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Divine and Fell. Such were the titles given to the gods of these lands—dragons who possessed power beyond imagination. Humans built two different faiths: one for followers of the Divine and one for those of the Fell. Though humans were fickle creatures, arguing amongst themselves as to whose faith was truer. Conflicts rose, only worsening when the opposing dragon tribes took up arms against one another.
Elusia stood alone in the world, one of the only countries to openly worship the Fell Dragon. The faith of parents would be passed to their children, never questioning the beliefs they’d been taught, instead questioning those from outside their homeland. It was easier, after all, to live in a bubble. To question one’s own way of life was to ask why humans breathe air. It seemed obvious—unnecessary.
However, there were those curious about the outside world. Ones whose inquisitive nature drove them beyond the comfort of the known. There was one such child in a small Elusian village. At no older than seven years of age, they stumbled upon a Divine Dragon outside their home. Despite being supposed enemies, the child found themself concerned for the terrified dragon.
In the simple world of children, everything was either black or white. Right or wrong. To leave someone out to suffer was wrong. So, the child helped the dragon, sneaking them food and finding them a place to hide for the night. Not once did they consider the repercussions of aiding their homeland’s enemy. Such things seemed distant in the moment.
Reality, however, would not ignore such transgressions. Smoke would fill the air that night as corrupted slaughtered a peaceful people. The child hid in the rubble, watching in horror as a woman dressed in black held her sword to the Divine Dragon’s throat. Her long red hair matched the flames engulfing the village, paired with unfeeling eyes of the same color.
Not a hint of emotion was betrayed on her face as she cut the dragon down. Blood soaked the ground, a head of blue hair rolling away. Though she paid no mind, kneeling as she removed an object from the dragon’s hand. She spoke something, though the child could not make out the words over their beating heart. A woman of red appeared by her side, earning a small gasp from the child.
It was a sound that did not go unheard, a corpse shambling towards the source, eyeing the child. They tried to scramble away, letting out a yelp as the corrupted raised its weapon. Yet it never came down. A sword tore through the beast, revealing those blood-red eyes behind. Eyes that bored into the child.
“Leave this place. Now.”
As the years carried on, Willow began to question the faith placed in dragons. Their fingers tapped on the wooden surface of the desk, a sigh escaping their lips as their eyes glazed over. How many times had they been forced to read these Fell scriptures from cover to cover? At this point, they had the words memorized, but that was never enough. The priests always said something or other about having to take the teachings to heart.
It almost made Willow want to laugh. The teachings of the Fell were beyond worthless. Some seemed common sense, while others…well, the Fell were hardly worth listening to. Why listen to a beast who killed indiscriminately? All Lord Sombron desired were the Emblems. Anyone along that path—faithful to him or not—would fall. Willow knew that all too well.
A loud screech pulled the Elusian from their thoughts, a ruckus sounding outside. They jumped from their seat, scrambling to escape before breaking out into a sprint down the small temple’s halls. Willow knew that there was doubtless danger wherever the sound came from, but they’d welcome any distraction from their studies.
They slammed through heavy doors, tumbling into the snow outside. It seemed as though they put a bit too much force into it, the biting cold nipping at their skin. Willow let out a groan as they rolled onto their back, green eyes widening as they met red eyes and black scales. A wyvern.
The wyrm hissed at them, gaining a surprised shout from the Elusian. They scrambled back, away from the beast’s sharp teeth, mind racing to figure out what was happening. Wyverns were common in this part of the mountains—Willow knew that much—but the creatures always avoided human settlements. In the few years they lived at the temple, there had never been a wyvern sighting so close.
Though something was off. Wyverns were notably aggressive creatures, attacking anything that seemed a threat. Yet the most this one managed was a long hiss, tongue flicking in warning between sharp teeth. In fact, wyverns were supposed to growl and roar. If this one was still hissing, was it just a baby?
Willow refocused their gaze on the wyrm. It was certainly large—too big to be a hatchling—but smaller than the average adult. Either this was a runt, or it was still young. Less dangerous, but still capable of killing them. And—oh, there was blood. The warm fluid dripped from the base of the wyrm’s wing. It was injured, then. Unable to fly. No wonder it was grounded out here. It needed help.
