A wandering vagrant recently turned clan leader, Zythance was, and still is, unprepared for the responsibilities he now bears. But life is a funny thing; its plot twists are sometimes stranger than fiction.

Thinking on it, the Mirror hadn’t really wanted for much in his life. Hatched from an abandoned egg among the soulless workers of the Lightning Farm, he spent his childhood drifting between clans, just staying out of everyone’s way. Living meal to meal, he exchanged small services like couriering and pest control for whatever he needed that day. The dragons he dealt with were polite at best, stopping only to give him a task or hand him payment, ignoring him every other time. This gave Zythance a lot of time to ponder the meaning of life; more importantly, the meaning of his life.

Was this really all to his existence? Could he ever be like some of the clan dragons he met, with an actual role in the Stormcatcher’s grand design?

As soon as he’d saved enough for the trip, Zythance packed his meagre belongings and moved to the Southern Icefield.

Here, at last, were dragons who shared his appreciation for solitude. There were far more lone dragons here; a stark contrast to the rigid hierarchy of the Shifting Expanse. They looked after themselves, forging out a life amidst the barren tundra. The only time he saw another dragon was a few days after he arrived, when he was still getting used to the freezing temperatures. A dark Imperial with wings of solid ice crept up to him as he curled up in his alcove, carefully draping a set of insulated blue silks over the Mirror before retreating into the blizzard. His only words? “The Icewarden takes care of his own.”

Zythance never did see that strange Imperial again, but he did get to keep the silks, which was nice. With them, he often found himself able to stay out in snowstorms for much longer, so he could hunt the larger prey weakened by the howling winds. Yes, he decided, the Icewarden truly did take care of his own.

But could he ever consider himself an Ice dragon? Several years had passed since that strange encounter. Any other time, Zythance would have said absolutely, without a doubt. Yet the empty feeling inside him swelled once more, and he found himself longing for the tamer climes up north.

Once again, the Mirror packed his things, tied his silks firmly about his frame, and took off towards the Starfall Isles.

The Arcanist’s domain was certainly…interesting. Wait, was it normal for the islands to rearrange themselves by night? And how did anyone sleep with those strange pink crystals growing everywhere? Heck, even the prey had extra limbs or glowing eyes. They were probably safe to eat, though, as a troop of Fae assured him when he asked them.

It was here that he found a ragtag group of dragons that he’d very loosely call a clan. They were like the worst of both worlds: They had no structure, no set roles, and half of them looked like they hated each other. They’d probably tear themselves apart if no one did anything.

So he did something. He sat off to the side and gave his opinion any time someone started an argument. He broke up fights with a few words and set tasks for idling dragons, all without actually introducing himself. Like the voice in one’s head given form, he inspired the tiny clan to work together, guiding them on the path to clearing out an actual camp. The clan came to know him as ‘that odd Mirror in the corner’, who just kind of hung around them except when he needed to hunt or sleep. Eventually, the more assertive of the dragons, Tanre, declared herself leader, and, for the first time ever, spoke directly to Zythance, asking him to become her co-leader. It was a simple, yet loaded, question, but the word ‘yes’ escaped him without a second thought.

For in the time that he’d watched over them, Zythance had grown fond of this budding clan, showing no emotion outwardly, but inwardly eager to see their success. He’d become personally invested in them: Something he never thought he’d do in his life.

From outcast wanderer to clan leader, a hand played time and time again in the game of life. Zythance still has a lot to learn about being a leader, but it’s a journey he’s eager to take.
Written By: Ethiera

Credit to artist

Art By: Mitsuara