[For Sam] Healer & Dragon

[carrythetorch]

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.

Comments

[barenakedspirit]

Kray focuses on Galo. “You’ve seen the destruction they cause.” He says as if Lio hadn’t said anything at all. He spreads his hands to gesture around them. “You personally know it more than any of us.”

Galo’s face is impassive. “You’re right, I do. But no one knows why the dragon killed them. And dragons are as individual as humans. Answer him.” He says, his hands at his sides. All his usual postures and demeanor is gone for now. He has to be the earth’s voice.

Kray growls and it doesn’t sound quite right. “Answer him, Major Kray Foresight, leader of the Foresight foundation.” He had never meant to use it, but using the Voice that comes from being judgement comes out of him. It sounds like the deep echo of sounds in the deep places of the earth. Flames crackle and wind snaps within that voice.

Kray stares at him and anger flashes in the depths of his shocked eyes. But he swings his gaze to Lio and hatred burns there. A glimmer of it like a spark being struck. His fingers open and close reminiscent of claws. “We drain them in rituals. We’re working on making a gateway to a new dimension for a chosen number of people. We will leave this world to its death.”

Galo’s hands close into fists and the very earth shakes under their feet. Kray snaps his gaze to him in shock and this time Galo’s voice is the depths of water, quiet and cold, almost too still in how he shapes the words. “So, instead of trying to fix things you spill blood and build a new life on the bones of your victims?”

His magic bears out of its restraints and fills the room, more and more of it pouring out as his eyes glow. “There are better ways!”

“This is the only way! Do you think I haven’t tried anything else?” Kray fires back as his voice rises and that growl is back. Unearthly and like the creak of bellows.

[carrythetorch]

When this is over, Lio will make it a point to find the dragons responsible for Galo's family's death, will find out as much as he can. Delayed or not, there should be justice if there can be. But for now, this step needs to be taken. It needs to be set right.

He meets Kray's gaze with an intensity that matches, fury and hatred that mirror Kray's. This man has hurt so many of his people, has extinguished so many flames that the world itself is darker for it. He will never forgive that.

That doesn't mean he's ready for the explanation or the new surge of raise that it raises. "You'd burn this world, ignite it on the ashes of my people to make your escape? You coward."

He can feel the magic rolling off Galo, and his own rises to join it, flashing like lightning on a distantly gathering storm. This world is not beyond saving. The flame that burns inside him is proof enough of that, the way Galo's forest reacts to its healer, the way he could feel it as they restored balance. This world is sick, but it is not beyond saving.

[barenakedspirit]

Anger twists Kray’s face as he looks between them. Then his face relaxes but Galo can feel something building in the air. “It is true as they say. Blood breeds true.” Galo blinks and his building magic pauses. Kray sighs and turns away from them.

Galo tenses and Kray’s words shatter his magic like a hammer to glass. “You’re just like your parents. Ever bit as short-sighted and stubborn.”

“What.”

“Especially your mother. She was quite loud about how things could still get fixed. She knew you would become a healer. You were a reason she didn’t see the wisdom in my words...” He shakes his head but Galo isn’t paying attention. His mind keeps playing the words over and over, trying to wrap his head around what he’s hearing.

“You,”

“I should have killed you when I took care of them. I will correct that now.” Everything stopped. He no longer heard anything but the creaking sound from his nightmares as something vast is suddenly before them and flames rip out obliterating the building with white hot dragon fire.

[carrythetorch]

It all becomes clear in a rush of horror. Here is the dragon who killed Galo's family, right in front of them. Kray Foresight, the monster who has tortured and murdered so many of Lio's people, is one of them. A dragon.

"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.

[barenakedspirit]

The flame smashes into Lio in a torrent of hate fueled fire. Galo throws his arms up to shield his own face within Lio’s coils but the shock still has him. The fire clears and the building is nothing but ashes. The ground is blackened by the fire and he finally gets a look at Kray.

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!”

[carrythetorch]

This monster is a dragon. One of them. It's still ringing in Lio's head and every last cell in his body recoils from the idea of it, that it could be one of their own kind responsible for so much pain, so many of their deaths.

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.

