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Several Months Later...

"Mommy, Daddy..."

A consistent nudging forced a groan out of the white dragoness. The former Guardian of Wind slowly opened her eyes, taking a few moments for her vision to come into focus. She internally sighed, looking at the hatchling that stood before her.

"Can I sleep with you and Daddy? It's really cold."

She sighed and lifted a wing, allowing access to snuggle in between the two parents. Kara looked at her mate, knowing all too well the pain that covered his face for the last several months. She couldn't seem to hide her own either, wishing for her late mate to be curled around them protectively like he used to.

Kara felt bad for her hatchling, knowing well what it was like losing parents. Her own mother had died when the original Dragon's Claw was attacked, shortly before her late mate's father blew the city and himself up in an effort to protect her. Her thoughts were interrupted by a faint sound. She looked down, making sure her mate and hatchling were both asleep, before sneaking away out of the bedroom.

She heard the front door before following it, the sound always seeming to elude her. Finally, she caught up, arriving at the statue of Void and her late mate. Sobbing in front of it, that same mate's cousin, Silvus. Kara slowly snuck behind him, listening.

"I'm sorry Rift, I should have gone back for you. The condition you were in when I last saw you should have been enough to make me save you. Neala is being a trooper for you, defying physics and being a master of plasma. Kara is also holding strong, guarding over the city like your father. Sithris... is taking it the hardest. He doesn't tinker anymore. He just spends his time laying down and looking lost, or growling at me. I know you wanted me to protect them, but I feel like I ruined their lives in the process."

Kara looked at the ground in shame. As much as she hated it, she did partially blame the Messenger of Light for her mate's death. She looked back at him as he continued, looking to the larger figure.

"I'm sorry I failed you Void. You helped save both me and Kafto. All you asked was for me to be there for my cousin. I wasn't..."

Finally, the wind dragoness had enough. She made no effort to hide her footsteps. Kara grabbed him with her wings and held him tight. He cried softly against her chest, releasing months of built up guilt. She rubbed his horn-less head and spoke softly. "I forgive you."

Silvus shivered softly, his sobs going out as he relaxed in the comfort of not just a friend, but family. He slightly smiled at the dragoness. "You are too kind Kara, thank you."

The dragoness helped him up. "There's... Something I need you and Sithris to see. The moles found it buried and I wasn't sure if I should tell anyone."

The ice drake nodded slowly and followed, becoming nervous at the idea of being around the heartbroken electric dragon. Kara sat him at the table. Eventually, Sithris joined him, followed by a now very gravid Kardia. Sithris was the first to speak.

"Unless it is putting that mad dictator or the silver dragon in the ground, I'm going back to sleep."

A loud smack filled the air as Kara's tail connected to the back of the black dragon's head. "None of that now! I have some important information." She pulled out a book, dusty and slightly charred. "Void apparently wrote everything he had gone through during his life here. I'm not sure how this survived the blast, but the moles found it. It has information we need on Shara."

The other dragons stared at her in shock. Kara simply opened the book and started reading the entries. The others leaned over intently.

---

21st of First Seed, 1348: Ravine continues to grow with our child. It seems like a promising first born that could do us proud. Earth Guardian Terrador asked me to join his brother and a group of Warfang's best soldiers to go remove a couple of dragons bent on freeing the Dark Master. That shouldn't be a problem.

25th of First Seed, 1348: The dragons gave us much more trouble than we expected. They knew much more about dark magic than anyone thought possible. We had no choice but to kill them. It was no easy feat, ten soldiers perished. I pray the Ancestors watch over them.

There was also a hatchling, turquoise and pink. Terragon wanted to kill her, but I was able to stop him. I pray that he mellows out in the future, for he was malicious in his attacks. I decided against his wishes to bring her with me back to Dragon's Claw where I may teach her the way of good.

26th of First Seed, 1348: Ravine is very upset with me for bringing the hatchling. I cannot see it, but she is convinced the hatchling is filled with dark magic. I think she is just being overly protective of the egg inside of her.

10th of Second Seed, 1348: I still don't know the name of the hatchling, so I have called her Lilith. She has become more and more attached to me, which has worried Ravine greatly. I tell her there is nothing to worry about, but she is set on Lilith being evil.

26th of Second Seed, 1348: Ravine has me deeply worried. As we set for bed last night, she had brought up asking me to care for the egg should she not survive it's laying. I told her that she's overthinking and all will be fine, but she still made me promise.

2nd of Midyear, 1348: Today has been the worst day of my life. Ravine has been murdered. My heart aches in agony for her to come back to me. Lilith has disappeared and the people are convinced it was she that had killed my beloved, and I have to agree.

Ravine's throat had been torn to shreds by claws that could not have been the size for an adult, and dark magic radiated off the wound. What I would give to have saved her. She was all I had after I was refused Guardianship over Fire. Now she's gone.

The egg survived... Barely. They expected it to laid tomorrow. With Ravine... Gone, they had to surgically remove it so it would not be suffocated. Part of me almost wished it did. Looking at it is enough to bring that image back into my head.

I miss you my dear. May my time be short so that I may join you soon. I love you.

28th of Midyear, 1348: The egg hatched. It is a boy, colored so strangely that it puts my sister's hatchling to shame. Orange and Silver, at least I know now that he can never be successful in stealth. He looks like me. His eyes though, they bring so much joy, yet so much pain to me. Deep blue, just like his mother. He is a feisty one already, ramming his head against his egg shell to break it. I did promise I'd raise him, and I will. My son will be my greatest mark on the Realms.

I have decided to name him Riften, or Rift. May the Ancestors look after him.

---

"Is that why Rift never mentioned her to me?" Silvus questioned. That explains Shara's hatred of the Guardians, and why Rift perished. He blinked as Kara shook her head.

"No, he didn't know she was murdered. Void told him she died laying his egg. I was with him for that." She looked at Silvus. "This was right after you healed from your fight with Cynder and Keltin got banished. Rift started wondering about family and asked Void. He told him that, and Rift took it as being his fault. He spent weeks in a depression and it took us going out for hunts before he was able to put it past him. But he still feels at fault for it, and thus never brings her up."

Sithris sighed. "Both father and son lived a rough fight. I just wish my pest was still with us. We will start planning our attack."

The door slammed open as a bloodied and bruised dragon collapsed on the floor. "Convoy. Attacked. From New Schatten."