literature

Gift from the Stars

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(this is when I lived in Stony. I am still only 21, my hair is short, my teeth are straight, and my CP, shunt, tube, and scars are all still-long-gone. Marc and his friends are all still long-gone, so there is still peace)





I still didn’t know what to make of the strange note that had been left for me by my father, who had been given the message by my grandmother just under one week ago. It had all started when I, just days after finishing my university astronomy course, had come home to excitedly tell my dad and Barb about all I had learned. However, one thing I didn’t yet know about was an ancient tale told by my grandfather to my father, known as “The Tale of the Dragon’s Heart”.

My father had been very young, and at the time, his father, my grandfather, had been an avid stargazer; a passion that he somehow knew would be passed down through our family to come at last to me. My grandfather would sit for hours on a warm, clear summer night, looking at the stars with his field telescope, and reading a large book packed with a wealth of astronomical information.

My grandfather had told his son an ancient story about the constellation Draco, the Dragon.

He had had his children: my father, and my two aunts, Lynne and Janie, sit around the fire in front of the small chicken coop. The night was warm, and beautifully clear; millions of stars gleaming in the blackness of the night sky.

“I want to tell you all a story; a legend of how the constellation of Draco, the Dragon, came into existence.” My grandfather gestured up to the northern sky, where the constellation of the dragon glowed faintly. It was hard to see at first, but as my father’s and my aunts’ eyes adjusted to the night, they could soon make it out.

“It sure is a beautiful constellation!” my father said with a smile. “I’ve always wondered why it is one of the dim ones.”

My grandfather nodded, smiling at his son. “I will tell you!” And he began the tale.

“Many hundreds of years ago, in the village of Edinburgh, Scotland, there lived a young squire by the name of Merrick Draconis. He toiled tirelessly in the Edinburgh Castle, hoping to earn enough gold pieces to pay for his knighthood.

Merrick had strove with everything he had in himself to reach the goal of being a knight. He had been inspired to reach for such a dream after witnessing the poor conditions and squalor that the townsfolk lived in, placed in such horrible conditions after a corrupt English king, Davian, had taken over from James VI of Scotland, in 1626, just a year after his death.”

My father looked into the flames, then back up at the stars, as my grandfather continued.

“People had wished for a king as good as James had been, but sadly, their dream was not to be. Davian had lived a life of hardship, and the death of his family at the hands of peasants who revolted against Davian’s family’s hometown instilled in him a deathless bitterness and cruelty, driving him mad. He fought his way through life, killing and hurting those who disagreed with him, but there were some who sympathized with his plight, and thus shared in his cruel ways."

"When Davian became king, in the year 1627, almost all of Scotland fell under his tyrannical rule, and anyone who fought for peace, or to overthrow Davian, was killed. However, many of Scotland's people were not surprised by such a turn of events, due to the widespread knowledge of the tensions between England and Scotland.

The king’s evil reigned over nearly the entire country, but there were still a few poor peasants who had fared well under the good king James’s rule. They planned to overthrow Davian once and for all, but a corrupt peasant by the name of Lucius took news of this to Davian, whom he still loyally served, unknown to the other peasants.

“The battle that followed is known as The Edinburgh Revolution, in 1628. It was a bloody fight, with many casualties on both sides, but fortunately, Merrick, alongside some other peasants from his army, succeeded in slaughtering almost half of Davian’s forces and cavalry. However, Lucius dealt a near-fatal blow to Merrick with his hammer, at the same time he himself had his throat slit by Merrick. The young squire was taken by some of his comrades to a cave far outside of the battlefield, where an aged dragon was said to reside. The dragon was very near its own death, but with what strength it had left, the dragon managed to give Merrick its heart, taking his own, and finally succumbing to the ravages of time.

Merrick was grateful for the dragon’s sacrifice, and placed his sword and shield by the dead dragon’s side, as a gift of thanks.
Then, armed with his foe Lucius’s hammer and shield, Merrick set out to finish off those of Davian’s army who had escaped.”

My grandfather looked into the flames again, then back up at his children, lowering his voice for dramatic effect.

