{"sf1_id":811085,"sf2_id":null,"title":"Five Dragons: TLoP: Chapter 8: A Long List","author":"Lorddaventry","words":13072,"posted_at":"2015-01-24T14:16:00.000Z","tags":["Clean","Dragon","Dragoness","Fantasy","Feral","Five Dragons Storyline","Friendship","Human","Love","Romance","Story Series"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/811085-five-dragons-tlop-chapter-8-a-long-list","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/view/811085","image_url":"https://www.sofurryfiles.com/std/thumb?page=811085\u0026ext=.jpg","description":"","content":"\nFive Dragons TLoP:\nChapter 8: A Long List   He slowly opened his eyes and\nlooked into the dark void. A\nfaint crackling sparked a blaze in five\nsettings of silver, which were set up around Roland.\nHe stood on a black\nand white mosaic pattern that showed a draconic image. Surprised,\nhe looked around the\nroom. He could only see as\nfar as it admitted\nof the warm light. Otherwise\nthere was only darkness around him.A deep long breath\ncame from the endless shadows and came resistant\ncloser. The slightly flickering\nflames startled in a strong\npulse and shot up.\nRoland kept his\nright hand protectively over his\nface and let his gaze jumpy between the thin columns\nof flame back and forth quickly.\nHe noticed how the\nsymbol on his hand back in a faint blue light\nbegan to glow. Above him,\nthe thin fire whips\nmoved in together, whirled in a circle and shot in\nfront of him into the ground. The\nflames towered again and gave a gap in the\nemptiness price.From the open portal a little figure stepped out, covered into an orange red robe.\nThe hood pulled over the head she\nslowly came before Roland with together held arms. She\nwore a gold chain around the\nneck. The sparkling symbol\nattached to them which was identical to the mark on Roland's hand back.\nAfter the person has entered another figure from the crack. He wore a splendid armor,\nwhich had the same color as that of the robe. Also\non the same icon was\nto be discovered.He stood beside the\nstranger, leaning his arm on the\nhilt of his sword and looked at Roland with the empty eyes of his helmet\nvisor. Roland recognized\nthe knight, but he did not seem\ninterested in talking. Instead, the person approached\nin robe.\"Hello Roland,\" came a soft female\nvoice across the room. Roland\nlooked a little confused at the shadows in the hood.\n\"You have been developed up really\nwell.\" continued the voice.\n\"Do I know you?\" Roland\nasked directly. The\nperson threw back the hood\nand showed her bright face. Long dark brown hair fell like a smooth veil over her shoulders. A golden tiara adorned her\nforehead with an oval orange-red\ngemstone. A light\nblue glowing symbol was burned over her left\neye, as was the case with Roland's hand\nback. She looked\nat him with two colored\neyes out of the half-closed lids.\nThe right deep blue, the left turquoise and with a warm smile on her thin lips.She was a little smaller than Roland and looked up at\nhim in his eyes. He recognized surprised a short bright twinkle\nin her pupils. \"I\nshould hope so.\" She replied with a smile and began to pace around\nhim. Roland remained mentally fixed to the sparkle\nof her eyes. \"Kyndle?\" He asked uncertainly. Then\nthe knight cleared his throat with a muffled \"Hmpf.\" The woman threw a\nserious look at this, but then again turned to Roland. \"Not exactly.\" She began to cool. \"Kyleth it is true there rather. Let's say I was Kyndle.\" Roland\nraised his eyebrows in surprise and looked at her bewildered. \"I was Kyndle\ncalled before I went\nup to a guardian.\" She explained. Thoughtfully his eyes fell slowly to the ground. \"Before\nher rise to guardian?\" He thought to himself.She put a hand on\nhis shoulder and secured his\nattention. \"Do not rack your\nbrain over now.\" She began, confident\nand smiled warmly\nat him. \"Do\nnot worry. Everything will be cleared.\nYour next step now is your medium.\" She lifted her left hand and showed her glove. He was made\nof sturdy leather. On the back of the hand, a round orange-red gemstone was embedded in a bronze version. Small\nmetal plate covered the leather around the stone and lay over each other\nlike dragon scales.\"You can not tame your access without\na medium.\" She said, and looked at him gravely.\nRoland breathed again\nand called the image of charred trees back in memory, which\nhad left his tantrum\nin the forest.She walked slowly back to the crack and nodded to the knight once. This\nmade a slightly stooped\ngesture and walked silently through the gap. The woman stopped and turned\nto Roland. \"Take good\ncare of your partner.\" She said,\nsmiling and winked at him once what Roland\ncountered with a sheepish grin. \"And see that Daniel kept\ncalm.\"He saw another bright\nspark in her eyes before she pulled the hood back\nover her head and looked to the tear in the space. Roland\nwatched her little perplexed. \"Daniel?\" He initially\nthought to himself before he could think again. Confident\nhe watched her as she slowly disappeared into the gap. \"Yes, I will,\" he muttered to himself.The crack shut and the lights began to dim\nthe flame. Again, standing alone in the void he heard a faint cooing,\nwhich transferred his gentle vibrations on\nhis back and the warmth of\nanother body lying next to him.......\nThe sun rose quickly and put her awakening\nappearance on the isolated floating clouds away. The bright light fell\nthrough large glass windows and flooded the\nroom with a pleasant warmth.A small statue, with an arrow in the chest stood still in front of the\nwindow sill. She threw a short shadow that\nreached up to the symbol on the\ncarpet.Roland came slowly to himself. Oversleeping lying on his stomach he dozing and thought of\nthe dreamed discussion with\nthe other Kyndle. His draconic Kyndle\nwas close to his side\nsnuggled up to his right. Her head laid on his\nback, he lifted and fell with\nhis slow breathing movements. With a soft cooing she\nlistened to his heartbeat and\nnuzzled gently her shed to his skin. Wearily,\nhe opened his eyes and looked into the frozen face of a gargoyle. After\nhe yawned hugely, he turned to\nthe side and looked at two beautiful, awakening dragon eyes. A peaceful cooing accompanied the bright\nsparks from her sapphires.\nThe thin turquoise touch in them shone\nclearly out.On her quick tongue\ncoating his lips came\na gentle \"chirp\".\"Morning.\" Replied Roland\non that with a warm smile and ran his hand over\nher cheek. A soft purr came from her body\nwhile she nestled again to him.After the morning cuddling Roland crawled out from under the blanket and sat down on the bed, yawning again. A leisurely stretch\nyour arms later, his eyes fell again to the\nsmall figure on the window sill.\nThoughtfully, he looked into the stony face. \"What\nhe has to do with .....\"Kyndle nudged him with her nose lightly in\nthe shoulder and\ngot out her hope for attention. With\na smile on his face he turned to her. Barely thrown\nthe look in her sparkling eyes, he immediately felt her lips on his. The\ndragoness leaned heavily\nagainst him, until he was back on the mattress on his back. To feel the\nintense purring in his head\nthrew his thoughts completely overboard. With\none hand he stroked her cheek\nwhile the loving tongue touch stopped.The female lay\nabout him and broke the kiss. Roland held the dragoness\nfirmly over and looked into the sparkling sapphires of his partner. The turquoise\ntouch in them shone brightly out. A soft\n\"Chirp\" escaped her throat before she\nlet her head fall again purring. He knew exactly what this view meant.But a loud knock\nat the door proved to be a\nveritable mood killer,\nwhat Kyndle confirmed\nwith a condescending snort. The female rose\nsomewhat reluctantly off him and let him get up. Roland\nlowered for a brief moment the\nforehead with closed eyes before standing up. He turned to her and grabbed her under\nher chin. Gently pulled her head in his field, he looked directly into her eyes. \"To be continued.\" He whispered\nto her and gave her a kiss on the nose. Kyndle\nclosed his eyes and let out a small\n\"Churr\" by herself.The door opened, he looked into the face of Aaros, which once\nlooked at him and glanced into the room. \"For\nthis is later time.\" He began\nwith a scarcely perceptible smile.\n\"Get dressed, you have a long day\nahead.\" With these words he\nleft Roland standing at the open door and left.Without a word, he turned to Kyndle and\njerked his thumb afterwards\nAaros. With a quizzical expression, he took a breath, but no words came out. Kyndle held her head to one side and snorted Roland\nwith her eyes closed. After a long minute of silence,\nhe finally began to dress. ......A large bald man was standing in front of a large mirror. Crossed his arms he threw his angry look in the\nfloating surface on which the\nproperty of Ironwing was to be seen. \"Hmph!\" He cleared\nhis throat loudly. \"We know where\nhe is. And now, we are just\nwatch.\" he said aloud\nto himself. \"Why do not we bring him to us now?\nWhy this miserable waiting?!\"A dark violet\nlight overshadowed his eyes for a quick moment and he sank cramped to his knees. A painful groan escaped\nhis mouth, followed by a dry cough.\"This is not up to your judgment.\" came a sinister voice of his\nback. A figure in a red robe walked bent\nover to him.\nTwo violet lights shone out of his silver\nmask. With a gesture, he let off the painful\ngrip of his\nservant, who cumbersome, difficult breathing straightened up.