Flying Ace (A Shared Topic Post)

Today’s post is a Blog Azeroth Shared Topic for July 19-24, proposed by Strumwulf. We are asked to RP a scene with our favorite mount (you can see Strumwulf’s RP scene here). Now, I may not have a favorite mount (I love them all! Well, actually, I love most of them), but the one that I have the best backstory for is the Red Drake, from the Red Dragonflight. I made sure to get my Wyrmrest Accord rep up first when I got to 80, and saved up my gold to buy the drake as soon as I was exalted, so he holds a special place in my collection (even though I spend most of my time nowadays on the extra-fast Violet Protodrake and Sparkle Pony).

Below is the story for how Misha obtained her Red Drake, based loosely on my original backstory idea. Not all the concepts I originally came up with are in this particular scene, but I think it touches on most of it, even if I did write the ending in a hurry. (So any corniness I blame on quick writing!)

And now, for your enjoyment, is the short tale of the ‘Flying Ace.

Flying Ace

Wyrmrest Temple

“Dive!” Mishaweha yelled, and then hung on for dear life.

The red dragon (well, drake, really) she rode upon furled his wings and plummeted towards the distant ground, weaving between other drakes and dragons of the red and blue flights.

Above them, the magic flames of their attacker — a blue dragon — ceased, as he realized his target was now well below him. He too dove through the battlefield.

“Turn and fire?” Daestrasz spoke to Mishaweha. Of course, he didn’t actually say anything. Dragons were like that — all they needed to do was make you think you heard them speak. It was usually best not to wonder how that worked and just accept the fact that dragons were fairly magical beings.

“Yup! Turn and fire!” Misha shouted in response. The ‘telepathy’ only worked one way, thankfully. (If it did work both ways, the dragons certainly didn’t tell the mere mortals about it.)

Daestrasz’s wings shot out, catching the air in a well-practiced maneuver that Misha was now well-practiced at not falling off him when he did it. So experienced she was that it only took a few seconds to straighten up and sight their enemy.

“Twenty right, up fifty!”

Daestrasz swiveled to the approximate degrees she shouted, mouth already churning with fire. With a might breath (or belch, as some would say), the fireball roared at the approaching blue dragon. The red drake’s flames hit the blue’s right wing and side, searing the scaly skin and burning a large hole through the wing. Their enemy roared in pain as it plummeted to its death.

“Got him!” Daestrasz said, sounding proud. He had taken down full grown dragons before, with Misha’s assistance, but it was still impressive for a mere drake to do.

“Who do we take on now?” he asked.

Misha surveyed the battlefield. Fights were dying down, and the majority of the blue flight was either retreating or locked in mortal combat.

“We should head back. We’ve been out here for… for awhile, I think. Time to stop.”

“I suppose…” He turned and gracefully flew back to the Temple, taking her to the checkpoint. Landing a little awkwardly in the smaller space, he walked away from the ‘narrow’ entryway to let other drakes through. He crouched down, to allow Misha to slide off.

As she shook her stiff legs, Daestrasz brought his head down to be level with hers, tilting it to the side to get a good look at the tauren.

“I like you, Misha,” Daestrasz stated matter-of-factly.

“Oh – … I like you too, Daestrasz,” Misha replied, a little surprised. Usually he paid her little mind once they were done on the battlefield.

“Good.” There was a pause. “I think I will miss you when you die.” He paused again, tilting his head in thought. “Yes, I think I will.”

“… Me too, Daestrasz.”

Daestrasz seemed pleased with her answer. “Good. See you tomorrow then!” And with that he took off to do whatever young drakes did in their spare time.Misha shook her head and stretched some more. “Dragons…” she thought with chagrin. “I suppose I should feel honored that an immortal creature might miss me. And yet…”

She shrugged it off, grinning at her dragon friend’s tactfulness as she walked over to Lord Afrasastrasz to get her pay. It wasn’t much, but the dragons insisted that they give the helpful ones a little something for their service (as Daestrasz had put it, “We don’t have anything better to do with those little shiny things other than to give them to you. Since you all love them so much.”)

“Ah. Mishaweha. Thank you for your assistance today. It is very much appreciated,” he said with a small smile, handing her a few gold.

“It’s an honor to help, m’Lord,” Misha responded. (Misha had been taught to always be polite to immortal beings. Technically she was to apply that knowledge to elementals, but it certainly didn’t hurt when dealing with dragons. The drakes, if you were to take a lighter tone, didn’t understand or care. But their elders had a surprisingly good understanding of social nuances. Besides the fact that it was, well, actually an honor. From what Misha had read, there were very few times dragons allowed mortals to have such close interactions with them.)

She turned to leave, but was interrupted mid-step by Afrasastrasz.

“And before you go, Mishaweha, I have had word that Quartermaster Cielstrasza wishes to see you at your earliest convenience.”

“Which means now,” she thought. Aloud, she said, “Yes, m’Lord.”

