Memories Forged in Fire

[MetalDrago]

It had been years since MetalDrago had originally passed through the doors of the Peaceful Promenade. He loved the place, the smells, the visions, and the peaceful, almost serene atmosphere of the area. Though there was the occasional loud, rude patron, MetalDrago ignored it, concentrating on why he had come to the Peaceful Promenade. It was simply to sit back and relax for a while. He had not had time to do so in almost three months. Terramat’s rising had been a catastrophe in MetalDrago’s life. Ten years had passed since Terramat became sealed by the ancient ritual ground MetalDrago had been forced to use.

Of course, not much of it mattered to MetalDrago. He had long given up his dream of being the big hero. All he wanted now was one thing: revenge. It was strange to feel this way, but MetalDrago embraced the emotion like a long lost relative. Terramat had virtually gone out of his way to cause MetalDrago as much pain as possible, and now all that MetalDrago wanted was his vengeance against the Dark Elven lord. Why he had to escape after having his own ten thousand years to train and become even more powerful, MetalDrago couldn’t even begin to fathom.

Terramat, an enigma with a single, terrible name. It drove MetalDrago near to insanity to think about it, but he had no choice. His choices were limited. Terramat had gone so far out of his way as to kill Sephiro, MetalDrago’s former apprentice. MetalDrago blamed himself for what happened, and had buried Sephiro with his armor and sword, as well as MetalDrago’s own original weapon, the Dragon’s Fury. Sephiro had died in vain, only attempting to save his master by killing Terramat himself. He had no idea that Terramat was too fast to be seen with the naked eye as he attacked. Terramat’s bloodlust was unrelenting, and he was far too fast to be stopped by any normal swordsman.

Terramat had made mincemeat out of Sephiro in a matter of less than a second. His death, though caused by Terramat, was on MetalDrago’s hands simply because MetalDrago refused to see that his hatred and righteous fury against Terramat was affecting Sephiro in all the wrong ways. He had been learning swordsmanship, but only knew how to use it for the purposes of defeating great evils, and he had never even faced anyone as frighteningly powerful as Terramat before. It didn’t help that Terramat had the help of Reiana and Seraius.

As MetalDrago took a seat and ordered a jug of ale and a mug, he thought back to how hard he had to fight not to attempt to kill Terramat on the spot after he saw Sephiro fall. Terramat, his eyes glowing with hatred and deathly pleasure in Sephiro’s fall, simply walked away, leaving on the blowing winds of that stormy night, “If you follow us, we will kill you…”

MetalDrago had no intention of dying, and wanted only to go somewhere to bury Sephiro and shed his grief. When he arrived back in Corone carrying his former student’s body, he buried him in Concordia and wept. It was the first time he had ever done something of the nature, and it frightened him and hardened his resolve to kill Terramat; not for righteousness, but for revenge. Of course, he had the decency not to say that he was after Terramat for revenge in front of anyone, but he was, and he would not turn his back on his former pupil’s death, not after all that Sephiro had done for him.

As the ale was set before him, MetalDrago poured a mug and began drinking, wondering what they night had in store for him.

[Alexander]

With the clank of his flail chains and a rustle of his cape, Alexander flung the doors of the ancient building aside. As the smell of body oder and alchohol hit is nose, he flinched, but entered anyway. There was so much more to explore since he was away. Corone's government had completely changed, the cities had more than doubled, as had it's population. His experiments would more than likely be considered illegal now. Oh well. No one has to know.

The floor boards creaked as the large man strode over them. People stopped talking and stared. The motions of walking made his cloak drift back, exposing the large flail on his waist, along with the club on his back. He paid no attention to the little men. Tomorrow, it seems, they'll be dead.

Alexander approached the bar, not really wanting to order a drink, more like looking around from the most visible part of the room, and noticed a man sitting near the wall nursing a drink and looking very angry. But it wasn't that that caught his eye. The dragon DNA embedded in the scientists own body let him know exactally what it was he was looking at.

