Light leaked through the breaks in the thick canopy of the forest that sheltered a tall man, standing at around six feet, from the harsh afternoon sun that had been beating down on him all morning as he made his way to the clearing. Cedric’s crimson hair was overgrown past his shoulders yet still managed to stick out in an odd variety of angles, clearly mangled and unkempt for a long time. The white tunic he was wearing was drenched in sweat, dirt and dry blood probably from a brawl he’d had with one of his fellow crewmates over a game of cards. He’d been caught trying to hide high scoring cards up his sleeves, and even though he apologised in the most sincerest of ways they still gave him a beating that he still felt to this day despite all his wounds healing up nicely. Leaves crunched under his thick leather boots, although at this point only a small portion of the original leather remained; leaving large white patches on his beloved shoes. The same brown leather of his boots was used to fashion a vest for him, which was covered in several stains and was worn out along the edges. Picking up the compass from his belt as he wandered deeper into the forest, he quickly made sure he was going the right way. When Merrik had arrived on Obsidian Nova to tell him of the fate before him, he wasn’t able to just leave the ship there and then. He’d be hung for leaving his brethren out on the open sea like that. Merrik gave him a map of where he would be expected to meet him, which he lost, and told him the time, which he forgot, to meet him. Thankfully he didn’t forget the date, and his crewmates were kind enough to drop him off at the nearest port town for him to make his way to the rendezvous point. He figured Merrik would be mad at him, but it was better late than never. The forests smelt of pine and dirt, and coupled with the sounds of strange birds and the constant rustling of bushes in the wind, did not make for a pleasant trip for Cedric. He was far too used to the open waters, where everything was clear and there was nothing but a horizon for days. You could see a storm coming miles away, you could feel the changes in the wind. There were no surprises, everything was calm and peaceful on the open waters. Here though, Cedric couldn’t help but be incredibly paranoid. Every slight movement caught his attention, and he soon found himself walking at a brisk pace to the meeting point. Pushing through the thick shrubbery of the woods, he was pleased to see that he’d made his way to the meadow. He didn’t understand how anyone could live out here. Every sound he heard or flicker amongst the trees he saw made him think a beast was going to jump out and devour him. Apparently speaking to soon, Cedric was startled by the sudden appearance of an enormous figure flying down towards him. It’s magnificent wingspan stretched to the corners of the sky and it’s sleek, black scales gave him a fond sense of familiarity. He was glad to see Merrik, not so much Obsidian Nova, and was also happy that he managed to reach the destination just as everything was about to get started. Merrik told them to be prepared, so Cedric slid his right foot back a few feet behind his left and shifted his balance forward, ready to move. His right hand gently floated an inch from the hilt of his cutlass. When the giant gates opened, it became more than apparent that a simple cutlass wasn’t going to be enough to prepare him for the hoard of ferocious dragons that bolted from the gate and into the skies above the clearing. A rainbow of fire spewed through the air, and suddenly the cool breeze offered by the shade of the forest behind him was no longer enough to stop the suffocating oven that was the dragons flame breathe. It was like sitting in a furnace, and it just kept getting worse. His shirt clung to his skin with sweat and his scalp was starting to become irritable from the large mop of hair that now clung in wet clumps to the side of his face. He took a step back, but was instantly thrown forward by a powerful force from behind him. He crashed forward into the ground, blue flames searing around him in a way that spelled doom in all directions. He was trapped. Whatever kind of test this was, it sure wasn’t going to give Merrik any living results. He tried to scramble to his feet, but he felt the same force swipe the back of his legs and send him crashing down onto his back once again. His eyes widened in shock once he recovered from the pain. He was staring directly into the face of a large, dark blue dragon. He was petrified. This was it for him. The dragon started to breathe strangely, making short and quick huffs of breath in quick succession. It only took Cedric a moment to realise that the beast was laughing at him. Anger pulsed through him, and he stood to his feet in a moments time with his cutlass brandished at the beasts face. The dragon slowly lowered her head