Progression
*Reading previous stories in this series is highly recommended for the best reading experience. Especially the last story, as this one takes place immediately after.
The house was relatively quiet. Most of the occupants were either sleeping or out at the moment. The house was deceptive from the outside, small-looking if one could see it.
However, it was enormous inside, more like a hostel for those considered to be supernaturals. Right now, most beings like vampires or werewolves, and even witches, were banding together to save the last of their races in this world.
There were no longer covens of witches and vampires. There were no more packs of werewolves or houses of fae. They were small groups, depending on each other to fight to survive. To live, and this house that was made by witches had occupants even rarer than those just listed.
Inside, the rarest were currently two bonded Atlanteans and one dragon with a chi that was stuck between stages of change. A hodgepodge of people and creatures that finally found somewhere safe and people they could trust.
All these things had been on the mind of the chi lying on the couch just before he managed to fall asleep. At least he had somewhere to feel safe, even if he was stuck as he was at the moment. The options were pretty slim and without a mate changing fully right now would be dangerous for him to full Atlantean.
So Carter was stuck between states of being. Which meant he and his dragon were also more mortal than most at the moment. More capable of injury but clearly something they were going to have to deal with.
Still, no one could tell them much about their situation, for all Carter knew he was slowly changing and it might just happen without anyone doing anything. Who knew, Carter was amazing at drawing the short straw in his opinion.
Carter was lying on the couch in the living and dining room area. Just taking advantage of the quiet and had fallen into a light sleep. It was a good moment for it, and Carter was working incredibly hard to get up to speed on a lot of things.
To learn what he was and the abilities that he had developed. There really was no other option, plus he wanted to embrace this. He made the decision to get back up after their last fight and the dangerous state his mind had been in.
So Carter would do his damn best to become someone others could be proud to call a friend or family. Not a man at the mercy of evil beings demanding of him and crushing his soul.
He was finally getting used to hearing his first name more than his last of Baker. It was strange how just the shift of name could make someone feel. He noted that the rest at first struggled to remember he wanted the name change.
Then as they got used to it over Baker, they too seemed to talk to him differently. Not that they hadn’t welcomed him, but it seemed that his last name did have a stigma. His first did not, so it was nice to break a little from his past too.
One of the reasons he was tired, and not just because he was half changed, but because he was spending a great deal of time with Vintas. He wanted Vintas to show him how to use the weapon he now had on him. To train him to fight better than before and be ready.
Vintas was one hell of a trainer, it was both good and bad. Vintas tended to be a very detached teacher, but Carter thrived under it, to be honest. Who better to teach you than a weapon’s master himself? Plus, Vintas improved the weapon that Carter had and Tazani had given a bit of dragon fire to help. Though he was not able to hold fire very long. They were young after all. At least true fire.
Vintas gave his corrections without emotion and did not lose his temper or grow frustrated if Carter did not get the moves down right away. Carter was doing amazingly well, and his skill level was improved beyond most here now. Though the others were also interested in what Vintas had to teach in his weaponry skills.
They were at a little bit of a standstill here, though Vintas and Portia had decided that they wanted to go to the weapon stores. A lot of time was spent trying to figure out the map and the red dots that had appeared on it. A map that Vintas had been left in his tomb and now find the way to unlock reading it.
They were positive the one red dot was a crypt and that took time working with Josephine and her group to figure out a possible location. They thought that they knew where it was now.
Well at least narrowed down the area and her group was now getting ready to move there and see what they could find. The possible crypt was in the middle of nowhere of course So there was that, and they were going to move as a group. They should be heading out in a few days to try and find this crypt and see if it was ready to open or just active.
Then there was the other option of trying for the Isles of Salvatio which they knew now others were there. They just had yet to speak with them or find them really.
Josephine’s group had not heard from their contact that had an in with the society in a while. The group that had her sister was silent and not responding to anything at the moment. This world was dangerous, dark and it seemed that for the safety of others, no one was reaching out.
Josephine was very nervous for her sister and concerned about her and her mate. Things were incredibly tense, and no one knew where the vessel of darkness was. What it was doing, what it might be using the society and demons for.
There was no doubt that they were more than likely trying to infect and multiply. They did not know where the stronghold was. Carter knew that Newark and Ganner had been sent to check something but where that was, he did not know. So here they were, preparing themselves and getting ready to move.
After all, you could not keep going at full speed and think you could take the darkness and evils. They had to keep fighting small battles here and there. Relying on the vast network of smaller groups they had to do this. It was also time to start tracking down human groups as well.
Humans were the most numerous and if they did not start getting people to understand and believe in the dangers then they were in serious trouble. The darkness would have an easy time changing them.
So many things on their minds, and Carter was just letting his shut down. His main focus was on training and also working with the witches. As his connection with Tazani grew he noticed that his ability to heal was growing substantially.
He was able to touch others and sense where sickness was, sense their exhaustion levels, and other minor things. So it would seem that he was going to develop his full capability as a healer to others. Not just a super healer himself. The problem was his state of being and gaining energy. He as stuck between chi, Atlantean and human.
Though, Carter liked this healing ability a lot, it made him feel even more useful. He was noting magic growing in him in this sense too. All things he was thinking about before falling asleep.
Carter was lying on his back and had an arm over his eyes. He let out a rush of air but was still sleeping. His dreams were a little chaotic. His mind shut down enough that he did not feel the presence that came into the room right away. Exhaustion did that though, made you vulnerable when you didn’t mean to be.
From over the back of the couch, a head slid up to look down at him. It was a dragon that had come up behind the couch. Tazani was looking down at Carter and his body was jet black. It had a very small iridescent shine. His eyes were a deep ruby red.
