#beid

Eridanus, which is a Latin name for the real Po River in Italy, is the sixth largest constellation in the night sky. It is one of the original 48 constellations described by Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century.

The Babylonians may have inspired Eridanus with their "Star of Eridu" constellation. Eridu was an ancient city in Babylon known for its sacred marshes for the god Enki-Ea who ruled the domain of the Abyss. To the Greeks, it was associated with the myth of Phaethon who took the reins of his father Helios' sky chariot. Unfortunately, he did not have the strength to control it and veered wildly in different directions, scorching both heaven and earth. Eridanus is supposed to represent the path Phaethon took.

The named stars in Eridanus are, in order of brightness:

Achernar (α Eridani) is the ninth-brightest star in the night sky, a binary star system consisting of a blue giant and a blue-white giant. The system lies about 139 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic phrase ākhir an-nahr meaning "the end of the river," since Achernar lies at the southern end of Eridanus.

Cursa (β Eridani) is at the northern end of the river, a blue-white giant star about 90 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic phrase Al Kursiyy al Jauzah meaning "the chair of the central one."

Acamar (θ¹ Eridani) is a triple star system consisting of three blue-white giants about 167 light years away. The name comes from the Arabic phrase ākhir an-nahr meaning "the end of the river." The reflects the fact that Achernar is not visible from Greece, so Acamar was traditionally the end of the river.

Zaurak (γ Eridani) is a solitary red giant star about 192 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic word zaurak meaning "boat."

Rana (δ Eridani) is an orange giant star about 30 light years away. Its name comes from the Latin word for "frog."

Ran (ε Eridani) is a solitary red dwarf star about 10 light years away. This is the third-closest star system visible to the naked eye. It has one confirmed exoplanet orbiting it, about the mass of Jupiter, named AEgir. Both names were given by 8th grade students in Colbert, Washington: Ran is the Norse goddess of the sea, and Ægir is the Norse god of the ocean.

Theemin (υ² Eridani) is a yellow giant star about 211 light years away. Its name comes from a corruption of the Greek words hē kampē meaning "the bend in the river."

Sceptrum (53 Eridani) is a binary star system about 110 light years away. It consists of at least one orange giant star. Its name is Latin for "scepter."

Azha (η Eridani) is an orange giant star about 137 light years away. Itts name comes from the Arabic phrase udḥiyy al-naʽām meaning "the ostrich nest."

Beemim (υ³ Eridani) is an orange giant star about 296 light years away. Its name shares the same origin as Theemin.

Beid (o¹ Eridani) is a yellow-white giant star about 122 light years away. It is also a variable star with irregular changes in brightness. Its name comes from the Arabic word bayḍ meaning "eggs."

Keid (o² Eridani) is a triple star system consisting of two red dwarfs and a white dwarf. The entire system lies about 16 light years away. Historically, this was the first white dwarf star to be discovered. Its name comes from the Arabic word alqayḍ meaning "eggshells."

Angetenar (τ² Eridani) is an orange giant star about 187 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic phrase Al Ḥināyat an-Nahr meaning "the bend in the river."

Zibal (ζ Eridani) is a binary star consisting of two blue-white giant stars. The entire system lies about 110 light years away. Its name is a misreading of the Arabic word riʼal meaning "ostrich chicks."

Ayeyarwady (HD 18742) is a Sun-like star about 527 light years away. It has one confirmed exoplanet orbiting it, about 3.3 times the mass of Jupiter, named Bagan. Both names were given by the people of Myanmar: Ayeyarwady is a river in Myanmar, while Bagan is an ancient city on the banks of this river.

Mouhoun (HD 30856) is a binary star system consisting of a red giant and a red dwarf star. The entire system lies about 429 light years away. It has one confirmed exoplanet orbiting it, about 1.5 times the mass of Jupiter, named Nakanbé. Both names were given by the people of Burkina Faso: Mouhoun is the local name of the Black Volta river, while Nakanbé is the local name for the White Volta river.

Koeia (HIP 12961) is a red dwarf star about 76 light years away. It has one confirmed exoplanet orbiting it, about a third the mass of Jupiter, named Aumatex. Both names were given by the people of Puerto Rico: Koeia is the word for star in the language of the Taíno people, while Aumatex is the god of wind.

Montuno (WASP-79) is a Sun-like star about 780 light years away. It has one confirmed exoplanet orbiting it, named Pollera, about 80% the mass of Jupiter. Both names were given by the people of Panama: Montuno is a traditional costume a man wears during the "El Punto" dance, while Pollera is the traditional costume a woman wears.

Chaophraya (WASP-50) is a Sun-like star about 594 light years away. It has one confirmed exoplanet orbiting it, about 1.5 times the mass of Jupiter, named Maeping. Both names were given by the people of Thailand: both are rivers in Thailand.

She turned, fangs exposed, and snarled viciously at the target of all of her frustration and anger.

"This is YOUR fault!" The Mirror was not the most tactful among the clan. She lashed out immediately, without thinking, at Lesath, amidst his grief. "Had you not invited that repulsive creature into our clan, none of this would have happened!"

Behind her, Hadir snorted in disdain. That was his charge she was insulting, much less putting the blame on. "With all due respect, lady matriarch," he rumbled, in a tone that was just barely critical. "But like many within this clan already, he was in need of a home, and a place where he felt safe."

