The Darkest Journey to See the Brightest Light

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Upon waking from her doze, Xiamara had gone to check on Iri, who still rested within the cave. Just by sundown of the first day, the baby dragon had grown significantly. Now, of course, because Xiamara was an Opal Dragon and not a regular dragon, she was small by dragon standards...but already, Iridacea had grown nearly to the size of Xiamara. Jealousy would find its way into the dragoness' heart over this, knowing that she had spent years doing everything that Iridacea had done in just five days. Tears would spring to her eyes as panic would ensue. What would happen in ten days? Would the dragon that had grown at an alarming rate die? Would she who had done nearly twenty years of growing in less than a week only live to see a month? Her jealousy forgotten, Xiamara would keep a close eye on Iri, even as she continued to grow throughout the night and even through the next day.

Finally, as the suns were beginning to set once more, Piora already breaking into the skies of Partheus to be seen in her glory, Xiamara's stomach has gotten the better of her. With a sigh to herself, she finally stands from the spot on the entrance to the cave, turning to exit, and leaves to find herself some proper food and drink. Though exhausted, she manages to catch some decent dinner, eating her fill before taking a long drink at the nearby stream. Po and Io are in the clearing, Io clinging to the old horse's mane as he grazes without a care. Xiamara doesn't let her worry get to them, instead pulling herself away from the area to think on her own. She is thankful for the fact that no one had ever spotted them. And yet...now that Iridacea is larger than Xiamara, she wonders how the young dragon will fare in the world.

Giving a sigh, she thinks to herself...why was I chosen to do this?

It is then that the great black-colored dragon appears, this time not as a vision or a dream, but in real life. His scales glitter like the stars that suddenly twinkle above as the final light of the suns dims, and his size is that which cannot be matched. He is ancient...but even more so...he is royalty of all dragons...the grand Onyx. Xiamara suddenly remembers that Onyx dragons were supposed to be extinct, and as she goes to ask him how he had come, he stops her, smiling.

~I came here from another part of the great world...a part where we are revered as who and what we are. But your question is why were you chosen for this mission...and I am here to grant you the answer. And that answer is because you are the last Opal Dragon in all of the world...and if any of us can understand hardship, it is you. That is why the Great Mother chose you. I was simply her messenger.~

He looks to the cave now, just as Iridacea rises and enters the moonlight, his white eyes shimmering with glee. ~She is right on time...thank the gods.~

"What do you mean by that?" Xiamara questions, but this time, it is not answered, for the great Onyx bows to Iri, something that never happens. Once more, jealousy stirs in her crest as tears form beneath Xiamara's eyes. All this time, she was only a tool...something to take care of the baby as she hatched and grew. Around her, the air begins to stir...she refuses to bow like the Onyx, for this creature was raised by her. Sure, her methods were weak and childish, for she had never raised a baby before. But she always did her best...and only after five days of being a mother, her baby is robbed by...by this.

Giving a cry into the skies, a cry that only a heartbroken dragon could give, Xiamara leaps up, spreading her shimmering wings and flapping hard, turning and soaring away before she can even greet the newly-grown Iridacea.​
 
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Iri wakes again and as usual she yawns big, stretches and blinks the sleep away from her mind while stepping outside the cave to look for her momma. Whereupon she sees her mother flying away at full speed, perhaps she is going to get food for Iri. The newly adult dragon sits on her haunches and looks around her with simple faith that every thing is normal, she waits.

But wait, there is a new dragon in front of her! a very very large black one and it is bowing, she looks about her to see if there is someone that is so important that such a magnificent creature would bow to them. Finding no one there but herself, Po and Io, Iri tilts her head and asks,
"Why are you bowing great sir?"
 
The Onyx lifts his head, smiling down at the curious little thing, glad that not only is she able to speak telepathically, but she has learned to speak aloud. Another wonderful sign. And yet, he continues to speak via his thoughts, his voice a deep bass, smooth as silk and steadier than a mountain.

~Because you are the savior of the dragons here in this part of the world. You shall be the one to bring us back to Kabola and unlock the hearts and souls of all.~

He turns back to look where Xiamara had flown away, sighing to himself.

