These chapters were honestly hilarious. In a good way, of course.[emoji=spiral winking size=1]
Seaberry uses Flirt! Jett is super affected!
Jet uses Ditch! Heaven is super embarrassed!
Heaven uses B.S.! Age is unaffected!
Age uses Stand Ground!
Ulf uses Growl!
Nevaeh uses You're Dead To Me!
TRIPLE COMBO!
*cue Final Fintasy Victory Fanfare*
Awww... Scoril and Jett getting back together (as besties)~ Don't worry Scoril, Jett has plenty of time (rng permitting OWO) to realize that he loves you too!
...
Of course, rng NOT permitting, there's always time for realization-too-late! You'll be [i]fine[/i]~
These chapters were honestly hilarious. In a good way, of course.
Seaberry uses Flirt! Jett is super affected!
Jet uses Ditch! Heaven is super embarrassed!
Heaven uses B.S.! Age is unaffected!
Age uses Stand Ground!
Ulf uses Growl!
Nevaeh uses You're Dead To Me!
TRIPLE COMBO!
*cue Final Fintasy Victory Fanfare*
Awww... Scoril and Jett getting back together (as besties)~ Don't worry Scoril, Jett has plenty of time (rng permitting OWO) to realize that he loves you too!
...
Of course, rng NOT permitting, there's always time for realization-too-late! You'll be fine~
Seaberry is very quickly becoming one of my favourite characters to write from! Mainly because her worldview differs so much from my own.
I honestly didn't expect it to get so big until I was writing it and BOOM there they were! It felt so liberating to write Nevaeh's part after all her sister has put her through, like this was closing a chapter (or an arc) of the story! I'm very excited to move on from here, especially because I've been building Age up to be queen for a while now!
That would be very hilarious! The interesting thing about pinkerlocke villains though is that they are around until they die or are redeemed, so they are very unpredictable. I've never written a villain like that before, so it will be interesting to see how it goes!
Seaberry is very quickly becoming one of my favourite characters to write from! Mainly because her worldview differs so much from my own.
I honestly didn't expect it to get so big until I was writing it and BOOM there they were! It felt so liberating to write Nevaeh's part after all her sister has put her through, like this was closing a chapter (or an arc) of the story! I'm very excited to move on from here, especially because I've been building Age up to be queen for a while now!
That would be very hilarious! The interesting thing about pinkerlocke villains though is that they are around until they die or are redeemed, so they are very unpredictable. I've never written a villain like that before, so it will be interesting to see how it goes!
@AlchemyFox
Hehehe narrating the chapter battle style was the best thing I've ever read! Thank you for making my day!
Sometimes, all too much depends on the RNG... But yes, there are ways to work around it should the occasion arise [emoji=tundra winking size=1]
Hehehe narrating the chapter battle style was the best thing I've ever read! Thank you for making my day!
Sometimes, all too much depends on the RNG... But yes, there are ways to work around it should the occasion arise
@AlchemyFox Just wanted to say your post is a MASTERPIECE and I am so glad I scrolled up and saw it. [emoji=bogsneak star size=1] [size=1]You could probably make money commentating like that. xDD[/size]
@AlchemyFox Just wanted to say your post is a MASTERPIECE and I am so glad I scrolled up and saw it. You could probably make money commentating like that. xDD
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[center][b][u]Day 44: It Ain't Natural[/u][/b]
[item=berserker]
Sentence: Death Streak Roll[/center]
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Age couldn't deny that she was feeling overwhelmed. She had been preparing to take the throne back for a while now, but she hadn't been expecting it to be so easy to rid the clan of Heaven. Well, rid was the wrong work. Heaven claimed she would be back, and that only added to her unease.
Which was why she had decided to go and visit Nevaeh before the meeting she had called the day before. She needed some reassurance that she was doing the right thing.
The house looked the same as always, the gardens flourishing. It made Age smile to see the results of all the hard work her friend had put into making her home beautiful. Feeling a little better already, she knocked on the door.
Nevaeh didn't answer. Instead, a tiny snapper nudged open the door, staring wide-eyed up at the tundra. There was a level of fear in her eyes that Age had never seen in a child before. Something was wrong.
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"Hey Pomona, is everything alright?" Age asked, lowering her head so that her gaze was level with the hatchlings. Immediately tears started to roll down her large cheeks.
"Something's wrong with Mommy!" Pomona wailed. "She won't get up!"
"Snow me," Age said, suddenly feeling a deep sense of dread. She quickly overtook the hatchling, and when she reached Nevaeh's bedroom, she felt the small snapper peer out from behind her leg.
The room was dark, and there was a shaking, growling form under the blankets on the bed. Nevaeh was alive, for now. Age immediately rushed to her friend's side.
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"Nevaeh, I'm here, tell me what's wrong," She exclaimed. Her heart felt like it was going to jump right out of her chest.
Nevaeh responded in a fit of coughing. "I hate Heaven! Who does she think she is! I hate that she's taken Khepri! I hate that Khepri won't listen to me! I hate that I have to do all of this on my own! I want to rip her throat out! I want to tear her limb to limb and-" as her friend's rambling got increasingly violent, a black fluid began to drip from her mouth. The scent of it reached Age's nose and suddenly she was transported to a very similar day in the library, over a year ago. Whatever the curse had done to Zunde was happening again.
