@fenshae Yeah, think I'm gonna do that. Almost lost all 3 dragons a few times. Thanks for the compliment, and replying.
Quests & Challenges
Quests, Challenges, and Festival games.
TOPIC | [P] Blood Curse (a lorelocke)
@fenshae Yeah, think I'm gonna do that. Almost lost all 3 dragons a few times. Thanks for the compliment, and replying.
Aw, Adanarox :(
Sorry 'bout the bad luck!
Sorry 'bout the bad luck!
Aw, Adanarox :(
Sorry 'bout the bad luck!
Sorry 'bout the bad luck!
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Oh dang :c rip Adanarox.
Hopefully Plinkerton will slow down with all those food items, the dragons need a break after that.
Hopefully Plinkerton will slow down with all those food items, the dragons need a break after that.
Oh dang :c rip Adanarox.
Hopefully Plinkerton will slow down with all those food items, the dragons need a break after that.
Hopefully Plinkerton will slow down with all those food items, the dragons need a break after that.
| If I'm OP, I'm SUBBED! |
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@fenshae @TheAwesoMew @Farsidejr
[img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/equipment/23714.png[/img]
Yay! Finally a break! Guess I'm off to the auction house again.
@fenshae @TheAwesoMew @Farsidejr
[img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/food/5199.png[/img]
Boy howdy he hates me. The feeling is currently mutual. However, while I'm going to pay my coliseum dues, I'm not going to write about that. Tomorrow, certain hatchlings are going to grow up, and I've got some groundwork to set.
------
Sakurako walked into the camp with more than the usual cheer on his face. “Mercuria!” he called. “Look at who I’ve found!”
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=40982130]
[img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/409822/40982130_350.png[/img]
[/url]
The cyborg dragoness glanced down. “Adinox!” she exclaimed, climbing down from her perch. “What are you doing here?”
The Fae nodded at her, faceted wings glittering in the sunlight. “Searching for more evidence of the First Ones,” he responded. “I was lead to believe I could find it nearby.” Adinox glanced towards the hatchlings scurrying curiously up to him, then noted their mother.
Sakurako nodded towards Auria. “Auria, this is Adinox, a member of our former clan. These are her children, Sapphira, Arvyne, and . . . where is Alani this time?”
“A pleasure,” Auria responded, giving a small smile. “Alani is in time-out; she raided the food hoard again. Come back here, both of you! It’s not polite to harass new people!”
Adinox handled the hatchlings well. All was normal, until he asked a question. “I can’t help but notice the magic around these hatchlings. What happened?”
And so the story came out. Adinox listened stoically (or normally, considering Fae), not commenting until the dragons finished.
“Hmmm.” Adinox’s hood moved slightly with his fins as the dragon sat in thought. “And you have no idea what this curse might be.”
“None at all,” Mercuria replied. “Do you?”
“Not yet,” Adinox responded. “But let me think a while. I might come up with something.”
As everyone sank into sleep, a pair of curious eyes followed a glowing orb through the air. Wriggling out from her mothers side, she followed the orb, occasionally leaping into the air to try to catch it. All the way to the back of the cave she followed it, to the rocks that blocked off the depths of the cave. The orb suddenly vanished beneath the rocks. From the height of an adult dragon, that would be the end of the adventure. But a hatchling could see the just-wide-enough hole that the orb had slipped into. It hovered in the tunnel, winking.
The hatchling followed.
• • • • •
Later that night, Adinox slipped out of the camp and into the shadows of the forest. What he hadn’t told the others was that he had no idea at all. It was almost impossible to know the nature of a curse without knowing what spell was cast. But he had his ways.
First, though, he had to find a suitable sacrifice. He fluttered through the trees at a slow pace, looking for the creatures of the night. Firelight caught his eye – a Longneck, sleeping by embers. To its left, forest. To its right, the river. Alone, too, and that would be the last mistake it would ever make.
Adinox easily killed and dismembered the Longneck, tossing the pieces into the river with practiced ease. Then, he waited. The Nightstalker, his dark god of knowledge, had never failed him when he asked for knowledge. Hopefully the sacrifice had been large enough.
A sharp cry pierced the night air. Adinox whipped his head around to scan the treeline. What was that? A curl of black smoke wafted through his vision from the trees, an inky trail leading into the shadows of a nearby ravine. And at the bottom, a hatchling he recognized.
“Oh no,” Adinox whispered, horror sinking into his stomach. “So this is the curse.” He returned quickly to the camp. While he only intended to wake up Auria, his whispers woke up Sakurako, who followed them out.
Everyone else was awoken by Auria’s wail. “What did you do to her?!”
-------
Which hatchlings die, and which one survives? Find out tomorrow on DragonBa- [i]cough cough cough[/i] Blood Curse, A Lorelocke!
@fenshae @TheAwesoMew @Farsidejr
Boy howdy he hates me. The feeling is currently mutual. However, while I'm going to pay my coliseum dues, I'm not going to write about that. Tomorrow, certain hatchlings are going to grow up, and I've got some groundwork to set.
Sakurako walked into the camp with more than the usual cheer on his face. “Mercuria!” he called. “Look at who I’ve found!”
The cyborg dragoness glanced down. “Adinox!” she exclaimed, climbing down from her perch. “What are you doing here?”
The Fae nodded at her, faceted wings glittering in the sunlight. “Searching for more evidence of the First Ones,” he responded. “I was lead to believe I could find it nearby.” Adinox glanced towards the hatchlings scurrying curiously up to him, then noted their mother.
Sakurako nodded towards Auria. “Auria, this is Adinox, a member of our former clan. These are her children, Sapphira, Arvyne, and . . . where is Alani this time?”
“A pleasure,” Auria responded, giving a small smile. “Alani is in time-out; she raided the food hoard again. Come back here, both of you! It’s not polite to harass new people!”
Adinox handled the hatchlings well. All was normal, until he asked a question. “I can’t help but notice the magic around these hatchlings. What happened?”
