"Mmmuuaagghhh, Piikuuuu!!!" Natalia groaned dreadfully, her voice muffled as she buried her head deep into her pillows. The elf child's hands blindly clawed across the bunk in search of extra sheets to further conceal herself from the oppressive light emanating from my desk, "When I said I'd let you read tonight, I didn't mean flash your stupid lamp on and off like some lightoholic moth!"
"Oh, s-sorry!" I replied with an apprehensive jolt that straightened my back like a board of wood and sent my glasses flying to the other side of the desk. Clicking and bouncing against the fine wood before safely settling upon one of the many books I had carelessly scattered about during my fanatical research, "I jus-I just am still getting used to having my own personal lighting for once instead of relying on an overhead or candle to see what I am doing."
I continued on with my usual enthusiasm, "It's fascinating technology really, such brightness and utility from such a"
"Well get used to it, Princess, it's either read or sleep for you!" Natalia snapped, fastening her iron grip on her pillows, "If you can't do that, I'll gladly decide for you!"
"Relax, I won't bother you any more than I have to," I said, as I tentatively reached across the desk to retrieve my fallen specs, paying attention not to accidentally turn any pages. It only took several harrowing seconds of searching to find them. I examined them closely to make sure they were unharmed. Looking back at Natalia, her gaze had noticeably softened and after a brief moment of awkward silence, she curled up to face the wall with a tired groan. Thankfully, no tragedy had befallen my precious sight-givers this time. If you don't call a future Archmage who has snow-white hair and needs glasses a tragedy in and of itself. It doesn't help that when I arrived, I was also the only kid here who had never seen a dragon before. So not only am I the only handicapped apprentice, but I look like a weirdo for gawking and crying when the first flock circled the island when I arrived roughly 3 months back. It's a good thing Natalia took a liking to me, otherwise, I might've been the laughingstock of the whole academy.
Soaring just within the edge of visibility as if some unseen barrier or unspoken rule was keeping them at bay, their distant silhouettes vaguely resembled distorted griffons, birds, and bats on the horizon, albeit varying considerably in size and form. A truly otherworldly experience for a naive, tiny, and isolated "village girl" like myself. To finally get to see the magnificent creatures my people have idolized for over a century and a half.
The academy may have taught us some of the basics, such as mounting and riding, like that was ever going to be remotely challenging. My people have been raising hunting griffons for more than a hundred years, like my sweet boy Gordon. Flying is in my blood, I was born to be carried into the air, so dragons shouldn't be much more difficult. Too bad we didn't get to use real dragons instead of lifeless mechanical models since none were allowed to even approach the island. We were shown basic survival and combat skills, again not an issue for me. Back at home, we are proud warriors, and my father, the Chief mind you, taught me everything he could before my departure. Identifying the distinct and diverse dragon families, my favorite part. I memorized all the big groups; I can name from the top of my head the, Aves (Avangicara), Saurians (Sauriformidae), not to be confused with Varanians, Stormdrakes (Caelumdynamica), and Chiropterids (Umbradraconids) In short, we were given many lessons, but in the end, the teachers claimed we had barely scratched the surface of what is to come, and from now on we'll have to learn from our companions and "bitter experience", as they put it.
Like I was ever just going to waste my potential playing it safe. I didn't want to simply see dragons, I wanted to understand them, to know every species, their culture, history, and every aspect of their lives. That way, when I meet my dragon, I'll be the best apprentice they could've asked for. For some reason, my soul-link couldn't tell me the sex of my partner, which was incredibly confusing seeing as everyone else seemed to know theirs. Anyway, I resumed my studies, and tonight I was finally going to complete my read on a brand new field guide that hit the shelves just last week, The Imperial Archive's Encyclopedia of Dragons & Kin.
"Okaaaay, where was I?" I whispered to myself, cracking my fingers in preparation for another 3 hours of consistent page-turning, "Oh I remember now, I just started chapter 12."
