Sights Unseen (IC)

Kyle had trouble processing what he was seeing in the lunch room. There were so many Creatures and Seers eating together, some of which he had never seen before, or even heard of in mythology. In addition, the room looked almost like a patchwork of various environments. There was a spot where lava coursed over rock walls into pits, and another that was coated in frost. A dark corner in one room, where there wasn't seemingly any light at all, must have contained all sorts of demons, shades, and dark creatures. Only a few spots with normal tables throughout the room revealed that it was a cafeteria of any sort. To one side of the room was a kitchen with trays of food set out, so that nobody had to wait for their meals. Elves worked busily, preparing various dishes, like salads, in the open, while others worked in a second kitchen hidden by a pair of doors. The kitchen was spotless, and the only reason Ky could imagine they had a second one was so that they could prepare certain dishes. Not all the creatures in the room ate food that one would want to see the preparation of. "This is crazy..." he said. "Yeah," Aden said, walking up next to him, and giving him a shove towards the salad bar, "You go get yourself some fruit, before I turn into my true form and burn you. I can do that, by the way. We phoenixes aren't the pretty birds you humans think we are."


Aella, meanwhile, had scanned the faces of the crowd, and noticed one in particular, looking at her. He was in a spot in the lunchroom that looked mountainous, with what appeared to be dead bushes growing out of the wall. He was a pure breed creature, but his electric yellow eyes reminded her of a demon, like Iris, or a wolf. It was very unsettling, and she might have thought she was looking at a werewolf, if it weren't for the fact that he didn't have the right kind of appearance. His hair and eyebrows weren't bushy or long enough. When he saw that she had spotted him, he bared his teeth, revealing them to be sharper than they should have been, as his pupils contracted into slits.

Aden followed her line of sight, seeing who she was watching. "Don't worry about Zared, he's just not familiar with you, he does that to all the strangers he runs into." He rolled his eyes, "Classic guard dragon, can't stand anyone outside the Horde." Aella looked at him, "You know that guy? He's a dragon? I almost thought he was a demon, or maybe a werewolf." Aden laughed, "Well, he's not a demon, or a wolf, but he sure acts like one, sometimes." Aella frowned, "You sure he won't attack us?" Zared looked pretty worked up, he might not be able to restrain himself. "Don't worry, he's just not used to you. Just give him some time to get to know you a bit, and he should be fine. The best thing to do is to not panic, and not make eye contact for extended periods, like you're doing right now." Aella frowned and turned back to Aden, breaking eye contact. "What's the Horde, and why does eye contact have to deal with anything?" Aden scowled, and leaned in so she would hear him whisper, "Zared's a Beta dragon, a Second-in-Command sort of rank to Iris. He's a pretty big deal in the dragon world, and all the dragons in the Legion that follow Iris specifically are in the Horde. Lots of dragons here aren't like your friends Rotor and Axel. They're predators, with an order of dominance, and eye contact is seen as a challenge."

((SORRY! Sorry for being gone, I had some work to do and went on break for a while)


"I dont understand why dragons need to be so uptight about dominance. I dont see humans doing that much often. At least, not the ones involved with politics. I seem to be the only one who's like this." Rotor said, getting up and getting in line for some food.

"Look who's the hipster now!" Axel shouted after him, getting up to chase after his friend.

As stood in line, he received a few stares and second glances. He felt bad for Rotor. Everyone who wasn't looking at him was looking at the poor cyborg. As the dragon reached the front of the line, a seer began to laugh with some other friends and reach for him.

Rotor's eyes shifted to the side with an almost inhuman speed, staring directly at a seer that was reaching for him. He bore his teeth, revealing the many silver razors inside.

"Agressive life form detected. Self defense protocol no.3 initiated." He spoke, the looked back to the woman placing the food on his tray.

The seer reach once again to Rotor, who seemed oblivious. When the seer grabbed Rotor's shoulder, the dragon spun around, placing his robotic hand on the seer's wrist and twisting violently. The seer bent around in an effort to relieve the stress on the appendage.

"Rotor! Stop before you break the fool's wrist!"

