Summer 4999, 14 Akamoth

"So, what, exactly, has you so testy?" Ranito asked Shon on the last day of another week long trek through the jungle. Tore had sent Kumatz ahead on the first day and it returned four days later, confirming their destination. The Ranger had been annoyingly cryptic as to what exactly it had done, considering the contact supposedly wouldn't speak to her, or them, in a language she could understand.

Shon growled and further enforced the observation of his shortened temper by not even making eye contact with the Archmage. Like a dog with its hackles raised, he continued to glare at the Ranger leading this little aside.

"hmmm..." Ranito took notes, then addressed Ryuuko on its human's shoulder, "And why, my little dragon, are you not stopping him?"

Ryuuko chittered and Shon answered, finally turning his icy eyes on the Mage, "It doesn't know either..." Ranito took a note. 

"It's clearly something to do with our guide. You expressed support for her plan to introduce us to the hermit, yet there seems to be something about her that has clawed its way under your skin, Soldier."

Shon shook his head, but then sighed, "If you find out, tell me." Ryuuko let out a whisper of a whistle in agreement, then took off to perch on Tristen, whom Tore was approaching. Probably with an update. 

"Will you listen?" Ranito asked, eyeing the little dragon and Shon in turn. 

Shon crossed his arms but nodded. Ranito supposed Tristen would've shooed the pseudodragon off if he didn't want to be overheard, and was even considering approaching to listen himself when he was waved over directly.

"Care to listen with your own ears?" Ranito asked Shon, who shook his head. "Verywell." the Archmage flipped a few pages forward in his notebook and picked his way carefully around the thick roots protruding from the earth in this otherwise level area. 

It was the closest thing to a clearing one could find in this thick jungle, though the pond in the middle looked a little too circular to be natural. Above the trees, it was a rare sunny day, and through the gap in the leaves a single ray of sun broke through the canopy to strike the pond, the light refracting off the still water to dance across the thick underbrush fighting for dominance along the perimeter.

Oswall was busy bitching to anyone who would listen, "Even when you find a clear area you gotta contend with... the damn... plants..." He jerked his cloak free of a low bush.

"Don't forget the monsters and predators! We found a nice watering hole, maybe something will find us." Ebonwing snickered, holding her arms out wide like a child pretending to be said monster. As if she couldn't turn into a bear for real. Ranito snorted.

Tore didn't wait long for him to get closer, calling, "You prepared that language spell, right? We need it now." 

He jointed them as Tristen asked, "Are they really so stubborn?" It had been a reasonable question the first time the Paladin asked. Less so the sixth -Ranito made a note- now seventh time. 

Tore rolled her eyes, and Ranito interrupted her answer, "It doesn't matter if it is ignorance or stubbornness, magic will solve the problem." Ryuuko whistled, Kumatz hissed, and Tristen pinched the bridge of his nose, 

"Fine. If you would Archmage?" Under his breath, the Paladin continued, "Though how such a person might help is beyond me..." Poor Tristen was desperate enough to be grasping at straws, Ranito took a note, the Warlocks influencing the Tribe had hit him harder than warranted, in the Archmage's opinion anyway.

As he cast the spell, Ranito felt the magic settle itself in his mind, ears, and throat. Once finished, he asked the clearing at large, "Say something."

Oswall and Ebonwing shouted insults in their respective languages, while Alena asked in Udalin, "Will you be able to tell what language we're using?"

"Yes. As the words are filtered through my mind, the spell within will translate what I don't know. I will still 'hear' the original sounds to a lesser-" Ranito was forced to stop his lecture as the wind blew his cherished hair around in a tangle, making the leaves rustle in a cacophony of sudden foul weather. 

From above and all around sounded a voice, "How do you know my language? Are you one of them?" The wind increased, circling around the clearing counter clockwise, lifting leaves and dirt into the air. 

Ranito searched the upper branches, shielding his face. Before he could think of the best response to the speaker, Tristen called, "What did they say?" followed by a snarled, "Giorgios' order, Sorcerer Tore, is there nothing you can-"

The Air sorcerer's violet eyes shone with a mischievous glint, but she did lift her arms, circling them above her head in a clockwise motion, summoning a wind of her own to counter the mysterious speaker. It canceled the twister, but made the air chopy, like attempting to swim in a storm.

