The Unlikely Hero

Chapter 17. Oh Look, I'm a Dragon

The burning magma seemed to be staring right back at me as I watched it swirl from afar. I was standing on a high cliff on one of the mountain tops. The journey here wasn't an easy one, but I suppose I made it somehow. Only to jump down like a suicidal maniac. I frowned slightly as I surveyed the mountains and cliffs beneath me. Soran was not lying about those flying serpents. I could see their nests from here, as well as the winged creatures themselves. They were circling around the cliffs, letting out screeching shrieks from time to time.

I suppose I'm not very welcome here, huh. Still, this needed to be done. Perhaps. Maybe. Possibly.

Did I really have to do this?.. I mean... really really?

I let out a sigh and glanced at the vial I was holding in my hand. At least it could look a bit tastier. The brown color with swirling pieces of something I didn't even want to know about wasn't very welcoming. And all I had to do was gulp this down in one shot and then jump towards the abyss of burning lava! It just couldn't be easier!

Should I just run away?.. I could, after all. It's not like there's a sword pointed at my throat. And yet, something was telling me that this was it. This was the time to make the choice. THE choice. Furthermore, it's not like being a dragon is all that bad, is it?.. I'll be a huge pretty dragon and I'll have lots of scales! I can always pick my scales and sell them on the market... Oooohhhh. Here's an idea.

I grinned as I already started planning my future business deals and calculating my profits. I could finally buy my own house! Oh goody! And a horse, too! Oh, wait, wait. I'll be a dragon, so I guess I won't really need a horse any more. But I could still buy it, just for fun. Just cause I can, you know.

And then, I forced myself to come down to earth. First things first. I needed to drink the potion.

"I sure hope this works," I said as I gripped the vial with my fingers and took out its cork. A mixed smell of rotten eggs and vomit reached my nose and I frowned in disgust. "Ewww, it stinks!"

For a moment, I stared at the vial with a deep frown on my face and then sighed, "I must be out of my mind to be doing this."

And then, I shut my eyes close, pinched my nose as not to breathe in any of the disgusting concoction and gulped the liquid down in one shot. One huge gulp. I will not begin to describe its taste, but trust me when I say that if I had known of it beforehand I would have seriously reconsidered the drinking part. Yet, it was too late now and as the last drop travelled down my throat I let go of my nose and took a large breath of air.

"Daaamn," I whimpered as I sputtered and brushed my tongue with my fingers fervently. "Oh, Gods of Amyron, what was in that drink?! Eww, ewww, ewwwww!"

I frowned and ran my tongue over my teeth in an attempt to get rid of the bitter after-taste, yet, it persisted. For once, I was glad I listened to Soran and skipped breakfast for I could already feel the remains of whatever was in my stomach rise up my throat. I could taste bile in my mouth and I gagged slightly, feeling sick. Something was burning inside me and I felt my head sway. The view in front of me blurred and my body got heavy as lead. I took a few steps forwards disoriented and realized I had just stepped off the cliff...

The next moment I was falling but it wasn't like a normal fall. Everything seemed to be in slow motion. I could see the dark wall of the cliff pass by my eyes inch by inch as if I wasn't even falling, but rather hovering in the air heading slightly downwards. My body temperature shot up once again and I felt every cell of it burn and scorch as if I was set aflame. Weirdly enough, it did not hurt. I felt no pain at all. The heat seemed to enwrap me from inside out, but it caused me no harm.

No, quite in the contrary, it felt soothing and warm. It felt good. My body felt light once again as the heaviness disappeared somewhere. I was floating in the air, feeling as light weighted as a feather. In that single moment, I felt so free and so relaxed. My eyes trailed down to look at myself and I saw that my body was glowing in a bright silver light. It was almost as if I couldn't even feel it at all. There was just my own consciousness, my spirit, my soul.