Chapter 6
"̴̂ͅF̶̤̾e̷̟͝à̴̹r̸̜̔ ̷̪̌n̴͚̊ǫ̵̓t̷̥̊,̶͖̋ ̶̦͛I̷̺͂ņ̷̒ṡ̷̮e̶̯̍c̷̘͠ť̶̠,̸̳͌"̶̨̈́ said the Daughter, turning her gaze to the demon. "̸̫͂Ȋ̶͔ ̸̜̀w̴̘̔i̶̖̓l̵̲͝l̶̜͌ ̷̬̿s̵͚͋ḛ̷̂t̴̹͝ ̵͇̋y̶̥͒ő̸̳u̸̡̒ ̵̯͊f̸̻͊ŕ̷̞ĕ̷̘e̵̲͋.̸̪̾ ̶̟̚Į̴̂ ̴̝͑w̷̫͐i̴̲͝l̶͈͂l̴̜̈́ ̸̟̉ş̸̄e̶͍̿t̷̀͜ ̷̬̾y̵̖̚o̷͇̍u̷̜͑ ̵̹̏á̷̟l̵̰̕l̴̯̏ ̴̮̂f̸̰͊ṛ̸͒é̸̟è̷̡.̴̬̎.̵̣̇.̴̹̂"̴͖̔
The Daughter rose above the shattered and smouldering village, fanning Her tentacles behind Her like great wings as the unbridled, unimaginable power of Eternity coursed through Her veins. The Spark in Her heart strained and sparked, keeping Her from exploding into a million pieces like a lesser creature would.
She looked upward, looking through the sparse canopy and the 'World-Tree' above. Vile, disgusting, different, it defied Her. Like everything it was a blight, a blemish upon Their infinite, endless perfection: her Parents, her Peers, Herself.
Beneath Her the demon who in its ignorance and arrogance had thought it could challenge one beyond Gods stared in frenzied rapture upon Her Perfection.
Fading gold and un-light swirled together as she advanced upon the demon, floating over the remains of the mostly destroyed village. The Daughter levelled a finger surging with Void energy at the transfixed demon. With an effortless flex of her will, a lance of Void energy erupted from her fingertip and streaked towards the demon. The lesser creature raised its axe on reflex, and the energy struck the blue-gold-green axe-head dead on. Rather than simply erasing the axe from existence and moving onward to the demon, however, there was a thunderous roar of sound, and in a blinding flash of light the weapon exploded, dispersing the deadly Void energy as it went.
The demon was hurled away. Glorious colourless fire tore at his armour, and a wave of glittering blur-green-gold dust billowed up and outward like a vast, multicoloured umbrella. The dust stung where it landed on Her skin, and She hissed in irritation at whatever the strange, Void-Resistant material was, this 'Tyrite.'
The demon managed to shed the remains of its armour before it was consumed, collapsing and gasping for breath. Why did it struggle? Why did it resist? Didn't it know that she was inevitable? That all things Ended with Her? Irrelevant. Let him struggle, She would take him, like everything, in time.
"Ms. Caprifexia!?" came a voice, and She turned to see the small redhead that had once been Her apprentice, staring up at Her in horror.
The young woman was battered and bloody, but had survived her battle against the demon. Chandra's body burned with the same Spark that had for so long kept Them from Their Daughter, but now ironically was the things that had enabled the contradiction that was Her to ascend.
The redhead's Spark was warding off the purifying effect Her new form was having on the surrounding reality, but it was no matter, now that She was whole, She would be able to bring about Chandra's ascendence too. She'd be able to bring them all to ascendence. Planeswalkers, so long a thorn in Their side, would become Their greatest weapons. The Daughter would be the first of a new breed of Eldrazi, a new Unity, and together they would finally end the the foul pustules that marred the face of Eternity.
The demon pushed itself up and turned to run. She growled in irritation, and tentacles surged forward, grasping the demon, lifting it off the ground and drawing it towards Herself. The insect howled and snarled and tried resist Her grasp, but he was nothing. Her largest maw, distended and grew, shifting from its elvish proportions until it was larger than the demon. A million teeth burst from her gums, and the demon's screams was cut off as she consumed him.
"Ms. C-Caprifexia?" shouted Chandra as the itchy, no painful dust continued to rain down upon all around them. "You- you've won! You can- you can stop now!"
