#gregorim silverscale

[elizahgodswood]

The Boys: *witnessing the hatching of a literal dragon, literally the first people to do so like this in over 5 centuries*

Gregorim: Yikes, no thx

[elizahgodswood]

WIP Excerpt: The Dragon War Chapter 16 pt 2

Y’all seemed to like that teaser excerpt, so here’s another excerpt. They’re dragon riders, folks! It’s official!

Perspective: Seida

“Do you know where you stand, Two-Legs?” Kaelom asked as he laid down in the entrance and swept his gaze around the room. “Do you know the history of this place?”

Seida glanced back at Sadra as she made a small noise. Hesitantly, she stepped forward and cleared her throat to speak. “The former outposting of the Gilded Knights, the dragon riders of old.”

The dragon rumbled with pleasure, smoke swirling from his nostrils. “Yes. Long ago--though it is long after your Order rose to fame and power--the two-legs and my ancestors stood where we are now and wrote the pacts that bound rider to dragon for life. Together, we kept peace between the worlds of beast and elf, and maintained order throughout the world beyond.”

“But that peace didn’t last,” Sadra said sadly. “The books we had back in Ist’Heom went into rather earnest detail about the fall of the dragon riders. The dragons eventually grew too large in number, and the mortals turned against them, driving dragons to the brink of extinction, and destroying the Knights in the process.”

“The fall was not so simple as the Order made it out to be. There were many factors that went into it, some of them at the fault of the Knights, others from rival factions including the Order, and others still that neither side could control,” Kaelom said. “Time has changed the world since then. The dragons have recovered, and learned to turn our hunts south to the Wastes. New factions have risen to take the place of the Knights. But now, a new evil plagues the land, and a new faction will be required to handle it.

“With Mons on a rampage, it is only a matter of time before elf and men and even dwarves take up the blade against us once more. I would not see my species culled again, not while there are still Titans that stand to oppose him. The dragons riders of old were a beacon of hope; they were a bridge between us and the world of mortals. If we are to have any hope of defeating my brother, then we must revive that legacy, bridge the gap once more. It is the only way to save the world from falling to his fire. Alone, neither you nor I have any hope of stopping him.”

“What are you suggesting, then? That we revive the Gilded Knights?” Seida stepped forward, standing beside her sister. Perhaps this venture wasn’t as pointless as she had thought it to be. “How would we go about that?”

Kaelom rumbled deeply in his chest. “You would need dragons.”

“You say this now, but will your kin agree to it?” Seida crossed her arms, tempering her eagerness. This was just one dragon. She had seen the massive volcano in the center of the isles, and all the dragons flying in and out of it. There were thousands that roosted here, and probably thousands more to the south in the Wastes.

“They do not go against the bidding of a Titan so easily.” Kaelom yawned, flashing his many teeth, some almost as long as Seida’s forearm. He shuffled his wings and fixed them all with keen eyes.

“Titan? Aren’t you a little small to be a Titan? I saw Mons, and you're nowhere near his size,” Gregorim frowned.

Kaelom snaked his head further in, bringing his eye inches from the boy’s face. A low growl shook the room as the dragon lifted his lip in a snarl. “Aren’t you a little chatty for a meal?”

“Kaelom is the youngest of the Titans.” Sadra shot Gregorim a scathing look. “But he’s still a great deal larger than the rest of the dragons here. Where are the other Titans? Are they here?”

“You know of us surprisingly well for a two-legs,” Kaelom said, seeming pleased. He retreated back from Gregorim, having made his point. “When Mons started his warpath, the other Titans scattered to the winds, some following him, others going into hiding, fearing that he would bring their doom. I remained, and those left behind flocked to me, unsure of who to follow or where to go.”

“So this threat is even greater than anyone realizes.” Seida hung her head. This would not sit well with the queen. They had been sent out to bring back intel and good news, not tidings of darkness and doom.

“Things are grim, yes, but Mons is only just getting started. I can find my missing brothers and sisters, but I cannot do that alone. We need help. Your help, specifically.”

Seida forced back a laugh. “What makes you think that we’re up to the task?”

“You abandoned your Order to fight Mons, did you not? Would you really look a gift dragon in the mouth?”

