"Thousands of years ago, humans and the Zheragon or the dragons as we now say - were both on the brink of extinction. They battled fiercely, warring, and raving. The death toll was catastrophic. The humans believed the dragonfolk were soulless creatures and a scourge upon the earth; better as trophies than as living beings. The dragons looked down upon humankind, believing they should worship and cower before their power and mysticism. Neither was willing to relent. That is when Ylohim, Lord and master of all folk and nation came down to arrange a pact between human and dragon. If either species should cease to exist, the other would too die out and perish. If they could not get along - they served no purpose in the world he created. The dragons, being too prideful, spat on this agreement. Ylohim was furious - he told the dragonfolk that if they could not learn to respect humankind, they would be forced to live as man does. No longer would taking human form be a learned trait - dragons from then on would be born in the shape of man - and must learn to be dragons."

"Dem, we wa mut sora ne ra et?" That's why I can't fly yet? Semmy asked, the three-year-old looked up at her nanny. The woman sighed and noted the marvel of how a child could appear as royal as they did adorable. The twee agon's full name was Semiramishe Sasibe'Llona Fum'Atumoyo. Her round yet upturned eyes with their striking amethyst color and brightness seemed to beckon to her. Her black fox brow resting against soft cinnamon skin on a heart-shaped face cradled by a mane of ebony-black dreadlocks. The woman began to answer when the building began to shake. The furious roar of a dragon pierced the air. The Old Tale would have to wait. If the men had begun fighting as dragons, nothing within fifty kilometers of the palace was safe. The palace grounds alone covered a space of thirty kilometers.

"Suada ket Semmy tu Auster. Wa de sik ebaba - we have no choice; we must leave." As the eldest among the children stood the other two leaped to follow suit. "If baba has joined the battle, it may to late - hide quickly you know what to do if I don' gnon ra." Aura told the nanny, handing her small sister over and forcing her brother's clutching hand from her skirt.

"Hesh" the nanny nodded, grabbing the boy's hesitant arm as the small child wrapped her tiny legs around her hip. The only boy and middle child, Silvius Austeresh, had been quite content asleep and simply went grabbing whoever was most familiar and closest. His silver locks and sharp snake-brow stood out keenly, his pale ecru-tan skin and silver eyes betraying his albinism.

She quickly turned around and opened the closet. She slid the slightly hidden bottom door open and coerced the boy inside, handing the boy the small girl whose thumb was firmly jammed into her mouth. "Stay here, stay hidden, stay quiet. Wa ma te suk gnon ra." She whispered to the boy. She closed the door and the closet and went to leave the room.

As soon as she opened the door, the heat rushed to her face. On the right side the blaze had all but destroyed the building, to her left the bodies of slaughtered aides, attendants, and family lined the walls. She looked back to the right, the beams were falling, but the fire was all but doused, the building was fortified of stone and alabaster, not much wood to burn but enough to light every room and hall ablaze. The lavender and gold patterned carpet was singed black and stained red. The decorations and wall trophies that lined the hall were all but the ashes of what they were just hours ago. She inhaled sharply. The skies flashed with fire and lightning, the shadows of dragons and flaps of wings mingled in the air. Thinking back on the Old Tale the woman understood now why humankind feared the dragonfolk.

"Pantha!" a voice called. Suada turned back to her left to see Rhea Aura running toward her. "Vai ima coming, we have to get the little ones out. It is too late, ahma tu ebaba are holding them -." As the girl reached Suada and out of breath grabbed her arms, Suada tried to pull her out of the way. It was too late; an arrow was lodged in her chest. In that second, it was as if time slowed just for a moment.

Suada was certain she would never forget how she looked then. Aura was beautiful. No one in their right mind would say otherwise. At sixteen she appeared very much as a young woman. Her black and indigo braided locks into patterns of flowers, haunting now as lifeless as they had always been perfect. Her black and opaque markings danced around her long neck to betray a shockingly stunning design. Her arms were long, and she had very feminine hands with long elegant fingers. She looked like a softer version of her mother. Torn, burned, and bloodied yet, she made it look beautiful.

She would never forget the way her seamless bistre skin contrasted with the ivory chemise under the gold and taupe dress. How her wide and deep-set amethyst almond eyes shimmered with the tears that fell one after the other down her apple cheeks. Her square jaw cradling her heavy bow-shaped lips as they trembled along with her to the marble floors. Suada ran, without a second thought, to the agon to cradle her body as she coughed and spat up blood. Eyes barely open, the girl's hand placed something cold into hers.