As he approached the man, he thought about what he would say. Hell, after seven thousand years of not speaking more than a dozen words, what could go wrong?

"You're a dragon, arn't you?" Alexander said quite loudly, not really caring about the feeling of the mortals around him. "I can sense it. You are old. Not quite near as old as me. Two ages has gone by since my birth. you are unique none the less."

He pulled a chair out from under the table and sat, not looking for permission. Didn't matter anyway. Its a public place and he could take care of any problems this dragon hybrid could summon. "You and me probably share a few genes."

[MetalDrago]

MetalDrago watched with interest as the man entered the Peaceful Promenade. There was something more about him than anyone MetalDrago had ever seen, and he wanted to know what it was. The man was part dragon. A miniscule amount, perhaps, but part nonetheless. MetalDrago took an easy drought of ale as he watched the man approach him. MetalDrago noticed first and foremost the man’s weapons. An iron flail and club. Blunt damage. MetalDrago smiled lightly. He would never use those types of weapons. The greatly intricate power of his Dragon’s Honor longsword was his only weapon.

As the man spoke to him, MetalDrago nodded and said, “I share many things in common with dragons, but I am not one… I’m three-fourths human.” At the thought of his father’s Dragonian heritage, he stopped talking. His father was pure evil, though not all dragonians were. Seraius was another example of what not to become as a Dragonian. With fifty times the strength of a normal man, Seraius was the most physically powerful Dragonian to exist in a number of years.

MetalDrago looked at the man before him and said, “I can see you have some dragon in you as well. Care to say why?” MetalDrago spoke easily enough, but his eyes betrayed his interest visibly. He wanted simply to know where the man came from, and how he knew so easily, even under the cloak that MetalDrago almost always wore, that MetalDrago was descended from dragons. Truth be told, MetalDrago suspected an ancient dragon lord, the one pictured in his favorite part of the Citadel, to be his ancient ancestor.

MetalDrago smiled lightly and took another swig of ale, looking the man over as he awaited his response. MetalDrago was not an easy person to intimidate, and with his anger and hatred at Terramat, he would be even harder to do so with now than when he was a younger man, searching to be a hero in the world. By the Thayne… Has it really been only two weeks since I had to bury Sephiro? MetalDrago thought, surprised. So much had changed for him those few years, and he did not enjoy having to admit that. He was once a righteous warrior, and now he was going to use his sword to destroy his enemy, all in the name of one killed friend. MetalDrago used to pity these kinds of people, and now he was one of them, searching to end the rule of an evil lord, but also to kill him for his own gratification.

[Alexander]

Alexander thought back to the dargon he had abducted to add to his own power. He hired a band of twenty very powerful people to catch him, yet only five returned. A fearsome beast, probably an elder. He suspected the DNA he tore from the dragon's genes would continue to add to his own greatness. Thus far, it only gave him immortality and immunity to most diseases and poisons. It also seemed to give him a small aura, making other beings with dragon genes recognise him as part dragon.

"Three-fourths, you say?" Asked Alexander of the Dragonian, "Who could have guessed that the world would change so much since my depature from Corone?" Alexander laughed at the man's next question. Why should I tell him? Would he hate me for capturing and killing one of his own? I shall test him. He can be a disciple. "Let me ask you something first. I cannot just let everyone know just yet about my past until I get used to this new environment first." He looked around the room to see that many patrons had left, as dusk was nearing. The night crowd had not yet arrived.

He leaned up toward the Dragonian, almost whispering, "You know this new world better than me. Do you know of any ancient, powerful beasts? I ask you this now because I do not want to be enemies with you. If I were to say that I may have done something some would consider horrible to a dragon, what would you do?" He leaned back, putting a hand on the handle of his flail. He might use his club, just to see what kind of ablilities he could tear from the flesh of this new creature.

