A slender girl walks the streets of Blade. She weaves in and out of crowds, her delicate fingers lifting what she can off people. She was talented at what she did, she was quiet, quick and most of all looked totally innocent. Her golden skin was pure and healthy, she was dressed in clean blue linens and her deep golden eyes seemed to speak of a secret pain. Most people assumed she was pretty well off, maybe a little depressed though. The daughter of a middle class family perhaps, no need for her to steal. She was an enigma to the few other thieves she knew; she was very secretive and rarely spoke. People often tried to reach out to her, but she pushed them away. The rumor that was spoken around their clandestine thieves’ guild was that she was part dark elf. No one had ever seen her ears; she always wore a blue band around her head to cover them. And her gold eyes were inhuman. The rumor had begun to spread and the thieves that believed it avoid her now; even the ones who had offered her friendship. So today was her last day in Blade. She now disappeared into an alley and counted the money she had acquired. It was enough to buy supplies for her journey. She deposited the money and jewelry into her small purse and sighed deeply. She was hoping she wouldn’t have to leave this place so soon, but that was her life. People always found out. She stood and walked back out onto the street, heading towards the gates of the city. As she did so, she passed a familiar thief. He was one of the ones who had started the rumor. He grinned at her. She was unsure as to why and it gave her a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She continued down the street, her golden eyes scanning the road ahead. The royal guards, who acted as the police force, were searching it seemed. Timidly, she passed a couple guards; she tried to hide any sign of her anxiety. "Hey, girl," on of the officers says to her. She stops and turns to them, "Yes?" she replies coolly. The guards quickly studied her and began to walk toward her. Her body tensed and when one of the guards reached for his short sword, she bolted. She ducks in and out of alleys, making her way to the gates of Blade. As she ran, she could hear them calling to each other… Zira tosses her money on the counter as she exits the inn she stayed in last night. As she steps out of the building, her long ears twitch when she hears the royal guards calling to each other. Elven hearing was far superior to humans, so she could understand what they were say from her distance. Apparently a thief was evading them. A girl: black hair, gold eyes, and blue clothes. Zira continues on her way to the mercenary guild... Alni ran lightly down an alley, but as she turns out of one she runs into an elven woman. She jumps back in shock. She looks up into the woman’s face and sees the features of a dark elf. A glare of pure of pure hatred appears on her lovely face. "You’re a dark elf," she says, grasping the dagger at her waist. She lunges at Zira, slashing fiercely... Zira quickly draws her rapier and deftly blocks the attacks. As the girl stabs at her again, she knocks the dagger out of her hands and pins her against a wall. "And what’s wrong with that?" Zira growls. She studies her face, the golden eyes and skin, she could be part dark elf, Zira thinks. A blue band covers her ears, so she couldn’t be certain. "Hey, there she is!" a voice calls behind Zira. She glances back and sees three guards join the one who spoke. A lieutenant steps forward and says, "Thank you for you aid, madam," he nods in polite deference to her, "Please hand over the girl, she is a thief." Zira looks at the angry, yet helpless girl. She releases her, but keeps her cornered with her sword. "Give me what you stole," she says to the girl. Alni glares defiantly at the woman, but hands her the purse... Zira takes the purse, then tosses it to the guards. "Release her to my custody," Zira asks. The guard debates it momentarily. He decides that it would be a better decision to do as she asks, instead of risking an encounter with a formidable dark elf woman. "As you wish, as long as you remove her from the city," He says. Zira nods in response. The guards leave the two women alone, but still watch from a distance to make sure they left the city. Alni stays seated on the ground and watches the guards leave. "Why do you want to help me, dark elf?" The girl says coldly as she glares at Zira. "I helped you because I think you're to young to be going to jail. My name is Zira, I ask that you at least give me the respect of calling me by name," she sheathes her sword and reaches her hand out the girl. The girl sits silently for a moment, but eventually replies; "Alni." She tentatively takes Zira's hand and stands. "Alni, we need to get out of the city, will you come with me willingly, or will I need to use force?" says Zira. "I was planning on leaving anyway." She glares at Zira as she walks past her out of the alley. After they exit the alley, she drops back, walking along side Zira. They leave Blade with no further difficulties. From the shadows behind the guard a tall man stepped with a small grin. His long brown hair hangs to the right, covering that eye. Drawing both swords of his back the three guards drew in retaliation. "PUT THE SWORDS DOWN!" The lieutenant yelled. His eyes narrowed at him and his two guards drawing their weapons. "I wouldn't be so foolish at to draw steel on me, it would only mean a