Number: 5
Picture:
Name: Ragnok
Species: Eastern Stone Dragon
Personality: Ragnok is an odd fellow. He seems intimidating and he can look cold-hearted, but once you get close to him and really learn about him, you'll find out that he's not such a bad guy. He loves to travel and he has a strong passion for it. He also loves the clam peaceful forest that roam the land around the world. He loves to just sit in the heart of the forest and sit there, listening to the wind in the trees and the voices of the animals. Eventually, he will awake from his dreamland. But be warned, he does not age. He can never be found in the same place. He has a big heart that's filled with passion for everyone, but there's also room for sadness in it. He hates the fact how he doesn't age, while his friends do and they slowly fade away like dust in the wind.
Likes: The quiet and serene forest, traveling throughout the world, the friends he's made over the many many years.
Dislikes: The fact that, he does not age. because of this, the friends he makes do not live as long as he and fade away. It saddens him.
Background
When Ragnok was first made, he was made long before man had become evil and cold hearted. He was made by the hands of a genius. A simple man who had extraordinary skills and powers. He crafted Ragnok and then with his powers, he painted signs of life on him. Using the color of yellow to represent light. Thus, Ragnok was born. His creator taught him how to live and how to remain pure of heart. Ragnok learned readily and finally, he received his name. Ragnok, for the stone. Time passed and Ragnok happily lived the few years of his life in the woods where his creator had built his home. But while Ragnok did not age, His creator did and soon, he died in his sleep.Heartbroken, Ragnok stayed by his dead creator's side for three days, mourning. Finally, he buried him on a small hill encased in light. There he breathed blue fire over the hill and a beautiful white willow tree grew.
Ragnok then left the only place he knew as home and traveled out of the woods and into the world. He saw many strange sights, but the sights that saddened him the most was how war constantly was between humans. He yearned for a time of peace. Ragnok found a beautiful mountain side that had a small forest with a mountain stream. There he sat in the heart of the forest and listened to the sounds of the world, trying to block out the pleas and cries of pain. Finally, after three years, Ragnok woke to find a young boy sleeping at his feet. The boy had scars from battle and multiple ash marks across his face.
But he slept peacefully. Ragnok sat by the boy for three days, watching him and studying him. All the while, he slept. Until one day, the boy awoke. When he awoke, he noticed immediately that Ragnok was alive and watching him. Frightful of the stone dragon, he froze like a deer caught in the headlights. Ragnok assured the frightened boy that he could do no harm to him. The boy instantly was relaxed and he studied Ragnok himself."Your designs are amazing..." The boy had whispered in awe. Ragnok's eyes had softened. "They mean life. my creator drew them on me so that I may have life and see the world." Ragnok whispered.
His eyes saddened. "But the world is not beautiful in some places. War ravages time there." he whispered. The boy shook his head furiously and, surprised, Ragnok listened to the words that came next."War isn't everyone dragon. In other places, we humans live in peace and work together. We create war so we can remember that were only mortals. We are not god." The little boy had said, staring Ragnok straight in the eye. Ragnok stared at the boy in awe. Then very gently, he breathed blue fire over him.
"Blessed are you child. You shall create peace where there is war. And you shall lead where there is no leader." He whispered softly. Thus, the two became friends. The boy's name was Sylther. Sylther then left and returned to his war struck home. Ragnok, already missing the young boy, left that forest, traveling to a different forest in the world. This one was thick and dense and had many shadows. But Ragnok found a small clearing where light filtered through the green leaves, creating a beautiful scenery.
Ragnok stopped there and he sat down, listening to the world. Finally, he drifted into his dream state and soon, he stood still. When he awoke once more, Ragnok realized that the sounds of war were gone. In fact, there were no sounds of humans at all. In the eerie stone silence, Ragnok warily left the forest and investigated. What he found, made his heart drop to his toes and tears spring to his eyes. The humans were gone. Gone from the world and the world they had left behind was ravaged from war. it's natural beauty destroyed to reveal terrible fields of death.Ragnok searched the lands he had been to, but found so sign of humans anywhere.
