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Chapter 23
It had been quite some time since she'd emerged from the thick, twisted trees that housed her old clan. It had been quite some time since leaving the comforting, cool shade of the vast boughs and the warmth of her old lair. It hadn't been so bad when she first stepped into the light of the world outside. And yet it still blinded her eyes and burnt her dappled hide. Simply travelling the last weeks without a strong wind to carry her had been tough. While it was obvious enough to walk by starlight in the waning hours between day and dark, and indeed she had done so, few non-Shadow Flight members were keen to stay up that late. So if she needed to converse with someone, trade for supplies or ask for ideas Acacia had been forced to walk during the times the sun was at its highest and most brutal.
Starting early had allowed the Guardian some time to adjust however, and she was always looking for ways to become stronger. Even now as she watched the children of the Wind dancing and singing and playing in the sky now that the winds had returned she had opted to lounge in the shadow of the inn rather than wait inside. Thankfully the starry pattern around her deep purple eyes coupled with the helm that graced her head helped to break up the light somewhat, making it that much less bothersome.
Suddenly there was a commotion. A shout. Someone exclaimed about a fire. Just as quickly as they'd started the festivity ended, joyous dances as the Windborne dragons relished the return of their element ground to a halt as instead they fluttered down to gather and stare in shock at the roiling black clouds building in the distance. It had been one of them, a Spiral who had flown higher and further out than most, who had first spotted it and raised the alarm. Now every inhabitant of Saltwind Heights had gathered at the edge of the town to bare witness to the threat.
As Acacia lumbered over, keeping as best to the shady spots as her larger form would allow, there was a snarky comment from a Fireborn that was quickly snuffed out. It was followed by more whispers, more murmurings as panicked rumours began to fly amongst them. “I knew something was wrong!” Someone called out from the middle of the group. “The Twisting Crescendo is spinning the wrong way! Sornieth is doomed!” A ripple of complaint as those around the doomsayer made, mostly baseless, attempts to correct him. Others began to chatter worriedly about the implications. Were they really doomed? Was the world ending with the reversed storm?
“What is the Twisting Crescendo?” A small voice ahead of her piped up, gaining the attention of the Skydancer that was part of the group she planned to travel with from here. The voice belonged to possibly the tiniest adult Fae Acacia had ever seen, perched on the broken antler of one of two very curious dragons the likes of which she'd never seen before. Yet the group had been greatly accepting of them to the point that it didn't bother them at all. A thought for another time as the reply was given.
“I fear there isn't time enough to explain in detail.” The Skydancer said as he returned his attention to the smoke on the horizon. Indeed given how thick and voluminous the gathering clouds had become the fires must have been great and spreading fast. Although it had been an odd question. Who didn't know about the eternal storm? Well. Maybe 'eternal' was the wrong term nowadays. Another thought for another time.
Craning her long neck over to join the trio Acacia inquired, “Should we assist?” When all of them were looking at her she continued, “My Shadow magic will be able to smother the flames and I believe your Tundra companion is blessed by the Tidelord. Together we may be able to push it back.”
The Skydancer, Hyacinth, tapped a spindly finger to his lips thoughtfully as he reviewed the situation. A cluster of other dragons had already broken off to hold back the blaze, of which the first licks of fire could already be seen over the rise. It was spreading faster than expected, fed by the new direction of the Crescendo's pull. “I'd say we should, yes.” He said at length, likely debating the safety and relevance of such an act. Turning to the Fae and not-Tundra the birdlike dragon told them, “Go find your sister. We need to do something about this.” Then specifically to the not-Tundra, “I expect you want to help out as well, Lupin, but you may want to stay back for this one. You as well, Allium.”
