The Dracomancer

CHAPTER NINETEEN: THE PRODIGAL SON RETURNS

MUNDANE WORLD
When they breached Earth's atmosphere, Alex started to slow down. He didn't want to crash-land at near light speed. He found he was able to slow down enough in time to land safely. He was grateful for that.
When they landed, Felicia fainted and fell off of Alex's back again. He reverted to his human form and gently picked her up. He had unintentionally landed in the forest where he had opened the rift that took him to the home world of the dragons so long ago. He knew his way back home from here, thankfully.
As they were leaving the forest, Felicia came to in Alex's arms. She realized that he had been carrying her, but she didn't know for how long. Thankfully, though, she didn't have to ask; he told her.
"Don't worry. You were only out for about twenty minutes."
"Really? Thank you for carrying me, but I think I can walk now," Felicia replied, kissing him.
"Alright, but if you start to feel dizzy, don't be afraid to lean on me," he responded, returning the kiss and setting her back on her feet.
"I appreciate the offer, and I'll take you up on it if that happens," she said.
They had just started walking when Felicia started to feel dizzy. She leaned on Alex and he helped her walk until she said that she no longer felt dizzy. She was reminded again of why she fell in love with him. His carrying her and helping her walk negated his going recklessly fast. She asked him how fast he had flown and almost fainted again when he said that it was faster than the speed of light. She didn't know much about physics, but she knew that the speed of light was impossible for most things to reach, never mind surpass. In fact, until Alex said that they had gone that fast, she had thought that it was impossible for any living creature to reach the speed of light.
When they were about half way to Alex's mother's house, they were stopped by a police officer, who introduced himself as Constable Jameson. Alex introduced himself and Felicia as Alex and Felicia, but didn't mention his last name. He didn’t know how much he could trust Constable Jameson.
"Alright, Alex, Felicia. Do you have a moment to talk about something urgent?" Constable Jameson asked.
"We were on our way to see my mother, but if it's urgent, we can put that aside for now, Constable," Alex replied.
"Thank you, Alex. The matter I would like to address with you has to do with a reported sighting of a dragon landing in Callingwood Forest. We received an anonymous tip that someone saw a massive dragon appear above there out of nowhere and land in the forest. The tipster then said that they saw two people who looked exactly like you and Felicia leave the forest about twenty minutes later with the woman being seemingly unconscious in the man's arms. The tipster then said that when the two left the forest, the woman came to and treated the man like he was her hero, and that the two seemed to be in a relationship of some kind. What I would like to ask you is, do you know anything about the dragon that our tipster claims to have seen?" Constable Jameson asked.
"Yeah; we saw it as we were taking a walk through the forest and Felicia fainted at the sight of it," Alex lied.
"So it was you that the tipster saw leaving the forest. I guess Felicia fainting at the sight of the dragon explains why she was unconscious when you left," Constable Jameson stated. "Would you happen to have an idea of where the dragon might be at the moment?" He continued.
"I honestly don't know, but a dragon that big should be difficult to miss," Alex replied.
"Okay, but could you help us track it down?" Constable Jameson asked. "It's more than likely still in the forest, but it may have moved to a different location by now," he added.
"I'll help as long as you promise not to capture it or harm it in any way. I'm sure it means us no harm, otherwise it probably would have breathed fire at Felicia and myself when it saw us," Alex said.
"Excellent! I promise we won't hurt the dragon. Now come with me while I go and get another officer, and then we'll start our search in the forest," Constable Jameson replied.
Alex opened the back door of the cruiser and waited for Felicia to get in. After she got in and moved to the far side, Alex got in and closed the door. Constable Jameson drove to the police station and told them to wait in the cruiser.
Felicia was naturally curious about who this Constable was, but she decided to wait until he was away to ask Alex. This was his home world, so he would know more about it than her. She trusted him to be honest with her because he had always told her the truth. That was another thing she liked about him.
"Are these people criminals, Alex?" She asked after Constable Jameson had left them in the cruiser.
"If they were criminals, I wouldn't have agreed to help them. These people lock criminals up and are usually friendly to law-abiding citizens," Alex answered.
Alex realized that Felicia was a fish out of water, but he had been one when he had first arrived on her world, so he would be patient with her and answer her questions about Earth. She averted her face and Alex could tell she was blushing. He reached over and put his hand on her shoulder to ease her embarrassment.
