Kaida
Serf
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Kaida is a half-dragon hybrid. Her magically-gifted mother had been taken advantage of by a red dragon disguised as a mage, and upon discovery of this deception, fled his home while carrying their unborn child. Kaida was raised in relative seclusion while learning the arcane arts from her mother, ever in hiding from her father. Despite their best efforts, her father came to find them in Kaida's 19th year, after she'd grown and begun to hone her draconic skills. He slew her mother, seeking revenge for stealing his greatest treasure, and sent Kaida into a fury the likes of which she'd never known was possible. She fought and mutilated her father, taking a few heavy injuries herself in the process, and escaped with her life and her mother's body. For decades after this encounter, Kaida's father trailed her, hoping first to kill her, then to bring her into his fold. She survived each attempt, denied each offer, and ultimately imprisoned him in an enchanted sleep.
Name: Kaida
Race: Half-dragon
Age: Variable depending on RP
Hair: Red
Eyes: Emerald
Height: 5'9"
Disposition: Short-tempered, intolerant to bullshit, tough to befriend but fiercely loyal if trust is earned
Skills: Variable by age. Herbalism, arcane magic, transformation ability, fire-breathing, and flight are fairly standard for her as an adult.
Race: Half-dragon
Age: Variable depending on RP
Hair: Red
Eyes: Emerald
Height: 5'9"
Disposition: Short-tempered, intolerant to bullshit, tough to befriend but fiercely loyal if trust is earned
Skills: Variable by age. Herbalism, arcane magic, transformation ability, fire-breathing, and flight are fairly standard for her as an adult.
Detailed back story:
Kaida's early years were spent normally, enough. A single mother raising a child, a peaceful life for a peaceful time. Kaida never had many friends, as their home was just on the brink of town, close enough to keep in touch with the world, but far enough that no one ever disturbed them.
As much as she sometimes resented being raised in near isolation, she supposed it was for the best. Her mother was an herbalist, a practitioner of a healing art long lost to even the memory of most of mankind. Kaida's mother was a kind-hearted soul, using her mastery of her skill to aid those in need, but sometimes intentions make little difference to the willfully ignorant. Sometimes, under the umbrella pejorative of "the Arcane," even those who are good in this world can be cast in with the lot as "evil," or "dark," or "monstrous."
Kaida's mother was far from a monster. It was best they stay on the fringe of society to practice their potions and tinctures and salves. As it had been for generations, Kaida learned her first lessons of the craft from her mother.
There was never a satisfactory explanation for why Kaida had no father as a child. Her mother, though an open book in conversations and teaching, was uncharacteristically under-spoken whenever she would ask. She would usually remind Kaida that her father wasn't there, so it was best not to worry over him. Until Kaida's 14th birthday.
Her mother woke her up before dawn that day, small packs with some supplies for a short camp out at the ready. She readied her daughter quickly and quietly, and though Kaida burned with questions, the way her mother was fidgeting with her eyes darting about constantly set her on edge and stilled her tongue.
They trekked the day, pausing only briefly for their midday meal, yet still only reached their apparent destination, a small, damp cave tucked away behind a covering of stringy moss hanging from above between twin waterfalls, as the sun dipped below the horizon. Neither had spoken a word to each other all day, but finally, with a bracing sigh, Kaida's mother sat on a rock and looked her child in the eye. "Tonight, you're going to learn who you are."
Her mother had chosen the place out of strategy, she explained. She wanted Kaida to learn of it, to see it as a safe place, to run to it should trouble arise. The crashing water to either side of the entrance drowned out much sound, making it difficult to tell if anyone was hiding in side, and the strings of hanging moss over the craggy entrance effectively turned it invisible. Everything, her mother explained, even down to the ever-present dampness of the place, had been carefully selected to make it a safe place for her.
Kaida would have need of such a place over the coming years, her mother went on. This place was to be used to begin Kadia's next level of training. She had already begun to learn the basics of the arcane arts, simple compounds from simple herbs, simple chants with simple words, good luck charms and so on, but she would need to know more come the time of her 16th birthday. It was then, her mother explained, that her father's blood would finally come in to play.
After years of wondering, Kaida finally had the answers to the questions she'd been asking for so long.
