To Know One's Self

[Drax]

The room had many rows of beds that needed to be replaced if anyone was to live in this space. In the center was a long table with benches for the soldiers back in the day to eat as the lords and ladies ate in the main hall. At the far end of the room was racks for weapons to be placed, and one weapon was still sitting in it's rack spot. An old iron sword still sheathed, waiting to be used as dust had covered it fully. Bowls, cups, plates, knives, spoons, and forks still sat on the table as it was an eery room to be in. While Butorega was checking out the troops quarters, Drax would move on. Lighting torches as he moved on, but his journey lead to a staircase and so, he made his way upwards. Walking into another hallway, he would see the many doors to the different chambers. Walking past the doors, he would open each one up. The first door on the left was for the commanding officer of the troops, the first door on the right side was for the scholar who's books, notes and other trinkets sat in the frozen time of space. All the way until he reached 'Her' room. Opening it slowly, he walked into it. The room was sorta the same as before.

Her heavy leather armour for her Sniper gear sat on it's armour rack. Her Steel bow hung just above it. Looking down beside it, he saw a gift that she had gotten him long ago. Picking it up, it was a curved iron sword. Smiling a bit, he remembered a bit of the day she had given it to him. It was the engagement present from her to him. Sliding it underneath his coat, he would keep it safe with him. Leaving the room, he would then open the Master Bedroom. Massive in design, the last lord had many armour racks and weapon racks then the soldier's quarters. A king sized bed with a desk and chair. Old maps scattered across the desk and floor. One was unraveled and was stretched out on the desk. It should the whole country of Bern and a massive circle around Fire Mountain. 'He was dead on if he was looking for me that old Fool.' Letting out another whistle, he would make the sound as if to Signal Butorega. Thinking to himself, 'Man, with me whisteling like that makes me feel like I'm calling a dog....well....'

[Butorega]

For Butorega it was like walking into a gold mine. Beds, champers, weapon racks, this place had it all. This is what Butorega wanted. This was what he needed. The paladin knew he could make something of this place. Were others saw a old ruin Butorega saw a possible fortress. If he could just get the men then he could get this place up running. He could take that first step in what he desired and that was a yoke of his own.

Butorega walked back into the main hall and saw the sword on the rack. The blade interested him. He took it in his hand and pulled it out of its sheath. The sword was forged from Iron, but had a unique designed to it. Butorega pushed off the dust and saw the name of the sword. Fiery Blade, that was the words described on it. There was something about this sword that stood out to him. It was almost as if the people of old had left this blade for him specifically. The Paladin took the blade and attacked it’s sheath to his belt. He held the sword into the air and spoke. “On this blade I do swear to revive this old fort and take up the mantle as master.” An oath made upon a blade. This was purpose this was what Butorega needed. Fighting was good, but until you fight for a reason then you are weak.

The sound of a whistle echoed in the hall. Butorega immediately knew who it was. “Drax again”, spoke the paladin. “What am I his dog? Oh well he did show me were to find this place so I guess I could let it slide.” Butorega went up the stairs to meet his crimson clad friend.

[Drax]

Drax would pick up many of the maps that laid on the floor and placed them ontop of the desk away from the map. THe light of the torch had shown him a book case and a fire place, so looking at the logs he would attempt to get even more light into this old deathly room. Throwing his torch into the fire place, it would take a while to light up. But once it did, it even made some of the hallway light up. With his index finger now gliding across the books, he would stop and pulled it out. It was a book with no name nor author. Shrugging to himself, he opened it and began to read it as he sat down on the chair behind the desk.

As for Butorega, he would come to the hallway as all the doors were open and the furthest door had alot of light coming out of it as if there was a fire lit inside the room. With all his weapons jingeling, it wasn't hard for Drax to know where Buto was.

[Butorega]

“Drax’, spoke Butorega as he walked into the room. His new sword sat on his left hip and his eyes told that he had found a treasure. To his surprise the man was sitting on one of the chairs. He figured the things would have fallen to dust if you tried to sit on one of them. Butorega looked at the maps that were on the desk. They were ancient and old. This stuff was from a time long past. The brigand had to wonder thought. That maybe more gems like this one were hidden away in the forgotten mountains of Bern.

“So is that what you sought”, asked Butorega as he walked up to Drax. He looked at the tome and figured that Drax was after the knowledge. “Or is there something else you seek to gain from this old castle”, asked Buotrega.

