Half Passed Midnight

Trigger warning: Violence and death are mentioned/depicted below.

I wish I could meet you for the first time again.

You wandered into my lair at half passed midnight with quiet purpose. So ugly and human under a black veil. The village condemned you for witchcraft, adorned you in gaudy mourning clothes, and sent you to me as a sacrifice.

Witchcraft.

Sacrifice.

These words only existed in human tongues. After all you put into helping them rebuild. They had the audacity to pretend they feared your magic. Called it evil. Then shoved you up here as if I’d finish you off; eat you. How disgusting. Ignorantly raised on tales of my kind being vile, man-eating creatures encapsulating sin. What projection.

In silence, I watched you toss you veil off. So tiny amidst the towering height of the surrounding pillars. Barely visible as your garb matched the night.

Nothing about your features intrigued me, no matter how unique they were. No. Those simply hinted at the power you’d inherited at birth. Behind that curtain of platinum and within those mismatched eyes lie something enticing.

Seething rage. The true hint of your arrival began smaller than an egg. Now it warmed you more than a forest fire. Simmering behind each echoing step. My spot of rest your destination.

“Are you going to eat me?” No fear in your voice, only frustration. An impatience as though upset at me for not snapping you up as soon as you arrived. If you were a dragon, you wouldn’t be able to contain your fire.

“Nothing in this world could convince me to eat one of you.” The thought alone left a bad taste in my mouth. Only until I saw your reaction.

Amusement filled me as you blinked. Head rapidly shaking back and forth as if to throw off some unseen moisture.

Of course, now I know you were shocked I knew language.

Your two-toned eyes moved past my curious red ones and up to the ruby gem centered just above them. Locked on it, you walked closer still. Something in you desired my gem; ordered you to possess it.

Just like my interest in you, it was not for its prettiness so much as its power.

“You can’t have it.” I said, plainly. Squeezing your eyes tightly and breathing funny, you regained control of yourself. Humans were strange.

“I want to make a deal.” Voice so dangerously calm, I couldn’t help but marvel at you. How could such a small form contain your animosity?

“And what is your soul worth to you?” My carmine jewel glittered brightly at the intensity of your feelings. Lying in wait to swallow you whole.

“Revenge, to start.” Your pointer finger snapped straight out in the direction of the village. “They used me. Then tried to marry me off. When I rejected him…” Your voice trailed off. Hand fisted in your skirts, giving me a ‘you know the rest’ look. Little human knuckles turned ghastly white against the abyssal cloth. If your fury increased any further, you’d shake. I’d been certain the ground would tremble with you once you did.

In all my years, I never knew a soul could be so decadent. The words ‘to start’ caught me grinning. Greedy? You? You didn’t even glance at my collection of treasure chests. Gold and gems spilled onto cave floor. Not even a slight temptation. No, either you hid your greed well or self-preservation picked words to put on your tongue.

“Deal.” Came from my own. The sound of it embraced you. As if on cue, the shine of a blade appeared, and you opened your palm. Red spillage with a scent much like the gold I surrounded myself with. Was this how humans made deals?

Barbaric.

Even still, I nipped the flesh of a talon and held it out, letting you proceed in some ritual. Only when you finished, my jewel shined brighter. Being able to feel your very presence now. Wide eyes of topaz and sapphire told me you’d never done this before either. A sorceress in training. It morphed into a proud grin, and, for a brief moment, joy replaced anger. Dragonling glee in your clapping and twirling. You basked in the light of it.

“What do your people call you?”

“Silfira and they are not any people of mine.” The venom retook its place in your chest.

“And you? What name were you given at birth?”

“We choose our names when we learn speech. Not when we are born. Noctisolus. Comfort of solitude at night.”

“Noctisolus.” Odd. Hearing my name from another mouth. Every syllable rolled over foreign tongue.

“I’m going with you.” Such conviction in your statement. Was there ever a time you feared something, I wondered. Not interested in protesting, my tail wrapped around you. Your small figure moved from flight to cling to the base of my neck. Worry showed in the unnecessary gentleness. Fingers grazing over black and white scales.

Shoes kicked from feet after shuffling. The sound of their departure devoured in mine. I’d expected true flight to scare you. How silly of me. Only excitement fueled the increased pace of your heart. So full of wonder and awe as you took in the new view. Flying suited you like rage.

A keeper of my word, I greeted the village of Eternora with fire. Breathed out what burned in you. The song of your seething matched every time I opened my mouth. Screams and cries surged as I painted the town in orange and yellow ombre. From my nest, it mimicked a sunrise.

Eternora’s people lacked gratitude for your gift of magic. Certain you were not capable of destruction.

How idiotic of them. You were capable but locked it deep with genuine love. Salt water dripped down your face, exorcising the betrayal out. Eternora’s mass funeral pyre paid your wrath in full.

“Satisfied?” I already knew the answer but wanted you to look at me again. And you did.

“No.”

“The deal cannot be completed until you are.” Redundant words. Superfluous. Instead of telling me that, you bobbed your head in agreement.

“Let’s go to the next village.” The demand bubbled out of you, smiling with your puffy eyes. First, I thought we would continue the path of disaster. I heard you laugh for the first time when I inquired about it. Eternora selfishly guilted you into staying, so only they could use your power.

It made you yearn for travel, variety, and knowledge. Not alone, though. Expectant eyes turned to me, and I complied with your unspoken request. Changing form upon our arrival. Scales smoothed down to flesh, talons to nails, and all signs of otherworldliness disappeared. All except for the gem. It centered my chest. Not wanting to draw attention to ourselves, we hid beneath itchy cloaks. I bought you whatever you wanted, in whatever form it took.

Food.

Clothes.

Jewelry.

Decadent wine and liquor.

At every town and kingdom. Each night, back at my lair, I would ask the same thing.

“Satisfied?” The singular word always brought out your melodic laughter…and an echo of your first response. Sometimes, hungry eyes would briefly glance at my gem and glaze over.

“No.”

One day, I awoke and smelled something strange: wrong. Sniffing out the source, I found you. Buried behind book stacks in my library. You called me a hoarder even as you benefited from my habit. Ancient books didn’t smell this acrid even when cursed.

Humans only gave off this scent when dying. My gaze steadied on you in an attempt to read your thoughts. Did you know? Were you hiding it from me?

It didn’t matter.

I wouldn’t ask you.

What a waste of words it would be to ask something like that of a human. Dragons lived such long lives in comparison. This wasn’t right or fair. You were too young. Weren’t humans supposed to live decades longer than this? I knew the answer, though.

Not when such a heinous illness was eating them.

So, I played along with your whims as always; incapable of denying you.

We were lying in a field of flowers when it happened. Death’s slow hold smelled stronger than ever. Still, you smiled as I asked you.

“Satisfied?”

“Yes.” Then you breathed in and grasped my hand as tightly as you could. Such weak creatures.

“Noctisolus, I curse you to never be alone. I curse you to be tethered to me in every life after this. I curse you with love.”

When you breathed out, your eyes closed, and you were gone.

Love.

The last human word you taught me.

I can’t wait to meet you for the first time again.