"Is mommy going to be okay?" Pomona asked, creeping closer.
"I don't know," Age admitted. She didn't have the heart to lie to the child. "But I'll do my best."
She turned to her friend.
"Nevaeh, look at me," Age demanded. The imperial's head turned and her pupils were narrow slits. She was breathing heavily, and obviously in a lot of pain. She could only just barely focus on Age. "Yeah, there we go. Hey, I'm going to help you. I'm not going to let it take you."
"I don't care! I just want Heaven gone! And I'll kill her myself if I have to!" Nevaeh roared, sending a fluffy of black spittle onto Age's face. The tundra tried to wipe it off, but felt it stick in her fur.
"Nevaeh, focus," Age said evenly. "Pomona's here, yeah? Think of your daughter! Think of how much you love her! Focus on her!"
"I have to raise Pomona without Khepri because of her," Nevaeh growled. She really didn't seem like herself, like something deeper had gotten ahold of her, twisting her thoughts and driving her mad. Like something was eating her away from the inside. "It's Heaven's fault Pomona is going to grow up without a dad!" Her breath was growing more raspy, and her energy seemed to be fading.
"Nevaeh, stay with me, okay? Forget about Heaven! We're about to build a grand new kingdom, strong enough to ward of Heaven, whatever she tries! And I need your help!" Age felt herself beginning to cry. "Pomona may not have a father, but she has a mother, and she needs you!"
"She doesn't need me," Nevaeh rasped, growing more still. Her energy was fading fast. Her golden eyes were focused on something far away, and her pupils were growing larger. She turned her head in an attempt to focus on Age. "She has you. I know you'll keep her safe." The imperial seemed more at peace, but it could just be a result of having too little energy for the intensity she previously had. Yet she seemed more focused than she had before. Maybe Age had gotten there too late, and Nevaeh had let go too late to save herself.
The next thing Age knew, her friend was still, save for a last inky black drop trailing from the corner of her mouth. Age felt something shatter inside of her, yet she could not fall apart. She had a kingdom to build and a child to comfort. The rest would have to wait.
"Is mommy asleep?" Pomona asked, straining to see Nevaeh.
"No sweetheart," Age sighed, scooping up the snapper and putting her on her back. "She's gone. She died."
"She died?" Pomona echoed.
"She's not coming back. I'm sorry, I couldn't save her," Age said, feeling a heaviness set in.
"Is she going to turn into a monster now?" Pomona asked, wiping away a few tears.
"A monster?' Age asked. And then it clicked. Imperial deaths could be disastrous. Of course, Heaven and the new imperial Seaberry had brought with her to the wedding were the only other two in the clan, but they were too small a group to survive an emperor. Not to mention, Nevaeh's body was far too big for Age to carry on her own. After the meeting, she's have to get Ulf to help with the cremation.
[i]Right, the meeting[/i], Age cursed internally. She had to put on a strong front if this was going to stick. She couldn't reschedule the meeting, or Heaven might take the opportunity to try to take back the throne, especially with Nevaeh out of the picture now.
"Don't worry, your mommy isn't going to become a monster," Age reassured the hatchling. "Why don't you come with me? I'll show you the palace, and we can have our own adventure."
Pomona nodded still crying. What a way to start her reign and she hadn't even had her official coronation yet.
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"Isn't this so exciting? We're royalty!' Bonegnasher exclaimed, almost leaping along the palace corridor with enthusiasm. "I always knew that there was something special about us!"
"No, I'm pretty sure that's just your ego," Bahat smirked.
"Hey, come on! Aren't you at least a little excited?" Bone pressed. Couldn't his brother see what a big deal this was? There mom was queen, which meant they were princes, and that meant Bahat was next in line for the throne! Bone wished it was him, but he was still excited for his brother!
"I don't know, do you find it exciting that Mom and Dad lied to us?" Bahat asked. Bone stopped in his steps.
"They did it for our own safety," Bone pointed out.
"Yeah, but that's just the thing, right? What if something does happen to Mom! We literally just took the clan back from a crazy, power-hungry imperial who killed our [i]grandfather[/i] to get what she wanted. What's stopping her from destroying our whole family?" Bahat reminded him. "The moment either of us become king is the moment that we get put in the most dangerous position in the clan."
"That's some good thinking Bahat," Bailaduel said, appearing from around the corner of the corridor.
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Bahat rolled his eyes.
"No really," Bailaduel pointed out. "This is what I trained you for, you both need to be on your guard. You need to be aware of the dangers in order to protect against them, and that's what your mother is doing. She's a very wise women. I didn't think it when I first met her, I thought her a naive, idealistic softie who wouldn't last a day the moment things turned tough, but I was sorely mistaken."
Bahat gave Bailaduel a weird look, like he didn't quite believe her.
"I'm proud of you both, you know that?" Bailaduel said, grinning. "I don't say that often, but it's true. You really proved yourselves when we rescued Khepri. I don't know that there's much more I can teach you. I'm excited to be getting to the point where I can fight beside you instead of fighting for you."
Bone grinned. He was happy that Bailaduel was here. She was easily the coolest dragon he had ever known. It was she who had given him his edge, and it was exciting getting to the point where they saw each other as equals.
"Are you coming to the meeting?" He blurted out. He didn't know why it was so important to him that she came, but it was.
