I wrote a Fanfiction about the Raksura of Indigo Cloud Court. It is full of spoilers and fanfiction speculations. So, CAVEAT LECTOR!!! Enjoy if you want! Chime’s Vision Heart and Merit had warned Chime not to be foolish. Both Moon and Jade had done all they could to console Chime’s deepening resentment for his condition. Flower had with the last of her breathes in the Three Worlds to try and guide Chime to a better end with which he could live in harmony with his new Aeriat form as a Warrior. But, the only one who could bring Chime peace is Chime, and that is the end which has brought about this beginning. Thus, Chime pursued a way to regain the power that was lost to him and hopefully more. Thus, when Warriors would go to other Courts within the Mountain Tree Forest, Chime would “volunteer” to go along on these excursions. He would use what little items and services he could find to trade with the Mentors of these other Courts in order to accumulate knowledge and find a way to re-awaken his Mentor powers once again. He had read about another like him from Moon’s birth Court, Opal Night, but the details about the female Mentor turned Warrior were vague. So, Chime was forced to seek out answers elsewhere. In his quest to find a way to make peace with his new Warrior, Mentor enhanced form, Chime began reading everything he could about the ancestors of the Raksura and Fell. Eventually, Chime learned of a legend or myth that only the oldest of the Raksura Courts had even the slightest hint of a record. The myth spoke of a lost Raksura Caste that had once existed during the dawning of the Aeriat & Arbora joining into a single race. This long lost caste was called: The Sentinels. The Sentinel Caste was comprised of Warrior Aeriat with power similar to those of the Arbora Mentors. After the Sentinel Caste died out and were no longer born, during great times of need Mentors and the other are Arbora would transform into Warriors. However, this only occurred in times of great stress upon a Court when there were few warriors born to Royal and Arbora clutches. The Sentinels were a hybrid caste of both Warrior & Mentor castes. Originally, the Sentinels were only born to Royal Clutches or to clutches fathered by Raksuran Consorts to Arbora females. Like the Aeriat, the Sentinels were winged Raksura, but unlike their fellow Warriors, the Sentinels were possessed of the same agility and flight speed of Raksura Consorts. And, those Sentinels that survived to seniority also displayed the same increase in strength and size as Raksuran Consorts. However, like their fellow Warriors the Sentinels both male and female were infertile or barren. Where their use came in was that the Sentinels were originally the leaders of the Warrior Castes. The Queens would have their clicks of Warriors, but it was the Sentinels that were the true leaders of the Warriors, and they were the intermediaries between the Queens and the Warriors. Also, Sentinels worked in concert with Mentors. Sentinels possessed the power of Communion. This ability allowed them to project their thoughts into the minds of living beings in order to create a silent rapport that allowed them to communicate with beings that were either too alien or did not speak the same language as the Raksura. Essentially, the Sentinels were apex warriors. They grew in size and strength like Queens and Consorts, but they had the magic similar to a Mentor. In a Way, Raksura Sentinels were very similar to Fell Rulers. Their gift of Communion allows them to share their thoughts with members of their Court, and allowed them to speak directly with Warriors and other Sentinels. The gift also allowed them to sense living things around them. They could sense the thoughts of animals, Raksura, Groundlings, and the various creatures that inhabit the Three Worlds. This sixth sense allowed the Sentinels to recognize animals from people, and also to sense the nature of creatures. Creatures like the Fell and Tath revealed them to be predatory creatures. When it came to the Fell, the Sentinels could see right through their seductive facades, for not only could they smell the Fell’s taint, but the predatory nature of the Fell’s thoughts would seep from them like rot from a corpse, and the Sentinels would recognize their natures immediately. Sentinels could also sense the natures of other living things as well. They didn’t have to see a creature to know it was there. They could feel a predator stalking prey from a distance before they were close enough to observe the predator stalking its prey. Sentinels as such served as ambassadors to creatures that were not Raksura and as the guardians of the Raksura territories. They could communicate telepathically with the Sentinels and Queens of their own Court, so they could be out on patrol away from the Court and then instantly send word to the Colony that there was danger approaching or there was a curious development. Eventually, Chimed discovered that the Sentinels only existed during the dawning of the Raksura race. As the Raksura Ancestors had settled into the Mountain Tree Forest, less and less Sentinels were born into Royal Aeriat Clutches or Clutches sired by Royal Consorts. Thus, the Sentinels faded from memory and existence until they were eventually nonexistent. Chime learned this from a