Beid roared, and snapped her jaws shut at the end of it. Her anger was seething. She whipped around to face him, as she screeched in retort. "You mean what's LEFT of this clan. And who are YOU to criticise this situation, when it is HE that put this place in danger?!"

Lesath, who had already been taken aback by her initial outburst, moved away from the cooling body of his fallen comrade. His steps were slow, and calm, and he came to a stand before her. His eyes, as dark purple as the mournful sky overhead, were sharp, and offended. 

"And you, lady matriarch," he began softly. "Are breaking one of the most sacred rules of this clan: That we are to coexist without strife."

She had nothing to say to that. But the Coatl wasn't finished. 

"When I found him, he was washed up on the shore, without any memory of where he had been, or who he was. We all well know this by now. It is for this reason, that I will continue to stand by my decision to bring him here, and give him a home. It is what this clan stands for." 

To make a point, he raised his head a little higher, standing tall, and proud. "We protect our allies. Kraz is no exception."

Beid opened her mouth as if to argue, but a flat voice came from behind all of them, and stopped her short.

"That is enough, Beid." The voice belonged to Caphir, the clan leader himself. The Fae sat on his back legs, a scroll of healing held in one arm, and his other hand on his knee. The fins on the side of his face twitched as he thought. 

"Lesath is correct. He is our comrade, and I will not tolerate your accusations. The threat has passed. Kraz himself was, and is not, our enemy. Return to your den, and cool your head."

The Mirror was unable to argue. But she didn't have to like it. She only bared her fangs in disgust, and turned away to do as she was told.

Once she was gone, the clearing between the nests, some destroyed and some not, finally seemed to relax. Lesath returned to Adhara's side, to give him one final, silent farewell. Hadir saw himself to a lay beside Kraz, who had by now passed out, due to pain and fatigue from his struggle. Far overhead, perched on an outcropping of crystal, Cynosura looked on with a dim, interested smile.

"We have quite a lot of work to do, don't we, my dearest Caller?" They cooed. The Tengu huddled beside their back leg crooned in agreement. Eight bodies in all. One was even an Imperial, which required special care to dispose of. So it went.

But the stars had returned in the night sky, and the eerie darkness from earlier had receded.

Its scales shimmered black and sickly green, accented only by the surrounding glow of the pink and blue crystals. It could've been easily mistaken as a Guardian for its shape, but something wasn't right about it. Water dripped in a steady flow from its mouth, and where its eyes should have been. They were only sockets now, and its jaw was slack.

Around its neck was a rotten, sopping wet shawl. Its horns tangled with antlers strikingly similar to an Imperial's, and each prong hung heavy with moss, or seaweed. Its torso, also uncannily similar to the arched back of an Imperial, made its otherwise normal Guardian legs stand even taller.

The spiked fins lining its chest and neck protruded at dangerous angles, and from every crevice, leaked a heavy substance of black. It roared, making a guttural sound past all of the water cascading from its mouth, and attracted another victim.

The Nocturne a floor up from this shallow pool in the cave, was no match for this amalgamate beast of Shade. He was just another body added to the pile.

As the monster lumbered its way farther up and out of the sacred caves, it tore down yet another victim. Then another. It made quick work of each: A single swipe of its broad arm and claws was enough to snap a neck, or rupture blood vessels.

The carnage it left behind was evident. Its footsteps were heavy, and each mark it left was filled with blood, water, and the all-too-familiar substance of black.

Chaos was spreading. Beid, the clan matriarch, flitted from one area to the next, instructing certain dragons of their new tasks. She stopped short, when she found the courier still bedridden. How would they get messages out now? How would they plead for help amidst all of this havoc?

She snarled in frustration, and dashed away again, leaving the Coatl and his mate with their heads low in fear.

Outside, the beast of the Shade continued its rampage. It seemed to be looking for something, but was merciless to anything that got in its way, or didn't move away fast enough. Several bodies had collected around it.

But inside another nest, one dragon was writhing in pain. As if stricken by fever, the Pearlcatcher shivered, occasionally hacking out a large amount of black. His Guardian companion loomed nearby, one leg held on his opposite side, as though to help him feel more secure. Hadir had spent much time with him by now. But never had he seen him this ill. It worried him, and he held his head low.

His coos of concern and comfort hiked into aggressive growls, when the monster outside neared, and inevitably swiped the top of their den clear off. Hadir stood, bared his teeth, and flared his wings.

The beast swayed, creating a creaking sound, beneath its watery gurgles. It seemed to growl, and made to reach for Kraz, only to have its arm knocked away by the true Guardian. It bellowed, seemingly in frustration, and with a heightened sense of aggression, tried again.

But this time, it spoke. In a voice that sounded like two melded together, it roared, silencing the rest of the clan.

"WHY DID YOU LEAVE US TO DIE?"

In his pained coughing, Kraz wheezed. The memory from a few weeks prior suddenly hit him again. Nearly being swallowed by the tide beside the Sea of a Thousand Currents had reminded him of a time before being found by clan Cygnus. He recalled being attacked by something. And now, more than ever, he remembered seeing two bodies spiral down behind him, and hit the water.