by Eden Redd
Nate tried to pull the subek to keep them off guard when the dagger spun and stabbed into Nate’s thigh.
Muted pain shot up Nate’s leg. The subek hissed a sinister laugh as he twisted the dagger in Nate’s leg.
Pain roared and Nate let go of the subek. Time slowed as the lizard man lifted up a clawed foot and slammed it against Nate’s stomach. The power in it was stronger than any power the other subeks showed during the fight. It was enough to cause Nate to stumble back. Blood spilled and pain flared. Nate’s back struck a tree and he managed to keep himself upright. He watched as the subek that just stabbed him disappeared into the jungle. A quick glance around and he saw the others shambling or running away. They were soon swallowed up by the jungle and they were gone.
Nate stood up from the tree. Weakness filled his leg as blood dripped from the dagger still in it. Without hesitation, Nate stepped carefully to the tree where his pack was hidden behind it. He placed all his weight on his uninjured leg and managed to make it to the tree before his wounded leg gave out. He grabbed his pack, turned and pressed his broad back to the tree. He slid down to the ground and opened the pack.
Pain glowed against his nerves as he reached into the pack and pulled out a small kit. He opened it and put it down beside him. Inside were various small vials, bandages and three little pouches. Nate glanced to the dagger in his leg. One hand grabbed a little pouch, lifted it up and opened it. The other hand took hold of the dagger.
I have to be quick or I might bleed out. The mending powder should stop the bleeding.
Nate braced himself before yanking the dagger out. Blood spurted before Nate turned over the small pouch and dumped a white powder from it. It fell over the spurting wound. The moment it touched, magical energy flared and burned. A small grunt filled Nate’s throat as the magical power instantly stopped the bleeding and caused the wound to pucker. He tossed the dagger and reached for the bandages from the kit.
Nate worked, tying up the bandages around his thigh. A little blood bloomed along the bandage where the wound was, but the majority of the bleeding stopped.
This will have to serve as a lesson to not be so overconfident. The subeks had a clear agenda and they called upon the goddess of lust and madness. I’ll have to be more careful.
Nate’s heart thudded like a heavy drum. The pain subsided and he started to feel better.
I have to be thankful that my body regenerates faster at third degree. This wound could have crippled me. Instead, it should mostly be healed by the morning.
Nate looked around in the dark and relaxed his back against the tree.
If I stay here, they may come back with reinforcements. I have to keep moving to the lake and find a place to rest.
Nate grabbed at the tree and carefully stood up. The wound along his outer thigh ached, but he could stand on it.
Nate turned and pushed his arms through the straps of his pack. He made sure it was secure first before he started walking. The large man slowed his pace to conserve his strength and allow his leg to heal. It didn’t take long before he found his stride and pressed on into the night.
***
The first brilliant ray of sunlight cut through the cloak of night to begin a new day. The shadowy night slipped away and the world gently woke up. Birdsong filled the air and lizards climbed onto rocks to begin sunning themselves to the bright morning.
Nate stepped out of the edge of the jungle and let out a relieved sigh. Before him, a large lake stretched out. It was massive as the young man stared out and took it all in.
Stepping from the edge of the jungle, he noticed that his leg did indeed feel better. In the last few hours, he noticed he was able to put a little more weight on it as he hiked through the jungle.
Nate reached the edge of the massive lake and sat down on the sandy edge. He gazed at the crystal-clear water. He could see limestone throughout. He reached down and scooped up a handful of water. He put it to his lips and took a sip.
It tastes clean.
Nate looked across the lake to the right. He saw a small waterfall splashing misty spray in the distance. His gaze shifted to his left and he looked up to the southern spire he had to reach.
I need to find a place to rest before I continue. A few hours’ sleep should be enough. After that, I can hike to the spire and climb it. I should reach the dragons by dusk.
