Pure Love! [Nov2013]

Enough! I have mourned. I have mourned for ten years. Oh Kirra, we loved, we loved for a time equivalent to four of your lifetimes. You were and always will be my first love. Damn, there were just too many wraiths, and yet, we saved multitudes of innocents. I was not the only Great Dragon to lose my beloved that dark night. Half of my Flight died. Four Great Dragons and six Riders out of ten pairs, yet, we did as was right. Other pairs mourned our losses and sent admiration for our conduct. The Great Queens were impressed, sorrowful at the losses, but impressed by the outcome. Every Wraith destroyed by talon and Arcane Fire!

It is time. I am a Great Dragon, a Silver at that! With Kirra we were Flight Leaders. Now I am incomplete, a shadow. It is time to find another rider. Yes Kirra, you would have told me to stop wasting time many years ago, but it takes time to put aside the bond of pure love, of pure joy that we shared, that all Pairs share. Yes, it is time.
I sent my mind to my Weyr Queen and told her of my decision and where I was headed. It lifted her spirits. She had been concerned and yet out of respect for the bond that was lost, she would never have interfered. Such was grief to a Great Dragon.

I was fit. As I took wing I realized I had subconsciously been preparing for some time. Getting back into shape physically and mentally. I climbed using Arcane Power to assist. Lesser avian species could fly, but only Great Dragons could race sounds on the wind. The joy of Arcane flight. Yes, I was ready, joy had returned to my mind!

At altitude, I set a shield to trap a sphere of air for the journey. It had been two hundred and forty two years since I had visited Terra. I wonder if they had progressed at all. Well, no need for wonderment, I would know soon enough.
Careful calculation for the first transfer and Transfer. The absence of everything. I toyed with the idea of making shifting light patterns, Kirra had loved those. But she is gone and I am here.

I came out of the Transfer above the plane of the solar system, located the third planet, cloaked out of habit (and to keep within the suggested Rules of Conduct) and transferred high above the Southern Polar region. I realized that I was heading for the same general area that I had found Kirra. It was fitting, a fitting tribute to my lost beloved.

I concentrated and cleansed the air and myself of any pathogens before terminating my shield. I scanned for the mental signature of a Dragon Kind Artificial Intelligence and quickly found her. Her task was to monitor Earth. I linked our minds, “Nautilus, it is I, Lerinth, Silver Great Dragon, searching for a Rider.” She replied very quickly, “Greetings Lerinth, I will be happy to aid your search in any way possible. When was the last time you visited Earth?” I replied, “Two hundred and forty two years ago.”

She chuckled, “I am sending you some data, you are in for a little surprise, they have progressed. Are you going to start in the same area that you found Kirra?” It was no surprise that Naughty remembered. AIs never forget. She had been here for well over a thousand years running as a submerged craft all that time. Yet her thoughts were warming to the spirit. “Yes, I thought I would start in the same little town!” She chuckled again, sending, “Town no longer. It is a city with over a million humans. Sending a data stream including language update! Send to me if you have needs, any need at all!”

I processed the data stream. Language update was an easy one. Flying machines! They have flying machines? Land transport machines, oh, cars, with a caution to avoid getting hit by one. Weapons to watch for. Suggested rules. Cautions on technology that record audio and sight. Satellites that see and record! Well, they have been busy little humans. Sadly, they were still killing each other and in greater numbers. Atomic weapons? Why? Oh, mutually assured destruction. What stupid evil mind thought up that load of dragon poo! Oh well, each society has its quirks I suppose. There it is, suggested animal forms for various regions. Suggested alternative form for Adelaide, Australia was a German shepherd dog.

Personally I preferred the big cats on this planet but a dog it had to be. Apparently Australia had no big cats. That would explain why people got upset last time. That thought amused me. A short Transfer to the city and I landed in a large well kept area of grass bordering a small river. The data suggested it was park lands meant for recreational activities. A little concentration to get the form in my mind and an application of Power for the shift.

I shook myself. Hmm, didn’t feel too bad. Fairly large form, fast, good powerful jaw for combat, tearing teeth, toenails for grip, not bad at all! I laid down under a tree. I set an Arcane aversion field. Humans would not register my presence, in fact their eyes would not look straight at me. I was not invisible but close to it. I started scanning for human minds with arcane signatures. I didn’t mind if the Arcane abilities were active or latent. These things were within my power to change.

