A quest for answers (w/Vulcan III)

Vehumet landed at the mouth of a cave. He had heard rumors of a dragon residing here. One often referred to as the blacksmith of the gods. Had he not suffered his own powers he would have thought the name metaphorical. In any case though, it seemed like as good a way as any to investigate the origins of his divine powers.

Vehumet unwrapped the cloak he had worn on his journey here, it served to hide his unusual features well, but as well as it protected him from prying eyes, it would likely do little to protect him from the heat in this volcano. And thus, vehumet, fully visible, walked into the cave and towards the heart of this great mountain of fire.

As he stepped into what seemed like a dwelling of sorts, he called out to the blacksmith. "Hello! Is anyone here?!" He was on guard, he had heard the blacksmith was quite reclusive. Maybe it hadn't been the best of ideas to jsut walk into his home like tthat.

Vulcan was dwelling in his home, standing at his anvil, minding his own business. It became silent in his life which, to be honest, he didn't mind in the slightest. He was a dragon who wanted to make his own time worth with whatever he wanted to make. As he was raising his hammer once again to continue his work he heard a noise, one which was not made by him.

So...someone entered this volcano. Either he is very brave or very foolish. Most know that I live here...or maybe he was seeking me...

With that in mind, he interrupted his work as he heard that dragon's voice. Vulcan was not quite sure how to react. For now, he was certain that this dragon was obviously looking for him, but not for which matter.
So he did what he thought would be best. He armed himself with his own weapon, his trusty hammer Clarent, stayed out of view and called back.
"Who are you to seek one like myself. What is the nature behind your visit?"

It seemed someone was home. "I have come to seek your wisdom. You are the one referred to as 'the smith of the gods' are you not?" The voice he heard seemed to have a somewhat threathening tone to it. It made Vehumet somewhat uncomfortable, and the sweltering heat in this cave wasn't helping matters either.

Vehumet cautiously walked towards the source of the voice he had hear earlier. "Whatever you might know about the gods, I need to know. I haven been searching for such answers for all my life now." Vehumet had no idea what he could expect from whoemever it was that lived in this dwelling. He had o press on though, even a chance of there being answers was enough to drive him forward. "Can you please show yourself, it would make talking a lot more comfortable for both parties I could guess."

Vulcan released an inaudible sigh. So that dragon was looking for him as a smith, but is didn't seem like he would ask for something to craft, rather for some advice. He wasn't sure if he could answer that dragon's questions, but it was worth a try.

I can't believe I'm doing this. But he did come all his way here, so I have to at least show him some hospitality.

So he came out of his smithing chamber into the main hall of the volcano to see a Skywing in front of him.
What? I was expecting some Firewing or Earthwing to enter my volcano. But one of his kind? Interesting...
Still armed with his hammer, he looked down at the Skywing in front of him before finally speaking up once again.

"You answered my second question. But I still want to know who I'm dealing with here. My name is Vulcan, smith of the gods."

Rather predictably, the firewing smith towered above Vehumet both in size and in posture. Vehumet held his composure pretty well considering the dragon standing before him carried a rather intimidating hammer. " I am called Vehumet sir. You may not know me as any political figure, But let me assure you that I hold great power." As if to punctuate his claim, he spread his wings and flapped them shortly, releasing a shower of electric sparks that would make it clear even to a casual onlooker that Vehumet was not just your everyday skywing.

"Now, I came here hoping that you could enligthen me on the nature of this power, branded upon me before I even hatched." Vehumet folded his wings back up, showing that he meant nothing more than some showing off with his earlier manouver. "So, has my journey been for naught? or will you answer some of the questions that have haunted me for so long."

Vulcan couldn't else but laugh, his rough, smoky voice, obtained from years of smithing, echoing in the volcano. It was not a laugh of sarcasm, rather one of understanding and joy.
"So, you want to learn about your origins, yes? Well, I can tell you some about what you seek to know for the present. But beware, for the truth may not always be pleasant."

With these words, he opened the door to a stairway leading down the volcano into his private rooms for meeting, eating and sleeping He knew that, if that dragon wanted to know about godhood, it would take quite the time to explain.

Vehumet let out a silent sigh of relief. This Vulcan, as he called himself, seemed like an amiable fellow. He seemed like a busy man too, which seemed to explain his rather hostile initial dispostion. Veumet gladly accepted the invitation into the smith's private quarters, hoping that the convection would be somewhat less unbearable there.

In his descent down the stairs, Vehumet asked some more questions to keep the the conversation going."So, that title you have, 'smith of the gods'. Is it a metaphorical one or have you literally wrought equipment fit for a god?" It was something Vehumet had been wondering about ever since he first heard about Vulcan.

Vulcan just seemed to enjoy the questioning of that rather unique Skywing who seemed to want knowledge of the gods ascension. Either he was a god himself or he just wanted to know, Vulcan didn't care, for he surely know that said dragon wanted to know something and that he would provide him with all he knew.

As they reached the chamber in which both would discuss his origins, he was certain that that Skywing in front of him certainly was a god in his own right, he just didn't know which kind of.

So, he simply answered:
"For you know, gods aren't simply chosen, they were made. So, contrary to your belief, you weren't chosen to be a god, rather you were a god from the beginning on. You never had a chance to choose your own life. You were born with it, and you were chosen to simply deal with it, so, in other words, you were never given a choice if you wanted to be a god or not."

With these words, Vulcan and his companion reached his "main" chambers, where they would take place for the next few hours, probably discussing how that Skywing was chosen to be the next God of The Storms.

Vulcan's explanation that Vehumet's power was something he was born with did not significantly shake his expectations. And even if there had been something that could have been done to subvert it, it was too late to change it now.