"I wouldn't miss it," Bailaduel smirked. "Besides, I've got to make sure this clan has a good standing before I leave to take my next job."
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Age was late, and Virtue didn't know why she was still here. She should have left the moment she had gotten the lantern, but the leader in her couldn't help but be curious about what Age had in mind for her reign. Starting a clan wasn't easy, and Virtue wasn't too proud to admit she would need all the help she could get.
Hayze had been meant to join the meeting too, but she had been distracted by some weird magical signatures and wanted to investigate, so Virtue was here alone with Hollyn. Seaberry had refused to come, she had seemed particularly secretive since yesterday, though Virtue supposed she was a secretive dragon to begin with. This just served as a good reminder that she shouldn't trust dragons outside the Sisters of Virtue.
Virtue grinned at Hollyn, who was sitting next to her. The tundra was smiling happily and playing with a rabbit Virtue was caught. It was supposed to be lunch, but by the time Virtue had turned her back, Hollyn had already befriended it and she didn't have the heart to eat it. Hollyn was why they were doing all this. Each of the sisters had wanted freedom, but most of all they just wanted a place where Hollyn would just be safe to be. Ever since the incident, Hollyn got upset far more easily, and they needed a good, safe place where she would be happy and away from danger.
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"His name is Mr Snuggles!" Hollyn exclaimed, holding up the rabbit for Virtue to see.
The imperial smiled. "He's perfect Hollyn," Virtue said, feeling a warmth flood through her.
Just then, Age burst through the door to the throne room, a snapper hatchling on her back. There was a haunted look behind her eyes that made Virtue's stomach turn. Something had happened. She glanced at Hollyn, but the tundra was oblivious, as always. She was playing with Mr Snuggles and living in her own world.
Another tundra rushed forwards, concern flashing in her blue eyes. Perhaps Age's mother? Virtue wondered. Her warm orange belly glowed despite the pale light of the throne room. Behind her, a gaoler got to his feet and stood protectively over the pair of tundras.
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"What happened? Where's Nevaeh?" Larkin asked, looking Age over for any clues as to what had taken place. Vairtue noticed some strange black streak across her face.
"The curse got her," Age said quietly. "She's gone."
On her back, the hatchling started sobbing, and Virtue felt a rush of sympathy for the child. She had never known her parents, but she knew the emptiness without them.
"Do you need some time-" The gaoler began before Age interrupted.
"No, we push on. The kingdom must be made secure." There was a fierceness to the tundra's eyes that Virtue couldn't help but admire. She was a true leader.
"Age-" Larkin pushed softly.
"I know what I'm doing, and I won't let her death be for nothing. We can grieve later, right now we have business to attend to," Age insisted. On her back, the hatchling still cried. Hollyn was distracted from her rabbit and looked at Virtue in concern.
"We can look after the child during the meeting," Virtue offered.
Age blinked at the imperial in surprise. "Thanks-" She stared blankly at the newcomer, likely realizing she didn't know her name.
"Virtue," She said.
"Thank you Virtue," Age sighed and handed the tiny, crying snapper over to Virtue.
The imperial began to gently rock the child. She had never really dealt with hatchlings before, but she soon found herself falling the rhythm she fell into when Hollyn was upset.
"Right, well, if we're starting the meeting, I think that we should start with your coronation," The gaoler offered. "I apologize that it won't be at the same level of glamour and luster as Jett's, but it's more important to secure you place."
"Thank you Ulf," Age nodded. "I don't need a big fancy ceremony. The safety of the clan is of the most importance."
True to Ulf's word, the ceremony was short and unassuming. It consisted mostly of he and Larkin saying a few words and placing a crown on Age's head, but Virtue found that only deepened her respect for the clan's new queen. While the ceremony took place, the snapper calmed a little and began to stare widely at Mr Snuggles.
"Do you want to see him?" Hollyn whispered, giggling a bit. The hatchling nodded. Virtue smiled to herself. The child would be occupied enough for forget her pain, if only for a little bit.
"Alright, now that I am queen, I have some proposals to make to ensure the stability of the kingdom," Age said, raising her head high. Virtue could see that she was shaking slightly, but she put on a brave face. "It is important that we learn from the mistakes of our past in order to ensure the crown not be tainted to the best of our ability. In doing so, I have two suggestions. One, I wish to instate a council to guide the current monarch, made up of trusted representatives from all parts of the clan, in order to ensure everyone's voice is being heard. The king or queen still gets the final say, but they must run their decisions by the council in order to ensure that they get a broader understanding of the potential impacts of their actions."
The gathered dragons murmured in approval. Ulf in particular looked rather happy at this proposal.
"To start us off, I'd like to instate my mother as the leader of the council, as she helped found this clan, and I'd like to propose Ulf, Accident, Koraki and Bailaduel as council members," Age suggested. "I would like a representative from the trades sector of our clan as well, but I fear Khepri is not in his right mind and Seaberry may not have the focus for such a job. We can revisit this notion later once the council itself is further established, unless anyone has any questions or suggestions right now?"
"I think a council is a great idea," Larkin sighed in relief. "Your father sometimes made me a bit worried with his unbridled vision, it helps to know there is a way to direct the focus of the a monarch. You have a good head on your shoulders, but you won't be queen forever, and we must be prepared for less competent leaders."
