[Kara] Chapter 5: Hatchling (Patreon)

“D-d-d-d-d-d-de— tained.”

The tiny voice was lost with the howling wind, and the crimson light in those glowing eyes faded away. Kara stared at the pile of scraps lying before her. Her pursuer— that unstoppable man in metal armor that had hunted her for a day— had turned out to be not a man, but a machine.

This sight stunned the young woman from Earth, even as a deadly magical storm unfurled around her. She stood there, her head spinning, and her thoughts racing wildly in her mind. There were many questions she could ask at this moment, but the most glaring one was… why in the fuck are there terminators in this world?!

Or at the very least, she didn’t expect this world to have machines or anything of the like. She had expected Xantos to be less technologically advanced than Earth, just based on her initial impressions so far. But she had no basis for that assumption, considering she hadn’t even been to a city just yet.

Her eyes flickered as she recalled all the destroyed settlements she had come across over the last few weeks.

I haven’t come across a city that is still standing, she rectified that thought real quick. And while there was not much to glean from the smoldering rubble she’d seen thus far, it wasn’t really indicative of a technologically advanced civilization either.

So she was certain that machines and robots probably weren’t the norm in Xantos, unless for whatever reason the cities in these mountains were simply far more primitive than the rest of the world. But she highly doubted that that was the case. Which made her wonder—

“Just who is the Soulmaster, and why is he after me?” she asked no one in particular as she stared at the smoking remains of the machine.

In response, Kara felt a growing buildup of discharge course through the air around her, and her  brows snapped together. She looked up as she realized another bolt of magical lightning was going to crash down into the area. So she cursed and got moving before that could happen.

She sprinted past the crater where the machine lay, and paused as she saw the machine’s staff poking out of the ground— the very same one that had conjured up the powerful red beam that had slain all those monsters with ease. After a moment’s hesitation, she grabbed it, before leaping off the side of the cliff.

Behind her, a bolt of crimson lightning shot down from the sky and struck the machine’s remains with a powerful explosion. She slid down the bottom of the cliff, before rolling to a halt. When she looked back up, she saw the deluge of rain growing even thicker, with more kinds of monsters being drawn out by the mana in the air. In the distance, she spotted a lumbering figure made of rocks slowly make its way through a canyon, each step it took sending a shockwave through the earth.

And Kara made a break for it, sprinting through the magical storm and fleeing from the emerging monsters.

—--

Eventually, Kara found the cave where she had left Angel to hide. At first, she couldn’t find him, searching the shadows with narrowed eyes. But when her voice echoed in the cavern as she called out his name— when she said, “Angel?”— he immediately leapt onto her back with a whimper.

She stumbled forward and fell over as he clung tightly onto her. He licked her cheeks, and she chuckled as she clawed him off her. Staring into his big brown eyes, a smile spread across her lips, even as the magical storm raged on beyond the cavern.

“I told you the plan would work,” Kara said, before hugging the bear cub.

In response, he nodded and gave her another lick. She giggled and placed him back on the ground. Looking up, she saw the iridescent winds sweep over the mountainous terrain like a curtain of vibrant colors.

There were two basic facts she knew back from Earth that emboldened her to set this trap for her pursuer. The first was knowing that lightning tended to strike the highest point, and the second was knowing that metal was a good conductor of electricity. Having seen the destructive power outputted by the magical lightning of this world over the last few weeks, she had been certain that it was more than enough to stop her pursuer for good. And that was why she had found the highest point she could and waited for him to arrive.

In the meantime, she had decided to test out a hypothesis by drawing the nearby monsters in the area towards her by wildly unleashing her magic into the air, which would have been a useful distraction if true. It had produced more than favorable results for her, not only attracting the monsters in the area as she had anticipated, but they had for whatever reason concentrated their efforts into bringing down her pursuer.

While they ended up failing to defeat him, they managed to distract him for long enough for her plan to work out. She was grateful for their help, although she was also puzzled as to why they had instinctively decided to target him. But that was the least important of the many questions that were lingering in her mind.