Nate looked down to the clear lake waters. Thoughts swirled to the three dragons. His heart beat a little faster, wanting very much to see them again. The attack in the middle of the night invaded his thoughts and he wondered just how deep the mystery truly was. It turned into a confused soup of odd encounters and wanting to see Norrah, Shego, and Izzi again.
Nate mentally pushed it all away.
Have to rest and allow myself to heal a little more.
Nate knelt down to the water and drank from it like a deer by a river. When he’d had his fill, he stood back up and walked to the edge of the jungle again. He spotted some brush and walked to it.
When he reached it, he unslung his pack and opened it. A hand grabbed the thin bedroll and pulled it out. He placed the pack down and unrolled the bedroll onto the ground, by the brush. It would help hide him in case he was still being hunted.
Nate laid down on his back and stared up at the shadowy canopy. It protected him from direct sunlight and provided enough comfort for him to sleep a few hours.
With a small exhale, Nate closed his eyes and let his mind drift. It didn’t take long for him to slip into a peaceful rest.
In the shadow of the trees, a figure stared at Nate as he slept. They didn’t blink as they watched him.
The sounds of birdsong filled the air as the sun rose higher into the morning sky.
Four
The dreamscape writhed like a living thing. The very ground undulated and pulsed like at any moment it would rise and begin a monstrous rampage. A black moon vibrated with a red aura. Rivers of crimson cut through the dark lands and Nate stood in the middle of it.
A blue aura covered Nate’s form as he looked around the odd landscape. His heart pumped with power, pushing back against the waves crashing down on him from the black moon.
Nate turned his attention to the pulsating ground, watching as clawed hands broke through to the surface and fingers searched for something to grab. They were just out of range of the lone man, but it didn’t sit well with him in the unusual strangeness of the dreamscape.
“I should wake myself before this gets out of hand,” Nate mumbled to himself as he looked around with careful eyes.
The black moon in the sky cracked. Nate looked up in astonishment as the moon ripped in half and something immense crawled out. It had a vaguely feminine form with black and red skin, and horns that stabbed up for miles. Oval red eyes turned and looked down on Nate. A clawed hand opened and crossed immense distances. A fingertip speared down, ready to stab and crush Nate.
“No,” Nate said and held up his hands.
The very tip of the nail reached him and his hands grabbed hold. Power blasted his entire frame as he held back a finger that was miles long and wide. He grunted as his arms and knees strained. The gigantic demon’s eyes widened a hair as power throbbed.
“You… will… not… crush… ME!” Nate roared.
Power blasted out in all directions, ripping the very land and along the immense red finger. The clawed nail cracked and shattered.
Nate’s eyes slowly opened. A shadow loomed over him and his eyes focused. A woman with small horns and long white hair looked down on the young man. Her eyes were a crystal blue and her skin was a pale alabaster. The sun was reaching midday, and even in the shadows of the jungle and brush, she glowed.
Nate glanced at the rest of her as she kneeled by him and quickly noticed she was naked. Pale breasts hung unassisted as if gravity had no hold on them. Smooth skin along her body shifted at points to white scales on the outsides of her arms, legs, and sides of her neck.
Nate slowly sat up and the naked
woman crawled back a little and sat. Nate’s gaze drifted to the white wings folded against her back and the bent tips stabbing up from behind her shoulders. Her hands had scales on the tops, along the wrist and well into her forearms. He continued to drink in her image, seeing her feet were long and clawed. White scales ran up her shins to her knees. A white, scaly tail moved back and forth behind her as she looked at Nate and blinked.
“Izzi?” Nate said as he fully sat up.
The dragon woman blinked again. “I was watching you sleep. You looked so peaceful.”
Nate touched the side of his head as if to help push away the grogginess. “How long?”
“The entire time. I smelled your wound and wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“Yea, I ran into some trouble trying to cross the island,” Nate said as the last hints of grogginess melted away.
“Followers of Hexnia,” Izzi said simply.
Nate nodded. “How did you know?”
Izzi looked away and brought her knees up to her chin. “Norrah said I shouldn’t talk to you until we were sure you are truly our Seer.”