"I know what you're going through, Felicia. I went through similar embarrassment when Artemis took me to meet Jaden. I thought that the Greater Dragons had two heads, and Artemis laughed when I made that assumption. That's partially why I didn't laugh when you asked if Constable Jameson was a criminal," Alex said to comfort her.
"Thank you, Alex. I would kiss you, but we're too far apart," Felicia replied.
"Here, I’ll move closer to you," Alex responded, doing so.
Felicia kissed Alex passionately once he was within range. It became mutual and they kept it up for about a minute before breaking apart. Alex moved back to his side, satisfied, and another minute later, Constable Jameson came out with the other officer he had mentioned and they got in the cruiser.
"Alex, Felicia, this is Constable O'Hara," Constable Jameson said, introducing his fellow Constable.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Constable O'Hara," Alex said.
"Likewise, Alex. You seem like the type of guy who can handle himself. Why did you leave the forest when you saw the dragon?" Constable O'Hara asked.
"If you had seen this dragon, you would have left, too. It's huge," Alex answered.
"Oh. The tipster had said that each of its claws was the size of a truck, but people tend to exaggerate when they see something like a dragon," Constable O'Hara replied.
"People do tend to do that sort of thing, but your tipster wasn't exaggerating. It is that big," Alex responded.
"That is the biggest dragon I've heard of," Constable O'Hara said with a hint of fear in his voice.
"Anyhow, we had better go to the forest and start our search for this dragon," Constable Jameson said, ending their conversation after a brief silence.
"Agreed," Alex replied.
They left the police station and drove towards the forest. There was silence for part of the way, but about half way there, Felicia moved closer to Alex and whispered in his ear. She hoped her questions didn't sound stupid to him.
"Do you have a plan?" Felicia started.
"I'll lead them into a clearing and go into Dragon God form. I would like you to wait outside the clearing," Alex whispered.
"Okay," Felicia replied. She trusted him. He had revived her twice and saved her just as many times. Plus, he had been honest with her since the day they met, and had given her confidence. She loved him with her heart and soul, and knew that he had the same feelings for her.
They arrived at the forest and got out of the cruiser. Alex stretched when he got out. The back seat was too small for him.
"Would you lead the way, Alex?" Constable Jameson asked.
"Sure," Alex replied. He knew they wanted him to lead because he was the biggest out of them and he had told them that the dragon hadn't harmed him or Felicia. However, they didn't know that he was the dragon.
They arrived just outside of the clearing and Alex told Felicia to wait while he went in with the Constables. Constable O'Hara asked why Alex had told Felicia to wait. Alex replied by saying that he sensed the dragon was very close.
"So how close is this dragon?" Constable O'Hara asked when they entered the clearing.
"You're talking to him," Alex answered, going into Dragon God form.
When Alex went into dragon form, Constable O'Hara drew his pistol, shaking, and shot Alex in the front leg. Alex thought that it wouldn't hurt him, but it did. It hurt. He back-handed Constable O'Hara with the front leg that hadn't been shot, sending him flying out of the clearing.
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Felicia saw Constable O'Hara come flying out of the clearing and hit the ground ten feet behind her, unconscious. She knew what had happened. Alex had hit him.
"Oh, no. Alex..." she said, worried he might have become corrupt.
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"Hold your fire, Constable. I mean you no harm, but if you shoot me, I'll have no other choice," Alex said when Constable Jameson drew his pistol.
"Why should I believe you when you lashed out at Constable O'Hara?" Constable Jameson asked, pretending to be fearless.
"He shot me. I lashed out in self-defense," Alex said calmly.
"Fair enough. I'm sorry, Alex. When I saw you on the street, I had no idea you were the dragon. Were you really going to see your mother?"
"Yes. I wasn't born a dragon," Alex answered, reverting to human form.
"Wait a minute. I recognize you! You're Alex Irvine, the guy who went missing over three months ago! You've grown substantially and your hair is longer and darker, but your face is the same. Your mother has been worried sick," Constable Jameson exclaimed.
"That's partially why I was going to see her. The main reason, though, is that someone asked me to deliver a message to her," Alex replied.
"Who?" Constable Jameson asked.
"This may sound crazy, but I have been to another world and I met my father there."
