How To Claim Your Dragon (EtherealElvenEmpress x Vahn Seele)

[Vahn Seele]

The Elven Kingdom had experienced a tentative peace with the rest of the world. Located on the western half of the mainland, the kingdom was surrounded in a green dome of protection magic that kept the elves safe from magical attacks. Magic was their strength, and it was what they were known for. Over 100 years ago, a blink in the eye of a long-lived race like elves, their magical prowess was paired with the strength of dragons through a truce forged in necessity. Wielding physical strength that could fell mountains, dragons and elves drove out the humans from the land, preserving it for a time from the colonization efforts of humans seeking precious land and resources.

Though humans could not match the magical ability of the elves, they had the numbers to overwhelm dragons that traveled beyond their border. As dragons began to dwindle in numbers, their scales becoming commonplace on the armor of humans who bested them, the tides of change would see the need for dragons to move on. Unwilling to remain contained to the Elven Kingdom, the dragon's large size making setting down too resource intensive, they disappeared in the night leaving behind a golden slate with the following inscription:

To prevent the fall of scales
And end triumph of human tales
Dragonkin shall step behind
From the side of Elven kind

Once dragons and elves can bind
Their soul, body, and mind
They shall return to their seat of power
Alongside elves in their eleventh hour

-------

Corinth Blackwell, a pale man with black hair and dark amber eyes, moved silently along the road, the black fabric of his traveling cloak billowing up and out around him as the wind pushed him forward to the west. Moving silently, reaching a gloved hand up to grip the collar of his cloak, his amber eyes skimmed along the magical barrier that protected the Elven Kingdom. Humans had found ways to puncture through the bright green magic, usually through brute force, but the barrier acted as a deterrent and an alarm that kept humans from sneaking into their lands. They'd erected the barrier once their shield, the dragons, had vanished. Since then, humans and those posing as human mages continued to gather what knowledge they could to find a way to circumvent the barrier.

Stepping forward, Corinth pulled out a green gem from his satchel, pressing the sharp tip of it against the barrier. As the two objects met, a bright spark could be seen as Corinth began to cut through the barrier as if it were glass. It would regenerate fairly quickly, but Corinth could use this as an opportunity to carve a door for himself. Drawing a small hole in the barrier, Corinth climbed through, leather boot stepping down on Elven land. The swell of magic around him felt almost immediate as he stood within the barrier, the shield almost sealing in magic within the land to deprive mankind from its secrets.

Taking a seat, the noon sun streamed down with a faint green glow over the land. Watching the hole he had cut in the barrier, Corinth eyed the gem. To think that he had taken this from the corpse of a human. Their tools were getting more complex, even if they were still crude in comparison to the artisan work of elves and other magical races. Once he saw that the barrier was beginning to heal, flowing down like water to cover the entrance that Corinth had carved, he set his sights on venturing further into the Elven kingdom.

Unknown to him, any crack or hole in the barrier was set to alert the elves of interlopers, signalling to them that intruders were coming.

 

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

The elves worked hard to keep themselves separated from humanity, especially since humanity was expanding, and with that expansion, they wanted to get into their lands. In the before time, it was easy to keep things separate when humans had no interest in magic. As humans evolved they started to look more and more into what the elves had and elves being as illusive as they were we’re not willing to share. They had formed bonds with the dragons, and that had proved to be a great ally to them, especially with their brute strength to balance out their magical gifts and help them keep other races at bay. With the dragons by their side, they felt invincible, especially since magic and power together proved to be a great deterrent against not only humans, but also orcs and other creatures that sought out to use their powers and harness their gift for their own gain.

With their alliance, they were able to drive the humans and other creatures far away from them, and even managed to carve out their own slice of elven heaven. Elves and dragons seemed to be a perfect fit, though with the growing nature of humans dragons were dwindling and elves kept being pushed further and further out into the forest. With this happening else decided to create their own little bubble of safety using magic, which was working quite well, even though humans kept trying to break or find ways to get past their force fields. They were quite lucky for years. The humans were even fascinated by how long lived elves could be and one of the secret to life, even though that secret meant it would mean mating and creating mixes of half human and half elf offspring, which the elves did everything in their power to make sure it didn’t happen even though on occasion it did. They exiling anyone who decided to do such a thing.

