Quests & Challenges

@SakuraSundae for real!?! i didn't expect anyone to be interested, heheh! i'll make a pinglist. thank you so much!!

[center][font=lucida console][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3164327/1#post_3164327]top[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3164327/1#post_52081729]rules[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3164327/1#post_52081730]jobs[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3164327/1#post_52081732]table of contents[/url] [size=7][b][color=#484854]O[/color][color=#475A4E]U[/color][color=#466C49]G[/color][color=#457E43]H[/color] [color=#43A239]O[/color][color=#42B433]G[/color][color=#41C62E]H[/color] [color=#41C62E]O[/color][color=#42B433]O[/color][color=#43A239]G[/color][color=#44903E]H[/color] [color=#466C49]E[/color][color=#475A4E]G[/color][color=#484854]H[/color][/b][/size][/center] -----[center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/74036098][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/740361/74036098.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80183193][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/801832/80183193.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/68540921][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/685410/68540921.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/74855688][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/748557/74855688.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80679097][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/806791/80679097.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80629950][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/806300/80629950.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80901519][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/809016/80901519.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80923850][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/809239/80923850.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80606216][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/806063/80606216.png[/img][/url][/center] [font=lucida console]Egon had just touched down after a long night of angry, restless flying. She'd just seen Yora be dragged into the ground- and heard all this nonsense from a possessed hatchling about a darned curse! She'd show them all. She'd get Yora back, and she'd leave this place, never to return. A buzzing of wings interrupted her thoughts. She brought her talon up, hitting something with a firm [i]whap.[/i] "OW!!! What was THAT for?!" Egon blinked and looked down- in the grass, a black, red, and green crumpled form lay. She recognized that dragon- that was Delphiki. The Coatl picked the Veilspun up, letting him catch his breath and steady himself. "Sorry, I thought you were a mosquito." "Impolite," he groaned. "I kept tryin' to tell you to wait up! Nikulas is on the way." "He is?" Egon looked up, her feather frills pricking. Against the blue twilight, a form was visible, trudging through the grass. He lifted his head, waving weakly with his wing- and Egon leaped over, setting Delphiki on her head. "Hi," he wheezed when she was within earshot. "Sorry, I... didn't want to stay with those losers." "I'm sorry I left in a hurry," Egon responded, her feather frills wilting again. "I was mad- and still am. I lost my only companion." "I did too, but now he's possessed by a freakin' ice mage," Nikulas laughed derisively. "Isn't that something?" She nodded. "I suppose we're in the same boat." "That, and you're the only adult I could tolerate." "You're practically an adult yourself," the tired Coatl joked. "Anyway, I think it's time we set our tent up. I'm... really sleepy." "Our tent?" Egon held a bundle of sticks and cloth up with a flourish. Nikulas gawked for a moment, then nodded, his expression becoming steely once again. ... About four hours passed before Egon stirred awake. Outside of her tent, she heard soft conversation, and bright sunlight was leaking in through a slit in her tent flap. She stood up, stretching her limbs in turn. She almost expected Yora to be here, drinking a cup of black tea besides her and reciting a spell with a smile. A twinge bent her soul as she stepped outside, blinking in the light. An azure blue sky stretched from horizon to horizon, puffy white clouds chasing each other whimsically. Dry grass rustled in the wind, as well as a bundle of red and mauve cloth Nikulas was messing with. Delphiki was sitting on his head, chatting away. Egon's feathers stood up straight as she realized what he was messing with. "Nikulas, that's my spare tent!" "Oh." The Ridgeback looked up- he had fashioned a pair of gloves and a hat from the torn cloth. Her sewing kit was sitting on a tree stump nearby, oddly neat. She shook her head, fighting a snarl down in her throat. "What did you just do?" "I... well, I was bored, and I... saw that you had a few scraps of, uh... torn cloth. So... I wanted to... make an outfit, to match yours." Delphiki poked his head out of Egon's hat. How he got there, she didn't know. Nikulas's craftsmanship had caught her attention- and he slipped his gloves and hat on, looking down at her with all the look of a teenager who had been caught doing something wrong. "Sorry." "You know what, you don't have to worry about it," Egon sighed, going over to her sewing kit. She didn't know the last time she'd used it- it only had basic items, anyway. How Nikulas had fashioned something so intricate from torn cloth and thick string was unknown to her, but it was worth fostering. "In fact, you've treated my equipment well. Do you want to borrow this?" "Your sewing equipment?" "Yeah. Where we're headed, we'll probably need to do a lot of repairs." She nodded. Nikulas blinked down at the little tin, then gave her a firm assent. "Yes." "Wonderful! Now, let's go find a creek. I'm starved!" ... Yora yawned. He'd been reading about ten entries of 'Audrey' wandering the darkness- with nothing interesting happening. He'd been walking for so long- maybe a nap would do. And so he curled up on the bench he sat on, shutting his eyes. He could sense the endlessly patient apparition watching him, but he really could not care less right now. A moment later he opened his eyes, to be greeted by an array of orange-red. Softly glowing baubles of glass were hanging from an unseen ceiling in a perfect grid pattern, stretching as far as the eye could see. He blinked a couple of times, then looked down. The clear water was still, gray silt as gray and silty as always. He must have simply shut his eyes for one second- but he felt rested and awake. Looking back at his tail to make sure he still had his pearl, he sat up, stretching his wings and back. Maybe he should get back to that journal, he thought, turning to the table- and jumping back with a gasp. A huge, flickering talon rested on the table, claws bigger than his head. A small red