[Drax]

Slamming the book shut after being asked the question. He would let out a sigh as he was now looking into the fire place. He would be seeking the words to say to butorega but couldn't at the current moment. Drax had to think for a while before even answering him. "My reason's are my Own Butorega. I will leave you with this castle if you let me leave with this Journal of the Late General Le'Voon? What do you say Butorega, do we have a deal or is there something else you would like to know?" The Manakete would now look at Butorega as he stood up and as he stood up his sword was now seen. It was the size of most of his left side and the curve blade was a different touch then most of the blades made of that era.

[Butorega]

“Seems like you can read my mind”, spoke Butorega. “The castle in itself is what I seek from our little adventure. To me this place is worth more than a pile of gold. If you seek the journal than take it Drax. You have done me a fine service by showing me such a place. However there is one thing I would like to know Drax,”, spoke Butorega as he stared into the man’s eyes.

“Do you know how to use that blade”, asked Butorega. “If not then you should not carry it in the open. There are those who would seek such a fine sword and would try to murder you for it. No now”, spoke Butorega as he raised his hands in his defense. “I am not saying I am one of those people, but I do wish to give you a warning. As I said you have done me a great service.”

[Drax]

Pulling out the blade, the sword's blade would shine in the light of the fire as it was clear as day on what was etched into the side of it. "To my loving Lord Drax." Drax looked down at the sword not answering as he smiled a bit. But once he snapped out of his memory state, he would then say to Butorega. "Any man or woman who dares try to steal this blade will meet a Deadily fate for they wouldn't know who they were really messing with. i've been around for a long time Butorega, I know a thing or two....even if it means a battle to the death or even to scare people off." Wiping the dust off the sword, he would sheath it again and would begin to walk past The Paladin to where he was heading towards the staircase again. Not speaking much else, he would leave the maps and other things in the room. Above the fire place was a old oil painting and in it showed a couple. A young female with a Sniper's bow and what looked to be the person that was with Butorega, Drax Leven.

[Butorega]

“A ghost”, spoke Buotrega as he looked at the picture. The resemblance was far too great to be a coincidence. However were he meet Drax was too far away for a wondering spirit to travel. They always were near their home. Then the word manket rushed back to him. He remembered his sister talked about it one time, Dragons in the form of a man. Butorega turned around and walked out the room. He wanted to ask, but his mind told him not too. If he was right and this man was a dragon then it would end badly for him, or worse for his precious castle.

“Drax”, spoke Butorega as he walked out the room. “What do you plan to do from here”, spoke the paladin as he caught up to the man.

[Drax]

Butorega made a good effort to catch up to Drax who was in the Great hall waiting for him. The blade was away, but his hands were in his jacket pockets. His hazel eyes were fixed on the Paladin as he came down the staircase asking the common question yet to be asked. "A deal is a deal Butorega. I leave you with this Castle and all the items inside it. I grabbed what I needed which was this journal, my sword, and this book me and her had started long ago. It was going to be for our children when he were to be settle down. But that won't happen now, and as for the One uestion I know your Dying to ask. Yes, I'm the monster on that wall, I'm the creature in that painting. I'm the demon who killed many of innocents. I'm a Manakete yes, I've been alive long enough to know that most of the human race will never change. Don't worry Butorega, I won't damage your castle or destroy it. A word of a Dragon, is better then the word of any king of the land."

[Butorega]

“So you do have the ability to read minds”, spoke Butorega. “If you were going to destroy the castle you would have done it by now. So your word is better than my own sisters. Still dragon, or manket you have done me a service.” Butorega stretched out his hand to Drax to shake it. “If you ever find yourself in Little Rock and need a place to stay my sister Yashi could give you my old room. Just tell her that her brother said that Fire burns everything, but brings forth new life. She would know what it means and know you’re a friend of mine.”

[Drax]

Looking down at Butorega's hand and then back to his face, he would take one of his hands and shake it. While looking into Buto's eyes, the paladin would see Drax's eyes go from regular to lizard like eyes and his teeth would also change as well. The sharp pointed teeth would make an evil smile as Drax kept his grip on the Paladin's hand. "No offense to you, but I don't go to towns and sleep in them. I prefer going to my old grounds such as these old fort's and resting in them. Then I know I was actually thought of by the people of these lands. But like all great things, time most make everything fade away."

Letting go of his hand finally, his eyes and teeth would turn back to normal as he would fix the kneck collar of his jacket. A cracking sound was heard as Drax had cracked his jaw from doing the transformation while still in human form. But before he was to leave the area, he would say to Butorega. "If there is anything else you want to know, then now would be the best time to say it since you might not see me for a very long time."

