Bali

A kindly fae dragon of fanciful taste. Never seen without a tux and rose, she exhibits immense need for sophistication of practically everything. The only reason why she embraces and endures the Plaguebringers intoxicating love is because the rashes, the infected wounds, and the light green pustules of pus gave her a sense of exoticism, apparently. Much to the confusion of everyone else in the area. She has trouble explaining it, for she was often times scared by anything bigger than a fae and found it hard to interact with much of the clan. Even then, the notion of explaining her hobbies to other fae was often deflected for no clear reason. It's disappointing to some, really. She really can be a smart fae, but she almost never exercises it.

She doesn't really brag about it, but one has difficulty deciding whether it's because she is just really aloof and lazy, or actually respects the preferences of others. In any case, she simply dedicates much of her life to her own attire. Often uncaring for anything else, maybe help the clan gather food at times, but mostly it's just the clothing. However, if there was one thing that dragged her out of her monotone, boring, attire based life, it was curiosity.

Curiosity sent her to hell. She dragged herself back.

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The world stung as I was dragged over broken bones and bloody stains. A battle hardened, red mirror dragon grunted as he forced me far into a dark and haunting cave. Coughing, I fell onto the rugged, mangled floor; blood staining my suit with my rose all but crushed into broken petals. My white form was bruised and wounded, and when I felt my limbs, I could have sworn that my bones were shattered beyond repair.

The mirror snorted derisively at my broken form and spat at me, "Don't worry, you're going to die soon anyway, along with the rest of your sorry clan." He chuckled morbidly and headed off to the mouth of the cave, far from where she was.

I tried to turn my head, only to see a dimly lit cavern filled with the rotting corpses of many other dragons piled high into a nasty conglomerate of the dead, a horrible stench coupled with plenty of maggots came from the broken cadavers. The idea of me becoming a dead hunk of meat filled me with lasting terror. At that point, I knew one thing at least.

I was going to die.

I let out a small cry as I pathetically sat in an ever growing puddle of my own blood, the tears mixed with it around me. How could this have happened?! All I heard was a small rustling in the bushes. I didn't mean for it to be this bad! I... I didn't mean... I...

My few tears erupted into a river of sadness as I tried to reach for something, anything for comfort. I found none. What was I supposed to do? Walk out of here in this state, with an extremely hostile clan waiting at the mouth? My entire clan had heard of a dangerous group that killed other clans for sport and resources, and now that they have been robbed of one of their clansmen, it was obvious that my small, vulnerable clan is now seeking to free me, so that we may all flee. And when they do find out where I am, they are going to get slaughtered!

I knew that my only hope of making sure that they would be able to leave safely would be to escape, but how? An entire clan as my enemy, and I have no allies with me. My damaged state would make it easy for them to track me, and it would be a simple task to take me down. I can’t ponder too long, however. Being used as bait, the beasts that caught me will use me to attract my clan. The longer I take, the more likely I will be too late.

I forced myself upwards, back cracking, and severe pain washed over me as I rose from my prone position. The blood on my suit painted the ground below as I sluggishly crawled away from the puddle. It was going to take an eternity to fix this suit, and to replace my rose. But it was going to be far easier than what was going to come at me next. I dragged myself to the putrefying cadavers, and with a moment’s hesitation, I reached my claw into the stale flesh and ripped out a hunk of meat, filled to the brim with maggots, feasting greedily on the rotten corpses.

Unceremoniously, I ate the maggots. Ah, bugs! A fae dragon’s best friend! With some energy renewed, but still hurting, I dragged myself towards the wall of the cave, and slowly walked down to the entrance, a good ways off, and nothing but a small light in the distance. I trekked the rough ground slowly, and beheld the old bones of victims long past and all that could be thought of was what was going to happen to my clan mates when they get here.

I shivered as I reached a small stalactite to hide behind. I tried to urge myself forward, but I fell with a quiet thud. I bit back any whimpering and tears as to not alarm anyone near as I tried to think to get my mind out of the gutter. However, before I could think, I heard the sound of footsteps. Afraid, I peeked around the stalactite to see the red mirror from before, humming a merry tune.

