Mara is a 3rd Generation Naomi Descendant, the oldest living/active dragon out of Willow, the first born of her nest, and the first of her kin born in the Wyrmwood. She felt the darkness stirring in her at a young age, and spent many days longing for something out of reach of the Plague lands she lived within. Eventually, the yearning of Something More sent her fleeing into the wilds. Her wings carried her toward the realm of the Lightweaver, and there, she found Pixel, a water flight fae that had also come to take up residence within the Light.
Her life there seemed fine, simplistic, and her time with Pixel produced fifteen offspring. But there was the always this fear present in her, knowing what the darkness at the edge of her vision could represent, the feelings in her heart. She didn't want to tell Pixel that the Shade could reach her, work through her, that she was a descendant of Naomi, the Gatekeeper. That all their children together were likely to carry the same attachment to this Curse inside of her. In the end, she abandoned them. If they could have a chance at happiness, she should let them try.
But she would not leave this Land of Light, for while she had spent time there, it had seem to push back the darkness more so than how she had felt during her time in the Wyrmwood. So, she began to wander. The more time she spent alone, the more she began to forget her time with Pixel, the happiness she had felt through the fear that ultimately made her decide to leave. Everything became a routine of waking, eating, sleeping, but the darkness was held at bay. Though her memory of these happier times faded, her Light did not.
Within the Hewn City, Mara found Abyss, and the recovering Night-Star Clan that he had forcefully overtaken. She was drawn to his Darkness, though in her mind, she would Calm it, so that he could reign as King of Clan in a more peaceful fashion. There was warmth here, and she embraced it. He was drawn to her because of her Darkness, but also her Light. She drew contentment from him, and she was as happy as she had ever been, as she could ever Remember being...
Abyss remained as her primary mate, and Mara loved him over all those present in the Clan. She did not dabble in nests with others, as she had no reason to, no need in her heart for such things. But as she lingered in the Hewn City with her new Clan, Queen to his King, she drew others to the darkness she worked so hard to keep hidden, to keep at bay. Abyss' darkness. Her darkness. And as she hatched offspring, and some of them stayed, the darkness of those individuals as well.
It was not always darkness drawn from outside, either, but rather drawn to the surface of her children. Svikari held such hate within her, and at every chance, she would work against Mara's positive goals. Somehow, Svikari just Knew what they were, deep inside, without needing to be told. And she spread the information through the Clan, bolstering the fear that had been there during Abyss' earlier reign, before Mara. Only it was a different kind of fear, a different kind of Darkness that held their terror.
The Clan began to question the actions of their leaders, despite the fact that they prospered. Svikari whispered in so many ears, and many of the Night-Star Clan either left the clan territory, or moved to its edges to dig new dens where they could live, separated but still a part of those that they had spent so long with. Mara's doubt began to grow, and Svikari lingered at the edges of the territory, waiting, biding her time for the day when she could overthrow Mara.
When Exodus arrived, a guardian drawn to the shared bloodline between himself and Mara, she was content to have him by her side. The Clan grew, and they moved forward, but the creeping darkness that had been held at bay so long was edging its way back into her mind, into her heart. Could a descendant of Naomi truly be happy? She felt happy. Was it a lie? Was she fooling herself? Was the Light something they were forbidden to have, being of the blood that they were? Doubts grew heavier and heavier over time.
Then, one day, during the change of autumn to winter, she felt the dissonance of the Clan exceptionally heavy, and she began to show signs of anxiety, of panic. Though Abyss tried to console her, she would not listen. She demanded they gather the Clan, though to her surprise, less than half of them showed their faces. How Dare they disobey her! The anger in her grew, and with it, the rise of darkness.
On the lands at the edge of the territory there came a stranger. One who lurked, one who whispered to those he found, one who ensnared the attention of the blind fae that worked against her mother. The doubt and anxiety grew into fear, and Mara watched as many of the clan that had supported her throughout her years as Queen, began to turn their backs on her, joining the others that would no longer support her, despite the way she had convinced Abyss not to slay them all.
Her emotions pushed back the Light, and no matter how much she wanted to hold onto it, the Darkness in her was coming to the foreground.