It was understood.

"Rhea, Rhea - AURA!!!!" She screamed, rocking the limp body back and forth. The two cubs emerged from their hiding spot and began wailing and screaming. They ran up to their sister and tugged and pounded with little fists as if they could simply wake her.

Suada looked up and saw the soldiers, arrows notched. "Ga ma ym wa vida." You will let me live, she commanded. The bows were lowered. She was taking a momentous risk using this power. Going undetected meant using essence from the objects around her, which also meant using this rahisi would tear at her stamina.

Her bright green spikes began to emerge from her forehead. Then her horns atop her head. Black hair came out of its bun and instantly began to turn white. The white hair became a mane behind the large maw of her now large red reptilian jaws. As she transformed the soldiers stood still, incapable of forming a thought of any kind much less a thought of harm. The front of her dragon body was red and scales bright with color ran from red to purple down the tail. Wingless, her tribe - the Onixxeaun were called. Part of their Talent or "Ikono" is to fly without wings. Long bodies slither through the air like flying snakes. A special relationship between their scales and the chemicals in the atmosphere allowed them to simply float to unusual altitudes that would harm other dragons. With the children, she would not be able to get that high. Suada opened her mouth as wide as she could. A large wind sucked deep in her jaws. When she exhaled the soldiers fell asleep as well as the two young dragons still crying at their sister's side. She used her large right arm to scoop up the two cubs.

She panted a little and took a slow breath inward. Eyes to the ceiling concentrated "Hato" her voice commanded and the bricks of the wall and tiles of the ceiling rolled out of her way as if consciously. Most of the fight was away in the opposite direction. She took a slightly smaller breath in. She turned around. Her long body had truly little room to maneuver in such a tight space. She had to raise up a little and pull her body in. Holding the two cubs as tightly as she held her breath. When she was in position she crawled upward and out and beyond the roof. With a push from the roof, her body appeared as though gliding - or slithering into the sky. Suada raced as high as she could go. The children were not old enough to take form; the air would be too thin higher. Clouds tickled her tail and the wind flirted with her scales. Her body slithering through the air. This was heaven. Or at least usually. Going up north brought back fond memories for Suada. Onixxeaun territory was northeast of where she was headed. Daer'Ishaan territory. She knew where she had to go. What must be done was a whole other matter. The young dragon had yet to be crowned as Center, and therefore was not yet the true ruler of Zhagoziè, the kingdom of dragons.

As she glided farther and farther the terrain changed. Prairie lands morphed into desert. Tall trees with only a few exceptionally large leaves and cacti were painted across the landscape. The dirt turned into reddish sand. Scattered clay huts got closer together and more in number. Increased trees and brush had begun to take over the world beneath her. Small villages turned into towns, and finally cities. The trees reached up so high they dared to challenge her. As she began to descend closer behind the tallest trees the castle stood. Sculpted of red sand and black clay brick.

The Daer'Ishaan region was home to one of the most impressive castles in Zhagoziè: Daer'Atesh. Making use of the vast territory surrounding it, the was wide to the East and West and three tall towers in the North, East and West wings. The front courtyard was made up of what could only be described as an oasis. Lush green cradled the crescent-shaped pond that from the south appeared as a rainbow as the light shimmered off it - reflecting the many colors of flowers and fruits that surrounded. The black clay brick was used to create the borders and roofing of this castle. Black Ivory made from the Ancient Eleph's tusks adorned the very top of each tower in a concave square shape.

The hustle and bustle of the servant's morning had already begun. Without wings, no one heard her approach. Yet another advantage of her tribe had saved her this day. The West Wing was where she was headed. This would be a meeting spot for the future Center, Key Daer'Ishaan Delius Eli Daer'hakan The same spot they had met up at just a few years earlier. Though back then, he was not so soon to be crowned Center. Her long body would now become a hindrance. She swooped around the western side of the tower. Careful not to drop the cubs she softly clasped the building with her long ivory claws. The window was open. However, as she slithered her body - which was barely able to fit through - inside, she noticed it was dark but not completely empty. A desk and candle stand were on the north facing wall. On the Southern wall was a floor to ceiling darkwood bookshelf. The shelves were stuffed with parchment, encyclopedias, spell books, tomes, and the like. Some scrolls were just stuffed into free spaces here and there, but there was no clear organization, if there was any at all. It was a large round room with a high vaulted ceiling and gray lycanthwood flooring. A long black carpet ran from the window to the door and walls covered with shining crystal designs inlaid into swirling tree and leaf shapes.

