Origins [Dragon Rider Series] - part 4
Title: Origins
Main Characters: Taeil, Jihoon and other Block B members
Pairing: Taeil/Jihoon, Zico/Kyung
Genre: Dragon AU, romance, adventure
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Summary: The dragons have terrorized the land since before Taeil was even born. With the dragon hunters dwindling in numbers, a useless child for a king and his home on the brink of destruction, Taeil is desperate to stop the war. While traveling in the forest to look for herbs he finds an abandoned dragon egg. Knowing of its importance and with his best friend by his side he travels to the dragon’s lair to return it and bargain for peace or die trying.
[ Master List ]
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Jihoon had nearly killed Minhyuk that day. He could threaten Jihoon all day, yell, he could even try to kill him as much as he wanted. But the moment he had threatened Taeil’s life he had seen red. How dare him.
Taeil had grabbed his hand and his anger had dissipated a bit, reduced to a simmering flame that made him want to scream but was at a level where he was back in control.
No one threatened Taeil. If there was one thing Jihoon would do, it would be to protect him.
Minhyuk had kept up a quick pace as they traveled through the forest, not bothering to slow down to accommodate the others. Jihoon was able to follow him with ease, endurance from his training kicking in, but Taeil had begun lagging behind recently. Yookwon had gotten Minhyuk to slow down by claiming his leg hurt and the dark haired boy had slowed, though reluctantly. Jihoon sent him a thankful smile which Yookwon returned with a wink, the blond boy had been very kind to them and he respected him for that.
Even though he had started to like Yookwon, he secretly just wished he and Taeil were alone. He had always felt comfortable and relaxed around the elders presence, Taeil was his connection to his home and his childhood he had been torn away from. Taeil brought out the best of him. There was a small part of his brain that said there were other reasons he wanted to be alone with Taeil and that was to talk to him. He had seen the way the man was acting recently, strangely protecting the egg, looking almost addicted. He was worried for Taeil, but also scared for him. Even though he had met people who believed in the good of the dragons, a whole tribe even, he had been trained to believe they were dangerous, murderous creatures only looking for blood and the thrill of the kill. He had to admit, there was a doubt forming in his mind but he couldn’t help fearing what the dragons could do. He had seen it; the burning of villages, the ripping of flesh, the crushing of bone. He had fought against it. He had almost killed it.
Every dragon hunter was tested after training before they could join the ranks. It was a simple test, straightforward. Actively participate in a battle with the dragons and slay a dragon.
Jihoon’s test had occurred on the outskirts of the capital near a small town that boarded the forest. The dragon’s had attacked but luckily the city was close enough to the walls of the capital that the dragon hunters had been able to arrive quickly. Jihoon had been in the midst of the battle when his mentor sent him after a rouge dragon who had escaped into the forest.
Jihoon had been only fourteen at the time. Even though he was young he had a talent in swordsmanship and was regarded highly of. They said he would grow up to do a lot of things. Jihoon had practiced hard to gain that respect, working day and night to give his father the money.
He followed the dragon into the forest. It was young, a brilliant shade of red that made it easy for Jihoon to track. One of its wings was torn to shreds, prohibiting him from escaping and allowing Jihoon to catch up. He corned it near the side of a cliff, the dragon clawing at the rocks as it tried to flee. Jihoon almost laughed at how easy it would be to get into the ranks meaning he would gain more money for his family and be allowed to venture out of the capital to go on rounds in the outer cities.
He’d be able to see Taeil.
Even though Jihoon worked for the money, a huge factor had been Taeil. In the village he had been nothing, just a young boy who was the son of a peasant. It he became a dragon rider he’d be welcomed back as a hero, a nobleman with money and status. He’d be able to provide and protect Taeil.
With these thoughts in mind he’d lifted his sword, ready to strike the dragon when, but instead found himself hesitating and for some reason he thought of Taeil.
Taeil loved very creature. He believed in peace and never harmed any living being. It was something Jihoon respected him for because he knew he could never be so pure. Killing this dragon would have gone against everything Taeil stood for.
As he hesitated the dragon seemed to spot its chance and lunged at him, claws raking across his chest and throwing him backwards. Instead of going after it Jihoon let the creature move past him, escaping into the forest. When the dragon had disappeared the forest went silent again Jihoon raised a hand to his torn shirt and yanked out a piece of the dragon’s claw that had imbedded itself in his skin. Then he had gone back, bloodied and bruised and presented the claw to the upper ranks of the dragon hunters. After that day he became an official part of the dragon hunters ranks.
