FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Although this might look like the second installment in the Rakura Chronicles, it's more of a side story. Waldesschwinge wanted to make sure his dragoness, Qyr'Zyiel, didn't get away with the mistakes she made by leaving Arjirr behind. As both punishment and a chance for future improvement, Yrmiyar'ra, the Guardian of Souls, pays a visit to Qyr during a most untimely moment. Unlike the story before, this one has some smutty moments in it, mostly revolving around the warm touch of a dragon's tongue. Hopefully, that should keep you interested in the whole tale, because there are a lot of interesting things happening in this chappy. Character ref sheets:Ref Sheet for Qyr--> http://rykaran.deviantart.com/art/Qyr-ziyel-Reference-Sheet-by-Drakaina-Queen-351621972Ref sheet for Arjirr--> http://rykaran.deviantart.com/art/Arjirr-reference-by-Drakainaqueen-434969033Ref sheet for Yrmiyar'ra ---> http://rykaran.deviantart.com/art/Yrmiyarra-Refsheet-By-Tatiilange-482871619 If the story is to your satisfaction, please consider the following: Fav if you read itVote if you liked itComment if you're feeling awesome***Qyr lunged on the warm shore of the StarShard river. The

pebbles underneath felt delightful against her tough hide, and the whispering

of the rushing water made for a most relaxing song.At least when two certain dragons didn't splash and test

their mettle in it. After a heated contest where skill and expertise were

traded for hugs and other mischievous maneuvers, the two mates retired on the

river's edge to dry their scales. The sun progressed much slower than any of

them wanted, so Qyr proposed a more feasible and faster way to dry: licking.Vharyias had no complaints. He said he expected such request

and prepared accordingly, but Qyr never believed him. She lay on her side, two

paws lifted towards the canopy of the BroadLeaf trees while Vharyias treated

her to one of the warmest baths she received lately."You missed a spot.""No I didn't."Qyr licked her mate across his approaching snout, leaving

behind a damp trail of warm saliva. "This is still wet," she growled softly, trailing her tongue

under his jaw, all the way between his nostrils."We agreed that tongues do not count," he dashed his own

between Qyr's eyes. She closed them, basking in the warmth until soft teeth

gripped one of her frontal horns."You agreed, dear mate," Qyr answered softly. "You said you consent to-""I said no such words," she slapped her tail against one of

Vharyias' haunches. "Now use that lovely tongue of yours to dry me. Your teeth

are doing a bad job at it."Vharyias said nothing. He pressed himself tighter against her,

pushed his draped wing firmer over Qyr's splayed form, and continued his

treatment. His tongue slid softly against Qyr's brown forehead scales. They

were tougher and larger than her flame touched ones, turning into small,

entwined plates as they followed the bony spikes rising along her neck. Vharyas

slid his tongue between those two, making for a most enjoyable grooming. Qyr's eyelids were being tested by the waves of relaxation

rushing through her.  Every touch brought

that tantalizing warmth upon her scales, flaring her need for a deeper contact.

Blinking lazily, Qyr stretched her neck and pushed her snout towards one of her

mate's hind paws. He kept his flanks firmly pressed against his body, and his

lengthy tail curled around them. Qyr licked one of the small emerald spikes,

then pushed closer between the male's hind legs. His scent washed over her like

a warm breeze. It had the strong fragrance of a male and the soothing touch of

nature, just like a pine forest."Did I find a ticklish spot?" Vharyias growled playfully."No," Qyr exhaled softly, then breathed in more of the

permeating aroma. "Try a bit harder." He resumed his licking, just as she resumed her inquisitive

sniffing. She missed this scent as much as she missed Vharyas' touch.  They both were so soft and warm...Qyr's claws

flexed, burying their sharp tips into the earth. Her instincts responded

quicker to the stimulation than she expected. They quickened her breath, and

made her underbelly itch with desire. Vharyias probably noticed that too. He broadened his

strokes, licking around one of her shoulders with wide, circular motions. Qyr couldn't suppress her pleasure from manifesting in an

audible manner. Her throat pushed out the rumbling air without her accord, just

as her tail coiled tighter around her.Vharyias paused. "If you stop, I'll bite," she nuzzled his toes suggestively."Softly?""What do you think, dear mate?" she flicked out her tongue,

licking around and in between his toes as she ascended towards his joint. The

scales were small and hard, just like the pebbles beneath them. Qyr rumbled

happily, scratching her sensitive nose on Vharyias' scales until he jerked it

back. Qyr firmly gripped it between her jaws, allowing no retreat."I think you will be unnecessarily cruel to my scales.""Nonsense. I'm never cruel," she played her tongue along for

emphasis."Never?" Vharyias tugged his foot again.Qyr let go, if only to catch a glimpse of what hid beyond

the meaty flank. "Never ever." "So what happened before you pounced and drove me straight

into the river was considered gentle?""Past is past. Licks," Qyr demanded."Answers first."She hissed, senses almost bursting aflame with the copious

amount of scents she inhaled. "Licks always come before that. You know the

rules."Qyr felt his head delve beneath her chest. It was warm, so

warm. She felt his breath on her right paw, trailing along her scales until it

reached her clawed fingers. "Maybe I forgot them," Vharyias nuzzled her clenching

fingers. "Living in a strange body inside a stranger world makes one forget

about many things."Qyr couldn't stand this teasing anymore. She wanted warmth

and moisture, not dry words upon the wind. "Really?" she hissed. "Maybe this will jolt your memory."

She pushed her horned head past his flank and gave his aroused member a long,

moist lick. The meaty rod jerked upwards. Vharyias went limp, a strange moan

escaping his tense jaw. Qyr retrieved her tongue, bringing his fertile taste

into her maw before she slid a flared nostril all the way to the base. Vharyias

shivered, claws gripping the pebbles underneath them.  She felt every muscle in his body tighten as

hard as his member. Veins bulged along its frozen form, pumping blood with

every throb. Now that was delightfully warm. Qyr pushed her tongue

between her clattering teeth and curled it around the muscular cock. Then, she

gently traced the slimy length of the member all the way to the flared tip.

Bumps and ridges rose along the way, increasing in size the closer she

approached the rift of his tip. "Q-Qyr. I can't...can't-"He could. She knew her mate as well as she knew herself. His

throbs didn't quicken enough to expel his seed, nor did his thrusting become

too erratic. She grasped his tip and slid her tongue inside the slitted vent

just in time to block the warm fluids rushing out of his overly stimulated sex.With a sound that resembled half a roar and half a moan,

Vharyias melted in her embrace. His pre rushed to greet Qyr's maw, but the

pressure exerted around the only entrance forced it back into the spasming

cavity. When the throbs lessened, Qyr pulled her slavering tongue out and

cleaned the dribble with a quick swipe. She disliked being cruel to her mate.