Laughter filled the trees. One voice from half a dozen different directions giggled down at them, then said, "Silly Tore..." With a roar and gust that nearly knocked Oswall and Ebonwing over, the speaker reversed their wind, following Tore's and causing the massive trees to groan as even they were pushed to a slight lean.

Tore attempted to wrest control, to combat the speaker again, but Ranito could see the strain in the Sorcerer's face. The Archmage cursed his inability to take notes, it was amazing that either of them could do this much.

"They want to know why I can speak their language." Ranito shouted to Tristen, then yelled to the sky, "I can't answer in a tornado!" 

The wind died to nothing. Oswall -who had been crouching- stood once more, Ebonwing peaked from behind one of the larger trees, and poor Alena fell over. Tristen grumbled either a curse or a prayer, and Shon -who'd managed to stand his ground- rolled his shoulders and walked away. Investigating the underbrush. 

All was silent, even the usual rusle of branches muted by the strangely still air. It wasn't until Sir Tristan opened his mouth did the voice speak again. From above and behind Ranito, the voice interrupted, "I'm listening. Are you one of them?"

Ranito spun in place, "Who are they?" 

"How are we supposed to know?!" Oswall snapped.

"What did she say?" Tore demanded. 

"Perhaps you should translate first before speaking directly-" Tristen started, but Ranito waived a frustrated hand,

"Yes yes." then he sighed, "This is going to be awkward." The archmage cleared his throat, speaking to the canopy, "I am an Archmage of the Mages Guild of Daanlin, and I have cast a spell to comprehend any lan-"

Something exploded from a curtain of vines Shon was gingerly pushing aside. The woman sprinted at Ranito, grabbing his shoulders and towering over him. Ranito thought he was used to being around people taller than himself, he was average height but both Tristen and Shon were well above average, cresting over six feet. This woman was nearly seven feet tall.

She had short redish hair, and was willowy, with long arms and legs and not much hip or bust to speak of. She wore makeshift clothing of plants and leather, though her shoes looked professionally made. Ranito made a mental note to write later, perhaps Tore had purchased the shoes? Meaning she hadn't insisted- Ranito's thoughts went blank.

The green stripes twisting their way over her bare limbs were also on her face, splitting into a V with one point above and below each eye. He'd assumed... Some tribes used paint on their skin... but this wasn't paint. They were scales... "Wind-" 

"Don't." Shon's deep voice cut across Ranito's breathed realization. The Archmage snapped his mouth shut and cleared his throat. Yes, if the Fire and Waterwyrms were against their titles, he didn't want to alienate the Windwyrm by using hers at first meeting.

Shon approached, speaking directly to the Windwyrm, "We are not part of the group that kept you."

The Windwyrm cocked her head curiously, looking for all the world like a curious bird. "I don't understand..." She sounded like she might cry, but then she spun on Ranito again, grabbing his hands. Hers were cool, but not cold, and he could feel a steady breeze just over her skin, making her short cropped hair rustle -glinting copper in the sun- "Cast the spell on me. Please, I-" she stopped as Ranito shook his head.

He explained, "The spell can only target the caster, just like you cannot throw another's voice to the wind as you did a moment ago." 

She practically threw his hands away, crossing her arms to huff -a wave of wind creating ripples in the pond- "What's the point then?! You can already speak to anyone you want..."

"Archmage, please." Tristen seemed torn between begging and ordering Ranito to translate.

The spell allowed anyone to understand anything Ranito said regardless of language he chose to use. The Windwyrm would be able to understand only his half of a conversation with the others, if he wanted to avoid misunderstandings he would need to be careful. 

Ranito cleared his throat once more and said to the Windwyrm, "I will translate for you. This is Sir Tristen of... the Kingdom Temple." Remembering the Firewyrms subtle aversion to the Slayer god, Ranito avoided the name and waited for a response. She'd been living in the Jungle for at least three years -they'd found her Warlock prison after she'd escaped- and apparently didn't understand common. What misconceptions were they going to have to work around to convince her to come with them? Would they have to fight?

