Darkness began to thin out, I noticed we were in a more open part of this cave. Ahead we saw flickering lights. Torches lined this hallway like path, we walked more and came to another very open area, this area had some wooden posts and a giant hole in the middle with a few lanterns that were dangling from the ceiling. We stepped up to a wooden platform, and there were stairs leading all the way down around the giant hole.
"I guess we go down." Jungkook smirked at me as he wriggled his eyebrows and spoke. I rolled my eyes but giggled at his slightly childish innuendo. We made our way down the staircase before us, Jungkook was steady and careful, making sure the stairs were not going to break away. They looked old and they shook when we stepped down with each step.
It took us a little while to reach the bottom, more torches hung on each side of an archway. We stepped forward toward the opening to continue when a voice came from behind us.
"I was wondering when we'd see the Kulaas and Jul here. She said you'd come." The voice was deep, rough. We turned to see a tall well built man standing behind us with his arms folded over his chest. He was dressed in a dark cloth tunic and pants, he has a sword at his side and deep gray eyes.
"Oora told you we were coming?" Jungkook asked. The man scoffed and walked passed us.
"Not her little Jul." He said with his rough voice as he walked by. He walked into the next section, a long corridor it seemed. "This way Kulaas." He instructed us to follow. Jungkook let me ahead of him, he kept an eye on me as I followed the man who didn't even bother giving us his name. The corridor was narrow, but fairly tall. Torches aligned the walls and led us into a much wider open area of this cave, far below where we were before.
This new area was not only well lit by lanterns hanging on rope that was strung up, but there were torches in tall metal holders that helped light the area. Tents were set up all over the place, there were people everywhere walking around. Some talking in groups, some sharpening weapons and making baskets and other items as we walked through.
There was hut on the other side of this large area, the door to the hut opened up as we got closer. An older woman in a long green moss-like gown that draped on the cave floor.
"Ah, Kulaas and Jul." She said as she bowed slightly. She looked between us with a smile and held her hand out to me. "Come, come Kulaas. We see you now. See all of you now." She said. I was very confused by her words, that was until we entered the hut.
Inside there were six other older people kneeling on hand crafted cushions that were placed in a circle.
"Jul, Stand over here. Kulaas. Undress and stand in the center." The older woman ordered.
"I'm sorry what?" Jungkook asked as though he hadn't heard what she said. He looked in disbelief.
"No worried Jul. Stand." She led him to a chair just outside of the circle along the far right side of the hut.
"You want me to undress? Completely?" I asked, not sure what the hell kind of demand this was. Apparently my expression gave away the sudden overwhelming awkwardness and discomfort because this random older woman came back to me and placed her hands on my shoulders.
"You can call me Nia. I am the seer, we are not here to cause you discomfort Kulaas. I just need to see what I see more clearly. For that I need you to lose your clothing and stand in the center of this circle. I promise no harm, you're one of us." She said in a soothingly calm voice. I nodded and looked to Jungkook. He sighed but nodded as he sat down in the seat Nia had shown him.
I undressed, with some help from Nia. I noticed no one around the circle was looking at me and I was thankful for that. I still felt odd... not even ten minutes of meeting these people and here I was getting naked and standing in some circle that could be summoning the devil for all I know.
"This isn't... satanic is it?" I couldn't fight the urge to ask. Nia looked at me with confusion.
"What is?" She asked back. I shook my head.
"Never mind, I'm just... feeling weird." I replied.
"Ah yes yes, transformations do that. You feel not you, hear voices, all the confusion." She muttered off but I caught most of it.
"What?" I asked her.
"Stand in the center, arms at your side." She replied, not exactly embellishing on her own words. I walked into the center once I was removed of all my clothes. I kept my hands by my side and stood facing Jungkook, my eyes locking on his. He licked his lips and I noticed his eyes roaming my body for a few moments before he cleared his throat and shifted in his seat again.
The sound of drums started, and that's when I noticed the two people on either side of the room. I tried to stand still as the people around the circle started chanting. Nia entered the circle with a bowl, whatever was in the bowl she was stirring with her fingers. As she got close to me she pulled her hand from the bowl and drew some design on my stomach, followed by a few things on my arms and legs. Eventually she turned me around and drew more things on my back. To say I was confused was an understatement.
She set the bowl down rubbed the deep reddish brown whatever it was along my cheeks. She then held my forehead to hers and started to chant something in a language I wasn't sure was even a language.
