Dragons and Lizards
By misterebony
For axora as a prize for the contest.
Whn one is born a homunculus, one thing you realise quickly is you are lucky to be alive. You were not born. You have no parents. You exist because someone wished it, and had you created. You are the perfect servent, the perfect warrior, or even the perfect friend. Your goal is to be the best at what you were created to be.
So it is no surprise then that Meryle,a chameleon girl serving as administraitor of the tiny village of Valris, part of the Wo glinde territory,was hard at work managing the problems and pleasures, all with a happy grin and a dedicated spirit. She was a grey skinned chameleongirl, lovely and hard working, With perfect smooth skin and a warm smile. She was thin and tall, but still had some muscle to her, and was somewhat attractive. She was also one of the beings I have just described to you. She was a homunculus.
For You see homunculi are not machines, they are people, usually beastkin of some sort. To the vast human population that lived in Valris this did not matter. Man and woman of all species were of equal value reguardless of how they were born. It was the thought of all in the Providence, and all believed it.
Many would show it to meryle on a daily basis. Sometimes a simple thank you, sometimes some fresh made bread, even coins were given though they were never spent. A homunculus had no real wants but to make others happy through their work. Meryle truly believed all of This.
This is how her life changed forever. It occurred suddenly, then slowly, with a sudden final act. It is a happy and a sad tale, and one which may provide caution, or hope.
****************
It began that veryday, as Meryle was filling out the requests for the farm seeds and supplies for the coming year. The requests were nothing exciting, just typical farm fare. Who would ha ve known the dragon would choose that moment to attack?
Well... not attack. Lets clear something up right now. dragons are not heartless killers.Nor do they constantly demand maiden sacrifices. Dragons are higher beings, an ancient and wise race witb lifetimes that span the ages. They do not go out of their way to steal gold or maidens, though they will take livestock if they are hungry. If threatened, they will fight back however, and a dragon is still a fearsome sight. The people of valris saw only a frightenijg creature near their town and their farm. This created a panic. Something Meryle could not and would not let happen. She stood up and shouldered a large blade.
"Muster the militia." She said simply. "Have them arm up. We will defend This town with our lives!"She headed out to face the intruder, as the local militia began to form up. Meryle was the strongest of all in the village though her strength was still weak compared to many of the beastkin of the Thirteenth Legion, gaurdians of Wolginde and all the rest of the Providence. Still she was an imposing sight by human standards, the militia loyal to her.
But even the most loyal militia man is but a fruit fly to a dragon. They are as large as a meeting house if not more so with toothy mouths and powerful claws. Their tail alone as rendered many a soldier incapacitated, or worse.So to the dragon, a female red dragon named Anali, she merely sighed annoyingly at the sight of the approaching mob. How foolish, she thought. All rushing to face me yet not one could even hope to bring me down. Pathetic human vermin.
"Hold dragon!" The lead human called boldly, though all could tell he was scared. "This village is not for you to destroy. Stay back and you will not be harmed."
The dragon normally would have stopped to male a deal. After all, the dragon always had an advantage... almost always anyway. But more on that later. You see, Anali was a mother who could not leave her little eggs unguarded. Again, reasons why later.
The important thing to understand is that Anali was hungry, had a craving for cows and sheep, and had to satisfy it. So she spoke loudly.
"Be gone vermin." She said. "My buisness is with your livestock not with you. But if You insist on dying, have at me. I care little either way."
Another spoke. "Those livestock are For s to survive the winter! We will not part with them!" He meant to Just fire a warning shot. Bit his aim was better, or worse in this case, than he thought. For his arrow struck Anali at her breastplate, broke, andfell. Anali saw it and sighed annoyingly.
"Always the hard way." She said, and roared. The militia grew frightened but were determined to protect their families. They charged the dragon, But clearly the battle was pointless. Anali normally let braver vermin land a few good blows before she finished them, as a sign of courtesy, but she was in a rush. With one swipe of her Tail, she sent many militia flying into the houses of the village. She then grabbed the one Who attacked her.
"You scratched me." She said simply. "Now You must pay." She opened her mouth wide to devour the squirming morsel. But before she could, she felt a pain in her leg. She roared out and released the human, who ran to safety. Anali looked to her other foreleg to see the source. She was hardly impressed.
