Legend of the Oceina Dragon (The Dragons Saga)

by Jenkins, J. F.

  Lance scribbled a note for Darien: ‘Shouldn’t we be the ones who pass judgment on the murderers? It was committed on our land and against us!’

  ‘You’d think, but I’m not sure how to go about trying something like this fairly.’

  ‘You really think he’s going to be fair?’

  ‘No. I think we’re in a lot more trouble than I originally thought.’

  ‘What do we do?’

  ‘We need to settle in. We can’t provoke this. We let him think we’re weak and vulnerable and gather up our own resources to bring him down.’

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  “Alone at last.” Alex smirked as he sauntered up next to Tai. She'd been waiting for him to finally try and get her by herself. Up until now, she'd done a good job of keeping away by interacting with the other students who were fast becoming like friends to her. It was hard to get close to them because she obviously couldn't be completely truthful with them, but in another lifetime they might have been best friends.

  Tai wasn't sure what to think of Alex though. He came on strong. He definitely knew what he wanted, and he was persistent in trying to get it. Apparently he wanted her. It was her first day back at school; her first time arriving without Darien, and Alex watched her like a hawk the entire time. Now classes were done for the day, and she was waiting for her ride home. Darien may have trusted her to not run away, but the others in the house weren't too sure. The city was big. She didn't doubt that she'd probably get lost on her own anyway. Unfortunately for her, having no ride readily available after school left her unable to politely flee from Alex's advances.

  “Hmm?” Tai faced him, looking up at him briefly and tried to play dumb. One of her new abilities from her transitioning was a heightened sense of smell. Her nose wasn't as good at picking up emotions as Darien's, but if the feeling was strong enough she caught on. Alex smelled potently of lust.

  He kept a comfortable distance, leaning against a nearby wall. “I said alone at last. I feel like I never get any time to talk just the two of us.”

  “I didn't realize you wanted to. I think this is the first time you've ever expressed interest in it.” She said and awkwardly twirled a strand of her hair around a finger.

  “It's the first time I've felt like I could.”

  Tai raised an eyebrow.

  “Darien, he's always around you. He's finally not. I think this is the first time he's ever missed school period actually.” Alex explained. He ran a hand through his short blond hair and his grey eyes briefly met hers. “You guys seem close.”

  “We are dating,” Tai stated.

  “How do you know each other? You're new here. How did you meet before school?” He asked.

  She'd been waiting for someone to start asking questions. She and Darien had decided on giving as many truthful details as possible when discussing their relationship. Lies were hard to cover up and track, and neither liked the idea of lying bluntly to everyone. For the most part, nobody asked anything. Alex was a lot smarter than the rest of her classmates though.

  “We've known each other for a long time. I moved into the city over the summer and we connected.” She explained. “He's my best friend.”

  Talking about him made her miss him even more. She'd hardly had any real conversations with him since he left for his meetings. She knew he'd be busy, but she didn't realize just how much so. It was isolating at the house without him. School distracted her from the void until someone asked about him and his whereabouts. For being so disliked there, everyone cared a lot about him being gone. She'd have to remember to tell him about it when he got home again.

  Alexjavier put a hand through his short blond hair, and his grey eyes met hers briefly. “Cool, speaking of cool, I think you're cool. I'd like to hang sometime outside of class. Completely innocent, I promise.”

  “I'll get back to you and let you know. Maybe we can all go do something.” She said, not wanting to completely discourage spending time together outside of school. Maybe she could get the guys to become friends. Darien needed one of those just as much as she did.

  He nodded at her, but didn't say anything. She couldn't interpret his body language at all. He was harder to read. Darien was so much more expressive with his emotions, or maybe it felt that way because she could read his mind. She couldn't read Alex's.

  “See you later,” he said with a wave.

  That went better than I thought. Tai waited to see if Darien would reply, but she still heard nothing. All day had practically been nothing. Every so often she caught a blip here and there, but none of it was directed towards her. With a sigh, she pulled out her cell phone and once more debated calling him. She didn't want to interrupt him if he was in a meeting, or make him think something was wrong. She just wanted to hear his voice. Every day he was gone, the more she wondered once again if she was dreaming him up. It was so much worse than the first time he'd left. She actually wanted to be around him this time.

  I'm doing it. She dialed his number and waited, and continued to do so until his voice mail kicked in. She was quiet for a few seconds after the tone, unsure of what to say or if she should say anything.

  “Hi,” she said softly. “Just calling to see how you're doing. I hope you're at least trying to make the most of it. I miss you. I hope I get to talk to you soon. I....” Love you. She didn't want to say it for the first time over the phone. “I miss you.”

  Chapter Forty

  Overwhelmed was the only word to describe how Darien felt. The meetings concluded late at night, and he was all set to tuck into bed, talk to Tai, and actually hear her voice for a change before drifting off to sleep. He desperately needed to relax. His nervousness made him queasy and he had barely eaten for most of the trip, nor had he gotten any real sleep. On top of that, he was starting to feel anxious. He missed Tai. He needed her. However, it wasn’t quite time to go back.