"̷͈̪̳̲̓̿F̶̩̘͒͂e̸̛̗̟͂a̷͈͇̎ͅr̵̬͒ ̴͔̆̒̀n̵̨̜̲̜̂͋̀ǒ̵̢̰̎͌̑t̷̡̜̻̐͂́,̴̹̘͊̏ ̸̜̊̀Ą̵̘̈́͂p̷̦̣̞̓̀̃͜ṕ̷̡̤̹̬r̷̢̗̰̈́͆ȅ̴̡̔͛̈ǹ̸̳̞͉̂t̷̢̰̖̄̍̑͝i̸̗͚͚̚c̶̩̣̈́͆̇͋ȅ̵͔̹̻̮̀.̸̡͓̼͗ ̴̜̕W̸̱͔̽̎̔e̷͖̎̕͝ ̴̘̤̞̆̿͐͜ẅ̴̢́̒͠ͅị̶̧̔̋̕̕l̴̛̺̳̓͐͝ḽ̴̡̫̤̈́͌̇ ̴̱͜͝m̷̱͖̒̊̚ä̴̲́͠k̸͎͈̎͋͜ĕ̴͓́́ ̶̻̖̎̇̈́͘ͅö̶̢̤͈̝̋͆̿f̴̨̛͎̺́ ̸͍͕̏̈́y̴̛̹͇͕̆ō̶̦̘̝͝u̷͔͈̺̞̓ ̵̻͎̿̾̇ā̵̦̝̪̞̌̉ ̸̲̯̟͌̈́́͜G̴̘̼͔̫̀͋o̸̧̭̙̝͆d̸͍̩̥̾,̷͎̻̈́"̸̭̫̓̉́͜ͅ said the Daughter, extending a tentacle toward the girl.
The redhead shouted in alarm, and her Spark flared higher in an attempt to ward Her off. But the Daughter was not Her parents, and the blazing power could not resist Her. She lovingly wrapped Chandra with her limb and lifted her off the ground. The redhead screamed and shouted, summoning fire that seared and blistered. But that was a passing irritation, and She immediately forgave her.
"̸̭̝̫̱̻̗̤́͘H̵̨̜̪͓̏̄̑͊͗̀̈͘͝ű̷͇̿̇̏͗̾̐̄s̸̡̟̝̖͕͇̳͐̀h̶̘̳͉̹̥̾͛̄͆ ̴̪͙̠̗̬̹̠̲̘̗͗͊̑̏̌̈́͒̈́̚c̶̰͙̯̱͕̬̘̈́͑̿̿͌̓ͅḫ̵͖̑̓ì̴̩̜̙̰̝̒̚ļ̷̠͖̰̼̪̭͇͑̈́̉̒͛̍̄̈́̋̕d̴̝̙̞̱̝̞̟̎͂,̸͈̈́̂̾͆̔̀̇̑͝ ̷̱̺͕͍̫̦͖̐̐́̃̾́͜i̷̭̺̰̠͌̈́̃̅͐̿̊ţ̵̛͕̥̼̽̎͑ ̷̨͚͖̬̯͕͔̳̪́̑͛͑̔͜͠į̵̧̧̛͇̞̪̮̹͚͒͠ͅs̶̢̟̮̙̪̐̒̍̀̒̄ ̸̡͚͕̲̈́́͐͋̉a̷̧͎̼̰̪͖͖͈͆́͆͂̂̓͘͜͠l̶͔͉̱͈͔̰̻̐̈̃́̾͝r̴͕͎̦̎͂͂̓i̷̼͚̜͉̎͒g̷͈̳͓͚͒̓̃͂͊͝h̸̢͙͖̅͘t̴̛̩̟̺̂̽͂́̉̊̈́̌̕͜.̶̭̰̥͖͉̑̋͛̅́͗̑̀̊̿ ̵̜̺̈́͌̊̽͂͝Y̸͚̭̯͍̙̬̹̝̼̠̅̏̽̈́̾̀̂̃o̴̢̫͍͌͜ư̷͔̭̯͉̄̅̇̐̋͘͘ͅ ̴̨͈̮̺̭̗͔̊̓͂w̴̰̑͆̄̐͘ͅi̷̧͇̜̗͉͙͉͂̃̈́̇̇̃̕ͅl̸̤̟̬̻͙͛̂͐l̶̙̇̓̏͐ ̷̧̠͙̭͚̠͚̇͑̑̄̋̉̃̾f̴̡̦̐̇̐̀͒̿̿̕̕e̵̱̻̹̅͊́̓̿̎é̴̯̯͎̅͜l̵̛͖̏̈́͑̓̔̏ ̷͓̘̮̪̉ñ̸͓̫̯̪̀̄ơ̸̢̘̰͉̙̹̤͇̜̲̾͛̓͂̈́͊ ̸̛̜̪̪͔̂͒̅̓͆̋́̈͠p̸̛̛̹͕͌͒͂̄͘͠͝a̷̼͙͓͖̪̦̻̽̎͋͋͝͝ǐ̵̗͔͇̻̻̗̅͆̑͑ņ̴̺̣̤͉̜͙̝͛̔.̵̢̛͓̮̞̬͉͍̫̆̂̃̔̎͘"̴̠̥̮̀̆͊̃͘
"Stop it!" screamed Chandra, struggling futility against Her grip. "You're hurting me! Stop!"
