Evil Angel|

[Desert]

I'm a believer
Nothing could be worse
All these imaginary friends
Hiding betrayal
Driving the nail
Hoping to find a savior
No, don't
Leave me to die here
Help me survive here
Alone, don't
Surrender, surrender!

[/center]

Still. Motionless. Only the gentle rise and fall of the murky scarlet chest denoted that the ruby was alive. For a month or more, the beast had been coiled up on her ledge, staring out at the Bowl. Her golden gaze was empty, lifeless; just like her mind. So cold, but still alive, hanging onto existence tenaciously, like a weed. The ruby's lithe scaled frame was emaciated, her skeleton visible through her hide, which was dry, peeling and cracked by now, after sevendays of neglect. No one had gone near the beast since she broke with Rogue.

The ruby still had dark stains on her muzzle -- they were black now that the blood was dry. Her rider's blood. A month ago she had suddenly attacked, catching her rider unawares and crushing his skull between her dagger-like teeth. Shock had been the predominant emotion that day; no one could ever get used to the vicious illness Rogue, and each time a formerly peaceful dragon turned on their very weyrmate it was like a knife to the chest. How was the question everyone asked. Why would something horrible like this happen, something that made the stomach turn and the skin crawl?

But happen it did, and the point of no return was the very instant it began. Now, a month after that fateful moment, the end drew close. The ruby suddenly surged to her feet, her unmoving golden eyes fixed on a point across the Bowl. Every muscle in her body was tense, and she stood still as a stone. It was as if she was waiting for another signal, a signal to move. A signal to attack.

The crackle and whisper of dry wings spreading broke the suddenly tense silence around the ruby's weyr as she fanned her wings. She held them open for a moment in a cruel parody of the way a female displays before a mating Flight, then with another jerky movement the ruby threw herself into the air. She glided down to the Bowl floor and landed with a jolt, unaware of the creaking protest from her underused, undernourished body.

The ruby's sculpted blood-colored head weaved to and fro restlessly and her tail lashed. She held her wings away from her, mantled as if in agitation, ready to take off at the slightlest unseen provacation. The ruby started walking; she paced from one end of the Weyrbowl to the other, back and forth, mindlessly pacing. Everyone moved out of her way, fearful, knowing that the end was near. The ruby was a ticking time bomb, and the fuse was near its end. How much longer before the explosion?

One pair of wheeling eyes followed the ruby's pacing with avid interest. The fiery-colored, spiky head wove to and fro from her high perch, eyes taking on smudges of red, spinning faster in anticipation. Yellow-orange wings rustled and flared as the magma slid to her feet, leaning over her ledge, watching the Rogue-infected ruby closely. Medeath was the only dragon to pay heed to the sick one; the others mostly turned their fearful gazes away, or they fled the Bowl. All the humans had long since left the Bowl floor to the ruby. The only living things still within easy striking-distance were the herdbeasts and wherries penned for fodder. Their agitated lows and squawks meant that even the dumb beasts knew what was coming.

Diardi was in the kitchens, munching on a fishroll, when a few people who had been in the Bowl trickled down and the news spread about the Rogue ruby. She heaved a sigh when the word reached her. This would be too tempting for her bloodthirsty magma to resist. Dea would definitely have fun with this.

You know I will,[/b][/color] Medeath retorted playfully, her mind-voice fond. Di knew her too well. She also knew better than to caution her dragon to be careful -- Dea was probably one of the only dragons in the Weyr who could take on a Rogue-infected dragon and come away mostly unscathed. Di finished her meatroll and grabbed a cup of klah; this might take a while. Di knew not to leave the Caverns and offer the Rogue ruby a target, so she was in for a stay until the ruby snapped.

It wasn't long in coming. Only about an hour elapsed, and the ruby's pacing suddenly turned back into flight. She lunged skyward with an enraged roar, the furious sound ringing, piercing like a deep, rough death-keen. This might well be a death-song; the ruby's song, if Dea had anything to do about it. The dragons had long since ceased to keen for a Rogue-infected dragon. When their eyes went gold, that was the end of them. They were no longer dragons: they were mindless killing machines, like Thread.