He'd completely forgotten about the death knight. Glancing at Shon as he moved to stand in front of the Windwyrm, Ranito braved taking his notebook out, praying to Saint Bede that she wouldn't blow it away. This would be a test for the Sorcerer-Solder, he refused to apprehend the Firewyrm, and had shown reluctance in attacking the Waterwyrm with all his considerable power, how would he treat the Windwyrm?

"Archmage," Triten barked.

"Yes yes. She was afraid we were Warlocks, and wanted me to cast this spell on her. It appears she is not stubborn, merely ignorant."

Tristen and the Windwyrm spoke in unison,

"I was not frightened!" 

"They never taught her common?"

Ranito cleared his throat and said in a high pitched voice, "I was not frightened." It was quite well done if he had to say so himself,

Tristen blinked at him, and the Windwyrm cocked her head, but Ranito lowered his voice to say, "They didn't teach you common?"

Tristen's eye twitched and Oswall laughed out loud. The Windwyrm turned to tilt her head at him instead, then smirked, flicking her fingers to send out a tiny gust of wind, snuffing the rogue's match as he tried to light a smoke. Oswall grumbled, but didn't seem to notice the source of his misfortune until the Windwyrm did it again, more blatantly.

Shon ran a hand over his hair, ignoring them to address Ranito, "That wasn't want Sir Tristen said," Ranito shrugged and Shon rolled his eyes, but turned his attention back to the Windwyrm. 

She was focused on pestering Oswall, but looked back when Ryuuko landed on Shon with a whistle. Ranito readied his pencil as their eyes met. Shon asked, "Have you picked your name since escaping?" 

The Windwyrm waited for Shon to finish, but looked to Ranito with desperation, "They know I don't understand... don't they?"

Ranito nodded, explaining, "It is seen as polite to speak to the person and not the translator, he wants to know your name." 

"That was not what I said," Shon growled, then added, "please" over Ryuuko's angry chittering. 

Ranito shivered under Shon's stare, realizing his mistake. Shon spoke rarely but deliberately, choosing his words carefully. Ranito tried to apologize, "Yes, forgive-" but before he could correct the mistake, the Windwyrm answered with a whine and more whipping wind,

"I don't know it! I've tried and tried, but now I don't even know who to ask and-" She spoke with her hands, and the wind followed, rustling the trees high above and causing the others to shield their faces from debris until Shon interrupted by catching one of her hands. She gasped, but didn't pull away, cocking her head at his fingers until he let her go and said,

"You can choose whatever name you want. No one has the power to take it from you." 

So he hadn't needed a translation... Ranito slid closer to Shon to whisper, "How did-"

Shon arched an eyebrow down at him and interrupted quietly, "Her tone. She doesn't know her name yet, right?" then he added for good measure, even quieter, "Lily responded the same..."

Ranito took a moment to make a note on Shon's page. What a strange effect the dragons seemed to have on him. Then translated in as deep a voice as he could manage, repeating exactly what Shon had said, and watching as the Windwyrm's eyes slowly widened. 

"You... really?" she looked quickly from Shon to Ranito until the later repeated her question -in his higher voice-

Shon continued to address her directly, "The two we know are Lily and Rose." 

Ranito translated, adding, "Like the flowers" at the end in his own voice. 

It was difficult to keep track of Shon and the Windwyrm while also taking note of Sir Tristen motioning to the others. They spread out, continuing to give the dragon space while encircling her. The Windwyrm didn't seem to notice, her jaw had dropped, "They are like me? Two of them? And- wait! Why do flowers get names?! That is not fair! They can't discover-" 

"Windwyrm, please!" Tristen yelled over the resumed twister. But that just made her hiss. She recognized that word at least. 

"Don't call her that." Tore snapped. Ranito noticed the moment she realized her mistake, if she knew about the title -and the fact that the dragon didn't like it- then it meant she knew enough that she should've reported the Windwyrm to the kingdom and hadn't.

Shon grabbed the dragon's hand again, then Ranito by the back of his robes, pulling him closer, "You can choose your name too."

