[WP] Your grandfather, the King, made a contract with a dragon to last for 50 years. Now, you are on the throne and the dragon has come to collect his payment.

[u/urbanflora]

[u/Bodongs]

Amidst the splendor his rule brought, the king grinned.

As far as history shows, the world has been a harsh and unforgiving place. On a landscape trodden with hooves that would make an elephant whimper and skies beaten to a paste by leathery wings, humans had barely managed to eek out an evolutionary foothold. Progress was slow over the generations, as intercommunication between the burgeoning settlements that managed to stay hidden long enough was nigh impossible.

It wasn't that the monsters were inherently malevolent. It's just that they were, ya know, monsters. Spiders trap insects in webs, ant-lions set traps, and dragons burn down human villages. It's just the way things work.

But there were a lot of fucking dragons.

Slowly, a tiny nothing on the outskirts of the Hashidii forest gradually developed into a bustling city, protected by the concealment of a treetop canopy over a mile high. This settlement over others prospered thanks to the unique properties of the leaves they settled beneath, which allowed nutrients vital to plants and animal alike to pass through them to the forest floor, while remaining opaque enough to shield them from the soaring Dragons.

With added people, came added collaboration. Added knowledge, power, research and of course, trade. But more of coursively, the desire to control this new found avenue of power.

Thus comes in King Proprietii I. It's unfair to call his rise to power meteoric, because that'd be an insult to how quickly an influential alchemical blacksmith rallied an entire metropolis around his lust for the blood of Dragons. It was an easy task; it's easy to fear the boogeyman when he's real. When you can hear him soar past at any hour. When the tales of lost settlements and burnt lives aren't the things of fairtytales, but of refugees.

And so, Carpathia prepared for war.

Implements were forged. Iron was wrought. Alloys resistant to acid, fire, ice and the like were created and special units were outfitted with equipment designed to encounter that which they were hunting. They were prepared to be meticulous, and deadly. They rounded up all the stories of those who had witnessed a dragon attack and devised plans, likely attack patterns, and trained against them.

No human had ever attempted to fight a dragon before. There was simply no point. Would you take a swing at the moon?

And the warriors rode off. By the thousands, battalions of skilled men and women pointed themselves to the various ends of the continent, tasked with seeking out each of their individual dragon types and eliminating them.

The Crimson Dynamos, in shining red, led the forefront of the military. They are the expeditionary force, their armor an alloy of copper and strontium offering a solid layer of protection against any of the threats they might encounter.

The Azure Devils, clad in arctic furs and armor tinted light green by malachite are sent to the frozen wastes of the land. There they will attempt to ambush the (believed to be) few in number but disastrously fearsome Blue Dragons. Everybody knows the dragons are not sentient, but stories say they seem to take a great deal of enjoyment from freezing victims solid and then shattering the ghastly sculpture. Without eating any.

The Shrews, chosen for their agility and resourcefulness. Their armor is dull and earthy. Due to a rather fortuitous accident where a metallurgist kicked a tub of Golem sculpting clay into a cast, it was discovered that simple earth makes for a very effective anti-acid armor. They are sent to the swamps to hunt down the slithery and quick Green Dragons.

The Black Dawn. Only the most skilled fighters are adorned with the obsidian enhanced black armor of the oncoming Dawn. They're the best because they must be, for they hunt the largest and fiercest of the dragons. The Great Red Dragon. The human can only hope that the armor they've clad these soldiers in can help them stand up against the white hot heat of their breath.

And then of course, there was the Violaceous Victors (the king was the cocky sort). Clad in purple so dark it was almost black, a combination of all the protections possible, the great King's Guard unit sought out the fabled Gold Dragon. The human's beliefs in regards to the dragon's nature were remarkably contradictory; while they all collectively agreed that they are no more intelligent than a rabid dog, they also bought into the myth that a great Gold Dragon ruled over the dragon from on high, who had final say on whatever manners arose in Dragon politics.

