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The Dragon Descent

"Well, whichever it is doesn't matter" the elf Kella says. "What matters is what to do about it." Everyone else agrees, but you are still annoyed at having to be stuck in this female body.

While the others converse among themselves, you go over to the window and look out it, trying to sort things through. It is then that you hear a faint roar. You look over and determine that the others heard it too. You keep listening, and after a bit hear another roar, louder this time. You step outside, noticing with mild interest that Richard has vanished, to see a dark figure approaching from the sky. As it nears, you see that it is a dragon. It swoops in and lands on the ground in front of you. Nescent and the others rush out just as a man gets down off the dragon. He is tall, with reddish-brown eyes and short, messy black hair. He wears light armor, colored gold with white trim. He appears young, no more than 20. The dragon is about 20 feet long, with firey eyes and gold scales; a quite impressived creature, especially since it isn't trying to kill you.

"Who...who are you?" you ask, feeling surprised, confused, and a bit afraid.

The man grins. "The name's Seket, Dragon Rider."

"Dragon Rider?" you ask.

"Yep. This is my dragon, Dragus." You notice that the others, excluding Nescent, are also a bit confused and intimidated by this man, although everyone seems surprised at his appearance.

"Maybe you'd better come inside and explain everything to my friends" Nescent says. Seket nods and follows the rest of you in. You all sit down and Seket begins to explain.

"Dragons are not the savage, brutish creatures that the legends and fairy tales would have you believe. They are actually quite intelligent and very powerful creatures, and contrary to what the fairy tales say, very few actually get slain by knights. You know how many dragons were actually defeated by a human in a fair fight? Three. Anyway, the Dragon Riders are a group of people who have befriended the dragons, rather than fear them or hate them. At a very young age, our children and the dragon hatchlings are brought together so that they may form partnerships. The human child and the dragon hatchling choose each other to be lifelong partners, and from then on the two are inseprable. My partner is Dragus there."

"That's all very nice, says the leprechaun, "but why are you here?"

"Seket and I go back a ways" says Nescent. "I was lost in a mountain pass and got trapped in an avalanche. There was no time to use any magic, so it seemed I was doomed, but Seket saved my life. Dragus held back the rocks while Seket brought me to safety."

Seket shrugs. "I did what had to be done. That's the main policy of the Dragon Riders, 'Do what must be done'. Anyway, I heard you were having some trouble so I thought I'd stop by."

Nescent nods. "Yes, thank you. It is almost time for me to cast the spell to keep the inhabitants here invisible, and I'm missing a special ingredient - powder of irakium ore. You know what means."

"Yes. There is only one place with sufficient deposits of irakium ore to make a suitable powder - the darkest caves of North Marigold. Kind of a misleading name..." says Seket.

"Indeed" says Nescent (you're not sure if he's referring to the location of the ore or the comment about the name), "So my friends here have to get it. They just came back with the crystal that lets them enter the caves. To destract a policeman that was in the area, I transformed a human male into the girl you see here [indicating you]. I was able to change 'em back to normal, but demonstrated the female form at the request of my friends here, and upon trying to change her back again, my magic failed - someone set up a magical barrier. Anyway, I am now unable to use my magic at all, and we can no longer ride the dragon as planned since I can no longer soothe it."

"Well, lucky I am an experienced Dragon Rider. Dragus will only let me ride him but I bet I can convince him to carry you in his claws."

"Well excellent!" Nescent says. We'll set out tomorrow. I'll just prepare a bed for you-"

"No." says Seket. "A Dragon Rider shares an unbreakable bond with his partner. I'll sleep outside with Dragus. Just bring the mattress, sheets and pillows out there."

After Nescent leaves to do as Seket bids, the others also leave the room to do various things, leaving you alone with Seket. You get a funny feeling that you can't quite place, but it is at that moment that Nescent returns to set up Seket's sleeping arrangeents out front. After the wizard does as Seket said, everyone retires to their quarters. You watch as Seket steps outside and lays down on the mattress. Dragus settles down right beside him, opposite the cabin. You hesitate for a moment, then for reasons you don't understand, you step outside to see Seket.


Written by King of the Dragons

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