A chance for ultimate -- or nearly ultimate -- power. Power over biological matter itself, any plant, animal, even simple molds and fungus... Such was the power that Siban craved over his fellow creatures.

He was immortal. He was a mage. A father -- several times over, but with only one surviving child. Seka... That blasted little thief. His jaw ground hard at the thought of that mud-grey bitch. Took after her mother so much.

Siban's hooved hand struck the delicate orrery and it spun hard around, crashing to the floor and splintering into hundreds of clockwork-and-wood pieces. The jewel mechanisms spread over the wooden floor and some were lost between cracks and into the dusty recesses. Siban was not a terribly good house keeper.

He couldn't hire anyone, of course. There were no people left who didn't already know of him. And not one of the locals trusted him as far as they might throw him. Siban looked out the narrow window of this observatory, and hissed at the snow which flurried down in bits and bunches. It was too bright outside, too cheerful by a long shot. Siban detested winter -- he could not hide in snow, no matter what he tried wearing. White just was not his color.

Standing and pacing about, Siban kicked at the pieces of the orrery. He needed to vent. His anger would not be tamed until he had a good long bout tossing energy about and endangering people. He knew just the place.

"I told you once, Siban, I've told you many times before. Your presence here is not welcome." The huge tusked bouncer of the largest tavern in the town growled at the dark unicorn. "You cause too much property damage."

"I thought it was the blood stains that wouldn't come out of the walls," Siban mockingly said. His trail from the castle above the town had already been wiped away by the breeze and snowfall. Siban turned to look at some of the nice pleasant townsfolk, who scurried away from his black gaze as if he could melt them where they stood.

"That's part of the charm of the place," the boar man snorted. He did not take his small dark eyes off the unicorn. There was a scent of ozone around him, always. Like a storm about to break. "I canno' let you in, Siban. Buy your drinks elsewhere."

"BUY?" Siban bellowed, and threw his hand over the boar's shirt causing it to catch on fire. "Buy, I do not intend to BUY anything here, this slop was never to my taste... It's the thrill I seek --" He strode past the boar, on his way in to the tavern. All eyes were upon him, the whole place had long since fallen silent.

Before the boar could leap at him from behind, Siban cast a barrier behind him, blocking the swinging doors. They bumped against it as if something were standing there between them. His dark hooves planted themselves on the neatly swept floor, and Siban gazed around at the patrons.

Most were young, though there was a collection of older drunkards in the corner. Many in the tavern were women, a large number of those worked at the whore house above and drew in money for the tavern. There were all manner of species represented here, from mice to mammoths, zebra to antelope. Some were cross-breeds, and those took his attention directly.

"Ahh. Your parents had less taste than most..." He growled mostly to himself. One of the cross-breeds, a cougar-ram male, stood and put his large mug down. His tail swished in the air, and he tossed his ram-horned feline head around.

"What kind of insult is that, you mad wizard?" He demanded, "you any better parent nowadays?"

With that, many of the locals who knew Siban let their eyes grow wide and held their breath. Siban had killed his two first born, stolen their horns for their power. His third, Seka, got away with her life, but only barely. And, she had more than one offspring with whatever male crossed her path.

"Mules," Siban spat. "That's all your kind are. Mules to our pure breeds..." He was already drunken on his power, waiting for something to trigger his lightning-quick anger. The cougar-ram snarled, daring him to move. It was deathly silent within the tavern.

Outside, however, there was a ruckus starting on the hillside beyond Siban's castle, and spreading down into the vale where the town lay. Ships in the port bobbed with energy as something flew overhead and caused the water to wake behind it.

A dragon, large, brilliant blue, passed over the waters after having swept around the castle hill. People outside had stopped their work or their play, and pointed. It wasn't often a dragon came to call, and this one looked like none they'd ever seen.

It landed on the street near the tavern, and there were two people upon its back. One dropped to the ground, while the other clung to the blue dragon's neck.

"Come on, I'm sure it'll be safe." The man -- human man -- said to his passenger. "Couldn't be here now could he?"

The boar bouncer, now with his shirt singed but not in flames any longer, staggered to the street and angrily looked over this newest arrival.

"And what's your problem? Followin tha' bloody madman? Seka?" He queried, more quietly after his gutteral tirade. The form on the back of the dragon nodded once, pulled her shawl around her shoulders and tried to duck down where she could not be seen. "Aye... He's here, in there, blocked the bloody entrance, he's done."

Seka finally picked up her head and bit her lip. Dropping to the snow-covered ground, she paced around near Oskerth the blue dragon, until she gained the courage to approach the tavern.

"What's going on?" D'run the rider of this dragon asked.

"My father is in there, causing trouble." Seka waved her hand, and then examined something which D'run couldn't properly see. "Ah. Barrier. Down." She clicked her hard fingers together, and her horn shone gently. Passing snowflakes singed and disappeared in mist when they struck her horn. The doors to the tavern swung open again.

"Stay out here," D'run said, "I've still got a dragon protecting me, right?" He patted Oskerth's side and over Seka's protests strode right up to the tavern doors.

That and the obnoxious visitors from everywhere. They stared at Siban like ... Well, most of them probably didn't believe in the FOUR footed version of unicorns, let alone the TWO footed like himself and his daughter. He grumbled to himself and thanked the stars that he and his infuriating daughter had been allowed far, far separate dens in this large place.

There were dozens of people, and dozens of eggs. But not nearly enough visible to go around. When the dragons started erupting from the very sand, Siban nodded to himself. This would be a good day.

He felt the tinges of some alien thing inside his mind, and his horn glowed darkly to avoid it. But it couldn't be avoided. Then, from below two of the exposed eggs, came a dark, blue colored dragon. He was so furious at having been buried down there!

And well he should be, though Siban. For here weas a fine example of dragonhood! Not like that ridiculous Slorin that Seka was so fond of, here was a sleek, angry ... Wholly interesting dragon.

"You'll what?" Siban asked smoothly. He strode to the dark blue's side, a sneer on his muzzle.

"Hello, Kakith. It's not nice to --" He chided the dragon for spreading sand all over everything.

"Good question. Let's go get you fed." The annoying buzz in Siban's head formed into the beautiful sapphire's thoughts, and no one -- NO ONE ELSE HEARD THEM! He laughed to himself -- they could be private, plot in secret and no one could know! He could summon the dragon and they would fly the skies!

"Only as much as I need to, Kakith."