Lodestar

Lodestar Stonecleaver
Miu's Right Claw
Permanent

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The tired guardian found himself in the treacherous desert of the The Shifting Expanse. Lodestar wasn't exactly sure where he was, though he'd heard stories from Lightning nomads of a vast canyon, almost devoid of life. Even as an Earth dragon and with his comfort for the ground, this place felt ominous. He tilted his muzzle to the sky, feeling the buzz of static in the air; a crack of electricity signaled the near arrival of a sandstorm. He covered his mouth and nose with his cowl, taking shelter amongst the canyon walls.

Lodestar dug, creating a temporary burrow for himself as he crouched low to the ground and prepared for a lot of waiting. He reflected back on his childhood, leaving his home in the Greatwyrm's Breach. His parents had made the Search out to be some momentous event, a right of passage into adulthood, something to celebrate they'd said! Considering this situation he'd now found himself in, he questioned whether this was a tradition that needed to be done away with.

"Well, well, if it isn't another guardian come to our land on the search" A deep, rumbling voice whispered from behind Lodestar. The young guardian spun around to find himself staring at the nose of an imperial. He could've sworn the dragon hadn't been there before, appearing suddenly as if out of a dust cloud.

"Who are you!?" Lodestar growled, not taking kindly to being snuck up on.

"A fortune teller" the imperial circled the guardian silently, the corner of his lips turned up in a smile. "My name is Malvenath and..." he sniffed the air, his whiskers inspecting the static. "You appear to be in need of some assistance. What if, I told you that you weren't the first guardian I've encountered in this predicament, that I've made it my calling to help lost souls such as yourself?"

Lodestar didn't drop his guard. "You say you can help me?"

Malvenath Dustcloud raised his head proudly.
"What would you give, little guardian, to know the truth of yourself?
What if I told you, I could reveal your charge? You could be done with this desert, this hardship; you could go home. I wonder what price you'd be willing to pay..."

Curiously, Lodestar inquired further, still not trusting the strange imperial. "What is your price?"

Malvenath circled around a few times before settling down. "Bring me... a metal pole."

"A metal pole?" Lodestar was perplexed.

"Yes, there's a scrapyard less than a day's flight to the north, find one in good condition and bring it back here." Malvenath yawned, closing his eyes slowly, preparing for the wait.



Lodestar returned to the Imperial with a metal pole, carefully chosen from the scrapyard. Indeed, it was as pristine as scrap could be. Malvenath shook the dust off his shoulders, nodding sternly to the guardian. "Good. Good. Now do exactly as I say. Stand 1km to the north, 1km to the west, so that I may see you at a perfect angle."

His curiosity growing, Lodestar followed the imperial's directions. "I've done as you've asked, now what do I do?"

"Just wait there..." Malvenath turned his nose to the sky, sniffing the air, flicking his whiskers. Clouds were gathered above them, the air filled with a familiar buzz.




A bolt of lightning shot down from the sky, making contact with the exact pole... that Lodestar was holding. The guardian's vision went dark.

Lodestar woke up several days later, his body covered in dust, his mouth full of sand, whimpering and feeling dejected. Malvenath was nowhere to be seen, but his voice echoed in air. "Go home, little guardian, you don't belong here."

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His charge is not a singular dragon, place or thing, but a combination of all three. He protects his clan, although not always related by blood, they are his family. He protects his home, a safe haven he can always return to and that is where his clan resides. Lastly, he protects those cherished moments that tie them all together.

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''I'm sorry, I've traveled a long distance and I'm beat... may I stay with you?'' He didn't give her any time to refuse, instead shoveling his way in despite the lack of room. Miu bristled her crest and squeezed her way past the big lump heading outside where she could breathe. ''Who do you think you are!?'' She hissed ''Barging your way into my lair like you own the place'' The Guardian looked up confused and smiled as if he had no idea what her problem was ''I'm Lodestar, and I have traveled far and long on my Search, now I return to the land of my home, I'm tired of traveling.''

Miu dropped her head, truer words to her ears had never been spoken, she knew all to well what it was like to be tired of traveling. ''Since you return to your homeland, does that mean you've found what you're looking for?'' Lodestar paused for a long moment staring at the ground''No'' he spoke bluntly.''I have failed as a Guardian, I have nothing to guard, I decided in my failure, to return to my birthplace in the Greatwyrm's Breach, but even that is gone, my old home crumpled to dust.'' Miu craned her head listening to his tale ''What will you do now that you have nowhere to return, will you resume your Search until you find what it is you're meant to guard?'' The Guardian yawned and curled up making himself comfortable, he glanced at the little Mirror under half closed eyelids ''This is a cozy little lair you've made, I think I'll stay here a while.'' He bumped his head on the cavern ceiling ''Of course we'll have to make more room...''

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Related Stories

Miu Shardscale
Malvenath Dustcloud

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