Chapters Low kick aimed at my knee, easy dodge with a step back. Heel kick to his stomach, but too slow! Caught, and he’s got that same infuriating grin with that missing tooth. He steps back, tosses my foot up, and I hit the mat. At least I’ve had enough practice falling to know how to land without hurting myself too much. Still stung my back, though.
“Betcha can’t even touch me, ya little-”
You want to know what’s weird? Trying to knock the smug grin off the jerk you’re sparring against in Karate class, and then feeling like your skin just got flash-frozen. That’s how this all started. One minute, practicing in class. Next second, cold as a snowman’s backside. Confusing would be an understatement. I was completely and utterly lost.
All around me was snow, snow, snow. Gently falling like… well, snow. What? You expect me to be creative all the time? Anyway, like I said, snow as far as I could see. Which, given that I’m nearsighted and it was nighttime, was probably not very far. I looked around me, shocked and uncomprehending.
“What?! Snow? I... Waaa-” I shouted, ending in a fit of shivering and chattering teeth. Apparently my inform was not effective against cold weather. I wrapped my arms tightly around my elbows, trying to calm down. And I failed.
“Okay Ian. Just breathe. Inhale- holy frig-g that’s cold! Okay, cold is bad. Gotta move before I f-f-freeze to death.”
Yes, I know I sounded dumb, but give me a break, I was in shock. I took a look around, seeing nothing but snow and trees nearby. Thankfully, it was a cloudless night with a full moon, and I was able to make out some form of large, rocky structure off in the distance.
“Maybe ther-r-re’s a cav-v-ve or s-something,” I reasoned. It was a slim hope, if any at all, but it was all I could think of, and, at that moment, all I really had. I rose from the forest floor, hands shifting from elbows to armpits, as I slowly marched through the snow, my feet sinking an inch or two into the crunchy white powder, wincing at its coldness. My eyes were wide, shifting from snow, to shadow, to tree, to rock, as much from ADD as from searching for any signs of danger; not to mention the almost petrifying sense of fear trying to give me a heart attack.
I was terrified. One of the scariest things you can experience is the total unknown. I was losing feeling in my hands and feet, had no idea how I ended up in a snowy forest, and was walking towards uncertainty. Was there a cave? Wasn’t there? Would I reach it before turning into a popsicle? How many toes will I lose to frostbite? All these fears, and more, raced through my mind like a caffeinated lightning bolt, over and over and over again. I was on the verge of tears, wondering if I would die, if I would ever see my mom, dad, or big sister again.
Rubbing my eyes on my sleeve, fearing the cold would freeze the tears in my eyeballs… What? I’d never been in a situation like that before! I was close to having a panic attack, if not about to claim citizenship in the magical land of Hysteria! Irrational fear is the national pastime there and I wanted to make a good impression!
I lost track of how long I’d been walking, just focusing on moving forward; one step, then another. I had been staring at the ground for so long, I didn’t notice the wall before I banged my head on it.
“OWOWowow! Sss… gah!” I clenched my teeth in pain, my whole body shivering from the suppression of chattering molars. As it quickly ebbed, I looked around, seeing a massive wall of natural stone extending upwards and to either side of my arms. It looked like a cliff from how sheer it was, but I couldn’t marvel at it for long, needing to find some kind of shelter.
After falling to the ground from my wall experience, I stood up, only to faceplant into the snow when my foot slipped on a frozen rock. I suddenly knew why cartoons have that warning about not trying these things at home. Oddly enough though, it didn’t hurt. And that’s when I got scared. Well, more scared, at any rate. Not feeling pain is an exceptionally bad sign. I looked back, and noticed that apparently my right ankle was twisted. Because, you know, being out in the middle of who-knows-where in nothing but a uniform isn’t bad enough, now my ankle’s messed up like a stereotypical damsel in distress, and I’m incapable of feeling pain. Nothing but sunshine, gummy bears, and oh! Is that a greenhouse made of peanut brittle?! No? Nuts. No nuts.
I struggled to my hands and knees, teeth gritted, brow in a focused line, my fingers curled into immobile claws. I used the cliff as a steadying point, arm outstretched and leaning on it for balance as I tried keeping as much weight as I could off my bad foot so I wouldn’t fall down again. My breath steamed in clouds of mist, coming and going in short gasps. The bitterly cold air scorched my throat like a bad case of sunburn. If you think having a sunburned back is bad, try imagining your throat.
Unpleasant, isn’t it?
After basically hopping on one foot and using the wall like a massive crutch for a good while-don’t ask me how long; I was short on breath, trying to keep moving, and I really, really don’t want to think about it-I put my hand out once more to find there was no wall. Yep. Finally found a cave. Yay! Sadly, the only experience point I received was experiencing the point of impact between my ribs and the cave’s floor.
With the wind knocked out of me, I lay there, stunned, for a minute or two, before slowly rising to my knees and leaning my shoulder against the cave wall. It was dark; so dark it seemed to suck away at whatever moonlight happened to drift by.