\"That was not intended so, Lord Kargesh.\" he\nsaid humbly. \"Time\nwill tell.\" said the dark ruler.\nKargesh walked to\nthe mirror and wiped his bony\nhand over the image. The area began to blur and\nthe image of Ironwing\ndisappeared.\"I have a task for you, Larzarus. To\nshorten the waiting time something.\" The big man stood\nup straight and threw his master an attentive look.In the surface of the mirror, a new image formed, while out of the shadows came a bone servant. In his\nhands he held a large gem, nestled in a self-devouring\nsnake. In the deep\nblack color of the stone the\nspongy outline of a lifeless heart could be\nseen. Larzarus took a quick look\nat the skeleton, then\nback to the mirror.The image of a beautiful city came to light that\nhovered in the air. \"Haven?\"\nLarzarus asked softly. \"That`s right.\" said Kargesh and turned to face him.\nWith one hand he pointed to the black stone. \"Bring the vessel to Drover\nin Haven.\" he ordered his subordinate and threw him against\na menacing glint in\nhis mask. \"Further instructions will follow, when you arrive.\"Larzarus stood up\nstraight and pulled his right\nfist up to the left shoulder.\n\"I will not fail!\" he said loudly. Kargesh\nturned around. \"No.\" he\nbegan panting. Larzarus coughed once strong\nas the purple shimmer\nsoared again over\nhis eyes. \"You will not.\" Kargesh continued.......  Roland stood with Kyndle\non the training ground. The petrified\ngargoyle viewing he\nwaited for his trainer, who also appeared\nshortly thereafter. A wordless nod of the two\nwas the greeting.\"Does the name Ansem say something to you?\" asked Aaros directly. Roland\ndrew his brows questioningly.\n\"Apparently not.\" said Torben\nit sober. \"Very\nwell. And the Guild of Three Towers?\" asked\nAaros further. \"Conrad has mentioned it\nbefore, but what has\nthis to do with my magic training?\" Roland\nthrew a. \"In\nshort.\" began Aaros again. \"Ansem is, I mean he was the arch-mage of the guild, and he is the one who can produce your medium and\nhopefully will.\"Roland threw Kyndle\na questioning look. This kept her head slightly\ninclined with closed eyes and\ngave a gentle cooing of herself.\"But more of that later.\"\ncontinued Aaros. \"I was so free to write everything you need on\nthis list.\" He spoke, holding his pupils against\nthe said document. Roland grabbed curious\nthen, raising his eyebrows in surprise.\"That's a long list.\"\nhe said somewhat sarcastically as his gaze quickly gave up on the six written\nlines. Kyndle lifted her head and\nalso looked at the\npaper. She nudged her partner easily into\nthe side and gave a bright\n\"Meep\" of herself.Aaros looked at him for a moment with a smile. \"It should not be too difficult for you to get all of these things.\" He walked up to him and gave him a forefinger\nto his face. \"If you make it, to be with\nall the things on this list\nbefore sunset here.\" With a determined look, he looked\nat him seriously. \"We\nwill give you a little bonus.\" \"Bonus?\"\nInquired puzzled by\nRoland. \"That was Torben incident.\" he\nreplied, and looked at his colleague\nwho affirmatively held his thumb\nextended upward.\"Ok.\" replied Roland on it and cast a thoughtful\nlook at the long list. He looked\nat Kyndle confident and began to smile. \"We\nare already packing.\" He said aloud, and the paper described pocketed.\nIt was not long since Roland had saddled a\nhorse, his dragoness tied her labeled\ncloth, took a\nbackpack, inserted some money and\nwas already fast\npace towards the capital go.\nKyndle floated with\nelegant wing beats him. With an expectant expression\nhe rode towards the\ncity and thought of a person who\ncould possibly help him with some of the things.After about an hour he reached the\nmighty city gates. Before the raised portcullis\nhe stopped to treat\nhis mount a deserved breather and the folded\npiece of paper pulled out. Kyndle landed meanwhile\nbeside him and gave a welcoming treatment \"Chirp\"\nof herself before she purred and rubbed her\nhead against his thigh. With his\nfree hand he stroked her cheek, but always\nkept his gaze on the\ndocument addressed. Thoughtfully, he read the words on it.- 1 vial of Dragon\nEssence (liquid or powder)\n- A handful of Obsidian\nShards\n- A larger gemstone,\nregardless of type, the purer the better (catalyst)\n- Subject for the\nform of the medium (you have free choice)\n- A bottle of Stronos Brandy\n- Very Important!\nTwo carrots and an\nonionSlightly confused he cast his gaze to the side in\nKyndles eyes. \"For\nwhat are the two carrots and an onion?\" He\nthought aloud. The dragoness held her head slightly inclined and gave a questioning \"Meep\" of herself.Tucked the note again,\nthey entered the big city.......\nIn a tavern called\n\"Lonely torch\" were two\nwomen talking tense. The lady\nbehind the counter was wearing a red\ndress with a long\nskirt, which was cut into one side. Her\nconversational partner put a rather adventurous appearance\non the day. A\ncustom-made leather armor concealed masterfully\nher more petite stature.\nAnd the massive war\nhammer on her back anyway handed out completely\nin order to intimidate some of the other\nguests.\"What does he want in Haven?\" asked the woman behind the counter. \"No idea, Liz.\" said the fighter.\n\"I only know that there will be problems in\nAthellion. Rumors of the walking dead, and so on.\" she\ncontinued, waving a hand around\nexplanatory. \"But why he is gone the way I can\nnot tell you.\"Lizbeth remained thoughtful\nhand over her mouth and lowered her gaze on the counter. \"Should I join him?\" asked\nthe well-armed woman. Liz lifted her field of\nvision. \"No Patricia.\nYour order will\nremain.\"\"Good.\" Patricia replied with a slow nod.\n\"I'll keep you up to date.\" she added before she\nwalked out of the tavern. Liz\ndid not return the beckoning gesture, but looked\nthoughtfully at the wall. \"Something\nis wrong here.\" she murmured softly to herself.......\nIn the Iron Maiden\nTamara stood behind\nthe counter, holding a piece of paper in front of her face. Interrogative\nshe pulled an eyebrow and glanced to her guest.\"And if I get all things on the list before sunset, he's offering a bonus.\" Said the latter. Beside him an\norange-red female dragon stretching\nher head on the\ncounter and nodded with a confirmatory\n\"Churr\". Tamara could not resist her smile. Slowly she\nlet fall the document on the counter. Above begun\nstroking her forefinger over the six short lines.\n\"The first sounds to me like\nan alchemical ingredient.\"\nshe began. \"Maybe this Barnabas knows more. The\nsecond seems to be for blacksmithing. Ask as\nthe best armorer\nin the castle. Gems? Hmm?\" Thoughtfully she held her hand over her mouth. \"The stones commonly\nfound on the market are, at best, of inferior quality. I'd try my luck therefore\nalso the royal blacksmith. But he has finally\nmade the king's jewelry,\nso he should know best where you get such.\"Roland looked at her with a raised eyebrow. \"And all this just occurred to you?\"\nHe teased with\na grin. Kyndle held\nher head to one side and gave him a skeptical look easy. The landlady put\nher hands on her hips and countered\nwith her serious eyes. \"As the owner of a pub I can hear a lot.\"\nshe began with a slightly furtive\nsmile. \"And I\ncan listen very well.\" she continued stressing.\"So!\" she explained. \"In the fourth point, it's up to\nyou. A bottle of brandy I had even here, but\nthat's not for\nnothing. And carrots with onions\nyou'll find plenty on the market.\"\"What do you want for the bottle?\" Roland asked directly. \"15\ngold coins.\" She replied soberly. Roland's view\nwidened in surprise. \"15?!\" he admitted aloud by and looked at the\nbottle behind Tamara. \"What's in there, what\njustifies that price? Has there pissed the king in it or what?\" he threw Kyndle a slightly confused look, this closed once\ncooing her eyes and looked again to Tamara.The landlady shrugged both shoulders. \"Buy it or not. As you\nwish.\" Roland shook his head once. Reluctantly, he took\nout his wallet and took a look at its contents. \"That's more than I have with me.\" He said with a distorted face.\n\"And I think what I will need for the\nother things on the list.\" he\nsaid.Tamara crossed her arms and looked at Roland\nwith a dubious smile.\n\"How about that? 5 coins and a\nfavor.\" the young man glanced at his dragoness who\nnodded to him confident and turned then again\nto the landlady. \"Deal.\"\nhe spoke loudly and\nheld out his hand over the\ncounter. Tamara shook his hand with a big smile and took five gold coins\nfrom him. \"And what kind of favor you mean?\" Roland asked curiously. Tamara put the bottle down in front of him. \"I'll come back\nto that later.\" she replied with a\nquick wink. \"See,\nthat you first get\nyour list complete.\"Roland stared thoughtfully\nfor a moment on the bottle of\nStronos Brandy. With a confident smile he put\nhis first article in the backpack. Cast\nhis eyes to his dragoness\nhe held up the list.\n\"Well, what's next?\" Kyndle sent him a\nbright twinkle out of her sapphire-blue dragon\neyes. The shimmering turquoise touch shone\nforth therein. A\nsoft cooing accompanied the\nlook in her half closed eyes. Smiling,\nhe looked back to the list.\nSlowly, his attention was flying over the first row when he heard an affirmative \"Meep\" at his side. Warm he looked to his female dragon. \"So then to Barnabas?\"\nhe asked with a faint smile. A soft cooing\ncame from her throat as his eyes met. \"Or\nrather to Clara?