A Break from Lessons

<font color='#003300'>~This is a post to put to gether some of a past for Arton. Specificly with one of Gpup's characters. Though anyone feel free to join in. This will be a year or two in the past just to let ya know.~


Day: 23
Month: Dyo
Year: 81376 (2)

Arton lay at the bank of Magi Lake. He loved to spend time here just relaxing. Since he had started his training from Kiel, a 'retired' thief/asassin, years prior he had often needed a break from... everything. He knew the old 'dragon loved teching him other wise he wouldn't do it. He was quite powerful and there were rumors floating about that he had been employed by the Dragyn's for something or other... he didn't really remember. Of course it didn't matter to him. Kiel was 7800 years old... by far the oldest pendragon Arton knew.

Though the old man was qutie powerful and cunning, he had grown more and more edgy and paranoid the past years. Arton thought to himself What or who in the world could make Kiel so uneasy... I can't think of anyone who at this point could take him out. Whoa! A sudden chill ran up Arton's back... as another thought crossed his mind, IF some one is after Kiel now... he would have to be very good... he swallowed and shuddered. He didn't like thinking about his teacher's demise. He certainly didn't like thinking about one so powerful.

Standing up he looked around quickly he grinned dropping his shirt on a rock nearby and ran into the water. He floated about on his back moving his feet slightly only to change direction from time to time. Finishing his swim he exited the water and shook of quickly plopping back down on the ground in a sunny spot to finish drying and warming himself. But how long would he beable to enjoy this before he was called back to his training?</font>

 

<font color='#EE9A4D'>A little way round the lake Siirus sat, motionless, watching a Segan in the water. As it neared the shore he flicked it out of the water with a paw and crushed its skull, killing it instantly. He did not believe in playing with his food. He ate it all, quickly, and then noticed the younger male. Drying his paw on a patch of dry ground he noticed the other's bipedial form and snorted. If 'dragons were meant to stand on two legs you wouldn't need to shift.

I wouldn't go in there if I was you

Why was he even warning him? The lake had claimed nothing for years, but still....
He grabbed a rock and threw it into the middle of the lake with a strong fore paw. A long purple tentacle reached out of the depths and grabbed the stone before it had even hit the water. Siirus looked at the younger 'dragon with intrest, waiting for a reaction.

OOC:Siirus has no grip on emotions </font>

 

<font color='#003300'>He watched as the tenticle snatched the rock out of the air and raised a brow. Looking to the other briefly and then back to the the middle of the lake and nodded slowly, "I see... well I won't be swiming in that lake again. I don't completely desire being a meal."

Arton took some time and he shifted back to his quadripedal form and shook out his fur again. Looking to the other he tilted his head to one side, "How did you know that thing was in there... and... what in the world was it?" he inquired as he made his way around the lake to where the apparently older male had just finished his meal.</font>

 

<font color='#EE9A4D'>Siirus looked amused.

I know that it's there because it nearly got me once

He started searching one arm, apararently looking for proof. Finding an ugly red scar,curling round his arm, he held it out for the younger male to see.

There. And as for what it is, didn't your parents tell you the storys?

He was pleased with the reaction. There was nothing he enjoyed more than making fun of younger dragons. He had, of course, been one himself, but he had never been ignorant. Had he?
  His attention flickered back to the other male, in particular the chain that hung round his neck. Siirus had never been a theif, but experience told him that the chain was not a cheap trinket.

OOC:Apologies if it is XD</font>

 

<font color='#003300'>Arton glanced to the scar nodding slowly in understanding. He shook his head slowly to Siirus's question, "No... my parents didn't often tell me stories... the Rapine took them when I was very young... and after that I was sent to different houses within my village. When I grew older I left with intentions of going to the Academy here... but then I met Kiel... or more so he caught me. Anywho... it is a long story which I am sure you have no interest in hearing."

He chuckled some as he noticed how the older male looked at the chain around his neck. "You like it? It is all I have left of my parents... my father was wearing it when the Rapine took his soul..." he nodded slowly as he ran a paw over it and glanced back up to Siirus raising a brow. "You wouldn't be thinking of relieving me of it now would you?" he narrowed his eyes some in susgettion as he ruffeled his wings.</font>

 

<font color='#EE9A4D'>OOC:Tolkein induced madness X)

BIC:Siirus looked right into Arton's eyes.There was a slight anger in his face, and in his tone of voice.

I may not be the most trustworthy, but I am no theif.

The rapine...that made little sense. Poor kid. Siirus may not have heard since he left, but they were not certainly dead. There was some hope he could see them again. Not that he was that bothered. Being sentimental did nothing to keep you alive. But this Keil was interesting. Who was he?  

And who is this Keil?</font>

 

<font color='#003300'>Arton relaxed some hearing that he had no wishes to take the item from him. He saw thought behind his eyes. What is he thinking about... Arton wondered. He raised a brow when Siirus asked about Keil and then proceeded to answer the question, "I don't know who exactly some around here say he was a spy and assassin for the old leaders before the Graders came into power, the Dragyns I believe they were?" he nodded slowly in agreement with himself. "All I know is that he is very old... the oldest 'dragon I have ever known... but that isn't saying much..."</font>

 

<font color='#EE9A4D'>Siirus was deep in thought. The Dragyns?

