Zikari

**This page is copy-pasted from its original form written in around 2012. It needs some major updates.**

## Physical Appearance

Zikari is a tall and buff "ladies-man" hatchling. He has pitch black scales and bright cyan spots that seem to glow. His scales are very reflective, but heat up easily and therefore prevent him from staying in harsh sunlight for too long. His chest plates are very smooth, but tough, and are also very reflective. He carries no jewelry or character-specific scars/markings for now. He is Gifted.

## Personality

Zikari is a rather wise dragon for his age. He has a good knowledge of first aid and will be willing to help anyone who needs his skills. Of course, with being mature, he cannot get along very well with many others and generally ends up hanging out with elder adult dragons and ancients. He enjoys telling others of the discoveries he's made and the knowledge he has stored, and is more interested in the scientific aspect of the world - such as the movements of the stars and medicinal properties of plants.

**Likes & Dislikes**

**Strengths & Weaknesses**

## Story

### One of Three

As a newborn, Zikari was one of the three hatchlings in his family, born into a hidden cave on New Vassarak. The other two were twins; a male and a female. Terian and Uriasa. Zikari was the eldest, born a few years before the other two were laid. Of course his brother and sister were the most annoying things in the word to him. They bothered him for food, to play, to talk, to do this and that and that and this! Out of frustration, Zikari had run off into the woods to escape them. Laying in a tall tree, he relaxed in the silence finally given to him. Without noticing, he slipped gently into a sleep.

*Grrrrrrrruurrr.....*

Zikari bolted straight upright, listening intently. What was that? It sounded like a growl of some sort. He stayed there for a few minutes, listening intently. A very intense but small trickle of smoke snaked its way up into Zikari's nose and he jumped out of the tree, gliding down through the forest and onto the ground. He bolted for the cave he had left earlier that day, eyes wide and heart thumping. *No no no no no....* He thought to himself.

He skids to a stop as he reaches the entrance of the cave. The metallic smell of blood entered his nose even at the entrance, and he wonders if its even worth it to enter. A loud roar tells him yes. He bolts into the cave, going through the many passageways that leads to the central chamber.

The sight that greets him makes him wish he never went back into the cave.

His mother - gone when he left but must have returned when he was out - was cornered, roaring and protecting her two whimpering twins under her. Undead legions surrounded her, grinning and holding up spears and axes. Zikari's mother wasn't the strong one; his father was, but he was mercilessly killed in the Deadlands not too far from there while trying to protect his mother. And here was his mother, about to die the same way as his father.

He couldn't let it happen.

Mother stared at Zikari, mouthing "no" and staring intensely at the exit while trying to keep the Undead back. *No. Save yourself. Please. Go!*

Zikari couldn't just leave them there. He leaped out of his hiding place at the mouth of the chamber and roared loudly at the undead, charging for them with his wings spread and jaws open. The Withered Aegis troops turned back at him. They'd probably laugh if they could. A screaming hatchling, thinking he can take on them? Blasphemy. The troops turned away from Zikari's mother, holding spears ready.

Of course this is what Zikari would have hoped to happen.

His mother saw it too.

Mother took her chances and whipped her tail at the Aegis, knocking them right off their feet or knocking their feet right off of them. The troops sprawled across the ground. Zikari skidded to a stop, looking up at his mother. His mother wasn't paying attention, though. She had both the twins in her maw now, held gently between the sharp teeth. The blue dragoness jumped over the troops, running out of the cave. She snagged Zikari with her tail as she passed by.

The Undead legion were mostly back on their feet (or what was left of them) by now, running after the escaping dragon. They screamed out battle cries as they charged forward, catching up easily to the burdened-down and weak dragoness. Zikari lashed out at them from his mother's tail, breathing fire and snapping his jaws. It kept them back for a while but there were too many for Zikari to handle. One of them zipped past Zikari's defenses, running up and slashing his mother's ankle with his sword, cutting the tendon that allows her to run.

Mother cried out and fell over, skidding across the ground. Miraculously, the twins didn't get bitten in half but were crying their eyes out, scared. Mother curled her tail up and over her back, flinging Zikari out of the cave. *Run, Zikari! Run! And don't come back!!* She cried out to him as she was suddenly swarmed by the undead.

Zikari looked around, scared, but self-preservation took over and he ran out of the cave swiftly, eyes wide and wild. The Aegis took no notice of him as they surrounded his mother fully, happy with their catch.

The last thing Zikari heard as he sprinted away from the cave was two wailing cries and the chilling, high-pitched scream of a dying mother dragon watching her hatchlings be slaughtered in front of her.

Zikari didn't look back.

### Retreat

The black hatchling kept running. Running and running for hours, not stopping until her was exhausted to the point of collapse. He limped over to the shade of a large tree and collapsed, laying in the shade. He passes out almost instantly.

