Welcome to Gaia! ::

Marcus had frowned at some of the crowds comments but so long as the crowd stayed non violent there wasn't much that could be done. The dovaa leader had always been one to champion freedom of speech even if it was not the most polite of words.

When the crowd had settled he began to address them again. "Today however you are gathered not just to learn the information that was given to you but to witness a rare happening amongst all our peoples. On occasion the hybrid whom we normally cast out show a degree of courage skill, or bravery that makes their presence an undeniable force of good in our communities. The young lady standing beside me is one such individual. She showed an amazing mental and physical strength despite suffering through an unusual ordeal that would leave many shaken.

Though Miss Erionda is not the only person we will be honoring today she is the first for her exceptionalism. I am proud" and here Marcus made sure to stress the word " to present her with the customary medal declaring her one of Masgescs heroines."

Finished speaking for the moment Marcus turned to smile at Erionda and gestured for her to move closer to the table containing the three chests.

Erionda flinched as a prefix was added to her name. Not something she was used to, and worse she had been cut off before she could reply to Kilian. Her eyes danced between the Oblivionite and the Dovaa race leader. There was a reason she had been called to stand in front of everyone. To have her image burned in the minds of those who hated her kind. And Marcus was now explaining just why she was here.

Her eyes scanned over the crowed as those who had been excited to see her blood spilled grumbled and pouted. Some even appeared to be filled with untold amounts of rage. Erionda wanted to shrink back stopping as proud words flew from Marcus about her. She had reached an almost impossible state. It was a state like this that would allow hybrids like herself more freedom. Her mind whirled as she turned to the crowd her eyes shining as they settled on Kilian. She briefly shook her head. A motion meant to tell him she was alright. Turning as instructed to move close to Marcus. Her hands latched together in front of her.

Once the pair stood beside the table Marcus reached over to lift the lid on the center chest. From it he pulled a small but ornate medallion featuring a silverish dragon climbing a blue and purple star which had a rainbow coloured gem in it’s center.



Slowly and carefully he reached forward to place to medal around Erionda’s neck. Whatever the crowd might be thinking fo feeling this was a special moment. It had been decades since Marcus had last done this.

Erionda tensed as Marcus drew closer. Gritting her teeth with obvious disdain as his arms approached her own personal space. She wanted to draw back. To punch him. Anything to get him to take a step back. She knew better than to follow through with her own thoughts. Doing so would cause more damage and in front of such a large crowd would put her friends at just as much danger if not more. Trying hard to smile despite her discomfort Erionda allowed Marcus to slip the medal around her neck.

Marcus stepped back as soon as the medal was secure around the girl’s neck.Her body language was enough to tell him that this was a trying experience for her. Still, it was meant to be a time of pleasantness and celebration. “ Erionda, from now on you are safe and welcome within the Celestial Plane and the Ashen city whenever it pleases you, including taking up residence if you have a mind to do so.” Aevah was still slightly disappointed that she had not been chosen to give the medal but she had not rescinded her blessings. Draco had outright refused to allow the girl into the obsidian city heroine or not, though that had less to due with her mixed heritage and more with the blends of races she was.

Erionda gave Marcus and Aveha a submissive smile. Her heart ached, she had dreamed of nothing more than to live in the celestial plane with the rest of the Dovaa. To be a Dovaa herself was a goal she had never dreamed could have been reached. Access that in her wildest dreamed would have remained just dreams. There was however something more her heart desired. Forcing the Celestial Plane into nothing more than a dream that paled in comparison to the one she know hosted. “Thank you.” Erionda responded. Touching the medal as she took a step back. “It’s an honor to be granted such a high esteem. Something I dreamed would never prove to exist.” Her eyes flashed towards Kilian. For now all she wanted was to be free of the eyes of everyone who stood before them. Honored or not, it wouldn’t detoure some from still trying to kill her. Rio secretly wondered if it made more angry than it appeased. With a war raging between the races. With each side claiming another had killed their innocent members. Erionda wondered if it was a momentary peace today brought.

Marcus and Aevah offered semi bows in return and Draco managed a nod of acknowledgement

At that point Erionda was set free and the rope diving the upper and lower part of the pavilion was removed. The guards were of course on high alert now, ready to quell any fighting that broke out over the most recent happenings. There would be peace today or else !

The proceedings were not yet finished however, several other medals needing to be awarded to purebloods and hybrids alike. Magescans who had played pivitol roles in the events of the last week had been singled out for summons letters and a great many if them had shown up according to the informants who had gathered information on them.

Draco, Marcus and Aevah would have a busy few hours ahead of them as they worked to make sure all who deserved it received their due.

He didn’t return home after the battle and the supposedly war. Eku stayed at Eowyn to get his mind off from what he had seen and experienced as he scourged around the desert to fight against dragons. There were a few losses and wins but it didn’t make his mind at ease. But at least it made one of them as Vilzun enjoyed himself in the scenery before going back home to Obsidian City. The mage took residence at the town in Eowyn where apparently someone knew he was staying there. At the inn he was staying, he received a letter which noted that he is to attend and also to behave themselves for the hybrids are going to be there too. It was highly questionable of what this is going to be like but it might get ugly because of the fight that had occurred with the two poor hybrids. But he was invited and couldn’t turn it down.