Lupin, as his name apparently was, nodded slowly, turning his head and giving Acacia a good view of dark green eyes befitting a Natureborn between the long locks of his equally dark green mane. That explained Hyacinth's instruction for the odd dragon to not join in. For all of how a dragon's body may be built their magical essence reacted with the natural ones of the world. Such as why a Water Tundra would be beneficial in a fiery mess such as this despite their long, flammable fur when a Guardian of Ice, with their smooth scales, would want to avoid it for fear of overheating. Then again, the not-Tundra's fur definitely looked as flammable as his birth element. Double the reason, then.
“What will you do?” the star-speckled Guardian asked Hyacinth after Lupin and his tiny passenger had vanished amongst the panicking throng.
“I shall first deliberate with the leader of this clan,” Hyacinth explained, motioning with his long head back towards the village, “to see how he wishes to deal with all of this. Then I shall aid any who receive injuries in the fight.”
“Ah, healer?” She nodded respectfully at his one of confirmation and the reveal of his medical supplies hidden beneath his robes. “Very good.” It was shortly after the exchange that the pastel actual-Tundra arrived alongside the previous two. Acacia and Hyacinth explained what was needed of her, their directions becoming soft and reassuring as she became more and more distressed by what was expected of her.
The not-Tundra, Lupin, reached down to rub his cheek against hers. “You'll be fine, Gardie.” Pulling back he offered the smaller dragon a small smile. “Just do what you did when we needed water after running from Amaranth that time.” Sounded like this group had more stories to tell than she first assumed. 'Gardie' looked up at the brown dragon, fear filming her blue eyes with a thin layer of tears.
“But there's so much.” It was no exaggeration; the flames were leaping high into the air now as the cinders caught in the breeze landed in the dry grass, set it alight, birthed new patches of flame that chased the winds as they blew towards the village. An unnatural heat was blowing in from the south-east. If nothing was done soon it would be upon them.
“Hey, look over there!” The clicking of claws on basalt filled the sooty air as Verbena excitedly ran up and down the length of the dark stony lip, jabbing a finger at what should have been a field of green grass.
She and the weird Fae had hopped from place to place to learn new things, but really unless they went in a very specific, and dangerous, direction most of the Ashfall Waste appeared largely the same. Cool as the volcano was from where they stood at the bottom of it hostile creatures had made their home around the vents leading up to it. Neither she nor Plumeria were particularly keen on taking them one just for some sight-seeing. At least, for Verbena to sight-see. It had taken far too long for the excitable Wildclaw to realise the small Arcane dragon was blind, her eyes crystallised at birth by the magical energies of the Starfall Isles. For all the talk the speckled grey Wildclaw did, however, one didn't need eyes to see when every minute description was painted for them in words.
In this case the pair and their familiars had made it, with the aid of several clans who only really let them in to shut Verbena's rambling up, to the very edge of the invisible border that separated Fire from Wind. So much green! So much... what were those? Plumeria called them 'trees' and 'flowers'. The flowers she could understand, after all her first jewelcraft project had been of a flower. Or what a drawing of a flower would look like when made of carved mineral. Crudely. Did it actually look like a flower? She'd discarded it after all. The only plant life in Fire territory was dull or dead. Black, charred husks of what once were trees and even then only found on the outskirts. Sometimes something colourful popped up. Blink, though, and some herbivore would have pounced on it. And then it was gone. But here, here! A carpet of
actual, living grass and
actual, living, possibly flowers and animals that weren't black and orange lizards (though those things were tasty) and just... colour!
Except this one was also full of fire. More fire. Why was she so interested in more fire after all the griping she'd done about this boring place? Because it wasn't meant to be there, that's why. You don't have grass and flowers and trees
and fire. It just didn't work. Unless it was a camp or bonfire, she supposed idly. Still, this was far too big to be either of those. Unless the inhabitants liked to use entire forests as bonfires. So naturally the Wildclaw's curiosity was piqued.
The only thing that stopped her from rolling about in it all was the ravine. Well, not her specifically. With the new winds picking up the raptor-like dragon could easily spread her large, purple wings, jump and be carried over. Even while carrying Spangle. Likewise Plumeria could do the same with a little guidance. Heck she could ride on her, too.