And so the story came out. Adinox listened stoically (or normally, considering Fae), not commenting until the dragons finished.
“Hmmm.” Adinox’s hood moved slightly with his fins as the dragon sat in thought. “And you have no idea what this curse might be.”
“None at all,” Mercuria replied. “Do you?”
“Not yet,” Adinox responded. “But let me think a while. I might come up with something.”
As everyone sank into sleep, a pair of curious eyes followed a glowing orb through the air. Wriggling out from her mothers side, she followed the orb, occasionally leaping into the air to try to catch it. All the way to the back of the cave she followed it, to the rocks that blocked off the depths of the cave. The orb suddenly vanished beneath the rocks. From the height of an adult dragon, that would be the end of the adventure. But a hatchling could see the just-wide-enough hole that the orb had slipped into. It hovered in the tunnel, winking.
The hatchling followed.
• • • • •
Later that night, Adinox slipped out of the camp and into the shadows of the forest. What he hadn’t told the others was that he had no idea at all. It was almost impossible to know the nature of a curse without knowing what spell was cast. But he had his ways.
First, though, he had to find a suitable sacrifice. He fluttered through the trees at a slow pace, looking for the creatures of the night. Firelight caught his eye – a Longneck, sleeping by embers. To its left, forest. To its right, the river. Alone, too, and that would be the last mistake it would ever make.
Adinox easily killed and dismembered the Longneck, tossing the pieces into the river with practiced ease. Then, he waited. The Nightstalker, his dark god of knowledge, had never failed him when he asked for knowledge. Hopefully the sacrifice had been large enough.
A sharp cry pierced the night air. Adinox whipped his head around to scan the treeline. What was that? A curl of black smoke wafted through his vision from the trees, an inky trail leading into the shadows of a nearby ravine. And at the bottom, a hatchling he recognized.
“Oh no,” Adinox whispered, horror sinking into his stomach. “So this is the curse.” He returned quickly to the camp. While he only intended to wake up Auria, his whispers woke up Sakurako, who followed them out.
Everyone else was awoken by Auria’s wail. “What did you do to her?!”
Which hatchlings die, and which one survives? Find out tomorrow on DragonBa- cough cough cough Blood Curse, A Lorelocke!
Boy howdy he hates me. The feeling is currently mutual. However, while I'm going to pay my coliseum dues, I'm not going to write about that. Tomorrow, certain hatchlings are going to grow up, and I've got some groundwork to set.
Sakurako walked into the camp with more than the usual cheer on his face. “Mercuria!” he called. “Look at who I’ve found!”
The cyborg dragoness glanced down. “Adinox!” she exclaimed, climbing down from her perch. “What are you doing here?”
The Fae nodded at her, faceted wings glittering in the sunlight. “Searching for more evidence of the First Ones,” he responded. “I was lead to believe I could find it nearby.” Adinox glanced towards the hatchlings scurrying curiously up to him, then noted their mother.
Sakurako nodded towards Auria. “Auria, this is Adinox, a member of our former clan. These are her children, Sapphira, Arvyne, and . . . where is Alani this time?”
“A pleasure,” Auria responded, giving a small smile. “Alani is in time-out; she raided the food hoard again. Come back here, both of you! It’s not polite to harass new people!”
Adinox handled the hatchlings well. All was normal, until he asked a question. “I can’t help but notice the magic around these hatchlings. What happened?”
And so the story came out. Adinox listened stoically (or normally, considering Fae), not commenting until the dragons finished.
“Hmmm.” Adinox’s hood moved slightly with his fins as the dragon sat in thought. “And you have no idea what this curse might be.”
“None at all,” Mercuria replied. “Do you?”
“Not yet,” Adinox responded. “But let me think a while. I might come up with something.”
As everyone sank into sleep, a pair of curious eyes followed a glowing orb through the air. Wriggling out from her mothers side, she followed the orb, occasionally leaping into the air to try to catch it. All the way to the back of the cave she followed it, to the rocks that blocked off the depths of the cave. The orb suddenly vanished beneath the rocks. From the height of an adult dragon, that would be the end of the adventure. But a hatchling could see the just-wide-enough hole that the orb had slipped into. It hovered in the tunnel, winking.
The hatchling followed.
• • • • •
Later that night, Adinox slipped out of the camp and into the shadows of the forest. What he hadn’t told the others was that he had no idea at all. It was almost impossible to know the nature of a curse without knowing what spell was cast. But he had his ways.
First, though, he had to find a suitable sacrifice. He fluttered through the trees at a slow pace, looking for the creatures of the night. Firelight caught his eye – a Longneck, sleeping by embers. To its left, forest. To its right, the river. Alone, too, and that would be the last mistake it would ever make.
Adinox easily killed and dismembered the Longneck, tossing the pieces into the river with practiced ease. Then, he waited. The Nightstalker, his dark god of knowledge, had never failed him when he asked for knowledge. Hopefully the sacrifice had been large enough.
A sharp cry pierced the night air. Adinox whipped his head around to scan the treeline. What was that? A curl of black smoke wafted through his vision from the trees, an inky trail leading into the shadows of a nearby ravine. And at the bottom, a hatchling he recognized.
“Oh no,” Adinox whispered, horror sinking into his stomach. “So this is the curse.” He returned quickly to the camp. While he only intended to wake up Auria, his whispers woke up Sakurako, who followed them out.
Everyone else was awoken by Auria’s wail. “What did you do to her?!”
Which hatchlings die, and which one survives? Find out tomorrow on DragonBa- cough cough cough Blood Curse, A Lorelocke!
@fenshae @TheAwesoMew @Farsidejr
[img]http://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/equipment/312.png[/img]
It's the day you've all been waiting for, folks! Let's get to it.
------
Mercuria quickly crawled out of the cave, coming upon a horrific scene. Sakurako was physically holding Auria in place, the pearlcatcher snarling curses in the direction of a nearby rock. A little orange hatchling lay near their feet.
