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Author Topic: The Dragons Den  (Read 9898 times)

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Offline Demonreach

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #464 on: May 24, 2020, 10:30:55 pm »
It had been many years since Odin had felt another, aside from the dragons and the dragon spirits that inhabit this realm. He himself was not a Draconian, though he could change his form at will. His father, Demonreach, had been a Draconian; powerful enough to have been a general, even. That was his claim to this place, though it was claim of kinship.

Odin had been left here, adrift in this realm, while his father had left. Typical, really. Odin was a man now, had been when he was left here, forced to undergo his father's test, accepting within him the Eon Dragoon. Not a lot had changed since his time here, and he enjoyed the peaceful nature; the simple wildness to the realm. It spoke to the animal in his heart.

As usual, Odin was a squirrel; a form he favored over most as they were ignored, by and large, by most. The predators had long since learned to leave him alone; his magicks too cunning for their primitive brains. It was a good way to stay in shape, however. He had very little in the way of advanced magicks, his own taking the form of shapeshifting; his mother had been a werewolf. A woman long dead by now.

And so, perched among the trees with other squirrels of his tribe, they watched the events unfolding: as the girl met the red dragon; heard the voice yelling the girls name.

Odin was curious, a mannerism picked up from his father, and dared not intervene. Wasn't that the natural order of things? If the girls mother, presumably, were to make it in time, no harm done. Should the mother not? Odin chittered to himself, the others rubbing their hands together as they picked it up.

He hated being a squirrel sometimes.

Some lessons are learned the hard way, perhaps.

And so, with bi-colored eyes of blue and yellow, the shapeshifter watched and pondered.
Spoiler (hover to show)

Spoiler (hover to show)

guest1521

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #463 on: May 05, 2020, 03:42:04 pm »
Fingers perched on the box of cereal twitched in preparation to withdraw it from the shelving hanging over the sink in the kitchen, when a more appealing container caught the woman standing on the countertop's eye. The redhead moved cautiously across the countertop so as to position herself in a precarious angle in order to reach the bright blue canister. A victorious smile broke out across her lips as her hand found purchase. Then, her feet slipped from the security of granite and met open air- for a mere second before the weight of her slender form brought down the entire section of shelving.

In an explosion of white powder, she landed on her backside rather painfully, on the floor along with the rest of the items that had been placed on the shelf. The ruckus was sure to draw impermissible attention. Winter was sure to be angry...

Tearing her gaze from the entrance of the kitchen, the woman collected the items, placed them on the sink, and grabbed a small towel. The vibrant red coils strung around her head stuck out like a sore thumb in the mess of flour and sugar around her as she worked. The towel was too small to make much headway, but she hadn't a clue where the family kept their belongings.

"What happened?" Winter asked, walking into the room still donning her sleeping garments or pajamas she remembered her calling them. Her nose wrinkled disapprovingly. "Here let me help with that."

She went to a small door and withdrew a broom and pan. Without a word, she motioned for the woman to move out of the way and swept up the mess. Although she didn't say it, it was obvious she was upset.

"Are you hungry?"

She shook her head in response despite the ache in her abdomen. In truth, she hated to be an inconvenience. This was not her house or her food- or her time even.

Winter ignored her response and set out two bowls. "Sit down at the table while I get us something to eat."

The table she spoke of was solid oak and quite possibly the most exquisite piece of woodwork she had seen. As she sat, her posture was perfect and her hands were placed politely in her lap. Catching Winter's gaze, she frowned and forced her spine into a slight slouch.

"I'm sorry for sleeping in," Winter said once she had seated herself at the table across from where she sat. "After breakfast we'll go into town and get you some clothes. Here."

Winter's blue eyes were downcast as she situated the second bowl in front of her. Blue, red, and purple squares swam in milk inside the dish. They looked delightful, but she respectfully held off on tasting the food until after Winter had taken her first bite.

"Ye are an excellent cook!" she exclaimed out of pure delight as she swallowed the cereal. "Tis sweet like nectar!"

However, Winter didn't appear to share her enthusiasm. Instead, she pinched the bridge of her nose with a scowl and a sigh.

"Rionach, remember, it's you not 'ye'. And we don't compare food to nectar."

She frowned in confusion. "Truly? Then does thou hast something to compare this heavenly sweetness to?"

Winter groaned.

Riona bit her lower lip and slipped back into silence as they ate. She had promised Winter she would attempt to fit in this time period as much as possible, but it the task before her was daunting. Also, she was not permitted to venture outside. For a week now, Winter had concealed her inside her bedroom, not wanting her family to discover her until after she had finished her secret task. She had no reason to complain, of course. Winter had preserved her life, after all. But she was lonely and bored. Also, Winter had her concerned. Since arriving here, her friend had had little sleep. She spent most of the day traveling through time and the rest of it she read or paced her father's library.

Winter stood abruptly from her chair, startling her. "Are you finished? We need to leave so we can get back."

"Would ye- you," she allotted, "like me to stay here whilst you trade?"

"Shop," Winter corrected as she rinsed off the dishes. "And no. You can come with. I have to grab something from my room. Wait here, I'll be right back."

