Day 99
Chapter 22
No one spoke. A stunned silence fell across the entire world. Muted were the shaking leaves, the bristling grass. Even the birds had stopped chirping their soothing songs to pay respect to the lost. It had happened so quickly that it was difficult to register let alone accept what had happened.
It was decided to bury Isaura right there, as she was. At the place she had found her purpose. No words were shared as the group assisted one another in digging a deep enough grave for their massive friend. It was up to Whisper to carry her in due to her size and even the Imperial struggled to place the crimson body in with any kind of grace. In time he managed, the grave filled. Silence continued to grip the world as Coatl and Wildclaw, Imperial and Snapper and Spiral all sat around the disturbed soil, struggling to find answers.
Tiny green eyes watched with youthful curiosity from Matar's back. A small chirp left the blanket bundle as a small, pointed head wriggled free to see, with newfound strength, what world she had been brought into. A pause, followed by another chirp. She was hungry, having slept through the snack time her large family had shared moments before, and now that she'd recovered from her watery ordeals the Ridgeback was finally ready to find her feet. Except still no one was doing anything. So she pulled out from the blanket and tumbled to the ground, cushioned by Coatl fur and a thick hide.
Finally the keening reached Ilmatar and she stiffly reached to unfasten the makeshift harness and retrieve the hatchling. Except the hatchling wasn't there any more. Another squeak followed by a continuous stream of tiny sounds directed her to the ground to her left side where the blue baby was staring up at her from. Through glassy eyes she saw the shark-like maw part in a toothy grin at being reacted to, the hatchling then beginning to bounce around in excitement.
“Wait.” Matar mumbled, her mouth feeling like it was stuffed with wool. “Stay still Mak-”
Dammit. “Stay still.” She placed a paw on the Ridgeback's head, eliciting a disgruntled meeping followed by a rattle of tiny spines.
“Mah!”
Noelani smiled weakly, roused by the commotion. “Still need a name for her.” The Wildclaw reached her long neck out to nuzzle Whisper's nose with her own, pretending to stretch. Whisper responded with a chuckling sound, playfully knocking the smaller dragon over as he flared his wings, back arched, claws digging into the soil.
“Mah!” the hatchling squeaked again, squirming out from Matar's touch to run over and paw at her leg. “Maaaah!” She kept her mouth open, hoping for food, then bit the fluffy dragon on the finger when nothing happened.
“Hey!” the Coatl cried, trying not to smile at the child's antics. She couldn't help it. How could one not be amused by something like this, even during such a sombre time? After they'd all settled back down that night after her chat with Isaura – it felt so long ago – Matar had told herself that no, this child would not be hers the way Makani was. It was too painful. And besides, she needed to find the real family. Regardless, her time raising the Fae made her inclined to protect the little one still.
At some point Vunguza had waddled over and brought his head level with the Ridgeback. “White'er we call her we'd best get her a snack 'fore she eats us instead.” Here he bumped his snout against the young dragon's hide, eliciting a happy squeak as she headbutted his chin.
“Let's.” Matar agreed, getting to her feet. She started to reach out to the hatchling, stopped, motioned for her to follow instead. It was about time she got some much needed exercise after all that time resting.
Vunguza followed behind, keeping a close eye on the little one as he did so. Whisper, with one final bow towards the grave, fell in line with the red dragons. Noelani also bowed her head one more time, pausing to regard the still-silent Spiral. “Vin?”
The grey Spiral had barely moved during the goings-on. He hadn't fallen asleep yet, but he seemed disinterested in anything else. Large, red eyes stared ahead at nothing in particular, face expressionless.
“Vin?” the cream dragon called again, lowering herself to the ground next to him. “Anvindr? You coming?”
“So many have died since I came to the Windswept Plateau.” His voice was barely above a whisper. “I don't understand. I wanted to help. Instead I'm nothing but bad luck.”
Noelani lay an arm around the distraught Spiral comfortingly. “It's not your fault.” she said carefully. “None of it is.”
The serpentine dragon snaked away from the gesture. “It is! It is my fault! I don't know why. I'm bad luck, bad luck!” He grabbed his curved horns and tugged hard. “The first time... the first time it was me who killed, my potion, my creation killed him! Your cousin! And and and being brought along by the Skydancer Saira caused her to die too! I was there so she died! And Makani! And Sora's friend! And now Sora too! Why am I here if my mere presence makes those around me suffer?” Whipping around Vin stared up at the Wildclaw tearfully. “Matar will be next, and then you and your mate and the hatchling. I need to leave! I can't let this keep happening!”
“You know that's not-”
“Matar still won't talk to me.” Vin continued to babble, starting to pace about uncontrollably. “She still hates me for killing Ahio. You should hate me for killing Ahio. You should- Everyone should hate me for being here, not doing anything good, for letting everyone die!”
