Rise of the Ancients

[Scarlet]

Scarlet grunted her consent and brushed off his request to stay alive. If it were her time to die then she would gladly do so fighting. Without another word she covered the distance to the treetop community with a quiet grace that no one would see coming. It had been centuries since a dragon had reason to attack a community of humanoids. Indeed, it had been so long that most of the lore about killing Dragons had faded from memory. Scarlet knew the myriad ways to bring down her own kind, but they were treasured secrets not to be sold lightly.

Upon her descent the Red realized that someone had come before her, decimating the small population of what looked like an outpost. Some people just had all the luck. As she neared the sound of voices, small and disgustingly humanoid, Scarlet teased them a little. A glimpse of a red blur, an intricately scaled underbelly, never enough to give a whole picture. Then one puny little elf began shooting blind. Arrows weren’t a real threat to a dragon such as Scarlet; her scales were interlocked tightly because she was made for war. The few arrows that found their mark would be nothing more than a stinging sensation and an annoyance used to fuel the rage she required to stay in form.

She landed hard on the top of one of the trees, it groaned painfully under her weight, and she lifted her head and roared loud in exhilaration. She felt the arrows of two little elves bouncing off her scales, so she swiveled her head down and snapped one up before he could shoot the next arrow. His scream was cut short as she chomped down on his brittle bones and delighted in his sweet metallic blood. The next elf was knocked flying into the air and bit in half before he could register his comrade’s death.

Scarlet roared again and vaulted into the air spiraling down the tree to what looked like two platforms used for ground protection. More arrows. More archers. More annoyance and aggravation for Scarlet to deal with. On the way to the platform she roared, scooped up two scrambling elves in her claws and crushed them tight, making elf oatmeal in her clawed foot. She hovered for a moment licking the blood and elf goo out from between her claws before turning on the archer that seemed to have the idea that his four other bretheren had bad aim. She growled deep and low, racing down at him in a barreling of red and gold scales, ripping him from his post as if he were nothing more than a passing nuisance to be dealt with. She swallowed him whole before landing on the ground and wreaking havoc of a whole different sort.

Her tail went through the platforms and trunk of the first tree as if it were nothing but paper. As it started to come down she opened her mouth and belched out a combination of a caustic liquid fire not unlike the consistency of lava, but extremely sticky, and a drier more typical fire. The result was that everything the fire touched erupted in a brilliant light and spread fast. Soon the tree was consumed and she went on to the next of the four she could see. There were a few opposing creatures, but there were mainly dead bodies already littering the ground in which she could consume of freely. When everything that showed itself was dead she continued decimating the tree buildings and the trees they were attached to.

She had as much fun with it as she could, knowing soon she would be forced to return to her much hated human form. Copious amounts of fire and vicious claw rakings occurred as she ripped the trees to shreds, lighting them on fire and creating a massive amount of damage for so small an area. Indeed, had they been intact she wouldn’t have been able to turn around comfortably, now though she breathed fire and laid waste to everything in sight. When the last body had been eaten she reached out to Yama, hoping he was close enough to hear her.

It is done.

[Sage]

He'd felt the deaths of innocents long before the Dragon had arrived. The scents of blood and death flooded his nose, even from miles away. The same creatures that had assailed his people during the end of the world were back, and they had brought something...large.

He didn't bother to inform the Metsuke, they would only slow him down, and if he couldn't stop the devastation they'd need to be at the capital to protect it. Instead he leaped into action, and took only the ironically named sword that had kept him safe for centuries,Oblivion. A few of the guards working Syrus' personal airdock noticed his distress as he walked out onto it, and prepared their own ships to follow him toward some unknown danger.

As they scrambled, two beings approached him at the end of the dock, one of whom was Dyani, the demigod who often lazily played in the castle courtyard. The second was Talis Rai, Syrus' close, personal, and very deceased friend.

" Syrus, I sense it, too. Who should I send? "

"No one, I'll take a detachment myself, the others are to stay here."

" Then I will go with you, I do you no good waiting here, we both know I cannot defend -- "

" You need not even be here, Alistair. You have served the Metsuke well, in life. Your bond to it was severed when I failed to save you from that Darkness. "

" Then you cannot order me to stay... "

Syrus roared, his cracking skin revealing brilliant, angry veins of magma. He watched the unflinching Alistair with great disdain, and also immeasurable sorrow. He nodded, and looked to Dyani, who seemed to be nervously awaiting an explanation.

" What is the matter, Azzy? " Her tiny voice was scarcely a whisper, though it carried a weight that revealed her to be every bit the immortal she was.

" Everything is okay, child. I need to speak to your brother, run and summon him, ask him to come to me. Then go play in the Sanctuary, don't come out 'til I send him for you. "

Tears streamed from the little girl's eyes, but she nodded and did as she was told, bursting into the building to find her brother with muffled whimpers accenting her every movement. By the time Syrus could finish speaking and finish walking the distance to the end of the dock, there was already a medium-sized airship awaiting him, as well as two smaller escort vessels approaching from the west. He stepped out onto the ship with Alistair, and directed the flow of ten or so soldiers as they took off for Darkwood.

Fifteen minutes later...

The scent of smoke filled his nostrils as they raced for the southern outpost of the elves. It was no signal fire, it could be seen even to his men that the forest was in serious danger of burning down if the fire was not contained here. It would have miles to burn, however, before it reached any other settlement, and so the immediate problem was intercepting the source of the fire.

" A dragon...by the Gods, not again. "

It had not been their first encounter with an Elder Dragon. One had lead a great army against Syrus' kingdom three years prior, and it had been all they could do to put the force down. Even then, other enemies of Algeroth had smelled blood and descended like the vultures they were, putting their way of life in serious jeopardy for the first time in centuries. As they came within range of the great hulking thing, finishing off the remains of the outpost, a young boy with fiery hair of red and gold appeared at Syrus' side, worry in his eyes. He looked down at the massacre, and tears welled into his eyes as he hugged the ancient king.