“But soon, it became apparent to Merrick’s comrades that he was undergoing a gradual transformation. The sacrifice of the dragon’s heart for Merrick had irrevocably turned him into a dragon as well, but his willpower and kind nature were far too powerful for anything like greed or evil to come upon him.

"After Merrick’s final transformation while battling the last of Davian’s army, his soldiers sought to help and protect him, and one of his comrades, Silas, a young monk-turned-knight, knew very much about dragons due to the time he spent with the other dragon in its declining years. That dragon had formed a close bond with Silas, and upon being told of the gift bestowed upon Merrick, Silas thanked the dragon for saving his friend, and vowed to help him accept his fate. Merrick lived a long and prosperous life, but he too, eventually aged and succumbed to the ravages of time; his soul ascending to become the constellation we see today!! But the reason it is such a dim and imperceptible constellation is because the dragon that saved Merrick's life was so weak, so the part of its heart given to him prevented Merrick from living forever; his years were impermanent, thus depriving the stars of the constellation of their full power. Its name is derived from the first part of Merrick's surname Draconis: Draco!!”

My grandfather finished the tale, looking up at them. “And that is how Draco the constellation came to be. But since Merrick's death, no dragon has ever been seen, either in Scotland, or anywhere else on earth; the race of dragons having ended by that time, which means they have been extinct for nearly 400 years!!”

My father and his family sat in silence, awed by the tale. But my father couldn't help but wonder. He looked up at his father. "But will dragons ever return to live amongst us, dad?"

My grandfather glanced at his son, and smiled. "If the stars of Draco endure, then yes, perhaps one day, they will!!" he answered.



Present day…

I was walking home from a relaxing day at the park, when I saw a small white envelope on the step. I looked around, but saw no one. Puzzled, I took the envelope inside, saw it was addressed to me, and sat on the porch couch, opening it.

Dear Charlie,

If you are reading this, it means that I have succeeded in giving you your grandfather’s legacy, and I want to leave you with something very important: a lasting reminder of the love we hold as a family. You will soon find his story was true. Come to the farm at Lake Imrie one week from today, and you will find the truth.

Love Grandma.

Smiling, I folded the letter, and was putting it back in the envelope when the words came back to me: Come to the farm at Lake Imrie one week from today, and you will find the truth.

I was puzzled now. What was my grandmother referring to? I racked my brain, but found no answers.

But little did I know that something extraordinary was soon to happen, which would change my life forever…

One week later…

The incessant buzzing of my alarm clock jerked me out of a sound sleep. Groaning, I rolled over and hit the snooze button, before laying back down. A few moments passed before I jerked up in bed, glancing at my calendar.

Saturday, July 9th.

I suddenly remembered that the note had said I was to come to the farm, today.

Eagerly, I jumped out of bed, had a fast shower, cleaned up, then got dressed, grabbed a quick warm danish with a hot mocha and the morning paper, before cleaning up, refreshing myself, then I grabbed my packed duffel bags and my keys. Locking the house, I tossed my bags in the back of my Jeep Rubicon, jumped in, revved the engine, then sped off.

It was always fun to head out to the cabin. I loved the wide-open fields and all the nature. The farm for me was like a home away from home, and I would be going up there on my own, which was nice.

My dad and Barb had made sure the farm was ready to go a while ago, and the fridge and cupboards were stocked with good foods.

There was also a lot of firewood, so I would be fine.
As I drove down the winding road toward the farm, I felt my eagerness grow. It would be great to just kick back and relax after driving many miles. After getting out to close the gate after coming in, I drove up to the farm house, parking beside the grove of trees close to the lake.

Getting out and grabbing my bags, I unlocked the cottage, and went in.

I then stood up and stretched, yawning. After settling in, I changed into my swim shorts, and grabbed my towel, heading down to the lake for a refreshing swim. Diving off the dock, I closed my eyes as the cool water surrounded me. After a good, hard swim out to the floating dock, I climbed up, sat down, and lay back in the sun, relaxing.

Man, it felt great to be out here, especially when I was on my own! I fell asleep, finding myself pondering the memory of my grandfather’s story to my aunts and my own father.

Waking up about a half-hour later, I stretched, splashing some cold water over my head to wake up again, and dove off into the water, swimming back to shore.

