"Victor?" a voice was cutting through the darkness, "VICTOR!"
Victor's eyes snapped open as he jolted upward out of bed. Longfellow was right above him on the ladder up to the top bunk shaking him up.
"Come on! First day in the Stormwind guard, and trust me, you do not want to be late!"
He almost fell out of the top bunk as he stumbled to his feet. He was a half orc again, and he didn't believe the transition between the two forms would get much easier. He opened the trunk to his bunk and found a brown tunic for him to wear.
The first stop that Longfellow took him was the long suggested and awaited Stormwind barber. After several tries of doing a buzz cut shave on his long mane of hair, the barber cried out in frustration as the hair just grew back. Deciding that this was a job better suited to a mage than a stylist, the barber just tied the half orc's hair into a ponytail and sent him on his way.
The day then went roughly as follows: Sword fighting practice to which a ton of back pain was involved as Captain O'Neal thought it funny to participate himself, mercilessly destroying any soldier foolish enough to even lock eyes with him. Then would come a brief lunch with stale bread and porridge. Victor ended up devouring the meal as Longfellow groaned over having to eat "initiate meals" again. Then would come a class in which the quartermaster would teach about the different threats to the kingdom, and the different sects of Stormwind. As it turns out, an essential job of a Stormwind guard was not only protecting the city, but also being able to guide adventurers or citizens around the place. Finally came patrol, Victor was sent along with Longfellow to patrol around the Dwarven District today.
Victor gave a slight yawn as they circled the same street filled with blacksmiths hammering away on their anvils. He had tried to stifle it, but Longfellow seemed to notice.
"Don't tell me you're getting bored of the guard already?" he snickered, "We haven't even finished your first day yet!"
"Sorry, I am just a bit tired," Victor tried rubbing his aching neck, "I did not think it would hurt this much either…"
Longfellow gave him a slap on the back, "Well, you better get used to it! We will be doing the same thing everyday, so don't go insane on me here! It's as my mom always says: "Try to have fun, cause if it ain't work, then it becomes play!"
"I never knew my mother…" Victor just blurted out, and then stuttered as he realized what he just said, "S- sorry, that was a bit much."
"Would it be too much if I asked about your background and all?" Longfellow suggested, "It would help break the ice and all. I can go first if you want? Besides I am curious, it isn't everyday that you encounter someone as interesting as you."
"You sure it's not just because I am a half orc?" Victor fired back.
"W- well yeah, maybe a little…" Longfellow sheepishly replied, "You have to know a little bit about your coworkers after all right?"
The half orc gave a small laugh and then nodded, "Go ahead."
Longfellow gave a pause as he scratched his chin in contemplation, "Where to begin? I originally lived out on a farm in Westfall a little south of here. Then the Defias brotherhood attacked, and my family got kicked out."
"Defias brotherhood?" Victor questioned, "I'm afraid I am not familiar."
"Bandits, led by a man called Edwin VanCleef." Longfellow's face darkened, "They were a group of stonemasons that helped build Stormwind, but weren't paid. They then responded quite violently and…" he choked a bit as if he was holding something back, "Well, they are gone now. Part of the reason I joined the Stormwind guard was I wanted to get back at them for running us off our farm when they terrorized Westfall, but a group of adventurers had apparently taken care of it by then."
The conversation grew silent as they continued to march in their patrol route. Victor had felt really bad, and desperately wished to break the silence.
"I am glad you are doing better now at least?" he offered up.
Longfellow tried giving a smile, but it faltered. "Well we are safe now, and that's what matters. We are safer in this city than we are anywhere else after all."
He elbowed Victor, "Well then what about you? You don't have to give me an entire novel, but I would like a summary!"
The half orc was about to speak and then paused. He realized that there wasn't much to tell in the first place! How do you even explain hatching from an egg in the first place, he wasn't supposed to be a dragon!
"Well let's see…" he mumbled through attempting to stall, "I didn't know my mother or my father… and well…"
"I suspect you had to end up at an orphanage of some kind?" Longfellow replied flatly, "It is alright, you don't have to give me the depressing bits if it harms you."
"NO! No, it's okay," Victor cleared his throat, "You are right, I lived in an orphanage… somewhere… ended up in Goldshire since a lot of people who would be nice enough to help would be, and now I am here."
Longfellow narrowed his eyes, "Alright… you sure there if that is all there is…"
He was interrupted by the sound of a large ringing, as the Stormwind clock tower signaled the end of their patrol.
"Well I suppose that is all for now," Longfellow said, "But don't think this conversation is done quite yet. I just suppose we can talk about other things instead."
The duo first went to Captain O'Neal's quarters to give their report, and then tucked into the barracks for the night. Victor's entire body felt sore as he crashed into bed. The heavy armor was uncomfortable, and the tunic was itchy so this bed felt like heaven.
"Hey Longfellow," Victor tried speaking to the bunk below, "Thank you."
The guard beneath him mumbled as he was dozing off, "Huh? Call me Marcus," he sounded exhausted, "My friends call me Marcus…"
Victor could hear a quiet snoring. He smiled to himself as he whispered: "Goodnight Marcus," as he closed his eyes, and fell asleep.
The hatchling suddenly awoke again, but this time he was back in the grove with the green dragonflight. Glancing downward he noticed his scaly claws. Yet again he had turned back into a dragon.
"Chroma!" a voice rang out. It was Revira flying towards him, "C'mon you don't wanna be late for classes, and I think Tavius believes you are enough trouble as it is."
As he flapped his wings to follow her, he could actually feel the fatigue he felt from his day as a guard mostly disappear. In fact, The Dream must have induced a soothing effect that he could feel run across his scales. He was sleeping after all, even if this was technically another reality.
