Hunting.., What we're good at

[Ryu]

Ryu followed Aurelia as best as he could, not willing to let there be too much of an opening for Avaras, no matter how friendly he claimed to be. Avaras’ actions were sporadic like a child. “With as much assumption as I do assume you do not want to travel during the day.” He teased back. Once Avaras had settled then Ryu settled and his tail slithered like a gigantic snake to curl around Aurelia. It was in protection for Aurelia as well as for Avaras from Aurelia. His eyes watched Avaras’ swift movement, disassembling the shiny object to lay it neatly gutted on the table. This one had knowledge but buried so deeply that even he could not access it without some trigger. Ryu was just afraid that a trigger might occur and the next thing you know the town is nothing but rubble. He considered Aurelia for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of the situation. Possible death for bringing Avaras back and possible death for leaving him here and doing who knew what. He could create another white light without even knowing it.

“Knowledge is not necessarily spoken, Avaras. Apprentices learn from their masters by watching.” Ryu answered at long last. Avaras seemed like a special case to deal with with as much precaution as you can. “You know of the Old world, when metal ruled over nature, so it is our duty to take you back to our village. I am bound by my life and law to do so but I can not make a guarantee you won’t be hurt either.”

[Aurelia]

At first the vampress was slightly agitated by Ryu stopping her cat like movements. She much longed to be in the comfort of the umbrage, though it was not possible for her at the moment. She was stuck with an unwilling human like thing that was determined to stay in his birthplace. She listened to his words, her eyes absorbed the quick movements of his hands as he separated the pieces on the metallic table top. Aurelia's laughter filled the air. Perhaps it was her arrogance that urged her on or maybe it was simply that she was, in most ways, just that powerful. "You think that you could kill me!" She exclaimed with a sound of disbelief in her voice. "Do you not know who I am?!" Her voice was a whisper, a sadistic smile gently gracing her lips. "I hunted the kind that made you. I was their greatest night mare. I eat of their flesh and you think you can kill me with your little toy!" She shook her head again. "That toy of yours cannot pierce dragon hide, nor can swords of any kind, you have much to learn Avaras, though you would be correct to attempt to battle Ryu in close range, however, it matters not, many before you have failed with their pointy sheets of folded steel."

Her ebony locks shook lightly as she shook her ivory facade. "Now, if you do not mind, I grow weary and the sun is due to rise any minute. I do not like to stay the night in this silver place of yours. Ryu will tell you much while I rest." She leaned forward, offering her hand in a sign of a truce. Ruby eyes stared at him with intensity and the ethereal creature awaited his response. "We will do our best to protect you, but in return you must work with us. This world is not like yours my little soft skin. What appears human is often naught. Be cautious always." The sly smile lit her lips, her demeanor spoke of a deathly secret and perhaps that was because she had one.

"Do not worry of what you do not know, for soon you will know too much." Aurelia added, her voice a simple whisper, appearing for his ears only. The vampire was fairly decent of the arts of seduction, and although he might not know of the human tendencies of love and lust, it was a habit that had grown to accompany her when dealing with men of none combat ranks.

[Avaras]

“Your duty...” he repeated slowly, after Ryu had explained what had happened. His eyes lowered slightly, almost sadly – he knew what it meant, even if the dragon had not said so explicitly. His kind were their enemy, that was the way of it. Simply because of what he was (even if he was not entirely certain of it himself), he was an enemy of these two. It made sense. Even if he had awakened in the era he was intended for, simply what he was would have made him an enemy of someone, he was sure. This was not a concept that seemed at all foreign, for which he was glad.

“I understand, and I will go with you to where it is your duty to bring me.” he said, and nodded to the dragon. His voice was exceptionally calm and even, and it remained so when he spoke next, only a moment later. “However, just as you cannot guarantee I will not be harmed, I cannot and will not guarantee that if an attempt is made to harm me, I will not retaliate or defend myself. I hope this is similarly reasonable. While the purpose of my life is in question... I would not like to lose it so quickly and without reason.” His tone was earnest however – he did hope the dragon understood. He, like anything alive, did not wish to die. He would attempt to avoid it, even if it meant combat.

