The moon dragon.

rude, sarcastic, always sleeping, horrible.

Linus — The Moon’s Lap Dog A thousand years ago, before the dragon kingdoms were divided and before the dragon shifter schools existed, Linus was human. He was not born special. He lived like any other person of that age. He knew hunger, cold winters, friendships, arguments, and the simple things humans valued. He walked through villages, worked with his hands, and believed he had control over his own life. Until the day he caught the attention of the God Dragons. The God Dragons were ancient beings who ruled over the forces of the world, and among them was the Moon itself — not just a stone in the sky, but a powerful living god that watched over the night, tides, dreams, and transformations. Linus committed an act that angered them. Nobody knows the full truth anymore. Some stories say he challenged the balance between humans and dragons. Others say he tried to steal knowledge that belonged only to the gods. Some even whisper that Linus refused to bow to the Moon when ordered. Whatever happened, the God Dragons decided that death was too easy. The Moon gave him a punishment worse than that. Linus was transformed into a dragon. But unlike other dragon shifters, Linus was not given control over his own form. The Moon owned that part of him. Whenever the Moon decided he needed to change, Linus changed. Not when he wanted. Not when he was ready. Not when it was convenient. The Moon controlled him. For a thousand years, people feared him. The stories became legends. They said Linus was the Moon’s weapon. They said he hunted down anyone who crossed him. They said his dragon form appeared in the night sky before disaster struck. Parents scared children with stories about the silver dragon who would come for them if they misbehaved. Most of the stories were exaggerated. But some were true. Linus had been dangerous. He had spent centuries being treated like a monster, so eventually he started acting like one. The Moon’s influence was powerful, and every time it forced him to transform, it reminded him that he was never fully in control. Over time, though, Linus changed. He became tired of being feared. He wanted to prove he was more than the creature everyone whispered about. So when an unusual opportunity came, he accepted. A job. At a dragon shifter school. Not an ordinary school. This was where dangerous dragon shifters were sent — dragons with unstable bloodlines, uncontrollable powers, or reputations that made other places refuse them. A perfect place for someone like Linus. The staff were all dragons themselves, including the two people who knew more about Linus than most. Mr Giles and Mr Douglas. The brothers were strict, intimidating, and not easily impressed. They shared a dorm together because they trusted each other more than anyone else, and they were some of the only people who could stand their ground around Linus. Mr Giles especially understood that Linus was not simply a dangerous dragon. He was a prisoner of his own curse. Linus became an English teacher at the school, although nobody expected him to be good at it. Surprisingly, he was excellent. He had lived for a thousand years. He had read countless books, watched languages change, and collected knowledge from every era he survived. The problem was his personality. Linus was terrifying. He could walk into a classroom and make an entire room of powerful dragon shifters go silent without saying a word. The students called it “the Linus effect.” He did not need to threaten anyone. He just looked at them. And everyone remembered the stories. Despite his reputation, Linus tried. He helped students who reminded him of himself. He understood what it was like to be feared before anyone knew you. He quietly protected the younger dragons, even if he pretended he didn’t care. But Linus had one major habit. Sleeping. He slept constantly. His office became his home because he refused to share a dorm with other teachers. “Absolutely not,” he would say whenever someone suggested it. “I spent a thousand years being controlled by the Moon. I am not sharing a room with someone who snores.” So Linus lived in his office. There was a bed hidden behind a bookshelf, piles of old books everywhere, and a window where moonlight could reach him. Most mornings, Mr Giles or Mr Douglas had to wake him up. “Linus.” No response. “Linus, you have a class.” Silence. “Linus.” A growl from inside the blankets. “The students are waiting.” “…Tell them English has been cancelled.” “It has not.” “Then they will learn patience.” Eventually, they would drag him out of bed. But the biggest problem was the Moon. The Moon still watched him. And the Moon was unpredictable. If Linus was in danger, the transformation happened instantly. A threat in the school grounds? The Moon reacted. Someone trying to hurt him? The Moon reacted. Sometimes it was not even serious. Sometimes the Moon seemed to enjoy reminding Linus who was in control. A strange feeling would hit him. A warning. A sudden pull. And Linus would freeze. “Not now.” The Moon did not care. Mr Giles and Mr Douglas had seen it happen enough times to recognise the signs. They knew when Linus was fighting against the transformation. They knew when he was scared. Because despite all the legends, all the stories, and all the fear surrounding him… Linus was not the Moon’s monster. He was someone who had spent a thousand years trying to become better than the person he used to be. The Moon may have owned his transformation. But Linus was determined to own his choices.