Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Encrid bared his canines at the Azfen soldier, his tail lashing against the ground and disrupting the dirt. The soldier rose his sword above his head, about to bring it down on his neck, and a burst of lightning arched out of Encrid’s mouth, hitting the sword and making him spasm.

He growled low in his throat, turning to blast some white hot lightning at his cuffs until they warmed enough for him to break out of them before he flexed his arms and he was free. As he twisted out of his restraints, his eyes flicked over to where Deerah was chained, frost spreading around her body and icing over the chains enough for them to sound brittle when she moved. She looked up at him, eyes glowing ice-blue as her club-like tail smacked against the ground with the loud shattering of ice crystals.

Encrid could see the broken ice shards that lined her body from where the Azfen soldiers had grabbed her and almost snarled as he reached up to rip off the chains on his neck. He kept his eyes on her and their surroundings, watching for any other soldiers that could come as he heated up the chains to break them.

Eventually, he ripped the chains off his neck, flicking his tail against the ground once more as the spines on the back of his forearms flared out in an intimidating display. He moved towards Deerah, scaled claws crackling with lightning as he gently tapped her muzzle, watching it shatter into pieces. Her mouth pulled into a large grin, showing off her canines, and Encrid couldn’t help his own grin.

“So, what are we gonna do now?” She asked as he reached down to break the rest of her chains. Encrid sighed, wings flicking back as he felt the spines on his back slick down against his skin. A low growl rumbled from deep in his chest and he shook his neck, the overlapping frills on his neck making small rattling noises. Deerah clicked at him, icy claws pressing against his shoulders in comfort as her own wings spread to mimic his.

“Don’t worry. You don’t need a plan immediately. Let’s just see what we can do now.” She reassured, gently patting him as she gripped him and pulled herself up. Encrid stumbled slightly, tail curling into the ground to stable himself, ear-fins flicking back as he lightly growled at her.

“Come on. I know the way back.” He murmured, starting to walk in a seemingly random direction as he curled his tail lightly around the arm with the least broken crystal spikes and tugged her forward. She followed willingly, letting out a low chirr from deep inside her chest as she gently removed Encrid’s tail from her wrist and reached out to take his hand in hers.

+=={::::::::::::::::::>

Encrid found the others in the same place where they were all being held before him and Deerah were taken to the backwoods. They were mostly all chained to wooden posts, and they all seemed to have muzzles covering their faces. For some, there was blood on their clothes like they had actively hurt or bitten someone. For others, they seemed to have just annoyed their captors enough to be silenced. Either way, they were muzzled.

“Stupid guards. Not even paying attention to their surroundings.” Deerah hissed, ice crackling in her palms as small, sharp shards started growing. Her claws wrapped around the shards, breaking them from her scales and forming knives as her focus flickered back to the guards lounging by a fire not far away.

“Take them out, quietly.” Encrid muttered, crouching low as Deerah spread her wings. She nodded her head in an affirmative before launching off the tree, wings flaring out behind her. He watched her disappear in the foliage, her scales shimmering like White Drops between the leaves.

Encrid directed his attention towards the others, dropping down silently and thumping his tail once, twice against the ground. He watched Sarana look up, her red eyes piercing as she made eye contact with him, and then her own tail thumped back as she turned towards Sora who rested right next to her. Sarana made a low, throaty chirr, prompting Sora to respond with a slow chirp of her own, and then the prongs on her tail were digging into the dirt as an anchor.

She closed her eyes, tail slowly vibrating in the ground as she completely relaxed against the post. Sarana hummed, tail swaying back and forth as her eyes darted to where Itaka and Baran were. Encrid watched the two perk up, attention drifting towards where the two were, then looking past them to where Encrid was crouched, and he could see the understanding pop into their heads. They nodded at him, wings lightly flaring, and he looked up to where Deerah had disappeared.

He nodded in the general direction of where she had gone and he watched as an ice spike shot out from the tree, embedding itself into the soldiers neck. The other five around the fire shot up, Deerah dropped down with both daggers in her hands, and then the fight was on.

Encrid dashed towards Sarana and Sora, lightning arching across his claws as he gripped the chains and pulled with all his might, funneling lightning through them. He heard them snap, looked towards the two to make sure they were alright, then darted over to where the other two were, doing the same thing.

Baran let out a loud screech, the barbs on his tail elongating till they were almost the size of Encrid's arm before he stood up and lashed his tail against an Azfen soldier who had appeared behind Encrid. Itaka let out a large, hitching crow as she darted towards another Azfen soldier, the scales on her neck flaring out in an intimidating display before poison spilled from her mouth into the soldiers air.

Encrid turned, watching Sarana spit fire at an Azfen soldier while Sora flattened herself against the ground and crawled towards a group of soldiers, maw open and canines fiercely sharp. He gave them a brief nod and traveled deeper into the camp, eyes darting around till he saw the rest of his group tied up on other posts.

Loheer was tense, wings tucked in against his body as if ready to pounce on anything as he slightly struggled in his chains. Falani was the opposite, relaxed, laying against the post with slitted eyes as his tail lazily flicked against the ground, the large, bone-like serrations on his tail disrupting the dirt. Yasha, Otar, and Sabran were all chained to one large post, the chains all connected at one point as they looked around in the forest, ready to fight when they would eventually be let free.

Encrid slinked towards the five others, mindful of any enemies that might ambush him in the dark. He got to Loheer's and Falani's post first and made quick work of the chains, his lightning already powered up and ready enough for him to just barely touch the chains before they melted off. Loheer was in the battle almost immediately once Encrid had freed him, spitting acid on anyone who dared get in his path. Falani took a little longer to get into battle, but he did, slicing and smashing anyone who tried to come at him.

Yasha looked at him with bright eyes, her wings spread slightly and revealing the glowing veins underneath. Lightning crackled through her veins, arching across her body as the metal warmed around her body, and Encrid jumped over towards the others, reaching out to the point that connected their chains and sending a quick pulse of lightning through them. Otar and Sabran both smirked at Encrid once they were free, their eyes glimmering with delight as they both dashed into the fray of battle.