Put me to sleep evil angel
Open your wings, evil angel
Oh
Fly over me evil angel
Why can't I breathe, evil angel?

Medeath launched from her ledge with an answering roar, her wings only spread enough to control her plummet into a steep glide. She met the ruby half-way up the walls of the Bowl and the two dragons tumbled downward, a blurred mass of hissing and snarling color. Only the tangled molten-looking limbs of Medeath and the dulled red scales of the ruby could be identified; othwerwise, the two dragons were too locked together to tell one from the other. Like the ruby's melodramatic stance before, this twisted knot of two dragon bodies was a cruel mockery of a Flight's ending as the chaser and his prize twine together in a blissful knot.

The magma and ruby landed with a dull thud on the stone floor of the Bowl, and the dragons brave enough to linger on the higher ledges flinched at the sickening crunch of bones snapping under the impact. But, as they peered down at the fighters, they couldn't tell which one had received the worst of the damage. The watchers' heads reared back in unison as the tangled dragons started twitching and thrashing, and the snarls started back up again.

The ruby pulled herself away with a venomous hiss. Her right hind leg looked deformed, twisted, and she limped on it. That had been the gross crunch. Heedless of her crushed leg, she lunged at the larger magma, a grim roar tearing from her chest.

A feral grin parted Medeath's maw, and she simply tucked her head and braced herself for the ruby's impact. The other dragon was caught off guard by this tactic; it would've made more sense for her opponent to run. If Medeath hadn't been a magma, she would've dodged. But with the long, wickedly sharp spikes jutting from her spine, she had no need to dodge. She could just let her victim impale herself on those spikes.

The ruby did just that; she hadn't had time to change direction in mid-lunge. The spikes punctured her chest and lower throat, spearing her heart and piercing holes in her lungs. The ruby growled -- the sound reduced to a sickly gurgle -- and thrashed, trying to free herself. She only succeeded in worsening the wounds inflicted by Medeath's spikes.

The magma then threw herself sideways into the wall of the Bowl, and the watchers winced again at the sound of the ruby's bones being crushed and snapped by Medeath's weight and her spikes ramming deeper into her victim's body. The ends of Dea's taller wither-spikes poked up through the ruby's neck, coated with green ichor and gleaming wetly.

Medeath pulled herself free from the ruby, who now twitched fitfully, gasping her last breaths. Those eerie, gold eyes were filming over with death's cloudy haze, but still the disease had her fast in its grip -- she continued trying to attack, though her body was broken. Medeath watch the ruby twitch spastically, a grimly gleeful aqua tinge to her spinning eyes, until the ruby finally wheezed her last rattling breath and lay still.

It is safe now, love,[/b][/color] Medeath told her rider, smugness saturating her tone. And I haven't a scratch on me.[/b][/color]

Di rolled her eyes. No, but I'll bet you're covered in gore. It's going to be a pain getting you clean again. I just gave you a bath this morning! she complained, though there was only affection as she chided her magma.

Medeath chuckled and strolled over to the mouth of the tunnel leading to the Lower Caverns to await her rider's emergence from the safety zone. The riders cautiously exiting the Caverns detoured wide around the magma, though there was an odd mix of fear and gratude in their eyes as they watched her in their peripheral vision. This wasn't the first time the magma had done such a service -- fighting and killing a Rogue dragon before they could harm any innocents. They were glad someone had the ability and the inclination, but it was just a reminder of how dangerous magma queens really were. It was just a good thing, they often thought, that magmas weren't as big as ravens.[/size][/color][/font]

[Dragonmage]

Mosyth poked a pale green nose out of her weyr. Now that the infected Ruby was dead, it was relatively safe to come out. The Spring had been plastered to the inner part of her weyr when the Ruby moved. She may have been a dragon, but even she wasn't dumb enough to give any dragon with Rouge a target. A Magma on a good day, especially Medeath was safer.

