Chapter Text
A long time ago, there was a devastating war between monsters and humans. It only ever stopped because of the significant loss of life on both sides. Faced with mutual destruction, the two races struck an uneasy truce, and both sides withdrew geographically from one another. Monsters claimed the east side of the continent while humans gathered in the west.
Despite time and distance, the wounds from war did not completely heal. Rage and hatred stewed and contorted into ugly scars for some monsters. Those who lost family, friends, and lovers to the war could not forget nor forgive their enemies.
One particular family, a noble house of great wealth, was orphaned by the war. The young heir, barely out of his childhood, declared all humans enemies. Anything to do with humans was forbidden in the manor; any human was to be killed on sight. While everyone was aware that this attitude was extreme and impractical, it was never discussed.
The adolescent heir, who was obviously grieving, drew pity from the household. No servant nor advisor spoke up against it, assuming it was unlikely to ever be relevant. Little did they know, but that policy would bring down a powerful and terrible curse upon the entire household.
CRACK
Lightning split the sky, illuminating the cloudy landscape. Winds howl, and trees groan as an extreme gale passes through.
A small child, clutching their dirty cloak, struggled along a path. A steep road, treacherous under normal conditions, was nearly impossible to traverse in that weather. However, they were determined to reach the fortress looming at the top of the cliff. No matter how many gusts tore at them, the bedraggled child continued to scale up the rocks to safety.
Huge, solid doors greeted the young one. They grabbed a knocker and knocked at the intimidating door. They mumbled a small prayer to themselves, hoping they would be heard over the violent disturbance of the elements. The youth curled into themselves as the minutes passed, attempting to retain their body heat.
…
…
...
...creak
The door before them swung in slowly, leaving just enough space for a monster to stick their head through.
“Who the hell are you!?” a skeleton with unusual black bones demanded loudly.
The much shorter being stutters quietly, but the monster simply waves them in.
“I can’t hear anything over the wind. Get inside,” Despite the roughness of his tone, there was a sort of harsh kindness in his voice.
The child squeezed in and shuddered happily at the heat that enveloped them. They were very grateful to be out of the dangerous storm. They tried to express gratitude verbally but were interrupted by a rapid succession of involuntary sneezes. Their hood dropped as they reached for their nose with their sleeve.
“A human!?” The skeleton, clearly an adolescent when viewed in the light of the castle's torches, flinched and leaped back. “We don’t want your kind here!”
The child tries to explain something, but the young monster won’t hear it. With the gravity magic typical of skeletons, he threw the ‘human’ back into the mercy of the elements. With that, he slams the doors with a severe BANG.
The child's expression was initially one of bewilderment, but shadows darkened their face as they placed a hand on the door.
WHOOSH
The doors flew open, letting a tempest roar in. The tattered cloak melted away, revealing an achromatic being. Despite the appearance of a child, voids swirled in their eyes, and primordial magic choked the air.
“You would throw a child into this horrible storm?” Their voice is indescribable, as if hundreds, no thousands of humans and monsters were speaking at once. Young and old, female and male, it echoed with all and none of those qualities simultaneously.
“You tricked me!” the onyx skeleton accuses, refusing to admit any fault on his part.
“You offered me refuge, but upon seeing my face, retracted it,” that being, known now as Core.
Core is a legend whispered among men and monsters alike to this day. They are said to be an extremely powerful mage in the form of a human youth.
“Humans are a violent and dangerous race; they cannot be trusted!” The frightened monster foolishly clung to his decision, unaware of the consequences to be wrought upon him and his household.
“But a child is innocent, why should they suffer for the sins of others?” Core’s tone sounded as if they were weeping, but their face remained eerily blank and cold.
Perhaps if accompanied by his brothers or his servants, this skeleton may have been persuaded to listen to reason. However, he was alone, and he stood his ground, as unwise as that was.
“A soul twisted by bitterness and hate can never truly learn to love. Only when you understand the true meaning of love can you break this curse.”
With those ominous words, Core vanished. The young noble screamed in pain as his bones grew and contorted, distortions beginning to mar his form in patches.
“WHOA...” Azul says, ✰s in his eye sockets at the end of the tale.
“Wow! And that’s the same manor on the mountain?” Farbe, a skeleton with unique shape-shifting eyelights, tilts his skull. “How come you and Father have never told me about the legend before?”
“I have recounted this tale many times; it was even one of your favorites growing up,” Dr. Aster gently reminds his son. Farbe’s characteristic terrible memory was a significant source of anxiety for his parents.
“YEAH, YOU WERE THE ONE WHO SUGGESTED WE ASK DR. ASTER ABOUT IT,” Azul chuckles, the shortest skeleton is amused by his best friend’s airheadedness.
“Oh yeah, that’s right!” Farbe does not appear bothered by this deficit in his short-term memory, a yellow ★ and green ❢ light in his eye sockets as he bounces around.
“The legend is a warning, stay away from that mountain, boys,” Farbe’s father reminds them sternly, a serious look in his eye sockets. “That place is ancient and cursed; nothing good can come from wandering around there.”
“We promise!” Farbe and Azul dutifully chorus, running off to whatever shenanigans they had planned for the day.
Dr. Aster sighs but internally advises himself not to worry so much. Both of them are fully grown skeletons, and Azul is even a member of the village guard. Dr. Aster returns to managing his apothecary, knowing his dutiful protegee Rêve will arrive soon. None of his sons are interested in taking over, nor do they have any affinity for healing magic. At least Farbe is a close friend of Rêve; the scatterbrain surely needs someone more level-headed around.