(Aa I'm sorry, I assumed Archmagus went with them, I hope that's okay?)
Neon continued to nose around in the mushrooms, pulling up a pink one and a cream-coloured one, dumping them into the collected pile. He sneezed and then shook his head. "Spores, you know. Got to be careful. Helping them out? Why?"
Cave clambered back onto the Pearlcatcher's claw as Neon studied his pile in appreciation. "Right, let's get this back to my hoard, can you help me carry them?" He used his magic to make quite a few of them hover around him, his method of 'carrying'. He gave the Pearlcatcher a pleasant dip of his head before pushing into the air to fly.
The Shrieking Wilds were hostile to outsiders, in the very essence of their energy. The darkness that shrouded underneath the canopy was filled with the hooting cries of unseen creatures, echoing through the great boughs. At one point they passed what must have been an abandoned lair; dragon-sized hollows built up, around and between two of the massive trees reaching into the green sea above everything. Whenever there was a gap in the canopy, the great Behemoth could be seen, rising above it all.
Neon stopped on a thinner branch, setting down for a moment. "Oh! Monster's here."
The Nature Fae made no attempt to hide herself, just out of her Seeing-Dream and still a little absent from her mind. "I smell Plague on your companion," she said warmly, setting down near both of them. Her honey wings and ruby scales made her look like a small flame in the forest. "It's good to see we're not all blind to our brothers."
"We were picking mushrooms."
Monster dipped her head to the Plague dragon warmly. "I am the Seer. I fear you're from the clan Centurion attacked?" She shook her head. "Nevermind. You're welcome to stay until things die down, but I had to speak with Neon. We need to stop this escalating before we aggravate things with our sister Flight. I would welcome a Plague dragon's help."
"We were gathering mushrooms," Neon objected. "We were taking them back to the hoard."
Kassala and Rivercave were forced to split up to avoid the magic pillar, twisting in different directions for a while before attempting to regroup. Rivercave shouted a rune back, twisting Shadow energy slamming into the ground to disrupt the circle. Kassala suffered from the interruption, her wing torn into by a Plague dragon, only just managing to right herself and aim to violently barge back to her companion, slamming a dragon between the two of them before managing to regroup.
Viper was watching with the intensity of an arena enthusiast, hidden behind a flake of red ground away from the battle, focusing on one dragon at a time to call down Light energy on. Her attacks were small and fast, confusing and painful, although she didn't spend enough charging time to bring any dragon down from damage alone.
Mesarka was also hidden away from the fight, her Nature energy lashing out in tendrils of vines and stinging magic, attempting to wrap around wings and legs, trying to bring dragons to the ground for the Imperials to target.
Centurion was an excellent fighter, fast as she could come, with a good eye for the battle going on around her, but it soon became apparent the true danger was in the clan Elders she had brought with her. Cernnunos and Crystalfire, both ancient, well-learned and well-respected dragons from the time of Tuolos, were much more skilled in battle, their eye for the playing board reflecting in their influence on their clanmates. They stayed separate for the most part, Cernnunos watching for the bigger picture, making counter-moves to interrupt the Plague clan's larger plans as she saw them coming, while Crystalfire focused on their own group attacks, following up in the wake of foiled plans.
As a smaller group, they counted each dragon as vital, focusing on dealing more damage than they took. Clans didn't tend to be huge, a hundred dragons strong at the higher end, the true numbers in the familiars they allied to join the battle, but - Cernnunos could see this was a big Clan, something Viper had become aware of before the rest. Summoning their own clan was a necessary move, one which could give them the upper hand with the right entrance.
Crystalfire was aware of the powerful and influential dragons among their enemy. She aimed her clan to subtly foil them, attempting to separate Hisoki while Centurion focused on Kazu, the subtle double-move easy to miss among dragons focusing on their seemingly irregular and unorganised patterns. Every new Plague move they saw was relayed from Cernnunos to Crystalfire, changing their formation and tactic unpredictably each time.
Centurion was hellbent on attacking Kazu, her flight fast enough to make her an impossible target to hit, which would make her vulnerability the moment she slowed or dived to attack. Knowing as much, she was making herself a moving target to her adversary, on the wing her patterns bringing her behind and around her target as fast as she could go. She hadn't yet made a hit, trying to calculate the best way to do so.
The border of Plague was hard to hide in, but the dragons came up from the water.
Summoned by Viper's horn, their familiars arriving with them, the rest of the Clan arrived, the river their camouflage as they silently slipped between Nature and Plague. Marande and Indigo stayed close to the front, followed by Zal, Tessa, Neni, Ironwing, Galaxies, Winter, Apple, Abriella, Skyheart - the Clan had left behind the bare minimum to protect the lair, emerging from the waters as a whole. Vert held Kirin and Miyako on his back, the two Faes summoning their energy for the initial attack, their strongest. Maze and Sparkfire stayed close to Skyheart and Zal, the copycat nature of the Nocturne allowing their attacks to be prepared in flurries.
They erupted from the water as a whole, familiars and dragons alike. The Lightning Faes brought down their attack straight into the centre of the warring dragons, two columns of lightning slamming into the ground, leaving burning craters where they hit. The Nocturnes dived down one by one, following each other's attacks with their own in flurries of four. Their information was from Winter, sensing the battling dragons from a long way away, telling them exactly where to strike from surprise.
(Aa I'm sorry, I assumed Archmagus went with them, I hope that's okay?)
Neon continued to nose around in the mushrooms, pulling up a pink one and a cream-coloured one, dumping them into the collected pile. He sneezed and then shook his head. "Spores, you know. Got to be careful. Helping them out? Why?"
Cave clambered back onto the Pearlcatcher's claw as Neon studied his pile in appreciation. "Right, let's get this back to my hoard, can you help me carry them?" He used his magic to make quite a few of them hover around him, his method of 'carrying'. He gave the Pearlcatcher a pleasant dip of his head before pushing into the air to fly.
The Shrieking Wilds were hostile to outsiders, in the very essence of their energy. The darkness that shrouded underneath the canopy was filled with the hooting cries of unseen creatures, echoing through the great boughs. At one point they passed what must have been an abandoned lair; dragon-sized hollows built up, around and between two of the massive trees reaching into the green sea above everything. Whenever there was a gap in the canopy, the great Behemoth could be seen, rising above it all.