Encrid stood there for a few moments, his own wings flicking slightly to cool him off as he watched the others demolish the Azfen camp. When people talked about Chromatic dragonkin being the most dangerous, they weren't kidding. It didn't particularly help that Chromatic's were the one who weren't opposed to attacking first and asking questions later.

His fins flicked up and he turned, a low growl thrumming through his chest as his large tail smacked against the ground. There was something around him, a weapon made to kill his kind, and he didn't like it being so close. He sniffed the air, the spikes on his back flaring out and breaking through his shirt as he crouched low, placing his clawed hands on the ground as he readied himself to attack. He heard the low thrum of magic, his ear-fins flicking up and then back as it seemed to claw at him, curling around him and pulling. But he stayed steadfast, wings arched out as he kept his focus on whatever was in the dark.

Its eyes appeared first, blazing with anger and some kind of cursed magic, and Encrid felt his entire body shiver at the sight. It's eyes were a deep red, similar in color to Sorana's and Sabran's when they were extremely angry, but there was an undercurrent of danger that flared through Encrid's instincts as he stared into the eyes of this creature. It was so potent he was tempted to call for a retreat towards the others, but they were so close to destroying this Azfen settlement that they couldn't stop now. So, instead, Encrid flared his own magic in response, a challenge in most magical fauna for battle.

The creature clicked, low and deep in its throat, and then it was launching at him, maw open as it lunged at him. Encrid felt his instincts flicker to the forefront of his mind, his fighting instincts taking control as his wings flicked once, carrying him backwards, and then he and the creature were fighting.

Claws and tails and wings reached out to attack or block from both sides, but Encrid could tell fighting was not this creature's natural instinct. It hesitated after every few attacks, as if it were taking orders from someone, or it was not able to completely block one of Encrid's attacks, leading to it being pushed back. This creature was not a natural born fighter like he was. Which meant that once he found out its weak spot, it would become easy to take down.

Encrid let himself be pushed back, feigned an injury in his left hand and let the creature prowl forward, crowing in victory. He watched it tilt its head towards the others who were finishing up their own battles, watched as it tilted its neck slightly too far, the scales covering it flaring out to cool it off. Then, he struck, making sure his canines found purchase deep into the creature's neck, into its arteries and muscles. He forced lightning out of his throat, watching as the creature spasmed in his hold before going limp.

He made sure to crunch as much of the creature's neck as he possibly could, sending out shocks of lightning through it and watching it flop around before he dropped it unceremoniously. He licked the corrupted blood of his teeth, spitting it back out onto the ground as he pushed himself up onto his feet. As he looked up, his eyes found all the others, stepping back a little at the pure bloodlust and pride that shone on their expressions.

"Yes?" He asked gruffly, voice rumbling deeply from forcing so much lightning through his throat. None of them said anything for a while and he huffed, shaking his head and slicking his spikes back down against his back.

"Nothing." Sarana eventually responded, walking over to him from where she was wiping blood off her claws. "It's just not every day you see a Metallic kill."

"It's not everyday you see a Metallic, idiot." Sabran retorted, tail snapping out to smack Sarana in the head. She whirled around with a low growl, her tail snapping against the ground as she bared her fangs, causing Sabran to smirk. Encrid huffed at the two, shaking his head as his wings flicked, pressing against his back.

"They aren't wrong, Encrid." Yasha remarked, walking over to him as she gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "Metallic's aren't very known for their killing abilities."

Encrid huffed at her, fins dropping down in a mixture of embarrassment and shame. Yasha cooed at him, cupping his face in her claws and nuzzling her face against his. He grumbled in weak protest, tail curling around his legs as his wings tightly curled around his body in a protective barrier, only showing his eyes.

He heard Sarana and Sabran chirr, and suddenly all of them were surrounding him, cooing and chirring and purring at his tucked in state. He ducked his head into his scaly cocoon and huffed out a large sigh. He heard them talking among themselves, chittering about nothing, and couldn't keep the smile off his face even if he tried.

They weren't wrong about what they had said. Metallic dragonkin were rare. From what he had learned, in some dragonkin cultures they were seen as curses upon a family, in others they were seen as blessings. Encrid believe that his family had thought him the latter. It would explain why he’d been found as a little one by a family of Chromatic dragonkin.

Once a Metallic dragonkin is born, they are quickly pushed into roles of pariahs or religious figures, meaning they were pretty much forbidden to kill anything. They’d of course have bodyguards, but most Metallic dragonkin who did not fall into their chosen roles were quickly seen as rebellious and given corrective treatment.

Now that he thought about it, that might’ve been what his original parents were trying to avoid for him. A life full of nothing but religious viewings, supporting a church he might not even care for, and living a life full of solitude. Which would be hell for him. He was a Bronze dragonkin. He needed to be able to fly and explore. Not just be in one place.

Itaka prodded him in the side, causing him to jolt and look up at her with a deadpan expression. She smirked, her green eyes glimmering as she puffed out the hood on her neck. Encrid growled at her lowly, slowly lowering his wings and shaking himself out gently as his tail unwrapped from his legs.

Baran and Otar chirped at them, causing all of them to look over, and Baran held up a map, a small smile spreading across his face. Encrid felt his mind kick into high gear, pushing through the others and reaching out for the map as he started analyzing everything around them. The map was written in code, but he knew enough from previous documents he'd been given to know which dash and mark made which letter, so it was only a matter of time before he had cracked the entire map.

"There is a Naurilian camp not far from here. They were planning on ambushing it. Apparently a Knight is supposed to meet at the camp in three days time and they wanted to set up camp before the Knight got there. They wanted to use us as weapons." He explained, eyes drifting all over the map. He put the map down on a low table and gestured for them all to crowd around, pointing at the different markers for everything on the map.

"See. The camp we're in currently," a large circle in black with a few dashes and swoops under it in the middle of the forest. "And then the Naurilian camp," a smaller circle in red probably five or six miles away. There were around three other large black circles surrounding the Naurilian camp, all of them having their own dashes and curls on them, and then in the pass between two of the larger mountains was a smaller red circle.

The Knight.

