Sinfrost's Story

The winds shifted, blowing an unusually cold wind across the Weargtooth Mountains. The already chilled caps rapidly developed a white frost, snap-freezing anything unlucky enough to exist at those heights. Snow began to fall farther down the mountains than it had ever before. Eras tested his strength, pleased with it's growth. The skies turned grey.


Soon.

From northern far, in, a deep chill seeped, to the bone, through the scale, up the roots. White pockets of fire erupted throughout- advancements made by those within and foreign tools come here for final rest ceasing to exist with a flash and bang. A lament was cried from the Bez Daha Trees to Saggitae, to Gaia, to anyone who could hear and would, that again did Eras breathe upon this realm; and would continue to breathe, continue to inhale their realm, continue to flex chaos and destruction, until Gaia drew breath no more.

Suddenly, a large object could be seen approaching from the distance. From out of the great chill came what looked like an avalanche from the mountains. A huge cloudy mist started to close in on the viking settlement as a large blanket of snow started to cover the area. It was a dragon ship, the largest one the vikings had ever built. Hrollaug had daringly sailed it down the mountainside and towards the bay area. As the ship slid across the blanket of snow, one could make out a crew of about a hundred or more vikings.

Sinfrost watched from a distant peak in the Weargtooth mountains. Great dark thunderclouds shot colorful lightning down in Iskjerne bay. He had felt the great shift, and the great chill, narrowing his black eyes at the scene afar. A foreign object loomed over the continent. Something was amiss across Ellaria.

Sinfrost, hatching just after the great Colossi were sealed away so long ago, didn't quite recognize the signs for what they were. He didn't hear the trees as they cried from the south, domain being of ice and water and rock. He stayed safely disguised as a rock formation, and watched.

In the sky a strange shadow, to the south the horizon was unnaturally bright- a white arc resting beneath the backlit forever-clouds.

A too-small blizzard formed on the neighboring peak. Sinfrost craned his attention away from the bay up to the sky. Something had changed about the position of whatever was beyond the clouds. After a moment's contemplation, the blizzard caught Sinfrost's attention.

A humanoid emerged. Sinfrost stayed exactly still, but wasn't exactly hiding.

Frendor could notice all of these things, perhaps. In the distance, far down in the cape, there was a small civilization, and a massive ship which had clearly torn through here rested below.

Sinfrost kept an eye on the newcomer.He wondered if this one was anything like the ones squabblng down in Iskjerne Bay,

Frendor extended his awareness to sense what kind of being was in front of him. A dragon, no less. He watched carefully to see what it would do. He prepared himself to create a defensive shield if needed, but the dragon appeared to be in its element, and Frendor was inexperienced with frost-magic.

Frendor whispered to the wind "Do you know this dragon? Is it related to one of the factions that I must unite?".

Sinfrost watched, silent, as the stranger spoke of unity and peace. He found something in the snow, which had eluded Sinfrost until that moment, and swiftly head towards the coast. What was that? Sinfrost spread his great wings and took off from the peak. High above the shadow beyond the clouds had stopped moving.

A great clap of thunder shook the mountains.

Sinfrost stumbled in his flight, but regained coarse. He soared high into the clouds, up, up, up, and finally breached them. What he saw, there above the clouds, was otherworldly. It was as if an entire moon had collapsed and reassembled in such a strange way. Something else Sinfrost noticed was the dead star.

The dead star no longer seemed so dead. Something deep inside Sinfrost felt dread, almost panic. What was all of this, above the clouds?

It would seem to be a dream. The top of the clouds, facing space and beyond, took the faintest bout of pink around the edges. Eras, the dead star, was slightly off position behind the massive structure looming beyond Gaia's atmosphere. To the closest observer, they may notice the dead star beginning again to glow.

Thunder and lightning...

The skies were furious with their display of lights and shadows. Down below, the mountains trembled with the clammering of thunder and lightning. The misty rainbow which formed over the waterfall at Kadota Peaks had disappeared, though the river still flowed. Deep within the rockface, inside the Weargtooth Mountains, another presence was felt. The chaos and loud bellowing of the mountains had disturbed Asvith Thrym from his slumber. The enormous frost jotunn had been sleeping for centuries, appearing to those around him as just another snowcapped mountain. But as one of the large rock formations began to move, soon the mountain was turned sideways as Asvith Thrym lifted his head to sit up and open his giant eyes for the first time in eons.

