Creative Corner

[center][font=garamond][b][size=6]Chapter Fifty[/size][/b] [size=5]Crystal[/center] [center][img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/qnsvl4q1hbyggi5/arcanetop.png[/img][/center] [font=garamond][size=4]The world spun before her eyes, a confusing cascade of turquoise and mint green. Crystal tried to regain a semblance of control over her plummet, claws grasping at the air, but it was futile. They plunged through the warped space and out into a barren, unfamiliar realm. Coughing at the dust that swirled around them, she squinted around. Miles and miles of empty wasteland stretched out as far as the eye could see. [i]Where… are we?[/i] Her gut churned with uncertainty and fear of what lay beyond. Their descent hadn’t been gentle, and Crystal expected no less of this land. Somehow, she felt that what they were about to face was much, much worse than anything they could have ever imagined. Bridget growled softly, spines standing on end, and she could see Selune’s hackles rise. Starfall hovered silently behind, purple eyes darting around in an unusual display of nervousness, and Rin’s fur was already beginning to crackle with static. Brandishing her feather-blades, Silver led them further into the deadlands. A faint gurgling sound arose from somewhere in the southwest. Tightening her jaw, Crystal forced herself to dismiss it. There were too many things she had to keep track of, and the noise was not one of them. Slowly, they wandered the land, and the pensive fog clouding their minds only grew thicker. There was not a soul in sight. Nothing. Not even an insect skittering across the packed earth. The ground began to rumble. Crystal was moving almost on instinct by now, and she threw her wings out, forcing the group backwards. Just in time to witness the land tear open in a terrifying mimicry of the abyss. Then there was silence. The lack of noise was too eerie, and slowly she and Silver peered over the jagged edges of the wound in the earth. Something seethed far below, a bubbling, gurgling mass that reeked of familiarity. She met the gaze of Silver briefly, and swallowed her terror. The clan was depending on them. She couldn’t fall to fear now. Very slowly, they backed away from the ravine. But with every step they took, the sound grew louder, as if something was choking on itself down there. They walked backwards faster and faster, and the noises grew louder and louder, until they could retreat no faster and stumbled, and out from the depths rose a truly terrifying sight. [center][b][i][font=times new roman]When you gaze into the abyss...[/i] [font=times new roman]the abyss gazes back.[/font][/b][/center] [font=garamond][size=4][i]No, no, no…[/i] Three pairs of gnarled, gaping wings stretched out from the earthen scar like incomplete wraiths, and from the darkness grew multitudes of broken limbs, clawing and heaving at every rock and clod of dirt they could reach until the crack in the ground looked like it had grown tentacles of shadow. A distorted tune of laughter began to echo all around, and Crystal shrank back in horror. [font=times new roman][b][i]mIsSEd mE?[/i][/b][/font] [font=garamond][i]Holy Arcanist. What did I ever do to deserve this?[/i] In front of her, the demonic cackling continued, as the mass of ink slowly began to take shape. The tentacles knotted into a body that could rival the Behemoth in size, and seven heads of pure malice formed, teeming with hate and the essence of a thousand nightmares ripped to shreds. [font=times new roman][b][i]hehe. hEHE. hEHEeheheehHEEHEHEE[/i][/b] [font=garamond]Her mind was screaming at her to act, to get the first attack in before it could fully form, but her feet were frozen to the ground and every brain cell in her was in overdrive. [font=times new roman][b][i]hehEheehEHehEHEHHEHEHE[/i][/b] [font=garamond]The space tore and warped, red earth tainting black and skies darkening to eldritch green. They had been plunged into a nightmare. [font=times new roman][b][i]did you mISS ME?[/i][/b] [font=garamond]Silver was first to strike, icicles singing in the air as they flew straight for the neck of the Shadebeast. Crystal narrowed her eyes, sending a flurry of mana for its heads, hoping to debilitate it slightly. But it was to no avail, as her attacks glanced off its goopy hide. Silver’s icicles had embedded deep in the beast, and she struggled to yank them out, concentration in her eyes. [font=times new roman][b][i]i have bEen wAitiNG~[/i][/b] [font=garamond]She recoiled at the saccharine sweetness in the Shadebeast’s voice, and she slowly edged backwards, motioning for the group to do so too. [font=times new roman][b][i]oh, where are you gOING?[/i][/b] [font=garamond]The voice rose to a hysterical pitch and suddenly Crystal felt like she was falling, falling into the abyss, falling into the Shade’s grasp. [font=times new roman][b][i]hahahahAHAHAHAAHAHAHHAHAHAH[/i][/b] [font=garamond]Her limbs felt heavy like lead and she could hear a strangled gasp from Bridget as the Banescale was forced to the ground. [font=times new roman][b][i]i have waited… sO LoNG![/i][/b] [font=garamond]With a burst of power, they were sent flying, and Crystal finally saw the beast for what it was, a beast constructed from the essence of fear and the spite of the Shade. An emperor towered over them all. Crystal could hear boss music playing in her head, and words started failing to describe just how fearful she was beginning to get. Her heart was pounding and her wings were trembling. The danger she was sensing had skyrocketed. She swallowed softly. Her mind whirred furiously to try and discern the best course of action. [i]Is everyone here? Silver, Bridget, Selune, Starfall… where’s Rin?[/i] Panic struck her when she couldn’t find the pale Tundra anywhere. [font=times new roman][b][i]looking for something?[/i][/b] [font=garamond][i]Oh no.