[Butorega]

“Why did you do it”, spoke Butorega. “From the story you told me you seemed to despise humans. Yet I come to this castle and I see a picture of you and a woman. The fact that you treasure the things from her tells me you actually cared. So why”, spoke Butorega. “Why her? Why this place? It does not make any sense to me. Why get in a relationship with a human if you wanted to subjugate them. “

[Drax]

Lettign out a sigh, he would pull out one of the chairs and sat down to get ready to tell somewhat of a tale that was his point of view. It actually made him feel uncomfortable, but he went through with it reguardless. "I didn't always kill people to just kill. Being asked by Castle lords, Villagers...it was gettign old to me. On one night, a Very long time ago. A female sniper from this very Castle came to me when I was going to destroy it. She was willing to sacrifice her very life to save many lives behind the walls. Her father was a coward, and a Tyrant. Afer a year of being married, she told me that I was to become the next ruler of this castle since her father did not bare any sons. Hence why I needed this black book. It filled in a lot of blanks for me. He left out to Ilia to meet an old war friend. But what he didn't tell anyone except for this book, was the fact that he had hired many raiders, bandits, and pirates to raid the castle."

Sitting back now, he would look around the room as it had seemed that time had frozen of those years. Shaking his head, he would continue on with the story. "She had presented me this Saber as a gift. I was going to give her the One thing that I held most in this life, my Dragon stone. We had heard the guards shouting that raiders were invading. We went down to meet most of the troops were outside fighting. She had her bow in hand and ran outside to give aid. I gave chase, but....I was to late to save her. She was ambushed as soon as she had left the doors to enter the courtyard. I did a semi change and killed the two raiders. I held her dead body in my arms for what it seemed to be hours. Most didn't know who I was, just a person to marry the General's Daughter. But they found out soon enough once I let out a roar that nearly knocked everyone to the ground." Placing all the items on the table except for his dragon stone, he would begin to think for a moment while his hand rested on the sword still.

"I had buried her in a graveyard outside of a Village that was blooming greatly at the time, The Wyvern's Claw. After that night, a hatered for mankind made a dark plant inside me, blooming over all these years. All you humans know is war, killing and death anymore. Your life span is much shorter then I, so you people would think that you would use your time wisely. I still can't believe that I'm as old as these stone's that hold this mighty fort up."

[Butorega]

“Sad tale”, spoke Butorega as he stood over the dragon. He dare not tempt sitting in one of the chairs. In truth he did not know how Drax did it. Those chairs had to be hundreds of years old and he was leaning back in them and everything.

“So your hatred for man started with the murder of the woman you fell in love with. It is a bit ironic. From your tale and the way you are speaking I am sure you disagree with what I plan to do with this place.”

Butorega finally put some faith into these ancient chairs. He pulled one of them up and sat in it backwards. “I plan to make this place active again. Raise an army and try to make a name for myself. You must see it as foolish human pride and ambition and in truth once you lived for hundreds of years it may be foolish. However for me this drive, a purpose. For a long while now I have been just moving from battle field to battle field. I was fighting with no purpose and no real reason to swing my axe. I thought I did, but when I looked back I realized it was all worthless. So now I seek something more than just the blooding of my axe. I seek to leave a mark on this world. These old walls that have stood for who knows how long. They are someone else’s mark, and I am prepared to leave my own. I hope we meet again on good terms Drax”, spoke Butorega as he got out the chair. “May we both spread the name of the Fiery Dragon”.

[Drax]

"Not hundreds, try thousands. I've been around over 2,500 years, and the tale I told you about, the one with my wife was over 1,000 years ago. A manakete may live a long time, but they never forget what has happened through out his life time. This old castle is yours to do with as you see fit. I won't stop you from doing what you will be. Atleast this castle will have guests in it's halls once again." Collecting his things, he would tie the sword to his waist making him look like a swordmaster. The book was stuffed into his breast jacket pocket. Standing up, he would begin to head towards the entrance until he would snap his fingers and stop. Looking back he would say one last thing to him.

"But there is a condition for you to have this place as your own Butorega. I will be needing your services later on down the road. When I call for you my child, I hope to see you infront of me and not keep me waiting til Inferno comes. And before you ask, the location I will be is already on a map up in the old lord's room on his desk. Til then Paladin, may you seek may fortunes and may the heaven's bless your path." Drax would then leave the castle and into the courtyard where he would use some of the stones power so he would have his four massive wings out. Flapping once, he would take flight into the skies of Bern and fly off.

[drax leaves thread]