"Activity ceased." he spoke out, letting go of the seer and picking up his food. Axel ordered and moved on, back to the table with the dragon, who literally had smoke coming out of his nose.

"Cool of, nutzNboltz."

"Wanna go down that road? because I'll drive you straight off it so fast that you wont notice the cliff."

Zared's pupils contracted, as he observed the scene, in which a Seer he was not familiar with was hurt. He didn't really care too much for people outside the Horde, nor whether or not a Creature he encountered was a hybrid. He still didn't trust the strangers, but he wholeheartedly agreed with what the robotic dragon did. He would have probably done the same thing. Nobody laid a hand on him unless he let them, and anyone else who thought they could would be in danger of frying. That was probably why he still didn't have a Seer companion yet, even though he had been in the Legion for years. It just seemed that no Seer he had ever encountered was truly a good match. A lot of poor humans got burned trying to establish a connection. However, in the end, having a Companion was beneficial for both Creatures and Seers, especially territorial creatures like most dragons, demons, or were-creatures. The Creature provided strength and, if possible, magic to their Seer Companions, and the Companions added a sense of stability some Creatures didn't possess on their own. That was the reason why Iris was in better control of herself around Saul, and the reason why Zared was unable to hide his instinctive responses. The only issue was, Companions weren't easy to find.

Satisfied that the dragon had done something he himself might have done, Zared turned back to his meal. He was a bit choosy when it came to what he ate. Some dragons ate cattle, pigs, and any other animal that was suitable prey. However, there were a select few that had preferences for what kind of meat they chose, only eating the norm when they had no other option. Zared was a dragon that had a specific aversion to pork, and thus, chose to eat beef or poultry for lunch. In a way, he was a lot less choosy, however, compared to Iris. Iris was just plain picky. She had a special aversion to any form of fatty or rich meat. Whatever she ate was lean, nothing but muscle. That was why she didn't have a private cattle pasture, but a private hunting ground, filled with sheep, deer, goats, and several various edible birds. While the two preferred to hunt, sometimes it was best to eat in a cafeteria, so as to add at least some reinforcement to the fact that they weren't complete animals. A voice interrupted his thoughts, "Zared?" He looked up to see Aden, "May I?" He asked, gesturing to an empty seat. "You may." He said, returning to his meal.


Aella had taken her time choosing what kind of dish she wanted. Eventually, however, she settled on something a bit more familiar. Roasted rabbit, seasoned with various herbs, berries, and nuts native to North America. Clearly, this was probably a favorite meal for creatures that hailed from the continent. The smells of home were quite appetizing, and inviting. She eventually got around to looking for a table, and considered sitting with Rotor and Axel, but she didn't really know them, and after Rotor almost broke the Seer's arm, decided to give him some space. She eventually decided to sit with Aden, and scanned the crowd for his face. Eventually, though, she saw that he was now speaking with Zared, sitting across from the dragon at his table. She then wondered what she should do. From what Aden said, she didn't have to worry about Zared attacking her, but he apparently didn't like strange people.

Swallowing her doubts she walked over, "Excuse me," She said, getting their attention, "May I please sit here?" Aden smiled, "Certainly." Avery sat down a distance from the two boys. She didn't want to make the dragon edgy by getting to close. Despite her precaution, his eyes glowed like fire. Aden proceeded to speak, as though he didn't notice, "I almost forgot, Zared, this is Aella, the Thunderbird, Aella, this is Zared, the dragon." Aella's thoughts were confused. How did Aden manage to act so laid back at a time like this?

For a second, she thought Zared was going to growl something dangerous at her, but instead, he seemed to exhale, as though venting slightly, "Nice to meet you." He said, although he appeared to be barely suppressing something hostile. Clearly, he was making an extra effort, for the sake of his friend. It then occurred to Aella that Aden seemed to be the only person in the Legion so far that wasn't uptight or tense. Perhaps that was the only kind of friend you could have here that didn't result in more stress. "Okay, then, so...about that fire." Aden said, catching them off guard. "What?" She asked. Zared seemed perplexed, before relaxing, just slightly, "Still 6,630 degrees F." He said. Aden snapped his fingers, in an exaggerated motion. "Darn! I can still only get to 3,201!" Aella frowned, "What fire?" She asked. "Zared and I have been competing to see how hot we can make our flames. It's good practice for learning how to fight, but I can never beat Zared's record." Aella frowned, before attempting at a joke, "Well, that's okay, so long as you don't try to eat any C4." Aden suddenly grew very still, before he began to howl with laughter. A flicker of a smile appeared on Zared's face, but vanished in an instant.

