Above the Keep, Volume 7
Above the Keep - By Lorelai Silvermoon Volume 7
In the wake of the scaling of attacks from Zvidureth to Elysia and their inclusion of dragons ... now knowing Ambers and Granites to be amongst the Stones of Truth alongside the Coals they had seen prior ... a number of dragons now accompany Lymonious from Nor'seere as they land lightly (for thousands of pound animals) on the walls of the Keep.
They are met by a relatively small crowd aside from those of the past ... members of Le'Megen, Champions, and various others whom Cole had begun approaching for this purpose.
Discussions begin with the saddle, as a number of them have been hauled to the roof ... Cole points out the key facets of the design, from the boot clips and light harnessing to the areas set for holstering of weaponry. From there, Cole begins slow as they explain the nature of what they are about to take on ... that it will take time, and they may not have much of it, so they must make it count. As he speaks to them he employs lesson points that Naia and Finn gave to him, while adding touches of his own.
The pairing of dragons to riders becomes half strategic, as the few archers and lightly armored that Cole has enlisted are entrusted to lighter brass or bronze dragons, and half left to the dragon-variels probing eyes. Though they do not bond with their riders as true dragons may, their general approval of a rider is important, and whom they think they may work well with in the air.
Slowly then throughout the day the larger dragonflight takes off from the Keep and begins lapping the city as with Cole's early lessons, small groups at a time ...
Slowly over the course of the next weeks, a number of winged shapes knife through the cloudcover about the city, en route from the east. The oft seen Gold and Silver of the past months are joined by fellow dragons of Copper, Bronze, and Brass scales ... arresting their travel with steep descent, the small flight lands perched upon the walls and roof of Champions Keep. They remain so for some time, as discussion takes place ... each briefly lowering themselves flat as they are fitted with large leather fixtures. The dragons begin to filter into the air in small groups, racing around the city, serpentine forms climbing high toward the clouds and back again ... a group landing once more upon the walls as another takes off, the Gold or the Silver the only constant amongst the flight groups ...