#* dragonscale / ic.

[game-of-style]

Daenerys Targaryen - Julie de Libran Couture Fall 2023

[balladetto]

unprompted / always accepting / @dragetunge

"Oh Tooooothless~" The viking called out the dragon as he had a rather large grin on his face. He had woken up early this morning to surprise his dragon for the simple fact the dragon had earned it. Placing down the basket he had been heaving it was a very rare treat. Toothless' favorite kind of fish as he leaned against the baskets top to the larger salmon the fishermen brought in that morning. "Come on bud don't keep me waiting now." He teased.

     He smells Him before he hears Him, the scent of the best fish mixed with the very so best human who is his precious thing sending him onto a high perch as He enters the prison-den. There is a want to warble back in greeting, excited-warm-loving as He is excited-warm-loving, but he stays silent in order to better surprise — looming and watching for the perfect time to strike.

     Mischief holds him at bay while Half Of Him puts the food down. Has him shifting his hind weight from paw to paw while He chatters again, voice bright and full of teasing-teasing-teasing. The waiting and waiting lasts until finally the chance comes: in the second his human looks up past the edge of his rock-perch to unthinkingly meet his eyes.

     He trills! He pounces! He cushions his landing with a big flap of his wings, but Half Of Him is very so tiny that He's knocked over anyway. It is a cute smallness in times like these, and for a few moments, he has to ignore the fish that spills out of the dead-bark thing He brought to lick several marks of "this precious thing that I cherish" onto all His skin and furs. Half Of Meeee~!

     Only when he is satisfied with His smell does he move to eat, rubbing his head on gentle paws one last time. This very so best Half Of Him, come join him! Eat with him!

[luminashdawnwing]

DWC February 2024 Day 6: Vanity / Feelings

He could not move. No matter how he struggled, the binding wrapped around him locked arms to his sides and held his feet dangling helplessly below clear of the ground. How reckless, to have been distracted by some ice parlor trick, a mere smokescreen!

The insult of it all, to have been so close to victory, but have it snatched away!

“Return to your timeline. There is nothing here for you. I am…” A pause, and the infuriatingly perfect image before him continued, “I am sorry.”

I am sorry. He had been about to utter those words himself, seeing this man just a moment before in the grip of shadowflame’s sting. Infuriatingly perfect as he was, he did not deserve to die. It simply had to be this way.

He was, certainly, sorry. For what he intended to do, yes, for his intent to take this man’s life – this perfect image’s life – and replace him, but was it also not sorrow for himself?

He had tried to put his feelings aside, had joined the Dragonscale Expedition, hoping beyond hope that it might be a lifeline, a thread to cling to and drag himself from the abyss. Theras was dead and gone, hurled into the Maw, soul shattered no doubt, never again to feel, never able to truly grow up. Jaskian, too, was gone. She still lived, yes, but could not bear to see the depths to which Luminash had sunk. For the best, he reflected, letting his counterpart’s sorrow linger between them a moment more. He could not bear to see what his falling had done to Jaskian, either.

Fatefully, he and this other perfect image had both meddled in Eon’s Fringe. While this other aligned himself with the Bronzes, Luminash had fallen further into the dark, no shimmer of brazen scales to light the way out.

Then, Zaralek. In a fit of feeling, he had sought to aid Niffen when Fyrakk burned his swathe across the cavern, perhaps a moment he could have been proud of, another desperate, clawing attempt to become himself again. What had it gotten him?

His eyes flickered down to his charred skin, black and blistering. The other one did not have anything to show for Niffen’s safety, no scars, no pain. Why did he deserve such a full life? Why did Luminash not?

“What say you?” Another question from this perfect image. On his face, a look of concern, though he seemed as if he was trying to hide it. Can one ever hide from oneself, though?

Luminash let his head – the only part of him he could move – drop, let his eyes close. What little vanity he had left would not let him look upon this reflection any longer, the reflection he still saw in the mirror before his senses caught up and showed him the truth. “I say…” The former magister sighed, “There is nothing there for me either.”

@daily-writing-challenge

[ritualcaster]

Hey, so in Objectified, how did parasites or larvae of them get to Ghost pepper cup?.

For those who don't know what this question is talking about, look at this frame.

Closely.

Anyway, in the episode, you can see dragons scale trail off from their conversation abt demons diner,

because she keeps getting interrupted by crashing and screaming in the kitchen.

If you remember some parts from the qna, and a short snipet of conversation between fossil and pk, then you'd know that the parasites can barely survive without a host, but when they have a host, they dont necesarily transform them, at least not immedeatly.

Tldr: One of the cooks in the back was infected already, and transforms during their conversation. He inadvertantly passed the parasites into her cup while making it.

Its pretty easy to miss all the details, but dragonscale wasn't infected because she didnt even drink hers lmao (light ice is all about flavor.)

[adndmonsteraday]

Fire giants, called ildjotunen in their own language, were master craftsmen giants that lived in volcanic and mountainous environments.

“If you want forge work fit for a king, you have two options: dwarves and fire giants. If you don't want to be forced to slave in the mines until you're tossed in the coals, you have really only one option.” — Volo

Fire giants had very broad bodies, making them sort of dwarf-like in appearance, and bulky. They stood roughly 18 feet (5.5 meters) tall, but they weighed over 7,000 pounds (3,200 kilograms), much heavier than a human of that height would weigh. Their skin was very dark, reminiscent of coal, and the color of their hair tended towards a spectrum of flaming orange or red, with similarly colored red eyes.

Their clothing was usually flame-colored or black and singed. They also tended to wear armor that was forged from steel or dragonscales.

Fire giants often considered bravery as being one of the highest virtues anyone could and should have. They relished opportunities in which they could test their fortitude against formidable opponents.

The fire giant race began with an individual by the name of Masud, one of the mortal children of Annam All-Father and Othea, who in the kingdom of Ostoria was ceded control of the southern volcanoes. They managed to tame such chaotic environs, building cities of adamantine and mithral. Within this mighty kingdom they acted as its craftsmen, engineers, and military officers. Their craftsmen created some of the kingdom's greatest works of craftsmanship.

Many fire giants, at least in the Ice Spires region, were known to enslave fomorians and verbeegs, as well as occasionally dwarves and gnomes. Slaves held the lowest role in their societal structures and were often treated with little dignity. They typically worked as laborers in their forges and strongholds.

Fire Giants were often hostage takers and took payments from less powerful creatures in their surrounding area in exchange for not attacking them.

They were known to occasionally forge alliances with, and even serve, red dragons. They were also known to domesticate hell hounds, keeping them as pets or guards.

Source: https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Fire_giant

[beautifulterriblequeen]

collect the whole set?

rewatching S4 after today's short story made my brain explode and naturally I took 2389423 screenshots but lookit this one for a hot sec

these look like armor sets for the different elven tribes

Moon

Earth

[empty]

Sun

the dragonscale necklace

Sky

I love these, there's so much detail in them! The Moon and Earth ones are the only sets with headgear, which makes sense because Sunfire elves wear their own, and Skywings don't wear any at all.

I also love the crystal pauldrons looking like ice on the Sky set!

