Endangered Ch. 07

Hi folks,

The feedback, encouragement, and patience has been much appreciated so here's the next chapter.

Thank you to prof_W303, WideAwakeNow, and Darksable for their time and effort with editing.

Stay tuned and I hope you enjoy.

LTPC

***

Between fight and flight, Chris was indeed in flight. Well, free fall, anyway. He plunged downward through grey nothingness, nebulous swirls of thicker shadow occasionally illuminated in passing by his purple aura.

Anger, fear, and frustration had taken him into the Ether whilst a fierce internal debate raged between his dragon instincts and his human fears.

Michelle's words were simply the trigger, the proverbial straw on top of his ever-growing burden of responsibility. Responsibility to protect and provide whilst his once simple goals in life were thrown to the wind and he found himself inexplicably involved in world changing events. In short, Chris was afraid. He wanted nothing more than to retreat from it all, to take his brood someplace safe and ride this out, even if that was the cowardly, ignorant thing to do.

His dragon had different ideas. Strength was the key to staying alive, to protecting his loved ones. Burying one's head in the sand would only work if everyone left them alone. To truly make sure that he and his beloved brood were truly safe, they must embrace their rightful power together. Too long had dragon kind been hunted. Too long had greed and short-sightedness dominated both human and Being society. Something needed to be done, they needed to help. What sort of world did he want his children to inherit?

They needed to grow stronger and Chris needed to embrace his non-human heritage rather than babble his toe in every now and then. Objectively, Chris knew his dragon was right but it still scared him. It took only a few more moments of slightly gentler coaxing and encouragement, the dragon promising guidance and friendship, a sharing of his burden. Chris ceded control, fully this time, trusting the dragon.

He merged back into the Norm. An ominous crackle of purple energy heralded his sudden arrival, tendrils of raw magic leaping between thin air molecules in a raucous flash.

A chill shiver racing up his spine was the first sensation he noticed. It was bracing but also exhilarating, it felt right. With detached curiosity, his eyes opened. He was high, high above an enormous range of snow-covered mountains, with the ocean to his left. Something buffeted him lightly as he fell, gaining speed now outside of the Ether. The air was so thin it only whispered around him. It didn't really bother Chris though, he was in the back seat and his dragon had firm control of the wheel. Trust; if they were to be one, they must trust each other.

Clear membranes slid into position across his eyes, protecting him from the thickening atmosphere as they dove earthward.

It was night but from this high up, he could see a golden glow on the western horizon.

The curve of the world stretched away to either side but was becoming flatter as he plummeted, his wings swept back like a falcon, striving for swiftness. Magic began to well up from within, the dragon burning it like a volatile fuel, sacrificing it to produce speed. He shared in the dragon's delight, their first real flight together. Now he was going too fast, way faster than terminal velocity. Instead of being cool, the air fought them, becoming warm and thick, behaving more like a syrup as they battered their way groundward. At this speed it seemed like he'd hit the ground in a matter of seconds.

Something swept up at him from the ground like an angry hornet. It raced directly towards him, leaving a barely visible hazy trail in its wake. At the last moment, the dragon contemptuously rolled to the right, narrowly avoiding the fast but less manoeuvrable object which swept past with a snarl.

Chris thought the whole thing very unusual in a removed sort of way but gave it no more thought as the approaching land marks registered in his memory. The Alaskan Peninsula stretching out into the ocean to his left. Below him, a long lake surrounded by great snowy peaks spread out, his enhanced vision let him see every detail even as he approached with unnerving speed.

He began to worry as he dropped level to the tops of the mountains, the rich conifer forest taking over from snow and scree on the great slopes. If he ditched into the lake at this velocity, it would all be over in a flash.

His dragon had other plans and his wings gradually extended. Little by little, his headlong dive turned into a glide. Wing membranes shuddered, his muscles burned under the tremendous load as speed shed and he flattened out. His whole body strained and his back burned from the effort. For several moments, all he could hear was the angry howl of the air he so rudely disturbed, reverberating harshly down the great valley. With mere moments before impact, they levelled off, body shaking in relief. It felt joyous though. The pleasure of flight was a pure, instinctual draw and the dragon made sure that his first real experience would not be forgotten.

