Shade looked down at himself, he was now almost completely naked as the blue tunic and green pants he was wearing underneath his robes were now torn to shreds. “I guess I should’ve taken those off first, huh.” He said regretfully. He had considered it, knowing that the clothes would tear when he changed back into this form, but he didn’t want to strip down naked. Now though he was pretty much naked anyway, and down one of his favorite shirts. He then realized he could feel the grass on his feet, and looked down to see the idea of him wearing boots being more of a hypothetical than a reality anymore.
As he twisted and turned, looking himself and his clothes over, he heard a faint panting like noise, and looked up. Faylen was wide eyed and slowly walking backwards away from him with pure fear radiating off of her. “Dr….dra…dra…dra…dragon?” She whispered.
He crossed his arms, rather annoyed at the sight. It was something he had dealt with a lot in his life. People scared of him simply for being a dragon. “Oh, come on. When you were on the stage about to be sentenced to death, you didn’t seem scared at all, but now a dragon is in front you, and now you’re scared?”
Faylen, while still backing up, tripped over a rock in the grass and fell to the ground, where she continued to slowly scurry backwards like a bug. “Please, please don’t kill me, please.” She cried. Now somewhat angry, he walked over to her, and put his foot down on her leg, stopping her desperate crawl. She kicked, clawed and struggled with all her might, desperately trying to move, but her leg wasn’t going anywhere. The whole time Shade had just looked down at her, watching the pure desperation in her face, a mixture of anger at how she felt towards him, and sorrow from all the times he had seen this exact type of thing before in his life. Finally, after a few minutes, she either gave up or ran out of energy. She looked up at him with tears again in her eyes, hands now over her chest. “Fine, kill me if you must, but please, I beg you, please leave my soul alone.”
His shoulders slumped as his anger dissipated, now he understood her fear. It wasn’t just because he was a dragon, it was the type of dragon he was. Shade was of course a Lucifer dragon, named after their apparent resemblance to demons. Lucifer dragons could sense and manipulate a person’s soul. They could even remove a soul from a dead body, and eat it. In fact, it’s how they got so strong. When they would eat a soul, they would gain a portion of the power of whatever person they just ate the soul of. The stronger the person, the stronger the soul, the more power gained. This let Lucifer dragons become stronger than most other beings in the world. It was also where a lot of the fear of Lucifer dragons came from. With how prevalent religion was, nobody wanted to be around something that could eat their soul and stop them from going to the afterlife.
Of course, people of faith believed the soul was needed to go to the afterlife, and if your soul was eaten, you were erased from existence all together, lost to a never-ending void of nothingness. It was true that once a person died, their soul slowly faded from existence, losing power over time, which made transferring to the afterlife seem like a plausible thing that was occurring. The longer someone was dead, the less power you got from eating their soul. But Shade didn’t believe in any of that. He doesn’t believe in any religion, or any gods, and just thinks the soul slowly loses power from basic decay after death, and that everyone once they die, is erased from existence forever.
But whether or not you were religious, knowing someone was going to eat your soul, the very essence of your being, was terrifying. What people didn’t know though, was that the eating of people’s souls was not nearly as prevalent amongst lucifers as they thought it was. This was because almost all Lucifer dragons had a maximum strength they could reach, at which point, no matter how many souls they ate, they didn’t get any stronger. In fact, if someone had reached their peak, but continued to eat souls, the power would overflow their own soul and they would die. Since nobody really knew what their own limit was, many Lucifers actually strayed away from eating souls out of fear of accidental suicide. Shade though, did not stray away, nor had he ever found a limit to the power he could gain. He had eaten hundreds of souls, yet had still not reached a ceiling in his power. This of course led to him becoming the almost unstoppable force that he was, or as others called him, a walking calamity.
He removed his leg from hers, freeing her to move again, but she didn’t. She just continued to look up at him with red, teary, pleading eyes. “Please, please I beg of you, don’t eat my soul.”
