Eritea seemed to be a desolate wasteland of proportions that even Rynn had a hard time truly coming to terms with. The ash that fell like snow around her covered the land, creating a strange, almost beautiful waste. The heat, which normally would have been unbearable to any human, was tolerable at best for her.

She had heard that dragonkin made their home here, which was more than enough of a reason to visit. Having come from an entirely different world had created a set of unique problems, as her source of power was a powerful star that no longer existed. She had temporarily bonded with Tar Eisale, drawing from its power, but the cost was heavy. In the end, the star was incompatible with her.

It had dawned on her that perhaps it was time to stop relying on others for her power. She had leaned hard on Gideon and Jace both since coming to this world, to the point where it almost cost her both of them. It was a hard lesson to take, but in the end, she felt better for it. Jace, her brother, had his own issues to deal with, and had elected not to come with Rynn to the barren wasteland that was Eritea. Gideon was more than eager to come, but Rynn had put her foot down in protest. What was the point of gaining her own power otherwise?

Although the heat of Eritea was bearable, it was starting to wear on her. Since she was a celestial draconian, she was mostly okay, but having a severed power source to her draconic form led her to start sweating. She was half tempted to cut her long, black hair short in order to avoid overheating, The train of thought brought a half smile to her lips.

Gideon would freak, she thought. Hell, even Jace might have issue with it. That alone made her all the more tempted. The draconian looked back at the path she had walked. The falling ash was already covering her tracks. She would have to be careful.

Water sources. That’s where the dragon kin should be. She just hoped that they would be willing to talk with her.

It wasn’t often that Kythe indulged herself in transforming into her fully Draconic form; it wasn’t that she disliked it if anything it gave her a feeling of true freedom in that form, it was primal and ferocious and allowed her to fly free and without consequence, it was just a fact that she tended to be in places or situations that meant turning into a colossal three headed Dragon generally wasn’t a good idea or in fact the correct etiquette…

Spreading her wings wide Kythe soared above the wastes of Eritea; indulging herself in the thermals created by the heat. She loved the heat; she always had, the sprinkling of ash against her jet black scales left dusty little marks as she moved through the air. It was just the sort of place Dragon kind liked to spend their time; the heat tended to attract them, every Dragon had a love of warmth and more often than not she would find Hoards gathered by Volcanoes or Hot Springs.
Fully healed from her wound Kythe now sported a rather stunning scar upon her right shoulder; Angela had been forced to tap into her divinity in order to heal the damage done leaving the star shaped wound to heal in a bright, molten silver. It was quite spectacular really; far prettier than any of the other scars the warrior sported to say the least!

Turning on a wing tip the massive Dragon began her descent towards the lake she had spotted - it was not large by any means but it was enough for the small group of Dragonkin already gathered there. The moment her shadow crossed over they screeched and took to wing themselves - her sheer size enough to send them scattering let alone the three large heads filled with fangs. She meant them no harm but it also did her no harm to be reminded that she could still strike fear into the hearts of others in this form - it was the small pleasures in life after all.
Alone now she indulged in a drink; the heat in the water itself did not phase her and once more Kythe found pleasure in the chance to spend time in this form. Her right head lifted as a scent caught her attention; it held the scent of a Dragon but much like Kythe’s own there was something else as well - being Minadrian her own scent was a mixture of Draconic and Elvish; the smokey smell of fire and ash mingled with the lighter, airier scents of the Elves leaving an unusual scent on the air where Kythe was concerned. Who dared walk amongst Dragons in a place such as this she wondered.

Rynn lost track of time again, but when she looked through the snow-like ashes, she noticed figures in the distance that were becoming clear. One in particular, larger and imposing stood out. A definite dragon. Her heart skipped a beat; not in fear, but in awe. Despite having a draconic lineage, she had not seen many of her kind. Jace had chosen not to transform in most cases, and Aeolus had mostly trained himself on his celestial side. Serah had just began to explore her draconic heritage when the attacks happened…

Her eyes trained to the ground. Not a good thing to be so alone. I don’t have Gideon to distract me from my thoughts. She sighed. When she looked up again, she was much closer and could start to make out some distinctions.