And I see those drapey ribbons on the Moon set, looking like Eljaal's dramatic finery.

But why is one of the expected sets missing? Where's the Ocean armor set? There's a dummy for it. It was probably down here, once.

Maybe it's been lost? Destroyed? Or stolen? Claudia broke in here. Maybe she's not the first person to do so. Maybe someone's wearing it and we'll get to see it next season?

Where is that missing armor? 🤔

[sekhisadventures]

Her Final Song

The Azure Span, Midday

Jaie rode along on her mount, a runestag that she’d obtained in her travels through the Shadowlands, as beside her rode a young woman. She had long red hair and wore plain brown robes, hard wearing and designed not to show dirt, but then her tabard suggested as to why. It was one worn by the Dragonscale Expedition, so she probably expected to be in the wilds a lot.

“Oi really do appreciate ye helpin’ me out ‘ere. We heard ‘bout that tome one of our’s found in th’ southern reaches o’ th’ span, but even still there’s gotta be somefin out there worth gettin’.” she nodded to her, speaking with a noticeably Gilnean accent.

Jaie shrugged, “Oh its not a big deal. I was in the area anyways.” she replied, “Besides, I’m curious about that area too. I heard from the Tuskaar what had happened there and I want to make sure there’s nothing else that could cause problems.” she replied, then muttered, “Got enough of those as it is…”

The woman cocked her head at her, “Hows that?” she asked.

“Oh… nothing you need to worry about Cammy.” she chuckled.

The woman shrugged, riding along on a horse that seemed oddly skittish… but then, a lot of mounts had trouble with Gilneans.

Jaie had encountered the expedition member on her way back to Valdrakken after a fishing trip in the span, testing out her newly minted ice-fishing axe that the Tuskaar had helped her make. She had been eager to try out some of her catch, but the woman had pleaded for an escort through the territory incase the gnolls or some other dangerous force came after her.

Jaie had been a little hesitant at first, but then most Gilnean commonfolk talked like that, and it wasn’t like they were all worgen or even fond of being worgen. Some of them, like Nelen, stayed in their human form more often than not, and the main reason he didn’t have the accent was that most of his childhood was spent as a student in Old Dalaran. Though he still had a noticeably different accent from someone native to Stormwind.

She had introduced herself as Cammy Theos, and off they’d gone.

“So, what do you think you’ll find there Cammy?” she asked, glancing back at her.

“Oh, we don’t really know yet… could be lotsa neat things. Ol’ dragon artifacts if wez lucky, maybe even a few intact scrolls ‘n suchlike.” she shrugged.

They travelled south, nearing a cave that had been infested with frost-spiders thanks to the Primalists and their mad experiments with them, as Jaie got down and tapped her hearthstone to her stag’s nose, sending it back to the stable in Valdrakken in a swirl of light. “We should go on foot from here, these caves can be dangerous…” she nodded, heading in with Cammy following close behind…

At first, the cave seemed oddly empty… normally there’d be at least a few larger arachnids to have to chase off or, failing that, squash… but it seemed like there was nothing here at all…

“That’s odd…” muttered Jaie, flexing her arms as she glanced around in the gloom, the faint light from the entrance reflecting off the ice-coated walls of the cavern… and then she stumbled to a halt as she saw a footprint in the dusting of snow inside.

A massive four-toed footprint… one she recognized…

“Wait… that’s…” she leaned in for a closer look, then grimaced. That was a wrathguard’s footprint!

Jaie leapt to her feet, looking around as she slipped into a fighting stance. “Cammy! Get back to the entrance, if you don’t see me in a few minutes get on your horse and run!” she said in a warning tone… then she heard a chuckling sound.

Not Az’arad or his mistress, but a disturbingly human-like sound… and then Cenoon stepped out of the gloom and smiled at her.

“Oh so feisty! Come now, do you really want to hurt me again darling?” he simpered, swishing his way towards her.

Jaie growled, then readied herself to attack as he extended one hand, flexing his fingers as deep crimson strands of energy swirled around them, his eyes flashing. “Shhhh… now now… no reason we have to come to blows… just relax and think of Pandaria…” he whispered, flapping his wings gently as they carried the scent of perfume and musk to Jaie’s nostrils.

The pandaren sniffed, then sneezed and rubbed her nose. “YOU AGAIN!” she snarled, and Cenoon’s expression faltered, “Where is she! WHERE IS DISSONANTIA?!” she demanded.

Cenoon looked thunderstruck, stepping back in shock! “It… it didn’t…” he stammered, then he squinted at her, “Wait… wait a minute… oh for… ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!” he shouted, glancing past Jaie, “Of all the women in those groups you had me try to seduce HER?! It doesn’t work if they’re NOT INTERESTED IN MEN!” he snapped.

Jaie started, then spun around and glared behind her just in time to see Cammy sigh dramatically, “Way ta give th’ bleedin’ game away ya git!” she snarled, then thrust her hand out at Jaie as a burst of shadows erupted from it!

Jaie screamed, her eyes going huge as a tether of darkness smashed into her chest, her body rigid as indescribable pain shot through her! She fell to her knees as Cammy growled in annoyance, then changed!

Her face became a lupine muzzle as her hands extended into huge, wicked claws, horns sprouting from her forehead as wings burst free from the back of her robes!

Cammy Theo, a play on her true name of Camillei Theodore, that she hadn’t gone by since she’d met Quzgup all those years ago in Gilneas.

Dissonantia sneered, “Shoulda demanded I change forms when I found yez there! Didn’t think it’d work, but you lot are too bleedin’ gullible! Too late now Jaie… YER SOUL IS MINE!” she roared, wrenching her hand back as a soul shard formed in it.

Jaie screamed in agony as she felt her soul begin to pull free from her body, “N-no… help… someone…” she gasped out.

… and then, suddenly she felt as if a pair of hands grabbed her from behind, and a voice whispered, “Even here, we are still bound… you are not alone Jaie Swiftpaw.”

The pandaren collapsed in a heap on the ground as Dissonantia grinned in triumph. “FINALLY! FINALLY FECKIN GOT ONE! I… eh…” she glanced at the soul shard, a look of confusion spreading across her features, “Wot in th’… ITS EMPTY!?” she barked, looking back at Jaie.

The pandaren was alive! Whats more, Dissonantia could tell her body was still ensouled! Her spell had, for the first time in almost two centuries, FAILED!

“Wot th’ actual bleedin’ feck?! IT DIDN’T WORK!” she roared in anger as she stormed over to Jaie’s prone form and kicked her hard in the face, sending her rolling across the floor.

Jaie barely felt it, her body paralyzed. SOMEthing had saved her from Dissonantia’s spell, but having her soul attacked directly hurt worse than anything she’d ever felt before. She gasped for breath, every nerve in her body feeling like it was on fire!

Dissonantia glared down at her, then reached into Jaie's pouch and pulled out a gemstone. It was the communication one Jaie, Nelen, and Nitika had worked together to craft for her and all their allies. The warlock scowled and threw it hard against the wall of the cavern, where it shattered on impact!