pocketbook was beneath the index claw- he could see it [i]through[/i] the claw itself, as if it was half-ghost. He said nothing, looking up slowly. If this thing had a body or head, they were lost to the dark. It lifted its claw with a gentle rumble, and he reached down, slowly and carefully picking it up and opening it. [i]This notebook belongs to Tamika Nadellyn, teacher at: [u]PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL[/u][/i] Yora tilted his head, looking up at the flickering monster. That must mean something. "Are... are you Tamika? Audrey?" It did and said nothing. Maybe it couldn't see him. He reached down, picking the book up and holding it up to where he sensed the presence. "Tamika. Are you Tamika?" It leaned down, then let out a giddy rumble. Yora had to put the book down and cover his head to ground himself again- but once he had done so, he felt that the apparition had departed. That was... very strange. He thought that he should get something to eat, but he didn't feel hungry or thirsty. With a soft sigh, he rested his head in his talons. [i]When would he see Egon again? When would he see [/i]anything[i] again?[/i] [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80593848][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/805939/80593848.png[/img][/url][/center] ----- [font=lucida console]egon, your engineering skills, plox! heads! that life goes to... PEEP!!! bro's unkillable. rolling a d20, got a 16. no explosion today!! now then. pinky gave me a meat item- 40-50 rounds. that means that (*rolls 3 d10s) Arliin, Nikulas, and Delphiki get some xp. Cool! Nikulas and Delphiki are the only unemployed dragons in the clan, so this should make some things go nicely. oh, boy. everyone gained more exp than i thought. heh.. heheh! anyway, Nikulas is a Tailor now (yippee!!!), and Delphiki is a Name Scribe. Going in Yora's footsteps, I see. slowly building yora's side of things. if i get a necromancer, i'm reviving him by necromancer rules. 'studied the blade' would be a very lucky, but more appropriate means of return. ----- [font=lucida console] @SakuraSundae

[center][font=lucida console][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3164327/1#post_3164327]top[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3164327/1#post_52081729]rules[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3164327/1#post_52081730]jobs[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3164327/1#post_52081732]table of contents[/url] [size=7][b][color=#484854]D[/color][color=#475350]R[/color][color=#465E4D]A[/color][color=#46694A]M[/color][color=#457446]A[/color][color=#457F43],[/color] [color=#44963C]A[/color][color=#43A139]C[/color][color=#43AC36]T[/color][color=#42B732]I[/color][color=#42C22F]O[/color][color=#41CD2C]N[/color][color=#41D929],[/color] [color=#42C22F]A[/color][color=#42B732]N[/color][color=#43AC36]D[/color] [color=#44963C]N[/color][color=#448A40]E[/color][color=#457F43]R[/color][color=#457446]D[/color][color=#46694A]S[/color][color=#465E4D]![/color][color=#475350]![/color][color=#484854]![/color][/b][/size][/center] -----[center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/74036098][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/740361/74036098.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80183193][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/801832/80183193.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/68540921][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/685410/68540921.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/74855688][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/748557/74855688.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80679097][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/806791/80679097.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80629950][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/806300/80629950.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80901519][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/809016/80901519.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80923850][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/809239/80923850.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80606216][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/806063/80606216.png[/img][/url][/center] [font=lucida console]"[i]Come, now! Focus your energy! Let your might build within your talons, let it flow, flow into the world![/i]" "I'm... trying," Glue groaned, lifting her talon and swinging it at open air. On a wooden stake, Arliin was perched, watching the altercation analytically. Glue was in the middle of a large, circular space that had been cleared out down a path from Madock's house. It was settled in a little valley, a couple of dead trees hunched over the crest of the highest nearby hill. The dirt was hot and dusty, making Arliin sneeze as the Guardian scuffed here and there. "[i]Come now, you Guardians are not magic-less. No dragon is! You use the might welling within you to strike foe after foe with ease![/i]" "Yeah?! Well," Glue snarled, swinging at the air, "This... is... not... working!! Maybe I just don't have the ability to use my magic." "[i]Not even your breath?[/i]" She looked up at the hatchling on her head, narrowing her gold eyes with a sigh. He gazed down at her, as a perturbed old man would. "[i]I take that as a 'no' for this younger generation. Glue, Glue... Glue, I sense.. a great, deep magic within you. It exceeds that of Yora's, and is on par with Arliin's. You have incredible strength- you will simply need to unlock it![/i]" "Yeah, to help you get a proper body, huh?" "[i]Partially. That, and- you will become a hundred times the dragon you once were, once you unlock your proper potential.[/i]" "Oh, well. Not today," Glue huffed, upturning her head and striding off to where Arliin was. He was looking up at her with his frills contorted in a mildly pitying expression. "Don't look at me like that, please." "What? I just find it funny, that's all," Arliin murmured. She bared her teeth, turning to trudge back up the path. A tiny brown form skittered across the way. All three dragons froze. "...Was that Saturn?" "But- she left with her mother," Glue whispered in return. "How...?" "[i]AFTER THE HATCHLING!!![/i]" Glacidel's grand voice shook the Guardian and Fae, and, with fretful gait, followed where they had seen the hatchling run off to. She was no longer visible, her form having dove between dusty brown grasses. Glue paused to look around, but Glacidel swatted her nose with his little wing. "[i]Onwards, onwards! We must catch it![/i]" "It?" Glue grunted, spurring her legs into motion as Arliin whizzed past on hazy green wings. "What do you mean, it?" "[i]It is a ghost, made to lure. We must hit it at its source.[/i]" Glue and Arliin both paused, looking up at the Banescale. He blinked at them, then scowled. "[i]Do neither of you have faith in my abilities?