{"sf1_id":858788,"sf2_id":null,"title":"Rakurá Chronicles- The Flames of Life","author":"Cheetahs","words":7992,"posted_at":"2015-05-09T19:04:00.000Z","tags":["Action","Adventure","Character Development","Clean","Dragon","Dragoness","Fantasy","Female","Feral","Fighting","Friendship","Love","M/F","Magic","Male","Nature","No-Yiff","Non-anthro","Paws","Plot Development","Romance","Tail","affection","wings"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/858788-rakura-chronicles-the-flames-of-life","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/view/858788","image_url":"https://www.sofurryfiles.com/std/thumb?page=858788\u0026ext=.jpg","description":"Justice dawns on the world of men as the Rakura, protectors of nature and defenders of life pour down to cleanse Earth of its pollution and vices.","content":"\nI am open for COMMISSIONS!\nIf you want your own, personalized story, Click here \nSupport me on Patreon for novel chapters, snippets, short stories, and more\nawesome content+art! You get all the stories before everyone else does, plus\nvarious Patreon exclusive content that you can only get by supporting me.\nI'm also a published author! You can\ncheck out my published works by following this link. \n===\nVharyias and Qyr feel uneasy knowing their hatchlings might\nnot be completely safe if humans ever discovered a way to travel between words.\nBy calling upon the aid of his old friend and trusted companion, Vharyias flies\ninto the heart of the Rakuryian civilization to pledges his cause on the boughs\nof The World Tree in front of the Great Council. An early incursion seems a\nmuch better alternative to all-out warfare, and Vharyias leads his team of\ndragons to cleanse one of the largest human cities. Threatened by their\nsuperior technology and stranded on their bizarre world, Vharyias must find a\nway to seize advantage. Will the dragons manage to purge the taint of\ncorruption in this last chapter of the Rakura Chronicles? Read and find out!And, as always, please don't forget to:\nFav\nif you read it\nVote\nif you liked it\nComment\nif you're feeling awesome***\nNature always had a way of calming the body and soothing the\nsoul. More so for those who had a deeper connection to the living beings that\nsurrounded them.\nThose like Vharyias. The emerald dragon breathed in the\ncrisp air of the night and stretched his neck forth. Particles of cold water\nsprinkled his snout, coating his scales in a thin sheen that reflected the\nlight of the full moon. \nVharyias stared at its round, bright shape. It looked almost\nlike the moon from Earth, only slightly bigger and more radiant. During full\nmoon, the night shared more similarities with the morning. Every creature could\ndiscern basic colors and see farther than a few meters in front of them. \nFor Vharyias, darkness had never been an issue. His eyes\nwere well adapted to the brightness of the high skies as well as the blackness\nof the deep reaches of the earth. He never appreciated the sky so much when he\nwas a human. His dulled senses had troubles comprehending what was out of his arms'\nreach. Back then, Vharyias occupied himself with all manner of activities to\njust take his mind off flying. He knew what he was at his core, and every time\nhe saw a bird taking flight, his heart yearned for the freedom of the skies.\nNot any longer. Vharyias turned his head around. His mate\nhad her chin propped on a rock, eyes closed, wings twitching every so often.\nShe looked so amusing when she did that. Vharyias inched his snout closer to\nher neck, intent on breathing her water soaked scent.\n\"Don't.\"\nHe stopped. \nQyr opened a vermilion eye. Vharyias thought she wanted\nsomething until one of her wings pressed against his back.\n\"Oh, so that's how it works,\" he smiled warmly. \"You can put\nyour wing over me, but I can't have the courtesy of licking the water off your\nscales.\"\n\"You did that since sunset,\" Qyr said and shifted her eyes\nto watch her mate. \"How interesting can a few drops of water be?\"\n\"It's not the water I want,\" Vharyias approached.\n\"Then what?\"\n\"You,\" Vharyias curled the tip of his tail around Qyr's. She\ndidn't object nearly as much as she did when he approached her neck.\n\"We mated a dozen times each day, Vharyi. I deserve a\nlittle-\"\n\"Who said anything about mating?\" Vharyias interrupted.\nQyr blinked, then let out a confused growl.  \nVharyias nuzzled along her neck, licking when he reached her\nwater soaked jaw. \"I only want to love you, nothing more.\"\nQyr closed her eyes, allowing Vharyias to lick wherever he\nwanted. The male was ecstatic to be allowed such privilege. He cleaned her head\nthoroughly, licking between her curving horns and along the hard plates rising\nbetween her eyes.\n\"Done?\"\n\"Almost,\" Vharyias nuzzled around her flaring nostrils. He\nsneaked his tongue inside her maw, took a quick taste, then snuggled closer to\nher. \"Now I'm done.\"\n Qyr tried to remain\nserious, but she couldn't maintain her stoic pose for long. Vharyias felt the\nvibrations along her scales. He pressed his wing under hers, massaging her join\nwith slow, soothing strokes. That made his mate hum and growl softly until her\ntail lashed out. It shot past Vharyias' front paws, then pushed him hard\nagainst Qyr's warm body.\n\"You are infuriatingly lovely, did you know that?\" she said\nwith a quick lick along his brow.\nVharyias closed his eyes, basking in the warm waves of\naffection flooding his body. \"I only do what any male would for his mate.\"\n\"You do more, Vharyias. That's why I love you so much.\"\nThey nuzzled, rubbed, and licked each other while the rapids\nflowed around their cuddling forms. The rocks below felt wonderful to their\nclawed paws. Vharyias dug between them every so often, picking the bigger ones\nand offering them to Qyr. She liked building small dams and playing with the\ncourse of the water during these baths.  \nVharyias assisted her, watching with interest how she placed\nthe stones in an uneven circle. \n\"What do you think?\"\nVharyias moved his head around. \"I don't know. Would help to\nknow what I'm looking at.\"\nPoor choice of words. A weight crashed just behind his head,\nthen sent his snout straight into the water. Coldness seeped into his sensitive\nnostrils, itching fiercely. Vharyias gurgled and flapped his wings with\ndesperation. It barely did something against the dragoness' resilient grip.\nVharyias lashed with his tail and paws, grabbing on whatever\nhe could. Qyr didn't relent. She allowed his claws to slide harmlessly along\nher scales while her strong paw kept his head submerged. \n\"Grrawrrrr!\" Vharyias burst out of the water, shaking the\npesky liquid with vigorous jerks of his neck.\n\"It was a nest, my dear mate. Care to share your thoughts\nnow?\" Qyr hissed.\n\"Y-yes. It's...exquisite,\" Vharyias said as he slid his tongue\nover hi dripping lips. \n\"Big enough for three hatchlings, I'd say. Unless you give\nme more,\" Qyr nuzzled into his shivering neck. \nIt was somewhat odd how she switched from vengeful to loving\nso quickly, but Vharyias did not question her reactions. A tongue felt much\nbetter than water when it slid inside his nostrils, and he was just happy to\nhave this version of Qyr caring for him.\n\"How many do you think we'll have?\" she asked soothingly,\nrubbing her head on Vharyias' neck until she laid her head on the precious\nnest.\n\"As many as your womb allows,\" Vharyias laid his head on top\nof her, watching the spectacle unfolding before him. The crashing sound of the\nwaterfall felt so soothing. So calm.\n\"Five then,\" Qyr growled happily.\n\"A bit more than we can handle, isn't it?\"\n\"They'll be quite small, Vharyias. We had bigger clutches\nbefore we were separated.\"\nVharyias knew what she meant. He pressed his jaws shut,\nkeeping that particular question concealed until a better one crossed his mind.\n\"Males or females?\"\n\"You know I don't care,\" Qyr tugged his tail gently. \"What\nabout you?\"\n\"More females,\" Vharyias answered. \"I want every one of them\nto share their mother's scales, her paws, well curved horns, and especially her\ntemper.\"\n\"I don't have a temper!\" Qyr hissed.\n\"You don't?\" Vharyias challenged with a growl. \"So dipping my\nsnout into the water was what. A playful attempt?\"\n\"Love,\" Qyr said. \n\"I am sorry to disappoint, but it felt a bit more frigid\nthan your touch.\"\n\"That is exactly the point, my mate,\" Qyr flapped her wings,\nallowing a bit of air to wash the heat away. \"The cold amplified the warmth I\noffered.\"\n\"I won't argue with your logic,\" Vharyias tucked his wings.\n\"You can try,\" Qyr said smugly.\nThe two remained silent, enjoying the song of the\nsurrounding nature. Vharyias thought about their hatchlings. What features they\nhad, what colors, and what personalities. He felt warm and fulfilled whenever\nhe imagined them jumping around him or snuggling under his wings to rest. It\nfelt so good to be a dragon again. StarShard offered safety and bounty compared\nto Earth.\nEarth...the mere thought of that place sent a cold shiver up\nVharyias' spine. Nature no longer ruled that place. Its air was thick with noxious\nfumes, its forests cut and withered, and animals suffered and died with each\npassing day. Vharyias felt their suffering and anguish as his own. As a human,\nhe could bear the pain, but as a dragon the situation was a bit more different.\nHis connection with nature amplified several times. There was no telling how\npotent that emptiness would get if he returned.\nVharyias shook his head, dispersing the dark thought with a\ngrowl.\n\"What troubles you?\"\n\"Nothing,\" he pressed against Qyr's neck. \"Just rest, my love.\"\n\"I was resting until I felt your scales tremble.\"\n\"It's the cold. Nothing else.\"\nUnfortunately for him, Qyr was quite adept at catching lies.\nShe rolled on her side and pushed all her paws, sending Vharyias splashing into\nthe shallow waters of the river. He flapped his wings and kicked his legs to\nget up. No use. Qyr was upon him in an instant. Her paws subdued his, and her\ntail slammed Vharyias' into the ground.\n\"You can tell me willingly, or I can force it out of your\nmaw.\"\n\"Why should I burden you with my problems, my mate?\"\n\"Because we are mates! We\nshare everything!\" Qyr growled in his face.                                                               \nVharyias closed his eyes. \"Everything that has worth, yes.\nPain should be kept out of that.\"\nQyr's lips pulled up, revealing her pristine fangs. Saliva\ndribbled down their sharp edges, latching onto Vharyias' emerald scales. \n\"Your seed took roots. I have a part of you already inside\nme, Vharyias. One thing I do not want from the father of my hatchlings is to\nface his problems alone.\"\nShe dashed a quick lick along his snout. \"We are a pair. Let\nus solve our issues like one.\"\nVharyias latched his paws around her head and pulled her\nsnout right into his neck. A long growl escaped his throat as he assaulted her\nwith a frenzy of licks. Qyr's jaws trembled softly, nibbling on the scales of\nhis neck. Vharyias melted into the waves of affection. With his mate pressed\ntight against his belly, he felt loved and cared for. He grabbed her hungrily\nand hugged her with everything he had, letting out his passion through a soft\nroar. Qyr responded in kind and slapped the water with her wings. Her tongue\ndanced all over Vharyias' neck, sliding lower until it met the cold water's\nsurface.\nOnce their affection was spent, the two retreated on the\nstony shore. Qyr lifted a wing, making her desire known through a gentle growl.\nVharyias wasted no time in cleaning the water off her\ndripping scales. He started with her neck, followed along her wings, then descended\nher muscular legs until he met her fingers. \n\"What was troubling you, Vharyi?