“You’re both completely bloody crazy you are.” Itarna was almost screaming at this point.
She had been trying to talk them out of it for the better part of a week now.
“A two elf assault on That castle! Your going to get yourselves killed and put up on frickin stakes!”
“Relax Itarna, you’ll burst a blood vessel if you keep going on like that.” Responded half the target of her yelling.
He was an elf and a sorcerer, although few saw him as such anymore. The large reptilian wings, the muscular spiked tail and the fine layer of deeply dark blue scales covering parts of his skin marked him beyond any doubt.
Dragonling. The name given to those who had and pursued the dragon blood in their veins, gradually becoming more and more draconic.
He was strong in a wiry kind of way, his body had seen many battles and had the scars to prove it. He had blond hair that he kept short except for a low quilf. He was about 1.80 and had a drawn face, marked cheekbones and chin, pale skin. Despite all this, his eyes were what caught you. They where blue and someone had once described them as pieces of a broken window. They changed. When his mood changed the eyes changed with it, no one so far had described it in any poetic or for that matter positive way. They didn’t change colour or anything drastic like that. It was more the way you saw them and the way He saw You that changed.
Maybe that was why he so often kept his face hidden.
Like her, he had many names, collecting them like clothes over the many years, the one he preferred at the moment being Nacre.
Right now he was tightening the straps of the combat harness belonging to the second part of the insane duo, making sure all her knives, blades, crossbow bolts and assorted weapons were secured, easily reachable and not in her way when she moved.
She stood a head lower then him and had long flowing hair that she kept dyed black with the occasional red lock thrown in for colour. She was as strong as he was even though you never would have guessed it, her small size and wiry frame hiding the strength in her. Her skin had more of a tan than his and her scales had a deep red colour to them. Her wings looked exactly like his although a different colour and perhaps slightly smaller, her tail having a different spike pattern. Her face was typical elfish like his although a bit softer and more flowing.
Itarna looked at them and considered the years she had known them, they had been through much and they had become stronger because of it. However, this was just too much. This was insane. A two-man assault against a whole castle. Even though both of them were exceptional magic users and both had dragon blood in their veins, this was just way out of their league.
“Why are you doing this?”
They both stopped and looked the other in the eyes. The female turned to Itarna and smiled.
“Because everyone deserves to be free.” Said Anni the Red.

The guards watched them as they came up to the castle gates. They walked hand in hand, neither saying anything, both just enjoying each other’s company.
As they reached the gatehouse one of the guards yelled at them from the wall above.
“His highness does not receiving any visitors right now. If you are here to pay tribute just leave it at the gates.”
This earned him a place of honour in the hall of unperceptive idiots.

Down on the ground Nacre looked at his beloved Anni, bent forward and kissed her before locking eyes with her.
“Are you ready to do this?” He asked her seriously.
“Yes. Are you?”
“With you? Always.”
With pictures of the squalor, oppression, depression and tyrannical rule they had seen in the surrounding villages flashing through their minds they joined hands and began.

