Creative Corner

[center]~ ~~~ [b][size=5][font=Century Gothic]Day 10 :[/b] [/font][/size][size=5][font=Century Gothic]Shezarni[url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/35356243] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/353563/35356243.png[/img] [/url] [/center][/size][/font] [indent][i][size=5][font=Century Gothic]I didn’t actually know if Muse’s beacon had worked as I marched beneath the blackened skies toward the Academy. Unfortunately I had no choice but to act as though it had, and pray I was not wrong. I found the Blood Mage sequestered off by himself in one of the Academy’s laboratories, surrounded by an array of beakers and strange contraptions. I had to smile to myself: this dragon had a whole clan at his beck and call, yet he still chose to work alone. We do grow comfortable with the familiar, don’t we? Urias looked up with an expression of mild annoyance. “Shezarni of Luminant, Blood Category 3. Your group has not been called in for experimentation. I can only surmise you think you have something to say worthy of my time.” “Have you ever heard of Aethers, Urias?” I asked. He frowned, putting down a vial he’d been squinting at. “Hatchlings’ tales of magical dragons that live in space. Are you about to tell me they’re real?” “They’re on their way here as we speak.” I leaned back against one of the tables. “When they arrive, I have assurances that they’ll be able to clear the skies - putting an end to your brief reign, I’m afraid. It doesn’t matter how powerful you are if you can be defeated by merely opening a window.” Urias steepled his fingers together. “If this is true, why tell me before the fact? Are you not afraid that I’d kill you where you stand - and perhaps half of Brightwing along with you? I could, you know.” “Oh, I don’t doubt it,” I said. “But you don’t strike me as that kind of dragon. I wanted to speak with you before you retreated underground. I thought you might be interested in making an…arrangement.” “An arrangement.” The Blood Mage turned away from me. “I hope you’re not toying with me, Shezarni of Luminant. You’ve just stated that my reign is all but over. Why make a deal with the villain that conquered your clan? What could you possibly want besides me rotting in a cell?” I stepped around one table, moving closer to him. “I’m not ignorant of the bigger picture, you know. Had you not taken control of Ruin, it would be the Aberrations ruling us now, not you. And I think they’d have more nefarious aims than turning us into a science experiment. You likely saved us from that fate. And it’s not the first time you’ve assisted Brightwing. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have you as an asset rather than an enemy.” Urias huffed. “Your father would not approve. And – aren’t you mated to one of the Archmage brothers? They certainly would not approve. In their eyes, my craft is the deepest of evils.” “That’s why it’s me talking to you, and not one of them.” I allowed a smile to float to my lips. “Let me handle them. For now, why don’t the two of us work out an arrangement we could both benefit from? Something that allows you to continue your research without forcing dragons to ‘donate’ to you against their will, maybe?” He hesitated a long moment before finally speaking again. “Well. I had always liked to write up a good contract.” [/i][/indent] [center]~~~ ~[/center] So, this entry was a long time coming. I (and Shezarni) have been planning for this arrangement as far back as Round 2, when Shezarni knew Urias was in the box that the librarians were carrying and allowed them passage to Brightwing anyway. Of course, her 'handling' of Hasil, Hieroglyph, and Veritas may be complicated enough to require a round all on its own - but mediating between opposing sides has always been her top strength. Morigan - Well, we have two entries left and though I can't promise that your questions will be answered, I'll offer this one insight: I've got a lot of scheming dragons in Brightwing, but Daybreak isn't one of them. She's generally honest to a fault. Moreover, she was in a very dark place mentally after her failure to stop the Aberrations from defiling the temple. Sometimes it takes seeing the ones you love to remind you that you're more than just your failings.

she speaks!!! Shezarni lives!!
I've been quiet this round, but enjoying the entries!
At this point I'm wondering to what extent a dragon must go in Brightwing before the judgment is cast to be banished or imprisoned -- but knowledge is powerful and the pursuit of knowledge is noble... in any form, arguably.