Entering the classroom area, Chroma could notice the other green hatchlings staring as he entered, a few that were entangled by the flower he grew were glaring at him outright. Tavius was at the head of the room announcing what they would be working on.
"Due to the events of last time, we will be working on something other than plant manipulation," they said eyeing the chromatic hatchling, "We will be focusing on breath manipulation. As you may already know, the breath of a green dragon can be changed based on what our intention is. Similarly to a red dragon's it could be either used to injure, or to heal."
To give an example Tavius placed a small log of wood, and then breathed a dark green acid that began to melt it. Then, shifting their expression, Tavius shot out an emerald mist that enveloped the melting log. The burnt and melted puddle soon sprouted a bunch of branches, and leaves as it grew into a small tree. Tavius then turned their attention once more to the class.
"Now for this exercise I am releasing you all outside to practice on your own." Tavius turned their back to the hatchlings to mumble, "I think I need a break from you after last time…"
They motioned for the hatchlings to all file out. Revira rather excitedly rushed outside at this.
"Well this is an exciting turn of events!" Revira said, "Where should we go first? I believe I mentioned The Wetlands. It's quite the swamp out here in The Dream!"
She was interrupted by a few of the other whelps that had approached the two, and began mocking them.
"What are you planning on doing," one of them yelled, "Not thinking about sprouting another giant flower are you? You have little Miss Perfect with you cause she is the granddaughter of Ysera huh?"
The other hatchlings snickered as the green whelp continued, "Maybe that's the reason why dragonflights don't mix, they would soon end up with a freak like you!"
"Oh so sorry that you have nothing better to do then insult those better than you Karikus," Revira took a moment to flex her talons as small vines erupted from the ground to wrap around the whelp's legs, "Besides, I think a vibrant rainbow does better on one's scales than that ghastly swampy green you have. Let's go Chroma, we don't have time to waste on this."
"Yeah sure you don't!" Karikus screamed from below as they flew away, "You have all the time in the world stuck in here don't you, you dreamborn FREAK!"
Revira winced at the mention of that as they flew on. She began to fly faster and faster away. Chroma had an issue keeping up with her as she sped up, until seemingly she got tired and finally stopped to sit on some treetops.
Panting as he finally landed, Chroma asked, "I think we got far enough as it is!"
Revira gave a brief scowl as she huffed, "Not far enough, I don't think anywhere in The Dream is suitable to get away from them."
"What do you mean? I suppose you see them whenever you are awake as well then?" Chroma asked.
"I never see them then…" she motioned beside her with her tail, "Sit here, I have some explaining to do…"
She briefly coughed before speaking again, "Merithra is indeed my mother, but I don't exactly have a father…"
Revira paused once more, and Chroma could see something welling up behind her eyes. Without thinking he offered forward his tail and twined it with her. Her eyes widened in surprise, but she was able to take a deep breath and continue.
"Mother was involved in a conflict called The War of the Shifting Sands, in some place called Ahn'Qiraj. They managed to win and seal off whatever evil was there, but she was sealed off within there, and couldn't get out. Not physically anyways…"
Revira flexed her talon absentmindedly, weaving a branch around it, "She was trapped physically, but The Emerald Dream is not bound by that physicality. She could break through, speak with others, and maintain who she was while she awaits rescue."
"So she is still trapped there then?" Chroma asked. "Have you been able to see her?"
She shook her head, "Mother used the last of her power, sealing her off for the moment from The Dream. Merithra wanted a full, concrete reason to hang on while trapped. The Emerald Dream can manifest one's own dreams, some creatures here exist that do not even exist in Azeroth. Mother thought she could create someone to wait for her, someone who she could care for and think of coming home to."
Chroma's eyes widened as he realized her implications. "It's you then? You were born of their powers."
Revira gave a swift nod as her eyes watered again, "I was made to be a perfect daughter of my mother's creation. I can grow on my own, but it's hard to distinguish my own feelings. I miss her so much, but I don't even know her. Ysera needed her Aspect powers to even create me, but there is the complication. I may exist in The Dream, but as a product of it, I cannot currently exist outside of it."
"And that is what they called you, Dreamborn." Chroma concluded.
Revira nodded, "But it isn't all bad!" she tried to push off the negativity, "Grandmother is currently always in The Dream sleeping as well so I get to see her a lot, and since I manifested from The Dream I have better control over my abilities! I was told that, when my mother was finally freed, they could… find a way to make me real."
"But you are real." Chroma gave a blank stare.
Revira laughed out loud, "Well I suppose so! After all, who else in their right mind would end up spending time with a hatchling who could accidentally blow up the classroom!"
The very chromatic hatchling started laughing with her, "Yeah maybe, but I at least didn't entangle the other hatchlings on purpose! The faces they made were pretty funny…"
The two spent their time just laughing and talking to each other. The night wore on and on before he felt his vision give a slight buzz. He was waking up, and it was time to go.
"Heading out then?" Revira showed a disappointed look.
"Well I'll be back," Chroma said, "Hey Revira?"
"Mhmm?"
"I will do what I can," he said with conviction, "I will try to help find your mother."
She stared at him for a moment wide eyed and then smiled warmly, "And I will help you get better at your abilities so you don't explode! Now get on! I don't think I'm quite used to this mushy stuff…"
Chroma gave one last laugh as his vision faded to black once more.
Chimichurngas here, hope you enjoyed the chapter! I'm excited for where Chromatic Scales is heading, and it is fun to write. I admit, a challenge was creating a distinction between the different forms and names the chromatic hatchling is taking, but it is one I enjoy. I cannot wait for the challenges ahead, and the mystery of Ahn'Qiraj as the characters forge ahead through Warcraft history.