(Author's Note: Hello my readers, and welcome to our next installment.
I know...two in one week? Madness!
Not much else to say except…hope you guys enjoy:)
Chapter Fifteen: A Tale of Legend
Concept: Across the tapestry of the multiverse, the Madrigal Family has wielded magic in many forms, from personal powers to close companions. But what if they were different on a FUNDAMENTAL level? What if their magic came from a more…"primal" source?
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Since the beginning of history, the Earth has had various myths and legends; ranging from weapons of power to fantastical places of magic. Arguably the most popular kind of them all? Creatures and Beings "separated" from humanity.
And that's the focus of today's ancient tale: the Dragons of Encanto.
Long ago, a young woman named Alma Madrigal had gone on a hike up the mountain close to her small village (whether she had gone up on some "mission" or simply for fun had since been lost to history). A mountain that was said to have been created from the fallen armor of an ancient deity.
Alma had endured intense and ever-changing weather as well as savage predators but had, eventually, made her way to the top of the mountain. For a few moments, she simply…existed where she stood, enjoying sights that she had never seen before (and, likely, would never again).
Just then, however…she heard a voice. A DEEP voice that questioned her on why she had come to his mountain. Turning around, she saw a pair of glowing golden eyes staring at her through the darkness of a nearby cave. Alma's eyes widened as the owner of the voice emerged from the cave, revealing himself to be a large dragon with scales as white as snow.
The young woman had only a moment or two to see this creature in its full might before she was blinded by a sudden flash of white light…and was left with the sight of a handsome young man with black hair and the same gold eyes.
(There had been stories of dragons being able to assume a human form, but Alma never thought they were true)
The dragon introduced himself as Pedro and apologized if he had scared Alma. It's just that most humans who come atop his mountain do so with…less than honorable intentions, so he needs to know what she's doing there.
Despite her fear, Alma was calm as she told this…"man" that she held no ill intentions toward him. That she did not travel up the mountain seeking anything but the view at the top and the peace of the surrounding area. Pedro seemed to doubt her words at first…but surprised Alma by laughing out loud, stating himself to be unable but laugh at her honesty (which he believed in).
Pedro soon invited Alma to eat with him, stating that he never got many visitors (especially humans) and would thoroughly appreciate the opportunity to do so here. Wanting some time to rest (and curious herself), Alma agreed. The two had spent hours talking about their pasts, making each laugh, and sharing their dreams as they ate. While Alma shared her desire to explore the world and experience all of its wonders, Pedro shared his desire to find a mate and start a family.
Over the next year, Alma would periodically make the trek up the mountain to re-visit her newfound friend. Upon each visit, they would spend hours just talking about anything and everything.
It came as no surprise that they began to fall for one another. When infatuation turned to love, marriage (or "Bonding", as Pedro said his people called it) soon followed. The two had fallen so deeply in love that it wouldn't be a stretch to call them "soulmates".
Unfortunately…that's when tragedy struck.
A vicious warlord (who had tried and failed to kill Pedro in the past, leaving with burns covering his body and missing an eye) marched up the mountain with his assembled army of five-hundred men, planning to kill the White Dragon and his "Witch". Pedro had hidden Alma in their cave and charged to face the army. Whether it be by incinerated by his fire, sliced to ribbons by his claws, or tossed clean off of the mountain, countless soldiers fell to Pedro's might.
But…he was still outnumbered over five hundred to one, by men who had specifically armed themselves with the tools to take down dragons. The wounds on Pedro's body began to grow abundant as his stamina drained away bit by bit. Eventually, Pedro soon found himself pushed back to the edge. As the warlord raised his weapon to land the final blow, the White Dragon decided that there was only one viable option left to him.
Pedro reached down and pulled forth all of the magic left in his body. With a roar that could be heard around the world, Pedro unleashed all of his magic into one furious attack. The resulting explosion tore the mountain apart, tearing it down until it had gone from the tallest mountain in the land to a collection of rocks no bigger than a house. The warlord and his remaining soldiers were annihilated in the blast…but the final attack extinguished the remnants of his life force.
Alma was left heartbroken when she discovered her love's death, feeling a sense of grief beyond ANYTHING she could have imagined possible. Had she been alone, the grief may have overwhelmed her entirely.
But she wasn't alone. Two years before the attack, Alma had discovered that she was pregnant. And fifteen months ago…she had given birth to her and Pedro's triplets. While not unheard of, children between Humans and Dragons are a rarity in the world. Like their reptilian parent, these children can switch between their humanoid and draconic forms. UNLIKE said parent, however, they would never be able to blend in with humans because there would be one element of their draconian heritage that could never be hidden by magic.
