Curse of Shadows

Few things in life ever truly scared me. I’ve come to accept that I was never the biggest guy around. I’m small in comparison to other dragons my age. Even still, I’m not easily intimidated. What had really scared me was when Cornelius simply stated that I owed him nothing for what he was about to do. Since when was this guy generous!? The only dragon like that I have ever met is the one that looks back at me in the mirror; and now suddenly the Thrasher is all soft and friendly? It made so sense! Who was the idiot that broke reality? Discord!?

Thoughts of my conversation with the king crisscrossed in a confusing network of ‘what if’s and ‘why’s. To have been berated and harassed for five hundred years for my heightened intellect and smaller build, it’s a welcome prospect. What scared me is how far this was straying from dragon nature. It’s just unheard of.

But then again, maybe I’m just being a hypocrite. I mean, look at me. I’m the oddball. Even if most of them are idiots, that’s how they live and they see my passiveness as a weakness. Maybe this really wasn’t just some freak accident of nature. Maybe Cornelius really did have the best intentions in mind. That, or he’s just pushing the limits of my self-loathing to see how far I would go to get some respect around here. But… Maybe that’s just my pride talking. It has plenty of bruises to complain about as it is.

I sighed as I stared up at the black ceiling from my moss bed. Yet another sleepless night.

Glorious.

I felt the blankets rustle and I brought my gaze down to the cute sight of a changeling cuddled up against my chest. I could feel her naked curves pressed up against my smooth scales. Her short mane curtained over her right eye as she stared up at me with the left, the iris glowing a dull green in the dim sleeping chamber. “Master, is something wrong? I have yet to see you close your eyes and all I feel from you right now is frustration.” Bee said in a worried tone. The changeling mare gently kissed my chest, not breaking eye contact with me in the slightest. “Are you still thinking of the Thrasher’s proposal?”

I winced and turned my eyes back to the black ceiling, not even replying to Bee’s concerned question. Instead, I wrapped my arms around the chimeran changeling and pulled her tightly against me. A low purr sounded from Bee as she nuzzled me.

“Master… Spike…” Bee began, stopping only to kiss my neck.  “King Cornelius means what he says. There were no lies spat from his mouth. No contempt in his words. You should know by now that he was here with righteous intent.”

I snorted a flash of green flame. “That may be… But that doesn’t excuse how long he had let the abuse draw on. Cornelius obviously knew of it long before he showed up, so why now? Why five hundred years after the abuse began? That just makes no sense…”

“Cornelius is an old soul, Master. Is five hundred years truly that long to one who is resilient to the torturous talons of time? Besides, we do live practically in the middle of nowhere. News does not travel fast in the dragon kingdom to begin with. He may truly not of known.” Bee offered.

I had to admit she had a point there.

Maybe I am just being paranoid. Heh… Spike the mighty dragon mage, arch alchemist of the dragon kingdom… Afraid of a larger dragon’s shadow. Irony; she is cruel sometimes. What am I doing worrying about Cornelius? He offered me a position of power and I refuse to let it slip through my claws. I’m done getting pushed around.

I smirked as I felt my pride and confidence swell. I inhaled deeply through my nostrils, before releasing it from my mouth. “You’re right, Bee. Maybe I am expecting a little too much from the old lizard.”

“I am?” Bee questioned with curious tilt of her head.

I’ve admitted this to myself on many occasions, but Bee is unbearably cute. She had the modest body of a librarian; something I had grown to respect a long time ago. The smooth, chitinous plates across her body did nothing to hide her subtle curves. And yet, she was physically as strong as a stallion twice her size. All, in all… she was basically the epitome of everything I found attractive in a female.

Sure the mutual relationship we shared was unnatural in many ways, but it was necessary for my chimeras. They still needed love to function properly, so Bee acted as their focal point to siphon from. And, at the same time, Bee quelled my lustful greed with physical stimulation. The end result is a perfect, mutual balance.

“Yes, my little Queen Bee, you are.” I replied sincerely. I grabbed the smaller mare and rolled on top of her, pinning her under my firm, yet gentle hands. “Thanks for clearing my conscience.”

Bee smiled up at me, flashing her fangs. There was a hungry glint in her eye that radiated desire and lust. It wasn’t missed in the slightest. “I-I live to please you, master.” She squeaked.

