Dark Mirror: Clans

[Zetherus]

The general walked up to the hulking black dragon and growled, "You have a lot of nerve coming up to our gates and attacking my city's guard! What says you in this defense?" Thoron looked at the ice general standing before him and responded calmly, "I didn't attack your guard so don't blame me for that. My armored friend didn't like the way he was jabbing at me so, well, he defended me by hitting him with his own weapon!" The ice dragon squinted his eyes as he stared into Thoron's detecting no lies then asked again. "Then where is your friend? I hope you know that the actions he upheld will be used against you seeing that you are the only here." He asked before he turned his attention off of the black dragon to look at the guard. "You let some giant humanoid hit you with your own weapon?" Questioned the general to the eye-hurt guard. "No, it wasn't just a giant humanoid! It was too quick to be a giant beast! The being grabbed my weapon then struck me in the face with unquestionable speed, I didn't have time to react!" Said the guard nervously trying not to sound weak. The leader sighed then took his attention off the guard then back at Thoron. "Well I take it that my guard attacked you with no reason because of fear! I don't blame him attacking you seeing that you look like a mighty strong threat, even in my eyes! One true question though, did you threaten my guards?" Thoron looked at him with disgust the responded, "No, I walked up after my long journey across your plain and told him that I meant no harm, then he walked up aggressively and tried to stab me in the neck with his stick!" The dragon believed him but the black dragon was still an intruder because of the other dark dragons they caught in their land making him respond strongly but nicely to him, "I believe you just you are still unwelcome like the others we caught but unlike the others, I'll tell the elders that you were only a traveler trying to defend himself from our over controlling guard! I hope that will at least separate you from the ones who really called out for their crimes!" The ice dragon turned his back and signaled Thoron follow and the two walked into the city. The general's soldiers didn't take any chances though. They followed behind watching and making sure that the large dragon didn't try to escape.

Thoron was pissed at this because he now has to confront a political group for reasons of dark dragons causing problems in the ice dragon territory. As the two entered through the hall and into the grand waiting room which smelt like the fire dragon Tarra and the dark dragon's that were in the four craters from before made him growl to the general, "Who long is this going to take? I have things to do!" The general signaled Frost to come to him then he turned to confront the black dragon's question, "You will be possibly released quickly, IF, you speak truthfully like you spoke to me, but a little more calmly to our elders. I noticed a little frustration and anger in your voice when I was speaking to you! That will not be tolerated by them so I'm sure you understand and you better! They look down poorly to those that mock them!" Thoron rolled his eyes then looked down to the cold floor. "If the elders don't kill those dragons then I will!" He thought to himself while quietly growling angrily.

[Nohiki]

"Aaarrhh... That guy can ruin everything. He only looks like dark one, he's of my clan, unless he's a halfing... The things i must do..." Tara complained and walked over to Thoron and the ice dragons. "Excuse me, there must have been some misunderstanding. this guy is of my clan. Let me take care of it." she said while pushing the twice bigger dragon towards a side aisle. When they were out of earshot, she let a streak of flames out of her nostrils in anger: "Are you trying to undermine everything i'm doing? Why are you here, go where you came from! I already had the dark dragons painted as bad guys and now YOU... And that barlakh demon of yours... rush in and start saying stuff like 'I am gonna kill them'?!" she went, and the walls of nearby igloos started to go wet on the outside. "Just SHUT UP, stay out of sight, until i'm done, then get yourself killed for all i care, but you will NOT stand in my way, understand?" She said, her forehead pushed against Thoron's, giving him the deadliest of death stares. She pulled away and made her way back.

[Zetherus]

Thoron was relieved when he saw Tarra walk up and take him from the ice dragons view but something about the fire dragon didn't look happy when they were both alone. When the dragoness let out her anger on Thoron, he just stood there listening to her like he didn't care. When the dragon finished and started to walk back to the meeting, Thoron called out to her, "I think I have something that you might be interested to hear? It just might save your life and prove useful to your saying in the future! I was pretending to be a dark dragon so I could either get you to come out or someone more important that wants to hear my findings!" The black dragon looked at the wall to his right and carved what looked like a map from the ice city to a giant glacier out in the outskirts with his black symboled hand then led a dot trail to the glacier. He looked back at Tarra and asked in a deep growl, "Are you interested?"