“Azzy.” she grunted, and behind her the Wrathguard appeared in a swirl of felfire. “Tie th’ bitch up ‘n drag her outta here to th’ ruins on th’ other side of the caves. I need ta work out why th’ feck that happened…” she growled.

Az’arad nodded, then walked to Jaie and slammed his fist hard into her face, and the pandaren fell unconscious.

A moment later the members of Unlimited Sin walked out of the cave, Jaie’s arms wrapped in sturdy chains as she was dragged along the ground.

Behind them however, the shards of her communication gemstone shimmered with a magical light.

Valdrakken, the Roasted Ram

Nelen blinked, hearing a sharp whistling from his pouch, then took out his gemstone and drew a rune on it. A map of the isles appeared in the crystal’s face, zooming in on the southernmost reach of the Azure span to show a blinking red symbol, the rune for ‘destruction’ in the caves there, flashing between it and Jaie’s rune.

Nelen frowned, “That can’t be bloody good…” he muttered, drawing a rune for ‘All’ and speaking into the stone. “Everyone, Jaie’s stone got destroyed. I’m heading to the Azure Span to see whats going on. It could have just been an accident, but I don’t want to take any chances right now.” he nodded.

Nelen had told the others about the stone’s features, but after Dissonantia’s defection they had altered them. In the event that a stone get destroyed it would send out a signal to one of the other, still active stones to alert them.

Nelen summoned his mount as he exited the Roasted Ram, then took to the skies and flew towards the southern reaches of the Azure Span… unable to banish his worries. Jaie had helped him make these, she knew how hard it could be to replace them. She wouldn’t just let her’s get destroyed.

The Azure Span, the ruined outpost of Vakthros

Jaie awoke with a start, then winced and hissed as the light hurt her eyes. She lay on the floor in the upper level of what was once the inn, looking around slowly. She felt like she was having the worst hangover of her life. Every inch of her body throbbed with pain. “… where…” she whispered, then froze as she heard voices carrying up through the passage to the first floor.

“Roight, I can’t feckin’ figure it out, but somehow that bleedin’ bear was protected from me takin’ ‘er soul… we’ll worry bout it once I can do some bloody research. CENOON! Wanna explain why yer trick didn’t make ‘er go all ga-ga for yez?!” came Dissonantia’s voice.

Cenoon sighed in an annoyed way, “She’s a lesbian.” he grunted, “I didn’t get a good enough look at her before, but its obvious to any sayaad once we can see them close up. My power works on their desires. I find the desire for them to bed a handsome and striking man like myself, then hook into that and force it to override all other thoughts and feelings they have… but it won’t work if that desire isn’t there to begin with!” he explained, sounding as if he was describing it to a five year old.

“DON’T YEZ TAKE THAT TONE WITH ME FANCYARSE!” she snapped, “So, yer crap only works if they like men eh?” she asked.

“Mmmhm. Now if a succubi tried it? No contest, Jaie would have been on her knees begging. But for me…” he let out an annoyed snort, “I guess I’m just not her type…” he hissed, as if the idea of not being anyone’s type truly vexed him.

Dissonantia growled, “Wotever… least we smashed th’ stone… lil’ miss pandabear can’t call fer help.” she grumbled, “I say we try th’ spell again and… eh?” she looked up at the door as Quzgup scampered through it.

“WICKED WITCH! We have trouble! Worgen wizard is here!” squealed the imp!

Dissonantia snarled, then let out a string of cursing in demonic that made Jaie’s ears ache, the pandaren curling up into a tighter ball. “… BUGGER ‘N BLAST ‘N DAMN IT ALL TA FECK!” she finished in common, “Azzy! Cenoon! Battle stations! Get ready fer a fight! Quzgup! Keep an eye on th’ prisoner! Xel’kek! Watch fer th’ other ones!"

In the caverns nearby Nelen growled, already in his worgen form, with Edwood standing nearby. He'd encountered Nelen as the worgen headed into the Span and the two had teamed up to watch each other's backs.

Nelen had shapeshifted as soon as he found the stone and the signs of a struggle, trying to pick up Jaie’s scent, and in his worgen form had recognized Dissonantia’s instantly! His own gemstone was out and he was speaking into it rapidly. “Everyone! Get to my location as fast as you can! Dissonantia is here and she has Jaie! I’ll try to keep her busy as long as I can!” he barked into it, placing the gem near the front of the cave to act as a beacon as he stepped out into the snows, growling furiously as he saw Az’arad and Cennon emerge from the inn across the bridge.

The mage flexed his claws and in a flash of arcane light there were suddenly four of him as he summoned a trio of mirror images, the worgen channeling arcane power into his claws. “DISSONANTIA!” he roared as the worgen emerged, glaring at him.

Edwood stood near him, readying his own fel magic as Guzzle hopped onto the snow, generating a burst of felfire. Ed glanced down at the imp and tapped him with his boot, “If Dissonantia is comin’ outta there that’s gotta be where Jaie is! Guzzle! Go find her!��� he hissed.

The imp looked up at him and nodded, “Aye Captain!” he saluted, then suddenly vanished as he went invisible, a set of footprints marking a path through the snowfield.

Dissonantia didn’t even notice. She only had eyes for the two adventurers before her. “If I can’t take her soul I bleedin’ doubt it’ll work on them…” she growled, “But wotever that was, it can’t stop a feckin’ axe! AZZY! CENOON! KILL ‘EM!” she snarled, raising her claws and summoning several fel meteorites as wild imps scampered from the craters where they landed!

Inside the Inn

Jaie’s body still throbbed with pain as she tried to scoot closer to the window, but her arms were still chained up and her body ached so much she could only crawl. As she did however an imp kicked at her face.

“No no no! Stay put annoying bear!” barked Quzgup, “Mistress Dissonantia wants bear dead one way or another and if Quzgup has to then Quzgup will do it himself!” he snorted, generating a ball of felfire. “Wicked Witch would want to kill bear herself… but…” he grinned, looking down at her.

In her prone and injured state, the normally strong pandaren couldn’t even try to defend herself, the girl bracing for impact… then suddenly there was a loud CRACK!

She opened her eyes as Quzgup stood there, his face slack and his expression cross-eyed, the fireball dissipating in his hands… then slowly he fell to the side as another imp stood behind him holding an ancient metal tool. “Captain taught Guzzle how to fight dirty, like a proper Kul’Tirian!” smirked the fel imp proudly.

“W-what?” whispered the pandaren, “… you’re… you’re Ed’s imp right?” she tried.

Guzzle nodded, bowing dramatically as an explosion echoed across the snows outside, the windows lighting up with arcane light. “Aye! First Mate Guzzle here on Captain Edwood’s orders to spring Jaie from Dissonantia’s brig!” he grinned.

Jaie chuckled weakly, “You’re definitely Ed’s imp… Guzzle, she tried to take my soul. It didn’t work… but it hurt so much I can barely move…” she whispered, “… I’m chained up… can you get the chains off?” she asked.

Guzzle padded around behind her, then shook his head, “No. Chains padlocked. Guzzle can melt metal with felfire… but…”

Jaie winced, “Yeah, d-don’t do that…” she whispered, “Do you see a key anywhere?” she tried.

