(OOC: I need a fighter and a dragon for this, everyone can be audience :lol)

A familiar wind carried Kuya and his dragon Ryu into Tara arena. Ryu was an ancient dragon. Few of his specie remained in Imythess. Ryu was named after the great dragon transformer of ages ago. In a time where dragons still roamed the land. Kuya ahd the urge for a draconic battle. The dragons would perform as the fighter's steed. It would be a normal battle except...the warriors would be riding dragons. Kuya had nailed a piece of paper to the wooden board outside the entrance doors to the stadium. He invited and warrior brave enough to fight an ancient dragon.

The duo flew into the arena silently and expertly. Kuya had on his full plate armor, underneath his mythril chain. He had his holy broadsword as a weapon that day because his dragon would be doing most of the damage to the opponent, but if they got close enough...Kuya would strike. In his other hand was his shield. He was wearing the helmet given to him by dragon riders long ago after rescuing them when they were in trouble on their crusade.

Kuya dismounted his dragon and soothed his body. "Come Ryu, be patient. Hopefully someone will come. I have not had a battle like this in a long time." Kuya said as Ryu was letting out load roars that echoed over Tara arena. It was a small chance that someone would come. He knew no one that had a dragon except for those little faerie and pseudo breed.

Astalder had never actually watched a battle before. He thought he could perhaps learn something from it. He came for entertainment also. As he walked into the stadium, he saw a great dragon. It was very large and seemed old. It looked very powerful indeed. He saw someone on the dragon's back but could not tell who it was. He strained his vision and saw his old freind, Kuya. A smile played across his face. He knew this would not be any ordinary battle. He walked to the bottom of the stadium and shouted out.

"Hello Kuya! Quite a nice dragon you have their!! I think you're missing a key element to this fight, though. An opponent!" Astalder laughed heartily at his own joke. "Good luck freind! I'll be watching!"

Astalder ran up the stps to a good distance where the dragon and Kuya were at about eye level. He sat down and watched to see if anyone would join him, or possibly if anyone would challenge Kuya.

Lyrka had seen the fliers posted about the city and, after a long debate with her inner self, had decided to come.
Upon entering the arena she found that there weren’t many people there, just one or two members of the audience and Kuya himself, perched atop the ancient dragon.
“Come this way Corvin and do stay close.” Her command was spoken at nothing louder than a whisper as she made her way up the steps to find a suitable seat for herself.

‘But Ly!’ whined the adult pseudodragon that glided after her, flapping his wings every now and than to stay aloft. ‘I want to fight’

She paused on the steps, briefly thinking that it would be far easier if she’d let her wings remain out but Corvin’s comment caught her attention. She turned, careful not to dislodge the younger pseudodragon resting on her shoulders. “Try it and you’ll find out just how bad my temper really is,” she warned, before turning back and continuing up the stairs. “Besides, you aren’t even as big as his head, you’d not last very long against him and I have no wish to see you hurt.”
Her silver gaze scanned the rows ahead before she picked one that would give them a good view, she noting that there was an elf sitting in the row as well. She settled down, fixing her dark blue skirts so that they wouldn’t get wrinkled and then she glanced around her.

“I thought that there would be more people,” she admitted out loud, apparently to the two pseudodragons.

Astalder turned his head as he heard footsteps, and some one come up to the row he was in. As soon as he did he immediatly ducked as a pseudodragon swooped over him.

Astalder chuckled, "Peppy little fella', isn't he? Nice to meet you m'am." Astalder stretched out his arm to shake her hand. "What brings you to this event?"

Astalder looked back down at Kuya and his grat dragon.

((OOC: Sorry this was so short, hit a writer's block :/ ))

Zero had entered this stadium and right when he walked in, he was amazed at what he had seen in the middle of the feild. A dragon. A very huge gigantic dragon. He had seen someone taming the dragon, he looked at this person though he wasnt sure who it was. A few steps closer and eyed Kuya taming this dragon. Zero thought to himself, " man this guy is one crazy strong guy. Taming a dragon, man thats gotta be cool to do somthing like that." Zero shouted and waved at Kuya, "Kuya, I'll be your 1% of your audience, its nice to see you again!" as the his shout echoed the entire feild. Zero found these steps leading up to the bleachers. He decided to sit next to Lyrka, though she was the only person he knew there, the other was a part of the same Guild as he was.
"Hello Lyrka, how are you?" as he greeted her and sat beside her.


((OCC: YES, i got my CCS :P )

Kuya looked up to see that a familiar face had entered the arena. "Why hello Astalder, and yes I do want an opponent, but I know none that are dragon riders as I so call it. The only ones I knew were back in my first home. I hope to find an opponent." as Kuya finished saying this another being came into the the Arena.

