Archipelago - A Story of Acceptance

Prologue
----"-oh and you couldn't do better!"
"Do you really think im that feeble?"
"From the way your acting, yes!"
Coast furled up his snout. He stared face-to-face with a larger Seawing. Humboldt. His 'Captain'. Humboldt flared his wings,
"Your just as weak as I thought"
"You haven't even given me a chance to prove myself!" Coast spat back.
"I shouldn't have let you join the voyage anyways!" Humboldts voice boomed. More Seawings crowded around the two,
"I only joined because I thought we'd be discovering new land! Not murdering innocent dragons!" Coast couldnt contain his anger, the air was heavy with hostility.
"If you think its so easy to lead a group of spineless dragons, why dont you give it a go?" Humboldt dragged his talons across the wood deck, it splintered under his grasp.
Coast puffed out his chest,
"Maybe youre just weak!"
Humboldt stepped forward. Coast saw a blur of gray and blue, suddenly, his snout stung. He reached up to touch it, when he brought his hand back down, he stared wide-eyed. On the tips of his talons was a scarlet red liquid. Blood. It glistened in the sunlight above, a shadow of clouds was casted over the ship. Rain began to thud down onto the deck, Seawings started heading back to their cabins to sleep. Humboldt growled,
"Know your place, Coast."
Coast watched him, frozen, trudge back to his cabin. The deck was empty, it was silent aside from the light drumming of rain against wood. Coast looked down, blood trickled off his snout and onto the deck. Anger bubbled inside of him. What was the point of this anyway? The voyage had just been a sacrifice to young dragons so far. A distant song rose from the horizon, Coast turned his attention to the bow of the ship. The rising sun was a semi-circle of orange. Shadows casted across the boat, the light shone into Coasts eye. He lifted up his palm to give him some vision. Something was outlined on the horizon, circling black shapes. Birds. Coast was about to shout to alert his crewmates of the approaching land but, he stopped. The sight was wonderous, the outline of an island against the horizon. It didnt even look real. Palm trees swayed, the clouds cleared above, the water became clear. A paradise. Golden sand beaches stretched far out of eyesight, birds circled the boat. Coast made his way to the front of the boat, to get a better view. More islands came, small ones, large ones, all different kinds. This was it. They had found it.
The Archipelago.
Chapter 1
----Mako tripped over himself, the pile of scrolls he carried tumbled out onto the ground,
“Son of a starfish!”
He struggled to recollect them all but eventually he did it, they were all covered with sand now. Mako sighed with frustration,
“Stupid scrolls,” he muttered.
He walked back to his hut, a small sight on the beach. He opened the door and sprawled the scrolls out onto the table. He organized them in different positions until they formed a map,
“There you are,” Mako grinned.
He analyzed the map, then nodded. Wait, wasn’t there supposed to be an underwater cove near Southwest? He took out a feather and dipped it in ink. He drew a small arch with a wave over it near a South West Island. Could be neater. Mako was about to close up the scroll when something outside his window caught his eye. He walked up to the window and peered outside. A large, torn piece of cloth laid on the beach. The waves lapped at its tip. That’s strange, I thought all the remnants of the old kingdom were gone? It looks like a curtain.. A flag perhaps? Mako was staring through the window when something like an alarm went off in his brain. He flung open his door and went to check the piece of cloth. When he got closer he noticed a faded picture on the front, almost like a half circle. Mako picked it up and dragged it towards a shadowed spot underneath a cliff ledge above. He turned it over and the other side was blank, so he turned it to its original position. His eyes scanned the image, trying to piece together the picture. Oh! Thats a flag for one of the ships! But why would it be here? He had already realized a couple of torn edges on the flag but he didn’t pay too much notice to it before. The ragged corners told him something had ripped off a piece of the flag. His eyes narrowed. Mako dragged his eyes across the flag one more time, processing all the different reasons it would be torn. A wind storm. The idea seemed more obvious now that Mako realized it was most likely the culprit. The quick relief was flooded by fear and suspicion. If there was a windstorm, where was the rest of the ship? The dragons? Mako felt worry hang over him like a storm cloud. Then his stomach felt sick. I don’t think I want to know what happened to those dragons.. He looked at the horizon, squinting his eyes, hoping maybe something would signify the safety of his tribe mates. Nothing. Mako decided to take an active search to check underwater. When Mako submerged one hand he looked back at the flag. If he was going to check, maybe the flag would have more details? No, he had checked the flag more than once now. Mako turned back and dove into the water. The sun glittered through the water like scattered crystals. The gentle waves felt nice against his scales. Mako looked for any driftwood or shiny objects that may be a hint to the destruction of the ship. After tearing apart about half of the reef, he spotted something shiny caught on a jagged piece of coral. He swam over and scooped it up, it was a necklace. It had a gold layer with a sapphire in the centre. Mako was about to go back to the surface when a shadow caught his eye. He whipped his head around, nothing. He turned back to the necklace and realized a name engraved on it. Lamprey , a medal of bravery. Mako dug through his memories to try and remember a dragon named Lamprey. He couldn’t. At least this shows reminance of a dragon, or what’s left of them. Suddenly his vision shook, he felt the tide strong against his scales. When Mako went to scramble away the necklace flew out of his talons. No!  