The Dragon's Kiss

Chapter 13 - i***t

Warning: s****l harassment in this chapter. May be triggering to some readers.

After the Daughter of Light was born, the casters started to flourish. She was a symbol of strength to them, a beacon of hope amidst all the darkness and fear. 

"Insensus Divignem Dracarius!" Elaine whispered, her platinum blonde hair dancing around her, as her body started to levitate in the air. The dracone before her screeched, dropping to the ground, as lightning struck in the sky, and thunder roared above them all. Bright flames ate at the dracone's tail, then his body, and then his monstrous face. It writhed in pain as they all watched from a safe distance, tears of happiness falling from their eyes, cheers and praises on their lips. And the dracone was ash, spread onto the ground like sand.

"All hail, the Goddess of Castery!"

"All hail, the Enchantress!"

"All hail, the Slayer of Dracones!"

"All hail, the Daughter of Light!"

She smiled, her eyes glowing as blue as the moon of Lyrous, as she slowly descended back to the earth. She raised her hand, silencing them all. 

"All hail, Divignus, the one that created us."

With her being their guide, and their source of power, the casters did not need Divignus anymore. But the Daughter of Light remained humble, and unwavering in her search for the sacred flower. She loved it with all her heart, and was completely devoted to it, in spite of the power she held in her own skin and blood. 

"Dea?" a soft voice spoke up from the crowd, as a little girl stepped forward, her eyes shining with admiration.

"Come to me, child," Elaine extended her hand towards her, bending down slightly as a friendly smile played on her lips.

Hesitantly, the girl walked up to her, offering her a small flower. "Mommy says flowers are a gift, because they tell you your dreams."

Elaine let out a soft chuckle, running her hand through the child's hair. "They indeed are. Gratia. What's your name, child?"

"Lilith Vindic."

"Lilith," Elaine smiled, gently taking her hand. "You are a sweet little child, and your heart is full of compassion and love. You will make a great caster one day."

The casters followed her blindly, and everyday, she moved closer and closer to fulfilling her purpose: to dethrone the barbaric dracones, and return the rule to the rightful owners, the loving children of Divignus. But when the very heart that made her fight for her purpose, started beating for something else, her downfall was inevitable.

"Hexus!" Elaine laughed, looking around. "Where are you?"

"Oh isn't the Goddess supposed to see all? Why can't you find me then?" his teasing voice replied.

Elaine chuckled, shaking her head. "You don't want me to actually use my powers, do you?"

"Of course not. You find me like an ordinary person, and maybe we could do what we did last night."

"Mm, good incentive," she replied, a smirk on her lips. She heard the leaves behind her rustle slightly, and she quickly turned around, her eyes slightly narrowed. "Hexus..." She walked towards the bush, biting her lip. "Is that you?" She moved the plants aside, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Two arms wrapped around her waist from behind, and she turned around.

"There you are," she said softly, grinning up at him.

"Yes, my Queen. Here I am. Always at your service."

She leaned up and pressed her lips against his, closing her eyes in pure bliss.

Whenever she was close to him, she seemed to forget about everything else, including Divignus, including her purpose of life. Because when she was with him, she could finally let her guard down, and be who she really was. He made her feel like an ordinary girl, and normalcy was what she had craved for years, without even knowing it. So she slowly, but surely fell in love with him, and he with her.

The Daughter of Light was a Goddess, and Gods could not have vulnerabilities, or weaknesses. If people were to find out about Hexus, they would lose their respect for her, and start considering her ordinary, like themselves. So they kept meeting in secret, their beautiful relationship kept concealed from all eyes, good or evil.

But all good things come to an end, and so was the fate of their love.

As time passed by, and the casters grew impatient, Elaine had no option but to retaliate against the dracones. Even if her people weren't as ready as they thought they were, even if it was not the right time. All she wished for, was to put an end to the bloodshed, and to the ongoing war, so she could finally be at peace with the one she loved. But destiny had very different plans for the two of them. 

"Hexus! Where are you?" Elaine called out, running through the battle field, as the cries and screams of her people echoed in her ears. There was smoke all around, owing to the fire-breather's, and the sobs and shrieks of the casters being incinerated was numbing her senses. In spite of her enhanced hearing and strong vision, she could not see him, or anything else for that matter.

"Help! Dea, help me!" A familiar voice begged, making her pause.

She turned on her heel, to spot Lilith being dragged away by a dracone, her feet bleeding. 

"Damned fire-breather!" Elaine growled, before facing the sky, and summoning some lightning. It sliced the dracone in half, freeing the girl from its clutches, as she immediately came running to her.

"My mommy," the girl sobbed, grabbing onto Elaine's hand. "My mommy is dead, Dea. A dracone burned her," she cried, tears rolling down her chubby cheeks.