[Nohiki]

"No!" Tara called back, "You wanna tell the fire elders go ahead, i have my lifetime dose of them in an hour! I'M military, not an errand girl, damn it." she said, spitting fire on all sides. It was her turn to see the ice elders, so she went in and told them everything that has happened on their territory, and while she knew better than to propose alliance, she relayed the information as good willed warning. The ice clan didn't promise reinforcements, but Tara had a feeling they'll be sending scouts to see if what she told them was true. In that case, she has to get home soon enough to arrange for them not to be considered hostiles. On her way out, she met with the dark dragon again.

There was something familiar about him before, but she couldn't place it up until now. He was the one from her nightmare, or, now that she noticed, she'd call it an omen. She walked right next to him, coming to still when she was standing next to him. "It has been foretold. We'll see each other again. Soon..." she said, now more with eagerness than anxiety. With that done she arranged for her armor to be delivered as she needed the speed. She went to the city's highest tower and took off, heading home.

[Kauria]

Metrus ducked quickly into the Elders' den as soon as the dark-scaled buffoon from the fire clan territory showed his face, hoping to avoid eye contact or recognition. The last thing he needed was someone who failed to understand the delicacy of the political situation.
Inside, he simply greeted the Elders and waited observantly by the back of the cavern's icy walls, since he hadn't been a part of the altercation that had brought the other dragons here.
It went about as to be expected. The dark dragons would be punished as their own clan saw fit, since the last thing the ice clan wanted was to involve themselves further in a situation they'd been trying to escape.
Otherwise, the shadow clan scouts hadn't exactly committed any acts of aggression aside from simply being in the wrong clan's territory, so the terms were amended slightly. They were to clear out from their post as soon as possible to preserve the ice clan's neutrality, and to inform the others they came across as well. Travelers from the dark clan and fire clan would be permitted refuge for the one night more, but the ice clan's borders would close to them afterwards.
Outside the den, Metrus exchanged goodbyes with the other dark dragons and took the ice clan up on their final offer of shelter.
He curled up in the shallow travelers' cave and dozed lightly.

[Nohiki]

Tara was closing on the tower. She made the journey back in half the time without her armor, but she was getting tired. Her wing muscle finally gave up fifteen meters before the entrance and she crashed in, rolling to stop on her bed. She had few bruises, but those will have to wait. She immediately dozed off.

In the morning, she went out to wash all the dirt off her scales. Diving into one of the springs, the heat made her sleepy again. She laid her head on the shore and closed her eyes, letting the heat wash away the fatigue. She was cut short though. The wind brought familiar smell her way. Familiar, yet unwanted. She rised and hid behind a rock. Her wings were still too sore for aerial recon. But in a mere moment, she found out she didn't need one. SHe quickly slid out and rushed back to the fortress. "Sound the alarm! They're here!" she said rushing to her room to take some stuff. She then rushed down to a place well known to her. "I need a dose!" she barked, throwing a metal nugget in Drahon's general direction. "Suit yourself, but remember, next one on 15 hours, no less." he said back, but she interrupted him: "Well rested now, thank you for asking, i'll need it for later." she explained. "Then don't inject it, just eat it. that takes time to process." the druid said, tossing the vial. "Thx. I'll see you in an hour, along with the battalion of other injuries." she said. The earth dragon nodded her off.

