Alex Dragon Training 3

## Story

> Jen
>
>

*Much the same as last time Alex visited Villen, the portal leads him into the upstairs study of the quaint meadowside home, though the room is currently empty. Outside, Villen's full dragon form is glittering under the sunlight, impossible to miss through the open windows.*
*His back is turned to the home, tail occasionally swishing from one side to the other in a placid manner, giving the impression that he's waiting for you to join him under the warm, near cloudless sky.*

> Alexander Varias
>
>

Alex doesn't waste any time, a large smile on the elf's face as he makes his way out to the meadow. It had been a while since he'd last been here and he was eager to see the dragon again. He felt much more confident with his draconic side now, especially after having overcome his fear of his own fire, and was excited to learn something new from the older dragon.

His own, brazen tail swaying behind him, Alex closes the distance between himself and Villen.

"Hi Villen! How are you?"

> Jen
>
>

*A large golden tail wraps behind where Alex chooses to settle next to him, Villen glancing down with one eye as he tilts his head sideways similar to a bird.*
"I'm well, young one. I do hope the same can be said for yourself and your kin?"

> Alexander Varias
>
>

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Alex recognizes the behavior of the wrap of Villen's tail, and it makes him smile wider up at the golden dragon. He always felt safe with the Golden dragon and nothing Villen had done gave him any reason to believe he wasn't. It was nice.
"We're doing great! Well. As well as we can be. My daughter just turned 4 and things are slowly getting better with my brother. We're all healthy, alive, and relatively happy though and that's the important thing."

> Jen
>
>

*A knowing humm rumbles out of the dragon's throat, contemplating the answer Alex gave. His gaze returns to the sky once more, scales shining like glitter as the sunlight hits them, and he sighs.*
"And what is it that's holding your family back from being *truly* happy?"

> Alexander Varias
>
>

That was a long story, and the Elf moved to sit where he'd stood, sitting criss cross on the ground as he curled his own tail around his legs.
"Nicolai's stressed a lot of the time. People on the team aren't trying to kill him anymore but he's still nervous? He'd messed up pretty bad and hurt my friend Flo. He's kinda still paying for that. I'm also a little worried about how fast Bailey seems to be growing up, but I'm proud of her."

> Jen
>
>

"And what about *you*, Alex? What steps have you in mind to find a better path to happiness?"
*The dragon settles his front paws much like the 'loaf' position of a cat, lowering himself more to Alex's level- though still much larger.*

> Alexander Varias
>
>

"Well I'm not sure? Honestly aside from concern for my family I'm actually pretty happy. I've got my friends, I enjoy my job, I'm getting stronger. I have some ideas on how I can repair the damage done to my home if I can ever manage to defeat the person who damaged it in the first place..."

The dragon settles down, and Alex remains sitting, he doesn't seem upset at all just... content. Things had been going fairly well, all things considered, and while his brother had screwed up, things were improving. Alex and Florence were friends, his family was with him. It was just... good.

He smiles broadly.

"And I overcame my fear of my fire, recently, when standing against the Void. I kinda want to continue down that path, accepting all of what I am, you know?"

> Jen
>
>

*A big grin of Vilen's own matches Alex's, seemingly pleased with the way he's choosing to handle things. The toothy smile may seem threatening to a stranger, but it's full of nothing but warmth from one dragon to another.*

"I see, so you've a goal in mind for today, then. What step shall we endeavour to take?"

*He's positively beaming, bright eyes focused and curious as he waits for Alexander's answer, like a parent watching as their child learns to walk.*

> Alexander Varias
>
>

This is the hard part.

He knows *what* he wants to achieve. It's something he and his brother had been looking at for decades, a process that the Elf had read about in books but never been able to actually figure out.

If anyone could help him unlock the secrets of his draconic ancestry, wouldn't it be Villen?

"In some old books back home... there was talk about people with draconic ancestry embracing their ancestry and being able to take the form of their ancestors. I was... never able to figure it out, but, I want to try again?"

> Jen
>
>

*Visibly excited now, the dragon rises to his feet, quickly taking on a posture much like that of a cat preparing to pounce, the tip of his scaled muzzle a mere foot away from Alex's face. Playful.*

"Well then! Shall we begin?"

*A deep inhale is followed by a seemingly endless puff of smoke, unintrusive to the lungs as it maintains it's shape, splitting off into various forms before the scene has been properly set.*

*Smoke formed dragons of all shapes and sizes gallop and dance around them, some flying through the skies with haphazard glee, others in coordinated patterns and arrangements. The sounds of mirth and merry fill the air, though not in the way Alex is familiar with- It's a combination of growls and hisses, clicks and chirps, trills and whistles as the various different 'species' all celebrate together.*

*With a spring in his step, Villen seems to bounce on his front legs for a moment before resuming prior stance.*

"Breathe, listen, can you feel it? Feel the blood of your ancestors itching to be freed? Can you feel the desire to leap forth and join them, to be among your own kind?"

> Alexander Varias
>
>

With a nod, Alex also rises to his feet, his tail still resting in the small circle at his feet, but eager to see what Villen has to show him. He's thrilled at the idea of *finally* learning what it meant to embrace his ancestry.