No it was Achike, Plumeria's blue dragon reef snail. If it hadn't been for him the two would have made so much more progress to... wherever they were going. Nowhere really. Anywhere. Anywhere but here. See, the thing about snails is that they're not fast. Like, at all. And Plume was happy to ride on his shell. This was where things had gotten especially awkward for Verbena, who had to run circles around the Fae and her snail in order to burn off energy while she waited for them.
And now he caused another issue. Snails don't exactly fly. They don't jump, either. The only time you see one in the air is because it fell or was being carted off by a bird. And you'd need a big bird to pick up this big boy. This big... slimy boy.
“How exactly did you get Archie here anyway?” Verbena asked, as if they'd been having this conversation while she'd been enamoured by the distant disaster. All this time and she'd never thought to ask.
“Achike.” Corrected Plumeria, her facial fins splayed and vibrating while her neck frills wavered up and down in the Fae way of expressing humour. Though one side hung lower than the other, belying the mild frustration of her familiar constantly being misnamed. “We met in a cave connecting the Water, Light and Lightning regions en route to Fire. I thought him a delightfully cool boulder on which to perch in an otherwise warmer climate than I am accustomed.” She chuckled in her odd, toneless way. “It wasn't until the sounds around me changed and I found my food supplies lower that I realised the mistake.”
“And you ended up sticking together since?” Verbena was rocking on her heels as she peered over at the neighbouring land, more interested in getting over there to see what was up than the conversation she had started.
“I enjoyed the slow pace and he appreciated the food I gathered.” Was the simple reply. Acutely aware of her companion's impatience the gem-eyed Fae then asked, “What can you see? The air smells cleaner yet still the ash of your lands clog my nose and I can hear the distant rushing of water.”
Clicking her sickle-claws the speckled raptor tilted her head as a description formed. “Uh well. It's more grass, longer that what we saw before, and there's a lot of different flowers here. It keeps going to the horizon with lots of trees poking up here and there. The closer ones are kinda small but the get bigger as they go further. And I mean big! Like twice as tall or more as the ones I told you about earlier.” Carefully picking her way over the lip again Verbena crouched the examine the gap dividing the lands. “And there's this big crack in the ground that goes waaaaay down. It's dark but I think the water's down there.”
“A ravine.” Verbena guessed Plumeria was considering their options as well at that revelation. “How wide is it? Is it wider than Achike is long?”
“Um... it's thin enough here that us two can jump over.” The Wildclaw explained, continuing to judge the distance. “Buuuut I don't think Archie-
“Achike.”
“-Achie can reach it.”
“Are you certain?”
Frowning at the question Verbena padded to the giant snail's side, used her arms to measure roughly how long he was where he sat blowing snot bubbles at her, ran over to the gap with her arms still held out and hopped, flapped, landed on the other side, hopped, flapped, landed back on the Fire side. “Yeah no, it's wider than he is long.”
“It didn't sound far.” Tapping the rubbery neck of her familiar to spur him on Plumeria guided Achike to where the taller dragon waited.
“It's farther than it-” The argument was cut short as the blue snail slithered to the very edge, wafting his whiskers and eye stalks ahead of him. Keeping his tail (was it a tail? Snails were basically one giant, slimy foot with a shell right?) firmly planted he began to stretch out over the divide. Verbena boggled at the sight as Achike effectively doubled in length, his surprisingly stretchy body clearing the ravine with ease. Except...
“Okay so now we have a very slimy bridge.” Verbena groused, putting her hands on her (annoyingly substantial) hips as she observed the motions. “How does he get his butt over?”
As if he were listening Achike began to draw his body in on itself, pulling his back end towards the opening. As his 'belly' began to sag under the weight of his own shell Plumeria flitted off, hovering over his head at the other side as she gingerly stroked his sensitive whiskers. Then, alarmingly, he let go, letting his hind half dangle over the abyss below. Despite herself Verbena sucked in a breath of horror, only to blow it out as the snail casually pulled himself up and over.
