It watched wide-eyed as the Sentinel lifted off the ground, shimmering blue wings erupting from behind his back. It stepped around in place, excited to be able to do something like that too, reaching for its own sternum to feel if there was a similar thing attached to its body. It felt around a little before it felt the streak of oilstone. Its heart leaped in its chest and tried focusing on that instead. This time, magic surged and they let out a small noise of surprise as they felt their mind pressing forward towards the closest living being - The Sentinel - but it only lasted for a moment before the Warden cut it off, in shock a little. "Didn't mean to." It didn't quite know apologies yet, or if the Sentinel particularly cared.

But that was something it could do, apparently. It would have to try that one again sometime.

It was time to move on now, and the Warden took only a moment to decide. "Master. The Warden is curious." Of course, it was also curious about the door, but meeting this mysterious Master was very high on its list of priorities. It wanted to know if he was as important or impressive as his title implied.

@The Sentinel

He felt the tickle, if distant, at the back of his mind. It did not last long, yet the presence had been there nonetheless. He tilted his head to one side, studying his spawn with renewed interest. "It bears magic of the mind?" he rumbled, half a question; had that been the Warden poking in?

His tone was not one of demand, nor disappointment, but simply interest--as one professional might ask another about the tools of their shared trade. He adjusted the butt of his halberd against the rock, pausing in place, and considered. "It is... good," he explained. "Powerful. But our magic-... The chaos. It holds teeth." How could he adequately explain the drawbacks of chaotic magic-? He considered, a low whistle of breath escaping his nose as he exhaled. "The Sentinel may send others to a place of emptiness. Yet sometimes, he sees that place. And not this one."

Was that enough to explain it-?

He turned, gesturing, and carried on. "MASTER VARGAS," he called, and now there was a response--the hulking form of the Leviathan slipping from the shadows, and a returning call in a low bass rumble. The chartreuse, glowing eyes towered over the Sentinel, and he came to a halt, gesturing to the Warden. "The Warden has emerged," he introduced, and stepped to one side.

- THE LEVIATHAN -

Vargas came forth quickly, hope sparking in his chest. This was the stone they'd held great hope for--and revived by the Deathmatch champion (as low as the competition was, compared to in eons past), surely it would turn out to be powerful? An admirable fighter, a devastating combatant and, if they were lucky, one that would be difficult or even near impossible to take down.

Plus, someone extra for guard duty, at times.

He called back with a "Here; yes?" and after the Sentinel had introduced its spawn, he stepped forward with interest. "I am Master Vargas. Excellent--it is good that you have spawned. What has the Sentinel told you thus far?" and then--with a glance to the Sentinel--"-It can speak?" At the Sentinel's nod, Vargas nodded back to the Warden.

He should have, he reflected, probably have asked that first.

@The Warden

It tried to listen to the Sentinel as it was speaking but he was again speaking in tongues again and the fresh-hatched child found itself unable to follow. Magic could have teeth? It tried to imagine what that meant; phantom teeth sinking into its hand if it failed a cast or did something incorrectly. And whatever he'd tried to say next...yeah the Warden simply did not understand what any of that meant. But it didn't make to correct him, sure that someday it would understand what he was talking about.

As for the Master, well.

It took a single step back as the Master approached, taken aback by his sheer size. It had expected, of course, to this Master to be impressive - and he was - but having only itself and the Sentinel as reference for how large a creature could get only took it so far. The Master Vargas was massive and the Warden dwarfed him significantly. Not that it was particularly scared of him, but there was simply surprise in it that anyone could grow to be so massive. If only I would grow to that size one day... But that was alright if it wouldn't. After all, it was not Master, only the Warden. It would be proud to serve this one.

"Master Vargas. It is the Warden. It guards the door with the Sentinel. Um..." It paused, trying to sort through the large amount of information it had been given in the last few minutes. "The Forge. Black Spire. Arena. Order is enemy. Chaos magic. Magic come from stone." It listed off the many things the Sentinel had told it like a shopping list, aimlessly counting on its fingers as if adding them up.

