Secrets Hidden in the Night(Open)

The cold autumn wind blew as a young figure ran through the darkness. His legs aching as he ran through the harsh bushes. Being able to feel his right arm bleeding from a battle that he was involved in his home Carvahall. His heart beating faster as he continued to run as fast as he could though still in a great deal of pain.

Finally not having the strength anymore he fell onto the cold hard ground groaning in pain. He knew where he was, he was in the Spine near the place where he found a shinning red stone which turned out to be an egg and out came a beautiful red baby dragon. But now that baby dragon turned into a big red dragon with beautiful red scales and has a warm muscular voice that matched the heat from his body.

Thinking of his dragon he started to become worried about him. Was he okay? I have to hurry back and warn him about the creatures. His worry started to give him strength and he got up groaning in great deal of pain and started to limp when he heard that the world around him was quiet.

The moon was hiding behind the clouds making the clearing he was in unnaturally dark giving him no help to see if the creatures were still following him. The silence was uncomforting, not even the birds of night made a sound. The only sound that he could hear was his heart beating faster with fear and anger. His chest was burning from the lack of air and he kept his weapons unsheathed, ready for anything to come forth to him.

He opened his mind trying to find Aiengath knowing that their bond is strong enough for them to communicate when they are far away.

Aiengath can you hear me?, he asks hoping that the dragon will hear him.
Yes what is wrong? I feel pain that is not mine. said Aiengath with his thick warm voice sounded worried.
Strange creatures came into Carvahall looking for your egg I was in a fight and...., he stopped trying his hardest not to cry in his thoughts
And what? Tell me Ryari please. said Aiengath trying his hardest not to be sound desperate to know what's wrong.

Ryari didn't have the heart to tell him what happened so he sent an image of his dead father laying on the ground with a blade in his back. There was a moment of slience that made Ryari worried about his dragon friend. But then the voice returned to his mind.

Where are you young one?, asks Aiengath getting up.

Ryari closed his eyes and showed his location of a clearing surrouned by pine trees. His head ached as he tried to keep his connection with Aiengath. But it became too much he collasped from his aching body and the connection was broken feeling his mind clearing just his mind not Aiengath's. He closed his eyes passing out. Aiengath stood up and flew out of his hiding place searching for his human friend.

While Aiengath was on his way to Ryari's side there was movements in the shadows of the trees. Then a firgure came out of the darkness bigger than an average sized man bulging muscles and smelled of death and rotten meat and Ryari held his breath coming back from passing out. He was able to hear them grumble to themselves. He was able to tell from warriors that came to Carvahall that they were Urgals. As far as he could hear was that they were planning to take him back to their leader and see about an reward.

Then the air was filled with at mighty fierce roar and Ryari opened an eye and saw Aiengath speeding towards the ground and the Urgals yelled ready for battle picking up their axes. Ryari felt Aiengath's energy ran through him giving him the strength and he got up as he head up to one of them and started fighting with one while the red dragon dealt with the second.

Not even a few seconds Aiengath lifted one of his feet and crushed the Urgal with a loud thud that echoed into the air. Ryari was having a harder time with his opponent. His muscles ached like he was fighting his hardest it was like he was fighting for hours. He screamed in pain as his arm leaked more blood from his fight back at Carvahall. He closed his arm as the Urgal swing and he was ready for death to take him. But it never came, the air was silent and he was afraid to open his eyes.

It's okay Ryari, the Urgals are gone., said Aiengath with his warm voice filling his mind.

He opened them slowly as he looked and saw that the bodies were laying at the edge of the clearing motionless. He limped over to Aiengath's side and leaned against his injuried arm screaming in pain almost ready to cry.

A biting chill was creeping over the trees in the Spine. Ardocc's toes were frost-bitten through his leather boots from the wet grasses as he sped through the underbrush. He'd been tracking the scent of urgals all day. He knew that where they went, trouble was sure to follow. Surely enough he'd heard cries coming from the east, seemingly close to Carvahall, which he though was odd. Urgals wouldn't be so courageous to take on a whole village would they? He thought as he hopped over a log and into a deer path.

