Foxtails and Fairytales: Facades and Fables of the Phantom Prince

[Arc 14] Ch.7 Dragon Fallen

[A/N

Ahoy and happy Valentine's Day. Here is an extra chapter for you in honor of all the new followers here on Patreon and all the support from everyone reading. it is amazing having you all around and this extra chapter is my love letter to you all.

And may the winds of fortune ever fill your sails.

-the Captain]

*

Once upon a time there was a boy, a boy with a sad tragic soul. That tragic soul was born in a world where it was able to heal under the affection of a kind and loving family. This boy discovered magic and its many beautiful and dangerous secrets.

He danced in an ocean of knowledge as he pursued the depths of its possibilities and fell in love with the way it opened his life. Using his power, he was able to protect and save the lives of those around him. He made familiar contracts with a variety of beasts, he made many friends and life-long companions. He was surprised to learn about his noble blood and that he was raised by his aunt and uncle.

When he met his birth parents who were the king and one of his queens there were some misunderstandings, but he soon came to know the sacrifices they made for his sake. He was engaged to a foreign king's tyrannical daughter, but it didn't stop his pursuit of power and knowledge.

At this point the boy had taken for gratitude his happiness and magical progression.

One day a tragedy struck. In his hubris he forgot his responsibilities and his kindness and sought vengeance at the cost of the lives of the innocent. His god intervened and punished him.

After that day, his progress in the magic that he found so joyful was completely halted to the point that he would experience great physical pain when he tried to push himself.

More than that the burden of his guilt thrust him into a dark place.

Luckily, a chance meeting with an old rival woke him from his trance.

With a fresh start in mind, he took advantage of a loophole and broke off the marriage between himself and a princess. With a new familiar and a dear friend, he escaped the halls of royal obligation.

He traversed the world. He went by many names and faces to escape those that chased him, for better and for ill. He felt responsible for the incident where he lost his ability to progress and sought to free those he could find.

Meanwhile he sought to subvert the curse god placed on him.

He explored many different kinds of magic. Discovered some ancient knowledge and developed something new along the way. He put into words what had been forgotten, lost, or ignored.

And in truth, he just couldn't help himself. He loved magic so dearly that it guided him through noble plots, the elven forests, the dwarven mines, the foxes back allies, the rabbit's dungeons, the demonkin's towers, and even a forgotten library hidden by time.

*

[Talisa]

I watched as Doc looked at the sparkling rainbow decorations.

He was so stoic and cool, his eyes lit up with a passion I rarely saw. He casually leaned on his elbow and with his forefinger and thumb he gracefully propped up his chin. His glasses sat on his nose and yet he looked over both over the rims and through them at the same time.

My heart pounded in my chest, not just because he seemed to be a living statue of wisdom and worldly culture. The magic around him as he studied the lights seemed to glow as if it was blushing as much as I might if I got caught staring. His words seemed to spin a different kind of spell, both magical and engaging. It was warm and enticing. It was a melody that mingled with world around him, not to give shape to anything but to simply dance with magic in the air.