Nikolas

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Glitterfreeze Ambassador

Familiar

The Longneck of the Southern Icefield have a storied history of coexisting with dragonkind, and many are happy to guide trekking clans through the most dangerous mountain passes. (Crystalline Gala Holiday Familiar 2019.)

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Story excerpt written by themirrorswish

The chilly wind swirled through the young Coatl’s feathers, large, intricate snow crystals falling from the sky. It would be dawn soon, Nikolas noted as he looked up at the swirls of light blue and soft orange. His eyes locked onto the faint pink glow of the Starfall Isles in the distance, and he stayed, frozen, for a moment. The waves lapped the shore, and the wind hissed overhead, filling the stillness of the scene with white noise.

“It would seem, Gladius, that we’ll need to depart soon,” Nikolas remarked, breaking out of his stupor and reaching for a bag to throw on the boat before them. The wood creaked in response, and Nikolas frowned slightly.

Valdimir's Longneck companion nodded, firmly. “We will do the Warden’s work in the Starfall Isles, you know. Good work.” He, too, was loading crates onto the boat.

“Yes…” the Coatl responded, crest drooping slightly. “And I’m sure our archives and collections will be quite valuable to the researchers over in the Arcanist’s land.”

“Indeed.”

Nikolas looked back, at the grandiose landscape silhouetted behind him. The Southern Icefield, he found, was most beautiful in the early morning, lit only by the dim light of the not-quite-risen sun. Sure, this wasn’t the most desired place on Sornieth for most of dragonkind, but it was his home, and leaving it behind sent a pang of longing and doubt through his bones.

“You think it’ll be too warm where we’re headed?” Nikolas furrowed his brow as he posed the question.

“It’ll likely take an adjustment period. We live in quite extreme weather.”

“Yes. I’ll miss it here.”

Gladius stared at his friend. “It’s too late to say no, now. We have to go, per your agreement.”

Nikolas swatted the air in annoyance, catching a snowflake in his claw. He stared at it, admiring its beauty. It was perfectly symmetrical, elegant, geometric shapes carrying his eye around the perimeter of the snow crystal. … They did call it a snow crystal, didn’t they? Nikolas huffed wryly with the irony. He used a quick ice spell to preserve this particular crystal, laying it gingerly on top of a stack of crates as his companion climbed on board.

“Do we have everything?” Gladius asked.

“Yes, I've double checked,” Nikolas answered. He stole one last glance back at his sturdy, cold, and comfortable home, and then followed his friend on the boat. It’s time to set sail so we can show those in the Starfall Isle our own variety of crystal.