Bramble

BRAMBLE "What is dead may never die."

Memento Mori Generation 3 Studious | Sociable | Reckless Necromancer

Memento mori (Latin: "remember that you have to die") is the medieval Latin Christian theory and practice of reflection on mortality, especially as a means of considering the vanity of earthly life and the transient nature of all earthly goods and pursuits. Memento mori has been an important part of ascetic disciplines as a means of perfecting the character by cultivating detachment and other virtues, and by turning the attention towards the immortality of the soul and the afterlife. Nascentes Morimur This curse would be traced down his lineage. All Moros' children were destined to die, like any dragon. But they would be given a second chance. It was up to the children if they would accept the bargain.

---

Bramble knew what being a Memento Mori meant.

Death follows everyone; it is unrelenting, unstoppable, and it comes for you whether you want it to or not. Certainly, there are those who seek immortality through various means, those who try to avoid their fate. Those who fear death, those who cower before it every single day of their life.

As a Memento Mori, death was always a little closer by Bramble than most dragons.

They could have been afraid. They could have cowered, or tried to avoid it, or join those who seek immortality.

Instead of doing any of that, Bramble lived their life to the fullest. They thrived on learning, on seeking knowledge, loved chattering with others about their findings. They loved their friends, their clanmates. They loved applying their knowledge on the battlefield, casting powerful shadow spells to take down the creatures that roamed Sornieth.

And then their clan got wiped out.

It was unfortunate; an emperor whom had been terrorizing the region, whom many clans had attempted to take down already had made its way to Bramble's little clan.

There was no way the small clan could win where larger, more prepared clans had failed.

Still, Bramble fought viciously, along with the other clan's warriors, but as predicted, it wasn't enough.

One by one, his clanmates fell. Bramble tried to keep them upright, tried to use healing spells. Tried to keep the emperor back.

Bramble cast a shroud at the emperors heads; it wailed, furious at the loss of its vision, and started thrashing mindlessly, uncaring what it stepped on. Uncaring of what happened around it.

Bramble was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The emperor's gigantic foot came crashing down.

And with a loud crunch, Bramble fell silent.

---

Ah... so you died, didn't you?

"I suppose I did. I did good though, right?"

That you did! You're a wonderfully kind dragon, Bramble.

"Ah, thank you. I tried my best."

You know what I'm here for?

"Of course. I know what happens to us Memento Mori. You're here to give me a second chance, aren't you?"

That I am... then, you know that this gift comes with consequences?

"I do."

You're willing to face those?

"I am. I need to know what happened to everyone. I can't just idly stand by when I can still do something."

You're absolutely certain about this?

"Yes."

Then take my gift, and live.

---

"... Look... vers..."

Bramble came to awareness very slowly, their head pounding, their throat dry. They blinked their eyes, groaned.

"... over... the... live..."

Voices came from around them, but they couldn't really make out what they were saying. Was it their clanmates, or scavengers? Was the emperor still here?

"... Hey... ake... hey..."

They blinked, feeling a large presence hanging over them; it wasn't the emperor, emperors didn't speak. They tried blinking again, and the fog before their eyes started to clear.

"... Hey, heeey! Wake up! Hello-o?"

And they came face to face with the pointy snout of a ridgeback.

Bramble blinked again, tried to sit upright. They groaned at their protesting muscles, opened their mouth to speak-

and coughed up dust.

"Oh, you're awake!" The ridgeback grinned, leaning backwards. "I'm so glad! You were pretty far away, weren't you? What's your name? Can you tell me?"

Bramble nodded, clearing their throat.

'I'm Bramble. Are the others okay?'

... is what they wanted to say, but nothing came out.

They frowned. Tried again. Nothing.

A ferberus slunk out of the shadows, yellow eyes bright.

"That one over there is Bramble, and my name is Lucis. They can't speak though, sorry to say."

"Oh! That's alright, we can find another way to talk, Bramble. No worries!"

They couldn't speak.

Bramble panicked a little; talking with others was one of their greatest joys in life. Was this what they had to give up in order for a second chance? And what of their clanmates? Had they been revived too late?

The ridgeback must've noticed their anxiety, because he spoke up again.

"Ah, by the by, me and great-grandma's army took down that emperor, if you were worried about that. We've been hunting it for ages, you know! Slippery eel, that one." His grin fell a little. "I'm sorry, though. We didn't get here in time."

Bramble tried to convey their worry. Gestured at the debris around them.

"They're asking about survivors." Lucis told the ridgeback.

"Oh." The ridgeback looked distinctly uncomfortable. "Sorry, but... you're the only one we've found alive, so far. I... I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news."

Bramble's breath caught.

The only survivor? But- but-

"H-hey! We're still looking though! Others may yet be found!" The ridgeback tried to assure them.

Bramble looked at the ridgeback with doubt, who scratched the back of his own neck.

"Well, uh, either way. Would you like to come with me? We can look for more survivors together."

Bramble sighed. Looked around the debris. Looked at the ferberus, Lucis, whose yellow eyes pierced the darkness of the Tangled Wood.

There wasn't much else they could do, could they?

They nodded.

The ridgeback seemed to perk up immediatly at that.

"I'm glad!" He shouted with a grin. "Come on then, I'll introduce you to the others!"

"You didn't even introduce yourself." Lucis said, pretty much voicing Bramble's thoughts.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I kind of forgot. Well." The ridgeback held out his claw to Bramble.

"My name is Blitz. Nice to meet you!"