For now, she slumped against the cave wall as she sighed softly. “I survived…”

Angel sat down before her, and she looked down at herself. Her eyes fluttered shut as she whispered.

“I won, and now I—”

And she saw it.

She peered into her dragonsoul— a sight that only she could see— and it was brimming with light. The golden flame was smaller than ever: about the size of a candle. It was a reflection of her exhaustion from the battle. But that was not what she focused on, nor was it what shone with such blinding intensity to her inner eye.

Instead, she saw the pool of mana gathered around the golden flame. That which was drawn towards her dragonsoul with every monster she slew. Tiny motes of mana would wisp off their corpses and be pulled into her.

Last she saw, it had been akin to a lake of water orbiting around her dragonsoul. But now, it was like an ocean was gathered there, almost threatening to snuff out the golden flame. It was so abundant, she was certain she even saw a trickle of mana leak out, while no more mana could be accepted in.

It was something she noticed after she had defeated her pursuer. After the machine was destroyed by the magical lightning. This phenomenon puzzled her. But the feeling that was conveyed to her was clear.

It was like she was bloated with mana.

“It’s just like how I was back then,” Kara whispered as she remembered when she had yet learned to ignite her dragonsoul.

It was a strange sensation. Almost unsettling. It didn’t appear to be harmful to her. But still, she thought that something needed to be done.

No— she knew that something needed to be done. And she thought she knew what needed to be done. Like how she had done something back then.

She reached for the mana, just like when her dragonsoul had been an inert rock and surrounded by swathes of drifting yellow fire. Unlike that time, where the yellow fire was like an extension of herself she could control, it wasn’t easy to get a grip of the pool of mana.

It was as difficult as trying to cling onto water. A foreign substance that wasn’t part of her body or her mind. It refused to listen to her. She couldn’t even use it to cast magic. But she didn’t necessarily have to hold onto it or do any of that.

All she needed was to move it.

So as she focused on her dragonsoul, she began to push the pool of mana into the gray sphere hidden by the golden flames.

For a split-second, Kara grimaced. She heard a yelp in her mind as the image of a baby dragon flickered. And a vision played as she was forced to watch.

—--

A baby dragon ignored the cries of his parents as he sprinted straight for a cliff’s edge. They told him to stop. They called him to come back. But he ignored them, instead letting out a triumphant roar.

His wings flapped behind his back as he leapt into the air. But when his feet left the ground, his wings failed to carry the weight of his body.

And the baby dragon tumbled out of the sky—

—--

Kara caught herself as her breathing quickened. She didn’t know what she just saw, but it was like she was caught in a dream ever so briefly.

She wasn’t sure if this was what was needed to be done. Especially since the last few times she attempted this, the pool of mana had been rejected by her dragonsoul. But she was emboldened by that vision. It made her feel like she was doing something right. So she moved intuitively, just like she did when she had finally fully unlocked the full breadth of her magic power.

The mana began to pour into her dragonsoul as its golden flames began to grow. Kara gritted her teeth tightly, and she shifted where she sat. She heard Angel making a surprised noise, however she ignored him.

And that was when she saw another flash of memories. This time, she saw the same baby dragon standing defiantly before a group of giant centipedes.

—--

The terrible monsters had backed him to a corner, and he growled back at them. Even though they were twice his size— even though his parents were nowhere to be found— he was not afraid of them. After all, he had already attained his Awakening. So he had no reason to be afraid of these mere insects.

They charged his way, and he slashed out with a claw. A streak of golden flames shot out like a giant claw and struck down one of the giant centipedes as he bellowed.

“Bow before me, for I am—”

And the remaining giant centipedes reached him in an instant. They chomped on his wings, and they ripped out his scales. He screamed in pain as they were all over him in a moment. But he couldn’t even struggle to break free. He could only lie there as they circled him…

—--

And the memory came to an end

Kara was certain she could feel the pain the baby dragon had felt. Even though she had no wings, it was like she had a phantom limb protruding from her back that was bleeding. Nevertheless, she bit through this uncomfortable feeling as she forced this pool of mana into her dragonsoul— to fuse them together all at once.

