Summary:
Tempest is a young Arctic Oceanic Drake from a dying breed that’s been poached into near extinction for their ability to manipulate water. Since being liberated from the New Zealand royal navy’s control, he’s been roaming the seas alone for several years in hopes of seeking out other dragonkin.
Personality:
For the most part, he's a jovial type of being, lazy, and an idiot at times, rarely takes anything seriously.
Abilities:
- Aquamancy -
Tempest possesses an advanced form of water manipulation, being able to create tsunamis, summon hurricanes at will, conjure up storms, whirlpools, or shoot beams of pressurized water at either an enemy or prey. His skills even allow him to influence the water molecules in a person’s blood to a degree. For fast travel across the seas, he can manipulate the surrounding water to propel himself at unimaginable speeds below or above the surface.
- Ice Magic -
Another unique trait his kind carries. This includes being able to cool his surroundings, freeze a selection of water, create hardened ice spikes that can be turned into projectiles, and cause a devastating hailstorm by freezing a small portion of the heavens. A common defense move used by him is creating thick ice walls.
Weather Manipulation - Like the rest of his kin, he can conjure up devastating storms and hurricanes. This allows him to flood entire towns and cities if given enough time. While weather control can be one of his most powerful abilities, it often burns out most of his magic depending on the scale it’s being done on.
Lightning Redirection - Exactly what it sounds like. Knowing basic Atomkinesis has enabled him to draw electrons from the atmosphere until they can be charged enough to create a brief bolt and be projected where he wishes. If not done correctly, Tempest can risk frying himself in the process or anyone around him. This rare attack move doesn’t change the fact he’s vulnerable to electricity naturally. This can only be used if a severe thunderstorm is present.
Weapons:
Poseidon’s Trident - A legendary item given to him by the God of the seas himself. This allows Tempest to use more special forms of water manipulation and can be used as a melee weapon while in human form. In addition, the Trident can break any Ocean bound curse or be used to alter the sea level.
Appearance:
Tempest is roughly ninety-one feet in length from head to tail. Reflective azure scales cover most of his hulking form, with a golden underbelly and varying turquoise flippers. Three horns can be found bent back across his head almost like a trident, along with emerald serpentine irises, and webbed ears. While he lacks a pair of wings, two large fins remain on his back to keep him level in water. Gold spinal fins run down along his armored back and stop near the end of the tail.
Long ago sea drake populations used to range in the hundreds per pod, arguably one of the ultimate apex predators with the exception of Leviathan. There were many different variations of them, from their unholy deep-sea cousins to freshwater species, tropic breeds, and many others throughout the globe. While their winged counterparts inland were being wiped out, their numbers in the wild remained unchanged for some time.
With the industrial age came the ultimate decline. As mankind's technology became more advanced, so did their weapons, and that enabled them to finally combat the aquatic dragons effectively despite their docile temperament. But this was not the root cause for their elimination: Pollution of the seas claimed more of their lives than humanity's crusade over could. As a direct result, most became biologically vulnerable and died of illness. All that contamination wiped out many of their pods. Tempest is one of the few survivors of this.
Prior to being forcibly separated from his mother, the juvenile of a drake was captured and had undergone training to serve the Navy for a new program they created. Though defiant at first, they managed to tame him when a woman named Diadena Hernandez was assigned to him as his handler. She succeeded in getting him to corporate and went on a number of missions with her Draconic partner. The two became emotionally attached after a period of time.
Once the news had spread of a decision to dissect him came about, Diadena removed his tracker and turned him loose. From there, he fled from the Naval base before migrating hundreds of miles away.
It was only later until the young Dovah heard a song coming from the shoreline. Something about that melody had drawn him towards it in ways that could not be described, other than an uncontrollable urge to confront it and be with whoever was singing it. The one responsible was what appeared to be a young brunette woman, who was too shocked to flee at the sight of him. In his seemingly delusional state, Tempest showered her with affection in the form of licks, nuzzles, and even attempting to hold her. As if knowing he'd be in danger just for staying out there in the open, she chose to travel and run off with him.
