Lucien
(#25698498)
Level 25 Imperial
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Personal Style
Apparel
Skin
Scene
Measurements
Length
29.83 m
Wingspan
19 m
Weight
7390.6 kg
Genetics
Obsidian
Crystal
Crystal
Red
Shimmer
Shimmer
Maize
Circuit
Circuit
Hatchday
Breed
Eye Type
Level 25 Imperial
Max Level
STR
129
AGI
8
DEF
5
QCK
50
INT
5
VIT
13
MND
5
Biography
Click image for larger version Birthday: Middle of October Gender: Male Hair Color: Red Eye Color: Violet Occupation: Mercenary (former), Freelancer (current) Group: The Grigori Lore-based Family:
Powers: Illusion. Creation and Destruction (only used this once so far). Demonic Transformation (preferred technique). Theme Songs:
|
"A demon, am I? An unintentional understatement on your part, I'm sure."
-- to Chrysalis when they first met
"I do not see why I should have to concede to your demands. There are plenty of other dragons who will gladly entertain your unpleasant mood, and I am certainly not one of them."
-- quote by: shanncrafter
Am I good or bad
I am not what others think Come with me little one
haiku by: Officer
Cold as stone Skin thicker than metal A face of grinning bones Your words are similar to a stinging nettle Hated by many and loved by few You're a thorn A blight on this world The whispered cruelty can tear you down But there is kindness somewhere in your heart Isn't there, beast?
by TwistedRae
Everyone is plagued by their own demons. In Lucien's case though, he is the demon. While he did not choose such a fate, he certainly took advantage of it. But there was only his father to blame for such a thing. Had the fool not thought to out best the Arcanist himself, he would have spared Sornieth the fear of his son -- the embodiment of his ambition and the bane of his existence. While Lucien was born to be perfect, and he was, he refused to be controlled by anyone and crushed those who thought otherwise. Before joining the clan, Lucien was a ruthless mercenary to pass the time. Despite being a son of the Arcanist, others saw him as a spawn of the Shade itself -- a remnant of his malice who roamed the lands spreading fear and terror... Well, the ignorant tend to exaggerate, but this time they might have just hit the nail on the head. Hellish Owl by Rhea Virtually aloof, he prefers to keep to himself. To most, he appears arrogant and condescending simply because the few times he speaks, he makes others feel so insignificant. Not his fault, of course, but he never bothers to correct them when they misunderstand his words. Despite being severely callous to nearly everyone, only a select few know that he is actually quite playful and sarcastic. He loves teasing Paragon, driving the poor girl mad at times, and, occasionally, his brother is also subject to his harmless jibes. He detests incompetence and stupidity and is quite known for slaying anyone he deems utterly worthless. He is independent and, though part of this clan, he seldom follows orders. This is not so much a problem since he takes on any and all jobs that fit his fancy, finishing them flawlessly and with time to spare. He knows his limits, regardless of what most think, and he usually comes up with ways to use them to his advantage. Very few know of this while the rest seem to think that he is perfect. He is often seen at Paragon's side, much to the chagrin of his brother, patrolling the borders. Aware of his brother's intense dislike for him, Lucien completely understands his feelings and simply accepts them. He knows better than to smother his younger brother with explanations that will only make matters worse. Instead, Lucien believes that the best thing to do is to let him learn the truth on his own. He harbors a deep hate for his father and refuses to be associated with him any more than he already is. He had been a slave to his schemes for far too long only to escape as soon as he entered adulthood. Despite popular belief, Lucien is not as heartless as his father. According to Paragon, he's actually great with children. Where the adults fear him, the little ones flock to him as soon as he is in sight. They admire him and love playing around him despite the fact that he rarely gives them any verbal reply. Most of he time, Lucien would simply lie down on his private spot in the lair and let the young ones climb his back, sometimes all the way up to his head, and take turns sliding down his wings. Paragon would often be greeted by the sight of her companion asleep with the children snuggled close to him in his protective embrace. |
by CuQuoise
Inventory Here Reviewed by: Epulina Artemis stares at Lucien with a dull look in her eyes for a long time. “What are you? Not a dragon. Not quite, not fully.” She lowers her voice to a whisper. “Can you control the Shade? Have you done it?” --- Lucien simply raises an eyebrow. Reviewed by: Skifter ...You know, it took me a moment to realize that Lucien's sword was an accent, not a piece of apparel. Anyways, what a handsome boy! I love the contrast of the maize underbelly with the obsidian and red. The accent goes perfectly with his colors. Oh man, that Black Cavalier is fabulous. Lucien rocks it! I also love the pop of blue the Winter Wind adds to Lucien. A perfect mixture of colors that I never would have expected to work. That first quote -what he said to Chrysalis- is awesome. I literally cackled when I read it, you have no idea. And that poem by TwistedRae is great as well. "Despite being a son of the Arcanist, others saw him as a spawn of the Shade itself -- a remnant of his malice who roamed the lands spreading fear and terror... Well, the ignorant tend to exaggerate, but this time they might have just hit the nail on the head." Dude, this is... yes. "Artemis stares at Lucien with a dull look in her eyes for a long time. “What are you? Not a dragon. Not quite, not fully.” She lowers her voice to a whisper. “Can you control the Shade? Have you done it?” --- Lucien simply raises an eyebrow." THIS ALSO. OMG. YES. Also, imagining Lucien with hatchlings is the most precious thing. Just...giant scary dragon with adorable little babies! AWW! "on his private spot in the lair and let the young ones climb his back, sometimes all the way up to his head, and take turns sliding down his wings." I'm crying tears of cute. "with the children snuggled close to him in his protective embrace." I CAN'T. I CAN'T. Lucien's history is fascinating. And am I the only one who noticed that Lucifer is known as the light bringer, and Lucien's name means "light"? Lucien's story is so finely crafted, though! It intrigued me from start to finish. (And I already ship Lucien and Paragon. *heart*) Can't wait to read the others! Note: Had to replace the 'less than+3' symbol for the heart due to coding issues. |
History:
His father was Lucifer, a renowned scholar whose hunger for truth rivaled even that of the Arcanist. He strove to surpass the deity himself. To do that, he had to succeed where the Arcanist had failed -- to study the Shade itself.
But he was no fool. Lucifer knew he had to be able to contain such a great evil lest he instead be destroyed by it. In his search for a way to obtain the Shade, he had come to the conclusion that he required a vessel.
He had gathered every Shade-touched sample he could find, from the smallest of jewels to the greatest of Imperials, attempting to piece them all together.
But it wasn't nearly enough.
Not one to be discouraged, Lucifer searched for creatures who could rival such a powerful force... so he visited the Pillar of the Deities.
In order to complete his experiment, Lucifer had committed unspeakable deeds and violated many a dragon law. This included desecrating the Pillar to collect more specimen. It had housed the first of the deities for centuries, proving to be quite the ideal container, not to mention it held the essence of the gods themselves, allowing him to strengthen his experiments. From the remnants of the Shade's power and Sornieth's deities, he had created a pseudo-Shade. Not nearly as strong as the Shade itself, but suitable enough to test on suitable vessel candidates.
It was then, when he sought out the first of every generation. Many newborn dragons, the first of their lines, had been his victims. They been driven crazy and had nearly torn apart the whole of dragon society before succumbing to death, all for his vain ambition.
He had been proclaimed a mad man capable of destroying Sornieth itself, if left alone.
When no existing being qualified for the task was found, Lucifer opted to create his own...
The minute Lucien was born, he was snatched from his mother's arms and given his first dose of the pseudo-Shade's essence.
He nearly died that night.
Instead of feeling remorse for endangering his son's life, Lucifer was ecstatic -- what killed dozens of dragons before, his own flesh and blood was able to survive. However, given that his son almost suffered the same fate, Lucifer resolved to making him stronger in all aspects. He had experienced too many failures and he doubted he could take anymore. Lucifer would train him and when Lucien was ready, he would endure the final test before becoming the Shade's avatar for good.
At a shockingly young age, Lucien was educated in all the arts known to dragonkind, his father forcing him to master each one at a terrifying speed. He had to be perfect.
But it had never occurred to Lucifer that, his son may have been too perfect...
By his tenth winter, Lucien had achieved more than can ever be expected of a full-grown adult. There was barely anyone who could rival him, both in body and mind.
Having said that, he knew what his sire had planned for him.