Species: Razorwind Gráriddary, (Cryosanguinolentus praeliator)
Alias: Paladin Snowdrake/Ice dragon Apex: Bloodletting Avalanche
Class: Stormdrake
Size: Juvenile: 3m-6m at shoulder, 8m-12m head to tail, 9m-14m wingspan. Adult: 8m-15.5m at shoulder, 16m-27.6m head to tail, 18m-30.5m wingspan. Apex:18m at shoulder, 32m head to tail, 38m wingspan.
Danger/Aggression scale:*****(Hazardous: Elusive and generally inoffensive in the wild, but can swiftly turn violent if startled or provoked).
Soul type: Umbra, (Dark)
Lifespan: 425-550yrs
Natural Talent: Advanced Cryokinesis; can freeze smaller creatures within seconds with strong gusts from its wings and can summon ice armour to greatly increase lethality and defense. This makes up for its almost useless fire.
Habitat: Open plains/tundra, scattered boreal/tropical woodlands, regularly seen flying over large bodies of water.
Preferred Diet: Opportunistic Carnivore: feeds on a wide variety of prey from small mammals to mid-sized dinosaurs.
Status: Least concern, 70,000-92,000 adults (Population increasing)
The average form sported a slate gray pelt of small pebbled scales and velvety plumage running from neck to tail, a sinuous almost feline frame broken by colossal armoured forelimbs with twisted ursine paws. The tail itself is delightfully stout and featureless, save a single large tuft at the end. It bears no horns or spines, just a single-bladed crest above a graceful reptilian skull with a dense fluffy ruff on the lower jaw. Its head is held above a sturdy U-shaped neck with dark coal mottling covering its entirety. Wings are large, and almost owl-like, giving off a soft and smooth silhouette. However, the truly remarkable feature of this relatively average reptile came in magnificent form with its ice armour.
Once concealed beneath its frost-bitten shell, it's as if the creature became an entirely new species. Their once sleek pelt had been replaced with a dense coat of jagged ice shards, darker in blue than the deep ocean. The spikes' bases are broken into sections, not unlike the osteoderms of a crocodile. Seeing as it's practically leaping off the page in the illustration, it doesn't seem to inhibit the dragon's natural maneuverability. The legs and tail now displayed long serrated blades this trait wasn't for defense. The wings aside from turning white with frost are completely unphased. The head had the most drastic transformation. Its original shape was completely obscured by an enormous "helmet" with a saw-toothed horn jutting from the snout like a lance. How does something like this even exist?
"Dang, what I wouldn't give to see that armour in action," I said with an anxious shutter.
I continue skimming pages as a kaleidoscope of draconic taxonomy burns into my head. Filling it with years worth of the wildest and most absurd of visions is a little too much for comfort. I take off my glasses, gently place them on the table, and slap myself back into reality. Not a presentable thing for a chief's daughter to do, but a necessary exercise nonetheless.
"Calm down Piiku, you're only getting one and can't raise your expectations too high...," I can hear Natalia hissing like a viper beneath the covers, her sharp ears twitching with rage. I stop slapping cause I wanna live but continue whispering to myself.
"You have no idea who your master is, nor can you choose anyone else."
"For all you know, they could be the smallest dragon in the world, like you in the academy," I thought back, Come on, just let me be excited.
I've waited my whole life for this. This is what everyone at home was training me for. I'm the second brightest student on the island, and I have the grades to prove it. I'm finally going to meet dragons, and I can't waste my precious study time on self-pity. Now get your hands out of that fluffy white hair of yours and back into that book! So did I, and this time there were no more distractions.
"Now let's see here, hmmm...who am I going to look at next?"
"Oh, you're a handsome one."
Species: Valkyrian Gromljack, (Venatotonitrua Gigas)
Alias: Stilted Smiter/Great Thunder Moth Apex: Dawnbringer
Class: Stormdrake
Size: Juvenile: 5m-9m at shoulder, 10m-16m head to tail, 18m-25m wingspan. Adult: 11m-14m at shoulder, 18m-29.5m head to tail, 28m-35.6m wingspan. Apex: 22m at shoulder, 36m head to tail, 52m wingspan.