I enjoyed myself throughout the day by exploring, riding my ATV, hanging out in the beach house, or just kicking back in the hammock by the shore. Around sunset, I went up for a shower, sauna, and spa. Afterwards, I made myself some steak and potatoes with gravy, and some fresh-picked beets from the farm garden by the lake, cooking and eating my supper in the outdoor arbor.

As I was finishing cleaning up after eating, I suddenly saw a small folded note tucked under the edge of the plastic table cover. Puzzled, I pulled it out, and opened it.

Charlie,

Come to Auntie Janie’s wall at precisely 9:00 pm. There, everything will be settled, for you, and for our family. Good luck.

Love Grandma.


Smiling, I took the note and placed it inside on the mantel. Coming back outside, I glanced up at the sky, noticing it was just after sunset.

Glancing at my watch, I found it was only 7:00 pm. I still had time, so I went exploring, rode my ATV, swam, cooked some marshmallows, and just relaxed.

I came back to the wall about five minutes before 9 pm, and stood before it, examining Auntie Janie’s stone. I smiled as I saw the verse inscribed upon it:

“Yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.” - Isaiah 49:15-16.

I examined the three stone angels at either end of the wall; one standing just to the left of Auntie Janie's stone, and the other two at the opposite end; one angel sitting, and the third one standing beside it.
 

Suddenly seeing a dim, yet noticeable glow on the wall, I turned and walked out of the trees, glancing up at the evening sky. There, in the north, just above the horizon, was the constellation Draco, the Dragon!!

I suddenly gasped, feeling a shiver run through me, followed by heat, which forced me to undress completely except for my boxers, but I didn’t worry since there was no one around for miles.

After quickly folding my clothes and placing them on the bed inside the chicken coop, I came back out and stood on the hill, gazing up at the stars.

”Let your power come to me. My heart yearns for freedom, and so let it be given.”


There was no turning back now. I knew that this would be a one-way transformation; a choice which destined me to live as a dragon, for all eternity.

It was a choice that I had dreamed of, for many years, and now, it would come to pass. But I would not become just ANY dragon. I would become who I truly believed I was in my heart: Drake himself, from Dragonheart 2!!

“Let the first dragon rise from his mortal shell! Let my true self be known to the world!!” I whispered to the stars, and as if in response to my words, the stars of Draco suddenly seemed to brighten, but it was almost imperceptible!

For a few seconds nothing happened, but then I became aware of a sudden ache at the base of my spine. I glanced back to see that right above my buttocks, at the base of my spine, was a fast-growing bump!! As I watched, stunned, the bump grew slowly, before tearing my boxers to tatters, revealing a quickly-developing tail, with a spike at the tip!!

I looked up at the constellation, seeing the star in the dragon’s eye, Eltanin, suddenly wink, growing surprisingly vivid in a split-second, before a “ripple” of light suddenly crossed over Draco; each star from one end of the constellation to the other flaring, like a ripple in a pond from a stone!!!

The tail ached, prickled, and tingled as it lengthened, stopping at just over two meters long, with the spike adding a few inches; the tingly prickle continuing momentarily as the bones, muscles, and nerves rapidly formed, before the sensations faded!! The tail was a dull copper-grey on top, and a dull ashen-gray beneath, with smooth skin like a snake’s on the top, and the dull gray 'scutes’ like a lizard beneath!

Curiously, I tried to move the new appendage. It responded to my efforts with surprising ease, curling around me so I could grasp it. The scales were smooth, warm, and alive!!

My tail felt my hand as much as my hand felt the tail, letting me realize this was indeed really happening to me!!

I suddenly thought of something. Carefully controlling my new dragon tail, I lifted it, testing my control over the spike at the tip, opening and closing it both slowly and swiftly, like a giant pair of shears or scissors!

"By God, my grandfather’s story was true!!" I muttered, awed.

I instinctively rolled my weight from my insteps upon feeling an abrupt cramping, onto the balls of my feet, and watched my outer toes merge; the inner ones thickening and growing as the pale human toenails all painlessly cracked, splitting and falling off for sharp ebony talons to emerge!! I was now left with just three toes with sharp talons, on each foot, but even so, I quickly adapted to this, finding no problems standing upon them!!

Experimentally, I lifted my left foot, scratching a nearby tree trunk. Even with very little pressure, inch-deep scratches were left in the bark!!

