Today, I woke up feeling totally awful. You know that feeling the day after drinking way more than you should? Yeah, that’s what I felt like
“Ugh...”
The only thing that helps in this situation is to drink some water.
I moseyed over to the bathroom and looked in the mirror.
God. Even though this form doesn’t have any facial features I still looked awful. My eyes were foggy though, so I couldn’t make out much of my face.
What the hell happened while I slept?
The castles down here all share one sewage system, which only runs on fool’s water. Thanks to this, us demons can still shower, wash our faces and whatnot.
I stepped into the shower. How long has it been since I washed anyway... Luckily this form doesn’t sweat or anything like that, so I didn’t reek of fresh hell.
I leant back into the water stream. It was very refreshing.
I looked down at my feet.
Is my mind playing tricks on me, or do I have claws...?
I bent down to touch my feet. I was suddenly interrupted when I heard a loud bang coming from above my head somewhere. What the-?
I looked up to where the sound had come from. There was a large dent in the metal.
What the hell...
Something strange is going on.
I walked out of the shower again and took another look in the mirror.
Huh?
Was... Was I even looking at myself?
The figure in the mirror had horns on its forehead and one where the nose should be. I moved my hands up to touch my nose.
I have horns.
-
I teleported over to Luca’s castle immediately. “Luca?”
Ah. He’s probably outside.
I pushed open the front door and saw Luca looking down at the ground below as he usually did.
“Luca! What the heck is going on?”
Luca snapped out of his trance and looked at me. “Good morning and- What the hell? What happened to you?”
“That’s exactly what I came here to ask! What the hell happened while I slept?”
Luca looked at me in disbelief. “I... I have no idea. You- You look almost like a dragon!”
He put a hand on his chin. “Perhaps... Perhaps this is due to your close contact with dragons... It’s said that Draconic energy is the most influential of all the different races, and people with dormant genes can have them... awakened if they spend a lot of time with them.”
“So... What you’re saying is I'm slowly turning into a dragon.”
Luca made a grimace. “Yes.”
“Oh, thank God. I thought this might have been something far worse than that. If I turn into a dragon, so be it. I love spending time in my true form anyway.”
Luca looked in disbelief at my words. “You... You don’t seem to realize the gravity of this situation. There has never been a non-demon in control of hell... It would break tradition.”
I looked at him with an annoyed look. “And? If there is a problem, I'll just change the laws.”
Luca looked in thought for a moment. “I suppose that’s true... It would still be denying millenia of unbroken tradition though. I don’t think your ancestors would be proud.”
I don’t know why, but this comment ticked me off. “I AM GOD! WHAT I SAY GOES, DAMMIT!”
Luca cowered a little in fear. “O-okay... Don’t- don’t do something reckless now...”
I covered my mouth with my hand. “What the hell is happening to me...”
-
I had flown to the mountain of the dragon family. I needed some space from everything, and this was the perfect place to go.
I dangled my legs off the mountaintop and took a deep breath.
The air here was refreshing. Inviting, even.
It was as if something deep within me told me to stay. Never leave this mountaintop.
Suddenly I felt a soft tapping on my arm. I looked down and saw one of the hatchlings nudging my arm. It was fury, the wind dragon.
“Well, hello there, fury! What are you doing up here all alone?”
The little dragon hopped onto my lap, before curling into a ball.
“Meep.”
I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean…
I put a hand on her head and pat her a few times.
She seemed to relax a little at my touch and looked a little happier.
I smiled and looked to the horizon.
“Are you jealous of your brother’s ability to form sentences?”
The tiny white dragon in my lap furrowed its brow a little.
“Meeep…”
Oh, so that’s what it is. Heh.
“Fury, don’t worry. You’ll learn soon enough. I mean, you already understand what I’m saying, that’s a huge step!”
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The little dragon looked up at me with gleaming hope. “Meep!”
I scratched her scaly cheek. “You’ll grow up to be a fine young lady, just you wait.”
She looked to the horizon alongside me. It was early, and we both looked at the beautiful sunrise.
“We should get back to your family.”
I got up off the cliff edge, and held the little dragon in my arms, cradling her carefully.
Fury let out a purring sound, almost like a cat.
I snickered a little, before walking down the mountain trail toward the cave entrance.
-
The cave was completely silent. The family must still be sleeping.
I got down on one knee and put Fury down on the ground.
