Breaking Point

Writers: Cali, Sengra
Date Posted: 9th February 2010

Characters: A'ton, Ri'len
Description: Ri'len finds A'ton sleeping on the beach
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 16 of Turn 5

Everything was dark.

No, he wasn't lost /between/. He did not feel the cold of nothingness.

It was warm. Yes, warm. Just like the beaches of his family's seaside hold.
Ah, his home, the sea, the wind...

He was a dragonrider. Yes, he was. A dragonrider!

Vardamith.

"Where are you my friend?" A'ton screamed, but his voice sounded nothing
more than a baby's cry in a darkened room.

He tried to move, but his body felt heavy, like he was tied to a giant
boulder, his arms weighed down by sacks of firestone.

Firestone.

There was Thread in the sky! "Vardamith, where are you?" he screamed
desperately. The leading edge of thread was upon him. He can't escape.

A'ton faced the menace. Like the dragonriders before him, he would face
Pern's greatest enemy. He must protect Pern! As, the leading edge of Fall
was nearing, A'ton tried to shout in defiance. But no words came out.

Instead came fire. He was charring thread in the sky! He was fighting
thread. With an ability he didn't knew he possessed, he went /between/ and
emerged just to char another clump of his space-borne menace.

Looking down he saw the vastness of the sea. It was beautiful. He suddenly
felt pain. Intense pain. Left wing. He was hit. He went /between/, and
emerged above a beautiful coastline. He tried to look how badly he was hurt.

But he had no wings. He was falling.

**What's that down there?** Ri'len asked his dragon as he flew over the
beach. They were on sweepriding duty, not very glorious, but necessary.
There were a few seaside holds and so he had turned to follow the coastline
when he spied a darkness that didn't quite belong.

}:Another dragon and his rider.:{ Monilath responded after a moment. }:The
rider is in a strange sleep. The brown is weak from exhaustion.:{

**Are they all right?** Ri'len urged his lifemate to circle them.

}:I don't know. He does not respond to my call.:{

**We should check on them, just in case.** Ri'len couldn't think of a
reason why dragon and rider would be in trouble, especially since there was
no Threadfall that day, but he didn't want to just leave them there without
being sure. Monilath came to a landing near them and Ri'len dismounted.

When he approached, he gazed down at the brownrider for a moment. They
looked to be about the same age, more or less, but Ri'len didn't know his
name. He crouched down and gently shook the prostrate rider upon his
shoulder. "Friend, are you all right?"

"Am I really alright?" A'ton thought. "I thought I was going to die. What
was I thinking trying to fight thread on my own?"

He opened his eyes. It was very dark again. Still, there was a lingering
feeling of sand beneath him, and the faint smell of the ocean breeze filled
the air. He tried to stand and took a few steps. Then he fell down again.

Earthquake!

The ground was shaking! "What is happening?" A'ton said aloud. He tried once
again to reach for Vardamith. **Where are you my friend?**

}:I'm here.:{. It was Vardamith, though it felt more like an echo of his
voice, like he was in some distant cave.

**What happened?** A'ton asked his brown.

}:Rocks:{ Varadmith answered.

**Rocks!** A'ton exclaimed. Yes, now he remembered. Today was their training
day.

But something went wrong. Really wrong.

**I guess we reached the limits of our bodies, huh?** A'ton asked. **I guess
we've finally reached our breaking point.**

"Hey. Hey, wake up." The brownrider was murmuring in his sleep.
Occasionally Ri'len could catch a word, but they were so sporadic he
couldn't quite put them together to make any sense of them. **Monilath, can
you try talking to the brown?**

}:His sleep is very deep. I will try.:{ It was odd that the rider wasn't
awakening, but hopefully Monilath could help.

}:My rider is concerned for yours. Wake up!:{ the bronze commanded.

}:Something is calling me, but I don't understand:{ Varadmith told his
rider. **You're voice is still faint.** A'ton said. **Where are you.**

}:Everything is dark, but it isn't /between/. It is not cold. In fact, I
feel we're back to Lookout Point!:{ Vardamith exclaimed.

**I feel thirsty.** A'ton said. **Water!**

Vardamith moved his head and examined his surroundings. He tries his best to
wake A'ton up from his strange sleep. He felt weak, but he could see another
dragon and his rider nearby. A'ton was still there, apparently asleep. He
could feel that something was very wrong with his rider. The "breaking
point" as A'ton always say. Maybe they've reached it.

}:My rider is concerned for yours. Wake up!:{ the bronze said to him.

}:He is thirsty. He needs water! We must get him to a healer!:{ Vardamith
pleaded, though his voice sounded very weak. He tried to bugle in alarm, but
he could only hear a faint sound.

}:Calm down.:{ Monilath was gentle but firm and his tone left no room for
argument. }:Is he injured?:{ To his rider, he mentioned the need for
water. Ri'len stood and moved to the straps upon which was hung a skin of
water, an object that was always with him when flying as long as he wasn't
in Fall. "Hey." He stated as he held the skin out to the brownrider.
"Come on, get up and drink this."

A'ton could feel water upon his lips. Water!

He tried to drink as much as he can, slowly regaining consciousness. He
could feel someone beside him, and another dragon. A dragonrider, he
thought. Now he remembered everything clearly. Barely conscious, he and
Vardamith landed on the beach. He was so tired that he fell asleep
instantly.

He tried to sit up, but his head was swirling. He looked up at the rider
beside him. He didn't know the rider, but he looked familiar.

}:Ri'len, bronze Monilath's rider.!:{ Vardamith said, sensing his rider's
thoughts. A'ton has been trying to build a profile of all Dolphin Cove
Weyr's riders. Naturally, Vardamith took interest with it too.

"Thank you," A'ton said to the bronzerider. "If you don't mind, can you help
get to my dragon. I may need to see a healer."

"Are you injured?" Ri'len asked, not making a move to leave just yet. If
the young man had broken something, it might not be wise to move him.
Nothing _looked_ broken, but Ri'len wasn't a healer either.

"Nothing's broken. I'm just...tired," A'ton said. He felt he could trust
Ri'len. "We normally go out on excursions during our free periods. This
time, I think we overdid it."

A'ton looked at Vardamith. He looked faded. Worry for his dragon took over
him. "Friend, maybe it would be better if you can bring a healer here. I
don't think Vardamith is in any condition to fly, let alone go /between/. I
feel I could trust you. Suffice to say, I would get into real trouble if
this would reach the Weyrleader. My fate is in your hands now," A'ton said,
somewhat resigned. He would face the consequences, whatever they maybe.

Why wouldn't he be able to trust him? Ri'len thought the fellow an odd
sort. They were both dragonriders after all. "If nothing is broken, then
yes, I can take you to a healer." Ri'len stood and gave Vardamith a once
over.

**What do you think?**

}:I think he will be fine. I can give him the visual.:{ Monilath assured
his rider.

"Monilath and I will give him the visual." Ri'len echoed his dragon's
words, "And he'll be all right. I think you're the one we should be more
concerned about. Can you stand? Here, lean on me."

"Thanks, I can manage with your help." A'ton said, thankful that Ri'len
hasn't asked him anything about what he did to be in such a condition.

With the bronzerider's help, he was able to mount Vardamith. **Can you carry
me safely back to the weyr?** he asked the brown.

}:Yes I can, and I will! :{ Vardamith said with such emphasis that A'ton had
to smile.

"We are ready."

Last updated on the February 15th 2010

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Breaking Point