Dododex

ARK: Survival Evolved & Ascended Companion

Journey Chapter 40

Coral sat there in confusion, she stared at Forest and then looked back at Nightfall. She didn’t say anything for a moment.

“He’s joking right? I mean he’s as young as me? And in the legend, the Rock Drake defeats an adult tyrannical wyvern with two mighty carnivores by his side. Who were the other two, adult Rexes? Two Yutyrannuses?” Coral asked, Forest bobbed and shook his head. He was kinda getting upset.

“No but ah,—”

“You’re not going to tell me you are the other two? No offense to you Crimson or you… Whatever your name is, but this is just too crazy to believe without proof.” Coral said.

“I am one of them Coral. This leechface isn’t, but I am. We’re trying to find the rest of our friends who are the Five.” Crimson said agitated. Coral flapped her wings in disbelief.

Forest wanted to correct Crimson in her actions as they were guests in Coral’s home, but he could understand her mindset. He was slightly annoyed about it, but they couldn’t really prove who they claimed to be. Except for the rune. He wasn’t sure if their legend would contain the use of this tool or not. But he had no other choice.

“Coral, I don’t know if this can prove to you that we are who we say we are. But I have this.” Forest said as he pulled out the rune from his bag. Its runic marks rhythmically glowed a beautiful bright green. Everyone seemed surprised by how much it glowed. Coral also seemed quite surprised by this object.

“It’s called a—” “—Rune, the weapon wielded by the legendary Rock Drake. Legend has it he pulled it right off the obelisk with his bare claws.” Coral interrupted in awe. Forest stared for a moment at Coral slightly concerned at that comment, considering they found it on the ground in Runheimr. Forest looked over at Crimson with his confusion, to see her snickering at Coral’s comment until she noticed that he was looking. Where she tried poorly to pretend to be serious. Forest looked back quickly faded and her expression became suspicious, “We never knew the name of this Rock Drake, but knew his name had something to do with a group of plants. How can we be sure you didn’t steal this rune and say you're the legendary Rock Drake?”

Forest was shocked, but he didn’t hear the last part of what Coral said. “A group of what?” Forest asked,

“A group of plants, why?” Coral asked.

All three looked at her with an expression of dumbfoundedness before Nightfall burst out laughing in hysterics. Coral raised an eyebrow not getting why it was funny.

“What?” Coral asked confused,

“Do you know what a Forest is?” Crimson asked,

“No, what is it and why does it involve what I said?” Coral asked.

“It’s a-” “It’s a group of trees, a forest is a group of trees!!” Nightfall blurted out, cutting off Crimson. Nightfall started muttering something and laughing in some herbivorous language. Coral's mouth dropped and she turned to hide her face from the embarrassment of what she just done.

“Thanks Nightfall” Crimson said sarcastically,

“Well, that was… embarrassing. I am so sorry for accusing you of lying about who you are. I hope you can forgive me?” Coral said with her face still turned away from the other

“It’s okay, at least you believe us now. Right?” Forest asked. Coral turned and looked at him.

“I believe you more than I did before. But how did you get here without being tamed?” Coral asked. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

“That’s … a long story that we don’t have the time for right now.” Forest said. Forest began to put the rune away and noticed something about it. The rune was glowing with a bright rhythmic pattern. Forest remembered that the rune did something similar on the Island. Forest didn’t know what exactly this meant. But he knew it meant they did something right.

“Well, you have time. You have several hours before President Kaminari meets with you three and Methuselah. So if you don’t mind, could you tell me?” Coral asked politely,

Forest was very tempted to say no and walk off, but he didn’t want to be impolite to her since they were guests whether she was a wyvern or not. Plus he did have a few questions he wanted to ask her. “Alright, so it started like this…”.

~

Forest went through the story he, Crimson, and Nightfall experienced recently on their unforgettable ride… a horrible one that’s still ongoing, but an unforgettable one nonetheless. He kept the troodon thing out of it though for the time. He really hoped this was his last time telling this story. Coral though seemed very invigorated by the story. She seemed wondrous by these stories.

