[center][img]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab20/XxKayla36xX/Felix.png[/img] [img]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab20/XxKayla36xX/garax.png[/img] [img]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab20/XxKayla36xX/cynbel.png[/img][/center] [center][h2]Allistyr’s Keep, The Siege, Present Day[/h2][/center] The soldiers closest to the dragons had stopped and watched, the Seelie in disgust and the Unseelie in appreciation, as Sulleykaar toyed with the de-winged, de-clawed and toothless dragon that was once Tyr’rak. It took a bit, but he eventually ended him in a glorious black pyre of sorts, turning the poor thing to nothing but ashy dust, if it could even be called that. After the flames died and he calmed down, his attention quickly moved over towards Andersen. [color=sulley’s]”FELIX!”[/color] He yelled as he ran over to the burnt body. It remained lifeless and limp. His face tensed as he looked him up and down. Cynbel heard the cries of ‘DRAGON!’ all around. Judging by the carnage and flames, this wasn’t a friendly dragon. By the time he was able to disengage from his current combat, it was too late. The Unseelie commander cut his way through the forces to find Felix and Sulleykaar. He didn’t even consider that Sulleykaar’s presence might indicate that Kiara was here too, they were the farthest thing from his mind when he saw Felix’ seemingly lifeless form. [color=lightgray]”No…”[/color] he said, kneeling beside his two co-Commanders. [color=lightgray]”Fetch me the nearest Unseelie healer!”[/color] he barked at a nearby soldier, who nodded and sprinted off. The battle nearby had resumed after Tyr’rak’s fall. [color=9e0b0f]”No….that won’t work. He’s past that point..Too much blood loss and... Cynbel, I need room.”[/color] He looked into Cynbel’s eyes with the most stern, authoritative look and with a voice of a king. Cynbel looked at Sulleykaar with a hard gaze but nodded and stood up, taking a few steps back. The red dragon looked back down to Felix as he began to mumble a chant of sorts in dragon’s tongue, his body starting to give off a golden aura before expanding outward. [center][img]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab20/XxKayla36xX/Felix.png[/img] [h2]&[/h2] [img]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab20/XxKayla36xX/Kyla.png[/img][/center] [center][h3]Unknown[/h3][/center] [color=gold]”I’m so - sorry. I failed you, Kyla.[/color] He was exhausted, even in... wherever the hell he was. Kyla leaned back and placed her hands on his cheeks, Felix looked up, still recovering from sobbing earlier, and went to look back down, only to be stopped by his love. [color=teal]”You never failed me Felix. If it wasn’t for Sulleykaar, I never would have met you. I never would have seen the world. You never failed me, Andy.”[/color] They held each other for a moment, the whiteness turning gold, and the living world coming into their view. Sulleykaar kneeled next to his corpse, and the human Commander looked confused. [color=gold]Sulley...What are you-”[/color] Sulleykaar looked up with exhaustion. [color=9e0b0f]”Oh, thank the gods! Felix, we still need you here in the living world. I’m sorry, Kyla, but you will have to wait for him.”[/color] A sad smile resting in Kyla’s direction now. She closed her eyes with a smile and slowly nodded before fading away, not without giving Felix a kiss farewell. Felix looked at the spot her spirit once stood and sniffed one last time before turning to the dragon with a nod. On the outside the orb glowed bright for a few minutes before fading away. Felix laid there, unmoving. Sulley’s hand hovered over Felix’s mouth for a moment, before he removed it and stood. [color=9e0b0f]”When he awakens, he will be in a lot of pain on the outside, but more so on the inside, as he adjusts to the changes. Make sure your healers keep him hot throughout his healing process, otherwise you’ll - [i]we’ll[/i] lose him again, and this time permanently. I have to go. We will see you in a month or two. Then we will have to work on patching the ties between the Seelie and yourselves. I have a bad feeling.”[/color] He simply said. Cynbel studied the red dragon, Sulleykaar. His eyes darting back and forth between him and Felix. [color=lightgray]”Y-You’re leaving?”[/color] he stuttered uncharacteristically. [color=9e0b0f]”Yes. He’s fine. Well, as fine as he will be, after what happened. I did some things, and I am now tired, and must go back to Kiara.”