[ series long cw for mild romance and violence ] In the beginning, there were two. Two dragon sisters, beastly masters of the earth and sky. Ilios and Fengari; sun and moon. They were as strong as the ground, as harsh and unpredictable as the sea, and as mysterious as the night sky. They ruled the world with an iron fist, daring anyone to challenge them. Their power was only magnified by the other's presence, twin kn1ves working together in deadly brilliance. And thus the world fell out of balance. The gods blessed two women with powers beyond that of ordinary mortals. Their relationship rivaled that of even Ilios and Fengari, for it was forged of years of love. Their names were Thea and Eleni. The pair were named the first dragon keepers, each tasked with keeping the power of one of the dragons in check. The only way to do so was to keep them apart, and the only way to keep them apart was to separate Thea and Eleni. They knew it was their duty, so sadly the women parted. For decades and centuries the quartet existed, separated from all. The magic the gods had blessed Thea and Eleni with granted them unusually long lives, tying their well-being to that of the beasts. They fell away from the world, eventually losing all hope in returning to the life they had once led. The women realized they could not go on without each other, so twice a year they sneak away from the slumbering dragons and meet in the forest. It is both a night of excitement and one of dread. For three fateful hours, the balance of the world hangs by a thread. It is a perfectly balanced scale, ready to be swayed into darkness by a single wisp of wind. Should Ilios and Fengari escape the world will certainly end.
The moon shone silver in the dead black sky, shimmering stars delicately strung in the jet-black cloak of night. Eleni walked silently through the forest, her tattered brown cloak wrapped protectively around her shoulders. Her grey eyes glimmered in the moonlight, her step was quick and purposeful. The trees stretched their gnarled fingers toward the woman, and with each step the forest itself seemed to quiver. Still Eleni strode onward. Her voice was soft, seeming to beckon to someone, to call out. A sound of joy, a sound of hope. A song of love. It pierced the veil of silence night had entangled the world in. "Thea?" Another face emerged from the darkness, a smile lighting her features. This was the moment they'd been waiting for. For a few precious moments, she could be with her love. The love of her life, Thea might once have called Eleni. However, that would be a strange phrase to use now that they no longer lived in a typical way. The pair existed, sure. Lived? Not so much. The pair approached each other with open arms; pace increasing with the thump of their hearts. Skipping, jogging, and finally running through the darkened forest. They were mere steps away when a shadowed tree root tripped Eleni and she fell, right into Thea's arms. Their laughter rang through the trees. Not so far away, the dragon stirred.
