Storm Dragon Statue [https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczMRe2d99ZBjQCcpURzxzkM4ZItCAqMkZJABbFaYFUGAINKXsd765JyjkMT6ZtgDdTC9u-T_yQZStv17FGnfQXrHH1pw05_favJYp2ERBZqBEI5rcbPurmESBjtiebHDMjUHJHjH_qNUq8UonJBqeifQ=w639-h959-s-no-gm?authuser=0]
Uriel was feeling better with every word Phoenix spoke, even if it was about the woman whose place he had taken as “best friend.” He struggled to completely ignore the dark voice at the back of his mind whispering that if Jin reunited with Phoenix, then she wouldn’t need him anymore. She was here now, trusting and confiding in him, and that’s what he should focus on.
“I’m sure Jin will be just as happy to reunite as you will be,” he said.
“But it’s been four years since we last spoke,” she admitted with a slight whine.
“I’m pretty sure time doesn’t matter in this case,” he pointed out, “Centuries could pass, and I’d be happy to see you again,” he said, then blushed at how his own words sounded and added quickly, “Or Paul. You’ll be excited to see him even if it takes decades, right?”
“That’s true… I guess I’m just worried that we’ve both changed so much that we don’t fit together anymore. I was fifteen when she died– er, got teleported? You know, I’m still confused about that part a bit; they had a body to bury still.”
He gave a half-shrug, not wanting to disturb her lying against him, “I think Saiya mentioned your soul getting sent here instead, which is why you got a new body that fit it better.”
“That was definitely the best part of my first day here,” she noted, glancing down at her dress-covered body and gesturing up and down it, “This is much better.”
Uriel tried to ignore the heat in his cheeks as he refocused on her face and asked, “Will Jin even recognize you? I’m not sure what you looked like before. Did your face change much?”
She conjured a hand mirror in a shower of silver starlight to look at herself, “I don’t think so? I mean, I’m older and healthier, and it’s a bit softer around the sides now, but, like, colors and shapes mostly match my memory.”
“Well, you’re also prettier from ascending too,” he pointed out, mentally noting the shinier auburn hair, clearer complexion, and even her eyes were a more vibrant green.
Phoenix’s head snapped to look up at him, staring in surprise, and he wasn’t quite sure what he did wrong until she asked, “You think I’m pretty?”
That was a confusing question. He remembered how her curls often drew his partner’s gaze, and he hadn’t ever questioned why Daze found her attractive. He had already assumed why. The way she seemed so surprised by the thought, however, made him clarify, “You don’t?”
She gave a breathy awkward attempt at laughter, “Not really. I mean, I love my hair. I’ve always thought that it was pretty, but the rest of me…”
He felt a pang of sympathy in his chest and refuted, “Well, you’re wrong. I’ve seen how others look at you, so I know it’s not just me who thinks that you’re pretty, too.”
“I’m honestly surprised to hear you, of all people, saying that, though.”
It was his turn to scrunch his nose in confusion as he asked, “Why’s that?”
“Well, I don’t care what anyone says, but I’m fairly… plain compared to Dazien. Even if he cheats a bit, it’s hard to picture you thinking I’m pretty when you see him every day.”
Uriel laughed at that, “Don’t compare yourself to him like that. Like you said, he cheats, and I know he wouldn’t like thinking he was making you feel… lesser from him just existing. Besides, he doesn’t have a monopoly on beauty. I can think both of you are pretty and have it be true.”
“I guess,” she murmured but didn’t seem convinced as she looked in the mirror again as if reevaluating, “I just don’t see it.”
“Princess, you are literally glowing,” he pointed out, trying to lighten her mood, “Just because you’re not your type doesn’t mean you’re not beautiful. You admit your hair is pretty; trust me when I say the rest is as well, and don’t worry yourself over it. You shouldn’t degrade yourself like that, remember?”
“Well, what about you?” she retorted, dismissing the mirror back to her collection, “You degrade yourself often enough.”
“Maybe, but I’m comfortable with my appearance,” he answered with a shrug, “I don’t have people approaching me that often like Padma did, which is why I was so bad at turning her down, but it’s not like I thought that was because I wasn’t outwardly appealing,” he tried explaining, “To your earlier point, most people just wanted the prettier person beside me.”
“And that didn’t make you feel lesser?”
“Not like that. I’m not going to think I’m lesser just because a bird is born with wings and I wasn’t. Plus, I’ve seen what the price of that beauty costs Daze. People often look at him and treat him like an object instead of a person,” his mood darkened at some of the memories that brought. However, he tried to draw the parallel to himself for her, “Even though I’m not that level of pretty. I know how it feels to have people see you as less than a person.”
He gave a more crooked smile than he had hoped to as he added, “It’s part of what makes you and the others so important to me. I know I’m a monster, but it still doesn’t feel good to be reminded of the fact when people see the chains around me.”
“You’re not a monster,” Phoenix instantly rebuked, “You can’t even argue and say I don’t know what I’m talking about now, either,” she added with a cheeky grin.