[/color] The soldier came back with a healer then. Cynbel told him of Sulleykaar’s instructions and they set to getting him prepped to be flown off of the field. The Unseelie commander looked back to Sulleykaar, his face softened. [color=lightgray]”How is she?”[/color] he asked, not sure if he wanted the answer. That ‘bad feeling’ could be about her. He smiled and nodded. [color=9e0b0f]”She is doing extremely well. She has some things to tell you upon her return.”[/color] He smiled wide at the faerie general with a nod before turning to walk away. He stopped and turned towards the General. [color=9e0b0f]”When I finish training her, she is free to go, if she wishes. I will still be with her, not as a [i]captor[/i], but as an ally. The rest of this war, sadly, is still dependent on what she does. We will make the revision to the contract when we’re done training.”[/color] A respectful nod to Cynbel, who was smiling with the pride only a father could have. Sulleykaar nodded one last time before leaping into the air, flying off in his dragon form towards Spirits’ Crossing. [center][img]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab20/XxKayla36xX/Kiara.png[/img] [h1]&[/h1] [img]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab20/XxKayla36xX/Sulleykaar%20-%201.png[/img][/center] [center][h2]Spirit’s Crossing, Present Day[/h2][/center] It took a few hours before he made it back to Kiara. When he touched down, he morphed into his humanoid form and made his way over to Kiara, rubbing the back of his neck. [color=9e0b0f]”Kiki, I’m back. Let’s continue on your wind training. I [i]assume[/i] you continued training since I le- Where did you get that from?!”[/color] Stopping dead in his tracks, his eyes focused on the jewel around her neck, bewildered as to how she managed to get it. Kiara was working her wet hair into a thick braid. She had just gotten out of the spring when he had returned. She looked down to the necklace and then up to Sulleykaar. There was an eerie calm in her neutrally grey eyes, practicing the very same emotional control [i]he[/i] had taught her. [color=grey]”I had a visitor when you took off without me…”[/color] there was a bite of accusation in her tone, but she was still calm. [color=grey]”Is Felix alive?”[/color] she asked, remembering why he had left so abruptly. His eyes didn’t leave the jewel. He went to say something about the visitor but resisted. The only thing that brought his attention back to her was when she brought up Felix. [color=9e0b0f]”When I turned and left it was because I watched him die…”[/color] He said as he looked down, clicking his tongue. [color=9e0b0f]”He’s fine, and not fine, now.”[/color] He said somewhat in a riddle as he sat down on the rock nearest the creek. Kiara nodded, glad about that. Felix seemed to be a good man, he was handsome and polite, it would be sad if he had died. She crossed her arms and sighed before sitting beside him. [color=9e0b0f]”Who visited you?”[/color] He didn’t hesitate when he asked it. He glanced over at her with a gaze. Kiara rolled her eyes slightly before answering [color=gray]”You know the answer to that question, Sulleykaar.”[/color] she used his full name rather than the affectionate pet named she’d adopted recently. [color=9e0b0f]”What did he want from you?”[/color] His voice was more serious. She didn’t answer his question. [color=gray]”Why are you asking? Are you worried about me, or what he might have said?”[/color] He raised his head. [color=9e0b0f]”What’s that supposed to mean, Kiara?”[/color] the dragon asked flatly. Her grey eyes looked sad, or angry, it was hard to tell without their usual, colorful expression. [color=gray]”Do you actually care about me, Sulleykaar? Or am I just a pawn to you?”[/color] His eyes widened and his brow furrowed in confusion as he remained silent, confused by this random accusation from her. [color=9e0b0f]”Of course I care about you! If I didn’t, I would not have even bothered to take you under my wing.”[/color] He rested a hand on her shoulder. He smiled to ease the tense air, but what good would that do, especially after Paraxthyon made an appearance in his absence. He waited a moment or two before he asked calmly. [color=9e0b0f]”What did he do…”[/color] A statement more so than a question. She shrugged his hand off of her shoulder. There was a time when she would beg to be touched by him, but she didn’t feel that way now. [color=gray]”He wanted to play a game. Judging by the fact that he is gone, I must have won.”