I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die...

Slowly, arms raised, Jared turned around. He expected to see an angry maw filled with razor sharp death descending toward him; Scarlet's promise not withstanding. Instead, all he saw were massive tree-trunk legs covered in blood-red scales.

Jared swallowed hard and craned his neck up... Dang...

Unprepared for the visage before him, Jared stood in shock. The dragon loomed imposing, magnificent, terrifying, and fantastical. He blinked a few times and felt like this was just a dream. How could such a creature exist in secrecy? Jared knew the answer from Scarlet's explanation of dragon's history, but it all seemed unbelievable that something so incredible stayed hidden for so long.

The queen of fire dragons stood one hundred meters tall on her hind legs and had a wingspan that required Tristen to crane his head as far left and right as possible. Her scales, the color of fresh spilt blood, covered every inch of her body. Her underbelly appeared less armored. Appeared was the operative word because with her massive legs tipped with razor sharp claws, she was anything but vulnerable. Her claws easily sliced into the concrete and metal as if made of butter.

Jared shuddered at the thought of getting slashed by them. His body would separate into as many pieces as she had claws with one swift blow. Her upper arms gave way to the massive scaled wings. Each wing had multiple bony protrusions that looked just as sharp as her claws. The wings seemed perfectly capable of lifting the behemoth from the Earth... I wonder why Scarlet said she can't fly?

A snort and gout of super-heated breath brought Jared back to his predicament. The queen dropped to all fours, and the ground shook with the force causing rocks and debris to cascade into the rock bed below.

Wow, she's even more intimidating like this.

Jared got a better look at her head and the top of her body. Tipped with curved horns that swept back toward her tail, she had a row of spikes that started from the crown of her head and tracked down her back all the way to the spike tipped tail, similar to Scarlet's own. Each horn looked like deadly Katana's and the spikes could impale a man through with room to spare.

This creature from myth and legend descended her head toward Jared and rested it on her forearms. She collapsed her wings which folded in half and draped her body in a protective shell. Settled into this position, she resembled a hardened mound of spikes, bone, scales and death.

With her head on the ground, Jared looked into her eye and felt his innermost thoughts laid bare for this sentient being. She looked into his soul and flayed open his mind. Nothing remained hidden from the queen of fire dragon's. Her slitted irises burned with an inner light and reflected flame like molten pools of magma. Jared felt naked in front of her gaze and dared not move an inch lest she forgo her promise to Scarlet and bite him in half.

She could just swallow me whole and end my existence.

The dragon's lips pulled back into a feral grin as he had these thoughts and he heard a great huffing noise like a steam-powered engine wheezing to life. When her lips pulled back, Jared smelled the fetid scent of death and decay from the many creatures whose life ended in her jaws. He could see pieces of flesh and bone between her sharp teeth and shuddered at what looked eerily like a human fibula.

Jared stood petrified at this terrible and awesome creature. He couldn't form a single coherent thought or word to speak. While he stood immobile, Scarlet slithered around her mother's legs and came to rest near her head. He shifted his eyes to Scarlet to see her relaxed and curled up next to her mother. He felt a little tension ease, but he dare not move or relax his posture.

When Jared thought he could take the scrutiny no more a deep, rumbling voice thundered in his mind-

JARED CARTWRIGHT, I FIND YOU WORTHY!

"Ah!" Jared screamed, dropped to his knees, and cradled his head in his hands. It felt like his skull split open and the pressure of a mountain squeezed his brain flat. Liquid trickled down his face; he reached up to touch it and his fingers came away stained with blood.

She doesn't even have to eat me, she can just talk me to death, Jared through wryly. She knows my name and birthright too... He hadn't used that name since his mother died. Instead, he used only his first name to eliminate the painful reminder of his parents death. Nobody called him Mr. Cartwright... that belonged to his dad.

Mother, Jared heard Scarlet say, his mind is weak. You must speak to him in the same way we spoke before I hatched.

Jared, please come closer and place your hand on my mother.

"You... you want me to..."

Yes, you will communicate through touch. My mother's psionic ability is too great for you to handle in your current state. Until you increase your mind ability, this is the only way you can speak with a mature dragon.

"Move...," Jared whispered under his breath. His body refused to obey him. With a monumental surge of will, he got one foot under him, then the next, and stood on unsteady feet. Jared raised his eyes to gaze into the molten pool once more and shuffled forward. He raised an arm and noted how his hand shook. It must look ridiculous to her...