“Mo-o-v-v-ve,” I moaned to the cave. Interesting fact; caves like it when you moan to them. Makes them more inclined to… okay I’m going to stop there because that just sounds wrong.
You’d think that, since I was injured, I’d be able to move more quickly on my hands and knees and trying not to bite my tongue with how little breath I had, in addition to the fact my teeth were clacking together so much I sounded like a rattlesnake. Nope. Just inched forward a little bit at a time, using the left wall and my shoulder to guide me down into its depths.
Right hand. Left knee. Left hand. Right knee. Lather, rinse, repeat. I was getting so tired, and I’m sure whatever little muscle I had would have been screaming in agony if it weren’t for the blasted cold. I don’t think winter’s my favorite season anymore.
Eventually I thought I could hear voices, and later on I began to see my hands against the ground, pale blue, curled like fishing hooks, and still moving forward. There was no more snow, but I misplaced a hand and slid to the ground. At least this time I didn’t have too far to fall.
As I lay there, trying to catch my breath, I began to notice a few things. I had stumbled into some kind of chamber. It was warm, and there was light. There was also something in there with me. I felt what were gigantic footsteps pounding the ground with a methodical pace. The floor shuddered with each stomp, and my body along with it. They stopped at what I felt was right in front of me.
My cheek against the ground, I raised my head wearily to see a massive, scaly, and clawed foot.
“Huh?” I mumbled, raising my head higher, curiosity giving me somewhat of an energy boost. I managed to make it to my knees before a face came into view. A triangle-shaped head bigger than an elephant; horns like a triceratops; yellow cat’s eyes; a triple row of spines running from the small horn on its snout to behind its head; a mouth big enough to swallow a horse whole and still have room; and fangs as long as my legs. I was looking at a real, honest-to-goodness dragon. I had no idea how to respond other than stare at it slack-jawed as it snarled at me. Eyes wide in fear, I managed an “Uhhh-” before it let loose a roar that caused my bones to vibrate like one of those massage chairs you see in shopping malls.
My cheeks rippled at the amount of force, and some of the beast’s spit hit me right in the face. And yes, I still had my mouth open. Oddly enough, it tasted like cinnamon and glue. I don’t know why.
Adrenaline was pumping through me at an alarming rate and I thought my heart was going to climb up my throat and start using my uvula as a punching bag. And that’s when I snapped. I had been through a harrowing experience, just really wanted to rest, and now there was a dragon. Rage fueled by exhaustion and the sheer insanity of what I was experiencing caused me to do what I still consider to this day to be the dumbest thing I have done, ever . I let out a scream of rage mixed with terror, grabbed the tip of its snout with both hands, and headbutted its nose. Just before I lost consciousness, I swear I thought it looked confused as it twitched its nose back and forth. I probably would have laughed my head off if the concussion hadn’t sung me a lullaby.
Now, here’s where my memory kind of gets fuzzy. Not because I have a bad memory, even though I do. No, it’s because I went through three days of high fever, short bouts of consciousness, and nonsensical dreams-slash-nightmares. And for those of you who do the whole ‘dream interpretation’ thing, tell me, what does it mean when I’m in a realistic-looking hotel pool and I’m swimming with cartoon killer whales? Let’s just say that was the most ‘normal’ part of the dreams, and move on.
I was trying to sleep, but apparently my everything was in pain and decided to wake me up with a rousing game of ‘hot potato’, using my nerve endings as the potato. Okay, so maybe I’m exaggerating. I was uncomfortably warm and incredibly sore and stiff. My eyes were closed, but I could feel a blanket, and it felt as though my hands, knees, and feet had been bandaged. Weird. What happened? Last thing I remember was a dra- my brain immediately stopped as it was consumed with shock, trying to process what had happened. I had seen a dragon. Not a Komodo dragon, not a cartoon dragon, not even one of those animatronic things you see at amusement parks. A living, breathing, roaring, terrifying dragon! And I was still alive!
I started chuckling, but immediately stopped as my ribs told me laughing was bad. Gritting my teeth against the discomfort, I slowly opened my eyes to the dim candlelight. I may be nearsighted, but I can still tell apart different kinds of light sources.
The bed was soft, the walls a stony gray, and the door was nothing more than a carved-out archway, from which voices could be heard. Against my better judgment, I decided to get up and find out what in blue blazes was going on. This was a bad idea for two reasons. One being that it felt as though all my muscles were cramping, and two being that I had no clothes on. I did find my shirt and boxers on the nightstand nearby, however. Freshly washed, too.
Moving as quickly as a snail in slow motion, I dressed, wrapped the blanket around me, and then shuffled through the archway, my feet whining the entire time about how they wanted to go back to bed. Their argument was very persuasive, but I needed answers, and lying around like a schmuck doesn’t really contribute to information gathering.
I entered a hallway that continued down to my left for about twenty feet or so, candles set at intervals in little alcoves carved into the wall. Leaning against the right wall for support, I made my way towards the voices, their conversation getting more and more intelligible as I got closer to the archway of the nearby chamber.
