Shifter

White light flooded my vision, and I flinched. I cradled the egg to me, stroking it softly. It moved. I jumped back in surprise and dismay as a long crack broke through the middle of it. “No!” I yelled, trying to make it stop breaking. Weirdly my heart was still expanding even though the thing it had loved was breaking apart.

What was wrong with me?

The egg slipped out of my hands and landed with a thump on the ground, my eyes widened in dismay as I leaned down to pick it up. It was in shambles, but there was something inside.

A white ball of fire was curled up in it, a baby dragon. I think my smile was wider than my face the second I realized this Gularads great great etc. grand kid. My partner in everything. The baby stirred and yawned, I picked it up, it fit perfectly in my arms. “Grarrk” the baby's eyes opened, they were huge and perfectly round, I felt an instant connection and the other half of me was filled. I couldn't possibly have any room to love anything else.

“Hey there” I cooed, talking through my mind to it, seeing if it would work. The dragon baby looked at me lovingly, I kissed its forehead, scaley and smooth and sweet. “I love you” the words brushed across my mind unexpected. “Was that you?” I asked. The baby hrrred in my arms. “Of course” the voice sounded masculine and not at all like a baby's. I decided to stop calling it 'it' and start calling him 'he'.

He was gorgeous.

“Why do you sound so... grown up. While you look like a baby?” “ I have been waiting for you for a thousand years.” he said. I supposed this was true, so it was possible he could be grown up in his MIND but not in body. “I see” he hurred again, I smiled and tossed him in the air, he seemed stricken. “I cannot fly yet, in this puny body” he said, scolding me. “oops.” He nuzzled my neck, and cuddled into me. “What's your name?” I thought suddenly and the thought went to him. “That's for you to decide, I have a name. But you have to discover it” I sighed, why did I have to find out his name? Why couldn't he just TELL me?

A larger head touched my back “Come dear one, Luka is in danger” Gularad's deep, ancient sounding voice reminded me of what I was doing, or was going to do and trying to do before Damien came. “He's right you know. Save Luka. That's the main idea right now.” My new love said. “Well then, let's get going. Where to start?” I asked and stated at the same time. “Let's scan the perimiter and see if we find any clues to where he could be.” Damien said. Eyes searching the husky darkness that surrounded us. “Can you walk?” I asked the baby dragon, well he wasn't really a baby I suppose. “I must attempt to, if I can't I will ride on Gularad's shoulders” He said back to me. My heart swelled as I heard his voice. Gularad swished his tail impatiently. “Let's go.” I said and walked out into the inky darkness, Damien not far behind.

Wait, hold up a second. Those filthy beasts had offered a trade... for what? I had never asked. I sent a whirling message through the wind again, praying they would hear my call.

A trade for what

The air was limp, I sighed. I had tried at least. I plodded on, The dragon's beside me and Damien directly behind me with his dog beast. And the baby dragon was actually walking just fine, he had appeared to have grown a bit as well... weird. The wind kicked up its pace a notch, then it gusted my hair away from my face. They were replying.

For you, of course

Me? What was I to them? I would have to find out where they were, then I would take Luka and dash off. But inside I knew it could never happen. They were strong, but dirty. The prince was on their side, I didn't stand a chance by myself... My heart plodded to the bottom of my soul. There was one chance though... I could round up all of the protectors and their trainers to rescue Luka. It was crazy, but It might just work.

I decided not to reply to the demon's answer, they would think I was shocked and confused. It made perfect sense why I couldn't reply. I turned to face my comrades, telling them my plan.

“They want me.” I stated. Damien halted behind me, “Why?” He said, trying to stay calm. But I could feel his rage gathering spreading his fearful presence into the air. “It's just what they said.” I tried to stay calm myself, I had been calm enough when I received the message. Why wasn't I calm now? “I won't let them get you! Tell them to take me instead!” Damien cried into the swirling mist. I turned to face him. “No, I can't let you do that. Do you know why?” He stared at me, his eyes burning, hands clenched into fists “Why?” He muttered. “Because if they took you they wouldn't let Luka go, they don't want you. They want me.” He glared at me. “Well I won't let you go” He said stubbornly. I smiled, he could be very childish at time, I was finding out.

