“I think so,” she murmured. “But I also don't know what it is I'm supposed to be facing here.”
“You said you had a dream about this place?” he asked as he gently led her deeper into the park by the arm.
She nodded. “Not this one specifically, or maybe it was, I won't know until we get deeper in. The dream was vague on the exact location, so we'll see if there are any landmarks that stand out.”
“What happened in your dream?” He paused. “If it's too personal, I won't ask again.”
“I walked through the park, led by roses. In it was a man. I've seen the man before, waiting for me in the park. Maybe it's stupid of me to pursue, but I was told once that when you dream about something more than once, that means it's important. When you dream about something three times, that makes it a prediction.”
“Have you dreamt about it three times?” he asked.
Mikko shook her head. “No, but it has been twice.” She sighed. “And this is a place I need to face. It has a lot of family history in it. I think it'll… help. With coping I mean.”
“I'm not sure I understand.”
“There's a lot about my family that I've only heard through stories. For so much of my life I've been disconnected from my blood relatives. There have been as many secrets as there have been difficult truths that I've been forced to swallow. Being in a place that's a part of my history might help me absorb everything so much more. Besides, I feel as though this place might hold a key to whatever destiny I have.”
“Destiny, I see.” He didn't know what she thought about destiny, but if she believed in it, then he wouldn't rain on her parade.
They walked through the park, quietly from that point on. The two arrived at a bench under a large tree. Mikko sat down and ran her fingers over a small plaque that had been placed on its back. “For Orion” it read. Tears filled her eyes, but she smiled all the same. What a confusing reaction. Ichi would never be able to understand women fully.
She touched the plaque for a moment longer. “My great-grandfather,” she whispered. “This must be for him. I had heard the story before, about his death, and how my other grandfather was involved. From the few family gatherings I remember from my youth, I noticed there was always a tension between Grandpa Matthias and Grandpa Darien.” She laughed. “I asked my mother about it and she explained how Matthias had done a very bad thing once. It wasn't until after she died that I was told what that bad thing was.”
Ichi nodded, wanting to be encouraging to her. “Sounds complicated.”
“My family is and always will be complicated. I think that's part of being a dragon in general,” she said. “My two grandfathers hated each other. We didn't have a lot of large family gatherings because of it. Still, when they had to be together, they tolerated one another. I remember seeing them talking while smiling. Matthias died when I was about eight, so my memories of him are limited. They're enough for me to remember how much I loved him. We spent a lot of time at his house when I was little. I think that hurt my other grandfather. For some reason there was a lot of animosity between him and my parents.”
For a moment, he processed her words, chewing on his lower lip as he did so. “Do you think it's important to know why? I mean, in the grand scheme of things, is that information necessary? Because that could be a really nasty can of worms to open to discover the truth.”
Mikko laughed. “I've wondered the same thing, but I'm also starting to put a few pieces together. If I tell you something, will you promise not to laugh at me or think I'm crazy?”
“Promise,” he said. Are you going to tell me you feel a connection between us two? Because I would never think that crazy in the slightest. Okay, maybe I would think it a little bit weird, but isn't that what love is supposed to be? Completely illogical? Dad always told me love made him do the most stupid things ever, but they were also the most rewarding.
She took in a couple of deep breaths and then exhaled through her nose. “My family seems to believe that I am the Great Dragon.”
“Wh-what?” Ichi was at a complete loss for words. That was nowhere near his expectations of what he thought she would tell him. “Don't laugh at me, but what exactly is the Great Dragon?”
“The Holy Book speaks of the Great Dragon as the savior of the world,” she whispered. Her gaze went down to her hands as she picked at her nail polish. “For whatever reason, my family seems to think that I am such an important religious figure. As I look back on all of my memories and the relationships I had with different members of my family, I wonder if that was a big part of the drama.”
Ichi frowned. “I suppose it's a possibility. Religion can make people weird, I've noticed. In Aero, I've seen people give away entire crops of food as a sacrifice to a dragon because they think it'll give them immeasurable favor with God. I've seen parents abandon their children for similar reasons. Sometimes people get ideas in their head and go off the deep end.”
“I've seen weird things done for religious reasons too,” she mumbled. “But I think they might be on to something.”
“You believe them? That you're the Great Dragon?”
She nodded and glanced at him. “If you laugh at me, I promise I will punch you in the nose.”
“I'm not even smiling,” he said and circled his face with an index finger. His gaze met hers, and he couldn't help but crack a small smile at the sight of her. “Okay, so a tiny smile, but not because of what you're telling me.”
“So why the grin?” She raised an eyebrow.
“Let's stay focused,” he said quickly, his face sobering. “I'll be honest and say I don't know much about the Great Dragon. My parents never got into that aspect of the Holy Book with me. I've heard the term, I've heard a few stories, but the finer details I'm not connected with. My mother said that everything that's happened in her lifetime, however, has been foretold in a prophecy inside of that book, and she believes in it strongly. There are prophecies about the Great Dragon. If you think it might be true, then perhaps you should look at them and see if you match up to what the book says?”
A smile played on Mikko's lips. He wondered briefly what it would be like to kiss her. “You believe me?” she asked.
