[backdated to a couple days (still May) before the chrysalis incident of V-Onyx-Three]

For all that Alek knew his stone was from Fornax, he had hardly visited it in the past. Barely a visit at all, really.

But it felt right, that the first time he wished to explore around, Onyx-Three accompanied him. He paused suddenly, unsure if he had mentioned, since he had simply proposed this location as a place to teach swimming initially.

”My parent, Cadenza, they collected my stone from here. They have a necklace that allows them to breathe underwater and they love to swim, and when they found the glowing fish under water, they knew they needed stones from them. They caught two using their magic, one of which is my sibling Gaheris. My brother Kaizer came from a different lesser stone, gifted to them as they made their way back to Leo,” he explained his beginnings.

”And though we hatched in Leo, it was around the time of the war between… well, the Chaos Forge and the Hive, the part in Leo. So it was not safe for children, and my parent and dad moved us to Orion. There wasn’t much water to swim in there, in comparison. I think… The first place I actually swam in was Cetus, the same cave where I eventually met Erasmus,” his masculinely musical voice hummed thoughtfully.

He hopped into the water with a splash that likely soaked the other, grinning sharp teeth with delight and Onyx-Three. ”The water is nice and warm! But you might want to hold onto me while you practice kicking with your legs for swimming, since it can be very deep in some places. I promise, I will not let you drown.”

@V-Onyx-Three

Fornax felt strange. The warm radiating from the walls, the water, the air, all of it made the humid atmosphere seem almost stifling. Their fur was already beginning to get wet, even before the actual swimming begun. The sand sunk uncomfortably between their toes, calloused feet not quite sensitive enough to feel its soft embrace. The thought of Alek and his siblings being revived from lesser stones was quite strange to them. In the Forge, it was much more common for them to come from two greaters, usually skilled enough to guarantee, or almost guarantee, strong children as well.

He knew of the war between the Forge and the Hive, though he had not been around to witness it. How he wished he could be there, but alas, he had not been. Just the thought of Order was making him increasingly alert. "It is not." he agreed, thinking that it would be dangerous for anyone to be near Order, children or not. Even he, who was part of the Forge, had not been immune to its call. "You are welcome in Draco. If you need a safe place." stated Onyx-Three, even though he knew it wasn't his permission to give. He would try to convince Vargas if it came down to it.

They watched Alek jump into the water, yet paused at the shoreline. It was a bit amazing how in all his cycles of combat training, water was not an obstacle nor environment he had much experience in at all. And now he was in Fornax. Where there was a lot of water. But this was no extreme danger, and not nearly as dangerous as the countless spars he had been in. Plus, Alek was here.

Onyx-Three waded into the water, flinching as it weighed down on his fur. Despite being part-fisher, this really wasn't his thing. But he forced himself forward, going further and further in until his paws left the bottom. His limbs immediately kicked into action, keeping him afloat. He was swimming. For now. "Not too hard." They commented, even if they felt a pang of fear run through them despite their success. But their current technique was expending too much energy. "Tips?"

@Alek

Alek's many eyed gaze blinked at Onyx-Three, startled and honored by the idea of being part of the Chaos Forge in equal measure. Or simply existing in Draco alongside Chaos Forge, but if he was to move there, he could commit to a place like that for the connection to Onyx-Three, for this dear companion and friend.

His parent's dads... they likely would not approve, he thought. He had not met Dread, and he dared not, in a way, knowing how he was connected to the death of another dragon, kin of them both. Alek was family, and if Dread was like Cadenza at all, he would still love him. But the conflict of loving him was a thing Alek had thought much of. He still did not visit family often. It was... lonely.

Suddenly, his mind was deeply considering the Chaos Forge. "What would I do there?" he wondered, genuinely curious what purpose he might have. An idea came to him, but he did not know if it would work. "I do not mind fighting, but life is not a constant battle, at least in the literal sense, so I would not do that all the time. My skills... I am a caretaker, it seems, when not fighting. Not what I expected when I was younger, but a fact about me. Does the Forge have need for a teacher, for the young and learning?"