With a deep breath, Willow slowly sat upright, moving to a crouch. They held out a hand for the wyvern to inspect, trying to show that they weren’t a threat to the beast. Though it hissed, snapping at their outstretched hand, forcing the Elusian back. Willow tried to read the wyvern’s look—to understand why it seemed not to trust them. Green eyes widened as fingers brushed against cold metal. Of course. Without a second thought, Willow deftly removed the dagger strapped to their side, throwing it off into the snow. They felt naked without that familiar metal—without that final defense—but it had to be cast aside here.
The wyvern tilted its head at that, showing an interest in the strange human it was faced with. Willow took the moment to extend their arm, now watched with curious red eyes. They slowly inched towards the wyrm, coming closer and closer to the beast, but never touching it. It was up to the wyvern if it could trust them.
Green eyes shone with joy as black scales nuzzled into their palm, the beast preening as the Elusian’s hand rubbed against those scales to comfort it. A warm laugh escaped Willow as the wyvern nudged its head into their chest somewhat forcefully. This was a young wyvern indeed!
They let go of the wyvern for a moment, freeing their arms to tear a sleeve from their shirt. It was cold, but Willow could handle the discomfort. And the way the wyvern nuzzled into their exposed arm was plenty enough to keep warm. They kept the beast busy with scratches, a smile on their face as their other arm moved to clean the wyvern’s wound.
“Don’t get too used to this or you’ll never leave this dumb temple.”
The wyvern simply cooed at those words, earning a sigh from the Elusian. Though having a friend in this place wouldn’t be too bad.
To act as the escort of a Fell Dragon would be considered a privilege to most Elusians. Being able to personally assist one of your deities and earn the right to see them up close in the flesh. However, Willow was not one such Elusian, rather dreading the task they’d been assigned. They dragged along behind the Fell Dragon, ignoring his self-obsessed prattle. For as much as he liked to speak, he had nothing of worth to say.
“You know, when I arrived, I saw the smallest wyvern adorned in armor.” A twisted smile pulled at the dragon’s lips as he barked out a laugh. “Just who in their right mind would ride a runt like that into battle? Best just to let it die!”
Willow’s ears perked at the mention of a wyvern, green eyes finally looking to the Fell Dragon. The wyvern he spoke of was one they knew quite well. In fact, they were certain he spoke of their wyvern. Yet Willow bit back a growl, trying to find a more…tactful way to address the dragon’s error.
“So? Isn’t the strongest of your siblings a runt, too?” Willow tried to hold back a grin as they watched red eyes turn to them, thinly veiled rage burning within. “What was her name? Lady Al—”
A shout tore from their throat as the dragon shoved his escort against the nearby wall. Red eyes burned with uncontained fury, the Fell fuming like a child throwing a tantrum. It made Willow want to laugh. How many centuries had this dragon lived only to act like a spoiled child at the mention of a sibling?
These were the true colors of Fell Dragons. People lauded them as deities of knowledge and power, but they were nothing more than children. The power they boasted of was simply violence directed at anything they perceived as weak or those who slighted them. It was used to demand respect that hadn’t been earned. Used like this, it only led to destruction.
“Don’t you dare speak that defect’s name.” The Fell Dragon hissed, his body partially transforming in his anger. His tail flicked side to side, smashing into the ground and breaking stone. “You humans may see her as some underdog, but she’s hardly worthy of becoming fodder for the corrupted. She can’t even do something like this.”
The Fell Dragon bared his teeth with a crazed grin, holding a hand beside his head. Dark flames formed, dancing around his palm to a frantic rhythm. He pressed harder into Willow’s side, keeping them pinned against the wall, unable to fight back. At least, that’s what he’d intended.
If Fell Dragons were to be purveyors of knowledge, Willow had yet to see it. For this dragon showed only rudimentary knowledge, pinning Willow’s right arm. While a valid strategy for most opponents, it was clear he never took handedness into account. Whether this error came from a lack of knowledge or relying too heavily on threats of power to achieve victory, the Elusian didn’t know. But they wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
“What good is that if you can’t read your opponent?”
