Dragon's Oath *May contain spoilers*

Ok, so starting off, I think the cover of this little side story exceeds all the actual HON book covers. It's just sooo beautiful with her reflection and the sword! The purple was lovely also. This cover's detail was awesome.

So the PROS for this tory in my opinion:

-Anastasia's characterization was well done. She made witty remarks and came up with intelligent ideas throughout the story. I love how she had this childish side to her she always was trying to hide. It made me like her all the more. Plus she didn't sit around when things got rough, she actually played a part in fighting back.

-The spells. The spells Anastasia casts in the story are well thought out and researched. I was interested in what she was doing and wasn't left feeling bored or like I was having random nature-type thingies thrown at me.

-The Raven Mocker. Who the heck was expecting that?! NOT ME! I like how it enlightened us that the Raven Mockers have been lurking around for a while now and that Dragon has a past with them. And also it shows Kalona was actually devising a scheme in order to free himself. Doesn't that make you excited to see how he called Neferet to him??? I just freakin love the Raven Mockers, they add a lot of creepiness to the stories and I somehow manage to always feel bad for them.

- How Dragon and Anastasia met. That was just awesome. The part where he was all in a trance by her words during the spell and she suddenly yanks several strands of hair out of his head made me really laugh.

-The same sex couple. I just love how PC is not afraid to show what's actually going on in the world. There's nothing wrong with loving the same gender. Love is love, the end.

- The art. It was phenomenal. Like gorgeous. As a student studying art I was inspired by the lovely drawings done at the start of every chapter. Much kudos to the artist!

Now...the CONS...dun Dun DUN! (in my opinion ) :

-The villain. The dude was evil, no question, but his motive seemed too weak. I don't know, he kind of lacked something. Other than that, he was pretty evil.

-The love story. Now hold on! I'm not saying the romance between Dragon and Anastasia was bad, I just think it was rushed. But hey, this was a novella right? I'll give PC credit on this one. Otherwise their story was beautiful if not somewhat cliché.

-What was with all the poetry? I get the spells part, I get the people realizing the truth about Dragon part as it was part of the spell, but I don't get when Dragon is talking to Anastasia at the end why they are speaking in poem. If I'm upset and trying to beg someone to stay with me I'm not working out a clever stanza in my mind to say to that person. I don't know, I found that part kind of cheesey. The beginning when he's at the pyre and the end when he's still there as well seemed cheesey too. Just his self dialouge.

-Dragon chooses Darkness! Like uggggh. I am now fearful for Rephaim's life haha

Side Note:

Anyone else notice the similarties between Dragon and Rephaim, same with Anastasia and Stevie Rae?

Dragon & Repahim:

- Abusive Fathers who seem to enjoy chocking them and who eventually disown them.
-Both have to overcome the beast (Dragon/Raven) using their humanity...Dragon has failed.
- Both have pride issues.
-Both claim that they are just the monsters without their preistesses.

Stevie Rae & Anastasia:

-Earth affinities.
-Blond hair, blue eyes.
-Criticized on how they dress.
-Both their moms love them very much despite being around humans who don't accept their daughters.

I don't know haha I was like "Heeeey." Everytime I noticed a similarity. I think that maybe, just maybe, the similarities might be seen by Dragon and maybe he'll realize what a butt he's being and forget about vegence and forgive Rephaim so he can turn back to Nyx and reject Darkness. Man I hope! But what are the chances of that happening?

I did notice the similarities between Anastasia and Stevie Rae, or some of those that you mentioned, and I find it interesting.

Makes me think how would Dragon react if Stevie Rae used her element to save Rephaim's life. What if she heals Rephaim with her affinity just like Anastasia healed Dragon? What if she protects him using a barrier similar to the one Anastasia protected herself with from Biddle?

I seriously doubt that will be enough to make Dragon believe. He may never change.

