[center] [h1][color=orange][b][u]Kalmar[/u][/b][/color][/h1] [h3][color=orange]God of the Hunt[/color] and [color=cyan]Lord of Winter[/color][/h3] [/center] [hr] From the sea to the west of Kalgrun, a lone beast flew. Large, dark red, and covered with scales, it was like nothing that the continent had ever seen. It might have been frightening, had it not been so exhausted. At a dangerously low altitude, it wavered, zigged, and zagged through the air, unable to maintain a straight course. The mere act of flapping its wings spread torturous stabs of agony throughout its body. And the moment it crossed over land, no longer having to fear the ocean of water beneath it... it gave up. It crashed into the ground, knocking aside trees and brush, leaving massive rut of mud and dirt in its wake. Its eyes closed, and it lost consciousness. Its arrival, however, had not gone unnoticed... [hr] Kalmar stood before the beast, and poked it with the branch of a felled tree. It did not stir, but he knew it still lived. He looked at the destruction it had caused, and shook his head, but he did not hold it against the monster. It was clearly unintentional. He was more interested in where the monster came from. Tough scales, sharp claws and teeth, strong wings. It was a mighty predator. Who made it? Where did it come from? To find out, he rested a hand on the beast's nose, and reached into its memories. He saw visions of an army, created at the hands of Ekon and Sartravius, one of whom Asceal had warned him about. Among the other dragons, this creature had been the smallest and the runtiest. Then he saw visions of destruction - senseless destruction - as the beasts ravaged the forests of Dragon's Foot. The vision filled him with anger, though he noted this particular dragon had held back. After that came visions of battle, as the dragons clashed with Asceal and Shengshi themselves. The angels were there too, and Kalmar felt a touch of concern as he saw... Makab? That was the name Asceal given the being he helped create. He did not see the battle's outcome, however, because this dragon fled. Not out of cowardice, but out of... a lack of purpose. The dragon did not understand why it had to fight; it had no quarrel with those beings or with the forest. The violence or slaughter was neither shocking nor appalling; this dragon merely saw no point to it. It had stayed near the rear, and while most of its kin were engaged and distracted it fled. What it did fear was its master's punishment, however, which is why it fled across the ocean and never looked back, even though such a decision had nearly been its death. Still, Kalmar couldn't help but respect the creature's pragmatism. Additionally, these memories confirmed that Asceal's warning about Sartravius had at least been correct. So perhaps she had not knowingly deceived him. All in all, it was good news. Only one problem remained; what was to be done with this creature. Kalmar pulled his hand away, and suddenly the creature's eyes opened to looked up at him. It opened its mouth to breathe fire, but only hot air came out. Though it was exhausted and out of energy, some fight still remained. Kalmar could respect that as well. [color=orange]"I am not here to kill you,"[/color] the Hunter said. The beast's mouth closed, but its eyes remained fixed on Kalmar's. [color=orange]"It's impressive that you came this far. You took the worst possible route, but you could not have known that. You kept at it, and in the end, you made it."[/color] The winged beast let out a long, defeated moan. [color=orange]"From a battle that served no purpose, between a master who did not care about you, and those who did not deserve to die, when you had nothing to gain. You made the right choice."[/color] The dragon groaned. Most creatures would perceive it to be out of pain, but Kalmar detected an uncertainty within. [color=orange]"He just attacked two gods, who would have killed you had you stayed. He has bigger problems to worry about, and so do you."[/color] The beast was silent, and so Kalmar continued. [color=orange]"You're in a new land you don't know, without a leader, and with nowhere to go. You are weak, tired, and at least four gods have some reason to kill you, even if they are unlikely to pursue you directly. While you did make the best choice, it did not leave you in a good position."[/color] [color=orange]"I know why you fled. You are no coward. You were smarter, and in a way stronger, than the rest of your kin. I can leave you here. You will be free to overcome your obstacles by yourself, and decide your own path, for good or for ill."