Sara put on her rank ribbon. Deep breath. Push the door open. She walked in. Against her stood four of the five elders of the Fire clan. "Why are you here?" one of them growled, "We have an armada to take care of!" She laughed: "And logically, that would lead you to me. Or do you ever go anywhere else when failure is not an option?" she said. The four dragons, all of them, even the females, much bigger than her. Had the illness not taken her, her mother would be sitting there. She snarled back at them. "I request to carry the eternal torch into battle!" she said. "ABSOLUTELY NOT!" yelled one of the elders, "And don't you think you and Silverflame are out fo the woods for your little diversion to Ice clan territory either!" one of the females said. "Granted!" said a deep voice behind her. A black and yellow dragon walked past and sat on the frontmost place in the chamber. "You sure?" the loud dragon said with a frown. "If the reports are accurate, she is the best choice. Taraah," Zil'Caron turned to her, "This does not give you command of any unit. However, you will report directly to me. Noone else." he said, his eyes pointing to the other elder. The elders gathered around and chanted something that sounded very ancient. A spark went from each elder's hand and flown towards her. They met above her and a red stone appeared in a flash of light, descending to her. It sat on her arm and a bracelet formed around it, binding it to her. She felt it's power added to her own. "Go out there. The power of Vulcanus is with you, and our fate might be in your hands." the elders said as one and released her.

Outside, the dark clan army was grouping for attack. The fire dragons were quickly mustering defense, but it was chaotic. At this rate, it will be over far too quick. Instead of going down there, she got up to the center of the wall of the fortress, where she could be seen well by both sides.. She took a deep breath and let out a terrifying roar, one could almost feel the ground shaking. While the dark dragon advance halted for a few seconds, cheers and roars went through the fire clan's line. They quickly reassembled into a solid defense position. Tara jumped down the wall and glided to the line's front. She gasped, her wings still hurting. However, in the coming battle she won't be needing them. The fortress had too good air defense. "You asked why i didn't give her command? This is your answer. None other has this effect on the men." Zil'Caron explained.

Tara stood in the front for now, but that wasn't where she was to be in the battle. She was looking only for two opponents. One to finish off, the other to tackle for the first time. The rest couldn't stop her on her way to them.

[Zetherus]

Thoron has ignored the creature that escaped and took his refuge back at the springs near the Fire Fortress. As he waited for a sign of meaning, he sat there next to the same lava pool trying to create a portal to the creature he was pursuing from the beginning. The dragon felt agitated as he couldn't find it's tracks anywhere so he formed his arm back to it's original form and stood from sitting looking toward the fire city in the distance. A power of familiar origin caught his attention as he stared to the mountainous horizon. "That power, I know that power from Sol'lux!" Thoron wondered until he felt a large presence occurring behind him in the far off land. The black dragon suddenly felt a rushing assault toward him as two dark dragons jumped out and collided with him.

Thoron was staggered but not moved by the enemies pitiful attempt to knock him down. "Is that the best you got?" He roared as he turned around and went into a fury of horizontal swings with his talons. One of the dragons didn't dodge the huge dragons fast swings resorting in brutal decapitation as he grabbed the poor dragon and threw it to the ground and sank his massive fangs into the dragon's neck. The dark one struggled for only a moment as the black dragon removed it's head from it's shoulders. Blood drizzled down the giant's neck as he turned his attention to the other dragon with the one he killed head still hanging out his jaws. Thoron stared into the very soul of the other dragon as it just stood there frozen looking up at him with fear from what happen to his comrade. The dark dragon retreated when it got it's chance and ran back to the approaching dark army. Thoron dropped the creature's head to the ground and took flight to see where the dark scout has escaped to finding out that a army of dark dragons was closing in on his location. "That's way too much for me to handle! I wonder if the fire dragons know?" He said to himself as he turned direction and headed to the fire fortress in haste. He was making his way flying to the fortress until three dark dragon soldiers appeared out of no where hot on his tail. He tried to avoid their ariel attacks but they were too precise with their aiming making him struggle getting to the structure safely. Thoron made his way to the fortress as close as he could before he did a 180º turn and boosted toward the attacking dragons with readied talons. He slammed into two out of the three and engaged into ariel combat. Thoron stabbed his right hand into an attacking dragon's belly in front of him and pulled out a clump of gore from it's innards and threw it at the other dragon he staggered. As the two neared the ground, the black dragon landed on his feat as the dark soldier fell full force on it's back causing it not to move in time of defense. The black giant looked to the injured dragon's direction and charged at it to finish it off until the still flying one collided with Thoron throwing off his attention. The dark dragon was latched on to Thoron's back clawing and taring into his armored hide as it made it's way to his neck. Thoron was struggling with the one on his back as more started closing in on him. "Someone gonna help me out here?" He yelled as he stood up straight and fell on his back crushing the dragon still latched on his back.