Asvith yawned deeply, the sound carrying for miles over the mountain tops, echoing throughout the many nearby lands of Ellaria where they could be felt from across the sea. His breath was like a cold blizzard, his mouth as wide as a gaping cave, his eyes as large and icey as Gaia's moons. He had a forest of trees for hair, large giant roots dangling from his rocky hands and feet, and a long frozen white beard formed from the centuries of ice and snow. Asvith Thrym was a giant among giants, an enemy of Asgard since the days of old, banished to Gaia at a time that had long since been forgotten. As he sat up slowly, his massive head stood at eye level with the surrounding mountains. Even now, sitting down, the jotunn was mighty and terrifying to behold.

He would slowly rub his eyelids and look around as small boulders, rocks and earth fell from his head and shoulders like dandruff, smashing and crushing the ground below. The massive rock giant was too large to notice the elves and dragons, and other creatures in his vicinity. Confused and still waking up, Asvith was incredibly slow but incredibly mighty, an echo of legendary gods from ancient times. He would briefly swat at a large dragon as it circled around his head and soared above the sky into the clouds, as if shewing away a common gnat or mosquito. But just like a mosquito, the dragon was much faster and likely able to dodge his enormous hand with relative ease as it soared past him and disappeared.

Taking a moment to gather his strength, Asvith looked down at the settlements below. Noticing a rather large redwood tree sticking out of the forest, he reached over and plucked it from the ground by its roots, as if picking a small piece of broccoli from a salad. The tree itself was enormous, over a hundred feet tall and as wide as a house. But the jotunn would bring the leafy substance to his lips and bite down on it with his sharp jagged rocky teeth, snapping branches and crushing the tree in half with one big crunch. He then chewed the sustenance slowly, the sound of grinding rocks and wood carrying over the forest below until he had devoured the whole tree. Afterwards, he would slowly turn over and bring himself up to his hands and knees before pushing himself to his feet. As he stood up, his silhouette could be seen from miles and miles away, his frame now larger than even the highest mountains as he stood with his head in the clouds.

Asvith Thrym had awakened...

Frendor woke up from his slumber in the forest.

Am I still dreaming, he wondered, and why cannot my eyes focus....

Then he realized the danger he was in. He spun a web of invisibility around his cloak. He started to change the substance of the trees, so that a sleeping potion would run through their sap. The change was slow and used all of his concentration, as Asvith Thrym ate portions of the forest.

The forest, made of massive redwood trees, splashing through the Weargtooth Mountains, cried out as it was munched upon. Their voices were dimmer than they had ever been before.

Up standing to just above the clouds, a giant made of mountain itself. Though the rumblings across the sea stirred for long, it was on Ellaria that the first awoke. It was in the north of Ellaria that Eras's grip was most firm. Here, in northern Ellaria, one of the teeth biting the sky stood up. In it's wake, a ravine cutting north into the Ellarian Tartarean Coast. A gap in the skyline, filled with a figure connecting above to below.

The first of the Colossi.

Awoken.

The edges of the clouds began to visibly pinken. Eras grew stronger, absorbing more of Gaia and whatever forces dare venture close. He was hungry, so hungry. The redwood trees, too, felt within themselves another change. Their screams turned to wails turned to grumblings as they began to fall into a slumber. Thunder rumbled across the mountains as Eras laughed at Gaia's misfortune. He didn't seem to realize that the trees didn't weaken so rapidly by his hand alone.

Where were her champions now? Thunder rolled again as Eras laughed.

Sinfrost swept through the clouds as the trees slowed in their wails. The sight from above the clouds shook him to the bone. Something very bad was happening, and he didn't have enough wisdom of the past to realize exactly what. He honed in on Frendor, swooping wide of the risen Colossi and landing not far off from the magical human. Where did he go?

???A ripple of glitter undulated across the entire planet of Gaia. Almost invisible to the naked eye, but nonetheless a sign that Gaia wouldn't go down without a fight. It swirled up around Frendor, to an extent giving away where he hid in invisibility. Sinfrost didn't put two and two together and dismissed it as a trick of the light on the snow.

