Drake awoke as if from a deep slumber, feeling as though he'd dreamed an entire lifetime. He dreamed of living as a lizard in a rainforest for a month, of being pursued through the jungle by a predatory snake, and then encountering something akin to an alien spaceship. Under the guidance of mysterious voices that emerged within his soul, he transformed into a dragon of legend.
"That dream felt so real, I almost believed it was true," Drake muttered to himself, only to be stunned by the sound of his own voice. It was neither the voice he had as a human nor a noise a lizard might make but a real, commanding, albeit youthful, voice.
His eyes snapped open, the vertical pupils shining with a mesmerizing, deadly allure. The jungle from his 'dream' surrounded him, yet the perspective was wildly different. This was not the sight of a lizard; gone were the days when even the smallest tree seemed an insurmountable peak. Now, though the trees were tall, they no longer appeared unreachable.
By Drake's side lay a pool of clear water. He maneuvered his body toward it, moving with a grace and confidence as if born to this form. Reflected in the water was his new visage—a fierce dragon's head, sharp claws, bat-like wings, a powerful tail, and a body covered in scales shining golden in the sunlight.
"I... have really become a dragon?" Drake whispered in awe.
This was no dream. The transition from lizard to dragon, while acceptable, was now steeped in the mystic. The dragon—a symbol of power in countless myths and novels, regardless of its alignment, represented the pinnacle of strength within the food chain. And Drake had ascended from the lowliest creature to this legendary being.
"Although, judging by my current development, I'm probably still just a young dragon," Drake commented wryly. He quickly adapted to his new identity; having accepted his lizard form, becoming a dragon felt like a natural progression. His previous worries about lifespan vanished—living a millennium or so should be effortless for a dragon, a distinct upgrade from his human existence.
"But with dragons in the picture, is this still Earth?" His concern revived. He had previously wondered if he was still on Earth, but now he wasn't so sure. Earth couldn't possibly harbor dragons unless it was some well-concealed secret beyond the reach of an ordinary person.
"Sensing the host's life signs. Intelligent life reactivated... Please do not worry, host. You are indeed still on your home planet of Earth. Currently, there is no foundation for magical creatures here, aside from yourself; no other forms of magical energy exist on this planet."
A voice, both hollow and cold yet oddly humane, echoed in Drake's mind, startling him. But the familiarity of the tone, the same he'd heard when transformed from lizard to dragon, helped him regain his composure.
"Who are you?" Drake inquired, his unease lessened. Whether it was the dragon's physiology or not, he felt fear differently now—still present, but with a much higher threshold before it took hold.
"I am the highest intelligence created by the Tyren civilization," the voice replied in a matter-of-fact manner.
"Was it you who turned me into a dragon?"
"That is correct."
"And you're in my head now?"
Detecting Drake's wariness, the voice offered an explanation: "Please do not be alarmed, host. To secure a chance of survival, I have formed a symbiotic bond with your soul."
Drake didn't get all the details but understood enough. They were now one—if he died, so would this highest intelligence. Given its desire for self-preservation, it likely posed no harm to him, which offered some comfort.
"What's your name?"
"I, as a creation of civilization, have no name, only the designation 'XXXX'..."
Overwhelmed by the strange sounds, and finding them incomprehensible as they seemed to be an alien language, Drake interjected, "Alright, that pronunciation is beyond me. I'll just call you 'AI' then."
The Intelligent Life fell silent, possibly searching for the term 'AI' within its database. After a pause, it consented, "While I differ from the 'AI' within the host's cognition, you may address me as such."
"So, AI, according to you, I'm still on Earth, and there are no other beings like dragons here?"
"That is correct."
Drake pondered once more on this news. Earth might be dangerous, but he preferred the devil he knew—technology—over the unpredictable nature of magic.
"But what exactly happened to me? How did I become a dragon?"
Since the 'Tyren Intelligent Life' was behind everything, Drake sought to gather as much information as possible.
"Your current form is the result of the Tyren civilization's top-secret 'God-making Plan.' The Tyren civilization, far more advanced than Earth's, had the ability to traverse cosmic planes. By chance, they discovered an incredible world—Saint Soren's World—a realm dominated by magic rather than technology."
"...The Tyren civilization invaded Saint Soren's World thousands of years ago. Despite the world's intricate structure, it fell nearly completely and quickly to the Tyren. However, the Tyren did not anticipate the fundamental rules of Saint Soren's World and its 'gods,' beings beyond the comprehension of the Tyren civilization, which ultimately resulted in their defeat."
"The material that now constitutes your body was taken from one such vanquished 'Five-colored Dragon God.' The Tyren intended to dissect the divinity and flesh of the Dragon God to unravel the mystery of the gods. They did not foresee the peculiar nature of such beings and were ambushed by the 'deceased' Five-colored Dragon God during their return journey, ultimately crashing on Earth thousands of years ago."
With its mechanical voice, AI briefed Drake, providing clarity to his transformation and shedding light on its own origins.
'So that crystal was the so-called divinity? Does that mean my body is now modeled after a 'Dragon God'?' Drake felt a mix of excitement and caution.
He didn't believe for a second that his transformation into a lizard and subsequent reconstruction into a dragon was mere coincidence. The likely scenario was that he had been a pawn in a larger, unknown plan from the beginning. Human and lizard DNA are not that different; with the Tyren's technology, changing his genetic makeup would be straightforward. It meant he might have been wrapped up in something much bigger without knowing it—perhaps others, whether humans or true lizards, were involved but ended up as failures. As the successful dragon, his immediate objective was to survive and grow stronger. Only then could he uncover what events he had become a part of.