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| Stoking the Fires; Aquila's Maiden Flight | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Aug 15 2016, 09:13 PM (355 Views) | |
| Nimirra | Aug 15 2016, 09:13 PM Post #1 |
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Meathods of Madness
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Stoked by the flames of hell itself, amber eyes glowed like embers in the swiftly setting sun. Famine had taken its toll plus a hefty collection of interest on all the Academy, but the largest species of dragon felt the brunt of dull pain in their guts more than the rest. Aquila was no exception. Her perfectly balanced build had long been filled out to the full one hundred and twenty five feet of length; she was easily the largest of her kin. Even with much of her plated exterior being a weaponized tail, it still left a massive stomach to suffer the throes of rationed portions and scarce game to hunt. The gloss had all but faded from her jet black fringe of fur, and with that lustre so did the dragoness’ patience seem to wane. Cries of rising females had begun to taper off, and yet still she had not risen once since the many years she had spent as a fledged warrior of Sekkai. Mannix had assumed that it just wasn’t in the cards for the daughter of the highest ranked dragon under the empress. That was something he could happily live with, though he’d never say so aloud. As if the sinister horns of the Fire’s had picked up his thoughts like radio waves, the dragoness’ sharp voice pierced forth, “Mannix. Duty calls.” With those cryptic few words, she heaved herself to her taloned feet and vanished into the painted twilight sky, leaving her rider quizzically scratching his blond hair. Her mind was racing, the impulsive yet simple plan of attack had settled into formation. There would be no preamble, no carefully laid puzzles for her suitors to solve, no rations stocked to feast upon to bolster reserves. She was as the freshly forged sword, fierce but unbloodied, and she would accept no less of her court. With a deep intake of air that swelled her chest and filled deep lungs, her first shattering roar echoed through the jungles beyond the Academy’s grounds. It bloomed and fanned like a fanned flame, sweeping through the tangled foliage to find the ears of any male with the itch to pursue such a beastial bellow. Sceathered wings nimbly navigated the clouded sky, their platinum primaries refracting the sun’s dying rays as they rowed through the heavens, carving a path towards the sea line. She banked along the coastal shore, satisfied as she observed the gentle tide that the location was ideal for the trial ahead. Cupping her faux-feathered wings, she wheeled to a stop before touching down, curved claws sinking menacingly into the loose, shifting earth of finely shattered quartz. Fangs gnashed as she growled along with her own stomach, fighting down the twin hungers that battled for her attention. One final calling was all that was left to offer the beachfront stage. The Fire shifted her weight carefully, collecting herself onto her hind limbs as massive pinions unfurled to both offer counterbalance and an unmistakable landmark for those that chose to heed her heated cries. One last trembling bellow erupted from her gaping jaws to seal the fateful invitation to dance with the militant devil herself. She stood waiting, a deity folded from the hottest flame of twin Talons, ready to separate the wheat from the chaff to determine who best was suited to carry on her legacy’s lines. |
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| Chirpadee | Aug 16 2016, 07:44 AM Post #2 |
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behold her lovely plumage
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Hadúr arrives and Hadur had not spent much time in the academy since the last flight he had participated in. He had stopped by, more than a touch shitfaced, to announce his victory to his chosen, and then he had gone off on what a human might call a bender. He had drunk himself stupid and then some. There might have been a few fights started, it’s all a little blurry. The alcohol had numbed the pain of the fresh scars that raked red and angry down his neck and across the edges of his wings. His mask was a haphazard crisscrossing of lightning burns. The zig-zagging black streaks a monument to his success. In the past few days he had ridden out the resulting hangover, something that was far from graceful or gentle in a creature most of forty feet long. It was probably for the best he wasn’t in his abode with the torrent of fluid he had lost in recompense for his celebration. Now, several days past the worst of his punishment for such lavish hedonism, he had gone fishing to fill the void in his belly. Perhaps drinking until you vomit was not the best idea in times of famine. The low slung forest was not the best fisher. He was more suited to swaggering through the underbrush then snatching things out of the ocean. Deer were getting scarce though and the other woodland pray weren’t much better off. It was time to hunt something different in hopes of a more bountiful harvest. Though the effort had resulted in more cursing then success. He had caught enough to take the gnawing edge off his hunger. Being a smaller breed he needed less to survive, but between the damage the storm had caused him and his own marry making, he had some ground to make up for. His greens were dulled, but it was really hard to tell the difference as he was a ruddy sort of brute anyways. Maybe there was less contrast but anyone who didn’t know