Thanatos

"Listen, listen, can you hear them? The words, a hush, a whisper, carried by the winds only to be heard by those who dare listen. Close your eyes, empty your mind. They are here, calling to us, their words only the faintest of sounds.

They cling on to this world, although they are no longer part of it. Every part of their etheral bodies, hopelessly clinging on to such small, insignificant things. A doll, a vase, a flower coated in ice. They reach out to these things, trying to come back to their loved ones, calling their names into the wind, hoping that they will be heard. Without these objects, they would be hopelessly lost, not able to come back, lost forever in the vast endlessness. A simple stone can be their door, their ladder, their string to hold on to.

But who ever listens to them? Who dares to open their mind, to become one with the ice and the wind, just so that they can listen to them? Their messages, their songs, their calls, all this - lost in the endless white that are these lands. Unnoticed, heard by no one, never reaching those they love, their messages carry on on the winds, endlessly.

Unless ... unless there is someone. Someone who listens. Someone who ventures out, all alone, and listens to the wind. Someone who is willing to face the bitter cold, the storms, ice and snow, just to hear those who are forever lost to us and carry their messages to their loved ones."


Thanatos has been gifted with a very special ability. Ever since he was a hatchling he was able to hear what others around him could not. Voices would drift to his ears, singing, whispering, sometimes crying; angry shouts would reach his ears and he would jump in surprise, looking around him in confusion. Because he was the only one who could hear them, other dragons soon started mocking him, playing tricks with him and mimicking voices to scare him.

What started as mockery, however, soon turned into hate and fear, as Thanatos foretold a great disaster that would come to the clan. “Take me to Vaaren”, he would plead, “and let me tell her what I know!” For he knew that the clan was about to be attacked; the voices, he said, had warned him, warned him of what was to come. But Vaaren would not listen to him; she mocked him, ridiculed him in front of everyone else.

Vaaren learned her lesson the hard way when, one night, the clan was attacked by a group of savage dragons; they caused chaos and havoc, killing mercilessly, adult and hatchling alike. Although the clan was able to drive the intruders out, they were all shaken and mourned their losses greatly. Thanatos, who had tried to warn them, was blamed, fearful eyes cast their gaze upon him and whispers started to rise. “He is dangerous”, one dragon said. “He caused all this”, said another, “he summoned those demons!” “He controlled them!” shouted a third, and on and on it went, until the whole clan was in turmoil, shouting abuse at him.

From this day on, Thanatos was shunned by his clan mates, meeting only cold eyes, filled to the brim with fear and hatred, whenever he passed them. Rumors continued to be spread around, the story of the attack and Thanatos’ warnings becoming twisted and tangled ever more, until a thousand variations, one more spiteful and full of lies than the other, existed.

When Thanatos got a warning once more, he tried his best to speak to the others, although he knew that his chances at succeeding were small. Angry hisses, lashing claws and sharp teeth in his neck were his pay, and Vaaren, who had had enough of this young imperial talking nonsense, banished him from the clan and ordered her warriors to hunt him down. There would be no mercy, she promised him, and to this day Thanatos remembers her voice, how it was filled with hatred, and her eyes, which were filled with fear, and he knew that she wasn’t afraid of his words being true, but of himself.

He rushed out of the lair, trying to outrun those who pursued him, but they were too many. Their claws ripped through his scales, their teeth dug deep into his flesh, and it was only by sheer luck that he was able to escape; sharp ice impaled those he had once called family, their blood trickling to the ground, their eyes wide in surprise.

Years passed in which he wandered alone, the voices on the wind being the only company he had. He learned to speak to them, to summon them when he needed advice, and he learned to distinguish between those who meant him harm and those who spoke openly and honestly to him. He did not always succeed; oftentimes he would call for help or for company, but no one would answer. Other times he tried to speak to them, but they would not listen in their own confusion and helplessness.

When Thanatos happened to stumble upon Aria, she soon saw his talent and, to his surprise, offered him a place in her clan. He was suspicious at first, expecting an attack at any moment, but Aria’s followers turned out to be very welcoming, treating him like a long lost family member, and he started to open up a little.

Over the years Thanatos has become a well-loved member of the clan, and it his him who has to comfort those who have lost one of their own. They will ask him about their deceased mate, their son who was lost in battle, the mother who never returned. It is him who ventures out, fearing neither cold nor storm, to visit the graves of the fallen, summoning their spirits, speaking to them with his soft voice and trying to hear their words, so that he might be able to comfort their loved ones.

Sometimes he receives warnings, other times the voices try to mock him. Some he cannot calm down, no matter how understanding he is, no matter how soft he speaks or how often he tries to offer comfort, for they have lost themselves. He has encountered countless spirits, who, in their confusion, believed to be still alive, and he felt it his obligation to tell them the truth and help them come to terms with it.

Although Thanatos is well accepted and loved by most of his clan mates, he is a rather reserved dragon, taking a lot of time for himself, speaking only to those who are dearest to him or need his comfort. He avoids being the center of attention and raises his voice only when he thinks it necessary, speaking with a voice as soft as feathers and as melodious as a bird’s. Many a dragon has swooned over his voice, and it is common for the young females of the clan to gossip about him, complimenting his voice and his looks.

Although flattered, Thanatos is loyal to his mate Nebula, who knows him better than anyone else, knowing when he needs time for himself and when he wants company. The two never speak much, for they don’t need words to know that they love each other. Loving gestures, eyes filled with love and delight and a deep understanding of each other is all they need to be happy together.

Nebula

Aria