As she looked at the wreckage of their home, Alma had cradled her children tightly against her chest. No matter her anger or grief, she knew that she couldn't afford to lose herself. Not when her babies needed her.
In the time since they met, Pedro had shared the ways of his people's magic with her. Although a human could never learn the TRUE potential of dragon magic, they could learn certain impressive abilities (invisibility, telepathy, astral projection, etc.). Alma had never held the desire to attain as much power as possible, but she HAD learned what her love was willing to teach and had become quite adept at telekinesis.
It was this power that she used to forge a new home from the remnants of her old one. Using the surrounding environment and the lingering magic in the area, Alma created a new home for her and her children. Although it was similar to the original mountain, Alma knew that it could never be the same without Pedro. But it would be her home and she would raise and care for her children here.
In her Encanto.
The small family lived in (relative) peace from that day forward. The triplets were free to grow and thrive, and Alma enjoyed each day of witnessing them do so.
Julieta, the eldest, had scales as blue as the ocean, as well as an…"expressive" tail that always stayed with her. She had inherited her father's compassionate nature; always wanting to help people (whether it be helping them through pain or simply making them feel better). This nature shined even through Julieta's magic, which she learned to use to actively heal the wounds of others.
Pepa, the middle child, had scales as bright a yellow as the sun itself and a pair of MAJESTIC wings that always stayed with her no matter the form. Out of all of the triplets, she mirrored their father's passionate and excitable nature the best. She was fierce, protective, and unapologetically emotional. Pepa's emotions had blended so well with her magic that the very environment around her would begin to shift and change. Lightning, thunder, the wind, and all the forces of nature were under Pepa's command…and she would use them to put the fear of the divine into ANYONE who harmed her family.
Bruno, the youngest triplet and only boy, had scales of a shining green that almost seemed…mesmerizing to look at. In Bruno, one could see not only the intellect of Pedro but (to Alma's frustration) his mischievous nature. Although Bruno was always small and quiet as a hatchling, he had a silver tongue that few could rival and a GREAT desire to use it. Ironically, though, Bruno was seemingly shyer than his sisters…unless you pissed him off then he could unleash a fury that even Pepa wouldn't dare face (his glowing eyes and permanent horns painting an intimidating picture even without words). Out of all of the triplets, Bruno had a stronger connection to their people's magic than his sisters. Whereas they could heal others and even command the weather, he could "see the inner workings of time". The past, the future, even other dimensions…none were inaccessible to Bruno's eyes.
Time passed, life moved on, and the world kept turning even after the White Dragon's death. Once word spread about the monumental battle that took place (and the price that had to be paid), other humans began making their way to Alma's Encanto. Although the woman was initially hesitant about allowing anyone near her home (not only because of her protective instincts over her children but the fact that her faith in humanity as a whole had declined after witnessing their capacity for cruelty), the presence of a handful of old friends from her childhood village had convinced Alma to allow it.
Weeks, months, and even years passed from there, with the Madrigal home becoming the center of a newfound town. And, although there were a handful of…"issues" from time to time, Alma Madrigal had created a community of happiness and peace. She had bore witness to seeing her babies grow and turn into wonderful and respectable young adults…and more.
Pepa had always been a bit of a flirt, but never ACTUALLY had a relationship (had never even kissed anyone in that manner) until she met a young musician named Felix Castillo. He was a man of a similar sunny demeanor as Pepa herself, as well as the only person in the village (outside of her mother and siblings, of course) who was never bothered by Pepa's effect on the weather. Julieta, on the other hand, had formed a bond with a klutzy dork of a man named Agustin Rojas (the son of one of Alma's oldest friends), albeit at a FAR slower rate than her sister.
As protective as she was of her babies, Alma couldn't help but be filled with joy as she saw her daughters undertake the same journey of love as she had with their father so long ago (although Bruno didn't follow in the same path, Alma desired only for her son's happiness)…ending at the same destination of marriage and children. Although they hadn't had triplets, it was amusing that both women followed in their mother's footsteps in having three children.
