Masur of As’lin :: The Mysterious Painting

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Koudo Zhol Omawynn
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Masur of As’lin :: The Mysterious Painting

Post by Koudo Zhol Omawynn »

The Seeker and his goddess traveled far. On foot, the only way Masur ever choose to travel, they saw a great multitude of things. Many wonderful things that, even in the time Masur had strode the Queen Mother, he’d never seen before.

He pointed towards a distant mountain range that spotted the horizon before them, “Look, another mountain range more vast than the ones back home.” He remembered the icy peaks of his homeland well enough, living amongst them for last long as he had.

Odea nodded, “Yes, word is that a new civilization has emerged there,” she placed her hand atop his head, running her fingers through his hair as a smile crept across his face.

A new civilization! He thought it was wonderful, “I’ve enjoyed my time away from home. We get to see so much, the Queen Mother’s face changes more and more as the years span on.” He wondered if he would get to see it before it was his time to return home.

Usually young dragons on their pilgrimage return when they are ready. Some achieve great feats and return with a grand tale of their endeavors. Others learn more about their connection to the Queen Mother, through their connection with Naten, and return as teachers to the next generation. Everyone returns when they are ready.

Masur was different. As the grandson of the chief, he was expected to return when the tribe needed him. As inheritor to the chiefdom of the Northern Silver Dragons, he was expected to prepare himself for the pressures of leadership.

It was... inconvenient when he requested leave, since it was so soon after his grandfather’s passing, but Masur needed the time to get away. Lale Caelora held the most precious memories of his grandparents and especially... his father. He couldn’t live there.

It was allowed, but with a restriction. He wasn’t allowed the freedom of time allotted to his coevals. When it was time for the inheritance proceedings to begin, he was expected to return. Whether he felt ready or not.

“I’m growing tired,” Odea voice broke his trance like trip down memory lane. He looked at her reassuring face, knowing she could tell he was lost in his own head.

“Me as well.” They didn’t need to sleep very often, but they enjoyed it all the same. It was relaxing to take a load off every month or so to really recharge the batteries. Today, however, after their encounter with Jae, Masur and Odea could really use the break.

Masur did not stop his stride, “I could set up a camp and-“

“A camp, husband?” Odea interrupted him there. Dismissively, she shook her head, “We’ve camped every time for months.”

Masur exhaled, not in a frustrated way but because he understood her protest, “We don’t come across humans very often.” So they rarely found lodging. Even when they did Masur felt uncomfortable if he wasn’t under the sky for too long.

Odea smiled coyly, “Turn your nose,” she proclaimed as she gently ushered his head over his right shoulder, “there.”

Confused, but trusting, he took a couple sniffs of the air. Wafting on the breeze was a scent he hadn’t caught in months. The gentle delicate scent of deliciously baked apples.

“Baked apples.” He said quietly.

“Baked apples.” His wife repeated, “Mean?” She asked.

“An oven.”

“An oven.” She repeated, “Meaning?” She asked.

Masur stopped in place and turned towards the direction the enticing aroma drifted from, “Humans are nearby.”

Odea nodded pleasantly, “Yes, which means we do not have to camp, husband.” She shuddered gleefully.

Masur began to tread in that direction without much delay, “Yes, you’ll get your bed and hot water.” Which was what she truly desired and what she deserved. Without her, the encounter with Jae would have ended very differently. He didn’t mind dealing with sleeping under wood for a while.
Last edited by Koudo Zhol Omawynn on Mon Aug 23, 2021 11:29 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Koudo Zhol Omawynn
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The Arrival

Post by Koudo Zhol Omawynn »

The Arrival

Though the whimsical smell of baked apples tickled the nose of the dragon and his pearl as if they were right before them, the pair had to travel quite a ways to get to where the smell actually originated. For minutes, or hours, Masur strode the face of the Queen Mother with his queen, and the mother of his children, set firmly, comfortably, and above all else safely upon his shoulder. There she was able to keep him occupied with conversation about how precocious their little Korra had become.

"Did she now?" The hearty dragon asked humorously, looking up to the woman perched on his shoulder.

Odea smiled wide, tossing a hand out to her side, "You never believe the stories I tell of our youngest. She's capable of much more than you think." This particular tale that she recounted happened when Masur was trapped on a separate dimensional plane. He could be near his family, physically, and connect with Odea, metaphysically, but he couldn't see or anything that occurred while he was away.

She told him, in much greater detail, about how she'd found Korra surrounded by birds as she soared through the air with them. Now this didn't seem out of the ordinary to Masur, seeing as how Korra was getting close to the age necessary to rediscover her dragon form. The extraordinary thing, in which Masur didn't believe, was that his youngest was flying without her dragon form. It sounded like a farfetch'd tale.

Masur shook his head dismissively, "No, it's not that I don't believe you." It wasn't that all, though in fairness he did believe his wife liked to embellish. "I've just never seen it."

Odea scoffed, "And just because you have not seen, you do not believe." Masur could hear the disbelief oozing from her sentence alone. He embarked on a journey from his homeland seeking a land he'd only seen in his dreams. Choosing to believe this land had to exist, even though he had not physically seen it himself. Masur was a man that found no trouble believing in what he hadn't seen.

He knew that’s what she was thinking, without asking her to clarify. It was just how their relationship worked, and she was right. That was also just how their relationship worked.

The seeker rolled his eyes around his head a while, shaking it from side to side as he did so, “You’ve gotten really good at that.” He admitted with a small smile.

“It’s been a long time.” Odea replied.