Danger/Aggression scale: ******(Deadly: Bold, aggressive, and territorial in the wild; they're often known for holding grudges and persistently fighting rivals. But are generally calm and patient when undisturbed).
Soul type: Photos,(Light)
Lifespan: 450-612yrs
Natural Traits: Thunderblight/air manipulation; can charge electricity in its antenna-like ears, causing the plumage to rise from the static, which it incorporates into its fire to make a devastating plasma blast capable of shattering metals and creatures alike. Small creatures like humans can be vaporized by larger specimens.
Habitat: Open plains/savannas, desert/steppe lands, often roosts in high mountains, great trees, and buildings to survey its surroundings for prey and predators.
Preferred Diet: Opportunistic Apex Predator, feeds almost exclusively on large game; dinosaurs from Parasaurs/young Titanosaurs to large theropods like Allosaurus/Gorgosaurus are a staple of its diet. It prefers hunting on the ground, using its long legs to outrun its prey before subduing and consuming it (in some cases, alive).
Status: Near threatened, roughly 29,050-34,630 adults as of the last century.
"A graceful giant whose limbs stand so high, it doesn't need to fly to be in the sky, "I whispered to myself, with a false philosophical tone. Ooooh, that's catchy. I should write that down...ok, now for a description that makes sense.
The creature's general frame was uncharacteristically lithe and graceful for its size, almost like a canid except for a large keel typical of flying creatures. Its neck was long and muscular, held directly over the shoulders in a C-shape. The skull was much more muscular and sturdy than the Snowdrake, with an unusually pronounced brow ridge that shielded the eyes. This served as the base for two feathery ear-like antennas that reached down the shoulders but could be retracted to reveal its concealed spear-like horns that served as the power source for its plasma blast and, of course, as stabbing instruments. Well if that wasn't bizarre enough, I still haven't even gotten to the limbs I mentioned earlier.
Its legs were like a warped wolf on stilts, sinewy pillars of hardened scales and muscle tipped with long semi-retractable talons that were each twice as long as I was tall, 1.12 meters to be exact. Yeah, I am a small person, but that's beside the point. These weapons combined with its powerful limbs could, based on the illustration, crush and impale large creatures with terrifying and quite spectacular ease. That's impressive and all, but did they really have to use another dragon as an example?
The creature's hide was shiny and incredibly smooth, and the pebbly scales across most of its body were so tiny that they had to be measured in millimeters. It was mostly beige in coloration with many blue splotches of varying shades scattered over the dorsal portions of its body as if someone spilled multiple buckets of paint on it. Last but certainly not least were the wings, they're four of them if I am looking at this correctly. Two primaries and an extra pair of mobile fins on the tail gave the dragon a vague moth or butterfly-like silhouette. The main wings were large and wide, their volume dwarfing that of its body. The ends of which were lined with modified digits that resembled the wing feathers of birds. The secondary fins consumed the entire area of the short and very broad tail, both were independent and fully capable of making precise movements and positions for steering and balance. They each sported their own "tail" that trailed far behind them, much like a luna moth or swallowtail butterfly. Beginning to understand the namesake now. And to think, these are beings I can actually talk to and potentially be friends with...provided they don't eat me first.
Wait, do dragons actually eat people? I thought to myself before spinning my chair around and saying, "Hey, Natalia, do dragons eat people?"
"I mean I've heard stories of them doing it, but are they actually-." I covered my mouth, realizing my mistake as she slowly turned to face me. One fiery red eye peered through matted hair and the pillow the much taller and stronger Natalia smothered her face in. Her pointed ears twitched feverishly and she growled like a big cat ready to strike down her prey.
"This is your last warning, one more word from you and I'll save them the trouble," Her voice was muffled, but the message was clear. For my survival, this will be the last time I open my mouth, or I am gonna be dead meat. I was left with two options, do I go to bed and save myself while I still can, or do I continue my work and risk an untimely death? The only proper decision to make was obvious. And with that, I turned to the next section, the Aves.