[/i]" "Based on what happened to Yora... no," Arliin responded matter-of-factly. "What if we're lost next?" "[i]YOU WILL NOT BE LOST,[/i]" Glacidel roared with a voice a hundred times too big for his little body. "[i]WE MUST CHASE. ONWARDS!![/i]" With a collective wince, the duo went on. ... "[i]This is it. This is the place. We are here.[/i]" "What do you mean?" Arliin looked at Glacidel from Glue's other horn. She'd just strode down to a bend in the river, where a couple of little dens were dug out. The ground looked churned, and the riverbed was dry. "[i]The curseform. We must attack it before it attacks us.[/i]" "What?!" Glue didn't have time to react- Glacidel leaped off of her horn, lifting his tiny wings and summoning a great blade of ice energy. It descended upon the dens with a thundering crash, sending up a spray of cold chunks of dry dirt. The Guardian shielded her eyes, Arliin ducking behind her head. When she lowered her green talon a moment later, she saw that Glacidel was standing on a piece of rubble, looking into a gaping hole he'd just opened up. Within lay a shining, flickering creature- Glue felt sick as she realized that this was another being like the one that had dragged Yora into the earth. It seemed smaller, though- but it was still very imposing as a shining talon unfurled, reaching out and planting in the riverbed. "It looks like a huge Skydancer," Arliin hissed into Glue's frill. She backed up a few steps, realizing that he was right. The talon was spindly and tough to discern, even in the bright daylight- but it had a tuft of fur on the elbow that shone like sickeningly toxic oil. Sparkling, disjointed messes rose out of the hole- then let out a scream like a dying Death Seeker. And so, the fight was on. Arliin leaped into the air, firing a few lightning spells at the mass as Glacidel assailed it with razor-thin ice pins. It recoiled, the ice pins going through it- but the lightning bolt illuminated what must have been its head. Glue caught sight of a pained, rolled-back eye before she had to look away, her vision swimming. Crackles danced around her as she stepped back, her talons slipping on the loose, dry dirt. A shout came from Arliin, and Glacidel grunted. A spray of dirt hit the Guardian, followed by another scream, and Glacidel squeaked. "GLACIDEL!" Arliin shouted. Glue roused herself into motion, shaking her head and throwing herself at the creature. Glacidel wasn't in its grip- and the Guardian felt a weight tighten around her arm as she came within range. She was wrenched to the side, her shoulder hitting the dry soil firmly as she was overturned. "Ow!" "Glue! Wait!" The sand and silt scraped against the Guardian as she was yanked, her twisted arm wrapped in the shimmering thing's tight hold. She flailed, scratching at it- and her talon went through thin air. This was it- she was being dragged into the earth, as Yora was. No, she couldn't give up now- and neither could Arliin, either! She turned her head, bracing her back legs against the hole- and Arliin lifted his talon, shooting an arc of white electricity at her. It stung, but she felt the charge of Arliin's will- a simple but effective Rally spell that Glacidel had taught him- and she let out a roar, wrenching her arm out of the curseform's grip. Something in it snapped, but she didn't care, charged by Arliin's energy. An eye glared up at her from the darkness, and she glared back, breathing deeply. Glacidel was seemingly frozen. Arliin settled on Glue's head, his wings and talons outstretched to be ready to cast another spell. "What do we do now?" [b]YOU SUCCUMB.[/b] Jaws shot out of the hole, snapping around Glue's head. She hissed, digging her talons into the earth and twisting- but Arliin wasn't so lucky, disappearing into the darkness with an ailing cry. The Guardian leaped in, lifting a talon. [i]You're not taking him today. You won't take ANYONE ELSE.[/i] She fell for a few feet, landing in what felt like about a claw's length of water. Something recoiled in front of her, and she heard a crackle from Arliin. Now, she knew. Arliin was giving her a signal- she couldn't see him, hear him, or touch him, but she knew this was her chance to act. Inhaling, she let her fury take hold, Arliin's dying spell within her catching fire. Something sparked in her throat, and, with a brutal roar, she let her breath loose. A powerful stream of pure light spilled forth, illuminating the area around them as the curseform was hit. It stumbled, sprays of hot, searing light scattering into the shallow water. Around them, the walls of a cave shone bright and yellow, the only other light being the hole they'd come in from. She sustained her breath, Arliin's cyan form glowing brightly green as he wormed out of the thing's grip and readied his own spell. He met her eye, nodded, then fired. Glue felt a painful twinge in her chest, finally snapping her jaws shut- but this was nothing compared to the small explosion that made her shut her eyes and step back. A sound like a tall, thin jar being filled with water echoed around the area they were in- then a crack. Arliin panted quietly, Glue shaking her head before opening her eyes. The curseform was no more- and she felt a horrendously powerful flame searing in her throat. Her underbelly was glowing a faint golden, and she had the urge, again, to dispense the power of her soul upon her surroundings. "Glue?" She looked down at Arliin, who was looking up at her with his frills in an expression of both wonder and fear. Tiny arcs of electricity snapped between his talons and the shallow water, and she could tell that he felt the same overwhelmed feeling. "[i]That was brilliant![/i]" They looked up, a tiny Banescale head poking into the hole they'd come in from. Ice-colored eyes smiled down at them. "[i]Glue, you have your magic. And, you just destroyed a curseform! Not just that, but...[/i]" She felt something touch her foot lightly. She looked down, reaching out- and felt her claws scrape against something round and smooth. An egg. No- three eggs, she could tell. "[i]You now have kids![/i]" "WHAT?!" ----- [font=lucida console]oh, egon! engineering stuff? heads again?! arliin gets that life. he has 5 now, WOW. rolled a 3, so no explosion! anyway, hi pinkperpon. ooo. chromodori swimmer! tht is 30-40 matches, with... mm... glue, achalendra, and egon. hm. i need new dragons around here. HM.... time to nest someone. Glue and Arliin are now inadvertent parents- and thus, bonded! i'm going to need to keep in mind that they have a 1 in 6 chance of being deathbonded. also, if you guys are wondering where i got the whole 'eggs from huge pwerful combination of magic spells' from- i stole it from my bestie [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/clan-profile/594477]Murvax's[/url] kingdomlocke. It's awesome, by the way- [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3153785]check it out[/url] if you want a long and amazing read. ----- [font=lucida console] @SakuraSundae