Her mother came from a line of healers, true healers, not charlatans selling snake oils to cure boils. It was in this background Kaida's education had thus far been based. Her mother, however, had always had a curious mind, and once she was of age, set off in the world to study what she could of whatever was left. Magics, spell work, the manipulation of the natural forces of the world; all were disappearing as generations of slander on the arts as profane drove the ignorant to turn on those who would dare possess more knowledge or power than they.
Her mother did not think she would find much.
Her mother was wrong.
She met Kaida's father along her journeys. She'd happened upon him quite by accident, after rushing to what she'd assumed was an abandoned cottage during a storm that'd caught her off-guard. The place was dank and musty, but she managed to light a fire in the hearth. Everything was soaked through from the rain, making it nearly impossible to do the conventional way, but she figured she was far enough from anyone out in this downpour there'd be no harm in reciting a short incantation to start the flame. She'd only just closed her eyes as she warmed her hands by the small fire when she heard a gasp behind her. It wasn't one of shock or surprise, but seemed to be more in awe. She looked up and saw a man lounging in an armchair, his eyes full of puzzled curiosity.
As it turned out, the cabin was a hidden entrance to his home. The cabin was as innocuous a place as any, and since the portal could only be opened through lighting a flame with a spark of magic, he'd thought the place as well secured as it could be. Kaida's mother became captivated immediately with her new surroundings. Every place her eyes came to rest found a new symbol, a new scroll, a new artifact: things rare and treasured such that she never hoped to find a single item of their like in her lifetime.
Conversation opened easily between them. He was curious how she came to know her little corner of the arcane, and she was curious for everything. Practitioners of the old arts were so few and far between, he'd never expected to come across the likes of her. She'd expressed a mutual feeling, until he pointed out to her the extreme measures he'd taken to protect himself, to hide himself away, such as the magic portal she'd stumbled upon to enter his home.
She begged him to let her stay, to learn from him. She wanted to preserve the fading knowledge of her heritage, and here lay all the resources she could dream for ten times over. He, seeing a need to repopulate the world with their endangered craft, agreed.
Days came, and days went; then months; then weeks; then years. Time meant nothing among all the knowledge, her head was too busy spinning with all she was learning, all she could do. Affection grew between them as time wound on, but the spinning stopped abruptly late one mid-autumn day.
It was on this day she discovered the truth.
She'd had the intention of being gone for the day to gather some ingredients in the wood near the cabin, but found instead a twisted old apple tree, boughs laden with fruit. Thinking to herself a pie sounded lovely, she filled her basket with them and headed home early.
Something felt off when she got home. The air felt charged as goosebumps ran up her spine and she felt rather than heard the low rumble of some great beast in the heart of what had become her home. Another rumble seemed to resonate in her chest, catching her breath as she began to whisper incantations in preparation, anticipation building as she braced herself to round the corner, but when she did she could only stammer in shock.
Before her, in what was meant to be the larger wing of the library, lay a red dragon, its body curled around and between the stacks and shelves of books in such a way that it reminded her of a cat hoping to catch a ray of sunlight on its belly. Another rumble thundered from the dragon's chest, and though she cringed at first, she realized the enormous creature seemed to be snoring.
She could only stare for what seemed an eternity, her body frozen in terror. She fluttered her eyes, trying to clear herself and concentrate. Her lips parted to whisper an incantation, but the dragon's eyes popped open at the sound. Its head snapped to her, alert for threat, and just as she was sure she was to be slain, the enormous creature relaxed its face, almost seeming to smile. Before her eyes, the behemoth before her began to shrink, the sales smooth, and the claws retract. In mere moments, the fearsome dragon had returned to his disguise, wearing the smile of her beloved.
She knew, then, that she had been used. Of course she had. Having stumbled into a dragon's lair she was lucky enough to be alive, that much was certain. Even among the tomes of this library, dragons were enigmatic creatures just as likely to help solve a puzzle as they were to roast flesh. They were not wont to share secrets, let alone provide instruction to outsiders. Those with the audacity to ask typically became an afternoon snack.
She asked why he kept her.
He said for breeding stock.
He'd needed someone with at least a faint talent for the arcane, even just the tiniest spark of it. Appearing so suddenly before him had proven she had that, at least. He had been a spider, and she had fallen in his web. He'd kept her complacent with her studies, happy with his kindness, and comfortable with his care. She'd come to rely upon him until she barely remembered another life. He hadn't wanted to help her preserve the arcane arts. He'd wanted her to help him preserve his species.
