The caverns are no simple place; each contains an entire world of life unique to itself. They cover large expanses of the underground, and are made up of dozens of different areas. If there is one thing to remember when exploring them, know that no matter where you are, you are never safe.
A lonely hatchling travels down the lengths of a long and dark tunnel system. They are as wide as they are tall, allowing room for creatures nearing up to ten feet in height. Always travelling in a slanted direction, the tunnels seem to be entirely omni-directional and without end.
The echoes of skittering dances in the air, and the rumblings of the earth fill the voids of silence. A strong smell floods the air with a noxious stench that it is unknown to the young whelp.
Jace has been trying to track down the creatures creating the skittering based on their echos, but he has not had much luck in finding the potential meal as the sounds seem to come from so many directions. At times his concentration lapses, and he can’t help but ponder at the reality of his situation. Will he ever see her again?
Suddenly, Jace sees the meal that has been taunting him all this time. A rat the size of large cat skitters out into the passage in front of him, sniffing the ground ahead of him. His movements stop, and he watches it closely.
It’s covered in a coat of black fur; only two black balls sit where its eyes are; and it’s feet are strangely large. The nose of the creature flares constantly as if vacuuming the air around it with gluttony, and its feet drag on the ground with swift movements creating the skittering noise.
The rat continues to sniff as it moves forward slowly, inching in his direction. It seems the rat does not rely on its sight very much, because it hasn’t yet reacted to his presence.
He hasn’t tried running yet, so he isn’t sure he could succeed in chasing down a rat, especially one that is nearly the same size as him. It is a wonder how a rat could become so dependant on its smell when such a strong stench fills the air, but perhaps relying on it Jace could remain undetected by this blind rodent.
Practicing his skills at remaining absolutely still and emitting no sound, he feels to himself as though he has become another rock in the tunnel. The rodent comes ever closer, finding its way towards him.
Nearer.. nearer.. It’s almost within range of becoming Jace’s first experience with using his new weapons. Targeting the neck, he locks his aim; repeatedly creating the visual of him crushing it his jaw while watching its movements.
The earth suddenly begins to shake causing the rodent to pause in its path just out of Jace’s strike zone. He feels frustrated, but there is nothing he can do. Perhaps if he rushes at it, it will turn tail and out run him. If it decides to turn away at this point anyway, then attempting to run it down will most likely become his only option.
A hatchling staring down a rodent a few feet away from it, and a rodent pausing in motion as if waiting for something to happen. The earth lies still… and the rodent sniffs the air once. It continues its journey forward.
In truth, it is not that the rodent is incapable of smelling Jace, but that because Jace smells exactly the same as the strong stench that fills the air. Jace would not know that however, because a hatchling isn’t very adept at smelling itself.
As the rodent enters his strike range, he lets it enter its optimal position. Jace explores the contracting muscles of his body; letting his mind get a feel for how far he can lunge, and how much he can contort his body to crush the vitals in the neck of the rodent.
The rodent sniffs, and suddenly Jace pounces. The vibration of the pounce ripples through the earth even though it is little, the rodent senses the feeling with its paws. But how can a rodent’s reaction speed compare to the speed of a dragon, as little as he may be. Jace over shoots the rodent, missing it’s neck, but his claws latch firmly onto the sides.
*Squeeee* The rodent’s cry echoes through the tunnels, but Jace is not inexperienced in taking a life. He quickly crushes the neck with his jaw, smashing through the fur of the rodent as though it were a doll.
The rodent goes limp in his mouth, and the furred mass becomes prey to the newborn. Now comes the next challenge, figuring out how to eat it.
A dragon could probably eat raw meat without problems, but there is no need to make an unnecessary sacrifice. Jace begins to peal back the skin of the rodent, trying to make the raw meat inside reveal itself. It isn’t until the majority of the husk of the rodent has been separated that he is satisfied with it.
As he settles himself in front of the butchered prey, he starts to feel around inside himself. To solve the mystery that is his own body and wield of the power of a red dragon. Perhaps.. He breathes deeply, a pool of air being vacuumed into him, and his chest swells in size.
Staring down at the rodent, he imagines it being bathed in flames, roasted to perfection. He closes his eyes, still visualizing the scene; a power surges through him, he exhales his lung capacity unto the meal, feeling the roar of his breath.
Upon opening his eyes again, the image of his work lays before him. The rodent is not burned at all. Perhaps he feels a little bit hotter, but that is the extent of his efforts.
The tiny hatchling hangs its head in shame, and accepts that his hunger far outweighs his desire to learn how to breath fire currently. Targeting the muscles and avoiding the digestive system of the rodent, his tiny dragon face tears into the body.
Perhaps it was the way he chose to eat or perhaps it is because of his new body, but he feels that at that moment he was more beast than human.
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Within the Platinum Shield, the Divine Commander is not a person to be taken lightly. He is their leader, and the divine being who guides their efforts. To crush the cults of the evil gods is their aim, and to bring peace to the world is their goal.
