As dawn broke over the pink-toned beaches of the Starfall Isles, the sand itself began to shift. In a moment, the top of a Nocturne’s head poked out of the loose soil and blinked blearily at the rising sun, seemingly perturbed by its presence. Nevertheless, the Nocturne continued to extricate herself from her sandy bed, slowly shaking out each leg, and tilting her wings so the sand ran off of them like some mysterious rosy liquid. After failing to stifle an enormous yawn, the female dragon began a series of stretches, her breathing slow and deliberate and finally, after one last half-hearted yawn, the dragon began to move. She started with a slow gallop along the shoreline, and increased her speed as the salty air and rising sun replenished her energy. Before long she was sprinting at top speed and then, with one swift and deliberate pump of her wings, she was airborne. The Nocturne soared low, right along the surf, her claws just centimeters above the wet sand. Her piercing eyes scanned the ground below her intently—she was on the hunt.

Although Sirene was born in the Shadow realm, she never felt quite at home there and set off to explore Sornieth at an early age. It wasn’t long before she found the realm of the Arcanist and instantly fell in love. The clans here shared her passion for the unknown and were continually seeking new knowledge, their hearts filled with a perpetual and contagious curiosity. Sirene had never belonged to or felt supported by a community such as this, and after only a few days in the Starfall Isles, Sirene knew she could never bear to leave. She joined a clan along the way and has never looked back. At night, Sirene would bury herself in the warm sand and feel comforted by the land itself. Then, every morning, when the sun rose, Sirene would rise with it and continue her hunt for knowledge…

Unlike other Arcane dragons, Sirene was not fascinated by the sky or stars, or even with the mysteries found in dragon history. Instead, Sirene was drawn to the ocean. It contained the most powerful mystical force Sirene had ever encountered, and she was determined to unravel its secrets, no matter how long it took.

Today was no different from any other day, and just like all the days before it, Sirene’s eyes roamed over the sand below her, looking for any artifacts, shells, and other such trinkets that the ocean’s waves had cast ashore. She truly believed that the ocean presented these gifts to her for a reason and each artifact she found was an essential clue to unraveling its secrets. So, Sirene searched vigilantly, reaching a claw down every so often to snatch something out of the surf and inspect it before either tossing it back into the swirling waves, or tucking it into her handmade satchel. It took Sirene an entire day to scan the shoreline of her clan’s territory. At the end of her long search, Sirene would return to her hidden cave, crafted from the waves itself in a wall of sandstone along the coast. Here, the curious Nocturne would deposit her treasures of the day and separate them from the tasty mussels, sea snails, and clams that she would gather during the day to bring back to her clan.

A particular male Guardian named Waterwings always showed extra appreciation for her offerings, and when Sirene returned from her day’s search, the kindhearted male would ask her about the secrets of the ocean she had uncovered that day. Over time, the two dragons formed a strong bond, and before long, Sirene found herself showing Waterwings her hidden cave of oceanic wonders, which Waterwings admitted was the most impressive collection of knowledge he had ever encountered. Their friendship may have led to something more, but Sirene preferred her independence and politely refused Waterwings’ timid advances. Not that Waterwings himself minded one bit—he quite enjoyed the company of this captivating female and his respect for her allowed their friendship to prosper, even without the prospect of romance.

Some days Waterwings accompanies Sirene on her beach explorations, typically circling lazily above her head or flying over the ocean next to her, snatching a fish from the water every once in a while to fuel their search. Every night, however, Waterwings returns to the clan while Sirene finds her own quiet spot along the shore, shrouding herself in the rose-colored grains and letting its soft warmth lure her into a deep and sometimes illuminating dream-filled sleep.