ã€ŠFailed Giftã€‹


 Chapter: Prologue

    It is one of those days again. The sun is out yet the air is still cold, enough to see your own breath. Worse in the shadows of the tall pine trees. The gravel road cutting a line in the forest is made of gravel that turns to dirt a few miles from here. Bird calls and deer bleats interrupt the windy silence.

    Perfect weather for an ambush.

    "Where the fuck is the merchant? It''s been hours¡­" Alonzo curses next to me. The two of us had been crouching behind a bush next to the road but after a few hours we started sitting in the dirt.

    I had my men hiding in the forest around this spot of the road too. After a while of waiting I could hear them getting impatient, I am too.

    "I thought you said the bastard was about ready to head out of town? Where is he?" I look to my brother who has an annoyed scowl on his face.

    "Give him another 10 minutes, Jack." Alonzo grumbles, unhappy too.

    One of my bandits is hiding in the bushes across the road. He is sitting in the dirt like us and playing a game of cards with another. It''s been 4 hours and I am feeling sore from all the waiting.

    Why the hell couldn''t we just stroll into town like we usually do? Sure we wouldn''t be able to steal as much but it is faster and the towns guards suck at their jobs. It would have been so much easier.

    "Why are we doing this again? We could have just sacked the town and been walking back home with our pockets lined by now."

    Alonzo snaps a twig between his fingers and tosses half away, putting the kept half in his mouth. There''s a leaf on the twig hanging from his mouth like I''ve seen some farmers do with a wheat stalk. "I told you. I thought we could try doing this again. We haven''t done a wagon robbery in a few years. It''s all just been villages and shit."

    We return to silence after that. I didn''t have a retort, it had been a while since we''ve done something like this.

    "How''s the wife?" I ask my brother. He had not spoken of her in a hot bit, usually he would talk about her constantly. But recently he hasn''t spoken a peep about her.

    "She''s fine."

    That was it? Nothing else?

    "And Abigail? What about your daughter?" He can''t physically go and visit his wife or daughter since he is a wanted man. So he sends them letters and they send him letters back.

    Alonzo flinches at his daughter''s name. My eyebrow raises at the weird reaction.

    "She''s fine too."

    The sound of hooves and wagon wheels stop me from asking anything else.

    "Oh thank god." Alonzo sighs and stands up to peek over the bush. His joints pop as he gets up. I do the same and a second set of pops follow.

    Up the road where it turns is a horse led wagon rounding the bend. It''s moving agonizingly slow.

    Cupping my hands to my mouth I make a bird call that alerts everyone that it''s go-time.

    One of his men falls through their bush but is quickly pulled back through by the others. A mistake that looks like didnt give them away. I couldn''t make out if the merchant saw it but the cart isn''t stopping nor speeding up.

    The one that had fallen was one of the new guys, a 14 year old kid that ran away from home. Mistakes were expected for one his age so ill let it slide.

    As the wagon approached, I had a nagging feeling that something was off. Looking at the wagon again I quickly realized why.

    "Where are the wagon''s guards?" There were none. A completely defenseless traveling merchant just begging to be robbed. I don''t like this.

    "Lost a bet? Maybe hiring guards got too expensive?" Alonzo throws back.

    "Maybe."

    Not really. This didn''t feel fine. When has anything been this easy? Usually things go wrong from abnormal stuff like this.

    I open my mouth to tell him that maybe we should skip this, cut our losses and head home. Angry men were better than dead men after all. But Alonzo is already stepping out of the bush and onto the road without me. He''s supposed to wait for me!

    "Dammit, Alonzo. What are you doing?" I growl at him as I follow him out.

    "Sorry, Jack. You should have gone first but i got too excited." He says to me sheepishly. If it was any of my men in his place I''d have cut him down.

    "Keep your head on, Alonzo. A mistake like that could get us killed." My eyes zip around the approaching wagon and the trees at its passing sides. "For all we know there could be guards hiding in the forest or something."

    "Can I help you two boys with somethin''!?" The merchant asks out as he stops his cart in the middle of the road in front of us.

    I frown at the sight of him. Old, very wrinkly and looks like he could keel over any second. I had expected a young man on his first merchant run innocently thinking nothing would go wrong. But no, it''s a frail old man. Crows feet behind his half blind green eyes. Even the horse looked to be on its last leg with age. The stallion looked to be just as old as the old man!

    This feels wrong. Something about this wasn''t right.

    My men walts out of hiding and their boots crunching in the wide gravel path on either side of the wagon. Two of them quickly jumped into the back of the wagon. The old horse let out a nervous winnie and shuffles, making the wagon lurk a bit. The rest of my men scatter around to stand guard around the wagon, keeping watch for anything suspicious. The two in the wagon are searching its contents.

    "You sure can, old man. Why don''t you let go of the reins and step off the wagon?" I didn''t want another run away. Used to get them here and there back when we did this. It was always the elderly that would try it.

    One of my men step close to the horse and soothes it, hand stroking its neck as the old man lets go of the reins and slowly climbs down from the driver''s seat.

    Good. He didn''t try to drive away.

    I keep glancing around. "Where are your hired guards, Old Man?"

    His boots crunch on gravel when he hops down and has to grab the side of the wagon to keep from falling over. "Owf. You''re him, ain''t you? That legendary bandit plastered on those wanted papers all over town?" He turns to face me as I walk up to him, but keeping a few paces between us.

    A frown forms on my face when he doesn''t answer my question. He doesn''t even look surprised that we are robbing him.

    "So what if I am? Gonna try claiming the reward?" Nothing seems off. I look to one of my best scouts who stood further back down the road where the wagon came from. The bandit saw me looking and shook his head. It''s clear. It''s just us and this old man.

    He gives a friendly grin that an old man could give. "Bloody Jack. That''s what they be callin'' ya'' right? Lots of bad rumors are whispered about you. But I can see that deep down you are a good man, not a drop of bad in those eyes of yours."

    Is he trying to hit on me or something? Not my type. Ew.

    I move my hand and grab the leathery grip of my sword at my hip. It''s a damn good blade that I bought off a blacksmith a few years back. Why didn''t I just steal it? The blacksmith was hot. And I got it half off for giving em'' a good bedding! The blade is very strong, sharp and straight with a basic rectangle shape that abruptly ends with a 45¡ã angle. The guard is short on one side but shaped like an L on the other that goes over the fingers. It''s perfectly balanced and never failed me.

    I''ve taken to naming it Leeroy, after the blacksmith that made it.

    "Empty your pockets, Old Man." He was creeping me out a bit, has this crazy look in his eyes. Alonzo jumps into the driver seat and takes hold of the reins. We had rehearsed what everyone''s job was before doing this to make it go as smooth as possible. I even had four more men with bows further down the road in case the driver tried driving off.

    The old man frowns and empties his pockets. Most of them he turned inside out but he pulls out a cloth purse that jingled as he holds it out.

    "That be all I got, Bloody Jack."

    I take it and pocket it. The purse felt a bit weighty but wouldn''t get me anything but a few jerky back in town.

    "Jack! There ain''t nothing but barrels of ale back here!"

    I look over at the bandit hanging out of the wagon. In that moment I see the old man move in the corner of my eye. Reaching for something in his sleeve.

    *Sh!*

    In the blink of an eye my sword is held out and the old mans head is severed from his body.

    *Thmp*

    The head hits the ground and rolls, followed by the body falling with a thump.

    A cold breeze blows by filling the forest with shivering leaves as it passes through.

    I look down at the corpse. "Shouldn''t move like that around someone with a twitchy sword arm¡­" I honestly didn''t care that I killed the old man, but what I do care about is the object he dropped from his sleeve.

    Sitting on the gravel at the dead man''s feet is a fancy looking flask. Cleaning my blade of his pants leg I then sheath it before crouching down to pick it up. Pretty good quality. Opening it I could smell Jack in it. My favorite drink.

    Not really, it tastes like shit.

    Turning it over the liquid amber spilled out. Once empty I close it and pocket it as I stand. "Alright! Let''s get this wagon home, boys!"

    Nobody cared that the old man is dead. Most of my men are murderers or only care for themselves. The kid though?

    Looking over at the kid who is standing guard by the treeline I could see he is looking at the body with wide eyes.

    He will get over it.

    Alonzo got the cart moving and the old horse complained as it moved.

    "The hell was the old man doing with a wagon with nothing but ale?" It''s not uncommon for a merchant to stock up on a lot of one resource but they always had other products to sell. This still felt wrong to me but at least the ale would fix that.

    My men and I follow on foot around the wagon. We are still on the main road so we weren''t in the clear yet. We had been lucky that no adventurers or travelers had come along during this. Not that it would be a problem since I am here to keep my men alive.

    Once the wagon turns off the road and into the forest did I start to feel a bit better. The ass of the wagon disappears out of sight through the bushes and we follow it in.

    It takes a bit since the wagon has to maneuver around trees and rocks but about halfway back home I stop.

    "Jack?" One of my men notices I stopped following and stops too. He is bald and is wearing leather armor. Blind in one eye he is our best scout, the one I looked to earlier to confirm we were alone.

    "Go on without me, Keith. I wanna walk alone for the moment."

    He obeys without question and continues on with the others.

    I wanted to make sure we weren''t being tailed or anything so I stood there and listened as they left.

    Wind, birds, insects. Nothing out of the norm. Was this really that easy? No funny business? I was going to ask the old man why he was pulling nothing but ale but its a bit late to do that now.

    What a stressful day this turned into¡­

    I stay a while longer just to be sure before going back home.

    Home.

    The wagon is parked in front of a cave opening that has a wooden doorway shoddily build to cover the entrance. The door is open and my men are rolling and carrying in the ale barrels in already.

    "You two! Take the wagon to town and try to sell it once it''s empty! James! Butcher the horse and cook it up! We got some celebrating to do tonight!" My men do as told and get to work.

    I go into the cave. Its a three-man wide tunnel that snakes for a few paces before opening up to the first open chamber. A few glowing blue crystals we managed to get our hands on hangs from the ceiling. The chamber is decorated with tables and chairs along with junk that they had stolen. On the other side is another tunnel that leads to the sleeping chambers where cots are stacked together.

    It''s basic, but it''s home.

    Echoey, dim, drippy home.

    The last of the barrels of ale are stacked in a corner of the main chamber. I got to ordering my men and making sure we were set for tonight. We just got the most ale we''ve ever seen in one place. And it''s ours! How could we not celebrate by drinking it all in one night!

    Once the sun had fallen and night darken the sky was the horse cooked. We had seasoning and made a fire outside to cook it on.

    Ale and meat. A match made in heaven. Their heaven.

    Everyone gathered in the main chamber and were cheering as they drank their ale. They sang songs together cheerfully. Some were already red faced from the alcohol and a few were passed out. Light drinkers.

    I am sitting with them and tipping a mug back, ale spills from the corners of my mouth when a bandit next to me pushes the bottom of my mug up. They laugh and my mug hits the table after I finish it.

    "Oi'' Jack! Tell us a story about that time you laid a dragon!" A man with mop-like gray hair asked.

    "A dragon? The day I lay a dragon will be the day I die, cuz'' it''d probably eat me afterwards!" I laugh out, my cheeks red from the ale. I am a bit of a light drinker myself. They laugh too at the absurdity of the question. "Or are you talking about that spitfire of a lady that turned out to be a bounty hunter and didn''t realize who I was til the next morning?"

    That was a fun memory. They had been both drunk and met in a tavern. I couldn''t help but feel fond of her, she had a burning personality and we had fun all night.

    "I see that look you got there, Jack. Did you love her?" Another asked.

    Had I loved her? Honestly if it wasn''t for my bounty I''d have tried to woo her into settling down with me. Yes, she felt like the right one. Sure she tried to kill me the next morning upon finding out it was Bloody Jack in the bed with her, but that just made me like her even more. That had been a year ago though. She could be anywhere in the world right now.

    "Ay'' I did love her. She had the most beautiful eyes I''d ever seen. They had been a fiery orange that fitted her personality perfectly. Alonzo, remember when she¡­"

    I stop and my eyes sweep over the table for my brother. Smile faltering and forming a frown when I don''t see him. The seat Alonzo had been sitting in is being occupied by another of my men. Maybe he got up to piss and this one took his spot?

    A hand claps my back and jostles me from my thoughts. "Ah, dont worry about it, Boss! I''m sure she will turn around and come looking for round two one day! Ain''t no lady is able to resist your charms!" The burly man sitting next to me says and laughs.

    My frown deforms into a smile and I raise my mug of ale into the air. "To Daisy! May I see her again!"

    The others around the table lift their mugs and cheers. "To Daisy!" The cave vibrates as the others at the other tables join in. We all down our drinks.

    They are like family to me. The only ones that could make me smile anymore.

    Murderers, thieves, robbers.not the nicest of people but everyone on them had a reason for doing what they did. I never let the crazy ones join, just the ones that had a good reason and were still good people.

    For the past 7 years we''ve watched over each other. Some had left or died in that time but most stayed. If someone had a problem with one of us then they had to deal with all of us. How do you think our merry band had lived this long, compared to other bandits? We actually work together and trust one another.

    That kid that''s with us? One day he will want to return home. He isn''t wanted unlike the rest of us. But when he decides to leave we will be there to wave him goodbye and send him off with supplies. He''s a good kid and will be welcome to come back.

    Speaking of leaving, where is my brother? He isn''t back yet.