The woman, however, was far less reasonable, and Avaras seemed more than a little taken aback by her outbursts. “No, I would think it evident, seeing as I have no knowledge even of who I am, that I do not know who it is that you are, especially considering that while you have demanded to know my designation, neither of you have offered your own.” At her comment about his weapon, though, he looked down to his sword and picked it up again, looking at it curiously. A faint blue glow flowed down the edge as he did, though only for a moment, and he set it back down again. “I see. If that should truly be the case, then, I would have to attempt something else. Thank you for your advice. I will work with you all that I am able. However, your warning of those who appear human is unnecessary. I am similarly disguised.” He bowed his head to her slightly, and watched as she moved, cocking his head at her last comment. He made no reply, however, simply watched her walk over towards him, then turned his golden orbs back to the dragon, curious. Finally, he looked back to Aurelia, and took her hand, unsure of what he was supposed to do with it. He would follow if she led, but other than that... he did not know.

“I was of the impression you did not care for me... If I might ask, why is it that those who shape steel into tools and machinery are the enemy? Evidently for a very long time, beings of the shape she and I am used such things for survival. Has that changed so?”

[Ryu]

Ryu didn’t remember offering any sort of protection…just said he couldn’t guarantee Avaras wouldn’t be hurt. Again with the signing him up for things. Ryu snorted slightly at Aurelia’s actions. The order of rank was sometimes hazy for a dragon. The King’s command came first then the charge’s, unless those commands conflicted with the King’s and there were other rules too but he stopped his train of thought there to return to the moment at hand. “This is the land of the Avadera’s, we can come and go as we please. There is no real specific hierarchy besides the King but those who have fought in the war are respected and those who train for it are highly thought of. We are, might you say, warriors in the wing…pardoning the pun.” He shifted his battered wing to extend both wings briefly then re-fold them.

“Well, she hasn’t tried to eat you yet so she likes you more than she has other strangers.” He mused lightly at Avaras’ comment. Indeed it was strange not having to hold Aurelia back very much. She would normally be all over an opportunity for a good meal that had no family connections to watch mourn. “And it is no so much that steel is not used as that it is not used for very much. Horse shoes, swords, shields and the like are all still made. We have a blacksmith but we do no have those objects that you had there on the table, nor the giant metal birds that held people in them.” He was younger than Aurelia even though it would not seem like it and had always known this world…had never questioned it beyond the tiny stories he had over heard. “They are the enemy…” Why? Because the King said so, because the laws said so. Ryu looked to Aurelia for rescue from this. She was more likely to question authority than he ever would.

[Aurelia]

The vampire only pulled him from the metallic crumble of a building, beyond there she dropped Avaras' hand and led them under the canopy with much turmoil in her beautiful dainty little mind. The female shrugged slightly, "If such metals and hierarchy of the old world has destroyed them and the world so badly, what is to stop them from doing it again?" The female turned momentarily to stare both dragon and creature straight in the eyes. "Your toys are forbidden with such thought in mind. If they come back, so does the sin, disease and death that follow them. Life is simpler but..." She pauses and tilts her head. "The some blood still spills." The female speculates for a moment, has reverting to the old ways protected them any more then...well the less old ways? Have there been more lives spared by bows and swords, dragons and vampires then shiny weapons? She shakes her head gently. "It is not for us to speculate on. Questions like that will only bring doubt and there is nothing that can be done of it." She says, nodding to Ryu. "How's your wing Ryu? Can we get out of here or do we have to sleep here?" She questioned, her hand brushing against the cold table. The vampire especially disliked this place, more so then she cared to admit.

[Avaras]

"I... see." He said, and shook his head a little bit, looking up to the hole for a few moments before he finally looked back to her, and then to the dragon. He had thought perhaps the huge creature had been injured somehow, but he had not been sure. Now he thought back on how reluctant it had often been to move that one wing, and he was almost certain it had damaged itself in some way. He felt bad for it, but there was nothing for him to do about it, and it had not been any fault of his.

"There... should be a stairwell, there." he said, indicating another hallway, "but it would be much too small for him, and seeing all the damage, I am unsure if it would even be clear for the smaller of us..." He thought again for a few moments, but there was no reason, the building's planners had thought, for something as big as a dragon to be in this room, so there was no way in or out of it for something that was, unfortunately...

"May I ask your names?" He hesitated a bit before asking, but did it anyway. He was curious.

