Call to Adventure [D&D White Dragon SI]

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Hit the Ground Running
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    • SirBearington

    SirBearington

    Well-known member
    Hit the Ground Flying
    The world of Faerun, a forgotten realm lost to time. A land which held wonders and riches the likes of which one could only dream about. A land of epic fantasy where tales and stories were conjured up by brilliant and adventurous minds with nothing but pen and paper. Such tales echoed throughout the ages, becoming legends that became staples in fictional worlds.

    Indeed, it was a place that one could only dream of becoming part of, a place where one could be everything and anything could happen. It was just a fantasy… until I found myself whisked away from my comfortable life.

    What adventure awaited me on the other side? Was I born a peasant? A noble perhaps? Maybe even one of the many magical races of which called this land their home? As much as I wished otherwise, I found myself born to a far more brutal fate. My adventure began not with fanfare but with whimpers as I cowered inside my egg.

    I laid low, eyes wide opened as I stared through small gaps in the fragile shell that protected me. There outside stood a great beast, a dragon whose scales were white as snow and whose dagger filled mouth dripped with fresh blood. I could only watch as the dragon, my mother, loomed over another egg as a white dragon hatchling pushed itself out before being struck, eaten without mercy.

    I could only screw my eyes shut so much and pressed my clawed yet feeble hands against my ears as I tried to drown out the terrible crunch I heard outside. Where was I? Why was I inside this egg? Had I become a hatchling as well? These thoughts swirled around inside my head as I forced my eyes open.

    As the earth shook and the dragon loomed over my neighbor, one thought came to my mind; I needed to get out, I needed to run away. With all the strength my feeble body could muster I pushed myself up before bursting through the thin shell separating me from the world outside. I was free and, as luck would have it, so too was my neighbor.

    Blood sprayed across my body as mother chomped down on them. I cried in terror, a high pitch squeal to my own ears, as I scrambled out, breaking through the shell as I leapt out of the nest and down to the icy ground. Clawed feet found purchase on the packed and snowy floor. I had found myself inside a dark frozen cave and Mother was in hot pursuit as I scampered to the only source of light I could see.

    With my tail tucked between my legs, I felt Mother chomp down behind me, her cold breath spurring me onwards as I made my escape. I felt my blood run cold as she roared, demanding that I come back to her, but I kept going, knowing that every second I stayed in the cave would bring me closer to my doom.

    Dodge!

    Stop!

    Duck!

    My blood screamed at me, forcing my body to move on its own as I danced around Mother's terrible bite. My tiny heart hammered away inside my chest, terror gripping my heart as her pillar-like legs slammed down beside me and shook the very earth beneath my feet. Ice and snow kicked up and rained around me with each bite that came close to ending my short and terrible life so far. I did not stop, daring not to think what could happen if I did, as I ran towards the light.

    Maybe it was luck, maybe it was sheer chance alone, but with one final leap I cleared the cave's entrance and beheld a mountain range overlooking a fertile and verdant evergreen forest below. Far beyond that, I could see great towering castles and rolling fields covered in snow. So far up was I in the sky I swore I could see the very coast itself. I found my breath taken away as I glided, my wings stretching instinctively, while my eyes took sight of my surroundings.

    Beautiful

    That train of thought wouldn't last long as a great roar echoed behind me before I felt cold. My body screamed, or maybe it was my own voice crying out, as a deep chill slammed into me like a great big punch. Buffeted by this icy chill, I spun out of control as frost formed over my wings, weighing me down until I couldn't hold myself aloft any longer.

    No! No! No! I screamed as I fell down, tumbling through the cold and unforgiving sky as I fell to my doom. Entirely at the mercy of the winds, I was tossed around, careening uncontrollably as my limbs refused to move, far too cold and encased in ice to do so.

    This couldn't be the end! I'd escaped my own mothers maw only to fall to my death. But, as I saw the fast approaching ground below me with the tops of the evergreens jutting out like spikes, I felt a sense of ease, like nothing truly mattered as I approached the end. It was almost funny, really, to have myself reborn but ending up with a monster of a mother, escaping her maw until she decided to freeze me as one last act of spite. I was given hope only for it to be taken away at the very end like some grand cosmic joke.

    As I hit the tree tops, slamming through the branches, I was introduced to pain. My light body struck the branches hard, breaking through them despite my weight. My bones creaked as my world devolved to chaotic swirls of green and brown, interspersed with branches slamming into my stomach and driving the breath out of me.

    It felt like an eternity before I landed atop a cushion of deep snow, breaking my fall as I came to a stop. I groaned, my body a pile of sad bruised flesh and aching bones, unable to push myself up. I felt pain… yet deep in my guts, I knew that it was good for it meant I survived, I lived!

    Despite the miraculous escape, I was still in a world of pain. I could already feel my frayed consciousness drifting, overwhelmed by my aching body. As the minutes passed, I felt the adrenaline in my veins waning, my awareness slipping as I grew groggy.

    The snow felt like a thick blanket around me, lulling me to sleep. I could barely fight my leaden eyes as they slowly closed shut, but should I even fight it? Buried deep beneath meters of snow, I felt at ease, like I knew that no one would find my now diminutive form. Maybe… Maybe I could sleep. Thus I closed my eyes and I knew no more.
    A/N:

    Finally got to writing this fic after telling myself that I should write a D&D fic to pay homage to the source of my pen name and wasn't this a fun little bit sized piece of work. Easy to plot and easy to write, this fic really reminds me that maybe I should cut down on the words for my chapters and keep it tiny? What do you think? Do you like my chapters longer or shorter?

    With that out of the way, I'd like to thank @Vyor for making this possible. Like, this would be borderline unreadable with out him . If you want to support me and help me continue writing, you can drop Patreon and Ko-Fi

    I'm currently doing a vote for the next Weekly Snippet so why not drop by? Also, interested in reading some Command and Conquer Fic or some Battletech Fic? You're in luck cause I made a crossover. Here's the link to the fic. First one's always free:


     
  • Threadmarks
    • The Great Forest
  • Threadmarks
    • The Great Forest

    I woke up with a gasp as I found myself in darkness, entombed beneath loosely packed snow. For a moment I flailed around, my tiny heart hammering away as I struggled against the cold embrace of the elements around me before I remembered.

    I froze, curling up as a rush of memories came flooding into me. My untimely rebirth into this new world, Mother’s betrayal, her insatiable hunger and the cries of my siblings, all of it came back along with far more.

