Viorica

With the sun shining bright and the grassy plains of the Sunbeam Ruins offering no cover, Viorica had not expected to be attacked. After all, she was a Snapper dragon, and her breed was well-known for being terrific and versatile fighters. Besides, this was Light territory. While bandits and other criminals are somewhat common in other more combat-inclined flights, the Light Flight was different. However, fate had other plans. A Bogsneak rose out of nowhere, fangs bared and body shedding a scarlet hue - a clear sign of magic. Not strong enough to affect Viorica, but it would still leave a mark. That and its nasty claws aside, the Bogsneak was twice her size - quite an accomplishment, as Viorica had spent centuries building her bulk.

Viorica did not brace herself for battle, but instead reflected on her disgust. In her many years of life, she had never thought that such an unnatural monstrosity would exist. Curse that Baldwin - that wizened malformed Pearlcatcher. He was around the same age as her, so he should've had the sense to stick to the old ways. New things never led to the better - often they caused more disasters than it was worth. Now he had not only lost all that made him him, he was a disgusting swamp monster. Viorica did not understand why he hadn't transformed himself back immediately. It was simply disgraceful. She wished she could bash some sense into the old alchemist, but she suspected it wouldn't hurt the old geezer one bit. Baldwin's pain receptors had been deadened by years of unsuccessful experiments. Perhaps she could teleport him into the void instead.

Come on, Viorica, you don't really mean that. A childish voice echoed in her mind. You always said that if not for Baldwin, we wouldn't have half the conveniences we do now. Plus, the Familiars he made aren't so bad. I like them.

Viorica sighed. Why is it that I still think of you, even though you're gone?

The Bogsneak made eye contact and charged. Viorica merely stepped back, waiting for the magic to happen. She knew who owned the land they were treading on, and she also knew the Bogsneak was worth neither her time nor her energy. It was true Snapper dragons were known more for their physical than magical strength, but Viorica had not let that stop her from becoming a mage - one with enough power to scorn the Bogsneak blindly rushing her.

A dark purple bolt whizzed past her face and slammed into the offender, eliciting a yelp of surprise. The Bogsneak struggled wildly to locate the origin of this torment as more bolts of magic targeted it. Viorica continued peacefully on. There was a border before her that only her magic-keen eyes could see. Not only that, she could also glimpse the dark silhouette of the dragon maintaining the barrier. As she passed the invisible border, she hailed to the other mage.

It took a moment for the dark purple Skydancer to respond, which was normal for someone with Summoner's abilities. Summoner could peer vaguely into the past, and was normally a few moments late when it came to the present. It was no different this time. Summoner looked up about forty seconds later, surprise passing quickly across her face. "Viorica." The dark purple Skydancer greeted. "You're back!"

"I am." Viorica acknowledged, and did a quick sweep of the area. A circle of symbols glowed on the ground nearby. Her own handiwork, enforced by Summoner's magenta runes. A chain of those runes stretched out of the circle, forming the border she'd crossed and sending sparkling particles of magic into the sky. It was normally Viorica's duty to maintain the magical defences of the clan, but during the time she was away, it was up to the clan's three soothsayers, including Summoner, to sustain it. She had done a good job. From Viorica's experience Summoner was not one to focus on getting a task done, but at least the Skydancer had done her best, and Viorica was almost proud.

I could've done better. She imagined that Guardian speaking in his sweet, childish voice. I could've, right, Viorica?

...Of course you could've, child...if only you were here...

"So, how was it?" Summoner asked.

"It was a good chance of pace." Viorica responded cheerfully. In her peripheral vision, she tracked the Bogsneak as it ran screeching away from the barrier, having finally realised that it was probably not the best idea to invade this land. "You did well with the barrier."

Summoner flushed slightly. "Thank you. I try. Would you like me to escort you back to the clan?"

"It's fine. I know the way." Viorica said lightly. "I'll take a break, and then come over to cover for you. Does that sound okay?"

"Oh! Loom should be coming to take her shift soon." Summoner said. "I should be fine."

Again, Viorica's insides twisted with disgust. Loom, another one of the soothsayers, was a Bogsneak dragon. She was nice and talented - even Viorica had to admit that, but still, she was a Bogsneak. Even worse, Loom had once been a Tundra. She had chosen to change into one of those unnatural monsters. Unforgivable.

However, Viorica wasn't one to judge, especially if the dragon in question was one of her clanmates. The Bogsneak was a valuable, irreplaceable asset to the clan-- at least in everyone else's eyes. End of story.

As she traversed over well-trodden roads to the clan's temple, she pondered on her younger days, recalling how she had met and joined Past's Echoes - when the young clan was first settling down in the Starfall Isles, her homeland. They did not stay there for long, months at the most. When it was decided they should move, Viorica had pointed them to the Shattered Plains, where the clan prospered for a time, but ultimately fell when their leaders vanished. Viorica had not been present when their previous two leaders disappeared, but she remembered coming back "home", only to realise that while the lair remained there, the dragons that made it a home no longer were. The members had scattered on the wind in the wake of their vanished leaders, leaving Viorica with nothing but old scent trails to follow.

Now the temple rose up before her, and Viorica took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the marble pillars and blocks. The rising sun casts a bright sheen over the grand domicile. A handful of dragons milled about.