Overconfidence gave way to confusion then pain. Metal pierced the dragon’s flesh, a sickly warm fluid dripping onto Willow’s gauntlet, their left hand twisting a dagger deeper and deeper into the dragon’s chest. Red eyes turned dull, the weight against the wyvern rider going slack, knees buckling as the dragon’s form collapsed.
A trail of crimson was left behind on their armor, but Willow found that they didn’t care. They’d killed before, though such opponents had always been human. Each kill would leave their hands shaking, stomach churning—a need to fall over and vomit. But when the metallic stench of dragon blood met their nose, they felt none of that. Rather, it was more a sense of relief that came over them.
“Murderer!”
Willow’s gaze shot back up to their surroundings. Eyes—so many pairs of eyes were watching. And they just killed a being looked at as a god by those gazes. Soldiers would flood these halls soon. If they remained, they would be killed—executed. No, they had to leave this place. Flee the country and its faithful. But where could an Elusian go in the midst of war?
There was a voice—quiet yet persistent—in the back of their mind. Unfamiliar yet trustworthy. Willow couldn’t hear their words, but they could feel their meaning deep down. There was a ring on the dragon’s hand—an Emblem, no doubt. The Elusian took that ring, holding it close as they ran. For if it truly was an Emblem, then they might trade it for safety.
Lythos was a strange land. It felt both familiar and alien to Willow all at once. As the holy land of the Divine, it carried a similar air to the temple Willow had grown up in. The biggest difference came from who it was they worshiped. Along with the change of deity came a change of aesthetic. Muted colors now replaced with bright whites.
But that’s as far as such changes went. The truth was that their differences were surface level. People were the same as ever, and their gods beings that failed to encapsulate that which was assigned to them. Divine Dragons were said to be gods of peace and compassion. Such supposed ideals only got them so far.
Only one Divine Dragon remained, huddled away in Lythos Castle. The faithful lined up to act as her shield, defending her from the Fell Dragon’s onslaught. They all would attribute her actions to being a peace-loving creature, but peace demanded action to defend it. This was cowardice—hiding behind the lives of others, hoping to survive. The only way this would end was with Lythos in ruins. And already its lands were dying, people starving.
The faithful would deny such claims, though. Blame would be placed entirely on the shoulders of Sombron and his faithful. No one wanted to admit their actions only prolonged their suffering. So, when they found new gossip or a scapegoat to vent their frustrations, they gladly jumped on it.
Willow, of course, became one such subject of interest when they arrived. An Elusian abandoning their home and faith to serve Queen Lumera—and bringing with them an Emblem ring no less! What an easy target for gossip: a traitor without remorse. Though such words fell on deaf ears as they assumed the Elusian had a home or faith to abandon. Every barbed word spoken missed its mark, quickly boring the Lythians.
It wasn’t long before they found a new target. Just a few months after Willow’s arrival, Queen Lumera introduced a new, far more intriguing guest to the castle’s halls. She had returned from one of her mysterious excursions with a girl of black and red in tow. Blood-red eyes and hair along with sharp ears marked her unmistakably as a Fell Dragon.
Dragons didn’t mix well with Willow—especially not the Divine and Fell—so they always did well to avoid Lumera when they could. As such, they never laid eyes on the mysterious Fell Dragon, and they were fine keeping it that way. The dragon seemed to desire much the same, apparently keeping to a wing that was off-limits to most.
However, curiosity got the better of Willow when they overheard idle gossip. They didn’t care for it—truly, they would always ignore empty words—but a name caught their attention. Lady Alear. She was the one Queen Lumera brought here.
Bringing one of those bloodthirsty beasts to Lythos was one thing, but Lady Alear? She was said to be ruthless on the battlefield, conquering any challenge before her. There was a rumor back in Elusia that her hair was dyed red with the blood of her enemies and her clothing black with the ash of that which she burned. But most terrifying of all was that she gained such a reputation without the use of magic or her draconic form.
Willow became more tense at that. Who’s to say this isn’t all a ruse to get close to the Divine Dragon? She could easily take advantage of the situation to steal away the rings for Lord Sombron. How Queen Lumera—the last of the Divine Dragons—could let her guard down like this was baffling, to say the least. Such pushed the Elusian ever closer to those dragons, wishing to see what it was that led to such a decision.