He shifted his focus back on the swimming, however, and he studied Onyx-Three's technique. "Try moving your arms in motions to test out what supports you best. Kicking is simple enough, but swimming with your arms involves more than simply moving them, it is moving them in a motion that allows for maximum energy and motion efficiency," he suggests.

"Doru has gills, but Bez did not. And they both have arms, not two pairs legs. They also have wings, though, while my wings are less... wings, and more large fins in function," he explained for how he had learned these things. "I am uniquely suited for underwater combat, but both my children could fly. That was... a learning experience," he commented, a wry humor to his voice.

@V-Onyx-Three

Onyx-Three was a bit surprised that Alek preferred the caretaker role in contrast to combat. They are even more surprised that Alek is seriously considering the idea as well, though they suppose with his many eyes, he's already half-way into fitting into the Forge already. "I suggest you speak Vargas if you wish to join. He will know of the roles you may take on." After all, it was their father who had taught them the skills of combat, with the rest being learned from experience and spars. The family dynamics were rather fluid, with some having more or less contact with their parents. Not everyone had the privilege they did of being taught so much by their parents. "We have not had many young recently. But there are always tasks to be done. If you live with the Forge we can spar often."

His strength was wearing out rapidly, and he tried to adjust his posture but it didn't quite work. You see, this was the issue with being half-way between a dog and more anthropometric, you couldn't do the paddling motion nor could you move your limbs freely enough to have larger, flexible strokes. Perhaps the only helpful thing was the fisher part of him that provided water resistant fur. "I can not fly or swim." he stated, though the swimming part was being made painfully obvious now. If his opponent caught him in the water he would really be in big trouble. So he resisted the urge to return to shore and continued trying to power through it.

It was also unexpected that Alek was unable to fly. This was a fact he had not known, or rather, perhaps he had forgotten. That was unfortunate, having wings and not being able to fly. Though they were very good for swimming. Onyx-Three was just good at running, and had hands which were good for numerous things. But swimming or flying? Way out of his league. At least until he got more practice. With swimming at least, not flying. "We can spar in water when I am better. I need to learn." And maybe Alek would take the opportunity to throw sand instead of dirt in his eyes.

@Alek

The aquatic dragon realized, yes, he was genuinely considering this. ”Would you be willing to bring me to speak to Vargas?” Alek asked. ”Not… now, but in a few days?” He should talk to his parents first, inform them of his potential decision. And he would have to think of this, since it was indeed a vast change.

”A shame,” Alek remarks. ”Children are the future. Perhaps…” they pause, then realized that Onyx-Three was struggling. ”Perhaps a more curved gesture, like scooping the water beneath your arms will assist?” Alek suggested, thinking on the way that Onyx-Three’s arms were shaped.

”I would enjoy sparring with you again, though I am more of an underwater ambush predator in my skillset. I would be happy to spar with you on water or land, though… Perhaps we could also learn to fight as a team? You could fight the opponent in the direction towards the water, and then I could take advantage of their distraction of fighting you,” Alek considered, his mind thinking on tactics.

”I will teach you as long as it takes,” he assures Onyx-Three. ”Feel free to grab onto me if you need a break. It is strenuous, when you are unused to swimming,” he had taught three beings how to swim, if he including reteaching Erasmus how to swim better.

@V-Onyx-Three

old friends and new - echoes of wishes

It seemed to come up through the water, like the briefest sparkle of light that didn't quite belong.

It was an old magic, an echo called to this place now, one year after its last flicker through the caves.

Or it was a new magic, a gift in and of itself, in memory of what had come before.

Or it was something else. Something born of connections and magic numbers, time past and time yet to come.

A flicker, as two who had met before, met again. A promise. A whisper of possibility, but only a fraction of what it could have been. Still... it could be something. They had only a flash of time. No chance to discuss. No long minutes of soft debate, or calculation. Only this moment, a whim, the instinct to guide the spark of magic toward a gift. Would they choose something the other truly would like, adore, fall in love with, respect, feel forever grateful for? Or would their gift be a mistake, a misstep, well-intentioned but easily forgotten?

There was no time for second-guessing. Each of them felt it: the offer, for that split second, of making something come true for their companion.