"What do we do?" Otar asked, voice deep and rumbling as Deerah came over to stand by him. Encrid glanced up at him, eyes probably glowing bronze as a small, almost manic smirk pulled at his lips. He watched the others expressions twitch into mixed faces of intrigue and concern, and then Encrid was standing up, rolling the map up and shoving it in the shoulder bag he had snagged from one of the tents.

"We go meet them all. Knock out as many birds with one stone as possible." He explained, watching as the others stared at him with confused expressions. He felt a burst of embarrassment flicker through him at the looks they were all giving him and then he huffed, gesturing to the camp.

"Just, get anything you think could be used as a weapon."

Falani smirked at him, patting him on the shoulder as he and Loheer disappeared into a tent. He watched Yasha and Itaka venture over to explore one of the larger tents partly concealed by foliage and sent out a low warning rumble for them to be careful, getting a glare from both of them in return. He held their gaze until they eventually conceded and then he crowed softly in victory as he turned towards Sabran and Sarana.

"You do remember that we are all older than you, right?" Sabran asked, settling on Encrid's right as Sarana pranced over to his left. Encrid turned towards him, giving him the most deadpan look he could muster while shoving a bunch of food into a bag. Sarana chirred at him, her fins flicking up and down as the spikes on her tail sharpened to points, slashing through a large bag and stabbing a slab of drying meat.

"Just because you're older does not mean you're more mature." He retorted, grimacing at Sarana before turning towards the general direction they needed to go to get to the Naurilian camp. There was something inside him that was pushing against the thought of killing the Naurilian's, but he knew the others wouldn't understand.

He'd been raised in Naurilia, had met many of the people there, and the hate for dragonkin only started once Azfen started using them as cannon fodder to be destroyed. He had been raised by a collection of Naurilian's, was even in a prominent part of the community as someone who looked after everyone and even hunted. But ever since he'd met the others, he realized Naurilian hate ran almost as deep as Azfen hate did, and there was no changing anyone's minds.

He huffed, fins flicking back as he listened for the others. He could hear them all rummaging around the camp, looking and sniffing and watching out for important things, and he couldn't hold back the large sigh he let escape him. He'd need to minimize casualties, focus them on the Azfen camps and deal with the Naurilian's himself.

"Come on! We don't have much night left, and once the sun comes up we'll need to become a lot more stealthy than we normally are." He called out, wings flicking out wide before tucking in softly. He heard one of them say something under their breath, turned to growl at them, then rocked forward into a steady pace as he set out towards the Naurilian camp.

There were a few seconds where the rest of them seemed to try to call his bluff, but when they realized he wasn't planning on actually stopping, he heard them start to scramble. One of them started chattering in Draconic, a few others started rushing around trying to grab everything, and he could hear one of them specifically try to throw something at someone else to get closer to him.

This was going to be an interesting trip.

<::::::::::::::::::}==+

They arrived at the cliff that overlooked the Naurilian camp when the sun had just come up. He had practically bitten them all whenever they even showed intrigue in anything that might have slowed them down. Now, many of them were complaining about the small nicks and scrapes that covered their arms from where Encrid had bit them. He couldn't bother to care about their whining however as he stared at the Naurilian camp.

"Is a royal coming?" Deerah asked, sidling right up next to where Encrid crouched. He glanced at her briefly before focusing back on the camp, eyes tracking the man he had identified as the Commander of the group. He carried himself with the kind of confidence that spoke of years of battle and strategy and wins, but Encrid could tell just by the way the Commander treated his soldiers that he valued and respected all of them.

A true Commander. Someone who has been in actual battles and lived to tell the tale. Someone who had grown so prolific in their position that they now led and directed the battles.

Encrid felt the strategist in him push, trying to entice him to go down there and talk. He knew it'd be pointless though. He had the others to worry about, and even if he was somehow able to miraculously convince them to not attack, any slight movement from anyone in the camp that could be read as hostile and they'd destroy everyone there.

Deerah tapped him on the shoulder, restating her question, and he shook himself out, settling onto his knees as he pulled out the map once more. "A Knight is coming, and they might as well be considered royalty with how influential most are." He explained, pointing towards the small, red circle that he had pointed at before.

"Sometimes I forget that you were raised in Naurilia." Yasha muttered on his left, having crawled over to him once he had started getting the map out. He looked over at her, a small, tentative smile on his face as he titled his head.

"I didn't mean it like that." She said quickly, holding her hands out in front of her as she shook her head. She looked thoughtful for a moment, as if trying to string together a sentence that wouldn't make him feel horrible for being a Naurilian. "I mean…I forget that even you are enamored by the Knights. Most of us see them as people too powerful to control, which allows them full access to do whatever they want, whenever they want. I always forget that you like them until one is mentioned, and then you get this starry look on your face and I can't help but feel somewhat the same."

Encrid blinked at her, eyebrows furrowed in concern at her description. While she wasn't entirely wrong, there were also a lot of things she hadn't got right either. As he opened his mouth to point this out, he heard a loud thrum from the camp and turned abruptly, watching as the soldiers started frantically running around.

The Knight had arrived.

Encrid crouched low, inching as close to the edge as he dared while still being covered by the foliage. He watched as the soldiers settled things on the ground, darting around and pulling things this way and that. A bag of something went to this tent. What looked like a rolled up map went to another one. A stack of linens went to yet another.

The Commander started walking through the camp, soldiers standing shoulder to shoulder in lines facing each other as he did. Encrid heard the distant hoof beats of a large horse and turned slightly, watching as a being seemingly made of fire and metal themselves rode towards the camp, their cape billowing out behind them. Their horse a large black behemoth that was probably as tall as Loheer.

The Commander stopped at the edge of the camp, standing up straight as he crossed his arms behind his back, and Encrid jumped to one of the trees which had sprouted out of the side of the incline, resting in the branches as he parted the leaves to get a better look. The others sounded concerned behind him, asking him questions, trying to get closer to him but unwilling because of the chance of them being seen.

He waved them all off with an aborted flick of his tail, chirring so softly he doubted any of them could hear it. Once they stopped making noise he focused back on the Knight and the Commander. The horse skidded to a stop, the Knight quickly dismounting and holding out one of his hands to gently press his gauntlet on the horse's face to soothe.