Such teasing could be branded as such, but in this case, she considered it a

fair trade. Her paws were sensitive, and her mate knew it too well when he

rubbed and touched in all the right places. She craned her neck to see him scrunching his eyes with

bliss. He didn't last long. With a growled breath, Vharyias collapsed on the

side, legs kicking weakly as his member jolted between his paws, spewing

another four strings of translucent arousal along his chest. Qyr had the

alacrity to intercept the spurts, but she loved to watch males wetting

themselves. Their throbs were fierce and wild, just like their demeanor, and

their arousal obvious and striking like their scales. She loved all those

details, and few things were as arousing as seeing a male's own fluids coat and

dribble between his scales. Qyr watched with fascination how the droplets

embraced Vharyias' emerald hide, slithering like pearlescent snakes once they

found proper grip. She licked her snout. Cleaning him would be a delight. "You

are soaking yourself all over again," she said instead, fettering her desire to

taste him."A stark...observation, if the grass underneath you was still

dry," Vharyias growled softly and pushed his snout between her forelegs. Qyr rolled on her back and pushed herself against Vharyias

before he had any chance at retribution. "I fail to see your point," she said smugly."Look harder.""At what?""That glistening patch where you just stood.""I would, if my eyes would not linger on a better sight."Vharyias arched his neck. He was so predictable when his

opinions were challenged. "What would that be?"Qyr licked his snout with obvious desperation. She slid her

tongue on and around his fangs, tasting his own saliva in the process.

Everything about her mate was warm, and she loved that. She loved every part of

him. Vharyias uselessly tried to disentangle his tongue from

hers. He twisted and pulled, freeing himself only when Qyr had enough."Too much?"Vharyias' blinked. His eyes sparkled with arousal, and his

breath became quick and ragged. He licked twice around Qyr's neck, grazing

softly at the durable scales. A long, drawn out moan escaped his maw. He wanted

her, just as much as she wanted him. Qyr always made mating more exciting. She

liked a good scuffle or a healthy round of teasing before sharing her essence

with her mate. She hated to break that tradition because of a misfortune, as

long and drawn-out as her separation from Vharyias was.Still, her instincts coiled around her in a vice grip,

fettering her option of choices with each passing heartbeat. She was sorely

tempted to give in. Thoughts led Qyr to her last mating, and her sex twitched

and shuddered in remembrance of the long rod lodged inside her velvety flesh.

It felt so right. So warm...the thrusts flared her lust until she surrendered to

her mate's grip and his warm, drenching seed.Qyr yelped. The memory proved too stimulating for her overly

sensitive flesh. Her exposed lips squelched as they grinded against each other,

preparing to unleash the pressure rising from within. Qyr dug her snout into

Vharyyas' neck and muffled her moan between clenched jaws as the ascension

washed over her. She tensed, then drew forth five gushes of liquid lust, her

pleasure spiking with every spasm. Qyr rode the waves of premature release,

gripping the pebbles underneath until the intense warmth fled her nethers. She wanted to remain there, entangled in her mate, but the

fresh scent attracted Vharyias' attention. He surged on his paws quicker than

she expected, lapping at the damp rocks with frenzied hunger. Each lick carried

the fertile slime between his clattering jaws, stoking the hissing escaping

between his half-parted jaws.Qyr pushed herself up and draped a wing over her mate. He

was trembling, barely able to contain his desire. "Vharyi, my mate..." she licked his cheek, trailing along his

trembling lips. "Why scoop my essence from cold shards of stone when you can

have me?"For a few heartbeats, they merely stared into each other's

eyes. Warm puffs rolled out of their maws, washing across their heated scales.

Vharyias' heart pounded so hard, Qyr could hear it despite her own, elevated

heart rate. She blinked. Within that fraction of time, Vharyias embraced

her neck with both forepaws and licked her insistently. He was all over her,

nibbling and pushing against her frail balance. Qyr stumbled. The jolts of pleasure rushing between her

tingling muscles filled her with warm, debilitating weakness. She fell on her

back with a soft growl, licking at the dragon above her. Vharyias placed a tentative

paw on either side, wings flapping to maintain his precarious balance. He

treated her with only a few long licks before he stepped back. His serpentine

neck lowered, and his nostrils flared with purpose, twitching quicker the

closer he slid between her upraised hind legs.Qyr froze. She wanted to kick and grapple his neck, but her

paws refused to obey. He was so close now, so close... and her shuddering lips

squelched and moistened in anticipation of his touch. Vharyias sniffed once,

then slid his tongue slowly over the drenched surface of her exposed flesh.Qyr moaned. The pleasure rushed through her body like a

surge of molten energy. It was intense and delightful, more vivid than any

pleasure she experienced. Her tail curled around one of her mate's legs, too

restless with the spasms wrecking her lower belly. Vharyias hungered for her.

She felt his determination to mate through each push of his tongue. The silky

eel dashed and plunged inside her, drawing out fresh reserves of liquid

fertility, quickly slurped inside his voracious maw. The deeper he went, the

hotter Qyr's scales burned. She quivered and moaned like a hatchlings, toes

curling inward under the fettering pleasure. Vharyias huffed. His hot breath descended upon the female's

sensitive privates, along with several drops of hot saliva. The combined

assault tested her resilience, and Qyr bit back her release. She contained the

rising pressure, basking in the burning touch of her mate for a few blissful

heartbeats until his tongue slid deep inside her.Qyr tensed. Her silky walls wrapped around the warm tongue,

holding it within their throbbing embrace. They failed. Vharyias slid out,

tickling her overly sensitive insides past the edge as he slid back in, again,

and again, and again, going deeper with each lick. His muscular tongue

thickened the deeper he went. Not only he slid in deep, but the pressure

exerted on Qyr's walls melted the female's resilience.Qyr collapsed under the assault. With a roar, she unleashed

her burning burden, drenching her mate's snout with waves of clear, fertile

goo. Vharyias pulled back, surprised by the sheer strength of her release. He

licked her oozing lips quickly, then pressed his snout against them when the

gushes proved too treacherous to tame. The pressure only added to Qyr's rush of

delight. She pushed into her made, rubbing herself against the wet scales of

his snout while he drank in her essence. 

Her roar rose a pitch higher, then lessened as her vigorous throbs

lessened into soft shudders. Vharyias pulled his snout a few inches away from her sex,

cleaning her drenched flesh and scales with sensual strokes of his tongue.Qyr shivered. Her wings jerked weakly, and weakness still

gripped her limbs. She pawed at Vharyias, uselessly trying to pin him against

her."What did I tell you about teasing, Vharyi?"He looked at her, then hissed a soft, amorous growl. With

unsteady steps he straddled her, getting into the proper mating position. Qyr

caressed his oozing member with the tip of her tail, summoning another lust

filled growl. "You want to have me?"Vharyias stretched his serpentine neck and eagerly licked

her snout. Qyr melted into his embrace. She pushed her head under his head,

taking in the wild scents trapped between his scales. "Mate me then. Fill me with the love and the warm seed

denied to us for all these years."He needed no further encouragement. Lowering his trembling

legs, Vharyias thrust softly, sliding against her sun scaled belly in search

for her vent. Qyr closed her eyes. She waited this for more than she wanted to

admit. The heat, her desire, the loving touch of her mate...it was everything she

fantasized about during the cold nights of her quest. Memories like these

filled her with hope and determination. Other Rakura told her Vharyias was lost,

but she never believed it. She did not want to believe her beloved Rakur, the

one she chose as her mate, simply vanished. So she searched, first the inner

worlds of her great species, then the ones inhabited by feral creatures. It

took years of loneliness and patience to feel her mate pressed against her once

more. To smell the fragrance of his scales, the sharp tinge of arousal, and

feel his member slide closer and closer to her eager lips...Then it came. A surge of energy rushed outwards from the

rift expanding from behind. Qyr shut her eyes. The light became as intense as

the sun itself, then vanished quicker than a spark. When she opened her eyes,

the portal was gone. A Rakur stood in its place. Scales dark as night,

mismatched horns, and broad wings bearing the deep blue of the evening sky that

stretched all the way to his bladed tail. She knew this Rakur. Or at least

heard of him. Her kin spoke about him with both a tinge of fear and respect,

for he was proud and rash at times, pointing out flaws and ways to remove them

in a stark and efficient way."Yr...Yrmir," Qyr's tongue twisted inside her maw. Being

caught mating by her own kind was negligible. It was the interruption that

irritated her the most.  "Qyr'Ziyel," the dragon padded closer, head dipping in

acknowledgement. "It is a delight to see your quest bearing fruit."Vharyias snarled, but Qyr quickly gripped his muzzle with a

forepaw. "He'll leave. I'll see to it," she licked her mate, then turned back

to Yrmiyar'ra."It was about to bear a lot more than that," she hissed,

unable to keep the spite out of her voice. "Your visit is untimely.""Is it?" he took a step closer, fixing his sapphire eyes on