Finally, something a bit more familiar to me. Not just because they vaguely resemble griffins with their feathery wings, sharp beaks, and fluffy bodies but because they are the type of dragon we used in most of our depictions back at home. All of our totems, pottery, murals, and even our symbol use an Ave dragon. The best hunters or warriors often receive a dragon tattoo as a symbol of honor and courage in the field, except for me, I got it for my Soul-link. I won't lie, it was a harrowing experience, and I may have cried and thrown up a little, but I digress.
Well, I didn't receive it until the end of my training so I guess it wasn't completely unearned.
That was only a week before I left, I wonder how Mom and Dad are feeling right now. We have never been separated for this long before. I wish they could be here for the big day. I hope they're alright... I am getting sidetracked. I shook myself furiously to throw out the bad thoughts, but quietly enough not to make any sound. Come on Piiku, stay strong! Everyone is counting on you right now, especially your dragon! So don't let your emotions get the better of you and screw everything up, now get back to that book!
"Alright, I get it," I whispered as softly as I possibly could, while rubbing my forehead to treat a newly arising headache, "Just let me decompress a bit first, will ya?"
I took off my glasses, gently placed them on top of my desk, and closed my eyes. I stretched my arms before crossing them over my stomach, straightened my back, and folded my legs. Now the meditation could begin. I took slow, deep breaths. Each was ten long seconds of inhaling through my nose, making sure to fill my lungs to their maximum volume for peak efficiency. I held it for five seconds, then carefully exhaled for another ten seconds from my mouth, making sure to completely empty them. With each breath, as the air escaped my lips, I could feel my anxieties steadily trickling out. As I repeated this exercise over the next several minutes, my mind was swept free from all the clutter, and I could continue my work once more.
I retrieved my glasses, wiped them off with my handkerchief, and proceeded to skim through the entries. The Aves family, at least when compared to the Stormdrakes, was easily the most colorful of all the dragon groups I had seen so far, both literally and metaphorically. So many unique and extraordinary species entered my mind, from vivid large-billed fruit and leaf eaters that could turn invisible, to counter-shaded flightless deep-sea divers that could hypnotize prey, to smaller bipedal delicate predators using graceful pointed wings to hover in any direction, even backward. Unfortunately, however amazing these dragons were, none of them matched the appearance or scale of the creature in my tribe's history. No matter how hard I looked, no matter how many pages I went through, I couldn't find it. Perhaps the dragon's appearance was inaccurate? It has been over 175 years since it last entered our region, let alone our village. Maybe it's exaggerated or lost to time, or maybe it wasn't real at all-
I gasped, frozen in shock at the page I just turned to. I could feel a surge of disbelief and awe coursing through my body. There it was, the dragon I had spent my entire night searching for. The one from all the stories, the one who saved us all those years ago, and whose image we've tried to emulate ever since, the Dartwing.
With whatever agency I had left I said, "It's you, after all this time, we've finally been reacquainted."
Species: Dartwing, (Gorgonopteryx huali)
Alias: Bane-tailed Mynadrake/Saber-toothed Mynadrake Apex: Searing Nightshade
Class: Ave
Size: Juvenile: 3m-4m at shoulder, 6m-12m head to tail, 7m-14m wingspan. Adult Male: 4.2m-6m at shoulder, 12m-16m head to tail, 15m-19m wingspan Female: 7m-9m at shoulder, 18m-22m head to tail, 21m-25m wingspan. Apex: 14m at shoulder, 28m head to tail, 32m wingspan.
Danger/Aggression scale: ********(Extraordinary: One of the most hostile and least sociable dragons known, never approach under any circumstances in the wild. While they typically avoid human settlements, encounters with humans can often become fatal).