I stood there for a while with my head pressed to hers, my eyes opened and looking down at the floor. I felt a pain in my head every now and then but I ignored it. Eventually she gasped and pulled back from me. She knelt down on the floor and bowed at me, I noticed the others were doing the same.
When Nia lifted herself from her bow she smiled at me and then looked to the others in the room.
"She is." Was all she said for several moments before I felt something carefully draped over my shoulders. "Dress Kulaas. We'll leave you and Jul for a bit. Dress and come out." She said as she motioned for the younger women who walked up beside her to hand me my clothing that she was holding. I took my clothes back and watched silently as each person exited the hut, they all were talking in the strange language that Oora and her people had been speaking in. I couldn't understand anything they were saying and it just added to the confusion.
"I have.. no idea what just happened." I said as everyone left, Jungkook remained in the chair, he was leaning forward, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched me get dressed.
"It was weird, that's for sure. Didn't like all those people seeing you like that." He replied in a pout. I tried not to laugh.
"No one thought that was anything but... whatever exactly that was." I replied back.
"I know, it's just I prefer to be the only one to see you without your clothes on. For their sake I hope they don't try that again." He said in a rougher tone than usual.
"I'd be mortified to do that again I think." I replied. Once I got my gown over my head I looked up to see Jungkook's face inches from mine.
"You don't know how badly my Dragon wanted to rip them apart my little butterfly." He spoke through gritted teeth. I swallowed and blinked, trying to shake the combination of nervousness and arousal off. His lips pressed to mine and he led me to the door. "Let's go before they come in wanting to do more weird stuff." He smirked as he opened the door and motioned for me to go ahead of him.
I stepped out to see Nia, the older woman standing there waiting for me.
"Good, you're ready. Come Kulaas." She said as she held her hand out. I took it and followed her along. "I know that was abrupt and fast but I had to be sure it was really you. I hope you don't feel too exposed." She commented. I shook my head.
"N-no.. It was strange but I'm okay." I replied. She chuckled a bit as we walked.
"Good that you're okay Kulaas. Oora said you'd come, and I saw it. It's what I do as the seer. I get visions. My kind have been called many things.. but we like seer." She smiled.
"Are you the Oracle?" I asked.
"Oh no no, she's believed to be dead by now Kulaas. I am just a seer, she was more. More precise, she is the keeper of prophecies. I only see what the Dragon Gods think I need to see and when I need to see those things." She explained. I nodded, understanding what she meant somewhat.
"So what was the point of before?" I asked her, still curious about the need for me to be undressed in front of random strangers.
"That was for me. My visions. I knew it was you but to be sure you needed to bare yourself to me so I could see into you. If you were whole I would be able to see it and know the truth of you, if you were not whole... well then I'd have gutted you right then and there." She said in a serious tone. I got chills down my back for a moment.
"What do you mean?" I asked cautiously.
"You're Kulaas. Only our Kulaas is the chosen one, one of the seven. She will save our people and provide a future for us. Without her... we're gone, nothing. We will be nothing, not even the wind will carry our name on it. I had to be sure you were her." She said as she stopped walking. I turned more to face her better.
"So I am the true mate? Why have I not transformed? Why have I-"
"What are you saying Kulaas?" She asked, stopping me from my ramblings. "Of course you're whole. You are a Dragon, a full Dragon. You have not released your dragon yet?" She asked curiously, she didn't seem worried at all and a part of me started to feel like a moron for doubting so much.
"No..." I replied. Nia laughed and nodded.
"Kulaas was worried. Yes, you are fine Kulaas. There's no need to fret. Come come, if you have not shown your other self you must do so. Come come." She took my hand and pulled me along with her. Jungkook followed behind us. We entered another long corridor and came out to another wide open area. The only difference in this area was a tube in the center.
"This, we go up here." She said as she continued to pull me along. We stepped into the tube structure, there was a metal lift inside. Once Jungkook and myself were on the lift she pulled a level on the side and the floor started to rise with us on it. I held onto Jungkook and a thin rail that wrapped around the lift. Jungkook didn't seem worried but I was inwardly freaking out. The horrible screeching sounds it made only made me fear for my life more. Jungkook seemed to find it amusing but he gently rubbed his thumb along my hand as he held it in his.
Once the contraption stopped my heart felt like it dropped into my stomach. We stepped off the lift to be greeted by the night. I hadn't looked up but there on top of the mountain we were apparently under it was nothing but an ocean trees bellow us and the night sky above us twinkled with stars. I smiled up as I looked at all the stars, it was a beautiful sight. I looked back around where we were and we walked along with Nia till we came to a wider area away from the lift.
