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Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Jan 5, 2014 22:01:03 GMT -6
There was a bleak sort of beauty to the austere majesty of Ilia's frozen mountains, a wintry wonderland of alabaster broken by emerald and granite, scattered copses of trees and naked stone. All of it beneath a sky dyed silver, the cloud cover dimming but never silencing the light. She had been to Ilia once before, but the frozen country's landscape never ceased to amaze her; Nabata born and raised, she had seen many temperate and arid climates, but only on the northern tip of Elibe, seemingly atop the world, did the ice and cold reign with an iron fist.
As barren as it might be, she found herself liking it, Nayru realized. Quiet, almost deserted - life was scarce here, but so too were problems. It was a good place to be alone, and Mother Earth knew she needed some time to herself if she was to remain in control of herself after all that had happened in the past few months. Besides, it was far from as dead as it appeared at first glance. She had seen a few rabbits - or hares, or whatever they were called - as well as assorted small animals from a distance. Perhaps it would be more accurate to state that it seemed to be spared a human infestation, for better or for worse.
That she was lost was of little concern - she had little to fear from the temperature, and if worst came to worst she could just climb a mountain and visually locate her eventual destination. For now, the silver-haired manakete was content to simply wander, marveling at natural beauty nearly untouched by man, as she collected her thoughts.
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Post by Taiel on Jan 5, 2014 22:15:55 GMT -6
The man wandered the landscape that had been his home for many a year. Tracing the familiar paths, walking along the familiar landscapes as he breathed in the icy air. Having been in the human world for a century, and a good portion of the second, the land had become his home. The quiet, broken only by the calls of the wild as he passed and as they spoke to each other. The songs they sang rang beautifully to his draconic senses. And so it was here, in the openness of the wild tundra that the grey haired manakete felt at peace within the human world. Tucking the white robe around his frame tighter, hood up to hide his face with the barest hint of blue sneaking out of it, he resumed his walk home.
Blending into the tundra well with his clothing, he stalked the lands he had come to call his own. It was odd, that he felt more at home here in the mountains after only a little over a century than the well over a millennium that he lived on the other side of the Gate. A wry smile on his face, the dragon kept on before pausing. What was that? He thought to himself, spying movement among the snow. It was definitely the shape of a humanoid, slender figure betraying her as female.
And so, while not speaking he paused in the middle of the free air, gaze settling upon the woman trekking aimlessly through the snow, through his home. Shaking his head of that thought, he resumed his observation and wondered idly if he'd have to save yet again another traveler that had gotten themselves lost out amidst the peaks.
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Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Jan 7, 2014 2:42:16 GMT -6
Something had been nipping at the edge of her senses for the past few minutes, but Nayru was not entirely certain what, and that bothered her more than the existence of whatever it was. Strangely familiar and yet completely alien all at once - ironically similar to the mountains themselves, though she was fairly certain that they were not to blame. Or maybe they were sentient golems laid to rest by an ancient force, waiting to be awoken and reforge Elibe into a new world entirely.
Or maybe she needed to tone down the crazy.
She still gave the nearest mountain a suspicious look just in case it started lumbering around, but was satiated when it failed to do so. The... not a smell, but scent, or feeling, or something, was still there, intriguing and intimidating in equal parts. Her paced slowed to a stroll, and then a dead stop, as she surveyed her surroundings in a futile search for its source. At least it wasn't bandits, it would be sort of awkward fighting bandits dressed like a desert princess. Or... dessert princess, as Elly had understood it to be.
(manaketes can apparently sense each other to some degree, dunno how much but I'm guessing humanform is faint, and she doesn't know him/ice dragons in general so she doesn't recognize what it is or where he is)
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Post by Taiel on Jan 7, 2014 9:17:49 GMT -6
The ice dragon stopped to watch the woman as she in turn stopped in the middle of the snow. Something about her had been pecking insistently at his senses for the better part of the time he'd been observing her and while grating, he knew the sense for what it was. He was looking at another dragon amongst the peaks of Ilia. Which, to his amusement, would explain her choice of clothing. Or lack thereof in this case for the winters of the peaks. It also amused him to no ends that his robe allowed him to blend in so well before he spoke over the winds, loud enough to be heard and seen.
