Gods of Malcea ✔️

T H I R T E E N

"The beauty that emerges from woundedness is a beauty infused with feeling; a beauty different from the beauty of landscape and the cold perfect form."

-Xamdú

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For the past few days, Karos had not spoken to Analia or anyone for the matter. The events that played out right before his eyes deemed him speechless. All their efforts towards the dragons were in vain, wrong, and morbidly so. He was wracked with guilt as to how and why he would say those things out loud to Ake after all that they had been through. Still, he clung to that bias, that bitter hatred of a race that may have been seen through the wrong eye. Ake was nothing but caring.

Yes, it may have been for the gem embedded deep inside his chest right where his heart lays. However, he very well knew that was not something Ake was trying to hide.

Karos let out a sigh before pursing his lips and stalked away towards where he heard Ake land not too long ago. He trekked across the inches of snow following the broken trees and branches. Karos knew he was near. If only he could find him. Shouting for him, like the last time, would only cause him to move away. Understandable, he thought. Still, he wanted to speak with Ake. He wanted to see if he was well.

As soon as the trees gave way to a clearing, he spotted a massive black beast curled into a loose ball. Karos watched as his head rose and his blue eyes narrowed in on him. Despite that, he tucked his head back into himself and let out a puff of smoke.

"Ake, are you well?" A growl reverberated through him as a response, his tail swishing back and forth in timed intervals.

He took a couple steps closer towards him. It amazed Karos to no end, how such a beast could take the form of a human. And to see one without it trying to kill him. For once, he can see them as they were.

Karos took his hand down the side of Ake's face feeling his scales. Leather, he thought with a smile. They felt like some strange kind of thick texture he never felt before. Ake pushed him away with his muzzle after a moment, his tail swishing faster. Truly, he looked like something majestic, something from a book, a dream. He was all black of body, glimmering under the rays of sunlight and frost.

Karos tried to touch down the middle of his face causing Ake to show his teeth, but Karos was not frightened. He had never been scared of Ake, not even once. The moment his hand touched down on his face, Ake's eyes had closed and pressed his hand even further onto it.

"Truly, you are the work of the gods..."

He puffed out another air of smoke causing Karos to laugh as it reached his face. As the smoke cleared, Karos went on and checked the wounds still oozing out silver blood.

"You will be well soon, right?" Ake pushed him into the middle of his body causing Karos' hands to scrape his scales.

"Be easy with me!"

He let out another growl that sounded more like a yawn, before putting his head down and continued to swish his tail.

"I know you are still angry with me, forgive me."

Another growl.

"I was wrong to have said those things. I did not mean them."

Karos felt the scales beginning to chip away and, soon, felt his open wounds to his side. "Truly... I did not, Ake. You are a friend to me... much better than I deserve."

His body tightened back into a ball.

"I would never leave you... Analia and Fariel will tell you the same."