Saul looked up as a large jackal, with fur black as coal, and wearing an Egyptain-style gold collar entered his room, expertly nudging open the door with its snout. It padded up to him, it's nails clicking as it crossed the grey ceramic tiling that covered the floor. It sat down about two feet away from his desk, and opened it's jaws, beginning to speak. "Lord Anubis and Lady Anput are nearing their arrival, along with their daughter, Kebechet. They have requested that you make ready for them." Saul was not surprised that the jackal had spoken, for it's fur was not a normal color, and it was clearly magical, a servant of the powerful Creatures that were worshipped as Egyptain gods and goddesses.

Saul stood up, "Very well, I shall call the Legion, so that they may all greet your Master." The Jackal nodded it's head, and left the room as it came. Saul, meanwhile, followed close behind it, and tapped one of the Dwarfs that was guarding nearby on the shoulder. "Saul! Sir! What is it!?" He exclaimed. "Send messengers. Lord Anubis, His wife, and his daughter are on their way here as we speak. We cannot afford to lose their favor." The dwarf nodded, "Very well, sir."


Ky was almost finished eating when a dwarf arrived into the lunch room and stated that he had an announcement from Saul. "Pardon me!" Cried the Dwarf, getting people's attention, "I have an announcement from Saul! Everyone must gather in the meeting hall! The Egyptain Creatures Anubis, Anput, and Kebechet are close to their arrival here! We must not disappoint them! They will be very important allies in the near future!" With this, the dwarf left the room, leaving Ky stunned. The Embalming god of Egypt? Here? What was going on?

Perplexed, Kamina Barabashkavna waited until most had filed out of the cafeteria - bearing similar amounts of confusion, she hazarded - before she dared to remove herself from the corner table and follow the crowd to the meeting hall.

Being not a sheltered domovaya but a hermetic one, she did not recognize the names Anubis, Anput, or Kebechet, but Kamina Barabashkavna was able to gather from the bemused talk that fluttered about the throngs of magical creatures that these were important deities from the land of Egypt. The revelation that such powerful creatures could actually exist stunned Kamina Barabashkavna almost as much as the fact that they appeared to have business here.

Just what sort of enemy were these folk all up against, anyway? Who was this Ammit, really?

People began filing into the Legion's meeting hall, all talking about the initial shock that the deities of Egypt really existed. However, it stood to reason, that they were not actually gods, but rather, powerful creatures with strength or abilities that would have been considered divine by the ancients. When everyone had gathered and taken their seats in the meeting hall, Saul stood at a podium, with a microphone in front of him. Iris stood a short distance away. He tapped the microphone, testing it. "Ah, okay, the Microphone is working." He said. "Now everyone, quiet down." The roar of the crowd died down to a few murmurs. "Now, as you are all aware, the Egyptain Creatures, Anubis, Anput, and Kebechet are almost here at the base." A few whispers rose from the crowd. "I am also aware, that a select few of you are not quite aware of what is happening, so I shall explain for you."

He cleared his throat. "As you all know, we are gathered here in this base, as the Legion, to face a powerful threat known as Ammit. While some of you do not know who Ammit is, I shall explain, and assure you, that she is very dangerous indeed." He took another breath, "In Ancient Egypt, there were said to be many different gods and goddesses, covering various different assets of the native people's lives. However, what the Eyptains did not know at the time, was that their deities were not divine, but rather, very powerful Creatures and Seers, who could do such great feats as to manipulate the essence of mortal's souls, and to seemingly control the passage of time." A few people conversed among themselves when he said this. "One of these such creatures, was a powerful demon known as Ammit, although she was not known to be a goddess, but rather, the embodiment of Fear itself. Ammit, as you all know, has the power to devour our hearts, our very souls, the things that make us living beings. In Egyptain legends, she was said to sit near the scales where the Weighing of The Heart, the judgement of entering the afterlife, was meant to occur. In this ritual, Anubis, the Embalming god of Egypt, was said to weigh our hearts against the feather of Ma'at. Those who were lighter than the feather, or equal, could pass onto the afterlife, while those that weighed more, were deemed unworthy, and their passage was barred. These unfortunate souls, Anubis delivered to Ammit, who devoured them."