[/i] Rin struggled in the grasp of the Shade emperor, a tentacle curled tightly around her. The Shade threw its heads back and screeched raucous laughter of seven different tones. [i]Rin, hang in there![/i] With a flick of her tail, she signalled Silver to attack first. Blocking out the sounds of the Shade with great effort, she conjured a bubble to protect the rest of the group from multidirectional attack. Then she twisted into the air, scanning the beast for any weak points. [i]The battle has been joined.[/i] Time passed in a blur and Crystal had no idea how long they had been fighting for, two Coatls against what seemed like the world. The rest of the group had stayed behind for fear of corruption, and she could only hope Rin was still the soft, gentle Rin they knew. Snarling, she dragged her claws down a tentacle and watched with detached satisfaction as it faded into darkness. Beside her Silver hissed in agitation as her lightning fizzled out against the emperor’s impenetrable defenses. [i]If we could just distract it long enough…[/i] Crystal rose to the Shade’s eye level, shuddering at the gaping maws of darkness that constantly shifted and bubbled across the emperor. [i]Come at me.[/i] There was an unspoken challenge in her gaze, and it did not go unheeded. With a shriek, the emperor charged at her, thundering across the terrain. [font=times new roman][b][i]I have been waiting so long… YOUR MAGIC WILL BE MINE![/i][/b] [font=garamond]Everything happened too fast for her mind to comprehend. Faintly, she saw a purple mist of shadow wreathe the tendril holding Rin, but it was too late as she fell to the ground, ears ringing. A tentacle slammed down on her, and she struggled to breathe, unable to move an inch. She could only hope Silver had managed to get Rin to safety. [font=times new roman][b][i]this is the end… hhahAHAHAHAHAa… AHAHAAHAHAHAHAHHAAHA[/i][/b] [font=garamond]She lasted for a short while, trying very hard to stay conscious. The shield she had erected was gradually fading away, as the power she needed to uphold the shield slipped through her claws like sand, growing more unreachable by the second. “Crystal, release it.” Silver called softly. The hidden message was clear. [i]There’s no use keeping a failing barrier up anymore.[/i] With guilty relief, she let the last fragments of the shield fade away into nothing, feeling the magic that they had contained leaching away from her. [i]So this is how I die, then.[/i] She couldn’t find the strength to fight back anymore. Her head fell against the ground softly, as familiar darkness started creeping into her vision. A bitter smile ripped across her face. [i]Alone to the very end.[/i] The sounds around her faded to nothing. [i]I’m… sorry… Cameron… will I ever see you guys again?[/i] The flame flickered out alongside the maniacal laughter of the Shade.[/size] [center][img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/nm0z9g1pkrloiln/arcanebottom.png[/img] for once I don't have to ping people HAHA. enjoy these two chapters! stuff really went down here.

[center][font=Lora][size=6]Chapter Fifty One[/size] [size=5]Silver[/size][/center] [center][img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/hzvonpzcngbad5x/shadowtop2.png[/center][/img] [font=lora][size=4] Silver watched Crystal struggle in the grasps of the monstrous Shade, her lightning fizzing out from under her claws. Shrouding a disoriented Rin in Shadow magic, she winced as a dark tentacle threw Crystal off balance, sacrificing herself for Rin’s escape. It had taken so much from her, dead clanmates, family, and now her only partner. Their faces flashed in front of her, pulling her away from the action, each name and face a blade put on her skin. Silver had to at least get some form of revenge on the hideous beast, who let out another one of his - no - [i]its[/i] maniacal cackles, causing her to cringe in disgust and fear. She had to get revenge. A ghastly tentacle pressed deeper into Crystal, leaching the white Coatl’s magic from her. Silver drew ragged breaths, glancing behind at her ragtag group of a clan. There were so little of them left. Pink flickered around them weakly, the only remnants of Crystal’s shield around them breaking away. “Crystal, release it,” Silver called, eyes flickering between her and the grinning entity with uncertainty. Crystal had to save her power if they wanted to survive. Silver surveyed the barren landscape through narrowed eyelids. Crystal was trapped and powerless, Rin was injured and the other dragons unscathed but weak against the…[i]thing[/i]. It was up to her now. All responsibility had suddenly fallen onto her shoulders yet again, all the scrambling and finding a family led to this. It was suddenly her against the Shade. So much doubt and uncertainty clouded her mind and prevented her from coming up with a plan to save them all. [b][i]Your magic smells like your fear. Enticing. yes... enticing… aNd it sHAll be MINE![/b][/i] Black mist swirled and morphed into something ghastly, solidifying into something made of more nightmares from its original form. Its tendrils formed spikes mimicking blades, arcing everywhere and looming over her. The emperor stretched its tendrils into the air revealing more edges dripping with darkness. If they weren’t in such a situation, Silver would have laughed at the atrocious size of the monster fed by its thirst for more magic. But when its tendril slammed into Crystal’s neck again, Silver flinched and dropped into a hunting stance of a crouch, a snarl stretched across her mouth. [i]Do I die alone?