    "I gotta go take a leak. Be right back boys." I get up and leave the cave.

    Inside had been warm but a cold wind hit my face as I walked out. It''s colder now that the moon is high. The air grips me with chilly hands grasping for my body heat.

    "Alonzo?" I call out his name to the forest that surrounds the cave. But there is no answer. Someone did come out from behind a tree. But it was just one of my men, buckling their belt after taking a piss.

    "Have you seen Alonzo, James?" I hoped he had but the man shook his head.

    "I aint seen him. Maybe you missed him inside?"

    That feeling returns. Like a tingle at the back of my skull. Something isn''t right.

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    James closes the front door to the cave and I look to the narrow path that leads to the nearby river.

    Alonzo could still be inside. I hadn''t checked the sleeping chamber. But there was something on the wind, another mystery that tickled me.

    My boots moved before I made my decision. Dead leaves crunching as I follow the trail, cold air prickling my face.

    The world swayed a bit as I walked, a not so real heat keeping me warm on this cold night due to the ale. I wouldn''t say I am a light drinker but the mugs were a bit large. I only had two of them so I''m not fully drunk, just enough to affect me in a nice way.

    "..."

    I hear voices and the sound of the river as I get near the end of the path.

    I walk through a bush and into a scene I didn''t expect to see.

    A bounty hunter stood with Alonzo, stopping mid conversation to look at me.

    "Jack? What are you doing here? You should be back with the others¡­" Alonzo looked nervous.

    What is going on?

    "Alonzo? I can ask you the same thing. Why is a bounty hunter h-"

    "So you''re Bloody Jack, wanted dead for 1,500,000 gold. That''s a lot of money for one criminal." The bounty hunter reaches for the big greatsword at his back. Seeing this I reach for the grip of my sword but misses a few times before finding it. Maybe I''m a bit more drunk than I thought.

    "You should have made better friends, Jack. Your¡¯s here betrayed you." The man in full plate armor spoke. His voice is rough and gravely.

    "What the hell is he talking about, Alonzo." I look to my right hand man, my brother. Alonzo looked away in shame, unable to meet my gaze.

    "I-im sorry, Jack. But Abigale got sick with some kind of disease. I need the money. The wagon of ale was planned." Alonzo only looked half sorry.

    The wagon was planned? Why? Alonzo could have asked for my help. Isn''t that what we are supposed to do? Depend on each other to help? Like a family?

    "I never agreed that you would get a cut of the bounty." The bounty hunter chuckles and Alonzo looks at him in horror.

    "What?! But I set all this up for you! I did most of the work! What about my daughter?!"

    "I''m not going to share a cut of the gold with a criminal nor do I care about the daughter of one. She will probably grow up to be just like you."

    "I could have helped you, Alonzo. I''m inclined to kill you but since you are my brother i''ll give you a head start." I could feel my blood boiling at my brother''s betrayal. He hasn''t even tried to ask me for help.I even asked him about his family! I would have done it too, family helped family. But Alonzo? I don''t know if I could trust him now, I don''t think I can see him as family anymore. Not after this.

    Alonzo backs away from Both the bounty hunter and me before running off in the direction of the cave. I let him run past me. I am a man of my word after all, I will give him a 10 second head start.

    "As entertaining as it would be to watch criminals kill each other, I can''t risk you escaping." The bounty hunter tells me before taking a step towards me.

    I look at him up and down. Heavy full plate armor, one big greatsword at the ready and a second one strapped behind his back. It looks like I can cut through the armor, but the alcohol in my veins might make my aim sloppy. But something felt off about all this. It felt planned. More planned than they had said. There was more to why they were here, not just for the money. It''s that tingle feeling in the back of my skull.

    "Before we get this started, would you be willing to answer a question I have?"

    The bounty hunter nods. "You may."

    "Does 7 heads mean anything to you?"

    The bounty hunter flinches at my question, making me curse under my breath. I was hoping for a no. This ment this man was gifted and something told me a certain god had twisted things for this to happen.

    "You''ve met World?! Have you been gifted like me?!" The bounty hunter''s interest is gained.

    "Yep, though I haven''t run into another like me in a while."

    Gifted were very rare and aren''t known to exist. World is very picky about who it gifts. Normally gifted can identify another by eye contact but because of how fragile the connection is both needed visible eye contact for it to work. Like with this bounty hunter Jack couldn''t see his eyes in the darkness of his helmet''s eye hole. So no eye contact, no warning.

    "What did you choose for your gift, Jack? From the stories it sounded like its speed related."

    I narrow my eyes at the question. "Damn you got me, I chose super speed." That wasn''t actually my gift but keeping the bounty hunter guessing might give me an advantage.

    10 seconds are up. I''d hunt down Alonzo but I have to deal with this bounty hunter. Shouldn''t be too hard. "Now that you know mine, why don''t you tell me yours?"

    "I think I''ll let you find out." The big man then swings his big blade.

    Dodging just out of the blade''s deadly arch I step back close to end this quickly. My blade flashes out and annoyingly leaves a deep cut in his neck armor. His sword comes back again and I sidestep before moving out of range.

    "The hell did you get that kind of armor? There''s no way you could afford something that I can''t cut through." My blade had been forged by a legendary smith! There are metals out there I can''t cut through and just by looking at his armor I can tell his isn''t made of any of those.

    Instead of answering he comes over for another attack.

    I''ve trained my whole life to be quick with my feet and quicker with my blade. This bounty hunter is wearing a very heavy set of armor that is making him slow.

    I practically dance around him, leaving gashes and cuts all over his armor. Even at the joints but it''s just more layers of metal. The way the metal cuts is weird. It cuts like any other metal I can cut through but then it just stops my blade from getting any deeper. It has to be magical in nature. Something else is bothering me though.

    "So let me get this straight. You and Alonzo get me and my men drunk and then you kill me? What about my men? Wouldn''t we overwhelm you? A lone bounty hunter? Don''t you hunters usually have a team? Where are they? In the dark waiting for your signal to help you cut me down?"

    "Honestly we planned to get you and your men drunk, yes. But we didn''t expect you to wander away from the cave." He then lets out a low dark laugh. "They are waiting at the cave, out of sight. By now your brother has probably sent word to start taking the bandits out."

    A sound is carried by the wind. Distant screams and the sound of combat.

    "Sounds like the fun has started."

    Anger, fear for my men, betrayal. Emotions flow through my body and make my blood boil. I''m going to kill my brother when I get my hands on him. But until then I had to take care of the man before me. I wanted so badly to run back to my men and help them, but doing so would bring him too. It would ensure their death considering not even I could cut through his armor.

    I''ve already figured out what his gift has to be, it''s his armor. Impenetrable armor.

    I could only see one weak point in his armor, the 2 inch open line in the front of his helmet.

    "So let me get this straight. World tipped you off to find and kill me but didn''t clue you in that I am gifted?" His swings with his blade have been wide ones so if i get into his guards he might have a difficult time cleaving me in two.

    "It likes to be mysterious sometimes, as you probably know." He then readies his blade once more, anticipating an attack. "It''s a shame you aren''t drunk, would make this a lot easier if you were. It doesn''t even look like you had a drop of the ale. Don''t trust being like that around your murderers?"

    I''m not inclined to answer but it''s good he can''t tell that I actually am a bit tipsy. Not enough to stop me from killing him before he could blink but enough to throw off my aim. If it hadn''t been for his armor I could be helping my men already. I can hear the sounds of combat carried by the wind start to slow and quiet. Time is running out, I need to end this right now.

    With a burst of speed I rush at the bounty hunter who''s greatsword comes cleaving at me. Jumping to get out of its path I raise my blade and aim for the dark slot in his helmet.

    His greatsword is released and rings across the river edge as the tip of my glances the edge of the hole, missing.

    Big plated arms wrap around me in a crushing bear hug.

    "Damn you really are quick, but I wonder if you are stronger than me?" I feel his arms start to squeeze. Pulling my sword back I try to stab into his helmet again but he moves his helmet to the side and then down in a way I can''t get him from.

    My ribs scream and one of them snaps followed by another. Pain flares and I drop my sword to struggle and push my way out of his arms as he crushes the life out of me. But he is much much stronger than me.

    "Ahh!" Panic sets in and I activate my gift.

    Suddenly my world is split in two and half my strength disappears. My hands and knees meet damp dirt.

    Now I''m both being crushed to death and free at the same time as I am in control of two of me.

    "H- Hey! We can t-talk about this!" I cough out blood as my organs are getting crushed. Trying to distract him as my double quietly runs away. Disappearing into the trees.

    "Sorry but I don''t make deals with criminals, especially with dead ones."

    "D-damn. Maybe th-this''ll change your mind." Electricity sparks from my hands and I grab his helmet.

    The bounty hunter roars with pain as electricity arcs through him. His arms release me and I fall to the ground. I pick up my sword and quickly step a few feet away. Blood fills my mouth and I spit it out, but it fills with more. With my guts crushed my time is limited for this version of myself. I''m filled with pain but I keep myself focused as the bounty hunter picks up his swords.

    I just have to buy myself time.

    "That''s a nasty shock you got there, Jack." His gravelly voice grounds out from his helmet.

    "Thanks. You know, I never got your name."

    "Brayard."

    Tuning out the version of myself with the bounty hunter I focus on getting back to the cave.

    Grass crunching and cold night air wiping by as I speed down the path back to the cave.

    Using my gift came with a cost, splitting my strength in half between the two of us I can already feel myself tiring. Strength, stamina and magic are cut in half now.

    My pace slows to a stop at what I see up ahead.

    Or should I say who.

    Alonzo.

    He''s leaning against a tree, sword out with blood on it. On the ground a few feet away is the body of one of my men. The new kid. Dead.

    Issac had been the kid''s name. About the same age as Alonzo''s daughter.

    Behind me in the not far distance an explosion echoes out into the night sky and my copy dies.

    The sound causes Alonzo to look in my direction and he notices me a few feet away in the darkness of the forest path. He gains a surprised look on his face mixed with fear. Did he really think I would be killed that easily?

    "J-Jack! Ho-hold o-!" His words are cut off when my blade flashes out and cuts his head in half. His body hits the forest path.

    I don''t have time for this. I had to get back to my men. My real family. This traitor isn''t family.

    The sounds of fighting have become quiet and I''m fearing the worst.

    I have to be ready to fight again.

    Kneeling down next to Alonzo, I grab his arm and sink my teeth into his flesh. As hot blood fills my mouth I use my magic on my teeth and they begin to soak it all up. Converting the blood and replenishing my strength.

    Heavy metal steps approach from behind.

    I let go and stand up. Wiping the blood from my lips I turn to face the bounty hunter.

    "Sorry about that. Where were we?" Jack casually asks, brushing his long brown hair from his face. I feel better now. Even better than before.

    "I wasn''t informed you were a vampire."

    "No, I''m not a vampire. But that was a trick I learned from one."

    Several more sets of footsteps come from the direction of the cave. And four more bounty hunters entered the clearing. I glance back to see a ranger, rogue, paladin and a white mage.

    "Sir! Our side of the job is finished!" A female ranger shouted to brayrd as Jack stood between them.

    My heart dropped at her words. "I guess that means I''m the last one of my crew?"

    I look each of them in the eyes. Another little tip about us gifted is if one looks at another they unconsciously make eye contact.

    Yet I got nothing from any of them.

    So it''s just Brayard then? This should make pay back easy for killing my family.

    "He isn''t drunk!" Brayrd could tell by the way he was acting. Or the criminal just has a really good poker face. One of his teammates cursed and they looked nervous. Sure this was a 5 vs 1 but I could still kill them all if they weren''t careful.

    I wipe the blood of my sword off on the body of my brother at my feet. Sheathing my sword a cold night breeze passes through the clearing. I smile to myself. One night. All it took was one mistake for every member of my men to die. My gray eyes looked to Brayrd.

    "Normally I''d let an attempt on my life slide. But you killed my men. My Family." His grip on his sheathed sword tightens. "Forgiveness isn''t an option anymore."

    Once more my strength is halved as I use my gift again. My mind splits and I see the world and feel it as two people. A second Jack casually walks out of me and stands in the same way as me.

    "This is my gift if you are still wondering, Brayrd."

    Instead of having to face one Bloody Jack they had to face two.

    Nobody moved. Nobody wanted to fight me.

    "Too bad. Cuz'' I wanna kill all of y''all."

    I rushed at Brayrd and my double does the same towards his other party members. Weapons were raised in fear. What had been an easy slaughter for then now is a fight for survival.

    Their healer was the slowest one and so was the first to die.

    In another flash my blade had then killed the ranger, cutting her head in four pieces. Leaving it to be just I and the paladin now.

    The paladin had a look of pure fury on his face.

    "Any last words, Paladin? Your friends didn''t last as long as I tho-." My words were cut off.

    "Quiet, heathen! Your next move shall be your last! My life is not for you to take!" He lifts his weapon and holds his shield in front of himself. A large circle of blue fire appears around him, trapping me in.

    "Brayrd! I''m sorry but the rest is up to you!"

    "Michael! No! Don''t!" Brayrd shouts back from past the flames.

    I flashed forwards to stop him. With a thrust of my blade it pierces through his shield and through his heart.

    "Grrhhkk!!" After a few seconds a low chuckles the paladin. "You think killing me can stop this, demon? Your fate is sealed."

    The blue fire rises and the circle starts shrinking. I pull my sword from the paladin who falls dead.