Whether his love for her became willing or was a long-term side effect of her sings, the two became an inseparable pair who got in and out of trouble together.
He was a Sea Dragon, she was a Siren, and neither one had a place to call home.
Together they became an unlikely duo, like two fugitives who had no one but each other to rely on.
As they carried on together, the two became increasingly frustrated with the size difference between them, it almost became a sort of barrier. To compensate for this, he drained the Siren's blood and replaced it with his own, which held some magical properties that could convert another into one of his kind. As a result, Clarion instead became a sea serpent. It was through him that she learned how to hunt prey with her new lifestyle. Them migrating together became a daily routine.
. . .
Sometime prior to meeting a man who forged an adopted family of monsters, something terrible happened that forced their group to disband. In the midst of all that chaos, Tempest and his mate Clarion were unable to locate each other quickly enough and fled separately. Just like last time, he was required to travel alone for a second time.
Hopefully for the last.
As for his whereabouts, Tempest is currently on an endless migration, whether it be in search of Clarion, the family, or to seek something else. With no one left to turn to, he conceals himself from any boats or ships that would draw attention to himself. He'll frequently roam in shallow waters, and is known to occasionally take on human form to explore any populated coasts thanks to a special transformation powder.
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Alternative Muses:
Answerer:
One of Tempest's surviving siblings, who was captured by Onyx Corp, had his memories wiped, received heavy augments for combat, and trained to be paired with a handler/rider. Like all augmented water drakes, Answerer mostly lacks a personality and only knows how to follow orders due to the brainwashing inflicted by his captors. He has a difficult time when it comes to independent thought.
Now without a rider, the modified brute actively seeks out another in hopes of being given a purpose again, unable to contemplate the idea of choosing his own path or going against what his mind was programmed to do. Anyone with a resemblance to his prior handler, even just personality-wise, is likely to be approached. It's not uncommon for someone to react negatively before Answer either retaliates or continues on.
When interacting with others, one of three things are likely to happen: Either assisting them, eliminating the one in question, or simply ignore said individual. Avoid falling into the wrong category unless he can be subdued.
Trua:
Being a former prince from a long-lost empire, Trua is a hybrid between an Eastern dragon and a European sea drake, able to wield both water and air-manipulation-based magic. This has enabled him to take to the skies, in addition to being amphibious.
Despite the incredible feats he's capable of, he is unusually small for a Dragon, being only twenty feet long from head to tail. The former royalty suffers from amnesia, unable to remember his past. To make matters worse, he often experiences back problems due to the disproportionate amount of weight on his spine from his body structure, also mute from an injury he received to his vocal cords.
It's common for him to hide his walking disability from others, which affects him even in human form, often choosing to sit in a wheelchair when possible, or swim in water while in his true appearance to reveal the strain on his bad spine. Others may find out from him hurting himself by accident or abruptly stopping during a lengthy walk.
To communicate with others since he's mute, Trua will either use sign language, or physically write words into soil or paper if someone doesn't know it.
Mel:
Being a biological uncle to and the same species as Tempest, Mel is an ancient sea drake who is also Trua's father, in addition to being the former leader of his now long lost pod. Said beast is very well composed due to being literally thousands of years old, he is both the oldest, largest, and most wise member of his kind, often being a father-like figure to those around who befriended him.
Having vast experience in combat, he is a prodigy with water-manipulation magic. It is said that wherever Mel is present, a great tropical storm will follow, and that his aquamancy is so advanced, that he can separate the hydrogen from oxygen, and ionize it to create a burning hot plasma, which can be fired in beams. Mel is also highly proficient in the use of cryomancy since ice is just water in a different form. Despite how devastating most of his ranged attacks can be, the big guy prefers getting up close and personal during a brawl. Very heavy explosives are needed to pierce his armored scales.
Due to his massive size, only large prey is sought after, often favoring large species of sharks (including Great Whites), walruses, and rays. One exception to this is sea lion pups, which he finds sweeter in terms of taste. Despite hunting all sorts of marine life, he does not prey on humans or two-legged beings.