He had never killed a dragon to that day. He found it almost funny. He wanted to kill dragons to protect Taeil but at the same time he never did so as to avoid harming him. The reasons of the world never made sense and Jihoon had learned to accept that.
“Don’t hate Minhyuk.” Jihoon glanced up, snapped out of his thoughts. Yookwon was walking quietly next to him, hands by his sides, gazing around calmly. “He has a bad past with the capital.” He grimaced. “He lived with his grandmother and his little sisters as loners but during a hunt by the dragon hunters his home was destroyed and his family killed.”
Jihoon’s eyes fell on Minhyuk’s form. The man had moved to the front, a significant distance from them, and looking past the dark eyes and the cold air around him he realized it was less of a dislike of people and more of an unwillingness to trust them learned from past experiences. He felt a wave of pity pass through him and he looked away, feeling guilt swell in his heart. He knew the capital did not always do the best things but they wanted to help people. He then paused to consider the reasons why he had become a dragon hunter and some of the things he had done and it made him sick. Beside him Yookwon smiled gently and shrugged his shoulders. “Just thought you should know.”
They continued walking, Jihoon caught up in his thoughts, until suddenly Minhyuk came to a stop. “This is the border.” Jihoon looked around but could see no difference.
“We have a pact with the dragons that we will not cross into their lands,” Yookwon explained.
“This is where we part,” Minhyuk said. Yookwon looked a bit apologetic but Minhyuk didn’t. He actually looked rather glad to be rid of them. “You are on your own now, but be warned. If you hurt any dragon than you will face the wrath of our tribe.” With that he turned and walked into the forest.
Yookwon glanced after him for a few seconds before turning back to Taeil and Jihoon. “You will reach the caves by nightfall, but I do not suggest you go to meet them until morning.” He smiled. “Good luck,” he whispered quietly before he turned and walked into the forest after Minhyuk and then they were gone.
Jihoon glanced at Taeil who gave him a small shrug in return. “Let’s go,” he said and then they crossed the separating line and entered the dragons land.
At nightfall Jihoon and Taeil had spotted the tops of what they assumed were the dragon’s caves. Instead of continuing on they took heed of Yookwon’s advice and stopped to take shelter in a clearing for the night. Jihoon had propped himself up against a tree as usual while Taeil spread out his blanket on the grass and laid down.
“Jihoon?” Jihoon looked up at his name and glanced over at Taeil. They had been traveling alone for a decent amount of time now but had stayed silent for most of the time, both parties too caught up in their own thoughts. “Have you really never killed a dragon?”
“Never.”
Jihoon saw Taeil poke his head out from under his blankets and saw him hesitate before he unfurled himself from his blankets and came to sit next to him, leaning against the tree and pulling his knees up to his chin. “Why?”
Jihoon hesitated because he didn’t want Taeil to know his true intentions but at the same time didn’t want to hide anything from the elder. He decided to throw everything to the wind and speak truthfully. “Because I didn’t want to hurt you,” he said, voice a whisper.
He saw Taeil look at him out of the corner of his eye and saw him send him a confused look as if wondering if he was hearing correctly. “Me? How?”
“Do you remember when we were younger Taeil?” Jihoon asked, glancing up at the trees branching out above him. “That one blue bird that fell from its nest?” He closed his eyes, remembering the days as clear as if it had been yesterday. “Its mother deserted it and it had a broken wing. I knew it wouldn’t survive. I was about to kill it to end its misery when suddenly,” he laughed, “I felt like I was run over by an ox. You shoved me so hard I nearly got a concussion from where my head hit the ground. You didn’t even check if I was alright! You picked it up, holding it like it was gold, took it home and then,” he laughed again, looking amazed, “You raised it! You fed the damn thing and even healed its wing. I was amazed, to say the least.” His eyes fell from the leaves overhead to his hands sitting on his lap. “I remember the day you released it back into the forest. I asked you why you did it while we watched the little blue bird fly back towards its home and you said to me you didn’t want to see any creatures harmed. That you didn’t want to see me as a killer.”