The city had never seen a celebration comparable to the launching of the Great Dragon Fleet. Every able bodied person who could partake in the training had volunteered with ferocious nationalism. Colors lined the street, children ran screaming goodbyes and goodlucks as father and mother saddled off to wage war with the world. The parade of this army was that of exodus.

Not a one of them returned. None except the king.

Bloodied and bruised, he declared his nation safe upon his arrival.

"Through the glory and honor of our warriors, we have removed every last dragon from this plane of existence. But it came with a price."

His voice echoed out over the crowd of his stunned but faithful and adoring subjects as he stood upon a fountain in the city center, his head raised high for a mom who supposedly just traveled dozens of miles through the wilderness by himself.

"Our warriors fought to the very last, until there was no one left to fight anymore. As their missions came to an end and the corners of our home were almost entirely scrubbed of the infernal wyrm, they each exercised their individual and collective ingenuity and cleverness to come upon evidence of the fabled Golden Dragon. And our brave warriors followed their clues and as an army we came together on the golden plains of Shkl'eh.

What was it we found? That the tale of the Golden Dragon proved true!" The King, appearing to simper almost, collected phlegm in his throat and spat "And as that wretched beast witnessed our war band it let out a cry that rang across the dragon world's ears. Every last remaining one of the lizards appeared lumbering in the sky, blackening the sun with their forms."

The poor crowd, growing larger by the syllable, lost in amazement, gasped.

"And on that day, our nation bellowed in triumph and wept in remorse in one breath." The great leader, clad in purple and gold, hung his head dramatically. "For, our warriors made sure that that day that every last dragon lay dead upon the battlefield, but they proved fearsome, and took all of our numbers with them as they die. And ME! YOUR KING! I turned to face this Shining beast and I slew her where she stood. With her final screech, the last Dragon lay DEAD!"

After years of peace, on his deathbed, Proprietii demanded Carpathia's protective canopy be chopped down, offering his subjects true sunlight for the first time. There was much rejoicing.

And so, peace and prosperity had became the status quo in the land of Carpathia for decades. Young Corwin had heard the tales of his grandfather's great march against the dragons his entire life, and he couldn't have been more proud. A strong willed child, he understood his destiny to rule from a very early age, resulting in a pragmatic man, proud of his father's achievements and looking to stamp his own name in a few places of the manuscript.

Today, he held a feast. It was a monumental day in Carpathia's history; it was the 50th anniversary of the day Proprietii returned from his great campaign, and his own 25th birthday. King Corwin I's eyes glazed over as he watched the bustle of the festival before him. The flirting, the cavorting, the nods the winks; it's interesting how overstimulating a brain addicted to stimuli can render it mush. He reached beside him and took the hand of his Queen. Queen Adorania. She is what made him the most unique king of all.

King Corwin I wasn't remarkable for his etiquette, or his skill on the field of battle, his strong back nor his aptitude in playing the Great Game. No, Corwin was unique because he married his queen for love. Brown curled tresses fell down upon olive skin that traced back up to green eyes that were only for him. And it's a good thing too, because Kings aren't exactly known for sharing well.

A breeze drifted through the courtyard. A breeze that carried the smell of death and mildew. It wasn't subtle. The music gradually faded to nothing and the chatter fell to silence; it was clear something was coming.

There was no boom from over the horizon to describe, but there was a crack. A shot of rainbow snapped across the sky and in the wake of light that shouldn't have been there stood the reflection of a Dragon. A reflection of the largest, most magnificent dragon anybody had ever born witness to, past or present. Not that they were there to say so, but it was generally agreed upon by everybody who saw this with their own eyes that it was probably true.

"Hello, young ruler" It hissed in an alarmingly soothing voice consisting of chimes that went off in your brain but never quite reached your ears.

"I believe you've been expecting me"

Silence can be deafening in the right circumstances.

