I was hoping to get stronger… but this?
This was more than I expected.
I stepped into the light and stared at my new form.
All signs of injury were gone; they had completely vanished. Not even a scar remained.
"I've got to be over eight feet tall now."
The shift in perspective was almost disorienting. My frame had broadened; my bones felt like steel, and my muscles coiled tightly beneath hardened scales.
Those scales, once a dull mix of blue and black, had deepened into a sharp, menacing onyx black. Jagged streaks of pale gray now ran along my limbs and back, like bolts of lightning frozen in stone. They seemed to pulse faintly with some kind of energy.
I opened my wings. Light glinted off them in sharp flashes as they caught the breeze.
I couldn't fly yet. But I could probably glide or at least break a fall.
They were useful tools now, not just dead weight.
My tail had grown longer, heavier. The thin flap at the end had sharpened, hardening into a blade-like edge. I could feel the weight of it behind me, ready to whip or slice without hesitation.
My claws had extended, they were thicker, sharper, curved slightly like talons. My teeth had changed too, becoming more jagged, more predatory.
I approached a still puddle to look at my face.
"My eyes…"
They were completely different.
Now they were violet and faintly glowing, pulsing with a quiet, unfamiliar power.
It was ironic… even I felt a little unnerved looking at them.
I used to resemble something between a lizard and a dragon.
But now?
Now I looked like something born to hunt. Born to kill.
And it wasn't just my appearance. I felt different too.
My instincts were louder. My senses sharper. I could feel the wind brushing over each scale, and hear distant birds scatter.
I didn't just look more like a dragon.
I felt like one.
And for the first time... this body felt like it was truly mine.
"Alright. Time to get down to business," I said under my breath. "I need to know when the soldiers are going to attack."
I made my way out of the dense forest. The underbrush didn't slow me down like it used to, my new form made it easier to move, even through thick terrain.
Then, suddenly, a sharp pulse ran through my skull. I winced. It wasn't just pain though; it was information. That was clear and direct.
The sensation vanished as quickly as it came… but I immediately understood. I had a new ability.
It was some kind of… presence suppression ability.
Moments later, I heard rustling. A rabbit darted from a nearby bush.
This is a perfect chance for me to try it out.
I closed my eyes and focused. I felt a strange stillness spread around me, like the air itself had quieted. Then, I moved, slow, silent steps toward the rabbit.
I stopped five feet away.
Nothing.
Then two feet.
Still nothing.
Only when I was nearly a foot away did its ears twitch, it froze, then bolted in panic.
I smiled.
"Yeah. This is perfect, no one's going to see me coming"
Fifteen minutes later, I reached the soldiers' camp. It had expanded.
There were at least ten red tents now, and one white one in the center. The
reinforcements had arrived.
Forty soldiers were there, and the captain was with them.
I let out a quiet sigh of relief. At least I wouldn't be getting ambushed this time.
I concentrated and managed to activate my new ability. Then blended into the shadows near the tree line.
I crept behind a tree at the camp's edge and watched. For a while, the soldiers were going about their usual preparations, checking gear, eating rations and talking.
Then the captain stepped forward and ordered the soldiers.
"Line up. Now."
The men quickly assembled in rows.
He waited a moment before speaking. His tone was sharp, and confident in his authority.
"Tomorrow marks the end of the twenty-year truce" he said, voice rising,
"and the beginning of the final conquest of Lionia."
The soldiers cheered. Weapons raised. Spirits high.
"There's glory to be had," he continued. "Loot to be taken. Names to be made."
He paused, then smirked.
"We attack tomorrow night, when the villagers are worn out from the day's work."
The cheering quieted slightly.
"And in case any of you were worried…" he said, letting the silence linger,
"…the mage we had been concerned about? Has been dead in the ground for ten years."
The relief was visible. The tension among them dissolved.
"So, unless you get taken out by a farmer with a pitchfork,"
He chuckled. "This battle should be a clean sweep."
Then his tone hardened, it was cold and serious.
"But don't get soft."
He scanned their ranks.
"This is just the beginning. There's a war ahead."
Another pause.
"Rest while you can. And if I catch any of you slacking off tomorrow," His sharp smile returned.
"I'll show you what pain feels like. In the mage's place."
He dismissed them with a wave.
The crowd broke formation.
I exhaled slowly.
"That gives me some time to plan and prepare."
And with that, I silently slipped away, back into the woods.
I decided to head straight back to my old camp. As I walked, I kept replaying what I'd seen at the soldiers' camp.
They looked well-trained. Confident. Organized. And that captain… he was more than just a problem.
"Even with my new strength, I probably couldn't take them all alone…"
By the time I reached my old clearing, I was still thinking about ways that I could fight, trying to come up with a way to win. Even though it was against my better judgment, I figured I needed at least one real meal if I was going to make it through tomorrow.
I opened the cellar. Everything was just how I'd left it. I pulled out a large slab of snake meat and began to slice it into manageable chunks.
Starting the fire was easier than ever. My breath burned hotter than before. I barely had to try.
As the delicious scent of cooking meat filled the camp, I sat back and thought through my options. There was no way I could just walk into the village and tell them an attack was coming. They'd panic… or worse.
"They'd probably try to attack me on sight." I exhaled slowly. "A giant dragon walks into town? Yeah… that'd go well."
But then I paused.
"…Wait. Would that really be such a bad thing?"
If I went in, caused a panic, knocked over a few things and scared them, they'd definitely go on high alert...
In fact, they would probably even dig out their old weapons.
