Abyssal Awakening

I dream of a peaceful village. One that I hold dear.

The children sing hymns of my power, my protection. The adults bring me gifts of sustenance and grandeur.

They made me a home, worshipped me as their guardian and I saw them as children apart of my nest.

I defended them from the evils of this world, the beasts that wish to do nothing but tear them apart.

One day, a young boy had asked me this.

"Guardian beast o' guardian beast. Why do these beasts hunt us so? You protect us with your wings yet they seek to rip us apart with their fangs."

A question that lingered on my mind.

I was the strange one to ally myself with beings that I should hunt. To give them shelter, to give them warmth.

But perhaps it's because I saw the peace within this village that I chose to do so.

It had taken me a long time to reply to that boy for I was unsure of the answer myself.

The cycle of hunter and the hunted. It's one that I've seen repeated many times yet now I sought to change that.

I did not hunt, I was not hunted.

I simply stood by this peaceful village in blissful monotony.

When I open my eyes to greet the morning sun, my heart is at peace.

I am not welcomed with fear, I am praised with reverence.

###

I dream of a peaceful village. One that is forever irreplaceable.

The children have become thin. The offerings have decreased.

I see the seeds of doubt, the uncertainty in the eyes of the adults.

Then I understand. To keep them safe does not only require me to defeat the dangers lurking around the edges. I must solve their issue of hunger.

A drought had hit, the harvest suffered. Beasts were keeping their distance and what little they hunt is not enough.

As the guardian, I have to protect this village.

I gave words of reassurance. Proclamations on how I will help them resolve their issue.

With a single beat of my wings, I soared into the cloudless sky.

I summon thunder, I summon death. But I cannot give life.

Therefore, I must strike a bargain.

I am not the only beast around here. Like me, there is another endowed with intelligence. A beast that could be reasoned with.

Rainveil Aetherdrake.

A neighbour of sorts. A beast that soars through the skies, commanding the very clouds themselves. Her song calls the storms, her breath births typhoons and her tears bring about ceaseless rain.

I heard of whispers in the air.

How she was called the lady of wind and sea.

With her, I will strike a bargain. With her, I will have her give the rain that my children seek.

###

A bargain has been struck.

In exchange for protection and safety within my home, the beast will bless the land with rain and wind.

To revitalise the dying land and bring joy back to my children.

At first, my children feared. They see an unfamiliar beast behind me.

Regardless of whether or not she's called the lady of wind and sea, they see a potential threat.

But under my reassurance, they accepted her presence.

She soared into the sky, sending down the long awaited rain.

Once more, the children began to laugh.

Once more, they danced and sung hymns.

But this time, the Rainveil Aetherdrake was involved.

I can see the reluctance in her eyes. To her, this was simply a bargain of preservation under my wing. To seek the protection of someone stronger. But to the children of this village, she was their saving grace.

She now had their gratitude.

"Why is it that you protect these humans?" She had asked on an uneventful afternoon.

"A whim. Though now, it's because I treat them as my children." I replied.

###

I dream of a peaceful village. One that occupied a corner of my heart.

Whatever my children require, I obtained for their sake. A verdant forest, a flowing river.

I had struck another bargain with a beast of wood.

By now, we were three guardian beasts of this land. Gods worshipped by their word of mouth.

Though I tell them we were not gods. Like them, we are simply mortals in another form, trying out best in this harsh world.

On deaf ears do my words fall. But I cannot help but smile from their praise.

To them, I am the parent who raise them, giving them everything that they sought.

To me, they are my darling children. I watch them grow up, fall in love and start their own family.

The boy who had once asked me the question that stumped me was now a man. He brought to me his daughter, asked me to bless her with a name and so I did.

Watching him grow up so fast brought a smile to my face.

This peace, I loved it.

Perhaps I was destined for something greater. The dark mother has given me the title of sovereign.

But I wish for nothing more than this.

A simple village under my care, my children happy and fed.

That's all I desire.

My heart is content.

If the world can birth such a blessing, then it might not be so bad.