“-ll pull through, I kn-“
“-ust saying, he was out for-“
“Wait, I sense him approaching.”
“Already? I wasn’t expecting him for another day or two, at least.”
“He is Human. They are more durable than they appear.”
The first voice was feminine, soft, clear-spoken and exact, while the second was decidedly deep, male, and sounded as if he was constantly growling through his words. Since they already knew I was the hallway, I decided to introduce myself.
“My name is Ianovich, and I’m sorry for being rude, but I’m more than a bit lost and was hoping either of you might have some answers, or know someone who might. May I come in?”
A growling laugh answered, “Ha! More polite than I thought he’d be. Come on in pup, we won’t bite. Well, I won’t, but I can’t say the same for Miss Fancy Scales over here,” he ended with a snicker.
The other voice didn’t seem amused, “Excuse me, I beg your pardon?! I happen to have absolutely no intention of biting the lad! The mere thought of it simply appalls me!”
The snickering continued as I stepped through the archway, “You didn’t seem to have much of a problem with the idea when he stumbled in.”
She sounded flustered, “I-I-I was surprised! I acted on a primal reflex! I had no control over myself!” I looked up to where the voice originated from, and I thought I was seeing that same dragon from before, and she… the dragon was a girl… I could’ve sworn she was blushing, though the earthen-brown scales did make it difficult to determine.
A loud guffaw made me notice the bipedal dog-man-thing sitting in a chair to my right several feet away, and ye gads were his arms huge! One of them was at least as big as both my thighs, with hands large enough to palm my head like a baseball.
“Ha ha ha! Oh, by the Twelve Twinkling Stars you’re so easy to tease!” He doubled over, clutching his stomach.
The dragon glared at him, curling her claws into massive fists at her sides, “It is incredibly rude to make a mockery of a lady concerning her instances of emotional duress, you uncouth, insufferable, frustratingly intolerable fluff-headed ignoramus!”
Okay, then I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that she was blushing. Her scales shifted from brown to brick red in a matter of seconds. Even without my glasses I could tell how embarrassed she was, so I decided to chime in.
“In all honesty, that was the most impressive roar I’ve ever experienced to date. Though I could have done without the spit.”
They both stopped and stared at me like I was insane for ten full seconds. Yes, I counted. The dog-man then spoke, all trace of humor in his voice replaced by seriousness, “What did it taste like?”
I brought my hand up, covering my mouth and cupping my chin, as I looked intently at the ground, trying to recall. Even through the bandages I could feel I needed to shave soon. Looking up without a trace of a smile, I said, “Like cinnamon and glue.”
They both blinked and turned to stare at each other, before the dog-man pointed a bratwurst-sized finger at her and proceeded to laugh his head off, falling backwards in his chair, then rolling on the ground, clutching his sides as if he would explode like a marshmallow in a microwave.
The dragon continued to stare at him for a few moments, until she began… what I can only describe as tittering, bringing a claw to her mouth to try and stifle the unexpected response, without much success. As the dog-man was panting for breath, long after the dragon had finished her own amused response, they turned their attention back to me. Since only one of them could currently form cohesive sentences, the dragon appointed herself as ambassador, gracing me with a friendly smile.
“We do beg your pardon, Ianovich, and hope that you will excuse our conversation and… responses to your statement. Oh dear! Where are my manners? We have not been properly introduced!” She cleared her throat in a light manner, “I am Terranexine, and this is my… assistant, Bartholomew Steelclaw.”
The d-I mean, Bartholomew-raised his paw and waved, wheezing, “Just… Bart… is… good…”
I smiled a little, “Cool. Now then, supposing this isn’t the most insane and lucid dream I’ve ever had, would one of you mind telling me where I am, exactly? Before I suffer some sort of mental breakdown and end up a gibbering lump of colliding emotions?!”
For the sake of convenience, I’m going to henceforth refer to the dragon as Terra. It’s a whole lot easier. Terra looked quite surprised, as well as concerned, at the amount of volume my little outburst contained, judging from her wide eyes and little ‘oh’ her lips formed. There are times where being scared can’t be helped. For me, this was one of them.
Lowering her head until it was about a foot off the floor, Terra looked me in the eyes, her voice smooth and serious, “Ianovich-”
“Ian, please. It’s shorter.”
“Very well then, Ian. Where are you from?”
I couldn’t help but laugh a bit at that. Every time I get asked that, I give the same response, “Which time?”
Her eye-ridge climbed in confusion, “Come again?”
I stopped laughing, but kept the smile as a memento, “Sorry, just a practiced response to a familiar question. See, I’ve lived in different places at different points in my life. I grew up in one area, moved to another, and then moved again to the last. Did you happen to mean currently, or originally?”
“I do believe currently would be quite a bit more helpful, for now.”
“Ah, very well. I’m from Texas.”
“Tecks-ess?”
“Tecks-uhs.”
“Oh, Texas. Would that happen to be located anywhere in Equestria?”
I raised an eyebrow in question, “What the devil’s Equestria?”