Ranito repeated, adding "We are hunting those who held you, there are four others like you, one for each element." 

But she didn't seem to care about that, breathing, "A name..." Then she grabbed Shon by the face, holding his cheeks and begging, "How? How do I pick a name? I don't know any flower names! I didn't know they had names! Why would they get-" she stopped when Shon reached up to take her hands, removing them from his face but holding them gingerly rather than letting them go. She didn't pull away from his cold, her eyes pleading as Ranito began translating.

After translating her exclamation -skipping her interrupted rant- he answered, "Druid Ebonwing, here," he nodded towards her, "can identify any flower you like." 

"Nearly!" Ebonwing called, "It's been a few years since my training, Old Man." The rest of the team had moved closer, close enough that when the Windwyrm launched herself into the air it nearly blew them all over again. 

She couldn't fly, and yet her clothes were less makeshift than Ranito had originally assumed, the leather catching her wind to carry her over their heads and into the trees. 

"What by Horsa's flailing ba-" Oswall started, but Alena interrupted with a gasp of realization,

"I bet she went to get a flower!" 

Sir Tristen didn't watch the sky for long, settling steel gray eyes on Tore. The Ranger tilted her chin up, rather definitely considering the Paladin's authority. "You know what she is." he stated, clenching a fist at his side but otherwise remaining calm.

Tore's lip twitched, as if resisting a smirk, then she lied through her teeth "I know she was kept prisoner in a tower in Shutha. I helped her escape, and though we can't talk, she... expressed hesitation in joining kingdom society. Considering she has no papers, I assumed she was a particularly powerful barbarian shaman who'd been experimented on." she shrugged, adding, "I considered asking someone from Shutha to translate, but what she speaks doesn't sound like Shuthali."

Ranito spoke over Tristen, "That's because it's draconic." He made a note of Tore's lie -just believable enough to require a trial if Tristen decided to bring her in.

Tristen narrowed his eyes at her, asking, "How did you know about her title?" 

Tore shrugged again, "There was a Mage who tried to stop us at the tower, Kumatz took care of him before I could ask for details." she pet her familiar lovingly, "I didn't realize at the time that she wouldn't be able to answer."

Shon crossed muscled arms over his barrel chest and glared at Tore. Ryuuko hissed and he growled, "We could have taught her common." 

"Now that is a fabulous idea, Sorcerer." Ranito stated, unable to elaborate as the Windwyrm returned, pushing them all back a step to land with a powerful updraft right back where she'd been. She was holding a length of ivy.

Shon turned away from Tore -who huffed her own small breeze- and picked up the trailing end of the vine with a barely discernible smile, "Ivy." 

"Ivy?" the Windwyrm repeated, turning to Ranito to ask, "Is that what it's named? It grows on everything and makes wonderful curtains and-" 

Bede's objective wisdom, this dragon loved to talk. Ranito interrupted to confirm, "Yes, it is also a common name for girls in the kingdom."

"So it's a name!" She exclaimed, then grabbed hold of Shon's hands again, asking him directly, "Can I use it? Oh please." 

And again, Shon didn't need a direct translation, answering, "You may choose whatever name you want."

She looked to Ranito, and after he translated -in his deepest voice- she smiled, repeating the name, "Ivy... Ivy." she giggled, "Ivy, Ivy, Ivy! I have a name! My name is Ivy!" 

"She says her name is Ivy." Ranito said flatly, then got back on track, telling Ivy, "If you return with us, we can teach you common..."

They'd been fighting the Firewyrm for nearly five years... and had caught the Windwyrm in less than five minutes.

*** 

To Shon, it seemed as if the others had forgotten why they'd sought Ivy to begin with. Shortly after Ivy agreed to return with them -with much gusting exuberance- Shon considered bringing them back on topic himself. He was spared that by Tristen doing it for him, thank Hengist, and retreated away from the group under the pretence of patrolling the clearing for dangers.

He was mentally and emotionally exhausted. Between trying to keep up a mask of normalcy for the others, and failing miserably at doing so once Tore joined them, Shon wanted more than ever to get this over with. Something about the death knight pulled at him, tugging him deeper into the jungle and the dark, weighing on his mind even while he slept, tormenting his dreams.