Tag List: (ask to be added or removed) @gloriafrimpong @eternalwritingstudent @happyorogeny

[elizahgodswood]

NaNoWriMo Update: Day 27

So far, keeping up with my projected goal of finishing NaNo on the 30th! Here’s a little excerpt tht I’m especially proud of and the song I listened to that really encapsulated the scene, if you wanna listen while you read!

https://open.spotify.com/track/7sXYoFoFoJ28bnjsnoBfvY?si=Jyd2GEsWQXmoy5aZtATodA

Wordcount: 2719

Dusk brought a sense of disquiet to the temple. The council had been in session for hours after Seida left, apparently. She’d only found out after they’d finished up their training in the courtyard and come back inside to clean up and have supper as they’d passed by a group of sisters chatting a little too loudly. This definitely meant that the temple would still be under lockdown and that escape would prove to be incredibly difficult. Both Gregorim and Tauren seemed assured that she would figure out a way.

As they sat down at the table to await their meal to be brought to them, there was a surprise knock at the door. The three of them exchanged puzzled looks before Seida stood to check who it was. The servants had a specific knock--this one was a little too frantic, made by a shaking hand. Surely the council wasn’t going to need her again in the morning after the Grand Master dismissed her. If they did, that put their escape plan back potentially days. There would be an immediate manhunt for them if she didn’t show up to the meeting. Slowly, she opened the door a crack to peek out into the corridor. Sadra stood with her hands clasped before her, giving Seida a strained smile. Behind her were three of her handmaidens, carrying a few covered silver platters.

“May I come in? I realize you must be in the middle of your meal, but I thought it would be nice to dine together tonight. We haven’t had as much time to catch up as I would like, and I have a few more questions for you and your apprentices,” Sadra said. Something in the way she looked briefly from side to side at her handmaidens told her Seida that there was something amiss. Why did she look so uncomfortable?

Seida opened the door fully, stepping aside to allow the four of them to enter. “Of course. It would be an honor to have you dine with us, Most Holy.”

Sadra entered the room and took the fourth and final seat at the table. The handmaidens set the platters on the table and bowed before making a hasty exit out of the chamber. Even they seemed nervous, fearful even. Seida closed the door behind them. “What’s going on, Sadra? Why do you all seem so scared?”

“Let’s just say that the meeting took a sharp downward spiral after you were dismissed. The Mothers split into two sides: those that agreed with me breaking the silence, and those that attempted to paint me as a fraud and insisted that I was the reason Kirada was not answering. It has become very clear to me that my life is in far more danger than I had first thought. Which is why we are not to eat a single thing on these plates. I fear they have been poisoned.” Sadra looked sternly at the two boys, who had lifted the platter lids and were eying the spread with delight until they heard the word poison. They quickly slammed the lids back down and pushed them away, content to listen to her instead. “My handmaidens became very insistent that I dine alone and tried to convince me otherwise the whole way here. You saw how nervous they were.”

“You think they would attempt to assassin you?” Seida sat beside her sister, now greatly concerned. Perhaps tonight really wasn’t time to flee just yet. Not if Sadra was in danger.

“I would not put it past my opposers. I believe that it was they that snuck the assassin into the city. Apparently no one outside the city knew of the attempt on my life in the marketplace, either. The Grand Master took that very seriously, and demanded a full on investigation into the whole temple’s upper echelon. Even I’ve been questioned thoroughly for half the day. I believe that would give them plenty of motive to get rid of me sooner rather than later. If I die, then the meetings would be called off until Kirada chooses a new oracle, which could take weeks and give them enough time to cover their tracks.”

“What are you going to do?” Seida asked. “I know you can’t just keep skipping meals or having someone taste them beforehand and looking over your shoulder forever. Is the Grand Master helping to protect you?”

“Roahrk is doing his best, hence why the temple has been locked down. No one can enter, and no one can leave until the investigation is complete. There’s guards patrolling the walls at every visible point and there are no waypoints in the city to use--Roahrk’s personal soldiers, too, not temple guards. Unless the guards are somehow paid off, there is no getting in or out of this prison.” Sadra hung her head. “I feel like a bird in a cage with a snake--trapped and waiting for my demise.”