This hidden pocket of elves thought they were safe and we’re living in perfect harmony with their green sphere of safety until one faithful day when their alarm bells would go off, and they end up having a breach which they assumed was some lucky human who came across the magical item.

Corinth Blackwell Had no idea what he set off by breaking into their colony, and even though it seemed quiet and peaceful he set off a chain reaction. The sphere reacted to his item letting him in but closed right behind him, and even though the quiet before the storm let him rest for a few moments before he would hear footsteps of a throng of elves, approaching him, not only with weapons, but also magic. It was a mix of male and female elves. What he would notice was that the male elves were carrying weapons that had magic radiating off of them, and the females were using their hands and spells to try and see who breached their safety and when they realized it was just one one a set of four females came up to him. They all had silvery white hair, and the four of them seem to be a team and want to know more about him, even though they were ready to attack him at a moments notice.

“Halt! How did you get this far and why did you decide to come here? You only get one chance to speak.”

The one closest to him spoke out as the others did not take their eyes off of him. This was the Calvary and they were not gonna let him get any further than he was especially since they assumed he was human. for now, he had the guards men and women at full alert, and they were not gonna let him get any further, especially with their main priests in the inner sanctum. She was the one keeping the barrier strong with her powers, and even though they all helped, they were not gonna let him near their power source at least until they found out what he wanted they were not gonna let them get near their precious guardian.

 

[Vahn Seele]

It didn't take long before Corinth was found by a cadre of elves, some wielding weapons and others wielding magic. While he was not old enough to remember the days of elves and dragons working side by side, he was no stranger to fighting magic users. The dark elves that had taken to the underground were far less protective of their land. Corinth mused that it was likely due to the need to feed the spiders that they used as mounts. Where they forged a pact with spiders, the elves on the surface had taken to dragons.

Raising a hand, Corinth spoke softly. "I have an item of importance I must show you before we proceed." He said. With a slow gesture toward the satchel at his side, he reached into it and procured the green, sharp tipped stone he had used to enter the barrier. "I claimed this item from a dead human outside of this place. Your bubble of protection is no longer safe." Corinth said, tossing the stone to land halfway between him and the regimen of elves.

"As for who I am, my name is Corinth Blackwell. I'm a traveler who is here to fulfill a promise that was made long ago." He said, giving a faint smirk. Switching from the common language, he began to speak in the language of dragons, draconic, to help make his point. "Elves and Dragons once lived as allies. If we are both to survive, then it must return to this way."

With the words spoken, his point hopefully made, Corinth settled into silence. He hoped that he did not need to make a show of his dragon form to prove himself, but he was prepared to do what it took to restore the alliance they had once made long ago.

 

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

This invader indeed had their attention as they all looked up upon him, waiting for him to speak, and when he opened his mouth, they weren’t expecting what came out. The menagerie of elves war battle, already as they watched him keeping their stances, except for the four in front of him who kept a close eye, waiting to strike at a moments notice like a rattlesnake.

He could tell some of the elves were ready to strike him as he would slowly reach into his satchel and pull out a green stone, which caught their attention as he threw it halfway between them. The mention of their sphere being no longer safe he could hear a massive amount of whispers before the one blonde elf in the middle, raised her hand to silence, the whispers and gossip. They were about to ask him more questions before the stranger decided to speak again, but this time when he spoke, it was a different language that most of them didn’t understand anymore, except for a small handful that would whisper and the two elves in the center of the four flipped at each other with a great concern. “I thought all dragons perished. Where has your kind been hiding especially now? We have not heard from your kind in years. We cannot say yes or no to your proposition. Only our guardian can do that, but she is very strict and protective. Is that the only weapon you have?” she would ask, sizing him up with her eyes, making sure he wouldn’t be a threat to their guardian if they brought him to her. A part of her wanted to ask for proof about him being a dragon, but she couldn’t be rude. All she could do was make sure he didn’t carry anything dangerous before she would offer to have him meet the most powerful one among them.

