Dawn...the morning after the wraith attack at Windtide--

The stillness of the plains in the pre-dawn moments was eerie enough, 
but the sudden storm that arose was absolutely terrifying!  Across the 
low, rolling hills came streaks of lightening--bursting into balls of 
flame as they pierced the ground.  The very air was electrified with 
power, unearthly, and vicscious.

Dark clouds rolled in, blotting out the stars; plunging the countryside 
into darkness.  Anyone brave enough to stand in those fields would have 
seen the electricity gathering together in an apex, crackling in surreal 
energy, forming a ball of light.

A mere second later, the ball disipated, as did the storm, bringing a 
fresh, morning shower, and the image of a man standing in the dark 
shadows that now streched across the valley from the sun rising timidly 
over the mountain peaks.

The body of the man was naked, but his waist length, golden hair 
shimmered in the morning light, and his tawny body shimmered with the 
fallen rain, as it made tiny rivulets down his sinewy back.  His face 
was lifted toward the sunrise, and his reddish-blonde beard and mustache 
caught the glint of the morning light....he smiled.

At that exact same moment...nearby--

Fr. Donavon knelt in early morning prayer in the small sacristy the held 
many sacred elements, including a marble 'egg' said to be the ancient 
'Egg of Omens', a gift from the god of light, along with five others, 
which would hatch at certain times to ensure that evil never over ran 
the small world in which the god had created.

In the candle lit chapel, Fr. Donavon meditatedm as was his orders wont, 
on the end of the world, and the terrible eveil which would bring it 
about.  Late inthe night, he had been awakened by terrible dreams of 
wraiths overrunning villages, and the massacre of hunderds of people.  
As he prayed, he heard a startling soud!  Turning from his prie-deu, he 
watched in horror as the marble egg cracked and trembled in it's ornate 
pedestal!

The entire monastery was up at the alrm given by Fr. Donavon, and all 
the monks watched silently as a newborn, jet-black dragon slowly emerged 
from the black marble egg.  It's plaintiff cry was piercing in the eerie 
silence of the monastery.

Several of the monks fainted at it's cry, while others quickly and 
quietly prayed.  A loud knock on the oaken doors brought many out of 
their startled state.  Fr. Donavon rushed to answer the doors, half 
wondering who would be calling at this early hour...especially when the 
egg of Omens had just hatched.

The large doors opened a crack, revealing a wet, naked man huddled in 
the doorway.  His condition caused Fr. Donavon to gasp, swinging the 
doors wide and helping the man inside.  the other brothers gathered 
around, many grabbing cloaks and blankets to drape across the nude man's 
form.  Finally, when the dragon cried again, the man snapped to, and 
stood, warily makinghis way into the sacristy.

The monks stood outside, listening...but no sound was heard for a long 
time.  Finally, the man inside laughed tenderly and emerged, carrying 
the small, ebony dragon in his arms.  He spoke in almost a whisper to 
Fr. Donavon, "We are hungry."

A week later...

Fr, Donavon approached the man, now dressed from head to foot in black, 
"Sayli, I am sorry, but the Fatehr Abbot is insistant.  I am afraid the 
dragon must leave!"  Sayli, his hair loosely braided down his back 
glowered at the stout monk, "But it was teh father Abbot who insisted 
the the dragon stay!"

The smaller man nodded in agreement, "Yes, but that was when the dragon 
was smaller...and still thought of as a sacred relic.  But reality is 
that the dragon has already outgrown the monastery and the courtyard, 
and the food supplies are now dangerously low!  He must go."

Sayli sighed, "Then I must go to."  Fr. Donavon looked at the young man 
lovingly.  Since his arrival, Fr. Donavon had cared for him as a father 
cares for a son.  "Where will you go?  You do not yet know where you 
came from, or even your real name!"  The enigmatic stranger looked out 
the window at the mountains beyond, "I know not."

Suddenly, a younger monk burst into the room, "Sayli!  The dragon has 
escaped the monastery!"  Sayli smiled quietly, "He has not 
escaped...Onyx will not leave without me.  He longs to fly free, though, 
among the other dragons we have seen in the sky."

"Dragon riders from White River...you must go to them, then.  If they 
will have you.  When will you leave?"  Fr. Donavon knew the answer to 
his question even before Sayli answered, "Immediately.  Onyx is anxious 
to fly."  He strode toward the door as Fr. Donavon called out, "then may 
the gods speed you on your way, my son."

Outside, Onyx blinked in the bright sunlight, <Are you ready to fly?>  
Sayli patted the large, black dragon on the flank, "Yes, my friend...we 
will fly to White River, and join with the clan there."  The dragons 
golden horns gleamed in the daylight,<Then let us make haste!>

Fr. Donavon stood with several other monks and watched the sleek, black 
dragon rise from the ground, the small human on his back looking back at 
the small monastery as it grew further from site.  <We will not see them 
again, shall we?>  Onyx deep voice echoed in Sayli's mind.  "Perhaps, 
young dragon, perhaps."  Sayli settled in for the ride, as the mountains 
grew closer and closer.  Already, other spots in the sky could be 
seen...the Dragon riders of White River!

Respectfully Submitted,
Sayli/Onyx
Wendon Pettey
wpettey@hotmail.com

***********
NRPG:

Hello, all!  I will send the bio out  next time I post.  I am not at my 
computer, so I don't have it handy.

Kat, reworked the original post a little...hope you like it! :-)  
Changes to the bio will be made before I send it out, okay? 

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