Feral Solitary Mentor. The Mentor had been thrown out of her Court for meddling in magic’s that were deemed unnatural by the Elder Mentors of her Court. The Raksura called her a Witch. The Witch Mentor went by the name Crook. Crook made a deal with Chime. If he got the components for an elixir that she would make, she would share the concoction with Chime. When Chime asked why she would share with him she answered because the elixir would prolong her life. If Chime took the elixir he would fully mature into an Aeriat Sentinel and according to Crook Aeriat Sentinels live as long as Raksura Consorts. So, not only would Chime regain powers like that of a Mentor he would also be able to live out his life with Moon for almost just as long as Moon lived if not longer. So, the bargain was struck, and Chime was hooked. However, there was a great risk in the creation of the elixir, for it was no mere Mentor simple. The Elixir required the blood of a Raksura Queen, a Raksura Consort, and a Fell Ruler. Since there were no Fell in the area, and to actually seek out the Fell was like seeking a way to commit suicide there was only one candidate for the Fell Contribution to the Elixir. Chime asked Crook if there was such a thing as a Fell Raksura hybrid would its blood be sufficient to satisfy the requirement for the elixir. Crook pondered this, and said it would probably be even better than the blood of a Fell Ruler or Progenitor. When Crook prodded Chime for the details regarding why he would even make such a suggestion, Chime forcefully told her to drop it or he was out of the ordeal. Crook like any Mentor is patient, and was more than willing to forgo satisfying her curiosity in exchange for the power that the elixir would grant both her and Chime. So, she dropped the subject, and she set Chime about his task collecting the blood samples she needed. Chime had to convince Moon to go visit Opal Night. He manipulated Jade into suggesting that it might be a good idea for Moon to go look in on Shade and Lithe to see how they were fairing. Eventually, Moon agreed and Jade reluctantly agreed not to stop Moon from going to Opal Night, on the condition that he takes another Warrior and Stone. Chime started causing everyone to hesitate around him as he pushed for him and Moon to go to Opal Night to see Shade. Eventually, when it came time to convincing Stone why they needed to go, Chime did something he had never done in his life: lie. Stone came down hard on Chime wanting to know why all of a sudden he was so interested in Shade and why he had been flying all over the Forest trying to learn more about his condition. Chime had to tell Stone a bit of truth to conceal the real truth: Stone had told him to get out of Flower’s bower and to get over the fact that he was a Warrior now. Well, that is exactly what Chime was doing. Plus, he told them that if he was able to fully develop the things that the “ancestors could do,” like what he learned happened to the female Opal Night Mentor turned Warrior then he would be of better use to the Court. So, with Stone in tow they went to Opal Night. Chime eventually was able to get blood from Shade in secret. He had to lie to Shade and tell him that in order for him to fully fit in with the rest of the Aeriat he needed to do this. Playing on Shade’s feelings did not make Chime very proud of himself. But, he kept telling himself that in the end this would all be worth it, and that everyone would benefit. Crook got her ingredients for her Elixir. However, she didn’t want to try it herself, so she had kidnapped a young Mentor to try the Elixir on him first. This is where Chime drew the line. He refused to go any further. His need to fulfill his purpose be damned. He attacked and wounded Crook before she could administer the elixir to the young mentor. When Crook mouthed off to Chime that she would just steal another young Mentor, Chime snapped. He grabbed the vials of the elixir and then stalked over to Crook and beat her senseless. Then, when she was too hurt to fight him he force fed her the elixir. Crook coughed up blood and passed out. Shamed and grieved he went to the young Mentor and asked her to put Crook in a healing trance. Chime promised the young Mentor if he did so, Chime would fly him home to his Court. The young Mentor reluctantly went to Crook and put her in a healing sleep. True to his word, Chime shifted to Aeriat, scooped the young Mentor up in his arms and flew him home. Eventually, when Chime got to the edge of the Court’s territory he got the Mentor close enough to where he could get home on his own. Chime flew back to the Home Tree of Indigo Cloud. He was welcomed home with worried looks and relieved smiles. Moon gave him brotherly nudges and knocks on the head to let him know that he was missed. Stone was more expressive with his relief by slamming his fist onto the top of Chime’s head. Jade was as diplomatic and gentle in her welcome home. Even though he was glad to be home, the truth of his betrayal wormed its way into his heart and Chime seemed to rot from the inside with shame. That night, Chime lay in his bower that he kept on the Aeriat level way from the other Warriors. Everyone pretended to be ok with Chime’s sleeping alone, so from time to time Moon would make it a point to drag Chime into his Consort bower