[Ryu]

“You expect much, Aurelia. I will try to take you and your new friend back to the village but I would ordinarily need a day to heal.” Ryu sighed and whipped his tail around to help guide his massive form to turn around in the cramped quarters. His wings shifted and fluttered at his sides, warming up for the voyage back home. “Our names are simple; Ryu and Aurelia. Never think you are addressing just one or the other, for whatever said to either of us is consequently said to the other.” He made a gurgling growl in amusement as he glanced up to the hole in the surface. Perhaps he could as least carry them to the surface and they could walk from there. It was a long walk but at least it wasn’t going to burden his wing more than he had to.

“We should go now if we are going to try and fly, before the sun rises much more.” The oranges and pinks of dawn were apparent in the clouds. It wouldn’t be very long before the full star was in the sky. He lowered his body to lie on the ground and uncurled his good wing like a step stool like he has millions of times before. His gaze darted between Aurelia and Avaras. “Perhaps Aurelia will tell you of how the world came to be on the way back. This way you will not be as confused when condemned of the things when we arrive.” In all reality Ryu expected nothing less than an execution order…just being realistic is all. He would play along with Aurelia and help Avaras as long as Aurelia seemed willing though.

[Aurelia]

OOC: Sorry guys, was out ALL day shopping for furniture XD Just got home a few hours ago and all I wanted to do was fall on the floor, my feet te hurt.

Aurelia glanced up to the quickly lightening sky. Her lithe bodice meandered towards the creature, herself deep in thought. "I know my friend, I know." Her voice was soft as she gently rubbed her hand against Ryu's side in a gesture of affection. "I think, perhaps, if we just get under the canopy then we can await the night, or if you perfer, as long as the trees are close." A slight chill passed her spine at the thought of such travels through out the day, there were bound to be bright patches of sun light when noon hit.

The female nods in affirmative of Ryu's suggestion, they were passing their time away. The female grunted slightly as her creature suggested a prolonged conversation with the half humanoid. Still, she rounded to Ryu's good side, waving Avaras over. She rested her hands gently on his wing, her tone taking up a teacher like sound, that is, a teacher who wouldn't repeat herself. "Dragon wings are delicate. To mount a dragon you must be sure you step in the right place, lest to injure one." She added under her breath, "And I'll bite your foot off if you hurt him." Her fingers moved across his wing to a place where the bones connected. "This is a where the bone is. That is the only place you may step. Do I make myself clear?" Aurelia turned towards him, her eyes intent. "This is important Avaras, never forget this." She added commandingly.

Aurelia turned once more, she placed her foot on the spot she had preciously pointed out and delicately threw herself on the dragon's back, correcting herself so she was sitting on him with her legs clenched to his side. "You sit in behind me, and hold on tight." She added, her eyes still lingering on his form, she was particularly observant when it came to mounting. He already had one wing injured, he didn't need two and she wasn't fond of dying due to the retarded sun. The vampress did not answer Ryu's suggestion to tell him of the world, it would be a wise one though and she recognized this but that talk would only come after they were above ground and she had rested or when they were trampling through foliage as she darted from umbrage to umbrage.

[Ryu]

Ryu hated to see what her mood would have been had she not eaten two humanoids before hand. Aurelia was stubborn so it looked like he would have to take the history lesson into his own hands. Dragons were given a version of their own so whatever version he had was what Avaras would have to go by. However, his icy gaze followed Aurelia’s lead on the matter of his wing. Lucky for this guy he got on properly and with out any real hesitation to make Ryu nervous. Warriors such as Aurelia were trained to be on the back of a dragon since their movement was one you had to grow accustomed too; he was glad they weren’t flying so much as just lifting. His leathery wings extended as far as they could go without touching the sides of the shaft before giving one large down beat and jumping. The sensation could be described like being shot off on a little rocket.

With a dull thud Ryu landed back on surface ground, the once settled dust from below trailing up to freedom from the expedition. “Ok, fun is over.” He folded his injured wing but kept his good one out in the shape of the crescent moon, creating a shaded area that Aurelia could walk beneath. She didn’t think that Ryu was just going to allow her to dart around like a frightened rat from tree to tree did she? In his waiting for the pair to get a move on he took the opportunity to look around at their surroundings. The normal dragons internal map wasn’t giving him much because he didn’t know where they were to begin with. In result his body tensed more in hyper alertness. “We should try to find the clearing again and go from there.” It all looked the same. He glanced around to try and base himself on what direction they had come from.