\"\nVharyias remained silent, allowing only the quick slurps of\nhis tongue to fill the silence besides the flowing water. He pushed his snout\nunder her forepaw, curled his tongue around her fingers, and traced the claws\nall the way to their sharp tips.\n\"Earth,\" he said, looking into Qyr's eyes. \"I remembered how\nit was to live as a human in that... place. That...\" \n\"Wasteland,\" Qyr continued. \nVharyias dipped his head in acknowledgement. \"It's a dead\nworld, Qyr. The humans bent the rules, and everything suffered from their\ncarelessness.\"\n\"I know,\" Qyr looked towards the moon. \"I've been there only\nonce, and I'm afraid to step into that world again. If your life had not been\nat stake, I wouldn't have been strong enough to endure all the pain and the\nsuffering of the tormented land.\"\n\"We're safe now,\" Vharyias resumed his grooming duties,\nlicking along her belly. \"That is all that matters.\"\nQyr shifted on her side, paws held aloft to allow her mate\nenough space to maneuver. \"We are. But what about our hatchlings? Will they be\nsafe too?\"\nVharyias thought about that while he licked along the digits\nof a hind paw. \"We'll leave StarShard, and build our nest in the forests of a\ncore world.\"\n\"And if the humans follow?\" Qyr asked.\nVharyias shook his head. \"They cannot travel between worlds\nlike us. Earth was already hard to find. It took ages for even the wisest of\nour kin to find it.\"\n\"The humans are cruel and cunning. They will find a way to\ncross through the portal. It's still there, Vharyi. Still in the valley where\nthey chased me.\"\n\"It's been closed. You told me Arjirr shut it down.\"\n\"Only temporarily,\" Qyr pawed at his chest, allowing her\nclaws to slide down his glimmering hide. \"If humans found ways to destroy their\nown world, they can also find ways to breach the fabric between worlds.\"\nVharyias pushed her paw away and settled next to her. \"What\ndo you suggest, my mate?\"\nShe looked around, then settled her eyes on Vharyias. \n\"Fleeing is a temporary solution. If we want the human threat\nto perish, we have to deal with them in their own world.\"\n\"Through means of invasion?\" Vharyias growled.\n\"No. Not an invasion. That sounds too harsh even for me,\"\nQyr licked his snout once and placed a paw on top of his. \"Think of it as a\ncleansing. We return life to their dead world, Vharyi. Through us, they will\nlearn how to live instead of destroying everything.\"\nVharyias had a lot to think that night. As an offensive\nGuardian, Qyr had a straightforward manner to deal with threats. She cleansed\ncorruption before it took hold. That worked well with demons and creatures of\npure darkness, but humans were living beings too, in their own, twisted way.\nRakura respected life. They could not discriminate or punish an entire species\nbased on their judgement alone. \nNo. The cleansing of an entire world had to be made known to\nthe high council of the Elder Worlds. Vharyias had to go into the heart of the\nRakuryian civilization, sit upon the great boughs of the Nevah, and explain his\nmatter before the wisest and oldest of beings. \nYet talking was one thing. If he wanted to convince tens of\nother souls of his plight, Vharyias needed allies. He talked almost all night\nwith Qyr, sharing thoughts and possibilities. By morning, they both agreed they\nneeded a Rakur that had an even deeper connection to life. A Lord of Life whose\nflame was so pure, it could wipe out the thickest of corruptions.\nThey needed Rykaran. \nSo when the sun blazed in the sky, the two dragons made\ntheir way towards one of the many portals spread throughout StarShard. Rykaran\nmade his nest in one of the jungle worlds. Warm climate meant a greater\ndiversity of life, and that in turn pointed at one of the core worlds. \nVharyias and Qyr traveled for days, exchanging portals and\nstepping on the grounds of tens of other worlds until they found Rykaran's\nhome. It was a verdant place, with trees as high as mountains and leaves broad\nlike dragon wings. \n\"Where should we start?\" Qyr asked, tail swishing eagerly.\n\"Spread your senses,\" Vharyias said. \"Feel the life of this\nworld seep into you.\"\n\"All I can feel is heat, scented air and the warmth of the\nsun upon my scales.\"\n\"Then allow me to lead, my mate.\"\nQyr bowed her head in acknowledgement, only to bite on\nVharyias' tail once he prepared to take to the air. He yelped and jumped higher\nthan intended, wings flapping with distress.\n\"You little trickster!\"\n\"Fly quick, else that tail will find its way inside my maw\nagain!\" \nVharyias did just that. He soared above the thick canopies\nof the lush trees and opened himself to the surrounding life. He felt the\npulses of the animals and vegetation alike, all thrumming in a warm, perfect\nbalance. Vharyias allowed the heat of life to fill him. He surrendered his\nsenses to its soothing touch until he felt every individual creature. He\nfocused on the animals. Then, he turned his attention to predators, and\nisolated his own race from the rest. \nLittle flames spread around him like raindrops on a sunny\nday. There were a lot more dragons on this world than his eyes or ears could\nperceive. Vharyias searched for the brightest flame. He opened his eyes,\ngrowled, and pointed a paw towards the sun.\n\"There.\"\n\"You found him?\" Qyr appeared at his side.\n\"That's what we are about to see,\" Vharyias pushed his wings\nand darted forward. \nAt least half a day of flying stretched before him, and he\nplanned no breaks. The sun set on the horizon, streaking the sky with crimson\nveils. Vharyias dived towards the ground. He passed through the red leaves of\nthe trees and slid between their branches until his numb paws found the ground\nunder them.\nAnother thump followed. Qyr folded her golden wings at her\nsides and brushed against her mate. Vharyias said nothing, He looked around,\nsniffed the air, then roared. Two other roars answered him, one stronger than\nthe other.