Through the hollow shadows of the night, two creatures stirred, their paws dragging through the thick snow as they moved in agonizing silence. One led the other, but cautiously. It constantly looked back and would often turn to provide aid to the weaker. The other staggered behind the first, its belly broadened abnormally and causing its balance to waver. The weaker fell into the snow, and in an instant the other was beside it and helped it to stand. Together, they arrived at a dead tree with a hollowed base. The other helped the weaker into the tree before sitting outside of it and hunching over, worry weighing heavily on its shoulders.
From the tree tops, a beast watched them in ominous silence. A sigh of hot air escaped his nostrils and turned to silvery wisps when they touched the frozen air. He stood from his perch and launched himself off. Snow fell from the branch he rested on as the force of his take off rattled the dying tree limb, and when his feet struck the ground snow puffed up in clouds of white and silver, masking him for a moment. The other who sat outside the tree turned its head too sharply for its body and staggered to its feet while regaining balance. It bared its fangs at him, but he did not so much as blink. He gazed in cold silence at the other before him and then walked foreword, his paws sliding through the snow with ease as he glided to the duo. Nervous and tense, the other released a vicious snarl at him and rushed to strike. Before it had covered half the distance, he rushed at it and span, striking the other with his tail and sending it rolling a few feet to the side. He had struck it in the ear, an action meant to force it to loose balance and remain down for long enough for him to do what he had to do.
He approached the tree and gazed down into the hole with a stoic expression. Beneath his burning gaze, the weaker trembled in fear, curling around its stomach in a feeble attempt to protect itself. Slowly, he lowered himself to all fours and extended a paw to the weaker. It grimaced as his touch fell onto its stomach. He held his paw there for a moment, sensing something which could not be seen or heard, then an instant later he raked his paw down the weaker ones stomach and to the ground. The weaker released a harsh yelp and a vibrant red symbol appeared over its stomach. The symbol span and whirled for a moment before snapping together into a single red dot and shattering. The weaker stared at him with wide, terrified eyes. He did not return her gaze, and instead turned around and walked away, returning to his full height once out from the tree. Behind him, the sobbing of the weaker rang through the dead tree. He walked away, the snow falling back behind him and erasing his trail. The only signs of his presence left behind was the sobbing weaker one within the tree and the half-conscious other which lay in the snow close by.
-Male-
Laughter rang through the hall as the dragons within spoke merrily and enjoyed their feast. There were hundreds, most of which sat at tables which extended along the hall perpendicular to the arch of tables in the front. At this arch sat seven dragons, each bearing various symbols. In the center of them, a white dragon with a golden rune painted on its chest sat with pride, watching over the dragons. The room was filled with glee and cheer as each dragon feasted till their stomachs could hold no more. The glee of the room had taken an hour to build up, but was dead in one instant.
The door shot open and a gryphon, which guarded the entrance, tumbled inside. It staggered to its feet and turned to face the white dragon. “I told him n-.” It was cut off by the turn of attention. It followed the gaze of the dragons and ruffled its feathers in anger and nervousness. “I told you that you are not to see the chief!” He paid no heed.
The black viscet walked into the room and immediately turned his red gaze to the white dragon at the front. The dragons within the room all bristled and a wave of fear and tension washed over all of them, except for the white dragon, who hid its emotions with the shield of a stoic gaze, one nearly as firm as the one which stained the viscets face. The viscet walked between the rows of the tables, moving directly towards the white dragon. His walk felt like ages to those who watched, and each step seemed to echo through the hall like the chiming of a bell rang to call out the death of a beloved. When he finally reached the end of the hall, he stopped ten feet from the perch of the white dragon and gazed coldly up at it. They remained in silence for several moments, neither breaking their stoic mask, until finally the white dragon spoke. “What is it?” It spoke calmly and fluidly, though there was a certain hint to its words as those the calm tone was greatly forced. It waited for several moments before speaking up once more. “Holding your tongue for once, are you?” Bitterness slipped through its pristine fangs and its stoic mask finally cracked. Frustration gleamed in its eyes as it pulled its muzzle back in a snarl. “What, you want me to speak your name?” The dragon hissed out the words in anger, clearly displeased by the viscets silence. “So be it,” It hissed out each word out harshly, particularly emphasizing the second. “Chaingsik.” It spat out the name as though the word were poison and emphasized the last two syllables as though to make the name sound pungent and wretched. “Happy now, Chaingsik? Now, what is it that you were so desperate to get from me that you had to interrupt our beautiful feast?”