Dyami's form waned and waxed, before flooding into the body of his protector. Great golden plumage sprouted from Syrus' back simultaneously, and he immediately jumped from the ship midair, screaming toward the Dragon below. His great wings stretched to their maximum wingspan as he plummeted toward the earth, slowing him just enough to prevent harm as he slammed through an enormous felled Darkwood tree slightly to the Dragon's side. His wings retracted into nothingness, disappearing behind him as he pointed Oblivion threateningly at the creature. This would not be the first time Syrus had encountered a Dragon, and yet still he lived miraculously to do so again.

" Back to hell with you, creature! Or die like those before you! "

--

The king's body flared magnificently as it flew toward it's mark, and Alistair grinned as he watched him go. Even broken as he was now, the pyrokinetic monarch had always been a magnificent force to behold. He placed a foot on the railing of the ship, ready to jump, when suddenly the air began to whistle and crack all around the deck of the ship. Robed beings stepped forth, floating out of jet black portals which sprung to life in every direction. The beings were made of bone, carrying deadly-sharp scythes, resembling the legendary Ankou.

He knew immediately what he was seeing. Grims, from Oblivion, it was what Syrus had sensed all along. Alistair sighed deeply as he brandished a brilliant white blade with appeared at first as a wisp of choking black smoke from the air before him. He ordered the king's soldiers to attack, just as he did so, and ringing blows would echo even down to the pair of Ancients below.

[Scarlet]

At the sight of Syrus, Scarlet withdrew a few steps, twisted, and roared at him. She snapped at him when he raised his sword at her but stopped and backed up a few thundering steps when things started appearing out of portals. She snorted, obviously disgruntled by their appearance, and swung her tail at Syrus. As she did so she leapt off the ground and flew high into the sky, spiraled back down, surveying the damage she had created. It was a beautiful sight, truly.
On her descent she opened her mouth and belched more of the caustic liquid and flame. She wasn’t doing anything particularly damaging to anyone in the general area, but she was creating a circle of fire around Syrus. She clipped one of the strange flying machines with her claws, making the structure list dangerously before righting itself again. She was a flying fortress herself, one of the fastest and most deadly of her breed.

Another roar echoed off the surrounding forest before she finished her circle of fire around Syrus. It was then that she felt her body start shutting down. To everyone standing around watching the feat it would be somewhat insane. One moment there would be a brilliant and gorgeous dragon, hell bent on terrorizing for an unknown reason. The next there would be a blinding light followed by a raging ball of fire.

Scarlet fell from the sky as little more than a stark naked woman. When her body hit the ground she bounced, rolled violently through the fire she had created, and came to a stop in a tangled heap within the ring with Syrus. Despite the horrific fall she was intact, glistening eerily in the firelight, dirty from falling in the mud generated by her once massive clawed feet. From one part of her thigh there was a single arrow protruding. She shook her head and pressed her hands firmly into the soil, pushing herself up and crying out when the arrow twisted inside her leg. She fell to the side looking at her leg. She gripped at the arrow shaft and pulled it out of her leg with a sickening pop. Throwing the arrow to the side she looked up at Syrus then.

Being a dragon meant a lot of things: power, greed, knowledge, and so much more. Being a dragon trapped in a humanoid form meant that all of these things were reflected back through her eyes, which were a brilliant ice blue, dancing in the flame circle surrounding them. Her body was as near to perfection as a human could get, because of the nature of the spell cast on her it was evident that some forethought had gone into what this mage would want in a perfect woman. With blood running down her leg she curled into herself, her eyes on Syrus, but trembling with a profound weakness that could not be ignored. She didn’t care about her naked state and simply pulled her injured leg closer to her chest as if to hold in the pain. It would be healing rapidly already but it hurt like hell while that was happening.

Scarlet didn’t say a word. She simply watched Syrus with big blue eyes and a beautiful face. She knew that he knew she was the reason for the decimation, but there was really nothing she could do to defend herself against him. He could cut off her head while she lay there, her brilliant fire red hair splayed around her like a shower of sparks.

[Sage]

Syrus stomped as he took a step toward the felled beast, watching it shrink away into a defenseless woman. His body erupted with flames, ever breaching his darkened skin. His already strained mind began to tear as he held himself back from striking the creature down. As he exhaled, his breath transformed from tiny wisps of smoke to full-blown cones of angry red flame.

He hefted the full weight of his obsidian sword before him with only his left hand, and buried the end of it into the charred ground before him. Without ever turning his attention away from Scarlet, he raised his right hand into the air, streaming jets of white flame erupting from his fingertips. They spiraled upward, and exploded outward, each of them finding it's way into the chest of one of the Grims, causing them to erupt and fizzle into ash in instants.

He could still sense the Dragon in her, and her current state perplexed him in his state of stressed chaos. Why did the fate of Dragons seem so entwined with Oblivion, when one had never even been there. The last Dragon he had seen, the leader of the creature army, had only been defeated because Syrus had been forced to hire the same assassins responsible for Talis' death. The shame of that had driven him mad during the battle, and he had completely lost control and unleashed the evil God within him, which ran rampant in his kingdom for days before the Metsuke had been able to control him.

Flashbacks of that day overflowed through the telekinetic link he shared with Talis and his men, and the Descendant's eyes widened with fear as he made the connection that Syrus was unable to. Everyone had seen what happened during the war, everyone knew how and what had caused Syrus to lose control, and consequently, lose his mind. This was no random attack, it had been planned, and there was only one man he knew that was capable of controlling a Dragon.

SYRUS! It's Sieg, this is all his doing, it must be. It's a trap, you have to escape!

The message flung Syrus into an ever more uncontrollable fury, he had been tricked and it was entirely his fault. If his will had been stronger, he wouldn't have been so weak as to fall into such an obvious trap. Sieg knew everything about him, knew how he would react. He had planned for Syrus going alone, stubbornly refusing the aid of his friends, he knew that the repeat appearance of a Dragon would throw his heart into turmoil. And in all likelihood, he had planned for the creature's transformation, and Syrus' inability to slay such an innocent and helpless-looking being, wounded as it was.

