Ardolen

Ghost hunter/excorcist

The victim of a tragic accident that left him with the ability to see the dead, Ardolen is as strong and unyielding as the hearts of glaciers. He travels the vast reaches of Sornieth, assisting both the living and the deceased. He offers help to restless spirits, and closure to the families they once belonged to. Under his guidance, many dragons have found peace, living and dead alike. Conversely, he hunts malignant wraiths, banishing them into a realm of purgatory through complex magic so they can no longer do harm to the living.

Because of his deep connection to the supernatural world, the average dragon tends to be very off put by him. While he has earned the thanks of hundreds, those who don’t believe in such things can only stare blankly as he speaks with what they presume to be the empty air. This suits him just fine. He busies himself keeping them safe all the same, even if it can be a thankless task. While perhaps not particularly social because of his unique talents, he is well-meaning at least. Often, he finds that there is much more riveting conversation to be had with ghosts anyway.

He honestly does want the best for those around him no matter what state they happen to be in. There has so far been only one case that he has not been able to help in the way he wishes. He met Velina several years ago, and she truly baffles him. Sometimes, she appears whole and mortal, while other times she is as insubstantial as a spirit. She is the one he cannot truly assist, no matter how he tries. Perhaps she will never cross over into the afterlife, but for the time being, they have found their own form of closure.

For Ardolen, I wrote:
“Ardolen!” His mother’s voice was shrill with terror as the towering wall of rushing snow bore down on them. She only barely managed to reach him as the avalanche slammed down, rattling the earth with a thunderous crack.

His heart hammered wildly as he clung to her forearms. Her wings closed around him like a great, wide blanket, blotting out the long wall of white. He was conscious only for a moment before they were struck down together and he fell headlong into darkness.

* * *


When he awoke again the world was still and his head throbbed painfully. Even under his thick pelt of fur, he could feel the cold. Just beyond lay the freezing, unforgiving walls of white. He struggled against the leathery covering around him, digging his claws toward the vague notion of ‘up.’

He couldn’t see, but he started to sense movement around him and tried to match its direction. With a last, desperate gasp, he managed to break free of the avalanche’s icy clutches. His eyes barely had to adjust to the dim midnight of the outside world. His fur was thick with clots of snow that had frozen to his body.

He shook himself gently, trying not to move his head too much. Turning too fast seemed to cause spots in his vision. Except … they weren’t spots at all, he found with relief.

His clanmates rose one by one from the snow, as smoothly as seals. But they didn’t turn to look at him, gliding over the disturbed snow. They were -- they were leaving him! His little heart jolted in alarm, and he started to struggle against the damp powder.

The snow clogged his fur, as if it was trying to drag him back. He splayed his small paws, trying to stay on top of it as he jogged unevenly after them. “Wait for me!”

His mother was the only one that responded, turning to look at him. Her claws left no tracks in the churned mess of snow, as if she wasn’t even there. “Why are you leaving!?” He called desperately, struggling through the thick drifts.

“We do not belong here anymore.” She looked down at him fondly, her form flickering ever so slightly around the edges. He blinked hard to clear his gaze, trying to keep her in view. For a moment, he thought he could see the tree line behind her. “Follow the northern stars.”

He scrabbled for purchase, but the snow caved beneath his paws. “You will be okay, my son,” her voice was soft and reedy, drifting away from him.

“Wait!” He cried as she began to move on, sliding effortlessly over the snow. But without her body to break a furrow for him, he could only flounder along behind. To his horror, she began to recede, along with the rest of his clan. It would be only moments before he lost sight of them entirely.

“No! Wait!” He struggled wildly, tears squeezing from his eyes only to freeze instantly to his matted fur. “Mother!” He fought the snow, but it only slowed him down more, holding him back from her retreating form. “Mother!”