so that everyone kept pretending. Restless and alone with his shame, Chime drifted into nightmares filled with monsters and the Fell; with faces of those dear to him he had lost when the Fell had taken Indigo Cloud’s last colony and eaten them. In the darkness of his despair a light came to Chime’s dream. When he looked at the shape of the light, it looked like a Raksura Arbora. It motioned for him to follow him out of the dark depths of the horrors that entrapped him. Eventually, the glowing white Arbora lead Chime out of the dark catacombs of his night mares and into the deep Twilight of the Mountain Tree Forest. He was glad to spread his wings and breathe the fresh air. Eventually, the glowing white Arbora called to him again in an almost familiar voice, he turned and saw it becoming to follow him. So, Chime swooped down to her, for the Arbora had to be a she, even from the distance between them Chime could see that. As he flew closer to her Chime scented the smell and fragrances of the most beautiful flowers. In the blink of an eye, she was gone. Chime flapped about looking for her. Then he scented the smell of flowers once again. He turned to see the glowing white Arbora a distance away. With all speed Chime flew after her. But, whenever he got close to her she would climb under a branch or leap into leaves only to come crawling out from behind another tree truck in the same line of sight farther away. Something in the scent of flowers was familiar to Chime. It called to him, beckoned him to follow the glowing white Arbora, and follow her he did. Chime got the distinct feeling that he had flown this way before. But he couldn’t stop to study the scenery because the glowing white Arbora seemed to stop for nothing, and he feared losing her. For, try as he might he could never get her to stop long enough to get a look at her face or the pattern of her scales, she just kept running, climbing, and leaping behind things only to disappear and reappear somewhere else farther away. Until finally, Chime flew out of the canopy of Mountain Trees and looked out over the edge of the freshwater sea. Chime flew about looking for the Arbora woman but he couldn’t find her. Exhausted, Chime alighted on the ground where forest met shore. The shame of what he had done stirred in him once again, and tears welled up from within him. The weight of exhaustion and sorrow caused Chime to shift to Groundling form and sob on the sandy shore. “Hello, Chime,” said a musical, familiar voice from behind him. Chime turned around wiping tears from his eyes to see the glowing white Arbora standing over him. Chime swore that he knew her but for some reason her identity escaped his recollection. Then, she scented the flowers once again, and the moment that it dawned on the edge of his mind who she might be, Chime beheld the white Arbora’s body turn into one white glowing form. She walked towards Chime and the white light seemed to evaporate off of her like wisps of white glowing smoke that faded and dissipated into the air. As the Arbora shifted to Groundling form revealing her face first as the light melted down her body, Chime cried out her name, “FLOWER!” Chime partially turned and leapt from the ground creating an awkward motion which got him to his knees throwing himself at Flower. He buried his face in her abdomen crying like a young Raksura not close to ready to leave the nurseries. Flower rapped Chime in her gentle embrace, and Chime new a sense of peace once again as if just being held in her arms made all the his woes evaporate away. Flower ran her hands through Chime’s hair until his cries turned to sobs, and as his sobs turned to whimpers Flower cupped his head in her hands and lifted his face up to look at her. When Chime looked up at Flower’s face the shock stole the whimpers from his crying. Chime beheld Flower in the beauty of her youth. She wasn’t the old, white, skin and bones of a lady that had accompanied Stone, Jade, and the Warriors to find Moon on the freshwater sea. She stood before him her skin and hair full of color. “It’s time to dry your tears, Chime. There is a choice before you,” Flower gently speaks. She lifts her hands with his head cupped between them till Chime rises to his feet and stands tall over her. “Why? Why did you have to…” Chime starts and tears begin to drip from his eyes anew. “Hush now!” the quick assertion of herself upon him reminded Chime of Flower in her elder years, and was enough to bring a smile and a silent laugh to his face as the elderly Flower silenced him from such a youthful visage. “Aren’t you a little young to be acting so elderly?” asks Chime. “I can see my absence has done wonders with your manners, dear boy,” as she playfully pats him on the face with her right hand. She slowly runs her left hand down his shoulder to wrap her arm around his and to turn him towards the sea. “Look,” she says as the moon rises from the sea. But the moon isn’t the moon. It glows white, but when Chime looks closer it is larger than normal as it rises out of the horizon, and it is made of blue and green jade. “What is this, Flower? Is this real? Is this really happening?” “That is for you to decide, Chime, but it is a question I would rather you answer later, for there is something that I need to show you.” She holds up her hands before