Then at last, he found them. No, not them. only one. It was the boy, Sylther. He was a young man now. Tall and leader-like, he approached Ragnok warily. "Ragnok? Can it be?" He had whispered. Thus, Ragnok had broke into a huge smile and danced around the boy while he laughed a booming and reassuring laugh. "I thought you had left!" Ragnok laughed, weeping tears of joy. Sylther had given him a huge hug and then smiled softly at him. "No my friend. Alas, I am the last human on this world. I stayed behind, hoping to see you one last time before I departed. Now my hopes have been fulfilled." Sylther said softly.
Ragnok stood in front of the man, sorrow creeping into his eyes. "Good bye, mighty Ragnok. 'Tis the last day I see of you. Remember me, and I shall live. Remember me, and I shall perhaps, one day, return."" Sylther had said, sadness creeping into the etched lines on his face. Ragnok sighed sadly. "You are not a boy any longer. I shall remember you Sylther. You shall be remembered within every line of my stone body. Do not forget me." Ragnok had said. Then, without a backwards glance, the two turned and parted ways.
Ragnok, saddened by the departing of his friend, wandered the lands, searching for a suitable place to fall into his dream like state once more. But alas, he did not find the perfect spot in the land he knew so well. Filled with even more sorrow, he left the land, flying over the calm and blue seas. Finally, he reached the land across the seas. What he saw, made his heart beat with joy. The land across the seas was beautiful. War had not touched this area and no humans lingered here. Ragnok, overjoyed, instantly began his search.
It was not long before he found it. There was a large yellow meadow. A small hill sat in the middle of it and the soft wind constantly made the meadow sway. On the top of the hill, he sat down, gazing at the beauty before him. Slowly, his eyes closed and he entered his dream state, becoming stone. For 50 years, Ragnok sat there, his eyes closed and his body seemingly made of stone. The designs on him had faded when he had become stone. Finally, after 50 years, he awoke.When he awoke, Ragnok gazed around him.
The scenery had not changed. It was the middle of spring and the sun was shining brightly. But like all things, change had touched this part of the land. Before him, stood the mightiest beast he had ever seen. They were larger than a normal wolf. Their bulk was mostly muscle. Fat was not common among the Wolf-Riders. Ragnok moved and he studied the Wolf-Riders, unaware of the fact that the sleeping curled balls were studying him as well. Ragnok walked around the group of Wolf-Riders, gazing in awe at there size.
They were the size of large houses. Then he saw something odd. In the middle of the Wold-Riders, there was a smaller ball. It was surrounded by larger balls of multicolored fur. Ragnok, curious, he moved forward, but instantly, Two Wolf-Riders were standing in front of him, there eyes narrowed and the message clear in their stiff shoulders and bristling fur. Ragnok froze and the two giant Wolf-Riders flanked his sides and they led him into the ring of Curled balls of fur, which suddenly stirred and awakened, standing up and stretching, their eyes never leaving Ragnok.
Finally, The two Wolf-Riders stopped and Ragnok zeroed his attention to the massive ball of curled fur in front of him. As the ball uncurled, his jaw dropped. The Wolf-Rider in front of him was massive! His muscles bunched as he stood up and stood in front of Ragnok, towering over him.The Wolf-Rider's leader or alpha stared at him, finally, he spoke in a deep rumbling voice. "Dragon.
We saw you as a statue on the hill. yet here you are, alive and breathing. How is this possible?" The Wolf-Rider asked, cocking his head slightly. Ragnok gulped. "My creator. He drew these designs on me that gave me life." Ragnok breathed. The Wolf-Rider leaned down and sniffed Ragnok, drawing back sharply in surprise. "You smell ancient and of magic." He said, surprised. Ragnok could hear the undercurrent of awe in the leader's voice. Ragnok couldn't help but let his gaze wander. Instantly, his gaze zeroed in on something that stuck out among the large Wolf-Riders. A beautiful sandy colored Wolf-Rider with icy blue eyes gazed at him. She had a splash of white under her muzzle that ran under her belly and beneath her tail.