    I scowl at the predicament this puts me in. I had hoped that I could take care of them all and double team Brayrd. But looks like that wasn''t going to happen.

    Nothing ever goes right for me.

    This Jack''s body fades away.

    The other Jack dodges another swing of the greatsword.

    "Th-their all dead! Those were my friends! My only family!" Brayrd is enraged now. His greatsword came faster and I easily dodged it.

    "Hurts, doesn''t it?"

    "The gods gave us a gift, gave YOU a gift, and what do you do with it?! You betray it! You use it to rob the innocent of their belongings! Rob them of their lives! You are nothing but a mistake! A mistake with a wasted gift! And World had sent me to kill its failed gift, to kill a worthless monster." Brayrd seeths in rage.

    "You have no idea what World is. What it has planned for us. World doesn''t care about us. It gave us our gift out of self gain!" Jack''s grip on his sheathed sword tightens.

    "It doesn''t matter what lies you think of our god." Brayrd let out a dark chuckle before returning his sword to his back.

    Brayrd pulls a black palm sized orb from his backpack.

    "What the hell is that?" I didn''t like the looks of it and I could feel every fiber of my being screaming at me to run. But I wouldn''t, not till this man was dead.

    "World gave it to me. Said if I can''t kill you then I should use this."

    "Do you have any idea what it even is? What will it even do? For all you know it could kill us." It wouldn''t. If it''s from World then it''s harmless. World doesn''t kill its gifts. But that didn''t mean it wasn''t bad news for me.

    "World already told me what it does, Jack. I should have just done this from the start. My friends would still be alive if I had."

    Tightening his grip of the orb a large crack appears on its surface.

    I''d try to stop him but what could I do? It¡¯s meant to be broken so I couldn''t shatter it. Snatch it from his steel like grip? Attack him? Try to stab him through the hole in his helmet and get crushed again?

    No.

    If I run I could kill him when he least expects it.

    Quick on my feet I turn and run the other way as the orb shatters.

    A loud black tear rips through the air as I disappear into the woods.

    A long bone white arm surges out of the black tear, bursting through the bushes in pursuit.

    I move to dodge but the boney white hand is fast.

    Grip catches me by the neck and its fingers wrap around like snakes.

    Suddenly I''m pulled back. Through the forest, past the bush and across the clearing. Reeling me in, I kick as my legs drag and I''m trying frantically to pry the fingers from my neck, but its grip is godly. I even try to cut myself loose with my sword that i managed keep a hold of but even that wont even scratch it.

    At the moment before I am pulled in I catch a glimpse of Brayrd.

    The man is standing a few feet away and stepping back. The way he is standing portrays horror. He had never seen his own god yet he is terrified of its very hand.

    The hand is stark white. The fingers are long and move in an unnatural way, like snakes wrapping around their prey. And the arm is long, slender, hairless, smooth, thin and has far too many joints. The white flesh has dark, off white, blotches of coloring that look unnatural. It feels both hot and cold and the contact around my neck makes the touching skin feel like pins and needles.

    I''m pulled through the tear and it quickly closes.

    The environment here is different from anything I''m used to. The atmosphere here feels lifeless and stagnant.

    I''m held by the neck in a throne room. The architecture looks older than anything I''ve seen and had become lifeless from a time long forgotten. All the furniture and decor looked petrified. The tall windows are broken and no breeze passed through, no sounds of nature, not even light passed through, it''s just blackness passed the jagged glass.

    It looks like a battle happened here that took place long ago.

    A fight with no victors, judging by the abomination where the throne would be.

    A monster lay before me. Twisted body parts of flesh melded together. Fourteen arms. Fourteen legs. Seven heads.

    I could recognise each of those faces. They used to be the 7 gods of this world. As in they used to be 7 SEPARATE beings. I have no idea how or why they became like this.

    "Jack¡­"

    All 7 heads spoke my name at once. The grip around my neck softens. Becoming like the hand of a caring parent. Or a predator that knows that its prey can no longer escape.

    The 7 heads look at me in wonder, hunger and displeasure. Mostly hunger.

    "It''s been a while, Jack¡­" they speak at the same time, voices melding into one like the amalgamation that is their body. Their body isn''t like a messy ball of flesh mixed together. It''s more like a bowl of spaghetti holding itself up like a mountain made out of torso''s and limbs. The heads were not bunched together either, they dotted its mess, with a few of the heads tangled inside and just barely able to peek out.

    A moving, living, pile of bodies.

    Terror fills me and my struggling stops.

    I had forgotten how horrifying it is. And I had hoped to keep it forgotten.

    It''s been 23 years since I''ve seen this monster. The last time was when I was a kid, when it forced its gift onto me. I wasn''t supposed to see it. The others like me never saw it. Only heard its voices. And felt its gift.

    "A-." I try to speak but they start talking amongst themselves.

    "You''ve been a thorn. Rotten fruit, Jack."

    "Let us sate ourselves now."

    "But that would only make our situation worse."

    "He is sour. I can smell it. Not even close to sweet."

    "Tear him in two."

    Most of them argue. Unable to decide.

    Then they go quiet. Their eyes go unfocused.

    Then they all look to me again at the same time. World then speaks at once.

    "Jack. You have not done what you are meant to. I had gifted you yet you had not used it for good."

    "Your ''gifts'' are nothing but a lie! I refuse to help a monster!"

    "My gifts are like an apple to man, helpful, nourishing." World then looks at me with disgust. "You are like a worm that has burrowed its way into an apple, hiding and using my gift to nourish yourself instead of sharing it with others."

    Before I could reply World smiled and spoke again.

    "I wish to give you one more gift, my most special gift, a parting gift, perfect for such a parasite."

    One of its other hands then tears a hole in reality. Colors and shapes rapidly flow across the opening. If I look hard enough I could catch glimpses of places. Places that could not possibly exist in my world. Most looked hellish. Others looked empty.

    World then holds me just above the tear.

    "This new gift will make you a seed. One that will grow and spread its roots. One that one day bear fruit. Until then I will give you a second gift. My most special gift. To keep you from dying before then."

    Then it gave me its final gift.

    My soul burned. White hot agony as it embedded the new gift into my soul. All it needed was the contact it had with me to give it. I kicked and yelled in pain. A kind of pain I hadn''t felt in a long time. But this one felt different. Like it was corrupting instead of giving.

    The dark blotches on its body began to move down its body and came together along the arm that held me. Coming down the limb it flowed to me. My skin darkens until it becomes black.

    Once all of it left World''s body did it stop and I went limp in its gentle grip. Its expression becomes relieved, like a great burden was removed.

    "May you return one day and bring many fruit, parasite."

    World then let me go and I fell through the tear. Into the unknown.

 Chapter: 1

    I''ve seen this coming for the past month.

    Watching.

    Waiting.

    We waited.

    My wife and I kept them warm. Always watching them.

    Yet here I sit. In the bathroom brushing my scales as I stare at my reflection. Scales as white as snow that are already clean yet it continues. Nervous green eyes stare back at what will happen very soon. My body is slim and lightly shaking from the nerves.

    "You''re going to be a dad."

    The words left my mouth but they sounded alien. Unfamiliar. I''ve said them before but they had never hit me as strong as they did now.

    Right now my wife is laying in the bedroom with our eggs, waiting for my return as I work up my courage. My claws feel cemented to the tiles under me.

    Two eggs. I''m going to be a father of two hatchlings very soon. Any minute now. One of them had moved earlier, signifying a soon hatching. I tried to stay with my wife but my nerves got to me. It feels like my scales are vibrating, never had I felt them do this before. Is that normal?

    I turn on the sink and run the brush through the flowing faucet to clean it. The brush isn''t even dirty as my scales are already clean, I just feel the need to do it. Turning it off, I return to brushing. The scales on the back of my head and neck are larger and spike out. They tend to be the hardest to brush.

    Am I really ready to do this? To be a father? To take care of two hatchlings? That feels alien too.

    Should I polish my horns too? Should I look good for when they hatch? I have a tuxedo in the closet I could wear¡­

    My horns are white and antler-like. Still look mostly polished from this morning.

    "Come on, Galderus. You''ve been waiting for this moment for the past 5,400 years. You can''t just chicken out on the night of their hatching."

    ¡­

    More brushing is needed. To work up my courage.

    The wooden brush slips from my claws and clatters to the floor.

    "Honey? Are you going to hide in there all night and miss our eggs hatching?" My wife calls from the bedroom. Selen is her name. Her voice is rougher than mine, sounding strong.

    "I uh¡­ I''ll be out in a second." She''s right. I can''t stay in here forever. Even if my nerves are crawling i can''t miss seeing them hatch for the first time.

    Picking up the fallen brush I return it to its spot next to the sink.

    "Ok. You can do this. Just walk out there and join her." As I walk to the door my mind shifts to the thought of my brother, Kemok. I had called him when the eggs first moved and he said he would get here as soon as possible. Kemok tends to be very busy but I doubt he would miss a moment like this. I just hope he gets here soon. He isn''t really needed but his experience as a doctor would be nice to have nearby if needed.

    Opening the door I see my wife selen. She is a yellow scaled dragoness with blue eyes and tan stick-like horns. She has well built muscles and has many scars doting her body. Selen is currently laying on the bed with her tail curled around the eggs next to her protectively.

    "How are the eggs?" The eggs have a towel under them so when they hatch it would be easier to clean the shell pieces.

    "One is still moving here and there but the other hasn''t yet." She tells me. "Could you close the window? The night is getting too cold for the eggs."

    "Sure." Maybe we really do need Kemok. The fact that only one of the eggs are moving has me worried but maybe its too early to judge. Its still going to worry me.

    I look out the open window as a cool gust of wind blows in. It''s a dark alley just outside the window and the faint sound of a distant party reaches my ears. Seeing nobody outside I shut the window and close the curtains. "Better?"

    Selen nods and I return to her.

    Laying down on the bed I settle myself next to the eggs across from her. My tail meets hers and they curl around each other lovingly.

    "Still feeling nervous, Galderus?" She nuzzles my neck and I do the same with hers. Rough scales interrupted by a scar that disfigures them here and there. Her beauty might be damaged but she is still the dragoness I fell for.

    "Maybe. But I should be here with you and the eggs instead of locking myself in the bathroom." I can''t believe how calm she is about this. If I hadn''t known her for most of my life I''d say she had done this before. But I knew that wasn''t why.

    One of the eggs move and our attention turns to them.

    Two white oval shaped eggs sitting next to each other on a red towel. The same one moves again, teetering left to right.

    "I feel that it will hatch any second now." Selen tells me and she sniffs the egg.

    "The other one still hasn''t moved?"

    "No... Not yet at least." Her tail squeezes mine which I return. We both are worried.

    *Ding dong!*

    Both of our heads perk up to the sound of our doorbell ringing.

    "Kemok got here faster than I expected." I tell her as i get up, our tails untangling.

    "Ill stay here with the eggs. Don''t be long, honey." She tells me and we nuzzle.

    Leaving the bedroom''s carpet floor, my claws meet the hardwood hallway. Claws lightly clicking with every step as I make my way to the living room. Coming to the front door I unlock it and open it.

    Waiting outside on the steps is a dragon that looks almost identical to myself. White scales, green eyes, thin build. The only difference is his horns are ram-like.

    "Kemok." I smile which he returns with one of his own.

    "Galderus. Am I late? Did they hatch already?" He enters as I open the door for him. Closing the door and locking it I start leading him back to the bedroom.

    "No, you are just in time. Selen feels that one will hatch very soon."

    "She would know. Only one? What about the other egg?"

    "It hasn''t moved yet. We''re feeling a bit worried."

    "Give it more time. Has Selen shown any overprotectiveness? Has she been snappy or bitey?" Dragons today are much different than their ancestors, most primitive instincts were gone but can still show up on very rare occasions. Overly protective mother dragons were rare but the least rare when their eggs were due to hatching.

    "She is fine. I''d probably lose a wing if she did."

    We make it to the bedroom and see Selen look to them from the eggs.

    "It''s hatching."

    My heart almost stops at those two words. The tingling of my scales that were fading away returned in force. Without thought my legs quickly carried me back to the bed where I then laid back down in my spot.

    One of the eggs, the one that had been moving, has a long jagged crack on its surface. The egg teeters again and another crack appears on it.

    Kemok sits at the foot of the bed as all three of them watched is silence.

    Little muffled squeaks come from the hatching egg as it breaks more and more.

    Then a little muzzle breaks through and takes in its first breath. A cute small white scaled muzzle. Gulping in oxygen.

    Kemok watches with calculating green eyes for anything wrong.

    The hatchling then shifts in its egg before breaking free. The egg breaks into pieces that sticks to it as it falls over onto the towel.

    Snow white scales cover its body and it has short stick-like tan horns on its head. It opens its eyes, revealing them to be blue as it sees its parents for the first time.

    Feelings flow through me at the sight of our hatchling. Feelings I''ve never had before mixed with ones that I was familiar with.

    "Congratulations, it''s a boy. Looks like a healthy hatchling." Kemok tells us with a smile. The hatchling looks to him at the sound of his voice.

    "Kaid. His name will be Kaid." Selen tells us as she picks the stuck egg shells off the hatchling.

    "Kaid¡­ I like it. I get to name the other one, right?" I had the perfect name for the other one if it turns out to be a male too.