Just before his hand made contact he hesitated and glanced at Scarlet, who nodded her head, then he placed his palm down.

Jared's vision faded to black... Not again...

###

"RAAAWWWWRRRR!" a dragon's ferocious roar ripped through Jared's consciousness and he felt the vibrations deep in his bones. At first he saw only blurry shapes darting about, but when his vision cleared, he blinked in confusion.

Where am I?

DRAGON'S EXISTED SINCE THE BEGINNING. WHEN DRAGON'S FREELY ROAMED THE EARTH THEY RULED THE LAND, AIR, WATER, AND FIRE. WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD ONE QUEEN FOR EACH DOMINION.

Jared's vision blurred and re-focused showing Scarlet's mother in all her majestic glory diving into an active volcano. She reveled in the searing heat of the liquid magma against her scales. While she dove in and out of the magma, it seemed hundreds of other dragons, all varying shapes, sizes, and shades of red darted around the volcano. It was easy for Jared to see they all shared the blood-red color of their mother, even if there was a lot of variation in shading.

MY CHILDREN... Jared felt, as much as heard, the love in her voice laced with degrees of anguish for her children.

"What happened to them?"

The scene fast-forwarded in time, pausing on various scenes depicting humankind bent on eradicating dragons from the Earth. Jared watched primitive men with crudely made weapons wage war against the dragons, trapping, imprisoning, and ultimately killing them by the dozens. He also witnessed humans that befriended, worshiped, and cared for the dragons. However, most humans refused to bow to the rule of the dragons.

The last vision of the queen of fire showed her surrounded by a dozen equally fierce, albeit smaller dragons as they dove into the largest volcano around and never resurfaced. Just before they disappeared into the volcano Jared felt sadness, reluctance, and a desire for vengeance emanate from the dragons.

WE BURROWED UNDERGROUND THREE THOUSAND YEARS AGO, BUT A TIME OF DRAGON'S HAS BEGUN ANEW. EVEN NOW MY FAMILY STIRS AND WILL ONCE AGAIN TAKE TO THE SKIES.

"Humankind has only grown more hostile over the years. Are you sure you want your family to re-emerge into the world?"

FROM YOUR MEMORIES AND AS FAR AS I CAN SENSE, HUMANS NO LONGER POPULATE MUCH OF THE EARTH AND IT WILL BE MANY YEARS YET BEFORE THE REST OF MY FAMILY RE-EMERGES.

Jared felt the finality of that discussion and knew he would not change her mind. A three-thousand year slumber was long enough and the emotion he felt from her included resolve, excitement, trepidation, and vengeance.

"What are these feelings? It's like you are communicating complex thoughts, but I feel the words more than I hear them." Jared turned his head, but saw only the empty sky and dormant volcano before him.

DRAGON'S COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER USING TELEPATHY, BUT WE HAVE EVOLVED BEYOND PRIMITIVE SPEECH THAT HUMANKIND FAVORS. INSTEAD, WE SHARE THOUGHT SPACES AND CAN PROJECT ALL OF OUR SENSES, MEMORIES, AND INTENT TO ONE ANOTHER.

With those words, Jared felt a rapid shift in temperature and the scenery changed to one of an arctic landscape. Glaciers and snow-capped peaks surrounded him. At first, he assumed that she pushed a random image into his head to show him how dragon's communicate, but then he picked out shapes flying low to the ground-

"White dragon's?"

THESE ARE THE LAST OF THE ICE DRAGONS WHO HELD DOMINION OVER THE AIR.

Jared's perspective zoomed in to the largest dragon. He saw them flying above a gash in the Earth that appeared to have no bottom. One by one, the dragon's dove through the opening. Before the largest of the ice dragon's dove through the opening, it turned to survey the landscape and a deep sadness overcame him as the matriarch to the ice dragons removed herself from the affairs of the world.

"I...," Jared's vision swam yet again before he could express his emotions at the sadness he felt from the ice dragons. When his vision cleared, he floated above the ocean. An ocean untouched by the ravages of the war that destroyed most of the Earth. It's beautiful...