"It is curious, that a woman of the desert lands comes so deep into the peaks. And dressed as ill prepared as you are." His voice was a rich baritone, carrying well over the tundra as he stood tall and proud against the wind before waiting. Would she notice? Or would she ignore the instinctual call of their kind? Either way, the ice dragon turned before pausing just long enough for her to notice if she managed to before walking in the direction of home. As the humans say, the ball was now in her court, and it was up to the dragoness to follow in his footsteps.
It would be nice though. He hadn't seen any dragons in a long time.
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Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Jan 12, 2014 16:02:22 GMT -6
Feeling very proud of herself for managing to mostly control her reaction, though aware that she had started slightly at the unexpected voice, Nayru turned towards its source in one fluid motion, half expecting it to be bandits - there were so many of them in Elibe - even as she began to process his words.
Huh.
The silver dragoness looked down at her attire absentmindedly, realizing for the first time that this was in fact very unusual attire for a human to be clad in. In the middle of a bunch of frozen mountains. While wandering around aimlessly. She snorted to herself, amused and slightly embarassed in equal parts. Partially thinking aloud and partially speaking to her new acquaintance, she smiled, her voice tinged by momentary mirth. "It seems I have spent so long in the more temperate regions of Elibe that I entirely failed to notice."
Something to consider the next time she decided to go swimming in a frozen ocean or climb a mountain clad in little more than a smile, Nayru considered, but caught up mentally a few seconds later as she realized that the man didn't seem in the least bit concerned about it, and the feeling she'd had earlier was a bit stronger. The lights finally came on in her head as the battered abacus she called a brain slowly processed that 2+2=4.
Ohhhhhhhhhhh.
Well, worst case scenario, he was a dragon bandit. Bandit dragon. She wasn't sure which was the more correct way to put it. Shrugging expressively to no one in particular, Nayru decided to follow her curiosity - and the alabaster maybe-a-dragon - reasoning that it wasn't like she had any particularly important plans for the day anyways, and outside of a single lightning dragon she had met none since leaving Arcadia. For... better or for worse. Being around less-severely-insane dragons was always exhausting.
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Post by Taiel on Jan 13, 2014 16:17:40 GMT -6
The dragon lead her on for a good ten minutes, before reaching a small cottage nestled into the mountain face to shelter from the raging winds. It was a decent sized home, an overhang of large proportions giving overhead shelter from runoff while stabilized by two stone pillars. It was almost like a noble entrance, one made naturally as opposed to the actual homes of nobility. Within was a wooden cottage with a small porch and no windows. Opening the door, the dragon extended his arm, offering entry within his home.
Going inside, there was a fire-pit in the middle of a decent sized room with a kettle and stove atop it for cooking. There was a small table to the left of the entry way, two chairs situated around it as well as a bookshelf that held a small collection of leather-bound treasure within. Hanging up his cloak inside, it revealed a sleeveless white tunic with grey pants and a pair of leather boots. Those clear blue eyes finally on display as well as a scraggly mess of short grey hair as well came revealed from the hood that previously covered them.
Once inside, he went to work on finishing the cooking stew, the original reason he was out in the mountains to begin with. The roots made excellent seasoning, as cooking within was snow rabbit stew, with some stored potatoes, carrots, and cabbage.
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Lynessa
Manakete
"I am glad Ilia doesn't have summer..."
Posts: 92
Profession: Tavern owner, housewife
Affinity: Ice
Dragon Element: Ice
OoC Alias: Mana
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Post by Lynessa on Jan 28, 2014 13:55:42 GMT -6
At first she believed she was wrong about it. But then this feeling just got stronger, Lynessa finally couldn't deny it any longer. This scent...there was no doubt! It was very faint and almost untraceable but she believed that another dragon, maybe more than one, was nearby. She also recognized the familiar feeling which could only come from her tribe, the ice dragon clan. Was it real? Would she meet one of kinds in this snowy land? She almost shed tears as she followed the scent, guided only by her instinct.
