Sera
I felt weightless, my body floating in nothingness. When I stirred and opened my eyes, I took in my surroundings to find myself surrounded in darkness.
What happened?
Where am I?
"Hello?" I called out, disappointed to hear no response.
My mind was a hazy mess. I couldn't recall what happened to me or how I ended up here. The last thing I could remember was the morning of my birthday. There was an event taking place, but I couldn't recall what it was. I felt drained. My body was floating in midair, but it also felt as if there was something heavy pressing against my chest.
Sleep. Maybe if I closed my eyes and drift back to sleep, I'd wake up somewhere else. I didn't give myself any time to think it over before my vision blurred and my eyes slowly drifted shut.
When I awoke again, it was to the sound of dripping water. A steady drip, drip, drip, drip ringing in my ears. My eyes opened up to the sight of a darkened sky. No stars, no clouds, no moon. Just an empty midnight blue sky. I was on my back, on a flat surface, with my arms stretched out. The sound of water continuing behind me. Mustering up the energy. I pushed myself up to a sitting position.
Where was I? I looked around, noticing I was in an empty grassy field in the middle of nowhere. No sign of any trees or wildlife for miles. A cool, gentle breeze ran along my heated skin. I turned around, noticing a body of water mere inches from where I was laying. At least I knew where the dripping was coming from.
But I still didn't know where I was, or how I ended up here.
A shadow flitted across the water, startling me with wide eyes. I wanted to move back, but something was compelling me to move closer. An invisible threat that was wrapped around my heart and pulling me forward. All I could do was comply. On my hands and knees, I moved closer to the water, leaning forward to stare into my reflection.
At least, that was what I was expecting to see.
Rather than seeing my face and magenta hair, a ferocious, onyx-colored dragon with amethyst eyes stared back at me. I gasped, reaching up to touch my face, only for the dragon to mimic my movements. Even when I turned my head from left to right, so did the mighty beast. It was acting as if the dragon was me.
Little by little, memories of all the recent events returned to me. Dragon shifters being held captive, my mother drugging me, the dragon crowning ceremony, Dragon's Peak. Yes, I remembered all of it.
"Andriel?" I called out, but still no answer. "Virgil? Anyone?"
Nothing but the air of silence.
I stood up, getting ready to walk anywhere, hoping to find out where I'd woken up to, when I heard the faintest sound of a growl. I turned around, noticing the body of water was now gone. In its place was the dragon I'd seen in my reflection. I was lying on the ground with glowing violet chains wrapped around its colossal form and sank deep into the ground.
"By the gods," I breathed in horror and rushed to its aid.
"Are you all right?" I asked the beast when I was close enough to rest my hands on its pointed snout.
The dragon's eyes were hooded with exhaustion; its entire body held down by the chains imbued with magic. Seeing it in this predicament struck a pain in my heart. The need to help it, to set it free, was unwavering. When the dragon whimpered, I ran my hand up and down its scaled snout to relax it.
"It's going to be okay," I whispered. "I'll get you free somehow, I promise."
I walked around the gargantuan beast, inspecting the chains that kept it firmly on the ground. Ten chains total. All enchanted. My magic was still weak, but it was hard to detect what kind of enchantment was used to form these bindings, which meant it finding a counter spell would be unlikely.
Maybe I could try to burn it off.
My violet flames were still new to me. I didn't know where the power came from, or what all it could burn. It was the only thing in my arsenal I could think of using. I just had to hope that I wouldn't harm the dragon further in my attempt to set her free. With no other choice in mind, I took a deep breath before gripping one chain with both hands. I closed my eyes, mentally searching for that orb of fire buried in the deep recesses of my core. When I found it, I coaxed it to the surface, running it through my arms and expelled it from my hands. Soon, they were engulfed in violet embers.
Hoping the flames would be hot enough to burn through whatever material and magic the chains were made of, I pulled on the restraints as hard as I could. The dragon's head turned slightly in my direction, watching me warily as I struggled to undo the shackles binding it.
"Hold on, I'll save you," I said through gritted teeth, then held my breath as I pulled harder. I was feeling it give way a little, which filled me with hope. I willed more of my flames to surface as I pulled, my muscles bulging with the added force. Digging the heels of my feet into the ground to give me extra leverage, I pulled with all my might and willing the chains to snap.
Just as I was ready to give up hope, I flailed back right as the chain snapped apart and vanished into specs of light. I collapsed onto my back, gasping for breath, relieved to have accomplished removing one of the pesky restraints. It meant it wasn't impossible, but it wouldn't be easy. I pulled myself up halfway, leaning against my elbows as I stared into the glowing eyes of the dragon. I felt a strange kinship to it; almost as if I knew who it was.
An old friend lost with time but reminded me it was still here for me. It reminded me of the dragon I used to dream about. Beautiful, majestic, larger than life. It was what inspired my love for the mighty creatures. The dragon watched me with a knowing glint.
It couldn't be... could it?
"A-Are you...?" I whispered.