It all finally clicked when Willow caught sight of blue and red wandering the castle halls. Green eyes tracked Queen Lumera’s form for but a moment before locking onto the dragon that followed close behind. The Elusian blinked at the sight, finding the Fell to be far from what they expected.
Rumors would have suggested Alear had a large and imposing presence. But here stood a child—barely on the cusp of adulthood. She looked as though she was trying to curl in on herself, wishing to take up as little space as possible. Her ears were flat against the sides of her head, sagging slightly downwards—alert to danger, but terrified all the same.
And those eyes. Willow had seen that look on many a wyvern before. Red eyes that darted about, wary of their surroundings. There was a slight panic in how they moved, like the dragon was searching for an oncoming disaster, expecting an attack to come. It was like watching a lone baby wyvern—scared, confused, lost without the protection of a guardian.
“How could Queen Lumera accept that thing as her own?”
“It’s her fault the Divine Dragons are dead. She should pay with her blood.”
Willow found that they couldn’t ignore those whispers anymore. They saw how Alear’s ears twitched, drooping down further with each drop of vitriol spat in her direction. Such an act was disgusting to witness. Willow could handle hatred directed at themself, but they refused to watch this young dragon suffer.
As soon as the dragons were beyond sight, Willow lunged into action. They turned on the nearest voice, pinning a priest to the nearby column. A low growl rumbled from the wyvern rider’s chest; teeth bared as they pressed into the man’s throat. Surprise, fear, confusion—all these emotions swirled in his wide eyes as he tried desperately to worm out of their grip.
“You disgust me. All this high and mighty talk about peace from you people. But when it comes down to it, you look down on the rest of us. Someone needs to teach you a lesson. And seeing as Lady Alear is too kind to do so, I’ll gladly take that leap.”
The priest pathetically grasped at Willow’s arm, gasping for air as he struggled to breathe. “She’s…a Fell…Dragon…”
“She’s a child!”
Willow increased the pressure, cutting off the priest’s protests. Yet the fool still tried to fight, kicking at his captor. It would be so easy to kill the man here, to end his worthless existence. What good would it be to keep one who refused to see people for what they are? People like this were ones who perpetuated conflict, trapped in their delusions.
A rough hand grabbed the wyvern rider, tearing them from the priest. They barely registered how the man sputtered and fell as a fist met their cheek. Reeling from the hit, Willow blindly slashed at their surroundings with clawed gauntlets. A shout pulled the Elusian back to their senses, noting the blood that dripped from their fingers. There was a soldier before them, face partially covered by a hand, red liquid oozing out from beneath. Their free hand pulled back in a fist, ready to put the Elusian in their place.
“Stop your fighting this instant!”
For the first time in their life, Willow shirked back at the sound of a booming voice. In a moment where they’d usually show defiance, they felt meek, turning to face their judgment. Light blue eyes looked down on the group, biting disappointment on full display. Queen Lumera was here, yet when Willow looked around, her charge was missing.
“Would one of you mind telling me what happened here?”
“Of course, Queen Lumera.” Willow bowed as they spoke, snapping instantly into a composed demeanor they’d long practiced. They kept their head low as they continued, understanding the severity of their actions. “I overheard these people speaking ill of Lady Alear—even wishing harm upon her. As she is your charge, I believe it’s our duty to protect her as well, and acted as such. However, I understand if my actions were…out of turn.”
Blue eyes stared at the wyvern rider. Anger was still clear on Queen Lumera’s features, but a strange curiosity burned in her gaze. It was as though she found something of interest in the Elusian, though whether it was good or bad, they did not know.
First impressions, Willow found, were difficult. It was important for others to see oneself in a positive light so future endeavors might be that much smoother. Poor impressions, on the other hand, had the ability to ignite unnecessary conflicts. Willow never concerned themselves with such things—they held no power and nor much care for the snakes around them.
However, they found themselves in a position that demanded a good first impression. After their incident, Queen Lumera kept an eye on the wyvern rider. They expected some form of punishment to come, always locking up when they felt that gaze, but as the weeks passed, nothing happened. Rather, the Divine Dragon eventually approached Willow with an offer: the position of Lady Alear’s steward.
