[center][size=7][b]The Return[/b][/size][/center]
[center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/57265232][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/572653/57265232.png[/img][/url][/center]
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Sunlight did not stand a chance. The large shadow of an ancient beast of old stories moved slowly, the teeth of the monster opening up to reveal a large mouth. It bit down into the ground, tearing off a chunk of the earth. Hope was horrified, looking up at the large dragon that dubbed itself Varghosian. She was frozen in place, not knowing what to do. The dragon ate the shard of dirt, stone and grass that it had bitten into, almost inhaling it with ease. The sight was terrifying, a dragon of an unknown size, eating an entire island bit by bit.
Hope inhaled deeply, calling out to them. “Varghosian! Stop!“ But there was no reply, only a short, layered snicker. The black and white giant scoffed, taking another bite of the island. They squint their eyes, throwing their head back up to throw the chunk down into their throat. Varghosian let out a loud chuckle, looking back down at Hope. “ What are you going to do, little tundra? Bite my toes? “ The dragon laughed, corners of their mouth curling up to form a large, smug grin. “Ohh no! Don't bite my toes! Please stay away from me! Gahahaha!“ Varghosian bursted out laughing, ‘wiping’ a tear.
“Stop eating the island! Stop! I’ll… I’ll…“ Hope stammered, looking up at the being with the purple gaze. “You’ll what? Speak up louder, [i]hatchling[/i].“ They snarled with a smirk. Varghosian shook out their shoulders, loosening up their wings. The large white mane of the dragon shook in the wind, birds avoiding the large physique of this being. They bent their head back down to take another bite, claws ripping through the ground as they dug out a bit of the island. Hope could see it was a chunk of rock being broken apart, papers flying out of the broken up rock. Variumn’s cave.
She gasped. “You! Varghosian! You’re breaking your own stuff!“ Hope yelled up, hoping to make the dragon stop. “None of that is important to me anymore! All of it can perish!“ The dragon roared, inhaling deeply and lifting their head up and back. A faint purple glow came from their mane, as if they were preparing a type of fireblast. Hope braced herself as she watched the dragon shoot their head back down, blowing a bright purple flame into the cave. A painful heat radiated from the cave, waves of warmth wiggling in the air. Hope stood wide eyed, staring at the destroyed interior of what once was Variumn’s home. Varghosian laughed loudly, the ground shaking at their cackles. They bit into the stone, cracking it apart with their teeth.
“Curse you! Curse you and everything you stand for!“ Hope shrieked, eyes fixated on Varghosian. The dragon grinned, pausing a bit to let the tiny tundra yell and cry. It was a delightful scene for Varghosian, to have a small, helpless dragon beg for their life. And, perhaps even for the life of others as well. “What is a curse going to do? It wont work unless you say it with your dying breath!“ And the dragon lurched forward, teeth snapping dangerously close to Hope. She jumped back, shaking in fear and horror. “You could've killed me! You monster!“ Hope yelled, the faint hint of a growl in the back of her throat.
“A monster?!“ Varghosian yowled, raising their head back up. “Nonsense! I am a prophet! I am a savior! I am a [i]hero[/i]!“ They opened their maw, biting down forcefully onto the ground and pulling off a chunk of sand. The grains ran down their teeth and mane, splitting apart and flowing everywhere. Varghosian angrily turned away from Hope, going back to the rest of the island.
“ Hope! “ A voice called. A familiar voice, one that Hope had heard before. “ Shumru! “ The spirit of the guardian descended through the sky, her wings wide as the air slowly lowered her. Shumru looked worried, even panicked. “ It finally happened, they're free! This was never supposed to happen so soon! “ Shumru called out, grabbing onto Hope’s arm. She lightly dragged the living dragon, tugging on her fur. Hope stared at the green and brown guardian, her sister.
“ We have to leave! You have to warn the rest of the clan! Hope, please! “
Wind streamed down into her face. Hope was struggling to keep up with the rushing spirit, who seemed to have no issue with the harsh weather. Hope held out one of her talons slightly in front of her face to block the wind from going into her eyes. She was speechless after what Varghosian had tried to do, Hope could've been dead. It all could have ended. She finally exhaled the stress, flapping with her wings as she kept her gaze focussed on her sister. Shumru flew fast, hurried. Both of the children from Indaviing and Avilia were filled with worry, especially since Varghosian refused to change their mind.
They arrive, the wind howling around on the island. Even the Water Domain felt grim, despite always being such a sunny and joyful place that blossomed during the day and glowed during the night. Hope landed on the grass after Shumru, running after the ghost of the guardian. The ghost suddenly stopped in her tracks, inhaling deeply.
“ Hope, “ Shumru spoke in an asking tone. “ I… I can't speak to them. You have to tell them without me. “ She hesitantly talked, grasping with her talons onto the grass and looking away from Hope. “ It’s okay, Shumru. I’ll tell them for you. “ Hope replied with a nod, lightly bumping her forehead against the guardians’ in goodbye. The two smiled a bit at each other, the stress from the situation disappearing for a second. Shumru sighed, and nodded.
“ Right, then, yeah. Goodbye, sister. “ The guardian stepped away from the head-bump, turning away to the sea. Water splashed around, in fear almost, as if the water itself wanted to get away from Varghosian too. The sky was bright, filled with sunlight and pale clouds. Shumru smiled back at Hope before opening her wings and taking off into the sky. “ I’ll see you around. “
Hope turned back to the rest of the island. Dread filled her bones, a twistingly ill sensation bubbling up in her gut. The tundra exhaled and strode towards the Water Domain, to tell her kin and clan about the upcoming threat. Hurriedly, she sped up to a run, charging over as tears started to form in her eyes.
“ Dad! “ She yelled, hoping to quickly find her father.
“ Mom! “ Hope cried out, desperately looking for her mother.
The two dragons arrived quickly at each others’ sides, confusedly looking at their beloved child who was in tears, visibly distraught. Avilia without hesitation, embraced Hope. Indaviing soon followed after asking someone to find Cretaupo and the rest of the clan. “ What's wrong, Hope? “ Avilia asks, brushing her talons through the tundras fur. The small family hugged, pausing to let Hope breathe and calm down a bit.
“ There's a dragon- A huge dragon - going to come eat everything! I- … I don't know what to do. I saw Variumn and this white dragon and a black dragon and- “ She got cut off by Indaviing who muttered the name. “ Variumn? You saw him? But- But he's dead? “ He asked, raising his brows at the mention of his friend. He rose up a bit from the hug to look at Hope. “ Is he alive? Where is he? “ And the tundra's eyes sparkled with hope.
“ Well, He… He formed together with two other dragons, I think, and a larger dragon came out! It- “ She tried to continue, pausing to sniffle back in a sob. “ It is going to destroy everything! Eat our world! We are in great danger, we have to do something! We have to… We have to stop them! “ Hope cried out, tears streaming down her cheeks. One side of her cheek was a bit stained with a red cut she got from an accidental kick before Varghosian was formed. Avilia slid her tongue out, giving a lick over the cut to try and stop the bleeding.
“ It’s been three years since something so… impactful, has happened. “ Indaviing sighed. He looked down at the floor as he stepped back from his family. “ I can't bear to ever lose either of you again. We have to leave. “ The words lingered slowly, then hit Hope like a truck. “ Leave?! What about all the other dragons who are in danger because of Varghosian?! We can't just leave! “ She yowled. Her words were sharp and painful, shrill with hurt and offense. Indaviing flinched, staring at his daughter filled with shock. She stood there, angry and mad, wanting to protect others. Just like he had done long ago.
A sigh slipped out of the dragons’ throat, and he dipped his head slowly. “ … You are right. We can't just leave. “ His fur bristled a little in the wind, rearranging themself as he stood still. “ What do we do? “ Indaviing asked, his eyes displaying a strong amount of fear and worry. Hope inhaled deeply. “ I don’t know. I don't know what to do. “ She looked at her father again, then at her mother, who looked concerned. Indaviing spoke up. “ I’ll talk to Aegaeon, maybe he knows something. “
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The Return
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Sunlight did not stand a chance. The large shadow of an ancient beast of old stories moved slowly, the teeth of the monster opening up to reveal a large mouth. It bit down into the ground, tearing off a chunk of the earth. Hope was horrified, looking up at the large dragon that dubbed itself Varghosian. She was frozen in place, not knowing what to do. The dragon ate the shard of dirt, stone and grass that it had bitten into, almost inhaling it with ease. The sight was terrifying, a dragon of an unknown size, eating an entire island bit by bit.
Hope inhaled deeply, calling out to them. “Varghosian! Stop!“ But there was no reply, only a short, layered snicker. The black and white giant scoffed, taking another bite of the island. They squint their eyes, throwing their head back up to throw the chunk down into their throat. Varghosian let out a loud chuckle, looking back down at Hope. “ What are you going to do, little tundra? Bite my toes? “ The dragon laughed, corners of their mouth curling up to form a large, smug grin. “Ohh no! Don't bite my toes! Please stay away from me! Gahahaha!“ Varghosian bursted out laughing, ‘wiping’ a tear.