he can utter another word. “Now, I need you to understand the gravity of what you have done, Chime. When you fed that elixir to Crook you awakened long dormant in the very spirit of all Raksura, but what’s even more important you invoked an ancient magic that was woven into our race long ago when the Aeriat and the Arbora joined each other as one race,” her words seem to echo into Chime’s mind. “What are you talking about? How do you know about Crook?” Chime’s questions are hushed as Flower holds up her hand and then points her finger out to the sea. Before his eyes the water rolls and roils coming alive. It shoots up as tentacles into the air until it forms a statue similar to the one he has seen at the Emerald Twilight Court, except this statue is made of ice and there are two larger sculptures above the ones seen in the Emerald Twilight statue. The two larger statues are of a female Aeriat lovingly, embracing a male Arbora in her arms and wings. Except, that the female Aeriat greatly reminds Chime of Shade, Moon’s half brother. “Flower, what are you showing me?” “Do you remember the story of the Raksura’s beginnings?” she asks. “Yes, the Aeriat and the Arbora were originally two separate races, and the Aeriat were shapeshifters that hid among Groundlings. And, that the Aeriat are the same species that mated with the original progenitors of the Fell, which as of late has been revealed to be the common ancestor between the Fell and the Raksura. But, the stories are all very vague…” “I am glad that you have been paying attention,” Flower interrupts, “but here comes the important part of the story that all the Raksura have long forgotten. You know Shade, Moon’s half brother from Opal Night?” “Yes,” Chime replies. “Shade is the closest living relative to the Ancestors of the Aeriat and the Arbora. Look to the statue,” she points. “Long ago an Aeriat female fell in love with a black scaled Arbora. The magic of the Aeriat was their ability to shapeshift. This gave them the ability to adapt to nearly any of the environments of the Three Worlds. Ever notice how the Fell can breathe both air and water? Remember how the Major Kethel hid under the water at our old colony?” “Yes, I remember. We had to release the Fell poison upstream, but not too far up stream to make sure we didn’t dilute the simple…” says Chime. “Yes, good, now, I need you to listen. The Aeriat and the Arbora you see in the statue are the mother and father of all Raksura. Oddly enough, the Arbora male is named Rak and the Aeriat was named Sura. Now, Sura’s race the Aeriat were dying out. They were losing their ability to have children. Many of the Aeriat blamed members of their brethren for mating with Groundlings. This is why they began hunting and killing them. It is believed that by mating with Groundlings, the Aeriat were losing their power and magic. “Along comes Sura. Sura while every bit of the same temperament of the Aeriat race encounters Rak of the Arbora. Sura is wounded, and Rak takes her to his home tree where the Arbora tend her wounds. Sura realizes that the Arbora have magic of their own, but their magic isn’t like the sorcery of being like Ardan. Their magic’s are for creating harmony with nature, guiding the growth of trees into the shapes of dwellings and rooms that fit their needs. “While the Arbora mended her wounds, Sura and Rak became very close. Eventually, Sura developed a deep affection for Rak, and Rak developed a deep longing and affection for her. They fell in love. Sura told Rak of her people’s troubles, and she asked if his people would consider a joining between the Aeriat and the Arbora. Rak said maybe not at first, but he said eventually the Aeriat would grow on them. “When Sura was well enough to fly. She wanted Rak to come with her to meet her people. He agreed, and they returned to her people However, when they arrived the male Aeriat were arguing with the female Aeriat over who had the right idea and who had the wrong idea. Sura told her sisters of the kind Arbora, and how they had strong magic’s. She tried to get her fellows among the male Aeriat to entertain the idea of joining with the Arbora, but the males finally introduced her to the reason why they were not interested in her precious Arbora. “Sura took Rak to meet the Aeriat Sorcerers and Sorceresses. The Aeriat Sorcerers were very much interested in the magic of Rak’s people. After much discussion they realized that the origins of the Aeriat’s ancient magic held similar roots to that of the Arbora’s magic. But, the Aeriat Sorcerers agreed that their magic’s were far superior to that of the Arbora. However, the Sorceresses were intrigued by the strong yet gentle nature of the Arbora. They were not weak by any means, but they were not as strong as the Aeriat for sure, and they seemed to have a greater strength in their sense of community. So, the Aeriat Sorcerers and Sorceresses asked if Sura and Rak would donate some of their blood for a divination. Rak and Sura both agreed. “While the Sorcerers and Sorceresses performed their divinations, Sura came face to face with a being she had never encountered before. The creature was female and a groundling. She had skin as pale and white as the moon, hair like silken strands of midnight, and her feminine whiles clearly held the enticement of Sura’s