Chapter 3
~Fang and claw, beware the maw
Fire and steel, all shall one day be revealed~

  The beast, stared down at the trio through golden slit pupiled eyes. The humanoids below looked small, their heads not even coming to its knees. It eyed the two males first before its gaze rested on the female. This is the one that had been the talk of his kind for the last few days, the one that had felt familiar yet foreign. She was the cause of much sorrow since her presence had become known. He watched with great amusement as the trio began to bare arms against him. A slow rumble in his throat sounded, which was him chuckling at the humanoid creatures below him. They were amusing little creatures these humans... though the female wasn't quite human now, was she? He remembered a time when his kin and him used to work together in harmony with the humans and elves and even the dwarves had been friends of his. Now that chaos was reigning it's terror, times were changing and he didn't like it one bit. They needed that harmony back.

    "Calm yourselves little ones. I am not here to harm you." Came the beasts reply to their actions. "I am merely here to..."

    The light haired human male interrupted him, "You're not here to harm us? Then what are you here for?" The male's voice was threatening, and yet he could hear as well as sense the fear hidden behind his brave words.

    "What... What are you?" Asked the dark haired male.

    Turning his eyes on the other male, the beast smirked showing a flash of fanged teeth behind strong jaws. This male was shaking slightly, and yet he was standing slightly in front of the female as if he were trying to protect her a sword glistening in his hand.

    Only the female remained silent. His feral eyes shifted to her and he sensed not an ounce of fear in her depths. In fact he sensed the strange magics building inside her as if she were angry at being stopped... or being found... or maybe it was something else, he couldn't quite tell. She had merely a small knife in her hand, though if she let that magic continue to build he knew this female would be a force worth reckoning.

    "Like I said, calm yourselves. I am here on goodwill. My kind doesn't often like to eat humans. Too boney, but that doesn't mean we won't mind you. We prefer animals." He said with another toothy grin. "To answer your questions, I am here for her." He stated moving his large angular head in the females direction.

    This must not have been an answer they liked because now both males stood before her with anger and something else mixed in their eyes. Could these males possibly care for this female? How odd. Still this was getting tiresome. "I'm not going to hurt her. Merely... take her to my kind and give her some knowledge."

    "How completely cryptic." Said the female finally, irritation mixed in her voice.

    The beast shuddered slightly at the sound of her voice as if her very words held magic in them. "Well, I am not at liberty to discuss things here where any sort of enemy could be listening. I am not a fool, my dear."

    "Well she's not going anywhere..." The light haired man called out. When he turned his large eyes on him, the man quickly corrected his wording. "Well, she's not going anywhere without us."

    Once again the beast began to chuckle low in his throat. "Protective are we? Very well. Climb into my claw and we'll be on our way."

    "We will not!" Exclaimed the dark haired male. "We don't even know what you are. Or even if we can trust you. You haven't answered any of our questions, so why should we trust you?"

    A sigh escaped the beasts mouth and smoke billowed out of its nose in irritation. Humans, so untrusting. He could force them, but he didn't want to take the chance of harming them. "I am surprised you don't know what I am. Especially since there is an image of my kind on your friends dagger sheath."

    All of them looked down at the blue eyed males sheath and their eyes widened. He could practically see the human's puny little minds working through the puzzle of what he could be. Finally the woman spoke up. "A dragon." She said quietly and the magic within her began to die down to a low flame.

    "The female is correct." The elder dragon said with another of his toothy smiles.

    "But..., how can that be? Dragon's don't exist anymore. They're extinct!" The dark haired man cried out in shock obviously thinking about something else.

    The dragon's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Perhaps that is what we wanted you human's to believe." He sighed now growing tired. He was old, much older than many of his kind, though he had always loved toying with the mortals like a cat with a mouse. His patience however, was beginning to run thin. "Now, can we be off? I am growing a bit hungry and could use a nap."

    "How do we know you're not going to take us to wherever you came from and eat us?" Came the blue eyed man's response.

