Tanda

The Seer of Life or Death
She/her or They/their





A claw burst from the ground as the dragon dug herself from her grave. The Spiral gave a horrible cry as bright, protruding runes began to etch themselves into her scales. Sweat and blood pooled underneath her body as she withered and writhed around on the soaked soil. Rain poured over her body as she gasped for breath - a breath she did not need. Bright, piercing red eyes snapped open as the Spiral roared to the skies. The pain was horrible and unbearable. Her head fell to the ground with a thump as she lay still not moving a muscle. The pain disappeared as the bright glow of the runes began to fade to a dull, noticeable glow. They pulsated on occasion, but the symbols had dimmed to a bearable point. The dragon took a deep breath as she rose off the ground in a quick motion. Red eyes moved trying to get their bearings on the landscape. They snapped to a shape that began to form in the low lying mist that coated the ground. The misty shape grew before a large, menacing Imperial appeared in front of the Spiral.

“Tanda,” he spoke in a warm, yet cold whisper.

“Yes?” she spoke with a bit of an echo to her voice. “Where am I?”

The Imperial stared at her, purple eyes unmoving, before he brought a paw to the earth in front of her. A rune appeared before it spread to where she was standing. The Spiral cried out in pain as the runes on her scales began to pulsate stronger. The dragon before her watched the Spiral struggle before he brought his paw up to have the rune disappear. Tanda gasped for her breath as sharp, piercing red eyes glared at the Imperial. How dare he cause her pain? Her tongue slid out of her mouth as if she was a snake as a hiss escaped her throat. The glow of her runes moved to her claws as she stood before lunging at the Imperial. His eyes glowed a darker purple as she came closer to him.

---

Tanda woke startled as she fell off her perch in her lair. She landed on the rocky ground with a thump before lifting her head as she stared at the darkness that greeted her. A snake-like tongue appeared from her mouth before it hid once again in her maw. A third eyelid blinked over her eyes as her body twisted around the rocks that jutted up from the ground. The spiral was a lot bigger than the other Spirals she had encountered in her lifetime. Sometimes, she even dwarfed some of the biggest Guardians she had ever seen. Her body slithered from its position before she made her way to the watering pool that was in her lair. The Spiral moved to take a drink before snarling as the Imperial in her dreams appeared in the water behind her. Why was the Imperial larger than her? She took a paw before slamming it against the water. The ripples cause the image to fade from her vision. She hissed at her own reflection as it appeared on the water’s surface once again before she raced to her perch. She was a monster. Dragons dared enter her lair enticed by the notion she could decide their fate.

Life or Death?

She remembered those words spoken to her; yet, she was cursed to say them to the dragons that dared stumble upon her lair. Her paw slammed into the rock beside her. Green runes appeared on the rock before it crumbled to dust. Tanda breathed sharp and fast as she stared at where the rock once was whole. Even the rocks decided to turn to dust or stay a rock by her. She moved from her spot before curling around a stalagmite as she rested her head on a flat shelf that was created in the cave. Tanda wanted to be alone as the world moved and shaped without her. Her tongue flickered from her mouth as she sensed a presence approaching. Tanda’s head lifted from the shelf. It moved around the stalagmite to peer at the entrance of her lair before she slithered from her position to hide in the shadows.

---

“Life or Death?” hissed Tanda.

She wrapped herself tighter around the Pearlcatcher’s neck as she moved around to face him. Her face was close to the dragon’s own as her tongue reached out to touch his snout. It flickered back into her own maw as she continued to move her long body around her lair as well as the Pearlcatcher. Her eyes glowed a dull, blood red as she placed a claw on his cheek running it down to draw a bit of blood. It dropped to the cavern floor as a rune appeared. The blood began to seep into the rune causing it to turn a dark red.

“You must choose before the rune completes,” Tanda said as her voice gave off an eerie echo. She wrapped herself around the rocks that surrounded them. Her own runes pulsated a bright green enough to light the cave. “Or I will choose for you. So, I ask again …”

“Life or Death?”

The Pearlcatcher stuttered in his answer. He shook as the pearl he clutched hit the ground beside him as it rolled toward Tanda. The Spiral moved to stare at it as her eyes glowed brighter. Shapes began to form in the pearl showing her the dragon’s life from when it started to the present. Not all dragons’ lives recorded in a pearl; she had to use her foresight to see their past. What lead them to find her cave? Why were they leaving their fate in her claws? The skulls on her necklace clanged together as she picked the pearl up in her maw before placing it beside the Pearlcatcher.

“What do you choose?”

The rune was almost finished, and she knew the outcome of such a thing. The soothsayer was able to see one path, and she was able to help that path come to fruition; yet, her rune always chose the path of pain and suffering. A path she had to travel at one point in her life; though, Tanda did not remember such trials. She watched the Pearlcatcher stumble through his words as the rune finished. It turned a blood red before shrinking and piercing its design on the dragon’s scales. The Pearlcatcher roared in pain as Tanda wrapped herself around him once again. Her claws trailed across his scales before following the rune’s design on his neck.

“Death,” she muttered. “Is that you would have chosen?”

“Yes,” muttered the Pearlcatcher.

The rune was right once again. Her magic knew no bounds, and she was still discovering its capabilities. Her face moved in front of his own as her tongue flickered from her mouth once again. It lingered a bit longer before disappearing as her eyes closed. The runes pulsated stronger on her body before they snapped open. The Pearlcatcher gasped as the rune on his neck burned.

“Your decision will be painless … and quick.” She moved a claws paw to cup his face to turn it to stare at the rune. It was starting to turn black. “And, I see it will happen soon. When that rune turns black, you will seal your fate.”

She turned to slither back into the shadows as the runes began to dull in color. Her tongue flicked out as she turned to stare at him. “But, there is still time. If you choose to decide life after all, find your way back to me.” A smile etched on her face.

“I might be able to save you after all.”