Andiac

Andiac was a strong one. He got whatever he wanted because everyone was afraid of him when he got mad. The brown haired 18 year old man had been in plenty of fights as a child - in fact, he'd started most of them on his own. He stood 5'10" tall, and was all muscle. Every inch of his tan body was rock hard - as though chiseled out of living granite. Younger children tended to shy away from this blue-eyed brute.

He inspired fear in many, and had a great number of followers - each boy yearning to be great like him, and each girl hovering, waiting to be noticed - waiting to be his. Many of his followers had been his victims in earlier years, until his aggression was properly channeled into a profession.

The stone masons quickly tromped him into a sort of obedience his parents could never manage, where one false move would land him with weeks of the worst tasks known to man. Even now the big man had to tread lightly, lest he upset the balance. The people of The House on Riot's Rock were pleased to have the errant youth contained though only theoretically. As the years went on, Andiac had mellowed, but he was still dangerous. When Caer Yslen was undergoing some new construction, Andiac and a few other strong men went to help. The stonework was to be done painstakingly, as to match with the rest of the Caer.

As luck would have it, the dragons took a liking to Andiac, and insisted he stay on after the job was done. Riots Rock had no problem with this and soon Andiac found himself a resident of Bellrin Island's Caer. He was unused to the quiet that followed him in place of his gaggle of girls and wide eyed boys, and soon grew angry about the whole deal. The work, food, and accomodations were good, but thing just weren't right.

About three months after he moved to Yslen, he lashed out, giving what would have been a severe beating to Samnolan, had it not been for the angsty green Melth jumping to his aid. Andiac was not even expecting a dragon to defend his victim, and was too shocked to flinch when Melth jumped at him, jaws wide.

The next thing Andiac knew, he was flat on his back in the infirmary, with a patch over his left eyes and bandages around his head. "Ah, you're awake." One of the nurses said, her face set. "You're just lucky Melth has restraint." She said, calling over the doctor.

He was a thin man, whose face was older than his manner. "Well, Andiac, your eye will be fine, but there might be some scarring. Melth did a lot of damage, but we got you put back together." Andiac groaned. His face hurt, as did his back and shoulders.

"The boy?" he queried lamely.

"Samnolan will be fine." The nurse said, drawing the curtain after the doctor stepped away. "Rest now."

Samnolan sat in the council room with Lady Kitta, Lord Jeln, and the others, his bruises coloring nicely, and the abrasions cleaned and fully scabbed over. In short, the boy was a mess, but it was all superficial compared to Andiac's injuries. "...and this was unprovoked?" Jeln asked, eyes intently on the boy.

"Yessir." Samnolan answered, eyes slightly unfocused.

"Thank you Samnolan, you can go." Kitta said, and a nurse came forward to take Samnolan to his room.

Andiac's testimony had done him no good, and the Caer Council declared that he should be sent back to Riot's Rock. If they wouldn't have him, then it was off too the Prison Isle. This kind of behavior would not be tolerated at Yslen.

It took nearly six weeks for Andiac to recover fully, and as the doctors had predicted, there was much scarring. They'd put him back together the best they could, but Dragon's teeth weren't the neatest of cutting instruments. While he was bed-ridden, Andiac lost some of his muscle-tone and felt very weak. By chance, and chance alone, the first place he came to after his release from the infirmary was the dojo, he stopped at the door and watched an upper-level class work it's way through kata. The instructors saw him watching, and he was brought in, though he'd never had any karate training, and the students were told to go easy on him.

Andiac easily blocked, deflected, or returned any blow they could throw at him. He even managed to get one hit through his sparring partner's defenses. The instructors though he would benefit from intense training, and rushed to the council to prevent Andiac's extradition. Where else on the island were there this many instructors to teach him, not counting Ice High Aerie? Nowhere.

The council begrudgingly gave them until harvest to get Andiac into some semblance of useful, or they would throw him out, no holds barred.

Come fall, Andiac was a new man. Through meditation, training, and a few knocks to the head, he'd come to a place where he was happy with himself and Yslen was too. Samnolan no longer feared him, but was sure to give him a wide berth anyhow. Better safe than sorry.

Harvest came, and Meghana, Dektol, and Kikira all went. It was a sure bet that this was a good thing. New blood, ties to other Caers, and fresh hope.

Andiac secretly hoped to be tapped as a bonder. Life was good, but a friend who truly knew him would be best. However this was the furthest from his mind when Lord Jeln cornered him in the dining hall.

"I didn't do it, Jeln, whatever it was." Andiac began, and Jeln gestured for him to calm down.

"Nothing happened, and no one is blaming you." The Caerlord said. "We've been in contact with Caer Mystrach, and we wish for you to go there."

Andiac blinked. "As a bonder?"

"Indeed." Jeln said. "Melth would probably have killed you outright if there hadn't been that hint of potential." Andiac was stunned. "Of course, you've increased that by controlling yourself - and now not just Melth is insisting you should go."

Andiac considered this. "Has Riot's Rock been told of this?" He asked, at last. "No." Jeln said. "but that can be arranged if you'd like."

"Please." Andiac said calmly. "I'd like my mother to know I have a chance at becoming a dragonner. She always believed I would."

Jeln was touched by the sentimentality and would personally convey the message.

When everything was settled, Andiac found himself waiting with his baggage in the middle of the courtyard. They hadn't said who would be conveying him to Vallen's for the trip, but Andiac was not surprised to see Melth headed his way.

"Hey ugly." She said. "The doctors patched you up nice, I see."

Andiac grinned at her. "Sorry about all that Melth. If I had known everything would turn out this way, I probably wouldn't have done it."

Melth laughed raucously. "Your luck, it was you getting bit that made this all happen. Don't Jinx it boy. Let's go." Andiac flung his bags over her neck and secured them to the saddle. As they took off, Andiac yelled over the wind. "If you've no bond, Melth, why do you have a saddle?"

Melth yelled back, "Because I had a bond, Ugly. Now hush before I have to drop you!" Melth found herself wishing her Kennei hadn't died so long ago.

* * *

Caer Mystrach was much warmer than Belrin Isle, and Andiac found it rather comfortable. The dragons were sturdy and handsome - and Andiac had a fresh start.