The whole castle had of course had powerful anti-magic wards woven into it at construction. It was easier to brake down the walls with a battering ram then with a fireball.
The gate flew open as the semi-dragons kicked it with all their strength (and some of their magic). As soon as it did, two spheres of magic flew through it, one burning like the sun, the other rippling with electricity. Exploding in the courtyard, they sent men and horses flying.
Chaos erupted.
Anni quickly took to the air, her powerful wings lifting her from the ground. Nacre stayed on the ground, closing his eyes, his lips moving rapidly as he went through spell after spell, making him and the air around him ripple with magical energy and half-glimpsed images. The guards that had survived the dual blasts formed up and charged at the lone distracted elf. They got within 10 meters before a big wall of fire descended before them.
Anni swept her fiery breath from side to side before her mate, keeping the guards at bay long enough for him to finish his spells. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the castles garrison beginning to arrive in the courtyard, dozens of warriors, mages and clerics spilling out of doorways and rushing into positions.
NOW loved one!
As she heard the agreed telepathic signal, Anni abruptly stopped adding to the inferno. With one beat of her wings, she propelled herself several yards into the air. Closing her eyes for a split second, she drew again on her immense reserves of magical power, using it to push herself down and at the same time brace herself against the coming impact. She came down hard, slamming into the courtyard with such force that she split the stone pavement and sent cracks running outwards. Most of the small army now running towards her and her mate were thrown of their feet, those closest sent flying several yards backwards into their companions.
Before the tremors had stopped Nacre was through the dying flames that had sheltered him, his speed magically heightened, the air about him shimmering with protective spells and his sword in his hands. The first guard to die for it was cut from thigh to shoulder, falling to the ground in two pieces. A throwing knife in the head greeted a rising mage as another warrior fell with his arms severed at the elbows.
As the male moved through the courtyard slaying and maiming anything he could the archers up on the wall readied their bows and began calling to their companions to get away so they could get a clear shot. Then Anni landed in their midst. Summoning a greater elemental from the plane of fire, she ordered it to clear the wall in one direction towards the keep, herself taking the other. The archers facing her now brought their bows around to target her, intending to burry her in a hail of steel tipped death.
As they drew and then loosened the deadly rain, Anni drew more power from within herself. With images of crying children that had lost their parents to these very same archers racing through her mind she let her anger build inside her, adding it to the magical power already reaching the critical point of what she could control.
Just before the first arrows struck, she threw out her arms and let the power inside her surge out. Taking on the form of hundreds of crimson glowing drops of pure magic Anni’s barrage met the archers. Metal melted and wood was burned to cinders upon contact. The droplets then continued on, homing in on the archers. Many tried to run, others tried to hide. It didn’t matter.
One archer, running for his life towards the perceived safety of an open tower door was hit squarely in the back, continuing for three steeps before he fell down dead, a 6-inch hole straight through his chest. Another of the running ones managed to at lest partly dodge the incoming missile, only loosing his left leg to it, the shock and loss of balance caused him to fall from the wall, the fall crushing his skull and killing him instantly. A third hid behind one of the low stone breastworks that were in place along the wall to offer protection to archers in case an attacking enemy got up on the wall. The missile aiming for him went above his head making him grin as for a second as he thought he had survived. Then it made a 180 degree turn in midair and hit him right in the face, exploding his skull like a ripe melon.
A few mages coming out of the nearest tower joined their efforts and managed to throw up a shield strong enough to stop the incoming barrage, saving a score of the archers farthest away from Anni. Seeing that her magic wouldn’t get through the shield in time she drew two small repeater crossbows and started running towards the group, firing as she ran. The first few bolts got through the barrier before the mages had time to adapt it to stop the now physical attack. Two more archers and one mage fell to the new attack. Anni loosened the rest of the bolts from the repeaters before holstering them and drawing her sword. Muttering under her breath the air around her came alive with protection and enhancement spells. 10 feet in front of the barrier she suddenly jumped, using her wings to gain additional height, a volley of arrows passing through the space she had recently occupied. She used her wings and tail to further steer herself so that she would hit the shield head on.
Spinning in the air to add further momentum to her attack she slashed at the shield with the sword just before she herself hit it. The blade that had been made and enchanted by her mate to be the bane of magic passed effortlessly through the shield, carving up a tear big enough for her to dive through. The mages all screamed in unison as the backlash from their failing shield hit their minds, Anni didn’t pay them any heed as she landed, rolling through their ranks and rising sword in hand amongst them slashing open a archers chest as she rose.
She stole a quick glance down towards the courtyard, trying to see how her mate was fairing. What she saw made her blood run cold.
He was backed up against a wall over 30 mages keeping up a constant barrage to pin him down so that the warriors moving towards him could finish him off. No longer caring about the ones on the wall she launched herself from it and out over the courtyard, trying to reach him before his enemies did.
She got about halfway there before the rain of arrows started. She was hit in the thigh and both wings before she even had time to think about getting a shield up. Covering her head with her arms and screaming in pain, she fell down and crashed into a small pond holding the castles drinking water.
Everything turned black and she felt herself fall, just before she blacked out, she glimpsed an ornate shimmering door and an endless red ocean.