“What about making your own waypoint?” Seida asked. The boys looked up in surprise. Sadra’s disappearance would definitely draw attention to them, but she wasn’t about to leave her sister behind when her life was at risk. “I know there are wards preventing people from trying to travel in through waypoints, but are their wards preventing us from leaving through one?”

“Are you suggesting I flee Khasta?” Sadra looked up at her in shock. Seida bit the inside of her cheek. Maybe trying to hint at her was a bad idea. What if Sadra wouldn’t leave with her? Would she report them? “Where would I go?”

“I’m suggesting you flee Ist’Heom, Sadra. If Kirada has abandoned the Order as you fear she has, then what is keeping you here?”

“And where would I go? Back home to the Fae and put our mother in danger? Somewhere in the mortal world where they’ll eventually find me and hang me for abandoning my position?”

“You can come with us,” Gregorim said, seeming to catch on to what Seida was suggesting. What he hadn’t picked up on yet was Sadra’s obvious hesitations. There was no going back now. “We were already planning on leaving anyway.”

Sadra’s eyes widened. “Seida, are you serious? You--a scouter of the Order sworn to hunt down deserters--are planning on deserting?”

“Former scouter,” Seida corrected. Fifty years she’d tried to rationalize her retirement as something that was inevitable, something she’d brought upon herself. But now, she’d come to realize that it was unjust, a hasty way for the corrupt Order to buy her silence and her loyalty. If the council gave a damn about actually protecting the world, they wouldn’t have hesitated to act without Kirada, especially not if She’d been purposefully shutting them out as she’d been doing. “The world we are sworn to protect hangs on our willingness to take a stand and fight. Surely four stomcallers united against Mons is better than none?”

Sadra looked down at her hands, silent for a long time as she mulled over Seida’s words. The three of them waited on baited breath. The aid she could provide would be invaluable to them, and Seida couldn’t bear to leave her behind. Not under these circumstances. If it took time to convince her sister to prioritize her own life over serving the Order, then she’d gladly put off their escape to a better time.

“I suppose you are right. If Kirada truly has abandoned us, then there is no point in me sticking around waiting to be assassinated. The world needs us; let’s not keep it waiting.” She pushed herself up from her seat. “Grab your things and follow me to my chambers. We can attempt to create a waypoint there.”

Relief washed over them. Seida hugged her sister tightly, glad to have her on board. The boys ran to her room to grab their belongings. Gregorim handed Seida her pack when they returned. Seida stepped out first, ensuring that there were no guards or handmaidens lingering around before signaling that the coast was clear. Sadra led the way, constantly looking back over her shoulder as they made their way towards the stairs. The guards standing at the base of the stairs parted for them without question, but gave Seida and the boys questioning looks. At this point, they were a minor inconvenience. Sadra being Oracle meant the guards could not openly question her authority or why her guests had their packs.

There were a few more guards patrolling the short hallway between the stairs and Sadra’s chambers. They bid her good evening, not seeming to think anything was out of the ordinary. Sadra smiled and bid them the same, doing her best not to seem harried or anxious. They followed her into her chambers. Sadra locked the door behind them and quickly ran to the dressing room off of the main room. She came back with her chair, which she propped up under the door handle.

“My handmaidens have keys. They will eventually come to realize that I am no longer in your chambers and will come looking for me here. There is ink on my desk in the study which we can use to make the waypoint. I’m going to change and throw some things together while you get it ready.”

Sadra ran back into her dressing room and shut the door. Seida ran to the study and grabbed the inkwell while the boys began to roll up the rug on the stone floor. Seida began to paint the symbols on the floor with her hands. At this point, there was no time for them to swing by her house first. They would have to find weapons and supplies elsewhere. They’d be going through to Sericuze first, and could jump to somewhere more remote from there--maybe Tunsa or the Katatrangi desert, or somewhere in eastern Tigran where the Order didn’t have strong ties and they could hide unnoticed for a while. The boys stood back, fetching her another inkwell from the study when she ran out of ink. Just as Seida finished the waypoint, Sadra emerged from her dressing room, wearing a black tunic and leggings and rugged black army boots with her bag slung over one shoulder. She had a knife in her free hand. She quickly knelt in the circle and nicked her thumb. The blood drops hissed when they hit the floor.