    "You can''t name it Stratacaster, Galderus." Selen lightly growls at me and I sigh. Kemok just rolls his eyes.

    "Fine..."

    "Really, Galderus? From that old book our grandpa used to read to us?"

    "It''s a cool name. How could I not use it?"

    The hatchling squeaks and playfully bats at his mothers claw before losing its balance and falling over. Squirming a little it quickly figures out how to stand again, pushing itself back into a standing position. Putting one leg in front of the other it shakily stumbles but is slowly figuring out how to walk.

    Taking another step it loses balance and falls against the other egg, making the egg roll onto its side.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    "Careful, Kaid. Your sibling is in there." I tell the hatchling as Selen picks him up with her tail and sets him closer to her.

    I turn the egg back up right with a claw, that''s when I feel it faintly move. A small bit of life shifting just inside.

    "Selen, I felt the egg move." Both Selen and Kemok look at it. Kemok looked worried.

    "Did it move like Kaid''s egg did or was it barely there?"

    "It was faintly moving. Why?"

    "At the hospital hatchery I''ve seen eggs with hatchlings that are too weak to break out by themselves. We would have to break them out ourselves to save them but they would grow up too weak to take care of themselves or have health defects." Kemok looked apologetic at what he is implying, but had to tell us.

    My heart jumped into my throat and Selen look equally affected.

    "Your saying¡­" I couldn''t bring myself to finish my sentence.

    "When a hatchling is ready to hatch it will wake up and break itself out in the span of an hour. But if its body forms with a defect it might wake up too weak to break out itself. May I inspect the egg to make sure that isn''t the issue?"

    He didn''t even really have to ask to hold it as I was already picking it up to hand it to him. He''s my brother so of course I trusted him. Selen didn''t make any complaints but she did keep a watchful eye as Kemok gently took it from my claws.

    My brother sat there with the egg in his claw. Then he brings it to his ear and listens.

    Kaid lets out little squeaks which stole Selens attention. She uses her claws to play with the hatchling which Kaid would bite and claw, unable to damage his mothers scales.

    Kemok slowly sets the egg back down in its spot on the towel and lets out a sigh.

    "I''m sorry, Selen. Galderus. But it''s not able to break its way out on its own."

    Selen grips the bed with her free paw and her claws sink in.

    "So what should we do? Break it out? Isn''t that important for its development?" Selen asks with an edge to her voice. Neither of us were mad at Kemok but we didn''t like the thought of losing a hatchling before it could even hatch or even ruining it for the rest of its life.

    "Leaving it as it is would kill the hatchling so this leaves two options. You either let it pass on or free it and let it live with what problems it has. Even then it could die shortly after. I cant make this choice for you as it is up to the both of you as the parents.

    Neither choice sounded good to me. Wasn''t there another option? "Couldn''t we take it to the hospital or use magic to fix the egg?"

    Kemok shakes his head sadly. "I''m sorry, Galderus. But those are the only choices. The hospital cant fix something like this and there are no magic users powerful enough are almost unheard of. The hatchling could die long before you can find one. Id give it 30 minutes before it passes."

    Crushing. That''s how the news felt. To hear that there was no right option hurt. I look to my wife. She looks very unhappy and angry. Her lips partially parted and showing some teeth.

    "We are not just going to let it die. We will break it out and let it decide if it will live, Kemok." She sounded very sure.

    Kemok looks to me and I nod. What she said made sense to me.

    "Then you know what to do." Kemok tells us.

    I make eye contact with my wife.

    "Should you do it, Selen? Your claws are steadier than mine." I then look to my brother. "Cant you? Your claws are way steadier than ours. And you are a doctor."

    But Kemok shakes his head again. "As a doctor it is my job to save lives. But we have a rule that forbids me from stepping in to help with this. I''m sorry, I would if I could."

    "Take Kaid, honey. Ill do it." She holds out the hatchling with her tail which I took into mine. Setting the little guy down against my chest she picks up the still egg. Kaid''s scales feel soft since he is freshly hatched, as his scales dry they will harden.

    The room is quiet as Selen lays there with the egg in her claws. She stares hard at it and I wonder what she could be thinking. Thinking of how to best break it without hurting the hatchling inside? Rethinking about doing this?

    "Kyn." She says.

    "What?"

    "His name will be Kyn and he will live a full life."

    "How do you know it will be a he?" How could she when it isn''t even out of its egg yet?

    "A mother just knows." Kemok tells me.

    "Kaid and Kyn." I test the names. The image of two white hatchlings play through my mind, both looking identical but with minor differences. Like me and my brother.

    Selen and I smile. It seems we were both thinking of the same thing.

    *Crack*

    Selen gently creates a crack along its surface with a claw, being careful not to pierce or crush it.

    *Crick*

    *Clck*

    She moves her claw away after she makes a hole.

    Then a muzzle pokes out of the hole with a color I did not expect.

    Black.

    "A form of defect?" Kemok mumbles to himself in curiosity as he leans in to get a closer look.

    The hatchling inside takes in deep needy breaths of air and little coughs as it struggles to breath.

    "Underdeveloped lungs?" Kemok mumbles again.

    "Should I break Kyn out completely?" Selen asks as she holds it.

    "If it couldn''t do it before then it can now. Go ahead, Selen." He tells her.

    Carefully she breaks the egg apart piece by piece. Soon she has half of the egg gone, revealing Kyn''s Black scaled body. Amongst its black scales were red ones clustered around its body. Black segmented horns that end in a point.

    The hatchling looks nothing like either of us.

    "Hes another boy, congrats to you two." Kemok tells us as Selen removes the last of the shell. She then lays Kyn down on the towel where he lays there unmoving except for his breathing and little coughs. "I don''t see any deformities except that he is too thin and has trouble breathing. Hold him close to your body to share your warmth, it could help his body develop and might help with his breathing troubles. It works with mammals so it might help." Kemok instructs her and she does as he says, holding Kyn softly to her chest and keeping it warm.

    Kemok then stands up. "I''ll be back. I''m going to go and get something to help with its breathing. I think there''s a store with medicine nearby."

    "There''s a little store two blocks away called Romario''s Ailments." I tell him. Kemok is our neighbor but he had moved in just after we moved in to this place 2 months ago. So we were all kinda new to the area.

    "Alright ill head there. Be back soon." With that he leaves the room and into the hall at a fast pace.

    The room is quiet after he left other than the squeaks of Kain as the hatchling bites my claws.

    "Are you okay, Selen?" She is staring down at Kyn held against her chest. Her attention breaks away and shifts to me. Then she does something I hadn''t seen her do in over 1,000 years, a tear drips down the side of her face followed by another.

    She is holding back most of her feelings but some of it is getting through.

    "Its okay, Selen. Kyn will be fine." I wrap my tail around hers and squeeze tightly. She returns the hold.

    She opens her mouth to speak but all that comes out is a warbled croak. Closing her mouth she looks away.

    For as long as I''ve known her she didn''t like showing weakness. She can be gentle, loving or even rough if she has to but she hated showing this side. So I did what I always did in these rare moments. Spreading a wing out I covered her where she hid her face and silently wept.

    We laid there like that in silence for a bit.

    Eventually she pulls from under my wing that I then retract back. Her eyes are red but the tears are gone.

    "I love you, Selen."

    "I love you too, Galderus."

    10 minutes later Kemok returns. A paper bag hangs from his mouth as he walks in. Selen''s eyes aren''t red anymore.

    Sitting back in his spot at the foot of the bed he sets the bag down.

    "Okay. I got some incense and other stuff that might help with his breathing. It might not help much but its better than nothing."

    "Thank you kemok for helping." Selen tells him and slides the bag closer to her so she could dig through it.

    "No problem. It''s the best I can do for my nephew in need. I can''t wait to watch them grow up."

    Selen pulls out a small tube of a gel ment to clear airways for breathing. Opening it she applies it and rubs it around Kyns nostrils. The hatchling doesn''t make any movement to stop her. It''s to give off a smell that opens your airways.

    Within seconds Kyn''s breathing smoothes out just a little. He''s still coughing a bit but it''s something. Anything is better than nothing.

    "That''s the best I can do for now. So I think I should give you two alone time and turn in for the night."

    "Take the guest room. I know you live right next door but it would make us feel better if you were closer." I asked him. It really would make us feel better¡­

    "Then i''ll grab a few things from my house and sleep here." With that Kemok gets up and heads back to the door. "Goodnight." He leaves and the bedroom door clicks closed.

    I fold up the towel with the eggshells in it and set it on the floor off the bed. Grabbing Kain, I move closer to Selen till our sides are touching. The lively little hatchling let out chirps, wanting to play and squirming and biting. Kain will learn how to speak soon, in about a month he will know the basics.

    Selen and i watch as i release the little demon who then jumps out of my claws. He mostly stumbles over his own legs as he runs around the mattress in front of us. Biting anything he can sink his teeth in which is just the bed and blankets, shredding the material.

    "Were going to have to teach him not to do that¡­" Selen tells me with a smile at her son''s antics.

    "As long as he doesnt get into the closet. I need my suits for work."

    We watch him for a bit longer in silence.

    I feel better than I did before they hatched, it wasn''t as scary as I thought it was going to be. My scales no longer tingled and I feel more sure about this.

    I''m a dad now.

    And Selen, my beautiful wife, is now a mother.

    Being a dad of two. I can definitely do that, taking care of two hatchlings for the next 300 years sounds exciting. Would they take after me? Or would they be more like their mother? Maybe a mix of both of us?

    "They are going to be hungry in the morning."

    I hadn''t picked up any meat from the store today and all the meat we have is cooked. New hatchlings are to be fed raw meat as their first meal by cultural standards. Our ancestors used to be fully carnivorous. Raw meat tastes fine but doesn''t taste anywhere as cooked and seasoned. I liked mine well done.

    "Ill pick up some meat in the morning before they wake up. The stores are probably already closed." I lay on my side and a sigh escapes my lips. I felt tired already even though I left work early to be here. I wonder if Kemok feels the same.

    Selen watches me and bumps my shoulder with her muzzle.

    "We should sleep early. Even Kain is getting tired."

    Kain was indead running out of steam already. Once hyper and biting everything, now he is sitting close to Selen with his eyes trying to stay open. Pieces of our blanket sticking out of his mouth, Selen starts taking them out. Kain moves his mouth away but a light growl from her gets him to stay still.

    I get up and turn off the light, drenching the room in darkness. Layne back down with Selen we blanketed a wing over each others backs.

    "Do you have Kyn?" I ask her as I grab Kain, pulling him close and he cuddles against my warm scales.

    "I have him." She lays her head down with Kyn in both of her claws against her chest.

    "Goodnight, Selen."

    "Goodnight, Honey."

    It wasn''t long till I heard her fall asleep, her breathing turning gentle and slow. Kain had fallen asleep too.

    The only other sound was Kyn''s coughs.

    My heart clenches with worry. It didn''t sound good but there is nothing else we can do.

    I didnt expect for his scales to turn out black. It common just as any other scale color is but when was the last time that color showed up in either of our families? It couldn''t be from my side as all of my families colors are white. It couldn''t be from Selen''s side either. Kyn has my scale pattern¡­

    Kemok mentioned it was a defect. Two light scaled dragons don''t make a black dragon so it could just be that something went wrong with him in the egg while he was still forming.

    The idea of cheating wasn''t on the table. We know of no dragon that is black and she doesn''t like getting hit on by other males. Honestly, when I first met her I thought she was into females.

    Defect.

    What if he doesnt ma-

    I shake my head free of the thought.

    No. They were both going to grow up together.

    They were going to learn together and watch each other''s backs as they grow up.

    I cant wait to take care of them tomorrow with Selen. I had cleared my schedule for it.

    Slowly my mind fades into the lull of sleep¡­

    It wasn''t until the middle of the night that Kyn stopped breathing and passed away.

 Chapter: 2

    "...-ack?"

    "Jack?"

    .

    .

    .

    A shock surges through my body and im brought back into the land of the living. Taking in a deep breath to fill my lungs with air i can feel that they had changed. My lungs had changed, before they felt shriveled or incomplete. Now they feel almost normal.

    I dont know where i am or how i got here. I had awaken in a tightly small prison i couldn''t even move in. Not only that but i felt so weak, weaker than i had ever felt before. Even as my body is covered in pins and needles from having my soul pulled back into my body i can feel that i am still just as weak.

    Is this my punishment? Tossed like garbage and forced to experience death? Just to be shocked back to life? Am I going to die again?

    I was broken out of that prison I couldn''t get myself out of. Who broke me out? I couldn''t breathe in there and someone helped me.

    Or I should say something.

    I dont know what it was that helped me but it didnt sound human, and it sounded big. There were multiple big things, monsters. Growling.

    I couldn''t even open my eyes to see them.

    Slowly the sensation crawling through my body fades away and feeling returns.

    My body. Another thing wrong with all of this.

    Something feels so wrong about my body. It feels so different than normal, its shape feels all wrong and every muscle i had been familiar with is different, wired differently, new muscles too. Too many limbs. Limbs that are wrong now. My skin feels wrong. My mouth feels wrong.

    What has World done to me? Could that thing really do something like this?

    I feel warm. Im being held against something warm and rough. I can hear a heart beat.

    My eyes dont feel heavy anymore. When i open them i find myself being held against a wall of yellow scales. The light here is dim but a nearby source is keeping wherever i am from being black.