Down in the courtyard Nacre saw Anni mowing through the archers on the wall and smiled to himself. He had been gradually forced into a corner by the castle guards and now they were moving in for the kill under the cover of the mages behind them. Strike after magical strike rained down on the barrier he had raised in front of himself, keeping him pinned so that he wouldn’t be able to do anything against the warriors. He felt himself weakening and knew that he wouldn’t be able to hold on long enough.
As the cautious guards closed in he prepared to let his shield explode outward, taking as many with him as he could. He closed his eyes to better concentrate, searching within himself to find his source of power. He felt swords, spears and axes hitting the shield and used what reserves he had found to strengthen it. Then just as he was about to leave he noticed something he had seen before. He “stood” before a ornate shimmering door, he knew that most of his powers came from something behind the door but glimpses and half-felt impressions from those few times he had drawn deeply on it had always kept him from opening the that door.
Now he stood before it, his last moments slipping away and tried to decide if it was worth it. It might destroy him completely, mind, body and soul. However, if he did not use it now then when? If this didn’t warrant him loosing his soul then what did?
With that, his decision was made.
He opened the door and steeped through.
Instantly he was plunged into a seemingly endless blue ocean of magical power. As he resurfaced the seas was heaving as a immense storm wracked them. He struggled to keep afloat, feeling himself loose himself in the storm. Memories drifting away with the currents and identity drowning in the high waves.
It felt like he was there for an eternity, fighting to keep himself together. He knew that he was loosing. He could no remember growing up, parts of his training and fond memories of friends gradually washing away. He tried to reach for them but it only made him sink beneath the surface. Coming up again, he no longer remembered anything…..except….Her.
All his memories of her came flooding through his mind. How they had studied magic and fighting together, how they had laughed together, fought together…..been together.
Then those memories started to disappear as well, the waves carrying them away.
Her smell…
Her touch…
Her smile…
He tried desperately to hold on to them, not caring that in doing so he sunk deeper and deeper. Just before the last of him dissolved completely he called out to her, putting all of his emotions and soul into his wish to be with her.
And from the depths, he heard her call to him. Immediately his mind returned to him and he started swimming in the direction he knew she was. When he felt her close, he reached out, feeling her hands finding his, both of them drawing the other close and holding on.
Anni looked at him with tears in her eyes.
“I thought I was going to loose you. I tried to reach you in time to save you but…”
He kissed her before she could say anything more.
“You made it. You got to me in time.”
She threw her arms around him and kissed him, he returning the kiss, both holding on to the only thing in their worlds they could always rely on. Each other.
They didn’t even notice that the ocean around them where mixing, strands of blue and red starting to move around them like smoke. It moved faster and faster until two vortexes spun into being. Each moved and centred on one of the dragonlings, this causing them to throw their heads back and scream as the two seas of power rushed into them. They stood there, holding each other and screaming as power beyond their imagination rushed into them.
Their eyes ablaze with the magic cursing through them their memories rushed back as well. And with them came other things as well. They saw their paths.
From youngest years to the end, they both saw and knew. Then it all stopped and they found two small children standing in front of them holding hands. The children smiled at them before turning away and running together laughing towards two large shapes far of in the distance. Just before the vision faded, they saw the shapes clearly. It was only for a second but it was enough.
Dragons.

Nacre came to again. His throat and lungs burned from lack of air and he was colder then ever before in his life. He realised he had been dying. He got up slowly noticing the scales that now covered a much larger part of him, his wings felt bigger, his tail longer and he felt taller.
The warriors that had just been about to hack into him backed away in surprise and fear.
He could hear the lord of the castle screaming at the mages to kill him.
He heard the mages starting to chant in unison. He recognized the spell. An all out attack of magical energy that overwhelmed anything weaker. If he were hit by it, he would just disappear as if he had never been.
He looked up just in time to see the mages finish, the last words drowning in the roar of the spell.
He saw the guards scrambling to get out of the way as the long snake-like energy beam started moving across the courtyard towards him.
He stared directly into its “eyes” and saw destruction beyond comparison.
He raised his arms in front of him, feeling the power cursing through him flowing out through them to form a shield.
He braced himself against the hit but it still nearly threw him into the wall. At some point, his feet had grown into paws with long claws and they now dug into the pavement, keeping him upright. He couldn’t see anything beyond the shield he had raised and the immeasurable energies that now completely covered it.
The wall behind and to the sides of him had turned to slag, melting and running in streams around his feet.
He was still being pushed back.
He drew on more energy, bending it to his will and feeding it into the shield.
There was nothing else now, just this endless struggle.
The only sound the magic screaming as it fought to break through.
The only sight being the shield and the chaos it kept out.
The only feeling being himself resisting it.
Time ceased to exist.