“Oh, dear,” she replied, her talons covering her face. “Ian, you have my deepest sympathies. If you would please, brace yourself, for my answer may be quite rattling. Unless my assumption happens to be incorrect, I do believe you are, currently, in another world.”
About two seconds later my left eye twitched, and I finally discovered how high-pitched my voice can get when panicked.
“WHAT?!”
After a few minutes of completely, totally, and utterly freaking out, which involved me mostly rocking back and forth on the floor in a fetal position, hyperventilating, and coming close to passing out from the near-panic attack, I calmed down. Thankfully, Terra’s voice got through to me, despite how soft it was. A few dozen lungfuls of air later, and I could speak again, if slowly.
“You gonna be alright, pup?” Bart rumbled. One of his massive paws rested on my shoulder, covering it with just two fingers, and now that he was closer, I could make out more of his appearance. He stood upright, if somewhat hunched forward, his enormous arms making me think of a gorilla despite his canine looks. Eyes were a clear, sky blue. I found it somewhat… weird… that he looked like a Saint Bernard. Being in a different world, I didn’t really know what to expect, but I wasn’t expecting a triceratops-faced dragon and a Saint Bernard dog-man-thing, that’s for sure.
I gave him a nervous smile, “Yeah, just… just need some time to adjust to all this, I guess.”
He smiled back, “Well, you got questions, I can see that much. Me and Terra here-“
“Terranexine, you dunce,’” she responded, though with only a smidge of irritation and a huff.
Bart grinned, “Alright, Ms. Fancy Scales. Me and Terranexine here, we might have some answers. Not all, but some. I know it’s not exactly ideal, but it’s all we got. Whenever you’re ready, pup.”
I took a deep breath, held it for a sec, and let it out. “Okay, let’s start with where I am.”
Terra answered, “If I may, Bartholomew? Thank you. Ian, our current residence is a small mountainous region known simply as The Wall, composing the boundary between the northernmost edge of the Howling Forest, and the southernmost tip of the Eternal Winter Expanse, or E.W.E, as it is more commonly called. We are one of several regions collectively called The Wildlands, though the term is only some what misleading. While there are , indeed, a number of dangers spread throughout, there are also numerous varieties of-mostly-peaceful beings that make their homes within.”
I listened so closely I was pressing my face against the window that was her words, “Okay, that takes care of where I am. Next question: who, and what, lives here?”
Bart had a lopsided smile on his face. “I got this one. Well, got a pawful of folk here. Me and mine, we’re Diamond Dogs. Family actually dug out the caves and tunnels here. Besides us, there’s a pack of Griffons in-”
“Griffons?!” I interrupted, excited, “As in half-eagle, half-lion?”
Bart’s eyes widened as a smile and one of his eyebrows quirked up, “Well, some are tiger, some owl, and others all sorts in between.”
Terra politely coughed, and we turned to her, questions on our faces.
“Actually Bartholomew, a group of Griffons is known as a ‘pride,’ not a ‘pack.’”
I turned to Bart after hearing a smacking sound, and found his massive paw covering his face.
“Always the details,” he grumbled. After rubbing his eyes for a moment, he continued, “As I was saying, besides us there’s a pride -” he gave Terra a pointed look, at which she beamed the smile of a proud parent “-of Griffons out in the woods. Mostly keep to themselves but are a mite touchy. Never saw one get madder faster than the one I called a half-chicken,” he snickered at the memory.
Terra rolled her eyes as her arms came up and crossed, “Yes. It was quite hilarious as she attempted to peck your eyes out of their sockets. Do tell,-” she grinned evilly “-how long were the two of you an item, again?”
Bart actually yipped, and gave Terra an embarrassed look, almost pleading as his face flushed, “I asked you not to bring that up again.”
“I simply continued the tale. And besides, turnabout is fair play,” she giggled, giving him a playful wink. I couldn’t help but laugh at her well-timed tease.
He responded with a groan and a glare, “You want to do this?”
After I stopped laughing, Terra gave Bart a carefree smile as she gestured with a claw for him to carry on, and he gave her a stern look in return before puffing his cheeks out and continuing.
“Well, not too many more ‘round here. Erek’s family are the Centaurs over by the Falls. Just don’t get on Zaraiak’s bad side. Girl’s usually a sweetheart, but her temper’s short as wintertime grass.”
“Oh my, yes! Do you recall when her father refused to buy her that lovely scarf? That tree still has yet to grow back!”
Bart shivered despite the warmth of the cavern, “You’re telling me ?! I was there two years ago! Never knew a gal could buck that hard.”
I made a mental note that, should I ever meet this Zaraiak, I would do my best to be the most courteous and polite gentleman she’d ever meet. That and have multiple escape routes ready at all times. While trying to figure out how to outrun a Centaur, a number of thoughts clicked together into a question.
I turned to Terra and waved to get her attention, feeling hopeful, fearful, and anxious, “Ms. Terranexine? I remember after I’d woken up, I heard you talk about Humans, like you know them. Unless I’m wrong, I’m guessing the Centaurs here look human from the waist up?”