    Turning my head I find out that it can rotate 180 degrees now. My neck is abnormally longer¡­

    My heart skips a beat at the sight of two giant dragons sleeping. And im being held against one!

    So these dragons saved me from my prison? Why? Just for a small snack to eat later?

    I have to get out of here! I dont want to die again!

    Quickly i take in the environment i am in. It looks to be some nobles house. Everything looks too nice and clean to be anywhere else. And everything looks way bigger than normal? What the hell is wrong with this place? Why are there dragons here? How did they break in? Why am i here?

    There are two giant doors, one is open just a crack. There is also a window with closed curtains, lite up by morning light.

    No signs of damage but that door is definitely my escape route.

    But how am i going to get out of this dragons claws? Ive never been this close to a dragon before, hell ive only seen a dragon once in my life! And it was through a spyglass watching a few miles away as it massacred a stronghold.

    At least i have a few tricks up my sleeve.

    Concentrating on casting a slight of hand spell i pull magic from my core to fuel it. Instead the magic i attempt to pull is wrong now. The magic i''m familiar with is so different, it feels like trying to read a foreign language. Unable to understand it the magic slips from my hold and the spell fails to cast.

    What the hell? Where did my magic go?

    I search for my magic but the wrong one is all there is to find. Looks like spells are out of the equation for now. Ill have to do this the old fashioned way.

    putting my hands up against the dragons side my heart drops at the sight of claws come up instead. Another reason that my body feels so wrong.

    Slowly i push against the dragon''s scales. Soon im able to slip free and I fall on my side on the soft mattress. Attempting to stand on my two feet makes me lose balance due to my tail, my scaled tail, a tail i can feel like its an arm. And I have wings too, hanging limply and dragging against the mattress as I crawl on all fours to its edge. I feel like I can move them but its connected to muscles my brain isn''t familiar with. Same for my tail which is in the same condition.

    The mattress ends and its an easy step down onto the carpet since it isn''t held up on pegs nor a bed frame.

    The pads of my clawed feet meet soft carpet and i stumble my way quietly towards the door. Upon coming up to the door i stop and nearly jump out of my skin at the sight of another dragon! There''s a hole in the wall between the two doors where the dragon is standing. Its the same size as me with black scales and red eyes. fear, alert and surprise are the emotions it is somehow showing.

    A dragon showing fear? Ive never heard of one capable of it. And how is it showing such emotion? It feels so spooky and unnatural how i could read its eyes too as it takes in my appearance as it take in its.

    But something else is wrong with this dragon. Its body looks so thin and frail. Its legs wobble where it stands. Its wings and tail hang limply and dead-like.

    It then slowly dawns on me who this dragon is.

    There is no hole in the wall. Its just a big mirror leaning against the wall.

    This is why my body feels so wrong.

    "I-i''m a dragon?" The words slip out from my mouth, or my muzzle, or my maw?

    Coming closer to the mirror I open my mouth and get a good look at it. Sharp draconic teeth and a pointed tongue. Closing my mouth i try to make facial expressions but stop when i see the dragons in the bed.

    Two dragons sleeping together, one white and one yellow. Their wings cover each other like a blanket.

    Lovers?

    On the ground by the bed is a towel with broken egg shells on it. In the claws of the white dragon is something i hadn''t noticed before, a little baby dragon.

    Oh no. Is that their kid?

    I need to leave. Now.

    I then notice that the yellow dragon is looking at me with one blue eye open. A shiver crawls up my back.

    Going to the door i put an arm through it and pull it more open so i can pass through. As it opens its hinges let out a slow yet loud creak that has me scrambling to just push my body through.

    The white dragon wakes up too and opens its eyes while the yellow dragon starts to get up. Both of them see me slip through the door.

    My claws meet the glossy hardwood floor of a short dark hallway. The door i came from is at its end and i can see 5 other doors. The other end of the hallway opens into a bigger room which i make my way towards as quick as i can. My legs are already burning and i dont like how brittle my bones in them feel as it affect my speed, making me alarmingly slow.

    The door I left behind opens with a creak and a second set of claws clacking like mine is heard.

    Looking back shows the yellow dragon is following me. Big, black slitted, blue eyes watching me.

    Our eyes meet and the dragon suddenly stops, face changing from curiosity to¡­ concern?

    I lose my balance, stumble, and fall onto my side. Big claws then gently grab me. Panic fills me and i struggle to break free, but the dragons grip is way stronger than my weak body.

    Exhausting myself, I stop and accept my death as I am being lifted towards the dragon''s mouth.

    To think, a legendary bandit like myself dying without being able to at least fight. Powerless.

    I expect its mouth to open as i near it but instead i pass it and go hire. I''m then placed on its head and let go. Before my brain can process what is happening the dragon starts moving. On its way in the direction I had been heading.

    I quickly lay myself flat on its head so as to not fall off. The dragon even tries to keep its head steady.

    What is going on?! Why am I not dead?!

    Is it just playing with its food?

    If so then what was that concern it showed?

    How did it even show that emotion? Animals don''t make facial expressions!

    The dragon comes to the end of the hallway and it opens into a dual-purpose room. On the right looks to be a living room with two couches, a fireplace, a low table, and a carpet. Above the fireplace is a weird looking black, glossy, rectangle thing.

    On the left is a nice looking kitchen with a marble top and an island. The kitchen top has odd looking objects and there is what i can guess is a big icebox with a metal surface. Definitely has to be a nobles house. The place is too nice and clean!

    The dragon then uses the end of its tail to touch a lightly glowing rune on the wall. The place is light up with light and my vision goes white and painful, making me squint.

    A Rune? Isn''t that type of magic rare? and it''s being used as a light?

    As my vision adjusts I''m picked up again. My claws meet a cold, hard surface and im let go. My vision returns and I see the dragon is looking down at me, its eyes making little movements as it takes in my appearance.

    Something about all of this feels off or something. It has that feel about it that makes me feel like its intelligent. I mean sure, all the stories and tales tell of dragons being capable of emotion and a well of knowledge. But those were old stories and all of the recent ones tell of dragon as fierce murderous machines capable of felling kingdoms. They were animals, monsters, filled with rage.

    If that''s true then why does something about this dragon feel¡­ human? Or at least human-like.

    Take in its appearance too, its body is covered in scars of many shapes and sizes. There''s even a scar running down an eye, making that eye have a small squint. Two short Brown stick-like horns pointing back with blunt ends, yellow scales and blue eyes.

    The dragon then turns away and opens a cabinet and then the icebox. As it turns away i spot a very nasty big scar located on the center spine of its back. A scar that looks like it should have either killed it or disabled it.

    Closing the icebox it turns back to me and puts a bowel in front of me. With a weird not glass looking canteen thing it pours water into the bowel.

    I then realize how dry my mouth feels. But is it safe to drink? What if its poisoned? Ive learned to use a poison detect spell a long time ago but i cant use my magic.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    Looking up at the dragon to see if its offering it gestures to the bowl and makes a growl. A non-threatening, weird growl.

    Kinda like a language. Is it speaking to me? Did that growl have a meaning behind it? It had this sort of complex sound to it¡­

    Everything going on feels so alien and unnatural.

    When i didnt take a drink the dragon tilts its head a bit in confusion. It then goes to say something but stops at the sound of a door opening from the hall.

    Another dragon walks in from the dark hallway. Its scales are white, green eyes and ram-like horns. Its eyes zero¡¯d in on me and it smiled. How can an animal smile? But this one also has that same intelligence in its eyes.

    It then started to make those weird, language-like growls to the yellow dragon who would answer back. The white dragon approaches and looks to me and then the bowel with a look of thought.

    I''d leave if I could. But it looks like there is no escape. No exits and I''m too weak and small to make any. The best thing to do for now would be to play along and try not to anger these unnatural dragons. I''ll slip out the first chance I get and¡­ and then I''d¡­

    The dragon picks up the bowel of water and while making eye contact with me it takes a sip. It then passes it to the yellow dragon who does the same. The bowel is then placed in front of me, just under my chin. Both of them are watching me.

    Were they trying to show me that the water isn''t poisoned? I mean I am pretty thirsty and they aren''t dying. Does poison even work on dragons? So that means it won''t work on me either, right? I do seem to be stuck in the body of a dragon.

    Looking down at the water I could see black-slitted red eyes staring back.

    How do I even go about drinking it? Ram and yellow just drank it like a human but i can''t lift it. Do i just drink it like a dog or do I dunk my muzzle in and drink?

    I decide to go with the second option and cool refreshing water fills my mouth. I keep my nostrils above the water.

    As I drink the two dragons start doing their growl-talk to each other as they watch me. I of course watch them back as I don''t trust them.

    Ram then walks around the table and opens the front door. I''m tempted to make a break for it but dropping to the floor would probably break my legs, the dragon would just close it and they are both way faster than me. I''ll have to find another way.

    Ram leaves and closes the door behind itself, leaving me with yellow.

    Once I''m done drinking, yellow takes the bowel and puts it in the sink. The dragon then reaches for me with a claw and I hold still. It didn''t hurt me before so it won''t hurt me this time, right?

    Picking me up im placed back on its head. The dragon fills the bowel up with water and holds it with its mouth before walking back into the hall. The dragon takes me back into the bedroom and i see a white dragon laying on the bed.

    Wait. Isn''t that ram? Didn''t I just see it leave out the front door?

    No. Wait. This one has different horns. It''s a different dragon. This one has antlers and looks to be just waking up. Blue eyes open and look to yellow, giving a small growl that yellow answers back to.

    ¡°Grrll rrgghh rrr.¡±

    That''s what they sound like. Weird forms of growls.

    Yellow puts me down on the mattress followed by the bowel being placed next to me. Probably for their hatchling.

    Again I feel that I shouldn''t be here, considering I''m in the same room with two parent dragons and their kid. Doesn¡¯t things like this with animals end poorly?

    Yellow lays back down with antlers and I leave the mattress. My claws meet the carpet floor and I walk up to the mirror. I and that black dragon in the mirror meet up at the wall and we sit down.

    Its so wild to be in the body of a dragon. Standing in the mirror and expecting to see a human on the other side. No messy brown curls. No gray eyes staring back.

    My eyes wander away and to what''s behind me. Yellow and Antlers are in a conversation, they would glance at me here and there. I look lower and see the little white dragon is just now waking up. Blue eyes open and it yawns before clumsily falling of its fathers legs. Its picked up by antlers and placed down next to the bowel, to which the little dragon began to drink.

    I looked lower and to that towel covered in egg shells. It looks like there''s more eggshells than one egg would make, or at least judging by the baby dragons size. About two eggs worth of shells. If that''s true then there''s a second kid dragon?

    I quickly scan around their reflection, searching for the second one, but couldn''t find it.

    Where is it? Why aren''t the kids together?

    And then my eyes stopped on that black dragon in the mirror. The only other hatchling sized dragon in the room. The second egg.

    The realization hit me as all the dots connected. The prison, the two eggs, the dragon taking care of me, the lack of aggression, waking up in a dragon''s body.

    I''m the second hatchling. These are my parents.

    Or at least this body¡¯s parents.

    How? Why? Is something like this really possible?

    What had World done to me?!

    I can feel the panic rising. The fear. The anger.

    I had a family. I had a life I loved. Both torn away.

    Suddenly I''m gently picked up and carried back to the bed. Antlers lays back down and I¡¯m sat down. Both of the dragons'' faces were now up close and¡­ nuzzling me?

    They are nuzzling me and making warbling noises. That panic went away like smoke in the wind, going away faster than anything had in my life.

    I don''t like this. They were being too nice.

    I step away from this and they stop.

    ¡°Rff grrtfg.¡± Antler growls something to Yellow who nods in agreement.

    To think. I worked hard to get to where I was. I am even considered a legendary bandit! It''s not easy getting a title like that! Sure, my gift is what kept me alive to get there but that doesnt mean I didn''t earn it.

    And now? How could I keep doing what I know as a dragon? One sight of me could get me hunted. And how can I build another family? The one I had was perfect, we all cared for each other.

    I am brought out of my thoughts by something bumping my side. Looking over I see it''s the hatchling bumping me with its nose.

    Seeing that it has my attention it sits up and its tail tip moves from side to side. It then stands and looks like it wants to play.

    Yeah, no. I''m not the type to ¡®play¡¯. I''m a 34 year old man, not some kid.

    At seeing that i''m not interested it gains a look of sadness, making my heart twist.

    ¡°Fine¡­¡± I mutter under my breath and turn to it. My body is already aching from everything that''s happened but maybe I have some energy left.

    -_-_-_-

    ¡°I wonder what set him off?¡± Galderus muttered to Selen as they watched their hatchlings play tag. Or should they say one is playing tag while the other is just playing along, not really moving too much.

    ¡°Maybe he was scared by his own reflection?¡± Selen answered back. At least she hoped that''s all it was, what Kemok told them yesterday has her worried that there was more to it. But maybe she is overthinking it.

    The both of them watch their two hatchlings play for a bit. It wasn''t long till Kyn fell onto his side in exhaustion and Kain stepped closer to his brother wondering what happened.

    ¡°When did you say Kemok left to get the meat for me?¡± Galderus asks as Selen picks up Kyn with her tail to bring him close to her. Kain makes squeaks of protest as his brother is taken away but Galderus distracts him with his claw.

    ¡°not long before you woke up. He should have been back by now considering the store is a block away.¡± Selen holds Kyn close to her chest. She glances at the half empty bowel and wonders if she should refill it.

