Reincarnated as an Orphaned Dragon!

Chapter 10 - "Resolve"

The first two that were talking were tasked with leaving for help, while Aya casted <Holy Barrier>.

I'm still annoyed when I hear her using 'holy' in spell names.
There literally shouldn't be anything different from just <Barrier>, maybe there are attributes or something I don't know about?

I wasn't sure why she put it up so early, but apparently it must not be using much Mana when it's just idling.
Maybe she is like Ria but for recovery and protection magic.

Near the end of the day, the beast finally showed itself.

Instead of leaving upon discovering the new barrier, it gets enraged and starts trying to tear it down.
And it's succeeding.

Eventually, Aya can't keep it up and the barrier has to let the beast through.

Despite being a dragon, I felt fear, as it was something I never experienced before until this moment.
What a pathetic dragon I am...

The weapons of the brave, albeit foolish fighters did nothing against the glowing aura of the beast.

As I watched, all I could do was think in shock.
I'd indeed rushed into a collapsing mine to save people before, but, that was completely different than right now.
I had complete confidence in magic, and I was too naive to really comprehend the true danger until later.
But I'd still do that again if I had the choice.

The only things I could think about were the same worries on repeat.
'Can I win? What if I lose? Will the villagers hate me if they figure out what I am?'

The bear shifted its attention to me for some reason, either for being the biggest threat or appearing the most nutritious.
I had to do something now.

Despite my best attempts to attack, it just brushes it off like nothing.
Even though my magic should be stronger, the covering of glowing energy still blocked everything.

It was already getting close by the time the thought of a penetrating spell crossed my mind.
My instincts tell me I'm in danger as it tries to start an attack, but a wall of flames envelops it.

"Stay away from Lava!"

Ria heard everything that was happening and used most of her magic just to get here, leaving nothing left to be used for a strong fire attack like she usually does.

It definitely got the bears attention, and angered it too.

I tried to use piercing attacks but it's defense was generating too fast to do damage.
All of my spells were on average stronger than normal humans, but it's not enough, if only I could make an attack like Ria has with fire spells.

It gets closer and closer to Ria.

'What am I doing? I need to have confidence in my strength. I can't let that thing hurt my sister!'  I panic, trying to clear doubts that won't disappear.
'But what can I do if I can't even harm it? Should I run? No, no! Is there any point in living if she dies?'

With no time left, my last idea was to leave human form to be able to fight that thing at its own size.
I didn't even have time to run away and come back to hide the change.

The bear was surprised and thrashing when a small dragon appeared behind it out of nowhere and grabbed its head and body.

I use my claws to hold its neck still.
"Take this! <Plasma Breath>!"

I was cutting through its barrier like a blowtorch as it struggled and roared angrily.
Eventually I got through and it finally went limp after there was a hole burnt through its neck.

As I dropped it, I soon realized what I forgot when I chose to do this...

"It's a dragon!" The villagers scream.
Some of them were even pointing weapons at me.
I guess standing like this did make me look much bigger than normal.

The worst was that the children I'd lived with for a year were now hiding from me like a monster.
Didn't feel great even when it was technically true.

"Get back, girl!" One scolded Ria.

"No! It's Lava!" Ria defends and tries to hug me without caring about their advice.

They don't seem to want to accept it at all.

"There's no reason for you youngsters to worry so. Lava was always a dragon." Gramps explains.

They stop pointing swords at me long enough to go back to my human form.
Thanks to Ria and Gramps, this is going much better than I thought it would.

"We're sorry, Great Dragon!" Some of them panic at once.

"Please don't treat me different, I'm still the same as I always was." I ask.

I was thankful they took it better than I expected.
Returning to a normal relationship was going to be difficult, and I'm not sure I can ever have a good relationship with the other kids ever again.

Even in my human disguise they just want to hide now.