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We Rode on Broken Wings (Arkus and River_Wolf)

River_Wolf

River_Wolf

Super-Earth
Joined
Oct 24, 2018
Tsia Lilat stood on the precipice of the sky pier, the wind of Dragon's Peak whipping through her short chocolate hair and putting her thick riding clothes to the test. The warm beaver fur kept her comfortable, but anything exposed started to redden. Winter was coming. The first dusting of snow waited just over the horizon. Other forested mountains blocked the storm, preventing it from arriving at the complex, but it wouldn't be long. Everyone knew it. That's probably why the citadel felt so deserted. Most of the pairs were out flying. Tsia's grey-blue gaze watched as they flew above her; massive dragon of all shapes and sizes with their human or elven riders. Those with missions left early to try and beat the storm. Those who didn't still found an excuse to go to wing. Hunting, fishing, running drills in organized Flights, or even just for the fun of it.

A great feathered head snaked towards Tsia and gently nudged her should. The copper dragon's sapphire gaze lingered on her, long ears flicking curiously as feathery her tail swished with impatience. Tsia nodded and went back to adjusting the leather straps of her riding saddle. It sat neatly between her shoulders where the dragon's massive, feathered wings erupted from her scaled hide. The wind tore at Elyta's crown of feathers and the fur that ran along her spine and down the barrel of her chest. More chunks of fur clung to her fore elbows and hind ankles. These spots helped to provide extra warmth in the cold climate without totally overheating her during the summer months. A good compromise. That and Tsia loved to run her hands through Elyta's feathers and mane.

"Is everything ready?" Elyta's voice echoed in Tsia's head.

"Yeah. I'd say so." Tsia sighed, stepping back to visually check her handiwork. The saddle-bags were packed and filled to the brim with supplies, including an exhaustive first aid kid and other medical supplies.

"Didn't forget anything?" The dragon inquired, nudging Tsia again. Tsia indignantly shoved her dragon away again.

"No!" Tsia dug into her pocket and produced a slip of parchment. "Everything on the list is accounted for."

"Just making sure." Both dragon and rider huffed at the same time, their gazes drifting towards the open air where other pairs flew with abandon. "Is it really necessary to wait for them?"

"So says our Flight Leader." Tsia put her hands on her hips and frowned. "The man we're after is from another compound, but he's a Flight Leader too. It'll take more than one pair."

"He's an egg thief." Elyta snarled, fire licking the open air from partially parted jaws in her fury. Tsia put a comforting hand on her dragon as waves of hurt and betrayal washed over her mind from Elyta. There was no greater sin than to steal an egg, much less three. Dragons rarely produced eggs, some species only had one in a lifetime. Riders knew better. At least, they were supposed to. Tsia couldn't help but wonder what the hell was wrong with a pair to make them want to do something so horrible. Since the rider was human, their orders were to bring him in to await a trial. However, dragons held different laws. The dragon was sentenced to death already, no trial, no chance to explain himself.

"We can go as soon as the pair are ready..." Where are they? Tsia wondered, her thoughts traveling to Elyta. Both rider and dragon glanced around with growing impatience. This was a good opportunity to prove herself to the Flight Leaders. She couldn't do that if they got caught in the storm.
 
Erec Genther stood next to Azura, his best friend and companion in arms. "So friend, you ready to hunt?" Azura growled as he looked across the mountains and plains from their perch high in the nearby mountains. From here they could both see Tsia and Elyta, since Erec was using his magic to see as Azura does. Augmentation was his specialty, and it had many uses, including fighting off the biting cold and needing less air so he could stay conscious this high up in the atmosphere. It was also a good way to practice subconscious magic.

Erec was dressed in a his normal winter wear over his studded leather armor. On top of all that, all that was visible was the cloak he wore, which could be flipped inside out for either a green or white color depending on where he was. Azura was a forest green colored dragon, with a long serpentine body and for smaller arms and no wings. His horns though were large and perfect for piercing and ramming opponents and his gold eyes seemed to see everything. "I wish you would hurry up Erec, the others are waiting." I want to see if they spot us first, you should stand out here among the mountain peaks."

Erec's dark blue eyes looked back over his saddle to make sure everything was in place. He had his weapons, his survival gear, and maps. Most of all he had Azura and his training to help him with their coming trials. Erec's half-elven pointy ears and his short blonde-gold hair was hidden by his hood. "Fine, lets head down. I think its time we actually work with Tsia and Elyta. But lets surprise them, go and catch me." Erec said this with a grin and he could have swore his green scaled friend smiled at his while his white hair flowed in wind from his head and face.