"Loom." Viorica greeted without enthusiasm. "What's going on?"

"Viorica?" Loom blushed. "I didn't know you were back. Things have been getting worst with the hexes - Revel nearly got his head taken off by one the other day, so I thought I'd try and perform the ritual."

"Well, now that I'm back, I'm sure I can handle this." Viorica said. "First, though, we need to get everything in place."

Loom nodded. "I know. Everything was a mess when I got here. I tried to get Resplendent to help but...uh...well, let's just say things are a bit messier now."

Viorica sighed, then spoke sharply, "Resplendent, if you're not going to help-"

"But I am helping!" Resplendent protested.

"Posing as a statue and preening like a featherbrain is not helping, and I can attest to that. Now go pick up those Glowing Mushrooms over there and place them in the purple circle."

"They're all purple." Resplendent said, looking genuinely puzzled. "Which one?"

With another sigh, Viorica began gathering up the scattered ingredients, occasionally barking orders at Resplendent. Loom worked quietly beside Viorica, perhaps sensing the Snapper's discomfort with her presence. Viorica let out a groan, quietly recalling the days when the clan had dwelled upon the Shattered Plains. She remembered the two Coatl she used to work with, and him - that Guardian, that child which had shown so much promise.

What can magic do? He'd asked her once.

The answer had been simple to Viorica at that time.

Everything, she's said.

But he wasn't coming back. Viorica felt the truth deep within her bones. But why? She imagined the others asking, if she told them what she knew. Why won't he come back? Can he not see that it's pointless? Can't he see that those two cannot be found? Why? What does he think he can possibly do?

Her answer would be simple: Everything.

Loom stumbled over a crate, nearly breaking several potions, and Viorica held back an irritated hiss. Her brilliant Coatl partners, who resonated on the same plane as her. Her enthusiastic apprentice. All three of them were gone now, chasing in vain after leaders that would never return, leaving Viorica with a self-suffused narcissist and a Tundra-turned-swamp-creature.

She did not have high hopes for the ritual.

"Let's begin." Viorica decided.

"I have the spellbook here." Loom offered. "And I've made some notes. See, the alpha factor in the Manaweed - " she began rattling off a list of instructions. Viorica listened impatiently. She knew all of this already, but she kept her mouth shut for the sake of not hurting Loom's feelings and getting Resplendent more ruffled. By the time Loom completed her lecture, Viorica had already set up everything for the spell and was standing in the correct position for it.

"Let's start." She said shortly.

At Viorica's nod hey began chanting, channeling their magic into the circle. Viorica did so listlessly - she'd done far more complicated spells before, and this was nothing out of ordinary. She invoked the power of the healing sun, summoning light to banish the evils below the earth. The circle glowed even brighter.

Then something went wrong.

Perhaps it was Loom. Or maybe it was Viorica herself. The Snapper never found out. Halfway through the spell, one of the magical runes suddenly shattered, causing a chain reaction to race through the rest of the ruins. Volatile magic was shot everywhere, and Viorica barely had time to erect a defensive barrier around herself and her companions as rune after rune imploded. She watched in horror, uncharacteristically stunned into helplessness. The clan's temple was only paces away from the ritual site. If one of the spells hit the aging bricks--

"Hold on!" Loom shouted and began chanting rapidly. Like Viorica and Summoner, Loom was an Arcane dragon, and she channeled magic from the very universe itself. As she called to the stars and the substances that made the world, a pale pink hue spread through the air-- and suddenly everything was frozen in motion. Runes, flying potions, and burning ingredients were suspended as if time itself had been stopped. Viorica watched, impressed, as the haywire spells were slowly burned away. The potions and ingredients settled gently on the ground.

Gasping with effort, Loom collapsed to the ground. "Good job." Viorica said, shocked. She had not imagined Loom to be so...well, capable. The Snapper let out a relieved sigh, then nudged Loom to her feet. The Bogsneak looked equally surprised, relieved and amused.

"Well, that was unexpected." Loom said cheerily. "Shall we try again?"

Viorica glanced over at her companions again. She had to smile. Perhaps the clan would never be back to its former self, but there were traces of the old ways in this new clan, and the new clan warmed Viorica in a way the old never did. "Yes, let's try again." She agreed.

With Viorica's prowess over magic and Loom's careful spells, the the runic circle began emitting an auric light. This light seeped into the ground and melded with the very air, weighing it down and bringing a warm breeze into being. A soft sigh wound through the grass.

A moment of silence passed. Then Viorica smiled.

"The ritual is a success." She announced. "Good job done by all!"

The rest of the day passed peacefully. She chatted with almost everyone, though each conversation bore an old heartache for everything that was not alright, and had not been ever since their previous two leaders had disappeared and returned. After a good supper and some catching up with her clanmates, Viorica found herself back in bed, nestled in cotton and feathers and glad to be back home.

As she rested cozily in her nest, she dreamed about the clan of the old days, and thought quietly about the friends that she'd made since joining the clan, those that remained in the clan, and those that never made it back home.

And then she made her decision.

Wherever you are now, child, and wherever you may go - may the stars guide your path. I have been awaiting your return for so long, but now I realise that it's time I moved on.

It's time I let you go.

Thank you, my apprentice, my clanmate.

My friend.

by MythicalViper #167480