The First Flight – Orianna Èirigh – 27.02.2023
Mar 5, 2023 18:47:40 GMT
Andy D, Lucky, and 1 more like this
Post by Orianna Èirigh on Mar 5, 2023 18:47:40 GMT
OBSERVATIONS & EXCERPTS from the JOURNAL of SECOND ASSISTANT ARCHIVIST ORIANNA ÈIRIGH of ASHKHA
The most incredible thing happened recently. Not only has Valethra learned how to fly but she, along with me and a few others, got to meet young gem dragons. Eight of them! I was struck speechless.
Three were around the same age as my Valethra; a prismatic (Firen), a sapphire (Eria), and a crystal (Bolzrym) dragon wyrmling. The remaining five were slightly older, almost what books would consider to be “young”; a rose quartz (Nuri), a topaz (Rodoir), a diamond (Yvri), another sapphire (Falkor), and an intriguing cherry blossom (Kaida). We did not know where they came from or where they are living but to see so many feels like a sight that few have seen.
Of course, we were not the ones to watch over them, as interesting as it would have been to see Derthaad or even Beets try to corral the young ones. No, their matron for the day, and indeed Matron Mother was the moniker she went by, was Minerva. She could take on humanoid form, and hers was… beautiful. But nothing compared to her illustrious dragon form.
I regret not speaking to her more. All of my lessons with Lucky were there with me, but I was solely focused on Valethra. She had awoken us a few days ago, zooming around our home, flashing images to me of dragons in flight, of weightlessness and boundless freedom. If it had not been the middle of the night I would have gladly taken her to where she somehow, instinctively knew to go then and there. But I also know it would be too risky to go alone, just the two of us, and as the Cosmos would have it, when I got a call to go somewhere, Gerhard got his own, so he could not come with us.
I already mentioned Derthaad and Beets coming with Valethra and I to the Spines. I would have liked to have asked Lucky but something told me he would not be able to come. Instead, Beets suggested someone I had not met before. Albede is a fellow auspex of the stars and seemed quite interested in finding out more about dragons in general. I don’t consider myself an expert by any means but I did tell her that should she like someone to assist her in navigating the Academy to read up on the mythical, magical creatures, I would gladly assist her.
As is always the way with “adventures”, five felt like the right number, so it meant we needed to find one more. I had no guarantee that Itzal would be in the city but I decided to try my luck at finding them in the Fighting Pits and there they were! Group gathered, and everyone sufficiently stocked up on supplies — it would be at least a two day journey to the mountains, one day for the flying, and then three days back — we began to make our way.
It did not cross my mind at the time that two of the people with us would not be able to fly on their own volition but, as it turned out, that was not a concern that needed addressing. Minerva said the five young dragons would do with the practice of having a rider — not because they would have one regularly but as a way to test their endurance with some extra weight.
I should mention all of these beautiful, lively, and colourful young and baby dragons are without parents. Minerva did not say how they became orphaned, and none of us asked as far as I am aware. Dragons are resilient creatures, but my heart cannot help but break at the thought that there is someone or something out there harming one of the Cosmos’ most wondrous creatures.
Which brings me to what happened during Valethra’s first flight: An unnatural storm, something conjured by another dragon. I was able to find its source, a darker cloud hiding an adult chromatic (blue) dragon. It was very good that Minerva was with us. Her presence prohibited the drake’s pursuit, which meant we were able to return to the Spines where we would be (relatively) safe…
The farthest thing from my mind were the words Lord Bahamut told me nearly three months ago. But as we sat next to Minerva, Valethra and the youngest dragons piled together in a sleepy, cuddly, mass, enjoying the view of the sunset over the desert and the rising blankets of stars, they came back to me… as the heavens began to cry.
I nearly missed it, the sight of a comet falling like a teardrop through the Night’s Eye constellation. Its trajectory arching across the vast, sandy expanse to the west of the mountains, to fall in the direction of Harnash…
The most incredible thing happened recently. Not only has Valethra learned how to fly but she, along with me and a few others, got to meet young gem dragons. Eight of them! I was struck speechless.
Three were around the same age as my Valethra; a prismatic (Firen), a sapphire (Eria), and a crystal (Bolzrym) dragon wyrmling. The remaining five were slightly older, almost what books would consider to be “young”; a rose quartz (Nuri), a topaz (Rodoir), a diamond (Yvri), another sapphire (Falkor), and an intriguing cherry blossom (Kaida). We did not know where they came from or where they are living but to see so many feels like a sight that few have seen.
Of course, we were not the ones to watch over them, as interesting as it would have been to see Derthaad or even Beets try to corral the young ones. No, their matron for the day, and indeed Matron Mother was the moniker she went by, was Minerva. She could take on humanoid form, and hers was… beautiful. But nothing compared to her illustrious dragon form.
I regret not speaking to her more. All of my lessons with Lucky were there with me, but I was solely focused on Valethra. She had awoken us a few days ago, zooming around our home, flashing images to me of dragons in flight, of weightlessness and boundless freedom. If it had not been the middle of the night I would have gladly taken her to where she somehow, instinctively knew to go then and there. But I also know it would be too risky to go alone, just the two of us, and as the Cosmos would have it, when I got a call to go somewhere, Gerhard got his own, so he could not come with us.
I already mentioned Derthaad and Beets coming with Valethra and I to the Spines. I would have liked to have asked Lucky but something told me he would not be able to come. Instead, Beets suggested someone I had not met before. Albede is a fellow auspex of the stars and seemed quite interested in finding out more about dragons in general. I don’t consider myself an expert by any means but I did tell her that should she like someone to assist her in navigating the Academy to read up on the mythical, magical creatures, I would gladly assist her.
As is always the way with “adventures”, five felt like the right number, so it meant we needed to find one more. I had no guarantee that Itzal would be in the city but I decided to try my luck at finding them in the Fighting Pits and there they were! Group gathered, and everyone sufficiently stocked up on supplies — it would be at least a two day journey to the mountains, one day for the flying, and then three days back — we began to make our way.
It did not cross my mind at the time that two of the people with us would not be able to fly on their own volition but, as it turned out, that was not a concern that needed addressing. Minerva said the five young dragons would do with the practice of having a rider — not because they would have one regularly but as a way to test their endurance with some extra weight.
I should mention all of these beautiful, lively, and colourful young and baby dragons are without parents. Minerva did not say how they became orphaned, and none of us asked as far as I am aware. Dragons are resilient creatures, but my heart cannot help but break at the thought that there is someone or something out there harming one of the Cosmos’ most wondrous creatures.
Which brings me to what happened during Valethra’s first flight: An unnatural storm, something conjured by another dragon. I was able to find its source, a darker cloud hiding an adult chromatic (blue) dragon. It was very good that Minerva was with us. Her presence prohibited the drake’s pursuit, which meant we were able to return to the Spines where we would be (relatively) safe…
The farthest thing from my mind were the words Lord Bahamut told me nearly three months ago. But as we sat next to Minerva, Valethra and the youngest dragons piled together in a sleepy, cuddly, mass, enjoying the view of the sunset over the desert and the rising blankets of stars, they came back to me… as the heavens began to cry.
You are a daughter of the desert, a daughter of Stellarum Tenebris.
You’re looking for something, someone lost…
When the stars fall, look to the Night’s Eye to find them
I nearly missed it, the sight of a comet falling like a teardrop through the Night’s Eye constellation. Its trajectory arching across the vast, sandy expanse to the west of the mountains, to fall in the direction of Harnash…