\" he added. Kyndle gave\na nod an\naffirmative \"Churr\" by herself.\n\"Well then.\" Roland said,\nand got up from his stool. He ran his\nhand over the dragoness\nforehead, which she replied with a faint purring and closed view. \"Up\nto the dragon farm.\"\nHe said aloud.Roland turned to Tamara\nand raised his arm. \"See\nyou.\" he said, waving. The landlady held\nup her hand as well. \"Come\nback tomorrow for the favor.\" She\nsaid, smiling. \"And good luck with the list,\" she added. \"Thank you!\" Cried Roland, before he stepped out of the tavern.......\n\"That's a good boy.\" she said calmly looking\nup and smiling down at the\nlittle dragon. Clara knelt in a smaller enclosure\nnear the main house between six pups.\nThe young dragons to the genus of blade wings\nran playfully around. One lay before Clara\non his back and let her stroke his belly. Checking she looked at the stitched wound\non his chest and the two straps which fixed\nhis wings. Send genius\nhe kept his eyes closed, purring softly to himself. A\nhappy \"Meep\" he added.Clara pulled out her pen and quickly wrote\ndown a few lines on her notepad.\nShe smiled as she watched the young, as it quickly got up and hurriedly\nran to his fellows. With a short jump and\na playful \"Chirp\" he landed on the small pile\nof dragons. Clara stood up and examined with obliquely down the head\nand a big grin on her face\nthe happy goings\nof cute young dragons.\nThen she threw a controlling look at their list. \"That's\nit here.\" she thought to herself and walked slowly to the gate of the enclosure.The little dragon watched impatiently and ran at\nthe moment, just as she teased\nthe gate. Clara\ncould not react fast enough. She had hardly noticed the small maverick, he was\nalready out and jumped joyfully on the forecourt of the farm around.Clara closed the enclosure\nbehind her and turned around frantically.\n\"Damn it!\" she thought aloud\nto herself, while her eyes slightly overwhelmed walked around on the big square. The\nfive remaining pups rejected all their\nheads to the grid and gave\nplayful sounds. Clara\nput her free hand on her hip and threw the\ndragons a slightly annoyed\nlook. \"That's not funny!\"\nshe hissed quickly, and then the little dragons ceased immediately and stretching teasing the tongue tips\nfrom the mouth. With eyes closed, she took a deep breath. Opened her eyes again, she spotted\na short tail, which quickly disappeared behind some crates. The box in the\nlook she walked toward it, but no outliers hidden\nbehind it. Thoughtfully, she walked back to the\nsquare. \"Where is he now\n....?\" Her theoretical question trailed off as she saw the little one run. He was there on the road\non the way, which led to the city. \"Oh\nno!\" she said loudly and began to run\nafter the young dragon.......\nThe sun was high noon and shone from a cloudless\nblue sky. On the\nroad, which led to Barnabas farm, a young man and an orange-red female dragon were out.Lost in thought, lay his eyes on a small piece of paper with some lines were recorded. Thoughtfully,\nhe threw his attention to the sun high in the sky. \"Hopefully we do not lose too much time here.\" he spoke a little tired.\nKyndle walked softly\ncooing beside him and poked her nose\nbriefly in his left shoulder,\nfollowed by a confident \"Churr\".\nRoland looked at her\nwhile smiling at her\nbeautiful blue eyes. The thin\nturquoise tinge in\nthem was not to be overlooked.\nAn entertaining sparkle ended the pleasant sight.\n\"We'll see.\" he added that and turned his attention back to the front, where already the buildings of the farm were seen.Roland recognized the long bridge that led\nacross a vast brown enclosure. In the middle of the transition, something moved hastily\ntowards him. Roland stopped and stared hard forward. The orange-red dragon lady looked at\nhim a little puzzled at first, then turned her\ngaze also forward.A little dragon ran happily toward her. The\nwings were fixed with two leather straps on the back, which is why he was in a hurry traveling on foot. He gave a cheerful \"Meep\" of himself as he covered on Kyndle. The female\nlowered cooing her head to the little one to\ngreet, but he just jumped past her. By running\nbetween her legs he jumped at Roland.Roland hectic let\ngo of his list to\ncatch the little dragon. The\nlittle one gasped for this\npaper. Roland managed\nthough to hold him, but the powerful\njump pulled him to the ground. Unceremoniously landed on his butt he\nscrewed up his face and threw his female dragon a\nslightly confused look. Kyndle\nlay down beside him on the floor and licked him cooing softly\non the cheek. Then\nshe looked at the little young dragon and sniffed\ncuriously at him. He clung tightly to\nRoland's chest, purring softly. Roland tried\nto get his list back from the mouth of the dragon, but he could not get her out of his jaw without\nbreaking it. That's why he\nleft it to him for\nthe moment. With a warm smile on his lips, he looked down at the purring\ndragon. A stitched\nwound was to discover. Use light pressure he let his fingers stroking his\nchest scales. The gentle vibrations of his little body felt to the touch,\nas well as the vibrations of his partner, who had\nplaced herself behind him and leaned her head\nagainst his. Her physical heat sensing his gaze\nfrom the young animal high in her sparkling sapphire\nblue dragon eyes. The turquoise touch in them\nshined forth.Kyndle put one of\nher wings around Roland and\nthe little dragon, gently rubbed her nose\nat his and she purred\nsoftly. Through her half-closed eyelids he\nsaw his reflection in her pupils. He ran with his\nfree hand over her\ncheek. The female deepened her\npurring and leaned against his hand. Slightly tilted her head to one side, both savings in love on each other's\nlips. The intense buzz of her purring\nto feel in the head was just fantastic. Ended the loving kiss, so they both looked at each other for a long time before they closed their eyes and forehead successive\nsubmitted.\"That's what I call a romantic\npicture.\" Clara said,\nsmiling as she saw\nRoland and Kyndle with the little dragon. Roland stood up frantically,\nas if he had just woken up from a daydream. Kyndle snorted\na little puzzled in his direction\nas he pulled away from her loving embrace.Roland looked at\nClara a little embarrassed and smiled slightly to\nhimself. \"I ... so ...\"\nhe stammered awkwardly. Clara held her hands\nbehind her back and smiled\nat Roland with\nher head cocked to the side. Slowly, she walked up to him. \"Thanks for trapping.\" she said calmly as she\ntook the little purring dragon from the arm of\nhim.Roland looked quickly\nto Kyndle which slowly\nstood up and turned also to\nClara. She stroked the little one on the\nchest and nudged quickly\nonce in his\nabdominal region. With a playful \"Meep\" he opened his mouth shortly.\nLong enough so she could pull him the note from\nthe mouth. \"That is maybe yours?\" she said, grinning and holding out the document. Roland grabbed\nit something lost in thought and then folded it\nbefore he let it\ndisappear into his coat pocket. Meanwhile, Clara walked\npast him and held Kyndle against an open hand to\ngreet. With a happy cooing she snorted to\nClara and leaned then with\neyes closed against her hand.She ran her fingers under the chin of the female\ndragon and looked into her moist\neyes. \"You have told him already?\"\nshe asked quietly, but loud enough\nso that Roland could hear it. By her question her gaze slowly\nstepped towards him. Kyndle\nclosed at her words the eyes and began\nto purr softly.Roland took a deep breath. \"You know ....\" \"Yes, I know it.\" interrupted\nClara with a warm smile. \"I knew it before you.\"\nshe added, stroking Kyndle on the nose.\"So what can I do for you, unless remove the small maverick here?\" she asked him, and began to go ahead. Roland\nonce shook his head with closed eyes and exhaled left. When he was\nnudged by Kyndle\nhis eyes fell again into her glance. Placed his hand on her cheek, she\nbriefly closed her eyes and cooed softly. \"Shall we?\" he asked softly. With\na quick \"Churr\" she\nanswered his question and walked\nbehind Clara, always\ngazing at the little\ndragon. Roland smiled to himself and followed them without further ado lose.......\nIn Sorlacom knelt\na man in a gray robe before five stone\npedestals. The stone images of Arkas, Kyleth,\nGal`Vatros, Sorathis and Wyverex had on them one place. Only\nthe statue of Kyleth had collapsed. The fragments were unaffected by\nthe base, the\nhead was still on it and threw an empty gaze\nto the praying priest. A bright blue shimmering\nsymbol was hovering in front of four of\nthe five stone dragons, which slowly weightless\nrevolved around its own axis.Wyverex had no\nsymbol, which left the priest\nafter and after restless. \"Master Atlas?\" Came a voice in the\nroom. The Praying priest slowly raised his brow.\n\"Yes?\" he asked with a closed view. With\na weak rush the\nman approached him. \"It's\nabout the recent events in Haven.\"Atlas exhaled left\nand bowed to the five\ndraconic images, before\nhe straightened up and his face turned to the messenger. \"The last reports were not in great detail.\" he began softly. \"But it makes\neverything suggests that .....\"\nHe broke off as Atlas\nfrantically raised his hand and turned to the five\nstone dragons.\"Master Atlas?\" asked the\nmessenger a little confused. \"Shhh!