(Requested)

viren is an asscheek

i have to make him more bearable when he's younger or i just can't write a oneshot about him lmao

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Watch this. My hands glittered with specks of white stardust, dancing around as images simply appeared in my palms. Figures danced around, their feet moving briskly across the floor, and as I lifted my arms up, they disappeared into the clear night sky, forever waltzing to their heart's content.

My eyes dwindled to my friend's face, lit-up wonder plastered onto his expression, jaw unhinged, and irises blown wide in fascination. His smooth, young skin was flushed compared to its usual pale complexion. I let out a small chuckle, the peace of the night overtaking the moment again.

How'd you do that? His voice broke a bit while saying it, but Viren quickly regained his composure. You have to teach me!

Pressing my lips together in a firm line, I raised an eyebrow and remembered that humans couldn't do magic. I could try and teach him, but I think he'd only be crushed by the defeat of not being able to truly harness the power.

Viren, you gotta understand that humans can't do magic. None of them can, without a primal stone, and those are really rare. His face never fell, however, and his eyes remained strong, unrelenting.

No! I'm different, I swear! With magic I can make the kingdoms flourish! I can be renowned! Biting the inside of my cheek, I sucked in a heavy breath, then pushed it back out through my mouth. Nervously humming, I brought my hand to my mouth, thinking. Magic wasn't supposed to be for yourself, though. It was to share among everybody, like in Xadia. Besides, he didn't have enough experience.

Coming from a Skywing mother was already difficult, since there'd long been a feud between the human and Xadian states. I couldn't teach him because he'd never been exposed to such things before. Viren wasn't an exception in any way, but his drive for the power just made him... corruptible.

Viren... My voice faltered, eyes glancing at his hopeful expression. Groaning from the stress, I massaged my temples and sighed, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. My eyes bore into his deep grey ones, empathy and pity laced within my gentle irises.

I'm sorry but you have to understand. You can't.

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(The War Begins: Xadian Forest and the Sun Forge)

I awoke, my eyes fluttering in response to the sound of a loud horn blaring in the distance. Yawning, I shook my head and smacked my lips, the dry taste of the bitterness still lingering in my mouth. Cocking my head, I checked out the window. It was still night, so why did alarms go off? I breathed deeply, getting out of bed and checking outside of my little cabin. Currently, I was in Xadia, as I'd moved out of Katolis a while ago.

"What's happening?" I moaned, lazily cracking open my door, unaware of the danger that lurked outside. In the distance, the noise un-muffled by my soundproof barriers, I heard the marching of feet in hefty steps. The ground shook where I stood, and loud roars echoed in the distance. Gasping gently, I ran outside to see the horror that stood among the forestation.

Soldiers, all carrying the Katolis flag, led by four people. But why were they here? Surely Harrow wouldn't have done this. Where were the princes? A small twinge of pain erupted in the pit of my stomach, my instincts telling me that something bad was coming. So with what I had, I took off after packing a few valuables and rations. I had friends that would help me, I was sure. The few allies I had made during my stay in Xadia were not to be doubted.

Manus, Pluma, Voltanus.

Feathers sprouted from my arms and I took off into the sky, turning my head, desperately searching for any recognizable landmarks that I could land on. My breathing grew labored as the air thinned, but I was just able to speed ahead and find the oasis in a desert.

Surely Viren's troops can't find me here.

As I descended, I phased through the barrier and found shelter already set up by previous travelers. Too nervous to actually sleep anymore, I stayed there for a couple of hours just thinking of what to do.

They're most likely heading for the Dragon Queen. Ibis is definitely there, and maybe some others will join forces to defend Xadia. But is it enough? Where will I go, or what shall I do? I've only been in my hobbit-hole all my life, practicing spells and such, but never have I, some stupid person from Katolis actually been in a battle before. And I don't know what's happening.

Sighing, I shook my head and hit it lightly, squeezing my eyes shut.

Ugh. I have to go.

With a start, I stood up again and chanted the flying spell once more and took off, sky-bound towards the Dragon Queen.