[/i] As the Shade emperor leapt at Silver and her lightning and sheathed blades, the whirling mass seemed to slow, the black haze enveloping her stopping all of a sudden. Panic overrun anger as the unwelcome trauma of being swallowed by darkness returned, and soon she was struggling. Silver gasped for air, flailing her wings in the state of blind adrenaline in hopes of deflecting any form of the monster eating up her power. But no matter how much she braced for the suffocating impact of the Shade, it never came. Her breaths turned into shallow pants as she paused in confusion, her blades strewn all over the air in a failed attempt to pierce through an intangible entity and wings still flared open. Silver couldn’t feel the Shade. The air felt surprisingly…[i]calm[/i]. Greed and fear no longer polluted the air. Dropping both paws to the ground, she retrieved her icicles that hung in the stale air still clouded with dark haze from the suddenly frozen Shade. It was as if somebody had pressed the pause button. [i]Crystal and the rest. Where are they?[/i] In the dark, hazy belly of the Shade emperor, it was impossible to make out anything. “Crystal? Selune?” Silver voiced out, swooping up and away from the cloudy haze. Silver gulped down a breath of air upon bursting from the thick mist. It was still suffocating, but it was the least of her worries. One moment the Shade had been onto her, her friends helpless; but the next seemed like she was in a dream. All that was outside was just unending earth. [i]What is this place and where is everyone?[/i] A musty smell permeated the air and no dragon was in sight. Everything seemed unreal except for her own four claws that sank into the barren ground as she plodded through carefully, calling out her clanmates’ names in fear. She grew more desperate with each strain of her voice, getting hoarser and hoarser as the time stretched. Did time even exist here? A pink glow flickered in the corner. Silver turned around so quickly she almost spun off her feet, soil trailing in the momentum. “Crystal!” But the white Coatl never came to Silver, standing still and staring straight into the distance behind where she stood. She called out again to the unmoving figure of her co-leader, but the lack of response simply added to Silver’s unease. Finally finding the courage to turn around and see what Crystal was ever so mesmerised by, she was greeted by a sight that made her want to drop. Her belly twisted with all sorts of emotions - mainly awe. Then she realised Crystal had been in awe as well. Eleven dragons never usually seen by dragonkind stood before her. Dimly, Silver wondered to herself if she was dead. Why else would she be seeing the eleven deities? She blinked slowly, trying to process the sight before her. Shadowbinder spoke first, her voice deep and calm. “Silver.” Pride welled up in her chest. A marginalised dragon like herself noticed by her own ruler of her region. She felt a rush in her head, ashamed to meet them in her state. Her confusion washed away once Crystal finally moved to her side, relief filling up her senses.[/size] [font=garamond][size=4]It was surreal, regaining consciousness to see the deities of Sornieth standing in front of them. Where had they been when she was struggling against the Shade? Where had they been when she was wandering, lost and hurt? Where had they been when dragons [i]died[/i]? She looked at the deities one by one. The Icewarden stared impassively at the two of them, the Stormcatcher looking as though he’d rather be back at his lightning farms. The Lightweaver seemed sympathetic, and the Windsinger looped around, flashing her a smile when they made eye contact. Then she looked at the Arcanist, and in his steady gaze she saw [i]pride[/i]. Enough to make her instantly forget any kind of enmity she held. [i]Please let them have a good reason for all this[/i].[/size] [font=lora][size=4] “The lost and found,” Stormcatcher smiled, noting the two ragged Coatls standing in front of them. Crystal frowned. Silver didn’t understand what was happening despite such a grand sight. Where was her clan and where was the Shade emperor and his tendrils? Why was Crystal the only one here? Where were they? The biggest burning question was: why were they seeing the eleven deities on Sornieth? “We’re dead, this is it,” Silver found herself muttering. Doubt clouded her mind as well. Could this be the Shade’s doing? In its full form, it could do things never heard of. [i]For all we know, this could be a hallucination by the Shade.[/i] Was there ever a time she never felt lost? A time where she felt she fitted in? [i]Raven. Corey.[/i] Her first friends. Why did she have three kinds of elemental powers? When had she ever felt she was doing the right thing? Self-doubt suddenly clouded her mind and the overthinking began about how she had failed as a clan leader. As a mate. As a friend. [i]Why?[/i] The doubt and confusion only grew, until one of the deities spoke again, pulling her up from spiralling into the depths of self-pity. Looking up to face them, warm tears streaked down the curves of Silver’s face. “The two sisters are back. Reunited. Never had we thought such an event would happen again, ever since that fateful night that wretched Shade attacked their parents,” Lightweaver glowed with something Silver recognised as relief, her eyes crinkling with happiness at the sight of the two of them, one crying, one blank-faced. “Sisters?” Crystal finally managed to pry a word out of her mouth. Silver shared her sentiments. [i]We’re sisters?