For the source was aamphibian beastkin, standing bravely, her sword covered With dragon blood from the fresh wound. Anali was not impressed and swung her tail, but the creature lept over it, two humans using a rope to tie it down. Anali gave a chuckle. Thisgirl was a decent lot, And had inspired her humans to fight on. Normally anali would have continued the sport, finding fights like this invigorating. You see dragons, like all warriors and their various forms, admire courage and wit, even if the source is a vermin. So when forces fight with wuch she tends to enjoy their feeble attempts to hurt her even more.
But she was in a rush, as I said. She waited for the beastkinto close in, and then, with a mighty tug, she forced her tail free of the febble bonds. With a nightly swipe it sent the beastkinsprawling. Anali walked over to finish the job, when the creature spoke.
"You heartless monster!" She shouted. "Don't you care if our children go hungry?"
Anali sighed. "I have children as well you know, six little eggs I must return too. So save the speeches I have not the time for it."
The creaturer, of course Meryle, nodded. "That's why you attacked. To feed your children?"
"A dragon never attacks unless he or she is attacked." The dragon spat, as if saying that truth was hard for her to do. Meryle nodded.
"As we do. But surely your husband guards them?"
At that, the dragon let the creature up but glared with hatred. "My husband is dead. Killed By a beastkin such as yourself."
The Meryle sighed. "I'm sorry. I had no idea."
Anali readied a claw. This was getting tiresome. "This will be quick. You deserve that honor." She prepared to slit the throat...
But then stopped. She thought about this.She was strong, capable, and clearly could be of use. She needed someone to watch her eggs while she hunted.
"Tell me beastkin." The dragon mother said. "Do you value your village?"
Meryle shook her head. "I value the people in it. The village is just things. I will not have their livestock taken or them killed. Not While I have breath."
"Noble if foolish." The dragon said honestly. "I need someone to watch my eggs and keep my home clean. If you surrender I will spare your village. But if not I will do What I came here to do."
Meryle nodded. "Very well. I will not let hem be harmed. I surrender."
Anali sighed. She was not sure she liked the idea of allowing this creature to take care of her children. After all she was a lesser being, not worthy of a clean death save or the fact that she delt a decent blow to her.But she had no choice. She was going to steal someome From this village anyway, so it might as well be someone who was capable of at least a pitiful job.
That was her other intent. Dragons are solitary creatures, mostly living alone except when they have a mate. Very rarely do dragons contact one another and when they do, it is either a grand occasion or a terrible ordeal. Anali had no time to wait. She needed a guard. This chameleon, this.... beastkin, would have to do. She turned to walk away, the man Who Meryle saved walking closer to try and save her, but the dragon turned.
"This being saved your life." She said baring her teeth. "I can take it easily. Your call human." And with that, she took to the air, leaving the man pounding the ground in anguish.
**************
Several days passed. Anali was returning to her home after another successful hunt. In her claws were several wild ewes, two cows, and a wolf who ate her planned Lamb. She carried her booty up to the mountains, flying high into their crags, where the air is cool and clean, and the sun shines undaunted By but only the highest of the clouds. In a cave in this region Anali had taken Meryle. This was her home.
Now the rumor that dragons will steal rich mines or other similar caverns is, sadly, not untrue. Some dragons do this, devouring without stopping and hoarding gold. But as I said your typical dragon is not like this. Dragons can render stone like a Mason renders marble. This must be made very clear before I describe the home of the dragon.
The exterior of the cavern was lined by two large statues of draconians, or dragon hybrids. These were the founders of the dragon race long before the days of man or beast, the beings Antioch and Byzantiua. It was said They walked with Adam as the two first dragons, there Fromm the beginning, aiding every prophet for many a religion. But That was before the fall of man, before they hunted the dragons. Now they stand as a reminder to all dragons to never trust the beings they used to protect.
Inside the home was a grand cavern, lit by torchlight and decorated with more fancy masonry carved out of the cave walls. Anali, like all dragons, was an artist without even trying, and she labored long to perfect her craft. But at the center of the cavern was something even more beautiful. It was a large nest made of stone and gold, warmed by steam from the very center of the earth. And on it lays ix dragon eggs, each one the size of a baby, each one looking like a cornacopia of colors was used on each shell.