    ¡°Maybe there''s a line? Hey, no damaging my scales, mine aren''t as tough as your mothers, Kain.¡± Galderus lifts his claw up out of Kains reach who had been biting too hard. ¡°Maybe we should take this to the living room. I can make us coffee.¡±

    ¡°I would love that.¡±

    With that they collected their hatchlings, Kain on Galderus¡¯s head and Kyn on Selen¡¯s. Together they left the room and down the hall. In the living room Selen sat down on the couch and Galderus gave her Kain before taking the bowel she brought with her. Bowel in mouth he goes over to the kitchen and puts the bowel in the sink before getting started on making fresh coffee. On the living room side Selen grabs the remote and turns on the tv, changing the channel to the news station.

    Feeling Kyn move on her head, Selen picks him up and places him on a cushion on the coffee table. The black hatchling looks to have caught his breath.

    Selen felt¡­ very relieved to see him not struggling to breath anymore. That mammal thing Kemok told her to do looks to have worked wonders. If they hadnt had Kemok come over would her hatchling have¡­

    Selen shakes her head to clear the thought. Her hatching is fine now, there''s no need to dwell on the what if¡¯s.

    Speaking of Kyn, he is looking at the tv above the fireplace in wonder and curiosity. And Kain? The white hatchling next to her was pawing at her side but now has stopped and is looking at the tv in confusion.

    She picks him up and sets him down on his own cushion next to Kyn on the table. Her attention is then brought to the news anchor on the tv. A silver dragon with equally silver eyes wearing a tie.

    ¡°-of more undead activity spreading closer to the city¡¯s eastern wall. King Alborian has raised the number of guards on that side and sending more forces to push back the growing threat. Last week a village that the king had fortified to hold them back had fallen, leaving only 2 surviv-.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like bad news.¡± Galderus hands her a fresh cup of coffee and he joins her on the couch with a cup of his own.

    ¡°I should be out there helping¡­¡± Selen glares at the tv and takes a sip.

    Galderus frowns and shakes his head. ¡°I know you would be able to help if you could, but if you did then who would watch our hatchlings? They can''t raise themselves.¡±

    Selen sighs but nods. She understands that, Galderus couldn''t do it with his job and even if he could she would be useless if she went to help. Not that they would let her if she tried.

    The thought of not being able to do anything weighed down on her soul.

    Galderus could see her wanting to do something so he tries to cheer her up.

    ¡°Hey, you kn-.¡± but he''s interrupted by the front door opening.

    Kemok walks in with a wrapped package of meat in his mouth. He closes the door and puts the package on the kitchen table. ¡°I''m back. How are the hatchlings?¡±

    ¡°They are fine. But they could use some breakfast.¡± Galderus says as he gets up and goes to the kitchen.

    ¡°What took you so long? Line at the checkout?¡± Selen asks him.

    ¡°Yah, sorry for taking so long. There was no line but on my way back I ran into the oddest dragon I''ve ever met.¡± Kemok slides the packaged meat across the kitchen island where it stops in the waiting claws of Galderus on the other side.

    ¡°Oh? What was so odd about this dragon?¡± One of Selen¡¯s ears perk up in curiosity and she looks back at him.

    ¡°He was wingless and wearing a set of full-plate armor covered in illegal runes. I went and told a guard when we were done speaking.¡±

    ¡°I wonder how he got so far into the city without being spotted sooner.¡± Selen wondered and looked to the news that is now talking about weather. Had the king pulled that many guards to the eastern wall? No it wouldn''t need that many.

    ¡°maybe he is an azakan dragon and didn''t know the runes were illegal?¡± Galderus asks as he opens the packaged meat. Fresh red meat is revealed, perfect.

    ¡°he wasn''t an azakan. There were stumps where his wings should be.¡± Seeing fresh coffee in the maker, Kemok goes to make himself a cup.

    ¡°Poor guy. Did he say anything to you?¡±

    ¡°Not really. He seemed nervous even though he was bigger than me. When we parted ways he started following me for a bit so I searched for the nearest guard. I Haven''t seen him since.¡±

    ¡°Well it''s good you got back safe, Kemok. I''m sure the guards will have it handled.¡± Galderus looks at his brother with worry. Was it a criminal? But Kemok doesn''t look too bothered by the experience so it must be fine. ¡°Wanna help me make breakfast after we feed the hatchlings, Kemok?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Galderus takes the meat and brings it back to the couch. Sitting with his wife he puts it on the coffee table between Kain and Kyn. He then lines up a claw to the meat and cleanly slices it in half.

    ¡°Do you remember the first time you had raw meat after you hatched, Galderus?¡± Selen asks him and takes half of the meat. It''s sitting on its opened paper packaging so she tears it in half so both halves of the meat has something to sit on instead of dirtying the table.

    ¡°Not really. Hard to remember something that happened 6,000 years ago.¡±

    Kain catches sight of the meat as Galderus slides it in front of him. Curiously the hatchling sniffs it before his instincts kicked in and he sinks his teeth into it.

    ¡°I remember. It''s the first and last time we feel what our ancestors felt. I remember seeing the meat my parents put before me and a feeling took over. I remember my body moving on its own to eat.¡± Selen slides her half of the meat before Kyn. The black hatchling who had been staring at the tv turns to look at the meat. He then lurks forward to bite into the meat but suddenly snaps back before he could.

    Kyn then takes a few steps back with wide eyes and shakes his head, his red eyes glued to the meat.

    This confused Selen. She had felt what her hatchling is feeling but why is he fighting it? How could he be fighting it?

    Kemok watches from the kitchen as he sips his coffee.

    Galderus pulls his attention from Kain to watch.

    Kyn shakes his head again and is able to regain control of himself, he looks away from the meat. Not daring himself to see if it would happen again.

    ¡°I haven''t seen a hatchling do that before.¡± Kemok comments as he forgets his coffee on the island and comes over to stand next to the couch.

    ¡°Is he okay? It won''t cause him problems later will it?¡± Galderus asks with worry.

    ¡°How can he fight his instinct? When I felt mine it happened before I could even react.¡± Selen slides the meat back further from Kyn, not wanting to risk anything going wrong.

    ¡°It might have something to do with his troubled development. Maybe we should take him to the hospital tomorrow. We have a scanner that''s currently broken but it''ll be fixed by tomorrow.¡± Kemok watched the hatchling and felt surprised that Kyn looked to be processing what had happened so fast and knew what triggered it. Hatchlings mentally grew up fast, usually able to speak within the first week. It''s the first day after hatching that they don''t have a full consciousness. But Kyn is visibly showing awareness.

    What could that mean for Selen and Galderuses hatchling? Did that mean Kyn would grow up smarter? Would he have a shorter life? Kemok didn''t know the answer but he would have to ask a fellow doctor tomorrow who would know.

    ¡°We¡¯ll bring him in tomorrow then.¡± Selen tells him.

    ¡°I''m sure it''s fine to break tradition for Kyn, right? It doesn''t have another purpose?¡± Galderus asks and both Selen and Kemok shook their heads.

    ¡°No, it''s just tradition.¡± Kemok tells him.

 Chapter: 3

    What is that thing?

    ¡°Rrf grrrar r hrrrfgh¡­¡±

    Just above the fireplace is a flat rectangular¡­ thing. It''s like a moving talking painting. There''s a dragon on it sitting and growling stuff and looking professional. Behind it is another painting of some kind of map that it is gesturing to.

    The longer I''m here the weirder things get. I need to get out of here¡­

    The white hatchling a few feet away from me is looking at the tv too. The sounds and moving colors catching its attention.

    My eyes shift over to the closed curtains with a window behind it. Sunlight shines against it with some leaking through. Another possible escape route, but it''s probably got some kind of locking mechanism.

    The white dragon with antlers returns to the couch next to Yellow. In its mouth is a torn open light brown paper package. It takes it from its mouth and sets in on the coffee table between the hatchling and I.

    Meat. Red raw meat is in it that the dragon then cuts in half with a claw. Yellow growls something to Antlers as it slides half the meat to its side.

    Antler replied with more growls and slides its half of the meat closer to the hatchling.

    The sound catches the hatchling¡¯s attention, turning around. As soon as its eyes catch sight of the meat it suddenly latches its teeth and claws to it. Tearing off a chunk it swallows it and goes for more.

    Geez. Is it really that hungry?

    The sound of something being slid next to me catches my attention.

    Raw meat sitting on top of its torn packaging.

    My body then moved on its own in a flash. Maw open, claws extended with muscles I didn''t know I had. A horrible feeling of not being in control.

    Just as my body was about to take a bite I forced myself back with all my might. Stumbling back I stop a few feet away. My scales feel like they are crawling and my mind feeling like it had been stuffed full of wool.

    What was that?!

    I quickly look away from the meat and turn towards the fireplace. Afraid to look at the meat again.

    What happened to me there? Why did my body do that? Was that my body that did that? It just reacted on its own.

    The dragon are talking behind me. Are they watching me? Did I blow my cover or something? Was that a test?

    I can feel their eyes on me.

    Maybe I should try taking my chances with the window now?

    But instead of the growls turning aggressive like I was waiting for they instead stay calm. Curious growl and then two of them go to the kitchen.

    I look back to check while trying to keep the meat out of my view. The two white dragons are in the kitchen side and Yellow is on the couch looking at me with concern.

    Concern? For me?

    ¡­When was the last time someone''s shown me concern?

    The thought made me pause.

    No, now''s not the time to think of things like that.

    My stomach aches with hunger, reminding me of how hungry I am. Should I risk looking at the meat? What if it happens again?

    If it happens again I''ll be ready this time.

    Turning my body back around again I slowly look to the meat. Yellow looks to have slid it away at some point but its still out on the table.

    No reaction. Not even a twitch. Maybe its proximity?

    Standing up I take a step forward. Then another step.

    As I slowly approach the meat my eyes are locked on it and I have my full focus on reacting at any second.

    The feeling of my brain being stuffed with wool is slowly going away.

    Halfway to the meat a big yellow scaled claw covers it. Stopping my approach I look up to Yellow who is looking hesitant. It reminds me of a worried mother.

    Why stop me? Is the dragon aware of something?

    We make eye contact and after a few seconds it looks like it comes to some kind of decision. It removes its claws and I approach the meat.

    the slow little clacking of my claws on the table come to a stop before the meat and I stare down at it.

    No reaction.

    This wouldn''t be the first time I''ve eaten raw meat. Being who I am my career tends to go south. More than once I''ve been forced to do it. Of course id usually get sick after but that''s better than dying of hunger.

    Lowering my head I sink my teeth into it.

    Room temperature blood meets my tongue and instead of the bad taste I''m familiar with it just tastes like an unseasoned rare steak. Bland.

    Tightening my jaws a chunk is taken and I swallow it before I go for more.

    Yellow lets out a sigh of relief and gently growls something.

    The sounds of cooking clatters from the kitchen. Once I finish the meat I feel full and the smell of food being cooked wafts from the kitchen side.

    Were they cooking? Dragons cooking in a kitchen?

    They just keep getting stranger.

    Once I''m done I step away from the empty paper packaging and return to the cushion. Yellow picks up the paper and the couch squeaks as it gets up and joins the other two dragons in the kitchen.

    Perfect. Now''s my chance to make an escape.

    Standing up, my claws lightly clack on the table as I make my way to the end of it. Coming to the edge of it i stop and look down the side.

    Doesn''t look like a far drop and the floor is carpeted. I can get down just fine.

    Jumping down, my claws meet the carpet with a thump. Taking a few steps forward towards the second couch a heavy weight suddenly lands on top of me, flattening me to the carpet.

    ¡°Urgh!¡± I wheeze out as the white hatchling gets off of me and i get off the floor. The hatchling makes a little chirp and butts its head against my side wanting to play. Seeming to not care if it hurt me.

    ¡°No. Not again. Get lost, kid.¡± I put my claws to its chest and gently push it back. I can''t waste my time when my window of escape could be short on time. Glancing to the dragons in the kitchen it looks like they are getting ready to eat. Food is being put on plates at the kitchen island.

    The hatchling lets out a sad noise as I walk away to the foot of the couch. The climb looks steep but maybe i can jump high enough and get my claws in it?

    Taking a step back I crouch and then spring up. Barely getting any air I attempt to get my claws in but they glance off of the smooth material. A few more attempts and I''ve made barely any progress at climbing. Looking at my claws I see that they are blunt. I then look around for something I could used to boost myself up. My body is annoyingly already feeling tired¡­

    At first I don''t see anything useful but then my eyes fall on the hatchling.

    Maybe I could use it as a stool?

    The hatchling walks up to the couch I''m trying to climb and leaps up. Its sharp claws sink into it and it easily climbs to the top.

    ¡°Hey, mind helping me up?¡± Can it even understand me?

    At the top it sits at the edge and looks down at me with disinterest. Visibly unhappy that I don''t want to play with it.

    I then notice that its tail is hanging over the side just within jumping range.

    ¡°Sorry but I''m in no mood to play.¡± Springing up I outstretch my claws to grab its tail. Missing by an inch i fall back to the floor and the hatchling looks interested at the new game. I jump again but the demon moves its tail out of the way of my claws.

    ¡°There''s no way this brat is messing with me like this¡­¡± I grumble to myself and ready to jump again.