An oddly mechanical roar split the pre-dawn air. “Everyone, be silent for one moment!” Mercuria thundered. A head poked up from behind the rock – Adinox, his wide eyes the only sign of fear that she could read. “Alright,” she said, pointing a claw at Sakurako. “Tell me what happened.”
“Adinox woke us both, telling us that he’d found out what kind of curse that mage inflicted on Adanarox,” Sakurako said. He nodded towards Alani’s corpse.
“He killed her! I know he did!” Auria howled.
Mercuria glanced towards the rock. “Adinox!” The Fae instantly was at attention. “Did you kill Arvyne?”
“N-no,” Adinox replied, his voice slightly tighter than the usual monotone.
“Of COURSE you’d say that,” Auria snarled, voice choked.
“Be quiet, Auria, you don’t know that,” Adanarox murmured.
Mercuria sighed. “I take it he hasn’t told his side of the story yet.” Sakurako shook his head. “I thought so. Adinox, what happened to Alani?”
“I went out for a nighttime flight. I . . . I think she followed me, or at least tried,” the Fae said. “I didn’t even know she was there until . . . until she fell.”
“I don’t believe you,” Auria protested, but even as she said it she knew she was the liar, not Adinox. She stopped struggling against Sakurako, instead leaning onto him as her world narrowed down to her little hatchling. She barely heard Adinox’s next words from behind the rock.
“The curse is a curse of blood. The only way to stop it besides convincing the caster to revoke it is time. The curse lasts until the blood of the cursed dragon is forgotten in its hatchling’s veins. Until then, only one hatchling will last to adulthood in each generation.”
With that, Auria broke down. Though she had no tears to cry, Mercuria wept along with the poor Pearlcatcher as she walked to Adinox’s hiding place. “You should probably go,” she said.
“I was just about to,” the Fae admitted. “Tell them I’m sorry, truly.”
“Of course,” Mercuria replied. When she turned around, she noticed Fang standing in the little clearing, looking worried.
“Good thing I distracted Sapphira and Theron, I guess,” the Imperial remarked glumly. “What happened? And does anyone know where Arvyne is?”
The glade went silent. Auria let out a crazed roar, flinging dirt into the air as she thrashed about. Sakurako leaped out of the way as the pearlcatcher’s claws barely missed his flank.
“It was an accident,” Mercuria replied, keeping a wary eye on Auria. She quickly summarized what Adinox had told them.
“Sounds like her,” Fang remarked heavily as Sakurako moved to join them. “So wherever Arvyne is, she’s probably already a victim? Gods above . . .”
“Of all the things the universe could have led me to,” the pink-winged dragon sighed, “I didn’t think it would be . . . well, this.”
------
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=44608246]
[img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/446083/44608246_350.png[/img]
[/url]
Oh man am I happy that Sapphira is the heir! For a while it looked like ugly duck Arvyne would be the heir, I was so nervous and mad! Who were you guys rooting for?
@fenshae @TheAwesoMew @Farsidejr
It's the day you've all been waiting for, folks! Let's get to it.
Mercuria quickly crawled out of the cave, coming upon a horrific scene. Sakurako was physically holding Auria in place, the pearlcatcher snarling curses in the direction of a nearby rock. A little orange hatchling lay near their feet.
An oddly mechanical roar split the pre-dawn air. “Everyone, be silent for one moment!” Mercuria thundered. A head poked up from behind the rock – Adinox, his wide eyes the only sign of fear that she could read. “Alright,” she said, pointing a claw at Sakurako. “Tell me what happened.”
“Adinox woke us both, telling us that he’d found out what kind of curse that mage inflicted on Adanarox,” Sakurako said. He nodded towards Alani’s corpse.
“He killed her! I know he did!” Auria howled.
Mercuria glanced towards the rock. “Adinox!” The Fae instantly was at attention. “Did you kill Arvyne?”
“N-no,” Adinox replied, his voice slightly tighter than the usual monotone.
“Of COURSE you’d say that,” Auria snarled, voice choked.
“Be quiet, Auria, you don’t know that,” Adanarox murmured.
Mercuria sighed. “I take it he hasn’t told his side of the story yet.” Sakurako shook his head. “I thought so. Adinox, what happened to Alani?”
“I went out for a nighttime flight. I . . . I think she followed me, or at least tried,” the Fae said. “I didn’t even know she was there until . . . until she fell.”
“I don’t believe you,” Auria protested, but even as she said it she knew she was the liar, not Adinox. She stopped struggling against Sakurako, instead leaning onto him as her world narrowed down to her little hatchling. She barely heard Adinox’s next words from behind the rock.
“The curse is a curse of blood. The only way to stop it besides convincing the caster to revoke it is time. The curse lasts until the blood of the cursed dragon is forgotten in its hatchling’s veins. Until then, only one hatchling will last to adulthood in each generation.”
With that, Auria broke down. Though she had no tears to cry, Mercuria wept along with the poor Pearlcatcher as she walked to Adinox’s hiding place. “You should probably go,” she said.
“I was just about to,” the Fae admitted. “Tell them I’m sorry, truly.”
“Of course,” Mercuria replied. When she turned around, she noticed Fang standing in the little clearing, looking worried.
“Good thing I distracted Sapphira and Theron, I guess,” the Imperial remarked glumly. “What happened? And does anyone know where Arvyne is?”
The glade went silent. Auria let out a crazed roar, flinging dirt into the air as she thrashed about. Sakurako leaped out of the way as the pearlcatcher’s claws barely missed his flank.
“It was an accident,” Mercuria replied, keeping a wary eye on Auria. She quickly summarized what Adinox had told them.
“Sounds like her,” Fang remarked heavily as Sakurako moved to join them. “So wherever Arvyne is, she’s probably already a victim? Gods above . . .”
“Of all the things the universe could have led me to,” the pink-winged dragon sighed, “I didn’t think it would be . . . well, this.”
