WoS Chapter 2

In the gray of the predawn, Malkuthe perched atop a cliff. He hummed softly to himself as he watched the sun rise over a semblance of peace. Recollection of last night's events was suppressed. He didn't want to listen to the murmurs of fear in his heart.

The land was at peace, he was certain that the other chieftains had made sure no one knew about what had happened. The only exception was the Agile Talon. They had to prepare for the eventual coming of the dark one. Apart from that, it would be difficult to convince the Agile Talon that nothing happened with some of the homes in shambles.

He wanted to go down to the Highwind hold today, but something stopped him from doing so. He didn't know but it was some strange calling. Behind him, he heard someone land.

"You were so brave yesterday, Malkuthe." a melodious voice wafted across the short span of rock that separated them.

"Was I? I was only saying what I felt was right." he replied, not even looking back. He should have felt something rushing through his veins at the first note of that beautiful voice, but for some reason, he did not.

"I'm sure your mother would have been proud, highest among us." the voice said reassuringly.

Angrily, Malkuthe glared at the perpetrator, eyes brimmed with tears. "Don't mention her! You don't EVEN know her." he yelled back as he launched himself from the cliff side. To where, he did not even know.

The other dragon simply looked at him flying off into the distance, a sad smile on her face. She sighed then took off in the other direction.

---

The black roared to herald the coming of a new day. With the moon always shining, Malleithen was no place to sleep through an entire day. The waves crashed softly against the shore and the breeze from the sea was just beginning to pick up.

He caught a whiff of a pungent sulfurous odor, the kind that meant a volcano was erupting. No ash was on the wind though, so he disregarded it. He walked inland, his wings folded against his side. He was one of the lucky ones, born with wings.

He lay down atop a rock in the middle of a meadow of moonshine flowers. Their petals glowed softly as the wind gently rocked them. In his mind, he knew he would have to help those on the other side of the sea, but right now, they didn't need him just yet.

---

"Master, the blue is unbalanced. You may strike now." said one voice in the shadows.
"I know, little minion, I was the one that made him so." the other smirked and laughed a little. "It is fun toying with so powerful a pawn in my game."

Radu paced his farm... only half paying attention while tending to his crops. even some of the time he wasn't even doing that, he would sit under the tree on his farm and try and remember what happened last night, but he could remember so little, everything so fuzzy. he sighed with annoyance, maybe he had been drinking, no... radu destested such things. he shook his head but then remembered one thing, he had forgotten to leave some of his crops for malkuthe like he always did, of course he never charged malkuthe for this since he was the chieftan and malkuthe's father had helped to take care of Radu after his mother had died. he quickly gather up the usual crops he took to malkuthe and placed them in large bag he held between his teeth, but he paused... he couldn't go to town in broad daylight due to his so called 'curse marks'. he quickly went inside and grabbed what he used as a blanket, tying it about him like a cloak and making his aura wings dissapear. the 'cloak' covered just about all of him, well his curse marks at least... he started moving towards the village with his package for malkuthe, while keeping an eye out for him

The wind whipped across the Highwind hold, flapping tarps, making dust billow and ruffling fur. It was a great nuisance, the wind never was this hard in the hold. Cloaks of those preparing to go down to the plains for a walk moved wildly in the gale.

The wind organs atop the council of storms were screaming. To make matters worse, the sun bore down on the hold with such intensity that the air seemed to shimmer even if it was constantly in motion.

Alerons hung limp against Ceree hides and tongues stuck out every which way from panting. The annoying wind provided little respite from the heat of the sun. That was another thing, the wind had driven away the clouds that normally covered the hold.

The wind carried a scent of sulfur and not many tried to hide their disdain at the smell. The wind went on and on, eventually, it caught up to Malkuthe in his flight. He wrinkled his nose in disgust, but kept on flying. Moments earlier a single tear had dropped from his eye. He was determined to fly until he crashed into the ground.

---

Moments earlier, she had almost jumped when a big fat drop of some liquid dropped on her from somewhere. Saffyre was pacing the plains, thinking of what to do. The swift tail was in clamor.

Families hung to each other as though no tomorrow would come. They resisted even looking at each other because whenever they saw the shoulder feathers glowing, they shivered.

Once, when she passed through the hold, one of her clan looked at her glowing feathers and threw up. The glow was a sign of trouble to come, the glow never lied.

Radu's eyes widened in fear at the gale. quickly he ran to get behind a wall, so his cloak wouldn't be distrubed, but it was to late... the gale hit him full force and caused his claok to come undone and fly off... he stood in the middle of the street his purple fur and yellow markings fully revealed.... everything was silent, until it began as it always did every time this happened, a rock flew at him, but missed due to the wind. more rocks flew and curses as well. soon people where driving him out of the village. he started running as fast as he could, a final rock came and hit his cheek as he ran. he jumped into the air and stretched his aura wings and started flying as fast as he could manage, which was agood deal faster than normal ceree. he didn't know it but within minutes he zoomed past malkuthe. not even noticing the other ceree, he felt shame and was nearly in tears "why was i damned to bear these marks!?"

