Throwing himself into the flames Marcus had grit his teeth expecting to be reduced to ash, as moments ticked by he felt nothing, he didnt even feel the burning material beneath his feet, rather it felt like he was lying on a warm beach, the fine particles beneath his body shifting yet warmed as if beneath a high risen sun. Daring to open his eye, Marcus peeked at his surroundings and swallowed. Gone was the shrine, Selvantra was nowhere to be seen. Rather he was lying in a cave, crystal's glowing with a soft bluish tint were embedded in the walls.
Marcus struggled to rise but he found his body responding strangely, his joints seemed to bend in ways a humanoid shouldn't, and then there was something heavy pressing down on his back. Craning his head around he blinked, his head moved like it no longer was confined to a normal spine, twisting almost 180 degrees to look back at himself. His jaw dropped as he looked upon the large bluish-black wings that covered his back like a thick blanket, his gaze swept down his body and he frowned, had he died again? This wasn't his Dragon god body, rather it was a true dragons body!
Trying to rise, his awkward steps saw him stumble. A soft worried voice slipped from beside him, "My love? Is something the matter? Did you dip into the ambrosia again after I retired?" Craning his head to the side a woman stood resting a hand against his armor like scales. He quickly looked away as he felt his cheeks burn for she wore not a stitch of clothing. Her fit and tanned flesh was fully on display and pressed against his side, "No, something else... oh dear, has that time come already?"
Marcus' head turned back to face the woman as she sighed helplessly, a wave of her fingers saw a tight bodice and breeches appear upon her body as she pressed her forehead against his side, "My loves reincarnation, we've been expecting you. My love took me to bed worried he would not see me again, I denied that he would leave my side but it happened, so the oraclexwas right, my love falls and is born a new one day. This is both saddening and glorious."
Marcus nodded lightly laying his head down closer to her, careful of his voice remembering what his old-new body was capable of, "I take it you are Zee, his consort?"
She nodded her head, that waterfall of wheat colored hair wild about her shoulders, eyes of ice blue stared at him, "And you are no longer Xelandrophomous, how may I call you future Dragon god?"
"Marcus, my name is Marcus. Rather uninspired compared to his I guess..." Hearing the old Dragon gods name he blinked a bit feeling the knowledge slipping into his blood, an identity he never truly comprehended started to reveal itself, "Is this an illusion or a vision? I jumped into your flaming heart while fighting a giant snake yet I'm here instead of him..."
Zee laughed softly, the tears in her eyes slipped down her cheeks, "So it's TRUE, after my love falls, so do I, preparations must be made but for now, his plan must be followed."
"His plan? What is his plan?"
"My love received a vision of his death thus he had our pantheon prepare for his rebirth. His part was to become female and have me impregnate him so he'd lay an egg..."
Marcus blinked, "Wait, wait, wait! You both swapped genders so HE could give birth?!"
Zee gave a sad laugh, "Not one of his better ideas I admit, though it was a unique experience."
Tilting his head he looked at the goddess, "Why didn't he just get you pregnant?"
Zee laughed again and waved her hand, images of various draconic races of humanoid appearance flashed before them, "These were the failed attempts, when i carried his children we produced humanoid dragons, lizard folk, kobolds, snakanans, all sorts of others a veritable circus side show of abnormal results. Ultimately to get a dragon heir, he had to lay an egg."
"But when I hatched I was humanoid, admittedly I look alot like this form, but I'm also definitely bipedal without wings."
Zee smiled softly stroking his side, "I imagine one of the first creatures you were near were humans right? Even in the egg a dragon will assume a shape more in line with the locals to better fit in, but your true shape, this shape that is my loves form, is within you. Just a matter of learning how to change it. But that's for later, while this is a chance for you to learn, transformation is Dragon 201 as he put it, first we need to teach you Dragon 101 as he claimed it to be."
Marcus chuckled at the description, sounded to him the old Dragon god was a transmigrator as well, both lessons sounded something like his old university days. Looking to Zee he nodded, "So what's first?"
Patting his side she walked around him and made for the lighted tunnel, "First you learn to walk young dragon, I'll get us some food and spare your dignity, as my love asked me to remind you, it's not like a baby learning to crawl, you have extra limbs babies dont have so be mindful not to trip in and tear my wings, his words." Giggling she vanished up a path leaving Marcus to realize the old dragon god seemed well prepared for this situation, pity Marcus himself would spend the next three hours tripping on his wings, slapping himself with his tail and accidentally letting it all hang out to stub on a rock... that last one made him nearly curl into a fetal position until he realized he'd then smack himself in the chin with it.
