Chapter 35 The illusion
Rosee POV (Dragon name -Aiden)
The Council gathered in the shattered throne hall. Elders glowing with rage, power crackling through the currents like brewing storms.
“Aiden of the Water Flame Bloodline,” one of them thundered, “you have committed the greatest crime a dragon prince can commit.”
I knelt, fists trembling.
“I spared them because they were innocent,” I said hoarsely. “I never knew they would...”
“You disobeyed,” another elder snapped.
“You chose lust over duty,” another hissed.
“You caused the fall of our realm,” a third roared.
“My mother is dead,” I whispered. “My sister is dead. I have already paid for my mistake”
“You will pay more.”
"Flog him!"
Chains of glowing thunder wrapped around my wrists, my chest, my wings.
Electric pain ripped through my body.
I groaned in pain as lightning slammed into me.
Again.Again and again.
My scales cracked.
Due to our thick skin, a dragon is punished by a lightning, chained -thorn rope that pierce deep through the skin into the bone marrow.
“This is for every dragon you killed with your weakness,” the Council shouted.
I collapsed to my knees after taking the thirtieth. Then they dragged me forward.
Where my brother stood. He looked calm, dry-eyed.
“Mullen will act as king,” the High Elder declared. “Until further notice.”
I looked up slowly.
“My… brother?”
Mullen met my gaze and smiled faintly.
“You are stripped of title,” the elder continued. “Stripped of authority. Stripped of honor.”
Thunder struck me again.
“You are no prince.”
The chains vanished.
I fell face-first onto the cracked crystal floor.
“Get him out of my sight.”
They locked me in the lower caverns where broken warriors were sent to rot.
Pain pulsed through every scale.
Hours passed or days, I didn’t know. I was kept here with no food and water.
One evening, I was released and summoned by the elders.
Then a familiar laughter drifted through the water. I forced myself upright.
Through a broken archway, I saw light and them. Mullen and Shyla.
Wrapped around each other on the royal terrace. Her legs around his waist and her mouth on his neck.
“Mullen” she whispered. “Your brother was so easy.”
My heart split open. I stumbled forward.
“What… is this?” I croaked.
They froze.
Slowly, Mullen turned. Not shocked but amused.
“Aiden,” he said lightly. “You survived the punishment. Impressive.”
She leaned against him lazily.
“You didn’t tell me he’d live this long.”
My claws dug into stone.
“You loved me,” I said to her. “You cried in my arms.”
She laughed.
“Loved you?” she repeated. “Oh, dragon prince. I was sent.”
My ears rang.
“Sent?”
Mullen stepped closer.
“She was my gift to you.”
My blood turned to fire.
“What are you saying?”
Mullen's eyes glowed.
“I knew I could never take the throne while you breathed,” he said calmly. “You were too loved and too powerful.”
“So I gave you a flower to poison your heart.”
The world tilted.
“You planned the ambush,” My voice cracked and I was finding it difficult to breathe.
“Of course.”
“You sent her.” I repeated.
“Yes.”
“You killed our people.”
“Yes.”
My claws shook violently.
"Our mother,” I choked. “and my sister..." The words hang in my throat. I felt my chest tightened, my throat narrowing.
Mullen shrugged.
“Your mother,” he corrected. “Not mine.”
He leaned in close.
“My mother is alive. A consort not the foolish queen who birthed you.”
Something inside me snapped.
I grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the crystal wall.
“You watched her burn,” I snarled. “You let my sister die in my arms!”
Mullen only chuckled, even as my grip tightened.
“You were always too emotional, brother.”
“She was screaming your name,” I whispered brokenly. “Begging.”
“She wasn’t my blood so using her as sacrifice is nothing." Mullen rolled his eyes.
Rage exploded and fire burst from my scales.
The walls cracked and the waters started to boil.
“She trusted you,” I roared. “The queen took you as her son!!”
“And now I am king,” he said smoothly. “Everything worked perfectly.”
Her fingers trailed his chest.
“You dragons are so easy to play.”
That was it.
The madness took me.
Dragon madness.
My roar shook the realm. Fire and lightning erupted from my body.
Towers shattered and domes collapsed.
Dragons rushed to stop me.
“Aiden calm down!”
“Restrain him!”