Age looked a little abashed at receiving such an open compliment. "That settles it!" The tundra suddenly turned to Virtue. "You!"
"Yes?" Virtue asked, surprised to have bee picked out from the crowd.
"You are part of a new group that has recently arrived in the city, correct?" Age asked. Virtue nodded. "Would any of your number be interested in joining the council? I would be interested to know the impressions of a newcomer to the clan."
Virtue was taken aback. She hadn't been planning on staying, but she couldn't deny that there was something appealing about this new government, and if the clan was to function as Age had proposed, that would likely mean there would be dragons to look out for Hollyn should anything happen to her or Hayze.
"I'll talk to Hayze about the possibility. She's a people person," Virtue grinned slightly. "We're still figuring out out plans as a group, but if we decide to stay, we welcome your invitation."
"Great," Age grinned, she turned to address the wider group again. "And none of you need to confirm your placements right away, I don't want to force you into positions that you don't want to. In the future, I want council members to be elected upon by the current council, but we need a council before any voting can happen."
"Do we get to be part of the council?" Bone asked excitedly.
"As a prince, you will not be part of the council, but that brings me to another point," Age said. "When a king or queen dies, I want the next monarch to be decided by vote. It does not automatically go to the mate, as that's how Heaven tried to claim power and how The Clan of Resting Wings ended up with Emery and Fabian. The mate of a king or queen always ends up with a seat on the council, but they cannot be the head of the council and they cannot take power for themself. The heir must be decided upon by the council, chosen from the king or queen's children. If a king or queen doesn't have children, they will vote on the monarch's siblings, or whatever group is of the closest relation to the monarch. Half-siblings are included in this if their shared parent is the monarch. Jett was not fit to be king, and I don't want the clan to fall to ruin because of an unfit heir further down the line."
The meeting went on as Age answered questions and clarified her proposals. Virtue took in every word, trying to figure out how this would fit into her own clan someday. But as she listened to the dragons work together to sort out how the kingdom would run, Virtue found it harder and harder to imagine moving on from here. She looked over at Hollyn, who was still happily playing with the hatchling. Perhaps they should stay. Maybe the Sisters of Virtue could take on a different role. It was all well and good trying to create a new clan, but maybe there was a way they could make an existing one better, and help more than just themselves in the process.
As the meeting came to a close, Virtue found herself walking up to Age, Hollyn and the hatchling playing on her back. The tundra turned and looked at her in surprise. Now that she was closer, she could see just how shattered she looked. It only stiffened her resolve for what she was about to do.
"Thank you for looking after Pomona," Age said, smiling sadly at the hatchling sliding down Virtue's back, then climbing up it again like it was a slide.
"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that," Virtue said, hoping she wasn't stepping too far out of line. "You have a lot on your plate right now between figuring out your kingdom and adjusting to your new role as queen, not to mention grieving your friend. We- the Sisters of Virtue- formed in the hopes that we could protect other dragons who needed it, that they would grow up safe and cared for and knowing they had a place. I don't wish to intrude or assume too much, but if it would be helpful, we would be happy to look after Pomona. Again, I know you don't know us, so I completely understand if you mistrust us in any way-"
The imperial paused. Age was starting to cry.
"Would you want to stay in the palace? At least until she's grown up, so I can still keep an eye on her?" Age asked.
"Of course," Virtue said. it was completely understandable that she'd want to keep her close.
"Thank you," Age said. "And once the craziness is over, I'd like to meet you and your sisters properly."
Virtue couldn't help it, she smiled. It looked as though the Sisters of Virtue would be staying after all.
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There was something wrong with this sector of the city. For one, Hayze felt she could barely breathe as she delved deeper into the district. Something told her she should turn back, there was a dark energy about this place, but she couldn't. Heaven had come this way, and she needed to investigate what was going on.
Hayze had only been in the Forgotten Kingdom for a short time, but she already felt a sense of loyalty to the clan, if only because of Seaberry's hospitality. This whole place reeked of strong magical energy, and if Heaven had something to do with it, she'd need to be stopped before she got too strong. Hayze was one of the best dragons to face her, as she had powerful magic of her own.
The fog was getting thicker, it was hard to see anything in around her. Hayze strained her eyes, trying to extend her lantern so she could have some sense of direction.
"Boo!" Suddenly a face appeared in the fog. It took some time before Hayze recognized it to be Heaven. She had lost the white she had been adorned in the day before, and now adopted a wilder aesthetic.
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The imperial began to pace around Hayze, wrapping her body around the tundra. She seemed the relish in the darkness in the air, breathing it in like it gave her power. Maybe it did. There was a powerful curse over the city, and maybe she had learned how to tame it somehow, and use it in place of her own elemental energy. It would be quite the feat, considering the original alignment she possessed.
"What have you done?" Hayze breathed, trying to take in everything.
"You're knowledgeable in magic, you tell me," Heaven smirked.
"But you can't! It will destroy you! I saw what it did to my sister, how it ate her dark intentions and consumed her with it, feeding them until her body couldn't take it any more. I watched, helpless to do anything as she died. And you-" Hayze met her eyes with a thrill of fear. "You are full of dark intentions."
"And yet, here I am, alive and well!" Heaven said.
"It's impossible!" Hayze exclaimed.