“So there are even more places than here and Fjordur? These… ‘arks’ as you call them are different and unique from each other, and you think you and the rest of the ‘five’ are spread across these ‘arks’. That’s… interesting.” She said turning away from them over to the opening of the nest. She didn’t seem like she was questioning what they said, yet, rather she seemed to be deep in thought as she stared over the scar. Nightfall took a step forward.

“Do you believe us now? We are here for the shriveled tintoberry and now were trying to leave this place. And the wyverns are the only ones who know a way off.” Nightfall said, Crimson looked at Nightfall, and growled with malicious intent. Coral looked over at the three of them and gave a soft smile.

“Can I show you something?” She said. She started to walk and she passed the others as she went down the tunnel. She looked back as she flicked her tail.

“Come on, follow me.” Coral said. The others looked at each other for a moment in hesitation. Before Forest broke the hesitation and followed with others not far behind. They walked behind her for some time before they turned and entered the cavernous room Forest had been in before. They walked into the room and saw what Forest had previously seen. However, something he didn’t notice was the paintings on the walls. Paintings of things that Forest didn’t understand. They covered each of the walls, a different story for each wall. It was beautiful.

“We have several legends and myths. Like the legend of our seers.” She said, pointing to the painting on the wall with her wing. The painting showed a crude drawing of what looked like wyverns, the trench, and a familiar-looking creature.

“Hold on, seers?” Forest asked, Coral nodded.

“Yes, the legend has been passed down for generations. That is a spirit of foretelling, one from another world. It gave the wyvern clans a blessing, this blessing gifted the clans in a way they would never be able to repay. The gift was that a seer would be born in our clans from then on. These wyverns would see things like the spirit that gave us this gift so many generations ago.” She said. She looked at the painting on the wall.

“So where is the seer in this place then? Maybe they can help us find our way out of here and back home to find our friends?” Nightfall asked bluntly. Coral just shook her head.

“I’m sorry, but the last one died when I was a hatchling. I don’t even know what clan she herself came from. The next one won’t be revealed until it is their time.” Coral said, The others looked confused.

“What do you mean by 'revealed’?” Crimson asked.

“The seer before they die, chooses their successor before they are even hatched. Gifting them with the same gift that was bestowed upon them. The only ones to know are the parents and the President who is in charge at the time. This information is passed down during their reign but is spread to no one else. And when that wyvern goes through its ceremony for becoming an adult. The President and their family will announce who the succeeding seer is.” Coral said.

“So what can a seer see?” Forest asked. Coral looked at him.

“They can see many things!!! But ah— that’s only what I’ve heard. I’ve heard they can see visions, events in the past, and the future. I am not sure what else they could see. Some of these things didn’t come true. But this seems to be normal with how many they foretold in their lives.” Coral said. Forest nodded, he was getting more and more intrigued by this. These seers sounded like Peeri in a way, though not quite. He noticed that Nightfall looked at Coral with a curious look in his eye.

“Hey! Did any of you come into my room before I came here?” She said as she walked past Crimson and Nightfall, over to the wall of crystals. Picking up the strange object off the floor from where Forest had carelessly left it, holding it in her talons.

“I know I left it here before I left, and my brother hasn’t been back yet, or else he would’ve greeted you three.” Coral said, deducing what might’ve occurred.

“Uh, that was me. I’m sorry, I got curious and took a glance and saw that thing there.” Forest said as he pointed to the thing in her hands. “It was just interesting to me… it seemed to remind me of the rune sort of. Do you know what it is?” Forest asked, Coral shrugged. Again, Nightfall gave the same glance, this time at what Forest had stated before he asked the question. Though Forest didn’t notice this one.

“I’m not sure what the name is, Kaminari, and my parents I believe know what the name is.” Coral said. She looked at Forest confused

“Where did you get it from?” Forest asked. She again shrugged.

“I don’t, I’ve had it all my life. My parents gave it to me when I was born.” Coral answered. Her voice was unsure as she stared at the object in her talons.

“So they know?” Forest asked. Coral shrugged again.