[Nohiki]

The battle was fierce. Both sides were suffering causalities and the stench of death was filling the battlefield. Fortunately, the fire dragons incinerated their dead before they could be turned into the enemy. Tara wasn't bound by the rules of the battle. There was a trail of destruction where she was. Behind the enemy. She was picking off her targets, mostly commanders sticking out of the battle. She was keeping her power for later time. Right now she was holding a heart in her hand, that was slowly ceasing to beat, while she kept eye contact with the darkling to his bitter end. "May you be in hell half an hour before Order knows you're dead!" she said and spat on the corpse. She continued on foot, it was too dangerous to take off because of her dark coloring. She could be well shot down by her own people. Suddenly, everything was dark. She saw the fight she saw in her dream again. It is their rotten presence. My essence is rejecting you. she thought, I must find them. And when i do, I have to kill them, or die trying.

[Kauria]

Metrus scarcely had the time to fold his wings upon returning home before he was accosted by his cousin. "There you are. Great Death, we need to get going." Her bony claws wrapped around his wrist and pulled him deeper into the cave.
"Wait, wait," Metrus protested, reaching fruitlessly for some of his spell components as he was dragged past. He gave a resigned and heavy sigh once they were out of reach. "What's going on?"
"The war's started, that's what. The clans are finally clashing in force down by the fire fortress. They made me wait for you because apparently no one else knows how to cast a traveling spell." She released him and moved to inspect a circle she'd evidently etched into the ground while he was gone.
Metrus rubbed his wrist and considered the news. He'd have to ditch most of his old plan, if it was even relevant by the end of the day.
"Get in the circle," his cousin said, without looking up. "Otherwise your tail's the only thing coming with me."
Metrus stepped into the outline. "I thought you could teleport without a circle, like you did for me the other day."
"That was a shadow portal, and it was just as likely to keep you there all day or deposit you somewhere else entirely. You got lucky."
"Thanks for the warning," Metrus said dryly.
The circle flared with light, and the two shadow dragons were suddenly surrounded by noise and smoke and the smell of blood. They leapt in different directions, a plume of fire striking where they had stood a moment before.
Nearby, the giant black dragon from before reared up and toppled over . . . onto the dark clan warrior that had been clinging to his back. Metrus gave a hiss of frustration and bounded across the distance that separated them, almost tripping over a fallen dragon on the way.
He tensed his muscles, and in one smooth motion, leapt onto a slanted rock near the strange dragon. "Hey!" he barked.

[Morty]

Vorun's ears pricked and he nodded weakly as he received the dark dragon's mental message, making it look like an unconscious movement born of pain rather than an open acknowledgement. It wouldn't do to look like he was up to something. He let his gaze wander over to where the thought seemed to have originated. Though he couldn't place it right now, something about the other dark dragon seemed familiar. He dismissed his suspicions and allowed the ice clan dragons to lead him into the council chamber. While the ice elders questioned his compatriots he maintained a disaffected atmosphere; it was what they would expect. He wasn't about to get all chummy with them because he was at their mercy; they could do what they wanted with the three stooges to his right for all he cared. As soon as he was alone in the shadows he would be gone. It would have been nice to stick around and leech off the ice dragon's hospitality for a while, but things where more tense than he had predicted in the North and he was eager to see what the regal-looking dark dragon had in mind for him.