[/i] Fate had twisted so much, and their destiny was never certain. Nothing lasted for long. But the revelation that they were both related by blood was something Silver could not fathom, even if she was in the right state of mind. [/size] [font=garamond][size=4]“A most successful experiment indeed,” the Arcanist nodded. “As you know, the Shade has been plaguing Sornieth for a very long time now.” The Flamecaller muttered something suspiciously like “no thanks to you”, but made no further comment. “We would have confronted the Shade ourselves, just like olden times - but regretfully, we had to miss out on this delightful chance to gather data.” Crystal really wanted him to just get to the point already, but kept her mouth shut. She didn’t want to interrupt her deity. “Eleven of us descending to fight the Shade would undoubtedly cause huge fluctuations in dragon life, and destroy Sornieth as we know it. That was an alarming prospect to us, and we decided it was not worth the damage. So, the second choice was to have inside agents.” As the Arcanist spoke, Crystal couldn’t help but crack a smile at how animated the Arcanist was. Perhaps it was just how impossible the situation seemed, but she felt surprisingly calm. Possibly already dead at the hands of the Shade? Not her. Surprised at what the deities were saying? Not her. “We sought the help of the two most magically talented dragons in Sornieth at the time of the experiment’s conception, and persuaded them to have a nest. As I like to call it, the two of you are ‘Shade-slayers’. Designed and blessed with powers strong enough to defeat the Shade.” A product of the gods’ experiment to fight the Shade? Yup, totally not her.[/size] [font=lora][size=4] Silver opened her mouth to say something but couldn’t find any words. She had family with her. Finally. She stole a glance at her sister, her [i]sister[/i], a word she never thought she’d use. Shadowbinder added to the Arcanist’s words, about how the union of the two most powerful dragons would produce strong hatchlings to defeat and stomp the lights out of the Shade. But all Silver could think of was how magical and fairytale-like this whole moment was. [i]We’re sisters. We’re family.[/i] The thought of having another dragon with similar abilities- that spoke so much about why they were so odd - so [i]unusual[/i] - possessing three powers to kill. “Dull coats to draw the attention right away and a guard for infiltration. I’m sorry we have to meet you like this, but it is all just in time. Go on and defeat the Shade and finish what your parents started.” Icewarden placed the facts so outwardly that Silver had to stop herself from shaking. “You both are indeed the lost and found,” Shadowbinder nodded alongside the Arcanist, their two elemental deities looking like proud parents. “If you want, your friends can fight too - they won’t be controlled by the Shade in this form,” the Arcanist called out. A two in one. A found family, a found cause. With a grin, Silver took off into the parting of the skies trying to hide her excitement. “We’re sisters!” She heard Crystal exclaim amidst the rush of adrenaline. A smile curled on her lips, tears of joy washed away by the wind. Two sisters were coming back with vengeance in their hearts. “We’re the lost and found.” [center][img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/ven9gmk4qi14dr5/shadowbottom2.png[/center][/img] whew! a very long chapter today. double pov, double fun :D Tirtouga has her pinglist today.

[center][font=garamond][b][size=6]Chapter Fifty Two[/size][/b] [size=5]Crystal[/center] [center][img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/qnsvl4q1hbyggi5/arcanetop.png[/img][/center] [font=garamond][size=4]The battleground was frozen in time. A Banescale reared with wings flared open, fangs glistening with defiant poison. Tendrils of darkness curled around the pale Tundra, while electricity rippled along the edges of the Shade’s grip but did nothing to deter it. A purple Nocturne and Spiral were in flight, violet eyes fixed in a steely glare. The infinite heads and mouths of the Shade were unmoving in their frenzied chaos and even their screeching laughter had halted. The clock had stopped and the sands of time were suspended in their fall. Two dragons faded away in the still air. Dust crumbled. Ashes fell. And phoenixes rose from the ashes. With a triumphant cry, Crystal burst out from the pocket dimension in a flicker of crystalline flame. Silver soared beside her, sparks the same colour as her name showering from her wings. Everything was just as they had left it, but they now had the power to right everything that had gone wrong. Readying a blast of silvery pink, she jabbed her tail in the direction of Rin. [i]Once I blast this thing, get Rin out of its grasp.[/i] The spines on Bridget’s back rippled in anticipation, and Crystal had to resist making bad spine puns because a tendril of the Shade was hurtling towards her and fire- The emperor recoiled with an angry screech and Bridget closed in with the speed of an arrow thrumming through the air, talons outstretched. Deftly, while the Shade shuddered from the recoil, she plucked her clanmate out of its grasp and set the dazed Tundra down. With her last clanmate out of harm’s way, Crystal gave in to the tug of her magic. Stars blazed against the sickly green sky and glazed it the pink of dreams. Crystal spread her wings, feeling the power she had lost break away from the Shade and come racing back to her, settling deep in her bones where it had always belonged. [i]I may not be the best at protecting my friends, or being a leader, but if the Shade wants our power, it’s gonna have to get past me first. Do your worst, overgrown inky blob![/i] The exhilarating breeze of battle rose around her, a shining light against the dark Shade, and the song of countless galaxies pulsed across her scales as she launched into the air. A misshapen head rose to meet her midair, and with a roll she danced out of its blundering path and sent turquoise shurikens roaring for its shadowy mass. The emperor clawed at her clumsily, and she swooped past its grabbing claws, letting the icicles of Silver rain down as a supercharged lightning bolt sent waves of purple and cyan electricity down its entire length. She aimed for the Shade, golden light shimmering around her outline, and flew straight for the smallest head, was flying, is flying - her trance magic roars to life around her and