The Little Dragon

4

Waking from a deep sleep is one thing. Waking after having the most intense sex session of your life as well as your body changing into a dragon and back again while asleep, is comething completely different. My limbs are heavy like lead that has been beaten into the ground repeatedly with a mallet.

The tree roots are over my head, and it takes me a long time to process what that means. I try to sit up, and have to rip them off from over my head. But, I'm not in the spirit realm any longer. There is no forest around me that has sunlight that glitters or leaves that glow. It is a dark, moonlit forest with ordinary insect sounds and a solid view of a mountain range on my right, and a town atop a hill in the distance before me.

When I stand and turn I can see smaller mountains that border the forest, and between them Naithars ash field of a kingdom.

My head snaps to the right as I hear heavy armoured footsteps and complaining in a language I don't speak. I don't know what species Naithar's thralls are, but they are not human. They are something dark and angry, and reek of piss and shit.

Try to quickly move away from them, and break into a run the moment I know my legs still work. Not well though, is the answer I get, and I stumble audibly.

They can hear me, I know it. They head for me, and inevitably catch my smell. I do not stop. I leap over streams, and dive through underbrush. I hear their war horn go off and adrenaline shoots through me and I run faster.

The town disappears and the light changes to a blue. I stop and turn, Naithar is there and grips me by the collar of my shirt. "Hatchling." He frowns at me. "You are a confusing man."

I shove his hand off me. "No, I have independent thought. The fuck do you want."

"My crystal, the entire reason I expanded my empire, is no longer loyal to me. Nor you." He grips my face and tilts it. "That crystal keeps me sane. You have not seen me without my mind, but you will if you do not give it back."

I shove him back this time, not just his hand. "I didn't take it!"

"I'm not saying you did." He turns and gestures behind him, to where the glow of the crystal tower can be seen between the trees. "I'm saying it likes someone else more than it does me. Who?" he glares at me. "Who did you bring with you?"

"Will you hurt them?" it is half threat, and half question.

He laughs. "Come on, you've been on this plain for a few days, they cannot be that important to you." He tilts his head. "You came to my tower with a soldier. An elf. I will kill them all Aethras. I will irradicate them."

"Why don't you kill yourself?" I shrug. "Seems a lot easier."

"He is a mortal!" he moves forward so his nose is almost touching mine. "I do not know who I will be if he does not die. One mortal, you stupid fucking starling."

I am both ready for a fight and a hard fucking. "Whatever."

He growls. "You aren't the only other god in this realm. You're being selfish. This is your fault."

"I'll resolve it." I put my hand on his waist.

He growls differently. "So will I." He shoves me against the tree and grips my neck.

I laugh at him. "You're much more predictable."

"Have you decided yet?" Naithar leans against the wall.

I point a metal training sword at him. "What ever do you mean?" I twist, and hurl the sword at the wall. The point of it cracks the stone wall as the sword shatters and sprays the room with shards.