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The Root of Knowledge (Cheeky_Cherry & Greeneyed23)

Argentum smiled slightly as the men gulped with fear in their eyes. She on the other hand did not fear Tirn, not after the talk they had on the way to the castle. She actually trusted him. She introduced the men who now stood behind her "This is Bone" A young albino man with light blond hair bowed slightly, "Thief" a man with black skin and hair nodded, "And Ginger" a man with tanned skin and bright red hair stepped forward and bowed lowly as she looked at Tirn "To make things easier on this Trispike just call me Silver. We try not to divulge actual names on missions as to keep us safe and our kingdom safe as well."

The men all had horses behind them as well as Argentum each ready with gear "We are ready when you are my new friend." She said with a small smile
 
"If we are to be friends then call me by my real name. Trispike is for when I am in my Dragon form." He stretched and gestured toward the gate. "lead the way. this is your land after all."

He watched her calmly waiting to see what she would do.
 
Argentum laughed and nodded "Alright. Boys time to mount up." She smirked as she grasped her horses reigns and mounted quickly the men behind her following suit. She clicked and encouraged her horse as she started out the gates. "Where shall we start first Tirn?"
 
"The last attack was to the east. Lakewind City. They managed to hold them off but there was quite a bit of damage. Shouldn't take more than three hours to ride there." He arched an eyebrow waiting for her to get going. He still stood on his feet waiting calmly.
 
She smiled and nodded as she watched Thief and Bone ride ahead towards the east, Thief soon taking off faster but Bones lagging behind slightly. Ginger took off soon after in a different direction but clearly with the east on his mind. Argentum smirked and shook the reigns looking at Trin as she began forward to the east at a slow pace "By the time we get to the others we should have some information on Lakewind and camp should be set up. We can take our time."
 
He shrugged. "I move at your pace. They don't attack single travelers unless there is something special about them and I am working very very hard to blend in."

He shrugged again. "Besides if I went as fast as i wanted or really could i could be home within an hour." He rolled his shoulders stretching as he walked beside her. "So tell me Argentum. What makes you the way you are?"
 
"Well growing up with just my father and guards raising myself and Devon... No real mother figure around I guess I just..." She sighed and shrugged "I guess I could ask the same thing about you Tirn. My life... how I have lived it, the choices I have made in it have made me the way I am." She looked at him "So why Trispike?"
 
He chuckled. "Fair enough. I wonder what it would have been like if your mother had been around."

He rolled his shoulders slowly again then dropped his robes off them revealing his broad shoulders and powerfully muscled back. He rolled his shoulders once again as his head began to lengthen along with his neck until he had a Dragon's head and neck coming out of his human shoulders. It was a good nine feet long, his head at ;east as big as that of her horse and thick with rippling muscle. His scales were jet black and his eyes a full bright yet deep green, while protecting the joint between his neck and skull were three head spikes, two jutting back from his jaw, and the third straight back from between his eyes.

He spoke through his thick razor sharp fangs. "I am Trispike because I have three. We Dragons are very literal when it comes to naming."

He retracted back into his human form pulling his robes back into place. "What other questions do you have for me?"
 
Argentum laughed and clapped as Tirn transformed and explained the meaning behind his name. "Well that certainly does clear the air on that." As they continued on she snickered "Good thing the others were not around for that transformation, they would be running for their lives." She smiled and looked around keeping an eye out for trouble as they traveled "It must be nice to transform like that."
 
"It's handy to appear small and weaker. And this human body can get places much easier than my usual form. But nice? I'm not sure." He chuckled walking with her. "I plan on using your horse to alert us to danger. She has an incredibly sense of smell. what is her name?" Like most Dragons he assumed everyone was female rather than male as his culture was very matriarchal as his quest with the egg had proved.
 
Argentum laughed and nodded as she patted the grey stallion gently on the neck "Ahh Storm is a great horse indeed, his sire served my father and the mare who was his mother was one of the Queen's own horses. Storm now serves me and his sister is with my brother." She smiled softly at the horse and stroked his neck before looking at Tirn "He is... my best friend."
 
"A handsome fellow. my apologies noble sir."