"I see. I know your father died in a war before you were born, so it does sound crazy, but seeing that you've become a dragon, I'm compelled to believe you. Let's go back to Felicia and then we'll take you and Constable O'Hara to the hospital. After they remove the bullet and bandage your arm, I'll take you to see your mother. Should I tell her that you're a dragon now?"
"Yes, please. If I know my mother, she'll eventually find out, and unless you tell her, she'll freak out and call you."
"She'll still be shocked by the news, but I'll tell her."
"Thank you."
"How long will you be staying?" Constable Jameson asked.
"I'll stay overnight, but I have to return to the other world tomorrow because I'm a king there," Alex answered. "However, that means nothing on this world," he added.
"So you're a dragon and a king," Constable Jameson said, putting his fingertips to his head and shaking it.
"To be more precise, I'm the King of the dragons," Alex stated.
"You mean you're not the only dragon? How many more are there?"
"Sixty, including Felicia."
"You brought her here? Why?"
"She wanted to see what my home world is like. Also, I am in a relationship with her, and in one of my first commands as King of the dragons, I named her the queen. However, our relationship goes back to when I was merely the Dragon Wizard and she was training me in healing magic and resurrection."
"So you started off as some sort of chosen one and now you're a king."
"That's the gist of it, but I'm more than that. I'm also the biggest, most powerful dragon. However, as I said, I wasn't born a dragon. I was born a dormant Dragon God, if that makes sense."
"I'm sorry, but my mind fails to grasp how a person can be a dormant Dragon God, but not a dragon."
"From what I understand, the Dragon God is an entity separate from its host. When it chooses a host, it always chooses a mortal host; humans are the most common. However, being a dormant Dragon God comes at a price: if the host is corrupt when the Dragon God wakes, the Dragon God will take control and use its host to destroy every world in existence. I'm glad that I wasn't corrupt when it woke."
"What exactly is this Dragon God capable of, other than destroying every world in existence?"
"Honestly, I don't know its full capabilities yet, because it only woke yesterday, but I know that it can fly faster than the speed of light, and burn a person's soul if they have harmed or murdered an innocent person. I used the second one I mentioned on someone who had betrayed a friend by murdering said friend's infant brother."
"If you ask me, someone who murders an infant deserves to have their soul burnt," Constable Jameson said with conviction.
"I agree, which is why I did that to him," Alex replied with equal conviction.
"It seems you've grown to be a man while you were gone. I respect you for burning his soul."
"Now that I think of it, it's almost fitting, because his name was Judas. I even called him Judas the traitor."
"I thought you were an atheist, Alex."
"That changed when I first learned of the Dragon God. That was actually before I found out I was a dormant one. Now I'm starting to wonder if there are any other gods."
"If the Dragon God is as powerful as you say, Alex, I'm not sure if I would want another god."
"Who knows, Constable? If there are other gods, I might be more powerful than them. Because I'm in full control of the Dragon God, I'm sure you can trust me to protect you from any others that might end up manifesting in a corrupt host."
"Anyhow, I think this conversation has gone on long enough. Let's go back to Felicia and get you and Constable O'Hara to the hospital. I'm sure your arm is in pain by now," Constable Jameson said, bringing the conversation to a conclusion.
"Now that you mention it, my arm is starting to hurt. I honestly don't know how I was able to ignore the pain for so long when there's a bullet lodged in it," Alex replied.
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When Felicia saw Constable Jameson and Alex return from the clearing, she was relieved to see that Alex was in human form. Then she noticed that his arm was bleeding and gasped. Suddenly, she knew why he had hit Constable O'Hara.
"Alex! You're hurt!" She exclaimed, running up to him and inspecting the wound. She tried to use healing magic on his arm, but found that it didn't work. It was this world's air. It limited magic.
"Sorry. I forgot to mention that you can't use magic here. Constable Jameson said he would take Constable O'Hara and me to the hospital, then take you and me to my mother's. The doctors at the hospital will be able to remove the projectile and bandage my arm, but we won't be flying back tomorrow," Alex told her.
"Constable O'Hara is about ten feet behind me. I checked his vitals. He's unconscious, but still alive. You must have held back quite a bit, Alex. I'm surprised, but grateful that you didn't kill him," Felicia said.
"He panicked and shot me when I went into Dragon God form. I can understand that. He was probably scared that I might attack. However, I didn't want him to shoot me again."
