Legend of the Great Dragon

 

LEGEND OF THE GREAT DRAGON

Copyright © 2013
J.F. JENKINS

ISBN
978-1-62135-147-4

Cover Art Designed b
y
For the Muse Designs

 

To everyone who loved and supported me as I wrote this series. <3

 

 

Darien, the Great Lord of the Oceina dragons, was dead. Mikko Oceina had suffered a lot of death and devastation in her twenty years of life, but the loss of her grandfather was a powerful blow. There was only one member of her true, immediate, family left — her grandmother Tai. She was a beautiful and strong older woman, so Mikko didn't doubt that she would be fine and continue to live on without her husband. However, she too was indeed quite old, and her time was limited on the earth as well. It would only be a matter of time before Mikko was truly alone with no more blood relatives left.

How long would it take for the rest of the world to leave her behind?
Don't think like that. Mother and father would hate it. I have to keep pressing forward. I have to stay strong. Even without them here in the flesh, that doesn't mean I am alone. I still have Uncle Tyson, my cousins, my aunt. I am not alone.
But her heart ached all the same as if she were. Funerals always brought back so many memories.

She glanced over at her grandmother Tai. The woman's wrinkled hand was holding onto Mikko's arm as she stared straight ahead of her. Not once had Mikko seen a tear in her grandmother's eye. How could she not cry? She was saying farewell to her husband of fifty-eight years, and that was only in dragon time. If Mikko did the math correctly, that came out to two-hundred-and-thirty-two years where they walked together on the planet. Tai had just lost her greatest companion, and yet she didn't shed one tear? Mikko herself was desperately trying to refrain from doing the same. The mere thought of saying goodbye to her lifelong best friend and lover of so long made her want to bawl her eyes out. In fact, the only thing stopping her from doing so was because she hated to make a spectacle of herself. Everyone's gaze was on her as it was; she didn't need to give anyone a reason to stare even more.

The roof of the Oceina condominium was packed with family and friends alike. Representatives of all four dragon nations were present. If anyone was not staring at Mikko, they were staring at the body of her grandfather lying on the funeral pyre in the center. Like most of the dead she'd seen, Darien looked peaceful and happy to be departing from the world. Some day she hoped to understand why he would feel such a thing during his final minutes of life. Death petrified her.

A hush fell over the quietly chattering crowd as Darien's last living brother, Tony, walked toward the
pyre
. For being seventy-eight years old, the man did not look or act it. He was in fantastic health. Raising his hands, he opened the ceremony.

“Thank you for coming. Your love and support means the world to us
as we say goodbye to a man who
s
e
…” Tony's gaze wandered to the
pyre
for a moment. “Whos
e
life has been an incredible blessing to everyone who's come in contact with him. I would like to open the ceremony in prayer.”

Mikko bowed her head and offered up a prayer of her own.
Father God, please don't let me cry. Please. Not here. Not where everyone can see me. Comfort my grandmother
.
I know she's hurting even if she would never admit to it. Comfort all of my family.

“Amen,” echoed throughout the crowd as Tony's prayer closed. He stepped aside and another man took his place at the side of the
pyre
, another of her uncles — Alexajavier.

Alex took a moment to gaze upon the body before bringing his attention to the crowd. “I was not born as one of you. Despite being born human, Darien had always treated me as though I was one of the dragons, and he made sure that everyone else did the same. Funny, because when we first met, I couldn't stand him. He was too different, not like the rest of the people that I knew from our time at school. For a long time, I joked with my friends from those days about how Darien couldn't possibly be a person. He had to be some kind of an alien. How could anyone be that gentle or good? In truth, he was probably the most normal, human being on the planet. Because even though he was a dragon, and one of the most powerful to ever roam this earth, he was very human.

“He always put people first. Even during the Great War between the dragon races, his mind was on other people. I would know because we shared our thoughts with one another. Even before I became one of his Guardians, however, I could tell. He cared for his family, and for mine, despite the fact that we were enemies. He trusted me with his biggest secret, and saved my life. I owe him everything.” Alex paused and looked down at his hands. “If there was one thing he loved more than life itself, it was his wife Tai. I hope to leave behind the same kind of legacy they have in their relationship, because it's a love that has conquered all things and never faded. Even in his last moments, Darien was a sap.” He laughed. “His final dying wish was for a kiss from the woman he loved, and not just any kiss would do. It had to be a real good one.”

