Back today with a little blurb I wrote a while back for my Flight Rising dragons, taking place within the Immortal Era. For anyone that needs a reminder, this lore has to do with my dragons on a petsite game called FlightRising, so credit to canonical events and draconic breeds and things go to them. However, the story detailed here is my own, and builds off of previously established history and lore I posted a long while ago.
I highly recommend reading the rest of the Tempest Order History posts before this one, as it provides a great deal of context. You can find their section in the Free Content Directory as The Tempest Order! However, without any further ado—
As the day had drawn ever closer to night, the traveling force of the Tempest Order arrived at the Agriden’s borders and was welcomed home.
Many rushed off to greet their loved ones further in the outpost, while others stayed behind to begin setting up camp. Tents were pitched, lighting strung, and food preparations began. The smell of cooking meat and fish filled the air, drifting from the hunter’s quarter.
The bustle of the crowd gave a wide berth to Athanasia and her phalanx of Immortal Guard as they made their way through, the Order’s captains close behind. The Agriden had yet to pick any formal leadership, so it was pertinent to patrol the grounds and speak to many representatives from the different groups that lived there. Newt could tell it wasn’t exactly the General’s idea of a great time, but negotiations and speaking never really had been. She wouldn’t be surprised if Athanasia let Carnage or Internecine step forward to manage the actual conversation while she inspected what her clanmates had built. It hadn’t been easy for Athanasia to authorize the Agriden’s existence, much less agree to let her clanmates choose if they wanted to live there. It was a step in the right direction, setting a territory, a border, growing and raising their own food instead of taking it. That, Athanasia definitely wanted. But watching many of her clanmates leave the traveling pack was… difficult.
If nothing else, Newt could tell she had a vested interest in making sure the allocated funds had been put to good use. It wasn’t really a question. The Agriden they had come home too was already double or even triple the size of the one they’d left. New tents, lights, dens being dug into the ground with metal supports. The denizens had been putting in the work.
The Agriden had been worked into an excited swarm by the return of their traveling brethren, but Newt could sense a shift in the air as soon as Athanasia stepped into view. While the swarming did not necessarily stop, dragons began to slip between the tents and move their joyful reunions out of sight. Newt noted Athanasia’s tail twitch.
Later that night, as Newt was getting settled in for a long day tomorrow, a midnight-colored wing flung her tent flap open, the General striding in. An upset Athanasia would strike fear into the heart of any dragon that knew her, but Newt was not afraid.
This had become fairly regular as of late.
“You look upset,” Newt commented idly, cleaning between her claws.
”I am upset,” the General snapped. “How dare they? How DARE they?”
Newt watched her as she paced. “Has something happened?”
”I’ve given them everything they wanted! I provide very generous funding for this place — without me this would have been just a dream! So…”
”So…?”
Athanasia’s face contorted into a snarl, though her words didn’t have quite the fire to back it up. “So why do they still hate me? Why do they still cower?”
”Athanasia…” Newt sighed, shaking her head. “Athanasia, many of these dragons have seen the depths of your cruelty. They are familiar with it. It will take time and patience before they are familiar with your kindness. They see the changes you’ve made, but they don’t know if they can trust that you changed.”
”But I did! I have!”
”This will require patience.”
”I can wait them out.”
”You know that’s not what I mean, Athanasia.” Newt rose to her feet. “And even if it was, I think we both know you do not possess a patient bone in your body.”
Athanasia scoffed, snapping her tail side to side. Newt paid her no mind, brushing past her and out of the tent. Begrudgingly, the General followed. “I would not stand to be led around by anyone else. I do not wait on other dragons.”
“You are used to taking what you want, Athanasia. Tyrants take. Leaders wait.”
Though Newt wasn’t sure she’d quite gotten through to the grizzled dragon behind her, it was enough to give Athanasia pause — and that on its own was a rare thing.
It would take time. To heal. To learn. —Both for the General and the dragons that made up her charge. Progress would be slow, but it would be progress. It had already begun to take root. Now all it needed was time. Time and care.
Despite the scarred, wicked features Athanasia sported, there was commitment in her eyes. Intent. Intention.
And that was enough of a start for now.