Changelings Book1 Dragons & Demons

Chapter 6

Jack cartwheeled into a tumble of sky and clouds, the wind robbing him of breath. Terror swept his memories clean, as the shining stack of the eyrie rose from the blanket of white below. He twisted in the gale, till his spinning ceased; the clouds far closer now. Desperation clawed at his mind as he sought to control his thoughts.

"Danu! Help me!" he cried a prayer. A feeling of peace washed over him and as he pierced the damp clouds, the words of the change returned to him.

"Dragon Fly... Dragon Eye... Dragon Be... DRAGON ME!"

Bones broke and limbs lengthened as the change overtook him. Jack screamed silently, in agony, as he determinedly clung to consciousness. His clothing split and was ripped away in tatters by the howling wind and his bag fell away above him. New muscles knitted and grew, supporting his serpentine neck and lengthening spine. He passed through the cloudbase in scant moments and was greeted by the green bowl of the valley floor, rising swiftly.

Jack's vision sharpened as the nubs on his back formed a pair of huge wings. He barely managed to snap them open, turning his fall into a swooping dive. The turbulence of his passing shook the trees as he shot across the valley at breakneck speed. Climbing into a swift right bank, he headed back towards the eyrie, momentum catapulting him through the clouds. Fear turned to rage as his human emotions were fuelled by his dragonish hormones. He inhaled deeply, loosing a shattering roar: a challenge to the golden beast high above. Jack climbed swiftly through the sky, building speed. His foe had settled on the plateau top of the eyrie and was peering over the edge into the clouds below. Folding his mighty wings across his back and extending his talons, he dropped into a hawk-like dive. The golden Dragon swung his head upwards too late, as Jack slammed into him at full speed. The pair tumbled and crashed across the rocky rooftop, tails lashing, teeth gnashing and claws raking. The golden one roared in surprised fright, desperately fighting back. The pair rolled back and forth, neither able to gain the upper hand.

Jack fought furiously but his opponent was fast and strong, and infinitely more experienced as a Dragon.

"CEASE!" a huge voice suddenly boomed. "Stop your combat, now!"

Both rolled apart, crouching low and panting heavily. The ground between them was littered with droplets of blood and several scales; predominately golden. In moments nine Dragons, of various sizes and colours, alighted around the pair.

The golden Dragon hissed and lowered his head to the dusty ground in deference as a huge, red Dragon stomped over to him, snapping his jaws loudly.

"You are too swift to fight," he chastened. "Yet again your impetuous nature has done you wrong. For the Chosen one has been wounded and his blood has been spilt on this, the most sacred of places."

"This...thing, it...he is...the Chosen one?" The golden Dragon nodded the question at Jack, who now raised himself to full height, but remained silent, ready to spring into action if he needed to.

The red Dragon nodded slowly before fixing Jack with a piercing gaze.

Jack matched the sparkling regard, his pulse quickening. A strange feeling filled him as the hypnotic stare began to make him sleepy. His breathing deepened and he struggled to keep his heavy eyelids open, unsuccessfully.

"Let slumber claim you, Chosen..." the mellow voice echoed around his foggy head, as he slowly curled into a deep sleep. A radiant aura surrounded him, as the Dragons moved into a wide circle around his prone body, snouts to the ground. An expectant hush fell on the gathering as the sun dipped behind the distant peaks of the Giant's Teeth. Then suddenly a blinding flash lit the top of the eyrie, causing several Dragons to rear in fright, before fading to reveal the naked man, still asleep. Several Dragons produced small spouts of flame, heating the air around him, warding off the chills of the night.