"Interesting…!" I muttered. Then the change picked up speed; deep golden-copper scales slicing out of my human skin across my feet, and up over my ankles and legs, as my heels began to slowly rise. This caused me to nearly topple over, but my new tail instantly helped me to balance.

I felt a sudden odd surging sensation from the underside of my tail, up my torso, to my lower jaw. Glancing down, I gasped as my chest broadened; deep copper ‘scutes' rapidly surging across my skin like a wave, as the old tan human flesh swiftly vanished beneath them!!!

Then, without warning, a terrible burning sensation in my gut, accompanied by intense nausea, sent me crashing to my hands and knees, retching miserably!!

The burning lifted higher, as steam suddenly started shooting from my nostrils in small puffs, as I felt the pain rising up into my throat, but strangely, I felt it bypass my mouth, instead rising into my nasal passages, then a massive, three-meter jet of bright blue high-temperature fire abruptly blasted from my nostrils, incinerating a line of grass before me, reducing it to black ash!!!

Immediately, however, relief washed over me as the pain and nausea swiftly subsided. I breathed a sigh of relief, but felt tears well up in my eyes. Reaching up to wipe them away, I was surprised to feel not wet tears, but smooth little stones come away from my eyes!!

Looking down, I saw several tiny clear, teardrop-shaped gems in my hand, and stared in amazement as they radiated a myriad of rainbow colours as the moonlight caught them!

I wept diamonds now!!!

And, I realized something strange: In 'Dragonheart', I recalled how Draco could blast fire from his nostrils, while in 'Dragonheart: A New Beginning', Drake could only shoot fire from his mouth.

It was indeed strange that I was becoming one dragon, but ended up having the fire abilities of another, which meant that somehow, my fire-breathing powers had been reversed!!

But I didn't care about that at all. 'At least I don't have to worry about scorching my throat, or choking on smoke! I can sustain nasal fire blasts without any internal damage to my throat or mucous membranes.'

Suddenly I felt an odd tingling in my hands, and examining them, found they were merging; my middle and ring fingers fusing to form one thick finger, leaving me with three fingers and a thumb per hand, but I found, much to my amazement, that they were still as dextrous and functional as my human hands had been!!

Suddenly I felt the surging and tingling as the scales climbed swiftly over my shoulders and down my back, as well as down over my arms.

I instinctively gritted my teeth as I felt something slowly push up out just above my forehead, then thrice more; sets of pale ivory dragon horns growing slowly!

Yet the feeling of them forming told me exactly what kind of dragon I was becoming!

I was turning into Drake himself!!!

Then, without any warning, an abrupt and horrendously-painful wrenching in my shoulders made me collapse again to my knees; my face twisting in sheer agony!!

Without warning, I threw back my head and screamed from the pain, only it emerged not that, but a full-blooded draconic roar; the sound echoing almost endlessly across the lake and the countryside, but thankfully, no one heard it, even as it lingered!!!

I had squeezed my eyes shut, and after several seconds, opened them, instantly noticing my wider field of vision; my eyes having moved further apart while they had been closed, although still on the front of my head, thankfully!!

Glancing back, I discovered that my shoulders had in fact split apart; a second pair just behind and beneath my original ones!! And from this second set of shoulders sprang 2 fragile, paper-thin wings, but they were already starting to lengthen, broaden, and thicken with surprising swiftness!!

I was so amazed and thus preoccupied with my new wings that I took almost no notice of my teeth growing sharper, then a slight, yet irritating itch began rising up my face, as I felt the scales slowly creeping upward. But I was VERY careful not to scratch, for only God knew what my claws would do to any human skin that I had left!!

However, because Drake could feel and express emotions as well as any human, the formation of my muzzle was slow, yet painless; the particular way Drake’s muzzle was built made both draconic and human sounds possible, although for whatever reason, the only draconic sound impossible for me to make was a hiss, not that such a fact mattered.

But then, without any warning, a terrible pain, like a knife, seared through my chest; the feeling frighteningly similar to angina, and my heartbeat was indeed slowing down, getting closer and closer to flatlining!

