Whatever had been showing me these places and people, suddenly let go, and then suddenly I was hurled back into myself. The sudden jolt of crashing back into myself jolted me awake, startling me. I found myself panting and trying to catch my breath, my claws had dug into the ground some scales raised. I was startled. Scared even. Chills running down my spine, my body shaking.

My mind was racing with so many thoughts. I couldn't stop on any thought for too long, before feeling overwhelmed. These weird things, visions, dreams, nightmares. Whatever they are, it is making it hard to want to sleep. The fear of being pulled into another place, which dragons or shades might terrify me.

“Lost?” Hickory’s voice pierced my cloudy head and recentered me.

I looked down at him. This human, I am not sure why, can understand how I feel, and knows when I am not okay. I am not sure I had any dragons that really care about me that way. Dragon’s pride is such an annoyance. My mom did, in her motherly way, but she also was hard on me and wanted me to be strong. I think a lot of dragons there might not like me because of how strong my mom is.

“Ya, sorry. I had a bad dream.” I comforted him.

“Are you sure? You haven't quite seemed yourself lately.” He commented, concerned for my well being.

“I am fine. I have a lot to think about.” I replied, trying to ease his concern.

I look at the wall of the cave, and make a statue of Hickory. It's better than the rest so far, but I still have work to get better at detailed work. I smile looking at the line of statues I had made in my cave. I wonder maybe if it was the Dragon King, which made that road. Memories captured in time. Something You can always go back to and remember.

I hadn't realized I had calmed down. I got distracted from what happened, so I stopped shaking. I let a sigh of relief out at that. I hope that I don't experience that ending again. I would rather remain trapped here without knowing the outside, then put that threat at me again.

“Thank you, Hickory.” I thanked him.

“Well, I am glad to be alive, and be here. There were now two times where I might've died, had you not been there for me.” Hickory said, looking up at me, sincerity filled in his eyes.

I smiled, happy to have him around myself. I felt the mana in the mountain stir. I was momentarily startled by the massive mana hidden within the mountain. It had responded to my happy emotions. I wonder if things like this could be all absorbed, and if so then would it all disappear without mana. I got really curious and wanted to test it.

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“Hey Hickory, I want to try something. It might get really cold here. You may want to descend the mountain and go to the lake for some water. I know your house was ruined and so was your water and wood supply.” I asked him, while suggesting he leave.

“Alright Lost, I would like some help if you're able to lend any. Also, just please take care of yourself.” He pleaded, before getting up and leaving.

As he walked away, I noticed he knew the mana in the mountain stirred earlier. Once he had left far away, I closed my eyes. I reached out, this time, aiming deep into the mountain. I reached as deep as I could toward the mana within the mountain, opening myself up to it. Opening my soul space, I had not really opened it up since the serpent I gained. It felt so nice to reach out to this cold solid mana.

The mana stirred more as I reached out for it. Feeling the large mana pool deep within the mountain stir at my poking and prodding, I felt I touched something beyond what I should have. The pressure it has built over time, is now ready for release. Taking the shortest route for escaping, me.

Suddenly being blasted with a well of mana, pouring out. I didn't have time to recoil before suddenly becoming submerged in the vastness of the mana. My soul space was being forced full of all of this ice water mana. I could feel the edges of my soul space struggle at the pressure of the mana, forcing much more than what it can hold. Trying to force a lake into a bottle. I realized quickly that it wasn't this mountain’s mana, but the massive glacier which makes all of this mountain range, is mostly all ice.

Grasping desperately I just work on condensing the mana within my soul space. Using all my will power to work it smaller and more dense as fast as I could. I really had no training in this, but in desperation I was willing to try, being force fed all this overwhelming mana. My soul space is struggling to keep its shape, a struggle that I know I can't afford to lose. If I lose this I might die. The fear of death just makes me work as hard as I can. Pain racking though soul from it being stretched beyond its limits.

***

I had not made it too far down the mountain, when I felt it shudder and all the ground move. I nearly lost my footing and fell down before I caught myself, and knowing going back up would be impossible, I made up my mind. I started rushing down the mountain the best I could. The ground moving did not make it easy to get down.

After getting to the bottom, I turned and looked up at where Lost’s cave should be. I could see its still there, but she has yet to come out from it. I hope this is her doing and she has some control over it. Causing an entire mountain to shake is something I could not fathom. I look at my hands as flames spark to life in them. I have great power for a human, but I pale to what a dragon is capable of. It's so monstrous how strong she is. I just hope she is alright.