[B]Return of the Dragon Tamers; the Plague of Ogual[/B]
[img=http://mygaming.co.za/news/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Lair-curse.jpg]

The dawn had not yet taken over the grasp of the night when Merrik Tetra awoke from his slumbers, thoughts immediately stole into his mind and his brow furrowed, much as it had over the last two years. He wiped the sleep from his eyes and peered out the stained glass window of his loft within a great draconic stable built many year ago by his ancestor. A wave of acknowledging thought seeped into his mind moments after he emerged from his slumber. A presence made itself known within the corridors of his own mind, one that was not his own, though he would not consider himself whole without it. Stretching, he rose from his bed and greeted the early morning light of the moon. 

[I]"Today, everything will change. Today, the scales will tip in our favor."[/I] He thought, running his work-worn hands through thick dark hair. [I]"There's much to do, and my body seems to agree an early start is more than necessary. Obsidian Nova,"[/I] he projected his thoughts to the second half of his mind. [I]"We must prepare, are you well rested?'[/I] A loud rustle sounded from below Merrik's feet, followed shortly by claws scraping old stone. 

[I]"Indeed, Merrik. As well rested as is needed."[/I] As the response entered Merrik's mind he turned and moved towards the thick curtain that acted as a fourth wall to his second floor loft. Drawing back the heavy material he leaned forward on the ornately carved wooden railing and looked out at the magnificant stables that had become home to his dearest memories. Just then, a thin whisp of smoke slithered up into the air before his face, following it, the massive head of a pitch black dragon. Fierce, blood red eyes gazed into his and a thin smile crept across Merrik's lips. [I]"Good morning dear friend."[/I] Came the voice into his mind once again.

"And good morning to you, if you can call this dark hour a morning at all." He spoke this time, reaching his hand out to stroke the massive beast with a fond touch. "A moment, please, while I dress." The drake nodded, closing its reptilian lids, allowing his tamer to dress in privacy. Moments later his mind noted completion and he opened his eyes again. [I]"Ready to go?[/I] 

"Ay." And the man strode over to the rail, stepping up onto it and dropping down onto the now properly positioned dragon's scaly back without hesitation. Slipping down after, onto the straw covered stone floors below, the pair made their way out of the stall and down the grand hall to the front doors of the dragon stable. Pushing open the large, white oak doors, Obsidian Nova stepped out onto the dew soaked grass and stretched the entirety of his mass, releasing a jet of black flames out into the night sky so as to clear his flare passage. Merrik closed the doors behind him and drew in a deep breath of the crisp spring air. He turned his head to his draconic companion and nodded in mental agreement that it was indeed, time to move. And so they took off, running. The begining of today's training session had commenced, for there was no way Merrik nor Obsidian Nova would allow their training to falter, not at a time like this with the distant ghosts of a great darkness inching over the horizon. 

~~~

The sun broke over the horizon as rider and dragon soared above the thick forested landscape, its warm light a gift as always. An advantage to the bond the existed between the two was that neither had to be completely focused on trivial things like travel. While Nova followed the wind route he had flown so many hundreds of times Merrik's mind was completely lost from his surroundings, his thoughts consuming every bit of his attention.

 [I]"My heart tells me the wyrmlings are ready, yet my mind insists we could have done more; stricter training, less play... They are so young and free-spirited, and though I know with all my being they understand their purpose, and the severity of the matter at hand, I cannot help but worry that they're not ready yet."[/I] He paused to enjoy for a moment, the raw beauty of the sunrise. It was reassuring and encouraging. [I]"No... I am wrong to doubt our and their capability. We have trained them well, of this I am sure. And the training will only grow more difficult and strenuous with each passing day. The new tamers will be in for a surprise if their minds are at all set on down time with their 'pet dragons'."[/I] Nova chuckled at this thought; pet dragons. As if a human could ever take a dragon for a pet. 

As their flight continued, a clearing could be seen in the distance, a grand portion of land that had been cultivated to work as a homestead for the Tetra family for centuries. The beautifully manicured lawns and gardens were a pleasing site indeed, but nothing could compare in grandeur or comfort to the Forest Garden; the magnificent ground that once housed the ancient order of the dragon tamers, and would again. Merrik had insisted on spending his time at the dragon stables in the deep of the ancient woods to keep up with his training and with that of the younger drakes. 

A fond feeling poured into his heart as he recalled his young draconic companions. Though they had hatched a mere two years ago, he felt as if they had been along side himself and Nova for many years indeed. But he would never care for them in the way he cared for Obsidian Nova; no, for no bond could ever compare to that of a dragon and its tamer. 

"Today they will form bonds of their own." He shook his head in shock as he found his voice breaking with emotion. It was not usual for Merrik to display emotion out of line, but he allowed himself a pardon under the stress and direty of the situation. It was true, these young dragons had become his children, in a strange way. But nothing would make him more proud, or bring him more joy than to see the young drakes fulfil bonds of their own, for they could never be whole until their hearts became opened to a tamer chosen many lifetimes ago. Their flight neared an end as a large coliseum appeared far below them. The black serpent tore away from the westwardly draft and spiralled down through the currents of the sky, landing with a deep thud in the center of the coliseum.

The dark haired rider took his place on the earth and traced his gaze around the outer wall of the great structure, where large doors lined up. Obsidian Nova pulled back onto his haunches and let out a fiery roar, weaved with unusual tones that no man could truly understand or comprehend. The great sound echoed for a moment before a quiet rumble and shuffle came from all around them. The doors opened up without a soul in site, and from within the dark enclosures behind came a group of muscular, gleaming young dragons. 

Merrik was completely unphased by the site of the youngsters as they had become the norm of his day to day happenings. "I bid you all a fair day, my young friends. And a fair day it will be, for today, you become whole." He paused as the drakes entered into the outside world in their various ways, some took to the skies to allow the breezes to awaken their tired eyes, others stretched and rolled about, all of them released their flames to clear their own flare passages, lighting up the sky with brilliant fiery colors of all levels of the spectrum. 

[I]"Today, everything will change."[/I] 

[I]"Indeed, dear friend."[/I] Said the nightmare dragon at his side. [I]"The winds have foretold so."[/I]

