Chapter 1

I died. Or at least I think I did. But if I died that doesn't explain where I am now. I was an atheist and the other guys can’t have been right either. This place doesn't look like any heaven or hell. Maybe purgatory. If purgatory is office themed. After being shot three times in a mugging gone wrong I find myself waking up in a mostly empty room with no obvious exit. All that's in this room is a desk, a chair, a computer, and some filing cabinets.Seeing nothing better to do I sit in front of the computer and look at the screen. 

Welcome to your personalized reincarnation processing station. Unfortunately you have died. But luckily for you it has been decided to give you a second chance at life. Note that to make it easier on you we have decided to give you options based on human fiction. Click the screen to continue.

After a moment to process that I click the screen and a list pops up. I can hardly believe my eyes. It's a list of different species, some of which are clearly from science fiction, and some from fantasy. I distinctly notice that human is not an option. Off to the side of the list is a little popup saying that I would become the progenitor of whatever species I pick and that there would be ways of increasing the population that differ based on the species chosen. Considering how many options there are it’s a good thing that there is a search bar at the top of the screen.

To be honest It was never a question what I would choose. I type in dragon in the search bar and am immediately intimidated by the sheer number of types of dragon to choose from. After skimming through the list I see an option labeled Custom Dragon. I click it and a new tab opens up, with customization options straight out of a video game character creation screen.

First choice is to pick the preferred environment. I select semi-aquatic which means that I’ll be able to live both above and below water. Then it’s time to pick what ‘elements’ for my kind of dragon to be aligned with. The more I pick the weaker the individual elements will be and the more specific the stronger but less versatile the element. I decide to get two, one offensive and one utility. For my first I type in lightning as it will be good both above and below water. For my second choice I pick life so I’ll be able to heal if I so choose as well as potentially bless things with life. Next is to choose what my kind of dragon’s specialties are. Again the more I choose the less powerful each individual choice is as well as varying on how specific I am. I pick shapeshifting, enchanting, and summoning.

Next it’s time to pick how my kind of dragon will look. First is to decide the colors of the scales. I decide on making it so that the scales start out a dark blue before turning a bright green as the light hits them just right. I base the head off of a mexican alligator lizard but I add horns that curve horizontally towards the back of the head. The rest of the body is that of a western dragon with the front limbs being almost human-like in the hands only with scales and claws to differentiate them. I also make it so that it’s possible to sit on our hind legs so that we can work with our front legs if we so choose. Lastly the wings are made so that we can fold them flat to our backs so they don’t get in the way when we swim. When I finalize the appearance of my kind of dragon I’m asked to name the species. After a long deliberation I decide to name my kind of dragon as ‘Life Bringer Dragons’.

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Now the final thing to do before I am reincarnated is to pick my own name. I chose to call myself Rex Vitae as it is latin for king of life. It’s a little pretentious but I like it. As soon as I finalize my name from one moment to the next I find myself in a cramped oval space. I think I’m in my egg.

Apparently my benefactors, whoever they may be, decided to put some information in my head to start me out. They did so because dragons are usually born with ancestral memories so that they can operate on a basic level from hatching. Mostly what they've put in my head is instructions on how my body works as well as some information on where I will hatch including languages. Unfortunately, according to the memories, while I’ll be able to understand the languages I’ll only be able to speak Draconic for the first two stages of my life when in dragon form. It also seems like the world I’m going to hatch into is an alternate earth where magic is starting to awaken, thanks to my benefactors sending people like myself to this world as magical species. I don’t know what they do with those that picked the more science fiction themed species.

Enough woolgathering. I think it’s time to hatch. I start to push and hit against the shell of the egg, eventually I make a hole in the shell and take my first breath of fresh air. Wait a minute I can smell what my memories identify as humans. Uh oh. Now that there is a hole in the egg I can also hear people talking as well. “Did you hear that? I think it came from this bush over here.” The first voice sounds like a young boy of around nine or ten.

The second voice however sounds like it might belong to an older individual, maybe an older sister or his mother. “Stand back Tom, what if it’s a goblin or something? I know we're in the park and it should be safe but the weaker monsters can show up anywhere. How do we know the Adventurers Association didn’t miss one this morning?” I hope they don’t take me for a monster.

 According to my memories monsters can appear at night in areas not inhabited by people, the further from people they are the stronger the monsters that can manifest into the world. So in the park there should only be weaker monsters appearing like goblins and maybe if they are unlucky slimes. Slimes are hard to kill without magic and the world is only just getting magic.

I decide that my best bet is to get out of the egg and see about finding a place to hide, so I continue my efforts to get out. “Tom get out of there. I don’t care how curious you are, I don’t want you getting hurt.” That's all the warning I get before I’m caught as soon as I start to crawl out of my egg. Apparently this Tom went into the bushes against his elders wishes and now is holding me by my stomach. I can’t escape without hurting the kid and I won’t have maiming a child be my first act in my new life. It’s as I think this that he pushes his way through the bush.

“Look Angla! It's a baby dragon. Do you think mom will let me keep it?” I can now see who I presume to be his sister and she looks worried. Honestly if I was still human she would probably be cute but considering how I’m only the size of a house cat I can’t help but feel intimidated. 

“Tom put that down. You don’t know what it’ll do let alone if it’s a monster.” She is talking in a faux calm tone like someone trying to talk down a hostage situation before she looks thoughtful. “Though if it was a monster it would have attacked already, wouldn’t it have? Heck if it was a wild animal it would have attacked already.” She reaches out and gently takes me from his arms. “What makes you think this little guy is a baby anyway?”

“No fair I caught him, why do you get to hold him? And he's a baby because he just hatched duh.” At this point I’ve mostly given up on escape. Hopefully they don't do anything too bad to me.

“I’m holding him in case he decides to escape or something. Look at those claws he could have scratched you. Don’t just pick up strange things you find at the park. If he weren't so calm he could have hurt you.” She takes a breath and continues. “I don’t think your mother would let you keep him and besides we should take him to the police so they can pass him to the right department, and find out what he is and if he’s dangerous. Though at this point I’m pretty sure he is harmless.” Ow my pride. I swear if I end up being dissected first thing in my new life I’ll cry.