Fire broke through the last of his molten plating, turning into a purely elemental monster, devoid of expression or humanoid definition. All that could be sensed of him behind the white-hot wall of fury that was his new body, was a growing darkness that threatened to consume the entire forest before the spreading fire would even be able to. Despite his complete lack of a throat, an ominous voice seeped from him like poison, ancient and indignant.

"My brother wants so desperately for me to lose control, he spends his time plotting against me, and setting the evil of every realm in my path. If you want this world to burn so badly...consider me the spark."

[Sage]

The area the fire had cleared became occupied spontaneously by numerous types of beings, all pouring in from different directions. Golems, made up of the charred earth began to animate themselves and climb out of the ground; decayed creatures of various species using the opportunity to disentomb themselves, climbing out of the fire-marred pits next to their freshly-animated brethren. More of the portals appeared at varying heights along the edge of the fires, causing hordes of the reaper-looking Grims to funnel themselves into the mortal world.

All of these creatures surrounded and marched on Syrus, hissing and roaring as they came nearer. He would go to work immediately, scorching them dozens at a time, striking them down in a wild fury. But they would only keep coming, more and more, even as more airships arrived, populated by the Metsuke. Consisting of the greatest champions of the King's Court, the Metsuke served as a secret society within the upper ranks of the military, the knighthood, and even the church, and the intellectual society. Each of them were amazingly skilled, and infamous for their deadliness in combat and their particular fields of study.

But even as they joined the fray, spraying prisms of bright light, arrows, and ringing blows of swords and other weapons into the waves of enemies; a greater threat approached.

Thunderclouds appeared overhead, a spontaneous downpour signaling the coming of Sieg. He, who would undo everything that had been taken for granted by his brother and their people, appeared as a stream of water droplets, coagulating in the drenching storm. His body appeared out of the amassing water, his true form glistening like the full moon against an explosive scene of chaos, and red fire and blood. His presence was like that of a God, surveying his works, appreciating the craftsmanship more than the actions of any one mortal.

The Metsuke would sense his presence, and coordinate their attack, but would be intercepted by a billowing cloud of smoke and ice which seemed to spew forth from the heavens. Looking skyward, Yamakage could be seen circling, creating a wall to separate Sieg, Scarlet, and Syrus from the rest of the battle. He then touched down with force, sending forces on both sides flying as he attacked headlong into the elite team of guardians, sworn to protect their king.

Sieg smiled as he paced in front of his brother, reveling in the symphony of discord playing in his ears. The sweet scent of blood, smoke, and rot filled his nostrils as he leaned his head back, savoring the sensation. It was all he had worked for, and now there was nothing to stop him from claiming the throne. Nothing but Syrus' will to hold back the beast within himself, which took a restraint that visibly shook him in his righteous madness.

His fiery body vibrated with intense waves of pain as he fought back the urge to vomit flaming hot death on his brother, knowing the act would only cause him to let go of Fortinbras, giving his brother everything he wanted.

"Let go, dear brother. There is nothing left for you to fight for. You can either release it willingly, or I can slay you and inherit it, as is my DIVINE right!" His voice was calm, almost singsong as he spoke, but he spit his last words like acid from his mouth. All around his body, several large books sprung to life, spinning out of nothingness around the hydrokinetic.

Syrus' rage was stoked further. Sieg had the Ak'Vahrs, they were complete, and he had but two components left to fully absorb their well of infinite knowledge. One was to steal away the God from his brother, and the other was to retrieve the Fang of Adriel, a task he would be accomplishing soon thereafter. Telepathically, Syrus invaded the mind of his brother, afraid that if he spoke aloud his words would become naught but death and flame.

Even with all that you have done, you truly are mad if you think you can take Fortinbras away! The power that seals him is that of the Sages and the Gods, beyond even YOU, brother!

Sieg smiled as he flooded Syrus' mind with visions of Fortinbras' tomb. The necklace that had been given Syrus hung in the middle of a black cavern in New Eden. The walls were made from obsidian, and the recognition would appear immediately on Syrus' face, pushing him to the very brink of his willpower to hold back his assault.

He has the body of a god, but he also shares the properties of a Demon. It was Kaos who stole the blueprint from Death, and improved upon it to create his General.

The knowledge of such things was supposed to be forbidden, both brothers knew it, and Syrus' madness took hold as Sieg's plan fully formulated in his mind. A nebulous cascade erupted from his chest and mouth as he attempted to attack Sieg. His fire disappeared and flowed through the air, molten hot, but with the property of melting metal, solid black and sending up steam as the rain began to fall harder.

A great pair of veined wings sprung from the ooze, as Syrus began to dissolve away into more of the hot, black plasma. Talons sprung from the joints and tips of the wings, and a great massive black body began to form, instantly melting the wall around it and causing the air itself to sporadically burst and send off streams of white fire, so hot that it skewed the rays of light in the atmosphere, causing everyone's vision to become blurry and surreal.

Sieg acted quickly, slamming both his hands forward, and with particles flying to him from each of the tomes, he sent forth a great blue pillar of energy into the chest of the forming God. It reeled under the assault, and Syrus' body would be seen squeezing out again from it's shoulders, limp.

The force of the reaction destroyed most of the weaker bodies in attendances, many of Sieg's creations being destroyed, as well as a number of the Grims. The remainder had managed to subdue each member of the Metsuke, and took them into the blackness as they retreated, stealing them away to Oblivion. The Gartel, Talis Rai, that Scarlet had seen before would come to her side, standing between her body and Sieg's, and envelop them in a cocoon of black aura. It was translucent, for the most part, but her already-impaired vision would not be able to make out most of what was happening.

Sieg began to speak, his voice deep, and ancient. It was not unlike that of the Dragons, but there was a frightening influence behind it that began to rise up, echoing Sieg's words. It fell more and more in line, so that it sounded like there were many entities speaking, reduced to two, and then finally only Sieg was left. The great black thing evaporated, coating Sieg in a shell of the unnaturally hot liquid. An explosive wave of energy erupted outward, shattering Talis' protective shield, and sending the pair of them sliding backward and into the ground, peeling away the blackened soil as they were cratered.