As he reached closer to where the upwind creatures were traveling he could see the remains of their own chase all over. Branches shattered, deep trough-like boot prints, and some trees almost completely toppled over. Whatever they were chasing, they were doing it at an all-out sprint. He shuddered at the thought of having an urgal that hell bent on capturing you.

Then, without warning he head a strange thunder. Thud. He stopped dead in his tracks wondering what sort of magic this may be. Thud. His grip tightened around his long, thick bow. Thud. A cloud passed over the only light in the night sky and he could see nothing, but heard everything. The loudest sound that he had ever heard echoed across the entire valley; what sounded like rocks smashing and scraping over each other. Following the roar he heard sickening thumps and what sounded like armor crunching. He crept closer to the thicket where the sounds were coming from. In the dark he could barely make out the gigantic shape ahead of him, but by the faint light of night it almost looked like.. a dragon?

His mind raced. He knew where there was a dragon, there was a rider, and he knew rider's could sense things, anything around that was alive. If this rider had that ability yet, he knew he'd been found, if not, he knew a dragon's keen senses would make his presence fully aware anyways. He did the only thing he could and lowing his weapons stood at the edge of the clearing and on two knees, said slowly, "I am unarmed and mean you no harm, Rider."

Ryari was too tired to move and when he heard movements in the darkness he was able to hear Aiengath growling protectively and he looked at the edge of the clearing that they are in and he watched as the figure obviously a male put down what looked like a bow.

"I am unarmed and mean you no harm, Rider.", said a voice he never reconized from anywhere in Carvahall.
What should I do Ryari should I attack him?, asks Aiengath growling still very protective with his injured friend.
Nothing just watch him carefully., said Ryari still feeling his blood dripping from his injured arm. "Why are you here stranger?", he asks hiding his injuried arm and his Gedwëy Ignasia with his own blood.

The low lighting of his surroundings was hard for Ryari to see the man in the darkness his eyes growing heavily as Aiengath looked at him with worry on his face. Trying to give the worried dragon a faint smile as he pushed away from the safety of him. Trying to find the energy to move towards the figure in the shadows.

Right when he took his first step he looked and heard a woman's voice that pierced into the night. Aiengath growled more seeing the woman as black smoke flared out of his nostrils. Turning towards where he heard the voice he saw the woman also giving her respect to his dragon and his eyes grew heavy from the loss of blood.

Ryari see's an elf, she can help us., said Aiengath as he gasped seeing that his human friend was on the ground trying to breath.

Darkness swept over him and his last words before everything was gone was "I'm sorry father"

Aiengath wrapped his tail around Ryari and growled trying to keep his human friend safe from the human. He turned to the elf and bowed his head in respect to her. He was in fear that his human was dying from the loss of blood and moved his head on Ryari's injured arm showing the wound.

((I'll add a reply, but I'm guessing Semba's will be more important.))

The young rider was injured to the point of losing consciousness, that meant he had lost enough blood that his life was in peril, but Ardocc had not learned any magic since departing his group of travelers. Loosing the spear loosely tethered to his back and a dagger sheathed in the side of his belt he showed the dragon that he was unarmed. He began moving closely to the figure laying prone by the enormous dragon's spiked tail. A cloud that was blocking the moon blew overhead, letting a faint light grace the scene. The terribly beautiful beast was a sparkling red, even in the night. He was wary that he would be attacked, and he knew that dragons rarely contacted others minds besides their riders. Taking a few more cautious steps into the clearing he froze; standing at the opposite edge was a beautiful woman. He thought she was a spell for a moment, the way she was so perfectly made and the way she carried herself. He retreated his mind to protect himself from magic he wasn't sure was friendly. Then she spoke.

The voice was both temptingly musical and frighteningly poignant to Ardocc. He shivered, but if it was the cold he wasn't sure. He heard her intentions of peace but stayed wary. Immediately he recognized her as inhuman, but he had never met any creature likewise, though he had never met a dragon either. His mind swayed for a moment, thinking this all a magnificent dream like the epics he heard as a child the ones filled with fighting dragons and elves. An Elf! That's what she must be! He didn't let his own excitement show in this discovery, and his excitement in seeing a dragon was cut short by the wounded rider. His attentions returned to the bleeding figure close to him. He knew that most elves possessed even a rudimentary ability in magic, so he dared to address the frightening beauty. "He's hurt; if you truly come in peace can you heal him?" His confidence was betrayed by his worried eyes.