waste of your life. Bhalthar fell from its chaos. You are a good man, don't challenge me, your kingdom needs you." He pushed past the stunned lieutenant. One of the guards swung his sword at him. He turned and hit the sword out of the guard’s hand, spinning back around. The second guard Slashed with his halberd, only to hit nothing as the man leapt at least 10 feet straight up, landed on the flat of the halberd, forcing it out of the guard's hands. "What are you?" "I am he that has seen the fall of Bhalthar. My name does not concern you, nor will I tell it." He walked past the two Elves, turning his head slightly with a smile, a bit inticed by their beauty. The lieutenant and his men soon started after the now wanted criminal for assaulting guards. Now out of the city the guards stopped a few paces outside the walls and cursed. A slight laugh came from him and he leaned against a tree only a few hundred feet from them. "Doth ye not wish to catch me? Nay, thou canst. Ye be but the guards of thine streets, not the roads." He sighed and took the bag off his back, he produces a small dagger with designs that were known only to come from dragon smiths and cut his long hair shorter. But it was done neatly so it wasn't ragged looking. "Aye, that be much better. I would have done that in the city. But they doth hold grudge with drawn weapons. Far be it from me to...disobey the rules." He grinned again, his swords were drawn in the city only because he had seen two elves in a scuffle. He would have tried to stop it but that was over and he didn’t have time to sheath his weapons before the guards confronted him. Zira had seen the knight leave the city. She spared him a glance back as he leaned against the sturdy, lone tree near the walls of the city before she continued down the road with Alni. He finally took up and saw the two walking down the road. Wasn't that the same two he saw in the city? He let his dragon wings extend and stretched himself and started to fly not to far behind the two elves. Might I inquire as to joining thee? The roads be not as safe as they used to be. ‘Tis a shame, alas, even the noble dark elves will find the roads to be something no taken lightly. He landed not far in front of them. He sighed and pulled his gauntlets on tighter. His green eyes were warm and inviting. "Perhaps you may," Zira shows a cautious half smile to him. "Who are you?" She asks Alni nervously adjusts her headband when he said "dark elves". Could he tell? She walks a little behind Zira. She looks up at her and feels she can trust her. Alni had never been in the presence of a dark elf before. She had grown to despise them still. Ever since childhood she had endured irreverence because of her heritage. Her own mother had abandoned her and then every family she was adopted into and every friend she made did the same thing. As she thought tears began to roll down her cheeks. She realized this and draws her sleeve across her face. But the tears kept coming. He bowed slightly, "Mine name be Blaze. I have no...last name as ye call them. He hath traveled...not to far in mine 200 years of life but I doth know that traveling alone is asking for the goblins and ogres to take note. I doth not relish a fight with them." He noticed Alni crying. "I am sorry, I made note of the slight reaction to me noting your race. Know that I trust the dark elves. They are friend to me, I didst not mean any anguish. I wilt not ridicule you. Am worse off than you, I'm dragon-kin." He looked at them both, his smile growing broader. "I will travel with thee. If thy canst stand mine accent. ‘Tis an annoyance, but I’ve not had time to relearn in the modern tongue." "I don't mind," Zira smiles kindly at him. She looks back at Alni, "Are you alright?" she asks, touching her arm. Alni jerked her arm away, "I’m fine!" she shouts. She glares at Blaze, "How did you know! Why did you..." Alni chokes on her tears as she yells at the two and she drops to her knees and sobs harder, her tears landing on the dry path. Zira stops and looks back at Alni. She walks over to the girl and kneels in front of her, placing her hands on her shoulders. Alni almost pulls away from her, but she was so desperate to be held, she leans against Zira instead. He was feeling very sad for unsetting her he felt it now proper to show why we was worse off. "I knew because 'dragons'" Stresses emphasis on that word. "Hold an affinity with elves." His eyes shifted into green slitted, eyes, his armor disappeared and he stretched into a huge Earth Dragon. Lowering his head to them he spoke in a low, but loud voice. The volume he couldn't control. "Now thou doth see that thy eye shouldst be dry maiden. Dark Elves are misunderstood even to thy own kind, I find them charming. All elves are charming to say the least. I must say, given a choice, I doth accept the company of Elves to the kindness of a Paladin." He shifted back to his former size and his armor returned. He held his head for a second and stood straight again. "Aye, you needed ask. Aye, ‘tis a weary task to shift thus. I haven't the strength to do such again. I will become more powerful. I'm on the Kaiser bloodline. Ye know Kaiser dragon as your kinds god and guardian, Bahaumat. I doth know him to be family. We best make haste, slayers will soon swarm this area after thus a show. I haven't the strength to fight many a dragon slayer." Zira smiles at him, then looks back at Alni, who was slightly frightened. "You have