\nVharyias smiled and settled on the ground. Sure enough,\nRykaran appeared from the thick leaves above. And he was not alone. Another\ndragon followed him. A female, judging by her softer fragrance.\nVharyias and Qyr got up and greeted the two with neck rubs\nand touches of their wings, as was the custom between friends. \n\"Vharyias and Qyr. I can't say this visit comes as\nexpected,\" Rykaran dipped is head in respect. \"What brings you two to my nest?\"\n\n\"Earth,\" Vharyias said. \"And the means to cleanse it.\"\nRykaran's wings fluttered. He looked at the violet\ndragoness, then pointed his snout towards the sky. \"A heavy topic. Lets talk\nabout this in my nest. The travel made you weary, and you will find my perch\nmost accommodating.\"\nVharyias and Qyr followed him all the way up. Rykaran built\nhis nest on the fringes of the high canopies, where the vegetation was scarcer\nand the sky wide open. Qyr retreated with the violet female to a lower branch,\nplaying and talking about future offspring while the males perched on a thin\nbranch. Their sleek, serpentine constitution and lighter weight allowed them\nperfect balance upon anything smaller than their bulk.\nVharyias tightened his grip on the hard wood below his paws\nand looked towards the setting sun. \n\"It's a beautiful home you chose, Rykaran.\"\nRykaran scratched his left wing with the tip of his black\nscaled snout, then looked at Vharyias, pupils tightening as light entered his\neyes. \"Every world is beautiful in its own way.\"\n\"Not Earth,\" Vharyias growled. \"That world lost its allure\nwhen humans first turned their blades upon the forest and cut it for their own\npurposes.\"\n\"That they did. Even so, it is not beyond our reach,\"\nRykaran said. \"Humans are misguided. Left to their own devices, they turn to\nplunder and destroy to sate their greed.\"\n\"And if we nudge them in the right direction?\" Vharyias\nasked.\n\"They might just learn,\" Rykaran flapped his broad wings\nonce. \"I have thought about a cleansing the first time I visited Earth.\"\n\"What stopped you?\" \nThe red dragon waited a bit before answering. \"I don't know.\nIt could have been fear, or disgust towards the lives took by the humans.\"\n\"I felt the same thing,\" Vharyias pressed his jaws, fighting\nhis urge to snarl. \"Even as a human, I was appalled by how selfish and\ninconsiderate they are with everything. They cheat, beat and kill their own\nspecies over nothing!\"\n\"I know,\" Rykaran said. \"That is why it falls to us to teach\nthem the value of life, Vharyias. No hatchling learns to fly on his own.\"\n\"Then we'll help them,\" Vharyias growled with determination.\n\"Where do we start?\"\n\"The high council. Even with my help, the four of us cannot\nstand against an entire race,\" Rykaran wrapped his tail around himself and\nlicked around the tip.  \n\"Agreed,\" Vharyias stood up. \"When do we fly?\"\n\"As soon as possible.\"\nVharyias returned to the nest along with Rykaran, where the\nfemales offered them a warm welcome. They wanted to play and rest a bit more,\nyet the weight of the task pressed hard upon the wielders of the flame of life.\nRykaran and Vharyias kindly declined their playful requests and told them about\nthe decision to visit the Nevah. \nThe females were overjoyed. None of them had the pleasure of\nvisiting the capital world until now. The group rallied behind Rykaran, each\ndragon growling their agreement. Once they were ready, they flew into the high\nskies and sailed upon the warm winds. Portal after portal they changed. They\nstepped onto fluorescent grass, flew across arid and fertile lands alike, and\nsoared above mountains until they reached the final portal.\nOnce they entered, they traveled through the veil of the\nworlds and stepped onto the fertile soil of the capital world of their great\nrace. The ground itself teemed with life. Insects whirled all around them,\nlanding onto grasses and plants that were almost as tall as them. \n\"This is not something you see every day,\" Vharyias pushed\nhis snout into a flower. It turned away, petals clutched in a protective shield\naround the sensitive center.\n\"Indeed. We can explore after our task is done,\" Rykaran\nsaid.\n\"Can't we stop for a bit? We've been flying ceaselessly\nsince morning.\"\n\"The sun is still above us, Qyr,\" Rykaran growled with\namusement.\n\"Only on this world,\" she lifted her tail, admiring a small\nbird that just perched on her shiny tip.\n\"I agree with her, Rykaran. My wings do ache a fair bit, and\nmy paws feel numb. Let us pause and rest.\" Lelyana rubbed enticingly around her\nmate.\nRykaran sighed and turned his head towards the great shadow\nrising in the distance. \"We're so close to the Nevah. Endure a bit more, and we\nwill rest upon the branches of the World Tree itself.\"\nNone of the dragons was too pleased with that decision. None\naside from Vharyias. He flew ahead with Rykaran. As life Wardens, they both\nunderstood the pain suffered by the denizens of Earth on a deeper level. The\nhelplessness that came along with it was even worse, and they wanted to use\ntheir powers to heal the world back to its natural state as soon as possible.\nThe dragons flapped their wings, glimmering like flames in\nthe skies. Others joined them, flying around, greeting with a growl or a touch,\nor simply traveling in the same direction. Vharyias joined them, as did the\nrest of his group. They performed loops and aerial acrobatics, delighting in\nthe warm breeze of the carrying winds.\nIt all stopped when they approached the Nevah. One by one,\nthe dragons descended. There was a ritual each had to pass before flying onto\nthe sacred branches of the World Tree. \nVharyias landed with a short growl and looked upon the\nliving dragons rising ahead of him. They were at least ten times larger than\nhim and several times more impressive. Vines and flowers mated in a continuous\npattern that gave shape to the two dragons. One symbolized life. The flowers\nwere all bearing different shades of red, like the blood that gave life to many\nof the living creatures that walked the earth. Its mate had only the purity of\nwhite woven around its exquisite form. The flowers that blossomed symbolized\ntranquility and peace, a lasting rest compared to the frenzy of life.