With that Erec used his magic to leap farther into the air than anyone should be able to being caught in Azura's mouth before he got to far, and once they were above Tsia and Elyta, Azura dropped Erec and then went down with him. They did some practiced aerial acrobatics before Erec grabbed Azura's harness, and with Erec secured into his harness, they passed the other two. "Come on slow pokes!" Erec yelled using his magic to make himself louder. He laughed, but once they caught up they could talk while flying. He preferred flying and would one day find a way to fly beside his friend here, even if it took making changes to how augmentation magic worked.

The interesting thing about Azura is his ability to fly without wings, and that he also seems like a giant green snake moving through the sky, though he stayed far below the other flyers.
 
"Found them." Elyta deadpanned, her head tilted directly upward. Tsia followed Elyta's gaze and screeched when she saw Erec falling from above. She tried to jump out of the way, but the movement was useless. Azura caught Eric and they proceeded to show off in front of everyone. Tsia turned bright red in a mixture of embarrassment and anger.

"Of all the irresponsible things-I swear I'm gonna-he's such a-URGH! Show-off!" Tsia cried after them. It didn't matter that her words fell on deaf ears. This was why she hated working with Erec. Always trying to one up her or doing the most reckless things possible. The dragon he paired with was an amazing and unique dragon, but the human attached to was far less so. Erec was a liability! Why did their Flight Leader even pair them together! Tsia felt little pops of fire in her hands and Elyta nuzzled her once more.

"Calm. Save your rage." Tsia smiled and leaned into her dragon's affection this time. She mounted Elyta, strapping in and rushing through her pre-launch check so that they could catch up with the other pair. Elyta leapt off the platform, her mighty wings spreading out and catching the cold drifts. Tsia closed her eyes and focused on the currents around them, using her elemental magic to warm the air around them and propel Elyta upwards. The copper dragon beat her wings, riding the winds while Tsia shifted them ever so slightly so that they sped above the valley. It took them no time at all to catch up to Erec and Azura.

"You were supposed to meet us at the pier," Tsia snapped at Erec. "Not nearly crash into it! You could have killed us both and we're behind because of your stupid stunt." If this was how he acted at the start of such an important mission then Tsia dreaded what the rest of the mission would be like. Either someone died or they failed the mission. Both options were unacceptable. She needed this chance.
 
"Oh, calm yourself Tsia, we noticed you had everything ready and so did I, I thought we'd make better time talking as we flew, and I know how stubborn you are so I thought I'd force your hand is all." Erec looked to Tsia and gave her that crooked grin that made most of the other female riders swoon. "And it seems my idea worked. Good to see you again Elyta." "Hello, Elyta, good flying to you and may the wind keep your wings full of air."

With that said, Erec didn't push Azura to go any faster, though Azura wasn't trying to go fast yet, so his rider could talk to Elyta's rider. "So, did you have a plan to deal with our rogue. Taking him alive will be much more difficult than dead and his dragon is bigger than both Azura and Elyta. Taking them together will be dangerous so our best bet is to take them out separately. Do you know what our targets main aptitude is? I never knew him personally so all I have is hearsay."

Erec's demeanor had done a complete 180 from before and it was an attitude only his Flight Master and Azura ever got to see, since he never wanted others to know how much he actually trained. It was hard to see under his cloak, but Erec was a half-elf with the best qualities of both his heritages. He was larger than most elves or human, easily 6' 6", and was more built than an elf but still retained the grace and flexibility of one, and this was without his magic. This was from training himself in the ways of both martial art fighting styles of his family and in the ones taught here at the command post of the Dragon Riders.

Azura was flying around Elyta in a wide corkscrew doing loops and other things to keep his body loose since doing the same movements could make him cramp up and that wasn't good for flying. "So Elyta, how is your dragon fire coming along? Last time I saw it was rivaling that of the of sire." Azura was actually interested since his dragon's fire was nothing special, though he could command lighting during a storm if needed though it took a toll on him. His main specialty was close quarters dragon fighting. Its why him and Erec were specialized for taking down Dragon Riders, surprisingly enough. For big armies, they could take out any single target with ease but Tsia and Elyta were more powerful when it came to fighting an army.
 