For some reason, Malkuthe felt like speeding forward a bit. His wings molded from the Laudethe hummed in the air as he whizzed forward.

Out of nowhere, another Ceree's back appeared, he recognized it as Radu, but he crashed into the other, unable to break his forward momentum. It sent them pinwheeling to the ground, he noticed streams of tears when one hit him square in the ear.

"Where are you going Ra--!" said Malkuthe as he felt himself slam into the ground. The world spun and blurred as he lost consciousness. The darkness filled his vision.

radu crashed into the ground. he got up and stumbled a bit, everything got blurry, then he passed out.... his cheek had started to bleed a bit from where the rock hit, not to mention a few other scars or marks in his fur from where he had been forced out of the village

Malkuthe woke up to a setting sun. He hurt all over and the wind did not help a bit. He got up, faltering for a moment and he walked over to a nearby crumpled figure. He funneled magic into the form required for healing, even just a bit, he was too tired to perform a great amount.

Making the mirror of winds didn't draw on the magic of the chieftains, it was a form of wild magic that was harnessed by the ancient words spoken. Nevertheless, he was tired and that was it.

He had studied how the mirror of the winds formed, and he thought he could make a much smaller version that could apply to a single individual. He tried it and he grunted in surprise, relief and vexation when he saw that it worked. Radu's yellow 'curse-marks' as some people put them, were concealed.

Radu slowly stirred and looked around "wha? What has happened?" then he saw malkuthe he quickly turned to face him and got down in a bow "I'm sorry, cheiftan malkuthe, please forgive me for running into you like that... You see I was-..." he suddenly stopped when he noticed his curse marks where gone... He blinked at his purly purple fur, umdeterred by those yellow marks... He looked up at malkuthe "d-did you do this?" he said in a voice some what above a whisper

"Yeah..." Malkuthe trailed off. As Radu moved for the first time, he saw the spell ripple. In the span of a few moments, the marks ran down his body. "I guess it's not completely effective. It was an experiment, you see..."

Rafu simled "it's better than nothing" he bowed to malkuthe "thank you oh thank you malkuthe my old friend!!"
radu was now turning to and fro looking at his markless body, and watching how the marks would sometimes appear if he moved in certain ways

Seraph continued his quest to find something to defeat the Dark One in Malleithen. As he arrived, he searched the land immediately. The search took him many days, but his search was in vain. Finally he decided to return to Alriiea, he wanted to be in time for something special to him. As he left, he saw a black ceree looking at him but he just thought it was his imagination. He flew as fast as he could back to Alriiea.

"Glad I could help." He looked to the west and saw the moon rising. The moon was filled with a glow unlike any other. It was strangely surreal, Malkuthe gasped as realization hit him.

---

On Malleithen, the moon dipped below the horizon and the gray of predawn shone upon the moon-bathed land. Moonshine flowers began dropping their petals in the gales that followed.

The sun was rising on Malleithen, observed the black. It seems an important day has dawned.

"Yes! It's today!" Seraph said as the moon was rising. He wanted to attend but he knew not to be anywhere near the festivities. " Guess I'll just have to hide again." He said as he flew toward Alriiea.

Radu looked up at the rsing moon, then he looked to malkuthe. the moon had seemed to cause a form of realization in malkuthe.... radu blink and edged closer to his friend "what is it?" he asked quietly

"D*mmit! I miscounted the days... Today is the Lunarie. I'll see you at the celebrations, Radu, but for now I must find the chieftains. I also have to tell them that the mirror of the winds might shift at any moment. Magic acts strangely on the day of the Lunarie." With that, Malkuthe launched himself from the ground and took to the skies. While flying towards the Highwind hold Jade caught up with him.
"I wanted to talk about something." she muttered as she ran across the air using her magic.
"What?" said Malkuthe in a flat voice.
"Where are we to hold the Lunarie?" said Jade in a matter-of-fact tone.
"The plateau last night would be good." said Malkuthe "Now, I have to get back to by tribe and see to the preparations for the Lunarie. Tell the others where, for me."

---

The sun was now a good ways over the horizon on malleithen and things continued wilting. However, in rugged patches all over the field, flowers that bloomed in the sun began to grow. Their petals began to unfold and as they swayed in the wind, they glowed.

The black dragon got down from his perch and sat down on one of those rugged patches in wonder. He inhaled the fragrance given off by the flowers and swayed his tail happily in the breeze. The Lunarie was a rare occassion, happening only every forty years, when the sun rose on Malleithen.

The black bared his teeth in a sort of menacing smile. He growled happily and produced a gurgled sound in his throat that should have passed for a purr. Any and all thoughts of what might happen on the other side of the sea was put out of his mind.

He had begun rolling around on the bed of flowers when all of a sudden, everything was forced back. The waves crashed on the shores and the sunlight dimmed. The wind blew harder and harder as a wave of pure evil swept across the landscape. The black staggered to his feet and leapt up to avoid the wave, even as he heard a haunting voice that kept echoing in his head.

