Knights and Dragons(Closed)

[Iliad]

he knight tossed his sword aside in frustration and stormed away from the dragon with a cry of frusteration. "Then what sort of dragon are you! You breath fire but talk, you live in a cavern with gold, but wont fight! Dragons must be extinct and you are something ells!" He remarked bitterly, before taking seat on a rock a few feet away to study the other, as if he might find some hidden clue to how to make Kvaloth the adversary he so sought.

[star478]

"Whether you like it or not, I am a dragon," Kvaloth said sadly. This time it wasn't faked. It was real sadness. He then sighed. "You see, the only reason I was able to live longer than my brethren was my inability--no, my refusal--to fight back against you humans. I thought our two species would be able to live together in peace and harmony while the others thought that we could never live so. I guess they were right and I was wrong."

He then snorted spewing smoke from his nostrils and grinned a draconic grin.

"But I was able to live longer, much longer than they were though," Kvaloth said rather smugly...for a dragon.

[Iliad]

Rhys looked up at the other, he could no longer slay this creature, the last dragon, a dragon who had waited for peace only to be met with solitude. "So what then will you do if I leave you? Live out your days in here?" He asked dryly, wishing he couldnt hear the sadness in that reptilian voice.

[star478]

That caught Kvaloth off guard. He never expected Rhys to ask a question like that. What was he going to do? If the dream he had was to come true, he couldn't just remain here. Alone.

"I-I don't know," Kvaloth said feeling rather helpless at that moment in time. "You could stay here, with me, seeing as you're an outcast. Or I could come with you and live among you humans. I have enough gold that'll provide for us for a really, really long time."

Kvaloth wasn't sure why, but his heart began racing in anticipation of Rhys' answer. Sure, the one where he lived among humans was a bit...complicated, but he had an idea that just might work. That is, if Rhys decided to go back and live with the rest of human society.

[Iliad]

Rhys didnt seem to impressed with the cave option, let alone having a dragon follow him and only frowned softly. "No offense, you wouldnt exactly fit inside a house." Rhys remarked, standing up and pacing around the cave, wondering how long the dragon had been an outcast now. "...Allright, so you're tired of being alone, I'm tired of being an outcast knights, and the two of us are stuck in a cave debating morality... I must say, its an interesting situation, but as I said, you wouldnt fit in a house, and I wouldn't do well in a cave. So what solution do you offer to this?"

[star478]

Kvaloth laid down and began tapping a talon in thought. He's dream showed walking along a human street in a human city with humans all around him. And none of them reacted to his presence. Maybe he had turned into a human himself somehow?

Kvaloth snorted (causing a plume of smoke to exit his nostrils and float up to the roof of the cave) and shook his head. There's was no way he'd stoop that low and become a human himself.

But Rhys doesn't want to be stuck to living in a cave, and he's too big to fit in a human house like Rhys said. Kvaloth sighed and stopped tapping his talon as the only solution solidified itself.

"What if," Kvaloth began but stopped for a breath and to gather his thoughts. "What if I became human? Of course, I'll still be able to return to my dragon form whenever I want, but I'll mainly be human from now until....well, until the Apocalypse happens, which won't be for a very, very long time."

[Iliad]

Rhys looked up dubiously at the dragon, if Kvaloth could become human, and offered him companionship then... what? "It would have its perks...." Finally Rhys admitted, running his fingers through his longish locks, and wondering how awful a choice this was. "If you wish to live with me, and join me in my exile then ... I have missed companionship, but I will still continue my quest to become a true knight once more, weather you aid me or not is your choice." Rhys said calmly, while internally some all too knight raised part of him was screaming how bad an idea it was, but he had been alone for too long, far far too alone in his exile and prehaps Kvaloth struck a cord in him of the same note as the dragons loneliness.

[star478]

Kvaoth's heart rose and his tail twitched in happiness, but he didn't want Rhys to notice too much. He wanted to immediately become a human right then and there to help Rhys with his lack of companionship and in turn Rhys will be helping Kvaloth with his lack of companionship. But first....

"Even though we'd already have as much many as we would need from my gold," Kvaloth began beginning to get excited about his plan. He may not like it himself, but if it'll make Rhys happy and will give them both the companionship they're looking for, then he'll do it. "Seeing as you're so unhappy about being cast out of your knighthood, why don't I create a realistic looking false dragon head for you to return to whoever you need to return it to? I'll turn myself into a human and claim to be someone you met along your journey. Seeing as you're the only human that knows my name (since the other humans believe we don't have names), I could keep my current name. They'll just assume I'm from somewhere else, which is why I have such a strange name."