The black viscet said nothing for a while. His stoic mask had not so much as chipped through the whole ordeal and he gazed calmly into the constantly growing fury which blazed within the white dragons ocean eyes. After a particularly lengthy pause which was filled with quiet and confused murmurs from the dragons around them, he spoke, his voice echoing with power and calmness as it rang along the walls of the hall. “I have arrived once more to see if any of you had regained the knowledge which you surrendered. I see now that you have only lost more.”
The dragons hissed and snapped at him and the white dragon before him reared its head back and bared its fangs. “You know nothing, foolish beast! We are dragons, the beings which hold the wisdom of all things which have been, all things which are, and all things which will be! How could an insignificant beast,” it spat the word and flames burst from its maw as it did, “like you possible know of our knowledge?!”
There was a flicker of light within the gaze of the black viscet as his thin pupils turned upward to the dragon which spat in anger at him. He responded quickly, and a hint of sharpness stung the edge of his words. “You do not even know how little knowledge you have. You see wisdom and deem it foolishness, then replace it with your own lies to create an ideal world, but how much longer will a house of stone rest upon a foundation of sand?!”
“Be gone!” The white dragons head lunged foreword and it stepped atop its table as it snapped for him. Quickly, the black viscet lunged back to avoid the dagger-like teeth. The white dragon stepped towards him and stretched out its wings. Beside it, the other dragons roared in rage and encouragement of the white dragon. Cries of outrage which demanded for him to be slaughtered or cast out or burned echoed along the halls. Knowing he had no other option, the viscet ran and slipped out the door just as the golden flames of the white dragon struck the door behind him. He stood panting, his stoic mask gone, leaving his frustration and shock unveiled for those nearby to see, but only for a moment. Soon, the instant passed, and he straightened once more and walked off, moving towards the east of the castle where a thin and dying forest squatted upon the earth.
“You lost your cool again, didn’t you?” The fur coated dragon gazed down at her pacing friend with an unamused expression. While she was a dragon, she had been banished from them for her differences. She was an eastern type, with no wings and four, furless legs, but due to her thick coat of white and brown fur and her gentle, teal eyes, she was cast out as she did not resemble a “true” dragon and thus was a disgrace. It didn’t bother her, however. Soon after being cast out, she met Changsik and raised him, teaching him the ways of both dragon and viscet. Though she had raised him, however, Changsik did not see her as a mother, but as a friend. She was okay with that and accepted the title of friend with open arms.
“I tried to remain calm, but they are just so…” Changsik released a sharp puff of air and turned sharply on his heels so he could march the other direction. His friend chuckled slightly and leaned to her left side.
“So, what did you say that made them so angry?” Her ears flicked up and she turned her gaze to the castle ahead. “They are still shouting.”
Changsik stopped his pacing and looked down at the ground. He muttered quietly under his breath and his friend turned her attention to him. “Pardon? Speak up.”
He took a deep breath and turned to her. “I told him that he is an idiot who has built a house of stone on a foundation of sand.”
His friend raised a furry eyebrow and leaned her head closer to him. “Is that how you actually worded it? I know you, you speak in some sort of old-timey parable way when you get upset.” Changsik sighed and took a moment, his eyes not meeting hers. After a pause, he recited the precise words he had told the white dragon in his outburst of frustration. There was another pause after he was done, and then an eruption of laughter which sent his friend sprawling backwards and rocking with joy. “Changsik! Are you even sure it understood you? Those words might have been too confusing for such a small minded beast!”
Changsik smiled with his friend and watched her laugh. “I don’t think he did. He must have just gotten angry at me for saying things that he can’t understand.”
His friend leaned forward once more and wiped a tear of joy from her cheek. “Oh, I would have paid countless jewels just to witness that moment! You must take me with you next time!”
Changsik’s face darkened and his smile was demolished by a deep frown. “You know I can’t do that. If they see you with me, they would kill you before either of us could speak.”
