The Legend of The Ara'dos - BOOK 1: Human's Draconic Ascension

Chapter 8 - Assumed Understandings

   The lightning tried its best to sing Dachi to sleep all night, but he stayed wide awake. The faint lullabies in his ears didn't make him feel sleepy either. Where were those lullabies coming from?
   His mother's voice echoed in his mind, trying to soothe him. It only made Dachi long to know what had happened to his mother. It was hard for him to believe that his father, Takashi, would bring up his mother in such a situation. It raised questions that could silence the world if he dared to ask.
   Dachi's mother used to be part of the royal family. She was the queen who always stood by Takashi's side, helping the people of their city by providing resources and support. She was the queen who believed in Dachi and his ideas. She was a mother, too.
   When the war started a few years ago, the dragons attacked the city. During that chaos, a dragon disrupted Dachi's mother and took her away, never to be seen again.
   At least, that's what Dachi was told.
   Before the war, Dachi's mother had a soft spot for dragons. Same with his father. The two of them worked together to provide resources for the dragons, as well as they did for the humans. The dragons would come to the major city and always count on the king and queen to give them the things they needed and the king and queen would count on the dragons.
   But then one day, all the dragons came together and turned their back on the humans. They began to cause destruction to nearly every village and major city in the realm. The dragons burned down any home they could and killed any family they came across. The dragons went rogue and now rule the realm.
   Dachi didn't believe that. Not one bit. Because this was something his father told him. When Takashi spoke these lies, Dachi couldn't look him in the eye in a serious manner anymore.
   Every time he looked at his father, all he saw was bloodthirst and insanity in his eyes. Dachi wasn't able to look at his father the same during the entire war. All that his father had already done gave enough reason for Dachi to look at him differently.
   As soon as the war started, Takashi immediately began killing dragons. Takashi was so nice to dragons before and now he was killing them like they were a flock of chickens. That's why Dachi never believed a word from his father. Dragons were once the kindest creatures in this realm and suddenly they were angry at almost every single human. There had to be an actual reason for this. Something that made the dragons angry. They couldn't have just turned feral one day. That was ridiculous! That's why he didn't even believe that Takashi killed dragons. He's never seen his father do such a thing. And nobody has any evidence he even has a dragon's scale.
   Dachi watched as the morning sun rose, casting a golden glow on the city. The lightning storm continued to rage, echoing through the mountains. It seemed like the storm wasn't going to calm down anytime soon. The dragons and the lightning crackled and clashed throughout the night, but now, Dachi could hear the dragons' roars fading away. It was heartbreaking to think that the dragons were losing hope without their leader, the Ara'dos, to guide them.
   Dachi wished he could help, but his lightning powers weren't strong enough, and even if they were, the dragons might not accept him. He sighed and lay back on the couch, staring up at the ceiling. This storm was becoming his problem, with a dragon in his house and the mountains so close to the city.
   His thoughts drifted to the other dragon he had encountered in the Glacial Range, a tall woman with captivating purple hair and eyes as blue as ice, and purple as amethyst. He could still hear her soft voice in his mind.
   Thank you.
   He remembered the contour of the glowing trail that led him home. How did the female dragon appear like that? He didn't know dragons could do that.
   Except for the Ara'dos. The Ara'dos are said to have strange powers no other dragon has. The power to appear out of thin air to aid dragons when they are at their lowest point.
   So why did she appear for Dachi? Is it because Dachi had found a dragon at their lowest point? That's what it could mean.
   Dachi's eyes widened. He felt shock run up his body like electricity that made him jolt up. He stood up, breathing softly. So many thoughts and questions ran through his mind. A specific question repeated in his brain like the cycle of a train.
   Why me?
   Why did that lightning dragon inside the cave spare Dachi's life? Why did the other lightning dragon take Dachi away and bring him all the way out into another biome to find a dragon instead of killing him? Why did Dachi find that hybrid? Why did he decide to pick the dragon up and take him to his home? Why did he see the Ara'dos?
   The Ara'dos? It was starting to make sense now. Before the war, many people had seen the Ara'dos before. They also confirmed the Ara'dos was a dragon who could turn into a human. Some humans confirmed they've seen the Ara'dos turn into her human form.
   Dachi put his hands on his head. He tangled his fingers in his hair and made tight fists. He leaned back until he sat back down on the couch. All of this was stressing him out. He didn't know what to do. All of this was happening to him for a reason, but why? What did he need to do?
