Shadow

Chapter 4

Harlequin was starting to feel dizzy. Everything was swirling together. He knew he was close to whatever wanted him. He kept walking, step by step, hearing the crunch of every leaf and branch each crushed under his muddy boots. He was determined to help whoever needed it or find whatever needed finding.

All of sudden he was forced to stop, he trudge on but it used up all of his strength, he ended up falling onto a root of the nearest tree. Harlequin's mind was taken somewhere else, through someone else's eyes. He could see himself through those eyes as if this thing was coming to him. He couldn't hear anything. The eyes blinked and Harlequin was back in his own vision and he saw it, the shadow heading right towards him. He wanted to move, to run away, to find Wynter, anything. He couldn't move, his body felt pinned to the monstrous tree root. The shadow came closer and closer until it was eye to eye with Harlequin. It was ten times bigger than Harlequin! Maybe even a hundred times bigger than he was! He couldn't tell. He didn't know what to do or say. His mind was rambling on with questions.

"All questions will be answered in time, my dearest Harlequin." The shadow said but not through its mouth but through mind waves. Telepathically.

"How? I didn't ask, who are you? What are you?" Harlequin was desperate for answers.

"My name is Igirre. I am a dragon." Igirre was pearl white, her scales seemed to glisten every move she made. She was beautiful. Harlequin already adored her. He wanted to rub his hand on her back and feel her mountainous horns.

"Igirre, that is a unique name for such a unique creature." Harlequin felt something deep in his heart, his soul even. It felt as if this, this shadow creature what was going to fill his emptiness.

"Thank you. I am here for you. We must speak." Igirre needed to tell Harlequin everything that she has seen, her visions of war with the dark side.

"Sure. Let's talk. Wait, why me?" Harlequin just remembered Wynter experienced everything he did. He still had so many questions about this and everything happening.

"You were chosen for me. I am yours. I am your dragon. We will fight many battles and experience losses of different kinds." Igirre was a patient dragon and already trusted Harlequin with her life.

"Really? You belong to me?"

"I belong to you as much as you belong to me."

Harlequin felt a sting on his arm. It got hotter and more painful. He screamed and all the birds from the trees scattered away.

"OUCH! What is that?" Harlequin looked at his burn, but it wasn't a burn at all, it was more like a tattoo. It was a band that wrapped around his bicep. It had a pearl in the middle as if to represent Igirre. He then noticed a band seem to form on Igirre. She didn't seem affected by it. Her tattoo was also a band but had a pair of wings and sword in the middle.

"It is us being connected, soul to soul, mind to mind, eyes to eyes, body to body. We share the same strength, the same sight, the same sense of smell and hearing, we will soon be one with each other.

"Wait, what about Wynter? She experienced the same things I did." Harlequin was secretly hoping she got a beautiful dragon too.

"She has her own journey to go on, but yes she has her own dragon." Igirre thought of how ignorant some humans are and was hoping Harlequin wasn't like that.