No...it could not be... Kuya thought to himself, as the commanding woman entered the stadium with her two pseudodragons. Lyrka...no...way... Kuya thought again. Many things were racing through his mind. Was that the same Lyrka? The one that I had met a long time ago?.....She has changed so much... Kuya was about to walk up and talk to her when Zero entered through the entrance way.

"I hope that someone comes to start the show with me, but none have arrived. So it will be a waste of time for everyone if no one comes to challenge me. But nonetheless it is nice to see you as well." Kuya said as he watched Zero go up the stands. He said the name Lyrka...

“He is,” she agreed as she turned to look to Astalder. “He acts like a 5 year old human child.” Lyrka shook her head though a faint smile had stretched across it and she reached out and shook his hand.
“Honestly? I’m not completely sure why I decided to come,” she glanced over to where Kuya was out of the corner of her eye before looking back to Astalder. “Just to pass the time I guess. What about you?”

As Zero entered and then sat down beside her, she turned and smiled a little. “Hello Zero, good I suppose... Actually, much better than the last time we met though I have the healers to thank for that. How’re you?”

At that moment Corvin jumped up from where he was perched on the seat in front of her, taking to the air again. ‘Did you hear that Ly?’ He presented her with a dragonish grin. ‘He said that if no one comes it’ll be a waste of time! That’s why I should fight!’ This time the pseudodragon’s voice echoed through everyone’s minds instead of just Lyrka’s.

Lyrka shook her head, a few strands of short pale hair falling into her face but she pushed them back absently. “Corvin,” she started, fixing him with a look of warning. “Stop! You will not fight so sit back down and behave!”

Muttering under his breath but looking abashed, Corvin sank back down into the seat he’d taken, curling up while still muttering.

ooc- lol, it's alright Astalder, I get writers block all the time

Astalder smiled at the energetic pet. Sometimes to would get so incredibly lonely on long trips, such as the one to here. Corvin would be the perfect cure. When Zero arrived Astalder shook his hand. He had seen Zero before at the Thanksgiving Day Feast, and he was a fellow guild member.

"You must excuse me, I've forgotten my manners. My name is Astalder." he paused before he went on. "Well I've come to see me first fight here. I've never actually sat and watched and two people dueled. I always just hoped that it wouldn't get serious. This one, if anyone choses to show up, should be quite interesting. Even if no one shows up, I'm sure we could conversate with Kuya." He looked over at Kuya with a devilish smile, not evil, just a "I know something you don't know" smile. He looked back at Lyrka. "When you entered he looked like he was speechless. Possibly why he hadn't said anything when you came in."

Kuya knew that Astalder and Zero recognized him, but he hoped that the woman had not. He wore his hero's plated mask to cover his face. He then walked towards the steps, and climbed the flight of stairs. He had heard the dragon speak of wanting to fight. As he climbed up he kept making eye-contact with the little dragon. He reached Lyrka and the dragon and reached out a hand to touch the little dragon. "For one so little, you have a brave heart." Kuya said fondly. It reminded him of himself when he was a child in his home kingdom. He had gotten into so much trouble. Down below Ryu got bored and laid down, sleeping.

Zero responded back to Lyrka, " Im doing great. I hoped they did a good job on healing you at the Hall. Oh and the last time we met was a little freaky. I would never have thought to pass by an injured woman in my life, so yeah it was a little strange."

Zero had shaken Astalders hand back. "Aren't you in Kuya's Guild. I thought I saw you at the feast?" Zero questioned. "Why do you think Kuya isnt talking much to Lyrka, did something happen between the two?" He questioned him again.


This whole dragon event made Zero actually want a dragon. He didnt really have any skill with taming animals like dragons ( huge animals). He hoped that someone would come to duel with Kuya so that he could watch something exciting for once. He really hasn't had any entertainment since he was a 16 year old. *I wonder how long this would last* Zero thought to himself.

"Indeed I was at the feast." then he lowered to a whisper since Kuya was very near him. "No, not like that. He seemed like he knew her but hid himself from her like he was almost embarrased." He sat back in his seat properly and turned to Kuya. "So freind," he stressed freind, making he clear he knew Kuya wanted his identity hidden. "What have you been up to since we had last met?" He looked back down at the dragon that seemed to be sleeping. It was bored and he couldn't blame him, no one seemed to want to challenge Kuya...