Don't you flash that playboy grin at me Erec, Tsia thought bitterly, grinding her teeth together. It didn't help that yes, it sort of worked on her. He was a half-elf and somehow managed to get the best of both worlds. Tall (a lot taller than Tsia's very human 5'4"), handsome, graceful, strong; the first time she saw him she'd nearly fallen for that smile. That didn't last long. Tsia's careful planning never worked so long as he was around. Her ordered world fell apart as soon as he came into the picture. He always dragged her down to his pace and she hated it!

"Don't tell me to calm myself Erec. You aren't the Flight Leader. Don't act like it." She bristled. Elyta sighed a little beneath her, but didn't say anything. Not that she needed to. The mental link they shared told Tsia exactly what Elyta was thinking. She wasn't being childish.

"Good flying to you as well Azura, may magic lift you to the stars." Elyta replied, opening her mental link so that everyone could hear her words.

"Good flying, Azura." Tsia added quickly, trying to regain her composure. Although what she managed to cobble together was lost almost instantly at the strange, and frankly unheard of, shift in Erec's demeanor. By the gods and spirits, he was actually being serious for once. Tsia sat up straight and pulled out a scroll from her saddle bag. "Nyrodi, the rider and his dragon Razerith were Flight Leaders at the Twin's Citadel. The dragon council has already ruled a death sentence on Razerith, so we don't need to worry about that. But we should try to capture Nyrodi and find out what he did with the eggs assuming they aren't on him. Nyrodi's specialty was in object manipulation. Examples being moving object, changing its size and shape, or using alchemy to adjust its properties." Tsia rolled the scroll back up and tucked it away. "Basically, look out for flying trees."

Now that her nose wasn't buried in a scroll, Tsia watched Azura's corkscrew maneuvering with no small amount of appreciation. He was a beautiful dragon. While Elyta's speed wings were certainly impressive among other winged dragons, they could never match the maneuverability of the serpentine dragons. A jealous rumble from Elyta made Tsia chuckle. She patted her dragon, sending soothing waves of appreciation and praise across their private mental link. Elyta was all speed and raw power. Built for dealing quick and massive bursts of damage. Watching her hunt was a marvel because she'd slam her body into her prey at high speeds like a falcon.

"I have no rival," Elyta boasted. Just to prove her point, she opened her maw and let loose an absolutely massive tongue of flames. Tsia called upon the wind, pulling the fire beneath them. The intense heat was enough to push both dragons higher.
 
Erec was laughing as the heat caused by Elyta and Tsia sent them pairs up higher into the air. "So Elyta, Tsia, do you two have a preference to how we do this? Preferably I was thinking you two would engage first with your combined firepower, and I would get Nyrodi and Razerith's attention from the opposite direction with my arrows. Once you engage, Azura would get us close so we could restrain Razerith and then you would help from range and make sure they can't get airborne. Also, Elyta, can I trust you to catch me if I get knocked off Azura if he ends up getting to stuck up in a melee with Razerith?" Erec was still very serious. "Also, where was the pair last spotted?"

While examining Tsia, Erec couldn't help but admire her features, noticing she was still as beautiful if not more-so than when they both arrived here. He may have won in everything involving the martial arts, but he only beat her in augmentation magic, any other she had the advantage in even though her specialty was her mastery of fire and the other elements. They were both on their way to being the new Weapon Master and Elemental of the Dragon Riders, but they had their first trial of many being to hunt an older pair. He could admire as long as it didn't distract him, and Azura never chided him too much for his staring, believing that she would be a good match for him, something about being hard headed enough to keep him in check. Erec always chuckled at that but could see what he meant. Sadly, they always butted heads but Erec loved their rivalry, it made for an interesting relationship.
 
"Of course I can catch you." Elyta huffed.

Erec's plan wasn't bad... for an outline anyways. It left a lot to be desired as far as Tsia was concerned. Too open. Not enough strategy. "Not enough bullet points" Elyta's teasing voice echoed in her head. Tsia ignored her. One hand tapped on her cheek as she thought it through. "The pair's last known location was by Catcall lake, heading for Eos's eastern boarder. If they leave Tanniym we risk losing them. The area surrounding the lake is fairly open, but near a boulder field. The field is known for its Stone Talus, highly territorial creatures made from living rock. We should be alright so long as we can keep him confined to the lake area." Assuming he was still at the lake.

"Obviously before we do anything we'll have to survey our surroundings. We don't want to get hit with any surprises. The basics of the plan we can keep but we'd best come up with several different strategies in order to assure the greatest chance of success." At this point, Tsia was mumbling to herself more than talking to the others at this point. Her mind was already reeling with various possibilities, strategies, and counter strategies. They couldn't mess this up. That one thought kept repeating endlessly in her head.