Chandra's glow intensified, and the Daughter felt her attempt to Planeswalk. No normal Eldrazi could have stopped such a thing, but the Daughter was not a normal Eldrazi. A flicker of knowledge, a memory from an infinity away… Her Spark lashed out and interrupted the process. The glow faded.
"̷̻͗̽̋B̵͎̞̲́̕e̸͍͒̈́̚ ̴̩͎̍͜n̷͓̼̹͛̕ő̵̘͂͝ṭ̴̢͎̚ ̶̭̀á̴͓̭͕̽̋f̷̺́͛ͅr̴̻͚͇̀́̃â̴͇i̴̘̇̀d̴̲͘.̸̯̟̙͗̉̚.̸̨̣̉̀̚.̴̧̖̓̊́"̴̞͇́
The Daughter prepared for the Change, prepared to grant Chandra what she had been gifted. The blue-green-gold dust, however, was becoming annoying. What had started as a slight itch was rapidly becoming a burn. She hissed, trying to wipe Herself clean. But the powder bored deeper, biting at Her form and worming its way inside, shifting from a burning to a jagged, searing agony. Deeper and deeper it sank, and to Her horror, it began tearing at the thread that joined the two halves of Her being.
She dropped Chandra and flailed back, spasming and thrashing as She tried to get the dust away from her. She failed, and screamed as She felt Her connection narrow and fray until-
From one moment to the next Caprifexia's Spark went from a contained flicker to a roaring bonfire; Her immense, infinite consciousness tore apart and collapsed back into the singular point of difference. The Whispers screamed as the combined energy ripped Her in twain, reducing the Daughter back to Caprifexia, purging tendrils and growths and eyes and maws in a pillar of golden fire, and dropping the small elven woman to the ground.
Caprifexia landed hard as the Whispers vanished entirely, her injuries screaming at her as she was hit by the sudden realisation of what she had, in her fear and desperation to avoid death, allowed to happen.
That she had- she had given in, just like her father, her mother, her Flight. And not just that, what she had turned into, this Daughter…
Titans, if that strange blue-green-gold dust hadn't been around…
She shuddered. No, that- that had all been part of the plan. She'd- she'd known about the Void repelling properties of the 'Tyrite'… Obviously.
Her excuses felt flimsy, even to her.
"Ms. Caprifexia?" came a voice, accompanied by a hand on her shoulder. "Are you… are you, like, you again?"
"What?" said Caprifexia weakly.
"Spirits, you're really hurt!" said Chandra, pawing ineffectually at Caprifexia's wounds. "Don't worry, I'll get help-"
"I'm fine," said Caprifexia woozily, reaching up to her torso, where the deepest cut from the Void energy was oozing with blood. She focused, hard, and soft white light spilled from her palm and slowly crawled across her body, closing the worst of her wounds and stopping her bleeding out immediately. Hopefully. "I'm a dragon."
"So, err… what was that?" said Chandra. "The whole, like, tentacles and eyes and mouths and, like, you eating the demon?"
"I meant to do that," said Caprifexia, woozily. "Hero stuff, you wouldn't understand."
"You- you meant to hurt me?" said Chandra.
"No!" she said. "Obviously not! But I- I knew- the- the dust…" Her voice caught in her throat as her most hated feeling, shame rose like a spectre within her. Chandra wasn't a villain, and she'd nearly hurt her. Worse than hurt her, she'd nearly corrupted her.