“Stop eating the island! Stop! I’ll… I’ll…“ Hope stammered, looking up at the being with the purple gaze. “You’ll what? Speak up louder, hatchling.“ They snarled with a smirk. Varghosian shook out their shoulders, loosening up their wings. The large white mane of the dragon shook in the wind, birds avoiding the large physique of this being. They bent their head back down to take another bite, claws ripping through the ground as they dug out a bit of the island. Hope could see it was a chunk of rock being broken apart, papers flying out of the broken up rock. Variumn’s cave.
She gasped. “You! Varghosian! You’re breaking your own stuff!“ Hope yelled up, hoping to make the dragon stop. “None of that is important to me anymore! All of it can perish!“ The dragon roared, inhaling deeply and lifting their head up and back. A faint purple glow came from their mane, as if they were preparing a type of fireblast. Hope braced herself as she watched the dragon shoot their head back down, blowing a bright purple flame into the cave. A painful heat radiated from the cave, waves of warmth wiggling in the air. Hope stood wide eyed, staring at the destroyed interior of what once was Variumn’s home. Varghosian laughed loudly, the ground shaking at their cackles. They bit into the stone, cracking it apart with their teeth.
“Curse you! Curse you and everything you stand for!“ Hope shrieked, eyes fixated on Varghosian. The dragon grinned, pausing a bit to let the tiny tundra yell and cry. It was a delightful scene for Varghosian, to have a small, helpless dragon beg for their life. And, perhaps even for the life of others as well. “What is a curse going to do? It wont work unless you say it with your dying breath!“ And the dragon lurched forward, teeth snapping dangerously close to Hope. She jumped back, shaking in fear and horror. “You could've killed me! You monster!“ Hope yelled, the faint hint of a growl in the back of her throat.
“A monster?!“ Varghosian yowled, raising their head back up. “Nonsense! I am a prophet! I am a savior! I am a hero!“ They opened their maw, biting down forcefully onto the ground and pulling off a chunk of sand. The grains ran down their teeth and mane, splitting apart and flowing everywhere. Varghosian angrily turned away from Hope, going back to the rest of the island.
“ Hope! “ A voice called. A familiar voice, one that Hope had heard before. “ Shumru! “ The spirit of the guardian descended through the sky, her wings wide as the air slowly lowered her. Shumru looked worried, even panicked. “ It finally happened, they're free! This was never supposed to happen so soon! “ Shumru called out, grabbing onto Hope’s arm. She lightly dragged the living dragon, tugging on her fur. Hope stared at the green and brown guardian, her sister.
“ We have to leave! You have to warn the rest of the clan! Hope, please! “
Wind streamed down into her face. Hope was struggling to keep up with the rushing spirit, who seemed to have no issue with the harsh weather. Hope held out one of her talons slightly in front of her face to block the wind from going into her eyes. She was speechless after what Varghosian had tried to do, Hope could've been dead. It all could have ended. She finally exhaled the stress, flapping with her wings as she kept her gaze focussed on her sister. Shumru flew fast, hurried. Both of the children from Indaviing and Avilia were filled with worry, especially since Varghosian refused to change their mind.
They arrive, the wind howling around on the island. Even the Water Domain felt grim, despite always being such a sunny and joyful place that blossomed during the day and glowed during the night. Hope landed on the grass after Shumru, running after the ghost of the guardian. The ghost suddenly stopped in her tracks, inhaling deeply.
“ Hope, “ Shumru spoke in an asking tone. “ I… I can't speak to them. You have to tell them without me. “ She hesitantly talked, grasping with her talons onto the grass and looking away from Hope. “ It’s okay, Shumru. I’ll tell them for you. “ Hope replied with a nod, lightly bumping her forehead against the guardians’ in goodbye. The two smiled a bit at each other, the stress from the situation disappearing for a second. Shumru sighed, and nodded.
“ Right, then, yeah. Goodbye, sister. “ The guardian stepped away from the head-bump, turning away to the sea. Water splashed around, in fear almost, as if the water itself wanted to get away from Varghosian too. The sky was bright, filled with sunlight and pale clouds. Shumru smiled back at Hope before opening her wings and taking off into the sky. “ I’ll see you around. “
Hope turned back to the rest of the island. Dread filled her bones, a twistingly ill sensation bubbling up in her gut. The tundra exhaled and strode towards the Water Domain, to tell her kin and clan about the upcoming threat. Hurriedly, she sped up to a run, charging over as tears started to form in her eyes.
“ Dad! “ She yelled, hoping to quickly find her father.
“ Mom! “ Hope cried out, desperately looking for her mother.
The two dragons arrived quickly at each others’ sides, confusedly looking at their beloved child who was in tears, visibly distraught. Avilia without hesitation, embraced Hope. Indaviing soon followed after asking someone to find Cretaupo and the rest of the clan. “ What's wrong, Hope? “ Avilia asks, brushing her talons through the tundras fur. The small family hugged, pausing to let Hope breathe and calm down a bit.
“ There's a dragon- A huge dragon - going to come eat everything! I- … I don't know what to do. I saw Variumn and this white dragon and a black dragon and- “ She got cut off by Indaviing who muttered the name. “ Variumn? You saw him? But- But he's dead? “ He asked, raising his brows at the mention of his friend. He rose up a bit from the hug to look at Hope. “ Is he alive? Where is he? “ And the tundra's eyes sparkled with hope.
“ Well, He… He formed together with two other dragons, I think, and a larger dragon came out! It- “ She tried to continue, pausing to sniffle back in a sob. “ It is going to destroy everything! Eat our world! We are in great danger, we have to do something! We have to… We have to stop them! “ Hope cried out, tears streaming down her cheeks. One side of her cheek was a bit stained with a red cut she got from an accidental kick before Varghosian was formed. Avilia slid her tongue out, giving a lick over the cut to try and stop the bleeding.
“ It’s been three years since something so… impactful, has happened. “ Indaviing sighed. He looked down at the floor as he stepped back from his family. “ I can't bear to ever lose either of you again. We have to leave. “ The words lingered slowly, then hit Hope like a truck. “ Leave?! What about all the other dragons who are in danger because of Varghosian?! We can't just leave! “ She yowled. Her words were sharp and painful, shrill with hurt and offense. Indaviing flinched, staring at his daughter filled with shock. She stood there, angry and mad, wanting to protect others. Just like he had done long ago.
A sigh slipped out of the dragons’ throat, and he dipped his head slowly. “ … You are right. We can't just leave. “ His fur bristled a little in the wind, rearranging themself as he stood still. “ What do we do? “ Indaviing asked, his eyes displaying a strong amount of fear and worry. Hope inhaled deeply. “ I don’t know. I don't know what to do. “ She looked at her father again, then at her mother, who looked concerned. Indaviing spoke up. “ I’ll talk to Aegaeon, maybe he knows something. “
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[center][size=7][b]Nice to Sense you Again,
Old Friend[/b][/size][/center]
[center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/41863998][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/418640/41863998.png[/img][/url][/center]
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Indaviing strode into the main hall of the water domain. Plants hung from the pillars, blooming with flowers and gorgeous lush green leaves. The books stored in the shelves inside of the walls were slightly dusty, worn and used. Indaviing himself had read some of them, not really understanding most of the stories despite reading the books thoroughly. His tail curled up a bit at the sight of Aegaeon, with his talons on the book. The guardians’ arms moved slowly, calmly humming a soft tune as he read the book. He tilted his head slightly, and stopped moving his arms. The dragon smiled as he heard Indaviing approach.
“ Indaviing! It’s nice to sense you again! “ And he removed one of his talons from the book to give a quick brush through his beard. Beads softly clinked together, the hairs bristling. Indaviing smiled, and sweeped with his tail over the floor as he came closer to the black and blue dragon. “ Aegaeon, It’s nice to sense you too. “ He replied, ears perking a bit as the eyeless dragon bursted out into some laughter. “ Nice to sense? You can see! Why don’t you just say that? “ And the dragon put down a small clip around the edge of the page, exactly at the line he held his talons on.
“ What is your reason for being here, brother? “ Aegaeon smiled. His scales were a bit shimmery and slick, the dragon probably had gone out swimming before going back inside to read. “ I… We need your help. “ The tundra spoke, sitting down on the opposite side of the table. He curled up his tail next to him, and looked down at the book a bit. “ There's a dragon according to Hope, who will eat the world. “ He sighed, pausing a moment before inhaling deeply and continuing. “ Their name is Varghosian. “
Aegaeon stayed silent, a thoughtful expression on his face. His talons stopped gliding over the bumps on the pages, and he ‘stared’ into the abyss for a short moment. He sighed, hanging his head a little at the mention of their name. “ Varghosian, a story I have heard before in ancient books. “ The guardian stood up, making his way over to one of the bookshelves. He pressed his talons over some bumps on the backs of the books, sliding them to the book on the left, one by one before pulling out an old, dusty book. The poor book looked ancient, torn in places and almost falling apart. Aegaeon carried it over to the table he was sitting at, placing it down carefully. “ I hoped that this dragon would never come back, as the stories known are horrific. “ The eyeless dragon exhaled strongly, opening up the book and holding a finger at the bottom right corner to ‘look’ for the page he needed.
He was carefully being watched by Indaviing, who saw that the guardian flipped between two pages, frowning deeply. “ Wait a minute. “ Aegaeon touched around with his finger on the other side of the books’ page, looking for the number on the left page. “ That's… odd. “ He muttered, brushing his talons thoughtfully through his beard.
