Zara

I was lost when I awoke... for a moment I had forgotten who I was. I stumbled around in darkness for an unknowable length of time. I knew I was forgetting something, and so I closed my eyes and tried. I tried to remember, what was right there... So close but yet unreachable. I tried and then I drifted off into another slumber. Eventually I woke up, to a cold wet feeling on my shoulder. I blinked myself awake and looked up, but I saw nothing but a pool of familiar liquid around me, dripping down my flank. I knew I recognized it, but at first I couldn't remember. I tried again to remember, this time I could see... I closed my eyes and saw my home. I was born of Shadow, and I had a clan, and a mother... I can't remember what she looked like... it's almost like I remembered two versions of her... I knew what the fluid covering my body was now. It was the Shadowbinder's influence, her magic was all around me. Why did I feel so weak then?

I tried desperately to find my way home, but I could barely stand. The ground felt so far away... I tried again to remember who my parents were... I only remember my mother... but again I can't remember her exactly. Thirsty, I managed to crawl to a stream of fresh, cool water, pooling into a small hole. I drank and disturbed the image on the surface of the pool, but then I hesitated. What was that I saw? I do not look like my mother... I do not look... like myself? How could I appear so foreign to my own mind? I had to find my way home as soon as I could. I felt a sudden urgency, and a newfound strength entered my limbs. I raced through the forest, nothing getting in the way of my speed. My legs knew where to take me, I let them carry me all the way home. I remembered the hidden bramble entrance, and pushed my way through. It felt easier than I remember... I remember! I was a Nocturne, and now I am lost. I entered the camp and many eyes fell on me, seemingly confused. I heard murmurs, nobody knew what I had become... I tried to find my mother, sighing in relief when I spotted her. I started to pace towards her when I realized I had seen another... I hadn't forgotten how my mother looked... I had two of them. They recognized me, but they were concerned. They didn't know what I had become, and neither did I.

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The dragons who I call my clan seem to fear me now that I have changed. The magical researchers don't seem to know what happened, but they are very interested. They also seem to think this is Shade's fault, because she's from another world. Some dragons think I was blessed by the Shadowbinder, others think I was cursed by Her. I simply wish to know why this happened, and how. I don't remember changing from Nocturne into... this. A lot of strange stuff has come about as a result of this portal... I can't help but feel like my magic is connected to it.

More dragons like me are beginning to appear, but just here in the Tangled Wood, but all over Sornieth. My clan still seems uneasy about my transformation, but at least now they seem a bit more calm. They no longer call me "changed", but now Veilspun, apparently what the others call themselves. They are an ancient breed of dragon in service to the Shadowbinder. The portal seems to have agitated them, and caused their reappearance. We aren't sure why this is, but at least I feel more knowledgeable about what's going on with me. I still would like to know why I changed... and what this has to do with Shade.

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Art by Xaphanx