Taeil was silent for a long time and Jihoon let him be, instead sitting back against the tree and closing his eyes, listening to the forest and relishing in the elder’s presence.
“Don’t you have to kill a dragon to become a dragon hunter?” Taeil asked after a while, looking up at the sky as if conflicted.
Instead of responding Jihoon slowly unbuttoned the front of his shirt and peeled back the fabric to reveal three long scars across his chest. He lifted the piece of claw that hung around a chord on his neck and traced the cuts. The dragon left me a parting gift that allowed me to trick the other dragon hunters,” he said, slightly amused. He buttoned his shirt back up and when he glanced back at Taeil the other was staring at the sky again, this time looking less conflicted than before.
“Thank you.”
Jihoon looked at him before smiling. “You’re welcome.”
It was quiet for a while and Jihoon was sure Taeil had fallen asleep until he heard the man stir next to him and ask him quietly, “Do you think I’m doing the right thing?”
Jihoon turned to him and his heart almost broke. Underneath the moonlight Taeil almost glowed but he had never seen the elder look so young and afraid and he realized just how much Taeil was unsure of what he was doing. “I think you are doing what you think is right,” he choked out, mouth surprisingly dry as his muddled head tried to form words.
Taeil looked at him and Jihoon’s heart clenched at the vulnerable look in his eyes. Before he could say anything Jihoon reached out and clasped his hand. Instead of taking his hand away or looking surprised like he might’ve only days ago, Taeil only held on tighter. “You are trying to do something that the capital has never even attempted. What you’re doing is one of the bravest, most kind and pure thing anyone I’ve met has done. All you want to do is try to help and I admire you for that. Don’t worry, everything will be alright.”
Taeil stared at him for a few more moments, as if trying to search his eyes for any lies, but when he didn’t find anything he turned back to the sky, staring upward with a trace of a smile on his lips. “Thanks Jihoon,” he whispered.
Jihoon smiled in return and stared up at the sky also, relishing in the feeling of Taeil’s hand still clasped in his.
Taeil woke early the next morning, the sun just peeking over the horizon. He was tired from having traveled so far but he knew how important the next steps would be and was anticipating it too much to be able to sleep any longer.
Jihoon seemed to be sharing the same feelings for he woke a few minutes after Taeil, sitting up from where he had been leaning against the tree and stretching his arms over his head. “You ready?” He asked, running a hand through messy hair and stifling a yawn.
Taeil took a deep breath before exhaling slowly. “Yeah,” he said.
Jihoon grinned at him and gave him an encouraging look. “Then let’s go.”
They gathered their things quickly; Taeil placing the egg at the top of his pack, comforted by the warmth emitting from it, and slung his bow across his shoulders. Jihoon shouldered his bag and strapped his sword to his side. They would need to show they meant no harm.
They had only been walking for a little while, the cave getting larger and larger in the distance, when suddenly Jihoon grabbed Taeil, nearly throwing him to the ground behind a bush. Taeil winced when his shoulder scraped against the rough bark of the tree but he kept silent, listening hard to the air and trying to ignore how close Jihoon was that he could feel the other man’s heartbeat.
Taeil didn’t hear anything until there was the sound of footfalls close by, having almost missed them by how soft they were. From his position he soon saw the feet of someone walking past their hiding spot, dirty boots with spots that looked remarkably similar to bloodstains.
Jihoon slowly moved away from Taeil and placed his finger over his lips, signaling Taeil should stay where he was and keep quiet before placing his hand on the hilt of his sword and jumping from the bush.
The sound of metal on metal made Taeil’s blood run cold.
“Jihoon?”
“Wait… Zico?”
Taeil’s eyebrows furrowed because he was sure he had heard that name before but he didn’t recognize the voice.
“Zico, what happened to you? Where have you been?” Jihoon let out an incredulous laugh. “Taeil, come out here!”
Taeil paused for a moment to palm his knife just in case before crawling from underneath the bush. Zico was a few inches shorter than Jihoon, though still taller than Taeil, with spiked up blond hair and dark eyes. His clothes were a mess, hair matted with leaves caught in the locks, clothes ripped and torn in places. He had a dark red bow slung over one shoulder and a silver sword strapped to his waist. His left arm was bandaged and Taeil could just faintly see a bloodstain on his dark shirt.