Why were these memories coming to her now? Who did these memories belong to? These were questions she asked herself as she continued to do what needed to be done.

And she was certain she knew the answer to these questions. She was certain she recognized the golden scales of that baby dragon. The familiar voice that was not as deep and tired as when she last heard it.

With a final exhale, Kara forced the mana to be accepted by her dragonsoul.

Only for her head to jerk forward as she screamed in pain. It was like her body was lit aflame, thrown into a furnace that had been burning for days.

A light flashed in her mind as her dragonsoul drained the pool of mana in her chest. It began to blaze brighter than ever, filling her mind with memories. Her eyes snapped wide open as she inhaled sharply. And she saw—

—--

Zarkoth limped over the rocky terrain, leaving behind a trail of blood. His scales had been torn open, and his wings were tattered, riddled with holes. He could hardly walk, let alone talk.

But when he saw the winged shadow fly over him, he found the strength to speak. His jaw moved as he whispered.

“…why?”

He didn’t look up, even as he felt the gust of wind sweep over him, threatening to knock him into the air. The ground shook as a massive figure landed before him.

And he caught a glimpse of the crimson scales. The glint of the brown eyes. The familiar face of his father.

Zarkoth still refused to look up, even as his father spoke.

“Your mother told me what happened, Zarkoth. That you snuck out to fight some monsters, and she had to save you once again.”

It was a simple statement. One which Zarkoth ignored. Instead, he clenched his teeth and looked up as his eyes blazed with anger.

“Why?” he repeated himself. “Why did you lie to me?”

In response, his father tilted his head. “We have never once uttered a lie to you, Zarkoth.”

“Then explain this!” Zarkoth exclaimed, gesturing at himself. “You told me that we are gods! That we are meant to rule this world! But look at me!”

The baby dragon cast his gaze down, before his vision blurred. He didn’t even need to look at himself to see the sorry state he was in. He could feel the pain covering his body.

And he sobbed, “I can’t even squash a handful of bugs, father. They would have killed me if mother hadn’t intervened. Is this supposed to be the power of a god?”

It was a rhetorical question. Zarkoth felt like he had been cheated since his birth. He had been told of these glorious tales about his people— but they were all just stories now. It all almost felt like one big lie.

Even his supposed supremacy over magic and reality as a dragon seemed to be a lie. So he wept where he lay as his father stood over him in silence.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity had passed, his father spoke up once again.

“I apologize if you feel like we have misled you. But come, there is something I must show you.”

Zarkoth blinked, only to be picked up off the ground. He tried to protest, but his father was already carrying him across the skies.

“Where are we going?” he asked as he watched the ground disappear beneath him.

However, his father ignored the question, continuing flying carelessly as he spoke clearly.

“We are not born as gods, Zarkoth, even if that is the potential we have to reach. There are seven stages of evolution for a dragonsoul to undergo— seven stages for you to go through to grow before reaching apotheosis.”

“Seven stages… of evolution?” Zarkoth repeated dumbly after his father. He shook his head and protested, “What are you talking about? I have already reached my Awakening!”

“And because of that, you have reached the First Stage,” his father said, glancing back fractionally. “You have become what you are now— a Hatchling.”

Zarkoth’s eyes widened. “…what?”

His father continued to soar through the sky, flying high above the clouds as he explained.

“A dragon who has reached the Second Stage is a Young, while those who have progressed beyond that into the Third Stage is a Juvenile.”

Zarkoth’s father spotted something in the distance, before he began to descend from the sky. Meanwhile, the baby dragon’s head just spun as he listened in shock.