Comments
“Alvaer, Ittl’ be boiling waters an’ a new regime with whatever the bastard has in mind...” Rourke’s glowing ice-like hues went to Yuna, seemingly mournful. He remembered the night of the attack and what transpired, as he watched none too far from the young dragoness’ side.
Suddenly the warm glowing atmosphere of the temple felt cold in light of the news. The quiet settled in uncomfortably until Tempest’s decision was made.
“The surface is kilometers above your head and hardly a straight path through the waters,” Yuna stated. There was a glint of unease toward the Sea Drake at the thought of more outsiders, the tips of white fangs visible when her maw parted. “We have remained under our waters for a reason, there has never been more reason to leave… undoubtedly Vyron will share this sentiment, as he always has.”
“We may not know how much time we have, although I suspect that it will take him time to recover from the state that Naga had left him in. It has been quite some time since Vyron and his supporters disbanded… that doesn’t mean we don’t have conflicted residents in our midst.” The dragoness seemed to exhale and stood fully. “I built this land back to its current state in the wake of the devastation from doing so when my mother left us her legacy… I fear this isn’t a battle for the topsiders, this is a battle all our own.”
Naga’s head dipped to nod, seemingly adjourning their meeting. “Very well then, Rourke will assist you in finding your way to the library chambers. When you reach it, Callan can help you get acquainted with our collection.”
“I can help,” Spencer commented. His mind was set on the library regardless. “I’ve managed Skya’s library on the mainland for hundreds of years. I’m sure the Water Nation has some similarities.”
The dragoness turned toward a neighboring hallway. “We will meet up again in due time. Rourke,”
“-I will giv’m your word,” Rourke’s deep voice responded, albeit begrudgingly.
When the Young Queen had left, the room fell quiet. The dark elf’s arms unfurled from where they were once crossed. “Come on then,” Rourke commanded gruffly. He strode across the chamber’s center toward the opposite hallway the dragoness had taken.
Spencer looked up to Tempest, seemingly checking in before starting to walk. He kept at the dragon’s side, silently hoping the Angler Drake’s lead would take them where the Queen had intended.
-/-
Their walk felt stagnantly silent with the Angler Drake guiding them, sparing not a word nor a welcoming gesture to the two as he led them on through the labyrinth of corridors. Finally, Rourke’s voice echoed in the empty corridor along with their footsteps.
“Days after all 'ell breaks loose, the first topsiders in over a cent’ry wash up in our waters,” He looked over his shoulder just long enough to make eye contact with the duo, one by one. The man's brow was pinched together. “Last I knew, the Nightwing terri’try was in fallout. No word from the dragons, or the Empress… Answer me this. What’re you still doin ‘ere?”
A growl of a hum came from Rourke as Tempest questioned just what power the awakened being had without the shackles of the tomb. The quickness that the Angler Drake confirmed the suspicion was concerning to Spencer as he listened, placing a hand on his chin.
Yuna’s expression had not changed meanwhile, besides easing up after shaking the atmosphere to halt the two males bickering back and forth. In that way, she had her mother’s presence, her mother’s blood. She could summon a calm exterior despite the young Queen’s anxious thoughts.
“It need not be a person at all,” Yuna answered. “The Empress sealed away her combatant at the very outskirts of our territory where the light here does not reach. My mother fully expected to oversee Vyron’s term by her own doing.” Her aqua hues turned toward the two outsiders. “Her magic following the calamity may have lessened its hold without Naga present. It may have taken only a push, or pull to open the tomb now.”
“His goal wassn’ only revenge over the topsiders, he wanted the whole Temple an the terri’try under’is command.” Rourke answered Tempest gruffly. “Only one way ta know for certain.”
“It was her magic that sealed his tomb, but her intentions were not without attempting to reason with him. I fear there will be no reasoning now...”
Yuna’s voice trailed off, leaving the heavy sentiment in the air for the time being. Her attention shifted to Tempest when he spoke again, chin tipping with intrigue.
