To Find Ones Self (Open)

[Xenoxice]

The day was cloudy and not all that appealing.  A heavy rain spanned the environment and soaked all that it touched.  The sun hidden behind the clouds above and the air hazy with the moisture.  A perfect fit for Zarvik.  He was no fan of bright and cheery environments after all being undead.  No memory of what or who he once was.  Only what came after.  He sat perched atop a massive archway with broken draconian statues lining either side in perfect placement.  It was quite the sight to see from the ground.  Even to a dragon the statues, although broken, were impressive in magnitude of size and detail.  Quite a shame they lay in ruin from some unknown battle or reason.  But still, for some strange reason this place seemed to call to Zarvik.  Beckoning him... inviting him to stay.  He had no idea why but it was the only thing he knew for sure so he found at least a small amount of comfort within this feeling.  A large cave, with an entrance big enough to fit several dragons at once lay in the side of a cliff just beyond the archway.  Perhaps it had once been home to some of his kin or another draconian clan?  No matter, Zarvik had made it his home.  Isolated from the rest of the world, this place in particular was surrounded by sheer cliffs on all sides with only a very narrow footpath leading through crevices in the rocks to enter here from the ground.  Only large enough for small mammals such as mountain lions, deer and wolves.  Of course they never ventured here so it made it all the better to him.  Inside the cave over time he had used his magic to erode a crater within the darkest recesses and fill it with his own acidic poison.  The crater about the size of a small lake with an island in the center which is where he spent most of his time. Surrounded by his element.  A purple glow radiated from the pool inside streaked by lines of an almost blueish green oil swirling and shining brightly on the surface of it.  No, it wasn't oil, nor algae of any kind.  It was raw magic that concentrated, condensed and seeped from his body as he slept and found itself in the dangerous liquid.

It was hard to imagine the level of magic used to keep him 'alive' so to speak.  Still, he had no idea who had done it or why.  It mattered little as the person was probably long dead and gone by now.  Still, there was a feint yearning within to find out about his past and to find that special one who could keep him under control and handle him.  Not something he dwelled on by any means but it was still somewhere buried in the back of his mind, pushed away most of the time only to surface momentarily throughout the years.  Looking up to the sky as the rain poured, he slowly flared his wings out and held them there before thrusting them to send himself skyward, peaking above the cliff peaks around him for just a moment to see the valleys outside the ruins before turning backward into a full dive, catching himself at the last second to guide himself straight into the cave.  His eyes while able to see fairly well in the dark on their own, he followed the scent of his magic more than his eyesight to guide him through the expansive tunnel that led to his own little place of rest.  Landing upon the island in the center, big enough for two but only housing himself at the present, he lay himself down and gave a small sigh.  Unfortunately in his mind, this was one of those rare days he wished to have company.  The feeling usually passed by nightfall but still, he barely knew how to communicate well with others without attempting to threaten them and scare them off.  So how would he be able to have anyone in the first place?  Something he would have to figure out he supposed...

[Relairah]

(c) Aveilthe

Indeed, the day was gloomy. It mirrorred the feelings within her. It had been so long since her world had changed so drastically. She had been so many places, yet still she was searching. Most of her time had been spent wandering the lands, tracing footsteps that weren't even her own to try and find something. How she wished her father were still with her. She felt robbed.
Yet she was no longer angry. He had moved on and found peace, and she was glad for that. Still, she felt so alone. Lacrimosa was gone -
with no clues as to her whereabouts. And the place she'd once called home had been left in ruins. Much like the lands over which she now flew. She had taken to the skies - hoping to find relief in the feel of wind rushing past and the rain soaking along her fur and scales.

Mascamora was a magnificent creature. Not quite wolf, nor demon, nor dragon. Some mixture in between. She was white save for the trail of pink scales flowing down her neck all the way to the tip of her long tail and the pink horns that curled toward her head along her back as well as the two around her ears in ram-like fashion. As she flew, she glanced at the world below. It was then that something caught her eye. Another nearby. What was that?

