cold comfort by Millimax | World Anvil

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Bearsday, 22 Sowing 999 Y.K.

cold comfort

by Millimax

 the svesti couldn't go all the way up the mountain so it took a couple of hours of hoofing it – hard work even with my gravity shoes
 by time we reached the cave opening the air was the coldest i've ever breathed
 the cave seemed to resist every sense – smooth floor and muffled hoofbeats and gloom so thick even my hornlight couldn't pierce it ... which is more unsettling than the others seemed to realize
 then we heard the voice of the dragon named blizzard devours the frail
 
 the darkness cleared enough for us to see it
 even the oldest dragon in the everglow didn't look as withered or as terrifying
 glowing empty eye sockets and dry tattered wings and scraps of snowy scales draped over bone
 an ancient and ruined sword anchored to their chest by thick clear ice
 my ears rang when they bellowed but i was too terrified to bolt
 relic used their magic water whips to yank the dragon down to the ledge we stood on ... but the whips froze and shattered
 
 then i felt a rush of fœtid breath colder than anything i've ever known
 every part of me screamed with needles of frozen fire
 porcelain contracts when it gets cold but copper contracts even more ... and the tightening metal of my front legs sent pressure cracks through every single porcelain inlay
 if i'd been the silver or brass sort they'd probably have completely shattered and no doubt i'd have passed out from the shock
 as it was i almost couldn't cast my renew spell
 
 zer' and medya were frozen just as badly and we all had to take a moment to recover
 the other three avoided it and went right to work scorching and smashing the dragon's massive bones and after a short time we were all throwing everything we could at it
 they readied another bitter scream and for a moment ... just for a moment ... i wasn't sure we'd survive
 but we did
 and we fought back
 we worked together and we ended the undead horror named blizzard devours the frail
 
 all was quiet for a few seconds until spark started to laugh
 there i was with cracked leg plates and wet cheek fur and spattered with dust ... and laughing with her because victory over evil and relic's sword freed and tension released
 it was in terrible shape but it hardly mattered – he broke the blade and a liquid yellow energy swirled out of it to lift him off the ground and absorb into him
 then he was on his knees and shaking and laughing like i'd never heard him laugh
 
 i remember when relic told me he had to get his original sword back because it was a part of him like a limb taken away
 for a short time he stayed there to process through so many long-delayed emotions and when he stood up there was new life to his motions – like he was entirely present for the first time in a very long time
 i was so happy for him i started to cry again
 but we heard a weak voice from below ... and when we went down lower into the pit we found "tarnish"
 
 tarnish was another experiment of d'cannith merrix 1 and just like the others it had been possessed
 but unlike the others it was impaled on a large stone spear and it looked so miserable ... rusted iron and rotting wood ... and undead
 wrought
 it stared at my legs like it was hungry and i'm not ashamed to say that i hid behind spark
 then it told relic to "free me or finish it"
 ...
 its core is "fernian iron" and it's always warm in a way that tarnish could no longer feel
 
 we found a note with an arcane mark on it that relic recognized from the vision he had when leali read from the draconic prophecy
 the writer thanked us for giving their friend "the send-off they deserved"
 there were several "gifts" left for us – a large amount of gold collected from various sources and 6 small magical items meant for each of us
 i'll figure out what mine does while we travel to trolanport
 right now i have some emotions of my own to sort through

Continue reading...