Elaine sniffed, kneeling down in front of her as she cupped the girl's face. "Where's your father, child?"

"He's dead too," she replied, closing her eyes. "I have no one left. Even my doll got burnt. She was the only friend I had."

Elaine wiped away the girl's tears, trying to hold back her own. "Everything's gonna be fine, alright? Don't you worry."

"You're lying," the girl replied, stepping away from her. "My mommy believed in you. But you didn't save her."

Elaine slowly stood up, a tear sliding down her cheek as she saw the horror in the little girl's eyes. 

"Forgive me," she said softly, lowering her gaze. "I did all I could." She then said a spell under her breath, causing ribbons of sand to rise from the ground, and encircle the girl. "Take her to safety," she whispered, and when she blinked, Lilith was gone.

Elaine wiped away her tears, just as a grey dracone tried to attack her with its claws. She dodged the hit, and threw her hands in the air, balling her fists to summon the lightning again. The dracone shrieked and flew away from her, the flapping of its wings causing her to almost lose her balance. She turned around and ran towards the trees again, swallowing the lump forming in her throat. The jungle was where she had last seen him, and a part of her could still feel his presence there. 

"Hexus?" she called out, as she was immediately surrounded by the mystical glow of plants and trees, the sky completely concealed by the thick canopies. Her heart knocked at her ribs as she walked through the forest, ignoring the silent cries of animals and insects, all begging for her help. 

"Elaine!" 

Her breath hitched, as she increased her pace, now moving aside trees and plants from her way, with mere waves of her hands. 

"Hexus! Where--" her voice caught in her throat, as the air got knocked out of her lungs. Her body refused to react, as she watched a monstrous dracone dig its claws into his chest, ending him instantly. 

Her heart stopped beating for a moment there, eyes stopped gleaming, as she fell to the ground, a piercing, sharp scream escaping her lips. So loud, that the whole of Lyrous shuddered, including the earth, the skies, and everything between.

And then there was silence... and the dracone flew away, letting out a mocking shriek.

One last tear slid down her eye, and she slowly stood up, angrily wiping it away. Her eyes now gleamed brighter than they ever had, enough to light up the whole Forest of Dragaria. She summoned the skies, and the winds, opening her arms wide, as her glowing hair levitated all around her. She soared above the canopies and the mountains, her gaze searching for only one being: the dracone with the blood of her loved one on its claws. 

She spotted its black tail and wings easily, and charged towards it with pure rage pumping through her veins, her vision blurred by grief, unable to realize where the dracone was heading. Losing control over her own self, the mourning Goddess followed the murderer into the Caves of Umbra, the only place where her powers refused to work; the only place in whole of Lyrous, that was dark enough to subdue the light of the Daughter of Light herself.

And she never left those Caves after that, drowning Lyrous into a sea of darkness once again.

- - - -

Liana took in a deep breath, eyeing the red door in front of her. Her heart was pounding in her chest, as every bone in her body screamed at her to turn away. But she silenced those urges, closing her eyes and knocking on the door. Dark memories threatened to infiltrate her mind once again, send her back into those phases of numbness and pain, but she shook her head, waving them all away. She did not have an option to be weak. Not when Ashley was in question. 

A small sliding window opened, and an eye stared at her through it.

"Name?"

"Li--" she bit her lip, lowering her gaze. "Fêtarde."

The window slapped close again. 

She fidgeted with the hem of her sweater, waiting for that dreadful, familiar sound. And a moment later, she heard it. That irritating creak, with which the door swung open, the one that she had always considered a knell for the funeral of another part of her soul. She barely had any left, and she was sure that once she stepped inside, she would be losing herself completely.

"Come on in, putain. Elroy doesn't have all day for you."

Tears pricked her vision, but she blinked them back, walking in. The door slammed shut behind her, and she felt her breath hitch, the red walls closing in on her. Jacques grabbed her arm, and dragged her through the dimly lit hallways, as she passed by a number of girls that reminded her of herself. The light was absent from their eyes, and they were all clad in sparse clothing, their bodies meant to feed the hungry gazes of drunk, twisted bastards. She was roughly thrown into a room, and the door was shut behind her with a slam, making her flinch. She looked around, to realize the room was empty. But she knew Elroy enough to know the truth. The girls in those rooms were never alone.

"Elroy, cut the drama, and get your ass here. I need to talk to you," she said loudly, looking towards the corners. She spotted a camera and walked close to it, glaring into it. "Right now."

A sinister laugh echoed through the room, send a shiver through her. She realized there was a loud speaker behind her.

"My dearest Liana," his voice was as grating, yet daunting as she remembered. "I missed you, mon coeur. I missed that spark of yours, your feistiness, your anger."

She took a deep breath, balling her fists at her sides. 

