Caligo
Slowly he had fallen asleep, drifting into his dreams as his breathing was slow and deep, eyes closed softly, his hand stuck in her hair from when he had been running his fingers through it and his head still resting ontop of hers as the darkness faded out into a beautiful night of wonder, beneath the ground, where the city of the dark elves lied, secret and hidden away, there were glowing muschrooms and fireflies that lit the large cavern filled with beautiful glowing crystals that were bigger than the elves themselves, his eyes glowed like moons as he was a small version of himself, but yet his tattoos still remained, glowing in bioluminescence. He was a small kid, picked on often, but when his father was around, no one dared mess with him. so he was all alone, playing with a small glowing salamander, giggling as he leaned up against a giant glowing crystal, the salamander about the size of his foot as he held it in his hands, its little spots glowing in the light until a stern voice sounded behind him, causing him to jump in shock as he stood up straight and hid the salamander behind his back in his hands, "y-yes father?" he said as a large buff elf with a bushy beard and a strong jaw spoke firmly, "son... as you know, humans are getting nearer, close to finding our kingdom..." The little Caligo nodded and swallowed as his father continued, "and your mother isnt here to train you..." a hint of sadness was hinted in his voice but he cleared his throat and continued, "you will have to-" he paused as he noticed his son had been holding something behind his back, seeming quite destracted, "son, whats behind your back?" The little Caligo froze and reached his hands out towards his father, a cheesy nervous smile on his little face as there was nothing in his hands, yet he seemed to squirm a bit uncomfortably as the salamander was crawling up the back of his shirt. His father eyeballed him suspitiously but still continued, "as i was saying... you will be training with-" his eyes went wide as the salamander crawled up to the shoulder of Caligos shirt to pop out the neck of his shirt and lick its eye before tilting its head. his father huffed and looked at caligo sternly, "really? whats this?" Caligo shook his head and shrugged, "i-i dont know what your talking about..." His father narrowed his gaze and snatched the salamander from his sons shoulders, tossing it away as he spoke, "dont you realize!? our kingdom is on the verge of collapsing! your the only heir! im not going to live long enough ton fix this! this is in your hands! and your not even trained! yet your playing with a lizard? as if the world doesnt exist? wake up! who's son are you?" the look of dissapointment and rage formed from stress in his fathers gaze made caligo feel two inches tall. like he was being squished slowly by his fathers will, and he lowered his head, glancing of to where the salamander liyed, limp on the ground from hitting the stony cave wall, then glancing back to his father as a small fiery rage filled his gaze in hurt and pain, "he was a salamander! and his name was dotty!" he huffed and ran away, his little moonlit eyes filled with tears, as he clearly hadnt comprehended what his fathers stresses were, too young to understand anything but the fact that his father was angry, hated him, and that he killed his only friend. but then suddenly loud screaming and yelling could be heard from the main entrance, then from all around, the dreams so vivid in his memory as little caligo froze behind a few clusters of large crystals, terrified and confused, holding onto the back of it as he looked around terrified, wiping the tears from his eyes as he listened, war screams all around him, but something took his attention as he glanced around the large crystal, hear4t beat in his ears as he heard his father's yells, calling out his name. was he still mad? no, this sounded urgent, he didnt know what to do, what was more scary, the humans running rampid, slaughtering his kingdom, or his fathers stressed rage. he'd stick with bhis father. He stood up, biting his lip as he wild eyes flickered towards his father and the fighting humans and elves around him, he had to get to his dad on the other side. Taking a deep breath, he dove into the crowd, crouching low, quickly manuvering between people and elves, dodging a few that tried to come after him, managing to slip away like a weasil, his tattoos a natural indication of his royal blood, making him a target, but he was a crafty, witty child, very stealthy in his nature. he finally made it to his father but before he could say much, terror filled his tiny face as his father swept him up and choved him into a farther underground compartment, then speaking few words, "stay. dont come out until i tell you to..." he paused but shook his head shutting the top as if leaving something else out. so little calligo stayed there huddled into a small hole, his knes to his chest as he watched and listened as footsteps echoed throughout the ground and yells of pain and terror shook through the cavern, tears pulling at his little eyes as he held his breath when things got silent, listening to unrecognizable voices as he kept silent, until finally hearing them fade away. he waited. and waited. but his father hadnt told him to come out yet. until a croak of a voice sounded near to the hold of the top, was that... his fathers? it didnt sound right, "caligo..." it said before choking and coughing, his gruff defeated voice sounding, "son..." caligo hesitantly and slowly lifted the lid of the secret compartment by just a crack, whispering softly as he looked around, his eyes absorbing the images of only his worst nightmares, bodies scattered everywhere... but bodies of his own kind. elves he knew. He whispered shakily, "f-father...?" he slowly climbed out to see his fathers bpdy lying there, just barely breathing, his breaths could be heard, so shallow they were like wheezes, his voice sputtering blood as there was a large stab wound in his chest, one arm mangled, one leg stabbed, blood pooling from his fathers mouth as he seemed to gargle on it as he spoke, or at least tried to, "caligo... come." he spoke but caligo only took a step back in terror, hid father speaking still trying to be firm and rough with his words to get him to do something but didnt seem to have the strength, the energy, "Now!" he spoke but was only followed by a long series of gargly, lung heaving coughs as blood spattered from his mouth upon the cave floor, breathing even shallower, seeming to stop for a few moments, closing his eyes as he held out an amuluet in his hand, his voice barely a whisper, "t-take... it......c-cal" but his words were gone as his final breath was lost and his body grew limp. little caligo clenched his jaws shut, frozen as his gaze was glued to the sight of his dead father, a mere whisper coming from him in a frightened whimper, "f-father...?" he stood, for hours it seemed, frozen, but there was no answer. he slowly walked over, his hand shakily reaching out for the amulet, his little eyes flashing from his hand to his fathers face, as if scared he'd wake up, once having it in his grip he jumped back and ran out of the cavern without a second thought or a second glance, running out into the forest. alone.
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'Dragon. She said your name is Mystica. I hear you fine.' are the words Mystica had caught from the horse, nodding, although at his next statement her head tilted slightly, eyes narrowed 'I really don't do the hole joining a sleeping pile.' She huffed and nodded, "very well then..." although he gave off a slightly rude, distant aura to her, it was strange. he'd be something she'd observe more often, try to figure him out. Her gaze flickered towards Thalia as she spoke the words, 'Forgive him, he doesn't like physical affection anymore then a pat on the neck and a thank you.' she shook her head and let out a long deep breath as she rested her head on the ground, "id say I understand, but thats a mystery to me... but i find it a challange, an interest of mind to try and understand it. i respect it."
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(woo this is a bigggg boyyyy lol)