OCC: This is mainly for me, Dark Dragon, and DS4 though if anyone else wants to join, just PM me. I'm putting this in Other Adventures because there is a distinct possibility that it will involve travel to other parts of the world as well.

IC:
The sun began to set in the west and the shadows of the night crept over the dark waters below. Violeta glided low over the ocean, flying toward the island of Vroengard which was silhouetted against the setting sun.

I hope you're right about this, Natagath. Violeta said to her Rider. We're taking an awful risk coming here.

"I know but we need those memory orbs. I know there was some stored away somewhere in the ruins of Doru Araeba. Besides, Galatorix thinks we're dead. He's all but abandoned Vroengard so I'm not really concerned with running into him." Natagath replied

Then let's hurry up and get what we came for.

"What are memory orbs?" Fletcher asked, flying alongside Violeta.

"They're enchanted glass orbs that contain memories. There are some that I believe the Forsworn missed when the sacked the place." Natagath explained. "Those orbs contain important information that we can't allow to fall into the hands of Galbatorix or anyone else! As an elder Dragon Rider, it is my duty to make sure they stay safe!"

Fletcher cocked his head curiously. "You said you were here before. Why didn't you retrieve them then?"

"I had just been reunited with Violeta and in my joy, I forgot about their existence entirely. Besides that, the Empire was hot on our tail and we had to leave soon afterward. We were lucky to avoid them for as long as we did." the elf explained.

"Ahh." Fletcher nodded.

The gryphon stared ahead at the large island that was drawing nearer by the second.
"This is not like grave robbing or anything, is it? I heard a lot of people died at Vroengard." Fletcher said worriedly.

Not exactly. We're taking the orbs to protect them, not to make a profit from them. The orbs would be hidden deep within the underground caves beneath the old city. It is rumored that they contain ancient secrets. I do not like the idea of digging them up but it would be better for us to have them than for some villainous scum to discover them!

OCC: Hey Dark, when you get a chance can you look at Violeta's Epic application? It's been sitting there for a couple of week and it just needs one more person to approve it.

IC
Natagath explained, answering Sevena's question, "You and Fletcher have abilities that Violeta and myself don't have. More importantly, there are wards protecting the orbs from intruders. The wards physically prevent any dragon, elf, or human who is not a member of the High Council from entering the cavern. However, the elders did not include other races, such as gryphons. You two should be able to walk right in."

We would not be asking you to do this is it wasn't necessary. Violeta added. The dragoness turned her head at the sound of approaching wingbeats. She swaw a ddragon with deep orange scales approaching. When the dragon introduced herself, Violeta relaxed a bit.

Yes, I am a lightning dragon. I am Violeta and this is my Rider, Natagath. she said.


Fletcher nodded to Natagath's statement. It made sense but he was still uneasy about having to go into some dark cave. Still, as long as Seva was with him, he felt that there was nothing they could not accomplish together.


Fletcher eyed the newcomer suspiciously at first but once she introduced herself, is was clear she was not hostile.

"My name is Fletcher and this is my mate, Sevena." the gryphon said.

Sevena listened, nodded a few times. Alright, makes sense. And don't worry about it; I think me and Fletcher needed a respite. she said, chuckling slightly. She purred at her mate as he introduced himself and her. Her head tilted at Incendia. This Equinox sounded interesting. She would like to try and meet him sometime if she ever got the chance. She'd met only two dragons before, one being Violeta, and the other Fletcher's friend, Samantha. Seeing another was a bit...exciting.

OOC:
Bleh. Short.

Sevena stiffened at the mention of Crimson. Violeta had told her of the twisted elf, and already hated him with a terrible vengeance. She snorted quietly at Incendia. Crimson hasn't met me yet. When he does he will rue the day. she said, grinning at the dragon. She looked around the island as they flew over the cliffs, her green-flecked-with-gold eyes glittering with awe. It's beautiful. she murmured quietly, at a loss for words. It was indeed beautiful, but in a melancholy way. The wild mountains of her homeland, Tenya, and the jungles of Danthuania, even the plains of Alagaesia itself, didn't prepare her for this...majesty.