\"\nhissed Atlas quickly\nand listened attentively to the\nroom. Ears pricked he strode past the floating icons until he arrived\nat the statue of Wyverex.\nA faint crackling was heard from the stone\ndragon. The hollow\neyes began to shine in a weak\nblue red glow, while\nthin wisps of smoke rose from the nostrils. It\nlooked as if the dragon growl at him.Atlas raised the eyebrows\nin surprise. Shortly thereafter, he lowered his eyes and fell before the socket on the\nknee. The lowered\nfront for prayer he\nmurmured words to\nhimself.The smoke began before the head\nof the stone dragon to rotate and increasingly compressed.\nAt the same awoke in it a bright blue\nglow. The shimmer of the blue red eyes\nshone brighter. A\nloud bang sent a shock wave\nthrough the hall and put out\nall the candles in\nthe room. Atlas was the hood torn from his\nhead and tossed.With startled eyes upwards he looked at the now pending before\nWyverex icon. \"My\nLord. Is everything all right?\"\nthe man asked as he came to help Atlas. \"I'm\nfine.\" he spoke a little out of breath as he\npropped himself on\nhis helper. \"Call immediately the councilors together.\" he added determinative. The priest\nsaid not another word. He nodded silently and\nwalked with rapid steps to the exit. Atlas was bent in\nthe hall and looked to the five\nstatues. \"Rise they will.....\" he said softly to himself.......\n\"And now you're here and ask me about dragon\nessence?\" asked Clara with a big grin on her\nface. Roland sat opposite her in the\nstudy of Barnabas, his list of errands lying\non the table.A peaceful cooing was in the air. Roland threw\na warm look to Kyndle, which lay on\nthe carpet in the middle of the\nroom. A small young dragon between her forelegs.\nThis clung tightly\nto her chest, purring softly. The eyes half closed she nudged the young dragon\ngently what could elicit him a cute\n\"Meep\". With a happy cooing she avoided\nher moist look into Roland's eyes, accompanied by a bright turquoise sparks and a happy \"Chirp\".\"You're actually a pretty pair.\" Clara said softly. \"What?\" Roland threw a little confused and looked back to Clara. These smiled at him confidently. \"You heard me.\" she added softly and\nlooked at his embarrassed grin.\"Again, the reason\nfor my being here.\" Roland\nbegan again. \"Ok.\"\nClara replied calmly.\n\"Dragon essence, yes?\" \"Actually, I was hoping to be able to discuss this with Barnabas.\" he continued. \"Currently he is on his way to Athellion.\" Said Clara. \"What's he doing there?\" he prompted curious. \"I can not tell you. Everything I've noticed was, that he was in a\nhurry to come to Haven.\" Thoughtfully,\nshe looked at the table. \"His companion was initially against it.\" Roland drew his\neyebrows in surprise. \"What companion?\"\nhe thought to himself, but continued to listen. \"But they made a deal, after which he went with him.\" said Clara.Barnabas assistant quickly shrugged his\nshoulders and threw her eyes\nup to the ceiling. \"Well is not that important.\" she began with a slight smile. \"So, you need dragon essence?\" she asked again. Roland nodded and\nlooked at her with big eyes. Clara\nleaned her face slightly\nto the side and looked him in the\neyes. \"You have no idea what that is, right?\"Roland smiled a\nlittle embarrassed. \"Something like\nthat.\" he added. Clara was breathing with\neyes closed once from behind. \"Ok.\" she began. \"Dragon essence is available in liquid form or as a powder. It is used mostly for strengthening\nthe willpower. \"She explained.\n\"How that?\" He asked. \"Normally it is consumed as a\ndrink. It gives the willpower\nof the drinking person a boost and will reduce the debilitating opposite process when\napplying magic, but too much of\nit achieved the opposite purpose.\" With a straight face she looked at Roland. \"It blocks\nthe access for some time.\" Thoughtful Roland listened to her words. \"And how much is too much?\" he asked. Clara smiled\nat him and stood up from her\nchair. She went to a cupboard\non the wall and pulled open one of the doors. Checking,\nher hand wandered from one label to another until she had found the\ndesired vial. She reached out and closed the closet door. Taken\nplace in her chair she put the transparent container on the table.Roland looked puzzled\nthe small bottle. It was filled with a dark blue cloudy liquid. \"This is the usual amount.\" Clara began\nwith a more serious expression.\n\"Anything above that would have a negative effect. It is therefore\nplanned in many magicians\nas emergency rations, provided they have the wherewithal.\" Roland made big\neyes when he heard the words \"wherewithal\".\n\"Of course.\" he thought sarcastically, rolling his eyes slightly.His attention was drawn again by Kyndle. Playful\nsounds drew his\ngaze back. The orange-red female lay peacefully\ncooing on the carpet, while the little dragon walked with slightly clumsy steps around her\nand climbed her back. His happy \"Chirp\" accompanied his movements. Kyndle turned her gaze\nto the little one and snorted slightly in\nhis face. With a cute \"Meep\" he placed\nhis front legs on her head.\nHe threw his innocent look in her sparkling eyes.She felt the gentle hum of his quiet\npurr in the head\nand closed her eyes cooing\nin half. She slowly raised her face, whereupon held the young dragon more. Kyndle\nplaced him between\nher front legs and tried to shake him off easily, but he clung successfully. She\nstuck her tongue out and left\nher with a gentle cooing over his stomach deleted. With a cute \"Meep\"\nhe let go unexpectedly\nand landed between her paws on the back. Kyndle\nheld her head slightly tilted to one side and saw at the little one with her sparkling\neyes. Playful he moved on her front legs and\nstuck his tongue teasingly\nout of the mouth. Cooing nudged him with his\nnose in the abdomen and snorted\nat him again.Roland looked at the\nsmiling cute happening\nand saw his female dragon with a warm look.\nKyndle noticed the observer and returned\nthe visual contact with the\nbright sparkle of her sapphire eyes.\nHe clearly felt her\nsoul contact. He\nwould have liked gotten up to\nshake her a long kiss on the lips. However, Clara's\npresence stopped him.Looking down thoughtfully at the ground, suddenly appeared\na young dragon in\nhis field of vision. With head tilted to the side, he looked up at the man. Roland\nsaw the little one's eyes and held out his hand to him. Gently brushed his\nfingers across his cheek, which he\nanswered with a faint purr.\nA merry \"Chirp\" came\nfrom his throat as he playfully turned on his back. It Roland noticed again the\nwound stitched on\nthe chest of the little dragon.\"What happened to him?\"\nhe asked Clara with a puzzled expression. Kyndle\nhad placed beside\nthe little dragon and snuggled\nher head gently to\nRoland. By his\nquestion to Clara, she also turned to her. Barnabas\nassistant looked a\nlittle perplexed at first, but\nfound her mind quickly. \"A few days ago, a patrol of soldiers\nhas taken on the\nKing Street a gang of smugglers.\" she began softly.\n\"The smugglers were caught near the border\nto Sullfar. In addition to some\nstolen goods, they also have a cage\nsecured.\" Her eyes gave way a little sad on the table. \"In the cage, three\ninjured nestlings were penned.\" Roland\nwatched tense. He\nwas sure to see a\ntear in her eyes, but he said\nnothing.Clara took a deep breath. A barely perceptible sobs\ncould be heard. \"He here is one of them.\" With a slightly trembling hand\nshe pointed to the little dragon, who purring leaned\non Kyndles edge.\n\"And the other two?\" Roland asked cautiously. Clara lowered with a\nweak exhale her face and wiped a tear from her\neyes. \"Anyway, he has made\nit.\" she replied evasively\nand smiled at the nestling.In Roland came\nstraight back up the memory,\nas Kyndle was\nkidnapped. \"What wanted these\nsmugglers do with the little dragons?\"\nhe asked curiously and tried to repress the painful image of\nthe bound and\nwounded Kyndle. He\nclutched at his left shoulder, which just aired\na slight pain impulse. His female dragon gave\nhim a warm look. She clearly felt his downcast\nemotions and licked him comfortingly on\nthe cheek. He put his hand on her cheek\nand pressed her head to his more.Clara waited a\nmoment and looked at them in silence. \"Probably because of their scales.\" she began with a\nstraight face. \"Dragon scales, especially\nthose of young animals have a high value\non the black market. The constitution of\nthe dragons is these criminals but most do not care.\" she threw her look a bit lost in the room.\n\"Actually, I do not even want\nto know what they do with the little ones.\" said Clara and exhaled left.Roland took a deep breath of air and swallow this sad\npicture down. Barnabas assistant closed her eyes\nagain to organize\nher thoughts. A\nmoment later, her friendly smile\nwas visible again. \"I tell you what.\" she began,\nsmiling. Roland raised his eyebrows expectantly. \"You can have the\nbottle of dragon essence.\"\nshe said, pointing to the cloudy blue liquid on the table. \"So easily?\" Roland hooked for something suspicious.\nClara stood up from\nher chair and walked around the table. \"Let's call it a thank you for capturing this small\noutlier here.\" she replied, smiling as she picked up the nestling from\nthe ground and gently stroked\nhis belly.Roland saw his\ndragoness quickly into her eyes\nand rested his forehead on hers.\n\"Two points done, four remain.\" he\nwhispered softly. \"And by the way, thank you for earlier.