    With lightning quick reflexes, the dragon lowered his head and snapped his jaws to the left of the man to show how quickly he could take each and everyone of them out right then, if he so wished. "If I wanted to I could eat you all right now, but like I said, I want to take you to my kin. In my opinion, human's are disgusting and take too much time to digest. Again, we have knowledge for your female friend."

    The dragon watched as the female's eyes widened at the word knowledge. It was clear that she was interested in what they knew. She replaced her weapon in the sheath in her upper arm and then placed a hand on each of the male's shoulder's to calm them. "Perhaps I should..."

    Both males looked at her incredulously before trying to talk her out of it at the same time. "But what if it's a trap?" The light haired male said and then quickly added, "and you are not going alone."

    "Can we trust what he says?" Said the other male.

    "What if it's a lie?"

    "What if they decide to eat us when we get there?"

    "This is foolish. We should stay here."

    "I have to agree with Althair. I don't think it'd be smart to go with him... especially in its claws." The male then shuddered, which caused the dragon to roll his eyes.

    "Would you prefer to ride on my back? It would be a bit more dangerous, but by all means." The dragon announced.

    "Look... I have no memory of who I am. If they can help, I'm going. You don't have to go. But I am." Said the female resolutely. She strode forward and the massive dragon lowered himself so she could climb onto his back.

    "Very well, then... it shall just be the lady then?" The dark colored dragon queried.

    Both men looked at each other before sighing and following the woman. They climbed up behind the female and sat directly behind her. The dragon grinned sensing the fear in the males. "Hold on tight, wouldn't want to lose you in the updraft." The dragon couldn't help but tease causing the fear in the males to rise.

    The dragon moved back through the trees the muscles moving along its back like cool waves on a sea. Trees broke and parted in front of him. Soon they reached a large clearing, that must have been cleared by the dragon from earlier. Trees littered the ground and bushes smashed and mangled were tossed to the side. The large leathery wings spread out to the side and began to beat up and down causing a surge of wind to blow debris back and into the shadow of the trees. They began to lift off the ground slowly, before the land quickly grew smaller beneath them.

    "I'm going to be sick..." The dragon heard the dark haired male say.

    "You be sick on my scales, I just may eat you." Snarled the dragon, obviously proud of its hunter green hide.

    "Look at the view!" The light haired male said in awe.

    Sure enough farms and villages past beneath them in a patchwork of earthy toned hues. Thick forests of trees and tangles of streams and rivers. They saw another burned out village, not far from where the last one had been and it reminded them of what they had seen and heard. Dragon's did exist, just like that old man had said. Soon the capital came into view and the dragon flapped its wings moving even higher. They entered some clouds and a soft mist drifted over them.

    "I never thought I'd ever be in a cloud!" The blue eyed male said. "This is amazing. I was born to fly."

    "Good for you, Althair." Said the friend with a sickening tone in his voice.

    "Hey dragon, do you have a name?" Asked the one called Althair.

     A gruff sound of irritation came from the dragon's mouth. Instead of speaking out loud to the humanoids on his back, he decided to speak into their mind. My name, human, is Granthor. Use it and don't call me dragon. I am no stupid simple minded beast. Remember that well.

    "It's a pleasure to meet you, Granthor." Said Althair, though surprised to find the dragon speaking to him in his mind. "And I shall remember." The man promised. "I'm Althair."

    "Kaldin." Was all the dark haired male could manage before clutching his stomach and doing his best to not be sick on the dragon's back. He was afraid that the dragon really might eat him for it.

Pleasure, Althair and Kaldin. And what is your name, female?

    "I'm not sure... but they call me Ravyn." Said the woman softly. Not even the men caught everything she said. Fortunately, the dragon had acute hearing.

You do not know you're own name? The dragon mused thoughtfully. It does make sense, I suppose. Ravyn is a lovely name, your friends chose well.

    "Thank you." Althair said pride ringing in his voice.

Tell me Ravyn, where do you come from, dear? Tell me about you.

