Quests & Challenges

@Dynami

It's been a while since I've written a character like Ifor, because sometimes its all too relatable, but I'm so glad to have her in the story and I am so glad that you like her!

Garnet is the sort of dragon that won't bend her will to anyone, so I figured her stubbornness would pair well with Midnight's!

Thank you so much for all of your kind words! And thank you for the pointer on the labels, sometimes I forget how they transfer over, size-wise, when putting the images online!

----- [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2875584/11#post_43843296]Previous[/url][/center] ----- [center][b][u]Day 6: Pursuit[/u][/b] [item=discipline] Sentence: Death Streak Roll[/center] ----- [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/61774797][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/dgen/dressing-room/dragon?did=61774797&skin=0&apparel=554,12896&xt=dressing.png[/img][/url][/center] The first week of classes had ended, and Ifor had never felt more exhausted. Magiere had worked her hard, and no matter how much effort she put in, her mentor never seemed pleased. The pink crystalline walls of the school were beginning to feel suffocating, and the guardian needed to get out. By default, her feet brought her to the Whisper Woods. Being out among her trees reminded her of the wilds of her birth clan - a place she and her sister had often stopped to visit. Immediately, the trees around her brought her under a blanket of calm, and birdsong filled the air, enough to block out the terrible thoughts of school. Ifor wandered alone for a while, following the flow of a stream as it fed into a larger river. Eventually, her peace was interrupted by the footsteps of another dragon, and she turned to see a familiar green running towards her. [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/61825965][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/dgen/dressing-room/dragon?did=61825965&skin=0&apparel=35010,6027,6031&xt=dressing.png[/img][/url][/center] "Enser! What are you doing here?" Ifor asked, indignant at her solitude being disturbed. "I figured you could use some company," Enser shrugged. "You don't seem happy." It wasn't a question. Enser had picked up on what Ifor had been trying so desperately to mask. "It's not that," Ifor tried to cover her tracks. "It's just-" "Talk to me," Enser said. "I swear, I won't tell anyone. I won't even mention it once we leave these woods, scout's honor." He held up a hand. The guardian sighed. "Everyone seems to know what they're doing here. Midnight already knows so much magic, you know so much I'm sure you know magic as well, and no matter what I do, I can't do enough to make my mentor happy with me! I feel like such a disappointment!" "Okay, first off," Enser began. "Midnight and I both grew up in fairly magical families. I was actually born at a different magic school not far from here, so don't compare yourself to us, okay? Just because you don't know much now doesn't mean that you won't know much later, it just gives us a bit of a head start. But head knowledge can only get you so far." Immediately, Ifor began to feel calmer, though her heart still thrummed with anxiety. "Secondly, don't doubt yourself," Enser continued. "You have so much to offer the world, you really do. You have such a drive and determination, how else would you cross Sornieth just so you could follow your dreams? Magiere is a grump. I don't even know why she's here, I don't even think that she [i]likes[/i] teaching, so don't base your self-worth on what she thinks of you. Just keep working hard, and let the results show for yourself." "Thank you,"Ifor nodded. So far, the wildclaw's words had calmed her immediately anxiety, but she could still feel the niggling fear in the back of her mind. What if she was never good enough? What if she just couldn't do magic? Before she could open her mouth to say more, however, the crow of a nearby bird pierced the air, harsh and splitting. Enser's eyes widened with fear, as he nudged Ifor to keep moving. "What is it?" Ifor hissed. "Not so loud!" Enser whispered back. "Don't look now, but there's a basilisk stalking us." "What?" Ifor turned her head to look before Enser leaped up and smacked it back the way she had been facing. "You idiot! Do you want to become stone?" Enser growled. "If you meet a basilisk's gaze, you'll turn to rock!" Just then, the basilisk let out a loud squawk and broke into a run. Ifor could hear its feet hitting the ground. [center][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/static/cms/familiar/art/381.png[/img][/center] "Run." Ifor didn't need to be told twice. She had not yet received any battle training, and so she was poorly prepared to face more than a chipskink. She broke into a run, feeling Enser's presence beside her. The basilisk proved to be stubborn, and refused to give up the chase. Though its wings were not made for long-term flight, it still used them to boost it over obstacles. Ifor was beginning to wear out. She had expended all her energy throughout the week, and she was not ready to use more of it. Soon, she found herself falling behind Enser, who was far too focused on fleeing to notice. To make matter worse, the skies had opened up and it had begun raining. She could feel the big, fat drops hitting her scales and rolling down her back. This too failed to deter the basilisk. There was a flash of lightning, and all of a sidden she could feel its talons digging into her back. It had caught up with her. Ifor screeched and tried to throw it off. With some effort, the weight of the bird soon left her back as she heard a thud on the ground in front of her. She shut her eyes, terrified that the basilisk would attack while she was sightless, but knowing she could not risk being petrified. There was the sound of thunder again, and Ifor felt the heat of a nearby lightning bolt. It was a miracle that she hadn't been hit. As she fought to gather her breath again, she began to notice that she could no longer hear the basilisk. Very cautiously, she opened her eyes to see Enser in front of her, dripping wet and staring wide-eyed at something behind her. Ifor spun around to see a mirror, wielding a trident and looking at the now-crispy basilisk with wide eyes. [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/32116344][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/dgen/dressing-room/dragon?did=32116344&skin=0&apparel=12897,22257,440,6021,6033,2973,13809,13841,13857,13849&xt=dressing.png[/img][/url][/center] ----- [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/2875584/13#post_43895465]Next[/url][/center] ----- [center]@CleverDual @Leopardmask @Sabariel @Drachenschwinge @Autumnus @GrinningWolf24 @Glassowary @CleverTrick @Stormlark @Dakala @Moonweaverr @Tirtouga678 @unicorn9 @Disillusionist @catmeow1 @Tynethyne @SkullGeist @Dynami @ShinyDecidueye @Tiffkaboo @secretlylying @MisterMylez @BarbaraFett @Aetherstorm @VeniVidiVici @YakileBekrea @MeepBoie400 @CorvvusCorax @WeaverofLies @myriadofstars[/center] ----- Hey! Sorry for disappearing for a few days! There's been quite a lot going on the past few days. I wanted to write yesterday, but ended up being too exhausted by the time I had some time to sit down and write. The end of this chapter marks the start of a crossover segment with @Leopardmask ! I'm very excited to get into this in my next chapter!