nothing to worry about," she says softly, "Every one has their pains. You just need to learn to live with them. Come on, we need to go." She smiles and stands, offering her hand to Alni. Alni nods and takes Zira's hand and stands. She wipes her sleeve across her face again. They walk for a ways in silence. Curiously, she watches Blaze. She had never seen anything like him. She looks over at Zira who had showing no shock at his change. Either she was used to this kind of thing or she was good at hiding her surprise. "I don't have any family," She blurts out. She wasn't sure how to really talk about this. No one knew about her past. It was a subject she had never spoken of. Not that she ever really spoke. She looks at Zira and Blaze anxious for their reactions. "Nor do I young one. But, thee doth have friends now. Friends can at time grow closer than family can. Let me tell you something, see mine tattoos? They doth stand for Justice and Honor. They be mine two words I hath live to. I exact justice with mine words and swords and I doth bring honor to mine name and friends." He folded his arms across his chest and looked at the two women. "Now, should we thus be going? Dry thy eyes, you have no reason to shed them from mine words. I doth not mean you harm. I am a Knight, I wilt not harm you." "He's right," Zira smiles at her. "You shouldn't be focusing on your past when there is a future. Let's keep going." Zira continues walking. "So tell me Alni, do you ever think of a future for yourself?" Alni thought as she walked. "I don't know..." "Well, I don't think we need refuge. I just need a job," Zira says to Blaze. He walked towards Zira and Alni. He looked at them, he was the rude one now. he hadn't answered their question. "Ah, I am sorry, I hath never seen or dreamt of a future for mine self. I hath always thought I might die in one of the battle I didst partake in. But, I mine future seems to be traveling with you two beautiful women." He blushed and put an arm around both women playfully. He sucked at trying to sound cute and innocent. He tried his best though, dragons normally weren't too good at subtleties. They were usually brutally honest. He was different, he loved to play around, but he knew when to be serious and when not. Zira laughed nervously, she was somewhat uncomfortable when it came to being touched like that, but she knew it was all in play. She glances over at Alni who obviously didn't know what to think of it Alni looked over at Zira, then up to Blaze. She had never met anyone like these two. A rare smile touches her lips. No one had ever been so kind to her while knowing what she was... Blaze took his arms off the two and stopped. He slowly turned and faced the sea with a wide-eyed glance. To them, he was in a trance, to him, he was listening to something far off. "The sounds of battle blares to a place across the sea. 'Please, gods answer my call, innocents are being slaughtered and the war drags on. When will we be saved?' I can hear that being said, that human has a very clear and powerful wish...The field of battle calls to me..." His mouth hung open a bit as he staggered forward into the water, stopping when t was up to his knees. He turned his heads to the two ladies, his eyes now serious. "Innocents are being killed. If we have any honor, we can't let that happen. I know I won't let it happen. I will leave on the next ship. If I go alone, it was nice to meet new friends, if not, I thank you in joining me." He started to walk off towards the harbormaster to get a ship he could board. Zira follows him. "War? We just got out of a war. Surely, I will fight with you." Alni followed, since she had no where else to go. She didn't know much of fighting, but she couldn't just be left behind. "Will you help me learn to fight?" she asks Blaze and Zira as she walks up from behind them "I always wanted to see the world but now by following the wars. Well, it seems I've adapted common tongue nicely. Perhaps I might just pass as a human. Zira, Alni, I am leaving. You said you are coming, I will take us there the best way I know. As a dragon." His armor shifted away and he grew into the huge Kaiser Dragon once more. His glowing golden eyes shined as he looked back and the girls, waiting for them to climb on his back. "Let us make haste. Time doth waste as we sit in indecision." He let out a roar that cracked all the glass in the port town. Elemental energies grew and swelled in him. Ready to be used when needed. A low growl imitated as he waited. Zira climbs on his back and helps Alni up. Zira could sense the elemental energies building up within him. "Where is this war Blaze?" she asks Blaze shut his eyes and opened them again. "The war is across the sea. A place called Roid." He could feel the presence of another dragon across the sea, near where his astral sight took him. Perhaps that dragon was lending him his sight to see the battle. "This will be bloody and will require you to learn to fight and fast Alni. I will try to teach you but you will be faced with situations where you must rely on you own. Battle is harsh and unrelenting." "I will need a sword," she says. She was frightened, but she knew she had to be strong. She looks up at Zira as she held onto her tightly. "Will you help me?" she asks Zira smiles, "Of course, Blaze and I will both be there for you. As for a sword, I cant help you with that. All I have is my own, and I can't fight with throwing daggers alone."