Lost Magic

Haha motivation spurt go brrrrrrrrr
Destruction, death present. 
You have been warned. 
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|-|Intro=
This is a series of stories revolving around strange magic.
|-|Final Days of the Sandwing Palace=
Saguaro landed in the smoldering crater. Everything smelled of ash and death, but strange scent of moldy vinegar and salt hung in the air, crinkling his nose in disgust. There were barely any remains left, only a few of the oldest walls and melted globs of ruined jewelry scattered here of there. Any signs of life had been reduced to blackened bone and the ashes of dragon flesh. Saguaro looked down. Right next to his feet was a blacked rock, or... as he pulled it out, he could see it was a dragon's skull, lower half missing, blackened almost beyond recognition. He wondered if it was the Queen, her mate, or any of their royal children. He was sure he'd never know. He looked up again, staring at the looming size of the crater, larger than he'd remembered the palace was, consuming everything, reaching far enough to crumble the walls of nearby cities. 
It had been a few days since the reports came in. First, the shockwave. A thunderous boom that even Saguaro could feel under his talons, like an earthquake in the air. Then came the dragons, claiming that the palace was gone and so was any signs of those inside. He'd wanted to go to the crater, explore what had happened to the might symbol of sandwing might. Finally, on the third full moon, it was cool enough, cool enough for dragons to step on it's grounds and not burn their feet off. 
He looked back, at the others that had joined him. No one had signaled for him, or was looking at him. He did see the temporary Queen, Gilia, accompanied by Queen Glory, who was paler than any sandwing he'd seen, and the Seawing Queen (He forgot her name). Queen Gilia was clutching her horns feverishly, looking down at the blackened earth. Poor dragon. He did truly feel bad for her. Having to take up the deadliest role after... this had happened, whatever it was. Saguaro turned, surveying the crater. Ash rose from some areas, mostly those that had paper, food, or dragons. Among one of the outlines of the chambers, he spotted something. Pale, flapping in the wind. 
Saguro hopped over, gliding over rubble and remains, and landed in the smoke, beating it away with his wings. He grabbed the object, a sheet of paper, sitting inside a broken steel box. He was surprised it hadn't caught on fire, and that it was intact. When he unrolled it, the paper was blank. There was nothing on it. Saguaro didn't believe that this paper really held nothing. He rubbed a talon over it, and he felt the ink on it. Invisible ink. It was probably one of those things that would reveal itself under a certain light, like the lights forged from deep sea creatures, that could be used to reveal hidden words. Thankfully, as a message encoder and decoder, Saguaro had a few tricks up his sleeve. 
He pulled out a lamp, his personal, multi-purpose lamp, and covered the area with his wings, creating an area dark enough for the lamp to do it's work. He lit the lamp, and, rolling the paper out onto the ground, flipped through the shades on the lamp. until words formed on the paper, glowing in a pale green light. 
This is how we will be communicating from now. Make no mention of this orally. Am I understood, Fossil?
Then, underneath it, in a neater writing, was:
Yes, Anubis, but I fail to understand why we need to do this.
Sound travels farther than you think. It is dangerous to communicate where others can be right behind the corner, listening to you every move. Have you got my first package? Remember to mark the top of the paper with a claw hole. 
I did, but I fail to see how a pile of black stones will help us. 
Trust me. I was sent by our leader himself. He says that the plan will work.
What do these stone do? Are they enchanted?
It is foolish to waste your words, Fossil. I trust that you shall install them as ordered. They will not hurt you. 
Understood. 
Message received. 
The stones have been put in place. When is the next shipment coming in?
At the next full moon. It is difficult to acquire them. The traders don't let these go cheap. I don't like using our leader's resources. We're capable dragons. 
Is that some frustration I see from the stone-cold guard?
This paper is for information purposes only. Talk to me in person. 
I understand.
The next shipment is outside. There will be two dragons in hoods that are going to give you the boxes. Do not be seen.
How many are there this time?
40. Double the last. I trust you to handle them.
Boxes received. No one's questioned me yet. I don't liked these stones. They radiate something... sinister. I feel like they want to rip my scales off.
As I said, they will not hurt you. 
Then why will they help us? 
I said they will not hurt you. The queen, on the other talon, and her Eye of Onyx, will fall.
How many will it kill?
