Circuit

The Circuit Breakers

The Circuit Breakers were a small clan of dragons from the Charged Barrens. Most of them chose to move to larger cities within the Shifting Expanse, while a handful left for greener (or in this case, redder) pastures of other flights. First drawn to Quarantine Zone #128 as part of their research, two former Circuit Breakers hatched one nest there before deeming the area too dangerous to continue living for non-Plague dragons. The once-two-now-five group left the Scarred Wasteland and ventured back southeast to rejoin others of their clan in the Ashfall Waste.

The Ashfall Waste

As the five dragons, two adults and a trio of hatchlings, settled into their new village with their older kin, they began to thrive, producing new inventions and experiments with the help of their new Fire flight neighbors. Things continued to go well, until volcanic activity forced the clan out of their home, after engulfing the entire site in lava. Many non-Fire dragons died that day, including two of the Plague hatchlings.

The Shifting Expanse ...Again

The survivors left the ruins in shambles, returning to the Shifting Expanse, with the exception of three. Two of the Circuit Breakers went back to living and researching in Quarantine Zone #128, while the third left to travel the world as a pirate and adventurer. The two remaining Circuit Breakers now work on the secretive and ethically questionable Shadebane Project.



The Subject

Circuit had just put the finishing touches on the new machine. The injector was finally ready for its first round of testing. Giving the signal to her partner, she began powering up the device while Breaker wheeled in the cart with the sedated, restrained test subject strapped down and ready. Downing another mug of coffee in one gulp, she pulled the last switch, powering on the injector. With a stunning display of sparks, and a writhing loose wire, the injector hummed to life, plunging its needle deep into the test subject.

The slowly wakening test subject thrashed to the best of its ability in pain as the dark fluid in the injector was forced into its body. Even sedation wasn't enough to keep it still, as the straps started to stretch to their limits under the stress of the test subject's violent attempt to escape. But the straps held, and in the end, the injector pulled back and powered down. The test subject, now weary from both the vain struggle, and another dose of sedatives, went limp on the cart.

Testing

The test subject had to be put on extra sedatives as Breaker wheeled the mobile cage into the test chamber. Unlocking the cage door and bolting for the exit, Breaker barely made it out before Circuit sealed the door behind him. At the control panel, Circuit opened another door, and a snarling shadebeast lumbered out. The test subject blearily got up, sedatives still in effect, and locked eyes with the empty sockets of the shadebeast. The tiny dragon would be hardly a match for the colossal shade-infected Yeti under normal circumstances. But these weren't normal circumstances, were they? Circuit grinned to herself as the terrified test subject, now fueled by adrenaline and panic, darted to an upper corner of the test chamber, barely avoiding a massive, meaty fist.

Letting out a shrill cackle, she pressed a button on the control panel, causing the floor to rise to meet the ceiling, and causing the test subject to be permanently in punching range of the raging, shade-touched Yeti. Realizing what was happening, the minuscule dragon flapped its insectoid wings as fast as possible, forcing the Yeti to chase it around the test chamber. Realizing quickly that the Yeti showed no signs of tiring, the test subject was forced to make a stand.

Shadebane

Desperate to save itself from the monstrous Yeti, the test subject prepared to unleash its breath weapon on the beast. A normal plague dragon would've unleashed a potent miasma, or thick slime, or other form of filth at this point, but this was no longer an ordinary plague dragon. A viscous black fluid, darker than the Shadowbinder's goop, but lighter than Shade, gushed from the tiny dragon's mouth, hitting the Yeti in the face and chest.

Circuit grinned again while Breaker covered his nose and mouth in disgust and horror. Even though the test chamber was supposed to be sealed and airtight, a sickening, acrid stench was quickly permeating the laboratory. Cleaning up the remains of the Yeti and corralling the now very dangerous test subject would be a task she would relegate to Breaker. She had other things to do. More important things to do. She started drawing up plans to perfect the dark fluid, and the injector.