Qyr."Leave," she growled.He seemed to consider the request for a moment. Then, he

settled on the ground, stretching his neck until his snout almost touched

Qyr's. "Is that what you told Arjirr when you abandoned him?"A shock traveled through Qyr's spine, chilling the warmth

rushing through her."Wh-what?""He was wounded," Yrmiyar'ra hissed, gradually revealing his

snow white fangs. "Exhausted. Defenseless.""I- I didn't leave him," Qyr stammered. The mention of

Arjirr was even more untimely than the Rakur's words. A glimpse of the silver

male rushed through her mind, broken and tattered. His wounds seemed even worse

than she remembered, oozing indigo blood all over Arjirr's scales. Nausea washed over Qyr. All the helplessness she felt back

then rushed forth, washing away her burning lust. "You didn't stay either," Yrmiyar'ra rose and flapped his

wings once. "And because of your foolishness and rash decisions, he fell prey

to the humans."Qyr said nothing. Her whole body was numb with shock. Fell

prey? Was he...dead? She shook her head and snarled."No.""You presume to know more than me?""He can't be dead.""Are you certain?"She was not. How could she, when the stubborn bastard closed

the portal behind him? Qyr clawed and launched her last reserves of energy at

the rift. It didn't open, not even until she fainted from the exhaustion. "I didn't leave him," a surge of strength rushed through her

limbs. She pushed her confused mate aside and scrambled on her fours, and

roared at her fellow Guardian."He pushed me into that portal, Yr! You speak about choices?

I had none!" she toned down her seething irritation. "My mate collapsed,

unconscious. One of my wings was torn. Even if I wanted, I couldn't fly, and my

power was spent. I could. Do. Nothing!""Are you certain?" he asked again in that calm and

calculated voice of his."Yes, I am certain!" Qyr slapped her tail, jaws snapping

together. She pushed back the anger. It filled her muscles, lending strength.

It was a useful asset against enemies, but never against friend or kin. So Qyr

forced it back, pacing around until Yrmiyar'ra spoke again. "Then you traded one life for another."Qyr collapsed. A sinking feeling took hold of her, sapping

away her energy. Vharyias covered her with a wing and nuzzled her encouragingly,

but even his touch felt cold and insignificant. Arjirr died. He died because of

her! Because she was too weak, or too unprepared to face the humans, or...She growled in defeat and crashed her head on top of a paw.

The reason mattered not. It was her duty to protect life, and she failed.

Arjirr helped her, protected her, and sacrificed himself to save them both.

Qyr's thoughts led back to that night. What manner of weakness subdued her

spirit? Why didn't she fight harder against Arjirr's stone-like conviction? The

answer eluded her. All she had was Yrmiyar'ra's cold gaze and Vharyias' touch

to remind her of the price she paid."If Arjirr fell, then why are you here, Soul Guardian?"Yrmiyar'ra smiled softly. "To give you another chance.""At what? Retribution?" Qyr lifted her head. "It would not

bring Arjirr back, would it?""No," he shook his head. "Indeed it would not. Lives are not

a currency to bargain with or trade as you see fit.""Guarding souls is your task, not mine," Qyr looked towards

her mate and gave him an uncertain lick before turning back to Yrmiyar'ra.  "Now leave. Please." She added softly. "If

Arjirr perished, I will see that new life takes his place.""Mmmmrr," the black dragon rumbled. "Are you certain?"She lashed out with a paw. Yrmiyar'ra drew back, avoiding

her strike. "I'm starting to dislike that question.""Dislike or not, it deserves an answer," he said,

unperturbed by the attack."I am!" Qyr snapped. "My mate and I were just about to-""Not that," Yr interrupted. "What came before.""Arjirr. I said he..." Qyr trailed off, and Yrmiyar'ra's smile

broadened in the light of her realization. "You never said he died.""That was your assumption, Qyr, dark and gloomy as it may

be.""He is alive?" a spark of hope filled her spirit."Indeed," the black dragon nodded his head. "Though for how

long, I cannot say."Qyr scrambled on her legs. "Then why are we wasting time?""We aren't," Yrmiyar'ra rose on his fours. "Not if we leave

now."Vharyias rushed on his fours too, only to be stopped by a

sapphire clawed paw. "Not you.""You really want to separate us after-""For this task, yes," Yrmiyar'ra interrupted the green

dragon with a firm growl. "The souls are not very kind when the living trespass

into their realm."Vharyias was clearly not pleased with this decision. He was

all tense and apprehensive until Qyr soothed him with a few licks across his

snout. "Hssss, my love," she hissed warmly. "I will be back as fast as my wings

allow.""Fair winds, my mate."They shared a quick kiss before Yrmiyar'ra started flapping

his wings. Qyr beat hers thrice, joining him in the skies. They flew away from

the StarShard forest towards the Jagged Fang mountains in the west. It was

obvious they weren't returning to Earth. Qyr knew the locations of all the

portals, and she flew away from the only one residing in this world. The flight was eerily silent. Qyr thought of her mate, went

over her conversation with Yrmiyar'ra, and thought of several questions. One

stood one from the rest, as obvious as the tall peaks rising before them."Aren't we returning to Earth?" she asked as she approached

the dark scaled Guardian."Not through those crude portals you got used to. My realm

links every world faster than you can blink.""The realm of Souls? I thought only the Guardian can pass

through it.""Me, and any others I might choose. DragonFang makes an

excellent tether for your first trip."Qyr followed him. DragonFang was the tallest mountain in the

chain. Its jagged peak rose high above the ground, and the trees growing inside

the crevices were a symbol of resilience and endurance. They circled the

mountain once, then settled on one of the five peaks. The ground was treacherous

and unsteady, but Qyr had no problems finding balance on her four nimble legs.

She gripped the rock firmly between her toes and steadied herself with the aid

of her broad wings.Yrmiyar'ra settled ahead of her and dipped his head towards

the tall trees of the SunSpring glade. They grew taller than any three had the

right to, with spindly canopies that sometimes broke even above the cloud line."Why is a forest strong, Qyr?" Yrmiyar'ra asked, still as

the wind.The dragoness opened her maw, then hesitated. It was a trick

question, meant to test her audacity. "Because of unity and balance. Each form of life, from the

tiniest insect to the largest predator has its purpose in the cycle of life.""Would the same life grow under the leaves of a single tree?""No," Qyr answered. "The forest as a whole nourishes life.