When he had found out, Lucien was overcome with anger. It appalled him greatly. While he knew that his father was slightly crazy, he had never expected such atrocities from him. It was forbidden to delve into matters concerning the Shade and here he was, attempting to summon it back for the sake of academics. And to use his own son as a vessel, it was despicable.
Suffice to say that he had no intention of handing over his body to the Shade. So, Lucien constructed a plan of his own. If his father was set on making him the perfect vessel, so be it. He would make the old fool regret everything he had put him through.
While Lucien did not mind the knowledge he had gained, he would have preferred to enjoy the manner in which he obtained them. Everyday his father subjected him to vigorous training and nearly drowned him in facts. There was not a bone in his body that has not broken, and his head had felt like exploding more often than he could count.
There was no question that he was strong, but he was still a child. He had never even seen his mother as his father had whisked him away right after his birth.
Enough was enough.
But Lucien was young still, but he was not so naive to think that he could defeat his father as he was. So he waited, buying time and experience.
Lucien knew full well that his sire was a proud male and the thought of complete and utter failure was a fate worse than death. He relied on his father being blinded by his own arrogance. If there was one thing Lucien had mastered completely, it was to learn how to use his opponent to his advantage.
When the time came for him to undergo his final test, Lucien braced himself as best as he could. Before he could claim victory over his sire, he must first claim victory over the monstrosity he had created. While he had been but a babe, Lucien could remember full well the pain his father subjected him to after his birth. It was pure agony. He could only imagine what he would experience this time around.
The process of merging with the pseudo-Shade was excruciating and had nearly destroyed him, at first. Lucien had spent days, if not a whole week, trying to vye for dominance over his body. Strapped down with massive chains, Lucien endured the agony, until he found an opening and struck.
Using what was left of his strength, Lucien assimilated the creature, forcing it to submit to him completely. It was in this moment where his eyes turned dark, a cross between Shadow and Arcane, with the former being the more prominent color.
Before his father could revel in the success of his experiment, Lucien left.
He had gotten what he wanted. He had stolen his father's dreams from him. Years of hard work and research -- gone. Still, Lucien's anger didn't fade. He still loathed his father and vowed to show no mercy should they ever cross paths again.
He traveled as far away as he could, and made a name for himself as one of Sornieth's most feared mercenaries. His conquest over the pseudo-Shade allowed him to use it as he wished, usually to transform a limb or two into something else, a move which he was famous for.
He cared for nothing and no one.
It wasn't until a few years later when word of his worthless sire reached him. Apparently, his father had refused to give up and was now attempting to redo his experiment. Rumor has it that he was traveling with a child no older than seven summers. They say it was his son.
Hate gripped at him. It would seem as though his sire did not waste anytime procuring his replacement.
Lucien was tempted to leave them be. Their efforts would only lead to their destruction, after all, but he was reminded of the kind of creature his father had forced him to contain as a trial. Despite the efforts and beliefs of his father, Lucien knew that no amount of preparation and training can completely hold the true Shade within.
It was feared by dragonkind for a reason.
Lucien was not so arrogant to think that his success over it's fake was solely based on his abilities. It was by mere luck that he was able to conquer it. It was possible that his brother may have no such luck and the idea of a mindless evil running rampant across the world was more than unpleasant.
Deciding to put a stop to this madness, Lucien sought them out.
It was difficult. Apparently, word spread of Lucifer's endeavors and the scholar was wanted for multiple crimes. It became even more difficult when Lucifer suddenly disappeared, leaving his youngest son behind.
Lucien wanted to give up the search, but he had to make sure that his sibling had no intention of picking up where their father had left off.
After a few years, he found his brother in the Fire lands, deep within a volcano, in an ancient city. He was in the company of an unknown female, following her like a lost puppy. Seeing the dragon his father thought a worthy substitute, Lucien could not help but feel pity for him.
His brother was too chivalrous and was loyal to a fault. It seemed as though his brother had not been given the same vile concoction at birth, for he was far too...decent.
Somewhere, deep inside him, Lucien envied the fact that his brother was able to grow up without the burden of their father's ambitions. Then again, it was possible that his sire didn't think he was a worthy replacement.
Lucien scoffed at the thought. His father was indeed a fool. If he had wanted an obedient tool, his sibling was the perfect dragon for the role. Instead, Lucifer had vanished and, from the look of things between his brother and the female, destroyed all his chances of controlling him again.
Despite his better judgment, Lucien continued to monitor him from the shadows to ascertain that he had no interest in their father's work.
Then, his brother's female companion caught him lurking about. She had threatened him, asking who he was and what was his business with the clan. It was then when Lucien saw something he never though he would. She had that same look in her eyes as he did. Like him, she had nothing, no friends, no real family. But unlike him, she had hope in her eyes that she would find all of those soon.
When he made no move to answer her, the female growled out a warning, telling him to leave. He had only raised an amused eyebrow at her. She looked like a fighter, but not a very experienced one. He felt the air cackle around her and stared in interest as obsidian flames began to lick her scales.
He was intrigued by her strange ability that he purposefully refused to give any reaction just to see what she would do.
Sadly, the encounter was cut short when a female mirror jogged up to them and slightly reprimanded the female for losing her temper while inside clan grounds. The mirror called her Paragon. Lucien could not help the smug smirk on his face when the mirror continued to apologize for Paragon's hostility, quickly explaining that she was new and still had to be taught the ways of the clan.
Paragon stared at him with fire in her eyes, instantly disliking him when he had gracefully accepted the mirror's apology.
Lucien noticed Adara, as the mirror introduced herself, as she cast "discreet" glances between him and the other imperial. He almost laughed at the comical expression she wore when an idea struck her. He had a feeling he knew what she was thinking, and while he had never intended to stay for much longer, Lucien found himself accepting the mirror's invitation to stay for as long as he wanted.
With one last smug glance at the fuming Paragon, he followed regally after the giddy mirror as she proceeded in giving him a tour.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Story/Fanfiction wrote:
by: Dew
She threw the book down and rested her head in her claws. Her tail brushed against the ground to curl around her. The dust from the old library rose to meet her. She sneezed. Today was one of her only days off. It was a time where she should be relaxing. Enjoying her time away from work and sleeping and reading and writing. But here she was, trying to understand an old book that was probably outdated anyway. A book on something ancient. Something she had to understand, at least for herself. She closed the book and sat there in her thoughts. The dull light from the lanterns doing little to pierce the darkness that surrounded her. She was miles away from home. She was sure Lucien was wondering where she was. As well as the others. Paragon closed the book and left the library of the neighboring clan. They were happy enough to let her use it, but she found nothing she could use or even understand. What was even the point of trying to find anything out? How could she?
What she wanted to know was something that was so ancient, any books on it might be with the Lightweaver. Yet the power she had was obviously of the Flamecaller's doing. Someone, somewhere, in the ashfall waste had to know what was wrong with her. Why she thought some small library of a small, neighboring clan would have any information besides some old fairy tales was beyond her. Yet anything was worth a try wasn't it? Lucien might be able to help her find something but... she froze and gave a grown of distaste. She forgot to tell him that she was going out today. They were supposed to spend time together and she forgot. Her job with handling clan affairs among... other things was sometimes too much to keep on her mind. She couldn't possibly remember everything. Lucien wouldn't be mad. She believed this with every inch of her being. He would probably just play another prank on her or mess with her again.
She shook out her scales and tried to think positively about the situation. Yes, she would go home, apologize to him, and then wake up tomorrow and get along with her usual job. It would be simple! She began her walk further away from the neighboring clan with positivity, or as much as she could muster after finding out nothing. There was no harm in not finding out anything, right? No, no harm at all. Finding out a story just meant she was getting closer to her answer, and the closer to her answer she got, the sooner she could sleep with peace of heart and mind. Her feelings of positivity faded quickly. She would have to explain herself to three people. All of them knew she could handle herself but... she sighed. What a great day off this was turning out to be.
“Out a little late, aren't we?”
She froze and turned to look at Grimoire. The dragon was laying against a rock. His hood pulled over his head. Paragon relaxed at the sight of him. It was nice to see a friend, even if she wasn't in the mood to talk. Grimoire got up and stood beside her. He made a motion back to their home with his head. Paragon smiled. She began to walk, the imperial walking beside her. They stayed quiet for half of the trip. They used the most common trading route near their home, but everyone was gone for the day. The darkness of night did little to lessen the brightness. The glowing fire, embers, and lava lost their drowned out glow and changed to something brighter. Filled with more life. It was hot, but one got used to it. After living here for a while, a dragon learned how to keep themselves cool.