When Zikari wakes up, he looks around for his sister and brother. When he sees they are not there, he looks for his mother. He does this for a few seconds before the memories of hte day before come back to him. Tears instantly fill his eyes and he collapses back down on the ground, crying. *Why did I run? Why didn't I help? I could have saved her!* He yells at himself, frustrated. He gets back up and scratches at the tree, yelling all the time about what he could of done. He keeps scratching and crying until he collapses back into a shivering, twitching curl.

He's still laying like this when the sun goes down. He watches the sun set before standing up again, limping into the space under the tree's lifted root system, curling into a ball, and falling softly asleep.

### Return

It's been a year or so since the incident. Zikari was coping well enough. He had learned how to teleport and entered the community a few times, learning how to become stronger as a Dragon Adventurer.

It was on one of his outings that he passed by that place again. The entrance to the old cove that had once been his field and cave entrance. Zikari stared at the entrance for a while before making a decision.

He entered.

The sight was... devastating. Blight had rampaged everywhere; vines had sprouted out of the ground and the trees had died or fallen and rotted away. There was no grass. Only the bare rock that he now stood on. The hatchling ran into the center of the feild, aiming for the sloping entrance of their cave. It wasn't there. In its place was a large shrine of blight, with a large glowing crystal suspended midair by three or four beams of blight energy connecting to it. It cut him off from his home and memories.

Zikari touched the crystal gently, then reeled back and struck it with his claws. The crystal was scored, but it instantly repaired itself. Zikari slashed at it again and again but the same thing just reoccurred. He gave up and sat down on his haunches, staring at it. He reached out and touched the flat of his paw against it, memories throbbing in his head. His mother's smile. His siblings' toys. The hearty meals. His mother talking to him.

*Zikari...*

Her voice almost sounded real. It seemed to be coming from all around him.

*Zikari....*

It was real! Zikari looked around. Was his mother alive?! Did she manage to live?! He turns to the crystal again. His reflection in the glossy surface morphs into his mothers.

*Zikari...*

The reflection disappears. Zikari shakes his head and runs out of the deadlands, sprinting as fast as he can. Never - hopefully - to return.

*OOC: The Crystal's influence messed with his memories and projected his mother into its surface, torturing Zikari's mind and memories. The crystal is not his mother.*

<<**Many Years Later**>>

### Settled

It's been quite a few years since the incident with the crystal. Zikari was coping well enough. He still lived on the same island on which he was born. He couldn't leave it fully for some reason. He had made a living inside of the small hollow beneath the tree in which he spent his first night without his mother in.

In the passing time, Zikari had learned about the Lunus and the Helian factions of the outer world, committing himself to Helian for their path of knowledge and non-violence. He raised his crafting season up to fourty with help from an ancient dragon who identified himself as Racktor. He now works on his adventure seasons alone, getting twenty-one almost completely without help.

Every night he returns home to his empty root system, dreaming of his family.

### Amakidria

Zikari strolled beside the hot springs far south of the crystal and blight lands, hoping to gain a sort of serene peace from the calm scene. Whilst doing so, he ran into a beautiful young blue hatching named Amakidria. She seemed sweet - if very shy. Zikari coaxed her into talking, however, and they became acquaintances easily enough. The hatchling was wounded, and explained she had come here to clean her wounds and relax.

Zikari didn't pressure her into explaining how she got her wounds, but they made him suspicious of what she may of been up to. He kept a careful eye on her as he stepped forward a bit. The blue hatchling scooted back unexpectedly. Puzzled, Zikari took another step forward. Amakidria didn't move but she seemed wary. Zikari gave her an awkward, questioning look, but decided not to push any information out of her until he got to know her better.

They spoke about regular trivial things easily enough; Zikari had learned that Amakidria was mostly a lone hatchling, much like himself. Almost instinctively, Zikari replied *Well why wouldn't someone want a beautiful young dragoness like you around?* Amakidria was flattered by the compliment. Zikari was more or less surprised he said it. He didn't really *like* this hatchling. He was glad he could please her, at least; she seemed to need some uplifting of spirits. He then started talking about her up-sides, hoping to soothe her. Eventually he ended up curling himself around her, with a wing across her back, and passed out from the long day.

### The Friend's Mistress

Zikari doesn't have time to bond with many people, but he took a liking to the young blue he had met many months ago now; she was sweet and caring, and always willing to learn. He liked that in a dragon. They often stuck together and fought together as friends and allies, keeping each other up when they are down. Zikari had even saved Amakidria's life at one point; he had carried the collapsed hatchling out of the Western Deadlands on his back when she was almost fatally wounded. He had wrapped the wounds up in bandages with herbs, and healed her; this is when she told him about her mistress.

Her master was a dragoness named Cynny; an older gray adult with striking teal stripes. Dria praised her as kind, thoughtful, and smart; however, none of these talents seemed to be very much apparently when Zikari had run into her by chance, many weeks later. The dragoness had been resting upon a portal, as if if were a soft cloud. He had inquired her about her strange place to rest, and they eventually lapsed into a short conversation about Amakidria. Cynny looked to her student favorably, but said little. Zikari suspected something was... wrong with the dragoness, but he let it slide as the conversation ended and they parted.