Oh man am I happy that Sapphira is the heir! For a while it looked like ugly duck Arvyne would be the heir, I was so nervous and mad! Who were you guys rooting for?
It's the day you've all been waiting for, folks! Let's get to it.
Mercuria quickly crawled out of the cave, coming upon a horrific scene. Sakurako was physically holding Auria in place, the pearlcatcher snarling curses in the direction of a nearby rock. A little orange hatchling lay near their feet.
An oddly mechanical roar split the pre-dawn air. “Everyone, be silent for one moment!” Mercuria thundered. A head poked up from behind the rock – Adinox, his wide eyes the only sign of fear that she could read. “Alright,” she said, pointing a claw at Sakurako. “Tell me what happened.”
“Adinox woke us both, telling us that he’d found out what kind of curse that mage inflicted on Adanarox,” Sakurako said. He nodded towards Alani’s corpse.
“He killed her! I know he did!” Auria howled.
Mercuria glanced towards the rock. “Adinox!” The Fae instantly was at attention. “Did you kill Arvyne?”
“N-no,” Adinox replied, his voice slightly tighter than the usual monotone.
“Of COURSE you’d say that,” Auria snarled, voice choked.
“Be quiet, Auria, you don’t know that,” Adanarox murmured.
Mercuria sighed. “I take it he hasn’t told his side of the story yet.” Sakurako shook his head. “I thought so. Adinox, what happened to Alani?”
“I went out for a nighttime flight. I . . . I think she followed me, or at least tried,” the Fae said. “I didn’t even know she was there until . . . until she fell.”
“I don’t believe you,” Auria protested, but even as she said it she knew she was the liar, not Adinox. She stopped struggling against Sakurako, instead leaning onto him as her world narrowed down to her little hatchling. She barely heard Adinox’s next words from behind the rock.
“The curse is a curse of blood. The only way to stop it besides convincing the caster to revoke it is time. The curse lasts until the blood of the cursed dragon is forgotten in its hatchling’s veins. Until then, only one hatchling will last to adulthood in each generation.”
With that, Auria broke down. Though she had no tears to cry, Mercuria wept along with the poor Pearlcatcher as she walked to Adinox’s hiding place. “You should probably go,” she said.
“I was just about to,” the Fae admitted. “Tell them I’m sorry, truly.”
“Of course,” Mercuria replied. When she turned around, she noticed Fang standing in the little clearing, looking worried.
“Good thing I distracted Sapphira and Theron, I guess,” the Imperial remarked glumly. “What happened? And does anyone know where Arvyne is?”
The glade went silent. Auria let out a crazed roar, flinging dirt into the air as she thrashed about. Sakurako leaped out of the way as the pearlcatcher’s claws barely missed his flank.
“It was an accident,” Mercuria replied, keeping a wary eye on Auria. She quickly summarized what Adinox had told them.
“Sounds like her,” Fang remarked heavily as Sakurako moved to join them. “So wherever Arvyne is, she’s probably already a victim? Gods above . . .”
“Of all the things the universe could have led me to,” the pink-winged dragon sighed, “I didn’t think it would be . . . well, this.”
Oh man am I happy that Sapphira is the heir! For a while it looked like ugly duck Arvyne would be the heir, I was so nervous and mad! Who were you guys rooting for?
[img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/trinket/15119.png[/img]
@fenshae @TheAwesoMew @Farsidejr
Why are materials mislabeled as trinkets? I keep on thinking that today is a chest day, then I go to my hoard and find out otherwise. It's aggravating!
-------
[i]6 months later[/i]
Sapphira sat down at her spot by the river and watched the water run over the rocks. It was calming to watch it flow. Sometimes she brought her mother out here, just to get her out of the cave. That hadn't happened today, today was – honestly, she wasn't entirely sure if it was a good or a bad day today.
She knew the story of her father's death, and the deaths of her clutch-sisters. If she thought hard enough, she thought she could remember his face smiling down on her, and some laughter, though it was too light to be a Guardian's. Fang had said that the laughter was probably her mother's, not her father's. She cherished that memory – held it on a mental pedestal, even though she found it hard to imagine laughter coming from Auria at all.
A flash of color caught her attention. "Hiya, Sapph," Theron chirped. The speckled Mirror was a little younger than her, in the body of an adult but still given to juvenile tricks in the air. And to dropping down on her in hopes of eliciting surprise.
He wore a flashy blue and dark blue scarf about his neck. "Hello, Theron," Sapphira said. "Where'd you get the scarf?"
"This?" Theron sat down, affecting an air of nonchalance. "I got it at the faire."
"What faire?" Sapphira asked, outright curious now.
The mask dropped, and the younger dragon's excitement shone through. "There's a faire at the Sunbeam ruins. I stopped by and won it at the ring toss with my first throw! Sakurako said I should ask you if you want to go, we're all going!"
"Even Mother and Fang?" Sapphira asked.
"Well, Mother's not going," he said, referring to Fang as he usually did. "And Auria . . . well, you know how she's like." For a moment, Theron glanced away towards the ground, but his excitement about the faire was too much to keep him down for long, it seemed. "Come on, it'll be fun! We just need to stop by the lair real quick and then I'll take you to it!"
"Why do we need to stop by the lair?"
Theron suddenly looked embarrassed, scuffing his claws in the sand. "Well, ah, I [i]may[/i] have stopped by here instead of delivering the supplies back home . . ."
Sapphira swatted him playfully. "This is why no one trusts you to guard the cave, birdbrain!" she laughed. "Let's get these bags to the lair before anyone notices."
The flight to the lair was a short one. Mercuria lay in her usual spot above the cave mouth, one eye open. "Good thing you arrived with those packages of food, Sakurako's tearing up the lair looking for them." Theron sighed, looking somewhat ashamed of himself. Luckily, the pink and black dragon who'd helped raise them was paying more attention to Fang than the two dragons who slipped carefully past him. Auria sat nearby, staring at the nest Fang brooded over as if it would grow legs and run away if she stopped watching for a single moment.