The Commander said something, prompting the Knight to look at him, and then the Knight was moving, their large strides carrying them across the probably twenty-five feet between them and the Commander. The Knight stopped after a few seconds, only a few feet away, and held out a gauntlet, nodding their head as they said something. The Commander smiled, taking their hand and shaking it vigorously as he gestured towards the camp, and then Encrid watched as the Knight's shoulders imperceptibly shook with laughter.

The Knight took their hand back, both hands traveling to their helmet as they gently removed it from their head, and Encrid felt intrigue flit through him, pressing a hand against the branch in front of him to try and get a better look.

The Knight had dark red hair, darker red than even Sabran's or Sarana's, as if he had dyed it. The roots of his hair were black, and Encrid watched as the Knight ran a hand through his hair, turning it the same deep red as the rest of it. The Knight's eyes, from what he could see, were sort of the same color, if a little lighter, and the Knight's skin was tan, like he originated from the other side of the continent in the Southern Villages.

Encrid shifted more forward as the Commander gestured for the Knight to follow him and the sudden, loud crack that pierced his hearing made him rear back. His eyes widened as the branch started pitching forward and he turned quickly around, trying to grasp onto anything and everything that could hold him. His claws scraped against small branches barely strong enough to hold their own weight, and suddenly he was weightless, falling through the air with sharp branches lodged between his wing scales as he flapped them uselessly.

He really should've taken those flying lessons from Baran.

Encrid landed with a loud thump on top of several tree branches and let out a loud, pained groan, his wings flaring out as much as they could. He gently pushed himself up, brushing the branches and sharp twigs out of his scales. He could feel several had stabbed into his back and flexed the spines on his back, waving them back and forth to dislodge the sticks.

His tail twisted around the larger branch that he had blocked from falling on him and he gently pushed it off him, the spines on his forearms flicking out and sticking to the branch to get a better grip on it. He pushed himself up, spreading his wings and stretching out, curling forward slightly to try and dislodge more of the sticks in his back.

He felt a slightly warm gauntlet press against his back and froze, wings flaring out wide as his tail thumped against the ground. His spines sharpened to spikes to try to intimidate the other to let him go, but the gauntlet didn’t move from where it was pressed between his wings, covering one of the small wounds he could feel. For a few seconds, neither of them moved, and then the one behind him shifted, his other gauntlet traveling up his back to where one of the larger sticks was embedded into his skin.

Encrid shifted for the Knight, moving this way and that to give him easier access to grab and remove the sticks. He glanced up, looking desperately for the others and almost praying that they wouldn’t come barreling down the edge in attack mode. When the trees didn’t move and when the Knight seemed done with his careful inspection, Encrid maneuvered away from the Knights touch and turned so they were facing each other, making sure there was at least ten feet between him to feel safe.

“Hello.” The Knight said, voice measured and careful as he waved. His hands were still raised up, as if he hadn’t recovered from Encrid moving away, and Encrid couldn’t see an immediate weapon on the man, so he assumed he was trying to make peace. Encrid’s eyes darted behind the Knight, to where the Commander stood, and a mix of surprise and happiness flickered through him as he watched the Commander order his men to put their weapons down.

“Hi.” Encrid muttered once his attention drifted back towards the Knight. He seemed surprised that Encrid even spoke, and a part of him wanted to hold a grudge against him, but the other part wasn’t able to with the amount of pure glee that was clouding his mind at the time.

The Knight took a step closer and Encrid refocused in him, feeling heat spread through his eyes and over his head instinctively. He watched the Knight’s face as it took on a hint of intrigue, his pale red eyes shining with something akin to wonder as he took in every part of Encrid.

“Why are you here?” The Knight asked suddenly, causing Encrid to blink a few times. His mind sluggishly processed the question, his wings and spikes slowly slicking back against his body as he thought.

The map

“There was a map. At the Azfen base I just escaped from. They were planning on ambushing this camp today and then cut you off in the Darekin pass so that you’d be surrounded on all sides.” He explained, pulling out the now slightly torn map from his bag. He brushed off a small amount of bread that had broken on it and then took a few steps forward, holding it out.

The Knight waited for a few seconds before taking a few of his own steps before reaching out himself. He gently grabbed the other end, tugging on it softly. Encrid gripped it probably harder than he needed to, reluctantly releasing it with a slightly sad sigh. The Knight unrolled it and Encrid watched his eyes scan over the document, tail swaying back and forth as if he was waiting for some kind of recognition.

“And you came this way, on your own, because…?” The Knight asked causing Encrid to pause. His fins flicked back as he turned around at the foliage, seeing multiple pairs of colorful eyes staring back at him. He turned back towards the Knight, taking another step back.

“I didn’t come here alone.” He murmured, rubbing his neck. He watched both the Knight and the Commander perk up and he felt his wings flare out, curling around him in shame as they looked at one another. They seemed to have some sort of conversation between themselves and Encrid continued to hide himself behind his wings, even going so far as to take a step back. That caught the Knight's attention and he made a low noise in the back of his throat, waiting until Encrid looked up at him before a small smile appeared on his face.

"It's alright. I'm not mad at you. I'm just a little surprised is all." He placated, gently taking a few steps forward until he was almost an arm's length away from Encrid. "If you want to go back to your party, you can. But you can also invite them here and come with us."

Encrid hesitated, looking back at the Commander for confirmation. At the nod he got from him, he huffed, uncurling his wings from himself and settling them against his back as he slightly turned towards the trees where the others were perched.

"Yasha, Sora, come please." He called out to them, voice almost echoing throughout the area as he spoke Draconic. He turned slightly back towards the Knight for…something, and almost preened at the slightly amazed look the Knight gave him.

There was a loud thumping noise and Encrid looked back, watching as Sora landed almost directly next to Yasha. Both of them hesitated when they saw the men standing behind Encrid, but he held out his hand and chirred, trying to entice them to come closer. Yasha moved forward first, wings slowly folding in as she came closer. Her eyes darted between the Knight, the Commander, and Encrid's outstretched hand, before she gently reached for him, curling the tips of her fingers around his and letting him pull her forward.

