Dragon Reincarnation part five
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The sun shone gloriously as it rose on the horizon. I've been living with my father for four years now and my mother still hasn't returned. At least I've continued to practice what she taught me as well as what my father pounded into me. It has been the same everyday so far, which basically means not much has happened except basic survival. He's still asleep in the deepest part of the cave--apparently the nest 'wasn't cold enough'. For the past two years I've been hunting for my own food altogether...unless he happens to catch something huge and shares with me. I leapt off the ledge and spread my wings, enjoying the scents carried on the wind. I think I'll fly around for a while. Unlike my mother, he doesn't seem to be quite as attentive to me so I can vanish for a few days without him batting an eye. Kinda sad, really. Well, after getting his permission to leave anytime under the condition I learn every language, it almost makes sense, actually. I feel like I've forgotten something important...I debated over it for a few minutes and shrugged. If it was that important, it'll pop to mind at some point. At least I'm fluent in every language now, so if it something to do with that, it won't matter much. I tasted the air testingly. Seems a storm will come in again tonight...same old, same old, I guess. The ensuing hours had become almost boring from being so inactive. Rather ironically, right after that thought, a continuous shouting sound caught my attention. What's that? I drifted on the wind, searching for movement on the white ground. My head jerked to the side when motion flashed in the corner of my eye. There, I saw what seemed to be a human running from a group of dyre wolves--giant and nasty cousins of normal wolves. Should I help them? It doesn't necessarily concern me and the person might attack me...I saw them stumble multiple times, seeming to spew curses every time they got a mouthful of snow. Ah screw it, I'm going in. I furled my wings, diving at the retreating human. Well, it could really be any of the humanoid species, but I'm gonna go with human for now. I prepared all four of my legs for the impact, certain I would have to use all of them to carry the human.
I'm almost three times the size I was, but the weight is the main issue. The jumped off a tall snowbank right as I grabbed them. Wow, they made that easy for me. Since they'd been airborne, it had been much simpler to grab their arms and sides. The person became very stiff with surprise. Better reaction than others might have had. I beat my wings to gain height, not wanting to deal with the wolves at the moment. I brought the human up to a conveniently placed glacier and set them down. The person stumbled and waved their arms to balance while I landed nearby. There are so many glaciers in this place that it's almost like a maze...way more than there are around the cave. I observed the surroundings before remembering the human. I faced the hooded person skeptically. They have some really thick clothing and a huge hood on...what were they doing out here? I flinched when they asked, "D-did y-y-you s-save me?" That voice...sounds familiar...I smelled the air and blinked. Wolves and firewood. Where have I encountered that before? Not sure whether it was good or bad I remembered them, I approached menacingly. The human's entire demeanour changed as they backed up hurriedly, falling. I stood over them as they tried to scoot away, letting a low growl threaten them. The hood slipped off, revealing startlingly icy blue eyes and black hair with big wolf ears pressed over their head in fear. I fell silent instantly.
They covered their face when I opened my mouth to speak. The first word that popped out of my mouth was, "Xyon?" Ah! That's the name of the boy that was in the forest! He stared at me, not seeming to understand. "Xyon! You're Senra Xyon, right?!" I'm sure glad I learned other languages!
"H-how do you...?" I used my thumb and fore talons to pick up the tiny opal scale hung around his neck.
He kept it! "You made it into a necklace? How'd you even get a hole in it? I didn't think you'd hold onto it at all."
"Ah...ah...!" His eyes widened in realization. "Y-you're the b-b-baby dragon from the f-forest!"
"I sure am." I stepped beside him and offered my wing. "I'm sorry. Let me help you up." He grabbed my wing hesitantly and let me help him. I made a mistake that might come back to bite me later. "I had no idea it was you." As he calmed down, I saw his wolf ears going away. How does that transformation even work? I tilted my head at him. I wasn't able to talk last time...this must be confusing. "Xyon, I spent a lot of time learning other languages. How have you been?"