Aiengath looked at the elf surprised that she was able to talk to him like Ryari could. He shook his big red head showing no signs of him being hurt. He looked at his human friend with worry on his ruby red eyes. With the faint light from the moon, they looked like rubies shinning.

No I was far away when he was injured. , whimpered Aiengath looking down to Ryari with the look of guilt. I should've been there, I was able to smell the smell of death I should've come to him and protect him.

Right when he looked at the other human, he growled right at him. He expanded his wings and moved them in front of the human separating him from Ryari and the elf. Looking down he saw a light bright as the moon on a full moon and he whimpered putting his big head on Ryari's stomach.

While all of this was happening, Ryari was feeling that he was in a different place. His body felt no pain or even felt tired. Trying to talk to Aiengath and got no answers he started to worry thinking about the worst. But then he looked around seeing beautiful flowers that didn't seemed real even to him. Bending over he touched the flowers and smiled seeing that it was real.

Then there was an rough but warm voice that always made him feel comfortable. He quickly turned and saw an older man with brown hair with some grey in his hair. His eyes were as blue as his own and the build of the man was very muscular. He recognized him right away, he ran to the older man and started to cry tears of joy.

"I'm so sorry father it's my fault.", he cried into his father's shoulders.
"Don't cry my little warrior, I don't blame you for what happened to me in Carvahall.", said his father giving him a warm smile. "You have to go back."
"Go back? Why? Why can't I just stay with you?", asks Ryari as tears of sorrow ran down his cheek.
"You're a Dragon Rider, you have to fight against the Empire. It's your dream to be in legends.", his father said giving him a proud face.
Ryari looked down feeling more sorrow. "Suddenly I feel so alone.", he said looking at him as a tear ran down his face.
"You're never alone I will be with you and Aiengath, your uncle, will be with you and your dragon. Aiengath told me to tell you that it's an honor to have a dragon named after him."

Ryari smiles as he looked down to the warm grass and heard a voice that he never heard of before. He turned once again and saw a younger man about his age with warm lavender eyes and the man walked up to him and hugged him. He didn't know why but he welcomed the warm embrace of the man and knew right then and there that it was his uncle Aiengath, the man that he named his dragon after. He closed his eyes when he heard the man tell him two words.

"Trust Ardocc."

Right then he woke up feeling the warmth of Aiengath's wings and then he looked and saw the red dragon's head is on him and he smiles weakly and he pulled up his arm and pets it gently. The dragon looked at him with a toothly smile and he nuzzled his head against his chest and he laughed weakly.

Let Ardocc in, said Ryari as he sat up carefully.
Who?, asks Aiengath with a questioned voice.
Ardocc, let him in., he said trying to see if he should listen to his family.
The stranger? Why I don't trust him.
I'll explain later Aiengath just do it for me
Aiengath reluctantly moved his wing up and moved them back to the side and lets Ardocc in. Don't think human, that with Ryari's orders your safe from my wraith., he said with black smoke floating out of his nostrils.

Ryari turned his head, and looked at the elf and bows his head showing his respect with an Fair Folk. He looked at her beautiful eyes, they were like cat's eyes but blue as sapphires. Her hair was black as the world around them and he couldn't help but to notice how long it was and he bowed his head again.

"Thank you for your help.", he said weakly offering her his hand. He then turned and looked at the other stranger and figured that it was the man that his uncle told him to trust. "Are you Ardocc?", he asks almost in a whisper.

The elf walked calmly and confidently up towards the dragon. He knew by the look on her face that she was speaking with him in her mind. He assumed for permission. What Ardocc wasn't ready for was the gigantic wing arm that brought a translucent barrier between the others and himself with an attitude that he understood without the aid of language; he was protecting his rider from Ardocc. Makes sense, they don't rightly know if I'm here peacefully or not. He rationalized and waited patiently, about to speak to the dragon again and tell him his intentions were perfectly harmless. That was until the injured rider began to stir.