"Oh, it's not impossible, my dear," Heaven's smile grew wider. "But I'm not going to tell you my secrets. In fact, I think you already know too much already..."
Hayze was prepared for her attack, but she could not hold against such great strength. The curse felt alive, like it was a living, breathing creature, pushing against her defenses. They shattered easily, leaving the tundra defenseless.
And then everything went black. The last think Hayze saw was Heaven's face leering down at her.
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[center] @CleverDual @HauntedWhale @Disillusionist @AlchemyFox @Tirtouga678 @catmeow1 @Leopardmask @Midwinter @chantric @Dynami @ShinyDecidueye @tigressRising @FallenEclipse @Stitched @Willnotgogently @Sabariel @MisterMylez @Skystrider @Starongie @icetail0912 @myriadofstars @Aetherstorm @Weredogalism @Nargeorgicorn @WeaverofLies[/center]
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I am so mad. Death streaks are supposed to be designed so that you lose one dragons tops. You can back out when a dragon dies. I knew someone was going to die, Age is level 7 which means they were supposed to go in the scorched forest and Hayze was level 1 and Nevaeh was level 3. They didn't stand a chance, I knew it would be unlikely that I would be able to go through one battle without losing anyone. Then they both died at pretty much the same time, before I had the chance to flee...
This has got me thinking though, about levels, now that my dragons have started reaching level 7, and will only be getting higher. I'm thinking I'm going to introduce a saving throw for dragons who are below the level the venue is designed for. If they faint, I back out of the battle regardless (because if they die easily, they're likely to die again before the battle streak's up, and the loss of experience is enough of a sacrifice), and then I flip a coin. Heads, they survive, tails, they die. This will not count for death streaks, as the purpose of death streaks is to push you to lose a dragon, but it will count for ordinary coli days.
Also, sorry if today's chapter seems a little dark. There are evil things going on in the city right now.
[b]If anyone wants Nevaeh or Hayze, let me know before 23:59 FR time tomorrow (Thursday).[/b]
Age couldn't deny that she was feeling overwhelmed. She had been preparing to take the throne back for a while now, but she hadn't been expecting it to be so easy to rid the clan of Heaven. Well, rid was the wrong work. Heaven claimed she would be back, and that only added to her unease.
Which was why she had decided to go and visit Nevaeh before the meeting she had called the day before. She needed some reassurance that she was doing the right thing.
The house looked the same as always, the gardens flourishing. It made Age smile to see the results of all the hard work her friend had put into making her home beautiful. Feeling a little better already, she knocked on the door.
Nevaeh didn't answer. Instead, a tiny snapper nudged open the door, staring wide-eyed up at the tundra. There was a level of fear in her eyes that Age had never seen in a child before. Something was wrong.
"Hey Pomona, is everything alright?" Age asked, lowering her head so that her gaze was level with the hatchlings. Immediately tears started to roll down her large cheeks.
"Something's wrong with Mommy!" Pomona wailed. "She won't get up!"
"Snow me," Age said, suddenly feeling a deep sense of dread. She quickly overtook the hatchling, and when she reached Nevaeh's bedroom, she felt the small snapper peer out from behind her leg.
The room was dark, and there was a shaking, growling form under the blankets on the bed. Nevaeh was alive, for now. Age immediately rushed to her friend's side.
"Nevaeh, I'm here, tell me what's wrong," She exclaimed. Her heart felt like it was going to jump right out of her chest.
Nevaeh responded in a fit of coughing. "I hate Heaven! Who does she think she is! I hate that she's taken Khepri! I hate that Khepri won't listen to me! I hate that I have to do all of this on my own! I want to rip her throat out! I want to tear her limb to limb and-" as her friend's rambling got increasingly violent, a black fluid began to drip from her mouth. The scent of it reached Age's nose and suddenly she was transported to a very similar day in the library, over a year ago. Whatever the curse had done to Zunde was happening again.
"Is mommy going to be okay?" Pomona asked, creeping closer.
"I don't know," Age admitted. She didn't have the heart to lie to the child. "But I'll do my best."
She turned to her friend.
"Nevaeh, look at me," Age demanded. The imperial's head turned and her pupils were narrow slits. She was breathing heavily, and obviously in a lot of pain. She could only just barely focus on Age. "Yeah, there we go. Hey, I'm going to help you. I'm not going to let it take you."
"I don't care! I just want Heaven gone! And I'll kill her myself if I have to!" Nevaeh roared, sending a fluffy of black spittle onto Age's face. The tundra tried to wipe it off, but felt it stick in her fur.
"Nevaeh, focus," Age said evenly. "Pomona's here, yeah? Think of your daughter! Think of how much you love her! Focus on her!"
"I have to raise Pomona without Khepri because of her," Nevaeh growled. She really didn't seem like herself, like something deeper had gotten ahold of her, twisting her thoughts and driving her mad. Like something was eating her away from the inside. "It's Heaven's fault Pomona is going to grow up without a dad!" Her breath was growing more raspy, and her energy seemed to be fading.
"Nevaeh, stay with me, okay? Forget about Heaven! We're about to build a grand new kingdom, strong enough to ward of Heaven, whatever she tries! And I need your help!" Age felt herself beginning to cry. "Pomona may not have a father, but she has a mother, and she needs you!"