Neon stopped on a thinner branch, setting down for a moment. "Oh! Monster's here."
The Nature Fae made no attempt to hide herself, just out of her Seeing-Dream and still a little absent from her mind. "I smell Plague on your companion," she said warmly, setting down near both of them. Her honey wings and ruby scales made her look like a small flame in the forest. "It's good to see we're not all blind to our brothers."
"We were picking mushrooms."
Monster dipped her head to the Plague dragon warmly. "I am the Seer. I fear you're from the clan Centurion attacked?" She shook her head. "Nevermind. You're welcome to stay until things die down, but I had to speak with Neon. We need to stop this escalating before we aggravate things with our sister Flight. I would welcome a Plague dragon's help."
"We were gathering mushrooms," Neon objected. "We were taking them back to the hoard."
Kassala and Rivercave were forced to split up to avoid the magic pillar, twisting in different directions for a while before attempting to regroup. Rivercave shouted a rune back, twisting Shadow energy slamming into the ground to disrupt the circle. Kassala suffered from the interruption, her wing torn into by a Plague dragon, only just managing to right herself and aim to violently barge back to her companion, slamming a dragon between the two of them before managing to regroup.
Viper was watching with the intensity of an arena enthusiast, hidden behind a flake of red ground away from the battle, focusing on one dragon at a time to call down Light energy on. Her attacks were small and fast, confusing and painful, although she didn't spend enough charging time to bring any dragon down from damage alone.
Mesarka was also hidden away from the fight, her Nature energy lashing out in tendrils of vines and stinging magic, attempting to wrap around wings and legs, trying to bring dragons to the ground for the Imperials to target.
Centurion was an excellent fighter, fast as she could come, with a good eye for the battle going on around her, but it soon became apparent the true danger was in the clan Elders she had brought with her. Cernnunos and Crystalfire, both ancient, well-learned and well-respected dragons from the time of Tuolos, were much more skilled in battle, their eye for the playing board reflecting in their influence on their clanmates. They stayed separate for the most part, Cernnunos watching for the bigger picture, making counter-moves to interrupt the Plague clan's larger plans as she saw them coming, while Crystalfire focused on their own group attacks, following up in the wake of foiled plans.
As a smaller group, they counted each dragon as vital, focusing on dealing more damage than they took. Clans didn't tend to be huge, a hundred dragons strong at the higher end, the true numbers in the familiars they allied to join the battle, but - Cernnunos could see this was a big Clan, something Viper had become aware of before the rest. Summoning their own clan was a necessary move, one which could give them the upper hand with the right entrance.
Crystalfire was aware of the powerful and influential dragons among their enemy. She aimed her clan to subtly foil them, attempting to separate Hisoki while Centurion focused on Kazu, the subtle double-move easy to miss among dragons focusing on their seemingly irregular and unorganised patterns. Every new Plague move they saw was relayed from Cernnunos to Crystalfire, changing their formation and tactic unpredictably each time.
Centurion was hellbent on attacking Kazu, her flight fast enough to make her an impossible target to hit, which would make her vulnerability the moment she slowed or dived to attack. Knowing as much, she was making herself a moving target to her adversary, on the wing her patterns bringing her behind and around her target as fast as she could go. She hadn't yet made a hit, trying to calculate the best way to do so.
The border of Plague was hard to hide in, but the dragons came up from the water.
Summoned by Viper's horn, their familiars arriving with them, the rest of the Clan arrived, the river their camouflage as they silently slipped between Nature and Plague. Marande and Indigo stayed close to the front, followed by Zal, Tessa, Neni, Ironwing, Galaxies, Winter, Apple, Abriella, Skyheart - the Clan had left behind the bare minimum to protect the lair, emerging from the waters as a whole. Vert held Kirin and Miyako on his back, the two Faes summoning their energy for the initial attack, their strongest. Maze and Sparkfire stayed close to Skyheart and Zal, the copycat nature of the Nocturne allowing their attacks to be prepared in flurries.
They erupted from the water as a whole, familiars and dragons alike. The Lightning Faes brought down their attack straight into the centre of the warring dragons, two columns of lightning slamming into the ground, leaving burning craters where they hit. The Nocturnes dived down one by one, following each other's attacks with their own in flurries of four. Their information was from Winter, sensing the battling dragons from a long way away, telling them exactly where to strike from surprise.
Archmagus, who was glad to find an amiable Nature dragon, wholeheartedly agreed. “Yes, we must stop the conflict. I fear there may be casualties,” he said, imagining the fierceness of the battle. Plague dragons fought ferociously, and the Engineer was sure Nature dragons were willing to match his own clan’s prowess.
Assuming he was able to stop this war, his clanmates would thank him from saving their hinds from the angry Nature dragons, which in turn could mean first pick on the food hoard. Perhaps others would even show more kindness to him for his bravery. After all, venturing into the treacherous Viridian Labyrinth was not a task for the faint-hearted, nor was demanding a Nature clan’s leader to stop a fearsome battle. Of course, Archmagus wouldn’t mention the mushroom-picking or his anxiousness in the forest; that was just unnecessary detail, after all.
Besides, saving his clanmates were his top priority, and the latter was just extra benefits from his actions.
“How can one stop raging Imperials?” he asked after a moment of silence, the danger and difficulty of the task finally dawning on him. A Pearlcatcher was rat sized compared to an Imperial, let alone a miniscule Fae. Perhaps the glory of being the peace-bringer wasn't worth being stomped by a goliath-sized Imp.
~~~
Hisoki hissed a string of swears as he narrowly dodged a strike. The filthy clan had brought in reinforcements. It would be a much more difficult battle than he’d anticipated.
The Advisor was suffering from more damage than he’d have liked to. Those tiny Faes were hard to keep an eye on, as they zipped across the battlefield sending hits too fast to track. Though it made him uneasy, he’d have to put all his faith in Kazu, who was currently dodging attacks as quick as the Stormcatcher’s lightning.
