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A World in Remnants Side Stories

True Beauty

Deep in the forests of the Feywild, there lies a lake. Legend states that the enchanted water from this lake is capable of healing any wound, curing any disease, breaking any curse, and lifting any hex. But the mortals that seek these blessed waters must face the lake's guardians--the sirens. These powerful fae are not easily convinced to aid the mortals. No mortal who gained their trust may speak of the trials, and no mortal who fell short remembers. Unlike the fae guardians of other treasures, such as the mermaids that guard the coveted Heart of the Sea, the sirens show kindness even to the ones who fail their trials. The mortals have always returned, either with the blessed water or without memory of the lake.

The sirens themselves are a mysterious species. The only tales to survive the times are the songs of their beauty. Like all fae, the sirens possess a beauty only held by immortals. However, no mortal knows what a siren truly looks like, as they are shapechangers. Every tale only leads to more questions, the ones who returned successful unable to speak of the trials they underwent. The sirens never left the lake they guarded, not out of fear, but out of comfort.

This remained unchanged for millenia, until something very unique took place. A male mortal stumbled upon the lake with no need or want for its waters--the first and only instance of this. The canine sorcerer never underwent the trials as he had no need for the waters. In the time he was there, he took a liking to a particular siren by the name of Lana. He cared not for her physical beauty, being completely blind. Instead, he was taken by her passion, her true beauty as he called it.

But, like all mortals, his time was destined to run out. In his final moments, he asked only for one thing: that Lana never forget that beauty was more than physical. Lana took pity and drew him into the lake. As his life was fading, she took the spark of his life and pulled it into herself. The siren did what no other had: create for no other reason than preserve their love immortally. She soon showed signs of being with a child. And the child, borne from love, would be truly beautiful.

Lana left the lake after bearing her child, disappearing into the world of mortals. The child would be raised by the other guardians and fae until maturity.

. . .

The child quickly showed signs of being different from her sisters. Shifting forms and appearance were like second nature to her and she learned more quickly than they could teach. In fact, her shifting showed none of the constraints that restricted the other sirens. She could shift more freely, without need for a reference like the others. Viyala, they named her, the name having no one meaning. She showed preference for being anywhere but the lake. She would often sneak off into mortal cities just to see. The others gave up trying to stop her. Viyala could not be controlled.

Viyala yearned to escape the Feywild. She felt like a caged bird, lusting to stretch its wings and explore the world. So, one day, when the guardians were occupied with a trial, she took her chance. She snuck into a nearby mortal village in the form of an unassuming red wolfess.

She fussed with her grey cloak to straighten it as her bare paws treaded the cobblestone path. She walked up to a market stall and examined the wares. "Why hello there, lass!" the vendor greeted. She looked at the feline and smiled softly from under her hood. Silently, she pointed to a leather satchel hanging from a hook in one of the beams. "Ah, a fine choice! Normally, the price is 10 silver. But," he leaned in close, his voice quiet, "it can be yours for only 5. All you gotta do is-" he froze, Viyala's eyes meeting his. The fae could sense his intentions, and she wasn't having it. His green eyes went wide and he started trembling. Viyala tilted her head as if to ask him again. "F-five silver. No-no favor..." he stuttered. She broke eye contact and reached into her cloak. She pulled out five silver coins and set them on the counter before taking the satchel, leaving the shaken vendor.

She held back a laugh as she walked away. Mortals' minds were so fragile, no match for a powerful fae like herself. She examined the stalls as she passed them, purchasing some of the items she needed. Viyala had one left, and it wasn't going to be in the market. She went to the most likely place, the gardens. She used her current form's heightened senses to track down a certain flower. Once she found it, she stopped to admire its beauty.

The flower had five pointed petals, splayed out like a star. The center of the flower was a rich ruby red that lightened as it traveled down the petals, the tips of which a bright pink. She put her nose to it and breathed in. The scent was absolutely divine, sweet and rich and natural. "Lovely, isn't it?" a female voice asked from behind her. Viyala jumped slightly and whipped around, her hood falling off in the process.

The winged dragoness behind her closed her hazel eyes and breathed in. Viyala looked at the stranger's rose-pink scales in awe. "Yeah," she answered, "lovely indeed." The dragoness opened her eyes, fussed with her sleeveless emerald evening gown, and looked at the disguised siren. "As are you. I don't believe I've seen you before. What's your name?"

Viyala hesitated at the compliment. "V-Viyala. I just...arrived today."

"What a lovely name. I'm Evangeline, but most folk call me Eva."

"Pleasure to meet you, Eva."

"The pleasure's all mine." The dragoness smiled at her sweetly.

Her heart fluttered. "You probably wouldn't say that if you knew what I was."

"And why would that be?"