The tundra perked his ears, frowning at the muttering of his friend. “ What's wrong, Aegaeon? “ And the guardian slid the book over, pointing at a torn and ruffled piece in the middle of the book. “ The page I needed is gone, the page with the myth of Varghosian. “ He groaned softly before closing the old dusty book. “ I don't know what else to do, I’m so sorry, my brother. “ Aegaeon lowered his head, but was surprised by Indaviing putting his talons on Aeg’s. The guardian jumped a little, before realizing it was just his friend. “ It’s alright, Aeg, thank you for helping anyways. “
He exited the water domains’ hall through the large exit after saying bye to Aegaeon, spotting Cretaupo, Seafoam and Dolphin sitting together at the shore. The father, daughter and wife of daughter were talking quietly, as if to keep away stress and fear. Indaviing cleared his throat to alert them of his prescense. Cretaupo turned his head around, his long neck twisting a bit as he waved over to Indaviing and the empty spot next to him on the sand. “ Come on over, friend. “ The chromatic dragon smiled wearily. Indaviing nervously shuffled down next to the larger dragon with deep orange limbs.
“ What are you thinking about? “ Indaviing asked Cretaupo as Seafoam and Dolphin discussed things together. “ We’re thinking about… “ The ridgeback swallowed some worry, some visible stress and nervousness. “ … Moving away. For safety, for the future of their kids and my grandchildren. “ He sighed, hanging his head a little. “ I am severely ashamed of even considering moving away from my kin, my home, my clan. You and your family have been kind to us for forever, shown us life and love, and now here I am. Thinking about fleeing and moving away. “
He let out a low, frustrated hiss. “ I can't believe myself. “ Indaviing watched his friend, his companion, his general, go through many emotions, his red eyes shooting from place to place to find answers for his spiral of thoughts. “ Cretaupo, friend, It’s fair to look for a way to get yourself to safety, I respect it as well to be frank. You’ve always cared so much for others, always putting yourself last. And now here you are, having grown as a dragon and putting yourself and your family first. I respect that. I respect you. “ Indaviing spoke back to the ridgeback, gently patting his shoulder. Cretaupo inhaled deeply, standing up. “ I’ll be retreating to my room, I need time to think. “ He said his goodbyes to the dragons near him and left. Seafoam and Dolphin also got up after a while, saying goodbye to Indaviing and thanking him before also leaving to their room.
Indaviing sat alone at the shore. The water slowly crashed into the sand and pebbles. There was no sound of birds, no sight of them either. Pure silence, an ominous yet calming sound. The sun was at the top of the sky, shining quietly as rays struck down into the sea, beams of light creating a shimmering effect on the dragons’ fur as he remained seated. He sighed, frowning while he continued watching the water rock back and forth.
“ What do we do? “ The dragon muttered softly, kneading the sand with his talons. “ My god, what are we supposed to do? “
“ Father? “ A voice came from the dragons’ right side. “ Are you doing okay? “ the voice asked. Indaviing perked up his head, turning over to see his daughter, Hope. Her green and brown fur blew softly in the wind, bristling calmly. The dragons’ face, however, held a completely different vibe. Hope looked stressed, restless, scared and worried. “ Hope, I… I am not doing okay. The news has filled me with worry and fear, and I feel like you experience that too. I don't even know who this Varghosian is, and neither does Aegaeon, Agh! “ Indaviing lashed his tail into the sand, frustrated. Hope inhaled deeply, moving over to sit next to her father.
The father and daughter leaned into each other, the comfort of warm fur creating a sense of safety. “ Hope? “ The blue dragon asked after a while. “ Was Variumn really there? “ He stared off into the sea, Hope glancing up at him. She nodded. “ He really was. A black imperial with a gray line across his body and edges, purple eyes. He looked a bit… strange. Messy fur, his horns were all mangled and uneven, and the most notable thing was the scar on his forehead that tracked down the rest of his body. Almost as if Stormcatcher smacked him on the head one time. “ Hope chuckled lightly at the thought of a giant deity bapping a dragon on the head.
Indaviing smiled. “ He’s alive then. That's good, I’m glad to know this. “ He looked back at his claws, which were in the sand. Grains of the yellowy ground were stuck in his fur, but it was fine. He had bigger things to worry about.
“ I haven't seen Variumn ever since he protected me from Ceridwen. He tried to push him away from me, but eventually got chased away by Ceridwen who sent Eugene after him. I… Forgive Eugene, after having heard what happened from Eiken. Ceridwen. Hm. We never found his body after the fight. “ Indaviing sighed, frowning deeply. The nubs that used to be horns ached on his head, tingling with the memory of Ceridwen breaking them off and throwing him into the sea to die.
“ Dad? What if… “ Hope started, nudging Indaviing a little. “ What if he’s still alive? “ Indaviing looked up from the question, his head stinging a little.
“ If he’d still be alive? I really doubt that. “ The dragon grumbled, shaking his head to get the thought out.
“ But what if he is? He must have [i]something[/i] to do with all of this! I don't know why, or how, but it just has to be! Dad, do you have [i]any[/i] idea on where he might be? “ Hope exclaimed, softly speaking the last sentence to her dad. The blue tundra bristled his own fur a bit to get some sand out, thinking.
“He… He may have gone back to the territory of the Gladekeeper, nature.“ He spoke, rubbing his chin with some talons. “He [i]is[/i] from nature, after all. I too would go home to rethink my actions and such.“ The dragon shrugged, looking back at Hope. The green dragon smiled. Indaviing felt his heart warm up to see the dragon light up like that again.
“You look just like your mother.“ He muttered. Hope lightly shoved the blue dragon with a chuckle, turning away to go back to the water domain. “I’m going to gather up a party of dragons so we can search through the nature domain. There has to be something there that can help us, maybe he is there with more information on Varghosian!“
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Nice to Sense you Again,
Old Friend
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Indaviing strode into the main hall of the water domain. Plants hung from the pillars, blooming with flowers and gorgeous lush green leaves. The books stored in the shelves inside of the walls were slightly dusty, worn and used. Indaviing himself had read some of them, not really understanding most of the stories despite reading the books thoroughly. His tail curled up a bit at the sight of Aegaeon, with his talons on the book. The guardians’ arms moved slowly, calmly humming a soft tune as he read the book. He tilted his head slightly, and stopped moving his arms. The dragon smiled as he heard Indaviing approach.
“ Indaviing! It’s nice to sense you again! “ And he removed one of his talons from the book to give a quick brush through his beard. Beads softly clinked together, the hairs bristling. Indaviing smiled, and sweeped with his tail over the floor as he came closer to the black and blue dragon. “ Aegaeon, It’s nice to sense you too. “ He replied, ears perking a bit as the eyeless dragon bursted out into some laughter. “ Nice to sense? You can see! Why don’t you just say that? “ And the dragon put down a small clip around the edge of the page, exactly at the line he held his talons on.
“ What is your reason for being here, brother? “ Aegaeon smiled. His scales were a bit shimmery and slick, the dragon probably had gone out swimming before going back inside to read. “ I… We need your help. “ The tundra spoke, sitting down on the opposite side of the table. He curled up his tail next to him, and looked down at the book a bit. “ There's a dragon according to Hope, who will eat the world. “ He sighed, pausing a moment before inhaling deeply and continuing. “ Their name is Varghosian. “
Aegaeon stayed silent, a thoughtful expression on his face. His talons stopped gliding over the bumps on the pages, and he ‘stared’ into the abyss for a short moment. He sighed, hanging his head a little at the mention of their name. “ Varghosian, a story I have heard before in ancient books. “ The guardian stood up, making his way over to one of the bookshelves. He pressed his talons over some bumps on the backs of the books, sliding them to the book on the left, one by one before pulling out an old, dusty book. The poor book looked ancient, torn in places and almost falling apart. Aegaeon carried it over to the table he was sitting at, placing it down carefully. “ I hoped that this dragon would never come back, as the stories known are horrific. “ The eyeless dragon exhaled strongly, opening up the book and holding a finger at the bottom right corner to ‘look’ for the page he needed.
He was carefully being watched by Indaviing, who saw that the guardian flipped between two pages, frowning deeply. “ Wait a minute. “ Aegaeon touched around with his finger on the other side of the books’ page, looking for the number on the left page. “ That's… odd. “ He muttered, brushing his talons thoughtfully through his beard.
The tundra perked his ears, frowning at the muttering of his friend. “ What's wrong, Aegaeon? “ And the guardian slid the book over, pointing at a torn and ruffled piece in the middle of the book. “ The page I needed is gone, the page with the myth of Varghosian. “ He groaned softly before closing the old dusty book. “ I don't know what else to do, I’m so sorry, my brother. “ Aegaeon lowered his head, but was surprised by Indaviing putting his talons on Aeg’s. The guardian jumped a little, before realizing it was just his friend. “ It’s alright, Aeg, thank you for helping anyways. “
He exited the water domains’ hall through the large exit after saying bye to Aegaeon, spotting Cretaupo, Seafoam and Dolphin sitting together at the shore. The father, daughter and wife of daughter were talking quietly, as if to keep away stress and fear. Indaviing cleared his throat to alert them of his prescense. Cretaupo turned his head around, his long neck twisting a bit as he waved over to Indaviing and the empty spot next to him on the sand. “ Come on over, friend. “ The chromatic dragon smiled wearily. Indaviing nervously shuffled down next to the larger dragon with deep orange limbs.
