Bakunawa

Bakunawa
Named for the serpent-like dragon in Philippine mythology. Said to cause eclipses, earthquakes, wind, and rain.
Given By Siris

-Lore Writen by @AloneTogether

Instead of exalting please return to Crowharlequin, I'll buy them back within reason.

Art created by Dontuworry

Bakunawa stood upon the cliff face looking down at the camp, its tents fallen and dragons slowly picking up the remains of their homes. Many looked up at the wolf-faced Imperial, expressions of fear and anger across their faces. Tears found his eyes and with a keening noise, he fled, lost and alone in a land of life. A land he didn't belong in. He flew, his capsule belly sloshing, his tentacle tail whipping and his bee wings almost vanishing in the black night sky. His tentacled mane, a shame he was cursed with, was hidden under his wolfskin cape. He always tried to tie them together so they would be hidden but they always seemed to untie themselves and keep out from under the fur. Fur he was supposed to naturally have. He had tried cutting them off but the pain had been too great.
His power...his shame. He remembered his mother, the beautiful Nocturne Randi, telling him the story of the mythical beast he was named after. How he was great, kind, and wise beyond the years of Sorneith. He had listened in awe, saying one day, he'd be wise and powerful but now, he hated the namesake. As he had grown, the hidden evil had emerged. It started to rain and lightning flashed as images of that day rose. His father lashing claws, his mother crying as the earth shook and his siblings died. Once the shaking has subsided and Bakunawa's father saw his dead children, he attacked, screeching madly.
The young god blinked and landed in his dwelling, a cave deep in the mountains outside Sorneith. He let out a low clicking noise and his Shadow Serpent, the only familiar that had stayed with him in his reclusion, twisted up his arm and rested around his neck, rattling happily. His name was Kraka and Bakunawa smiled, a rare expression he saved for the funny thing. The cave was only big enough for them with a natural spring blossoming in the corner, a clear pool of refreshment, and a pile of pelts Bakunawa now lowered himself onto. Kraka began to crawl across his body, massaging his aches and pains. But wasn't enough, it never was. He knew tomorrow he would rise again, his curse pulling him to another clan. He would act like a friendly traveler, his tail hidden in a wrapping of leaves and twigs. His power would start to grow, sucking like leeches at the life energy of those around him. Then, when the sun had set, the beast would emerge. He never remembered the transformation, just the blinding agony, and screams of dragons.
"Emperor!"
They'd roar, their warriors would try to fight him but his tentacled mane would grip them, sucking out their magic and his claws beating them down. The earth would shake and the clan would fall. He would leave in the morning, looking over the wrecked clan and...hurting. His curse, having fed on their fear, would be satisfied for the night.
"Emperor..."
Bakunawa whispered, anger filling him.
"Diseased...cursed."
He wailed and slammed his paw on the ground, the earth shaking in response. Then he wept, Kraka twisted around his arm, gazing sadly at his forlorn master before, moments later, he stiffened and hissed, warning of approaching danger. The weeping dragon lifted his head, growling and froze. Before him, standing in a circle of light, stood a strange creature that radiated purity. It was ape-life but furless except for its long raven hair. It wore a beautiful pelt that covered most of its body, it's arms and legs free, showing clawless fingers and toes. It had bright blue eyes that seemed to stare into his very soul and its lips began to move, a beautiful song of words flowing around the Imperial.
"Bakunawa...dragon of legend and power. Word of you has reached me and I come here to investigate. Dragons have told me of your wrath, your anger, and your fury. I am Scarlet...and I come to heal you."
The dragon looked at her, anger gone, replaced with confusion and wariness.
"W..What? Are you not afraid of me? You've heard stories of my power so...don't you fear me?"
He lifted his tentacles in the air, wiggling them, trying to appear intimidating but the spirit only smiled.
"You mistake me for a dragon, child. I am only a simple caretaker of the Plagued Rose clan that hails from the Plaguebringers domain. But I am also a healer that wants to help you. Will you let me?"
Bakunawa snorted and laid back down, facing away from the weird spirit.
"No one can heal me...I am beyond healing...leave..please."
He felt an ethereal hand on his neck scales and the spirit sat in front of his snout, looking into his eyes."
"You are still so young. You have a life to live, with friends and family. I can heal you child but only if you want to be healed. Don't you wish for happiness? Do you not want to be at peace?"
Bakunawa snarled and swiped his claw at the spirit, enraged.
"I will never find peace! I've hurt so many and my parents hate me...I...I killed my own siblings..."
He began to cry again but Scarlet smiled, and an image began to form in front of her, a window into what seemed to be another dimension...or a memory. Bakunawa looked up and his breath left him as he saw his mother and father, nealt over the bodies of his brother Tarquis and sister Neave. They were whispering feverishly, seemingly arguing before mother stamped her foot and seemed to make up her mind because as Bakunawa watched, the two dragons rose and with a blast of red light, they flew away, radiant and....alive! They were alive!
"They...didn't die! They were... exalted!"
The image faded and the spirit smiled widely.
"Now...you must forgive yourself." Bakunawa let out a breath and something inside him began to shift...his parents didn't hate him...and his sibling were...alive! He wasn't...evil...
"Would you like a home Bakunawa? Would you like to leave this life behind and gain a family?" The Imperial looked down and for the first time since that dark day, he laughed.
"Yes Scarlet. Yes please." And with that they left together, the spirit guiding Kraka and Bakunawa, ready to begin a new life.
Full sized art: