Wrath of the Dragon 4, page 3
“What was it you saw?” I asked. “Or… read? I’m not sure how it works, if you couldn’t tell.”
“It comes to me like a vision,” Ruby said. “A blinding flash of the future that cannot be argued with. I knew for certain that a god would return to Dracoria.”
“A god?” I gasped. “Shit! They’re coming back? Which one?”
Ruby smiled at me silently with her full lips, and it started to dawn on me what she was implying.
“Ohhhh… No,” I said quickly. “I’m a dragon shifter. I was just a regular guy before I got here, and I’ve just been helping folks–”
“Helping?” Cyra snorted. “Ryan, you have saved entire lands from demonic monarchs. This place literally calls you a king! I would call that a bit more than helping.”
“And you are the first mortal to bind with angels,” Nisha said. “We knew you were special right from the start.”
“You are bound to him?” Ruby muttered with a raised eyebrow, but she didn’t say any more on the subject.
Her eyes flickered up and down my frame, and I had a feeling she knew exactly what that intimate ritual involved.
“But that doesn’t mean I’m a god!” I scoffed. “That’s just not possible! I’m not even from this world, and you can’t just turn into a god! Right?”
My brain was going at a million miles an hour as I ran a hand through my hair. This was not the answer I had been expecting from the crystal angel.
“I believe you are the god destined to save Dracoria,” Ruby said simply. “Your name came to me so easily as if I had known it all along. Now that I see you, it all feels quite certain.”
“A god!” Brooke screamed as she grabbed my hand. “Ryan is a god? Oh, my goodness! This is the best day ever! I’ve been needing a god! We all have!”
Cyra had gone back to her narrow-eyed suspicion, and I was almost glad to have someone who didn’t immediately believe in this prophecy. I had only just started to get used to being called a king. This whole world was still brand-new to me, and I was learning more about my own powers every day.
But a god? No fucking way.
“Ryan,” Nisha said. “Don’t you think it’s odd that you can recharge our powers? I’ve never even heard legends like that before.”
“Me, neither.” Brooke shook her blonde head. “I also never thought I would see a dragon again until you came along. That’s a whooooole lot of god-type stuff.”
“Come on!” I groaned. “Cyra, back me up here. You can’t believe I’m a god?”
The fire angel studied me for a moment as she bit her lip, and she glanced at Ruby before she spoke.
“It is strange that you arrived right when we needed you,” she muttered. “Not to mention how safe we all feel with you. I never thought I could feel more protected and at home than I do with you, Ryan. It’s an even stronger connection than when I was with the God of Fire.”
I sat down on the edge of the bed as I tried to slow my thoughts down. It was hard to argue with all those points, and I did have a deep feeling of belonging in this world. But surely that didn’t mean I was a fucking god. Surely a mortal man couldn’t turn into an almighty ruler of a world he wasn’t even born in?
“It seems fate brought you here,” Ruby said in a soft and sage-like tone.
“But the rest of the prophecy,” I argued. “Where can we find other Elite angels who would have gotten the other parts of it?”
“Yes!” Brooke squealed. “More Elite Throne angels! I bet they’re super-duper prettyyyy! We have to go and find them!”
“Do we?” Cyra muttered.
“They may be closer than we think,” Ruby said as she smiled at the fire angel.
There was a long pause as her emerald eyes glittered with amusement, and Cyra’s scowl slowly deepened under her gaze.
“Uhhhh,” Cyra finally said. “I’m not elite. I’m just a regular Throne angel.”
“We all are.” Brooke nodded. “And Cyra didn’t even believe you could be elite! She was all ‘noooo, that’s stupid, Elite angels are a myth!’ And I was like ‘ummmm, you literally have no proof of that, so I could totally be right.’ But yeah, you’re the only Elite angel we’ve ever met!”
Cyra smoldered in silence after this speech, and Nisha tried so hard not to snicker at the look on her face.
“That is where you are slightly wrong,” Ruby said. “I’m not any different from you. We are all destined to become Elite angels over time. But it seems your gods left before they could bestow that gift upon you.”