Sieg stood at the center of all the destruction, Yamakage bowing before him. The heat had dissipated from the immediate area, and quickly the temperature began to plunge lower and lower. Sieg stood at the center of the whirling tomes, his two swords formed into one, and held at arm's length as he surveyed his new form. His eyes glowed red with an intense brightness, void of any pupil or other distinctive features. Great horns erupted from his head, a signifying mark of Fortinbras.

Syrus' limp body lay motionless at his feet, beneath a great claw of Yamakage. They would seem to speak telepathically, and yet it was an unspoken understanding between the two of them what the Master's Will was, and how it should best be enacted. Sieg spoke, regardless, presumably for the benefit of Talis and Scarlet.

" Take him to Reverie...throw him in. "

An eerie smile stretched across the maw of Sieg as he watched his brother being dragged off by the great behemoth. The sun was only just coming up, though it seemed timidly stuck on the horizon, and refused to bring warmth as the forest grew colder and colder, squelching the spreading fires. Sieg dismantled his weapon magically, reforming it into it's two halves before allowing it to dissolve into the air before him. He rolled his neck, slightly, the sounds of his cracking neck and spine more like hammerblows against steel as he got a feel for his new body.

" A beautiful thing has happened, today. I am finally King, as I deserve to be. " His frigid gaze broke through the seeping red aura, causing his eyes to return to normal, and he pulled at his cloak, slightly, drawing it around him. He allowed his smile to grow into an insidious grin as he looked over the battleworn Talis and Scarlet, before staring to the north, flakes of snow beginning to form around him and fall, rather than coming from further up in the sky.

" Shall we go greet our loyal subjects? "

[Scarlet]

Most of what occurred was lost on Scarlet as she struggled to her feet. Her eyes were unused to the brilliance of the blinding light. A lesser creature might go blind, but she was just stunned for the time being, seeing spots and bright arcs of light where there were none. With an arm she sheltered her eyes, her millions of scales catching the light and casting a myriad of rainbows among the strange stormy rain. She was stark naked standing some distance away from Sieg and Syrus, but still entirely too close for comfort. When things started getting intense, Talis came to her rescue with his strange smelling powers and a shield. She couldn’t see anything still, so it came to her as a surprise when she was flung from her feet.

Hitting the ground with such force that the air was pushed from her lungs, Scarlet lay on the earth, letting the rain that was quickly turning to snow, melt on her body. She was stunned for the moment, just lying in the trench her body had created by the force of the blast. When she began to move she shook herself and sat upright. Her hip was almost completely healed, though the inside was a bit sore. She got to her feet and shook the mud from her hands. She leaned down and snatched up a cloak from some miserably dead creature. It looked to be red and gold; it was the gold thread that had caught her eye, sparkling in the dim light afforded by the sun.

Scarlet tossed the cloak over her shoulders to cover her nakedness. She wasn’t averse to walking around naked, but if she was going to have to greet anything resembling a humanoid she couldn’t do so naked. Talking to any sort of mass of human creatures was not something an ancient with an almost perfect body did while naked. Men rarely listened and the women usually gathered knives. Scarlet knew she had been less than fluent in human lore to not make such a mistake. Her eyes met Sieg, eyeing him carefully before bowing her head. Where the rain and snow continued to touch her skin a delicate steam would rise – she was still heated from the inside out, whether she could belch caustic flame or not.

“Your will, my Lord, is my will.”

[Sage]

The journey to the castle was a quick one. After the Grims had rounded up the corpses of the soldiers, and taken Syrus and the prisoners away, Siegs creations had begun to march toward the capital, clearing the way for their party. The fires were almost completely extinguished behind them, and the temperature continued to drop even as the sun began to rise in the distance.

Hostile-looking soldiers were encountered as they approached the outer walls of the city. But they were subdued by the sudden appearance of a large golden halo looming behind Sieg's head, the mark of a rightful heir having inherited the throne. As the gigantic gates were pulled aside for them, Sieg's forces marched into the city unmolested. Droves of the undead and massive stone golems parting the crowd as they made their way to the castle at the heart of Algeroth.

Many in the crowd looked fearful, others burst into tears at the sight of Sieg, fearing the worst for their previous King. Never once in history had a monarch been succeeded while he still drew breath. Still, many of the ignorant, children, vagrants, criminals cheered as the man ascended the plaza staircase toward his new home. Those who knew not of Sieg's wrongdoings hailed his return with joy, much as with the return of any beloved Prince. Talis trailed behind the procession, assisting Scarlet as was needed until they reached the main foyer inside the castle gates. Sieg paused at the entryway, staring at a seemingly invisible barrier keeping him from stepping through.

He placed a hand outward, meeting with an unseen resistance and began to shake as he forced himself through. The air shook and rumbled around them as he struggled to enter the building, and a great crash and rush of air blasted through the room as he succeeded. A smile erupted across the frost mage's face, and he raised his arms at his sides in victory as he stepped into the hall.

" Ah, it's good to be home. Talis! Take the talisman, and go around the castle. Disarm any guard who causes it to glow as you approach, then we will see to readying the courtyard for me to address the people tomorrow. "

Talis nodded, and set about clearing the guards in the room they were currently in. Nervous glances were given to Sieg as the guards were checked against the tiny glowing necklace he had taken from his brother in the struggle. All but one came back clean, and the dutiful guard who caused it to glow was immediately stripped of his rank and weapon before his comrades and taken to the dungeons below the castle. Sieg breathed in deeply, savoring the sweet, flowery air inside the fortress' walls.

" Now, we'll get you cleaned up and presentable. I would like it if you stayed here, you have proven yourself a great asset in my succession, and you are welcome here as long as you'd like. And don't worry about controlling yourself. So long as it isn't myself or Talis, you may eat whomever you like. "

A sick kind of a nurturing smile played on Sieg's pale face as he snapped for a handmaiden to see to Scarlet, and take her to a bath. She, like most in the room seemed terrified by the man before them, but upon hearing his comment stared warily at Scarlet as well. What kind of creature must she be for him to even have to be worried about her harming him?