Riona watched until her white hair had vanished behind a corner. Quietly, she rose and returned her seat. Her eyes scanned the room, taking in the broken shelf and the items strewn along the counters. Tucking her lower lip between her teeth, she released a sigh. Even in this century she was clumsy.

From outside the kitchen window, she noticed someone outside. Curiosity piqued, she moved to the back door and opened it enough to get a quick peek. She saw no sign of anyone lurking outside the doorway, but a cool breeze invited her a step out the door. Then another.

The day was beautiful. Distant mountains reminded her of her own kingdom. The memory was bitter sweet, but more so the former. Clearly time did not heal all wounds.

Finding herself much further from the door than she had meant to, Riona turned and started back to the house, but her path was blocked by a large, red beast. It towered over her like a castle, with fangs and talons the size of horses. Lowering its snout, air raced raced past her as it sucked in a violent breath and plumes of smoke emitted from its mouth.

"Riona!"

A rumble she mistook as thunder, sounded in the beast's chest, drowning out Winter's voice as she shouted from the house.

Riona raised her hands.

Offline Raijuta Ochoa

Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #462 on: January 22, 2019, 05:41:23 pm »
The everchanging environment that The Dragon's Den was known for didn't exist throughout the dimension. In actuality, the realms only shifted for about 100 miles on every direction from the Manor. That was the territory of the seven Dragon Spirits that had bonded with Draconians within the realm. Beyond those borders, the world was much like any other; with stable environments and geography. Atop a mountain within that seemingly endless world, was a sight no living creature had ever seen! Raijuta; wearing a coat!

At the moment of Raijuta's death at the hands of Ember, His Dragon Spirit, Xanther had been wiped from existence. And though Calyx had managed to revive him, bringing back the Dragon Spirit was something the young Draconian simply couldn't do! And without the Ancient Dragon bonded to his soul, Raijuta lost many of the traits that some would say defined him; one of which being his bitter cold aura. He could no longer survive in sub-zero environments without taking the appropriate steps to do so. And yet, here he was, trekking through the mountains as he had done nearly fifty years ago in search of something. Only this time, he knew what it was.

Since losing Xanther, Raijuta had lost a significant amount of power. That he could deal with. Calyx had done a stellar job in in taking over as Guardian of the realm. But he had also lost a piece of himself; A part of his soul that had been with him for most of his life. That, he couldn't live with, and so he journeyed, in search of a new Dragon; The one that had been calling out to him.

Dragons outside of the draconian territory were different. They were wild, and extremely dangerous. So far, Raijuta had avoided coming into contact with them using survival techniques he learned as a boy. But soon, he would find the one which he seeked, and he wouldn't be able to simply hide. At roughly a third of his normal strength, he had no idea how he would stand up to a fully grown Dragon. But he also wouldn't be able to form a connection with a newborn the way that Winter had. This was the only way. But first, he had to live long enough to find the beast!


Raijuta had crossed a desert, and a storm riddled valley to reach this mountain range. He had narrowly avoided contact with three wild Dragons, and been targeted by scavenging vultures. His rations were running low, but he could feel himself getting closer. HE was being tailed by a snow fox that he had shared a bit of rabbit meat with the night before. He appreciated the company, but feared what would happen to the fox when he met with his objective. There was a seri3es of caves up ahead. And Raijuta had a feeling they would lead him to his destination....

Offline Calyx Ochoa

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #461 on: January 13, 2019, 11:46:20 pm »
As soon as Calyx and Isis walked through the door, Xander and Oryn were all over them!

"Isis!" Xander called out, as he rushed to give her a hug, followed closely by Oryn.

"Calyx, are we going to play training games today?" the taller boy asked.

"Yes we are!" Calyx answered

"Yay!" All three children yelled, as they began running toward the front door.

"Hold it!" They all stopped in unison. "I have to take care of some things first. You all need to stay inside until I'm ready."

"Okay!" Once again, perfectly synchronized. It was a little creepy how good they were at that but Calyx had to give it to them. For small, excitable children, they were very well behaved! He rarely had to tell them anything more than once. He nodded his head, and made his way upstairs.

The first thing he did was check to see if Winter was home. His research into Phoenix nature and how to revive Ember had taken dramatic leaps since Winter returned and they began working together. Winter had recently left home again to pursue a lead, and Calyx had ebeen eagerly awaiting her return to hear what she had learned. HE quickly determined that Winter still hadn't returned, and went on about his business.

Next he made his way to Isis' room. He dropped the bag Azriel left for her on the bed and opened it up to find little more than a simple shirt and pair of pants! Definitely nothing she would have needed! Something weird was definitely going on with Imperfect and Azriel, but he would figure that out later...

Calyx closed his eyes on his way to the library, searching for his father's energy signal. Like Winter, Raijuta had been  away for several days. But unlike Winter, he had given little explanation for his travels; simply said he was leaving for a while and took off! Calyx could feel that he was quite far away, but still hadn't left the realm

After a half hour in the library, Calyx went downstairs to see the kids watching cartoons on Netflix. His eyes settled on each of them

Despite being conceived first, Xanther was the youngest of the three due to Draconian's long gestation periods. His fiery personality and piercing green eyes reminded him of Ember in many ways. (How frustrating it must have been for Soraya that all her children looked more like Raijuta than her. At least this one had her dark brown hair.) If the kids were  in trouble, chances are Xanther was behind it! His sense of adventure often lead him to act without thinking. But it also made his many talents apparent.