If we cut them down like humans do...""We know very well what happens, yes?" Yrmiyar'ra agreed,

wings flaring gently in the fierce breeze. Qyr remembered very well all the pain and despair she felt

on Earth. She needed no remainders of the cataclysms humans could unleash."What is the purpose of-"Yrmiyar'ra turned around, interrupting her words. "Now look

at the mountains rising behind us. Can they keep the savage storms of the

Western Sea at bay?""Yes." Qyr answered curtly."Why is that?" Yrmiyar'ra pressed."Because they are a part of a greater chain. A single

mountain bends a gale, but barriers break storms.""Numbers, Qyr. Numbers are important," Yrmir turned his gaze

towards her. "Even the weakest sapling or the tiniest mound can make a

difference. By leaving Arjirr on his own, you made none.""I already-""Still your tongue."Qyr pressed her jaws shut. It felt odd to be judged by

another Guardian. She had shortcomings, but always sought to take the best

decisions. Arjirr offered her none, and Yrmiyar'ra insisted again and again.

That annoyed her. He was a pest, a hatchling too unruly for his own good."This is your chance to learn from mistakes and make sure

next time you take the proper decision. Fight, instead of allowing words,

thoughts and doubts replace the sting of your claws."Qyr pressed her wings closer and bit her tongue gently to

avoid a reply. The pain washed a measure of her anger away, just in time for Yrmiyar'ra

to continue."We are both Guardians, and we understand the toll this

takes. Everything has an opposite, Qyr. Day and night, life and death, choices

and hesitation. Your lack of conviction and determination to protect your kin

allowed Arjirr to fall prey to humans. They are probably experimenting on him

as we speak, cutting, probing and searching the source of his strength so the

humans can augment their own."He paused. Qyr took her chance and roared, unleashing all

the festering feelings boiling inside her."Are you through with these words?" Yrmiyar'ra unfolded his wings and unleashed his own roar. It

reverberated throughout the mountains, so loud and terrible it made even Qyr

squirm."Mind the whole journey, not the destination," he boomed. "You

rushed, Qyr. Your arrival on Earth has been a straight flight to retrieve your

mate. You challenged the humans without analyzing their prowess and attacked

one of their great cities with a plan born of alacrity rather than wit, and

suffered the consequences."" Arjirr's overload only bought a sliver of time for your

pierced wings to fly you over the wall. Only by sheer fortune you survived. If

Vharyias lacked his powers, you would have been a part of my realm. A soul

among countless others."He was right. As much as she hated to admit, everything Yrmiyar'ra

said was true. Qyr bowed her head in both acknowledgement and defeat. His harsh

growl was unrelenting, and his words stung deeper than any wound. "Because your knowledge proved insufficient, I shall submit

you to a trial. Prove yourself worthy of washing away your mistakes. Prove that

you have the strength to save Arjirr. And most importantly, prove yourself.""What would you have me do?" Qyr asked."Quickness and lapse in your judgment led down this path.

Learn," Yrmiyar'ra flared his wings and leaped."Adapt," he growled, sailing through the air until he fell

upon Qyr. Her grip faltered, and the both plummeted towards the ground. "Overcome."His claws dug into her sides with a chilling bite. Her

vision flickered, and she kicked her own limbs to break free. When her eyes

opened, she saw only darkness. She blinked once, twice, but the dark haze

persisted. Qyr pushed herself up. The ground felt soft and unsteady.

When she looked down, she knew why. There was nothing but blackness underneath

her paws. Qyr fanned her wings for extra balance. She stumbled a bit, but the

strange floor seemed resilient enough for her weight. She turned her eyes from the tips of her claws to her

surroundings. She was in a cave or something that resembled the heart of a

mountain. Water dripped from somewhere nearby, but Qyr could not discern from

where. Everything looked alike, black and undistinguishable, aside from the

four platforms surrounding her. They were shaped in a perfect circle, with

symbols engraved upon their surface. Qyr walked towards the flaming one, still adjusting to the

weird malleable earth underneath her paws. She stretched her neck, struggling to

interpret the symbols. Once she took one more step, a wall of purple flames

erupted before her, engulfing the platform. Strange. Qyr felt no heat radiating

from the cold flames. She pushed a claw through the curtain of fire, and

quickly pulled back from the intense jolt."Bravery is not always the opposite of wisdom," a voice

blazed in the darkness. Qyr squinted her eyes. The fire took the shape of a

Rakur. It had a long, sinewy body, and a pair of long whiskers trailing on each

side of its muzzle. "Niyue?" Qyr asked, eyes tearing up in the fierce blaze.The fiery dragoness did not seem to acknowledge her. "Sometimes,

the best decisions come from within. Stay true to your instincts, and your

conviction shall pierce the blackest darkness."The flames retreated with a soundless rush. Qyr stepped

forth, and the shield returned, pushing her several steps back. The fiery Niyue

appeared again, saying the same words in that melodic voice of hers. "A message? What good is that?" Qyr said to herself. She

licked her paw, washing away the eerie tingling before padding towards another

platform. This one had the wildness of nature embedded upon its

surface. Vines curled in intricate patterns, twisting over the complex shape of

a tree. Qyr reached out with a paw, summoning the wrath of the vines. Four

snakes rushed forth from the platform, pushing her back. Another Rakur

appeared, shaped by green flames. They were smooth and soft like the clouds,

but had a consistency greater than air. "Life is the blood of existence. It nourishes the land, the

waters and the air, giving purpose to every being. Yet death is also a part of

the cycle, for without darkness, there can be no light. How can one protect

life when life itself threatens to upturn the balance?""Through death?" Qyr answered.  "Predators kill both to preserve the balance

of nature and to survive another day."The Rakur dispersed, offering no answer. Qyr snorted and ran towards the opposite platform. Riddles?

Was this her great trial? Yrmiyar'ra feasted on a mind-altering Cristalisk if

he thought this trial was worthy of her. She was a huntress. Quickness and

strength were her assets. Arjirr needed her alacrity of wings, not the speed of

her thoughts. The longer she lingered inside this lightless chamber, the more

her fellow Rakur suffered.Qyr bit back her irritation and ignited the third platform.

Sapphire ice coalesced around, shaping in the form of Yrmiyar'ra. "By the Sun's blazing light, I hope you have something

useful to say," Qyr bared her teeth."Patience breaks even the sturdiest of walls."Was that it? Qyr waited until the shape broke, then flared

it back again. The same words touched her ears, only irritating her further. "Your patience only breaks Arjirr. What am I doing here

instead of...grrrawr!" Qyr ran towards the last platform, hoping to find a quick

way out of this blackened chamber. The last platform had the brightness of light itself shaped

upon its surface. Qyr approached, triggering the respective Guardian."Wisdom pierces through any fear and doubt. It is the

greatest teacher and the greatest asset of any sentient being. But wisdom does

not always reveal itself from victories. One has to fail in order to learn. A

hatchling cannot flap its wings without making mistakes, just as a cub cannot

hunt without testing its prowess."Qyr blinked, squinting her eyes in the blinding light. That

voice seemed eerily familiar. This Rakur. She knew her! Two pairs of curved

horns on each side, a straight pair pointing backwards, and flame touched wings

rising behind her spiked neck. "What is right and what is wrong? Only the wisest can say,"

