Lucid

Act 4

Her scream made Xyler wince and as he opened his eyes, he was in the middle of the road outside his home. Her scream faded away into multiple quieter screams from the families hurrying towards the police station that was, fortunately, around the block. He had his knapsack in his hand. Families passed him, some slowing down to help the elderly or tend to their children. What was happening? Why had he returned to his dream during an evacuation? And how had he moved to the road? Xyler realised he was simply being neurotic and chose to follow the crowd of citizens. Once running, the dream returned.

"A friend," the princess continued.

"Would this friend be a peasant?" the question mark figure asked in a disgusted tone.

"Why, yes. Is there a problem, my duke?" Xyler didn't like this guy because he exuded venality, so he chose to remove him from the dream. Along with his full stop associate. He was sure the princess wouldn't mind. Xyler swiftly caught the two glasses of wine as the punctuation pair disappeared from the hallway. He offered one to the princess.

"Here you go my lady" he said. Real smooth. The princess giggled as she took it and clinked it against Xyler's glass. They both drank it at the same time. His spot of wine had a strong aftertaste to it... because the duke had poisoned it with a transmutation potion meant for the princess. Xyler felt the effects already. His eyes turned beady, his mouth elongated, his ears grew bigger, his skin turned into scales, wings ripped out from his back and a spiky tail grew from his tail bone. He coughed and fire came out of his mouth. He was a dragon!

The princess had stepped back and now looked up at Xyler in horror. That was when Xyler woke up again.