"I've seen nothing like it!" He was in awe of the deep blue waters that extended in every direction. He felt minuscule in comparison. Contrary to the last time he visited the ocean, he felt only wonder and amazement at the ocean instead of fear and dread. There were no mutated creatures locked in a battle of survival beneath the surface. In fact, the only movement on the ocean was the occasional waves that swept in uniform rows across the face of the water. The sound was peaceful and tranquil-

A low, deep moan suffused his being and once again he felt a deep sadness and loss.

Jared observed several shapes draw closer. From this distance it appeared to be another group of dragons, only these were titanic. He thought Scarlet's mother was massive, but these deep blue dragons dwarfed her in size. They had similar features, but differed quite a lot. Where the ice and fire dragons had razor sharp claws and a single row of spikes down their back, these midnight blue dragons sported webbed appendages and their entire body looked smooth as glass. He saw individual scales, but rather than overlapping, they merged to create sleek bodies. Their tails ended in a deadly looking trident instead of the barbed tail on Scarlet and her mother.

WATER DRAGON'S ARE THE LARGEST OF OUR KIND. THEY LIVE LONGER AND HAVE A PROFOUND WISDOM. THEY GOVERN ALL THE OTHER DRAGON'S.

Jared didn't feel the same loss and sadness in the water dragons, but one by one they disappeared beneath the surface. He followed the path the dragons took, descending miles into a trench beneath the water. If not for a faint glow emanating from the dragon's the darkness would have swallowed them from sight. Once the dragons reached the bottom of the trench, they settled in to rest and closed their eyes. Jared once again felt the finality of the scene.

UNLIKE MOST OF THE DRAGON'S, WATER DRAGON'S WERE NOT FORCED TO ABANDON THEIR HOMES AND BURROW INTO THE EARTH. THIS IS THEIR HOME AND THEY STILL ROAM THE DEPTHS FROM TIME TO TIME. SINCE WE REMOVED OURSELVES FROM THE WORLD, THEY HAVE REMAINED BENEATH THE WATER, HIDDEN FROM MANKIND.

"Will they surface now that dragon's are returning to the world?"

THEY WILL REMAIN IN THE OCEAN UNTIL THEY ARE CERTAIN MAN WILL NOT HUNT THEM AGAIN.

Jared felt his resolve harden, "I will do everything I can to bring that future to pass."

THE LAST OF OUR KIND, THE LAND OR EARTH DRAGONS HAVE HIDDEN THEMSELVES DEEP UNDER THE MOUNTAINS.

The scene shifted once more and Jared stood atop a plateau looking at a dozen dragons trudging toward a distance mountain. These dragons did not have wings and their backs looked covered in many layers of scale and bone. In fact, they resembled massive boulders fashioned in the likeness of a dragon. Jared recalled pictures of prehistoric dinosaurs and marveled at the similarities. I wonder if the history books got it wrong, and they uncovered fossilized remains of juvenile dragons...

DINOSAURS WERE CLOSE RELATIVES TO THE DRAGONS, BUT ONLY IN PHYSIOLOGICAL SIMILARITIES.

"Um, thanks." Jared hadn't meant to say those thoughts aloud... Did I say it out loud?

Scarlet's voice echoed through his thoughts, you spoke them in your mind with intent. I can hear your thoughts if you don't shut them off, but my mother can only hear the thoughts you project with intent and only while you are touching her. In time you can learn to control your thoughts and telepathy, but your mind is too weak right now.

"Thanks, Scarlet."

Jared watched the land dragons make their way into a large cave within the mountain. Once the last dragon entered, the mountain sealed itself off with a thundering boom. Like the previous scenes, he felt the emotional turmoil of the dragon's just before they shut themselves within the Earth. For these dragons, he felt a resolute determination. A determination to survive for another era and one day roam the world again.

The looming mountain faded into obscurity as the darkness once again closed in on Jared. He closed his eyes against a bright light that appeared suddenly. Once they adjusted to the light, he realized he stood next to Scarlet and her mother once again.

"Thank you," was all Jared could say, overwhelmed at the experience and emotion he felt.

I CHARGE YOU, JARED CARTWRIGHT, TO GUARD, PROTECT, AND STRENGTHEN MY DAUGHTER. SEEK TO RIGHT THE WRONGS AGAINST DRAGON KIND AND USHER IN A NEW AGE WHERE DRAGON'S AND MAN THRIVE SIDE BY SIDE.

Dragon's Legacy

Alexstrasza Maildrel, queen of the fire dragons has asked you to become the guardian for her only daughter and right the wrongs committed by mankind thousands of years ago. Alexstrasza will grant you a boon if you vow to honor her request and never stray from the task assigned.

