I awoke with a flutter; agitated and confused.
Where was I? What was happening?
The terrible way in which I acted! Hesitating, and watching the most important people of my current state of existence being killed? Letting resentment and revenge take my soul? Allying with an evil force, making a deal to exact revenge for my loss? Forgetting? Forgetting about my past, my upbringing, the love in which I was raised, and the knowledge of what was right and just?
Bada was next to me, cuddled around my torso, head resting upon my chest.
What? Where? How?
I looked to the clock across the room. There was an hour until daybreak.
What was happening? Where was I?
A voice came to me. Grandpa's voice,
"Druk! You have just lived through what may actually happen to you and your friends in moments if your actions and your mind are put into such peril. It's not about what you did. It's about what you didn't do. It's about the darkness that entered your mind. You've had the unique vision of the future during your dream and you have the ability to change it all! For your mind is the most powerful tool you possess. Get up! Now! And do it right!"
I lept from bed. Bada stirred and as I looked at her adorable face, shedding a tear, I put my finger to my lips so she wouldn't say anything. She nodded, knowing the importance by seeing the dire and determined look upon my young face. A face that had grown, matured, and now showed the projection of wisdom in its infancy.
I crept to the window, peering out, and saw Ihar in the distance, circling about in the darkened sky in his Pteranadon form, ready to come and retrieve us.
Bogatyr must be on the roof, ready to attack. I had to act fast.
I signaled for Bada to stand clear of the window and fell into a meditative state. I searched for Liba. I called out to her. Nothing. I needed more time, yet more time was not present. Where was she?
I acted.
Thrusting my hands forward, I released a fire shower that smashed open the window and cascaded outward, near to Ihar, without touching the ancient beast. He saw the flames, reared upward, and retreated. He understood the message. I hurriedly ran from the room, grabbing the oh so lovely Bada by the arm, and into the kitchen just adjacent and pushed her to the outside veranda located through a small door behind the refrigerator and told her to duck down.
She listened attentively.
Bogatyr lept through the window taking a stance for battle.
"Bogatyr! Do not attack us!" I call out from behind the door. "We are not the enemy! Dragons, yes, we are … Young dragons of the light, however, not of darkness or evil! We do not wish to fight you! We, instead, need your help!" I called out.
"Rubbish! The leader of the honorable order you claim as your own came to me yesternight, telling me of you and your lady friend's imposturing nature and your serving of the beastly vile Zmei! Do not try to tick me by meshing words!" he replied.
"Ihar came to you? Impossible. He was with us. Telling us how to stop Zmei! To find you, and meet with you, and get your assistance!" I shouted back.
"Nonsense! Enough of this now!" He shouted back while kicking down the door.
I stood still. Looking forward. My emerald eyes glowing large. My rainbow scales shimmering. Bogatyr glanced at me, and after seeing my presence, stopped his swinging of the long sword just in time to simply hold the blade at my neck. He saw something.
Just then, in a flash of white light, Ihar appeared in the bedroom near the window! He appeared in his human form, the elderly, hunched over man, with his white beard messily flailing below his drooping chin.
"Bogatyr! Please stop! For I did not see you, or go to retrieve you! You have been tricked, by a shape-shifter! Please, look at me!"
Bogatyr, still holding the sword to my neck, looked at Ihar, then lowered the blade.
"Your eyes! They are crystalized in their coloring! Before they held a dark hue. What is this 'shape-shifter' you reference?" he replied while calming down.
Bada walked from the back, embracing me, with her eyes glowing as blue as clear ocean water. Bogatyr looked at her intently, then said,
"It seems I was fooled! Not a usual thing to happen for sure. Then again, I have been in solitude for years. Perhaps I have grown inept. Please, explain to me, what is this 'shape shifter' you reference?" he asked Ihar who how was sitting in a chair inside my bedroom.
"A human with powers, powers to change her form! As I have the power to morph into creatures and choose the dinosaur you have seen. Since you have been out of society, it seems, certain humans have developed these powers over time, some using them for good, some for evil, and many in between the two. I think you realize who the two younglings who stand with us are?"