With a thought and a word, she vanished from his home without a trace.
The morning sickness set in a week later.
Having lived and studied with a dragon had its perks when it came to midwifing for herself. She'd read more on dragons than any non-dragon she'd ever heard of, living or dead, and though she feared her unborn child's father, she feared losing the child more.
So she hid, kept to herself, and raised her daughter.
Now, on her 14th birthday, Kaida needed to know how her life was going to change. In two years time, her father's blood would manifest, giving her access to her draconic magicks. Here, in this secluded den, a mother would teach her daughter her heritage until that day came.
As much as she sometimes resented being raised in near isolation, she supposed it was for the best. Her mother was an herbalist, a practitioner of a healing art long lost to even the memory of most of mankind. Kaida's mother was a kind-hearted soul, using her mastery of her skill to aid those in need, but sometimes intentions make little difference to the willfully ignorant. Sometimes, under the umbrella pejorative of "the Arcane," even those who are good in this world can be cast in with the lot as "evil," or "dark," or "monstrous."
Kaida's mother was far from a monster. It was best they stay on the fringe of society to practice their potions and tinctures and salves. As it had been for generations, Kaida learned her first lessons of the craft from her mother.
There was never a satisfactory explanation for why Kaida had no father as a child. Her mother, though an open book in conversations and teaching, was uncharacteristically under-spoken whenever she would ask. She would usually remind Kaida that her father wasn't there, so it was best not to worry over him. Until Kaida's 14th birthday.
Her mother woke her up before dawn that day, small packs with some supplies for a short camp out at the ready. She readied her daughter quickly and quietly, and though Kaida burned with questions, the way her mother was fidgeting with her eyes darting about constantly set her on edge and stilled her tongue.
They trekked the day, pausing only briefly for their midday meal, yet still only reached their apparent destination, a small, damp cave tucked away behind a covering of stringy moss hanging from above between twin waterfalls, as the sun dipped below the horizon. Neither had spoken a word to each other all day, but finally, with a bracing sigh, Kaida's mother sat on a rock and looked her child in the eye. "Tonight, you're going to learn who you are."
Her mother had chosen the place out of strategy, she explained. She wanted Kaida to learn of it, to see it as a safe place, to run to it should trouble arise. The crashing water to either side of the entrance drowned out much sound, making it difficult to tell if anyone was hiding in side, and the strings of hanging moss over the craggy entrance effectively turned it invisible. Everything, her mother explained, even down to the ever-present dampness of the place, had been carefully selected to make it a safe place for her.
Kaida would have need of such a place over the coming years, her mother went on. This place was to be used to begin Kadia's next level of training. She had already begun to learn the basics of the arcane arts, simple compounds from simple herbs, simple chants with simple words, good luck charms and so on, but she would need to know more come the time of her 16th birthday. It was then, her mother explained, that her father's blood would finally come in to play.
After years of wondering, Kaida finally had the answers to the questions she'd been asking for so long.
Her mother came from a line of healers, true healers, not charlatans selling snake oils to cure boils. It was in this background Kaida's education had thus far been based. Her mother, however, had always had a curious mind, and once she was of age, set off in the world to study what she could of whatever was left. Magics, spell work, the manipulation of the natural forces of the world; all were disappearing as generations of slander on the arts as profane drove the ignorant to turn on those who would dare possess more knowledge or power than they.
Her mother did not think she would find much.
Her mother was wrong.
She met Kaida's father along her journeys. She'd happened upon him quite by accident, after rushing to what she'd assumed was an abandoned cottage during a storm that'd caught her off-guard. The place was dank and musty, but she managed to light a fire in the hearth. Everything was soaked through from the rain, making it nearly impossible to do the conventional way, but she figured she was far enough from anyone out in this downpour there'd be no harm in reciting a short incantation to start the flame. She'd only just closed her eyes as she warmed her hands by the small fire when she heard a gasp behind her. It wasn't one of shock or surprise, but seemed to be more in awe. She looked up and saw a man lounging in an armchair, his eyes full of puzzled curiosity.
