Dragon Blood (Completed)

The Bluescale Dragons

Maze stepped forward and started the ritual with a prayer to the Seven Gods of Fire. She then covered Paige with ceremonial dragon skins imbued with magical herbs and runes, then placed an identical skin over Dean.

Maze transformed into her dragon form and blew fire on the skins. They lit with a blinding flame, which soon engulfed the whole altar. It burned so hot, Zane could feel the heat where he stood several yards away. He'd seen this ritual performed several times on his younger siblings, cousins, and other prominent members of his kingdom, so he knew what to expect. The dragon would rise several feet in the air while the skins burned away, changing the mortal flesh to dragon hide. When the process was complete, the transformation would be achieved and a new dragon would be born. It was a beautiful process, which always left him with a sense of wonder and love for the Gods.

Zane felt a familiar swelling in his chest as he watched the Bluescales rise off the stone altar. He was watching history and knew he would one day tell his children about this day. The day the saviors of the realm were turned into dragons. How often did someone know when an event happened, that it would be truly historical? That what was happening would have lasting and profound effects on their entire race? He knew he needed to pay attention to every detail to remember everything that happened this night.

So he was paying close attention when something seemed to go horribly wrong.

Horrific screams that could only be Paige emanated from the glowing blaze, then the skins started to shift as she violently writhed in pain under them.

He shifted uneasily in line, and his father turned, giving him a warning look. Zane forced himself to stay still. It wasn't right, but he didn't know how to fix it. He just wanted her agonizing screams to stop.

Dean completed his transformation first, landing with a light thud on the ground. Unfazed, he whipped around to look up at his sister as she continued to scream in the ball of fire. Dean let out a fierce roar for such a small dragon. Zane could see all the anxiety in the way Dean's tail beat against the ground. If Zane wasn't so distracted by Paige's predicament, he would have appreciated what a fine young dragon Dean was, with his shimmering blue scales and dark blue belly. The fragile, leathery membrane that made up his wings had a glossy shine to them. Dean's guard stepped forward to restrain him, but he broke free and ran to Zane, who reached out with his paw to pull the young dragon to him.

As Paige's screams seemed to reach a crescendo, there was a defining blast from behind. The guards reacted quickly, converging on the ritual area, surrounding both the royals and the altar. Others took to the night sky to investigate.

Then came the unmistakable shrieks of battle. Zane looked up to see that from over the ocean, large forces of Balaan's dragons were coming in for an attack. Rage consumed him as his mind roared in protest. Balaan would not have these Bluescales! He'd already been anxious to move to escape the sound of Paige's screams, so when he saw the incoming force, he reacted without thinking, joining the dragons in route to defend the ritual. He shoved Dean over to his father, then used his powerful hind legs to jump off the ground to give him enough room to spread his wings.

Balaan's dragons flew in a tight formation, making it easy for Zane to slice through their wings, incapacitating them as he shot over the group at speeds too fast for them to register. His sharp claw sliced into the thin membrane of their wings from bone to end, making it impossible for them to maintain flight. On his first pass, he was able take out six dragons while they were still over the water, and he watched with satisfaction as they fell, crippled, into the ocean.

He flew up high above the attacking force and spotted one that looked like she was in charge. She shrieked out interval calls, and small detachments started breaking away from the main group.