him well might have thought him just the same. He waded up to his belly and was snapping at fish, the salt searing unpleasantly against the heat burns along his neck. He could still hardly hear out of his right ear, but the rosemary he had cornered to ask about it thought it was likely that would return with time, maybe. Though the tiny fluffy healer might have just said that to placate him. He plunged his head under the water again, missing another fish which caused a string of curses a mile long. The angry bellow of a rising female turned his head. His pupiless eyes focused on the burning shape in the distance. He growled, low in his throat, and lifted a paw to scratch at the burns on his neck. The last flight had been hellish, but he had come out victorious. He had shown everyone, even his stupid clutchmate frost-ass what he was made of. Now here was another chance to put others to shame. He considered letting this one lie, buggering off and letting other males take the head on this. He was still recovering and not at the height of his wellbeing from his run in with a particularly violent storm. All the consideration in the world could do nothing to stop his drive as instinct gripped him. Her call stirred something primal in his belly and demanded he answer. Hunger be damned, injured flesh a minor inconvenience. He swaggered from the surf and shook himself like a dog, casting off water in all directions. “Alright I’mma commin.” He hissed through his teeth. The burly little forest took off at a gallop, sand clinging annoyingly to his scales. He was the first to arrive, a small offering to a giant burning goddess. A mortal before the flames of hell. Fire was a dangerous thing to play with when you were a forest. He could easily be consumed by this flight. So be it, he thought. Reared onto her back legs as she was the fiery tempest overshadowed him as vast and as encompassing as the sky above. He grinned, never one to turn down a real challenge, an expression easily missed on his masked face. He shook the sand from his limbs as best he could in an effort to appear more presentable to the lady and then turned his gold eyes up to her. “I’m ‘ere to meet yer challenge. Ain’t going to find a dragon better than me. Names Hadúr and yew better believe I’m the sort ah male yew need to make the strongest batch ah eggs you ever seen.” |
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| Nherva | Aug 16 2016, 09:43 AM Post #3 |
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Lurker Queen
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All of it was dreadfully unsatisfying. Jericho chewed thoughtfully on the hunks of limestone grinding against the flattened molars in the back of his mouth. Lately, he'd taken to eating more of the stuff as if it could supplement his meager rations. His armor was in top shape and thicker than it had ever been, but his stomach was still empty. One huge forepaw excavated another few massive chunks of rock from the cliff-face. He swallowed and glanced at the new chunks and hesitated with a heavy sigh. He'd rather have a steer or two. Blue and green irises shifted up to look at his rider, idly perched upon the cliff to wait for him. She could have stayed at the Academy, but Mirhira seemed to believe that her dragon might steal food in desperation or something. It was ridiculous, but he'd brought her along anyway. "You about done?" She asked, her voice carrying to him over the sound of distant waves. "If you hurry maybe we can find some bonasus or something." She suggested. It was a good suggestion, but the pickings were getting slim. Many of the larger dragons had ranged out far beyond the Academy for hunting. Wild herds of the gigantic beasts were dwindling. If they even managed to find some of the beasts, Jericho would still have to run it down. Born without wings, the Earth had to run down everything. Normally, he was good at it, but with a substantial lack of nutrition he was tired. Even if he hardly tried to show it, he didn't have the same energy he did on a full diet. Jericho grumbled and opened his mouth to speak. The roar the issued forth came not from his own maw, however. The feral sound raked down the Earth's spine in an instinctually un-ignorable way. He shuddered. "Stay here Mira." He said, turning slowly. "Wait you're not gonna just leave me here so you can go chase a damn female again are you?" The Earth rider was on her feet, but she was powerless to get to her dragon without climbing down the near vertical wall of limestone beneath her. "Jericho!" She shouted, but her sudden flare of temper was lost upon a deaf bond and deaf ears. The last time he'd gone off to chase a female, it had been days before he'd returned, and when he had... "Don't worry Mira, I'll tell you all about it," he told her, turning back with a flash of pearly fangs. Oh, he certainly would. He was still boasting about his latest conquest. Even almost two years old, he was still talking about the shining, radiant creature he'd impressed with a feat unmatched by her other suitors. The earth had answered the call of his magic and he'd told the story again and again, each time adding some new grandiose detail. Mirhira still didn't believe he'd found a new kind of dragoness. It was just a flashy Fire, she'd said, or a Lightning. A creature of Arcane power indeed. It was all an embellished story, like every other story her Earth told. She was out of earshot quickly as Jericho lumbered down the rocky shoreline in the direction of the call. Mirhira would be all right. The woman was a fighter and a survivor, besides, he wouldn't be gone long. A great many