#forelands

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With forcefully surpressed trepidation I climbed the tower of Anyx Trine. Quickly I lost count of the stairs and instead came to focus on the thrumming which vibrated through the frigid stone walls into my grazing fingertips. I focused on the sensation to drive anxiety from my mind until there was only room for excitement. Almost there! Proven by a fledgling guarding a wide doorway. I turned through the arch and stared. “Here be dragons,” I breathed quietly. My grandest kindred from beyond any stars I knew. The little dragon turned at my whisper, perhaps curious, then suddenly flew forward with a rush of dank wind. I followed and concentrated on not sneezing at the stirred dust and dirt garnered over centuries in the den before me. I stopped when the little one stopped. In front of a divine red giant. Was I supposed to wake a dragon? I tried, “Greetings, great one.”  I waited, but there was no reaction, and I gazed upon the glistening plates of scales. With all fear lost to wonder, I approached and without thought ran my own scaled hand down the rough horns so much larger than my own. As an au’ra, I boasted only four little horns, while these beings wore twelve like gem encrusted crowns. While I was distracted, the dragon stirred at my touch and turned toward me in sleep, knocked me over, and nuzzled into my chest. I ignored the pain from the fall and held my breath as I stared with alarm at the teeth in my lap. There was a surprising lack of weight for the size. The coppery scent of blood and the bittersweet smell of brimstone wafted into my face, but it bothered me less than others. My heart calmed as I noticed how deeply entrenched in dreams my caresser kept. “Sleep well and wake,” I said with a smile and joy in my eyes at this rarest moment. “You are lucky to not sleep forever here after such an intrusion, tiny one,” came a deep voice. The intensity of each of these words rang in aching cacaphony through my head, my bones, my soul, and I felt what prey must feel when death is at its back. High above me out of the darkness rushed a glowering eye like lit flame, but the golden dragon who stared down at me paused and watched me without further movement. “The stench of man, yet somehow different... Ah, a companion to Ysayle,” muttered the dragon with yet painful resonance. With care I pulled away from the sleeping dragon and rose to face the one who judged me without concealment. To my worry, talons larger than me pinned down on either side of my legs to ensure I could not run. I swallowed the urge to cry out that I had held in from the moment the threat vibrated through my body. Then I straightened my shoulders back and returned the stare. “I have come to offer aid to dragon and brood, and hope for mercy in return,” I said. Was it the right choice of words? The dragon whiffed heavily at my scent, and swiftly turned to reveal a trio of eggs. “Heed me, mortal. Should you disturb the peace of our home, we will know... We seek quiet and calm. Those who deny us will be met with fangs and claws,” was the only answer I was given, and it was again a threat, but this time the waves of words were more gentle and only vibrated through the stone at my feet to nearly knock me back down. To ensure I did not fall again, I simply sat beside the eggs in exhaustion, and the golden dragon curled around me on guard. For now, I had passed this test, but there were many trials to come. Today I had come so far and climbed so high. Tomorrow there were skies to search and peace to find.  — Dec 13, 2021

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