somehow her head is [i]clear[/i] this time. Crystal slams into the Shade with a satisfying burst of sunkissed flame and spirals out of reach of a retaliatory blow. Selune and Starfall are teleporting around the Shade, and quickly she throws up a barrier just as a wide, gaping mouth opens up below them. A hideous maw comes rushing towards them, and Starfall is immediately in front of the group, shrouded in menacing violet shadows. The attack of shadow on shadow sees the Shade recoil in equal parts anger and pain, and the Emperor lets out a shriek. The fight continues. There is almost no time for her to consider anything else other than making sure her attacks fly true. Silver shoots a glance at her, and she nods. Icicles whirling around her in a deadly dance, the silver Coatl spins through the gaps between goop and jaw, neck and wing, shredding the Shade inside out. Crystal focuses on the almost-hypnotic motion of her icicles, imagining the song playing out in her head, a dance for the fallen and for the winners alike. A pink aura swirls around the shimmering blades, wreathing Silver with a faint mist that looks like dawn. Crystal can almost let herself believe she’s dancing, at one point, darting over and under the sweeping tendrils just like how she fled her original clan. Shot after shot fizzes against the Shade’s pitch black hide, and Rin adds to the assault with cyan lightning that is almost too bright to look at. Bridget screeches a battle cry, and charges with all her might and all of their might too, digging her claws into one head. The Emperor thrashes, thrown off balance, and Selune takes the chance to send a bolt of shadow zipping toward the Shade. It feels so surreal. One moment they are losing and the next moment the dragon gods have given them the power to reach the sun and the stars beyond. Except unlike Icarus they are still flying, wings growing stronger and bolder by the second. She dares not think about failure. They cannot afford to lose. Even though the Eleven have blessed them with powers beyond comprehension, the Shade is not called the enemy of dragonkind for nothing. As if feeding on the doubt every fighter has, the Shade rises stronger than ever with a cackle. The sky shifts from a dreamy sunset to eldritch green and finally to pitch black. With a cry, she shoves Silver out of the way of a vengeful head. The fight continues. Bridget lifts Rin into the air, talons careful to not hurt her clanmate, and Rin launches lightning from above. Taking care not to land in the path of any thunder, Crystal takes a step back, trying to assess where she is needed most. It feels like they’ve been fighting for [i]days[/i], and every muscle in her is screaming in protest but she carries on. Crystal finds it hard to comprehend, still, but they need her. So there is only one thing left to do. Continue the battle. She dives under a crushing claw and emerges from the other side with a blade of wind clenched in her jaw. Parrying the gnashing teeth of an Emperor maw, she spins and slams her glowing tail down on its head. The head thumps to the ground, and she uses the opportunity to launch herself onto the Emperor, aiming for the biggest head. Starfall joins her, deep purple aura flickering into existence just out of reach of the head’s antlers, and together they pelt it with intertwining light and shadow, a thousand shattered hopes and dreams that used to lie at the feet of the Shade. A blaze of silver and lilac tells her that Silver and Selune are still in the fight, and the storm shows no signs of abating. Perhaps it is finally okay for her to admit that they just might stand a chance at winning. One by one, the heads fall, felled by grit and determination and blessings from the gods. Crystal fights on, unheeding of the defeated Shade particles that slough off her scales and scatter like ashes on the ground. Her wings are bursting with the might of the burning sun and a thousand gales, and her claws crackle with the song of the stars. She looks at Silver, and the two nod. They fight for their friends and their family. They fight for the dragons of Sornieth, even though they have often suffered at their hands. They fight for the gods who have placed their trust in the two Shade-slayers, carrying all the pride and hope and the blinding, bursting power that they have been given, and with all their might they ready the finishing blow. Power explodes from every cell in their being, blazing toward the Shade in purple and pink, lighting up the sky with dark lightning and brilliant fluorescence, the storm of icicles and wind whirling around and around until all Crystal can sense is her own burning, beating heart. The storm dissipates, and her heartbeat echoes strong and proud in her ears. They’ve done it. This is the end. Their chapter has finally reached its curtain call.[/size] [center][img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/nm0z9g1pkrloiln/arcanebottom.png[/img] [size=2]@Petall @Starwindrider @ShinyDecidueye @Littlepotato711 @Disillusionist @SecondToLast @naranciag @astralshadow[/center] !! they did it! (and I stole tori's pinglist :P) A very very long fight scene which I thoroughly enjoyed writing, even though it really does seem kinda draggy and repetitive upon rereading. But still! Here's the climactic chapter! Remember to read chapter 51 if you haven't already, this chapter will make a bit more sense with context ;)

Oooohh, absolutely glorious! That was such an exhilarating fight scene, and you did a wonderful job capturing how frantic and epic their struggle was. And the way it ended made me think of a sudden hush falling over the battlefield. Amazing!! [emoji=ridgeback star]

@Disillusionist

Thank you! :"D do remember to read chapter 51 as well, it provides some context and explanation to the entire story, especially with regards to our two main characters!