The dragon walked in and sawmeryle hard at work, as she had since the dragon brought the beastkin here. Meryle was a dedicated worker, even to her captor, and had kept the cavern neat and tidy, every statue polished including ones Very high up on the cavern wall, every inch of the marbled floor as clean as fresh snow. Meryle was working now at preparing the cooking area for the meat the dragon brought. Anali did not pay any heed to her smile or her polite bow. She did, however, smile at the completed work.Meryle had done, impressive for a single day. For a half being, This beastkin was quite exceptional.
"Welcome home master." Meryle said. Anali sighed.
"I told you before no pleasantries." She said, setting the meat near a butcher block, noticing a mountain goat and a silver wolflaying There as well. "I see we had guests."
The chameleon nodded. "They were peeking at the eggs so I slit their throats. I figured you would enjoy them."
"Excellent. Begin supper, I must rest." She said, and went to lie on a curved section of marble and quartz, smoothed and shaped to be an effective couch for a dragon to use. That is one truth about dragons, that they need plenty of rest and what they rest on must be a hardened material, so as not to burn away they very thing Tue dragon slept on. But the material does nt have to be gold or other precious metals. In truth, it just has to be curved in such a way as to be comfortable. On the couch the dragon rested, watching as Meryle worked tirelessly to skin and prepare tye meet from the various animals the dragon had brought, as well as her own catch. She was quite skilled at this, often hlping the younger ones with the first hunts they went on in her former lot. Even Anali had to admit that the meals this beastkin prepared were exceptional. That night it was provn true again.
"Not too shabby." The dragon said as she ate greedily at some steamed wolf meat. "I have to admit, for a beastkin you do have exceptional cooking skills."
"Technically... I am not really a beastkin."Meryle said, her head still bowed low. "I am a homonculus. A created being."
The dragon smiled some. "Well, that I can live with. The beastkin and their kind are vile beings I want no part of. You see, one of them destroyed my life."
Meryle was about to ask who when she realised she the dragon would not tell her. Anali admired her work that was for sure. Since she arrived she had proven how well she would work. But that was the extent of it. She was her master, and Meryle herself was but a lesser being to the master.
This had been the most conversation they had in some time. As the dragon ate therefore, Meryle returned to her duties, warming each egg and cleaning the nest, then going down one of the food storage tunnels to capture and eat the riddocken strays who dared to steal from the dragon. And as she worked, she smiled, something that did not go unnoticed by Anali.
"I will say this for her." She muttered as she swallowed the roasted wolf. "She truly has changed my opinions of most beastkin." She thought back to the one time her guard was let down. The being entering. His axe covered in te firey dragon blood. Her mate slumped in the floor of the emptied cavern, saving her life.
A tear came to her eye as she thought of these terrible things. She could never forget or forgive any non dragon. They were a spineless race, with no real willpower or skill. Curse them.
It was as she said these thoughts the first egg cracked...
*************
"Another girl!" Meryle shouted happily as the third egg hatched, Anali looking at the two other fresh hatch drakes. They were cute, as far as dragons knew the word cute. They both had big gold eyes, sharp little teeth, and were each the size of a lion. They had protective spines on their back and cute little rattles on their tails,, both of which they would outgrow as time went on. But Tue biggest suprise was that they could speak fluently. Well, a suprise to any nondragon anyway. Dragons are highly intelligent and very wise, so they could talk from birth.
"Mommy! The boy said.
"Hi mommy!" Said the firstborn girl. The next egg hatched as Meryle help it out of its shell. And When it did, Anali sobbed.
He was black scaled and handsome, even by nondragon standards, and smiled. He spoke with HIS voice.
"Hi mommy." He said. Anali took the newborn and cried tears of joy at the blessing. In her heart, she believed her husband had been reincarnated. The other newboarns snuggled.
But Meryle sighed at the fifth egg. It was not hatching. Meryle now knew the baby inside may already be dead. But she had to know.
"Master." She said. "I will open the last egg."