Soon, that was exactly what happened, as I collapsed, rolling over onto my back, as I glimpsed the stars of Draco just before blackness consumed my vision.

However, my death was not to last, although with the last sensations of feeling in my body, I felt my human heartbeat slowly fade, and finally stop altogether.

The man lying on the hill, now no longer a man, had finally, after nearly a lifetime, shed his weak mortal human self, to embrace his true form; one unchanged and unencumbered by the ravages of time or age! My copper-grey scales glistened dully in the moonlight, as my powerful muscles rippled beneath them.

My dull white horns gleamed in the moonlight, as my slightly-unfurled wings fluttered gently in the cool breeze that passed. The spike at the tip of my long tail, despite being locked, still looked as lethal as the most dangerous bladed weapons could be, as were the shiny ebony claws on my hands, feet, elbows, and knees!!

But just when all hope for my life was lost, a different sound echoed softly across the farm: Draco’s heartbeat from 'Dragonheart'!!

Thump, th-thump, thump! Thump, th-thump, thump! Thump, th-thump, thump! Thump, th-thump, thump!

I suddenly coughed, gasping as my eyes snapped open; no longer my dark brown human eyes, but now bright amber slit dragon eyes!! I then rolled over, lifting myself up; the pain instantly fading away! Looking down I watched my waist begin to rapidly thicken; my thighs shortening, as my torso lengthened, alongside my neck; the latter only slightly. Finally, I could feel my hips and pelvis painlessly alter to allow for switching effortlessly between a bipedal or quadrupedal stance, and my new pelvic alterations allowed a low center of gravity, making balance issues nonexistent!!

My spine finally altered, becoming infinitely more flexible, before my wings opened to their full span, before dropping back smoothly to fold against my back.

Then the transformation stopped, leaving me as Drake the dragon, himself!!

I stayed where I was for several seconds, afraid to move. I then noticed that I could hear the gentle, mesmerizing rhythm of my new, vastly-stronger dragon heart, which was exactly like Draco's now!!

Slowly, I opened my eyes, instantly noticing everything was much more clear and vibrant now, my field of vision had widened considerably, and my other senses were also vastly heightened! I listened, hearing the sounds of crickets chirping in the trees far away, and even the occasional laughter of loons on the lake.

Glancing up at the sky once again, I saw the stars of the constellation Draco now shone with startling brilliance in the sky, and the star Eltanin, in the dragon’s eye, glowed like a distant lighthouse beacon!!!

“By the stars, my grandfather’s story was true!!” I muttered once again, awed by my new form.

I had become a strong, sturdy young copper-and-grey dragon perhaps 4-6 meters (12-18 feet) in length, although my wings were triple that when fully extended, reaching nearly 16-18 meters (52-60) feet wide, meaning I was nearly as big as Draco, but not quite!!!

Slowly, I spread them fully, gaining confidence as I slowly moved them up and down. I then slowly stood up while gently flapping my wings; the momentum enough to slowly lift me into the air.

I was also surprised to find that my muscles never seemed to ache despite near-constant use, but I was relieved to find that my stamina and endurance had increased far beyond that of any mortal human!!

To my immense relief, all the pain of the transformation was now gone. My body now felt compact and incredibly healthy! I experimented with standing on all fours, as well as rearing up onto my hind legs to stand like a man, finding either stance was perfectly natural. I opted for standing bipedal, finding I was now nearly 14 feet tall; my new dragon form strapped with incredibly powerful muscles, which rippled beneath my shiny copper-grey scales!! My new form would have put the Philistine Goliath to shame!!!


The sense of peace, freedom, and fulfillment of a lifelong dream filled me with such joy, that I suddenly felt diamond tears fall from my eyes, landing softly in the grass, where they sparkled in the moonlight! After my joyful weeping had abated, I lifted my head skyward, breathing the fresh night air.

Spreading my wings to their full span, I ran, and leapt into the air, pumping my wings furiously.

Closing my eyes, I revelled in the feelings of freedom, and the cool wind on my face. I slowly spread my arms wide open, feeling the cool night breeze lift my gigantic wings with surprising power, sending me to such a height, that when I opened my eyes, I gasped in wonder.