Sevena hissed softly and leapt behind a fallen pillar to hide herself and watch the approaching party unseen. From Violeta's descriptions, Crimson was nearly as bad as Iaras or Agatha, perhaps worse. She hated him for that. She crouched down and waited in silence, ears perked straight up to catch the tiniest sound.

OOC:
Hmm...dark dragon, how would Crimson feel about an alliance with Iaras?

Natagath had his sword ready and was prepared for whatever came their way. The elf placed wards around his friends and waited.

Fletcher peered out from his hiding place. Can anyone see anything yet? he asked mentally to the others. He did not like the sound of this Crimson person at all.

OCC: Short.

OOC:
Alright then. F-14 Ace, get ready for some trouble.

IC:
Iaras glowered down at the ground. It had been at least a week and a half since he'd seen Sevena and Fletcher in the Beor Mountains. And his mother. He clenched his forefoot into a fist. He had been so close to killing her. And she had children too! He felt fingers scratching in his feather on his neck, and realized he'd been rumbling in his chest. Thank you, Teak. he murmured warmly to the Tamen on his back. The Tamen merely smiled and dipped his head. Iaras banked to the right, watching Crimson's group from above. Honestly why did he join with the elf? Ah, right, cause Crimson actually knows the lands. He still didn't like it, but didn't really have a choice. He saw a flash of gold-brown and narrowed in on it. He screeched with anger when he realized who it was. He folded his wings and dropped. You! You have meddled in my plans for the last time! he shrieked, extending his talons to rip and shred the gryphon known as Fletcher. If this featherball was here, then Sevena couldn't be far behind. He would have to finish off Fletcher quickly so he could defend himself from Sevena's wrath.

- - - - - - - - - -

Sevena saw the flash of golden feathers and felt her body turn into ice. Why? Why couldn't the world be fair for once and just let the beast of her past life be killed?

She saw him diving for Fletcher. Everything nearby disappeared and all she saw was Fletcher lying on the ground, throat slashed wide open, with Iaras standing over him. Drinking his blood.

Fury. She screeched and flew out of her hiding spot, blindsiding Iaras and sending him tumbling to the ground before he even got near her mate. She hissed at him, pinning her ears, as he got to his feet, shaking his head to clear it.

You will never have him! she shrieked angrily. Iaras smiled widely and unfurled his wings. Her eyes widened; he was gargantuan now. Is that so, my pet. he said softly.

He rushed her with a speed that took her breath away, and then she was rolling on the ground, wings flailing. Her claws raked at his underbelly and he grunted. She snapped her beak shut inches from his eye.

While he jerked his head back reflexively, she kicked up, pushing him off of her. Yes, that is so. she said calmly, her green-fleck-with-gold eyes glittering with malice and loathing for the gryphon before her. He is mine. she told Fletcher firmly. Iaras was never going to hurt a member of her family again.

OCC: Oh YOU better be ready for some trouble, DS4.

One moment Fletcher looked up to see Iaras plunging toward him and the next his mate had intercepted the monster in midair. Fletcher took a couple steps back, surprised to see his enemy here. As Seva wrestled with Iaras, Fletcher remembered his fight with Dedread so long ago and what Caete had told him about pressure points. The gryphon looked for a sharp rock or anything else he could use. However, before Fletcher even had the chance, a violet blue flew past him. Violeta leaped through the air, using her wings to guide her toward Iaras like a homing missile.


In a flash, the lightning dragoness grabbed the gryphon and pinned him beneath her talons, clenching tightly on his throat. She sent a warning shock into his body that made his feathers stand on end.

Screech and I promise it will be the last thing you ever do in this lifetime! Violeta hissed, bearing her teeth in a threatening manner.

"Someone will have heard this commotion. We've no doubt given our positions away! Be ready!" Natagath warned, his sword in his hand.

Fletcher quickly returned his attention to the approaching figures.

Sevena got to her feet and shook herself, hissing at Iaras with her ears pinned to her skull. He was taken care of for now, but what about later? Nevermind; they would deal with that when it came. She turned to check on her mate, then unfurled her wings and readied to fight, ears pricked straight up.