Another dragon, Zirconia, burst through the clouds from the south. She was white with a dark streak across one side. As she landed near Frendor, opposite of Sinfrost, the dark streak revealed itself to be dried blood. She panted, locking eyes with Sinfrost. He was younger than she, another dragon of frost and winter. He seemed wilder, unfamiliar with any tame ways. This was proven to be true when he stood taller and postured defensively, as if she was testing his dominance.

Well, now she was. Zirkonia drew herself to her full standing height. She was pleased to see that, though softer around the edges, she was taller than Sinfrost. Her scales glittered more, too, though his dark patterns likely helped with it here in the North. It was a bit darker here than all elsewhere- a bad sign. She returned attention to Frendor.

"Champion of Gaia, reveal yourself," Zirkonia commanded of Frendor in what she hoped was an unfrightening way. She postured herself at an angle to where he hid in invisibility, keeping an eye on Sinfrost. Sinfrost's glare had slipped into a look of curiosity. Champions? Why was that familiar?

Frendor had yet to accept the call of Gaia. Gaia herself would be a whisper in the wind and snow, calling to Frendor to assist in defending the realm against

Frendor allowed his cloak of invisibility to fade, seeing as the dragons could so easily see through it.

"Who or what is Gaia, and what do you mean by champion?" he whispered.

He had been hoping for a simple quest. So far, nothing was as he had expected it to be.

He started shivering in the coldness, wrapping his cloak around him. He decided that he liked those two dragons. They seemed friendly and curious, not hostile at all.

Nothing made sense to him yet.

What was that super-giant, where did it come from, was it a threat to Gaia?

"I am here; I am ready" he said to the pair of dragons, as coldness seeped into his bones and he wrapped his cloak even closer.

Sinfrost flinched backwards a hair as Frendor appeared. The dragon officially had no idea what was going on. He knew it was important. Quietly, Sinfrost listened as Frendor declared himself ready to accept the knowledge and responsibility of being a Champion.

"The Spirit of This Realm, Champion! Nightfall is coming as Eras rises," Zirkonia leaned in to say quieter, "Didn't you feel it? The call? It lead right here I swore to this exact spot..."

Sinfrost settled on his haunches and said to nobody in particular, "The entropy."

In the distance the great jotunn took a step into the north of the Groenbogs far east on Ellaria. A groan echoed through the mountains. The pink clouds above grew deeper in their hue. A great shadow was cast over the north of Ellaria as something loomed beyond the clouds. South in the Bez Daha Trees a civilization bloomed, and all across Gaia Champions answered the call.

"Eras," Zirkonia nodded, looking off to the jotunn once more, before focusing entirely on Frendor, "He grew too strong, here. Now he must be stopped."

"Alone I cannot stop him" mused Frendor "but if all Gaia unities, then we can do something".

Frendor went into meditation, extending his awareness, following with his mind the path of the super-giant, looking for signs of resistance.

"Trees, can you hear me? Wind can you hear me? Champions of Gaia can you hear me? Dragons can you hear? People and races of Ellaria can you hear me? Let us unite and join forces against Eras; let us together find a way to protect and defend Gaia".

He projected the words from his mind into the air, into the sky, into the sea, into the trees and into the ground, using a broadcast of magical light. He poured all his energy into it, until he was exhausted and could do no more. Then he waited in silence.

The World Spirit of Gaia carried Frendor's light and message on the wind, north to Iskjerne Bay and south to the Great Forest and beyond.

Ellaria was being called to come together and fight for the fate of their peoples!

Zirkonia raised her maw to the wind as Frendor sent out his message of light. She recognized all the signs for what they were. Her glassy eyes leveled to drink in Frendor.

The great white dragon kneeled down and extended her neck next to Frendor. It was an ultimate gesture of trust. Sinfrost couldn't believe his eye and balked. Zirkonia huffed in return, steam rising from her great nostrils. Sinfrost grew still, although still with great judgement.

"Champion of Gaia, it would be an honor..." Zirkonia trailed off. If the legends were true, if the Colossi were to rise again, the Wyrms need rise too. The Riders would ride again.

For the first time in many lifetimes a humanoid could ride a dragon beast of Gaia, if he so chose.

Very, very gently Frendor approached the great dragon Zirkonia and very softly stroked her neck.

"The honor is all mine. I am not worthy." he said. Frendor was slightly smaller than a human and somewhat childlike in appearance, being young in elf-years, although older than most humans. He had never, ever ridden a dragon, and had only heard about dragon-riders from his elders and tutors.