Saul continued, "However, what Egyptain lore did not cover, I will tell you. Ammit did not willingly wait for her victims. She was chained, her bonds kept tight by magic cast by Anput and Kebechet, Anubis' wife and daughter, preventing her from devouring every soul in sight. People have not believed in these deities for ages, but regardless, they continued to keep Ammit under lock and key. He scanned their faces. "As you must understand, Ammit's power grows stronger with surges of negative energy, making it easier for her to break her bonds. Since the war between Seers and Creatures, it has surged. One day, it was especially strong, and the Egyptain deities found themselves unable to contain her. Ammit broke free from her chains, and the three funeral deities were barely able to escape their own deaths, leaving only a seal separating Ammit in the underworld from this world in which we exist. They know, fully well, that it has only managed to buy time. Soon, Ammit will break the seal, and enter our world, with an army of demons that follow her, having turned their backs on their masters." A murmur rose from the crowd.

Iris stepped up, beginning her section of the speech, "It was Anubis, and his family, that were the ones to warn us of this threat, and we have gathered the Legion, preparing to stand between Ammit's army and the world. Now, the three Egyptain Creatures are on their way, almost here, ready to lend as much support as they can." She swallowed a bit, "However, they have been badly weakened by the ordeal, and no longer possess the same power they once did. Regardless, they are still much stronger than a majority of us, and must be treated as such. When Ammit plans an attack, they will be the first to know. We must not offend those, that once judged the souls of men, and whether or not they were worthy to continue their existence." She looked at Saul, who whispered something in her ear. "They should be here, in about fifteen minutes or so, so when their chariot arrives, you must be quiet, and respectful. We will not have any talking when we are negotiating."

"I'm out. I need to blow of steem and standig still and acting like a monkey in a suit isn't goig to help." Rotor muttered to Axel, and stood up, and walked out of the cafeteria. Axel followed close behind.

"What was that about!" Axel half yelled once they were outside.

"We are pawns in their little chess board!" Rotor began with a yell. "I am only controlled when I let others control me. This place is so full o seers and creatures that are so racist tonine another, that they'd rather fight themselves than Ammit. This is no army I want to be in."

"Let's go flying."

Flying was a time when dragon and rider were connected in a special way. It was calming. Just flap you're wings and focus ahead.

So simple...

Rotor stormed off, Axel close behind, to the opening of the cave, and kept walking. Becomig a dragon mid step. The cyborg craned his neck around to look at his rider, and hopped on his back, and into the cock-pit.

And they were off.

The Goral Mountains, Poland and Czech Republic

It is said that there is an ancient valley hidden deep in the jagged mountains of the Gorals, where it is always Spring, and the water flows clear. The trees there come to life when you try to cut them down, and the rocks do as well. The herbs that grow at the feet of the trees are said to be able to cure any ailment; reverse any spell. And, in a great stone cave that rose out of a hill in the middle of this enchanted valley, there lived an old elven sage by the name of Ravencloak. Ravencloak was an old man, far older than most creatures could ever hope to be. His hair was white as snow, and his eyes sparkled an unearthly shade of emerald. he wore a heavy cloak of raven feathers, which gave him his name, and he walked with an old knotted walking stick, as his left hip was bad.

The short man limped around his austerely furnished cave, his bare feet comforted by the wet moss that grew like a carpet on the ground. it was good to be home. Ravencloak had been gone a long time, and he just wanted to relax some.

He walked over to his potion-making table and mixed a sweet-smelling brew with several different kinds of herbs, which he then lit with a magic spell. It filled his home with a fragrance that smelled of chamomile and melting sugar. Ravencloak sat down in his comfortable, moss-coated throne and put his feet up on an ottoman made out of a log.

It was good to be home.