Chains of magic wrapped around me — snapped instantly.
Thunder spears struck me — shattered.
I burned everything. Nothing could hold me.
I spread my wings and burst upward, ripping through the upper dome of the realm.
Storm clouds gathered instantly above the sea.
Rain poured violently that night. Lightning chased me through the sky.
Pain burned but I didn’t stop. I wanted to fly away from everyone as soon as possible.
So I flew higher and faster, screeching.
Then lightning struck my chest directly.
My body seized and my wings failed.
I fell, spinning and...
BOOM.
Darkness swallowed me.
“H… help me,” I gasped, my voice breaking as I lay sprawled on the muddy ground. My body throbbed with bruises, my skin torn open where their iron rods burned through flesh.
“Please, s-stop,” I rasped. My breath came in harsh, uneven bursts as I dragged myself across the ground, my long tail leaving streaks in the mud.
“Look! Blue blood!” one of them shouted. “He’ll sell for a fortune!”
"Take him to the Alpha." A woman stated.
"No." another hissed. "The Alpha keeps everything for himself. Let's torture him more and get more rare gems."
“Stop!”
I blinked through the haze. A little girl, no older than ten walked towards me. Golden hair messy around her face, hazel eyes glimmering with something I hadn’t seen in years. Compassion.
She knelt beside me. Dipped a napkin into a strange black liquid and began wiping my wounds.
“I’m sorry they hurt you,” she whispered. “This might sting… but you’re a man, so be brave.”
I hissed as pain ripped through me. Brave? this child had no idea.
“What’s your name?” she asked softly, her tiny fingers brushing the purple scales on my tail. “Your tail is beautiful.”
“I don’t… have one,” I lied, wanting to hear her speak again.
She giggled behind her tiny hand.
“Then I’ll name you purple."
“Purple?” I croaked weakly.
“Your tail is purple, beside you are so beautiful” she insisted.
"I'm beautiful..." I repeated.
“My name’s Rain,” she said brightly.
“Rain…” I murmured. “A fitting name for the only sunshine I’ve seen today.”
“You killed them all! You’re scary!” Rain screamed, hugging herself.
My chest ached. “They hurt you, Rain. I had to.”
“I liked you when you were human,” she whispered. “Not this… monster.”
Her words cut deeper than any blade. Maybe they are right, I'm nothing but a monster and I should just disappear.
I turned away, pain clawing through me. But before I left, I did what no water dragon had ever done.
I dipped my claws into my eyes socket and gorged them out. Then I placed them in hers.
“I’ll wait for you, Rain,” I whispered. “When you’re grown… I’ll come back for you.”
With that, I carried her to the village square, laid her where she’d be found, and vanished into the ocean.
Now the realm was whole and perfect.
Golden light danced through coral towers. Children laughed again.
My mother walked toward me smiling.
“Aiden, come eat,” she called warmly.
My brother approached, laughing.
“Race you to the gardens!”
Shyla never betrayed me. She stood beside me lovingly.
There was no war or blood.
“You saved everyone,” Mother said proudly.
“You’re the greatest king the realm has ever known,” Mullen said sincerely.
Peace wrapped around me like warmth.
My heart slowed.
Maybe this was real.
Maybe the pain was the lie and maybe I deserved happiness.
Then footsteps echoed across glowing water. Slow and elegant.
A woman appeared walking on the surface of the sea itself.
Long dark hair.
“Such a delicious illusion,” she purred.
Her eyes turned pitch black.
Eight massive spider legs unfolded from her back.
“You carry more pain than any man I’ve tasted, Dragon King.”
The sky rippled like torn silk.
“This guilt could feed my webs for centuries.”
I staggered back.
“Who are you?”
She smiled wickedly.
“Your prison.”
“And your salvation. Depending on what you want.”
The illusion began cracking.
My mother’s face froze. My brother blurred.
The peaceful realm trembled.
“And soon,” the Spider Princess whispered, “your little knight will break in.”
Her eyes gleamed.
“Bu will she free you…”
Or break you completely?
The world shattered into darkness. And I heard Rain scream my name.
"Rosee, everything is an illusion. Break out of it!!" Rain screamed from outside.
"Make a choice, stay here with your loving mother, sister and peaceful realm or you go back to the wretched person you are."