The drake soon found himself nearing the edge of the combat zone, his teeth and claws finding that enemy flesh was growing scarce. He growled as an Imperial’s claw tore into his side, rippimg his beloved cloak, before turning back round to attack. Hisoki, unlike many dragons, didn’t use magic during battles. Instead, he’d use brute force and terrifying technique - strike first, strike hard.
~~~
Kazu watched the battle rage on beneath her, dark cloaks catching the chilly night wind. When she looked into the sky above, there were no stars. Instead, a flurry of dragons had taken hold of the night, filling it with their wrathful fire, whip-like tails, and claws sharper than swords.
The presence of the new Nature dragons and their familiars was intriguing. So many risks and opportunities had made themselves shown, turning the tide of the battle. The Pearlcatcher revelled in the peril of the war beneath her, mind running with a million ideas.
A group of Ridgebacks were beginning to take down a squad of Nocturnes above them, while some warriors struggled under the attacks of Imperials. Dragons plummeted to the ground, some Nature, some Plague, but the battle raged on. Her dragons were quick to spot the big players - the rooks, the knights, the bishops; the elders, Centurion - and attacking them accordingly, while others slowly knocked down her adversaries’ pawns.
The Plague dragons were fighting in home territory and were able to use the environment to their advantage, sending puffs of red dust in the air to blind their enemies, or tossing the sharp bones of carcasses towards pesky dragons. If their strength and magic alone wasn’t enough to stop them, infection and illness from the corpses and decay would settle in soon enough.
They were reaching middlegame now, with so much more yet to come.
Archmagus, who was glad to find an amiable Nature dragon, wholeheartedly agreed. “Yes, we must stop the conflict. I fear there may be casualties,” he said, imagining the fierceness of the battle. Plague dragons fought ferociously, and the Engineer was sure Nature dragons were willing to match his own clan’s prowess.
Assuming he was able to stop this war, his clanmates would thank him from saving their hinds from the angry Nature dragons, which in turn could mean first pick on the food hoard. Perhaps others would even show more kindness to him for his bravery. After all, venturing into the treacherous Viridian Labyrinth was not a task for the faint-hearted, nor was demanding a Nature clan’s leader to stop a fearsome battle. Of course, Archmagus wouldn’t mention the mushroom-picking or his anxiousness in the forest; that was just unnecessary detail, after all.
Besides, saving his clanmates were his top priority, and the latter was just extra benefits from his actions.
“How can one stop raging Imperials?” he asked after a moment of silence, the danger and difficulty of the task finally dawning on him. A Pearlcatcher was rat sized compared to an Imperial, let alone a miniscule Fae. Perhaps the glory of being the peace-bringer wasn't worth being stomped by a goliath-sized Imp.
~~~
Hisoki hissed a string of swears as he narrowly dodged a strike. The filthy clan had brought in reinforcements. It would be a much more difficult battle than he’d anticipated.
The Advisor was suffering from more damage than he’d have liked to. Those tiny Faes were hard to keep an eye on, as they zipped across the battlefield sending hits too fast to track. Though it made him uneasy, he’d have to put all his faith in Kazu, who was currently dodging attacks as quick as the Stormcatcher’s lightning.
The drake soon found himself nearing the edge of the combat zone, his teeth and claws finding that enemy flesh was growing scarce. He growled as an Imperial’s claw tore into his side, rippimg his beloved cloak, before turning back round to attack. Hisoki, unlike many dragons, didn’t use magic during battles. Instead, he’d use brute force and terrifying technique - strike first, strike hard.
~~~
Kazu watched the battle rage on beneath her, dark cloaks catching the chilly night wind. When she looked into the sky above, there were no stars. Instead, a flurry of dragons had taken hold of the night, filling it with their wrathful fire, whip-like tails, and claws sharper than swords.
The presence of the new Nature dragons and their familiars was intriguing. So many risks and opportunities had made themselves shown, turning the tide of the battle. The Pearlcatcher revelled in the peril of the war beneath her, mind running with a million ideas.
A group of Ridgebacks were beginning to take down a squad of Nocturnes above them, while some warriors struggled under the attacks of Imperials. Dragons plummeted to the ground, some Nature, some Plague, but the battle raged on. Her dragons were quick to spot the big players - the rooks, the knights, the bishops; the elders, Centurion - and attacking them accordingly, while others slowly knocked down her adversaries’ pawns.
The Plague dragons were fighting in home territory and were able to use the environment to their advantage, sending puffs of red dust in the air to blind their enemies, or tossing the sharp bones of carcasses towards pesky dragons. If their strength and magic alone wasn’t enough to stop them, infection and illness from the corpses and decay would settle in soon enough.
They were reaching middlegame now, with so much more yet to come.
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"I am Monster, the Dusk Clan's Seer," she introduced herself warmly. "And this rainbow you've brought with you is Neon, our local nomad. I'm so pleased to see Cave in friendly claws, it's always a welcome prospect to let our hatchlings go where they feel they need to. I trust his eyes won't bring him too much trouble in your clan?" Her warm, peaceful air was enough to show her attitude was genuine. "Raging Imperials can be dealt with. Neon here can get their attention if needs be." She set off from the branch, expecting them to come after her.
Neon was the next to set off, flying idly, as though his thoughts were in a different place. Monster flew next to Archmagus, as best she could with the wind currents caused by his own flight disturbing hers. Flying in a group could be quite difficult for a Fae. "Our clan has a problem, you see. One I won't hide that we need help with. The last time we were led by someone like Centurion was when my old companion, Cavern, was the General here. I don't know if you ever heard the story, it was a long time ago when Nature tried to purge Shadow."
Neon hummed quietly above them as they flew. "We had an Ascendant once, two- our General struck one through the heart with her blade, and the other faded away to the Behemoth a long time ago." She watched Neon, her own expression far away. "Centurion believes herself a carrier of that General's mission. If you have heard the story, I would hope you understand why it's so important."
Cave was peeking out from his perch on the Pearlcatcher's claw, watching Monster with big eyes. He hadn't been permitted to hear some of the campfire stories, being so young, and his curiosity was getting the better of him. "Cavern tried to declare war on a god. In doing so, she tried to force the creation of an Emperor dragon. Her failure ended the war, when our second Ascendant ran her through on the battlefield in the Forum of the Obscure Crescent. Our generals have a... history, a curse, they call it. Every disaster is bigger than the one before it. You can imagine my concern for a future with Centurion."