    Foreign memories start rushing in, my head aching as I remembered a thousand hunts and lives, off the great forest and the mountains and a shining city up in the sky. It was all too much, eating away at my mind and my very sense of self was slipping away. I could no longer take it.

    “No! Stop!” I cried, screwing my eyes shut close as I pushed them away, burying them deep, until I I was left with nothing but blissful silence.

    I stayed there motionless, feeling the cold air fill my lungs while my heart settled down. Opening my eyes once more, I found my snowy tomb once again. Shifting, my clawed feet felt hard ground beneath me. Oh how close I was to becoming a mere splatter upon the cold and unforgiving earth.

    Still, despite the comfort I felt by being wrapped snugly in loose ice, my stomach would remind me that I had yet to eat. With it growling, I clawed my way out of my safe space, six limbs working in concert as I shot out from cover to be greeted by a snowy wonderland illuminated by the morning sun.

    Like a scene straight out of a children's fantasy book, I was greeted by towering evergreen trees with branches weighed down by snow and icicles with great redwoods devoid of leaves interspaced between them. Birds chirped as they flew overhead, their songs filling the silent forest around me. With the gentle light of the sun shining through the sparse canopy, warmth and energy coursed through my veins.

    Instinctively, my wings spread out, catching what little rays of sunlight shone through this wonderfully clear day. I felt it on my scales, bathing me with its warmth. It was peaceful, yet the cries of other animals soon alerted me of foxes and whatever other creatures that remained.

    Beneath the gigantic trees, I realized I was either in a forest of giants or I was just that truly tiny. Looking down, small paws greeted me. Blue-white and almost translucent scales covering them. Fluttering atop me was another set of limbs, my own wings, and behind me coiled a long and lustrous tail covered by a short ridge.

    Reaching up, I felt my snout and my tiny needle-like teeth already poking through. Up on my head small nubs of horns curved back as well what felt like the start of a tall mohawk like fin. It felt strange, touching the membrane, feeling more like hair than a flap of skin, but I didn’t question it too much.

    There was a great big snap before a heavy thud landed just beside me. There, just a few paces away, was a large icicle that had just broken off, its reflective surface calling to me. Cautiously I approached it, now mindful of the spiky death from above, before grabbing hold of the object. Wiping it clear of snow, I beheld my own reflection staring back at me. It was not a man that starred back, but a small, lizard-like creature.

    Standing there, I could scarcely believe it. I touched my face, exploring every inch of it in the mirror yet it did not change. It seemed that I had indeed become a dragon. Which should have been obvious enough, given how I haven’t frozen to death, in retrospect.

    Snorting, I wandered off, my white wings tucked close to my body. I was a dragon, but what use would that be if my stomach was empty. The problem was, where would I find food?

    Hear the rodents beneath the ice, the fluttering hearts of squirrels in their homes, of rabbits scampering around, the bleating of goats. Food was plenty in the Great Forest, teeth sharp to kill and maul-!

    I blinked as memories filtered through, this time far more restrained than last. Looking around, I could sense potential food already, their scents lingering despite the forest seeming devoid of life. There was much food to be had, one just had to find it.

    With a smile on my face, I sauntered away, my head held high as I could see my meal now. I would be eating like a king today!

    With a roar (it was not a squeak damn it all!) I leapt up high in the air, before diving down on the snow. Guided by instinct and hunger, I buried deep into the bank, my snout sniffing for the tiny morsel hidden within and ears searching for their panicked squeaking, before I snapped my jaws hard. Feeling their struggles in my jaw, I pulled my prey out, a tiny vole, and shocked it; breaking its neck in my mouth.

    Dropping it on the ground, I prodded it and cleaned it a bit before chomping down, tearing at its flesh and swallowing bits and pieces of it. I grimaced as a particularly furry piece slid down my throat, but none went to waste. It was admittedly not a good meal, or even a palatable one, but the blood provided it with much needed flavor and reminded me of sweetened meats; probably from its diet.

    Blanching and eating some fresh snow to spit out the fur still left in my mouth, I sat back and before my stomach grumbled once more. It had been weeks since I had fallen down into the valley, yet I had yet to see the edge of the forest. In fact, I had yet to see any signs of life aside from the occasional rabbits and rodents along with some stray birds. I had yet to find any other monster, thankfully at that, but I couldn’t remain complacent. Not with Mother still around.

    I was always on the move, choosing to hole up in trees, but that would soon be no longer an option as I had grown. From a tiny thing that was barely a treat to a rabbit to a fox sized being. “At Least I don’t have to deal with owls any more,” I muttered as I scratched my neck, annoyed at how tight my skin felt; I might be due for another shedding.

    With this burst of growth, though, came the unfortunate effect of hunger as my protesting stomach could attest to. Holding my rumbling stomach, I looked up to the sky and shouted, “Come on you fuckers! Give me something big and juicy! I was promised food but I’ve only found voles!”

    That would have been the end of it, my complaints to the powers that be unheard, yet this time around someone answered. I froze as a warm rush of air washed over my back, while the sounds of hooves pawed at the ground behind me. Slowly, I turned around and there stood the largest and meanest goat I’d ever set my eyes on. I shivered as its shaggy white coat made it look bigger while its great horn loomed overhead, its beady eyes glinting with malice as it stared back into my own.

    “N-nice goaty, I-I’m not a threat, just a little wyrmling passing by,” I whispered as I slowly backed away, trying to appease the much bigger creature, but it was not to be. The goat bleated, standing on its hind limbs before slamming its head down right at me.

    I screamed as I threw myself to the side and scrambled for purchase on the snow ground before shooting off with the randy old goat in hot pursuit, “Bad goat! Bad goat!!!” I shouted, jumping as the thing bit me on the tail, “I’m going to kill all of you if it’s the last thing I do!” I screamed, howling in pain, promising pain… if I could get away.

    A/N:

    Being a runt sucks lol. Thankfully, there's only one way forward and that's up! He just have to come out swinging else he's going to get buried before his prime. Would suck ass if he doesn't get to become a full grown dragon.