He sighed. “You're a female dragon. That fact alone already makes you special. You said you were born from two dragons? I'm sure that means something too. I've never heard of a pure dragon before. What little I know of the Great War was that it was caused because of the Great Dragon. The fighting started because everyone had some idea of what the prophecy was all about, and no one could agree on it.”
She frowned. “I'd been told that once upon a time. One of my cousins was talking to me about it, and my uncle Tyson walked in and ended the lesson rather abruptly.”
“Strange.”
“Agreed.”
Ichi grabbed her hand. “I think you need to look at the prophecy with your own eyes and decide what it means. And to look inside of your heart.”
“My heart says it's true,” she whispered. “But it's confusing.”
“Because you're letting everyone else confuse you. Your family seems to have their own ideas on what you should and shouldn't be doing with your life. No offense to them, but that's all I hear you talk about. How they fought over you, how there were problems because of past arguments over things that seem to be tied to you. Maybe you need a break from them,” he suggested.
Mikko didn't say anything for a while. In truth it was probably only a few seconds of silence, but it felt like an awful lot longer to him. He tried to keep his patience and focus on the warm sunshine falling on his face through the trees or listening to the bird song. He even tried to identify what types of birds were in the park and if they were the same species as in Aero. However, his mind kept wandering back to her and what she could possibly be thinking.
She glanced between him and her hands several times. “I think you're right. I can feel inside of me that I'm supposed to be going somewhere far away. There's something I need to fi
nd, no, someone. Part of my dream is there is a man…” He noticed her skin flush and his heart sank.
“You think he's who you need to find?” he asked, not wanting to hear the answer he already knew she would give.
Mikko nodded ever so slightly. “He's handsome, but something feels wrong about him too. Maybe I'm supposed to save him. I'm not sure. What I do know is I think I'm going to suffocate if I keep staying here.”
“So leave,” he said, a bit more shortly than he probably should have.
“I can't just leave them without saying a word.”
“Leave a note?”
She laughed. “You don't know my family.”
“No, I don't, but from what I gather, they're not going to let you just go and do as you wish. Your grandmother almost didn't let me leave, and she barely knows me. Has she always been so controlling?”
“I don't know, to be honest. Usually, I don't spend quite this much time with her. From what I remember, and what I've heard, is she's always been opinionated and when she sets her mind on something, she makes sure it happens.” Mikko shrugged before resting her chin in one of her hands. “Do you think I could just go?”
Ichi nudged her in the side gently. “Why not? You're an adult. Pack a bag and take off. I know you're more than capable of doing things for yourself.”
“I'll do it!” She lifted her head. “I'll pack, I'll twirl in a circle, pick a random direction, and—”
“And?” he asked. Mikko's gaze glossed over, her jaw dropped, and her lips began to tremble. He tilted her face so that she was looking at him instead of off into space directly in front of her. “Mikko, what's wrong?”
Her entire body began to shiver and she clung to his shirt as she buried her face into his chest once again. “I think I just saw the ghost of my grandfather.”
Maybe she's finally cracked from all of the pressure and drama. He stroked her hair gently. “What is he doing?”
“Waving.”
“Then you should wave back.”
“Seriously?” She gasped.
Ichi nodded. “Perhaps if you indulge him, he'll go away.”
She raised one of her hands and gave a quick wave.
“Gone?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she whispered. “I wonder why I keep dreaming about this place. Is it to see the ghosts of the past?”
“To inspire you to break free and figure out the truth,” he said. “To heal.”
She looked up at him, giving his hand a squeeze. “Will I ever see you again?”
“I'll find a way to visit,” he mumbled.
“Can I get a hold of you in any way? Do you have a phone or an address?”
He shook his head. “No phone. Address is complicated. I'll find you. I'll always find you.”
“Promise?”
“Yes, I promise. If it's an emergency, follow the wind, because that's usually where you'll find me.”
Chapter Thirteen
Deep in Mikko's heart was a hole. With Ichi gone, she was lost which was not like her in the slightest. She'd never let anyone impact her so strongly before, especially someone she barely knew. Something about him was endearing and sweet. It all might have tied into the fact that he might be the only person she knew who understood her, and he had encouraged her to pursue the truth instead of holding her back.
He's right, I need to pack up and find the truth on my own. I just wish I knew where to start. She grabbed her suitcase and started to throw all of her things inside. How do I know? Where do I find that answer? Do I wait for some kind of divine revelation? If I really am the Great Dragon, then shouldn't I have some kind of special connection to God? Shouldn't I be told all of the secrets of the spiritual world?
She closed her eyes and a smooth warmth filled her stomach. There's a lot you need to learn, child. Your truth must be found with faith. It was a voice she could hear with her heart and not her ears.
“I need a copy of the Holy Book,” she mumbled.
And not just any copy, but the copy. On the Council Island of the dragons, there was a massive library with ancient books dating back to the creation of the first four dragons. The countless translations of the book were all based on which culture they were written for. Terran dragons read a different copy than the Oceina, and even further changes were made as time went on. Some versions of the Holy Book were more traditional than others. For the Rules of Life, that didn't bother her in the slightest. When it came to finding the details of an ancient prophecy, however, she knew she had to find the closest thing to the original as she could get.
