Re: Getting settled in / a big day of adventure

[Guest]

She touched her hand to the side of his head and kissed his cheek. "It's very sweet of you to offer, but I think I would hurt you. Also, they would not get there without me because I need to tell the driver where to turn and I only know it from sight."

She looked again and Nephalei and Cad had finally gotten there. "Ok, everyone in, let's go." She knew Sky wouldn't want to ride inside. But other than him, everyone else loaded up and they were on their way.

[Beastie]

From the Keep was coming awful sounds. Metal ringing on metal. Fires roaring like an inferno. Black smoke not only filling the air, but the ground as well. Hugging it like blanket. It was bad enough that many nearby thought Hell itself had erupted. Like the Last dance was taking place right there at the Goddess's Keep.

From deep within, he worked on his present for his mother. All that was seen was his red eyes, burning like twin suns after a night of tremendous bloodshed. He worked on and on. Not eating, sleeping, or even drinking. HIs blood, sweat, and tears went into this one piece of work. He roared when the fires were not hot enough, the sound like that of a wounded beast.

[Sky]

Sky cringed a little at her slight show of affection. He tended to not be much of an... affectionate cat. Or at least wasn't used to it. He shurugged she was right after all. He began to dig his feet in the ground to get that dirt build up so he could run again.

((i wont be leavign till tomorrow now lol woot!))

[Guest]

As they approached the road they needed to turn down she would see the smoke. "What the ..." She hit the side of the coach to signal the driver to turn. As they headed down the lane the smoke got thicker. She wasn't sure she wanted to take mortals into that kind of mess. Especially after she heard that loud roar.

The driver stopped the coach at the main entrence to the keep.She thought for a breif moment, if she told them to wait here, would they? Probably not. So she figured she had better let everyone in. She hit the coach again signaling the driver to proceed. She wasn't sure if this was a good idea or not.

Once inside you could see at first, the smoke had not bellowed this far yet. Out the windows one could see cottages. They were mostly empty. Almost no one lived at the keep these days save for the employees and thier families. As they got a little closer to the castle, the smoke got rather thick. The horses out in the feilds were running like mad trying to get away from the smoke. She couldn't see the castle. Even the horses pulling the coach started going crazy and the driver had no choice but to stop.

She jumped out of the coach and headed into the smoke. She didn't bother telling them to stay in the coach, she figured they would get out if they wanted to. She glanced at Sky before she dissapeared from sight within the smoke. She was just going to look for the source of the fire and that sound she had heard.


((Ok, I have html inabled and the code is not working for some reason. I have no idea why, but I tried. Also, please ignore the people in the pic, I tried to find ione without them, no luck.))

[Beastie]

((lol you know you just love an audience is all))

He continued to work, working harder then ever to get this done. The area around him, for a good third of the Keep heating up to an unbearable temperature. There was even wood that was combusting on its own. When he heard the soft POP! he grinned and opened his maw wide. With a whoosh, there was a great gout of flame. He aimed it right at the metal he was working on, the last of his supply of the rarest metal he knew of. He was mixing it with dragon scales and his own scales at that.

The flame hit and went straight up, towering above the forge as if a volcano had erupted. The sounds were as if the Gods themselves were in a battle to the death.

[Cadmon Lennan Dewayne]

Cad had been messmerized by the gate to the keep. Even the gate looked like a big old castle. He looked at the cottages and was at awe. This was like the biggest Renn Faire he had ever seen.

The coach came to a stop and Seleen jumped out and took off into the smoke. This place had been having a weired effect on him. He felt the need to be noble and galiant. So he got out too. "Comming ladies? Come on Sky, she can't go in there alone." And he took off into the smoke as well.

When the fire erupted he jumped back and squated down like they were comming under enimy fire. "Oh man, I knew it had to be a dragon or something."

[Vesta Voui]

"What the Hell was that!"

Right, like Vesta was going to stay in the carriage. Even if she had seen what was making the noise she would have come out. It's how she was. Near behind Cad, when he stopped she fell back too. The smoke coming out of the Keep was a bit much and she circled her arm around her mouth and coughed.

"Sounds like the whole place is falling apart." Grabbing the under part of her tutu, the fabric part, Vesta started pulling at it until it ripped. Wasn't the best tear, but a tear nonetheless. One for her, Cad, and Nephalie.