Noelani got to her feet, watching uncertainly. What was he talking about? Yes it was his potion that had killed her cousin and that dark-plumed Coatl boy, but wasn't that because of the serthis? Hadn't they said they'd followed him and used his brews to poison unsuspecting victims? She voiced her thoughts only to be bombarded with yet more self-destructive wailing.
“Only because I let them! I left my stuff behind unattended when I saw he had gembond! I thought I could cure it, help cure anyone else who had it! And that's how they got in, because I was gone so they messed with my creations to make me kill him! Matar would have died too! Should have died too!” A strangled laughter escaped his jaws which he snapped shut in shame, though a twisted smile remained. “I'm only good for killing.” He added, muffled between his fingers.
“No you're-”
“What else have I done that
is good?!” Vin demanded, spinning around so fast he fell over. “In what way have I contributed to this group?!”
“Excuse me, am I interrupting?” A new voice interjected, making the quarrelling pair jump and turn to face the newcomer. For a brief moment it were as if Sora had returned to them.
A female Guardian about as large if not larger stood over them, the late morning sun at her back silhouetting most of her features until their eyes adjusted. The sight was enough to startle Anvindr into darting behind the now ruffled Noelani.
“Can we... help you?” the Wildclaw ground out, looking the new Guardian up and down. Green of hide and red of wing, she was almost the reverse of their fallen companion. All over her body glittered as golden beads and lanterns adorning her outfit seemed to absorb the light of the sun.
The stranger repositioned a pair of spectacles balanced on her snout. “I was passing by looking for a clan that had supposedly settled somewhere around here, yet all I have found so far is a couple of odd dragons bickering over freshly turned soil.” She raised a jade brow. “Need I ask...?”
Narrowing her eyes Noelani stood guard over Isaura's grave, determining if it was worth explaining, then settled down. If only a little. “Forgive me. A part of our group died suddenly and we're trying to work out the cause.” With a claw she gestured at the grave. “This is where she was buried and my companion here,” she turned around to expose the trembling Vin on her back, “insists it was his fault.”
“And it wasn't?”
“No.” Lani switched her gaze to glare at the cowering reptile. “None of it is.”
“Then I do not understand the problem. I am truly sorry for your loss whatever the case.”
Noelani snorted at Vin, then turned back to the Guardian with a quizzical look. “You mentioned a clan around here? My group and I have been searching for somewhere to settle; stopping by a proper lair or settlement for a few days while we get our bearings would be of great help.”
Trails of beads clattered together in a pleasing manner as the stranger shifted from foot to foot. “That's the problem.” she replied, rather meekly. “Supposedly there is a flourishing Wind clan in this general area yet I have seen no sign of inhabitation before you two.”
Thoughts of the dead Pearlcatcher entered the Wildclaw's mind as she rubbed her chin. Could something have happened to them? “Well if we're going to head in the same direction, would you care to join us?”
“Oh!” the green giant exclaimed, clearly not expecting the invitation. “Uh, well... if you'd allow it. I won't be staying long myself as I have news I wish to deliver to the Mythweavers so you needn't worry about making room.”
“S-shouldn't we ch-check with the others first?” came Vin's timid voice from behind Noelani's head, to which she nodded.
“Of course. I've heard of the Mythweavers, they're situated in the Sunbeam Ruins where Whisper and I are from. They're good people.” She smiled as their guest bristled with pride at being known. “What is your name, if I may ask?”
“Right, right. It's Lore.” the bespectacled Guardian replied with a small bow.
Bobbing her head in reply, and with the previous spat forgotten for now, Noelani motioned for Lore to follow her to the rest of the group, who had finished packing away what little food they had left. As they approached Vin took notice of something white in the grass, sliding off to investigate. Noelani let him go without complaint, introducing Lore to the others and taking turn in explaining the situation so far.
Taking the white flower in his hands the spotted Spiral turned it over and over, trying to place where he'd seen such a bloom. Other leaves and buds scattered the ground, none of which seemed to match. He sniffed it. A familiar scent, one he remembered being bad. Then, cautiously, he licked the long petals. And spat immediately, using a free paw to wipe at his tongue. Peacevine. Despite its name it was anything but peaceful; a highly poisonous cave-growing flower. He'd used in making antitoxins some time back and hadn't worked with it recently. Then a thought hit him. Cave-growing. The only cave in that area was the one they'd stayed in and none of it had grown in there. Petals fell to the ground as he crushed the bulb tightly.
Serthis. It had to be. No one would have been stupid enough to mix it with the rest of the plants had they known it was there. Someone had to have put it there on purpose, and with the Beastclans all vying for the destruction of dragonkind everything pointed to them.
“Vin!” Vunguza shouted from across the way, making Vin look up. Lore stood expectantly beside him as the others prepared to set off. “Get yer ass in gear, we're movin' oot!”