The imp looked around, then shook his head, “No, Dissonantia must have it.” he said.

Jaie frowned, the imp was right. Dissonantia would want to keep that close at hand. Her mind raced, she could barely move, her body hurt all over… her mouth felt like sandpaper after how hard she’d screamed from Dissonantia’s attack earlier…

She paused, feeling over her mouth with her tongue, and remembering something else she had in her pack. “Guzzle… in my pack, there should be a wooden flask. Its something Zhan-min made. He said it could help in a fight… I need you to get it out and pour it into my mouth…” she said, then remembering Zhan-min’s warning she added, “Just a little bit. It might be something dangerous…”

She felt guzzle open the pack on her belt, then after a moment the imp stumbled infront of her struggling to hold a flask almost as big as he was. “T-this one?” he asked her.

“That’s it!” she nodded opening her mouth as Guzzle set it down and worked the cap off. The air suddenly smelled of wet soil and ozone, as if a storm was approaching.

The imp carefully tipped it so that the neck of the flask was in her mouth, then held the bottom upwards so that the liquid would flow out… and then he became aware of a presence in the room.

Guzzle looked over as the brew poured into the pandaren’s waiting maw to see an observer demon floating up the stairs, the creature pausing as it saw Quzgup’s unconscious form and the newcomer.

“You are not warlock’s imp! WHO ARE YOU?!” demanded Xel’kek as his tentacles thrashed in fury!

Guzzle eeped, holding the flask with one hand as he channeled felfire into his other, preparing to lob it at the observer… then he heard a frantic kicking sound next to him!

Jaie’s eyes were huge, the pandaren having swallowed a sip, then another, then more and more as the distracted imp had held the bottle in place! She had to, it was that or drown in it! “MMPGH!” she shouted.

Guzzle yelped and jumped back, “Sorrysorrysorry!” he whined as the flask fell to the ground with a clatter… a very empty clatter.

Jaie coughed, “I… oh gods… w-what was in that?” she whined, “I… I feel weird… I…” she shuddered, the pandaren’s body starting to shake… and then she froze as her eyes went wide, sparks of electricity arcing along her fur.

Xel’kek frowned, staring at her. “Strange magic in pandaren…” he hissed, then yelped as a bolt of lighting shot out of Jaie’s upper arm and grounded itself in the wall near him! “D-DANGEROUS MAGIC!” he squealed, “MUST WARN WARLOCK!” cried the observer as he glided back down the stairs!

Guzzle whimpered as he took a step back from Jaie’, the pandaren having rolled onto her belly as she tried to get on her knees. “Er… um… sorry?” he tried.

Outside the Inn

Xel’kek raced out of the inn as fast as he could fly, looking around frantically. Dareley and Shalandrae had arrived as well, and the ruined outpost had become a battlefield as Dissonantia summoned any wild demons she could call to fight the forces against her! “WARLOCK! WARLOCK! POWERFUL MAGIC! DANGEROUS MAGIC!" he shouted.

Dissonantia growled, “NOT NOW YE BLOODY SQUID!” she barked in fury as she opened another portal, a pair of felstalkers bursting free from it as they raced towards Shalandrae, barking in fury as she smashed them off the bridge with one massive stone paw, the druid in her bear form once more!

“BUT WARLOCK! DANGEROUS MAGIC INSIDE PANDAREN!” he shouted.

At this Dissonantia paused, then looked back, “Wot?” she asked.

Then the top floor of the inn exploded.

Stone rained down around the area as the members of Avalon and Savage United ran for cover, a burst of lightning shooting up into the sky from the even more ruined building and hanging there like a ball of plasma…

“JAIE! BLOODY FEL NO!” shouted Dareley as he raised his shield against a rain of stone shards.

“KEELHAUL IT ALL, GUZZLE WAS IN THERE TOO!” came Edwood’s voice, “WHAT TH’ FECK WAS THAT?!”

Then lightning arced down to the middle of the bridge between them, and there was Jaie, standing stock still with her arms at her sides. Her head was hanging downwards, as her body seemed to shoot off sparks in every direction.

Everyone shielded their eyes at the moment of her impact, then finally Nelen looked up, “Jaie? A-are you alright?” he asked as he stared at the pandaren monk.

“Oh bugger…” whispered Dissonantia, “This can’t be feckin’ good… AZZY! KILL TH’ BEAR! NOW!” she roared.

Az’arad needed no more compulsion than that, the Wrathguard raising his axe and roaring, charging down Jaie from behind before her allies could even react.

Nelen prepared a spell as quickly as he could, as did Edwood… but then Az’arad’s axe came down, and in a spray of sparks Jaie wasn’t there anymore.

The Wrathguard stumbled to a halt, looking around in confusion. Then he bellowed in pain as there was a crack of lighting and Jaie appeared behind him, slamming her foot into her back as the impact erupted in electricity!

Her head was raised now, and her eyes glowed with lightning! She snarled wordlessly, then suddenly she was infront of Az’arad and her fists shot out one after the other, landing against the stunned demon’s midsection, each one letting off a thunderclap!

Az’arad’s eyes bulged as his axe clattered to the bridge, the demon’s body crackling with lightning at each impact as the blows sent electricity through his massive frame! Jaie roared and threw an uppercut, hitting him right up into the air, then she leapt and with a crash of thunder she shot around his form in a circle.

Suddenly, there were no less than six of her, one real one and five made of crackling electricity! Each of the copies slammed into him with a tremendous blast of thunder, then the real one smashed her foot into his torso with an even louder eruption of sound and sent the demon rocketing over Dissonantia’s head to crash into the wall of the ruined inn, bringing it down ontop of him!

Dissonantia stared at the rubble, then back at Jaie, her fangs bared… and for the first time, Nelen saw that she looked truly afraid. “Wot th’ actual fel…” she managed before Jaie was suddenly infront of her.

The pandaren glared at the worgen, “Y-y-y-y-you triiiiiied to t-t-t-t-take my sooooooul…” she growled, her voice stuttering like a piece of electronics shorting out. “I-i-i-i-it… HURT!” she bellowed, and electricity ERUPTED out of her, sending the warlock and her demonic allies flying in all directions!

Dissonantia crashed into some nearby bushes and scrambled to free herself, her eyes huge. “Bugger bugger… CENOON! XEL’KEK! DO SOMETHIN' DAMMIT!” she screamed.

Cenoon pulled himself free from the wreckage of some old crates, then lashed out at her with his whip! Jaie caught it without looking, her hand moving too fast to be seen. Her head snapped towards the incubus, then she let out a roar of fury and a blast of lighting shot back along the whip’s length like an electrical cable! Cenoon screamed in pain as the blast hit home, the incubus going rigid as he fell to the ground, smoke pouring off his prone form!

Xel’kek looked back and forth, the observer demon panicking, and suddenly Jaie was behind him. She brought her hands down hard as if spiking a volleyball right onto the top of Xel'kek's bulbous head and the demon crashed into the ground with enough force to crater it, squealing like a terrified pig as he landed.