"Cavern," Cave pondered quietly.
"Yes, your namesake, little raven."
Neon finished his humming, flying a little closer to the others, speaking perfectly happily. "I think we're nearly there, there's a nice patch of faery ears down there."
"Yes, this is almost the border," Monster hung back for a moment. "The battle's in full flow. We had better think about our entrance. Tell me, is your clan more likely to listen than my own?"
The Nocturnes were having trouble, their repetitive attack throwing them off when one individual was pulled out of the group. They tried to regroup but failed, their initial attack their strongest, quickly losing traction. The nature dragons were dealing damage, but taking more than they had been. They followed the rhythm of the elders and their expertise, allowing it to give them a renewed sense of determination.
Cernnunos re-adjusted the defence calmly, his movements keeping him a mobile target in the air, although that wasn't where his advantage lay. He felt the frustration of Crystalfire as the enemy general - leader? The one moving the formations - foiled her own attacks time and time again. Cernnunos made sure to back her up, redesigning the defence yet again to rebuff the next attack. They had the disadvantage of numbers and the landscape; their diversity could help them there, if Crystalfire didn't refuse to use her knowledge that way, but Cernnunos wouldn't push his old friend.
He felt claws sink into his own wing, closing his eyes for a moment to take the pain before twisting away from the attacker. Light energy flickered back up into his barrier, blood splattering across his forest wings, red on green. Centurion was diving for Kazu, her teeth bared jaggedly, her snarl almost taking away any trace of the dragon he knew from her face, her claws out - and then, twisting away, aiming for a smaller dragon, her claws about to tear into his chest, ripping out his heart. Cernnunos saw it before it happened, a flash forward, and he dived.
His body collided with Centurion's claws before they made contact with their target, bright blood splashing across his green hide. He plunged into the ground in front of the target dragon, Centurion forced to spiral out of her vicious dive, her murderous snarl amplified with shock. Deep claw marks made welts down his side, deep enough to show some features underneath, a fatal blow to a dragon any smaller.
"What are you trying to prove, Centurion?" He was panting between words, the pain shooting through his nerves. "That you're worthy of the Gladekeeper?"
Centurion's expression snapped back to the snarl, an almost animal look in her eyes. "Traitor!" The battlefield had slowed, the nature dragons avoiding and not attacking, eyes on the two as much as possible while still avoiding Plague's onslaught. They all saw Centurion's dive towards the injured elder, her jagged claws out, and the splatter of blood as she made contact. Cernnunos sighed, slumped, and didn't move again.
The blood coated Centurion's white scales, a barbaric look in her eyes. "Kill them." She said softly, staring straight ahead. "Kill them all."
Something kindled through the shock between the nature dragons, the soft command kicking something in each of their minds, as though their elder had fallen to the enemy, the evil, not their own leader's claws. Fury and bloodlust stirred into a frenzy, the Nature dragons doubling their attacks; where they had aimed to incapacitate, now they aimed to kill.
"I am Monster, the Dusk Clan's Seer," she introduced herself warmly. "And this rainbow you've brought with you is Neon, our local nomad. I'm so pleased to see Cave in friendly claws, it's always a welcome prospect to let our hatchlings go where they feel they need to. I trust his eyes won't bring him too much trouble in your clan?" Her warm, peaceful air was enough to show her attitude was genuine. "Raging Imperials can be dealt with. Neon here can get their attention if needs be." She set off from the branch, expecting them to come after her.
Neon was the next to set off, flying idly, as though his thoughts were in a different place. Monster flew next to Archmagus, as best she could with the wind currents caused by his own flight disturbing hers. Flying in a group could be quite difficult for a Fae. "Our clan has a problem, you see. One I won't hide that we need help with. The last time we were led by someone like Centurion was when my old companion, Cavern, was the General here. I don't know if you ever heard the story, it was a long time ago when Nature tried to purge Shadow."
Neon hummed quietly above them as they flew. "We had an Ascendant once, two- our General struck one through the heart with her blade, and the other faded away to the Behemoth a long time ago." She watched Neon, her own expression far away. "Centurion believes herself a carrier of that General's mission. If you have heard the story, I would hope you understand why it's so important."
Cave was peeking out from his perch on the Pearlcatcher's claw, watching Monster with big eyes. He hadn't been permitted to hear some of the campfire stories, being so young, and his curiosity was getting the better of him. "Cavern tried to declare war on a god. In doing so, she tried to force the creation of an Emperor dragon. Her failure ended the war, when our second Ascendant ran her through on the battlefield in the Forum of the Obscure Crescent. Our generals have a... history, a curse, they call it. Every disaster is bigger than the one before it. You can imagine my concern for a future with Centurion."
"Cavern," Cave pondered quietly.
"Yes, your namesake, little raven."
Neon finished his humming, flying a little closer to the others, speaking perfectly happily. "I think we're nearly there, there's a nice patch of faery ears down there."
"Yes, this is almost the border," Monster hung back for a moment. "The battle's in full flow. We had better think about our entrance. Tell me, is your clan more likely to listen than my own?"
The Nocturnes were having trouble, their repetitive attack throwing them off when one individual was pulled out of the group. They tried to regroup but failed, their initial attack their strongest, quickly losing traction. The nature dragons were dealing damage, but taking more than they had been. They followed the rhythm of the elders and their expertise, allowing it to give them a renewed sense of determination.
Cernnunos re-adjusted the defence calmly, his movements keeping him a mobile target in the air, although that wasn't where his advantage lay. He felt the frustration of Crystalfire as the enemy general - leader? The one moving the formations - foiled her own attacks time and time again. Cernnunos made sure to back her up, redesigning the defence yet again to rebuff the next attack. They had the disadvantage of numbers and the landscape; their diversity could help them there, if Crystalfire didn't refuse to use her knowledge that way, but Cernnunos wouldn't push his old friend.