    A few more attempts later the hatchling is having fun until I suddenly have a hold of its tail. The hatchling lets out a surprised squeak and anchors its claws to the couch as its getting dragged down. As the kid is getting pulled down I''m using its body as a ladder and climbing my way over it.

    My claws make it to the top edge of the couch and I pull myself up. The hatchling pulls itself up after me.

    I make an attempt to jump up the back of the couch to get to the very top where the window is but its much higher than getting to the seat was. I fall back down onto the soft seat and the hatchling tackles me from behind, letting out a squeaking war cry.

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    Before things could escalate, big claws suddenly puck up the hatchling off of me and another claw picks me up.

    No! I was so close!

    I''m carried back to the table by Antlers and set back on my cushion. The dragon looks me over for injuries as Yellow sets the hatchling down on its cushion. The kid lets out happy chirps.

    While the hatchling had just wanted to play it had been rough enough to cause minor damage in that second. Not enough to draw blood but I could feel that some of my scales were damaged and there are shallow cuts. Not that it bothered me since I''ve had much worse.

    Antlers looks me over and huffs at the damage. Yellow looks over too and lightly frowns. The two then talk or growl before abruptly stopping and a square white box is deposited onto the table.

    Yellow touches a rectangular rectangle on the couch and the moving painting turns black and silent. Antlers opens the white little box and a deck of cards is pulled out. Half is given to Yellow and they shuffle what they have.

    What is going on? Were they going to play a card game now?

    Antlers makes a noise and I look to him, who smiles. He takes a card in his claws and flips it around to show me. On the card is a painting of a plain wooden chair.

    ¡°Rraff. Rraff.¡±

    Confused as to what the dragon wants, I lift a claw of my own and reach out to take it. Antler moves the card out of my reach and shakes its head. Putting my claw back down, the dragon gestures to the card again.

    ¡°Rraff.¡±

    Slowly it began to dawn on me what its trying to do. On the other side of the table next to me Yellow is doing the same with the hatchling. In Yellow''s claw is a card with a tree on it. ¡°Fuhhf. Fuhhf.¡± Yellow repeats to the hatchling who is tilting its head in confusion.

    Are they trying to teach us to speak?

    I look back to Antlers who puts the card down and shows me another one with a spoon on it.

    ¡°Ghhru. Ghhru.¡±

    Should I even bother with this? But if I do play along I could learn how to speak dragon, might make me a lot of money or get me laid more often. Either way I should try to gain what I can while I find a way out.

    ¡°Ghuullll.¡± I butcher the word but Antler looks happy at my attempt. He repeats himself and I try again.

    ¡°G-ghhur.¡±

    ¡°Ghhru.¡± He tells me again but slower and more gentle. Showing patience and a look in his eyes that felt alien to me. The look of someone who cares. The thought makes my heart clench and I immediately push it away. It''s just a dumb dragon. Ignore it. Take what you want and leave, Jack.

    ¡°Ghhru.¡±

    Antler looks happy that I got it right that time. Putting down the card he shows me another one. A bucket.

    ¡°Hurr. Hurr.¡± It growls out softly.

    We spend the next while doing this back and forth. Antlers would show me another card and taught me what it''s called.

    I''d glance over to Yellow and see that it isn''t having much success in teaching the hatchling. Mostly the hatchling would confuse the dragon''s growls as offers to play.

    About half way through the teaching session I noticed the other white dragon with ram-like horns was watching me from the kitchen. Its face clear with curiosity and mild amazement.

    ¡°Grr hrf ffuuuf rkk.¡± Ram asked out to Antlers who looks over to it.

    ¡°Rrff.¡±

    We make eye contact and after a few seconds my eyes narrow and I feel annoyed that he''s looking at me. I''ve never liked it when someone stares at me, even if it''s a dragon. But there''s nothing I can do about it, he''s big and I am small.

    Ram lifts an eyebrow at my visible irritation and I look back to Antlers who holds up another card.

    A while of learning passes and eventually Antlers does something different. It points a claw at itself and makes a different growl.

    ¡°Rggllhu.¡± It says to me in a purposeful way.

    Is¡­ is it trying to tell me its name? Or is it trying to teach me how to say their species name?

    I copy the dragon''s growl and it looks happy. Just to be sure, I point to myself and repeat it again. The dragon shakes its head and points to me and makes a new growl.

    Great. So not only is it trying to teach me its name but it''s also given me one. I don''t want to risk attachment so I don''t bother trying to remember the names.

    Yellow seems to be trying to do the same with the hatchling but isn''t having much success. To be fair it doesn''t look like much goes on behind the hatchlings eyes anyways so I''d be surprised if it even understands what''s going on.

    Antlers points to Yellow and growls another name, to which I look over to the window I had tried getting to earlier to ignore any chance of learning their names.

    Looking over the couch I tried to climb, I found that I should have gotten on the arm of it to get to the very top. If I can get to the seat of it again I can reach the top. Maybe.

    Antlers sighs and tells Yellow something who nods in agreement. The cards are collected and put back in the box and Ram makes a comment.

    _-_-_-_-_

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the dishes while you two shower.¡± Kemok tells Galderus and Selen.

    ¡°Thank you Kemok, we won''t be long.¡± Selen says as she picks up Kain and puts the white hatchling on her head. Kain makes cute squeaks of excitement. Her husband does the same with Kyn who now quietly sits on his fathers head.

    Kyn. The black hatchling acts differently than Kain or any other hatchling she had seen. While Kain is energetic and playful, Kyn is calm, assessing everything and glares a lot.

    ¡°Oh, don''t worry about it. I have to head out.¡± Kemok tells them.

    ¡°Why? The hospital called you in?¡± Galderus asks as they both get up from the couch.

    ¡°No the hospital is having a slow day so far. A friend texted me that they need help moving out.¡±

    ¡°Is it Boldian? Thought he just moved in the area?¡±

    ¡°Yah he heard the news and wants to move to North City. One lick of bad news and he jumps ship.¡±

    ¡°You''ll be back before night, right?¡± Selen asks him. What he had told them about what happened when he went to get the meat had both of them worried.

    Kemok nods. ¡°I¡¯ll be back before then. And I''ll be sticking to populated streets. I''ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Just please be safe, brother.¡± Galderus tells him and the two of them enters the halls. Kemok collects a dish and puts it in the sink and begins cleaning.

    Entering the bathroom they close the door behind them with a click.

    ¡°I was thinking, Selen.¡± Galderus says as he turns on the shower. The bathroom shower is roomy, able to hold two full grown dragons.

    ¡°That''s dangerous.¡± Selen teases as they wait for the water to warm up.

    Her comment makes him smile. ¡°Maybe we can visit the park tomorrow after the hospital? The forecast mentioned good weather.¡±

    Selen thought about it. ¡°Don¡¯t you have work tomorrow, honey?¡±

    Galderus¡¯s eyes widened, remembering about work. ¡°Darn it. Maybe we can put a pin in it?¡±

    ¡°We can when you are free.¡±

    Kain let out excited squeaks as he is picked up off his mothers head and placed down in the shower. He immediately runs around in the water splashing and dancing cutely. His brother is put down too who doesn''t seem to care much.

    Galderus and Selen join their hatchlings in the shower.

    After they had helped clean each other they turn to their hatchlings to clean them too.

    Galderus has Kain sit still and with a soapy brush begins scrubbing. Kain giggles as the bristles tickle him.

    _-_-_-_-_

    Kyn is sitting in the corner and being as observant as usual. He is unusually smart for a hatchling that recently hatched or maybe he is just acting that way? Maybe he is just watching and not knowing what''s going on like his brother who is hyperactive.

    Maybe I should test him? But how if he cant understand speech yet? It would have to be a physical gesture, right?

    I lift a claw and Kyn¡¯s attention returns to me. Observant little red eyes watching his mother.

    I then point and tap my claw against the tiled shower floor in front of me, wanting him to come and sit.

    To my surprise he stands up, with some hesitation, and pads over. As he walks his little wings hang loosely against his sides and his tail drags limply behind him. My heart clenches at the sight, a reminder that he could be disabled from his troubled hatching. I really hope Kemok can help him tomorrow at the hospital¡­

    Kyn sits before me and we make eye contact.

    Intelligence.

    I can see it in his eyes. The very thing his brother lacks. Hatchlings shouldn''t have that just after hatching. Yet Kyn has it already.

    The brush in my claws gets to work, scrubbing his black scales.

    But intelligence isn''t all I can see in his eyes. There''s something else there. Something familiar. Something that I see stare back at me in the mirror every morning. The same eyes that i had since i first took a life all those years ago.

    Had he gotten that from me? Can such a thing even be past down?

    Getting lost in thought I was stopped by Kyn putting his claw on mine, stopping my scrubbing. My eyes refocused and i saw Kyn with his claws on my yellow scales. And red soap.

    Blood.

    Bloody soap with black scales mixed in.

    The brush clatters to the shower tiles as my heart skips and races, fear grips me.

    Had I hurt him? Had I scrubbed too hard?!

    The water rinses away the soap and the damage is revealed. Not much damage but scales are missing in a spot and blood is leaking out. My heart calms a bit in relief.

    Hadn''t Kemok mentioned that his scales are soft?

    ¡°What''s wrong, Sele- oh.¡± Galderus notices the blood.

    ¡°I think I just hurt Kyn.¡±

    ¡°maybe its not as bad as it looks? I mean he isnt screaming or anything.¡±

    Galderus is right. Kyn looks completely calm and is examining his own damaged side. Why isn''t he crying? Losing your scales is painful yet he isn''t even squinting his eyes. Can he even feel it? Just how messed up is Kyn¡¯s body?

    I wish tomorrow would come sooner¡­

    ¡°I''m going to take him to Kemok if he''s still here.¡± I tell my husband and pick up Kyn.

    ¡°I think I heard the front door close a few minutes ago. But maybe he has some bandages in the guest room?¡± Galderus touches my side and I feel myself calm a bit.

    ¡°I''ll look in there then.¡±

    Placing Kyn on my head I leave Galderus in the bathroom and into the hall. Blood drips from Kyn and onto my head, leaving a red line down the side of my head. The feeling rattles old memories long buried, of a time that was taken away from me. But i push the thought away and enter the guest room.

    The door creaks open and reveals the guest room. It looks just as clean as we left it other than the messy blanket and Kemok¡¯s leather bag on a table. The bags sling half hanging off the table. Nice clean carpet and a window with open curtains, a single dragon sized mattress and a closed closet. The guestroom rarely gets used since we never had anyone stay over for that long.

    ¡°Sorry, Kemok. But I need to snoop in your bag for bandages.¡± I mutter to myself and open the bag.

    Inside the bag are few personal belongings. A phone, identifications, coins, etc. But luckily it''s mostly medical stuff.

    ¡°You were followed by a stranger earlier and you go and forget your phone, Kemok? You''re worse than Galderus.¡±

    Digging around, I collected a few of them. Bandages and disinfectant.

    ¡°Alright my little warrior. Time to fix you up.¡±

    Placing Kyn on the table, getting some blood on it, he turns to show his damaged side. The bleeding had slowed and has stopped. Picking up the disinfectant spray can i point it to his wound. Kyn eyes the can and hesitates.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Kyn. It will clean my mistake of bacteria.¡±

    Would he even feel the sting?

    Pressing the top with a claw the can lets out a spray of disinfectant onto the wound. Kyn flinches but stays still, he does give me a glare though.

    I''m flooded with relief at the sight. So his nerves do work, he''s just tough.

    And those red eyes. His glare will be scary when he grows up!

    Unrolling the bandage I wrap it around his midsection and secure it.

    ¡°There. No more bleeding.¡±

    Now i just have to clean the blood off of myself. And the blood on the table. And on the floor¡­

 Chapter: 4

    Most of the day had been spent learning what I could, surprisingly what they were teaching had started to click. Learning a new language is hard but theirs was already forming into words I could understand. Somehow¡­

    It''s late now, the hatchling and I have been put to bed in a separate room. Two piles of pillows with the hatchling by the other wall where it currently sleeps. It''s been a few hours and now the house is quiet. If I listen hard enough I could hear snoring elsewhere in the house.

    With a click the window unlocks and I push it open. A cold breeze flows in and across my scales followed by the distant sounds of a city''s nightlife.

    ¡°Sure this is a good idea? People would freak out at the sight of a dragon.¡± My double whispers up to me from the floor. He had helped me get up to the window. His red eyes have a faint red glow to them and his body is barely visible in the dark room.

    ¡°We¡¯ve done this before. Can''t be that different to sneak around when I''m this small and black.¡± I had to know what was going on. Why are these dragons here? What city are we in?

    My double rolls his eyes and turns to go lay on the pillows left for me. ¡°Sure. Just don''t slip up out there, Jack.¡±

    ¡°Dick¡­¡± I say under my breath and turn to the drop before me.

    A cold breeze brushes across my scales filled with the night air, causing me to shiver. It feels just as cold that night that got me in this situation.

    Outside the window is an alley with the stone wall of another building just across. Below is a short drop with a flat brick ground being reclaimed by grass between each brick.

    ¡°Its just a short drop. I''ve jumped from way higher.¡±

    Taking a moment to calculate how to land with my current body, I then jump. The moment my legs left the windowsill my mind panics at the idea of landing hands first. Colliding with the ground face first I¡¯m ass up and flop onto my back with a grunt.

    ¡°And I''m already bleeding the moment I get out.¡± I growl out, a strange rumble comes from my chest.