“ What are you thinking about? “ Indaviing asked Cretaupo as Seafoam and Dolphin discussed things together. “ We’re thinking about… “ The ridgeback swallowed some worry, some visible stress and nervousness. “ … Moving away. For safety, for the future of their kids and my grandchildren. “ He sighed, hanging his head a little. “ I am severely ashamed of even considering moving away from my kin, my home, my clan. You and your family have been kind to us for forever, shown us life and love, and now here I am. Thinking about fleeing and moving away. “
He let out a low, frustrated hiss. “ I can't believe myself. “ Indaviing watched his friend, his companion, his general, go through many emotions, his red eyes shooting from place to place to find answers for his spiral of thoughts. “ Cretaupo, friend, It’s fair to look for a way to get yourself to safety, I respect it as well to be frank. You’ve always cared so much for others, always putting yourself last. And now here you are, having grown as a dragon and putting yourself and your family first. I respect that. I respect you. “ Indaviing spoke back to the ridgeback, gently patting his shoulder. Cretaupo inhaled deeply, standing up. “ I’ll be retreating to my room, I need time to think. “ He said his goodbyes to the dragons near him and left. Seafoam and Dolphin also got up after a while, saying goodbye to Indaviing and thanking him before also leaving to their room.
Indaviing sat alone at the shore. The water slowly crashed into the sand and pebbles. There was no sound of birds, no sight of them either. Pure silence, an ominous yet calming sound. The sun was at the top of the sky, shining quietly as rays struck down into the sea, beams of light creating a shimmering effect on the dragons’ fur as he remained seated. He sighed, frowning while he continued watching the water rock back and forth.
“ What do we do? “ The dragon muttered softly, kneading the sand with his talons. “ My god, what are we supposed to do? “
“ Father? “ A voice came from the dragons’ right side. “ Are you doing okay? “ the voice asked. Indaviing perked up his head, turning over to see his daughter, Hope. Her green and brown fur blew softly in the wind, bristling calmly. The dragons’ face, however, held a completely different vibe. Hope looked stressed, restless, scared and worried. “ Hope, I… I am not doing okay. The news has filled me with worry and fear, and I feel like you experience that too. I don't even know who this Varghosian is, and neither does Aegaeon, Agh! “ Indaviing lashed his tail into the sand, frustrated. Hope inhaled deeply, moving over to sit next to her father.
The father and daughter leaned into each other, the comfort of warm fur creating a sense of safety. “ Hope? “ The blue dragon asked after a while. “ Was Variumn really there? “ He stared off into the sea, Hope glancing up at him. She nodded. “ He really was. A black imperial with a gray line across his body and edges, purple eyes. He looked a bit… strange. Messy fur, his horns were all mangled and uneven, and the most notable thing was the scar on his forehead that tracked down the rest of his body. Almost as if Stormcatcher smacked him on the head one time. “ Hope chuckled lightly at the thought of a giant deity bapping a dragon on the head.
Indaviing smiled. “ He’s alive then. That's good, I’m glad to know this. “ He looked back at his claws, which were in the sand. Grains of the yellowy ground were stuck in his fur, but it was fine. He had bigger things to worry about.
“ I haven't seen Variumn ever since he protected me from Ceridwen. He tried to push him away from me, but eventually got chased away by Ceridwen who sent Eugene after him. I… Forgive Eugene, after having heard what happened from Eiken. Ceridwen. Hm. We never found his body after the fight. “ Indaviing sighed, frowning deeply. The nubs that used to be horns ached on his head, tingling with the memory of Ceridwen breaking them off and throwing him into the sea to die.
“ Dad? What if… “ Hope started, nudging Indaviing a little. “ What if he’s still alive? “ Indaviing looked up from the question, his head stinging a little.
“ If he’d still be alive? I really doubt that. “ The dragon grumbled, shaking his head to get the thought out.
“ But what if he is? He must have something to do with all of this! I don't know why, or how, but it just has to be! Dad, do you have any idea on where he might be? “ Hope exclaimed, softly speaking the last sentence to her dad. The blue tundra bristled his own fur a bit to get some sand out, thinking.
“He… He may have gone back to the territory of the Gladekeeper, nature.“ He spoke, rubbing his chin with some talons. “He is from nature, after all. I too would go home to rethink my actions and such.“ The dragon shrugged, looking back at Hope. The green dragon smiled. Indaviing felt his heart warm up to see the dragon light up like that again.
“You look just like your mother.“ He muttered. Hope lightly shoved the blue dragon with a chuckle, turning away to go back to the water domain. “I’m going to gather up a party of dragons so we can search through the nature domain. There has to be something there that can help us, maybe he is there with more information on Varghosian!“
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[center][size=7][b]The Path of Hope[/b][/size][/center]
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[url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/44702394][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/447024/44702394.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/66203746][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/662038/66203746.png[/img][/url][/center]
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The sun had already started lowering into the sea, moonlight shining up on the other side of the island. One half was lit up by a warm light, seagulls inhabiting the air next to some exploring dragons, and dragons carrying items for their roommates. There was a soft chattering between dragons, a small group having gathered outside inbetween the split of the cold light and the warm light. A tundra, a skydancer, a guardian, a wildclaw, a mirror and a pearlcatcher. The group seemed like a bit of a mash of sorts and styles, one dressed like a merchant, carrying multiple bags, and another was dressed like a very fancy royal dragon.
The tundra led the group into the darker side of the island, the mirror walking at her side. Scars covered this dragon, muscles rippling under the torn tatters she wore. Sven was probably the strongest, but not the sturdiest of them all. She was intelligent and quick to solve dangerous situations. Sven felt hesitant to join at first, but figured it would be best to try and help save everyone else.
The guardian carried a few sacks with herbs and rations, and multiple bags of drinking water. A few pans were not excluded from the equipment of Neal, the dragon destined to be the chef for the group. She was the largest dragon of them all, and physically the most sturdy and the strongest, but a softie at heart. Neal was a rather quiet dragon, but warmed up to the company of others, such as Rhett and Eiken.
The pearlcatcher was lightly pushing the wildclaw a bit, bantering about how the pristine and clean dragon would not carry anything heavy, and useful. Or, atleast, thats how the pearlcatcher worded it. Rhett was a stocky dragon, his pearl safely stored in a bag on his side. He carried valuable items to trade with others on their journey, possibly to bribe them, and to also earn a living if the company ever needed somewhere to stay at. A couple of games were also brought along, so that they would not feel bored if they ever were to pause somewhere calm.
The wildclaw denied being pristine and harmless, spitting back in a high fashion at the pearlcatcher. Tarulon was a fancy dragon, dressed beautifully and cleanly, but he felt that he was just as worthy of his place in this group as any other dragon was. His diplomacy and knowledge about old historic things and practices was excellent and well needed in the case of… being needed. Tarulon also kept the maps with him, being pretty keen on keeping those safe and clean from creases.
The skydancer followed them all, getting in between Rhett and Tarulon with a chuckle. “Calm down, we don’t want you two to be fighting constantly.” Eiken prodded her beak against Rhett a bit to get him to move away from Tarulon, her tail moving Tarulon aside as well. The leafy dragon shook her head a bit, coming along to make sure everyone was healed from their wounds. And to seek out a certain dragon…
As the group takes flight into the air, they head towards Sornieth. A beautiful island filled with magical wonders, and dragons much like themselves. The company makes sure to often take breaks near villages, flying towards the nature territory, home of the Gladekeeper. It was fun to fly together and talk with each other, sometimes supporting each other during flight if one of them did not get enough sleep. Sven made sure to stay near Hope, talking to her.
“Hope? Are you still holding up properly?” She would ask, or; “Hope, have you eaten enough? We still have some plant-bars and some stew if you would like.” The dragon felt a new sense of motherly behavior almost, afraid that the stress would be too much for the green dragon.
“If you ever need someone to talk to, or a hug, I’m here for you.”
They passed through familiar and unfamiliar places. A large hole in the middle of almost-nowhere, inside of the lightning territory. All of the dragons got chills from seeing the abandoned state, the memories attached to the place being mostly negative. They all decided to move on quickly from the old place, moving to a much lighter territory.
A soft rumbling made the group stop in their tracks, gliding down to meet the floor and seek out the sound. Neal felt a bit on edge, feeling as if she could not hide as well as the others because of her size. But she was reassured by Rhett, who found a large rock she could hide behind. Heavy footsteps broke through the silence, something heavy dragging after it.
“...What is that?” Sven mutters, peeking out from behind the rocks to stare at the large, three-headed dragon. It had not spotted them, and seemed unaware of its surroundings. The being even pawed a bit at a small, red butterfly that fluttered around it.
“It’s Luminax, or, [i]the[/i] Luminax. An Emperor!” Tarulon gasped, his eyes widening in awe. “I have read books filled with this dragon, but seeing it here? It’s like a childhood dream come true!” The Emperor shifted a bit, one of its heads turning towards the group. The company quickly shut up, hiding behind the rocks. They looked at each other and nodded a silent agreement, let's leave this place.
It took them a few days to reach the home of the Gladekeeper. The green land was beautiful, filled with flowers, ferns, trees and bushes. Grass and moss covered every inch they could see, like a soft blanket made of natural items and sources. The dragons landed after having flown over to this place, settling down in an area with waterfalls. Tarulon was the first one to pull out the maps and check them.