"Well, that clears up some things" It wasn't exactly one of the answers Vehumet was looking for, but it was a start. "So... Do you have any idea if there is some being responsible for choosing who will and who will not be a god?" The way Vulcan had formulated his answer made it seem like it could either be pure happenstance or control from a 'god of gods' of sorts. "And even if there isn't, Is there sommething about me or my parents that could have caused me of all dragons to receive this gift?"

Vulcan was musing as he placed himself in his comfty chair, offering Vehumet a chair in front of him.

Certainly there are some gods like Shardas or Phantom who are probably capable of turning commoners into gods...Bt still...

He knew what he had to do. He was looking at the, from his point of view, young Skywing and took a deep breath.
"Tell me, do you like it how it is? Do you enjoy being a god? Or do you want to live a life without the powers and responsibilities?"

As Vehumet placed himself upon the chair offered to him, Vulcan seemed to contemplate something. It appeared he was trying to evaluate Vehumet as a person. Vehumet extrapolated it from the question he was asked. "Do I like it? well... no. But now that I know how it is to bear the burden of this power, I wouldn't dare wish it upon another. If it is my burden to be beyond a normal life, then so be it I say."

Vulcan tipped his index talons together as he was thinking about the answer of that dragon in front of him. He turns around, grabbing himself a glass and a bottle with some liquid inside. He then poured some of it into said glass before putting the bottle away. Taking a sip, he finally answered the young god in front of him.

To make it clear right here, I believe you were given this kind of power and status. Somedragon must have done that since I do not believe the chances are high enough for...nevermind. The point is, the power was given to you. So it can be taken from you as well. You can ask for removing it, making you one of us, one who can live a normal life. I am not one who will push you to any answer. Just think about it for a while...

Vulcan seemed to know quite a bit about godhood. Vehumet wondered where Vulcan got all this knowledge. He briefly though about the suggestion of having his divine power removed. "I... I think I'll keep this power, It is already much too late for me to ever lead a normal life. Too many things happened that all but locked me into this position of being a god of sorts, and I doubt I'll ever be good for anything else"

Vulcan stared at him, rage slowly filling his system as he broke the glass in his claw, shards digging into it, making him bleed.
You are a fool to even think that! Every dragon in the world is good for something. Even if someone decided to remove your divine powers, you're still a living dragon. You can still decide how you're going to live your life. Just because you lose part of yourself, a part which would not have been part of you to begin with if it weren't for some dragon, you can't say you're useless. Every dragon finds some use in their life...Take a look at me. I was used to be part of royalty of the Firewings. I was told to take the throne, become a king to rule this land...But I declined. I left my family, moved inside this place, for all but to hone my skills as a Vulcan to perfection. I was a master craftsman, who made armor for the Firewings which was unparalleled in all of Pyyria. I even made armor for gods who went into battle. But now look at me...peace has replaced war, no one needs armor now. My work is done. All I do everyday simply is forging jewelry. There is no specific reason why I craft it. It just feels good for me. And I will continue to craft for one day, I am sure of it, war will return and my skills will be asked for.
Do you understand? Simply because the situation changes, it does not mean that you are useless. Just make the best out of your current life and adapt to the ever-changing world.

Vehumet was taken aback by Vulcan's sudden burst of anger. The wizened dragon's words rung true, and Vehumet had to take a moment to take it all in for a moment. His divine power had been such a constant in his turbulent life that the very idea of it going away was an idea that he could barely even comprehend. "But... I ..." He stammered, but he fell silent when he realized he could think of no rebuttal to this impromptu monologue.

He remained in silence for a while. His worldview had been thoroughly shaken by Vulcan's burst of rage. It would appear great wisdom lay behind the wizened wyvern's weary eyes. "I've, actually never thought about things that way. The first thing I ever knew was to be 'that freak that's causing all those storms." And that is the way my fellow skywings have always perceived me, and will probably continue to perceive me. in that manner for the forseeable future. But you have made me realize now,that I need not share that sentiment"

Vulcan looked down at his bloody claw before removing the glass shards. He could see in the young Skywing's eyes that he actually understood the message the Firewing wanted to bring him. He leaned back in his chair.

Good to see you understand what I was saying. Most of your age don't really grasp what I'm trying to explain. I know enough Firewings who simply misunderstand me. But that's not the topic right now.
What are you going to do now, Vehumet? Now that you know of all I told you so far?

The firewing inquired what Vehumet would do now that he had undergone such a heavy paradigm shift in his world view. "I... I think I'l go home and digest what I just heard. There's much bagage I carry and It's time I leave some of it firmly behind me." Vehumet stood up and walked towards the exit. " I thank you, weaponsmith. Your wisdom was of great help to me. And by the way, you shoudl do something about those cuts on your front claw, it'd be a shame if a dragon of your talents would see himself crippled from such a minor injury." And with that said, Vehumet ran up the stairs.

He hinally felt liberated from his past, and it was a feling of greatness. As he entered the workshop again, he unfolded his magnificent wings. He had come in bound by the burdens of concience, and now, he would leave soaring through the sky, free as the winds and swift as a bolt of lightning. he jumped above the lava pit, the heated updraft carrying him rapidly towards the volcano's summit. it was quite a reckless manouvre, but the skywing didn't care. From today forward, the only one that told him what to think would be himself.

Finally, as he rocketed out of the volcano, heavily sweating from the heat but thrilled by the visceral experience, he flew high into the sky and commanded the winds to blow homewards. It was almost like second nature, the winds bended to Vehumet's command as if nothing ever fettered the skywing, and with a final beat of his mighty wings, he darted off into the distance.

-exit-