The girl that had been designated by the king approached Scarlet, keeping a safe distance from her as she nodded toward a side door, wringing her golden robes with her hands as she did so.

[Scarlet]

Scarlet bowed her head toward Sieg, showing her deference to him. Her ice blue eyes registered the girl that was supposed to cater to her needs, sized her up as she moved toward the door. Scarlet’s long blonde hair moved in gentle waves as she walked. She cast rainbows of color when she passed under a torch, which might be some cause for suspicion or alarm to those gathered in the room. When she passed through the door with the girl in the gold robe, Scarlet simply followed her.

When they reached the bathing room she discarded the cloak she wore and stood naked in the middle of the room. She was unconcerned with what the girl might think was proper and instead turned her attention to the detail of the room. She was completely unaware of terms that described architecture but she supposed that by Draconic terms this bathroom was acceptable. When she heard a soft startled sound she turned to look at the girl with the gold robes.

“So long as you prove useful to me I won’t eat you. I want robes like yours. They shimmer.” Scarlet blinked at the girl as she looked at a loss for words and nodded dumbly. It didn’t occur to the ancient that this girl had lost a monarch that she probably cherished and loved, and that she was petrified of dying. Scarlet thought of death as another adventure, not something to be feared. When she gestured to the tub the dragon frowned a little, eyeing the water dubiously.

When she slipped into the hot water, however, Scarlet groaned and relaxed. She started violently, upsetting the water in the tub, when the girl touched her. The girl shrieked and explained that she was just going to help wash the soot and dirt and blood off of her. Scarlet realized that all of the dirt she was carrying probably made her look more fearsome – but she allowed the girl to rinse it all away, including the blood and gore in her hair. When she was done the water looked worse than mud and Scarlet practically glowed.

When the girl approached her with a towel, she shook her head and stretched her arms over her head, allowing her body to stretch all of the kinks out from changing her form. As she did so her body temperature increased to the point of burning off all the water on her skin, creating steam in the already slightly steamy bathroom. Her hair remained a little damp and curled luxuriously. The girl disappeared for some time, obviously procuring the robe that Scarlet so desired. When she returned with a robe of some shimmery sunset colored silk, Scarlet grinned in a fashion that wasn’t so scary.

“Perfect!” She allowed the girl to put it on and pranced in front of a mirror, enjoying the robe to the point of distraction. When the girl brought her out of it with an offer to braid her hair, which she declined. She then allowed the girl to lead her back to Sieg.

When she was in Sieg’s presence she bowed her head and shoulders to him. He might notice that she cleaned up well indeed.

[Sage]

Nervous eyes danced between Seig and Scarlet until she was out of sight, the guards not yet enlightened as to her true nature, only that she was fearsome, beautiful, and covered in gore. Not to mention, she was with Sieg, who was not known to keep the company of pleasant individuals.

As they made their way through the halls to the bath, humans of various ethnicity and rank clung to the shadows, staring at her as she made her way through the castle. Many appeared frightened, as those outside did, but others who had just received news of Syrus' demise burst into uncontrollable sobs and other similar displays of grief. It was not until after Scarlet was clean, as she dried, that her attendant had time to be pulled aside and told of her King.

She shed tears silently as she was asked for a robe like hers. The problem was, that they were made with strands of silk, with actual gold woven into the cloth. They were one-of-a-kind, made for members of the Royal Court. But none of that meant anything with Sieg as the new King, the old embroideries and emblems representing Syrus' reign would likely be stripped from her eventually, anyway. And so she disrobed before the voracious predator standing before her, not bothering to cover her nudity as she handed over the brilliant golden garb.

As Scarlet donned it and pranced, the girl silently trudged to a nearby closet, and covered herself with a simple white cloak. It was made of fine materials, but it was a peasants' frill compared to her tailor-made robes which clung now to Scarlet. She was a tad taller and more voluptuous, and so the material stretched and scarcely covered as elegantly her, as it had it's previous owner. Staring at Scarlet in her robes, pulling her own simple cloak protectively against her skin, she lost herself momentarily. She dared speak when it was not her place, and she feared death as retribution, not being able to stop the words seeping from her lips.

" He will betray you, you know. Sieg doesn't care about anyone, he spent...s-so much... " The girl paused, fighting tears, and her gaze fell to the floor as she collected herself, before returning with an angry, renewed fervor. " He spent so much of his life, seeking out and murdering his own family. He will betray you, consume you. And in the end, your serving him will be the reason for the end of all things. Why would you serve such a man? "

A commotion in the hall startled her, and she yelped as a crash against the wall outside the room resonated with the sounds of metal against stone. She rushed out of the room, followed by Scarlet. A red-haired man was held against the wall near the door, bound by transparent white strips of Talis' aura. Talis stood with his right hand aimed threateningly at the red-headed man's chest, the other holding the trinket given to him by Sieg, it glowed fiercely in the man's presence, and even more fiercely as Scarlet's handmaiden ran to the man's aid.

The man bound to the wall clutched a brilliant silver sword, held defensively against Talis, who seemed less than worried about his safety under such a threat. The girl begged of the man, grasping at his chest, and pushing the sword away from Talis.

" Brother, just give them the sword! This is not the way! " The man shook his head, unable to voice his defiance under the weight of guilt that having his sister have to see such violence put upon him. " Just do as they say, and be safe. I don't care what happens to me, it doesn't matter anymore, " he uttered under his breath. She began to sob, and threw herself against him, pleading.

" Please...think of Sarah... " The words hung in the air, echoing slightly in the silence created by the tension in the room. The soldier's eyes closed, and he silence was shattered as the ornately-crafted sword clattered to the floor, only to be scooped up by one of Sieg's abominations accompanying Talis. Talis approached the man, pushing Scarlet's attendant away as he turned him, and slammed him against the wall.