“We are currently iiiinnnnn……” He took a dramatic pause, reading the map and pointing his claw on the exact location. “The Gladeveins. A location known for beautiful waterfalls and aqueducts! It is… rather boggy out here.” He sneered a little, pulling his lip back as one of his legs slowly sunk away in a small puddle of mud. Neal and Rhett quietly chuckled at the sight of the dragon getting frustrated over mud.
Sven stepped up a bit, clearing her throat. “We are here to look for clues on where Ceridwen is. We think that… he is not dead. He can tell us more about Varghosian, so we can find a solution and find a way to defeat them once and for all. Go in pairs of two, don't go alone!”
The group split up into some pairs. Sven and Neal, Rhett and Tarulon, and Hope and Eiken.
Sven and neal moved around calmly, checking out pools of water and some of the falling areas. “...This reminds me of my home, my old home.” Sven smiled warmly at the water. “It looks like the lava falls in my elements’ territory.” Neal smiled back at Sven, feeling happy that a dragon was able to see joy in small things, even when far from home. The guardian decided to ask the mirror some questions about her former home, interested in her past.
“What was it like?” She asked her, standing beside the smaller dragon next to the water. Neal felt like a large, clumsy being next to the smaller and more compact being. The guardian lowered her head a little, as if to lower herself into Svens physical level. Sven looked up at the guardian, her red gaze glittering a bit with a mild form of affection.
“It was beautiful, the red lakes of lava running peacefully between the dark, black rocks made of obsidian. I feel like you would’ve loved it there, I knew dragons who were masters at cooking with spice and other herbs to give the food some spark.” The mirror spoke with a growing smile on her face, teeth gleaming as the sun dappled through the trees. The sunlight connected them both, pushing the two dragons into a spot of light together.
“I would love to meet your kin someday, Sven.” The large dragon spoke calmly, soft gaze fixated on the smaller dragon. They smiled at each other, just both chuckling before looking away and going back to look around at their surroundings. They had not found anything yet.
A soft chatter filled the forest, water dripping from rocks into a second pool of water. A packed pearlcatcher was arguing with a fancy wildclaw. “Your face looks like a… Like an uhm, Like… Like a bird!” Rhett stuttered in his words, pointing at Tarulon. The dark wildclaw hissed back at him, returning the rude demeanor. “You have a disgusting clothing-style.” The dragon sneered, lifting up his head.
The two paused for a second. Tarulon signed, pinching his brow with two claws. Rhett looked away angrily, huffing. “Fine, We’ll go in the direction you pointed to.” A small smirk crossed Tarulons’ muzzle, and he turned into the direction he said he wanted to go to. The dragons went, walking silently behind each other. The green and brown dragon sighed deeply, looking at his surroundings instead of at Tarulon.
“... Are we there yet?” The pearlcatcher eventually asked. His tone was genuine, maybe a bit hesitant even. “I mean, I don't even know where we’re going.” Tarulon responded to him, shrugging his shoulders as he continued on his way through the woods. “Then why did you even point in this direction? That- That's stupid!” Rhett growled angrily at the wildclaw, “You’re stupid!” The pearlcatcher blurted out. Shame hit him like a truck, heat washing over his face as the wildclaw in front of him stopped walking.
“Shut up.” The dragon hissed quietly, slowly turning around. “Taru-” “Shush! Listen!” Tarulon cut him off rapidly, shushing the pearlcatcher by smacking his talons against his mouth, forcing his mouth shut. It became silent until a soft crackling, rattling and breathing faded into the forest. The two dragons looked at each other, Rhett slowly nodded. A quiet creaking of a bowstring being pulled was their que.
Tarulon whipped around, strong legs setting off against the floor as an arrow just barely missed the side of his head. The wildclaw dashed off, Rhett following closely behind him as he held on tight to his belongings. Arrows pierced through the sky as hooved creatures chased after them.
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The Path of Hope
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The sun had already started lowering into the sea, moonlight shining up on the other side of the island. One half was lit up by a warm light, seagulls inhabiting the air next to some exploring dragons, and dragons carrying items for their roommates. There was a soft chattering between dragons, a small group having gathered outside inbetween the split of the cold light and the warm light. A tundra, a skydancer, a guardian, a wildclaw, a mirror and a pearlcatcher. The group seemed like a bit of a mash of sorts and styles, one dressed like a merchant, carrying multiple bags, and another was dressed like a very fancy royal dragon.
The tundra led the group into the darker side of the island, the mirror walking at her side. Scars covered this dragon, muscles rippling under the torn tatters she wore. Sven was probably the strongest, but not the sturdiest of them all. She was intelligent and quick to solve dangerous situations. Sven felt hesitant to join at first, but figured it would be best to try and help save everyone else.
The guardian carried a few sacks with herbs and rations, and multiple bags of drinking water. A few pans were not excluded from the equipment of Neal, the dragon destined to be the chef for the group. She was the largest dragon of them all, and physically the most sturdy and the strongest, but a softie at heart. Neal was a rather quiet dragon, but warmed up to the company of others, such as Rhett and Eiken.
The pearlcatcher was lightly pushing the wildclaw a bit, bantering about how the pristine and clean dragon would not carry anything heavy, and useful. Or, atleast, thats how the pearlcatcher worded it. Rhett was a stocky dragon, his pearl safely stored in a bag on his side. He carried valuable items to trade with others on their journey, possibly to bribe them, and to also earn a living if the company ever needed somewhere to stay at. A couple of games were also brought along, so that they would not feel bored if they ever were to pause somewhere calm.
The wildclaw denied being pristine and harmless, spitting back in a high fashion at the pearlcatcher. Tarulon was a fancy dragon, dressed beautifully and cleanly, but he felt that he was just as worthy of his place in this group as any other dragon was. His diplomacy and knowledge about old historic things and practices was excellent and well needed in the case of… being needed. Tarulon also kept the maps with him, being pretty keen on keeping those safe and clean from creases.
The skydancer followed them all, getting in between Rhett and Tarulon with a chuckle. “Calm down, we don’t want you two to be fighting constantly.” Eiken prodded her beak against Rhett a bit to get him to move away from Tarulon, her tail moving Tarulon aside as well. The leafy dragon shook her head a bit, coming along to make sure everyone was healed from their wounds. And to seek out a certain dragon…
As the group takes flight into the air, they head towards Sornieth. A beautiful island filled with magical wonders, and dragons much like themselves. The company makes sure to often take breaks near villages, flying towards the nature territory, home of the Gladekeeper. It was fun to fly together and talk with each other, sometimes supporting each other during flight if one of them did not get enough sleep. Sven made sure to stay near Hope, talking to her.
“Hope? Are you still holding up properly?” She would ask, or; “Hope, have you eaten enough? We still have some plant-bars and some stew if you would like.” The dragon felt a new sense of motherly behavior almost, afraid that the stress would be too much for the green dragon.
“If you ever need someone to talk to, or a hug, I’m here for you.”
They passed through familiar and unfamiliar places. A large hole in the middle of almost-nowhere, inside of the lightning territory. All of the dragons got chills from seeing the abandoned state, the memories attached to the place being mostly negative. They all decided to move on quickly from the old place, moving to a much lighter territory.
A soft rumbling made the group stop in their tracks, gliding down to meet the floor and seek out the sound. Neal felt a bit on edge, feeling as if she could not hide as well as the others because of her size. But she was reassured by Rhett, who found a large rock she could hide behind. Heavy footsteps broke through the silence, something heavy dragging after it.
“...What is that?” Sven mutters, peeking out from behind the rocks to stare at the large, three-headed dragon. It had not spotted them, and seemed unaware of its surroundings. The being even pawed a bit at a small, red butterfly that fluttered around it.
“It’s Luminax, or, the Luminax. An Emperor!” Tarulon gasped, his eyes widening in awe. “I have read books filled with this dragon, but seeing it here? It’s like a childhood dream come true!” The Emperor shifted a bit, one of its heads turning towards the group. The company quickly shut up, hiding behind the rocks. They looked at each other and nodded a silent agreement, let's leave this place.
It took them a few days to reach the home of the Gladekeeper. The green land was beautiful, filled with flowers, ferns, trees and bushes. Grass and moss covered every inch they could see, like a soft blanket made of natural items and sources. The dragons landed after having flown over to this place, settling down in an area with waterfalls. Tarulon was the first one to pull out the maps and check them.
“We are currently iiiinnnnn……” He took a dramatic pause, reading the map and pointing his claw on the exact location. “The Gladeveins. A location known for beautiful waterfalls and aqueducts! It is… rather boggy out here.” He sneered a little, pulling his lip back as one of his legs slowly sunk away in a small puddle of mud. Neal and Rhett quietly chuckled at the sight of the dragon getting frustrated over mud.
Sven stepped up a bit, clearing her throat. “We are here to look for clues on where Ceridwen is. We think that… he is not dead. He can tell us more about Varghosian, so we can find a solution and find a way to defeat them once and for all. Go in pairs of two, don't go alone!”
The group split up into some pairs. Sven and Neal, Rhett and Tarulon, and Hope and Eiken.
