the-jade-burrow - Tumblr blog

the-jade-burrow · 6 years

Text

This is my lore-based 100 Hatchling Challenge. Check out my thread here for details and the full story so far. If you’d like to join in that would be brilliant. The idea is you write your own story but in most cases so far i’ve had to write my own, so whatever I guess!

Chapter Eight - Azoth

Like seemingly most of Sornieth now, every dragon connected to the grape vine had heard of the plight of poor little Skif, the cursed dragon. What they hadn’t concentrated on was where the dragon was and who she was with. For nevermind Skif, she was with Ambrosia and he was sure of it. Ambrosia had sneaked away a long time ago now and all of his leads so far had led to her being in the forest. Who is Ambrosia you might ask and why did she matter? As a younger dragon completing his training with the Magician’s Guild, Ambrosia had been his rival. Ambrosia was good at making rivals and therefore not so many friends. Azoth was determined to become her friend at first thinking that there must be something she was hiding. He was sure that the dragon she showed to other people was just a shell. How wrong he had been. Everything he tried was rebuffed until he had nothing left to offer. He decided in the end that if he couldn’t join her he should beat her. When they were about to head to their final exams he wished Ambrosia good luck only to receive a stare in return. When it came to receiving their results, Ambrosia was nowhere to be seen. Her envelope left unopened. Azoth passed with flying colours yet that did not give him the satisfaction he wanted – he needed to know if he had beaten Ambrosia.

Note: You can read this on Google Docs which comes illustrated with dragon pictures and a nicer text format than Tumblr here. I’m looking for tips but not criticism. I’m not a writer nor do I want to really become one. I just like getting involved in the Flight Rising community.

Which brought him to today. He flew as high as he dare in hopes of spotting Ambrosia in the burrow below. One of the guards was eyeing him suspiciously and he was sure if he flew any lower he would receive confrontation. He did not care to meet the dragons below – only Ambrosia. Alone he could speak with her without the back-up of her clan. There was blue smoke coming from a cauldron next to one of the buildings which came to his attention. Blue smoke didn’t come from any old fire – perhaps there was magic here after all. The green tundra next to it certainly wasn’t Ambrosia but perhaps she may know of her whereabouts. Again he eyed the guard below and decided it was probably safer to come in via the entrance – or what looked like one to him.

After much conversation with various members of the guild – namely the guard that was eyeing him up earlier, a red coatl named Idris and his fellow colleagues who were both shockingly bright neither of whom would tell him whether or not Ambrosia was here. He tried to speak to the green tundra he had seen earlier who turned out to be a witch, but she simply looked at him and made a gesture that implicated her mouth was zipped tight. He sighed and turned to leave. ‘Azoth’. It was Ambrosia. Abrupt as ever. ‘I guess you want to talk. I suppose it’s been long enough. Follow me’.

He followed her outside of the burrow to a cave cut in to a large rocky hill. The cave was adorned with magical objects, some of which were old objects he recognised from being a hatchling whilst others he hadn’t seen before. He sat down and made himself comfy, reaching into his bag to get the envelope. Before he could do so however, Ambrosia began. He hadn’t expected her to be this willing to talk. ‘I suppose you’re here about Skif. How could you not be? If a dragon comes alone and hasn’t brought all their worldly-belongings with them it’s for Skif. The poor girl has had countless dragons turning up for her and I will not have someone like you trying to win her heart and break her curse. It’s just not possible. That girl is cursed for life and no amount of admirers will break it. Of course though, that doesn’t mean people should not try. Just not with love. In fact, I am in the process of coming up with a counter-curse. So you can just turn right round Azoth and go home. I’ll not have her heartbroken again.’ Azoth gaped at her. All thoughts of the envelope left his mind. ‘You think you can break a curse? Come on now Ambrosia, be realistic. As a matter of fact I am not here for Skif, but now I am here I think it’s a good idea to warn her what you’re up to. Do you not know the risks of counter-curses? They can be just as dangerous as the curse itself! Magic you should not be messing with and deep down you know that.’ Ambrosia did not seem phased by his outburst yet Azoth could tell the cogs were whirring in her brain. How could she justify counter-curses? Surely her magic had not grown that much without guidance that she thought she were capable. He looked at his bag with the envelope. Perhaps she had beaten him? Perhaps he could learn from her still. ‘At least let me help you. As much as you may dislike me you know how much I could help’.