[center]~ ~~~ [b][size=5][font=Century Gothic]Day 11 :[/b] [/font][/size][size=5][font=Century Gothic]Faust[url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/85592487] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/855925/85592487.png[/img] [/url] [/center][/size][/font] [indent][i][size=5][font=Century Gothic]“FRIEND!!!!” I dove down from the sky and tackled the purple Aether, delighted to see another one of my kind on this planet. My new friend and I rolled several times, a cloud of dust rising in our wake. She rubbed her eyes, looking dizzy. “Stop…stop laughing…” I tilted my head. What a strange thing to say to a new friend. But then I looked up, taking in my surroundings. “Ohh. You’re right! This isn’t funny at all.” I set my wings into a flurry of motion and rose back into the air, zipping in a long circle around the ash and debris. Space dust filtered off of my wings to flow in colorful waves to the ground below, sparkling as it blanketed the worn, damaged ground. And then a spectrum of colorful blossoms burst into life, filling the entire circle. I landed in the center and straightened proudly. “What do you think, new friend? It’s better, right?” My new friend’s golden eyes grew round. “You can make flowers grow?” I giggled. “There’s a whole lot of magic in space, you know. Me and my other friends like to collect it on our wings and bring it back down into gravity wells like this one. I’ll show you sometime!” “Magic in space? Huh. I guess that explains why the Starfall Isles are so obsessed with astronomy,” my new friend murmured to herself. “Uh, I’m Esther by the way. This is my home. It used to look a lot prettier… Do you think you and your friends could put it back how it used to be?” “Sure! Look, see, there’s Frolic and Macchiato clearing out the yukky smoke. And Blink is over there nurturing the forests. Plus,” I smiled, “You can help out, too!” “But what can I…” The purple Aether paused, glancing back at her wings. “Wait. I…?” She inhaled deeply, and then let out an exuberant cry as she rose into the air. “Look at me! Look how fast I can fly! Oh my gods, I, I can keep up with my pixies now! Maybe I can even fly faster than them? I’m an AETHER!” “I’m an Aether too!” I exclaimed. “Aethers!!!” I shot over to hug Esther again. And this time, she heartily embraced me back. [/i][/indent] [center]~~~ ~[/center] Thought it might be time for a little wholesome tone shift. :) One more entry to go.

An unlikely, delightful little hero!

[center]~ ~~~ [b][size=5][font=Century Gothic]Day 12 :[/b] [/font][/size][size=5][font=Century Gothic]Muse[url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/25544253] [img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/255443/25544253.png[/img] [/url] [/center][/size][/font] [indent][i][size=5][font=Century Gothic]When I was a hatchling, I heard a bedtime story about magical dragons who flew among the stars. From that day on, a dream took shape in my heart. I wanted to make it there, too. Of course that’s not something a Fae can do no matter how much she wants it or how hard she flaps her wings. But I chose not to get disheartened by my failures. Instead I replaced that dream with another: to gather like-minded dreamers from all corners of Sornieth. Who knew what heights we could achieve together? That dream was the seed that grew into the Brightwing Clan. Of course, that was a long time ago. Now I feel kind of like a mother looking on from afar as her brood grows into something beyond her reach and control. Is it what I imagined? In a way. The magic school, the resplendent temple, the well-stocked library – all of them seem like extensions of the same dreaming spirit that stirred inside me. But dark things flourish there, too: scheming and greed, resentment and pain. Every year I wonder if the darkness will overwhelm all the rest. So I guess I wasn’t surprised when Hasil and his daughters sought my help. I’d seen the blackened skies and the long line of dragons trailing toward the Academy, and feared the worst. I knew only one way I could help them. In the end, I had never forgotten that bedtime story. Curiosity had led me to learn all I could about the Aethers: purveyors of magic that used special crystal beacons to guide them from one planet to the next. I’d spent several years tracking one down and several more holding onto it: my most precious treasure. Today as I gazed up at the sky and watched the Aethers paint it blue – with young Esther flying among them – I felt the stirrings of that distant dream come back to life in my chest. Dreams of these magic space dragons had led to the birth of the Brightwing Clan. And now, all these years later, they have saved it. [/i][/indent] [center]~~~ ~[/center] I'm not sure if I ever included my custom progen in a DD round before. That's because after founding the clan, she kind of pulled back and watched it from afar while exploring her own interests. But she seemed an appropriate source to turn to when all the usual heroes of Brightwing had their hands tied. Once again, using a random number generator to determine the order of entries gave me quite a few challenges this round. I knew Esther would be key to the eventual solution, so when her number came up [i]first[/i] it left me scrambling a bit - only to decide that I could just lay the groundwork for the eventual solution without actually bringing it in until the end. :) Also the reveal of Daybreak/Breaker as an Aberration was supposed to be a surprise, so I made their entry take place entirely between their two minds (mirroring the reveal of Enigma/Pyron in an earlier round). I hope that wasn't too confusing! Thank you for joining me! Morigan & Digsie as ever I appreciate your comments SOOO much more than I could probably ever say. And if anyone else is following along quietly, I appreciate you as well and I hope you all enjoyed the round. <3 --------------- I realize there are still a few loose ends - I haven't decided yet if I'll just manage those with some bonus scenes or through some other means. I also intend to do a full update of everyone's bios sometime in the near future.

How grounding to hear from the founder! I love that Muse got more spotlight this round, and how fitting to have her be the final note to end on, too (well done, randomizer). Leave some easter eggs in your dragon bios if you care to :-) I look through them a lot. However you decide to create more lore installments, in any form, I will continue to be a fan! Thank you for another great round [emoji=rainbow star 1 size=1]