Shackles were placed on his wrists, and he was drug away by two very intimidating golems, followed by Talis. He turned momentarily, looking at the girl, then to Scarlet. His expression seemed pained, as though he had been wounded in the scuffle. And yet, no wounds were visible on his body.

" The Master has gone to New Eden to retrieve some belongings. I was instructed to tell you to get settled. He should be back shortly. " Talis' steely gaze fell once more upon the girl, and his face softened, only momentarily. " We require that you stay with Scarlet so long as she remains within the city, show her to anything she desires, do anything she requires. Will you do this, for your King? "

Behind Talis, as the doors opened for the girl's brother being drug out into the main hall, dozens of soldiers could be seen shackled and kneeling along the walls. Tears still lingered on her cheeks, but she wiped her eyes, and nodded. Almost painfully, she curtsied to Talis, a sickened look of disgrace playing on her innocent, young face.

" Fantastic... " Talis almost spit the words as he walked away, his cold, torn demeanor returning immediately. The girl recovered quickly, fearing the same fate as her brother. She steadied her breathing, and stood up straight, burying her feelings as she faced Scarlet. Her voice was raspy, but she spoke clearly and professionally, despite her fear and grief.

" My name is Katherine Voltaire, I am at your service if there is anything you need. During your stay here, I will help you with any business you need to attend to, guide you anywhere you would like to go, and fetch anything that suits your needs. If I can help, let me know, but do not be afraid to tell me if you would like your privacy. "

[Scarlet]

Scarlet watched the proceedings quietly. Her ice blue eyes taking in every detail with a sharp memory and wit. Her hatred for the human race was expansive, but that did not lend itself to ignoring the proceedings. Especially when she was closeted away in the middle of an expansive city in a castle filled with the little creatures. When Talis regarded her she dipped her head, her long blonde hair spilling forward to partially cover her face. She looked out of place, taller than most human women by a full head and shoulders, but next to Katherine she looked like a giant. The woman was so small it was really a jest to place them near one another.

The robe that had been handed over by Katherine fit tight in places where the tiny woman had smaller curves. The fabric was pretty but the robe style dress wasn’t exactly something she liked, especially not showing as much skin as she was now.

“I want to see the highest tower this castle has to offer.” She had no way of knowing that the tower she requested had once been Syrus’ own rooms, but it would afford her a feeling of safety she hadn’t encountered in centuries of roaming on the ground. Dragons belonged in the sky and in high mountain roosts – not on the ground.

As she followed the small woman, Scarlet gave herself over to her thoughts, pausing them momentarily to inquire about various symbols she didn’t recognize on fairly inconsequential items. When they were both at the entrance to Syrus’ rooms, Scarlet stepped inside and immediately felt at home. Something about the height felt right and a smile curled the edges of her lips ever so slightly.

“You are to be my servant, Katherine? What is the practice in this country? Do you stay in the rooms with me…or do you go somewhere else?” For Scarlet it felt like having a small puppy and she had no idea how to take care of it. Usually she ate small puppies and small women like Katherine for breakfast – she didn’t keep them around for her own personal use.

Scarlet wandered through the rooms, pausing momentarily to stare up at the loft with a frown. She shook her head and continued her perusal of the rooms until she found the closet.

“Finally…” She started to peruse the lost King’s clothing, running her fingers over the various fabrics until she spotted a particularly pleasing silk shirt in a shade of gold. When she pulled it out and looked it over it was quite large and would suit as a dress. She draped the garment over her arm and began sifting through belts until she found one that was thinner than the rest and would complement the gold shirt well. A quick glance at the pants revealed they would be far too large to wear at the best of times, belt or no.

“Katherine, I want you to have all of the shirts and pants in this closet altered to fit me.” Scarlet pulled Katherine’s robe over her head, taking care not to tear it or stretch it. There were some things that a dragon just had to take care with, and the cloth was something she liked a lot. She then pulled on the shirt that had once been Syrus’ and belted it so that she had a sort of mini dress, with the shirt tails falling to just under mid-thigh on her.

“Katherine, wear this robe again. I won’t have a servant that wears whatever you’re wearing now. Please make certain that at least one outfit comes back soon. I can’t imagine that anyone wants to look at this horrible, disgraceful, distasteful body any more than I want to.” Scarlet handed the gold robe back to the girl as she walked by, her thoughts occupied with the room.

“Before you attend to that, tell me about these rooms.” It was undecided if Scarlet intentionally ignored Katherine’s comments about her choice of masters, but if the subject was breached again a response might be encouraged out of the old dragon.

[Sage]

Kat grimaced as the central tower was mentioned. Positioned at the head of the courtyard, the tallest tower of Castle Warheight belonged to it's King, and served as his home. Everything inside belonged to him, and the thought of going in tore at Katherine's already-wounded heart. She clenched her teeth, however, and lead the woman to the base of the tower. She was sure that it would be locked by a mechanism, protected by magic, and guarded by something unpleasant, and so she bore the guilt of showing Scarlet to Syrus' tower under the impression that they would not be able to get inside.

Once at the main gate to the stairwell, however, they would find that it was already opened. Her expression grew worried as she stepped over the threshold, flinching as though she expected some unseen magic or creature to strike her down. When pain nor death came, they made their way up the daunting staircase, passing many rooms which seemed to have been recently emptied. She paused at the doorway to Syrus' chamber, and noticed the door ajar. Without even looking back to check whether Scarlet intended to go in, her own curiosity rose to the surface, and she pushed it aside.

Inside the room, several armed men scurried about, collecting various objects from the room and scuttling them away on a small airship outside Syrus' room, with his balcony acting as a loading dock. She gasped as she started after them, but noticed that many of them were familiar to her. Their armor and weapons had been stripped, but the men before her now were Highguard, members of the Queen's personal protection. And as she moved further into the room, they noticed her, and Scarlet, and fled to their ship. Through the fireplace at the center of the three rooms that made up Syrus' quarters, she saw another man, but he was unmistakable.