    Some scales from my face and neck came off from the fall, blood dripping from the minor injuries.

    ¡°This body is a bleeder¡­¡±

    The alley is empty. One direction takes a turn with what sounds like a large crowd around the corner and the other way ends with a neighborhood. A chariot pulled by a¡­ griffon rolls by.

    A griffon?

    Getting to my feet I stay out of the moonlight and make my way to the neighborhood, my black scales blending me in the shadows. I stop just within the alley and look out.

    It looked like a normal city street lined with houses, some with lights, some not. A group of people handing out further down the street.

    ¡°Am I just in a rich area and some idiot got a griffon?¡±

    I look back to the window I came from in thought. Are those dragons there for the same reasons? Crazy dumb nobles?

    I have to find my family. Its not my business if crazy nobles get themselves killed buying beasts.

    I don''t see anything familiar about this city, which is strange because I''ve been to many¡­ Maybe I''m way farther east than I''ve been? What was that city far to the east? Isangrad? Forograd?

    My eyes trail up to the stars and I attempt to activate a spell that would tell me where I am. I tap my core but the magic that emerges speaks the wrong words like before, unable to communicate a purpose.

    ¡°Dammit. What have you done to me, World?¡±

    My view pans to the¡­ moon?

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    Instead of seeing the normal moon ive seen all my life in the night sky i see something else.

    In the night sky is a moon with the shattered remnants of another moon trailing behind it, looking like it smashed the other moon in its path. It created a beautiful yet terrifying view in the sky.

    Where the hell am i?!

    A door opens nearby, pulling my attention back to my surroundings. A dragon steps out of a nearby house and leaves the door open. It walks out onto the sidewalk and I hide more into the shadows as it looks down the street past me and to the group of people.

    I feel panic at the memory of a raging dragon, making my scales feel like they are standing.

    The dragon shouts out a series of growls to the distant group, catching their attention. The growl did not sound angry or threatening, it was more of a question?

    One of the people in the group breaks away and comes jogging towards the big dragon. As the person gets close and passes me I get a good look at them.

    Claws, scales, tail. It''s a green kobold wearing thick clothes, not a human!

    The kobold stops before the dragon who looks down at it. The two growl to each other for a moment before they both walk into the house together, closing the door with a click.

    Looking back to the group of kobolds they seem to be dispersing and going to different houses.

    ¡°Where the hell did World send me?¡±

    I had a feeling rise in me. The dragons, the moon, the griffon and now the kobolds.

    The distant sound of a market caught my attention, coming from back down the alley.

    My legs moved on their own, taking me back the way I came. I pass the open window and come to the corner.

    Did i dare look around the corner?

    ¡°I fear that I could be farther from home than I''d like.¡±

    Whispering it didn''t make me feel any better, nor did I think it would.

    I peek around the corner and saw an active night market bustling with goods and trades. But there were no people.

    Most of them are dragons, some kobolds and even a minotaur. A dragon trades a few coins for a rolled carpet before taking it in its mouth and holding it high as it walks away. Two kobolds wearing thick coats walk by talking in growls, holding baskets of food and spices. A griffon lays at the edge of the rooftop above, watching the activity below in boredom.

    Is the whole city like this? Aren''t these mindless beasts?

    I back away from the corner, losing sight of the markets. Turning around to head back to the window i stop at what stands in the alley with me.

    A big dragon completely covered in shiny full plate armor, maybe silver. The dragon has stumps where wings used to be, and its armor is covered in glowing complex magic runes.

    And it has its head through the open window.

    I quickly hide myself in the shadows again just as it is taking its head back out.

    As if sensing me or through some magic it turns its head my way and through the narrow slit in the helmet glowing red eyes meet mine.

    A sensation runs across my soul that makes my blood run cold.

    A Gifted.

    ¡°Hello...¡± The dragon hesitates as it speaks in clear english. ¡°...Hatchling.¡±

    It.. speaks english? Had world sent it?

    I glance to the window, had it killed my double? No. I would have known.

    ¡°who are you? Did World send you?¡± I ask it, my voice sounding child-like due to my body.

    The dragon takes a moment before answering, thinking of how to best reply.

    ¡°That asshole isn''t going to bother you anymore here. I recom-...¡± The dragon suddenly stops talking just as the runes on the dragons armor start to glow brighter. Jack feels his core being lightly tugged an unknown spell asking for his mana.

    ¡°I have to go.¡± The dragon closes the window and turns to walk away but Jack is quick to follow it.

    ¡°Hold on. Are you like me? Did you get sent here too? Maybe we can help each other.¡±

    ¡°Just drop it, Kid. You don''t have to be a criminal anymore.¡± The dragon tells him as it steps out onto the neighborhood street.

    Jack stops in his tracks. ¡°What? You know who i am? At least tell me your name, Jackass!¡±

    The dragon stops in the middle of the road and looks back at Jack. Jack feels another tug at his core and a pair of transparent magic created wings appear on the dragon¡¯s back in place of its missing ones.

    Without an answer the dragon jumps into the air and flies off of the buildings, out of sight.

    ¡°...dammit.¡±

    The night is getting too much for him. His body is freezing and he had lost the chance at getting answers. It''s time to go back and replan.

    Jack hides into the shadows of a trashcan where he lets his body fade away and returned to his double.

 Chapter 5

    My double had no idea the dragon had its head in the window, as busy exploring the room as he waited.

    ¡°World won''t bother me anymore? Had that monster truly thrown me away?¡±

    Outside the first few snowflakes begins to fall from the night sky, drifting by the window.

    ¡°That tear¡­ The one World dropped me in.¡±

    With a claw I drag it along the wood floor to create a cut in the shape of the tear. But my claws are so dull it doesn''t even scratch it.

    ¡°I''m not even in the same dimension anymore, am i? I could be anywhere.¡±

    I shake my head of the thought and climb onto my pile of pillows, to warm myself.

    ¡°That dragon. It spoke english and gifted like me. Is it in- Is he in the same situation as me? Has he been thrown away too?¡±

    Those eyes. I tried to imagine what it would look like being on this side of the window when it had its head inside. Those red glowing eyes looked sinister yet felt soft at the same time somehow.

    Can the other dragons here understand english? I dont think ive spoken in front of the two adults.

    And what if they can? To them, aren''t I a freshly born dragon? Wouldn''t I give away that I''m not what they think I am?

    I shake my head at that idea. No, that wouldn''t make any sense. Sure it would be weird if your kid just suddenly speaks words but would you really instantly think your kid is a grown man in a kids body? After all, maybe your kid just repeated someone that said it?

    That''s even if they aren''t just mindless beasts. Earlier they were trying to teach me their language so maybe they aren''t if they can.

    I''ll just play it safe and say one word or something. Probably something that could easily be considered a coincidence.

    Somewhere in the house I hear the sound of a door opening and closing.

    Had that gifted return?

    I can hear the clicking of claws approaching from the hallway outside the room I''m in. Getting closer and closer. Then another door closer is opened and clicks shut. Then the soft creaking of a bed.

    Maybe not.

    I attempt to cast a hearing spell but my core rejects it again.

    ¡°Who¡¯s core are you? Because you''re sure as hell aren''t mine, yet I''m not dead.¡±

    I need to be able to use magic again since I can''t rely on my physical body. I had been outside for a short time yet I already feel exhausted and sore. Im not bleeding anymore at least but magic could have helped me a lot.

    ¡°I''m going to need you to work with me now, not later.¡± I say as I sit up and get comfortable to concentrate.

    ¡°Ok, come here you. I can''t have you refusing to work when I need you.¡±

    The room around me fades black as I sink into my own soul. Having done this so many times has made it as simple as breathing.

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    Inside is a dark void that I float in, my body ethereal like a ghost. A few feet before me is a sphere resembling a glass with blue mana strands reaching out into the void infinitely. Inside the glass instead of the normal wavey calm blue I was used to seeing, it is now a hot inferno of fiery mana. The glass casing keeping it contained looks thin and fragile.

    Is this what a dragon¡¯s core looks like? It looks intense and capable of way more that a human could dream of achieving. But its state makes me frown.

    That casing looks like its barely containing itself, no wonder it didn''t want to listen to me. It''s a ticking time bomb waiting to shatter and I''ll drop dead.

    I have to siphon out and release much of its stored mana to release its pressure. But first I should sever some of the strands feeding it, else it would cause more strain as I siphon.

    With a thought a few of the mana strands are cut and fade away, slowing the core¡¯s mana intake significantly. It would cripple my mana regeneration but I can regrow new ones in a few years.

    Coming closer to the core i hold out a hand to touch it. A hand.

    My soul is still human at least...

    Touching it with a hand seems like a bad idea, so i open my palm as much as it can so I can use the softer underside of it.

    Please don''t break. Please, please, don''t break.

    As gently as I could I feel my hand make contact with the core.

    With ear piercing horror the core''s casing shatters into a million pieces and the fiery core inside disperses, gone in the blink of an eye.

    Everything goes black.

    .

    .

    .

    .

    ¡°-ack¡­¡±

    ¡°Jack~¡±

    ¡°What are you doing here, sweety?¡±

    That familiar voice, the faint creaking of an old cabin, the smell of breakfast. I could barely open my eyes but I could almost see her looking down at me.

    ¡°M- mom?¡±

    .

    .

    .

    .

    A shock surges through my body and with a deep gasp of breath I push myself up off my side from the floor.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ alive?¡±

    The bedroom door clicks open and Yellow walks in, the smell of breakfast cooking following after the dragon. Coming to collect its hatchlings with a smile. Morning light shines in from the window.

    My core. Had it not shattered?

    Yellow, seeing I''m already awake, comes to me and bumps me gently with its nose. Feeling brave I place a paw on its nose to push it away.

    Yellow makes soft chuff noises like a laugh, bringing its head up. The dragon reaches for me with a claw but I back away. I can walk by myself, I don''t like being manhandled.

    How am I even alive right now?

    ¡°Rrurg gurr?¡± Yellow growls a question that I can''t understand. I still don''t know much at all but I can guess what it''s asking.

    Its hard to imagine that these dragons can think and talk. Even the way they act is eerily similar to a human. Different faces yet the same expressions are conveyed.

    I turn my attention to the window. Last night I could have just left. I could have walked away yet I came right back.

    Yellow looks to the window too, wondering what I''m looking at. The hatchling is waking up now.

    Even if I did leave, where would I go? I''m not in the same world I knew, everything could work differently here. And even then my magic isn''t working so I wouldn''t be able to cast anything to warm myself.

    ¡°Rr!¡± The hatchling growls out something to Yellow, catching the dragon¡¯s attention and mine.

    Had the hatchling spoken? Already? It''s probably just gibberish since not even I know almost anything.

    Or did it actually say something? It sounded familiar. Hadn''t the dragons tried teaching us something like that one yesterday?

    Yellow goes to the hatchling and the two touch noses with affection.

    Between leaving and staying it would be best to stay. I''d be protected and can get answers.

    As long as they keep that affection away from me¡­

 Not chapter 6

    Like in the older version of this story this on will also get the some treatment. The story isn''t dead, im taking my time to put more thought into it. I want the important characters (Jack, Kain, Selen, Galderus and Kemok) to have their own personalities. I want to have a clear purpose to the story and plan on what will happen. I had the thought of trying to divide everything into episodes with a main story that they push forwards. For example episode 2 will be mainly about Jack finding himself in this flipped world and slowly coming to accept it as another chance. Itll contain multiple chapters in an episode. Im not experienced in writing but this is a story i really want to make, even if i have to rewrite it 100 time just to get it right.

    Ive been taking my time and mulling over ideas and changes to what i have along with stuff i should probably cut out or expand on.

    0 - im probably going to cut out the whole hatching problems Jack has that effects his health and have him be fine.

    0 - Im not sure if i want Jack to be black from the corruption when he hatches or to have it slowly spread as he grows up.

    0 - The idea of being a hatchling is effecting his choices and stuff sounds cool so i might do that.

    0 - i wanna expand on the prologue, revamp Jacks men with characters, revamp the massacre, revamp World. The prologue is the longest and im unhappy with everything. I want it to give context to who Jack is and tie it to stuff that can happen later in the story.

    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    Overall i want to make the story about a man having everything taken from him and having to come to the realization that maybe he could make this life better than the last one now that he no longer has ties holding him back. Going from a hard life to a loving one with whatever struggles it causes from what hes used to. I really want characters to have progression. I feel like Jack and Kain could have a really cool tie to eachother with Jack being realistic and seeing the darker side to everything and Kain being innocent and seeing the brighter side. The two could help eachother change and catch the other in their lowest moments and develope a strong bond.

    I want Selen, Galderus and Kemok to all have a similar problem of not doing what they wish they could do but dealing with what they have. Selen wishes to continue fighting but her injury took that from her. Galderus wanted to work with his family on the farm but had to be a lawyer to support them to keep the farm theirs or something. Kemok is the same and became a doctor.

    I would love to have this story span over several books. Book 1 could be about his life as a hatchling, book 2 is about his teen life, book 3 adult. Across those books could be a main story revolving around the corruption World cursed him with. Every time Jack dies it corrupts him more, leading to crazy cool horror stuff later and how It effects his life.

    I wanna do a lot with this story. Its probably too big of a dream but i really want to try to make it happen.

    As i go ill probably do as i am with making different versions of the story. Might be cool to look back at the previous versions. Im open to talk if you have any questions or tips or thoughts or anything.