“The Fourth Stage is an Adult, the Fifth Stage is an Elder, and the Sixth Stage an Ancient,” his father said, then paused. Zarkoth watch as his father shut his brown eyes tightly, before continuing in a whisper. “And the Seventh Stage is when you become a God.”

“…is that what you are?” Zarkoth asked apprehensively. “At the Seventh Stage of evolution?”

His father opened his eyes and replied, “Unfortunately, mother and I are not Gods. We are merely at the Fourth Stage— we are merely Adults.”

“Oh.” Zarkoth felt a pang of disappointment.

And his father chuckled, noticing that. “But it is nothing to be ashamed of. For you see—”

The two of them landed on the ground, right before a small cavern. Zarkoth narrowed his eyes as he saw something moving amidst the shadows. He nearly recoiled when he realized what it was.

“‘More giant centipedes?” There were dozens of them. He wanted to run and scream.

But his father held him back, staring at the pile of centipedes with a dismissive grin.

“It’s a nest of them. So it’s not just the Juveniles you fought earlier. There are Lessers and Infants amongst them.”

“Lessers and Infants?” Zarkoth frowned, then he looked up at his father in shock. “Wait, Juveniles?”

“That’s right,” his father laughed as he eyed the giant centipedes. “Every monster species has a soul full of magic, just like you and I. They have to undergo their Awakening as we do. And they have seven stages of evolution as well.”

Zarkoth gaped as he eyed the different-colored and different-sized centipedes at the nest. “Wait, so they’re just like us?”

“Well, their Lessers are our Young, while their Infants are our Hatchlings. But yes, we are quite similar in that regard.”

“So we’re just monsters?” Zarkoth said, looking back at his father.

His father tapped a clawed finger on his chin. “In a sense, yes. But there is quite a stark difference between us and them. Look—”

Zarkoth watched as his father pointed at a group of larger blue centipedes guarding the nest. They looked similar to the ones the baby dragon has fought earlier.

“You killed those, did you not?” his father asked.

And Zarkoth nodded. “I did. And those are—”

“Juveniles. They’re Juveniles.”

“Oh.”

For a moment, the two dragons stood there in silence, watching the nest of centipedes squirm in fear from their gazes. Then, Zarkoth’s father turned and placed a hand on the baby dragon’s back.

“That is the difference between us and them. Even as a Hatchling, you were able to kill their Juveniles. We are born to be superior to them. We are born to rule this world. Which is why, unlike them, when we reach our final evolution, we become gods.”

Zarkoth heard those words. What his father had said to cheer him up. But then he looked down at himself. He saw the state he was in again. He saw the injuries he sustained from his battle. And… he couldn’t carry himself with pride.

He felt ashamed of himself.

“Even though I’m supposed to become a god… even though I’m above these monsters… I still lost to them,” he croaked as his lips trembled. He couldn’t bear to even meet his father’s gaze. “I’m supposed to be the last hope of dragonkind… and yet, before I have even become an Adult, I nearly got myself killed. I am such a fool—”

Zarkoth opened his mouth, but his father cut him off.

“No.”

And the baby dragon paused, looking up. He stared at his father in confusion.

“We are not disappointed in your actions today, Zarkoth.”

“You… aren’t?” Zarkoth didn’t believe what he was hearing.

But still, his father spoke reassuringly. “Neither your mother nor I believe you made a mistake with what you did. When she came to tell me about what happened, she did not speak of your actions in anger or shame. Instead, she spoke about what you did with pride.”

“But I nearly got myself killed,” the baby dragon tried to argue. “I nearly brought about the end of all dragonkind before I even had a chance to become a god!”

“And yet, we are proud of you,” his father said as he stepped behind him. “We are proud of your bravery. We are proud of your courage. For you showed the tenacity of a dragon today.”

“What are you talking about?” Zarkoth asked in a daze.

And his father turned his head to face the nest of centipedes.

“Perhaps you did not realize it because of your injuries, but I can see it in your soul. I can see the mana teeming inside of you, waiting to help you grow.”

