Don't Rub It In
On the edge of the Gladeveins a winding ripple just beneath the surface slowly made its way towards a secluded island just on the border of Earth territory. Pulling herself from the water, Medusa awkwardly slithered towards the center of the island where a glowing pool resided.
"Medusa? Medusa can you hear me?" A voice called from the rippling pool.
"I hear you," Medusa huffed, coiling herself around a decorative stone sat on the edge of the pool, "But you should know better to wait."
"I'm sorry," her faceless companion sighed, "It's just so much has happened."
"Then speak of it," the ancient dragon commanded, "I have other matters to tend to."
"They've taken the hollow, Medusa."
A chill crawled down Medusa's spine, the auraboa shivering subconsciously at the news the pool brought her. They couldn't have taken the hollow. It was secure, safely nestled deep within the roots of the Behemoth. It was impossible.
"Medusa!" Her companion broke Medusa from her panicked spiral.
"What, yes, I...I heard you."
"What do we do? We evacuated everyone that we could, but they're... we can only hide for so long where we're at."
Medusa sighed, the snakes around her crown coiling tightly around her head as she considered their options.
"And you're sure there's nothing we can... we can do against these intruders?" Medusa asked.
"They're aided by the shade, Medusa. And something much more powerful."
"I may have an idea," Medusa admittedly hesitantly, "but it's going to be... tricky."
"It may be our only choice."
Traversing the earth territory while trying to remain unseen was a difficult task. Unaccustomed to traversing the network of tunnels and archeological sites, Medusa craved the familiarity of her home roots. Eventually, the ancient dragon made it to the territory she would truly dread. The rotten stench of the plague lands filled her nose, causing the auraboa to scrunch up her nose as she tried to ignore the overwhelming smell. She hadn't been here in generations. The last time her clan had seen plague's fleshland was during the great war. And from what she had heard from the gaolers who had sealed them beneath the Behemoth, the aberrations had suffered a similarly cruel fate. But, she knew the aberrations were strong, they had given their leafmother quite the trouble back then.
"Let's get this over with," Medusa grumbled. She could sense weakened nature magic within the land, and decided if there was somewhere she could rest and recuperate before hunting down the aberrations, that was where she wanted to go.
It did not take long for her to reach the source of the nature magic. An overabundance of plague magic was rife in this area, reaching and grasping at a stubbornly growing young tree. It resembled the Behemoth, though much smaller and... most definitely sick. It pained her heart to see the poor thing suffering, but also knew that it certainly did not belong here. Medusa coiled herself at the bottom, deciding that climbing the tree would be far too risky. She could take a breath here.
"I thought I smelled something leafy." A familiar rotten voice crooned high above Medusa, startling the auraboa from her postion as she whirled around, fangs at the ready. Her crown of snakes hissing to life as she became defensive. Sat upon a gnarled and sickly branch of the tree was a face she'd rather forget.
"Oizys," Medusa hissed. The pestilent witch laughed, the sound echoed by the second head the witch now sported.
"You're quite far from home, Little Vine," Oizys crooned, her pustule-eyes narrowing and blinking in a nauseating fashion. "Tell me, what brings you back to Mother's land?"
"Where's your other half?" Medusa demanded, refusing to take her eyes off of the vile witch. Their battles had always been close, until her dirt-colored companion came in to unbalance the playing ground. She had no doubt Hallow was nearby.
"Demanding," Hallow's voice rumbled, his glowing red eyes appearing from above Oizys, "But I am here as well. Now answer us, Viper. You're not very welcome here."
Medusa narrowed her eyes, struggling to find the words needed. If only it had been anyone other than her old enemies. The fact that they lived even now generations later was aggravating, as they would only find joy in her wretched mission.
"I heard you were wiped out," Medusa stated instead, pulling herself into a more comfortable, but no less battle-ready position. Oizys' lip curled and Hallow let out twin growls.
"You heard wrong, now speak. Or we shall chase you back to your wretched tree."
Medusa hissed under her breath. This was going to be a difficult topic.
"The Behemoth's roots are... infested," she retorted, spitting the last word with a tiny drop of venom. A silence befell the ancients before resounded laughter boomed from the two aberrations.
"The Behemoth is infested," Hallow sneered, "And you think you can make a new one within our land?"
"No!" Medusa spat, her snakes bristling with thinly-veiled anger, "The intruders in our roots reek of shade and... something else."
Hallow and Oizys shared a look, a serious expression settling onto their features.
"What do you mean by, something else?" Oizys questioned, shifting her weight on the branch she was perched upon.
"I don't know," Medusa admitted, "I have not seen them myself. I was sent from the roots to find... help."
The auraboa shook her head,
"Something not shade or of our realm. They are messing with magicks I have never seen before."
Hallow and Oizys looked at each other once more, both descending into whispered conversation. So, they knew something Medusa didn't.
"What are they?" Medusa demanded, "They have taken our home and are hurting the Behemoth! And what little information we have gotten from them states that they came from shadow. You seem to know what I speak of, now tell me!"
Medusa shrank back as Hallow's red eyes snapped back onto her.
"Do not make demands, Viper," the aberration hissed, " however... yes, we know of whom you speak. They are a cult who follow the shade. And we have been searching for them. And if they're in the Behemoth, then you need to warn your kin."
"Warn them of what?" Medusa asked, "Another war?"
"Perhaps," Oizys answered, "but we are not your enemy. The shadewalkers will destroy everything in their path to bring the shade back to Sornieth. They are your enemy."
"And we will offer our help, on one condition," Hallow continued.
"What would that be?"
"You tell us all that you know of the shadewalkers and who they have with them."
)Dragons in this story
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