“Such a good girl.” I licked my lips in a predatory manner, flicking the forked appendage. I could feel Bee’s trembling body beneath me. She wanted me again. She always wanted me. Her hunger was never sated.

I leaned down and dragged my forked tongue across the chitin of her neck, slowly making my way to her jawline. Every inch of Bee I tasted only added to my lust. I needed her body. The beast in me needed to be sated, demanded to be recognised as the master of its property. I let out a hungry growl as Bee’s pleasured moan reached my ear fins.

She drove me mad with desire and there was no stopping myself when that happened. A fire erupted in my loins, burning hotter than my internal flames with the greed and lust a true dragon was known for. I knew Bee loved it when I lost control. It was a rare treat to her; one that left her aching for hours, but she never, ever complained about the aches and pains. I bet she enjoyed even those.

Throwing the covers off with my tail, I attacked the helpless changeling with my forked tongue, flicking it playfully across her upper body. My lust for sweet release only grew as Bee’s giggles reached my ear fins. I truly loved everything about Bee, especially the noises she made during our act of sinful rutting. Her giggles were like throwing kindling on red hot embers to me. I wanted her. I needed her.

She was mine for the taking and I knew she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Cornelius returned the very next day with a friendly smile; the same he had given the day before. It still gave me a chill to see him so friendly and positive, despite having already accepted this was real, though I was much more composed than before.

We sat in the only properly comfortable place in my little hole in the ground; the chimeren holding chamber. I treated my changeling chimeras with as much respect as one would any other sentient being. I let them have individuality, comfort, creativity, and whatever else they feel like doing whenever they’re not guarding my cave. Seven beds lined the far wall, each with a name etched into the wooden headboard, and hand-made reading chairs littered the free space. At least four book shelves decorated the adjacent wall to the beds, chocked full of fiction, non-fiction, and combat spell books.

There was also several pieces of artwork strung across the walls, as well as impressive models of elaborate feats of engineering.

Cornelius and I sat in two of the reading chairs, facing one another as the elder dragon munched on a synthetic ruby, apparently enjoying it very much. Neither of us spoke for a long moment and I chose to pass the time by skimming through a book I pretty much lived by; Secrets and Special Spells of the advanced mage.

“So, my dear friend, what do you say?” Cornelius asked suddenly, breaking my attention away from the book I knew by heart. I noticed he had finished his snack and was now toying with a ball of arcane golden fire. “Ready to put those rowdy, immature brutes in their place?”

Ignoring my anxious jitters as I closed my book, I returned the smile confidently. I gave the elder dragon a nod of approval. “Yeah. I’m done being pushed around.”

The king clapped his hands together. “Accellent!” Cornelius exclaimed. “You will return with me to the Cave of Diamonds at the next upcoming meeting of clans to discuss your placement under my protection and immunity. The clan leaders present will be rightfully informed of your succession and shall announce the news to their respective clans.”

There it was. That easy. Acceptance. After all these years, I was finally being shown respect as, not only a fellow dragon, but as a superior to all but the king the Thrasher himself. Everything I had ever wanted was being handed to me on a silver platter, ripe for the taking.

But, if so… Then why was I feeling this dark pit in my gut? Like it’s too good to be true. Like it’s a trap set by a tyrant who wanted the strongest alchemist/draconian mage in known existence under his thumb; to use like a weapon to control whatever he saw fit. My rational side knew that was just my anxiety playing with my emotions, but that didn’t stop Fight or Flight from threatening to take action.

That’s PTSD for you. Five hundred years worth.

I cocked my head curiously to the side, raising an eyebrow at Cornelius. “What are your plans for me until then? I wouldn’t expect you to go through all the trouble of coming here yourself if you didn’t have an ulterior motive.”

Cornelius chuckled. “Very perceptive, young Spike. Yes, indeed I do have another reason for seeking your company.” The golden dragon extinguished his magic fireball and sat forward in his seat. He folded his hands together as his aura took on a serious atmosphere. “I think we can help each other in this dire situation of ours.”

I knew it! He’s just blowing sunshine up my arse so he can get what he wants out of me! Dirty lying tyrant! It was too good to be true and I had nearly fallen for it. Nice try, Thrasher, but deception is a useless art against me. I hunt rogue changelings for sport!

