Firefly

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Prairie Polearm Trinkets Every part of this decorative staff was gathered from the plains. 33

——— FIREFLY ——— they/she heaven's caravan - leader obstinate, mum, detached, spiteful, zealous

Glowing Pocket Bauble Organics These baubles emit a soft glow. This light may be replenished by leaving the baubles out in the sun. 20

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The enigmatic leader of their caravan, disclosing little of their intentions to most of its members save for the ones they trust as chiefs. Once you pull them aside and get them talking, though, you'll quickly discover they're a little too enthusiastic about things no dragon should be enthusiastic about. Namely, the Emperor that she won't tell her followers that she's following (though once you've stuck around for a while, it isn't hard to guess.) Born with too frail a grasp on magic, she forever envies those who are able to wield it, but that hardly makes her little Fae self vulnerable - Firefly's a remarkably fierce combatant with a sharp mind, no matter how much its inner workings have surely been twisted by now.

Seahorse and Mirabelle are the two they've appointed as chiefs for the caravan, and they consider them both good friends, though they're no open book to the two of them. When Firefly lets herself be spotted, she's often sat upon the shoulders of either, discussing plans and other important matters. Their daughter Ayelet is the one blatant exception to their distaste of mages; they constantly dote upon her, in fact, proud of her abilities and wanting to keep her strong and safe and pretty. Unless you want to be whapped in the face with a shining weapon and receive a lecture on all of his faults, though, it's not a good idea to bring up their former mate Hyacinth around them...

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It is natural, innate, for a Fae to be able to harness the world's magic in great amounts, to tap into the ley lines that weave through Sornieth and use that power for their own. Firefly's siblings in their massive colony in the Sunbeam Ruins all could. But no matter how they tried, they just couldn't get it. Try as they might, they couldn't summon even a spark of light from their little talons. Some tried to comfort her in her plight, some definitely didn't, but as time grew past and her frustration festered, they all became the same to her eventually. Quietly muttering that they'd show them all one day, they left their community behind.

Soon, they found Hyacinth, who, too, had left his clan behind, but not for the same reason - any Guardian his age would be deep in the throes of their Search like he. The other dragon grew fond of them, and the two quickly decided to stay together; to tell the truth, though, most of Firefly's feelings were not really love, but relief, to finally bare herself to a dragon not of her breed.

For a while, Firefly clung to the idea that Hyacinth was an outcast like her, even though that was not truly the case. They clung to what scraps of similarity they had until they could no longer pretend as Hyacinth tried to appeal to her in ways that only made things worse, that only resulted in more and more spats between the two. They tried to focus on leading the new, small-yet-growing clan the two had given rise to, but it was over once the partner who stared into their eyes was not a Guardian, but a Fae.

As much as they tried to hone their claws, to mask or make up for the insecurity that had clouded them since birth, it did not work. She had felt some reassurance in the fact that Hyacinth was once unable to harness magic to the extent a regular Fae could, just like her. But that didn't apply any longer. Now, in their eyes, he was just like them.

They argued. They fought, and she ignored the fact that Hyacinth was trying to call out to her and intervene in that spite-turned-obsession with magic as opposed to condemning her for what she was used to being regarded as a flaw. And then they split. Firefly had no mercy in leaving who was once their mate in the dust, taking much of the clan with them. Without a second thought they were once again willing to leave their home behind.

Despite their spite, they were aimless for a while. They trekked through the Sunbeam Ruins with their band, answering no question. Her fellows had expected this state of wandering being to be temporary. But everything changed when they all stumbled across the strewn carnage of a clan ravaged by light, fire, and wind. Hearing and feeling the sound of massive footsteps, they all ran for cover, keeping their eyes off of the looming threat of an Emperor in the distance as if ignoring it would save them. But she could not tear her gaze away from Luminax.

Oh, no - Firefly was transfixed.