Dragon's World

7.

The floor above us rumbles loud in anger and it's all I can take to not duck under something or run right out the door.

     I'm only about arms length from Rune as he reaches his hands out to me. I point at the sword but he shakes his head, gesturing for me to go to him. What is he thinking?!

     "That'll just make more noise!" I mouth at him. He shakes his head.

     "I need you to get behind me," he mouths back as he motions around himself. Another loud grumble is heard from above as I actually find debris falling on me and we hear some of the wood crack from above. I look back to him. "Trust me," he mouths, urgency in his eyes.

     With a nod, I take both his hands and he ends up lifting me up and setting me right behind him just as the ceiling gives out. Down falls everything that was upstairs, including whatever beast was making that sound. After the dust settles and we can see, I notice Runes skin has changed to that of his scales, his hands now claws, and out pokes his toes from the sneakers he was wearing. So much for those.

     Looking ahead, I turn as white as a ghost. Before us, stands an immaculate, blue dragon. Shards of black scales cover patches all over its body. It's claws scrape against various items it fell with as it stands up and shakes itself out like a dog. Thankfully, it's wings are still folded in. However, it's long tail sweeps back and forth as it finally spots us. It's breath is heavy as it draws near, as if it could smell the entirety of my soul.

     I've never seen a dragon up close like this before, it's always been from a distance. But I'd like to think this is one of those moments my mother would describe in some kind of conversation she'd have with me before bed long ago. She'd always told me to never be afraid of something that's just trying to survive. It's in the same boat as us. Caution is always a must as with any dangerous creature, but you don't have to be afraid.

     As I gaze upon the creature before me, I feel Rune push me a little more behind him. The dragon approaches and stops right before us. It's breath fans the both of us as it's golden eyes stay glued right to Runes. It doesn't break a stitch of eye contact even as I peek out a little further. And by the looks of it, Rune stares right back. He keeps his other hand by his side but clutching both katana.

     Tuning into the dragon more closely now, I notice small shards of gold paint its wings and some scales under its belly. If I wasn't in a dangerous position right now, I'd admire the appearance. Along its spine flows small tufts of blue hair, so small, you probably wouldn't realize they're there unless you were as close as I.

     I glance up at Rune to see his expression hard and just then, the dragon backs away and paces around the room. Occasionally, it'll take a notice to me before it's eyes snap back to Rune. After a few more minutes of that, it scampers out of the house and flies off. I'm frozen speechless. Rune silently hands me a katana and walks into the kitchen, leaving me frozen in place.

     "What?" I manage to get out as my brain remembers how to form words.

     "What?" He asks but it comes out to sound more like a statement.

     "How did you do that? What did you do?" I walk over to him slowly as my knees feel like they could've gave out like jello.

     He just shrugs, much to my dissatisfaction. I stop to stare at him for a moment. Does he seriously think he could get out of this question with a shrug?

     "What are you, really?" I ask him dead on.

     "I'm a prince," he simply answers as if it were the most natural thing.