[/color] [color=9e0b0f]”What game?”[/color] He continued to push. [color=gray]”A game of truths. A silly game to play with a faerie, as you dragons aren’t very good at telling the truth. [i]Are you[/i]?”[/color] she crossed her legs under herself as she sat. He stood up and looked at her sternly. [color=9e0b0f]”Alright! Stop beating around the bush, what the hell did he say? You’re holding back-”[/color] He was taken back by what followed. [color=gray]”Oh don’t you dare!”[/color] she growled and stood up in challenge. [color=gray]”You don’t get to patronize me anymore. You promised me the truth, and you lied!”[/color] [color=9e0b0f]”I haven’t lied to you since we got here, and I have been telling the truth, Kiara, like I-”[/color] He interrupted only to have the same done to him. [color=gray]”The spies. How did you know about them, then?”[/color] she demanded, Her eyes were a fierce red now, abandoning her emotional training. He remained silent and looked towards Dovahmere. God, he was tempted to go in there and glass the town, just to make sure Paraxthyon wasn’t there. Mentally, he was tearing apart the sapphire dragon, and then burning the body and ashes. His mind fought to tell her, but his heart said don’t. So, instead of an audible answer, he remained silent. Why him? Why now? His silence was an answer enough. She didn’t want to, but her eyes welled up again and she looked away. [color=gray]”You put them there!”[/color] she hissed. [color=gray]”You put them there, and then you killed Hyumae. And you LIED to me, Sulleykaa!.”[/color] her voice was angry, but shaking. [color=gray]”I trusted you… I was even starting to-”[/color] she cut herself off there as she sucked in a sharp inhale. She needed to get herself under control if she was to be more like Cynbel. His head remained down as she told him the truth. The hard, painful truth... and he accepted it. His head lifting slightly towards the end. When she stopped herself, his head lowered again. [color=9e0b0f]”Yes...I did know. I knew who they were, because I placed them there, as I did with the Seelie... and just about every goddamn kingdom Ugin and the Children of Tiamat overthrew. When I look back at it, it sickens me. You think what I have done wrong to you is horrendous, but it still holds nothing to the other atrocities I have committed under them. Men and women, children and the elderly, sacrificed or snuffed from existence because, at the time, I believed in their damn ideals - Their vision of a reign held by scaled lords. Those were to serve under them, or die, and our family slowly grew into their beliefs. Before I met you- Well, before I met you, my mind was reading morals in reverse.”[/color] He took a step closer to her. [color=9e0b0f]”I never wanted any of this shit to begin with. I never wanted to be a part of them from the start, but sadly, that changed. It wasn’t until my love from Ashborn was executed did I swear to no longer align myself with them.”[/color] He took another step closer to her. If she wanted to strike him, he would not fight back. He would accept it, even if she wanted to kill him, he would be forever grateful. [color=9e0b0f]”You have no idea the pain and haunted memories I contain from those years. I can still see, hear, smell, touch, and - “[color] He licked his lips in disgust before looking into her eyes. [color=9e0b0f]”Do you want to see and experience everything I did and see what I have to now live with?”[/color] He asked her sincerely. [color=gray]”No.”[/color] she shoulders sank a little as she breathed out steadily. [color=gray]”I didn’t ask for this either. You took me from my father, from my home, all to groom me into this Girl of Stone. I’ve worked very hard to do what you wanted, to make you proud, even. And I asked you for one thing… one thing! Your honesty. I don’t need to know your history, not unless you wish to tell me it. But, you should have told me about that. You knew what Hyumae meant to me, you had the opportunity to tell me the truth a week ago, and you didn’t.”