Lio Fotia (
carrythetorch) wrote in
formmusebox2020-04-28 08:40 pm
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[For Sam] Healer & Dragon
It had all gone wrong this time. In retrospect, Lio thinks maybe he'd been going too hard. He was on the brink of exhaustion, and his latest raid on livestock had been met with more resistance than it should have, almost as if someone had known he was coming.
He'd gotten away, thankfully, but not before he'd taken a number of blows -- arrows shot from crossbows with enough power that they'd pierced even through his scales. He'd ripped them out in flight and set the better part of a fallow field on fire before he'd flapped high enough to disappear into the cloud cover. That had been what saved him. It wasn't long before he couldn't keep himself aloft any longer, too much pain, too much blood lost.
Even maintaining his full draconic form is too much, and as he plunges to the Earth and tries to slow his descent with his wings, he fizzles back into his human shape, a lithe, slender man. His clothes are dark enough that the blood soaking them isn't obvious from a distance. He lands in a crumpled pile not far from a road through the woods, just off the trail in the underbrush. And that's the last thing he knows.
...
When he opens his eyes next, he's warmer than he expects to be. There's soft blankets beneath him and over him. He can smell something clean and earthy, herbal maybe, and light spills in setting the whole room in a comforting brightness and-- wait. He's in a room. The last thing he remembers is falling, and, oh.
He sits up all at once, hissing at the way his body protests the movement. Where is he? Has he been captured? Except no, if he'd been captured he'd be bound. Or dead. Maybe staked through to the ground. Not wrapped in soft blankets and tended to. "Where am I?" He asks the question mostly to himself as he blinks against his bleary vision willing it to clear, willing his eyes to focus.
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"No."
It's a raw, whisper of sound and he can feel the power and heat building. Lio reacts in that split second before fire bursts. He throws himself in front of Galo, wrapping his wings around the mage even as he begins to shift his form, curling around Galo to protect him from the sudden surge of fire.
This human is his, and he will not see him hurt.
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As dragons go he is vast, as big as a mountain. His body seems to stretch off into the distance and as he watches the dragon gets larger as the restraints Kray must have been beholden to fall away. His wings block the sky and as he opens his mouth all he can see is fire in the depths as if he were staring into the fire of the earth itself.
“You’re a-“ Kray’s blazing red eyes fix on him like spotlights shining on a stage. “Yes, I share this loathesome affliction. Once I was just the fire of the earth but then I became this.” His lip curls revealing sharp white teeth. “Dragons are but slaves to their instincts. Slaves to the Will of Fire. They are destined to die! All your brothers and sisters cry out because they know this. They know that you can not save them. No Voice will protect you!”
His voice is a thunderous sound and Galo swears as he pulls on his magic and builds a ward to protect the townsfolk staring in shock. Kray lifts his head and his voice carries. “I will save humanity! I will be their savor! This mud ball has been a waste for eons!”
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But he knows Galo is feeling this far more acutely than he is, to find out that Kray is a dragon, that Kray is responsible for killing his parents.
Lio is still coiled protectively around Galo, and he snarls at the larger dragon. "You're destroying this world. Humanity and dragons need each other." The elements need balance. This world needs to be in harmony. This world needs people like Galo to put it right.
His wings flare and he rises up. "Voice or no, I'll protect him. And my people." And this whole town. The fury in him is rising so quickly that it threatens to choke him as he launches himself at Kray.
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The balance has to be maintained. Killing Kray would lose more fire the world can’t afford to lose. The earth cracks to his left and a staff made of smooth obsidian stone rises to his waiting hand. Fire wraps around him as the chains holding his magic fall away.
It over takes the black robe, forming the cowl as the blistering heat of the deep places of the earth hammers out, forming a great circle. Kray roars and rakes his claws at Lio. Galo speaks, his voice the heat of the magma. The snap of camp fire sparks. Forest fires and flames ablaze.