One was offered to Cad. "Here. We're not Vampires, breathing in a lot of smoke can dangerous.". Yeah so she was telling him to tie pink cloth on his face.

"To bad there isn't any water. Damn."

[Sky]

Sky was running into the smoke, laughter coming from his mouth as he bared fangs and claws. He was lettign the more feral side take over him. Deep down inside he loved the heat of battle the rush of the fight even if it meant his own death. He charged right towards where the fire was coming from. He didn't have to follow anyone. All he had to do was run towards the gouting blasting flames.

[Cadmon Lennan Dewayne]

Cad took the cloth, without a word about the color. Through the rag he shouted. "Stay low." He Started heaing to look for Seleen and the source of the fire again. He couldn't see Sky or Seleen through the smoke. He saw a building just ahead of them that looked like the source of the smoke. He walked over and touched the door. It didn't feel like there was a fire behind it so he ckicked it open. It swung open with barely any effort, like it had already been broken into. Inside all he could see was flames and a pair of red eyes.

[Guest]

Yes, Seleen had been first into the smoke, and no she didn't have to breathe. But while she was in there she stumbled across something. It was a child. She grabbed up the child and ran with him in her arms to get him out of the smoke. It was Derek's son. Not as young a child as she had thought in the smoke, but a child none the less. She got him to his mother. He had mentioned that he thought the being he saw looked familiar, but he couldn't remember who it was. She left him with his mother and headed back into the smoke. There were mortals in there after all.

[Beastie]

It would be at the moment that Cad opened the door that lightning would flash in the forge, sparks flying everywhere, and a roar once more sounding. Those red orbs would turn slowly to take him in and then from the blackness twin rows of sharp pointy teeth would be revealed. They would flicker and shine in the firelight. If one looked close enough;the smell on the air already; one would see muscles moving as he moved. In a growling voice he asked but one question, that question heard in the minds of any that would be receptive to it. "Who interrupts my work?"

[Guest]

Seleen was wondering through the smoke when she heard the growling voice in her head. "Crap, it's Dre." She ran in the direction the Armory should be. Derek's son was right when he said he thought he knew the being he saw. She knew that someone walked in on him working, she just wasn't sure who. That must be why there was so much smoke. She figured she'd better get her tail over there before someone got in trouble.

[Guest]

((Due to Sky-mun's absence I'm going to have to double post to put things back with a little NPCing Sky. Now Dre-mun can re-release the bombs and the mortals can mess themselves again. LOL))

Seleen came running up to the Armory. She stopped behind Sky and told him to wait here, she was going to take care of it. She pushed past Cad and the girls. "Let me by. Dre, is that you?" She seriously hoped it was. Because if there was someone else in there not only would Venis be mad about someone being in here, but Dre being pissed as well. Not a good thing, not a good thing at all.

[Beastie]

(Well here is the disclaimer and the warning.....BOMBS AWAY!!! In laymen terms Cursing coming up)


When he heard that female voice he looked up. Those red orbs glowing like a mad man's. He knew the voice was female, only by the sound. He did not know whose it was though. From within the black cloud, a growl was heard and twin rows of sharp teeth, some spotted with blood. One even had a goblin's eye stuck on it.

With a thread of Wind the smoked cleared around him. He looked like hell, with scales missing and such. But he growled as he stood there, those red orbs locked on the male that had entered.

"What the vith do YOU want? Can a being not vithing work in vithing peace and quiet? Maybe you are the vithing one that vithing LOCKED and vithing BARRED my forge," this part was roared. "Maybe you are vithing here to tell me why my chimmeny was vithing capped. Or maybe you are vithing here to vithing tell me why I am called a vithing monster on my own mother's virthing lands. Am I not welcome here any more? That what you are vithing telling me?"

He stopped and looked at the group gathered. He snorted, but as he had been on the rampage the air around him began to shimmer and the heat began to raise even more. "I see what the vith is going on. You come with a vithing group to slay the vithing monster eh? Well iffen it is a vithing Dance you want the it is a vithing Dance you will vithing well have. I never turn now a vithing Dance. And since I can not seem to be left in vithing piece to make a gift for my own vithing mother, then a Dance is the next best vithing thing."