He wasn’t sure how exactly to convince her he wasn’t going to eat her soul. He couldn’t tell her that he would never do such a thing, or had never done such a thing, because that was a lie. Not that he cared about lying, but he didn’t have the best poker face in the world, and even as manic as she was, she would surely see through it. But then how could he convince her he wasn’t going to eat her soul? That was when he got maybe the worst idea he ever thought might actually work. He crouched down next to her and got a vicious demonic smile on his face, his razor-sharp teeth peering out of his mouth. “Eat your soul? Why would I eat such a useless soul as yours. You have no echos, what would I gain from it?”
As he watched her reaction, or lack thereof, it turned out not to be the best plan. He was hoping that a girl who clearly felt as shitty as she did about herself would believe him if he said he wasn’t going to do anything to her because of how useless she was. But alas, her face didn’t change at all. She just kept whispering, “Please, please, please.” Over and over again.
He shook his head at himself, why did he think that would ever work? Reverse intimidation? Stupid idea. He then stood back up and crossed his arms while staring down at the shaking girl lying in the grass. “Can you stop with this whole scared cat act? If I was going to kill you, I would have done it a while ago. In fact, I was going to help you, though really, I shouldn’t, since it seems even with all the torturing various people of light have done to you, you’re still scared of the dark.” He then looked in the direction his home was, then back to her. “You know what, I’ll leave it up to you. You’re scared of me? Fine. I can just leave you here in this grassy field and go about my life. To be honest, I’m not sure why I even bought you, so washing my hands of the situation might actually be the best for both of us.” He waited a few moments for her to say something, but she didn’t, she just stopped shaking and stared blankly up at him. “Well, what’s your choice?”
Faylen laid there not sure what to do. She was absolutely terrified of this thing in front of her. She had never seen a lucifer before, nor any dragon to begin with, but had always been told about how devastatingly strong they were. Even the people who had kidnapped and tortured her had seemed to be terrified of them. Now with one standing in front of her, she could see why. Even though he seemed to be holding his power back, his visage on its own was the stuff of nightmares. The monster children imagined under their beds at night.
The real reason she was terrified though, was him being a lucifer. She wasn’t actually scared of dying, hell, she almost welcomed it. Her life had been complete shit, weak and powerless, spending it either homeless and alone, or a slave being tortured over and over. The one thing that kept her going, that she could take solace in, was that when she died, she would go to the afterlife where things wouldn’t be as bad. Now it felt as if the universe was giving her one last ‘fuck you.’ Just when she was about to be killed, having failed to be auctioned off, someone bought her. But not just anyone, a Lucifer, a being that could eat her soul and take that one solace away.
Not only that, but the lucifer was now pretending like he wasn’t going to eat her soul. Saying he would let her go, let her walk free if she so wished. In that moment, as she looked up at his blazing red eyes, something inside her broke. If the world wanted to give her one last ‘fuck you’, she would give the world one last ‘fuck you’ herself. She wasn’t going to give this lucifer what he clearly wanted. Giving someone hope, then tearing it away, was a classic way the slavers found enjoyment. So then, what should her answer to him be? What answer would he not want her to say the most? After a brief moment of thought, she figured it out. Her face turned from nervous and fearful, to that of resignation, but also, determination. “I wish to go with you to your home, master.” She said, and internally felt joy as she watched his face look disapprovingly down at her.
Shade raised an eyebrow at her answer. He was rather surprised, and honestly, pretty disappointed, though he tried, and failed, to not show it. As he had been standing there waiting for her answer, the more he thought about it, the more he did just want to wash his hands of the girl entirely. He had convinced himself that she would ask to be free, and he would grant it, then they would simply go their separate ways. But now, for some reason, she had asked to go home with him, which unfortunately was an option he gave her. After a brief moment of silent staring at one another, he in one quick motion wrapped his tail around her waist and vaulted into the air, flying back towards his house. He flew faster and faster, while Faylen flapped around behind him like paper in the wind. Finally, they reached his house, and he landed on the ground by the front door, then released her from the grasp of his tail.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“Home sweet home.” He mumbled. His home was a small, one floor wooden cabin in the middle of a forest, with no paths leading to or from it. He went to open the door, but heard wheezing coming from behind him, so he turned and saw Faylen, who was collapsed on the ground, catching her breath. “Exhausted from all the not flying you just did?” He said in a sarcastic manner. She though didn’t respond, believing him leaving her to flop in the wind was a sort of punishment for her not giving him the real answer he wanted. “So, are you just going to sit there all day?” He asked, and she got up to her feet, dusted herself off, then peered angrily at him. He met her gaze with his own, wondering to himself what had changed in her. Just a bit ago she was this stoic, emotionless, almost doll like being. Now she was showing some real emotions, fear first, now anger. After a few seconds of contemplation, he shrugged, turned, and opened the door to his house. “Well, come in.” He said, pointing inside. She silently nodded, and walked past him.