But what stuck out about her, was she was half the size of the other Wolf-Riders. Ragnok dragged his gaze away from her and he found the leader watching him curiously. "That is my daughter, Selerene."He said, his eyes sharp and intelligent. Ragnok swallowed and looked at the leader. "My name is Ragnok. May I ask, what are you?" He asked shakily. The leader laughed. "My name is Syltherin. We are Wolf-Riders." Ragnok's heart beat painfully against his chest as he remembered his first friend, Sylther. The leader's name was very close to it. The leader must of seen the pain and sorrow in his eyes.
"What is wrong, ancient one?" he asked, his voice deep. Ragnok sighed. "I had a friend, once, who name was similar to yours. He is gone now but...." he sighed and turned towards the leader. "Why are you here?" He asked, trying to change the painful topic. The leader sensed this and he grimaced. "Their is an evil beast lurking near our home. He is a giant. Larger than us. He looks like a wolf, but he has the fangs of a saber toothed tiger and half of his body is made of metal." The leader said. "He has killed many of our family. My daughter is the only one to have survived an attack from him. But from a cost."
Ragnok, confused, studied his daughter more closely and for the first time, he noticed that she had four scars over her two eyes. "She's blind." he said, shocked and horrified. Her father nodded sadly. "I did not wish for more deaths to fall so we traveled away from there and settled here." He said. Ragnok shook his head. "By all means stay... That's just.... horrible." Ragnok whispered. The leader's daughter, as if sensing his stare, turned to him and allowed a small sad smile.
Ragnok's lip twitched in it's own friendly smile and he realized something. He had to help these Wolf-Riders. It wasn't a matter of choice, but fate. His eyes turned hard and he turned to the leader. "Can I help you with this war?" Ragnok said in a strong voice. The leader stared at him in shock. Then slowly, a broad grin spread on his face. The leader bowed to him. "We would greatly honor that." The leader said quietly Ragnok smiled himself and bowed to the leader.
Then a broad and silly grin broke on his face. "I think.... I have a plan."Ragnok said, smiling at the leader. The leader cocked his head curiously. Then he looked at the two guards flanking Ragnok and barked something in Wolfen. The two guards backed away and motioned for Ragnok to follow them. Ragnok followed after them, the leader trailing behind him. They soon arrived at a large cave. In the back sat a female wolf with two cubs. Ragnok smiled gently at her and she smiled back. The cubs yipped and yapped as Ragnok and the three wolves sat down to one side of the cave.
The leader looked at him and motioned for him to explain. Ragnok smiled. "You say this creature's body is half metal. That means, the other half must be flesh. Also, you say he is large. Larger than you. That must mean he has a weak spot that's invisible to the eye. Like, per say, a vital vein in his neck or a certain muscle in his shoulder that would paralyze his whole flesh side." Ragnok said, excited.
The leader considered this. "But how would we get close enough to find this, weak spot? We would have to surround him and distract him. We could loose many wolves." The leader said thoughtfully. Ragnok sighed grimly. "Yes. But he's expecting an attack from the ground. not from the sky." Ragnok said quietly. Realization dawned on the leader and a smile broke on his face. Then he frowned. 'You would do this? Just to help a pack of Wolf-Riders?" The leader asked, slightly doubtful.
Ragnok's eyes grew misty as he remembered his old friend Sylther. "I would do anything, to protect this world. If that means destroying a monster at the cost of my life, then so be it...." Ragnok said quietly. The leader stared at him in slight awe. "Then it's settled. Me and my guards will provide the distraction while you attack from the sky." The leader said, ending the conversation.
Ragnok stood up and turned to find one of the cubs sitting behind him, staring at him with mutlicolored eyes. One was ruby red and the other was a beautiful purple. Ragnok was entranced. There was a small symbol on the cub's cheek and Ragnok realized it as the word meant future. "Dragon." The cub said in a strange and eerie voice. "Though you may be of stone, your heart is as pure as a gossamer thread. Don't let those control you in desperate times." The cub said quietly.
