Younger sun

On that day

Akane grabbed Zeno's hand as she and him skipper along. They had just left a little village and was heading east. He said he wanted to see the ocean and the gods were telling him to go.

"Zeno, when are we going to get to the ocean?"

"You'll smell it before you see it," Zeno said

"What do you mean?"

"The ocean has salt in it. So it smells salty," Zeno said.

Akane thought got for a minute, "I've never sniffed salt before."

Zeno laughed, "Not many people sniff salt."

Akane furrowed her eye brows, "Then how do you know how it smells?"

"You'll know it just smells different."

Akane nodded. She paid close attention to the smell, sniffing deeply every few minutes. Zeno chuckled, "You're going to pass out if you keep that up. We aren't near it yet. It won't be for a few weeks okay?"

They had been walking for a long time. Ever since Zeno had told her they were leaving the village. The people had gotten mean and demanded things from her brother because he could hear the gods' voices. She skipped along playing with a little ball they had picked up a few days back.

She looked back at Zeno, "What kinds of things do the gods say?"

Zeno looked surprised at this question, "Different stuff. Sometimes a warning other times they bicker. Right now I hear the name Hiryuu a lot."

Akane tilted her head, "I hear a shop keeper say something about a man named Hiryuu. He said that he was crazy spouting that he was a god who took human form."

Zeno stopped abruptly, listening very closely.

A wind ran across the path they were walking, knocking Akane and Zeno to the ground. Akane rolled several meters and hurt her arm.

"Ow!"

Zeno jerked up to look at her, then above her. His eyes got wide and he stood up, "Ouryuu."

She turned to see a huge yellow dragon standing behind her. She froze, terrified of the being in front of her.

The dragon spoke, "I am Ouryuu. One of the five dragons who rule the heavens. I have came to ask a favor of you, human."

Zeno bowed to the creature, "How could I possibly help a god?"

"My brother, Hiryuu, has foolishly decided to join you humans in your form, but they have betrayed him and are planning to kill him. We, his brothers, have decided to choose four dragon warriors to fight and protect him in our stead. He won't let us protect him. To do this you must drink the blood of the dragon gods, I will bestow you a unbreakable body."

The beast nodded and produced a golden cup. Ouryuu slashed his arm and blood flowed from the wound to the cup and offered it to the boy.

"I am neither a heroic figure nor a veteran, I cannot become something like a warrior, but even if it's someone like me, this world, everyone, if I can make it just a little bit happier... Then, that dragon blood give it to me." 
He took the cup and drank. Zeno dropped to the ground and wailed in pain. Akane bolted up and ran to her brother.

Ouryuu's voice rang everywhere, "Warriors of the four dragons! From now on you are our other halves! With Hiryuu as your master, protect, cherish, and never betray him for as long as you live."

Ouryuu disappeared. Akane watched as her brother changed. Light brown hair turning sin kissed blonde. Teeth sharpening in to fangs. The most alarming change was his skin. It turned into scales hardening he looked scary. Then it changed back into his old pink self.

Zeno was breathing hard, "Akane, I think our beach vacation is going to have to wait. I have to help his Hiryuu, but first we are going have to find you a place to stay."