“My mother’s settling here was nomadic, yes… there is a long-standing history of conflict and resolution that came with the founding of these waters. The Nereids and merfolk have always dwelled here, why the drakes and their kind merely settled.” Naga’s head lowered. “The great war that led to the calamity is of our more… recent, history. My mother’s reign was well underway by that time, she only spoke sparsely about her past or heritage.”
“The Temple has its own form of record keeping… surely?” Spencer piped up, finally.
Yuna hummed. “If this pod you speak of stemmed from our grounds, the Temple library may hold records.”
“A library down here? Really?” Spencer chirped.
The dragoness nodded. “The late Rider Arris found interest in recording our past and future before his passing. His journals may hold the answers you are looking for… unless, Rourke?”
Their eyes turned to the dark elf who was already shaking his head. “The Late Queen hadn’ spoken of it. Respectfully, I wouldn’ve been her confidant.”
Silence followed Tempest’s question. It was the ultimate question now, one that the young Heir hadn’t reached for herself yet.
“It would take my mother,” Yuna answered quietly. Her horned head turned momentarily and her eyes were taken off the two outsiders for the murals behind her.
Elves were few and far between in his travels. The bottom of the ocean was the last place he might have expected. When Tempest’s posture shifted and tone changed to spur the dark elf on, he had most eyes in the room. Rourke looked onward with a tilt to his jaw and a glint in those luminescent eyes.
“Galu’Hén,” The angler drake muttered Tempest’s way under his breath. The man was grinning enough to show pointed incisors, to whatever was being spoken. “Menatha-”
“-Tempest,” Spencer warned urgently, just loud enough for him to hear.
Then came the Empress’ sound to shake the room in warning. Spencer’s eyes remained on the dark elf for the most part, even as Yuna barked her wishes to the man and sent him retreating from the argument. The ghost drew in a metaphorical breath and gave a subtle nod to Yuna. They were off to a troublesome start.
“You are the first outsiders to reach our perimeter without being… escorted,” Yuna confirmed, her mind’s eye conscious of the dark elf’s shifting stance nearby. The fresh scars were not the only signs of irritation. “Our territory is familiar to occasional drifting souls that find us here, not all as fortunate.”
A low dip of Yuna’s head was given in return for the sea drake’s sympathy. It was a gesture she was familiar with following Naga’s passing, perhaps only a formality after so long.
A huff left her chest before the dragoness went on to explain. “In the last great war, my mother chose to keep her efforts set on the defense of our home. In turn, her decisions cost us the queen’s life… but our waters and our temple grounds still remain after what should have been devastating. There was a faction of the Water Nation that disapproved of her tactics. They called for a more swift strike against Vulcan and his kingdom. Our Queen had many supporters, but when the conflict drew closer to our home, Naga had equal amounts of adversaries.”
Her maw wrinkled as she spoke, going back to a time and place that was still encapsulated in her youth. “The energy that you felt came from beyond our borders. I sent Rourke to confirm my suspicions.” Yuna prompted, tipping her head toward the angler drake.
The dark elf felt her gaze, and drew in a breath. His eyes hadn’t left the two strangers. “Come close to the end, it was‘er own general that staged a coop against her rule. Naga sealed him away for treason, days leading up to the final strike in the great war. I watched the doors seal with me’own eyes.” The man’s glowering expression grew more stern. “It wasn’t an attack, i’ was an awakening. Her magic lingers but it doesn’ quigh’ reach to the furthest corners of the terri’try anymore. I’d bet more’tha’nany the weas’ly bastard sprung loose.”
“Her own general..?” Spencer murmured. “The waves in some places ended up as far as the Earth Nation itself, you mean to say all that power was just from a seal being broken?”
Another subtle nod from the dragoness. Her eyes narrowed into slits. “That is correct. Vyron’s punishment was suited to his crimes, in the late Queen’s eyes. As you may both understand, not only did he endanger the Nation, he took something precious to her in doing so. It leads me to believe one thing. Either the ex-general Vyron has fled, or will return to finish the mission that he started.”
The days came and went with unceremonious procession. While the memory of "surfing" with her draconian friend was still looked up on with a certain fondness, Aramos had fallen to the back of Raiya's memory. He was not completely forgotten, yet neither was he taking up energy at the forefront of her mind.