Alex continued to speak, but Mikko drowned him out. There were only so many stories she could listen to before she had an emotional breakdown. Instead, she occupied herself with picking the remaining polish off of her fingernails and people watching. Once Alex was finished with a rather beautiful eulogy, Tony returned to the side of the
pyre
. Mikko was most grateful for that because there could have been a countless number of speeches given about her grandfather by visitors from all over the world.

I'm sure I'll hear most of them during the festivities afterward. No doubt several individuals will be seeking me out.
She had to suppress an eye roll. That kind of behavior was rude and shameful, no matter how annoyed she was. Mikko was a female dragon, the second to have ever been born, and the only dragon to be born of pure dragon blood. Naturally, this made her exceptional as well as special. The attention that came with such a birthright was not something she desired. As much as she wanted to celebrate the life of her grandfather, she was dreading the grand gala that was to follow.

“Everyone, if you would please join your fire with my own, it is time to send Darien off in the flames. According to Oceina tradition, family is supposed to light the flame. According to Darien's wishes, he wanted all those who cared to, and were able, to take part. He believed in a united dragon world, where all races were banded together. Plus, he mentioned something about how awesome all of the colors would look mixed together.” Tony raised his hand and conjured up blue fire into his palm.

One by one, other men raised their hands as well. Most were holding blue fire of their own, but more colors began to appear in the crowd. Red was the next most prominent color, something that brought tears to Mikko's eyes. It was the color of the Inero, the other half of her bloodline, and given the history between the nations of Oceina and Inero, it was such a powerful gesture. Then again, her grandfather had bridged the gap between the two peoples — as had her conception. Green was the next color to appear. Some of the shades were soft and mellow, others more of an olive color. Her Uncle Tyson had a vibrant green flame in his hand. The one fire that stood out the most in the midst of the crowd however, was the lone white flame to her right. An Aero dragon was there.

While it shouldn't have been such a surprise to see one of the great wind dragons in her presence, it did. The Aero were known to be reclusive. They kept to their own kind and would sooner send a card of condolences than actually travel to a funeral of another dragon race, no matter how important the deceased was. One Aero decided to show up and stand out.

Closing her eyes, Mikko raised her hand and conjured her own fire — purple, the mix of Inero and Oceina blood inside of her visually manifested for all to see.

All of the fire joined as one as each dragon blew their flame onto the funeral
pyre
. It lit up in a rainbow of light, so beautiful, and so sad at the same time. Her grandmother Tai shed her tears and blew a kiss to her departed husband.

 

 

Ichitaca didn't mingle with the rest of the crowd at the funeral of the Great Oceina Lord. In fact, Ichi would have left for home if the flight wasn't so long and tedious. Besides, he had just arrived in Oceina City. It would have been a shame to leave so soon without enjoying the city a little bit. He hardly ever went anywhere, so being in such a densely populated
area
with so much to do and see was a treat for him. At the same time, it was also a bit overwhelming. People made him nervous. Most particularly people who wanted to mingle with him just for the sake of mingling.

Apparently, one of the last requests the Oceina Lord had made was for his funeral to be more of a celebration than a place of mourning. So rather than simply have a free for all social hour with a few treats, there was a rather grand party. The ballroom was decorated to the max. A large crystal chandelier hung over the entire room with strings of light that connected from its center to the edges of the room itself. Twinkling lights swirled around the support pillars, and blue flowers glowed in small bouquets throughout. Smooth jazz music played and there was dancing. Not to mention endless amounts of food. The men wore suits and tuxes far more fancy than his own, so he felt a bit under dressed. The women had cocktail dresses, and some even wore ball
gowns. Smiles were on many faces. If an outsider was to look in on the ballroom inside of the Oceina family home, he or she would not think a funeral was happening.

Dragons were peculiar. Ichi was a dragon, but his interactions with them were limited, so he was probably the most peculiar of them all. He hardly even saw the humans. Every so often he would go into town to buy supplies and things for home, but for the most part he was a fully functioning independent person. He lived out in the middle of the forest, deep in the Aero Mountains, where humans could not travel comfortably. Long before he was born, his father, Eztli, built a cabin there with his bare hands. At least, that's what he'd always been told by his father. His mother, on the other hand, said there was some magic and tools used in the process as well. Either way, it was something created by his parents, and that made it hard to let go of. They'd been dead for seven years, and Ichi did not have the heart to leave his childhood home just yet.