Nocia slowly exited the safety of the caverns, keeping a wary eye on the Magma as she looked for Mosyth. There was no reason to get the touchy Magma back into violent mode. She was both glad that some dragon could handle the Rouge beasts before they hurt too many people and dragons, but scared of the violent creatures.

A smallish swirl of dust announced the arrival of the Spring to her rider and anyone else in the Weyrbowl who had not seen her fly from her weyrledge. Submissively, Mosyth stayed with her head down and her entire body language saying that she was not remotely a threat to the Magma or hers. Hopefully, the behavior would keep Medeath from getting angry. Should Mosyth get her rider now or wait for the Magma to pick up hers? The Spring quickly decided that letting the Magma go first was the better part of valor.

[Desert]

Di emerged from the Caverns with Tatsu skittering along at her heels, chattering energetically. The myrr had been hanging out in their weyr while Dea dealt with the Rogue ruby, but now she was allowed to cling to her human again. Tatsu looked up at Medeath's spiky head and chirruped.

The big magma glanced sideways at the flash of light green and red-brown. A spring had landed next to her, almost cowering fearfully away. She snorted scathingly at Mosyth. Why are you cringing like that, stupid spring? I'm not going to eat you,[/b][/color] she said scornfully, cocking her head to one side as if in exasperation.

Diardi reached out to the spiky head, which Medeath promptly lowered so that her rider could run her hand over the silky scales. "Good job, Dealove," Di told her, grinning at the ichor dripping from the magma's dorsal spikes. "Though I might not bother bathing you anymore if you go and get gore all over you every time I give you a bath."

Sorry. I can't exactly dictate when a Rogue dragon snaps, can I?[/b][/color] Dea teased, lifting her head up. Di had grped one of the spikes radiating from the base of Dea's skull, so the movement also brought her rider's feet off the ground for a moment. The magma rumbled playfully as she set Di back down.

Diardi glanced over at the now mostly forgotten spring, who was waiting to retrieve her rider. She glanced around for the spring's rider, and then found Nocia. She nodded curtly in acknowlegment of the Weyrlingmaster.

Tatsune leaped into the air and latched onto Dea's muzzle, chattering at the magma, scolding her for not paying proper attention to the myrr. Medeath shook her head sharplyo dislodge the unwelcome parasite, and Tatsu blinked between before she could hit the ground; only to reappear boldly straddling one or two of the magma's headspikes.

You are irritating me, Fidget. Gerroff![/b][/color] Dea growled. This only encouraged the ever-mischievous Tatsu, who immediately started chanting "Fijjit! Fijjit! Gerroff Fijjit!" in her reedy little voice. Di fought to keep a straight face; she reahced out to snatch the offending myrr from Dea's head as the magma extended it urgently toward her, grinning despite herself at her pet's antics.[/size][/color][/font]

[Dragonmage]

Mosyth jumped when the Magma addressed her. She had expected the abuse, but it still hurt to be called a stupid Spring. Well, at least the Magma hadn't attacked her. That was always a good thing. The dragon slowly began to straighten up, her posture still edgy and ready to flee. Mosyth decided to maybe try to explain why she was so scared.

Queen Medeath, I was afraid that you might hurt me. I did not want to make you mad. Some dragons, the cowering makes them feel like they don't need to bother with a little Spring. I'm sorry. Remember, I'm not strong like you. You are a Queen; I'm just a Spring, even though Mine is the Weyrlingmaster.

Nocia nodded back to the Magmarider. Mosyth needed a bath, but it would most likely not be a very good time to push Medeath by getting too close. The Weyrlingmaster swung up onto her dragon who now looked less like a cringing canine and more like a proper dragon. Although the pair was careful of the Magma, they looked much more confident with one's courage bolstering the other's. Carefully, as not to kick any dust up onto Medeath, Mosyth took off and flew gently to the lake. It was bath time and if the Magma wished to come closer, that choice was all the larger dragon's. Mosyth hoped she hadn't said or done anything to make such a volatile creature take insult.