Her brows furrowed as whatever it had been disappeared into the cliffside, framed by the ruins of what must have been a glorious structure featuring dragons. She slowed, tucking her four wings to her body and finally they vanished as her paws met the cliffside and she stepped into the tunnel. It was enormous - signficantly larger even than the greatest Druins she had ever encountered. She grimmaced. She could sense the immense flow of magic within. Should she continue? Her curiosity and lonliness got the better of her.

"Hello?" she called, her feminine voice bouncing down the tunnel and off of the water's surface.

[Xenoxice]

His eyes had been closed, well on his way to sleeping but that was soon interrupted.  A female voice bouncing down along the walls of the cave.  While the cave was deep, it wasn't twisted or winding.  It was actually completely straight.  at night time one would be able to see the glow from the pond within from the entrance.  But during the day it would be a bit harder to see into the dark.  Zarvik's mouth began to crack open, a deep and cackling guttural growl escaping from it that would echo down the walls.  Brilliant sparking purple embers of magic would rise from his mouth before fading away like from a fire.  "You must be brave.... Or foolish...." His voice was one that could never be forgotten once heard.  It was deep.  It crackled with the very magic that kept him alive and it was sharp.  Upon hearing it most would say it sounded like steel blades cutting through the air and into their minds.  Zarvik stood up upon his island and leaped across the pond, landing on the other side with a great impact.  His eyes opened narrowly as he stepped forward slowly from the darkness within the cave.  This small creature that stood before him seemed minuscule in comparison to his own frame.  He bent his neck down so his face was just a few feet away.  "What reason do you have for being here?"  His question although simple seemed cold and uninviting.  Even threatening as though being protective over this location.  He had made it his home after all since so few ever pass along the way.

[Relairah]

(c) Aveilthe

As she stepped into the cave, the glow of magic caught her attention, though she waited. Her long ears flicked forward at the sound of the voice. It was male and clearly came from something very large. Which she had assumed given the mere size of the tunnel, let alone the cave at its end based on what little she could see. Brave or foolish? Perhaps she was both. But at this moment, neither mattered. She smiled wryly to herself, though it faded once the dragon emerged and dipped its head to her level. It was not her first encounter with a dragon, and she simply took it in. It may not be the first time, but she still always found them quite awe-inpsiring.

There was something about this one. "Curiosity," she answered. "I was flying past when you dove into your tunnel... you caught my eye."
She was honest. There was no point in being otherwise. She studied him a moment from what she was able to take in. What was it about him that felt familiar to her? She couldn't yet pin-point it. Yet, it was there. Something about the magic emanating from him.

She kept these thoughts to herself. "I am merely a wanderer in search of... self. And of knowledge." Again the wry smile found its way onto her lips.

[Xenoxice]

Zarvik narrowed his eyes at this small creature that was before him.  As he did, the plethora of colors within his eyes seemed to swirl around one another slowly before settling back into their places.  His expression none to pleasing to the eye as it was not inviting by any means but still, it seemed to have something hidden underneath it, and hidden very well.  A rough, crackling chuckle escaped his throat after he had listened to the words spoken before him.  "Curiosity you say?  Do all creatures that could so easily swallow you whole fascinate you in such a manner?  If so then you are foolish indeed."  His neck straightened upward a little bit as he began to raise his neck to its full extent.  "As for being a wanderer.  I suppose I can relate to that in some way.  Knowledge isn't something commonly found around this area if you haven't been here before."  Zarvik's response seemed to calm down a little more in his tone.  It was a little less hostile for sure.  "Now.... in search of your 'self'...."  Zarvik sat down on his hind legs, curling his large wings by his sides, sparking purple embers rising out of his mouth as he spoke.  Raw magic glowing ever so faintly, slowly venting from the rotted holes along his neck.  "That is something I myself am still doing."  Zarvik's eyes opened slightly wider as he actually for once seemed to be speaking with a slight interest.  "So tell me, little one, why are you searching for yourself?  And what knowledge do you happen to be looking for?"

[Relairah]

(c) Aveilthe

Mascamora frowned as the dragon decided she was foolish. She shifted under his gaze, but did not flee. Instead, she looked elsewhere from his face. As he stretched and moved himself to what appeared to her a more relaxed position, she then noticed the rot in his flesh. Her brow furrowed. Was it possible?

