The water of the great room of Fornax remained as it always did: warm but placid, ignorant of the darkness that had become so pervasive. The shores of Moon Island made a series of small, light notes as the water tapped across the rocks, an indolent mood having settled across the area during this time of unnatural darkness. Considering the nature of these caves, what could possibly be considered natural to begin with? The presence of water around the islands? It was heated from below by an ever-present magma stream. The islands? This central island was moon-shaped; it was entirely likely something had carved the island out of cave rock in order to pass the time.

And what about that odd stone which had begun to erupt from the center of the island? Was it natural? The emerald had begun poking through the soil even before the lights had fluctuated - and now, with the darkness swimming about through the corridors, it had fully emerged from where it had been birthed. It was far from a clean looking arrival: the emerald was fragmented and faceted like an irregular set of teeth. Somewhere among them was the creature, set in to a deep slumber by the magicka that coursed through the inner sanctum.

It was natural enough, one must suppose, in a world of magic and mayhem, that creatures be born with an immaculate defense. The emerald glowed ever so faintly in the thick dark and cast a moodiness across the scene that might've been considered ominous, simply for the color. It was not a vibrant green but a putrid one - a faint tone coming forth with the faintest illumination of magicka. As the creature's heart beat, the subtle glow would strobe softly. The creature was deep in sleep and did not appear ready to rise just yet.

Maybe, though, it was merely a trick of the light.

?Since returning the little bat safely to Orion, long strides had carried Equinox into the dark, looking for somewhere quiet and peaceful. She had been drawn first into tunnel M by the promise of moisture, and had been lured up the rising tunnel by a mist that offered the distant promise of warmth as it traced her slimy skin.

So she padded, her jaws parted, her chest rumbling, and great footfalls creating deep, echoing thuds in the dark. The air grew warmer, and Equinox picked up the pace, the black slime trail she left behind growing more fragmented as the droplets were unable to keep up. Eventually, Equinox emerged into a peaceful paradise the likes of which she had never seen. The draconian creature rumbled with pleasure, turning her head slowly and taking in the sights from the tiny lights from the ceiling. They weren't much, but they were enough, more than Equinox was accustomed to now.

It took a long time before Equinox moved on, long strides carrying her to the water's edge. The mist was soothing against her skin and the slime coating her dripped freely. The water rippled softly as she stepped near it with the vibrations from her throbbing voice. The slimy creature then entered the lukewarm water, sinking down onto it so that only the top of her head was exposed. Stretching out her great wings, she trapped bubbles of warm air beneath them, and used these to keep her afloat. She drifted out onto the channel towards Moon Island, the currents pushing her, and only the vaguest of movements to guide her away from rocks.

Occasional bursts of water emerged as she breathed through her nostrils, but other than that Equinox was still as she basked contentedly in the warmth of the paradise she'd found.

---

"Speech looks like this."
"Thoughts looks like this."

tags: @Tuaantu
notes: here