Chapter Text
Nom blinked sleep from his eyes, his entire body stiff from training the night before. He heard the sounds of commotion outside the Well Well Well and rushed to his feet, having to stabilize himself due to getting up to fast.
Practically throwing his armor on he rushed up the water to see what the hell was happening only to see the fields stripped of any produce.
-+ Time skip cause i’m lazy af tbh +-
In the Creeking Kings Heart Cave
As the final piece was broken Nom could feel an impending sense of doom in his chest…he was dying.
“Nom..? Nom!” The read headed rogue rushed to his side as he was bent over on one knee, practically coughing his guts out.
Tears streaked her face as she tried—to no avail—to support his weight, “Nom” Her voice cracked.
Nom tried to speak but all that came out was a chest rattling cough as bits of resin escaped his mouth. His eyes blurred and refocused on the rest of the conjoined Red and Blue kingdom stood in partial shock, some more than others.
Katie and Scott stood next to each other unmoving, Katie looking at her feet before speaking up, “Nom..are you.. Gonna be okay” She said, although hope in her voice, he could tell it was shrouded in doubt.
“I dont-” He coughed, now blood coating his not so fleshy hand, “I dont think so..” He struggled to stand and Mae and 4C rushed to support him.
“N-no, no you can’t.. You can’t leave me!” Mae sobbed as she buried herself in the crook of his neck as she clung to his arm, no sign of moving.
Nom struggled to lift his heavy feeling limbs, but he gently raked his fingers through her hair, careful not to poke her with his bark, “I told you Mae.. I'm not leaving you, I will always be with you, just not physically..” He struggled to hide the hurt in his voice.
Scott blinked the shock from his eyes, he can’t lose Nom too.. To stunned to move, “Can’t magic fix it, we have-” He choked on his words, clearing his throat he continued, “We have all the mages here.. Surely that would be enough to fix it..right..?”
“Scott” Nom coughed off more bits of Resin and Blood as he felt his life being siphoned away. “My soul was bound to him the moment I took that stupid resin, I dont think..I dont think there's any coming back from that.”
Scott looked down, not having a response..
Owain coughed to break the impending silence, “Should we perhaps move to a less dark and damp place..”
Nom nodded, unsteady on his feet as 4C and Mae refused to let him go, helping to bear some of the weight.
They all made their way out of the cave, Gracie taking occasional glances at Nom that did not go unnoticed.
“Where do you want to go.. Nom” Katie sheepishly spoke up, not meeting her brother's eyes.
“I think I know a fitting place” He chuckled, “The place we used to meet, on the hill by the shore..although a certain goblin has taken up residence there im sure we can find a suitable place close by”
Katie nodded, already making her way there, “I’ll meet you there” She said quietly as 4C rushed to follow her, taking many glances back at Nom. The rest of the Red kingdom went on to do their own thing.
Gracie was prepared to leave as Scott began walking, “Gracie..” Nom said no louder than a whisper, voice hoarse from coughing, “A moment?” He then looked at Scott, “I'll meet you at the bridge Yeah?”
Scott looked hesitant, “The trees” He mumbled as Nom nodded. Scott walked away, waiting at the trees as he watched Nom carefully.
“Gracie.. I'm sorry.. For everything I've ever done to hurt you..I wish I didn’t have to end like this..” Nom said, tears threatening to fall.
Gracie didn’t know what to say.. if she could even speak. She has known Nom his whole life and couldn’t fathom losing him to something that could have been prevented.
Nom held out his arms, offering a hug. He was never a particularly touchy person but he wasn’t about to pass up this chance. Gracie gingerly walked towards him, wrapping her hands around his torso as she tucked her head into the side of Noms as tears fell from her eyes, “Im proud of you Nom, no matter what idiotic selfish things you’ve done..Im so so proud of you…” Gracie was holding back sobs, having to stay strong for her people…
Tears fell from Noms eyes as he hugged her tighter, “Im so so sorry Gracie..I love you”
“I..Love you too Nominal” She managed to choke out as Nom rubbed circles in her back. Breaking the hug Nom gave Gracie one last smile before turning to Scott.
“Nom” Gracie said quickly, “I forgive you…”
“Thank you Gracie…”
-+ Stuff happens the same as in canon until the hill +-
Nom stands at the edge of the hill looking at the sunset for one last time. Turning back he looks at 4C, Katie and Scott.
“This may be goodbye for now, but it won't be forever. I will always be with you whether you can see me or not. Katie, I love you sister, promise you’ll be brave for me one last time?”
Katies nodded, still not meeting her brother's eyes.
“4C?” 4C looked at Nom, “I forgive you.. I'm sorry for what I did to you. I love you..brother”
4C looked up at him with teary eyes as he nodded. “I love you Nom…”
“Scott, it's not your fault…I love you..” His cheeks would be tinted pink if his skin was still of flesh.