    With that out of the way, I'd like to thank @Vyor for making this possible. Like, this would be borderline unreadable with out him :V. If you want to support me and help me continue writing, you can drop Patreon and Ko-Fi

    I'm currently doing a vote for the next Weekly Snippet so why not drop by? Also, interested in reading some Command and Conquer Fic or some Battletech Fic? You're in luck cause I made a crossover. Here's the link to the fic. First one's always free:

    https://www.patreon.com/posts/i-cabal-tiberian-90598003

    https://ko-fi.com/post/I-CABAL-Tiberian-Sun-CABAL-SI-Jumpchain-Mechwarr-H2H7PXWGX
     
  • Threadmarks
    • My First Rival
  • Threadmarks
    • My First Rival
    Good news, my ancestors knew how to climb trees. Unfortunately, I had to learn that after I was chased up the canopy of an old oak(?) tree by the meanest goat I’d ever laid eyes upon. The fucker actually bit me! Me, a dragon that would one day eat its kind like chicken nuggets!

    “BAH!” bleated the damn hell beast as it leaned against the trunk of the tree I was stuck on, glaring at me with that single angry eye it had.

    “Fuck off!” I hissed back, baring my teeth at it and flaring my wings to scare it off to no effect. I even almost stumbled off the branch as my wings caught the wind and I had to scramble for purchase else I fell. The goat just bleated back, almost laughing me, as it pulled away from the tree before pacing around the base. For the foreseeable future, I was stuck there.

    It was almost inconceivable that a mere goat, an admittedly large and intimidating one at that, would force me to flee, but there I was. I was a mother fucking dragon but I was a tiny ass dragon right now, not the blast furnace, or rather industrial chiller with legs, I could grow to become. Compared to the goat, I was pretty sure I was dog sized. That and well… I had a tiny problem at hand.

    Breathing deep, I felt my icy core deep in my chest, the very forces of winter swirling inside me as it swelled up to my throat. Rearing back, I pulled in as much as I could, forcing every last bit of it up before I let loose, roaring out with the force of a thousand suns… only to start hacking as the small gust of icy wind caught in my throat. I was still unable to make a proper breath attack just yet.

    Closing my eyes and gleaning from the memories of my ancestors, I saw why I couldn’t. I was the runtiest among my litter and it was a problem that we white dragons faced, which was why cannibalism was a common thing. Grimacing at that particular memory, I shifted from my perch and glared down at my… rival.

    “Don’t you have better things to do?!” I shouted back, trying to get through the thick skull of the damned thing. Behind those beady little eyes was the shine of intelligence. It was definitely the reason why this thing hated me so much, “And don’t you ignore me, I know you understand me!”

    “Bah!” It bleated once more before it plopped itself down beside a dead bush before glaring up at me, seemingly intent on waiting me out. It was then that my stomach's displeasure quickly made its frustration known. Growling, I held on to my stomach. There was no food up here… but that meant there was no food down there either!

    Puffing my chest up and grinning, I shouted, “You’ll fucking starve before you can push me out! I’m perfectly fine up here!” I crawled down, looking through one of the empty hallows before looking down and nodding, “I have food here!” I bluffed, hoping for him to fall for it.

    My rival just blinked at me before it turned and took a bite at the bushes, nibbling at the buds at the tip of the branches. Slapping myself on the face, I groaned as I crawled back up higher on the tree. How could I have forgotten, I was dealing with a goat. I was going to starve up there wasn’t I?

    Looking around, I found that the branches of the tree I chose only extended so far and most of the trees around me were pine, which didn’t help. Fluttering my wings, I could only grumble at the small pitiful gust of wind I made. As it stood, I had no way off this tree.

    Seeing that there was no way to get him off my tail, I just had to wait him out. Glaring down at the beast, I just hoped that I wouldn’t be stuck up there for too long. Curling around a spot which was broad enough to hold me, I tucked myself in and napped. He should have gone away after I woke up. He shouldn’t be that spiteful, right?
    I waited and waited some more. Minutes turned to hours and the day turned to night. Watching the aurora’s dancing above in the clear starry night sky, I couldn’t help but feel awe at the sheer beauty of it all. It made me feel so tiny and insignificant, being under this vast array of colors, yet all I wanted there and then was to reach out and grab a star… and maybe toss it in a pile to lay atop on.

    Chuckling at the silly idea, I turned and glared down at the one thing that soured the mood, the randy old goat that had decided to just make my life as miserable as it could. I underestimated just how spiteful this fucker was.

    I felt my brow twitch at the sight of the goat pawing on the ground, exposing some grass for it to much on. He still refused to go away and I was getting hungrier. Going down would be a world of pain given just how bigger the goat was… but I was going to starve. What was worse was the sound that was carried on the wind.

    I felt the ridge atop my spine stand up as the distant crackle of lightning echoed in the valley. There, just over the mountains, was a storm brewing and threatening to spill over into the Great Valley. It was setting my teeth on edge as I paced around, feeling all anxious at the oncoming storm. I need to get out yet… the next branch was too far away. Memories of those before me showed me again and again how flying such a distance at a young age was impossible… yet I refuse to bow down now.

    Frowning, I walked up to the start of the longest and sturdiest branch and picked a tree in the distance. While my memories were useful, none of them were of a dragon that had either a human mind nor were from the runt of a litter. The weakest was always picked off because they were the lightest… but that’s exactly what I needed now, to be light.

    “You can do this, you can fucking do this! You’re a dragon now, act like a fucking dragon!” I shouted, making the goat look at me as if I was the crazy one, “I’ll show you,” I muttered as crouched low, wiggling my body as I locked on to my target.

    There was a tree just up ahead just barely out of reach; its branches, despite being weighed down by snow, remained unbowed. I breathed in deep, taking in the cold wind of the night and waited, feeling the winds pick up and shift as the storm cloud spilled over.

    Closing my eyes, I waited, ’seeing’ the currents of air in my mind's eye as they twisted and turned, shifting before me, until I felt a gush of wind behind my back, pushing me forward.

    With a war cry, I opened my eyes and sprinted ahead, my clawed feet digging into the branch as I spread my wings wide. The world below me shrank, the bleating of my enemy distant, as I leapt, landing just on the edge of the branch which bent and broke under my weight before I jumped!

    With the wind in my wings, I soared, sailing through the air. I let out a whoop of joy, flapping my wings as I got closer, but trouble would soon strike. The wind died down and I found myself all on my own. “No, no, no!” I cried, flapping as hard as I could, trying to stay as aloft as I could until I crashed against the branch.