Once the interrogation was over and they'd all been properly chastised for their negligence, Vorun slipped out of the chamber and looked around. They'd been granted shelter for one night, with the stipulation that they leave ice clan territory at first light. He intended to be gone before then. Desperately he wondered whether the offer for refuge extended to food and healing. His ribs were ablaze with agony; it struck him as uncharacteristically barbaric that the ice clan hadn't offered to treat his wound before interrogating him. Nor did he want to travel again on an empty stomach. Figuring that, of all people, the ice clan would surely have food stored away, and knowing that the ice clan generally liked to think of themselves as a just and egalitarian people, he approached the nearest frost dragon and inquired whether there was any chance of seeing a healer or a bite to eat. As much as he disliked having to rely on the goodwill of others, he was forced to admit he had scant few options left: indeed the only ones remaining were to steal something, or grin and bear it, and he was rather leaning in the direction of the former.

[saphira]

luna started to get up "i would like to watch if i may. it seems i may be able to provide some vital information."she said to frost

[Zetherus]

Thoron heard a random but familiar call echo through his ears as the enemy dragons closed in on him. He rolled to his feat then took a deep breath as he removed an old ancient spear out his back with his tail and threw it to the chard ground. The giant shifted his neck and head to look behind him and saw the dark dragon from before. He turned then walked up cautiously looking around and stooped in front of the dragon on the rock. The black dragon arched his neck back as he straightened his four legs to be at exact head level with Metrus. "What the hell do you want seeing that your people attacked me? Speak fast or you'll end up like them!" Thoron growled as he showed his long black fangs at Metrus and his right eye began to glow a bright threatening red. The dark dragons behind him closed in directly until Thoron flicked his tail and the sword on the tip of it ejected out and sliced one of the dragon's neck open causing it to bleed to death in front of the others. The black dragon didn't even stop from staring at Metrus for even a second when he killed the dragon behind him.

[Nohiki]

Tara's eyes were burning with anger. another group was blocking her way to her challenge. "Turn away, i don't leave a job incomplete, and you are in the way!" she said. She estimated how much power she had to execute her plan. It would allow for two attacks, given the healer didn't botch his estimate and she'll get the boost. Need to disperse the attack. Ready... Closer... Closer... she thought as the four dragons were slowly and carefully approaching her. All of a sudden, she shut her jaw and something started to glow behind her teeth. She quickly drew breath and exhaled. Fire shot out of her mouth, the shut jaws dispersing her normally linear attack into a cone, grilling the four dragons on the spot. [blue]{Mana left: 80}[/blue] She sprinted towards her targets which she could see further away, along with the big dragon from before.

[Kauria]

Metrus found his dislike for the stranger growing with every encounter, but he swallowed his distaste like a wad of herbs. He had little patience left for politeness.
The shadow dragon bared his own fangs. "What I want is for you to stop. It's really simple. Don't attack my clan," he snarled. Although death remained a threat from any angle, Metrus relaxed his stance slightly. "Withdraw from this battle, and I'll grant you two things. One, forgiveness for having found yourself on the wrong side of this. And two, protection. If the color of your scales isn't enough to keep the others at bay, my family's mark will. Deal?"
A part of him wondered why he was wasting so much time on removing one threat from among so many, but another recognized it as an opportunity in progress.

[Zetherus]

Thoron heard what Metrus had offered but he didn't care at the moment as he looked around seeing the waring chaos around him. The giant brought his stare back at the dark dragon then asked not caring about the war around him, "I need protection!? I have fought in countless wars, seen and slain things that you would never believe. What makes you think that you can offer me protection from your people just like that? What if I want to protect the other half of my bloodline from this senseless assault?" Thoron's strong voice could be heard clearly from afar as he turned to look behind him and find several dark dragons fighting off fire dragons. He shook his head in disbelief then sighed as he looked back at the dragon on the rock and lifted his wings off his sides creating a defensive stance on his flanks.