"This is Yasha. That is Sora." Encrid introduced, pointing to where Sora was still standing away from him. The Knight nodded, extending his hand towards Yasha to shake if she wanted to and Encrid gently squeezed her hand, giving her a look that said 'be nice'. She huffed, rolling her eyes, and slowly reached out, gently pressing her clawed fingertips to the Knight's palm before quickly pulling back.

"It is a pleasure to meet you." The Knight hummed, bowing his head gently as he dropped his hand back to his side. His eyes flicked over to Encrid, eyebrows rising briefly, and Encrid's fins twitched back slightly. Instead of responding to the look, he turned and gestured for Sora to follow, watching as she prowled forward like a predator that had been just released into the wild.

Encrid slowly let go of Yasha's hand, letting her choose whether or not she would follow as he walked closer to the Knight. He heard her timid footsteps behind him, the loud, sure footsteps of Sora behind her, and he felt himself smiling. As he sidled next to Knight, he glanced at him slightly, watching as his eyebrows raised. His fins twitched once more and he shrugged lightly, gesturing to himself then the trees the others were all resting in.

"They'll come when they want to." He muttered with a shrug, prompting the Knight to let out a breath of laughter.

"As long as they don't try to attack my soldiers on sight, I don't think I mind when they come around." The Knight hummed, snapping his fingers and whistling sharply. Encrid watched the horse pad over, neighing softly as it nudged its muzzle against the Knight's head.

"They won't. Not unless I tell them to. Which I won't do either."

The Knight chuckled once more, shaking his head as he took the reins of the horse and started walking towards the camp. "Well, thank you for your trust in us. What is your name?"

"Encrid. And yours?"

"Sarvin. It's a pleasure to meet you. And that one over there is Commander Marcus." Sarvin said, pointing to where the Commander was directing some of his soldiers. Encrid turned towards him, watching the Commander's eyes flick to his, and bowed his head slightly, wings spreading. The Commander copied his movement, eyes glimmering with wryness, and then he was turning towards one of his soldiers once more.

+=={::::::::::::::::::>

He was right when he'd told Sarvin the others would arrive eventually. They trickled in, appearing at the edge of the camp and having to be coaxed in by either Encrid himself or one of the others. Most of them had to be coaxed in. Sarana came in like she owned the place, fire running through her veins and making her scales glow almost the same dark red that Sarvin's hair was.

Sabran and Deerah came in in a similar manor. Walking into the camp with the similar bluster that made their scales shine. Deerah seemed to be loving the attention, preening at all the soldiers who turned back to marvel at her when she passed. She even seemed to show up Sarana in spectacle when large spikes of ice started spreading on her forearms, shining like crystals whenever the sun hit them.

Sabran was more reserved, but he was no less admired. Being one of the largest of the group, he towered over almost everyone in the camp, and his face was set in an impressive stony expression, as if he was trying to imitate actual rock. His wings were pulled tight into his body, his tail swaying slightly from side to side as he turned his eyes this way and that.

The others had snuck in like they were scared to be caught, or, more accurately, scared to be attacked. When they realized Encrid was fine, they loosened up just enough to not flinch every time a solider passed them, and eventually, they were all relaxed enough to spend some time around the camp with the other soldiers, following them around and prancing after them like draglings.

The soldiers themselves seemed quite intrigued by all of them, asking them questions, apologizing for each other if any of them ever said anything too outrageous. Some of them even made a few of his group laugh, which Encrid was seeing as a win. All of them were still surprised to see just how big of a creature Sarvin rode, but it made sense with how intimidating Knights were known to be on the battlefield and off it as well.

Currently, Marcus and Sarvin were conversing quietly amongst themselves in what Encrid assumed was the commanding tent and he had been able to catch bits and pieces of the conversation they were having, his wings flaring as he perched up on the horse. He looked at his hands, willing the scales to retreat under his skin and formed regular human hands before he gently ran his hands through the horses mane and over its neck in comfort, purring as he did so.

Itaka walked up to him, her wings slumped in the position that told Encrid she was comfortable as she reached out a clawed hand, rubbing the horses flank. For a few seconds, they were silent, just listening to the others converse with the soldiers.

"Do you enjoy being here?" Itaka asked suddenly, green eyes piercing into Encrid's when he looked over at her. Encrid titled his head, mulling the question over in his mind as his wings gently flared and he repositioned himself so he wasn't crouching on the horses back. He sat on it, gently swinging his legs back and forth as he continued to run his fingers through its mane before answering.

"I do enjoy being around Naurilia and its people. I was raised here after all. But I fear that the longer this war goes on, the more convoluted information on dragonkin will become. Once that happens, I don't think I'll be able to keep the peace that I have been able to for so long."

Itaka nodded, understanding shining in her expression as she slightly turned towards where the others were currently helping a few soldiers carry around heavy objects, trying to make a game out of it as they jeered each other on. "I can understand your logic." She muttered before walking back to Sora, nudging her twins shoulder gently.

Encrid's fins flicked up as Sarvin's voice grew slightly louder and he turned his eyes over to watch the two walk out of the tent, smiles on both of their faces. Sarvin's eyes found his and he nodded in greeting, eyes sparkling as he regrettably detached himself from Marcus' side to come over. He stopped next to the horse's side, where Encrid's legs were hanging, and gently flicked him, smile softening.

"Enjoying the time before battle?" He asked, causing Encrid to look at him with a confused expression. Sarvin raised his eyebrows, giving Encrid a look before sighing and shaking his head.

"You gave us information about various Azfen camps that surround us and can attack at any moment. We've decided to attack first. This right here, is the time before battle." Sarvin restated, gesturing with both arms towards the rest of the camp. Now that he had said something, Encrid could see the subtle tremors in most soldiers and could smell the mixed emotions of excitement and tension in the air. He looked back over at Sarvin, mouth quirking up into a small smile of his own.

"I guess you're right." He muttered, jumping off the horse and pushing himself to his feet with a soft flap of his wings. The horse startled slightly, stepping back, and he let out a low coo, reaching out to placate it as Sarvin reached out and grabbed its reins. "Can't you think of something better to call it then 'the time before battle'? I mean, it could sound a lot cooler."