    Skidding across the top, I had to grab hold before I slid off. I’d made it, I’d actually made it! “Hah! Suck it!” I shouted as I looked down at the goat in triumph. Now that I was in the tree I could actually jump to the others without much effort. I could even stay up in the canopy for as long as I wanted!

    The goat stomped its legs, snorting before bleating angrily at me as it knew I was going to escape. I, for one, was content at what I’d gained; thus I gathered what snow I could before pelting the damn beast with a snowball. As angry as it was, It could no longer reach me for I was the master of the trees!

    Flipping it off for good measure, I sauntered off, confident that I could take on whatever this forest could throw at me. Nothing could stop me now! But first, I needed to find shelter or make one for there was a fast approaching storm, and even my innate resistance to that cold wind would not help me against such biting blizzards.
    A/N:

    Our little boy takes his first steps to flight and ain't he adorable? He's not quite there yet but he could now feel the air current. He just needs to build up on the flight muscles to truly takes to the skies. For now at least, he can evade his rival until he's strong enough to challenge them. Time is all he needs.

    With that out of the way, I'd like to thank vyor for making this possible. Like, this would be borderline unreadable with out him :V. If you want to support me and help me continue writing, you can drop Patreon and Ko-Fi

    I'm currently doing a vote for the next Weekly Snippet so why not drop by? Also, interested in reading some Command and Conquer Fic or some Battletech Fic? You're in luck cause I made a crossover. Here's the link to the fic. First one's always free:

    https://www.patreon.com/posts/i-cabal-tiberian-90598003

    https://ko-fi.com/post/I-CABAL-Tiberian-Sun-CABAL-SI-Jumpchain-Mechwarr-H2H7PXWGX
    ​
     
  • Threadmarks
    • General Winter
  • Threadmarks
    • General Winter
    The winter storm had finally arrived and I was not looking forward to it one bit. With the darkening skies and rapidly dropping temperature, things were turning for the worst. Even my usually tenacious and dogged rival was nowhere to be seen. Tucking my wings close to me, which served a surprisingly good jacket of sorts, I looked around as I gingerly made my way down to the ground. They'd probably decided to call it considering how grim the weather was looking.

    Looking up, I saw the clouds roil as thunder arced across the darkened sky. I could tough it out, just burrow somewhere and sleep through it, but I had to remind myself that I was the runt of the litter. Aside from my already weak constitution, I also had a stomach that demanded an ever growing tax of food to fuel my growth.

    I was constantly hungry and I feared that my body would eat itself, weakening me even more, if I decided to just ignore it. There was also the matter of my nature. I was cold resistant, not immune and it was getting chilly already. I had to prepare, so I did what all of my ancestors did when faced with such brutal storms, I burrowed down and stocked up.

    "Fuck, it's midday and it's already freezing," I huffed out, finding myself digging at the base of a great oak, using my sharp claws to break through the frozen ground and expand the hollow underneath. It was hard work, but it paid off, even if it slightly blunted one of my killing tools in the process, but I was already strapped on time.

    With what little time I had left, I went out to hunt food; tracking down juicer prey in their burrows and collecting evergreen branches along the way. All in all, it took me most of what time I had left before the storm hit, and wasn't it a brutal one.

    Huddling close to the rapidly thickening snow, I dragged the evergreen branch filled with my small bounty. I pushed on, plowing through the whipping wind and wondering if I should just let go and cut my losses, but I could see the great tree up ahead. "I'm not letting go!" I growled out, determined to get every last thing inside, even if it would take time I almost didn't have.

    As I slid inside the humble cave I made I almost collapsed from exhaustion, but I still had work to do. Shielded from the strong winds, I had a far easier time moving about. I made the final touches to my cave, making sure that the large nest of evergreen branches and leaves was solid and my limited pantry was behind me.

    Satisfied, I took one last look outside. The howling winds screamed, forcing the trees to sway eerily in the darkness. Such was the force of it that a nearby tree was knocked over. Spooked by the incident, I decided to finally seal myself off by caving in the snow and did my best to ignore the storm.

    Climbing up my nest, I huddled tightly onto myself as I closed my eyes and slept, waiting for the storm to clear. There, in that nest, I dreamt of the great forest and the wonders it could bring and a great fortress in the sky filled with dwarves and the ringing of forges.
    Suffice to say that my preparations for the storm were well warranted. I woke up to the winds still raging, and so there I was, stuck and unable to move out. It got uncomfortable quickly as my food ran out and my growing body made it quite cramped. Fueled by the food I had, I almost outgrew my hole; which forced me to squeeze in tight, unable to stretch out even for a little bit.

    I did not account for the space required to do my bodily functions, forcing me to brave the weather outside to avoid stinking up the place. All in all, it took me three full sleeps, and an unknown amount of time, before the storm finally passed by.

    "Finally!" I groaned as I stretched, sighing in relief as I worked out the kinks and felt my joints pop, "Freedom," I whispered before plopping down on the fresh snow and just laying there. Looking up at the unbelievably blue sky, I couldn't help but feel relieved that it was all over.

    My first winter in this world was far more brutal than I'd expected and an experience I did not want to repeat. My brief reprieve, however, would soon come to an end as a bleat echoed from a nearby tree line. Looking up, I saw my rival make himself known, glaring balefully as it strutted up to me without fear.

    Normally I would have fled, but confidence filled my veins as I saw that I was approaching my rival's size. I was getting stronger while he remained the same, "Ready for round two huh?" I chuckled as I turned over to my feet and got up, facing him head on.

    "BAH!" He bleated back, snorting as he lowered his head, showing of his magnificent horns and pawed at the ground.

    "You want some of this?" I asked as I puffed myself up, standing on two legs as I spread my wings wide. Breathing in deep, I filled my lungs with the cold air of winter. I felt my core roar to life as the energies of the forest seemed to fill my veins and lit the sputtering blizzard inside of me. I could feel it, my breath coming to me as I challenged this goat that dared stand up against me, "Then come and get it!" I shouted back as I got back on all four and roared.

    I let loose as a blizzard forced its way out of my throat and out washed over the fresh snow, creating jagged spikes of ice as the cold answered to my command.

    The goat bleated, powering through it before faltering as it fell to its knees, "Bah!" I bleated back, still angry and but much more weary as it got back up.