[Desert]

Medeath glanced over at Mosyth again as the little spring explained herself. Another scornful snort escapes her maw. Dea rolled her shoulders languidly, making her spikes rattle together; the clamor while not overtly threatening might be enough to make the high-strung spring more nervous. Run from a canine and it will chase you, Mosyth. If you cower away from me I will be more tempted to play a bit.[/b][/color] The magma lowered one eyelid in a lazy wink, her maw gaping open in a wolfish grin. But then again, if someone were stupid enough to stand there and posture at me like they were ready for a fight, like that ruby, I would readily take them up. So I guess it is just a matter of balance, to keep yourself safe from me.[/b][/color]

Di tugged on one of Medeath's jawspikes to get the magma's attention. "Pern to Dea. You need another bath. Go." She shoved playfully at the queen's head. Dea rumbled and very gently let Diardi's arm slide through her lightly meshed teeth, before turning to pad sinuously toward the lake.

She slipped into the water with a soft sigh, spreading her broad wings out like floats to either side of her lithe body. She payed no attention to the spring who entered the water not far behind her, more concerned with getting a bath. She did admit to enjoying these -- more for the chance to get petted by Di than for the cleanliness aspect, but she also liked seeing the shimmer and shine of her newly-washed scales glitter in the sun.

Diardi followed her dragon, with Tatsu trailing behind chattering on like always. That little myrr rarely shut up; both magma and rider had grown accustomed to the noise. [/size][/color][/font]

[Dragonmage]

Mosyth considered Medeath's words for a bit before deciding that listening too long to the Magma was more likely to scare her than anything else. With a toss of her head, the Spring padded into the lake and paddled about for a while, making sure she got wet all over.

My Nocia, come swim with me and bathe me. I can't wash myself and you have the soapsand. The water isn't that cold.

Look who's talking. You're a dragon for Faranth's sake. Of course it isn't cold to you.

Nocia knew she was just putting off the inevitable fact that her dragon needed a bath, but the lake was cold to her, no matter what Mosyth thought. With a sigh, she waded into the water and toward the Spring. Reaching up with handfuls of soapsand as the dragon lowered her light green head, Nocia started to scrub the soft, eyeridges.

Mosyth really enjoyed the attention and her tail began to whip around without her notice. That felt so good. The lashing of her tail created a wave that swamped her rider. Nocia came up sputtering and cursing, but what neither dragon nor rider noticed was that the wave had not stopped when it hit Nocia, but instead continued on towards the Magma and her rider.

[Desert]

The wave inadvertently kicked up by Mosyth washed over the magma and her rider. Medeath's face was splashed by the swell, which in and of itself wasn't that annoying, but Diardi was taken by surprise, her back having been turned to the springpair. She was bumped against her dragon's scaly shoulder, the action of the water making her skin scrape the wrong way against Medeath's scales. Di yelped as the palms of her hands were lacerated by the tooth-like scales, and ducked them underwater to wash off the blood.

Medeath hissed irritably, shooting a glare at Mosyth and Nocia. Hey! Watch where you splash around, stupid spring![/b][/color] she snapped. Then she lowered her head to rub soothingly against her rider's shoulder. Di shoved the spiky head away playfully. "It's nothing, dear. I do this to myself frequently enough."

Tatsune, from her perch on Medeath's spikes, chirruped inquiringly at Di. "Owwie? Youhas owwie?"

Diardi smiled at the jewel. "Yes, I got an owwie, Tatsu. Can you get me some bandages from my weyr? You know where to get them."

The little myrr chirped an impudent "Ay ay!" and leaped from Medeath's spikes, blinking between before hitting the water. Dea shook herself vigorously, glad to be rid of the annoyance. Her parasite reappeared very soon, to her dismay, dropping onto her withers and tossing Diardi a roll of gauze.

Di wrapped her hands in the bangades, smiling to herself at Medeath's irrirated mental grumblings as Tatsune made a game of scampering back and forth across her body, avoiding the waves that lapped at Dea's sides that threatened to drench the myrr.[/size][/color][/font]