“Hello?” she called out, waving her hand in the air. She wasn’t exactly sure on how to actually talk to them. Would they just attack of sight? It was something she had prepared herself for, but she genuinely hoped for a productive conversation. At this point, though, her nerves were starting to get the better of her. She was anxious at what was to come.

Her biggest fear, though, was failure. Rynn had once scoffed at the idea of failure, but years of guilt had compiled in her, and now…

Oh, stop it already, she thought to herself as she furrowed her brow. Just see what they have to say first.

The middle head lifted to join the right, water dripping from it's giant, fanged maw. As the left too came to rise all six emerald eyes found the figure amongst the ash and automatically the left and right opened their mouths to hiss defensively while the middle watched the girl to see just what she would do. Massive wings unfurled from the Dragons back as she brought them forward with such force that the air cracked out like thunder in a storm, the ash and dust swirling away from the Dragon to form a wall before the girl, enveloping her for a moment as the Dragon lowered her body and launched herself away from the water to land mere metres in front of the girl. All three heads lowered to the girl's level and all six eyes narrowed their gaze as they focussed upon her. Nostrils flared as the Dragon too in a deep breath, sifting out the smell of the ash from the scent of the girl. 

"There are not many brave enough to venture through the ash and smoke and heat of such a place as this; even fewer who can last long enough to reach areas like this one where Dragons gather. But you are not like most are you? I smell Dragon in you." Kythe spoke softly, her voice rich and deep in the mind of the girl, like wading through molasses. "Tell me Little One, what brings you here? Why risk a chance meeting with a Dragon who does not take so kindly to being disturbed? You are lucky; when I came to this watering hole there were many who would have eaten you on principal alone. In a way you are lucky I arrived here when I did as I mean you no harm; thankfully I am not like many of our kin. My name is Kythe."

Despite having draconic blood in her veins, and witnessing the sheer magnitude of power that dragon’s held firsthand while growing up, Rynn had almost forgotten what it was like to be met with the force of one. In a mere blink, there was a massive shockwave of dust and ash, and before Rynn could really comprehend it, there was a great dragon standing before here. The speed and grace of it caused her to take a slight step back. It was less fear, and more surprise than anything.

“Pretty,” she whispered as the three headed dragon before her gazed at her, six sets of eyes trained on her. It was strange. Up until now, she had been nervous, but all of that had washed away when she set eyes on one of her own.

Brave? That’s a new one. “I came here for…” She paused. What exactly did she come here for? The dragon, Kythe, had spoken in her mind that most of the dragons would have merely tried to kill her. Had that happened, she would have defended herself, but would lose the answer she seeked.

But what answers? She barely had a question. “I guess I came out here as a sort of…spiritual walk?” That sounded too lackadaisical. She furrowed her brow, and took a quick breath. “I don’t have a clear answer. “I guess…I’m trying to learn how to rely on myself, instead of others?” Still a strange reason to be wandering in a draconic wasteland. “Not exactly it, either.”

Start simple. You’re used to Gideon doing all of the talking. “Hello, Kythe. My name is Rynn. It’s a pleasure to meet you…” She said, her silver eyes training on the middle head. “I have a….draconian heritage that I struggle to tap in to without outside help. And, I guess…I came here to try and channel it without that aid.” She took a breath. That wasn’t so hard.

“I was hoping to meet with other dragonkin. To talk…maybe just get the feeling for what it’s like for them. An outside perspective on how they live, and how I might be able to learn and grow.”

Kythe nodded as she listened to Rynn's answer, a Draconic smile crossing her three heads (less welcoming given their maws and the fangs within each of them) at the answer or more accurately answers. "A fair enough reason to venture to a place like this then. Bear with me just a moment; I do not know whether I will be able to help you in this endeavour but I shall strive to do my best for you." The Dragon continued, the three heads bowing in unison as she took a step back slightly, furling her wings against her back. 