@Petall @Starwindrider @ShinyDecidueye @Littlepotato711 @Disillusionist @SecondToLast @naranciag @astralshadow

alas, the last two chapters of this "novel" lie before you. we've procrastinated posting (or more so forgot) this and it's bittersweet closing it up! i can safely say this helped me improve my writing skills; i cringe reading the first chapter.

thank you for being on this journey with us!

[center][font=Lora][size=6]Chapter Fifty Three[/size] [size=5]Silver[/size][/center] [center][img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/hzvonpzcngbad5x/shadowtop2.png[/center][/img] [font=lora][size=4] Silence rang out on the plains. The darkness dissipated. Yet again the group lived to see another day. The grey Coatl slunk back down into the dust, trying very hard in vain to hide the creeping smirk on her face. A cry of joy escaped, joined by the other dragons around her who cheered with triumph and exhaustion. Crystal padded up to her from the now-barren landscape. “It’s done,” she sighed, her eyes glowing as she observed the land pockmarked with craters and dust. “Wait, don’t let your guards down yet,” Silver suddenly muttered, narrowing her eyes. Fatigue overrode her seventh sense, but she pushed it aside. They still needed to get out of the realm of the portal. The thought of another fight with another potential threat lurking in the realm uneased her. Silver glanced at her sister’s cautious expression, which betrayed a similar sentiment. “We still need to somehow find and get out of the portal, but most of us are pretty wounded,” Crystal said as she surveyed their ragtag group of dragons, most of them on the verge of passing out from exhaustion. There was no way they could fight again nor force their way out. Furthermore, where even was the exit? “Let’s give it a try, shall we?” Silver grinned lazily at Crystal. “There’s no exit, so we’ll create one.” [i]I hope there’s no other threat outside this barrier. Who knows, the portal might be to protect us from the outside.[/i] But their clanmates were worth the risk. Besides, if it spelled her death, she’d be with her sister, and the rest would be saved. The potential sacrifice was worth it. With the energy she had left, Silver took off deeper into the murky depths of swirling fog, Crystal not too far away. Musty air filled her lungs, nearly choking her. She let her icy blades fall from her wings, before pulling them up to the sky with a loud, forceful clang, piercing through the dark mist like shiny bullets. They became coated with a pink hue: evidence of Crystal’s magic. “How far does the sky go?” Silver laughed to her sister who smiled back, eyes lit with a glow so bright. “Rip the sky to [i]shreds[/i],” she breathed to the dead Shade, to her sister, to her clanmates, to herself. [i]If I die, I’ll do it gracefully.[/i] Silver began to feel the strain, like a tight string tugging her down as she risked all she could to pull herself away. She pushed the icicles further into the mist, bearing with the exhaustion. But in her promise to go all out, she felt herself reach out to the crackling electricity in her, sparks now joining the chaos in the clouds. A dull whine went off in her head, like sirens. Silver could barely hold herself up, her wings as if suddenly weighed down by rocks. And then a resounding clatter echoed through the barren landscape as sunlight drifted into the realm. A maniacal laughter she never knew she possessed burst out from her as her vision spotted violet, smiling at the rays of light. Numbness filled her senses and she slowly eased her grip on her icicles in the air, willing for them to return to her wings. The sparks faded away gradually, and so did her inner fire. Silver felt lethargy take over the adrenaline, assuming the worst. She closed her eyes, surrendering to the grip of fatigue. [b]You’ve done well, my child.[/b] [i]Thank you, Shadowbinder.[/i] “SILVER!” Crystal’s voice tore through her stupor. But all she longed for was the allure of a sweet rest. Silver felt the ground rush up to her as her wings gave way to hope, light and freedom. [center] ~~~ [/center] [font=lora][size=4]The grass was soft on her skin. Silver opened her eyes to a soft white light and the gaze of two deep purple eyes glazed with concern. A soothing warmth smoothed out on her, so comfortable she didn’t want to move a muscle at all; it was pure bliss. Then it hit her. White mana, a pair of violet eyes, a cuddly warmness. [i]Raven.[/i] The grey Coatl jerked up in disbelief, before searing pain washed all over her frame. Silver opened her mouth to let out a cry of discomfort, regretting her decision to move. But all that came out was her breath. She slumped back down again, helpless. “Thank Shadowbinder you’re alive, hm?” He murmured to her. [i]Alive? We’re dead, Raven. We didn’t make it.[/i] “She’s awake?” a chiming voice called out, and she instantly recognised it as Crystal’s. The vision of her final moments replayed in her head: the blazing sun, a welcome sight following the gloom of the barren battlefield. Surrendering to inertia in the haze of adrenaline. She’d evaded death a couple of times, and her luck was over. Silver felt the tears well up - they took her sister too. [i]I wonder how she died. Did she too fall from the sky like me?