“...okay.” Verbena conceded, staring as Fae and snail reunited on new ground. Achike made burbling noises as Plumeria petted him rewardingly for his little trick.
“So what else did you see?” Hoisting herself back into place on her familiar's back Plumeria pushed the previous subject. Verbena, collecting up a rather confused Spangle who kept running up and down the length of the rocky outcropping as it failed to compute a way over for itself, hopped back to the other, grassier side and watched the trails of smoke drifting into an otherwise cloudless sky.
“Fire.” She murmured, thinking back on her musings as to why it was there.
Behind her the Fae sceptically asked, “Fire? Did you not seek to escape your birth element? I suppose it shouldn't be too much of a surprise to follow that which you are familiar with; I myself have been intrigued by the Arcane dabblings of those mages who did not turn away from me so quickly but we have only now just crossed out of the lands of the Flamecaller. Why so soon?”
“Because it shouldn't be there.”
“And why not? What about this field is so different from the others we passed?”
Again Verbena contemplated her new surroundings. It wasn't that it had been multiple different fields they had passed. In truth it had all been the same one with its golden-green grasses and assorted plants and living trees. That wasn't too easy to describe however and even as she thought on it she wondered if the field had been split at some point, making it a separate one after all. Shaking her crested head in annoyance at the change of thought the Wildclaw explained, “It's a new fire. Nothing around it is burnt like my home is. If you want to contain a fire you use rocks. This fire is going everywhere!” Narrowing her eyes and jumping on top of a large boulder fallen from a spire on the Firelands side Verbena added, “Wait... there's buildings over there! And the fire's heading straight for it!”
Trapped beneath the fallen log Gardenia could do nothing but watch the fire spread, attempting to extend up into the branches of the thick trees and eventually engulf everything in a furious blaze. The tree was singed and blackened by the flames, the dense strands of its wood breaking off like petals from a flower. Twigs of pine and cedar flew from the branches of the tree and into the air as the flames spread out of control.
There had been a stampede of animals of all kinds, the snorting, squealing mass cutting her off from the Shadow Guardian and the others she'd come out here with in attempt to stop the flames from reaching Saltwind. Very briefly between efforts it had been explained that the Twisting Crescendo was the result of the sparring between Windsinger and Tidlord, her deity and who blessed her with her magic. For some reason it had dissipated for a few months only to come back again, spinning the other way. Before now it drew in the cold air of the Southern Icefields, keeping the land temperate. Now it sucked in the hot air from the Firelands. It was through this that cinders and embers spat from the great volcano that sat as monument to the Fire flight were drawn in, settling in areas that should not have been touched by them. Now, woefully unprepared, the dragons of the Windswept Plateau battled against something they'd never thought would happen.
Gardenia had been doing well despite her fears and uncertainty. Flanked by dragons she did not know and forced to leave those she did behind due to them being sensitive to great heats it had taken a lot to get her to bring about her magic let alone cast anything. It had been more of a frustration than bravery that spurred her into creating her own jet of enchanted water to douse the flames but that first action redoubled her courage, allowing her to effectively aid the others.
Then the stampede happened. The alarm was sounded ahead of time but no one knew which way to go. Acacia went one way. The residents of Saltwind went another. No time to decide. Gardenia had thrown herself forwards randomly, cowering in the roots beneath a thin tree, keeping her head down and body tucked in as far as it would go. In her hollow the animals managed to miss her for the most part. A few clips of hooves on her horns, her wings, her tail. Nothing much. At least it didn't feel like much. It was the fire that was the real enemy.
Uncomfortably hot within her own fur the Tundra was desperate to get away and cool off. Water. She needed water. But she could not feel it, the flames had evaporated it all. No droplets hung in the stifling air, no hidden puddles waited underfoot. With nothing to access Gardenia had no choice but to get out of there. Forcing herself to her feet, however, spooked something within the stream of ungulates storming past her. A bleat of panic. Something large hit her cover.