Sarvin raised his eyebrows, rolling his eyes slightly as he clicked his tongue, pulling the horse's reins to lead it somewhere. "What would you name it?" He asked, gesturing for Encrid to follow him as he walked. Encrid felt something flicker in his chest and he obediently padded forward, moving from one side to the other as he started talking. He could feel his group's eyes on him, following him, making sure he was safe, and he flicked his tail in their direction lightly, turning to give them a brief smile in reassurance.

He heard the familiar footsteps of Marcus following behind them, staying behind the two instead of coming forward so Encrid could continue circling Sarvin. Encrid turned briefly, giving the a bright smile before he gestured for him to come closer, situating himself on the right of Sarvin, in between him and the horse. Sarvin looked at him with an inquisitive look before slowly handing the reins off to him, and Encrid almost crowed in victory. He watched as Marcus walked up to his side and he chirred softly, tail swaying back and forth.

"You were able to understand the map and the intentions. Not even one of my best strategists was able to do that. Are you a strategist?" Marcus asked, eyes drifting to Encrid and the light hold he had on the horse's reins.

"He's a Bronze. They're natural born strategists." Falani said from behind them, causing all of them to slightly turn towards him. Neither Marcus nor Sarvin said anything to that, just staring at Falani as he slowly made his way over to Encrid, gesturing for Sarvin to move over so he could squeeze into their group.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Marcus asked and Encrid almost snickered at the surprised and almost horrified look Falani gave him. His wings spread slightly, one of the fine tipped, bat-like hooks shifting slightly to half cover Encrid's face from view.

"That has everything to do with it! Bronze's are the strategists for any battle, be it big or small! They can look at a map with almost zero information and almost immediately guess with an eighty-four percent accuracy what the enemy might do! Bronze's are Metallic's! They are almost as special as the gods themselves!" Falani ranted, throwing his hands into the air in false anger. Encrid gently pressed his hand on the serrations of his lower spine to try and calm him, trailing his fingers up gently to scratch at the top of his spine.

"I'm hardly that important." He said quietly, hand flinching away from Falani as he paused. He rounded on Encrid, a low growl rumbling through his chest as he grabbed Encrid's shoulders and lightly shook him.

"Yes you are, you idiot!" He all but yelled, abruptly stopping as a large sigh escaped him.

"What's the difference between you two then?" Sarvin asked suddenly, causing Falani to glance at him. Encrid gently patted the hands on his shoulders, softly pushing Falani off him as he tugged on the horse's reins to pull it back. It had skittered off as much as the reins allowed at Falani's outburst, and Encrid held out a hand to gently pat the horse's head, trying to calm it.

"I'm a Chromatic." Falani answered after a few seconds, shifting so that he could see Marcus and Sarvin. "Most Chromatics aren't as powerful as Metallics, but we are also in more abundance, since Metallics are fairly rare. Once every few hundred years, right?" He asked, turning back towards Encrid.

Encrid nodded his head. "More or less. Since dragonkin's age differently than most species. We are more like elves on that front, where we can live a really long time. There have only been a few dragonkin who have ever died of old age. Then again, dragonkin are also a fairly adventurous species, so we can't be sure about any of them who have ventured off the continent."

Falani pointed at Encrid as if making a point about something before continuing.

"Anyways, Chromatics come in five colors; Reds, Blues, Blacks, Greens, and Whites. Metallics come in five colors; Golds, Silvers, Bronzes, Brasses, and Coppers. Our dragon ancestors created all of us in relation to power with each other, so that no one dragonkin could destroy something large, which was what they had problems with. We're pretty sure that's why they've all disappeared. But, like I said, Metallics are pretty rare and these days are seen as religious figures more than anything."

Sarvin pointed at Encrid and Falani waved him off.

"Not him of course. He wouldn't be here if he was a religious figure. It's just the role most Metallics are forced into when they grow old enough. Which, if you ask me, is so stupid, because even Metallics are prone to having bouts of insanity, and having them take on a heavily religious role when they're just barely of age to use their breath weapon let alone fly is bound to have some consequences."

"I mean, you're not wrong. From what I heard, if I had been found, they wouldn't have even let me be a strategist."

"But that's your entire thing! Bronze's are Justice! They are the tides that change battles! Not letting you do something you are intrinsically good at is like not letting you breathe!" Falani exclaimed, wings flaring out in surprise more than anger this time. Encrid hummed in agreement, still petting the horse.

For a few seconds, the air was tense with the pure disbelief radiating from all three of the others. Encrid had half a mind to duck behind the horse and wait for them to be done staring, but he didn't. Instead, he turned to face them, wings pitching up with his shoulders as he shrugged.

"That's just cruel." Falani muttered to himself, shaking his head as his eyes glazed over as if in thought. Encrid took this time to glance over at Sarvin, waving to get his attention before pointing at the horse.

"What's their name?"

Sarvin was silent for a few seconds, eyes shining with what Encrid recognized as amazed intrigue. Then he shook himself out of it, looking at the horse, looking back towards Encrid, then looking back at the horse.

"Her name is Lexus."

Encrid nodded, turning back around to stroke Lexus' muzzle.

"I think that's a very pretty name." He said, his voice loud in the otherwise quiet air between them all. Encrid stared at Lexus until he heard Falani move then looked over at him, almost wincing at the exhaustion that had popped up in his eyes and the way his posture slouched.

"Sorry." He muttered, watching Falani just shake his head.

"Nah. It's fine. You're fine. I'm just…amazed I guess. Not in the good way, but still amazed."

"Ah."

"Yeah."

<::::::::::::::::::}==+

Encrid knew, in theory, that a Knight was strong. He just hadn't thought a Knight could be this powerful.

He sat on Lexus where Sarvin had left her on a large hill, watching over the large battlefield they had lured the Azfen soldiers onto. The others stood with him, all watching the battle, not interfering unless Encrid told them to, and he felt distinctly grateful for them all.

His attention was mostly drawn towards Marcus, who was actually fighting in the battle, sword swinging and arching and slashing as he put down dozens of enemies. Encrid could see Sarvin staring at him too, his eyes shining with the pride he remembered seeing in the eyes of the couples in the town he was raised in. He blinked slightly, a realization dawning in his head, and then he refocused on the battle, mouth twitching into a slightly devious smirk.