[/i] “Welcome back, you’ve been out for an hour already,” another voice chipped in, but tone laced with snark. A sickening crunch punctuated the phrase, and the head of a beetle flew over her face, landing smack on her snout. Silver sat up (but more slowly this time), and was met with no discomfort. The multicoloured beetle head rolled off and landed onto her lap. She blinked. Blinked twice. Silver looked up from her position to see all her clanmates standing in front of her. Corey, her manticore familiar, stared impassively at her as he munched on the headless beetle. Silver froze. “There’s no way we all-” she croaked, throat hoarse from presumed death, before realising how daft she’d been. It was almost like a fever dream, what she had been thinking. Raven was healing her. If she were dead, there wouldn’t be any reason to heal her at all. “I’M ALIVE?” She found herself exclaiming in wild bewilderment. Silver began to chuckle as Crystal emerged from the crowd and tore her away from Raven’s clutches. “Yes, you’re alive,” she embraced Silver, tears flooding the sisters’ visions. Of course they would all be safe and sound, alive and thriving. Monarch and her fiery orange pelt, Hephestia with her sharp features and constant snarl, Crystalline and his aloof demanour, a grinning Callan, and even Rin, whose fur wasn’t matted anymore. That night, they camped out in the open, next to the looming temple that once held the Shade emperor’s soul. Now empty, it posed no threat but a battered structure surrounded by vines and moss. Monarch lit a bonfire that lit the space with a gentle glow, somewhat mimicking the rekindled flame in every one of the dragons’ hearts. The lesser-wounded hunted for their feast, the healers healed the hurt, and the two sisters cozied up under a tree murmuring to each other. Crystal’s eyes seemed to shine a different kind of magenta. “It was the void wyvern that led us to the portal - that was the presence we felt in the realm. It was waiting for us outside,” she explained to Silver, filling her up with whatever she’d missed when she blacked out. “The way you fell...it made us all worry.” Crystal frowned, turning away. “Silver!” A bubbly voice belonging to Misty, Raven’s familiar, tumbled in. The grey river flight tottered up to her, in her paws enclasping a faceted purple gem. “It was from the temple,” she explained, handing the precious stone to her. “The temple that started it all, huh,” Silver smiled, thanking Misty for the gem, knowing it must have been part of her loot she raided from the temple for her collection. She turned the crystal against the firelight, which glinted off the deep violet hues of the stone, tiny little rainbows etched into its inner cracks and crevices. Silver could figure why Misty picked this for her - the deep shade of purple was the general colour of all Shadow dragons. It reminded her of the Tangled Wood. Home. As she stared at Misty's retreating figure, she said, “You know, I really miss damp wood and the smell of rotting leaf litter. And clams. I miss eating them,” “The Tangled Wood?” Crystal asked, incredulous. Silver nodded slowly, shutting her eyes and clutching the crystal. She squeezed them for a second, before opening them again. Raven did a good job healing her wounds; she felt no inch of pain anymore. Of course he would. “Would you like to have a clan excursion?” Her sister said gently, suddenly unsure of where to put her paws. Silver could tell by the distant look on her face that she missed her home too - not just the Isles, but the smell of her very own nest. The fighting had taken a toll on them, and no matter how much they rested, a good sleep would only come from their very home space. Whether it was the energies of each place, Silver didn’t know. What she did know, however, was that both of them missed home. Deeply. Silver bowed her head and stared at the violet stone again. It was almost mocking her. “Let’s tell the rest - let’s see how they feel,” she said with a wan smile. She knew they would understand. Besides, they would meet again. Just a small separation. And alas, the Shade was destroyed. They could finally rest and [i]live[/i]. They could go home. As the sun began to rise the next day, the clan came to a consensus to split. Visions of the knotty overgrowth and bioluminescent mushrooms filled her mind as they padded to their makeshift nests. Silver felt her heart leap at the thought of it, but twist at the idea of leaving her sister. They would meet again, but it was enough to make her shake with something between the lines of guilt and sorrow. And the unmistakable pang of emptiness. They were at the edge of the islet, preparing for their separation. Both sides of the clan stopped to watch the two leaders; the two sisters, part. “I guess this is…” Crystal started, her eyes shimmering as she looked at Silver. “I hate goodbyes.” Silver huffed, before crashing into her sister’s embrace, tears of all sorts of emotions streaking down both dragons’ faces as they bid goodbye. [i]Who knew saying goodbye for just a short trip could be so hard. [/i] Even with the Shade gone, the flame in their hearts burned on, proof of their allegiance to each other - the lost and found sisters. [center][img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/ven9gmk4qi14dr5/shadowbottom2.png[/center][/img]

[center][font=garamond][b][size=6]Chapter Fifty Four[/size][/b] [size=5]Crystal[/center] [center][img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/qnsvl4q1hbyggi5/arcanetop.png[/img][/center] [font=garamond][size=4]The soft light of dawn pooled around her claws. It had been a day since they had struck down the Shade emperor, and old wounds were finally beginning to heal. The silhouettes of Silver and her clan were quickly disappearing. Crystal shook out her wings, turning to Cameron. The white Skydancer had raised his gaze in question, but smiled reassuringly. With that, she cast one more sweeping gaze across the healing clan. Though Rin was still limping, and Karina’s chipped claw would take a while to regrow, the rest seemed to be recovering well. A grin crept across her muzzle as she observed Bridget with Galahad and Rin. They had finally gotten over their differences and past grievances, it seemed. Blizzard pawed at her with a whine. [i]Where are you going?[/i] His disapproving gaze bored right into her. She tried her best to smile reassuringly like Cameron. [i]I’m just going to accompany them a little further. I’ll be back soon.