__________

V-Onyx-Three and Alek each have only an instant to decide upon a Wish for their thread partner. While the players are free to discuss OOCly, the Gembounds themselves are the ones making this Wish: it should not use out-of-character information but should instead reflect the intent and beliefs of the Wish-makers.

Please GM tag a second time to have a Game Master confirm that all Wishes are viable.

@V-Onyx-Three

Something shifted in their expression, "Yes. I will take you to Draco." Onyx-Three imagined the conversation would go quite well. He wondered if Alek would want him to be a part of the meeting or not, though he supposed such technicalities could all be decided when it actually happened. It would also be a strange feeling. Alek would actually see his home for the first time. He could only hope he would like it there.

"Children are important. Mentors are equally important," they commented, and not only talented ones, but mentors that had the right skillset set to train the children as well. Children really weren't something they thought about often though, with the main thing they knew being that it was important they were trained correctly. Beyond that, it wasn't something they lingered on. Especially considering there hadn't been much children in the Forge lately. They wondered if there would be someone in the future who would want to learn smithing from them.

"We would have to find opponents." If Alek were to really join the Forge, they pondered on who may possibly be interesting in a 2v2 duel. That would be interesting for sure, considering they had only sparred solo before. "Good idea."

Then a sparkle of magic caught his eye, something he understood to be a wish he could grant for Alek. And in that moment, he wished "I want Alek to feel loved where ever he goes." Onyx-Three had no idea what the wish would bring, but it felt right. Because Alek was lonely without his parents, who he wished he could see more often, because his children had gone off into the caves on their own and left him behind, because he yearned for so many things but Onyx-Three understood that what he really wanted was to feel at home, and to feel that others loved him as much as he loved them.

The moment passed, and now he found himself drowning. They tried to take Alek's advice and make a scooping motion but it wasn't working and now he was panicking and his head was sinking below the surface and the water stung in his eyes. He thrashed blindly in the direction of the dragon. His jaws opened to call for help but his mouth only flooded with water.

@Alek

Alek wondered to himself if Onyx-Three had ever considered children. He did not voice the question, not now, but he thought it. A part of him lingered on that idea, and thought that it would be different having children raised in the Chaos Forge, as he were joining, but he did not think it would be a bad difference, per say.

Children raised in a group were less likely to feel the need to grow up so fast due to survival, as his previous children must have felt. There was plenty of room for growth without needing to leave the nest, as well.

Sparring with Onyx-Three sounded lovely. He was out of practice, he thought, sparring and not hunting.

The wish magic hit suddenly, and Alek’s tactical mind tried thinking of possibilities, but there was one wish that stuck out to them. This wish was what got through: ”I wish Onyx-Three could know how wonderful they are, how much they are worthy of love, and they could perhaps feel that love,” he wished, thinking of how Onyx-Three stumbled over emotions and worried at first that they were not a good enough friend.

And then the moment passed, and Alek had no time to think or ask anything, because Onyx-Three was flailing in the water and Alek knew what to do, having thought out what to do, but now with this fear in his heart, he moved even more quickly.

His wing closest extended under Onyx-Three, lifting him up on the large limb, and then since the scoop had gained some water as well, he maneuvered the wing to place Onyx-Three on land. ”You need to cough out the water,” he stated, voice firm and commanding unintentionally with his concern. ”Water in lungs can cause drowning, even after leaving the water,” he explained, tone to the point.

Though his voice was stern, his multi-eyed gaze was full of concern for Onyx-Three.

@V-Onyx-Three

old friends and new - echoes of wishes

The Wish magic lay momentarily dormant whilst the water rescue was enacted. Only after both were calm--lungs cleared of water, any gasping come to rest--did it brush through them once again.

A vision eclipsed the world around each of them, and they would each share the same experience, albeit separately:

They spun away, upward, through rock and threads of water and magma until they looked down upon the entirety of Origin Cave as if it had been cut from the stone below (and how small it seemed!) and then--beyond. Upward, a glimpse of greenery and deep evening sky and the bustle of life fading as the vision rotated, looking upward, looking outward, into the stars.