A bellowing roar issued unbidden from his throat as he finally soared above the still, dark water. It felt too loud to have come from him, but somehow triumphant, defiant.

Low he swooped, almost caressing the water. In fact, an extended splash and an unfamiliar, cold sensation shooting right up from the base of his spine caused him to sweep his neck around in surprise. There, slicing the water and creating a small wake behind him, was a tail.

Things got weird pretty quickly after that.

He had it all wrong; his neck wasn't flexible enough to look down and back like that. His wings seemed much too big stretched out to either side. He balked, suddenly feeling dizzy, faintly nauseous. His mind questioned for familiar responses but in a body so foreign, many did not connect correctly. This body felt deeply alien and it was a very unsettling feeling.

In an attempt to calm his discomfort, the dragon relinquished some of his control, sharing the reigns with the confused young man. It would be a lengthy process for Chris to adjust. Unfortunately, Chris was not at all prepared for even the slightest role in managing flight. The strange sensations from novel nerve connections intensified, overloading his already struggling brain. His vision darkened, flight faltering, mind retreating. It was his human consciousness that needed to adjust. Indeed, in this form, even his brain was structurally very different.

Thankfully, the dragon was there to catch him. They weren't far from the lake's edge now so the mighty creature flared his great wings with two stalling flaps before plummeting into the black, frigid lake.

***

Back in Denver, everyone was still at the table. They were processing the harsh words and Chris' sudden departure but it seemed no one wanted to speak first.

Michelle's phone practically blew up, startling everyone and breaking the silent stalemate.

She mumbled a curse and picked it up off the table, looking at the caller ID. She grimaced; she really didn't want to answer right now but this was her high priority ringtone.

"Hello?" Michelle's mood did not improve as she listened to Robert Falconer splutter apoplectically for a few moments before gasping and standing from the table. He proceeded to recount that somehow, a purple, fully fledged, forty-five foot dragon had narrowly avoided being shot down over Alaska.

She tried to explain the argument between herself and Chris. That he felt cornered into this involvement in the Revelation and unready to face the dangers and responsibilities. Heated words had been exchanged and he had dramatically disappeared.

However, there was a disconnection between said argument, the deployment of a three and a half million-dollar surface to air missile, and the satellite images President Falconer was looking at of a very large reptile resting on the shores of Chakachamna Lake.

To cut a long story short, Chris had a lot of explaining to do.

***

Chris yawned lazily as he awoke.

A burst of wonderful scents blossomed into his mind as he closed his mouth. Everything was so intense and recognisable, from the smell of nearby vegetation to a whiff of the delicious, edible deer that had drunk at the lakeside hours ago.

Mmhh...deer. He felt like he could gulp down at least two, maybe two and a half if he was greedy.

The waters of the lake lapped his lower half gently, caressing him with a cool touch.

He didn't want to get up but he knew it was time, the sun must almost be rising. He was just so sleepy though. Besides, lying there in what should be a freezing cold lake, fantasizing of chasing deer just seemed so comfortable and lazy.

Wait, what!?

Chris snapped out of his dragon induced stupor with a startled snort, his head rearing up to assess his surroundings like a submarine's periscope.

What the fuck! He shouted internally, half panic, half amazement.

I thought we agreed? His dragon answered sleepily. We needed to be stronger.

As he carefully inspected his new, sleek, reptilian body he couldn't help chuckling, a deep breathy rumble emanating from way down in his throat.

"I didn't imagine it would feel like this," He spoke. He knew the words came from his own mouth but they couldn't be reconciled against the rumbling sibilant voice he heard.

Before he could debate any further with his other half, he felt a warning tingle on the back of his neck. Instinctively, he knew someone or something, was approaching.

Reactively, he leapt from the water he'd been using as a bed with a snarl, presenting his side towards the trees where he felt the danger approaching. Hawk-like vision swept the undergrowth for the threat. His foreleg raked the earth and stones on the shore in warning as his lithe purple tail swished and arced.