He laughed as the heat rose even more, "Maybe you vithing think I am an easy target. But youw may be in for a bit of a vithing shock. This Beastie still has a few tricks up his vithing sleeve." He cocked his head and looked at them all, as a soft pop! was heard, like a knuckle popping. "Whos's vithing first?" An evil grin given as he took a step forward. Pissed was not the vithing word for what he was. He was in a Fury.

[Cadmon Lennan Dewayne]

((Heh, got more in this time I see, Kudo's. I believe this is mostly correct.))

Dance, did he say dance. Wasn't that some kind of code for fight? Was this the same Dre from the Inn? Cad saw that the being was quite angry, heard so as well. If the heat had not been bad enough before, he was truly sweating bullets now. "Seleen, can you not talk to him and calm him down or something?" He began to back away trying to usher the ladies from the door. Back home he would have simply turned tail and ran. But this place had an odd effect on him and he found himself actualy worried for the welfare of others.

He was backing the girls out of the door as he spoke. "Man, I'm sorry to have broken in on your work. I didn't know you were in here, I thought the place was burning down. I'm sorry. I don't want to get into a fight with you. Seriously, I was just worried about the fire. Oh man, Seleen, talk to him please."

[Vesta Voui]

"Damn."

That was the only thing to say about all of it. It didn't take much for Cad to get Vesta to go back a step or too - as long as she could still see. This was the same guy she saw earlier that day, before they headed off on their trip. If he had been angry then, surly he was some kind of furious now.

And smithing? He was causing all that for smithing? She didn't know a thing about nothing of that but he must have been working on something big.

Coughing once or twice afterwards, she stayed behind Cad. For now.

[Beastie]

He saw the male back away towards the group, not hearing him over the flames and his own anger. He took it as that they were regrouping and actually vainshed. Well not vainshed, he shifted into a large shadow, the only thing remaining of his normal being was those red orbs. Laughter was heard as he moved through the shadows, the heat still there and growing.

He raised out of the shadows, his form switching back to his dracon form easily enough. The tapping of his talons now heard quite well, as he had materilized right in front of the male. Cutting him off from his group of friends.

His scales were hot to the touch, as his head turned to keep an eye on these others with pink cloth over there noses and mouths. He did not know of a group that wore pink. He smirked and looked at the lass, "Mind the wet spot. Hate to see you fall in that."

To the male he said, "I asked questions and instead of answering you go for backup. So I am guessing it is to be unfair odds in this Dance after all." Clink Clink went his talons, as he tapped them together. "The music is playing and you have the lead." He smiled then, and that smile would have chilled the heart of many a being. His scalley lips pulled back to reveal those teeth once more and all their gory. "Do hurry though, I am not known for my patience and I do have much work to do," he said. A wink actually thrown to the group behind him. "Now be nice and watch, your turn on my Dance card will be soon enough"


(It has been requested that no one else post before Seleen can. Seems she wants to be the first one to respond)

[Guest]

Seleen saw Dre dissapear into the shaddows. "Vith." And in the blink of an eye she was gone as well. One would have to be paying very close attention to see that vampire move. She not only had the superior speed from being a vampire, but it was her main gift. She had the speed and acuracy of one ten times her age. She came to a stop between Cad and Dre. She looked around Dre to Vesta and Nepohalei. They looked more than a little worried.

She shook her head for a moment. "You three go over there where Sky is, the four of you can go play with the horses or something. I'll join you as soon as this is straitened out." While she spoke she reached behind her and grabbed Cad's arm. She might have even grabbed him too tight, she wasn't sure. She just wanted the mortals out of harms way. So she pulled him from behind her and rather slung him through the doorway space that was left, to be behind Dre with the others.

Then she raised her head to look at Dre. "Dre, listen to me, it's Seleen. Your mother had the forge locked up to keep out those who would steal from you. You should have found a key in your room in the main castle or she could have given you one had you asked. Look at me Dre." She hoped she was getting through to him.

"These people are innocents Dre. They ment you no harm. I brought them here with me to do some things in the castle. The few people who live here these days are mostly rather new. Several of them have never met you before. They didn't know. I am sure they are all quite sorry." He had a scale hanging loose almost ready to fall off so she wrinkled her nose and pulled it free and set it on the table that was near the door.