Then again, who's to say that he would be angry? Most beings are civilized enough to not care about ancestors. It's not like the dragon's death affected this young man. Me might not be young, maybe immortal as well, but he certainly knew he wasn't older than him. He could tell in the words the Dragonian used. He used the right ones, but there were better questions to be asked. Why ask about the past? So what if his ancestor died because of me? What could he do? Nothing. So close minded of him if he attacks me. And so futile.

[MetalDrago]

MetalDrago knew of many powerful beasts, but did not know of any that would spark the interest of the man in front of him. There were many things in the past that must remain hidden, and even MetalDrago chose never to speak to anyone who did not know Sephiro about him. Why should it matter if this… ancient fool thinks me deserving of his trust? I’m just as strong as he is now, perhaps even stronger. MetalDrago’s inner bout with himself showed clearly on his mostly human face.

He smiled up at the man when he said he may have done something that would make most dragons very angry with him. MetalDrago doubted that the man was ancient enough to have killed the original Dragon Lord of Fire, but it was possible. “If you killed the ancient Red Dragon Lord, then we would have some minor problems, but if it was the ancient dragon lord that was taken by those extremely strong mercenaries those many years ago, then think nothing of it. He has nothing to do with me.

“And as for your questions about this world of today, we’re in Underwood, if memory serves. It’s not far from where I live, as I fly. I live in the Concordia Forest, for the most part. Sit down and order some ale. It’ll do you good, believe me.” MetalDrago swore by this ale when he was short of breath or hope, and he knew he was closer than close to finding and destroying Terramat.

“Oh… yes. Forgive me for asking, but have you, in your travels, ever come across an extraordinarily fast Dark Elf known as Terramat?” MetalDrago asked the question mildly enough, but Terramat, having traveled through so many different realms before, could possibly have come across this man, this behemoth of differing auras. MetalDrago was not only curious, but also a little worried. If this man was working with Terramat, then MetalDrago would have no choice but to kill him, and hope to find Terramat on his next trip out of the continent.

MetalDrago took another draft of ale as he awaited his knew acquaintance’s reply.

[Alexander]

Alexander sat, but refused the ale. "No thanks, friend, but I cannot ingest such a drink. I will sit." He thought back to the time where he hired the mercs. A great fortune it took him. The closest dragon they could get to was an extremely powerful one called Traknor, a black dragon lord. Not only did it take that one band of mercs, they themselves hired more to take the dragon down.

"Red Dragon? No. He dwelt far from my old residence. I was the one who hired mercenaries to bring me the still living body of Traknor." Alexander smiled as his hand drifted over to the flickering candle on the table, playing with the flame."I trust you know who he is, if your knowledge of history is as vast as you imply. I hired those mercenaries over seven thousand years ago. His old genes are still adding to me. From what ancient tome or creature did you recieve your information?" Hmmm. I must not have covered my tracks as well as I thought.

He continued, pulling his hand away from the candle, "As for your Elf friend Terramat, I may have heard of him. If I have met him, I cannot say. I have been gone for some time. If he is fast as you say, then perhaps I can help you find him. What is the details of your relationship? Friend or foe?" Yes! If I can get my hands on this elf he speaks of, I can examine him and absorb his speed. Alexander's lips curled up into a devious smile.

This man was different. Almost pleasant to talk to. Maybe it was the faint whiff of power in the future that pleased Alexander, but he hadn't had a talk like this one for some time. Even in the other world he traveled to after leaving Corone on a search for new animals he never met a part-dragon before. Maybe he could accompany him on a 'tour' of this new Althanas.

[MetalDrago]

MetalDrago smiled softly as he heard the man speak of killing Traknor. Of course, MetalDrago knew of Traknor only through what his father had reiterated of their family history, and that was vague at best for MetalDrago. He smiled as the man continued to probe him with detailed questions. “The legend of Traknor’s downfall at the hands of mercenaries is family legend. It’s the only reason I know who that dragon is.”

