Constantine

b i r t h


Born of a clan within the Magmablood Rebuke, a young Constantine could not enjoy what was essentially his infancy for very long. The danger of living in the Ashfall Wastes was fully realized with one rockslide and eruption, and his entire life was uprooted before it even began.

b a c k s t o r y


The constant eruption and expansion of the young volcanic island that made the Magmablood Rebuke was bound to effect some of the dragons living there. They may have been well-adapted, smart, and resilient Fire dragons used to the volatile forces of the Ashfall Wastes, but accidents can still happen, and sometimes the worst timing can catch even the most prepared of dragons off-guard.

This was the case for Constantine's birth home. The Spiral was just two days old, still living in the warmth of his nest and being tended to by his parents, when the entire Rebuke shook with a sudden eruption. It came without warning, and all dragons living near the peak or within range of potential magma rain scrambled to reinforce their homes, flee, or find shelter. In the chaos, many dragons and their clans intermingled and lost one another, as was the case for Constantine's family. Feeling the ground beneath the warm magma nest quake, the curious and fearful hatchling climbed over one of the nest walls to try and find his parents in the chaos, but as soon as he did, the true eruption began.

A crashing rockfall shattered the nesting grounds, and the Spiral hatchling was immediately thrown from his nest. Too young to even walk, let alone fly, he was helpless against the elements, battered with debris and burnt by magma too hot for even the resilient hides of the Fire dragons in the area. Hide sizzling, the last thing Constantine could remember, even when struggling to recall the moment today, was being hurled into the sea and everything going black.

What came next is fuzzy at best in Constantine's mind, as he sustained serious injury during the eruption which quickly began to take its toll on his memory, but he recalls being nursed back to health by a passing Water Veilspun who found him floating on the waves while they were swimming. Though the details of such an early time in his life are largely lost in his memory, Constantine remembers the kind Veilspun distinctly. His name was Seaspray, a refugee who fled his home in the Sea of a Thousand Currents when a rival clan pushed his out of their territory.

Seaspray was a caring old dragon and watched dutifully over Constantine. A drifter, he had no home, but the pair fared seas together, going where the ocean winds took them. Even though he was a Fire dragon by birth, Constantine liked to consider himself a Water dragon by heart, and whether he could swim or not (which he couldn't), Seaspray was content to humor him and treat him as his own. An ancient dragon who had existed for many years, he had a near infinite amount of patience and quickly proved himself one of the best possible matches to raise Constantine, as when his memory issues became apparent, Seaspray took charge to give him any additional support he needed.

Of course, even for a dragon who had already struggled and seemingly found a happy ending, nothing lasts forever--it's a lesson Constantine was regrettably forced to learn again and again. As an adult, still traveling the seas with his adoptive father, even falling in love and mating with a few dragons who had caught his eye on their travels, Seaspray's age began to catch up to him. Constantine had been so dependent on his careful guidance, and it was obvious Seaspray did not want to succumb to old age and remain there for his son instead, but there was no stopping the inevitable. Before he finally passed, Seaspray told Constantine of a dragon sanctuary on the Zephyr Steppes he could travel to to find a new clan to call home.

So, pained as he was to do it, Constantine left before he could see Seaspray pass, as instructed by the old Veilspun, and made his way to the sanctuary. Though he arrived safely, was welcomed with open arms and given plenty of food and comfortable shelter, his memory issues were very apparently worsening from the stress of the grief. Visiting dragons who came to take in new members were largely put off by how frantic and forgetful the Spiral had become, and for months, he resided there with no proper friends or direction to go, even pushing away other friendly sanctuary dragons.

That was, until a Tundra his age came to the sanctuary. He was assigned to share quarters with Constantine, and though the Spiral had many reservations about living with another dragon after all his social failings, he quickly took an interest in Pine, the Tundra who had suddenly become a very prominent figure in his life. Pine was calm, happy-go-lucky, and even though they essentially resided in a place for dragons who had been considered "unwanted", nothing seemed to get Pine down, at least, not outwardly. He had the same patience Seaspray had possessed, content to recline on his bed and let Constantine talk on and on about this or that, and never grew frustrated when he forgot things.

Life at the sanctuary was suddenly much better. Constantine had a friend his age now, one who was always near, and Pine couldn't have been a better match for the neurotic Spiral. The ever-friendly shoulder to lean on that he was, to Constantine, nowhere was a safer place than in his quarters when Pine was there. Still, Constantine feared Pine would eventually tire of him or even leave him, and those fears grew tenfold as he began to notice Pine eyeing visiting dragons hopefully and talking of finding a clan of his own.

Pine did eventually leave the sanctuary for a new clan, but to Constantine's surprise and delight, it was not without him. Pine had found a new home they could potentially work out of, and had apparently long decided he would not go anywhere that Constantine couldn't also go. Hearing Pine was to become creedkeeper of the new clan, Constantine requested a position wherein they could work closely with one another, having that anchor of familiarity in a new place... and just the company of the dragon he liked most.

p r e s e n t


Given his memory issues, the clan council had some reservations about allowing Constantine to act as loremaster, but Pine largely vouched for his intelligence and diligence. Being surrounded by so many scrolls and tomes of history to read is, in some way, a dream come true to Constantine, as his previous nomadic life with Seaspray never allowed for much time to read.

It turns out his memory may not affect his job so badly after all, as Constantine has quickly developed a voracious appetite for reading and is perfectly content to read the same tomes again, and again, and again. Committing clan history to his long-term memory has proven less challenging than anyone, even Constantine, expected.

Though delighted to be approached by dragons who want to hear about the history he has quickly become obsessed with, Constantine is not used to living a social life and frequently needs breaks to retreat to the den he shares with Pine and only Pine. They are not officially "together", and it seems Constantine is wholly unaware being in love with Pine is even a possibility, but he cares for no dragon more.

r e l a t i o n s h i p s

? Pine has refused to leave Constantine's side from the moment they met, and Constantine could not be more grateful for his company. Pine's calm and amicable nature is incredibly inspiring to Constantine, not just for the comfort his presence provides, but as an ideal of calmness to strive for. He and Pine are not mates, at least not yet, but they are very physically intimate and do live together. Appealing fur texture aside, hugging and snuggling up to Pine is just a soothing thing! Pine is his loving lifeline.

Please don't exalt this dragon! If you no longer want them, please feel free to send them back to Pearl's exalt rescue lair!

Button made by the lovely Jyxxie!

Commissioned from flaminchi!