She stood beside Seida, squeezing her hand tightly as they waited to see what would happen. For a moment, there was nothing but silence and the blood sizzling on the floor. That was not something Seida had ever seen when making a waypoint before. When the hissing stopped, her shoulders drooped. Perhaps the wards were preventing the connection between the waypoints. Just before she could say anything, the waypoint suddenly opened, flickering slightly. It was clear that the connection was unstable and wouldn’t stay open long.

“We’ve got to move quickly. Let’s go.” Seida held onto Gregorim’s hand while Tauren took Sadra’s free hand, and together they stepped through the waypoint. Once they passed through the other side, a sense of relief washed over her. They were out, but couldn’t relax yet. They’d need to get as far from the waypoint as possible before resting for the night. If anyone discovered it within the next few hours, the connection between the two waypoints would still be traceable if they could get it back open. Once the boys had gotten their bearings, they started at a jog for the forest in the distance. They’d be able to find cover there.

“Where are we going next? We just came through the waypoint outside of Ghirda that you talked about earlier, right?” Gregorim asked.

“That was. We are going to take shelter in the woods for the night. In the morning, we will go over the map together and plan our next move. It wouldn’t be wise to supply ourselves there: Bato and his agents would recognize us immediately.”

“There’s always Agmedus. The Order has only a few bases left on the eastern coastline. We could make our way north into the Azons, where we’d go completely unnoticed. There are fairy colonies out there that would gladly hide us. They had strong ties to the Gilded Knights and drove the Order out when the knights fell.” Sadra suggested.

“We would have to try and cross through the Vuundreth Mountains to get there. The mountain passes will still be locked in over twenty feet of ice and snow until mid summer.” Seida shook her head. Perhaps later that would be a good place to base themselves, but for the moment it was out of the question. They were almost to the trees now. They didn’t have to decide tonight. Right now, getting away from the waypoint and covering their tracks was their highest priority.

Seida turned around when she heard Sadra suddenly cry out in pain. Gregorim managed to catch her as she collapsed. He slowly lowered her to the ground, a concerned frown on his face. She had gone completely limp, like she did whenever she had a vision. Tauren kneeled beside her, giving her shoulder a shake before looking up at Seida with wide eyes.

“Sadra?” Seida patted her cheek, giving her shoulders a slight shake. All she got in response was another gasp and cry of agony. Sadra began to thrash, tears streaming down her face.

“Gods, what’s wrong with her?” Gregorim asked as he desperately tried to hold her still and keep her quiet. Taren had to help him restrain her as she tried to fight them off.

“It’s Kirada….” Seida shivered. Though Sadra’s confirmation ceremony hadn’t caused her this much pain, the connection to Kirada had been very similar to what was happening now. As if on cue, Sadra sat bolt upright, taking in a raspy, shallow breath. Her eyes glowed white as she spoke in a voice not her own. “Arrogant child! Blasphemer! How dare you abandon your station---abandon me! If you so readily spurn my gifts, then let me take them back!”

“What is happening?” Tauren scooted away, his eyes wide with fear. Sadra fell limp again, whimpering softly as Gregorim patted her shoulder comfortingly, looking up at Seida with concern.

“Kirada has spoken.” Seida brushed some of Sadra’s hair from her face as she looked her over for any serious signs of injury. Her palm where her seers mark was felt very hot to the touch. She had her other hand pressed to her left eye, continuing to whimper in pain. “And I don’t like what she had to say.”

“Was that a warning to us?” Gregorim said.

“By the sound of it, that was more a warning to Sadra herself than to all of us here. Or perhaps it was meant for me. We will have to find out. I just hope that she’s okay. The connection with Kirada tends to drain the host, sometimes for days.” Seida looked around them. There was no safe place for them to camp without drawing attention to themselves. She paced back and forth for a moment, trying to figure out what to do. Sadra would need a safe place to rest and recover. But where could they go? They were miles away from any village, with no mounts and limited supplies.

“What do we do now?” Tauren asked as he tentatively leaned forward again to examine Sadra for himself. “She looks like she’s in pain.”

“There’s only one place I can take us,” Seida said. Undoubtedly it would be trouble, but at least her sister would be safe for now, as would the boys. “Can you hold her, Gregorim?”