    Coughing as the breath sputtered out, I forced out a grin at making the demon in woolen coat freeze up for the first time. "Bah…." it bleated weekly as its ears flattened against its head, their legs trembling before they fled in panic, "Bah!"

    "Hah, that's right!" I laughed as I strutted in celebration, "Run before the might of I…" I huffed before freezing as the ground trembled, a shadow looming over me suddenly. Slowly, I looked back and there stood a creature straight from the nightmares of children, "Oh… you were running from a troll…" I whimpered as the tusked face of the monster twisted in anger before roaring out and, I'll admit, I screamed; fleeing for my dear life as a fully armored troll came barreling down on me.
    A/N:

    Our little Wyrmling can't just catch a break huh? From angry goat to a fucking Ice Troll and not just that, one that's armed and dangerous. What's worst its after that blizzard that had him hunkering down. That's quite the step up for our little hero. How will he deal with this problem this time? Will he keep flying with his tail tucked between his tail or will he actually do something this time around?

    With that out of the way, I'd like to thank @Vyor for making this possible. Like, this would be borderline unreadable with out him :V. If you want to support me and help me continue writing, you can drop Patreon and Ko-Fi

    I'm currently doing a vote for the next Weekly Snippet so why not drop by? Also, interested in reading some Command and Conquer Fic or some Battletech Fic? You're in luck cause I made a crossover. Here's the link to the fic. First one's always free:


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  • Threadmarks
    • Fight or Flight?
  • Threadmarks
    • Fight or Flight?
    As I ran through the undergrowth of the Great Forest a great roar would echo through it. With my heart threatening to leap out of my throat while I bounded across the surface of the snowy path, a thought struck me; I was getting way too familiar with fleeing.

    Dodge!

    Seeing my reflection against the giant pillar of ice the troll called its weapon as it swung down and rained shards of ice and snow all over me. It was clear that I was outmatched. It was an all too familiar feeling by now, to flee in the face of danger and I was getting tired of it. Was this all I'd ever do? I was a dragon for crying out loud! It was time I acted like one.

    "Hættu að forðast Trog!" The blue skinned screamed in its incomprehensible tongue as it ran after me, breaking through trees with terrifying ease. (Stop Avoiding Trog!)

    Duck!

    Pressing my body low to the ground, I felt a swing just pass overhead before I scampered off once more. How though, how was I going to bring a giant troll down? I wanted to curse my luck but what would that do? I need to think, I need time and so I stopped, turned and came running at the troll with a war cry.

    With all the might I could muster, and all the wings spread out, I hissed at the troll only. Bluffing however would prove to be way harder as I was met with a swing to the side.

    Sailing through the air, I landed upon the side of a fallen log before sliding down to a pile of snow. I wasn't sure if it was the grace of lady luck or my thick head that protected me but I came out relatively unscathed… with only a broken rib to my name.

    Breathing in deeply, I found the tell tale sign of such injury at the sharp pain digging through my side. That was not good.

    "Litla dreka heldur að þeir geti hræða Trog! Trog drap dreka áður!" The troll shouted behind the treeline. (Little Dragon thinks they can scare Trog! Trog killed a dragon before!)

    And the blasted Troll was still after my ass. It looked liked I was fucked but not yet! I was still alive and I refuse to bow out now. Staggering back to my feet, I roared back in challenge. "Come on you fucker! I know you want me!"

    I stood my ground, looking behind me to see the space beneath the log. Just tall enough for me to slip beneath it. Further ahead, just a few dozen or so feet, I could hear the rushing of water from a nearby ravine. I don't know how deep it was but it might just be what I need for this.

    "Litla dreka áskorun Trog?" the booming voice of the Troll roared out as he burst through the pine trees, sniffing the air before it's eyes locked on him! (Little dragon challenges Trog?)

    Raising both my tiny paws up high and my middle fingers extended, I screamed back the one universal insult I could fall back to, "Fuck you!"

    There would be no comprehension in those eyes for his words but as soon as he saw my fingers, The troll roared back in anger,"Trog drepur!", before it charged at him with his mighty club in hand. (Trog Kills!)

    The troll was a monster of a specimen. It was taller than some of the smaller trees with tusks bigger than my own whole body. Carried by thick lanky legs, the titanic creature moved with deceptive ease, eating through the distance with long earth shaking strides. Clad in small pelts of white scales stitched crudely together and armed with a thick club, I could smell the scent of death wafting off him and his breath.

    Run!

    I knew I should run, I knew this was stupid yet I stood my ground. Squaring myself up, I dug in deep, pulling as much as I could dare from the wintery core deep within me as I stared at him down, refusing to back off now. Not after he had run for so long.

    Flee!

    Even as the ground trembled beneath his feet and how I held on, waiting for him as Power welled up inside my throat. I held my breath, refusing to back now, not even when the creature raced its mighty maul up high. "Not yet, not until I could see his eyes!" I thought as my heart hammered inside my chest, threatening to burst as the creature let out a terrifying warcry the reverberated in his chest.

    "Deyja!" (Die!)

    There! With all the might my tiny lungs could muster, I puckered his lips and blew as hard as I could. Pushing my breath through a tiny hole, I forced the cone to a tight beam aimed at the creature's eyes. I could feel my very cheeks freeze and teeth ache at the force of my own breath but he held on, making the troll scream as thick ice formed over its eyes.

    It staggered backward, dropping its thick club and sending ice flying as it claws on its eyes but it's not yet done! Grabbing one of the ice shards with my tail, I screamed "Batter up!" and slung it with all my might right at the creature's groin.

    The creature bowled over, grabbing its groin. "Trog sár!" It groaned before it's face twisted intoa scowl as it roared out, "Trog reiður!"(Trog Hurt, Trog Angry!)

    "Come on!" I shouted, pelting it with more ice as I retreated under the log and behind it. "Follow my voice!" I taunted, coughing as I felt my chest and felt for my breath. There's nothing left in the tank. It was still more than enough.

    It roared out mindlessly, rushing after, not knowing the log in front of it. I could only laugh as the creature stumbled forward, tripping over the log as it chased me. "You big idiot! You think I'm easy prey?" I laughed, crawling back, throwing snow and shouting to mask the rushing water behind me, "Think again!"

    It got up, feeling its way up to me as it walked towards ever closer to its doom. Looking behind it, I found a deep and wide ravine with a freezing river rushing through the rocky bottom. It was a one way drop and the Troll was heading towards it. Not even I could glide all the way across without dropping to the river below.