[center][font=lucida console][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3164327/1#post_3164327]top[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3164327/1#post_52081729]rules[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3164327/1#post_52081730]jobs[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3164327/1#post_52081732]table of contents[/url] [size=6][b][color=#484854]T[/color][color=#475051]R[/color][color=#47594E]Y[/color][color=#46614C]I[/color][color=#466A49]N[/color][color=#457247]G[/color] [color=#458342]S[/color][color=#448C3F]O[/color] [color=#439D3A]H[/color][color=#43A538]A[/color][color=#43AE35]R[/color][color=#42B633]D[/color] [color=#41C72E]T[/color][color=#41D02B]O[/color] [color=#41D02B]M[/color][color=#41C72E]A[/color][color=#42BF30]K[/color][color=#42B633]E[/color] [color=#43A538]A[/color] [color=#44943D]F[/color][color=#448C3F]U[/color][color=#458342]N[/color][color=#457B44]E[/color][color=#457247]E[/color] [color=#46614C]J[/color][color=#47594E]O[/color][color=#475051]E[/color][color=#484854]K[/color][/b][/size][/center] -----[center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/74036098][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/740361/74036098.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80183193][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/801832/80183193.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/68540921][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/685410/68540921.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/74855688][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/748557/74855688.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80679097][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/806791/80679097.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80629950][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/806300/80629950.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80901519][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/809016/80901519.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80923850][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/809239/80923850.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80606216][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/806063/80606216.png[/img][/url][/center] [font=lucida console]"So... these... are our kids?" "I suppose so," Arliin replied to Glue, gazing at the little nest they'd made on a faded couch downstairs. Within the wrap of soft blankets and pillows lay three eggs. They seemed rather blank in nature, but they had taken on a faint jade color in the last few hours, suggesting that they would hatch as Wind-element babies. "You know, I had never even considered being a mother," Glue laughed. "Let alone with you!" "I'm not even going to respond to that," Arliin responded. The Guardian giggled. "Yeah, it's... some... intense magic [i]something[/i], Glacidel said. Apparently, we used so much power in each others' stead that we literally manifested new babies from the elements themselves." "Makes me wonder how I came into the world," Arliin mused. "Magically, or..." "So the young'uns have been rowdy?" Arliin and Glue looked over to who had spoken. Madock had entered the room, Glacidel sitting on her head and Peep at her side. Achalendra was sitting on the back of the couch, trying to have a doze while still being in the middle of the action. Glue flushed, shaking her head vigorously. "No, no, it's not like that!" "I'm aware," Madock laughed, sidling over to the blanket nest and peering down at the eggs. Some kind familiarity shone in her green eyes. Peep chirped at Glue, and Glacidel translated. "[i]He was wondering if we have the resources to feed the new kids.[/i]" "We'll be alright," Madock reassured her nephew. "It's not as if they chose to have children, anyway... these things can happen." "[i]They may not even hatch. Any egg has the chance to not be born alive. It's the way of life.[/i]" "Nevertheless, I will care for them as my own children," Arliin declared. "I will, too! They're ours," Glue stated proudly. The Fae looked up at the Guardian as she puffed her chest out, grinning to the other dragons that they'd come to recognize as their found family. The last thing he'd have thought was that his first children would be with her- but she would be a good mother, he thought to himself. Maybe he would be a good father, too. ... Egon the Coatl, Delphiki the Veilspun, and Nikulas the Ridgeback trudged up the next hill. It felt like they'd been walking for days- and there were many days to come, walking wise. At least, that was what Egon had told them. Nikulas's legs were tired, but he would say nothing about it. He had such a big body to carry- but he was strong, and his legs were even stronger. "Phew... we should pause for the night once we get to a good vantage point." "Mmmmm, I see a spot!" Delphiki's chirp was nearly lost to the wind as he spread his wings, buzzing off of Egon's head and cresting the hill. The Coatl and Ridgeback came up moments later, to see a small camp nestled against a cave under the darkening sky. A few patchy tents had been erected around the cave, as well as a few rickety wooden canopies and structures. It was a small settlement, but a large fire burned warmly in the midst, and it seemed like a comforting sight to the tired dragons. Nevermind the beastclan skulls hanging from stakes around the clearing. "Phew, maybe they're friendly," Delphiki sighed. Before Nikulas could make a move, though, he felt a spell conjured behind him. He ducked, but he was much too slow. An explosive blast of wind shot the three into the air, even tossing the purple Ridgeback like a ragdoll. He landed heavily, thankfully being able to scramble to his feet and face whatever threat had summoned them. He felt Egon stand up as well, Delphiki somewhere on Nikulas's back. Out of the cave rose a golden head, shimmering in the firelight. Long whiskers whisked out, a gold-armored talon stepping out into the orange glow. Jade-green eyes sparkled as the Imperial held herself tall, spreading her huge wings. [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/69209953][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/692100/69209953.png[/img][/url][/center] [font=lucida console]Nikulas gazed up at the Imperial with a mix of awe and fear. This was the biggest dragon he'd ever seen, and her gold armor, weapons, and scales made her seem like some kind of royal! Indeed, she held herself with an air of vanity, pure Wind energy thrumming within her almost loud enough for all to hear. Speaking of, some dragons had peered out of their tents or houses. Mostly Pearlcatchers and Nocturnes, but a few Faes and a Ridgeback were there too. "Welcome," the Imperial declared, "to my camp. I am Aori, and you three are now my prisoners." ----- [font=lucida console]phew, last entry was a doozy. i loved writing it. i'm writing this with a migraine, though.. WHICH MAY MAKE IT BETTER OR WORSE, aehehe! we'll see. i hpoe it's an easy one. got a tails, no extra life from Egon. d20 was a 15, though... no explosion. pinky gave me an herbalist's satchel, a trinket- to which i roll a random dragon and a new job. nice and tame. well, rolled Madock. she's exempt. 