Tether
“Clearly, you don’t realize how important this is,” he says, cradling the thing in his arms. “But you’re the only one I can trust.”
“I’m not interested,” I tell him. “I’m already on a tight leash.”
“If you want any chance at Ascension, Pega, then you’ll do this.”
“I don’t need help from this thing!”
“She’s not a thing! She’s the only being that can save our pathetic, withering race!” He looks away, acknowledging my frustration. “Look,” he says, calmly this time, “I don’t expect you to understand. But I expect you to do it.”
“I…”
The creature turns its tiny head in my direction. Its eyes meet mine, the irises a deep gradient of violet and blue. They even appear to have tiny stars in them, almost resembling a night sky.
Truly a curse on all our kind.
But as I stare down at it with clear disdain, it looks back at me, beaming, as it stretches its little arms toward me.
It isn’t the slightest bit afraid, unlike the others. It traps me in its gaze. And although its mind seems blank, I’ve never felt so much emotion coming from a single being.
As if it could see all the pain and hatred pumping through my veins.
As if it’s been at my side from the beginning, and knows what I’ve been going through.
As if it’s reaching out to comfort me despite everything that’s happened.
I can’t break away.
It amazes me that something so young and ignorant to the world, would be more accepting than my own kind. Maybe ignorance is the only explanation.
Yeah.
After some time, it’ll undoubtedly end up being just as cold as everyone else.
I’m in a trance when Sai brings the thing closer to me, and its tiny hand touches my cheek. It stares into my eyes, its tiny lips curled with joy.
“Honey, this is Pega. He’s gonna be taking care of you for a while, okay?”
“Pega,” it says softly, pulling its hand away. My eyes widen.
“It can already talk?”
Sai’s eyebrow twitches as his glare buries me in the ground. Outside, Nethran’s wail sounds in the distance. They’re close.
“Alright, I’m gonna need you to hold onto Pega right now, okay?” He comes a bit closer, giving me a solemn gaze. His kid latches its arms around my neck, its knees hug my sides, its head rests against my chest.
“Okay, hold on tight. And don’t let go.” Sai tells it. It nods.
His attention returns to me. He looks deep into my eyes and cocks a brow, almost daring me to protest.
Taking my lack of response as confirmation, his eyes focus on his kid one last time. After kissing its forehead, I notice his eyes glossing over. Surely, he’ll see us later. Why is he so sad?
Without even looking at me, he turns his back on us, and takes a deep breath.
“Go,” he orders.
I hesitate.
“Sai, I can’t do this…”
“Go!” His voice resounds like thunder, rattling the cave walls.
Regretfully, I turn away, an almond-shaped chunk of ice manifesting beneath my feet. On it, I skate toward the back exit, leaving behind an icy trail.
As I slide through the corridors, the kid’s grip on me tightens, and it buries its face deeper into my shirt.
“What’s the matter with you?” I ask it.
As if on cue, Nethran’s cry fills the air outside. Sai’s thunderous roar echoes throughout the cave, challenging him. I sure hope we make it out in time…
“Are you scared too?” it asks me.
After a moment of silent surprise and embarrassment, I scoff.
“Be quiet.”
“Your heart… It’s going boom-boom-boom-boom-boom, really fast.”
“Quiet, or you'll be left behind.”
“No!”
“Then shut up!”
I suck my teeth.
As much as I want to disagree, I can’t deny this unsettling feeling. I only hope it’s not fear.
And this kid… If the legends are true, then many others, both human and dragon, will be constantly trying to destroy it.
How much pain will it go through simply for being born?
My whole life, I’ve been outcasted by my own race. Why treat another reject the same way? This thing Sai wants me to look after is very different from us. And as it grows up, it’ll surely come to realize these differences for itself…
Eventually, it’ll feel the same way I do.
Or will it?
How will this thing will hold up against the real world? It’ll be difficult to control if it turns out like me, filled with sorrow and rage. And if it ends up with any of Sai’s power…
Well, we won’t know unless we get out of this alive, right?