Then news of the Great Oceina Dragon Lord's death reached his ears. He'd caught wind of it just in time to make plans to travel to the funeral. The man had been friends with his father. Perhaps not incredibly close, but the relationship made a lasting impression on Etzli because Ichi heard
a lot
of stories. It seemed right to pay last respects to someone who was so greatly admired. His father hardly ever spoke highly of anyone.

And I had to bite the bullet eventually. Staying in that cabin, out there in the middle of nowhere in the Aero Mountains, will be the death of me and my family line.
Ichi was an only child, something not heard of much in the dragon world. It was common for dragon families to have anywhere between four to twenty sons. His parents were only able to conceive once, and late in their lives. Too late, because logically speaking, his parents should have been too old to have any children at all. Ichi's mother always called him her little miracle. It drove him nuts in his early teenage years, now he'd give anything just to hear her voice again.

Ichi surveyed the ballroom, trying to decide his next course of action. Getting away from home was a big step for him. Now he had to decide what he was going to do with himself for the rest of his life. Oceina City was supposed to inspire him. That inspiration came in the form of a young woman standing across the room.

She wore a long royal purple gown. It had a halter top, the straps and trimmings looked like they had been dusted in small silver gems. The sparkle of those gems reflected in her dark, amethyst eyes. Those eyes suggested she was of Oceina blood, as that was the race's genetic trademark. Her coloring, on the other hand, implied Inero blood inside of her as well. Oceina were generally on the paler side, favoring the indoors and the higher elevated climates. This woman had golden tanned skin, which was the trait the Inero passed through their bloodline. Her dark, almost black, hair was pulled back into a braid that rested on her right side. Small silver flowers decorated it, making her look far more elegant than anyone else in the room.

His feet seemed to move the rest of his body toward her without thinking, but he stopped when she lifted her eyes and met his gaze with her own.
What am I doing? She's probably already married! Why else would she be here?
Only a married woman would know of the dragon's secret. No ordinary humans would have been invited to such an intimate dragon event. The humans did not know that the dragons had more than just their great lizard bodies. The species was worshiped by the ordinary people and viewed as a holy creature from God. If the humans found out the truth, that the dragons could shape shift into people, then there would be a widespread panic. The art of dragon slaying would no doubt become more popular
as well
. Things in general would get much more complicated all around, especially when the humans learned of why the dragons could shift their shape.

Without the normal humans, the dragon species would not be able to survive. All dragons were born male. There had been one exception to that rule, an Inero female dragon, who was now dead. She was supposed to birth the savior of the world, creating the first, and possibly only, pure dragon. That was only a rumor he'd heard his parents speak of once. Rumors never held much weight with him; they only made for good stories. Because dragons were only born male, they needed the human females to survive. Dragon men took on their human form so they could mate and live with their women. These women would gain the magical attributes of their dragon men: longer lifespan, the ability to conceive dragon children, and telepathic communication with their spouse, to name a few. There were others, but those were the most prevalent.

The beautiful mystery woman across the room had to be married, and with that realization, his heart sank.
There will be others.
The city is big, and now I have a better idea of what I'm attracted to at least.
Ichi always knew he wouldn't marry an Aero woman. They were beautiful in their own way, but he held far too much bitterness toward his own kind to want to stay inside of the country for much longer. After all, the royal family exiled his father simply because he had fallen in love with the wrong woman. Ichi was afraid of going anywhere in the nation just in case that grudge that had been upon his father would still carry on even after he died. It sounded stupid, but Eztli had always told him of how prideful an Aero was. Some families wouldn't so much as look at one another because of bad blood from the ancient past.

Sighing, Ichi went back to lean against the wall and sipped his now watered down soda. He glanced up one more time to get another look at the young woman who had attracted his attention. It was probably wrong of him to want to gaze upon another man's property, but no one had to know. One last look was all he wanted. But when he glanced back her way, she was nowhere to be found.

Bummer…
but for the better.
What if her husband was nearby and could smell the lust coming off of him? He'd heard about how potent the stench could be. It was supposed to be like cinnamon, that's what his father had taught him at least. Ichi had been taught the basic, necessary smells that all people, human and dragon alike, put off when they felt certain emotions. Scent was a critical part of the dragon culture.

Ichi moved away from the wall so he could go find some food, then the Oceina Lord's widow so he could pay his condolences, before going back to his hotel. He took one step toward the table when there was a tapping on his shoulder. Turning on his heel, he found himself face to face with the beautiful young woman from across the room.

“Yes?” he asked, trying to not be too cold with her, but also trying to mask his interest in her.

Her amethyst eyes lit up as she gazed up at him. “Come dance with me.”