The room fell silent as we all stared at Ruby, and Brooke had finally been stunned into silence. Even Cyra’s scowl was replaced with blank confusion, and Nisha’s chest rose and fell with quick, shallow breaths.
“All angels can achieve Elite status?” I finally asked. “Are you sure?”
“Very,” Ruby sighed. “It is a gift that comes to us all at different times in our lives. I have no doubt you must have all been rather close to achieving yours. It really makes what the gods did even more cruel.”
“So we can never become Elite angels,” Nisha said sadly. “We’ll never know how it feels to have a prophecy.”
“Unless a god returned,” Ruby said, and everyone looked at me.
I got to my feet once more as I began to pace back and forth, but Nisha slipped her hand into mine to stop me. She nuzzled into me, and I kissed the top of her silky hair as her spicy scent filled my nostrils.
“You really think I’m a god?” I mumbled. “Or that I’m destined to become one?”
“I do.” Ruby nodded. “That would give your angels the ability to become elite, too. Then their powers would grow beyond anything you could ever imagine.”
“We would get stronger?” Cyra asked, and she couldn’t hide the spark of interest in her amber eyes.
“Oh, yes,” Ruby chuckled. “Any power you have now would be intensified about a hundredfold.”
I frowned in thought at this. The angels had shared their powers with me when we had first had sex, and I wondered if they would pass something new on if they became Elite Throne angels. Would I gain even better versions of my dragon forms? That sounded too good to be true.
But it would be fucking badass if it was possible.
“Why wouldn’t our gods have told us?” Nisha asked. “The Goddess of Night never even hinted at the possibility of becoming elite.”
“I didn’t know, either,” Ruby said. “It was only when my god gave me my jewel that I found out.”
“What jewel?” Brooke asked. “Do we get presents when we become elite?”
“You could say that,” Ruby chuckled. “Here. Let me show you.”
The crystal angel began to raise her dress up her sculpted thighs, and my heartbeat raced slightly as she pulled up the silky fabric. But she stopped when a small, star-shaped gem came into view. It was deep gold and embedded into her skin like a tattoo. Ruby ran a hand over it to show it was just as smooth as her delicious thighs, and I had to push down the urge to reach out myself.
“Wow,” Brooke said. “That’s beautiful! Your god gave it to you?”
“Yes.” Ruby nodded. “When I was finally ready to become an Elite angel. Your gods will have had something prepared for each of you.”
“Pfft,” Cyra snorted. “If he ran away without taking me with him, then I doubt he left me a little star.”
“Yours won’t be the same as mine,” Ruby said as she smoothed down her dress, and dragged my gaze away from her thighs at last. “Each angel is given something unique to them. I bet it’s stored in your old homelands.”
“We could look for it!” Nisha gasped. “Maybe Cyra’s gift is somewhere in the Fire Lands just waiting to be found.”
“Let’s not waste time on that,” the fire angel said with a wave of her hand.
“But–” Brooke tried, but a sharp look from Cyra made the blonde clamp her mouth shut with a clicking sound.
I looked out at the blazing sun, and I knew we should make a move to the next land soon. There was so much information to process, but I always felt clearheaded after a long flight in one of my dragon forms.
“We need to find out why that demon was sneaking around,” I said. “Ruby, I’ll understand if you’re too tired to come with us. We’re going to travel to the Fire Lands to work out why one of their demons came here.”
“I’m strong enough to fly,” the crystal angel said. “I feel like we have much to talk about.”
“Great!” Brooke squealed. “So we can all go together! A new member to our little family group!”
“Yes, I still have so many questions about Elite angels,” Nisha said with a thoughtful look. “We can discuss it more as we fly.”
“Good plan,” I said. “We don’t want to waste any time, and it’s always best to travel early. Who knows what’s waiting for us in the Fire Lands.”
Cyra shifted uncomfortably, and I stroked her arm gently. She was going to have to be our guide through the void, and I needed her to be in a good headspace for traveling through that white hellscape.