    As I turned back however, I felt my heart drop as the creature grabbed the ice over its eyes and ripped it off. The the sickening sound of flesh tearing echoed through the empty forest and with one swift move, the Troll could see again.

    "Trog klárari!" it grinned as it let out a cruel laugh. Backing away, I found that the Troll turned my plan against me. (Trog smarter!)

    Slowly, it approached. It's gangly out wide as it stared at me with those horrible mutilated eyes. I felt fear crept down my spine and ice filling my veins as I stood there growling, trying to bluff my way out and not sure what to do now. Out of breath and cornered behind a stiff cliff, it looked like it was the end. As I prepared myself for one last attack however, the most unexpected help came running at me.

    "Bah!"

    With a yelp of surprise, the Troll fell forward, landing hard on its belly as there behind it was the goat from earlier. "You majestic motherfucker!" I couldn't have been happier at the moment as I bounded atop the troll and behind it and stood beside the goat. As we stared at each other, dragon to goat, there was a brief moment of agreement between us. There before us was a bigger threat, now was not the time to fight.

    Turning back to the troll as it got back up, I spread my wings wide and grinned while the goat lowered its horn. "Let's get this on!" I cried as I charged straight at the Troll.
    A/N:

    You thought the goat was just going to run away didn't you? Well, surprise surprise cause our caprine friend came back and right when our little protagonist decided that enough was enough. Will he prevail over this terrifying foe? Find out next week... also, I might need to pump out a new chapter after that cause I'm only up to 6 chapters now. Also trivia time, the Ice Troll is speaking Frost Giant speak or the troll version of it and in this fic, I had it sounding like Icelandic. The wrong grammar is actually intentional or an accidental bout of genius thanks to google translate.

    With that out of the way, I'd like to thank @Vyor for making this possible. Like, this would be borderline unreadable with out him :V. If you want to support me and help me continue writing, you can drop Patreon and Ko-Fi. I'm also currently doing a vote for the next Weekly Snippet so why not drop by? Also, interested in reading some crack Warhammer fic? You're in luck cause I made about a great old one. Here's the link to the fic. First one's always free:


     
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    • The diet of dragons, according to the Draconomicon (3.5 splat book)
    Dragons are carnivores and top predators, though in practice they are omnivorous and eat almost anything if necessary. A dragon can literally eat rock or dirt and survive. Some dragons, particularly the metallic ones, subsist primarily on inorganic fare. Such dining habits, however, are cultural in origin.
    Unfortunately for a dragon's neighbors, the difference between how much a dragon must eat and how much it is able to eat is vast. Most dragons can easily consume half their own weight in meat every day, and many gladly do so if sufficient prey is available. Even after habitual gorging, a dragon seldom gets fat. Instead, it converts its food into elemental energy and stores it for later use. Much of this stored energy is expended on breath weapons and on the numerous growth spurts (see below) that a dragon experiences throughout its life.
    Click to expand...

    If you can get ahold of the Draconomicon, it is full of lore relevant to a Dragon SI.
     
    Heart of Dragon
  • Threadmarks
    • Heart of Dragon
    With my caprine ally at my side bleating out a warcry, my own hiss following suit, we attacked as one. There was not a moment of hesitation between us as he dove head first into our deadly adversary.

    "Trog hatar geitur!" The creature would scream as fury filled its eyes, swiping at us with its terrible claws. (Trog hate goats!)

    I managed to duck below the strike, it passed over my head by inches, but my temporary ally was not so lucky. The troll struck him on the side of the head, making him stagger, but now I was upon him. With an angry hiss, I dove at him, launching my entire body at him and latching on. I might not be as big as the goat nor as strong as the troll, but I was far more nimble.

    "Farðu af Trog!"The creature screamed as I slipped behind its back, forcing it to dance around as it tried to dislodge me. With my claws deep into its thick hide, however, he could not swipe me off all too easily. Not even its prodigious arm span could reach me as I got into the small of his back. (Get off Trog!)

    "Die!" I screamed as I reared back before slamming my teeth down hard on its tough leathery hide. My teeth ached as I drove down hard on the creature's flesh, but I powered through the pain, roaring out as I finally tasted blood and it tasted sweet. The taste of his skin was rancid, almost like tasting the scent of an open sewer, but the meat below was something different; sweet like berries; and I wanted more!

    "Trog sár! Sársauki!" The creature babbled out but I could not care for it any less. It staggered forward, past the dazed goat who shook its head as it got back towards the tree line. (Trog hurt! Pain!)

    "Come on! Get back up! I can't do this alone!" I shouted at my companion, pulling away momentarily even as the flesh tried to reknit itself. I was simply too small to do damage, but not my companion. We had a cliff to push it towards too.

    Unfortunately, the troll was far smarter than I gave it credit for. Hearing branches snapping, I redoubled in a panic, trying to pierce through the rubber like flesh and at the spine beneath. I felt bone, but so too did I feel the sharp stinging slap of a thick and heft branch branch against my back and against my broken ribs.

    "Farðu af Trog! Farðu af! Farðu af!" I saw double, reeling from the strike as I nearly fell off. It was only my claws that kept me on the creature, but the follow up strike brought me back to reality. I was forced to climb up to its shoulder, dancing around the strikes, yet still some kept hitting me, sending lances of pain up my spine every time it grazed my ribs. (Get off Trog! Get off! Get off!)

    Forced to abandon the hole I'd made, and with the troll getting close to his club, it felt like it was a losing battle. Just as all hope seems lost, help finally arrived. Shooting out like a rocket, the goat came charging at the back of Troll at full speed, "Baaaah!"

    There was a loud crack and the troll fell to its knees once more, "Augh!" The troll cried out in pain as it turned, swiping at the goat. This time the goat ducked low, making it stagger as it missed. Not missing the chance, I bit down once more, digging into its neck and down on its spine.

    Running past the troll, I thought my cervine ally was making a run for it but they skidded to a stop as they turned towards him. "Go for it! Just push him off the cliff!" I screamed, not even sure if he could as I pulled away flesh and blood. Warm, life giving liquid spurted out from the open wound; coloring my vision scarlet and blinding me, but I was not deterred, blindly biting and tearing.

    "Bah!"

    "Átjs!" (Ouch!)