What she found inside was a house that looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in a decade, which of course was because it hadn’t. A thick filament of dust covered almost everything, with clothes, garbage, and empty coin pouches all over the ground. As she stood there taking in the home that looked dirtier than the alleys she once slept in, she felt his hands start going through her hair. She froze, this was it. He was going to either kill her and eat her soul, or use her like her former masters did. But what she heard from behind her was the sound of disgust.
“You clearly haven’t bathed in a long time.” Shade said, looking down at his now dirt covered hands. He then pointed to a room at the end of the hall, the bathroom. “Go clean yourself up, and do a good job of it too. I don’t want you dragging dirt all around the house.” He said, but then looked down at the dust covered ground, where he himself had dragged in dirt from the grass he had been sleeping in. “Well, more than already has been dragged in, I guess.” He said sheepishly.
“Yes master.” She replied. Of course, she thought, if he was going to touch her, to do things to her, he would want her to look her best. But she no longer cared, she wouldn’t let him see any fear again, so she confidentially walked down the hall and to the bathroom. Though when she walked in, she found the tub was just as dirty and dusty as everything else. “I might somehow get dirtier by taking a bath in there.” She mumbled to herself.
Shade watched her walk down the hall, enter the bathroom, and close the door. With her being out of his way for a little while, he could turn his attention to the more important things in life. He walked into the kitchen, opened a cabinet, then grabbed a bottle of whiskey and a small glass. He poured himself a drink and began sipping on it. He then took off what was left of his ripped clothes and tossed them in the trash, then walked from the kitchen to the bedroom, which was next to the bathroom.
As he walked past it, he could hear Faylen splashing in the tub, and his mind went to her, and the fear she had shown when he had first transformed. He sighed. “Some things never change. Though I guess I deserve it.” He said somberly, as he walked into his room and looked at the walls. His walls were littered with swords, shields and various other trophies stolen from people he had killed. “She thinks I’m some savage killer, and well, she’s not exactly wrong.” He chugged the whiskey in the glass, then opened his closet and grabbed some clothes that were sized for his dragon form. A basic white tunic and black pants. He threw them on, then walked back to the kitchen. He put the glass in the already cup filled sink and grabbed the whole bottle of whiskey. He then walked back to the living room, where he sat down on his dragon sized brown leather couch, put his feet up on the large wooden coffee table, then began drinking.
Finally, after about an hour, or 3 bottles of whiskey for Shade, the bathroom door opened, and Faylen walked out, naked and dripping wet, hair now a golden blonde. “There were no towels or clothes in there.” She said annoyed, looking down at the puddle the water dripping from her was creating on the floor, which honestly was cleaning it. He looked over at her from the couch and didn't speak for a second. He didn't know if it was the alcohol or the fact he hadn’t had sex in a long time, but he didn’t remember anyone looking as good as she did.
“Gods damn, even if you are cursed by the devil, I know many people who would take the risk to get with you.” He said, looking her up and down while finishing off his 4th bottle of whiskey. He got up from the couch and started walking towards her.
She stiffened, knowing what was next. Of course he didn’t leave her any clothes or towels, she thought, why put clothes on someone just to take them off again? But just as he was about to get to her, and she prepared herself for what was going to come, he turned and went into the kitchen. Then casually came back out with another bottle of whiskey, walked back to the couch, opened it up, then began drinking from it.