"You're overthinking it." Elyta admonished. "Erec's plan is good. If we strike hard and fast, he won't have a chance to retaliate."

Tsia, still lost in her thoughts, missed Erec's admiring gaze. Elyta did not. "Try to behave yourself." She said only to Erec, teasing the other rider. Sure, Tsia was bright. Her natural ability to wield powerful magic was an absolute boon. Tsia's obsession with planning and making sure everything was accounted for and going to plan ensured that she rarely got lost or wound up in situations she couldn't handle. At least, in theory. The real issue came in her interpersonal relations. The only person Tsia talked to in anything that even resembled casual was Erec, and it was mostly to yell at him thanks to their rivalry.
 
"Well can we catch up to them if we stick to the lake area? If not should we brave the Stone Talus?" Erec asked as they flew, he wasn't the best at topography. 'I'll look all I like, I mean she's beautiful, and strong. Why wouldn't I admire her when she gets thinking like that?' Erec 'spoke' to Elyta directly.

"Anyway, you can strategise as we fly, and also, can you really make any plans until you see what the area is like? I mean we don't know where they are exactly or where they could be hiding. So I say we conserve our strength and fly til nightfall. Hopefully Nyrodi and Razerith will be grounded for a while that bounty on their heads." With that Erec and Azura when right above Elyta upside down, and since Tsia wasn't paying attention, she didn't see that Erec was upside down right in front of her. 'Don't say anything Elyta. Please.' Erec spoke to her.

With that he leaned in towards Tsia, able to kiss her if he wanted, and said, "Boo!" before swinging away from the fist he knew would be flying. "You should stay focused Tsia." Azura said teasingly.
 
"I want to avoid the fields. They are a much bigger gamble for us than they are for him." All Nyrodi and Razerith needed to do was get through the rock field in one piece. Technically, they could leave all the fighting to the talus if they flew low enough. Sure, the talus would fire indiscriminately, but it was still better for them. Erec and Tsia on the other hand had a lot more at stake. They had to take down Razerith without injuring the eggs and capture Nyrodi all while avoiding talus attacks and anything the sinful pair chose to throw at them.

"Just try not to admire too much. She'll notice eventually."

Tsia rummaged through the saddlebags once more, this time pulling out a map of Tanniym. "Yes, we'd have to scout the location once we arrive but I can at least get something done now." Once more, she started to mumble. Dancing letters formed on the map around Catcall lake, notes shifting and changing as quickly as Tsia's thoughts as she tried to come up with an array of plans. All of her focus was on the map, her nose almost touching the parchment, so she didn't even notice Erec and Azura's shift in position. Elyta turned her head just enough to watch.

"AAH!" Tsia cried. She would have jumped out of the saddle of not for the leather restraints keeping her strapped in. Her fists balled around the map, crumpling and tearing part of the parchment in a desperate attempt not to lose it. All of the dancing letters dissipated, leaving no trace of their existence behind. Elyta laughed; a deep rumbling sound combined scattered sparks. Red flushed across Tsia's cheeks and she tried her best to smack Erec. Of course, she missed. "You clotpole! What if I'd dropped the map?! My notes are gone too." Pissed and embarrassed, Tsia leaned over once more trying her best to smooth it out and mourning the nasty gash that split the country's southern border.

"She should stay focused on me." Elyta pouted back to Azura.
 
Erec moved back in so he was right i front of Tsia upside down again. Without saying anything he put his hand on the map and concentrated. With some effort and some magic from Azura, he was able to mend the map back together in her hands. "Sorry, Tsia. Didn't think you would jump so hard. But you shouldn't have to worry about your notes, your smart enough I'm sure you know what they said off the top of your head pretty easily." He gave her that charming smile again, and with the sun behind him and with his hair hanging below him, he never seemed so carefree.

"You get her attention whenever she isn't busy, you should be grateful she focuses on you that much. Though me and Erec don't need to talk since we are very in sync." Azura said back to Elyta making fun of her pouting.

With that Erec and Azura pulled up next to Tsia. "So now that I'm not messing with you anymore, will we have to stop anytime soon for information or will we have to walk to get to our destination? Or are we just flying til sundown?" Again Erec didn't know the surrounding area too well so he had to ask Tsia.
 