"Oooooh." Zero nodded his head up then down as he said.
"Well I havent really been up to anything just getting into some trouble here and there- but I dont intend to get in trouble. I just get in a little conflict with some evil beings." He responded. Zero saw Lyrka and her pet arguing about fighting Kuya in a duel with his dragon.
He looked up at the golden bright sky and knew somthing was about to happen.

“I’m Lyrka and these are my two companions Corvin,” she waved a hand towards where the older, adult pseudodragon lay. “And Aerona,” she motioned towards the younger dragon sleeping on her shoulders. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Astalder,” she gave him a little smile before looking to Zero and nodding. “Thankfully they did do a good healing, otherwise I’d still be feeling all those wounds.” She shook her head and chuckled at the thought.

She turned her silvery gaze to Kuya as he approached, watching as he spoke to Corvin. Her look seemed to say ‘How could you just leave like you did?’.. It was a look of one almost betrayed but then she looked away, letting her gaze shift towards other things like the sky and she studied it and its relatively bright coloring. Kuya seemed to think she didn’t recognize him, but he was wrong, she’d known exactly who he was though even Zero and Astalder seemed to be trying to make it so she didn’t know.

Corvin looked up to Kuya as he spoke but didn’t move from his seat; after being told by Ly to stay with a warning, he wasn’t about to move. He grinned at him, ‘I’m very brave!’ And he puffed out his chest.

Astalder smiled when she finished "The pleasure is all mine." Soon his smile turned to a worried look. Even though Lyrka was facing Kuya and all he could see was the back of her head, he sensed tension. He dropped the act and gave Kuya an unsure look, shrugging. His attention then turned Aerona, who seemed to be getting butt out of the comotion. He felt sympathetic for the small pseudodragon. It seemed Corvin was getting all the attention. "So, how old is Aerona. Old enough to speak yet?" he spoke quitely, but louder than a whisper, so to not awake the small pseudodragon.

A girl, covered in a cloak, carefully entered the arena, looking at the large dragon in intrest. She grinned, then walked over, waving to it, trying to get it to react obviously, though it was not evident why she would. She murmured something to the ancient beast, something that sounded vaguely like. "Hi! My name's Loki!" She paused, then, head tilted slightly to one side, then turned to Kuya.

"I'd be happy to try to fight, but I don't have a partner, as you do." She grinned, showing a row of sharp teeth, and tugged off her cloak, walking over to the far side of the arena and tossing it onto the wall, then walked back. "Hopefully someone else will come soon." She grinned, black scales rippling across her skin as she shifted form, returning to her true shape.

Her wings stretched fairly far-but not even half as far as those of the elder dragon. She grinned again-if a dragon can be said to grin, that is. In a way it was endearing. In another...rather disturbing.

She sat down on her haunches, tail curling around her feet, and smiled at the paladin. "My name is Loki."

"Astalder I have been trying to get my dragon ready for a decnet bout, but as you see no one has come, and I believe Ryu is getting very restless." Kuya said looking down once again. The little dragon spoke to him in a small but proud voice. "I knoew you are little one, maybe we shall fight when you are a little older." Kuya said smiling.

Behind his mask, Kuya was looking for a memory he had with Lyrka. It took him a while but something caught his attention while searching in his mind for a memory. It was the desert rose. He had given Lyrka one while she was asleep. She asked him for one before turning in for the night. So Kuya left the inn they were staying in, and flew to the side of a deep cliff where the rose grew on Anduril, his other dragon. He hoped that Lyrka would not remember him, he did not know why, but they changed to much for each other's sake.

Another being entered the arena. She seemed very friendly and Kuya walked up to her. "Why, nice to meet you loki. My name is Kuya. And I too wish someone would come, or it would only prove that there are no dragons in Imythess. And that would be an odd thing, for I believe them to be the most useful creatures." Kuya said his name a bit quieter than he had meant to.

Zero saw a girl enter the stadium and went up to her to greet her. "Hello there, my name is Zero. Have you come to challenge Kuya with his dragon or are you here to be part of the audience?" He asked curiously. Zero liked Kuya's and Lyrka's pets they were amazing animals that Zero never really saw in person. As ppl came, they were basically the audience so Zero's boredom grew as no one had shown up to challenge Kuya. Zero wanted to actually see this event with his own two eyes so he didnt leave the stadium cause someone might actually show up.

“She’s near a year old,” Lyrka replied in answer to Astalder’s question. “She won’t get to much bigger though, Corvin happens to be large for being a pseudodragon and he really isn’t that big.” She shrugged but managed a smile. As Loki entered she watched her, interest alight in her eyes as she saw her change. A true dragon.. Now this should be interesting, she thought with a nod but then moved her gaze away as Kuya began to speak with her.