[barenakedspirit]

The ward snaps into place at the same time Galo realizes what he has to do here. As Kray charges are Lio the world feels like it slows down. It isn’t. He is just seeing the way forward. “Lio! Don’t kill him!”

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.

[carrythetorch]

Lio hears Galo's voice, and it's only because it is Galo's voice that he listens at all. Dragons don't kill without reason. It's something he prides himself on, but oh does he have a few reasons to want to see Kray Foresight dead. But no, fine. Galo is right.

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.

[barenakedspirit]

Kray charges right into Lio’s flames with a roar that sounds like volcano’s eruption. The fire bites at him but he angles his body to crash into Lio’s. “I am humanity’s savior!” He bellows as the chant builds on itself. Below, Galo is halfway to the circle.

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.

[carrythetorch]

Lio risks a glance down to see Galo, to make sure that he's still safe. But that's as much as he can spare with Kray coming for him, and keeping Kray's attention is the most important thing he has to do.

"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!"

[barenakedspirit]

Kray streaks down like a blazing comet intent on getting a savage blow with the force of his body.

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.”

[carrythetorch]

Lio is braced for the blow, and he is not ready for what comes in its place. His wings flare to bring himself up short as he watches Kray bound up in water and air. Then hears that Voice, speaking with Galo's mouth, but not the gentle, human healer that he met. The Voice is ancient, coming from somewhere deep within creation itself.

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."

[barenakedspirit]

Galo smiles and it lights up his eyes.

'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."

[carrythetorch]

Lio's wings flare open, drawing him back a couple feet as those changes begin, watching in rapt and undisguised awe as that fire pours in, as Galo's entire form changes. His eyes widen now, and he takes in the sight of him.

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.

[barenakedspirit]

“I’m fine! Feels weird but I’ll get used to it.” Galo rumbles as they finally land. Kray is staring at him but Galo ignores him, shifting his body to keep the eggs safe.

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.”

[carrythetorch]

Lio approaches, taking a slow walk around Galo, taking him in in his new form, his new shape. Oh it really does suit him, doesn't it? The newest dragon to join their flock. And those eggs, Lio reaches a hand out towards them before drawing it back.

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."

[barenakedspirit]

Galo holds up his hands and his necklace peels away from his neck to form a carrying basket. He transfers the eggs to it and secures it just as the other members of the Burning Circle reach them. He locks eyes with Ignis, Captain.

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.

[carrythetorch]

Lio follows Galo in silence. It's still hitting him that this happened, that Kray has been neutralized. This is real. His people have a future. The human healer, the human mage that took him in and saved his life has become one of them. A dragon.

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?"

[barenakedspirit]

“It was our fire mixed in that circle.” Galo says as he changes to a mid-form himself. He still looks like the sky at sunset, all blues and purples edged in gold. His wings flare then settle.

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.

[carrythetorch]

"Our fire," Lio murmurs, an almost mystified echo. He moves in closer to look at the eggs, reaching out fingers to touch them. "You think... they're ours?"

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?"

[barenakedspirit]

“Come here.” He pats the ground beside him, smiling back with a warmth that fills his whole being. This isn’t what he planned his life to be like. But he hadn’t really planned it at all besides healing.

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.”

[carrythetorch]

Lio moves to where Galo has indicated, settling in close. He's still in his half-form and sees no reason to put on a more human face just yet. Settling in, he shifts closer to Galo, leaning into him after a moment. There's something warm about him, something that draws Lio in. Galo is a dragon now.

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?"

[barenakedspirit]

The last tiny bit of tension eases away. Lio is okay with this. He is okay it’s their eggs. He relaxes and closes his eyes. “I’m more than okay with this too. Not what I expected but...Earth being balanced.”

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.

[carrythetorch]

Lio sighs a soft, relieved sound as that arm comes around him. He's not entirely sure if he expected to be rejected or pushed away or what -- maybe he's just too used to always watching his back -- but he leans into Galo and exhaustion hits him like a wave crashing to the seashore.

"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.

[barenakedspirit]

Morning comes soon enough, the light filtering through branches draped over the entrance to the cave. A deep rumbling sound rolls through the air and something scratches on stone. The sound turns out to be Galo.

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?”