    "Just die already!" It was a blur of violence, my draconic blood singing as my heart beat proudly. We were whittling him down as my teeth tore through flesh, my friend's horn bruising flesh and breaking bones. Feeling the wind rushing up the canyon and the sound of the rapids below, I knew this was the end. This was it, they could do it! "Do it! Butt him off the cliff! Just do it!" I screamed, not even caring any more. If it meant I had to go down with him, so be it. I could glide, this troll couldn't.

    "Bah!" My furry friend answered back as the sounds of their hooves thundered on the snowy ground. I roared and bit down, clenching my jaw until I felt bone… and my own teeth as I finally chomped through the sinew in between the bones.

    With a victorious cry, I pulled; but right at the cusp of victory I felt their meaty hands grab me by the neck, squeezing down hard enough that I let go. "Trog mun ekki tapa!" They roared out in a crazed shout as I felt myself swinging around before they threw me. (Trog won't lose!)

    Sailing through the air, I felt almost weightless and, with my blindness, I couldn't even orient myself. I screamed helplessly, tumbling through the air as I spun around. I flapped uselessly, trying to find my balance, but with the roaring wind buffeting me and the sound of the water getting closer and closer to my impending doom... I realized I was going to die.

    It was there, in that fall, that I finally heard the voice of my ancestors the clearest. All this time, I'd merely felt them, now I heard them shout as one, "Stop thinking! Just move!" And so I did.

    With long ingrained instinct, I stopped flapping and stretched my wings, arresting my falls as I straightened out but I fell faster, the wind rushing right at me as I could feel the water splashing up at my face. "Not enough! Not enough!" They roared but, amidst the sea of chaos, was a single drop of blood; standing calm as soft laughter echoed through my chest while the warm voice of a mother teaching their child rang inside my head.

    "Just like this my child! You might be the most precious of my clutch, but you have all the magic you need just inside here." The voice whispered as I felt a touch against my chest, warmth spreading over my wings, the cold blizzard trapped in my chest roaring to life as it coursed through my veins and out to my wings, "All you need is one beat of your wings and off you go!"

    "I will not die!"     I roared back as I felt the touch of the water up against my tail before I beat my wings, once and hard.

    Like a rocket, I felt wind rushing past my head, pushing off the blood staining my eyes as I found myself high up in the air. With energy coursing through my wings, I found myself towering over the trees. I was no longer bound to the earth, I could fly!

    "Bah!" A cry of pain echoed down below and there I saw my friend with its horn grabbed by the troll as it started pulling them apart.

    "Die!" The creature roared, the goat flailing uselessly as it found no purchase while it was held aloft.

    As I turned, I felt my wings falter, nearly making me plunge down as my flagging core came knocking. My breath and my wings were powered by the same energy and I had forced myself to my very limit.

    "Flee!" My blood cried for me to lick my wounds and rest. I could indeed, the goat had just been an ally of convenience but… what kind of dragon would I be to let a debt go unpaid? Where was my pride as a dragon?

    "Oh no you don't!" With another beat of my wing, I swooped down, talons spread out as I shouted, "You forgot about me!"

    "Wha-!?" It babbled out only to scream as blood spurted from its wide open eyes after my claws dug through soft jelly like orbs. Swooping past the troll, I landed atop the goat that the troll dropped..

    "Get up!" I shouted as I grabbed the goat and forced it back on its feet even as it bleated in pain, "Run!"

    His protests would soon die as the inarticulate roar of our enemy washed over us. With a shout, he galloped off and I had to hold on to my dear life lest I tumbled off. With one final beat, I shot off his back and up to the sky, flying off in another direction. I flew as hard as my body would allow, the cries of the troll not too far behind me, but they would soon melt away as I finally out ran them.

    Exhausted and tired, I didn't know how I stayed up for so long, but whatever kept me up could no longer fuel me. Unable to hold my eyes up any longer, they fell shut and I tumbled down to the ground. The last thing I felt was the soft and cold embrace of snow and I knew no more.
    A/N:

    Our little dragon just had his first fight and he was found wanting. It was a good fight however and it would serve him well. Now, all he needs is show what he'll do now that he's now on the ground. Does he stay down and be a failure or will he show that he has the heart of a dragon to keep on moving forward?

    Anyways, it's been a while :V. Had some hiccups and I may or may not have burnt out but I'm back. I'll try to post as many of the chapters I've built up to keep you guys entertained. I still want this story through. I just need to find my footing so that I don't land on my face all over again.

    With that out of the way, I'd like to thank @Vyor making this possible. Thanks to him, you guys can read through my mess. Praise be Vyor for his work :V I say praise thee in the comment section! Also if you see it in advance and want to help me continue writing, you can drop by my Patreon and Ko-Fi.

    One last thing, do you guys like Warhammer? If you do, you're in luck cause my beta posted a new story. Why not take a peek at it? Links to the story is here: https://forum.questionablequesting.com/threads/11th-rising-warhammer-30k-fic.25598/
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Keep Moving Forward
  • Threadmarks
    • Keep Moving Forward
    I would find no rest that night as I drifted in and out of consciousness. Pain wracked my bloodied and beaten form as I tossed about, delirious from hunger and a horrible feeling that seeped down to my very bones. It was a deep seated ache that left me feeling dry, like I was some desiccated corpse out in the desert and I had no water to sate it.

    Anything, Must Fill the Stomach, Must Fill the Furnace

    Laying there on the ground, bloodied and beaten, I wanted nothing more than to just drift away, to cease just to end this torment, but I clung on, afraid of what was on the other side. Pushing myself forward, I shoved ice, dirt and stone down my throat, anything to fill me. Forcing myself even as my lungs burned at the effort of just breathing, I ate and I persisted.

    Fight On, Must Fight, Must Survive

    I felt cold, the light of the moon and stars having faded as snow drifted in the wind. The darkness was creeping in and I felt helpless to stop it. The light was fading from my vision, my breath drawing weaker as my eyes slowly closed shut. I attempted to resist it, trying with all my might to keep my eyes open but it felt like I was holding the weight of the world with my eyelids.

    Resist… you must… fight on…

    I fought on, but it was a losing battle and slowly I slipped away, my thoughts fading, slipping from my grasp even as I tried to wrestle them in. I could feel myself looming over the edge, the all consuming darkness swallowing me as even my breath faded. As I lost the sense of my heart beating, I found all that was left was two sputtering lights, sparking in the void.

