She watched her Uncle Tyson curiously. “I didn't know you and my mother had been engaged.” She glanced over at Teo and thought about what it would be like to marry her brother. They'd have been peaceful, happy even, but Mom would have been restless.
Tyson laughed quietly. “It was another thing we had all agreed to tell you kids about when you were older. We didn't want it to cause any weird animosity between you, and it's a little bit of a sore subject with Carrie… er… your mother, Teo.”
“I can see why,” Teo said.
“Keep in mind, this wasn't something I had chosen for myself. It had been arranged on a political table when I was a year old. My grandpa, Lord Taylor, kept the arrangement because both my parents and Dani's parents had liked the security behind it. Dani and I were best friends. It made sense, but love can't be forced. She loved Ethan, and I knew in my heart that my soul mate was still out there.” He put a hand on Teo's knee. “So trust me, I love your mom with everything inside of me. The feelings I have for her are unlike anything I've ever had before.”
Teo's gaze went to his hands, but he nodded all the same.
“When Dani and I decided we didn't want to get married, there was some drama. Why? Because the leader of the Terran government wanted the Great Dragon to come from our people. I think there was more spiritual warfare going on as well. The Great Terran Lord was working with a strange man who attacked Dani. He was manipulative, evil, and talked about how her child, you, Mikko, would destroy his spawn. I hate to think of any person in such negative terms, least of all an innocent child, but this man was pure evil. He tried to gut your mother.” Tyson closed his eyes, and his fists trembled.
“It's why I became a doctor to begin with. After what he did to her, I never wanted to be helpless like that again.”
Mother's scar. Mikko had seen it several times when she was younger. Of course, her mother had tried to hide it, but she didn't always succeed. Mikko knew better than to ask about it. That was a grown-up thing, and she would learn about it when she became an adult herself. Ideally, her mother would have been the one to tell her, but at least now she knew.
She shook her head. “So you're telling me that I am going to be destroying another… person?” The thought made her stomach churn.
“I don't know,” Tyson said, his gaze intense. “That's what Dani had told me he said when he had attacked her. The fact that you were still conceived is a miracle. I'm positive it's part of why it took so long for your parents to have you. They were a lot older than most dragon couples, nearly forty years old. It's also why they never had any other children. Then again, they may have been destined to have only you.”
“This is a lot to take in,” she said. “I still don't know if I understand what I'm supposed to do.”
“Outside of save the world?” Teo asked.
She laughed sourly. “Not a task I'm ready for and I don't even know who my enemy is.”
“No, you don't,” Tyson said. “But I think you're on the right track with the packing. It's time for you to find out what your true destiny is.” He sighed. “I have an early version of the Holy Book. It might not be the original copy, but it is close to an accurate translation into our more modern dragon tongue. This book is over five hundred years old, so you'll need to be gentle with it. I'll make sure to bring it to you in a few minutes. It should help you find what you're looking for.”
Mikko shook her head. “I'm so overwhelmed.”
“One thing at a time,” Tyson said softly.
“I'll help you,” Teo added. “I refuse to let you leave alone.”
“No!” Mikko protested. “What about Rashanna? What about your plans?”
“Saving the world is a lot more important. I know she'll understand.”
She hugged Teo close. “If it gets dangerous, I'm sending you home.”
He rolled his eyes. “I'll be fine.”
Mikko didn't say anything and only continued to hold onto him as if her life depended on it. She couldn't be so sure that he, or anything for that matter, would be fine. From what she understood, the purpose of the Great Dragon was not only to bring peace to the world but to save it by vanquishing the Great Evil.
Chapter Fourteen
The flight home took less time than the flight into Oceina City. Ichitaca let the wind carry him most of the way, riding the jet stream. He relaxed for most of the way home. Flying always calmed his mind. When the wind touched the scales of his dragon form, a new kind of energy filled him. Being a wind dragon, it only made sense for such a thing to happen. Being a wind dragon, he was in his element when in the skies; he felt renewed and free.
He stretched his large, graceful, pearly white wings and let out a yawn as he prepared to descend into the valley that he called home. Like most Aero dragons, his body was large and graceful, taking on a more traditional dragon shape. Even his talons were pretty rather than gruesome. His wings were large and a smooth, pale cream color that meshed well with the pearlescent appearance of the scales on his body.
There were no airplanes at the altitude in which he flew. Regulations stated that all artificial air traffic must fly higher than the dragons to help prevent catastrophic crashes. Dragons didn't tend to fly much anymore in general. The Aero and the Oceina were the only two tribes where all members could do it. No Inero could fly, and only a portion of Terran could — an amount which got smaller and smaller every year. Fear kept the Aero from spreading their wings and soaring, from even transforming anymore. There were a lot more dragon hunters in the country, and it wasn't always worth the risk for a dragon to travel in his natural state.
Ichi couldn't resist, however. He didn't like airplanes much, not when he could fly for himself. If a dragon hunter decided to try and target him, he'd make sure to go down with a fight. He'd make a beautiful trophy for someone's wall if all else failed.
