Lilric

She gazed at the coin, perhaps for a little too long before she sniffled and wiped away at the tears that had dripped out from under her mask. She casted one last glance at the two other dragons hoovering on by the entrance before hesitantly walking forward. Lilric winced at the sound of her metal limbs grinding against each other, it reminded her of the berating she received earlier from her... less kinder clan mates. But nonetheless she tried to place it as far back in the back of her mind. She reached out and drew back the curtains to the tent that seemed so large in comparison to her and then entered.

Inside, Lilric was greeted with the sight of many statues and one oversized fae and it stunned her into a loss of words. Multiple times, she'd look around the room then back at the coin before she finally moved, deciding that she might as well look around before making her decision.

As she gazed upon each stony idol, she couldn't help but be struck with admiration. Perhaps they were live dragons but there was an air of beauty to each of them, no matter how she felt about each statue. At last she came to look upon the large fae but quickly, she was deterred. The mirror and that fae frightened her to some degree.

In the end, she was looking between the fae, the spiral, the ridgeback, the skydancer, the snapper, and the pearlcatcher. The more she looked at her first options, her list began to shorten. The spiral was the first to go. Though he sort of reminded her of one of her sisters she had a feeling he was much too apathetic. The pearlcatcher and skydancer was the next to be crossed off of her list, 'They seem nice but not what I am looking for,' was her initial thought. At last it was just the fae and the ridgeback.

In the end she approached the pillar holding the ridgeback. It was a gut feeling. Perhaps it was the fact that he reminded her of one of her clanmates back home who granted her back the ability to walk when her legs were stolen from her or the relevancy of her question. Whatever it was, Lilric had already neatly placed the coin on the bowl.

She looked around, expecting something to happen at first before remembering. Awkwardly. she cleared her throat and asked meekly, "S-suppose that you had been crippled. Would you wish to go back as you were before the supposed accident?"

There is silence...

Suddenly, a sound that could crack the sky erupts from the pillar. The Lightning Emblem glows bright blue, then thin cracks grow all over the pillar, and the ridgeback. With one final thundering noise the statue shatters, but instead of falling to the ground, the pieces of stone are suspended in the air, as if caught in a magnetic field. Standing on the pillar, is a massive blue ridgeback, shaking the sleep from his body. He stretches his wings out, almost taking out the one side of the tent. The large fae shoots him a glance, before returning to his post.

"Who...?" He glances around, before seeing the small, normal-sized fae standing in front of him, clearly shook from his display. He lies down on his pillar, and hangs his head low, which, due to his size, manages to rest comfortably on the ground.

"Oh! Hello!" He seems enthusiastic about being chosen. "My name is Teslum. What is yours?" "L-lilric..." He cracks a smile. "I have to admit, your question confused me for a moment, but now that I am awake, I see..." he is curiously staring at the fae's limbs, which are now entirely metal machinations. His eyes seem to reflect a desire to see how they work, figure out what they are made of, where did she get them...

"Did you know that I can't fly?" His tone changes completely, becoming incredibly serious, like the weight of the question had finally hit him. He slowly unfolds his wings to reveal the obvious flaws with them. The fae wastes no time seeing them: Underdeveloped muscles, the membranes are too thin, the bones are warped. "I could replace them, but my newfound position has removed that decision from my mind."

"If I WAS crippled? I AM crippled. And I wouldn't change a thing." He sits back up, puffing out his chest in pride, and stares off. "When I hatched I was at the bottom of Carrion Canyon. It seems my egg had rolled out of the nest. I tried flying, over and over, but I didn't know how. I'm sure If I had the time to practice, I could..." His eyes narrow as his gaze returns to the small fae."I was starving, I was thirsty, I was dying. TIME, was something I did not have. Instead, I practiced honing the rest of my body." He casually flexes, revealing his legs are, indeed, incredibly toned.

"If I went back to before I gave up flying, I would be a helpless whelp crying into the sky at the bottom of a barren crevice. My sacrifice was necessary." He pauses, returning to his comforting demeanor. His body relaxes and takes a deep breath. His smile returns.

"You cannot change the past, so no, I do not wish to go back. What you must do is look to the future. Those who disregard you don't deserve to take up your thoughts. It is clear they do not care too much for you. So do not waste your kindness on them. Save it for yourself. It will be better used, and it will not be wasted."

"How many dragons flying over the canyon heard my calls, and ignored them? When I finally crawled out of that crevice, do you know who was waiting for me? The Stormcatcher himself, who had been watching me the whole time, hearing my cries and waiting for his clan to act, only to be disappointed. He only said one thing to me.... 'WELL DONE'."

His smile became bigger. "Do not associate your legs with weakness. Whatever stole your legs was clearly trying to take more from you. They FAILED. And you survived. You are thinking so big. Think small. You hurt when you walk? Fix it. Your clanmates are rude? Fix it. One of them cares, or they would not have given you legs again. Start there."

"Reflect on the past, and turn your mistakes into success in the future."

And with that, the floating stones snapped back to his body, and he returned to a statue once more.

The small fae glance up to Baphomet, who seemed to have been enthralled by Teslum's words of encouragement. "Good thing you didn't pick HER.", he mumbles. "This would have been SO MUCH different..."

Lilric leaves the tent behind, with friendly advice from someone who's heart was not left behind in a dusty cairn. Taking one last look around, she leaves, knowing she will never see this place again. As she returns to the fairgrounds, she turns around, and stares down the path she just walked on.