I hope it's alright to send in originals... Though this story is totally fantasy/science fiction. There are other parts I've written already but they aren't quite ready yet, if anyone is interested mail me privately. C&C is welcome!
Chapter One: Transformations
It began on a day as ordinary as any other. The sky was clear and blue, not even a white puff of a cloud disturbed the sky's tranquility. It would be something a human would enjoy. For a creature like me none of that matters. Things like the weather cannot hinder me, a great beast such as I. Though on that day it made a difference, because it was the day I became one of them.
Now I am talking too fast again. I am Albireo, named for the stars in the sky as all my brethren. Here look at these wings, dark red wings and golden claws. Is it not magneficient? The best and most beautiful for flying. No other creature could hope to compare. My long whip-like tail could easily crush worthless human villages. My glittering claws and fangs can tear apart almost anything, for they are as hard as diamonds.
All in which I was born with, to do as I please and that was what made me superior. Or that was what made me an arrogant fool and nearly cost me everything I had but gave me back more than words can describe. A thought, no true understanding of who and what I am.
On that day I was furious, angry, and full of just wrath. Those humans, weak and irritating fools, had dared to settle near my home. The Fire Dragon Mountain, which is surrounded by beautiful plains and forests filled with prey. MY PREY. They dared to disturb my lands and creatures I ruled over. Since they have taken what is mine, they should pay the price. I flew down my mountain with great speed. As I began to approach the village, my face slammed into a wall. I roared with confusion as my body stumbled awkwardly backwards.
"Hee hee hee." Came a tinkling laugh. "Albireo the fire dragon flew right into a invisible barrier! Didn't you even sense the magic o great dragon?" The giggling voice mocked.
"I should have known." I responded. "Just another idiotic fairy playing tricks." The fairy twirled and laughed at my reply, it was a female about the size of a average woman. Fairies were never small, that idea was another stupid human myth. They did however dress scantily with brightly colored flowers and leaves, it flew with butterfly wings. This one had blue hair and green eyes and carried a ridiculous looking wand.
"No no Albireo dear." The fairy's mood changed. As all do quickly for they are known for constant mood swings. "The name's Amelia and I've come to save these people." She pointed to the village I was charging at.
"They are none of your concern you impudent creature. This is my home, those worms have no right to be there. " Came my impatient reply.
"Tsk, tsk Alby!" You are a nasty creature!" The fairy studied me for a minute. "I think its time to give you more wisdom foolish dragon! By changing your point of view!" Amelia closed her eyes in concentration and waved her stupid stick around. Before I could attempt to move or respond my eyelids drooped and I felt tired. Against my will my body drifted slowly to the ground, and everything became black.
******
The smell of sweet grass greeted my nostrils as I slowly woke up, the sun still shone brightly in the sky. "Damn that annoying fairy! If she thinks a simple sleep spell will stop me!" I stopped shouting as I felt something was horribly wrong. The world suddenly felt bigger, and I felt smaller. A sickening feeling clutched my stomach as I stared at small white hands my hands I glared up to see the fairy smiling smugly at my new form. "What have you done!" I screamed in anguish. "How dare you!"
The fairy shook her head as if she were talking to a child. "Compared to what you have done to people, this is nothing Albireo." Amelia then grinned fiendishly. "You are a much more handsome man then I thought a nasty creature like you would be. All of your fine scales have disappeared to be replaced with just a shag of red hair upon your head and a gold streak as a reminder of those beautiful claws. Your eyes however remain red and fiery as you, inhuman eyes to remind you of who you are. The body of a nineteen year old boy as a reminder of your youth. Humph, since I visited your home, then you shall visit my home in that form. If you can make it there then I might change you back. Well if you learned some manners by then"
"You freakin!" But Amelia merely laughed.
"Hmm, though I think you need something to cover yourself." She giggled and garments appeared and a sword by my side. Amelia then turned and began to fly away.
"How dare you leave me this way!" I screamed as she flied away ignoring me. "Damn it!" I felt helpless and furious; the shame of it was almost enough to choke me. A dragon changed into a lowly human! Never before, even if I tell others of my clan for revenge. I would be a laughing stock forever. I clenched my new hands in anger and despair. "I'll find you again, Amelia, even if I have to kill everyone and everything I will be a dragon again." With that thought, I made my way out of the woods.
By nightfall I wasn't even able to make to the nearest village, the one I had intended in the first place. Though I would not admit it then, I was utterly lost. As a dragon the view of my lands were always high above, and it was always easy to see were I was going. However as a human the seeming small forest became an utter labyrinth to me. To my humilation I was forced to sleep upon the grass with the other beasts of the wild rather than my warm dry cave in my mountain. That fact proved to be my undoing as a group of slave traders happened upon my sleeping form. And the next morning found me in their camp.
********
The crudeness of the place really disgusted me. Crammed into a filthy stinking cage with a bunch of pitiful humans. All them forlorn and whimpering, as the horses pulled them all along with the rest of the caravan. All through the morning I had been yelling and screaming like a fool, for at the time I had not realized the situation. At least all of the other people had backed away from me and the noise created. Finally the group bumped to a halt and angry looking slave traders glared at me
"Does this pretty boy need another beating?" The leader "Hell Mel" as they called him glared at me. I winced in spite of myself, remembering their reaction to my struggles earlier, which had given me a broken arm and a bruised face.
"Oh father not again." A blond elf woman complained. "Must you beat them all into submission?" She was dressed all in white robes, complete with a hood to cover her delicate face.