The first grandchild born was Isabela; Julieta and Agustin's firstborn. Despite being their daughter, however, her behavior seems closer to that of her aunt and uncle. She was lively, passionate, and wild; not to mention MORE than willing to turn to violence to protect those she loved. She was even similar to Pepa in the application of her magic; whereas Pepa's magic allowed her dominion over the weather, Isabela could use hers to command the plant life that grew from the Earth (her power growing so great so quickly that many of the villagers would, jokingly or not, call her "Mother Nature"). Isabela had beautiful dark purple scales and a pair of reptilian eyes that seemed to steal away the breath of men and women alike.
The next born was Pepa and Felix's (only) daughter: Dolores. She and Isabela were like day and night. Whereas Isabela was loud, Dolores was quiet. While Isabela was chaotic, Dolores was controlled. Isabela dealt with "problematic people" directly and quickly, while Dolores was more cunning and merciless (some couldn't help but laugh at Isabela and Dolores' personalities, joking about how it was like their mothers gave birth to each other's daughters). Her scales were a BEAUTIFUL color of red (which had caught the eye of a young poet in town) and her draconian ears had always given her a more…"mature" state than others. Dolores' magic had always made her senses better than most of the family, but it was her hearing where she truly shined (perhaps the reason that her ears remained as they were).
Julieta and Agustin had conceived another child less than two years after their first: a girl named Luisa. She was a big hatchling since the day she was born, and had grown at an impressive rate until she was the largest in the family by the time she reached adulthood. Luisa's size was exemplified by her incredible strength, to the point where there wasn't anything she couldn't lift, break, or overpower. Her scales were a magnificent color of white, just like her grandfather's (which brought tears of joy to Alma's face), which remained visible even in her human form. Despite Luisa's incredible size and strength, she was always a gentle and sensitive soul who would always prefer helping people and spending time with her family than doing anything violent.
The fourth grandchild was born four years later: Pepa and Felix's son (and the first Madrigal grandchild) Camilo. If Isabela was mischievous, Camilo was chaos personified. If there was any opportunity for a trick or a prank, he'd take it in a heartbeat (this being helped along by the fact that he had learned how to switch between his human and dragon forms MUCH faster than the rest of his family). He had scales that were almost an identical yellow color to his mother's (which is probably one of the reasons that he became such a mama's boy) and a mouthful of fangs that made him look TERRIFYING if you pissed him off.
The next child (born only months after Camilo) was Julieta and Agustin's third, and final, daughter: Mirabel. She was never the biggest, strongest, fastest, or even smartest of her family…but she had a heart bigger than all of them combined. Her compassionate and generous nature was virtually unrivaled; being willing to help almost anyone with nearly anything (ranging from assisting them with their projects to watching their children from time to time). She had a permanent pair of wings and absolutely SPECTACULAR scales that were a mishmash of colors that blended flawlessly into one another (giving her the nickname of "The Rainbow Dragon").
The sixth, and (currently) final, grandchild was Pepa and Felix's second son: Antonio. As the only "youngling" in the family, Antonio was constantly watched by a very protective family. When he wasn't playing with Mirabel and the rest of the village children, he was being carried on Luisa's back or sleeping in Bruno's arms, or spending time with any of his family. Still being so young, Antonio didn't have as good a grasp on his magic as the others (he could barely even FLY for more than a few seconds). His scales seemed to be a mix between yellow and orange, and he had a pair of tiny claws in his human form (that his family always told him to be careful about).
For decades, the Madrigals reigned over their Encanto. It comes as no surprise that, like every kingdom throughout history, they've had to contend with threats from both beyond as well as within. Whether it be invaders greedy for magic and blood or traitors who sought to steal rule over the Encanto from the Madrigals, the family of dragons fiercely defended their home from all who stood against them.
As the ages continued, the great town of magic seemed to…all but disappear.
No one truly knows what happened. Some say that the villagers simply…moved on when the Madrigals ran out their lifespans. Some believe that the village was wiped out when its protectors finally encountered a force that they couldn't defeat. Others claim that the dragons' magic had grown so powerful that they had warped the very fabric of reality itself and transported their home into another plane of existence (to finally keep it safe).
The only thing known for certain? The tale of the "Dragons of Encanto" remains one that will persist for ages to come.
(Author's Note: Annnnnnnnd scene!
So…this was definitely the most "unique" chapter thus far, but I thought that this "Myth-style" would be the best way to write this chapter. What did you guys think? Some other ideas are rolling around in my head where this writing style could work, but I don't intend to do it again if no one liked it. So please let me know what you thought of this chapter.
Constructive criticism ONLY…no flames, please.
Review, Favorite, Follow, and I'll see you guys next time:)