Jaie landed then, her body jerking here and there as the violent energy inside her rocketed back and forth through her… and suddenly came Dissonantia’s trump card.

The felsworn Gremori rushed out of what remained of the Inn, the warlock having told her to hang back incase the fight began going badly, and she leapt towards Jaie!

Jaie caught her fist weapon in her left hand, then blocked her other one with the padded bracer on her right arm, glaring at her as sparks shot out of the corners of her eyes.

The renegade demon hunter just grinned back. “Ooooooo! Neat! I’ve never fought someone who can do THIS!” she cackled, “But ever hear the saying 'looks can kill?!'” she sneered as her tattoos glowed with a baleful light and she entered her demonic form! Her body swelled in size as her teeth became massive three inch long needle like fangs, her tiny horns growing and spreading into a pair of curling ram's horns as she sprouted a gigantic pair of bat-like wings, her feet transforming into wicked talons! The fires in her eye sockets flared, and then an eruption of felfire shot forth from them right into Jaie's face, engulfing her entire head!

From across the bridge Nelen roared, lashing out with a blast of arcane energy, but the demon hunter’s wing batted it away! The felsworn laughed with excitement at such an interesting foe, and then her laughter died away as the flames wore down to reveal a totally unhurt Jaie.

Her body arced with electricity, and this close Gremori realized what it was. The air around her was supercharged, acting as a shield! Her fel blast had been blocked from ever reaching her!

“Oh fu-…” was as far as she got before Jaie headbutted her in the face, slammed her elbow into her stomach, then landed three fast punches to her throat, then one hard elbow to her chest that made Shalandrae wince in sympathy even in her bear form.

The fel-corrupted elf fell to her knees as the injuries broke her concentration enough to knock her out of her transformed state, gasping as she clutched at her torso with one hand as blood trickled out of her mouth from the blows to her neck. She was far more resilient than normal elves, she even had scales on parts of her body! Normally she wouldn’t have even felt that… but Jaie was anything but normal right now!

Jaie growled at her, lashing out with her leg and sending her flying across the battlefield! Then she slid into another stance, her hands behind her, as she focused her chi between them… and Nelen stared at her as he felt the resonance coming off her.

“This feels just like that woman from the Vault… the one that Raszageth…" he muttered, then he recognized Jaie's posture, "EVERYONE TAKE COVER!” he shouted as he, Ed, Shalandrae, and Dareley dove behind whatever they could find.

As Gremori struggled to her feet Jaie lashed out with both arms, and rather than her normal chi burst a crackling dragon’s head made of electricity appeared over her hands, and an eruption of lightning akin to a laser blast shot forth from them!

Gremori didn’t even have time to scream. The blast hit her full on and sent her flying across another bridge, into the mountainside, and INTO the mountain itself as it bored a hole straight through the rock!

Nelen watched in horror, he knew that attack. He’d seen it just a few weeks prior… “Gordrinn’s fangs…” he whispered.

Jaie turned towards Dissonantia, electricity arcing all over her body, just in time to see the warlock finish her spell.

“FECK THIS!” barked the demon sorceress as she flexed her claws, and Jaie surged forward, her fist raised as it shone with lightning, sparks trailing off it, and Dissonantia’s eyes widened.

Mere milliseconds before it connected, Dissonantia’s spell triggered, and she and her demonic allies vanished in a woosh of felfire… but the warlock would never forget just how close that fist had come to hitting home.

Jaie stumbled to a halt, her arms hanging slack as she gasped for breath, her body still shining with electrical energy.

“J-jaie… lass?” tried Dareley, slowly walking towards her.

“DARELEY! STAY BACK!” warned Nelen, but before the dwarf could heed his warning Jaie screamed and fell to her knees, another surge of energy rippling out of her as the dwarf was sent onto his rear, his armor arcing with electricity as his beard hair stood on end!

“BLOODY FEL! WHAT IS GOING ON?!” exclaimed the dwarf, picking himself up as quickly as he could as Jaie fell forward onto all fours, her body shaking violently.

Then there was a sudden howl of wind and a pandaren kite swooped down with Zhan-min on it, Sekhi riding on his shoulder as he leapt off, his eyes wide.

“Ah no no no no… dammit girl I warned ya!” shouted Zhan-min in panic, “Just a sip! Just a damn sip! How much did ya’ll drink?!”

Nelen looked at him, his eyes huge. “Drink? Drink WHAT?!” he asked, “Zhan, whats going on?!”

Zhan-min was staring at Jaie in horror, “When we went to th’ vault I got somethin’ really powerful! Somethin’ that could make th’ strongest brew I ever made! But it was TOO poweful even fer me ta drink! So I gave it to Jaie! I thought she'd be able ta handle it!” he explained, “I warned her though! I told her not to drink more than just a lil’ bit at a time! She must’ve had too much!”

Nelen started forward, “Zhan, what did you use? What the fel did you make that beer out of?” he asked.

Zhan-min looked at Jaie as the pandaren monk cried out in pain, another flash of lightning illuminating the area. “… one o’ Raszageth’s scales.” he said in a resigned voice.

The others looked slowly towards Jaie. They wanted to help, but none of them could even get close to her in this state! “One of… that brew gave her the power of an Incarnate!” gasped Nelen, “But Jaie isn’t a dragon! She can’t handle that much elemental energy! No mortal can!” he shouted over the thunder as Jaie screamed in pain, her body shooting electricity in all directions, the bolts arcing off the nearby ground, the ruined buildings, the tree, whatever was close to her.

“I know…” whispered Zhan-min, “Dammit Jaie… I warned ya…” he whimpered, grief lacing his words.

Dareley shuddered as Jaie cried out again, her body shaking violently as the Storm Eater’s fury raged inside her. “W-we gotta do somethin’!” he shouted.

Shalandrae stared at her, resuming her elven form. “… we can’t… there’s too much lightning in her now. None of us can get close without getting killed…” she whispered in despair.

Then slowly, Sekhi padded forward, “… we can.” she said, her ears flicking back and forth, “Zhan-min ‘n I can…” she murmured in a faraway voice, her eyes wide as she fixated on Jaie.

The others looked at her, then Zhan-min set his jaw. “… ya’ll are right lil’ missy. I got Jaie inta this mess… I gotta get her back out.” he nodded firmly.

Sekhi walked forward, whistling softly under her breath, “Don’t try to resist it, just walk forward… This is Raszageth’s final song." she nodded, taking the pandaren man’s hand and guiding him towards their friend.

Lightning arced out of Jaie again and Zhan-min winced, but Sekhi stood firm as the wave of energy seemed to simply pass through them. “We are shaman, the elements are a part of who we are…” she said, her voice sounding rather unlike how she normally spoke. “We are all voices in Azeroth’s chorus, all part of her song… Raszageth's voice has become trapped inside Jaie's body, she wants to be free. We can help her.” she intoned as they drew close to the struggling monk.

She looked up at him, and Zhan-min’s eyes went wide. It wasn’t Sekhi who had been talking. He saw, reflected in her eyes, the power of the elements. “Send her song home, back where she belongs.” said the Shamaness, or at least, Sekhi’s mouth did as she placed one hand on Jaie’s shoulders.