“Tariolstrasz will see you up.” He gestured in the steward’s direction, and then went back to his reports.

Misha switched directions and went to Tariolstrasz. He gave her a curt nod before fetching a nearby drake to whisk her up to the top of the tower. She recalled the first time she was allowed to go visit the Queen… it was… amazing yet terrifying. She had been near petrified, being so close to such a powerful being (you could feel her aura hum in the nearby air), yet she was so kind as Misha gave the message from her delegation (she had pulled the short straw; the others apparently did not want to be the tongue-tied one up front).

But today she would not have to present herself to the Queen (a reluctant relief). Instead, once her ride dropped her off, she went off to Cielstrasza, the quartermaster for the mortal allies of the Wyrmrest Accord.

“I heard you wished to speak with me, m’Lady?” Mishaweha asked after giving Cielstrasza a salute.

“Yes, I did. I have heard of your performance on the field, both here at the temple, and in other places where the Accord has been in need.”

Misha nodded, not too sure where this was going.

“Because of your outstanding efforts for our cause, I would like to present an offer to you… to put it bluntly, would you object to taking Daestrasz?”

“… What? I’m sorry, I don’t think I’m following.”

Cielstrasza sighed, putting her hand to her head. “I mean, would you like to use him as… as a mount? To help you travel from here to there? I am aware that you already have some, but surely you could use his assistance.”

Misha blinked, surprised yet again. “Well, yes! That would be… very exciting. But…” She trailed off, afraid to question such good news.

Cielstrasza

“But why?” Cielstrasza grinned, looking like she expected the question. “Young drakes like Daestrasz should not be in battle for too long. We have lost many of our young already, and it is the youngest who tend to get killed, especially when they do not have someone looking out for them.”

Misha nodded. She had heard a similar spiel before, when she first started riding drakes into the Wyrmrest Temple battle.

“But if we take them out of battle without giving them something to do, they make trouble or just join the fight again — without supervision. So if we let them tag along with you—” she started counting with her fingers “— they see much more of the world than they would otherwise, experience the mortal cultures of the world, stay out of mischief, and most importantly, do not have to fight and possibly die. Traveling with you would be a much safer learning experience.”

“I see. In that case, I would be happy to take care of Daestrasz.”

Cielstrasza grinned. “Excellent. Let me get you set up.” She turned and rummaged in a nearby box, where there was a set of thin leather rings. Cielstrasza picked one out and eyed it for size.

“This will do…” she murmured, and then her eyes glowed brightly as she muttered an incantation. Magic jumped from her fingers onto the loop, which shimmered for a moment with red light before the dragon turned to give Mishaweha the loop, apparently satisfied with her work.

“Put this around Daestrasz’s ankle next time you see him. The front left one would be preferred. This will allow him to come to you whenever you need his assistance.”

Misha took the leather loop. It tingled slightly.

“Also, here are some ground rules: Make sure he gets food when he needs it – I am sure you can find some hunting ground to go to. He will not be picky. You may not, under any circumstances, cage or otherwise keep him from moving freely. He will be voluntarily transporting you, so if you do contain him, we will find out if you do, and we will not be happy. Understand?”

Misha nodded vigorously.

“Excellent. Also, since we want him to stay out of harms way, please do not ask him to fight for you. We do not wish for any of your enemies to become angry at our Flight or the Accord, as we have our own worries. … Oh yes – the Accord also requests a donation to the cause for allowing you the opportunity to fly on our wings.” Cielstrasza’s last statement sounded rather wooden, as if she was reading from a script.

Inwardly, Mishaweha shrugged. The quartermaster often asked to exchange gold for services.

“How much?”

“For you? 1800 gold.” Cielstrasza smiled sweetly.

Misha blanched, but nevertheless fumbled for her money pouch and emptied its contents into Cielstrasza’s waiting box. The dragon peered at the amount given.

“Close enough,” she said, and snapped the money box’s lid shut. Leaning in close to Misha, she waggled her eyebrows and quietly said, “How else do you think we get the cash to pay adventurer’s for their services?”

“I’ve actually wondered that myself…”

“Ha ha, I bet you have. Anyway, I have given you the rules and the reins, and you have given me the gold, so I think you are free to go. You two have fun, alright?”

“Yes, m’Lady, we will!” Mishaweha bowed deeply and was about to turn away when Cielstrasza grabbed her shoulders, pulling Misha’s head close to hers.

“Remember, Mishaweha – we are only offering him to you because you have proven your worth to the Accord and our Flight. Please, take good care of him.”

“I understand. I will,” Misha responded softly, looking down at the concerned blood elf face. The concern softened slightly at her words.

“I know you will. I know.”

For a moment longer they stayed like that, the tauren held fast in Cielstrasza’s deceptively strong grip, before the dragon let her go. Mishaweha bowed once again, and left quickly, in search of her new mount, partner, and friend.