As it turned out, the cabin was a hidden entrance to his home. The cabin was as innocuous a place as any, and since the portal could only be opened through lighting a flame with a spark of magic, he'd thought the place as well secured as it could be. Kaida's mother became captivated immediately with her new surroundings. Every place her eyes came to rest found a new symbol, a new scroll, a new artifact: things rare and treasured such that she never hoped to find a single item of their like in her lifetime.
Conversation opened easily between them. He was curious how she came to know her little corner of the arcane, and she was curious for everything. Practitioners of the old arts were so few and far between, he'd never expected to come across the likes of her. She'd expressed a mutual feeling, until he pointed out to her the extreme measures he'd taken to protect himself, to hide himself away, such as the magic portal she'd stumbled upon to enter his home.
She begged him to let her stay, to learn from him. She wanted to preserve the fading knowledge of her heritage, and here lay all the resources she could dream for ten times over. He, seeing a need to repopulate the world with their endangered craft, agreed.
Days came, and days went; then months; then weeks; then years. Time meant nothing among all the knowledge, her head was too busy spinning with all she was learning, all she could do. Affection grew between them as time wound on, but the spinning stopped abruptly late one mid-autumn day.
It was on this day she discovered the truth.
She'd had the intention of being gone for the day to gather some ingredients in the wood near the cabin, but found instead a twisted old apple tree, boughs laden with fruit. Thinking to herself a pie sounded lovely, she filled her basket with them and headed home early.
Something felt off when she got home. The air felt charged as goosebumps ran up her spine and she felt rather than heard the low rumble of some great beast in the heart of what had become her home. Another rumble seemed to resonate in her chest, catching her breath as she began to whisper incantations in preparation, anticipation building as she braced herself to round the corner, but when she did she could only stammer in shock.
Before her, in what was meant to be the larger wing of the library, lay a red dragon, its body curled around and between the stacks and shelves of books in such a way that it reminded her of a cat hoping to catch a ray of sunlight on its belly. Another rumble thundered from the dragon's chest, and though she cringed at first, she realized the enormous creature seemed to be snoring.
She could only stare for what seemed an eternity, her body frozen in terror. She fluttered her eyes, trying to clear herself and concentrate. Her lips parted to whisper an incantation, but the dragon's eyes popped open at the sound. Its head snapped to her, alert for threat, and just as she was sure she was to be slain, the enormous creature relaxed its face, almost seeming to smile. Before her eyes, the behemoth before her began to shrink, the sales smooth, and the claws retract. In mere moments, the fearsome dragon had returned to his disguise, wearing the smile of her beloved.
She knew, then, that she had been used. Of course she had. Having stumbled into a dragon's lair she was lucky enough to be alive, that much was certain. Even among the tomes of this library, dragons were enigmatic creatures just as likely to help solve a puzzle as they were to roast flesh. They were not wont to share secrets, let alone provide instruction to outsiders. Those with the audacity to ask typically became an afternoon snack.
She asked why he kept her.
He said for breeding stock.
He'd needed someone with at least a faint talent for the arcane, even just the tiniest spark of it. Appearing so suddenly before him had proven she had that, at least. He had been a spider, and she had fallen in his web. He'd kept her complacent with her studies, happy with his kindness, and comfortable with his care. She'd come to rely upon him until she barely remembered another life. He hadn't wanted to help her preserve the arcane arts. He'd wanted her to help him preserve his species.
With a thought and a word, she vanished from his home without a trace.
The morning sickness set in a week later.
Having lived and studied with a dragon had its perks when it came to midwifing for herself. She'd read more on dragons than any non-dragon she'd ever heard of, living or dead, and though she feared her unborn child's father, she feared losing the child more.
So she hid, kept to herself, and raised her daughter.
Now, on her 14th birthday, Kaida needed to know how her life was going to change. In two years time, her father's blood would manifest, giving her access to her draconic magicks. Here, in this secluded den, a mother would teach her daughter her heritage until that day came.
In the following years, Kaida grew quickly. For weeks at a time, Kaida and her mother would stay up in their den, practicing spell forms and alchemy, incantation and language. Though she hadn't been able to take anything with her from the library, her mother was able to lecture her as confidently as though she were reading directly from the text. Kaida would grow frustrated at times, knowing she'd lain every line exactly, spoken the words precisely, yet the magic would fizzle and fade. Her mother tried to assure her it was because half of her potential was still locked away, and practicing now made mistakes less dangerous.
