#dsiuoehotig

[ivyprism]

The Cursed Beings: Mantidrake (Benoit x Reader)

Warnings: Fear, adrenaline, blood, danger, scrapes, scratches, mantidrake, wolf, etc.

You shook your head while walking. Elpis had severely puzzled you, but you still felt uneasy. This place was completely wrong, you can tell. It felt weird, unsettling, and unsafe… And you clearly did not belong here. You cross your arms and gaze around discreetly. It's unsettling to look around, as the grass is wrapped weirdly around the trees. You stroke your arms when you hear a snap. You tighten and turn when you notice a big, growling beast. You felt a cold sensation; you'd never seen anything like this before. You step back. Your pupils dilate as you look at it.

"G-Good wolf…" You speak shakily before it charges at you. You panic and turn to run. You run as fast as you can, adrenaline rushing through your veins and your pulse beating in your ears. You didn't feel the scratches, the agony, or anything else; you were just concentrating on running. If you ran and heard the beast following you closely, the worst-case scenario could occur…

You trip.

You collide with the ground, scraping your arms. You gasp as you try to get up and run, but you reach a dead end. Your heart stops as you turn and hear the thing approaching. You turn and start backing up. You couldn't think or do anything; you froze. You couldn't think, your heart racing in your ears as you stared at the thing. Your breathing changes as you quickly back away from the beast. You couldn't turn away from it. You were terrified, but when you closed your eyes, you heard a roar, something strange, something draconic.

You were terrified, but you cautiously opened one eye and saw a draconic-like figure… It looked like a skeleton mantidrake. It rapidly defeated the beast that was after you. It was fierce, strong, and much bigger than Elpis. As you watch the beast fall, your blood runs cold and the mantidrake slowly turns to face you. Its red eyes are piercing, and the three scars on its eye stand out even more. You quickly begin to back up as it watches you quizzically.

You wanted to run, but your body screamed at you for doing so in the first place. The scratches and scrapes on your arms provided little solace because they were incredibly painful and stinging.

"What is a human like you doing out in the woods by yourself?" The mantidrake hissed, and you blinked. It was talking. "My brother should've had you leave this forest when you got here." The mantidrake let out a snarl. You could feel the cogs whirling in your head. You'd only spoken to one creature that could be compared to a mantidrake: Elpis.

"Are... Are you... Are you Elpis's brother...?" You said it shakily. The mantidrake halted for a second, observing you, before taking on an anthropomorphic form identical to Elpis'. You admit it: he was even more gorgeous than Elpis, but you could definitely see the resemblance.

"Yes, that's right. What brings you to our forest, human?" The mantidrake hissed quietly. His voice was unmistakably thick and gravelly. He approaches you, and you blink up at him.

"Uh… Um… M-My research team and I are studying this forest and how… uh… unnatural it is." You explain hesitantly. Before going any closer, the mantidrake glowered. He extends you his hands.

"Your hands, give them to me." The mantidrake practically commanded, but because you knew he was Elpis' brother, you weren't as terrified as you had been before. So…you did. You handed him your hands. He sat down in front of you as you saw the most beautiful thing that you'd never seen before.

He was using green magic on you. It slid around your arms and wounds with a clean and pleasant feeling of delicacy. It appeared and felt like the wind personified.

"And why did you remain here…?" The mantidrake looked up at you. His eyes were definitely a richer shade of red than his brother's.

"Uh… I- I have to do my research." You murmured this as you felt a flush come across your cheeks. He hums as you notice your wounds begin to heal slightly.

"Hm… Most humans are least have the common sense to turn and run." The mantidrake huffed, and you flushed more. You opened your mouth in protest, but he looked up at you. "I respect your drive, but you shouldn't be here. It is not safe for humans like you." The mantidrake chided gently. Despite its harshness, his voice seemed concerned and genuine about your safety.

"O…Okay…" You whisper as he pulls you up. You knew it more than ever. You needed to find your study team. It was not safe to be on your own. The mantidrake began guiding you across the woodland. He moved lightly among the trees, as if he were born to do so. He maintained a reasonable gap between the two of you, but he would occasionally pause and wait. You sensed he was waiting for you to catch up, so you increased your pace.

You become tense as you arrive at your campsite. You guessed he knew you were there with your study group; it was undoubtedly the most unnatural portion of the forest. As Dusk prepares for his own adventure, the mantidrake remains out of sight as he ventures into the forest. On impulse, you take his arm. His gaze flickers to you. They were stunning, you had to admit.