the blazing dragoness added before dispersing into nothingness. Qyr shook her head. "Was that me? No... I never valued wisdom

over raw strength!" She poked a paw through the radiant shield. Unlike before,

the blaze retreated from her paw, allowing it to pass right through. It was

odd. The platform had just the right warmth for her feet, and her own scent was

latched upon the stone. Qyr walked over the stone bridge and stepped into the

inner circle. The flames blazed to life, rearranging themselves into a readable

form."Intellect and instinct. Neither is the greatest. Neither is

the strongest," she spoke out loud, then huffed a long, drawn out breath. "I never

said that, Yrmir. You mistook me for the previous Guardian. The sun burns those

who approach too much. There is nothing wise about that!"Her roar echoed in the still cavern. She came to be tested,

and all she encountered was an amalgamation of words. Words! As if bargaining

with the humans could save Arjirr!Qyr flapped her wings and took off the platform.  There had to be a way out. The light dimmed

with every beat of her wings, plunging everything back into darkness. She

summoned forth her own radiance, and unleashed it in a straight beam. Nothing happened. Qyr tried again, and again, failing to

feel the warm tingling preceding the use of her power. Pressing her jaws

together, she ventured into the darkness. This spirit realm or whatever it was

not only trapped her, but stole her greatest strength too. With determined

flaps, Qyr advanced into the emptiness ahead of her. She saw and smelled

nothing, but kept beating her wings until they stung. No matter how fast she

flew, the same emptiness greeted her.Qyr turned around. Her eyes widened, and a startled yelp

escaped her. The four platforms were just behind her, like she hasn't even

moved. She landed on the central area and visited each Rakur shrine once again.

Trials were never won by cheating. She had to acknowledge at least that. Once

her tour was completed, Qyr flew back to her own little den and coiled around

on the warm stone. She was supposed to learn something, then use the knowledge

to return back to Earth and save Arjirr. But the question was what. How could she make sense of all

those senseless words when her instincts urged action? Qyr brought her tail around and licked the glassy membrane.

The Rakur from the evergreen platform had the right of it. Darkness gave light

its shape and warmth, and Qyr couldn't even use hers. She felt frustrated and

useless, standing there and grooming her paws while possible answers rushed

through her mind. She mixed and mated all the possibilities, feeling none the

smarter."I'm missing something," Qyr said, lazily looking over the

three other platforms. They stood equal distance away from each other. They

also looked the same. The elements and symbols made them different, but Qyr had

no means to reach the other three. She was powerless. Her claws were useless, her

teeth had nothing to sink in, and her fiery breath was nonexistent. She had

nothing aside from her wits and time."And patience," Qyr joked. "That breaks walls, Yr said. As

if there is any wall created by nature. Humans are the only ones who-"She suddenly stopped. The green flamed Rakur spoke of life

and its creation, and Yrmiyar'ra mentioned the walls. Niyue spoke about

instincts. The early forms of life were invested only with instincts to guide

them, placing Niyue in between the previous two. Maybe there was a connection

between the platforms. Qyr visited them again. Life first, flame second, light

third and souls was left for the last. When placed in that order, everything

made a bit more sense. "They are speaking about us!" Qyr realized with an excited

growl. "Humans forsworn their natural instincts in favor of intellect, and

destroyed nature. Ordinary beasts are only ruled by senses and instincts, and

cannot aspire to shape the land or defend it against threats other than their

own kin. They only seek to procreate and nourish their young, but we do both!"Qyr leaped away from her platform and jumped in the middle,

where only darkness sheltered the pads of her paws. "Rakura are invested with

both instincts and intellect, and we use them justly to defend life and

vanquish threats. Neither is the greatest. Neither is the strongest," the words

oozed away from her maw with the clarity of a soothing river. She laid in the center, curling her tail around herself. She

did not belong to a single platform, but encompassed all of them. Why couldn't

she see that before?Qyr roared out her victory, shaking the shapeless cavern

with her might. The ground before her suddenly shifted, and before she had the

chance to flap her wings, it swallowed her like water. Dizziness washed over

her, speckling her vision with an amalgamation of colored sparks. Qyr pawed and

flapped, feeling nothing but emptiness until her belly met something solid. With a growl, she fell on her side, blinking rapidly against

the sparkling haze. The pressure slowly left her head and cleared her vision. She

blinked again, catching a sight of her surroundings.And she wished she kept her eyes closed. The city of

Opportunity loomed before her, glorious and shiny just like the last time she

had the displeasure of flying between its glorious spires. "Better than your primitive caverns, eh?" a voice came from

behind. Qyr twisted and slashed, her scythe cutting the ghostly

human in half. His vaporous essence knitted back together in an instant, even

if he groaned and moaned like a beaten pup."Ghaaah, that hurt. Never do that again."Qyr didn't listen. She slashed and tore, even biting the

laughing wretch. He jumped away from her, rolled on the ground, and flourished

underneath one of her wings."Nah, I'm kidding. I can't feel a thing, though I can see

you are getting a bit too excited about this mauling and rending," he moved his

arms suggestively as he growled and groaned, imitating her. "I think you wandered a bit too far from your cage, little

human," Qyr snarled at him.He shook his head, smiling. "Nah. I am just where I belong.""Hardly.""So grumpy," he jumped through Qyr's chest, emerging on her

left. "I always liked dragons. Their scales fascinate me," he ran his hand

along her shoulder. "And their claws, oh my!" he pointed at one of her scythes.

"That is some big equipment you have there. Almost as big as me!" He burst into

laughter.Qyr turned her head away from the dreary sight. "Leave."He jumped through her again with a long 'whoop'. "Shooing me

so soon? That is bad manners, mistress Dragon. I have been assigned to be your

faithful companion," he increased his voice. "I'm here to share my knowledge,

mirth, and if her Brightness demands, even my body with her!""Grawr!" Qyr growled in disgust. "I'd rather eat your kind

than even thinking about something as foul as sheltering you under one of my

wings.""Is that what you dragons call mating?" He dived between her

legs and disappeared inside one of her flanks. Qyr leaped away. "You are infuriating.""And you are beautiful," he bowed. "Although waaay bigger

than I would expect.""Leave," she hissed threateningly.He frowned and placed a hand over his chest. "Whaa? Rude

remark number two! I am being a gentleman by complimenting your physical and

inner appearance, and you tell me to leave. Again?! Nope. Not happening.""There is nothing gentle about you, pest," Qyr turned around

and walked in the opposite direction. Of course the human followed her. He ran a hand through her

tail, jumped to catch one of her wings, then pet her shoulder. "Are you sure?

Because I can show you some pretty gentle moves.""Not in this life," Qyr took to the skies. "Oh, this? I was made to fly!" The human zipped around, a

small cloud of pure annoyance on an otherwise clear sky. "You are made to be the opposite of useful. You know what

that is?"He seemed to think for a moment, floating through the sky

while he sat cross-legged on an invisible surface. "Uhm, redundant?""That's you.""That is not my name, miss Dragon!""It is now!" Qyr surged through him with a powerful beat of

her wings. She flew into the high skies, but the warmth of the sun did not

grace her scales. It seemed odd how the sun stood still. She felt no breeze

under her wings, and not a single speck of clouds marred the clear blue sky. It

was like the time was frozen in this place."I am still in the spirit realm..." Qyr observed."Very astute of you," Redundant intervened. "I award you ten

points for your deduction skills.""Points?" Qyr asked, despite her willingness to keep her maw

shut and entertain this fool."Uhm, things," the human answered. "An illiterate dragon

wouldn't understand what points are. My bad. Minus ten for me.""I am many things, pest.""Aside from literate.""What is literate?"He sighed, "Yep, just as I thought. I-li-te-rate," he

spelled out loud. Qyr flapped her wings, circling the skies of Opportunity.