“So I started a new drawing,” said Paragon as they walked. She wanted to forget about her trip out here. Grimoire was silent for a few moments.
“Is it a bird?” he asked.
“No.”
He hummed. “A... cat.”
“No. One more.”
“Me.”
“Don't flatter yourself,” she said with a chuckle. Her ears drooped. “Flowers.”
Grimoire nodded and said, “Flowers are nice to draw.”
“They are.”
They fell silent once more. Paragon stared at the ground as they walked. She knew they were getting closer to the clan grounds when the dirt turned softer on the edge of the road. They turned off of the trading path and walked among the wilderness for a short while. Grimoire reached out and stopped her before they were too close to the clan grounds.
“He's worried,” he said.
“Which one?”
“Both of them.”
Paragon sighed and nodded. “Thank you for the warning.”
Grimoire nodded and left. Paragon watched him go towards his den. She sighed and began to walk to hers. She was already preparing her alibi. Not that it would matter. Radric knew what she was doing. He knew why she usually leaves. Lying to him won't help anything either. All she wanted to do was to go to sleep and rest. Lucien could wait for an apology until the morning. As she approached the entrance to her den, she slowed until she came to a stop. Radric. The imperial looked up at her and walked closer. Paragon tensed herself and got ready for his argument at why she wasn't allowed out so late, or why she shouldn't wander off alone.
“How many times do I have to tell you to-” he said. Paragon waved her tail and rolled her eyes.
“I am not taking you with me,” she said. “It would only bore you. It bores me, too.”
“Paragon, wandering off by yourself to research that stuff is dangerous, you know it is. I want you to learn more about it, too, but going off on your own?”
“I'll have you know I do very well on my own,” she snapped at him. She folded her wings tightly to her body. “Look, Radric, I appreciate the concern, but I just want to go to sleep right now and see Lucien.”
“Don't mention his name in front of me,” he growled. “Please.”
She shot him a look and rolled her eyes. “Fine, but please... we'll talk about this sometime tomorrow, alright?”
He hesitated and then nodded. “I'm holding you to it,” he said as he walked away. She made sure he was gone before she entered the den.
Lucien was already there, nestled on the bed of soft hay and grass and fur. Paragon approached him, then shed her sword. She leaned it against the den wall. She didn't know what to say to him. About why she had been out so late or why she forgot today was their only day to spend a lot of time with each other. They both had their secrets, but she thought that maybe he deserved to know. Their relationship had progressed so well! She didn't want to ruin it with her forgetfulness. To cause some sort of rift. She took her claws off of her sword as she thought, and then shook her head. No. She just wanted to rest. To mull over her thoughts and her sins of the past.
“How was your day?” she asked softly as she laid beside Lucien. He looked up from his book and to her. His ears pointed forward. He was silent. It wasn't uncharacteristic, but at the current moment, Paragon wanted more than just his silence. She flicked her tail. He looked back down at his book. He was never one for words. Unless, of course, he wanted to mess with someone. Some days he never even attempted to do such a thing with her. He was quiet, but comforting in his own way. It was how he expressed his love to her, or that was what she thought. Sometimes he did mess with her. Play pranks on her, but most of the time she knew he only wanted a good laugh. And some exercise if she got upset.
“Relaxing,” he said. Paragon sighed and nodded. She laid her head down. It was by luck they both had a day off from their usual work. Her from dealing with clan problems and being out and about and Lucien doing whatever he did when he got a job. She bumped her head against his hand. She felt him move a little. His wing stretched to drape over her back, pulling her a little closer. He continued to read his book. Paragon closed her eyes and relaxed. She had a feeling she wouldn't be able to go to sleep.
“I'm so tired,” she said softly. “No matter how much I sleep I stay tired.”
She felt Lucien shift. She heard his book close. She heard him push it off of the bed. Paragon opened her eyes and looked at him. He was looking at the wall. She closed her eyes again and pressed closer to him.
“Goodnight, Lucien.”
“Goodnight...” she heard him lean over and blow out the lantern in their den. Everything went dark after that. She laid there for a good hour or two, listening to Lucien breathe. Sleep didn't seem to want to come to her. Like a stray cat that inched closer and closer, only to turn and run away at the smallest movement. Perhaps her mind was stuck on the book, on her past, on what she was. She reached over to Lucien. His scales were cold, but she could feel him breathing. It was comforting in a way, to know he was there, but... she sighed and curled up tightly. Sleep was calling her name but it was being fickle. It was always fickle.
The next morning was warm. It was always warm, but this one was warmer than normal. Paragon raised her head, only to find her mate gone. Had she slept in? Or did he have to get up early for a job? She stood and made her way for the exit. Lucien met her there. He was coming in with a package. He stood there in silence, moving his body to block her exit. He smiled at her. His teeth flashed in the early morning light filtering into their den.
“Please move, Lucien, I have to get started on my work,” she said. Lucien shook his head.
“No can do,” he gently pushed her back into the den. “I got you another day off.”
“How?”
“I would much rather not discuss my methods so early in the morning.” He put the package down. “This is breakfast.”
Paragon lifted the lid off the box and found all of her favorite foods. She glanced at Lucien. This was slightly odd behavior.
“Why are you being so nice?” she asked.
He hummed. “I'm always nice.”
She laughed at that and sat down away from the bed to eat her breakfast. He got out his book and moved over to join her. They sat in silence for several long minutes while she ate. Lucien closed his book after a while and looked at her.
“I overheard my brother and Grimoire talking,” he said. “They said you seemed upset when you came home.”
Paragon froze and lowered the piece of meat she was going to eat. Her stomach squirmed. Right, she had to talk to Radric. “And?” she asked. She expected some sort of smart response. A jab, an insult, a joke. That was what usually happened to others. She waited, and waited, but none ever came. Lucien was only still, staring down at the cover of his book. That was when she realized that he knew. He knew what she had been doing. He had made sure he stayed in the den for when she came back. He spoke to the leader about getting her another day off. He got her her favorite food and was staying home with her. He wasn't going to nag her about forgetting that they were supposed to enjoy their mate's quiet company yesterday. He wasn't going to do any of that. Not today.
“I want to go back to the library,” she said softly.
“I'll go with you, if you want,” he said. He nuzzled her cheek and bumped their heads together. She smiled and pushed back before laying her head against his chest.
“I'll go back later... when I can do it alone.”
He was silent again. His claws wrapped around hers and he held her hand. He lowered his head to brush his nose against her ear. Paragon closed her eyes and sighed happily. Lucien didn't have to say anything, and he knew that. At first, his silence would have struck Paragon as a sign that he didn't care, but... he had his own way to show her his love. That was with everything he did from yesterday to today. It warmed her heart and even cheered her up some. Such a caring dragon he was. A loving mate. Sure, he had his negative attributes, and he wasn't perfect, but neither was she. That was what love was about. Realizing your mate isn't perfect, but loving them anyway. She held back a chuckle. What a cheesy ending to her horrible day yesterday and beginning this one, but it was alright. She would rather it be cheesy in a good way than to be alone again.
Lucien reached over at her food with his spare paw and plucked a piece of meat out. She raised her head and narrowed his eyes at him.
“Excuse you,” she said playfully. He stuck out his tongue and ate the meat. Paragon relaxed and laid her head back down. She felt Lucien spread his wing over her again. She smiled.
“Lucien?” she said. He hummed as he finished off her breakfast. “I love you.”
He stayed silent. His claw brushed up against her mane. Paragon closed her eyes. Good enough.
She threw the book down and rested her head in her claws. Her tail brushed against the ground to curl around her. The dust from the old library rose to meet her. She sneezed. Today was one of her only days off. It was a time where she should be relaxing. Enjoying her time away from work and sleeping and reading and writing. But here she was, trying to understand an old book that was probably outdated anyway. A book on something ancient. Something she had to understand, at least for herself. She closed the book and sat there in her thoughts. The dull light from the lanterns doing little to pierce the darkness that surrounded her. She was miles away from home. She was sure Lucien was wondering where she was. As well as the others. Paragon closed the book and left the library of the neighboring clan. They were happy enough to let her use it, but she found nothing she could use or even understand. What was even the point of trying to find anything out? How could she?