"She doesn't need me," Nevaeh rasped, growing more still. Her energy was fading fast. Her golden eyes were focused on something far away, and her pupils were growing larger. She turned her head in an attempt to focus on Age. "She has you. I know you'll keep her safe." The imperial seemed more at peace, but it could just be a result of having too little energy for the intensity she previously had. Yet she seemed more focused than she had before. Maybe Age had gotten there too late, and Nevaeh had let go too late to save herself.
The next thing Age knew, her friend was still, save for a last inky black drop trailing from the corner of her mouth. Age felt something shatter inside of her, yet she could not fall apart. She had a kingdom to build and a child to comfort. The rest would have to wait.
"Is mommy asleep?" Pomona asked, straining to see Nevaeh.
"No sweetheart," Age sighed, scooping up the snapper and putting her on her back. "She's gone. She died."
"She died?" Pomona echoed.
"She's not coming back. I'm sorry, I couldn't save her," Age said, feeling a heaviness set in.
"Is she going to turn into a monster now?" Pomona asked, wiping away a few tears.
"A monster?' Age asked. And then it clicked. Imperial deaths could be disastrous. Of course, Heaven and the new imperial Seaberry had brought with her to the wedding were the only other two in the clan, but they were too small a group to survive an emperor. Not to mention, Nevaeh's body was far too big for Age to carry on her own. After the meeting, she's have to get Ulf to help with the cremation.
Right, the meeting, Age cursed internally. She had to put on a strong front if this was going to stick. She couldn't reschedule the meeting, or Heaven might take the opportunity to try to take back the throne, especially with Nevaeh out of the picture now.
"Don't worry, your mommy isn't going to become a monster," Age reassured the hatchling. "Why don't you come with me? I'll show you the palace, and we can have our own adventure."
Pomona nodded still crying. What a way to start her reign and she hadn't even had her official coronation yet.
"Isn't this so exciting? We're royalty!' Bonegnasher exclaimed, almost leaping along the palace corridor with enthusiasm. "I always knew that there was something special about us!"
"No, I'm pretty sure that's just your ego," Bahat smirked.
"Hey, come on! Aren't you at least a little excited?" Bone pressed. Couldn't his brother see what a big deal this was? There mom was queen, which meant they were princes, and that meant Bahat was next in line for the throne! Bone wished it was him, but he was still excited for his brother!
"I don't know, do you find it exciting that Mom and Dad lied to us?" Bahat asked. Bone stopped in his steps.
"They did it for our own safety," Bone pointed out.
"Yeah, but that's just the thing, right? What if something does happen to Mom! We literally just took the clan back from a crazy, power-hungry imperial who killed our grandfather to get what she wanted. What's stopping her from destroying our whole family?" Bahat reminded him. "The moment either of us become king is the moment that we get put in the most dangerous position in the clan."
"That's some good thinking Bahat," Bailaduel said, appearing from around the corner of the corridor.
Bahat rolled his eyes.
"No really," Bailaduel pointed out. "This is what I trained you for, you both need to be on your guard. You need to be aware of the dangers in order to protect against them, and that's what your mother is doing. She's a very wise women. I didn't think it when I first met her, I thought her a naive, idealistic softie who wouldn't last a day the moment things turned tough, but I was sorely mistaken."
Bahat gave Bailaduel a weird look, like he didn't quite believe her.
"I'm proud of you both, you know that?" Bailaduel said, grinning. "I don't say that often, but it's true. You really proved yourselves when we rescued Khepri. I don't know that there's much more I can teach you. I'm excited to be getting to the point where I can fight beside you instead of fighting for you."
Bone grinned. He was happy that Bailaduel was here. She was easily the coolest dragon he had ever known. It was she who had given him his edge, and it was exciting getting to the point where they saw each other as equals.
"Are you coming to the meeting?" He blurted out. He didn't know why it was so important to him that she came, but it was.
"I wouldn't miss it," Bailaduel smirked. "Besides, I've got to make sure this clan has a good standing before I leave to take my next job."
Age was late, and Virtue didn't know why she was still here. She should have left the moment she had gotten the lantern, but the leader in her couldn't help but be curious about what Age had in mind for her reign. Starting a clan wasn't easy, and Virtue wasn't too proud to admit she would need all the help she could get.
Hayze had been meant to join the meeting too, but she had been distracted by some weird magical signatures and wanted to investigate, so Virtue was here alone with Hollyn. Seaberry had refused to come, she had seemed particularly secretive since yesterday, though Virtue supposed she was a secretive dragon to begin with. This just served as a good reminder that she shouldn't trust dragons outside the Sisters of Virtue.
Virtue grinned at Hollyn, who was sitting next to her. The tundra was smiling happily and playing with a rabbit Virtue was caught. It was supposed to be lunch, but by the time Virtue had turned her back, Hollyn had already befriended it and she didn't have the heart to eat it. Hollyn was why they were doing all this. Each of the sisters had wanted freedom, but most of all they just wanted a place where Hollyn would just be safe to be. Ever since the incident, Hollyn got upset far more easily, and they needed a good, safe place where she would be happy and away from danger.
"His name is Mr Snuggles!" Hollyn exclaimed, holding up the rabbit for Virtue to see.
The imperial smiled. "He's perfect Hollyn," Virtue said, feeling a warmth flood through her.
