What's an ascendant?

"I hope you'll forgive my ignorance," Jay started.

"Of course. You are young after all," Thirax interrupted.

"Thanks. Anyway, what exactly are we doing?" Jay's question silently projected into the massive dragon's mind because speaking would have been pointless. Even with the incredible ears of a dragon, moving at the speed they were moving, the wind would have torn the words from Jay's mouth as soon as he had opened it. They were perhaps thousands of feet in the air, well above the clouds, moving at speeds unfathomable for the young vampire.

"We are seeking your ascendant," Thirax explained. Before Jay could even ask Thirax continued, "The vampire who made you what you are today. He appears to have committed a terrible crime, and I will have him answer for it."

"And that crime was making me?" Jay asked.

"Turning you to a vampire was not a crime necessarily, but the fact that you do not know who turned you only increases the likelyhood that the treaty has been broken," the ancient dragon spoke much more calmly about the treaty than before. "We will find your ascendant and if necessary he will face judgement."

"So, there's the question, that being how exactly are we going to find someone I don't even know? Or remember in case some kind of weird centered amnesia thing is involved," Jay sounded a bit confused. Thirax smiled.

"Your nose is very sensitive, is it not?" the ancient dragon asked.

"I get the feeling I wouldn't really need to open my eyes to walk around these days," Jay quipped.

"Very good," Thirax laughed. "I am much the same except that I don't need my eyes to fly."

"That kinda... oh... wow," Jay laughed.

"I am following your scent to where you were initially turned," Thirax further explained.

"That hardly seems possible!" Jay wondered. "Wouldn't all the, uh, smell particles be gone by now?"

"Don't forget that we dragons have as much magic in our veins as we do blood," Thirax told Jay. "The oldest of us, such as myself, are not so limited by what is possible."

"So you're smelling into the past?" Jay hazzarded a guess.

"That's an interesting way to describe what I am doing, and not so innaccurate!" Thirax laughed at the young vampire's description. "I feel that we will be successful within the hour, the scent is weak but the trail is not fading."

"Where are we anyway?" Jay asked. Sitting in the middle of a huge dragon's back did not provide many opportunities for looking down, and the incredible winds did not help either.

"We are approaching the human city of Amsterdam if I am not mistaken," Thirax replied, banking slightly.

"How in the hell did we get here so fast?" Jay gasped aloud. Thirax chuckled.

"I am flying very fast you know," the old dragon lightly scolded the young vampire.

"You're flying faster than I ever could have imagined possible," Jay shook his head. "Even for a dragon I imagined there would have to be limits."

"The limits of possibility are mere suggestions to a dragon of my age," Thirax smiled, though the young vampire could not possibly see it. "Please hold tight for a moment." Jay gripped the spike he had been holding desperately as Thirax banked into a sharp turn.

"I'd like to get off the ride please," Jay groaned as Thirax slowed and began to descend. Thirax chuckled as they landed, and seconds later, Jay stood next to a man with odd brown hair who had been a two hundred foot long dragon mere seconds ago.

"That's handy," Jay commented as the green faded from his face.

"Indeed," Thirax agreed inspecting his human form. "I have not taken this form in a very long time. It is good to see I haven't lost my touch." Thirax flexed and walked about, seeming to remember how to be a human. While he did this Jay looked around. As was right with Jay's destiny, he found himself in an alley, presumably in Amsterdam.

"Uh.." our young vampire friend was at a loss for words.

"Yes, we are in Amsterdam," Thirax informed Jay. "Your ascendent is here. Finding him may be difficult, but I assure you we will find him."

"Actually," Jay said after a moment, "I was more wondering what I should call you if we're going to be wandering around the streets of Amsterdam. I can't just call you Thirax, as that will probably stick in people's minds."

"Thirax has served me well in my centuries of life," the dragon almost sounded miffed at the idea that his name was somehow unbefitting this current time. Jay glanced the seemingly young man next to him. Aside from the hair, Thirax's human form looked normal, though very muscled and tough. Jay smiled suddenly.

"I got it, I'll just call you Axe," Jay suggested. "You look tough enough to be a biker, so people could totally go for that. You'll probably want to change your clothing to leather though."

"Axe, eh?" The dragon looked amused. He shook his head then his clothing blurred into something more appropriate. Jay blinked.

"You look exactly like I was imagining you might," the vampire commented.

"Well, since I was not quite sure what would look appropriate, I simply took your idea and ran with it," the dragon newly dubbed Axe replied.

"I didn't know anyone could get into my head that easily," Jay looked disturbed.

"I understand your concern," Axe attempted to mollify the young vampire. "Your defenses are well designed, but I have centuries of skill to your years. I will help you strengthen your defenses another time if you wish."

"By 'another time' you don't mean like an elf's 'another time', do you?" Jay asked warily. Axe laughed.

"No, I was not vaguely referring to the coming century, as 'another time'," the dragon turned human chortled. "We dragons are far more reliable than elves, and we do understand time much more as humans do. I meant after we have finished what we have to do here and have returned to my lair that I might assist you."

"Ok, just checking," Jay nodded. "I once had an elf tell me he'd get right back to me, and I haven't heard from him since. That was almost six years ago."

"Sounds like an elf to me," Axe rolled his eyes. "Shall we seek your ascendant?"

"Sure, let's get this party started," Jay agreed. Though Axe had never heard the term, it was easy enough for him to glean the meaning and nod. The vampire and dragon in disguise walked into the Netherlands night.