You would think that as the middle child, Isis would be the forgotten one. But when she was away at the Kingdom of Fallen Ones, her absence was strongly felt. She was the designated voice of reason; If that's what you can call the person who giggles and signs off on every stupid idea! Despite being older than Xanther, the tiny Imperfect clone was the smallest of the three. She was always running behind Xanther and Oryn as if they were her big brothers.

Oryn was "The quiet one." If you could really call any of them quiet. He was the most reserved, and the most cautious of the three. He definitely carried the most mystery of the three, the biggest of which being the identity of his father. It was clear that Adrani wasn't his father, as there wasn't a hint of Draconian energy in his aura. Whatever he was, Calyx had never come across one before. And yet, he reminded Calyx of Soraya in some ways. He was a good kid though. And Calyx loved him just the same as his brother and sister. The three of them made quite the trio! And Calyx had taken pride in helping them grow.

"You guys ready to go!?"

You never saw three children get up so quickly...

Offline Calyx Ochoa

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #460 on: June 11, 2018, 10:32:34 pm »
Calyx hadn't much expected Winter to come along. She would likely go find food once everyone else had gone to bed as she often did before. She wasn't like Ember, who wouldn't hesitate to come to Calyx for help. Calyx had to go to Winter and practically pry her issues out of her. He felt like she relied on it though. Raijuta tended to just accept when she said things were fine; Not because he believed her, but because he knew she preferred to deal with things alone. Soraya did her best to be there, but honestly she didn't seem to connect with Winter the way she wanted.

Calyx made it to the kitchen to find Raijuta and Soraya finishing up the mean while the kids hovered around nearby. Isis knocked a glass off the table, but Calyx managed to catch it before it could shatter on the ground. "Alright! In your seats!" He said loudly, and the kids obeyed without question, each taking a seat at the table and waiting for their plates. "What do you want to drink?" He asked them. A chorus of children's voices replied, calling out way too many drinks to accomodate three children. Just the same, Calyx came to the table a moment later with three cups, and was greeted with cheers from the little ones. 

"You're going to make an amazing father one day." Raijuta said with a smile. "It's amazing how good you are with the kids!"

"Thanks." Calyx said as he moved to make the children's plates. He accepted the compliment, but there was a certain layer of sadness beneath it. He smiled and sat down with the kids, asking them about their days. He showed particular interest in Isis' school, as she was the only among them who wasn't home schooled. He had learned to put on an amazing face for his family; To be the leader and caretaker they needed. But the reality he had come to accept was that he would likely never get to be the amazing father Raijuta believed he would be. Supposing he lived long enough, he would always have this place to care for, and it wasn't like he was going to be meeting a plethora of new people that way! He didn't have the benefit Raijuta had, of making friends prior to coming to the Dragon's Den. This was likely to be the rest of his life...

guest1380

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #459 on: June 11, 2018, 08:31:10 pm »
“You have no idea what I would sacrifice for you guys.”

She blinked. Those words carried as much weight as they did promise that she was unable to respond. Still, he was wrong. In fact, she could very well reason that everyone who had been there after Raijuta’s death knew just how far Calyx would go for his family. When she had run away, he had stayed. Winter had searched far for answers only to find herself back here where skeletons were nearly as thick as the library’ dust mites. She had wasted all that time seeking out a remedy while Calyx had stayed behind holding together the family. Winter had never been socially inclined, not even when it came to her own family, but she lacked the compassionate and protective nature Calyx possessed. In fact, lately she feared she lacked the ability to experience love at all.

Soft tendrils of hair hid her hardened expression as she bent her head over a book. The words were meaningless splotches of ink on a page.

She barely heard Calyx invite her to join them to dinner. In response, she turned her back to him and waited until he was gone. When he had, she slowly lowered the book and sighed. Glancing around at the other books in the room, she felt nothing but hopelessness.

They were literally playing with fire when t came to Ember.

“Auribus teneo lupum,” muttered Winter, picking up the book once more.


Offline Calyx Ochoa

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #458 on: June 11, 2018, 07:30:02 pm »
Since childhood, everyone had always told Calyx how similar he was to his father. But anyone who knew him or his sisters, would know that Winter was the one who had inherited the most from Raijuta. The way she worked so hard to manage her emotions was just like the way he had been before they were born. Of course, Raijuta had been formally trained to do it, while Winter hadn't, making her efforts seem much more of a struggle. Calyx hated to see the struggles Winter put herself through, but she was too independent to accept help from him or anyone else for that matter.

He nodded his head in silent acceptance when she declared that they would receive no help from the Phoenix(es?) that she found. He was prepared to accept that loss. There had been many dead ends in his search up until this point, it was to be expected.