\" he said and\nput his lips to hers lovingly. Kyndle added to\nthe sensual touch her gentle purr. Clara looked at them smiling. She still had the little\ndragon in the arm. \"See?\"\nshe whispered teasingly\nto the young animal, pointing to Roland\nand Kyndle. \"Love\nis a wonderful thing.\" she spoke\nsoftly on, picked it up and rubbed her\nnose against his snout.\nA soft cooing he\nadded her gesture. Shortly after\nshe left with the nestling the room quietly.......\nIn Ironwing, Catherine\nsat thoughtfully in\nher study. Tired she gave her views on the\nreports of the vigil. Suddenly, unexpectedly opened\nthe door and Daniel came excitedly into the room. In his hand he held a sealed\nletter. Catherine stood from her seat\nand took a breath for her question, but\ngot by Daniel not the chance to ask\nthem.\"A letter with your name on it has arrived.\" he started a little nervous. His mistress looked at him reassuringly. \"But that is no reason for such excitement.\"\nshe said smiling and\nwalked around the table on her\nmessenger to. Daniel waved his head slowly in\nthe negative. \"He was\ndelivered by a dragon rider.\"\nhe said with wide\neyes. \"A dragon rider\nfrom Sorlacom.\" he added seriously. Catherine's\nlook went suddenly\nto the ground. Thoughtfully, she looked out the window and walked slowly approached the glass. \"Put the\nletter on the table.\" she spoke\nmonotone and serious.Daniel swallowed once empty and looked a\nlittle perplexed at his mistress,\nbut did as he was\ntold and placed the envelope on\nthe table top. \"Thanks\nDaniel. You can go now.\" she also wishes to add. He made his torso bent\nforward a gesture and left the room without\na word. He closed the door\nbehind him. Catherine stood at the window and\nlet her eyes slide over the estate. Shortly thereafter, she breathed out and lowered her forehead thoughtfully.Daniel looked thoughtful for a while to the\ndoor. But then turned around and startled\neasily. With a\nhectic breathe he saw Tim, who looked at him with\nhis blank stare. \"What\nwas standing in the letter?\" he\nasked. Daniel shook his head. \"I do not\nknow.\" He said irritably.\n\"I do not really want to know, I think so.\" he added seriously. Timmy\ntapped him on the shoulder once. \"Again because\nof your stress level.\"\nDaniel looked at him confused and angry at\nthe same time. Afterwards he went\npast him, shaking his head. \"By\nthe five, he can not be serious to ask m.......\" He muttered to himself.......\nThe sun eagerly put\ntheir way across the sky.Hand before the face\nRoland looked up\nat her. \"When we are continue with this pace, we don`t get finished\ntomorrow yet.\" he groused to himself.\nKyndle nudged him\nlightly in the stomach and brought his attention back to the ground. A cramped\ntwitching later he held his list before his\nface. Thoughtfully, he put his\nbrow up. \"Hmm. I think we now go to the blacksmith.\"\nhe spoke confidently to his\nfemale dragon, which looked at him with half-closed eyes. \"Hopefully we can emphasize two points from this\nlist.\" Kyndle do with a\nstrong snort a\nnodding head motion,\nfollowed by a quick \"Churr\". He\nsmiled as he looked at his dragon\nlady and rubbed his hand over\nher forehead before he folded the list and\nlet disappear it into his coat\npocket.......  With an effort he lifted the handle of the bellows and\npulled him back down. A low hissing sound accompanied the strong burst of air into\nthe burning coal stove. The heat\ncame in a big wave\nfrom the embers. Beads of sweat\nglistening on his forehead as he pulled the red hot steel from the fire. The unfinished\nweapon placed on\nthe anvil, he lashed out with his\nsledge-hammer. A bright jangle accompanied the sparks\nas the tool came down to the soft steel. Blow for blow, he edited the material.Testing, he looked at his work. He put the hammer aside\nand wiped the sweat from his brow. In one\nswift movement he plunged the hot\nsteel in a filled\nwater basin. Steaming hissed the metal in the cold water bath. Pulled the still dull blade\nhe swung it once\nto himself. His controlling\ngaze over the\nstraight edge as he ran past\nthe work piece before his face. With a skillful\nmovement he pushed it towards the entrance.\"Oops!\" Roland said, startled and\nraised both hands as the blacksmith held the top of the unfinished weapon in\nthe face. \"What do you want?\"\nhe asked with his deep rough voice. Demanding he\nlooked at the young man with his yellow eyes.\nThe striking color of his pupil stabbed literally\nunder his bushy eyebrows.Roland swallowed once empty and lowered his hands\nagain. \"I am\nlooking for someone who is familiar with Obsidian Shards.\" he replied. The blacksmith raised an\neyebrow in surprise. \"Wait\noutside, I'm right there.\" he said calmly and\nturned around. Roland nodded once without a word and turned around. Somewhat uncertain,\nhe went back outside and waited for the owner of the smithy. Kyndle sniffed curiously\nat the weapons and shields, which were\nlined up on the narrow stall. \"Ah!\" Roland\nwas loud on its\nown before she almost pushed one of the shields\nof the table. The\nfemale twitched briefly and looked at her partner\nplayful. Teasingly she stretched her tongue\nout of the mouth and cooed softly.The blacksmith came with heavy steps of the\nworkshop and gave Roland a small leather pouch to.\nHe caught the little\nbag and poured them into his hand. It felt, as\nare small sharp\nstones in it. Opened the bag he looked at the\ncontents. Numerous rock chips\nwere in it. They had\na matte black color. When shaking the bag they\nsounded like broken glass.\"3 gold coins.\" said\nthe blacksmith sober. Roland raised his eyebrows\nand looked in amazement the craftsman in his\nstriking yellow eyes. \"Um, ok.\" he said,\nslightly confused and pulled out\nhis wallet. Kyndle sniffed meanwhile excited to a plate armor,\nwhich was placed\non a wooden figure. The nose tipped short to\nthe armor and it began to tip over. The\nfemale was startled with a\nsurprised \"Meep\" before the noisy clatter flew\nacross the street.Roland was just about to put three gold coins\nin the hand of the blacksmith. As the attention of both\nwent to the fallen\narmor and a sheepish-looking\ndragon female. Roland\nstooped with his face slightly to the side and waved it back and forth in the negative. The Smith also said nothing. He\npulled together only his eyebrows and took a deep breath.\"Pretty shed.\" gave the craftsman surprised\nof himself. Kyndle cooed softly and looked\nat the man with questioning\neyes. Roland sighed with relief\nand turned back to the blacksmith. \"You maybe know something\nabout gems?\" he asked\nhopefully. \"The blacksmith swung\nhis face slowly towards\nhim and looked at him seriously.\n\"No.\" he said dryly and disappeared\nback into his workshop. Shortly\nthereafter was again the clink\nof steel heard.Roland remained silently\nat the forge stand and cast a blank look on\nKyndle. \"Ok.\" he gave of himself and tucked\nthe bag with Obsidian Shards in his backpack. \"Then\ngo to the market, hopefully we will find a stone that is\nlarge enough and is in my price range.\" Kyndle hopped over the armor\nlying on the ground and nudged her partner softly cooing\nto his nose. He smiled at her and slowly drove his\nhand over her cheek. Her gentle\npurr joined the\nbright flash of her deep blue\neyes. The turquoise touch in them was not to\nbe overlooked. \"Let's go.\" he whispered to her and broke away from the pleasant sight.......\n\"GO, GO, HURRY!\" shouted a man breathing\nheavily to his colleagues and\nwaved him frantically in his direction before he ran on. \"Yeah!\" Bleated the second\nangry. \"It's not like I would not see the guys over there!\" he swore further and\nremained exhausted his hand to\nhis side. Behind the two of them followed by four guards with hasty steps,\nand had to catch\nit.The two men left the\nnarrow side street and turned onto the market. On the busy square, there was the usual hustle and bustle of countless traders and buyers.\nThe many stalls formed with the human groups a winding maze. Submerged\nin the crowd they hid under a covered table.\nThe guards stopped in front of the fountain in the center and flew their gaze over the examining course. After\nquick wordless gestures\nthey spread and\nbegan systematically search the market for the thieves.Completely out of breath panted the two men in\nthe hiding place and looked at\neach other and grinned. \"Damn It! I told you, only the box on the\ntable!\" he groused to his\ncolleague and struck his fist\nin the shoulder. \"But no! The Lord still had\nto pounce on the stupid wall decoration. What threw our entire schedule to pieces!\" he\nsaid angrily. \"Oh man calm a bit\ndown Harrison.\" he tried to\nappease him. \"We\nare still arrived in time away.\" he argued\nand reached into the\npocket. \"Just in time!? If you had kept\nup with the plan, then we would not have\nbeen discovered by this shitty guards!\" Harrison accused. His colleague drew an oval-cut gemstone from his pocket and\nlooked at him as if by magic on. \"What do you think\nis the value?\" he asked. Harrison looked\nat the stolen property. The stone\nhad an orange-red color and shone spotless.\nNo score or other\ndamage was visible. \"I do\nnot know.\" he replied. \"But it could still prove difficult to\nsell this one.\" he said something unexpectant and cast a quick glance\nat the cover\nout.He pulled his head back under the table and saw his colleagues at seriously.\n\"You wait 10 seconds, then you follow me to the left.