“I’ll go and get supplies,” Ruby offered. “There’s plenty of food and weaponry in the palace.”
“We have our own swords,” Cyra said as she gestured to her blade.
“Then I’ll just get my own.” Ruby smiled. “I’ll meet you all at the front doors of the palace.”
The crystal angel strode out of the room, and every step she took was as elegant as a ballet dancer’s. Angels never left footsteps or prints behind them, but Ruby seemed even more silent as she moved. She left like a gorgeous wisp of glitter and silk, and Brooke immediately exploded into excited giggles as she danced around the bed.
“I can’t believe this,” she said. “Ryan is going to become a god, and we’re going to become Elite angels! This is the best day ever!”
“It’s not certain,” Nisha warned her. “It can probably only work if our gods left behind our gifts. What if they didn’t get around to it?”
“They must have had them ready,” Brooke said. “Even if they didn’t, maybe our new god can make something up for us?”
She shot me a sparkling grin as she twirled around in a flurry of blue feathers.
“Let’s take things one step at a time,” I chuckled. “We have no idea if this god prophecy is even right. We need the rest of the vision to be sure.”
“Which we need more Elite angels for,” Nisha said. “Sooo, we’re going to need a god anyway.”
“Can we just focus on saving the Fire Lands?” I grinned. “And leave my existential crisis about my whole identity alone for a couple of hours?”
The angels laughed as we walked out of the glistening bedroom, and we made our way back to our own suite to grab our things. I picked up my cloak and bag and made sure my elven sword was secure before we left. It felt good to have a sturdy weapon at my side for any moments that I couldn’t use my dragon form.
“I’m so sad to have to leave this room.” Brooke pouted. “It’s sooo comfy and pretty! We didn’t get that final bath together, either.”
“We will,” I said as I grabbed her waist. “Don’t you think for a second I’ve forgotten about that.”
The water angel giggled as I planted a hungry kiss on her full lips, and she groaned happily as I stroked her hair. Nisha hummed softly as we strode out through the throne room, but I noticed Cyra was still being quieter than usual.
“Hey,” I said quietly to Brooke and Nisha. “I’m just going to have a quick talk with Cyra, we’ll meet you two there in a minute.”
“Of course.” Nisha smiled. “Take your time.”
Brooke blew us both a kiss before she grabbed Nisha’s arm, and the water angel skipped along happily toward the doorway. Then I took Cyra’s hand and led her up to the ridiculously decorated throne.
The gemstones gleamed out from the gold of the huge seat, and I sat down as I pulled the fire angel onto my lap. It was insanely comfortable on the cushioned throne, and I laid a hand on my angel’s soft thigh.
“Hey,” I said quietly. “I’m not going anywhere without knowing you’re okay. I love you a disgusting amount. It really is gross how much I care.”
Cyra finally broke into her stunning grin, and I pulled her closer to me.
“The feeling is mutual,” she said. “Maybe this kind of love can only be shared between an angel and her god.”
“I don’t know about that,” I said. “But I also didn’t expect to become a dragon shifting king.”
“So what do you know about anything?” Cyra giggled.
“Exactly,” I said. “But I’m here for you. It’s going to be tough to spend time in the Fire Lands, but you can do it.”
“It’s not just that,” Cyra sighed. “All this Elite angel stuff has gotten the others so excited. I just don’t know if I believe it.”
“Ruby doesn’t have any reason to lie,” I said. “If she’s already elite, then she must know things we don’t.”
“What if she is right?” Cyra whispered. “What if Nisha and Brooke had gifts left behind by their gods, and I don’t?”
She looked down at her hands as she played with her dress, and it broke my heart that she doubted herself. That old god of hers better have left behind her gift, or I would cross universes to go and kick his holy ass into another realm.
“Hey,” I said gently. “If anyone deserves to be an Elite angel, then it’s you. You stayed behind to save your friend when the world was falling apart. That’s some elite-level bravery right there.”
“I suppose,” Cyra said. “And… maybe Ruby doesn’t seem all that terrible.”
“That’s the spirit,” I chuckled. “Are you going to be okay to lead us through that fucking void?”