It took a while, interrupted only to hunt. Large birds that lived on the river were easy prey. A mental stun so they did not suffer, a thank you to their spirit for the meal and a quick death. They were quite tasty. The river provided drinking water, my needs were met very well.

I came across suitable minds every now and again. If they were happy in their existence I probed no further. It was unthinkable to take a child away from a loving home. That was not what I was looking for. There were unhappy children, in fact, many of them. None of these had the greatness of mind that I was searching for. Still, a million minds is a lot to choose from.

On the fourth night, I found her. Female, twelve years old and what a mind! Extreme intelligence, Arcane power to die for, dormant but so were all of them. The potential was awesome. Yet, a gentle caring disposition. Her name was Natalie. Nice name! But so sad, living with an absence of love that damaged her spirit.

I waited till she slept before properly entering her mind. Once in, I sent her to a deep untroubled sleep. She had no one! Her parents had died in a car crash, she was in the car but survived. She was classified as a State Ward. Didn’t this society know how to care for orphaned children. I thought they may have figured it out in two hundred and forty two years but, no, they still hadn’t a clue.

They had this child in a motel room while they tried to find long term care. Who would do that! She missed cuddles. Had not had one in two years! Her carer was appointed by the State. Natalie’s last carer had been nice, this new one was a waste of skin. It did not take long to probe her mind and even less time to fall hopelessly in love with her!

(Continued)

I withdrew from her mind and started a fast measured run. I only stopped my measured pace once, to remove prickles from my paws. They gave me an idea. I mentally bunched up a few of them and transferred them to the void. It took half the night but by morning I was in position in a small park that she would walk through on her way to school.

I contacted Naughty to gain any insights she thought necessary. Not only did she give me insights but she accessed the human’s data systems and provided a run down on everything they had written about Natalie. They were so wrong on so many levels it showed they had not really progressed at all. Certainly they had technically progressed, but on the important level of human interactions they had really gone backwards. When she had left the hospital she had discovered that the State had sold her family home, executed her dog 'because it was too old' and left her with a single bag of clothes. Everything she had known, her whole existence had been wiped out! I had to control an overpowering urge to seek revenge. It took a mighty effort to find my calm center again.

Right on time Natalie started crossing the park. I retrieved the prickles from the void and inserted then in my right paw. I limped across the park in front of her. She said, “Hey, you’re hurt, come here doggy, I won’t hurt you!” I stopped and laid down. She approached with a little caution and once she deemed me safe she carefully removed all the thorns and checked all my paws for completeness.

I rested my head on her right shoulder and gave her a hug! She burst into tears and hugged back. It took her a while to stop crying and I just continued the hug. She needed it so badly. I walked her to the school gate before she thanked me and shooed be off.

I met her at the school gate after school and we spent a long time playing in the park. It took me a while to get the hang of the game of fetch but she seemed to like it. We also had a lot of cuddle time. She seemed to make a decision and we left the park together.

As we approached the Motel she took me to a back door and asked very politely if I would sit and wait. I followed her with my mind as she went in the front door and then to her room. A very short time later she sneaked me into her room and we spent time cuddling. She was very good at cuddling and rubbing behind my ears.

I had to hide when her meal was delivered. She shared it with me! All the while she talked. She was epically lonely. Such loneliness for a child was destructive and yet, she had not yet given in to despair. Still, without help it would not be too much longer. Any entities spirit is only so strong at such a tender age!

Hours later, she finally gave me the opening I was waiting for. She sighed and said, “I wish we could stay together forever. I wish just once that someone would ask me what I wanted. Is it so hard for adults to listen! I am just a problem to them, an inconvenience! I wish you could talk! Hell, I wish I knew your name. You’re gorgeous! I wish I could keep you!”

I answered telepathically, “My name is Lerinth. You can keep me, but I am not what I appear to be. If you will trust me for a few moments I could show you wonders! Would you honor me by trusting for a few moments. You will come to no harm, in fact, I would die to protect you!”