His friend frowned slightly and turned her gaze back to the castle. “I suppose you are right. They hate me enough already, seeing me with you would just be the final straw…The reason they have been waiting for to tear my head from my body….” The duo fell into a grim silence for several moments, both dreading the thought of the other dragons springing upon her to kill her.
“I cannot believe that such a foolish beast has fooled the entire world…” His friend turned her gaze to Changsik as she spoke, her eyes still retaining the grim sheen they gained from the thought of death. “It has fooled everyone into believed that dragons are the king race by making all other species appear to be fools. The dragons will not even regard the words of another species because of the words of that silver-tongued beast. No matter how hard I try, no matter how powerfully I speak, they will only listen to its words and obey them. They are nothing more than mindless drones at this point.”
His friends frown deepened. “Hey, have some faith. They will wake up from the blindness it has cast over them in time, you just can’t give up.”
“I suppose… It would be far easier if we could destroy it, though… Just erase that white serpent from the picture… Surely then they would listen.” A glimmer of hope shined in Changsiks eyes and he cast his gaze to his friend, seeking encouragement.
“Changsik, you were almost killed today. Neither of us are strong enough to face it and we may never be. You must use words to battle against it. Turn the others against it with your wisdom and then it will be out of the picture, over thrown and cast out.”
“I suppose you are right… If only the effects of words were greater… At this rate I will be speaking with them for eons with little to no change.”
“Well… Changsik, there may be another way.”
Changsik turned to his friend, his eyes gleaming. “What are you thinking?”
“Don’t hate me, and hear me out, but you remember that legend about Ramoth? Well-“
“No.” Changsiks face fell into a glower of annoyance and he turned away from his friend, rejecting her idea.
“Oh come on, it could work!” She moved closer to him, persistence egging her on.
“It is a stupid legend, there is no proof to it!” Changsik turned to face her and glowered up at her shimmering eyes.
“You never know what is true and what is not until you know for yourself!”
“No. There is nothing you can do or say that would ever convince me to go on that stupid wild goose chase!”
Changsik walked out of the forest, annoyance seething from his body like smoke. Behind him, his friend rested in the spot they had met at, blissfully happy with his choice of action. Changsik took one look back and released a sharp puff of air. “I can’t believe I am doing this.” The words slipped from under his breath and he turned his head to face the path before him. The legend would lead him on his trail as he sought out the golden dragon, Ramoth, for assistance.
The mind is a funny thing. On Changsik’s journey, his mind fled to images of what Ramoth would be like. As he neared the place she would be found according to the legend, his mind had formulated a horrific image of a dragon resting on a throne of bones with fire swarming around her and a deadly grin which stretched across her maw as she envisioned just how she would kill the creature who had approached her great and wondrous throne. However, as he stood here, gazing in confusion at the golden viscet which resembled a dragon much in the way he did, he did not see that image. She was… how to put it… the complete opposite of what his mind had formulated. He found himself staring with a partially opened mouth and furrowed brows at the viscet before him who simply stared at him, waiting, with a calm smile on her face. “Changsik, it’s about time.”
“Uhhhhhhh..” Changsik cleared his throat and shook his head, returning to his famous stoic expression. “Ramoth, I am in need of your assistance. There is a dragon as white as the frozen ice atop the great mountains who ha-“
“Why are you talking like that?” Ramoth cut him off and gave him a slightly amused smile.
“P-Pardon?” Changsik found himself stumbling over his words now. Why had she cut him off? Had he done somethings wrong? Perhaps he had mispronounced her name? The possibilities flooded his mind frantically.
“A dragon as white as the frozen ice atop the great mountains? Are you trying to write a poem? It’s okay, I already know about you and your perils, and I am eager to tell you your solution, if you are ready to hear it.”
“Y-yes! Thank you, please!” His stoic mask completely shattered, revealing the desperation which gleamed in his eyes.
“Are you ready? Come close.” Changsik leaned in, his ears pricked up high as he listened. “Closer.” He leaned in a little closer, suddenly nervous that it was a trick to attack him. “Your solution is to do…. Nothing.”
Changsik yanked his head back and glared at her in confusion. “What?! Did I mishear you?”
“Did you hear me say nothing?” Ramoth gazed at him with a broad smile.
“Yes.”
“Then you heard me correctly.”