Whatever logic Queen Lumera lived by baffled the Elusian. But they weren’t one to turn down a chance like this. To act as Lady Alear’s steward meant they’d have the chance to see her up close and learn about this mysterious Fell. And when Willow saw that face, all they wanted to do was protect it. As a steward that would simply be their duty.
Accepting the position and being accepted as a steward were two different things, though. Even if Willow wished with all their heart to serve Lady Alear, it would mean little if she wanted nothing to do with the Elusian. Just thinking about it made Willow anxious, uncertain as to whether they’d come off well enough to the dragon.
Those worries were quick to wash away, replaced with excitement upon meeting the Fell Dragon. While she was angered by the notion of a human serving her, Willow was happily noting the small details of the dragon—down to the way her ears twitched with her emotions. Green eyes snapped to red, trying to read Lady Alear. Despite the hard edge she wore, there was a gentleness in her eyes as she considered Lumera’s words.
That edge softened as the dragon child released a sigh. She remained somewhat tense, clearly eyeing Willow with suspicion, but she wasn’t entirely guarded anymore. “Very well. If you are to be my steward, then I should know your name.”
A smile pulled at Willow’s lips, joy bubbling within. They bowed to show respect, remembering proper decorum. When they returned to an upright position, they met those fascinating eyes of red. “It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Alear. You may call me Willow.”
“Willow…”
Alear whispered the name to herself as though to memorize the sound, curiosity evident in her voice. Slowly, she circled around the wyvern rider, her red gaze inspecting them. The look in her eyes was much the same as that of a wild wyvern, carefully searching for danger and deceit. Especially notable was how her gaze kept falling back to the sword on their hip.
Instinct would have Willow discarding the weapon. After all, the first step to befriending a wyvern was removing all threats on your person. However, that was contradictory to their position as a guard, necessitating that a weapon always be within reach. Alear was a dragon capable of speaking the human tongue—while actions were clear, words could be spoken and understood here.
“I’d love to throw this sword away if it means you’ll trust me, but I’m afraid I need it to protect you.” Red eyes snapped to the Elusian’s face, trying to make out some kind of motive or hidden meaning. She would get none, though, as Willow flashed a smile. “If it would be of comfort to you, I can keep a distance. Whatever it is you need, I’ll listen.”
Alear may have kept her distance, but she never stepped back. Baby steps. Just being here was enough for now. There was enough trust for the dragon not to turn tail and run. And in that was the number one rule of handling wyverns: don’t approach them but let them approach you.
Lythos Castle remained the same as ever, even with a Fell Dragon residing within. Though acting as said dragon’s steward provided Willow with a different perspective of these hallowed grounds. As a constant at Alear’s side, they had a chance to see how dragons lived. Not with the interest of a worshipper, but rather as a person wishing to understand the unknown.
Whenever Queen Lumera was around, Alear was there to follow, like a hatchling hobbling to keep up with its mother. Just as much as the girl wished to spend time with the Divine Dragon, Lumera wanted to dote on her. Every moment they could, they’d spend time together, whether taking walks or having tea. In a way, Willow felt like they were imposing on the dragons.
However, there would be times when Queen Lumera was away or otherwise busy. Alear would spend such days either training or locked away in her room. Today, though, she chose to wander the castle—thanks in no small part to the pointed glares her steward directed towards those who might run their mouths.
The duo came to a halt by a large window. Red eyes flicked to the outdoors, watching pegasi take graceful strides through the air. Even if they were ridden by knights patrolling the skies, it was a beautiful sight to see. One that seemed to enrapture the young dragon. A dragon who seemed full of surprises on this day.
“Willow.”
They blinked at that. Lady Alear was not one to speak to humans. It was rare she ever even addressed her steward. Yet here she spoke their name, awaiting a response. “Yes, Lady Alear?”
“You’re a wyvern rider, correct? What’s it like, flying through the sky?”