He felt claws sink into his own wing, closing his eyes for a moment to take the pain before twisting away from the attacker. Light energy flickered back up into his barrier, blood splattering across his forest wings, red on green. Centurion was diving for Kazu, her teeth bared jaggedly, her snarl almost taking away any trace of the dragon he knew from her face, her claws out - and then, twisting away, aiming for a smaller dragon, her claws about to tear into his chest, ripping out his heart. Cernnunos saw it before it happened, a flash forward, and he dived.
His body collided with Centurion's claws before they made contact with their target, bright blood splashing across his green hide. He plunged into the ground in front of the target dragon, Centurion forced to spiral out of her vicious dive, her murderous snarl amplified with shock. Deep claw marks made welts down his side, deep enough to show some features underneath, a fatal blow to a dragon any smaller.
"What are you trying to prove, Centurion?" He was panting between words, the pain shooting through his nerves. "That you're worthy of the Gladekeeper?"
Centurion's expression snapped back to the snarl, an almost animal look in her eyes. "Traitor!" The battlefield had slowed, the nature dragons avoiding and not attacking, eyes on the two as much as possible while still avoiding Plague's onslaught. They all saw Centurion's dive towards the injured elder, her jagged claws out, and the splatter of blood as she made contact. Cernnunos sighed, slumped, and didn't move again.
The blood coated Centurion's white scales, a barbaric look in her eyes. "Kill them." She said softly, staring straight ahead. "Kill them all."
Something kindled through the shock between the nature dragons, the soft command kicking something in each of their minds, as though their elder had fallen to the enemy, the evil, not their own leader's claws. Fury and bloodlust stirred into a frenzy, the Nature dragons doubling their attacks; where they had aimed to incapacitate, now they aimed to kill.
Archmagus watched the battle from a safe distance, eyes seemingly distant. He was still perplexed by the realisation that the stories he’d been told weren’t fiction at all. If what the Seer had told him was really true, could their own Plague texts be true also?
“It depends on who you speak to. Kazu, our leader - she’s the sanguine-scaled Pearlcatcher over there - should be reasonable, and powerful enough to stop most of the Plague dragons,” he finally replied, gesturing to where the dragoness was flying. However, it was difficult to spot anything when giant Imperials where soaring to and fro.
“Our clan reveres her like a deity, but it will be difficult to bring our Advisor or General to a halt,” he added, voice grave. The Engineer didn’t yet know how powerful Monster was, but he sure as hell hoped that it was enough to bring reason to the warring dragons.
~~~
It had happened all so quickly.
Orkus could’ve sworn the Imperial was headed towards Kazu, but before he could take a breath, the mass of bloodied teeth and claws was headed his way.
There was no time to dodge or cast a spell or raise his lanky little arms up to shield himself. All he could do was tense himself up, prepared to take a fatal blow, eyes peeled open to glare at the face of his attacker. He refused to cower and shut his eyes or turn his head away. It was the least he could do to preserve his dignity.
Time seemed to slow during his last moments. The sound of pounding wings and ragged breaths and his own thundering heartbeat seemed so vivid now. His attacker was almost beautiful, with her moon-coloured scales and wings like maple leaves. But her eyes were evil, ugly; hatred and rage setting them on fire.
Orkus had barely blinked when yet another Imperial dashed in between the Sorcerer and the Centurion, taking the blow instead. It saved the Plague drake’s life.
He didn’t notice at the time, but his savior’s eyes were green.
~~~
Kazu watched with macabre glee as the battle grew even fiercer. The Elder’s betrayal and the Centurion’s anger seemed to set the Nature dragons’ spirits ablaze.
An enemy dragon even managed to scathe her, a cut grazing her jaw. It stung like fire, the blood trickling down her neck and onto her immaculate, silver mane. The surrounding Plague dragons were enraged by this, intensifying their attacks, but it was impossible to match their adversaries’ newfound power.
The Pearlcatcher, however, was not at all concerned about this change of events, as she was far too interested by the Engineer, the infamous missing hatchling, and two powerful Faed flying full-speed towards them.
Archmagus watched the battle from a safe distance, eyes seemingly distant. He was still perplexed by the realisation that the stories he’d been told weren’t fiction at all. If what the Seer had told him was really true, could their own Plague texts be true also?
“It depends on who you speak to. Kazu, our leader - she’s the sanguine-scaled Pearlcatcher over there - should be reasonable, and powerful enough to stop most of the Plague dragons,” he finally replied, gesturing to where the dragoness was flying. However, it was difficult to spot anything when giant Imperials where soaring to and fro.
“Our clan reveres her like a deity, but it will be difficult to bring our Advisor or General to a halt,” he added, voice grave. The Engineer didn’t yet know how powerful Monster was, but he sure as hell hoped that it was enough to bring reason to the warring dragons.
~~~
It had happened all so quickly.
Orkus could’ve sworn the Imperial was headed towards Kazu, but before he could take a breath, the mass of bloodied teeth and claws was headed his way.
There was no time to dodge or cast a spell or raise his lanky little arms up to shield himself. All he could do was tense himself up, prepared to take a fatal blow, eyes peeled open to glare at the face of his attacker. He refused to cower and shut his eyes or turn his head away. It was the least he could do to preserve his dignity.
Time seemed to slow during his last moments. The sound of pounding wings and ragged breaths and his own thundering heartbeat seemed so vivid now. His attacker was almost beautiful, with her moon-coloured scales and wings like maple leaves. But her eyes were evil, ugly; hatred and rage setting them on fire.
Orkus had barely blinked when yet another Imperial dashed in between the Sorcerer and the Centurion, taking the blow instead. It saved the Plague drake’s life.
He didn’t notice at the time, but his savior’s eyes were green.
~~~
Kazu watched with macabre glee as the battle grew even fiercer. The Elder’s betrayal and the Centurion’s anger seemed to set the Nature dragons’ spirits ablaze.
An enemy dragon even managed to scathe her, a cut grazing her jaw. It stung like fire, the blood trickling down her neck and onto her immaculate, silver mane. The surrounding Plague dragons were enraged by this, intensifying their attacks, but it was impossible to match their adversaries’ newfound power.
The Pearlcatcher, however, was not at all concerned about this change of events, as she was far too interested by the Engineer, the infamous missing hatchling, and two powerful Faed flying full-speed towards them.
