Day 329: Evil Rising
Sentence: 40-50 Coli Battles
Sentence: 40-50 Coli Battles
"How are you doing?" Caspian turned away from the window when he heard his sister's voice.
"If I never see another pirate again, it'll be too soon," He grimaced. "Except you, sorry. I didn't mean-"
"You're good," Kelpie laughed. "You've never been the adventurous sort."
"It really is wild that I got wrapped up in all of this. I'm sorry that all this had such an impact on your crew, I know that they've meant a lot to you. Are you still planning on sticking with them?"
"I don't know," Kelpie admitted. "Almost losing you really shook me up."
"Well, it sounds like the crews are sticking around for a while. Maybe you'll have time to decide," Caspian suggested.
"Well, the whole thing makes me wonder if I should even be a pirate at all," Kelpie sighed.
"I'm sorry, but that's the most ridiculous thing you have ever said to me," Caspian laughed, shoving his sister playfully. "You love adventure, you love your pirate crews. don't be all noble on my behalf. You would be miserable staying in one place too long."
"Yeah, but I miss you," Kelpie said.
"And I miss you too, but both of us have very different lifestyles. That's not a bad thing. We can write to each other, you can visit. And we have now, while the clan bundles down and braces ourselves for whatever comes." Caspian pointed out. "I would be honored to have you protecting me now, but you don't need to protect me forever. I have a huge family watching my back, I'm happy."
"I'm glad," Kelpie grinned. "I just wish I had the same assurances for myself. Who knows what is going to be happening with the two crews."
"Yeah, well, there is that," Caspian conceded. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see. And regardless of what happens, you have my support."
"Even if I rejoin Zemira's crew?" Kelpie raised an eyebrow.
"As long as she doesn't try to kill me again, I think we're good," Caspian joked.
"I would never let that happen," Kelpie's face grew serious again.
"I know," Caspian said, leaning his head on his sister's shoulder. "I know."
The two siblings' conversation dwindled into a comfortable silence, and they sat together as the sun set, enjoying each other's company. For these moments were precious, the moments they were in the same location, and both wanted to savour the time their paths aligned, before they would diverge once more.
"Nala! Hey! What are you doing!" Leo hissed as the sussex spaniel bounded off in the direction of the Shade Castle. Even though the tundra was getting more comfortable and confident in his exploration, he had still steered clear of this part of the woods. He knew from the whispers in his parents' tavern that many dragons went missing in these parts.
But he could not leave his emotional support dog behind, and she had already disappeared among the foliage.
Bracing himself, Leo followed, feeling his heart pounding with every step. It wasn't long before he realized that he wasn't the only one moving in this direction. Huge, lumbering shapes moved just beyond his vision in the emerging fog, and when he once again found Nala, she was barking at them, pointing his nose for Leo to see.
"Yeah, I see them Nala, I-" Leo was cut off as a beast stepped over him, almost crushing him and his dog under his feet, and he watched as Nala instinctively shifted into her hellhound form, and her barking got louder.
There were beasts in the woods, Leo knew this, it was one of the reasons that he had so much trouble leaving the protection of The Refuge for so long. But this was weird. Why would they all be going in the same direction?
He had already gone this far, he might as well see if he could get more information to report back to the clan. Besides, Nala didn't seem to be turning back anytime soon, she seemed torn between protecting Leo and being enthralled by whatever force was drawing the beasts in.
So, Leo crept through the foliage, trusting that the presence of the beasts would distract anyone who might notice him. It did not take him long to realize that the beasts were too focused on their destination to pay him much mind, they were not attacking him.
Eventually, Leo found himself somewhere he had vowed he would never go - right in front of the Shade Castle. It was hard to see, the way it was shrouded in a void-like mist, but it looked as though someone was on the roof. At the very least, there was a glowing red orb. It was this orb that the beasts seemed entranced by, and even Nala was bouncing around, less dazed than the surrounding monsters, but bounding around in a way reminiscent of when Leo played fetch with her.
Leo crept closer, until he could make out the dragon on top. He was an aberration, with a mane of skulls.
"Ancient Beasts, you are all mine, you will help fight in this war against the Refuge, and bring about the dominion of the Shade across Sornieth!" The aberration called, his voice echoing surprisingly well in the woods. Immediately, bolts of void shot from him, entering the nostrils and mouths of the beasts, until they all became his puppets.