   Ths sound of quickened pattering made Dachi flinch harder than the lightning striking on the surface nearby. Dachi took his hands out of his hair and stood up again. Before Dachi could hold his breath to listen further, a yelp echoed loud enough from his bedroom.
   The dragon is awake! Dachi immediately told himself. Panic filled his cold body. What was he going to do? A human and a dragon face to face during a war. A human wanting to comfort a dragon. A human who brought a dragon into his house. Dachi could already feel the mistakes he made. He felt so guilty. All the thoughts and feelings of being a hero, and saving this freezing dragon went away. This wasn't saving someone's life. This was a kidnapping! Dragon-napping!
   Well, don't stand there like an idiot! Dachi scowled at himself. You have explaining to do for bringing this creature into your home.
   Right, right, of course. Dachi took deep breaths. He wasted no time and rushed into his bedroom. He softened his footsteps as he approached the door. He couldn't hear the dragon's footsteps. Dachi figured out why when he peered his head over the doorframe.
   Dachi's heart raced as he stood face to face with the majestic dragon. The room was bathed in the soft, warm glow of the lamp, casting a gentle light on the scene. The dragon, standing on his two feet, appeared both anxious and curious.
   His pale skin seemed to shimmer in the light, giving him an otherworldly presence. His fluffy light blue hair cascaded over his eyes, adding an air of mystery to his already captivating appearance. Dachi couldn't help but be captivated by the dragon's striking features.
   The dragon's hands were balled up in tight fists, placed protectively over his chest, as if he was guarding something precious. Dachi's own nerves were on edge, as he hadn't anticipated this encounter and hadn't prepared for it. His mind raced with thoughts, his heart pounding in his chest.
   Dachi had always been more comfortable in his own company, avoiding the spotlight and the expectations of others. He had grown tired of being used and manipulated by those around him, craving the freedom to live life on his own terms. The idea of settling down or being tied to someone seemed suffocating to him. He yearned for the thrill of adventure and the solitude of the unknown. That's why, in this moment, Dachi hesitated, unsure of how to proceed and what this encounter with the dragon meant for his future.
   Suddenly, it was like a bolt of lightning struck Dachi right in his heart, but he didn't feel the pain the electrical feeling should've formed, but the feeling of a butterfly flapping its wings rapidly inside of Dachi. Although, the butterfly wasn't calmly flying around flowers and flying through leaves. It was flying away from a child trying to capture it inside a jar.
   Dachi blinked a few times as his vision began to clear. It's like he forgot where he was. His mind thought he was in the Glacial Range again. Or even in space. Why was his mind playing tricks on him? Was he hallucinating?
   Dachi refocused and paused. His eyes widened when they met with the eyes of the dragon who stood like a deer in headlights. Dachi immediately knew why he could see himself in the Glacial Range or in space. The dragon had purple and blue eyes. It was just like the female dragon he saw before.
   "Ah!" the dragon suddenly gasped. Dachi gasped as well, almost forgetting how to breathe. "Who are you?" the dragon stuttered as he anxiously looked around. His feet remained frozen. "What do you want with me? Why am I here?" He then glared sharply at Dachi. The glare was so cold it nearly froze Dachi's entire body. "What have you done?!"
   "I haven't done anything," Dachi choked out.
   Dachi's heart raced and his hands shook. He couldn't ignore the fact that he had brought a dragon into his own home, a creature that was just as terrified as he was. The dragon found himself in an unfamiliar place, believing that Dachi had captured him with the intention of using his scales for Dachi's own purposes. But Dachi knew that wasn't the case. He understood that in order to keep the dragon calm, he had to remain calm himself.
   "I'm not going to hurt you," Dachi mumbled. He kept his hands at his sides, not knowing what to do with them. If he moved them, he knew the dragon would get scared, afraid that Dachi would try to pull some trick. Like pulling out a weapon. "I want to help you."
   The dragon winced. "You better explain to me what is going on..." he said, his voice shaking. "Where am I and what do you want from me?" he demanded once again.
   "Dachi!" the human gasped. The dragon jumped a little. Dachi sighed. "I'm Dachi. I know this is really weird because I'm human—"
   "Human?" the dragon asked, clearly a bit confused.