~Perhaps it is time I taught you. I do not think she will take this burden lightly...the Great Mother has put her under a great deal of stress, and her reaction to it would be unknown until it came to be. Perhaps I should have raised you from the start instead.~

Though he is more thinking out loud than actually talking to Iridacea, she still hears his words loud and clear through her thoughts. He wonders to himself briefly whether or not he should find her before quickly brushing it off. She'll be back. He's just not sure how long it will take her.​
 
Panic begins to settle on little Iri's heart. Momma has left, gone, not coming back?! Why? What happened? Did Iri do something wrong? Or was it something this black dragon said to her? No! Momma will come back, she loves me! I know it, she thinks to herself. To the large old dragon she said in her mind, which was easier than speech for her,

'
Did you send my mother away? If so, why? I don't wan't her to go! Please make her come back! Iridacea looks up pleadingly at the Onyx. She begins to fret and starts to wring the end of one of her wings, all thoughts of hunger and the possibility of food are washed away from her mind by the fear that her mother, Xiamara, won't be coming home.
 
The Onyx gives a great sigh, looking out towards the heavens in hopes that Xiamara will, eventually, come back. He is old...Ancient...and soon he will be making his way to the heart of Industrin where the souls of all dragons go upon leaving the shells of life on the surface. Xiamara is young, lively, and passionate...everything she needs to continue to raise the special being before him. Iridacea's nervousness wavers from her like heat from the ground, causing the actual air to waver. The Onyx looks back to her, bowing his head again.

~Let us go look for her. I am sure we will find her, and she can come back to you with little trouble. But be warned, child...Xiamara was a lonely dragoness a week ago. She had no memory of her past...only pain in her heart. She was hoping that when she found you, she would watch you grow like a normal dragon over the course of years and not days. Your sudden growth has brought more pain to her heart, and she may not be taking it well. I know you are young, but it is your duty now to understand and live with it. Now come...it is time to see if she has taught you enough to fly with me.~

With that, the Onyx gives a huff, arching his back and tightening his muscles before leaping high into the air, his wings flapping hard once...then twice, until he has steadied himself in the air. After that, even in a hover, his wings moved little more than a few feet with every push as he awaited the young dragon to follow.​
 
Years? What was that? Iri had no concept of times length as of yet or even how a dragon should grow, she only knew her heart hurt at the loss of the only person in her life leaving her. Waddling out into the clearing that the old dragon had just left, Iridacea was realizing that the world was not so wonderful as she had thought it was. At any rate, she didn't have time to hurt now, she needed to focus on her flying.

Flapping rapidly,while kicking up even more dust and debris than the old dragon had, she worked with all her might to get airborne. Achieving first a foot, then three of space between her and the earth brought a sense of accomplishment and would have also given her elation if her mother had but stayed to witness this milestone.

Once she had managed to get somewhat airborne it was easier to flap a fuller stroke and thusly it made flying easier to do. The thing was, Iri was concentrating so hard on getting in the air she wasn't paying attention to how high or just exactly where she was. Before she knew it she was beside the old Onyx and with a startled yelp she backed up in mid air, then smiled while hovering in front of him.
 
Nodding intelligently as Iridacea finally makes her way to him, the Onyx turns and begins to make his way towards where Xiamara had left in hopes of finding her soon enough. Every few beats, the Onyx would steady himself into a glide, catching the warmer currents to let himself go higher into the air. His body seems still throughout the effect but for his tail, which waves in the wind like a flag. Even when he does flap, the movement itself is no more than a few feet up or down. He is silent in the sky, looking, searching, hoping. But in his heart, he begins to realize that it might be harder to find a dragon that is still flying than one that has already landed. This may take hours, if not days...for Xiamara is young and vibrant with the capability of flying straight with no food or rest for days...only stopping for water every now and then. A sigh escapes the great beast, and he turns his head back to see if the young prodigy is behind him. He speaks.

~Do not fret, but also do not get your hopes up. Xiamara is not your mother...she is simply the one sent to raise you. You have great power, young one...intelligence, understanding...many things you can learn with just a simple thought or explanation. But always remember that with great power always comes great responsibility. You will be asked soon to take your own duty...if we find Xiamara by then, she might be asked of the same...but not as your mother...simply as your guide. Heed my words well, young prodigy...for if you do not, then you might bring doom to us all.~​
 
If a dragon could frown then Iridacea would have done one then as she began to puzzle it all through her mind, 'If Xiamara isn't my mother then who is? and why didn't she raise me?'

They were heading off away from home and Iri was sad to be leaving it. The over all feeling was that with her growing up she had lost more than her mother and she was beginning to know the feeling of hate and it didn't feel good. What was next? Trepidation, to say the least, tinged her anger and fear. She needed her momma now more than ever!
 
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