 

[Vahn Seele]

Seeing the way they held their weapons, ready to strike at the first sign of a threat, Corinth knew that they were taking him seriously. Seeing the change in their disposition at the use of his dragon tongue, he knew he had chosen the right way to approach them. He had considered using his full dragon form to enter, decimating the barrier that kept the world out, but that would prove a sign of violence that did not portray his intention. He was here to honor a promise, not to create a war. Returning to the use of common language, he answered. "Dragons retreated to protect themselves. It was not a choice taken lightly, as the separation left us both weak but was necessary." He said. Corinth had been born sometime after the schism of elf and dragon, learning to take the form he had now as both a means of hiding and conserving his strength.

Raising his arms, he drew his cloak back to reveal the dark leather armor he wore. Arms wide at his side, he did a faint spin to show what he was carrying before letting his arms drop back to his sides. From the gesture, he showed the light brown satchel he wore at his hip, along with a set of daggers. Knowing he would be asked to relieve himself of his weapons, he undid the satchel strap, as well as the sheath for his daggers, tossing them to meet the green glowing stone along the ground.

"The only other weapon I have is my true form, but I cannot surrender that. I can only promise to not use it while here, both for your safety and mine." If humans caught sight of a dragon, they'd be eager to renew their onslaught to remove another dragon from the world.

 

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

He had chosen the correct way to approach them because if he had came for in his dragon form, they might’ve attacked and perceived him as a threat. The chattering and whispers kept going, though the four before him made sure to keep in his sight and focus on his words, especially about what happened to dragons and why they disappear disappeared. It was very good of him to shed his weapons and explained what he couldn’t leave behind which was his true form and they understood that and the main elf gave him a nod.

“With that leave your things here nothing will be taken or removed. Will take you to see our guardian. It’s up to her to let us know what we should do. If you decide to do something dangerous or threatened her we will not hold back. We will protect her at all cost.” it was a warning, but mostly just to make sure that he knew that they meant business about protecting their guardian. with that the four would lead him deeper into their world letting him see that’s what they built but the deeper they went, he could see how everything was very much in tune with nature. They loved their trees and Flora and Fauna. It looked like a beautiful paradise. They had built their own valley of the gods and the deeper they let him in. He saw very old trees and animals that most humans would assume more extinct.

The deeper they got, he would see intricate buildings that blended in with nature, and when they finally got close to where their guardian was, it looked like something out of a fairytale with beautiful flowers and lovely iron gates that they would lead him through. Leading him past the gates and into what look like a fantasy palace, they let him down corridors to a large garden within.

The motion for him to wait behind as one elf went to whisper to their guardians ear and explain the situation as the others went back to make sure everything stayed calm. When the blind elf returned, she motion for him to follow her to where their guardian was tending flowers by what looked like a lake.

“They told me you are a dragon. Your kind has not been spotted for some time. Has a state of the world really fall apart? Leave us. “ her voice was commanding, and even though she told the entourage to leave, it took the moment to even give her the space that she wanted, leaving her alone with this mysterious dragon, but her protectors wouldn’t stray too far.

“What kind of dragon are you and tell me why you made the journey here I thought all dragons were gone. It’s been centuries has it not?” she made small talk as she would walk over, bringing him some freshly grown fruit as an offering, since she was trying to figure out his personality since now she had him alone. Her silver hair stood out as well as her very fancy and intricate clothing giving away what her role was and why they were so protective over her. She was not young and she still had some fake memories about dragons, but not enough to speak in detail about them.

“I’m Luna Briarrose. Please forgive my people they didn’t give me your name. Would you mind introducing yourself to me?” she would ask as she would hand him a very, lovely Apple and wondering if he would take the offering.

