A one shot that came to me one day whilst playing FFXIV, with the only connections between FFXIV and The 100 being that Lexa and Clarke were on opposite sides and fell in love, and that Clarke is the Sky Princess. That's really all I needed to come up with this. Might eventually turn it into something more if enough people support the idea, otherwise it will be a oneshot forevermore.
Also, all the Ye Olde English is how the characters in FFXIV actually talk, so it's not just for the sake of me messing with you, I promise :D
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Alexandria Skyhunter, Commander of The Ninth Dragoons and loyal Knight of Ishgard, cursed as yet another one of her subordinates fell to the fang and claws of the massive dragon before them. Vishap was a creature to truly titanic size, one second only to the Great Wyrms such as Nidhogg in both size and power, and it was showing as his breath obliterated yet another ballista turret lining The Steps of Faith.
Of all the times for The Warrior of Light and his companions to have business outside of Ishgard proper! A heretic must have informed the Horde, there is no way the timing of this attack is coincidence. She thought grimly to herself, leaping into the air again to land several heavy strikes into the monster's flank with her lance, but as with all her previous strikes the damage was negligible. His hide was too thick for anything short of heavy artillery to pierce it, that or the strangely overwhelming powers of The Warrior and his followers. Unfortunately, the later were gone and the former were dwindling quickly in the face of Vishap's attack.
"Commander, we can't hold out much longer, we're running out of artillery and soldiers alike!" Anya, her second in command and dear friend, huffed from beside her after landing rather heavily from her own attack.
"I know, but we cannot fall back! He can break through the wards and walls easily, all of Ishgard will be destroyed, and all of our people within it!" she snapped back, heart in her throat as another comrade and friend died with a sickening crunch as Vishap's tail smashed into him with enough force to turn his bones to fine dust. "Fight on and pray to Halone for a miracle!"
A loud, deep horn blast echoed from Ishgard's walls, and a shout went up from the soldiers on the ground, even Vishap turning to see what had been spotted.
A Great Wyrm, armored hide shimmering like gold in the winter sunlight, was descending down towards them. Ishgard's defenders let out a cry of despair, knowing that the addition of such a powerful creature would hasten the already-guaranteed destruction of their home, but Lexa's eyes narrowed as she noticed a change in Vishap's body language. He didn't seem pleased to see the new arrival, in fact he looked both terrified and enraged. The ground shook as the massive, four winged dragon touched down on the bridge, standing between Vishap and Ishgard in what almost seemed like a defensive posture.
"Doh a sohm, Vishap, an fohl Dravania." It's voice was distinctly feminine despite her massive body and inhuman voice. Lexa had no idea what she had said, but Vishap bared his massive teeth and roared at her, beating his wings and slamming the ground with his forepaws.
"Eiln kin eil warn Nish. Thorn sin afah, ah nell akh morn." He bellowed in response, and the golden dragon snapped her teeth in response, growling out another sentence, to which Vishap responded by charging at her. As the two immense creatures clashed, shaking the ground beneath their feet, Lexa screamed for her soldiers to flee for the safety of The Gates of Ishgard, to get away from the battling titans before they were crushed.
She tried to follow her own advice, her dragon's blood letting her leap high and long, but Vishap's wings created a powerful gust, sending her slamming into the ground near him, paralyzed by the crippling pain imparted by the brutal impact. Seeing an opportunity, a billow of flames poured from his maw towards her, and she could do nothing but square her jaw as her death raced towards her…only to be blocked by a massive golden wing, followed by a bellow of pain from its owner. Lexa struggled to see what was happening, and saw that it was not the fire that had harmed her savior (naturally, a dragon would be immune to dragonfire, wouldn't it?), but that Vishap had taken advantage of its distraction protecting her to sink his teeth into her neck. Forcing her agony aside, she struggled to her feet as the golden dragon writhed in effort to free herself from the crushing grasp of the other's jaws. Hefting her spear, she looked to where her comrades waited for her to join them. She saw the desperate concern and love on Anya's face, and she knew what she had to do, that she had a debt to repay. Settling her helm, she leapt back into the fray, spear striking faster than a normal mortal's eyes could see as she assaulted Vishap's snout and eyes. Roaring in pain and hatred, he was forced to release the golden dragon and withdraw several dragon-sized paces, blood streaking his muzzle from his attack. Blood of pure silver dripping from its wounds, the golden dragon drew itself up and glared hatefully at the other dragon. Lexa knew not how, but she could see the change in her savior. It was done playing, done trying to force the other dragon to withdraw alive. It's patience was exhausted, and Vishap's life could be measured in minutes at most. From the look of things, he was as aware of it as her, for he retreated another step, looking quite terrified, and the golden dragon charged with a roar. She smashed into him with the power of an avalanche, horns, teeth, and claw savagely ripping and tearing and shredding Vishap's hide. Lexa would have felt sorry for the bastard if he hadn't been trying to destroy her home and killed her warriors. Finally Vishap's bellows of pain and rage and fear ended, and the golden dragon turned to look back at Lexa, gore dripping from the natural weapons it had used to protect her, and inclined its head in a slight bow. Lexa hesitated before bowing in return, opening her mouth to say something, but the whistle of a ballista bolt caught both of them off-guard as it slammed into the dragon, tearing a bloody gash along its hide. Bellowing in surprise and rage, it turned towards Ishgard and incinerated several more before they could strike her. Lexa feared for her home, for now that its anger had been provoked against the city, how could it hope to stand.
