Pavian Skies

Posted Jan 5, 2023, 4:29:02 PM UTC

Allistair Allistdan had spent many a day journeying through the World of Stone Deserts, known as Pavia. Despite being a water element portal-traveller, the amber-orange lycanthrope favored the arid world out all the other portals he had travelled through.

 

Shikun Moonstar, an adventurous dracoling, and Aurolin Tynn, a teal-haired dark elf, accompanied him on his visit to the desert land.

 

Although Aurolin was traveling alongside two water elementals, a trait Allistair and Shikun had in common, she was not the only fire elemental portal-traveller in Pavia at that moment.

 

Thalia, a phoenix of blue fire, soared through the skies of her first portal world. Never before had she travelled through a portal, but she had made the right choice in choosing her first one; the heat of the desert rejuvenated her spirits and ignited her soul. Even her feathers trailed hot flames behind her in long, golden streaks. “I can totally see myself living here,” she thought to herself as she surveyed the tops of the spires.

 

Then, a flock of brilliant, dragon-like creatures darted like an array of sunbeams across the desert sky. A flock consisting of none other than Pavia’s most abundant and diverse lifeform: the chlorosaur.

 

Their wings reflected sunlight like scaled mirrors, and they shone with such radiance that they seemed to be as bright and as fiery-gold as the sun itself. A great, flat-bodied chlorosaur swooped down in a show of brilliance and grace. Its wingspan, resembling a flattened ribcage strung together by webbing, was large and vast, gliding beneath the phoenix like a golden manta ray. A flock of smaller chlorosaurs flitted nearby, darting among the spires of rock. Meanwhile, a few more noodle-shaped chlorosaurs, varying in appearance yet all covered in sunlit scales that sparkle in the desert sky, oscillated like kites in the air.

 

Passing beneath the reptilian flock, Shikun caught sight of the creatures. Her gaze was fixed on the strange yet wonderful sky beasts even as they approached the cliff’s edge.

 

However, Allistair and Shikun were not the only water elementals on the scene...

 

Unbeknownst to the trio, they had crossed paths with an opportunistic bandit; a desert-dwelling naga by the name of Calixte. The blond-haired naga slithered silently on scales that seemed to mute the sand beneath him as he stealthily approached the travelers. He recognized Aurolin, but not the other two. Perhaps they were randos of some sort? Well, one of them was wearing a golden collar, it looked pretty shiny and valuable. In addition, there was a chance they could be carrying some more stuff well worth forcing them to surrender… he just needed a hostage to set his plan in motion. He looked at the shortest one. He contemplated lunging at the black-haired female, who was Shikun. However, on second thought… she looked like she could fight. That’s when he got an idea...

 

He had a plan. See, Calixte recognized Aurolin. Who knows what she was doing out in the desert with those two… he didn’t know. But, perhaps in this scenario, she could lend him a hand… perhaps, he could pretend to threaten her life and take her hostage, and she could play along as a victim. He could just pop up behind her with his dagger, and, while keeping her “hostage”, he could convince her by secretly offering to split the haul. Thus, she could convince her two companions to part with their treasures.

 

Shikun, Aurolin, and Allistair had been walking for a while, so stopping to watch the chlorosaurs felt like a good idea. Allistair and Shikun sat at the edge of the cliff, and Aurolin stood not far away. They admired the view, the wind whistling through their ears and the chirps and screeches of chlorosaurs filling the air. It was a serene sight.

 

Thalia looked down and saw the trio at the cliff’s edge. Her first sighting of fellow travelers, by the look of the three. They did seem quite powerful. Hang on, no! There are not three, but four of them.

 

And Calixte was right where he wanted to be, now. He raised his dagger... 

 

 

 

(Prompt #3 - Chlorosaurs- "Show your character encountering a Chlorosaur")

Post a comment

Please login to post comments.

Comments

  • Jan 6, 2023, 5:49:47 AM UTC
    This is gorgeous! Thalia stands out so nicely!
  • Jan 5, 2023, 7:13:53 PM UTC
    Evocative. There is motion in the sky and on the ground, a story telling itself.
    • Jan 6, 2023, 4:54:51 AM UTC
      Thank you so much!! I had a lot of fun with this story and art!
  • Jan 5, 2023, 7:06:52 PM UTC
    Ooooh, if you hang around Pavia for a while, I would love for our characters to run into each other. (I wanna do a Jagana challenge either today or tomorrow then head on over to Pavia next.)
    • Jan 6, 2023, 4:53:24 AM UTC
      Ooh yes that would be awesome!! Thalia can definitely stick around in Pavia for a while more (she instantly took a liking to the desert climate there.) I would LOVE to have our characters encounter each other! Big Smile
  • Jan 5, 2023, 5:27:08 PM UTC
    the perspective is sick