“Hold on tight and don’t let go.”
It nods against my chest, and I pick up speed.
As things get louder and more violent behind us, the cave shakes with earthquake-like tremors. The corridor crumbles and tumbles down behind us, faster and closer, until debris begins to fall right at my heels.
Dust clouds my path, and just as we reach the opening, the ceiling starts coming down. Instinctively, I cover Sai’s kid with my arms as a falling rock knocks me in the head. The sudden sunlight blinds me, and all I can remember is helplessly plummeting down the side of the mountain.
As my vision fades, I notice the kid’s little, clenched fists are still clutching my shirt, its legs, clothes and hair, wavering in the wind as we fall.
Huh.
Guess I couldn’t protect you after all…
I fade in and out, catching glimpses of an unknown dragon in its natural form, carrying me in its arms.
Behind its flapping wings, I briefly witnessed the crumbling mountain as we fly farther away from it. Then everything goes black again.
After regaining consciousness a second time, I find myself lying on the shore of a beach. The sky’s casting a red-orange glow over everything, and the waves flow back and forth in a calm rhythm. Beside a makeshift fire, I see the same mysterious dragon standing, staring over the ocean, and into the setting sun.
It has an unusual form, more human than dragon, with prominent curves like a woman. Its scales are a rare pearlescent mix of red and black, appearing like shimmery, venous blood. The scales are bonded to its body like armor, covering much of its legs and arms, but little of its chest and back, continuing up the nape of its neck where it fuses into the skin beneath its hairline.
Examining the side of its face, the scales also line its jaw where they come to a curved point at the edge of its eyes, leaving its cheeks and temples exposed, except for what was covered by its deep, wavy hair.
Its feet resemble those of a fully developed dragon while its hands take on a much younger form, the fingers bearing claws. Its scale-covered tail rests calmly behind it. And its wings…
They’re nearly three times its size. Their delicate webbing is torn and stained with blood, but slowly healing.
My attention is drawn away by a grieving yowl in the distance.
Is that Sai?
My head snaps back to the dragon as it responds with a mournful, soft, howl of its own. Though filled with sorrow, it was an enchanting melody, much like the song of a siren.
Suddenly, it scuffles into the waves, only to be abruptly stopped in its tracks by the roar of the distant voice.
Letting out a helpless wail, the dragon falls to its knees, sulking.
After a long moment, its gaze settles on me. Its face blurs completely as my vision fades again.
The only thing clear to me is that this dragon saved my life.
My heart believes that this is Sai’s kid. But logically, it was impossible. Then again…
Where’s... the kid? …
Finally, I wake, and find that I’m still lying on the beach, now draped in moonlight. I sit straight up, scanning the area for that dragon, but---Woah!
Sai’s kid is curled up in my lap.
Was it there the whole time?
Confused, I stare long and hard at the thing, sleeping soundly with a troubled expression on its face. The longer I stare, the more I start to feel like that rock hit me too damn hard.
There’s no way this is her.
No way.
This is a child we’re talking about, just barely three years old. Do half-breeds even have draconian forms? Even if they do, how come hers was so mature?
But that’s the thing, isn’t it?
It was only kinda mature.
There were many similarities that the dragon’s form shared with younger, far less developed ones. Like its delicate wings. They must have gotten damaged from the flying. And to bleed that badly, well. That means it was their first flight.
Still, I doubt it.
The seconds pass as I stare in disbelief, until the moon rises high enough to reflect the kid’s dark hair. And in it, I notice those same red undertones.
My eyes pop.
It’s her! She really is…
In that instant, she lifts her head and opens her spacy eyes, looking back at me sleepily. Her face washes over in relief.
“You’re okay!”
I feel my face flush with heat as a wave of adrenaline makes its way from my head to my feet. I slide her off of me as gently as my quivering hands would allow, resting her down on the sand beside me.
I get up.
Lose my footing for a moment, as I bolt towards the shore.
I dive in like an Olympic champion.
And I.
Just.
Swim.
I swim.
And swim.
And swim…
…as far away as I can.