### Struggle for the Right to Fly

The entire Arnaia line was never one to be up and flying early. The most ancient anscestor saw the good points of waiting, and he had passed the information down the line until it had rested in Zikari's mind at a young age. Zikari is a patient dragon; he dislikes rushing anything, especially memories. He had waited until season sixty-five to even think about starting his rites, and then until eighty to actually start them. He had then blasted through the rites completely alone, without any help beyond a small gift of granite and obsidian bricks from the ancient Racktor. Finally when the shadow dragon fell, and the phylactery weighed like a rock in his paw, he knew he was ready.

### To The Skies

Ever since he was young, Zikari had dreamed of flight. He had wondered what it had been like to zip through the skies with the wind on one's face and the ground far below one's feet. Now, he was going to learn it first-hand and by the power of his own two wings.

Initially, he had hoped the ascension would only be Amakidria and himself; he had not met anyone more than once before, and didn't wish to disrupt their duties to invite them. Of course, Amakidria had decided to invite her mistress. Then, a red hatchling named Edritch trotted into the scene, almost running into Dria and Cynny. Not too long after, an Elder named Navkiren wondered in as well, followed by a black ancient named Alisto. Startled by the appearance of so many strangers, Zikari had held off a bit on ascending. Of course, he did not ask them to leave; he was actually almost honored to have two elders at his ascension. So, without complaint, and before anyone else could stumble in, Zikari touched his statue and phylactery and let the envelope of light surround him.

The light was so bright it almost blinded him; he had to cover his face with his wing. After a moment, his wing faded, along with his body, and he had the sensation of being a body-less mind lost in a world of fiery light. This only lasted a moment, as his mind was pushed into the statue's, and the bond between statue, Time's Ripple, phylactery, and Zikari was formed. The wing re-materialized in front of his face, blocking off the light once more. Now, however, it was larger; much larger, and much more capable. The light had barely died down enough for his body to be shown to others before he had taken into the sky, his wings pounding at the air and his eager face looking up to the stars.

### The Adult Life

Much happened after Zikari's adult ascension. He immersed himself into training, mostly; he felt that it was his duty as an adult dragon to grow stronger and gain an advantage in this strange world. He gained seasons swiftly and efficiently under the guiding paws of his elders and trainers. It did not take him that long to climb his way up the seasonal ladder to season one hundred.

Not too long after Zikari had ascended, his old friend Amakidria ascended as well. She gained her wings along with a friend of hers. There was quite a large crowd and Zikari decided to stay off towards the edges of it, watching from afar. Of course, soon after she landed after her first flight, he had to trot up to her and congratulate her personally. With much bowing, formalities, and welcomes later, he challenged her to a race which, of course, he easily won.

It was unknown to Zikari for a long time just how much his friend meant to him. The blue dragoness had been along his side almost his entire life. In fact, she's been there since around season one; ever since he just stepped into the world of training. He appreciated this, quite a lot. 'Dria was his only friend for the entire journey, and always willing bounded along. Though, she was only mortal; she lacked the gift he was blessed with. With this information locked in his heart, he solemnly swears to protect her until the day she breathes her final breath, whenever that may be. Along with swearing his protection, he also swore his friendship to her. It did not take long, though, after hanging around the now-adult Amakidria that Zikari felt much stronger feelings building up.

Amakidria made Zikari aware of a trip she was taking; a dangerous one to find her father somewhere out in the wide world. Zikari was greatly against her going along, and swore to stick by her side throughout as much as he possibly can. 'Dria is a free soul, as he knows, so he cannot prevent her from going about her thing as much as he could when she was just a hatchling. However, he can at least help with it!

Whilst preparing for the harsh trip, Zikari re-met the old gray and orange ancient from his ascension. The adult did not recognize the elder initially, but did offer a friendly greeting. They recognized each other after a bit of conversing, though; the ancient re-identified himself as Navkiren. With many small questions and polite inquiries later, Zikari revealed that he was hunting fish for his friend for her journey, but could not manage to get such slippery beings in his paws. Navkiren offered to help with it, and taught him a very patience-demanding, but very effective method of catching the creatures. It took a while, but Zikari somewhat mastered it. The elder was slightly impressed at how fast the adult caught on, but had to leave shortly after; time only goes by at one rate, and that rate was too fast.

Zikari, with fish in his scalepack and the shrouds of doubt of the future in his mind, returned to Amakidria. She was delighted by the gift of fish, even if it wasn't her favorite kind. The two settled down for a while at the island of Serenity, in view of the giant waterfall that crashed into the shimmering lake. They spoke for a while of trivial things, the journey ahead, and how fast Zikari was training. Their bond strengthened from the small, gentle talk underneath the light of the moon. It took only a few hours before they admitted their strong mutual feelings for each other, before huddling close for warmth and sleep.