strides later, Jericho saw her. He knew her, if not by her striking appearance then certainly her lineage. It was difficult to divorce oneself from the fame of one's parents. Aquila, born of the Talons Dhruva and Anamchara, a legacy in her own right. Oh, this just sweetened the deal. The stories he could tell if he managed to get her attention. Thick, shovel-like claws dug into the sand and gravel of the coastline as he approached. Small, jewel-bright eyes spied a small flicker of movement nearby. Another suitor. Jericho snorted, a youngster. Soon, he added his own voice to rushing of distant waves. "Sounds like you're spoiling for a fight young lady," the Earth's deep baritone vibrated the sand at his feet. "I'd be happy to oblige." If Jericho's face allowed it, he'd have smirked, but the expression was in his voice, a smile that none could see. He'd give this hardened lady anything she wanted to be able to tell a tale of her recognition, if nothing else. He didn't have to win her to tell a good story, but it would certainly make for a more interesting encounter. |
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| Zinc | Aug 21 2016, 09:58 PM Post #4 |
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The Owl Waife
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With Ekhi's declaration, the season had decisively come to a close for the automaton. He had experienced what was called a Flight, and had chased a female for the right to sire offspring. In most occasions, this would have been seen as an adequate and logical task. The reproduction of dragons to bring forth more of their kind, to populate and flourish and provide the Academy's militia with strong troops was a worthy pursuit. But with the famine's spreading influence and the metaphorical tightening of the belts on every dragon and the literal to their human counterparts, he could only deduce that these activities were a fruitless activity. It was not only a colossal waste of his meager reserves of energy, but what use would it be, to bring forth young in a time where food was so scarce? It was more likely than not a death sentence for any who chose the ridiculous pursuit. Yet his body demanded he take the route of a fool. With the cry of every female who rose, the heat stoked deep in his belly. How baffling it was, Occam thought, that instinct should roar so loudly against logical thought. He receded deep into his quarters, and settled deep in the shadows of his own resting place. He moved little, save to eat or to speak with Forge, who visited him with increasing worry. He could not find a means nor measure by which to coax his dragon from his self imposed isolation. Occam found little of his current situation disagreeable. It was likened in his mind, to fasting, or perhaps an extended meditation. Still, he found it to be frustrating that in both cases of action and inaction, he continued to cause His some means of worry. It was for both their sakes that Occam did this. When he had been confronted by Forge over the disappearance of Ekhi, the sudden violent lash of emotions had surprised both of them. Dark and hungry, it demanded an outlet. The last thing that Occam wanted was to endanger Forge. So he receded into himself. Calm. Quiet. Peaceful. He carefully built up a wall around his mind and steeled it. Barred it. Locked away those fierce instincts that welled up with a fury when the lustful cries of a wanting female slunk temptingly into their quarters and reached him. Slowly, the days passed. Occam fed on his rations. Slept. Meditated. The calls became more and more infrequent, until at last, he thought, it was safe, and he had little fear of his emotions running away with him as they had on the previous occasion. Logic had won out once more. Slowly, he unfolded himself, his limbs and wings stiff from lack of use. But his energy was not flagging as it had been upon his return. The consistent rest had at least helped, even if the meager rationing had done him few favors. Without the risk of another female's cry, and the season at it's end, he would range out to hunt once more. Though he disliked the distance between himself and Forge, he knew that the hunting had grown slim in the miles closest to the Academy. He would have to push out towards the sea. Perhaps it's waters held the promise of a bounty. The fact that he didn't know how to fish was put out of his head. He had seen the herons and the kingfishers. The act did not seem overly complex. He pushed eastward, and the sea glinted against the sky in the distance as the miles melted away. He touched down on the sand, scattering finely shattered quartz and silicates with beats of his wings. Occam stared out at the waves incoming and crashing onto the shore, thoughtful and contemplating. He spread his wings and took off, arcing over the breakers and out to sea, eyes questing, stomach demanding. His search however, was brought up short by a loud bellow that drove itself over the flat expanse of the water. No! His head whipped up and he drew short, gnashing his teeth in frustration, a rare expression from the normally stoic dragon. The cry was distant, faint. But still, it was a catalyst. The spark ignited that strange, burning engine deep within him. He found himself turning, his burning eyes searching. In the sky, she was not hard to find. Her colors blazed bright like a bloody sunset, platinum wings glaring against the sun. She rounded down to the shore, her form setting against the sands. She rose to her hinds, her wings outstretched to the sky. Another roar shattered the air, echoed off the waves, and rang in his ears. Occam was