“Corvin m’dear, I need you to fetch something for me.” She said suddenly as she looked down to where Corvin was sitting. As he looked up at her, she let him inside her mind and presented him with a picture of what she wanted and where it was. “Think you can get it for me?”

‘Of course!’ He announced, rising up into the air once more and hovering before her.
“Thank you love,” she smiled at him and placed a kiss on his scaly snout before he flew off. She watched him till he disappeared before she let her gaze return to the arena floor where the two dragons and Kuya stood.

Astalder smiled at the young pseudodragon. He wathed as Loki ran up the steps. He had never seen a half dragon half human before. He turned back to Kuya.

"Indeed your dragon seems built. But how it's looking now it almost seems like a waste of time. Unless you can find someone with the spell Draconic Power, then you might possibly have a taker." Astalder shrugged.

He unsheathed Poika Sakkamen Eket and put the point on the ground resting his hands and chin on the handle. He stared looking at the Ancient dragon. For some reason he looked familiar. He couldn't quite put his finger on it though. Why does he look so............ No... No it couldn't be. Astalder had a flash back. He was at The Shore and he was playing his harp to a distant dragon. He saw Lilith come up in front of him as he played. She held his hand and they played to the the flying dragon. He shook his head and he was back at the Taras Arena. He turned to Kuya.

"Kuya, were you training Ryu somewhere near The Shore about 2-3 weeks ago. Possibly on an island or even on the other side?" He waited a reply anxiously.

Loki sighed, pulling her wings close to her back, and tilted her head slightly to one side as she regarded Kuya. "There aren't that many of us that are tame, but I have met a few others. One is of my own breed." Her last set of words was spoken with more hate than anything. "She's a nasty piece of work too...Gives black dragons a bad reputation..."

She bared her teeth for a moment, snarling. "She's a monster...Well...not really, but I suppose you know what I mean...right?" Her head swiveled on her neck to look at Zero, and she grinned agin, showing sharp teeth. "If there was a second fighter here I would. No matter how terrible it might be for my health."

She paused, then curled up by the wall, watching the entrance for a fighter, and rather annoyed that none present had enough guts to try.

"Then I suppose you will have to prove your own worth by bringing up an already dirty reputation," came a solid, deep voice from the entrance hall. The telltale clanking of platemail followed the statement as Jarreth stepped forward into the arena. His armor glinted in the sunlight, at least those pieces that were touched by the light. His cloak fell backward to cover the latter half of himself to the back of the knee, that material being pressed down by his heavy crossbow. A small bulge was present as well, a mark on the material denoting a strange black horn hidden beneath. Deep blue eyes peered outward from the slot of a thick helmet while the knight evaluated the creature curled by the wall. He was shocked to see the likes of dragons in the arena, but he was no stranger to the beasts. The Legion of White Souls had a problem with a dragon, once. An ice dragon, but a noble lizard regardless. The memory was unpleasant, but a memory strong enough to keep his fear hidden well. Besides, this particular dragon was speaking, the larger behind Kuya tame, and a preplanned event had been announced.

Shifting his glance back and forth between the black dragon and Kuya for a moment, he spoke again. "As for a second fighter, I had believed that one of the many gathered would have volunteered already. It is a rare event to ride atop a dragon, at least without the likely possibility of being eaten directly after."

Adjusting a strap on his left gauntlet he added, "Though I suppose I am the fortunate one to step forward for approval. Shall none other present be willing to fulfill the requirements of the duel, I will attempt to spar in that place. This is assuming both parties agree." He looked directly at Kuya for a moment then back to the black dragon, making it clear that he would not participate unless it was a consensual appointment.

Kuya smiled. "No, but I did fly over the shores sixteen days ago on my other dragon, Anduril. Maybe that is what you saw my friend. No, I train my dragons in Shavarrath, a place where no one goes to anymore besides I. Or I have seen no others there. I hope that none of you go there, it is a desolate and horrid place to look at in some parts." as Kuya said this, a familiar comrade entered the arena.

Kuya was confused by Jarreth's approval. "Jarreth, I am having a hard time understanding. Do you wish to fight my dragon and I? because you know I will not allow an unfair match, so you should not even ask." Kuya said, a twinkle of friendliness could be seen from his eyes through the open spot on his helmet.

Ryu looked up. He surveyed the Jarreth up and down with only his eyes moving. He merely looked up and put his head back down again seeing that there was no other dragon. Or no dragon worthy of fighting him. He needed a dragon at least three-fourth his size, to consider it a challenge worty of all the training Ryu has done.