\n\"The Gate of Eternity stood here for Eons. Pass, and we will\nbe granted permission to fly towards the higher reaches of the Nevah.\"\nThe dragons bowed their heads at Rykaran's words and\nfollowed him one by one.\nVharyias walked slowly as he passed beneath the paws of the\ngreat dragons. He looked around, admiring the intricate shapes of the vines\nuntil he emerged into one of the most beautiful corridors he ever encountered.\nPlants of all shapes and sizes grew around the vibrant corridor, filling the\nair with a plethora of alluring scents. \n\"The Garden of Life offers a brief sample of the life\ngrowing on our other worlds.\"\n\"There are so many of them,\" Vharyias said, resisting the\ntemptation to touch the frail looking plants. \n\"As many as scales on a dragon, Vharyias. Come. There is\nmore yet to see,\" Rykaran walked forward, tail swishing behind him.\nVharyias followed him in complete silence. He was too\ndistracted by the burst of life to think of a reply. He saw bushes, berries,\nfruit bearing trees and insect eating plants. Everywhere he looked, there was a\nspecies he never encountered during the length of his generous life.\nWith glee and excitement, the group made their way across\nthe blooming garden until the arches of two trees led them towards one of the\ngiant roots of the World Tree. It deserved its name. Its roots alone stood as\nbig as a hill. The trunk was thicker than a mountain and stretched farther than\nthe eyes could see. Not that its shape was visible. The thick branches were\nleaden with leaves bigger than a grown up dragon.\nVharyias breathlessly watched the immense canopy of the\nNevah, then turned his eyes towards the ground. While few dragons perched on\nthe branches above, many made their homes along the roots. Living alcoves were\nbuilt on top or around the brown roots of the Nevah, offering shelter for the\ncreatures resting inside. Vharyias saw dragons, along with gryphons, flying\nserpents, phoenixes and all manner of other denizens. Each had its shelter\nbuilt from the curving branches of a tree, vines or wild flowers, depending on\ntheir preferences. \n\"This is beyond what words can express,\" Vharyias growled\nsoftly.\n\"Don't talk. Look,\" Qyr said.\n\"Feel,\" Rykaran added. \"There is no greater serenity than\nthe shadow of the Great Tree.\"\nVharyias agreed with a dip of his head and followed Rykaran\ntowards an alcove. A phoenix emerged from the twisting shelter of vines. It had\nemerald feathers, sparkling blue eyes, and a black beak to envy.\n\"Aawk Rawk! Visitors?\" the avian asked.\n\"More or less,\" Rykaran walked forward to nuzzle the bird's\nbeak with the tip of his snout. \"We're here to talk to the High Council.\"\n\"Awk! Many have come today, and your wings look weary. I can\nlead you to an unoccupied alcove to rest,\" the phoenix said.\nQyr walked forward, but Ryrakan stopped her with his tail.\n\"That will not be necessary. Lead us to the Branch of Aspiration, Life Bearer.\"\n\"Rawk!\" The phoenix cawed and unfolded its majestic wings.\nWith a mighty flap, he flew into the air, and the dragons followed. They pushed\nbetween the broad leaves and flew between branches until the phoenix landed on\nthe edge of an amber branch. Many flowers grew from the bark, each bearing a\nshade of yellow. \n\"I will inform the council of your arrival.\"\n\"Thank you,\" Rykaran bowed his head, then turned his head\ntowards the group once the phoenix flew to the upper reaches.\n\"The Branch of Aspiration is where cases are discussed. We\ncan talk while we rest, and present this issue before the high council once we\nare ready.\"\n\"When will we?\" Qyr asked.\n\"You'll know,\" Rykaran said, then walked towards his mate.\nThe two nuzzled their necks, licked their snouts and cuddled in a pile.\nVharyias moved to do the same when teeth gently pressed\naround his paw.\n\"You can join us. We don't mind,\" Lelyana said, looking at\nher mate for approval.\n\"The climate of this world is a bit colder than my\nhomeworld. I certainly don't mind extra warmth,\" the red eyed dragon said\nwarmly.\nQyr and Vharyias shared a glance and crawled towards the\npair with excited growls. The dragons took the opportunity to sniff and explore\neach other a bit better. Snouts were licked, paws were explored, and wings were\nthoroughly massaged. Vharyias growled with relief as stiffness was washed away\nfrom his joints by two snouts at once. Living in a group had its advantages,\nand he wondered how the future looked like if his hatchlings remained around\nthe nest until they fully matured. \nTalk of Earth was briefly discussed between rubs. Physical\ncontact was far more rewarding than words, and every dragon found new interest\nin the shape of a tail or the curving of a horn. The phoenix returned during\nsuch display, poking its brilliant head under several wings before finding\nRykaran.\n\"The council is ready to hear your plea, Life Bringer.\"\n\"Very well,\" Rykaran disentangled himself from the mass of\npaws and tails. \"Lead us to the Branch of Wisdom, and we'll follow shortly.\"\nThe phoenix cawed and took flight. The dragons followed him\nthrough the thick leaves. He landed on a white flowered branch, screeching\ntowards the group of creatures relaxing in their alcoves. Vharyias noticed a\nblue phoenix, an onyx gryphon, and several other dragons resting in the shadows\nof similarly colored vegetation. \nRykaran walked towards them. Vharyias kept his eyes ahead,\nbut he couldn't help noticing the white tablets spread throughout the walkway.\nHe stretched his neck towards one, noticing the head of a gryphon scratched in\nthe stone, just above a row of words. They spoke of discoveries and deeds,\nalong with many other teachings. It was a fitting name for a fitting place.