Nate smiled. “If that’s what she said, then we should respect it. I can wait until we’re sure.”
Izzi looked back at Nate and blinked. “Okay, you convinced me to talk.”
Nate lifted an eyebrow. “That’s not what I said.”
Izzi sat back, her hands propping her up. Nate’s gaze immediately fell to her uncovered womanhood and forced himself to look away.
The dragon woman looked at Nate and then down to herself and then back to Nate. “Does this form not please you?”
Nate fought back a smile. “It’s not that. It pleases me very much. It’s just distracting.”
Izzi nodded. A white flash touched her and when it faded, she sat in a white, two-piece bikini.
“Better?”
Nate looked at her and saw that it barely hid what he already saw. “Sure,” he smiled.
Izzi nodded and continued, “Hexnia is a symptom of a larger problem. She has joined some darker forces here on Arith. She never forgave this world for what happened during the Portal Wars.”
Nate turned as he sat and faced the beautiful dragon woman. “Is that why the three of you sent out the call? Is Hexnia and others trying to hurt our world?”
Izzi’s mouth formed a mischievous smirk. “There are many reasons why we sent out the call.”
The dragon woman leaned forward onto all fours and crawled closer until their faces were a foot apart.
“Maybe we just wanted someone to help us have some fun,” Izzi said slyly.
I’m getting whiplash from how quickly she mentally jumps around.
Izzi looked to the side, “It gets so confusing sometimes. My dreams are filled with so many bits of information, it’s hard to keep track of it all. Sometimes I just want to lay in the sun and sleep the days away.”
Nate smiled. “When my mind overwhelms me, training often helps clear it out and helps me think better.”
Izzi looked back to Nate. “Training? What kind of training?”
Nate stood up and held out his hand. “Body training. It clears out the fog and you can handle your day better.”
Izzi looked at Nate’s hand for a moment before putting her hand in his. He helped her to her feet. He attempted to let go, but the dragon woman held on tight. The two of them walked out of the shaded spot in the jungle edge and stepped out to the sandy edges of the lake.
“I’ll need my hand back,” Nate smiled.
Izzi lowered her head in shyness and let go.
Nate took a few steps away. He noticed his leg felt almost brand new. The wound barely registered and he knew in a short time, it would be completely gone.
Nate bent forward and placed his hands on the sand. He lifted his legs straight into the air. He began doing handstand pushups as he spoke to the dragon watching him.
“I do about five hundred of these just to start, or when I need to clear my mind. I can do them anywhere,” Nate said without a hint of straining.
Izzi watched him with wide eyes. Her gaze fell to his powerful arms and she licked her lips.
“Is there any other training that you do?” Izzi asked.
Nate nodded. “I do daily fighting techniques, run for many miles, and meditate.”
Izzi’s eyes moved up and down, following Nate. “As dragons, we have many natural abilities. We don’t have to train on some things because we understand it very quickly.”
“What are some of things you don’t understand quickly?” Nate asked as he reached forty handstand pushups.
“Fighting techniques are strange to us. We use power and cunning to win conflicts. Breaking it down to fighting is a little confusing. Our bodies can’t grow stronger because we are at our physical peak. How did you learn all of these things?”
Nate smiled. “From books and legends of ancient heroes. The stories helped create my regimen. I took different things from different heroes. Fighting was a little tougher. I often sparred with friends and family. I tried new things and became very aware during a fight.”
Izzi continued to watch Nate as he talked and worked out. “Interspecies lovemaking is something we don’t experience enough. It can be a little strange, but titillating. Have you had a lot of experience with such training?”
Nate's eyes widened as he stopped his pushups and simply stood on his hands. “I think I’m okay. I haven’t had any complaints.”
Izzi nodded. “Dragons already know how to make love to each other. It’s different with other species because your bodies are so varied and weaker.”
“I take that as a challenge,” Nate smiled and resumed his pushups.