“But I won't have to go. I have an Idea.” I smiled. He raised an eyebrow, the fire dying out of his eyes just a little. “We gather all of the protectors, both ancient and us” I said, us meaning the new recruits, the people who had been told well, uh, today that we were guardians of an ancient world.
“It sounds like it might work.” He smiled just a little. I grinned. “Well where is everyone?” I asked. “Probably at their training grounds.” He walked over and jumped on the Cerberus dog. I looked at my dragon, my eyes widened. He had grown at least twice his size!!! Not big enough for me to ride yet though. “Come on let's ride Gularad.” I told him. He blinked at me and hopped on Gularad's back, I followed his actions closely. “How are you growing so fast?” I asked him. “We grow as fast as our person loves us. Obviously you love me very much.” He hurred happily. “Do you love me as much as I love you?” I asked him. “I probably love you more than you could ever love me, I have waited a thousand years for you.” He gazed at me and I hugged his neck tightly, He nuzzled my hair. I touched Gularad's neck and sent a message. “Take me to Arianna's training ground please?” I asked him, he rumbled his laugh. “I was already going there dear one.” He pounded his wings and suddenly we were thousands of feet above the ground, and that awful clingy mist. Gularad shot toward's the north, probably where Arianna was training, if she hadn't encountered the Carachi yet... I really hoped that she hadn't.

About five minutes later, we landed in a light filled meadow, surrounded by glowing yellow maple trees. Arianna was in the middle of the field, wearing an awesome yellow dress. She looked like she was meditating. I froze. Felikz was her trainer.... shoot. Something dark moved along the perimiter of the trees, Arianna was stiller than ever. I didn't dare to whisper her name, she was obviously in the middle of some kind of training. The darkness stirred in my peripheral vision. Then it streaked out into the field heading straight toward my best friend. I screamed and went into the Larukai filling myself with fire and hurling a fireball at the thing. Its black cape caught fire and it swore loudly. Eh, that was Felikz. But I couldn't let him hurt my best friend!

Arianna's eyes fluttered open and she gazed at Felikz in shock. “What happened?” she asked, probably holding back giggles. “Your... damn... friend....” he muttered. She looked at me and laughed. “Yeah, she is protective like that.” she laughed again. Felikz looked up at me. I felt a little twang. But nothing like before. Must be because of Damien... Huh.

“Well, Luka certainly has trained you well... where is he?” Felikz asked. I shuffled uncomfortably on my feet. “Well about that... that's why we came.” I almost whispered, head hanging. Felikz looked at me, waiting for an explanation. Damien stepped forward. “Felikz!” He hushed him by putting his hand in the air, “I want it from her.” He said. My gaze met his and I trembled, there was no competition here, Felikz was more experienced and mysterious than Damien... “Have you heard of the Carachi?” I asked in a small voice. He took a quavering step back “Of course I have, I am an ancient one, why would I not have heard of them?” He shot at me. I looked at him sadly “They have returned, Rabaqui has allied them, they took Luka.” I looked at my feet, the tears starting to sting my eyes.

“What?!” Felikz roared. Arianna stared at me in shock, “What are Carachi?” She asked meekly. “You don't want to know.” I said. “Our plan is to gather everyone we can and fight them, to get Luka back.” I told Felikz. “They won't accept a trade of any sort? They usually trade for something they believe is valuable.” Felikz said and started pacing manically.

“They said they would accept me.” I told him. He looked at me incredulously. “You? But your just a girl... why not Viola?” “She is obviously more important than VOILA! For some reason!” An enraged voice echoed through my head, and all of theirs, it wasn't Gularad's, it was my dragon's. I really needed to think of a name. Felikz looked at Gularad questioningly but he shook his head, and my dragon stepped from behind him, now half the size of Gularad, which was big. I gasped. “He is yours I presume?” Felikz asked me. I glared at him, it was extremely rude of him to talk to me and not him. “I. Am. Hers?” He growled, advancing on Felikz. “I am terribly sorry, how rude of me. You belong to each other?” This time the question was directed at him. “Of course” He flicked his tail in annoyance. I do not like him. He is annoying.” He told me. I shook my head silently, agreeing.

“We must rescue Luka!” I exclaimed, suddenly remembering what we had come for. Damien stepped forward again “I think Carmen's idea was brilliant, we stand a chance against the Carachi together, if we are not united, we are nothing” He said. “You're right.” Felikz agreed. “It's time for you to meet your new brother's and sisters he proclaimed, then strided towards the forest where his beast was waiting. They leaped into the sky, waiting for us. “Are you strong enough to carry me?” I asked him. You should know who him is by know. He looked offended.

“Of course I am.” I smiled and hopped onto his back, Arianna whistled and a gorgeous white horse galloped from the glowing trees. It had gigantic golden wings and molten gold eyes, with a pure yellow horn protruding from its head. It was gorgeous.

Arianna smiled. “This is Nilah.” She yelled at us. I smiled and nodded. Then he leapt into the air, shocking me with his speed and strength. Gularad was right on our tails. Felikz shot towards the south, where I presumed our “Brothers and sisters” were. I took a deep breath and prepared to face my future.