“Who’s this?” Zico was calm, regarding Taeil with an air of indifference. Taeil noticed though that his eyes kept flickering around the clearing, alert and aware of what was around them.
“Zico, this is Taeil.” Jihoon then turned to Taeil. “Taeil, this is Zico. He’s a dragon hunter.”
Ah. Taeil remembered now. He was the dragon hunter that had disappeared.
“Zico, where have you been?” Jihoon repeated, turning back to him. “I haven’t seen you in weeks, ever since Kyung…”
Zico’s eyes darkened and Jihoon’s voices trailed off. He looked ready to respond when suddenly a shadow fell over them, obscuring the sun and drowning them in shade. He looked up, surprised, before launching himself away from the clearing and toward the trees.
Taeil looked up and was momentarily blinded by the sun before a large figure came in front of it, blocking its rays. He stared at it for a moment, trying to figure out what it was, before a loud roar ripped through the air and then Jihoon had grabbed him and they went tumbling to the ground. A loud crash sounded above them as something large ripped through the thin tree cover and Taeil’s knife went flying as he ducked down, arms covering his head, ears ringing.
A second loud roar came from his left and Taeil looked up to see a second dragon at the other side of the clearing, blocking Zico’s escape, jaw open in a roar as Zico pulled his sword out, backing up towards them.
Beside him Jihoon jumped to his feet, ripping his sword out of his scabbard and moving in front of Taeil.
Taeil’s eyes went wide. This couldn’t happen. If they fought, there would be no chance of peace. Doing the only thing he could think of, Taeil grabbed his pack which had fallen to the side, reached inside and grabbed the egg.
“Stop!” He cried, jumping to his feet and running in front of Jihoon, egg in hand.
The dragon reared back as Taeil came forward and he cringed when it opened its jaws, its breath hot on Taeil’s face, razor sharp fangs only inches from his skin. He didn’t back down though, stubbornly staying rooted in place, trying to calm his shaking hands.
Then suddenly the dragon’s front legs hit the ground, shaking the earth beneath their feet, and a large emerald green eye with a black slit for a pupil came to stare Taeil in the eyes only a few inches away.
Taeil felt a shiver run up his spine because, similar to Minseok, he felt like the dragon could look into his soul.
A sharp prod in his skull made him wince and he nearly dropped the egg in shock. It was only when the dragon’s eye continued staring at him unblinkingly that he realized it was trying to communicate with him. Bracing himself for more pain, unsure if what he was doing was even correct, Taeil opened his mind.
It was not as he expected it to be. There was no pain, merely it seemed like someone had stepped into the door to his head, joining him inside the room. He did not feel confined or compressed, merely like there was another consciousness nearby.
State your business, human.
Taeil inhaled a quick breath because it was like someone was speaking right next to his ear. The voice was clear, distinctively male, and underneath his words he could almost feel a raw power running through his voice. He felt a shiver run up his spine. “My name is Lee Taeil and I wish to speak with the dragons,” he said, surprised to find his voice wasn’t shaking.
The dragon stared at him for a few more seconds, unblinking, before it straightened up, stretching large earthy green wings that cast Taeil in a green tinted shadow. Taeil noticed it continued to stare at the dragon egg in his hands.
Then suddenly before Taeil could even see it move it had slithered past Taeil and curled around Jihoon and Zico, wings fanned out, teeth bared, claws out.
And what if I said, human, that if you didn’t hand the egg over I would kill your friends?
“Don’t touch them!”
The dragon paused in its movements, emerald eyes landing on Taeil as he held the dragon egg dangerously over his head, muscles strained, about to slam the egg downward to the ground. There was a tense silence, Taeil’s fingers gripping the egg until his fingers turned white, before the dragon slowly lowered its wings and blinked slowly at him.
Jihoon was staring wide eyed at Taeil, confusion and panic crossing his features. Taeil gave him a small nod in his direction, trying to express that he knew what he was doing.
The dragon then moved with snake like grace toward Taeil, long tail trailing after him.
As you wish, human.
Suddenly Zico let out a furious howl, lifting his sword over his head when the dragon in front of him lowered its guard. Before Taeil could react Zico swung the sword down.
There was a clash of metal and Zico’s sword went flying through the air, landing harmlessly in the dirt a few meters away.