Mid-battle, Encrid felt something switch, pushing himself higher on Lexus as his fins flicked up and down, trying to tell what was happening. He knew the others had recognized his posture, watching as they all tensed and stood up straighter around him, prompting Sarvin to look over at him. His eyes pinched in confusion, but he laid a hand on his sword, slowly turning back towards the battle as he surveyed the land.

Encrid closed his eyes, focusing on the feeling, pulling it deep from inside him and letting it lead his senses where he needed to go. There was something in the woods on the outskirts of the battle, it was waiting, watching till a worthy opponent showed up on the battlefield. Encrid turned towards Sarvin, leaning over and gently tapping his shoulder.

"It's waiting over there." He said, pointing in the direction his senses had directed him to. "It's waiting for an opponent, and if one does not show up, it will start attacking everyone. It has no allegiance, it only wants to fight."

"What is 'it'" Sarvin asked suddenly, tugging on his helmet. Encrid's fins flicked, a grimaced spreading across his face as he shook his head.

"I don't know. But it's big. Bigger than your horse. Bigger than a troll. Almost as big as a regular inn."

Sarvin tilted his head at Encrid, a small breath of laughter escaping him before he pressed his finger in between Encrid's eyes on his forehead. "Stay here kid. Don't worry, I got it." He reassured before crouching low. The cloak of fire he wore when he first came over slowly flared out behind him, flowing and shifting like a roaring inferno. Encrid made an amazed sound, head jerking to the side way too quickly as Sarvin dashed towards the direction he had pointed, the fire cloak flowing out behind him.

"Damn." Deerah muttered from where she was crouched in front of Lexus' front leg. Encrid made a noise of agreement, eyes following that cloak as well as he could with how fast Sarvin was moving.

"I didn't think humans could use magic." Baran muttered from where he was leaning on Lexus' flank. Encrid glanced at him with raised eyebrows, snorting.

"Then you've never met a sorcerer." He chuckled, eyes drifting back towards Sarvin. "Humans can have magic. But then again, what Knights have and actual magic are two different things."

Baran snorted, shaking his head as he refocused on the actual battle. "Humans and their complexities."

"Oh my Tiamat! You said a word that has more than two syllables in it!" Sarana jeered, slapping Baran's back with a sly smirk. Baran's eyes narrowed and lightning flickered through his body, snapping at Sarana like a rabid animal. Encrid chuffed at them, gently patting Lexus' side to help her calm down as his eyes landed on Sarvin who had finally stopped moving.

He could hear Sarvin's heartbeat, the challenge that he was projecting just with his posture and intent alone. He could hear the beast responding readily with the challenge, the creature shifting, moving through the forest as it crowed in victory. The creature thought it would easily win this battle, for it had no concept of a Knight. Encrid was quite excited to watch and listen to this execution.

Sarvin stepped forward, drawing his sword like it was second nature as the beast approached, a loud roar screeching through the air and making the trees shake. Encrid could see the soldiers on the battlefield pause at the sound, most of them at least glancing that way before resuming the fight. He knew there would be a lot of questions afterwards about what the creature was if it didn't automatically show itself, but he really couldn't care, content to watch the battle instead, his wings relaxed.

The creature met Sarvin as it breached the trees, its large maw lined with multiple rows of teeth. It looked like a giant amalgamation of parts, like some kind of flesh golem. Encrid could feel unease building in his stomach and for a few seconds he heavily wondered how Sarvin was going to react to all of this. For a few seconds, he was scared Sarvin wasn't going to be able to fight this monster.

Then, a giant wave of the darkest maroon fire Encrid had ever seen burst out of the ground around Sarvin's feet, swirling around him in a large inferno as he pointed his sword at the creature. Encrid heard Sarvin mutter something distantly, his fins flicking forward and up as he watched the fire swirl up towards the sky. The creature stepped back, letting out a low screech, and Sarvin darted forward, flames collecting on his sword.

"Wow." Sabran muttered, right next to Encrid as he watched Sarvin weave around the creature, seemingly a blazing inferno himself. He danced like a flame, swirling and twisting around the creature as he dealt blow after blow. Encrid watched, enraptured as he slowly climber higher up Lexus' neck, resting his head on hers as his tail swayed behind him.

"He's so cool." He cooed, feeling the familiar buzz in his eyes that meant they were glowing. He heard distinctly the others start to chuckle but he ignored them in favor of watching intently. Sarvin was like a flame, reaching out and slicing then pulling back and waiting until the monster pitched forward. He was marvelous, magnificent, everything that represented a Knight.

He was amazing. And Encrid wanted to be like him one day.

When the battle was over, the Azfen camps had been mostly destroyed and those who had survived had decided it was best to run and face the wrath of their Commanders than the wrath of an angry Knight. Marcus had gotten hurt in the battle by a pileup of several other men, including a frog, against one, and this had enraged Sarvin in such a way that he had almost incinerated the entire battlefield.

Encrid had watched it. He had laughed at it while watching the fire dance in his eyes.

Sabran had said he looked like a red dragon with the bloodlust that seemed to burn through his body. He had reveled in it, baring his canines in an uncanny smirk before focusing back on the battle.

The Azfen had quickly retreated once that had happened, scrambling away from anything that could burn them as Sarvin stalked onto the battlefield. He remembers hearing Sarana or maybe Deerah remarking that the fun was over now, but that was alright because once the battle was over, he could sleep.

He liked sleeping.

As he waited for Sarvin to either call Lexus or come back up on the hill, he slid down to be on her back, curling up onto her as much as possible before leaning his head on her neck. She huffed, slightly shaking her head, and then she jolted forward, leisurely starting to walk down the hill.

Encrid perked up, turning to watch the others as they slid down the hill after them, a low trilling hum traveling through his chest and up into his throat. Yasha made a similar noise as she flicked into the sky, softly landing on Lexus' back behind Encrid with her wings still flapping slightly.