"I can't believe it. There is another dragon out there. And it is probably an ice dragon!!! I am not dreaming, am I?" Lynessa usually wouldn't fly in the height which people could spot her but this time she wanted to ignore the risk. But she wasn't reckless. She had considered the fact that people didn't pass this area often. Her beautiful blue wings flapped as she flew in the sky. Although she had drawn her dragonic power, the ice dragon still kept most of her human figure and just let the wings out.
Lynessa finally arrived near a cottage. The scent and the feeling had been getting stronger since she had started to approach this area. It wasn't easy to tell if the one she was looking for was inside the cottage or not, though. The dragon landed and made her wings vanished before running toward the building. The longing feeling attacked her when she was in the front of the door, hesitating to knock. After some staring and being absent minded for a few seconds, Lynessa took a deep breath and then knocked the door.
OoC : Thank you for letting me join!
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Post by Taiel on Jan 29, 2014 13:07:04 GMT -6
Taiel blinked at the feeling that was approaching the cottage. The feeling was so familiar that he couldn't help the small smile that crossed his face. The feeling of one of his kin nearby, at long last. And so, upon hearing the almost faint knocking on the door, he stood and opened it for the woman on the other end. "Greetings sister. Do come in." And he stood aside, offering his clan sibling a place in his home.
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Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Jan 30, 2014 16:39:12 GMT -6
Well, if it was a trap, it was either a really elaborate trap or a really simple one. Nayru, to her silent amusement, found that she wasn't sure which she would prefer - on the one hand an elaborate trap would certainly be a boost to her ego, while on the other hand, she could explain away getting caught by a simple one by claiming she had assumed there was a hidden aspect to it. Not that she really thought it was a trap, but since Mr. Iceman didn't want to talk, she was left to her own devices, and keeping herself company was habit by this point.
It wasn't crazy as long as she didn't start talking back, right?
Pushing that awkward train of thought to the side, Nayru focused on inspecting the small house the ice dragon apparently called home - homey was the only word she could come up with for it, small but warm and comfortable. Was it sad or admirable that dragons these days, despite their power, often seemed perfectly satisfied with simpler lodgings than even many humans? Perhaps it was simple pragmatism. Maybe their race had never needed anything all that fancy in the first place. She wouldn't pretend to know. Much less speak for every dragon anywhere.
At least there were three of them now. A bigger gathering than she had been a part of since Arcadia, actually. Were they multiplying? Nayru held back the urge to make a terrible joke and instead focused on not looking crazy, smiling lightly at the new manakete while half expecting another dozen to show up right behind her. "Ironic that this may be one of the largest gatherings of our kind outside of Arcadia in decades."
(sorry for slow posts, combination of super sick for two weeks + midterms)
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Lynessa
Manakete
"I am glad Ilia doesn't have summer..."
Posts: 92
Profession: Tavern owner, housewife
Affinity: Ice
Dragon Element: Ice
OoC Alias: Mana
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Post by Lynessa on Jan 31, 2014 8:31:04 GMT -6
Lynessa had difficulty to believe the scene before her. The one who opened the door and welcomed her was a manakete! Behind him, inside the warm cottage, there was another manakete, a woman with beautiful silver long hair. The familiar feeling that came from them was proff that this time she really found her kin. Tears gathering in her eyes when Lynessa returned Taiel's warm welcome with a wide smile. This was the moment which she had been waiting for years. "I...I...." The ice dragon woman tried to speak but the words just wouldn't come out, the most clear words she could say was too faint even for their superior hearing. Realizing that she had made Taiel wait, Lynessa nodded and walked into the cottage slowly.