"Would Anduril happen to look just like Ryu, just possibly a different color, or something that wouldn't be able to be noticed by sunset off in the distance?" Astalder was anxious to know. If it was the same dragon maybe he could play the song again to see if Anduril would recognize it. He then saw a man who he had seen at the feast. He had come in injured. His name was Jarreth from what he had heard. He nodded his head towards Jarreth, aknowledging his pressance. Finally their would possibly be a duel on dragon's. This would be a fight, ought not to miss. He looked at Loki, then to Jarreth. Then he looked at Ryu, then to Kuya. A smile played across his lips.

"At one time I wondered, Kuya, what type of man you were," Jarreth responded when Astalder had finished asking his question. He met the man's gaze for a moment with a nod. Returning his attention to Kuya, he continued. "Regardless of your statements and your intentions, I had wondered what truley resided within you. To decide that would require combat, which I have never seen you deal with or participate in. Now I no longer wonder."

His head rotated slightly to evaluate the black dragon once more. He felt badly for the comparatively tiny but willing creature. A white glow began to shimmer from his sheath, but Jarreth ignored the brilliant energy that tended to engulf the item. He bowed slightly, nowhere near a typical and formal military style he was accustomed to, and then turned to face the audience and black dragon, giving a full bow.

"For you see," he said as he faced Kuya while still angled toward the crowd, "size is the least important factor in a fight. Those traits God-given can only be altered to some extent. Muscles may get bigger, but none get taller or shorter. There are greater things, those that cannot be calculated by tilting a neck up or down. It is those things that are given without limit and without restraint. Honor, courage, persistance, and compassion: all possessed by even the smallest. I bid you luck in finding your 'fair' match, Kuya."

Turning away from the Guild Leader and the audience, he began his trek out of the arena circle. Stopping one step before entering the shadowed hallway, he called behind him without looking back: "I apologize and hope that you do not take the disrespect shown to heart, black dragon. You have earned my respect by accepting a challenge regardless of those physical judgements that all are subject to. You have displayed yourself as a dragon ten times larger than those spoken of in history. May you be blessed."

Gossamer strands of light filtered out and away from Jarreth and encased themselves over the black dragon in a loose web before fading from view. It was a blessing to inspire hope, courage, and help ensure well-being. He then disappeared from view down the corridor, ignoring any noise or voices that were to follow.

Lyrka watched the happenings silently from her seat, she shaking her head as Jarreth left. And then she rose, being careful not to knock the sleeping Aerona from her perch, and she made her way down the steps until she’d come to the rail that kept her from going into the arena itself.
“Shame on you Kuya!” She announced, once more shaking her head with disapproval on her face.. Not that she thought her disapproval would bother him much. “You say no to a challenge simply because you think them to small! You should know better than that.” She seemed to almost be scolding him as she would Corvin when he was bad, how odd.

She turned to look at the black dragon, a small smile stretching across her face. “If you do get to fight in the end, I have confidence in you Miss Loki. You’re brave to want to take on an ancient dragon.”

(OOC: Sorry for long wait...Christmas season :D )

"Anduril...looks almost nothing like Ryu, you can tell they are almost the same type of dragon, but Anduril is...different, you must meet his to see for yourself." Kuya said to Astalder.

"In every thought of my being, Jarreth is not small. It is just for this battle, I want my competitor to have a dragon fight alongside of him. That is the kind of fight I have been craving for a long time now. I am sorry if you took it that way, but I am in no word possible calling Jarreth to 'small' to fight." Kuya hid the expression that Lyrka remembered who he was for another time. "If you do believe size does not matter, if you will, then why do you not let your peudodragon fight..." Kuya said knowing that he had left Lyrka speechless.

Kuya spread his wings and flew down to Ryu and said: "My friend, I see that no one has arrived for us to duel with a dragon. What would you want us to do, I am sure that you are probably more bored than I am." Kuya said with a smile.

Loki's courage had been bolstered by the bless spell, and she watched the strands dance around her with wide eyes, her jaw open slightly and her eyes showing absolute glee at the enchantment-not at it's effect, but at how it looked.

She watched Jarreth leave, a little sad, but still grinning her faint draconic grin. "Thank you..."

She was even happier at the support that she was getting from these complete strangers, and her grin went wider. "Thank you as well...You're quite kind, I hope you know that..."

She paused then stood, and padded over to Kuya, a little miffed. "You could fight me once a human or elven or some kind of fighter comes to help. I'm not scared of him." Her eyes flickered to the larger dragon, and her tail twitched slightly, belying the faint sense of fear that she actually did feel.