Zhan-min swallowed, then nodded, putting his right hand on her other shoulder.

The two stood there, then raised their other hands towards the sky, and Zhan-min’s face slowly went slack as the lightning coursing through Jaie connected him to Sekhi, and suddenly, he heard the song as she did.

“… Niuzao’s balls Sekhi… this is what ya’ll’re hearin’?” he whispered.

“Hear it… hear the song, and send it home…” she replied. “Send Raszageth HOME!” she called out, then there was an unbearably loud crash of thunder and the whole area lit up like a thousand spotlights at once, illuminating the entire mountain range and the valley beyond, causing even the Tuskaar of Iskara to look up in shock at the display as the clouds glowed with the light from the valley below them.

There was a massive eruption of electricity as the energy in Jaie’s body shot through Sekhi and Zhan-min, but they didn’t resist it at all. It left no mark on them, it merely blasted upwards out of them and into the skies above… and for a moment a dragon made of pure elemental lightning soared up into the skies, flapping it’s wings as it gained altitude.

As the draconic manifestation reached the clouds, they all heard a voice cry out in joy before it exploded outwards, spreading out in a shower of sparks as rain began to fall.

Zhan-min shook himself, his head snapped around back and forth as he took in what had just happened, the rain beginning to soak his fur as Jaie collapsed under him. She was exhausted beyond all words, when she got back to Valdrakken she’d sleep for a week at least… but she was alive.

Sekhi slowly fell onto her rear, shaking her head. “Wooooooow… that felt yippin’ weeeeeeeeeeeird…” she chittered as the sounds of pounding feet came from the bridge.

“Are you lot okay?!” shouted Dareley as he stumbled to a halt, his armor clattering around him as he knelt down next to the pandaren, ready to beg, plead, and outright demand the Light heal her!

“Jaie…” gasped Shalandrae, then she let out a cry of relief as she saw her friend was alive, just too tired to move at all after her ordeal.

“Sekhi, what... what was that?! What did you just do?” asked Nelen as he looked down at her, then at Jaie, then he held a hand out to help the diminutive shamaness to her feet. He was a mage, he could feel how much power Jaie had inside her. In his experience what remained of Sekhi after channeling that much pure elemental lightning should have fit neatly inside a snuffbox... but she was, at worst, a little dizzy.

Sekhi squirmed up from the ground with his help, then said, “Raszageth’s song was angry… but scared too. She wanted to be free, where the titans or the aspects couldn’t hurt her again.” she nodded, looking up at the sky. “Now… she is. She’s th' storm now, she’s part of Azeroth’s song.” she smiled softly.

Nelen looked up, adjusting her glasses. “She… wait… she's an elemental now?” he asked, looking at where the draconic manifestation had merged with the storm clouds above them.

Sekhi shook her head, “She’s part of th' song… I ‘unno how else ta explain it.” she shrugged.

They all looked over at a sudden coughing sound, Jaie laying there as she opened her eyes. “G-guys?” she said, looking up at them all. “Um… I… don’t really remember most of what… just happened…” she whispered in a tired voice, “But…” she grinned, then held up her right hand and opened it to reveal a sharp looking fang. “… I got a souvenir…” she giggled weakly.

They all stared at the pandaren's outstretched hand, then finally Nelen grinned in disbelief and said, "Is that what I think it is?!"

The pandaren nodded, “… w-when I fought Az'arad... knocked one loose…” she chuckled hoarsely, “Tell Grimo… he owes me a drink… I… really need a drink… of normal beer… right about now…” she muttered as she trailed off, then collapsed. A moment later she started snoring.

Nelen smirked down at her, then laughed in relief, “All the beers Jaie, we’ll buy you the whole godsdamn bar…” he replied as he grinned at the others. “C’mon, lets get back to Valdrakken and get this monk a proper bed.” he nodded, walking a bit away and focusing, then opening a portal back to the dragon city.

Later they would celebrate like they hadn’t in ages, Grimo practically screaming with delight at the news that Jaie had gotten him the final piece he needed to complete his invention, but for now the heroes needed to rest.

In the skies of the Dragon Isles, a storm slowly blew out over the ocean, and thunder rolled. If you listened close you could almost hear a voice in it saying the word ‘free.’

Next Story

Previous Story

[covenunited]

Notes on Cyrus’s Royal!verse

He’s from a nation that isn’t ruled by a king or emperor or any other sort of central monarch. There are a selection of Lords who form the main federal government, each from a prestigious and ancient family, and each being in charge of a specific branch or, in modern terms, department. Cyrus is the Lord of the Forge, meaning that he oversees what goes on in the country’s massive, volcano-fueled forges, as well as overseeing the smithies and armories, making sure safety precautions and procedures are followed to the letter, and keeping track of everything that gets made and where it goes. He delegates when applicable, of course, but takes his duties seriously. In addition to him, there is a Lord of the Dragons, Lord of the Fields, Lord of the Mines, Lord of the Treasury, Lord of the Mills, Lord of the Scholars, and Lord of the Hunt. They all work together to try and keep the peace throughout their lands, and do what they can to help their people survive without depleting their resources.

Being landlocked with no free access to other nations ports has made that very difficult. Their economy relies mainly on forestry, agriculture, and metalwork. That being said, they try to do such things as responsibly as possible, and have policies in place to make sure they give back to the earth as much as they take.

Dragons are also a huge part of this! Flight as a mode of transportation is highly efficient, which is part of what led to the practice of dragon taming, training, and breeding becoming protected by law over a thousand years ago. Dragons are allowed to thrive wherever they may, though there are many who have since been born in captivity and are used for transport, scouting, and occasionally (regrettably) for war. Flying dragons outside of national borders, however, is highly dangerous, as most others see dragons as monsters rather than friends. The scales they shed (and they shed a lot! Kinda like snakes, but not all in one skin) get made into armor, jewelry, and tools, and can protect against fire, ice, lightning, or acid, depending on what sort of dragon they come from. Dragonscale leather armor is extremely durable while still being lightweight.

Witchcraft, particularly elemental magic, is fairly common here, with pyromancers being the most prevalent. It’s mostly been embraced out of sheer convenience, but it is regulated. Those who are born with magic or wish to learn it are required to go to Arcane Universities, which are fully funded by the Lords. Why are they fully funded? Because it’s in the Lords’ best interest to educate people instead of writing them off. Non-Arcane Universities are fewer in number, but also fully funded for the same reason. These are mainly trade schools, though there is a lot of focus on reading, writing, and arithmetic, and history is available for those who wish to study it in depth. Science is fairly new, and very chaotic, and mainly focused around engineering at the moment.

The Lords themselves are pretty chaotic. It takes hours, sometimes days or weeks for all of them to agree on new policies, especially where local governments and politics are concerned. Cyrus isn’t exactly the most diplomatic out of all of them, but he makes an effort.

[dvalin-official]

Dvalin watched with anticipation as Apep taste-tested the dish, her expression one of contemplation. As she spoke of the flavor of family, his curiosity only heightened. With a nod of approval from Apep, Dvalin eagerly reached out to taste the warm bowl of Tambo-Tambong.