Her ears flicked and she shifted her gaze once more toward his face. "In the world outside of this place, my kind are looked on with many things, among them curiosity, respect, fear even. So yes, when I am accustomed to looking down to others, height-wise at least, I find those I must look up to to be fascinating indeed. Especially in such a grand way." She paused, "But it was not your size that caught my eye. The magic flowing from you... and from this place is abnormal. Its very presence is..." her lips twisted as she tried to think of the appropriate word, "blaring."

She felt silent once more, considering his question. He was also searching for self? It was possible he could merely be a young dragon. Though she doubted it. Especially from the condition of his physical form. The amount of magic he exuded was beginning to make sense. And now she wished she had spent more time in the towers of her homeland with her nephew. Perhaps she would not have so many internal questions. Then again there was another possibility... though she was hesitant to think it, let alone say it.

She spoke once more. "My life has been... complex, you could say. I was hated from birth save for my sister, the gods bless her wherever she is, yet despite her affection, I was tormented. I take after my father, and that alone was enough to condemn me. He was a demon of a Druin in life. It was only after I left my home that I realized there was more than the critical, judging eyes of the subjects. I discovered my own magic and my ability to walk among the spirits. Perhaps it was chance, or perhaps fate. I met my father's ghost and against his warning, I also discovered I alone had been granted the gift to pass a second chance on to him."

She smiled bitterly. "Of course, once his life was given back, he determined to use it to redeem himself. He was able to find peace. But that left me alone again. And so here I am. Maybe it's purpose instead of mere knowledge I seek. Even the one I once loved is gone."

She focused on the dragon once more. "And you? Why are you searching for your self?"

[Xenoxice]

Zarvik managed to control himself and his usual impatience, sitting quietly and listening to every word the creature before him spoke.  He found most of it amusing and rather.... ironic in a sense.  To be able to recall ones own past so easily.  His own past... Forgotten.  And here was a creature that had no issue with doing the very thing he wanted most.  He let forth a short lived light laugh.  He stared for just a moment before he himself began to speak.  "Yes, the magic here can be rather.... overwhelming to any who have no magical abilities.  And even to those who do, the longer you stay here, the stronger the awareness of its presence becomes.  My own magic permeates the cave and even more so where I reside within."  He stopped as a slightly twisted smirk crossed his face.  "Do heed my warning and avoid touching the water within lest you perish in a very short and painful death I am the only one who can touch it unharmed.  As for your question regarding why I am searching for myself... perhaps it better for you to first understand, when you die, if you are resurrected by magic you have no comprehension of your surroundings.  You don't remember anything of your former self nor your past or anything linked to it and yet you are still.... you."  He paused but a brief moment to let his words sink in.  "So with that in mind, do tell me, what would you do if you were to die this very instant only to return... 'alive' more or less, and be able to recall absolutely nothing of the years of your life you have already lived?  Waking up and seeing just this place and it being the only thing you know.  It's as if being born a second time only you remember everything from the moment you open your eyes and the rest of your life was your time before birth.  Would you not want to know what that life was?  Who you were, what you did, who your family was or are?"  His eyes narrowed slightly as if waiting to see what her response would be.  "Zarvik."  He stated simply after awaiting to see if she would say anything in return.  Not quite one for manners obviously but it seemed he was at least becoming less hostile.  "My name is Zarvik.  The few I have encountered have nicknamed me 'The Lost One' given my... circumstances.  What little I have learned of myself, my species is known as the 'Harbingers of Death'.... The Shadow Dragons.  I believe I'm not the only one of my kind, however, I believe this place holds something... unique about my species.  It is why I am here.  Hoping, in vain I might add, for something to happen that might bring a little more clarity to my questions."  His eyes drifted around to all the broken statues and ruined archways scattering the landscape, save for the one archway that was still standing, towering above them before momentarily looking back down.  "Searching for ones self comes before searching for their purpose.  My purpose means nothing to me.  How can one expect to know what to do if they don't know who they are?"  For his lack of knowledge about himself and his less than pleasant attitude, Zarvik appeared very wise.  Which insinuated he wasn't of a young age, especially for dragonkin.  His appearance partly due to his undead condition, but also due to his maturity.

