1x1?

[pudding]

Turning back around and very much relieved to find Aedus was dressed again, the god nodded slightly. When the mention of his name came up, the god blinked then shrugged slightly. "You talk in your sleep," He replied, his eyes moving to the golden scale he was holding. Oh great, he recognized that color. There were hardly any golden dragons left in the world and of all of them, only one really made greeting cards out of their own shed scales. While the golden scale would make a good ingredient, he never really liked meeting with So'reth. But now that the scale had appeared, it was clear he would have to visit the wrym at some point. He disliked the idea of the beast becoming impatient and showing up at his step instead. "Thank you," He replied, taking the scale and looking it over before frowning slightly. "After we eat, I will need to go visit them. You can come if you want to but I won't force you."

[shadow_claw]

Aedus stared at the scale for a few seconds before nodding. The look on the god's face proved that he didn't like whoever had sent the summons. Which made him wonder: why would a dragon want them to visit? Dragons were basically ageless and incredibly powerful; they didn't seek the attention of just anyone. They were divine creatures(at least the claim to be), living in solitude to mourn whatever deity that had happened to lose.

"Yes...I am quite famished." It had been almost an entire day since he had eaten, and he was eager to fill his stomach again.

[pudding]

"This way, then," the god replied with a small beckon, leading Aedus down a spiralling set of stairs and into a large room that served as the kitchen and dining area. Every part of the room brimmed with magic of some kind or another and while the candles lining the room immediately lit themselves upon them entering, the pots and pans began to bounce about. An elevated fireplace burst into bright flames as the god shuffled in and took a seat at the large, square table against the wall, pulling out the chair next to him for Aedus. "Have a seat, food will be ready soon." Not knowing what else to do, he watched the pots and pans move about the kitchen.

[shadow_claw]

Unused to magic, Aedus stuck close to the god as they walked. If given the chance, he would've clung to the other man. Magic was something he was used to as a punishment. Seeing it be used so casually terrified him. Even when trying to conceal this fact, it was obvious. Even when led to a table, he shrunk down in his seat and pressed himself against the wall. The gills that were visible on his neck were flared up, as were his visible fins.

 

((Do you mind if I transpose this into a book? It's the first day of NaNoWriMo and the only thing I'm interested in writing about is this :/))

[pudding]

((Yeah, go for it!

Aedus needs to give my character a nickname of some kind that he can mildly protest but secretly really like and start using everywhere.))

 

The god glanced at Aedus briefly before turning his full attention to him, looking mildly concerned as the tall man seemed to shrink and try to hide against the wall. Looking around at the kitchen as it bounced and danced with magic, he frowned slightly before leaning across the table, extending a hand out towards Aedus. "Are you alright?" He asked softly as the pan that had been cooking over the fire slid off and began to cool on the bricks nearby.

[shadow_claw]

((Yaaass. I'll send all the stuff via PM whenever I get some words down.))

 

As soon as the hand was extended, one of Aedus's hands darted forward and grabbed it. It made it look like he wasn't shaking. In his anxiety, his round pupils contracted until they were slits. If not for his hair, it would have been easy to assume Aedus was entirely inhuman.

"I..." He wasn't sure what to say. It sounded silly to explain that magic scared him. He couldn't exactly explain why, but it caused him great stress to feel the hum of magic around him.

[pudding]

The god looked at Aedus, mildly confused by his response but gently laying his hand on top of both his and Aedus's. "Hey," He replied gently, patting Aedus's hands in an attempt to bring him back and have him focus on him. "I can't help you unless you tell me what is wrong," He said, his voice low and reassuring. Clearly not able to trace back Aedus's discomfort to the magic in the room, he ignored the pans as their food was finished and the plates slid onto the end of the table for them to take. The plates had several eggs on them and pieces of rainbow colored plants. Additionally, on the edge of one plate, there was a small vial of red liquid labelled "Drink me". This vial was positioned carefully on the plate closest to the god, implying it was for him.

[shadow_claw]

The boy's gaze flickered rapidly between the moving objects in the room and to the god. He was like this for quite some time, until the food arrived and the moving objects retreated. "I-I have never seen magic used like this.." He began carefully. "I-It has only ever been used to do me h-harm..." Once he finished speaking, his gaze was glued to his plate. Although famished, Aedus's anxiety made it difficult for him to eat. His throat was tight and his chest felt too small. The notion of eating made him worry about choking.

