Quests & Challenges

[img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/861244244241285140/1009858192429301810/export202208181713524718.png[/img] [color=#614d6e] [center][size=5][font=Courier New]A Cold Space[/center] A Cold Space is a Godlocke based entirely in the Arcane Flight. The only dragons involved will be Faes, along with any Arcane dragons added to Flight Rising before the locke reaches its end. The one exception to this is Andromeda, but they will be treated as if they are a Fae (as I have yet to buy a breed change for them). This is part of a series of Godlockes I am planning, each of which will be based in a different Flight. These will be used to raise funds for my Flight reps. To finish this locke, my "god" (who is also my Flight rep) must be fully gened. A scry can be found in their bio. In future lockes, an egg for a Flight I have not yet obtained a rep for will be needed, but I already have an Earth rep prepared for the next locke in this series so this is not a requirement in this case. [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3159193]Godlocke rules[/url] [quote=pinglist] @/Venusian [/quote]

[center][font=Courier New][size=5]Andromeda's Assistants[/size][/center][/font] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/77904212][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/779043/77904212.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] Andromeda They/it. Genderqueer. Aromantic pansexual. [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/79648059][img]http://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/796481/79648059.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] Alfredia She/her. Female. Heterosexual. [/columns] [columns] [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/78262355][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/coliseum/portraits/782624/78262355.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] Phi He/him. Male. Gay. [/columns] [center][font=Courier New][size=5]In Memory of the Deceased[/size][/center][/font] [columns] Nobody has died yet.

Prelude
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve

The fae sits in the field, eyes closed. They can't remember who they are, where it came from. They can't remember anything…

Except…

Someone who showed kindness. Another fae dragon. One with purple eyes, the same colour as its.

What was the other's name?

Wait.

The fae can remember two other things now.

Firstly, their name: Andromeda. Andromeda. It tests it out – is it truly theirs, or something borrowed? Yes, the name fits.

And what happened to the other? Well, they were murdered.

The memories come flooding in, paralysing the tiny dragon.

Orion. Its mentor. Andromeda is special, they remember that now. It has strange powers – they can never die, except by extraordinary means, events that will not come about for quite some centuries. And it is strangely connected to the Arcanist, leader of their Flight.

There is one thing that it needs to do now: find the killer. They know it won't bring Orion back, but they were the closest it had to a parent. They were found by the older fae, abandoned, as all dragons like it are. Orion was, too. And Draco, and Libra, and all the other dragons before. They are all given constellation names. It's a tradition.

How long has it been? Andromeda wonders. They can sense that time has passed. But how much? Days? Months? Centuries? How is it supposed to find out?

The dreams. Oh, the dreams. Andromeda had forgotten them. They started after Orion's death. Never quite the same.

Andromeda was standing before all the dragons of the world, accused of murder. They tried to defend itself, but they couldn't talk. All that left its mouth was blood. Blood on their paws, blood everywhere. Maybe it did kill the victim. Who knows? That would explain the all-encompassing guilt. But they know it didn't do it.

Andromeda spread their wings out wide, and expands until it can blot out the sun. The pride, the joy they feel – the best thing ever. Maybe it was finally healing.

But no. As they landed, it looked up to the sun and saw only darkness.

The guilt returned.

The journeys of the day are not particularly fruitful. Andromeda finds a good amount of items, but not anything particularly useful, and not enough to sell and to gain the money they need.

Oh well. There's always tomorrow, though it hates to postpone the possibility of bringing Orion's killer to justice – if they're even still alive. Even finding a grave might bring them peace, though that seems unlikely. The murderer needs to suffer.

When did I become so cruel? Andromeda already knows the answer. It was when the world forced it to. When the world forced them to acknowledge that not everything is good and perfect and right.

Another day's travels will come. But not yet. Now is time to think, to remember. To plot revenge.

---

I didn't earn as much money as I hoped, but oh well. Decided to stick with ten battles a turn, to keep it relatively easy on myself. If I sell everything Andromeda has found, I'll have 406T, which is at least a start.

Andromeda is getting used to this now, though little time has passed. Today, they pick up their items and head into the wilderness.

Trudging through the forest, there isn't much to do but pick up the items that are left behind. It does this with less excitement than before – the nightmares kept them up, and the excitement of chasing a murderer is starting to wear off. It's probably better that way, it thinks. It'll be easier to stay on my guard. And I can remember the consequences of failure.

After hours of walking, Andromeda arrives at a small village. They have no money, but after selling the items it has gathered – including a live Emerald Webwing – they soon have a decent amount. The shopkeeper, an elderly guardian, looks at it with surprise when they place down the items on the counter, due to the large quantity and how strange the items themselves are.

After collecting their money, Andromeda heads into the town centre. It looks around for a second, familiarising themself with the layout, when they realise – I've been here before! They know where the shop it needs is.

They return to the town centre a few hours later, having learnt a new fighting move from an aberration, who seemed to recognise it. Most of their money is spent now, but oh well. It'll make it back.

As they leave, the aberration calls out:
"It's dangerous ahead! Make sure you're prepared!"

Filled with anticipation, Andromeda continues on.

---

I got Andromeda to level four, so now they're in the Woodland Path. Also, I got a familiar! Which I then sold, along with some other stuff, in order to buy Sap.

Oh this is so cool, I'll definitely be following along. I love Andromeda and your story so far~ Best of luck!

The forests are dangerous, and no part of them is safe.

Andromeda learns this quickly, as monsters leap from the shadows. If they were mortal, it would be dead by now.

It's not just monsters that follow them, though. Its doubts do too – Was Orion really murdered? Or was it an accident? What will I do if their killer is dead? What can I do?

And still, a strange guilt follows them. Guilt like a cloud of poison, obscuring all. Guilt like a rabbit burrow, just waiting to trip it up. Guilt like a dagger slicing through their defences and into its soft, red heart.

There are eyes in the shadows. Violet ones. Another dragon? Or just a trick of the light?

No reply.

The shadows lengthen as the day draws to its inevitable close, like a death. Death. Andromeda can't get the idea out of their head. Everything is a death. A tiny death. How do they get out of this? These thoughts will be its destruction – they know that. How could it not? It's obvious, simple logic.

But they aren't logical.

They aren't the calm, collected detective of fiction, driven by who-knows-what. It isn't a genius, or talented. They're like a phantom, driven by rage and the need for revenge. Nothing more. A ghost, insubstantial as the wind once its will is done, once their revenge is taken.

Revenge. Something is stirring in Andromeda's memory. All it needs to do is…reach…out…

@Venusian
Thank you! Would you like to be added to the pinglist?

@Rosefoot

Yes please!