A week later Azoth was still in the burrow. There were daily arguments between them which caught the attention of almost every dragon in the lair. On more than one occasion they had to shoo some body away who was trying to peek in the cave. Aside from the arguments they had generally worked well together and he considered what they had done to be progress. The green tundra he had seen on the first day offered to help but it seemed that Ambrosia had made a rivalry with her too. She later mentioned that actually her potions were of very good quality and they had worked together often. Azoth saw a glint in her eye which he took for a kindness he rarely saw. Azoth smiled to himself, perhaps progress could be made.

The following afternoon they were hard at work when Azoth had the feeling that somebody was looking at him. He turned round and saw nothing. Ambrosia whispered to him. ‘That’s the dragon we’re here for. Skif. She is what this is all about. Tell me you look at her and see the desperation in her eyes. She tries to hide it and she’s good at it but if you don’t feel the same passion to find this counter-curse that I do then you can leave right now’. He turned around again. This time he caught a glimpse of her. Ambrosia was right. His guts twisted. He had to find this counter-curse.

Skif left the cave after finally managing to catch a glimpse of the new Spiral that was visiting Ambrosia. Rumour had spread that they were working together on some kind of spell but nobody would say what. Skif couldn’t help but feel paranoid. Anything to do with magic made her wary recently and Ambrosia had always been intimidating. Having only had negative experiences with magic she couldn’t help but fear it and whatever they were up to in that cave she wanted nothing to do with it.

Two weeks later the spell was ready. Azoth was relieved. He didn’t think he could spend much longer in here alone with Ambrosia. His longer than expected stay meant he had had to involve himself more with the dragons in the burrow but they surprised him. He never really thought these dragons would ever be ones he’d want to socialise with but he liked them more and more as days went on. He didn’t see much more of Skif however and it seemed to him like she was avoiding both himself and Ambrosia. He asked her how they were to approach Skif with their spell. ‘Well, I’m not sure she’ll like the idea personally but we can’t do this without her permission either. We’ll have to get somebody to smooth talk her into this. How are your skills these days? If not I’m sure her friend Maggie can convince her. She got her into this mess after all’. She sniffed in disapproval. ‘Maybe it would be best coming from us?’ Azoth agreed. He had to be the one to tell her.

Skif had been called by Laressi to meet with her, Ambrosia and Azoth. Laressi was the leader of the clan and as kind-hearted as she was, if a meeting was called then it meant it was something serious. She asked Maggie to come with her for support. They met at the cave where they were waiting for her already. She gulped. This didn’t look like good news. ‘Skif, Ambrosia and Azoth have something they’d like to discuss with you. They have my blessing but please do not feel pressured into this, it is your decision.’ Skif looked from her towards Azoth and Ambrosia. What could it possibly be that she would be involved in this? Maggie elbowed her and gave her a knowing look. Of course, the curse. Everything always came back to that no matter what she did. ‘Skif, we have a proposal for you. Both me and Azoth have been working on a spell for you. It should cure your curse. You’ll be free to live your life as you please and your physical symptoms too should clear up. There is a bit of a risk…’

‘No’, Skif interrupted. ‘If there’s risk I’m not doing it’. ‘Please Skif, hear us out,’ Azoth began. ‘Let us go through it with you at least’. Skif shook her head. ‘No, the curse said only true love with solve the curse and unless that spell is made out of love it won’t work.’ ‘But..’ Ambrosia started. ‘No,’ Laressi interrupted. ‘Do not pressure her. Skif, please do think about it but take as much time as you need. In the meantime you two are to leave her to think. Let me know when you are ready with your decision Skif and we will reconvene’.

Skif thought long and hard about it. She could see the advantages and there were oh so many but magic had got her into this mess and she didn’t trust it to get her out. She sat outside her small hut listening to the sounds of the forest that interrupted the silence she desired. At least the hatchlings were finally asleep. Four coatls this time round, two girls and two boys who – ‘Excuse me’. Skif turned around. Azoth stood there looking rather meek. ‘I know we were to leave you alone to think but I couldn’t help coming over to talk with you. I thought you might have questions or I can go through with you how it works’. Skif stared at him a moment before sighing and nodding. ‘Come sit down then.’ Azoth moved over to her carefully. ‘Tell me Azoth, do you believe in true love’. Azoth did not reply straight away. He had never really experienced love but he hoped he would some day and had seen the power of it within other people. True love though? He wasn’t sure. Was there a difference? Skif did not give him chance to respond. ‘When you believe in love Azoth, I will believe in your spell’. Azoth blinked in shock as she turned and flew into her hut.