"Because I'm a..."

"Don't be afraid of what you are, whatever you are. All that matters is who you are."

Viyala smiled at the advice. She looked around, making sure that no one else was in the gardens. When she didn't see anyone, she shrugged off her cloak, leaving the fae in a linen undershirt and fitted cream trousers. Eva looked at her curiously, but stayed silent. She took a deep breath to steel her nerves before letting the magic flowing within her rise to the surface. Eva looked on in wonder as the siren's fur shifted color.

Viyala's formerly red pelt deepened to a rich ruby that matched the flower. Her hands and feetpaws lightened to a gentle rose pink, and her eyes from brown to a sparkling ochre. To Viyala, it was like changing clothes--she had an image in her head of what it looked like, but she didn't really know. That is, until she looked up to see Eva staring at her in awe. "You're a siren, aren't you?" the dragoness whispered. There wasn't a hint of fear in her voice, not like Viyala had been expecting. The fae nodded slowly. "Yes, I am. Do you still think of me as lovely?" she asked nervously.

"I think that you're even lovelier."

Viyala was speechless.

"I don't listen to those stupid myths. After all, they're just stories, right?"

"Mostly..."

"I don't even care."

Viyala stayed silent as the dragoness walked closer. She looked up at the taller woman, right into her hazel eyes. Eva smiled sweetly and leaned in, bringing her lips to Viyala's. All that the siren could see in Eva's eyes was passion. "Maybe we should take this somewhere more...private," Viyala advised, pulling back from the kiss, already panting. The dragoness nodded and bent down to pick up Viyala's cloak. "My place is not too far. We can go there," Eva offered, giving Viyala her cloak. Viyala donned it and nodded, taking Eva's hand so that the dragoness could lead the way.

Eva led her to a two-story building that had a glass display window out front, showing off vials full of strange substances. A wooden sign out front read "Auntie Khlo's Potion Shop". Viyala followed her inside, staring in wonder at the shelves full of vials and bottles, all containing more strange substances. The dragoness led her to a back room, where a flight of stairs led up to the second floor. Walking up them, the girls entered a hall with three doors. Only one was open, letting soft golden light pour out onto the wooden floor. Eva brought her to the first door on the right and opened it for her.

The dragoness's bedroom was quaint but nice. A few paintings hung on the stone brick walls, depicting creatures that Viyala had never seen. One of the paintings showed a giant four-legged creature with a spiked shell and front-facing horns. Another showed some kind of wingless bird-like bipedal creature with small arms and menacing fangs. She pulled her gaze away from the art and looked to Eva nervously, who was closing the door behind them. The fae closed the distance between them and pulled Eva into a gentle kiss. A gentle warmth spread through the siren's body as Eva's hands went to Viyala's hips and trailed up her sides to unfasten her cloak. Viyala shrugged off the grey cloak and let it fall to the floor. Her own hands went to the laces on the back of Eva's dress as the dragoness's kiss moved to Viyala's neck.

The fae tilted her head back and sighed pleasantly as she worked on untying the last lace of Eva's dress. Eva stepped back and began removing the dress. Viyala turned her back to the winged dragoness before unfastening her trousers and pushing them down her digitigrade legs, revealing her full rump. Keeping her tail down to conceal herself for the moment, she pulled off her loose linen shirt. She took a deep breath to ready herself before turning around and moving her tail. Without pause, Eva pulled the fae into a kiss, her arms wrapping under Viyala's legs and picking her up with impressive strength. Eva carried her to the bed in the corner of the room, setting her down on the red sheets and crawled over her.

. . .

A bone-chilling scream ripped Viyala from sleep. She immediately looked beside her, relaxing slightly when she saw that Eva was still sleeping. But then her ears were met by the sound of shattering glass. The door to the bedroom swung open and a female lizard with blue scales popped her head in, a frightened look in her eyes. She was confused to see the naked fae, but shook it off quickly. "Eva! The village is under attack!" the lizard exclaimed. The dragoness stirred and sat up, using the sheets to cover up her bare body. The sleep evaporated from her hazel eyes, replaced by fear. Adrenaline made time seem unimportant as the two girls climbed out of bed and pulled on their clothes. Eva didn't bother with her gown, instead donning a simple white tunic and tan trousers. Once they were dressed, the girls joined the lizard in the hall. "What's going on, Khlo?" Eva asked her. The lizard answered with "Dragon Knights came, they're trying to find the lake."

Viyala's eyes went wide and she bursted into action, dashing past the two females and down the stairs. Eva followed close behind as the siren ran out of the shop. Flames danced along the tops of houses and shops as ashes fell like rain. "This is all my fault," Viyala lamented, "I never should have left." Eva grabbed her shoulder and told her "Viyala, don't do that to yourself. None of this is your fault. Never feel guilty about the choices you make, no matter what happens."