What she wanted to know was something that was so ancient, any books on it might be with the Lightweaver. Yet the power she had was obviously of the Flamecaller's doing. Someone, somewhere, in the ashfall waste had to know what was wrong with her. Why she thought some small library of a small, neighboring clan would have any information besides some old fairy tales was beyond her. Yet anything was worth a try wasn't it? Lucien might be able to help her find something but... she froze and gave a grown of distaste. She forgot to tell him that she was going out today. They were supposed to spend time together and she forgot. Her job with handling clan affairs among... other things was sometimes too much to keep on her mind. She couldn't possibly remember everything. Lucien wouldn't be mad. She believed this with every inch of her being. He would probably just play another prank on her or mess with her again.
She shook out her scales and tried to think positively about the situation. Yes, she would go home, apologize to him, and then wake up tomorrow and get along with her usual job. It would be simple! She began her walk further away from the neighboring clan with positivity, or as much as she could muster after finding out nothing. There was no harm in not finding out anything, right? No, no harm at all. Finding out a story just meant she was getting closer to her answer, and the closer to her answer she got, the sooner she could sleep with peace of heart and mind. Her feelings of positivity faded quickly. She would have to explain herself to three people. All of them knew she could handle herself but... she sighed. What a great day off this was turning out to be.
“Out a little late, aren't we?”
She froze and turned to look at Grimoire. The dragon was laying against a rock. His hood pulled over his head. Paragon relaxed at the sight of him. It was nice to see a friend, even if she wasn't in the mood to talk. Grimoire got up and stood beside her. He made a motion back to their home with his head. Paragon smiled. She began to walk, the imperial walking beside her. They stayed quiet for half of the trip. They used the most common trading route near their home, but everyone was gone for the day. The darkness of night did little to lessen the brightness. The glowing fire, embers, and lava lost their drowned out glow and changed to something brighter. Filled with more life. It was hot, but one got used to it. After living here for a while, a dragon learned how to keep themselves cool.
“So I started a new drawing,” said Paragon as they walked. She wanted to forget about her trip out here. Grimoire was silent for a few moments.
“Is it a bird?” he asked.
“No.”
He hummed. “A... cat.”
“No. One more.”
“Me.”
“Don't flatter yourself,” she said with a chuckle. Her ears drooped. “Flowers.”
Grimoire nodded and said, “Flowers are nice to draw.”
“They are.”
They fell silent once more. Paragon stared at the ground as they walked. She knew they were getting closer to the clan grounds when the dirt turned softer on the edge of the road. They turned off of the trading path and walked among the wilderness for a short while. Grimoire reached out and stopped her before they were too close to the clan grounds.
“He's worried,” he said.
“Which one?”
“Both of them.”
Paragon sighed and nodded. “Thank you for the warning.”
Grimoire nodded and left. Paragon watched him go towards his den. She sighed and began to walk to hers. She was already preparing her alibi. Not that it would matter. Radric knew what she was doing. He knew why she usually leaves. Lying to him won't help anything either. All she wanted to do was to go to sleep and rest. Lucien could wait for an apology until the morning. As she approached the entrance to her den, she slowed until she came to a stop. Radric. The imperial looked up at her and walked closer. Paragon tensed herself and got ready for his argument at why she wasn't allowed out so late, or why she shouldn't wander off alone.
“How many times do I have to tell you to-” he said. Paragon waved her tail and rolled her eyes.
“I am not taking you with me,” she said. “It would only bore you. It bores me, too.”
“Paragon, wandering off by yourself to research that stuff is dangerous, you know it is. I want you to learn more about it, too, but going off on your own?”
“I'll have you know I do very well on my own,” she snapped at him. She folded her wings tightly to her body. “Look, Radric, I appreciate the concern, but I just want to go to sleep right now and see Lucien.”
“Don't mention his name in front of me,” he growled. “Please.”
She shot him a look and rolled her eyes. “Fine, but please... we'll talk about this sometime tomorrow, alright?”
He hesitated and then nodded. “I'm holding you to it,” he said as he walked away. She made sure he was gone before she entered the den.
Lucien was already there, nestled on the bed of soft hay and grass and fur. Paragon approached him, then shed her sword. She leaned it against the den wall. She didn't know what to say to him. About why she had been out so late or why she forgot today was their only day to spend a lot of time with each other. They both had their secrets, but she thought that maybe he deserved to know. Their relationship had progressed so well! She didn't want to ruin it with her forgetfulness. To cause some sort of rift. She took her claws off of her sword as she thought, and then shook her head. No. She just wanted to rest. To mull over her thoughts and her sins of the past.
“How was your day?” she asked softly as she laid beside Lucien. He looked up from his book and to her. His ears pointed forward. He was silent. It wasn't uncharacteristic, but at the current moment, Paragon wanted more than just his silence. She flicked her tail. He looked back down at his book. He was never one for words. Unless, of course, he wanted to mess with someone. Some days he never even attempted to do such a thing with her. He was quiet, but comforting in his own way. It was how he expressed his love to her, or that was what she thought. Sometimes he did mess with her. Play pranks on her, but most of the time she knew he only wanted a good laugh. And some exercise if she got upset.
“Relaxing,” he said. Paragon sighed and nodded. She laid her head down. It was by luck they both had a day off from their usual work. Her from dealing with clan problems and being out and about and Lucien doing whatever he did when he got a job. She bumped her head against his hand. She felt him move a little. His wing stretched to drape over her back, pulling her a little closer. He continued to read his book. Paragon closed her eyes and relaxed. She had a feeling she wouldn't be able to go to sleep.
“I'm so tired,” she said softly. “No matter how much I sleep I stay tired.”
She felt Lucien shift. She heard his book close. She heard him push it off of the bed. Paragon opened her eyes and looked at him. He was looking at the wall. She closed her eyes again and pressed closer to him.
“Goodnight, Lucien.”
“Goodnight...” she heard him lean over and blow out the lantern in their den. Everything went dark after that. She laid there for a good hour or two, listening to Lucien breathe. Sleep didn't seem to want to come to her. Like a stray cat that inched closer and closer, only to turn and run away at the smallest movement. Perhaps her mind was stuck on the book, on her past, on what she was. She reached over to Lucien. His scales were cold, but she could feel him breathing. It was comforting in a way, to know he was there, but... she sighed and curled up tightly. Sleep was calling her name but it was being fickle. It was always fickle.
The next morning was warm. It was always warm, but this one was warmer than normal. Paragon raised her head, only to find her mate gone. Had she slept in? Or did he have to get up early for a job? She stood and made her way for the exit. Lucien met her there. He was coming in with a package. He stood there in silence, moving his body to block her exit. He smiled at her. His teeth flashed in the early morning light filtering into their den.
“Please move, Lucien, I have to get started on my work,” she said. Lucien shook his head.
“No can do,” he gently pushed her back into the den. “I got you another day off.”
“How?”
“I would much rather not discuss my methods so early in the morning.” He put the package down. “This is breakfast.”
Paragon lifted the lid off the box and found all of her favorite foods. She glanced at Lucien. This was slightly odd behavior.
“Why are you being so nice?” she asked.
He hummed. “I'm always nice.”
She laughed at that and sat down away from the bed to eat her breakfast. He got out his book and moved over to join her. They sat in silence for several long minutes while she ate. Lucien closed his book after a while and looked at her.
“I overheard my brother and Grimoire talking,” he said. “They said you seemed upset when you came home.”
Paragon froze and lowered the piece of meat she was going to eat. Her stomach squirmed. Right, she had to talk to Radric. “And?” she asked. She expected some sort of smart response. A jab, an insult, a joke. That was what usually happened to others. She waited, and waited, but none ever came. Lucien was only still, staring down at the cover of his book. That was when she realized that he knew. He knew what she had been doing. He had made sure he stayed in the den for when she came back. He spoke to the leader about getting her another day off. He got her her favorite food and was staying home with her. He wasn't going to nag her about forgetting that they were supposed to enjoy their mate's quiet company yesterday. He wasn't going to do any of that. Not today.
“I want to go back to the library,” she said softly.
“I'll go with you, if you want,” he said. He nuzzled her cheek and bumped their heads together. She smiled and pushed back before laying her head against his chest.
“I'll go back later... when I can do it alone.”