not a creature of emotion. He was one of logic. A machine given organic form. But even he could be swayed by their power given the right circumstances. Even now, as he warred with himself, his control was slipping. He was failing in this fight. She drew him in helplessly. He wanted to chase her. He wanted to go to her. He would impress her. Do as she bade him. He gathered himself and wheeled, returning towards the shore. Already, this burning effigy, this frightening form, both beautiful and terrifying to Occam, had drawn the attention of others who had come before him, just as they had in his previous efforts. He did not know the Earth, though his powerful build caused Occam to give him adequate space. To the other, his hatchmate, he gave a contemplative stare. He sported new wounds, burns that swelled angrily on his face. He bore them well. But he had always been aggressive. Occam did not doubt he would have many more before the end of his life. It was to Aquila that his gaze finally returned, staring up at her with intensity, a spark of alarm being the last of his logical processes in the back of his mind before it too was snuffed by the overwhelming waves of his instincts. His voice, low and cold snapped forth. "I answer you." |
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| Nimirra | Aug 23 2016, 08:48 AM Post #5 |
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Meathods of Madness
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Impatient rumbling echoed in the vast chambered lungs within her chest, akin to a den of wolves growling to ward off intruders. Promptness was the only acceptable response, any stragglers would surely be scorched for their impudent entrances by the massive Fire. Pupils slitted as the first to answer her call loped into view. Aquila took stock of the male, a youthful Forest who’s appearance was as haunting as his sire’s had been. The ornate scaling that masked his face was telltale for who he was even before he announced his name to those who paid attention to the ongoings around the Academy. The general’s daughter was not one to take stock of the latest batch of hatchlings’ names however; the only names of consequence to her were those of her Wing and closest allies. Luckily, he spared her the trouble. “Hadúr. Bold words, but where is your proof?” Aquila hissed back, gilded irises glowing with the challenge. Despite his breed’s disfavor to her own element, his vigor was worthy enough to let him attempt to match hers. A second suitor arrived shortly after she’d finished addressing the first. This one by design was the opposite of the burly Forest’s small, swift build. An Earth of impressive stature had joined the oceanfront gathering. Wingless though he was, he made up for the lack of flight capabilities in sheer mass and muscle. Jericho’s words sealed his approval to stay, as they brought a sharp bark of a one-note laugh from the dragoness’ throat. Rather than engage in banter, the devilish female left him to simmer over her cryptic response. Now was not the time to start. Wingbeats on the horizon marked a final player joining her game. This one was as unique as the lightning-scarred Forest and the prehistoric Earth. A Metal molded from weathered copper, mechanical and unsettling as the gargoyle that clung to Mannix’s heel. Aquila snorted, watching him as he took quick stock of the two males and lastly her own striking figure. Three frigid words were all he offered her, but they were more than enough to gain him entry should he accept it. “You will answer only to yourself. All of you. I have no time for craftily laid games nor need of others to hunt for me to be filled. What I need is strength, cunning, and dedication. If you can’t best me together, then you damn well better impress me. Holding back will only end in pain; I suggest you don’t.” spoke the daughter of flame to her suitors, and with the last heated sylabil flicked from her fiery tongue, she lurched forward. Pinions snapped downward as she launched into the air, barreling straight for the smallest of her suitors before veering away at the last moment. The fight was on. ((Short and sweet challenge post - feel free to assume she’s diving for each of you and limited bursts of mildly tempered flame since she’s low on fuel reserves to maintain much in the way of fiery barrages. This can be tackled as a free-for-all or males can coordinate to better their advantages. She’ll judge based on who’s use of battle skills, elemental skills, and wit impress her the most. Have fun fighting the angry, hungry beast!)) |
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| Nherva | Aug 24 2016, 12:00 PM Post #6 |
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Lurker Queen
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Jericho being...uh...inadequate? Jericho was not terribly used to being a part of a team to accomplish anything. That did not mean that he was not, only that he was usually a forerunner when it came to his Wing's tactics on the battle field. He was usually asked to crush first and ask questions later. Once he was done smashing down the opposition, his job was mostly done. There was very little in the way of teamwork between himself and other dragons after that, so he did not see the other suitors as help versus the scarlet and platinum female above them. He was as in it for himself as they probably were, and he had no intention of letting either get the upper hand on him if he could help it. He'd lost many a flight in his life-time, but he entered every one he did with the intent to win. He didn't let the losses drag him down. Aquila seemed