Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Hearts of Courage (OPEN)

Aurae smiled." I love to travel. I would love to stay in your company for as long as you'll have me along." She walked beside Piiro." Besides, traveling takes my mind away from hurtful thinking and annoying thoughts." She looked down at the Wabbaloq." I have yet to see Saphire City anyway." Her eyes turned a soft green.

"Me neither, but Bathe is convinced the priestess there can help him," Piiro's frowned faded as he looked back, "too bad we left the mimic back at the camp, I wasn't gonna wake him up." His eyes shifted back towards the dragon lady, and his little smile reappeared. Despite Bathe's fear of their past traveling buddies they both agreed that Aurae was fairly trust worthy and good protection incase something happened or they were attacked.

Sir Kafiha, Loyal retainer of Duke Szigmund, rode his proud warhorse Espresso down the road toward the Sapphire City.

His mail coat rang softly as Espresso's hooves beat a steady rhythm up the path. His Surcoat, once a rich brown, was stained by sweat and dirt from long weeks of travel upon the road. His shield, depicting his family crest, a black pool upon a light and dark brown checker field, was nicked, chipped and scarred from dozens of armed engagements in service to the Duke. His house words though, "Justice Does Not Sleep" Were still quite legible, if repainted in places.

The young warrior looked up from his contemplation of the road and its drudgery. He heard voices up ahead. Faintly, to be sure, but definitely audible. He clicked his tongue and gave Espresso a slight spurring, urging him to a gentle trot.

Kafiha rode out into the open, in full view, making no attempt to hide or conceal his approach. True, if they were bandits, or enemies of his duke, he would forsake the element of surprise, but he would rather be stuck in a difficult fight than frighten honest folk without cause. When in sight of the other travelers on the road, he whistled loudly.

Damien looked up and saw a large horse which was ridden by a knight, being used to knights trying to slay him he hopped up and took a defensive pose.

"I have done no wrong knight, tell whoever your master may be that I am not a threat to his lands... Nor will I be kept as a freak show for his amusement."

Damien chose to reveal his Dragon form to show the knight that he wasn't playing around, The last time he encountered a knight it ended with scorched armor, a bounty on his head, and an extra crispy knight.

Kafiha's posture tensed up momentarily upon seeing the dragon. When he was sure it was not belching a wall of fire at him, he kept his hand raised in greeting and nodded politely. Dragons were always so egotistical. Always assuming if a knight was within twenty leagues it was because of them.

"I didn't accuse you of doing any wrong, my good sir. And I suppose I would tell my master that if I were anywhere near his court, or if he bothered to keep exotic creatures. He does not. He's a practical man. And, even if that was not the case, he wouldn't send me. I'm an honorable man. No, I'm just a traveler on the road to Sapphire City and I was hoping to travel with friendly, honest folk."

The knight kept a healthy distance as he spoke, to give himself time to raise his shield to protect himself and the horse in case the dragon decided to prematurely end the parlay. Kafiha had only encountered dragons twice before. Both were harrowing experiences. One more so because of the abraisive, overly grateful princess rescued than the actual dragon...but still.

Aurae put a comforting hand on Damien's shoulder." Do not show defence when the other has not attacked." She said softly to Damien before turning her attention to the knight. Her eyes turned a bright gold to a gentle blue and her ears twitched, listening for others nearby other than them.

"We are honest folk. I am but a traveler and my friends are the same." She bowed gracefully to the knight." I am Aurae Silith." She straightened and smiled at the knight. She was cautious of the knight but he seemed friendly enough not to attack him. He even explained why he was here and called to them instead of taking the element of surprise.

Kafiha nodded politely, removed his helmet, and pulled back his maille hood.

"You mind if my horse and I ride with you, then? Travel is always better with company. I have my own food and water. For myself and my horse. And I am a capable swordsman, should we run into any...entanglements."

