It's About Time

this is just a random fic because I really need to start writing again.
...
: It's about time.
Raven jolted like she'd been struck by lightning, whipping her head around to find where the voice had come from. Her stomach dropped like a ton of bricks when she realized there was no one else. No one else, but her.
She jerked her head back down to the parchment she'd abandoned in her fit. The ink she was using to chart the surroundings had smeared, creating an ugly blackish-blue stain. She grit her teeth, rubbing at the bridge of her nose with her free talon.
Of course she had to go and ruin her only map, not only making this journey pointless, but shredding any inkling of an idea where she might be in Pyrrhia. Of course, she could have brought along one of the dozens of premade maps, but no, it was the adventure that mattered. God, she was stupid sometimes. Now she was going to flap around aimlessly for days, with no clue where she was going to end up. Knowing the state of Pyrrhia, it wasn't going to be anywhere friendly, she was certain of it.
Raven stared down at the ruined map, remembering the voice that had caused her to jump. What in the name of the three moons had that been? Had there even been a voice, or was it her lack of social interaction or the past few months making things up inside her own head? Probably, all things considered. She'd always known she had a few stones loose in her wall. Of course it had to be now that the wall came crumbling down, when she was defenseless and alone. Maybe if she was lucky she'd get a quick demise. She looked around, taking in the icy-blues of the surrounding tundra, and laughed. Hardly. Oh great, now she was laughing to herself now. Her circumstances kept getting better and better.
: So, are you done going insane? Or am I still the voice inside your head?
There it was again. The rich, smooth voice, sharp and cutting, yet rich with honey. The way it lolled over its words but somehow made them biting. The mere existence of such a voice must break several laws of physics.
"What do you mean, done going insane? I'm talking to myself. I'm just spiraling further and further into madness."
Corection: she was arguing with herself, which probably didn't make it any better.
: I suppose you would believe that, exactly like every other dragon I have spoken to. They all believe it's a voice in their head. 
: Which, I mean, isn't that far from the truth, they always just think they're going nuts. Which they aren't.
Raven blinked, No, it couldn't be. There was no way there could just be some random disembodied voice talking to her. But...
She took a deep breath, running her talon down her horns. "Okay. I'll try and believe for just a moment that I'm not going crazy, even though there is no evidence that proves otherwise. I'll hear you out, magical floaty-voice, and whatever magical floaty-voice nonsense you have to bestow upon me."
The voice chuckled.
: Well, that's more than I usually get, so I'll take it.
: By the way, you might want to sit down, my magical-floaty-voice-wisdom is a bit drawn out. And I do tend to get lost in nostalgia.
Raven turned back to the rock she'd strewn her map and ink on, shiting them to the side to get a good seat. She tucked her legs underneath her body, her forelegs dangling over the edge of the rock
"Humor me."
The voice promptly launched into a grand tale of magic, of so-called "animus dragons" that once ruled Pyrrhia, until the great animus war what shook the land to its roots. It destroyed everything, leaving Pyrrhia a mere husk of its former glory.
: I was from that time period. That's actually why I'm just a "magical-floaty-voice," as you called me.
: It was no accident. I was an Animus too, once. I ruled the tribe of earth and swamp.
"MudWings, you mean?"
: If that is what you call them now, then yes. They were my family. I didn't want to be in the war. but...
Raven could hear the toxins laced throughout their voice.
: The tribe of winds and fires dragged me into it. I should have been more adamant about my refusal, I suppose.
: Me and my kin were caught on the losing end of the war. Which was my fault. I was terrible at warfare, and the tribe of wind and fires did not care if we survived. They only cared if we aided them in their fight.
: After a few months of fighting with terrible losses, I retreated from the war. I brought my tribe to a corner of Pyrrhia, and I created a swamp for us to live in safely. Any other dragons that entered met an untimely demise in beasts of the quagmire which I enchanted to protect us. Oh, by the way, do you know if they are still there?