    He could hear the sigh on her lips and sense the frustration in her heart. That deep magic began to build again as he felt her try to think about the answers to his questions. "I honestly don't know... I can't answer that because... I can't remember much, if anything."

Nothing? How strange... Perhaps the magic within you is holding it back... or... Hmm, I don't really know myself. Morthal will be able to help. That I know. He is the oldest of our kind. You all had better show him the deepest of respect.

    They were now flying over the Edarth Mountains and a frost formed on the tips of the dragons wings, but it didn't last long before the heat within Granthor caused the ice to melt. However, the humans on the beasts back huddled close to the dragons back to try and gain some of that heat. It was cold being so high up. Althair peered over the side of the dragon and saw a castle carved into the side of the mountain top.

    "What is that place?" Asked the blue eye male.

That is Fangorn Castle. Home to our ancestors.

    "Fangorn Castle?!" He heard the woman say in surprise.

Does it sound familiar?

    "It was my only clue... on an old map. It said to go to Fangorn Castle." The woman said in awe as they slowly began to descend to the ground. The castle was large, big enough for even the largest of dragons. However, what looked to be a castle was actually carved into the mountain itself.

    The trio on the dragon's back watched as the large stone doors began to open as they began to land. Beyond the doors, it was dark; it appeared to be a void of light. They landed with a reverberating thud that jolted them to their senses and the dragon walked slowly into the void...

    It seemed that they were walking or flying, it was hard to tell, for more than an hour. Nothing could be seen, nor heard. It was eerie. The only senses they had was touch, and if they all hadn't been touching each other panic would have sprung out amongst them. After what was really only minutes, they finally came out into a bright sun lit area inside the mountain. The top of the mountain was open and the sun shone through. There were grass and trees littered through the mountain's innards and caves strewn about the sides of the mountain. What was more surprising to the mortals on the dragon's back, were how many dragons actually lived inside the massive mountain.

    "This is amazing!" Althair exclaimed in shock. However, he quickly shut up when all the dragons around them looked over their way.

    The sound of growls  approached them. Dragons both large and small began to circle them. One dragon, a mix of black and crimson approached a little too close for Granthor's comfort. Granthor snapped at the black dragon. "Stay back Vexor!"

    "Why have you brought mortals to our mountain?" Vexor demanded glaring at the humanoids on Granthor's back.

    "None of your business, Vexor! They are for Morthal."

    "Ah, a sacrifice then?" Asked a bright red dragon with purple tint. "Maybe he'll be kind and share with us. I love the taste of human... especially females."

    "Knock it off, Seela!" Granthor demanded growling in her direction. "They are off limits. Especially the female."

    Suddenly a loud roar came from the top of the mountain and many of the dragons backed away as a large dragon descended from above. This dragon was grey with red, black, and blue tint on it's wings, jaw, forehead, and legs. It was nearly twice the size of Granthor, and the hunter green dragon was one of the largest dragons the mortals had seen so far.

    "Leave the mortal's alone!" Demanded the massive dragon. "They are not food, they are our guests. At least..., the female is. And if these are her friends, you shall not touch them. I will burn anyone who tries." Tendrils of smoke began to filter from his nose.

    The throng of dragons began to back away and bowed their head in respect of the massive dragon. Even Granthor bowed his large, horned head to the elder dragon. Without release, the female climbed down from Granthor's back and slowly walked toward the large Morthal. She looked like a small sapling, compared to the giant Morthal.

    "It is an honor to meet you, Morthal." Ravyn said, respect audible in her tone as she bowed low to the dragon.

    Both males stumbled behind her before following suit and bowing. Although, poor Kaldin's bow was slightly wobbly from motion sickness.

     The large dragon smiled at the politeness of the woman and nodded his head to her. You seek answers, young one... I am sad to say I do not know all, but I do know some and will help you as much as possible, especially since you seem to wreak destruction wherever you go. This must be stopped. The human world has changed much over the last few decades. They have caused our kind to go into hiding as well as the Elves and Dwarves. Magic has been forsaken by many, but not lost. You have much in you, but then again, I know you are not what you seem. However, your true self is remained hidden even from me.

