Dragons Awakening

When the dragon’s requested vision finally came, it was yawn-worthy. If it hadn’t struck while Zi shuffled across campus between classes, she might snoozed through the whole thing. The man and teenage boy she saw during the premonition walked into the Vesuvius Observatory. That’s it. No lave. Nothing on fire. The shocking thing about it was the boy. He’d been in her icy Everest vision the day she met Ezer.

While shadows lengthened outside, Zi waited on her divan, typing out essays while steeling her mind in preparation for the dragon’s voice. A few minutes after darkness curtained her dorm window, the unwelcome visitor demanded to know the vision. The dragon waited outside the walls. One more meeting, and she would be rid of him and his meddlesome mind games.

She hurried through the deserted campus. Light and music spilled from dorms. Such a normal scene. Except dragons no longer existed only in mythology. And the ancient words from the previous prophetess nagged at Zi. “The mighty one comes. Offer aid.”

“I helped him get his form back. I’ll tell him where to find this whisperer.” But the vision of her staring at a wall of ice alongside the shivering island boy taunted.

The bulky shadow blended with the walls. Tell me. So much for manners. Not even a friendly greeting. He was always making demands.

Zi flicked her portable lamp toward the blackness. Nothing had changed. Onyx scales swallowed the light. Her diminutive reflection mirrored back from a large amber eye. Definitely a mighty one. Her stomach hiccuped. Was she fulfilling the previous Visionary’s prophecy?

“I had the vision, as commanded.”

Ezerhaydn waited. Not even a sniff at her sarcasm. Zi sighed, crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her hip. The dragon fixed unblinking eyes on her.

“E.U. Seismic Center and Vesuvius Observatory in Herculaneum, Italy. A man and a boy. Not sure which you want.” A tiny fabrication.

“The boy.” If he already knew that, what did he need her for?

Zi shrugged. “I searched news sites to get info on them. The man is Dr. Maddix Duboff, a vulcanologist. I guess the boy is his son.”

Ezer shifted, sending a hot gust of sulfur over her. Zi covered her nose.

“Have a nice trip.” Zi flicked the light back toward the school.

The monstrous head dropped into her path. Amber eyes glowed and narrowed in the craggy face. One leap put her heart in her throat, nearly cutting off her oxygen.

“You will fly with me.”

“Why am I going? And if I have to, I have my own plane.”

“You will speak to the Whisperer.”

Zi squeezed her arms across her chest.“What? You can talk to him yourself.”

Ezer snuffed her hair. His hot breath on her ear made it seem like he whispered the next words: “Your destiny lies with me, seer.”

Zi stumbled backward, nearly dropping her light. “Fine. You’re probably right about that, but I can get to Italy on my own.” Time to put the demanding dragon in his place.

“You fly with me, seer.”

“My mode of travel shouldn’t matter.” And traveling on the back of a dragon sounded neither comfortable nor convenient.

“Your relationship with me does.”

Smoke swirled from his nostrils, clouding the air between them.

“We don’t have a relationship.”

“Exactly.”

Was this really about developing a friendship between them? It seemed like a power play, and Zi had plenty of experience on either end of those.

“We must work together, seer.” The dragon blinked at her, his voice softening. “It is the only way to defeat Qwystanak.”

Her stomach roiled. The red demon could not be loosed on the world. She clenched her teeth and wished with all her might, but the vision of white fire scalding her face returned anyway.

“Fly with me. Let us learn to trust one another.”

The plush seats in her private plane were slipping from her grasp.

The dragon took her silence as acquiescence. How little he knew her.“Fetch something warm to wrap around yourself.”

“Fetch?” Zi wasn’t anyone’s trained pet.

“It will take five days of solid flying to reach the Mediterranean.” Ezer continued as if she hadn’t interrupted.

“I told you I have my own plane.” She ticked off the days on her fingers. “I can get there faster that way.”

“It has been centuries since I’ve traveled in my true form. I am uncertain how quickly I can cover such a distance.”

“My pilot said it was an 18-hour flight.” Was she arguing with a dragon? Her mother had taught her better sense.

The dragon glowered at her. She matched his stare, unwilling to look away. Neither would she be the first to blink. “Wouldn’t it be better for me to go ahead? I’ll meet the boy, convince him to join us.”

“Perhaps it would be expedient. But I don’t trust you.”

Zi squeezed her hands into fists. “After I freed you from a curse and gave you the information you wanted?”

Ezerhaydn’s eyes narrowed. “You do not wish to accompany me, seer.”

“Things change,” Zi said, waving her hand as if fanning the objection aside. The words of prophecy “offer aid” seemed clear. She didn’t want to save the world, but she wouldn’t hide away in the mountains. Thinking only of self was her father’s strength. Being compassionate and self-sacrificing was more her mother.

“That has not changed.” The dragon pushed his toothy snout into her face. “We will go together. Return here with supplies in one hour, or I will take you away without them.”

Zi thrust her lower lip out. “I will accompany you on my terms.”

His deep growl vibrated in her chest.

“You have one hour to return, or I will remove you by force.”

Imagining dragon claws tearing away her dorm’s roof brought an ache to her stomach. Giving in now would be better than being hauled away kicking and screaming.

“Fine.” She twirled away, light bobbing erratically. “I’ll be back in less than one hour, but you’ll regret forcing me into this.”

The dragon allowed her to have the last word.