Jihoon held the tip of his sword to Zico’s neck, the other man glaring dangerously at him and rubbing his wrist. He turned to Taeil and nodded. “I believe in you.”
Taeil inhaled before giving him a small semblance of a smile. The dragon let out a snort of air from its nose before turning away, long tail flicking through the air and nearly beheading Taeil.
Follow me.
After another nervous glance at Jihoon to make sure he was okay, being left with a full grown dragon and a possibly crazed dragon hunter did not seem like the best idea, Taeil turned away and followed after the green dragon.
He moved surprisingly fast, moving swiftly between trees and over hills that Taeil had to jog to keep up with him. Finally they left the dense forest and came to a small clearing, ground flat from having been trodden on by hundreds of dragons throughout the years, and in front lay a large cave, big enough for two full grown dragons to pass by without touching. Taeil could see no light inside but he followed after the dragon anyway, taking slow deep breathes to calm his quickly beating heart.
The home of the dragons was much deeper underground than Taeil had thought. The path quickly sloped down, Taeil moving carefully so as not to fall, hands tight around the dragon egg to keep it safe, the light from the opening slowly diminishing. The dragon continued at a constant pace almost leaving Taeil behind.
Suddenly up ahead Taeil could see a light and the ground began to even out. The dragon stopped to assumedly wait for him and he picked up his pace to catch up. Once he was close enough the dragon continued down the path and soon Taeil spotted the source of the light.
There were crystals sticking out of the walls casting the cave in a pale white light. It was a beautiful sight, making everything shine and glow and surprisingly gave Taeil enough light that he could see fine. He had begun to hear the muffled sounds of large creatures moving around. They only walked a bit further before suddenly the pathway opened into a huge cavern, ceiling arching and an immense area of open ground. The sounds were suddenly everywhere around him; deep breathing, heavy footsteps, scales against rocks.
There were dragons everywhere.
Taeil was amazed at how many dragons could fit inside the cavern. There were indents in the rocks where some dragons lay, while many other holes split out into what Taeil guessed were more pathways deeper into the caves. Dragons of every color inhibited the area, moving around gracefully even with their large bulk. After his initial shock he realized there was a river running along one side of the cave, disappearing down another pathway. He wondered how far the underground tunnels went.
Suddenly a hush ran over the inhabitants and movement stopped. Taeil froze, realizing they were all staring at him. Then he felt numerous probing minds touch his. He resisted flinching, unused to the feeling. They did not try to share his thoughts though, instead just curiously reaching out to feel his mind.
Then the probing stopped and a silence engulfed the cavern, cut through by the soft footfalls of a jet black dragon that parted the crowd and came to stand in the middle of the cavern. It was magnificent, a brilliant jet black that shined like onyx. The dragon was littered with many scars but they didn’t take away from its beauty, instead only emphasizing the wild air surrounding it.
He felt something collide with his back and he stumbled forward, hastily catching himself before continuing towards the dragon. He stood in front of it, staring up at it to catch its eye, trying to control his breathing for he knew he could not appear weak in front of this dragon.
The black dragon stared down at him with eyes as dark as the night sky before he suddenly felt a consciousness nearly bowl him over, so strong he stumbled in his spot. He opened his mind, straightening, and realized that if he hadn’t opened his mind faster the dragon might’ve been able to enter his mind anyway.
So you are the intruder of our land.
The voice was distinctively female, though Taeil could feel raw power coursing through her voice and he knew she commanded authority. Taeil continued to stare her in the eye though, knowing he had to keep up a front for this dragon commanded respect.
“My name is Lee Taeil,” he said and inclined his head.
The dragon whipped her tail in response, Taeil’s eyes glancing away for a quick moment to look at the sharp horns lining her tail before flickering back to the dragon’s eyes.
My name is Ni. I am the leader of the dragons. She did not bow. Why did you come here, human?
“I have come to ask for peace between my people and the dragons.”
The dragon towered over him and Taeil felt the temperature of the room grow warmer. He did not falter.
You came to ask for peace? It is your people that have harmed my race so. You have no right. This war will go on until every human is extinct.
“I do not know to what extent my people have gone. All I know is that many lives are being hopelessly wasted right now, human and dragon alike, and that those in the crossfire are innocent and have done nothing to you.”
You are young, child. You know nothing.
