Zenora, The Dragon's Fury
67. Break Down

Iris had grown larger. Minute by the minute, I could see her scales fill her body, and her limbs becoming larger and wider. Her horns began to stretch out, and her blond hairs turned into little spikes and thick, fleshy strands hanging downwards like dreadlocks.

Magic sparks flickered above her head, swirling around her, creating little beautiful details. Silver white bands formed around those dark purple dreadlocks on her head, little runes were being carved into the skin on her neck and back. The necklace that she had made, of the pink diamond that she had gotten from Ayinthur, was magically altered into a round shape, that was then pushed in the middle of her forehead, right above the brows.

Her arms and hands, transformed into claws, and the magic there, made sure to create swirls and tattoos on her shoulders and biceps. Her legs grew, and she had taken a moment to give her body some room to contort the bones, and push her to walk on all fours.

The human skin was all gone now, and her belly was replaced by glistening pink, leather-like hide. Her tail has grown now too, and on it were spikes growing in different sizes. Then, amethyst-like gems formed along the base of those spikes as well, following her spine and also appear between the large scales on her back.

She kept walking now, even though her shoulders began to move under her skin, and together with the magic around her, bones started to come out. She roared softly, but kept moving onwards, stoically.

By now, a cloud of magic was forming on her back, making it unable to see what was going on. Yet, because it was there, it was clear that her wings were being made. And after completion, the cloud of magic dissolved, to leave a beautiful sight behind.

The solid parts of her wings were dark purple, but the skin in between the ‘fingers’ were transparent pink. Along the edges of those webbed parts, runes started to form as well, just like the ones on her neck and arms. Well not her arms anymore, but her front claws.

Her total figure was now even larger than my own Dragon. And looking upon her dazzling and exquisite body, decorated with runes, magical jewellery and vibrant colours, my own body appeared quite boring, in comparison to hers.

Even though my black and red scales were magnificent, my Dragon had nothing on that stunning and elegant body of my daughter.

I had followed behind Iris, together with Tanith by my side. We were walking up a slope alongside the volcano mountain. Upon reaching between two ridges, on top of the mountain, Iris stopped walking when we reached the centre.

But as the volcano wasn’t active, the ground upon we stood, was now solidified lava. Evidence of once flowing lava, was noticeable as some of the rocks were curved to the outside.

“Iris, is he here?” I asked her, still not sure if her stoic character had dissolved already.

“Yes, but his stupid ass has buried himself.” Iris said.

“What?”

“He has decided to have his hibernation inside an active volcano, more than a year ago, right after it was starting to solidify. He is right here.” Iris said, and upon stepping aside, I could see what she was standing in front of.

The stupid horned crocodile, had indeed buried himself, and only had his nostrils above the ground. But because his body is black, and the solidified lava was black too, it was hard to tell that it was indeed his nose. If you wouldn’t know that he was there, you might think that it was just some strange formed rock, where gas bubbles had left the lava at the very last moment, leaving those two holes behind.

I tried talking to him, but he didn’t respond. Yet, his nostrils clearly let in and out some air, every now and then.

“Well I’m not going to wait for him, to crawl out of his ‘bed’ until the volcano decides to wake up again.” Iris said.

“What do you suppose we do?”

“Melt the lava again.” She simply said.

“And you think that our flames, will reach a high enough temperature to melt the solidified lava?” I asked her.

“I don’t know, I don’t have a thermometer close by, you?”

“You might be bigger than me missy, but you still have to watch your tongue!”

“I was just joking mother, I love you.” She chuckled.

Goddess fuck, I’m happy when I’m back into my own skin again. Because this celibacy between me and Brock is getting on my nerves I guess! I’m getting angry every time someone says a stupid comment to me.

We took some steps forward and we had decided that we would use our flames one at a time, to keep a continuous flow of temperature. Because if we would breath fire together, and then inhale new oxygen together, the lava could drop in temperature in the meantime.

So, here we went, Iris started and after a second or eight, it was my turn. On and on we used our fires, focused on Ayinthur’s head, right behind the nostrils.

With each and every single blow, the ground started to warm up, and eventually became dark red and yellow. Ayinthur’s nose became more visible now, because upon our blows of fire, the already molten lava sprayed away, to the sides.

Even Tanith was helping with melting the ground, but her power didn’t even come close to what we were doing. Unfortunately, our own power, was not going to be enough either. At this rate, we would be breathing fire for the next couple of days, and then we still wouldn’t be half way.

If Ayinthur is ever going to come out of here, I’m going to kill him.

After another hour of endlessly breathing fire, both me and Iris became rather dizzy. It is just the same feeling, as when you have to blow up twenty balloons with your mouth, where eventually due to the exercise of using your lung's capacity at full strength, your oxygen-supply towards your brain gets minimalized.

“Iris this isn’t working.” I said in my moment of taking in new air.

“I don’t care.” She replied when she could inhale again.

“Well, well, well.” It suddenly rang behind us.

We both instantly stopped what we were doing, and turned ourselves around. The man that stood in front of us now, looked much older than I would have given him. He is the same age as my husband, but his face and body didn’t give him that recognition. He has grey hairs, a long beard, bags underneath his eyes, and his eyes itself, were darkened by years of neglect, regret and anger. Not that I know that he had these actual emotions, but I could only imagine that that’s how he is feeling now.

His clothes aren’t clean, his body is covered in dust, and his face was plastered with a masochistic grin.

“Hayden.” I said.

“Yes, is that you Emily?” He asked me, but he knew the answer to that question perfectly.

“Come here!” He suddenly yelled. But he wasn’t looking at me, but glanced his way right past me.

Immediately upon his command, Tanith flew swiftly towards him, and my jaw dropped open. That’s how he knows that we are in here! We have been traveling the world, for several weeks now, he couldn’t have known where we could have possible been, without the use of one of his Dark spells!

So, that’s another reason as to why he looks so awful. He has been keeping up a spell, to let him know where we were all this time.

“Yes, she was a perfect specimen for you to tame right? I knew you couldn’t resist the urge to take her with you!” He laughed.

Fuck! I had walked away from her two times! If it weren’t for Tyler to tell me to tame her, I wouldn’t have!

Iris and I both took in a few inhales of new oxygen, to turn him and his men, into ashes!

“Nuh-uh. If you want keep your lives, then I’d suggest you don’t do that.” Hayden said.

And as if it was a cue for the rest of the people to show themselves, they did. From the way that we had come up, and from the other side of the volcanic mountain, over a two-thousand men and woman came rushing in. Warriors, hunters, but most of all, mages. And not all normal mages that is, no… About a hundred Dark Mages, stood at the back of the lines. With massive flasks in their hands, around their necks or on the sides of their belts.

The flasks, probably filled with blood, to keep up their dark spells, that they were about to cast, were opened and they took their first sip.

“If you are going to keep us alive, then why the hell are they drinking blood?!” I yelled to him.

“Oh, you are going to keep your life, but I haven’t told you in what kind of way.”

“You motherfucking ass… AHHH!”

The pain that was being inflicted on me, was unbearable! I looked to my right, and at least ten of the Dark Mages were casting a spell, chanting words with horrifying feelings within them.

My whole body was shuddering and aching all over. It was as if my skin was being cut from my flesh, with blunt knives.

“Iris, RUN!” I managed to yell to her.

She hesitated for a second, and in that split second, the mages on the other side casted their spell, to unleash the same pain, upon her. I saw her falling on the ground, screaming and crying, and my world shattered.