Entry No. 9
Many moons had passed since Sudiva, driven by the power of Astaroth, had descended into the deep belly of the dungeon Covetous. It was there in the dark depths of the watery caverns that she dwelled, doomed to forever watch over her hordes of glittering treasures, imprisoned not by chains, but by the insatiable avarice festering from within her very being. And it was there, after what seemed like an eternity in solitude and darkness, for reasons unknown to her, things had slowly begun to change.

At first they had been quite scarce. One here, one there… They would stand before her and offer a small sacrifice in exchange for a single covetous-laced tear. The visits soon became more frequent however, and by the end of it all hundreds of adventurers had approached her, and with each small sacrifice made, she had felt Astaroth’s grip on her and her own greed weaken ever so slightly.

Now Sudiva paced around the cavern apprehensively. The sudden and inexplicable changes within the dungeon Covetous itself had finally accomplished what those adventurers had set in motion long ago. Astaroth’s grip had been broken. She was free. But time was indeed a difficult concept to measure below the surface. How much time had truly passed since she had first ventured down into this wretched dungeon? What, if anything, had changed about the lands above since she had last been free to soar amongst the clouds? Her apprehension mounting, Sudiva slowly ascended out of the cavern in which she had resided for so long.

The first step out of Covetous was akin to awakening from a horrible nightmare. The warmth of the sun overhead and the gentle breeze tickling Sudiva’s scales caused excitement to swell within her. She stood watching the grasses and flowers dancing around her for infinite seconds before finally turning her gaze skywards. The clouds drifted lazily by, seemingly calling to her very soul, begging her to soar to limitless heights as she once had, so long ago.  Without further hesitation, Sudiva roared in joy, stretched her majestic wings and took to flight.

Gliding effortlessly through the heavens filled Sudiva with a sense of joy long forgotten, a feeling she wished never to end. But as the minutes turned to hours and the sun had nearly completed its long journey over the lands of Britannia, Sudiva was forced to confront the issue of where she would go to seek shelter at night, for even a dragon such as herself needed a place to call home, right?

Sudiva glided silently over the lands, long after the sun had gone to sleep, replaced by a blanket of shimmering stars as well as Trammel and Felucca, Britannia’s two moons, which bathed the lands below in their silvery light. Glancing down, she could make out small buildings and farmed scattered amongst the trees. She vaguely recognized the landscape as the city of Justice, which meant the nearby mountains must be those known by the Britannians as the Peaks of Disgrace, though such a name meant nothing to her. There was a fairly secluded area along this range of mountains where there appeared to be a long path leading inwards. Descending to the ground, Sudiva began to slowly amble her way down the path, seeking out a place worthy of becoming her new home. Midway down the path she could just make out the mouth of a cavern hidden in the shadows. Hopes rising, she entered to examine its potential. Much to her delight, the cavern was large and spacious, as well as utterly devoid of inhabitants. In short, it was perfect.

Sitting at the mouth of the cave, Sudiva unleashed a mighty roar, and snorted in delight upon hearing the mountains echo it back to her. She spared one last glance at the beautiful night sky above her before turning and ambling her way back into the empty cavern. She gave another snort of joy before lying down to rest, one last thought drifting through her mind before sleep finally took her: Yes, this will do nicely.