He turned around to grab the necklace but the tide dragged at him. He was tossed and turned, the waves crashed against the shore. Mako's head burst through the waves, he realized that he was farther out than before. The ground which used to be covered in water was now soaked sand. The tide is pulling out! But why is it so strong? Before he could try and shout for a dragon, he was pulled under by the swirling water. Mako's vision contorted. The water distorted his vision more than usual, Mako didn’t know which direction was up and what was down. Without thinking he flung himself in a random direction, he burst through the surface. He caught his balance and looked out to the ocean. A large wave towered at least 50 dragon lengths away. A tsunami. Mako quickly fled back to the beach. He was torn between grabbing his map and grabbing the necklace. Mako dove into the waves and spotted a shiny object. He darted towards it only to find out it was a piece of metal. No, no, no, no, no, no! He erupted through the surface, a shadow loomed above him. Mako turned his head. A wave crested above him.
A loud crash and bang of thunder was all he heard.
Then, darkness.
Chapter 2
----Mako's eyes felt heavy. Every muscle in his body ached. Pain seared through his scales. Mako opened his eyes, his vision was bleary and wavering. He noticed something, his surroundings. A rush of adrenaline made Mako wide awake, he shot up and whipped his head around wildly. Where am I? The beach which he stood on was a bright golden, much less dustier than the sand he was used to. Mako dragged his still aching body across the beach, looking for any clues on where he was. Palm trees grew taller than a dragon here, the air was humid and light. The wind blew gently across Mako's body, he took in a deep breath, admiring the view. A large rainforest laid ahead, a distance away from the beach which Mako felt he could not make without collapsing from exhaustion. I should focus on finding food, that’s the most important. Mako turned back to dive into the water, it was so beautiful. The water was like a mirror, reflecting every so perfectly. Mako inhaled sharply. It was beautiful. He submerged himself in the water, it was even more beautiful there. Glowing coral reefs stretched as far as the eye could see. Schools of fish crowded the water, darting away at the sight of Mako. The habitat here was so healthy and alive, untouched by dragons clearly. Mako didn’t want to disrupt this new ecosystem, he took into consideration that he didn’t belong here. Deciding to live here would throw everything off. He observed that with a predator like a dragon, or multiple, could destroy everything pretty about it. Mako darted between coral, trying to find a perfect fish. Then he saw it. A large tuna, perfect size for a dragons appetite. He sunk low and drifted across the sand until he was below the fish. He shot up with his mouth open, he clamped his jaws down onto the fish. He flung himself into the air and held onto the fish tightly as he flew back to the sand. The warm blood felt rich in his mouth, even the prey tasted like paradise. Mako sat down and tore into the fish, eating every last piece. The noises around him, cawing of birds, waves lightly drumming the shore, all gave him a familiar feeling. One of longing. It felt as if he belonged here. He couldn’t, he was born in the Sea kingdom. Although, who knows how far away that is now? The smells were new as well, fruits, ocean, smoke. Smoke?! Mako turned around and scanned the skyline. A stream of smoke plumed through the canopy of the trees. Mako left his fish and plummeted into the jungle. He tried to remember which direction the smoke rose from. East? He turned and twisted through the undergrowth. Mako took a moment to descry his surroundings. He turned in a circle, unsure of what direction he came from. Of all the moons! I'm lost.. Mako sat down and sighed. This was it, he’d die alone in a forest. Nothing could save him now. An idea sparked in his head, he sighed. Mako held his hands up to his face. Oh, idiot.. You have wings, use them! Mako tried to fly through the canopy, it was thicker than the ones of the Phyrrian rainforest. He found a weak spot and tore through the leaves. When he turned around he spotted the beach once more. He began to fly back but something nagged at him, curiosity. He was torn between exploring the forest and trying to find his way back home.  Exploring the forest could give me so much recognition at the Sea kingdom! I could map a whole new island for us to live on! That is, if I find my way back. Mako shook his head. No, the ecosystem here is perfect. I can’t ruin it.. but it would make me noticed, maybe even famous. Mako roared in frustration. Why did it always have to come to choices? Mako hated making decisions, especially when alone. He could map an entire continent but couldn’t make a decision on what to color mountains. Grey, brown? No, he must be thinking about getting out of here. Mako  flew adjacent from the beach, the forest seemed to stretch for miles. The adrenaline from before eventually wore off, the aching returning. Mako made a careful landing in the trees, settling in below some roots. It couldn’t hurt to take a rest, would it? He needed to be careful. This was unfamiliar territory, he could die without proper guidance. Mako shook his head, he couldn’t rest. Not here, not right now. Mako heaved himself up and trudged through the heavy and overgrown jungle. He began to count his steps after a while. 1, 2, 3… 1, 2, 3.. Everything seemed to loop and Mako couldn’t walk much longer. His legs gave way beneath him, fatigue overcoming him. His breaths came in large and noisy choruses. He laid his head down as his eyes grew heavy. His eyes shut.