@The Sentinel

- THE LEVIATHAN -

Vargas listened, faintly amused (but also pleased) at the strong list being rattled off. He noted the Sentinel standing silent and listening (and looking, too, somewhat proud?) and then nodded to the Warden.

"Very good!" he boomed, an even, calm praise in his voice. 'Order is enemy.' The thought hung there, for a moment, and Vargas pushed it away. "The Sentinel will find you a place to rest, and some food, and drink. -Show it where to find water," he commanded, glancing to the Sentinel. "He will also teach you a little bit about fighting, and so will I. I lead the Chaos Forge: if you have questions, or concerns, or if someone does something like harm you, you come and find me. Do you understand?" he asked, looking the Warden over for a second, closer time.

He tried to remember which fighter this might have been, in life, but it was difficult to tell. Possibly the one that'd been blind, or near-so, and used sound to navigate-? It'd borne the same colors, at least, though the shape here was something quite unique.

@The Warden

The Warden listened attentively, feeling a burst of pride at Master Vargas's approval. It must have been doing something correctly - perhaps that list had been a good idea after all! Its claws clenched at the idea of being taught fighting. Would it fight with its hands? Or with a weapon, like the Sentinel? Or perhaps both? Whatever, it wanted to learn fighting. It wasn't sure what compelled it to thirst for combat so much, but it could imagine itself locked in combat with another, weapons or claws clashing against each other, howls and screeches filling the air, blood flying and splattering against the rocks, sowing chaos, war, destruction, death...

The Warden snapped out of its vision after a second, only a moment having gone by, but it immediately refocused itself back to Vargas, nodding again. "The Warden understands." It hadn't quite caught the last bit, but it got the general message.

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

Vargas gave a nod to the Warden, and a booming couple words of approval: "Very good!" Then he nodded to the Sentinel, in turn, and stepped back: clearing the way, and apparently giving permission, for the new parent to take its spawn elsewhere.

"Find me if you have need of me," he murmured, and then watched the two in silence.

The Sentinel gave a single nod in turn, sharp, proud; he then looked down to the Warden. "Come," he instructed, his rumbling tone softened somewhat. "The Sentinel will show it where to find... water." A fine first step. But a bit of a long one; the water in Draco was sparse and stagnant.

Pegasus wasn't too far off, and as far as food and water went, the sooner the Warden knew the path the better. As he set off, he began a bit of instruction once again.

"They may not leave Draco without permission," he began. "It may be earned, later. But for now the Warden is small. It will be in danger, if it is alone. The Sentinel guards it."

He picked his way past the swelling opening of the Aperture, turning to beckon the Warden through--toward the trees farther down the tunnel, and Pegasus beyond.

@The Warden (Idm if you want to fade off here, or continue in Pegasus?)

Update: yes exit

At Vargas's booming approval, the Warden straightened up more, looking quite proud of itself for earning the Master's approval at so young an age. It glanced at the Sentinel and was pleased to see the same pride. This was good - all of this was good and was very swiftly building up the young Valkhound's ego. All this approval and pride and promises of strength and weapons and superiority were sinking quickly into its head.

At the Sentinel's beckoning, the Warden nodded and turned to follow, sparing one more glance back at Master Vargas before looking back at its father (parent? creator? life-giver? some other word?) and following his path out of Draco.

And the notion that it couldn't protect itself, the Warden instantly drew itself up, feeling a pang of anger in its chest, wounded pride wanting to make some kind of outburst. "The Warden can fight." But its proclamation was immediately followed by the thought, Can I really?. It didn't know how to fight. It had never done it before. It was strong, yes, built for strength, but it had literally just hatched. Perhaps...if there were others out there like Master Vargas, but not an ally, then...yes, the Sentinel was right, it would be in danger.

Shoulders fell a bit as it came to the realization and a small sigh escaped its jaws. "...Alright," it muttered, resigning itself, for now, to be babied until it could get stronger. But as they passed the Aperture, and the Warden's eyes lifted to the breathing tunnel that it was sworn to protect, it straightened up again. For now, it was small and weak, yes, but not always! It had been given life for the purpose of guarding. All it could do now was look forward to its training and train hard when the time came.

*exit

@The Sentinel