Dracosapiens: The Birth of Half Breeds, Chapter 2 – Part 2

1

Torn between the urge to relinquish my hold on the living and the need to fight for my loved ones, my muscles hissed and recoiled, unable to continue the fight. If only there was some kind of middle ground. If the agony could just disappear and let me walk away freely, let me live and be merry with my friends. Then I wouldn’t have this suddenly inescapable yearning to die, that could only be cured at the hands of whom I cherished the most. The boy that didn’t have a clue.2

The only change in my condition came when precipitously, impossibly, Jake's smiling face began to form in my mind. I tried again, to remember what and who I was fighting for. Jake. Tyson. Kyle. Alexis. My mother. This wasn't about me at all. It was about my friends, my family, and the pain I was causing them by giving in. 3

My resolve wavered for a second. What were they expecting me to do? Challenge death only to face it again minutes later? A battle against that woman was something I really couldn't afford to lose. And how was I supposed to fight her in the first place? My powers were newer and more erratic than electricity.4

“I believe I can help you there.”5

I started. A deep, rumbling voice was echoing within the vast caverns of my mind. So that settled it. I was officially nuts. Hearing voices in one's own head was always a tell-tale sign of that. Not to mention of things to come. Loony bin anyone? 6

I couldn't believe it. Where was my control disappearing to? Had I power over nothing anymore? My life? My dreams? Or my future?7

“I apologize young one, that fault lies with me. Please try to calm yourself. You're not crazy at all.”8

Ah, I thought to myself. Another dead give away. When the voices try to convince you of your sanity.9

“I am NOT a figment of your imagination little girl!”10

Of course you are, I thought to myself. This explains everything. I'm crazy -mentally unbalanced. Either my mind has played tricks with reality, forcing me to see things that don't exist or there is something clearly wrong with my brain. Either way, everything that has happened to me no longer matters. It's naught but a fairytale. The work of fiction. That means no visions, no weather control and no bizarre looking dragon lady. She wasn't real.11

“Actually she is, or at least, she will be when the time comes.”12

“Shut-up!” I told the echo. “I'm ignoring you!” 13

The voice's tone was coloured with a slight edge of taunting. “Oh. But I thought you wanted to save your friends. Do their lives mean so little to you?”14

It was only in that brief pause when I see-sawed between ignoring him and responding, did I understand that the agonizing pain I’d felt had vanished - without a trace. 15

“Again, that would be my doing, young lady. You’re welcome to thank me once you overcome the melodrama.”16

Geez. What a jerk, I thought. I mean who does he think he is? The god damn Queen?! 17

“No,” he responded icily. “I'm the King and one of ten Gods that oversee your crumbling world. You aught to show me some respect. Not to mention keeping that sharp tongue of yours firmly in check.”18

I didn't get it. Was this guy actually yelling at me? In my own head? Now that was messed up.19

“Hmm. Yes. Well I suppose your mind was here first now wasn't it? Hey wait -guy?”20

“What about it?” I wondered. “Your voice was a little deep for me to consider it female. And you just said that you were a king.”21

Oh no, I cringed. Now I was talking back to the voices!22

“On the contrary little one, there's just you and me in here. Which technically only adds up to one other voice. No need for the plurals. Also, please don’t call me guy, that implicates that I am part of your flawed race which, to put it bluntly, is quite a hefty insult.”23

Great, I scowled darkly. I was being educated by an ethereal noise in my head. As if school wasn’t bad enough.24

The voice chuckled. “My name child is Gareth, and I am most certainly not a guy. I am the great and powerful Dragon King of Draconi, one of its last remaining descendants. I am also the current God of Air.”25

“Okay,” I thought doubtfully. “Let's pretend for arguments sake that I somehow manage to swallow that. What's a Draconi? It sounds like the short version of a plant name.”26

Gareth sighed. “It is my home...or it was anyway. A long time ago.” His voice seemed to break on the last word. Perhaps I had hit a nerve.27

“So...what happened to it? Why are you in my head instead of living on your world?” 28

It's complicated.29

“And I have a right to know,” I barked testily. “If you're going to stay in my head, I want a decent explanation. Consider it rent. So until I get proof that I'm not crazy, I'm just gonna keep on believing it!”30

The voice seemed to cluck his tongue in disapproval. “You are very controlling girl aren't you? Would you happen to be one of the alpha females of your planet?”31

I felt like rolling my eyes. 32

“Hey, there is nothing wrong with wanting a little order in my life. Particularly now of all times because in case you hadn‘t noticed, it‘s pretty messed up.”33

“Yes but you come off as rather rude. Bitter, sarcastic and dramatic - the perfect words to describe you.”34