Uriel chuckled, “That reminds me. There were still some things to show you that I promised to do later,” he said, feeling nervous but not really afraid about her seeing it anymore as he offered, “Want to see my profile and one more reason to add to the ‘he’s definitely a monster’ pile?”
She rolled her eyes at his joke, “It’s like you’re trying to make me believe it. It’s not gonna happen,” she said in reprimand; however, her excitement was almost palpable as she perked up and conjured her [Guide Book] in the air between them.
Before he could touch it, though, she grabbed his hand and said, “You don’t have to do this, you know. I really don’t care what your powers might be. You’ll still be my friend.”
He smiled at that, realizing that he finally believed her as he happily said, “I know that now. That’s why I trust you with it,” then he touched the glowing book and focused on showing her all of him.
Name: Uriel Karislian
Species: Cinderen (Ashen)
Caste: Crystal 9
Attributes
Strength (Potent): Crystal 9
Agility (Fire): Crystal 9
Fortitude (Storm): Crystal 9
Mind (Ice): Crystal 10
Magic (Cataclysm Mage): Crystal 9
Natural Talents
Molten Attunement
Ice Attunement
Storm Attunement
Spell Disposition
Raging Inferno
Divine Titles
Chosen Destroyer
Titles
Slayer
Unwilling Parenticide
Orphan
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
Adventurer
Aspects
Fire
* Home’s Hearth (Utility Passive)
* Rain of Fire - Crystal 10
* Scorch the Shaken Earth (Class) - Crystal 9 (57%)
Ice
* Fortress of Solitude (Utility Passive)
* Frost Touched - Crystal 10
* Blizzard (Class) - Crystal 10
Storm
* Scent in the Air (Perception Passive)
* Microburst - Crystal 10
* Eye of the Storm (Class) - Crystal 9 (38%)
Potent
* Battlemage (Aura Passive)
* Siphoned Vigor - Crystal 9 (72%)
* Plague Bearer (Class) - Crystal 10
Cataclysm Mage (Class)
* Apotheosis of Annihilation (Transfiguration Passive)
* Chaos Seeds - Crystal 10
* End of Days (Class) - Crystal 9 (90%)
“Apotheosis of Annihilation?” she asked curiously before snapping her mouth shut and saying, “You don’t have to–”
“It’s fine, Princess,” Uriel replied with a chuckle, touching the book once more to show the details of the previously unknown ability.
Passive Ability: Apotheosis of Annihilation
Type: Transfiguration (divine, void)
Crystal Effect: Permanently enhances your aura with annihilating power that periodically deals small amounts of ongoing Void damage to everything within it.
“And since this is Passive, it’s just… always on?” she asked incredulously.
“Different Transfigurations can behave differently,” he clarified, “For mine though, yes. It’s always trying to destroy,” he hesitated for a moment before adding in a softer tone, “I’m honestly afraid of what it might become at Sapphire.”
“Couldn’t it cultivate into something better, though?” she asked, “Like more control over it or something? Maybe an off switch or not hurting allies? Our powers respond to our desires at least a little, it seems like,” she pointed out, and he could appreciate her trying to help them both see things in a more positive light.
Uriel nodded but decided to voice his fears, “Maybe. Or it could become stronger or even more difficult for me to control… I’m not–” he looked away, fairly certain she wouldn’t like him admitting this truth about himself based on her last reaction when they discussed choices, but it’s not like he was going to lie about this fact, “I prefer giving control to others now, rather than trying to choose myself.”
As he expected, that look of disdain crossed her face as she said, “Doesn’t that go against the whole ‘not being an object’ thing? Aren’t you just letting someone use you as a tool?”
He raised a brow at her, “Is that what you think Daze is doing to me?”
She blinked up at him in surprise, “Well, no, but it’s not like he’s ignoring the things you want.”
Uriel chuckled and pointed out, “There’s not much that I want for him to try keeping from me,” then he added, “But it’s different than being treated as an object, isn’t it? Even though I prefer Dazien to choose things for me, giving him that control was my choice in the first place.
“It’s probably the only good choice I’ve ever made since it’s fairly obvious after I tried leaving all of you that I’m terrible at making decisions on my own,” he said with a laugh, trying to lighten the mood.
It worked as she smirked and teased, “Well, when you put it like that, I can’t even argue. That was a terrible choice.”
She turned back to re-read the ability on display still and shifted the subject back, “I guess I should be grateful my own Transfiguration ability only turns me into a mini-dragon temporarily. I think those claws would be super awkward for me.”
He laughed, “I don’t think the draconids complain about theirs. Which I read were longer than the voxen ones.”
“I remember Daze mentioning draconids. They’re dragon-people, right? Are they, like, more dragon or more human looking?”