"Uh... Wait, uh... What's... What is your name?" You inquire. The mantidrake's eyes move slightly as he glances at you. He reaches over and plucks a petal from your hair. You flush when you look at him. He had a focused yet stern expression.

"Benoit. Be cautious the next time you enter this forest, human." He leans towards you, and you flush as he examines you. "I can't promise I'll be there to save you." Benoit huffs softly before backing away and retreating into the forest. You blink, feeling your cheeks burn.

Okay, it was… something. You can feel your face burning as Dusk calls you over…

Though a part of you wants to disregard safety and walk back in... Maybe a part of you wants to see the two again, or maybe you just found a place to get an adrenaline rush, who knows...

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Part 1: The Cursed Beings: Manticore (Elpis x Reader)

Part 3: The Cursed Beings: the Negativity Dragon (Verbena x Dusk)

[ivyprism]

The Cursed Beings: The Negativity Dragon (Dusk x Verbena)

Warning: Curses, death, etc, gods. Short af.

Dusk huffed as he moved through the jungle. His brothers were looking for their study buddy, who returned scratched and damaged. He passed through the woodland. He was more relaxed about the forest than anything else. It wasn't natural, but neither was he. So he wasn't afraid of it. He was just working hard, and it was a little unsettling. He cuts some vines out of his way.

He had to find her, of course, how else would he study this forest more? She had to still be here. She could not have left or at least he hoped she didn't.

"Hm… I'm presuming the plants here are growing faster since there are no animals to clear the way." Dusk breathes softly as he moves through. He looks about softly, sensing something, but is unsure what it is.

He walks with his hand pressed on the tree. It's too quiet, yet he knows there are animals within. He hasn't encountered anyone who doesn't appear to have predatory motives. Not that he is terrified of them; he can easily defeat them. He runs his hands along the trees. He looks around and comes to a stop when he notices a dragon-like figure moving through the woods. He knew who it was, it was her, and despite his judgment, he followed her. He had heard of her, but he did not know her name.

He glances around and travels through the woodland when he notices a human washing her skin. She has negativity dripping from her hands. He approaches close, and she tenses. Her eyes expand and dilate slightly with terror. She starts to back up.

"Hold on." Dusk rapidly reassures. The dragon stays still. Her eyes move slightly as he approaches. "Are you one of the cursed beings?" Dusk asks openly. The woman shifts slightly and moans.

"Yes, I am Verbena." The dragon approached and introduced herself. He had heard a lot about Verbena and read numerous myths about her. He gets closer, and Verbena moves out of his way. "Why are you here? It is not safe for someone to wander around here at random." Verbena hums softly as she turns away.

"We're doing research on these parts and you're one of the legends we're studying." Dusk hums while looking at her. Verbena glances away and leans into her palms. He examines her as she moves away from him.

"I am, but I'm not going to answer your questions." Verbena looks over at him. She moves her feet through the water. The lake became organically blackened due to the energy of the forest. Her wings conceal her form.

"I am not going to ask you too. Your tales appear to provide the answers I seek." Dusk glances away, and Verbena sighs slightly. She knew she was going to be known and cursed throughout the world. She had periodically forgotten her life, but it would occasionally return with time.

Verbena looks over and sees Elpis and Benoit watching ready to strike. She sighs as she closes her eyes and she leans her head back. She sighs as she looks away.

"You should go before the others come over," Verbena warns, but she sighs. She waves the skeletons away. The two leave, but not before giving Dusk a warning gaze.

"Are all three of you here? What happened to the local animal population?" Dusk asks, looking at her. Her true cursed form causes a light flicker. She looks over, her eyes glowing.

"Well, the gods intervened, and indeed, all three of us are present… This is the Forsaken Forest, our home." Verbena keeps her speech calm and quiet. It never wavers or changes. She stands up slowly as she looks at him.

"You three do know we're not leaving until we learn everything, right?" Dusk's voice remains calm and clear. Verbena sighs quietly and looks away. She looks back before closing her eyes.

"Yes, I do... But be careful where you step Dusk…" She tilts his chin with her hand. He didn't feel the fire since her purple eyes shone softly. "Or else, you will regret your decision." Verbena pulls her hand back as she returns to her cursed form and makes her way back into the jungle.

Dusk stared, his heart pounding quickly. The desire to assist his brothers in saving this forest and the cursed beings within blazed fiercely in his SOUL.

He would never let another hero or monster injure her again. He pledged to himself that he would not cease.

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Part 1: The Cursed Beings: Manticore (Elpis x Reader)

Part 2: The Cursed Beings: Mantidrake (Benoit x Reader)