ALDEN

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Name: Alden
Age: 28
Gender: Male

Description: Alden is tall with blond hair and brown eyes. He is muscled and toned, with square shoulders and strong limbs. His long hair hangs down to his waist, often braided or bound in multiple tails. He wears leather pants, a linen shirt, faded from use and a bright red cloak. His feet are usually protected by sturdy boots. 
Personality: Alden is a leader, he commands a small group of mercenaries and they serve whoever they want to serve. He has a strong voice and a proud posture. He is the strongest of his band of mercenaries and knows that each one of them would die for him if he asked it. He would do the same for them, he is fearless and cunning.

Homeworld; Gremyne
Family: Brother Mechlen. Their parents died in a fire several years ago when Alden and Mechlen were barely adults. 

Bond: True Chaotic Qetszal (m) from Lantessama Isle

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Hatching

When else could the True Chaotic Clutch hatch but in the darkest hours of night? Ersatz, guarding the eggs that had been made hers, stirred in her sleep when she sensed movement. Instinct told her that hatching was near.  Pidazzi, Ersatz' bond, stormed out and alerted the candidates first. They had to be present, Ersatz knew that. More, she encouraged it. Pidazzi wasn't too sure if they were for eating or for actual bonding... Ersatz had only bonded her when she had been full grown. Either way, the night would get her some entertainment. 
When she returned, the eggs were still rocking, though feeble. Some of the candidates got nervous, but one look from Ersatz got them back in tow. 
"My babies weren't made for eggs." she told everyone. 
"Will they be able to hatch?" one of the candidates asked.  
"They are strong, my kind." Erstaz said pondering, "We alwayssss find a way."
About a quarter of an hour passed before the first egg broke. The strongest of Ersatz babies nearly made his egg explode when he had finally found the weak spot. Unlike what most of the people in the cave had expected there wasn't a dragon, or anything that remotely resembled a dragon, on the soft grinded sands of the underground cavern.  A fuzzy piece of darkness that seemed to swallow what few light was illuminating the cave jumped up, his long agile tail sweeping the air, knocking over a few of his brother's eggs to help them in their struggle out. His small burning red eyes scanned the candidates before he finally made his way toward the one he wanted.
Empowered by their brother, the other shadowlings started to break free. And contrary to what Pidazzi had believed, none seemed to be intent on eating any of the gathered candidates. Maybe some of Donriven's tinkering had calmed down the vindictive and destructive instincts. Or maybe the shadows were just biding their time. 
5 eggs were still on the sands, though they weren't rocking too violent. Suddenly however, three of them clashed together. They had been inching toward each other, intent on breaking their eggs on each other's shell. And now they were victorious.
The three hatchlings that fell out, all males, none of them horned, moved to different corners of the cavern. The second hatchling took a more indirect approach. He waited around a bit, lingering, pondering, looking at all 4 candidates still present. Finally he made his choice, Alden, the traitor would be his bond.
"Alden... one day I shall bring you back." he said, "And then you will know the meaning of destruction. It is Qetszal"
"Destruction of whom?" Alden asked, tactical as usual and not about to go back to notice the true chaotic would kill everyone on the mountain peak he had left, including his friends.
"Whoever you let me... The bond is such between us that I cannot do against your will."
"Why?"
"You are stronger still..."
"Still?" that one word made Alden feel a bit out of his league. Sure he had an iron will, but what if this creature would grow out to possess something as powerful as a diamond will, speaking metaphorical. But the bond was made now, there was no turning back. If the final battle between him and Qetszal was meant to take place, Alden would make sure it was one worth watching.

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THE TRUTH

Qetszal grew, the dark, fluffy shadow rounding out. His feet and hands shaping more into wings and tails. His bright, fiery eyes stood out clear against the darkness of his semi-tangible body. Alden wondered how Qetszal ate. He left food for his shadowling, and that disappeared, but he never saw Qetszal eat it.
"I consume." the true chaotic explained. 
"I was told to be careful about how much you eat."
"They are worried that I will eat planets."
"Will you?" Alden asked.
"No."
Qetszal answered in a way that Alden had expected. He didn't get bad vibes from his shadowling. Some of the other candiodates had left, but still he'd been allowed to stay. Maybe that had something to do with it. 
"Mother Ersatz pulled some strings." Qetszal said cryptically.
"What for?"
"She does not feel sorry, but she is responsible for your loss. She has let you stay so you can start looking."
Something clicked in his mind and Alden whispered: "My team."
"Yesss." Qetszal responded, "They are out there. Lost in the void. Time has stood still for them."
"I have to go save them." Alden called.
"We will. But only after I'm big enough to help you."

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ADULTS

Alden felt like years had passed in the few months that he'd spent looking for his friends. Maybe it had indeed been years. it was difficult to tell when the process had involved travelling lightyears in seconds and spending time in a sort of suspended animation while fighting with his every fibre and willpower to free the people he had dragged into the void with him. 
But they would all be joining him soon to travel the Nexus. They were a family after all. Closer than blood relatives. 
"We have time still." Qetszal remarked.
"It will take time for all the clutches to hatch." Alden agreed, although technically they could time it, they had deemed it too dangerous when a couple of years time would not hurt them. 
"I'm not a patient bystander." Qetszal nudged.
Alden wondered about that. Shadows were inherently beings who were tethered to things and had little free will. But just that thought earned him a mental lashing from his bond. Qetszal would not be a soulless puppet dependent on the sun or other light sources. He was real, independent and ready to go where he wanted to go. See what he wanted to see. And chase those dragons who caught his fancy.
"I guess we have time." Alden agreed, wondering where his shadowling would take him. 

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Back to Story - Lantessama Isle

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