[/color] it dawned on her as she spoke. In all that thinking she had done after Paraxthyon left, she stupidly hadn’t considered that. She knew the purpose of the game now... He turned away from her. His voice low. [color=9e0b0f]”When we finish your training, you’re free to go as you wish. I spoke to your father about it. He is very proud of you, if that grin of his said anything. We will stop training for today, and tomorrow you have the day off. Feel free to do what you will.”[/color] He said quietly as he started to walk off. [color=gray]”No…”[/color] she said apologetically and followed after him. [color=gray]”You know I don’t want a day off. That’s not what this is about.”[/color] she touched the back of his arm with her fingertips. [color=gray]”I get it now… this is why he played the game. He wanted to turn me against you.”[/color] She sighed. Just because she understood Paraxthyon’s reasons didn’t make this any of an easier pill to swallow. [color=9e0b0f]”He was always the one who loved to play head games…”[/color] [color=gray]”He picked the wrong girl to play games with.”[/color] she smirked. She wouldn’t forgive Sulleykaar, not yet. But she wasn’t going to let Paraxthyon get in the way of her goal. [color=9e0b0f]”Is there anything else he did? Did he hurt you? Did he do anything out of the ordinary.”[/color] He looked over softly. She thought about that. She was so panicked at first, that she really didn’t notice. [color=gray]”He didn’t hurt me, no… he was actually kind of… weirdly [i]soft[/i]? He touched my cheek and smiled, and his eyes kind of glowed...”[/color] [color=9e0b0f]”Glowed? What color?”[/color] He turned to her quickly and studied her. [color=gray]”Uhh… Ermm…”[/color] her pulse quickened nervously as she tried to remember. [color=gray]”Blue… [i]I think[/i]. Yeah, blue! Why?”[/color] He mouthed what looked like a combo of “fuck,shit,dammit” [color=9e0b0f]”He knows everything about you now. Family, friends, hobbies….everything. Basically, he copied your memories.”[/color] He stated. [color=gray]”Oh…”[/color] she remarked quietly and thought about that, pacing a little bit. That wasn’t the worst thing ever… she was a pretty open book. Her pacing halted abruptly and her eyes widened. [color=9e0b0f]”What? Kiki, what is it?”[/color] he asked, narrowing his eyes in worry. [color=gray]”No.”[/color] her lip quivered at the realization. [color=gray]”NO!”[/color] she said with more force, her eyes looking off in the distance as if she was facing her own death. [color=gray]”He knows my name.”[/color] [color=9e0b0f]”Kiara...Kiara is your name, so that shouldn’t be that shocking.”[/color] He cocked his head to the side. Maybe his training and everything that has happened to her, broke her. [color=gray]”My name… my [i]real name[/i]!”[/color] she whispered in a hiss, not wanting anyone to overhear this conversation. Her eyes nervously darted around his face, waiting for the appropriate reaction, which did not come. [color=gray]”I didn’t even know it until---”[/color] her lips pressed in a tight, straight line, before she continued. [color=gray]”Until my father used it to make me go with you.”[/color] If she was asking for his honesty, then she owed him hers, even if that knowledge might hurt him. The dragon studied Kiara for a moment. This was important for her and, at the same time, dangerous. With Paraxthyon knowing her true name, he could use her against him. He wasn’t upset with her about hiding that she didn’t come of her own will. Hell, he had been hiding his entire life from her. Instead of scolding her for not telling him, he simply noded with sympathy. [color=9e0b0f]”After what I have put you through, it matters not. What matters is that he didn’t attempt to harm you.”[/color] [color=gray]”Are you kidding me?!”[/color] she squeaked with a wild look in her eyes. She looked freaked out and dangerous, like a trapped animal. [color=gray]”I would rather he did harm me! Torture, rape, death… all of that would be better than this! With my name, he can do any and all of those things when and [i]how[/i] he pleases. He could have me...”[/color] her lip quivered. [color=gray]”He could have me kill my family… or you… You can’t teach me Old Scale, Sulley!”