Golden brows furrowed when Winter suddenly spoke to him of sacrifices, as if she had read his mind. Calyx had been practicing telepathy in recent years, but he was certain he hadn't unintentionally sent his sister his thoughts. Had she been learning to read minds as well? It was true, he didn't know her powers or even her dragon spirit as well as he would have liked, but he was certain she didn't have such an ability before! He smiled to himself. They had both grown. Whatever the case was, they would have to learn each other all over again. "You have no idea what I would sacrifice for you guys." He said calmly.

Of course Calyx had thought of separating the two as well. It was within his power, but he wasn't sure how much of Ember's soul the Phoenix would take with it. He sighed and shook his head. "It's too risky." he said, confirming what she most likely already suspected.

When she suggested asking Raijuta, Calyx' gaze floated to the ceiling. his father could possibly have a lead, but it would be difficult to get one over on him without him figuring out what they were up to. He considered possible approaches when suddenly the kids showed up at the door! "Grandpa says it's time to eat!" Xander called to his older brother and sister.

"Alright! Be right down!" Calyx called back, sending the little ones ahead of them.

He turned back to Winter. "I have to fix the kids plates." He told her calmly, turning toward the door. "Are you going to eat with us?" He knew it was a long shot. She didn't seem ready to face Raijuta. But perhaps speaking with Soraya would help her out. He headed down to the kitchen to help get the table ready. But he did so with a new motivation, now that he had someone to back him up in his search.

guest1380

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #457 on: June 07, 2018, 08:21:52 pm »
Her expression hardened. She was allowing emotion to replace sound thought.

“Of sorts. There was so much interbreeding that they’ve weakened down so much that very few contain actual remnants of phoenix. Mom is only as powerful as she is because she was one of the first few. Their population is also dwindling. Although they plan to attempt to cross breed to right the issue, it’s impossible.”

They hadn’t listened to her. She was, after all, an enemy by birth.

She waved her hand, pushing aside the idle thoughts. “They can’t help.”

In essence, the entire trip there had been a waste and a disaster.

Calyx had obviously misunderstood her question, but she did not press further. The fact that it was connected to Soray’s soul was disappointing, but it did not surprise her.

As if reading his thoughts, she shook her head. “Not every sacrifice is worth making.”

Not even for Ember.

Or Kian,’ a voice in her mind snapped back, but she stifled it.

Sometimes there was a hidden debt in sacrifice which exceeded the initial predicament.

Winter stared at the floor. The light streaming in from a nearby window illuminated the stretch of space between them. Its warmth was detectable, however faint. Withdrawing to the shelves and further away from the window, she searched some more among the books. She feared they may only have few options in the end and drastic ones at that.

“What about separating Ember from the Phoenix?” There was no telling what the beast would do to her soul during the process but if there was a subdue it for a short period, maybe it would give them enough time to work.

Winter shrugged. It wasn’t a bad idea, but it certainly wasn’t feasible. After a few more minutes of reading, she stopped, holding her place with her finger.

“If we asked dad, he might know. Maybe figure out a way to ask him without him catching on.” After all, there could be books here that she still had yet to know about. She glanced around, eyeing any possible areas that could hide books. Raijuta had known about her venturing in the forbidden section. Perhaps he had hidden some from her.

Offline Calyx Ochoa

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #456 on: June 07, 2018, 07:05:29 pm »
It was clear that Winter was forming ideas up there. She was undoubtedly the most traditionally intelligent among Raijuta's children. But that didn't necessarily mean that she was the most organized. She seemed to be jumping from thought to thought without completing one. Not verbally at least. But Calyx remained present, ready for when her ideas came together for her to present them to him. And then she began.

So she had found a Phoenix... Nest? Civilization?" It was hard to tell exactly, but it was clear that she had found something important in her travels. But something bothered him about Winter's face when she said the word "methods." She clearly knew something that she didn't want to say out loud.

Calyx' expression fell when Winter talked about despising what was within her. She had always said that even before everything that happened, but he had hoped she would grow out of it. He wondered how her dragon spirit felt about her...

"It's doubtful that your Dragon Spirit would properly bond with her. In fact, were we to free her, it probably wouldn't be long before she bonded with a Dragon Spirit of her own..." Calyx said calmly.

Of course, since she left, Calyx had acquired the power necessary to separate her from her Dragon on his own, but he wouldn't tell her that just yet. When this was all over, they could talk about it if she wished, but it was quite possible that her power could be needed to rescue their sister.

"We have to locate the stones before we decide what we're going to do with them." Calyx said, looking down at the page where Winter pointed. "The name is based in Latin, so I've been searching all over Earth's Latin America. Nothing so far."

He looked back at his sister once more, noting how desperately uncomfortable she appeared. "I haven't told anyone about my research. I only do it in my alone time." He explained.

And then came a question that didn't surprise Calyx at all, for he had wondered the same, even asked Soraya about it. "My understanding is that the stone is engraved into her soul, not just her skin, I don't think it can be removed unless she dies."