"No, I don't think so. The MudWings don't have any magical swamp monsters from what I know."
: Ah, alright. The enchantment must have worn off. No matter. Back to the story.
: I lived there with my kin in peace for some time. At least, until the tribe of sleet and ice decided my tribe should be destroyed.
: Their leader came to the edge of my swamp with a great army, challenging me to a duel. I had no choice but to comply, as he was threatening to make his men impervious to my enchantments I had put in place to protect my people. And if he did that, my people would be slaughtered.
A sob had snuck into their voice.
: It was the most terrifying thing I've ever experienced. You haven't seen true horror until you've seen a hulking dragon before you, eyes gleaming as he curses you into nonexistence. That was the last thing I ever truly saw.
The sorrow in their voice had been growing stronger and stronger in every syllable they spoke. Raven was sorely sorry that this voice had no physical presence, else she'd be furiously reassuring them. Instead, she could only offer soft-spoken words.
"I'm... so sorry..."
: Please... don't be. It was nothing you could ever have changed. By the time you were born, my fate had been set in stone for eons.
There was a rush of air, and Raven realized they had let out a huff.
: As it turned out, the tribes of ice, wind, seas and sands had unified to purge Animus dragons from the rest of the tribes. My tribe had been their first target. Whether they succeeded in purging the other tribes, I am not aware. 
"So, have you just been... here for all this time? By yourself?"
: Besides for the other wanderers I've spoken to for brief periods, yes. Though years feel like minutes when nothing happens. It's been... strangely peaceful.
Raven could tell from the edge in their tone that it hasn't been peaceful at all. She was at a loss of what to say, in any attempt to comfort them.
A silence fell, thick and heavy between them. It was stagnant as a swamp. Hah, swamps.
She swallowed hard, searching for words to break the uncomfortable silence.
"Is there.... anything I can do? To... help?"
: ...I'm....no. I'm afraid if I can't get myself out of this state, nobody can.
: But... I... I appreciate the concern.
Raven sighed. She turned her head to the map laying beside her, her talons seeking something to do. She picked up the slightly crinkled parchment, holding it in front of her gaze to look over the pattern of the smear.
She nearly tore the parchment when she realized the smear was gone.
The map was beautifully filled out, in a handsome amber ink she had never seen before and knew for a fact she did not own. It perfectly traced out the route she had filled in, as well as ares she was certain she hadn't been to before. It was....
It was magical.
"Animus!" She called out, the name digging underneath her scales. It sounded so awful, so deprecating, but she had no other name to call them. She internally slapped herself for not asking their name.
"Did- did you fix my map?" She called out into the wilderness, feeling incredibly idiotic when no one answered back.
"Please! Answer me!"
Nothing.
It was like there had been no voice. Like she'd woken up from a lucid dream so vivid she beieved it had to be real, even if it absolutely could not. 
She felt drained. Empty. A husk.
She stared back down at the map. It gleamed back, offering no solace whatsoever.
She took a deep breath, closing her eyes. She let herself sit there for who knows how long, trying to put the pieces of her shattered mind back together.
Animus. War. Tribes.
A duel.
Purge the tribes of animus dragons.
Raven opened her eyes again, looking at the map. She looked up at her surroundings, back at the map.
With a trembling talon, she reached for her ink. She dipped a single claw in, letting the silky black liquid run around it for a moment, before taking out and holding it carefully, letting the excess ink drip onto the frigid grass below.
She stared at the map for a moment, still baffled by its gorgeous detail, before she gently bent dow and pressed the inky talon to the paper, creating a black dot in the map.
She wiped the ink off of her claw as she gazed at her dot.
She would never put this much effort into a single mark.
Not unless it was important.
She gathered her things up, stowing them away in her bag before slinging it over her neck. She studied the map for a moment, tracing an imaginary path with her claw. Satisfied, she rolled the map up, turning to make leave.
As she walked away, she paused.
She turned her head back, letting slip a small smile.
"I will come back. Mark my word."
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Fanfictions (Completed)