"If I ever had a hatchling as annoying as you...""What would you do?" Redundant asked. "Eat them? Fry them?

Boil them? Cook them?""Eat? We never-""Some of you do!" the human lifted a finger. "See, I've read

this book where this dragon called Varathras the Vile ate her entire clutch!""Disgusting," Qyr growled out her spite. "You humans think

the strangest things.""And you don't?" He laughed and extended a hand, summoning a

tablet of some kind. He shuffled its pages quickly, turning them with one

finger. "Lets see then! Mating with Vharyias, licking, licking, mating, orgasm

orgasm orgasm, insemination FIVE TIMES! Dragons do all that in a single day?"Qyr's tongue tangled in her own maw. "How can you...what? I-I mean

how...""Oh, this?" he pushed the book closer to one of her crimson

eyes.  "The cover reads 'Qyr'Ziyel's

thoughts'. I'm reading your mind, dear," he chuckled and gave her a quick peck

on the snout.  "But I have to admit it's

one boring lecture. Look at all these pages!" he shuffled them by the dozens.

"All filled with lounging and hunting and mating!""I don't need to explain myself to inferior beings," Qyr

said, scales burning with embarrassment. Out of all living creatures, a human

gained access to her innermost sanctuary? Yrmiyar'ra needed a lesson himself

once she rescued Arjirr.A deep laughter followed. "Inferior?" He burst, trying to

regain his composure through several fits. "You act exactly like a beast for

the better part of your life.""As any being should."He calmed down in an instant. "Bah," he threw the book away

and equipped a hat and a strange long rod. "What about adventure? Hunting?

Killing baddies?"Qyr opened her maw, but the human read her thoughts before

she voiced them. "Other humans. That's baddies for you.""Only your race is stupid enough to kill each other.""Hmm, if the baddies deserve it, sure" Redundant scoffed and

disappeared behind her head. Qyr didn't care. She kept her eyes on the sky,

weary of any wasps or metal birds. She saw none. Only Redundant's small head

and strange fluff growing underneath his maw."Pff. I have pondered your thoughts. It shames me to say,

but we are a flawed race. See, there are good humans and bad humans, and we

just try to...live, I guess?""By destroying nature and killing yourselves?" Qyr pressed.

"Is that what you call life?""Kind of?" Redundant frowned. "You disgust me.""Go low on the insults please," the human warned. "If I

shuffle through your boring book, I will find some dirty deeds and shoot them

back at you!""Shuffle. It will be my intense delight to prove you wrong."She dived back to the ground once she made a full loop

around Opprtunity. She spotted no metal birds nor wasps, though the smell of

smoke and corruption hung high over the city. "Dang, you're right," Redundant said sullenly. "You don't do

genocide, but only because you have all these worlds to inhabit.""What stops your race from seeking new ones?" Qyr asked."I...I really don't know," the human said. "Maybe we're the

bad guys, but I never wanted to be bad! I hurt a puppy once though. He pooped

on my bed, and he deserved a good whack over the ear!""As you do for corrupting everything. You turned away from

your roots."He shrugged. "Has to happen at some point, right? When only

the strongest remain, they fight for dominance among themselves.""We're not like that," Qyr said. "Power is dangerous without

restraint.""We thought that too, until other smartasses invaded our

uncivilized kin. Then we prepared accordingly and wiped them out.""Is it only war with you humans? Is that what gives purpose

to your lives?""Well, we can create too! There are these sculptures and

paintings I wanted to talk about..."Qyr landed softly and curled in the grass, listening to one

of the most drawn-out tales she had the displeasure of hearing. Redundant

brought some interesting facts. Humans were like the life blazing Rakur said.

Some favored peace and tried to reason with their kind and repair the damage

they did, while others exploited nature and animals for their own benefit. They

were not the emotionless monsters Qyr imagined when she first visited Earth,

but their race was too corrupted. Mistrust and selfishness bred the worst of

emotions, infecting the human race with dangerous vices. She did not know yet

if they were beyond recovery. Her intuition pulled her towards a positive

outcome, but protecting life went against wiping it. "How can one protect life when life itself threatens the

balance?" Qyr asked, recounting the words of the life imbued Rakur. "That's deep," Redundant admitted through a shake of his

shimmering head. "I guess...you do nothing?""Doing nothing just lets corruption spread. Look how far

your race got.""Heey, now that's mean," he crossed his arms and stared into

Qyr's crimson eyes. "We had no Rakur dragon almighty winged beasts to protect

and teach us in our times of need.""You had each other!" Qyr growled."Sometimes, that isn't enough," Redundant sighed. "Trust is

hard to earn, and power is the only ruler. Some of my people used to believe in

God. An almighty, ethereal being dwelling in the sky until some moron destroyed

all religions.""Don't ask," he slid his hand between her teeth. "Religion

is faith. You believe in something without having proof it exists.""That is stupid.""I think so too!" Redundant smiled, walking between her

forepaws. He sat on one and continued his lecture.  "Faith can give us strength though. Make us

more powerful than we already are. Teach us the good values in life.""Good values?" Qyr pointed at Opportunity. "I can see and

smell plenty of good values there.""Look at it how you want, Qyr. There are always two sides of

the coin.""Coin?""Erm, it's a currency. But I meant that light and dark

thing. You know how it goes. Learned that during your test."She licked her snout and looked upon the sun-basked city.

"Yes. Yes I know. You can pass through those walls and human crafts, yes?""You mean canons and the missile batteries and the hundreds

of guns mounted on those turrets? Nope.""Why not? You effectively pestered me during my flight and

pass through my scales as you please!""Rules," he looked down. "I kind of like you, Dragon Qyr,

big and fat as you are-"Qyr swallowed him whole in the embrace of her jaws."... but you can't eat me like I previously stated. Gah!" he

slid through her teeth and pretended to rest against one of her shoulders. "You

get easily tickled.""Poor words have that effect," Qyr licked her exposed fangs.

"You were saying?""That your wings are too small, your bottom too big, and

your tail too heavy. And these claws?" He slid a foot along one of her scythes.