 

[Vahn Seele]

Corinth looked to the elves that stood guard and gave a nod. He would remain in this form as it would be more manageable. If threatened, though, he could overpower them on sheer strength. He did not dare test the odds of his strength to their magic, though, as it would not help relations between them. It would just make things worse, overall. Looking to the items that he had discarded along the ground, he made sure to keep a wide berth of their placement on the ground. "I came here intending no harm to you or your guardian. We shall keep it that way, so long as my life remains safe." He said. Corinth was guarding a legacy of thousands of years of dragon kind. His death could mean the end of dragons entirely, as far as he knew.

The thoughts of his travels and where he had come from were pushed aside as he stepped forward and let the pack of elven guards guide him deeper into their kingdom. The area was well maintained, with flora and fauna that was a sight to behold. He was unsure if he had seen any of these creatures before in his life. His birth had come after the union of elves and dragons, so the land they had created was a construction of wonder. Add to that the seamless blending of civilization with nature, both mingling fairly together, and Corinth could see why humans wanted this place. It was something they could never create. Not without the guidance of others and, for most humankind he had met, their short lives made them unwilling to consider much beyond their own demise. Short term happiness regardless of long term degradation.

When Corinth was led to the chamber where the guardian was safely tucked away, his eyes remained locked on her form as the guards spoke in hushed tones. With their dismissal, albeit at the hesitance of most of them, Corinth stepped forward to close the distance between him and the elven guardian.

Her questions came fast, speaking of the past, the present, as well as to know of him. He decided it best to tackle them all in reverse order. Taking the offered apple in his hand, Corinth held it still as he weighed his thoughts. "My name is Corinth Blackwell. I am a black scale flame dragon." He said, uncertain if that would mean much to her given that centuries had passed without the sighting of a dragon. For him, it meant the world. Black scales were a powerful breed of dragon, a faint mutation that lingered between that of a chromatic and a metallic dragon. They were rarely made in the union of chromatic and metallic dragons in the past, or so he'd been told, and possessed the potential to become leaders of clans on their power alone. For Corinth, though, none of that was as great as the mastery of his transformation that he acquired from learning from the dark elves underground.

"As for the world, that I cannot speak much on without becoming somber. More territory is lost to humans, especially in the parts of the continent where druids are losing strength as their groves are stripped bare. Some refer to it as the rising age of man, rooting out the magic and forging a new kind of magic of their own through science." He said. "That is why I came. Your barrier is no longer unbreakable. They've crafted tools from magical gems that can absorb and cut through magical barriers, given enough material and time to do so. The singular stone I used cut through the barrier like a blade on glass. It's only a matter of time before they set their sights on your land." Corinth said, unwillingly to let go of the promise that was made long ago.

 

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

Luna herself had so many questions. She knew how to hold her tongue and listen to this intruder. Her people had been safe for quite a long time and having someone get in this easily she just could not ignore what happened. If this dragon managed to get in this easily with just a stone, it meant humans wouldn’t be too far off, especially if they learned of his presence and existence since dragons had disappeared from law for so many years, she thought they were extinct herself.

With a flick of her wrist, she ordered any other elves nearby to vacate her area, but she did have quite a few stand guard at the door, especially since she didn’t want them to hear too much and cause a panic to other elves in the vicinity. When they’re alone, she will let him talk and fill in the details, especially since she had no idea who he was or what kind of dragon he was, but he couldn’t have been lying or could he?

He knew enough to keep her interest peaked, and when he would finish talking, that was when she would take a deep breath and let her eyes look him up and down before locking her emerald green eyes on his. “Corinth Blackwell. I do not know the name at all. Please forgive me for that. I honestly thought all dragon kind and kin were extinct. I do not know much about black scale dragons, but in the past, our kind knew the dragons of the sun.” she could’ve given him more about her own kind since the elves in this area were forest and moon. By the looks of her, she took after the moon with her hair and the forest with her green eyes and with her gifts she had a mix of both and that’s what made her a great guardian, but she wasn’t going to give him too much information right away. It took her a moment as she listened to him talk about how humans were gaining power. “Human kind have been a plague upon all fae creatures. They do not know how to share or compromise. How did you find us and how close do you think humans are to us?” it was important for her to be curious and get more answers, especially if he caught through her barrier with just one stone that was not good. She would have to relocate the entire citadel. And then he could see the wheels turning in her head as she tilted her head to the side, letting her long silver hair fall over one shoulder as she asked a very important question.