"Hah!" The burly man laughed. "If you care so much Jessie then you can heal him!" Then he grabbed his daughter and tossed her in with the rest of the slaves. "And if he's not healed perfectly then I'll sell you off with the rest!"
"Father!" She screamed in outrage. "Let me out!" Then all of the rest of the men scurried off and the caravan started to move. And despite everything, I started laughing really hard, her clean white robes were already covered in dirt and other "unknown" materials.
"Shut up Dragon!" Jessie turned and slapped me on my bruised face.
"H, how do you know that?" I asked bewildered and irritably.
"I wouldn't be much of a soceroress if I couldn't smell the stink of magic all over you." The elf said dismisively . "Or those eyes of yours, they are so beautiful and terrible all at the same time. A real human could never appear as you do."
"Whatever." I moved away despising the way she stared at me. In winder and awe rather than the fear I was accustomed to. Which bothered me for some reason.
"C'mon let me heal you." She said softly reaching for me even as I backed away warily.
"I don't need your bumbling magic elf! I'm fine!" I snarled and she slapped the broken arm, and I cried out in surprise and pain.
"Now." Jessie smiled. "Are you convinced?" The stinging limb moved obediantly forward for inspection as I glared at her. The elf grinned in triumph, and a soft glow emitted from her hand, touching the arm and began to slowly heal it.
"So Amelia did this to you huh?" She said not looking up. "Her magic is very unique, a important and powerful fairy. What did you do to anger her anyway?'
"That wretched little village nearby, I was on my way to destroy it." next target too" I muttered.I replied indignantly. "That irritating worm interfered. This filthy caravan would have been my
"Bastard." She hissed dropping the newly healed arm suddeningly. "That's disgusting. I hope you rot in that body then, she stared at my face coldly. Then she raised her arms and healed my face as well, even as she did I felt a tiny pang of regret for my words. When the elf finished she settled herself in the opposite corner and began laughing to herself.
"I hope you realize Albireo, that is your name right? Why my father bothered to have you healed?" I ignored the taunt and she continued to enjoy her private joke. "He'll probably sell you as a plaything for Queen Sedai for a high price. Imagine! A dragon becoming a sex toy for that harlot! Hah! She'll know the minute she sees you and that's why Sedai will want you."
"Never! I'd rather die first!"
"I wouldn't doubt that" Jessie replied seriously. "But she has never allow it. All of her playthings wish for it, the Queen never lets them go, in life or death."
"That's crap." I muttered. "I'll find a way to escape." Jessie just shook her head and laughed while inwardly I cursed the elf.
"Soon you'll see for yourself Albireo."
***********
Soon enough the caravan approached my earlier intended target. The small settlement was actually pathetic wood and mud houses gathered around a huge extravagant house. And I actually wondered why this place mattered so much to that strange fairy. This little burg would have been a splendid display on fire, I thought unhappily. Finally the caravan stopped in the center of the town.
Hell Mel approached the caravan and stared at his daughter for a minute and said. "Girl today will determine your true weight, in gold!" And turned away abrubtly marching to the huge house. Her eyes widened in disbelief and anger, she just slumped in her corner.
"Albireo!" She gestured for me to come closer, but I snickered smugly ignoring her despair. Jessie crawled over and smacked me again.
"Would you quit that!" I snapped grabbing her wrists painfully
"Listen to me!" Jessie struggled feebly. "I can you give you your power back! All I ask is that you take me with you!"
"What? Are you full of it you witch?" I said releasing her.
"Look my father plans to sell me off today and I couldn't live that way! As a slave or worse!" Just then I peered outside and saw Hell Mel speaking to a well rounded middle aged man. He grinned looking at the sight of the delicate woman clutching my arm beside me. Somehow the sight made me howl in viscous laughter as Jessie gasped beside me.
"Listen bastard! You need to find Amelia right? I can take you where she is, and free a part of your former self! Please!" Jessie begged.
"Fine." As I realized that this would be my only way out if the witch is telling the truth.
"Close you eyes." She said hurriedly. "Just let the magic work, unbind a wall sealing this man's no dragon's blocked powers. Magic, power, sorcery do what you will in this servant. But let Albireo gain a part of what is his, given at birth. Yet taken away by others." I could hear her desperate plea as I felt stronger, for a second almost like my old self again. Power surging through my body, the small human body. That reminder brought me back to me senses and Jessie's unconscious body slumping against me.
"She must have used all of her magical abilities for that spell." I thought out loud, then I clenched my fist feeling a surge of real strength flowing through it. "I suppose you've earned your keep." I sighed lifting the small creature up by the waist and grinned exuberantly as my fist smashed into the cage door.
The caravan guards reacted quickly, just as I hoped. Though my fire breath had not been restored my newly strengthened body served its purpose. Inhuman strength and speed seemed enough to dispose of them quickly enough, and "acquired" a new sword to replace the old one. In the confusion I created we managed slip past the townspeople and into the woods surrounding the town.
I carried the elf for miles, running full speed, and enjoying every moment. The seemingly reckless abandonment of sense and reality to be traveling forever free, almost as if I were whole again. Finally I stopped and laid the frail elf down. Slowly she opened her eyes and grinned, "I've always wondered what it would be like for a person to be carried during a fight and then for miles. Enjoyed your power surge hmm?"
"Humph hardly worth all that show, you're nit much use if you can't even change me back." I couldn't admit then how much pleasure I had gotten from that slight ruckus or allowing her to know.
"Fine." Jessie huffed. "Let's find your fairy so that we can get this over with."
Thanks!
Jenny
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