Internally, he marvelled how the dragon controlled this body. So long as he just relaxed and let it the dragon have control, it was seamless. He felt so effortlessly powerful. The great, bone-white spines his tail's end slashed dangerous in the air. Both ends of the dragon were ready for a fight, his wide-mouthed, snake-like head held low and ready to strike. This was a natural defensive stance, presenting a large, imposing figure whilst having his two weapons ready to bare against anything foolish enough to engage him.

His musing was cut short when the growing presence abruptly popped into existence in front of him, flapping her little blue wings tiredly as her dark blue hair trailed behind.

"Alaska! Why did you have to run so far, Master!? I've been flying all night," Immianthe began to complain before she realised she was talking to a giant dragon.

"Oh!" She squeaked, halting her advance to hover for a moment before hesitantly inching forwards with clear awe on her beautiful little features. "Master, I... Oh... You've..."

"Yes," Chris laughed in a deep rumble as his posture instantly relaxed. "Yes, I have. Come here little sprite."

Immi let out a delighted squeal and fluttered forward to his outstretched paw.

Chris curved his long, serpentine neck to look down at his diminutive companion and was thankful to notice that he still had all his digits in this form. He could even manipulate them like a hand... albeit a rather large, clawed, and exquisitely scaled hand.

As she landed, Immianthe couldn't help but swoon as the great serpent swept his head down to her, a look of concern somehow visible in his gold and purple eyes. He sniffed her carefully through his silted nostrils before flicking his great forked tongue out in her direction, waving it back and forth in front of her and just barely feathering her with its tips. She giggled and batted them away playfully.

Satisfied that his sprite was okay, he swept her up with both paws and sat back, upright, using his tail as a handy support. He let out a great sigh, accompanied by a startling puff of smoke as he looked out across the lake with her.

"Master?"

"Go ahead, Immi."

"Are you okay? I mean... It couldn't have been easy to hear what Michelle said, even if she was right. You know that, Master. You must embrace this so-called Revelation and do whatever it takes to see it through or it will surely fail. All Beings must."

"I realise that, Immi. It's not as if I didn't know it before - I just don't want to put any of you in danger. You have to understand, I may be a dragon now but a few weeks ago I was just an average human. I was sure that if they forced this role upon my, I wouldn't be able to protect you and someone I love would be hurt. I was terrified of my inexperience. Still am, I guess."

"What about now, Master? Your transformation is..." the sprite trailed off. She looked up at his new body as it towered above her. If she thought he was big compared to her before, now he was positively monstrous.

"This is a good start," Chris looked down at her with a smile, which translated into the exposure of a wide row of terrifying razor-like teeth.

"A start!" Immi spluttered once she got over the frightening thought of him devouring her like a tasty crumb. "You do not understand because you have no point of reference. Your power is immense and quite frankly frightening. I followed you here through the Ether like I was being drawn to a raging bonfire. As I got closer and closer it got so intense I had to close my eyes and follow my other senses. I was stopped and nearly eaten twice along the way until I explained that I belonged to you."

"It's not a lack of raw magic I'm worried about, Immi. In truth, I feel an almost primal energy raging inside me. It's the things I cannot control which scares me the most. How can I protect my own when I've only just opened my eyes to this world, when I have some much to learn? There are so many things to worry about, from a zealot with a gun, to this Radek character, or just a pissed off Being. I've barely learned to stand up and I'm being told to sprint."

Immi considered his words, running a tiny hand softly across the scales of his own before she replied.

"All of what you've said is true. Yes, you have a lot to learn but you will be astonished what you can accomplish if you let your instinct guide you. I and others will help. Simply ignoring these threats is placing all our lives in the hands of fate. It could end up being far more dangerous than facing them head on. Besides, you are a dragon, a hoarder and greedy protector. You will not easily let anything that belongs to you come to harm."

Her words struck a chord and he hummed a noise of approval deep in his chest, making the tiny woman shiver in delight.

"I suppose that includes you?" He looked down fondly at this little creature who influenced his life so greatly already. He caressed her naked form delicately with the back of a claw.

"Yes, Master, I strive to be one of your most precious belongings," Immi whispered breathlessly as the great beast manhandled her with his terrifying talon. Yet he was so tender that she was quickly aroused.