The pond exploded around Anni, the water boiling away in an instant as she rose, magical energy playing along her form. She saw the endless snake of pure magical energy coming from just in front of the mages and ending at the wall that was now just a big melted hole.
She felt him in there.
Roaring with enough power to be heard over the spell she raised her hands above her head. Suddenly the sky turned dark with storm clouds gathering and swirling above her. Anni roared again, louder this time and this time the sky answered her. From the middle of the swirling clouds a massive bolt of lightning shoot out, aiming directly for the castle and her. As the bolt reached her, she let one arm drop and used the other to catch it, melding it to her will and transforming it to a ball fully one meter in diameter. Men ran for their lives as she lifted one foot-turned-claw-tipped-paw out of the water and drew her arm back for a throw.
The mages was too far into their spell to notice her. When they saw the sphere of crackling energy rushing against them, burning everything in its way to ash and digging a furrow across the courtyard it was already to late.
Any protection spells in effect was overwhelmed immediately. The mages didn’t even have time to scream before the ball exploded and burnt them all to cinders.
Anni started running towards the place she knew her mate would be. The courtyard had been cleared, the ones not dead or dying had fled. She saw him as his shield collapsed inward, down on one knee and breathing heavily.
She screamed his name as she ran.

Nacre looked up as he heard his mate call out to him, he smiled and begun to rise, intent on catching her in his arms.
Then he saw the army of the castle still manning the walls, over a hundred of them still. She hadn’t noticed them as she ran towards him with her back towards them. The archers were aiming for her. He had only a little magic left now. Even though he had survived the test and gained that power, he still couldn’t control much of it.
He drew on the last he had, letting it flow into his arms as before but now working it in a different way. As he crouched down and dipped each hand into the melted rock running at his feet he shouting to her to get down.

Anni heard her mate’s desperate call to her but more then that she heard the officer on the wall ordering the archers to fire.
She was also almost out of energy but she managed to throw up a weak shield and she threw herself behind a partly burnt wagon.

As he saw her duck behind the wagon, Nacre rose, using his magic and will to shape the lava at his feet into two long whips. With a scream and a curse, he lashed out with both, drawing on more lava and magic to extend them so that they raced the whole length of the wall at waist height, burning through all that occupied it.
When the whips reached the ends of the wall, he let go of the magic sustaining them. Looking around himself, he saw that the whole castle was littered with corpses.
Then his gaze met hers and he smiled. He reached out with one arm towards her, his mouth forming silent words.
Then his eyes closed and he dropped to the ground.

Anni tried to scream as she saw him fall but the only sound her throat could make was a coarse whisper. She tried standing up to run over to him but she had used up to much energy and her legs wouldn’t carry her.
With tears in her eyes, she started crawling towards him. As she reached him, she took his hand in hers, pulled herself close to him, laid her head on his chest and started to cry. After a while, she stopped though and a spark of hope could be seen in her eyes before a gentle smile made her face light up. Then she to closed her eyes.


The children sat on the floor of the inn, all their attention on the storyteller. He was covered from head to foot in a large cloak that hid his features; even so, he seemed to give of an aura of friendliness. He had come in before dark asking for food for his journey and offering to pay with a story. The innkeeper had told him that he would listen to the stranger’s story and then decide if it was worth the food.
There must have been some kind of magic in the air because when the stranger started telling the story everyone felt like they were living in it. They thought they could see the castle and when the stranger came to Anni’s last great spell they all jumped as they could have swore they heard her roar.
When the storyteller fell silent and everyone understood the story was over the inn erupted into a loud cheer. The innkeeper sent out one of the maids to the kitchen with orders to get two sacks of food, the agreed upon payment.
The storyteller made his way over to bar with the children swarming around him demanding to know what happened next in the story.
After reaching the counter and receiving the food from the smiling innkeeper, he turned to them and bent down.
“That’s were the story ends. I haven’t heard anything else about them.”
“But they didn’t die right? They couldn’t have!”
The storyteller turned to the girl who had said that and even though no one could see his face, they could tell from his voice that he was smiling.
“Well I don’t know. I guess to be sure you will have to find out yourself one day.”
“I will! I will become a great ranger some day and find them!”
The storyteller laughed at this and ruffled her hair a bit before rising and walking towards the door. Just before he was about to step out into the night he turned his head back towards the little girl.
“What’s your name?”
“Emmy.”
“Well then Emmy, if you truly want to become a ranger then I’ll give you some advice. Find Itarna Amastine and ask her to teach you. Tell her The Blue One sent you.”
And with that, he was gone.