Two moons had passed, yet Kyselius still hadn't adjusted to his new environment. Everything...is different.
Dragondale.
The seat of House Seedrake, Wardens of the East.
Their keep, Dragon's Nest, is a labyrinth of gold and bones; a treasure for the brave, a grave for the foolish.
Dragon's Nest is towering, castellan, and futuristic. Its walls of rock are thicker than the tavern tables, and equipped with automatic steel doors, holographic displays that allow temperature modulations, light control, and much more. Not to mention, the grandeur of the keep itself, from floor to ceiling, every corner of the castle is adorned with glistening gems, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires.
Yet, none dared to eye it with greed, for it housed some of the most powerful beings in all Caelmyria. Beings who have reached the ranks of near invincibility.
But the wise have said and history has proven that no fortress is so strong that it cannot be infiltrated if someone is determined enough.
The current Kyselius was not Kyselius the Lustful. He was someone else. Not a disguise or a doppelganger but something similar.
Five years ago, "Kyselius" (referring to the commoner boy) awakened with a potential of E-rank, a waste of life in other's eyes. As for possessing any talent or bloodline? Seldom anyone with such low potential had either one. Even so, with a stroke of luck, he wielded a single talent. A talent he sang no tales of, lest it attracted the eyes and ears of the unwanted. The reason was simple. His talent was called 'Identity Devour'. It was a one-time use talent that would disappear completely after use. The purpose of it was in its name too, and of course, it had certain limitations too. First, physical contact must be maintained with the target; secondly, the target's power scale must not exceed E-rank.
Thus began the long search for someone on whom the one-time talent could be used.
The wait was...challenging.
Initially, "Kyselius" planned to seize an extremely gifted noble child of House Seedrake, probably one with SSS-rank potential. Since he was an orphan who grew up in the streets of Dragondale and was extremely familiar with the inside out of the colossal city, he ought to take advantage of it.
Only, such children were heavily guarded. So fiercely were they protected, none dared draw within ten paces without vanishing from sight, or breath.
Much to his annoyance and reluctance, he forced himself to give up...and look for smaller targets.
Targets like Kyselius Seedrake, more famously known around the city as Kyselius the Lustful or The Lustful Dragon.
Kyselius the Lustful is the baseborn son of Vaelric Seedrake, an SSS-rank powerhouse. Even so, the boy spent a lavish lifestyle. Two years after Awakening, "Kyselius" first encountered him when he had started sneaking into the Velvetmaids, brothel he worked in.
In the beginning, several house girls noticed their corseted silks going missing. "Do you know about our cute little lingerie thief?...," they would begin as they laughed in the cups with noblemen instead of panicking. For these harlots such incidents were a common occurrence. However, the situation escalated when the moonlaces of a few noblewomen were stolen.
The entire brothel was thrown into disarray and many were indicted, including himself, since he too was responsible was entertaining these noblewomen that seem to have a thing for cute faces.
The establishment was almost forced to shut when the true culprit finally decided to show himself, and the whole ordeal was swept under the rug. This small episode served as one of the earliest happenings that later cumulated in Kyselius Seedrake's infamous rise as the Lustful Dragon.
It was then "Kyselius," noticed that the Lustful Dragon often visited the brothel without any guards, most probably slipping away against the wishes of his elders.
It was a God-sent opportunity!
As long as he could use his talent on him, everything Kyselius the Lustful has would become his. His body, his talent, his bloodline...Everything!
But...hasty hands often snatch at shadows—losing the moment and waking the storm.
At that point Kyselius the Lustful was still an Unawakened, making his future uncertain. Albeit Vaelric Seedrake was an SSS-rank powerhouse, the origins of the baseborn's mother were questionable, or as the rumors whispered.
So, he waited patiently, for Kyselius to come of age and undergo Awakening, before taking it all away for himself.