“It’s…freeing.” Willow furrowed their brows, trying and failing to come up with a more accurate descriptor of such an experience. “Feeling the wind in your hair and escaping the world below—it’s nice.” They saw how Alear watched the beasts flit about with a longing gaze, wanting for once to help the girl smile. “Would you like to experience it yourself?”
Red eyes snapped to Willow, bright and brimming with curiosity. Such was a look they hadn’t seen on the dragon outside of the time she spent with Lumera. If she were to ask something of the steward while wearing such a face, they found they wouldn’t be able to deny her. She was like an overly excited child, unable to express herself with words, settling on an enthusiastic nod.
“Alright then. Let’s go.”
Willow offered a hand to the dragon. She hesitated for a moment, staring like it was some trap, before carefully placing her hand in the steward’s. They gave her a reassuring smile, their hold on Alear gentle as they guided her through the castle halls.
Upon reaching the stables, Willow asked the dragon to stay back for her own safety. A choice they were immediately glad for when they opened the door. Black scales filled their vision as a large creature rammed into the steward, their feet rooted into the ground trying to remain upright. A large snout nudged at them, begging for attention. Laughter bubbled up from Willow’s chest, their hands automatically moving to pet the needy wyvern.
“I missed you, too.” Willow turned back to Alear meeting her curious look with a wide smile. “This is my wyvern, Aster. She’s no pegasus, but she can fly you through the skies if you’d like.”
Alear remained quiet at that, not moving from her spot as she eyed the beast warily. Ah, right. A famously aggressive creature and a reserved dragon. It certainly didn’t sound like a good mix. Still, Willow kept a calming hand on the wyrm as they extended the other in offering to the dragon.
“It’s okay, she doesn’t bite. Trust me, she’s just a big baby.”
Aster huffed, almost as though it understood the wyvern rider’s words, yet it did little else. The Fell Dragon considered the two for a long moment, likely considering the danger. But with Willow there, the wyvern was docile, patiently watching the young dragon.
A wide grin broke across Willow’s features when Alear stepped forward. Her movements were slow and careful, but she made her way over to her steward’s side. Gently, Willow took Alear’s wrist, holding her hand up, palm out to the wyvern.
“Keep your hand out like this so Aster can catch your scent. If she trusts you, she’ll close the distance herself.”
Alear dutifully nodded, her gaze locked on the wyvern. Willow held back a laugh seeing how focused the dragon was. She looked like a child given what they thought was the most important task in the world. It was endearing, seeing how she held her breath, waiting for the wyvern to accept her. And how her face broke into pure glee when it did, gently thumping its head into her chest, trying to nuzzle up to the dragon.
Seeing that the two were getting along well, Willow stepped away to prepare the saddle. Once heavy leather hit the wyrm’s back, it perked up, allowing the steward to fasten the saddle on. With that done, Willow climbed atop the wyvern, making certain everything was good before looking to Alear.
“So, you want to ride a wyvern?”
When Willow offered their hand this time, the dragon took it almost instantly. They helped her on, placing Alear in front of them. While it would make flying a bit more difficult, Willow felt this was for the best as they wrapped an arm around the dragon’s waist, keeping her secure. It was only when Willow felt certain of Alear’s safety that they took flight.
She was tense at first—anyone would be when flying, reaching heights never meant to be. Though it slowly melted away, the dragon softened in her steward’s hold. But it didn’t stop there as a strange new sound reached Willow’s ears. Laughter. Alear was laughing. And it was the most divine sound in the world matched with the most beautiful smile.
Willow had never been religious, but now…now they think they understood why people worshipped dragons.
Fear.
It was a feeling Willow had long forgotten. One might imagine it difficult to fear much of anything after losing everything once. After all, it’s hard to be scared when you’ve nothing left to lose. Back in Elusia, all the wyvern knight had to protect was their wyvern and their life. But the two became strong and thus had nothing to fear. And the past few years in Lythos were ones of relative peace and security. Even with the combat they faced, Willow managed to let their guard down. For as much as they were prepared to lose their own life, they were never prepared to worry for the life of another. But Alear—she changed that.
Today should have been like any other, Willow getting up early to train and care for Aster. But when they arrived at the stables, the wyvern was gone. Aster was too well trained to just up and escape, and there were no clear signs of a struggle. No, the saddle was missing too, which meant someone took the wyvern. And there was only one other person the wyvern trusted like that.