"I'm surprised and grateful that you didn't shoot Alex after he lashed out at your fellow Constable," she said to Constable Jameson.
"I will admit that I was going to shoot him, but Alex told me that he meant no harm and explained why he had lashed out at Constable O'Hara. However, until he explained that he did it in self-defense, I was hesitant to believe him. I know who he is now, though. He went missing a little over three months ago and his mother has been worried about him. That's why I agreed to take you two to her and tell her that her son is now a dragon," Constable Jameson replied.
"Thank you, but why are you going to tell her that he's a dragon?" Felicia asked.
"If I know my mother, she will eventually find out and call the police. That's why I want Constable Jameson to tell her. She'll still be shocked by the news, but she won't be calling him," Alex answered.
"I don't like it, Alex, but I trust you," Felicia replied.
"You don't like it because you don't know if you can trust my mother?"
"That is correct. I don't want her to hurt you or me."
"She wouldn't hurt me, even if I was a dragon, as long as a police officer told her. As for you, I'll tell her that you can be trusted, Felicia. She'll listen."
"Thank you, Alex. I don't know if I'll be in any position to talk to her until you tell her I can be trusted, but I'm not afraid anymore. You always seem to know how to drive my fears away," Felicia said, hugging Alex.
"You're welcome," Alex replied.
"I can tell that in spite of everything you've been through in the past few months, Alex, you still don't hold grudges. Could you help me carry Constable O'Hara to the cruiser?" Constable Jameson asked.
"I will help you carry him to the cruiser, but there is one thing I will hold a grudge over. Mess with me, I fight back; mess with the ones I care about and they'll never find your body," Alex answered.
"This is actually true. The first time I was killed, he snapped and disintegrated my killer before reviving me," Felicia put in.
"Was this recent?" Constable Jameson asked.
"No. However, she died a second time yesterday. I was still only the Dragon Wizard and a dormant Dragon God both times, but the second time angered me enough to wake the Dragon God," Alex answered.
"Note to self: do not get on Alex's bad side in a place where he can use magic," Constable Jameson said with fear in his voice.
"There is still some magic I can do on this world. Going into dragon form is one of them. Opening a rift to the other world is the other. I could only kill you with magic by going into dragon form, but that would be indirect and I wouldn't kill anyone unless they harmed Felicia," Alex said to reassure Constable Jameson's fear.
"So you wouldn't kill someone who harms you, but if it's Felicia that gets harmed, you would do it in a heartbeat."
"It also depends on who the person is. If I know that the person in question is an enemy and intends to harm me, I will kill them for attacking me. Otherwise, I will fight back, but not to kill. That's why I held back when Constable O'Hara shot me."
"Anyhow, I think we've spent more than enough time talking. Let's go to the hospital," Constable Jameson said.
"I second that," Alex replied.
They went over to where Constable O'Hara had landed, but found him standing with his pistol out, ready to shoot Alex again. This surprised both Alex and Constable Jameson. Constable Jameson told Constable O'Hara to hold his fire.
"Alex attacked me! You saw it happen! I'm surprised you didn't shoot him yourself, Jameson," Constable O'Hara exclaimed.
"You shot him, so he lashed out at you in self-defense, O'Hara. Plus, Alex wasn't always a dragon. He's Alex Irvine," Constable Jameson replied, urging his friend to see reason.
"Oh my God! It is him!! I'm sorry, Alex. I had no idea! I panicked when you went into your dragon form. I hope you understand," Constable O'Hara exclaimed genuinely as he put his pistol back in its holster.
"After I lashed out at you, I realized that you shot me because you panicked. I won't hold it against you," Alex responded. "Thankfully, though, the wound isn't fatal," he added.
"We should still get you to the hospital, and then your mother. She's been worried," Constable O'Hara said.
"I know she's been worried. Also, Constable Jameson and I have already agreed to do what you just suggested," Alex replied.
"Okay. I'm glad we're all on the same page. Where's Felicia?" Constable O'Hara asked.
"Right here," Felicia answered, approaching them.
"Okay. Good. Everyone is here. Let's get into the cruiser and take Alex to the hospital," Constable O'Hara said.
They did as Constable O'Hara said and when they were at the hospital, the doctor asked how Alex had ended up with a bullet lodged in his arm. Constable O'Hara replied by saying that he mistook Alex for a criminal. Nobody else in their group said otherwise because the doctor would probably panic as Constable O'Hara had if he found out that Alex was a dragon.