Between ages 16-19, Kaida mostly lived with her mother up near the falls. They'd managed to work together on some enchantments to make it a more permanent living establishment. Though nothing extravagant, inside their cave seemed identical to the home they'd abandoned so Kaida could train unmolested. Kaida's mother had taken to fertilizing the surrounding mosses with a fireproofing concoction. Nothing was more telling to a dragon's den, she said, than the scorched earth around it. Magicians were feared and misunderstood enough. Should any discover they had a dragon of any kind in the mountains, it wouldn't take long for hunting parties to appear. Hunting parties were the least of their worries, however. Kaida's mother knew, should any whisper of a young dragon reach the wrong ears, a fate far worse awaited them.
During her 19th year, Kaida's father finally caught up to them. She had gone out to slaughter a mountain goat for dinner, but when she came back the house was empty, the hearth cold. A chill went down her spine: her mother should have been back for hours. She rushed back out and began to fervently chant. It was reckless to reveal herself, but as a dragon, she might be able to sniff her mother out or spot her from above. She spared no thought to the idea of it making her a bigger target. She knew in her bones her mother was in danger.
The instant her form settled, she stretched her crimson wings and shot into the air, her sharpened eyes already scanning the surrounding landscape for any trace of her missing mother.
A bone-crunching impact from above knocked the wind from her, talons ripping into her shoulders as if trying to grab hold to drag her away. She tucked one wing and made a hard banked turn, effectively rolling the attacker from her back. Flustered flapping righted her and she aimed herself upwards, her wings desperately clawing at the air as she tried to gain altitude.
She was but a hummingbird to a hawk.
She'd easily outgrown most barns as a draconid, yet he dwarfed her. A few hard strokes of his immense wingspan brought him level with her. He grinned, and she noticed, then, the unconscious form of her mother gripped in one of his foretalons. His eyes narrowed as he watched the panic rise up in her, his tongue flicking out like a snake's as though to taste it. That tongue found its way to flick lightly at her mother's pale cheek. Kaida lifted a claw, a plea for mercy lodged in her throat, and she watched her father delicately lay her across both his palms. They hung in the air, Kaida's eyes watching in horror as his grip tightened around her legs and torso. With a quick twist and a sickening snap, Kaida could only look on as her mother was unceremoniously ripped in half before her eyes. He chuckled, opening his claws to reveal the mangled corpse.
Her father began some rant or another about exalted dragons this, dying species that. She heard some weak justification for the brutal murder she witnessed as thanks for stealing his unborn child. Some offhanded remark about not needing her anymore, now that he'd come to claim his spawn.
His words fell on deaf ears. Shock gave way to rage. Midway through his ramblings of justice and the natural order, she bolted forward with a deafening roar. Rows of razor sharp teeth bared, she tucked her wings just at the moment of impact. Her teeth slashed through the membrane of his wing, and with the weight of her momentum behind her, she shot through it like an arrow, her body widening the rip as she tore through the thin flesh. She was aware of him howling in pain and surprise, felt the heat of his flame along her back as he whipped around to retaliate. The gaping hole in his wing left him unbalanced, however, and he struggled to remain airborne, let alone maneuver his bulky form to effectively counter.
Now above him, She unfurled a wingtip to make a sharp turn, then tucked again to rip through his other wing. He kicked as she came through, catching her square in the ribs and knocking the wind from her as his talons ripped through the scales of her chest. The blow knocked her from the air, and she hit the ground with an earth-shattering thud. Pain clouded her vision, confusion her mind as she tried to regain her bearings. She was dizzy from the impact, but forced herself back to her feet, eyes to the sky in anticipation of another attack.
Instead, she saw the gargantuan beast steadily losing altitude, his battered wings all but useless to keep him airborne. Flames belched forth from his great maw as he wailed in frustration, pain, and rage. Blood, red as his scales, poured from his wounds with each beat of his wings, leaving trails like ribbons in their wake. Seeing her opportunity in his agony, she shot into the air once more.
