Ace Hunters

[Ignis_Scientia2010]

Asharda sighed as he asked if that dragon was tame. 'No, it wasn't...well, not completely. That one has been to the mainland a few times so it was used to people' she told him. 'Not like you care anyway...you hate us, remember' she scolded. She turned to face him as she began to shrink. Her wings completely disappeared and she straightened herself to stand on two legs, looking like a normal person. "Recognize me now?" she asked him, crossing her arms.

[Calida Blaize]

Ace stumbled back, dumbstruck.
"Y-y-y-you?!" he stammered, "You're....." He leaned against a rock, about to collapse without it. He stared at her, "Who are you?!" he demanded, struggling to keep his voice from cracking.

[Ignis_Scientia2010]

Asharda glared at him, doing her best not to hit him. "My name is Asharda.....and, as you've seen, I am the dragon that you thought kidnapped me" she told him. "My mother was a half-dragon, like I am. She left for the mainland one day and never came back. I've lived here by myself ever since.....until YOU showed up and took me away" she snapped at him. She walked over to him, still glaring at him. "Now, if you don't mind, I'll take back those two treasure bags you stole from me AND the other treasure you took from me."

[Calida Blaize]

"I don't have your treasure!" Ace spat, glaring at her. He had to resist the urge not to punch her, because she was a dragon who could easily kill him since he had no weapon. He hoped she would believe him, because he had dropped everything to chase after her to take her to the capital.

[Ignis_Scientia2010]

Asharda glared at him furiously. She grabbed him by the front of his shirt, picking him up and slamming him against the cave wall. "Where is it?!" she shouted. She knew he had it when they were in the inn. "If you lost it, so help me I will skin you alive!" she threatened.

[Calida Blaize]

"I don't have it!" Ace yelled, "I lost it! So what? You still have most of your hoard, and you can get more!" He hated to admit to himself that he was afraid of her. He shook this thought from his head and glared at her.

[Ignis_Scientia2010]

She growled at him, shoving him against the rock before walking around her cave. She ran a hand through her long hair out of frustration. "Some of that was some of the very first things I started collecting, and the rest of that was my mother's! There is sentimental value to that, understand!" she yelled at him. She sat down on a rock, her back towards him, trying to calm herself down before she hurt him.

[Calida Blaize]

Ace ran from the cave, closing his eyes to keep the sun from damaging them. He blinked and waited for his eyes to adjust. Then he saw a dragon flying around another island a ways off in the distance. How can I see that? He asked himself. He had no answer. He thought about how that green dragon had obeyed him, how his will was known. That didn't help. He thought to how he had flown, he wished he had wings of his own so he could find the treasure he took. He closed his eyes, and collapsed. A large weight was crushing him into dust. He looked up and saw nothing, yet something was hurting him. He screamed in pain, and he saw the island the dragon was flying around, he felt himself flying. He turned and faced the island he was standing on and flew towards it, large leather wings carrying him. A man, who was lying on the ground and writhing in pain. Ace recognized it as himself, and the man stood, his eyes closed as if he were sleeping. All pain seemed to be gone from his body.

Ace opened his eyes as a black dragon landed at the mouth of the cave. It was larger than the one he had flown earlier. He glared at it, the object of all his hatred since the killing of his family. He loathed it, but he couldn't put his heart into producing rage, for the dragon was an answered prayer. A way to the mainland so he could find Asharda's treasure. He cautiously approached the dragon, who shifted and snorted smoke from its nostrils, but made no move to attack. Ace climbed onto its back, clinging tightly to its crest. He closed his eyes and saw the mountain. He unfolded his leathery wings and took flight, headed towards the mainland. Ace then opened his eyes and relaxed, wondering how he had done that. He looked to the ocean and tried to command his horse in the same way. 'We're too far away for you to sense him, Ace,' the dragon said in Ace's mind.

"You know my name?" Ace asked, flabbergasted.

'Yes. I have been to the mainland and heard the rumors and stories about the mighty Ace Dragonsclaw, and I'm surprised to feel his mind, since he hated my kind so...'

"Are you half-dragon, like Asharda?"

'Asharda? I have never heard of her... But no, I am full dragon. I speak the same as an elf, though the elf has a voice and can speak with their mouths, but the premise is the same.... I can speak by natural right.'

"Oh. So how did I control you?"

'I left my mind open, and you have strong powers... Half-elf or more, I'd say'

"I have nothing to do with elves! They are practically dragons! And why would I suddenly have this power?"

'Because you are Ace Dragonsclaw... The master of necessity. That is why you don't often use magic... Because you see no need for it. This was your first time needing to control a dragon without touching it.'

"And the pain?"

'There are dark forces at work. Try summoning your horse now.'

Ace stretched out his mind, concentrating on his horse. He felt many deer, wondering how he could recognize them, and how he could do this at all, as if he had done it his whole life. He felt a white stallion and entered its mind. He felt a dragon's head on his back, along with some canteens and a few bags. He turned and ran, hooves pounding, towards the cliff. He recognized it from when he had chased after Asharda, and he stopped as before he reached the edge. He looked out at the ocean and saw the dragon. The horse felt a wave of panic, and Ace struggled to keep a grip on it, as if he were riding it. He did not wish to be bucked out of its mind. He juggled the horse's mind and the dragon's, trying to control both at once, until the dragon landed. Ace then slid off and ran to the horse. He removed the canteens and bags, wondering why no one had stolen them. Then he relized that he was nowhere near other people, and that there was no one to steal them. The horse was also smart enough to stay away from people besides Ace. Ace then climbed onto the dragon and let the horse go. The horse spooked as the dragon took off and flew to the island. He landed near the mouth of the cave and sent the dragon away, not wanting Asharda to kill it. He then ran into the cave, yelling, "I got the treasure back for you!"