She responded uneasily, her eyes staring at the ceiling, “Well… yes… ”
Already on the high-dive, I took a few breaths and jumped, “Then, does that mean Humans are here, too?”
Terra got a… sheepish look on her scaled face, and almost looked too scared to say anything, until Bart walked over and patted one of her foreclaws, smiling, “I think the pup’s got a right to know, Terra.”
Without even correcting him, she inhaled deeply, and for a dragon, that’s pretty darn deep. I think a lot of her anxiety ran out once she let her breath go, though. “That was greatly appreciated, Bartholomew. Ian? You have asked, and I shall do my absolute best to explain. Contrary to how I may appear, I am several thousand years old, and have born witness to many a disaster, and as many a miracle, in my lifetime. Of what I am about to speak is considered nothing more than myth, a cautionary tale mothers tell their children in order to behave. What is far, far more terrible, is that the tale is true.”
Terra’s voice took on a more serious tone, heavy with memories, as her eyes stared at me and through me, “Long ago, Humans lived alongside the other races of this land. To be fair, things were not perfect then, there were greater dangers than there are today. However, all of us, Humans included, came to realize that unless we banded together, we would fall, alone.”
Her eyes clenched shut, lips curling into a grimace as her snout dipped towards the floor, she continued, “Against horrible threats I wish not to revisit, we fought for our friends, our families, and very lives. After much hardship, and loss, came a time of relative peace. Realizing it was necessary to form a unifying foundation to protect against future threats, the leaders of each of the clans devised a system which would help minimize the animosity between the different races.
“And so, the Kings’ Wheel began to turn. The Kings’ Wheel is what determines the next king, as well as queen. Each one, king and queen, must be of a different race. Their eldest, living, and worthiest child is the next, whether they are prince or princess. Their prospective spouse must be a member of the race along the wheel, and any family, or even individual, may petition themselves before the king, queen, and heir-apparent.
“Generation after generation, and order was maintained, until…”
“Until what?”
She sighed, frustrated and relaxed, “I do not even know how it truly came to pass. I was engrossed in my studies at the time, and the outside world held little interest to me. I still recall the day Ishgrammuhd stumbled into the library, his silver scales drained of almost all color, lavender eyes darting back and forth like some form of cornered wild animal. ‘Master, what’s wrong?!’ I asked, concerned. He looked at me, but didn’t see me. ‘The Humans… they’ve started a war,’ his voice croaked, hoarse. ‘With whom?’ at which point looked past my eyes, into my soul. ‘Everyone.’
“Some now unknown force or reasoning, either from within or without the Humans, caused them to wage war against the rest of us. What they lacked in physical might or powerful magic, they compensated for with their ingenuity. Even against all the odds that rose against them, the Humans drove forward, determined to conquer, enslave, or kill what lay in their path. In the end, however, they were defeated. Even taking into account all my years, I have never again heard of such a large gathering of Mages such as the one that met that fateful night.
“After much discussion, a spell was formulated, and put into motion. For the sake of brevity, I shall not delve into the specifics of arcane engineering. Simply put, the entire Human race was banished from this world. The spell, however successful, claimed many a Mage’s life, and too many insights into the realm of magic were lost.
“With only a handful of them left, the eldest Mages set about rebuilding the King’s Wheel, with two significant changes. First being the removal of Humans from the Wheel, as well as from nearly all forms of literature, to prevent a repetition of history. Lastly, an advisory council, composed of a single representative from each people group, was instituted as a means of maintaining closer ties between the races, as well as assisting the current royal family with day-to-day responsibilities.
“Ian, Humans are nothing more than myths and stories to us today, but exceptionally few of them have good morals or happy endings. And, I am sorry, but I must ask: now that you are here, what is it you plan to do?”
My eyes had gotten wider and wider as Terra went on, to the point I was afraid they would pop out and roll across the floor, or explode like firecrackers. I sat there, staring at the ground, not knowing what to say, or even think, at that point, so I went with the truth, “I have no idea. I mean, I come from a world where the people here are the legends, and here my people are monsters. That’s… that’s a pretty dramatic, if not downright trau matic, shift. Is it even right for me to be here? What even brought me here? And why? If even the concept of Humans is held in such low esteem, would it be better if I just return to my world, if I even can? And if I can’t, can I even live here? I just… I don’t really know. I guess all I can do is try to live in this world while trying to find a way back home. My family… oh, man! My mom, dad, Jen! They’re gonna freak when they find I’m missing! How long have I been here?!”
Yeah, this is me starting to panic again. I know it seems kind of like a bad running joke, but let me tell you, being scared is not a laughing matter. Most of the time.
Bart grimaced while rubbing the back of his head, “’Bout three days-”
“THREE DAYS?! I’VE BEEN HERE FOR THREE DAYS?! JEN’S GONNA BREAK MY FRIGGIN’ LEGS IF I GET BACK! I’M GONNA END UP ON THE BACK OF EVERY MILK CARTON IN AMERICA!” I shouted, bandaged hands trying to rip out my hair. Trust me, it’s harder than you’d think.