"You tried to eat me," said Chandra.
"Well- well… maybe you shouldn't have insisted that I use a Void Lance," said Caprifexia, angrily. "Did it ever occur to you that it was incredibly dangerous for me to use?"
"Dangerous?" said Chandra. "I-I didn't know-"
"Of course you didn't know," said Caprifexia. "None of you people ever think about what it's like to be me! No one- no one ever thinks of me!"
"Hey, hey, it's OK," said Chandra, taking her sleeve and wiping some moisture that for some reason was streaming down Caprifexia's cheeks. "It's over now; whatever… that was. We're both alright. I'm sorry, OK? Don't cry, please don't cry-"
"I'm fine," she snapped, shoving Chandra away with her working arm and embracing the far more familiar and comfortable emotions of anger and indignation. "I am a dragon! I will- I will not be coddled!"
Yes, whatever… that had been, she had overcome it. Learned from it. Yes, everything was fine.
Put the memory in a box; seal the box; throw the box away. Done. Easy. Problem solved.
"Hey, I was just trying to help!" said Chandra, scowling. "You-"
Chandra was interrupted by a pillar of midnight energy appeared, coalescing into the shape of a tall humanoid. Clad in a long black coat over silver armour, a long, gleaming blade was clutched in his fist that felt moderately magical. Silver hair gleamed in the midday light, and blood-red eyes glanced over the ruins of the town.
"What manner of creature…" he began, before his eyes alighted on Caprifexia. "Oh, it's you."
"Oh, Sorbet Melon, of course you'd show up too late to be useful," muttered Caprifexia, glad for another distraction – even if it was in the form of a pathetic bloodsucking lampray who was the most useless Planeswalker in the multiverse and who was never around when you needed him.
"I see that you're as polite as ever," he said, squatting down next to her and summoning golden light to his hands. The magic sank into her body, reducing the sharp pain to a dull ache and setting bones with uncomfortable snaps and clicks.
"You, um, know this guy?" said Chandra.
Sorbet Melon glanced at Chandra as he worked. "You're also a Planeswalker?"
"Err… yeah?" said Chandra. "How'd you, like, know?"
"You are speaking Old-Markovian," he said drily. "A dead language used exclusively by members of my household on Innistrad." He released his spell as the last bone clicked back into place. "There, you menace, how is that? Better?"
"Marginally," said Caprifexia rolling her shoulder. "Not as good as I could have done."
Sorbet pinched his nose and muttered something inaudible.
"This is Chandra Nalaar, my apprentice," said Caprifexia, wiping some more of the treacherous moisture from her face. "And I've already saved the day, you can go now."
"Apprentice…? How-" Sorbet shook his head. "You know what, I don't want to know. My condolences, Miss Chandra Nalaar. My name is-"
"-Sorbet Melon, I already said," supplied Caprifexia. "He's a disgusting undead lampray-"
"No, my name is Sorin Markov," he said. "And I am a vampire."
"That's what I said," said Caprifexia.
"Oh, um, cool?" said Chandra. "You're… not going to drink my blood, are you?"
"I do not drink the blood of children, nor other Planeswalkers," said Sorbet.
"Oh, um, great," said Chandra. "Although I'm actually thirteen, so, technically a teenager…"
"As to why I am here," said Sorbet, glancing around. "I was consulting with an acquaintance on Axgarde when I felt what I thought was an Eldrazi incursion. I assume it has something to do with you, you scaled menace?"
"No!" said Caprifexia. "I- I had nothing to do with it! You can't prove anything!"
"Err," said Chandra. "Eldrazi? What's that?"
"Beings of the Void," said Sorbet. "Abominations beyond the ken of mortal minds."
"Well, err, like, Ms. Caprifexia did sort of turn into this terrifying tentacle monster-"
"She did what?" snarled Sorbet, rounding on Caprifexia and jabbing her with a finger. "Explain yourself, now."
"That's- that's hearsay," said Caprifexia, slapping away the rude vampire's hand. "I-I know my rights! I demand a- a- what's it called-"
"Listen to me, you annoying little lizard," said Sorbet, grabbing her rudely by the shoulders. "You of all people should know how dangerous meddling with the Void is. Turning into an Eldrazi!? Even temporarily – leaving aside how you did it… are you insane!? There are limits to the protection our Sparks afford us-"
"I didn't do it on purpose, OK!?" snapped Caprifexia, more treacherous liquid running down her cheeks. "The Whispers- the Whispers just got too much. Ever- ever since I saved Nirn…"
Sorbet frowned. "Saved Nirn? Elaborate."