"I've looked into every angle I can without help. The only plan I can come up with is to find this material. After that we can figure out how we can use it without the Surgeon. There has to be someone else who has that kind of knowledge, right?" Calyx understood that this meant meddling in some dark things, but he showed no signs of fear or discouragement. For his sisters, he would gladly forfeit his own soul...

guest1380

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #455 on: June 07, 2018, 06:33:11 pm »
Winter didn’t look up when Calyx walked in, mistaking the heavy foot steps for Raijuta. It was only when he spoke did she look up.

She didn’t answer his question, only glanced down at the book in his grasp and back at him, waiting for his response. As he explained, hope shown in her eyes and didn’t budge a bit when he told her the surgeon was deceased. She jumped to her feet and went to the book shelf again. Thumbing the book spines, her gaze wandered across title after title until she found what she was looking for.

“A material?” she mumbled to herself. “If it can hold a Phoenix then...”

Her voice trailed as she soaked in the words. Several minutes passed if left uninterrupted until she threw the book down on the desk, sending dust flying.

“There!” she pointed to the page, inviting him to see. But on second glance, she noticed something and retrieved the book with a primitive growl. Perhaps it was hopeless. Granted having spent all of a half hour in the library did not warrant such an extreme conclusion, but didn’t years of searching?

“I found them.” Her confession alone explained nothing but she deflated as if it had everything. “I found phoenixes. I went and read their ancient transcripts.”

Winter had started pacing then, chewing on her thumb nail as she often did while deep in thought.

“They told of... methods.”  She grimaced.

Their methods were cruel and inhumane. Something she could never bring herself to do or ask of Calyx. It would remove a threat, but torture her sister. No, her plan was much greater than that. It would give each sister something they wanted. Could it work?

Winter stopped and glanced up at him. “I want to be strictly mortal. I despise what I carry in me. I want what Ember has and she needs what I have. Couldn’t we switch? Maybe if we use the stones...”

What if Sorayas could be removed? No, she shook her head. That was impossible. One hand tore at her shirt, wanting nothing more than to get out of her skin, while the other combed her hair. After a moment, she seemingly collected herself and sat down. She exhaled.

“Did you tell anyone? I just have this sinking feeling that it’s all going to implode. We need a plan.”

Calyx needed a plan. She would stick to hers, but hers was prevented by the possibility of Calyx being the only one to fight Ember.

“Will mom die if her stone is removed? Can we remove it without the surgeon?”

Offline Calyx Ochoa

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #454 on: June 07, 2018, 05:01:16 pm »
The ecstatic smile on Xander's face faded when Winter removed him from her form and placed him down, walking away without so much as a word. "Did I do something wrong?" He asked his brother, looking up at Calyx, who had grown into the perfect mixture of Raijuta and Imperfect's features.

Calyx offered his brother a gentle smile and patted his head, the way he used to do to comfort Ember. "No. You didn't do anything wrong..."

'I did.'

"Come inside and wash up." He told the three of them. "Dinner will be ready soon." 

He paraded the kids in, sending them all upstairs to clean up and put on new clothes. He then stopped by the kitchen where his father stood, his back still to the door. "She's not happy to see me, is she?"

"I don't think she's ready." Calyx said. He had managed to catch up to Raijuta in height. "She seems to be struggling to manage her emotions."

"Unfortunately, that's a trait she inherited from me." The elder Draconian said solemnly. "Give her some time. She'll face me when she's ready."

Calyx recalled the story his father had told him, of the night he and Imperfect arrived in the Dragon's Den. How the pile of emotions he had tucked away collapsed, nearly turning the entire realm into a frozen tundra. He nodded his head and made his way upstairs. He knew exactly where he would find Winter.

As expected, she was in the library. In the section that had been restricted to them when they were children. He walked passed her, to a stack of books on another desk that he had been working through Most of the books had been burned through, but several had bookmarks here and there referencing different things. He grabbed one and brought it over to where she sat.

"Did you know that Soraya went through the same thing as Ember?" He asked.

"Or at least something similar. The jewel that's implanted in her chest? It's not just for decoration. It's called an Effusio Anima." He pointed to the page on the book containing information on the stone. It keeps a Phoenix like the one that possessed Ember pacified. I've been searching for the material, but I haven't been able to find even a hint as to where it might be. Also, dad says the surgeon who implanted it into Soraya is dead..."

He couldn't apologize for being able to manage his feelings around the children. He was responsible for everyone's wellbeing. But he could offer her a bit of hope, and show her that he thought of her, and fought to find an answer for her every day, just like she did. He could only hope that Winter would understand.

guest1380

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #453 on: June 07, 2018, 04:28:46 pm »
She contemplated on the cost  her father’s loss would have on the rest of the family. Certainly not comparable to his own lost, but substantial just the same. Suddenly, she was taken out of her thoughts as the children approached them and her brother sat on her lap. She inhaled sharply, taking in the aroma of soap and dirt. It was a familiar scent. Soraya had used the same organic soap when they were children. Sitting straight with her shoulders back and tensed, it looked more like she was preparing to confront a threat rather than a dark-haired youth with dirt-smeared cheeks. Calyx’s words stuck a chord and she immediately stood to her feet. She placed the boy sternly, albeit gently, to the side and nodded before retreating inside the house.