The first spoonful danced on his tongue, a symphony of sweetness and fruitiness that enveloped his senses. The chewy tapioca pearls added a delightful texture, while the dragonscale fruit left a lingering, pleasant aftertaste. It was as if he could taste the memories and shared bonds within each spoonful, a testament to Apep's culinary mastery.

"Remarkable," Dvalin remarked, a genuine smile gracing his features. "This dish truly feels like an experience in itself." He praised Apep for her skill, knowing that she had poured her heart and soul into perfecting this recipe.

Curious to taste the cold version, Dvalin eagerly reached for the shaved cocowater ice. As he took a spoonful, a shiver of delight ran down his spine. The coldness of the dish contrasted beautifully with the sweetness, creating a refreshing sensation that danced across his palate. He hummed in delight, savoring every mouthful.

"I must say, Apep," Dvalin remarked between spoonfuls, "both versions are exquisite, but I find the colder one particularly refreshing."

With a mischievous glint in his eye, Dvalin reached for his lyre, strumming a soft melody that echoed through the market square. The gentle notes floated on the breeze, drawing the attention of passersby to their stall.

Dvalin stood in his human form with wings in front of the giant barrier that separated the desert from the rest of Sumeru. He had a medium-sized box in his hand as he patiently waited for Apep to appear. He did not know if he needed to look for her or simply wait. Caravan Ribat was bustling with merchants selling their wares and travelers seeking respite after completing their journey in the desert.

An ancient presence of Dendro was approaching rapidly, Apep in human shape travelling amongst a band of Eremites.

It was quite easy to pick the ancient sovereign amongst the incoming travellers; with black and sand toned scales running throughout their body, unkempt and wild colored hair, and clawed hands holding a particularly large crate with ease. Her frame looked willowy, and her face was somewhat uncanny when next to a group of humans.

It didn't help that what Apep considered appropriate clothing was what was the bare minimum in human standards; a thin dark grey sheer silk robe, faded beige cloth bandages covering her upper chest and part of her shoulder, and a pair of loose canvas shorts. She had even forgone wearing shoes or coverings whilst treading the desert sands when the sun has reached its zenith.

All in all, Apep did not seem to bother hiding her draconic traits. The Eremites did not seem to mind their presence, and simply went about their business as Apep approached Dvalin.

"Ah, it seems that my plans have once again proceeded accordingly. Hello again, Dvalin, Erstwhile King of the Skies. I thank you for accompanying me on today's itinerary, which I have researched being called 'going shopping' and whatnot," Apep answered, placing the crate down as she was face to face with Dvalin .

[shardhearted]

wip but the moment i started this i remembered why i never draw people or anything that has hands

don’t rebagel

[bezzuba]

          Give Her food, he tells you. It’s so unexpected that for a second there, your fear-distress-confusion breaks into disbelief.

          What? You give your food to her? Her flock-subjects have already given her a very so much big tribute; why should you give your food to her? Why?

          GIVE, he growls, like that somehow answers your question, and your distress becomes a little less scared-confused and a little more upset-angry.

          WHY? You growl back. Is she not a queen? A queen should be giving food to her flock-subjects, not the other way around. Even beyond that — she is not your queen and you are not her flock-subject. You owe her no thanks or tribute or praise or love. Why should you give your food to her?

           A rumble comes from the mountain-fog and the flameskin whine-flinches before lunging for the dead fawn beneath your paw. GIVE!

          He is fast in his desperation but you are faster in your defiance. You jump out of reach with very little effort and a very much lot of upset-distress-anger. No!

          No?! No?! He is scared now and it makes you even more upset-distressed-angry at this queen: this queen who would have a stranger pay tribute to her; this queen who plucks people from skies; this queen who doesn’t give to her flock-subjects and makes them scared for no reason; this queen who takes and takes and takes and won’t let GO.

          And maybe it’s that thought that makes it too much to bear, or maybe it’s how the flameskin tries to grab your food one more time, but suddenly you are so full of RAGERAGERAGE that you forget about protecting your food and rush forward to throw a bolt down at the mountain-fog.

          There’s a big BOOM and you can’t tell if your fire hit rock or skin, but it doesn’t matter because everything — the flameskin, the people, the mountain — stops and you take this chance to scream all of your RAGERAGERAGE at this very bad queen.

          MINE MINE, MY FOOD, MY FOOD THAT I CAUGHT FOR ME! MY FOOD THAT I CAUGHT FOR ONLY ONLY ME! YOU ARE NOT MINE; YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE! YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO STEAL!! YOU ARE A QUEEN! GOOD QUEENS GIVE TO FLOCK-SUBJECTS SO THAT FLOCK-SUBJECTS CAN GIVE-BACK!! YOU ARE THE VERY SO MUCH WORST THING, YOU ARE THE VERY SO MUCH WORST QUEEN!!

          For a moment, nothing happens. For a moment, you are proud-satisfied. For a moment, your chest heaves and your wings shudder simply because you are out of breath.

          Then another rumble comes from the mountain-fog: deeper and louder and bigger than you thought any mountain-rumble could be. It is only when it stops  — when your head stops splitting and your bones stop shaking and the ground stops feeling like it will crumble away from underneath you — that you realise it is the queen’s ( not the mountain’s ) voice.

          ( Then your chest heaves and your wings shudder not because you are out of breath, but because you are out of courage. )

          YOU…DARE?

          You don’t have to look down to know that she is rising from her roost. You can see it in the way the others flee into the depths of their aeries. You can see it in the way the still air becomes a cutting wind. She rises—

          And rises—

          And rises—

          And rises.

          ( You regret screaming at this very bad queen. )

          ( You regret flying to this very bad land. )

          ( You regret leaving Mama-No-More’s side. )

          YOU, LITTLE NIGHTFALLEN. She brings her very so much big head down towards you. Sniffs once. Twice. She leans back, baring smug-pleased-amused glee in all her many eyes and teeth, and you don’t want to bow to this bad, worst, most AWFUL queen but when she looks at you like that — like you are a tiny, not-worth thing that she only keeps around because it entertains her — you can’t help but look away and cower. YOU, LITTLE BIRD.

          She breathes and you hate how that scares you, how that makes you think of how she only needs to touch you and you would die because she is so big and you are so small and you don’t want to die, you don’t want to die, you don’t don’t DON’T want to die—!

          YOU HAVE NOT FLOCKED. It is not a question but you whimper yes yes yes anyway. A burst of air crashes down on you and you buckle under its weight. You burn under its heat. She presses against your will like she would press against a stone wall — gently; slowly; mockingly — and you can feel the cracks forming, the break starting, the point where you shatter getting weaker and weaker and weaker. YOU HAVE NEVER FLOCKED. TELL ME, FLOCKLESS BIRD. Another huff. Another weight. HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT GOOD QUEENS DO WHEN YOU HAVE NEVER HAD ONE?