Just two days earlier, Fang had laid a clutch of three little eggs. Theron had strutted around with his chest puffed out for hours, every other sentence mentioning the fact that he was going to be a big brother. But the greater dragon of interest was Sapphira's mother. While the blue Pearlcatcher spoke no more than Sapphira could ever remember her speaking, Auria seemed to be a little more alive. A spark had returned to the mute dragon's normally dead eyes, and no one could argue that she wasn't a good guard.
As Theron placed the packages inside the pantry section of the hoard, Sapphira walked up to the cluster of three dragons. " . . . you're alright leaving the nest?" Sakurako was asking.
"Of course I'll be fine," Fang assured him. "It's only a few hours. Mercuria will be here, and Auria too." The black and white dragoness noticed Sapphira approaching. "Ah, Sapphira! There is a faire in the Sunbeam Ruins, do you want to come with us?"
"She's coming, she already told me," Theron pitched in as he sidled out of the hoard.
"I'm guessing you told her before you put the podid meat into the hoard?" Sakurako said testily.
"Nnnyesss???" Theron replied. Sakurako sighed, shaking his head.
"Get off to the faire," he said, sounding a little defeated. Fang put a comforting claw on his shoulder.
"Don't bother, he'll learn eventually."
• • • • •
At the faire, dancing beams of light illuminated a rainbow of colorful tents and booths. The tempting smell of fried scorpion wafted into Sapphira's nose to her left. Theron lead her straight to a blue and yellow tent. Rows of prizes hung on the back wall. Among them, the blue scarf Theron currently sported.
"Just toss a ring, and if it lands on a peg you get a prize!" Theron explained. "The prize row you get to choose from depends on what row of pegs your ring lands on."
"I see," Sapphira said slowly. She picked up a ring, flicking it towards the pegs. The metal ring clattered to the side, bouncing off the front row.
"Try again!" Theron urged eagerly. Sapphira threw another ring, this one skipping over the tops of the pegs before tumbling behind the table.
The vendor, a bright green Pearlcatcher, passed her a third ring. "One more try, miss, and that's it, so give it your best shot!" he said cheerily.
"You can do it, Sapph!" Theron whispered, sticking his neck over her shoulder. She hurled the last ring, attempting to aim. The little band of metal clinked down onto the first row of pegs. "I told you you could do it!" Theron exclaimed, dancing a little in place.
"I'll take . . . that purple bracelet," Sapphira told the vendor. The little beaded armband had pretty violet beads on it, slipping on safely underneath the woodguard she wore. Her companion's enthusiasm was too infectious to resist.
"Lets go and find those fried scorpions!" she cried.
"To the scorpions!" Theron roared melodramatically. "Last one there gets to pay!"
"Hey!" Sapphira protested as she chased after him.
• • • • •
At another part of the faire, green hills rolled off into the distance, chasing the horizon. Sakurako and Fang had already found the fried scorpions, and now sat on the hill watching the clouds slowly change color.
"Have you told your parents about the nest yet?" Sakurako asked.
"I sent my mother a letter. It hasn't been returned yet," Fang responded. "You?"
"Gladekeeper, no!" Sakurako snorted. "I told you how my father reacted when Galadarox and Valdisia were found out. I'm already a failure in his eyes. Why add to my list of sins?"
"You said your mother didn't approve of how he acted," Fang pointed out.
"That didn't stop the elders from almost casting my brother out," he reminded her. "When Mercuria and I left, I told myself that I wouldn't come to him for anything, because he was the one who had to apologize. I'm not going to go back on that."
"Not even for this?" Fang asked. Inwardly, she'd hoped that perhaps she'd be able to sway him to the contrary. She knew in her own heart that her own parents would never respond to any letter she sent, but Sakurako's might.
"No, starblossom," Sakurako replied firmly. "Especially not for this."
@fenshae @TheAwesoMew @Farsidejr
Why are materials mislabeled as trinkets? I keep on thinking that today is a chest day, then I go to my hoard and find out otherwise. It's aggravating!
6 months later
Sapphira sat down at her spot by the river and watched the water run over the rocks. It was calming to watch it flow. Sometimes she brought her mother out here, just to get her out of the cave. That hadn't happened today, today was – honestly, she wasn't entirely sure if it was a good or a bad day today.
She knew the story of her father's death, and the deaths of her clutch-sisters. If she thought hard enough, she thought she could remember his face smiling down on her, and some laughter, though it was too light to be a Guardian's. Fang had said that the laughter was probably her mother's, not her father's. She cherished that memory – held it on a mental pedestal, even though she found it hard to imagine laughter coming from Auria at all.
A flash of color caught her attention. "Hiya, Sapph," Theron chirped. The speckled Mirror was a little younger than her, in the body of an adult but still given to juvenile tricks in the air. And to dropping down on her in hopes of eliciting surprise.
He wore a flashy blue and dark blue scarf about his neck. "Hello, Theron," Sapphira said. "Where'd you get the scarf?"
"This?" Theron sat down, affecting an air of nonchalance. "I got it at the faire."
"What faire?" Sapphira asked, outright curious now.
The mask dropped, and the younger dragon's excitement shone through. "There's a faire at the Sunbeam ruins. I stopped by and won it at the ring toss with my first throw! Sakurako said I should ask you if you want to go, we're all going!"
"Even Mother and Fang?" Sapphira asked.
"Well, Mother's not going," he said, referring to Fang as he usually did. "And Auria . . . well, you know how she's like." For a moment, Theron glanced away towards the ground, but his excitement about the faire was too much to keep him down for long, it seemed. "Come on, it'll be fun! We just need to stop by the lair real quick and then I'll take you to it!"
"Why do we need to stop by the lair?"
Theron suddenly looked embarrassed, scuffing his claws in the sand. "Well, ah, I may have stopped by here instead of delivering the supplies back home . . ."