Azoth went back to the cave to meet with Ambrosia. He knew he couldn’t discuss love with her but perhaps she had some alternative solutions. She wasn’t there. Perhaps that was for the better. He mused some more on whether or not he did believe in love. It was always possible he could lie but he didn’t think he could do that to the poor girl. She clearly believed and he didn’t want to dismiss her faith so easily. He decided to sleep on it and decide in the morning.

Days passed and still Azoth could not decide. Meanwhile Ambrosia had been pacing backwards and forwards. She clearly hated waiting and thought Azoth’s uneasiness was for the same reason. He thought of the envelope in his bag. Would he have kept this with him for all this time if he didn’t have some sort of feelings for her? But what about Skif? He had grown to like her too over the past weeks. He had to speak to her. He had made his decision.

The meeting reconvened at last the next day – Laressi and Maggie were in attendance again. Azoth and Skif stepped forward. ‘We’ve come to a decision,’ Skif began. ‘We’re both in agreement that the ideal way to end this curse would be to find my true love but if that is to fail then I would like to try this spell to remove the curse’. Azoth took over, ‘I believe it would be less risky to try love too of course and I don’t suppose this is a private matter anymore either so…’. Azoth leant over to give Skif a quick kiss. Nothing happened at first aside them both flushing with colour. Skif felt warm and began to hope this meant the start of the curse lifting, but nothing happened. Azoth sighed. He hoped his new blossoming feelings for the Fae had meant something more. Ambrosia risked the urge to snort. ‘Shall we move onto the counter-curse now?’ Laressi glared at her. ‘Don’t be so hasty. We don’t have to try straight away if you don’t want to Skif.’ Skif shook her head. ‘We might as well. It doesn’t look like it will ever go away. Perhaps I could find a hundred true loves and this curse may never leave me.’ Ambrosia and Azoth prepared the spell. They muttered under their breath in words Skif and Laressi did not understand. Light began to shine from their claws which they directed at Skif. It surrounded her and she flew upwards in panic for a moment before she closed her eyes and tried to relax. The light intensified around the spots on her wings and face but as it did this it stopped suddenly. Azoth and Ambrosia looked at each other and their faces fell. ‘I’m sorry Skif, I really thought it would work,’ whispered Azoth. Ambrosia fell silent and looked at the ground with anger in her eyes.

Azoth spent the evening with Skif before making arrangements to leave the next day. He was so angry that the spell hadn’t worked but heartbroken that the kiss hadn’t worked either. He couldn’t stand to be here any longer. He promised Skif that he would return with a better spell one day. In truth he could use Ambrosia’s help so before he left he asked Ambrosia if she would come with him. She denied, of course. ‘I know I never explained why I left Azoth but I had my reasons. Since leaving I have spent my time alone. It is only now since that damned Pearlcatcher Wintergreen introduced me to these dragons that I have felt truly at home. Home at a place I would have once hated. I cannot leave them now.’ Azoth nodded in agreement. He too had felt that homely vibe where he never believed he would. ‘One more thing then, Ambrosia, before I leave. The real reason I came was to give you this envelope. It has your results in it from the exams we sat in the guild. Curiousity has never won, I kept it sealed all this time. Here’. He passed her the envelope which she took and smiled. Ambrosia rarely smiled so it was a sight to behold. ‘You kept it all this time? I guess you’d like to know the results then. Do you think I passed?’ Azoth shrugged. ‘I think you have the power now to pass those exams twice over. So what does it really matter? Working with you again has been – dare I say it – fun. I’d like to do it again sometime in the future. Let’s not leave it so long next time.’ ‘Of course. And Azoth? Don’t worry about Skif. I’ll look after her.’ Azoth nodded and picked up his bags before flying up into the sky. He turned once to look back at the cave to see Ambrosia opening the envelope and turning back inside the cave.

#flight rising

0 notes