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"Kazu," she nodded, "that's where to start."
"Something's wrong." She pricked up her frills, looking alert out over the field. "we have to hurry. Come on!" She pushed herself forward again, forcing through the air as though her life depended on it. She had felt something happen out on the battlefield, something that had dropped from her chest like a stone.
It wasn't long before they could see the form on the ground, lying still and sightless under the battlefield. "Cernnunos!"
She didn't slow down, skidding across the ground as she landed next to the body, searching frantically for any sign of breathing. She flew up onto his side, the bleeding wounds in his chest turning his green patterns red. "No..." She scrambled down towards his face, as though she might be able to find some sign of life there. "No!" The last word was a scream to the sky, lost in the battle above.
"Stop the battle- stop the-! Neon!"
The tiny fae had landed on the ground close by, his head tilted a little to the side, the sounds of the battle and the body lost on him. He was out in the open, and as vulnerable as he could be, but Monster wasn't asking him to move. She pushed off from Cernnunos' body, flying towards him and picking him up roughly, flying up into the sky and then dropping him.
The tiny Fae plunged to the ground, a look of mild surprise on his face, not having the time to spread his wings and catch the air. He clutched at the mushroom he had kept hold of, watching as the ground came up to meet him.
As it did, there was a flash of green, sending a shockwave out across the battlefield. Vines lashed out of the ground, catching Neon as the energy threw other dragons out of the sky in a burst of power. Centurion braced herself, facing into the blast, her eyes squeezed shut.
When the dust settled, the Nature and Plague dragons alike were on the ground, slowly coming back to themselves. In the centre of it all, Neon took a bite out of his mushroom.
Centurion coughed, dragging herself back to her feet. "You," she snarled as Monster set down on the ground, having let the blast carry her like a leaf.
The nature dragons had slowly come back to themselves, the shock of the blast shaking away the frenzy from the fight. Crystalfire pushed herself back into the air, gliding down to land beside her friend. "Cernnunos..."
"Kazu," she nodded, "that's where to start."
"Something's wrong." She pricked up her frills, looking alert out over the field. "we have to hurry. Come on!" She pushed herself forward again, forcing through the air as though her life depended on it. She had felt something happen out on the battlefield, something that had dropped from her chest like a stone.
It wasn't long before they could see the form on the ground, lying still and sightless under the battlefield. "Cernnunos!"
She didn't slow down, skidding across the ground as she landed next to the body, searching frantically for any sign of breathing. She flew up onto his side, the bleeding wounds in his chest turning his green patterns red. "No..." She scrambled down towards his face, as though she might be able to find some sign of life there. "No!" The last word was a scream to the sky, lost in the battle above.
"Stop the battle- stop the-! Neon!"
The tiny fae had landed on the ground close by, his head tilted a little to the side, the sounds of the battle and the body lost on him. He was out in the open, and as vulnerable as he could be, but Monster wasn't asking him to move. She pushed off from Cernnunos' body, flying towards him and picking him up roughly, flying up into the sky and then dropping him.
The tiny Fae plunged to the ground, a look of mild surprise on his face, not having the time to spread his wings and catch the air. He clutched at the mushroom he had kept hold of, watching as the ground came up to meet him.
As it did, there was a flash of green, sending a shockwave out across the battlefield. Vines lashed out of the ground, catching Neon as the energy threw other dragons out of the sky in a burst of power. Centurion braced herself, facing into the blast, her eyes squeezed shut.
When the dust settled, the Nature and Plague dragons alike were on the ground, slowly coming back to themselves. In the centre of it all, Neon took a bite out of his mushroom.
Centurion coughed, dragging herself back to her feet. "You," she snarled as Monster set down on the ground, having let the blast carry her like a leaf.
The nature dragons had slowly come back to themselves, the shock of the blast shaking away the frenzy from the fight. Crystalfire pushed herself back into the air, gliding down to land beside her friend. "Cernnunos..."
Archmagus tucked his head under his wings, shielding himself from Neon’s sudden blast. He knew the Fae was powerful, but not to this extent of such epic proportions. He made a mental note not to anger him.
When he lifted his head again, all of the dragons were on the ground, trotting towards a large, green Imperial laying motionless on the floor. The Engineer was unable to determine his flight. The battle had ceased, but at what cost?
~~~
Kazu, who’d quickly regained her composure, made her way towards the new Fae. She stepped around the dragon - or corpse, rather - gingerly, to avoid staining her robes with blood. This sudden turn of events had changed everything, and now the Pearlcatcher’s mind was racing with a myriad of new, exciting ideas.
However, the brightly coloured Fae was what piqued her interest the most. The little creature was unimaginably powerful. Perhaps it would require both Orkus at his prime and herself to match the small dragon’s power, but that was something to be considered for another day.
For now, her priority was to rid the Nature dragons from her land. The blood was an eyesore, and she didn’t even want to think about reconstructing the damage dealt to the entrance. Centurion and some others seemed even angrier than before, and Hisoki was already standing in a combat-ready position, that wicked, sadistic gleam still in his crimson eyes. She could only hope that the others weren’t as assertive.
“I promise you, I didn’t want any of this,” Kazu said solemnly, settling herself beside Monster. “But you mustn’t seek revenge. Your dragons knew the cost of war, and they have paid.” Her tail flicked to the direction of Archmagus, Cave nestled snugly between the larger dragon’s claws. “Your hatchling is safe - he is with my Engineer. I am sure neither Plague or Nature would like to lose anyone else. Go now, and we will not bother with your clan.”
Hisoki, Lyune, and some others snorted at the final sentence, but didn’t dare say a word against their Leader. It was clear that their own clan had suffered, and they were smart enough to know that a truce was the best possible outcome.
Archmagus tucked his head under his wings, shielding himself from Neon’s sudden blast. He knew the Fae was powerful, but not to this extent of such epic proportions. He made a mental note not to anger him.
When he lifted his head again, all of the dragons were on the ground, trotting towards a large, green Imperial laying motionless on the floor. The Engineer was unable to determine his flight. The battle had ceased, but at what cost?