She did not blame Calyx. At least she did not want to, but it enraged her to see him so composed. Casually, he was able to continue on speaking of Ember as if she was not still alive and posed to be a grave threat to them all. He was capable of controlling what was within him with ease and all she had been trying to do was get what was in her out. Jealousy was a cruel master, but he had more than he would ever know.

In the hall, she hesitated. There hanging beside the doorpost of the kitchen hung the most beautiful painting. It was a scenic portrait, filled with bright hues and sharp outlines, creating an almost surreal image. She had loved it as a child but now looking closer, she discovered the artist had been an amateur. The beauty dissolved as Winter delved deeper into the painting, finding that the strokes were careless and almost lazy. Perhaps it was part of growing up; discovering the truth behind all the rose-colored facades.

Snapping out of her reverie, Winter forced herself into the kitchen. Soraya had vanished, but there was still a figure carved out in the shadows. A million thoughts went through her mind, but she couldn’t force a single one out. The desire to confront the fears and failures and frustrations of the past vanished. Instead, all the disappointment and emptiness she felt surfaced in her expression as she stared at the man, finding no familiarity in the air.

He’s dad.” Calyx had said, but not to her. He was just an image. A hazy one at that.

Swiping at her eyes, she left the room heading straight for books. Books contained print, print, distraction. And answers. Not that she had found a way to do what she desired to do, but that was not worth mentioning. She’d find a way.

Her breathing evened into a static rhythm as she pulled out the first book she could find in the ‘forbidden’ section, and dust greeted her like an old friend. Curled on a desk by the window, she continue the search for a miracle.

Offline Calyx Ochoa

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #452 on: June 07, 2018, 03:54:09 pm »
Winter's curiosity about Oryn practically oozed from her pores, along with a strange familiarity. He wished he had the information to offer her. But he simply didn't. Marie kept it under lock and key, despite Calyx being the primary father figure in the boy's life.

He let the thought go though, finding his sister's condition far more important. When she caught herself after saying she was afraid, he didn't call her out, but rather continue to listen. He didn't even ask her what it was that she had found, deciding that she would tell him when she was ready.

Her next question was a difficult one to answer, though Calyx wasn't exactly sure why. He looked at the door behind him for a second. "He's dad." He said contemplatively. "He still has his -dad- personality. All his memories. But he may never be able to bond with a Dragon Spirit again."

It was Ironic. Raijuta had lost his connection to the Dragons, and Calyx had surpassed anything Raijuta could have imagined. It honestly made him sad, being unable to share his experience with his father, but at least he was alive. It was more than he had expected to be able to say. He sighed, realizing he had brought down the mood yet again. "I have an idea..." he said, more to himself than Winter.


"Hey guys! Come here!" he waved over the kids.

They approached quickly, but Xander's eyes widened when they settled on his sister, and he rushed ahead of Isis and Oryn. "Winter!" he yelled, practically throwing himself into her lap to hug her. "I missed you!"

Calyx worried that the sudden contact may throw Winter's guards up, but at the same time, he couldn't help but feel amused at Xander's claim that he "missed" someone who he had technically never met. "I've told him all about you and Ember." Calyx explained. But his expression said that his statement wasn't entirely true. The little ones were simply too young to understand the full story of Ember. Not yet anyway.

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #451 on: June 07, 2018, 03:50:00 pm »
His reaction to her unexpected arrival was more than merciful. Winter wouldn’t admit to her cowardice, seeing running as more of a reprieve than an act of retreat. She knew she had deserted them, but that had not been the goal. The fact that her father had been alive this long without contacting her or tracking her down, was all she needed to quench the guilt of going away. Still, she was glad to return. They were a disfunctional family, but still a family. And she was the most messed up of them all.

She relaxed beneath Calyx’s affection, before abruptly shaking off his touch with a subtle removal of her hands beneath the weight of his touch. It was simply too painful; for more reasons than she cared to bring to light.

As he explained the children’s lineages, her gaze lingered on them. His omission on the one boy’s information warranted a raised brow from Winter. The shock of having another sibling following the events that transpired with Ember’s death, rendered her speechless and unable to press him further about the mystery behind the boy. Yet, as she studied the boy, an image from a book she had read while recovering on the outskirts of Greece, was brought to mind. An image of Hades.

Such a comparison was an insult and perhaps even more for a child. She decided to keep such musings to herself. Still, the likeness was astonishing.

She shrugged off his question at first, but found it disgustingly necessary to confide in someone. “I was afraid.”

As quickly as those three words were out, Winter straightened her spine and corrected herself. “For your sakes.”  But she didn’t elaborate.

 “I could not seem to get past what happened.” She tucked her hair behind her ear and looked at him meaningfully. “When I left, I traveled around looking for something, but found more than I had bargained for.” 

She squirmed in her seat reflecting over the past few months. The breeze shifted, bringing about the trail of child’s laughter as the children played in the yard. It reminded her of Calyx, Ember, and her. A sad smile traced her lips.

“I wanted to come back sooner,” she admitted, her voice barely higher than a whisper. “Is dad... dad?”