"?" A faint echo in the wind called out my name. ", wake up. phina!"
––––––––
––––––––
I gasped a lungful of air as my eyes shot open, my body rushing up to a sitting position. I felt hands and recognized the wood smoke and pine scent—Andriel was here.
"Princess, it's us." Andriel's low rasp finally clicked into my brain.
I shook the haze out of my head and looked clearer at the faces of those who surrounded me. Among them, I spotted Virgil and Andriel, both men seeming to be okay and unharmed. They were safe. I was safe. Repeating those words in my head, I allowed myself to visibly relax.
Andriel sighed in relief. "Thank the gods you're okay. You were unconscious for hours."
I was unconscious? Did that mean everything with the dragon was but a dream? But it felt so real.
"Princess." Virgil dropped to his knees beside me and took my hand in between his. Relief washing over his handsome features. "Are you doing okay? How are you feeling?"
"W-What happened?" I asked in a hoarse voice, my throat feeling dry.
As if sensing my discomfort, Andriel held a wooden bowl filled with ice-cold water in front of me. "Here, my darling. Drink up."
I did as he said, letting him tilt the bowl to my lips while I took a couple of sips. When I had my fill, Andriel pulled the bowl back and set it on the nightstand beside me.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
I was about to tell him I was fine, but gave myself a moment to truly process how I was feeling. I frowned when I noticed a heaviness along my back, followed by a sharp discomfort on my forehead.
"Strange. Sore," I admitted. "What happened?"
"What was the last thing you remember?" Virgil asked me.
"Um, we escaped the Zeffari Kingdom," I started, then paused as I recalled leaving behind Vivienne. She was likely dead by now, and the thought of it had my eyes burning with tears filling my vision. Vivienne sacrificed herself to ensure we would escape. She put me and my life before hers, and now she was gone. I sent a quick prayer to the gods, wishing her soul a safe passage to the afterlife. Hopefully, in another lifetime, we would see each other again.
"We arrived at your home, yes?" I asked, turning to face Andriel.
He nodded. "Yes, we're home. We're in Dragon's Peak, and we're safe."
Thank the gods for that. At least we succeeded in our mission, but now Virgil and I would have to figure out what to do now.
"What else do you remember?" Virgil asked.
My mind was drawing a blank. There were bits and pieces scattered in my mind's eye, with no way of piecing them together. I recalled landing on an open platform and meeting the other shifters. They mentioned something about me, but I couldn't recall what. I remembered being in a lot of pain, and —
My eyes widened as I looked directly at the hand that Virgil was holding. It no longer looked like my hand. My fingers turned pitch-black, with long talons jutting out of them. Along my wrist and up my arm, my skin felt dry and tough. I reached for it with my free hand, noticing the similar changes in it too, and felt along the texture. They were scaly, like a reptile.
Or a dragon, I concluded.
"What?" I whispered, taking the water bowl from the nightstand, and looked at my reflection in the water. It was still my face, but now a pair of thick horns protruded from my temples, stretching up then curved back. I opened my mouth, noticing that my teeth had also undergone a transformation. They were sharp points, like the tips of an arrow. I gaped at this mutated version of my mouth, my body shuttering with confusion and fear.
With my face pale, I let out an ear-shattering scream. The bowl fell from my hands, spilling the water all over me before falling to the floor with a thud. Virgil and Andriel rushed to my aid, shushing me and trying to calm me down, but their words weren't coming through. I was turning into some kind of monster. Was this the curse? Was this what was to become of me now that I was no longer taking my medicine? My whole body shivered as if I fell into a pit of ice. The tears rained down my face as I buried my face into my hands. What was I to do now? How could I face anyone in this state?
"My darling, can you hear me?" Andriel's voice rang in my head. "Princess, please listen to me. It's okay. You're going to be fine."
Words wouldn't fall from my lips, so I sent a mental message instead. "What's happening to me?"
"The doctor will be in shortly to explain everything. I promise you that everything's going to be fine."
"From the sounds of it, am I correct to assume that our princess has awakened?" asked a woman's voice right as someone entered the cave we were in.
"She is, and she's distraught," Andriel replied out loud.
Footsteps grew louder the closer our newest visitor came. "Princess? Princess, my name is Freya. I'm the head doctor of the Dragon's Peak Den. Can you please look up at me?"
I didn't want to, not with how horrendous my face looked, but I swallowed my discomfort and did what was asked of me. I was greeted with the sight of a beautiful woman with pale, flawless skin and eyes that looked to have been made of molten gold. Her fiery red hair had streaks of orange, gold, and pink, and was bright enough to glow in the dimly lit cave.
She was a dragon shifter. I knew that without being told, or without the need to guess. While it stood to reason that every living being here were shifters, I concluded what she was by feeling. I felt it within her, a steady rhythmic flow of flames and magic dancing in the center of her core. This was a new ability I now possessed, much like the violet flames I could now summon. It wasn't a druid enchantment; it was something else.
The woman beamed at me as soon as I lifted my head to meet her eyes. "Good, now how are you feeling?"
