Entry No. 19

By Crysta
“How long have I been here, in the cold and dark. No friends save for rats and stone; no family merely useless jewels and baubles.”

This had been a common thought for Sudiva these past hundred years, bound to a hoard of treasure by Astaroth and her own greed. Today it was accompanied by an exciting new thought, however;

“Something is coming!”

A new power was surging in Covetous, and the bonds of the Shadowlord were at last weakening. She needed no more than to bide her time and finally her long imprisonment would be over.

Suddenly the mountains surrounding her shook, a mass outpouring of energy sending waves even through the Ether. Rocks fell from above, scattering what little remained of the treasure she had once held so dear. Gold had no meaning now, though; only freedom.

“Finally! The bonds are broken!”

With a single leap and unfurling of her massive wings, she was airborne, using all of the strength she had saved over the centuries to slam through the bedrock above. Time was short. Through the mountain was the only way.

The edge of her wings sliced through gems and ore like razors as she ascended the strata, bringing a grin to her face as she realized this too was a release from what had held her against her will.. She hurtled through the mass of stone, wondering each second if she would indeed ever see the sky again. Yet, suddenly, she was in open air.

“I am free!”

Boulders tumbled from her outstretched wings toward the ground below. She winced as once bounced off the mountainside and hit a human construct, worrying about what the owner would think. But no. What mattered now was home, and leaving this place behind for good. With a mighty flap she shot off through the sky, her shadow engulfing anything it fell upon.

“Not too much longer now. Finally.. I shall be home!”

But with this thought she stopped. She hovered in the air, stirring the forests beneath her and sending animals cowering for shelter. Home? Home was Destard. Why trade one cave.. One prison for another. No. Somewhere new must be found.

Sudiva breathed deeply and sensed her way along the foreign, yet all too familiar, air currents. Warmth from the tropic south. Cold form the frigid north. Fresh meat form the farms of Jhelom. Unwashed sailors from Buccaneer’s Den. So many nostalgic scents that she wished she could simply continue. But something new wafted form the far corners of the realm. Sulphr and brimstone. A great warmth unlike any that once existed. Her massive form turned and headed off toward this new, inviting strata.

As she flew, she grew weary. She had been aground for too long, and her wings were weak.

“No. I must not let my journey end here. I have lived too long for that.”

Steeling herself with new resolve she forged ahead, though quickly she was stunned by what loomed on the horizon. She did not know exactly what it was called, but a word she had heard a human once use fit its description, so it could only be that.

“A volcano.”

The Isle of Fire had long been warm, with its lava and daemons, but this was new even to it. A massive cone of glassy black stone, with pristine beaches swept beneath its bases. She quickly landed on the soft sand, pleased as it still felt like she had always remembered; as if she had crushed mounds of tiny gemstones between her claws.

To the north was a massive stone arch leading to a cave. She could see humans and.. Some form of daemon?… minding their own business heading in and out infrequently. Not wishing to be disturbed she hefted her weary bulk south instead. Wandering into a small alcove in the mountain walls she stopped and curled up on the weathered grains beneath her.

“Yes… this will do.”

The mighty dragon puffed a gout of smoke from her nostrils and breathed a heavy sigh, relaxing on the warm sand in the noon sun.

“Home.”