"This place is beautiful." Jungkook said as he looked around.
"Of course you like it Jul. It's you. Earth Dragons use to venture here, there was a temple here that once belonged to the Dragon God Ri-Gol. It was a place Earth Dragons gathered to, they celebrated and your father came here and held the annual harvest feast. You came here once but you were but a newborn dragonling, I doubt you remember." Nia replied. Jungkook looked around with bright widened eyes.
"The war cleared it out?" He asked. Nia looked down solemnly and nodded. "Those bastards will pay... and we'll fix this place up again. I promise." He said as he looked at her. She looked up and smiled at him.
"You are much like your father." She replied with a slight bow. Nia turned to look at me. "Come." She took my hand as Jungkook released my hand from his. I followed her to the open area and she made me stop, holding me by my shoulders. "Because of what you are Kulaas, you need to be the one to let your dragon out. She won't fight you because you were born from Dragon. She is more respectful, I have seen her. Now you have to let us all see her." She said.
"How... how do I do that exactly?" I asked, trying to keep focus and not seem like I was incompetent.
"Close your eyes, clear your mind and she will come to you in here." Nia pressed her index finger to my forehead. "Talk to her, and give her permission to be free." She added.
"That's all?" I asked to make sure. I didn't want to miss a step and screw up.
"That is all Kulaas. No worries okay? You'll be fine. Now, let her free." She added as she stepped back and stood next to Jungkook.
"You've got this, it's time fly my little butterfly." He said with a smile on his handsome face. I smiled back and nodded. For some reason him having faith in me made me feel better. I felt like maybe I could do this.
I closed my eyes and tried to clear my mind. It took me a few moments but soon there was nothing but an empty space, and I stood there in a green gown. Before me I noticed as set of eyes staring at me. No body, it was too dark to see. The eyes were a beautiful deep emerald color.
At last...
The voice was mine but not. It was more gravely, more of a texture to it than mine.
"I'm here to tell you that you can come out." I said to her. She laughed.
Haha, no hello for me? No introduction for us?
"I'm sorry, did you want one? Hello, my name is Emerald." I said to her.
Your name is not Emerald, it's Vi-Krin.. you lost your name yes? I found it. Locked away but I won't tell . I am nameless, for I am you. Emerald is a nice name.
"Oh." I had no idea what she meant, did she know my name from when I was born? She got part of it right but I changed my name when I joined Lee's club. "It's nice to meet you. I admit I was worried you didn't exist." I admitted to her.
I know, I spoke only a few times but your head was too filled with so many things. You worry a lot, head is always going. It's okay though, it keeps me busy too.
"I'm sorry. Um.. well do you want to come out?" I asked, figuring it would be rude to try and push her to reveal herself.
I am ready to fly, I just wanted to meet you formally first. Shall we go then?
"Of course. You're the one in control for this part." I said and she laughed a bit. I felt something, warm and comforting surround me. I didn't want to open my eyes yet. I felt myself fall onto what seemed like a bed of soft feathers. I felt the wind, I felt the sounds of the night, I felt the ground leave me and I was floating.
When I opened my eyes I was staring at the stars. They seemed so much closer now, that's when I caught a glimpse of the ground way below me. It was exciting thrilling.
Wow...
Beautiful isn't it?
This is unreal...
It's completely real. Here, let's have a look around but we'll be careful.
I felt myself move with the wind, through the air that surrounded me. I felt amazing, I felt free.
•○•○•○•○•○•○•○•○•○•○
(Jungkook's POV)
She looked amazing... so beautiful. She glowed a shimmery green and took off into the sky, the glow like clouds just poofed away from her revealing her Dragon form. She was a shimmery light green with silver flecks along her underside. Her legs and arms had golden designs on them and faded to silver. Her wings were green and they sparkled even in the moonlight. She was taking my breath away again.
"She has a future that will make or break us. I hope you know that." Nia spoke to me, I looked away from my beautiful butterfly for a moment and nodded to her.
"We've heard it. We don't know what it means exactly but I know my brothers and I will do all we can to make sure they're safe. To make sure they do what they must do." I said to hopefully reassure her.
"You're going to be a greater King, you and your brothers. Because the Goddesses have blessed you with them, these Dragons that hold our future. I know you'll keep her safe, Jul. You have done okay so far." She said as I stared back up at my wife, my little butterfly. She was soaring through the air, enjoying herself. It brought a bright smile to my face, I started to chuckle as I watched her spin and move quickly up then back down a bit before spinning again.
She's ours... we will give our lives for her if we must
Agreed.