Constantly checking their feet for the extremely energetic hatchling the motley group followed Lore's direction around the copse, across the field and through a narrow gap between two mountains. Slowing with worry until she outright stopped Lore pulled out a piece of parchment and a map, flicking her ice-blue gaze between the two sheets at the horizon ahead of them. Not noticing initially the rest of the group took a few more strides before realised they were leaving their temporary companion.
“What's wrong?” Matar asked, attempting to get a glimpse of whatever the Guardian was holding.
“It's... not here.” A large paw sunk into a light-coloured satchel and rummaged, pulling out more paper which Lore scanned at a rate only one raised under the Light could achieve. Sheaf after sheaf was shuffled, read through once, twice, replaced by the next – or was it the first being read a third time? - until she let out a growl of frustration. “It's supposed to be here, I'm sure of it!”
“Well a clan cannae just up an' disappear like.” Guz commented incredulously, swishing his thick tail from one side to the other as the mint Ridgeback pounced at it. “Though ah must say, this place feels awful famili- ow!” he yelped and jumped forwards, a strong jaw of sharp teeth holding firm to the tip of his tail. “You little-!” But he couldn't help but chuckle at the mint-coloured lump determined to keep hold of the fun new toy.
Lore shook her head. “Well, no. It wouldn't simply vanish without some trace. The lair itself lay beyond these woods,” she gestured with a forearm at the trees, then at the grey skies above, “but the kites and platforms they flew would have been visible by now.”
“In that case,” Matar exclaimed, stepping forward and flicking her long, spiralled tail in anticipation, “I say we go down and investigate. You with me?” She looked back, an adventurous twinkle in her green eyes. Everyone nodded, some out of curiosity, others out of uncertainty. Pausing only to gently prise the Ridgeback off of Vunguza's tail the group followed a well-trodden trail downhill towards the woods.
It was clear that it was a known path once upon a time: two trees between which the path led had been bent into an archway. Maybe a Nature dragon had been employed here. Likewise the packed dirt had been carefully wound through the trunks with each branch overhead curved with care. A living tunnel of leaf and bark. Despite not being a straight journey the forest felt welcoming somehow, inviting wanderers to admire their surroundings from one end to the other.
What lay on the other side, however, was complete contrast, forcing everyone to a shocked standstill.
Before them two round, flat rises jutted out of the ground, linked together by ramps naturally worn in by the trampling of many feet. The first, lower and smaller, was largely bare save for a few stakes protruding from the ground. Perhaps an area for travellers to tie any livestock they had while setting up a place to trade.
The second, far larger one appeared to be like a plaza, leading all the way to the flat face of the cliff the village had been set up against. In the centre looked to be the remains of a monument of sorts, or perhaps a fountain, surrounded by benches of varying size and shape. Clearly a place to walk and gather the rise was ringed by a pattern of dens suited for each known species of dragon, and some not - possibly for familiars, and of different material as the owner would prefer.
Interspersed between the dens were tall trees, some presumably for those Fae who were more accustomed to the sap-based colonies their kind was known for while others were thicker around and much bigger than the firs that grew here naturally. Some of them appeared to be hollowed out, either at the base or all the way up. Small openings could just be seen between the boughs and half-destroyed walkways hung loosely from veranda-like decks created from woven branches.
From both rises more packed dirt paths branched off like the legs of a spider, leading hither and thither. Many led out of the village to places yet unknown. Some snaked around the perimeter of the hill as yet others climbed to the very top where, peering against the sunlit clouds, it could be seen that many more, bigger and sturdier stakes had been planted. An area set up for kites and airways perhaps? More paths dug underground, their location obscured by the cave lips while a final, wider one led to a large opening at the base of the hill. Storage maybe. A vault?
Whoever had once occupied this place had since abandoned it; the settlement lay in ruin with the great kites, puppets and sky platforms littering the ground below where they would once have proudly flown. As the group tentatively made their way up onto the lower rise they came to the conclusion that they had fallen from the lack of winds months ago, when the Twisting Crescendo had ceased. When the winds failed so to did the engineers fail to keep everything aloft. Burst air bladders and broken propellers lay scattered across the entire compound. The destruction caused when they'd crashed must have been immense.
"Such a shame," Lore muttered to herself, "this place was known to house many great poets and songwriters. I would have loved to have collected some of their stories."
“This is...” Taking a few stunned steps forward Ilmatar could not help but marvel at the abandoned village before them. So awed she was the Coatl failed to notice a minty blur sip off ahead. It wasn't until she heard the scraping of stone and a loose chunk of a broken statue fell that she put two and two together. “Hey! Come back here! Hey Ma-” Her jaw slammed shut in annoyance at her constant mistake, blowing out an exasperated breath that sounded like “feh”.