          She bends into your gaze. Huffs and presses until you stop turning away, until you finally look at her again, until you see that smug-pleased-amused glee radiating from too big jaws and too many eyes and no NO NO NO NONONO—

          I AM A GOOD QUEEN! She roars and shows you the cave that is her throat, shows you the weak-point that is the quickest way to her heart-fire, and you hate her SO MUCH because she doesn’t deserve to be that smug-pleased-amused but she is and it’s awful and scary and please please please you will do anything please please plea—

          PLEDGE TO ME, she hums, and your heart-soul stutters. PLEDGE TO ME AND I WILL SHOW YOU WHAT A GOOD QUEEN IS.

          ( Maybe you won’t do anything, after all. )

          NO! You screech, even if it will hurt you. NEVER! You howl, even if it will kill you. You would rather die than pledge to this monster-queen. You would rather die than be in this always-scared flock. I WILL NEVER NEVER NEVER PLEDGE TO YOU!!

          PLEDGE TO ME, LITTLE BIRD.

          You want to shriek your rejection again, but the press against your will is not so gentle-slow-mocking now. You shriek something else instead, hatred or hurt or fear maybe — you don’t know because you can’t hear, you can’t feel, you can’t see, you can’t think; you can’t do anything as she takes hold of the wall that is your will and pushes and squashes and squeezes and PLEDGE TO ME PLEDGE TO ME PLEDGE TO ME PLEDGE TO ME PLEDGE TO ME—

          You don’t remember saying yes. You don’t remember saying I pledge to You. But when you surface from the waters She plunged you in, trembling and crying and aching and hating, She is full of smug-pleased-amused glee once more.

          GOOD, She says. YOU ARE MINE NOW, She says. You are too tired-scared-weak to do anything but continue trembling and crying and aching and hating when She dips Her head down to mark you. It hurts, but you don’t die.

          YOU ARE MINE NOW, LITTLE BIRD.

          ( It hurts, but you don’t die. )

[missusruin]

1. Horror / Chicken Witch 

2. Sheep / Fangs / Spider Lily Witch

3. Ice / Butterfly Witch

4. Gamble / Starlight / Shadow Witch

5. Feathers / Eyes / Candles Witch

6. Blood / Herbalism / Dragonscales Witch

7. Shadows / Secrets / Stories Witch

8. Comfy / Plushies / Cardcaptor Witch

9. Goth / Celestial / Crystals Witch

[magicmamahandmade]

Finished my Dragon egg! Linework done with Micron pens on Bristol. Digital color. #illustration #art #draweveryday #lineart #digitalcolor #dragonegg #dragon #hatch #fantasy #space #ice #magic #myth #mythical #creature #baby #scales #dragonscale

[autumnslance]

Prompt #27: Hail

“The stage is set!” The spirit of Amon howled triumphantly. “Let the curtains rise for the main attraction!”

Estinien heard Aeryn curse and call to the healers for their strongest shields, fear in her voice as heat flared.

There was nowhere to go from whatever spell the ghost was casting while utterly ignoring the Scions’ attacks.

Estinien rounded to find the twins; Alphinaud was behind him, sweat plastering his bangs to his face as he controlled his nouliths to answer Aeryn’s order. Alisaie was leaping forward with a scream of anger to slice at Amon with her blade, trying to stop him through sheer violence. She was near Thancred now, and he would do all he could to protect her from whatever was coming if she did not leap back…

The temperature abruptly dropped.

Estinien blinked.

For a moment, he was reminded of the scent of the Chocobo Forest’s trees, the rushing sound of them in the wind. The wind soon became the clear, cold familiar gales of Coerthas, his nostrils sticking together as ice drops formed in the air.

He blinked.

An achingly familiar vision coalesced in white and blue, elegant as she flew through the air. He heard Y’shtola gasp, Alphinaud’s cry of recognition.

From Aeryn, silence, though he could imagine her face, if he had the time to look.

He blinked.

Saint Shiva spun through the room, as she had in the skies of Azys Lla that terrible day. Snow fell in her wake, defiant of the rising heat. Lifting an arm, she snapped her fingers.

The Scions were forcibly slid across the rime-coated floor, a frozen pillar between them and Amon just as his fiery spell completed.

Protected by divine ice, they were entirely unscathed.

“My, what a boorish audience you are!” Amon ranted.

Estinien blinked, and she was gone.

Fare well once again, dear lady; now it was his turn.

“Time to end this!” Estinien roared. He dove at the ghost, Nidhogg crackling.

In the aftermath as they stood panting, even as the mages warned against the weakened Amon, Estinien spied a white glint on the ground. He bent to retrieve it.

A small, unmelting orb of ice, no larger than, perhaps, an elezen maid’s thumbnail.

He heard Alphinaud whisper, “Ysayle,” his hands clasped in a prayer.

Through this strange realm of ghostly memories, the others had seen visions of those they had lost, both friends and foes. Haurchefant’s had been the only one Estinien recognized; the others were stories his companions told.

Until the damnably righteous witch had saved them, one more time. “Such was the strength of her faith in us,” Estinien said, a fond smile on his lips despite himself.

He would find a way to make the hailstone into a gift for the boy; he deserved a memento.

After all—as Estinien checked his ancient dragonscale armor to prepare for what came next—he already kept Iceheart close.

[hqbianka]

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Lovers in the light of hell

Afraid

Effrayant

Nail paint

Carry me home

Sweet desire

Vainilla twink

Fire on fire

Asistente

Lou

Fight for me

Perdido en tus ojos

Close ain’t close enough

Bastard

Quarterbacks

Baby honey

U.S. Army

Colors

Theory of blue

Bussines or pleasure

Pretty house

Collision

Doncel primaveral

Boca de ambrosía

Housemates

Down to the sea bed

I would name the stars for you

Ahora quiero ver cómo respiras para mi

Insane

Baby, heaven’s in your eyes

Ice cream

Vegas light

Gimme! gimme! gimme! an Alfa after midnight

Una tarde sin café

Puse las más conocidas y recomendadas, no tienen un orden específico las dejé conforme las iba agregando. Espero les sirvan si quieren empezar a leer fics o si no saben que leer!

[guildwars2]

Chapter 4: Judgment arrives April 27

Braham Eirsson’s destiny is unfolding. When his arrow pierced Jormag’s fang, he shouldered his people’s quest for retribution against the dragon. He’s grown into a hero worthy of the prophecy—but fulfilling it may come at a price you’ve seen too many friends pay. As avatars of a hatred that spans millennia, what will become of the Elder Dragons’ mortal champions?

Dragonstorm: Join the Final Battle

There’s little time left to save Tyria from a cataclysm of ice or fire. An evenly matched head-to-head fight between Primordus and Jormag will destroy them both, and each dragon is desperate to gain an advantage. Tip the scales to ensure they can’t hide behind Braham and Ryland forever.

Play the final chapter of The Icebrood Saga: Champions to experience Dragonstorm as part of the story. Head to Eye of the North to face the challenging world boss version of this encounter—anyone can join while the event is active, or you can form a squad to start your own instance at any time.

New Rewards

Earn a glorious Dragonscale Cape, a new ascended greatsword, and more! Mix and match the new Jormag and Primordus Eye Infusions to add chilling or searing draconic energy to your eyes in any combination you choose.