"I'm not here to chat you up, piece of s**t. If you have the guts, come and face me. See how good I am doing, and how strong I still stand despite your efforts to break me." 

He laughed again, making her want to cover her ears.

"Really, ma chérie?" he mocked. "If that is true, what are you doing here?"

"I'm not here to talk to you through a screen. Meet me in person, it's something... private."

A silence hung in the air for the next few moments, one so frightening, she could hear her own heartbeat and ragged breathing. She hugged herself, gulping, as she ignored the slight shuddering of her legs. 

The door clicked, and she quickly moved away from it, her eyes widening slightly. It swung open, and the stench of alcohol and drugs immediately flooded the room, making her scrunch up her nose. Elroy walked in, gently closing the door behind him. A wicked, cynical smile played on his lips as usual, his dimples deeper than she remembered. His face had changed quite a lot since she last saw him, his hair greying, skin starting to wrinkle, and beard losing its glamour. But one thing was exactly the same. His steel blue, emotionless eyes, like two blocks of ice, framed with his long, dark lashes. 

Elroy walked towards her, and she instinctively backed away, making him let out a chuckle.

"Still so afraid of me," he smirked, reaching his hand out to touch her face.

She slapped it away, taking another step back as she mustered up the courage to direct a glare at him.

"Stay away from me," she snapped. "As I said, I'm not here to chat you up."

"Always in a hurry," he mocked, moving his hands behind his back. "Tell me, then. What do you want? And how's my other favorite beauty? My beloved corbeau?"

Liana let out a shaky breath, lowering her gaze. "She's missing," she said softly.

Elroy snorted. "So that's why you're here. You think I took her?"

"No," Liana replied. "I saw her getting kidnapped. I know it wasn't you, but I also know that... if anyone can help me find her, it's you."

Elroy raised an eyebrow, moving closer to her, and in spite of how much she wanted to back away, she held her ground. 

"And you think, that after your so-called Uncle screwed up my business, you're gonna show at my place after all these years, and I will still help you? What makes you think I'm not planning to bury you alive, or have you pinned into the walls of my bedroom?" he growled.

She gulped, looking him in the eye.

"Because I know, that no matter how many girls you sleep with, you still miss me every damned night you twisted ass--"

He grabbed hold of her chin, cutting her off mid-sentence as she winced in pain. "Do not speak to me like that, Liana. It will not end well for you." He pushed her back, pinning her tightly against the wall.

"Get off me," she said, struggling to push him away, but her attempts were futile.

He caught hold of her neck, blocking her airways, as she gasped and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Remember your place, ma cherie. Don't fly too high, because I know how to clip your wings my white dove," he warned, before gliding his tongue over the side of her cheek.

Liana whimpered, punching at her chest and shoulders, trying to make him let go. Her vision was starting to blur, and she was unsure whether it was due to tears, or the lack of oxygen.

"Beg," he ordered.

"Pl--please..." she barely managed to squeak out, but thankfully, he let her go.

She dropped to the floor, gasping for air, as she held her neck, her heart raging in her chest.

"Good girl," Elroy commented, before kneeling down in front of her. This time, she backed away from him, fear evident on her face. "That's the Liana I remember and like. Shivering, scared, submissive, and tamed... by me."

A tear escaped her eye, but she did not bother to wipe it away.

"Elroy, please. You have to help me," she begged, still catching her breath. "I need to find her. I'm gonna die without her, please, Elroy."

He took a deep breath, eyeing her with slightly narrowed eyes. 

"Who took my favorite girl?"

"It--it was a man. Tall, dark. He was... he was weird," she said, gulping. "Looked like he came out of some other era, or something. There was this... aura around him. I--I can't explain, but I don't think he was human."

Elroy snorted again, staring at her incredulously. "Then what was he? A shape-shifting monster of some kind? Putain you have lost your mind." He got up and turned to leave, but Liana grabbed his hand, quickly standing up.

"I am not crazy!" she snapped, her voice desperate. "He took her through a silver vortex. Through the middle of a damned wall, Elroy. I was not drunk, and I was definitely not hallucinating. My sister is in trouble, and I need your help. I know you have contacts with all kinds of people. Someone has to know something! Please, I am begging you," she sobbed, tears freely falling from her eyes. "Please, I'll do anything you say." Her voice broke.

Elroy silently stared at her for a moment, before clicking his tongue. He grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her to himself, pressing his lips against hers. She whimpered, but did not push him back, letting his tongue devour her lips, and then slide into her mouth. Her head was spinning, and she closed her eyes, wanting it to be over quickly. Elroy slammed her against the wall again, making her wince as pain shot through her back. Within mere seconds, her clothes were lying on the floor, and so was she, completely numb, with him on top of her.