Aeriat brothers. However, there was something wrong with this beautiful creature. Sura could scent it. So, could her Aeriat sisters, for the female Aeriat would have nothing to do with her. “Eventually, the dividing argument among the Aeriat was that this: according to the sorcerers of the Aeriat if they joined with the Arbora the Aeriat would be blessed with fertility anew and in near abundance. However, to do so would cost them their command of the Three World. They would be forced to live amongst the Skyling and Groundlings only. They would no longer be able to live amongst the Waterlings of the seas. In essence, they would lose their ability to live in any of the Three Worlds. “This did not sit well with the men of the Aeriat race. However, the female stranger promised that if the Aeriat joined with her race they would make no such sacrifice. She promised that the Aeriat would become even more powerful than ever. Groundlings would quake in fear of the sound of their wings, and would do anything to keep their favor. She promised that every race in the Three Worlds would be their underlings. But, Sura and the rest of the Aeriat women were not so keen to idly fall for the pale woman’s seductive promises. Even the Aeriat sorcerers and sorceresses were not so quick to fall for her offer blindly. The new something that was obvious to them, but not so obvious to the rest of the Aeriat. “That is when Sura realized who and what the female seductress was. She was a Fell. Sura revealed the Fell openly to the next meeting of the Aeriat. She spoke allowed what the Sorcerers and Sorceresses were patiently waiting for the rest of the Aeriat to discover on their own. She openly scolded the males for so blindly willing to entertain the promises of a monster. The Fell woman did not directly respond to Sura’s raving, but she got her point across clearly. Fell woman, who quickly shifted into her true form, attacked Rak. Sura erupted into her winged form in rage and pounced upon the Fell creature. They fought and struggled, for Sura had the upper hand due to her wings, but at that time the Fell did not have wings. They wounded each other, and the Aeriat men willing to take the seductresses offer pounced upon Sura and the Fell and separated them before they could permanently harm one another. “Sura swore and cursed the Aeriat men as fools. She told them to take a good look at the monster they wished to bed and breed with. Sura swore that she would never join with such a degenerate race of monsters as the Fell. Sura’s words rang in the ears of the majority of the Aeriat present. The Aeriat Sorcerers and Sorceresses sided with Sura swearing that they would never allow their knowledge and power to fall into the hands of creatures like the Fell.” Chime came out of a trance. Flower’s words had evoked memories into his mind that belonged to all the Raksura. Chime looked at the statue once again and then looked at Flower at his side. “So, the larger statue is Rak and Sura?” Flower nods her head, “yes.” “Why have you told me all this,” asks Chime. As the words leave his lips his body convulses as his body is wracked with pain. He falls to his knees as the pain seems to break every bone in his body only to mend it anew. Flower helps him ease to the sandy shore and hold him up so that his convulsions don’t force his face into the sand. The pain slowly begins to ease. “What is happening to me, Flower,” he whimpers. “You are dying, Chime.” She says with tears in her eyes. “What? But how…” Flower looks down into his eyes as Chime asks and in that instant Chime remembered that he went to be alone in his bower he did so to take the elixir and except whatever fate bestowed upon him. Again the pain wracks his body and it is a pain so excruciating that Chime could never remember feeling something so terrible in all his life. Then he looked over to the statue made of ice and all the faces of the Aeriat, Arbora, and Raksura were looking at Chime. Another wave of excruciating pain breaks and mends Chime’s body anew in waves, but it hurts so much he cannot even cry out. The Aeriat, Arbora, and Raksura in the statue come to life. Branches, roots, and vines that make the base of the statue come to life and grow out along the beach to entrench Flower and the writhing Chime. The Aeriat take wing and the Arbora climb along the flowing branches. Sura carries Rak in her arms as well as other Aeriat and Arbora pairs. Once all the Raksura, Aeriat and Arbora are free of the statue to stand around Flower and Chime the base melts into water and the vines evaporate into white and green light that seems to hover and dance about the them. From among the gathered Aeriat, Arbora, and Raksura Chime picks out faces from those who have gone before, faces that Chime hadn’t seen in years, and faces Chime and Indigo Cloud had lost when the Fell took their old colony hostage. But, he can’t focus on them any longer as the pain covers his body in waves again, this time forcing Chime to shift into Aeriat form causing a wave of broken bones and bruised muscles that are wounded and mended again and again. “What… is… happening… to… me… Flow… err!” Chime can barely get the words from his mouth to the air. “You are dying, Chime, but there is a chance that you can be saved,” says Flower says stroking the soft scales and