The transformation from colossal Dragon to her much more manageable Elven(ish) form did not take much doing nor much time in reality; the twisting of her form until it was back to her usual six foot, slender and curved female form looked more painful than it actually was. Shaking herself the naked woman stretched out her Draconic wings for a moment and turned her head from side to side, rolling her shoulders before she reached down to a pack that had appeared at her feet, pulling out and putting on her clothes before she turned to face Rynn, the smile on her now beautiful Elven face far more welcoming than the one her Draconic form had worn. "Now. Let's see what help I can offer you on this score; given my own heritage I might be able to direct you somewhat though I cannot promise you that I can either." 

"Feel free to ask me whatever questions you like, I'll answer them as best I can."

To have the dragoness before her answer her call for help was almost an enlightening experience. It was strange, for once, to have someone so agreeable and ready to help. Usually it was something stupid or ridiculous, such as a quest or an exchange. Had Rynn not been excited about the potential, she would have thought it almost too good to be true.

As Kythe transformed before her, reverting to a more elvish form, Rynn could not help but admire her form. So far, Rynn had yet to meet anyone with draconic blood that looked less than handsome or pretty. Well, at least in her eyes.

“I guess I have a few good started questions, if i may,” Rynn said quickly, feeling exuberant. “Er…” She paused. “Maybe a bit personal, but don’t feel like you have to answer.” She flashed a smile. “So, have you always known about your draconic heritage? When did you learn to change? Does it hurt? It hurts when I try to change, which is why I avoid it. It’s almost always a struggle to change too, like I’m lost in a sea, and…”

Rynn looked to Kythe for a moment. “Oh. I just…went off, didn’t I?” She frowned. Another bad habit she needed to break. “I’m sorry. I should go a little slower. My apologies, Kythe.” Her silver eyes flickered. She would repeat any questions Kythe needed her to repeat before moving on.

Kythe smiled and nodded. "That's alright, they'd need to be personal to give you the information you're after really." She answered with a shrug, sitting down and crossing her legs beneath her. "It's part of my family line so I always knew. Minadrias, when they are born, tend to revert to their transformational state as children. For my family line that meant Dragons, for my best friend it was a wolf and for another an equine creature called a Murtok. So in terms of knowing and learning it was something that came naturally for me; the only way I can really describe it is that I sort of think of my other form and my body just responds though I have been on some worlds where magic is non-existent or extremely sparse and that has affected my ability to become a Dragon - I could still do it but it would hurt or exhaust me leaving me to need to rest for a long period of time." 
"Not usually; I think over time I've got used to the transformation though I suppose you could call it uncomfortable? Oddly it's not something I've ever thought much about as it's always just been a part of my life."

Chuckling Kythe reached over and patted Rynn's hand. "You're fine honestly, don't feel like you need to apologise. Is your own Draconic side natural or given? As in is it a part of your race or something that you've been gifted or such? I know for those not born with Draconic blood the transformation can be harder but it also depends on race from what I've observed in the past. Best advice I can give you is don't be afraid of it but also don't push it. Here, small steps." 
Kythe stood up so that Rynn could see her better as she dismissed her wings so that (other than her slitted pupils which she could not change) she looked perfectly Elven. The next moment the wings were back and with a slight shimmy of her trousers Kythe produced a tail. "I can dictate how much of one side or the other I have, maybe start with wings or a tail and work from there?"

Rynn listened, surprised at how easily Kythe talked about her childhood. It had been a long time since the celestial draconian had spoken to another so casually. The information that was passed along, though, was not much of a help to Rynn’s personal problem, but nonetheless, she felt excited to at least hear about it. It did not take long for Kythe to finish speaking, though, and she turned the questions back on Rynn.

“Oh? Erm, I’m only a fourth draconian, but that counts as being natural, doesn’t it?” she said with a flustered smile. “One fourth celestial, and technically half blo-, erm, human, though I don’t know how much of that side actually matters. I know some bloodlines cancel out others. Human tends to be the lesser in many instances.” She had heard about Rosenites from her brother, as well as met a few who had ‘turned.’ The bloodline was something special, much like her own.

Rynn watched as Kythe’s body shimmered and changed. She had seen it over and over, between Jace, her aunts and uncles, and even her own father. However, she had never truly watched the transformation, now that she was examining Kythe shifting her wings and tail.