There, the lively mage wasn’t himself at all in the crowd. His hollowed eyes took notice of a few familiar faces as he walked through. Some of his friends, both old and new, are present and a couple which made him worry; like Junjie for he is a hybrid despite his Dovaa heritage is strong than his Orderite. But as he looked around, his sight caught on to the person who has plagued his mind far more than anything else and she looked petrified. “Esmy . . .” He muttered under his breath. Just as he stepped forward, he saw her ducking down and hiding away which killed him so much. Why is she hiding from him? And right when he was about to go up to her, the leaders captured the crowd’s attention to look towards them. And there he saw also Kilian’s friend who was granted an award and soon the following others such as the Oblivionite warrior himself. It was great to see them but now apparently he was being pushed up too for he took battle against the Alpha and Vilzun as well who aided their victory. “Oi! Ya better stop pushin’ me.” He snapped at them as he moved. Eku wants to get his award and stuff then go to find Esmeralda for a talk.

It was a weird feeling. The Oblivionites were cheering for him which was a first to him since he recognized a few of them who had bully him before due to his appearance. And now the tides have changed as he looked to see Draco looming above him. He hasn’t changed the last time when he delivered the dragon souls to him seeing that stern look on his face. “I heard of your triumphs . . . and you too . . .” He looked down to Vilzun who stood by his side and slowly moving to stand behind Eku to hide away. At that moment he was awarded a medal for his bravery which didn’t last so long for Draco moved on for he wanted to end this award ceremony; not giving him the chance to say thanks. The mage stepped out of his leader’s way and soon slipped away with Vilzun by his side since he wanted to get away from the scary looking man as fast as his chubby legs could. That and he saw the shiny medal which he wants to take a bite of. Eku swerved around the people until he finally found Esmeralda as he saw her notable horns on her head and grabbed her arm firmly to pull her up close to him. “We be needin’ to have a little talk Esmy.” And he is not letting her go to hide away from him.

Before Araceli even had a chance to say anything more to Kadryn, Marcus was speaking yet ago. Her eyes shot to the platform as she listened to Marcus' words. The hybrid was being recognized as a hero? Ara's nose wrinkled up at the thought. It was strange and she had never heard of such a thing. What would happen to her now? Would she be more accepted or would this just bring more malice and hate to her. Araceli really didn't care either way. She had not met the hybrid and had absolutely no desire to do so.

Araceli's eyes widened as Marcus mentioned the others that had helped in the caves. She would get a medal also? Her hand shot up to rest against her dragon eye like jewel. She had not expected that at all. She was in a daze as those around her shifted and she tried to make her way up to the platform. Finally she found herself in front of Marcus, a warm smile beaming down at her. She pulled in her lower lip and chewed on it nervously.

"You did such a good job for someone so young," He beamed down at her. Ara's eyes widened and she bowed her head as Marcus slipped the medal over her neck. "Th-thank you." She managed to squeak out before she turned and headed off of the platform.

As Kilian stepped down from the platform he scanned the crowd for any trouble that might follow Erionda. He let out a frustrated sigh as he turned to watch her step down. "Again I wasn't there and you were taken." He frowned as he looked around. He didn't feel comfortable in this huge crowd. He constantly felt like eyes were watching him. A quick look around, however, showed him that no one was paying any attention to them at the moment.

"Ah...Rio." Kilian muttered as he moved to close the distance between them. "That drakein of yours had me so damned worried." He shook his head as he thought about Lanzekie's reaction when he'd seen Kilian. He looked off to the side, a slight blush creeping up into his cheeks. "I was worried. When he told me two people had taken you. Said they were going to kill you..." He trailed off as he shuddered with the thought of that. "You are alright, yes?"

Maslin had to agree that he didn't think the information given was worth hauling people out to the middle of the ocean for. Before he could voice his exact thoughts on the matter though Marcus had begun speaking again. He with with a growing sense of fascination as Erionda was praised and then given a medal and permission to freely visit the dovaa and orderite cities. "Hmm,' Maslin supposed that was worth bringing people out for. He didn't even recall the last time he'd heard of a hybrid being successful enough in any way as to win one or more of the leader's blessings.

As access to the leaders was granted and more warriors who had been present on Eowyn were plucked from the crowd, including more hybrids Maslin's eyes grew wide. "You picked a good time to dress up," he replied to Kadryn. It was all he could really do at the moment, his mind was racing too much for anything else. Was he too going to receive something, including perhaps access to the cities which had been denied to him since birth.

Maslin didn't care much about honour and praise, he got enough recognition for his skills at the for to keep himself content. Being able to enter the ashen city and for his family to be welcome places again , that would be worth everything that had happened a week ago. On top of that the chance to visit the celestial plane.. to learn of using dragon's soul fire to work metal with.

Maslin would at least temporarily forgive a lot of his misgivings about the world if it turned out he was to be included in all that was going on. The cheers from the crowd that were occasionally lost to angry grumbles and slurs assured him that he would not be happy with people as a whole for any great length of time though.

By the time he was done thinking the small dovaa girl who'd briefly joined them had darted off again.

Kadryn spotted Araceli and smiled and waved. She chuckled to herself as the tiny dovaa girl barely came over to say hi before darting away again. She nodded at Maslin's words.
"Okay, maybe this was a good thing to pull people here. Hopefully there's less trouble towards hybrids now... And I'm certainly glad I did wear my new duds! It'd be kinda embarrassing to wear my patched and stained battle clothes while receiving that!!"

She gave him a final smile and went over to receive her medal. She got a smile and comment on how much more mature she looked now from Avi, to which she just grinned and gave a mocking salute before heading off.

~~~~

Toki shook his head at her comment. Not made in the image of the Gods? Rubbish!

"Purity of the blood and race is over rated. It leads to too much inbreeding and that opens the gates for more diseases and damaged eggs hatched. We learned that long ago after we ran away from the makers and hid. As for what he handed her.. I have no clue. I'm blind." He did move closer though, and he kept his ears open and listened to the cheers and mutters. Well, at least this wasn't a bad thing. Maybe if they accepted Hybrids, then they would be able to accept Drakeins as equals too...