The Corruption

Princess Cupid 1

Princess Cupid strolled in the forest. Owls hooted and their lonely calls echoed through the trees while crickets chirped their midnight song. Cupid shivered and her spines rattled down her back. The shadows were long and tall forming shapes and playing tricks in the little one’s head. She looked over her shoulder at the Grand Cave, growing smaller as she hobbled along, Home.
The screeches and buzzing of the night silenced quickly as if on cue. The silence rang through the woods. The moonlight grew dimmer and a shadowed shape swooped across the starry sky. While she was not aware, a dusky black dragon with scarlet stripes and flickering crimson eyes stepped in front of her. When she turned back, she almost screamed at the sight.
The other dragon blinked and bowed, “Greetings, my lady.” And oh yes, you WILL be mine soon. You will be my queen, darling.  Princess Cupid, breathing heavily from shock, stammered, “ Who..wh..Who are you?”  She took a step back and crouched cowering under the imposing mass of darkness.
“I am The Corrupter.” he said calmly sitting down and swishing his bladed tail around his extremely sharp, long talons that reminded her of swords. ”At least, the silly name that your kingdom has given me. But just call me the Dark Lord.” He leaned in closer, his hot breath blowing on Cupid’s face. She coughed and scrambled back again. ”You spit on me!”
“A thousand apologies, ma’m.” He bowed again. Yet he grinned with those wickedly sharp fangs. “You see you may wonder why I’m here tonight. I am on a special- well so called mission and I thought you might want this.” A black bottle appeared into thin air and landed in his outstretched claws.
“What is that?!?!?” She cried. She started to creep back even farther, but her balance was lost and she toppled over. Cupid struggled to her feet but was panting from the effort.
“This my, dear,” He hissed simply, “Is a new leg.” The potion was brought forward a little bit more. Cupid’s eyes gleamed with want and awe as she advanced a little, now catching her breath, “All you have to do is drink it, and that leg will be your’s forever!” He slithered closer placing the bottle on the ground at her talons. You will be mine forever too.
Princess Cupid’s mind was racing, a war under her crown. She wasn’t supposed to speak with many strangers, especially one like this eldritch drake, being the princess and all, but A NEW LEG! She could just picture herself running full speed zooming past open plains and swerving around the trunks of trees.
And that side won over her mind. She looked up at the smiling shadow and then clutched the potion in her talons. With a shrug of her shoulders she pulled the cork open with her teeth and spit it aside. Her lips closed around the bottle and she tilted her head back, letting the liquid flow into her mouth and down her throat. Almost instantly the bottle fell from shaking claws to the ground with a smash and The Dark Lord cautiously stepped back eyeing her closely.
Cupid could feel her wings splitting and tearing as she started to screech. She could feel her blood boiling under her shifting scales. Pain seared through her body. She felt her claws lengthening, her teeth becoming sharper. She saw her scales shifting color, darkness creeping like shadows. Her eyes narrowed and glowed red, as her bones grinded into new positions. The Dark Lord flung back his head and roared in success. And the princess’ howls of agony echoed throughout the kingdom. Then they stopped. And Princess Cupid ceased to be.