"Hhmmm," the dragon mused teasingly. "You have some value, little one, but I would always consider replacement, perhaps a fairy?"

"No! Never! Filthy creatures!" Immi shrieked indignantly, fluttering quickly up to his head to pound upon his snout with tiny fists.

All troubles of their previous conversation were momentarily forgotten as mock battle ensued between the two unlikely opponents.

"Okay, okay, I relent! No fairies." The dragon surrendered in pretend fear as the blue streak zipped angrily around his head, coming to a breast-heaving hover at his words of capitulation. "Besides, what dragon in his right mind would want fairy when there's sprite on the menu?"

"Exactly!" She agreed, smiling from ear to ear as she fluttered back down to her perch in his hands once again. "And don't be shy about getting a refresher on just how good I taste."

"Mmm, a delightful thought but highly impractical in my current form."

"I don't know," She replied impishly. "I could always ride your tongue all the way back to Denver."

Chris had to laugh at that image.

"Creatively greedy and mood lifting as always, thank you, Immi. You never seem to disappoint."

"You're welcome, Master. I do try my best."

Chris looked to the horizon, the sky was getting rapidly brighter.

"Speaking of Denver, I suppose we should head back soon. I don't want to worry the others."

"It may be a little too late to avoid that, Chris. However, once they see your magnificent new form I am sure all will be forgotten. In fact, I am almost certain that hot, steamy, dragon-sex will ensue," Immi chirped.

"Well, that's about the best possible outcome I guess. However, I can think of several others which involve me being beaten within an inch of my life," Chris said quite sheepishly for a giant dragon. "So before we go, let's get some breakfast."

"Yummy! Yes please, I'm starving after flying all the way here!" she chirped enthusiastically.

"You're always starving," he replied humorously. "But it's somewhat endearing."

He was about to start drawing magic in the usual way he fed Immi but he felt an instinctual tug from his dragon and decided to follow it.

Placing Immi gently on the ground beside him, he raised his reptilian arms in front of him and felt a tingling sensation in his fingertips. Little tendrils of purple energy sprouted forth, traveling a short distance before coalescing into a pulsing, black orb about the size of a soccer ball.

This was all well and good Chris supposed but he didn't understand what it meant. He was acting under the dragon's prompt

He glanced down at the Sprite briefly who was watching in open mouthed shock at the frivolous display of magic. Following the feeling further, he aligned his head with the orb, opened his wide jaw partially and watched in amazement as what could only be described as two beams shot instantly forward into the dark orb.

They were bright purple, almost pink. An intense heat was building in his mouth where they originated, one on each side of his tongue from tubes he was suddenly aware of for the first time. They lead back to some sort of special glands towards the back of his jaw which he could feel pulsing. This certainly wasn't how dragons breathed fire in the books Chris had read growing up!

Thankfully, the beams extinguished after a few seconds and he closed his mouth experimentally. He willed the orb closer, until it hovered just above his paws. To his astonishment it was emanating an intense cold and he got the feeling it would be a bad idea to touch the substance directly.

However, he found himself releasing his hold on whatever spell had created the dark orb and it faded away. A smaller core of greyish-purple was revealed in the dawn light. Solid and highly volatile, faintly pulsing energy.

Immianthe was spluttering as he turned and placed it gently in front of her. The sphere would easily have reached half way up her foot-long body, had she stood next to it. It also clearly outweighed her several times over.

The sprite understood what it felt like to be a dung beetle, for she wanted to roll this far oversized meal away and hide it until she was ready to birth a healthy clutch of spritelings and have it ready for them to devour. Putting these thoughts aside, she turned back to the dragon and looked at him skeptically.

"To think you are concerned about protecting your brood when you show off with magic like that! I'm thankful, Master, but this is far more than even I can eat and you just used defensive magic of the highest tier to convert plasma into solid energy!"

Chris took a moment to decipher her almost scolding tone. Huh, plasma beams.

"Well, does it make it any less impressive if I tell you that I didn't know what I was doing?" he asked in his deep dragon voice.