I couldn't understand why I was letting this voice get to me, but every time he spoke I found myself getting more and more annoyed. 35

“Watch yourself pal,” I responded irritably. “I am in no mood for your psycho-analysis. There's a high chance that you're not even real. But since you’re going there, I guess I’ve got no choice but to bring my A-Game. So tell me, do you know what I think of you?”36

“No, but I’m sure you’re about to tell me.”37

“Damn straight,” I thundered. “So here goes. This is what I think of you. I think that you are a stupid little reptile that had absolutely no right to crawl into my ear uninvited and -”38

“Excuse me, but crawl? Really! Your ears are rather funny shaped and big but not even I could climb in that way. I’ve got to be at least twenty times your natural body mass!”39

“So?” I mumbled defensively.40

“So, assuming that I had by some means gotten in through your ear, which is impossible, where exactly would I be now? Are you that empty headed that you could honestly host a creature of such gargantuan size alone in your skull?”41

If I could punch this dragon, I would have. 42

“Oh I doubt it,” I threw back with a hiss. “Your ego alone must have taken up at least half your planet! No wonder you left!” 43

“Ah. You admit that I’m real then?”44

“NO!”45

“And yet, my existence ties in so conveniently with what has happened thus far. Wouldn't you agree? Ella?”46

“How do you know my name?” I demanded suspiciously.47

“I had access to all your thoughts and memories the second I fused with you. Granted, I am more skilled at hacking the chambers of thought than others, since I possess experience, but many others could do the same if they practiced.”48

“Well isn’t that just the most disturbing thing I’ve ever heard?” I snarled, hating myself for being dragged so easily into the conversation. 49

Gareth didn’t need to persuade me at all, I’d just cracked beneath the pressure and outrage his learned words were dredging up. This dragon had me practically dangling off a cliff face of confusion. I mean, who’d ever heard of a smart dragon that talked as if he were a scholar? Any time such creatures were given a voice in books, they spoke deliberately due to their unusual accents. If this really was all in my head, I had to give my imagination some serious credit.50

“Surely you must believe in my existence by now though?” he asked sharply.51

I considered that for a moment. 52

“Sort of - but it could just be part of the illusion my mind has created. There's no proof to suggest otherwise.” I smiled to myself. A worthy answer that took no side until the chase had been cut.53

Gareth sighed again, his patience wearing thin. “What will it take to convince you?”54

“Evidence!” I threw back at him. “Your story, your facts. If they make sense then maybe I'll believe them. No promises though. This day is too wild and too bonkers for me to accept it all right away.”55

“And no questions asked then? If you believe me?”56

“Oh please! I retorted sarcastically. “There's bound to be questions. Starting with the original one you ignored. Why. Are. You. In. My. Head?!”57

“For protection.”58

“Ah yes. Because that's just gone swimmingly for you hasn't it? Did you not notice all those people after our blood? Are you deaf? Blind? Stupid?”59

“Did you want me continue?”60

“Fine,” I griped. “Go ahead.”61

“Well for starters, they aren't people - the ones that are after us as you so aptly put it. They're called Magiks.”62

“Come again?” 63

“Immortal witches and wizards whose power goes well beyond that of an ordinary spell. It took all of my skills just to close the portals shut and trap them on Draconi.”64

“There's a portal?” I cringed, thinking of the possibilities.65

“Mm. Several I believe. We had to travel to your world somehow.” 66

“Oh did you now?” I thought spitefully. “You had to? So you’re saying that you had no real choice in the matter then?”67

“What are you getting upset about now?” Gareth asked in exasperation.68

“Well obviously,” I snarled, annoyed by his growing attitude, “if you didn’t create the portals in the first place then we wouldn’t be in this mess! There go, it’s your fault!”69

“My fault?” he asked, sounding insulted. “I never fabricated the portals! A dragon could never perform such a task. Portals to other worlds and dimensions are ever present, they can never be removed. Simply closed and that took quite a bit of magical energy too.” 70

“Okay,” I caved, trying to get on grip on what he was saying.71

“So...what? It's opened again?” 72

“Precisely and nothing has the strength to close it back up. The abilities I possessed at the time were only strong enough to trap them inside for seventeen years. That gave me plenty of time to gather my comrades and search for a suitable host for each. Dragons cannot survive in the human world for very long.”73

“You’re kidding me? So there are more of you inside people?”74

“Well yes. There's ten of us all up.” 75

I suddenly found it difficult to swallow. “And you can’t survive in the human world, why?”76

“Because we do not exist in your world. The fact you had written stories and made movies about us, stopped us from fading when we arrived, but we need some of our own kind on both planets to survive on yours. It’s the same principle for your own animals. Send one to our world that does not also live on Draconi and it shall die. No exceptions.”77