“Okay, don’t wake up your siblings or parents when you get back into bed now…” I whispered.
She nodded and began walking over to the nest.
I’m so proud of them…
I turned around to leave. I knew I had responsibilities, but once again there was this deep, deep feeling inside me begging me to stay.
One of my eyes twitched. No. I need to get back to my castle. I have real responsibilities. There is a war brewing, for god’s sake.
I shook my head, and looked back to the dragon family. “I’ll be back before you know…”
I looked to the sky and took off silently.
The moment my feet left the ground, I felt one of the souls in my chest vibrate. It was Faron’s.
I completely forgot about him.
‘Hey Faron, what’s up?’
Come visit my castle. There is something i need to talk to you about.
Huh, keeping secrets, are we Faron? ‘Okay, be there in two.’
-
“Here I am, what did you want to discuss?”
Faron looked at me in disbelief. “You… You look different.”
Oh right. I forgot about my draconic features.
“Well as it turns out, I might be slowly morphing into a dragon. The world is a strange place, is it not?”
Faron nodded. “That’s definitely not the strangest thing that’s happened today so far.”
Hm? “You’ve got my attention.”
Faron closed his eyes briefly, before opening them again. “Look around you. Do you notice anything different?”
I looked around the courtyard. There was a bee buzzing there, collecting honey.
It was then when I noticed it. The bee was moving in slow-motion.
No way.
“Did you finally figure out how to slow down time for other people than yourself as well?”
Faron snapped his fingers, and time returned to normal. “Well, I wouldn’t say figured out. It was more of a ‘when I woke up everything was moving super slow except my wife and I’.
Amazing. It seems both me and Faron are evolving simultaneously.
“I’ve also noticed that if I focus really hard, I can briefly stop time completely. I can only do it for about one second.”
No. Fricking. Way.
“Show me.”
“All right, jeez. Keep in mind that the time will not be stopped for anyone else than me though.”
He closed his eyes and furrowed his brow a lot.
Suddenly, he disappeared from in front of me.
“Tada!”
I turned around, and there he was.
Fucking. Awesome.
“So… How long until you combine the two? Stop time for multiple people…”
Faron smiled at the idea. “I guess only time will tell, or what?”
A thought hit me. “Faron, where are Alex and the kids?”
Faron nodded toward the castle. “They are fine! Alex is breastfeeding right now actually.”
“Oh, good. It would break my heart if anything happened to those little guys…”
Faron gave a little smile. “Me too.”
Ah, i just remembered. Adrian might have returned from his assignment. I need to return to my castle.
“Faron, it’s been a fascinating ten minutes indeed, but I need to go. Don’t be afraid to contact me if you need anything, as per usual!”
I waved goodbye, and teleported to my castle.
Sure enough, Adrian was standing there at the front door.
“Ah, Andras. I was wondering when you’d show up.”
How… How did he know I was there? His back was turned toward me.
“Uh, hey Adrian. I take it you’ve completed your assignment, then?”
He turned around and showed me his scarred face. “Yup. All warriors are now standing by for your command.”
Excellent. Simply perfect, I must say.
“You can stay here for now. A meeting must be arranged to discuss phase three.”
Adrian nodded, and entered my castle.
I teleported to the demon city.
“Oh hello Andras! I take it Adrian has returned?”
I nodded. “Yep. Do you want me to teleport you to the meeting?”
Olaf looked flattered by the offer. “Well, if it isn’t too much of a bother it would save everyone the wait.”
I nodded, and placed a hand on his shoulder, teleporting us to my castle.
-
The meeting room was once again filled with the four members and me.
“So, everyone has completed their assignments. I am proud of all of you.”
“Now we can move on to phase three. We need to… rile the hornet’s nest a little. Give god a sense that something fishy is going on.”
The four members all nodded.
“Olaf, your task is very simple. Have all the demonic leaders sign paperwork that confirm the unification of all empires into one single empire.”
Olaf looked a little shocked at the notion, but agreed nonetheless. “Sure, I’ll get right to it.”
“Adrian. Your men will now create ritual sites, where you will transform suitable candidates into Demons. We need as much firepower as we can get in our war.”
Adrian nodded. “Sure. What if they refuse…?”
“Mark them with my symbol, and kill them.”
He nodded.