Izzi let out a giggle. “You certainly don’t seem like one of the weak ones.”
“Thank you. Neither do you,” Nate smiled.
Pink touched Izzi’s pale cheeks and she looked away.
“Nate, was it just the dreams that brought you here?”
Nate stopped his push-ups. He curled his legs forward until they touched the sandy ground. He then lifted his upper body up until he stood tall. He made his way over to Izzi and noticed she was shorter than him. She stood at about five foot five. The dragon woman looked up to him, pink still coloring her cheeks and her tail shuddering. The pair stood about two feet apart, but the connection glowed along their spirits.
“It was you, Norrah, and Shego who brought me here. The dreams were only a glimpse to what is between us.”
Izzi’s eyes nearly glowed as she stared up at Nate.
“I remember us having fun chasing each other through dreamlands. I remember the immense libraries we sat in and talked. I don’t remember everything said, but I do remember enjoying each other's company. I remember it being genuine, even if we didn’t know each other’s names.”
Izzi’s gaze lowered to Nate’s strong chest. “I know I can be forgetful and my thoughts wander, but I remember how close we were in the dreams. Shego often made fun of me for it.”
“Shego seems like she follows the ways of chaos,” Nate smirked.
Izzi nodded and sighed. “She can be cruel and a wonderful friend at the same time. She doesn’t pick on Norrah, but she likes to pick on me.”
“Why do you let her?”
Izzi smiled. “It helps with her confidence. She’ll never admit, but she’s scared and often attacks others to take the light off of herself.”
Nate looked at the dragon woman with understanding eyes.
Izzi may come off scatterbrained, but she is more intelligent than she lets on. She hides behind a façade for the betterment of others.
Nate changed the subject. “Do dragons have a natural ability for magic, or do you need to train?”
Izzi looked up with wide eyes and a happy smile. “It’s a little of both. We can manipulate lower degrees of mana spheres very easily. Once they progress beyond the fifth degree, we must take time to know how to manipulate those energies and forces.”
“Want to magic tr
ain together?” Nate smiled.
Izzi nodded. “Yes, that would be amazing!”
“I told you I know the Body Sphere. What spheres of magic do you know?”
Izzi’s expression took on a shy edge. “I know two very well, but I’m only going to let you know about one. The Water Sphere is my lesser of the two spheres. My water sphere is eighth degree.”
Nate’s smile broadened. “Eighth degree is impressive. I’m willing to train my body techniques to your water techniques.”
The dragon woman’s expression dimmed. “Wouldn’t that place you at a disadvantage?”
“The only way I’ll become stronger is to test myself.”
“OOOoooo, I like this game,” Izzi said and lifted her hand.
Energy prickled along the air. It set Nate’s body on edge as mana touched his senses. Turning his head, he looked at the edge of the lake closest to them and noticed a dozen orbs of water rising up from the surface. They formed perfect orbs and hovered a few feet above the surface.
“Don’t go easy on me,” Nate grinned.
“I won’t,” Izzi said with a sinister smile.
Did I just give her permission to kick my ass?
Before another thought could enter Nate’s head, several orbs flashed toward him in a blur.
Nate’s instincts took over and he jumped. His body twisted and turned like a dancer at a ballet. Orbs shot past him as he swung his legs out and landed. Pressure touched his senses as he saw the first volley stop abruptly and shoot back at him. From behind, several more orbs joined in on the attack.
Nate centered himself and closed his eyes. He felt the very air shift. His skin felt the gentle caress of mana. His ears picked up the small sounds of moving water. When he opened his eyes, his body reacted to his commands.
Izzi watched in disbelief as the large man moved like a trained acrobat. His body nearly blurred, moving, ducking, dodging, jumping, and spinning from the watery orbs. The dragon woman called on the remaining orbs and they shot forth with power.
Nate moved to his trusted senses, ducking and weaving as orbs missed him by inches. His movements became frenetic as he moved like a blade of grass in a storm. There was no thought, only action and reaction.