Tales From the Void

Belyst

Belyst scurried down the giant tree from which his home was situated. He hoped what he'd heard wasn't true. God! Let it not be true! Let it not be true that his beloved daughter, Mimsy, was making a horrible mistake! It had been roughly a year since the beautiful Pearlescent Dragon began organizing her own army of lesser dragons to take down and drive away all the predators that ruled this land. Now, it seemed she wasn't just banishing predators, she was banishing anyone and everyone who hadn't followed her or even just stayed neutral during the revolution.

Iber used to be such a different place, one where only the strong and resilient would survive, while those that weren't would be hunted for sustinence. Belyst remembered when he first came from the Void, escaping the danger that was the raiders, and finding this beautiful place, so full of life and natural hierarchy. And, his wife, Jura the Fluttering Creature, the first dragon to truly understand him, even though he had never really been completely honest with her about his past.

Now, he was beginning to regret that. He ran up to a pair of his daughter's guards ushering several dragons toward the boundary that separated the lush, gorgeous center of Iber from its grimy, seedy, and toxic outskirts. Among them were dragons Belyst knew very well and was close with, dragons that would never hurt a fly, yet, because they never swore allegiance to his daughter, were being thrown away. He roared forcefully at the guards, who both froze in place, startled.

Belyst recognized them as the guardians, JJ and Bart. Though their appearances were anything but intimidating, he knew their father as one of Mimsy's strongest warriors. Upon seeing Belyst rush up to them, they both froze solid and soluted him. JJ was a puffy, pink Gummy Dragon, while Bart was a bright orange Jelly Dragon.

"You're Madame Mimsy's father" JJ exclaimed, trying to confirm it for himself.

"Yes. That is correct" Belyst growled.

He looked over the dragons they were handling. Among them were some of his best friends: Bud the Manglar Dragon, Bolide the Snapper Dragon, and his brother Bolt the Surge Dragon. All three were subdued by thick vines tying their front limbs together like cuffs and all looked pretty upset and worried.

"Belyst!" Bud yelled, looking especially terrified compared to the others, "We didn't do anything wrong! These guys just came to our dens and dragged us out here! Tell them they've made a big mistake!"

"Quiet!" Bart spat.

"Don't talk to him like that!" Belyst roared, shutting up the Jelly Dragon, "What is the meaning of this? Why are my friends being banished? None of them even participated in the revolution!"

"Exactly" JJ replied calmly, "Madame Mimsy ordered all dragons not sworn to her rule to be evacuated to the outskirts."

"What?!" Bud yelped, struggling to force his cuffs apart, "That's crazy!"

"You have no right to do this to us" Bolide growled.

"Well..." Bart turned to them snidely, "You could always join Mimsy. If you bow down in front of her, I'm certain she'll let you stay. How about it?"

"Go choke on your own tail!" Bolt finally spoke, sounding bitterly resentful, "As if any of us would submit to that pompous dictator you call a leader!"

"You know, the only reason we never followed her was because we weren't desperate and weak enough to be manipulated like you" Bolide added.