"Dre, no one is here to harm you. Come on, let me get you cleaned up and you can get back to whatever you were doing and I can get our guests up to the main castle to finish what we came here to do." She touched her hand to his arm in a jesture of comfort and calming, and she winced when her hand began to heat up and almost burn. She removed her hand. "Come on, I really want to get back to the Inn and see if your mother has anything else she needs me to do before I can finally have a nap. I'll keep the mortals away from you, promise."

She had no idea why he was so mad. Some of the smoke was disipating, but she knew that there was some damage done already as she heard some of the mortals coughing outside. She would have to get them all some ice cold water and into the fresh air as soon as she was done with Dre. But her first priority was the angry Dracon standing before her. If she didn't get him calmed down, fresh air wouldn't do any of them any good, they'd be too injured to worry about it.

[Cadmon Lennan Dewayne]

He gulped when the Dracon appeared between him and the ladies. he turned slowly to face him with a slight hint of fear in his eyes. How could he not be scared as he looked up at him. "Dre, come on man, I swear, I didn't mean to interupt you. I'm sorry man." He saw the eyeball stuck on the tooth and nearly lost his lunch.

Then in the blink of an eye, Seleen was there. She nearly knocked him back getting between them. He had never even seen her move. It was like one second she was in one spot and when he blinked she was between him and Dre. He opened his mouth to speak again but Seleen grabbed his arm. She was strong. She gripped his bicept tight enough to leave a bruise. At least he knew there would be one.

She yanked him from behind her and threw him out the door. It was a tight squeeze getting past Dre in the doorway. Two large men in one small doorway was always going to be a tight squeeze. But innertia carried him through the gap ... And to his knees on the other side. This caused him to loose his breath a little.

The combination of the smoke and the loosing his breath caused a coughing spell. He struggled to his feet. He reached for Vesta and Nephalei and sort of pulled them over to Sky. He was hoping that they would follow and they could get away from the forge and the angry Dracon inside. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, there was this tiny little voice that asked him what the difference was between a Dracon and a Dragon. But there was time to ponder that later. Right now it was get the women away.

[Vesta Voui]

As much as she wanted to watch the fight between the Vampire and the Dragon, she didn't want to be anyones lunchtime snack either. Have you ever had multi-dyed hair in your mouth? Had a wicked sort of after taste.

Away from the anger in the other room, having gotten help from Cad, she looked for a place to hide. A place to hide where she could still see. "How do you hide from a Dragon?" No clue. She backed up a bit more and scrubbed her nose with the back of her hand. There was a corner off to the side.

"Over here. If he starts spouting flames and spitting acid, we'll be out of the path." As she tried to nudge the rest of the group to the safety of the corner.

[Beastie]

His teeth closed and the eye went SQUIISH! But as he turned his attention back to the male, he did not see him. Instead there was a female in front of him and the male was flying past him. 'Maybe he had scared him that bad. Good served him right for interuptting me,' he thought.

He turned to watch the group, seeing them scrambling he realized he had a bit of pent up fire and Seleen -as he recongized her now- pulled his scale was enough of an inspiration to use it. So opening his maw once more, he let out the gasses building with a whoosh. They igniting in the heated air around him, and a gout of flames headed for the group. He did pull up so as not to hit them full on, but seeing as how one was kneeling, he was sure that the human male would get a hot food and toasted buns. (thank you Vesta mun for the inspiration in your post)

He then turned back to Seleen and spoke lowly, yet chillingly. "That vi...hurt woman. It was attached." He listened to what she said and then looked at her. Then he spoke. "My forge was not to be locked or barred or capped. They did all that Seleen. That was MY wish. Does that not count? I left orders my forge was to be unlocked and fires stoked. None of that was done. And to be called a monster. Am I that easily forgotten and shrugged off? Am i no longer welcome on these lands at all? Figures my wishes do not matter next to my mother's." He said the next louder to keep the group of mortals away. "Women first, men second. That is how it always is."