  His Uncle Arthur had insisted he and Lance stay behind another day and the three of them would discuss how everything worked, and look at the archives of the past meetings, and other privileged information from the grand library. A library that was only accessible by the chosen great lord and his first council. Particularly, he thought it best Darien learn meditation techniques to try so he could receive the divine revelation like all of the great lords of the past - revelation he could really use.

  Tai would not be happy to hear this, of course. He could feel her loneliness and it killed him inside, and what made him feel worse was she still would not tell him what was wrong.

  He pulled out his phone while he walked back to his suite and dialed her number. After five rings, it went to voice mail and he couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh. “Tag, you're it. I’m done for the day so I’m going to settle in for some dinner in my room before getting some sleep. I’ll probably be awake for another couple of hours. Call me? I don’t care when and I don’t care if you wake me up. I just...really wanna hear from you. I love you.”

  He hung up with a sigh as he unlocked the door. He stopped in the doorway when he noticed a small white envelope lying on the floor at his feet. He cautiously picked it up and carried it over to the couch in the den. Inside was a small index card.

  ‘Meet me in the gardens for lunch. I know why your father died.’

  Chapter Forty-One

  Darien was hiding something from her when they spoke over the phone. She could tell because he paced his words as though he was thinking about everything first, instead of just letting them flow. Then again, it wasn’t like she was being up front about everything going on inside of her head either.

  “Thanks for the graphs,” he said again. He always went back to this if he got stuck. “I really appreciate it. It was a huge life saver.”

  “I know, you told me yesterday,” she giggled. “What’s wrong?”

  “Why don’t you tell me first?” He asked quietly. “You’ve been weird ever since I left.”

  Tai bit her lip, unsure of what to say. She’d been upset ever sin
ce the strange voice came into her mind the instant she touched the water. Now though, it was becoming even more vocal. It did more than just laugh. It was trying to tell her what to do, and when she didn’t do those things, she started to feel sick all over.

  “Something is wrong. It’s not a big thing, but it’s not something I can exactly explain to you over the phone.” She decided this was the best place to start instead of claiming to be possessed or hearing voices. “I want to wait until you come home though to tell you. I mean I need to show you.” If there was a way she could find real evidence, then she’d feel less like she was going insane. If she could find a way to give him real evidence of course.

  “Try? Please?” He was practically begging, and it was hard for her to listen. “Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

  “You were so preoccupied. You didn’t need to be distracted with this. I’m just having some problems in the shower, and it’s frustrating me.” She paused.

  “Do I want to know?” He laughed. “Miss me that much?”

  “Well I do, but that’s not what I-.” She rubbed her forehead with a hand as she tried to think. “That’s not what I’m talking about.”

  “Fine, fine, I won’t push the issue anymore, but as soon as I come home, you are explaining this to me.”

  “First thing. I promise.”

  “Good.” He paused. “I got a letter from someone saying they know why my father died.”

  There was a long silence. “Saying what exactly? Did they explain?”

  “They want to meet me tomorrow for lunch.”

  “Are you sure that’s safe? Are you sure it’s not a trap or something?”

  “I’m not going alone. As far as I know, we’re the only three people on the island here anyway. I can’t smell or hear anyone else. It’s creepy. It’s really quiet and I don’t like it.”

  “I don’t blame you. So you’re going to meet them.” She liked the attention off of her. This gave her more time and took away a lot of pressure. “Be careful. I don’t want something to happen to you.”

  “I will, I promise I’ll be fine. Are you mad at me?”

  “Only because I’m selfish and I don’t like something keeping you from me.” She replied quietly. Especially when I need you.

  “Can you please try to explain what’s going on then? I can’t be there for you if you can’t talk to me.” He sounded so frustrated, but she couldn’t give in. Come on Tai. Don’t shut down.

  She’d completely forgotten for a moment he could still hear her thoughts - it still exasperated her. “I’ll show you when you come back in two days.” She didn’t mean to sound bitter, but it came across as such. Her tone was sharp and aggressive. She ignored his thoughts and hugged herself awkwardly, holding back her tears.

  Darien didn’t say anything for a very long time. She pulled the phone away from her and watched the minutes of silence tick by on her phone’s clock. Finally, after so long of only hearing the sound of his breath (it being the only sign he was even there to begin with), he spoke.

  “I should go. I’m really tired.”

  “Darien, look, I’m-.”

  “I’ll see you in a couple of days,” he spoke over her. “Goodnight.” And he was gone before she could say more. It was the first time they'd ever hung up the phone and he didn't tell her he loved her.

  I’m sorry! But there was still no reply.

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Nightmares plagued Darien’s sleep. He didn’t remember his dreams often, and when he did, he was positive they always meant something important. Tonight he had been in school, walking the hallway. The students treated him as though he were invisible however - not like this was anything different for him, of course. At the end of the hallway Tai waited for him, and in her hand she held a weapon of some kind. At her feet was a crying infant.

  “You didn’t feed him.” She said to him with disgust. Darien was stuck in shock though because he didn’t even realize they had a son. “What are you going to do about it?”