But the accompanying emotions didn't make sense. Why, by all that was holy, would he feel pity for the monster who had so thoroughly betrayed its god? its duties? ... itself...? So, as per his usual, Shon blocked the emotions, locking them tightly behind his frozen heart, necessitating he try harder to at least 'look' like he was fine...

"Functional..." he whispered, correcting himself as Ryuuko nuzzled his cheek. 

He kept an eye on the others, watching as Ranito and Tristen shooed away Os, Eb, and Al to set up camp -since they couldn't communicate with Ivy anyway- and started their way to help. He attempted to get Ryuuko to listen in again, but this time the little dragon wrapped its tail tightly around Shon's neck, sending him a memory... of Ivy touching his face.

He felt it again, the breeze around her skin, pulling away just enough of his cold that she might've been able to hold on a fraction longer than most. It was the first time he'd been touched by an Air Sorcerer, and though he hadn't had occasion to touch a Water Sorcerer, he could imagine they may have a similar, mild, tolerance. Earth Sorcerers, such as Sasha, had higher pain tolerances and could hold his hand for well over ten seconds, but only Fire, only Lily, wasn't bothered at all. Refreshing... she liked to say...

Shon slapped another layer of ice over the memory and went to help the others. It was neither the time nor place for such distractions. Right now he had a job to do, and that included keeping up appearances. He didn't used to bother, but that was back when Master Veon-Zih had been acting as a sort of social buffer between Shon and any temporary companions they might work with. After the Grandmaster Monk had retired, Lily had taken over. Though just having her around made it less necessary. Now, and for the last few years, he was alone. Surrounded by those he considered friends, Shon still felt isolated. 

He listened as they chattered, and answered when addressed, but counted the moments before he would be able to slip away.

At dinner, Tore, Tristen, and Ranito explained that Ivy had spent the last three years exploring every corner of the Talkari jungle, and there was only one place she could think of that might have something as tainted as a death knight. A partly crumbled mountain hiding a vast cavern system. Apparently she'd run into -and away from- a number of dangerous and exotic monsters, but none of their lairs had repelled her on the same visceral level as the location in question. The gods must've been on their side, because it was the second of two areas Ebwonwing's allies had described, and only another weeks march away.

After the plan was settled, Tore was finally able to communicate with Ivy, through Ranito, since rescuing her from the Warlocks. It would have been touching, if Shon didn't doubt every word coming from the rangers mouth. He avoided looking at her, knowing if their eyes met she would snear; he would scowl; and the others would worry. It had been the same with Pia. Better to avoid the conflict. He thanked the gods when she refused to come with them to search the caves, and smothered a curse when she said she would accompany them to the entrance and wait for them there.

And finally... as they were finishing dinner and preparing to turn in for the night, Shon was able to take advantage of the continued good weather and separated himself from everyone.

Finding a tall root to use as a bench, he took out his journal and flipped to a fresh page to begin the rough sketches he would fine tune while on watch. The clearing from above; Alena falling over when the wind stopped; Ivy towering over Ranito; Ivy leaping into the sky, assisted by her wind and clever clothing; Ivy holding a vine of her namesake with a truly lovely smile.

Ryuuko whistled a warning, someone was coming to encroach on his solitude, and Shon breathed a sigh of resignation. At least his emotions were smothered enough that he didn't feel annoyed at the intruder. It was probably Alena, though perhaps Tristen-

He felt a breeze followed by a soft pressure as Ivy rested her chin on the top of his head.

"Watashidesu ka?" She breathed, but Shon was too shocked at having her lean on him to try and interpret any kind of meaning from the tone. 

Ivy sighed, but didn't stay on him for long, standing again she stepped over the root and sat next to him, continuing to speak as she did, then she sighed mournfully.

Shon glanced over his shoulder, but Ranito was already clambering up his ladder to bed. Ivy tapped his hand, speaking slowly and attempting to mime, "Watashidesu." she pointed at his journal, then at herself. Shon nodded, thinking he understood. She smiled, then used one hand to stroke the scales on her face, before looking around for something, eventually deflating in frustration, saying more he didn't understand.

