Tessera (Autumn), 81378 2nd day Talon and Xavier trudged on through the waist deep snow, heading god knows where in the middle of a Glacier. Xavier looked back and saw Talon wasn't there. There was only a hole in the snow where he had been only a second before. <span style='color:red'>TALON!, ARE YOU DOWN THERE!?</span> He screamed into the dark abyss. Suddenly he heard a crack, and then another crack, and then the ground beneath collapsed and he fell into the darkness... Talon woke up on something cold, and there was light and snow filtering through a hole above him in the Ice. He got up, and found That his partisan had landed in a crack in the ice covered rock, and he had missed impaling himself by inches. Xavier was only a few feet away. He was Unconcsious on the cold, hard, icy ground. He shook him, and when he didn't wake he sat down and using his elemental sorcery, ignited a small piece of firewood he had stored in his backpack, which he also found nearby. He set Xavier by the fire and looked around, the fire lit up a small area, but there were dark tunnels leading everywhere, all with a thick layer of ice above. He sat down and started to think about how they would get out...
A shivering 'dragon flew overhead. She had flown this course many times, but it had never been this cold before. Her breath condensed as she exhaled. Suddenly, as she tried to beat her wings, they went stiff and she couldn't move them. She began to tumble downwards towards the crack. She closed her eyes in anticipation of the crash. She hit the ground with a rumbling thud. A cracking noise could be heard as her ribs broke. As she hit the floor, her breath left her body and she became unconcious.
Talon jumped up as something crashed through the hole above. He ran towards the 'dragon and kneeled close by to see if she was okay. A rib jutted out at the wrong angle, making a mountain in her skin, and she was unconscious, But alive. He picked her up gently and set her down near the fire so her wings, that were totally frozen, would thaw. He patched her up as best he could with the meagre supplies he had left and waited for her and Xavier to regain consciousness...
Thi stired slightly as she felt the warmth of another body then of fire. She opened her eyes and tried to sit up but gasped and fell back to the floor as her broken ribs shifted inside her body.
Talon rushed over to her as she tryed to get up. He helped her into a sitting position and gave her some broth he had made recently. <span style='color:orange'>Are you okay?</span> he asked And then, just in case, repeated it in ramathian <span style='color:orange'>Uja iyo ycui? </span> Xavier stirred and he left her with the broth to go help Xavier up as well. <span style='color:red'>Damn!, My head!</span> complained Xavier and he turned and stared at the newcomer. <span style='color:red'>Who the hell are you?</span> He asked her and was answered with the butt of Talons partisan. <span style='color:orange'>What my brother means is, I'm Talon and he's Xavier, And we wanted to know if you were all right.</span> He smiled and hit Xavier again.
She smiled, not entirely understanding them. But she responded <span style='color:blue'>Hally, ni muna et Thi.</span> She pointed to them indiviudually and said their names <span style='color:blue'>Talon, Xavier</span> Her voice held a slight accent as she took the broth in her hands.
Talon smiled. <span style='color:orange'>What are you doing in this wasteland?</span> He asked, and then tended to the fire. <span style='color:red'>You're one crazy chick, You know that? It's freezing cold out here, There's things living in these badlands that can scare the hell out of even me, And You decide to fly in this wind!?</span> Xavier said this with a look on his face that was half disbelief, Half shock. He shook his head and rolled over. <span style='color:orange'>Thi, You could have been killed, or worse! I have to agree with Xavier on this one, It's crazy to be out here...</span> He sat down beside her. <span style='color:orange'>It looks like we'll have to find some other way out...</span> He was looking directly up, The hole in the ceiling had completely filled up with snow...
Thi folded her wings to her body and glared at them <span style='color:blue'>I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you!</span> she said indignantly.
Xavier smriked, <span style='color:red'>Listen, Even I had trouble out there, what chance do you think you have?</span> He turned around to get Talon to agree with him, but Talon was nowhere to be found. Xavier stood up and flipped down his night vision goggles. He walked into the darkness and scuffling noises could be heard. There was a loud thump and everything went quiet.