The doctor proceeded to extract the bullet and then bandaged Alex's arm. They thanked him then left to go to Alex's mother's house. When Constable Jameson knocked on the door, she ran to answer it, hoping for news about her son.
"Hello, Constables. Is there any news about my son?" She asked.
"We have him with us, but you should know that he's no longer the son you remember. He's grown substantially, his hair is longer and darker, and he's no longer human. He's a dragon, but he's currently in human form," Constable Jameson answered.
Alex's mother fainted when she heard that her son was a dragon. Of all the things that could have happened to him, this was one that she was not prepared for. Plus, it was Constable Jameson who had told her, so there was no point in calling the police.
Alex went over and gently picked his mother up. She weighed practically nothing to him. Amazing how strong he was since the Dragon God woke.
Alex's mother came to and found Constables Jameson and O'Hara as well as Alex and a girl she didn't recognize watching her closely. She almost didn't recognize Alex, but when she saw his face, she knew it was him. What Constable Jameson had said about the changes her son had gone through was true. When he left, he was 5'11" and slim; now he was 6'7" and built like a brick house. His hair was a brown so dark, it was almost black and went just past his shoulders. He also had a monstrous heavy metal beard. He looked almost exactly like his father had in life. However, he still had her face, albeit with his father's facial hair, which still somehow looked good on him.
"Alex...you've changed so much. You look more like your father, now," she said softly, still shocked about what Constable Jameson had told her.
"Speaking of him, he told me to give you a message. I've been to another world, and I met him there. He seemed nice enough, when it suited him, but I found that he could also be cruel," Alex responded.
"He was always nice to me. He vented his cruelty on his enemies, whom he often made in the wars he was in. You've certainly inherited his looks, but I hope you haven't inherited his cruelty, as well," Alex's mother said in the same soft tone.
"I've come to the realization that peace is the noblest aspiration, but sometimes, if you want peace, you have to prepare for war. Even so, it hurt me to kill him, knowing that his intentions for what he did were good," Alex said.
"Why did you kill him when his intentions were good?" Alex's mother asked.
"His intentions were good, but his actions were unforgivable, mom," Alex answered. "Anyhow, he told me to tell you that you were a better parent than he could ever have hoped to be," he added, giving her the message.
"I'm flattered that he said that about me, but if what you told me is true, then he was probably right. Did he tell you anything else?"
"He gave me some advice on parenting. He said that if I ever became a father, I should protect my child with my life. He also told me to make sure that all of the child's needs were met."
"He gave you some very good advice on parenting. I would have given you the same advice someday, but he beat me to it," Alex's mother said truthfully. "Who is this lovely young woman sitting beside you?" She then asked.
"This is Felicia. She's my fiancée," Alex answered.
"Oh! It's good to meet you, dear! I hope you've been kind to my son," Alex's mother said to Felicia.
"I have, Mrs. Irvine. He gives me no other choice, with everything he's done for me," Felicia replied.
"Please, call me Theresa. What you just said about him certainly sounds like the type of thing he would do, once he became committed. He was a wild card before he met you, though."
"She doesn't need to know that, mom. Not to wish it on her, but if she died, I would never be with another woman," Alex said, winking at Felicia.
"Wow! He's really committed!! I never thought I'd see the day," Alex's mother exclaimed. "So how long will you two be staying?" She then asked.
"We'll stay overnight, but tomorrow, we have to go back to the other world I mentioned before. I'm a king there, and that title comes with responsibilities. I just came back to give you the message from dad and tell you that I have a new home now so that you wouldn't worry about me anymore," Alex answered.
"You're a king?! That position would certainly come with responsibilities, but I never thought you would end up having those responsibilities," his mother replied with a sigh.
"Don't worry. He's actually turning out to be the best ruler we've had in ages," Felicia said, trying to reassure Alex's mother.
"WHAT?! He's responsible, too?! He's changed completely!!" Alex's mother exclaimed.
Alex remembered that Artemis had told him that he would change completely and that he hadn't believed her at the time. Now that his mother said that he had changed completely, he realized that Artemis had been right. He would have to tell her that tomorrow.