forward, and for the first time Cedric was able to make out the beautiful details of the shimmering blue scales that covered the dragon. As the light from the flames rippled against them, it gave off the impression of waves of the ocean. On top of it’s head was a large dorsal fin, and the dragons eyes were a beautiful, deep blue. It was shocking how magnificent the dragon looked up close, it’s muscles adding gentle curves to the shape of it’s body. It’s claws were webbed together, and slowly it brought down it’s long tail around Cedric, which was probably what it had used to knock him off his feet. A long, flipper stretched out from the end of the tail, the dark blue membrane being almost transparent. It would have looked so majestic, if not for the constant, gruff roars of laughter that slipped past it’s fangs. Furious, Cedric swung his sword at the beast’s head. The dragon didn’t even flinch, and the sword didn’t even leave a dent. The dragon opened up its mouth wide, revealing rows of sharp fangs along it’s jaw. He shut his eyes, hoping for a quick and painless death. Instead he was met with a painful jet of freezing water. He was knocked back to the ground by the spray, squirming under it as the high pressure water slammed against him like a bolder. And he thought he was drenched before. [I][b]Your putrid stench irritated my delicate snout. You smell wonderful now. No need to pout.[/I][[/b] The dragons voice echoed throughout his head in a matter that just seemed to make sense to him. It’s voice was soft and gentle, but also stern. Cedric could tell it was female. Her thoughts felt very strange to him, as she spoke in a very rhythmic tone. It was similar to the way a scholar would rhyme to young children in a condescending manner. [I][b]You stand before me; quaking in fear, I bet. No need to fear human, you are now my pet.[/I][/b] “Those rhymes are atrocious!” Cedric said, laughing. The dragon snarled at him, which immediately kept him quiet. There was a brief moment of silence before the dragon started to laugh once again. [I][b]Yes, they are. But if you are to be my tamer you must learn the rhythm of our hearts. We are but separate notes upon the same page, resonating together to create a mesmerizing symphony.[/b][/I] Cedric smiled up at the dragon, which leant her head forehead down to his eye level. He placed a firm hand in between its eyes, feeling the smoothness of her scales which wove through her magnificently built body like silk. At that first touch, they would became two bodies with one spirit, forever intertwined in the melody that was eternity. Tears began to form in Cedric’s eyes, strolling down his cheeks. The dragon brought her head close to his, her soft tongue lapping away the tears in a single stroke. “Porylucia” Cedric whispered, giving in to his instincts and resting his head against the forehead of his new life companion. He wrapped his arms up around her long, curved horns and fell to his knees as he embraced her. [I][b]Cedric and Porylucia of the Sea; together our voices sing in perfect harmony, hence forth ‘till the end of eternity.[/b][/I] ------- Preparing Porylucia for flight had been tiring enough, and by the time Cedric had arrived at the loft designated for his dragon he was ready to fall asleep right then and there in Porylucia’s bed. Yet the mention of a feast made him realise just how hungry he’d been. He’d never had a land dwellers feast before, and it sure didn’t disappoint. There was enough to feed an army here, well a bigger army than they were, and as soon as Cedric sat down he began to dig in to plate of pot roasted beef. He looked up occasionally from his food to listen to what was being said by a man at the head of the table. He hadn’t seen him in the clearing, but he said he was a knight. Cedric swallowed his food, grinning at Arameus. “A knight, huh? It’s a good thing our pasts don’t matter here. Our kind don’t usually get along with yours.” Hearing the story of how Merrik had convinced Arameus brought a grin to Cedric’s face, and he stood up eager to share his story with the group. “So my crewmates and I were busy cleaning up the deck, we’d just had a major blood bathe there with a rival ship, when all of a sudden-” He spread his arms out wide for dramatic effect. “An enormous black dragon swooped down from the sky! We thought we were as good as dead, but thankfully it was just Obsidian Nova and Merrik coming to give me the choice of a lifetime.” Somehow the phrase ‘just Obsidian Nova’ did little justice to the terrifying behemoth of a dragon that was so very close to them at this very moment, and Cedric wondered if the dragons hearing was good enough to pick up on all their tales. “Well we were out in the middle of the sea, so riding the dragon to come and inform me was the quickest way I guess. Gave me a heart attack, though.” Cedric sat back down, returning to the feast with enthusiasm.