  “I don’t have any food,” he had said to her and he then watched in horror as she made a move to kill the child. The last thing he remembered before waking was diving to put himself between her and the baby. He didn’t remember anything else.

  Which was fine by him because he didn’t want to remember his dream if those were the kinds of dreams he would be having. He never understood his dreams anyway. Christian taught him once about dream interpretation, but Darien didn’t get much from the lesson beyond that dreams were not to be taken literally. He’d remember to write it down later and show it to Christian when he got home. Darien didn’t remember his dreams often, but when he did he made note of them.

  He awoke before sunrise and left a note for Lance stating he was going to go for a jog. He put on his sneakers, some loose shorts, t-shirt, and a sweatshirt and ran outside in the cool morning air. He ran along a path into the nearby forest, and took in the peace and quiet around him. There wasn’t another person around him. All he could hear was nature: the birds, the squirrels, the rustling of the trees, not cars and people yelling at one another.

  Darien didn’t run often. When he wanted exercise, biked, or did things like push ups and crunches in the privacy of his home. Or swim. He loved to swim. As he moved through the forest, he saw a small lake ahead of him, and the water called to him. He ran to the lake, pulled off his sweatshirt, shirt, and shoes, and dove into the water. Here he could sit and try to think without worrying about Tai hearing him.

  The water was soothing on his skin. The moment it touched him, he felt rejuvenated inside and out. He had instant peace, instant energy. He swam to the center of the lake and settled onto the bottom. He placed his feet under him, sat on his haunches, watching the fish swim away from him. He closed his eyes breathing the water in. It was so much different than the water at home. The water in the lake was naturally pure and clean, not artificially processed to be that way. He sensed a bit of magic around him as well. No, a lot of magic.

  The water began to glow with wisps of blue glittering magic. They spiraled around him, forming a blue, sparkling, protective shell of magic around him. Darien stared in awe because he wasn’t telling his magic to do this. It was acting on its own.

  “What is this?”

  The blue magic became streaked with darker blue and even more potent, glittering, streams of magic. These streams joined together at one point directly in front of him and began to take on the shape of a dragon - a water dragon. He’d never seen anything like this before. His eyes grew wide with amazement.

  “Your divine revelation.” The dragon told him.

  “Dad?” Darien would recognize that voice anywhere, but it was hard to be certain. He’d never heard of the dead manifesting themselves in such a way before.

  “Yes.” Orion laughed. “Did you think I would leave you behind completely?”

  “I don’t know. I’m not sure how everything works, but I’m glad you’re here. I need you. I’m so confused. What should I do?” He was pretty sure he was not cut out for the job of leading an entire nation. His father must have made a mistake.

  “From the touched, the great dragon will be born, of pure blood, and pure hope. Child of the ruler, the warrior, and the damned, they will wed the royal clan. Made in lust and sin, peace shall they usher in.”

  “I’ve heard this before, but what does it have to do with me?” The magic around him began to flare as his frustration spilled out. He wanted a straight answer, and his father gave him a riddle. “I don’t understand what it all means!”

  “You are the touched.”

  “Yeah, and?” Darien said.

  “And you were born to rule, just as your son that she holds now is born to rule.”

  “What?” He didn’t know what this meant exactly. “Are you trying to tell me I’m going to be a father? Can you please not speak so cryptically? I need answers I can use.”

  “I’m not allowed to tell you in any other way.” Orion said softl
y. “All I can do is guide you towards finding the answers on your own. You must have faith in yourself. You do not need someone to hold your hand and tell you what to do. You know what to do. You know who you are.”

  Darien closed his eyes, unsure of what to react to first: being a father, or being frustrated by his own. “I’ve never had this kind of faith. This is too big for me. Did you only pick me for this because I’m touched? Because you’re afraid of me?”

  “I’ve never feared you.” The dragon shape moved towards him and dark tendril touched Darien’s face gently. The magic felt warm. “It’s what I was told, and I choose to believe it.” Orion stated simply. “Just as my father was told I should be chosen before he was ready to step down because it was my time. I was told my seventh son would be my heir, and his first son would be the answer.”

  Darien closed his eyes. “You were told, he was told, I’m being told, and why did you believe it? What makes you so sure?”

  “I am telling you because I was told in a similar fashion, just as your grandfather was as well. The great Perseus the first spoke to us. I was chosen to be your guide. I’m not sure why, but I’m thankful for the extra few minutes I get to spend with you.”

  If Darien had been on land, tears would have filled his eyes. He felt so overwhelmed. Not only did he have to decide for his nation, but he was a father. Being a father had been a dream of his for years, and now that it was finally happening he wasn’t sure how to react. Excited, Darien definitely felt excited, but there was fear lingering in the back of his mind as well. How was Tai going to take this news? Were they ready? He wanted to be able to think about all of this on his own, but he was afraid if he told his father to leave he’d never see him again. Was this visit a one time occurrence? He still had so many unanswered questions, and he would no doubt have more after he met with the person who left him the note about his father’s death.