She has only met with him once before and that was when she was receiving her blessing when she became an officer. All officers receive a blessing, but she was the first to receive the blessing of the Golden Cross. As the elder of her order of blessing, she became the representative on the Council of the Shield.
Through her missions and work within the organization, she became a very well known existence; far more well known than Jace. But her relationship with him was no secret, and the news that he had gone missing had probably reached many ears by now; along with the rumor that she was going to try to find him.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
As she walked forward through the platinum halls of their temple, her golden robe bearing the image of the cross, the symbol of her position on the council, glided along in the wind of her movements, her eyes revealed a very unwilling emotion.
If the Divine Commander were to give orders against her decision to go after him, she could not even imagine what would become of her life then. Even if it was an order from a figure she respected, she could not bear the thought of abandoning him while he still lives.
Standing before the doors of the Commanders Sanctum, the voice of a wise man of age rings through the air. “Enter,” He speaks. Even though it sounds both gentle and kind, it also makes one feel the dignity and power of the one who reigns.
The doors covered by a shield bearing many symbols separate as they open inward, and her body unwillingly is made to walk forward into the presence of her current worst nightmare.
Sitting upon a throne of platinum is man decorated in a very regal robe. He bears every symbol that could be used to represent their organization, and wears each one with great style. His hair is long and orderly, like a river of precious gold; and his eyes feel majestic, a brighter gold than either her’s or Jace’s.
She walks forward beneath his throne, the doors close behind her. She kneels before him, her robe separating at the legs to reveal the white flesh of her calves.
“Kira Mardia, First Officer bearing the Golden Cross of the Platinum Shield, pays respect to the Divine Commander.”
“You may rise.” His hand makes a small motion upward which is in sync with the moment that she stands herself.
Her eyes falter for a second, before landing onto the Divine Commander. She does not know why, but the air around him feels odd. It does not feel stern or pressuring, and a smile hangs upon his face as if speaking of something unknown to her.
“Several days ago Officer Jace Arcanis went missing on a mission, is this correct?”
“Yes, Commander.” Her hand unconsciously clenches itself into a fist, and her eyes shake for a moment. But her voice speaks solidly, and her demeanour of absolute business does not diminish itself.
“And you are preparing for a trip to go find him, is this correct?”
“.. Yes, Commander.”
“You already know where he is, and are aware of the dangerous situation he is in.”
“Yes, Commander.” An inexperienced person might not be able to see it, but for the Divine Commander the sight is as clear as day. With each statement he makes, her fist shakes a little in anxiety. Anxiety for what he will say, and anxiety for what will become of Jace. Yet he does not emit any feelings of tension, only maintaining his calm smile as he watches her.
“Then you know that you are too weak. The Chromatic Caverns are not a place in this world that you can freely explore to search for a man you love. Even if there were a hundred scores of you, it would not be enough.” Now he spoke firmly. Firm and decisive, stating a fact that can not be shaken by any excuses or ‘what ifs’.
Her eyes can’t help but stare down, and her heart beats erratically. “I.. I..”
“You would run toward your own death, and sacrifice yourself in vain. Do you think that is what he would wish for you to do? Do you believe that killing yourself will make him happy?”
“...” The words in her heart feel choked in her throat. The words he speak pound away in her head, making her question herself.
“You may be strong here, Kira, but out there you are weak. It would not take the likes of a dragon to kill you, a few wolves would be enough!”
Her eyes can no longer contain her tears. Not tears of sadness or joy, but tears that weep in pity at her own despair. Even though she feels so weak, her body still stands rigidly, as if forgetting all of the material world around her. In her mind exist only the words he speaks to her, and the reality of her separation from Jace.
“Acknowledging all this, would you still go?”
This question causes her eyes to widen slightly, and make her feel even more confused.
He’s asking me if I would still go? Even though I would surely die without achieving anything; even if I am nothing compared to the weakest of monsters; and even though Jace would surely be angry at me for it..
“(Whisper) I would still go..”
“Louder.”
“I would still go.”
“Louder!”
“I would still go!” The scream tore through her, like a tide of emotion that felt choked in her throat, it ruptured into the air. Her tears were now pouring in a river down her cheeks and neck, soaking into the robe below.
“Hahahaha! Good! Then prove your worth, Kira Mardia! Prove it not only to the world, but to yourself. We of the Platinum Shield worship Bahamut, Lord of the North Wind, King of the Good Dragons. No longer in my name, but in his name, you shall be blessed once more.
You have been chosen, and the power you obtain here will determine your fate there. To save Jace from his path of self-destruction, to lay waste to the domain of Tiamat’s brood, or to fail and die to the wolves of the world. It all depends on you!”
The body of the Divine Commander suddenly burst into particles of golden light, filling the room with raw power. It expanded continuously into the high reaches of the ceiling; dancing in the shine of the sun shooting down from the glass windows; filling the enormous sanctum with its presence; and rematerializing as the body of a giant, golden dragon.