    Morthal watched as the woman closed her eyes at this knowledge. It was as if she was absorbing it all inside her, hoping it would trigger some kind of recognition. She opened her mouth to speak and Morthal quickly shook his head.

Not here. Come with me. We will talk alone. You're men can stay here, or come. Either is fine by me.

    Ravyn looked at Kaldin and Althair. They were not her men, though honestly she wasn't sure if she minded Kaldin's advances. Although Althair's crude advances and flirtations were not wanted. "I'm going with Morthal. You may come if you like, but I'm sure it will be boring for you two."

    "I'm coming." Said Kaldin immediately, not wanting to stay around these rather hungry looking dragons. Most were twice his size.

    Not about to be outdone, Althair nodded. "I'm coming too."

    Rolling her eyes, she looked at Morthal with a sigh. "I guess we're all going."

    "Then climb on." Said the large elder dragon.

    Kaldin balked at the idea of riding another dragon, but followed after Ravyn and Althair onto Morthal's back. He would deal with it for Ravyn. He would do anything for her, he was beginning to realize.

    Once all three were on Morthal's back, he lifted into the air. He flew high up the mountian and out the open top. As they exited above, all three found a strange sensation wash over them, before it was quickly gone. They looked at each other curiously, wondering what had happened. Once more they found themselves flying over lands and it made Kaldin wonder how no one below could see them. A large lizard flying over head wasn't something one could easily miss.

    After minutes of flying, they descended toward a large lake, they flew low barely skirting the water. As it was the dragon's claws raked the water before, he flapped his large wings and landed on the edge of the lake. "We're here." Morthal said in his deep voice. "These waters are enchanted. What is said here cannot be heard by anyone we don't want to be listening."

    The trio dismounted and looked around. The water was clear blue. They could see all the way to the bottom of the lake. Ravyn moved over to the waters edge and was about to touch the liquid glass when a tingling started in her fingertips and moved up her arm. She quickly pulled away in shock.

    The large dragon chuckled at the young woman before lowering himself down to the mortal's level. "Now we can talk freely." The great dragon said. He lowered his massive head equal to the woman's and stared his large silver eye at her. Let me see what you remember... Let me into your mind, dear one.

    Taking a deep breath, she nodded gently she closed her eyes letting the dragon into the darkest aspects of her mind. He dove past the meeting with Granthor, passed the memories of Althair catching her bathing, back before all that. It was then that he saw the destruction of the village through a hidden memory in her mind. He didn't release it though, it may not be the right time to let her know of the damage she could cause and yet do nothing about. He grimaced as he watched the town being burned to a crisp. Not a soul was left alive. The village had been burned down by dragon fire. The very fire that still burned inside her. He had known she wasn't what she seemed, but also knew knew there was more about her that remained to be seen. Trying to dive even deeper into the depths of her mind, he felt something strong holding him at bay. He pushed with all his might and the dear woman suddenly hissed as if it were causing her pain. Suddenly white piercing light blinded him and he felt as if the very scales on his his back were burning off of him. He roared in pain and had to pull back from the barrier in her mind. When he was back in his own state of mind again, he felt suddenly older... weaker.

The woman opened glistening eyes at him, as if she had felt the same pain as he. You felt it too? He queried. At her slow nod, the elder dragon frowned.

    "What does it mean?" Ravyn asked, her voice soft with the after affects of the fire-like pain.

    "What? What happened?" Asked Althair actually concerned for the woman. He had seen the pain she had been in, but could do nothing to help. Even Kaldin had wanted to help, but all they could do was watch. Something had happened and they both wanted to know about it, yet, only Althair voiced it.

    "Not now, Althair." The woman spoke softly waving him away.