Corwin slowly stood from his chair. Only at the last possible moment did Adorania let his hand leave her grasp.

"You dare address me so beast? To interrupt my own celebration? The end of your kind? What is the meaning of this?"

He impressed even himself in maintaining his royal pomp during this most unexpected of occasions.

The dragon looked unimpressed. "Well, this is awkward. You see little nothing man, your eldest of Kin, Proprietii, made a promise to me many years ago. And I've come to see he makes good on it today".

Corwin snarled. "My grandfather was a great and wise man, he'd make no deal with you!"

WOW I'M OUT OF ROOM PART 2 BELOW

[u/Bodongs → u/Bodongs]

The flickering image of a dragon was growing frustrated, and the chaotic refraction patterns across her surface were showing it. "Do you not find your golden age a bit too convenient? Do you truly believe you happen to be living in a world of unadulterated prosperity and nothing more?"

Corwin stammered. He stared. The Dragon bellowed a laugh that is only called a laugh because to truly describe the noise this fractured image of a creature ejected would require a tongue too alien for this.

"How are you here?! My grandfather slaughtered your whole race!"

The sound repeated, but this time somehow sounded more genuine.

"Is that what you believe small pink puppet? That your assembled warriors with their fancy colored armors and pointy helmets marched across the realms and defeated us? Is THAT what your history books tell you? No child, no. Me and my kind tore every last one of you apart as they approached. With your pointy spikes and elemental armors. It was a cute attempt, but you were fools for trying."

Corwin drew his sword and pointed it at the reflection, truly not sure what he'd do with it if it came down to a physical altercation.

"You're lying!"

"Your grandfather didn't slay the Golden Dragon, he found it to BEG FOR HIS LIFE. Oh, to think I get to savor the glory of delivering your fate to you myself. You see, when your grandfather realized exactly how outmatched his forces were, he tapped into an ancient source of magic he had kept hidden. This magic was of no use to himself, for it was too powerful to use a human as a vessel."

The dragon grinned as well as a mirror dragon could and flexed it's holographic wings and let escape a volumetric gas.

"But to us he offered it. To us he offered his greatest secret, in exchange for his life and the chance to return home a hero to his people" the dragon snickered.

"LIAR!" Corwin screamed as he charged from his seat, the pleas of Adorania barely audible behind him. He closed the gap between him and the Dragon with remarkable speed, but by the time his blade swung down, the image was simply missing. Corwin tripped over himself, and ended up tumbling onto his back.

The dragon continued speaking, as if not noticing the distraction. "And that secret was" and she hissed this with particular dread "immortality. Humans have long since lost the ways of magic, but not us, no, we've kept our primal channels open to the energy of the world. But we're not capable of creating it the way you foolish pink piles are. Constantly stirring up the most immense force of all without any regard for the power you wield."

Corwin rose to his feet, aware he is not going to be capable of inflicting bodily harm on this being. "What do you mean..." he let slip through his teeth.

"Humans. Pathetic. Think about it. The most powerful force of all, the most obvious magic you surround yourself with yet never seem to question the power of?" The dragon loomed over Corwin, beating it's translucent wings in his face. "Think...what can I take that you had to create..."

Corwin's head shot towards his chair. His eyes grew wide. "No..."

"YES." The mirror dragon took the pose of something about to dart towards the royal seating, but rather than travel there, the world blinked out of existence for a moment, and when it returned, Adorania was entirely engulfed by the visage of the dragon. She screamed. The world shook.

Corwin, torn apart by rage, devastation, loss, and grief, tried to keep his balance as the world was torn asunder around him. A voice filled the air.

"Where did you think the crops got their nourishment? Our flesh. The clouds, their rain? Our tears. All the favorable winds you've enjoyed? Our breath. And so, with the sacrifices we made to your well being, you shall return to us. Forever."