Anali looked. Then nodded. "As you wish."
Meryle began to chip at Tue rocky egg shell. She prayed the last child would be alive. Or if dead, that he or she went peacefully. Meryle chipped at it with the dragon claw sword she was given by Anali, until she broke through. And almost immediately, she saw the truth.
The dragon whelp was alive, but hurt bad from trying t break out. Meryle looked at the master and shook her head.
"He wont make it... these wounds are too severe." She said sadly, but Anali hmphed.
"Typical vermin. You know knothing. If he is breathing, he will live." She leaned close as Meryle blinked.
"But how is that possible?" She asked sincerely. Anali chuckling and deciding to answer with actions. She leaned over her wounded baby, who breathed weakly but skied at his mother.Anali unrolled her younger and wrapped it around theblittle whelp, pulling him into her mouth. The chameleon screamed as she saw the dragon eat her own child, swallowing him whole. It looked simply barbaric, especially as the dragon licked her chops and pat her belly.
"You.... You ate him?!" Meryle said, Anali nodding. "You said he would live!"
"And so he will." Anali said. " you see little vermin, I don't kill my prey or eat it without One of two intents. The first is of course nourishment. But the second I reserve for only those I love. For you see, all dragons possess a special belly, meant to cure the wounds of even the most badly hurt. Many would try and find out how, trying to gut us open to learn our secrets. They wouod learn if They asked. You see, dragons often have injured children. But rarely do we lose one. This is why, as even now he is in that belly, by blood and His mixing, the enzymes in side cleaning and removing his woinds. It takes time, but all wounds will be cured, even the worst. In truth, the only thing we cant cure this way is death itself."
Meryle stood in awe as she tenaively stroked where the whelp now was. "Amazing... so you eat others to cure them?"
Anali walked away. "Only dragons are worthy of it. The other races, even yours, are but insects, with no souls or true hearts. That includes you." She went to lay on her couch. "Fix the newboarns some riddocken meat."
Meryle bowed her head and went to do so. Anali would never tell her, but she admirered this being. To be told that and not even flinch.
Especially if she could have denied it without fear of that denial being a lie. As her husband said when he ate a young orphan to heal her: all rules break, for they are made to be broken.
"Vermin loving idiot." She chuckled, remembering her love as she cradled the black scaled whelp.
**********************
The weeks passed. The chameleon often found herself watching the babies while Anali would go out to find food. And oh how they loved their Aunt Meryle! That is one thing very true of some children: sometimes the very things the parents hate are the very things the children love. Quite the irony.
Ironic or no, Anali was quite happy these days, With praise from her master and snuggles from the whelps, who were growing rapidly, things seems Like old times. But destiny would intervene yet again. One day, as the chameleon was home alone with the kids and playing hide and seek with them, she looked towards the entrance to see a form she never had before. It was a form that made her shudder with honest fear.
At first glance, the creature looked like a felgonian, or animal being. But on closer examination it was clear this was not the case. He had the body of a muscular human, but the head and legs of a black steer. In his hands he carried a great steel axe with dried blood on it. It was a Minotaur. A beastkin. Perhaps, THE beastkin.
"So, your alone it seems." He said with a chuckle.Meryle ran for her sword and drew it, but the beastkin laughed. "My, eager are we? Should get to know each other before you die. I am..."
"I don't care who You are, you are Not welcome here!" Meryle spat, taking a fencers stance. The Minotaur laughed again.
"I am not welcome? What a laugh. I would think you would be glad to see me, Meryle of Valris. Yes, I know who you are. I passed through there not three weeks ago, looking for food. Seems there was a citizen there who was eating himself up because he could not save you. So he says to me, Zaren the Mighty, 'please go and save her.' I nodded, though to be honest I have no intention on saving you. It would not looked gpod for my image to save someone who clearly has been brainwashed by the beasts.
"I speak of dragons. They do as They will and no one does anything to pacify them. Well I mean to make them pay for the damage they do to us vermin. And if i kill the innocent along with the guilty, then so be it."
Meryle went wide eyed. "Then.... it was you who killed Anali's husband!"
Zaren nodded. "Yes. An easy kill. Now I mean to kill her and her whelps. Tell me where They are, and i might rescue you. Refuse.... and this axe wont just carve dragon flesh. So What is your decision?"