If this baseborn awakened with a high potential, like S or SS-rank, or perhaps even SSS-rank then he would waste no amount of effort to seize him and use 'Identity Devour'. But if not...if the Lustful Dragon took after his rumored low-born mother then he could do nothing but sigh in frustration and curse at himself for being born to bastards who sold him to the brothel for meager money.
Three winters had come and passed since then, and just a month ago a piece of news spread like wildfire:
'Kyselius Seedrake the Lustful Dragon, baseborn son of Vaelric Seedrake has undergone a successful awakening and now possesses an SS-rank potential.'
Whether or not he possessed any talent or awakened his house's bloodline remained unmentioned, however, it mattered little too "Kyselius".
Anyone with a sound mind could see between the lines. Kyselius the Lustful was destined for greatness.
For the past three years, he had observed.
What time does the Lustful Dragon visit the brothel? How long does he stay? With which house girl he spent the most time with? Did he, or not, sway the other way too? Was there any expert guarding him from the shadows? Did he visit any other establishment along the way?
Everything was meticulously noted down.
"Kyselius" obviously knew the baseborn visited often and stayed for hours. His favorite girl was a platinum-blonde named Milia, a twenty-year-old or so old, and he certainly didn't swing the other way. The last guy who tried flirting with him was flayed.
The only real problem was his guard. A young man in his mid-twenties, Hobbin, would always show up at Velvetmaids' door in about five to ten minutes after Kyselius arrived at the establishment, claiming to be the sworn shield of his lord.
This made the situation troublesome.
Normally, he could have sneaked into the room after Kyselius and Milia had done the deed and were resting before slipping them a bottle of Sleeping Draught, and proceeding with his plan.
But now with Hobbin in the picture left very little time for him to act.
Now, he had to knock out Milia and Kyselius as soon as they entered the room without them having mouthed as much as a whisper.
So, he waited. Days after days passed relentlessly. Normally, the brat was back in about three days, yet a month had passed and there was no sign of him.
Could it be...after awakening he has corrected his ways? Unacceptable!
Wouldn't that mean, his "penance" of three years was wasted?
Just when "Kyselius" was losing his patience and was on the verge of mental collapse, a glimmer of hope shone on his face.
Two days ago.
Kyselius the Lustful finally showed up. He knew he had to move swiftly.
As soon as the baseborn entered a room with Milia, he sneaked in and quickly knocked them out with a taser. He didn't have to worry about being seen since establishments like Velvetmaids didn't have security cameras for obvious reasons.
After carefully laying Milia on the bed, he grabbed Kyselius by the wrist and activated his talent 'Identity Devour'.
Instantly he began feeling the change, like his entire being was beginning to re-write itself. In front of him, the unconscious Kyselius also began reducing himself to a puddle of empty sacs.
Seconds ticked...
The entire time, his focus was on Kyselius, who was now but meat and bones; nowhere near his past self.
Seeing the baseborn being reduced to such a state didn't trouble his conscious. Kyselius was, after all, a terrible person. He harassed maids and noble ladies alike, whether they were willing or...not.
After the process was completed, he looked at the clock. "Fifteen minutes huh," he muttered as he moved to stand before a mirror.
Red hair, red eyes, and a face so very similar to the boy who was now nothing but a puddle of meat.
He looked at his reflection and trembled, not in shock...in but exhilaration. An overwhelming impulse to laugh washed over him.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA...!!!"
For a few minutes, the room was filled with nothing a maniacal laughter.
"IT WAS WORTH IT! THREE YEAR AND IT WAS ALL WORTH! AHAHAHAHA..."
Finally, his patience and effort had paid off. Now he was not the houseboy of the Velvetmaids. No, that boy died with Kyselius the Lustful, and reborn from their ashes was someone better, someone...terrifying.
Slowly, the laughter died down, yet a twisted grin remained on his face. He brought his face closer to the mirror and his grin promptly retracted.
"From now on, I am Kyselius Seedrake! I am the Lustful Dragon!" Kyselius said in a solemn tone.
"Status Window," he called, and a screen appeared before his eyes out of thin air.