Spumone

brave| Determined Memento Mori Generation 2

Memento mori (Latin: "remember that you have to die") is the medieval Latin Christian theory and practice of reflection on mortality, especially as a means of considering the vanity of earthly life and the transient nature of all earthly goods and pursuits. Memento mori has been an important part of ascetic disciplines as a means of perfecting the character by cultivating detachment and other virtues, and by turning the attention towards the immortality of the soul and the afterlife. This curse would be traced down his lineage. All Vigil's children were destined to die, like any dragon. But they would be given a second chance. It was up to the children if they would accept the bargain. template coding by Jaspernoir

He’d always been the nervous sort, and his nearly daily visions of horrifying spirits didn’t help, nor did his family’s history of… coming back from the dead. And this made him restless. He aimlessly wandered Sornieth, before he heard an intriguing legend: A Wind clan, every one of their number an adventurer of renown. It was rumored that they were entirely fearless. Maybe, just maybe… they could break him of his constant terror.

He found them, The Pieces OSky, rather easily, and they welcomed him into thier ranks with joy and celebration. As per their tradition, he changed his name from Auryn to Spumone. A fitting name, he thought, a silly name for a silly coward amongst the fearless.

But he was determined. He would break himself of this, he would become one of them.

One Rockbreaker’s Ceremony, he approached Fudge and Sours, the two most senior members of the Night Watch, and asked to join them on their search for Deepearth Geodes in hostile territory. They readily agreed, they never minded someone new tagging along.

They tried several geode hunting locations without much luck, before they stumbled upon a cave system deep in Dragonhome. As they ventured inside they found evidence of an abandoned archeological site…. how odd. The trio walked side by side through the complete darkness. Suddenly, one of their lights went out and there was a muffled beating of feathery wings-and Fudge was gone.

Sours narrowed her eyes and prepared herself for a fight as Spumone suppressed a whimper. Sours stood upright, stretching her spindly spine to peer into the darkness…. and then fire! Sours clawed and blasted flames from her jaws as she struggled against…. something. Then she tumbled down what may have been a chasm and was lost to sight.

Heart pounding, Spumone bolted blindly deeper into the cave system, with only his long whiskers keeping him from crashing into walls. However, he too failed to sense the precipice before him and fell into a deep pit. Body aching, he looked up. His blood froze in his veins. There, by the scarce light of a few glowing crystals, he saw it. The spirit from his visions.

As it approached, he made it’s deadly work easier by slipping into unconsciousness.

The next thing he knew was the foreign cold of his own dead body, and a blackness deeper than the complete dark of the cave. But oddly he was no longer frightened, only bitter. He had died. He had died before learning to be brave, he had died a coward's death.

Slowly he became aware of a light, and a voice full of amusement.
“Do you want to live, brave one?”
If Spumone could have moved, he would of looked away in shame.
“Why taunt me? I’m already dead.”
The being of light chuckled, and fluttered a bit, as if they were made of cloth.
“Oh you are silly! Didn’t you come to this cursed place even though you were frightened? Isn’t that what Bravery is, to go, to do, in spite of fear?”
The being paused, and Spumone took a moment to think about this.
“Now, do you want to live?”
“Yes”
“What price would you pay?”
“Anything”
“Then remember what I told you…”

Spumone opened his eyes to see the concerned faces of Fudge and Sours pressed into his, lit only by a steady stream of fire from Sours’ mouth.

“Young one!” Said Fudge “are you alright?”
Spumone slowly stood up to find that he was in no pain. But an odd, blanket-like weight was pressed against his back.
“Good thing this little guy was here to protect you” mused Sours.

Spumone craned his neck to see an Inquisitive Cloak clinging to his body. It’s mirthful grin was all too familiar.
“Yeah, I guess so” said Spumone
“Let’s go home”