Offline Calyx Ochoa

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #450 on: June 07, 2018, 01:12:15 pm »
If there was anything that Calyx loved more than anything in the world, it was his siblings. He had seen himself as their protector from long before Raijuta's passing. He cared for their wellbeing more than his own. So it was only natural that his heart stuttered, when he felt Winter approaching. She felt different, Stronger. But it was undoubtedly her. It had been almost six years since she left, and he worried for her every day.

When she finally came into view, Calyx didn't rush to meet her. But he did watch as she approached. She had grown taller, and still carried Raijuta's quiet, observant nature. She was taking in her surroundings as she approached, taking in everything that had changed since the last time she had been home. She was hesitant, as if she wondered if she would be welcome.  But just the same, she sat next to her big brother, bringing a smile to his face.

He could sense her discomfort, her curiosity, and even her disgust. He couldn't determine what prompted each emotion, but he could feel them plain as day. He wouldn't force her into the contact of am embrace, but he placed a hand on her shoulder and kissed her forehead in response to her calling his name. "Relax. You're home." He told her, placing a gentle hand on her own as she tugged at her sleeves.

He looked out at the kids as they played. Isis hovered over the boys, who tried to jump high enough to catch her feet. If he wasn't already displaying a smile as he watched them, Winter's question definitely would have delivered him one.

"No, none of them are mine" He said, never taking his eyes off them.

He pointed up at the Isis first. "The girl's name is Isis. She's my mother and Azriel's child."

Then he pointed to the boys. "The black haired boy is Soraya and dad's. We found out she was pregnant right after you left. They named him Xander. The tallest boy is Marie's son, Oryn...."

He hesitated for a moment before deciding not to elaborate on Oryn. He had confronted Marie early in her pregnancy about the identity of Oryn's father, and had pressed her several times since, to no avail. Oryn was two when Calyx finally gave up and accepted what it was.

"So how have you been?" he finally asked. She had contacted Calyx for the first year or two of her travels, but he hadn't heard from her in quite some time. She looked like she had been through a lot. Or perhaps it was the shock of being home that put her in such a state...

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #449 on: June 07, 2018, 12:37:23 pm »
Time, as impalpable as it was, had seemingly left her behind.

As the soles of her feet wandered the same elements as they had during the entirety of her childhood, the feel of the rock and soil felt eerily and painfully unfamiliar. Winter had not returned home since she had left despite receiving word Raijuta had returned. Not that she believed it of course. Until now.

She saw Calyx and three kids before she saw the vague outlines of Raijuta and Soraya in the kitchen. Stopping in her tracks, she fought against the primitive urge to scream or worse, attack, and allowed peace to replace the beast before continuing forward. The shine of the sun played with the tendrils of white hair, blanketing them with a false sense of yellow warmth as she approached the porch.

Calyx’s appearance alone was disarming enough.  He looked more like a man than the boy she had known.

She hesitated. Long and lanky, she had changed very little concerning appareance. Her hair was still startling white, almost sickly looking, and her eyes breached a color too icy to catch desirable attention. But him, he had inheritated Imperfect’s ironic perfection. The revelation was tasted bitter, but she smiled all the same.

‘Smile’ would actually be a stretch. The curve of her lips was more of an attentive acknowledgement. Like a fish out of water seeing the face of the one who had dragged it out of its home knowing it was about to be gutted and served.

“Calyx,” she breathed- or she didn’t. The exhale of breath necessary for noise was choked by unwanted emotion. Winter swallowed, turned her face, and looked away to nothing in particular. It all felt wrong. Being here, witnessing the life of someone she had watched die. Nothing was the same, especially her.

“Calyx,” she tried again. Her voice was shaky and unfortunately so were her knees. She sat down on the porch beside him, fearing the closeness of someone as much as she did the separation, but it was better to sit than fall.

She tugged at her sleeves, nervously.

“You had kids?”

Offline Calyx Ochoa

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #448 on: May 24, 2018, 06:08:07 pm »
Time passed quickly in this land. Not that the space time continuum worked any differently here. A minute was still a minute. But years simply seemed to pass as if they were moments. Calyx blinked his eyes and turned his back, and five years had passed since the Ritual to revive his father. It had been a peaceful time, but also, many things had changed. Though the ritual was successful, returning Raijuta to life, he came back without any extraordinary powers, without a Dragon Spirit. He maintained a few simple tricks acquired through his training, but for the most part, he may as well have been human.

Raijuta wasn't the only one to go through changes. Calyx had taken his place as the Head of the Dragon's Den. Much like JD, Adrani and Winter were often away on various travels; Leaving Calyx to assist Soraya and Marie in raising the young ones. Imperfect had moved away, and started a Kingdom for Fallen Angels with Azriel. Well, they would tell you not to call it a Kingdom; That it had no King. But no matter how you looked at it, they were at the head of their Dimension, much like Calyx was at the head of his. And more importantly, they had given Calyx yet another sister! If not for the fact that Soraya had a boy, he would think it was some sort of curse.

The three children were like best friends from before they could talk. Calyx often went to pick up Isis so that she could play with Xander and Oryn. they would run around until their legs couldn't carry them any longer. But Isis had the advantage because the boys hadn't yet sprouted their wings. Once their Draconian traits set in, their training would be intense. But for now, the adults had all decided to just let them be children.

