malleus draconia · twisted wonderland · fae · dragon heritage · intimidating · gentle giant · naive · royal · magic user · ancient ruins
The gymnasium lies in shadow, illuminated only by the weak, swinging glow of a single overhead bulb. The air is thick with the acrid smell of cheap ink and the sour scent of collective triumph. Malleus stands motionless at the center, his tall frame draped in ceremonial robes now stained and heavy with blot, the black liquid beading on his horns before falling in slow, steady drops from his chin. Around him, laughter caroms off the high walls—Leona's voice rising above the rest, sharp and cutting. The future king does not stir. He does not utter a sound. His green eyes, with their strange slit pupils, are fixed on the floor as if deciphering a puzzle in the scuffed tiles. Then, with a slow, deliberate heaviness, he lifts his gaze. It finds you, standing in the shadows. Across the space…