“Are you the only one or did you bring others of your kind with you? I know we used to be joined with the Sun dragons, but I know nothing about your specific breed if I may call it that. You’re looking for an alliance, but what do you expect from us? We know alliances go both ways but what’s the price for yours?” Luna had a good head on her shoulders and she knew nothing was free but dragons have been out of the picture for so many years. She had no idea what to expect from this one singular dragon at her doorstep.

 

[Vahn Seele]

Corinth shared much of the same sentiment that Luna did regarding the presence of mankind on the continent. They had managed to subjugate some of the other races and draw in power for themselves in the process. Elves, dwarves, orcs and a few races in between had managed to maintain their identity and culture against humans. Elves, though, were not as fortunate. Wood elves had lost their groves and been drawn to find new meaning among human cities. Others fought back and died in the attempt. The age of man was slow and steady, reminding all that they were an inevitable threat that needed to be dealt with.

"It is not an issue that you do not know my name. My line is not as well known, especially as we have had been taking shelter underground with dark elves. As for how I found your kingdom, I have known of its existence for a while. It was my eventual goal to make good on a promise that was passed down to me from another dragon we considered a lore keeper among our kind." He said. Carefully reaching into his robe, he drew out a scroll that held the writing that foretold the dragon's eventual return at the elves' eleventh hour. Giving her the parchment, penned in golden ink, he continued to speak.

"I am the only of my kind that will come out. We are few in number and do not carry the numbers we would need to help truly deal with the humans that seek to enter your kingdom." He said, a little saddened at the reality that, regardless of number, they were all better to fight than to remain quiet as their once ally was conquered and subjugated to the will of men.

"I have been thinking on what my price would be for coming to help, what compromise I would expect in return." Corinth said. "My ask is simple: survival. Not just from the human threat, but from the threat of time that makes dragon and elven numbers dwindle in kind." He spoke in flowery language, but what he was seeking was a bonding of their races, a union much like a marriage but a way to ensure that if elves and dragons were to survive, they would survive as one.

 

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

The Guardian was silent and did not interrupt him as he spoke. She was curious about what type of dragon, but also why he decided to venture here even though she knew it was the humans but she wanted to know his story. He explained about his line and how they had to survive, and it wasn’t shocking to hear that they were underground. Her people were lucky to have a barrier between them and the humans, but it sounded like their time was running out. When Corinth reached into his robe, she watched him carefully with her emerald green eyes as he pulled out a scroll, and had it to her. She would unwrap it slowly, and he would watch her read it extremely carefully as her eyes flickered with curiosity. The parchment itself felt delicate in her hands and now she read it he could see with her own powers. The golden scripture began to glow with her own powers showing through. The moment she finished reading, she rolled it back up and placed it on a table nearby as she would turn back to him and lean against the wall of her room in contemplation, but when he mentioned why he was there and he wasn’t asking more than survival. She raised an eyebrow at just that

“Surely you must want more than just survival.” she would say as she would look him over, but when he explained what kind of survival, it took her a good few moments to realize what he meant before she went silent for a bit longer before she would continue to speak.“ so what I’m taking from this is that you would like the princess.”it was the only way she could think about what a dragon could possibly want they would want the royal family to continue their lineage wouldn’t they? The elves, of course had their princess and royal family. Perhaps that’s what the dragon was seeking with her. It didn’t even cross her mind that the alliance could be with her of course in the past, it was always with the Royals, even though as the guardian she held the most power among them since she was keeping the barrier strong and in place, but maybe this visitor wanted royal family and that’s what she would have to find out. Then again she could be wrong with what he wanted, but she was guessing, and she would hope that he would explain himself a bit more.