Takil

Cerdae Sparkle Organics Cerdae shed has fallen out of favor as a light source in recent years. Recent acquisitions of the material produce a sickly red glow. 48 Jar of Slime Organics A little jar of happiness. It glows in the dark. 37

Guardian of the acid pool. Deep within the guardian's tower, even deeper than its deepest rooms, there's a small, natural cave. Ridgebacks and Imperials must crawl to fit, and soon they would feel the pain of the rocks brushing against their wings. The path lacks any luminaries and the only certain things within this unbearable darkness, are the constant decline of the way, and the putrid, acid smell that scorches the noses of visitors. After a long time of blind walks, finally some light can be seen, radiating from slicing phosphorus and other chemical reactions spontaneously happening from spare materials that cover the ground. The path finally opens into a great cavern, illuminated by torches made of reacting elements and cerdae sparkles. The sick, weak light is more than enough to illuminate, but soon it renders unnecessary, as in the center of the room lies a great natural pool of chemical concoctions burning, reacting, blazing, shining, neutralizing itself and corroding its surroundings. The pool seems to be living, pulsing, waiting for food, like a portion of the Wyrmwound itself.... Surrounded by junk piles made of both organic and inorganic garbage, including decomposing plants and corpses, almost camouflaged in middle of the rubbish, the Guardian of the pool stares at you. Welcome to our... "Sanctuary", visitor.

Irradiated Alchemical Reduction Transmutation These materials have boiled down to a small quantity of glowing crystals. 0 Haunting Houndskull Organics A smoldering skull with a toothy grin. While there aren't any eyes, one can't help but feel like they're being watched. 47 Unstable Serthis Concoction Organics This is probably just lime juice. Go on, drink it. Nah, don't worry about it. 26

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Takil, "corrosion"

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Nifaya, "residues, wastes".

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Her name is pronounced as "Näh-mhd", within my lore is a Shertis' word for "tamed beast".

In Serthis culture, to "Tame" someone means to turn it into something useful for its parental clan. As tamed warriors (who survived both social bloodshed and dangerous training) are by far stronger than savage and untrained ones, turns into a coincidence that "Named" and trained dragons are also a lot more powerful than "Unnamed" ones.

After some time, the Serthis also assimilated the draconian word for "Named" as meaning of "a worthy rival/being".

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Yeah, was that week.

Assa was freely exploring territories long forgotten to her serthis' clan, far to the south, at the very edges of the Wandering Contagion.

She felt the membranes vibrate with minimal wave-length, but was enough to know she was close to a creature. It didn't take any effort to discover a dragoness, poisoned colors shocking against the environment in a warning that, after a brief look, redeemed unnecessary for the serthis. It seemed feral, but weak from hunger. A mindless and foolish, non-living predatory monster that was lost in a territory too strong for it to catch any prey. Assa let out a hissing laugh from her mouth, letting the dragon know she was there.

As soon as the sound reached the dragon's auditory tract, it faced the serthis, and prepared an attack. Too slow. Too weak. Almost disgustingly pitiful, an insult for this serthis, a warrior who trained along the strongest of the Wyrmwound Veterans. Assa ended the battle with just a brief movement of her tail.

-You're not from these lands. Maybe you were a predatory monster, but here in the lands of Life you'll be prey, or learn to live. -The serthis hissed in her language, actually just thinking out loud before leaving the defeated dragon behind. -Draaghn! -She added, spiting a word that, all across the beastclans has one meaning: monstrous savage.

The dragoness tried to stand up, to chase her prey, to keep the fight, to defeat, to predate. Trembling limbs supporting the cold body as it tried to follow its serpentine target, but the unstable terrain and the countless starving nights turned the mindless creature into prey of the plague. Each fall consuming its energies, each scratch eating its flesh while infecting her blood, each breath of that air filled with virus and microscopic predators, were slowly sealing its death. But it still tried to chase... its... each step further away... serpentine prey.

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-Aren't you trying to tame it, aren't you?- Was the only comment her leader hissed as it saw the unconscious chained dragon. Assa didn't answered. She had better things to lose time in, better paid things.

Protected by her kin, she dragged the wild monster across the Contagion for what seemed like weeks. She arrived at the last southern trade post of the "Guarding" Clan, a secret place for which they had secured a Mercenary and Trade alliance with her Serthis clan. She waited for a few minutes, observing the Boneyard in front of her, the rising sun in the dark sky making her uncomfortable. Daylight was dangerous for the Serthis, as non allied dragons used to wander the territory of the Guarding ones.

In the distance she saw a great shade moving across the horizon, fading in concealment of the pestilent mist. Allies were coming. Assa knew it. The diffused silhouette slowly started to become the known shape of the heavier Guarding dragon of the Guarding clan: the son of the Khoja's himself was coming to receive them. A risky movement, very smart or maybe overconfident... if a third party dared to try an attack against the Guarding one in its territory... The Serthis wouldn't dare to break the alliance...

-Comrade!~ -Assa silenced its thoughts and unsheathed her swords to welcome the great Guardian with a reverence, sharp eyes fixed in the dragon's movements while blades gracefully sliced the air at her surroundings. The Guarding dragon answered with a deep reverence of his enormous head, truly closing his eyes in front of the Serthis pack in demonstration of the confidence that the Guarding clan always had of Assa's mercs team's loyalty. At the sight of the dragon's movement, tension distended and the other warriors of Assa's team adopted defensive positions to ward off any unwanted visitors to the trade spot.

Assa turned to her prey and with a fast movement of her tail whipped the chained, savage dragon. The mirror answered with an insane, furious growl under the halter, but didn't try to shake off her chains as before. -Learns fast, but keeps ...savage.~ -Assa commented to the Guarding dragon.

The Guardian approximated to the weakened Mirror, it was truly a beast, with a pathological condition of insanity that he didn't dare to explain.

-I'm sorry, but we will not accept it in this state.- The Guardian said, slowly shaking his head. Assa lowered her movements and coiled her tail in the soil, without concealing her disappointment. -But I'll propose you a better deal for both of us. -After an unnoticeable but endless moment of tension, Assa nodded to hear the proposal: -Tame it. We will help you to do it, and we will also pay you to do it.

The Guardian uncovered from under his massive wing a great sack that was guessed full of treasure, and left it in front of the Venomblade. After a fast inspection that confirmed the values inside the bag, Assa turned her back to the Guardian dragon, looking at the chained mirror, that looked back to her with a white stare, silent, like waiting for something, like understanding that something was happening.

-... ... ... .... I'll set the contract, you revise its points. You'll fund us, and we'll have right to leave at any moment, with whatever payments were made being nonrefundable. -Assa said to the Guardian while staring at the savage mirror. She was the best contract-writer of her clan, even better than the ambassador itself.

-Go ahead.

........

After a few minutes, the contract was signed: the Guarding clan, represented by Beholder Guardian member of the Core, had accepted all of Assa's points of the contract, while stating their own interests clearly.

As representatives of both the Guarding clan and the Serthis Venom Mercenary Clan signed the contract, Assa stared again at the white eyed monster and thought that she was kinda fond of it. Being a mindless savage as her old self... a beautiful Diamond to be polished...

-you... you will be Named... -Whispered the Venomblade, thinking out loud.

The mirror answered with a louder, ravenous hiss.