Kvaloth then looked at Rhys with his twinkle in his eyes now a sparkle. But was unsure of how Rhys would take the plan.

"Of course you'll have to concoct a story of how you 'slayed' me," Kvaloth continued a little more nervous than before. "Of course, if you don't like the plan, we can think of something else. Otherwise, we can go along with this plan and we can both go to human society. Or you can not like this plan and we still return to human society living together for the companionship."

[Iliad]

Rhys looked up at the offer of the creation of a fake head, it was true no one would know the difference, but still, if nobility and honor prevented him from slaying the dragon it would be just as wrong to to lie and present a fake head, or atleast as far as the knight saw it. Shutting his hazely green eyes the exile forced himself away from the temptation of it, in the end he knew living with his honor restored on a foundation of a lie would undo him.
"Your gold is hardly why I am here, knights are sworn to vows that prevent us from ever giving in to wealth or decadence, and while I am not a knight now, I am going to be once more, some day, which is why...." Letting out a sigh Rhys knew he had to do this or it would haunt him, but still the forbidden fruit had never looked so tempting. "We cannot present my order with a fake head. As kind and generous as your offer is..." Rhys explained, clutching the hilt of his blade out of nervous habit as he turned to Kvaloth.
"So, much to my chagrin, if you wish to follow me and live as a human then I would not deny your companionship, but I must seek my honor elswhere, prehaps you will help find it some days, but it seems you cannot restore it to me... But either way, the offers of gold and company I can accept, and readily."

[star478]

Kvaloth's heart fell when Rhys declined the fake head idea, but understood his reasoning. Rhys is a human after all and humans did have moral codes and all that garbage. But then Kvaloth's heart rose and he flicked his tail back and forth a little bit when Rhys accepted Kvaloth's offer to come with him.

"Don't worry about getting your honor back," Kvaloth said with his draconic smile. "We'll both figure out some way to get it back. Even though us dragons don't know anything about humans and their honor."

Kvaloth then stood up and went to turn away from Rhys, walking further into his cave.

"I'll show you the gold I have if you want to see it," Kvaloth said over his shoulder/wings. "I'll shift into my human form once we arrive at my gold stash."

[Iliad]

Rhys smiled up at the dragon, he had had every intention of killing Kvaloth just the night before, but now he was willing to allow the dragon in to his life, and most of all the thought of the Kvaloth having a life outside this cave made him happy, a thought the knight knew he shouldnt be having, but it was too late to do anything as he jogged along after the other, having to walk quickly to keep up with the larger creature.
"See, if dragons had moral codes then prehaps things would not be as they are now... I have to ask though, are you really the very last dragon? Surely there must be others in some unexplored part of the world...right?" He asked, as he followed the other in to the darkness, wondering if prehaps he could find more dragons for Kvaloth to be with.

[star478]

"You're looking at the only dragon that had any sort of moral code," Kvaloth said bitterly as he walked. He then shook his head "As for other dragons in other, unexplored areas of the world, I've searched every inch of this planet for any other dragons myself ever since the last dragon kill. Never found any so I returned to my cave and awaited the same fate for myself."

Kvaloth continued walking toward his gold stash in silence before continuing.

"Just to warn you, I may have some human relics that other dragons had 'collected,'" Kvaloth said without looking at Rhys. "I've kept them safe from those who might use them for the wrong purposes."

[Iliad]

Rhys smiled at that, he was glad Kvaloth had some sort of code, he had always assumed it to be morality that seperated man and beast, and is this dragon had morality, then it put him in the realm of human to Rhys atleast. "I am sorry your brothers did not share that with you then, I am also sorry for your loss... it seems a shame, though it is humans fault that you should be the last dragon. To humans dragons represent.... adventure, the wilds of the world, that which is still untamed." Rhys spoke almost reverently now, as he recalled every text and ancient symbol that had been the dragons of his boyhood day dreams.
"I suppose its all romanticized but still, there are many who still believe dragons hide in the far reaches of the world." He remarked, though it was hopeless for Kvaloth.
As they wandered further down the path the knight did perk up at the mention of relics, wondering what that could mean. "Now you're the one sounding cryptic on me Kvaloth... Should I be worried about what you keep hidden?"

[star478]

Kvaloth grimaced a little at the sound of worry in Rhys' voice at the mention of the relics he contained.

"Actually Rhys," Kvaloth said as a dull glimmer can be seen in the distance meaning his gold stash was just ahead. Well, at least he could see it. Kvaloth wasn't sure if Rhys could see it. He stopped and let Rhys catch up. "I am a lot more worried about what you're reaction will be when you see it. And possibly other humans' reactions as well."

Kvaloth then looked at Rhys.