"Yes, of course. Druk, the Thunder Dragon from Lhomen Khazhi. And you, young lady, possibly the next Yong of Samhan. Your eyes tell me of your honesty, and that you both represent pureness. Beware! For if you are presented with a choice in difficult times, you can still become resentful and possibly evil! If that were to happen, then I would have no choice but to end your lives." Bogatyr warned. "As for humans getting powers, as you say, I cannot fathom it! Nor do I want to be involved with it! I am here to hunt dragons, dragons of destruction."
"And a dragon of destruction is active! Zmei! He has awoken and crossed the border into the Koreas, or Samhan, as you referred. Bada and I don't have the power yet to defeat him. We need your help!" I spoke up.
"Yes, Bogatyr! Listen to the boy. He tells the truth of it. Zmei is plotting an intricate and violent act to bring Samhan under his control and kill millions of innocent human lives!" Ihar exclaimed.
"Please help us!" Bada pleaded, "My home is under fire! Even if you refuse, I will go anyway, even if it means to my doom!"
I looked into her glowing eyes and could feel her worry and pain. I loved her totally.
"Of course. We will take care of Zmei, my arch-nemesis, and the reoccurring thistle in my backside for centuries! I have the power to travel there instantly, to his vicinity, where I plan to battle him and defeat him. He must be sent back to his homeland."
"You will not destroy him completely?" Bada asked.
"No. If I do that, Rus' will no longer have its lord dragon. That may be fine. However, if a dastardlier dragon, like the Scandinavian world eater, and most heinous of all, Nidhogg, decided to move into such an enormous land, who knows what carnage may follow. No, Zmei must be sent back with fewer heads to regenerate over the next century."
"I've not heard of Nidhogg before. How dangerous is he?" I asked.
Ihar then rose and slowly walked to me in the other room where I stood with Bada saying,
"Let's not utter his name any further. As far as anyone knows, he sleeps or waits, still trying to find out how he can eat the world's core. That is all you need to know for now."
"Indeed, good sir!" Bogatyr replied. "As I said before, I can appear where Zmei is in an instant. You two will take much longer to travel there because your power is not yet completed. Regardless, I do not want you to interfere in our battle. He will use you to distract me, and I will not fall for it. You would most likely be killed. I will give you one full day. Tomorrow, at this time, I will engage with him. He will not be expecting me, assuming I have retired from my heroic endeavors. And truly, if you all had not stirred me, I wouldn't know of the mischief he creates. Stay at bay when you arrive! Only engage if you see me starting to fade! Farewell!"
Bogatyr muttered his last word then ran to the window and lept out! Bada and I sprinted to see him and saw nothing.
He had vanished.
Then, instantaneously, a great explosion of lightning lit up the early morning sky!
It was Ala!
I knew it was her, as I could see the clouds moving toward us and kept her in my mind since awakening. Awakening for real that is!
Jacob appeared!
Always at the right time.
Ihar called out, "Jacob, take them to woods outside of the city! Now!"
My friend grabbed my arm, and Bada's arm as well, and we vanished!
Reappearing in the Bialowieza Forest, Jacob was all smiles! Of course, until the clouds started forming again in the semi-lit sky.
"Blokes! One thing I have learned is to not stick around when my usefulness is through! I have a dire need for you both. It concerns Liba. But for now, best of luck!" Jacob exclaimed, then vanished.
A streak of lightning came roaring down from the sky, striking a grand pine with a shimmering light from the location. Forming was a woman, the same beauty from my dreams. The same being I had allied myself within an alternate reality.
"I see both of you in all your power and glory! Join me! Come with me, both of you, and we may slay both Zmei and Bogatyr! Together, we can rule a vast majority of the earth and bring fear to any who oppose us!" Ala said while approaching us both, placing her glowing bluish hands on both of our faces, smiling with seduction.
"Yes, Ala! The three of us! How invigorating!" I replied.
Bada looked at me confused and nervous.