“I am young, I admit it.” Taeil tightened his fingers around the dragon egg. It pulsed in his hands, giving him the courage to continue. “But I have seem more destruction and death than any person should. The town I live in is on the outer edge of the Capital’s land, too far for protection. It was burned down, buildings destroyed, lives lost in the flames. Too many innocent people died that day. And for a fact, I do know that my town has never done anything to the dragons.
“I have seen families torn apart because of this war; fathers killed in battle, sons torn from mothers arms, children growing up to become something they’re not just to save the lives of others… Nothing good has come from this and nothing ever well except more sadness and pain. That is why I beg of you to stop this war for there is nothing to win.”
The cave had gone eerily silent, only the sound of breathing filling the room. Taeil felt hot tears come to his eyes but he pushed them back, instead staring up into Ni’s eyes. The dragon stared right back, unblinking, until her voice sounded in his head. It sounded almost sad.
You have a lot of sorrow in your heart, young one, she said and Taeil felt a shiver run up his spine, mind pushing back nightmares that tried to grab ahold of his vulnerable state of mind. Her eyes then flickered to the dragon egg clasped in Taeil’s arms and he subconsciously hugged it closer to his chest. You brought this egg to negotiate but I do not believe you could ever harm it. The dragon leaned closer until Taeil could see the individual golden flecks in her eyes. I can sense a kind heart inside of you, Lee Taeil. You have good intentions and a pure soul, something I do not see often. I wish for you to never lose that part of you.
But, I have to say, there is nothing I can do. As long as your people continue to hunt my kind, this war will never end. I’m sorry, for I truly am, for if my kind is to win this war than we must destroy someone as kind as you.
Ni turned away and Taeil felt his blood run cold. Your friends will be here soon. I will let you say your goodbyes.
Taeil looked at the entrance, heart pounding wildly in his chest. He knew something like this was going to happen, going down into the cave hadn’t meant he’d come back up, but he had had a silver of hope that things could change.
He had done everything he could. All he could do now was accept his fate.
The sound of footsteps came from the tunnel leading back to the surface and Taeil turned toward it, forcing a small smile onto his face. His only regret was dragging Jihoon down with him.
The dragon from before came inside first, moving to the side, and Jihoon followed. The boy didn’t look any worse for wear, still wearing the small ripped and messy clothes from their trip. His blond hair was still as long as usual, his bangs falling into his eyes, and he seemed tense, hands clenched by his side for Taeil guessed he was resisting grabbing his sword. When his eyes connected with Taeil’s though the tension in his shoulders seemed to dissipate, posture relaxing. He smiled his big grin back and Taeil’s heart leapt, a combination of happiness and sadness that only made his guilt grow.
Jihoon walked toward him, mouth open to say something, but suddenly there was movement behind him and Taeil saw Zico rip the bow from his shoulder, yank an arrow out of a quiver on his back and point it at Ni, the mother dragon.
He let the arrow go.
Taeil didn’t know what happened after, he didn’t even realize he had moved until something hit him in the chest like a boulder and he stumbled, pain spreading throughout his body like a wildfire. He collapsed to his knees and only when he hit the ground did he realize there was an arrow sticking out of his chest. He heard voices, someone was calling out his name, but he couldn’t think, everything hurt too much. His vision was slowly falling out of focus, black spots appearing in front of his eyes and everything blended together.
Hands grabbed at him but instead of wincing in pain he realized that his body was numb, the nerves not registering anything anymore, the pain ebbing out of him like water through broken cracks. A fuzzy image of a person appeared in front of Taeil’s line of sight and he belated recognized it as Jihoon. It was hard but Taeil managed to bring a smile to his face, the corners of his mouth rising ever so slightly. Then using the rest of his willpower he brought his hand to Jihoon’s face one last time before his arm became too heavy to lift and his hand dropped to his side, limp.
Oh child… What have you done?
Taeil felt a smile slide to his face with the last of his energy. The right thing, he replied, voice faint even in his mind.
The last thing he felt was Jihoon’s hand in his.
Everything had been alright. Taeil was smiling, harm free and everything was alright in the world.
And then he had taken his eyes off Zico for one second and his whole world turned upside down.