[/color] [color=9e0b0f] “Kiki![/color] he yelled in the hopes to snap her out of it. [color=9e0b0f] “Yes. There is a possibility of that happening but, Kiara, if you're going to let that affect your training, then you're right, I'll stop; But I know you're better than that, Kiki. You are Kiara of the Unseelie Court. You’re stubborn, hard-headed, and reckless. Remember when you stupidly jumped off my head and expected me to catch you? I find this hard to believe, that if you have the balls to do some stupid shit like that, vo hahdrim, that you would let this bother you. I will say, though, this is the reality of war. People live and die. Family and friends. Aunts, uncles, cousins… no one in safe. But, there is one thing that stands in his and the Children of Tiamat’s way…”[/color] Kiara was sucking in air in quick, whimpering breaths. He wasn’t taking her seriously. He wasn’t thinking about any of this the right way. Yes, she makes decisions that he doesn’t approve of, but they are still [i]her[/i] decisions to make. [color=gray]”It is you who is the vo hahdrim.”[/color] she growled, rather sick of the nickname that she was pretty sure she figured out the meaning of. [color=gray]”This means that I am no longer the only one who controls my choices, my [i]life[/i]. Father promised to never use my name again… but, you’re brother can, and he probably will. He hasn’t yet, so we need to do something about it before he does.”[/color] [color=9e0b0f]“And what do you suppose we do? Find him and kill him? Like you said, he has your name. But, let me remind you of what he’s capable of: Magically, he is my rival. Intelligence wise, he is my equal. He has his own personal army [I]ON TOP[/I] of an Armada, as do I. If you and I go to wherever he is right now, we’ll be found swiftly, and then death will follow, because you would have played into his mind game. I tell you now, he won't use it. Instead, he remind you that he knows it.”[/color] Kiara looked broken and defeated. She didn’t cry, instead, she crumpled down into heap of faerie on the ground, with her face in her hands. She couldn’t ever remember feeling this small. Yes, Paraxthyon had all of those things, and now, Sulleykaar was letting him have her as well. [color=9e0b0f]”This isn't fair, I know. Nothing ever is, and I wish that this didn't happen to you. I wish I met you outside of these circumstances. But I want you to know, if anything was to happen, I'd give my life for you or your father. ”[/color] His eyes softened at the last part. He hoped that it would never come to that, but this was war, and there was a prophecy in the mix. Anything could happen. Kiara peeked up at him from her spot on the ground. Her eyes were a new color altogether. They were yellow… not the shimmering gold of when she was playful and excited, but a pale yellow. [color=gray]”This [b]scares[/b] me, Sulleykaar.”[/color] She admitted, bringing to light that, in the grand scheme of all of this, she was still very much a child. She might be physically mature, but she was only 30 years old in this world full of sempiternal beings and warfare. In the lavish, palatial lifestyle in which she was raised, she had never really come to know fear before. She had tasted it in others, but never felt it for herself. [color=9e0b0f]” As you should be. It's healthy to feel fear and doubt.”[/color] he walked over and sat down next to her, resting an arm over her shoulder. Kiara leaned in and rested her head against him for comfort as he spoke. [color=9e0b0f]”Humans like Felix, during wartime, always prepare for war the best ways they can, but they are still afraid. No one wants to die. Death is an unwelcomed friend that only the elderly and those of war accept with open arms. It looms over us like a shadow, waiting for the time to take us as a friend...I think it's about time for us to start your final lesson.”[/color] He said as he raised two smokey black fingers and looked at her, placing them on the side of her temple. Hope-filled eyes and a soft smile looked back at her. Kiara jerked away, [color=gray]”What are you doing?”[/color] she asked quickly, feeling betrayed, yet again. The last time a dragon touched her face with smokey magic, he learned her name and everything else about her. Sulleykaar stood up and moved behind her as her vision began to darken. He scooped her up and said: [color=9e0b0f]”Starting your final lesson.”[/color] before he brought her over to the mystical tree. Kiara gripped Sulleykaar’s arms tight as the blindness settled in and she felt herself being swept up and carried. He laid her gently against the tree as her eyes fluttered shut. She was only able to mouth “final lesson?” Before her vision fully betrayed her he nodded. [color=9e0b0f]”Peace…”[/color] He whispered softly.