He then looked at her. "So you mean I almost made an apple out of a guest of my mother's? AND almost harmed my mother's protector. One who is a better protector then me." He sighed and started to walk away. "Seleen, tell them I am sorry. That I am not always like this. Just with mother needing clothes, though I am sure all males and many a woman would not mind seeing her running around naked. Please exaplain to them."

He turned his head and winked at them and sent a mental message to her, ~Least they will behave for you now. Besides, tried of being considered weak. Wait here.~

He went into the forge, grabbing his scale. He returned in a few moments with five necklaces. "Seleen, apologize to them for me. Tell them each i owe them a drink or three when next i see them at the Inn. You know how I get when forging. Plus this being for mother, makes it more important. Though I know men and many a woman, would not mind seeing her running around naked." he then handed her the necklaces, "Here. It is not often one faces a dragon's fury, even a weak one like mine, and walks away. As I am the one in Debt these will help you against fire, even dragonfire. And they can be used ONCE to call to me. I will be there as soon as I can to aid the wearer in thier time of need."

He turned and walked away, stopping once more. "Seleen, please express that I wish the fires in this forge to stay lit....always. I will repair the damage I did. Also tell your group to stay out of my forge unless invited." He winked and sent her a mental thought ~Least they will behave for you now.~ "Also let it be known, that the next one on these lands that calls me a monster will be my next apple."

With that he turned and walked away. returning to his work.

[Cadmon Lennan Dewayne]

Cad had started to get up, he was with Vesta on the getting away part. But he had a little added incentive to get up when his boots and jeans nearly cought on fire. "Holy ..." He scrambled to his feet then and was headed to where Vesta said they should be safe. "Man, what was that all about. We were just trying to help Seleen, didn't want the place burning down."

He stood between Vesta and Nephalei with Sky on the other side of Nephalei. They watched in wonder as the vampire and the Dracon has words. He wondered if it was going to go to blows between them. He could see the Dracon give her something, but he couldn't quite see what. But there would be no moving closer, they were pretty much safe right where they were.

[Guest]

((Eek, my bad, I forgot to mention, Cussing alert. Not a carpet of F-bombs though, like Dre. V get's that pleasure.))


She saw his grandios gesture of fire. It reminded her of his mother. She sort of chuckled and shook her head. When he returned his attention to her and yelled at her for the scale she wanted to chew him out then and there, but she didn't. "It was barely attached. You look like you walked through a mine feild. Let me get you cleaned up."

He continued on, ignoring her request to clean him up. "I do not think it was as you think. You mother ordered the forge locked up because she was not here to keep an eye on things and there had been some robberies in the area. It wasn't to go against your wishes Dre." So far she was able to stay pretty calm.

"As far as being called a monster, there are some new people around here, I dont think they knew who you were. They are only human you know." She arched an eyebrow. "Since when is it women first? I know you weren't raised that way. I know that you were taught that men and women were equils. And you will always be welcome on these lands. If your mother had to choose between you or these mortals around here, you would always be her first choice. Damnit Dre, she loves you more than anything." Ok, getting a little angry.

"I'm sure your better judgement would have won out and you wouldn't have truly harmed them ... WHAT." Oops, angry vampire. "What do you mean better than you?" Ok, she needed to hush for a moment, hear him out.

She listened, to all of it. She pressed her lips together as he spoke and nodded to let him know she was listening. She took the offered necklaces and held them. Once he was finished she opened her mouth. "I will pass along the message about keeping this place open and the fires going, I will also pass along the message about you being sorry for scaring the crap out of those poor mortals out there. And yes, I will even send along the warning about the next person who calls you a monster being your next apple. But here is what I will NOT do. I will not stand here and listen to you degrade yourself. Damnit Dre, what makes you even think such a thing."

Ok, scratch that. Pissed off vampire. "Dreconis Dragonis-Darkmane, you listen to me right now. If I am such a great protector then why did she abandon me all those years ago? She left for Rhy'Din in the middle of the day without even saying goodbye to me. She left me of her own free will long before she was forcably taken from you. She wanted to return to you, she put me out of her mind. I have never been anything more to your mother than ... than ... than a soldier. Created to do her vithing bidding." And to think, she's just getting started.