Just then, Age burst through the door to the throne room, a snapper hatchling on her back. There was a haunted look behind her eyes that made Virtue's stomach turn. Something had happened. She glanced at Hollyn, but the tundra was oblivious, as always. She was playing with Mr Snuggles and living in her own world.
Another tundra rushed forwards, concern flashing in her blue eyes. Perhaps Age's mother? Virtue wondered. Her warm orange belly glowed despite the pale light of the throne room. Behind her, a gaoler got to his feet and stood protectively over the pair of tundras.
"What happened? Where's Nevaeh?" Larkin asked, looking Age over for any clues as to what had taken place. Vairtue noticed some strange black streak across her face.
"The curse got her," Age said quietly. "She's gone."
On her back, the hatchling started sobbing, and Virtue felt a rush of sympathy for the child. She had never known her parents, but she knew the emptiness without them.
"Do you need some time-" The gaoler began before Age interrupted.
"No, we push on. The kingdom must be made secure." There was a fierceness to the tundra's eyes that Virtue couldn't help but admire. She was a true leader.
"Age-" Larkin pushed softly.
"I know what I'm doing, and I won't let her death be for nothing. We can grieve later, right now we have business to attend to," Age insisted. On her back, the hatchling still cried. Hollyn was distracted from her rabbit and looked at Virtue in concern.
"We can look after the child during the meeting," Virtue offered.
Age blinked at the imperial in surprise. "Thanks-" She stared blankly at the newcomer, likely realizing she didn't know her name.
"Virtue," She said.
"Thank you Virtue," Age sighed and handed the tiny, crying snapper over to Virtue.
The imperial began to gently rock the child. She had never really dealt with hatchlings before, but she soon found herself falling the rhythm she fell into when Hollyn was upset.
"Right, well, if we're starting the meeting, I think that we should start with your coronation," The gaoler offered. "I apologize that it won't be at the same level of glamour and luster as Jett's, but it's more important to secure you place."
"Thank you Ulf," Age nodded. "I don't need a big fancy ceremony. The safety of the clan is of the most importance."
True to Ulf's word, the ceremony was short and unassuming. It consisted mostly of he and Larkin saying a few words and placing a crown on Age's head, but Virtue found that only deepened her respect for the clan's new queen. While the ceremony took place, the snapper calmed a little and began to stare widely at Mr Snuggles.
"Do you want to see him?" Hollyn whispered, giggling a bit. The hatchling nodded. Virtue smiled to herself. The child would be occupied enough for forget her pain, if only for a little bit.
"Alright, now that I am queen, I have some proposals to make to ensure the stability of the kingdom," Age said, raising her head high. Virtue could see that she was shaking slightly, but she put on a brave face. "It is important that we learn from the mistakes of our past in order to ensure the crown not be tainted to the best of our ability. In doing so, I have two suggestions. One, I wish to instate a council to guide the current monarch, made up of trusted representatives from all parts of the clan, in order to ensure everyone's voice is being heard. The king or queen still gets the final say, but they must run their decisions by the council in order to ensure that they get a broader understanding of the potential impacts of their actions."
The gathered dragons murmured in approval. Ulf in particular looked rather happy at this proposal.
"To start us off, I'd like to instate my mother as the leader of the council, as she helped found this clan, and I'd like to propose Ulf, Accident, Koraki and Bailaduel as council members," Age suggested. "I would like a representative from the trades sector of our clan as well, but I fear Khepri is not in his right mind and Seaberry may not have the focus for such a job. We can revisit this notion later once the council itself is further established, unless anyone has any questions or suggestions right now?"
"I think a council is a great idea," Larkin sighed in relief. "Your father sometimes made me a bit worried with his unbridled vision, it helps to know there is a way to direct the focus of the a monarch. You have a good head on your shoulders, but you won't be queen forever, and we must be prepared for less competent leaders."
Age looked a little abashed at receiving such an open compliment. "That settles it!" The tundra suddenly turned to Virtue. "You!"
"Yes?" Virtue asked, surprised to have bee picked out from the crowd.
"You are part of a new group that has recently arrived in the city, correct?" Age asked. Virtue nodded. "Would any of your number be interested in joining the council? I would be interested to know the impressions of a newcomer to the clan."
Virtue was taken aback. She hadn't been planning on staying, but she couldn't deny that there was something appealing about this new government, and if the clan was to function as Age had proposed, that would likely mean there would be dragons to look out for Hollyn should anything happen to her or Hayze.
"I'll talk to Hayze about the possibility. She's a people person," Virtue grinned slightly. "We're still figuring out out plans as a group, but if we decide to stay, we welcome your invitation."
"Great," Age grinned, she turned to address the wider group again. "And none of you need to confirm your placements right away, I don't want to force you into positions that you don't want to. In the future, I want council members to be elected upon by the current council, but we need a council before any voting can happen."
"Do we get to be part of the council?" Bone asked excitedly.
"As a prince, you will not be part of the council, but that brings me to another point," Age said. "When a king or queen dies, I want the next monarch to be decided by vote. It does not automatically go to the mate, as that's how Heaven tried to claim power and how The Clan of Resting Wings ended up with Emery and Fabian. The mate of a king or queen always ends up with a seat on the council, but they cannot be the head of the council and they cannot take power for themself. The heir must be decided upon by the council, chosen from the king or queen's children. If a king or queen doesn't have children, they will vote on the monarch's siblings, or whatever group is of the closest relation to the monarch. Half-siblings are included in this if their shared parent is the monarch. Jett was not fit to be king, and I don't want the clan to fall to ruin because of an unfit heir further down the line."
