chapter 2

i know this is not the chapter that you were hoping for… this is a chapter that contains 40% more coherency and 60% more grammar (thank you rouge). I am also trying to decide if I want to keep the second half of the chapter or rework it into something else, i fyou have any thoughts let me know.

 

without further ado. Chapter 2 – Hatching.

 

I was surrounded by warmth when I first woke up and I felt unusually tired. I tried to open my eyes, but I quickly realised that I couldn’t move. After a few seconds I heard some strange noises that seemed to surround me, it had a certain cadence, like people talking, I tried listen for a little bit, but I couldn’t think straight, my mind was clouded. The only thought I could hold onto was that I was warm. after a few minutes the voices stopped and losing the battle I fell back into the quiet embrace of sleep.

It seemed some time had passed when I next woke up, to what felt like an earthquake. It felt like my entire world was being shaken, yet I still couldn’t open my eyes. I heard muffled noises like before but I still couldn’t understand them.  I tried to move around, but nothing had changed. I still couldn’t move at all. I felt a little cramped in this dark prison.  Then another earthquake occurred, everything was shaking again, I heard some more muffled noises. A few minutes passed and it was quiet once more,  I once again fell into the darkness of sleep.

It felt like more time had passed when I next woke up. though something felt different. This time I didn’t feel sleepy, though I felt even more cramped than before, it felt like I was encased in a small box that was three sizes too small, my entire body felt weird. It bits and pieces of the conversation with the woman drifted into my mind; she said that I was going to become a mana dragon and I would have to hatch. Feeling a bit anxious I started to squirm as much as the small prison would allow when I heard a loud crack. I suddenly felt less cramped, so I continued to squirm and another loud crack sounded out, then another, until a bright light suddenly blinded me. I blinked my eyes a few times before I could see again and in front of me I noticed four giants staring at me. Panic flashed through my mind, I tried to scream but the only sound I heard was a small squeak. I stopped for a second as I noticed that a scaly milky blue snout protruding from my face. At this point I realized that I actually had turned into a dragon.

Thinking for a bit, I started to remember parts of the conversation with the strange  woman. I remembered her telling me that I had been summoned to another world and that she was turning me into a dragon, I also remembered that I had to eat the egg fragments or something terrible would happen, so I shakily stood up and started to eat them. The fragments tasted delicious, though it was a bit crunchy. I devoured all the fragments, my belly felt pleasantly full. I started to look around and I noticed that the four giants were still staring at me, confusion plain on their faces.

The giant with the beard started to speak in a language that I couldn’t understand. After listening for a few seconds, I gave up on trying to understand it.  I decided that they weren’t going to kill me instantly, out of curiosity I started to look around the room. It was a nondescript stone room with no windows and the walls had intermittently spaced glowing crystals, that bathed the room in a pale blueish light. I was currently sitting on a large table and in its center; there was a large indent where, my egg was resting. As I looked around the rest of the room, I could see a fairly large pile of copper coins in the corner of the room. “Well, that is stereotypical.” I tried to say but only a small series of squeaks came out.

The noise from the four men increased; when I felt someone grab me. Turning my long neck around, I could see that the older man with the gray beard had picked me up. A sudden feeling of hatred welled up and clouded my thoughts. In a fit of rage, I bit the man that had dared to grasp me. My fangs pierced his skin and blood spilled into my mouth, it surprisingly tasted delicious. I started to fall as the man let go of me. I braced myself for the coming pain of hitting the floor, instead I felt an odd sensation coming from my back. I turned my head and, and two beautiful blue-white wings were spread out wide. My short flight ended with me in a crumpled heap on the floor. I quickly untangled myself and stood up and  scurried under the table moving away from the giants.  Their arguments kept get louder as I hid under the table. I watched one walk away and slam the door as they left. The others talked between themselves for a few more minutes before leaving the room.

Feeling tired from my little adventure, I started to look for some place to sleep. Looking at the pile of coins, I thought to myself: “Why not, stereotypes exist for a reason.” I walked towards the pile of coins trying to master the strange rhythm of walking on four legs. I climbed up the pile of coins and  settled myself the coins flowed around my draconic form, and before I realized it I had fallen asleep.

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chapter 21

—–Fafnir’s POV—————–

“I know there are probably good reasons, but why did you have to set up residence as far from your parents as possible?” I asked Therin while perched on his shoulder.

“So I had less of a chance of running into them.” The elf replied.

We made our way toward the north gate where his parents’ estate resides. The houses in the northern were impressive, huge compounds surrounded by walls with intricate designs of various beasts carved into the faces. The guards of the different estates eyed us with weapons ready as we walked past.  

“What do your parents do anyway ?” I asked as we neared the north wall.

“They are alchemists ,” he replied, “though what they produce is not always beneficial.”

“What do you mean by not beneficial ?” I asked intrigued.

“They do produce potions and materials that are necessary in rituals primarily,” he said turning down a side street, “though a good chunk of the business are the poisons that they produce.”  

