ReBirth Of The Primordial

One minute Dagan was seething with rage, the next it felt like something had snapped. He could bȧrėly hear Sorcha screaming at him to find water, but it felt like he was wading through the sludge. Huh? He was burning. Wait, burning?

"Dagan! Dagan! Find water now! You are on fire!" Sorcha screamed. She laid Eden on the ground and scrambled up to her feet. She had to get to Dagan. The closer she got to him the colder it got and the faster ice grew across her body. Separate plates formed on the sides of her neck, sternum, and lower belly. Additional plating protected her forearms armed with dozens of small tooth-like icles. Segmented bone-like ice cubes covered the little ice cube's spine, giving her a draconian-like experience. On her head, a braided crown had manifested with a horn on each side.

The closer Sorcha got, the more alarmed, she became. Dagan was beginning to blaze brighter and brighter. The fire around Dagan had started at red but when it began to flicker bits of orange Sorcha could feel a sense of foreboding being to form in the pit of her stomach. Not good! Just as Sorcha was about to grab Dagan, she was wrenched backward. The ice dissipated leaving streaks of white flashing against the leftover dirt.

"A Cloudburst is about to appear! We have to run now!" Eden yelled as they pulled Sorcha off the rocks and down the small precipice and near a flatland of boulders. Sorcha screamed in protest and tried to get back to her twin, but Eden just would not let go.

"Eden why! Dagan needs us. Something's wrong we need to-" Sorcha stopped when she saw the look of fear in Eden's red eyes.

"We have to go Sorcha. If we stay here we will die. We won't leave Dagan but we need to be alive and for us to do that." Eden grabbed hold of her hand and gently tugged her down the side of a particularly large boulder. When they had gotten far enough to hear normally, Eden stopped and faced Sorcha. "Look, Cloudbursts happen randomly and are the foundations for surviving here."

Eden pulled her gently along the edge of the boulder field to where the treeline was. Once there, Eden leaned down, ċȧrėssed over the exposed roots of some nearby trees. "Wherever and whenever one occurs, evolution follows. Thaumatos, this world, does not allow for the weak to survive and these violent storms are just one of the many tests." Eden whispered something so softly, that Sorcha couldn't catch it, but it she let out a gasp when a root appeared from the earth wrapping around itself around her and Eden.

Sorcha got stuck on the first part of that explanation screeched, "But Dagan-"

"Stop that!"

FLICK!

"But Dagan burst!" Sorcha defended herself.

"Yes, he bursted. It's going to help him. In fact, we should probably prepare ourselves too, if he is bursting then chances are we will too." Eden replied as they called on more roots and wrapped the both of them in a large cocoon.

"Sorcha listen to me." Eden continued as they wove the roots through each other, strengthening their shell.

"Cloudbursts are different for every creature. They happen when there is a lack of growth and development or certain conditions of a being create an anomaly. If there are several of the same species in the vicinity undergoing similar conditions this can create a chain reaction. It's a good thing to go through a Cloudburst." Eden grunted as they continued weaving the roots, their rich chocolate, skin growing greyer and greyer, and tiny granules of dirt started to fall off their skin. The cocoon had reached fifty meters in diameter.

"While we change and become more powerful as we grow older, Cloudbursts are like a fortunate encounter that gives everyone the opportunity to have a jump in their growth. It's even better if you can go through three or five of them." Another series of roots braided together and begin to split the large space in half.

"Strong enough to protect and not hide?" Sorcha frowned at the small wall but she kept focused on Eden. What she got thus far was that cloudbursts were not bad and in fact, made them stronger. Dagan was safe, and she and Eden were going to get strong really fast.

"Yes, our world, Thaumatos disdains the weak. It is practically a sentient form of life on its own and it always seems to know which places need to be pushed. However there is a risk, Cloudbursts are aggressive magical storms, and can kill just as easily as it can create the right circumstances to mutate."

Sorcha took it back. Cloudbursts were not safe. Dagan! Sorcha's eyes went wide. Just as she was about to speak, Eden flicked Sorcha on the forehead again.

"Ow! Stop that!" Large luminous kitten eyes stared at Eden in reproach as Sorcha's delicate grey claws once again rubbed at the red spot.

Eden sighed, "Is Dagan weak?" .

Sorcha shook her head no.

"Do you want Dagan to get stronger?"

Sorcha bobbed her head up and down.

"Dagan has to focus everything he's got on surviving this. If we distract him, it could kill him. Do you want that?"

Sorcha shook her head and clenched her claws. "I-I," She hesitated then stopped. Taking a deep breath, a thin layer of ice growing reaching out, forming fine intricate patterns over her body. Frost coated her brow again only this creating an ethereal her crown, giving her a fey if somewhat cold sort of beauty alienation. "I want to go out."

Eden quirked an eyebrow, "You are not bursting. If I let you go out there you could die if you don't start bursting in time. Dagan is different, he is already in the process so the chances of him dying at this moment are lower than you starting a burst in the middle of another Cloudburst. However, if you burst out there the strength of the Cloudburst increases, that's why had to get some space. It is possible that this could make it more difficult for the both of you. Although, Dagan may be past the most dangerous part. You could put him in danger because the storm could intensify if we time this incorrectly."

Sorcha slumped. It was one thing if it was just her but increasing the danger to Dagan as well. She just wanted to help. Dagan wasn't the only one that was grieving over Io. Everything that had happened since Io left and then the realization that Io was dead left Sorcha numb inside.

As much as she didn't want to endanger, Dagan, even more, she wanted to protect him. She wanted to protect Eden too. Sorcha straightened her shoulders, she never want to lose another loved one again, and if this was the best way then...

"Eden," she began, "do you think if I go, Dagan would be fine?" She asked. She had to, from the way Eden spoke this was not an opportunity to take lightly and if she could not just burst, but also help to intensify it for both Dagan and her to grow even stronger, then that would be for the best.

Do you still want to go out?" Sorcha nodded, "Yes, I want to get stronger. I don't want to be left behind anymore. Io-" Sorcha sniffled, "Io is gone because of us. It's our fault. We did not help. I, I don't wanna lose you or Dagan."

Eden looked for any sign of weakness, in her gaze, but even as tears ran down her cheeks Sorcha did not back down. "Alright, but if you are going, I am too. Dagan wouldn't want me to let you do this on your own and he is strong enough to handle the both of us if we burst." In their mind, Eden slumped in relief. The last thing that they wanted was to miss out on a Cloudburst and Dagan would never want either one of them to go through this alone if possible.

Besides, beings that burst at a young age were not just stronger but also tended to live longer. Survival of the fittest right? However, there were many creatures that took delight in targeting their kind. For Wildlings, their bodies were like treasure, strengthening them. Bursting, simply weighed the odds in their favor.

"Okay here is how it will work, Sorcha the best thing you can do now is to stay calm. This is going to hurt, maybe a lot, maybe a little, I don't know. Every Cloudburst is different." Eden further instructed as they tightened the separate roots around them and Sorcha.. This ought to do they thought, that way they could stay close to one another.