This was when Leo realized he had to go. Mustering all his strength, he scooped up Nala and held her tight so she couldn't wriggle free, and he ran as fast as his legs could carry him, towards home.
The clan needed to know. They all were in grave danger.
"You shouldn't be here," Equilibrium said between coughs as he opened the door. "I told you I am sick."
"Yeah well, I'm new to this caring about people thing, but you helped me recover, it seems only fair that I help you?" Cavador said.
"The best thing you can do is keeping yourself healthy." Equilibrium moved to shut the door, but was attacked by a bought of coughing. To his surprise, when he looked up, there was a sticky void-like substance on the ground, eating away at the front step.
Cavador looked down at it, eyes wide, then back at Equilibrium. "That's no ordinary cough. I'm coming in."
Quil was too weak to stop the spiral as he hoisted the skydancer up and carrying him to his bed. Immediately, Cavador began looking him over.
"Look, I'm no doctor, but I know the shade. Hold on, I need to tap into my own shade powers to see if I can sense what is going on. I promise I won't hurt you, I just need to know where it is from." Cavador warned.
"Cavador, you know the more you use them, the more powerful they get," Quil's voice rasped. "I'm not worth this."
"No offence, but you helped save me from certain doom. This is quite literally the least I can do," Cavador's eyes flashed, void closing on on the green irises. "Damn, when did I start caring so much. This is new."
Quil wasn't able to respond, because immediately he felt his heart clutched by the absence of heat and sensation. He was not even sure if he could feel his heart beating anymore. He gasped for air.
"That's not an illness," Cavador reeled back. "And it's not my shade either." He swore. "Doben! He must have mixed a fragment of his shade with mine when I left, so he could keep an eye on me! Apparently he's decided to use it to assassinate his enemies from a distance. Hold on, let me see if I can figure out how to draw it out."
"No, don't," Quil reached out a shaky hand, begging Cavador to stop.
"If you think I'm going to let you die for your own sense of morality and self-sacrifice, you've got another thing coming." Cavador said, his form was almost complete shrouded in shade-mist now, and he was straining with ever fibre of his being trying to pull it out. Quil could feel the tug.
But the attempt came too late, and the fragment of Doben attacking him from within was stronger than Cavador's shade, especially after all of his treatments. And the last thing Quil saw as numbness filled his body and he began to lose consciousness was the frantic spiral, doing everything he could to save him.
At least he knew he was dying having succeeded in his goal. He had saved his half-brother. He hoped their mother would be proud.
@Drachenschwinge @Dynami @Leopardmask @Sabariel @BarbaraFett @Disillusionist @Dakala @Wufflesnuff @Tirtouga678 @chippertowns @Aetherstorm @MisterMylez @harpyja @Calyrex @Gender @feleathion @queerkestrel @catmeow1 @Khyriana @CleverTrick @brandonjui @Crescentstar711 @sedge122 @Brasil @Lixue @DiamondDogg @GraceShelby1031 @VeniVidiVici @Jaspernoir @Glitchtrap @GingaSnap @aquaberyl @Pocketdog @lunarkismet @girlofSornieth @octagaze @Lightwolf57 @Volur @Murvax @SakuraSundae @RedSiren @Rainilith @NewmoonWasTaken @pancakeswithabs @LaSilva007
Guess what, we have another death today... Everything was going well with Caspian (lvs. 4-6), Leo (lvs. 7-8) and Equilibrium (lvs. 1-6), we got through 36 battles in the Woodland Path, and then Quil got hit by a lightning attack (he is light) and he died instantly. It's tragic, he really was one of my favourite dragons.
If anyone wants to adopt Equilibrium, you have until 23:59 FR time on Thursday April 20th to do so before he is exalted, first come, first serve.
In happier news, 1 hour until I can hatch the H nest!!!
What gorgeous new dragons! And what amazing new developments for Zemira, especially right on the heels of that previous chapter.
) Also, the curse strikes again, any Coli team with Fabian (who is level 10) is basically a death sentence. We were in the Scorched Fields with Ether and Mezzo, and Mezzo fell and I rolled for Borealis to take it. Sometimes, Pinkerton likes to tell a certain story, and I have to admire him for sticking to the curse.