~~~
It was mid noon now, and the young dragons had long since gone back to rest their minds and bodies in preparation for the bonding ritual. Merrik sat atop Obsidian Nova's back as the dragon perched on a great stone pillar. The coliseum below was now filled with life and movement as a group of humans stood mingling in the center. They were to be the future tamers of the drakes hidden behind the surrounding doors, and had been called here today to start off on their great destinies.

Two weeks ago he had felt the presence of the oracle in his mind, telling him it was time to seek out the new tamers for the dragons had reached maturity at 2 years of age. Luckily Merrik was led to each individual by a link to the oracle within his mind. He tracked down, confronted and explained the situation to each of the soon-to-be tamers below. Some were harder to convince than others, but when Obsidian Nova showed himself they all agreed almost immediately. Very few had ever seen a dragon for Nova was the only one left in the lands for the last 2 decades. No one had ever seen the young dragons for it was not safe for them to leave the purified lands of the Tetra estate. Not until they were bonded. 

The great plague that swept the lands was especially dangerous to dragons to Merrik's understanding and research. Their minds would fall to the toxic magic and they would become feral and rabid. Of all the creatures of the lands, a dragon was the one being that Merrik truly feared at the wrath of the plague. A rabid dragon was a death machine, killable only by another dragon and even then; the plague had strange effects on the ancient rulings of magic. No, it was best not to risk letting the yearlings pass the protected boundaries until their minds were closed off from the dark magic and secured by their tamer's bond.

[I]"I still debate if it would have been best to tell the new tamers that the bonding process will seem like an attack. Each dragon will test the individuals and choose which one they see fit to have as a tamer. This will involved attacks used to test bravery, quizzes to test intelligence, confrontations of all kinds. It is lucky you and I had the luxury of bonding while you were still but a wyrmling in an egg, Nova, for I do not envy these tamers."[/I] Merrik had a hard look on his face, filled with concern for what would be. He and Nova had raised these dragons from their hatching day, taught them to fly and to breath fire. They were ready to be tamed and ridden but they had not yet mastered all of their abilities and skills. They did not know aerial tactics nor had they fully grasped their unique abilities. There would be alot of work to be done in training the tamers to work with their dragons, to fly, and in continuing to teach the dragons how to use their skills and preform manoeuvres in the sky.

[I]"You remembered to inform the dragons once again that they are not to leave the ground with their tamers? We do not need anyone plummeting to their death. These dragons aren't skilled enough to execute a dive retrieval should their tamers fall."[/I] The great black dragon chuckled at his tamer's concern. [I]"But of course Merrik, do you think I would forget such a thing?"[/I] Merrik felt foolish, he knew Obsidian Nova was always one step ahead of him.

"Well. I believe its time we start." Said Merrik. The massive drake beat down its massive black and red wings, soaring into the air and spiralling around before lifting up into the high skies. He released a jet of black flames that looked like melted night sky. In his great voice he sent his thoughts to the dragons in the dens behind the massive wooden doors that lined the coliseum. [I]"It is your time young drakes, go out and select your tamers. This bond will be for the rest of your lives so choose wisely who you deem fit."[/I]

The nightmare drake spiralled down towards the coliseum, bringing Merrik closer to speak to the humans below. "The dragon are being released. Be brave, be strong. Be wise. For today, you become dragon tamers." 

The massive wooden doors burst open and a spectrum of beasts soared into the skies. Flames of every color poured into the cool, midday air. Alysia, the elegant white dragon soared past Merrik and Obsidian Nova and Merrik could sense the black dragon watching her closely. He had always been fond of her, overly protective, drawn in by some unspeakable, unexplainable tether. She was the opposite of all that he was, she was fascinating. 

Merrik smiled as he watched the event begin, his dear hatchlings were mature now, choosing tamers all their own and despite the forming of an army occuring before him, he could not help but feel pride, for these dragons were very much a key to the future of these lands. He laughed aloud as they began shooting flames are the dirt floor surrounding the new tamers, some dove and dipped seeing who would flee and who would hold their ground. The selective process was begining.