Draka turned to Tryton, "So my love, when will we be able to bring Lovonian to our side?"
Tryton shook his head and pointed to the chess board in front of him. "Your move, dear."
Draka hissed, "I would prefer if you called me by my name." Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she flicked out a long, forked tongue. "You know I hate pet names." She moved her knight, removing a pawn from the board, and blocking a bishop that had just lined up for the queen.
Tryton considered the board as he spoke, "Lov has yet to find a treasure, my dear. Until he does, there's nothing we can really do to speed the process." He moved a pawn, then rose from his chair. "I'll be back in a moment, he may need a good prod, now that you mention him." Tryton stepped from his mate's palatial home into the birthing crater.
Lov was huddled on the ground, rocking back and forth. It appeared that the carcass he had killed had been finished a few days ago. Tryton shook his head in disappointment. He walked over, kicking Lov in the ass.
"Get up!" Tryton reached down, grabbing his grandson by the arm and lifting him, one handed, to a standing position. "By all that we're made of, you look pathetic. You only scratched off half of your shed. Even Draka would take pity on you, I think."
Lov's ragged clothes disappeared. Tryton made his hand more claw like, using his sharp Talons to scrape off the thick patches of scales. Lov struggled when he saw the patches coming off, but Tryton smacked him across the butt, sharp and hard. "Stand still, you're only making it worse." Tryton continued scratching until Lov had lost all of his loose scales. "My god's you are young, boy. Your dragonhunger isn't always an evil thing, you need to learn to trust it sometimes. Admit it, you feel better."
Lov stretched, relieved of the itch for the first time in weeks. His hunger had begged him to scratch, managing control in snatches. It had forced him to abrade his skin, and Lov had loved it, until he noticed the scales, thus repeating his everlasting cycle of hell. His grandfather, a dragon who loved a great Wyrm, had helped him. Showing him the nature of what it was to be a dragon. Balance. Too much giving into your hunger, you eventually went insane and became a Wyrm. Or stay good, and watch your loved ones twist and fall into darkness. Enough corruption will drive even the most stalwart to insanity, and hence, a Wyrm you become. Lov realized that even though his grandfather had helped him, the young half-dragon didn't trust Tryton.
"Thank you, Tryton. That helped me immensely, but do you mind telling me what you brought me here for?" Lov felt his hunger smolder, and let it edge his voice. "I mean, I have been stranded out here. Having to eat a baby in order to survive!" He roared at Tryton, "What was the point of this?"
The dragons along the rim stirred, they sensed Tryton in the crater. They knew he was dangerous.
Tryton shook his head, slowly fading away. A whisper on the wind touched his ears. "Talk to the dragon you ate."
Lov shook his head, confused. How could he talk to a dead dragon? Then it dawned on him. He ran to the desiccated corpse, using a sharp rock to cut through the neck bones. He picked the severed skull from the body and...
A soft happy presence filled his mind. "Hi." She said, a soft feminine voice vibrating through his body, "Thanks for ending it for me. The world wasn't ready for a dragon like me. I appear so good, but it was all just a sham. I would have swept across the world and destroyed anything that wasn't a plant. Even you, young half-dragon.
"Still, death has mellowed me, and all I wish is to join my brethren in the lava. Will you carry me there?"
Lov said, "Of course, it would be an honor." He carried her down the stairs, listening to his hunger. The young half-dragon lept the last thirty feet when he came to the narrow steps. Broken empty shells cracked beneath his feet and he rolled, crushing more.
He asked hesitantly, "Do I just throw you in?" Stepping towards the edge of the lava.
Laughter vibrated through him, it reminded him of Anuunaki laughter. "No, silly, we go where our eggs were lain. Deep in the earth, near the skulls of the ancestors."
Lov eyed the hot bubbling magma before him. "You mean I need to swim in that?"
"Of course, we are creatures of fire. Why would fire bother us?" The skull laughed again, then told Lov, "This will definitely help your grandfather know if you are the one."
"The one what?" Lov asked as he stepped into the lava. His clothes burned from him in an instant.
"He must be the one to tell you, it is his prophecy to guard. Swim deep, friend... feel the pull of the ancestors."
Lov dove deep into the lava. It wasn't really swimming, more moving with conscious thought than propelling himself physically. He felt a pulling, and his hunger roared in his head, high on recognition and anticipation. Lov thought himself in the direction of the pull.
He felt more and more energized the deeper they went down. The skull in his hand vibrated with pleasure. "We're getting close!"
Lov felt the skull connect with something solid, and the rumble of thousands of voices filled his head. They all clamored to speak to him, almost overwhelming him. But one thing came loud and clear. "He is awakened!"