"I can tell you're happy, Encrid, and I'm very glad for you." She said softly, reaching over to brush her claws against his hair. Encrid pushed into her hand, wings snapping out in pleasure as his tail swished from side to side. A pensive look appeared on her face briefly, making Encrid perk up, and she sighed at his movement, hanging her head slightly.

"But I don't think we'll be able to stay with you. We are not Naurilian, we aren't even Azfen, and we do have to get back home sooner or later." Encrid's fins flicked back, horror spreading through his entire body as he stared up at Yasha.

Beautiful Yasha who was the color of the clearest desert skies. Who could almost match him in a breath weapon battle. Who hadn't mocked him when he told them he had never learned how to fly.

"What do you mean you have to go?" He asked, voice no more than a whisper as he reached up to grasp at her shirt. "Why do you have to leave? You said it yourself, you left your home because no one there would accept you. And now…now you want to go back there?"

Yasha's eyes glowed electric blue, the color of the lightning that she could spit at her enemies, and she hung her head, fiddling with nothing as she collected her thoughts. Slowly, she shifted, sliding off Lexus to stand next to her as she walked with her.

"You explained it to Itaka yourself. You don't know how long this peace will last. Nor do any of us. And I don't want to die because Azfen has started brainwashing other dragonkin to be suicidal maniacs." Yasha's voice became hard as she tilted her head up slightly to look at Encrid, her eyes now slightly dull from the unshed tears brimming in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Encrid," she said, voice breaking as she hung her head. "But I think this is where we all have to part ways."

Encrid slipped off Lexus, grabbing Yasha's shoulders lightly as he tried to desperately search her expression for…something other than what she was implying. Her body seemed to have pulled in on itself, her wings pressed flush against her back, her tail curled around her legs slightly, the fins on the side of her head pulled back.

Her words were final.

"I'm guessing the others have similar stances on this." He stated, releasing Yasha from his hold and slightly turning to where he could see the others in the background. Many of them seemed to have at least some kind of guilty expression on their faces, but Encrid felt something in his body twist at the sight, a snarl bubbling up inside of him.

They had to get Yasha to do it just so they didn't have to deal with him, huh?

He puffed out a breath of warm air, lightning sparking between his canines without his say so before he turned back towards Lexus, who had walked a few feet ahead. She had stopped, her large head twisted back to look at him, but he waved her off as he followed her.

"Well then I guess this is good-bye then. Tell the others I'll miss them." He said, his voice sounding hollow even to his own ears. He heard Yasha's voice hitch, heard her take a step forward, but she didn't do anything else and he didn't look back. He knew if he did, he wouldn't be able to leave. So, he stayed resolute, stayed looking forward, following Lexus to Sarvin and his camp.

Away from the others.

Away from his tribe.

His hands clenched into fists as he let out a low growl, the hollowness inside him starting to crack no matter how much he tried to keep it in. He didn't want to go. He didn't want to let them go. But they had different wants, different needs, and if they wanted to go back to their original homes, Encrid couldn't stop them.

Sometimes being a Metallic meant making sacrifices. One being; he was never going to go back to his original home ever again. He'd rather die fighting from the others there than ever step a foot into that town.

It was a nightmare for him.

He would never go back.

That's what he kept on telling himself the farther he got from the others.

+=={::::::::::::::::::>

When they got back to camp, Sarvin had pulled him aside almost immediately, clothes still smelling like fire, armor still smoking, to ask what was going on. Encrid had barely been able to hold back the sobs that threatened to crawl up his throat, only being able to shake his head. Sarvin had almost immediately gotten it, nodding as he gently squeezed Encrid's shoulder.

"Go to the Commander's tent. We'll meet you there." He muttered, making Encrid almost sigh in relief. As he walked over there, he could see Marcus out of the corner of his eye staring at him in concern. He felt exposed as he walked over, his wings pulling in tightly to himself. He just wanted to escape. To leave. To follow the others.

But he couldn't, could he?

They wanted different things than what he wanted, and there was no way he was going to be able to convince them against going.

He whimpered slightly when he pushed into the Commander's tent. His fins flicked back as he desperately tried to hold back the sob that threatened to crawl up his throat. They were leaving him alone. They were abandoning him. Like everyone else.

He was so focused on trying to hold everything in, trying not to cry, that he didn't notice Sarvin coming in until a hand was settling on his shoulder. He almost jumped out of his skin at the touch, wings flapping as the spikes on his back flared out in a sharp arch.

"Woah there kid." Sarvin mumbled, hand still gripping his shoulder. Encrid turned towards him, tears welling up in his eyes at the soft tone that Sarvin was using with him.

"They're gone." He whimpered, tears gathering in his eyes as his tail curled around his body. Sarvin pulled him into a hug, gently shushing him as he rubbed his back where he had forced his spikes back down. Encrid felt Sarvin's body warm as he was pulled over to a small cot, the hands gripping him gently petting his hair, his back, rubbing his arms, comforting him in any way he could.

"I'm sorry. Was this our fault?" He asked, making Encrid furiously shake his head.

"No. It's because they are afraid they'll get killed." He responded, his voice hiccuping as he tried to stop himself from crying anymore. Sarvin paused, breathing in sharply before resting his chin on Encrid's head.

"I'm sorry." He murmured once more, a mixture of exhaustion and disappointment filling his voice. Encrid perked up slightly, hearing another pair of footsteps come close to the tent, but Sarvin pulled his head back down to his chest, humming softly. "Come in."

The person walked in and Encrid immediately recognized their smell as Marcus'. He turned slightly, watching the man walk over to them and sit down on the cot next to them, his ungloved hand resting on the spot directly between Encrid's wings as he spread his fingers out to scratch the smaller scales on his skin.

Marcus didn't ask anything or say anything for that matter, he just sat there with them, an open presence ready to listen, ready to talk, and ready to comfort. Encrid, after a few moments, shifted, reaching over to Marcus and pulling him closer before pulling his legs and tail up to rest on Marcus' lap. The man chuckled slightly, rubbing Encrid's tail with both hands, making his scales flare slightly in comfort.

For a few minutes all of them sat there, reveling in each other's presence. Then, Sarvin moved, shifting so that he could look at Encrid without him having to strain his neck.

"You wanna go get them?"