Flight Rising: Living Bloom
2026 Greenskeeper Gathering Entry
In the deepest reaches of the Gladekeeper’s domain, far beyond where outsiders dare to tread, tales circle of a position, an honor coveted by Nature dragons above all else that can be found in the entirety of Sornieth; Becoming one of the Gladekeeper’s Living Bloom. Across the millennium, the Gladekeeper has selected the bearers for her petals with exquisite care and extreme precision, and only a pitiful few- Those whose loyalty never wavered, whose devotion borderlines on that of mania and obsession- were ever deemed worthy of receiving such a blessing.
To the unenlightened, this selectiveness appears to be proof of the Gladekeeper’s divine benevolence; A sacred reward for her follower’s devout worship. A mark of favour bestowed only upon the most just and righteous of her children.
Yet, for those who actually receive the gift of the Living Bloom, the truth unfurls far differently than believed, for the Gladekeeper’s gift is far from an honor- Instead, it is a cruel sentence, one that takes advantage of their faith and belief in their beloved deity to trap and ensnare them for the rest of their breathing existence.
The bestowed petals first arrive as soft, delicate things. Harmless in appearance. Gradually twisting so that a vine grows around the dragon’s wrist. Its first bloom proves warm against a dragon’s scales, pulsing with a strong, comforting heartbeat. Most weep with joy upon first wearing it, believing themselves to be truly beloved in their deity’s eyes.
But the Living Bloom continues to grow.
With each passing day, more flowers bloom. More tendrils creep across the dragon’s hide and scale and, before long, burrow beneath them. When the host finally senses that something is amiss, resistance is no longer possible, for the roots of the petal have long since wound themselves deep through the dragon’s muscle, spine, and marrow. With one final bloom, the chosen dragon is no longer a pilgrim of the glade- They are but an ornament. A living idol in the Gladekeeper’s ever-expanding garden. Their steps move not by their own will, but by the quiet, restless tug of the vines now puppeteering their limbs, forever standing sentinel over the deity’s evergreen domain.
And the worst, most horrifying truth of them all?
The Living Bloom’s mind remains fully conscious and intact, trapped forever behind those wide, unblinking eyes, forced to watch as their bodies move and obey in silent worship even as their minds scream and shriek within their cages made of bone, flesh, and vine.
Meanwhile, in the heart of her viridian kingdom, the Gladekeeper merely smiles as her luscious garden continues to grow.