Shon took a guess, hoping if he was wrong it would still distract from her distress, and turned the pages back to one of Rose. Ivy gasped, the edges of the pages rustling as she reached out to stroke the picture. 

"Rose," Shon said, tapping the water dragon with his pencil before drawing a quick sketch of the flower beside the woman. 

"Rose..." Ivy repeated, waiting until he was finished to touch the drawn scales, then reaching back up to the place they would be on her own cheek. "Kanojo wa chigau yo!" she laughed, "Kawaii"

She went quite, and Shon could tell she was thinkinking, so he took advantage of the time to begin a new drawing on a blank page. Turning the book lengthwise, he drew the waxing moon and its progression all the way to waning crescent, and had just started the small people below when Ivy tapped him again. 

She held up a hand, touching one finger she said, "Ivy," then put it down and moved to the next to say "Rose," after putting that one down too, she presented the remaining three fingers to Shon and tilted her head in curiosity.

When Lily did that, she looked like a cat, and though Ivy also had slit pupils, when she did it, she reminded him more of a bird. 

He was pretty confident he understood, and flipped the pages back again, trying not to look as he presented it to Ivy. He'd been doing so well... not thinking about her... keeping that longing locked away with the rest of his emotions, but then Ivy asked, "Namaedesu ka?" and he couldn't bring himself to pretend not to understand.

Shon looked down at his drawing. The fire dragon was smiling a wicked smile as she danced with her quarterstaff in a field of her namesake. "Lily..." Shon breathed.

"Lily," Ivy repeated, though she didn't touch the page this time, instead she reached over to poke his cheek with a giggle, "Aidesu ne." 

It didn't sound like a question. Shon shook himself and said the one thing she'd probably heard too much already, "I don't understand." 

Ivy groaned, she definitely knew that phrase at least, but then she brightened again, pointing at the page, then Shon then hugging herself, kissing the air. 

Was he really that obvious? She'd known him for a few hours and didn't speak the same language, and yet she'd already figured it out, where the others, friends, remained ignorant for years. Shon ran a hand over his hair and nodded. If she'd guessed, he wasn't going to lie. 

He forced himself to turn the page away from Lily while Ivy giggled, returning to his drawing of the moons and continuing the accompanying people below each one. She leaned over him, so much taller she didn't even need to crane her neck. When Shon finished, he removed the page and presented it to Ivy.

He pointed to the moon in the sky, then its matching counterpart on the page, then traced below it to the rough sketch of Ivy struggling to talk to the others. They looked at each other in confusion, shrugging as Ivy leaned forward, desperately trying to communicate. She frowned, but nodded and Shon traiced his finger over to the next sketch of Ivy sitting at a table with books, then another with her talking to a faceless person, the last showed her speaking to the team again, this time everyone was smiling and seemed equally engaged.

"Time... give it time, study, and we can talk soon." Shon said. He pushed the picture closser, and when she didn't take it, he took her hand and brought it up to the page.

He'd given a page of drawings to Lily upon their first meeting as well, and just like then, Ivy hugged him. She kept it short, pulling back to gaze in increased awe at the gift. 

Running his hand over his hair again, Shon repeated, "Soon..." Perhaps she would be the one to tell the others. He doubted she would listen to a request from Tristen to keep her suspicions private.

"Everything alright, Mast- Shon?" The Paladin himself called.

No, Shon thought, calling, "Yes, Sir." He stood, slipping his journal away then turning to bow to Ivy, left fist in right palm.

She caught his arm before he could leave, and he was pretty sure he understood the whispered word, "Arigatō."

She was nearly as touchy as Lily, and for once in his life, Shon took advantage, actually reaching out to pat the top of her head -lightly and quickly- saying again, "Soon." 

*** 

Tore's relationship with Druids was, admittedly, masochistic. She envied them enough for it to hurt, enough that a part of her hated them all for having what she couldn't. Yet, of all the people she was forced to interact with, she still liked the wild holy people the best. So she endured the pain and jealousy in favor of like minded company.

So it wasn't hard for Tore to use Ebonwing to distract her from the Hengist man. At least her disgust was mutual. If she was forced to be on edge, it only made sense that she would do her damndest to inflict the same on the noble fool. 