“Aye, I can manage.” Gregorim grunted as he adjusted his hold on Sadra to lift her up. She let out another whimper, pressing her palm against her eye again. “Where are we off to, then?”

“Paix; we can take refuge with my mother for the night. There, we can at least be sure Sadra is safe while we find a place for us to stay.” Seida motioned for Tauren to take her hand. He took her hand and squeezed his eyes shut. She wrapped her other arm around Gregorim’s shoulder. No waypoint was required for her to enter the Fae, thankfully. The sooner she got Sadra help, the better.

Taglist (ask to be added or removed): @gloriafrimpong @eternalwritingstudent @happyorogeny @wildswrites @starrywriting @cookiecutterwrites @zwritesiguess @idriltelcontar

[elizahgodswood]

Knight Apprentice Gregorim Silverscale

Wip: The Dragon War

Age: 18

Race: Tunsan Elf/Nomad

Role: Main Character

Bio: Gregorim hails from the scrublands of Tunsa, on the North-Western coast of the continent of Aegara. Tucked between the vast Katatrangi Desert and the kingdom of Genosistrous, there is little in the way of anything there. The nomadic tribes that call the area home have only a few “cities” which are mainly just shrines to the sun god and moon goddess that are home to shamans and priests that hold festivals for the natives during certain times of the year.

He spent the first eight years of his life learning how to forage, hunt, and navigate the harsh landscapes of his homeland. Surrounded by his extended family and friends, the community was a tightly knit group that shared everything with one another. His powers surfaced at the age of six after being separated from his mother and aunt while foraging. Though he summoned little more than a gentle rain, the wisewoman of the group knew that he was a stormcaller. Hailed as a blessing from the gods, his tribe took great care to keep him and his family safe and hidden at all times.

While stopped at an oasis on the edge of the scrublands to let their horses drink, a band of raiders from Genosistrous attacked them, looking to steal gold and trinkets to sell for money. In the chaos, Gregorim panicked while looking for his parents and his magic emerged again. When one of the raiders grabbed him, fire and lightning began to rain down from the sky. Though he was unharmed by the fire, his entire tribe and the raiders were killed, and thousands of acres of wildland burned. Left alone in the ashes, Gregorim refused to leave the scene of the accident until a band of Scouters arrived to investigate the storm. Glad for rescue but unable to communicate with them, he accompanied the party back to Ist’Heom. There, they found a translator that speaks his native tongue and manages to coax the story out after giving him a hot meal.

His translator, an older woman whom hailed from Tunsa as well, took him in to teach him common tongue and prepare him for the military academy of Praetor’s Reach. He picked up speaking the common tongue well enough, but reading and writing were not his strong suit. Though she showed him patience and understanding with his training, many in the Order did not treat him so kindly. The accident seemed to haunt him wherever he went. He was branded as having unstable powers that would require extensive training to get under control, despite showing no signs of instability as he grew older.

When time came for him to go to the academy, he had to work twice as hard to prove that he was half as good as any of his fellow apprentices. His friends seemed to notice the troubles, but no one was able to help him out. With all his hard work and effort, he graduated the academy in the upper middle portion of the class and was enlisted into the Scouters branch of the Order’s military. However, his desire to serve in the recovery devision was denied. First, he started in Rendezvous, but after a strong disagreement over his abilities to serve his duties between him and his master, he was reassigned to the Dispatch division. Still frustrated that his past woild not let him live the life he wanted, he now found new frustrations in racial biases amongst the fairies of the Scouters. This led to even more conflict between him and his next master, and from there he bounced twice more between other divisions of the Scouters.

Just as he was beginning to lose hope that he would be able to fulfill his dream of being in the Recovery Division, the Overseer assigns him to a retired agent and gives them a mission: find and recover a stormcaller hidden somewhere in the Kingdom of Sericuze. Though he fears a repeat with his new master, Seida quickly proves to be unlike any other agent he’s met before. Little does he know that this will be his first and his last mission with the Scouters before starting a new adventure entirely.