He stayed by their side his eyes flicking around the area thoughtfully. "So tell me something else Argentum. What methods of combat have you mastered?" He was idly tracing circles int he air with his fingers, unconsciously leaving rather pretty trails of floating magic that followed them, flowing back into him without his notice.
 
"Swordplay mainly. Some hand to hand, nothing too special I guess." She blinked at the magic and smiled "Definitely nothing like what you can do I'm sure."
 
"we shall see. I was going to ask that we spar and see where your skills are. Do you use a bow?"

He studied her thoughtfully. "And never assume anything, and certainly not about me. Very dangerous for a warrior. of any race or age." he chuckled at the thought. "But thank you for the kindness."
 
Argentum smiled and nodded patting her pack "Indeed, I'm honestly more at home with a bow and a quiver full of arrows than a sword. Father insisted we learn both, I excel with the bow and arrow where my brother is more skilled with the sword and shield." She smiled softly "If you want to spar that is fine with me. I could do with a stretch and Stomach could probably use some water."
 
"Stomach?"

He gestured at a small stream with a large clearing nearby. he moved into the clearing removing his robes, revealing that he was in full human form, including leggings and simple tunic, all black, but no shoes. He gestured and a large circle formed around him. "Old rules? Out of the circle out of the game?"
 
"I meant Storm... sorry. I must be a little hungry." Argentum's face flushed as she dismounted Storm and led him to the stream grabbing a roll out of her pack and eating it quickly before taking out her bow and arrows making sure that her sword was strapped to her side "Old rules sound fine with me."
 
"Let us begin with blades." He put his left hand to his middle and gripped the air just above it like he would a sword handle and slowly woithdrew a gorgeous black black with a distinct curve and but one edge. It reminded her strongly of his eyefangs as a Dragon.

He brandished the blade expertly and slashed a dead stump nearby cutting it clean in half. He smiled and cast magics protetcing their blades from harming one another and the blades themselves. "Ready when you are Argentum."
 
Argentum smiled and looked at his blade in awe and respect. It was beautiful and sharp, her own blade in comparison looked weak. But she was proud of the blade her father had given her, she had been raised to know it's shape, feel and movement.

She nodded and adjusted her stance after he put the protective spells on each blade. "Very well let us begin."
 
He smiled then suddenly dashed forward with inhuman speed right into her guard and with a quick violent sap and a yank her blade went flying and he slapped her across the neck with the flat of his blade. It didn't hurt but it did sting.

He chuckled as she stepped back kicking her blade up with one foot and tossing it to her hilt first. "Shall we begin again? if you like I can not use my inhuman abilities."
 
She blinked and let out a small yelp of pain and surprise as he knocked her blade away and hit her neck. She huffed and nodded as she rubbed her neck and took her blade back "Aye no more of that.... though it was very impressive." She smiled and her cheeks flushed slightly
 
He shrugged. 'As you wish." he took a careful stance, laying his blade across his forearm, then with a warcry so piercing it strove straight to her spine freezing it. when she could move again she was on her back, her sword knocked point first through a nearby tree, his bladetip on her neck.

"My my. i had forgotten how easily cowed humans were. Shall we continue? This time I will not use even enhanced human abilities." He hauled her up and snapped her blade sailing to her hand.

He rolled his broad shoulders. His eyes were empty and while he was smiling it was not cocky, merely there. He was a being beyond the constraints of mortality and physical limitations. as he moved she caught a glimpse, through the veil of his transformation to the truth of him. He not merely a dragon, but a Grand Dragon. His wings even furled were longer than a full carriage and horse, higher than a church steeple. His legs were the size of small spires, his head twice as wide and long as a carriage, while his tail seemed to stretch for a mile or more.

This glimpse vanished, but the strongest sight that would never leave her mind was the thick rolling power of the muscle sunder his scales, filled with a strength and quickness that could surpass any human, while enhanced with age and experiences that had taught him to survive anything.

He flexed his arms again swinging his sword about this time holding it aloft and letting it rest against the upraised first two fingers of his empty hand. "Shall we?" He had no idea what she had just seen and it never should have happened, but someone or something had given her the glimpse for some deep reason. Perhaps in time they would learn who and why.
 
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