The kingdom Druid spent the week from the tribe to the clearing explaining their history to Tore. About the wyrms and Warlocks, and -considering the walk was seven days long- she'd even gotten into the Warlock's theories and goals as conveyed by a woman that sounded an awful lot like the one she'd rescued. At the behest of a dream...

The night Ivy received her name, Tore dreamed again...

She fell asleep across the clearing from Ivy, both resting in the tree branches while the others were forced to use tents, and woke up back in the grove...

"Coincidence..." Tore grumbled, rolling off the dream branch and catching herself with wind to land gently. Kumatz flicked its tongue in her ear with a wordless admonishment. "Right... if this is a coincidence, then I am definitely mad..." she conceded to the familiar.

Kumatz slithered up to her head, then spread its wings to lead the way to the meditation circle, where the purple woman waited... 

"This is insane..." Tore whispered to herself as she approached, "I've completely lost-"

"You are not insane," the woman interrupted, stroking Kumatz's head gently, "You are..." Tore's head had already started pounding. 

Dropping to her knees she held on to the dream, trying to force her way past the pain. It felt like something was trying to squeeze its way into her brain, but couldn't fit.

"Damn it!" Tore screamed to the empty grove, gritting her teeth, she glared at the purple woman, now closing the distance between them, "If I really am special... then I should... be... able... to handle... this..."

"So special..." the woman whispered, suddenly kneeling beside Tore, every word like a spike to her brain, "Are you ready, little Air Sorcerer? Do you know who I am? Who you are?"

"I... it doesn't... It doesn't make sense..." Tore whimpered,

"It makes perfect sense." the woman answered, her violet eyes shining along side her strange jewel-like hair, "You are my Air." 

Tore tried to relax, to let in whatever was trying to split her head open from the inside. It didn't work, and she clenched her jaw again, speaking between her teeth, "If... if I am Chosen..." Then that would mean that a god had created her soul from scratch, infusing her with part of itself. It meant she was more than a Druid, or Paladin, or Cleric... She was a daughter of a god, able to hear their voice where no others could. 

But the only voice she'd heard belonged to this woman... this... 

Tore opened her eyes. The image of the grove was running like paint in the rain but the woman remained. She grabbed Tore's face, her smile broad and wicked, "Ready... you are ready..." She dug her fingers into Tore's cheeks .They felt like talons, and Tore fought not to scream, clenching her jaw so tight she might break her teeth, holding on to the dream for dear life. And dearer answers...

The woman changed. Scales like Ivy's sprouted from her skin around her eyes, their color deep dark amethyst. They spread over her face, now elongating into a muzzle. Tore could hear the rustle of leathery wings, but couldn't look away from the woman's slit-pupiled eyes. Blood flowed from her cheeks in rivlets down her neck as she gaped. 

The woman wasn't a woman... wasn't human... she was-

Tore woke with tears in her eyes and blood on her cheeks, her head no longer hurt, and she finally understood. Finally believed... "Inryuu." 

***

Tolinar hopped up and down and bobbed his head, pointing excitedly through the portal, "Looky looky Patrich! Greeny woke up!" 

Patrich sprinted around his map table to squint at the Temple and its three glowing pillars. "You were right..." he breathed, "Inryuu's brood is waking up on their own..." 

"The more flexible ones at least." Tolinar said with a giggle, "Though Earth and Ice might still need a little push. Perhaps I should-"

"No." Patrich interrupted, knowing exactly what Tolinar wanted. 

Tolinar whined dramatically, "But I wanna meet Bluey! You know he invented that handy dandy teleport spell right?"

"If necessary, we shall ask the wyrms to take care of it, we cannot risk scaring them off from their destiny, not so close to the end." Patrich reminded him, adding "You are mad Tolinar, we all are, they will never believe us." 

Tolinar kicked the ground in a pout, but nodded his acquiescence. In the back of his disjointed mind, he knew the truth. Knew that there was nothing for them to do until... "We shall have one last task once they are all awakened." he said seriously, causing Patrich to double take then nod.

"Yes Archmage."