Lore

If a sight could be truly described as ethereal, it would be the Pillar of the World.

Zeebidiea felt his travelling companions shiver behind him, the raw energy emanating from the Pillar setting their nerves alight. Of course, Zee was feeling the power too- it was impossible to ignore. But while they may have been looking up in well-deserved awe… Zee felt nothing but sadness. Had the deities of this world once rested here in harmony? Had this world once known peace?

Zee had fought too many battles to believe that any more. It was hard to imagine a world without the influence of the Shade creeping into every corner of life, destroying peace wherever it went. And who had been the one that had beckoned the Shade to this poor world? None but the dragons that now ruled it. Of course, none of them had really been alive back when the Arcanist had made his perilous journey up this heavenly structure. But now they lived with the aftermath, attempting to dominate a world ruined by their forefathers, serving under the word of the deities that had spelt their doom.

“We should leave,” Yang whispered, moving closer to Zee. Neither of them could tear their gazes away from the Pillar. “There’s… something wrong about this place. Like we’re trespassing somehow.” Zee could understand what Yang was getting at. But now he understood the full truth- as he gazed into the cracks of the Pillar, he knew without doubt that they weren’t just trespassing into the bowls of Dragonhome- they were trespassing on this world.

“Don’t you always feel that way, Yang?” he answered, “I’ve never felt like I’ve belonged on this world… and now I know why.” He finally tore his eyes from the Pillar, looking straight into his companion’s eyes. The tundra stumbled back, his own trance broken. But… Zee could sense a dawning sense of recognition in his eyes. He understood, too.

“...What do you mean, Zee…?” Elizaveta murmured, and stepped closer to the Pillar. Looking back, Zee could see her blue eyes had turned glassy. As she stepped closer and closer to the Pillar, tears began to roll down her eyes. Zee was going to leave her to make her own revelations- when he heard something shuffle in the underbrush. Hit with a sudden jolt of fear, he rushed towards Elizaveta, tackling her to the ground. A spear soon embedded itself where she was once standing, and Zee heard her grasp, the hypnotic presence of the Pillar leaving her mind in a snap.

Yang snarled, standing above Elizaveta and Zee, his wings spread in a protective stance. From behind a few shrubs, the sound of fluttering wings echoed, and out emerged a flock of Talonok. The leader- or at least, the creature Zee assumed was the leader- stepped forwards, an elaborate spear clutched in his hand. He stared down the three dragons with derision… before his gaze shifted to Zee’s eyes, and a jolt of realisation seemed to cross his features.

“It’s rare for trespassers to dare come so close to the den of the Earthshaker… but I hadn’t expected to find ones that had already experienced the Revelation.”

“What are you- what are you talking about?” Zee shouted… but his heart wasn’t in it. In fact, he felt a strange sort of kinship towards these Talanok- and they seemed to feel it, too. A revelation, huh…? Were they referring to his sudden understanding?

The Talanok smiled, dropping his weapon and moving closer to Zee. Even Yang had dropped his battle stance- the trio of dragons seeming as enamoured with the Talanok clan as they were with the Pillar. “I gazed into the Pillar too, young one. All of us did. The wisdom it imparts onto you… the destruction dragons have wrought on our once-peaceful world… you understand, do you not?”

“Yes…” Zee whispered, and the Talanok’s grin seemed to sharpen.

“Welcome to the Beastclans, young one.”