To her shock and joy, the dragon merely contented itself with leaping into the air and hovering above the bridge. It's eyes met Lexa's once again, and Lexa gasped at the intelligence and…affection. Almost, that she saw within their sky-blue depths. Then the moment was lost, the dragon back-winging and soaring away, leaving the dragoon standing alone amid the corpses of friend and foe alike.
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Several hours later, a bathed, bandaged, and casually clothed Lexa found herself being 'interviewed' by not only Ser Aymeric, but Archbishop Thordan himself, with the Heaven's Ward in attendance, on the events that had transpired. Ser Aymeric had been quietly curious and speculative when musing about the golden dragon's intentions, but the Archbishop had reacted forcefully and with contempt when she had reasoned that perhaps the dragons had their own versions of heretics, ones that wanted no part in the war between mortal and dragonkind. He had rebuked her harshly, telling her that they were merely beasts for her to kill, and she was to spend no further thought on such heresy. She had acquiesced, though with visible discomfort and disapproval, and been dismissed with rather less cordial words than she was used to.
The next several weeks were spent defending the builders and magicians who worked to repair Ishgard's defenses and wards that had been destroyed during the attack, and it was some time after that before she was allowed to leave the city proper on scouting trips. Anya and her other subordinates were worried for her, of course, and of them all only Anya had any tolerance for her heretical musings about the golden dragon's motives, a tolerance born of the fact that the beast had saved her adoptive sister's life and been wounded for it.
It took some time indeed for her to find the golden dragon again, and in truth the dragon found her, spiraling from the sky to land with a crash beside her as she wandered the wastes of Coerthas.
"For what purpose doth thou stray so far from thine own homeland, dragoon of Ishgard? None of The Horde that have struck against your people can be found here, in this frozen land." It asked, sounding both chastising and concerned, and Lexa held her hands out non-threateningly.
"I have been seeking you, mighty dragon, for I would speak with you. I Promise that I will do you no harm, for I owe you the lives of my men and my own self." She responded humbly, eyes on the ground as she inclined her head in deference to the towering, ancient being before her.
"Thy people and mine own have waged war for a millennia entire, and indeed wage it still, yet thou wouldst parlay with me? What purpose dost thou think this might serve?" the dragon was curious, Lexa could tell, and she could not blame it. She could scarcely believe she was doing this, and she had no idea what she hoped to accomplish either.
"Simply to speak with you, for now, and learn of you. Learn why you spared, and indeed safeguarded, Ishgard that day. These questions haunt me, both when I dream and when I am awake, and I can stand them no longer. Please, tell me." She implored, and the dragon hummed to itself for a moment before settling down onto its belly.
"Come closer, little mortal, for the story is long and the frozen air will steal from thee thine limbs and thy life long before it ends, and a corpse learns nothing." It commanded, and Lexa found herself hastening closer, to where the snow was already melting from the incredible heat the massive wyrm gave off. Once she had settled comfortably, it began to weave its tale.
"One thousand years in the past, man and dragon shared this world and all within it in peace and harmony, for one of thine own had fallen in love with mine own kin, the great wyrm Hraesvalgr. The maiden's name was Shiva, and she despaired at the pain that her own kind and her love's inflicted upon one another. She implored Hraesvalgr to devour her entire, that her soul might be bound to his. Though he wept, he did as she bid, and it was so. Inspired by their love and sacrifice, thine people and mine own made peace. For nigh on two centuries, all was well, until one day Thordan, King of thy people, and his twelve greatest knights ambushed and murdered Ratatoskr, daughter of Midgardsormr…and my mother."