Chapter 3
----Glittering sun, colorful beaches, sanctuary, paradise. Does this satisfy you? All you want, all you need, in one place. Almost a symphony. The dynasty which you strived for, yet lost. A monarch's fault, or a nations? Collective destruction, now alone. What once was a burning fire is now a pile of ashes. Ashes of a new fire, a new beginning, stamped out. All because of power. Is solitary the key to happiness? You are better off alone than with a group, one mind works better than 10. A nation, fallen apart at the hands of one. Which is better? To be lost or found? Lost, lost in a hurricane of anguish, because of a single choice. It’s your fault. You are alone, with no one. A harmony? Or a disaster? Society burns itself out, and puts the blame on others. Is that what you want? You want a paradise, earn it. Nothing good comes without cause or purpose. To have something better, you must try for something better. Try, try, try… it all ends eventually… time is wasted on meaningless arguments… Why not enjoy what you have? Try for better, work for better.. It will get better… but whose fault is it? A nation, or a king? Strive, strive for better. Don’t destroy.
Give life, accept others life. You are lucky.
It is not your fault.
Mako's eyes opened. He shook his head and sat up. His body now was flowing with energy, he could work with this. Mako stretched his wings, yawning. His gaze drifted from one tree to another. With the right items, he could escape. Mako began tearing vines off trees and roots from the ground. Heat hung like a storm cloud around him. Being a Seawing he wasn’t naturally built to withstand humid temperatures like this, but Rainwings could. I wonder if that’s because of evolution? Mako stopped and thought. Maybe because Rainwings lived in the rainforest for so long they- Mako stopped himself, mumbling,
“Stop getting distracted.”
He tore off more tendrils and vines until he had an acceptable sized pile. He wiped sweat off of his forehead. Maybe I should take a quick swim, find some breakfast. Mako flew back through the canopy and turned around, he spotted the beach. He dove down onto the sand and let it brush against his scales, he smiled. This sand, this whole island, was fascinating. Everything was ten times better than the Sea Kingdom, or what it could’ve been. Mako made his way towards the water and when his scales touched it, he inhaled sharply. The water was so relaxing, feeling like a lagoon of heaven submerging his talons. He strode into the water and dunked his whole body in. He forgot the wonderful sight that the underwater world was. It felt like he had been sleeping for years, leaving all memories behind. How long had it been? Mako stared at the sun from below the surface, maybe 12 hours? A day? It didn’t matter, what did matter was getting off the island. Mako paused. Did he want to leave the island? It was perfect, a sanctuary for a dragon. The rich coral reefs and fish population were perfect for a Seawing. He closed his eyes, imagining a life here. My family. Mako frowned. I would leave my family behind.. they probably think I’m dead. After my father left for the voyage, he hadn’t come back, my mother was in shambles. My whole family was in shambles. Being the oldest sibling meant that Mako had to do a ton of work. While trying to not disappoint his mother. Mako's eyes opened and he noticed a fish only about half a dragon length away from him. He ducked down, drifted below the fish and.. Splash! He burst through the surface of the water with a fish in his jaws. He landed back on the beach and a rush of pride flowed through him. His mother would be beaming at him right now. My mother. A bittersweet smile crossed his face. He had to get out of here. For her. For his mother. He had a family to live for. He had to go back. Mako finished his fish, leaving only bones behind. I'm getting out of here. Without a second thought Mako trudged back through the jungle. He was going to get out.