He was silent again. His claws wrapped around hers and he held her hand. He lowered his head to brush his nose against her ear. Paragon closed her eyes and sighed happily. Lucien didn't have to say anything, and he knew that. At first, his silence would have struck Paragon as a sign that he didn't care, but... he had his own way to show her his love. That was with everything he did from yesterday to today. It warmed her heart and even cheered her up some. Such a caring dragon he was. A loving mate. Sure, he had his negative attributes, and he wasn't perfect, but neither was she. That was what love was about. Realizing your mate isn't perfect, but loving them anyway. She held back a chuckle. What a cheesy ending to her horrible day yesterday and beginning this one, but it was alright. She would rather it be cheesy in a good way than to be alone again.
Lucien reached over at her food with his spare paw and plucked a piece of meat out. She raised her head and narrowed his eyes at him.
“Excuse you,” she said playfully. He stuck out his tongue and ate the meat. Paragon relaxed and laid her head back down. She felt Lucien spread his wing over her again. She smiled.
“Lucien?” she said. He hummed as he finished off her breakfast. “I love you.”
He stayed silent. His claw brushed up against her mane. Paragon closed her eyes. Good enough.
Fanfiction wrote:
by: arashiyama
There is nothing Lucien loves more than teasing and playing tricks on his mate, Paragon. Every step of the way, he’s there with her, dodging around her and tripping her up when she expects it least.
(Sometimes, he’s surprised she still loves him.)
Needless to say, Lucien is absolutely delighted to learn that Paragon is unbelievably, extremely ticklish.
Many dragons have experienced the bite of his frigid iron blade. They have risen to fight and fallen back to the earth, bloody and defeated. Lucien had felled many a warrior with shining razor, and it was common knowledge that, once he started something, he wouldn’t be turned aside so easily.
And so, Lucien begins to plan.
What can he do to annoy Paragon the most, using this newly-discovered weakness? How can he exploit every inch, every centimeter of this lovely fault?
Should he, perhaps, get Radric involved?
He shakes his head, snorting.
“No way.”
Radric is, in every sense of the word, a hard-headed dolt. There is no way he will help Lucien carry out his master plan.
Chrysalis and Silas are too serious to help him out, Lucien thinks with annoyance. Is there no one who can play a part…?
The large Imperial scratches a rut in the earth.
“If that is how it is, then so be it. I’ll do this myself.”
He schedules the operation for tomorrow. There is no point in waiting-not in his eyes, at least, and his eyes are sharper than his sword.
On the morning of the undertaking, Lucien makes sure everything is just right. Radric is distracted with sentry duty with Lexis; he won’t be there to “protect” Paragon when Lucien swoops in for the kill. Any other notable dragons that would probably try to intervene are out hunting or guarding the perimeter of the lair.
It’s perfect, Lucien thinks.
And so he sneaks up to Paragon’s sleeping form in their shared den, a toothy smirk tugging at his face.
Oh, this is going to be so good.
He reaches out, making sure to keep his claws mostly sheathed, as to not harm his mate in any way.
His paws descend, slowly yet smoothly-
They come in contact with Paragon’s viridian scales, and Lucien runs them quickly across her body, letting out a hoot of unbridled laughter when she jolts awake with a shriek, her claws flashing through the air and barely missing his snout.
“Hahahaha! That was hilarious!”
Paragon blinks her eyes open and stares directly at him.
“Lucien…”
“Yes?”
“You have five seconds to run.”
There is nothing Lucien loves more than teasing and playing tricks on his mate, Paragon. Every step of the way, he’s there with her, dodging around her and tripping her up when she expects it least.
(Sometimes, he’s surprised she still loves him.)
Needless to say, Lucien is absolutely delighted to learn that Paragon is unbelievably, extremely ticklish.
Many dragons have experienced the bite of his frigid iron blade. They have risen to fight and fallen back to the earth, bloody and defeated. Lucien had felled many a warrior with shining razor, and it was common knowledge that, once he started something, he wouldn’t be turned aside so easily.
And so, Lucien begins to plan.
What can he do to annoy Paragon the most, using this newly-discovered weakness? How can he exploit every inch, every centimeter of this lovely fault?
Should he, perhaps, get Radric involved?
He shakes his head, snorting.
“No way.”
Radric is, in every sense of the word, a hard-headed dolt. There is no way he will help Lucien carry out his master plan.
Chrysalis and Silas are too serious to help him out, Lucien thinks with annoyance. Is there no one who can play a part…?
The large Imperial scratches a rut in the earth.
“If that is how it is, then so be it. I’ll do this myself.”
He schedules the operation for tomorrow. There is no point in waiting-not in his eyes, at least, and his eyes are sharper than his sword.
On the morning of the undertaking, Lucien makes sure everything is just right. Radric is distracted with sentry duty with Lexis; he won’t be there to “protect” Paragon when Lucien swoops in for the kill. Any other notable dragons that would probably try to intervene are out hunting or guarding the perimeter of the lair.
It’s perfect, Lucien thinks.
And so he sneaks up to Paragon’s sleeping form in their shared den, a toothy smirk tugging at his face.
Oh, this is going to be so good.
He reaches out, making sure to keep his claws mostly sheathed, as to not harm his mate in any way.
His paws descend, slowly yet smoothly-
They come in contact with Paragon’s viridian scales, and Lucien runs them quickly across her body, letting out a hoot of unbridled laughter when she jolts awake with a shriek, her claws flashing through the air and barely missing his snout.
“Hahahaha! That was hilarious!”
Paragon blinks her eyes open and stares directly at him.
“Lucien…”
“Yes?”
“You have five seconds to run.”
Story wrote:
by: Finian
"Ice Skating!"
Lucien wanted to groan. Ice skating- really? Ice Skating? They lived in the Wastes! Besides, they weren't hatchlings anymore, they really shouldn't be taking the day to go skating, of all things. Paragon seemed excited about the idea, though, and if she was happy, Lucien was too. Sure, he had no idea why in the hell his brother had to come along, and sure, he was shooting him dirty glances, but the bottom line was that his beautiful wife was happy. After her underhanded prompting, he was taking her left, where Radric had her right. Always her right, with Radric. He'd taken it upon himself to guard her, trying to court her and flirt her away from him. Lucien was nearly positive she was only leading him on at this point.
"Ice Skating!"
Lucien wanted to groan. Ice skating- really? Ice Skating? They lived in the Wastes! Besides, they weren't hatchlings anymore, they really shouldn't be taking the day to go skating, of all things. Paragon seemed excited about the idea, though, and if she was happy, Lucien was too. Sure, he had no idea why in the hell his brother had to come along, and sure, he was shooting him dirty glances, but the bottom line was that his beautiful wife was happy. After her underhanded prompting, he was taking her left, where Radric had her right. Always her right, with Radric. He'd taken it upon himself to guard her, trying to court her and flirt her away from him. Lucien was nearly positive she was only leading him on at this point.
Story wrote:
by: Fletcher
[PART ONE -- Paragon]
[PART TWO -- Radric]
[PART THREE -- Grimoire]
[PART FOUR -- Lucien]
The imperial stretched himself langorously , admiring the way that the brilliant Ashfall sun made his scales glint and glimmer. He rolled himself over lazily, warming his belly in the dawn light. Were he anywhere else, the cold of autumn would have already set in, and he wouldn’t be able to enjoy this, but he had been lucky enough, as with everything else in life, to get the best set of circumstances for what he wanted.
“Lucien! Happy birthday!”
Lucien bit his tongue keeping back a cry of surprise, flipping himself over and rearing up to strike out before he realized that the voice belonged to Paragon. He fell back with a rather indecorous huff and stared at her.
“My dear, it’s nearly two weeks past my birthday. What are you doing?”
Paragon merely smiled and shifted to the side to allow two other imperials into the clearing, carrying a seared cottontail rabbit between them. Black tulip petals had been carefully arranged around it as garnishes, and it smelled of hot cindershrooms and blood acorns. Lucien’s mouth watered.
“We didn’t know what your favorite food really was, so we did our best,” said Paragon, eyeing the dish proudly.
Lucien padded forward and gazed at the dish. “It’s acceptable,” he said, flicking his tail nonchalantly. “If you must feel obligated to celebrate my birthday, even if two weeks late, then I suppose I shan’t be unaccommodating.” He speared a mushroom on one claw and licked it up, trying his best not to let his eyes roll up in satisfaction at the spicy, meat-infused flavor of it.
He let the other two males look on in envy as he ate the dish they had prepared—slowly—and then pushed the plate back at them. He smiled at Paragon.
“It is truly lovely to celebrate a birthday with you beside me—”
“Now, it’s time to go play games with the hatchlings!” Paragon interrupted. Lucien couldn’t help his jaw dropping in surprise. Paragon tossed her head happily. “I know you like them, you can’t deny it.”