"Solen... Solen... Solen...

How or why a wave of evil knew his name, he did not know. He then realized that in the sunlight, he was not a black at all, rather a very dark shade of silver. That was little consolation though and when the wave of evil passed, he descended with a grunt.

---

"I miscalculated the days! How am I supposed to place him under me with the Lunarie under way? A lone voice shouted in the darkness and howled in tones of pain and anger. What was strange that the voice carried with it a yearning for something. The owner leapt at the shadows and snarled wildly.

From what seemed a faraway place, a gurgling sound came and the rasping breaths of one drawing his last breaths. "M-master!"

And then, the world became silent. The owner of the other voice took a few steps and visualized its exit. An archway of light penetrated the darkness and the liquid at the owner of the voice's foot glistened like blood. It stepped through and the archway vanished behind it.

Radu jumped and then smacked his muzzle with his paw "oh gods, i forgot the lunarie!" he spread his wings, the arua energy increasing drasically and the wings grew in size. he flapped them and spead off to his farm to get ready for the festival

As he neared his humble abode, Malkuthe let the three gems of the Laudethe return to their original places. His wings vanished and he came to a skidding halt just short of falling right into the cave. He blew a plume of blue flame into the lamp that hung from the ceiling. It was enough to illuminate the cave in a surreal blue glow.

He very nearly turned when he heard wings flapping outside, but the winds they carried into the cave bore a scent all-too familiar to him. "What is it now?"

"I wanted to apologize. Look, I don't even know what I did to make you that hurt and angry." the other said.
"No, it's okay... It's just... oh forget it! Bah!" replied Malkuthe.
"I'm really, really sorry..." said the other in a too-sweet voice. Malkuthe felt his face reddening with each padded step that echoed in the cave. "What's bothering you? Is it your mother?"
"Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong, woman!" bellowed Malkuthe, suddenly feeling rage and hurt welling up inside him. He stalked out past the other, pushing her out of his way and launched himself from the cliff. He angled himself in the direction of the clan hold.

---

Sighing, the black, named as Solen, trotted down to the shore. He looked to the distance, beyond the dome that seemed to cover Malleithen, the night was ripening. He decided to fly towards Alriiea. He said in his mind, time to toss the sa'mit.

Radu went to his house and smiled as he might really be able to enjoy the lunarie this year. he grabbed a snack for the flight and headed towards town... as he walked his mind began to wonder "hmm, since i no longer have my 'curse marks' i wonder what people will think of me, as i am a purple ceree. since they are so very rare" he mused

Algaisia was tired, after such a long journey. He was looking forward to seeing his friends. He saw a farm, and knew he was near. He kept walking, wishing he could have wings like them. He had a cloak on, a special one that shimmered and seemed to take on characteristics of the environment behind him. It was that cloak that made him hard to detect from robbers, whom were an annoyance.


((tell me if you wish to be one of them xD i just had to make a reason to come here))

radu was walking and thought he saw an elf like figure. he shook his head and continued to walk... then froze mid stepp. he turned back to where he though he saw the figure and walked towards it, in this realm one rarely ever saw elves even in the forest... but out here near the highwind? impossible.
"the festival can wait i must find this figure..." Radu thought to himself

Algaisia was amused, and shocked, that this figure saw him, even for a brief second. He was already several steps ahead of where Radu was headed. Al knew that Radu was not a threat, but there was something, a magical aura, wrapped around Radu like a cloak. Al threw back the head of his cloak and decided to meet this character. "Hello, how are you? Whats your name?"

Radu nearly jumped 5 feet into the air, literally. when he feel back down the magic around him faded for a second. bright yellow marking appeared on his dark purple fur, but only for a second or so. he stared at the elf before him in surprise... "i-im Radu" he managed still shocked from how this elf had surprised him... "who are you?" he asked backing up slightly

"i am Algaisia, and yes... i am an elf. Do not fear me, if we fought, i think i might be the one worse off in the encounter." Algaisia cocked his head, "Isn't there more of you? Your kind tend to live in groups..." Al then sat down in a meditative position. He slung his bow over his back and began to hum softly, so he could still hear a reply and observe squirrels while at it.

Radu's face darkened with saddness as algiasia asked his question. he laid down and sighed "well we Ceree do often live in groups, but i live alone. offically i am one of the highwind clan, but i do not live in town" he pointed with his tail into the direction of his farm "i've lived alone on my farm ever since my mother died, and i never knew my father. i don't live very close to the village because i am shunned for ..." he trailed off and looked at hmself, the way he was laying on the ground was causing the magic to flatter, fully showing the strange yellow marks laid in his dark purple fur "because other Ceree of my clan believe that these markings are curse marks, since most ceree are not born with such marks"

Algaisia arched an eyebrow, "So... they shun you because of how you look?" Algaisia shook his head in disbelief, "That is not right!" Algaisia stood and eyed the other one, "You never really told me your name." Algaisia noted that Radu was stronger and more physically able than most of the Ceree's he had observed.

"I have another question... do they know that you could probably defeat them in a fair fight?"