Post by Lone Dancer on Dec 2, 2021 18:06:53 GMT
[Gambling Problems]
I stared at ebony dice, the way the light seemed practically absorbed by the polyhedrals. These dice also spelled my own doom. Four '1's stared back at me, almost mockingly despite their inanimate properties. The dragon behind the veil, which shields their face from view, made a beckoning claw. In agonizing movement, I slid over all but one chip.
The last sole remnant of my life. Wheezing, gasping chuckles hissed through the veil, the opposing dragon moving in twisted mirth.
"You can always give up. Have it be quick, merciful. Or you can make yet another sacrifice to tip the scales. But what else do you have to give?" Insidious whispers, that rambled about more in the mind than reality. But I had one last thing. One last thing of worth.
"I add my heart to the wager." Already I felt the hollow pain as something removed itself from within me. How I was still alive, was any dragon's guess. I was now entirely empty, every other organ and limb sacrificed. On the side of the crimson wood table, another quivering piece of flesh was added to the mound. In gruesome display, it still struck beat.
"Excellent. Let the game resume now, then." My single chip was multiplied back to fifty. I picked up the die, which shivered in glee, much to my discomfort, serving to only increase the amusement of the unknown dragon. I shook the die in my claws, letting them rattle about. Dim candle flame glinting in my eyes, I began to roll.
For yet another night, the game continued.
[Princely Duties]
He did his best to calm himself down, his assistant doing their best to help soothe them as well.
"It'll be fine, my Prince."
The skywing prince chuckled dryly.
"I have no idea on what to do."
"It'll come to you. I have faith in you, my Prince."
"Could you cut it out with the 'My Prince'"?
"No, my Prince" The skywing couldn't help himself. He laughed a bit, before falling somber once more. The cape he wore felt so heavy, weighing down on him in what it symbolized.
"Well, wish me luck."
"You don't need it, my Prince." The prince nodded, beginning his trek to the balcony. Skywings filled his view, all staring up at him in anticipation. Waiting for something. He could feel their attention, threatening to awash him in paralyzing fear. He did his best to remain his stoic visage.
"As you all know, our Queen, and my mother, was killed last night. The work of foul assassins." Mutterings and minor bursts of outrage echoed from the crowd below, as well as the sense of mourning. Yet still, they kept their attention on him.
"We have narrowed down the tribe the assassins belonged to. Seawings." More outrage and the visiting seawings began to look highly uncomfortable as their blue and green scales stood in stark contrast from the range of crimsons and yellows. Easy targets.
"It brings me no joy to say this, however, we cannot let such an attack go unpunished. It is time we prepare the war bellows once more. Let blood pay for blood." His voice grew sharp and cutting near the end. Roars of the bloodthirsty met him as the sparse seawings look horrified as they tried to leave the premise.
His royal cape billowing slightly, he stately returned back into his tower, before practically collapsing on the stone brick floor, out of sight.
"It's been done. No going back now, is there."
"No, I'm afraid not, my Prince."
"As I thought. Call in the generals. It's time we brought them from retirement."
"Yes, my Prince"
When the assistant left, a very tired Prince remained.
[The Experiment]
"Are you sure you want to proceed?" She paused, before nodding. She made her decision before she entered this cave. The entity before her turned to face the vials and flasks sitting atop stone-carved shelves. It fiddled with a few, doing something out of sight while she clasped her hands in nervousness.
Finally, what felt like an eternity, it turned back to her. It held something in one of its hands; a simple clay mug, with a brackish fluid that rank of smoke.
"After consumption, you will become immediately drowsy. Biological reformation will begin, and your life will begin anew, as you put it. Before you drink this, I must ask again, are you sure? There is no going back."
She nodded once more. The entity handed her the mug. Despite the potent scent, it was mostly tasteless, only a spice that bit her tongue the only real flavor.
She felt nothing at first, but as the entity said, intense sleepiness began to encroach upon her. She lost coherent thought as the overwhelming need to close her eyes overtook her. Everything faded away, leaving only her slowed heartbeat.
###
He was warm, comfortable. He was floating in place, content and mostly thoughtless. Only basic emotions danced throughout his mind. If he had the words, he would express that he vaguely remembered a dream. A dream of a person before. But like any dream, it quickly faded away from the conscious mind.
Crack, crackkkkk
Fragments of light began to shine through the hatching eggshell, as expecting parents watched excitedly. They didn't know where the egg came from, merely that it appeared in their home one day. They both swore to take care of it, despite it not being theirs.
With curious eyes, he took his first steps out into the world.
###
Somewhere, in a cave of unknown location, an entity wrote in a journal;
Subject 851: Successful biological reconstruction procedure of human to dragon. No ill effects beyond wiped memory. Will use as basis for future study.
[End Collection 1]