[Relairah]

(c) Aveilthe

The albino Druiness raised her brows at his words as he first explained his magic to some degree and then talked of resurrection. How ironic for this creature before her to be telling her this, as if she had no knowledge. But of course, he wouldn't know that. And further, she was very much intrigued. It was so far past curiosity. She had heard that there were others out there besides herself, capable of bringing the dead back to life. Yet she had never learned much. Her magic was special, she knew. And he just confirmed it with his words. She had raised not just her father, but one other, and both had been completely aware of their past. Who had been the one to bring this dragon back, she wondered, and what magic, specifically, did he or she possess? Was it the opposite of hers? She had always felt her connection with the spirit world was not that of a necromancer. She did not call on the dead to dance with magic.
No, she instead offered a second chance at life. Her magic was a gift, not a curse.

There was something about this creature before her. She sensed torment. Though perhaps she was wrong. From the words he uttered and his explanation, she could only imagine his difficulty. What, truly, was it like to not even know who you were?

When he paused, she snorted slightly. "It seems we then are on two very different and yet similar quests. To answer you, I have no idea what I would do if I died and woke up with no memories of my life whatsoever. It'd be tragic. Or perhaps a blessing. Maybe even a new start, though I'm not sure how I'd respond to the judgement from others when they'd remember me and I could not. However, it would all depend on who brought me back. The one who filled you with the magic to live must have had a purpose, and yet did not necessarily have goodwill in mind. I am speaking from experience when I tell you that you're wrong in thinking all those who return from the dead are like you. My father was entirely aware of his life and even his time in the spirit world. It was why he was so set on redemption. There is one other I have returned from the dead... although that was a decision I never should have made." She couldn't help the contempt in her voice as she spoke of the latter.

She fell silent as he introduced himself and what he had learned, including his kind and then brought up searching for self versus searching for purpose. "I am very aware of who I am. Mascamora, daughter of Endymion and Moria, heiress to the throne of Giaku, though the kingdom is no more." She felt bitterness and anger in her heart as she said the words. "Those names would mean nothing to someone with no memories, though," she said. "Everything in my lineage and my past speaks of conflict. Here I am... I feel almost as though I was literally born for something heinous, and yet my magic is something that offers hope and light to the world. How am I to reconcile that? And yet my father had the same fate. He was gifted with divinity, and yet he used it for the worst of crimes. Nevertheless, I am determined to prove to the world that I am not the Druin he was. For you, have you ever thought of trying to find the one who brought you back? How long have you been among the living once again?"

[Xenoxice]

Zarvik listened to the words of this Druin that stood before him. Although he seemed to disagree internally with some of her views, he found the irony that the very gift she had within her is both the very same type of magic that he found most intriguing..... and loathed entirely. "To put it simply, longer than you've been alive I can assure you. I've witnessed the war from afar in the skies that have ravaged the land in many areas and seen the efforts in trying to restore some semblance of what was lost. Yes, I've seen the packlands in the far distance. Before and after. Both of which occurred years after my resurrection. As for your question about whether not no I've thought about searching for the one who brought me back..." Zarvik paused as his eyes narrowed. The chromatic colors within them began to glow faintly. The embers that flow from his his mouth increasing in intensity and amount. "I've already found him. And served his judgement for meddling in things that should not be meddled in." His voice seemed to grow once more a little more unnerving. "Life and death are not to be tampered with by anyone. What is dead should stay that way and the same as for what is alive until its time comes to pass. Whether or not anyone fully regains themselves is merely up to chance if brought from death and is disturbing the flow of nature. A soul once separated from the body will never fully return and is bound by magic for the remainder of their unnatural 'life'."