Tsia's anger cracked at Erec's apology. She couldn't keep it up, not after he went so far as to stitch her map back together. Then there was that smile. That evil, awful, beautiful, absolutely enchanting smile that ought to be made illegal. The free wind of the sky and the sun behind him only made it glow that much brighter. Tsia's already red face turned an even deeper shade. She forced her gaze back to her map. Focus Tsia. Ignore him. A task easier said than done.

"She's my rider, it's only natural she focuses on me." Elyta huffed, her possessive nature getting the better of her. Tsia sensed the rush of indignation, but because she wasn't actually privy to the conversation it only made her confused. The rider placed a worried hand on her dragon, silently questioning if she was alright. Elyta hummed. "I'm fine."

Whatever was going on with Elyta could be dealt with later. They had a mission to focus on. Tsia tapped her finger on the map, pointing to a little name not far from the lake. "There's a town here we should be able to reach just before nightfall. If Razerith is as big as the rumors say he is, he won't be able to go anywhere unnoticed. There should be at least a few rumors that we can start with."

When it cam to Tanniym, Tsia had studied the map until she could practically draw it from memory. Honestly, the only reason why she carried one was as a visual aid to help her plan. Tsia spent a lot of time before the mission as well familiarizing herself with the landscapes and areas they were likely to come across during their travels. She knew at least a dozen towns off the top of her head that had inns who specialized in accommodating dragon riders, the town she indicated being one of them. It wasn't the closest town to their target's last known location, but if the pair were hiding, that inn keeper would know likely know about it. Tsia honestly wouldn't even be surprised if these specialty inns secretly found a way to track dragons. After all, it probably helped for them to know when a dragon rider was in the area. Creepy thought though.
 
Wreck sat up excited, “Well if we have our destination then let’s go!” He loved flying with Asura and usually would love to take his time but today they had a mission to do and now he didn’t want to cause any delays.

“But before we start, let’s switch Tsia. Let me ride Elyta for a bit, if she is okay with it that is. If you’re wondering why, it’s so I can get s better feel for how you fly. So I can know what you can do just a bit more personally.” “Again, an interesting idea Erec. I think it’s a wonderful idea, though only if you two agree of course.”

Both Azurs and Erec seemed to be looking at Tsia and Elyta expectinbly. Though Erec has that playboy smile on his face.
 
Now that, Tsia could get behind. "Agreed." She quickly stowed the map. A competitive spark lit in her eyes, her body shifted just ever so slightly as she sunk deeper into the saddle. Her hands gripped the saddle, her body weight shifting forward. Even Elyta changed, tucking her legs in a little closer as she minutely adjusted the angle of her wings. The wind picked up slightly, responding to both dragon and rider falling perfectly in sync. Only for Erec to crash through it like a charging bull.

"Switch?" Tsia asked, unable to keep the excitement out of her voice. Really? They'd practiced switching before. All flights practiced that. Sometimes the flow of battle would see you on the back of another dragon. Learning to ride all kinds of dragons was an imperative for a rider and knowing how to work with different riders could mean the different between life or death for dragons. But those were drills. They normally lasted fifteen minutes, tops.

Tsia didn't really need Erec's excuse. Elyta on the other hand... "It's not a wonderful idea!" Elyta complained. "Tsia is my rider. I don't need another on my back."

"Relax, Elyta. It's just for a little bit." Tsia soothed, already going for her leg straps. Alarmed, Elyta whipped her head around so fast it actually caused her tilt slightly. Tsia had to grip the saddle hard to stop herself from falling off. "Hey! Cool your feathers. It's only for a bit you overgrown bird!" Elyta turned her head back, hurt coming across their mental link clear as day. Tsia tried to mentally apologize, but Elyta cut her off just enough that the message didn't go through. With a sigh, Tsia gently tapped Elyta's shoulder. "Alright. Ready when you are Erec."
 
Erec stood up on Azura's back and looked like he was surfing as he kept his balance with an unmatched grace. "I'll help you across and to get situated. Riding Azura will be much different than riding Elyta." With that he helped Tsia over and couldn't help but notice how close together they were being forced to share the small space of Azura's back. Though Erec helped her into the saddle before she could fall or anything else. "There you go, lets do this for an hour or so. Also don't be afraid to talk to Azura, he won't bite." Erec said with a grin. Then he looked back to Elyta, "Hey Elyta come catch me." And he literally jumped a good twenty feet ahead of them before skydiving down below them. "He has alot of faith in you." Was all Azura said, his faith in Elyta shown as he didn't head after Erec.
 