I was now hovering high above the moonlit clouds; the brilliant silvery-white surface now far below me, like an extremely thick, rolling fog, glowing from the full moon's light; billions of stars gleaming across the sky, and there, in the north, the 17 stars forming the constellation Draco seemed to outshine all the rest; their brilliance surpassed only by the full moon!!!

Such a wondrous sight was one that I knew I'd never forget!!

I enjoyed my new form immensely, and found that I could change from dragon to man and back at will; my power reaching its peak at the full moon.

I enjoyed my new gift immensely, and not a day went by afterwards when I didn’t remember the fateful night my life was changed forever. I also found it both surprising and fascinating to realize that I, Drake Starfire, was the first of a race to exist in nearly 400 years!! 

It was with this realization that I knew: dragons, now no longer extinct or a myth, would soon return to spread across the world as a companion, not an enemy, of mankind.

After flying for many hours and enjoying the vast countryside, I noticed the dim glow of dawn starting to appear in the northeast. Glancing to the north, I saw the stars of Draco were fading, although one star, Eltanin, was still slightly visible, like a final reminder that my gift would always be there for me to reach for, which I most certainly knew, in my heart, was true!!

Flying back to the farm, I allowed myself to return to human form, before having a shower, and getting dressed. A sudden realization made me stop, as I looked up at the sky.

Somehow, the first reversion had, unlike my shift, been instantaneous and completely painless!!

After breakfast, I went back to Auntie Janie’s wall, kneeling before her stone, and bowing my head, praying thanks to God for allowing my true form to come into existence.

Reaching up, I ran a hand over one of the stone angels, and smiled, realizing at that moment what a wonderful gift God had given me.

I suddenly remembered another verse, Isaiah 35:6-7: "Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. For waters shall burst forth in the desert, and streams in the dry plain. And wherever was parched shall become a pool, and arid zones will become springs of water; in the meadow lands where dragons rest shall be grass with reeds and rushes."

"So it is true." I realized, smiling to myself. "God Himself shall let GOOD dragons rise, to live among mankind as a companion, not an enemy!"

However, I later discovered that if I allowed myself to remain in dragon form until sunrise, the change would shift, thereby allowing me to remain a dragon until sunset the following evening, before switching back to normal (human by day, dragon by night)!!

I was also relieved to find that my transformations were somehow completely painless and very swift now, unlike my first change, but I was very grateful for the lack of pain, especially whenever my shoulders had to split before my wings could form, and also when my human heart transformed into a dragon's heart, so now, instead of stopping and giving me a heart attack, my heart would simply skip a beat, before the rhythm changed from my human heart into Draco's heart, but thankfully, I could not feel it anymore!!

I chose to remain as a dragon that day, never dreaming that something truly revelational would come to pass in a short time!!



It was early evening that day when I, in human form, finished my supper, cleaned up, then went to relax in the beachside hammock.

Afterwards, I undressed, shifted, then went for a swim, enjoying the feeling of the cool lake water against my scales.

A short while later, I lifted my head from the water slowly, finding I was now close to the middle of the lake. Hearing the distant rumble of a truck approaching the farm, and glanced up at the house. I smiled as I saw my dad, my brother, my grandparents, and my cousins all arriving.

I smiled, chuckling to myself. "Hmmm...hello." Silently submerging again, I smoothly and swiftly turned back into a man as I swam underwater toward the shore. Emerging, I quickly dried off, then slipped on my t-shirt, and draped my towel around my shoulders.

I then rushed up to greet them, and helped everyone unpack and settle in after I myself changed back into my dry clothes.

“So, how have you been enjoying your time here, Charlie?” my grandfather asked. I smiled.

“Oh, you know, relaxing, exploring, swimming…the usual stuff, grandpa!” I replied.

He exchanged glances with my father, who looked me in the eyes. Stepping forward, my father placed one hand on my chest, over my heart, as I looked down.

“Is there anything you want to tell us, Charlie?” I looked confused.

“No. Why do you ask, dad?”

He looked up at me. “I think it’s fair that the truth should be known to you, Charlie.”

I was confused. “What do you mean, dad?”

He didn’t answer, only stepping back with a knowing smile. Suddenly he began to change. As I stepped back, watching in utter shock, my father slowly transformed into Draco from ‘Dragonheart’!!!