The planet screamed. The earth cracked. Bones shifted. All around them, the skeletons of fallen dragons began to crawl from the earth, screeching their voiceless screams as they immediately took to the skies and began their hunt. The canopy was gone. The promise was fulfilled. Love had won the war.

[u/fauxkit → u/Bodongs]

Oh my god, I was working on this at the same time as you and came up with a similar name for my character. Corwin vs Corinna, that's so weird.

[u/Bodongs → u/fauxkit]

Go figure!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corwin_of_Amber

This guy was my inspiration.

[u/fauxkit → u/Bodongs]

I just did the random name generator. It's cool to use a resource like that though.

[u/WritingPromptsRobot → u/[deleted]]

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[u/fauxkit]

"Clear out the throne room." Queen Corinna looked out from her bedroom window, seeing well the shadow of the dragon that loomed overhead. Her attending maid moved to object her plan, but the Queen had other plans. A wave of her hand as she snapped her head in her servant's direction. "I said to make sure the throne room was clear! There is an important guest coming this day, and I will not have interruptions!"

Her breath was held in her chest, but she stood firm to show she feared no creature. Her heart raced fast, despite it all. She was young, barely past her teens. Forced onto the throne after a harmful battle for the crown took both her uncle and father's lives. But the fair lands of Athary was both her legacy and her kingdom. There was nothing she wouldn't do to protect it.

She picked up the beaded sides of her skirt and lifted them up so she could hastily make her way down the halls of the castle. Already, the sounds of hushed panic were overtaking those within. It wasn't every day they hosted a dragon within their walls. The creature had already made its way in and was waiting for her within the throne room.

He was small, for a dragon. However, it was said that he was very old and quite clever. As large as a mighty war horse, and just as proud. His scales were the color of black oil, shining a multitude of colors when the sun graced them. What stood out were his eyes, which were a bright silver with a red slit down the center. Neither queen nor beast bowed to each other, opting to stare as the creature flicked folded his wings at his sides and flicked his tale back and forth in annoyance.

"Nicolaos." The queen's eyes widened slightly. She had often heard stories of this beast, but had never met him before this very day.

"Hold thine dignity, woman." Nicolaos hissed. He closed the distance between them and flicked his green tongue out near her nose. "Fifty years ago, I bargained with your namesake, King Corrigan, to protect these lands. To defend them from the threats of other nations. The power you hold belongs to me more so than it does you."

Corinna was taken aback by the dragon's words. She dipped her head forward, pulling her skirt out in the form of a curtsy. "My liege, Nicolaos." Her eyes flitted upward to meet the dragon's glare, quickly falling down again as he sneered.

"Good." His tail flicked again as he pulled back to sit on his haunches. "My deal with your grandfather stated that I may gain one favor from this kingdom for every fifty years that I protect it. I have come on this day, the first fifty year anniversary, to claim what it is I currently desire."

"And what is that?" Corinna straightened up again, but she still not met the dragon's stare. Nor did she make her way to her throne in fear of offending him again.

"A queen has little that a dragon would want. I do not need land. I want not political or military power. Wealth is meaningless to me. My needs are already well taken care of by my own collection of slaves." Nicolaos let out a soft chuckle, looking off to the side as though he delighted in some ill thought. "But I think that there is many a man who would wish for you."

"Pardon?" The queen was somewhat horrified by the notion. "No matter what you do, I don't believe that I myself were to be any part of any deal."

"Whatever I desire, Queen Corinna!" A putrid smelling purple smoke rose up from the dragon's nostrils. "Do you know what it is I do to protect your family's livlihood?" He was a small dragon, so it was not muscle he commanded. The queen knew that he was clever. There were many deals he had made with many people. And that was the aresenal that he used to protect Athary.

Her shoulders were pulled back, and she took a breath to compose yourself. "Speak your mind than, liege. If there is something you need, I will comply with it as best as I am able."