Felicia laughed when Alex's mother said that he had changed completely and Alex laughed with her, but she had a feeling that he was laughing for a completely different reason than her. She would ask him about that later. She would also have to ask him how he planned to get back home tomorrow when he wouldn't be able to fly, though she was sure he had a different method in mind.
Alex then noticed that the Constables had left when they knew that Alex's mother was okay. That was alright, though. He respected them for it because it said that they respected the sanctity of family.
"What happened to your arm, Alex?" His mother asked, noticing the bandage.
"Constable O'Hara panicked and shot me when he first saw me go into dragon form. Don't worry, though. He didn't recognize me in human form, at first," Alex answered. He knew there was no point in lying to his mother. She would call them to find out.
"We should press charges! He hurt you unnecessarily! Did you hurt him?" She said, furious.
"I lashed out at him in self-defense after he shot me, but don't worry about it. Felicia and I are going back tomorrow," he replied.
"Oh, right. You have other responsibilities, now that you're a king. You'll probably forget about your mother, too."
"No, mom. I'll come back once a year, I promise."
"As long as you keep that promise, I'll be happy, son."
"I kept a promise I made to dad yesterday. You can rely on me to keep this promise."
"He made you promise to come back and give me that message on his behalf?"
"Yes, mom. I think he still cared about you. He told me that he still cared about me."
"I bet he hurt you, though."
"That was before he knew who I was. I think that when I referred to myself by name, he regretted hurting me."
"As he should have. If I was him, I would never have hurt you."
"As I said, that happened before he knew who I was. If you didn't know who I was, other than your sworn enemy, I'm sure you would have done the same, mom."
"I guess you're right, son. I'm sorry. It's just that I've protected you for so long that I react that way if I find out that you've been hurt. I love you, son."
"I love you, too, mom," Alex replied, walking over and hugging her.
"When you hug me, it's almost like your father was here. I still miss him sometimes," Alex's mother said with comfort in her voice.
"Me, too," Alex admitted.
After talking about everything that had happened with Alex over the past few months, Alex asked his mother what she had been doing, other than worrying about him. She said that she hadn't been doing anything nearly as exciting as Alex had. That didn't surprise Alex. Thinking back now, his life had been boring before he found out that he was the Dragon Wizard. There were a few exciting moments, but none nearly as exciting as the training and the battle with the Demon King.
They had steak and potatoes for dinner, then Alex and Felicia went to Alex's old room, which still had his double-sized bed, computer, TV and Xbox 360. He had played so many fantasy adventure games. He never thought he would end up living one of those adventures, but he wouldn't trade the one he had actually experienced for his games. Before his adventure had begun, the first thing he would do when he went into his room was turn on his Xbox or computer and play his games. Now he looked at them and had no interest. He had definitely changed for the better.
Felicia looked around Alex's old room and was surprised at how much stuff he could keep in such a small room. Maybe it was all of the furniture and accessories that made it seem smaller, though. She couldn't even identify most of his belongings in here. She was sure that they had some function, and Alex was certainly looking at two of them as if memories were coming back, but he also seemed to lack interest for them. Perhaps his mother was right. He had changed since he was last here. However, she could tell that he had changed for the better by the fact that he seemed to have no interest for those items. Since his growth the bed seemed small in comparison to him. He could probably lift it if he held it at the right points. He had certainly grown in strength as well.
Then they heard someone knock on the front door, and Alex's mother answered it. Alex heard a female voice that was vaguely familiar, but he knew it belonged to someone he hadn't seen in ages. Then this young woman asked his mother if there was any news on him, and his mother answered by calling him.
"Alex! Come up here. Your cousin is here!"
"On my way up!" Alex responded. "Hi, Lana. Long time no see," Alex said when he saw his cousin. She had grown since the last time he had seen her, but she was still shorter than him. She was about 6'2" with long, straight, red hair and an hourglass body frame. She had full lips and blue eyes as well as a concave nose.
"Who are you and what have you done with Alex?" She asked.
"It seems my mom forgot to mention the changes I've gone through in the past few months. That's alright. It's good to see you."
"Changes?! You're a giant!" Lana exclaimed.
"Close," Alex replied with a wink.
"What was that wink about? I feel like there's something that I should know that I don't."
"You said I was a giant. What I've become is similar. The major difference, though, is that I can fly."
"I have no idea what you're getting at, cousin."