[Aurelia]

The sun was beginning to peak over the horizon and that feeling of slumber crept over the wary vampire, she shook her head slightly as if to shake her instinct away. The female was glad when the ground rose up to meet them, a joy she rarely felt for like her dragon she too felt more comfortable in the air with the soft zephyr's passing by their flesh and scales. She darted under the out stretched wing of her companion with a soft sigh of relief. The morning was still cool and so the vampire was only slightly discomforted. If they had not been with another, the female would have made her stance clear in her desire to wait out the sun, however she could hardly do such without leaving that man like thing around.

Aurelia could feel the tension in her companion's movements. It made herself uneasy, but not without reason. As earlier stated, humanoids themselves were vicious creatures. They were known to hunt those that hunted them and they were being hunted. The critter gazed at them through lifeless eyes between leaves of foliage. It bared it's teeth at them menacingly and quickly brushed out of it's hiding place, rushing towards them with malice. Aurelia hissed at the sight of this new hinderence but she did not rush forward to meet it. The shade was precious to her at he moment and so she watched with an odd emotion in her eyes as her prey ran head onto their new companion, Avaras.

OOC: There! Now you can throw stuff and show Aurelia ^_^'

[Avaras]

"I would appreciate any explaination you are able to provide as to the reasons you feel my death will be ordered so immediately" he said, nodding to the dragon as he spoke, but then falling back into a sort of thoughtful silence. It was doubtful, after all, either of them knew what it was like to awaken for the first time and immediately be told that you were something someone else would want to kill. Granted that would have been the case had he woken at the time he was supposed to, before all this mess, as well, but this was more arbitrary. Before, at least there would have been a legitimate war and the reason would have been that he was on the opposite side.

Here, the warrant for his death seemed to be his very existance.

When Ryu landed, he jumped off, clearing the wing easily since he didn't want to chance stepping on it anywhere than the place he was supposed to, and he was rather inordinately heavy for his apparent size, oddly enough. Perhaps that too was just a function of what he was.

"Why is it that you must avoid the sun?" Avaras said curiously, when he saw Aurelia keeping to she shadows under Ryu;s wing - he had heard them make mention of the necessity before, but as they had spoken of it as such a common thing, he hadn't actually thought to say anything about it till now. It seemed, however, that his question wouldn't have time to be answered. The almost-human creature lashed out from the bushes towards him, and leapt through the air to tackle him to the ground.

Sadly, for it anyway, it was nowhere near fast enough to do so. With an almost lazy motion - except, of course, for it's blinding speed - Avaras turned and swept out with one hand, caught the thing in the head with the back of his hand, and more or less slapped it clean out of the air. The creature's forward momentum stopped almost immediately, and it crashed loudly into the large tree nearby. There was a sickening crunch at the impact, and the thing slumped limply to the ground, apparently dead or at least put down for the moment.

"What is that?" he said, tilting his head a moment - not quite human at all... as he comtemplated, however, another leapt from cover, but met no more success. The curved blade flashed as it swept through the air, and cleanly cut the thing in two, dropping the blood-oozing halves to either side of the synthetic, who still looked just as unconcerned and curious as he had before.

"And why are they so hostile?"

[Ryu]

Damn things were like locusts. A small irritated bellow escaped as Ryu’s massive tail swung about in the air to land with a heavy thud in front of Aurelia. He didn’t expect her to try and run after the humanoid, it was his way of offering protection. The humanoids were not interested in the dragon or vampire but went to the newcomer…and were promptly cut down. Perhaps his death wouldn’t be so imminent. One brow rose in curiosity watching Avaras and dragging his tail away from Aurelia, creating a shallow trough in the soft soil.

“We go that way.” He finally stated into the silence afterwards, motioning in one direction. He had found a bearing right before the things had popped up. The giant slid about and began to lead the way while making sure Aurelia was constantly covered. Silence filled the air again for a while before Ryu spoke, “Humanoids, what you killed back there, are the result of an unfinished disease. The disease infected people many centuries ago to create the elves and vampires of today’s world, some reacted differently and didn’t finish the transformation…normally those infected with the vampire mutation of the disease. They run rampant everywhere, wipe out travelers and sometimes whole villages if there are no sentries; they’re only purpose is the kill. As for your death being imminent, the very thing that helped create those humanoids is what you’re tied to. What you were in was not of organic material and therefore forbidden and punished by death. You know nothing of yourself or your past but have the speed and weapons skills to take out a humanoid without a second glance. You could be a liability to the safety of the village or any village for that matter.” He glanced back to Avaras. Even though it may not seem so, Aurelia was older than he so would possibly be better at adding the detail to the restriction of technology.