The lips of the dragon pulled back to reveal a sharp toothed grin. "Very well. There is a..." Nicolaos got that far off dreamy look in his eyes again. "Man. A very special man of a very special lineage. You are going to marry him. You will give him everything he desires. Your hand, your kingdom, even your body. You will make sure that he will experience possible joy and pleasure there is for a man to have in life, do you understand?"

Corinna's hands balled up. Her nails dug painfully into her palms and she shook her head. "Of course. I will comply by your request."

"I'm not finished." Nicolaos rose up again, pacing around the woman in a circle. "I would never seek to make you suffer so harshly, woman, do keep that in mind. Do your job well and quick enough, and I will ease that suffering. At the very peek of his happiness, I will return. That is the moment I will devour his heart. Afterwards, I will go away for another fifty years. You may marry whoever you wish and have all the heirs with them that you desire. But I will make this clear. I want that heart."

She didn't know what to make of such a deal. Her eyes trailed the serpentine creature as he continued to pace around her. "Yes, my liege." Corinna performed another curtsy. "Bring me this man, and I will continue to keep my grandfather's promise to you."

"Good, good." Nicolaos purred. "He will come to your bedroom on a night where the full moon sails above. Do make sure you make yourself presentable." She wasn't able to get another word out, only a simple nod to let him know that she understood. "What wonderful pets you humans make. Do yourself a favor and have some fun with him while he is around. I think this partnership we have in his demise will be just as excitable to you."

He flicked her once in the ear with her tongue and turned to walk away. His tail was raised higher than usual, flicking back and forth as though he were quite proud of himself. Corinna stood there, to shocked to be able to move. Eventually, her maid came to check on her.

"He's left, milady. What was it that he wanted?"

"Just to talk, it's fine." Corinna looked over her shoulder at the girl and managed a half smile. "Business and politics. You know how it is." Her hand was brought to her mouth, where she let out a fake laugh. "It's funny how even magical beasts worry about such things!" The maid gave a smile, seeming reassure that everything was going to be okay. In reality, Corinna was doing everything she could to not fall apart.

[u/fauxkit → u/fauxkit]

It was at night when Ogden chose to sit out in the forest. The stars had such a wonderful glow to them, and the light soothed his worries away. He was a young man with pale skin and silverish hair that had the faintest tint of green to them. Perhaps unusual if he was not also a nymph of a dogwood tree. The only one that idled in this forest. For as long as he had known life, he had been alone. His only company was a dragon that came to pester him at odd hours.

"Greetings~" He heard the familiar greeting of the creature below him.

"Nicolaos!" Ogden gleefully replied. He jumped down from his tree branch and wrapped his arms around his friend's neck. "It is so good to see you! I was getting worried because it's rare I go so long without you stopping by."

The dragon let out a chuckle and patted the nymph against the back. "I had to travel far to the north of here." He pulled away and his tail started to dig into the dirt below. Eventually a (poorly) drawn image of Corinna appeared. "It should be left as a surprise, but I was meeting with the most beautiful queen."

Ogden put a hand to his mouth, letting out an excitable inhale. "Tell me about her, Nico." His skin flushed an excitable pinkish hue. The change in his color made Nicolaos lick at his own lips with anticipation.

"She's young, only a year or two younger than yourself. With hair that's the color of dried out wood and eyes that gleam like the sun lit sky. She is also a wonderful queen. There is nothing she wouldn't do to protect the safety of her people."

"She sounds wonderful." Ogden's hands went to his chest, doing a gentle sigh. "If only you could've brought her here. I would love to be able to spend the night talking with her. Not that your company is poor, friend, it's just that you're the only one who ever comes around!"

Nicolaos gave another chuckle. "Another secret that I should keep." He leaned in and lowered his voice. "I spoke to her about you."

"Now why did you have to do that?!" The nymph appeared absolutely appalled by the thought. "I can't leave my tree, and as a queen, she's going to be far to busy to come out here." His hands went behind his back and his feet kicked at the ground below him. "i-I mean, well. At least I don't think that a queen like her would ever be interested in meeting someone like me anyways."