~~~
Kazu, who’d quickly regained her composure, made her way towards the new Fae. She stepped around the dragon - or corpse, rather - gingerly, to avoid staining her robes with blood. This sudden turn of events had changed everything, and now the Pearlcatcher’s mind was racing with a myriad of new, exciting ideas.
However, the brightly coloured Fae was what piqued her interest the most. The little creature was unimaginably powerful. Perhaps it would require both Orkus at his prime and herself to match the small dragon’s power, but that was something to be considered for another day.
For now, her priority was to rid the Nature dragons from her land. The blood was an eyesore, and she didn’t even want to think about reconstructing the damage dealt to the entrance. Centurion and some others seemed even angrier than before, and Hisoki was already standing in a combat-ready position, that wicked, sadistic gleam still in his crimson eyes. She could only hope that the others weren’t as assertive.
“I promise you, I didn’t want any of this,” Kazu said solemnly, settling herself beside Monster. “But you mustn’t seek revenge. Your dragons knew the cost of war, and they have paid.” Her tail flicked to the direction of Archmagus, Cave nestled snugly between the larger dragon’s claws. “Your hatchling is safe - he is with my Engineer. I am sure neither Plague or Nature would like to lose anyone else. Go now, and we will not bother with your clan.”
Hisoki, Lyune, and some others snorted at the final sentence, but didn’t dare say a word against their Leader. It was clear that their own clan had suffered, and they were smart enough to know that a truce was the best possible outcome.
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"Cave! You're okay!" Jademask was the one to fly towards the Engineer, landing and almost sagging in relief. "Cave... Gods, don't do that to me!"
"You didn't think to tell us he was safe before?" There was anger in Kassala's voice as she stepped forward, half-threateningly.
Monster hopped forward, trying to butt in before their anger escalated. "A truce would be best. I don't believe we wanted to see this happen in the first place. Centurion, this is done. Lead the clan and the hatchling home."
Centurion's eyes held a malicious glint as she faced the Seer. "You act as though you have some kind of authority over me." Her tone warned Monster before she could say anything else, but the Fae was robbed of the chance to reply by Darvena, stepping forward, her flank covered in blood.
"I think we all agree it would be unwise to be at odds with the Seer," she reminded the Imperial gently.
"The Seer?" There was scorn in Centurion's voice. "She's been lying to us for weeks. She hasn't heard from the Gladekeeper for months. Ask her!"
The temperature seemed to drop among the Nature dragons, panic and uneasiness half setting in. It was Kassala who was first to break the silence. "Monster, is this true?"
Monster hesitated, looking towards Neon helplessly. "It isn't the way you think. She hasn't abandoned us. There have been... factors, Lachtan knew not to expect from the Spirits every day, you just need to-"
"Trust you?! I've had enough of your excuses!" Centurion snarled, rounding on the Fae. "This is the dragon that told me pride in nature meant nothing but destruction. This is the dragon that refused us our history because she was the only one who remembered it, and wanted it to die. And now this is the dragon siding with Plague. I think it's easy to see why the Gladekeeper has turned on her!"
The burst of fear and outrage manifested in an outcry, some dragons backing away, some digging their claws into the ground and snarling. Even Neon was picking up on it, laying his expressive frills flat back against his skull and trying to make himself smaller.
"It isn't true! The Gladekeeper can't have abandoned us!"
"Traitor!"
There was a glint of triumph in Centurion's eyes as she looked down at Monster, lowering her voice so it couldn't easily be heard over the noise, but could be heard by the Seer. "I told you it was a mistake to turn me away. We'll have our war, and we'll succeed where Cavern failed." She raised her voice again, "Leave the traitor! We're flying home. We'll be back for blood. You have three days' warning."
"Give us the hatchling." Darvena stepped forward as Centurion pushed herself into the sky, followed by the other Imperials, silence and whispered still resonating from the shock.
"No!" Cave looked scared, clinging to the Engineer's horn even more tightly than he had. He didn't understand what had happened, but he could see Neon and Monster in the dust, the clan rising into flight and setting out for home. "What's happened to Cern? What's going on?"
Darvena looked torn, glancing at the leaving Flight. "Apple will want to know you're safe, Cave."
"I don't want to go home! Cent hurt Cernnunos, didn't she?"
"I... Come on, Cave. I don't want to leave you in Plague."
"I'm staying!"
"Cave! You're okay!" Jademask was the one to fly towards the Engineer, landing and almost sagging in relief. "Cave... Gods, don't do that to me!"
"You didn't think to tell us he was safe before?" There was anger in Kassala's voice as she stepped forward, half-threateningly.
Monster hopped forward, trying to butt in before their anger escalated. "A truce would be best. I don't believe we wanted to see this happen in the first place. Centurion, this is done. Lead the clan and the hatchling home."
Centurion's eyes held a malicious glint as she faced the Seer. "You act as though you have some kind of authority over me." Her tone warned Monster before she could say anything else, but the Fae was robbed of the chance to reply by Darvena, stepping forward, her flank covered in blood.
"I think we all agree it would be unwise to be at odds with the Seer," she reminded the Imperial gently.
"The Seer?" There was scorn in Centurion's voice. "She's been lying to us for weeks. She hasn't heard from the Gladekeeper for months. Ask her!"
The temperature seemed to drop among the Nature dragons, panic and uneasiness half setting in. It was Kassala who was first to break the silence. "Monster, is this true?"
Monster hesitated, looking towards Neon helplessly. "It isn't the way you think. She hasn't abandoned us. There have been... factors, Lachtan knew not to expect from the Spirits every day, you just need to-"
"Trust you?! I've had enough of your excuses!" Centurion snarled, rounding on the Fae. "This is the dragon that told me pride in nature meant nothing but destruction. This is the dragon that refused us our history because she was the only one who remembered it, and wanted it to die. And now this is the dragon siding with Plague. I think it's easy to see why the Gladekeeper has turned on her!"
The burst of fear and outrage manifested in an outcry, some dragons backing away, some digging their claws into the ground and snarling. Even Neon was picking up on it, laying his expressive frills flat back against his skull and trying to make himself smaller.
"It isn't true! The Gladekeeper can't have abandoned us!"