Zarvik's expression grew more sour by the moment as he spoke, his inner feelings very clearly coming forth. It seemed as he spoke, a light purple fog began to creep from the corners of his mouth that matched the very same hue in his eyes.  One would be wary of getting close to it if able to sense magic.  "I never asked to be brought back nor did I wish to.  The ONLY thing I know about my past is the one who brought me back did it for the complete purpose of testing their own magical abilities.  A second chance means nothing if the one given the chance wanted to lay in peace.  I can understand to a degree if someone asked to be brought back but if they don't...."  He paused for a moment bringing his head down once more to Mascamora's level. "Do.  Not.  Meddle."  His words were sharp and cold as if giving a warning.  Raising his head back up to its former position, his eyes began to dim once again.  "I was found in these very ruins.  Nothing more than a corpse used for magical practice by somebody who didn't even know me.  Here I will stay until I find out what happened to me."  Zarvik's eyes stared down at Mascamora.  "My only solace is knowing this area of the world has remained untouched for as long as I've been aware.  I've searched for my kind for a while and have yet to find even one...."



Where is that magic coming from.... I know that feeling all too well.... The thought kept running through his mind over and over and over.  It was hard to pinpoint the source in these rocky hills and cliffs, but the aura that magic gave off was unmistakable.  "It can't be him.... There's no way..." Zyranax bolted through the skies like thunder thanks to his smaller frame and larger wings.  It wasn't until he spotted the ruins far below that he found what he had been searching for.  "Is that....?!"  He exclaimed before plummeting towards the ruins below, only to catch his fall at the last moment to land softly mere feet away from Zarvik and this other creature who was standing before him.  Completely dwarfed in size comparison, Zyranax even though being a dragon himself, had to look upwards a bit towards the other dragon standing before him.  His head cocked to the side a bit as he examined the larger dragon, his face contorting in hard thought and concentration before finally speaking.... "Is that you.... Zarvik..?"  Zyranax's voice was virtually the polar opposite of Zarvik's.  It was as smooth and calm as the scales that lined his body and deep.  Soft and even somewhat nurturing in tone.

Zarvik looked upon this new stranger as he landed with almost disgust in his eyes.  Glaring at the obviously younger dragon that seemed to be looking him over.  Great.... how many more people can show up to... His thought was interrupted when this stranger called him by name.  More than a little shocked his eyes opened wide while his pupils narrowed.  "Who are you?"  he demanded in a quick and snappy tone.

Zyranax inhaled deeply and sighed.  "I see.... You were gone for too long if you've forgotten who I am.  The resurrection must have been to late to bring you back completely.  I am Zyranax.  Your closest friend to be exact.  I am a Night Dragon, cousins to the Shadow Dragons such as yourself.  More or less your species are the.... soldiers, or to put it more accurately, guardians of the Night Dragons.  Each Shadow Dragon hatchling is appointed to a Night Dragon hatchling upon birth.  They spend their entire lives growing up side by side with the Shadow Dragons being taught to always serve and protect us.  We give the Shadow Dragons solace in our homes and provide for them in exchange for their protection as we are.... undoubtedly not without many enemies who would see us destroyed."  Zyranax paused as he sat down upon his hind legs and looked up to Zarvik.  "Our situation is..... rather unique however.  I was exiled at a younger age by my parents from our clan... but being my best and only friend you chose to exile yourself from yours to continue protecting me... A debt I have never been able to repay you.  You fell here at these very ruins guarding me from one of our enemies who had been tracking us for a long time from a distance.  The battle ended in a draw..."  Zyranax closed his eyes momentarily as his head drooped down, recalling the events of that fateful day in which he lost the only person he had ever truly cared about.  Upon opening his eyes he stared down at the creature that was also present.  "Oh.... You're a...... Druin are you not?  Night Dragons are well traveled and knowledgable.  I've seen your kind before but.... not so much as of late... What are you doing here exactly so far away from most of the wolf territories?"

[Relairah]

(c) Aveilthe

Mascamora frowned as the dragon grew more firm, irritable even. She could sense his inner wrath about the whole subject, and resisted the urge to roll her eyes in her disagreement. Fate had not smiled kindly on him, clearly. And it was indeed a shame that the necromancer who brought him back had done so for no good reason or intention. But that didn't mean that his opinion applied to every circumstance. Still, she felt her arguing would do no good and may even turn things for the worst, so instead she resolved to meet his eyes and listen as he spoke. She was further intrigued as he shared more of his story. He had been here for that long... alone? Why hadn't he gone farther, tried to gain back a remnance of his past, or even tried to start a new beginning? Couldn't he see that regardless of intention, he had been given a gift? Another opportunity?