Sven and neal moved around calmly, checking out pools of water and some of the falling areas. “...This reminds me of my home, my old home.” Sven smiled warmly at the water. “It looks like the lava falls in my elements’ territory.” Neal smiled back at Sven, feeling happy that a dragon was able to see joy in small things, even when far from home. The guardian decided to ask the mirror some questions about her former home, interested in her past.
“What was it like?” She asked her, standing beside the smaller dragon next to the water. Neal felt like a large, clumsy being next to the smaller and more compact being. The guardian lowered her head a little, as if to lower herself into Svens physical level. Sven looked up at the guardian, her red gaze glittering a bit with a mild form of affection.
“It was beautiful, the red lakes of lava running peacefully between the dark, black rocks made of obsidian. I feel like you would’ve loved it there, I knew dragons who were masters at cooking with spice and other herbs to give the food some spark.” The mirror spoke with a growing smile on her face, teeth gleaming as the sun dappled through the trees. The sunlight connected them both, pushing the two dragons into a spot of light together.
“I would love to meet your kin someday, Sven.” The large dragon spoke calmly, soft gaze fixated on the smaller dragon. They smiled at each other, just both chuckling before looking away and going back to look around at their surroundings. They had not found anything yet.
A soft chatter filled the forest, water dripping from rocks into a second pool of water. A packed pearlcatcher was arguing with a fancy wildclaw. “Your face looks like a… Like an uhm, Like… Like a bird!” Rhett stuttered in his words, pointing at Tarulon. The dark wildclaw hissed back at him, returning the rude demeanor. “You have a disgusting clothing-style.” The dragon sneered, lifting up his head.
The two paused for a second. Tarulon signed, pinching his brow with two claws. Rhett looked away angrily, huffing. “Fine, We’ll go in the direction you pointed to.” A small smirk crossed Tarulons’ muzzle, and he turned into the direction he said he wanted to go to. The dragons went, walking silently behind each other. The green and brown dragon sighed deeply, looking at his surroundings instead of at Tarulon.
“... Are we there yet?” The pearlcatcher eventually asked. His tone was genuine, maybe a bit hesitant even. “I mean, I don't even know where we’re going.” Tarulon responded to him, shrugging his shoulders as he continued on his way through the woods. “Then why did you even point in this direction? That- That's stupid!” Rhett growled angrily at the wildclaw, “You’re stupid!” The pearlcatcher blurted out. Shame hit him like a truck, heat washing over his face as the wildclaw in front of him stopped walking.
“Shut up.” The dragon hissed quietly, slowly turning around. “Taru-” “Shush! Listen!” Tarulon cut him off rapidly, shushing the pearlcatcher by smacking his talons against his mouth, forcing his mouth shut. It became silent until a soft crackling, rattling and breathing faded into the forest. The two dragons looked at each other, Rhett slowly nodded. A quiet creaking of a bowstring being pulled was their que.
Tarulon whipped around, strong legs setting off against the floor as an arrow just barely missed the side of his head. The wildclaw dashed off, Rhett following closely behind him as he held on tight to his belongings. Arrows pierced through the sky as hooved creatures chased after them.
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[center][size=7][b]Sanctuar- EEK![/b][/size][/center]
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“What was he like when you served him?” The two other dragons calmly moved through the forest, leaves crackling under their talons. Hope glanced up at Eiken with a soft smile on her face. The skydancer smiled back politely. “It was horrible. He was merciless and unkind, never showing any friendliness towards any of the other guards. Especially Eugene, and I know exactly why.” Her green feathers frilled at the mention of the imperial, eyes shimmering as if a good memory passed over her mind.
The tundra frowned when the imperial was spoken about, having remembered him as a hotheaded individual with a troubled, unknown past. “Why Eugene?” Hope moved her gaze back to the path they were taking, albeit a makeshift path. “We have a history together. A shared past. Eugene and I-” Eiken was interrupted by loud rustling that came from their side. Both dragons widened their eyes as a blue and black wildclaw dashed from the foliage.
“RUN!” He yelled, Rhett swiftly emerged out of the bushes after him along with a cluster of armed centaurs, their bows drawn and aimed for the group. Hope and Eiken shrieked at the sight, spinning and dashing after the other two dragons.
The four dragons ran through the woods, roaring at the group of centaurs that chased after them. Arrows flew past their heads and bodies, just barely missing the party. They kept running until they hit a clearing with a statue standing in the center. A glowing green crystal floated at its peak, shimmering in the bright daylight. Two other dragons calmly walked out of the forest into the clearing. They were none other than Neal and Sven, politely talking to each other with a smile on their faces. Their smiles vanished when they saw the group crash out of the bushes, surrounded by the beastclan pack.
“We’re trapped!” Shrieked Rhett. He hid behind Tarulon, who scowled at the pearlcatcher. He felt the same fear the other dragon felt though, staring at the centaurs who stood there around them, bows drawn. The centaurs spoke words, things that the dragons did not understand. Was it a display of mercy, or a threat?
Two dragons roared from the other side of the centaur-wall, the heads turning to see the guardian and the mirror standing there. They seemed ready to attack, wings outstretched to make themselves more of a larger enemy. Though, what the beastclan patrol didn’t know, was that the two dragons did not mean for harm to happen. They saw the threat and fled as fast as their legs could carry them, not wanting to become prey to these - albeit friendly - huge beasts.
The two dragons glanced at the fleeing patrol, then to each other. Sven and Neal snorted, a smile crossing their faces when they realized that they simply scared off a patrol by doing a cool pose. “You looked [i]very[/i] scary.” Neal teased Sven, rubbing her shoulder against the mirror. “You were even scarier! I nearly cried for my parents!” The smaller dragon responded with a chuckle, pacing towards the rest of the group to check up on them.
Rhett paused, gazing up at the green crystal that floated atop the structure. “... Huh." The pearlcatcher muttered, tilting his head slightly as he started to approach the building carefully. “I wonder if that crystal would fit in my bag.” Eiken watched the dragon move slowly, feeling her neck prickle nervously. They were yet again not alone here. Except this time, they were with other dragons.
“You! Pearlcatcher! Do not get closer to the Sanctum!” Four green wildclaws dressed in floral drapes, carrying spears neared Rhett, the weapons pointed directly at him. The dragon shrieked, backing up rapidly into the rest of the group. “We will not allow your filthy hands to rob us from the crystal!” One of them hissed, its frills flaring up threateningly.
Sven took a step forward to try and speak to the dragons. “We are not planning to steal the crystal! We just need to pass through and-” “NO! You’re going to steal the crystal! The pearlcatcher said so!” They responded harshly, lightly swinging the spears back and forth as a threat. “Back off! Leave!”
“We aren’t-” “No!” “But We need to-” “No!” “W-” “No!”
Every attempt at trying to communicate with the four green wildclaws was futile. Nothing worked, not even bribing them with gold or other possessions. The group sighed, backing up into the woods to discuss what their plans were.
“They can easily track us down if we decide to go around it, if they find us then they will definitely be convinced that we are trying to rob them.” Eiken voiced, frowning at the ‘battle map’ Rhett had drawn in the few seconds. A few items marked the various dragons and a mossy rock marking the sanctum. The pearlcatcher felt very proud of his creation, though he did receive a mocking snicker from Tarulon, who thought this was too stupid.
“Perhaps we could fly over them?” Neal asked. “No, they can fly just as fast as most of us. With me they could never keep up, but they could get you guys and hurt you. I won't be letting that happen anytime soon.” The mirror responded to her. The dragons sighed in harmony, some groaning at the annoyance of these four bipeds that stood in their way.
“They’re wildclaws, they’ll never let us pass.” The blue wildclaw responded. He shifted lightly, gritting his teeth. “Unless… If I go talk to them. I’m a wildclaw after all, they have to trust their own kind.” He suggested, looking at Hope for her confirmation on his idea. The tundra stared up at him, frowning back down at the map. She exhaled deeply and responded. “It’s our best bet.”
“Fellow wildclaws? I want to speak to you about a compromise, negotiate perhaps.” Tarulon slithered his way onto the field, seeing two of the four wildclaws perching atop pillars that were part of the structure. “We will [i]not[/i] be letting you steal-” “That's not what we want! Trust me! We just want to pass through, we are looking for someone!” The blue dragon hissed back, taking a more offensive pose before backing down.
“They don't happen to be a green crystal now, or are they?” One of the wildclaws jumped down to circle around Tarulon, claws scraping over the earthy floor. “Absolutely not. They are made from flesh and blood, just like me and you. We are seeking one cloaked in fur, black and white. His eyes are the same as your bodies, green.”
“Cloaked in fur? That does not sound like the crystal.” The dragons glanced at each other, and nodded unanimously. “So you do not want to steal our crystal?” One of them chirped after a while. “No! Why would I? Riches matter not to me, I only wear the gifts of those I love. I do not carry items which have been stolen.”
The four wildclaws muttered amongst each other for a moment, and then nodded once more. “We have agreed that you happen to be right, and are not a threat to our crystal. You may pass through and seek for this dragon.” The largest one spoke, stepping forward to speak to Tarulon. The wildclaw nodded, signaling for the party to come join him.
“No. Your ‘friends’ are still a threat, wildclaw.” The green biped snarled, tail lashing. “Excuse me?” Tarulon snapped back. “They are a threat. That pearlcatcher wants to steal our crystal. If he gets closer, we will kill him.”