"Traitor!"
There was a glint of triumph in Centurion's eyes as she looked down at Monster, lowering her voice so it couldn't easily be heard over the noise, but could be heard by the Seer. "I told you it was a mistake to turn me away. We'll have our war, and we'll succeed where Cavern failed." She raised her voice again, "Leave the traitor! We're flying home. We'll be back for blood. You have three days' warning."
"Give us the hatchling." Darvena stepped forward as Centurion pushed herself into the sky, followed by the other Imperials, silence and whispered still resonating from the shock.
"No!" Cave looked scared, clinging to the Engineer's horn even more tightly than he had. He didn't understand what had happened, but he could see Neon and Monster in the dust, the clan rising into flight and setting out for home. "What's happened to Cern? What's going on?"
Darvena looked torn, glancing at the leaving Flight. "Apple will want to know you're safe, Cave."
"I don't want to go home! Cent hurt Cernnunos, didn't she?"
"I... Come on, Cave. I don't want to leave you in Plague."
"I'm staying!"
“My, my, my,” Kazu muttered amusedly, the other Plague dragons also intrigued by the turn of
events. Perhaps they wouldn’t even need to fight - the clan already did a fantastic job of killing
themselves. Dragons retreated from both sides, Nature flying clumsily away with their torn
wings, Plague slinking and limping exhaustedly into the catacombs.
Archmagus, meanwhile, remained uncomfortably, with Cave clinging onto his horn. Unsure as to
whether he should coax the little thing to return to the Labyrinth or stay back at the Scarred
Wasteland, the Engineer settled with an awkward smile. “I doubt it will bring you peace of mind,”
he finally said to the Coatl, “but we have no intention of hurting the hatchling, despite what your
Flight may say about us.”
“And so the plot thickens,” Kazu mused idly, shifting her attention back to Monster. “What will
you do, Seer? Your clan seems to be in shambles.”
Of course, avoiding the conflict of the battle ahead was the most ideal outcome of the situation,
but the Pearlcatcher very well knew that that would be unlikely. With less than three moons to
formulate and coordinate an attack, she’d have to work quickly and cleverly. It wasn’t an easy
task, even for Kazu. In fact, the sun was already crawling over the horizon, painting the sky a
bright, brilliant orange. It only served as a grim reminder of the time they had left.
“My, my, my,” Kazu muttered amusedly, the other Plague dragons also intrigued by the turn of
events. Perhaps they wouldn’t even need to fight - the clan already did a fantastic job of killing
themselves. Dragons retreated from both sides, Nature flying clumsily away with their torn
wings, Plague slinking and limping exhaustedly into the catacombs.
Archmagus, meanwhile, remained uncomfortably, with Cave clinging onto his horn. Unsure as to
whether he should coax the little thing to return to the Labyrinth or stay back at the Scarred
Wasteland, the Engineer settled with an awkward smile. “I doubt it will bring you peace of mind,”
he finally said to the Coatl, “but we have no intention of hurting the hatchling, despite what your
Flight may say about us.”
“And so the plot thickens,” Kazu mused idly, shifting her attention back to Monster. “What will
you do, Seer? Your clan seems to be in shambles.”
Of course, avoiding the conflict of the battle ahead was the most ideal outcome of the situation,
but the Pearlcatcher very well knew that that would be unlikely. With less than three moons to
formulate and coordinate an attack, she’d have to work quickly and cleverly. It wasn’t an easy
task, even for Kazu. In fact, the sun was already crawling over the horizon, painting the sky a
bright, brilliant orange. It only served as a grim reminder of the time they had left.
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Darvena looked uncertain and a little hostile, studying the Pearlcatcher with distrust. "It's not about your Flight. It's about a green-eyed hatchling staying in Plague. I'm pretty sure you don't speak for all your clanmates." She looked despairingly at Cave and shook her head. "If Monster is staying, I suppose that's all I can do." She pushed herself into the air, flying fast to catch up with her tattered Clan.
Monster raised her head, glancing towards Neon. "I will consult with the Spirits. If this is truly Cavern's curse, Kagoron will know what to do. In the meantime, I am willing to help you with anything you need. Obviously I cannot connect with your deity, but I know my own clan. I'm here to stop Centurion's corruption destroying another Flight."
Neon picked himself up and finished off his mushroom. Monster sighed a little. "See, the reason the Gladekeeper has locked us off from her council is this little Fae here. He was Exalted a long time ago, but decided he didn't want to serve the deities, so he came back home. As long as we're sheltering him, the Gladekeeper won't talk to us. The rest of the clan doesn't know this, for good reason."
Monster watched Neon absently searching for another few mushrooms he had dropped, not really paying attention to any of the current events again, as per usual. "It's why his magical aura is so strong. I'm willing to tell you because any dragon out of the Gladekeeper's favour is unlikely to be killed by a Plague dragon, and he can look after himself anyway."
Darvena looked uncertain and a little hostile, studying the Pearlcatcher with distrust. "It's not about your Flight. It's about a green-eyed hatchling staying in Plague. I'm pretty sure you don't speak for all your clanmates." She looked despairingly at Cave and shook her head. "If Monster is staying, I suppose that's all I can do." She pushed herself into the air, flying fast to catch up with her tattered Clan.
Monster raised her head, glancing towards Neon. "I will consult with the Spirits. If this is truly Cavern's curse, Kagoron will know what to do. In the meantime, I am willing to help you with anything you need. Obviously I cannot connect with your deity, but I know my own clan. I'm here to stop Centurion's corruption destroying another Flight."
Neon picked himself up and finished off his mushroom. Monster sighed a little. "See, the reason the Gladekeeper has locked us off from her council is this little Fae here. He was Exalted a long time ago, but decided he didn't want to serve the deities, so he came back home. As long as we're sheltering him, the Gladekeeper won't talk to us. The rest of the clan doesn't know this, for good reason."
Monster watched Neon absently searching for another few mushrooms he had dropped, not really paying attention to any of the current events again, as per usual. "It's why his magical aura is so strong. I'm willing to tell you because any dragon out of the Gladekeeper's favour is unlikely to be killed by a Plague dragon, and he can look after himself anyway."