Shrugging off his ruined human clothes, the dragon stretched, spreading his massive wings to their full, 72-foot span, before refolding them against his back, then looking me in the eyes!!

I was so shocked that I couldn’t move, let alone speak, only staring slack-jawed at the gigantic dragon that was a near-spitting image of my dragon form, only much older and larger!!

I also did not even feel myself transforming back into a dragon, due to my having momentarily lost control over my power from the shock of learning my father's secret!!

“Son…!” he said with a knowing smile. I glanced down, gasping as I saw I had involuntarily changed back into Drake!!

I looked up at the dragon before me; my father!! “D-dad…?” I asked, still in shock. I then slowly walked toward him.

“How…??” I reached up to feel his breast, feeling his heart beating beneath my hand; the rhythm exactly like my own, only stronger!!!

“This is my true form, Charlie, just as you discovered yours!”

I stared at him in surprise. “How did you know this was my real form?”

My dad smiled. “Because it was mine too!”

My father then looked around at our family, proceeding to tell the tale that they had heard many times before, but which was new to me.

“Once, many millennia ago, the angel Gabriel foresaw the line of the Lucas family, and understood a tale associated with them. Our earliest-known ancestor, Charles Sinclair Lucas, was given a special ability by the archangel Michael: to connect and communicate with any animal he desired, even those that were mythical, such as unicorns or griffins.

One day, many millennia after Gabriel’s vision, five men whom you may all know as my son’s greatest enemies, Marc de Manthaeus, Judas Escarotas, Moloch Machiavelli, Curtis Campbell, and Dallas Smith, tried to steal from his home and hurt him, but Charles somehow managed to tap into the power of the earth, and change himself into a lion, which is our family crest.

The lion tore Marc and his friends apart, before running away to live in the wilderness, afraid of what the townsfolk would think if they found him.

They only succeeded in finding Marc and his friends’ mutilated bodies, and rejoiced at the thought of finally living without fear, but some were concerned as to what had happened.

Charles somehow knew this, and so chose to stay away from civilization for a while. But soon, word of the occurrence wore off, allowing him to return, and fortunately he was never suspected of the attack, nor did anyone ever discover his power.

And, over the years, the Lucas family grew; each of our descendants harbouring this power, but it lay dormant within each of them, until now!!”

My father glanced at me. “And that, Charlie, is how we have come to have our powers!!”

My father finished, allowing me to slowly absorb his extraordinary tale. It was a long time before I looked up at him and spoke. “So, my great-great-grandfather was a shifter, but his power, despite being passed down through generations of our family, remained dormant, and thus secret, until both you and I?!”

He smiled, nodding. “Yes, Charlie, but you were the second to change, after me, although the reason you became a dragon is because that is what lies within your heart, as it does mine!!”

I stared at him in astonishment, before looking down as I slowly reached up to lift one breast scale; the strong steady beat of my heart echoing across the farm as the brilliant amber glow of my heart shone forth!!!

I then looked up to see my father smile, as he uncovered his own heart; his a deep blood-red, with a slower rhythm and stronger sound!!

I was so preoccupied with this that I didn’t even notice other members of my family shifting as well; my brother becoming a griffin, Barb becoming a unicorn, and my grandparents shifting into pegasi; my grandmother becoming a white one, and my grandfather turning into a black pegasus!!

My cousins all turned out to be unicorns!!

As each proudly displayed their true forms, my grandfather smiled. “May you all cherish this gift that God has bestowed upon each of you, and live lives of joy and prosperity!!”

Then everyone cheered.

My grandfather and father both looked at me. “We are glad that you can enjoy this gift we have given you, Drake!” my grandfather said with a smile.

I smiled, and nodded, before turning to look across the lake toward the horizon.

“So now my life opens before me with endless possibilities and adventures!”

My father smiled, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder, as I turned to him. “And may you enjoy them, Drake! But do not worry. We are all connected by our roots, our memories, our powers, and by love!”

I smiled, nodding. “Farewell to you all, and may your lives bring prosperity and health as well!!”

They all smiled. After warm, heartfelt farewells to my family, I was given a gift by my father: Aragorn’s sterling silver ring, the Ring of Barahir!!

