Running Away From One Thing, and Into Another.

Chapter 22: Visions of the Past

The third morning since the discovery of the last male dragon, I find Brean and myself walking once again in search of a dragon. However, instead of heading north to find the last remaining male dragon Marzack, we move east in search of one of the remaining female dragons by the name Rosanda. Not everything is different, though. I journey with Brean by my side just as before. We are both hungry, tired, and probably smell awful. To top it off, I have questions buzzing around all in my head.

“You awake?” I glance over at Brean staring at me with a raised eyebrow.

“Of course I am,” I roll my eyes at him, “aren't I walking?”

“Yeah, but it is possible to sleep walk.”

I huff and shake my head. Ever since he hit his head, I can promise you he is more annoying and pestering. Maybe if I hit it again, he would be less bothersome. “And what would give that idea?”

“Because you are not responding to any of my questions.” He grumbles, waving a hand in the air to emphasize his aggravation.

“What questions?” I ask dumbly, thinking back in hopes I might answer my own question before he opens his mouth. I am not a fortunate person.

“My point.” He growls. I growl back at Brean, only my response is far more threatening that his puny sound. “Ever since you met that stuck up lizard, you have acted more like him.”

“What?!” I demand and stop in my tracks so that I can glare at him. “How dare you say that! What on earth would possess you to say what you did?”

“Because it is true.” he coldly replies back. “Your temper is far more worse and you act more aggressively.”

This causes me to pause completely. This reminds me of something Marzack had said. Something I didn't know how to feel about. “Marzack warned that the more I was around dragons, the more I would act like one. When I am near humans, I act more like them.”

Brean grunts, not seeming to care. Even so, he asks a question. “What about when you are around talyarians?”

I shrug. “I found myself bolder than before and relying slightly more on instincts than a human would deem wise.”

He considers this and shrugs. He starts walking forward once more, and I easily keep up with him. I wonder how well a human could keep up with his quick, long strides. “Anyways, one thing I asked about was what were you and Marzack talking about this morning?”

“You were awake?” I asked, remembering very clearly glancing over at him to see his steady breathing.

“I wasn't at first, but then your hushed whispers didn't become so quiet.”

“Oh,” I simply respond. “I'm sorry.”

“So, what were you talking about?” He asks impatiently. “If it was worth waking me up over, then I should know about it.”

I growl warningly to him. He is right. I do act more like a dragon than I did a few days back. Ever since Marzack awoke the magic within me, it has made its presence known more openly. I am far from human now.

I can feel it; even now, deep in the corners of my mind, I feel myself changing. Not physically, more than I already have, but mentally. The magic has made itself more known to me as my journey has progressed. From the beginning, when I opened the magic cave door, to all the way where the magic is reliving itself in my dreams, or nightmares would be best. A part of me panics at the idea of loosing myself to something like dragon magic; on the other hand, the more alien side of me embraces it and is thrilled. That is what truly scares me; how I am willing to become what I would have thought years ago to be a monster.