Raiya was wrapping up some closing tasks around the shop in preparation for the approaching evening. The ring of the door and the familiar voice drew her attention towards the entrance, and a fond smile graced her features once Tempest was identified.
"I'm back here, Temp! Give me a second." Her voice called out towards the back of the shop where the numerous shelves of books stood. No sooner did a minute go by when the sound of quiet footfalls briskly carry the raven over to where Tempest had settled. She blinked and offered a curious tilt of her head at the sight of the box and the explanation that came with it.
"That's... Impressive." Impressive? Insane was moreso the word Raiya was looking for. While portals were no foreign concept to her, dabbling in pocket dimensions were admittedly not Raiya's forté. Sharp blue eyes shifted from the box and onto Tempest with a knowing gleam.
"And does Gleeon know he's missing such an item, per chance~?"
“You don’t have my full confidence that I can, but if there were ever a time I started questioning it…” Spencer breathed a breath of relief through his words, knowing just how lucky he had been. After the nudge, he cast Tempest an amused glance. “As hard as it would be to turn down, I’ve never been more certain my place is on dry land.”
Spencer’s attention shot towards the door. He half expected to see a dragon approach by the deep tone of his voice alone, but the man’s presence was striking on its own. What caught the mage’s gaze most were the pointed tips of the man’s ears, far more prominent than those of his own that were perpetually hidden behind messy white locks… what was an elf doing at the bottom of the ocean? He was left to wonder while Tempest summarized their venture to the temple.
While Yuna listened, her brows furrowed at some points and relaxed at others. This sea drake was truly an outsider, even to their overlying nation. Her sharp eyes narrowed into slits in the mentioning of the great wars above, ones of which the Water Nation had been dormant and healing during. Her eyes traveled between Tempest to Spencer for validation of the claims, but she found no hesitation between the two as the drake continued on. The mention of a tsunami was the next thing to catch her intrigue. The ocean queen’s feelers rose in the water as her maw wrinkled a fraction. Words were assembling on the tip of her tongue before Tempest resumed to finish his words.
A deep huff was heard. “Effírië þinn hefði ekki skipt máli,” The gravely voice in the corridor had spoken.
“-Daro,” It was Spencer who spoke up, cutting off Rourke’s words he seemed to find familiar. The dark elf had spoken in an odd mixture of things… an Icelandic language Spencer knew from heart, but never quite knew how. The second was a form of Elvish. The two men exchanged a stare that put Spencer on pins and needles. One thing was for certain: he didn’t like whatever was said. Nor did he like the grin that had crept across the stranger’s face from the moment the attack was brought up.
“I jest,” Rourke responded facetiously. This newfound information about their visitors was compiled away.
The rest of the room was left in the dark for their exchange until Spencer spoke up again. “-It was you, then… you’re our ‘monster’ from the labyrinth?-And those scars?”
“-you can thank the skin on’yer back an’ tha remains of a dead fool fer’yer lives, or I promise’ya I would’ve seen to it.”
A low growl emanated through the chamber from the Queen’s chest.
“Rourke is the warden to our outer territory,” Yuna spoke up before the tension could rise any further. “Nothing passes through our outskirts without notice, and for hundreds of years, with his diligence, they never have. He is trusted and appointed by our late Queen herself in her time of rule.” Her head nodded gently toward the dark elf who cast his attention toward her. Yuna’s teeth bared when she continued. “He will, however, abide by my ruling. Is that clear?”
“As you wish m’lady,” Roarke confirmed in a more hushed tone… begrudgingly. A chuckle under Amatheia’s voice was ignored entirely.
“That old skeleton must have snuck up on you this time, hm~?” Amatheia commented toward the dark elf with a glint in her eye, earning a near-murderous scowl from the man. She turned to leave down the same hall. “If you have any more, pain you know where I’ll be.”