“Pretty half and half? I’ve only seen a couple in passing in the International District and a few pictures in books of famous ones that Daze showed me,” he explained, “The nearest large community of them is in San Gra Lan on the other side of Epa Toivo from us. They have long tails like Rex has, horns that are thicker than Dazien’s antlers, and scales instead of fur like the voxen have, but I think the scales cover their whole arms and legs, not just part-way up.”
“Huh,” was all Phoenix responded with as she pondered.
“Speaking of dragons, though,” he said, the topic reminding him of his more recent research project, “I have something I want to show you.”
She raised a brow as he climbed out of the cloud-like bed, and she asked, “You didn’t adopt a pet dragon, did you?”
Uriel laughed as he straightened his clothes, “No, of course not. Dragons aren’t avals, they’re Vanhin, remember? I’m pretty sure I’d get either arrested or eaten for kidnapping one.”
Then he held out his hand to help her stand as well. The weight startled him slightly as he was reminded that Phoenix was also Sapphire Caste now.
You’re going to be left behind soon… He shoved the intrusive thought away, dropping her hand as she righted herself.
“I found some information concerning a specific dragon that I thought you’d appreciate.”
“Oh? What dragon?”
He just grinned and led her out of the room towards Dazien’s instead. Going over to the left-hand side table by the bed, he lifted a book off the top of the pile he had been scouring through and opened it to the page he had marked. He held it out for her to take and said, “This dragon.”
She took it, the curious glint in her eyes reminding him of his partner and he felt his own happiness rise as she read aloud, “The Jade Dragon is an elusive and often isolated creature. Its pale green scales the only outward hint of its Corrosive nature.”
Her head snapped up to stare at him as she stopped reading and asked almost breathlessly, “This is Jin’s dragon?”
He nodded and she looked over at the pile of other books as she asked, “You found this for me?”
Uriel hesitated, unsure if he had overstepped a boundary as he explained, “Well, Dazien told me about what Scholar had said… and that you didn’t get a lot of questions answered. I thought this might help answer at least a little.”
“Thank you,” she said, looking back at the book entry with wonder, “This means a lot.”
“There’s no picture, unfortunately,” he said, “So I’m not sure if they’re a different type from my Storm Dragon or not.”
“Storm Dragon?” she asked, refocusing on him again.
He moved to the small dresser that he had claimed by the bathroom since Dazien didn’t need one with his [Armory] passive holding all his clothing for him.
Atop the dresser, he had placed one of the few gifts he had ever received. It was a stone statue of a heavier dragon standing atop a rocky outcropping on its four legs with slightly torn wings lifted towards the sky, “Dazien got this for me one Winter’s Break. He said that even though a Storm Dragon can cause as much destruction as I can, that doesn’t mean we should hunt them down or call them monsters.”
“Smart man,” Phoenix replied with a grin, “I’m glad to know I’m not the only one needing to repeat myself on that fact. It’s obviously been a problem for a while now.”
He sighed, “Yes, so I keep getting told.”
She crossed her arms around the book and asked in a more serious tone, “Then why won’t you believe us?”
Uriel grimaced, not wanting to spoil the happier mood he had managed to get her in. “It’s just… difficult,” he rubbed at the bracer on his left arm under his tunic, “Too many things keep reminding me that I am one, despite what you or he might say. My Silencer, my Soul Mark, the threat of my anger, my own ability that gave the name for the type of monster I am.”
“The type?”
He nodded and tried not to let his bitterness bleed through as he said, “They turned me into their Pet monster… their Annihilator. It’s hard to forget that and believe I’m not.”
Then he was being hugged as she said, “You’re still a person, Uriel. It doesn’t matter what they called you or what your powers can do,” then she looked up and said as though it was a threat, “If you keep saying otherwise and insist on being a monster, I’m going to have to start telling everyone that my best friend is a monster. Then they’ll get all uppity, and I’ll have to start some kind of ‘monsters are people too’ campaign and fight for monster rights. Maybe get a shirt that says, ‘Monsters are friends, not food.’ Maybe we can start like a support group for fellow monster-Classes?”
Uriel laughed.
She was being absolutely ridiculous, yet he didn’t doubt she would follow through with the personal quest she had outlined.
“I bet Bliss would join. I bet there are other shifters, too, that face this unjust monster discrimination you keep talking about. Oh, they can all wear those shirts too; it’ll be the group slogan.”
Tears began streaming down his face. He kept laughing at the mental pictures she conjured up, and she smiled as she kept going, “Oh! Maybe we can convince the churches to all back it. I’m pretty influential there, apparently. Is there a god of monsters I’m going to have to dedicate myself to?”
“Stop,” he practically wheezed through the laughing, cursing his need for air, “Please. I get it.”
“Do you really?” she asked.
He nodded, “Yeah, I do,” he managed to say as he finally calmed.
Uriel really did understand what she was getting at, too. He hadn’t heard it put quite that way before, but it helped him understand her point. “I know we’ve said people can be monsters… it’s something I’ve known for a lot longer than most people,” he said and squeezed her in a hug, “Thanks for believing monsters can be people too.”