I'll be honest, I was terrified when I saw the words "Death Streak". And then the Basilisk appeared, and I was afraid someone was going to be petrified. So glad they both made it out okay!

@myriadofstars

I as terrfied when I got the pull! But thankfully I rolled tails, so we don't have to say goodbye to anyone just yet!

Oh, that's a huge relief!

I agree with myriadofstars- as soon as I saw the battle stone, and then a basilisk, my heart sank.

That lightning strike was pretty interesting though.... given that her great-great-grandmother was mentioned a while back, and knowing who she is..... I wonder if Ifor subconsciously shot the lightning as a defense mechanism? And maybe she is more strongly tied to an element that is not her birth one, thus the trouble with summoning shadow magic? Lots to unpack here, and excited to see how this grows!!

@Petall I am GRACIOUS no one has died yet! I saw the death streak too, and I was starting to freak out. Thankfully, it was just a basilisk! [emoji=banescale happy size=1]

@Petall

My first thought reading through the first part: Omg, Enser is the friend everyone needs. His calming/reassuring words to comfort her just makes me like him even more! He's such a great character!

Secondly: WOW, that scene with the Basilisk was terrifying! I'm looking forward to the continuation of this!

@Petall When I saw the words "Death Streak Roll", I was all "Yikes!" And poor Ifor, it looks as though she's beginning to feel the same way. I'm glad Enser was here to give her a pep talk, though he does also have a serious point about Magiere not being an ideal teacher.

The Basilisk bit also reminds me of something I've always wondered about: How do our dragons fight these things in the Coli? I imagine there's a lot of times when they shut their eyes and just blindly thrash about. "Where'd it go?!" *SQUISSSHH* "Oops....."