Kafiha spurred Espresso forward, to close the conversation from shouting to speaking distance. Espresso whickered cheerfully, glad to be in sight of other creatures.

Kafiha nodded to Damien

"If you've had poor experiences with other knights in the past, I can promise you, I will not repeat them. I'm only a threat to those who need threatening, Sir Dragon."

Piiro jumped a bit, knights were all well and good but that dragon man had been following them, if Bathe wasn't in an exhausted spell bound sleep he would have had a cow. The book hadn't trusted anyone so he had stayed awake for the last few days. "Piiro! From the south isle of Loqwood!" Piiro smiled. Fire works were his passion but as far as fixing things went it didn't matter if it was people or armor he had a knack because of his history in a family of craftsmen and doctors. Wabbaloq's were not knights or warriors, none were even travelers but him.

"Need someone to look at your armor?" He asked keeping his distance from Myzery. That dragon had tried to attack him, and then stalked him and Aurae... Weirdo.

Kafiha rode forward, smiling in polite greeting.

"No, thank you, I wouldn't be much of a knight if I couldn't maintain my own equipment, would I? All the same, if you get the urge to tinker, go right ahead. This isn't what I wear to court."

Kafiha chuckled

"But where are my manners? I am Sir Kafiha, of House Kafiha. I serve Duke Szigmund of Hochland, a long way from here. I'm off to Sapphire city to track down a friend of his court wizard. She's conducting a project and needs some advice. They entrusted me personally to escort her back."

he gestured around at empty space.

"Normally I don't travel alone. I command a company of fifty or so fine warriors. However, the Duke needed their aid reinforcing a troubled region. And so, here I am."

Aurae looked at him." I have never heard of Duke Szigmund then again, I am usually alone on my travels." She looked back ahead then winced. She raised the sleeve of her right arm where around her wrist and to her elbow, her main viens were beginning to show.

They pulsed painfully and Aurae quickly lowered her sleeve, hiding it from the others. She would have to transform soon but she was hoping that she could hold out until night came and they rested. She bit her bottom lips to keep from wincing again. She didn't anyone worrying about her right now.

"Are there fire works in your land?" Piiro asked the knight. He was fully in awh of how the knight wore metal for cloths instead if cloth. The fuzzy little man had heard that they had chest armor, gauntlets, and helmets, but this man was covered all over in iron and steel. "Because so far I've never met a land besides Loqwood to have seen them yet, would you like to see?"

Damien scoffed when the knight assured his friendliness " I am no mere dragon, I am a Dämonfeuer. Meaning if I truly wanted I could have never let you know of my reptilian half."

Telling him this made him feel like he was important due to the fact that not many people even knew what a Dämonfeuer was whatsoever.

Kafiha nodded to Aurae.

"Duke Szigmund is only a prominent figure in his realm, and it is a small, embattled one. It is a poor place to be famous, but a fine place to be a warrior. There is much battle, as the Duke's neighbors all try to steal one another's land and holdings through military force."

Kafiha turned to answer Piro's question about fireworks, completely failing to notice Aurae's consternation or veins.

"Yes, we do have fireworks in my homeland. Though, they are an exotic import. We don't make them there. And Loqwood? I've seen it on a map once or twice. I must confess. I'm interested in traveling, but my duties to my master dictate where I go."

Kafiha shrugged at Myzery's comment.

"In my homeland, we have many accounts of dragons taking on humanoid, mortal form. I suppose it's inevitable that you creatures would have a distinction among yourselves. Next time I'm around some writing materials, could I get you to spell what you call yourselves? I'm sure the court scholars at home would be intrigued."

Aurae looked at the sky once again. She could smell a faint irregular brimstone, the scent of a dragon's fire. A particular dark grey fire. The dragon was hidden and watching them. She could sense his malice and stopped walking. She looked at the others." Keep going. I'll catch up." She touched Damien's shoulder and leaned in his ear." We're being followed by a storm dragon. I'll try to keep him away but be ready." She whispered to Damien.