“It begins.” He walks towards the great circle and his steps melt the stone that used to be the courtyard before Kray’s house. He could throw himself into this fight. But that isn’t his role. His voice rises in a chant that hadn’t been uttered in his life time, the earth guiding him as storm clouds gather up above. The wind roars and the forest beyond the town winds great limbs over the ward. Water pulls itself into a great dome and still he walks.
Kray doesn’t notice. He only has eyes for the dragon he seeks to over power. The haunting strangeness beyond him is nothing.
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He growls something like an answer and focuses on the larger dragon in front of him. If nothing else he can draw Kray's wrath and attention to keep it from Galo and the humans who have not yet fled.
The sound of wind and a voice that is Galo's but not rises around him. Lio can feel the power rising in the air, but he can't focus on that. Instead he streaks towards Kray, roaring fire at the other dragon to try to drive him back.
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A trail of fire spills out in front of him in a clear path to the circle. Delicate words carve themselves into the ground so old but only readable by the air. Kray streams fire as he continues. “My flames are stronger than yours! My draconic power is greater than the Lord of Fire! Do you really want humanity to end? This is the only way forward!”
Galo’s staff hits the edge of the circle and a chime rings through the air, building on itself as it echoes back and returns. Chime after chime fills the air as the elements twist together at the center of the circle. He steps over the line and circle blazes to life as the words flow and reappear around the edge.
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"We'll see who's stronger." And maybe Kray's fire is stronger. The gods only know what he's done in draining so many of the other dragons of their fire. Has it affected him? What is he capable of? Lio doesn't know if he'll survive this fight, but that doesn't matter. If he can buy Galo enough time, that's all he needs to do.
"This isn't forward. This is murder!" And Kray is the real monster at the end of this fairy tail.
He's struck full on by the larger dragon, roaring out his frustration as he tumbles in the air before righting himself before he strikes ground and launching back at Kray. "I won't let you condemn this world!"
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It never happens.
A web of wind and water wraps around him and binds him in place. The circle of fire blazes with light as Galo steps up the chains, the hood of his robe doing nothing to hide the determination of his face. “Kray Foresight, ancient dragon from before the present era, murderer of countless healers and mages, dragons, and elementals. Your judgement is at hand.”
He walks onto the air as if it were just more ground. It’s clear from the blaze of his eyes, it’s not Galo speaking anymore. His voice makes the earth shake beneath them. “You have proven you will only misuse the gifts given to you. For what you have done and what you could do the balance is addressed as thus,”
He rams the staff down and ancient words and lines spread out to form a vast blazing circle in the air. Lio in one small circle, himself at the heart, Kray in another. A smaller fourth circle. “Long it has been since such a thing must happen. But happen it must. Your judgement is a mortal, powerless, human life.”
Spears of light erupt from all directions and rip through Kray tearing the fire out of him. He is reduced to the man they always saw.
The fire blazes away in the fourth circle as Kray screams. The Voice that is Galo watches him as his hood is ripped back away from his face. His eyes are twin blazes of ruby red fire. “Dragons must be restored. The damage you did must be addressed as well.” The fire around Galo and the staff flows out away from him.
It is the staff that speaks this time in a soft voice. ‘Are you sure, young healer?’ Galo grins and nods. “Yeah. Best way to address this. Don’t you think?”
‘This too it has been a long time since such has happened.’ Galo looks at Lio as Kray is sent down to the earth still pinned by spears of light. “There’s too few dragons. He was an old dragon. There’s enough here to address the damage and address that too. But we need your permission.”
He looks out over the world then to Lio’s face. “I’m the healer your people need...if you’ll have me.”
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He watches the fire be torn from Kray, watches it roil in the fourth circle.
Lio can barely breathe as he watches, even more so when Galo finally speaks to him in his own voice. There's a flicker of relief as he sheds his full dragon form into his hybrid form, smaller and more human shaped, but wings still keeping him aloft. He chances moving closer to Galo to hear him.
