Anaynah 22 years of age,
Outskirts of Rivendell
The sky was blackened by the clouds of rain and the sound of blades clashing filled the air. The soldiers of Rivendell and Orcs charged towards each other, with their war cries echoing across the city.
The ground shook with the impact of their blows. Arrows soared through the air, finding their targets with deadly accuracy. The raid raged on for hours, with neither side gaining the upper hand. The Elves' main goal was to drive the Orcs out of the village and evacuate any innocent people who remained. The night was dark with no stars lighting the sky.
A red sun would rise the next morning for much blood was to be spilt.
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Anaynah rode with haste. She knew she had defied her father and she knew she'd pay the price for it soon enough, but she was not one to sit idle whilst others fight those battles in place of her.
A strong appetite she had to prove herself worthy for she was always treated differently growing up in Rivendell, as she indeed was different. She had to prove she was strong enough and that no simple sickness of mortals could stop her from fulfilling her duties.
After what felt as if she was riding for eternity, she finally sensed she was approaching the battlefield. The roars and cries sounded through the air, enough to make one's blood curdle. She could see the dust rising, she could feel the dense air and the stench of death drawing near.
She would soon be proudly fighting alongside her father and brothers, however, fate had other plans.
A pang of pain first started in her chest, a sharp prick almost, causing Anaynah to inhale sharply. Brushing it off, she gripped the reins tighter and urged on faster.
Through gritted teeth, she winced as the pain now intensified, and a burning sensation quickly circulated to her limbs. It was as if the aches of the fever she had been suffering returned. But no, this was different. This was worse.
She wanted to scream and call for help, but no sound came out. Her breath was caught in her throat and her body convulsed as if it was being wracked by an invisible force.
Suddenly, the pain heightened, coming to be almost excruciating, causing her to lose her grip on the reins. She tried with all her strength to hold on, to get a grip on the strips or reins but it was no use. Her trembling hands shot to her chest, causing her to come plunging off her horse, landing forcefully on the ground.
The momentum sent her toppling forward, a cry of pain escaping her lips as her body bruised upon skidding across the dirt and rocks.
Slowly, Anaynah tried heaving herself up. Lifting her head, she managed to pry herself up to her elbows. She lay there gasping for breath, however, another stroke of pain caused her to cry out.
Anaynah was petrified. She did not understand what was happening or why. Was she to perish? She was alone, her father and brothers just out of reach. no one would find her here. She felt as if her bones were breaking, one by one. She wanted to cry out for help, but she was paralyzed by the agony. The cracks and crunches were enough to make a grown man sick, her vision darkened. She clamped her eyes shut.
All of a sudden, the pain ceased. Something within her shifted. She sensed a surge of energy, as if a dam had blasted, and the roaring waters gushed through.
A feeling began to stir, smoke began to arise from her pores and a sensation that she was losing control of her herself began to form, as if something was taking over.
Anaynah opened her eyes to a sight that made her quiver in shock Her skin was shimmered in the dappled light, as if it was sheathed in millions of scales. Her fingers had elongated into claws. Her eyes welled with tears in terror, eyes which now shone a bright gold
And then, with a final burst of energy,
the Dragon Emerged.
It burst out of her chest, wings unfurling as it let out a deafening roar.
However, no longer was Anaynah in her own mind. She was now the Dragon, the Dragon was now her.
The Prophecy had come true.
The Dovahkin had Emerged.
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The Elves had finally begun to drive the Orcs out of the city. As the sun began to set, Lord Elrond had hope instilled into his heart that they may soon emerge victorious in protecting this small farming city of men.
Unbeknownst to them, their victory was not to last.
A shock of thunder surged through the air, causing the ground to rumble at their feet. Elrond looked up to the sky, however, no storm clouds covered the sky. His brows frowned in confusion.
Once more it sounded, but this time he knew this was no thunder.
A deafening roar consumed the air, causing every soul to tremble in apprehension. Elrond's gaze finally fell upon the large silhouette, soaring towards them at a rapid pace.
There was no doubt now.
"DRAGON!"
The Dragon was magnificent, with scales that glittered in the light and wings that spanned out at an incredible width.
Elrond leapt for cover as he watched in horror the Dragon swooping down, its throat and gut blazing gold as the fires within it heated with unimaginable heat.
It set ablaze the city.
The structures fell and the flames engulfed the wood, causing it to crumble into naught but char and ash.
Bloodcurdling screams from men, women and children rung out through the night.
Skin sizzled and burnt, bodies trampled, bones crushed as those attempted to flee for their lives.
The Dragon spat an endless blaze. It roared with a vengeance, its menacing eyes staring down at its ruins.
The Elven Lord ran about the city, helping those he could all whilst trying to find his sons.
"Elladan! Elohir!"
Amid the panic of the civilians, he knew he would not find his sons, but could only pray they would make it to safety. However, in his haste of finding his sons, he did not realise what he had just come across.
The Dragon now landed in the midst of the city, motionless. It was a magnificent creature, its scales shimmered in the evening light with an iridescent hue. Its figure is massive, its wings broad and strong. Its eyes glowed like the embers of a roaring flame, and its teeth gleamed like diamonds.
Elrond stared in astonishment at this creature, almost paralysed as he steadied his breath. The creature turned its head, now its eyes staring straight into Elronds.
The realization struck him like a bolt of lightning, causing his eyes to widen in fright.
Fire.
Sear.
Demise.
"No..."
Scorch.
Flame.
Ash.
"It cannot be..."
Singe.
Heat.
Ablaze.
The Dragon's eyes glinted with a fierce, unrelenting hunger as it stalked towards Elrond, leaving a trail of smouldering ash in its wake. Every muscle in its body rippled with raw power, and its tail whipped behind it with a deafening crack. Elrond's heart pounded in his chest as he locked gazes with the beast, staring deep into its malevolent soul.