Sapphira swatted him playfully. "This is why no one trusts you to guard the cave, birdbrain!" she laughed. "Let's get these bags to the lair before anyone notices."
The flight to the lair was a short one. Mercuria lay in her usual spot above the cave mouth, one eye open. "Good thing you arrived with those packages of food, Sakurako's tearing up the lair looking for them." Theron sighed, looking somewhat ashamed of himself. Luckily, the pink and black dragon who'd helped raise them was paying more attention to Fang than the two dragons who slipped carefully past him. Auria sat nearby, staring at the nest Fang brooded over as if it would grow legs and run away if she stopped watching for a single moment.
Just two days earlier, Fang had laid a clutch of three little eggs. Theron had strutted around with his chest puffed out for hours, every other sentence mentioning the fact that he was going to be a big brother. But the greater dragon of interest was Sapphira's mother. While the blue Pearlcatcher spoke no more than Sapphira could ever remember her speaking, Auria seemed to be a little more alive. A spark had returned to the mute dragon's normally dead eyes, and no one could argue that she wasn't a good guard.
As Theron placed the packages inside the pantry section of the hoard, Sapphira walked up to the cluster of three dragons. " . . . you're alright leaving the nest?" Sakurako was asking.
"Of course I'll be fine," Fang assured him. "It's only a few hours. Mercuria will be here, and Auria too." The black and white dragoness noticed Sapphira approaching. "Ah, Sapphira! There is a faire in the Sunbeam Ruins, do you want to come with us?"
"She's coming, she already told me," Theron pitched in as he sidled out of the hoard.
"I'm guessing you told her before you put the podid meat into the hoard?" Sakurako said testily.
"Nnnyesss???" Theron replied. Sakurako sighed, shaking his head.
"Get off to the faire," he said, sounding a little defeated. Fang put a comforting claw on his shoulder.
"Don't bother, he'll learn eventually."
• • • • •
At the faire, dancing beams of light illuminated a rainbow of colorful tents and booths. The tempting smell of fried scorpion wafted into Sapphira's nose to her left. Theron lead her straight to a blue and yellow tent. Rows of prizes hung on the back wall. Among them, the blue scarf Theron currently sported.
"Just toss a ring, and if it lands on a peg you get a prize!" Theron explained. "The prize row you get to choose from depends on what row of pegs your ring lands on."
"I see," Sapphira said slowly. She picked up a ring, flicking it towards the pegs. The metal ring clattered to the side, bouncing off the front row.
"Try again!" Theron urged eagerly. Sapphira threw another ring, this one skipping over the tops of the pegs before tumbling behind the table.
The vendor, a bright green Pearlcatcher, passed her a third ring. "One more try, miss, and that's it, so give it your best shot!" he said cheerily.
"You can do it, Sapph!" Theron whispered, sticking his neck over her shoulder. She hurled the last ring, attempting to aim. The little band of metal clinked down onto the first row of pegs. "I told you you could do it!" Theron exclaimed, dancing a little in place.
"I'll take . . . that purple bracelet," Sapphira told the vendor. The little beaded armband had pretty violet beads on it, slipping on safely underneath the woodguard she wore. Her companion's enthusiasm was too infectious to resist.
"Lets go and find those fried scorpions!" she cried.
"To the scorpions!" Theron roared melodramatically. "Last one there gets to pay!"
"Hey!" Sapphira protested as she chased after him.
• • • • •
At another part of the faire, green hills rolled off into the distance, chasing the horizon. Sakurako and Fang had already found the fried scorpions, and now sat on the hill watching the clouds slowly change color.
"Have you told your parents about the nest yet?" Sakurako asked.
"I sent my mother a letter. It hasn't been returned yet," Fang responded. "You?"
"Gladekeeper, no!" Sakurako snorted. "I told you how my father reacted when Galadarox and Valdisia were found out. I'm already a failure in his eyes. Why add to my list of sins?"
"You said your mother didn't approve of how he acted," Fang pointed out.
"That didn't stop the elders from almost casting my brother out," he reminded her. "When Mercuria and I left, I told myself that I wouldn't come to him for anything, because he was the one who had to apologize. I'm not going to go back on that."
"Not even for this?" Fang asked. Inwardly, she'd hoped that perhaps she'd be able to sway him to the contrary. She knew in her own heart that her own parents would never respond to any letter she sent, but Sakurako's might.
"No, starblossom," Sakurako replied firmly. "Especially not for this."
The trinket vs materials glitch is so irritating. If I'd realized how rare real trinkets were I might have assigned a different activity to them, honestly! Guess it gives you more time to rack up chests at least.
The trinket vs materials glitch is so irritating. If I'd realized how rare real trinkets were I might have assigned a different activity to them, honestly! Guess it gives you more time to rack up chests at least.
[img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/trinket/19571.png[/img]
@fenshae @TheAwesoMew @Farsidejr
Got a material today (again disguised as a trinket >:( CURSE YOU PINKERTON) so I wrote Theron's bio! Enjoy!
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=44648561]
[img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/446486/44648561_350.png[/img]
[/url]
@fenshae @TheAwesoMew @Farsidejr
Got a material today (again disguised as a trinket >:( CURSE YOU PINKERTON) so I wrote Theron's bio! Enjoy!
[img]http://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/trinket/23847.png[/img]
@fenshae @TheAwesoMew @Farsidejr
Finally got something other than a mat today! And we've also got a nest to hatch, so there's that. Lets open up the chests, and then see what hatches!