He heard the rustle of his body starting upright from his prone position and before he could think again the dragon had lifted his wing again, granting permission for Ardocc to join the party. It was then that he was able to inspect the rider. He seemed a bit younger than himself, messy hair, wasn't small, but was muscly. It was strange to see someone so powerful be just so much younger than himself. He wondered for a moment, I don't knew if this duo was fond of Varden or Empire. Then considering the crushed urgals not ten feet away he realized they must be on the lam from the King himself. He quickly glanced around the clearing, There's likely going to be many more of where these brutes came from. Looking urgently from person to person to forest in the seconds since the dragon lifted his wing when he heard the dragon rider speak.

Nodding once at the thanks he was about to introduce himself when the injured rider looked at him and asked, "Are you Ardocc?"

For a moment Ardocc remained silent while ensuring his mind was perfectly secured, as he had been taught in his travels. Once certain that there hadn't been a breach since he arrived he felt a chill creep over him. How on Alagaesia was he able to find that out..? It's true riders were mysterious and powerful but judging recent events Ardocc wasn't very impressed with this one, he was more cautious of the magnificent beast just yards away. Now though, he regained his respect for both and answered, "Yes... That is my name, and I am honored to meet you Rider, and you Dragon. I mean no harm as I said, and I think I best escort you from here a safe distance before the rest of the urgals find us. We are upwind you know.."

"Yes... That is my name, and I am honored to meet you Rider, and you Dragon. I mean no harm as I said, and I think I best escort you from here a safe distance before the rest of the urgals find us. We are upwind you know..", said Ardocc with a shock on his face.
His mind is blocked how did you know his name?, asks Aiengath circling his body around the party.
I'll tell you later I promise., said Ryari as he looked at the elf and tried looking into her mind.

Sadly he didn't have the strength to break the barrier that the elf held up to block her mind. He sighed as he looked at her looking at her beautiful cat-like eyes. Her voice was musical and calming to his ears and his body relaxed listening to her even though she only sad a few words to them.

"You won't be needing me then, I assume?", she asks with what he was able to sense was hope.
No we do elf, we need you to teach the young one about his duties., said Aiengath as he showed some excitement and didn't want the woman leave.
"Aiengath is right I don't know much about being a Dragon Rider.", said Ryari leaning against the underbelly of his dragon.

The warmth coming from Aiengath's body was welcoming compared to the cold night surrounding them. He wished that he was able to breath fire and have a warm fire. But this was better than nothing knowing that Urgals will spot them from miles with the smoke of a campfire if they made. Ryari looked at Aiengath as it looked around their surroundings watching for enemies.

The red dragon soon looked at Ardocc with his eyes narrowing but knew if Ryari feels like he should trust him he will try and do the same. He puts his head down to the moment and looked straight into the older human's face and straight into his eyes.

Tell the human that I'm sorry for the way I was acting. When I saw him with his bow and you weak from battle and saw his bow and spear I knew it wasn't a fair fight., said Aiengath with his warm voice gentle as he breathed onto Ardocc's face.
"Aiengath said he was sorry and I guess your wondering how I knew your name with your mind blocked.", he said smiling feeling some of his life going back to his body.

For some odd reason Ardocc felt a strange sense of comfort within the presence of the rider, dragon, and elf. MAybe it was beings that were so much more talented and powerful than he standing beside and seemingly nonviolent towards him. Either way he felt confident that even if a whole battalion confronted them then and there they would prevail. It was a strange sense of pride that welled within him while enclosed in the wing-ed tent. His thoughts quickly reverted to the situation at hand. While the rider seemed to have life returning to him, his injury surely needed tending.

While the rider requested help from the elf with no pretense Ardocc gauged his level of training. It must be very little if he's willing to trust it to a complete stranger. Granted, the elves would know more about it all than we. He thought, as he imagined he himself finding an egg and having to shoulder the responsibility. It felt immense, even in his mind. Anyways, she could have slaughtered him already if that was her plan.

"More than anything." He replied with a wry smile to the rider who was wearing a weary grin himself. Alengath.. that's a powerful name. He thought to himself. Then he said, "But right now you need to be attended to. I think we should all swear peace at least for now." He glanced at the slight figure of the elf beside him during the last sentence. He didn't know anything about elves other than stories, and had no idea of their customs. He was both comforted and frightened by her presence.