Still Masur retained a small amount of skepticism, pondering the possibility. It was unheard of among his people. For all intents and purposes these… humanoid forms were only capable of what a normal humanoid was. Some could fly, but the vast majority could not.

Korra did spend a lot of time around her siblings and parents when they were in combat. Perhaps she was beginning to harness the first signs of Sila Senpo. It was too earlier for Masur to tell, he was a couple years older when he first started and couldn’t muster anything as wonderful as flight.

He still couldn’t…

“Ma..ur… Masur… Zhol!” Odea commanded, snapping the Seeker’s attention and gaze to a lock with hers. Zhol: a name, a command, and a title. Seldom used, only in extreme situations.

Or when Masur got caught in his head. Odea placed her hands to his temples, which bulged with intense thought. He felt the air shift and change around him, energy surging from his arm and spreading across his neck and down his shoulder blades.

He breathed inward, taking a calming second to look into Odea’s calming orchid irises. As he did the energy faded as he regained control. It was a terrible habit of his to lose himself, thankfully Odea could pull him back.

A good time as well, Masur nose twitched before both he and Odea turned their heads towards the fading sun beyond the horizon. Eclipsed by its shadow, but not hidden from the sharp vision of The Seeker, was a mansion that loomed over what looked to be acres of an apple orchard.

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Koudo Zhol Omawynn
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The Arrival pt. 2

Post by Koudo Zhol Omawynn »

“The baked apples.” The man finally said after some time. An apple orchard that large had to be the only source of the smell for kilometers around. They’d found what they were looking for.

Odea took her hands from her husband's head, so she could land from his shoulder on the grasslands before them. The orchard still laid some distance ahead.

“ Let’s talk.”

Masur knelt to the ground, putting him just below eye level with his beau. He rested his forearm against his knee, holding his wrist with his other free hand. “ Will they welcome us? ”

“ Protection is likely, especially in an area this remote. I would welcome the company.”

Masur leaned past Odea’s shoulder to get a sharper look at the estate. Certainly people of wealth, though renown was yet to be seen. Masur held doubts, but was secure in his wife’s confidence.

Mythical were all the dragons, except the common green, so they could not be honest with these people. Moreover, a surge of Masur’s life force could cause Jae to catch their scent again. It was a risk…

“ It should be okay. We’re travelers looking for a place to lay our heads. “ but he’d made the decision to take it. He came back to focusing on Odea.

“ Shall we?” She asked, and Masur nodded.

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Koudo Zhol Omawynn
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The Arrival pt. 2

Post by Koudo Zhol Omawynn »

A mirage strolling among the rolling knolls, the dragon and his gem crossed the land in mysteriously quick fashion. His hunger leading him, causing his steps to skip more distance than he normally allowed. Gracefully, Odea traveled at his side, sure in her stride.

No sooner had they made the decision to try their luck at some hospitality, and late afternoon turned to early evening, they arrived at the grand gates overseeing this private manor. Sturdy, but showing their age with rust and chipped paint. It was in more disarray up close than could be seen from a distance.

Peculiarly, there was a giant metal apple centered between the two solid doors. Masur took hold of the gate knocker, and beat the apple against the metal plate behind it. He let go, and took a step back with his wife.

There was a wait, not significantly long, but noticeable. Masur could smell the approaching figure before they got close enough to their grand entrance to be seen. They smelled of flowers and, of course, apples, though their flower scent was… unnatural and rather harsh on his senses. He sniffed, and stifled a sneeze.

Odea stepped forward, “Greetings, fair one.” She called to the approaching woman. Plump, but hurried in her stride, she was a well put together lady. She bore a look of pleasant surprise, though tinged with a small bit of sorrow.

“Visitors?! At a time like this?” The woman finally called out when she felt close enough, “The harvest isn’t for another two seasons.” It took her no time to get the gears turning for the gate to swing open. Much quicker than The Seeker originally thought they might, given the age.

Masur’s nose twitched, as he stifled another sneeze by courteously covering his mouth and nose with his forearm.

“Yes, we just happened to be passing through.” Odea eyed her husband, before turning her attention fully to her, hopefully, future host.

Masur straightened himself, “I couldn’t resist the apples.” Even the tartness of an unripe one plucked days before it’s time was pleasing.

“Adventurers!” The woman proclaimed happily, “It’s been a while since we’ve had a chance to host…” she trailed off.

Masur noticed her inspecting him. Odea smiled, “We wouldn’t want to intrude.”

“No! No, a beautiful young lady and such a strapping young man would make great company out here, but…” she trailed off again, looking nervously back at the manor from whence she came.

Solemnly, she swallowed and turned back to our heroes, “We’ve just lost the master of the manor recently, and everything is…. In flux.”

Odea gasped, “Oh how horrible. What a troubling thing to be going through.” She stepped forward and offered condolences, which the woman accepted though with slight hesitation. Something Masur could understand.

With the gates opened, he peered past his wife and her benevolent manipulations for a better look at the mansion. It showed its age, but gracefully. The architecture wasn’t familiar, showing it was relatively young in comparison to its inspector.

“Yes, well, why don’t you two come in.” The woman finally said loud enough for Masur to return his attention to the two women. Odea smiled cordially, snaking her arm around Masur’s and pulling him close.

He mimicked her pleasant smile, appearing amiably and softening any tension his diverted attention might have brewed up. It wasn’t often he got to admire things built with human hands, especially domiciles. He hated roofs, after all.

The woman turned and began towards the house. Masur and Odea lagged behind a couple steps, enough for Odea to whisper, “You smelled that, yes?”

Masur nodded thoughtfully, but didn’t respond. He rubbed his chin, and hummed an affirmative.

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