Ymluvhasz

CHAPTER FOUR: THE DYING STAR
Birth of the Dragons of Aether - Entry 4


There was a dragon that rivaled the Old One.

Their appearance was nothing short of terrifying. The pelt they possessed ruined our minds, causing our vision to blur as we were drowned in an intense confused state. Mere mortals cannot comprehend their composition, and so we were left vulnerable at the time of their attack.

A fierce battle between this entity and the Old One commenced. A clash of aetherical explosions, flying fur, blackened blood, and incomprehensible screeching. It was a sight to behold, as we were caught in it's wake.

The Old One, he so valiantly protected us, and as the fight dragged on, we could see his energy wane. They both began to wear each other out, each move becoming more and more desperate. There had to be something we could do, something to assist our guardian.

It was then that the two dragons of brown and blue came to our aid. While exponentially weaker, they struck once their enemy was weak, though they suffered injuries for their bravery. Their wings were torn, and their fur singed, yet we managed to secure their condition quickly after the fighting had died down.

As with the last conflict, Nadya pleaded that we did not land the killing blow. However, the spotted dragon that threatened us did not prove to have the ability to choose. She begged for us to allow her to try, though hesitant we were to put her in harm's way once again. The Old One stood by her side, walking with her to the body that laid beneath them, still heaving breaths.

Nadya spoke in her kinds language. We know not what she uttered, yet it caused the dragon to stir. His fiery eyes bore into her, mixed with hate and confusion. She explained to us that she had pleaded for the dragon to make a choice- if he had difficulty, he still must try. To her, everyone deserved a chance, no matter how far gone they might be. She seemed to believe every dragon of aether was capable of making choices, some more readily than others, and those that had more difficulty, we had simply deemed as mindless.

She gave us a lot to think about, how we view the dragons of aether, and their varying levels of sentience and choice. Were they simply going by mindless instinct, or were they truly making the choice to serve Aavaderyat and could not be convinced otherwise? It was something none had a definitive answer to.

In the end, we listened to Nadya, and took the spotted dragon in. She advised us that he was of no harm to us any longer, though he rarely spoke. At the very least... he made the choice to accept our hospitality, and to cease his aggression.

The Old One continued to exert his natural authority. We theorize the spotted dragon is of a similar position into the species overall hierarchy, which explains why they were evenly matched, and smaller, weaker dragons of aether submitted to him. We are lucky to have such a stalwart guardian defend us in such a dangerous landscape the world has become.