It was at that moment that an idea struck her. She felt a tingle of anticipation to announce it, at the same time hesitant for his reaction. Before she could voice her thoughts, they were interrupted by another. She quickly noted this newcomer was also dragonkin. She was slightly incredulous as Zyranax introduced himself and went on to not only fill in blanks but freely give away valuable information... at least she assumed it must be for Zarvik and his dilemma.

It was then the newest arrival acknowledged her. She smiled coyly, shifting slightly. She had no intention of repeating her life story at that moment. "Well, if you're so traveled and knowledgable, surely you must know the reason for Druins being so... scarce. However, my journey has nothing to do with the lack of Druin presence elsewhere. I am on a quest of self-discovery, if you will. Or perhaps merely trying to flee my problems. Who knows?"

She glanced toward Zarvik, curious as to what he was making of everything Zyranax had suddenly plopped in his lap, so to speak. How fortunate for him to have been reunited with an old friend. Or perhaps someone more dear than that, family in a sense. She felt a slight bitter irony at the thought. A reuniting with any of her current family would not be so wonderfully pleasant for her, she was certain. Even the one member of her family she still maintained relations with kept her at a slight distance. Really, after all this time, she would have thought her mother would've gotten over her likeness to her father.

Before she would speak again, she waited. She wasn't certain if now was the time, with the arrival of Zyranax, to share the idea she had had.

[Xenoxice]

((Woo!  Feel like I'm necroing an old thread lol.  5 years with no response but it feels like it was yesterday!!))

Zarvik felt himself at a loss to this sudden influx of information.  If Zyranax knew of the events surrounding his demise, surely he could tell him how long ago it was of his passing?  Or perhaps give details as to whom or what exactly it was that had slain him.  Many questions were suddenly answered and yet for each one now solved, ten more seemed to rise from the depths of his mind.  There was some degree of somber happiness behind what has been revealed however.  "Zyranax..."  For the first time since most of his speaking, Zarvik's voice had been calm.  One might even say a small degree of timidness like a child about to cry could be found deep within his tone.  "If you know everything you say you do, why not tell me everything you know this moment?"  Zarvik's eyes watched Zyranax closely.  They did not narrow nor show any sign of distrust or malice, but watched him unblinking with each passing moment in anticipation for an answer.

Zyranax acknowledged the Druin's answer with a small chuckle of sorts and a faint smile on one side of his face  "Oh ho!  My my, then you are not that dissimilar from myself then no?  A wanderer of sorts.  Looking for something but never searching for it?  Fleeing but never running?  Always moving just taking things as they come, wondering what will finally reveal to you that which you did not know you needed to see?  Pardon my expressions.  Life alone in this manner has made me philosophical in a sense.  I try to see the bigger picture in all things."  With his words, Zyranax found himself slowly slumping down into a much relaxed and laying posture.  Head and neck still held high while his body pressed against the cool ground in a manner not to far from a wolf curled among its pack asleep.  Letting out a rather impressive yawn exposing every one of his wonderfully sharp teeth, he turned his gaze unto Zarvik whom began speaking.  His tone and words reflected what his true feelings were in that moment in his heart and Zyranax sympathized with him greatly.  "I am sorry Zarvik.  Night dragons are well versed in necromancy laws and the effects even if we don't practice it ourselves.  In your case, revealing too much to you too quickly could very well send you into a psychotic rage of broken memories even if you have no intentions of such actions.  Your memories may be restored to you but must be done gradually over time.  I will answer two questions for you each day that passes giving your mind and spirit time to re-sync so to speak.  Process and reflect on each answer given for a day to accept it and remember.  Piece by piece things will fall into place and memories will be triggered as a result."  Zyranax turned his gaze down to the Druin that had been sitting what appeared to be quite patiently as a bystander witnessing the reunion of two long lost friends.  "Perhaps our little friend here may have some ideas we may entertain for the time being?  After all I have given you two answers for today already Zarvik.  Who we are to each other and the circumstances around your death."