"What is this? This is like one of those quests in games I've read about."

Jared, please do not be flippant about this request. I generated the message for you and shown you the last wish of a queen. If you agree to the request, my mother will alter your nanites, infusing the vow. If you should go against your vow, it will cause death. If you choose to say the vow you will also get a boon in the form of nanites when my mother transfers her essence. She will share them equally between us if you make the vow.

Jared thought through the request and saw no reason to reject the offer. He wanted nothing more than to exact vengeance on the people responsible for killing his mother. Coincidentally, they were also the people that would try to enslave or eradicate dragons once again. Their purposes aligned. Jared also felt a kinship with Scarlet and would do everything in his power to keep her safe.

Jared placed his hand on Alexstrasza's head once again, "I vow to protect Scarlet and seek to right the wrongs done to the dragon's, even if that means exacting vengeance on any who would seek to harm or kill a dragon."

"Ah!" Pain ripped through Jared as soon as he uttered the vow. It felt similar to the fusion that occurred between him and Scarlet. He dropped to his knees and abruptly the pain ceased.

LET THIS PAIN BE A REMINDER OF YOUR VOW.

"I... I can hear you without touching you or my brain turning to mush? What happened?"

I HAVE GIVEN YOU SOME NANITES COURSING THROUGH MY BLOOD SO YOU CAN RECEIVE MY ESSENCE WHEN THE TIME COMES. I CAN NOW COMMUNICATE THROUGH THE NANITES LIKE YOU DO WITH SCARLET.

"Will it be this painful every time I absorb nanites from another being or a creature?"

Scarlet turned her head to Jared, At first it will be painful as you assimilate the foreign nanites into your body. Over time, the pain should lessen as you grow in strength.

He hated to think of the pain each time he killed a creature and absorbed the nanites, but the intrigue of gaining abilities and growing stronger overshadowed that fear. The pain felt like fire coursing through his body, but it inevitably went away and he remained intact, if a little sore. The pain was worth the cost and if ever he doubted that sentiment, he only needed to recall his mother's face and the last time he saw her alive. I would endure a thousand deaths to bring her back...

SCARLET, MY TIME GROWS SHORT. WE NEED TO COMPLETE THE TRANSFERENCE SOON, BUT FIRST WE MUST GO BACK TO THE NEST BENEATH THE CITY. NO CREATURES WILL INTERFERE IN THE PROCESS AND I WILL SET UP A PSIONIC BARRIER TO PREVENT ANYTHING FROM COMING CLOSE.

"Psionic barrier?"

It is a form of a psionic attack, but projected outward for a time. It will attack anything within range and render them incapacitated until deactivated. Scarlet slithered up to her mother's back while she explained the ability. I will accompany my mother back to our den and prepare for the process. Please arrive by dusk and we will complete the process tonight.

Alexstrasza rose to her feet and bounded away toward the city.

"Wait, why can't I ride with you?" It was too late as they'd already gotten too far away to hear his verbal outburst. He almost asked Scarlet mentally when he remembered the row of razor sharp spikes on her back.

"On second thought, I think I'll walk." Jared grabbed his backpack from the little room, stuffed all the boosters into the pack, attached the phase pistol to his hip, opposite the trusty Colt, and started the trek back into the city.

The trip was uneventful, and he suspected whatever creatures lurked in the area scattered in the wake of Alexstrasza's passing. Jared followed the explorer markings to the passageway that led into the subterranean level. At least, he thought he had. If the city looked devastated before, now every building in a two block radius lay toppled, smashed to pieces and he didn't see the staircase leading down.

Scarlet? How exactly am I to get down to the nest? There's no evidence of the staircase anymore... Your mother really did a number on the infrastructure up here.

Circle around the crater to the South. There is another staircase left mostly intact.

Doing as instructed, Jared circled around the destruction and found the staircase. This one was in better shape than the original and he didn't have to dodge chunks of the collapsed ceiling. All right, I'm in the tunnel which way do I need to go?

Head to the right and when you get to a section of the tunnel that collapsed, climb over. The nest is just on the other side. My mother will activate the psionic shield as soon as you are within range and inside the radius. She only has a few hours remaining since she started the process with you after the vow.

Jared picked up his pace, found the pile of rubble and