Karasi of Pelnora

Survive (WattpadAsianFantasy Prompt)

After some time with Jarvina, she concluded that she needed help convincing me to release the stone to her. However, in desperation, she helped seal my fate.

Her weapon technicians had recently developed some new equipment for her to try out, but were unable to transport them during the Dragon Boat Festival. So, in her impatience, she decided to come to them. So, she loaded us up and we were shipped to China. When we arrived, I was kept in a cramped container, but I had grown accustomed to this and was numb to the transition.

Knowing I could do nothing, I lay there trapped and used my biggest trick to ignore reality. My eyes unfocused and I dissociated from my body. I let my imagination take over and I imagined my loved ones. My mom. My dad. My neighbors. My dragon family.

It was at that moment that the switch ignited to make a change.

As I imagined running through the fields with Luck, reality twitched. I could see him before me. But it wasn't like usual. I shook my head slightly and let reality filter into place. There, outside one of the breathing holes was Luck. Only it wasn't Luck, not really. There was a boat traveling along the water next to our cargo wagon. But it wasn't a boat. Like the creatures from the market, it was a creature stuck inside a frozen form. The non-Luck boat rowed by, with a pile of piled onto it's back. Followed by many more. My emotions raced and raced as I began to realize what this could mean. My family may have been compromised because of me. Jarvina had found them and put them here as a final breaking point.

But I couldn't let her do this. I couldn't just lay here in this box. I began to throw my weight against my container. I felt the cargo wagon shaking with the motion and began to clang my metal anti-magic cuffs against the interior.

I heard a commotion above me and suddenly the wagon rocked. My box became airborne, and I felt a welp of pain shoot through my arm as I slammed into the ground. The top was ripped from the container and light flooded my box. I rose from my container, almost tumbling from weakness. But suddenly a woman was unlocking my cuffs. She looked at me with pity as she took in the sight of me.

As the cuffs fell, I felt myself tremble as emotion tingled through me. I threw my head back and wailed in relief and anger, frightening the woman.

With the burst came an uncontrolled rush of power and my shoulder blades felt as if they were ripping apart. I doubled over in pain, but after a moment I felt a new sensation. Something new was catching my attention. I turned my head to find an enormous pair of dark wings had sprouted from my back. I cried out as my instincts took over. Flying up, I watched this new part of me ripple with flames as they beat in the air.

The chaos below me suddenly grabbed my attention and I quickly sought out my rescuer. She held up her hands as if to ward away a deranged killer.

I hoarsely whispered, "Thank you. But I must free the others."

Lowering her hands, she fished out a device from her pockets, and stepped forward. She placed a key and the device into my hands, "That key is not magic, but adapts to fit every key. That gun is loaded with curse-breakers. If you know of any other creatures who need to be freed, just point and shoot."

I thanked her and immediately turned to the water. I aimed the gun at the not-Luck boat and shot.

She looked as if thought I meant to kill one of the rowers, but her eyes widened in amazement instead. A second after the shot hit the "boat," the riders were thrown from it as it expanded, and a red dragon transformed before their eyes.

I aimed again.

"Is that the only one," the woman shouted over the chaotic crowds.

I looked at her in determination "Every single boat."

Her jaw dropped but she quickly recovered and began freeing more of the dragons.

As surprisingly good shots, we made quick work of freeing the dragons. But as the final boat transformed, anger overtook me, and I turned to a new mission.

Find Jarvina Harkof.

Lowering her gun, the woman turned to face me. She stretched out her hand, "Lucinda."

My dark, grime-covered hand clasped hers in gratitude, "Karasi."

"Well Karasi, you wouldn't happen to know where they were transporting you, do you?" she red-haired woman asked.

"No, but Harkof won't get far," I growled.

The woman's brow furrowed, "Harkof? As in Professor Jarvina Harkof?"

"That's the one."

"Then I guess we're in luck." She smiled at me. "I happen to know where the nasty devil crashes when she is here."

I returned her smile, "Well, then. Let's not be rude. Only proper that we stop in for a visit."