Taglist (ask to be added or removed!): @gloriafrimpong @happyorogeny @eternalwritingstudent @akindofmagictoo

[elizahgodswood]

Nano Update: Day 17

The boys have only known each other for 1 day and are already brothers basically. I love these two so much 😭😭😭

Taglist (ask to be added or removed!): @gloriafrimpong @happyorogeny @idriltelcontar @starrywritingg @cookiecutterwrites @zwritesiguess @wildswrites

[elizahgodswood]

Hello :) Happy Storyteller Saturday! Who's the prickliest OC in The Dragon War? Who's the kindest?

Hey! Happy STS!

The prickliest would definitely be Gregorim! He’s a sarcastic sass master, and full time angst machine. His life before the events of The Dragon War wasn’t very kind to him, so he’s got a rough exterior to try and protect himself from being hurt any further. But he does learn to loosen up a bit thanks to Tauren and Seida being the squishes that they are.

The kindest would probably be Tauren, but Seida is a close second. He’s the youngest of the squad, with absolutely no experience with the world beyond the village he was born in. Despite losing his family at the beginning of the book, he’s still a firm believer in the good of other people and the world in general. His ability to empathize and show compassion brings a sorely needed uplift to the team in times of trouble, and he’s happy to be a source of light in dark times no matter how tiring.

[elizahgodswood]

The Dragon War: Excerpt 3

Gregorim steered his mount towards the remnants of the barn, looking for any signs of life in the rubble as Seida investigated the house and perimeter further. Half of the roof had been burned clean off, but the structure seemed sound enough for now. Whatever had been stored in the barn was long gone now. The lack of footprints seemed to prove his suspicion that their little storm-caller hadn’t bothered searching the barn for anything. Content that he’d done a thorough enough search, Gregorim turned his steed and went to rejoin Seida.

He found her on the back side of the house, crouched down in a small stone-fenced garden with one hand hovering over the muddy ground. She was looking off towards the very edge of the burn zone, where the last farm sat tucked just out of view behind a hill. 

“Someone has been through here within the last few hours,” Seida said quietly to him, pointing to the faded horse tracks in the ash. They led off towards the final farmstead. Were it not for the water pooled in the tracks, they would have been easy to miss. They were hours old at least, almost washed away by the rain. 

“So they are alive. Lucky kid,” Gregorim replied. “Let’s get out there and find them, then.”

With a determined gleam in her eye, Seida swung herself back into the saddle. She snapped her reins once, setting off at a gallop. Gregorim spurred his steed to follow her, ready to finish their search and return home. The sooner he was out of the rain and cold, the better.

Seida dismounted as they reached the farmstead, holding a finger up to her lips as he opened his mouth to protest. Gregorim followed suit reluctantly, grimacing as the ashen mud squelched underfoot. Their boots kept getting stuck in the muck, making progress slow as they both approached the house. So much for subtlety and stealth, he thought to himself. 

There wasn’t much in the way of shelter at this farm either. Though the house still stood, the roof had collapsed in on itself, and the building was leaning dangerously to one side. There were horse tracks and footprints everywhere around the doorway, as well as deep rutts where it looked like something had been dragged through the mud.

“What do you think made those?” Gregorim asked. 

“Someone dragging bodies,” Seida said quietly. “We should hurry.”

Slowly, she rose from where she sat crouched by the tracks. They walked around the house and through what Gregorim assumed had been a small garden. The footsteps and the ruts lingered here for a moment---probably for whoever was carrying the bodies to catch their breath----before it led away from the house and towards the forest, out of the burn zone entirely. Sensing their hunt was nearing its end, Seida followed at a brisk pace. 

The sudden shift from burned husks to live trees brought a dramatic change in atmosphere. The air felt less tense. Here and there, they could hear the occasional bird sing. Gregorim took a deep breath, relishing the fresh air in his lungs. Things felt a little less despaired here, but the somber atmosphere did not entirely leave them.

The forest opened up into a small clearing. At the far end, a massive, gnarled oak rose up above all the others around it. A boy was kneeling before a few piles of small stones at the base, his shoulders trembling as he wept. A horse stood over him, nuzzling his hair. It snorted warily as Seida approached first, pawing the ground to get the boy’s attention. Gregorim hung back, holding on to both of their reins as Seida motioned for him to wait. 