[/i] She followed them across the Isles, careful not to alert them to her presence. If Silver knew her sister was there, there was a real possibility that she’d stop and turn back, and Crystal knew that that wouldn’t be good for them if they wanted to reach a safe place by nightfall. So she positioned herself somewhere they couldn’t sense, just one step out of reach. Her wings were still missing a few feathers, but Crystal tried the best she could to keep up, bounding from isle to isle and tree to tree in shaky flight. [i]Need to be higher…[/i] It was then that she realised where she was. The tree where she had met her sister for the first time loomed in front of her. All of a sudden, she raced to the tree and started climbing. It was as if a haze had taken over her mind. Her claws still ached from the fight against the Shade, but she made do. Finally, with a shuddering sigh she hauled herself over the last branch. The haze cleared and she felt the swirl of air in her lungs, entering and leaving her rapidly. Her heartbeat was thudding in her ears so loud that she was sure someone would overhear. But they didn’t turn back, and quietly she watched as the dragons who she had grown so close to left the Starfall Isles, flying further and further away to their own new beginning. Crystal chuckled softly to herself. Tears threatened to blur her vision, but she blinked them away. [i]You’re supposed to be happy for them. Come on, Crystal.[/i] She let her crests drop down, feeling the wind whirling all around her like a caress from the sky. There she was, just a speck of crystalline scale against the vastness of the starry leaves. Inconsequential. At that moment, all the air seemed to rush out of her. Now that the adrenaline from the past few months’ journey had properly faded, she felt a hollowness nestle in her heart. All she had known were passing glances of poison in her old clan, and that was roughly jolted out of her memory in place of endless running, meeting new dragons, fighting… fragments of memory slowly started to piece themselves together, past events blurring together until they formed a tapestry of white. When you stripped a god-killer down to their core, all you would find was emptiness. A white, blank void. And so that was what she did, reaching deeper and deeper into herself until she came face to face with her empty heart. Her hollow heart made to hold the world. For a long time she sat there, unmoving. Anyone passing by would only see a shimmer of light sparking off her coat, an almost ghostly presence on the top of the tree. For a long time she let the sky lull her into a daze. For a long time… A voice tore through her stupor. [b]You’ve done well, my child.[/b] Crystal froze. Even the restless wind seemed to still before this divine presence. She dared not look straight, a strange blend of fear and anticipation churning inside her. [b]Relax, Crystal.[/b] “Arcanist.” she dipped her head respectfully. No matter what her deity said, he was still a [i]god[/i]. A god that the entire Isles respected, in some way or another. The purple dragon sighed. [b]I knew this would happen. Yet coming to you in a more lighthearted persona would not exactly suit my purposes.[/b] He spun closer, wings fluttering, and perched on a branch. Crystal gave him a quick sideways glance. She didn’t dare make eye contact, but listened to him intently, heart pounding. [b]Hey, it’s not a conversation if you don’t talk.[/b] Crystal flushed, still unable to muster her words. To be honest, any dragon would be intimidated by the power that poured from a deity’s being. “Sorry.” she flattened her crests further to signify respect and apology. [b]No apologies needed,[/b] he laughed. [b]In all honesty, we weren’t sure if our gamble would pay off. After your parents… sorry. I mean, after you two siblings were separated as eggs, we worried all would come to naught. The Shade could easily pick you off before you had awakened any of your powers. But fate works in strange ways, doesn’t it?[/b] The deity cocked his head in amusement. [b]The two of you surpassed every single expectation we had.[/b] Awkwardly, he reached out a spindly limb and ruffled her feathers. [b]It’s a good thing your egg was brought here… because I’m proud to call you a child of Arcane.[/b] Crystal’s heart did an odd turn. Words couldn’t ever describe the wave of surprised euphoria that surged through her. In her giddy joy, she dared look at her deity and smiled, uncontrollable with glee. “Thank you, Arcanist.” He stayed for a while, the two of them watching clouds drift by in silence, before he waved goodbye cheerily, and blinked out of view. It was then that she rose on still-trembling limbs, and made her way back to camp. Blizzard pounced on her, tail wagging gleefully, and Callan bounded over like a second puppy. Fracture waved his tail, nearly knocking down an annoyed Mirage. She settled down, curling into Cameron’s warm embrace, the clan joining in. Crystal smiled. She was lucky. She might’ve been an empty slate, but there were so many colourful personalities around her. Together, they’d create their own tapestry of life, all the way until their final curtain call. That night, the moon shone bright. And stars began to disappear.[/size] [center][img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/nm0z9g1pkrloiln/arcanebottom.png[/img] [size=2]@Petall @Starwindrider @ShinyDecidueye @Littlepotato711 @Disillusionist @SecondToLast[/center]

Thank you so much for being on this journey with us, everyone!

I've been lurking on this thread for months now, and I just wanted to say this has been quite a fun ride to read through :0
V nice thread to be subbed to, love me a bit of lore lol
Been a bit too shy to interact with folks, but ty for everything uvu