“Now then.” She turned to the travelers. “So it was felt from the surface?” The room was silent for a moment while Yuna thought. Her head turned towards the illustrations on the wall behind her. “It has been some time since an energy of that level was felt. The last was the passing of our Queen, Naga herself… my mother. Just as well, when Naga stood against Vulcan’s strike, she coiled her body around the temple and neighboring grounds in an attempt to protect those in it from the heat.” The Queen paused where no further explanation was needed. She looked back over her shoulder. “Spencer, you know well the way that energy that can pass through a dragon unto its Rider. Likewise, from that moment, her still energy passes through this temple and these grounds and allows these waters to thrive. However…”
Naga’s head lowered. “The power surge you felt on land was not from this nation’s waters. I’m afraid our fear of your arrival is not the only thing troubling the village and sea drakes alike.”
Little was spoken by the Nereid as she lead Tempest back into the temple grounds and into the magnificent structure that seemed to keep its glow in all hours. Once they entered the Queen’s chambers, Amatheia studied the glowing between the Rider’s shoulder blades curiously and then studied Yuna’s face with a watchful, pensive gaze. Yuna’s attention meanwhile peered to Tempest upon his arrival and a gentle nod of her head was given.
Spencer glanced up and over his shoulder where the glow of the mark was already starting to dissipate. He turned toward Tempest. “It was a custom long ago, to the Riders of Nightwing that their partner would grant them a gift in the form of a marking… It was a symbol of partnership, not to mention, they could hold certain magical properties. My mark is a remnant of partnering with Chanook.” Spencer looked back over his shoulder to Yuna and nodded. The gills he had cast on himself to reach the temple were gone. “Yuna was gracious enough to lend me a gift as well.”
“I brought you here to discuss the terms and reasoning for your… unexpected visit,” Yuna spoke. Her soothing voice emanated throughout the chamber. The young Queen’s train of thought paused at the sea drake’s following question. Her eyes narrowed, and the feelers alongside her maw curled when it wrinkled.
“Pérase Mésa,” Amatheia spoke into the open waters tauntingly to break a moment of silence. At the mention of the serpent’s attack in the labyrinth, the Nereid’s eyes lit up in realization and her fins rose up in intrigue. “Hmmph,” Her arms crossed and her head turned toward one of the corridors. “Are these your outsiders I mustn’t worry about?”
“This isn’ a time to go alon’ given invitation now, issit?”
The stranger’s voice had a graveliness to it that vibrated in his chest like a growl. Spencer hadn’t sensed the presence in the least… how long had the stranger been standing there? The man stood close to 7 feet tall in height with a strong, solid stature. His pale skin strangely differed from the purity of Spencer’s own ghostly complexion. It contrasted with jet-black hair that was swept out of his face that went past his torso, and a strip of facial hair just below his chin. The man’s ears came to a long and prominent point. They were pierced with several hoops and marked with bands of black along their tips. Similar black tattoos were etched along his fingers, visible even as his arms were crossed over his chest. He had a strong jaw, alongside other striking facial features. The stranger was dressed in black with his arms covered, down to leather bracers on his forearms. A set of belts held various pouches and items at his waist.
“Withhold yourself, Rourke,” Yuna commanded calmly, sitting up in her seat and peering down at the two topsiders. “Our intruders come from the mainland. Furthermore, we hold the Rider of Nightwing’s General in our midst.”
“-Tch awful bloody convenient, isn’-…”
A sharp glance from Yuna seemed to silence the stranger’s griping. The most prominent feature the man possessed were sharp blue eyes that seemed to glow, even in the warm light of the temple. Rourke’s gaze fell upon Tempest, and then on Spencer firmly—in a way that made the mage wish that he hadn’t. Notably, a pair of fresh scars were etched deep into the lip and brow of the man. It was almost as if the bleeding had been stopped recently.
No matter the sea drake’s attempt to focus, his sight was limited to that of the murky-eyed space behemoth until the vision ended and the life forces of the surrounding area faded. The dark yet serene atmosphere of the waters returned. Irrlith gave a low grunt in response and shifted to lower his head once more. Whether it was in agreement or his own wondering over the stranger’s presence nearby, it was hard to say for certain.