Instead of the typical colors of the royalty and staff, he wore armor of black and green, with various red and gold seals and medallions adorning it. It was Serge Ravenshield, Syrus' cousin. The two were practically family, as her brother had been courting Serge's sister for nearly a year, and they had talked of marriage. His titles and accomplishments were many, as he had started in the military and risen to the rank of First Knight, head of Algeroth's military. He was also a Warheight by blood, and the rightful heir to the throne after Syrus and Sieg. Seeing him was a bittersweet sight, and tears welled in her eyes again as she watched him work, Scarlet now entering the room behind her.

He took the last of a stack of documents and maps from Syrus' strategy room, and tossed them into the fireplace along with countless hundreds of similar scrolls and tomes that were already there. Without a second glance at her, he pushed his fist toward the mass, flames erupting from his armored flesh and lighting the pile before him. As soon as he was sure the flames had taken hold, he dashed for the balcony where the other men waited and boarded the small airship. They were gone in an instant, leaving Kat with only Scarlet and the fireplace full of Syrus' belongings.

Seeing Serge had made her all ignore the being behind her, but as she repeated her question, Kat muttered an answer, " Normally I would sleep next door to whomever I was assigned to, but...the only bed in the tower is Syrus'. " She stumbled over the words, and could not bring herself to speak again until Scarlet had asked several more things of her. She shook her head at the thought of destroying her King's best clothes for a stranger, an accomplice of Sieg, no less.

" These rooms belong to the King, they are his private study, sitting room, and bedroom respectively. I have never even seen the inside of these walls. I can have you exact replicas made of these clothes by the finest tailors, surely you do not actually need to destroy the King's property! " Her words quickly switched from sad to stern, as she stared down the overly tall woman before her. She took back her robes with an indignant expression, defiance and anger burning in her eyes.

[Scarlet]

Scarlet ignored the men as they ransacked the room, taking what they wanted and leaving in haste. No one knew what she was, no one knew who she was, and that suited the old dragon just fine. At the sound of Katherine’s voice in some sort of angry human squeak – though it truly wasn’t a squeak, Scarlet turned from her inspection of the large bed. The architecture and fashion of clothing and furniture was an oddity to her, something she had never encountered before, and so she was curious as only a dragon might be. However, insolence was a chore that should be handled in short order.

“Have replica’s made if that is what is acceptable, though it is such a waste of cloth to have a closet filled with clothing that will not be used.” Scarlet settled onto the floor near the fireplace where the fire crackled and burned the property that the old King had left behind. Her eyes were closed as she ignored anything else for a moment, her hand reaching into the fire to pluck out a single burning scroll. The metal that bound the scroll was liquefying in her hand as she held it.

“You asked me how I could possibly serve someone like Sieg. How I could be the cause for the end of all things and still live with myself.” Scarlet laughed, a hollow sounding thing with the faintest sound of madness behind it. She glanced up at Katherine and the woman might be startled into silence at the ancient draconic eyes staring back at her from the shell of a pretty face. “Do not lecture me on propriety, child. Nothing is ever what it seems, not with the world you so cherish, and certainly not with Sieg. I am old, older than I care to think about, and half of that journey has been spent stuck in this despicable human shell. I have spent centuries walking this planet, looking for a cure to the curse that has bound me for so long.” Scarlet got to her feet then, flicking the melted scroll back into the fire unharmed.

“It’s amusing that you haven’t asked why Sieg gave me a single order. To leave himself and Talis uneaten in the grand scheme of things. You haven’t asked me what I am, child.” Scarlet walked slowly, spreading her fingers at her sides as she walked, as if herding a wary sheep. Her eyes were normal again, though the towering figure of a woman could never really be considered normal at all. “Don’t you want to know what Sieg has set you to assist? Aren’t you the slightest bit curious what sort of creature would sell part of her soul and agree to be consumed once her usefulness had ended? Tell me, child, what sort of creature could care less about the end of humanity in the grand scheme of things?”

It was a fun game, sure, but Scarlet was getting dreadfully tired of the chase. Sieg didn’t seem to the type to fraternize with anyone that wasn’t essential to his cause. A hulking red dragon might be the sort of creature that could help and hurt his cause, if she weren’t on his side of course. It wasn’t the first time Scarlet had picked the darker side of the coin to rest her loyalties.

“Have the clothing made, so long as it fits. Do whatever it is you do with clothing you no longer want. Leave the armor in the closet and the belts.” A strange request, surely, but the belts had utilitarian purposes with regards to the armor.

“You can have the bed in the bedroom for now. I want a bed put up on that loft.” Scarlet pointed at the loft area, not sure why she was drawn to it other than it was the highest point in the room. There was a longing in her that almost vibrated from her core as she looked up there, casting her eye aside just enough to encompass the balcony. She hadn’t been at this height as a human for centuries. Sieg had played to her one true desire, to return to the form she so loved and had been born into.

“Nothing, Katherine, is ever as it seems.” Especially not in the presence of a dragon built for war.

[Sage]

Kat sighed, satisfied with saving the King's garments. It was still not known to her whether he would be able to return, and she held on to hope that he would do just that and free them from this evil. But she quickly grew uneasy when she saw Scarlet pick up the liquid hot metallic scroll casing. She had only seen a few people capable of gaining complete immunity to heat, and while Syrus was among them, the rest were less than savory individuals.

" It doesn't matter what you are, you'll never be as much of a monster as Sieg. And it's not just humanity he wishes to destroy, he will consume everything, given the chance. That's why Syrus was made King instead of him. The last time Sieg was made to be responsible for the God, Fortinbras, he harnessed it's power and used it to destroy half of the city and murder his father and Syrus' mother. Since then he has killed many more of his own family, simply because he was stripped of the power he was using for destruction. "

She spoke calmly, but firmly. It was not until Scarlet was within a few paces of her that she began to withdraw, putting one foot behind her, and moving her hand to her side where a dagger was hidden. She made no attempt to hide her hostility. She would defend her life if it came to that. Just as it seemed she would need to fight for her life, Scarlet's thoughts returned to the clothes, and Kat relaxed her shoulders, moving to the closet to begin moving the clothing to one of the lower rooms in the tower. She paused briefly, stricken, as Scarlet told her to take the King's bed. She could hardly decide if it was an honor or pure sacrilege, but she nodded and went back to her work, a frown growing on her innocent young face.