“Okay, Heltana and Luca. You two will go topside and ensure the newly summoned demons remember who’s in charge. Show them a taste of real demonic power if they are uncooperative and banish the rebels.”
The two demons nodded.
“And with that, you’re all dismissed. Upon completion of your assignments, do not seek me out. Only remain at your current locations. If phase three goes as expected, God will summon me personally to his realm. I don’t need you to get dragged to the principal’s office alongside me.”
The four council members all left the room.
As the meeting room door closed, the itch to be with the Dragon family returned.
Eh, It’s not like I have anything else that needs doing today. I’ll spend some quality time with the reptiles.
-
“GOOD MORNING, ANDRAS.”
Egnis was the one to greet me upon my arrival.
“Oh right, I guess it is morning for you guys. It’s already been a full day in my world.”
Egnis snickered. “WE’RE SOUND SLEEPERS.”
“Ya don’t say? Fury managed to leave the nest completely unnoticed this morning after all.”
“NO. I GAVE HER PERMISSION.”
Oh, it appears I’ve underestimated Egnis.
“Did you notice that I arrived too, then?”
“YES.”
Ever vigilant Egnis. Must be his instincts to keep his kids safe.
“Egnis… Would it be all right if I slept here for the night? I have this… unnaturally strong urge to stay here.”
Egnis nodded. “MY HOME IS YOUR HOME. YOU LITERALLY BUILT IT, AFTER ALL.”
I smiled. “Thank you, friend.”
I sat down on the rocky floor. “So, what do you guys eat? Dragons such as yourselves must require tons of food to keep going.”
Egnis looked out of the cave, and onto the forest below. “WE MOSTLY EAT DEER WHICH I COOK WITH MY FLAME BREATH. IT IS USUALLY I WHO HUNT FOR OUR PREY, BUT RAGNAR IS ALSO FULLY CAPABLE OF PERFORMING THIS TASK. OUR SPECIES DOES NOT ABIDE TO YOUR PRIMITIVE ‘GENDER ROLES’. BOTH PARTIES CONTRIBUTE THE SAME AMOUNT OF WORK, AND LOVE TO CARE FOR OUR YOUNG.”
“As a demon, I don’t require sustenance in the form of food to continue existing, and I don’t kill for sport. I would absolutely kill if it meant saving you or anyone in your family though. You guys are… special to me. You were the first creature bond I made in this world, after all.”
Egnis looked at me with scepticism. “THAT’S NOT THE WHOLE REASON. IF IT WAS THAT SIMPLE, YOU WOULDN’T BE SITTING HERE NOW WITH ME.”
I put my chin on my hand in thought. “You’re right. Something deep within me tells me this is where I belong, and I don’t know why… I suppose it will all become clear in due time.”
I looked at the horizon. It was only the middle of the day, but I felt as if this day had gone on for ages. There are so many things going on at the moment, it’s giving my brain a half-overload.
Precisely why I seeked out this mountain in the first place.
Peace and quiet.
Egnis looked down at my figure. “YOU LOOK EXHAUSTED. IF YOU WISH, YOU CAN SLEEP NOW.”
I laid my back down on the stony floor of the cave. The rock might as well have been made of luxurious silk, and stuffed with the softest fluff on the market.
“Yes, I would like that. Goodnight then, Egnis…”
Egnis snickered a little. “SURE YOU DON’T WANT TO SLEEP WITH THE KIDS? THEY WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO KEEP YOU COMPANY.”
Heh. “Now that you put it like that… Pillow fight!”
I summoned a pillow in my hand, and sprung up from the floor before throwing it toward the nest.
The squad of hatchlings all meeped in surprise, before returning the favor.
-
After an exhausting battle, I laid sprawled out on the nest alongside the dragon kids. We were all panting for air.
“Heh… you got me…”
Ember moved up to my face, and snuggled in close.
“wecom home, ucle adras… I mees yu…”
I snickered a little, and pet Ember. “I missed you too, little man.”
The three other kids all snuggled in close to my body, and let out tiny meeps, probably greeting me.
“Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you three either, guys.”
There was one sentence I had right on the tip of my tounge. I wanted to say it with all my heart, yet something still held me back.
“I love you.”
Immediately after the words left my mouth, I regretted what I had said.
But… It was true. I did love these three, with all my heart.
I closed my eyes, and smiled.
This… This is what it must feel like to have a family.
-
It’s a good feeling.