Piiro's nose twitched, "dragons fire," he whispered to himself as he looked up. Dragons fire was bright and exotic blaze that even cooled embers can be relit for a brilliant explosion. It was either being caused by a real dragon or a Drake Lili, which was a rare flower. If it was coming from up the road it couldn't be either of his companions. If it was a dragon there would be a battle if it was a flower it would be an extraordinary find for him.

"Guys let's hurry," Piiro jogged ahead and cut through some bushes blindly assuming it was the flower, "come on, I think I found something!" Bathe still asleep in his pack due to his own sleep spell so he could get some rest. He wouldn't mind Pirro picking a flower or two, if they were in fact flowers...

Kafiha smelled it, too. The last time he had smelled such a thing had been when an angry multi-headed dragon had nearly killed him and one of his closest companions. They had triumphed in the end, through sheer audacity and a lot of blind luck. He noted the tension in the Aurae's whisper to Myzery, and saw Piro hustling off. Something was wrong, and about to get a lot more wrong.

He loosened his lance in its saddle carriage and called out

"Hold a moment, Sir Piro!" And he spurred Espresso to follow the little furball.

He gave a look back at the other two and smiled fatalistically. They knew what was going on, he was sure of it. And whatever frightened a dragon, or possibly two of them, wasn't something he wanted to face alone.

"Shall we investigate then, Sir and Madame? If you wouldn't mind securing the flanks, I'll be happy to take the vanguard."

(OOC: im on my cell so sorry if its short))


Damien looked at Aurae in disbelief
"another true dragon? I thought your kind were rare, why would it be watching us?" Damien whispered.

his eyes darted back and forth looking into the treeline, he could smell the brimstone causing his anxiety to flare. his dragon side flared and smoke slowly was expelled from his nostrils as he exhaled.

She sighed softly." Females are rarer though." She looked up at the knight." I would like it if you could lead them away.. I will try my best to lead him away." Her eyes turned the fiercest of golds." I do not want any of you hurt for what I am." She smiled faintly.

Espresso pawed the earth angrily, snorting, eager to get into the fray it sensed was coming. Kafiha looked into the bushes where Piro had run, and saw the consternation in the whispering pair of dragonlike creatures.

Kafiha loosened his sword in its sheath and drew his lance from its saddle hanger.

"Well, miss. It looks like someone's going to get hurt one way or the other. I'm not sure what's going on, but if you think I'm going to ride off with the group and leave honest folk in danger, well, you must have me confused for a very poor Knight. If you're going to confront this thing, you're not doing it without me."

he looked hard at Myzery

"You should come too. The only one of us who shouldn't be facing this is the one who is running toward it right now."

He gestured in the direction Piro had run.

"Allons-y. Shall we?"

Piiro stood in a burnt circle of trees with a giant scaly lizard in it's middle. It had a tattoo around it's right eye and it was curled up asleep. "Bathe," Piiro whispered, "Bathe wake up!" But it was no use the spell book was knocked out, he kept tracing the tattoo with his eyes. It was a circle around the eye then a line straight down with two line coming off that forming a key. It was the same mark had described was on Tatsuya, but this dragon was a different color and a lot smaller then he remembered it being told in the stories Bathe told him.

This was not Tatsuya, but it was still a dragon! Piiro took a step back and as irony would have it a stick was there but the crack didn't wake the beast. What did wake the beast was the scream Piiro let out, "OUCH!!!" It was a Thorne Berry branch and he had been stuck. He fell to his little bum and begun to pick the thorns out. Did I order food? The dragon stood before him fully awake, as Piiro pulled out the last thorn the dragon inhaled.

"Damnit!" Piiro jumped out of the way as a roar bellowed from the beast and a surge of electricity spewed from it's mouth. Come feed me fuzz ball! What is the name of my entree anyway? "Piiro," he smile drawing a red bomb from his bag along with a dragon stick, "but I won't be feeding anyone today!"