Roleplay

@Strawberrium @Zeppy

Nicholas smiles warmly in reply to Hypnos. He isn't afraid as the world around them crumbles and fades away. "Of course I'll find you," he promises, "my friend, you can count on me."

In the waking world, Suilil has taken the vial with a trembling paw. Gently, she lowers it to the lips of the Prince and manages to release a drop. Instinctually, Nicholas swallows, and immediately he coughs. The effect is instantaneous. It settles in his stomach, sweet and golden like honey. It races through his veins and soothes the abnormalities. Remaining patches of scales as shed, his fangs retreat into familiar canines, and his tail vanishes back into his spine. His shattered ribs are set, and Nicholas awakens with a shuddering gasp.

"Nicholas!" Suilil cheers. She smiles brightly, bubbling with gentle laughter and tears as she engulfs him in a hug.

It takes him a moment to orient himself, but as soon as he's alert he's wrapped his arms as far as he can around the Pearlcatcher's neck. He hugs her tightly. "Suilil," he says shakily, "I'm sor-,"

"-not right now, milord," she hushes him. "Right now, you still must rest. You lack strength, and we all still need you."

"Welcome back to the land of the living, my child." Arwyn greets. Nicholas looks up to the massive Guardian with wide eyes. She smiles. "It has been a very long time since I hast seen thou in such a form." Nicholas answers her with a watery smile. He raises his arms out to her, and she lowers her regal head in a bow to him so he can hug the tip of her scaled nose. "Thou hast earned thy rest. You have saved thy people."

Hearing that tears a weak sob from the Prince. Relieved crashes over him. Finally, after years, decades, centuries of searching relentlessly he has found a way to help his people. He passed Plague's test. It's finally going to be ok.

@Strawberrium @Zeppy
(*SOBS* I'm so happy for them all rn)

@Strawberrium @Zeppy

Nicholas can't stop gently smiling. He is overwhelmed with relief and joy as he continues to hug the tip of the massive Valkyrie's nose in a form of self-comfort. Silently, he looks up at the unseen sky and silently prays. 'Thank you,' he says for the plague mother to hear, 'for honoring my wish and not hurting my people as I survived your test. Thank you for sparing them, all of them.'

Surrounded by his friends, his family, Nicholas feels incredibly at peace. He can already tell a difference. Now he will be easily able to shift between the forms of both human and dragon without much toll on his bodies. Deep within him, there just seems to brew a new strength and life, and it fills him with comfort.

Upon hearing what has become of Yonder, however, the Prince grows distraught. "Lord Ranceto...," he echoes, "what has become of him? Did...did Kai..." Nicholas grows pale with sudden stress. "Kai...no, that wasn't my brother. Legion, that's who-,"

"-be at peace, child," Arwyn soothes. She affectionately bumps the human with her massive nose. "Thou must rest and regain thy strength. Thou art useless if ye over work thyself."

"She's right, milord," Suilil hushes him, "I don't blame you, not at all, and I know Kai wouldn't either. Legion is the one who is to blame-,"

"-no, my children," Arwyn silences them. She looks deeply pained. "I am."

She tells her tale, the same one she told the travelers from Yonder as she led them to the city and learned of Legion's return. Suilil and Nicholas both listen intently.

"There must be a way to save him," Nicholas decides after a moment of deep thought once the tale has concluded, "both Kai and Atlas. While his actions are not justified and he must be brought to justice, there is still good in Atlas under all of that pain."

@Strawberrium @Zeppy
(NO STOP I'M CRYING)