Soul type: Umbra, (Dark)
Lifespan: 375-430yrs
Natural Traits: Advanced air manipulation, it's the fastest flying natural species on the planet with a forward speed of 298kph and a dive speed of 924kph. The Dartwing is also the largest of all Ave dragons. Both males and females have up to 20,000 serrated venomous quills on their tails which can be thrown up to 3x their total length with deadly force and accuracy. Females and Apexes both possess a retractable stinger with a more concentrated amount of venom, which is a potent neurotoxin that is fatal for most mammals and paralytic to other species including other dragons. Their fire is a focused semi-liquid beam with a maximum force of 16,000psi, most blasts however are much weaker.
Habitat: Coastal and mountainous habitats, often travel into open grasslands and deserts to hunt. Highly migratory and travels to isolated islands and cliff faces to breed.
Preferred Diet: Specialist Apex predator: Feeds predominantly on flying creatures and predators like pterosaurs, griffons, theropods, large birds/bats, and sometimes other dragons/kin. However, they're known for taking more regular prey like hadrosaurs, giant invertebrates, fish, ungulates, and fruits when their traditional food sources are unavailable. Prey is usually outmaneuvered with a dive and is either snatched directly from the air with the jaws or struck out of the sky with a high-speed kick. Victims on the ground are usually killed in a variety of methods such as disembowelment, strangulation, or envenomation.
Status: Critically endangered, as of the last 2 decades their global population consists of only 1,823 pairs. Just two known individuals currently reside in Erymanthia: The Dragonlord Abraxas 'The Silver Talon' and their grandchild, the Dragon Prince Beskytter 'Allister' Orenstein.
More specifically the Apex or as others call it "Searing Nightshade" variant of Dartwing. The male and female, through sexual dimorphism, are each missing key traits the other possesses and have different plumage variations. The Apex, however, expresses both characteristics at once and shares the same coloration as the art pieces. I could feel my hands going numb, I shivered uncontrollably, and my eyes watered for a brief moment as I struggled to contain my glee. It's real! It's real! And it's more beautiful than I could've ever imagined!
Well, if I am going to make that claim, I should at least say what it looks like. A slender body covered nearly from head to tail in a sleek coat of soft feathers. Iridescent black from the top of the head all the way to the tail and white with dark flecks from the lower jaw to the belly. The dartwing's head is very large, starting with a hooked beak-like structure at the front and moving up the narrow toothy snout with four self-sharpening fangs, the top pair protruding from the upper lip as recurved sabers for latching onto and dispatching prey. The base of the skull broadens to support formidable jaw muscles and a cavernous maw. It sports small tufted ears and its head is adorned with two branched horns, a massive crest that could be raised and lowered at will. The well-developed avian chest and keel combined are the deepest points. Its wingspan is truly impressive for a flier of this size, exceeding its total length when outstretched. The tips are sharp and the flight feathers resemble sheet metal rather than soft fibers. The depictions back home definitely didn't do them justice. The forelimbs on the other hand aren't as special, just relatively short arms with four hooked talons.
Continuing down, the stomach caves in behind the ribs to just over half the diameter, it's featureless and bare save for smooth tiny scales. The pelvis, while narrow, is much larger proportionally than most of the other flying dragons I have seen previously. It serves as an attachment point for its powerful raptorial hind legs. The lower portion abandons feathers for exceptionally robust scales built to withstand the forces required to send creatures plummeting to the earth. Alternatively, drive those enormous, serrated, blade-like inner talons deep into their victims' bodies to impale or disembowel them. I know that isn't pretty imagery but trust me it looks better than it sounds. Past the legs, we reach the namesake, the tail.
Disproportionately long and sinuous, like a twisting serpent extending behind it. Surpassing the length of the body and neck outstretched and combined is just short of the wingspan. I'd question what purpose such a tail would serve, but I can see the points. Starting at the base and running down to the end, there are thousands of venomous spines. Not like the spines of hedgehogs or porcupines, these were more like those of a catfish. Thick black barbs with a smooth dome top and viciously serrated bottom. The largest of these reached over a meter long, what's worse, or better in my opinion, with a single flick dozens can be launched at will with such accuracy it's actually frightening. And not to mention the stinger, found only on females and the apex, it's a huge retractable spike with a vague resemblance to a stingray and a switchblade. That wasn't mentioned in the stories, they said it was lightning, but then again it's been many lifetimes since that day. Well, the shaman was there, wasn't he?
