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Blighted
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2024-10-29 19:42:56[Primus]
The dust on the southern plains swirls in the noonday sun. This is the third dust storm this week, and the people of Solace are desperately needing relief.
Dragons are not well-liked in this part of the western shore. They are too close to the original territory of the Sun Dragon Kingdom and remember the wars too well. Many of their families were sacrificed in that war, casualties in a battle that wasn't theirs, convinced that they were fighting against a common enemy because they were fed the propaganda that "sun dragons are too dangerous to live."
The more I learn about the world outside of court, the more I realize how much we dragons lie to ourselves and others to justify our greed and selfishness.
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[Carnelia] A small flutter of love shining through my ring reminds me that Primus is still with me, even if he is far away. Stroking my belly, which has grown hard and round as it stretches to protect my babies and keep them warm. I wish I could tell him how big our eggs are growing, or how close I am to "going broody." We are preparing a nest for me in the bedroom, and I'm learning to sleep in dragon form, something I will need to do as a new mother protecting her clutch. I want to tell him everything Ona and I have learned this week, about how I can control my shift, and how she even thinks that I might be able to take the form of other dragon types. I am excited to show off our babies and my new abilities, and excited to show him how much we are all changing.
Sacrificed to the Dragon Prince Sibling Rivalry
[Segundus] When Primus didn’t return at the end of the season as expected, Father sent me out in search of him. He is needed at court immediately to fulfill his duties and represent our fine nation. We have guests coming. And Father was expecting him last week. But of course, Primus was far too busy breaking tradition to be bothered with following the request of his father and king. Based on recent reports, he and his pet have gotten married, and then he made it worse by declaring her a princess. Livestock cannot rule by your side. You wouldn't crown a pig. Why on earth would you crown a human? And Father kn
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[Carnelia] I was surprised to see a ship arrive just before lunch. Ona had only left this morning, and while I’m sure she must have told her friends to check in on me, I thought she said not to expect them for a couple of days. Curious, I stand on the beach watching it approach. As it grows closer, I become giddy at the prospect of meeting some of Ona’s friends. She has told me so many amazing tales of the adventures she has had on the high seas, that I'm excited to have some of those adventures myself someday. Maybe when I’m not round with eggs or nesting with lots of little dragons. Thinking about Primus and how hungry we are for each other, I wonder how long it will be until I am full again with another clutch.
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[Tritus] Ona arrived an hour ago. I knew she would eventually. Not that she can change anything, it is already too late. It is too late for all of us. "How could you do it," she screams at me, so angry that even her hair is engulfed in red-hot flames. "Didn't you notice something was different about her?" "I didn't pay much attention, to be honest," I lie. I can't let her know that I gave that girl up seeing what was obvious before my eyes. Something impossible. Somehow that human girl was carrying a clutch. Primus' heirs.
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Sacrificed to the Dragon Prince Epilogue: The One Who Was Sacrificed
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Sacrificed to the Dragon Prince Stasis
[Eleanora] “Your Majesty, you shouldn’t be down here,” the small man sniveled as I entered the new lab. "This is no place for a lady." “Where else would I be?” I demand, cracking my knuckles as I stare down my nose at the human technician in charge of keeping my husband’s body from dying. “My husband is here, so I am here. I wanted an update on his condition.” “We could have written a report and sent it…” he begins to sniffle but I raise my hand and he bows low before me, his back deeply bowed as is proper. “I wanted to SEE him, you dolt,” I correct the fool shaking before me. Humans are so weak-willed and this one is weaker than most. I brought him from my family home because I can trust he will be loyal. He'd sooner tattle on himself for a perceived mistake than risk being accused by someone else. Similarly, he's the first to report when anything seems amiss. The perfect little worm to place in any apple. Because while he is telling on everyone else, he is also spying for
Sacrificed to the Dragon Prince Inferno
[Segundus] “Greetings citizens of Imperial City,” My queen and I shine brightly as the sun begins to set, our white clothes studded with diamonds so that when the spotlights shine on us, we gleam like fallen stars, fitting since our intention tonight is to make celestials fall from the heavens. “The Celestials have lorded over us for several millennia. Living in their sky throne, they control our resources, taking what they want and leaving nothing behind. Their children, the Sun Dragons, were especially notorious. They controlled the power that fueled our cities, and if we didn’t make proper payment, they would burn our cities, raid our farms, and send their blight to wipe all life from our land.” I pause to let my words settle into the hearts and minds of those gathered. A gentle hissing roar throughout the crowd assembled. My wife, Queen Eleanora, squeezes my hand in encouragement, smiling sweetly, projecting her confidence and trust. “My brother, Segundus, sought to alig
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[Primus] Ever since I first saw her tied to that cart, there was something about her, something that captured my heart. Seeing her taken from me, held roughly by the hands of those trying to save her as she is taken away, screaming my name--that broke my heart. So much has happened since that fateful evening when she was left as a sacrifice at the foot of my mountain. She had fire in her then too, but it was buried deep within her, almost smothered by a lifetime of hate and abuse. Once I started to brush away the ash and soot of her previous life, she began to glow, her fire mostly directed at me, but fire nonetheless. Even when she tried to extinguish it, when the weight of the world and her sadness threatened to crush her spirit, she came back to me, her fire bright and true. Loving her has been hot and pure and never boring, never predictable, almost like flame itself. Right now, burning with rage, with righteous indignation, she is the brightest I’ve ever seen her.
Sacrificed to the Dragon Prince Last Stand
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Sacrificed to the Dragon Prince Vile Harvest
[Segundus] My back aches as I land near Hatchery L11. It is early morning, just after dawn. Eleanora was still sleeping when I left. I have a feeling the doctor will give us auspicious news today about her health. Based on the color of her cheeks and her increased appetite, I am certain she is carrying our first clutch. I leave my small group of guards behind in a nearby town. I cannot have anyone who enters these facilities other than myself cannot leave once they enter. We cannot risk trade secrets leaking out to our competitors. I know that Elfholm is considering creating its own factories using a different breed, but as it is now with energy being one of our main exports, I do not want to give away anything that will lessen their dependency on our sources.
Sacrificed to the Dragon Prince Flash Bang Boom
[Ona] The fighting has stopped. We are vastly outnumbered. Thankfully, the Imperium soldiers on board were given orders to stun and contain us, not shoot to kill. Even so, we lost more than a handful of sun dragons to the battle that ensued. Including Daax and myself, the number of resistance fighters on the boat is down to 36. Four days ago, at the start of this adventure, we had more than 60. By the time we reached the end of the tunnel, we numbered 42. I try not to think of all the bodies we lost during the evacuation of Segundus’ lab. So many had never awakened when released from the pods--and there had been hundreds of them. Drakes, drakaina, and some little more than hatchlings. Watching them die as they took their first free breaths in decades is a memory I will torment me for all the remaining moments of my life. There were more bodies on the ground than walked out of that room. I have been fighting this battle against the Imperium for the last four decades but on