She just sat their stunned while her mind and aura did somersaults and spun in circles for a few minutes. Then she simply said, “Show me, please.” We were sitting on the bed when I Transferred us to the Park Lands under a full moon. It was late at night and we were alone. I walked a little away and shifted to my true form. In her system of measurement I was fourteen meters long with a wingspan to match. I rested my head on the ground right next to her and we talked.

It took Natalie a while for the shock to wear off, but it did. We talked the night away. We talked of her, we talked of me. We talked of my loss and we talked of hers. We discussed her desires and eventually we discussed mine.

She accepted my offer with a joy that was so pure of thought that I felt humble in this child’s presence. Before sunrise I sent my thanks to Naughty for the help and with Natalie secure on my back, she left Earth for her new life, where love at the deepest levels possible is the norm, not the exception. With our minds permanently linked, as one, and with my protection, no one would ever harm this child again. Well, they would not live to tell the tale if they tried.

P

A dragon story! One reminiscent of Krynn, Faerun, and other such fantastical wonderlands. Well done.

Techno dragon tale tale with a twist. What's not to love?

Great writing, and I'm truly amazed at the depth of your words.

SnF, for sure!

reply to post by pheonix358


I was considering writing an entry, but after reading yours, I don't think I can best it.

Job well done!

BT

Thank you for the praise, nice to know you liked the story.

First short one I have tried.

If you want to try a long story you could have a look at my E-book Wolves Den

Thanks all.

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BearTruth
reply to post by pheonix358

 

I was considering writing an entry, but after reading yours, I don't think I can best it.

Job well done!

BT

The joy is in the writing not the winning! Try! Give it a go! You have nothing to lose and much joy to discover. Please!

P

reply to post by pheonix358


I'd have to say that this is my favorite story so far!

I used to read Dragon Lance novels, all of them I think and even the book the two authors made on their own and this story has kept me just as enthralled.

Thanks.

The Rat.

reply to post by TucoTheRat


Thank you! Glad you liked it. I enjoyed writing it, always do. Good way to escape life for a time.

Try my second entry, www.abovetopsecret.com...

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Wow cloaked dragons and drama really great, At some point you can feel the loneliness of both dragon and human interacting , I'll hope she's happy wherever she's now

reply to post by 0bserver1


The ability to live a longer lifespan, with a never ending deep abiding love and to ride a Great Dragon! Oh, she will be happy! Very happy.

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Been really busy IRL, but I just HAD to read your stories.

I like this one. In a former life, when i had leisure time to spare and read fiction novels, fantasy were my top choice. Dragonriders of Pern is still a favorite (that I would love see made into a movie)

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


It was going to be made into a movie, but nothing seems to be happening. Half a century of always being on the shelves, always in print, you think it was about time but instead we get Friday the 13th part 52 and other such crap.

Thanks

P

pheonix358
reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan

 

It was going to be made into a movie, but nothing seems to be happening. Half a century of always being on the shelves, always in print, you think it was about time but instead we get Friday the 13th part 52 and other such crap.

Thanks

P

When I saw the production quality of Avatar, that is when I got the most excited. Making good, engrossing dragon rider images work in cinematics will requires CGI.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan

When I saw the production quality of Avatar, that is when I got the most excited. Making good, engrossing dragon rider images work in cinematics will requires CGI.

I had exactly the same thought!

The only info available on the movie is here.

www.imdb.com...

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reply to post by pheonix358


That was truly beautiful, and a very well-crafted story, rich with visuals. I can easily see it as a movie I would watch and love. Well done.

reply to post by argentus


Thanks, having re-read it a few times my self it would make a very fine chapter 1 for a book, extending it a bit as you can with a book. Natalie entering a Weyr for the first time, finding people that accept her while trying not to overload a lonely spirit, would be great, although I am covering those issues in another book, still this is attractive for the 'throwing Natalie in the deep end. Culture shock is always a fascinating subject.

P

reply to post by argentus


Yea, what if a movie mogul walks up and offers a deal. Nah, not even in my wildest dreams. Now that is about the only way for a writer to become wealthy.

The days of new movies seems to be nearing an end, instead we get part ten of a movie that has been around and is successful. Low risk is what movie produces want, that is a shame.

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No one else for a love story with a twist?

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It was a fun story to read, it must have been a fun story to write!