But she already threw a barrier around her and rephaim that caused Dragon to bounce off of it. Man, I bet that pissed him off even more. It's like Rephaim gets to have everything he's taken away from Dragon. It's kind of sad actually. So maybe if he seen the similarities it would have the opposite affect and make Dragon even more outraged and vengeful. I think he's lost now

Perhaps he needs a reminder of what it means to be a merciful warrior. To think, he's over 190 years old, but he never learned to give second chances to those who ask for it.

If Colonel O'Neill, who in the original Stargate movie was ready to blow the people of Abydos up, was willing to offer Teal'c sanctuary on earth and a spot on SG-1, you'd think Dragon could do the same. Okay, so Teal'c didn't kill O'Neill's son (or his wife for that matter), but everything else about them is pretty similar.

Maybe Sylar from Heroes is a better example, he also has killed as mercilessly as Rephaim has. Despite that, Peter went through all that trouble to bring back his brother's killer from his "imprisonment" so he could get his help.

And a personal favourite of mine, Faith from Buffy. Went nuts, threatened Buffy's mother, friends, almost killed Angel and was allied with an evil politician. Despite all that Angel still chose to help and eventually she teamed up to fight alongside Buffy again.

There is always hope for Dragon, perhaps he needs to regain his faith, or perhaps Rephaim needs to show him that he is a decent man. Either way, the situation is going to get more interesting, and best of all, very dramatic. I'm happy with this direction, I don't read drama to see characters cruise through events to their happily ever afters.

But he said he's just the beast without Anastasia and he sees Nyx as cruel now. I'm not very hopeful on the situation anymore. I think Dragon is going to die during the war that is surely going to come between Neferet and Zoey. I agree with the whole liking the direction thing. I'd gladly take this drama over boy drama any day. Who knows though, maybe Dragon will redeem himself in the end?

"He said 'blah, blah, blah', she said 'blah, blah ,blah.'" These are just words, and honestly who has never said anything stupid or unfair, particularly when they're angry, especially when they are angry at the world.

It's amasing because Dragon has seen plenty of death, working with fledglings and Sons of Erebus, and he's obviously killed people before. He must have never questioned the circle of life much before. Not before his wife, whom he has spent not one but two lifetimes with, is murdered. Sure, maybe it was Rephaim he had spared long ago, but it's not like he's all knowing.

What if he killed the Raven Mocker, maybe that would have began a chain of events that may have gotten Anastasia or Dragon killed anyway. Maybe they would never have fallen in love, or maybe he would have gone over to "the Dark side" sooner. Or maybe none of the above. He can't know the future, or the outcomes of all the choices he makes in his very long life, even Aphrodite's visions barely scratch the surface of what the future could hold. You can spend eternity going over the what-ifs, and accomplish nothing. Life's all about risk, and it always ends the same way no matter what you do, so you might as well live like you'll die today, or however the saying goes.

BTW I never said Dragon would or would not die. (Or did I? Not for this thread idr) Obviously he will die eventually, and it's just as well seeing how much of a downer he is without his better half. At this point, I say there's a 90% probability he'll die before the end of the series (or Zoey's story, at least) but how he dies is what will be interesting. Maybe Rephaim will kill him, or he'll die saving Rephaim's life, maybe it will be a revenge kill by Stevie Rae or Kalona, possibilities, possibilities...

The scary part is Dragon believes he's in the right. And who's to say he isn't? Who wouldn't want revenge for their lost lover? I think any of the guys in HON would do the same. But clearly it's not what Nyx or Anastasia wanted so I guess he's more wrong than right. I really do believe that he's going to just slip deeper into darkness and that will be the end of him. And question, was that Raven Mocker in the cage Rephaim???

Maybe, that was never clear. Biddle described the Raven Mocker's eyes as human, and Rephaim is always descibed as being more human than any of his brothers. He's even more rational, so while I can imagine many of his brothers wasting their strength trying to break free of their cage, I can absolutely see Rephaim trying to string Biddle along, bide his time.

And in the epilogue, present day Dragon seemed convinced that his mercy act and Anastasia's death were directly related, implying that he recognises/believes Rephaim was the one in the cage. But again, that was something that was never made clear but if you reason it out, it seems a sound theory.