"Eva..."

"We can't save those people. But we can save ourselves."

Viyala's face hardened with determination as she shrugged off her cloak. "You maybe can't, but I can. Eva, promise that you won't be scared, no matter what happens?"

"Of you? Viyala..."

"Please, just promise."

"I promise."

"If it gets to be too much, cover your ears."

The siren took a deep breath and let go of her form. Her body retained its overall canine appearance, but her muzzle shortened into a feline maw. Her ears went from lupine to vulpine. Her tail lengthened drastically, taking on a folf shape. Her feetpaws took on a feline structure as her colors started shifting. Her pelt became rose pink, her back featuring long, horizontal green stripes. Her underbelly became ruby red. Two violet rings appeared near the now sky-blue tip of her long tail as her forearms and paws turned emerald green, as did the tuft of soft floof on her head. She looked around with sea-green eyes at the armored knights spread through the village. She inhaled deeply and began to sing.

Fires roar and ashes rain; it hath no fear, it hath no pain

Death follows the unfeeling flame, hurting not those to blame

Thy brandished steel glints in the night, slaying those that try to fight

Thy black souls in Hell belong, brought there by the siren's song

Fear the devil in disguise, fear the devil in my eyes

Death himself hopes to rival the power of this dark recital

Tell me does the darkness care, tell me not this is not fair

The verdict be that ye must pay, for the lives ye took today

Let my words be the last ye hear, the world sheds not a single tear

Ye will wish ye had never come, to the punishment ye will succumb!

Her haunting words floated through the night, laced with power. The Dragon Knights looked confused at first, but their expressions soon turned to pain as blood began trickling from their ears. Some covered their ears, others ran screaming, but none could drown out the siren's deathly sweet voice as the world around them became a living nightmare.

Two Knights were grabbed by their own shadows, dragged into the black pools by unseen hands. A third yelped in pain as a thorn-covered vine lashed out from a thick bush and wrapped around his neck before pulling him into its branches. Three went mad and jumped into the flames they had started. One lunged at Viyala with a sword drawn, but soon collapsed, coughing and sputtering, drowning in his own blood. Stone dragons left the garden and ambushed three more, dragging them screaming into the forest. One was swallowed whole by a chest he had been digging through. But one Knight remained, covered in burns and wincing in pain. This Knight dropped her sword and walked up to the siren, bending the knee. "Please spare me," the young red fox pleaded, "I didn't know that they were planning to attack the village. I've been pulling folk from the fires." Viyala's face softened and she looked into the female's cobalt eyes as she spoke. "Your judgement has come. Since your body suffered from the flames to save the lives of innocent people, you shall be blessed. You shall be granted a new body, one that shall never fear the flames. Walk into the forest, and your brave soul will be spared." The Knight looked up at the siren with pure gratitude as she rose to her paws and walked off into the mist-veiled forest, disappearing into the night.

Thunder rumbled overhead as dark clouds gathered. Cold rain began falling, pouring, as a storm gathered. Her retribution complete, Viyala collapsed to the ground.

. . .

Viyala came to, opening her tired eyes. She was in a bed with familiar red sheets, in a room with familiar stone walls. She sat up slowly, muscles screaming in pain. She slid out of the bed slowly and walked shakily to the door. It opened before she could get to it and Eva walked into the room. "You're up!" the winged dragoness exclaimed happily, pulling the sore fae into a gentle embrace. "Yeah...careful, I'm still quite sore," the siren fussed.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better. Just...hurting."

"Come sit down."

Eva led her back to the bed and sat down beside her. "Eva, I-" she started. "No," the dragoness interjected, "I know what you're going to say. I know I can't keep you here forever. Just promise me that you'll come back and see me."

"I...I promise. I-"

"Don't say it, Viyala. I've come to terms with it."

"How'd you know?"

"Khlo found the ingredients for a Traveling elixir in your satchel."

"Oh."

"I just want you to be happy. I know that you'll never be happy staying in one place...or with one person. Don't let me get in the way of that free spirit of yours."

"Thank you for everything, Evangeline."

"Here, you can use this to travel freely. No more goodbyes, please."

Eva gave her a silver ring studded with rose quartz. "Just...one more kiss..." Viyala whispered, pulling the dragoness into a soft kiss. They parted after a moment and Eva rose from the bed and walked out of the room. Viyala understood. She didn't want to say goodbye, either. Because it wasn't goodbye. Not really.

She rose to her paws and slid the ring onto her finger, walking to the door. When she opened it, a soft white void greeted her--a portal leading to wherever she wanted to go. She stepped through it, leaving the Feywild behind for now. But she'd be back. After all, a promise was a promise.

Nightshade