“Ma-feh?” Noelani quipped, an odd smirk on her pointed face as she moved past the flustered dragon. “That's an interesting name for her.”
Matar's cheeks puffed in indignation at the comment, though her mind worked to correct herself somehow. Ma. Feh. Mafeh? May? Mayf... “Meifeng, get back here!” she finally managed, dashing off to collect the newly-named miscreant.
One by one the small group made their way into the thick of the destroyed settlement, eyes scanning the fallen sanctuary in silent admiration. Someone had once gone to great lengths to make this place habitable for all dragon breeds. “Whit ye think it looked like in its heyday?” Vunguza drawled absently, not asking anyone in particular. Something in the back of his mind nagged at him. Pieces looked familiar, but as a whole it was unknown. A thought of his vision came to mind but that had been fields of grass and flashes of other objects. And yet...
“Quite impressive one would think.” Lore answered, snapping the Snapper out of his thoughts. Her face was a mix of marvel and mourning. “I truly wish I had gotten the chance to see it. How sudden these catastrophes can be.” Once again a paw sunk into her satchel to retrieve parchment, this time blank and accompanied with ink and quill. The Guardian took position on a somewhat sturdy bench where she began to jot something down.
As she did so Vunguza could not help but imagine it was Isaura perched there, even if writing hadn't been her thing. He hadn't wanted to admit it but he'd had a fondness for the young girl. After all, she'd helped him escape the gnawing fear of water. If only for a moment. He wasn't about to go jumping in any rivers any time soon but he'd silently vowed to work on his fears with her encouragement.
Blimey, hope this doesn't happen with every female Guardian we meet.
“What are you working on?” a small voice piped up. Both of them lowering their gazes they saw it was Anvindr, stood in what would otherwise be a comical stance; balancing on his hind legs and tail as his sinuous body curved back and forth to maintain the upright position, his hands clasped together. He withered under their gazes, twiddling his thin thumbs in embarrassment. “Sorry I just really needed something to take my mind off of things and hoped maybe you would indulge me?”
Lore rumbled a low, melancholy laugh. “I'm simply describing the fact that this place is sadly abandoned and left in ruin.” The green Guardian sighed, adding a final flourish to her notes. “The others will want to know what happened here and that their arts are no longer performed so to speak.” Her icy gaze switched to the billowing clouds overhead. Another storm was approaching. “I'd best head back. It will be a long journey but at least my wings can do more work than my legs this time.” She flashed a small smile at the Spiral, who grimaced back.
A little away Ilmatar's voice called out. “Hey guys, what do you think about staying here for a while?” The Coatl loped over to the group, a grin on her blunt face and a wriggling Meifeng in her claws. “If we can fix this dump up it'll make a great place to start a clan, don't you think?”
A multicoloured glance was exchanged between everyone present.
A clan?
<Coming Soon!>
Oh whoopsie doodle, I appear to have posted in the wrong thread... whatever will I do?
GAME PLAN
Since Winds of Change and An Ill Wind Blows are two sides of the same story I will be alternating between both (inspiration permitting) until they reach a viable point where they
can be merged together. After all, maintaining two stories at the same time will eventually get confusing for all of us. Mostly me since I'm the one writing. I don't know yet when this will be as IWB is canonically several months behind WoC at this point. Timeskips may ensue. When this happens they'll both come
here since WoC is the "main" story.
How I will alternate will still largely depend on my inspiration for either side. The main goal is to have one material prompt be WoC with the next being IWB and so forth but ideas for one or other may take priority. The addition of the coliseum option is still viable based on my mood. I haven't yet decided how to choose which team to use so we'll play that one by ear. Art will likely also be determined by inspiration rather than current story.
I am also considering taking requests for who you'd like to see drawn next!
IWB's ruleset will be migrated over here soon. Especially the coliseum rules. Cos let's face it, when you have a 5 level gap between teammates and you're expected to take them all to the venue corresponding to the highest level on the team things are bound to go very wrong very quickly. A couple of modifications may happen as I can't leave them well enough alone, but it'll be very minor. Of note, I'm dropping the safety net of dragons lv5 and below cannot be KO'd down to dragons lv3 and below. I've got several safety rules now so lv5 feels a bit extreme. I may even set it to only lv1s. We'll see.
I am still most definitely removing the Guest function, but as promised I will still include Dreyma, Thothmere and Braces at some point.
Lastly the second Beloved position is still open! There was mention for Vunguza but I'd suggested to hold off until I got Ayaz in to see how you guys felt about him. Since this chapter ended up being long again he will not be appearing until the next chapter after all. So have a reread if you haven't (chapter skip links are now available!) and a think and let me know if you'd still like resident Pseudo-Scottish Snip-Snap to be Beloved!