    It was in this darkness that I would hear the most beautiful of voices reaching out to my broken form. I could hear her voice echoing through the emptiness, filling it with light as she spoke and the world listened, "No, Not yet little one. Not when you still have so much left to do."
    I didn't know how long I was asleep or how many hours had passed, but I woke up to the feeling of small paws scratching away at my eyes. I would have laid there still if not for the feeling of something sniffing at me before a soft, warm, and wet tongue licked me in the face.

    "Gah!" I'd let out a curse, making the small creature that had been bothering me yip in surprise, as I woke up gasping and panting.

    With my heart pounding against my chest, I'd scrambled to my feet, feeling my scaly chest and wings for injuries… but I found none. I was whole and hale once more; my injuries healed and my scales shining in the soft light that filtered through the foggy clearing I found myself in.

    Sighing in relief, I plopped back on my back, sending a wave of low hanging fog outwards as I stared at the sky above. "I'm alive," I whispered in disbelief. I shouldn't be alive, right? All thoughts, however, of last night would be forgotten as the creature that had woken me up was far more curious than afraid.

    Walking up to me, this racoon-like creature, a tanuki I thought, looked at me curiously while it blocked the gray overcast sky and the clawing branches of the trees above. I didn't know what compelled me at the time, but the first thing that came to mind at that moment was to ask the creature a question, "Where am I?"

    The Tanuki cocked its head to the side at my question, which made me laugh. I should have honestly expected the silence. Still, that didn't answer the question, did it?.

    With the thick layer of snow blanketing the land and the tree's around me, I knew I was still in the forest… but at the same time, I was not. I also felt rather strange. I didn't feel any pain, everything feeling muted for the lack of better words. I breathed, but it was as if there was no air entering my lungs. I could move, but there was no strength in it nor was there any resistance. I simply was.

    It almost felt like a dream… thus I just laid there. I was neither hungry nor was I tired so I did not get up. Why did I need to get up? I should just stay there and rest. After all, this was just all a dream.

    But I would find no rest as I felt the Tanuki nudge me awake, pressing its face against my sides and refusing to relent even as I swatted at its furry body. "Stop it," I muttered as I scrunched my eyes closed, wanting to rest when suddenly, I felt something sharp on my wings, "Ouch!"

    Fully awake, I glared at the Tanuki who looked all too smug before scampering off into the woods, "Why you, little!"

    Getting back on my feet, I shot off into the woods. Hot in pursuit, all thoughts left my head. Each time I caught up to them, they'd step behind a tree and appear elsewhere. It was the most frustrating game of cat and mouse and I wanted nothing more than to catch them.

    Even as the woods got darker, the thorny brambles of the undergrowth scratching at my scales, I kept going until I lost track. Panting, I came to a stop in another clearing. I… was starting to feel the aches from the day before, the bruises coming into focus yet I felt more alive than I'd ever been before. As tired as I was, I could feel everything.

    "That… Tanuki, I swear I'm gonna catch him," I swore, wincing at my aching limbs as I limped ahead, "Right after I catch my breath."

    As my breathing got under control, I found myself on a path leading… somewhere. It looked dark and winding, twisting into the treelines and hidden by fog.

    Looking into the darkness ahead, I felt afraid. The darkness hid many shapes that danced in the unseen wind. The branches like claws reaching out, wanting to snare me in their grasp. I wanted to flee, to run anywhere else.

    So afraid was I that I didn't notice a creature watching me from above. "Hoot!" The creature called and I looked up to find a great big owl perched in the trees.

    It took one look at me before it looked behind me. Turning around, I found fog that obscured the path that I'd already crossed and the clearing that I'd left lifting and revealing what it hid.

    Dozens of creatures, their emaciated and frozen forms curled up as they slept, never to wake up, stared back at me. Brambles clung to them, digging into their peaceful form. The haunting sight sent shivers down my spine.

    "Hoot," the Owl would call out once more as it leapt from its perch and into the dark path ahead. They flew without hesitation, plunging into the darkness and leaving me behind.

    "Follow the animals, got it," I whispered as I turned away and fled, running as fast as my little legs could take me.

    Each step I took, however, sapped my strength or, rather, the numbness that I felt; but I now sensed my heart beat pounding against my chest, blood rushing in my ears as feeling returned to my chest. Even as pain coursed through me, I sought it out, letting it guide me in my desperate bid to escape.

    I ran and ran until I broke out of the fog and came upon a shrine in the middle of the forest. It was a statue of an attractive woman dancing in the light that bathed the clearing, her moment forever preserved in stone. While the forest behind me brought nothing but terror, this place made me feel at ease, a sanctuary for my weary bones.

    "Boof," A dog would bark out, and there they sat at the base of the statue with none other than the Tanuki and Owl that had guided me. At the sight of the three just sitting side to side, I knew I was in safe company. To think they'd come all the way there just to help me…

    Crawling beside them, the trio scooting to the side to provide me space, I plopped down between them and laid my weary head. As I laid down my head on the soft ground, I would smile, yawning before I whispered, "Thank you."

    My sleep would be uneventful, unlike the one from earlier, and I woke up soon after; finding myself in the same forest that'd I woken up too all those nights ago, resting below the statue of the beautiful goddess that had provided sanctuary, surrounded by three smaller statues of an owl, a dog and a tanuki. While the statues were weathered, I knew who they were. After all, how could I forget my friends after they had guided me through the darkness and the goddess that had provided me shelter when I was in need.

    "I'll pay you back one day, Eilistraee," I whispered, silently thanking the goddess as I picked myself up and walked away. I have been healed so now it was time for me to head back. I still had a troll to slay.
    A/N:

    This chapter is more of a thank you letter for my beta as well as my close friends. When the going gets tough and you feel like just laying down, having friends to back you up and keep you going forward makes all the difference. They might be across the ocean or across time and space but that won't stop them from helping you, one way or another.;

    With that out of the way, I'd like to thank @Vyor making this possible. Thanks to him, you guys can read through my mess. Praise be Vyor for his work :V I say praise thee in the comment section! Also if you see it in advance and want to help me continue writing, you can drop by my Patreon and Ko-Fi.

    One last thing, do you guys like Warhammer? If you do, you're in luck cause my beta posted a new story. Why not take a peek at it? Links to the story is here: https://forum.questionablequesting.com/threads/11th-rising-warhammer-30k-fic.25598/
     
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