- - - -

"Hey," Haco waved his hand in front of Ashley's face, pulling her out of her thoughts. "What's wrong? What are you thinking?"

Ashley blinked at him, before lowering her gaze. "Sorry... I'm just..." she trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"Hey," he frowned, sitting down beside her. He took her hands in his, gently caressing them with his thumbs. "You're gonna be fine. This, is exactly why I wasn't telling you anything. I didn't want you to feel worried or nervous like this."

She took in a deep breath, meeting his eye. "It's just... now that I know all of this, after I've been told how those dracones massacred thousands of casters, I feel like I cannot breathe. I can't stop thinking about this, about what will happen if I get caught. I'm--I'm scared Haco," she whispered, her voice quivering. "I would never admit this, but I am afraid. I don't wanna die a painful death, I wanna live. I wanna go back to my sister--" her voice broke into a sob, and she closed her eyes as Haco quickly pulled her to his chest.

"Ashley," he frowned, gently rubbing the back of her head. "You will go back home. I promised you, remember? I won't let you get hurt. Please, don't cry."

She sniffed, wiping away her tears as she pulled away from him. "You know, I have been through my share of s**t in life. Liana has been through much worse, but I have too. You know, I used to be a kind of a slave. For a man who used to traffic girls around, sell them off, force them into prostitution, make them beg on the streets and abuse them. I never had a man touch me, thankfully, but I was a pole dancer. Men would be watching me, insulting me, and jerking off right in front of me," she cried, as fresh tears left her eyes. "And I wouldn't be able to do anything about it. I know Liana was raped multiple times, and honestly, I don't know how I came out of all that with my virginity still intact. But the point is, I am getting that feeling again, Haco. That dread, that fear. I don't know if I can seduce your Prince. I think I'll freeze up, I'll--I'll blurt out everything. This is gonna be a disaster, I--I'm not... I'm just not--"

"Shhh," Haco cut her off, placing his index finger on her lips. She blinked at him, as he gently wiped away her tears, before cupping her cheeks. "Ashley... you're okay. Take a deep breath."

She obliged, closing her eyes, as she unconsciously leaned into his touch.

"What you have been through, and what you are going through... you don't deserve any of this, and forgive me for dragging you into all of it. If only I had known, if I had not made this blunder, or if there was a way to send you back, I'd do it this instant, Ashley. If there was a way I could go in place of you to the Draconian Palace, I'd find it and do it. But there is no other way, and I'm... I'm desperate. We all are. But know this, Ash," he leaned his forehead against hers, "I'd give up my life for you, in a heart beat. Without thinking, without any hesitation, if you'd be in trouble, I'd protect your life with mine. That's my promise to you."

She felt a sense of comfort envelope her heart, as warmth spread in her chest. Even after everything she had found out about the dracones, and about the Battle of Reylon, Haco had somehow managed to calm her down. His words had relieved her mind, even as a part of her was aware that he would not actually be able to protect her at all times. There would come a moment, when he would not be around, and she'd be on her own, left to fend for herself. And yet, his promise had seemed to appease her, at least for the time being.

"Thank you," she said softly, sniffing. "That's a little reassuring."

Haco let out a chuckle, pulling away from her.

"You should rest now," he said, smiling at her. "Do you need help undoing your hair?"

"Yes, please."

He crawled behind her, and got on his knees, as he started to pull out the invisible pins that were holding the braid crown together. Ashley could tell how careful he was, making sure he wouldn't hurt a single hair on her head. She found herself smiling, as the gesture made her heart race slightly. Haco gently ran his fingers through her hair, undoing the braids now, his hand brushing against the back of her neck in the process. She closed her eyes, her chest heaving up and down as she tensed up, goosebumps covering her skin.

"All done," he said softly, reluctantly withdrawing his hands from her hair.

Ashley turned around to face him, glancing up in his azure eyes. "Thank you," she said, blinking up at him.

Haco stared down at her, sitting down properly, as his gaze flickered to her lips. Ashley felt her breath hitch as she noticed he was unconsciously leaning in, closer and closer to her. His eyes were darker, and he seemed entranced, his arms gently snaking around her waist. His mouth parted, as his nose brushed against hers, sending shivers of excitement through her body, and his own. Ashley's eyes fluttered shut, as she waited to feel his lips against hers. But when a short moment passed by and he still did not kiss her, she opened them again.

"What's wrong?" she asked, a disappointed frown on her face.

"You told me we shouldn't do this," he replied, moving her hair away from her face.

"I was an i***t," she stated, before leaning in and crashing her lips against his.

- - - - - - 

I'm sorry if Liana's scenes triggered anyone. If any of you have been through any such thing, my heart goes out to you. You guys are the strongest people out there. I love each and every one of you, and I respect you so much.