It means, dear one, someone is not wanting you to know what happened to you, or who you really are. Not many can block me from seeing – I only know of two who can. The massive grey dragon sighed ignoring the human man. He was tired... beyond tired actually. One is a wizard, a friend of mine actually. He's quite interesting and quite powerful, in some ways even more than me. The other man calls himself Exsinethal. He claims to be a mystic. I don't know him personally, but I hear he likes death and destruction. He seems to especially like chaos. I don't know if he's human or perhaps elf... or maybe even something else. But he's a strange man from what I've heard from my kin. We have kept an eye on him, worried he may do something... terrible. But as of yet, he has remained fairly passive, but macabre. He likes to dabble in the archaic... and necromancy.

    "Did you find anything out that's helpful? Is everything alright? Are you going to tell us at all?" Althair asked again growing annoyed at being brushed aside. He wanted to help their female companion... in any way possible, actually. Kaldin, however, was being oddly quiet but was definitely paying attention to what was going on. He couldn't help himself either, every once in a while he would find himself staring at the strange female creature. Her oddities made her even more beautiful in his opinion.

    The dragon's maw moved in the direction of the light haired male, a frown appearing on his wrinkled leathery face. "Of course I did human. Your female companion is being blocked so she doesn't know who she is or where she comes from. However, I do believe she has not been a part of this world long – and yet, she's been around for ages." He licked his lips as if he were hungry before continuing on."I suggest you seek out my friend Varith first. If he cannot give you the answers you seek, then perhaps Exsinethal can – that is if you can get him to talk to you. That might be a challenge"

    "Wait, you said I'm a source of destruction before. What did you mean by that?" Ravyn asked, her eyes filled with worry. She didn't want to harm anyone if she could help it. "And part of this world long? Where else could I be from?" The woman was clutching her head with one hand, as if her head was aching.

    Morthal frowned once more and closed his eyes in sadness. "Let me tell you this, you and I are not so different. That is all I can tell you for now, little one."

    A frown made its way onto the strange young woman's face as she mulled over what had been said. To find her missing self, she needed to seek out a  wizard or a man who seemed rather dark and possibly evil. "Can you tell me where I'll find these two men?"

    Of course. With that he closed his massive grey eyes and sent the wizard and the mystics locations to her mind. The path to Exsinethal will be one wrought with many trials and dangers. Tread carefully.

    The woman nodded slowly, clearly trying to absorb everything that was said. "What aren't you telling me, and why?" She questioned carefully.

    I cannot say, dear one, but you have a dangerous road ahead of you. You must cling to the light. There is always hope. Your companions will help you. Though be careful. They are human, not all humans can be fully trusted. There is something about these two, their future is hindered from my sight... but I sense pain, darkness, and death... Guard your heart, don't lose sight of what you love or will love. You may have sorrow in your future, but there is always a light at the end of the darkness. Do not forget this. And secrets may be lost, but to those with the patience to find it, will excel in the end. The dragon said wisely, trying his best to give her advice, while not revealing anything to her.

    The golden haired woman sighed. For some reason she knew it would not be easy. She wondered about everything the wise dragon had told her. There were so many more questions she had for the large dragon, but she knew it would be just more cryptic answers. Still, what wasn't he telling her?

    "Where is your blue eyed friend?" Came the dragons deep voice to her sensitive elf like ears. Looking around, Ravyn frowned, Althair was no where to be found. Hadn't he just been there a moment ago? "Perhaps I should say good riddance..." The exotic woman said out loud.

    Kaldin, who was sitting nearby drawing pictures in the sand, while trying his best to wait patiently for Ravyn to finish and not brood about his lack of a budding relationship with the lovely woman, heard the dragon's query and the woman's response. He too, looked around for his friend and frowned. Where had his friend gone to now? He shook his head at both the dragon, Morthal and Ravyn before shrugging. He watched as the emerald eyed woman sighed in irritation. Althair was in for a tongue lashing now.

    Meanwhile, Althair had wandered off feeling like someone or something was calling to him. There was a small stream that opened into the supposedly enchanted lake waters. This was what he was following along.

    Looking back, he saw the overly massive dragon still mentally communicating with Ravyn. It irritated him being left out of the conversation as well as continually being ignored or brushed off, but Kaldin didn't seem to mind being bored to death. Then again his friend was as boring as they came.

