Terra forced herself to keep her eyes open as the opening to the Dwarven Underground became clear and defined. Calionapyth sucked in a deep breath then let it run through her throat until it burst out in a magnificant bellow that made Terra's ears ring. The first dwarven draogn rider grinned wider then she ever had in her life, still fighting off the numbness in her limbs after passing through between. Her dragoness twisted through the air like a lithe bird, four wings beating in perfect rhythem.
Below they could see small spots begin to emerge from the hole in the ground that was the front door. So many dwarves had heard the triumphant call that, to the two in the sky, they looked like an evacuating ant hill.
Not two seconds behind them came Mystic Dragon on her silver queen, Myrah'Care. Behind them followed Aaron Audil on Blakoreth. Together, the three riders made an impressive display that would become legend in the dwarven halls.
Cali was the first to land, causing the ground to tremble under her weight. She dropped low to absorb the impact for her rider then raised herself up like a godly statue. Only she and Blakoreth heard Myrah'Care's soft laughter at the shocked expressions on the dwarves faces. They had never seen dragons before; let alone the dragon leaders and a four winged beauty ridden by one of their own.
Terra slide down from her bond's saddle and felt the ground, solid and familiar, beneath her feet. She was grateful for the dramatic entrance but more so for the safety of gravity. Looking around she could see a few faces she recognized, most were hidden behind someone else in case the look of them would incur her wrath. Terra smirked to herself and strode forward with an assured step that she hadn't possessed in the Underground. Five ancient dwarven men stepped away from the crowd, staring at the dragons in awe. THe first to look at her blinked in surprise and quickly alerted his collegues to her presence.
"W- Welcome back, Terra." One of the white bearded dwarves spoke. Terra immediately recognized him as being the head of the council. "It's been a while."
"That it has." She smirked knowingly, placing her hands on her hips. "Three years. Now, can any of ye tell me what's happened to my rebellion in that time?"
"It's gotten stronger." The entire crowd seemed to jump to life as the youthful voice spoke up. People looked this way and that to pin point the speaker. Even Terra started in surprise as her own apprentice walked out of the assembly and came forward to greet her. At first, he smiled lightly; soon that smile broke into a wide grin and he hugged her tightly. "We've missed you, Terra."
"Vack!" The dragon riding metalsmith exclaimed. She hesitated for a moment then smiled broadly and returned his warm hug. "I see you've done as I told you."
"Aye. Everything's in order." Vack pulled back, a wide grin still plastered across his young face.
"You- you were planning this?" One of the elders butted into their reunion. The four blank looks from his companions proved to Terra that her apprentice had been as successful as she had hoped.
"Well, I wasn't planning on her." Terra thumbed back at her caramel coloured bond and smirked. "But I was planning on coming back with help." At this point Terra turned and waved for Mystic and Aaron to come forward. The two Caretakers did so gracefully.
"Thank you, Terra." Mystic's mysterious smile was in place as she winked at her newest rider then turned to address the assembly. Though the tallest dwarf only came up to her shoulders, she managed to hold every eye there. "As many of you know already, my name is Mystic Dragon, rider of silver Myrah'Care. This woman, your Terra, is now one of my riders. She knows of the dangers that this war brings and has informed me of your trouble. The hydras will not avoid you." A whisper of fear ran through the crowd and pulled the tention taut at this statement. Mystic waited for the voices to calm down before continuing. "This is a war of rulership. The hydras wish to hold all of Tris'Hath and I cannot allow that. I have formed the Order of the MagickBlade in hopes of bringing back an ancient enemy of the hydras. The gods have awakened and the battles have already begun.
"As much as I would like to assure you that you're safe in your homes, I can't. Toth and Vienna lead the hydras and they won't spare anyone. Not even those hidden deep beneath the earth are safe. That is why I urge you to join us in the fight against them. It's time the races came together again to help each other out. We've done it before, we can do it again. I understand that you're scared for your familes and loved ones. So am I; but if no one fights, then the hydras will surely win. A life under them is no life at all."
Mystic paused and took a deep breath. The faces around her were uncertain, scared and hesitant. She remembered a story she had heard once, long ago. THe dwarves were fighters, it was in their blood. "I remember when the dwarves were great fighters." She began, reciting the same feeling she had had when she first heard the story. "Their blood boiled with the battle cry that was as much a part of their life as breathing. Forging weapons that were the best of their age and bringing the last push of hope that everyone needed. They were the strenght of Tris'Hath. Have all those dwarves been lost to us?"
A murmur ran through the crowd, growing slowly with courage. One voice rose up with a defiant 'No!', quickly being joined by others. Mystic stepped aside and allowed Terra to finish speaking to her kin.
"This is as much our war as it is the humans and the elves. We belong on the battle field! How many of you with fight with us?" She shouted over the sea of voices booming around them. With her question came a cry born deep in every dwarven throat. Metal weapons rang on metal armor in an irratic song that raised their courage. Terra smiled and raised her fist to the sky, shouting the name of the dwarven god. Every one of her people, her friends and family, even the elders cheered her on. The dwarves would fight.