This time, it was her body that collided with his. Though much smaller, the impact and her weight was enough to throw him off balance, his wings useless to even steady him while she began tearing into him. Through it all, he'd managed to cling to her mother's tattered remains, and now her corpse was to be her prize. She clawed at his forelimbs, her sharp talons scraped against his scales as she tried to wrestle her mother's body free. Her hind legs kicked at his belly in an attempt to do damage against his soft underside. Despite her fervent attack and their uncontrollable tumble through the air, he held fast. Screaming in fury, Kaida spread her jaws wide and spewed a hot gout of flame directly at her father's face. His scales protected him from the majority of the blast, but she'd caught him with his eyes open. With a roar, he finally released her mother's body to claw at his own face, his eyes now scorched and useless. Kaida wasted no time in snatching the pieces before they could fall, then gave a mighty shove with her hind legs against his belly to separate herself from him as he continued to fall.
She managed to right herself and slow enough that the impact didn't crush her bones. She looked up in time to see her father crash into the earth. His enraged bellows ended abruptly with that fall. She lay still a moment, holding her breath, anticipating a sudden rally or counter attack. He remained still and silent. She could see the slow, shaking rise and fall of his breath as he lay there unconscious. Not wanting to risk him waking, she clutched each half of her mother to her chest and took off once again, this time to flee as far and as fast as she could.
She'd lost much blood from the gashes her father left in her back and chest. She was battered and bruised, and could feel at least two cracked ribs. She only made it so far before she had to land again, now too exhausted to go on. After landing, she gently laid down her mother's remains before collapsing, a quiet murmur of a spell returning her to her original shape while she rested on the grass.
Now here she lay, beaten and alone, her mother and home both gone. With the risk of her father surviving the fall, she knew she would never be safe if she stayed where he'd found her to begin with.
During her 19th year, Kaida's father finally caught up to them. She had gone out to slaughter a mountain goat for dinner, but when she came back the house was empty, the hearth cold. A chill went down her spine: her mother should have been back for hours. She rushed back out and began to fervently chant. It was reckless to reveal herself, but as a dragon, she might be able to sniff her mother out or spot her from above. She spared no thought to the idea of it making her a bigger target. She knew in her bones her mother was in danger.
The instant her form settled, she stretched her crimson wings and shot into the air, her sharpened eyes already scanning the surrounding landscape for any trace of her missing mother.
A bone-crunching impact from above knocked the wind from her, talons ripping into her shoulders as if trying to grab hold to drag her away. She tucked one wing and made a hard banked turn, effectively rolling the attacker from her back. Flustered flapping righted her and she aimed herself upwards, her wings desperately clawing at the air as she tried to gain altitude.
She was but a hummingbird to a hawk.
She'd easily outgrown most barns as a draconid, yet he dwarfed her. A few hard strokes of his immense wingspan brought him level with her. He grinned, and she noticed, then, the unconscious form of her mother gripped in one of his foretalons. His eyes narrowed as he watched the panic rise up in her, his tongue flicking out like a snake's as though to taste it. That tongue found its way to flick lightly at her mother's pale cheek. Kaida lifted a claw, a plea for mercy lodged in her throat, and she watched her father delicately lay her across both his palms. They hung in the air, Kaida's eyes watching in horror as his grip tightened around her legs and torso. With a quick twist and a sickening snap, Kaida could only look on as her mother was unceremoniously ripped in half before her eyes. He chuckled, opening his claws to reveal the mangled corpse.
Her father began some rant or another about exalted dragons this, dying species that. She heard some weak justification for the brutal murder she witnessed as thanks for stealing his unborn child. Some offhanded remark about not needing her anymore, now that he'd come to claim his spawn.
His words fell on deaf ears. Shock gave way to rage. Midway through his ramblings of justice and the natural order, she bolted forward with a deafening roar. Rows of razor sharp teeth bared, she tucked her wings just at the moment of impact. Her teeth slashed through the membrane of his wing, and with the weight of her momentum behind her, she shot through it like an arrow, her body widening the rip as she tore through the thin flesh. She was aware of him howling in pain and surprise, felt the heat of his flame along her back as he whipped around to retaliate. The gaping hole in his wing left him unbalanced, however, and he struggled to remain airborne, let alone maneuver his bulky form to effectively counter.
Now above him, She unfurled a wingtip to make a sharp turn, then tucked again to rip through his other wing. He kicked as she came through, catching her square in the ribs and knocking the wind from her as his talons ripped through the scales of her chest. The blow knocked her from the air, and she hit the ground with an earth-shattering thud. Pain clouded her vision, confusion her mind as she tried to regain her bearings. She was dizzy from the impact, but forced herself back to her feet, eyes to the sky in anticipation of another attack.
