“What does that mean?” Kagiso whispered in disbelief. “Precisely what you expect it to, and more. However, that is something you will discover in time.” The nine-hundred-metre-tall Black Dragon replied, and the other Dragons in the dimly lit granite chamber glanced at him.

The Dragon Guard generals, admirals and interrogators stared at the purple and blue in the young Dragon before them. They blinked and a tiny crimson skinned man had taken the four hundred metre tall Black Dragon’s place. The golden sconces on the walls glittered and the blue flames flared.

The pale blue light illuminated the entire chamber, and eight titanic shadows danced on the glittery walls. They whispered incessantly to one another and a sharp pain shot into the back of Kagiso’s head. He winced, closed his eyes and heard voices in the darkness.

“He’s not ready.” One voice whispered. “He will be.” Another replied. “What if he isn’t?” a third asked. “He will be.” The second said again. “What if he succeeds?” a fourth asked. “Are you not afraid?” a fifth added, and the second voice let out a booming laugh that made Kagiso smile. “No, it makes us happy.” “No, it makes us happy.” The two said as one and a few of the Dragon Guard exchanged puzzled looks. Four Dragons smiled and laughed. They were the largest, and the most decorated of the witnesses in the granite debriefing chamber.

The flames died down and seven of the Council’s shadows retreated to a fiery torch. The last shadow extended a hand towards Kagiso’s back, and he saw visions of a beautiful garden filled with colourful fauna and flora. A clearing dominated the garden’s centre, with a towering mountain of roots at its heart.

The Black Dragon climbed the mountain and pulled himself over the edge. His naked body stood up and his tail hung over the edge of the cliff. The Black Dragon’s throat bulged, his snout grew shorter before it opened and a masked face poked out. The Black Dragon stared at the ten-kilometre-tall tree, with a galaxy resting on its canopy, in awe.

Kagiso turned and looked back at his old self. His gaze pierced his soul, and the wind blew the Astral body away like a cloud of smoke. A child giggled, and a woman laughed, before the stars in the canopy twinkled. Kagiso opened his eyes, and he was surprised to find that he was standing outside the debriefing chamber.

“I was wondering how much longer you would be. We were worried about you.” Duke rumbled sincerely and the heterochromatic Dragon Heart smiled. “Thank you, but…I am fine.” He replied with a smile and the stoic Dragon Heart frowned. “He’s delirious. I told you it would be too much for him.” Raymond said with a scowl.

“I am fine. I just…I need some time.” Kagiso rumbled happily and Duke patted him on the shoulder with a smile. “My brother…The Chosen Heir.” He rumbled proudly, and the tall Dragon Heart forced a smile onto his face. The three siblings felt a malicious presence, and they recognised the energy signature it belonged to immediately.

“Did you know?” Kenpachi asked through clenched teeth, and Kagiso stepped forward. “No. No.” he rumbled honestly, and the red-eyed Dragon Heart opened his clenched fist. Kenpachi scoffed, before he vanished and left. The three brothers sighed, when the crushing inferno that was Kenpachi’s rage was gone.

“Have you heard about what happened to his clan?” Raymond asked and the other two grit their teeth. “Aye.” Duke replied. “And in a single night, too. Was it him?” Kagiso asked, and an image of Clyde flashed before their eyes. “Who else could it be? They’re moving his egg into maximum security. The last thing we need-” an explosion interrupted Raymond, and the trio vanished. They raced through the temple passages and arrived just as two familiar energy signatures spiked.

The two bright lights shone for a fraction of a second, before the entire island trembled. A light brighter than the sun shrouded the brothers. Kagiso recognised the Council’s influence and jumped. He chuckled and scanned the sea of light quickly. The heterochromatic Dragon Heart spotted a shadowy child in the very centre of the island. The child raised a three-hundred-metre-tall egg from the ground with the wave of her hand. She giggled when a second, much larger egg raised itself.

“Such a strange occurrence. I wonder what will become of him.” The shadowy child said curiously. “Why?” Kagiso asked with a smile. “For I am fond of all that grows, and I refuse to deprive a child of their birthright. I pride myself in knowing how every seed grows and what it will grow into. These children have become oddities and I wish to know. Another oddity has already slipped through my fingers.” The child said, and Jane flashed before Kagiso’s eyes.

“And I refuse to lose another.” The Shadow of Nature declared, and an old woman’s silhouette took the child’s place. “The ones that robbed me will know my wrath! I will make their rebirths a terrible one and their broods will know the same agony! Wyverns and Drakes! Belly crawling slugs! You will be everything but true Dragons!” she roared spitefully, and the light let out a mad hum. The noise brought Kagiso down to his knees and two voices let out mad howls as the two eggs dematerialised.

