Dragon Seekers

Chapter 32

Jamie snapped his head up as he heard that voice. Abruptly, the surroundings around had changed. He was no longer surrounded by the darkness. The people that were cruel to him were gone too. The lightning that was crashing above him had been replaced by a clear, bright blue sky and the sun. He wasn't in his room either. He was on a sandy beach, in the shade of a large tree. The beach stretched far before curving around the island that he seemed to be on. The island had a large tropical forest were the calls of birds and other animals echoed from. The water was clear and transited to turquoise and then to a sapphire blue. Small waves gently crashed onto the golden sand.

Confused, Jamie uncurled completely as he looked around. He blinked a little bit as he stepped out of the shade. He didn't understand. How did he get here? Where was he?

"Jamie?"

Jamie looked around again as he heard that. He knew that voice. It wasn't frail or quiet like it used to be, but he knew who it was. That's when he spotted a woman by the sea. She was wearing a beautiful white dress and was barefoot. Her skin was pale, with no marks or bruises blemishing it. She had her long black hair down, the silver streaks in it was glistening in the sunlight. Her blue eyes were brightly looking at Jamie with a smile on her face.

"Mum?" Jamie asked, still uncertain about what was going on.

"Of course, it's me. Who else could it be?" Jasmine smiled, approaching Jamie as he kept glancing around. She gave him a warm hug, just like how she used to. It felt nice. Jasmine pulled away, looking concerned. "What do you have there?"

Jamie looked down. He was still holding his egg. It remained arm in his hold, reminding him neat it was unharmed. Jamie looked up at Jasmine, a little confused. She should know what a dragon egg was. Maybe she spent too long on Earth and forgot about it all.

"It's my dragon egg, Mum. I know everything. Dad, what happened to him, and you being a Dragon Seeker," Jamie said, keeping the egg loser to him. Jasmine looked like she realises that it was useless to hide anything from him. "Why didn't you tell me anything? I-"

"Don't worry about that. You're home now," Jasmine smiled, effectively making Jamie silent. She seemed like she didn't care about what Jamie was saying.

"Home?" Jamie echoed.

"Yes. This island," Jasmine smiled, taking one of Jamie's hands. He couldn't bring himself to resist. In all honesty, seeing Jasmine was a welcoming sight. However, there was this unnerving feeling as he was walked along the sand by Jasmine. "This is what you've always wanted. An island all of her own. We don't have to worry about anything or anyone anymore." Now that Jamie thought about it, she was right. His was his island. The same one that he'd retreat to whenever Carl was bearing him, right down to the last detail. The island that he always wanted.

"But how-" Jamie started to ask.

"That doesn't matter. What matters is that we're here. We're finally free," Jasmine smiled, gesturing to the island. This is what Jamie always wanted, but the island that he dreamed up was just that, a dream.

"But what about the Dragon Seekers? Your home, your real home? Everything you and Dad worked so hard to protect?" Jamie asked, tugging out of Jasmine's grip. He recalled how passionate she seemed in her portrait when she was a Dragon Seeker. He couldn't believe that she would just give it all up like this. "How can you be like this and not care? You can't just give up after all you've done."

"I told you Jamie, it doesn't matter anymore. I left all of that behind me. To protect you from all the pain that I suffered through," Jasmine said, gently stroking Jamie's face. Even her touch felt comforting. "We're both safe now. We don't have to suffer anymore."

Jamie became more relaxed as he heard the calming waves and took in the fresh, salty air. This is what he always wanted. An island where he and Jasmine could live. Just them and nobody else. No one to hurt them, no one to make them feel trapped. No such thing as alcohol or abuse on the island. Just a mother and son living their best lives. That was all that Jamie ever wanted.

"Forget everything you've learned now," Jasmine smiled. As Jamie has his eyes closed, he felt her reaching towards the dragon egg that he held close. "You don't belong in that world anyway."

She had a point. He had spent his whole life on Earth. He never knew anything about real magic and dragons until mere days ago. He was too brand new to all of this. He had barely had enough time to adjust to everything.

"You're right," Jamie muttered, sensing Jasmine's hands creeping closer to his egg. This island, this new life away from Carl and anything that was painful for them was good. Perfect even. Except there was only one thing. "Except this isn't real!"

Something in the air changed. There was a strong wind blowing around Jamie. It pushed "Jasmine" back, catapulting her high in the air. The sky turned dark as the wind continued to blow. It swept away the sand, the ocean, the forest, the entire island. "Jasmine" stood up, revealing to be the intruder instead. They growled at Jamie, charging right at him. Jamie hugged the egg tight as a last attempt to protect it. That was when a bright light erupted from the egg and Jamie. It pushed the intruder back again. And it banished the darkness in the bedroom entirely.