A Dragon's Redemption [Book 2 in Rising Dragons]

Chapter I: Dream I

Age of Thirak: Newly Hatched

Age of Mark: Nine Years Old

For a time, I simply existed. I was aware that there were things outside my safe haven, but nothing made me long to leave its warm safety. However, the longer I stayed curled up tightly, the more uncomfortable I grew. I started wondering if there was something more to life. Maybe there was something worth leaving my safe haven for.

A longing grew in my mind and I found myself feeling cramped and hot within my refuge. I didn't do anything for a long time, even after that. However, I found myself growing more conscious of the outside world, I could feel strange minds around me that constantly changed. I knew that there were living things outside my asylum.

One day I noticed one mind that was like nothing I'd sensed before. It made me long to escape my asylum and enter the outside world. I tried moving slowly, but it was already so cramped. A distinct feeling of suffocation came over me. With a silent cry for help, I rammed my head against the wall surrounding me. My head connected with a hard substance and rebounded off. A feeling of pain flooded my head but, simultaneously, everything seemed clearer. I rammed my head into the wall again. This time, I pulled my head back on a tilt. Something cracked; the noise overwhelmingly loud.

I felt excitement curl and grow in my chest. I repeated my actions a few times before I heard a cracking sound from all around me. I got my legs underneath me and slammed my wings open as I leapt up. I burst out of my shell and into a bright area of light. I landed painfully on my legs, a jarring them and fell to the ground. I let out a short snarl of anger and annoyance and covered my head with my wings. The bright light was hurting my eyes and causing a painful headache. For far too long, I had been in a dim dark golden light. The bright white light that surrounded me now was far too much.

The temperature was different as well; cold rather than hot. Shivers racked my body and I shook as I curled up in a ball, my wings over my head as protection. With deep breaths and a lot of blinking, I soon adjusted to the light. Although I was still quite cold, it wasn't so bad anymore

With a small peeping noise, I gathered my legs underneath me. Using my wings as crutches on either side of me, I heaved myself to my feet. With four legs spread out to keep my balance, I lifted my head and surveyed the area around me. Nearby me were golden shell fragments – the remains of what had been a safe haven.

My head jerked up as I remembered why I had escaped. I reached out for that mind I had felt. There was something special about it. It was like I had found something that I'd been missing and never known.

The noise around me was ignored as I pushed myself to move. I tumbled and stumbled my way towards the mind. Blurs of colour and odd shapes surrounded me, noises blurred into one another. Each one was louder and harsher than the last.

I fell onto the ground once more and squeaked in annoyance, my tail lashing around me as I shoved myself into a standing position. My hind legs collapsed underneath me, and I found myself sitting and gazing up at a tall being with two legs. A human, I somehow knew. Energy abruptly rushed through my limbs, and I felt strong enough to crash through walls and defeat any enemies. My hind legs pushed me up, and I leapt upwards – higher and higher and higher!

Hands suddenly grabbed me around my middle and behind my wings. I flapped my wings in encouragement as I was pulled upwards and towards the human's face. An urge crept into my chest to bite this person's hand, I twisted and squirmed and managed to bend my neck, and settle my jaws around the hand. The hand felt oddly cold between my teeth and I waited a second before I locked my jaws.

I bit down and blood entered my mouth, metallic and warm. A cold feeling burnt my tongue and gums. With a cry, I let go of the hand just as I was dropped onto the floor. A burning feeling ran through my body and pain jolted down my wings and up my spine. My legs collapsed beneath me, I opened my mouth in a soundless scream of pain. I scrunched my eyes shut and panted.