The one thing for sure Rynn had mastered was the claws of her draconic form. It had been out of desperation that she had first used them, but even with practice it was still a struggle. The way Kythe presented herself was that of grace and elegance as her body changed states. Rynn tried to imagine what she looked like whens he shifted. The few times she had managed a full change in this world, she had been emotional, and the pain that she was feeling was greater than the transformation. She wondered, briefly, if she looked horrifying when she changed. She glanced down at her hands, and clenched them into a fist.

“Slowly…” she said aloud. She felt a weak warmth spread from her chest out to her back and her tailbone. It was a familiar warmth, like when she spoke to the Dragonsoul star back home as it guided her through her transformation. This time, though, there was no guiding hand. It was just her. She closed her eyes, and let the feeling spread outward.

Wings. Tail. She held the image strong in her head of what it should look like, and how it should feel. Like her father and grandfather, her draconic form was that of a great,black dragon. Shimmering black scales arcing up the wing, a talon at the tip for defense, pale webbing spreading out to catch the wind. A long, thick tail, meant to swipe the enemy aside, barbed at the end for piercing through shields.

She opened her eyes, feeling the weight suddenly. Her tail swept across the barren ground back and forth, almost like an excited puppy. “It…it worked?” she asked, looking back at her wings as they spread out. “It worked! I barely felt any pain!” She looked back to Kythe with a wide smile across her face. “Kythe! It worked!” She jumped at Kythe in a surprise hug.

Realizing what she had done, though, she immediately stumbled back. “Oh. S-sorry. I just…I got excited is all.”

”It’s a bloodline regardless of how far down the line it may or may not be though depending on how many times the line has been diluted by other races may account for your difficulty but shouldn’t stop you from transforming entirely either. It will just be a case of practicing and taking it slowly I’m afraid – these things are never quick or easy and as I say the further diluted that part of the bloodline the more difficult it could potentially make things. Don’t give up hope however; I’m sure between us we can figure it out.” Kythe smiled.

As she rid herself of the tail once more (she wasn’t wearing the appropriate attire for such an appendage today) she watched Rynn carefully; the girl had enough about her that Kythe was more than a little convinced that she would manage a full transformation eventually – it was as she had said, these things sometimes take time, having patience isn’t always easy but is usually necessary. If Rynn was determined enough she would unlock that part of herself and once that door was opened there would be little that could close it again.

Fingers entwined within her lap Kythe watched the girl closely; a knowing smile on her face. It was like watching her children learn to control their own transformations; that expectance and anticipation of the moment when they would be able to do it without really thinking about it. As the wings and tail appeared Kythe resisted the urge to chuckle – not at Rynn but more at the fact that she had been right.

As Rynn cried out excitedly and leapt at her to embrace her Kythe grinned and hugged her back. ”Don’t apologise my dear, it’s perfectly alright and a natural reaction given what you’ve said to me so far about your trials in manifesting that side of yourself. You have every right to be elated! You have achieved something extremely difficult so be proud. My advise now is to practice that in the morning when you wake up and before you go to sleep on a night – don’t do it too often or push it for too long as you can exhaust yourself. When it gets to the point that you barely have to even think about it; so your subconscious reacts without you having to concentrate on it then you can move onto the next step.” She continued softly.
Once more the wings vanished and once more they returned, accompanied by her tail, horns upon her head and jet black scales that covered her entire body. ”Each step will take time for you to get used to, each step incorporates more of that side of yourself. For example, bear with me I need to rid myself of my clothes again.” She chuckled, swiftly shedding them and placing them to one side.

This time Kythe’s height shifted from her usual six foot to about eight as her legs elongated to look more like a bipedal reptiles, her feet now very Draconic. Her arms too had grown longer – her fingers now clawed and less elegant in terms of her usual Elvish appearance. Spines ran down her back to reflect the ones her Draconic form had and her face had elongated – while it was clear she was not in her impressive Dragon form she was certainly no longer Elven in her appearance and anyone who knew her would not have recognised the Draconic female now stood there; fangs on display, tail lashing back and forth across the sand. Her form was still feminine and she was quite beautiful like this but far more brutal looking.
”This I would say would be your final form prior to trying to transform fully – this in itself takes more doing as it is a halfway state of sorts but it will be the sheer size of your full Dragon form that will take its toll.”