He's... Ah. One hand settles at his own chest, where he can still feel the flame that Galo gifted him earlier. "You were already mine, Galo Thymos. But yes, I'll have you. My people will have you. We'll welcome you as one of our own."
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'Then Galo Thymos...your time as a human is setting.'
He grins. "Let's do it. Galo Thymos has always had a burning soul! We're just making sure everyone knows it!" The stone staff hits the circle with a bell like chime. All of the lines pulse as his pact tattoos unwind and touch the circle, adding more lines glowing their unique color. Only Lio's remains as he crosses his arms.
The fourth circle and his connect, the flames pouring into him in a blazing torrent. His human form shatters leaving a blue inferno in its place. It spins together into a long winding serpentine shape. He shakes himself once, his mane rippling with fire. His pact tattoos wind over him, adding new colors to the edges of his scales until he looks like the sky when dusk is falling.
Galo exhales flames and they slide through the lines to the opening circle. Flames condense into round eggs gleaming like the sun rise and sun set. The eggs float as the circle fades away. He flies forward and wraps himself around them, descending slowly. His horns look a lot like his old staff. A necklace that looks suspiciously like said staff in wooden beads form is wrapped around his neck. "Okay! This is different."
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Beautiful, really. Lio can't look away from the colors of his scales.
And then he sees the eggs.
Still in his half-human form, Lio makes his way down to where Galo is descending as well. "Galo?" He approaches. "Are you okay? What are..." Those. The eggs. What are those.
Lio realizes Kray is still nearby, and they will need to do something about him. For the moment that can wait. The Voice that had spoken through Galo stripped the other man of his power, after all. Judgment has been passed.
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The Voice of the world ebbs but not without the answer he needs to tell Lio. “Once I became a dragon, world mixed the fire present and created these eggs. I didn’t get a say but I’m not complaining.”
He gently lays his hand against the top most egg and moves it gently to nestle among the others. “I barely remember mom but, I’ll do my best to teach them about their grandma and all that stuff.” He lifts his head and notices the town have gathered near his ward’s edge in open shock and awe.
Kray is still bound and the judgment passed. He peers at them warily, shifting his bulk so the eggs are protected and says, “Gonna leave Kray to these people and go back to the forest. Sound good?”
He made his pact with his forest and even bigger and an elemental he will keep it. He spots other members of the Burning Circle coming out into the open, working on his ward. “We’ll leave the rest to the captain.”
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He looks up to offer Galo a faint smile. "I'm sure you'll be a good father," he murmurs quietly, for Galo's ears only. Not for Kray. Not for the gathering crowd at all.
His gaze snaps to Kray at the mention of the other man, eyes narrowed. No longer a dragon. Powerless and laid bare for what he's done. "Yes. Let's go. Justice has been done here." It's astounding in a way. This is the moment everything changes. His people... they can start learning to live again. "I'm ready."
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Better known as Archdruid. The man nods as the druids surround Kray. “Go home, Galo.”
“On it, sir.” He says as he secures the basket and launches into the sky. He tucks the basket up against himself and once Lio is with him he takes off for the Forest, winding through the air.
He doesn’t talk until they reach his clearing once more. “Home.” He murmurs as he descends down. The forest greets him with curling branches and gentle rustling. His home expands to accommodate to his new draconic self as he flows inside and gently sets the basket down in a depression made just for it. Then the basket slips away leaving the eggs to rest against the warm earth. He curls around them, fanning them with his flames.
“You know some of these look like you do now.” He points a claw at the eggs that mirror Lio’s current coloring.
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And those eggs.
Lio steps inside to Galo's newly roomier house, stepping inside and looking around. He looks dazed, like it's impossible still to wrap his mind around what's happened. Galo's voice draws him back to the present. "Like me?" His wings flair open for a moment before tucking against his back and he steps in closer to look. "What does that mean?"
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He places one hand on the egg he mentioned. “Maybe these aren’t just my kids.” At the thought he looks to Lio while gently rubbing the egg’s surface. “Maybe the Earth interpreted the pact bond this way?”