Ragnok shivered and smiled tenderly. "Gifted are you, child, to have the gift of future." Ragnok said quietly. Then Ragnok exited the cave, feeling those multicolored eyes boring into his back. He noticed the leader's daughter watching him and he went over to her. "You've met Rocku." She said simply. Ragnok nodded his head. "Yes."
He said quietly. She nodded her head. "Remember his words. They might come in handy some day." She said quietly. Then she smiled at him and walked away, her bushy tails straight behind her.
Ragnok sighed and smiled. "I think.... I just made two more friends..." he said quietly.
~ 5 Days Later in the Wolf-Riders Home ~
Ragnok stared through the leafy green leaves of the oak tree, his feet balanced neatly on the thick trunk. The Wolf-Riders below, the leader and his guards, gazed at the monster lying before them. It was sleeping of course, but even then it was terrifying. It must of been 11 feet tall and many feet wide. Half of it side was made purely of metal while the other half was flesh and bone.
Ragnok narrowed his eyes slightly and his marks glowed faintly. "Five..... Four.... Three..... Two..... One...." His count continued until he reached one. When he did, the creature blearily opened it's eyes and yawned, standing up. It shook it's huge mane and that's when the Wolf-Rider leader signaled for the party to start. Ragnok flew silently into the air while the Wolf-Riders below howled with rage and charged the stunned creature, feinting to the left and to the right.
The creature roared and tried to sweep at the Wolf-Riders, but they dodged easily, creating the perfect diversion for Ragnok as he searched form the skies the weak spot. Finally he found it. it was a tense knot of muscles in the middle of his neck right on top of his spine. It was flesh and it was his weak spot. Ragnok dived, his body whistling through the air. He dove and he bared his teeth and bit into the soft flesh of the creature, grimacing.
The creature howled with pain and agony and ran, trying to buck Ragnok off. "RAGNOK! LET GO!" The lead Wolf-Rider called. Ragnok looked up and saw the creature heading for a cliff. "LET GO!" Ragnok tried to fly free, bit his horns were tangled up with the monster's mane. Then, he jumped over the side. Ragnok could feel the wind piercing his stone body and the creature as it yowled with fear and misery. It must have been some sheer luck, but just before they hit the ground, Ragnok broke free and shot skywards.
The creature landed and was no more. Ragnok shot like an arrow into the sky and then, he flew over the cliff and landed with a tired sigh. He looked up into the faces of the Wolf-Riders and smiled. "That was some wild party...." He said, laughing weakly. He was still shocked that he had come so close to death and lived. The Wolf-Riders laughed and, riding on the back of the leader's shoulder, they ran home. When they arrived, the other Wolf-Riders were waiting for them. They cheered and howled with triumph and they all rubbed against each other, sharing their scents and banishing the scent of the creature.
"Listen!" the leader called. Instantly, the Wolf-Riders quieted down and turned to him. Ragnok still sat on his back. "This dragon here has saved our home and many lives. Thanks to him, the creature is dead!" The leader cried. The Wolf-Riders howled with joy. The leader turned to him. "Ragnok. Stay with us. Please." The leader said quietly to him. Ragnok thought about that. "I will stay. But.... I must travel. But this will be my home." Ragnok said, smiling at the leader. The leader gave him a wolf grin.
From that day on, Ragnok's true home was in the meadow where he had first met the Wof-Riders. The Wolf-Riders had decided to stay and add this meadow to their territory. Ragnok continued to travel, but he always returned. But no matter how time flew by, the cub's words stuck in his mind and ever so occasionally, he could feel those eyes boring into his back. Ragnok, being a wise Stone Dragon, headed his words.
To ts day, Ragnok still can be found, sitting in a meadow with the sun gleaming of his stony surface, the Wolf-Riders around him, howling to the sky with triumph.