"Ironic that this may be one of the largest gatherings of our kind outside of Arcadia in decades."
The other dragon stated something ironic but true. Listening to her words caused Lynessa to have a bitter smile in her face, followed by a small giggle. "Ironic that it may be, I am truly grateful to have met you two here. I thought all dragons had gone through the Dragon Gate, or died fighting. You can't imagine how lonely I have been since I woke up from my sleep. It has been around twenty five years since that day." Lynesaa spoke with tears falling to her cheek, but they should be able to tell that she was full of happiness right now, those were tears of joy. Truthfully, she didn't suffer that much in those years. She had met good humans and had a family so her life wasn't so miserable.
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Post by Taiel on Jan 31, 2014 20:39:15 GMT -6
Taiel stood off to the side, working on the stew he was making before mulling over what he wanted to say next. The two before him obviously did not come from the Gate. If there reactions were anything to go by, then the two women hadn't seen many if any of their own kind in their lifetimes here on the mortal plane. And so, his voice took a softer tone as he spoke his next words. "I could not pretend to understand your feelings, sister. I've only spent a little over one-hundred and twenty mortal years on this plane. I should have searched for you. I should have found you." He bowed his head apologetically as he finished the meal and then set about turning it into three portions at the table.
The two chairs were of course, for the ladies. Standing at another end, he gestured to the chairs. "I do not know just how lonely you would have been, but at least we can share a meal together. The first of hopefully many in the future. I enjoyed my nearly twelve hundred years of life beyond the Gate. I'd like to enjoy my years of life among family here as well."
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Lynessa
Manakete
"I am glad Ilia doesn't have summer..."
Posts: 92
Profession: Tavern owner, housewife
Affinity: Ice
Dragon Element: Ice
OoC Alias: Mana
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Post by Lynessa on Feb 6, 2014 11:52:51 GMT -6
Lynessa smiled and shook her head when Taiel mentioned about how he should have searched for her. It wasn't his fault. He didn't have obligation to search for her. "It's okay...You probably didn't expect to find another dragon in Elibe anyway. Also, I had hid deep in the mountain before I woke up from my slumber. Searching me would have not been an easy task," she remarked. Looking at her fellow ice dragon, Lynessa got this longing feeling in her heart. She didn't knew him. But just having someone who belonged to the same kin had made her feel very happy. And better, another dragon, Nayru, was here as well.
Lynessa answered Taiel's courtesy by making her self comfortable in the chair. This man was actually pretty good in serving his guests. The stew he was making looked delicious. Lynessa wasn't hungry, though. But people could always have some nice talk when they ate. It might be just a simple warm stew but it suited the situation perfectly. "Lonely....yeah, I have said that...But honestly, if I look back at my days here, I guess they weren't too bad. Now I have a family, I also enjoy my life." The dragon woman put both hands on the table and started talking, smiling happily. She repeatedly switched her glance between Nayru and Taiel, still half-believing this moment was just a nice dream. Thankfully, it was real. "This meal, our first meal together....I like how it sounds. Hopefully we can eat together like this again in the future. You two are always welcome to come to my inn anytime you like. And when that time comes, it will be my turn to cook for you." The violet-haired female dragon began to feel warm and cozy inside. I was quite ironic how this small gathering could feel so great. But it was a step forward. Maybe they could make a larger gathering someday.
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Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Feb 7, 2014 22:53:28 GMT -6
All dragons?
The Gate?
Nayru was feeling decidedly out of her depth here, which was not something that happened often to one as - with all due modesty - well-traveled and reasonably well educated as she. To be fair, she hadn't had many dealings with any dragons outside of Aerious in nearly four hundred years, but she couldn't think of any Gates outside of The Gate - Dragon's Gate - and not even Erim had known what was beyond that.
Or at least she had professed to not know.