They'd be ready for a fight. And if they were ready, they might even be able to do something against the coming attack if I was also there to help them.
The meat finished cooking just as the thought settled. I took a bite.
"A proper cooked meal. I really missed this…"
It was a little tough, but still way better than anything I'd eaten in days.
As I chewed, I made my decision. I'd go through with it. Tomorrow morning, I'd head to the village. And do just enough to make them prepare for anything.
But with every bite I swallowed, something heavier settled in my stomach.
Guilt.
Would they ever forgive me? Even if I helped them fight the soldiers afterward, would they still see me as a threat?
"I mean… who would trust a monster who just attacked them?"
I looked at the last piece of meat in my hand. Then as I swallowed it down, I also swallowed any guilt I had.
"It doesn't matter what they think of me," I said resolutely. "As long as they're safe."
After cleaning up, I climbed up into the treehouse. It was too small now, my shoulders almost fell off the sides, and I had to curl up awkwardly just to fit.
I looked out through the branches and up at the sky.
I had mixed feelings about tomorrow; sure, I had hope. But I also realized that this could very well be my last night alive…
After a while, I closed my eyes and fell asleep.
When I woke up, the sky was just beginning to lighten. Pale streaks of dawn crept across the horizon, and the forest air was cool and still. For a moment, as I lay curled in the small treehouse, everything felt… quiet. Peaceful. Like nothing was wrong.
But it didn't last.
The memories came crashing back, heavy and sharp. The soldiers. The plan. The village.
I climbed to the edge of the treehouse but paused. Instead of climbing down, I opened my wings and leapt. Wind rushed beneath me. I spread my wings wide and felt the air catch, slowing my descent. I hit the ground hard, but not painfully.
If I weren't pressed for time, I might've done it again, just to feel that weightlessness one more time.
Instead, I quickly ate the leftover meat I'd set aside and drank from the stream, then turned toward the village. Toward what had to be done.
As I walked, I made sure to steer clear of Aurora's home. I didn't want her to see me. Not yet. Not like this. And definitely not for what I was about to do.
I had never seen the village from up close before. It was just barely visible from her house. As I approached through the trees, I saw about twenty buildings lined along a small, well-worn road. Most looked like shops or small markets. Only a couple were clearly homes. I guessed most of the people here were farmers, like Aurora's family, living just outside the village center.
You could describe it as a large T-intersection, shops and houses lining each side, with a central square acting as the heart of it all. People were setting up crates, goods, and tools for the day ahead.
I crept through the street, hiding behind different objects and using my presence suppression. With each silent step, I saw more signs of simple, quiet life. Someone watering plants. A merchant sweeping their storefront. A kid laughing as he chased a chicken.
I sighed and I wished I didn't have to ruin the peace they had.
I figured I'd get the biggest reaction if I appeared in the busiest area, I reached the market center and spotted a tall stack of crates beside a vendor stall.
"This is as good a place as any to start," I solemnly thought.
I dropped the suppression and stepped into view. Then, with a single swipe of my claws, I smashed through the crates.
Wood exploded outward with a loud crack! The sound echoed through the market like thunder.
Heads turned. For a second, silence.
Then someone gasped.
"A-a-a dragon," a woman stammered. "It's a dragon!"
Screams followed. Panic erupted.
People scattered. Some fled into shops, others bolted down alleyways. Tools clattered to the ground. A few tripped in their rush to escape.
I moved toward a shop with a few customers inside and cracked its window with my tail. The glass shattered, and the people inside screamed, ducking out of view.
"Maybe I overdid it a bit…" I thought, watching them cower. But fear was the goal. If they were scared, they'd prepare. If they prepared, they'd survive.
I turned and saw a man frozen in the middle of the street. His legs wouldn't move. I took slow, heavy steps toward him, letting my claws drag slightly across the ground and bared my fangs. His eyes locked on mine, wide and trembling.
I got closer and closer until...
He finally cracked. He turned and bolted, tripping before scrambling back up and disappearing behind a building.
Then came shouting, sharper this time. I turned and saw a group of about ten men running toward me with axes and pitchforks.
"Okay. That's my cue to leave."
I turned and ran, crashing through the main street. Despite everything, a flicker of hope stirred in my chest.
I was glad that there were some brave men willing to fight. Even if the odds were against them. It wasn't like they stood a chance against me.
That spirit might be the one thing that keeps them alive tonight.
Everything was going perfectly. But just as I neared the edge of the village, a door creaked open ahead of me. I skidded slightly, heart pounding.
Aurora stepped out into the street.
Our eyes met.
She froze. I froze.
She looked at me, then past me, at the smashed crates, broken window, and the chaos I'd caused.
I wanted to disappear.
Did she recognize me?
I wasn't sure.
But then she looked back at me-and something in her eyes said yes.
Her gaze didn't hold fear. Not like the others.
It held confusion. Hurt. Disappointment.
"Ryn…" Her voice cracked, not with fear, but with something worse.
"Why?"
The question lingered in the air.
I winced.
My claws dug into the dirt as I forced myself to look away.
I wanted to say something, anything.
A word. An explanation. An apology.
But I couldn't.
Then I heard it, footsteps. The men from earlier were catching up.
I clenched my jaw. I had no choice.
So, I turned and ran.
I sprinted down the road and vanished into the tree line out of view. The only sound that followed me was the crunch of dirt beneath my claws and the distant voices fading behind me.
I didn't look back as I ran.
I couldn't look at her directly again.
I just hoped…
That when the battle came, and blood inevitably hit the ground, she would understand.