“Okay Ian, okay, okay, okay. Calm down, deep breaths. That’s it. Deep. Breaths. Deep. Breaths. In through the nose, out through the mouth. And… again…” Interestingly enough, they say that talking to yourself is a sure sign of being mentally unstable. Yep.
To be fair, Terra and Bart had very guilty grimaces on their faces. I think they were starting to worry that my mind was beginning to crack like an egg against a hammer. No worries, though. I think I broke the hammer.
I sat with my legs crossed, hands pushed together, humming ‘It’s a Small World’ over and over, with a creepy smile on my face. What’s that? Oh, I couldn’t remember the words, but I knew the tune by heart. While on the… I think it was the fifth or twelfth verse, Terra lowered her head down to my eye level.
“Ian? Are you alright?”
Keeping the smile on, I opened my eyes and looked into hers, “Nope. I’m not fine. I’m in a world that hates my species, I have no idea how I got here or if I can even return, and I’m seriously beginning to believe that I’ve gone insane and this is nothing more than some kind of elaborate hallucination to keep together whatever scrap of sanity I may have left. If not, then I’m even more doomed. Truth is stranger than fiction, but they never tell you how much of a toll it takes on your brain.
“I am absolutely terrified. I’m doing everything I can to not go cuckoo. And I’m failing. It’s kind of hard to maintain any semblance of sanity when your entire foundation of reality has been, oh, I don’t know, COMPLETELY ANNIHILATED?!” I ended with an outside voice, then sighed, the smile disappearing.
“Sorry, sorry. Neither of you deserved that. You’ve rescued me, ensured my return to the living world, and watched over me while I was out in Lala-land. I’m grateful, I truly am. But, I’m scared. Do you know what it’s like to have no idea what you’re supposed to do? To feel hopeless? Desperate? That’s how I am now. No clue, no inkling, not even so much as a nudge of where to go or what to do. I’m sorry if I’m rambling, but talking this out appears to be helping me calm down. This is way too much to take in at once,” at which point, my stomach rumbled.
“I’m sorry to ask, but do either of you have something to eat? I’m starving .”
“Think we got some leftover fish. Be right back,” Bart chimed in, bounding down a tunnel to his right. While we waited for Bart to return, Terra wouldn’t stop staring at me, as if trying to figure out if I would taste better than the fish.
“Um, Ms. Terranexine?”
“Yes, Ian?”
“You’re kinda… weirding me out.”
“How so?”
“You’re staring.”
“Oh, dear. I am?”
“Yeah."
"... "
"Still doing it.”
“Oh! Excuse me, I beg your pardon! It was not my intention to unnerve you, Ian. You are simply…more than curious, if I might be so bold. Though I have had few dealings with Humans, you are the most unusual. By far.”
I rolled my eyes, “Nice to know I’m considered an oddity.”
Terra blushed with an embarrassed grin, “That was… inappropriately phrased. What I meant is that you are a welcome change from what Humans are considered to be, and what a number of them were . After hearing the stories for so long, I’ve begun to forget that the monsters they are often portrayed as were, at one point, thinking, feeling beings. I am terribly sorry we could not have met under more amiable circumstances, though I am relieved you did not encounter a different kind of Dragon.”
“Why’s that?”
“Most likely, they would have eaten you on the spot.”
“Oh. Wait, different kind of Dragon? Does that mean there are more types? What are they?”
She smiled at my enthusiasm, “Contrary to appearances, there are only four varieties of Dragon. In alignment with the traditional elements, there are Fire, Earth, Water, and Air Dragons, though Fire Dragons compose the majority of our race. Although a Dragon’s outward appearance may grant an indication as to its type, the surest way to determine is their breath.”
I raised an eyebrow, smirking, “So I just need to smell their breath to find out?”
She groaned and rolled her eyes, “I do wish I could find one individual who would not make that observation. I find it to be in poor taste. As I was saying, their breath. Most obvious are the fire-breathers, and Water Dragons are capable of expunging a torrent of water, much like a firehose. Air Dragons can unleash winds that knock their targets away, similar to the winds in a hurricane or tornado. Earth Dragons, of which I am one, can release a thunderous, if not deafening, roar, capable of causing a mild earthquake.
“As I said before, there can be certain indications, such as gills and fins for a Water Dragon or massive wings for an Air Dragon, but these may appear on an Earth or Fire Dragon just as easily. A Dragon’s breath, as well as his or her appearance, are determined by the parents. An offspring of a Water and Fire coupling, for example, might have blue scales and fin-like spines or ears, while having Fire breath. Another from the same pairing may be red and have wings, but have Water breath.”
I leaned forward as I listened, engrossed in her explanation. After she finished, I frowned while looking at the floor. Eventually, I asked, “Ms. Terranexine?”