"Get them cut. They make you look less than presentable.""I'd rather cut you," Qyr pawed at the pest."So stubborn," Redundant sighed. "It's to be expected from a

dragon.""I'm not a dragon," Qyr stomped the pest again."Rakur, whatever. Two wings, four legs, tail, horns, breath...

that's a dragon in any book.""Not mine.""Because it's boooooooooooring!""This conversation starts to be. Do you have anything useful

to say?" Redundant got on his feet and put some strange, tall thing

over his head. "Ahem," he coughed, changing his voice to a deep, rich tone. "As

I was about to tell her snappy Brightness, there are certain rules that I have

to abide by. Venturing into the city is strictly prohibited. I can sneak in no

peeks and offer no advice in overcoming your challenges and saving your fellow

fat silver dragon.""Arjirr," Qyr hissed. "Arhar whatever," Redundant shrugged, tripping on the

Rakur's proper name. "You're interrupting and I don't like that when reading

your rights.""Rights? Can there be more than a right and a left?""It's a code!" Redundant said, slightly exasperated. "Like,

rules, to explain that plainly for illiterate dragons," he brushed it off with

a quick hand swipe. "Anyway, this task is solely meant for you. I cannot

intervene in the affairs of dragons, bla bla bla, cliché, la la la, and yeah."Qyr placed one paw over the other. "I understood...nothing,"

she declared."You understood the important bits. I can't come with you to

the city, but I can give you three advices, right here, right now.""Only three?""That's the magic number, dear," the human smiled. Qyr pondered on that. The human could deceive her. She had

no way of verifying the validity of his words. On the other paw, he already

knew her inside out. If this was a trial of knowledge, as Yrmiyar'ra kindly

said before he pulled her into his spirit world, then Qyr wanted to obtain any sliver

of information she could get her paws on.She lowered her head to the human's level and exposed her

fangs. "Tell me Arjirr's location.""The central pillar," Redundant pointed, lifting one finger."Like that wasn't obvious," Qyr growled."You asked, I answered."She wanted to eat him very, very bad."Is there a weakness in the wall's defense?" she asked

instead."There is a gap in the Eastern Quarter," Redundant brought

his hands together, summoning a small ethereal version of Opportunity. "Some

fat rich guy is building a tower, so all the defense turrets are powered off to

allow the workers to do their things."Why is that?""Is this your third question?""Just curious," Qyr answered.He nodded. "Devices aren't reliable. Sometimes they misfire.

Some poor workers splattered their insides all over the scaffold once a turret

misbehaved."Qyr wished she hadn't asked. "You have one more.""I'm thinking," she looked at the city again, the groomed

one of her paws. Licks allowed her thoughts to flow faster."I want to know the weakness of every human craft.""Electricity," Redundant winked. "Nothing works without

power.""We already tried that. The wasps-""Jet fighters.""And the birds-""Helicopters."Qyr snarled and swiped away at the menace. "You are

infuriating.""I'm just explaining the basics!" Redundant complained.She nodded her head, subduing her irritation. "Proceed.""Thank you, your Brightness. You are kind as you are scary,"

he performed a proper bow, then straightened his spine. "Those metal cans or

whatever you call them came after you because the city has several back-up

power surge generators. If the electric grid goes haywire, they power on,

fueling the city's defenses with a small measure of electric current.""We were outsmarted," Qyr admitted between clenched teeth.

With a thought reading spirit, she had no way around truth."As you deserve for rushing head on like an enraged bull!""Matters not," she rose on her fours. "Mistakes are our

greatest teachers."Redundant hummed softly. "Deep. I'm starting to like your

brilliance.""And I'm starting to dislike you the more you speak.""That almost hurt my nonexistent feelings," the human

complained and jumped in front of the dragoness."Are you going now?""There is little point in lingering."The human walked backwards, a hand extended in front of him.

"I know my stories failed to impress, but I have something important to add!""Speak, and I will that your words are well received."He nodded and smirked. "There is another advice to share.

This one is on me since I cannot use my farsight to cheat for you," he

crouched, vanishing in the grasses. "Stay hidden. Out of sight. Vanish. Our

guns cannot shoot at what they cannot see.""You thought I was going to just fly in their midst?""It's what you did last time..." Redundant appeared and hugged

one of her forelegs. "I know you dragons can be stupid sometimes and that's why

we always slay you, but please be careful."Qyr growled with amusement. "Is that actual concern I'm hearing?""Erm, yes. A bit. And admiration," he hovered to her head,

cupping her snout between his tiny hands. "I think I caught a liking to you,

miss Dragon.""You know my name is Qyr, pest," she poked her tongue

through the human. He laughed and hugged her, hands vanishing inside her

scales. "You are still miss Dragon to me. One of the finest I ever met.""I am...grateful?" Qyr smiled."You should be! I provided mirth, assistance and a few

insults, depending on your needs.""You will not receive any gratitude for those," Qyr passed

through his ethereal form. "But I admit you are slightly more entertaining than

a dim witted pest.""And your Brightness seems just a tad smarter than the dumb

dragons I read about in books.""Your compliments are well received!" Qyr crouched. She

expected a witty reply or see Redundant's sky colored form floating around, but

nothing happened. "Pest?" She looked back. Nothing. She turned around, shuffling through the grass. "I can't

believe what I'm doing," Qyr said to herself. "Searching for that annoying bundle

of stupidity instead of enjoying a few moments of silence."She liked being by herself once again, but Pest's sudden

disappearance left her alone and exposed. Qyr searched until her breath

quickened, then turned her sight back towards Opportunity. She knew not why

Pest vanished. Perhaps he forgot to mention a rule or she approached the city

too much. All Qyr knew was that she had a task to fulfill and a slight regret

tugging at her mind. Annoying or not, Pest made her task a lot more colorful.She kept her wings low and her head lower. The surrounding

fields provided excellent cover for stalking. With slow, measured steps, Qyr

rounded the city. She kept her eyes on the wall, analyzing every turret or

canon until she found the unfinished building Pest talked about. A dozen

workers and even more machines latched onto the exposed glass, tying it

together with blazing blue gusts. Qyr waited. Her instincts told her to act, but her intellect

urged caution. An approach from the sky could be quicker. Qyr stared for a

hundred heartbeats, eyes narrowing at her discovery. Small crafts patrolled the

sky above the tallest buildings. Of course. That's why humans always followed

her in the skies. They had those tiny things to guide them. Up there, she was

exposed, an easy target for the metal wasps and birds. The buildings removed

that deficit. Qyr thought of several pathways, all leading to the central

tower. Her plan was to fly low. Her wings were more effective than any human

craft at twisting and turning, and mobility was a great asset between tight

spaces. Then what? The central tower was too big. Arjirr needed

space, as well as a measure of defense and easy access for humans. The top of

the tower was too risky in case of an attack, so the humans probably had him

lower. Qyr had to think on the moment about that. Right now, she needed to

reach it first.She waited patiently, tail swishing while she pondered

Pest's words. She had to be invisible, like him. A ghost passing through every

obstacle. She observed patterns in the work of the humans. They had rotations,

and every time they switched, the gap between the half-constructed building

remained exposed and unwatched. Qyr's blood quickened. She controlled her breath, relaxed

her muscles until the shift took place. Once that happened, she sprung upwards.

She flapped her wings to gain altitude, then pulled them to her sides, passing

through the gap unscathed. Multiple buildings rose before her, each taller and

unique in its own way. Qyr swerved and shifted between pathways, never

remaining on the same for too long. Wires and strings rose in her path, but she

adjusted her altitude accordingly, always keeping her eyes on the path ahead

and the fliers above. Flying never felt so thrilling. All of Qyr's senses worked

together to provide the best pathways. She kept away from strange and powerful

noises, and her agile eyes spotted obstacles just before she encountered them.