"Alright." Tsia eagerly jumped to her feet, ready and willing to get onto Azura's back. She'd never ridden a serpentine dragon before and her excitement was palpable. Even so, Tsia didn't need that much help getting onto Azura's back. She'd spent enough time running along Elyta's back in flight and in training to at handle the quick shift. Azura's undulating flight was difficult, but not impossible for the rider. With Erec's help and her own sure footed dexterity, she easily slipped into Azura's saddle, the leather still warm. Tsia strapped herself into the saddle before relaxing her body so it moved with the dragon. She ran an appreciative hand down his emerald scales. "I'd never be scared of him."

Elyta grumbled audibly, her head a little low as she eyed Azura with unhappy jealously. She couldn't linger on it long. Both Elyta and Tsia's hearts leapt into their throats as Erec freaking jumped. AGAIN! Elyta pulled her wings in, diving fast. She had to spin and angle herself using her tail as a rudder to force her massive body towards the half-elf. Every feather on her body fell flush against her scales to drive her down faster. Finally, she made it under him. Her wings snapped open, catching the air and the stupid, stupid boy. Fine. If that's the way he wanted to play it. She might as well get a little revenge for suggesting the switch.

Her wings flared, flapping hard and wide as she quickly gained height. The copper dragon was almost perfectly vertical, her nose straight into the air as she stalled. Slowly, she began to roll backwards and once more she tucked her wings for a speedy free fall.

"ELYTA!" Tsia screamed, both aloud and in Elyta's head. But the dragon ignored her rider. Erec needed to learn a lesson. The dragon descended, letting the wind claw at her mane and feathers as the ground came barreling towards them. At the last second, Elyta unfurled her wings, snapping up just in time to avoid slamming into the ground. With all the momentum she gained, she twisted and turned, snapping from one direction to another with all the gravity and force absent in a serpent's flight.
 
Sadly for Elyta, her plan would backfire, because unlike Tsia, Erec could brute force his way to stay on her back, and that was on top of his exceptional riding and what most people didn't know was that Erec could read and feel body language. He could tell what most people or dragons would do just by how they moved and when he was on them, could feel it. He instantly felt her about to stall and use gravity to help her go faster. He only got a good grip on her saddle and used his enhancement magic to grip tighter so he could pull himself into the saddle.

He wasn't used to the speed but his magic helped him compinsate for it, though staying on Elyta was actually pretty easy, and when he changed his eyes to that of a dragon, it made everything almost slow down, since he could see Elyta in all her draconic beauty. "You really are an amazing dragon." He told her as he kept with her, moving when she pulled up, and was able to handle the g-forces pretty easily. With more practice he wouldn't need to augment his body to do so.

"Wooh!" Erec cheered into the air. "Now that was a rush!" His hand came down and he pet her where he had noticed over the years of Tsia doing so, caused Elyta to usually purr. "I knew I could trust you, and damn, you're much faster than I thought. Come on, lets head back up with the others."

Meanwhile Azura was chuckling, "Calm yourself Tsia, Erec will be fine."
 
Elyta was not happy that Erec could handle her flight as well as he could. She didn't want to knock him off per say but he could at least have the decency of looking frazzled. Tsia certainly did the first time they rode. Granted, that was ten years ago and Tsia was only fourteen at the time. Not that it stopped Elyta from pulling that stunt. Elyta huffed, both from her frustration and weary wings. She exerted herself. Although far from exhaustion, they still had a full day's worth of flying ahead of them.

Erec's attempts to calm her down and placate her worked at least a little bit. Her crown of feathers puffed at the compliments, taking them in with pride as she steadied out. The petting almost got her purring. Almost. She wasn't going to give that to Erec. He wasn't her rider. Elyta was. This whole switch thing was still unnecessary and she still wasn't happy about it. Why did he even suggest it in the first place? Oh. Maybe? Elyta glanced back at Erec and asked him, "What's your plan here? There's no way this is just to train. What do you want half-child?"

Tsia watched Elyta as she remained a good distance away from her and Azura. Although the dragon had steadied out, she didn't catch up to them. Without a dragon's eyes, it was hard to tell if Elyta was losing ground or staying the same distance. Elyta could catch up if she wanted. Easily too at the speed Azura was going. But she didn't. All Tsia could get from their connection was curiosity and frustration from the dragon. No words. Tsia remained turned around in Azura's saddle despite his soothing words. "It's not him I'm worried about. HEY! FEATHERS FOR BRAINS! CATCH UP!" She huffed and forced herself to turn around. Elyta wasn't going to ruin this golden chance to ride a serpentine dragon. "Stupid overgrown bird. She's just going to wear herself out. I'm sorry she's so unreasonable Azura."
 
