Sonja

Born a Primal.
Altered to Aberration on 3-11-22.

---

Sonja was born a Spiral of Plague. Her eyes multiple, she brought much joy to her clan and was sent to become exalted to serve Plaguebringer. Nothing would bring the Plaguemother more pleasure than an altered appearance.

But... Another clan brought Sonja in. She was fascinating to them, for they were of Lightning. They planned to make use of her, mostly as a sentry, assuming she can see in several directions at once.

Sonja felt that sentry duty was quite boring... Standing there for hours upon hours, watching nothing happen, fighting hunger and sleep. One night, Sonja slipped away. She traveled through Lightning realm, her head covered by a hood. Catching insects and other foodstuffs as she moved through this new land, Sonja met other passersby and had many conversations along the way. So interesting, this diverse land of science. Sonja reflected that this was a pretty good life, all things considered.

As fate would have it, she happened upon the immense and foreboding Deirdre, gleaming pink in the sunlight, her rugged armor gently clanging against itself. Sonja was immediately approached, Deirdre's aggression getting the best of her.

"Who are you, where do you come from?" Deirdre got uncomfortably close to Sonja, causing her to back away.

"Do you have something to hide, dragon?! Answer me!"

"I-I am a traveler..." Sonja replied in a soft voice with a puzzled look, attempting to calm Deirdre. Thankfully Anabel heard the commotion and arrived in a cloud of dust.

"Deirdre!" Anabel shouted at her hot-tempered sister. Deirdre immediately stopped advancing and turned to look at Anabel.

"Why do you always stop my line of questioning, sister?" Deirdre deeply sighed. Anabel rested her hand on Deirdre's shoulder, and turned her attention to Sonja.

"My apologies, traveler. Where do you hail from?" Anabel smiled softly, attempting to get answers.

Sonja raised her head and stared at Anabel. She didn't know what to say... Was she from a Plague clan? A Lightning clan? Was she just... her, and had no association?

"I... am Sonja. I travel this land of Lightning."

Anabel looked Sonja over with a calculating expression. "Hm. I believe I shall take you to see Lord Swift. He will be cross with me if I do not."

Sonja felt an anxiety fall over her. Lord Swift... What did he want with her? Would he have a reaction like, Plaguebringer forbid, Deirdre?

Sonja followed Anabel into the lair, as Deirdre stayed behind to continue her tireless sentry duty. Sonja peered about - the lair was quite deep into the earth. There were so many ornate doors and beautifully decorated hallways. But Anabel led her down, down, down to the very bottom. The largest door... colored a deep crimson, with a shield emblazoned upon it.

Swift's ready room. His throne. The main hub of this lair.

She felt an oppressive aura from the other side of the door. Anxiety returned. It coursed all the way to the tip of her tail. Who could possibly be in this room?

Anabel even appeared to show some anxiety as she gently knocked on the tremendous door. A loud bellow of "COME IN!" was heard, nearly sending Sonja into the roof. She started trembling a slight, and honestly... Anabel was in the same boat.

The heavy door took some effort. Anabel struggled at first, but someone helped her from the other side - the massive Beast, decked out in his warrior garb. Through dark fur and a horned helmet, Sonja was startled seeing his menacing red eyes looking her over... he said nothing, which somehow made it worse.

Anabel approached the throne. Sonja looked up slowly... an immense throne made of a mixture of scrap metal, wood, and organic material loomed above her. A gorgeous, shimmering, massive Ridgeback was seated in the throne. He was a creamy white, lavished in beautiful clothes. Sonja audibly gasped - she was enamored. It was as if time itself stopped.

Anabel had a discussion with Swift about encountering Sonja. About how she is just a traveler, and may have potential. As Swift was pondering what exactly to do with her, Sonja, in a monotone, interrupted the conversation.

"I will do anything for my Lord." Sonja bowed down so far she laid upon the ground.

Anabel's eyes widened as she blushed. "My-my apologies my Lord..."

