tenebrae16

[Skybreaker] Lumières Caelum [tenebrae16]

Sleipnir sneezed as they came upwards. The ground squelched sickeningly under his bare feet making him cling to Path's tail for a while to try and avoid standing in it. The thick smog clouding the air made breathing harder and a mormal child would be wheezing right about now. In some ways, it wad familiar though, this sort of smog, he wondered if he had inherited any memories of it from Daddy. In any case, he thought wrinkling his nose up, he wished that they were back down home where Daddy was sleeping. He didnt like the surface. Like instructed, he stuck close to his brother and Father, unwilling to take a step further.

Path observed the landscape along with his sons. It was different when you had two young sons barely a week old with you, regardless of their dragonic blood. Path wanted to bring them back down, wash them clean with green gel and tuck them into bed, before crawling to Edge's side and staying there as long as time would allow, but....that woukd be spoiling them and they would be unprepared for the day they had to survive for themselves, they would be weak....so even when he wanted to carry his children to avoid the debris on the ground, he resisted and settled for holding their hands and leading them.

Skylark's question made him pause in their stride along the confusingly dangerous and dangerously confusing terrain. He let go of Sleipnir's hand for the moment, kneeling down to their eye level to address them both. He was going to tell them anyway. It was only a matter of time. Be it due to Skylark's hypnosis or Psth's own melancholy, he spoke monotonously, "You see...long before the earth was like this, the humans...the ones like Daddy, they planned to leave and the hydras...those are the ones that hurt Daddy understand?...They sought to take over, make it hell for the remaining. We thought we slew them all, but the elders..the ones before us knew it was only time. They hid themselves beneath the earth, now they're sleepibg still, but restless to wske. You see...it is time, when all forms of peace can be forgotten, we go to war."

[Skybreaker] Lumières Caelum [tenebrae16]

He watched Edge with blank golden eyes, ever so observant. His gaze held the barest hint of worry and...the light in them darkened considerably as he watched Edge go. He wanted his human safe, alsleep in his room was the safest he could think of especially if no one found this place. He turned his attention to Skylark, gathering him and his brother up in his arms, "We're going upwards to the surface, it is not very safe but I trust you both will keep close to me..we will go visit your elders. Do not tell Daddy of where we go and I will protect you." With that he lowered them just enough so his tail wrapped around their waists forming a makeshift slung, "Hold on tightly to my scales..." He murmured, carrying them with his tail as he sunk his claws into the metal rivets, hauling himself upwards to the surface.

[Skybreaker] Lumières Caelum [tenebrae16]

He rubbed his hand along Skylark's back, trying to soothe him as he held out the meat. Watching he child take it and drop it, the maggot wriggling away. He had tried to get the meat back as soon as possible, even wrapping it up in an attempt to keep it's freshness. Sighing, he picked up the squirming maggot before it could escape, smearing it across the cloth sack, he hadn't expected his young to so quickly adapt to eating this sort of thing anyway. Opening his mouth to reassure them it was alright and there was always next time, he was stopped by the sound of Edge's voice cutting in halfway. Silently, he turned to watch him.

Sleipnir wrinkled his nose and turned away from his brother, not wanting to eat it either way. Turning his head when he heard his Daddy's voice. He ran to his Daddy, clutching his side and burying his head against him, taking in his scent. He watched in awe as Daddy cleaned the meat. He still didn't want to eat it though, not trusting it even if it smelled and looked cleaner. Father stood up and walked over to Daddy, taking ahold of Sleipnir. "Aren't you sleepy, I'll be taking the young ones out soon."

[Skybreaker] Lumières Caelum [tenebrae16]

He rocked Edge for a little while more before tucking him in bed. Running his hand through his hair once more, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead before he stood up and moved over to the twins. Sleipnir had been standing in the doorway watching their father's exchange, silently allowing Path to take his hand and lead him away, "Daddy needs to rest now, let him sleep. I brought back a nice treat for you both now..come and eat." He said softly, taking Skylark's hand as well and leading them back to the ripped open vault where he had dropped the sack. Kneeling next to it he started to rip it open.

Sleipnir stood next to Father, watching with interest as he opened up his 'treat', the remaining tears in his eyes starting to dry up. The brown cloth was opened up to reveal a pile of craved up meat, soaking in it's own blood. The smell made Sleipnir wrinkle his little nose and bury his face against Father's side. Path lifted up a piece, "Don't be so off out, it's good for you...come..Skylark, try a piece and show your brother it isn't bad."

[Skybreaker] Lumières Caelum [tenebrae16]

"I don't like this game!" Sleipnir shouted along with Skylark, rubbing his eyes with his bleeding bruised hands. He held his brother, sobbing loudly next to him, nearly unable to hear him over the sound of his own cries. Why was Daddy playing this sort of game? It wasn't fun at all, he wanted to play something else. Dragging himself away from Skylark, he started to pound on the door again, only with less vigor. He was losing strength, sobbing loudly until a quiet voice broke through the silence, "Skylark, Sleipnir..."