“I will [i]not[/i] be letting you do that. Those are my friends, they are like me and you, beings of the sky who wish no harm. If you think that they are thieves, then you are insane.” The dragon responded sharply to the green wildclaw, his teeth exposed, crest expanding. “I will fight you if you do not let us pass, this is an urgent matter. The world depends on it.”
The two dragons circled each other for a short period, until the green wildclaw finally backed down. With a snarl it lay its crest down, “We had assumed you were a pansy, a pretty dragon who only enjoys the fine things such as gems and jewels. Perhaps we have judged you too harshly. You are a warrior, a fighter, just like the rest of our breed.”
Tarulon snorted, calling the group to finally pass over the sanctum. Finally. Ugh.
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Sanctuar- EEK!
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“What was he like when you served him?” The two other dragons calmly moved through the forest, leaves crackling under their talons. Hope glanced up at Eiken with a soft smile on her face. The skydancer smiled back politely. “It was horrible. He was merciless and unkind, never showing any friendliness towards any of the other guards. Especially Eugene, and I know exactly why.” Her green feathers frilled at the mention of the imperial, eyes shimmering as if a good memory passed over her mind.
The tundra frowned when the imperial was spoken about, having remembered him as a hotheaded individual with a troubled, unknown past. “Why Eugene?” Hope moved her gaze back to the path they were taking, albeit a makeshift path. “We have a history together. A shared past. Eugene and I-” Eiken was interrupted by loud rustling that came from their side. Both dragons widened their eyes as a blue and black wildclaw dashed from the foliage.
“RUN!” He yelled, Rhett swiftly emerged out of the bushes after him along with a cluster of armed centaurs, their bows drawn and aimed for the group. Hope and Eiken shrieked at the sight, spinning and dashing after the other two dragons.
The four dragons ran through the woods, roaring at the group of centaurs that chased after them. Arrows flew past their heads and bodies, just barely missing the party. They kept running until they hit a clearing with a statue standing in the center. A glowing green crystal floated at its peak, shimmering in the bright daylight. Two other dragons calmly walked out of the forest into the clearing. They were none other than Neal and Sven, politely talking to each other with a smile on their faces. Their smiles vanished when they saw the group crash out of the bushes, surrounded by the beastclan pack.
“We’re trapped!” Shrieked Rhett. He hid behind Tarulon, who scowled at the pearlcatcher. He felt the same fear the other dragon felt though, staring at the centaurs who stood there around them, bows drawn. The centaurs spoke words, things that the dragons did not understand. Was it a display of mercy, or a threat?
Two dragons roared from the other side of the centaur-wall, the heads turning to see the guardian and the mirror standing there. They seemed ready to attack, wings outstretched to make themselves more of a larger enemy. Though, what the beastclan patrol didn’t know, was that the two dragons did not mean for harm to happen. They saw the threat and fled as fast as their legs could carry them, not wanting to become prey to these - albeit friendly - huge beasts.
The two dragons glanced at the fleeing patrol, then to each other. Sven and Neal snorted, a smile crossing their faces when they realized that they simply scared off a patrol by doing a cool pose. “You looked very scary.” Neal teased Sven, rubbing her shoulder against the mirror. “You were even scarier! I nearly cried for my parents!” The smaller dragon responded with a chuckle, pacing towards the rest of the group to check up on them.
Rhett paused, gazing up at the green crystal that floated atop the structure. “... Huh." The pearlcatcher muttered, tilting his head slightly as he started to approach the building carefully. “I wonder if that crystal would fit in my bag.” Eiken watched the dragon move slowly, feeling her neck prickle nervously. They were yet again not alone here. Except this time, they were with other dragons.
“You! Pearlcatcher! Do not get closer to the Sanctum!” Four green wildclaws dressed in floral drapes, carrying spears neared Rhett, the weapons pointed directly at him. The dragon shrieked, backing up rapidly into the rest of the group. “We will not allow your filthy hands to rob us from the crystal!” One of them hissed, its frills flaring up threateningly.
Sven took a step forward to try and speak to the dragons. “We are not planning to steal the crystal! We just need to pass through and-” “NO! You’re going to steal the crystal! The pearlcatcher said so!” They responded harshly, lightly swinging the spears back and forth as a threat. “Back off! Leave!”
“We aren’t-” “No!” “But We need to-” “No!” “W-” “No!”
Every attempt at trying to communicate with the four green wildclaws was futile. Nothing worked, not even bribing them with gold or other possessions. The group sighed, backing up into the woods to discuss what their plans were.
“They can easily track us down if we decide to go around it, if they find us then they will definitely be convinced that we are trying to rob them.” Eiken voiced, frowning at the ‘battle map’ Rhett had drawn in the few seconds. A few items marked the various dragons and a mossy rock marking the sanctum. The pearlcatcher felt very proud of his creation, though he did receive a mocking snicker from Tarulon, who thought this was too stupid.
“Perhaps we could fly over them?” Neal asked. “No, they can fly just as fast as most of us. With me they could never keep up, but they could get you guys and hurt you. I won't be letting that happen anytime soon.” The mirror responded to her. The dragons sighed in harmony, some groaning at the annoyance of these four bipeds that stood in their way.
“They’re wildclaws, they’ll never let us pass.” The blue wildclaw responded. He shifted lightly, gritting his teeth. “Unless… If I go talk to them. I’m a wildclaw after all, they have to trust their own kind.” He suggested, looking at Hope for her confirmation on his idea. The tundra stared up at him, frowning back down at the map. She exhaled deeply and responded. “It’s our best bet.”
“Fellow wildclaws? I want to speak to you about a compromise, negotiate perhaps.” Tarulon slithered his way onto the field, seeing two of the four wildclaws perching atop pillars that were part of the structure. “We will not be letting you steal-” “That's not what we want! Trust me! We just want to pass through, we are looking for someone!” The blue dragon hissed back, taking a more offensive pose before backing down.
“They don't happen to be a green crystal now, or are they?” One of the wildclaws jumped down to circle around Tarulon, claws scraping over the earthy floor. “Absolutely not. They are made from flesh and blood, just like me and you. We are seeking one cloaked in fur, black and white. His eyes are the same as your bodies, green.”
“Cloaked in fur? That does not sound like the crystal.” The dragons glanced at each other, and nodded unanimously. “So you do not want to steal our crystal?” One of them chirped after a while. “No! Why would I? Riches matter not to me, I only wear the gifts of those I love. I do not carry items which have been stolen.”
The four wildclaws muttered amongst each other for a moment, and then nodded once more. “We have agreed that you happen to be right, and are not a threat to our crystal. You may pass through and seek for this dragon.” The largest one spoke, stepping forward to speak to Tarulon. The wildclaw nodded, signaling for the party to come join him.
“No. Your ‘friends’ are still a threat, wildclaw.” The green biped snarled, tail lashing. “Excuse me?” Tarulon snapped back. “They are a threat. That pearlcatcher wants to steal our crystal. If he gets closer, we will kill him.”
“I will not be letting you do that. Those are my friends, they are like me and you, beings of the sky who wish no harm. If you think that they are thieves, then you are insane.” The dragon responded sharply to the green wildclaw, his teeth exposed, crest expanding. “I will fight you if you do not let us pass, this is an urgent matter. The world depends on it.”
The two dragons circled each other for a short period, until the green wildclaw finally backed down. With a snarl it lay its crest down, “We had assumed you were a pansy, a pretty dragon who only enjoys the fine things such as gems and jewels. Perhaps we have judged you too harshly. You are a warrior, a fighter, just like the rest of our breed.”
Tarulon snorted, calling the group to finally pass over the sanctum. Finally. Ugh.
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[center][size=7][b]Traders’ Home for Trading and… Traders[/b][/size][/center]
[center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/57265232][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/572653/57265232.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/55860125][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/558602/55860125.png[/img][/url]
[url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/57044383][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/570444/57044383.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/55344366][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/553444/55344366.png[/img][/url]
[url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/44702394][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/447024/44702394.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/66203746][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/662038/66203746.png[/img][/url][/center]
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“... Rhett? Where are we now?” The skydancer had asked, leaning over the shoulder of the map-holding dragon to see where he was looking at. The map definitely had been well-used because of their travels, some leaves sticking against it and dirt touching the edges. It was beginning to curl on the corners as well.
“We are heading in the direction of this village here, I think.” His claw tapped a rootlike structure that seemed rather reminiscent of the figure of a dragon, majestic and imposing. There were a few scribbles on the map that represented small homes within the root system, a village built on and around the tree.
“You mean this village right in front of us?” Eiken responded to him, placing her talons on the top of Rhett's head to force him to look up from the map and at the structure in front of them.
“... Y… Yeah…” Rhett’s eyes glittered at the various decorated dens that were littered over the organic home. Colorful banners and lanterns with fireflies brought the place to life, alongside delicious smells and the friendly chatter of various dragons roaming around.
The dragons seemed to originate from various locations, A small group of mirrors wearing heat proof armor, some guardians with barnacles attached to them walked about, A club of spirals zooming through the sky holding scrolls and bags of feathers, a tundra sitting and reading a book next to a Summer Sphinx, and so forth.
There were various shops and market stalls with small bundles of dragons heaped up around it, all waiting for their turn to speak to the merchants. “Oh. My. Gods!” Rhett exclaimed at the sight of all the energy hanging around the village.
