Vespera

a being known to none other than kairos. long lost sisters, reunited briefly when vespera passed into the aether. previously, before her exile, she arranged the stars. vespera was blessed with the ability to resist any and all effects that would be caused by radiation from the stars, as well as resistance to the heat they gave off. as the seasons changed in sornieth, vespera was in the sky, rearranging the stars properly and creating the constellations dragons see at night.

the aether was a punishment: a dark, cold, desolate place that only a higher being could access and send her to. but why? vespera did her best at being a good person, she spent countless years perfecting herself and her work. she thought herself a selfless and strong leader, independent and brave.

but maybe... was it... that? that accident?
why would they punish her for that?

---

Why, Vespera wondered, why would they do this to me? Her head started to spin, and she glanced downwards. She had done nothing wrong. Vespera had given her all to achieving greatness and had sacrificed plenty of opportunities to get where she was. But for some reason, they threw it all away. And she didn't even know who.

The only explanation was the accident.
But what even really was the accident?

All Vespera could remember was a bright flash in the dark night sky. She was out for work, gently nudging the stars around her into their proper places. She had been given a strange request though, which she was unsure of. Vespera hadn't seen or even heard of anything like that, yet they wanted her to do it. The request was anonymous and wasn't flagged by her superiors, so she had figured it was alright to do.

They wanted her to make the stars collide.

After a few moments of deep thought, Vespera glided over to two minor stars that were softly glowing, an indication of a young age. She figured that these two stars wouldn't create a big reaction if they were pushed together, given that they were small and new. However, one of the stars was different. It was a murky dark grey color, and despite everything that she tried, Vespera couldn't get it to stop vibrating in place.
She didn't feel endangered by the star, she just viewed it as an oddity. It was unique, and all stars were different in their own ways. This one was just... very different. She heard legends of stars similar, so it definitely wasn't anything that would cause harm.

Vespera inhaled sharply then placed her clawtip on the top of one star and pushed it slowly into the other. For a brief moment, it was as if there was no reaction. They sat there, rock against rock, giving off their light. And then it happened.

A huge surge of light blinded Vespera, followed by an intense wave of some force she couldn't recognize. It caused her to recoil and cover her eyes instinctively. The power of the wave was disorienting; Vespera lost her balance and began to fall downwards. She quickly caught herself, then glanced upward at the stars. It was as if she was staring at the sun. In the corner of her eye, though, she noticed a shadowy figure slide its way out of the star. Vespera hesitantly followed the figure as it snaked around in the light. As soon as she moved to follow it, though, it turned quickly toward her. She only had time to let out a gasp before her world went black.

"Agh!" Vespera exclaimed, reaching up to brush a tuft of fur out of her face. It physically hurt to recall anything past that point, as if something in her head dug its claws into her every time she attempted to figure out what happened. She hung her head low and extended her wings, preparing for flight.

Maybe I could've stopped it, maybe it all could've been alright if I had just... Her thoughts trailed off, focusing on her surroundings. The aether was ever-changing, so she needed to be alert. She got a running start and then jumped off of a cliff, letting her ease into flight.

In the sky, she felt free. Almost as if she was where she used to be, before the accident.

Vespera felt a sudden flash of pain across her head. Even thinking the word 'accident' now disoriented her, causing her to lose balance. She outstretched her wings to stabilize herself, then looked forward. Stop thinking, she told herself, firmly. It will do you no good. The past is the past, this is your life now.

In the back of her mind, though, something was growing. All of her confliction, worry, anger, despair... it all was blending together into a mass so dense and irremovable that even the gods would be in fear. Vespera felt a spark, and then everything went dark. All she could feel was the sensation of falling.