\nWisdom was being kept here for the betterment of all races. Renowned creatures\nhad their names forever engraved upon the stone to be admired and remembered\nthroughout the ages.\n\"Welcome, all four of you,\" the black gryphon spoke. \"Step\nforth, and tell us what manner of task stiffens your wings and burdens your\npaws.\"\nRykaran looked back towards his group of three. \"It's better\nif you allow me to speak in your stead.\"\nVharyias bowed his head, as did Qyr and Lelyana. They left\nRykaran to discuss plans and theories while they walked around the huge branch.\nIt was so big and wide, that it was difficult to tell what it was without\nlooking around. Vharyias admired the broad leaves, poking his head between them\nany chance he got. Qyr chastised him for that, only to have Lelyana pounce her.\nThe two females temporarily engaged in a game of speed and skill, with Vharyias\nwatching the heated display. He declared a draw, then walked between the\nfemales to make sure they behaved.\nThe trio wandered around, reading tablets and sharing past\nadventures until Rykaran joined them.\n\"They understood my plight. Now all we need to do is talk\nabout the strategy of the assault and the number of volunteers.\"\n\"Shall we leave you to it?\" Vharyias asked.\nRykaran shook his head. \"Not this time. My viewpoint as a\nprotector of life is singular, but you, Qyr, and you, Lelyana, can have different\nperceptions on how to handle this threat.\"\n\"We sure do,\" the females smiled and nuzzled each other.\n\"Good. Let us return to the Council.\"\nAlthough it was customary for all living beings to voice\ntheir opinions, the council changed over the ages. Small meetings went faster\nand covered more ground than large gatherings. Every sentient creature could\nexpress its concern about anything, and depending on the request, it was\nassigned to a certain council on a certain Branch. The High Council dealt with the\nmost important threats, and always changed its members. Ancalgon the Black\nGryphon and Renyrath the Blue Phoenix were Wielders of the Flame, just like\nRykaran, and flew from the lower branches to heed his proposal. \nNow, Vharyias too got a chance to join the discussion. He\ntalked about his life as a human and shared the insights he learned from the\nhumans themselves. He gave the council much thought. Peaceful ways were favored\nover strength, as Qyr and Lelyana suggested. They wanted to protect Earth by robbing\nhumans of their technology and devices.\nYet that meant pain and additional suffering that none of\nthe Life Guardians was willing to inflict. Ultimately, Rykaran came up with a\nmuch better solution. A thorough, truthful cleansing using the Flame of Life as\nthe catalyst. Wielders could soar above the city, breathing their life giving\nflames upon the corruption below. If attuned right, the life giving fires could\nreturn every non-living construct back to its natural form. Buildings and\nmetals became stone, while bacteria and seeds developed into fungi, flowers or\ntrees. \nThe council approved immediately, yet even they were not\nready to launch an all out offensive. They needed time to prepare, and testing\nto do before that.\nRykaran and his group provided the perfect opportunity. With\ntwo Wardens of Life and two offensive flame shapers to protect them, they made\nquite an effective team. Ancalgon and Renyrath left to their alcoves, then\nreturned with two glimmering seeds held between their beaks. They placed them\nbefore Rykaran and Vharyias, then looked into their eyes.\n\"These are seeds from the World Tree itself,\" the gryphon\nsaid.\n\"May its enduring life provide strength and light where\nthere is none,\" the phoenix added.\n\"They will empower your Flame too. Fly swiftly, and never\nlinger more than necessary.\"\nRykaran and Vharyias waited as the two grabbed stalks of\nvine and tied the glowing seeds around their necks. \n\"Thank you,\" they said at the same time.\n\"Not yet,\" the gryphon turned around. \"Sernard. Bring the\nointment.\"\n\"It's not needed. Truly,\" Rykaran shook his head.\nRenyrath poked his snout with her beak, sealing it shut. \"If\nthese humans are as dangerous as you say, you will need every aid you can get.\"\nAnd she was right about that. Every dragon was smeared with\nNevahryian sap along the wings, snout, and the other unprotected areas. While\nit did not provide the protection of dragon scales, the ointment accelerated\nhealing and energized the muscles. Vharyias felt his wings lighter just by\nkeeping flaring them to the sides. \n\"These are all the blessings we can offer. Fly true, strike\nquick, and spread life where none grows,\" the gryphon said.\nThe rest of the council spoke their own farewells, then\nturned to a golden dragon that just arrived upon the Branch of Wisdom.\nRykaran and his group growled their goodbyes and walked\nalong the branch until they reached its very edge. The leaves were still too\nthick to see through, yet glimmers of fiery light still managed to break\nthrough. \n\"Sunset.\"\n\"It seems a fitting time for humanity to fall.\"\n\"Fall?\" Rykaran nudged Qyr's neck. \"We are returning them to\ntheir roots, nothing else.\"\n\"That makes it quite the big fall, Life Bringer. Last time I\nvisited Earth, there was not a single human that lived outside its precious\ncity.\"\n\"We will teach them how to do that,\" Lelyana said.\n\"And after we are through with them, they will learn the\nerrors of their ways and live in harmony, just as nature intended,\" Vharyias\nsaid.\n\"Well said,\" Rykaran growled happily.\nThe dragons nuzzled and cuddled into each other once again.\nA difficult task lay ahead of them, yet a bit of rest never hurt too much. They\ntraveled between worlds, saw the Nevah in its entire splendor, and had the\npleasure to talk to the greatest Life Bringers that walked the planes of\nexistence. It was a good day, one that Vharyias intended to repeat once he\nbrought humanity back to its roots.