Sleipnir turned to see his father standing at the doorway, looking quite worn. Scrambling over to him, he tugged his hand and cried, "Daddy won't come out, save Daddy please!" He sobbed, crying into Path's side. The elder dragon gazed down at his young and placed down the soaked sack, stepping over to the vault. "Stand back young ones and be calm..." He said softly, his eyes glowing dimly. Sleipnir hiccuped, gazing into Father's eyes and feeling a wave of calmness wash over him, his sobs quieting.

Path's claws dug into the steel door, the metal denting and cracking under his strength. He gritted his teeth and leaned forward until he felt the door start to come off his hinges. In this form, it wasn't exactly the easiest of tasks and he was exhausted from being up on the surface. The air having drained him. His fingers bled blue as he ripped the door off it's hingers with a loud crack and he flung it to the floor.

Warm arms, warmer than the cold, gathered Edge up into the dragon's lap, holding him close but not tight. He might break if he held him too tightly, "I can't lose you." A voice whispered, a gentle hand running through his hair, petting him as he was carried over to the bed and wrapped it warm blankets. Streaks of deep blue blood staining his skin as Path cooed him to sleep. Sleipnir followed them quietly.

[Skybreaker] Lumières Caelum [tenebrae16]

Sleipnir gripped Daddy's hand tightly, not as confident with his walking as his brother was. He kept close to Daddy's side as he led them to the large chilled vault door. Sleipnir shivered and clung to his Daddy. Despite having some human in him, he was still cold blooded in nature and the cold made him sleepy and frightened because it could pull him into such a sleep. When Daddy walked forward, he resorted to clinging onto Skylark for warmth, nodding to his Daddy to wait for him. He hadn't expected the big metal door to swing shut so suddenly and violently as if someone had slammed it shut, but the twins hadn't seen anyone.

His tiny fist banged hard against the metal door until they were bruised, "DADDY! DADDY!" He screeched, pushing and pulling at the metal door, "Daddy what do we do?!" He cried out, feeling tears prickle in his eyes, fear. He turned to Skylark with a worried questioning gaze, hoping that he would know why to do do they could get Daddy. Finally after a long silence, "We need to get Father!"

Path strolled slowly home. His skin was smudged with dirt and mud, the old clothes he wore torn and ragged. In his arms he dragged a large sack of...something soft that soaked the bottom in a deep red substance. He had no idea of what had happened back home.

[Skybreaker] Lumières Caelum [tenebrae16]

Sleipnir was still asleep when his brother had woken up, still a little under Path's spell. His mind completely blank in a clam sleep. It wasn't until his father tickled his stomach did he squeal and open his eyes, giggling and squirming under his Daddy. Bright eyes staring up with adoration. He reached his arms out to Edge, tail slapping happily on the bed, unusually vocal, "Yes! Yes! Father said you would if we behaved! And we were very good!" His voice rivaled that of his brother's and in a fit of strength and a burst of energy, he sat up and crawled over Skylark, bouncing on the bed towards his Daddy. Wings fluttering excitedly.

His stomach gave a soft growl making him hesitate when he instinctively tried to find the nutrient source he had fed off of in the egg. Off course now he didn't have it now and would have to rely on solid foods, "Daddy! Daddy! I'm hungry, can I be fed?"

Up on the surface, claws dug deeply into the dry earth, heaving up great piles of dirt and tossing them aside. The earth was soaked with the vile blood of the monsters, but...there was an added colour. The brightest of red soaking into a broken oxygen tank and mask, weapons leaking fluid and broken into nothing but frayed wires lay near by. The dragon didn't care about them, working on the large crater he was now making, concentrating on getting deeper and deeper down. Where all the lost and forbidden things la, waiting to come back to power. By noon, the hole was a good 20ft deep. Enough for the day. He stood up and made his way home.

[Skybreaker] Lumières Caelum [tenebrae16]

He held Edge close, but not too close. He wanted to feel the warmth of his human, but didn't want to break him again. His eyes glowed dimly as they met Edge's, but the gold in them had faded and lost its true shine. They sought to out Edge and willed him to sleep. In sleep, Edge was safe...ignorant to Path's plans, protected from the plottings of the surface world. Love....had long since fallen apart so many times that it had re-pieced itself into a distorted, cankerous desire to preserve and protect whatever was left and Path wouldn't let himself fall apart again. Face it, he was...absolutely nothing without his human, weak only because he depended on Edge for strength. Edge...Edge had stopped being his mate for a long time now...Relin was a survivor and survivors were always alone.

He let his mate go, but akways listened out for the sound of the chute. No, Edge wouldnt leave now and Path wouldn't let him, smiling up at his human as he returned. His eyes locked onto his every move, never leaving until he was sure Edge had fallen completely asleep. Safe. Wonderfully safe, he stood to leave, the faintest yawn making him turn around.

Sleipnir had indeed woken up the moment he caught Daddy's scent and felt his warmth. Giggling when Daddy's hair tickled him, not minding in the least that he was being used as a pillow. He was about to squeal indelight and call Daddy to wake up sand pay attentionbto him when Father came around and shushed him, "You see, Daddy is tired, dont wake him okay? Be good and after, Daddy will play with you alot understand? Go back to sleep..." Father's voice felt very strange to little Sleipnir and staring up into his golden etes made him very sleepy. He yawned a half hearted reply, feeling his eyes close. Dimly, he heard a doir shutvand the metalkuc sound of someone climbing up a metal pipe, but Sleipnir couldn't know that.