I'd love to meet him some time. He seems...interesting.

Siirus was truelly amazed that one of the age and knowlage of this Keil was still alive. There were valuable things to be learnt from him. Valuable, but dangerous. Why had some one of that power taken in an apprentice journeying to the accademy. He suddenly remembered something.

And why are you here?</font>

 

<font color='#003300'>He nodded slowly, "He is very interesting... he has taught me quite a bit. Things that I don't think I would have learned in the Academy." Arton smirked some and chuckled, "He has been like a father to me." looked at the ground some as he sat back on his haunches the gazed out over the lake.

The stranger's next question caught his ear, "I am out here on a break. Kiel sends me out from time to time saying that it's time for a break. He says that it is bad habbit to burn yourself out while learning or teaching. But it is about time that I should go back and see what is going on today. If you like you may come along and meet him." he nodded in agreement as he stood on all fours again, "So what do ya say?"</font>

 

<font color='#EE9A4D'>Siirus could imagine the sort of things Arton had learned that he wouldn't have done at the academy.He chuckled. "I wouldn't mnd going with you." He had an afterthought. "If this Kiel doesn't object.Of course." Siirus was suprised with himself. Politeness? That was new. You have a wise tutor." There was such a thing as 'over learning'. Of course it had never happened to him. But he had seen others burn themselves out. Kiel sounded like a very good teacher. What was the point in learning Maths?</font>

 

<font color='#003300'>Arton nodded slowly, "I am sure he wouldn't mind. Though he might a little gruff at first. He tends to do that so that bothersom neighbors and strangers stop comming about. So follow me..." He started off towards the small town of Pori where the 'retired' Kiel now resided.

"What is it exactly that you do? Better yet what is your trade?" Arton spoke directly to his mind, figuring he didn't really care for eaves-droppers. Arton wanted to know something about this pendragon. He knew that there were some out and about that were less than friendly and even some sent to kill some of the old ones, or so hea had heard.</font>

 

<font color='#EE9A4D'>Siirus saw Arton's expression. "I don't want to kill him. As for a job, I wander. Not much else. He snorted. There was no point in having a 'job' as Arton put it. He hunted his own food, slept where he fell and generally ignored society. And as for killing an assasin, that was hilarious. Siirus started to think of what this Kiel could be like. Old, definatly. But what of his appearence? Siirus imagined him fairly small, with dark fur and a slight hunch. He knew he was going to be wrong, but wasn't that the fun part of guessing games? He snorted, knocking the thoughts out of his head, and followed Arton. He was careful to stay either beside or a distance behind Arton, as his pride prevented him from being lead.</font>

 

<font color='#003300'>Arton nodded slowly accepting Siirus' answer for now. This 'dragon had given him no reason not to place at least a little trust in him. As he neared the town but still a good distance off from it stood a lone house. Arton stopped outside and his heart raced. He noticed that the window shutters were off their hinges and had charred marks all about them, the front door was completely on the ground. Stalking silently as he had been taught he approached the apparent battle scene.

Inside looked much worse than outside. Books lay strewn off the shelves which were tossed over. Chairs broken and charred much the same as the shutters. Ther were even a couple of holes in the wall. There seemed to be no one there so he stopped his slinking about. "Kiel? You here?" he looked about and even tossed aside a large rug in the middle of the main room. Below it was a trap door which he opened to reveal a wide room, though no one was in it. "Kiel? This better not be another one of your tricks you old thes!"

With a closer inspection he noticed a tail beneath the shambles of the table. Arton's eyes grew wide and he dashed over there tossing the wreckage aside sending it flying a little ways. Below was a male about his size... though his fur was very singed and in some spots down to raw flesh, it was still noticed that it was a muttle of dark green and black.

Arton plopped down pushing at the body with his muzzle. "Kiel? Come on... get up... don't tell me a few magyk burns are going to be the end of ya?! Get up... damnit... get up..." Arton's voice faded into silence. Though anyone could see that he was upset, and very much in denyal he didn't shed a single tear. He just lay there his head laying atop of Kiel's neck and a paw over his side, unmoving, and silent staring off at what ever was infront of him.</font>

 

<font color='#EE9A4D'>Siirus walked forward, surveying the carnage. The charred door crumbled under his heavy feet, the ashes scattering. Siirus knew, even without thinking, that this Kiel was dead. There must have been an entire team sent here, as the imense scent of burning was too much fire for even a trio of pendragons. Against his general principle, he shifted in to a bipedial form and picked up one of the books. The title was now illegible, but it was just possible to see a faint silver inlay on the thick leather cover. Siirus could not read too brilliantly, he had never needed to, but he could tell that the pages inside were barely harmed.
   For once realising that Arton needed time to himself, he straightened up a shelve and started picking up the books. Several of them were by 'Marcos Taler', who Siirus had once known. He had gone the same way as Kiel.
   Siirus noticed a small footprint in the ash, and followed it back out of the door, not quite knowing why, and it suddenly met with several other tracks. By the looks of things, they had split up to do the job, and then let off steam around this side of the house. The joined tracks stopped together, and a ring of dust around them showed that they had flown from there. Siirus cursed, and moved slowly back towards the house.</font>

 

<font color='#003300'>Arton finally stood up and shifted to his bipedal form and walked out to meet Siirus just outside of the house, "Tell me... tell me it wasn't another pendragon that did this?" he almost begged the older 'dragon, but knew deep down in his mind that it had been. He had been told of squads roaming around and very old pendragons turning up dead. Kiel, he thought would never be taken in such a way...