There was a crack, a splintering. She'd looked up in time, wide eyed, as the tree collapsed on top of her, pinning her to the charred earth. Ringing filled her ears. Stars filled her eyes. Ash filled her nostrils. Pain shot through every inch of her furry body.
A cry. Someone had seen her. “I've got you!” It was hard to tell who it was through her muddied senses but it seemed familiar. Something large lowered a great head, butted the log. No. Something hard slid past her side. Then the weight was lifted as the creature raised its head, rumbling with the effort. Hands on her forelegs, someone dragged her out. The tree crashed behind her.
The figure who saved her coughed. “H-hey, are you o-*cough* okay?” Gardenia shook her head, instantly regretted it as the pain flooded into her skull. “Yo, medic-guy! We need your help over- Oh Windsinger, is that what I think it is?” Suddenly Gardenia was alone again as the figure took off to a spot nearby. “Is anyone nearb-*cough* nearby enough to-*cough cough* help out? Hello?! Wisteria?! Anyone?!”
Wisteria...? That was the name of the Coatl right? Then was this Orchid? The Nocturne? Groggily the Tundra rolled onto her feet, hacked up the soot that had gathered in her mouth. Through blurry vision she saw her, the batlike dragon, pulling at another fallen figure. What was it? Should... shoul
d she help? Ambling over a few steps the heat forced Gardenia to stop again. It felt like someone had placed a hot, thick blanket over her. She pulled at the neck of the cape she was wearing, one of her more successful attempts at tailoring. The edge was nowhere near her throat yet she felt strangled. She undid the clasp, let it fall off. If anything it made the heat worse.
Then there was a loud trumpeting sound that shook her eardrums. The greattusk. Orchid's familiar. Dizziness sent her to the trampled ground again. So hot. So thirsty. Voices too muffled to understand was the last thing she heard as Gardenia slipped into unconsciousness.
“
I would like to adopt you as my Charge.”
“What? Why?”
“My mate's... Amaranth's Charge was a Water egg before she... I can't be certain you are from that egg but you remind me so much of her. I don't feel a pull towards you as I did my previous Charge so it is hardly imperative that you answer me quickly.”
“I... I don't know. I'll need to think about it.”
“Take your time.”
Hours passed. Soon the combined efforts of all the dragons of Saltwind Heights had pushed back the wildfires. While they yet raged on the village and its inhabitants were safe. Though not without cost. Without a proper healing den or hospital the inn found itself crammed with those who suffered the worst of the catastrophe: Those who were most sensitive to the heat and those injured while fighting the blaze.
As promised Hyacinth flitted from room to room, offering his services as both a medic and a healer, using means magical or physical where necessary or preferred. After binding Acacia's arms in bandage, held up by gauze, from where she'd charged in after hearing Djembe's calls, it was unsurprising that he lingered in the next room.
Gardenia's room.
She'd come in giddy and weak, now lay struggling to breathe, her breathing shallow. Whenever she awoke the Tundra could not tell where she was or who was with her, eventually passing out again. At first the blame had been put on her breed's short memory coupled with high levels of stress. Then she began vomiting profusely, occasionally suffering fits of spasms that left her exhausted. The more it went on and the worse she got it became clear what it was that was afflicting her.
Heat stroke.
Wisteria had slipped in beside the Skydancer, offering what meagre aid she could. Where had she been during it all? Hiding. Huddled within the clan walls as everyone else acted on the threat. Even Orchid. Now the guilt-ridden Coatl went from place to place, room to room to do something,
anything to help. Even if it were as simple as flapping her wings to bring in cool, clean air for Gardenia. Outside the coolness was supplied by Magnolia, her 'dirt' revealed to be the beginnings of a dark, feathery pattern growing in, as she froze packs of water to be applied to burns and help bring temperatures down. As she pumped Hyacinth placed some of these ice packs in strategic places on the Tundra's body, then took out a stethoscope.
