Legend of the Great Dragon (8 page)

 

 

The flight home took less time than the flight into Oceina City. Ichitaca let the wind carry him most of the way, riding the jet
stream. He relaxed for most of the way home. Flying always calmed his mind. When the wind touched the scales of his dragon form, a new kind of energy filled him. Being a wind dragon, it only made sense for such a thing to happen.
Being a wind dragon, he was in his element when in the skies; he felt renewed and free.

He stretched his large, graceful, pearly white wings and let out a yawn as he prepared to descend into the valley that he called home.
Like most Aero dragons, his body was large and graceful, taking on a more traditional dragon shape. Even his talons were pretty rather than gruesome. His wings were large and a smooth, pale cream color that meshed well with the pearlescent appearance of the scales on his body.

There were no airplanes at the altitude in which he flew. Regulations stated that all artificial air traffic must fly higher than the dragons to help prevent catastrophic crashes. Dragons didn't tend to fly much anymore in general. The Aero and the Oceina were the only two tribes where all members could do it. No Inero could fly, and only a portion of Terran could — an amount which got smaller and smaller every year. Fear kept the Aero from spreading their wings and soaring, from even transforming anymore. There were a lot more dragon hunters in the country, and it wasn't always worth the risk for a dragon to travel in his natural state.

Ichi couldn't resist, however. He didn't like airplanes much, not when he could fly for himself. If a dragon hunter decided to try and target him, he'd make sure to go down with a fight. He'd make a beautiful trophy for someone's wall if all else failed.

The Aero were by far the most beautiful of all the dragon species. No one would deny it and Ichi had great pride in his appearance, in being a dragon in general. His father had always taught him to embrace his heritage and to live like the humans, but at the same time to remember that he was separate from them as well. Many dragons got lost in their humanity and denied their magic and power.

Ichi did not want to see the human people enslaved or under his feet. He simply understood his father's point: the dragons had been given magic and power for a reason. They were to respect the humans and love them, watch over them, but there was also a reason that the human women they mated with became like dragons — not the other way around. Why should any dragon deny his power and purpose for existing? It would only be a matter of time before the species faded away if all of the dragons continued with that sort of mentality.

The Aero would be the first, and then the Inero would follow suit. From what Ichi understood, the Inero were so petrified of being in their dragon state and abusing their power once more, that they denied the existence of the creatures to begin with. Rumors had reached his ears, even in the middle of nowhere. The Inero dragons, a once proud, populous species that liked to flaunt its slender, rust-red, lizard form, was now only a myth. Humans were starting to believe them to be mythological creatures. It disgusted Ichi as much as the Aero's pathetic hiding.

Hunters do not scare me.
He slowed his speed as he flew into the valley, mindful of mountains around him, as well as the trees and villages. There were no humans in sight, but he could see an abandoned camp fifteen miles north of where his cabin was. That was only five miles away from the nearest town, but it was still expansion. The humans were indeed getting bolder in their progression into the mountains. Hopefully one of the townsfolk would see him flying in and his presence would keep the humans at bay long enough for him to clean out the house of all evidence of his family's existence. His father's dragon form had kept the people away for a long time, but the respect those people had for the dragons was fading.

Ichi hated the idea of abandoning the home his father had built with his bare hands. His parents were buried in the yard, even. Ichi hadn't the courage to send them off in the traditional white flame of his people. God created their kind with dust and flame, and they were supposed to be returned to Him in a similar fashion. Every time Ichi had tried to do it, his stomach turned several times, and he would vomit. Burying them was a poor substitute, but he could at least handle the process. Leaving his family behind would be difficult.
But staying will only cause drama when the humans arrive. I don't want to fight with them over land territories, especially land that we have no legal rights over. It's time.

He landed in a snow-covered clearing about a mile east of the house. It took only a few seconds for him to transform from dragon to human. Once the process was complete, he picked up his bag and trekked home. A smile formed on his lips as he saw the brick and wood house nestled in the trees.

Other than a collection of dust and
spider webs
near the entrance, nothing had changed about the place.

“I'm home,” he said, fully knowing that no one was there to hear him speak. It helped keep him sane. After being surrounded by so many people, the transition to being alone again would be difficult.

Three days, that's how long he would give himself to figure out what he could take with him and what had to be destroyed. He sighed.

“It's time.”

 

 

Mikko was walking through the park again. The blue and red roses trailed along by her side, every so often crossing in front of her. The peace was back along with them.

It was daylight in the park this time, and Mikko knew right away she was dreaming. She reached out to touch one of the flowers, wanting to admire a red rose up close. When her fingers brushed over the soft petals, a jolt coursed through her body and she heard the voice of her mother.

“Mikko, I love you.”

Gasping, Mikko pulled back and stared at the flower, amazed, confused, and overwhelmed with emotion all at once. With a shaking hand, she touched the petals of the blue rose and her father's voice filled her head instead.

“We're here. We've never left you.”

Tears welled up in her eyes, and her knees began to buckle. “You aren't just magical flowers. You're the spirits of my parents. I know this is a dream, but…”
I've never dreamed about them before.
She bit her lip. “Why now?”

“Because it's time,”
her father said.