[Ignis_Scientia2010]

Asharda had been up all night after Ace left, waiting to see if he would come back. It was early the next morning when she felt the presence of another dragon outside of her cave. She stood, ready for another fight, but he never came in. Ace came running in, saying he had her treasure. She ran over to him and took the bags from him, setting back on her rock and opening one of them. She pulled out a jewel-handled dagger and held it close to her, as if she was hugging it. She put it back in her bag and looked through the others, making sure everything was still there.

[Calida Blaize]

Ace collapsed onto a pile of treasure, exhausted. He fell asleep almost immediately. He was a breathing corpse as he dreamed.

He dreamed of his sister. She landed a dragon near him and smiled as she slid from its back. Her ears were pointed, and she wore a light blue cloak, the traditional garb of the elves.

"I'm sorry I did not contact you, brother," she said.

"I wish I could find you," Ace replied.

"I am living with the elves. I was chosen for my great power with dragons. I am using this power to speak with you."

"You have power over dragons?"

"As do you."

"I... No. I don't."

"Then explain why a black dragon came flying here, your thoughts controlling him."

"I refuse to believe that I have power over them."

"I believe that you always have. Even when we played as children, I could tell you had a great power. Come to the elves."

"No! I have to go to the arena soon!"

"I shall not allow it. You won't wake up until you agree to it." She then disappeared, leaving Ace in a world of darkness. He reached inside him for the magic that he had used to control the dragons, but it wasn't there. He didn't want to give in, he only hoped that Asharda could save him. His mind screamed for her, hoping she'd hear.

[Princessa_de_la_Heartless]

Human Form
Dragon Form

Name: Isabella
Age: 17
Race: Half-dragon
Skin color: White
Eye color: Grey
Hair color: White-blonde
Favorite color(s): Silver, black, grey
Hobbies: Exploring the ice lands and making treasure
Likes: Flying, exploring, meeting new people, fighting, training
Dislikes: Humans, wolves
Weaknesses: Reacts violently to unknown dragons invading her territory.
Strengths: Has tough skin that's hard to pierce, sharp claws, sharp teeth
Phobias: Spiders
Bio: When Isabella was eight, she was the princess of an ice kingdom. She was exiled when it was discovered that she was a half-dragon, and her mother fled with her. Unfortunately, the king sent a pack of trained wolves and soldiers to kill the queen. Isabella was unable to change into a dragon in time to save her. Since then, she has held a grudge against humans and wolves. She often flies to the mainland, where her father fled, to terrorize villages in hopes of killing him. His fate is unknown to her. She also explores islands in hopes of raiding another dragon's hoard, though she can make jewels with her powers which came from her human father. Her mother was a half-dragon. Isabella is an icescale, famous for breathing both fire and ice.

[Princessa_de_la_Heartless]

Isabella walked about her ice cave, her own fortress. She smiled at the jewels she'd created, which were seperated from the gathered treasure. The smile fell from her face as she realized she was about to leave. Yes. She had to. The icelands were running out of food, and dragon was now on the menu for both humans and other dragons. Isabella grabbed the treasure she held most dear, her crown, the furs of wolves, the crowns which had previously belonged to her mother, and the best of the jewels she had created. She thought again and tossed them back. She could make more later. She grabbed multiple daggers, shields, and swords she had collected from knights, various figurines, and her favorite item of all, her silver bracelet.

The bracelet was two inches thick, and it was carved intricately to resemble a dragon. She pressed it to her bicep, and the bracelet moved to curl its tail around her arm. It yawned, and Isabella took a small golden chain and hooked it to its front feet so it didn't fall off. The dragon was warm against her skin and it slept peacefully as Isabella packed everything she had chosen and slung it over her shoulder, tying it so it wouldn't fall off. She smiled and walked out of the cave. A dragon roared as it spotted her and took off, charging. Isabella could easily defeat it, but she chose flight, changing into a dragon and flying towards the mainland. She smiled as the salty breeze hit her fox-like face. her white fur and feathers keeping her warm. She flew as fast as she could, until she reached the mainland. She then continued flying, slowing as she reached the coast. She landed on a beach and looked around her, her eyes adjusting to the darkness that was setting in. A few villagers came at her, spears in hand, and she took off towards a small island, the furthest she could fly to before she collapsed from exhaustion.

She noticed a cave and entered it, projecting her peaceful intentions and nervousness out to anyone who happened to be here.

[Ignis_Scientia2010]

Asharda felt another dragon enter her cave and she changed quickly, growling threatening at whoever had entered her cave. She had already killed one dragon, she had no problem dealing with another. She stood protectively in front of her hoard, waiting for the dragon to make itself known.

[Princessa_de_la_Heartless]

Isabella sent a memory towards the source of the growl. It was a memory of five Icescales, fighting over a wolf carcass. She send a memory of blinding pain, which she had felt when she was hurt in the fighting. She also sent a memory of her mother and father. We are not so different, and I have no intention of becoming a thief. I hold no threat, I only want shelter from the danger. Please, I beg you, allow me to stay. Isabella changed back into human form and carried her bags into the cave. She was completely defenseless. If the dragon decided to attack now, she was dead.

[Ignis_Scientia2010]

Asharda growled at her as she entered her cave. She watched her memories, taking a few steps back as she came closer. Figuring she had nothing to lose, she changed back into her human form. "If any of my treasure ends up missing, I WILL kill you....and I count it" she warned. She glanced over at Ace, who was still out cold. Maybe he would wake up soon.