“Hope! Can we split up?” The pearlcatcher asked, sparkles in his eyes. Hope chuckled and nodded. “Sure, but we’ll meet at uhm,” She gazed around, her eyes landing on a board hanging out, indicating the location of an inn. “We’ll meet at the Flowerbed Inn when the sun sets, okay?” “Alright!”
Rhett immediately wanders off and disappears into the village.
The rest of the party chuckles at his excitement and splits off as well. Hope decides to walk with Neal and visit a local vegetable stand. They stare in awe at the lush vegetables and other foods that lay in the stall, and Neal begins to bargain and strike deals with the merchant, a green skydancer.
Hope smiles and wanders off to explore the village.
A black and white imperial roams around the streets past her, carrying tools and items that represent paper cutouts of dragons and animals. He hums a tune, a song without lyrics. Hope jolts at the sight of the imperial coming into her point of sight, feeling her legs tense up with the urge to jolt and run, to flee the scene and scream for alarm. She quickly realizes the dragon is just an imperial, and not the monster eating the world right now.
She approaches the imperial cautiously, swallowing her fear. “Excuse me?”
“Yes?” The dragon turns his head, stopping in his tracks and smiling at the tundra that stood besides him. “Does this village have a leader?” Hope asked him, tilting her head slightly. “Why yes! That would be Suika, they’re in the hut up there!” The imperial pointed up towards a small wooden shack built near the top of the tree.
Hope thanked him and the imperial wished her good luck on whatever journey she was going on. The tundra raised herself up with a flap of her wings and headed into the shack.
It was cozily decorated, glass beads hanging from ropes near the entrance to create a sort of wind chime when Hope entered. She gazed around in awe of the home of the village elder, who sat comfortably at the end of the room on a large, fluffy cushion together with a purple and yellow skydancer. They seemed to be holding a conversation over a cup of tea, looking up when they heard the chimes of the bells.
“Oh, welcome!” The elder spoke up. They were a strangely shaped hybrid between a guardian and a pearlcatcher, well-built and firm on their legs. They stood up, placing their cup of tea down and approached Hope. “My name is Suika, I am the village elder. This is Edith, she is a mechanic.” They motioned towards the skydancer who waved at Hope. The tundra greeted her back with a nod.
“My name is Hope, I come from the south, I need your help.”
Suika’s brows raised in surprise. “My help? With what?”
“I came here with a party of dragons from my clan, we are desperately seeking someone who might be in the viridian labyrinth. He is a gaoler with black and wh-” “White fur? Does he have green eyes, grumpy?” Suika finished her sentence with a tilt of their head, eyebrows raised.
Hope gasped. “Yes! That's him!”
“Yes, he has been here a few times. He does not speak much despite being a loyal customer to our fruit merchants.” The hybrid smiled, closing their eyes contently at the mention of the black and white gaoler. They seemed happy with his presence, probably unaware of the actions the dragon had done against the clan.
“Do you know where we can find him? We need to talk to him about an urgent matter.” The tundra continued after Suika spoke to her, and the elderly dragon responded with a nod. “Yes, he lives currently at the Worldedge Wetlands, on the farthest away place from any other dragon. I assume he prefers living in solitude, perhaps something happened?” They asked with a tilt of their head.
“Ah, haha, yeah. Things sure did happen, though that’s something he himself might want to share instead of me.” Hope shrugged it off with a sigh, glancing away for a moment before looking back up at the dragon. “Thank you though, we are forever grateful for your kindness.”
Suika smiled back at her. “Not a problem at all, you are always welcome at this village whenever you please. Perhaps you can even participate in one of our festivals, beat Edith at the tea drinking competition!” Their words were met with the sound of someone snorting on their drink. The skydancer behind them coughed up her tea, then sarcastically chuckled with a grin. “Yeah right.”
The two villagers laughed at each other at the comment and the action, and Suika turned back to Hope. “Safe travels, traveler Hope. May the gods be on your side.” They dipped their head and watched the tundra leave their house to step outside again.
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Traders’ Home for Trading and… Traders
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“... Rhett? Where are we now?” The skydancer had asked, leaning over the shoulder of the map-holding dragon to see where he was looking at. The map definitely had been well-used because of their travels, some leaves sticking against it and dirt touching the edges. It was beginning to curl on the corners as well.
“We are heading in the direction of this village here, I think.” His claw tapped a rootlike structure that seemed rather reminiscent of the figure of a dragon, majestic and imposing. There were a few scribbles on the map that represented small homes within the root system, a village built on and around the tree.
“You mean this village right in front of us?” Eiken responded to him, placing her talons on the top of Rhett's head to force him to look up from the map and at the structure in front of them.
“... Y… Yeah…” Rhett’s eyes glittered at the various decorated dens that were littered over the organic home. Colorful banners and lanterns with fireflies brought the place to life, alongside delicious smells and the friendly chatter of various dragons roaming around.
The dragons seemed to originate from various locations, A small group of mirrors wearing heat proof armor, some guardians with barnacles attached to them walked about, A club of spirals zooming through the sky holding scrolls and bags of feathers, a tundra sitting and reading a book next to a Summer Sphinx, and so forth.
There were various shops and market stalls with small bundles of dragons heaped up around it, all waiting for their turn to speak to the merchants. “Oh. My. Gods!” Rhett exclaimed at the sight of all the energy hanging around the village.
“Hope! Can we split up?” The pearlcatcher asked, sparkles in his eyes. Hope chuckled and nodded. “Sure, but we’ll meet at uhm,” She gazed around, her eyes landing on a board hanging out, indicating the location of an inn. “We’ll meet at the Flowerbed Inn when the sun sets, okay?” “Alright!”
Rhett immediately wanders off and disappears into the village.
The rest of the party chuckles at his excitement and splits off as well. Hope decides to walk with Neal and visit a local vegetable stand. They stare in awe at the lush vegetables and other foods that lay in the stall, and Neal begins to bargain and strike deals with the merchant, a green skydancer.
Hope smiles and wanders off to explore the village.
A black and white imperial roams around the streets past her, carrying tools and items that represent paper cutouts of dragons and animals. He hums a tune, a song without lyrics. Hope jolts at the sight of the imperial coming into her point of sight, feeling her legs tense up with the urge to jolt and run, to flee the scene and scream for alarm. She quickly realizes the dragon is just an imperial, and not the monster eating the world right now.
She approaches the imperial cautiously, swallowing her fear. “Excuse me?”
“Yes?” The dragon turns his head, stopping in his tracks and smiling at the tundra that stood besides him. “Does this village have a leader?” Hope asked him, tilting her head slightly. “Why yes! That would be Suika, they’re in the hut up there!” The imperial pointed up towards a small wooden shack built near the top of the tree.
Hope thanked him and the imperial wished her good luck on whatever journey she was going on. The tundra raised herself up with a flap of her wings and headed into the shack.
It was cozily decorated, glass beads hanging from ropes near the entrance to create a sort of wind chime when Hope entered. She gazed around in awe of the home of the village elder, who sat comfortably at the end of the room on a large, fluffy cushion together with a purple and yellow skydancer. They seemed to be holding a conversation over a cup of tea, looking up when they heard the chimes of the bells.
“Oh, welcome!” The elder spoke up. They were a strangely shaped hybrid between a guardian and a pearlcatcher, well-built and firm on their legs. They stood up, placing their cup of tea down and approached Hope. “My name is Suika, I am the village elder. This is Edith, she is a mechanic.” They motioned towards the skydancer who waved at Hope. The tundra greeted her back with a nod.
“My name is Hope, I come from the south, I need your help.”
Suika’s brows raised in surprise. “My help? With what?”
“I came here with a party of dragons from my clan, we are desperately seeking someone who might be in the viridian labyrinth. He is a gaoler with black and wh-” “White fur? Does he have green eyes, grumpy?” Suika finished her sentence with a tilt of their head, eyebrows raised.
Hope gasped. “Yes! That's him!”
“Yes, he has been here a few times. He does not speak much despite being a loyal customer to our fruit merchants.” The hybrid smiled, closing their eyes contently at the mention of the black and white gaoler. They seemed happy with his presence, probably unaware of the actions the dragon had done against the clan.
“Do you know where we can find him? We need to talk to him about an urgent matter.” The tundra continued after Suika spoke to her, and the elderly dragon responded with a nod. “Yes, he lives currently at the Worldedge Wetlands, on the farthest away place from any other dragon. I assume he prefers living in solitude, perhaps something happened?” They asked with a tilt of their head.
“Ah, haha, yeah. Things sure did happen, though that’s something he himself might want to share instead of me.” Hope shrugged it off with a sigh, glancing away for a moment before looking back up at the dragon. “Thank you though, we are forever grateful for your kindness.”
Suika smiled back at her. “Not a problem at all, you are always welcome at this village whenever you please. Perhaps you can even participate in one of our festivals, beat Edith at the tea drinking competition!” Their words were met with the sound of someone snorting on their drink. The skydancer behind them coughed up her tea, then sarcastically chuckled with a grin. “Yeah right.”
The two villagers laughed at each other at the comment and the action, and Suika turned back to Hope. “Safe travels, traveler Hope. May the gods be on your side.” They dipped their head and watched the tundra leave their house to step outside again.
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