Xyon stared at me. Is he not happy with seeing me again...? "You..." His breath wavered and his lips quivered. Huh? When his face went still and blank, I noticed a tear fall down his cheek. At that moment, he suddenly hugged me, wrapping his arms around my neck. In reflex, I flared my wings and raised my front legs off the ground. He's...giving me a hug? I didn't realise he trusted me that much--especially since a dragon killed his father. His face was hidden, pressed into my scales. "What...what's your name...?" Oh! I never told him!
How did I forget about that? "Zavi."
"Zavi...thank you for helping me." There's something off...
"What's wrong?" He tightened his grip.
Hmmm... "I've been trying to get the village to let me in...they said that I could come in if I got them something..." I narrowed my eyes.
"Get what...?"
"Ugh...I agreed but I can't even go high enough." It feels like he's stressed out. "I have to get a harpi egg." Harpi? What's that? Is it that giant bird?
All I want to know is... "Why? How is an egg important to them?"
"When it hatches, the bird inside can be trained and even ridden. I found one I could reach by climbing, but I was attacked by those wolves." I sighed at him and he looked up at me.
He's doing something like this...ugh. "I don't understand...why? Why are you going to far to enter a place that forces you to risk your life? Weren't you happy they didn't force you to live with them when I first met you?"
"Yeah, but--"
"Uh-uh. It was you who said they hated you because you had the blood of a beastkin. Are you planning to do this to live there, breaking any ties you have left to your father? You probably need to bring them an egg anyway if you're worried they'll hurt you though." He was very quiet. His breath was ragged but his heart sounded perfectly fine, speeding up only slightly.
"No. I...I won't get it for them...they can do it themselves." I smirked at him. The stuttering coward is starting to show bravery--they're doomed.
"So you're going back?" He nodded. "How long will it take you to get home?"
"Oh...I should be back by nightfall." It's the morning right now! I shook my head at him, not sure whether he was still sane.
"No, no, you're only an hour or so away. I'll take you back."
"Huh?! Are you saying you'll carry me?!"
"Yeah, but I'm not big enough for you to get on my back yet. So, I will carry you the same way I did earlier."
"But I've never flown before..."
"You'll be fine. Let's go." He hesitated but soon nodded. I grabbed him and jumped off the glacier. The weight I hadn't noticed before became very apparent now. I hissed through my teeth and dived. I dropped him in the snow so I could land. "Too heavy. Adrenaline does crazy things. Get on my back."
"But didn't you just say I couldn't do that?"
"As long as I'm not flying, it'll be fine." He climbed on my back, sitting with his legs draping over my tightly furled wings. I knew it. He's too big and I'm too small. Too bad, I was kinda hoping for one of those dragon and rider scenarios. "Hold on tight." I raised my spikes so he could grab them before setting off with as much speed as I could manage. I'm slower, but I'm certain I'm still faster than a horse. I could feel his death grip from his effort to stay on. I did like stories or movies of going to another world, but I truly obsessed with dragon rider ones. I wouldn't mind it one bit if he wanted to get on my back and fly around...when I get bigger. Actually, it would be a dream come true if that happened. Sure, I was the one who wanted to be the rider, but now that I'm the dragon I want to share the excitement. I made sure to continuously glance at him to be certain he was still there. Don't want him to fall off. It took only two hours of taking breaks and resuming sprinting to get him to the forest. I slowed to a casual walk so as to not run into any trees. "See, I got you home before sunset. Go ahead and get off."
"Wow...you're so fast...I almost fell off..." He seemed to be struggling not to stutter. That must've been scarier than he admitted.
"Are you sure you'll be fine? I don't think they're going to appreciate you turning down their so-called 'generous offer'..."