“Guess I should have thought about towels and clothes before sending you to the bath, huh.” He said in between chugs. “Well, the towels are on the right side of the closet in the bedroom, which is right next to the bathroom. I’m much bigger than you, obviously, so one of my shirts for when I look like this should be like a dress for you. They’re on the right side of the closet as well.” He then looked at her again, and the puddle of water that was forming underneath her. “Also, take an extra towel and dry up all that water, I don’t need the floors rotting away.”
She nodded, somewhat confused by him not doing anything, but then turned and walked into the bedroom. It was another mind game, wasn’t it? Not letting her know when he was going to pounce, when he was going to act. She wouldn’t fall for it though; she would stay a step ahead. When she got to the closet though, she frowned when she saw where the dragon shirts were located, but soon after, that frown became a smile as she saw the perfect shirt to wear.
After a few minutes, she walked back into the living room, now wearing a single shirt that went all the way down to her knees. The shirt was black with a red dragon skull on it, and red, dripping blood like lettering that said, ‘The black devil will have your soul.’ Shade cringed at the sight of it. “Why did I used to wear that…” He whispered to himself. “I’m going to assume that shirt hasn’t help change your mind about the whole me eating your soul thing?” She shrugged. “I’m going to take that as a no. Though, I have many shirts in there, why did you choose that one?”
“It was right next to the towels.” She lied.
He nodded. “Fair enough, I guess.” He said, then downed the rest of the whiskey and placed the empty bottle on the counter.
“I have also finished drying the floors. Is there anything else you would like for me to do for you master?” She asked, expecting to be taking the shirt right back off.
“Yea, could you get me another bottle of whiskey?” He replied with a yawn, stretching his arms out.
She frowned. Really, he still wanted to prolong her suffering? How long was he going to act like he actually wasn’t going to do anything to her? Did he really think he was fooling her? She looked at all the empty bottles he had drank, thought about him puking everywhere the night before, then wondered if maybe, just maybe, he actually wasn’t some evil vile person, but just some rich drunk living by the seat of his pants. She shook her head at that thought, he was a lucifer dragon that was at a slave auction, how much more evil does it get? “Yes, of course master.” She said in a half bow. “Which cabinet would it be in?”
“All of them.”
She nodded, left the living room, and walked into the kitchen. He watched her walk away, his drunk self struggling even more than his sober self at figuring out what was going on. She seemed to playing a character of some sort, putting on an act for some reason. Did they train her to do that? He then heard cabinet after cabinet open and close repeatedly, bottles clanking, and someone mumbling. “What’s taking so long!” He yelled. She then entered back into the living room with 3 bottles in her arms, none whiskey.
“I’m sorry master, I know you said they would be in every cabinet, but I checked every cabinet, and it seems you may be out of whiskey, I brought a bottle of gin, vodka and rum for you to choose from.” She said, placing the bottles on the table. She believed he knew he was out, and gave her an impossible task so she would fail, and he would have an excuse to punish her. A classic slaver move. “Is there anything else you would like me to do for you master?”
He quickly looked over the bottles, shrugged, grabbed the bottle of gin, uncorked it, then took a swig, frowned at its taste, then took another. He did this for a few moments while Faylen intently stared at him, waiting for her next order, or punishment. He tried to think of something, something that could keep her busy for awhile, but all he could think of was how tired he still was for some reason. It turns out sleeping in a grassy field doesn't lead to you being reenergized and refreshed, who knew? “I don’t know, why don’t you clean the house or something.” He replied tiredly, waving his hand in the air. He felt bad asking a slave to do something, a slave he wanted to, and was planning to free. It felt gross honestly, but his drunk self, like usual, didn’t care nearly as much. He then laid down on the couch, took one more swig of gin, then closed his eyes for a nap.
Faylen watched as Shade somehow instantly fell asleep, then turned and looked around the dust and dirt covered house he had tasked her to clean. “Oh, he’s more evil than I even first thought.”