Radric cast Lucien one smirk as he went after Paragon, but Lucien didn’t hesitate before spreading his impressive wings and flapping to the front of the group, pressing himself close to the female imperial. Much as he secretly loved his brother, he knew the competition for Paragon was fierce—even if she didn’t know it—and he never lost competitions.
-
Lucien cast a glare at Grimoire, who ignored it coolly. The “games” had mostly involved a lot of hitting tumbleweeds back and forth and wrestling, and Radric had not wasted the opportunity to jump on his brother. Lucien hadn’t had too much trouble twisting about and pinning Radric by his wings, his thick scales deflecting his brother’s scrabbling claws, but when he looked over, he saw Grimoire wrestling with Paragon, who was giggling delightedly as he nipped at her fur, tickling her. Both Lucien and Radric had frozen momentarily to stare at the unusual display on Grimoire’s part, and though the dark imperial had allowed Paragon to pin him eventually, he held his head a little higher than usual for hours afterward.
-
It was a relief—even if Lucien wouldn’t admit it—to finally arrive at dusk and let the celebration come to a close. He didn’t let his exhaustion show as he sat proudly in front of his den, stretching his neck to show off his height, watching the others bring forward gifts for him. From Grimoire, he received a set of painted valley quail eggs. He did not comment on the beautiful intricacy of the designs on the little objects, instead turning to Paragon’s gift.
It was a box of black wing bangles. Lucien glanced at the pretty imperial, whose wings were pierced several times over to allow for glittering chains to hang from them, and swallowed. He would never admit it, but there was a reason that he didn’t wear bangles already, specifically, he shuddered to think of the needles the jewelers used to pierce their clients’ skin. He gave as genuine of a smile as he could, and then tore Radric’s present open unceremoniously.
It was a belt of poison vials.
For one moment, Lucien’s hackles raised at the idea that his brother would try to poison him, but when he realized that Radric was gazing at his own claws as though they were the most fascinating thing in the world, he realized that it was a genuine gift. Radric had gone out of his way to prepare specialized poisons for Lucien, even when he knew perfectly well that his brother would never need them.
Later, Lucien hung the belt on the wall of his den. It was behind a shelf, so that anyone looking in the entrance would not be able to see it, but Lucien could, and whenever he laid down to rest, he could peek out of the corner of his eye and see the gift that his brother had made for him.
[PART ONE -- Paragon]
[PART TWO -- Radric]
[PART THREE -- Grimoire]
[PART FOUR -- Lucien]
The imperial stretched himself langorously , admiring the way that the brilliant Ashfall sun made his scales glint and glimmer. He rolled himself over lazily, warming his belly in the dawn light. Were he anywhere else, the cold of autumn would have already set in, and he wouldn’t be able to enjoy this, but he had been lucky enough, as with everything else in life, to get the best set of circumstances for what he wanted.
“Lucien! Happy birthday!”
Lucien bit his tongue keeping back a cry of surprise, flipping himself over and rearing up to strike out before he realized that the voice belonged to Paragon. He fell back with a rather indecorous huff and stared at her.
“My dear, it’s nearly two weeks past my birthday. What are you doing?”
Paragon merely smiled and shifted to the side to allow two other imperials into the clearing, carrying a seared cottontail rabbit between them. Black tulip petals had been carefully arranged around it as garnishes, and it smelled of hot cindershrooms and blood acorns. Lucien’s mouth watered.
“We didn’t know what your favorite food really was, so we did our best,” said Paragon, eyeing the dish proudly.
Lucien padded forward and gazed at the dish. “It’s acceptable,” he said, flicking his tail nonchalantly. “If you must feel obligated to celebrate my birthday, even if two weeks late, then I suppose I shan’t be unaccommodating.” He speared a mushroom on one claw and licked it up, trying his best not to let his eyes roll up in satisfaction at the spicy, meat-infused flavor of it.
He let the other two males look on in envy as he ate the dish they had prepared—slowly—and then pushed the plate back at them. He smiled at Paragon.
“It is truly lovely to celebrate a birthday with you beside me—”
“Now, it’s time to go play games with the hatchlings!” Paragon interrupted. Lucien couldn’t help his jaw dropping in surprise. Paragon tossed her head happily. “I know you like them, you can’t deny it.”
Radric cast Lucien one smirk as he went after Paragon, but Lucien didn’t hesitate before spreading his impressive wings and flapping to the front of the group, pressing himself close to the female imperial. Much as he secretly loved his brother, he knew the competition for Paragon was fierce—even if she didn’t know it—and he never lost competitions.
-
Lucien cast a glare at Grimoire, who ignored it coolly. The “games” had mostly involved a lot of hitting tumbleweeds back and forth and wrestling, and Radric had not wasted the opportunity to jump on his brother. Lucien hadn’t had too much trouble twisting about and pinning Radric by his wings, his thick scales deflecting his brother’s scrabbling claws, but when he looked over, he saw Grimoire wrestling with Paragon, who was giggling delightedly as he nipped at her fur, tickling her. Both Lucien and Radric had frozen momentarily to stare at the unusual display on Grimoire’s part, and though the dark imperial had allowed Paragon to pin him eventually, he held his head a little higher than usual for hours afterward.
-
It was a relief—even if Lucien wouldn’t admit it—to finally arrive at dusk and let the celebration come to a close. He didn’t let his exhaustion show as he sat proudly in front of his den, stretching his neck to show off his height, watching the others bring forward gifts for him. From Grimoire, he received a set of painted valley quail eggs. He did not comment on the beautiful intricacy of the designs on the little objects, instead turning to Paragon’s gift.
It was a box of black wing bangles. Lucien glanced at the pretty imperial, whose wings were pierced several times over to allow for glittering chains to hang from them, and swallowed. He would never admit it, but there was a reason that he didn’t wear bangles already, specifically, he shuddered to think of the needles the jewelers used to pierce their clients’ skin. He gave as genuine of a smile as he could, and then tore Radric’s present open unceremoniously.
It was a belt of poison vials.
For one moment, Lucien’s hackles raised at the idea that his brother would try to poison him, but when he realized that Radric was gazing at his own claws as though they were the most fascinating thing in the world, he realized that it was a genuine gift. Radric had gone out of his way to prepare specialized poisons for Lucien, even when he knew perfectly well that his brother would never need them.
Later, Lucien hung the belt on the wall of his den. It was behind a shelf, so that anyone looking in the entrance would not be able to see it, but Lucien could, and whenever he laid down to rest, he could peek out of the corner of his eye and see the gift that his brother had made for him.
Poem wrote:
by: HeyImHylian
How ironic, trying to fight your demons
When the only one you know is yourself
He looks around every day to see heathens
But reserves most words on a bookshelf
His library grows and grows
But his expressions say a thousand words
His utter resentment sometimes shows
As he stares up at the birds
Trying to be free like them
But only causing more mayhem
How ironic, trying to fight your demons
When the only one you know is yourself
He looks around every day to see heathens
But reserves most words on a bookshelf
His library grows and grows
But his expressions say a thousand words
His utter resentment sometimes shows
As he stares up at the birds
Trying to be free like them
But only causing more mayhem
Story wrote:
by: TwinDragons0268
The wind whistled as four single leaves rode the breeze, flying by a single Imperial that watched them intently. After another minute of competitive leaf-staring, Paragon sighed. That was her life at the moment, wasn't it? She mused silently as the leaves continued swirling invisible patterns in the winter sky, oblivious to the inner conflict said Imperial was currently undergoing.
This moment at all was a rare occurrence: Paragon finally had some time to herself, without the three absolutely bothersome males constantly vying for her attention. After all, Radric was practically her shado-
A crinkling of leaves was all that announced the other dragon's entrance onto the scene, and Paragon inwardly sighed. Speak of the devil. Or rather, the dragon.
“Paragon! Where on earth have you been?!”
His tone was scolding, and the entirety of his tone simply annoyed her. It was the exact same tone that he had used when they first met, and from whence their friendship started. However, to this day, it never failed to annoy the dung out of her, and she couldn’t put a talon on why. Perhaps it was because of the nature of her personality, or maybe it was just because he was treating her as a hatchling; the inferior dragon of the two.
Okay, so when she thought about it the latter was obviously the correct choice, but reasons aside, it bugged her and he knew it.
