Revoric

With an agitated squeak, Kiilis mimicked the clear indignation of her brother as they circled Saiyath's eggs like miniature vultures. Just in case, he gently stroked the cream colored shell with his fingertips. Nothing. No hope that they would bond, just a sense of overwhelming finality. Nothing more to see here, move along.

"Are you too good for me, or am I too good for you? No, I'm just kidding. You find yourself a good bonder, okay? Someone you really feel you can trust and spend the rest of your life with, I know they're here right now. Just be patient, and you'll find them."

Meanwhile, with a teasing warble, Bantor dove in front of Saiyath, just within reach of her claws and teeth. The way the purple dragoness was hissing and snarling at the flitter pair made Revoric wonder why she didn't just flame Bantor and Kiilis and be done with it. Not that he wanted to give Saiyath any ideas...

"Bantor, quit annoying Saiyath if you value your waterlogged head. Do you two have any sense of self-preservation, this is a mother dragon! I apologize, Saiyath."

"Apology accepted, bonder Revoric. Just get them away from me before I'm forced to eradicate their sorry hides!"

Revoric froze for a moment before he relaxed and stepped off the dunes to chase after the hyperactive Bantor. Dragons talking. It was just a telekinetic broadcasting of the telepathic voice... or something like that, but it was still unnerving.

Of course, none of the other bonders on the dunes seemed to really notice or mind. Trust the crazed offworlders to jump at every unusual sight and sound. Of course, it hadn't been his fault last week that he'd been lost in thought when that riding skirr whinnied. The insanity of being an offworlder. You live with the threat of annihilation by the undead, but simple equines and talking dragons make you jump.

Bantor darted in front of Revoric's face, bringing him out of his reverie. With a happy squeal, the little blue lizard darted to a pile of boxes, twitching his wings with a hyperactive indifference. Revoric dropped to one knee, keeping his eyes focused on Bantor's whirling yellow ones.

Revoric froze, then he slowly turned to look Lily, the Searcher whose dragon could span the realities, in the eyes. Bantor gave a overwhelmingly innocent chirp and happily perched on Revoric's shoulder, and it took all the patience Revoric could summon to keep from glaring at his pestilence of a flitter.

"There are a pair of seemingly esteemed dragonriders outside the Caer waiting for you, they don't look to be of Alskyrian origin. One rides gold, the other bronze. I'd suggest if you know what's good for you, you should go see them."

Thanking Lily, Revoric tore down the halls of the Caer to meet up with the dragons. Or to meet with destiny, because anything that needed the involvement of a gold and a bronze dragon couldn't be good...

To call the dragons gold and bronze was clearly an understatement, and Bantor's awed croon mirrored his own feelings as Revoric stepped outside. The fierce looking golden dragoness shone with a glorious radiance that could be compared with the sun at full zenith. The younger bronze, majestic and strong, seemed directly forged from the heart of fire and sunset.

Clearly these could only be Shivath and Leviath. They were the protectors of the Aquamarine and her dragon, the leaders of the entirety of Ayden. The riders of Shivath and Leviath were second-in-command over Ayden. Revoric cringed, and Bantor whimpered at the sight of the dragons. This definitely wasn't good.

What shocked him even more were the two riders that lept from the backs of these huge dragons. He knew them, and he knew them well. The second leaders of the entire planet of Ayden were none other than...

The absolutely enraged look upon his mother's face mostly explained everything. Not that Revoric would've dared asked anything more at that point.

At ease, Erial. You should have expected this, he is of the Dragon bloodline after all. You can't expect to tie him down and keep him penned when the entire line is warrior-born and warrior-bred. Fate wills what fate wills.

The Dragon bloodline? Revoric had some instinctive feeling that this didn't refer to dragonriders, but the main concern now was his mother, screaming like a maniacal banshee at her extremely patient gold dragon. Even his father and the great bronze Leviath made sure to keep their distance, much less Bantor, who was whimpering and shaking with terror.

There was just one burning question that he was dying to ask. How come he had never known that his parents were riders? Erial and Shivath, Nitev and Leviath. Why hadn't anyone told him they were 'Marked pairs? It would've explained a lot!

"Fine, Shivath, if he wants to stay, I'll let him stay. You hear me, Revoric! You win! Bond your little dragon hatchling, play with your ants and whatever such nonsense that plagues this planet. But you are not coming back to Ayden! If you bond, I don't want you back home, and that's final!"

As she sprang onto Shivath's back and took the skies, her words etched themselves straight into his soul. His own mother, rejecting him! Revoric turned, all to ready to face another failure at the dunes, when he felt hisf ather's hand on his shoulder.

"Revoric, your mother's not angry with you. She's just concerned, especially since the undead killed her sister. Being a rider, especially for Aqua Astrel, isn't a glamorous life. The undead are unmerciful, and since they know whose child you are, they want your life even more. Aster Weyr lost its Weyrwoman, your mother lost her twin, and Dragon's line lost another destined fighter all in one moment. We can't afford to lose you as well."

"It's okay, dad. If mom's that worried, I don't want her to lose it even more if I come back to join a Combat Torrent. I'll stay at Brynmor. I'm sure the undead won't appear on Alskyr, so it'll all be okay."

Frantic, excited trills from Kiilis as she blazed to his free shoulder ended all attempts at continuing the conversation. Apparently, the little white had found an interesting egg, possibly containing his lifebond, and there was only one way to find out.

Giving his father a wave, Revoric dashed back toward the direction of the dunes, with Bantor and Kiilis swooping and darting right behind him. This was it, the moment he'd been waiting 16 years for. But who could say if one egg-touching could guarantee a bonding?

Much luck to you, Revoric. Whatever happens, just trust yourself. That's what channeling and bonding's all about.

Revoric chuckled and shook his head as the bronze dragon's laugh echoed in his mind. Who would've known that a dragon would be giving him the advice he'd given a fire lizard? Bantor chirped happily as he latched himself to Revoric's shoulder.

It was time for a meeting with destiny. Revoric could only hope that this egg held some promise for the upcoming hatching day.

Opal Moon Weyr

Caer Brynmor

Content © 2001-2002 Twille. Exceptions are the background © Myrror, the draconic arrow icons © Dee Dreslough, Bantor and Kiilis images © Analyn, and Caer Brynmor © Kesava. These are all used by myself with permission. All copyright violators will be pursecuted.