He hadn't let Siirus finish speaking when he turned around too look inside the house, "I guess... it's on to the Academy I go now... I have no one else... I suppose Kiel would want me to learn as much as I could..."

Arton sighed and entered the house and cleared off the debris off of the body that was his mentor. Lifting the body in his arms he carried it out back and placed it carefully on the ground. Just inside the door was a shovel which he quickly grabbed and began digging... "He wasn't out to harm anyone... No one knew he was here... except for me and him. Who do you think could have done this?" he stopped digging for a moment and looked back to Siirus quizzically.</font>

 

<font color='#EE9A4D'>OOC: He wasn't speaking  

BIC: Siirus pretended to be interested in the pawprints in the dust. He gave up, sighed and walked over to Arton. "Standard Assasin Sqaud." Reassuring himself, he added. "They're usually sent to...kill...groups. The strongest 'dragon alive couldn't hope to fight them off." Siirus was annoyed that they had all been winged. Of course, it was obviously a lot easier for them to 'work' if they could leave with almost no trace, but still very annoying. Tensly, he walked closer to where Kiel was lying, seeing if Arton would object.</font>

 

<font color='#003300'>ooc: I know he wasn't speaking, it was just a question Arton had... at that time.

ic: Arton continued to dig and only briefly glanced over to Siirus, "Don't disturb him... but you may look." he spoke with very little emotion or inflection he just dug.

After a bit of time he had the hole the proper size he walked over to Kiel's body and dropped to his knees and hung his head closing his eyes. Softly he spoke, "Kiel now I guess you are with my parents... please let them know I am well and that I still think of them... I will remember all that you taught me. But for now... you sleep... sleep well... your long life has earned it."

Hoping Siirus had finished whatever it was he was doing he lifted Kiel and placed him into the hole feet first and gentily layed him back and began to fill in the hole. All the while his eyes were cast down with his brow furrowed. "One day they will come for me... just like they did for him... when that time comes I won't be the one being buried..." Arton continued until it was finished and he sat beside the the slight mound and sighed. The shovel was thrust into the ground between his legs, and his hands still gripping it, leaning forward he rested his forhead upon the handle and sighed, "Now what do I do?"</font>

 

<font color='#EE9A4D'>OOC:Sorry for the wait, I had no ideas. History, i.e he bit that makes this post make sense;Siirus ran away from his family aagggeess ago, after going slightly mad, destroying the room and (apparently) mortally wounding his tutor. Heh. I'll get it up on his profile soon.

BIC: Siirus walked over towards Kiel, looking at the old 'dragon. He recoiled at the face that he saw. Pätal had been dead, years back- Siirus had killed him! Yet he was staring down at his old tutor, albeit slightly older. He almost touched the small green flame behind his ear, then pulled back, remembering what Arton had said. He had hated the 'dragon at the time, he had hated studying, but now he realised how much like a friend Pätal had been to him. He stepped back, his brain rolling through all the possible reasons for this. Pätal had seemed fairly old at the time, probably about Siirus's current age. All he coud remember about Pätal's family was his mother, who was almost exactly the same as him. He absently rubbed the back of his head.
     When Arton started filing the grave, he looked at the young 'dragon. There was a huge anger in his eyes, but when he mentioned the  squads Siirus sighed. That was the last thing a lot of people said. He looked away from Arton's depression. "I've never had answers for that kind of thing." Heturned away from Arton.</font>

 

<font color='#003300'>Arton's ears pirked up when Siirus spoke and he paused his task and looked at him, "What do you mean by that? You make it sound like you have been through this before..." he tilted his head to one side and continued to fill the hole without watching as it filled up slowly.

That's strange... he doesn't seem like the type to have remorse for anything. Yet... by the sounds of it... no... you are just reading too much into it. Arton finished burying Kiel and sighed as he thrust the shovel into the ground. He walked around the slight mound of dirt and stood beside the older 'dragon. "How did you deal with it?" the younger pendragon inquired hoping to gleen some helpful knowledge from the visitor.</font>

 

<font color='#EE9A4D'>OOC:Sorry!Haven't been on in a while.

Siirus stood for a moment, wondering if he needed to tell Arton the truth. He moved away from the younger 'dragon once more. "I haven't. But I've sent others...there."He motioned at the small mound.  He decided to ask the question that was filling his mind. "Did he ever tell you his surname?" He was certain that  Pätal an d this Kiel were related in some way-maybe even the same 'dragon. It was kind of strange to think of the apparently immortal Pätal, well dead. He looked back at Arton, waiting for a reaction. It probably wasn't going to be good.</font>