Meryle bowed her head low and pointed her sword af the floor. Then, a from crossed her face. "I say....."
Clang! With a quick motion, she dug her sword deep into Zaren's left arm, the blood dripping from the tip.
"I say have at thee you murdering vermin!"
Zaren let out a mighty roar and raised his axe. With a sound of metal on metal, the cavern echoed. Sparks flew with every strike. And Meryle held her own, for she was fast and an axe is a lousy weapon to face a sword with.
But Zaren was no ordinary foe. He was a highly skilled and very strong combatant with skill at killing. Not fighting, KILLING. And that was what he intended to do. Sooner than believed, Zaren dove his axe deep into the side of the chameleon, almost.cutting her in half. Still she fouht with what shrenvth she Had left, and with one final blow before she collapsed, she chopped the left hand of the beastkin clean off, then fell to fhe cave floor. Zaren howled with rage and made to cut the head of the homonculus off, but a mighty roar behind him prevented it.
"Damn.... I am in no condition to face her...." he spat at the chameleon. "Well little creature, you saved your master, who wont even acknowledge you did so, but will let you die. With that knowledge, figure out who had the right decision." holding his bleeding limb, he ran for it, escaping just before Anali entered. As she did she saw the remains of the battle.
The axe, thrown down after a terrible blow.
The Minotaur hand, still clutching it.
Merlye, lying in a pool of blood. She was dying. Maybe an hour and she would be dead.
"Don't let her die mommy." A little voice said. It was her youngest. "Save her, like you saved me."
"She is a vermin..." she whispered, looking at the little defender.
"She saved us." Another whelp said.
"She deserves to die a clean death then, and be honored for her actions."
"Please don't let Aunt Meryle die mommy!" Another one begged.
"She.... she......" Anali looked at her. This one practically got killed saving her kids. The dragon let a tear fall, unable to hold it back.
"Anali." Said the black one. The one so much like her husband. "Let it go. Daddy would want you to."
Anali looked at Meryle, who was breathing with great effort. Not much time left..
"I want you to know... I am not doing this for you." Anali said as she leaned close. "I do it because..... because..... he would want me to." And with that, she lifted the broken body of Meryle, barely alive, to her mouth, the dragon could taste her courage, her will to live, and her eagerness to serve.
She was delicious. She knew she was wrong about her then. She was no vermin. She swallowed her then and there, placing her in the healing chamber. Meryle was surrounded by the glowing goo inside it, a nature healing mixture only a dragon could have. She felt the dragon blood enter her, making her strong. She slept. With tears in her eyes, knowing she would live.
Anali felt her to to sleep... and for the first time in a long time, she truly smiled.
"Rest.... my servent. And awaken to new life. My blood to strengthen you, my armor to protect you, my claws and fangs to arm you. Cast aside the old, And be ready to love again, stronger than ever."
******************
...
...
...
A huge breath.
A heartbeat.
Life begins again. Meryle awakens, as if from a dream, surrounded by the dragons. Anali smiled at her.
"Master?" Meryle began. But Anali put a claw to her lips.
"Hush my servent. You deserved to live for what you did For my little ones. And not as a vermin... but as a dragonkin."
Meryle tilted her head, slowly getting up. "What do you mean master?" She asked, but when she looked in a nearby mirror, she got her answer.
Gone was the smooth grey skin of the chameleon. The little teeth. The blue eyes. Her eyes were golden now, and she bore several sharp dragon fangs.And her skin now was scaled in what looked like pure gold. She was shocked and looked to her master.
"You saved my children, so you deserve to cast away your vermin past. You are now part dragon, and as such, you have my respect."
Meryle smiled and stood as tall as she could, then bowed her head low. "Thank you master. I hope I can continue to serve."
Anali smiled and pat her head. "Of course. Come. We have work to do. The. Hildren need time outside and I need someone to keep the cavern tidy."
Meryle smiled proudly. "I live to serve."
Anali genuinely smiled back. "And so you shall... but from now on, it will be because you want to."
Meryle smiled and set to work, beginning her new life in her new form.
THE END.