The Aero were by far the most beautiful of all the dragon species. No one would deny it and Ichi had great pride in his appearance, in being a dragon in general. His father had always taught him to embrace his heritage and to live like the humans, but at the same time to remember that he was separate from them as well. Many dragons got lost in their humanity and denied their magic and power.
Ichi did not want to see the human people enslaved or under his feet. He simply understood his father's point: the dragons had been given magic and power for a reason. They were to respect the humans and love them, watch over them, but there was also a reason that the human women they mated with became like dragons — not the other way around. Why should any dragon deny his power and purpose for existing? It would only be a matter of time before the species faded away if all of the dragons continued with that sort of mentality.
The Aero would be the first, and then the Inero would follow suit. From what Ichi understood, the Inero were so petrified of being in their dragon state and abusing their power once more, that they denied the existence of the creatures to begin with. Rumors had reached his ears, even in the middle of nowhere. The Inero dragons, a once proud, populous species that liked to flaunt its slender, rust-red, lizard form, was now only a myth. Humans were starting to believe them to be mythological creatures. It disgusted Ichi as much as the Aero's pathetic hiding.
Hunters do not scare me. He slowed his speed as he flew into the valley, mindful of mountains around him, as well as the trees and villages. There were no humans in sight, but he could see an abandoned camp fifteen miles north of where his cabin was. That was only five miles away from the nearest town, but it was still expansion. The humans were indeed getting bolder in their progression into the mountains. Hopefully one of the townsfolk would see him flying in and his presence would keep the humans at bay long enough for him to clean out the house of all evidence of his family's existence. His father's dragon form had kept the people away for a long time, but the respect those people had for the dragons was fading.
Ichi hated the idea of abandoning the home his father had built with his bare hands. His parents wer
e buried in the yard, even. Ichi hadn't the courage to send them off in the traditional white flame of his people. God created their kind with dust and flame, and they were supposed to be returned to Him in a similar fashion. Every time Ichi had tried to do it, his stomach turned several times, and he would vomit. Burying them was a poor substitute, but he could at least handle the process. Leaving his family behind would be difficult. But staying will only cause drama when the humans arrive. I don't want to fight with them over land territories, especially land that we have no legal rights over. It's time.
He landed in a snow-covered clearing about a mile east of the house. It took only a few seconds for him to transform from dragon to human. Once the process was complete, he picked up his bag and trekked home. A smile formed on his lips as he saw the brick and wood house nestled in the trees.
Other than a collection of dust and spider webs near the entrance, nothing had changed about the place.
“I'm home,” he said, fully knowing that no one was there to hear him speak. It helped keep him sane. After being surrounded by so many people, the transition to being alone again would be difficult.
Three days, that's how long he would give himself to figure out what he could take with him and what had to be destroyed. He sighed.
“It's time.”
Chapter Fifteen
Mikko was walking through the park again. The blue and red roses trailed along by her side, every so often crossing in front of her. The peace was back along with them.
It was daylight in the park this time, and Mikko knew right away she was dreaming. She reached out to touch one of the flowers, wanting to admire a red rose up close. When her fingers brushed over the soft petals, a jolt coursed through her body and she heard the voice of her mother.
“Mikko, I love you.”
Gasping, Mikko pulled back and stared at the flower, amazed, confused, and overwhelmed with emotion all at once. With a shaking hand, she touched the petals of the blue rose and her father's voice filled her head instead.
“We're here. We've never left you.”
Tears welled up in her eyes, and her knees began to buckle. “You aren't just magical flowers. You're the spirits of my parents. I know this is a dream, but…” I've never dreamed about them before. She bit her lip. “Why now?”
“Because it's time,” her father said.
“And we didn't want you to feel like you were alone through the ordeal that's about to come,” her mother added.
“The ordeal that's about to come?” Mikko asked. Those were far from reassuring words. She sat down in the grass, crossing her legs in front of her and touching one flower of each color rose blooming at her side. It may have only been a dream, she loved having something tangible. She would never look at a rose the same way again.
Her mother was next to speak. “You know who you are now. I wish we could have been the ones to tell you. We miss you so much.”
“We're all here for you. Each of us will guide you and show you what you'll need to know. You know the basics, but if you're going to fulfill your destiny, then you need to know more,” her father said.
“I already feel like my brain is about to explode,” she mumbled. “It's not exactly easy to be told that you're the savior of the world, chosen to defeat an evil creature you've never met. How will I even know where to look?”
The air around her grew hot, almost unbearably so. She looked out ahead and watched as the grass and trees began to wither and die. The trees became like firewood, the grass became red before it dissolved into dust. What was once a lush park was now a desolate desert.
“No!” she screamed when the flowers began to shrivel up into nothing. As she gazed out at the red earth surrounding her, she noticed it was familiar to her. Is this the nation of Inero?