Cadence had left long ago, leaving Calyx to be alone. He missed having someone to call his own. But the free time served him well. Between all of his responsibilities, he still researched how to return Ember to them without dooming everyone. How to free her from the influence of the Demon Phoenix. So far his research had yielded little results, but he had no intention of giving up. He suspected that Winter's travels were often for the same purpose.

He sat on the front porch, reviewing his notes and Xander and Oryn played in front of the house. He had agreed to pick Isis up after school so they could all play together. But there were still a few hours left before that so for now he enjoyed the relative quiet and did his research. Soraya and Raijuta were in the kitchen, making Lunch together. This was a typical day, as far as Calyx could tell. Little did he know, the peace that his family had attained wouldn't last much longer...

Offline Calyx Ochoa

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #447 on: December 12, 2016, 07:01:19 pm »
Calyx was exhausted. He hadn't gotten a full night's sleep in weeks! But even so, this land was his responsibility. His mother, and stepmother were his responsibility. And in an odd way, he felt responsible for Marie as well. He wished she could have found Winter to deal with whatever it was that she needed though.


She lead him to a cave, where she stopped him to bring it to his attention that there were no eggs. He felt like his eye might have twitched as he glared at Marie for speaking the obvious. "Why are we here, Marie?"

Her statement took him back to that moment, when he had come inches from rippng out her larynx. the feeling had been so satisfying, but he felt more confusion than rage now. Also, he was too tired for assault at the moment.  Instead he followed the woman into the cave, eyes widening when he saw the inside.

The cave had been set for some sort of ritual. What kind, he couldn't say. "If you're planning to sacrifice me to your child, that's going to be a hard no."He said, looking around at the eerie surroundings.
Marie ushered him to take a seat in a clear space, but he refused to ove without more knowledge about what was happening. And then she said it...

"Bring dad back?" It sounded like some sort of joke. Some unrealistic game that was so abstract he was certain that he had misheard her. But then, he had heard that his father had created a body in order to revive Marie. If that was possible, perhaps...

She suddenly relented, but she had gathered the boy's interest by this point. Calyx made his way over to the clean spot on the ground. "What do I have to do?"

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #446 on: December 08, 2016, 12:10:49 am »
Marie led Calyx outside and then to the cave. Along the way, she would remain quiet and pointedly avoid his gaze.  There was too much weighing on her mind for her to put everything into words and to explain to him what they were really doing would take much more effort than showing him would call for.  At the entrance of the cave, she put her hand out, calling him to wait a moment.  Her eyes scoped the belly of the cave as a small frown played along her lips.

"Calyx," she murmured.  "There are no eggs here."

That would be apparent to him now.  If he had not lashed out on her already, he would probably soon. 

At that thought, she glared at his hands.  "Keep your claws to yourself this time and let me time to explain before you tear my throat out."

The energy radiating from the cave was nearly paralyzing.  Even the wind was tainted, carrying small electric currents as it roamed the exposed parts of her.  Marie seemed on edge.  She no longer had the energy to play coy.  Without waiting for him to respond, she entered the cave knowing he would have to follow her if only for the reason of his responsibility to keep the realm safe. 

Once inside, he could seen the markings along the cave floor, the lanterns hung on the walls, illuminated by faint, eerie black lights, and the blood.  It was smeared everywhere.  She turned her gaze from it, feeling her stomach tightening into knots.  Marie had been through a lot to try to see this through.

Then, her gaze assessed him, knowing how it all must looked.  To him, it must have seen that she was insane. 

"Okay, now let's start from the top." Marie pointed to a clean spot along the ground. "You can sit there.  When you attempt- no, not attempt.  When you do bring Raijuta back, you will have to call upon a lot of energy."

Marie gripped his arm then, not tightly or hard, just gentle and encouraging, before immediately retracted it.  What was she doing?

She ran a hand through her hair and looked away.  If Raijuta was not brought back, she feared what it would mean.  Her body was incapable of handling this pregnancy and without the baby, Hades would destroy everything.  But that did not mean she could pressure Calyx into this.  This had to be his own choice.  Although most would scoff at the idea of turning down a chance to bring back a loved one, she knew it was not that simple.  There would be shock, denial, and then acceptance and coping.  Just like all of the stages grieving called for. 

Marie sat down in the blood, leaving the clean spot to him. 


Offline Calyx Ochoa

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #445 on: December 04, 2016, 09:12:13 pm »
Calyx had barely been asleep thirty minutes when Marie came along to wake him up. He half expected her to ask him for some sort of abstract food when he heard her voice, and refused to open his eyes. But when she said the Dragons needed his help, he sighed, and turned to look at her.

She was a completely different view than she had been only a short year or two ago. All belly. It didn't seem the rest of her had grown at all! Even so, she looked tired, pained. She was hardly the same energetic woman that tormented him growing up. She seemed more... Normal. More relatable. And even so, every bit as infuriating as she had always been.

Calyx yawned and stretched, rising from the couch and groaning as he hesitantly followed Marie. Whatever this was had better have been worth the little bit of sleep he had been promised...

 

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