On Alicorns

by Nra Vadumee

A Vessel of Undying Things

It was done.

Completed.

Finalized.

The labour of the Artgiver and the Scholar had, at last, reached its conclusion. For years they toiled to forge this body which would host their gifts, this first vassal of theirs. It was a glorious creation; It was great and massive and filled with gifts from each alicorn, though none of them knew of it yet. From Terra was taken the strength of the metals from her earth, forged into the first armor to protect their creation from the forces of the world. From Lumos was taken the radiance of light, that their vessel could see wherever the light shone. Thermo’s had unknowingly donated heat to the body, allowing it to travel even where the land was frozen without fear of being frozen itself. From Aquos was taken the ability to traverse water as easily as air, and from Aeros they forged it great devices straddled onto its back, that it may traverse land, sea, and even air as easily as the alicorns. Umbris, Pentimus, Amor, Iras, and Infernis all had naught to offer to this creation which Professios and Academis cared for, and thus had naught of them within it.

Pleased with their work, the alicorns of the sixth union joined together, linking their horns, and poured into this husk all which they reigned over. At once, the empty shell was flooded with emotion and knowledge; Happiness,sadness, reason, memory, and far more. Suddenly filled with such things, the husk was a husk no longer, and was filled with vigor and life as much as the alicorns. The great giant object which was an object no more stood and stared at its makers.

Academis, it lives! We have done it! We have forged a vessel of undying things!

Professios, your joy swells in my heart with my own.

...I... live? What... is... live?

Academis, it speaks!

I hear it, my love.

Love... Academis... I do not understand....

My love, can you aid it? Share your blessed knowledge, that it may know what it is and that we are its makers and sovereigns.

Academis obliged his love, and bestowed upon their creation the knowledge of the world and all which exists within it. He bestowed knowledge of where it came from, how it came to be, and all that there was to know. The vessel received willingly, with a thirst for knowledge. It did not stop asking questions nor getting answers until it finally had received all answers. Even then, it had one final question.

You are Academis, my maker. And you are Professios, my maker. I am your creation. What am I to be named?

Academis and Professios looked at each other.

Academis, what is it to be named?

I... know not, Professios...

You know not? Are you not my love, Alicorn of Knowledge, the Scholar?

I am, my love. But this knowledge does not exist. It must be made.

Then what shall we make it, Academis?

May I speak, masters?

You may, creation.

I wish to be named Dragon.

The alicorns of the sixth union looked at each other.

What is ‘Dragon’, my love?

It is nothing, Professios. ‘Dragon’ is not a name, nor does it have meaning.

I will give it meaning, master.

Then this is your realm, Professios. It is made without knowledge, and it is filled with only knowledge and emotion, so thus it must be emotion which births this name.

Emotion? Then I am joyed to see our creation name itself for my gift!

Very well, vessel. You shall be Dragon. Firstmade of Academis and Professios. A Vessel of Undying Things. Things of knowledge and emotion, which cannot die so long as we immortal alicorns live.

And if I die?

You cannot. For we have made you of undying things.

But am I undying?

You are made of undying things.

Am I naught but the sum of my parts?

You are naught but the sum of your parts. Your parts are undying. Therefore you are undying.

But I am the first of my kind. Fused with knowledge and emotion. Does this not make me more than the sum of my parts?

Knowledge and emotion are of your parts. They are undying. Therefore you are undying.

What of my physical form which you have given me? This armor of metal can be pierced, can it not?

It can, but it will not be.

But if it can, then that which gives me life can leave me.

It can. But it will not.

But if it can leave me, then I can be left void of life. This form can be made empty.

It can. But it will not.

How do you know this?

Because I am Academis, Alicorn of Knowledge. You are Dragon, the creation of me and Professios, Alicorn of Emotion. I know all.

But you have taught me all things, as well. I had even created new knowledge which you did not know of before. I created my name. I will create the meaning of my name. If you knew not my name, and know not what it will mean, how can you know that I will not die if I can be destroyed?

To this, the Alicorn of Knowledge had no answer. He merely chastised his creation for questioning its master and ordered it away. Dragon obeyed, but knew deep down that he had scored a victory against Academis. Desirous of more victories to show that he was more than the sum of his parts, Dragon sought out the other alicorns. The first he found was Infernis, Stallion of Fire, wandering the firey wastes of the lands he claimed for his own in the dawning of time. Upon sighting the great Dragon, Infernis addressed him.

What are you, thing? Some creation of my brothers and sisters?

I am Dragon, Vessel of Undying Things. Firstmade of Professios and Academis.

Professios and Academis have made a thing which can speak and talk and live as we do! I see great wings upon your back, a gift of Aeros, and strong flesh to guard your contents, no doubt a gift of damnable Terra. Has the sixth union allied with the fourth against the third?

No, Stallion of Fire. I am gifted from Aquos, as well. I may traverse her great seas as easily as she.

Truly? Then what gift have been given of me?

Nothing, Firestallion.

Nothing! Nothing, you say! Damnable Academis, damnable Professios! They believe the gifts of our other siblings to be superior to mine? I shall prove them wrong! I shall show them the power of Fire! If you swear your loyalty to me, I shall grant you power over flame, Dragon, and you shall be my tool!

Dragon, knowing Fire to be very powerful indeed, agreed, and swore his loyalty to Infernis, forgoing his makers. In exchange, Infernis planted a great burning heart into Dragon’s body, which allowed him to churn the hottest flames short of those which wrapped across Infernis’ great body in his chest, and granting him the power to unleash this Dragonsfire at his leisure. Thankful his his new lord’s gift, Dragon set out once more, smiling to himself.

Infernis believes me to be loyal to him as if I am merely the sum of my parts, one of my parts belonging to him. I am more than the sum of my parts. I am not Professios’ or Academis’ or Infernis’. I am Dragon, and I serve Dragon alone. I am my own master. Not a servant to these alicorns.

And so the seeds were planted for mortal kind’s first rebellion against the immortal alicorns, as Dragon sought out to procure ingredients from the other alicorns in secret. He would not be the only of his kind for long, and he already began his planning for his own creation.

He would make himself a mate.

Comments

[Lunas Paladin]

Somehow I saw the betrayal coming.

[Nra Vadumee]

2920997
In a bad way? As in, did it seem really predictable, or did you just have a gut feeling that it was coming?