8 is Nikulas... he is a... gardener... but i can roll again bc achalendra is an artist... HES A KNIGHT. HES A KNIGHT!!! RAAAAAHHHHH!!!! RAAAHGKSJLGSALDSAJVLCH;ELSJDA;LJEF;RJLBGJHLJGKESGIYKVUGFEJKLIHUVGYENLKJIOUYRHJBKCLKLJGAHFHJLK;'J;KSDHGSJKL; sch;slvk;sf;ldk;lkel;kgr;lkflkf;ldklfkdkfs;ldka; DOES THAT MEAN HE GETS TWO LIVES ADDED TO HIM? im doing that. and i can choose who goes in coli. NIKULAS, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. i had this huge idea for those three.. i'm totally going to use some of my permas as bg characters. >:) Nik won't become a knight just YET, but i'll show that next lorepiece. self reminder to rename glue when her kids hatch... ----- [font=lucida console] @SakuraSundae

[center][font=lucida console][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3164327/1#post_3164327]top[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3164327/1#post_52081729]rules[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3164327/1#post_52081730]jobs[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3164327/1#post_52081732]table of contents[/url] [size=7][b][color=#484854]A[/color][color=#475450]S[/color][color=#46604C]M[/color][color=#466C49]R[/color] [color=#458442]G[/color][color=#44903E]L[/color][color=#439C3A]A[/color][color=#43A837]D[/color][color=#42B433]I[/color][color=#42C030]A[/color][color=#41CC2C]T[/color][color=#41D929]O[/color][color=#41CC2C]R[/color] [color=#42B433]F[/color][color=#43A837]I[/color][color=#439C3A]G[/color][color=#44903E]H[/color][color=#458442]T[/color] [color=#466C49]R[/color][color=#46604C]E[/color][color=#475450]A[/color][color=#484854]L[/color][/b][/size][/center] -----[center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/74036098][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/740361/74036098.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80183193][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/801832/80183193.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/68540921][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/685410/68540921.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/74855688][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/748557/74855688.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80679097][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/806791/80679097.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80629950][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/806300/80629950.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80901519][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/809016/80901519.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80923850][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/809239/80923850.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80606216][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/806063/80606216.png[/img][/url][/center] [font=lucida console]Nikulas, Egon, and Delphiki were quietly ushered into a large tent by a large, gruff-looking Nocturne. Once in, they glimpsed a couple of Imperials coming to either side of the cloth dwelling's entrance, long spears pointed to the dark sky. "What are they going to do with us?" Delphiki asked. "I don't know, but I'll get us out of here," Nikulas growled, pulling his hat down over his eyes. He looked down at Egon, who seemed positively alarmed. He ducked his head down to her, and she cleared her throat, whispering to he and Delphiki. "I've heard of this. Aori... she's a sort of empress of her own wandering band of gladiators. We're going to be put to trial." "And we'll win," Nikulas replied, baring his teeth. Egon looked away, choosing not to respond. "Let's get some rest," she eventually replied, tucking her nose beneath the tip of her tail and curling up. Nikulas begrudgingly obeyed, settling into a loafed position and folding his wings at his sides. He didn't let it on much, but he was actually rather excited for the day to come. ... "Up and at'em, prisoners!" A bright pink Banescale had shoved her head in the tent, grinning wildly as she shouted the captives awake. Nikulas glared up at her, baring his teeth as she showed her fangs. [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/65211167][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/652112/65211167.png[/img][/url][/center][font=lucida console] "Come, come! You're the first wanderers we've had in AGES!" With a stroke of irritability, Nikulas lifted his talon to swipe at her- but she'd already disappeared. He looked down at Egon and Delphiki, who'd been startled awake by the Banescale. "You heard her," a much deeper voice rumbled from the entrance. One of the Imperial guards had looked inside, and his narrow brown eyes showed that he meant business. "Out." Thus, the trio obliged, Delphiki chattering nervously to Egon on her head. The sun was low in the morning sky, a twilight mist sitting on the horizon to their west. The stars were almost gone, the milky purple sea above them marred by the smoke from the massive bonfire in the midst of the tiny village. Around the bonfire, many dragons had gathered- about double the amount that had looked out of their tents the night before. Many looked like they belonged to families, but there was a conspicuous lack of elderly dragons- and an abundance of battle scars for all to bear. Over the bonfire, Aori sat, her gold scales and adornments shining like freshly-blacksmithed metal in the orange light. She lifted an ornamented talon, beckoning to the trio. A guard behind them shoved them- and Nikulas realized that he'd been transfixed, standing in place and gazing into Aori's eyes. They shone like enchanted jade, stark against the sandy brown grasses and purple sky. "My conglomerate... we welcome three new gladiators, after not having seen an unfamiliar face for many a day. They have been chosen by the Fates to come and fight, to prove they are worthy of being here with us." Aori's deep, enchanting voice was followed by soft cheers, claps, and flaps. She lifted her talon, prompting the crowd to quiet again. "Our honorable gladiators, what are your names?" "I... I am Egon," the Coatl murmured, flicking her feathered wings anxiously as dozens of eyes settled on her. "This is Nikulas, and this is Delphiki." The golden Imperial smiled. "Excellent. Are you hungry? Have you eaten?" Nikulas shook his head, as Egon did. "I'm way too nervous to eat," Nikulas murmured. "Fine. Now is our Morning Feast, so you will be put to trial