He doesn’t know but these small lives are his to protect no matter what. Even as a human healer he would have sheltered and protected them. “Forest approves of them. It’s new life and the forest is over joyed to be part of that.” He smiles as he slips down and tucks himself up against the eggs.
He looks visibly unbothered by the idea it might be their kids and that Lio is here with him. It’s Lio. They’re bound by the pact and are partners. To him that’s alright. Their surroundings shift a little bit, as the forest fully accommodates for a dragon lair.
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That's amazing. And terrifying. And any children born Lio would have protected with his life, but this is... he looks up at Galo and smiles, tentative and hopeful, truly purely hopeful for the first time in so long. He has been surviving, fighting tooth and nail for the survival of his people, and now this.
With this formerly human mage, their newest dragon. Who stood up for them and let his humanity be burned away for them. Lio was already prepared to be bound to this man, to protect Galo with all he had, already.
"Galo?"
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His heart skips a beat at how much nicer Lio looks with hope in his eyes and a smile on his face. He will move mountains to keep that look on his face. This tells him that he did the right thing.
The Burning Circle will have to get used to their rookie healer being a fledgling dragon. He has no doubt they will. “You okay with this? I know the Earth is asking a lot.”
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They bound their lives together when they went to confront Kray, and the world has responded by making that bond even deeper. The eggs are evidence of that. Galo's transformation is evidence of that.
"Yeah, I am. More than okay with it. Are you?"
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He stares into the middle distance for a moment. “This time no one is taking my family from me.” He will fight to the death for their kids and Lio himself. He wraps an arm around Lio and rests his cheek on top of his head.
“I got to rest for a bit after all of that. Assuming you do too.” He asks, his voice soft. “But we can send a message out that it’s safe to come here. We can figure the rest out later.” He closes his eyes. He will wrap his dragon body around the eggs when he sleeps. The veins of hot sprints running under his home keeps the cave a constant warm temperature. But he will feel better giving them his warmth too.
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"I'll keep you safe. All of you. No matter what it takes." This is his family now too, and Lio will incinerate anyone who thinks they can bring them harm.
"Rest. You did a lot today." And Lio, well, Lio will rest too. He reaches out to brush his fingertips along the closest of the eggs. This is the first time he's ever considered having a future, really. That's the last thought before he drifts off to sleep.
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He is very large and wrapped around the eggs and Lio himself. The sunlight shines on his sunset colored scales. The tip of his tail is over Lio like a blanket. A plume of pale smoke rises from his nostrils as he opens his eyes and peers down at Lio. He smiles and dips his head, brushing the edge of it against him.
“Morning.” He pauses and raises his head. The branches at the entrance whisper about a pair of dragons circling the forest. He nods. “There’s a pair of dragons circling the forest. Should I let them in?”
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He sits up, stretching before looking back at Galo. Pair of dragons. "Meis and Gueira. Let them in. I want you to meet them."
He reaches over to brush his fingertips along the eggs. Morning, babies. With that he climbs to his feet, ready to be the Dragon Lord and explain what's going on.
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At first nothing happens then the area before the entrance darkens and a large black dragon edged in a dark pink lands before the gap. His wide wings spread out as he shouts, “Lord!” Right before he sees what is behind them.
His eyes go wide and his jaw drops. Galo grins a little. “Forest bids you welcome. Come in so your pal can come in too.” The dragon slowly ambles in as his form shrinks and he becomes a tall man with flame red hair. His eyes haven’t left the eggs. “How?”
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His attention shifts to the door as Gueira appears. "Gueira," he greets, glancing back. "A lot has happened. We'll explain everything."
Another shadow drops from the sky, the sleek black and teal form quickly melting down to another tall, thin man who steps in behind Gueira and freezes for the exact same reason. He looks from the eggs to Lio and then the other man. "We saw the flames from the village yesterday. Everyone felt..." something. And clearly something happened.
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