Only a few centuries late, it finally dawned on the 'dessert' princess that Erim might have left out small bits of the truth there, but Taiel's words bothered her almost as much as the other manakete's - what was her name again? Nayru wasn't sure if she had missed it. She didn't think so. But one of them had seen no dragons in so long, and one hadn't even realized they still existed on this plane. It almost made her feel a bit crass for feeling like her own problems were all that bad. Probably for the best she wasn't required to voice her thoughts, or she'd be right embarrassed. Also something that didn't happen often these days, but then she had never been quite comfortable around other dragons. Not that she didn't like them, by any means, but they all seemed so... perfect compared to her. Controlled, beautiful, powerful, intelligent. Like a dirty street urchin watching the king and his retinue parade past, dimly aware of his squalid existence but too distracted by the passing glitter to truly comprehend it.
But that was enough of that for one day. Smiling to mask her true feelings, Nayru jumped into the ongoing conversation with all the grace and subtlety of a much younger her, which was to say absolutely none whatsoever. "A gate? Dragon's Gate? I did not think it had opened since the Scouring." And certainly there would be a lot more dragons around if it had. But the male manakete didn't have much of anything to gain by lying, as far as she could see. So maybe he was telling the truth. "...And perhaps introductions might be in order." None of them had introduced themselves, Nayru thought, and she for one was tired of mentally categorizing them as 'the male manakete' and 'the female manakete who wasn't her.' "I am Nayru," a momentary pause as she wrestled with the idea of adding Erim's surname, as she had done reflexively so very long ago, but decided against it. That had been a different time, and a different her. And she didn't think Erim would appreciate her using her patron's name wantonly. "It is my pleasure to make your acquaintances. May Father Sky and Mother Earth bless this meeting."
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Post by Taiel on Feb 12, 2014 6:00:39 GMT -6
Taiel nodded to the pair of females around him as he leaned against the wall with a humming noise. "I would agree to that meal, sister. If nothing else, to grant me the chance to offer thanks to the man that saved and cared for you." Straightening his form, the dragon then looked to Nayru a moment before furrowing his brows in thought. "Well, as you know, my name is Taiel. And the Gate has always been open in it's way. However, it's a one way trip only. You can leave from our home, but once you do you can never come back. The reds jealously guard that gateway, and anything coming through from this side is attacked with the intent to kill."
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Lynessa
Manakete
"I am glad Ilia doesn't have summer..."
Posts: 92
Profession: Tavern owner, housewife
Affinity: Ice
Dragon Element: Ice
OoC Alias: Mana
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Post by Lynessa on Feb 15, 2014 21:09:31 GMT -6
"Where is my manner?" The ice dragoness made facepalm gesture as she said that. "I should have introduced myself since the beginning. Sorry....My name is Lynessa Heartwater, an ice dragon like him." She then introduced herself politely to her fellow dragons, giving Nayru a confused stare when she was saying her prayer. It was a little strange to hear her say that. "Father Sky" and "Mother Earth" were the holy deities for Sacaen people, and although rare, sometimes non-Sacaen who had converted to the religion of Hanon's descendants. Well, maybe the silver-haired dragon had been converted somehow. Lynessa wouldn't say it was wrong, everyone had freedom in their choices. "That's a little unusual, Nayru. I didn't expect that dragon could be a follower of Sacaen religion. No, I am not saying that it's bad. It just not everyday I meet a....Sacaen dragon." Lynessa emphasized at the "Sacaen dragon" as a joke. She truly hoped Nayru wouldn't feel insulted.
"And to be honest, I shared her thought. I have always believed that it is a one way gate to the other world. It sounded like that when the elders told us about it, you know. I never expected to meet a dragon who came from that gate." Lynessa seemed interested with his discussion about the gate. Maybe she could go back to meet her parent and siblings, if they were still alive, of course. However, would she really go? The life in this side had been great and irreplaceable. Would she risk not being able to return? But maybe she had just thought too far about this. "The red? The fire dragons? It's nice to know that they play the role of gatekeeper, they will make things safe for our kins in that side. Although....it sounds they are pretty harsh."
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