[img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/trinket/574.png[/img] (x3) [img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/trinket/575.png[/img] (x3) [img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/trinket/787.png[/img] (x12)
Notable drops:
[img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/familiar/1221.png[/img] [img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/familiar/21412.png[/img] [img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/equipment/17136.png[/img] [img]http://flightrising.com/images/cms/equipment/25059.png[/img]
Also, here are some of the new dragons introduced in this story:
Mindyria & Spinelon
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=40333605]
[img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/403337/40333605_350.png[/img]
[/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=38598881]
[img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/385989/38598881_350.png[/img]
[/url]
Galadarox and Valdisia
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=41234772]
[img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/412348/41234772_350.png[/img]
[/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43672665]
[img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/436727/43672665_350.png[/img]
[/url]
And Aearox, their adopted brother:
[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=41183691]
[img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/411837/41183691_350.png[/img]
[/url]
-------
Sakurako was not a happy dragon. Three days before, he'd been told that Mercuria written to their parents, telling them what had happened since the two had left the Viridian Labyrinth. Now, the entire family was coming down to meet them. He'd hoped that his father would be scandalized enough to stay behind, but the stubborn Imperial was coming anyway. At least Galadarox and Valdisia were coming as well, hopefully the two Plague dragonesses would hit it off and Fang would finally see just how bad his father was.
Sapphira poked her head inside his and Fang's little alcove, interrupting his grumpy brooding. "They're here," the blue Pearlcatcher announced, slipping back to the surface before he had the chance to snap. Sakurako forced his irritation down against his own will. When it came down to it, he wouldn't be the one who brought the illusion of family crumbling down. Behind him, Auria remained at her vigil by Fang's eggs, giving no sign she'd even heard her daughter.
Outside, Mercuria was already handling the introductions. ". . . this is Theron, and this is Fang."
His mother, Mindyria, smiled warmly. "It's good to meet you all," the pink Imperial responded. His father said nothing, instead watching him silently. Fang sat near the entrance to the cave, looking slightly nervous, while Sapphira and Theron seemed to be striking up a conversation with Sakurako's own adopted brother, the Fae Aearox. Sakurako brushed up next to Fang, tails twining together. He easily met his father's stare, more than used to it.
Valdisia and Galadarox moved up to them. "I'm glad to see you finally found someone to knock some sense into you, brother," Galadarox remarked. To Fang, he said, "If he's too much for you, you can always tell me to come by."
Fang laughed and Sakurako blushed. "I can handle him," Fang responded. "He's really not that bad."
"I think my brother was actually trying to warn you about himself," Sakurako struck back.
"Gladekeeper's boughs, I missed you," Galadarox laughed. He glanced around. "You and Merkie seem to have made a fine place for yourselves."
"Don't let her hear that," Sakurako warned. "She still hates that name."
"Does she now?"
Valdisia spoke up. "Fang, let's leave these two to their joking, why don't we? I'd love to see the eggs!" As the two vanished into the cave, he could hear the dark pink Imperial saying, "Now, tell me all about how you two met, and don't leave out a single detail."
"How have things been in the clan?" Sakurako asked.
"Quite well, actually," his brother replied. "We've brought in a few more dragons, a Pearlcatcher named Trista and a nocturne named Padparadscha. Paddy claims to have defective future sight, her visions take place in the present or even the immediate past."
"Interesting," Sakurako said. "Do you think she's telling the truth?"
Galadarox shrugged. "Who knows? Even if she doesn't have future sight, she's still very perceptive."
A larger shadow blocked out the sun for a moment. His father had walked up behind his brown brother, pink runes standing out against metallic black scales. Formal nods were exchanged.
"I think I'll join the others," Galadarox said. Sakurako felt a slight stab of betrayal as his brother ducked into the cave. For a moment, the two just stared at each other. Then Spinelon spoke.
"You've done well for yourselves, you and your sister," he said. Sakurako chose to take it as the compliment it seemed to be.
"Thank you," he responded stiffly. "I'm glad you like it." Spinelon answered with an equally stiff nod.
Theron bolted into the open, cutting through the tension with typical situational ignorance. "The eggs, they're hatching!" The Mirror did a slight tapdance as he turned around.
Immediately Sakurako ducked into the cave, pushing through the small crowd. Fang looked up at him, joy in her red and green eyes.
"I wonder who they're going to look like?" Theron chattered.
"Definitely nothing like you," Sapphira teased.
"You never know, Sapphira," Mindyria objected gently. "Galadarox looks nothing like either of us, and he's still our son."
"Shhh! It's hatching!" someone hissed, and the room fell silent. A large crack had split one of the eggs almost in two. A third of the egg sloughed off the side, and a head and arm appeared. The egg quickly shattered, releasing the hatchling into the nest. White markings covered it's body.
[img]http://flightrising.com/dgen/preview/dragon?age=0&body=2&bodygene=10&breed=8&element=10&eyetype=0&gender=0&tert=131&tertgene=5&winggene=2&wings=91&auth=064077385d928e4cc8831fc932e8b03d0ba170ef&dummyext=prev.png[/img]
"Aww, he looks like Fang!" Theron gasped, dancing a bit. Fang carefully scooped the hatchling out of the nest, depositing him on the ground. The little Imperial carefully took a step, tumbling onto his face.
[img]http://flightrising.com/dgen/preview/dragon?age=0&body=177&bodygene=10&breed=8&element=10&eyetype=3&gender=1&tert=4&tertgene=18&winggene=2&wings=118&auth=eac536c38b06a3c8c646f920b753c1ba6b94184a&dummyext=prev.png[/img]
The second egg cracked open, splitting like the peel of an overripe fruit. While this hatchling was darker, she had the same markings as her brother, and an extra feature. "Like mother, like daughter," Sakurako remarked. "She has a capsule."
"Hopefully she isn't the biter I was," Fang mused. With bated breath, the gathered group waited for the last egg, but there was no movement – at least from the egg. Auria, of all dragons, was the first to move, pushing through the crowd to the nest. Without a word, she pressed a foot down onto the egg, crushing it.
Sakurako was so shocked that he froze. Fang was not so bound. With a roar, she was on top of the Pearlcatcher, pinning the dragoness to the ground. Sakurako barely noticed – he was more focused on the black slime oozing from the shattered egg.
"What is that?" Valdisia wondered aloud, her voice thick with disgust. From her position by the wall, Fang stopped growling long enough to look herself.