[pudding]

The god's eyebrows rose in sympathy as he gently continued to pat the hands he as holding. His patience, perhaps as some indication as his age, was vast and he didn't mind waiting while Aedus calmed down, even if it took some time. "Magic is something that bends to the will of the one who has implored it. I can assure you I will never use mine to harm you." He slowly let his hand leave Aedus's, instead grabbing the two plates, carefully balancing both of them on his arm. "But it's your first day here. Why don't you eat in your room today?" Bringing him to the kitchen had been a bad idea anyway. He couldn't exactly eat in front of him without taking off his scarf in front of him and that simply wasn't an option. They would have to eat separately. "Let's go back upstairs. If it makes you feel any better, you can learn magic from me. Maybe it would help for you to learn a few defensive spells."

[shadow_claw]

As his host stood, so did Aedus. He shuffled close to the man, his free hand trembling. "I...oh." His previous master had taught him little of magic, only that it would be a device for punishment. At the mention of using magic for himself, however, his trembling only increased. "I-I...I can't do that. I've never been able to...I have never been anAs his host stood, so did Aedus. He shuffled close to the man, his free hand trembling. "I...oh." His previous master had taught him little of magic, only that it would be a device for punishment. At the mention of using magic for himself, however, his trembling only increased. His face flushed, and his ears flattened against his head. "I-I...I can't do that. I've never been able to...I have never been able to use human or mer magic." He admitted softly.

[pudding]

The god huffed slightly at this but shrugged, careful not to drop either of the plates. "That is because you are not completely human, nor are you completely mer. The magics of each species depends very greatly on what you are because they are only pieces of a whole. That is why I will not be teaching you either of those." He walked out of the room, leading the way back up the stairs and into Aedus's bedroom. "Instead, I will teach you one of the purest forms of magic that exists. You'll be learning positive magic." Setting the plates down at the foot of the bed, he took the small, red vial off of his plate and tucked it into his pocket. "Now you eat. I am going to start packing for the trip to visit So'reth."

[shadow_claw]

That...made sense. The Fae had been frustrated with the idea that Aedus couldn't learn even the simplest of either magics, but the way the god explained it made complete sense. "Do...you mind if I ask something?" The hybrid sat back on the bed, his gaze on the plates. When he looked back up, he seemed unsure. "What should I call you? Most people...they would have told me their names by now. You haven't." His ears tinted a dark purple at these words, as if he was flustered to ask something of the god. "I-I mean...it's okay if you don't. But...It would be nice to know a name."

[pudding]

The god paused, having been about to step out of the doorway to gather the supplies they would need to visit the great wrym. Oh. A name? "I haven't told you my name yet because I don't have one," He replied after a small pause. Looking back at the hybrid, then turning around to face him completely, he frowned slightly but let his shoulders relax as he leaned against the frame of the door. There were the names given in stories but all of those varied by region and he didn't feel like exploring to figure out what one civilization decided to name him. But now that Aedus would be around him, it might be more useful to have a name after all. Humans and other species did have more problems referring to things in abstracts. "Why don't you give me one?"

[shadow_claw]

Give him a name? Aedus frowned, his brow furrowing as he thought. That would take some time of thought. "I...very well." He agreed. "I will inform you of a name, um...whenever I think of one." He took the plate into his lap and began to pick at the food. Although hungry, he still felt uneasy. It would take some time until he was feeling well again.

 

---

 

Dragons were known for living in cold, mountainous regions in solitude. The Great Wyrm So'reth was no different. Only that he tended to wander from place to place. Possibly one of the first dragons alive, he looked much different to the other dragons created after him. So'reth had no wings, but flew by the use of magic. His body was thin and snake-like, and he had six legs instead of four. More than this, was that he was covered in both fur and scales.

 

Presently, So'reth was unsettled. Being a creature connected to the sun, he often stayed as close as possible to the light in the sky. But it had gotten warmer. Maybe not enough for a mortal to notice, but dragons had a sensitivity to the world around them. It was for this reason that the old beast sought council with the Moon. Although not his creator, none knew the world better than the Moon itself.

