//------------------------------// // An Accord Sealed By Blood // Story: On Alicorns // by Nra Vadumee //------------------------------// And so Dragon set forth, traversing the world, using the knowledge given to him by his maker Academis to gather the same parts which were used to forge him. Skin with the strength of steel, wings with the strength of the wind, eyes with the sight of light, core with the aura of heat, and legs with the power of the tide. In addition, he added the gift of his ‘lord’ Infernis, and planted a seed of Dragonsfire into this husk. Alas, he could not do as his makers could do in procuring these ingredients for his mate, and thus was forced to forge her narrower and more slender, with less armor. However, he found that he was pleased with her curvier form, and did not mind it. Still, he was not satisfied. The alicorns had their six unions, alliances sealed by love. He was not gifted with love by Amor, and so he could not pass the same on to his creation. He could pour knowledge and emotion into her, but she and he could not forge any union with each other. They had naught to seal it with. And so Dragon flew forth, keeping his creation safely hidden beneath the Firestallion’s realm; He would never search in the ground where Terra ruled, nor would Terra search the flames of Infernis so long as there was other earth to rule. Dragon flew across the world of existence, knowing from his maker where he could find Amor. At last, after several days, he came across the beautiful Alicorn of Love, and was striken immediately by her radiance and maidenliness. Truly this was an alicorn, truly this was love incarnate. He would be sure to ask for the gift of beauty to be bestowed onto his mate, as well, for he could not bear imagine joining in a union with anything less than such a glorious creature. Unfortunately for Dragon, Amor was already joined in union with her counterpart. And even worse, her counterpart was always watching over his beloved. And at the very pit of worseness, Dragon did not notice this counterpart flying in to attack him as he stared at the Alicorn of Love. Iras, the great Alicorn of Hatred, crashed directly into Dragon’s great form, many times larger than the alicorn’s, attempting to sink his horn into the hide of the strange beast who dared invade his beloved’s space. Crying out in pain, Dragon turned to face this opponent, Iras the Lord of Hate, and knew that if he could best this, the greatest warstallion of the alicorns, all of the alicorns would know that he is far more than the sum of his parts. Reaching around, Dragon sent his great claws, sharp as an alicorn’s horn is pointed, and brought them down on the immortal, who was reaved by the great weapons. Shouting in pain, Iras the Hateful did not lose blood, for alicorn blood heals all wounds the moment they open, and no alicorn knows death. Thus, he shot forth again, quick as Lumos the Lightbringer, and tried once more to gash apart the hide of the intruder. But to no avail. Dragon, too, was blessed with speed, and dodged the Lord of Hate’s attack, and brought his mighty tail around to allow the alicorn to crash into it and be swatted back as a mere fly. Insulted by such impudence, Iras blasted at Dragon with a beam of pure hatred, searing orange energy which impacted Dragon’s scales and reaved him with pain unending and hatred unlimited. Enraged, both by the pain and the hatred which wracked his body, Dragon summoned forth from his heart of fire the Dragonsfire which Infernis the Firestallion had given him, and unleashed the great flame upon the alicorn. Unprepared for such power and ferocity, Iras was crushed beneath the searing flames which pounded down upon him, burning his immortal flesh. So hot was this great Dragonsfire, and so powerful did it come, that it had, in fact, left scars of burnt flesh upon the Hate Lord’s body. These scars opened no wounds, and thus would not heal from his blood’s regenerative properties. Ever wrathful, Iras shouted out to his opponent. I WILL SEE YOU DESTROYED FOR THIS, MAKING OF MY SIBLINGS! I KNOW NOT YOUR NAME NOR YOUR CREATOR, BUT I SHALL SEE YOU UNDONE! SO SWEARS IRAS THE LORD OF HATRED! Enough. Dragon, surprised by the soothing words which came from the Mare of Love, ceased his firey onslaught. I am Dragon, Amor, Mare of Love, Vessel of Undying Things and Firstmade of Academis and Professios, servant of Infernis, though I was neither given to him nor taken. Nor do I serve him in my actions now. Dragon. I know not this name. What does it mean? It has no meaning, Mare of Love. I have yet to give it one. Academis named you something which has no meaning? I named myself. And now I seek your assistance, Lovegiver. My assistance? For what, oh great Dragon, who so fiercely combats my lover with flame and claw? I seek to give life to another of my... kind. Another Dragon, if you will. A female Dragon. I wish to be given the gift of love, that I may pass it on to her, that we may seal a union together. Amor, ever so receptive to spreading love, became instantly so very intrigued. A female Dragon, you say? Oh, such a joyous idea! I shall consent to such a blessing, Dragon, and you and your lover shall know love! I am overjoyed, oh Lovegiver. But I ask also that you grant my love the gift of beauty as you have the other alicorns, that I may not let my thoughts wonder to those who do not belong to me. Such a horrible thing that would be, to be caused to think of breaking a union! Yes, Dragon, even beauty shall be gifted to you, that you and your lover may not risk such traitorous thoughts! The Hate Lord, however, now came back to his senses, and spoke out. This shall not stand! Amor, my beloved, you shall do no such thing! This Dragon has naught to seal this pact with, and it is hardly just that he be given love without hate! I shall not see your blessed gift given without planting a seed of my own power as well! My love, Iras, Lord of Hatred, I must consent this to you. Dragon, you shall be given love and beauty to share with your she-Dragon. But you must also bear hatred, as well. But you have naught to seal this pact with! You can give naught in exchange! This would not stop Dragon. I offer my blood. My lifeforce, that which courses beneath my hide. I shall offer this to you, in exchange for love, beauty, and hate. Shocked at such a concept (allowing blood to flow from one’s body, that is), Amor and Iras both did nothing but stare widely as Dragon cut his own flesh with his own claw and his own blood poured down a foreleg and onto the ground before the two alicorns. I have offered my end of the pact. Now fulfill your promises. Silently, still in awe at the pure lifeforce which pooled before them, the two Alicorns imparted their gifts to Dragon. Victorious over both Love and Hate, Dragon flew forth, back to his mate, to impart these gifts unto her. He had even decided upon a name for her. Dawnvir. For ‘vir’ shall mean spawn, and she is the spawn of the dawn times, and the dawn of Dragon’s kind. Dragonkind.