"From a Planeswalker called Mirael-"
"Mirael is on Nirn!?" said Sorbet, shaking her harder.
"Was on Nirn; I killed her," sniffed Caprifexia. "And do not shake me! I will not be undead-handled!"
"Impossible," scoffed Sorbet. "Mirael is one of the most dangerous Planeswalkers in existence. She is powerful enough to fight Gods in an open field and-"
"-was no match for my future self," said Caprifexia.
Sorbet paused. "Go on."
"I don't see why I should," said Caprifexia. "I don't owe you anything!"
"Just moments ago I healed your mortal injuries-"
"-hah, mortal injuries; I'm immortal, I was fine-"
"For the love of the Night!" shouted Sorbet. "Just tell me, you infuriating reptile!"
"No, go away!" said Caprifexia. His 'distraction' from thinking about… that was getting annoying now. Why couldn't people just give her some space? It was always 'Caprifexia, save this village,' 'Caprifexia, don't destroy that village,' 'Caprifexia, stop killing people,' 'Caprifexia, explain yourself.' No respect! This was exactly why she had left Nirn…
Sorbet took several deep breaths. "Listen to me, you excruciating child-"
"Hold on," said Chandra. "Child?"
"Oh, you didn't know that?" said Sorbet. "Yes, your 'Master' is a two year old-"
"-I'm three now!"
"-deranged, megalomaniacal, deluded, and erratic dragon whelpling," finished Sorbet unkindly, and wrongly.
"Which is totally different from a child!" amended Caprifexia. "Whelplings are more mature, and smarter, and better in… in every way than stupid mortal babies!"
Chandra blinked. "That explains a lot," she said, running a hand clad in the tattered remains of a mitten through her red locks. "Like… everything, actually."
"You're- you're just jealous!" said Caprifexia.
"Why you're so cute-" said Chandra.
"I am not cute!" said Caprifexia.
"Why you don't know anything-"
"I know loads of things!" said Caprifexia. "The most things!"
"Why you cause so much damage to, like, everything around you-"
"I'm a hero! That's what heroes do!"
"Why you have no idea how to read people-"
"You don't read people, you read books!"
"Why you're so small-"
"I am- I am bigger than average for my age!"
"Fascinating as this is-" said Sorbet.
"I'm a great hero!" said Caprifexia, outraged. "It- it doesn't matter if I'm a whelpling. I'm still a dragon! That makes me the best at everything!"
"If we could focus for a moment-" said Sorbet.
"Uh huh," said Chandra, reaching over to pinch Caprifexia's cheek. "OK, hero."
"I saved an entire plane of existence!" said Caprifexia, slapping Chandra's hand away. "Have you done that? No!"
"Which is something I wish to know about-" said Sorbet, trying again to interject.
"Sure you did," said Chandra.
"I did!" said Caprifexia, tears prickling in her eyes. "I did, I did, I did, I did! I saved Nirn! I stopped it being ravaged and turned into a lifeless husk! But no one cared! They just kept on telling me off! I thought I'd be nice and help you, but you're just like them! Mean and unfair and- and mean!"
"Excuse me-" said Sorbet.
"Hey, don't, like, cry," said Chandra. "I was just teasing-"
"You're mean!" said Caprifexia, flexing her Spark and opening a portal behind herself. "You think I don't know anything? Fine! Enjoy figuring things out on your own then!"
"Can this little… tantrum wait?" asked Sorbet in a tired voice as Caprifexia stepped through the breach. "No, I don't suppose it can – can it?"
Caprifexia ignored the stupid and useless vampire, closing the portal with a flex of her will and leaving her alone of the strange representation of the 'World Tree' that existed on this platform.
A moment later there was a pulse of gold, and Chandra appeared behind her and stepped towards her before coming to a stop.
"Go away!" said Caprifexia.
Chandra said nothing, and Caprifexia turned toward her.
"I said…" began Caprifexia, before trailing off as she saw Chandra's glassy, unseeing eyes. Oh right, only Caprifexia could consciously navigate the Void. Just another brilliant thing she got no credit for.
