Dragon Dance

chapter 8: dreams

"Legend says, there lived an ancient dragon that dwells high above the skies, stars were it's companions. It is said that whoever could hear it's song will be cured from any maladies no matter how severe it could be" a deep voice growled in the empty darkness.

From the darkness a single drop of light appeared, darkness was slowly swallowed by the light, the light painted a new picture.

People had their skin teared away, they were standing still, their eyes were full of pain. Underneath their teared skin was another layer but instead of flesh , it was scales, scales of different colours that ranges from light to dark. The scales underneath their skins started to fall like wilted leaves of autumn, one by one it fell off like the scales had lost reason to still cling on. With a pop, motion had occured, People ran in all directions, some attempted to grow their wings and fly but fell painfully. Fire came out from their mouths, burning them. Some were swallowed and seared their skins, others who are lucky enough just got small burns on their fingers. Nurses in blue dresses and white aprons ran to help the people, the nurses looked as horrible as thier patients as they lay them on white beds. Then everything turned blank.

The blankness turned into a wall of giant white scales that moved like a wavy ocean. The scales moved further and further until the owner of the scales can fit into her frame of gaze.

It was a colossal dragon with white scales, only a few specks isn't. The scales which aren't white had the colours of space, twinkling and sparkling like stars, making the giant dragon look like a part of the space itself. It had a white long mane that had strands seemingly made of different kinds of light for each strand shined in different intensities. The dragon bowed at her. It slowly turned around and started flying away. It's mane flapping gently like a weak gust was trapped in it. As the dragon grew smaller it started to sing, it's voice was chilling as it is enchanting, leaving its melody ringing in her mind.

Reema woke up with a jolt, sweat beading at her forehead, her neck was soaked and wet. "A dream? " she asked, she mouthed her words but barely came out as a whisper.

It was still dark, she can barely make out the silhouette of her hands as she place it in front of her.

She slowly sunk down her pillow and tried to sleep, listening to Lusty's breathing who's deep asleep beside her. He followed his breathing and soon enough sleep welcomed her back

****

"Love? " Reema asked as she sits at the table, morning had came and the sun was slowly climbing the sky, fresh morning dews sparkled like gems on the tips of the leaves as the light of the young sun speared through them.

"Yes? " Lusty answered placing a quick kiss at the top of her head.

"I have dreamed of people with scales and wings and fire and.... And a giant white dragon" Reema said gripping the coffee mug inside her palms.

"The might be dragons,one of the races of beings living on the realm of ikalayo"

"They seem in trouble "

Lusty laughed bitterly, "the dragons are powerful, they can't be troubled, and we aren't supposed to mess them, they really hate humans, they hate our kind, they will even hurt there own kind if angered"

Reema looked at him, Lusty returned her gaze and cupped her cheeks " you could read about them in my book, if you want to know more" Lusty pointed a book covered in voilet leather that was placed neatly on a shelf.

"No, I think I know enough"

Lusty smiled at her knoding, and pointed at a red book, the book had a tattered cover and pages yellowed by time. The book floated to his direction like a fish gliding in the clearest waters. Lusty grabbed the book and placed it on his small crafting table. The table was full of glass vials, corks and jars in various sizes. He search the book with his fingertip, his eye following every line.

Lusty clicked his tongue and haistely looked at his table "I'm needing a few things, Im going down the town".

"Okay " Reema cheerfully said.

Lusty laced his boots on and grabbed his basket before moving out.

The sun was hot on his nape, the dirtroad that stretched ahead of him was soaked in warm light, winding and turning, dissolving in the thick layers of the greenest trees. Lusty followed the road ,twigs breaking and popping under his boots. He can see the town in the distance, complete with all the colours of dyed fabrics that sheilded the shops from too much light and heat.

Lusty walked into a shop, full of different herbs both dried and fresh that hanged on the ceiling, and different Stones placed in jars.

"Hello" He greeted the old wizard that sat on a lone chair at the corner.

**
Lusty walked calmly, enjoying his walk back home, careful not to sway his basket too much to avoid breaking and dropping it's contents.

The heat was slowly seeping inside him, Sweat had formed on his chest making his white shirt stick to his skin which annoyed him on a fair level.

He passed on a cluster of pine trees that towered towards the sky. The trees were huge and must be a hundred years old, it's trunk were twice as wide as Lusty's torso. It's green foliage scattered high above ,casting a light shadow underneath it. Lusty dropped on his knees and grabbed a handful of pine needles from the ground. He dusted it and threw it inside his basket before resuming his walk home.

"I... Have arrived" he announced before closing the door softly. He placed his basket under the table.

"Oh, you're back" Reema greeted him from the table, she was chopping onions, the knife made quick thuds as it hits the wooden chopping board. Tears sparkled at the tips of her lashes. "That was a quick trip"

"Yeah, I just had to buy a few things, some of the ingredients can be found herej,just needed to be harvested" Lusty placed a quick kiss on her head.

"What is it? " Reema asked, putting down her knife.

"Pine needles and powdered river moss" Lusty said before pulling out an old white handkerchief. He carefully wiped Reema's tears with it.

"What are you making anyway? "

"Bottled fire, I thought It could come in handy at times" He smirked at her "I'll just get the river moss, I'll be quick"

Lusty ran outside to the direction of the small Brook. He looked around carefully, trying to spot anything. No one was around. Lusty took a sharp turn into a grassy plain. The grass were knee high and thick, he wasn't following any tracks. He pushed himself deeper into the bushes that bordered the woods. At the other side was a pond, hidden from everyone's sight. Light struck on the pond's greenish water, glistening gracefully as it's surface crumpled by the slightest blow of wind.

Lusty kneeled down ,he can see clearly his reflection on the water. He dropped the handkerchief on the water, it slowly swallowed the white fabric which settled flatly on the ponds floor. Lusty dipped his fingers on the cold water, casting small round waves on the pond.

what's hidden from sight,
With the eyes of others shall come to light,

The water misbehaved, raising and twisting like it had it's own life, water figures swelled from the water, replaying Reema's dream.

He saw the injured dragons, and the patients on beds nursed by nurses who looked as horrible, and a large dragon.

"A dragon? " he muttered, staring as it flapped it's wings. He saw the orbs floating around it's head. "Could that be the dragon of stars?, why would she dream of it?

The dragon turned around and grew smaller, melting back into water, the drops that used to be the dragon fell back into the pond, and as fast as it had happened the pond returned calm again.

"That can't be she shouldn't remember anything, this would break her if she knew she is a dragon, and-and her own father cutted her wings" Lusty said lowly, gripping his fingers tightly.