"Uh, yeah...I-I'll be fine." He avoided looking me in the eye. He's lying. "Alright then. Since this is your house, I'll be leaving now." He quivered as I turned around, but didn't say anything. Once I was out of his sight, I burrowed under the snow and traveled that way. As long as I'm careful, there won't be any different in the snow surface. I listened closely to pinpoint Xyon's footsteps and then stayed beneath him as he walked. Ah...I kinda feel like a stalker right now. He doesn't know I'm here, which means I can get the pure truth. When he reached his house, there were three other people there. I'm glad I was able to learn my mother's heat vision. He stopped a few feet away from them and hung his head.
"Ah, Senra! Where is it? Give it to me." One of the others came up to him and held out his hand.
"I..."
"Come, I can't wait all day!"
"I don't have it..." His muttering was filled with fear. Xyon...he has to go through this?
"What?! Then how am I going to pass the trail?!" Reminds me of bullies in school who want you to give them the answers to tests and make you do their homework.
"Y-you need to...do it yourself..."
"How dare you?! A filthy half-beast like you is telling me what to do?! Damn you!" I had to hold back a roar when the older boy grabbed Xyon by the collar. "You need to learn your place! Get back out there and get me an egg!"
"No...I-I'm not going t-t-to d-do it f-f-f-for you!" His courage was ruined by the tell-tale terror shown in his voice.
"You...you dumb animal! How dare you talk back to me?!" The other two boys came forward and grabbed Xyon's arms, pinning him against his own house. "Hold him still for me!" when I saw him raising his clenched fist, a felt intense rage tear through my whole being, activating my magic unconsciously. I suppressed it, knowing that it wasn't a good idea to be found. The boy punched the wall beside Xyon's face with a sneer. "You're too disgusting for someone like me to touch." I glared at them as they released Xyon. His legs trembled and he fell to his knees. "I'm going to have to take a bath now, after being in your presence. I knew a wimp like you would either die or run away with your tail between your legs." I sighed when I realized Xyon's wolf ears and tail had popped into being the moment the boy began to swing his fist. It may be why he's picked on, but at least it saved him. I could've tried to fight them, but I don't actually know how to fight properly...when I return home, I have to ask my father to teach me to fight. I'm fairly positive dragons are taught around my age and up. Humans are nastier than I was told, possibly even worse than those from my other world. They don't seem to care about anyone else--a world where only the strong survive. I hissed quietly as he walked away laughing. That human boy will need some teaching. I began to use magic but stopped when I realized they might think Xyon had been the one to do it. That's not fair...ugh! I watched helplessly as they vanished into the forest. I would invite Xyon to stay near or in the cave with me, but I don't think my father would approve.
It could anger him far too much for me to handle. He has been trying to keep me hidden where the humans can't find me...it makes sense. I have to return before I do something that makes the situation worse. I retreated swiftly, mentally vowing to return after getting stronger. The way I am now is...sure, I can use powerful magic, but what happens when I run out of mana? I have no physical strength to speak of...I could barely even carry Xyon! I also have yet to ask my father about the green dragon, so I'll do that as well. I'll do my best to grow stronger so I can take Xyon with me to hunt that dragon down to his revenge...otherwise, I'm certain he'll charge in alone if he sees it. The flight back was tiring, but swift. He's going to teach me no matter what! I nearly collapsed trying to breathe when I got back, stumbling to the far end of the cave to find my father. He opened his eyes to watch me. "What happened to you? You look like you got hit by a tornado." The shine in his eyes made me want to bite him. He's laughing at me!
"Father, I want to learn to fight."
He raised a scaly brow. "What about the magic I taught you? Isn't that sufficient enough?"
"No! You know that it isn't! My mana won't last forever!"
"Neither will your stamina."
"But there are plenty of situations it would help in. What if I came across an enemy who could counter my magic? What would I do then?" He smiled at me.
"I don't know...what would you do?" I growled at him and he laughed. "Very well. It should help you get rid of some of that energy." He got up and started for the exit. "I'll warn you now that you better know healing magic." My breath hitched as he walked past me, taking flight to go to the stone platform. Healing...magic...? Like what my mother mentioned...? Ah...please no...!
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