There was knock on her door. She glanced up and saw her Uncle Tyson and Teo standing in the doorway.
“You can come in,” she said and paused her packing.
Teo was frowning. Tyson on the other hand came in and sat down in a chair.
“Ready to go home?” Tyson asked with a small smile.
Teo's frown deepened. “We still have three more days to leave. You're usually a lot more last minute. Where are you going?”
It frustrated her how easily Teo could read her sometimes. She was pretty sure Tyson had caught on as well, but he was a lot more patient than his son.
“You know I heard you talking with Grandma Tai,” Mikko stated. Her gaze locked with Tyson's. She was satisfied with his slight nod for a reply. “I don't need to explain what I'm doing then, do I?”
“Uh, yes, you do,” Teo said. “Because I don't know what's going on. What do you mean you overheard a conversation between Dad and the Lady Oceina? Why are you packing?”
Tyson waved for his son to sit in the chair next to him. “Relax, because this is nothing to get your scales ruffled over.” He took in a deep breath. “Mikko, please don't be mad that I didn't tell you sooner. In fact, I didn't want you to hear about it through eavesdropping, but I'm kind of glad it did happen this way. It makes it so much easier to bring up. I've been struggling with this for so many years.”
“What is going on?” Teo exploded.
“Patience,” his father said. His eyes were wide and pleading at her. She couldn't stand it. Mikko walked over to him and gave him a tight hug.
“I'm not mad at you,” she whispered. “It can't be an easy thing to bring up.”
Tyson sighed as if in relief. “Thank you for understanding.”
“I have so many questions,” she said.
“You're not the only one,” Teo mumbled.
She laughed. “According to your father and my grandmother, I'm the Great Dragon.”
Teo's jaw dropped. “What? How is that possible? I mean, you're Mikko. How can you be the Great Dragon?”
“Sometimes I feel the same way,” she admitted. “But I don't fully understand what that means or the prophecies which make you so certain I am She.”
“I didn't want to get too in-depth with the prophecies because I was scared you would figure it out on your own before it was the right time,” Tyson said. “What do you know about the Great Dragon?”
“That he, she… I… will be the savior of the world.”
“Anything else?” Tyson asked.
Mikko shook her head. “No, I haven't been told much else. My focus on my previous study of the Holy Book was always on the commandments.”
“If you want, I can find you a copy of the prophecy that details everything more thoroughly. I'm not sure if you would believe me without seeing it with your own eyes. Teo can back me up, however, because he knows these prophecies inside and out.” Tyson gave a pointed look to his son. “What is the first thing the Holy Book says about the Great Dragon?”
“That he'll be born in the city by the sea,” Teo mumbled. “Which everyone knows is Oceina City.”
“What else?”
“That he'll be of Inero blood.”
Tyson nodded. “The Great War from back when I was but a baby started because the Inero believed they were to overthrow the Oceina people. If the Great Dragon was Inero blood, born in the city by the sea, that obviously meant there was some kin
d of a mistake in land territories. At the time, the Great Inero Lord was being led astray by a dark prophet as well. You already know about a lot of the suffering that happened during the days of the Great War. Oceina City was nearly destroyed, the Terran were disgraced. Those details are pretty standard in dragon history books.”
“But not about why the war initially started. Why didn't anyone say anything about the real reason Oceina City was fought over?” Mikko asked.
“Because I don't think the Great Inero Lord had any intentions of ever trying to bring the Great Dragon into being. The dark prophet was taking him down the wrong path to stop you from ever being born. He promised your mother to marry… me. It was a huge political mess. Besides, the books don't like to talk about the spiritual warfare aspects of the conflict. The world is fast becoming more spiritually dead. I'm sure you've noticed it with how humans and dragons alike are becoming more self-serving?”
Teo laughed. “We were just talking about that the other night at the funeral actually. Okay, so I could buy Mikko being the Great Dragon. It's possible. She is pure dragon.”
“Which is another requirement of the Great Dragon,” Tyson said. “Your mother was the first dragon female to be born, making her a miracle. So much hope rested on her shoulders. It's why she was sold out in the Great War to the Terran. She was the bargaining chip for the Inero to possibly win the war. Your great-grandfather Lord Taylor, however, knew in his heart that it was wrong. He didn't support the Inero any more in the war. The Oceina were able to defeat the Inero, and for a while there was peace.” He smiled. “I loved Dani in all of the ways that you love Teo. I couldn't have been luckier than to be engaged to my best friend.”
Tears formed in Mikko's eyes. So much of her family history was being laid out in front of her. The good, the bad, and the downright ugly. Some of it she'd heard before, the basic details, but it broke her heart to think anyone from her bloodline could have been deceived by the Devil. She'd heard about the old Great Inero Lord once. Grandpa Matthias had been so tense at the mention of him over dinner on one of the nights she had been visiting. One of her uncles on her mother's side had been picking a fight. Mikko didn't remember the words that had been exchanged, only that they had made her grandmother cry.
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