“Why poisons?” I asked confused, “They can’t be that effective considering healing magic.”

“Yes, most poisons are useless,” he replied, “but these are magic poisons. These can cause your magic to go out of control, or cause thousands of ants to pour from your mouth.”

“Well…” I replied dumbfounded, “Are they even poisons at that point ?”

“Yes, and there are less pleasant ones, not the best way to see the gods but certainly effective.” He said as we approached the gates of a large manor. The walls surrounding the manor were not decorated, they were just jet black. We approached the front gate where two guards barred our way.

“Do I look like I need an appointment?” Therin replied sharply.

“All visitors need an appointment.” One of the guards replied placing his hand on his sword.

“I don’t have time for this,” I thought to myself. “You have one minute to let us pass or you will face the wrath of a true dragon.” I said menacingly.

“Look the dragon can talk,” The other guard said, “that is impressive, but not impressive enough to let you pass without an appointment.”

I took a deep breath before I started to weave a complex spell. A few seconds pass and neither guard moves, starring at both of them I release the spell. The ground around the two guards surge upward encasing the lower half of their body in solid stone.

The guard struggle in vain to extract themselves from the rock as we pass them opening the gates our self.

“That was impressive.” Therin said, “I never would have guessed you would show that much restraint.”

“Let’s get this meeting over with,” I growled “we have better things to do then talk to people who are not prepared to receive us.”

As we enter the courtyard I could see various gardens filled with strange plants.  We got closer to the main house made of the same black stone though there were engravings of various plants inlaid with gold on it. A servant rushed out of the main house towards us.

“Lord Therin, I am sorry, we did not expect you so soon.” the servant replied, “I have been assigned to make you comfortable in master’s study.”            

“I know the layout of the house.” Therin replied, “I want you to have father meet us sooner rather than later as I have a dragon who is not in the best of moods.”

“Yes lord Therin,” he quickly rushed back into the main house.

We made our way into the house and navigating, we arrived at a plain door. Therin opened the door to a rather nicely decorated room. The room contained a desk filled with different papers  and a few ottomans. In the center, the walls were pure black except for one corner where there was an odd symbol on the wall.

“Fancy, what is that symbol on the wall?” I asked.

“That is the symbol of the dark god Mortem,” Therin replied. “a fitting patron considering this family. ”

I jumped off Therin and glided to one of the chairs. I curled up on the soft chair while Therin sai in the other.

“How long do you think it will be before your father shows up?” I asked enjoying the comfortable seat.  

“I would expect that he will be here soon.” Therin replied.

After a few minutes there was a knock on the door as a servant walked in barring a tray filled with various fruits.

“Lord Ataryo will be with you soon, he is finishing with another guest.” The servant said as he placed the tray on the small table in front of us.

I looked at the various odd colored fruits arrayed on the tray, wondering if I could even eat fruits. I stood up from the chair and with my long neck I carefully picked a strange apple like thing from the tray. I grasped it with my fore claws and bit into the reddish green exterior, a bitter taste flooded my mouth as I started to chew.

“You are too trusting.” Therin said watching me. “It has barely been half an hour and you have forgotten that my family deals in poisons.”  

I stopped chewing as I looked at him, thinking for a bit I draw on my draconic breath and let it flood my mouth liquefying its contents. I swallowed the mouthful before saying, “You really think they would try to poison you when you are so important.”

“I never said my parents would do that but there are others would be glad to see me removed.” He said frankly.

“Well let’s hope my breath will neutralize any poisons” I replied tossing the rest of the fruit back onto the tray.

After about half an hour the door was opened to a rather well dressed man. He was 6 feet tall with white hair and violet eyes and a strong jaw. He was calm and collected as he walked into the room.

“Father,” Therin spat as the man walked into the room, “it has been many years.”

“Yes it has been a long time.” He replied sitting down in the remaining chair. “This must be your new pet that Netticë mentioned.”

“I am no one’s pet.” I replied keeping my anger in check.

“It can talk?” Ataryo said with a look surprise.

“Wow,” Therin interjected, “it seems that Your daughter is not as kind as you imagined, or she would have correctly filled you in.”

“What do you mean?” he asked a bit confused.

“Well before my master kills my family, I believe there should be some introductions.” Therin replied. “This is Fafnir, summoned hero of the humans; terror of all who mistakes him for a wyvern. He is my master for the next five years in exchange for freeing me from the slave ritual that was cast on me after I was captured.”

“A summoned hero for the humans…” Ataryo interrupted, “he doesn’t look human to me.”

“There were issues I was told.” Therin replied, “Fafnir, this is my father; lord Ataryo.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said standing up on the chair.

“Nice to meet you as well.” he replied, I could tell he was skeptical.

“How about we get to business,” lord Ataryo said clasping his hands together. “Lord Fafnir, what would It take to buy my son’s contract from you?”

I stared at the elf for a minute before responding, “There is nothing you could offer me in exchange for Therin.”

“Surely there must be something, everyone has a price.” He said with a grin on his face.

 

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