He was frozen, petrified by the Dragon's sheer size and terrifying presence. The beast's stomach began to glow with an ominous red light, and Elrond knew what was coming. He could feel the heat of the Dragon's breath on his face, scorching his skin and searing his eyes.
But then, a voice pierced through the darkness.
"Here you beast!"
It was Elladan, perched atop one of the buildings with his bow at the ready. He swiftly released his arrow, but it splintered against the Dragon's impenetrable hide. The beast turned its sinister eyes to Elladan, fueled with anger.
With a low growl, the Dragon slowly turned its massive head towards Elladan, and Elrond's heart dropped. He could see the fear in his son's eyes as the beast's stomach began to glow once again.
"Elladan, get down!" Elrond screamed out in anguish, but it was too late.
The Dragon unleashed a torrent of fiery breath, engulfing Elladan in a blaze of searing heat. He cried out in agony as he collapsed backward, tumbling down the stairs from where he came. Elrond tried to rush to his son's side, but he was helpless against the Dragon's wrath. The beast snapped its head back to Elrond, and he could feel the weight of its malevolence bearing down on him.
As he stared into the Dragon's glowing eyes, Elrond saw something in them that chilled him to the bone. It was a cold, calculating intelligence, a malevolent force that had been unleashed from the depths of hell itself. He knew then that this was no ordinary creature, but a harbinger of doom, a bringer of death and destruction.
He had seen these eyes before.
Elrond stood his ground, his sights locked with the Dragon's. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, his palms slick with sweat, and he knew that he was facing a force of unimaginable power.
The Dragon towered over the small figure of Elrond, its eyes blazing with rage and its nostrils flaring as it breathed heavily. Smoke curled from its nostrils as it stared down at the Elf who had dared to stand in its way. He could feel the heat of its flames still radiating from the Dragons body, and the air around them shimmered with the intensity of its power.
The Dragon had just unleashed a torrent of flame at Elladan and Elrond could feel that it had felt a thrill of pleasure as it watched him writhing in pain.
But now, with Elrond standing before it, something shifted. The Dragon knew this Elf but it couldn't remember why. It could sense his fear and his desperation, and it made it feel even more powerful and in control.
With a gulp, Elrond stepped forward with his hands raised in front of him in surrender.
"Please, you must stop this. You don't know what you're doing." Elronds voice shook with emotion.
The Dragons lips curled back in a snarl, its belly glowing amber. The Elf Lord's eyes welled with tears.
"Please, come back... Anaynah."
It was as if the world had frozen. Upon that name, the beast halted. The golden hue of its eyes began to glow once more.
The Dragon began to shrink. Elrond could merely watch in fright the sight before him.
Its bones cracked and twisted, and its muscles spasmed as they adjusted to its new form. The wings folded up and disappeared into its back, and the tail shrank down into nothingness. Its dark scales melted away, replaced by soft, smooth skin, and its eyesight blurred as it tried to adjust to its new perspective.
The Dragons limbs shrank and contorted, its fingers elongating, its spine twisted and curved.
The Elf Lords' eyes widened in shock he let out a soft gasp, now his daughter standing before him.
Anaynah was back in her human body, panting and sweating. She looked around, disoriented and confused.
The transformation was violent and painful, like a thousand knives cutting into her skin. Her body had twisted and writhed, and she felt like she was being torn apart from the inside out. Her vision blurred and swam, and she could hear the blood pounding in her ears.
Finally, Anaynah's stare focused and fell upon her father who was yet to move from his almost paralysed state. He slowly shook his head in disbelief as he gazed deep into her eyes, her gold glowing eyes, his expression twisted with fear and despair. She tried to speak, but her throat was raw, and she could only manage a weak whisper.
"Ada?" she croaked, her voice barely audible. Not seconds after, her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her legs gave away, collapsing to the ground in pure exhaustion.
Elrond wasted no time before he ran forward, skidding to the ground beside Anaynah's unmoving figure. He checked her pulse and let out a sigh of relief when he felt it. He grasped her hand and called her name
"Oh, Anaynah. My sweet, Anaynah." His head dropped, and he let out a guttural sob, his heart heavy with the knowledge of what was to come.
As he slowly opened his eyes, his gaze fell upon Anaynah's forearm.
In curiosity, he lifted her sleeve and saw markings in the shape of swirls and arrows making their way up her forearm before finally coming into the shape of the beast she had just merged into.
It was the mark of the Dovahkin.
The swirls and arrows were dark and ominous, like a warning of the darkness that was to come. Elrond's heart sank as he realized the full weight of Anaynah's destiny. He could feel the darkness growing around her, a shadow that threatened to consume her.
Anaynah's fate was sealed, and he could do nothing to stop it. The mark on her arm seemed to pulse with malevolent energy as if they were alive and waiting to claim her. The weight of the omen hung heavy in the air, suffocating and absolute.
There was now no doubt in his mind.
The sky was painted in hues of red and orange as the sun slowly began to rise over the horizon. It was a breathtaking sight, but something was unsettling about the way the sun seemed to bleed into the sky.
As the red sun continued to rise, its crimson light cast a sinister glow over the landscape. The trees and grass were tinged with red as if they had been stained with blood.
There was a sense of premonition in the air as if the world was holding its breath, waiting for something terrible to happen. The red sun was a warning, a sign that blood had been spilt and that the world was not at peace.
Despite the beauty of the sunrise, there was a heaviness in the air that made it hard to appreciate. It was a reminder that even amid beauty, there was always the potential for darkness and violence.
With this sun came the beginning of Anaynah's destiny. It was done.
The Prophecy had commenced.
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