Erec chuckled to himself, "I want Tsia to be comfortable with Azura in case something happens to me and I need someone to watch him for me. That and if I'm being honest, I like her. I want to know her better and I thought one way would be to see through her point of view. Riding you, her closest friend was a way for me to do that is all. And I was hoping if we hit it off it might be easier to get closer maybe. I mean, a guy can dream right?" Erec let Azura in on the conversation knowing he would stay quite. "So you mind keeping quite about this Elyta?" Erec said this as he continued to pet Elyta where he could tell she liked it, and actually using his skill at reading reactions and body language, found the real spot that made her purr usually.

Azura was currently laughing as he and Tsia were waiting on his rider and Elyta. "You don't have to worry about them Tsia, now if you're strapped in lets go." With that, Azura did some loops, corkscrews and other acrobatics to let Tsia experience a different type of flying.
 
"It's obvious that you like her." Elyta snorted. "If you want to see things from her point of you, riding me won't do it. Tsia's world is a product of her past, of which I'm only a small part. She thinks too much of other things." A part of Elyta did feel bad leaving her rider out of a conversation that everyone else was having. This conversation would only make Tsia close off though. Erec wasn't bad... sometimes. Elyta's opinion of him was certainly more favorable than Tsia's. Erec was a great rider with a lot of promise and great strength. Tsia recognized that, but her desire to rise above and need for order only worked against Erec. "I will stay quiet so long as it benefits Tsia." Elyta purred. She still didn't make any effort to actually catch up, using the distance to help keep Tsia out of the conversation, but Elyta made sure she didn't fall any further behind.

Tsia still wasn't so sure about Elyta's behavior. She wanted to protest, but she lost the will when Azura suddenly shifted into acrobatics. "WAHOO!" She cried, pure elation bubbling out of her as she gripped Azura tightly with her legs. The world tumbled with her, twisting and turning as Azura did. At some point, Tsia even dared to let go of the saddle with her hands, trusting the saddle straps and the strength in her legs to keep her in place. She threw her arms into the air, laughing and giggling. The weightless sensation was an absolute joy. Elyta's flying was just as enjoyable too, but for a completely different reason. The feathered dragon had to actively fight and work with gravity. Azura defied it.

"Azura, you're amazing!" Tsia shouted, hugging his neck with glee.
 
Erec continued to pet Elyta as he watched Tsia and Azura and smiled, "Well I thought I could ask you, I know asking her would just scare her off an I can't do that right now with the mission. I mean, Azura knows everything about me, so I thought it would be the same for you and Tsia. Also, I'll do whatever I can to get her to see me for more than what she does already, and I know she is always thinking, but about what I don't know. So, let me ask you this, do you dislike me because I'm a guy, because you think I'm a bad guy, or because you think I'm trying to take Tsia's attention away from you?"

Erec was fine relaxing with Elyta while Azura and Tsia enjoyed themselves, Azura didn't get the same reaction from Erec as much anymore since they had done it so much, but it was always fun. He could feel Azura's content from here though he stayed quiet about the conversation not even adding his opinion. "I will admit Elyta, you are a very pretty dragon, and Azura can never hope to match your speed, so I will admit I had fun with your acrobatics earlier."
 
"I don't dislike you." Elyta replied a bit too defensively. "You do take her attention though. And she's my rider, not you and not Azura's." Just to help make her point stick a little more, Elyta shook herself like she might to get a bug off her back. Again, not really to try and dislodge Erec but enough to jostle him around. Or at least try. Darn half-elf seemed impervious to such antics. "Tsia doesn't talk about her past, but I do know it. She's aware of as much at least. Her dreams are always looking back. Nightmares really. If you want her to respond better, try following along sometime. Tsia likes order. Predictable makes her feel safe."

Elyta's purring rose in pitch. She could feel Tsia's mental question again, but brushed it off. If Elyta answered her now, she risked Tsia becoming privy to the conversation. "Of course I'm beautiful. I preen daily. My wings are the envy of the skies." Elyta stretched her wings out, letting the copper tones catch the light as she drifted on the current. They picked up the invisible waves, rocking her gently. Minute movements in her muscles lifted her feathers and her alula as needed to help even out her suspended flight with almost no effort. "It wasn't supposed to be fun though. Not for you at least. I forgive you though."

"Well, at least she's not trying to buck him off anymore." Tsia commented aloud to Azura, wondering what on earth was going on back there. "Hey, Azura, may I ask you a personal question?"
 