"How am I feeling?" My voice raised in volumes as I gestured at my monstrous appearance. "I'm fucking mutating into some kind of horned freak. I'm scared and traumatized. That's how I'm feeling right now!"
I knew she had nothing to do with my transformation, not to my knowledge, anyhow. Therefore, she didn't deserve my ire, but I was in hysterics. Everything that happened within the last two weeks was swarming back to me, along with my sudden new look. It was too much to bear. Still, a part of me was worried that I offended the woman, but she seemed unphased by my outburst.
She regarded me with a sympathetic smile, her hand resting on my sheet-covered thigh as if offering me her comfort. "I know this may be a lot to take in, but I need to know if you're still feeling weak or in pain."
I gave myself a moment to assess my body before answering. Despite looking like a humanoid dragon, I felt fine. No sharp shooting pain in my stomach, no signs of fatigue. Quite the opposite, actually. I felt stronger, more than I'd felt in my entire life. I told the lady as such, wondering if she knew what the cause of it was.
Freya seemed puzzled as she stepped closer, examining the current condition of my body. With her hands inspecting me, I also learned why my back felt heavy. It was because there were a pair of wings that were now attached to me, currently folded up and leaning back against the wall. When she ran her fingers along the ridge of my wings, they twitched with a tickling sensation that crawled down my spine.
At least I wouldn't have to fly on Andriel's back if I could learn how to use them first.
Freya continued checking me over, instructing me to turn my head this way and that, having me move my arms, legs, fingers, and toes. Nothing ached, thankfully. My legs and feet were in the same condition as my arms and hands, and I resisted the urge to cry again. I never considered myself vain before now, but I felt my reaction was well deserved, given the circumstances.
Once her examination was done, Freya let out a breath. "Okay, so you seem to be healthy and in good shape. That said, I know this change in your appearance is frightening."
"What caused it?" I asked before swallowing a lump of fear lodged in my throat. "My mother told me I was cursed when I was born. Could this be the cause of it?"
"You're not cursed," Andriel spoke up.
Freya pointed to my mate. "Andriel's correct. There's no curse that could cause this transformation, but this is a unique occurrence."
"Then, what is it? What's happening to me?" I asked, feeling more confused than ever before.
Andriel and Virgil looked to one another, the air around them shifting into discomfort.
Freya cleared her throat. "Well, Princess, there's no easy way to say this, but you're not a druid. At least not fully."
I reeled back in shock. "What?"
"It's true," Andriel said. "You're a hybrid, Princess."
My whole body stilled like a statue, the word hybrid kept repeating in my head, but it didn't coincide with what I knew. Like that was a new thing for me. Everything I knew about myself and dragons until this point were fabrications told to me by my mother, so why not the revelation that I was a hybrid.
"A hybrid," I whispered, then looked up at Freya. "But what does that mean? I mean, I know what it means, but w-what—"
"You're a dragon shifter, ," Virgil revealed. "Half druid, half dragon shifter."
Virgil's words sent my heart plummeting down to the pit of my stomach. A dragon shifter. I was a dragon. But how? It didn't make any sense to me. How was it possible for me to be half dragon shifter? My mother was a druid, but what of my father? Did that mean he was a dragon shifter, too? Suddenly, some of what Vivienne revealed to me was making sense. She must've known I was a hybrid. But why did she never tell me? More questions began piling on, causing my head to spin.
I let my head drop and rest on my hands, as if fearing it would fall off my neck. "None of this is making any sense."
"Perhaps I could shed some light on the secrets of your birth," Lord Igneel spoke up.
I looked up right as Freya, Andriel, and even Virgil dropped to one knee and bowed their heads. The dragon lord entered through the mouth of the cave, hand on a large wood-carved scepter in hand, and an air of authority radiating off him. The scepter was beautifully detailed with ridges spiraling up to meet the head of a dragon with violet crystals for eyes, and wings extended outward. I also felt the urge to bow my head and did so. I was in his home, freaking out about all I was learning, but still wanted to respect him. Then I realized.
"Lord Igneel, does this mean you know of my father? He was a dragon shifter, right?" I asked, sounding hopeful.
Despite my newfound bloodline, I'd been dying to know anything about my father. It was something I'd been dreaming of since I was a little girl, desperate to know what he was like, if he loved me, and what took him from me. If he was truly a dragon shifter, then Lord Igneel had to have known him, right? I waited with bated breath for what Lord Igneel would tell me.
He chuckled softly, his eyes flooding with emotions as he looked me up and down. "Yes. I do, and he is."
My hope grew further. "Then, who was he?"
Lord Igneel stepped closer, then reached out and took my clawed hand in his. The warmth of his tough flowed through me as he gripped me tighter, not to the point of hurting me, but almost as if he was afraid of letting me go. My pulse quickened as I waited for his answer. Nothing could've prepared me for when he finally spoke.
Lord Igneel cleared his throat before lifting my hand up and placing a soft kiss on my knuckles. "I'm your father, princess."