- - - - - - - - - -

Iaras wriggled against Violeta, beak opening to Screech, but he snapped it shut again at her threat. He wasn't a complete idiot. He hissed at the violet dragoness that pinned him down, golden eyes slitted like a cats with anger. Let. Me. Up! he growled, beating his wings uselessly. He set his hindfeet on her chest and heaved her to the side, using his abnormal behemoth strength to push her away from him. He sprang to his feet and unfurled his wings, springing like a lethal cat at Sevena. She would die for turning her back on him. He came at her from behind, catching her by surprise, and hit her like a battering ram and sent her sprawling. Her head cracked against a rock as she rolled, making her stop and fall eerily still. He smiled sadistically and turned to Fletcher. Your next. he hissed, and sprang.

OCC: uh oh! You just pressed Fletcher's berserk button!

Fletcher turned hishead when he saw Iaras jump up out of the corner of his eye. As Iaras slammed Sevena against a rock, Fletcher suddenly felt an uncontrollable anger building inside of him. That bastard had harmed his mate, the one person he cared about more than anything in the world! As Iaras pounced on him and knocked him to the ground, Fletcher completely lost all control. A wild look of utter hatred filled his eyes and before he even knew what he was doing, Fletcher began digging into Iaras's underside with his back claws. Then he opened his beak and unleashed an earsplitting screech right next to Iaras's ears. Fletcher did not even know he possessed the ability to perform an actual screech, mainly because he had never attempted it before. Next, He grabbed a rock with his talons and swung for the side of Iaras's head as hard as he could, still overcome with a blind rage.

Violeta got to her feet and was about to rip Iaras limb from limb but she saw Sevena lying on the ground, clearly injured, and decided to leave the gryphon king to Fletcher, at least for the moment. She was far enough away that Fletcher's screech did not harm her aside from making an unpleasant racket. The dragoness reached Sevena's side and placed a paw over her, letting the healing energy flow into the gryphon's body. Though she unfortunately couldn't make someone regain consciousness, she could at least heal any injuries, internal or external.

OOC:
hehe.

IC:
Iaras blocked the blow to his head with the edge of his wing, hissing at the gouges to his belly, though he flinched and instinctively cringed away from the Screech. He retaliated and opened his beak, Screeching right back. He noticed a wave of fire coming toward him and rolled quickly, getting back to his feet at once, still Screeching. He increased the pitch of the Screech, hopefully enough that anyone with keen hearing that was close by would be unable to fight or fall unconscious.

- - - - - - - - - -

Sevena groaned and blinked open her eyes, shifting. Her head ached and a wave of nausea hit her with the force of a battering ram. She quickly rolled onto her belly, making herself more nauseated from the abrupt movement, and emptied her stomach of its contents.

Her sides heaved dryly a few times before her body settled. She groaned again and tried to stand, but was forced to close her eyes when the world began spinning around her.

She collapsed onto her side again, weak even though she was healed. She opened her into slits, a headache assaulting her now. She cried out and tried to push herself away when she heard an ear-splitting screech.

She wanted to writhe and claw at her ears to get rid of the sound, but she couldn't move. She opened her beak to Screech a retaliation, but she simply couldn't.

Flit... she called weakly to her mate, struggling to stand and fight at his side.

Natagath's ears were ringing from the deafening screech. The elf quickly cast a spell blocking out all high pitched noises, rendering its affects on him useless. His ears still ringing, he shouted, "Shut up!" as he blasted a jet of fast moving air at Iaras, catching his wings like a sail.

Suddenly arrows began to rain down all around them. Natagath swore in elvish and ran to Fletcher's side, casting another protective spell to repel the hail of arrows. He grabed hold of the gryphon's front legs and, using his great strength, began to drag Fletcher back to the wall where he had been taking shelter. It was like trying to drag a ship along though. Fletcher was the size of a horse. He didn't weigh as much as one but it sure felt like it.

Finally reaching the wall, The elf panted, "You need to lay off the pounds."


Violeta cringed at the sound of Iaras's screech. It was like fingernails scratching on a chalkboard! She was about to nail him with a lightning bolt to shut him up but Natagath dealt with it first. When the dragoness saw the hail of arrows headed their way, she quickly covered Sevena with her body. Violeta's scales deflected the arrows but she winced as a couple tore through her wing membrane.