Rebirth

Chapter 24: The Tri-Dragon Council

I set out the next morning. At first, everyone was in protest of me going, fearing for me should I be attacked. I told them about the dream, trying to make them understand that the appearance of the dragons was connected somehow. I had the feeling it was, and my mind was dead set on it. I will admit, I did also want to meet a dragon when I was younger, and this could be my inner kid doing something stupid to get his wish.

Cynthia and Zhaniah glanced at each other. They didn't like the idea of me leaving so soon after the start of the games, but they also didn't need a full fledge mage until the last day, and I was the team's best bet in that department. Beowulf still opposed, but once he saw how determined I was to go through with it, he turned away and accepted my choice. G was the only one actually trying to get me to go. Probably thought it'd increase his chances with the girls if there was one less male around them. I think he felt he was in a constant competition with me or something.

The team could go through the remaining few days of trials without me. Magic wasn't a massive importance right now, but I still felt bad I didn't get to cheer them on. I knew they'd fight their hardest with whatever Richard made them go through, I just hoped none of it involved a bikini battle. Not that I'm totally opposed, I just would want to be there to see that specifically.

The forest was littered with small deer and rabbits. In the air, fireflies glowed brightly, following me as I walked. I had a good idea of where to go, thanks to my nose. I could smell the scent of burning ash, which was extremely strong coming from a creature as massive as a dragon. The further I walked, the further I noticed I was getting away from the city. It would take a few hours to walk back, if I'm alive that is.

I stopped for a moment, sitting to drink from my canteen. Wiping the water from my lips, I rose again, looking at the animals gathered around me and smiled. Cute bunch. They accompanied me as I began walking, but soon branched off once they arrived where they needed to. Finally, I noticed the scent grow immensely stronger by sunset. I approached a cave, looking up at gaping hole. It was fresh, judging by the formation. With a gulp, I stepped inside, and descended into the darkness.

Further and further I walked, noting how it began to slant downward the deeper it went, until I came to a cavern. Inside, my eyes adjusted, and when I switched to search for a magic signal, I was encased in a massive light. Flames reached out around the light, and shadows took a shape next to it. "Well, look at what we have here boys." I heard a massive voice speak. Opening my eyes, I watched the black scaled nose, frozen in place. I turned to run, but large teeth gripped my shirt, and tossed me into the center of the cavern. I landed on my feet, sliding and hitting my back against the white dragon, who looked down at me. I jumped back, noting the red dragon to my side, and the black dragon closing in on me. I was surrounded, and there was no escaping this one.

"This human is brave," The white one said.

"I say we eat him," The black one commented, and I shivered in my skin.

"He came to us for a reason. He's a brave one, we can admit. Let's hear him out." The red one said, lowering his head near me. "Tell me, ye' human. What brings you before the Triple Dragon Council?"

At the end of his question, I spoke up. "Triple.. Dragon Council?"

"Aye." He said, raising his head. I turned between the three, dumbfounded at what to do. I tried to form words multiple times, but nothing came out.

"Lost ye' voice? I understand. It's shocking to see three dragons in one spot. Take your time." The red one said. The black one groaned, "You're too soft, Porrelth. He's a mere human, why talk to a creature lower than us?"

"Garuga, he is a lost creature, guided by his curiosity and a sense of adventure. I'm sure you've sensed what he's capable of, search deep inside him. Syrreth would agree with me." The red dragon said. The white dragon, Syrreth, shook his head. "He is a harmless creature to us. He came with no foul intent, and has none, even now."

"I think ye' both forget who I am. I can sense the evil in someone's heart, and this boy has tons of it." I spoke up then, "Hey! I take offense to that!" The three looked at me, but I kept speaking. "There's not one trace of evil anywhere in my heart! I've done nothing but help others!"

"Sit quiet, Justin. This doesn't require your input." Garuga said.

"Maybe not, but it-" I paused, eyes wide. "How do you know my name?"

"We came searching for ye'." Porrelth said, lowering his head. "When ye' spoke, we knew it was ye', after all, no one would stand up to the dragon of darkness in argument." I stood there, confused, looking at the three. "I don't.. How..."

"Ye' hit thou' head when ye' fell? Don't ye' remember what happened a few months ago? We heard ye' would be here at these 'trials' and wished to come see," Syrreth said.

I blinked at the three, confused beyond thought possible. "Wait, you mean.. I.. I belong to all of you?"

"So ye' doesn't remember.." Garuga commented, lowering his head. "I see. Not much we could do then."

"Wait, wait, wait. I'm a dragon?!" The three erupted into laughter at my words. I felt my cheeks flush in embarrassment and looked down. "No, thou' are not a dragon. It seems we must tell ye' of whom ye' are." The dragons took a deep breath, and blew at me. Light, Shadow, and Flames swirled around me, mixing in a twister, filled with images of me and them.

"Long ago," Garuga started, "We ruled over the land. Not with an iron fist, but a gentle hand. The humans worshiped us as their gods, and often prayed to us for protection against incoming threats or wars. We had no qualms about doing this, yet at the same time, we were tired of it. We were tired of having to protect ye' humans. Thou' kind became too reliant on the Triple Dragons, to the point thou' couldn't do much for thyself."

The flames licked at me, and Porrelth spoke next, "We wished to raise a being who could do such things. Someone to pass on the torch of the dragons, and their role as protectors. That's when we found thy, Justin. Ye' were only a newborn, maybe slightly older, when thy was found. We noticed ye' was different from the other humans, and felt we could entrust you with all that we know. We discovered later, however, what it was about ye' that made ye' so different."

The flames backed away, and the warm light touched my face, shining brightly. "Ye' is not human." Syrreth said. "Thou' is, how should we say, a creature, fallen from the heavens. In human terms, ye' is a 'Fallen Angel.'" I opened my mouth to speak, but Syrreth held up a palm to stop me. "It sounds like folly, but that is the truth. Upon hearing this, we believed we could entrust thy with our wisdom and power, and have gifted ye' with portions of our power."

I looked at my hands, "So.. My magic is.."

"The power of a Fallen Angel, yet it has been applied with Dragon Magic attributes."

I watched my palms, a massive grin growing on my face. "THAT'S SO COOL!!" They laughed, smiling with me. I looked at them. "So that's why I'm so farfetched in strength."

"With ye' permission, we wish to continue thy lessons."

"So soon? Su-" I stopped, looking down. "We don't have time... I'll only be here for four more days.. And the last day, I need to go back and fight in the trials."

"There is nothing the Triple Dragon magic cannot do." Porrelth said as the twister died away. "We placed a spell on this cave. Time flows differently in here. Out there, ye' has only been in here a couple of nanoseconds." I was surprised they understood that unit of time, but then again, these were mythical creatures capable of destroying an entire continent, so I wasn't complaining.

"... So when do we start?" I asked tossing my bag aside.

"Remove those clothes, and we may begin." I hesitated, but sighed and stripped bare. "This feels so strange..."

"You've become a dragon in one aspect," Garuga laughed. I had a good idea of what he was talking about, but I pushed it from my mind. "First lesson!" I heard Syrreth yell, and the Triple Dragons converged on me, and before I fully realized it, the training had begun.