frills on his head. “How…” Chime begins to ask, but another wave of pain washes through him. “We haven’t much time left, Chime. You must listen. What you and Crook have done is awakened a magic within yourselves far older and more powerful than either of you could imagine. The last time it was invoked by the Arbora and Aeriat was at the dawning of our two races becoming one. I know the pain is great Chime, but you must listen to me. If we save you, if we help you to survive this it will affect many of the next generations of Raksura to be born. Not only will you become a Sentinel, but other Sentinels will be born to Royal Aeriat and Arbora clutches sired by Royal Consorts…” Chime is actually able to get a cry out in between two waves of pain. Is breath struggles to leave him as his body fights to heal and destroy itself at the same time. “I know it hurts, Chime, we feel your pain, but you must listen. The magic that you will use to save yourself will change not only you but will have a rippling effect upon clutches of Raksura yet to be born.” From among the gathered Raksura great and large winged forms appear, all male. They remind Chime of Stone because of their prodigious size, but unlike Stone they have the same single colored scales like that of Warrior Aeriat. “Here us, Chime – Warrior of Indigo Cloud, for we are your forebears.” The words of the gathered Sentinels echo in Chime’s mind and for a time holds back the excruciating pain wracking his body. “It is the duty of the Sentinel caste to maintain harmony between Court and Court, Court and creatures, Raksura and the unknown denizens of the Three Worlds. Should our kind be born back into the Three Worlds a price will be paid. Will you take up our cause? Will you swear to use our power to guard and protect the Raksura of your Court in life or death?” Chime revels in the momentary relief from the pain brought on by the elixir’s magic. He hears the words of the Sentinels echo in his heart and mind. Tears roll from his eyes as the shame of what he had done, the friends and loved ones he had betrayed weighed heavier upon him than the pain that is trying to rip his body apart. Before the words can even leave his lips… “Chime, we know you feel guilt and remorse for what you’ve done to gain the blood necessary for the elixir. We’ve watched you. Observed you, and we have looked into your heart. If we hadn’t found the guilt and remorse there for what you have done. We would not have offered this to you. We would have resigned you to your fate. But, a change is coming, and for good or ill you are part of that change. I have faith in you, Chime.” Flowers words act like a soothing balm upon Chime’s heart. “Will… you… forgive… me…?” Chime rasps out. “Of course sweet boy,” Flower says kissing the scales of his brow. “I… swear…” rasps Chime. “Then it is done,” the thoughts of the gathered ancestors wash through Chime as the light that dance around them rush into his body causing everything to go white in Chime’s sight. Chime’s Aeriat form is turned into white light by the motes of spirit that were dancing about the ancestors gathered around him. Slowly the glowing white Aeriat form of Chime shifts into the shape of a groundling and slowly the light seeps into Chime’s body until it is absorbed by Chime’s body completely. Chime slowly stands. Flower and the others are gone. The large jade moon hangs above the horizon slowly climbing into the sky. Chime looks up at the moon and watches as six large gem stones fall from the moon towards the sea below. As they fall time seems to slow down and Chime notices that they are large precious stones: three are black and hard to see, but the light form the jade moon reveals one yellow topaz, one blue sapphire, and one red ruby. As the topaz, sapphire, and ruby fall they blur like Raksura do when they shift from groundling to Raksura form. The topaz, sapphire, and ruby shift into three beautifully scales Raksura Aeriat, and just as the three black stones hit the water they spread their wings to fly over the rolling waves of the sea. The three gem scaled Aeriat circle over where the three large black gems fell, their scales glistening in the moonlight. From below them, three lights glow beneath the waves. Chime watches as three black scaled creatures rise up from the waves to greet the three Aeriat Warrior circling above. Chime walks towards the water of the beach to get a better look at the scene before him. As he gets closer his superior vision reveals the three black scaled creatures in the water to be Raksura or Raksura-like. They have black scales like a Raksuran Consort, but their under sheen is iridescent like the inside of a shell or the feathers of a black bird. Their wings are more like the fins of a fish than wings, and their frills are more like fins which they had on their arms and when they dive beneath the waves Chime can see that they have them on their arms, legs, and a dorsal fin runs from their head down their backs to the swim fins at the end of their tails. The sapphire scaled Warrior spots Chime and points him out to the others. The aquatic Raksura swim to a nearby rock and use it to climb out of the water. To Chime’s utter astonishment, their forms blur like a Raksura’s does when they shift and the three black, aquatic Raksura transform into Aeriat