  1. look how organized i am also i got knifed today
    Griffinsday, 13 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  2. can't get their face out of my mind
    Griffinsday, 13 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  3. the days are way longer in khorvaire
    Wolfsday, 14 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  4. good medicine
    Wolfsday, 14 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  5. writing this down so i can get some sleep
    Wolfsday, 14 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  6. good morning
    Flamesday, 15 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  7. this motley group
    Flamesday, 15 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  8. errand day one
    Flamesday, 15 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  9. sleep and the self-made pony
    Bearsday, 16 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  10. errand day two
    Bearsday, 16 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  11. gryphon appreciation day
    Bearsday, 16 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  12. wait what now
    Bearsday, 16 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  13. that campus map
    Bearsday, 16 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  14. they love to overdo everything here
    Bearsday, 16 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  15. qualms
    Crownsday, 17 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  16. message in a dream
    Thronesday, 18 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  17. and points north
    Wolfsday, 20 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  18. breland blue
    Wolfsday, 20 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  19. a modest prophecy
    Wolfsday, 20 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  20. stabbed in the neck by a sunbeam
    Flamesday, 21 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  21. gifts for all
    Bearsday, 22 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  22. zone of twilight
    Crownsday, 23 Seeding, 998 Y.K.
  23. everything and lots of it
    Crownsday, 23 Seeding, 998 Y.K.
  24. counting from zero
    Thronesday, 24 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  25. returns and investments
    Thronesday, 30 Seeding 998 Y.K.
  26. found in translation
    Crownsday, 7 Blooming 998 Y.K.
  27. going with the flow
    Thronesday, 12 Blooming, 998 Y.K.
  28. rescue arrangers
    Thronesday, 12 Blooming, 998 Y.K.
  29. calm but collected
    Griffinsday, 13 Blooming 998 Y.K.
  30. twisting passages
    Wolfsday, 14 Blooming 998 Y.K.
  31. he did it wrong
    Wolfsday, 14 Blooming 998 Y.K.
  32. what works and what doesn't
    Flamesday, 15 Blooming 998 Y.K.
  33. cazha bloodwing only knows one game
    Bearsday, 16 Blooming 998 Y.K.
  34. . . .
    Bearsday, 16 Blooming 998 Y.K.
  35. gravity
    Crownsday, 17 Blooming 998 Y.K.
  36. mistaken
    Wolfsday, 20 Blooming 998 Y.K.
  37. today's the day
    Bearsday, 28 Blooming 998 Y.K.
  38. it worked it worked it worked!
    Bearsday, 28 Blooming 998 Y.K.
  39. so i chatted with another goddess
    Bearsday, 28 Blooming 998 Y.K.
  40. i'm sitting as fast as i can
    Griffinsday, 1 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  41. strange day so far
    Wolfsday, 2 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  42. startling eve
    Wolfsday, 2 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  43. i hope there's coffee because i sure could do with some
    Flamesday, 3 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  44. hard work's reward is more work
    Flamesday, 3 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  45. those who can't do ... steal
    Bearsday, 4 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  46. d'cannith jorlanna throws lousy parties
    Bearsday, 4 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  47. motivations redoubled
    Crownsday, 5 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  48. i learned this from bipeds
    Thronesday, 6 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  49. into the arcane congress
    Thronesday, 6 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  50. oh and there's a killer on the loose
    Griffinsday, 7 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  51. up all night to get published
    Bearsday, 10 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  52. the thanks i get
    Bearsday, 10 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  53. order of operations
    Bearsday, 10 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  54. technically not the worst day of my life
    Bearsday, 10 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  55. fighting our fears
    Crownsday, 11 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  56. i don't like surprises
    Crownsday, 11 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  57. unsettled
    Crownsday, 11 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  58. more unsettled
    Griffinsday, 13 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  59. happy gryphon's day
    Griffinsday, 13 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  60. burning issues
    Bearsday, 16 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  61. it's been a week already?
    Bearsday, 16 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  62. awkward in aundair
    Crownsday, 17 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  63. lab results
    Crownsday, 17 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  64. hard fighting's reward is more fighting
    Crownsday, 17 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  65. forbidden tome
    Thronesday, 18 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  66. heart of flame
    Thronesday, 18 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  67. jorlanna's burden