The whole scene happened seemed to happen in slow motion. Jihoon’s sentence was cut off by a yell from someone behind him and then something had flown through the air just near his head. The target, a large black dragon, was in its range of sight. It wouldn’t be fast enough to dodge. Jihoon opened his mouth to yell a warning but then suddenly a figure jumped out of nowhere right into the line of attack.
The figure fell. Jihoon heard someone scream and only blatantly realized it was himself.
A dragon near Zico tackled him, slamming him to the ground. Zico was in shock though, eyes wide, so surprised by the outcome that he didn’t even fight back. The bow went flying out of his grip, breaking into pieces as it hit the ground.
Jihoon didn’t notice though, eyes only on the figure on his knees in the middle of the cave. He had lost weight since they left, taking away meat on his bones that he couldn’t spare. His hair was a tangled mess but not as bad as Jihoon’s himself. The white shirt he was wearing stained easily, blood falling from the puncture wound in his chest, soaking his shirt and splattering onto the ground.
Jihoon was by his side just as Taeil collapsed to the ground.
He grabbed at his body, moving him as gently as possible, his mind numb and his thoughts a wild mess. “Taeil, Taeil…” He repeated, holding back sobs. There was blood everywhere and Jihoon applied pressure to the wound, trying to keep the blood in, doing everything he could and ignoring the small part of his brain that told him it was useless.
“Taeil, you’ve got to help me, you’re the medic here,” Jihoon let out a small, hollow laugh. “It’s not working Taeil, it’s not working.” He watched helplessly as the blood continued to pour out of the smaller man, his heart breaking to pieces. He knew he should be crying but he felt so empty as if all the tears had dried out.
Taeil let out a choked breath under him and Jihoon felt a small hand caress his face gently. He looked down as the corner of Taeil’s lips curved upward.
The tears came.
Taeil’s hand dropped.
And then Taeil’s eyes closed and Jihoon’s world disappeared with him.
A consciousness brushed against Jihoon’s and it shocked him, bringing him a bit closer to reality. He fiercely resisted, pushing it away. He didn’t want to think. There was nothing to think about.
This time when the consciousness returned it was more powerful, shoving hard against his mind. Jihoon struggled against it but suddenly it overpowered him, engulfing his mind and creeping through the cracks that led into Jihoon’s sub consciousness.
The voice that spoke was gentle.
Your friend is very brave. He is selfless, kind. You should be proud.
Jihoon only tightened his grip on Taeil’s body. He was proud, but he was also so angry because those qualities that made him so good were what had gotten him killed.
Taeil has shown me that there is a possibility of peace between our races. He has made peace possible. It is my turn now.
The dragon was suddenly at his level and he felt the dragon’s tail snake around his waist.
Let go, young one. Let go.
Panic settled in Jihoon’s stomach and he gripped tighter to Taeil’s body, eyes wide. He couldn’t leave him. Never. He struggled, resisting but suddenly the dragon darted forward and Jihoon’s instincts kicked in, his grip loosening as he leaned away. Something grabbed him and he was being pulled away, pinned behind a group of dragons who crowded around him and permitted him from moving closer. “No, Taeil!” He yelled, struggling against the dragons as he tried to escape their hold.
The black dragon stepped a space away from Taeil’s body before opening her maw and releasing a jet of black flame. Jihoon heard himself screaming and he struggled even harder.
The fire continued until suddenly the dragon closed her mouth. The fire continued to burn and Jihoon could feel tears piercing his eyes, clouding his vision. He felt the strength leave his body, his arms falling limp by his sides as his knees buckled from his weight. He hadn’t even been able to say goodbye.
Look up, young one.
Jihoon lifted his head, gazing at the fire, and then stared in amazement because he realized that Taeil’s body was still lying on the ground whole and unharmed. The arrow had burned to ashes but he was otherwise untouched.
The fire seemed to move back in on itself until only a small flickering flame hovered over Taeil’s chest where the arrow had laid. The dragon leaned over his body and breathed out.
The fire slowly drifted downward until it passed the layers of Taeil’s clothes and disappeared into his body.
The cave was silent, every creature holding its breath, until Jihoon saw one of Taeil’s fingers twitch. He first thought he was seeing things because he knew Taeil was dead, saw his life fall through his own fingers, and yet, there it was again, a small movement. Then suddenly he could see the elder’s chest moving up and down.
Taeil opened his eyes.