While Tempest settled in nearby, Irrlith’s eyes closed, minus a set that were closer to where the sea drake rested. “The battleground is empty,” A deep tone entered the other’s mind. The angler drake had slipped away from its makeshift chambers to either hide or regroup; surely there was some sentience in that? Still, the behemoth sensed something yet, off in the distance. While the creeping feeling lingered, without truly having the language to describe the matter, he simply wouldn’t close his eyes. “Sleep,” Irrlith was not a beast of worry but of duty. He was a sentinel in his world, and so he would be in theirs.
With the brute’s watchful eye in place, Tempest was free to rest, recap, or simply wonder over all that had happened in the past several hours. Spencer had spent the duration asleep, as exhausted as any full mortal might be, despite being half. The ‘magic trick’ pulled to save him from drowning had cost him a considerable amount of energy. The spell he cast and the pressure changes had taken the rest.
. . .
When the chime of a gong deep within the temple permeated through the waters, Spencer awoke to the room as he remembered it, minus a change of clothes left in the entry. As he got up he shook out his hair, instinctively reaching for the messenger bag where he had tucked it. The clothes that he changed into were attuned to black robes, loose-fitting, and secured with strips of fabric to match.
“Spencer of Nightwing,” Amatheia’s voice hummed from the entrance where she appeared on the water's surface. “Yuna wishes to speak, she has a gift for you.”
. . .
At the sound of the chime, it was the signal to return. Should Tempest rise, Irrlith was hunkered down with all eyes closed. Whatever disturbance was on the beast’s mind had dissipated for now. When the sea drake might wander back into the temple, Amatheia would greet him from behind, just as she did Spencer, sometime before.
“Come. Yuna and the Rider are waiting in the temple chambers.”
Amatheia’s guidance took Tempest upwards through the temple to the final floor, twisting and turning through the corridors until they reached a final entrance to swim up towards. The temple’s core chambers opened up to a dome-shaped room with the same ephemeral glow as the rooms before it. Along the walls in between each column holding up the ceiling were three-dimensional paintings and carvings.
One depicted the Nereids, their elegant finned forms swimming upward toward a circular shape in the painting’s corner. The next depicted similar figures with a more jagged shape to their bodies and circular patterns along their tails. They mirrored the same circular pattern as the other.
On the opposite side of the room, two similar paintings depicted a battle between serpents on either end, the water’s streams passing through showing the turbulence of whatever event had come and passed.
Yuna was coiled into a comfortable seated position at the far end of the room. A mural behind her depicted her mother’s silhouetted form coiling around what seemed to be the temple itself. She cast her eyes to the entrance as Amatheia brought their other visitor in. Spencer meanwhile stood before her with his back to the entryway. A strange, light glow emanated from the Rider’s mark on his back.
// Sure, I would love to! What do you have in mind?
// Thanks for the invite!
The close proximity was met with a momentary side-eye before Raiya went back to looking out across the water. Her outward appearance suggested she was unbothered by the stranger’s unsoclicited advances, yet revealed that mild display of annoyance when her personal space was invaded.
“Aramos. Duly noted.” Raiya graced Aramos with a handshake in return, and intentionally left out her name. The elf turned back to the water, and an inclination of her attention was given to the sound of splashing behind them. A smile appeared as Tempest hauled himself onto the dock, features livened with amusement as Tempest knowingly splashed water upon Aramos.
No word of protest was given as Tempest’s arm pulled Raiya closer. Rather, the elf admittedly found herself entertained at the disgruntled reaction the stranger had towards the dragon and his antics. It was a petty feeling to have, this schadenfreude towards a stranger, yet she was not above playing along. Raiya leaned against the drake as he announced their departure, and went as far as coiling her own arm around her friend’s torso in return- consider it a degree of payback for Aramos overstepping unspoken boundaries.
“He didn’t seem particularly human to you, did he?” Raiya asked with a final quick glance over her shoulder after Aramos left. Her eyes were once again set upon the rippling mirror of the sea before them. “I’m ready.” That statement was a lie. Raiya had no idea what to expect next, but she chose to trust Tempest to at least warn her when her breath needs to be held.
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