Asunder

Asunder
"The Created"

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Only once did Asunder hear what she believed was the Gladekeeper. The deity said only one thing:
"Keep the Shade from these lands, Asunder, that is the Charge I give to you,"

She awoke with pride and the desire for power. She would do what she felt compelled to and for that she needed strong allies and with a pleasant Tundra at her side, Asunder began her mountainous climb to create her own clan. A clan that could fight back even the Shade if needed.

The clan welcomed all that came - Benevolence and Consideration followed quickly by Charity. Yet more dragons, hatchlings too slept under the banner. Aetherrin and Mizarius were treated with a deep respect with their Jadewings. That began the brewings of an awful misfortune.

Asunder did not know much on how to coodle and neither was she much good at speaking in a way that did not bulldoze the opposition. So, by the time Aetherrin and Mizarius had their second nest, the beginnings of a coup were already sowed into the pits of their hearts. At the time, more Jadewings had been recruited and spanned a larger number than those who did not value raw strength.

Ancilla, Astor, Aetherrin, Mizarius and her sister Misaki and finally Idris easily outclassed the non-warriors of the clan and with it their voices reached louder than Asunder could shout over. They refused to acknowledge the other half: the faes and the single coatl who thought himself too pretty, the ever calm Consideration and Benevolence and Charity. Her mate, Teorah. And that was the last straw for she saw what needed to be done but it was far too late.

Asunder called all the adults to listen. She told all that did not agree with her to leave, all that did not want to sleep next to another - be it warrior or non-warrior to go. She refused to listen to the outcries of both sides. She demanded they pick. Her or follow the foolish leader.

The Jadewings had fractured the clan into halves and as each dragon tried to continue on with life, it was clear something had to happen. It did. An evening, an arrogant and smug Aetherrin left to the Mire to show how strong he was and yet his life became endangered when a Wartoad showed up it was Mizarius that fled to find help.

Teorah was the one that heard Mizarius' pleas. He was the only one who could converse with Asunder as an equal and so he spoke with her.

Many of the non-warriors sided with Asunder when the wounded Skydancer returned home. She had not abandoned him. She had not left him to his fate. It was then that Aetherrin pledged himself, family and all, to the betterment of the clan - to Asunder's clan.

As the hurt began to heal, more dragons came along. From more alliances such as Vidya and from more wanderers like Varius. The clan bustled with life and the pain caused by the coup lessened with each day.

Yet fate had not finished with Asunder.

After a tiresome battle, Asunder rested at the edges of the Viridian Labyrinth seeing both the territories from Shadow and Light. The water lulled Asunder into a deep sleep. An Omen Seeker flew overhead and perched onto one of Asunder's horns. Deep inside, it too was one of the void.

It could smell the strength of the host nearby and also the weakness. The blood from fresh injuries. The fretting thought of not being the "perfect" Nature dragon, the lost experience of how to handle the situation back at the lair. Yes, this was a perfect host. It wriggle deep within and the Omen Seeker died.

Asunder awakes from a nightmare, one that she will have for months to come.

She changes.

Asunder cannot sleep. The nightmares rip her awake and the insomnia plagues her worse than the headaches. Nothing she does fits right with her and she paces, restless and feeling as if her Charge is burning. Then the blackouts start.

At first a few minutes. Then hours. Then days. The clan stay silent when she moves past, they speak in hushed whispers. Why? What do they know? What are they planning? The paranoia only gets worse as even Teorah gives her strange, worried, glances that set Asunder in a panic.

She's sure she hears things. Whispers by something not of this world. Not pure, not friendly. The headaches are worse than ever now, the light makes Asunder's eyes water and she hides away from even a fire. She doesn't sleep anymore. She can't rest. Something is wrong.

It's them. It's the clan. They've done something or they're going to do something. It has to be. No other explanation. No one will talk to her. No one will look at her in the eye. What happened to the food stores for the hatchlings? Who destroyed it? What are they planning?! She'll tear them apart! She'll kill everyone! The rage comes and goes and Asunder is reminded of the ocean.

Teorah mentions her daughter, who resides in Deoradhan-Kunibert, wishes to see her. As Asunder goes to see her daughter - something changes as she leaves the Viridian Labyrinth. She feels her Charge brighten again, she is following it again. This couldn't be right.

Asunder greets most of the clan, though notes there's more scents than what are actually present. Overtime she's noticed her daughter does nothing but check on her and in turn, Asunder wonders if she is ill.

Cupid and Haruna remind her of home and she shares the fondness of Vidya and the others. She feels better than she has been in a long time.

The days transform into weeks and Asunder knows now that her illness is nothing simple but it is the Shade. It has come for the land she was to protect and for a moment she considers herself a failure before Helen reminds her she has not lost yet.

This is all Asunder needs to continue her treatment. The solution relies on all the magics of the deities. First is the Fire of courage and then comes the energetic Lightning that makes Asunder feel more capable. Then comes the vitality of Nature's magic and the Light's everlasting focus. Water purifies the thoughts of her loosing and Wind allows her to accept that things do change and now she feels more stable. The mood swings aren't as common anymore. Then the Ice for all that is stubborn and the Earth to ground her and both of them make her realize there is still much to do at home. She will not lose.

Then Shadow and Plague allowing her very soul some ease and Plague, oh Plague how it stunted the Shade to keep the Nature's soul intact. How ironic that Asunder be saved by all of them when all she had focused on was her Nature's ideal.

Arcane fused them altogether and with it Asunder slept for days. A message for her to return home was sent and it was not long before Teorah and Aurelia showed up, curious on the results.

Asunder did not know how she was so blind to see their worry.

Nor the nest that Aurelia took to when she returned, Abeni, the first granddaughter.

In celebration of her return Cherub markings are painted onto Asunder, Teorah joins in. Pleased now. Though sulky when Asunder recants some of the things the strange Nocturne Hale said during her visit.