“Is rather make her feel safe by letting her know that no matter what befalls her, I’ll always be there or help and protect her.. that.. that is predictable I guess but it’s what I can offer her.” Erec decided to relax and appreciate the beautiful glow coming off Elyta, “Well thank you for forgiving me.” Erec’s mind though was in how he could help Tsia, even if it was so she would open up to him so he could know her better.

Azures looked at Tsia with one of his golden eyes, “Go ahead Tempest Rider.” Her nickname for her stormy temper and that of the speed of her dragon.
 
Elyta snorted again. "Tsia can protect herself. She has for a long time." Erec didn't get it. Clearly. Elyta thought for a minute, her wings flapping lazily since the current was more than enough as is to keep her in the air. What if she showed him? There's no way Tsia would agree to it, but the girl needed to open up to someone besides Elyta. That wouldn't happen unless someone pushed her into it. "You need to understand. Tonight, open your mind to me. I'll take you into Tsia's dream. She won't like it, but she doesn't have to know."

Tsia smiled at the nickname, not quite realizing that it referred to her temper on top of Elyta's speed. "What drew you to Erec? Why did you pick him to pair with? You don't need to answer if you don't want too." This wasn't ay of her business and she knew it. Each dragon had their own reason for selecting their rider. Tsia knew Elyta's reason, but that's only because of their bond. Dragons didn't normally discuss this kind of thing. It was deeply personal. The last thing Tsia wanted to do was offend Azura, but she couldn't help herself. She was curious.
 
Erec nodded his head, “If you believe I need to see her past then I’ll leave my mind open. Thank you Elyta. And don’t worry I can keep a secret, though I’ll orobably have to tell her that I know sooner or later depending on what happens. Well let’s catch up and you can have Tsia back all to yourself.” Erec said the last part teasingly as he continued to let Elyta.

Azurs chuckles as he eyed Tsia, “You really are a curious rider. Now if you must know it’s because I saw he had the potential to change the world. I don’t know how but all I know is Dragon Rider or not he would have become a powerful figure and I wanted to see what he would become personally. He has a strength to him not often seen, and I think it’s because of his dedication to who he is, he knows who he is, what he fights for, what his strengths are and he uses all that to win his battles. No matter what kind. I am fond of him, he’s like s cub almost, I feel I need to watch over him but we’ve become almost like brothers I feel, with our light banter and being able to know what the other thinks even without our link.”

Azura the looked back at her, “Any reason in particular why you are wondering?”
 
"Finally!" Elyta picked up the pace, ready and willing to catch back up to to Azura and Tsia. Frankly, Tsia had ridden Azura for far too long in her option. Honestly, she'd rather handle both riders at once than give Tsia to another dragon for a bit.

"Really?" Tsia asked, a bit astonished that Azura thought so highly of Erec. Sure, most dragons thought highly of their riders, but that was on a whole different level. Someone with the power to change the world. So different from her. Tsia worked her butt off, desperately trying to prove herself to the Flight Leaders so that she could graduate to higher positions, but it wasn't some destiny of hers. Erec's gifts far surpassed her own. She knew that. Plenty of people talked about Tsia and Erec as if they were on the same level, but just hearing Azura talked about Erec proved they weren't.

"I just... wanted to know what you saw in him. Now I know." The melancholy in Tsia's voice was unmistakable. She didn't comment on it anymore and the way she closed off made it clear she didn't want to talk about it anymore. Thankfully, Elyta pulled up next to them shortly after. Tsia hopped easily onto her dragon's back, not even bothering to ask or wait for Erec to offer help again. She settled into Elyta's back and returned to her work, refusing to make eye contact with Erec or Azura.

The sun was touching the horizon by the time Elyta started to descend. Below them, the lights from the town Tsia chose were already starting to come to life. Magic lamps burned brightly along the main streets, illuminating the wide road in the twilight. It was clearly built with dragons in mind. Elyta landed in front of a large building. The front window was magically etched with the words "The Dancing Dragon" and a moving dragon roared silently on the pane, flaring its wings in greeting. Off to the side was a massive pavilion with several raised surfaces. Two were covered in fresh straw. A few attendants waited quietly just inside. A man stood in front of the inn, waiting patiently for the riders to dismount.

"Welcome to my humble inn, great riders." The inn-keeper bowed. "There's already warm beds prepared for your dragons and if they wish, we have a small pasture with a few cows and sheep for them to dine on."
 
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