Katherine emerged from the room, and so did a half a dozen girls identical to her in every way. They each carried an armful of clothing out of the room, save for the original, who seemed to be making some marks or another on a sheet of parchment. Each of the girls seemed to have a different expression as they trudged out of the room, each an extreme representation of the mixed feelings Kat was experiencing before the split. The Kat-in-charge, however, seemed bold and professional. No longer sad or frightened by the dragon and it's threats.

" You're right about that, Scarlet, was it? " She recalled Talis having called her that earlier. " But you're the foreigner here, you don't know who or what we are, either. "

[Scarlet]

“Scarlet is as good a name for me as any.” She made her way up into the loft and sat at its center with her eyes closed. She took her time mulling over Katherine’s words as she opened her eyes, watching the various copies of the young woman disappear. Distantly she wondered if any single one of those copies would taste like a real human, and if it would hurt Katherine much to have one consumed.

“You do not bother me. Your hostility just reaffirms my belief in the state of human affairs.” Amusement filtered down from the loft, an almost sing-song quality to the words. “There are very few of my kind left, and yet you have seen how everyone looks at me. They don’t even know what I am and they fear me – not only because of my proximity to your new King, but because of a deep ingrained fear that was instilled from the very beginning of your race.”

Scarlet rested on her chest, her head propped on her hands as she kept a close eye on Katherine from her perch in the loft. She had never felt so at ease as she had become from the moment she entered the proverbial shrine of Syrus’ room. Her eyes flickered back and forth between the fire and the girl with the indignant voice that had been thrown together with her.

“I have my reasons for being bound with Sieg. Whether or not he will stab me in the back or not, I doubt that I have the ability to unbind myself or the will. You speak as if you know the weight of the world, child, and yet I can smell how innocent you are even from here. You and I will have to come to some agreement – hate me if you desire it, but you are correct. I don’t know this place and I don’t know this culture. The last several centuries I have spent in wandering, attempting to shed myself of the human coils that surround me. I do not know what your Sieg plans for this place or this world – I just know that I will be compelled to agree to his demands.” Scarlet sniffed slightly and snorted, obviously not liking the smell of something in the room.

“Do not betray me or my weaknesses as a human, and I will not eat you. In fact, if you prove as valuable to me as you seem to portray yourself, I could be encouraged to protect you from Sieg’s plans until he consumes me. I doubt Sieg would deny me a pet, unless you truly are indispensable to your old King’s plans. Whether we like it or not we are stuck with one another for the foreseeable future, Katherine. At least humor an old dragon by entertaining the prospect, treasure is so hard to come by.”

By all accounts, Scarlet didn’t even register that she had let slip that she was a dragon. There were varying degrees of dragons of course, the oldest being formidable, the youngest being worthless, and the color ranging from increased knowledge to bloody rage and war. Perhaps Scarlet could be one of the more harmless of the bunch? Then again, by all accounts, Sieg never partnered with anything that couldn’t be incredibly deadly.

[Sage]

" Scarlet, then. " Her tone remained harsh as her other selves worked tirelessly around her, already having moved most of Syrus' clothing from the large room, as several of them spoke with couriers who were taking down annotations about the clothing to be sent to the Noble District for replication. All that was required were Scarlet's measurements.

Kat placed her foot firmly in Scarlet's back after treading up the small spiral staircase to the loft. She strung measuring tape around the slender blonde's torso, pulling it tight, and adjusting several times to get measurements of the tightest and loosest fits usable while still retaining a cling in her new garments. She continued taking measurements in a heated display, seemingly completely devoid of her earlier fear.

" I am not blindly hostile, without reason. And the people could care less what you are. This country is filled with beings completely outside the realm of human understanding, and yet many are accepted, and even loved by our people. The beings mingled with our blood, even, the Sages of Old, are worshiped despite some of the terrible things they have done. "

Katherine stood up straight, and motioned for Scarlet to do the same, while she extended her arms for her, and took the final numbers.

" You are feared not because of what you might be, but strictly based on the company you keep, and the violence of your actions. We know you were involved with the attack against the King, would you even deny it? "

One of the Kat's retrieved and delivered the notes on Scarlet's measurements to the courier, and dismissed him with a bow. Shortly after, the Kat's who had finished their work, began walking back to the original and disappearing in her. With each of them she absorbed, she began to sound more and more like she had before, and her expression would soften bit by bit.

" Sieg will betray you, in the end. I don't even know if you could call it betrayal. Sieg will lie about everything except how he will destroy you in the end, but people are always surprised when he follows through. Making a pact with him is signing your life away, in the end. No matter what he promises you, he will take from you until there is nothing left but a soul...and even that is his. "

Katherine shook her head, tears in her eyes once more. " I don't need your protection from him, the worst he can do to me against my will is kill me, soul intact. But my King will save us before it comes to that...he will return, and I would be very worried about what he will do to the pair of you when he does. " Her voice was shaky now, barely a squeak, but there was a fervor behind her words. She believed every bit of what she was saying, and made a point not to bluff about her belief in her leader.

Dragon... The word lingered in her mind only momentarily, before ideas sprung to her mind, flooding her with a vigorous resurgence of hope. She was a mythical creature bound to human form, it was a predicament she had seen someone cursed with before. More importantly, it was a condition she had seen cured. Besides Sieg, if any human in Algeroth could help her, they would be in the academic city of Roth.

" The runner sent from the city sends word that Sieg will be back soon, to have a small banquet with the key members of Algeroth's infrastructure. You are not to attend the meeting, but he does ask that you come to dinner afterward. We will have something appropriate to wear ready by then. Are there any other preparations you would like to make? And...if I may, I think I should take you around Algeroth tomorrow, on a tour. I may have someone you would be interested in meeting. "