Raksura. One by one the black scaled Raksura climb out of the water and shift into Aeriat form and then leap into the sky to join the three Warriors. They fly to Chime along the shore. When they land Chime gets a better view of the six Raksura in their Aeriat form. Out of courtesy the Warriors shift to their Groundling forms. Again Chime watches in amazement as the black Aeriats shift into Arbora forms. Immediately, the female stands out as the largest in the group and her scales mark her as a Queen in Arbora form. Chime’s mouth hangs open and the young Raksura laugh at him gently. Then, the black scaled Arbora really rock Chime’s world as he watches their forms blur as they shift into groundling forms. Chime sways for just a moment, the exhaustion from the pain he suffered at the machinations of the elixir making him dizzy for a moment. A moment ago the tallest of the group, obviously a Raksura Queen, now stands tallest above the groundling form Raksura around her. When looking at her bone structure images of Jade are evoked into Chime’s mind, but when he looks at her groundling form’s hair and eyes he swears he sees Moon looking at him. The two “Consorts” that were at her sides also evoked recognition in Chime, for the larger of the two resembles Stone in his facial features, and the other one looks like Moon except he has Jade’s eyes. Before Chime can appraise the groundling forms of the three warriors a wave of vertigo assaults him. Chime sways and as he begins to fall the young Raksura rush to him and keep him from hitting the ground. They all help to ease him to the ground slowly and softly. As he slowly falls in and out of consciousness he hears Jade’s voice come from the young Queen with Moon’s eyes. “Chime… Chime… Chime!” Chime’s eyes snap open. His body is covered in sweat, and his clothes stink to the skin of his groundling form. His head is in Heart’s lap as he looks up to see he is surrounded by the Aeriat of the Court. Where the three young Raksura stood over and before him their places are now taken by Stone, Jade, and Moon. Moon is holding Chime’s hand, and Jade is leaning over Chime worry written in the line of her scales. Stone is standing over all of them with that irritated look in his eyes threatening to pommel Chime upside the head for making him worry. Chime hears Pearl’s voice from off to the side, “Ah, he’s awake. Perhaps he can tell us what possessed him to poison himself and cry out, ‘please forgive me.’” Pearl speaks with an almost disinterested tone as if this all bored her. It was obvious she would rather be back in her bower with her newly claimed Consort, Ember, who happened to be standing within arm’s reach of Pearl. Chime thought thankfully that it’s Ember standing there instead of River… Then, Chime scents the smell of flowers. It was the same scent that Flower gave off in what could only have been a dream and a vision smashed together in his delusional head. The scent caused Chime to instantly sit up causing Jade and Moon to slightly jump back from him. Chime sniffs the air openly letting the scent of the flowers’ fragrance seep into his nostrils. “Why is he doing that,” asks Ember “Indeed,” says Pearl. “He’s damaged,” says Stone. “We won’t know for sure or if anything until he tells us what’s in the simple,” says Heart. “Chime, what’s wrong,” asks Moon. “Chime,” says Jade, and Chime immediately focuses on her an odd hiss emanating from the back of his throat. Something in Jade’s voice catches Chime’s attention and before he realizes it he is leaning towards her. As Chime leans closer to Jade the scent of the flowers’ fragrance grows stronger. But it isn’t her breath that the scent is coming from. Chime starts to sniff and inhale the scent as he leans into Jade’s neck, but instead he follows the scent down her scaly chest. Jade looks down at the back of Chime’s head, then to Stone, then to Moon, then to Heart not knowing what to do, so she sits perfectly still unnerved by Chime’s behavior. Everyone in the room save Moon looks at Chime like he’s lost his mind. Moon inhales through his nose deeply and closes his eyes. The only thing he can scent is Chime’s overbearing odor tinged with something acidic and sour. But, then he instantly leans into Chime as the scent alerts him something drastic. When Moon leans in to better get a whiff of Chime’s scent he causes Stone to roll his eyes and throw his hands up. “What now? Not you too,” says Stone “Don’t you smell it,” Says Moon. “Can’t you smell it? His scent has changed!” Everyone turns the he’s-lost-his-mind-look to Moon. But, Jade slightly bends down and scents Chime too. “No, Moon’s right,” Jade concurs, “his scent has changed.” “It’s probably just a side-affect of the simple or poison,” says Heart. Finally, Chime finds the source of the flower’s fragrance. Somewhere in Jade’s abdomen Chime scents the flowers. Chime then slowly looks up at Jade and they meet eye to eye but not exactly level. “Chime…” says Jade hesitantly. “Jade,” says Chime, “why is Flower in your belly?” A hush falls over the room as everyone sucks in their breath but seems to forget to exhale all at the same time. Stone and Pearl seem to roll their eyes in unison. Ember stifles a giggle terribly. Heart looks like someone just stepped on her tail. And, Jade and Moon turn to each other hoping to