Chapter 4
----Mako heaved a pile of wood onto a rock, panting. Is that enough? He grabbed a vine and stretched it out across the pile of wood. He sighed with frustration. This isn’t going to work. Mako stared at the pile of wood for a moment before turning around and trekking through the jungle again. It had been maybe 4 days of isolation and Mako did not like it one bit. Every hour he seemed to lose a tiny bit more of himself. Mako had found a way to make time pass, searching underwater for pieces of metal or anything that may be relative to his old life. So far he had found a broken piece of glass, a lens of glasses and a broken ring. The weather around the island had been non stop sun, Mako hadn’t seen a single cloud in all his days here. Which seemed to be a problem since all the plants appeared to be healthy, meaning it rained at least twice before he got here. Something that Mako had noticed over the course of his time here is that he hadn’t seen any land life. Fish surrounded the island like a rainbow ring, yet Mako hadn’t seen any animals on land. He could hear birds singing but never saw them. Maybe this island was empty for a reason. A shiver went down Mako's spine. What if dragons used to live here? What might have driven them out? If the question was true, how would dragons have lived here? Mako stopped to quickly look around, before starting to walk again. The beach gave off a warm aura yet in the jungle Mako felt as if he was being watched every step of the way. It was eerily silent, as if something was waiting in the shadows ready to pounce. His safety was quite inadequate here. A sudden noise behind Mako made him stop abruptly. He hoped that silence would follow, assuring him that it was just in his head. A stick cracked behind him. Time slowed around Mako. What if a creature killed off all the dragons here and he would just be another victim? Mako painstakingly  turned his head, preparing for something to leap at him. A small mouse-like creature sniffed around the ground, Mako exhaled with relief. It seemed to be completely oblivious to Mako's existence, getting less than an inch away from his talons. The creature acted although it was blind, stopping before moving and sniffing the air every couple seconds. Mako knew he didn’t need to stay there any longer as a figure erupted from the bushes. Without thinking Mako turned and bolted as fast as he could in the opposite direction. Blood roared in his ears, the fast thumping of his feet echoing in his mind. A morose roar throbbed behind him. Vines and tree branches whipped at his face, leaving stinging scales. Mako twisted and turned while the edges of his vision blurred. Clawsteps that weren’t his thudded behind him, Mako quickened his pace. 
When Mako saw the perfect opportunity he flung himself into the air and grabbed a tree branch, swinging himself onto the thick base. Mako covered his mouth with his palm, trying to soften his breaths. He closed his eyes and wrapped his wings around himself. If this is the end then what would it be if my last moments were of fear. Mako opened his eyes and slowly peeked around the edge of the tree, tensing his wings. A yellow head crested the bottom of the tree and Mako yanked his head back. He stared up at the canopy and contemplated for a moment, he threw himself upwards only to get snapped back hard against the tree, knocking the breath out of him. Mako took a large gasp and clenched his teeth. When he looked down he saw the culprit, a thick vine curved around his torso. Mako began clawing at it, hearing splintering wood getting closer. Mako tore at the vine. A low growl sounded near his ear, hot breath plumed against the side of his face. Mako slit the vine in half and without looking back, threw himself off the tree. He charged forward and ran blindly, not caring where he would end up. Just as long as this thing stopped chasing him. Mako made a turn, a large clearing opened up in front of him. A large stone pyramid towered above him, moss and vines covered the structure like veins. Mako turned around to make sure the creature wasn’t close, behind him was empty. He turned back to the large pyramid and stepped towards it. It casted a long shadow over him which felt like he was being swallowed whole by a whale. When he stepped closer he noticed a small crack between the doors, or what he thought were doors. He shoved his face against the cold stone and pressed his talons onto the wall. The inside was almost completely deserted, no light or movement. A quiet dripping noise echoed through the pyramid causing Mako to pay closer attention. Water. He shoved his talons in the gap and pulled, trying to wrench the door open. The doors creaked and burst open, sending Mako tumbling back. Curiosity overtook him. When Mako regained his balance he walked directly into the building, without a second thought. Which may have been a good idea, if the doors didn’t swing shut immediately after he entered.
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Fanfictions (Fanon)
Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)