###

I dream of a peaceful village. One that I will give my all.

All the love in my heart, all of my care.

Venaris, the Aetherdrake, now shared the same sentiment.

At first, she was reluctant to show them favour but their love has pierced her cold exterior.

Her words may by biting and cold but her actions are filled with warmth.

Another family had asked her to bless their child with a name for they were saved by her in the past. Had it not been for her rain, they would've starved.

"Hmph, I am fatigued right now. Come back tomorrow and see if you still wish for me to do so." She replied coldly.

But that night, I could see her toiling back and forth for a suitable name.

She debated on the meaning, whether or not it sounded good. Would she be mocked for that name?

Hours on end did she spend deep in thought yet she didn't show that side to the others.

As morning came, the family returned early in the day.

Venaris panicked from their arrival but kept a calm exterior.

Casually, she blessed the child with a name and even summoned a light drizzle to bless her.

Seeing the family's satisfaction, she sat straight with a proud smile.

"Would it not be better for you to show your affection openly? Why keep it a secret that you didn't sleep a single wink last night." Halric smiled with a hearty laugh. He was the third of the guardian beasts.

He spoke the words in my heart and embarrassment spread across Venaris's face.

"Shut up you old fool! What do you mean I didn't sleep?! I slept like a log!"

Hearing this, the family laughed in joy, seeing Venaris put this much importance on the act of bestowing a name.

As the first of the guardian beasts, I am deeply content.

The bickering between Venaris and Halric, while harsh in words, was filled with affection towards each other. Towards this village.

###

I dream of a peaceful village. It now prospered within this desert wasteland. A utopia with everything they need.

I see travellers bringing trade. They marvelled at the village we have created, the harmonic life between man and beast.

By this point, we three guardian beasts have learned the art of humanoid transformation to better walk amongst the people we swore to protect.

We greeted the travellers and they gave us the respect that we showed to them.

Venaris was the playful one, she often visited the family who desired her blessings as the maiden of rain. She brought the children on her back to soar the skies.

Halric took a dignified form.

Those who wanted his protection was shielded from the harsh sun and given shade. He created swings on his branches, allowing the children to play.

I took the form of a mother. With my lightning, I defended this village.

With my powers, I protected my children with everything I got.

I was the guardian, the icon of power. Men who wished to protect this village with their own hands asked me for blessings.

I shared with them a slither of my power, the blessing of lightning. I allowed them to hunt with their own hands to defend this village.

We three guardian beasts saw ourselves as part of this village.

All of us were family.

###

I dream of the approaching ruin.

Followers of the Sun branding us as a heretical cult.

They claim that the villagers had been brainwashed, forced to do our bidding as slaves. On their crusade of righteousness, they will cleanse this corrupted land.

Enraged by their proclamations, Venaris was the first to lash out but Halric held her back.

Fighting head on would only be playing right into their hand.

###

I dream of a day of sorrow.

Venaris stood at the village entrance.

She stared at the box filled with the corpse of those who sought her blessing.

They had tried to reason with the followers of the Sun only be greeted with death.

The winds howled, the rain poured.

Venaris was enraged.

Her cries filled the sky as she soared with tears in her eyes.

She vowed vengeance, she vowed death.

She vowed to kill whoever dare lay a hand on her children.

I rushed after Venaris for I am the fastest of the three. Halric was better suited to defend our home.

But by the time I came to Venaris's aid, it was already too late.

I saw the lifeless expression on Venaris's face as her head was severed from her body. I watched as they tore out her wings and crippled her limbs.

I had watched as Venaris try everything to take down as many of them as she could.

I saw a sea of crimson.

###

I dream of a scorched earth. The corpse of Halric crackling with flames as no life was left in my home.

I see the charred remains of the family who first asked for my blessing.

Holding each other tightly, praying that I would save them. I see them clutching a pendant with my icon.

I…

I will kill them all.

I will kill those that dare rob my children of their freedom.

I will kill the blasted followers of the sun that branded them as heretics

I will burn their city to the ground with the fury of lightning!