Swift's stoic face slowly turned to a smirk. He began to laugh, his chortles echoing through the surrounding lair rooms.

"My lady! You shall regret uttering those words."

Sonja felt a tiny bit of anxiety again, but it was overwhelmed by infatuation.

"Get up off that floor, it doesn't suit you."

Sonja did as he said.

"Take that hood off, my lady."

Sonja did as he said. Anabel and Beast were taken aback - she had multiple eyes... What a strange dragon.

Swift observed her quietly with a silent pause. Calmly he uttered, "My lady... Do you see well?"

Sonja nodded. "My eyes are as clear as my devotion to you, my Lord."

Swift's smirk turned into a toothy grin. "Well then, my lady... You will join Beast as bodyguard of my ready room. You will give your life for me, yes?"

Sonja answered nearly before Swift ended the sentence. "Of course, my Lord."

Swift grinned and squinted his eyes. "Then welcome. Beast will start your training immediately. Anabel, thank you - take a rest, then get back to work."

Anabel was taken aback by all this... but complied. She took a grand bow, thanked Lord Swift, and slinked away.

---

Through a network of other lairs in the Expanse, Swift came across a new discovery. Another lair had discovered a twisted Plagueling that had two heads, that had fallen into the Scar. The dragon itself did not lose its personality or sense of self... It just gained another head.

Perhaps...

Swift went to his ready room. He immediately turned to the then-Spiral Sonja and beckoned her to his private study in the back. Sonja blushed, as she was still enamored with her Lord. What could he possibly want that he couldn't speak of in front of Beast?

Swift walked behind his desk, putting his front feet upon it. Taking a deep sigh, he explained to her the new discovery.

"So, my Lady... I am not trying to force you into anything. I do not know how dangerous this is. It is your decision.

But... I believe it will be beneficial to you. An extra entire set of eyes... You will be the greatest guard in all of Sornieth."

Sonja felt a rush of endorphins flow throughout her body. She felt alive, so alive that she did somewhat of a pirouette in the air. Smiling ear to ear, she exuberantly exclaimed;

"YES! I WILL BECOME MY LORD'S GREATEST PROTECTOR!"

Sonja fell to the floor in a heap, laughing deliriously at her decision. Swift was taken aback, yet his stone cold stoicism didn't show it. He gently pulled a scroll from his desk drawer, laid it upon the desk, and told Sonja to read it.

As she eagerly read through the scroll, her body began to contort. After the last word, she turned into a puddle of slime instantaneously. Swift's face turned to horror, his eyes widening. Did he lose her over his own folly, should he have brought this upon her without testing it over and over?

Swift's horror turned to regret. "Oh, what have I done..."

As Swift contemplated, bubbles started to form in the muck. Swift peered over his desk, observing this disgusting filth now present on his study floor. Frowning, he pondered exactly how he would get someone to clean it up...

But as the goop gurgled, a tip of a horn appeared slowly. Swift's frown turned to confusion. The horn was attached to a head... From the muck slowly arose a beast not seen before this side of the Charged Barrens, covered in goop. A gurgling cry erupted from its maw. It sounded as if it was laughing.

Swift ducked behind his desk, covering himself in his wings. Not the most dignified appearance for the Lord of the Horologium.

Eventually the gurgling sounds stopped. Very slowly he peered over his desk. There she was... Sonja. With two heads and a brand new body. As a Spiral she was petite and long, adept at flight but terrible at terrain. She lacked confidence in fighting off possible invaders due to her slender body, but thankfully had never encountered combat.

But this body... Sonja looked at her front legs, marveling at her long claws. She whipped her two tails, grabbing a decorative sword off the wall. She stretched her wings, looking like a beautiful terror.

She then noticed that Swift appeared... frightened. She turned both heads toward him, as he, startled, backed up towards the wall. She smiled contentedly.

"My Lord..." the left head uttered. "There is no need to be afraid." said the right.

"Now we both..." "Can protect you, body and soul."

The two heads looked at one another, then back at Swift.

"For all eternity."