    And there it was again – that pull. It had caused him to leave the gorgeous beauty with his entranced friend and the incredibly large dragon. He would be right back. He doubted he'd be missed anyway, especially not by that mysterious woman. With a soft curse, he shook his head unable to get that golden haired female out of his mind... or his heart. Besides, he doubted whatever this strange pull was, was dangerous. At least, it didn't feel dangerous. It just felt... right.

    Strolling carefully over the water's edge, he was surprised to see so many perfect round stones and in all different colors of the rainbow.

    A loud noise caused him to stumble forward and land directly in the stream with a large splash. The waters tingled as they touched his skin. However, he was more than agitated at falling in the water and getting soaked to really notice. Perhaps Kaldin was right and his luck had started to change... and for the worse. It certainly seemed that way. He wasn't getting anything he wanted. Not the girl, he was being ignored by the most amazing and massive creature that had ever lived, and how he had tripped and fallen in the water only to become soaking wet. Maybe it was the woman? Maybe she was bad luck. Or maybe what that old fool in that cursed village had changed him by some sort of magic. How frustrating! Would anything be the same again?

    Althair cursed loudly and moved to get up when his hand touched something that burned his palm. He pulled away abruptly at the pain and noticed a dark blue and crimson colored rock. Frowning, he reached out and touched the object again. Surely the rock couldn't have burned him, could it? A burning pain went through his hand and began to go up his arm when he pulled away again. This was strange... and painful. Actually it was like no pain he had ever felt before. And yet, for some reason  he couldn't resist. It was calling to him. Wanting him to pick it up. How he knew this, he wasn't exactly sure.

     Sitting up, he bared his teeth in preparation getting ready to pick it up. He reached over, barred his teeth, and picked up the strangely colored, yet painful rock. Heat soared through him as he held the rock in his hand. His body felt like it was on fire, and for a second he thought his body actually was on fire. Flames flickered a bright orange, red, and yellow before him as if they were licking his skin eating him alive. For a brief second, fear began to fill him, but then he thought he heard a strange yet familiar voice. Calm. It soothed him immediately, calming his rapidly beating heart. The fire burning him suddenly cooled and then subsided. He sighed allowing whatever this was to completely take him over.

    A vision suddenly entered his mind's eye of a great bird – no it was a beautiful, majestic midnight blue and crimson red dragon. It's eyes were a bright blue, almost the same color as his own eyes with a ring of red around the irises. It was clearly an adult, but not yet full grown. This was a vision of what would one day come to pass, or so he felt.

The vision then shifted to a scaly little lizard with scrawny wings. It was awkward and boney,  curled tightly into a  ball. For ages it had been asleep, confined to its small quarters. Nearly a century ago it had been discarded from the top of the Edarth mountain range, being marked as a bad egg. It was placed in the river that ran through the dragon's enclave and it floated down the streaming waters, survived the long drop of the waterfall, only to make it down the small creek, stopping a few feet from the enchanted lakes waters. The magic from the liquid glass sustained the tiny dragon in the egg before his touch brought it out of hibernation. It was awakening, it's heart beating strong. No longer was it a bad egg.

Althair clutched the rock that he now knew was actually an egg to his heart, completely and utterly in shock as to what had just happened. He opened his sapphire blue eyes now that the visions had ended and stared down at the dark egg that looked so much more like a rock. This was his dragon.  And he was the dragon's human. He gently rubbed his thumb on the hard surface of the egg wondering when it was going to hatch. He hadn't realized that humans and dragons could be linked. Wait, was that what this was? Were he and the tiny dragon inside the oddly colored egg, linked? Should he tell Kaldin, Ravyn, and Morthal about his discovery? Really he knew nothing for certain. Though he did know that his supposed luck hadn't changed completely.

Without warning, a loud thrashing came about behind him and a strange shrieking roar sounded. That definitely wasn't Morthal. Something was happening back with his companions and the great dragon. Pressing his lips together in determination, he slid the egg into a secure pocket on his person before racing off to help his friends, drawing his sword on the way.