“Alright,” I clucked, starting to lose myself to the complexity of his explanations, “and what about the host thing you mentioned before? What‘s with that?”78

“I was one of the last dragons to infuse myself with a newborn. I had to make sure everything went according to plan.” 79

“You stole your way into my body when I was just a baby?” I shrieked, hardly daring to believe my ears. So young, so defenceless…I wouldn’t have stood a chance against him. What a little creep!80

“Well I did have your mother's permission,” he countered. “We need at least one form of parental or guardian consent to gain entry into a host.”81

“WHAT? MY MOTHER LET YOU?!” Waves of fiery heat crashed all around me, my anger swelling beyond breaking point.82

Sensing this, Gareth hurriedly tried to calm me down. “Of course she did. Your parents have been aware of our existence from the beginning. As have all the parents of our new hosts.”83

“ARGH! THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE!” 84

Gareth's words were becoming hasty. “I'm sorry, but did you never wonder what your father meant by 'unfinished business?' He's been working for us. In secret of course.”85

The anger within me diminished. I felt numb again, but this time, it had nothing to do with swaying in and out of unconsciousness. 86

“So that was why he left?” I sulked hollowly. “Did he not have the decency to tell me? To just give me a reason?” I felt a fresh wave of hurt sweep throughout my system. I'd never felt so rejected.87

“It wasn't like that young one,” Gareth muttered softly. 88

“God damn it! Would you stop calling me young one and child!” I bawled. “I am sixteen years old today and therefore too old for this crap! I can’t believe neither of you said a word to me before today! I mean what were you doing all this time exactly? Going on vacation?”89

“He was only trying to help you Ella. To make your task easier.”90

That knocked me out of my depression spiral in a flash. “Task? What task?”91

“Gathering the other nine.”92

That was it, the icing on the cake. My hatred and fury exploded like a rupturing volcano. I couldn't contain it.93

“YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME?! YOU THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE WORMED YOUR WAY INSIDE MY BODY THAT WHAT? - IT SOMEHOW BELONGS TO YOU? HOW DARE YOU! GET OUT OF HEAD! NOW!”94

“I'm afraid I can't do that,” he whispered regretfully.95

“I DON'T CARE! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOUR EXCUSES! GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT! YOU'VE RUINED EVERYTHING! I'M A FREAK!”96

No matter how hard I tried to hide it, that desperate need to break down and cry utterly consumed me. But it was impossible. I was nothing but a voice here, a monster, trapped within the shackles of my own twisting and demented mind.97

Gareth's voice was barely more than a whisper when he spoke again. “I guess that means you finally believe me, huh? I'm so sorry.”98

And for a long time, there was silence. Just me and my thoughts. Me and everything that had gone wrong today. Everything that happened since seven weeks ago. Just me...and my thoughts. Alone.99

I thought about my father and why he had left. About the future. About my twisted life in general. I wondered what it would be like, fifty years from now, sitting in a home remembering the time I had ignored the one chance of making something of myself. I thought about death. I even briefly considered what I would have to do to become that monster. Because of course, she was me. What was it Gareth had said? That she would exist when the time comes? Did that mean I was free to choose? Or had everything already been set in motion?100

After a timeless moment of pondering, I had made up my mind. “Gareth?”101

“Yes Ella?”102

“What do I have to do to save the ones I care about?”103

Gareth's voice grew stronger. “Fight young Ella. Stand tall, fight, and win.”104

I already had my answer waiting. “But I’m just a kid, I‘ve never even participated in sports. I don't know how.”105

“Ah, but you will. And I shall see your training through to the end. Fear not.”106

I had my answer ready for that, too. “How long will it take to prepare me for the worst?”107

Gareth chuckled. “In here? Hours. Maybe days. Possibly even months depending on how you go. But outside of your mind, I don't doubt that less than a minute would have passed.”108

I didn't know how to respond to that so I avoided the time difference entirely. “Can you tell me more about the Magiks then?” I asked a little sheepishly. “About why they hate dragons so much?”109

Even in his sigh, I could hear an ancient grief creeping through his voice. “Power. Isn't that what it all comes down to in the end? Should I tell you the tale of my kingdom's demise, I beg you for no interruptions.”110

“I won't say a word.”111

“Very well then. Less than a hundred years ago, my kingdom was in splendour. It glowed with perfection and beauty, more elegant and tranquil than anything else you could imagine. The plants and animals now extinct on your planet roamed free and grew glorious upon ours. Our lands were untouched and sacred, our rivers more pure than the word itself.”112

‘Everything was green. It was breathtaking. The trees, the grass, nothing ever seemed to die. Frozen in standstill; frozen in perfection. On our world, there was no such thing as war and we Gods, always pitied those lesser mortals below us. We tried our best to help them, to let them join in a world like ours. A world of peace and co-existence.”113