\" he said, holding out a determinative\nindex finger on his head, then he rolled out from\nunder the table and disappeared\nbehind some baskets on the left side of the table. He had just disappeared, as a guard went over at the Table and let go searching\naround his eyes. After\na few seconds the uniformed\nwent on.Harrisons colleague rolled out under\nthe table and make the first steps on the baskets to where his colleague\nwas sitting in coverage and waved him frantically to\nhim. He wanted to put the gem back in his pocket, but he fell to the ground and rolled on the floor between the people. \"Oh, shit shit\nshit!\" he muttered\nto himself, and followed the bent rolling stone.\nHarrison saw them\nafterwards dumbfounded and\ngrabbed shaking his head at the end. \"Not again!\" he sighed annoyed and ran\nafter him.\"Come here, you little piece.\" he said as he held the stone in his hand again. With a satisfied grin on his face, he\nstood up smiling at the man in front of him. Surprised, he looked at his uniform. The silver breastplate glistened\nin the light of the afternoon\nsun. A blue cloak fell down from the shoulders. Through the open visor of\nthe helmet two angry eyes stared at him. \"Um. Oh!\" he stammered to himself, as\nhe has also been seized by the guard.Effortlessly lifted him the guard of the feet.\n\"Not in my shift.\" he told him. \"Attention\nleft!\" came a\nvoice from the side. The guard\nturned to the source and shortly thereafter was thrown to the ground. Harrison jumped out of a box\nforth to him and joined\nthe soldiers with\nboth feet in the breastplate. Harrison stood\nback and looked quickly overturned the guard\nbefore he put his\ncolleagues on the feet. \"Move!\"\nhe roared in his ears and ran. His colleague was\nfollowed immediately when he saw\nthe other guards in the crowd. The soldiers helped their\ncolleagues up and immediately took up the\nchase.......  On the main road to the marketplace\na young man and an orange-red dragon females were\nout. \"Two carrots and\nan onion.\" he began to his dragoness and put\nthe hand on her back as she continued approaching the marketplace. Kyndle cooing\nclosed the eyes and\ngave an affirmative \"Churr\"\nby herself.Smiling Roland threw\nhis gaze forward, which has already seen the\nvibrant market. Suddenly,\na man turned quickly round the corner and ran towards him. After that moment he\nsaw Harrison, who seemed\nto be in a hurry. Welcoming raised Roland his hand and took a breath\nfor a hello. \"No time!\"\npanted Harrison as he quickly waving to\nhim walked by.Roland and Kyndle stopped and looked after\nhim a little confused. A wordless shrug later\nthe two went back to the market street.\"Bang!\" Made it as Roland collided with\na strange man. The force of the\ncollision threw Roland\nunceremoniously to the ground, while the stranger stared surprised at the now lying man. Kyndle saw her\npartner thrown to the ground and snapped the\nstranger with her head bowed\ndown and bent her wings on. The unknown was\nstartled when he saw the razor-sharp\nteeth of the female dragon. Panicked, he took his\nlegs in the hand and reconditioned Harrison before they both disappeared into another side\nstreet.Roland sat up with\na twisted face and rubbed the back of his head sitting.\n\"Ouch.\" he gave a weak smile from him.\nKyndle placed herself next to him and put protective\none of her dark wings around him.\nCooing she snuggled her head closer to his\nand licked him comfortingly\non the cheek. Her\ngentle touch brought his aching mind instantly\nsilenced. With his arm around the dragoness both observed as a group\nof soldiers took the same path as\nHarrison and this other guy.\"Thrown the look\nin her sparkling eyes, both rubbing\ntheir nose at each other. The turquoise touch\nin them shone out brightly. \"Where were we?\" he whispered to her. Kyndle\ncooed softly and\nreplied with a\nsoft \"Chirp\". He smiled\nwarmly at her and ran his hand over her cheek. She\nclosed her eyes and leaned slightly\nagainst his touch. \"Right. Two carrots and an onion.\" He added. Kyndle poked her tongue\ntip over his chin\nand pulled her loving\nhug.Roland stood up and was about to take the first step when he saw something shiny on the ground. Surprised, he grabbed it and lifted\nwondering an oval gemstone on. Holding between\nforefinger and thumb he turned it in the sunlight. \"If that is not even a strange coincidence?\" he thought.Kyndle looked at the orange-glowing stone enchanted\nand waved excitedly\nher tail back and\nforth. Roland glanced at the dragoness and\nwinked at her once. \"Almost as beautiful as you.\"\nhe added his amorous\nglance. The female cooing closed her eyes\nand snuggled her head closely approached Roland's\nchest. Shortly thereafter, she lifted her eyes and sent a bright sparkle from\nthe turquoise color of her\ndeep blue eyes to him. Placed his lips over\nhers in love, they shared a\nsensual tongue touch.\nWith the gentle vibrations\nof her soft purr\nhe clearly felt her\nspiritual connection. Ended the moist touch he gave her a confident\nand tucked the\nstone to the other things in the backpack. \"Just two more things on the list.\" he began softly.\n\"And then we go back home.\" he said with a smile. Kyndle\ncooing closed her\neyes and began hastily to go\nahead. Roland watched\nand went after her.The nose stretched sniffing in the air, the dragoness\nwalked searching around. With a confirmatory\n\"Meep\" she disappeared into\nthe market chaos. Roland went to great lengths not to lose his dragoness in the crowd out of sight. Before a stand, the female stopped fortunately. Caught\nup to his draconic partner\nhe glanced at the\ndesigned products on the table.\nCabbages, potatoes, tomatoes and onions\nwere in large quantities on the counter. Carrot bunch\nhung down from the beam of the narrow roof.Roland plucked two\nsingle carrots from\none of the bundle and threw\nKyndle a weak\nsmile. \"Well, have you found\nan onion?\" he asked her. The female sniffed curiously\nat the large selection. With\na hectic breathe, she moved slightly jerking her\nhead back and closed the eyes. Her\ncute sneezing sparked a small flame that\nswept over the\nonions. The greengrocer was\ncowering behind his stand just in time.With a smoking cap,\nhe carefully stretched his head back up and\nfound his onions as smoking ash heap\nbefore. Roland could\nnot resist his smile as Kyndle shook her head and looked at him with her innocent eyes.\nOnly an onion had\nsurvived the flames unscathed.\n\"That one.\" he said with a grin to the\nseller and pointed to the not charred\nonion.\"And the others!?\" asked the dealer easily angry and crossed arms. \"Well,\nyeah.\" Roland spoke and lifted his hands apologetically.\n\"How much?\" he asked. The seller cast\nhis glance quickly over the damaged goods\nand a quick calculation together. \"40 pieces\nof silver.\" he said dryly. \"Good.\"\nRoland gave out and\npaid the amount readily grin.The vegetables stored in the backpack he strolled with Kyndle through the stalls. \"What a medium, I should\nmerely choose?\" he asked himself mentally and let his gaze looking\nover the many objects move. Kyndle poked her\nhead through the wide\ndisplay and sniffed at the many different items. Necklaces, rings, headgear and all kinds\nof other garments. \"Not in lifetime a staff.\" He thought sarcastically. With an awakened \"Chirp\"\nthe dragoness snapped\nwith the mouth for an object\nand held it out to Roland.\"What have you got there?\"\nhe asked curiously, holding his hand under her open mouth.\nWith her soft cooing\nshe let fall a\nleft glove out of the mouth. He was made of sturdy leather,\npointed out some signs of wear,\nand had severed fingertips. \"You sure?\" he asked the dragon lady. Just at\nthat moment the dreamed image came back\nto him, in which showed Kyndle him her medium.\n\"You have seen the dream as well?\" he\nasked, though he was sure that it was so. The dragoness\ncooing closed the\neyes and made a slow nodding\nhead movement. \"I thought so.\" he spoke\nsoftly and smiled warmly at his partner. \"This here.\" Roland said to the seller, holding out the glove, but always\ndirected his gaze in Kyndles sparkling eyes.Leaving the marketplace Roland looked up at the\nsun. \"We can do this in\ntime.\" he said confidently\nto his dragoness and\nstraightened the backpack.Once back at the stables at the city gate, Roland\nthrew one last look in the backpack. When\nhe was convinced of the existence\nof all listed items he slung it over his\nshoulder and went up into the\nsaddle of his horse. \"Let`s go.\" he said to Kyndle who happily flapped\nher wings and sent a loud \"Chirp\"\nto him. With a fast gallop Roland left the\ncapital, looking ahead with confidence.\nKyndle ran to him\nwith abrupt steps\nbehind before she\nspread her wings and rose gracefully into the air.......\nIn Ironwing, Aaros\nand Torben stood on\nthe training ground next to the\nbarracks and took a thoughtful look towards the setting sun, which threw her\nreddish glow on the\nhorizon. \"He did not have\nmuch time yet.\" said Aaros confident.\n\"Do not be so biased my friend.\" spoke Torben. \"The sun is shining still.\" he argued.Aaros sat down on the ground and closed his\neyes quietly breathing. \"What did you have actually for a bonus\nfor him? Provided he will made it in\ntime.\" he wanted to know. Torben\nturned to face him. \"You'll find out soon enough.\" he said determining.\n\"As you say.\" added Aaros\nand devoted himself to his meditation.