The boy jumped up as a branch snapped under one of Seida’s feet, holding an iron axe up with one shaky hand. He looked between the two of them, snarling slightly as he readied his arm to throw. His face was blotchy and covered in tear tracks. He couldn't have been older than fourteen. Gregorim felt a pang of sympathy for the boy. How long ago had he been in a similar situation? The poor thing was all alone, lost and most likely terrified.

    “Who are you?” The boy asked. “Did the king send you?”

    “No, Lad. Your king did not send us,” Seida said gently. “We’re here because of the storm.”

    “It wasn’t a storm,” The boy mumbled as he lowered the axe. His shoulders began to droop. “I know it sounds crazy, but it was a dragon. It… it flew over and just torched the whole village….” Fresh tears flooded down his cheeks and his voice cracked. “My mum and sisters…. Everyone…. I’m the only one left…” 

    Seida walked up to the boy, a pitiful look on her face as she placed a hand comfortingly on his shoulder. The boy tensed at the contact, but did not pull away. 

    “Tell me, boy,” Seida said. “When the fire came down, what happened? How did you escape?”

    “I wasn't even here when the dragon came….” The boy hung his head, seeming ashamed. “I was exploring the forests in the hills---deeper than we are now---when I heard the dragon. By the time I got back, it was too late. The fire was so hot that even being up here, I could feel the heat on my skin.” After a minute of silence, he looked up at Seida suspiciously. He backed away from her, withdrawing from her touch. Seida let her arm fall to her side and stood patiently, keeping her expression neutral. “If the king didn't send you, then why do you care? Why are you here…?”

    “We were just a few miles from your village when the dragon came. We saw it burn the town. But then, a rainstorm came, putting the fire out. There hadn’t been a cloud in the sky before, and then suddenly there was a major downpour.”

    “Yeah, well, strange weather happens ‘round here sometimes.” The boy shuffled his feet, keeping his eyes downcast. “The village folk blamed my mum, said she was a witch. But, she is… was just a widow trying to feed her family. The storms were accidents.”

    A small smile curled at Seida’s lips. “You mean to say you caused them?”

    “Yes… no… maybe?” The boy looked up at her, lost. “Sometimes, when I’m sad, it rains. The storms are never the same; some are heavy, some last only minutes. But, I swear I don’t know how I do it.” His gaze wandered back over to Gregorim, and then the two hippogriffs behind him. His eyes widened. “You’re… not human, are you?”

    Seida chuckled warmly, seeming to put the boy at ease. The sound of her laugh made even Gregorim relax. “No, boy,” Seida said. “Did the ears give me away?”

The boy’s face flushed slightly. He shuffled his feet shyly again as he looked down again.  “I… a little, yes.”  

“My name is Seida. This is my apprentice, Gregorim. We represent the Order of the Four Winds. We are here because of you.”

    “Me?” The boy’s eyes widened further. Gregorim had half a mind to tell him to close his eyes. They looked ready to pop out of his skull. “I…” His face hardened. Obviously, he wasn’t convinced. “Prove it.”

    All Seida did was smile. Her eyes flashed from brown to gold for just a second. The boy started at the sight, seeming surprised. The clouds overhead cleared, and the morning sun began to warm the air. Gregorim withheld a sigh of relief at the sudden increase in temperature. Seida looked back at him briefly, as if to signify that their time here was coming to an end. He closed the gap between them eagerly, ready to be off. 

Tag List: @idriltelcontar (ask to be added or removed!)

[elizahgodswood]

The Dragon War: Exerpt 2

Another little chunk of chapter 1. I hope you guys enjoy!

By dusk, Ordis was visible on the horizon. Gregorim now rode eagerly beside Seida on the road, gaze fixed intently upon the village. He twisted his reins in his hands absentmindedly, apparently lost in thought. Seida leaned over and nudged his arm to grab his attention. 

“We should pull off the road and make camp for the night,” She said. He nodded in response, following her as she veered off the road back towards the river now a few hundred feet away. They stopped to make camp at the crest of the hill, overlooking the farmlands at the edge of the village. 

A warm breeze rustled the tall grass in quick, short bursts. As they went about setting up camp, the breeze became stronger, tugging at the tents and fanning the fire with every gust. Seida kept an eye on the sky in the direction they had come, but no storm clouds were gathering. A few times, she thought she heard thunder in the distance.