Zarkoth heard his father’s words, and he grew even more confused. But his father placed a finger on his mouth, continuing softly.

“Just like with your Awakening, let the mana flow into your dragonsoul. It may be difficult at first. And it may be uncomfortable, to allow a foreign source of mana into your soul. But breathe slowly, it will only make you stronger.”

Nodding, Zarkoth did as he was told. He focused on the golden flame burning in his mind, pushing the pool of mana into his dragonsoul.

His father spoke into his ear, then brought a clawed finger up, carrying a single ball of flame pointed in the direction of the nest of centipedes.

“And now, let me pass onto you the true heritage of all dragons,” Zarkoth’s father said as the baby dragon stood taller.

Zarkoth’s wings grew wider, and he felt like the horns on his head grew longer. Magic surged through his body as his gaze focused on the squirming monsters ahead of him. He looked down at the small flame his father held out for him. And he heard his father’s words.

“Show me the power of a Young Dragon.”

Zarkoth inhaled softly.

“Show me your—”

And all at once, he exhaled, blowing into his father’s flame, before unleashing a terrible inferno that burned everything in its path, melting even stone, before pouring into the nest and incinerating everything within.

“Dragon’s Breath.”

—--

Angel had been worried about Kara all day. First, they had both been chased down by an unstoppable man of metal. Then she had decided to face their pursuer alone.

The bear cub had been against this decision, but she had been insistent her plan would work. So she had left him alone to trouble internally over where she would survive. After what felt like an eternity of trepidatious anticipation, she finally returned victorious.

He thought that would have been the last of his worries. However, Kara started acting weirdly, before passing out. Now, he stood guard as she lay there, slumped against the rock wall of the shallow cavern.

“Ngh…” he whined as he glanced between the unconscious woman and the storm wall outside.

He had already tried prodding at Kara’s side earlier, and she refused to wake up. So he waited patiently for her to wake up. That was— if she would even wake up.

There was always the possibility that she would never open her eyes ever again. That thought alone left Angel stricken with fear. He didn’t want to be alone once more. He didn’t want… to lose someone else important to him again.

And that was when he heard the soft growling. His head snapped up as he thought a monster had found their cave. But when he looked, he saw nothing standing out there in the curtain of rain. His eyes narrowed, before he caught a glimpse of the glint of golden light.

Turning around, Angel stared at Kara as her unconscious body was wreathed in her flames. He backed away warily, but the flames continued to wisp off her. He watched as the flames grew in intensity, burning brighter and larger. Until the ground beneath her began to melt.

The rocky earth morphed into a molten orange liquid, and the bear cub yelped as he felt the sizzling heat burn the tips of his fur. He sprinted out of the cavern as Kara’s golden flames expanded wildly, before erupting into a small explosion.

Angel hid in the rain and watched as the mouth of the cavern trembled and burned. He waited with bated breath, wondering what just happened. He heard a set of heavy footfalls approach him, before a blindingly bright figure stepped forward.

And the bear cub saw her.

Standing there, right at the mouth of the cave, stood Kara. But she looked different. The golden flames coating her body looked different. Like it was less amorphous, but taking a more solid form. It followed the outline of her figure rather than blazing in all directions, while also seemingly taking on the vague shape of another creature.

One that wore claws, and was covered in glistening scales. The flames roared with the might of this invisible beast as the bear cub thought he could see its maws closing around the human woman for a moment. He almost recoiled in terror at the sight.

But that image almost seemed to vanish when Kara stepped out into the magical storm. Angel gaped as she strode forward, the flames melding with her body once again. It protected her like armor, and the falling rain evaporated before touching her skin. She came to a halt right before the bear cub and looked down at herself.

“So this is the Second Stage of a dragonsoul,” she said as she inspected her flaming claws. Her eyes flickered, then she grinned as a streak of smoke left her mouth, followed by a faint trail of embers. “This is... fucking awesome!”

Author's Notes:

Another Kara chapter! 4.2k words.

What thonk?

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