once the festivities are over. I would suggest you become familiar with your surroundings, newcomers... you may be here for a while. Now- we eat!" Egon stepped back as the dragons closest to the fire procured fresh prey and catches out of their sacks. A victorious roar erupted from the crowd, and stakes were pointed to the sky- though, they were to skewer and cook the meat. As the villagers began to cook and exchange words, the Coatl almost immediately noticed that they seemed... happy, hardy, and well taken care of. They had viewed she and her two companions with suspicion, but they treated each other as family, or close neighbors. Despite a myriad of healed wounds for each dragon to sport to their peers, they were merry- and the atmosphere began to tempt the Coatl as the scent of smoked meat reached her. She looked up at Nikulas- and Delphiki was gnawing on a toasted cricket and chatting cheerily with a Fae who had settled on his other horn. Nikulas's expression was steely. "You go ahead. I don't want stitches when we fight." Egon tilted her head at him, but eventually conceded, trotting to the fire and almost immediately being offered a slice of cooked swordfish. ... The 'Morning Feast' had been an oddly pleasant occasion- Egon had struck up a conversation with the pink Banescale as they ate. Her name was Aster, and she was apparently a wandering gladiator. "I found my way here from walking along a beach near the Sea of a Thousand Currents," she had explained. "Aori chooses all who come here. She's... I want to say she's a god, but she's not. I'm thinking she just has a SUPER deep connection to the Windsinger, maybe's doing some job for him..." Now, the dragons had eaten and cleaned up, and Aori stood with a small band of her toughest dragons. The Imperial guards, a Pearlcatcher, and three burly Nocturnes. An Obelisk was waiting down the path, an eager look on her face. "Gladiators," one of the Imperials called, "you will be able to choose your weapons of choice once you arrive at the Arena. The winds have chosen you three to fight alongside one another, against savage Beastclans... and then tested by Aori herself, with her Windsinger's connection." "So... why were we chosen for this?" Egon asked, keeping her nerves down and her feather frills pricked. "None know the answer to your question, and none will ever know," Aori whispered, the wind carrying her voice. "Now, onwards." A growl rose in Nikulas's throat- but he felt himself moving, putting one talon in front of the other as he followed Aori and her guards. They walked for some time, cresting a few hills- then, at their fifth hill, they glimpsed a magnificent structure settled in a small valley. Concrete pillars with ornate arches built between them, standing in a vaguely circular fashion and large enough for a band of Imperials to sit comfortably within. As they got closer, they saw faded green banners blowing in the mild breeze and hanging between some of the arches. A large depression in the ground bared a circular battlefield of dusty dirt. The wind held the scent of hay and water. As they got closer to the gates, the captives spotted a few weapon racks under a large cloth canopy. Egon looked away, her nerves taut, and Delphiki was zoned out on her head. Nikulas, on the other hand, immediately reached for a longsword the second he laid eyes on it. A red ribbon was tied around its hilt, and its weight felt like it fit in his large talon, despite it likely being a two-talon weapon for a smaller dragon. "No other weapons? You will need them." Egon shook her head to the guard's inquiry. "Very well. Enter the arena." Nikulas led the group, wings and head held high as he slung the sword's belt around his waist. A crackle came from Egon as she readied a golden spell, and Delphiki quailed on her head. They leaped down the steep stairs, down to another set of gated doors, and strode through to the circular arena. A [i]clang[/i] from behind them told the Ridgeback that they'd been locked in- but the fire of battle was already burning bright in his blood. He unsheathed his sword, holding it high as Aori settled on the largest, sturdiest arch many wingbeats overhead. "May the Windsinger bless this fight. Onwards!" A team of five creatures dove from a hold, and they were quickly visible as Raptorik. Nikulas glimpsed Delphiki disappearing from Egon's head out of the corner of his eye, but he didn't focus on this, a black and gray biped diving at him with a screech. He lifted his sword to swing at them, but they easily swerved around the heavy blow, launching a white spell at his head that let out a bright pop and sent him into a stagger. He whirled around to face the enemy, and was bludgeoned in the side by some other sort of weapon. With a howl, he turned to snap at the other assailant, but they were knocked aside with a flash of yellow light. Egon had come to his rescue, twisting in the air to fire off a sharp beam of energy at a small, fast Raptorik. As Nikulas watched, he felt something wrap around his neck, and was suddenly tugged into a kneeling position. He coughed, scraping his talons on the ground as he tried to gain a foothold- and felt a scaly foot pin his head, beady brown eyes glaring into his soul. Delphiki darted up to use a spell on the Raptorik, but it didn't so much as glance his way, grabbing the Veilspun with a talon before chucking him aside. Nikulas looked up to see Egon struggling to parry three Raptoriks' attacks at once. Well, that was an easy failure. So much for his first fight. "Lady Aori, do this dragons not see, this is a fight to death?" The Raptorik pinning Nikulas jeered up to her. "This too easy!" "You get weaklings sometimes," she called down. Nikulas's eyes widened. He didn't want to die here! His heart rose in his throat as the Raptorik took a small blade out of their belt, grinning down to the polished thing. He let himself lean over, lifting a large back talon- and kicking at the beast. They had been too focused on their weapon, and his dewclaw successfully knocked a bunch of feathers out of his side. He staggered back, and Nikulas rose to action, his powerful jaws snapping around one of their wings and tossing them aside. The first drops of blood decorated the soil as the Ridgeback rose to his feet, digging his claws into the soil as he leaped at Egon. She was successfully holding three of the beasts back at once, but her attention faltered as the purple dragon sailed at her. He hit a magical barrier, something in his jaw cracking as he plummeted back to the ground. Egon was hit a moment afterwards, hitting the ground besides him with a cloud of green and orange feathers. A spell hit his side, sending an arc of pain up his body. One of the beasts jeered in a native language. He glimpsed another coming in to lop his head off with a machete. He brought his blade up to block the hit, but Egon had had a similar thought, putting a barrier