[Skybreaker] Lumières Caelum [tenebrae16]

Too powerful T^T

[Skybreaker] Lumières Caelum [tenebrae16]

Sleipnir buried his head against his brother's shoulder, aside from his tight grip and the slight tremble of his body, no one would know was thinking, but to Skylark, Sleipnir was radiating mixed feelings of confusion and...the slightest bit of fear. He wanted Father and his brother to stop joking around, it wasnt at all funny. Daddy woukd come back. He wouldn't just leave them would he? No Daddy wouldn't leave them. He had novreason to go and all the love to stay. He felt tears roll down his cheeks, but resolved not to let the feeling crush him, "Daddy will come back...Daddy loves us." He conveyed softly to his brother, though he wondered just who was he trying to convince now. Clinging onto Skylark as Path gathered them both in his arms.

"Shh..Daddy's not gone forever...He just...needed some time t-..to think." He murmured, feeling unsure of himself. People didnt grow well on lies, but Path, himself, barely knew the truth, only what he was meant to do...and maybe without Edge....without Edge...he avoided the thought by rocking the twins, singing softly tobthem a song with no real words, only a feeling of a low deep longing. He sang about the forests and the rivers, made up stories of the workd before and tried to do everything Edge had done for them until their cries subsided and each lay asleep at last.

Sitting back in his chair, he sighed, gazing upon his offspring. Perhaps they were a mistake too and oh what an easy mistake to erase, to eventually forget and bury behind him. He reached out, the contrast of his claw agaibst Skylark's soft round cheek. He could.....No....what was he thinking? Hurriedly he pulled back. He was being foolish, exhaustion playing tricks...he had yet to eat since he woke up too...but...all the vaults were locked...resigning himself, he sat and watched his young sleep.

It was with a jolt that he woke up, realizing he had fallen asleep in his chair. Turning to the loud noise thst woke him, his eyes fell upon Edge. For a moment, he sat shocked, golden eyes widening when the caught Edge's frantic...yet oddly peaceful gaze. In the next moment, his chair had fallen over and he was by Edge's side. Somehow, in those last few moments, the dying connection they still shared, he understood. And he realized the biggest stupidest mistake in his life that he would probably still have made if given a choice.

He ran his hands over Edge's burns and cuts, kissed away his tears and smeared his own blood in a desperate attempt to stop or at least delay the inevitable. Begged and promised and cursed, going as far as to say that Edge shouldn't have come back, all because it was easier to watch him walk away than to havr him crael back dying. Out of all of it though, he shed not a single tear. The strong didnt cry...

Path held him as he lay dying, as he breathed his last and when he breathed no longer. He could feel his mate's thoughts drifting away and silently he bid the goodbye. Goodbye his love, goodbye to the times they sgared, good and bad and....goodbye to......to......His thoughts trailed off as he watched the darkness surround his lover and pull him away. Path moved back, watching it spin its web....Silently, reaching out....he found Edge.

For you I cannot be weak...for our children, I cannot be be indulgent...For my kind, I cannot forget...For myself..Path was a beautiful lie...[/¡] He ran his hand over the cocoon, making up his mind. This was what he was meant to do...

Stepping back as the cocoon faded to darkness, he took his place on the chair he had righted. He vould ferl Edge....when he was still midway in the stages before reality, Path could feel him, everywhere, but the dragon wanted his mate just here. Next to him, with their children.,.here so they could pretend everything was alright again. Edge...He closed his eyes imagining the soft smile that he had not seen for so long....

He could hear his name...the fake one. And he opened his eyes and Edge was there, smiling at him and laughing and joking...Was it sad that the first thing that Path wanted to say was to not call him Path. That wasnt his name..it was a beautiful dream, but it didn't belong to him. Instead, he just shook his head and leaned forward to press a kiss to his Mate's forehead, "No..just tired....the...the twins had a nightmare thats all, but everything is alright now Edgey." He pressed their foreheads together and closed his eyes in thought. Better, to keep Edge human like this, keep his family like this, in the dark...but happy.

"Edgey...I think I'll take the twins out tomorrow, it'll be good for them. I want them to learn how to hunt and survive...like how I was taught." He murmured softly, keeping his eyes closed. "And.....and I think we should look for....any remaining creatures of the old world...to see what we can salvage from their survival..." Hebit his lip and stared at his lover, like before, and couldn't help but pull him closer, "I want to make this place better for them...for us...I want...." [I]To kill all the humans who condemned us to this...To rid us of the Hydras..so you'll never need to remember... "I just want you Edge. Happy."

He cupped his human's cheeks and met his gaze, golden eyes searching for something that he evidently found as he pressed their lips together. Remembering how moments ago, he had touched cold unmoving flesh tgat failed to breathe. Now though, Edge's lips were warm and he slipped past them as they parted allowing for a more passionate kiss. A lasting loving kiss tgst onky ended when they ran out of breath and Path pulled away to stare at Edge.