"Furthermore ... Just because a mother protects her young does not mean they are weak. It is a mothers job to fight for their young. Period. Do you think she would ever do for me what she did for you in keeping you hidden from Vlad? Hell no, she left me with him for over a hundred years, without even sending word to me that she was safe. And do you think I went unpunished for her leaving, well think again. He whipped me repeatedly for damn near 75 years for her leaving. Oh yea, I'm just such a great protector. I don't even rate."

Tears formed in her eyes. "And you, all you can do is complain because you think yourself weaker than others. Where do you get off?" She kicked a rock on the ground and it flew at his back. "I am only here because I was in the right place at the right time, you are here because she loves you and never ever wants any harm to come to you." She wiped away the tears expecting him to lash back at her, if for nothing else than at least the rock. "I mean it, you knock this crap off right now, you are not weaker, I am not better than you. You are the God of Wind and War, son of Venis Jordianthan, Goddess of Fire and Protection, son of Lord Krownar Darkmane, and step-son of Lord Kahn Jordianthan God of Ice and Death, and nothing can take that away from you."

She was angry, so unbelievably angry. She set the necklaces down so she wouldn't break them or loose them. She had to release her anger, and she wasn't like Venis, she couldn't burn it off wth flames. So she picked up a stick of wood from the ground and broke it in half. She wanted him to come after her now. Now she wanted to dance. He had made her than angry.

[Beastie]

He stopped when the rock hit him and looked over his shoulder. He listened to every word she said, then turned and crouched down. Yep you guessed it, everyone could see right up his loincloth....

He nodded and watched, then smiled as she snapped the wood. "First I thank you. Will make it easier for the fires. Second, my mother did not leave to find me. I found her and by accident. I found her by looking for my father. So do not sit there and take as if it was some great crusade to find me, because it was not."

He rocked on his haunched, "Protect me? Protect me? If my mother was trying to protect me, why did I see my little ones. MY flesh and blood killed before me. Why was I given to Lloth? Why was I forced to be a simple Beast? to fight or die and to fight things beyond me. You asked where I learned women first? The Drows were quick to drive that into me. That and males are weak. And it must be true, for you are mother's soilder; to use your word; not me. Who does she get to protect her. Not me. It is Kahn, Gawain, Tasha, or you. Me I am left out. no one tells me a thing. Once more if i had not stumbled here I would have known nothing. Nothing at all. And what happens I am ordered to this or that. Not asked.

"What am I suppose to think, when I get here. I am called a monster. You who can walk and move as you wish and not be judged. Here I am judged every where I go. No matter the form. You she chose to protect her. Not me. She chooses everyone else to be something else to her but me. I am the one left out Seleen. So take your anger and shove it up your arse. You will not prod me to Dance. Not here, not anywhere at this moment.

"And as you said, I am the God of War and this war has ended. You were given a task to be with the mortals. You have befriended them. I am accused of many things and have tried to make amends. But once again I fail. Well in one area Ii will not fail. I will complete this gift and I will not Dance with you. Now if you wish to continue breaking the wood. Go ahead. Saves me some work. I bid you good day Seleen. May your blade stay sharp and your instincts sharper."

[Guest]

Seleen let out a growl of a yell and threw the wood at him. "It was you Dre, that's what I'm trying to tell you, it was always you. When she left me before, no it was not to find you, your father made sure she didn't ever do that. But that was between them, not us. But this time, while I had to sit and watch her cry blood tears incased in a glass coffin, it was all you. She felt everything that happened while she was gone. Nothing was stonger than the pain you went through. She tried and tried and tried to contact you through a mental link. She couldn't break through." She was even more angry because she had cried, she never cried, especialy in front of others, that was what made her weak in her own eyes.

She picked up another peice of wood and broke it in half, not having any other outlet at the moment. "She was going to escape to get back here no matter what. She didn't want to have to fight her way out the way she did. She wanted you all there to share in her victory. For once she wanted you to save her, but she just couldn't reach you in time, it was get out then, or Tasha died. I was only there because I had been ordered to take care of her. And because she left me there so many years ago to be his slave." Seleen had never realized how much pent up anger she had over Venis leaving her behind. But she wasn't about to let Dre continue to hate himself and think himself unloved. She knew how much those two loved him. She saw the way even Kahn's face lit up at the mention of his name. No, this had to stop. She had never seen anyone as loved as Dre.

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