Dreams of the Scarlet Swordswoman #6

A scarlet girl traveled plains thick with snow. The snowflakes stung her eyes, obscuring vision, their petals frigid to the touch. Continuous they fell, freezing her body and slowing her progress. Her objective: an old Grasnout resting by a leafless tree uprooted and savaged by the elements. Her feet sprang into a sprint, but the snow dampened her approach. Her distance from the bear grew, her effort wasted. She collapsed into the snow, succumbing to the cold at last. A soft matt of fur brushed her body. She looked up. The beast had come to her, licking her face amiably. The redhead stood, grasping the warm, rugged fur of the tusked bear. Warmth returned to her face.

The wintery plains changed to summer. The white transitioned to a lush green, and an azure blue replaced the overcast sky. The chirping of birds filled her ears from the overturned tree, its branches gnarled like spheres, each globe containing untold blossoms. The sharp chirps of the birds were delightful, peaceful even. She smiled as the small creatures landed on the ground, regarding her with a ruffling of feathers.

"We come to you, child of the universe, in the name of the One."

The birds flapped their wings, dazzling the girl in a bright flash of light. Three tall humanoids stood before her. They were dragon-like in appearance, covered head to foot in soft plumes of blue and violet. Lengthily hair wrapped around their bodies like a toga. Red eyes settled on the girl, yet they were gentle and full of wisdom. Long brows of yellow rolled off their heads like fountains of gold. Their mouths shaped like elongated beaks and long tails of swirling colors swiped about. They were double her height and half again as wide. An intense glow enveloped their bodies, too painful and bright to stare at for long, yet with a sensation of inexpressible euphoria. The girl found herself tearing out of sheer joy at this beautiful experience.

The bear next to the girl grunted, bowing its head. The blue dragon-like serpents raised both hands up and bowed in greeting, pressing the talons adjacent. The redhead moved forward. She attempted the same gesture but found her hands unable to comply.

"Do not fear, child of the One," they said in unison, like a musical ensemble. "We are the Faber. We are the guardians of your ancient world. We are those who initially seeded your planet with intelligent design--the dragons of the cosmos, the symbol of transmutation. It is through Dragonites and you that a fragment of our blood flows the strongest.

"Patience, love, gratitude, humility, wisdom--these things you must realize. The way forward is not as you think. You must confront your inner demon first: the ego. In this, there comes true strength, genuine courage, and the path to ascension." Together, they gestured a talon behind the girl. A massive shadow in the shape of a hideous serpent emerged but faded away moments later. The girl cringed.

"Destruction only begets destruction, for this is the way of the universe--Etherea, who rules over all Aspects and Creation."

They paused again, this time for a shorter interval. Smiles curled on their beaks, and their serpentine eyes glowed with a gentle light. Blue scales glinted under their feathers like mystical waterfalls. "Find it within yourself the tool to reforge creation. One among you already knows of this. Seek her out and the other children who carry hope's guidance. Gather the sacred artifacts and those of the old lineages to heal the Ethereal Seals Gate. Your destiny takes you to the Southern Wastes and against the Syre. Good luck, brave hero."

The dragons lifted their hands and sang loud hymns in some obscure language, vanishing in a pillar of light. The girl shielded her wincing pupils.

She turned to the resting bear, bent low, and hugged him. He licked her face again, the scar on his eye evident. Then, everything turned to fractured glass. A loud boom rent the plains, starling the girl. She scanned about, but could not find the source. The glass shattered.