Caprifexia shoved Chandra back into the orb that led to that snowy place before turning and making her way down the tree and toward another platform.
There was another pulse of gold a moment later, and Chandra reappeared as Caprifexia reached thick tree-trunk-like bridge that led to a platform covered in silver-white barked trees with brassy coloured leaves. Caprifexia scowled, and considered shoving Chandra off the side of the bridge. But even if the young ex-mortal was mean and horrible, that seemed like an extreme action that only villains, like that proto-drake born, really deserved.
So instead she ignored the red-haired girl, reaching a wooded plane and opening a portal.
Warm wind washed over her as the portal snapped shut, and she looked around to find herself standing on a riverbank next to a torrent of fast-flowing water. Overhead an immense ringed gas giant glittered in the reflected light of a star, and a band of shimmering ice and rock ring shining silver and gold. Trees, like those on the platform, white-barked with brassy, metallic leaves swayed in a gentle breeze.
A new world, untouched, full of endless possibility and wonder and… and she still felt hollow.
It didn't matter how far she went, the immense, infinite distance she travelled, the same thoughts, the same problems still dogged her. On one claw, the knowledge that her inevitable demise grew ever closer like a lengthening shadow in the wake of a setting sun. A fear that she now knew was not only painful to her, but an active danger to herself and everyone around her. It had weakened her resolve, made the Whispers louder; if that weird dust hadn't ripped apart the Whispers…
No, she was not thinking about that.
On the other claw, she could not escape the aching hole in her heart, the knowledge that moment to moment, time slipped by, her so-called friends grew older, withering like fruit on the vine. She had thought that the pain would fade in time, but it didn't. The hurt, the rejection… if anything, it had only gotten worse. Even making new bonds, with her so-called apprentice, had only brought with it more pain.
Chandra appeared in a flash of gold.
"Hey," said Chandra, grabbing her arm. "Don't, like, sulk-"
Caprifexia snarled and spat sparks, melancholy once again giving way to safe and comfortable rage. "Leave me alone, mortal!"
"I didn't know you were so touchy, OK?" said Chandra. "Spirits, I was just teasing you! I didn't know you'd start crying!"
"Leave me alone!" roared Caprifexia, shoving Chandra back and sending her tumbling over the ground.
"Ow!" said Chandra. "That hurt!"
"How could it have hurt you? I'm just a stupid baby, aren't I!?" shouted Caprifexia.
"I didn't say you weren't strong!" said Chandra. "And why are you crying again?"
"I'm not crying, you're crying!" said Caprifexia sitting down on a rock and burying her face in her hands. "Why are you following me!?"
"Because, like… I don't have anywhere else to go," said Chandra awkwardly. "You're sort of, like, my only friend."
"You're not my friend! You're mean! All you mortals are mean!" said Caprifexia. "I saved your life and you just make fun of me! No one ever thanks me for anything!"
Chandra said nothing, and for a moment Caprifexia thought maybe she'd go away. But then they came and sit next to her. The small human fidgeted, rubbing the back of their neck with their hand.
"I'm sorry," said Chandra. "For… teasing you, I mean. I didn't know you'd start crying."
"I'm not crying," sniffed Caprifexia, looking away.
Chandra said nothing more, and for another ten minutes the only sounds were the rush of water and the chirps of birds overhead. Thankfully the stupid vampire hadn't followed them. She didn't want to deal with his rudeness and endless questions, especially not now.
"You said 'no one ever thanks you?'" said Chandra eventually, breaking the silence. "Back on Kaldheim. You ran away from home. Didn't you?"
"What do you care?" said Caprifexia.
"I'm sorry for teasing you," said Chandra, taking Caprifexia's hand in her own. "And yeah, you did save me, and it was amazing! Although that tentacle thing was really scary… I mean, I was… I was just, like, surprised to find out you were younger than me, you know? You're such a powerful mage, I thought you'd be, like, really old. Friends? Please?"
Caprifexia grumbled.
"Please?" said Chandra, a note of desperation in her voice. "I didn't mean to upset you so much. I want to be your friend."
"I didn't run away. I don't know where my home-plane is," said Caprifexia. "I fell through the Void when my Spark ignited."
"Huh. What about… 'Nirn?'" said Chandra. "The plane you said you saved?"
"They're all mean," said Caprifexia. "And they made it perfectly clear they didn't want me there. They wouldn't even let me wear my real form anywhere. They just told me off all the time, people who said they were my friends; said they were my family."