“And we didn't want you to feel like you were alone through the ordeal that's about to come,”
her mother added.

“The ordeal that's about to come?” Mikko asked. Those were far from reassuring words. She sat down in the grass, crossing her legs in front of her and touching one flower of each color rose blooming at her side. It may have only been a dream, she loved having something tangible. She would never look at a rose the same way again.

Her mother was next to speak.
“You know who you are now. I wish we could have been the ones to tell you. We miss you so much.”

“We're all here for you. Each of us will guide you and show you what you'll need to know. You know the basics, but if you're going to fulfill your destiny, then you need to know more,”
her father said.

“I already feel like my brain is about to explode,” she mumbled. “It's not exactly easy to be told that you're the savior of the world, chosen to defeat an evil creature you've never met. How will I even know where to look?”

The air around her grew hot, almost unbearably so. She looked out ahead and watched as the grass and trees began to wither and die. The trees became like firewood, the grass became red before it dissolved into dust. What was once a lush park was now a desolate desert.

“No!” she screamed when the flowers began to shrivel up into nothing. As she gazed out at the red earth surrounding her, she noticed it was familiar to her.
Is this the nation of Inero?

Trickling water could be heard nearby. Mikko shielded her eyes from the sun and watched as water streamed toward her. A small river formed at her feet, flowing gently. She dipped a toe into it and couldn't help but smile at how cool and refreshing it was against her skin compared to the rest of the intense heat. As much as she hated the heat, she liked the sense of home and comfort the desert brought to her.
Must be my Inero roots.
Even though her mother had been raised on a tropical island, she'd always spoken of how the Inero loved the heat and sun.

Footsteps crunched on the gravelly ground, breaking her out of her slight trance. Twenty-some feet away from her stood the blond haired man with the icy silver eyes. A small, smug, smirk formed on his lips as he stepped into the water. Instantly, the river began to churn around his feet creating a whirlpool… which soon became a water spout surrounding him.

Ice shot past her, almost impaling her, as water dislodged itself from the spout. When it hit the ground, the sand was covered with a sheet of ice. The river itself began to grow, expand, and the current became stronger. Mikko found herself surrounded by water that was getting deeper by the second. Soon she was completely immersed in it and being carried away downstream. She struggled, unsure of if she wanted to go where the river was taking her. At least she could still breathe since she had some Oceina magic in her. The water was half of her magical element and made her abilities stronger. Drowning was not something she was afraid of.

In the distance, she could see the man with icy blue eyes. He maintained the same amount of space between them, despite her floating away and him seemingly standing still as the water rushed by him. The smirk never left his face.

“Come and find me, Mikko,” he said. “I want to be found. I need to be found, and by you alone. You're the only one who can help me.”

She couldn't reply if she wanted to.
I want to wake up now. Please, someone help me!

Large dragon talons wrapped around her body, pulling her free from the water. She caught a glimpse of pearly white scales before her eyes snapped open and she found herself back on the couch in her grandmother's living room.

 

 

Mikko struggled to breathe. Her chest heaved every time she took in air. The pounding of her heart was deafening. She wasn't even aware of Teo holding her in his arms until he shook her, yelling.

“Can you hear me? Are you okay?”

She took another moment to collect herself and nodded. “I had another dream… about him. That guy I was telling you about.”

“Doesn't seem like a dream to me. With the way your body is reacting, I'd call it a nightmare,” Teo said. His grip on her relaxed. “What happened?”

“I was with my parents,” she whispered. “When I'm asleep they're alive and they speak to me. Teo, it's so beautiful. I never realized how much I missed them until now. How much I need them…”

He closed his eyes and drew her into his arms. “Go on.”

She sniffled as the dream played over again in her mind, as fresh as any memory. “We were in the park, and then it became the desert. I think we were in Inero. It's been a long time since I went there. We only visited Inero City on the mainland once when I was young. From what I remember, it was hot and more or less desolate. There was an occasional oasis, but those were few and far apart. Unless of course we were by the river. A lot of people lived by the river.”

“Okay, so you were in Inero, you think,” Teo said, snapping her train of thought back on to the dream. “Then what happened?”

“The mystery man appeared again. His gaze was so intense, so fierce. The river started to swirl around him like magic. Some of it dislodged from the cyclone and it turned into ice. I'm pretty sure he was trying to kill me. Then the river flooded and I was being swept away. I don't know where to, but it couldn't have been anywhere good, you know? And then when I thought I was lost, a dragon scooped me out of the water and carried me into the sky.” She began to shiver again.

Teo frowned. “Definitely sounds like a nightmare to me.”

Sighing, she closed her eyes. “This guy… he told me I had to find him and save him. I'm not sure what it means, but maybe he's in trouble?”

“Or
is
trouble.”

“But why would he ask me for help?”

He shrugged. “Who knows, but he's never done anything good in any of the dreams you've described to me.”

“I guess not,” she said and moved out of Teo's arms. “It all felt so real, and my parents said that since I know the truth they can tell me even more. This Great Dragon thing is scary.”

“You believe it?” he asked. “You can be honest with me. I promise I won't tell my dad if you're having doubts.”