‘The God of Earth would grow, then the humans would chop, The God of Water would create, then the humans would pollute. We were locked in an endless cycle, never moving forward as the mortals took for granted every gift we had bestowed them. Back then, we never understood the urge to fight. That horrific yearning for power. But the Magiks did. Studying humans was always one of our past times, but a few of our warlock allies watched them so much, that they began to develop the very emotions we despised.”114

‘In Draconi, each dragon is partnered with a Magik, in both mind and spirit. If you were ever in need, the other would be right there to help in an instant. My Magik, was Adriana. Alas, the woman was a fool. Gathering a small group of followers, she lay siege to our home. Our marble palace crumbled all around us, Magiks and dragons alike screaming as they were burnt alive. The Gods did everything in their power to stop them, but Adriana had chosen her followers wisely. Their powers were stronger than ours. Wounded and in shock, my remaining comrades and I decided to part with our world. Using the last of my strength, I sealed the portal shut behind us, and then....that brings us up to date."115

“I'm afraid I don't understand. What power was it they were after? Was it just the thrill of thwarting you? - no offence.”116

"Yes and no Ella, yes and no. There is only one way to kill a dragon - to make them die of heartbreak. You see, the size of a dragon heart is about fifteen times bigger than your own, meaning that any emotions we feel, are far stronger than any of yours. Watching so many of our species die before us, tends to take a toll on our hearts. Then, as we die, our essence starts to leave the body and depart for re-incarnation. But Adriana developed a way to catch our spirit before it disintegrated. She would then join them with her powers and grow stronger and more powerful with every death."117

“Eurgh! How horrible.”118

"Yes. So that is why she continues the hunt. To find the remaining dragons - the strongest of our kind - to steal their powers and eventually rule over both worlds -yours and mine."119

“So...if you die of heartbreak....what happens to me? Do I die as well?”120

"I am positive that you won't. The only thing that will die...will be our souls."121

“What?”122

"Our spirits are now intertwined. So when mine dies...."123

“Mine does too?”124

"Yes. And when that happens, your body and mine will fuse together and then, with no emotions to control yourself, you really will become a monster. An ugly creature utterly consumed by blood lust and hatred. A killing machine."125

My voice quivered in fear. “Is there no way to change that?”126

"No. The only thing you can hope for is that Adriana doesn't try to kill me first."127

The pain behind his statement was almost palpable. I tried to distract him. “That still doesn't explain why you're in my body though. I mean, how can I possibly help you?”128

"Ah, a good question too. You see, what Adriana fails to realize is that dragons have been infusing their bodies into different creatures for centuries. And every time we pick a creature that's one rank higher up on the food chain, their powers increase exponentially."129

I didn't understand where he was going this. Maybe he needed a little push in the right direction. “So what you're saying is?”130

"A dragon and human hybrid?- Unstoppable."131

“Really?” Even to me, my voice sounded doubtful.132

"Oh yes. An entirely new breed of species...a....Dracosapien. Half human, half Draconian.”133

“I see… hey, no wait a second here!”134

“Yes?”135

“You said that there were only ten dragons left,” I accused, fighting to stay calm.136

“Yes, that’s right.”137

“No, there’s not!” I argued, stressing my point. “In my last dream I just saw another dragon, a tiny baby red one covered in scratches and cuts. Some of its scales had been ripped clean off and this was on your planet Draconi. I’m sure of it! Adriana was talking about it.”138

“What?” he demanded bluntly. “How in Galahad’s name could you dream of such a thing?”139

“I predict the future when I’m sleeping sometimes,” I mumbled shame- faced, embarrassed by the freak of nature that I was becoming. “Trust me, I know what I saw.”140

“Perhaps they found one of the females’ nests still unharmed after the war?” he wondered aloud. “It is possible I suppose. They probably kept the poor thing around jus to torture it.”141

“That’s just sick!” I snarled.142

“Indeed, and so now you understand just what kind of enemy you are up against. If you don’t kill them and kill them fast, they will execute those most precious to you one by one, just like they did to me.”143

“But…I’ve never killed a person before,” I stammered, shocked that he had even asked me for such a thing. “I don’t think I can. I mean, that’s murder. The ultimate no no of humanity!”144

“Yes but you must remember, they aren’t human so if your head isn’t in the game when the time comes, they will wipe you out, along with a good chunk of your species. I‘m assuming they‘ll use the remainder as slaves once they eventually conquer all territory.”145

“So basically what you’re trying to tell me here is no pressure?” I moaned, imagining the worst possible scenario for the Earth.146

Gareth chuckled dryly. “Yes, no pressure at all.”147