Noxa

Divine Emperor Yu, the wise and benevolent ruler of the celestial heavens, watched over souls who had earned their right into paradise. Yet even His Divine Eminence could succumb to loneliness, and so a competition among twelve creature candidates in search for the perfect assistant was created. Sent to the earthly realm in the guise of humans, they each had to impress the Emperor with their deeds. Dragon was a haughty creature. In ancient times, her kin was both revered and feared as paragons of might, magic, and monstrosity. Charismatic and well-versed in the mystic arts, Dragon had powers at her disposal that no other creature had. A competition was almost beneath her; surely she was the only candidate for such a prestigious position. But when she arrived in the earthly realm, Dragon found her kin reduced to mere myths and legends. No sane human believed in the existence of enormous winged terrors and their fiery breath. Inwardly lamenting the loss of her overwhelming advantage, Dragon steeled her resolve, and vowed to show the Emperor she could overcome any challenge. Bellowing overlords were a thing of the past; the humans of this era much preferred something deeper, darker, and more...daring. With a sly smirk, Dragon traded scales and teeth for cloth and pins, and slinked into a small underground club. Cradling an ominous effigy in the crook of her arm, Noxa—the name her soon-to-be followers would lovingly chant—flashed a single, slitted eye toward the startled crowd. It would be a night to remember. The most enigmatic of the creature candidates competing for the prized position of Emperor Yu's trusted assistant, Dragon's mastery over magic granted her an almost unfair edge over the rest. Yet what awaited her in the earthly realm was not subservience, but indifference—her kin had been reduced to little more than imaginative stories. Noxa strove to recapture the spirit of the times. No, there will be no coercion or threats of tooth and claw; the humans would submit to her willingly, and her kind will be reborn in the ashes of a bygone era. Levitating her effigy in the middle of the room drew surprised looks and whispers, but it was when a snap of her sharp-nailed fingers caused its plush body to be impaled by silver pins that a cry of excitement rippled over the crowd. Exulting in their awe, Noxa addressed them in low, sultry tones—honeyed words that ignited their passions and bade them draw close. The spellbound looks on their faces pleased Noxa; it wouldn't be long before they were all under her thrall. Unbeknown to the dragon, she had unwittingly become an underground club's new favorite patron. Drinks were poured and exchanged—the sealing of a pact to Noxa, but the start of an amicable acquaintanceship to everyone else. With all of her subtle threads in place, Noxa indulged in the adoration of her "cultists". She wove a new tapestry of tales around a metaphorical (to her, a very real) wyrm, one that ruled the night and possessed the ancient powers of the lands. Even humans could attune to it given fervent study. Too proud to admit she had grown fond of her new "cult", Noxa nevertheless felt—for the first time in a thousand years—truly home.