Trickling water could be heard nearby. Mikko shielded her eyes from the sun and watched as water streamed toward her. A small river formed at her feet, flowing gently. She dipped a toe into it and couldn't help but smile at how cool and refreshing it was against her skin compared to the rest of the intense heat. As much as she hated the heat, she liked the sense of home and comfort the desert brought to her. Must be my Inero roots. Even though her mother had been raised on a tropical island, she'd always spoken of how the Inero loved the heat and sun.
Footsteps crunched on the gravelly ground, breaking her out of her slight trance. Twenty-some feet away from her stood the blond haired man with the icy silver eyes. A small, smug, smirk formed on his lips as he stepped into the water. Instantly, the river began to churn around his feet creating a whirlpool… which soon became a water spout surrounding him.
Ice shot past her, almost impaling her, as water dislodged itself from the spout. When it hit the ground, the sand was covered with a sheet of ice. The river itself began to grow, expand, and the current became stronger. Mikko found herself surrounded by water that was getting deeper by the second. Soon she was completely immersed in it and being carried away downstream. She struggled, unsure of if she wanted to go where the river was taking her. At least she could still breathe since she had some Oceina magic in her. The water was half of her magical element and made her abilities stronger. Drowning was not something she was afraid of.
In the distance, she could see the man with icy blue eyes. He maintained the same amount of space between them, despite her floating away and him seemingly standing still as the water rushed by him. The smirk never left his face.
“Come and find me, Mikko,” he said. “I want to be found. I need to be found, and by you alone. You're the only one who can help me.”
She couldn't reply if she wanted to. I want to wake up now. Please, someone help me!
Large dragon talons wrapped around her body, pulling her free from the water. She caught a glimpse of pearly white scales before her eyes snapped open and she found herself back on the couch in her grandmother's living room.
Chapter Sixteen
Mikko struggled to breathe. Her chest heaved every time she took in air. The pounding of her heart was deafening. She wasn't even aware of Teo holding her in his arms until he shook her, yelling.
“Can you hear me? Are you okay?”
She took another moment to collect herself and nodded. “I had another dream… about him. That guy I was telling you about.”
“Doesn't seem like a dream to me. With the way your body is reacting, I'd call it a nightmare,” Teo said. His grip on her relaxed. “What happened?”
“I was with my parents,” she whispered. “When I'm asleep they're alive and they speak to me. Teo, it's so beautiful. I never realized how much I missed them until now. How much I need them…”
He closed his eyes and drew her into his arms. “Go on.”
She sniffled as the dream played over again in her mind, as fresh as any memory. “We were in the park, and then it became the desert. I think we were in Inero. It's been a long time since I went there. We only visited Inero City on the mainland once when I was young. From what I remember, it was hot and more or less desolate. There was an occasional oasis, but those were few and far apart. Unless of course we were by the river. A lot of people lived by the river.”
“Okay, so you were in Inero, you think,” Teo said, snapping her train of thought back on to the dream. “Then what happened?”
“The mystery man appeared again. His gaze was so intense, so fierce. The river started to swirl around him like magic. Some of it dislodged from the cyclone and it turned into ice. I'm pretty sure he was trying to kill me. Then the river flooded and I was being swept away. I don't know where to, but it couldn't have been anywhere good, you know? And then when I thought I was lost, a dragon scooped me out of the water and carried me into the sky.” She began to shiver again.
Teo frowned. “Definitely sounds like a nightmare to me.”
Sighing, she closed her eyes. “This guy… he told me I had to find him and save him. I'm not sure what it means, but maybe he's in trouble?”
“Or is trouble.”
<
br /> “But why would he ask me for help?”
He shrugged. “Who knows, but he's never done anything good in any of the dreams you've described to me.”
“I guess not,” she said and moved out of Teo's arms. “It all felt so real, and my parents said that since I know the truth they can tell me even more. This Great Dragon thing is scary.”
“You believe it?” he asked. “You can be honest with me. I promise I won't tell my dad if you're having doubts.”
“I do still believe it,” she said. “But I sort of feel like I'm a failure. I've performed no miracles. I've barely done anything worthwhile. How can I be worthy of such a huge task?”
Teo was quiet for a moment. “You make a good point. Saving the world doesn't seem like the type of thing to assign to just anyone. At the same time, I'm pretty sure God knows what He's doing, right? Ideally, I mean. That's where the whole faith thing comes into play. If there's anything you have a lot of, it's faith. You've always been so confident in what you believe which says a lot, given everything that's happened to you.”
“Still overwhelming.”
“And I'm still planning on coming with you, so you don't need to worry about going through all of this alone. Do you have any idea where you want to start?”
She shook her head. “I was doing some reading in the Holy Book your father gave me hoping there'd be a clue. The first thing I found was a pretty distinct prophecy.”
“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,” Teo recited. “You're a descendent of the Touched. Both of your parents were born from fathers who were Touched. You're pure blood, we already know that, and you're pretty hopeful if you ask me.”
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