* * * Terra drew in a deep lungful of warm, Warren air as Cali announced herself to the watch dragons. Myrah'Care and Blakoreth added their magnificant voices to the call, all three dragons starting to spiral down to the ground. Terra, for the first time in her life, looked down at the Warren eagerly. Finally! It's about time we got home.
Home is beautiful. Calionapyth purred deeply, dipping one set of metallic wings into the wind. She manouvered through the air so gracefully it seemed as if she was born there. It is so much warmer here.
Aye. Terra snorted and braced her legs against her bond's sides as the dragoness swooped low over the flight field and prepared to land. Absolutely no snow. It's perfect here.
Cali's laughter filled her mind, a joyous sound that reminded her of cooling taffy. The sugary snack was a favourite candy of dwarven children, expecially when it was just beginning to cool and still warmed the tongue with all its flavour.
Myrah'Care and Blakoreth landed first, greeting the various dragons that began to emerge from the Warren to meet Cali and Terra. The caramel dragoness herself proudly tossed back her head and displayed her four wings for all to see while allowing Terra to dismount at the same time. Even Terra could see a few surprised and awed looks on the scalely faces of the dragons as they looked over Cali's special additions. The stout and often moody dwarf quickly excused herself from the ring of riders that appeared with their bonds to head towards Dungar's smithy. She had a bet to finish.
"Dungar!" Terra called out in her commanding voice as she drew closer to the entrance that lead down to the Weapon Shop. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed a large, brown dragon watching her from a lair tunnel near by. "Dungar!" She bellowed again. Her shout was cut off as the grumbling old dwarf waved off the noise and beckoned her inside. With an assured stride and hopeful flutter in her heart (which she refused to awknowledge), she entered the dimly lit shop.
A tall, darkly skinned woman stood against the far corner, her arms crossed and her head lowered. She would have seemed almost alseep if it weren't for the occasionaly fluttering of her eyelids. The woman's arms were well defined with muscles as was most of her upper torse. Her long, coal black hair hung down her back and ended near her thighs. From her cool composure and imposing appearence, Terra could only guess this woman was Rugan. Asmodeas lay on her straw bed beside Dungar's desk, her slitted red eyes constantly on Terra. The dragon riding metal smith crossed her arms and planted her feet defiantly, waiting for Dungar to slide back behind his desk.
"Well?" She questioned simply, ignoring pleasentries as it seemed that Dungar was ignoring her.
"Well what?" His gruff voice drifted out from beneath his beard as he picked up his quill again.
"Did Senorith talk to you?" A knot of doubt crawled into her stomach at Dungar's appearent obliviousness.
"Why would she want to talk to me?" He tipped his head up enough so that he could look at her over the rim of his reading glasses.
"So she didn't talk to you?" Terra felt her heart drop suddenly, then swell again with anger. How could she have gone back on her word?
"She talked to us." Rugan's deep and shadowy voice cut into the conversation. "Dungar just doesn't want to admit it." Two gleaming black eyes focused on Terra from within the depth of the 1/4 Liron's face. A small smirk appeared on her lips as Dungar muttered darkly and stuck his nose back in his papers. "The smithy's been expanded a bit to accomidate ya and Cali's got the weyr beside us."
Terra cast a triumphant smile in Dungar's direction then looked up at the tall Rugan and nodded graciously. "Thank ye. I'll get mine and Cali's stuff settled and then I'll come by."
Rugan shrugged and nodded, pushing herself off the wall to return to her work. Dungar's mutterings had fallen silent as he glowered at Terra from beneath bushy eyebrows.
"I guess this means I'll be seeing more of you." He didn't exactly sound happy. Then again, Terra found some kind of pleasure in making his life miserable.
"Nay. I'll be avoiding your face as much as possible." She smirked. After a moment, Dungar grunted and shook his head, returning to his work for the last time. Asmodeas let her head drop to her forearms and Terra turned to leave the Weapons Shop. Outside, Cali waited patiently beside the large brown Terra had seen earlier.
Are we in? The duo-winged dragoness asked hopefully.
"We're in." Terra grinned, patting her bond's side happily. She could feel Cali's iron muscles working beneath her soft, gleaming hide.
Good! The dragoness' eyes whirled a happy blue. By the way, this is Porth, Rugan's bond. He said he'd keep me company while you work. She cast the large, prideful brown a shifty glance. Though I'm not sure yet if that's a good thing.
Terra laughed and hoisted herself up to Cali's shoulders. "Ye can figure that out in a day or so. Let's get our stuff settled." She smiled broadly as her bond began to move off in the direction of their weyr. Each movement was filled with power and grace, shown more then ever in the arc of her neck and high-held head. The first dragon riding dwarf, it had a ring to it that Terra liked; and would hold to for some time to come.
Read Terra's story.
Read Cali's hatchling story.
Read Cali's weyrling story.
Calionapyth was impressed at: Ryslen Weyr