Changsik stood in cold silence as he glared at her. “You’re joking. I can’t just do nothing!”
“This is not your quest, Changsik. Do nothing and let time take its toll. Soon, their fates will be carried out by another. Your quest lies elsewhere.” Ramoth’s grin slowly began to fade into slight annoyance as it became clear that he was not listening. “Changsik. You will do nothing. You will return to your forest and live with your friend and neither of you will do anything to the dragons which reside in that castle.”
“You’re crazy.” Changsik spat the words at her and turned away, rejecting her and her command. He began to march back, anger flowing from him. Behind him, Ramoth glowered at him in frustration, but let out a sigh, knowing fully of what was to come and that she had played her part, for now.
“Do nothing, Changsik! It is your destiny!” Changsik spoke in a sickeningly sweet voice to himself as he marched through the desert which led to his home. “Hah! Do nothing! My quest
is to down the white dragon and free every one of their rein! Do nothing! As if!” He whipped his tail in anger and snapped at the air, as though striking Ramoth and the white dragon. His fit of rage was cut off by the soft flapping of wings approaching him. He turned his gaze upward and watched a pigeon with a silver ring wrapped around its leg which held a note fly down to land before him. He lowered himself to the ground and gently took the pigeon up in his paws. “Thank you, Bursqe.” He stroked the messenger of his dear friend with a paw then gently removed the not from the ring. As soon as he did, the pigeon took off and flew back the way it came to return to his friend and announce that the message was delivered. Changsik opened the note and read it out loud out of habit.
“Changsik, I broke into the castle last night and found something that you need to know. I can’t explain it through letter, so please hurry back. It is urgent.”
Changsik’s feathers bristled on his back and he took off into a sprint, clutching the letter in his paw. His friend wrote him many times, but never once had she ever told him to hurry back or used the word urgent. She was not joking, and he needed to see her as soon as he could.
It took him three hours to reach the forest at the speed he ran at. He broke through the first of the dried undergrowth and ran as quickly as he could, dodging and weaving around trees as he sprinted to the location of his dear friend. He could smell her now, and his pace picked up. He was frantic to see her, to learn the new information, so much so that he failed to notice the other scent which danced through the air along with hers. As he neared, he sped up to the point that each movement caused his muscles to ache in pain. With one final leap, he cleared a large bush and arrived in the small clearing she had made for them when he was just a viscling. The sight before him caused him to stop short and fall to the ground. He stared with wide and horrified eyes as the corpse of his only friend, bloody and mauled and bearing wounds only several dragons could make. He slowly dragged himself to her and collapsed with his head on her neck. The scent of life was long gone from her and her body was cold beneath her thick blanket of fur. Changsik pulled his body closer and curled up against the one who had raised him. He wanted to cry, he needed to, but the tears would not come. He laid there with choked half-sobs as he clung to her, wondering how he could have let this happen. How he had not seen it when she told him she had broken into the castle. Surely the white dragon had caught onto her scent and… The white dragon… Slowly, he lifted his head. Words rang out in his mind as a reminder.
Do nothing. His lips peeled back over his fangs to reveal them, an action he had not done in ages. “This is what happens when nothing is done, Ramoth.” He dragged himself to his feet and staggered for a moment. His neck was bent and his head was facing the ground while his mind struggled to overcome the wall of sadness which had struck it so harshly. His actions were now pure instinct. Gone was the calm, smooth speaking viscet who had confidence in words. Gone was the viscet who felt hope rise within him at the thought that his words might change the hearts of dragons. Now was not the time for words, nor the time for nothing. As his head slowly rose and his eyes locked onto the castle ahead, he could only see in shades of red. He took a staggering step, then another, and another. Each one grew firmer and faster, until he was sprinting. His mind was left behind beside the body of his friend, as was the wisdom achieved from Ramoth.