\nThe group relaxed for the remainder of the day. They spent\ntheir night perched atop the World Tree, watching the stars twinkle between the\nbroad leaves. It was such a beautiful and serene night, filled with the\ncheerful roars of dragons, the crying of gryphons and the screech of the\nphoenixes. \nRykaran started laying out the plan for the cleansing when\nthe full moon rose in the sky. He proposed a swift and decisive strike into the\nheart of the human civilization. Vharyias was surprised to know the city he\nlived in was a small establishment compared to the things Rykaran witnessed. He\ntalked with great pain about buildings so tall, they touched the clouds with\ntheir tips, and of grey, barren lands that stretched as far as the eyes could\nsee.\nNone of the dragons was eager to venture in such a dreary\nplace, but Rykaran placed a paw on the glowing seed at his chest and spoke a\nfew verses from The Essence of Life, a song written when the world was still\nyoung by one of the first dragons, Nhervir. He created life from bare stone,\nand protected it until age claimed his frail body. There was a lot to learn\nfrom his determination, and Vharyias felt more at ease with each word slipping from\nRykaran's tongue.\nThey slept cuddled into each other, and woke when the sun\nblazed in the sky. Together, they flew towards the Origin and traveled straight\nto earth through a series of interconnected portals. \nFoul air greeted them as soon as they dropped on the golden\nfields of a farmland. \n\"This isn't where I first arrived,\" Qyr noticed as she\nlooked around.\nVharyias agreed with her. The mountains, the trees, the\nvegetation. It was all gone, replaced by long fields of strange smelling wheat.\n\n\"That's because we took the quickest path, Qyr,\" Rykaran\nsaid.  \"The portal you used before tied\nStarShard to Earth, while this one leads straight to the Origin.\"\n\"Isn't that a bit risky? What if the humans find it?\"\nRykaran shook his horned head. \"It is a one way path. The\nportal closed as soon as we arrived.\" He demonstrated that by breathing his flame\naround the air. They were immediately drawn to the surrounding life, healing\nevery disease or corruption.\n\"Good choice.\"\n\"Never leave yourself exposed, Qyr. Even the smallest life\nform can have an impact on the biggest of predators.\"\nShe agreed with a curt growl. They walked across the field,\nfamiliarizing themselves with the nuances of this world. Vharyias felt the\nsuffering of the land poking at his mind with every heartbeat. So much pain\nresided here. It was thick and oppressive, like a patch of clouds too heavy to\nshed their burden. The seed of the Nevah provided relief from the onslaught,\nyet Vharyias realized he could never feel at home in this place. Not until it\nwas fully cleansed.\nHe took to the air, following Rykaran above the clouds. He did\nnot plan on just curing a city. The cleansing was about sending a message to\nthe humans as well. If they saw one of their biggest cities converted into a\ndome of life, they would think twice about opposing the Rakura. \nSo Vharyias flew, flapping his wings and tensing his claws\nwith determination. He encountered a few of the human fliers, and quickly\nbanked out of their way. The mission relied on discretion, and the dragons did\ntheir best to remain out of sight until they reached their destination.\n\"Ready?\" Rykaran asked.\n\"As ready as we can be,\" Qyr said.\n\"Fly fast, my mate, and know that my flames will keep harm\nat bay,\" Lelyana added.\nVharyias remained silent. He did not know what lay below.\nThe clouds blocked him from seeing much, despite the lingering sense of dread\nwelling inside him.\nA nudge distracted him. He looked to his right, straight into\nRykaran's amber eyes. \n\"Don't hold anything back once we descend upon the city.\"\n\"I won't,\" Vharyias said.\n\"Your tension speaks otherwise,\" Rykaran touched one of his\ncurved claw tips. \nVharyias growled softly. \"This world feels empty. Almost\ndead. What if my power cannot-\"\n\"They can, and they will,\" Rykaran nuzzled along Vharyias'\nhead, offering a warm and comforting touch. \"The seeds we hold carry the life\nforce of hundred of fertile words, Vharyias. Your strength will not falter.\"\n\"I hope you're right.\"\n\"You will know I am right once we descend upon them,\"\nRykaran growled encouragingly and flapped away. \"Strike fast, and leave no room\nfor doubt. Show these humans that pain, torment and despair exist only in their\nworld. A world we are about to cleanse!\"\nThe dragons growled their approval and tucked their wings,\ndescending like living flames upon the city below. As soon as they broke\nthrough the clouds, the nature of their task revealed itself. A true desolation\nexpanded below. There was not a single speck of green amidst the oppressive\ngreys.  A haze of sickly smoke hung over\na city drowned by noise and pollution.\nVharyias gritted his teeth and kept his emotions in check.\nHe had to focus on the cleansing. Nothing else. He kept his wings at his sides,\nwaited until he passed between the corridors formed by the buildings, then\nunfurled his wings. He caught the wind under them and opened his maw, unleashing\nhis verdant flames in a wide arc.\nThe effect was immediate. Seeds germinated from the ground,\nsprouting trees and a plethora of life. The buildings were covered with fast\ngrowing vines that spread along their surface. The glass became stone, a\nfertile ground for the vines to crawl over. \nRykaran too expelled his flame. He shaped it like a great\nwave that engulfed everything in its path. It bathed humans and their creations\nalike, returning them to the earth. Metal corroded and became nutrient for the\nground, while objects broke down into minerals and other simple elements. \n\"Faster. We have to cover the ground level before their\nwarriors are alerted to our presence.