   "Yes, yes, I'm human," Dachi said softly. The dragon immediately tensed like a cat. "But I'm not going to hurt you!"
   "Then why have you brought me here? You've taken me away from my home!" the dragon hissed.
   Dachi shook his head. He held his hands up and shook them with his head. "No, no, no! That's not the case!"
   "Then get to the case!" the dragon growled. He flinched and took a step back. The dragon was angry. He seemed like a feral cat, but it was obvious the dragon was petrified. The dragon remained frozen, his feet practically sunk into the floor. His hands were still clenched tight in fists and his entire body trembled like a snowstorm.
   Dachi swallowed hard and cleared his throat before uttering words. "I found you in the Glacial Range. You were in the middle of nowhere and buried in snow. I saw you were a dragon and you seemed to be all alone. I wanted to help you so I escaped the Glacial Range and brought you back here."
   "What?" the dragon asked. "What do you mean escaped? How did you get to the Glacial Range anyway?"
   "A dragon," Dachi quickly said. He tensed when the dragon's eyes widened. "My father, the High King of this city, sent soldiers to go into the Forbidden Hillslide," Dachi began. "I secretly followed the soldiers because I didn't want them to be killed. I knew they would." Dachi took a breath before continuing. "When we got to the mountain, the soldiers were immediately stopped by a lightning dragon. Most of them ran away, but of course, the others wanted to stay and fight." Dachi frowned, knowing he was going to regret explaining the next part. "If I didn't attack the dragon, the soldiers would've been dead."
   The dragon glared once again. Almost more terrifying than Takashi's glare. Almost. "Typical," the dragon mumbled.
   "Let me continue! Please," Dachi stuttered.
   When the dragon didn't say anything, keeping his glare, Dachi found that as a way of saying you better hurry up your speech before I rip you to shreds with my claws.
   So, he continued, "after I attacked the lightning dragon, they flew towards me and picked me up with their front paws. I thought they were going to eat me alive, but instead, they took me across the Glacial Range and dropped me off. The dragon disappeared after that."
   The dragon frowned. "I don't believe that. That can't be true. You're just a... human! That lightning dragon really just picked you up and put you in time-out after you attacked it?"
   Dachi sighed. "Like I said, I thought it was going to kill me."
   "That's ridiculous... A lightning dragon is often to show no mercy. Especially when it comes to humans." The dragon shook his head in disbelief. "Even before the war, they were like that."
   Dachi crossed his arms. "I encountered another dragon the other day. I was spending the night in a cave and woke up to the sweet melody of it snarling. Another lightning dragon. I gave it food and it simply flew away..."
   The dragon lowered his head, keeping his cold gaze on Dachi's. "Huh?" He couldn't believe this word this human was saying! Of course, he couldn't. Dachi's a human. Why would he believe anything he said?
   "Wait," the dragon continued. "The dragon you supposedly attack to save some puny human lives," he growled. "How did you attack the dragon?"
   Dachi frowned. "I used my lightning powers."
   The dragon flinched. "What? Lightning powers? You have an elemental power?" he quickly asked. The dragon glanced down at Dachi's hands, almost like he wanted to see Dachi's lightning.
   Dachi also wanted to show the dragon his powers but figured the lightning would be a threat to the dragon. Plus, it would be a bad idea to use it in the house.
   "I do." Dachi nodded.
   "So, you got them from a dragon?" the dragon questioned as he looked back up at Dachi's eyes.
   Dachi's eyes widened. "What?" What kind of nonsense was this dragon talking about? "No," he said in a questionable tone.
   "Um, yes," the dragon responded in the same tone. "When did you get your powers?"
   Dachi frowned. "I've had them since I was born."
   "The whole time?" The dragon paused to think. Dachi noticed the dragon's body slowly becoming less tense in the thinking process. "So, you wouldn't remember."
   Dachi raised an eyebrow. "Remember what? Have we met before?"
   "No!" the dragon quickly said. "It's just... strange how a human could have elemental powers."
   "How so?" Dachi asked.
   "Well, you don't exactly see humans shooting up a storm quite literally every day, do you?" The dragon frowned once again. "Humans aren't meant to hold the power of a dragon."
   Dachi could feel himself flinch as if he was jump scared by a dragon itself. "What are you talking about?"
   The dragon then furrowed his eyebrows. "You know, you're not supposed to be the one asking questions here..." His voice got shaky again. "I demand to know exactly why you brought me here."