up to save his life. His longsword had hit the magical shield, but shattered it, sending sparks and sharp bits of solid energy at the attacker. They fell back with a cry, and the pair of dragons rose to their feet, Nikulas hoisting his sword high and glaring up at the airborne Raptorik. [i]I could get used to this,[/i] he thought with a strange, acute excitement as he readied himself for another magical attack chucked at his face. And so, the fight went on, blows being exchanged here and there. The opponents were being worn down, but Nikulas and Egon were arguably worse for wear. Spells weakened and desperation grew as the fight ground to a halt, dragons facing beasts with wings lifted and weapons lowered. A booming voice echoed down to them. "We have a stalemate?" "I think... I think we can agree to that," Nikulas called up to her. "Retreat. My test comes early." The Ridgeback looked up at Aori as the Raptorik turned, heading for the entrance gate and carrying one of their brethren. The golden Imperial was falling- and she landed heavily, her ornaments and armor clanking as she faced the pair. "Brace yourselves," she murmured- but she didn't give them so much as a second before she lifted her talon. A great column of wind thundered down into the arena, nearly splitting Nikulas in half. He'd just managed to dodge, and the shockwave knocked him off of his feet, sending him back-first into one of the walls. He wheezed as the breath was knocked out of him, his eyes opening to see Egon quailing beneath the gigantic monster of a dragon. She had a talon lifted, gilded prosthetic claws sharp for a neat beheading. Nikulas struggled to his feet, folding a wing to his side as it twinged painfully. [i]I'm not fast enough! I won't make it![/i] Aori's golden talon swung down, and Egon crouched, her equally golden eyes wide. Nikulas ran, his sword held at his side, his heart pounding in his throat. A half-second before her claws connected with the Coatl's throat, an arrow of light fired from the sky, hitting the Imperial's shoulder and ricocheting off. A deafening chime split the air, followed by a [i]boom[/i] as the arrow sent up a spray of hot dirt. Another clang echoed around the arena as Nikulas swung at the Imperial with all his might, his sword parried by a thick plate of armor on one of her wings. She stepped back to regain her bearings, lifting herself up to her full height as Nikulas crouched in front of Egon, his sword held in a defensive position and his jaw hanging open. "You're insane," he snarled. "You won't murder us today." "Prove it," she laughed, lifting her grand wings as she summoned another bolt of wind from the sky. He leaped out of the way, as Egon did to the other side- and Aori turned as Nikulas took cover from the blast behind her wing, slashing at her with all of the power he could muster. A sharp crest of energy parried his blade as the Imperial swung her tail at Egon. The Coatl dodged, another three arrows of light forming in the air above the golden dragon. The air stank of burning cloth. Nikulas regained his footing, looking down at the sword- and ripped the red ribbon off of it as he saw his talons glowing fuchsia. They felt hot. Egon cried out as Aori grabbed her by her wing, lifting her to one of the forming light arrows. "You will die by your own claws," the Imperial said forlornly. "Not an uncommon death, for gladiators." "You will leave us alone!" The sound of metal scraping against metal rang out as Nikulas shoved his blade into Aori's breastplate. His talons were dizzyingly hot with his power, and his sword felt as if it was one with him. The golden dragon lowered Egon slowly, looking down at the sword embedded in her chest. She reached down to pull it out, but Nikulas did so first, swinging the longsword at her talon and procuring a shower of sparks as he hit her armor. The Imperial dropped Egon, who staggered to her feet. "You... hah, you've proven yourself worthy," Aori laughed, sitting down and prying her breastplate off slowly. Nikulas stood in a defensive position in front of Egon, his eyes never leaving the golden giant as she surveyed the wound in her chest. "Phos... I require your assistance. Amon, Lyandis- escort these three back to camp." "Our lady," one of the Imperial guards called, "you don't mean that they've won?" "They have won, by unconventional means," she sighed. "I will explain this to you three when the time comes- but, now, you will be healed, and you will rest." "You're not getting away with this," Nikulas shouted hoarsely. "You're crazy! I'll slay you right here, and right now!" "A death here is merely a chance lost," the golden Imperial snapped. "Now- go." Egon and Nikulas felt their talons turn, carrying them to the gates. The other two Imperial guards were waiting for them on either side, looking flabbergasted- and, frankly, mildly terrified of the trio. Delphiki had re-entered the fight at some point, and now, he rested on Egon's head with a tiny arrow stuck in his ankle. "Onwaaaaaaards," he called. ----- [font=lucida console]phew, loads of stuff to do ta-day. yesterday, [b]Arliin and Glue's kids hatched[/b]. let me [b]flip coins[/b], then do survival rolls! tails, tails, heads. um... rest in peace to Weizen and Arkanian, I... guess... :( [b]survival roll[/b] for today for Sponge.. got a 5! the little man lives. awe... he's the prettiest too, fortunately for me. so, now for the [b]engineering stuff[/b]! got a heads, so... Egon gave that life to herself. she's been sitting on one life for so long, so it's great she's got a buffer. now, [b]pinkpy[/b]. glass knife, a trinket, which means... rolling a d20 gave me... a 16, which is... THE SACRIFICE??! oh, [i]no...[/i] thhis... uh oh. crap. hooray for DISASTER, /sarc. ROLLED A 4. NO. NONONONO. I HAVE TO ROLL A D8 FOR EACH DRAGON. [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/942503352317644880/1029167892215906344/unknown.png[/img] OK, THANKS RNG. i'm going to use this relative lack of disaster to tell a story. a nice story! an action-packed story! well, that was more action than i thought.. but the rest of this situation will come tomorrow. if i can keep in mind how this plays out, it'll be a pretty cool story in all. ----- [font=lucida console] @SakuraSundae

@cellspine

*busts down door* OMG SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED. I'm screaming! Babies?! Gladiators?! FIGHTS TO THE DEATH!!!

Wow, that fight scene was so excellently written, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time! I really wonder what Lady Aori has in store for them *thinking emote*

I'm so excited for the next chapter! (And the kiddo too!)

@SakuraSundae

EEEEEEEEE YOUR FEEDBACK BRINGS ME SO MUCH JOY... thank you so so so much!!! i'm excited for the little man as well, and what he has in store for miss Madock... and I'm very glad you enjoy the whole arc with Aori, this whole thing is highly experimental for me!