A quiet cough alerted her that she had, in fact, been zoning out. It seemed that she did that a lot nowadays, but she supposed nothing could be done. Radric, however, thought otherwise. The worried look in his eyes said so, and Paragon inwardly winced at the lecture that was undoubtedly sure to come. Her savior, however, seemed to come at just the right time, as someone else stepped out of the wood and drew Radric’s attention away from the future scolding. His eyes lit with something that could only be called hope and a slight amount of smugness as he turned away from the intruder and back to her.
“Grimoire? Come here. I need your backing on a particular subject that has come to my attention as of late…” Paragon shrunk back as the two males closed in: one curious, and the other looking as if he was ready to give some dragon a stern talking to. It seemed as though some dragon was her.
Not good!
Her eyes glanced around wildly, looking for an escape route to avoid the oncoming emotional onslaught.
No escape.
Notgoodnotgoodnotgoodnotgood
Just as Radric’s mouth opened up to speak, and…?
Nothing. Nothing but pure, exhilarating wind on her scales. No speech, no probing of things better left unsaid and to herself. Just… clouds. And sky.
And Lucien.
Wait- what?!
Furiously glaring up at her savior, Paragon wished sorely that she was back with her other two friends.
Or maybe not. And what infuriated her the most about this particular situation was that Lucien knew this, and was taking every advantage of it that he could.
B*****d.
Cold, red, horrible, horribly handsome b*****d.
True, he wasn’t the breathtaking handsome that Grimoire possessed, but he was without a doubt good looking. Any dragoness with eyes and active hormones could say so, and she checked off both of those boxes quite well. Too well for her personal liking, as she suddenly realized the position they were currently in, and the scales around her face discolored ever-so slightly. Her breath came out in a growl, or at least that’s what she tried to make it seem like. To Lucien, it was probably more of a gasp, and this peeved her to no end: how he could make her feel the way she did. Damn him, this smug, cold-hearted, good-looking b*****d.
“PUT. ME. DOWN.”
“You know you don’t want me to do that.” His words were more of a purr then a growl, and it sent a shiver up her spine.
But…he was right. She didn’t want to be put down, and she inwardly cursed her body and mind for being so subservient to this callous demon. However, she would be lying to herself if she didn’t enjoy being in his embrace, or simply being around him at all. He filled some empty part of her made exclusively for him, and she wanted it no other way.
So, saying nothing more than an incoherent grumble, Paragon adjusted her wings and made herself comfortable in his grasp.
She could practically feel the smug grin on his dark features, yet she couldn’t stop a similar grin spreading across her own.
Somehow, she didn’t mind.
Elsewhere~
Radric’s expression was one of dark fury as he simmered on the overhang of that same cliff. He had been ditched by her, and taken by him. That no good, two-hearted, ***-sniffing-
“Radric.”
Said dragon blinked.
“What?”
“You were saying your thoughts aloud again.”
“Oh.”
He didn’t particularly care that Grimoire heard him- he already knew that he loathed his brother like no other. He had started off in a not-so-good mood as soon as Paragon started acting off again, but when that good-for-nothing abducted her, well, let’s just say that his day got a heck of a lot worse.
First he shows up, and then he takes his charge. Sometimes Radric just wanted to kill the older dragon, but he (grudgingly) admitted that the senior wyrm would whip his behind any day, and there would be nothing left but shadows. That was what you got when dealing with someone hand-trained by his father, after all. Stupid brother. Didn’t know what he had before it was gone.
During all this, Grimoire remained somewhat impassive, though a part of him was disappointed when Paragon left. He honestly loved the dragoness, and he always ached when she was away. But…there was something there-between her and Lucien. Something that she, the one who was renowned as the most oblivious dragon in the clan, felt. She herself felt it, and that counted for a lot. He knew his chances with her were slim, but he would persevere. For what it was worth, he would fight. The same could most definitely be said for Radric, but somehow Grimoire knew that if Paragon did in fact chose Lucien, which was the most likely occurrence, Radric would in no way take it lying down. Even now, he was in a sort of denial; blatantly ignoring all the signs that indicated that Paragon felt for Lucien. Grimoire had a feeling, a deep, gut-wrenching hunch that would never fail to pester his thoughts whenever he saw the other three together. He knew that this feud between brothers could and most likely would turn deadly, but he only hoped that Paragon would be left out of it. However, seeing the look in Radric’s eyes as Lucien quite literally swept her off her feet, he knew that she could quite possibly be at the very heart.
The wind whistled as four single leaves rode the breeze, flying by a single Imperial that watched them intently. After another minute of competitive leaf-staring, Paragon sighed. That was her life at the moment, wasn't it? She mused silently as the leaves continued swirling invisible patterns in the winter sky, oblivious to the inner conflict said Imperial was currently undergoing.
This moment at all was a rare occurrence: Paragon finally had some time to herself, without the three absolutely bothersome males constantly vying for her attention. After all, Radric was practically her shado-
A crinkling of leaves was all that announced the other dragon's entrance onto the scene, and Paragon inwardly sighed. Speak of the devil. Or rather, the dragon.
“Paragon! Where on earth have you been?!”
His tone was scolding, and the entirety of his tone simply annoyed her. It was the exact same tone that he had used when they first met, and from whence their friendship started. However, to this day, it never failed to annoy the dung out of her, and she couldn’t put a talon on why. Perhaps it was because of the nature of her personality, or maybe it was just because he was treating her as a hatchling; the inferior dragon of the two.
Okay, so when she thought about it the latter was obviously the correct choice, but reasons aside, it bugged her and he knew it.
A quiet cough alerted her that she had, in fact, been zoning out. It seemed that she did that a lot nowadays, but she supposed nothing could be done. Radric, however, thought otherwise. The worried look in his eyes said so, and Paragon inwardly winced at the lecture that was undoubtedly sure to come. Her savior, however, seemed to come at just the right time, as someone else stepped out of the wood and drew Radric’s attention away from the future scolding. His eyes lit with something that could only be called hope and a slight amount of smugness as he turned away from the intruder and back to her.
“Grimoire? Come here. I need your backing on a particular subject that has come to my attention as of late…” Paragon shrunk back as the two males closed in: one curious, and the other looking as if he was ready to give some dragon a stern talking to. It seemed as though some dragon was her.
Not good!
Her eyes glanced around wildly, looking for an escape route to avoid the oncoming emotional onslaught.
No escape.
Notgoodnotgoodnotgoodnotgood
Just as Radric’s mouth opened up to speak, and…?
Nothing. Nothing but pure, exhilarating wind on her scales. No speech, no probing of things better left unsaid and to herself. Just… clouds. And sky.
And Lucien.
Wait- what?!
Furiously glaring up at her savior, Paragon wished sorely that she was back with her other two friends.
Or maybe not. And what infuriated her the most about this particular situation was that Lucien knew this, and was taking every advantage of it that he could.
B*****d.
Cold, red, horrible, horribly handsome b*****d.
True, he wasn’t the breathtaking handsome that Grimoire possessed, but he was without a doubt good looking. Any dragoness with eyes and active hormones could say so, and she checked off both of those boxes quite well. Too well for her personal liking, as she suddenly realized the position they were currently in, and the scales around her face discolored ever-so slightly. Her breath came out in a growl, or at least that’s what she tried to make it seem like. To Lucien, it was probably more of a gasp, and this peeved her to no end: how he could make her feel the way she did. Damn him, this smug, cold-hearted, good-looking b*****d.
“PUT. ME. DOWN.”
“You know you don’t want me to do that.” His words were more of a purr then a growl, and it sent a shiver up her spine.
But…he was right. She didn’t want to be put down, and she inwardly cursed her body and mind for being so subservient to this callous demon. However, she would be lying to herself if she didn’t enjoy being in his embrace, or simply being around him at all. He filled some empty part of her made exclusively for him, and she wanted it no other way.
So, saying nothing more than an incoherent grumble, Paragon adjusted her wings and made herself comfortable in his grasp.
She could practically feel the smug grin on his dark features, yet she couldn’t stop a similar grin spreading across her own.
Somehow, she didn’t mind.
Elsewhere~
Radric’s expression was one of dark fury as he simmered on the overhang of that same cliff. He had been ditched by her, and taken by him. That no good, two-hearted, ***-sniffing-
“Radric.”
Said dragon blinked.
“What?”
“You were saying your thoughts aloud again.”
“Oh.”