I smiled as my father slipped it on my right forefinger. “The power within this ring will allow you to forever keep in contact with us, Drake, and may it also be a reminder of your greatest transition, and of this gift!! And, the green gem in the ring is an emerald, which is notable in the Bible in several places, two being the Book of Exodus, where it is said to have been one of the stones in the second row of Aaron's breastplate, as well as the Book of Revelation, being the fourth stone within Jerusalem's foundation!! It is also a symbol of continuous life and renewal, symbolized by the entwining serpents around the crystal. One flower being devoured represents the fading of time and the ceasing of life, while the flower being upheld by the other serpent represents the renewal and continuation of new life. It is also interesting to note that in the case of this ring, as I have said, the serpents represent wisdom, which is also synonymous with obedience to God, as told in John 3:14-15 : "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him.”

My father showed me the ring's physical form as he explained the symbolism. I was momentarily silent, before I looked up at him.

"So the Ring of Barahir is basically a ring representing the ebb and flow of life, dad, as well as being symbolic of life when we believe, and also in our repentance?!" I asked, incredulously, as my father smiled, nodding.

"Yes, that is exactly what this ring symbolizes, Drake!! And the gem represents the power of the earth itself!"

I looked up at my father, and smiled, as he returned it, nodding once. "This ring is many millennia older than any known metal craft now in modern existence, Drake, and its power is beyond mortal imagination!"

I smiled. "Thank you so much, dad!" I replied. I then raised my hand, looking at my ring, as the fiery green crystal blazed in the light of the sunrise! "I will treasure it forever!" My father smiled again, as we hugged, then I turned, walked forward as I slowly spread my wings, then took off, soaring high, and turning east toward the rising sun, as my family all bade me a joyous farewell.

Unleashing a joyful roar, I blasted twin jets of brilliant blue high-temperature fire from my nostrils; the jets reaching an impressive 16 meters (48 feet) in length, making the waters of Lake Imrie below shine with an almost ethereal glow, as my family all watched in awe, before breaking into applause, making me grin to myself!

Still smiling, I closed my eyes as I felt the cool summer wind on my wings, and the warm sun on my face.

Now feeling more adventurous than ever, I went into a steep, near-vertical ascent; my powerful dragon wings never tiring as they flapped with near-infinite strength, propelling me into the ethereal blue!

Then, about a thousand feet above the countryside, I went into such a rapid spin that my dragon form appeared as little more than a twirling blur!!

I soon slowed down, now hovering upside-down, nearly 4000 feet in the sky, before closing my eyes and folding my wings flat, letting myself slowly fall back into a vertical dive, reaching nearly 250 mph in just under ten seconds!!

I grinned to myself as the wind knifed past me like a gale, but didn't hurt at all!!

Opening my eyes, I saw the waters of Lake Imrie rushing toward me like a dark, steel-gray wall, but then, at just 300 feet above, I executed a final rapid and graceful spin while simultaneously unfurling my massive dragon wings, catching the wind and soaring high toward the sun once again; the momentum causing the waters to churn violently, showering me with a refreshingly-cool spray!!

Laughing in exhilaration, I continued flying skyward, before turning eastward once again, and flying off into the sunrise.

I had finally been given a part of our family's true legacy, which had helped me return to my true form, and as I knew my family would appreciate their gifts, I also would strive to cherish my gift: a gift from the stars, forever!

I suddenly remembered the song 'Nothing can stop me now' by the composer Mark Holman, and found myself singing:

"Today I've gotta make a change. Straight to the top, I'm on my way, and I was meant for so much more, and I've found a dream worth fighting for, and nothing can stop me, nothing can stop me now...can stop me now..."

And now that I had finally found my true destiny, that was exactly how I felt:

That I had also found my greatest dream, which allowed me to be born into a new existence that was greater than anything I had ever known, and nothing would stop me from passionately and joyously living this new life of freedom!!


The End!
This story tells of how a family secret I discover ends up changing my entire life forever.

Inspired by the stories “Grandma’s Grave”, and "Corner of the Sky", both by :iconrobertdayson:, here on deviant art.


Sequel - fav.me/dan2jls
© 2015 - 2024 Rethar-Stonehammer
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HSeeker21's avatar
A truly fantastic tale, pal! :D