couldn't help the loud cry that broke free through his lips, and the rest of his agonized cries that followed as the woman worked.

Magic.

The single word slipped through his mind as a fleeting thought. As sharp and hot as the pain in his bones had been, it had cooled down to a mellow throb, though left him breathless and confounded. He closed his blue eyes, his body feeling heavy and tired, weak and sore. In fact the young man was only half aware of her continued treatments, felling asleep as she patched him up.

The slumber that embraced him held tightly until morning. The pale blond opened his blue eyes groggily, looking around without bothering to move his head. Hid head felt heavy, thick and clouded by something. Still sleep most likely interfering with his desire to get up and go.

Go? Go where? Oh yes.... West.

He grimaced at the spinning sensation between his ears as he sat up slowly, looking around. Where was he again? Right... That woman had saved him. But then, where was she?

Emist got up, frowning at the amount of bandages on him. He owed the woman his life, and a formal apology for being a burdon on her.

Looking around briefly, he picked up his sword, still wrapped in the tattered sheet and tied it to his back. he grabbed his discarded ruck sack and sifted through it, pulling out the small sachel of gold coins. He could make the sheet last longer if need be. And he wouldnt be finding any inn's to stay in much past this point.

So he decided.

Setting the bag down, where he hoped the woman would find it, he bowed his head in respect to the gods for sending him a savior, he assumed, the previous night.

After finishing the short prayer of gratitude, the blonde was ready to leave. He took with him in his sword and bag, and the two coins he kept around his neck. It was an old tradition. Shoudl he die he would be able to pay the ferrieman.

She found him not too long after. He had been wise enough to step off the path, sitting under a tree to rest. He'd climbed that cliff, and walked a good 5 miles distance. he seemed preoccupied at the moment, holding the sword to his chest with the other hand outstretched.

Quite the determined lad.

The boy sat with one hand held up towards the sky, watching his fingers as if they were about to do a neat trick. And they did too. A small blue light buzzed across his skin, for only a moment before vanishing. Blond with blue eyes. He had magic in his blood afterall.

Emist looked up at the woman and blinked his sapphire hues before putting his hand down. "I meant no offense by leaving it." he said picking up the bag before standing. "I owe you my life." he pointed out, though inside he was half afraid the woman might be angry with him for running off. He hadn't been a very good guest.

He was a bright child. He noticed her oddly colored hair and eyes, now that he wasn't about to die. And thanks to the bright sun peering through the cracks of the canopy the trees made. For a moment he was awestruck. She looked like a Goddess, and for a brief moment he actually debated asking if she was. After all, she had saved him, undoubtedly with magic, and had found him so soon.

"I just couldn't delay getting on the road again any more." he attempted to justify his hasty leaving. "If the Guards followed me to your home and found me, you would have been put in harms way."

The blond boy felt confident the woman wouldn't turn him in. Though by law he was a criminal, by sheer moral he was not. The sword had been his fathers before he died. The gate Keeper simply took it- his only inheritance- as 'payment' for taking him in as a child. Of course he had only gained both ways. He won himself a slave and seemed good heart-ed to the people, and quite the extraordinary sword in the mix of it.

Emist's hack job was more evident now, his hair hanging at a harsh choppy angle just past his ears where he had cut the ponytail off the night before. Though his hair was thick and the color of gold, though tinged brown and a bit crusty where blood had dried from the fall earlier. It was no wonder he had been so easy to track. The boy didn't know much about traveling, that was obvious.

It was just lucky for him he was running from the guards and there for took to the unbeaten path. It was merely by coincidence he bypassed tow traffic and bandits. Or perhaps it was by mere intuition?

He frowned at her looking her up and down. To hell with it, he would go on a limb. "I'm looking for a key." he said simply. "I think it's fairly obvious humans have failed to govern themselves well.... I have every intention to release the silver dragon and avenge my fathers death." he stated.

He spoke nothing but the truth. His father had been a Knight of the Old ways, even had himself a contracted bond with a dragon. From what he gathered, it was that very bond that killed his father. When the dragons were hunted down and slain- his life was taken as a cost as well. It certainly explained the odd writing on the blade. It had belonged to his father. The writing was old ruin.

He shifted under her intimidating gaze. The blond, no matter how good his intentions were, woudl fail. If he went alone anyway. he was hardly more than a child. he didn't even have a beard yet! And still he thought he was able to change the way the world turned.

Still. That determination of his would get him pretty far.

"I prefer to think I'll die trying." he corrected her use of the word 'searching', though made no attempt to argue his foolishness. And why should he? He knew full well he would most likely fail, that this was a suicide attempt in the making. But at the very least he could die knowing he tried to do what was right.

His crystal blue eyes stared right back into her purple ones. He had a spark there not many humans had anymore. A desire. A sort of thirst for something out of life. He would not simply roll over and give up.

"If I don't die young I'll die old, I'll die at one point or another anyway." he said simply when she suggested he should rather live.

When she said she woudl take his life debt back, for a moment he thought the woman was going to strike out at him. Untill she continued on to say she would head west with him.

That threw him for a loop. She woudl really go west with him? Into the wilderness and, worse, the 'other' hemisphere?

"I, uh..." the boy blinked. "Why?" he asked. He didn't argue her company, not at all. In fact he welcomed it.... But he still felt the need to ask.

The blond blinked at her, though smiled, apparently accepting her half truth. He felt he could trust her, and having some company would be nice.... not to mention, she seemed a fair bit more street wise than he was.

"You know, you have a very pretty laugh, Miss." he stated. "It suits you."

He moved the too large sword onto his back, strapping it there. "So then, we're off?"

"Well, first I know to head west." he said. "I heard rumors of a dragon who lived in these parts, and honestly hoped I could ask him for help before he decided to eat me." he admitted.

Of course, he had never heard of a dragon taking on human form. Really, the possibility never dawned on him what she really was. Never question a blessing after all.

He realized, quite suddenly, he hadn't given his name yet. "By the way, I'm Emist." he introduced himself as they began walking.

the boys shoes were old and warn in, good for a trip, though doubtful that they would hold up long.