This is dangerous,
Vulcan!
There, those were his last words. It replayed in the dragon's head in a never-ending loop; his mind trapped in those last few seconds of the battlefield before a part of his mind shut down from losing his rider. Dangerous, yes, he had wanted to rush into the field because he could see that they were losing. He had thought if he could sweep lower and burn them--
yes burn them all burn the ones that took him away--they could get the upper hand. But...but then one moment--
That
damn spear, or was it an arrow? How high were they, how low did he descend? It pierced his rider and sent him falling; an instantaneous death that did not even give him a chance to say goodbye. Vulcan remembered the pain the most, unleashing the loudest roar he had ever heard himself make as he too fell. His wings had stopped working the moment his partner's heart stopped beating. From then on, everything was a blur, and he barely put up a fight when he felt shackles placed on his arms and legs; his wings tied down by tight strong rope. He had to be muzzled too, of course, otherwise he could easily burn through everything.
But he did not feel like escaping. All he felt was
regret regret regret regret re--
The door creaks open, making him flinch. A guard? More guards? The other figures were hazy, but they approached him without fear. That was to be expected, he was shattered at this point and could not bear himself to even stand. Yet to his surprise, they casted a spell on him. Vulcan quickly felt it take over--
sleep, ah, he accepted it gratefully...
-----~*~-----
When the dragon's consciousness stirred, he noticed that he was not alone. In his mind, he could feel the sensation of another, creeping. More pain? Why can't the gods have mercy on him, for once? His muddied thoughts could not make out what was happening, but it soon occurred to him that the feeling was familiar and at the same time unfamiliar and horridly intrusive
was this another bond? He wanted to roar in anger but could not find the energy to do so. How dare these mortals replace his master! How dare--how dare--!
But he could not fight against the ritual, and his mind entered a state of forced calm. Not long after, he felt an actual physical body laid near him, and it was a warmth that was different than his own. Vulcan deluded to thinking that this was his old partner, even if that could never be, and continued to sleep.