Thi looked around. She couldn't see anything anywhere. All she could see was the small amount of fire around her. <span style='color:red'>Thi</span> A voice said as Drsuj looked down from above and droppd in. Thi trusted herself with Drsuj and ran over. He had saved her once before. <span style='color:blue'>Drsuj</span> she whispered
There was a flash of light and in the light a huge shape was silhouetted. Something moved in the dark, and Talon suddenly flew into the firelight. He landed on the icy floor with a crack. Suddenly a huge creature that somehow resembled Xavier made it's way into the circle of light. It held a small pendant in it's huge hand and it was eminating a bright light. It roared, and swiped a huge hand, The Titanium replacement claws jutting out from the hand, not being able to retract because of the size of the hand. The swipe missed the two still standing, and crashed into the ground infront of them, creating a huge shockwave. Talon jerked into the air and amazingly landed on his feet. He turned to them, clutching his ribs. <span style='color:orange'>RUN!</span> He managed to scream to them before the beast slammed him into the cave wall. He moaned and passed out and the beast turned towards them and roared.
Drsuj fell down in front of Thi and roared back at the giant monster! He had reverted to his primal instinct. He was easily larger than the normal pen dragon however. Thi ran to Talon's side and started to take care of him.
<span style='color:orange'>Don't let him inflict a wound....</span> Talon muttered half in and half out of consciousness <span style='color:orange'>Otherwise He'll infect you.... Go for the pendant... get it away from him and shut it! Otherwise He'll never change back!</span> He was fully awake now and gasping with pain. <span style='color:orange'>Thi my ribs are broken, Please I'll handle myself, go help your friend...</span> Xavier swung a huge claw towards Drsuj, but missed and slammed his fist into the ground. Another huge shockwave ensued and Ice fell from the ceiling. He yanked his fist free, ice and rock falling from his titanium claws and he raised his arm for another blow...
Drsuj had heard Talons remarkand was already running up Xavier's arm as it raised for another blow. Thi began to bandage Talon's chest as Drsuj made a lunge for the pendant hanging around Xaviers neck.
Xavier recoiled and batted at his own mammoth chest. He roared again and flicked Drsuj off his arm, then turned to face Talon and Thi. All could see that he had tears streaming down his eyes and Dark Energy was pouring out of old scars that had split open with his transformation. <span style='color:red'>GO!..R...RUN!</span> came Xaviers voice from the beasts mouth and it turned and ran off into the darkness of the caves, and he could be heard crashing down the tunnel. <span style='color:orange'>Thank you Thi....</span> Talon said and got up. <span style='color:orange'>I shall go find him...alone. You two shall resume whatever you were doing before you met us, Forget you ever did. And don't you dare follow me...</span> He snatched up his partisan stuck in the ground nearby and hobbled off into the darkness, before he was out of the ring of light created by the fire he turned and smiled at them. He turned and walked into the dark... <span style='color:orange'>I wish you luck on your journey...</span> came his voice from the darkness and two white eyes gleaming in the blackness could be seen untill they were enveloped by the dark...
Drsuj stood and shook his head. He started off after Talon. <span style='color:red'>Well?</span> he asked, turning to Thi. Thi looked at him, <span style='color:blue'>Talon said not to follow him.</span> Drsuj sighed <span style='color:red'>We have to! Talon's injured and I'm not willing to have someone I know killed by his own brother! Now come on!</span> Drsuj called.
Talon's eyes weren't made for the complete blackness. He stumbled around, sometimes tripping, and sometimes falling on his injured ribs. He fell once and his partisan flew off into the darkness. He heard footsteps behind him and he spun on his heel, his hands were already up in a fighting position. <span style='color:orange'>Who's there?!</span> he shouted, looking around frantically, but he could only see a few feet ahead of him...
Thi ran up with Drsuj directly behind her. <span style='color:blue'>It's only us Talon</span> she said softly
Talon searched franctically in the dark for them, and noticed a gleam on the ground. And bent down to see they were Xaviers night vision goggles! He put them on and immediately saw Drsuj and Thi. <span style='color:orange'>Are you sure you wish to come along?</span> he asked the following creatures, but didn't wait for an answer. He continued to walk towards the dull thuds echoing through ther caves...
Drsuj awnsered with a huff <span style='color:red'>As you once told me, not really friend! But your injured and I can't allow you to go on like that</span> he said and began to follow Talon with Thi padding beside.