His claws were stained in fresh blood, and joyous chuckles erupted from him. My mind reached terrible conclusions. Could it be? Have they…? No, but…

I snapped. Without thinking, I searched the dim area to find a bunch of stalagmites just above the merry mirror. Panic, anxiety, and hate dominated my mind as I fired a bolt of energy right above him.

The red mirror saw me, eyes widening, “…Oh! Didn’t see you there!” He smiled, “Worry not, you are alr-“ Stalagmites fell. Bones snapped.

A mirror died.

He never even saw it coming, he yelled briefly before collapsing from the stalagmites, now sticking out of his corpse. I stared at my deed, eyes wide and mouth open before shaking my head and running towards the mouth of the cave; I didn’t have time to disagree with what I just did. I reached the cave entrance, and looked around frantically.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw what happened.

The Wasteland was at its usual, dead remains everywhere, skies clouded by deadly poison and viruses, and the usual dead corpses of those that failed to withstand the terrors of the Wasteland.

Those corpses today were the last of my miniscule clan. My heart froze, and my breathing halted. My parents, my siblings, all gone. The place was bloody and corpse ridden, with a trail of blood nearby going off in the distance, along with many footprints of many dragons. This was my chance to escape, but I couldn’t. My clansmen, dead, this… this can’t….

My sore, aching feet gave in; the life in me was drained dry. I felt tears crawling down my bloodied face as I fell to the ground. Nearby, through my muddy vision, I saw a giant wagon filled with food of many kinds, meat, insects, plants, and fish. My clan bartered so much just to set me free. And they were killed.

I killed them.

Nearby, I heard a dragon of some sorts approach me, I lethargically turned my head to face the being. Whimpers made their way up my throat as I saw a slate and chocolate colored male mirror approach me.

His mouth moved as my vision faded, “…M… Wha…. Ppened………”

I fell asleep, all the pain, sorrow, and torture ceased in my blissful silence.

I woke up. My body was bandaged and my breath came short, but I was alive. Above me was a stone ceiling of a cave, mostly visible except for the darkest of crevices. I tried to shift my head as a female red and blue mirror, along with the slate mirror from before, approached me.

The red mirror spoke, “Sh… Don’t move now. It’s going to take a while to recover…! Best to keep your strength up until then.”

“Yeah,” The slate mirror started, “Wouldn’t want you breaking more bones than you have already!” A quick claw scratched the surface of the mirror's maw; he jolted a bit and stared crudely at the red mirror. “AGH! Okay! Sorry!”

“Yeah, I bet you are…” She sneered at him before redirecting her focus at me, “Anyways, I’m Aniphi, and I am one of the progenitors of this clan; we saved you when you were hurt.” She gestured at the slate mirror, “This idiot is the other progenitor.”

“And,” He intoned, “I am the one that found you to start with.” He glared at Aniphi before she could remark. “Now, I am Renivis, I was busy hunting in the Scarred Wasteland for the clan when I stumbled upon a giant wagon of supplies. Before I could ransac- er, claim the supplies as my own, I spotted you next to a giant bloodbath.” I froze upon remembering that moment, and a small tear fell from my face. Renivis looked at me with a saddened expression, “…Please, can you tell us what happened?”

Tears began to flow as I tried to remember the scene, and everything before. I attempted to calm down, and when I felt more tears about to well up in my eyes, Renivis gave me a soft hug.

“Calm down… It’s going to be alright, can you please tell us what happened?”

I calmed down, and I finally spoke, “…Okay…” I confided in them, the story of how my life descended into madness.

After awhile, I finished, and Renivis started, “So, you were caught by a hostile clan, and from the looks of the wagon of food and the fact they got brutally massacred, they tried to ransom you for a good meal?”

“Yes.” I winced softly at the thought of ‘brutally massacred.’

Aniphi slashed at him once more, “Don’t use that wording!” Renivis dodged the claw this time, but only glared at Aniphi, not talking at all. Aniphi looked at me and smiled, “…You’re in luck, friend. If you are willing to work with us, we will take you in as one of us.”

After all this, I was offered to join them? A new clan? A new chance at life? After condemning my clan to a painful fate? They entrusted me to become one of them regardless?! A grin immediately popped onto my face, “Yes, I want to join your clan!” A smile reached the both of them as I looked around and found no site of my tux.

I gave them a look, “…Say, would you guys happen to have a tux and a rose?”