\"\nVharyias dipped his head and continued his work. It was so\nsatisfying to see life bloom in such a horrid place. A touch of green was most\nwelcome, even if the humans screamed and wailed like the end of the world was\nupon them. They ran and sheltered themselves inside their buildings, almost\nscared that their life was soon going to get a lot better.\nRykaran and Vharyias continued their work, passing through\ncorridors and turning the city into a fertile environment bit by bit. It all\nwent too well, and too easy until Qyr returned from her scouting mission.\n\"They're coming,\" she said, pointing at a few dark shapes\ndescending from the sky. \n\"I'll take care of those,\" Lelyana surged forward.\n\"And I will make sure no threats lay hiding beneath these\nroads,\" Qyr growled, flying closer towards the ground.\nVharyias continued his task, breathing his healing flames\nuntil an explosion shattered the silence. The projectile went straight through\nQyr's wing, unleashing a hail of rock and flame behind Vharyias.\n\"Qyr!\" \n\"I'm fine,\" she roared, sending a beam of concentrated light\nupon the tanks below. \nThe air became warm, yet not hot enough to kill. Vharyias\nbathed the constructs in a wave of verdant flames, turning them into boulders. \n\"We make a good team,\" Qyr said, flapping closer to him.\nVharyias moved to inspect her wing, only to have his snout\nslapped by her tail.\n\"I told you I'm fine.\"\n\"I smelled blood.\"\n\"It's just a scratch, Vharyias. Focus on your task, and I\nwill care for mine.\"\nWhat that, she surged ahead, blinding the aggressive humans\nwith bursts of pure light.\nVharyias shook his head and joined Rykaran again. Together,\nthe two scoured the city. Nothing in their path stood against their combined\nmight. Metal shattered, humans fled, and arid stone became a fertile ground for\nvegetation when the life giving flames touched its surface. Humans tried to\nstop them. Oh, they came from both the air and the ground, intent of stopping\nthe cleansing with their hate and violence. They shot their weapons and sought\nto do harm, failing time and time again. No matter how many times their wings\nwere harmed, the dragons pressed on. From the lowest tunnel to the highest\nbuilding, they soared and cleansed. The ground became pure and fertile, the\nwater lost its sludge infested ooze, and the smoke was all but gone, eaten by\nthe Flames of Life. In a single day, four dragons turned the smoke filled city\ninto a bastion of clean air and thrumming life. \n\"That should be all,\" Rykaran said, flying around his group.\nThe dragons looked upon the land below and hardly recognized it. Instead of a\ngrey desolation stood a veritable garden. It almost looked like a jungle, with\nits own weird shaped trees and dense vegetation.\n\"Went easier than expected,\" Qyr said smugly.\n\"Quite right, Qyr. Yet even the seeds of the Nevah have\ntheir limit. We owe everything to them,\" Rykaran said. \"Without their aid, our\npowers would have healed only a fraction of the city.\"\n\"Then let us go back and get more!\" Lelyana said.\n\"It doesn't work like that,\" Rykaran licked his mate. \"Each\nwielder of the Flame is assigned a single seed. Once they get it, they keep it\nwith them for the rest of their lives.\"\n\"But it can recharge, right?\" Vharyias inquired.\n\"With time.\"\n\"I don't want to wait,\" Vharyias growled. \"We may have\nhealed a city, but there is an entire ecosystem out there that needs our help!\"\n\"One task at a time, Vharyias. For now, we earned a bit of a\nbreak,\" Rykaran said as he flew towards the tallest tower. He settled on the\nedge, sneaking his claws between verdant roots.\nIt felt good to rest inside a patch of vegetation. The rich\nsmell of flora and the song of birds slowly replaced the wails of the city as\nthe sun set on the horizon. It shone beautifully over the forest below, and the\ndragons rejoiced their success through games of skill, jokes, and open displays\nof affection. One task was done, yet there were many other cities out there\nleft to convert.\nVharyias pondered on that on the way back to the capital. He\nflew to StarShard, then began the laborious process of finding the core world\nthrough the maze of portals. A day was spent flying back to the Nevah, but it\nwas a day spent with happiness and joy. \nNight fell when the group reached the Nevah. They flew\nstraight to the Branch of Wisdom. Dragons flooded the walkways, along with\ngryphons, phoenixes, and more serpents than they could count.\nThe group landed and made their way through the cheerful\ncrowd until they reached the council.\n\"Why is our entire population of Wielders here, Ancalgon?\"\n\"You know why, Life Bringer,\" the gryphon clacked his beak. \n\"News of your success travels fast,\" his phoenix companion\nadded.\n\"Too fast,\" Rykaran said. \"We have encountered a few\nhostiles, but even I am unsure if the humans attacked us with all their might.\"\n\"Let them try. They will find that their petty hate and\nweapons of killing are hardly a match for our determination.\"\n\"It is settled then? Are we going to launch an all out\ncleansing upon the Earth?\" Rykaran asked softly.\n\"It is,\" the gryphon and the phoenix flared their wings and\nscreeched at the same time. \"Justice dawns upon the world of men. Guardians\nwill spread to all corners of their festering world and bring back the balance of\nnature upon the land.\"\nAs soon as he spoke, Ancalgon took flight. Renyrath the Blue\nfollowed, singing out one of her majestic tunes. The flapping of wings\noverwhelmed the surge of growls as each winged being took flight to follow the\ngreatest of Guardians upon an all out assault.\n\"I guess rest can wait a bit longer,\" Rykaran joked and\nreadied his wings.\nHis party quickly joined him. They roared in unison and took\nflight, following the rainbow of scales and feathers that flew ahead of them.  They looked different and some flapped slower\nthan others, but all those wings were bound by a single purpose. To bring life\nto a world that forgot its meaning.  \n\n"}