Outcast

After a long night of catching up with Vasuki, getting to know Manasa, we both head to sleep, eager for tomorrow to arrive.

Waking up early, I crawl over to their cave to wake them up. Only to see them already awake and talking.

"I guess you two are even more eager than me to see this finished"

"You have no idea, I had to watch countless beasts either become deranged or die because of those experiments. I was lucky, the results they were trying to achieve through me were painful but beneficial in the end, others weren't so lucky" Vasuki remarks, his eyes filling with hate.

"Do you two need to eat?" I ask.

"Please! they kept us borderline starving, something about they would see results faster if we were starving"

Hearing that, I take out two deranged beast corpses stored in my spacial stone for them when I remember. I took Solam's spacial stone but never opened it.

Excited, I send some dragon blood towards the foreign stone, unlocking it.

Looking inside, I start to grin like an idiot. There's a small pile of treasures in here, most of them I dont even recognize.

Vasuki looks up from eating, sees me smiling off into nothing and asks.

"Uh, you okay there Valoris?"

"Huh? oh yeah, just its gonna be a great day, hey you dont have a spacial stone do you?" I ask as I transfer everything into my spacial stone.

"I heard some of the higher-up's mention that, what is it?" he asks.

Spitting out Solam's spacial stone, I roll it over to him.

"Swallow that, then send your energy into it, it opens up a storage space inside for you to keep things. This is an extra one I have, Manasa, we will work on finding you one as well" I explain.

Shock, Vasuki stares at me in surprise as he follows my instruction.

"You three ready to watch what's left of the Bloodyfang piss themselves in complete terror?" asks a voice behind me.

Turning around, I see Rentil, Vanor, and Versilies hovering in the air.

"Yes please!" says Vasuki, before he and Manasa head over.

Vanor studies him for a moment, before looking at me and asking.

"This serpentkin is interesting, do you trust him?"

"Implicitly," I say, I think I know where he is going with this.

Turning back towards Vasuki, he continues to study him. Even under the increased scrutiny of a dragon elder, he doesn't bend, staring straight at him.

"Valoris belongs to my branch of the Stormfury clan. You seem to have the same unbending determination he does, if I could I would offer you a chance to join. Sadly you do not possess the lineage of the storm dragon.

What I can do, is offer you something we rarely get the chance to use. Guardianship, the highest rank a nonmember can receive, you will get the same benefits as one of the branch members will receive, though it comes at a cost. You must swear to protect a member of the clan for the rest of your life, your life will be tied with his, if he dies so shall you.

I'm offering you this because Valoris will be going on adventures, and I need someone who I can trust to protect him. What are your thoughts?"

Vasuki stares at the ground in thought, I had read about Guardians, usually, they only are loyal to one clan member, it's very rarely offered, and even less often accepted.

He turns towards me, stares and asks.

"What do you think?"

"I dont know, there are risks on either side. I read we gain powers from each other but I'm not sure it's worth it to you" I say, conflicted.

He looks back at Vanor.

"My sister comes with me"

"Of course, family members of Guardians are always welcome, the ritual will be done after we take care of the Bloodyfang," says Vanor.

We all climb onto Vanor's back and take off. Flying through the air, I close my eyes and feel the wind passing by. As I feel the wind on my scales, I feel the beginning of something, a connection I hadn't made before.

"Wind, wind is movement, whether its gentle breezes or sharp wind blades wind is constantly moving"

I feel connections to the wind I never felt before, and suddenly I realize I have been using it in the most basic of ways possible. Now I can use it to increase my speed, slow down others, knock them off balance, or even make my other element attack faster.

"We are here," Vanor says, startling me from my contemplation.

Looking down, I see Bloodyfang mountain. The place I was born, thrown away, but also where I found my first friend, and what would change my destiny completely.

As we near the Mountains peak, I can see several kobolds rushing towards the top as well.

"Do you think they know that Selena is dead?" I ask

"The ones with direct lineages from here will, she controlled their blood shackles, stopping them from evolving further. Now that she is gone, they will be free to evolve further" answers Versilies.

As we land, I can see several peak kobolds kneeling, and waiting for us. Looking over them I start as I realize my father is one of them.

I crawl towards him until he is right in front of me.

"Look at me" I hiss.

He does so slowly, looking into his eyes, I can tell he doesn't recognize me.

"What's your name?"

"Gerim, your Generalship" he replies.

"Do you have any children?" I ask curious about his reply.

"A son General, his name is Grael, he was almost a year old" he replies fearfully of me.

"Bring him here, I want to meet him, your wife too," I say.

He crawls away almost running.

"Was that him?" asks Vasuki, his eyes knowing.

"Yeah, I figured they had another child by now, I want to meet him, see what he is like" I answer.

Turning towards Vanor, Rentil, and Versilies who were watching. I apologize for interrupting.

"It's fine, That was your father I presume?" asks Vanor,

As I nod, the kobolds kneeling who were listening in lookup in shock as me. After several minutes, I see Gerim, Nartica, and a small black kobold with a blood-red underbelly.

The other kobolds look at Gerim oddly as he rushes forth, before bowing before me.

"I apologize for making you wait, General, this is my son Grael, He just competed in the Blood Matches and got 5 place!" says Gerim proudly.

Grael keeps taking glances at me, fear written on his face.

"Come here Grael," I say, smiling at him

He crawls forward, as he does I notice things that make me frown. While he is a peak Mid blood, It clear from the way his scales, and skin hang off him, how tired his eyes look, and the numerous scars on his body that something isn't right.

"Grael, how often do you sleep?" I ask, my heart starting to burn. I already know what's happening, but I need to hear him say it.

"Father let me sleep every 4 days for 3 hours, but only if I kill enough deranged beasts" he answers proudly,

I try to keep my anger in check as I aks another question.

"Did you know you have an older brother?" I ask before look at Gerim, and Nartica. They both pale as they finally realize who I am.

"..I heard mother and father arguing about him once, they said he had to be dealt with" he answers.

Smiling bitterly, I crawl forward, bigger than both of them.

"Hello Mother, Hello Father"