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The forces of Katolis and Neolandia marched towards the Xadian forest, after defeating all the elves and soldiers that resided within the Sun elf's palace. Viren, at the head of the army, smiled at the sight of the world burning in front of him. He reveled at the thought of the enemy of all the human kingdoms finally falling.

At the foot of the forest, one of the troops stopped, their horse sniffing at what seemed to be a pile of wreckage. They alerted Viren with a holler, indicating that it was the remains of someone's living space. The mage briskly went over and inspected the cabin, cautiously stepping inside and peering at the furniture.

He found a few objects lying on a table: a comb, a small bottle of solvent, and hair mousse, all presumed to be used for styling. Picking up the brush, a small smile spread on Viren's face as he found what he was looking for interlaced in the bristles of the hairbrush.

"Claudia," he called, handing his daughter the comb, "Maybe we could return this to the poor soul who left this here." He blackette nodded, understanding what he meant, and took a stray strand of hair out from the brush. Claudia's eyes turned black, a purple aura surrounding the piece of DNA as it evaporated.

Erutpac dna meht kees.

On command, the twin snakes bound on her wrist sprung to life and slithered out of the cabin, locked onto their target.

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It all happened in a flash:

The glint.

The bite.

The panic.

Then the fall.

When I woke up, I was bound by two silver snakes, tied up on the ground with the forest looming above me. Startled, I jumped up immediately and struggled to break the bonds. Uttering a simple release spell, the bonds turned into dust, and I stood up, but winced at the throbbing pain on my leg. Quickly looking at it, I gasped at the sight of blood oozing from an open wound.

No, no. Oh God.

I tore off a piece of my shirt and tried to bandage the damage, clotting the blood as quickly as possible. My teeth gnashed together as the searing pain spread up my leg, immobilizing it. This was dark magic, I could feel it. Trying to limp away, the only response I got was more hurting as I fell down, groaning.

With an ear against the ground, I felt so vulnerable as the heavy sound of footsteps approached. I was useless on the ground. My magic allowed for me to have aerial prowess, not a land advantage. I could only sit and not look at the figures that approached.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" a familiar voice mused mockingly, standing in front of my shaking body. "So, you're the little bird who lived in that cabin?" My voice got caught at the back of my throat, hearing the tonality. I couldn't help but gaze in horror at who it was.

"Viren." When his eyes fell on me, I swore I saw a flash of recognition.

"(Y/N)?" His previously pale skin was blanched with a disgusting gray as black cracks formed around his eyes, spreading across his face and down to his fine hands. Around his neck laid a parasite, the insect that fed on the leaves of a milkweed, the Star Elf territory's native plant.

"Viren you're... corrupted. What did you do to yourself?" I whispered, reaching out to try and feel his skin. Instead of letting me, he reacted quickly by clicking his tongue and slapping my hand away.

"I merely accessed the tool of magic, something you said I couldn't use. I told you I was different, (Y/N)." Shaking my head, I stared at him in utter disbelief.

"You look horrible..." My eyes wandered to the army behind him, spotting two younger children among the ogre-turned soldiers. Looking at him with another, more malicious glare, my hands balled up into fists.

"And you dragged kids into this mess?" I shouted, feeling more infuriated. "How could you do this to your family? How could you do this to everyone?" He raised a foot and brought it down on my leg wound, sending a jolt through my body. I cried out in agony, breathing heavily, trying to endure everything with tears on the brink of leaking out of my eyes.

"You don't get to tell me what I can't do, because in the end, I will accomplish it!" he yelled at me, "You can't stop me. I'm doing what's good for my kingdom, regardless of the sacrifices I have to make!"

With a turn, he retreated back into the dense woodland, dismissing me with a flick of his fingers. I could only watch as he left, with his chin held high on his horse, carrying the scepter of the Sun Forge.

And I couldn't say anything that would make him stop. If anything, my words would only continue to spur him.

But I knew that somewhere deep inside, he understood that I was correct.