to scoff at him. Was that disbelief? Amusement? Had she already decided whether or not she would give him her attention? There was only one way to find out. When the Fire finally did speak, she addressed them all. In the next moment, her advantage over the Earth was reiterated as she took wing. He would never fly, but he'd made his peace with that so long ago that he could not remember ever being upset by it. She darted down at him, but he was too large and slow to dodge the licking tongue of teasing flame that shot over him and baked the top layer of his scales. He doubted her fire was half as hot or dangerous as it would have been if she'd been at her full strength. The famine was taking its toll on all of them and it appeared she was no exception. He was fortunate that his thick armor dissipated most of the heat, though her breath left a dark char mark across his back. He grumbled low in his throat. He could not fight her in the air. He could not truly fight her at all unless she came down to his level. But, he could withstand her blasts all day, and if she were smart she dared not descend too low, lest she impale herself upon one of his crystalline spires. "If you wish it to be a fair fight, don't hide in the sky." He lowered his head, sunlight glinting off clear quartz horns jutting out of his forehead. "If it is stamina you seek however," Jericho gave a bawdy laugh that shook the dunes around him. "I could take your abuse all day." Jericho kept his eyes upon the female, all thought of her heritage and her rank in the back of his mind. On the forefront was her challenge. His eyes only flicked away for a brief moment as he surveyed his options. Surrounding him was only sand and water. Elementally, he didn't have the advantage he'd had when he stumbled upon Joule so long ago now. The earth beneath his feet then had seethed, it had been malleable to his very will. Here, he could perform a few feats, but he doubted they would be able to impress a female such as this. For the first time in a long time, the prehistoric Earth felt inadequate to a task. Even when his Wing had been sent to kill an Abyssal that had been ravaging ships, he'd had more he thought he could do. But he was useless on the ground. He peered at Hadúr, then at Occam. They were in this for themselves as much as he was. Even if he tried to use them to his advantage, it would likely backfire. The massive Earth swung his massive, spiked tail in irritation. He snarled, loudly enough to hopefully get her attention again. If she got close enough to close with him, then he could do what she asked of him. Otherwise, he was about as useful as brick in a bucket of water. |
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| Nimirra | Aug 25 2016, 02:56 PM Post #7 |
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Meathods of Madness
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"If you wish it to be a fair fight, don't hide in the sky." The Earth’s frustrated outcry rang like a clarion bell. Aquila angled her wings, veering as tightly as her lengthy figure could manage at the low altitude she was bound to from famine and fatigue. She’d hoped her initial flurried charge had scattered her flight-capable suitors for the moment, but regardless, she would not let Jericho’s grounded and well-founded frustration be met with cryptic laughter, or worse, go unanswered. Already her muscles ached from the short burst of momentum, screaming their pain from lack of sustenance. Flames had licked the prismatic hide of the mobile mountain, leaving little but a blackened sear for her efforts. She noted this as she glided over him once more, but this time at a vastly subdued pace. Unfortunately for the daughter of flame, the diminished velocity cost her dearly as Jericho’s snarling assault came swinging viciously from below. A sharp, feral cry split from her fanged maw as his spiked tail slammed into her exposed shoulder, causing her right wing to crumple. Sand sprayed in a granular wave of gold as her molten scales crashed into the coast. Aquila’s instincts worked quickly, training kicking in before her mind could fully process the blow. She managed to heft herself to her taloned feet, bladed tail lashing behind her wake to fend off any male that may have tried to take advantage of her momentary fall. With amber eyes patrolling the surrounding peripheral for Hadur and Occam, she hissed in frustration at the turn she’d so foolishly taken. Rookie move for a young Fire to fly so close to the earth and expect it to not have any repercussion. “Come on then,” she snarled back, coiling like a great cat before springing forth with outstretched talons towards Jericho, jettisoning a gout of mildly tempered flame to the side of the grounded pair in anticipation of Occam or Hadur’s regrouping. ((For fairness and ease, Aquila is now grounded due to soft tissue injury to the shoulder for the remainder of her Flight! Do your worst to her, since she wants it three on one. It’s as much a test of her own skills as it is of her suitors.)) |
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| Nimirra | Aug 29 2016, 09:59 PM Post #8 |
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Meathods of Madness
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In the interest of elapsed time, Aquila's Flight winner has been randomized: List Randomizer There were 3 items in your list. Here they are in random order: Occam Jericho Hadur IP: 70.112.170.205 Timestamp: 2016-08-30 04:55:23 UTC Congratulations to Occam and sorry our schedules seemed to collapse for this Flight. |
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