This time the dragon’s let him pass as Jihoon ran forward. He stopped in front of Taeil, falling to his knees, hands reaching out but staying inches away, unsure as whether to touch him as if the image may prove to be fake.
“Taeil?” He whispered, voice low as if mere sound may break the dream he was in.
Taeil blinked hazily, looking unseeingly at the ceiling, before he turned his head and his eyes focused on Jihoon. He reached up a hand and very gently caressed his face. He smiled.
“Jihoon,” he breathed out.
Then suddenly Jihoon was crying again and he was grabbing at Taeil’s clothes, incomprehensible as he held on so tight so as to not let Taeil fall through his grasp again. He heard Taeil laugh and he was sure he hadn’t heard anything so magical ever in his life.
My dear child. Jihoon looked up and the black female dragon was standing over them. Her voice was still kind and calm, almost motherly. He thought he could see kindness in her eyes. You have managed to prove me wrong, dear Taeil. I believed there was no hope in this world for the human kind and yet here you are, a clear reminder that good can be found in everything.
I too wish for peace and that is why I have decided. The black dragon’s tail snaked out and gently wrapped around the onyx egg that had fallen from Taeil’s grasp. This was my daughter’s egg… Take care of it well.
After a pause the dragon gently deposited the egg onto Taeil’s lap. He reached out, almost hesitantly, before wrapping his fingers tight around the shell. With this egg and the dragon fire now inside of you, you will serve my people and yours as the first peace keeper between the races.
You will be the first dragon rider.
3 years later
The wind whipped through his hair sending his dark black locks flying. He shook his head to keep his bangs out of his eyes as to not obscure his vision, he wanted to see everything. He was flying through the sky like a bird, free from everything with only the wind to carry him. He could see the world for miles, clouds open and inviting but just out of reach. The sun looked so close, its rays warming the back of his neck, he was sure he could touch it.
The black onyx dragon beneath him responded to his every thought, their minds constantly open to each other. They worked seamlessly, forming a bond that Taeil was sure he could never have with anyone else. The dragon suddenly dropped into a dive and Taeil laughed as the world went spinning around him, feeling like he was falling through the sky. He loosened his grip on the saddle, relying on his leg muscles to keep him seated as he let the air whip through his clothes and almost separate him from the seat. He really felt like he was floating.
Suddenly a shift in the air and his dragon pulled out of her midair dive just as something came flying at them. They spun, just missing the creature. As they pulled out of the fall Taeil saw Zico laughing from his spot atop his gray dragon and Taeil shot him a rude gesture before his own dragon flew forward, causing Zico to quickly pull away to avoid getting hit.
“Hey Zico, stop messing around! We have a schedule to stick to!”
Taeil glanced down and saw Jihoon, just a small blond dot, waving frantically at them. Taeil laughed and his voice was carried away by the wind. “Come on Hana, let’s go,” he said with a grin. His dragon hummed her agreement before they turned midair and started hurtling towards the ground. He heard Jihoon yell out a curse word at him and he only suppressed a laugh in response. Before they hit the ground Hana released her wings, slowing her fall, and she landed with a large thump on the ground, sending up dust and debris.
Jihoon came through the dust coughing. “I’m the youngest and yet you all act like children!” He scolded.
Taeil just laughed before holding out his hand. Jihoon paused to tighten the backpack on his shoulders before grabbing Taeil’s hand and hoisting himself up behind him on the saddle. Taeil spoke quietly to Hana before the great black dragon lifted her wings and they were up in the air again, Jihoon gripping hard to Taeil’s waist while Taeil lost himself in the sounds of the wind.
They traveled quickly, being able to fly the distance from the dragon lands much faster than they had walked it. Taeil and Zico amused themselves by playing games while Jihoon held on for dear life. It was only when the Capital came into their sight that they became quiet.
Taeil turned around and looked at him, the corner of his lip lifting in a smirk. “We’re home,” he said.
Jihoon lifted a hand and reached into the flap of his backpack, hand resting on the warmth of what he knew to be a gold dragon egg. He resisted letting out a sigh. He didn’t know what would happen or even if they would be able to change anything. All he knew was that they had to try.
“We’re home,” he agreed, reaching for Taeil’s hand. The other boy smiled at him, giving his fingers a tight squeeze before they pulled into another dive, falling from the sky toward the capital and to the rest of their future.