He blinked. “Excuse me?”

“I said…
come dance with me.” She grabbed his hand and started to drag him toward the dance floor. Her skin was soft and warm, and it amazed him how much he enjoyed the feeling of touching her.

“You're talking to me, right?” he asked.

“Yes, of course I'm talking to you.” She laughed. “You're silly. Is there anyone else around? Do you see me holding anyone else's hand?”

Ichi shook his head. “No, I suppose not.”

“Come, I don't see what the problem is then.”

He followed her, reluctant, but who was he to say no to a beautiful woman insisting on his company? “So long as your husband doesn't see a problem with it, then I suppose there is none.”

She laughed some more. “I'm not married.”

Frowning, Ichi stood in the middle of the dance floor with her. She grabbed his hands and placed one on her hip and held the other up in a classic waltzing position. Then she stared up at him, as if expecting something. After a moment, she pouted.

“Aren't you going to lead?”

“Can't say I know how,” he mumbled. The dancing lessons he's had as a youth were from when he was five
years
old, and his mother had led then. He could manage a two-step, an occasional twirl, and that was about it.

She made a quiet, thoughtful sounding sound before leading the dance herself. Ichi stumbled into her, not expecting the movement. His face got dangerously close to her bare shoulders and he caught a whiff of roses mixed with a soft cinnamon. Roses were purity, his father had said, and if cinnamon then that meant she was lusting after someone. Could that person possibly be him?

Swallowing, Ichi stood upright, his body stiffening. “You've never been married.”

“As far as I know,” she said.

“I don't understand why you're here, if that's the case.” He looked her over again. She was indeed female. If she was pure, unmarried, and young, then how did she know of the secret? “Are you engaged?” he asked. Sometimes the Terran tribe explained the secret after a wedding was in the process of being planned.

The woman shook her head. “I'm single. You seem to have a lot of questions about my marital status.”

“Pardon me for being curious. I was just wondering how a woman of your status is here. This is a private family event.”

“I'm aware of that. Seeing as how the Great Lord was my grandfather, I believe that gives me more right to be here than you,” she said tersely.

Ichi shrugged. “There was a story my father told me about how the Great Lord was my godfather, actually, so perhaps not.”

“Ah, so that's why.”

“Why what?” He raised an eyebrow.

She shook her head. “Nothing you need to concern yourself with. My name is Mikko, and you are?”

“Ichitaca.”
Mikko, what a strange but beautiful name.

“Well, met,” she said.

“Indeed.” His brow furrowed. “He was your grandfather, and you're female.”

“Yes, you're observant,” she teased. “Spin me.”

He did as he was commanded, relaxing his body once more and taking more control over the dance. A female dragon? He almost didn't believe it, but then he noticed the trimmed black claws she had for nails. It was one of the few physical traits that a dragon had a difficult time hiding from the humans.
Don't stare at her too much, or she'll think you're strange.
“I'm sorry, but isn't that impossible? I knew of one female dragon to be born, but I had heard…”

“My mother. Yes, she passed away when I was ten.”

“That's too bad,” he said softly. “My mother has also passed on, but I wasn't quite so young when my parents died. That must have been hard.”

Mikko shrugged as if it was nothing. He hadn't realized it was possible to be more callous than he. “It was, but there is little I can do to change anything. How old were you?”

“Sixteen.” His gaze met her briefly and he stumbled over his own two feet. Instead of falling forward like before, he slipped back and bumped shoulders with another man on the dance floor. Mikko pulled on Ichi's arms to keep him from falling to the floor and he teetered forward again.

He mumbled an apology to the man, who gave him a rather dirty look, before focusing on the floor where he could see what his feet were doing. Mikko cupped his chin and returned his gaze to her face, holding eye contact with him once more.

“Ignore him,” she said. “I'm sorry to hear about your loss as well. It seems we have a lot in common.”

“Yes,” he said. “I didn't know there was another female dragon.”

“Then you must live under a rock.”

“A mountain, but I suppose that's kind of the same thing.” He flashed her a coy smile. The more he relaxed, the more his dry sense of humor came out.

She returned his smile. “Right you are.” She curtsied. “Thank you for the dance. It was a pleasure to meet you Ichitaca.”

“Ichi, please.”

“Ichi, it is.”

“Thank you, and I return the sentiment,” he said, hoping that was the right kind of thing to say. “Perhaps I will see you again soon.”

Mikko nodded. “Perhaps, until then, have a safe and pleasant stay here in my home land.”