Blackheart

Sins of the Father

"No!" Basilrin cried defiantly, "You are mistaken! He has never harmed another so!"

"Tell him," Tourthun demanded, claws digging into the dragon below him, "Tell him your crimes, fiend!"

Aurelio growled, eyes lowered.

"TELL HIM!" Tourthun roared, the entire cavern shaking at his voice.

"I...I only..."

He turned his gaze upwards. His eyes fell upon his son, who smiled at him, waiting expectantly. "Go on! Tell him this is just one large misunderstanding, father!"

Aurelio had to pause to work up the courage to admit everything.

"I am a murderer. Basilrin...it is true. I killed his father."

"W-what?!" the smaller green dragon backed up, head shaking. "B-but father, you...you would never! You are not like that!"

"Not anymore," Aurelio admitted, "But I was such a fiend once."

"I always remembered your face," Tourthun snarled, "You depraved animal. It is time. You will PAY for what you have done!"

"No, please!"

Basilrin stood tensely, eyes alight with fear and energy. He stared at the other dragon, claws reflexively digging into the ground.

"No one must die this day! Tourthun, do not do this!"

"I have no reason not to," the red dragon spat back, "The world is better off without this barbarian drawing breath."

"I...I cannot let this happen. Tourthun, please..."

"I cannot let him walk away!" he answered back. Tourthun glared at Basilrin as he continued, his grip on Aurelio tightening.

"He killed my father! He ruined my life!"

"How? How could you do this, father? You are...so kind."

Aurelio sighed and looked at the his son. "Basilrin...before I took you in, I was a completely different dragon. A much crueler dragon."

"Took me in...?"

The larger dragon looked away, shame in his eyes. "I wished for you to never know this, but since I am about to be gone from your life...perhaps this will soften the blow: You are not my son, Basilrin."

Basilrin's eyes went wide. "What?!"

"Indeed, it is so. At least, not by blood. You see, the day I met you is the same day I slew this one's father."

"No...no, father, we are...we share the same scales, the same eyes..."

"A convenient coincidence."

"But...why?"

Aurelio continued. "When I was younger, I was an idiotic fool who harbored delusions of glory. I was so convinced in proving myself that I sought out a dragon to kill in combat...to prove my might."

"That is insanity...you preached peace to me all my life."

"That is because of what I learned. I cut him down, even as he begged. I saw the life leave his eyes. I saw the look of horror in Tourthun's visage. It was then that I understood the truth. I was no brave warrior, no glorious champion: I was a murderer, a fraud who struck out against the weak and innocent."

"Father..."

"It was in my manic state fleeing the scene of shame that I happened across you. You had been abandoned, huddled under a tree as rain poured down on you. I must admit...it was a selfish desire for redemption that made me take you home, dearest Basilrin. I took you to the cave, changed my ways, and settled down with dearest Atheni. I wanted never to have to think of my actions ever again, but it seems that this is fate."