Aire

Aire



Aire was never the dragon to draw attention to herself, nor socialize or hang out with other dragons. Many of her siblings called her " unsettlingly quiet " because she barely spoke a word. When she did try to speak, it came out in wispy, high-pitched, almost inaudible whispers. Her name, Aire, reflects this unique but unfortunate condition. Aire tried to get better, drinking honey and plenty of water every day, but nothing changed about her voice. She still kept this up in her adolescent years, but decided to give up on trying to speak normally. Many dragons, at first glance, just thought she was mute. Aire wasn't very skilled at athletics either, as her delicate body could get severely damaged by trying. However, she was agile, able to squeeze into small places even other faes couldn't. This helped in not getting stepped on because the bigger, and taller dragons couldn't see her tiny body and were not aware of her presence many times. Quick reaction and trail and error made her an exceptional insect catcher, her patient claws able to snatch the bugs out of thin air. Alas, she wasn't noticed for her efforts and skill, and eventually got exiled when a tyrannical ridgeback took over and deemed her useless, along with a handful of other runts and underdogs.Her clan's territory was the only land she'd ever known, and she didn't know who to turn to, as there was too much panic inside her to think clearly. She'd wandered the Highland Scrub for a while now, and her supply of bugs started to shrink. She had stared at the Carrion Canyon, yearning to get to the Trading Post ( she'd only went there once with a Elder imperial ) and find a home, or at least help. She knew it was dangerous, but what could she do?

One day, she mustered up all the courage she required, a hand-sewn pack of provisions ( all that time alone came in handy ) and a bright blue bandana she had found abandoned on a cactus. It was torn and horrible shape, although she took it anyways. It reminded her of herself. Abandoned, Lonely, ripped from edge to edge by the harshness of the Wild, and lastly, without a true voice. Plus, she liked the pattern on it. She had sewn it together and tied it to her pack of provisions. Unfortunately, it was too large for her to wear, as it was manufactured for a pearlcatcher rather than a fae. Also, her claws were dull and weak and unable to cut the thick fabric. She looked across the expanse of ocean. Miles and miles and miles of just blue, and horribleness, and depth. Aire had planned her flight based on the wind currents, and she needed to be precise enough to not end up over the sea... She gulped, and spread her wings from the top of the canyon, and let the breeze carry her. Aire successfully made it by a whisker after a really long flight, and she almost fell into the deep cavern where many corpses of dragons lay in rest, their claws upward, seeming to want to drag her down into the depths.She angled herself toward the Sunbeam ruins, eager to see the light-spread ground and the peaceful atmosphere. Suddenly, a strong breeze from the east blew her off course, and she struggled to flap her wings against it, desperately clinging onto a pillar. She pleaded in her mind, and tightened her wings flat, but the air hit at just the right angle and sent her flying. Aire believed she was a goner. She began to pray to the Stormcatcher, but she changed her mind because she thought about the harsh conditions of the scrublands. She closed her eyes and hoped. She looked behind her, and she was rocketing toward a glowing mushroom patch. She Immediately tried to slow herself down, her wings too tense and locked into position. She closed her eyes, accepting her deadly fate of slamming into a glowing mushroom and having a concussion before the fungi spread all over her body until she couldn't breathe, or see, or hear- Silence. What had happened? Was she dead? Was this the afterlife?


It turns out, just in time, a furry hand grabbed her in mid-air. She opened her eyes and stared at the creature as it slowly opened its palm. It... it was a tundra! He took out a jar from his satchel, Aire still shaken from the fall, and the tundra with dark, thistle-like skin placed her inside. The face suddenly snapped back out of her confusion. Panicked, she let out a high-pitched shriek as the tundra started to twist the lid, trapping her. Surprised, the tundra unscrewed the jar and looked at her， suddenly realizing she was a dragon. " Holy Shadowbinder! " The tundra gasped in shock, immediately pulling her out of the jar. I almost thought you were a Lycaenidae! " Aire tilted her head, bewildered. The tundra continued, " I'm so sorry! I'm Gilbert, an Entomologist studying insects in the Tangled Woods! I almost mistook you for a exotic butterfly! Silly glasses..." He chuckled nervously, his (Scottish) accent coming out fully now. Aire looked at herself through the mirroring glass jar. She realized she did look like a butterfly, the oversized bandana's pattern covering her bat like wings. Gilbert and Aire talked for a while, Aire decided to stay with the tundra because he knew more about the Tangled Forest than she did. They chatted, and Gilbert didn't mind her squeaky voice. It turned out talking a lot actually made her voice more clear. Still abnormally high, but less squeaky. They decided to travel together, because Aire grew to like Gilbert. He had his own charm. They shared stories about their past, and found that they were actually kinda similar! They became a duo, sure enough, and eventually found some mutual feelings for each other. That.. was just the beginning of Elementis.

Gilbert and Aire found an abandoned cave, once inhabited by a Serthis tribe. Gilbert shined a flashy stone he found in the Sunbeam ruins to make sure it was completely empty. At first, it seemed modest and small. However, a few days of settling down there. Aire fell down a strange gap in a giant stalagmite and found a whole multitude of rooms and underground lairs blocked off by some dirt. They started clearing it out and decorating with trinkets and flowers to make it more homey. One day, Gilbert asked Aire about a sensitive question while they were out watching fireflies ( and the fae occasionally munching one or two ) " Would.. you like to raise hatchlings together?" He asked the question quickly and waited for an answer eagerly. Aire nodded and they hugged each other. Alas, the eggs were lost to the unfortunate parents and they grieved. One hatchling survived, but wandered outside and was snatched away by an unknown being, and soon announced dead once they saw their purple fur next to a baby tundra's skull. Gilbert and Aire went through tough times, and the world just didn't seem the same. The food supply kept stable, and everything seemed alright, but the heartbreaking loss grieved them, and they decided to take a break from each other. Going their separate ways, Aire hibernated in a cozy nest she weaved for herself, stuck together by sap from the trees nearby, and Gilbert continued his bug collection away from home.

One fateful day, they both came to the graves of their deceased children on the day they met. They looked at each other and cried. They made the decision to continue Elementis and keep on striving to thrive for the hatchlings that were lost. They'll never forget.

-fin-