He took another drought of ale, cooling his throat before he though about Terramat again. “Terramat, on the other hand… He’s pure evil.” The anger in MetalDrago’s eyes was clearly evident as he spoke of the man. “He’s had ten thousand years to consolidate his strength since when I last met him.” MetalDrago wondered if that would leave the man in front of him baffled, and amended his statement. “Ten thousand years to him, anyway. Time moves differently in the realm I locked him in. He was able to recover himself to this time and place by using the immense powers found in Reiana, the Shadow Seraph Sorceress, and my own brother, Seraius, a wielder of a great sword with physical strength rivaling those of any real dragon.”

MetalDrago took another drought of ale and looked at the man across from him again. He felt himself drawn to this man, as if he had some sort of power to help him destroy Terramat. “Terramat’s powers do not even begin to be explained by the word ‘inhuman,’ I’m afraid. He’s so frighteningly fast that no one can even see him when he doesn’t want them to. He can have his sword at your neck in less than a half-second. I learned this… from first hand experience.” MetalDrago’s voice caught slightly, but he hoped his newfound acquaintance would overlook it.

[Alexander]

Alexander listened to the man's tale in wonder, almost shuddering to thing of what he could do with this power if he had it. He noticed the look of hatred the man's face bore as he spoke of this demon of speed, and thought. If he had first-hand experience of what this being could do, how was it that he survived the encounter? He almost asked the man that same question, then something else came to his mind. Something that he would consider a waste of time if he was talking to any other man.

"We forgot to introduce ourselves. I am Alexander Meharr, once human, born in Corone in the old kingdom over seventy-five hundred years ago, in a place near where the capital city is now. I am uniqueonly for my intellect and my ability to take traits from animals and certain people and add them to my own." Alexander paused as a few of the night patrons finally entered the bar, bringing a brief gust of the night air with them, then continued. "You are a Dragonian, I know, but what kind of dragon dwells within you?"

Then, part of the man's story sounded familiar. Ten thousand years is a long time, no matter what realm you are in. Who knows what tricks this Terramat has learned in that time. "I may be able to help you with this evil elf. I, and a few others, have met a man who is, by far, the oldest living creature left in this plane of existance. He doesn't remember his own name, but his abilities are unique. He is not strong, fast, or by any means different exept for one thing." Alexander smiled, remembering back to the first time he met the man who wouldn't die. "He is an immortal. Not just un-aging, but a true immortal. Are you interested in him? If he will not help, he can at least point us in the right direction."

[MetalDrago]

MetalDrago smiled at the man before him as he introduced himself, and MetalDrago returned the favor easily. “MetalDrago Scorpio, and I’m descended from Fire Dragons and Ice Dragons. I use more fire than Ice right now, but that should change in the future.” MetalDrago took another draught of ale, and he looked out over the crowd of people who were in the Peaceful Promenade. “I’m not telepathic, but I could almost hear the question of how I survived my encounter with Terramat. My student and nephew, Sephiro, met his end against Terramat. Terramat did not kill me, deciding that my grief was enough suffering for me, at least at the time.”

MetalDrago’s eyes welled with poorly concealed tears as he thought about Sephiro, lying in his grave back in Corone. Corone had been the only place that Sephiro had ever felt truly at home. MetalDrago also felt at home there, though only in the forests of Concordia. “He was buried with two swords, Sephiro… One was his own, the other mine. I buried my warrior ways with Sephiro, and I now seek just one thing: Terramat’s head on a platter.”

MetalDrago didn’t know why he told the stranger this piece of information, but he did. “So, Alexander… How far away is this friend of yours once we reach Corone?” MetalDrago was interested in meeting a full immortal, and longed for the canopies of his favorite forest in the world. He was planning on building somewhere to live in Concordia, but he knew not where he would build such a place. He would have to probably get a land grant from the Concordia government first, and he was not looking forward to that.

[Taskmienster]

This thread has been siting for over a month and a half. Since no response has been made to create activity I am going to be moving this. If you would like it to be reopened please feel free to PM myself or another admin and they will be able to move it for you back to the Peaceful Promenade.