-̷̛̼̖͈͈̯̗͇̠͓̠͎͙͕̜̈́̓̒͆͗͋̎͗̉́͘̚͝͠-̴̳͉̲͙̰͔̐-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̜̹̞̞͎͎̀͋-̵̨͓̼̮͉̩͓̻͍̍̐̓̒-̶̘̕-̶̞̙̦̣̞̠̙͖̤͓̄-̵̮̱͙̘̣̥̥̦͖̱̥̰̗̥̊͆̓̒̈́-̵̩̲͈̯̻̝̪̐̀͆̑̂̆́͛̚͝ͅ-̴̺̗̣̘̞͛̊̑̅̓̾̈̐̈́̚ͅ-̷̳̪͈̈͌̇̐̉̔-̴̜̮̠̊̀͆̆͐̈̈́̕-̸̨̨̩̫̙̙̩̬̩͉̺͙̿͒̃-̷̛̼̖͈͈̯̗͇̠͓̠͎͙͕̜̈́̓̒͆͗͋̎͗̉́͘̚͝͠-̴̳͉̲͙̰͔̐-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̜̹̞̞͎͎̀͋-̵̨͓̼̮͉̩͓̻͍̍̐̓̒-̶̘̕-̶̞̙̦̣̞̠̙͖̤͓̄-̵̮̱͙̘̣̥̥̦͖̱̥̰̗̥̊͆̓̒̈́-̵̩̲͈̯̻̝̪̐̀͆̑̂̆́͛̚͝ͅ-̴̺̗̣̘̞͛̊̑̅̓̾̈̐̈́̚ͅ-̷̳̪͈̈͌̇̐̉̔-̴̜̮̠̊̀͆̆͐̈̈́̕-̸̨̨̩̫̙̙̩̬̩͉̺͙̿͒̃-̷̛̼̖͈͈̯̗͇̠͓̠͎͙͕̜̈́̓̒͆͗͋̎͗̉́͘̚͝͠-̴̳͉̲͙̰͔̐-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̜̹̞̞͎͎̀͋-̵̨͓̼̮͉̩͓̻͍̍̐̓̒-̶̘̕-̶̞̙̦̣̞̠̙͖̤͓̄-̵̮̱͙̘̣̥̥̦͖̱̥̰̗̥̊͆̓̒̈́-̵̩̲͈̯̻̝̪̐̀͆̑̂̆́͛̚͝ͅ-̴̺̗̣̘̞͛̊̑̅̓̾̈̐̈́̚ͅ-̷̳̪͈̈͌̇̐̉̔-̴̜̮̠̊̀͆̆͐̈̈́̕-̸̨̨̩̫̙̙̩̬̩͉̺͙̿͒̃       -̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑-̷̛̼̖͈͈̯̗͇̠͓̠͎͙͕̜̈́̓̒͆͗͋̎͗̉́͘̚͝͠-̴̳͉̲͙̰͔̐-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑-̷̛̼̖͈͈̯̗͇̠͓̠͎͙͕̜̈́̓̒͆͗͋̎͗̉́͘̚͝͠-̴̳͉̲͙̰͔̐-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑-̷̛̼̖͈͈̯̗͇̠͓̠͎͙͕̜̈́̓̒͆͗͋̎͗̉́͘̚͝͠-̴̳͉̲͙̰͔̐-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑
                   -̷̛̼̖͈͈̯̗͇̠͓̠͎͙͕̜̈́̓̒͆͗͋̎͗̉́͘̚͝͠-̴̳͉̲͙̰͔̐-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̜̹̞̞͎͎̀͋-̵̨͓̼̮͉̩͓̻͍̍̐̓̒-̶̘̕-̶̞̙̦̣̞̠̙͖̤͓̄-̵̮̱͙̘̣̥̥̦͖̱̥̰̗̥̊͆̓̒̈́-̵̩̲͈̯̻̝̪̐̀͆̑̂̆́͛̚͝ͅ-̴̺̗̣̘̞͛̊̑̅̓̾̈̐̈́̚ͅ-̷̳̪͈̈͌̇̐̉̔-̴̜̮̠̊̀͆̆͐̈̈́̕-̸̨̨̩̫̙̙̩̬̩͉̺͙̿͒̃
-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑-̷̛̼̖͈͈̯̗͇̠͓̠͎͙͕̜̈́̓̒͆͗͋̎͗̉́͘̚͝͠-̴̳͉̲͙̰͔̐-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑
    -̷̛̼̖͈͈̯̗͇̠͓̠͎͙͕̜̈́̓̒͆͗͋̎͗̉́͘̚͝͠-̴̳͉̲͙̰͔̐-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑-̷̛̼̖͈͈̯̗͇̠͓̠͎͙͕̜̈́̓̒͆͗͋̎͗̉́͘̚͝͠-̴̳͉̲͙̰͔̐-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑     -̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑-̷̛̼̖͈͈̯̗͇̠͓̠͎͙͕̜̈́̓̒͆͗͋̎͗̉́͘̚͝͠-̴̳͉̲͙̰͔̐-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑-̷̛̼̖͈͈̯̗͇̠͓̠͎͙͕̜̈́̓̒͆͗͋̎͗̉́͘̚͝͠-̴̳͉̲͙̰͔̐-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑-̷̛̼̖͈͈̯̗͇̠͓̠͎͙͕̜̈́̓̒͆͗͋̎͗̉́͘̚͝͠-̴̳͉̲͙̰͔̐-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑                -̷̛̼̖͈͈̯̗͇̠͓̠͎͙͕̜̈́̓̒͆͗͋̎͗̉́͘̚͝͠-̴̳͉̲͙̰͔̐-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̜̹̞̞͎͎̀͋-̵̨͓̼̮͉̩͓̻͍̍̐̓̒-̶̘̕-̶̞̙̦̣̞̠̙͖̤͓̄-̵̮̱͙̘̣̥̥̦͖̱̥̰̗̥̊͆̓̒̈́-̵̩̲͈̯̻̝̪̐̀͆̑̂̆́͛̚͝ͅ-̴̺̗̣̘̞͛̊̑̅̓̾̈̐̈́̚ͅ-̷̳̪͈̈͌̇̐̉̔-̴̜̮̠̊̀͆̆͐̈̈́̕-̸̨̨̩̫̙̙̩̬̩͉̺͙̿͒̃

but its  
   your   -̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝ -̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝  -̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ
      fault.