\"By the way, have you heard about the dragon rider?\" asked\nTorben his colleagues. \"This creature was not to be missed.\" replied Aaros and called the\nunmistakable sound of mighty dragon wings in\nmemory. \"This has probably brought\na message or something?\" Torben thought aloud to\nhimself. \"Catherine, however, has been completely out of\nthe socket. She has not left her\noffice since its emergence.\" he added thoughtfully. \"We currently have other priorities, so one by one.\"\nreplied Aaros.Torben lowered his\nforehead with closed eyes and\nexhaled left. \"You\nare right.\" He said and went back\nto the barracks.The sun was still with his last strength on the horizon as Roland hastily\nturned onto his horse in the driveway of Ironwing.\nAbove him floated an orange-red female dragon with elegant wing beats of\ntime. Before the closed door\nhis mount vigorously pushed the legs into\nthe ground and lay down on the\nbrakes, which nearly dropped him. Kyndle\nquietly flew over\nthe crossbar and sent Roland\na happy \"Chirp\" down. \"Did it\nreally so hurry\nRoland!\" greeted him one of the guards. Roland leaped from the saddle and\nwalked closer to the gate.\n\"That you can say loud.\"\nhe replied, looking at the man hopefully. \"Come\non, I'll open it for you.\" Said the guard grinned\nand pulled the squeaky door slowly. \"Thank\nyou!\" cried Roland and sprinted\nbetween the open passage and held on to the barracks. The two guards saw the young man behind before her\nattention was drawn back to the road. Snorting shook\nthe parked horse his head and stamped a hoof on the\nground. \"I do not bring\nit to the barn.\" said one and walked back to his post on the road. The remaining guard\nlet out a long breath and looked a bit annoyed to the horse.Aaros was still sitting in his meditation deepened on the lawn next to the training ground. He slowly opened his eyes when he heard the beating of dragon wings. Supple floated an\norange-red dragoness down on\nthe grass and sat\nelegantly on the landing. Some final steps slowed\nher pace last and\nshe raised with outstretched chest proud head.\nThe view thrown to Roland which at the moment behind\nthe hedge was conjured forth a bright twinkle\nin her blue eyes and she was happy cooing\nto him.He brushed her nose in passing through and held on to\nAaros. He put the backpack on the floor in\nfront of him and showed provocative\nhorizon. \"Before\nSunset!\" he spoke loudly and looked\nat his teacher confident. Aaros chuckled closed\nviews to himself, before he got up and\ngrabbed the backpack. With\nthe pocket, he went to the table with the training weapons and threw a controlling view\nof its contents.\"I know it that you will make it!\" cried Torben praise\nto Roland as he stepped out of the barracks. Strong he struck him with his\nfist in the shoulder and patted him\non the back. \"Aaros?\" he\nthrew at his colleagues meet demanding. This\nreached into his backpack and pulled out the bottle of stronos brandy out. Chuckling,\nhe looked at the bottle before he threw it over\nhis shoulder at Torben. \"Fine,\nyou win.\" he said, slightly disappointed and dug further around\nin the backpack. Torben held up the bottle with\na grin and winked Roland once. This stood as\nordered and not picked\nup. \"What is going on here?\" he asked himself mentally confused and\nlooked at his teachers. Kyndle could\nalso do not much with the scene and looked questioningly also to the men.Torben grinning to\nhimself and made his way to the property. \"What will become of the bonus?\"\nRoland asked curiously. \"You will get it tomorrow.\" he answered quickly and waved at him briefly without\nlooking at him. \"Now I show\nTim the real way to calm down.\" he muttered to himself, and disappeared behind the hedge of the garden.\"Everything seems to be here.\" said Aaros\nleft and turned\nto his students. \"Honestly,\nI was thoroughly convinced of it, you'd be late.\"\nhe began thoughtfully and looked at him with his dull eyes. \"But you've\ngot me once again proved wrong.\"\nhe added praise. Roland\nsmiled slightly embarrassed and threw his joyful\nlook to Kyndle which\nsatisfied cooing came\nup to him and pressed her head against his chest. With closed eyes he hugged\nhis dragoness and held her tight. \"Without you I would not make it.\" he whispered to her. Aaros bit back his smile and laid his hand on Roland's shoulder. \"Now\nlook that you eat something and\nget a good night's sleep.\" he told him with serious voice. \"Tomorrow will\nsurely be long.\" he added,\nand walked back to the barracks. Roland saw his dragoness demanding in\nthe eyes. \"Who's first?\"\nhe asked her and ran off also equal. Kyndle gave a surprised\n\"Meep\" of herself and immediately took to the\npersecution.......\nNight fell and Roland\nhad some trouble to find his\nsleep. Too nervous and tense\nhe was due\nthe following day. Thoughtfully, he\nstared up at the ceiling, thinking about it, what awaited him the next morning. Not even Kyndles soft\npurr at his side was\nable to raise his fatigue.\nHolding her in his arms he lay awake therefore\nmost of the night. Until finally the first\nrays of sun were to be seen on\nthe horizon.The warm glow of the sun hit on Kyndles\nnose and tickled her\ngently from her sleep. Quiet\ncooing she opened her eyes and was surprised to find that she was in bed\nalone. Slightly nervous\nsniffed around and crawled out from under the blanket. The door to the small\npatio out was\nhalf open and had a warm puff of air fell into the room. With her head she pushed\nthe door open further and saw\nher partner. Roland was half dressed on the\nrailing and leaned his arms on it, while his\neyes flew thoughtful over the garden of the property.The female placed her forelegs on the\nrailing and rubbed her head\ngently to Roland.\nHe felt her velvet scales on his face and\nfelt her soft purr. Smiling, he stroked with\nan arm round under her head\nand pressed her a\nlittle more to him. \"Morning.\"\nhe said softly, rubbing his hand over her cheek. She closed her eyes\nand gave a contented \"Chirp\" of herself.Lifted his eyes again,\nhe looked to the barracks. Aaros and\nTorben were already on the training ground. \"Here we\ngo.\" Roland said, and went back\ninto the room. Kyndle threw her gaze once\nto the barracks and\nfollowed Roland shortly thereafter\nwith an awakened \"Meep\"\ninto it.Arrived at the\ntraining ground waved Roland\nyawning to his teachers. \"Watch out that you\nnot swallow a fly.\" Torben greeted him with a big grin on his face. Roland closed\nat his remark with a smile\nthe eyes and nodded once silent. Kyndle snorted\nheavily in Torben's\ndirection and gave a welcoming treatment \"Churr\"\nof what conjured\nhim a weak smile in\nthe face. \"Come, I have\nsomething for you.\" Torben\nspoke loudly and waved Roland to the table with\nthe training weapons. Surprised, he walked to\nthe table, and also Kyndle was curious and looked\nat the plate in detail. On the table lay a longer article which was covered by a thin\nblanket. With a raised eyebrow, he looked at his teacher. Torben\nbegan to smile and reached for the\nblanket. \"Since you helped me yesterday to win the bet.\" he paused and cleared his throat again. \"I mean, you've managed to come back before sunset. Here is your bonus.\" With these words he\ndrew the cover of the article and for revealing\na longbow.Surprised stared Roland at the masterfully\ncrafted ranged weapon. \"Go on.\" said Torben to him, looked confident\nand held out an\narrow. Roland reached hesitantly after the arch and ran once with the hand over the material. He was compared to his other arches\nvery easily. Partly he pulled the string and\nfound that it had a strong\ntension.\"I used it in former times.\"\nTorben started and\nlooked at the bow. \"He\nwas made of dragon\nbones and the bowstring also has a draconic\norigin.\" A faint smile grew on his face.\n\"What this thing gives one hell of a shock\nwhen stretched him\nto the limit.\" He said. \"But\nmake yourself a picture\nof it.h He added, handing him the\narrow.Roland took the bullet\nfrom his teacher and put it to the tendon. Targeted\nthe straw person, who was suspended from a wooden\nstake, he raised the bow and began to tighten. He\nwas surprised that this weapon needed\nconsiderably more force for clamping. This\nkept him but not to target him\nquietly from his\ngoal. Next he pulled the arrow until the tip arrived\nback at his fingers. Together with his slow exhalation\nbroke his fingers and released the arrow. With\ntremendous speed the bullet sped hissing at the straw figure.With a loud crack, the arrow pierced the doll's head and broke the tip of the wooden timber with. Amazed\nraised his eyebrows, he looked at the figure, which\ncollapsed headless. \"Wow.\" he gave of himself quietly. Kyndle\ngave a loud \"Meep\" of herself and made a little leap of joy. \"That's right!\" said Torben praise\nand hit him with his hand on his back.Roland looked at the bone bow and threw\nTorben then a\nslightly skeptical look. \"And you want to\ngive it to me?\" he asked. \"Of course. You anyway have a better hand\nfor that than me.\" he said and winked at him again.\"Since this is now resolved, we can now focus on the important\nthings.\" said Aaros seriously and put a heavy\nbackpack on the table. \"Your\nnext task is Ansems house in the Whisperwood.\" he began. \"Where exactly it will be, I can not tell you. You will have to find out for yourself. Presumably you can get some help from\nsomeone in Ascom.\" \"Ascom? Ok.