Smogpelt

Under the moonlit sky are what remains of the Plains of Cinca, now an ashen wasteland. A heavy fog slowly crept over the plains, nearly blocking out the moon, which turned appeared to change with its rings glowing like an eclipse. It was quiet save for the creaking of branches. Then within the dense fog, a silhouette of an Imperial appears, moving through the fog, unafraid and unfazed by anything. The Imperial then stopped. In front of him lay another dragon, a Pearlcatcher. It held a blackened orb in the claws, as it looked up. Staring at the imperial through its mask. Eyes glowing white. It was donned in purple garments with branching linings and dark ornaments.

“You are finally here…” It spoke. Then seven other Pearlcatchers erupted out of the ground, surrounding the Imperial. The Imperial looked around him, unfazed. “We have reports of an unknown imperial within this area, one that aren’t in our records, therefore, you must perish.” As it finishes speaking, all of the pearlcatchers summoned their weapons. Shadowy tendrils with a metal spike at the tips emerge from within the darkness of their robes. They all then charged at the Imperial as the speaker concludes.

---

Meanwhile, from within the Dyma War room… a black armored Imperial was hunched over the table, covered with tablets and some arrow tokens. One other dragon, a Coatl, entered the room.

“Everything okay?” She asked inquisitively.

“No. There has been plenty of movement of these… 'Zealots' … occurring more and more within this area.” The Imperial replied, pointing to the section where there are several arrow tokens entering the area designated ‘Cinca Plains'. “That area has been devastated by the Cinca Eruption a year ago. No life exists there anymore, so why? Who are these Zealots and why are they heading into that ashen wasteland?”

“Maybe there is something there? Probably something dug up? Maybe we can send an exp—”

“No, sending an expedition there would thin our defenses, and would expose a weak spot.” The Imperial interrupted as he withdrew himself from the table. The Coatl keeping quiet as he spoke. “One can only imagine what lurks there, or what sort of activity is happening…” he finishes as he stares at the Cinca Plains on the map.

---

Back within the ashen wasteland… lay a single pearlcatcher lying face down, bloodied and buried within the grey ground. Its pearl sat lifeless and cracked next to it. There were other Peaelcatchers nearby. Each with their own injuries, and degree of severity. Cracked pearls, puncture wounds, broken limbs and wings. One still lived, severily wounded, as it struggled to claw itself free, away from something. Then the claw exited the fog, followed by his head, then the rest of him. The Imperial slowly walked towards the Zealot, with his left wing slowly changing its form, becoming smaller with three elongated spines. His right wing remaining folded. He was now much closer. The three spines pushed into the Zealot’s back, who let out pained screams. The Imperial then slammed the Zealot's face into the ground, causing its glowing blackish purple pearl to slip out of its claw.

“Now…You seemed to be the only one with a will… unlike the others.” He softly spoke as he kept his spiked wing dug into the Zealot's back.

“Who… no… WHAT ARE YOU!?” The Zealot screamed back, looking directly at the mysterious Imperial. As the dense fog clears a little, the appearance of the Imperial is finally revealed. With his black horns and unique garbs. His right wing finally unfolds, revealing its summoned, transparent, wings underneath. Its presence is calm, yet threatening. Red feathers adorned the top of his head, his eyes glowing red.

“I’m sorry… that was the wrong response to what I asked you, before you and your troupe attacked.” He condescends before nothing was heard anymore. The grey Imperial began to move once more, into the dense fog, heading in the same direction he had been before, leaving behind a mess.
The purple pearl that was left behind still glowed… then a voice. “Interesting…” The voice fades as the purple essence within the pearl disappears.