He didn’t particularly care that Grimoire heard him- he already knew that he loathed his brother like no other. He had started off in a not-so-good mood as soon as Paragon started acting off again, but when that good-for-nothing abducted her, well, let’s just say that his day got a heck of a lot worse.
First he shows up, and then he takes his charge. Sometimes Radric just wanted to kill the older dragon, but he (grudgingly) admitted that the senior wyrm would whip his behind any day, and there would be nothing left but shadows. That was what you got when dealing with someone hand-trained by his father, after all. Stupid brother. Didn’t know what he had before it was gone.
During all this, Grimoire remained somewhat impassive, though a part of him was disappointed when Paragon left. He honestly loved the dragoness, and he always ached when she was away. But…there was something there-between her and Lucien. Something that she, the one who was renowned as the most oblivious dragon in the clan, felt. She herself felt it, and that counted for a lot. He knew his chances with her were slim, but he would persevere. For what it was worth, he would fight. The same could most definitely be said for Radric, but somehow Grimoire knew that if Paragon did in fact chose Lucien, which was the most likely occurrence, Radric would in no way take it lying down. Even now, he was in a sort of denial; blatantly ignoring all the signs that indicated that Paragon felt for Lucien. Grimoire had a feeling, a deep, gut-wrenching hunch that would never fail to pester his thoughts whenever he saw the other three together. He knew that this feud between brothers could and most likely would turn deadly, but he only hoped that Paragon would be left out of it. However, seeing the look in Radric’s eyes as Lucien quite literally swept her off her feet, he knew that she could quite possibly be at the very heart.
Story wrote:
by: Cognitive
The winter had been particularly harsh. Paragon would know better than most as she had worked nearly all season long in efforts to provide and care for those of her clan. Days were growing longer, though, and when Paragon awoke she woke to the sight of sunshine filtering into her bedroom. It was a welcomed sight, and she eagerly looked through the nearby window to find most of the snow had melted away leaving patches of grass waiting to soak in the morning light. Paragon felt the same urge. The same desire to be out in the sunlight, and take in its warmth.
She turned in her bed to the sleeping form beside her. A poke was given to his side, and was met with a groan. Another, firmer, poke was given, and Lucien’s eyes opened to stare at her. “Let’s go,” she demanded.
Lucien groaned again, but sat up in the bed. “Where?” He also looked through the same window she had, but he didn’t seem too impressed with the melted snow or the welcoming sunlight. Paragon pushed him slightly, playfully, before rolling out of the bed.
“Outside.” She made it seem as if it was the obvious conclusion to draw. As she began dressing herself for the day, Lucien pulled the blanket over his head. She ignored him, continuing to pull on clothing, and with a frustrated sigh Lucien pushed the blanket away.
“Fine!” Even without her having to say anything, she knew she would get her way. Not much needed to be said for them to understand one another, and Lucien was well aware of just how hard she had worked through the past season. He joined her in getting dressed, and the two soon exited the room arm in arm.
As they made their way outdoors, Paragon caught sight of two more familiar figures. Radric and Grimoire sat at a table talking with one another. Their discussion petered out when Paragon headed in their direction, taking along a reluctant Lucien with her.
“You two should come outside with us,” she said.
“Why?” Both men asked. They shared a look with one another, eyes narrowed as if annoyed at having asked the same thing at the same time.
“I will join you, Paragon,” Radric added, pointedly ignoring his brother. He smoothly stood, and Lucien gave a grin that held more malice than mirth.
“Don’t trust me to look after her?” He asked. It was a comment that Radric also ignored, though a scowl broke across his features. He moved to Paragon’s other side, and Grimoire stood as well.
“The more the merrier,” he said. He took up the tail end of their little quartet, and Paragon led the way outdoors.
The sun hit upon them immediately upon stepping across the threshold of the door, and Paragon lifted her head slightly to welcome it. They walked in what Paragon perceived to be a comfortable silence, whereas the men walked in a tense silence in doing their best not to look at one another, but only at Paragon. After a few moments, though, even they could not deny that the sunlight felt good.
Paragon led them to a cluster of trees, where a few of them were showing signs of life. Small leaves, barely bigger than a fingernail, decorated their branches. She plucked four of the leaves from one of the lower hanging branches, and then turned to the trio with her.
The first leaf was presented to Lucien. He would always be first for her. He looked confused upon receiving the leaf, but bowed his head to her. “Thank you.”
The second leaf was given to Radric. He hesitated before accepting it, and, though he said nothing, his fingers closed almost reverentially around the green growth.
Finally, the third leaf was given to Grimoire. He took it with an easy going smile. “Thank you, my lady.” The words as easy going as his smile was.
Paragon nodded her head, and held her leaf upwards to catch the sun’s light. “To spring,” she said. Lucien and Grimoire held their leaves up as well, while Radric continued to clutch his, and the men repeated the words to complete the toast. Paragon was certain the troubles of winter were now well behind them.
The winter had been particularly harsh. Paragon would know better than most as she had worked nearly all season long in efforts to provide and care for those of her clan. Days were growing longer, though, and when Paragon awoke she woke to the sight of sunshine filtering into her bedroom. It was a welcomed sight, and she eagerly looked through the nearby window to find most of the snow had melted away leaving patches of grass waiting to soak in the morning light. Paragon felt the same urge. The same desire to be out in the sunlight, and take in its warmth.
She turned in her bed to the sleeping form beside her. A poke was given to his side, and was met with a groan. Another, firmer, poke was given, and Lucien’s eyes opened to stare at her. “Let’s go,” she demanded.
Lucien groaned again, but sat up in the bed. “Where?” He also looked through the same window she had, but he didn’t seem too impressed with the melted snow or the welcoming sunlight. Paragon pushed him slightly, playfully, before rolling out of the bed.
“Outside.” She made it seem as if it was the obvious conclusion to draw. As she began dressing herself for the day, Lucien pulled the blanket over his head. She ignored him, continuing to pull on clothing, and with a frustrated sigh Lucien pushed the blanket away.
“Fine!” Even without her having to say anything, she knew she would get her way. Not much needed to be said for them to understand one another, and Lucien was well aware of just how hard she had worked through the past season. He joined her in getting dressed, and the two soon exited the room arm in arm.
As they made their way outdoors, Paragon caught sight of two more familiar figures. Radric and Grimoire sat at a table talking with one another. Their discussion petered out when Paragon headed in their direction, taking along a reluctant Lucien with her.
“You two should come outside with us,” she said.
“Why?” Both men asked. They shared a look with one another, eyes narrowed as if annoyed at having asked the same thing at the same time.
“I will join you, Paragon,” Radric added, pointedly ignoring his brother. He smoothly stood, and Lucien gave a grin that held more malice than mirth.
“Don’t trust me to look after her?” He asked. It was a comment that Radric also ignored, though a scowl broke across his features. He moved to Paragon’s other side, and Grimoire stood as well.
“The more the merrier,” he said. He took up the tail end of their little quartet, and Paragon led the way outdoors.
The sun hit upon them immediately upon stepping across the threshold of the door, and Paragon lifted her head slightly to welcome it. They walked in what Paragon perceived to be a comfortable silence, whereas the men walked in a tense silence in doing their best not to look at one another, but only at Paragon. After a few moments, though, even they could not deny that the sunlight felt good.
Paragon led them to a cluster of trees, where a few of them were showing signs of life. Small leaves, barely bigger than a fingernail, decorated their branches. She plucked four of the leaves from one of the lower hanging branches, and then turned to the trio with her.
The first leaf was presented to Lucien. He would always be first for her. He looked confused upon receiving the leaf, but bowed his head to her. “Thank you.”
The second leaf was given to Radric. He hesitated before accepting it, and, though he said nothing, his fingers closed almost reverentially around the green growth.
Finally, the third leaf was given to Grimoire. He took it with an easy going smile. “Thank you, my lady.” The words as easy going as his smile was.
Paragon nodded her head, and held her leaf upwards to catch the sun’s light. “To spring,” she said. Lucien and Grimoire held their leaves up as well, while Radric continued to clutch his, and the men repeated the words to complete the toast. Paragon was certain the troubles of winter were now well behind them.
Click or tap a food type to individually feed this dragon only. The other dragons in your lair will not have their energy replenished.
Feed this dragon Insects.
Meat stocks are currently depleted.
Seafood stocks are currently depleted.
Feed this dragon Plants.
Exalting Lucien to the service of the Flamecaller will remove them from your lair forever. They will leave behind a small sum of riches that they have accumulated. This action is irreversible.
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