The dragons were feasting once more in their great hall, each lined up in rows which squatted parallel to the arc of seven dragons with the white at the head. Thing were merry as they celebrated the death of the invader and their supposed victory over the viscet who would always barge in. Outside, a thud rang out from the door and all turned their eyes to it. Each expected the griffon which guarded the door to come flailing in once more and be followed by him. Rather than the typical routine, the griffon was shot through the door, breaking it in half. The creature collapsed on the ground, blood trickling from a wound on its head. From the rubble of the door, Changsik marched in, his eyes locked on the white dragon and an aura of raw rage flowing from him. As he neared the dragon, it was clear that he was no longer here to talk. The white dragon rose and bared its fangs. It opened its mouth and began to speak to the viscet below. “So, you finally came to do battle, have you? Did you see your friend back there? Prepare yourself, Changsik, for that will be-“
He was cut off as Changsik opened his mouth and spewed blood red flames at his foe. Screeches of surprise and fear rang through the room from the other dragons and the white dragon reared up and batted its wings to keep the flames away. Changsik shut his mouth and rushed forward, his eyes gleaming with pure hatred. He leapt up and clasped his jaws onto his foes neck. The white dragon swung its head around and batted at its neck with paws to get him off. As it did, Changsik unleashed flames from his mouth once more and burned the dragon’s neck. It screeched and swept a paw upward, striking Changsik and sending him through the air for several feet. He struck the ground on his side and the sound of a breaking bone rang through the room as his ribs cracked from the pressure. Still, he got up and snarled venomously at his foe. He rushed forward once more, but was stopped. A dragon from one of the tables had reached out its head and bit onto his tail. It swung its head away and threw him back to the wall. Changsik struck his head against the wall and his vision turned black for a moment before slowly coming back. Everything was blurry and meshed together now, but he could see shapes. He struggled to rise up again as several dragons approached him. Before he could, one grabbed him and threw him once more. He struck the ground hard again and found his vision to be so blurry that he could no longer make out shapes, only colors which jerked about and smeared together. His mind had returned to him in this moment, and he slowly realized what he had done. He never stood a chance against the white dragon. It was as his dear friend said, the only way he would ever be able to destroy the white dragon’s reign was with words, but now, as he laid on the ground with broken bones, it was too late to even speak. He let his eyes close and remained silent as the dragons rushed upon him until finally, he felt no more.
The dragons carried his mauled body out of the castle and tossed it into the river. The water around him turned red as his body was swept downstream. The dragons returned to their castle to continue their feast and further celebrate their second victory while his lifeless body moved downstream, striking rocks now and then and being sucked under occasionally only to be shoved back along the path with the water. Finally, it came to rest on the shore of the ocean which the water bled into. The small waves steadily pushed his body forward on the sand until he was half out of the water. After some time, a shadow began to stretch over him. The stranger gasped sharply and rushed forward after fully seeing him. She grabbed his body and pulled him further onto the shore. There, she hunched over his body and pressed an ear against his chest. After a moment, she pulled her head back and frowned, noticing the deep and lethal wounds which proclaimed his cause of death. She leaned back and looked up at the sky, uncertain of what to do. After a moment of gazing at the sky and the clouds within it, an idea sparked in her mind. She stood and began to summon clouds from the sea. Once enough had formed before her, she herded them into a circle and heaved his body up onto them. Once he was safely atop the clouds, she began to push them. As she walked, clouds formed beneath her pause and caused her to rise into the sky. She pushed his body through the sky across the ocean, and after several hours, reached the eastern continent of her world. She lowered to the ground and pushed the clouds which held his body deeper into the barren land of the eastern continent. As she did, her eyes scanned the horizon, searching for someone or something. After a brief time, she stopped pushing him and sprinted off, leaving his body on the clouds hovering above the ground. After only five minutes, she returned with another and the two took him from the cloud and laid him on the ground. They discussed with each other of what should be done. Neither could seem to agree for some time, until she finally convinced the other. Both took three steps back, and the other took a deep breath before spewing golden flames on his body. The flames swirled around him and condensed tightly before expanding rapidly and fading just before reaching the two strangers. When the flames were gone, his body remained, the gaping wounds seething black smoke. After a moment, the wounds began to heal and his body was restored. The female approached him and pressed her head against his chest once more, listening. As she did, he suddenly sucked in a deep breath and kicked to life. She jumped back and stared at him, her eyes gleaming as Changsik rolled to his stomach, sputtering and coughing while life returned to his body.