He had several horns that swept off the back of his head gracefully. His body was scaled and had a ridge line of spikes that curved backward down his spine. His tail was a curved double spade. Dragons could control their size, but he was not very big yet as he had not hatched long ago.
Tazani crawled onto the back of the couch and looked down at his chi. His head tipped and he slowly moved toward Carter looking like a sneaking cat coming down. Tazani managed to get himself clinging to the back of the couch and stared at Carter. His claws dug into the couch, and he was the size of a large dog. His pointed snout was very close to Carter’s face.
Tazani could feel his chi’s chaotic dreams. It pulled him here and he wanted to make sure that his chi kept healing. They were one and the same after all. Who else would look out for them if they did not look out for each other? Tazani might be a young hatchling but dragons aged differently. He'd been in his egg a very long time.
Carter did not stir and Tazani tipped his head the other way clearly waiting for his chi to wake up. Tazani lifted his head hearing a few others down the hall chatting.
It was the witches Haley and Jane. Tazani was excited to go work with them and learn. He too was able to heal, he and his chi were very similar. They should be, right? Though his chi was still hiding a lot of pain from his previous way of life.
He knew that his soul, his chi, had been in a dark place for a long time. A place that tried to crush him and Tazani had been trapped, locked away like some of the Atlanteans were in crypts. Still, he saw his chi’s life.
Carter had not done as bad as he thought. He’d tried, he’d helped where he could and he’d saved others too. Where he was unable to, was not because he did not want to. He was simply unable. Now they were in a far better place, and he could see that his chi would shine here in this role. That once he was Atlantean they would be very capable.
The two of them were more like Portia, really eager to learn. To share, to help. However, that did not mean they were not capable of fighting. Tazani was quite proud of his chi and how determined he was to learn. To get better, Tazani could see that Vintas approved of his advancing skills. Tazani on the other hand was stuck in his growth at the moment. So learning things for him was a bit harder.
Until Carter could truly change fully into Atlantean and be fully chi, it was holding them back. Tazani would grow very slowly now. Even if his mind was already aged and capable of more.
Right now though, they were supposed to be going to learn with the witches. Learn the healing craft and also teach them the things that Carter knew from his human learnings. Which were quite helpful. His chi was over sleeping.
‘Carter,’ Tazani said. Tazani was pronounced Ta-zah-nigh. Some of the others tended to pronounce it a little off. Below him, Carter made a little sound but did not wake. Tazani shifted his head out to the side and brought it level with Carter’s temple. His purple tongue flicked out right into his ear.
Carter jump and out of reflex grabbed Tazani’s snout. He blinked and gave him a very annoyed look. Tazani shook his head trying to get his snout out of Carter’s hold and a little puff of smoke came out of his clenched maw.
“What the hell Tazani? Why do you have to do things like that?” Carter asked pushing his head and then wiping at his ear. Tazani tipped his head and gave a show of teeth that was a terrifying smile. Carter gave him an exasperated look. Tazani felt humor.
‘If you’d wake up the first time I say your name, then I wouldn’t. I didn’t jump on you this time, did I?’ He challenged back and Carter gave him a look.
“Why are you making me get up now? Did hunting not go well?” Carter asked him and Tazani hopped down on the floor so Carter could sit up.
‘Went fine actually. Maybe a little messy.’ Tazani said to him mentally and Carter yawned. He was starving and got up heading toward the kitchen. He swore that he was a bottomless pit all of a sudden.
Carter and Portia were starting to have a friendly battle about who could eat more in a sitting. It was kind of funny actually. Food had to do, he wasn’t capable of taking energy yet. Portia as an Atlantean female had to consume a great deal of calories to stay healthy.
“Well, you’ll get there. How about flying, you practice that?” Carter asked. Tazani followed him into the kitchen where he grabbed several items and ate them rather quickly.
‘Yeah, I was able to stay airborne for about twenty minutes. It’s getting longer, my muscles are sore and I tire quickly,’ Tazani said. It was a sad truth, and this would be the way until they either took Vintas and Portia up on their offer or they found their mate.
Which was going to be a very slim chance in Carter’s opinion. They were young and had a specific mate. Screwed like always. Though Tazani had an upbeat attitude about it, so there was that. They weren’t the only dragons so there was hope.
“That is good, day by day I guess,” Carter said with a smile.
“Hey Carter, you coming to join us?” Carter looked up at Haley who was in the doorway. She looked down and saw Tazani there and she smiled at him.
It had taken a bit for everyone to get used to a dragon. Since he was small, it was a bit easier for them to get used to him faster. Wasn’t like he was the size of the others that Carter had met. Some of the others were the size of office buildings at true size.
“Yeah, we’re coming. Sorry, just really needed some calories,” Carter said with a smile and Haley nodded back at him. She turned and went back down the hall. As Carter moved to follow, Tazani changed size and climbed up onto Carter’s shoulders.
He had his tail wrapped around and across his chest to ride on him. The contact was good for them both, but Carter also felt his claws more than he should. A few spots bled but healed quickly.
‘Sorry my chi, perhaps we will find what we need sooner rather than later,’ Tazani stated knowing that when he merged with his chi or climbed upon him it hurt him. It was better but it still hurt and it shouldn’t.
They did make their choice though, and they were dealing with it. It just didn’t seem right to rely on a mated pair for their needs. Or ask others to help them when there should be a mate for them. Then again like Vintas said, they were not in a time of prosperity and you had to take what you could get.
“It is what it is Taz, don’t worry about it. I feel it less,” Carter said walking them down the hall and to work with the witches on different potions and learn their craft.
Instead of a human scientist and doctor, Carter would be like a mage in healing and doctoring instead. He enjoyed it and was eager to keep learning. To share his knowledge with the witches and make even better serums or concoctions for those who were not human. After all, inhuman did not mean you did not get sick or injured. Carter liked having a better purpose in life