A sky. Hues of deep blue tinged with pink, and then they rocketed upward, the colors fading into pure black speckled with the pinpoint white fire of the stars. And beyond, streaking through the universe, a vision of passing stars, some close enough to be called blazing suns; and planets, and the knowledge that a thousand thousand worlds lay scattered across these. Each alone, an island, the vast unknowable empty darkness stretching to impossible distances to keep each isolated. Each one was alone, yet there were so, so many of them. The universe was filled with them. Alone, yet together.

A warmth filled the vision. A love. Life was beloved. Each person, as each entire world, alone... together. Each million eyes turned to the black sky above, never knowing the extent of isolated yearning that existed universally. A love, that the universe could be so full of joyous life, that which sought to connect to other life, that wished--impossibly--to forge bonds across the cosmos. A love, that each creature was a part of that: the universe was made of billions of beating hearts that were each unique, each a single component of an incredible whole, that would never be again. All were beloved.

The vision swept backward, now, a beautiful flash of stars passing them by, gently dropping them back down into their home: this single solar system, this single moon, this single little thread of tunnels carved from rock. And within, hundreds of sparks like stars, like worlds of their own, isolated from one another by the distances of flesh and bone.

As the vision faded (whether it were real, true, or simply metaphorical), both came to with something new: a pendant, heart-shaped and ornate, forged from some brass or golden alloy. Within the locket, should they open it, was a simple glittering image--like a tiny, heart-shaped window--of the stars glowing against the black night sky. They would know the name of this item as Heart of the Universe. Too, they would feel a new magic sparking: the ability to sense the feelings of those around them.

All those who were alone, yet together.

__________

Alek and V-Onyx-Three each receive the Lesser Empathy spell along with identical pendants, on slender chains fitted to their necks. The pendants open to reveal an image of a starry black sky, which periodically shifts to show new stars. While wearing the pendant, Lesser Empathy casts that are Critical Fails instead become Failures, and Failures are considered Barely Successfuls.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ Heart of the Universe Two small, twin, heart-shaped lockets of unknown metal on slender but durable chains of different lengths. Opening a locket to look within gives the viewer a vision of the star-filled blackness of space, though the stars seem to change periodically. They are not otherwise linked. ELEMENT: MAGIC LEVEL: 70 DURABILITY: 80 SPECIAL: Enchanted. When wearing the locket, Critical Fail casts of the Lesser Empathy spell become Failures, and Failures become Barely Successful. MATERIAL: Metal Alloy ATTACK: 0 DEFENSE: 0 WEIGHT: 1 EQUIP: Necklace ADDED: N/A Currently owned by: Alek & V-Onyx-Three

@V-Onyx-Three

They were sinking... and then they were lifted up and out of the water by Alek's wing, and deposited onto the sand. He hunched over, needing no instruction before coughing out the water that filled his lungs. Their body was shaking, a strange sensation, similar to when he overworked himself or went to a place that was too cold, but this time it was from the strain of heaving up what he had swallowed. Even if it had been only a few seconds, his nerves were shot through with fear. Even when they got the last of the water out, the lingering taste of the water remained in their mouth.

"Thank you," came the words, but no more could be said before magic swept over them, a vision unlike anything they had ever experienced before. They were so small in these vast caves, world, then universe. But rather than the immense feeling of loneliness out in the void that might have been expected, it was instead a warm sensation. It was love. But before he could linger upon it, everything whirled past him again, and he was back in the moment, in these caves, next to someone who made him feel not as lonely.

"Did you feel?" they asked Alek, referring to... whatever had just occurred. There was a strange weight around their neck, and they looked down to see a pendant. They took it off and held it in their palm, admiring its shape. It was in the shape of a heart, which they knew from all the prey they hunted. And then they opened it, revealing the stars within.

Then they felt the pull of magic coming from the Heart of the Universe, which they knew to be its name though they did not know how. They did not use magic. But something told them that this was safer than the magic they knew, and stronger. The onyx gemstone glowed, and they reached out, experiencing a similar rush of warmth they had felt before from Alek. "You are warm." he stated, "Like the glowing spheres."

@Alek