    Wolfsday, 20 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  68. long distance
    Bearsday, 22 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  69. this week's summery
    Crownsday, 29 Sunfall 998 Y.K.
  70. i'm just a little hoarse
    Griffinsday, 1 Offering 999 Y.K.
  71. outside influence
    Griffinsday, 7 Offering 999 Y.K.
  72. hoofprints
    Flamesday, 9 Offering 999 Y.K.
  73. when it rains it pours
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  74. what did we learn today?
    Crownsday, 11 Offering 999 Y.K.
  75. impressions
    Griffinsday, 13 Offering 999
  76. chilling effect
    Wolfsday, 14 Offering 999 Y.K.
  77. forming a queue
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  78. helpful friends
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  79. being heard
    Thronesday, 18 Offering 999 Y.K.
  80. inside influence
    Wolfsday, 20 Offering 999 Y.K.
  81. this shopping list confuses me
    Bearsday, 22 Offering 999 Y.K.
  82. senseless
    Thronesday, 24 Offering 999 Y.K.
  83. contrast and compare
    Thronesday, 24 Offering 999 Y.K.
  84. digging for rocks
    Wolfsday, 26 Offering 999 Y.K.
  85. well defended
    Flamesday, 28 Offering 999 Y.K.
  86. misrepresentation
    Thronesday, 30 Offering 999 Y.K.
  87. taking it back
    Griffinsday, 1 Reaping 999 Y.K.
  88. facing responsibility
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  89. abundance of caution
    Crownsday, 5 Reaping 999 Y.K.
  90. stress tests
    Thronesday, 6 Reaping 999 Y.K.
  91. sykes is making a huge mistake
    Griffinsday, 7 Reaping 999 Y.K.
  92. the difference between silence and quiet
    Flamesday, 9 Reaping 999 Y.K.
  93. noise
    Bearsday, 10 Reaping 999 Y.K.
  94. always use protection
    Thronesday, 12 Reaping 999 Y.K.
  95. into so many pieces
    Griffinsday, 13 Reaping 999 Y.K.
  96. control
    Griffinsday, 13 Reaping 999 Y.K.
  97. composure regained
    Bearsday, 16 Reaping 999 Y.K.
  98. pressure and heat
    Crownsday, 23 Reaping 999 Y.K.
  99. the king is dead
    Thronesday, 24 Reaping 999 Y.K.
  100. all kinds of progress
    Bearsday, 10 Leaffall 999 Y.K.
  101. howling intensifies
    Bearsday, 10 Leaffall 999 Y.K.
  102. don't call it a setback
    Crownsday, 11 Leaffall 999 Y.K.
  103. land of the dead
    Flamesday, 15 Leaffall 999 Y.K.
  104. getting on well with the locals
    Crownsday, 17 Leaffall 999 Y.K.
  105. just passing through
    Griffinsday, 19 Leaffall 999 Y.K.
  106. that's enough i get it stop with the wolves already
    Flamesday, 21 Leaffall 999 Y.K.
  107. gathering
    Bearsday, 22 Leaffall 999 Y.K.
  108. flavors of karrnath
    Crownsday, 23 Leaffall 999 Y.K.
  109. surprises
    Thronesday, 24 Leaffall 999 Y.K.
  110. creatures and comforts
    Thronesday, 24 Leaffall 999 Y.K.
  111. moving pieces
    Thronesday, 30 Leaffall 999 Y.K.
  112. improvisation
    Griffinsday, 1 Sowing 999 Y.K.
  113. old
    Wolfsday, 2 Sowing 999 Y.K.
  114. bite the sky
    Crownsday, 5 Sowing 999 Y.K.
  115. class roster
    Crownsday, 11 Sowing 999 Y.K.
  116. our visit to fort deepdark
    Griffinsday, 13 Sowing 999 Y.K.
  117. purple waves of grain
    Flamesday, 15 Sowing 999 Y.K
  118. rest
    Crownsday, 17 Sowing 999 Y.K.
  119. the mournland is unpleasant and i'm glad we'll be visiting again
    Thronesday, 18 Sowing 999 Y.K.
  120. d'cannith zorlan makes lousy decisions
    Thronesday, 18 Sowing 999 Y.K.
  121. cold comfort
    Bearsday, 22 Sowing 999 Y.K.
  122. reaching out
    Crownsday, 23 Sowing 999 Y.K.
  123. larger than we appear
    Flamesday, 27 Sowing 999 Y.K.
  124. user serviceable
    Flamesday, 27 Sowing 999 Y.K.
  125. completion's sake
    Bearsday, 28 Sowing 999 Y.K.
  126. flavors of zilargo
    Thronesday, 30 Sowing 999 Y.K.
  127. so glad he doesn't snore
    Griffinsday, 1 Marking 999 Y.K.
  128. closing the distance
    Crownsday, 5 Marking 999 Y.K.
  129. butting heads
    Flamesday, 9 Marking 999 Y.K.
  130. the goats loved it
    Flamesday, 9 Marking 999 Y.K.
  131. marks
    Wolfsday, 14 Marking 999 Y.K.
  132. safety in numbers
    Bearsday, 16 Marking 999 Y.K.
  133. seen
    Crownsday, 17 Marking 999 Y.K.
  134. gut wrenching
    Crownsday, 17 Marking 999 Y.K.
  135. it's still grey
    Griffinsday, 25 Marking 999 Y.K.
  136. warped
    Flamesday, 27 Marking 999 Y.K.
  137. exposed
    Thronesday, 30 Marking 999 Y.K.
  138. company town
    Thronesday, 30 Marking 999 Y.K.
  139. grace notes
    Griffinsday, 1 Snowfall 999 Y.K.
  140. disconnected
    Wolfsday, 2 Snowfall 999 Y.K.
  141. why won't this place just let us do our thing and leave
    Flamesday, 3 Snowfall 999 Y.K.
  142. adding lightness
    Crownsday, 5 Snowfall 999 Y.K.
  143. terms and conditions
    Flamesday, 21 Snowfall 999 Y.K.
  144. something unexpected
    Thronesday, 24 Snowfall 999 Y.K.
  145. four legs good
    Thronesday, 30 Snowfall 999 Y.K.
  146. ander reed knows how to have a good time
    Highnight, 999 Y.K.
  147. dreams coming true
    Bearsday, 4 Frosting 999 Y.K.
  148. dreams uncaught
    Crownsday, 5 Frosting 999 Y.K.
  149. scattered light
    Crownsday, 6 Frosting 999 Y.K.
  150. travel plans
    Griffinsday, 7 Frosting 999 Y.K.
  151. this motley crew
    Flamesday, 9 Frosting 999 Y.K.
  152. sea feast
    Griffinsday, 13 Frosting 999 Y.K.
  153. wrecked
    Bearsday, 16 Frosting 999 Y.K.
  154. digging deeper
    Griffinsday, 19 Frosting 999 Y.K.
  155. family legacy
    Flamesday, 21 Frosting 999 Y.K.
  156. too thick to fail
    Bearsday, 22 Frosting 999 Y.K.
  157. loud and clear
    Bearsday, 22 Frosting 999 Y.K.
  158. paint what you know
    Griffinsday, 25 Frosting 999 Y.K.
  159. she really left her hoofprints all over
    Crownsday, 29 Frosting 999 Y.K.

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by 3 Armored Kittens · Prodromos v.1.1 - World Anvil 0.9.15.009 © 2017-2024 [en] | Anvil Time: 01:06, Apr 29 2024