Awe washes over the elf, the young dragon? as the smoke dragons appear, eyes jumping from tracking one to another, so many of them moving around. Emanating sounds that resonate with him in ways he both never realized before and always had, somewhere deep down. He finds himself growling in that low, happy purr sort of way that he does in response to all the excitement.

Villentrentenmerth speaks again, and Alex turns to look at him, smile still on his face.

Does he feel it? He thinks he does, but slowly, the Elf closes his eyes. He focuses on how he felt when he learned to breathe his fire, on how he felt under the sun.

> Jen
>
>

Roll me your doobly and a 1d100.

> Alexander Varias
>
>

> Jen
>
>

*There's a thrumming in his ears, the beat of his own heart, veins hot and alive and desperate for the imminent change.*
*A change that doesn't come, though the feeling in his chest builds at a breakneck pace.*

> Alexander Varias
>
>

The heat he recalls feeling in his chest seems to ignite every nerve in his body, and it fills him with the desire to do more, do better. Like a siren song calling him back through the centuries to where his ancestors lay in his bones.

He keeps focusing, breathing in some of his own heat. His own fire. Accepting this part of himself as he keeps going.

> Jen
>
>

*Overwhelmed by all of these sensations at once, all of the feelings desperate for release and resolution, Alex just simply isn't focused enough to bring it to fruition.*

*The gentle tap of a claw to his forehead helps still his mind in ways that are quite probably magical, and Villen carefully lowers his muzzle to nudge it against Alex, reassuring, comforting.*

"Do not let the rush escape you like a wildfire, young one. Channel it, allow it to seep through your blood and your bones, to reform your flesh. It's all within you, and I know very well that you can handle it's might."

> Alexander Varias
>
>

For a moment he almost feels like he's about to lose the energy he's building up, then he feels Villen press his claw to his forehead, and he opens his eyes to look at the dragon. Just in time for him to nudge his muzzle against him. He smiles a little bit as he listens.

He gives a slight nod and closes his eyes as he tries to refocus.

He doesn't try to force anything.

He tries to let it overtake him.

Let the fire in his lungs seep deeper into his body, into his blood, into his bones. His body already feels so warm even without his own fire adding things into the mix.

He wants to make Villen proud.

Make his ancestors proud.

Himself, proud.

> Jen
>
>

*And with the pride of a dragon in his heart, Alex feels his form shift. As opposed to the changes he's used to making with his biokinesis, this is fluid, entirely natural, as smooth a transition as standing up or sitting down. With his now horned head raised to the sky, a shudder runs through all four of his limbs-*

*All four of which are bearing his weight, as opposed to the two legs he'd just been standing on.*

*Opening his eyes would reveal that Alex is, in fact, currently a fully formed dragon.*

> Alexander Varias
>
>

He was a little disoriented at first, claws digging into the soft ground beneath him as the dragon tried to gather his bearings. He was *so* much further off the ground than he thought he'd be, he could feel the presence of his ancestors thrumming through his veins as he maintained this form, and slowly, as the excitement built, now slit eyes would flash to the older dragon.

*"Dad look I did it!"*

Oops, did he say that first word? He didn't realize he did.

He was too damn fucking gleeful.

His neck now several feet longer than it used to be, Alexander turns his head to look at his body, all signs of his ashen skin gone as brazen scales now cover every inch of him. He turns in a circle like a cat, slowly becoming familiar with his new form. His tail swayed from side to side behind him, the length of it massive compared to what he's used to as it makes S shapes behind him. He spreads and stretches out his wings, the fan like membranes stretching out to their full length as he took himself in.

> Jen
>
>

*With a deep hearty chuckle of his own, Villen almost aggressively bunts his head against Alex's, wings spread wide as he raises on his haunches to declare-*

"Look at you! Marvellous, simply *marvellous!*, stellar work young one, I'm sure the past within you is proud of your present achievement" *He praises, trill in his chest as Alex checks himself out. The slip of being called the youngling's father doesn't bother him in the slightest- Those who raise you are the ones deserving of such titles, not strictly those bound by blood.*

### True Racial - True Draconic Awakening (Once per day)

The blood of your ancestors heats to a boiling point, and you feel your form shift and expand in one fluid motion, granting you the form of a full brass dragon for 1d2 turns. While in this form you gain a x1.25 multiplier to all physical rolls, as well as the following abilities:

Presence of Power: The majesty of a fully realized dragon strikes fear into those who oppose them, while empowering those who've earned their favor. Roll Appeal, enemies who fail a Perspicacity save lose an action on their following turn. Allies are empowered for one action on their following turn. Targets must be within visible range.

Benevolent Burn: Brass dragons are never happier than when surrounded by their chosen companions, valuing the bonds forged far more than the shiniest of trinkets. Once per transform, draw on the power of your bonds, empowering you to breathe forth a bright pink magical flame of stronger potency than your usual fire breath. Roll Appeal with advantage. The burns inflicted by this spell can only be cured by someone the victim considers a true friend, and will otherwise remain for a number of days equal to the number of successes on the initial spell.