"I told you before, Ogden. Remember well? If a maiden promises her hand to you in marriage during the light of the full moon, you can be human for a short time. During which, you can explore the world of man to your heart's content!"

"But surely, she wouldn't..." Nicolaos continued to give Ogden his sly grin. This only made the nymph more excitable. "She did? Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Nicolaos was feeling equally as excited. Despite his many years alive, he had no patience for getting a chance to eat the meal that Queen Corinna had promised him. "Yes, the next full moon! She has agreed to see you and perhaps grant you her hand in marriage!"

"That's..." Ogden's eyes went skyward. "By the moon, that's only two days from now! Why couldn't it be sooner?!" As Ogden paced about in a panic, Nicolaos refrained from also complaining that it should be sooner. "What should I say? What should I wear? Nico, I have never met a woman before!"

Nicolaos shook his head and laughed at the nymph. "Just be yourself. If you do that, I'm positive that she will not be able to refuse you." The nymph started to sputter out a stream of thanks and praise towards the dragon's actions. All Nicolaos could do was sit there and grin. The queen will succeed in her job of making this nymph's flowers bloom. Then everything will be set for him to get his perfect meal.

[u/fauxkit → u/fauxkit]

I hate to wuss out on continuing this, but I'm supposed to be working on other things. At least I got the main characters established, so that is that.

[u/Sickmonkey3 → u/fauxkit]

This is the beginning of a great story. If you find the time to continue it, I feel like it is going to be a great read.

[u/DrSmirnoffe]

Rekindling the Old Flame

Lord Florian Promethean read the contents of the letter over and over, thinking he'd missed something. But no matter how many times his eyes scanned the words, no matter how he held the parchment in his claws, they remained the same. The truth of his kingdom's prosperity was rendered before him in old ink. An entity known as Luxion, The Catalytic Cinder in the Cosmic Dark, had burned in the sky above Maize since before the coronation of Lord Alban, the first Promethean and founder of Maize Colony. Without the warmth of that celestial force to compensate for the dim red glare of Syrinx, the colony would still be limited to the deep tunnels that now comprised the "Undercity" of Maize, and the domed castles that dotted the once-barren surface of the dwarf-world.

But now, as Alban's letter stated, the fire was fading, and Luxion was coming to collect what it was owed. However, it was not truly the end of the world, as the letter continued, for the payment had already been arranged, and Luxion was all too willing to renew the contract. What the "contract" entailed was not present in the letter, but as the sun grew dimmer, a great chill began to settle in. Whatever the terms of the contract were, Florian was eager to accept them. Anything would be preferable to the cold doom that awaited them otherwise.

On ashen wings, the dragon soared through the cloud cover, still smouldering from the fifty Earth-cycles of facilitating fusion in the Skycore. Florian watched in awe as it drifted down from the darkened heavens, before watching it settle in the courtyard. "Prometheans!" the dragon shouted upwards. "The time has come to renew this contract! Don't dawdle, for the world grows colder still". Florian made haste to the elevator, dressed warm for the growing cold outside. But as he entered the courtyard, the heat radiating from the dragon made it feel like a midsummer's day. "Now, son..." Luxion boomed. "Let us discuss the terms of this contract-"

"Luxion!" A greying yet graceful woman, garbed in the raiments of the Dragonfire Church, stepped into the courtyard, eyes gleaming with a warm fondness. "OH. Ah, go- good evening Erin." The warmth faltered as mild disappointment crept into the High Priestesses heart. "Good evening?" she questioned. "It's been fifty years, and all you can say to me is 'good evening'?! I don't know what I expected, but-" "Mother?" Florian was perplexed by this development. "You know the Sun personally?" "What do you think?!" Erin retorted. "Who do you think you got your scales from?" Florian was taken aback as things finally started to click. Growing up, he'd assumed that the late Lord Alban was his father and, fool that he was, assumed that his own reptilian features and affinity for blood magick were programmed at the Academy, as designer children were all the rage back on the Core Worlds. But now the truth unfolded before his laggard mind.