Just then, someone pounded on the door and Lana ran up to Alex as if for protection. He knew something was wrong and had an idea of what it was, but waited for what would happen next. Then he heard an angry male voice shout through the door.
"Lana! I know you're in there! Come out before I kick in the door!"
"Ex-boyfriend of yours?" Alex asked Lana. "Let me handle this," he said after she nodded with a fearful expression on her face.
Terry was about to kick the door in when it opened. However, it wasn't Lana who had opened it. A man who was about 6'7" and built like a brick house stood before him with a menacing expression on his face.
"Are you Lana's latest boyfriend?" He asked the giant.
"I'm her cousin," Alex answered. "And your worst nightmare," he added.
Alex grabbed Lana's ex-boyfriend by the front of his shirt and raised him off of the ground. It was men like this who set him off the most. Men like this were best motivated by fear.
"If you ever come near my cousin again, I will break your arms and legs. Is that clear?" Alex growled.
"Y-yes. I-I'll stay away from her, I promise," Terry stammered. Lana's cousin wasn't playing. He certainly was intimidating.
"Good. If I were you, I'd take a permanent vacation out in the middle of nowhere," Alex said, setting Lana's ex-boyfriend down.
"Y-yes," Terry stammered, nodding. He wasn't familiar with Lana's cousin, but he seemed like the type who fought back if you messed with him, and hid your corpse well if you messed with those he cared about. Men like that were the only ones who scared Terry, and this one scared him far more than most. He seemed to have some inner beast that was best left alone. Plus, he also seemed strong enough to kill a man with his bare hands. Terry ran, knowing that Lana's cousin wouldn't give him much longer to get out of town.
"Thank you, Alex. You're my hero. I love you, cousin," Lana said, hugging Alex and kissing his cheek.
"You're welcome, Lana. I love you, too," Alex replied.
"Now what did you mean when you said that you were something similar to a giant, but that you could fly?" She asked.
"I'll give you another hint. I can breathe fire in my other form," was Alex's answer.
"You mean to say that you're a dragon? Ha! Good one, cousin!"
"Come with me to Callingwood Forest and I'll prove it."
"Wait...I saw a dragon there earlier today, but that couldn't have been you."
"So you told the police about my sudden "appearance" in the area."
"Is that what happened to your arm? Oh. I'm sorry, Alex. I hope it doesn't hurt too badly," Lana said with guilt.
"It's alright, Lana. I'm a lot tougher than I was when I left. Besides, you didn't know it was me," Alex responded. "Come here," he said, pulling her into a hug when she started crying.
"I'm sorry…Alex. I hurt you…and you saved…my life. That says…a lot…about you. It says…a lot…about me…too," Lana sobbed.
"Don't blame yourself. You didn't know that I was the dragon who landed in Callingwood Forest and I didn't know that you were the one who told the police about it. Even if I had known it was you, I would have saved you. I hate seeing the people I care about suffering at the hands of others."
"So you would still have cared about me even if you knew that I had told the police?"
"Of course. You're family."
"I've heard of some family members disowning others for things like that. You're the best cousin a person could ask for," Lana said, hugging Alex again.
"I wouldn't disown you. You're the only paternal relative I have left, since what happened to your parents. If you ever need to talk about that, I'll be back once a year. I'll be staying overnight tonight, but I have to return to my kingdom tomorrow."
"You're a king? Can I come with you?"
"I would love to take you, Lana, but I gained my kingdom through conflict yesterday and it may be in turmoil for a little while. I don't want you to get hurt in the turmoil, but maybe in a year or two, when things have settled down, I'll take you with me."
"Thank you for trying to protect me, but I would feel safer with you than here."
"One, we're cousins, and two, I have a fiancée. However, if you really want to come, you're welcome to."
"Oh. I didn't know you had met someone, but you're right. We are cousins. Sorry. You impressed me when you scared away my ex. However, I would still like to come with you, Alex. I don't know why, but ever since I was young, I've felt like I don't quite belong here. I hope you understand."
"I do. I've felt the same way about this world since I was young, but my kingdom is on another world, and there, I know I fit in. All of a sudden, I have a funny feeling that you will have your own role to play there someday. My instincts rarely lead me astray these days, so I'll take you with me."
"Thank you. If you ever need help with anything, all you have to do is ask. I owe you for scaring away my ex. I'll make sure you don't regret it, and I'm not talking about that."
"Thanks, Lana."