Wobbling up the lighted path some time later he could smell the rich aroma of roasted meat, the passage eventually gave way to a majestic passage, seemed the old Dragon liked to sleep close to the natural order rather than in some fabricated bedroom. Just beyond the exit Zee was sat back before a roasting fire, a thick boar, something almost half his current size was rotating on a spit turned by a small flock of reptilians, looking to Zee he wondered who they were with his gaze.
Smiling she lifted a thick meaty leg up in salutation, the limb was easily bigger than herself yet she hefted it one handed as easily as she would a goblet. "Pay no mind to the kobolds Marcus, they're your personal attendents, well, my loves attendants. They are our closest children and are dedicated to our well being. By the way, you can retract that you know." She motioned to the snake like appendage that dangled close to the ground.
"I could in my body, this ones muscles are still new to me. So Zee, exactly what should I be learning?"
Zee tore a bite out of the board leg and thought as she chewed, "Well you seem to have basic movement down, once you retract my loves penis we'll go outside. While I know you can't help it at the moment you have to realize a dragons bared genitals means it intends to mate. No questions asked, most beta and omega females will simply go with what the alpha demands, so not having your friends, daughters and family bending over in public is certainly a core skill... assuming you're not a lewd god, are you that lewd Marcus?"
Marcus felt the heat rise in his face and did his best to retract his shaft, the sensation in his own body was weird but in a dragon form, it was even weirder. For once he truly missed being able to wear jeans. "Ugh, alright no lewd, so what's next in dragon 101?"
Zee took another bite and motioned towards a distant entry, the worked entrance let in a thick ray of sunlight, "Next up is getting use to the fact you are an apex predator Marcus, as civilized as the dragon god is amongst the pantheon there is no denying at your root you are a heaven Tier beast. Dragons have claws, sharp teeth, and can breath a multitude of different elements depending on their nature. You are immensely strong, even a slight tap would turn a mortal into a stain on the ground. Your next lesson is to learn just how deadly you are, and how to control that power, no sense being monstrously strong if you squish your mates like grapes."
Zee giggled softly shooing him off, "Eat if you need it, or you can try hunting your own to help understand your power, either way come back when you can pick up one of the crystals by the door without it shattering."
"What about my original body, my friends? I can't imagine Selvantra is just going to wait patiently while I snooze in your heart." Marcus replied as he wobbled towards the exit, each step seeing a better grasp as he moved the body.
"Oh Marcus, you should realize she's not going to hurt you or your friends, she is after all our daughter. Her trying to eat you was just to test you. No sense letting you in my heart if you couldn't even face down one of our children. Most likely shes having tea with your friends, she was always fond of the drink."
He wasn't so sure but made his way out, blinking as the open mountainside appeared before him, the towering peaks were dotted with structures of great size, many of them looking grander than any of the historic castles in his memory. Various dragons lounged and gathered at these structures, some turned to look at him but just as quickly ignored him. Most had one form or another of reptilian servant waiting on them. Most favored kobolds but he could see some lizard folk and more snake like servants around the lower domiciles. In the distance he could see a large forest where the occasional dragon darted down into the trees and carried off strange beasts.
Unfurling his wings slowly he glanced to the nearby ledge, leaning over he looked down on the side of the mountain beneath that fell sharply. It seemed like the dragon god and Zee's home was the sole occupant of this particular peak. From the looks of things, there would be no ledges to catch him should he drop like a stone which made him swallow nervously. Large as he was, falling from this height might just see the death of this dragon god... is that how he's needed? Going back and accidentally killing off the original in a botched attempt at flight?
"Not going to try? Sssilly, you can fly, have courage."
A soft almost familiar voice came from behind, craning his neck Marcus blinked seeing a young lamia exiting the wide door and slither beside him to glance over the edge. The young Selvantra smiled at her papa yet not papa and shook her head, "You are not asss brave asss my papa. If you are not going to try give my papa back."
A frown crossed her face, her thin arms crossed over her bare and flat chest. Seemed to Marcus the lamia was still a child at this time. "I am going, I just don't want to be wrong and end up hurting your dad's body. I mean really, would he appreciate the history books claiming that this is the year he was possessed by his successor and fell to his death?"
Selvantra giggled, "You have a point but papa all waysss sssaid flying isss like breathing, for a dragon it isss not about thinking about conquering the ssskiesss, a dragon sssimply doesss. Ssso, ssstop thinking about trying to fly and jussst let papa'sss body do what it alwaysss doesss." Turning and slithering towards a narrow path that wound downwards, "And if you're wrong, I'll treat you at the bottom." Laughing the lamia went on her way paying the nervous dragon no more mind.
Marcus glanced back to the ledge and exhaled, getting advice from the child version of his future? present? enemy, rubbed him wrong. Even a child of a different species seemed to know more than he did about being a dragon. Steeling himself, he let out a held breath and lunged off the ledge...