He carefully chose the safest hold on Zirkonia's neck, but realized that he would have to trust her. He could never hold on by own his strength, nor even his own magic. He could sense her power; he would have to learn how to work together with her.

He knew now that riders were only passengers; a dragon would go where it willed and when it wanted. Dragons were more intelligent than most humans and some elves. Certainly Zirkonia was much wiser than he.

"Where shall we go?" he asked the two dragons and then he noticed Dvalinn watching them.

Zirkonia wondered if Frendor was familiar with the lore of this land. The flattery bemused the old dragon, who did tend to think quite highly of herself regardless of external opinion. Under any other circumstance his statement may have been true- there were not many left worthy to mount a Dragon of Gaia. However Frendor had been chosen. Her scales fluttered gently under Frendor's hand when he ran it across her neck. She braced herself with the ground to hold steady as the small elf climbed aboard her mass. It was true that she was too large for barebacked riding to be considered practical- but time was of the essence.

Sinfrost backed away almost unable to believe his eyes. So casually she was letting him climb aboard! Sinfrost wasn't so trusting of other species at all and could have recoiled at the sight- if it wouldn't be to show the deepest disrespect. No matter her choices, unless they went against that of Dragonkind, Sinfrost couldn't speak upon. She was his elder.

Frendor was aboard the great dragon. Zirconia hunched down low to prepare for takeoff, waiting for the right moment and building in her strength. Simultaneously her mind reached out to that of Frendor's, seeking to make a telepathic link to lend him strength and sight. With their minds merged they would move most efficiently through the Realm- their physical forms would follow suit. Flight would be incredible.

Suddenly, the earth stood still. Asvith Thrymm, the mountain giant casting a shadow over the mountain range, the cause of all the low rumblings throughout the mountains, had come to a stop. Light flickered as he made a great motion, punching through the clouds and towards the skies beyond, his great fist descending out of sight. The clouds puffed out as they were breached by Asvith giving those below a glimpse of what was happening above them.

A nebula of light fanned out from a central pinprick, a figure for those with eyes good enough. A massive ship was there and then suddenly was not- a great flash of light bathing Ellaria as the clouds closed up again. Zirkonia kept her eyes shut despite the dances of light outside of her lids. Sinfrost backed up against a snowy ridge.

Frendor held on to Zirkonia, allowing his awareness to extend and align with hers, while also keeping his mind open to Sinfrost. Was it just to be the three of them? Four, counting the world spirit. Dvalinn seemed indifferent; or perhaps even aligned with the enemy. But, what was that sky-ship that he saw. Suddenly he saw he ship as Zirkonia has seen it; he felt the love of flight, the innate curiosity, but also a sounding of caution. Frendor remembered the voice of the wind. So, that was six, at least, against the super giant.

We need to create a distraction, he found himself thinking, some way to make the giant lose the battle with the mysterious ship.

He found himself wondering if he could create an illusion, large enough to fool Asvith Thrymm. In his mind he formed the image of another giant, centered around the location of Zirkonia, and mirroring her movements. When she turned her neck, then Terakon Luvinair would turn the same way, only at a safe distance. For good measure, Frendor started to conjure another image to be controlled by Sinfrost.

Terakon Luvinair's head appeared through the clouds, staring directly at Asvith Thrymm. The dragons had somehow become invisible, except to each other. Another giant appeared, Khale Fewtal, also as large and looming as Asvith Thrymm.

Khale Fewtal turned to stare menacingly at Asvith Thrymm. Now the illusion depended on these giant image puppets to move fast enough that Asvith Thyrmm could not hit them. If he touched them then he would notice the lack of resistance, and yet ...

Wind, may I ask you to blow and buffet Asvith Thyrmm, whenever he touches one of the images.

Dragons may I ask you to mimic the voice and roar of a giant?

Terakon Luvinair stares at Asvith Thyrmm

Khale Fewtale shakes his fist at Asvith Thyrmm

Frendor decided to add another tactic. He projected and magnified the force of his arms so that the super-giant would feel the illusion of imaginary blows and punches, as the dragons circled around. He was hoping drive away Asvith or at least to distract him.

He lost sight of the super-giant. Where did he go?

"Let's follow him!" cried out Frendor.