"That sucks," said Chandra, hesitating a moment before continuing. "I bet they miss you though."
"They hate me," said Caprifexia, shaking her head.
"Caprifexia I- look, I'm only thirteen, I don't know that much," said Chandra, her voice tightening. "But my…" Chandra's voice choked, tears rolling down her cheeks. "What I'm trying to say is, sometimes people say things they don't know will hurt those they love, yeah?" said Chandra. "Like me; I didn't know you'd get so upset."
"You called me a baby!" said Capriefexia. "I'm not! I'm a whelpling! They're not the same! Everyone treats me like I'm… I'm useless! Even after I gave up everything for them! I- I-"
"What?" asked Chandra softly. "Gave up everything?"
"I- my future I mean… I die for Nirn," said Caprifexia, looking down at her hands. "Thousands of years from now. And they just- they just didn't care. I thought- I thought maybe finally people might take me seriously. But they don't. They're just mean!"
Chandra hugged her, and after a moment's hesitation Caprifexia hugged her back – careful not to crush her ribs. It wasn't for Caprifexia's benefit, of course. One needed to indulge mortal children, she'd heard that somewhere.
"Even if you're only three, I still think you're awesome," said Chandra. "And you saved my life. I mean, maybe I would have become this 'Planeswalker' thing anyway, but you- you fought for me. I won't forget that. Ever. You're a hero to me, baby or not."
"Whelping," grumbled Caprifexia.
Chandra laughed and drew back. "Sorry, right whelpling," she said, wiping her eyes. "So… friends?"
Caprifexia regarded the desperate looking girl warily for a moment before nodding. "Very well."
Chandra grinned widely. "Cool!" she said. "So now you've gotta tell me how you're so good at magic!"
"I am a dragon," explained Caprifexia, the edges of her lips quirking into the ghost of a smile.
"I know, but like, how can a three year old take on a dozen Consul enforcers and come out on top? No, not just that, you wiped the floor with them. And the town, which- no, we'll talk about that later, but the demon, and that 'Eldrazi' thing…" said Chandra. "Shouldn't you, like, being learning to talk still?"
"Dragons are born with innate wisdom and knowledge, and are in general vastly more intelligent than mortals," said Caprifexia. "But I have also been studying since I was a hatchling. First at Blackrock Spire, my home, and then on Nirn, partly by myself, partly at… a College."
"Oh wow, so there are magic schools?" said Chandra.
"Of course," said Caprifexia. "Not all worlds are so phobic of spellcasting as your sorry excuse for a home reality."
"Would they teach me?" said Chandra. "Or are they all dragons or something?"
"No, they're, unfortunately, all mortals," said Caprifexia. "And probably – they'll take anyone."
"Could you… show me?" said Chandra.
"I'm sure there are better schools," said Caprifexia with a sniff. "They're mean."
It was true that part of her did want to return to Nirn, to at least give Einar a piece of her mind, if nothing else. But a large part of her was still so incredibly angry at what he had said to her, at how they'd all just dismissed her. Well, not J'zargo she supposed, he hadn't been mean and nasty to her. Not recently at least…
"Ma and Pa used to tell me off all the time," said Chandra. "They still loved me though. I'd give anything to see them again."
Chandra looked down at her hands, and tears began to pour over her freckled cheeks. The feeling that Caprifexia had felt after the Last Party returned, a tightening in her chest at the thought that every day she stayed away from her Nirnian friends was one she would never get back…
"I suppose we could stop by," grumble Caprifexia. "It's only a few days travel, and… they might at least have some good introductory books for someone at your level of ability with magic."
Chandra beamed, her silly looking mortal face breaking into a wide grin. "Cool!" she said. "What, err, about Sorin though? I think he, like, wanted to talk to you."
"Who?"
"You know… Sorin?"
"I'm positive I don't know anyone with that name."
A.N. So this chapter felt a bit clunky, but I've been sitting on it for like a month at this point without making any major changes, so I think that means I should just post it.
This is the end of this mini-arc. I am not entirely happy with my drafts of the following one, so I can't promise anything regarding a release schedule. I've also been working on another writing project which may or may not ever see the light of the internet, which because I am obsessive and find it hard to focus on more than one thing at a time is taking away from my work on this one. It might just be added to the million odd words of half finished stories I've got in my fiction folder.