find an answer to Chime’s behavior in each other’s gaze. Jade puts her hand on the back of Chime’s neck and head and slowly strokes his hair, “Chime, Flower is dead. You were there when she died.” “Then why are there flowers blooming in your belly, Jade?” Everyone is baffled by the complete ease with which the seemingly ridiculous words roll out of Chime’s mouth. Heart gets up and walks between Stone and Chime to come around and scent Jade. Closing her eyes, Heart inhales deeply. Within seconds of scenting Jade Heart’s eyes almost pop open and pop out of her sockets at the same time. “Uh, Jade!” Says Heart frantically. Everyone turns to Heart. “We need to talk.” Jade gives Heart a look that says well, talk. “No, we need to talk right now! Alone!” Heart pulls Chime away from Jade’s abdomen and sits him back. For some reason Chime starts to stare at the floor. “Moon, watch him!” Jade gets to her feet and flicks her tail in annoyance as she follows Heart out of the room. Pearl turns to follow, but Heart gives Pearl a look that clearly indicates she is not invited, which earns Heart a withering glare from Pearl. This leaves the rest of the people in the room with a confused look on their faces wondering what’s going on. Except for Chime, as Chimes stares at the floor his mind gone blank from the exhaustion. “WHAT?!” Jade’s rhetorical exclamation causes everyone standing around Chime to jump at the sheer volume and exasperation of her voice. Pearl stalks out the room determined to make Heart talk. Everyone else just waits for the sanity to seep back into the room. Chime slowly leans into Moon, and Moon just casually holds him close. Everyone hears the three women returning to the room with Pearl clapping her hands with purposeful pauses in between claps. “Well done, Moon. Well done,” Exclaims Pearl! Stone gives Pearl the withering look, “great now you too, huh? What’s he done now? And would you all stop acting like you’ve all lost it!” Moon looks over to Pearl waiting for her to explain herself. Jade and Heart slowly enter the room behind her. Shock is written all over Jade’s face, and Heart looks close to bursting. Jade starts to say something but Pearl cuts her off. “It’s about time you do your perform your duty as a Consort,” Pearl says in a tone that grates on Moon’s nerves. “What are you talking about, Pearl?” says Stone. Pearl looks over to Stone, “Well Line-grandfather, Moon’s finally made Jade a clutch. I was worried I was going to have to clutch the next group of Aeriat to finally be born in our new home.” All eyes turn on to Moon who takes his turn to sit there with Chime in his arms, as Moon is frozen in shock. Stone steps over to Moon and claps him on the shoulder with enough force to rock both Moon and Chime. “It’s about time,” Stone says. Moon fumbles the words out of his mouth, “we are going to have a clutch…” “You aren’t going to have the clutch, idiot. Jade is. I thought everyone explained this to you a long time ago,” Stone says rustling the hair on Moon’s head. This earns an incredulous look from Jade. “You know what he meant, Stone,” says Jade. Stone grins in response. “There’s going to be six of them, and they are all pretty gems,” says Chime his head still against Moon’s chest. Again everyone looks at Chime like he’s lost his mind. “How do you know that, Chime,” asks moon. “Flower showed me,” Chime replies. “Flower is dead, Chime,” says Pearl like having to say it was redundant. “Chime, when did you see Flower,” asks Heart. “Is that what’s in the bottle? Is it some kind of vision inducing simple?” “No, it’s an elixir, and it’s poison…” “Chime,” says Moon as he cups Chime’s head in his hand and starts to gently pat Chime’s face to try and get him coherent. “What do you mean there are ‘six of them and they are all pretty gems’?” asks Moon. Chime gently grabs Moon’s hands and stops him from patting his face, and then after a pause… “Flower came to me in a vision, hallucination, dream… whatever; I just know that Jade is going to have a clutch with six babies in it… Yes, I know that six is a big number and a rare clutch even for a Queen to bear… But, that’s not the point. The point is that they are special. Flower showed me, and anyone that has a nose can scent that Jade has a clutch.” Everyone looks at Chime as if he has lost it, completely lost it. Jade stalks over to Chime and lifts him out of Moon’s arms. Shaking him frantically Jade nearly yells at him, “Chime, how do you know that? What do you mean Flower showed you? You aren’t making any sense! What do you mean they are ‘special’? Is there something wrong with them?” Jade shakes Chime some more, “ANSWER ME!” Chime breaks down in Jade’s grasp, his coherency broken by her frantic and desperate need to know what Chime means. Moon puts and hand on her shoulder and Jade stops shaking Chime. In between sobs Chime says, “they… are… beautiful…” Jade slams Chime into her wrapping him tightly in her embrace. Tears leak from Jade’s eyes, while they pour out of Chime’s. Slowly and gently Moon wraps his arms around Jade’s waste and Chime’s shoulders holding them close to him. Moon gently nuzzles them both and whispers into their ears, “it’s going to be alright.”
Posted on: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 11:12:53 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015