“Well, then…” I crossed my arms and stitched together a mask of smugness, grinning at the golden dragon expectantly. While inside I was fuming with anger, I couldn’t let Cornelius see that I was catching on to his lies. “How do you suppose that is possible? I have nothing, but knowledge, skill, and youth to offer. I don’t have a horde. I don’t have any hatchlings to draft as soldiers. And I’m not interested in being a dragoness’ suiter.”

Cornelius pointed his index claw at me and used it to gesture to my whole body. “And that, my friend... “ He smiled sincerely. My contempt for the king was run through with a spear of reassurance. “is exactly what I am looking for. Knowledge is the key to true power and our species has neglected this fact for longer than history can tell. I need a dragon I can trust; a dragon like you. I can give you authority and resources beyond the petty limits of what you are forced to endure now. All I ask in return… Is that you repair our alliance with Equestria.”

And now, now of all bloody times, the heartache of my home country chose to stab me with an icy claw. I felt suddenly cold, like something inside of me died at the mere mention of returning. I held so much raw emotions for the country of equines that returning could be disastrous for, not just myself, but the princesses as well.

“Y-you want me to… what!?” I demanded in a harsh tone. Fire literally sprayed from my nostrils as hurt and anger surged through my veins. “You, if anypo-... You, if anyone would know that I’m forbidden by royal decree from ever returning after what happened!”

At this, Cornelius smirked. “Ah, but there is a loop hole. As my heir, you are entitled to act as ambassador for the crown. Meaning…” The elder dragon leaned closer toward me. “You are immune to the sentence of banishment or they would risk making an enemy of the entire dragon kingdom.”

My eyes slowly widened at what the king was proposing. Risking relations with Equestria to offer me a second chance, saving my arse from eventually freezing to death, threatening war if I was sent back? There’s no way this doesn’t have a serious catch. I steeled my nerves and looked Cornelius in the eye; not as easy as it sounds. “And what’s in it for you?”

“Hmm?”

I leaned forward in my seat and repeated the question in simpler terms. “Why are you going out of your way to do this for me? What are you gaining from it?”

“Oh, what do I gain from this?” Cornelius chuckled. “An heir, a friend, a prodigy among our species, and… well… To tell the truth…” The older dragon looked away and scratched the back of his head nervously. “I am sterile. I cannot sire a hatchling.”

And so ends my mental argument with myself. Would a dragon, ever in their lives, give that much to another without expecting something equal in return? “Wait, wait, wait, wait!” I threw my arms into the air to emphasize my exclamation. “Are you saying you’re trying to adopt me? Is that even legal? I’m an adult!”

“It is legal if I say it is.” Cornelius offered with a smug grin. “I am king Cornelius the Thrasher! So, what do you say, boy? Are you going take this chance at making a better life? Or are you going to let it slip through your claws? I can only offer you this chance once, Spike.”

“And what about my home; my chimeras? What’s going to happen to them?” I asked, gesturing at the cave in general.

“Whatever you wish. It is not mine to do with what I please, it is yours.” Cornelius shrugged. “Destroy it, keep it, abandon it; it matters not to me. I have simply given a place for you among the highest of royal officials; on a pedestal at my right hand side. As such, you have a place in my home; a place as the closest thing to a son I will ever have.”

I snorted. My hot breath sent a puff of smoke from my nostrils. Oh, bloody hell. What have I got to lose? “Alright... I accept your offer, king Cornelius.” I stated with as much confidence as I could muster at that moment. My wings jittered excitedly as I stood and held out my hand for Cornelius to shake.

Cornelius followed suit, but didn’t take my handshake. Instead, he grabbed my arm and yanked me into a tight, bone crushing embrace. The breath was squeezed from my lungs from his superior strength. But, luckily for me, Cornelius didn’t hold me as long as he had the first time the previous day, so I didn’t see stars like I did then. That didn’t mean I wasn’t still left panting for breath though.

“That is excellent news! Excellent news, indeed!” Cornelius exclaimed in obvious delight as his smile threatened to split his face in two. He slapped me on the back in a friendly manner. Damn, that hurt! “We will change everything, you and I. Just wait, when you leave your mark on this kingdom, none shall ever mock your name again!”

Oh, what fresh hell have I willingly gotten myself into?