“I‘m honestly not quite sure on that either. I guess they could know, but they may have forgotten. It has been a long time.” Coral said. Forest nodded. She seemed adamant about not wanting them to push this. But she seemed to be telling them honest answers, from what Forest could tell. So they would have to wait until Coral’s mom returned. Forest needed to know where they got this. He wanted to know more about this object, and why it reminded him of the rune. And why the rune reacted to it. There was so much he needed answered, so many questions he wanted to ask. But it would have to wait until his next meeting with Coral’s mom.

“Do you know when she’ll be back?” Forest asked. She shrugged.

“It all depends on when they want you to meet President Kaminari.” Coral said.

“So, what do we do until then?” Crimson asked grudgingly. Coral stood there for a moment holding the thing in her hands, before she finally set it back to its rightful place.

“I can show you around our nest some more, and tell you all about the World’s Scar until my mom returns. She’s probably going to be an hour or so. We can probably go, and sneak into my sister's room first. She’s out with my dad on a scouting trip in the inner desert area so she won’t be home for the next three days.” She said. She looked at the three of them and smiled. Forest looked at the other two. Crimson shrugged with a snort. Nightfall looked back over at Coral for a moment before looking back to Forest, nodding his head in acceptance of her offer. Forest smiled.

“That sounds fine to us!” He said smiling at Coral. Coral smiled back with a wide grin.

“Alrighty then, let’s get started then” she said as she started to walk ahead just before she paused she looked back at them. “Also… while I show you around our home. Would you tell me more about you three? Like more about yourselves and not your hero sides of you? I rarely get to see other creatures in the Scar besides Uncle Mezzu. And we never have juvies come through to the scar.” Coral said. There was an awkward moment of silence as everyone felt, well awkward. Forest wouldn’t mind telling her about himself, but he felt it would be weird for him to be the only one to say it. Coral realized she seemed to be making it awkward for them, and she almost seemed embarrassed by doing so. “You don’t have to if you want, I was just curious to know.” She said. Forest began to feel bad as she turned back around. And well, he decided to take charge.

“Well, I don’t mind telling you about myself Coral. It’s just a bit weird. Not a lot of creatures don’t know about us and it's been a while since we’ve had to tell creatures about us. And I’m sure Crimson wouldn’t mind telling you some things about herself. Right Crimson?” Forest explained. He looked at Crimson. Crimson seemed irritated at Forest’s choice to take charge of the situation. For him and herself. Their eyes locked for a moment in a sort of staring contest. Forest mouthed please as he gave a sort of puppy eyes unknowingly. She groaned as she continued to glare at him.

“Sure.” Crimson said as she turned back to Coral. Coral seemed to smile.

“Thank you, but you only have to if you want.”

“Nonsense, we’d be honored to. I will certainly be telling my bit of interesting background if these two will.” Nightfall said with charisma, smiling with his teeth as he did. Crimson glared at him even more before leaning over him and whispering something into his ear. Forest was confused as he looked at Nightfall, then Nightfall exchanged a look with him, and then quickly moved his eyes towards the direction of Coral.

Forest turned back and looked at Coral who was smiling widely with excitement. “Great!! I’ll show you around while you do.” She said while she turned around.

“Come on!! Follow me!” Coral said. Forest smiled and nodded at Coral as she walked out of the room. He then looked back over at Nightfall. Who walked over next to him.

“What did Crimson say to you?”

“That’d she would throw me and you into the hot lava when she gets the chance. That was a hollow threat… right?” Nightfall asked. Forest swayed his head side to side.

“Just try to stay away from any lava when around her.—” Forest said.”—So, what are you planning on telling Coral?” Forest asked. He made sure to keep anything out that involved the Order of the Arks.

“The truth, just to leave out any of Order’s shenanigans. I’m just going to tell her enough to ease her mind and suspensions. Just like she did to you.” Nightfall said. Forest retracted his head back as he looked at Nightfall with visible confusion.

“What do you mean?”

“She wasn’t telling us everything Forest. Especially with that piece of Element.”