\" replied\nRoland confident. \"Well, it's all in here.\" Aaros\nbegan again and\nhanded him the full backpack. \"I say\nit out immediately and directly.\nAnsem is crazy, which slightly complicates the matter with the medium.\" Roland looked at him confused. \"And what\ndo I have to do then?\" He\nasked. \"For that you've got the carrots and\nthe onion worried.\" stated\nAaros and cast his gaze briefly to the side.\n\"At least it had worked for me so.\" \"And how does it work?\" Roland\nwanted to know. Aaros\nsmiled at him and saw him with his dull\nlook in his eyes. \"That you will soon find out for yourself.\" He replied with a smile. \"And\nwhy should he be crazy?\" probed by Roland.Aaros breathed again\nand looked thoughtfully up at the sky. \"Ansem was the archmage in the\nguild of the three towers.\" He\nbegan. \"He had a powerful access and\nenjoyed throughout the country a\ngood reputation. He spent most of\nhis lifetime with traveling to\nunlock the secrets of the country.\nThe rumors by his\ngreed drove him to the knowledge\nitself beyond the boundaries of the mortal world. It\nwas said that he had done it to enter the Dragon`s\nDogma, where he\nmet the Cronicler. He asked the\nGuardian of Time for access to the\nomniscient library. But his mortal mind\ncould not cope with this storm of knowledge and so he became\ninsane. \"\"And now an insane man will create my medium?\" Roland asked skeptically. \"If you formulate it\nso? Yes!\" replied Aaros left. With these\nwords in mind, he threw the heavy backpack over his shoulder and peered at his female dragon.\n\"Next stop is Ascom then.\"\nhe spoke to her. Kyndle\nlifted her head slightly and gave with half-closed\neyes an affirmative \"Churr\" by herself.......\nThe sun beat down from a cloudless sky and distributed its scorching\nrays of the country. Beads of\nsweat ran from Roland's forehead as\nhe after the long journey with the horse,  before the first houses of Ascom stood. \"Phuu!\"\nHe sighed hard.\nHis female dragon landed elegant next to him and looked at him peacefully cooing. Slowly he moved\nhis mount to the stables. Housed the horse he\nmade the first steps on the main\nroad through the town.Ascom was originally a workers' village, which\nwas founded by loggers in the Whisperwood and\nthe quarries of the Kaladrosmountains. But when a vein of gold was\ndiscovered in the mountains was\nthe small settlement also influential merchants, after\nwhich there was an explosive\ngrowth. Now the city is thriving\nwith the distribution of finely worked\ngold jewelry and is\nused by many traders as a safe\nstop.Roland stood outside\nan inn and looked thoughtfully\nup at the sign hanging above the entrance. \"Gold\nRush\" was incorporated in golden letters. \"Let's try it here.\" Roland said\nto his female dragon and looked\nat her with confidence. Quiet\ncooing she made a nodding gesture and\nclosed her eyes. He\nsmiled warmly and moved more quickly her\nscarf around her neck cope. Then he entered\nthe restaurant, followed by his draconic partner. The interior of the inn was decorated with long blue cloth, which\nwere placed in large curves hanging on the\nwalls. On each side of the room\nburned a large fire in an ornate marble\nfireplace. Roland let his gaze wander\nover the distributed tables. A low noise\nlevel prevailed in the air, but\nthis ceased suddenly\nemerged as Kyndle walked in. Skeptical threw the\nguests their astonished\neyes to her. All were\nwhispering about the striking\ncolor of the female dragon scales. Roland looked\nsurprised at the\nmany faces and swallowed once\nempty. Breathed fresh\ncourage he walked to the counter where he was immediately stared at by a grumpy-looking man.\nKyndle followed him hesitantly, looking back and forth slightly\nnervous.\"I need some information.\"\nRoland said seriously. \"We all need something.\" replied the man. He\nraised both eyebrows at the sharp response from the host. \"Have a drink or piss off.\" added the barman slightly angry. \"And\ntake this there with you.\" he added, pointing provocatively on the orange-red-dragon. Kyndle\nsaw the man on very\nsuspiciously and snorted\ncondescending in his direction. Roland drew angry\nthe eyebrows together and clenched\nhis left hand into a fist. \"That there?!\" he repeated the words of\nthe host. Kyndle showed her teeth and growled softly.\"Heyhey! No stress!\" A strange man came in between. \"We do not do\nsomething that we may be will regret. Right?\" Somewhat\nnervously looked this\nto the bartender. \"And to be quite honest. With the two I would not want to create.\" he said, pointing to Roland\nand Kyndle. The host frowned grumpy\nhis face and gave an indifferent \"Hmph!\" by himself. With a shrug, he\nturned and disappeared into the back\nroom. \"You must excuse him.\"\nsaid the stranger. \"He does not like dragons. So\nyou need some info?\" he\nasked and led Roland to a nearby table.Roland breathed once\nand loosened his hand before he stroked his\ndragoness reassured over the forehead. He then threw the mediator\nto a puzzled look.\n\"You could say it.\" he said and sat down\nnext to him at the table. \"I\nam Roland by the way, and that is\nKyndle.\" he added, stroking his female dragon on\nthe neck. Quiet cooing\nshe closed her eyes\nand gave a quick \"Churr\"\nby herself.\"Nice to meet you. I'm Walter.\" the man replied with a grin on his face. \"So what\nkind of information do you need?\"\nRoland leaned his\nelbows on the table and kept his\nhands together. \"I am looking for a man\nnamed Ansem.\" he began, lowering his hands. \"He shall live\nin the Whisperwood around here.\"\nhe added. Walters eyes flicked quickly when\nhe heard the name of the forest.\"A Ansem I\ndo not know, but there is a man\nwho lives in the Whisperwood.\"\nsaid Walter. \"Really?!\"\nhooked by Roland.\n\"Yes, that's an older guy. He comes two to\nthree times a year in here and babbles\nsomething of guards, magic and soup.\" said Walter and rotated with his hands. Surprised Roland raised\nhis eyebrows. \"This\nsounds like the man I am looking for.\"\nhe said and nodded.\"What do you and your pet want from him?\" Walter asked curiously. Kyndle threw the man at the\nword pet a slightly annoyed look and snorted\nonce strong. Roland\nalso took a deep breath. \"She is not a pet.\" he replied gravely. \"No?\"\ninquired Walter after. \"No. She is my partner.\"\nRoland said. Kyndle leaned her\nhead on his shoulder as he expressed it, and began\nto purr softly. Walters view more abruptly\na scowl. \"Get\nout of here!\" he cursed and stood up abruptly, which earned him\nthe attention of the other guests.\nRoland and Kyndle saw the man in surprise. \"Did you not hear you freak. Pack your miscarriage\nand piss of!\" he said angrily, pointing to the exit. Roland stood up and looked\nat him angrily. \"Be careful\nwhat you ....\" He broke off his threat\nwhen he noticed how all the other guests were also stood up and looked\ngloomily in his direction.Kyndle showed her\nteeth and hissed with slit pupils at\nthe many faces. Roland kept reassuring his\nopen hand into view, which left her mute low growl. A little confused, she looked at her partner. Roland looked seriously\nat the many angry\npeople. Some were\nnot afraid to express their opinion.\n\"It's against nature! What a freak! Go to\nhell! Something like you, we\nneed not here!\" they scolded by another.Roland glanced to\nKyndle. He noticed a slight tear in her\neyes and her view slowly lowered\nitself to the ground. With closed eyes\nRoland took a deep breath and held his hand on\nthe edge of the female dragon. \"We're done\nhere.\" he said tense and led Kyndle\nto the exit. Suspicious, they all watched until\nthey were under the door frame. \"A second Hector, how stupid!\" echoed Walter's\nvoice in his back. Roland stopped during\nKyndle with downcast eyes went outside. Standing upright, he\nstared at him and clenched his right fist. A faint\nblue glow came back\nof his hand and he felt a faint\nthrobbing in his arm. \"Do us a favor and finally fuck off!\" Walter swore again\nand pointed to the door.Kyndle put some\ndistance between himself and this\nunfriendly tavern. Dejected, she sat down under a tree and\nlooked up at the inn. A loud bang was heard and\na thick cloud of dust came out of the door. Roland\ncame with slow\nsteps from the thick cloud\nand wiped his hands.\nSomething exhausted, he stopped in front of his sitting dragoness and took\na deep breath. \"Assholes.\" he thought to himself,\nand threw Kyndle a warm look. Quiet cooing\nshe looked up at him and closed her eyes half. \"Can we?\" he asked, jerking his head toward the\nwoods. She gave a slow nod of silent and stood up.Roland stood in front of the first trees of the\nWhisperwood and threw a tired\nlook to the high sun. The hand\nheld between the\nfiery rays and his face, he breathed out heavily. The\nbackpack rightly drawn he looked to his female\ndragon, which depressed easily trotted after\nhim.He felt a sinking\nfeeling in his stomach. \"That'll\nbe fun.\" he thought sarcastic to himself and dropped his gaze to\nthe ground. Unsure he entered with Kyndle the Whisperwood.\nThe condescending comments from Ascom\nin mind he took a step after the other between the trees, in search of an insane mage and a\ndowncast female dragon\nin tow.","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/747630-five-dragons-tlop-chapter-7-magic-for-beginners.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/832217-five-dragons-tlop-chapter-9-shadows-on-the-horizon.json"}