"I'd say it was rotten," Aearox remarked, "but I've never seen an egg like that before."
Fang began to sob, pulling the surviving hatchlings close. Sakurako sat next to her, each leaning against the other for support.
From behind, he heard his father, deep voice softer and more gentle than he'd ever heard before. "I'm truly sorry, son."
@fenshae @TheAwesoMew @Farsidejr
Finally got something other than a mat today! And we've also got a nest to hatch, so there's that. Lets open up the chests, and then see what hatches!
(x3) 
(x3) 
(x12)Notable drops:
Also, here are some of the new dragons introduced in this story:
Mindyria & Spinelon
Galadarox and Valdisia
And Aearox, their adopted brother:
Sakurako was not a happy dragon. Three days before, he'd been told that Mercuria written to their parents, telling them what had happened since the two had left the Viridian Labyrinth. Now, the entire family was coming down to meet them. He'd hoped that his father would be scandalized enough to stay behind, but the stubborn Imperial was coming anyway. At least Galadarox and Valdisia were coming as well, hopefully the two Plague dragonesses would hit it off and Fang would finally see just how bad his father was.
Sapphira poked her head inside his and Fang's little alcove, interrupting his grumpy brooding. "They're here," the blue Pearlcatcher announced, slipping back to the surface before he had the chance to snap. Sakurako forced his irritation down against his own will. When it came down to it, he wouldn't be the one who brought the illusion of family crumbling down. Behind him, Auria remained at her vigil by Fang's eggs, giving no sign she'd even heard her daughter.
Outside, Mercuria was already handling the introductions. ". . . this is Theron, and this is Fang."
His mother, Mindyria, smiled warmly. "It's good to meet you all," the pink Imperial responded. His father said nothing, instead watching him silently. Fang sat near the entrance to the cave, looking slightly nervous, while Sapphira and Theron seemed to be striking up a conversation with Sakurako's own adopted brother, the Fae Aearox. Sakurako brushed up next to Fang, tails twining together. He easily met his father's stare, more than used to it.
Valdisia and Galadarox moved up to them. "I'm glad to see you finally found someone to knock some sense into you, brother," Galadarox remarked. To Fang, he said, "If he's too much for you, you can always tell me to come by."
Fang laughed and Sakurako blushed. "I can handle him," Fang responded. "He's really not that bad."
"I think my brother was actually trying to warn you about himself," Sakurako struck back.
"Gladekeeper's boughs, I missed you," Galadarox laughed. He glanced around. "You and Merkie seem to have made a fine place for yourselves."
"Don't let her hear that," Sakurako warned. "She still hates that name."
"Does she now?"
Valdisia spoke up. "Fang, let's leave these two to their joking, why don't we? I'd love to see the eggs!" As the two vanished into the cave, he could hear the dark pink Imperial saying, "Now, tell me all about how you two met, and don't leave out a single detail."
"How have things been in the clan?" Sakurako asked.
"Quite well, actually," his brother replied. "We've brought in a few more dragons, a Pearlcatcher named Trista and a nocturne named Padparadscha. Paddy claims to have defective future sight, her visions take place in the present or even the immediate past."
"Interesting," Sakurako said. "Do you think she's telling the truth?"
Galadarox shrugged. "Who knows? Even if she doesn't have future sight, she's still very perceptive."
A larger shadow blocked out the sun for a moment. His father had walked up behind his brown brother, pink runes standing out against metallic black scales. Formal nods were exchanged.
"I think I'll join the others," Galadarox said. Sakurako felt a slight stab of betrayal as his brother ducked into the cave. For a moment, the two just stared at each other. Then Spinelon spoke.
"You've done well for yourselves, you and your sister," he said. Sakurako chose to take it as the compliment it seemed to be.
"Thank you," he responded stiffly. "I'm glad you like it." Spinelon answered with an equally stiff nod.
Theron bolted into the open, cutting through the tension with typical situational ignorance. "The eggs, they're hatching!" The Mirror did a slight tapdance as he turned around.
Immediately Sakurako ducked into the cave, pushing through the small crowd. Fang looked up at him, joy in her red and green eyes.
"I wonder who they're going to look like?" Theron chattered.
"Definitely nothing like you," Sapphira teased.
"You never know, Sapphira," Mindyria objected gently. "Galadarox looks nothing like either of us, and he's still our son."
"Shhh! It's hatching!" someone hissed, and the room fell silent. A large crack had split one of the eggs almost in two. A third of the egg sloughed off the side, and a head and arm appeared. The egg quickly shattered, releasing the hatchling into the nest. White markings covered it's body.
"Aww, he looks like Fang!" Theron gasped, dancing a bit. Fang carefully scooped the hatchling out of the nest, depositing him on the ground. The little Imperial carefully took a step, tumbling onto his face.
The second egg cracked open, splitting like the peel of an overripe fruit. While this hatchling was darker, she had the same markings as her brother, and an extra feature. "Like mother, like daughter," Sakurako remarked. "She has a capsule."
"Hopefully she isn't the biter I was," Fang mused. With bated breath, the gathered group waited for the last egg, but there was no movement – at least from the egg. Auria, of all dragons, was the first to move, pushing through the crowd to the nest. Without a word, she pressed a foot down onto the egg, crushing it.
Sakurako was so shocked that he froze. Fang was not so bound. With a roar, she was on top of the Pearlcatcher, pinning the dragoness to the ground. Sakurako barely noticed – he was more focused on the black slime oozing from the shattered egg.
"What is that?" Valdisia wondered aloud, her voice thick with disgust. From her position by the wall, Fang stopped growling long enough to look herself.
"I'd say it was rotten," Aearox remarked, "but I've never seen an egg like that before."
Fang began to sob, pulling the surviving hatchlings close. Sakurako sat next to her, each leaning against the other for support.
From behind, he heard his father, deep voice softer and more gentle than he'd ever heard before. "I'm truly sorry, son."