“Sure is windy around here,” Gregorim said as he sat beside the fire. He looked down at the village lights in the distance and rubbed his chin. “And unusually hot. Isn’t it early spring?”

“It is unusual for the winds to blow this warm, especially at night,” Seida agreed. “The sooner we investigate this village the better. I’d like to find our stormcaller---or the source of the rumors---and be done with this place. I feel uneasy out in the open like this.”

Another warm gust of wind raced through the camp, this one stronger than any before it. The fire flared for a few seconds as the dry winds fed it before the gust strengthened and snuffed the fire out. Seida rose to her feet slowly, facing into the wind. She held up a hand to shield her eyes from the dust and debris rushing past her face. In the distance, a dark shape blotted out the stars. Gregorim seemed to have noticed the anomaly as well, and was squinting to try and make out what it could be. 

“Clouds, maybe?” He suggested.

“No….” Seida whispered. A great rumble echoed on the horizon as the dark shape came closer, sending a shudder down her spine as it shook the very ground beneath her feet. She knew what it was. “A Titan….” 

Gregorim’s face went slack. Another roar echoed through the mountains. The dragon drew nearer, darkening more of the sky as it flew on thunderous wings. Each beat of its wings shook the air, fueling the hot, dry winds. “It’s going to destroy the village….” Gregorim looked up at her with wide eyes. He gripped her arm when she didn’t respond. “We have to stop it!”

“With what?” Seida looked down at him briefly. “This is part of being a Scouter, Gregorim.”

“Those people are going to die. You could-"

“I could what, Gregorim? Fight the beast, or redirect its fire?” Seida cast one last look at the village and hung her head. If there was one thing she hated, it was rules. “We are forbidden to interfere in matters like this. If I interfered without orders, I would be punished, as would you.” 

Gregorim opened his mouth to protest. Seida clamped her hand around his arm and dragged him to the mounts. They didn’t have time to stand and gawk. It wouldn’t be long before the dragon was upon them. She mounted her hippogriff, gesturing for Gregorim to do the same. “We ride to the west, to the river. There, we will be safe.”

“Is there really nothing we can do?” He asked. 

“Yes, I'm sure,” She said, slapping his mount on the haunch. With a resentful snort, his hippogriff started forward at a gallop. Her mount raced after him. Seida looked over at the dragon again. It was gaining on them rapidly as it approached. The river was still a good couple hundred yards away. Gregorim was snapping his reins, eyes wide in terror as he urged his steed to go faster. 

Another roar shook the valley. Fear began to make her stomach churn. Gregorim's mount was faster than hers, already several yards ahead. Part of her began to worry about the growing gap between them as they approached the river. Would she be able to stretch her magic that far in order to protect him? 

She snapped her reins, whispering encouragement to her steed as he ran. The river was so close now. Gregorim had reached the shore. His mount paced back and forth nervously, flapping her wings as she squawked in protest, desperate to fly away and flee. 

“Seida!” Gregorim shouted as he tried to calm his panicked steed. “Look out!” 

A great rumble filled the air as the dragon took in a giant breath. Seida pulled her mount beside Gregorim’s and readied her spell as she reached for his hand. He squeezed hers tightly as they watched the dragon’s entire throat and belly illuminate. The great beast opened its maw and let loose a jet of flames. Seida cast her ward as the dragon passed overhead. 

She closed her eyes tightly as the flames surrounded them, hammering against the ward. Even with her eyes shut, the fire was blinding. Beside her, she heard Gregorim shout in alarm. She could feel the heat even through the barrier shielding them from harm, growing more unbearable as the seconds passed. Sweat began to drip down her neck as she held her ward steady. For a moment she feared that her strength would fail her, and that the flames would engulf both of them. But, the dragon passed on over them, and the push against her ward lessened. 

Seida dared not so much as open her eyes, not even when the blinding light faded. Only once the sound of the dragon’s wings faded into silence did she dare look around her. The grassland and pockets of forest around them had already been reduced to ash. A giant, charred scar marked the dragon’s path of destruction. Anything outside where the fire made direct contact was ablaze, staining the valley red and gold. 

“No….” Gregorim whispered as he beheld the burning village.