[pudding]

The god nodded and left the room promptly. As soon as he made his way back to one of his more private rooms, he quickly locked the door behind him and lifted his hand to the scarf covering his nose and mouth. Tugging it down past his chin, he breathed in a harsh, uneven breath. While one side of his mouth seemed fairly normal, the other side was horribly scared. Several teeth, far longer than the others, could be seen even when his mouth was closed, jutting out past his lips. The scars travelled up quite far, almost reaching his nose in some cases. While his scarf still covered his neck, dark lines like cracks could barely be seen peeking out from underneath the covered parts of his body. It was no mystery why he wore the scarf as the sight of his mouth was enough to scare most adults of a variety of species. He looked like some kind of monster was trying to break out from under his skin.

 

Taking the potion out of his pocket, he uncorked it and quickly drank the entire thing. Shivering slightly at the bitter taste, he shook his head then tossed the vial away, ignoring it as it shattered in the corner. From the previous glass already littering the floor, it was clear he had taken many of these potions before. Leaving his scarf down, he breathed freely as he began to collect items from around the room including clothing, books and various ingredients.

[shadow_claw]

With first mouthful of food, Aedus contemplated what name would fit the god. There were so many names to choose from, it was hard to decide. He knew very little of this man, so there was very little to specify. He knew magic, but Aedus didn't know what this man specialized in. The second mouthful of food was accompanied by an odd feeling, similar to that of a stomach ache. It was only when he swallowed did he realize that this was no oddity. Bile crept to the back of his throat, sending the young man reeling towards the wastebasket. He retched, spitting up both food and the red liquid from before.

 

But the other god didn't intervene this time. Pain rippled through Aedus's body, forcing him to hunch over. The young man shrieked as what had to be a tail forced itself into being. Horns tore out of his skull and claws emerged from his hands and feet. His blue began to fall out, quickly replaced with shining metallic ones. As soon as this transformation had happened, it ended, leaving Aedus with an uncannily draconic appearance. Bleeding and frightened, Aedus did the only thing he could think of. He crawled under the bed he had been given, leaving a trail of blood and scales across the room.

 

((This was no attack, FYI. I figured a god at full power would be able to shape shift without problem. Aedus, however, has no regulation over himself.))

[pudding]

The god spent several minutes in his own room, gathering items and placing them on a nearby table. There was a few changes of clothes-mostly for Aedus, admittedly-and several herbs that were preserved in numerous small jars. Additionally, there were a variety of other items that he was tossing into a small backpack that seemed incredibly too small to fit everything. But all of the items he collected fit into the backpack with room to spare and he closed the backpack easily. Slinging it onto his back, he started to move back towards the door before pausing to tug up his scarf again so it covered his mouth. Blinking a few times, he breathed regularly and adjusted the scarf carefully so it wouldn't fall down on it's own before unlocking the door and walking back to the other room.

 

Walking back to the room, he paused and stared down at the small trail of blood and scales leading towards the bed. Kneeling down, he touched his fingertips to the blood then quickly followed the trail to the bed where it disappeared underneath. "Aedus?" He asked, kneeling down and looking at the creature hiding there. Sighing slightly, he held out a hand, seemingly unfazed by his appearance. "Come out of there now."

[shadow_claw]

Footsteps. Those had to be the god's footsteps. Aedus shrank away from the noise, pressing himself close to the wall and whining. It was no secret he was hurting, but the need to feel hidden was new. A low keen escaped through Aedus's nose, rising in pitch to become a pitiful cry. He didn't know what had happened. His body aches and skin felt raw. This wasn't like the illusion the Fae casts on him; this was something different. Something awful.

 

But this didn't change the fact that the god was waiting for him to leave. Although afraid, Aedus wanted nothing more than to curl up in the other man's arms and weep. Ever since he was forced from his shed, so many awful things had happened. He wanted a constant: something that refused to change in the face of this chaos. So when a hand encroached on his hiding spot, one of Aedus's bloody paws took hold. "I-I don't know wh-what happened.." He sniffled, sobs making him stutter. "I-I'm...I'm scared.."

