A New Beginning

[saerwen]

Neron was fading, and Damion could not watch...He had seen people kill themselves slowly and painfully before, and he knew what watching could impress into your mind. The battlefields had taught him that with painful clarity. He knew what Neron meant when he talked about friends always leaving. He had lived for so many years that he knew a great deal, but he also had watched friend after friend slip from his arms, leaving him broken heart-ed and wanting for a new start. He stared at the ground, smiling at the fact that he would never have to watch Miriel die of old age, disease, or much of anything else. He would protect her from anything that could kill her, like a physical wound. She would hopefully live to see him die, and though it would hurt her tender heart, she would be safe.

"Everyone that knew you before a change would know that you have changed. I have seen the change coming slowly in you that last few times that I have seen you. I got an apology from you the other day for the first time ever, you actually took the time to see that Jaedon was looking ill, and I saw that you had been fixing to help her. I know that you are changing, and Jaedon and Miriel will too someday." He spoke softly as Neron lost his skin, fading into his dragon form. There was something different this time...His wings, they had silver striping on them. Silver...it was a pure color, reminded Damion of refinement. Perhaps Neron really was almost there...Maybe this was the last step. He listened to Neron's breathing to make sure that it didn't stop, because if it did, then Damion would start to panic.

[Neron]

NEron had been listening but he didn't respond, he couldn't. Resting his head on the ground his breathing stopped for a moment. Only to be followed by a deep sigh. Peace filled his mind, washing over him with relief. "It's over." Indeed it was. Not that he probably would face his memories at some time or another, but they no longer had sway over him as before. One of his green eyes cracked open, then the other. Lifting his head he blinked wearily like a child waking up from a nap. Everything around him was blurry, it took a moment for him to focus on the white figure before him. "Damion?" He asked quietly, almost wondering if he was in a dream. "It's over..." He repeated again. "MY mind is at peace." HE shook his head, trying to clear the thick fog that seemed to cloud it. This movement made him loose his balance slightly and he struggled to right himself once more. Turning his head he face his wings, they burned him, like he someone had stripped the outer layer of skin from them. Silver shone back at him. A smile curved his scaled lips. "Nice to see you guys again, it's been a long time." Then turning back to Damion he stretched his head out and brought his green eyes before Damion's blue ones. "I may have changed, but don't think me weak...Oh...." He blinked and backed his head up slightly. "Don't tell Jaedon." He glared at Damion. "Don't" His eyes grew distant as he looked out at the fields. "Aish I feel terrible..." He still was favoring his leg and though he was sitting up his dragon form even was altered by lack of nutrition. The scales were dull, lifeless, unkept, and his form had lost its regal and strong look.

[saerwen]

Damion had studied the ground until he heard a large sigh come from Neron. Oh no...please don't let that be his heart stopping. he felt his own heart stop beating as he waited for some sign that Neron was still alive. It came in the form of words. They were the most relieving words in the world. It's Over...[/b] Damion felt himself give a sigh. Now Neron was okay. Miriel would know that Neron was safe, and that everything was well with him, and he himself would know that Neron was well. His guilt at not knowing how bad Neron was doing at away at him, but now he didn't feel so bad.

Damion heard what Neron said about his stripes. "Forgive me if this is a little too personal, but what color were you?" He knew that Neron had lost his original color, but it seemed that part of him had come back. Those silver stripes were supposed to be there. "I know that you are not completely weak, but give it a few weeks before you think about doing anything irrational. Hopefully now that you aren't so fiery I won't have to worry about that anymore." Then confusion came over Damion. "Don't tell Jaedon what?"

"You look terrible." Damion smirked.

[Neron]

Neron's eyes stayed averted from Damion's as he asked about his color. "My color.." A shadow of a smile came across his lips. "My mother was deep blue with silver stripes and eyes like the moon, my father was put green. You could say I got a combination of both. Green scales like emerald and the stripes like silver lightning. Hopefully that answers your question, though I took the long way of answering it." With a smile on his face he smirked at the next statement, "Ok Momma Damion, I'll be sure to be careful you fun-sucker you."

His eyes hardened though as Damion asked about Jaedon, "Just don't tell her about what happened here...She will find out eventually." HIs voice was steely. The point was that he wasn't ready to see Jaedon. HE needed rest, he longed for it. Perhaps this time it wouldn't be haunted with memories. The last thing he wanted was to have to deal with people, he needed to be alone to recuperate. "Don't tell Miriel either.. she doesn't even recognize me." A sad smile came to his lips as his eyes grew distant. "Though I doubt she would even if she did have a memory." It was true how different he looked, it was like a totally, completely different person.

At Damion's last remark Neron's sad smile changed to a smirk. "Thanks for the encouragement. " He shook his head and turned his gaze to Damion. "Thanks..." His stoic face returned, though it wasn't as cold as before. HE didn't know how to thank Damion. It wasn't something that he was used to, this appreciative / apologetic, thing.

[saerwen]

"Huh..." Damion spoke, "I really cannot imagine you green." He paused and then looked at Neron. "No offense, but I think that I like the black better. It is good for fighting anyway." He thought back to the fight that he had had with Neron and he remembered how much his being so light had been a downfall compared to Neron's black. Perhaps those silver stripes would make it easier. Then he shook his head vehemently, What are you thinking, Damion? You are never, ever, ever going to fight Neron ever again! I don't care what the tworp does. The he heard Neron's smart reply. "Watch it Stripes... I can still whip you." Damion gave a mock serious look before smiling slightly. "I get the feeling that it is still gonna be hard to keep up with you..."

Damion put his hands up in a sign of retreat. "Sorry I asked. I'll keep mum until she says something about it. Then I have to start being truthful. I am not a little liar like she is." Then Damion looked up in the sky. "Miriel will remember you soon enough... Just bug Jaedon about it. Make her miserable and she will fess up and then Miriel will come back. All you have to do is say, 'Have you thought about Miriel today?' She will get madder than tiger in a cage, but it is highly effective. Perhaps by then you will be closer to a recognizable Neron for Miriel."

Damion shrugged at Nerons little joke, a smile playing on his lips. "I try." He then heard the last thank you. Was that really heartfelt? He was having trouble saying. He thought that it was. Yes, it was. "You are welcome Neron. There is nothing that I wouldn't do for a friend."

[Neron]

NEron smirked at Damion. "I like the black better also. More mysterious don't you think? And that last fight was just luck." The smirk was threatening to turn into a smile, "Old man." When he started talking about Jaedon Neron sobered. HE knew what she was going through, perhaps slightly different, but it was very similar, he knew it. He didn't want to shake her cage, just yet. It had to be timed right, though perhaps shaking her cage a bit would bring her mind off of what she had to do... Neron frowned indecisive. No he needed to get well...He needed rest.

Looking back at Damion Neron nodded his head, "Good. Then don't breath a word about this...though I doubt you will." His eyes averted slightly, "After all you stood by a demon like me, or the the demon I used to be." A slight laugh escaped his lips, "Though I'm sure I still have my horns if you look hard enough." Then turning he started heading away. "Now if you would excuse me, I have a very important appointment with my bed. Can't miss it." His voice quieted, "first good sleep in years I believe, well if all goes well." His large form shuffled off slowly, he was so tired. IT felt like every step was consisted of moving legs of lead. But as his figure moved off, the dragon form turned into the small and frail form of a human. "At last..." NEron murmured, "A new beginning."

AND SO IT ENDS! or should I say, AN SO IT BEGINS?