This fanfiction is heavily inspired by Pathfinder's Rise of the Runelords adventure path, spellcasting, sorcerous bloodlines, and lore. I do not own any of the intellectual property in this novel.

A cold chill runs down my spine as I wander through the courtyards, the night dark as a raven's feather and as cold as a midnight in winter should be expected to be. The snow crunches beneath my feet, the snowflakes lighting up like falling stars as they pass by the various torches that light the yard.

"Mr. Vinder?" I hear a soft voice call from behind me. I half jump and spin around to see the face of Christina. Her body is covered in a thick blanket and her face carries a worried expression.

"Christina. Shouldn't you be in bed?" I smile and step towards her, hand outstretched, "Come on. Let me take you back to your room."

"I can't sleep." She whispers as I take her ice-cold hand

"Your hand is frozen! How are you this cold?" I glance down at her feet to see that they are bare and set deeply into the snow. "We need to get you inside!"

She nods, her lips quivering as she did. I sigh slightly as I reach out with my other hand, tucking it behind Christina's legs and lifting her into the air. She let out a slight yelp as I carry her into the hall, her face glowing bright red.

"What the hell were you thinking, going outside in the middle of winter without any shoes on?" I mutter as I carry her back into the main hall

"I…" She pulls her blanket higher to cover her face, which grows more and more crimson while we continue through the hall

"Well?" I raise a single eyebrow, awaiting her response

"I heard you go outside, so I…" She whispers from under the covers. I simply sigh and continue up the stairs into the fire mages' dormitory

"So you followed me outside in the dead of winter with only a blanket to keep yourself warm."

All the young girl could do was nod under the blanket. I simply smile and set her to stand in front of her door. She fishes her key from an unknown place under her blanket and presses it into the door, twisting it open and stepping in.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Vinder."

"Just get yourself warmed up, Christina. I don't want you catching pneumonia." I smile and wave to her as I turn to walk away "And I've told you before, call me Vincent."

She nods slightly, moving to close the door.

"Good night, Vincent."

"Good night, Christina." I smile back and turn to walk down the hall back to my room, but I'm halted by Christina's small, ice-cold hand grasping mine.

"Promise me that you'll come back…" She whispers as her grip tightens. I sigh softly, stepping back towards the young first-year student and kneeling down to look her in the eyes.

"I promise." I whisper back as I plant my shoulder firmly on her shoulder. Her face immediately lit up in joy. Within seconds I find myself embraced by the girl, her soft laughter synonymous with a beautiful musical piece. I hold her only for a few moments before releasing her, and, in my best "stern father" voice, "Now get to bed, young lady! You have classes tomorrow."

Christina smiles and nods, her ear-to-ear grin being the last thing I see before the door is closed and I am left in the dimly lit halls of the fire mages' dormitory.

Lying to a little girl… What the hell am I doing? I think as I start back to my room.

I push my dorm door open and slide it closed behind me. I sigh softly as I pull my boots off and set them next to the door, snap my fingers to light the nearby lamp, then proceed to get ready for bed.

After a few moments, my conjured spark lights the wick and I notice the glint of light shine off the mirror near the foot of my bed. I glance up to see the shining brass scales that covered the upper portion of my arms, shoulders, back, and even back of the neck. My golden eyes reflect just as brightly as I turn to face the mirror.

What have I become? I think as my eyes begin to well as I clench my fists. I sigh once more as I reach out to grasp the lamp, lifting the glass shield and blowing out the light. I slowly make my way into the bed, tears now streaking down my face and muffled sobs filling the room.

"Vince?" I hear the light, soft voice come from the bed. I look up with my blurred vision to see only a blob sit up in the bed, its blonde hair lit up only by the moonlight.

"Hey, Tiffa." I whisper between the sobs. All I feel is my lover's touch graze over my shoulder, around to my back and her warm embrace engulf me. I can't hold it in anymore as my sobs become cries of agony and pain, my once trickle of tears becoming a torrent of emotion. I feel Tiffania's hand stroke my scaled back as she presses her face into the nape of my neck.

"I'm sorry." I stutter. She simply shakes her head and holds me through the pain.

"Do you remember what you told me when we first met, Vince?"

I choke back the tears only long enough to remember how we'd met. It was two long years ago, what feels like an eternity, on a night much like this.

"We are all born under the same sun… We all look at the same stars; we all share the same world… We are all buried in the same earth when we die… We're all the same, and no one should be afraid to… to…" I cry out, unable to finish the thought.

"And no one should be afraid to show who they truly are." She whispers in my ear as she pushes away from me, looking me in the eye as she says, "I love you, Vincent Vinder. No matter what happens, you need to know that nothing will ever change that."

"How can you love a half-blooded monster like me?" I sob as she pulls back closer to me

"You are not a monster. You will never be a monster."

"How do you know?"

"Monsters don't have people who love them the way that I love you." The sobbing begins once more as Tiffania holds me close, whispering only one last thing in my ear: "You aren't the dragon, Vince. You're my Ivaldi."

Time seems to stand still as I cry into my lover's arms, my soul feeling as though it is tearing itself apart. My heart throbbing, my stomach churning, and my head pounding; I feel my eyes turning red as I cry through most of the night until I finally catch my breath, only to hear Tiffania whisper:

"Tell me the story of how we met."

I lift my head to see her beautiful blue eyes watching me, her pointed ears wiggling as she smiles.

"Why?" I smile back, wiping the tears from my face.

"In times like these we need to think about happier times. Tell me about how we met: Our first meeting, how we fell in love, and our first kiss. I want to hear everything from the beginning."

I sigh softly, realizing there was no arguing with her when she is this determined. I slowly sit up, my abs and shoulders slightly aching from the hours of sobbing. I pull my pillow from the mattress and place it on the headboard, using it as a cushion as I begin my story:

"It was about two years ago, near the middle of fall. My mentor, Daviren, insisted that I go to an academy to learn how to control my "gifts." I left early in the morning from my hometown of Sandpoint due north in a carriage bound for the Tristain Academy of Magic… "