Icy dread clawed at Willow’s gut as they rushed down the castle halls, ignoring the looks from servants. There was a faint hope in their heart that Alear wasn’t gone, but they knew the truth deep down. It made itself all too clear in the past few months—the distant gazes, strange questions, and uncomfortable silence that followed. She was planning something, but Willow chose to ignore it. All because they were caught up in their joy, refusing to fancy the worst.
But the truth always had a way of catching up to you. They realized that as they flung the doors to Alear’s chambers open. Empty. She was gone. Where, where, where could she have gone? Even as Queen Lumera’s daughter, she was seen as an enemy among the nations, only remaining untouched due to the continued presence of her steward and the Divine Dragon. And Sombron would never accept the girl back into his fold. What could she be thinking? No matter where Alear chose to go, it would be tantamount to suicide.
“Willow, when this war is over, will you still be my steward?”
No.
“Of course, Lady Alear. So long as I breathe, I will serve you.”
Oh no.
“Then when all this is over, I want to visit the other countries. With you and Aster.”
Willow turned on their heel and ran. Gods, Alear couldn’t be that…that stupid. They didn’t want to believe she’d do something like that—she knew better—but logic alone didn’t guide the dragon. Much as she failed to admit it, she was caring to a fault, leaning more into self-sacrifice. No matter how much Willow reminded her it was their duty to protect her, Alear always tried to protect them.
Their breath caught in their throat upon reaching the ring vault. Almost every ring currently in Lumera’s possession was there. Every ring except for one. Marth. The very same Emblem the Fell Dragon favored. Willow fell to their knees, a sob escaping their lips. And the Emblems could only watch. Watch as they knew the dragon was gone—off to protect those she cared for. To end this war so they could enjoy a peaceful world.
But could they find joy without her?
“Happy birthday, Alear.”
A sad smile pulled at Willow’s lips, green eyes watching how the dragon’s chest rose and fell with each breath. Neither of them knew Alear’s real birthday, but the Elusian would have been remiss to ignore such a small joy. So, the two of them settled on a day to celebrate oh so long ago. Even as Alear slept the years away, not once did Willow miss it.
Though it acted as a sad reminder. With each passing year, Alear remained the same—hardly aging a day. Willow, however, was human. They felt the hands of time sinking into their body, ever so slowly claiming them. The few decades since Alear fell into her deep sleep had not been kind to the steward. Were the dragon to wake now, would she even recognize them?
Willow pushed the thought aside. They were certainly older, but not that different. If Alear couldn’t recognize them, then she’d certainly fail to recognize herself. Brushing aside the dragon’s bangs revealed roots of blue, a far cry from the old red. Proof of Lumera’s power at work, slowly bringing the Fell Dragon back from the brink of death. Slowly for a dragon, that is, which meant an excruciatingly long time to humans.
The healing process had only begun and already a second steward had been chosen. A young boy who would eventually grow to take Willow’s place watching over the dragon. It would’ve been better if Alear could have chosen a new steward herself, but Lumera and Willow had to choose for her. Still, they knew she’d like him were she to see him. And most importantly, he was someone they could trust—someone without fear or hatred of the Fell, who could keep a secret as he watched the dragon slowly absorb the Divine.
That would be Willow’s final gift to their liege: the gift of a new beginning. If they couldn’t be there to protect Alear, then they would make a world she could live in freely. A world that saw her as their deity and not their destroyer. The Stewards of the Dragon would make certain Alear would be known as a Divine Dragon. They would carry on the Elusian’s will with Lumera’s support. All so that when she wakes, the people will have forgotten the Fell Dragon Alear.
It was a process that would take centuries, but that didn’t matter. Willow would make it happen, even if it meant they would be forgotten as some nameless steward. For all that mattered to them was Alear’s happiness. Even if they died, they’d find a way back to her—find a way to help her. Because the girl who was shunned by humanity deserved the world. They gladly sat beside her sleeping form, making their first and only request of her.
“I promise to be right by your side when you wake, no matter how many lifetimes I have to wait. So, please, don’t forget me, Alear.”