Suddenly the door directly in front to the east swung open, light instantly filled the space. There he stood, Delius Eli, the same way she remembered him. She began to change back into her human form. Her drakeseed fell from her mouth and plopped to the ground. With no rahisi left in her it only glowed momentarily and then sat. With no clothes her body shook - naked and shaking the two children spilled out of her arms as she finished transforming. Still asleep under the ikono she used.

"Pantha!" Delius whispered, running toward her. "Wo obten ga parua zha."

He turned his head to the door, and it softly closed. He swept her long white hair out of her face... She tried to keep her eyes from meeting his. If they did, she would not be able to guard herself from crying. "How did you make it out? Are these Servius's cubs?" He asked her.

"They are all dead." She panted out. "I could only save these two - onegai you have to save them!"

She looked up at him now. His square mono-lid red eyes and mostly umber hair with streaks of wine and merlot stood out against his teak-colored skin. The garnet markings that danced like fire around his steeply arched brow, sharp lips, and strong chin. Her eyes met his and she could not stop the tears.

"There will be no royals left of their clan!! Please, grant them a chance at redemption." She backed away from him and knelt.

"Panthalis..." he sighed. "I have already signed over my rights to Eteocles."

"What?" She looked up, taken aback. "How could you! I knew you were still hurt about Sera, but what about Persephone and -"

He covered mouth before she could finish.

"You and her are the only ones who know about that. He will be fine... He can still be a pylon or a Key. If I said anything now - I would not be the one under trial." Delius stood up and pulled Suada to a stand along with him. "We need to get you dressed so you can speak to Eteocles."

"Dorian is a fool!" She hissed.

"SSSsst!" he clicked at her. "If I can show him proper respect, so can you." He looked down.

They were both aware of the weight that sat behind calling a person by their Given name. Unlike the Chosen name - it was given by one's parents and is typically only used by one's mate or immediate family.

Calling someone unrelated by that name outside of an official setting was an insult. Dorian was named for their father and his name Eteocles was granted by the Oracle at his dedication. The name was a manifestation of one's destiny. As a rule, calling someone by their name was acknowledging their fate - and therefore the relevance of their existence. Strict traditions surrounded the use of names. A higher ranked dragon could choose whether to call one by their Chosen or Given name. However, it would still be disrespectful for a cub to do so. The more ranks there were between one dragon, and another meant the more honorable it was to be called by your Chosen name.

"RESPECT!!?" She spat. "What respect can be granted for that gon? He is responsible for-" once again Delius cut her off with a harsh look.

"We can discuss who was responsible for what some other time... Nonetheless, you aren't wrong. Eteocles hasn't been crowned yet. Perhaps we should use that to our advantage."

He took off his outer robe, velvet and silk of browns and gold. A red silk cord used to tie it dangled from either side as he draped it around her shoulders. He glanced back at the two cubs and noted the little girl that lay with her thumb in her mouth. Her black locks were down past her back and her markings were nothing short of royal. One day she would be a beauty worthy of the Lock title. He sighed in the thought that she might live her life as little more than a hostage princess. He would do his best to afford her comforts worthy at least of the agon she was.

"Stay up here with them, I have a barrier stone. Everyone knows this is my storeroom. No one should come up here, but I will have an attendant bring up some drakefruit and blankets."

"You go to them, the decision will be final" Suada began, sensing his intentions.

"If we leave it up to the Keys, they will just follow Eteocles. Daer'Ishaan's were responsible for following the order - he will want them dead simple and done with so he can rule as Center without any fuss."

"You mean, he leaves them alive, some might petition the Center should still fall on Auster once he comes of age?" she asked, but knowing the answer she just shook her head and tried to hold back tears.

"Just to muddy the waters, or for political power, and my brother is no fool. He will want them dead." Delius grabbed his cape and wrapped it around, securing it at the neck. "My father is up there now, perhaps, he will go easy on me." He reached for the strap of his drakeseed and tied it onto the red cord at his waist.