[center][font=lucida console][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3164327/1#post_3164327]top[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3164327/1#post_52081729]rules[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3164327/1#post_52081730]jobs[/url] | [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/qnc/3164327/1#post_52081732]table of contents[/url] [size=6][b][color=#484854]H[/color][color=#474F51]G[/color][color=#47564F]O[/color][color=#465D4D]O[/color][color=#46654B]O[/color][color=#466C49]H[/color][color=#457347]G[/color][color=#457A44]H[/color][color=#458242]H[/color][color=#448940].[/color][color=#44903E].[/color][color=#44973C].[/color] [color=#43A638]h[/color][color=#43AD35]g[/color][color=#42B433]h[/color][color=#42BC31]g[/color][color=#42C32F]o[/color][color=#41CA2D]h[/color][color=#41D12B]g[/color][color=#41D928]h[/color][color=#41D12B].[/color][color=#41CA2D].[/color][color=#42C32F].[/color][color=#42BC31].[/color][color=#42B433].[/color][color=#43AD35].[/color] [color=#439F3A]h[/color][color=#44973C]h[/color][color=#44903E]g[/color][color=#448940]h[/color][color=#458242]h[/color][color=#457A44].[/color][color=#457347].[/color][color=#466C49].[/color][color=#46654B].[/color][color=#465D4D].[/color][color=#47564F].[/color][color=#474F51].[/color][/b][/size][/center] -----[center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/74036098][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/740361/74036098.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80183193][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/801832/80183193.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/68540921][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/685410/68540921.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/74855688][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/748557/74855688.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80679097][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/806791/80679097.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80629950][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/806300/80629950.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80901519][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/809016/80901519.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80923850][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/809239/80923850.png[/img][/url][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/80606216][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/806063/80606216.png[/img][/url][/center] [font=lucida console]"[i]It's been a while,[/i]" Glacidel the Banescale muttered as he trotted into the living room. Ever since Glue and Arliin showed up, the old house had taken a new breath. With so many visitors, Madock was putting some time into keeping the house tidy- but for every ounce of effort she put in, her visitors put in five times as much. The pictures and paintings on the walls shone, small figurines, statues, and other heirlooms bright and polished on dusted shelves. At some point, Nikulas the teenage Ridgeback had sewn new curtains for the living room out of some old lace cloth he'd found in Madock's attic- but he was gone now, having followed Egon the Coatl and Delphiki the Veilspun to find their way back to civilization. Glue looked up from where she sat, curled quietly around the three small eggs on the couch. She'd been watching over them for the past week or so, and, while they had become greener and more vivid in color, none moved nor made any sound. "[i]The eggs had been created... rather developed. Your magics, while bleeding with raw strength, do come at a disadvantage. I fear these may be empty shells.[/i]" The Guardian's eyes fell as Glacidel clambered onto the couch, inspecting the eggs (which were bigger than he!) with a gentle eye. "That... I don't know how to feel about that," Glue murmured. "[i]If I had not had many children of my own, I'd say that it's 'just life'... but there is a certain... sadness, to seeing one's egg slowly become one with its deity once more.[/i]" Glue peered down at the tiny hatchling, forgetting that he was possessed by the soul of an old, wizened sorcerer. That made her crack a small grin. Such a tiny thing, talking of families! "You can be their grandfather, if they do end up hatching," she remarked, much to Glacidel's chagrin. "[i]Great grandfather, more like. I would... rather not be seen so small to them, however. We must augment my form as soon as possible.[/i]" "I'll get on it once the kids are situated," Glue sighed. "Promise." Glacidel opened his mouth to respond, but he didn't get the chance, for Arliin thundered in through a window. Almost literally. He'd used a lightning spell to throw himself through the air with blazing speed- and just hardly managed to use another small burst of cyan light to keep himself from smacking solidly into the opposite wall. He glided down to Glue, landing excitedly on her tail and crouching to inspect the eggs. "Nothing?" he asked. "Nothing," Glue and Glacidel both responded. "[i]Well... I must go about my business,[/i]" the tiny Banescale harrumphed. "[i]I hope these hatchlings raise their little heads soon- we are all very excited to see them.[/i]" "Agreed," Arliin murmured as Glacidel flew off, out of the window. Silence settled between the Fae and the Guardian for a little while. "Arliin... what if they don't hatch?" "Then... they don't hatch." Glue blinked at him, watching his frills slowly droop. "I'm... sorry for being so pessimistic," she muttered. "I just..." "You're fine," Arliin replied. "I just had a feeling that, maybe..." One of the eggs rolled slightly to one side. Arliin jumped, then scooted closer, Glue lowering her head to get a closer look. Was that a trick of the light? The egg turned, resting on Glue's nose. She blinked, her golden eyes wide and shining. A soft tap came from it. One, two, another- then some scraping, and a soft cracking. It paused, and neither of the parents so much as drew a breath. Something within strained, a soft squeak coming from the green egg. A shining green talon pushed out of a tiny crack, casting pieces of the shell into the soft blanket-nest. An equally verdant head began to poke out, tiny and adorned with wrinkly frills. "It's a Fae," Glue gasped. "And... a green one, just like you," Arliin whispered as the newborn rested his head on Glue's nose, taking his first breaths of fresh air. This was their child. A baby dragon that had come from sheer force of combined will. Their... child. Their son. "His name is Sponge," Arliin declared, his trembling frills betraying that he was close to tears. "Wh-what? Are you-" "He is Sponge. Like you. Glue, and Sponge." Glue giggled quietly as the hatchling shook pieces of his shell off of himself, his squinty green eyes blinking up at both of his parents. "That... okay, fine. Welcome to the world, Sponge." [center][url=https://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/81334130][img]https://www1.flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/813342/81334130.png[/img][/url][/center] ----- [font=lucida console]so first , i will roll for yesterday and today for little Sponge. 4, 5. he lives on!!! rahhh!!! now for egon's engineering. mm.. tails, so no life. 10, so no explosion. grabbed a smoky quartz. got a bad feeling. rolled a 6, which is grabbing three random dragons, raising them a level, then rolling a d6 for each (and on a 1 they lose a life). that's not too bad, let me see who i'm doing that with. nikulas, delphiki, and madock. neet! rolling a 6 for each, that's a 5, 6, and 3. none lose a life, wow! awesome >:3 i'm really nervous about a driving exam i'm going to have tomorrow, so i'm just going to write a short blurb about the surviving kiddo. sweet little sponge is very little and very sweet. ----- [font=lucida console] @SakuraSundae

@sedge122 another pinglist member!! thank you so much for letting me know >:D

no worries about not commenting. kingdomlockes are oftentimes chaotic, disjointed stories that can change at any second- cohesion to comment on is rare at best. thank you so much for your support in any case RAHHH