The trio sat beside a fire in slightly awkward silence. The female, who Changsik had learned was named Rinu and was related to Ramoth, held a stick which held a rabbit over the fire, quietly watching it as it cooked. Beside her, the other, who Changsik had learned was named Allaster and had quite the complicated past, gazed at Changsik, listening thoroughly to his account of what had happened prior to his death. Changsik spoke the truth without emotion, his mind still hazy from everything that had happened. At the end of his story, he lifted his gaze from the flames to look at the two which had saved him. “That is all that happened. Now, I do not know how to get back, nor do I know what I will do when I find my way home…”
“Well, why do you want to return?” Rinu spoke up and turned her eyes from the now burnt rabbit. “Your friend is gone, and you have no one who truly cares about you there, so why go back? They would only kill you again.” Changsik looked down and opened his mouth for a moment, but then closed it. He found himself without a reason to return and began to question why he was even alive now, his purpose was gone. He was useless. “Have you gone blind?”
Changsik turned his eyes to Rinu, who glared at him. “Pardon?”
“You are sitting there wondering why you are alive, aren’t you? You don’t understand what this is all about. What it all means. You are alive. You have a second chance to change who you were and who you will be. Listen to my mother’s words. Do nothing about those dragons and let fate take its place on them. Open your eyes and search for the other purpose which is gnawing on you as we speak. So don’t give me that crap. Wake up and smell the destiny, Changsik! Your purpose is not gone!”
Smell the destiny… Truly she was as crazy as her mother. Still, as much as he hated it, she did hold truth. “Rinu… would you know where Ramoth is?”
“Huh? Well.. Not at this precise moment, but I am sure I could find her. Why?” Rinu tilted her head in curiosity as she gazed at him.
“I want to see her… Please, take me to her.”
Slowly, realization began to glow on her face and she grinned at him. “There you go, that’s the spirit! Thank you Allaster, and good luck here! C’mon Changsik! Your destiny awaits!” She jumped up, dropping the rabbit into the fire, and grinned broadly at him. Allaster stared quietly at the rabbit, which was now on fire, then turned his gaze to Changsik.
“Good luck, and this time, listen to Ramoth.” He stood up and brushed himself off before nodding to them and jogging off. As he left, the fire followed him and faded away.
“Well? Let’s go!” Changsik turned his gaze to Rinu when she spoke, and blinked in confusion as she stood on a massive cloud which hovered above the ground. Cautiously, he approached her and climbed atop the cloud. Once he was on, the cloud began to rise and move out towards the ocean once more, taking him to his new quest.
Changsik walked in silence. Rinu had dropped him off in the desert and claimed that her father needed her. She pointed him in the right direction, and then took off to where it was she was going. The desert was familiar. He could easily return to his forest, where is friend’s body lay. He could go home… but what was truly there for him but misery and death? He pressed on, following the trail of his memory which led him to where he had last seen Ramoth. When he arrived there, he saw her, waiting for him. Her expression was grim, and he felt his throat tighten. “Ramoth… I…”
She held up a paw. “I already know.”
Changsik looked at her with tired eyes. “Ramoth… what is my quest?”
“That is for you to discover, Changsik.”
“Then please… Let me follow you for some time, until I discover my path in life.”
Ramoth’s eyes glittered and she smiled at him. “Well, if that is what you wish. Just one thing: call me Raa.”
Changsik didn’t respond for a bit while his mind slowly circled her words. “I am afraid I don’t have a nickname for you to call me in turn.”
Raa laughed with a cheerful sound and shook her head slightly. “Don’t worry about it, Changsik. You don’t need one.”
“Oh.” Changsik’s eyes gained a little more life at the sound of her laugh. It was curious of how that is what pulled him closer to his missing consciousness, but it did. He was with Raa now, and deep within he knew that doing so was already bringing him closer to his true quest. There was a candle of hope that was reignited that day but that bell chime laugh, one that would only grow and expand as the days with Raa carried on.
A Time That Changsik Was Lied To Which Greatly Changed Who He Would BecomeChangsik grinned up at his friend. "Oh c'mon! I wasn't that pathetic!"
"Oh you were, kid! I remember those giant, trembling eyes when I saw you in that forest! You were such a cute little child! I couldn't believe you were abandoned. Such an adorably pathetic thing must have been loved by someone!"