The light faded as suddenly as it had engulfed the island, and the two familiar energy signatures became unrecognisable to those that knew them. The surviving Candidates burned the green and orange lights, the sounds they emitted and the stench that clung to them into their memories. Kagiso opened his eyes and stared at the sky.

“Where did they go?” Laurence asked, and Kenpachi let out a mad roar. He swung his sword, and two Dragon Guard instructors restrained the enraged Dragon Heart. They disarmed him swiftly and dragged him down to the ground with ease. “We can’t abandon him. He must be in so much pain.” Mei rumbled empathetically and Gloria sighed.

“There is nothing we can do for a rampaging Dragon. Especially one who has become an island. He must decide what to do with the freedoms and responsibilities that have been thrust upon him.” Laurence rumbled solemnly and a pair of wings flapped behind them. The six Dragon Hearts turned around.

“Well said. The Council has already made its proposal to him. Whether he accepts it is another.” A towering Dragon Heart said and her wings folded. She was a head taller than Duke and wore a smile as large as her stature. “Who are you, and what would you know of his fate?” Raymond asked shortly.

“More than you do, it seems. As for who I am, my apologies. I am Dominique of House MountainHide. And a fellow survivor of the Ascension Trials.” She rumbled, and they all felt the rage and guilt in her words. Duke eyed the tall woman and her thick bone plated power armour. A second, much louder flap flattened the foliage around the granite temples and they all looked up, when a titanic light shone above their heads. A feathery Dragon passed through the light and their robes flapped in the wind.

“Thank the Universe you are all here. It’s just one thing after the other with Her. Hurry up, your eggs are hatching.” The tired Dragon rumbled lazily and the image of tall eggs sitting on silk cushions flashed before their eyes. She circled the skies above the granite temples in the middle of a jungle. The Dragon Hearts looked up and smiled, before they heard the terrifyingly loud heartbeats.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Oh well. I wanted to meet this Chosen Heir for myself. I will settle for his visage for now. See you on the training grounds.” Domanique rumbled excitedly, before she flapped her wings and vanished. Mei stood frozen in place, and Gloria noticed the terror in her sister’s eyes.

“How? I…I can’t be ready.” The youngest of the Golden Eyed Sisters muttered and Laurence giggled. “Believe in yourself. You are a Gardenia. The Mother of All has decided that it is the time to evolve. To become whole.” He rumbled confidently and Mei nodded. Kagiso looked down and frowned, before he vanished. Raymond glanced at him and vanished shortly afterwards. The six Dragon Hearts appeared in different parts of the jungle floor around the temples. They took different routes to the centre and barely contained the excitement bubbling inside them.

*

“Off they go. When will our turn come?” The crimson skinned little girl whispered, and she watched the young Dragon Hearts enviously from the tree branch. A shadowy boy whispered something into her ear and the little girl giggled uncontrollably. “Very well, but I refuse to do your bidding. And your threats won’t sway me. Mother and Father can do what they please There. However, I rule Here and will continue to do as I please with my creations.” The little Dragon Heart said, and the Dragon King shook his head in disappointment. He raised a single index finger, and the little girl clenched her teeth.

“Fine! But they will not…cannot, replace them. They were my friends…and you sent them to their deaths.” The little girl sobbed, and tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably. The shadowy boy whispered something in ear again and the little Dragon Heart looked up. “Really? You promise? I will unleash plagues of unimaginable horrors if you are lying-”and an indiscernible sound escaped her lips when she said the boy’s name. The guttural gibberish terrified the birds in the trees, and they fled the area.

“Sorry. I love your name and they…I am sorry. Go. I will deal with His hunters.” The little girl said sincerely, and the Dragon King’s shadow disappeared. “Lady-”“-silence! I know.” The little Dragon Heart rumbled, with her hand on her attendant’s mouth. The rage and malice in her voice pierced the masked men and women in black suits. They bent their knees immediately and averted the old woman’s stern gaze. “Dr Nakamura. We thought-”“-I know what you thought. Go back and tell her that I answer to no one.” Grace rumbled threateningly. She smiled, and the masked men and women vanished.

*

Kagiso sighed and draped the robes around his shoulders. The smell of bath oils and herbs clung to his skin and wafted up his nostrils. His eyes watered and he chuckled softly. The doors to his chamber slid open with a whoosh and a hooded attendant appeared mysteriously.

“My apologies for the intrusion, but they are ready for you.” The hooded elf said softly and she bowed humbly. “Thank you. I will be there shortly.” Kagiso replied, and the attendant vanished. “Hmm. The mortals employed by the Council move through the world as we do. I suppose it would be impossible to complete their duties if they couldn’t. Was meeting the pirates a coincidence?” The Chosen Heir wondered, as he crossed the threshold and vanished.

“My father chose the harbour, and the Council decided when we would cast off. Before then, I have been the master of my fate. Am I mistaken? Where does my will begin and the Council’s end? Was I chosen at birth or did I earn my title?” Kagiso wondered, and a shadow streak by behind him. “He will be.” A voice whispered, and he spun around quickly.

