Dominus

D O M I N U S

Abilities

Shapeshifting
Transmutation into other breeds and species.
Regeneration
Immediate healing on transformation.
Voice Mimicry
Ability to copy sounds of other species and understand languages of other breeds.

GENESIS - The Metamorphic Archmage

It was that time of day when the evening turned to night - that space of twilight where the sun was swallowed up by the purple and pink horizon. A gentle drizzle fell outside a cave situated under the massive observatory, overlooking the vast glowing expanse of the crystalline peaks of the Starfall Isles.

Inside, obscure voices whispered to each other in anticipation and excitement. The parents, Chimera and Hallucination, two renowned mages of the clan stood proudly over the well-kept nest they had built for their new offspring. It had seemed odd that the eggs hadn't hatched yet as they were days late. But nevertheless, they seemed healthy.

"Here they come!" Shouted one of the younger dragons.

One crackle, then two and many more. The hatchlings rampantly pecked at their shells, excited to leave their dark abodes and enter the world outside filled with endless possibilities.

Chimera's eyes lit up in ardor. He would spend the next few days teaching his new young ones how to survive and thrive just like him and their mother - powerful mages, trained in the art of battle, blessed with the ability to shapeshift.

First came a female, an imperial that was a spitting image of Chimera. The lair ooh'd and aah'd. Next, a little nocturne popped up out of his shell, trying to fixate his eyes on his mother. The third egg moved, a small crack appeared but then it stopped moving. And then...nothing.

The entire lair fell silent and only the sounds of the two new hatchlings whining and whimpering could be heard.

Hallucination, the heartbroken mother sat down silently beside the nest, a look of disappointment washed over her otherwise bright and sharp features. She picked up the two hatchlings, gently handing them over to one of the nursemaids.

"Is it a case of rot?" asked one of the dragons insensitively. No one had the nerve or heart to reply.

Chimera sat still beside the nest with Hallucination, while the rest of the dragons started to clear out. There was much work to do after the Starfall Celebrations ended and there was no time to mourn the loss of a single egg. After all, clan nests hatched here almost every day.

But just as the last dragon set foot outside the cave, the egg twitched. Chimera and Hallucination sat up straight and looked at each other. The egg began to sway softly and a deep blue glow emanated from the inside. The egg, however, seemed like it could not crack itself open.

Now both parents knew that two things could happen if they helped hatch the egg. One, its blood vessels could shut down and the offspring could bleed to death. Two, the little one may not have time to strengthen its legs and it would hatch with legs that are too weak to function normally for the rest of its life. But they also knew that this little one could not possibly hatch on its own.

Immediately, clan healers were brought in, a strange coatl couple that barely spoke and when they did, it was only in muffled voices, to each other. Many doubtful hours ensued for both parents as the healers poured strange concoctions and threw herbal powders over the egg.

After 12 long hours, the magic began to work. The egg glowed brighter, the shell did not crack but evenly grew thinner from down under on all sides. As the shell slowly disappeared into thin air, it was apparent that the egg was probably empty. But there was a glow inside and as the four adults inched closer to it, they noticed a single firefly. "What is this?" asked Hallucination.

"Why it's your baby," said one of the healers speaking almost for the first time to the exhausted Imperial. "Right..." said Hallucination, bending to pick up the firefly in her palms. "This is..." she brought it closer to her face in astonishment. She knew that her offspring were genetically born with fireflies surrounding them but this was definitely not normal.

Are we to raise a firefly? What in the world? she thought to herself.

"He is transformed," said the other healer, almost reading her mind. "But...how?" both parents looked terribly confused. "The magic...it's in him already," said the healer quite ordinarily.

The firefly began to hum and vibrate, jolts of pink, purples, and blues sparked all around it and suddenly in her arms, a baby imperial stared up at its mother, surrounded by fireflies just like his parents and siblings. He sneezed and then turned into a firefly again, the other fireflies around him now disappearing.

And in seconds, the colors and sparks flew about him again and he turned into himself once more.

"Unbelievable!" Screamed Chimera. This was without a doubt the biggest oddity he had come across in all his life.

"Believe it," said one of the healers haughtily. "Regardless of how he hatched, it looks like this one won't need your help with magic at all." The healers packed their things up and left, leaving the parents to poke, prod and study their new hatchling with absolute wonderment.

In the days that ensued, the magical hatchling would astound the entire clan with his innate shapeshifting abilities. To the dismay of his siblings, he was haughty, unfriendly and looked down on most others his age. He walked with his nose in the air and playtime meant little to him.

He was given the name Dominus, claiming his place not only as superior offspring of the brood but also as one of the most powerful hatchlings the clan had ever seen.

Distant from the bond of family ties, he preferred to spend his days in the clan's library, fixated on books about Arcane mage spells and the art of transmutation which he perfected long before adolescence.

It wasn't a rare sight to find Dominus alone in the Starwood Strand, practicing his magic in the midst of fireflies and the glowing flowers of the night. Nothing bored him more than returning home to his childish siblings and his overly doting parents.

It wasn't long before Dominus decided to move on from the sanctuary of his first clan. There were worlds out there filled with magic he had yet to learn. There were wise wizards and oracles far more powerful than any he knew, who could show him extraordinary things that he believed his clan could not.

With his heart rather light and a mind racing with the urge to explore the rest of Sornieth, he left home one day, saying the shortest goodbyes to his parents who looked on confidently. They knew he was meant for greater things.

On an eve much similar to the time he was born, the faint glow of his fireflies disappeared as his silhouette walked on into the beckoning twilight.

Where will his journey take him? Only time and fate will tell ...

Origin Lore by Drake Dynasty