She graced me with a warm smile, “Ian, you may dispense with the honorifics. Simply addressing me as Terranexine is acceptable. Now then, your question? ”
I returned her smile, my eyes watering, just a little, “Thank you, Terranexine. I was wondering, before the Humans changed, did they get along with Dragons? My world’s mythology usually painted them as powerful, dangerous beasts, though there were also stories of them being protectors, teachers, and allies. If I came from the world the Humans here were banished to, I’d like to know the truth.”
Terra stared at the ceiling as she stroked her chin with a claw for a bit, then looked back to me, playfulness tugging her lips into a smile, “Both descriptions are accurate of our relations with Humans. We are powerful allies and dangerous teachers.”
I laughed hard, my eyes disappearing behind my smile, and Terra continued after I had rubbed the tears from my eyes, “Though the greatest Human-Dragon accomplishment was the formation of the Dragon Knights.”
My jaw dropped as I said excitedly, “You mean Humans rode on the backs of Dragons and fought against evildoers?!”
Terra frowned at me, either displeased at the thought, or that I’d even suggested it. I hung my head, realizing I’d goofed. Badly.
But her voice was calm, though in a tone like a teacher correcting a student, “No. Not exactly, at any rate. Dragons and Humans worked together to battle dangerous enemies, and to protect the people. For nearly a hundred years, they fought side by side, even after The Change was discovered.”
“The Change?” I echoed.
“That’s what made the Drakes,” Bart rumbled from a nearby tunnel, having returned with the fish. I’m usually not one for fish, but that salmon jerky looked like a five-course steak dinner with how hungry I was. He handed me the jerky, taking a seat on the ground opposite me, his smile happy. I promptly stuffed my face, letting out a groan of satisfaction. Best fish ever .
“Mind if I take over for a bit? You know how much I love those legends,” he said, giving Terra a pitiful face as his paws came up, showcasing his acting skills with how marvelously he begged. Even going so far as to provide a whine I would have expected from a Chihuahua, or a rat.
Terra rolled her eyes and her lips curled up in a half-smile, “Very well. You have studied those stories far more than I have. Inaccurate as they may be at times.”
Bart grinned and turned back to me, growling a chuckle “Well, the Drakes were Human and The Change made them half-Dragon. Mostly to bring Humans and Dragons closer. They were the best of the Human Dragon Knights, loyal, honorable, and answered only to the king, and even fought against the Humans when the war started.”
I coughed and nearly choked on the jerky, “Wait, what? Why? They used to be Human too, right?”
Bart’s smile became sad through his half-lidded eyes, “Because they knew what the Humans were doing was wrong. Not a lot in books about why, ‘cept for that one story about Kechu and the King.
“Kechu was on the Council, the twelve Drakes in charge, and was a good friend of the king. One day, looking ten kinds of scared, the king asked Kechu to meet him in the royal gardens, late that night. Kechu was worried while he waited. Well, the king showed up, and told Kechu he was going to war with every body, and that the Drakes had a duty to defend Humanity. Something about the other races cooking up a plan to wipe out the Humans. Kechu tried to calm him down, but the king wasn’t having it, and started screaming some nonsense about how the Drakes were traitors to the crown and Humans. Kechu barely got away from the guards that got sicced on him, but he made it back in time to warn the others, Dragons and Drakes alike.”
As the story went on, Bart gradually lost his smile. His broad shoulders hunched forward as his eyes shouted disappointment, and pride, “Kechu died a few hours later from an arrow stuck in his back . If it hadn’t had been for him, the king might’ve kept his secret, and who knows what would’ve happened then? He’s the only Drake still mentioned by name today, though he’s called a Dragon. Kechu the Forerunner.”
I pondered the story for a while, eyes focused on the floor and nothing, injured hands gripping my elbows as I collected my thoughts, Kechu gave his life for the greater good, even at the cost of being labeled a traitor by what used to be his own people, the people he was protecting as a Dragon Knight! At least, before everything came to a head, there was a small part of Humanity that chose to stand for good.
A question formed, and I felt the need to ask it, “Bart? What happened to the rest of the Drakes?”
He heaved a shaky breath, rested his chin on his paws, and scrunched his eyebrows, “About a week after Kechu’s warning, the king’s army came knocking on Fort Ronaga, the Drakes training ground and home, home base of the Dragon Knights. Three months of fighting, and the place was gone. No Drakes left, just a heap of rubble.”
I was sinking into the makings of depression, when an idea struck me. Excitement and fear started bouncing around, using my mind as a trampoline to see who could jump higher. Maybe, just maybe…
I cleared my throat, steeled myself, and looked Terra straight in the eyes, “If I’m going to be here, if I’m to survive and even have a chance at going home, I need to know: what does it take to become a Drake?”
To say Terra was shocked would be an understatement. I don’t think a dozen storms could’ve shocked her as much. Her pupils almost disappeared, her jaw hit the floor with a loud thud, and her fin-like ear twitched like a dog’s leg during a good belly rub.