She gracefully slid between buildings or soared above rooftops, each time

minding her surroundings. When she reached the central tower, no wail blared in

the distance and no wasps gathered there to greet her. She took refuge between the slants of a building, too short

to be guarded by the sky patrol. She squeezed inside the tight confines,

raising her wings until her joints were on the verge of popping. She tucked in

her tail too, just for good measure. It was uncomfortable, ungraceful, but

safe. From here, she had a good view of the onyx behemoth rising before her. It

had many wicked towers, each giving way before the central rod that rose

straight into the sky. Qyr carefully looked from top to bottom, searching for

anything unusual or revealing. No patterns emerged this time. She waited until

her wing joints burned, then waited a bit more. The flurry of activity at the

base hinted at something of importance, but the upcoming scream seemed more

dire. Glass shattered, sending two humans plummeting to their deaths. Qyr

caught the spark of light and smelled the burned flesh shortly after. If anyone

had such a shocking touch, it was Arjirr. She pushed out of her shelter and fanned her wings, diving

straight towards the opening created by the humans. It was small and

insignificant, but her breath made quick work of human crafts. She opened her

maw, unleashing only a faint roar. Qyr took a deep breath, panicking. She tried

again, with the same results.Her powers deserted her. She closed her eyes and tucked her

wings against her sides, diving like an arrow through both glass and metal.

Pain registered upon impact, along with the explosion of several windows. Qyr

muffled her growl. Her claws sought purchase, sliding on the treacherous floor.

Humans fled from her tumbling, jumping away from her path. She flared her

wings, pushing them away.Qyr rolled and bent several pylons before her momentum

ceased. She gathered her stinging wings and found the ground under her four

feet. Several black clad humans rushed towards her, pointing small crafts at

her. She didn't need Pest to discern their intentions. Silent as a stalker, Qyr

rushed towards them, slashing her scythes left and right. Screams shortly

followed. Human flesh was weak and tender, giving way before her claws like

insignificant prey. Once the first group was cleared, Qyr whirled around,

slapping three more with her tail. She did not have only her claws, but wings

and a tail to cover all her blind spots. No matter how many humans rushed her,

she incapacitated or ended them before they had a chance to retaliate. "Break these fetters!" Arjirr growled from his prison. He

was tied in the middle of a glass enclosed chamber several strides away. Qyr

dug her claws into the ground and leaped, breaking through it. She slid a

scythe underneath the electrified ropes and cut them clean. The surge of energy

numbed her paws, yet the price was worth it. Arjirr flapped his wings, rolling

on his fours. He stumbled briefly, but the humans that mistook that as weakness

were shocked until their flesh sizzled. Qyr ended two more, then rushed at Arjirr's side. "Can you fly?"He twitched his wings and nuzzled her. "I still have my

wings, don't I?""Follow me then, and keep your lightning concealed. There is

a safer way to flee than removing every threat." Qyr rushed forth."Does Mighty Qyr avoid combat?""This time, she does. Be quick!" Qyr leaped through the gap

she created earlier and fanned her wings. Following her paths was easier when

she already traveled them. She turned her head, making sure Arjirr followed. He

struggled to maintain proper balance in the air, and Qyr slowed, matching her

pace with his. Buildings came and went, soon revealing the half finished one of

the Eastward Entrance. "Pass through that gap.""Can't," Arjirr hissed. "My wings still feel numb."Over it?""Too tall.""Take the left side," Qyr said. She surged forth and banked

right with a mighty roar, drawing the attention of every human to the opposite

side. Turrets aimed towards her, but her wings flapped faster than they turned.

Within a few beats, Qyr flew over the wall and joined Arjirr on the other side."The grasses," Qyr pulled into a dive. "Crouch low. Hide!"He followed her example and touched the ground. With slow,

careful steps, the two dragons slinked away from the city and its ruckus. Soon,

that dreadful wail started to bleat, but Qyr found herself far removed from the

dwellings and the guns of the humans. "I don't think they'll ever catch us," she growled excitedly

and bumped into Arjirr. He growled, his tone not deep and rich, but a pitch

higher. Qyr blinked. His scales and wings shifted before her very eyes,

acquiring the dark hues of the midnight sky along with the rich blue along the

underside of the wings. "Yr? What... Where is Arjirr?" she blinked twice, but the

dragon in front of her didn't change."He is safe, Qyr, and you passed my trial.""This...was this all..." she suddenly felt very tired, almost on

the verge of passing out."That is a concern only for the living," Yrmiyar'ra growled

softly and embraced her with his twin wings. Debilitating weakness took Qyr,

along with that annoying nausea. She felt the sky and earth shift underneath

her several times until the spinning sensation settled. Qyr opened her eyes to green grass and the scents of

wilderness. She felt warmth. Something pressed against her, sheltering her like

a shivering hatchling. She resembled one in a way. Tremors gripped her flesh,

and her head still spun."It will pass," a paw touched her forehead. Qyr glimpsed a

few cobalt claws before the nausea returned. She coughed, spitting only a few

slivers of saliva. The emptiness inside her stomach slowly settled, taken away

by warm touch."The spirit world took a liking to you. You've lingered

there far longer than I expected, Qyr'Ziyel."Qyr turned her head towards the voice. She knew it, but

wanted her eyes to confirm her suspicions. She was right. Yrmiyar'ra, that

dreadfully cruel and self righteous Guardian stood beside her, a warm wing

draped over her body. "Am I back on Earth?""Souls, no," the Guardian growled. "We are on StarShard, the

same world we left before your trial started. It might take a day of flying to

rejoin your mate, but it was the safest way to get you out. Lingering more in

my realm would have been...discouraged.""You told me nothing of that," Qyr complained, shaking his

paw off.Yrmiyar'ra placed it upon one of her own. "I only said what

you needed to hear, Qyr. Nothing more, nothing less." "And Arjirr?" Qyr

looked him in the eyes, fangs bared, snouts almost touching. "Were you ever

planning to tell me how you saved him long before my trial took place?""Eventually," Yrmiyar'ra admitted in a calm, controlled

tone. "He had his own trial to pass. Mistakes are easily forgiven, but should

never be forgotten.""I know what you are about to say," Qyr growled. "That

riddle and the trial-""Served their purpose. Of that, I have no doubt," he pushed

his snout closer to her neck. Qyr dipped her head, allowing him to rub his warm

snout against her scales. "You did everything I expected and more, Qyr. The

patience you displayed during both the test and the trial and the wisdom to

recognize and learn from your own misdoings impressed me." He squeezed her

closer and pushed firmer into her chest. "I am very proud of you, Qyr. Seeing you bloom and bettering

yourself warms me more than the very sun shining above us."Qyr remained wordless. She never knew this side of Yrmiyar'ra.

He always seemed cold and emotionless, just like his task implied. And now he nuzzled

and sheltered her under his wing? It was hard to believe.Almost as difficult as befriending a human spirit. Qyr

smiled and rubbed Yrmiyar'ra's neck with her own snout, stopping just beneath

his chin."You have my gratitude too, for all you did. I was...everything

you said," Qyr drooped her head in shame. "Rash decisions led me astray, and my

stubbornness made me blind to my faults.""Don't worry over nothing," Yrmiyar'ra raised on all fours.

"What should concern you now is getting back to your mate. I did interrupt you

during a most important moment.""Such mistake warrants its own trial," Qyr growled amusedly,

joining by his side. "Finding a mate is always a worthy challenge," the dark

scaled Guardian blinked and dipped his head in respect. "Fair winds to you,

Qyr'Zyiel.""And the sun warm your scales."They touched their foreheads, sharing a few unspoken words

before they broke apart. Qyr took to the skies after her own mate, while Yrmiyar'ra

took the opposite direction. He undoubtedly had more trials to give.Maybe with a few more Pests in them.