Characters: Generosity and Karma
Dragon IDs: #93495444 and #92223037
Chapter 3
First Meeting
"I wouldn't touch that if I was you."
The voice startled the pearlcatcher, and she jumped back from the pustule to look around quickly to find out where the sound had come from. It didn't take her to long to locate the source of the voice. Standing on one of the rotten branches of the large tree was a tall imperial. His scales were a swirl of white and black, orange splattered over his wings like a mural of the sunset. If one looked close enough, they could see long scars trailed over the imperial's body. Jewelry hung from his neck, complimenting the fiery red eyes staring down at her.
"I- I'm sorry?" Generosity found her voice after a moment, putting her notebook back into her bag.
The imperial narrowed his eyes a bit. His large wings opened, and with one powerful flap he was in the air, landing on the ground in front of her with a heavy thud. "Are you a fool? Pierce that pustule and you'll get covered in diseased fluid. Which, frankly, I don't think you can handle." Glancing the pearlcatcher up and down, it was clear she wasn't from here. Speaking of which,"What kind of death wish do you have if you really travelled all this way to our lands?" His tone was hostile towards the outsider.
"I came here to learn about these lands, and the dragons that reside here." Generosity explained, holding her talons out to him to offer a handshake,"My name is Generosity."
Glancing down to the handshake that was offered, he did not try to reciprocate the action. But at least he did respond. "I am Karma. One of the guards of the Seedscar." His voice rumbled with a slight growl, his expression seeming to show he was debating something. And after a moment Karma came to his own conclusion. "You're to much of a risk to let go. Come with me." Turning, he opened his wings again to take off.
Generosity tilted her head slightly. Glancing back to the nearby border, she hesitated. Really, she could just go right now. Head back home where it was safe and never come back. But- This is what she was here for. To learn about this land and the dragons that called it home.
"OI!"
Karma's voice snapped at her, bringing her out of her own thoughts. "Coming!" She opened her wings and took off after him, following up towards the large tree that was slowly being rotted away.
Landing on a wooden platform, Generosity glanced over the view from so high up. From below the tree hadn't looked so tall. But from up here she could see over the flat land. Long stretching desert-like lands with bone pillars and fleshy veins. To the left, she could see a large structure far off. It seemed to have some sort of orange glow coming up from it, but from this distance it was to hard to see what it was exactly. Further past that, the haze of heat made it hard to see the large skull that sat rooted in the earth. And to the right, large yellow and green gooey pillars rose closer by. Green pools of liquid bubbled beneath it. The place just gave off a bad vibe.
"Keep moving." Karma grunted, snapping her out of her daze once more. She rushed to keep by the imperial's side, cautiously asking,"So, you guys... like... living here?" Not that the place was bad! It just seemed- ughh- deadly? Nothing like back at home.
"Of course we do! What kind of question is that?" He paused to look down at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh. Well- uh.." She had to think how to explain it,"It's just- back home everything is so green and alive. Flowers and animals and such! This place just seems so violent?"
He stared down at her before grunting a little bit and looking straight again,"You
nature flight dragons never understand. To worried about what is on the surface. Look past what you see and you'll understand." With that, he continued walking. Leaving the landing platform, they entered into a large room with other dragons bustling in and out. All of them seemed to wield some sort of weapon or magical item.
Gazes quickly turned over when they started to notice a nature dragon there, growls echoing around the room. Generosity gulped nervously and stuck close to Karma. The imperial seemed unbothered and stopped as another imperial landed in front of them with a thud.
"Karma!" This imperial's voice was louder and stern,"What is the meaning of this pathetic dragon you've brought before us?" The older imperial's dark red eyes scowled down at Generosity, judging silently.
"Commander." Karma dipped his head just slightly before lifting it back up once more,"I found her on the border. She claims she arrived here to... learn about us and our land." Glancing to the pearlcatcher for a moment, Karma stated,"I did not think it wise to let her go, but also did not feel she was a big enough threat to exterminate."
Another growl rumbled in the Commander's throat again as he stared down at Generosity. This was unprecedented. A nature dragon had not been in these lands in eons. And yet, here was this tiny pearlcatcher cowering in their meeting room. Pitiful, and yet here to learn of their culture. After a moment he huffed and looked back to Karma,"Take her to the room. We'll hold her until we can get word with Captian Eki."
Karma nodded and gestured for her to follow once more. Leading the way past the growling dragons, they made it to one of the hallways. It was short and lead to some steps that climbed even further up the towering tree.
"So, who were all those dragons?" Generosity asked as they climbed.
"That was Commander ScatterShot and dragons of the Boneguard army." Karma replied calmly,"We are in order to keep this place safe and in control."
"In control?" She questioned but didn't have more time for answers as they reached the top of the stairs. Up here, there was only one room. Opening the door, they stepped inside. It was a decent sized room with- plants? The room was decorated with leaves and dried flowers, colors faded with time but roots still growing ever more. It was surprise. They were a bit wilted on the edges of their leaves but given the time and place they were growing in, it was to be expected. And yet it was plants none the less.
"Is this-?"
Karma nodded before she even finished her question,"This is the room for the Viridian Embassy. Or at least, it was. The last one to be here was Liefa, Druid of the Viridian Labyrinth and Ambassador to the Scarred Wasteland. That was a long time ago though."
After the battle, the First Seed had managed to be contained. But it's effects were still prominent. Mages of the Bone Guard had to keep it in check so it wouldn't over grow. It's power still pulsed underground, keeping the plants in this room alive despite the ages they'd been here.
"You'll be staying here until they decide what to do with you." Karma sighed before adding on,"I need to check your bag." After all, they couldn't risk another deadly weapon being unleashed.
Generosity complied and took her bag off to give it to him so he could look through it. It only took him a few moments since she didn't have much. A notebook and pencil, some dried oat bars, some empty vials, and a few photos of her mom and dad.
Once clear, Karma gave her the bag back and shuffled over to the doorway,"Try to get some rest. I'll be back soon to check on you. Don't do anything foolish."
Generosity wasn't quite sure if that last part was a threat or a request, but she didn't have time to ask as Karma left, shutting the door behind himself. She sighed and went over to the old bed, shaking the dust off the blanket and settling down. This first step into the land had been a shaky one, but at least she hadn't been attacked. So she went to sleep to get some rest for the long days ahead.
Karma