Lexa, enthralled in the story, gasped, for she knew the pain of losing a parent. Both of her own parents had fallen in battle, defending Ishgard to their final breath, but if the dragon's story was true, why had she saved the home of her mother's killers?
"The survivors partook in her essence, which is the reason for thy people's capability to battle mine and live, and it was that which allowed them to survive when mine mother's brood-mate, Nidhogg, struck in vengeance for her murder. His fury hobbled him, and thus he was able to slay only Thordan and four of his knights before he was forced to flee. A further three Knights, horrified at what they had done, left Ishgard forever, leaving the ancestors of thine four Great Houses to rule. Ever since, ever has mine kin sought vengeance for mine mother's murder."
"It's been a thousand years, why does he blame the descendants of people so long dead and buried that even their bones have been rendered to dust? For that matter, why does thou not?" Lexa responded, and the great wyrm looked down at her, an almost soft look in her reptilian gaze.
"A thousand years may seem an eternity to thee, little mortal, but to one such as I, whom time does not touch, it is merely a sunrise ago. What's more, to mine own people it is the deed, not the doer, that is remembered. Vengeance was not extracted all those years ago, and so shall it be taken now. Besides, it is not as though thine own people are overflowing with good and peaceful desires towards mine own people, nor does thy leaders wish to acknowledge the sins of their forbearers. What peace could there be when betrayal is not followed by regret? What cause have mine kin to seek peace when thine own claim it is we who first spilt blood?" it responded, and Lexa frowned as she thought about that. The Dragon's words ringed pure with truth, but it made little sense for their leaders to deceive them so monstrously. Surely the arrogance and hubris of man was not so great that they would perpetuate a lie a millennia old to preserve them? "As for thine second inquiry, I do not seek vengeance because I do not hate all of man for the sins of a few. Indeed, I admire man for their tenacity, if nothing else. What's more, mine mother would not wish innocents to suffer, for even as she was betrayed she did not slay her attackers. And thus do I honor her memory."
"If Nithogg were not still alive, would thy people seek peace or further death?" Lexa asked, a fragment of an idea forming in her mind, and the dragon reared back, offence bleeding into its bearing and its voice.
"Thy wouldst ask me to help thee condemn mine own kin? I may have saved thee and slain Vishap, but to act against mine own mother's brood-mate is altogether different, and I do not appreciate the implications." It rumbled, and Lexa winced, raising her hand in a placating fashion.
"I am sorry if mine words offended thee, but I speak out of concern for both our peoples. As things go now, the only way this ends is in the utter annihilation of either of ours' people, and I dare not think that Nidhogg's rage will be sated with Ishgard alone. His gaze will turn to the other lands, and his vengeance may not be sated until all the world lies in ashes at his feet." She responded nervously though firmly, and the dragon gave a rumbling sigh after a moment of contemplation.
"To mine shame, I cannot in honesty refute your words. My displeasure is born more from the fact that I have considered such things myself in the past. If Nidhogg were to perish, the lesser dragons that follow him would yield to either mine own commands or those of Hraesvalgr, for we are all that remains of the Great Wyrms. The war would come to an end, for neither he nor I wish to destroy your people. He wishes simply to be left alone with his memories of his love, and I would not be adverse if thy people sought relations with mine own once more." It told her, and she felt hope burst in her chest like a cannon blast. She had to make haste to her homeland and inform Lord Aymeric of this, it could save their people!
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In the end, she was betrayed by her leader. Thordan, much like his namesake, was more interested in power and authority than he was in safeguarding their people. She was followed back to her meeting place by a host of Knights led by the Heaven's Ward, and she was struck down even as the dragon raged above her, slaughtering Knights by the dozen as it sought to save her. Finally, it was able to reach her, fore-claws gently closing around her as it bore her away from her betrayers. Darkness consumed her, and for a long time did she sleep. When she finally awoke, it was to sunlight, birdsong, and a gentle summer breeze. She sat up, looking around herself in confusion, for she was not in any structure she recognized. It was, by all appearances a simple wooden hut, windows open to let the air flow, with herself lying in a simple but fur-laden bed. There was a new future before her, a goal most noble.
To bring true peace between Man and Dragon, and to repay the Golden Dragon the two-fold life-debt that was now owed.
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Go in peace, Vishap, and fly back to Dravania.
You betray your own kin for greedy, treacherous Ishgard. Thordan's sins are eternal, and the Elezen will die for vengeance.