"Oh, please! I know I was abandoned because I was too terrifying for my parents!" Changsik grinned broadly at his friend and waved his tail. "I mean, just look at me! The viscet with the power of a dragon!" He laughed heavily and in triumph while his friend snickered beside him.
"Sure, sure. You keep telling yourself that. Now get over here, it is time for bed." Changsik grinned and dove against his friends side and curled up against her soft fur. He smiled up at her before lowering his head and dozing off. She curled her tail around him and smiled warmly. After a moment, her smile faded and she turned her gaze to the sky above.
"How could I ever tell him the truth? What would happen? Would he hate me, or perhaps he would fear me..." She slowly lowered her head to the ground and gazed at the black viscet beside her while her mind drifted to that day.
The beast approached her while she lay huddled in the hollow tree, her lover laying helplessly outside. She curled up as best as she could, desperate to guard the egg which had yet to be laid. The beast dropped to all fours and slipped into the tree and stood over her. It extended a paw and held it over her stomach. She trembled in terror, tears welling in her eyes as the knowledge that she could not protect this child struck her like a sledge hammer. After a moment, the beast raked it's paw down her stomach and struck the ground with it. She yelped sharply as a fierce pain erupted down her side for only a minute, then she watched as a symbol appeared, span, and then shrunk before shattering into a million pieces. She turned her gaze to the beast, who simply turned away and walked out. It returned to its full height and left them there. She erupted into sobs as it left. Within her, she felt that the egg was now different. She could sense that her lover was now different. She knew, deep within, that her perfect life would never be perfect, but filled with misery and chaos until the very end.
When her lover awoke, he did not remember her and held a sort of black hatred within his heart that countered heavily his white body. The white dragon left her that day, vowing that she was a witch who had cursed him, and that if he should see her again he would have her head. A few hours later, she laid her egg, and was right. It was so much smaller than a dragon egg should have been, and rather than being a pristine solid color, it was white with spots which were various shades of black and grey. She sobbed as she curled around her egg. The beast had transformed her child into something else for a reason she feared she would never know. When the egg hatched, she gazed down at a young viscling with dragon-like characteristics. Rather than the fear and anger she expected to feel, she felt love for the child. Deep down she knew she could never tell him that he was her child, but that did not mean she wouldn't be able to raise him.
"Are you okay?"
She raised her head and looked down at her viscet child, who looked at her with a tilted head. "Oh, yes."
"No you aren't. I could feel your heart beat change. You're sad." Changsiks expression changed to a firm one and his eyes made it clear that he would not be convinced otherwise.
She chuckled gently and nuzzled him. "Sorry, I just couldn't help but think about the lack of flowers this forest has."
"Well, in the morning we will plant some!"
She laughed at his enthusiasm and nodded. "Sounds like a plan, Changsik. Tomorrow, we will plant flowers."
How Changsik Feels About Lies"So.. she lied to me, all this time... she was my mother..." Changsik gazed quietly down at the blood smeared paper, sadness weighing heavily on his heart.
"I'm sorry, Changsik... But sometimes you need to lie, and she must have had a good reason..."
Changsik smiled shakily. "I know she did. She was my best friend...my mother... If she truly did not want me, then why would she keep me?" Changsik's smile slowly faded as he gazed longer at the paper. Something else in it disturbed him greatly. The paper was written by the white dragon, and spoke of an egg of a dragon which hatched a viscling and how a female dragon who he remembers both fondly and wretchedly had laid the egg and was raising the child. It spoke of how he felt as though they were family, as though he once loved the female dragon and as though the child shared his blood, but that he knew it was impossible, for how could two dragons ever have a viscet child. "So... he was my father, then?" Ramoth nodded quietly beside him and Changsik scoffed. "I do not understand most of this, but it is in the past now." He set down the note and turned away from it. "My mother may have lied to me about who I truly was, and perhaps if she had spoken the truth my life would have been different... But I do not hate her for that, at all. She lied for a reason, and a valid one at that. It was to protect me. I don't like lies... but for this, I will let it slide." He smiled fondly as he gently touched the large rock which marked the grave of his mother. "You did good... I hope you are resting well, and I will join you in time, mother..." He gently pressed his nose against the stone and paused for a moment before turning to Ramoth and walking with her away from the dead forest where his mother lay forever.
--Credits--
