Dragon Dreams

Chapter 8: Claws and Smoke (1/2)

Darkness surrounded me. I felt cold, afraid. The voice—the one that called itself master—had trailed off. But the silence lasted for only an eye blink. A harsh laugh resonated in the air around me. The deep, rumbling sound drove icy shards of fear into my gut. My body recoiled unconsciously and I shrank low to the ground in a defensive posture. Breaths came fast as my heart pounded in my ears. I swept my head back and forth, trying to see through the inscrutable darkness around me. However, the dream-world I had entered still yielded no light.

"Aww," the voice cooed mockingly, "the little baby dragon can't see. It doesn't seem to know it can breathe fire. Wouldn't that be helpful right about now?"

The voice was right. The thought of using my newly-learned magic hadn't even crossed my mind. Annoyed, I quickly shook my head and tried to clear my mind enough to summon some flames. Opening my mouth, a feeble flicker of fire was all I could manage. The shadows around me quickly snuffed out the brief sliver of light.

"Oh dear," the voice chided. "Is that all you can do? You really are a pathetic little hatchling. Your human weakness makes me sick."

The words swirled inside my head. "Human weakness?" I thought. "What am I supposed to act like when I've been a human for my whole life until now?" However, in the back of my mind, I felt something stirring. The dragon instincts were creeping back into my thoughts. Anger, red-hot and pure, started to simmer inside me. I had been insulted by this voice for long enough. "No," I thought forcefully, "I can't let this rage take over my mind. This must be some kind of test. I can—I must—stay in control."

An orange jet burned away the darkness in front of me. It came from the mouth of an unseen dragon and traced a line across the earth between us. Leaves and brush were set alight, forming a wall of smoke like a ghostly sunset. Then, parting the haze in front of it, a dark shape appeared. It stepped through the crackling mist, embers glowing where two eyes should have been. I stared at the silhouette with wide eyes and took a few hasty steps back out of fear.

"Who are you?" I asked. "And what do you want with me?"

The creature did not answer. Instead, it spat short, flaming jets which struck the ground on either side of me, starting two more small fires. I flinched but did not run. Then, it walked toward me and leaned in close. I could clearly make out the other dragon in the amber light. Its scales were black. They seemed unnaturally dark as if they captured all light instead of reflecting it. It was only slightly larger than me, but it had a presence or aura of intimidation that made it seem much bigger. Long, black horns crowned its head and shorter spikes ran down its neck, back, and tail, the end of which was adorned with sharp, blade-like fins. Scrawled across its face were gold markings that swirled in strange patterns, almost like writing. Similar patterns marked its shoulders, sides, and wings. This sinister dragon was darkness incarnate.

A thin, black tongue flicked out of its mouth and quickly disappeared. It was so close to me. The red eyes narrowed, and a twisted smile revealed long, sharp teeth in the dragon's jaws. Gray wisps trickled upwards from its nostrils. "You smell like fear, hatchling. But don't be afraid. I'm here to teach you." My spine tingled as the words, spoken with undisguised condescension, hissed over the crackle of the fires. "Teach you what, you ask? I will teach you how to be a real dragon." The black dragon paused and raised its head up to full height. "As for who I am, most call me Ares. But you, Ayreth, you can call me your guide on the path to your rightful future as a dragon."

Ares. This shadowy dragon finally had a name. He stood like a statue before me, smirking proudly as smoke from the surrounding inferno curled around him like an insubstantial cloak. I was transfixed. He commanded such power. I asked myself, "Is this what I want? Ares will teach me to be strong like a true dragon." My primal mind clawed for release. The vicious, wilder instincts in my head yearned for the life Ares promised. But the image of my family flashed before my mind's eye. I was a dragon, but I was also a son, a brother. I had a sister and parents who loved me. My human conscience pushed back against the draconic desires. I knew what I wanted, and this dark dragon wasn't going to enslave me to his ideals.

"I don't need you, Ares," I said firmly. "I have my family. I want to feel love more than I want raw power."

"Very well," he said. The dragon sighed and blew more smoke as he turned his back on me. I felt relief that he was going to leave me alone. Then he looked back over his shoulder, red eyes flashing at me. His snarling sneer exposed a mouthful of sharp daggers. "Then you leave me no choice. If you don't let your dragon-mind rule your body, I'll just have to drag it out myself."

Ares whipped around and lunged at me, quick as lightning, claws outstretched. I only had time to widen my eyes and cry out as he tackled me. We rolled across the forest floor. My wings were crushed painfully beneath the weight of our two bodies. Ares sprung to his feet again with practiced agility. The fires still burned in the clearing nearby, illuminating exactly half of the black dragon while the other half blended with the inky shadows all around. I gulped for air and regained my footing as well, staring down the half-shadowed demon before me. I guessed I probably looked the same way: light on one side of me, dark on the other. The duality was part of me now.

"Won't you fight back?" Ares taunted. "Trust me, it's easier if you let the dragon within win this battle. I will strike you down as many times as it takes for you to submit, human!" Again, he charged at me, shooting a fireball that I was forced to duck. The scorching missile sailed over my head but I couldn't avoid the lumbering dragon that followed it. All I saw was a glint of gold markings as his shoulder slammed into me, sending me sprawling.

I slid across the dirt, pawing the air as dizzying fireworks exploded in front of my eyes. Adrenaline crackled through my body like electricity, numbing some of the pain and also filling my muscles with untapped strength. I had no idea how to fight back, but my draconic mind called to me with whispers of power. I can't describe the feeling. It was almost as if my instincts were concealed behind a curtain that was slowly being pulled back.

Ares wasted no time in pouncing on me a second time. In that split second, as the red eyes of my adversary loomed closer, the dragon-mind seized control and instructed me to draw in my limbs. The other dragon landed on me, his claws digging into my flesh as he rolled over on top of me, but I was ready. My coiled muscles all extended at once, delivering a solid thrust with my legs that propelled my attacker back into the air and away from me. My talons raked across his abdomen, drawing a roar of pain. I used the momentum of the attack to jump back to my feet.

I felt a rage quivering inside me like I'd never felt before. It was not mine, but I felt it all the same, a seething aggression that manifested itself in my bared teeth and low stance. My body moved forward with deliberate steps, although I had little control anymore. The feral mind was showing me how to fight like a real dragon. Everything around me was in sharp focus; my predatory vision fixed on the spot where Ares had landed. As I approached, I effortlessly spat a ball of flame at the other dragon, which exploded into yet another fire as he rolled out of the way. The fire-breathing magic had come to me easily, but I was not surprised. I felt at one with my power. The magic was just another weapon at my disposal, like teeth or claws. I flicked out my tongue and tasted the air. Through the smoke, I could smell the black dragon's blood. The violence I had wrought so far brought me great pleasure.

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