   Dachi's muscles tensed as he realized the weight of the situation. He hadn't even realized he had relaxed until everything came crashing back. His fists clenched tightly as he pondered the dilemma before him. How could he possibly communicate with this dragon? It seemed absurd to think that anything a mere human like Dachi said would be believable to a majestic creature like the dragon. But if Dachi wanted to restore balance to the world, he needed help, starting with this dragon. The challenge now was finding a way to make the dragon trust him.
   "When I found you in the Glacial Range, I immediately noticed you were a dragon because of your ears." Dachi lifted his index finger and pointed it at the dragon.
   The dragon immediately extended his hands and threw over his hood to hide his ears. He glared at Dachi, demanding for him to continue. Which Dachi did.
   "I decided to take you back to my place because I figured you needed help. You seemed lost and all alone."
   The dragon growled. "But how would you have known I wasn't just..." The dragon paused for a moment before he continued, "hibernating?!"
   "When I brought you back to my house I found an arrow struck in your side," Dachi responded. The dragon flinched. "Dragon's vain. I threw the arrow away because I didn't want you to get startled by it if you saw it."
   The dragon lowered his head. "Well, you still found me and brought me to your home even before you found that arrow."
   Dachi sighed and sunk his head. This was harder than he thought. He knew it would take a lot to convince the dragon he wasn't going to hurt him, but the dragon was paranoid and feared for his own life. Of course, he was.
   What about that woman Dachi saw? The one who magically appeared and thanked Dachi for helping the dragon. The one who made the majestic glowing path that led him home. There had to be a connection somehow.
   "When I was on my way back home, I had nearly given up because I didn't know if I would be able to make it back with you," Dachi began. "When I was at my lowest, a woman approached me."
   The dragon immediately raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?" It was clear the dragon was already suspecting something.
   "She was a dragon. She had ears just like yours." Dachi raised his eyebrows. "Her eyes... were just like yours. Purple and blue, but..." Dachi squinted his eyes as he stared into the dragon's wide eyes. "...inverted."
   "What?" the dragon gasped. "That can't be true! You're making this up."
   "It may seem that way, but I promise you I'm telling the truth. The woman was around my height. She had purple hair and pale skin." Dachi paused to watch the dragon's shocked face. He continued, "she thanked me. I believe it was for saving you. Then a purple glowing path formed in the ground and it led me all the way back home."
   The dragon's body tensed, his gaze shifting away as he stared at the curtains. Dachi could sense the dragon's racing heart, even without hearing it. The silence that followed felt uncomfortably long, making Dachi uneasy. Unable to see the dragon's face, Dachi could only imagine the thoughts swirling in the dragon's mind. It was as if the dragon's brain was a sea of endless possibilities, filled with ideas, theories, and glimmers of hope.
   "You saw Siveth?" the dragon whispered.
   "Siveth?" Dachi asked.
   The dragon quickly turned to Dachi. "Siveth. The Ara'dos."
   Dachi's eyes widened. "The Ara'dos? That was her?"
   The dragon shook his head a little. "I assume you've never seen her before. Have you heard of the Ara'dos?"
   "Of course I have," says Dachi. "She used to help everyone in the city here."
   "How do you not know her name?" the dragon questioned. "Or what she looks like?"
   Dachi frowned. "I never got to see her. My father always kept me from her. Whenever my mother tried to show me the Ara'dos, she would already be gone."
   The dragon slowly nodded. He then frowned. "So you really saw her? The description of her sounds exactly like her."
   Dachi went silent. He stared at the male dragon in front of him. He examined his light blue fluffy hair. He trailed down to the hybrid's shiny pale skin. Then, traveled his eyes towards the dragon's. Dachi noticed the dragon getting uncomfortable after a quick couple of seconds. Dachi blinked a few times to regain his thoughts. How did he not see it before?
   "You look almost exactly like her," Dachi pointed out.
   The dragon gasped, "I do?"
   Dachi nodded in response.
   The dragon lowered his head. "You really are telling the truth."
   Dachi raised his eyebrows in surprise. The dragon believed him. Finally! Dachi couldn't help but smile. He could see the dragon's eyes soften as Dachi smiled. The dragon swallowed nervously and then fully relaxed.
   "You have to help me..." the dragon whispered.