“Will... Is she going to be okay?” All the flamboyance, all the haughty, stuck up character she'd held before had slipped away like the rivulets of water trickling through Gardenia's fur as the ice melted. Hyacinth sight, removing the earbuds. Hadn't he effectively raised her? And the Fae, Allium, and the frea- The Gaoler, Lupin? A feeling like someone had grabbed her throat gripped Wisteria. She had no business using such an insult. Never had. He was different, that's all. Same with the green one, Merry. There was no need for such thoughts here. “I cannot say.” She jumped slightly. After all she and Orchid had done the Coatl had not expected anyone to want to talk to her, so Hyacinth's response came as a surprise.
“What do you mean?”
“Her heartbeat is too rapid.” Hyacinth explained, fixing her with a worried look then turning back to his patient. “It's not safe. If she'd been out there as long as Orchid said she'd been...” He hefted another sigh, locking his golden eyes to her pink ones. When she did not respond with more than a puzzled stare he added, “It could cause complications to her brain, and maybe her other organs. It's treatable but there's a chance she'll suffer brain damage or even...” Suddenly he found something more interesting on the floor between their feet. “Unless she wakes up cohesively, it is inconclusive.”
Her wingbeats slowed as she contemplated this information. It was hardly her fault, yet by hiding away and letting everyone else do all the work she felt the smallest she'd ever been in all her life. Considering she often saw herself bigger than everyone else, that was a lot. Even Orchid had gone to help. Even
a pair of complete strangers had rushed in to help.
She could hear the Wildclaw and new Fae talking outside, the former excitedly retelling the adventure she literally just had. Yet it what was said was true then those two couldn't have come at a better time. Who would have thought a giant snail would be so useful?
Hyacinth had said something. What? She hadn't heard. He wasn't looking at her though so it probably didn't involve her. Then he motioned for her to stop, readjusted the ice packs and ushered them both out so Gardenia could rest. He pressed on to the next room, the next patient. As he did Orchid flew the opposite direction. The Nocturne flashed a sad smile as she passed her former partner, disappearing into a far room. Soon after her voice floated out as she attempted to cheer up whoever was inside.
Ignoring the hails of the speckled Wildclaw Wisteria padded outside, tuned out everything around her as the last thing Orchid said before starting her new rounds whirled in her mind.
<I'm sorry Wisteria, but I'm going to stay here.>
Aghast Wisteria had rounded on her Nocturne companion. <Stay? Here? As in here, here? Not with those travellers like we'd discussed?>
Orchid shook her head. <I realised something when I was helping bring the Tundra and centaur back->
<Why
did you bring a centaur back anyway?>
A frown. <Because she was hurt, too. Anyway, when I was helping bring them back I found myself talking to them, playing my instruments a little. I don't know if she could understand me but she calmed down. So I did the same with some of the other guys here and... Wist, I want to be a nurse's assistant. I want to help cheer up and tend to those who are sick or injured.>
A chill ran down the Coatl's spine as the previous night inserted itself rudely into her mind. <...It's only temporary, right?> Why was she so desperate about this all of a sudden? <You only mean until this is over, then you're coming with me again, right?>
Lost in her thoughts as she was Wisteria failed to notice Aster until she'd almost bumped into him. Lifting his head to give her a sullen look the Coatl considered going elsewhere. After all, he was the one who caught them, the one who insisted they be brought to justice. But he'd also lost his Charge twice. Unexpectedly he shuffled to one side, allowing her space to join him.
She did.
The winds had indeed changed. For the worse. He'd lost his first Charge and mate and then the one he'd offered to protect as his new one. Just like she'd lost her clan and partner. No. not just a partner. A friend. Her only friend.
This revelation sat like falling soot and choking smoke on her tongue. Bitter and acrid.
This was not the change she'd wished for.
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Next Chapter
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