-̷̛̼̖͈͈̯̗͇̠͓̠͎͙͕̜̈́̓̒͆͗͋̎͗̉́͘̚͝͠-̴̳͉̲͙̰͔̐-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̜̹̞̞͎͎̀͋-̵̨͓̼̮͉̩͓̻͍̍̐̓̒-̶̘̕-̶̞̙̦̣̞̠̙͖̤͓̄-̵̮̱͙̘̣̥̥̦͖̱̥̰̗̥̊͆̓̒̈́-̵̩̲͈̯̻̝̪̐̀͆̑̂̆́͛̚͝ͅ-̴̺̗̣̘̞͛̊̑̅̓̾̈̐̈́̚ͅ-̷̳̪͈̈͌̇̐̉̔-̴̜̮̠̊̀͆̆͐̈̈́̕-̸̨̨̩̫̙̙̩̬̩͉̺͙̿͒̃-̷̛̼̖͈͈̯̗͇̠͓̠͎͙͕̜̈́̓̒͆͗͋̎͗̉́͘̚͝͠-̴̳͉̲͙̰͔̐-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ-̶̜̹̞̞͎͎̀͋-̵̨͓̼̮͉̩͓̻͍̍̐̓̒-̶̘̕-̶̞̙̦̣̞̠̙͖̤͓̄-̵̮̱͙̘̣̥̥̦͖̱̥̰̗̥̊͆̓̒̈́-̵̩̲͈̯̻̝̪̐̀͆̑̂̆́͛̚͝ͅ-̴̺̗̣̘̞͛̊̑̅̓̾̈̐̈́̚ͅ-̷̳̪͈̈͌̇̐̉̔-̴̜̮̠̊̀͆̆͐̈̈́̕-̸̨̨̩̫̙̙̩̬̩͉̺͙̿͒̃-̷̛̼̖͈͈̯̗͇̠͓̠͎͙͕̜̈́̓̒͆͗͋̎͗̉́͘̚͝͠-̴̳͉̲͙̰͔̐-̷̛̛̤̲̜̙͊̍͆͗̽̌͌̆̑͘͘͘͝-̶̫͔̱͕͈̫̿̀̏͑-̶̡̰͉͙͎͈͍͖̝̇̈́-̸̣̫͎̱̮͕̺̳̙͓͂̽̂̊̑̿̔͝-̶͕̜͚̮̲̫̞͇̝̤͉͉̽̌͒́̈́̌̌̄̄̅͗̄̕͝ͅ-̶͈̗̻͚͈̹̣̗̠̼̖̩̦̯͎̋-̶̢̧͉̫͖̥̥̪̓̍͊̅̏͝ͅ     



No! She thought, Snap out of it! Open your eyes!
But they were open. She just couldn't see.

Vespera felt a gross feeling, as if something sludgy was crawling over her face. Her eyes were definitely open, they were just being... covered by something. At least she thought.

After a few moments of struggling, she regained her sight. Thankfully she was able to control her motion and swiftly flew upward, narrowly avoiding a collision with the ground. She reached up slowly and prodded around at her face, but felt no trace of anything slimy. What had just happened? She inhaled and exhaled slowly to regain composure.

All focus now was on flight. Nothing else could cross her mind, she was determined so. The only thing that mattered was wing stability, wind, and gliding.

Vespera parted her jaws to let out a small cough. She felt a slow, small dribble of something at the edge of her mouth, and reached up to wipe it off. She glanced down briefly to see what it was, and her heart sank. It was a small black ooze. She immediately looked back up into the sky, forcing the thought out of her mind.

It was just a coincidence. Maybe it was something she had eaten. It meant nothing.

At least, that's what she had hoped for.
It all was to go downhill from there.

---

Vespera unleashed the shade into the universe.
The shade was a personified mass of essentially pure evil, creeping its way into every corner and place untouched by the light. Each and every thing it touches slowly turns to black, and causes harm to its immediate surroundings.

---

The 'heat death' of the universe is when the universe has reached a state of maximum entropy. Since no more work can be extracted from the universe at that point, it is effectively dead, especially for the purposes of dragonkind.

---

lore by furo


by rubiekanary


by raccooon