sirenspull | Sixth Mercy - Video - forward dated to mid-morning

[ There's a scrambling noise, of something sharp and heavy scraping against the television. A heavy noise soon followed it, a noise that sounds remarkably like breathing, but ten times as loud, louder than a lion's and as loud as a fan of an air plane.

Soon, there is a bright light, a light that is reflected off of golden scales - a familiar sight. But these scales are different - some look like they are encased in frost, others burned away by splatters of acid or by the definite streaks of lightning burns.

The video shifted and there are claws that curved around the screen, dragging the NV to the muzzle of a gold dragon. He looks wearied, if it is possible to read the expressions of a dragon, especially with one that shows sign of chlorine gas poisoning: his golden eyes are swollen, appearing to be red-gold by the ruptured veins. His jaws are partially opened, revealing swollen gums and it soon becomes evident that Aurican's breathing is harsh, interrupted by coughing and hacking. His long fangs gleam in the morning light as he begins to speak, his usual deep voice sounding high and weedy. ]

I died . . . and I come home, only to die again.

There is an irony I sense in this, but I am in no mood for s-such nonsense.

[ Aurican closes his eyes, but barely. He opens them again after a moment of quiet. ]

No mood for any nonsense. Eurig is n-no longer needed, as my attempts to coexist as both dragon and human failed, obviously. I-I will be addressing myself Au-Aurican and Aurican alone. I am done with that lie.

[ It takes a lot of effort to speak, so Aurican is quiet for a long time, trying to gather his strength again. ]

I apologize for this lie. I thought I was being wise by separating a human's life from a dragon's life. A f-fool's errand.

Life is life. Nothing more.

[ He is suddenly interrupted with a violent series of hacking coughs, blood and spittle flying everywhere from his jaw. He stills, letting the episode past. ]

If anyone is so kind, I am in need of a healer. Dragons usually heal themselves, but the process can take decades. I-I'm afraid that at the end of the day, I will be dead. I have been struck by lightning a few times and I have inhaled a g-great deal of chlorine gas.

As usual, I am at the baseball field.

[ With several attempts at pawing for his NV, he manages to turn it off. ]

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[The words might not have been understood, but he can clearly see that the older dragon is injured. Toothless croons concernedly, nudging at his NV when Aurican has turned it off.]

[ Ah, Toothless. At least one dragon survives that horrible carnage of a game. When Aurican replies (and it takes a while), he speaks in the draconic language, a language that is less abusive to his throat. ]

Toothless. I am being cared for.

[He's waited by his fishy NV until that response comes, head lifting then. It's a relief to hear from Aurican again, more so knowing that the dragon is being treated for his injuries.]

Good. [A pause before he growls lowly.]

What happened?

I died here and returned home, where I was slain by other dragons.

But that is not important. What is important is how I died here.

Newcomers like you and me and Hiccup are started to be hunted for fun.

[Died? But here Aurican is, speaking to him. Despite not understanding how that even works, it's alarming news nonetheless.]

How?

[And why had he been killed by other dragons, he wants to ask- but it's when Aurican mentions Hiccup that Toothless' attention is focused again.]

Hunt? Why? Who does this?

When and if we die here, we have three possibilities: one is that we are returned home and resume our lives, the other is we return to life here, and sometimes it is a mixture of the two. The latter has happened to me, as I was returned home to defend it from evil, but only to be taken back here again on the moment of my death.

[ And that's all he can say on the matter, his worry and grief for the wyrmlings is just barely held in check. ]

A human named Spencer. He drugged me and a dozen others and put us in cages, put collars on us so we can't use our powers. He hates Newcomers and wants us to suffer.

I was in human form at the time when he caught me. If he had known exactly what I am, he might have spent a little extra time how to stop me from killing his fellow hunters who joined in on the fun.

[This is news to Toothless, clearly. Not that he's got any interest to test it out. Knowing what's happened to Aurican is troubling enough, drawing another groan in concern.

The information about the hunter stokes the young dragon's anger. He growls, not liking the sound of that at all.]

You must be careful. I f-fear Spencer might be planning another hunt. Otherwise, I can't see why he would allow Newcomers to let them see him and gloat about their circumstances, k-knowing that if they die they will likely return. In fact, he allowed the survivors to leave if they survived the night's monsters.

[A snort, not in dismissal, but in confirmation. Spencer, huh...]

Won't let anything happen to Hiccup.

Make sure nothing can happen to his friends as well. Everyone is in danger.

[That gets something of a nod.]

Not let anything happen.

Sixth Mercy - Video - forward dated to mid-morning

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