He chuckled, the sound gleeful and wonderfully maniacal as he felt the soft cartilage crunch and bend under his claws, snapping like dry twigs. Whilst he had time and time was plentiful when everything seemed to move in slow motion or rather when one was moving incredibly fast, he place his claws over Forte's shoulders and leaned down by his ear, "I don't need you to not fly, I need you to suffer." He laughed, dancing backwards as the winds around him began to pick up around him in a torrent. The white dragon's paper thin wings flapping in the harsh below of the wind. He raised his arm to shield his face from the debris it picked up, even dust becoming as biting as needles in the miniature tornado. His bandages fluttering, threatening to reveal the grisly wounds it hid. At this point, he honestly shouldn't care. Unfortunately, Forte didn't even give him a chance to rip away the swath of bandages around his head, rushing him. A laugh ripped away from his throat as the hydra leaped towards him, time slowed. He admired the warrior's physique. Honestly, he had expected more from him. Once the greatest warrior of his time, a great general. A hero that had wanted more. Had becoming a hydra made him so soft? So weak? "Tis a shame." He muttered, he could stand for no such weakness in his army. As a test subject though... "Hehe." He chuckled, staring up at the hydra. His sword raised, lazily almost at the hydra, "Your blood is undeserving of my blade." He mused and lunged forward, sword swung back as he came to meet the hydra in his lunge. Single golden eye fixed on the hydra as he came to meet him. Faster, stronger, it was as Forte predicted. A futile effort as the white dragon's claw closed around Forte's neck. His jaws stretching as he growled and pulled forward, teeth closing around the hydra's shoulder. He couldn't help but shake, laughter muffled against skin as he thought of it as an indirect kiss. He didn't know his sensitive his mouths were after all. If they could feel pain as he ripped away his shoulder, using his weight to pull them both down. Slamming against the ground, he pinned him, careful of his other animated parts. Leaning down, he placed a kiss on Forte's cheek, growling against his ear, "Bow down to the king." ----- The door creaked open and the fire dragon dragged himself in. Back straight and stride confident though his shoulders were a little bit slumped and his head held down a little bit wearily. He slipped off the feathered headdress off his head, sighing in an exhaustion after having spent majority of the festival entertaining the masses. Oh it was a proud thing to represent his clan and show off what he could do, what he was capable of to protect them. He was tired though, muscles sore and joints aching. He couldn't help but think he was better off working his bones sore off after a few days training rather than keeping a smile on his face as he tried for acrobatics whilst keeping in time with the music. He had been so focused on not messing up, he had barely a gotten a good look at his audience. He hoped the elders had seen him along with the savior... Even worn, the dragon was as alert as ever. The sudden battle cry had him whirling around, hands a flame and nearly throwing off the hydra. The voice stopped him now and his shoulders lumped, body immediately relaxing, "Our savior.." He answered, though the title was tinged with affection and informality. He had...a sort of affection towards the apparently centuries old savior had been an annoyance at first. Seeing the petite boy that was meant to be the strongest, wisest of them all, the savior, the god that fell to the earth. He had scoffed at such titles, the boy looked absolutely nothing like this fabled lord, he looked weak. Over the time he spent with him though, at first finding the boy rather clinging, he started to enjoy his companionship. Started to appreciate the quiet power he had, even more hidden than that of the silent wind dragon that kept to the library. "Did you enjoy the performance?" He asked, expecting anything but a sudden rush of words spilling from the boy's lips. His brain taking a moment to register. The silence heavy on the both of them and Regnum could feel the boy start to sweat. Finally, the fire dragon slipped away from Edge's embrace and turned around, placing his hands firmly on both of Edge's shoulders, leaning down, his fiery eyes met nervous purple ones. His expression unreadable, he stared at the hydra for a good minute, searching for...something. Then suddenly he leaned forward, meeting Edge's lips in a less than chaste kiss. His tongue tracing the bottom of his lip as he seemed permission to enter. He kept their bodies apart, at least until he started to ask for more, rocking closer into Edge. They came together like a bright spark, brilliant and explosive. No words exchanged as their bodies melded together, Regnum pushing Edge up against the wall, hands roaming over him, connected at the lips. The air heated around them, the sound of fabric sliding over skin. Outside the festival continued, loud and jubilant, contrasting to the sounds of heavy breathing and quiet kisses. ---- "Today is Feng Xiuang..." "Why don't we go to the festival mama?" The white dragon asked curiously as mother nuzzled his cheek, "Because the places we used to celebrate it doesn't exist anymore." "Why mama?" "We gave it to the humans, dear. For them to celebrate." She nuzzled her baby dragon's cheek, smiling to herself as he pressed a small hand to her snout and giggled. "The dragons are really nice to the humans, mama, but does that mean we can't celebrate it anymore?" "Off course not." "That's good." He said yawning, "Go to sleep baby, it's late.." --------- "Near..." He muttered softly, coming from behind his friend. "I have something to tell you.." The green scales dragon whirled around before he could get out another word, interrupting his friend, "Relin! I have something to tell you too!" "Oh-yes?" "Remember the old myth on Feng Xiuang? The one where if you confess to your love-" "I-I know it." The white dragon fumbled with his hands, grasping onto nothing and probably looking like a fool. He stared up at his friend, golden eyes hopeful as the green dragon's grin widened, the seconds ticking by painfully, "I confessed to Echo! She said yet! We're going to be mates forever!" "....I-isn't it a little too early?.." "We said we would wait till we were older, but she said yes Relin! She said yes!" "....I'm...happy for you." "What was it you wanted to tell me?" "Oh..I just wanted to ask you if you'd like to go to the waterfall later today..." "No thanks, Echo and I are going to the old rocks tonight to look for night butterflies! Then, we're gonna watch the stars!" "Alright..." "But I..have some time now, let's talk." The dragon patted the spot next to him, Relin crawled over. "At least we can see the sunset right?" Near grinned at his friend. [i]Maybe it's just a myth..maybe he'll come back. And even if he doesn't..."[/i] The dragon's gaze softened as he watched his friend ramble on excitedly, the setting rays of the sun lighting upon his frame, making his chestnut brown skin glow and his eyes sparkle even more, he could live with this. [i]I hope things never change.[/i] ---------- [i]"Mama?..." "Relin run..." "But you're hurt!" "Urgh...Relin..." "I'm not going!" "Relin! Run!" He flinched, tears wetting his cheeks, "N-no..." "Relin! Run!" "Ow! Mama! That..." "Run!" [/i] [i]These aren't your memories, this isn't your life....you've always been king Relin. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise..."[/i] ---------- "Pity...I expected that you would be much more useful." He kicked the motionless hydra, the roots breaking under his foot, along with a few ribs. He kicked him again, pulling out a metal stick from his pocket. Humans were really innovative...he pressed the end between his lips, inhaling the nicotine burning inside. It burned his mouth, making him cough and drop the stick, crushing it under his foot. Why did he try this? Shaking his head, he gazed up the tower, "Are all of you ready to come down now? Or shall I wait down here?" He asked, wings, whole at least from sight, gleaming white under his illusion flapped lazily. "Father! Father is down there!" Sleipnir squealed hearing his Father's voice, whilst Leo held both twins tightly, "Father! Can you hear Sky?! It's father!" He pushed against Leo who shared looked with Blizzard and Sanare, there was no escape.