Edited November 4, 2015 by shadow_claw

[pudding]

"You'll be fine," the god replied, patting the back of the hand that had grabbed his own. He sighed ever so slightly at the hiding figure under the bed then used his free hand to gesture to the bed. Immediately, as if on invisible strings, it lifted a few feet into the air, giving him enough space to see Aedus proper where he had been attempting to hide. Giving him a sympathetic look, the god shook his head slightly. "You just shapeshifted. Many creatures with powerful magic can alter their shape with ease. You never learned because humans and merfolk are not that powerful and have difficulty transforming. All you need to do is find a root that will keep you in your common form.

[shadow_claw]

What was left of Aedus's eyebrows knitted together as the god spoke. That...didn't make any sense. But with everything that had been happening..there was no denying that something was different. "Like...the wardrobe, yeah?" He finally replied. It had been completely destroyed in the blink of an eye. The god's surprise from that moment proved it hadn't been him...so Aedus had to have been the one to do that.

 

Unlike all the other time he had been faced with this information, Aedus seemed to be alright. Maybe it was the fact he was coming to terms with everything on his own this time. Being spoon-fed the past didn't help, it seemed. "I don't...I don't know what that would be." Aedus admitted, glancing away from the god. He had very little objects that he identified with. "I'm sorry...I-I don't think I can d-do that..."

[pudding]

"Exactly like the wardrobe," the god reassured. When Aedus admitted he didn't know and didn't think he could shape shift back, the god shrugged slightly. "Then don't," He replied. "Changing shape is a part of you. Some individuals prefer to stay in one form because they identify with it better. Others change at a whim and continue to change their entire lives. If you want to change back, you will find the power to do that yourself. But if you'd rather bounce from form to form, I certainly won't stop you." Laughing softly, he shook his head briefly from side to side. "I certainly used to be like that. I don't think I ever stayed in one form for more than a few days at a time. Whenever I found something new, I'd take on it's shape just because I could. But this is something I can't teach you. You'll need to figure it out yourself."

[shadow_claw]

Although still unsure, Aedus seemed much more reassured by the god's words than before. Slowly did the young man crawl out from under the bed, kicking blue scales around as he did so. If he could change...then he would learn how to do so. But it couldn't be something he learned all at once. "Until I...learn to resume a different form...do you have a cloak?" Something long, with a hood would work perfectly to cover the oddities of his new form and, in the very least, keep his appearance from startling strangers. "I...uh, also thought of what to call you." He muttered, glancing down at his clawed toes. "It's, uh...Dwyer. It's a name given to wise folk, especially ones with dark hair and skin. And that...describes you. It does. Sounds just like you."

[pudding]

The god slowly let the bed set back down again as Aedus crawled out from under it. His hand shook slightly under some unknown strain but he simply crossed it behind this back and tilted his head to the side. "Dwyer," He replied slowly, sounding out the name. Pondering over it briefly, he paused then looked up at Aedus, his eyes indicating he was smiling. "It's a perfect name. Thank you for giving it to me." The newly-named Dwyer held out his free hand in an obvious sign for Aedus to take his hand. "Let's get you a cloak and then get on our way. Wryms can be impatient creatures."

[shadow_claw]

Although he didn't smile at first, the light in Aedus's eyes proved he was thrilled. As he never learned to read, all the names the boy knew he had picked up from patrons of the Fae. Those who visited his previous master were often accomplished beings with extravagant titles. As a child, Aedus often pestered the aforementioned patrons until answers were given. This was no different. Taking the extended hand, Aedus gently ran his thumb over the back of Dwyer's hand. He felt safer holding hands. Being grounded by someone else and not just his thoughts was incredibly comforting. "Very well. Could you tell me about this Wyrm? And what that rock was? It was the dragon's, right?"

[pudding]

Dwyer moved his hand away from his back, the tremors having died down significantly in the few minutes that had passed. Pausing to consider the question, he hummed softly to himself before crossing his arms over his chest. "So'reth is one of the oldest Wyrms still alive to this day. Usually, when elder creatures wish to talk, there is something wrong in the world. Based on the request he sent, using one of his scales, the issue is simply something he is curious about. Still, I have an obligation to see what has troubled him and put his mind at ease."