"We could have killed them all, and we did not!" Mara snapped angrily from atop her perch on Abyss' head as they watched another group of dragons head toward the edge of the territory where the one known as Whisper was taking up residence.
Abyss let out a low rumbling sound, his eyes narrowed as he looked in the same direction as his mate.
"I saved them!" Mara hissed, her ears pinning back and her crest laying flat.
Abyss let another low rumble out, his eyes rolling up as if to look at the small fae that rested on his head, even though he could not possibly see her from where she stood.
"All of these years we have protected them! All of these years--" Mara's tirade was cut off because Abyss moved his head quite suddenly, trying to throw the fae off, and snap his massive jaws at her. Only her quickness gifted to her by her small form saved her, giving her the dexterity to avoid this sudden, unexpected attack from the one that had been her mate for many years.
"Abyss!" She barked at him angrily, but the surprise on her face spoke volumes. She could see it only then, a faint hint of red around his eyes that had not been there before. She beat her wings against, quickly darting away from another bite. Her confusion thrust all of her anger away. Why? Why would he turn on her like this? She had only ever offered him love and acceptance, embracing his darkness as he embraced hers?!
Stepping up on a nearby rock, a mirror draped in feathers and torn cloth, a skull adorning his head, a bright red fae flitting around near him. Mara could see him, saw the smirk, and could feel the darkness eminating from him like a rolling thundercloud, sweeping outward and over them without any trace. Power. Familiar Power.
A massive claw struck Mara from the sky, sending her tumbling through the dirt many feet away. The imperial began to stalk toward her, and the mirror hopped down onto the ground, stepping right up to the dazed, fallen Mara.
"Sweet, pathetic older Sister..."
Mara could hear a voice, but it was like a honeyed whisper through her mind rather than words around her. She turned her head to look with blurred vision as the mirror, Whisper, was advancing her. The red fae had landed behind him on the rock, watching.
"What--?" Mara started to ask, but the mirror had advanced quickly, knocking her backward. She rolled cross the ground, and found herself pinned under Abyss' claws, held in place as Whisper closed the distance. She clenched her eyes shut, preparing for the worst.
"Mara!" A familiar voice rang through the area, and she snapped her eyes open as Exodus, her Guardian, raced up and drew his sword, slashing against Abyss' large foot. The Imperial roared angrily, and in pain, pulling up and away from the tiny, pinned fae.
Another dragon was there as well, a blur of dulled red colouration, shaggy winter coat getting spattered with blood as they struck against Whisper, tearing with teeth and talons. There was a ruckus then, the cries of many dragons as a small battle ensued. Those rallied Against Whisper, those rallied For Whisper, all moving forward quite suddenly. Mara did not understand what was going on, or how it had even come to this. Hadn't everyone left? Hadn't they left her behind..?
Exodus swept Mara up with a wing, trying to keep her safe as they fled the onslaught of clan dragon against clan dragon.
"But they can't--" Mara was trying to say, but darkness crept to the edge of her vision. She cried out alongside Exodus as both of them went tumbling across the ground. Svikari was smirking from the air, her head lifted. She had never needed true sight. She had the Darkness to guide her, after all. Dark energy swirled around her like a mist, and she had used the power to strike Exodus and Mara to the ground. Exodus rose quickly, turning his blade toward her, but a deep, rich red colour swirled near his eyes, and the blade was dropped, his expression slackening...
Mara lifted her head, looking toward Exodus who slowly turned angry eyes toward her.
"Ex.. Exodus.." She pleaded, her heart breaking to see him overtaken the way he was. He was already advancing her, lashing out with his claws, but she was grabbed roughly by some teeth and yanked from his reach. The mouth on her was gentle, though she had expected something harsh.
It took her a moment to realize that Saeladiir, who had previously attacked Whisper, was trying to run with her to safety. She flopped in his jaws a little, and looked behind her as her Clan warred with themselves. Tears streamed down her bloodied face, and she shut her eyes tightly as Saeladiir took to the sky. The darkness claimed her, and she fell unconscious....