“I do still believe it,” she said. “But I sort of feel like I'm a failure. I've performed no miracles. I've barely done anything worthwhile. How can I be worthy of such a huge task?”

Teo was quiet for a moment. “You make a good point. Saving the world doesn't seem like the type of thing to assign to just anyone. At the same time, I'm pretty sure God knows what He's doing, right? Ideally, I mean. That's where the whole faith thing comes into play. If there's anything you have a lot of, it's faith. You've always been so confident in what you believe which says a lot, given everything that's happened to you.”

“Still overwhelming.”

“And I'm still planning on coming with you, so you don't need to worry about going through all of this alone. Do you have any idea where you want to start?”

She shook her head. “I was doing some reading in the Holy Book your father gave me hoping there'd be a clue. The first thing I found was a pretty distinct prophecy.”

“From the Touched, the Great Dragon will be born, of pure blood and pure hope. Child of the ruler, the warrior, and the damned, they will wed the royal clan. Made in lust and sin, peace shall they usher in,” Teo recited. “You're a descendent of the Touched. Both of your parents were born from fathers who were Touched. You're pure blood, we already know that, and you're pretty hopeful if you ask me.”

“The next part confuses me a little,” she confessed. “Then again, I don't know a whole lot about my parents' past.”

Teo scratched his chin. “See, I think it refers to the Touched, not your direct parents. Grandpa Darien was a ruler, Grandpa Matthias was a warrior as well as… you know… he didn't exactly have the best luck, we can just say it like that.”

She winced, remembering all of the trouble Matthias had caused when he was younger. Bad luck was putting things lightly, given how he had been so horribly led astray. “You've got a point there. I understand the lust part, so don't bother trying to explain that one to me. Sin, I'm not sure how that one works out exactly. I was not conceived out of wedlock.”

“Maybe it's because our parents broke their promise to one another. Is that a sin? To break a promise?” he asked quietly.

“Your guess is as good as mine, but you have a point.” She stared down at her hands, or rather through them, as her mind began to wander. “There's a lot about that I don't understand. Would it be seen as a sin to mutually go against an agreement like that? How binding is such a contract?”

Teo gave her a weak smile. “If it was written as an official covenant between our grandfathers, I would say that's pretty binding. In the old days nothing could get you out of them outside of death.”

She couldn't help but swallow at that. “So long as no one expects us to get married to compensate.”

“No, that would be barbaric and pointless. Our cultures have all advanced significantly. Besides, I'm not part of any royal clan, and we're not in love.”

“We aren't,” she said. “Is there even royalty anymore to begin with?” she asked.

“Ask your mystery man when you see him,” Teo mumbled.

Mikko felt her cheeks grow hot and she immediately shook her head. “No, that's a silly thing to ask someone. After all, you said it yourself, you're pretty sure he's bad.”

“And you seem to think he needs redemption. Either way, he's the one thing that's tied all your dreams together, so I think you need to find him to either save him or kick his butt for tormenting you so much while you sleep. Or I will when I see him, and you can nurse him back to health.” He winked.

She gave him a playful smack on the arm. “I don't like where your train of thought is going!”

“You're so high strung lately!”

“I am not!”

“Are too!”

“Am. Not!” And to prove herself right, Mikko moved closer to him with outstretched, wiggling fingers, ready to tickle him. “I know where all your weak spots are, Teo. Don't test me on this.”

He gasped and tried to shimmy away from her. Just as she was about to attack, Tyson rushed into the room and turned on the television. Sweat dripped from his forehead and she'd never seen him in such a shocked state before.

Teo frowned and glanced between her and his father. “Is something wrong, Dad?”

“You haven't been watching the television at all recently?” Uncle Tyson asked. He turned up the volume on the television and stepped away so they could all see the screen.

On it was a vision of complete chaos. People cried as they had to carry their belongings in their arms over a flood of water. Some rowed in boats and tried to pick up as many people as possible to help bring them to safety. Those images held for a moment before changing to pictures of pure, pristine snow, covered in ice. A few trees could be seen in the distance leaning down under a buildup of ice that made the trees appear like glass. Mikko's heart skipped a beat when she saw the next set of images.

The great Inero castle that had withstood so much dark history was coated in a sleek layer of white. Most of the buildings of the city were covered in the ice as well, and some had blown-in windows and caved ceilings.

“What happened?” Mikko some how managed to ask.

“No one knows,” Uncle Tyson murmured. “The main river flooded, north, at the mouth. Everywhere within fifty miles of it is underwater. The ice is all within a two-hundred mile radius of Inero City. A witness described it as if some kind of a bomb went off in the city. There was a big boom and a cloud of white. Everything froze. Officials can't even begin to estimate how many people have died.”

Tears trailed down Mikko's cheeks. “This is impossible. It makes no sense.”

Tyson's gaze met her own and she saw so much deep sorrow in his tear-glistened eyes. “Because it's the end of the world.”

Mikko closed her eyes. Those were not the words she wanted to hear. “It's only the beginning, isn't it?”
Unless I stop it. What if I can't? I know the Holy Book says I will, but what if I can't? What if I'm not good enough? I still don't even know where to start!