Scott nodded, “I..love you Nom”
Nom held his arms out for them to hug him, Katie was the first to practically plow into him followed soon after by Scott. He wrapped his left arm around Katie as she tucked her head into the crook of his arm. Holding his right arm out for Scott as he followed after, wrapping it around right under Scotts arms as the taller half-elf slightly craned his neck down into Noms neck. Scott held his left arm out for 4C to join as he rushed over.
“I love you all.. so much..” Nom said in a rough voice as more tears fell from his eyes.
They sat there for a few minutes unmoving as they cried into each other. “I think.. I think it's time.. I can feel my life being siphoned from my body..”
“I think you all should back up..i dont.. I dont know if it will explode or something” Nom tried to joke, Coughing up a bit more resin..
Nom stepped towards the edge as the others backed up slightly..
Something strange was happening to Nom though, instead of properly turning into a tree or something his body seemed to practically writhe as he muffled his own pain..
“Coi ui ti wer sulta, oli vi z'ar tlushir.. dout draushum seoyl ui kiarf lorkorilt hak batobot fueryoni!” His dragon spoke in tongue as his own body morphed, his vision blurry as he felt his friends around him.
“Wh-whats happening to him..?!” Mae shouted, trying to run to his side but being pulled back by Scott. “Mae! We dont know if he will hurt you like that, be careful!”
Nom screamed out in agony as his horns and tail emerged from his body. Hands turned into large beast-like claws as his body morphed into that of a dragon. He coughed up Resin as his dragon collapsed onto the ground, writhing and tail lashing around. Nom let out a roar as the ground below him shook.
Ancient Magik surrounded his body as a Resin colored magik was pulled from his body, breaking away from his magic as if previously attached.
4C, Mae, and Scott all stood in shock as Nom went under this transformation. Gracie came rushing there as she heard the roar.
“Wh-what happened?” Gracie said practically appearing next to Scott.
“I. Dont know.. He started to shake violently as his body seemingly broke and re-bonded. He looked to be in pain the whole time…do you.. Do you know about this..?” Scott said, the only one who was broken by the pure shock.
“I.. I might.” Gracie started. “But now is not the time for explanations, nor is it really my place.. First, we make sure he stays under control and doesn’t go on a rampage through the kingdoms. We have no clue if he is in control of his body..”
Gracie turned to 4C and Mae, “4C, Mae!” She said firmly, breaking them out of their trance as they turned to her, “Make sure no one comes to investigate, it could be potentially dangerous as I have no clue if Nom is able to control this side of him well..” 4C and Mae nodded and bounded off, hesitant to leave but aware that Gracie and Scott would not let anything happen to Nom.
“Scott.. Do you know ANY kind of containment spell..?” Gracie asked as Scott looked to think.
“I could try to put him in vines, I've never done any kind of large spell like that but I'm sure I could manage..” Scott said softly.
“You should make the vines thorny.. If you do normal vines then he will be able to escape.. His specific type of dragon is quite literally made for strength in his legs and agility through forests” Gracie added, “It most likely won't be able to penetrate his scales as they are quite thick..”
Scott nodded, looking towards the still writhing dragon, his claws gripping the ground as his incredibly sharp teeth were bared. “Im sorry Nom..” Scott whispered as he surrounded the dragon in thorns as a precaution.
Gracie walked up to the dragons head, looking into his deep brown eyes that now have a sunshine yellow center. Nom bared his teeth at Gracie as he attempted to snap at her, being held back by the thorns.
“Nom” She said firmly the dragon growled louder, “Calm down, you're okay, you're alive.” She started, trying to snap Nom out of it.
Nom trashed in the thorny vines trying to claw at Gracie to no avail. Scott struggled to keep the magic up but was trying his hardest. Gracie motioned for Scott to come closer.
“Nomial! If you do not calm down now you will hurt everyone you were willing to sacrifice your life to protect!” Gracie put her hand on the top of Noms nose as he huffed out frustrated, "Do you really want all that to go to nothing, because of you losing control, I thought you said that if you had anything It was a strong will!" Hiseyes were full of anger but when Scott came into his view his eyes flashed to something different.. Fear.
Scott seemed to notice the shift as he looked to Gracie, asking a silent question, she nodded and Scott stepped forward.
“Nom? Can you hear me buddy? It's okay.. You're okay. Calm down..” Scott touched Noms nose as the dragon seemingly leaned into his touch still growling, his eyes softening and becoming drowsy looking before the dragon collapsed onto the ground, shifting back to his “human form” Still having dragon horns and a tail.
Scott and Gracie both breathed a sigh of relief, Nom was safe… Alive…