Bart, for his part, seemed more curious about Terra’s response than my question. Getting up, he walked over to her, waved a paw in front of her eyes, and snapped his fingers a few times. Seeing no response, he turned back to me to say something but got interrupted by Terra’s shouting. I think I’m still half deaf in my left ear because of that.
“ARE! YOU! INSANE?! ”
I leaned back, covering my ears, still able to make out her muffled words due to sheer volume. Bart kept trying to get a word in, but she ignored him and ranted.
“Do you have ANY idea what The Change DOES ?!” she roared, eye-ridges drawn close together.
“Ter-”
“What it IS ?!” she raged, a growl rumbling lowly in her throat, fangs bared.
“Terrane-”
She screamed at this point, “What it even REQUIRES OF YOU ?! NO ?!”
“Terranexine!”
“You STUPID -”
“TERRANEXINE!” he howled.
Turning to Bart, she snarled out a loud, “WHAT ?!”
All he did was point at me, and Terra looked back. I sat there, hands over my ears, teeth clenched in pain, still holding my stare. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I think I wet myself a little in fear there, but I needed her to understand how serious I was. I stood up and, still maintaining eye contact, began to unwrap the bandages on my hands. I eventually got them off, though I had to use my teeth. My legs had hot needles stabbing them all over each time I took a step forward, but I managed to keep a slow, steady, even pace, ‘til I stood a few inches from her snout.
I had Terra’s attention, and her infuriated glare, the whole walk there. A deep breath, released slowly, and I got down on one knee, then the other, hands resting on my thighs. I dropped my chin to my chest, forehead barely touching her, and closed my eyes.
“You’re right, Ms. Terranexine. I don’t know what The Change does, or is , or even requires of me, heck, I doubt I’m even worthy. But, other than taking my chances outside and hoping no one recognizes me as a Human, or staying here and relying on your and Bart’s kindness, what choice do I have? Even if it’s painful, even if it’s difficult, I feel I have to take the chance. I’d gladly, and wholeheartedly, accept any aid you’d be willing grant me, but if I must do this alone, I will. All I ask is to know where to go and what to do.”
For a while, I just knelt there, wondering if Terra would help me, send me off, or even eat me. Granted, I didn’t believe she would, but after seeing her so angry, the possibility began to nibble at the back of my mind. I’ll admit, I was hoping Terra would decide soon. My knees were hurting.
She let out a long sigh and shuddered, “I… I am sorry, Ian. I cannot, and should not, expect you to know and understand what I do. Please, if I might, may I explain?”
I nodded against her smooth scales.
Terra began after clearing her throat, “Many promising candidates for The Change attended the training at Fort Ronaga, only to discover their incompatibility, and be released from service, or to die during it, unable to endure the pain. There is no guarantee you can even attempt The Change, let alone survive it. My master and I watched a group of candidates undergo it, and only three of the ten there were left alive afterwards. All of them knew what it involved, what they were asking, and what it meant. They were willing to die for a chance to serve the king and the people even more.
“Your question… struck a sensitive nerve in me. You saw it as a way for survival, whereas I see it as a path of honor, of servitude to a greater good. To take on the mantle of Drake is to commit yourself, in body as well as mind. If you do so, and survive The Change, you will not be able to change back. You might not even be able to return home, for you will bind yourself more tightly to this world. I will help you all I can, but I must know, are you prepared for the possibility that, should you survive this, you may not be able to return to your home? Never to see your family, friends, and loved ones? Would you be willing to commit yourself to protecting the people of this world?”
My self-control was shriveling up like a grape in the sun. Tears streamed down my face, teeth, eyes and hands clenched with a grimace of pain, shoulders trembling from my suppressed sobbing, and I almost gave up right then and there. I took a few breaths to calm down, remembering the love my mom, dad, and sister had instilled in me. The sense of duty, and the obligation to do what is right, that they hammered through the years into my thick skull.
I raised my head and wiped my eyes on my arm, looking Terra in the eyes again, my voice shaky, “I’m in a d-different world, and while r-right now I don’t know if I can get back to mine, until I-I do, I will try my darnedest to be an agent of good, h-here.”
Bart, after having been quiet for a while, came to kneel at my side, and put rested his massive paw against my back, his face sincere, “The man’s willing to try, Terranexine. Let him go through the training.”
Terra looked at Bart, then back to me, and finally raised her head and looked down at us both, her face serene, her voice clear, “Very well, then. Ian, you are hereby accepted as a Candidate for The Change, and, along with those who have gone before you, must undergo the necessary training. For the next month, you will experience a rigorous regimen designed to strengthen your body, mind, and will. Bart shall oversee your progress, and determine whether or not you are sufficiently prepared.”
Bart smiled widely, “My pleasure.”
I smiled at Terra, then Bart, tearing up as I gave him a big hug. He was stunned for a moment before he returned it, his arms encompassing my body, squeezing me just a bit.
We leaned back, letting go, and he gave me a mischievous grin, “Hope you’re ready, pup. I’m gonna push you so hard it’ll be like a mountain rolling over you!”
That was the hardest I’d laughed in a long, long time.