The meeting went on as Age answered questions and clarified her proposals. Virtue took in every word, trying to figure out how this would fit into her own clan someday. But as she listened to the dragons work together to sort out how the kingdom would run, Virtue found it harder and harder to imagine moving on from here. She looked over at Hollyn, who was still happily playing with the hatchling. Perhaps they should stay. Maybe the Sisters of Virtue could take on a different role. It was all well and good trying to create a new clan, but maybe there was a way they could make an existing one better, and help more than just themselves in the process.
As the meeting came to a close, Virtue found herself walking up to Age, Hollyn and the hatchling playing on her back. The tundra turned and looked at her in surprise. Now that she was closer, she could see just how shattered she looked. It only stiffened her resolve for what she was about to do.
"Thank you for looking after Pomona," Age said, smiling sadly at the hatchling sliding down Virtue's back, then climbing up it again like it was a slide.
"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that," Virtue said, hoping she wasn't stepping too far out of line. "You have a lot on your plate right now between figuring out your kingdom and adjusting to your new role as queen, not to mention grieving your friend. We- the Sisters of Virtue- formed in the hopes that we could protect other dragons who needed it, that they would grow up safe and cared for and knowing they had a place. I don't wish to intrude or assume too much, but if it would be helpful, we would be happy to look after Pomona. Again, I know you don't know us, so I completely understand if you mistrust us in any way-"
The imperial paused. Age was starting to cry.
"Would you want to stay in the palace? At least until she's grown up, so I can still keep an eye on her?" Age asked.
"Of course," Virtue said. it was completely understandable that she'd want to keep her close.
"Thank you," Age said. "And once the craziness is over, I'd like to meet you and your sisters properly."
Virtue couldn't help it, she smiled. It looked as though the Sisters of Virtue would be staying after all.
There was something wrong with this sector of the city. For one, Hayze felt she could barely breathe as she delved deeper into the district. Something told her she should turn back, there was a dark energy about this place, but she couldn't. Heaven had come this way, and she needed to investigate what was going on.
Hayze had only been in the Forgotten Kingdom for a short time, but she already felt a sense of loyalty to the clan, if only because of Seaberry's hospitality. This whole place reeked of strong magical energy, and if Heaven had something to do with it, she'd need to be stopped before she got too strong. Hayze was one of the best dragons to face her, as she had powerful magic of her own.
The fog was getting thicker, it was hard to see anything in around her. Hayze strained her eyes, trying to extend her lantern so she could have some sense of direction.
"Boo!" Suddenly a face appeared in the fog. It took some time before Hayze recognized it to be Heaven. She had lost the white she had been adorned in the day before, and now adopted a wilder aesthetic.
The imperial began to pace around Hayze, wrapping her body around the tundra. She seemed the relish in the darkness in the air, breathing it in like it gave her power. Maybe it did. There was a powerful curse over the city, and maybe she had learned how to tame it somehow, and use it in place of her own elemental energy. It would be quite the feat, considering the original alignment she possessed.
"What have you done?" Hayze breathed, trying to take in everything.
"You're knowledgeable in magic, you tell me," Heaven smirked.
"But you can't! It will destroy you! I saw what it did to my sister, how it ate her dark intentions and consumed her with it, feeding them until her body couldn't take it any more. I watched, helpless to do anything as she died. And you-" Hayze met her eyes with a thrill of fear. "You are full of dark intentions."
"And yet, here I am, alive and well!" Heaven said.
"It's impossible!" Hayze exclaimed.
"Oh, it's not impossible, my dear," Heaven's smile grew wider. "But I'm not going to tell you my secrets. In fact, I think you already know too much already..."
Hayze was prepared for her attack, but she could not hold against such great strength. The curse felt alive, like it was a living, breathing creature, pushing against her defenses. They shattered easily, leaving the tundra defenseless.
And then everything went black. The last think Hayze saw was Heaven's face leering down at her.
I am so mad. Death streaks are supposed to be designed so that you lose one dragons tops. You can back out when a dragon dies. I knew someone was going to die, Age is level 7 which means they were supposed to go in the scorched forest and Hayze was level 1 and Nevaeh was level 3. They didn't stand a chance, I knew it would be unlikely that I would be able to go through one battle without losing anyone. Then they both died at pretty much the same time, before I had the chance to flee...
This has got me thinking though, about levels, now that my dragons have started reaching level 7, and will only be getting higher. I'm thinking I'm going to introduce a saving throw for dragons who are below the level the venue is designed for. If they faint, I back out of the battle regardless (because if they die easily, they're likely to die again before the battle streak's up, and the loss of experience is enough of a sacrifice), and then I flip a coin. Heads, they survive, tails, they die. This will not count for death streaks, as the purpose of death streaks is to push you to lose a dragon, but it will count for ordinary coli days.
Also, sorry if today's chapter seems a little dark. There are evil things going on in the city right now.
If anyone wants Nevaeh or Hayze, let me know before 23:59 FR time tomorrow (Thursday).