[/color] The creature gave an almost imperceptible nod, so weary it could barely lift its head. [color=orange]"But there is another path. My name is Kalmar. Sartravius, the God who created you? I match him in power. And while Sartravius is the God of Heat, and I am the God of both the Hunt and the Cold. The land we stand on now? I raised it from the sea, and created much of its life. I now require creatures to help guard that life, from beings like your creator, who would senselessly destroy it. Does that purpose appeal to you?"[/color] Several long seconds passed as the creature remained silent. If not for his divine senses, Kalmar would have thought it died or fell unconscious again. Then, it nodded once more. Kalmar nodded, seeing into the beast's thoughts and knowing it had not lied. [color=orange]"Good choice."[/color] And then he went to work. He reached out to touch the dragon's scales, and poured power into the beast. It grew in size, and as it grew, Kalmar flew into the air to keep up with the change. The growth continued until it was large enough to match the monster that once led it into battle. For once, Kalmar made an exception to his rule, and ensured that the creature no longer needed to eat, for he knew there was no ecosystem which could sustainably support it. Even after it reached its full size, the power continued to flow. The creature's eyes turned to a glowing dark blue, while the colour of its scales shifted to a lighter blue. The spine on its back, the spikes on its tail, the skin of its wings, and even its claws became an icey white. Two necks with two heads sprouted from either side of the first, along with another pair below them. At the very tip of its tail, and icey axeblade appeared. Then Kalmar finished, and floated backward to give it space. The Dragon, its energy restored, rose its feet and stretched out its wings. It lifted its five heads and stretched its multiple necks, testing the new appendages, before pointing them skyward. Glowing plumes of blue... fire? No, that wasn't it. It was like fire, but it froze rather than burned. Coldfyre, he would call it. It had been a necessary change, Kalmar had reasoned - fire would spread and go out of control, consuming entire forests. Cold was much more contained but no less deadly. It would still destroy, but there would be less collateral damage. [color=cyan]"I am... different."[/color] the dragon spoke - a rather obvious statement. Its voice was deeper, and more refined. [color=orange]"You are a creature of cold instead of heat,"[/color] Kalmar informed [i]him[/i]. [color=orange]"You need a name. I will call you Vendral."[/color] [color=cyan]"Vendral... that name will suffice. I will need time to get used to this form, but... thank you."[/color] [color=orange]"Good. Now it's time to return to the place from where you fled."[/color] [color=cyan]"What? Why?"[/color] The Hunter's voice was grim. [color=orange]"To find out what happened. To reinforce those who were attacked, if they need it. To kill the attackers, if there is nobody to reinforce."[/color] [color=cyan]"I fled because I wanted no part in it. You know this,"[/color] Vendral protested. [color=orange]"And you wanted no part in it because it was pointless. But if you had the power to stop it... would you?"[/color] A few moments passed, and then, reluctantly, the dragon's central head nodded. [color=orange]"Well, now you do. Let's go put a stop to it."[/color] And with those words, the God of Cold mounted the dragon. [color=orange]"You're more than capable of making the journey now."[/color] And so Vendral flapped his wings and took flight. [hr] [hider=Summary] A dragon arrives at Kalgrun, having fled from the Dragon's Foot. Out of sheer exhaustion, it crashes. Kalmar finds it and goes through its memories, from its creation to the Battle of the Nanhe. Kalmar sees potential in the creature and decides to grant it power, on the condition that it agree to serve him. They then head back to the Dragon's Foot to find out the outcome of the battle. [/hider] [hider=Might Summary] [b][u]Kalmar[/u][/b] [b]Portfolios:[/b] Hunting, Cold. [b]Starting MP:[/b] 2 [b]Starting FP:[/b] 2 [u]Expenditures[/u] -2FP (Enhanced by Cold Portfolio) to create Vendral, a Beast of Phenomenal Power. [u]Portfolios in Progress[/u] -Fishing (5/5) -Endurance (1/5) [b]Remaining MP:[/b] 2 [b]Remaining FP: [/b] 0 [/hider]