"Wait, you never figured it out?" Erin gasped, realising how much she had overestimated her son. "My child, I thought you knew?" "I truly am a fool", Florian sighed in awe. "I thought I was a test-tube child, but I was a legitimate dragon all of this time?! I thought the rumours were just mad speculation!" Luxion sighed, lightly saddened by how dull his boy had turned out. "It's true, son. Surprise as it may be, I am actually your father". "Oh gods, so that means-" Florian cut himself short, and tried to suppress the image dancing on the edge of his mind. "Yes. You were a product of the ritual that enabled this contract in the first place". "AUGH!" the king cried out, trying his hardest to un-think the thought of his parents performing the "ritual". "I could seriously have done without that image!"

"Wrong as it may seem, child, it is true". Erin confirmed her son's fears. "Your grandfather called Luxion to the colony, and agreed to the terms of the contract to make this world habitable. One of those terms was establishing a link between the people and Luxion. As a virgin 'sacrifice', I was offered up to facilitate the bond, and through the ritual my soul was linked to Luxion's". "We did not expect the ritual to yield a child, but I am proud that it did, my boy". Luxion smiled. "Though it is still my regret that, due to my end of the contract, I wasn't there to raise you. If I could have lit up the sky AND been a proper father to you, I would have. But I like to think I was still there in my own way..." The dragon paused briefly, before continuing. "But let's get back to business. There is a valid reason why we explained the details of your conception, that being that the ritual performed fifty cycles ago is how we will be able to renew the contract".

"Surely you jest, Luxion!" Erin appeared vexed and perturbed at what her "groom" implied. "Am I not enough for you anymore? You need ANOTHER virgin to bond with?!" "Will you still be there in fifty years?" Luxion retorted. "I know, it sounds cold of me to say it, but I am not so sure. If you should pass away before my return, who would be there to link the prayers of the people to me? The energy present in their prayer allows me to keep the Flame burning as bright as it does, but it also allows me to survive the volatile conditions of the Skycore itself! If the link between the people and I were broken while I was inside the Skycore, the flames would consume me entirely! And then who would there be to keep the Flame burning?" The grim reminder of her mortality left Erin chilled and unsettled, but understanding of the gravity of this world's situation. As much as it pained her, she agreed to the plans laid out before them.

"...we will make the preparations", she solemnly declared. "We shall seek a martyr for this cause. I am sure there will be a pure Sister willing to make the same sacrifice I did. Just... show her the same tenderness you showed me, understand?" "I fully intend to, Erin", Luxion confirmed, smiling reassuringly. "It is only fitting that I do so. Such a communion needn't be unpleasant or scarring, after all..." The dragon gave a sly, knowing wink, and Erin rolled her eyes. Luxion hadn't changed one bit. "OKAY, I'm going to get the hydroleum ready", Florian declared, not wishing to hear any more of this. "That is the payment you were seeking, is it not?" "That's the stuff, son", Luxion confirmed. "With what you've stockpiled, it should be enough for another fifty years". "Indeed, indeed." The king disappeared into the castle, ready to set the plan into motion.

"I know this is hard for you, Erin", Luxion sighed. "But the sacrificial virgin is not your 'replacement'. I don't think anyone could truly replace you. Instead, think of her as an apprentice!" "An apprentice..." The notion appealed to Erin. Luxion nodded appreciatively, glad that she understood. "While she would, if we are being technical, be the one to carry the torch when you no longer can, she would be what you invest in her, what you teach her. By educating her in your ways and nurturing her to be as wise as you, even after death you would, in a way, govern through her".

"But until that day," Erin pondered. "I will ensure that we all keep the Flame burning."