"You see, most of my brethern stole from kings, queens, wizards, monasteries, etc. and they came inot my possession upon their death when I went to 'acquire' their gold before the humans that killed them could get their hands on it," Kvaloth contined. He never bothered to tell Rhys exactly how he knew when his brethern would be killed by humans. "Obviously, most of the times I caught the humans off guard and killed them when they made to attack me, but otherwise, I never touched any humans. Unlike my brethern."

[Iliad]

Couldnt see much in the darkness of the cave, but as Kvaloth paused to let him catch up the knight wondered just how many temptations the dragon would subject him to as listened with intent. "I have told you before, I am sworn never to fall in to decadence or wanton lust of gold..." He remarked dryly, though the knight knew it was a tough one for him to keep, almost as tough as the celibacy vow had been. That one had gone out the window the first night of his exile, not that he was proud of that fact.
"Well, I suppose I cannot fault you for killing your attackers, but still... I will try to keep myself reigned in, what is it thought that could be in there that you're so afraid of?" He asked next.

[star478]

"Like I said, relics from kings, queens, wizards, religious groups, and other places that my bretherin stole from," Kvaloth replied and began walking again, albeit at a much slower pace so Rhys could keep up easier.

The dull glimmer of the gold got brighter the closer they got to Kvaloth's stash; eventually bright enough that even Rhys could see it.

Eventually, they arrived at the entrance to a rather large cavern that looked like it was dragon made given the size. Obviously there were gold coins as that is the currency of the land. There were gold crowns that belonged to kings and queens with precious gems embedded in the metal, tiaras that belonged to princesses that also had precious gems embedded in them, golden chalices that royal families use at special meals, a golden tablet with a language that Kvaloth could not read (he could read draconic and English, but this language was neither of these), a golden treasure chest filled with religious relics from a religion that has been long dead, staffs that belonged to wizards that probably contain some magic in them, a few golden weapons with precious gems embedded in their hilts, gold jewlery (necklaces and rings) that also contained precious gems, and many, many other golden items. There were so many that neither dragon nor human could see the cavern floor let alone walk around the cavern without walking on anything that's gold.

Kvaloth sat off to the side with his draconic smile and a sparkle or pride/happiness in his eyes.

"Here we are," Kvaloth said the pride/happiness evidant even in his voice. "The golden human treasures that I have been keeping safe from the humans that would use them for ill will that I aquired when my brethren died. All of this gold is the gold that they collected and I took from hem upon their death. None of this I stole from humans myself."

[Iliad]

Rhys at first though it was sunlight he was seeing, but as Kvaloth led him in to the cavern the knight soon realized it wasnt the sun, but the glint of gold, piled so high as to be the size of hills and so wide he could not see the far wall of the cavern.
Finally after a few moments of awed silence, Rhys shook himself back in to awareness, stepping away from the massive piles as he focused back in on the dragons words and nodded approvingly. "I know enough humans who would kill for a tenth of this treasure Kvaloth... I cant believe I'm saying this, but I think it may even be for the best it is trusted with you... but who will protect it now, or do you believe it will stay hidden?" He asked next, looking at the dragon who stood in stark silvery contrast to the shining gold.

[star478]

Kvaloth smiled as big of a draconic smile as his anatomy would allow. The sparkle of pride/happiness now a sparkle of mishief.

"I have an idea in order to take it with us without the weight/amount being such a burden," Kvaloth said and stood up. And of course without leaving any of it behind. Stay here and watch."

Kvaloth moved out from the entrance just enough so he could leap into the air in order to make his way to the center of the cavern and the gold.

He carefully landed on the mound of gold before closing his eyes and concentrating hard. Bit by bit, all of the gold in the cavern dissappeared seemingly into thin air.

[Iliad]

Rhys gaped again in open disbelief of such magic as it all began to vanish, a watching in quiet amazment untill it was gone, leaving only a dark and empty cavern. "So.... I don't suppose you want to tell me where you put it?" He asked next as he turned to the dragon in the center of the room with an amused smile.

[star478]

Once all of the gold was gone and he was standing on the cavern floor for the first time in a long time, Kvaloth opened his eyes and laid down on the floor, panting with exertion. His eyes still showed the smile his mouth couldn't form at the moment.

"Let's just say that it's all stored in a magical 'compartment,'" Kvaloth said as his breathing slowly returned to normal. He shakily stood up. "Before you ask, I'm fine. Just using magic on something that large tends to wear even on us dragons.

"And yes, us dragons can use magic."

He then walked over to Rhys and sat in front of him.

"I guess it's time for me to become human now," Kvaloth said before closing his eyes once again and concentrated hard on the human form he wanted to take on.