Welcome to Gaia! ::

While Seir stood and wondered what had become of Delmin, the man in question stoo about, staring in wonder. This was completely unlike anything he'd ever seen before, although certain elements did seem familiar. The entire area appeared bruised, like the night sky back on Earth, and Del wasn't quite sure what he was standing on. There didn't appear to be any ground, or any other distinguishing feature. Abruptly called back to himself by a faint mental tickle, originating from Seir, Del frowned. What the hell had that been about? Since there wasn't a way back, Del strode off, thinking sour thoughts at his demonic 'friend'. The bond was still there, and while Del realized thinking at Seir like that was petty and small, it was the only revenge he was likely to get.

Eventually, he realized that his wanderings were not aimless, that there was a purpose behind the direction he had chosen. He wasn't exploring; in fact, Del was barely paying attention to his surroundings. Something, however, had gotten his attention, and Del stood still to try and figure out what had changed. Nothing to be seen, nothing to be...wait. There, a noise. Familiar noise, comforting noise. Del broke out into a wide smile as he realized what he was hearing. The roar, the scales, even the tick of claws. It was here, and it was his. Or it would be, once he found the source. Thoughts of Seir and revenge forgotten, Del started moving again, focused and determined. Oh yes, he would have whatever called to him, no matter what.

Del slowed, wary. There was a sense of something out there, something with ill intent, directed at him. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled with warning, something they had done, once upon a time, when Seir first arrived. Suddenly suspicious, Del sent an insistent prod at the link, not at all reassured when the echo came back only faintly and after a few moments. Uneasy, the man continued on, keeping a paranoid eye on the surroundings. Trouble could come from anywhere, in this broken and surreal landcape.

Following the sound, the joyful roar that had called to him for as long as Del cared to remember, finally, he arrived. He could tell that there was something different about where he was; for one, there was a distinguishable pedestal in front of him. If there was something on it, Del couldn't see it as he approached, caution once again thrown to the wind. The roar and associated noises were louder now, almost deafening. It had come to him, a while back, what he was listening to. A dragon waited for him, and a shiver went down the man's spine as he drew closer.

Whatever it was he'd been expecting, a gemstone certainly wasn't it. However, it was what lay in a small depression on the pedestal. Del frowned as the noise subsided expectantly. What was he supposed to do with this?

Pick it up. Del started violently at the voice, snapping his attention away from the gem and looking around wildly.

"Who the hell said that?" he snarled out, not seeing anything, but knowing how little that meant.

You want the dragon, yes? the speaker queried, sounding faint and tired, as if speaking to Del was taking all its - no, his - strength. The gem. Hurry. Over your, yes, over your breastbone. Place it there, that will do nicely. Hurry! Del narrowed his eyes, but gently lifted the gem from where it rested. Oh, oh, the dragon, he could hear the dragon again, whispering softly to him. He gently placed the gem over his breastbone, eager to have the dragon with him always.

And screamed, as the gem latched onto him, dissolving the cloth of his shirt, fastening itself to his skin, the bone, into his very self.

Time dilated and froze for Del as the gem sank into him. He could feel something, another mind shifting from it to him, coiling deep within himself. A peculiar feeling swept over him, as if he was being cataloged - no, as if everything he was was in the process of being...inventoried. Picked over, examined, noted, and stored for later use. Later, came that voice again, sounding much, much closer.



Del had only a fleeting moment to wonder later, what? when time snapped back into place and the Thing appeared. Ghostly, yet substantial, Del screamed again as it attacked him. Another scream echoed, though in anger, not fear and pain.

NO! it called, spending power recklessly to call his Lord. This was not to be borne! A bright flare of energy went out, seeking. Del had no room to think what could possibly save him from this terrible and angry beast and froze, unable to even backpedal out of the range of those teeth and those claws.

Futs made no reply, but Del felt a very strong urge to bow being pushed at him. A moment's struggle - this was his body! his mind! - but his mental strength was far past it's limit, and he crumpled before the focus of the Dragon. Offering up a shaky bow, Del turned to leave but stopped before taking a step.

Leave how? He had no idea how the stone had gotten here, how anyone but himself had gotten here, and even that was shaky and hazy.



He changed and the Between cracked and split with the force of the change, and the raw and primal nature of His power. Del staggered and tried to scream as the ground underneath him shattered, dropping him somewhere else entirely.

He landed in the dark, his first impression of heat. Del sat down shakily, unwilling to look around further. In his mind, the voice of the Dragon purred. I am here, My Lord. We have returned. Del could make no sense of the thought, and before anything else could happen to him, he did something that probably should have occurred sooner.

He fainted.