With luck, just the Queen. With less luck, it'll hurt other dragons. With the most luck, it'll get our leader. 
You don't like Vulture?
Or you.
Vulture? The dragon who attacked the palace back when Darkstalker rose from nowhere? Was he behind this... destruction? Saguaro looked around. No one had disturbed him, everyone else was wandering around the ruins, digging up remains and talking to each other. 
...
Anubis, I'm sorry. I didn't know he'd take them.
Apologizing won't fix anything. Just get the hall built. And refrain from using this for personal messages. 
Understood. The stones have been installed. I also received your next shipment. 
Message received. Contact me again when you receive the next shipment. I hear your work is good. 
I've received the next shipment, and I found a crab in it. Where do these come from, Anubis? Be honest with me. 
We trade for these from far-shore seawing fishers, but my sources have informed me that these could come from further out. 
Like Pantala? I don't think they had magic, much less this terrifying-soul-draining stuff. 
No, not that far. 
A third island?
Not a third island either. Some place deep underwater. 
But these can't have been made naturally. They must be from somewhere.
I don't know where, understand? All we and the traders know is that they're powerful and act dangerously near animus-worn objects. 
What do they do? 
I am not able to currently tell you where they're from. Until the final piece is delivered, do not ask about them again. 
Understood.
Message received, continue to contact when you receive packages. 
2 packages received, containing 20 tiles apiece. 
Message received.
6 packages received, containing 40 tiles apiece.
Message received.
3 packages received, containing 20 tiles apiece. The hall is almost complete, these last packages should do it. 
Message received.
Anubis, I know we haven't got the chance to talk privately, I but I heard that you requested to be transferred out of the palace, and that's going to happen tomorrow. What is it? Does it have to do with those stones? Please, tell me. 
It's too late, Fossil. There's nothing you can do. I'm getting my family out. The capstone is at the entrance, place it in the center of the hall, on the ceiling. And if you won't do it, I know one of your assistants will. I'm also informing Vulture that the plan will be complete tomorrow, telling him to be there. 
Anubis, please. I'm so sorry, It was all my fault. I should have told you that I was with the Talons of Power. I shouldn't have lied to your family. I should have covered my tracks better. I know I couldn't make it up to you no matter how hard I tried. But I swear, by the fiery moons themselves, if you tell me what's going on, I'll tell you where he hides the prison keys. 
Tell me the location first. 
Fine. He hides them under the second to last step of the dungeon down. Underneath the stairs are three boxes. Two are booby trapped with dragonbite viper venom spikes, the third has the key. He randomizes the order each time, but the box that's attached to the smallest rope has the keys. Can you tell me now?
I've left a scroll in the box for you. It holds a copy of all I know about this plan. No one else in the Talons of Power knows about this. This will be the last time I contact you. I advise you take the scroll and get out, and tell no one. If you do, I'll make sure your fate is worse than death. 
Thank you. 
That was it. There was still a third of the scroll left blank, with no more hidden messages inside. Saguaro dropped the scroll, and turned off the lamp. He looked up. The dragons were crowded around an object in the center of the crater, but he couldn't get a good look at it. Before he decided to check out what was going on he looked back at the box the paper was in. He lifted the lid. 
There was only one thing inside it. A gold necklace, with a vulture stamped in the medallion in the center, scratched out in a rage. A message to quit. Wherever those two dragons, Anubis and Fossil, were now, he couldn't help but wonder at what they knew, what they had done. 
He put his lantern back in his bag.
|-| Old Scrolls=
The seawings would probably kill Terra if they found him. That's why he did what he does. It's exciting, challenging fate itself, maybe smashing a few seawing heads on his way. He swims upwards, from the depths, to take a final breath of air before going down. It's so far out, any seawing would be stupid to come this far. But if they did, Terra could give them a good beating. 
The air is fresh, and smells of the ocean. Terra bops like a seagull, of which there are a few nearby. He inhales, taking in the salt. It's a fine day to be out, minimal wind, clear sky, not a cloud (or seawing) in sight. 
Terra took one last deep inhale, and dived down. 
The ocean is always cold. One just had to get used to it. Same with the blurriness. It had gotten better, but it was 
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Category:Fanfictions
Category:Content (Chickendragon)
Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)
Category:Fanfictions (Canon)