*

“Ah! Finally! I would not miss the birth of another Black Dragon for anything.” Grace whispered excitedly. Kagiso scanned the well-lit stone hall, but he could not see where the voice came from. Instead, the Chosen Heir saw hundreds of Dragons standing on the balconies all around the ten-by-ten-kilometre hall. Rows of Dragon eggs rested on cushions scattered all over the sandy floor.

The Dragon Hearts entered the Hatchery Hall through the many entrances and vanished. They appeared at the edge of their respective quadrants, and their backs bulged. Large bat-like wings burst from their backs. The silky white robes fell off their bodies, and they spread their new limbs.

Mei activated her gravity field generators and her flight control systems. She exhaled slowly and ascended steadily. The Dragon Hearts rose without flapping. They increased their energy output gradually and placed their hands on the iridescent shells. The elders and the clan heads leaned forward slightly.

The Dragon Hearts passed through the shells and the eggs broke their cells down slowly. They sucked them in and spread their DNA to every cell. The Dragon Hearts blinked and found themselves swimming through the darkness. They flapped their wings and traversed the empty recesses of space. Kagiso spotted a pin sized light in the distance and he made his way towards it. The distinct glittery sparkles became clearer, along with the colossal ships orbiting them.

The Chosen Heir’s eyes bulged and his Astral bodies passed through the dimensional fields. They boarded the ships while he hurtled towards the planet beyond them. Kagiso spread his wings and pointed his feet at the ground. He slowed down rapidly and landed as gently as a feather.

The Dragon Hearts wandered the vast frozen and desert wastelands. They reached the colossal cities and reacquainted themselves with the technologies in the tall and wide buildings. They perused the albums in their planet sized mind palaces and re-established a connection to the monuments, shrines, spirits and creatures on the other side of their Astral doors.

The Dragon Hearts sat down on the seats of power, in their central nervous systems, and the eggs cracked. The cracks deepened and explosions of high-pressure steam and fire burst out of some, while titanic furry, feathery and scaly wings broke through the rest. The Dragon shells vanished and the newborn Dragons let out deafeningly loud roars. Everyone on the balconies let out sighs of relief at the safe births, before they all heard the gasps, whispers and murmurs.

“Impossible.” “What is the meaning of this?” “Look at him.” “Not just that, look at her.” “Look at them all.” “What a fine generation.” “Yes.” “Indeed.” “Most excellent.” The elders and the clan heads said to one another. “But still, what could this mean?” “Nothing good.” “Or perhaps something amazing.” “A Black Dragon.” Another chimed in, and they all stared at Kagiso. Raymond glanced at him, before he looked down at his own form. “I am…a Wyrm. Is this my punish for my failure? No, this is who I am. For better or worse. Be proud. I am better suited to aerial combat than I would like, and only a few could match my magical and physical prowess. Yes, this is who I am.” The slender, long-necked Dragon thought.

Raymond’s throat bulged and his neck grew shorter. The Dragons’ hunched backs straightened and their legs grew longer. They stood upright and their mouths opened slowly. Giant slimy faces opened their mouths and gasped for air. The elders and clan heads laughed at the sight. Attendants appeared beside the newborn Dragons and they helped them take their first steps.

“My knees-”“-I know. Stay strong. The compression pains are the worst during the first few days, but the pain will subside once you have learned how to support your organs, skeleton and joints.” The attendant advised, and she helped Kagiso out of the chamber. The newborn Dragons walked out through the many entrances to the Hatchery Hall and the Dragons applauded their resolve.

*

Kagiso tried to ignore the groans and angry grunts echoing through the passages. Every step cracked the bones in his feet and every breath bruised his lungs. He blinked, and it felt as though his eyelids were pushing his eyeballs deeper into his skull. The Chosen Heir went to bed and exhaled slowly. He increased his energy output and his Astral bodies scoured every cell.

Kagiso’s temperature skyrocketed, and he became feverish immediately. The Black Dragon panted heavily. His eyes rolled back, and he passed out. Kagiso woke up with a gasp. The cool night air soothed his itchy black scales and the deep grumble of dozens of Dragons snoring had replaced the groans.

“Are you awake?” Raymond whispered, when he detected the spike in his brother’s energy signature. “They said it would take a few days, but it seems everyone has already acclimated.” The Black Dragon replied. “So, are we beginning our training tomorrow or not?” Duke asked impatiently and the two brothers laughed at him.

“Why wait? Meet you outside, if you can stand.” Kagiso said, and Raymond smiled. His envy faded away, and a sense of peace washed over him. “Do not fret if you cannot keep up, oh Chosen One.” He joked, and a smile crept across Duke’s and Kagiso’s faces.