Instead, she saw the gargantuan beast steadily losing altitude, his battered wings all but useless to keep him airborne. Flames belched forth from his great maw as he wailed in frustration, pain, and rage. Blood, red as his scales, poured from his wounds with each beat of his wings, leaving trails like ribbons in their wake. Seeing her opportunity in his agony, she shot into the air once more.
This time, it was her body that collided with his. Though much smaller, the impact and her weight was enough to throw him off balance, his wings useless to even steady him while she began tearing into him. Through it all, he'd managed to cling to her mother's tattered remains, and now her corpse was to be her prize. She clawed at his forelimbs, her sharp talons scraped against his scales as she tried to wrestle her mother's body free. Her hind legs kicked at his belly in an attempt to do damage against his soft underside. Despite her fervent attack and their uncontrollable tumble through the air, he held fast. Screaming in fury, Kaida spread her jaws wide and spewed a hot gout of flame directly at her father's face. His scales protected him from the majority of the blast, but she'd caught him with his eyes open. With a roar, he finally released her mother's body to claw at his own face, his eyes now scorched and useless. Kaida wasted no time in snatching the pieces before they could fall, then gave a mighty shove with her hind legs against his belly to separate herself from him as he continued to fall.
She managed to right herself and slow enough that the impact didn't crush her bones. She looked up in time to see her father crash into the earth. His enraged bellows ended abruptly with that fall. She lay still a moment, holding her breath, anticipating a sudden rally or counter attack. He remained still and silent. She could see the slow, shaking rise and fall of his breath as he lay there unconscious. Not wanting to risk him waking, she clutched each half of her mother to her chest and took off once again, this time to flee as far and as fast as she could.
She'd lost much blood from the gashes her father left in her back and chest. She was battered and bruised, and could feel at least two cracked ribs. She only made it so far before she had to land again, now too exhausted to go on. After landing, she gently laid down her mother's remains before collapsing, a quiet murmur of a spell returning her to her original shape while she rested on the grass.
Now here she lay, beaten and alone, her mother and home both gone. With the risk of her father surviving the fall, she knew she would never be safe if she stayed where he'd found her to begin with.
Kaida spends much of her time on the move. She does not stay in one location long, preferring instead to keep her homes temporary and focus, instead, on her education. Through the centuries her draconic bloodline gave her, she took on her mother's thirst for arcane knowledge. While she does not flaunt her magical ability by any means, she has been known to take the occasional student under her wing, should they show any talent and the will to learn. Much like her mother, she wanted to preserve the old teachings. Unlike her father, she did not seek to isolate herself to do so.
She's had several encounters with her father since their first battle. He'd become bitter over his loss to a fledgling, the mauling of his wings, and his blindness. For decades he stalked her, often turning up unexpectedly. Challenges to assassination attempts, he was relentless in seeking her. After a time, seeming to remember she was his kin, he tried to convince her to join him as an official member of dragon kind. Despite surviving their every encounter and refusing his every offer, she could never bring herself to slay him. Instead, she ultimately trapped him in a sleeping spell, hoping the soothing dreams of the enchantment would bring him peace. She keeps him locked away in a prison of her own design, one only she could ever enter or leave. Despite the tragic and cruel murder of her mother, Kaida could not bring herself to end the now-pitiful life of her father. After all, he'd only been following his nature: a nature she'd inherited and strove to temper with her mother's levelheadedness and determination.
She's had several encounters with her father since their first battle. He'd become bitter over his loss to a fledgling, the mauling of his wings, and his blindness. For decades he stalked her, often turning up unexpectedly. Challenges to assassination attempts, he was relentless in seeking her. After a time, seeming to remember she was his kin, he tried to convince her to join him as an official member of dragon kind. Despite surviving their every encounter and refusing his every offer, she could never bring herself to slay him. Instead, she ultimately trapped him in a sleeping spell, hoping the soothing dreams of the enchantment would bring him peace. She keeps him locked away in a prison of her own design, one only she could ever enter or leave. Despite the tragic and cruel murder of her mother, Kaida could not bring herself to end the now-pitiful life of her father. After all, he'd only been following his nature: a nature she'd inherited and strove to temper with her mother's levelheadedness and determination.