“I can do it.” Cyra nodded. “Let’s go and spy on some demons.”
I pulled her face toward me for a kiss, and our tongues met passionately as we made out. Her sweet mouth made me forget about anything else for just a moment, and I could tell she was more ready to go on our next adventure now. Then Cyra got to her feet, and I gave her a playful slap on her ass as I followed.
“I’m going to miss that throne,” she giggled. “You look so powerful sitting on it.”
“I was just starting to get used to it, too,” I chuckled. “But we should probably mention to the crystal folk that we’re leaving.”
“Good plan,” Cyra said. “They only just got their king, and he’s leaving already!”
She pushed open the door to the entrance hall, and I was surprised to see a crowd of crystal folk crammed inside. They waved happily as we strode out, and a few pixies even had tiny banners they waved in the air.
“Our great king!” Liri cheered. “Ruby says you are on your way to free another land from the demons!”
“Word spread quickly,” I chuckled. “We’re heading to the Fire Lands to see if we can help.”
Ruby had a silver satchel on her shoulder, and there was a thin sword that rested on a golden belt around her small waist. Her weapon had a bronze blade that shone almost as brightly as her skin, and there were tiny crystals embedded all over the hilt.
“I have plenty of food,” she said. “I’m ready to follow you to the Fire Lands.”
“We understand why you must leave,” one of the Crystal Trolls said. “Will we see you again, your highness?”
“Of course,” I said. “But Dracoria just needs some help before I can visit again. You all need to take care of each other while I’m gone.
“We will,” Liri said. “Our great king has inspired us! We are capable of anything now that the demons are gone!”
“Will you be safe in the void?” Ashryn asked as she glanced out of the palace doors.
“We have the best guide in the world,” I said as I nodded to Cyra. “She’s going to lead us straight there.”
The fire angel smiled as we made our way outside, and I took in a deep breath of the fresh, morning air. It was so comforting to look out on a demon-free land, but I knew I had to leave in order for it to stay that way. Who knew when another scout would be sent over?
“Ready to fly?” I asked, and the angels spread their wings.
I focused hard on my fire dragon form, and I felt heat race over every inch of my body as I began to change. Human skin rippled into golden scales, and my powerful wings ripped out from my back before I shot into the sky. The crowd below me cheered wildly as my thick tail swished back and forth behind me, and I felt my legs become as thick as tree trunks.
That feeling would never get old.
Pure power and fiery warmth prickled over every inch of my body as I looked down at the hillside and my loyal subjects.
“King Ryan!” Liri called. “Travel safely! We will continue to worship you as our leader!”
I breathed a stream of fire into the air like a celebratory firework, and the Crystal Lands’ folk went crazy with applause and laughter. Then angels soared up to spin around beside me, and I got to see Ruby fly for the first time.
Everything about her glittered, and it was hard to tear my eyes away from her crystal skin. She spread her arms out happily as she tilted her head back, and I remembered this would be her first time in the sky since being trapped in the bloodstones.
“Feels good to be free!” I called, and she laughed.
“It really does!” Ruby said. “I don’t think I can ever truly repay you, King Ryan. Or should I say god?”
I snorted out a tuft of smoke at the statement.
The angels began to fly off over the city toward the border, and I gave the people below one final roar before I sped off. I knew there were hundreds of capable fighters in the Crystal Lands, but it still worried me slightly to leave them. If one demon could sneak in, then that meant more could. But I just had to cut off the bastards before they could continue.
We flew over the stunning buildings, and I smiled as we passed the Obsidian Hills and Crystal lake. It was one of the most beautiful lands I had seen so far, and I would really miss the view from my palace balcony.
“Okay,” I said. “Cyra, lead the way!”
The angel nodded her burgundy head as she guided us toward the white expanse that sat at the edge of the land, and I braced myself for the empty feeling that was about to come. Then we flew into what felt like a whole other world as we entered the trap left behind by the gods. Everything around us became still and bright, and there were no walls, floors, or ceilings to break up the void.
