Ezlio

HE'S BACK! MY RANDOM PROGEN! LITTLE MONSTER IS RUINING MY LAIR ORDER THOUGH!

---

It was Ezlio who found Laraquae in the storm. She was sick, injured, seconds from succumbing to the fierce, storming waves of the Sea and being pulled into its murky depths.

• Helps Lara recover
• Forms clan with her
• Have first child together, Abyssia
• Receives vision from Tidelord
• Departs for the Spiral Keep with Abyssia
• Returns, years later, as per another prophecy from the Tidelord

---

"She hates me now, doesn't she?"

The pale blue fae watched as Witch in her tracks. She turned her head to look at him with those eerie, violet eyes, the birdskulls on her necklace clattering against each other and echoing in the rocky tunnels.

"Hate, is a little strong, dear," she sighed from beneath the green-feathered skull she wore over her head, walking towards Ezlio. "I do think that the Lady Laraque is more... shocked to see you."

Ezlio shook his head rapidly, dropping his frills as sadness filled him. "I would not have come here had I known that..."

"You need not explain yourself to me right now, dear," Witch placed her claws gently on the fae's shoulders and looked into his eyes. "This has been an ordeal for us all, you included."

"I just-" Ezlio sighed and looked away from Witch's piercing gaze. He hadn't expected it to be the same as before he'd left. He knew how much he had given up in order to serve his deity. But... he'd hoped that the clan, those still left, would be happy to see him. He'd hoped Laraquae would be happy to see him, yet all he saw when she looked at him was pain. Ezlio knew he was that cause of that pain, and just remembering the shock and sadness on his old mate's face made him feel like strong claws were squeezing his chest, leaving him unable to breathe.

"...Lio, dear?"

Witch's voice shook Ezlio from his thoughts. He slowly glanced up to where she still stared down at him, worrying with the ends of his white shawl. "I hurt her, Hecate."

"I can't say it was easy for any of us, watching you go," Witch gave him a strained smile, "But that matters not to me. You are here now, and I am glad of it."

---

"Do... do you still practice your magics?" Ezlio asked, a thought striking him as to how he could fix all of this.

"Yes... why is it you ask?"

Ezlio stared straight at Witch, determination filling his tiny form. "I want you to change me. You can do that, right?"

"I do dear, but-" Witch sighed and turned away, as if to leave. "Every wish has its price."

"I'll do anything. If looking at me causes her such pain, I will gladly change my form so that I no longer hurt her."

"Do you know what you're asking?"

"Not entirely," Ezlio shook his head, "But it has to be a start if I am to stay here for any time."


BULLET TIME:

• Ezlio makes a deal with a reluctant Witch to change his form so that he is no longer recognizable to Laraquae
• They meet up with Moonghoul, who also tries to talk the fae out of it
• He pays something in return (unsure what), and Witch works her powers
• Ezlio's still the same after, but is told the magic takes time
• Overnight, he goes through terrible pains as his body shifts and changes, Witch and Moonghoul staying near to tend to him
• He wakes up in the morning, and all the sounds are now a strange, murmuring buzz
• He checks his form to see that he's now bigger than both of the mirrors and has feathers
• He cant make out what they're saying
• Realizes he's a coatl now
• Takes time to readjust to hearing things, has trouble with it
• Tries to stay away from Laraquae because he's scared of upsetting her
• She finally comes across him and is shocked to see what he did
• They reconcile a little, but the Matriarch still needs space
• Ezlio is happier just knowing that there's hope for them to still be around each other

---

Ezlio had been lonely since coming back to the Stormtide Clan. He thought that he would return to his old friends gathered around him, not a shocked silence and the knowledge that most of those he once knew had moved or passed on. He thought he'd found some companionship in Calypso, as the imperial was one of the few who took the time to ask how he was doing and want to be around him. He didn't have to see the brief glimpses of hurt, the pain, in her face as he did when he spoke to Demetria, to Witch, to Laraquae. He threw himself into that companionship, never stopping to consider if it was Calypso he cared about or the attention she gave him.

He did not think about it until after they'd had a nest together; until Ezlio realized that he was the one who would have to raise Mirani, as Calypso kept insisting she had important matters to attend to. Even then, it took Ezlio far too long past that to see that he didn't care about Calypso the same way he had Laraquae... and that the same was true for her towards him.

So Ezlio pushed away. After all, running away from all his problems seemed to be what he did best. He took to spending all of his time alone with the clan's familiars, seeing to their needs where he could not his own. The warmth he felt caring for these creatures almost offset the cold dread he felt around the other dragons. He enjoyed the glimmer of happiness upon observing a Xolo's eggs hatch, the larvae swimming excitedly around their proud mother. It covered the pit in his stomach as he realized his children were growing more and more distant from him. Especially Mirani, who was spending more and more time with her mother.

Ezlio could see that Calypso was pushing Mirani, as daughter of one of the clan's founders, to try to gain power within the clan. He watched helplessly as once pure, childish delight slowly fade from Mirani's eyes as she was forced to be more and more of someone who she was not.

At least the creatures of the clan kept his heart afloat. Their happiness from his care gave him a small rock to cling to in this storm; stopped him from succumbing to the chilling waves trying to pull him under.

---

"You tend to all the creatures here?"

Ezlio slowly turned around from the dappled seal pup he was grooming. His head feathers instinctively flicked downwards, in imitation of a fae showing reluctance, before he righted them again. Emoting with a crest was a hard habit to break, even after all this time.

Before him stood a small tundra, her faded blue fur streaked with dark indigo around her chest and legs. He face was kind (as far as he could tell from an initial glance)

"I do," he hummed flatly. Vocal inflection was not something that came easily either.


BULLET TIME:

• Meets Alcyone
  
  
• He's not doing great and she notices
  
  
• Asks what's wrong and he just completely comes apart
  
  
• She sits with him and listens until he feels better
  
  
• He apologizes and she tells him it's ok she doesn't mind
  
  
• Which catches him off-guard because it's sincere and he's never really had that from anyone before.
  
  
• Alcyone tells him she'll start visiting if he wants, Lio agrees hesitantly
  
  
• Disappointed but excepted to be so when she doesn't show up the next day.
  
  
• But she shows up 1/2 through the day after
  
  
• It becomes a habit, she hangs out with Lio when there's time
  
  
• He tells her about the clan and the different familiars- she tells him about her old home, a cozy little clan in the snowsquall tundra.
  
  
• She listens to his worries, he does his best to help her get used to the new surroundings.
  
  
• Eventually starts going out a bit, introducing Alcyone to others like Witch and Demetria

---

Start: Coal/Rose/Aqua


1: Copper/Sand/Cherry


2: Coral/Mauve/Nightshade


3: Nightshade/Ice/Clay


4: Robin/Marigold/Shadow


5: Spring/Gold/Buttercup IT'S SO GOOD BUT NOT WATER


6: Garnet/Tarnish/Amber


7: Robin/Turquoise/Cottoncandy