"I am going to have fun explaining this, everyone at home is going to lose their minds," I whispered, followed by the faintest giggle I could manage. I couldn't stop my feet from kicking with excitement at my discovery, my socks muffled their impacts on the floor. It's real, it's real! I mean, of course, it's real, but still to know for certain! I feel the static building up, crackling on my clothes and skin, and my hair begins to stand. Is it going to be my dragon, it has to be mine right? If it is a dartwing, it can't be that one, it already has a soulmate. I pause and gently spin my chair back around to face my bed. This time, however, I don't pay Natalia any mind as she sleeps facing the wall. Her snores are quiet, almost like a purring kitten. For someone who's near twice my height, with a power that can reduce a granite boulder to pebbles, that's pretty adorable.
Instead, my eyes trained on a locked rectangular case on the floor by the bed, its exterior marked with the engraving of beasts and dragons, the borders lined with precious metals. I rose from my chair with the utmost care, but the static electricity latched firmly onto my seat. A faint flurry of shocks fired between my clothes and the cushion, and I winced with every pop and flash. I'm dead! I'm dead! I am so dead! I wasn't, not yet at least for Natalia remained undisturbed. When I was sure the coast was clear, I gave a long but soft sigh and finally made for the case. Every step was taken like the floor was booby-trapped, but with every rising foot, static followed. But every time she did not stir, that brute was out like a light. My conscience pleaded to me, Maybe I should just sleep, I've tempted fate enough as it is. All in vain, I had to reach that box.
I crouched over my precious container in silence as my debating mind struggled to decide what to do next. Should I open it? I haven't seen it in weeks. But it's dangerous, you could hurt her or yourself. What if it's damaged and I don't know, I can't let anything happen to it? They gave it to you, the heart of your family, your home, your identity. I must see it!
"Ah, screw it all!"
"I have to check on it before tomorrow!" I quietly exclaimed to myself as I unlocked and opened the case and reached inside. Mindful to grab the golden handle, textured like glistening scales, and decorated with its Lapis Lazuli crusted pommel and jeweled hilt, I lifted the Obsidian blade. A short dark sword, not quite dagger-sized but not very large either. Somehow the weapon was made to change itself so anyone could wield it, even someone as small as myself. Regardless of scale, it always carried great power, seemingly never dulling and never breaking, and a weapon that could hold and release magic. A token of gratitude from long ago, that guided our noble pursuit. Generation after generation, it was passed down in my family but never taken to battle as only the one chosen by a dragon was to be its master. That someone, by a miracle chance, was me. It was also up to me to name the blade, but I remain stumped. Why was I chosen, after all these years? I do not know, but for whatever reason, one thing was clear. I will not fail my soulmate, my master. No matter the cost!
At this moment, my body and arms moved with my thoughts. I swished and twirled my sacred heirloom about, images of our triumphs and battles to be dancing beside me. Consumed in this fantasy, I moved about the dorm in silent bliss as I felt as if my soul was rising from my heart. They will all see...I am not weak...I am not blind... I am not foolish... I am brave... I am beautiful... and I am a huntress! I struck out against the lies and cruelties that circled the air around me. I will be their champion... their idol... the hero they all wish to be! The static builds, no longer confined to my socks, the hair on my head stands like a porcupine's quills. Small charges leave my limbs with every movement as the sword braces, and the light flickers behind me.
"And by my master's side and command, I WILL STRIKE DOWN EVIL!!" I shouted with all my heart and soul as I turned, blade raised to my desk, to my peril. In my sleep-deprived whimsy, I had let go of my ingrained archmage power, the power of lightning. A massive bolt of electricity shot across the room to the lamp. With a blinding flash and terrible snap, the light was blown out. Sparks simmered in the air for a moment but swiftly faded out before any papers could be damaged, the final act of mercy of the night. I stand there in my exact position, frozen in terror. I flew too close to the sun, and now I am feeling its heat. Behind me, I can hear my roommate stirring, and the very room itself begins to crumble around me. In my final moments, I seal the sword in its case, it can't save me. Now I am dead!! Sweet Imperials! SWEET IMPERIALS! SWEE-
I feel my feet leave the floor and all my static with it. I struggle to fight the weightlessness, kicking and swiping about in a vain attempt to escape her clutches, for any hope of freedom. But my arms and legs are effortlessly buckled together by an invisible unstoppable force. Natalia's ingrained power is one that negates my own, the power of gravity. For a moment that feels like an eternity, I float there helpless in the dark, at the mercy of her wrath, shutting my eyes to my mistakes, my mind races with guilty terror. Why did I do this? Why did I have to stay up late? Why did I have to touch that stupid sword? I am so dumb! I can't do anything right! Now I am going to die! I feel a small sensation on my face as my glasses are gently removed. I open my eyes, I can't see close things too well anymore but I can faintly make out their shape floating safely to the desk. Once they reached their destination, no time was wasted as I spun around to face the tired and enraged sixteen-year-old archmage. Her left hand was raised to keep me suspended
She may have had the snore of a kitten, but her scowl was that of a tiger, with a growl to match. Her elvish fangs glistened in the bright blue moonlight and her currently blurry blotches for eyes pierced into my very soul. I have unleashed a terrible monster and I am going to be her first victim.
And then she snapped, "You obnoxious, nocturnal, little nerd!"
"I told you, I warned you! I gave you a chance...
...But of course, you didn't listen to me! Are all you little princesses spoiled like this!?"
With all the will I could muster I answered, "I'm sorry, I am so sorry, Natalia...I just wanted to be ready for my partner... I jus-I just didn't want to disappoint them."
Her face remained unmoved as she raised her other arm behind her and the blankets from my top bunk took to the air and twisted about like a swimming serpent. Oh no, not this again!
She groans, having heard this tired excuse to death, "Oh please! Most dragons couldn't give two shits about how book smart you are... but what they do want is someone who's had her full night's sleep," the blankets now swirl around me like a soft tornado, I can hear the pages and paper turning over in the breeze.
"Please, let me go! I promise I'll just go to bed! No need for this!" I said with one final plea to spare this punishment. It was a waste of words though, she had made up her mind. With a tilted head and a wicked sneer forming on her face, she twirled her finger and the covers surrounded me at blinding speed. I am tossed and spun about in the air as I am enveloped in their mass, folding over and over again. With each new layer, it gets harder to move. It's a good thing we are resistant to motion sickness, otherwise, I'd hurl. This continued until I was completely bundled up, the world going dark. This never gets any less degrading.
In my fabric prison, I can feel myself being slowly lifted higher into the air as she floated me to my bed. First, I felt the back of my head touch the pillow, and my body thuds onto the mattress right after. A few seconds later, I hear her climb the ladder and feel her hands unravel the covers just enough to free my head.
"Sorry about the face, princess." She said with her more typical smugness, "I still haven't quite perfected that part yet."
"You know you just do that 'cause I hate it," I said, trying my best not to look at her to protect whatever pride I have left, "You know I don't like being touched!"
"Why do you think I use my powers, Winter," Natalia replied, barely containing her laughter, "I am respecting your personal space...
...besides, you're so cute when you get all pouty from it."
"Don't say that, I am not a little kid!" I barked back as I freed the rest of my body, still trying to avert my gaze. Natalia climbs down the ladder, and I can feel the bed shake as she faceplants back into her mattress before making herself comfortable.
"Whatever you say ya little twerp, goodnight Piiku." She says with a triumphant sigh of relief as we settle in for sleep. Reluctantly, I reply to her, "Ugh, goodnight Natalia," I am too tired to stay mad for long, and I slowly fade into a gentle, dreamless sleep.