They Called Me Forsaken, Not Knowing I Was the Dragon God

CHAPTER TWO

After what seemed like ages, Aeron’s eyes blink open.

The bright light almost blinds him as he stumbled to his feet.

But to his shock, his hands are untied.

There's no execution ground.

No crowd.

No Supreme priest.

No king Tharos.

He stared around in confusion.

The sky was unnaturally black. Large mountains than he had ever seen covered the landscape and an eerie silence surrounded him. Everything about this place looked worn with time.

“Where am I?” He muttered to himself. “Am I dead?”

Suddenly, a hot air hit his neck from behind, causing his hairs to stand on their ends.

What was that?

With slow, precautious steps, he turned around.

The creature standing before him made him scuffle back in panic and terror.

The large, golden, ancient eyes were each the size of a human head. The large scales on its skin were rock hard with age and the breath of its nostrils were as hot as the fire of hell itself.

A dragon!

Aeron opened his mouth to speak but no words formed.

His eyes left the dragon for a moment and slowly widened as he took in the scene before him.

Dragons.

A wide variety of them.

Some had raw fire on their skin as they stood. Others had large ice shards shooting from their skin. Some bore the zit of thunderbolts on their scales. Some where are black as the darkest of nights itself.

He was surrounded. Their eyes seemed to pierce into his soul.

Trembling, Aeron shut his eyes. He could make a good lunch for them. What a worse way to die! Wouldn't the gallows have been a better option?

But one minute passed. He was still breathing.

Slowly, he opened his eyes again, preparing to be terrified by the humongous beasts.

But he nearly passed out in shock.

They were all kneeling with their heads bowed. Thousands of them.

Finally, he was able to put together coherent words, “What is going on? Why are you kneeling?”

Silence.

Then suddenly, a dragon with skin older than time itself and eyes that bore ancient knowledge approached him.

His scales were scarred, its golden eyes worn with age. It was significantly larger than every of them that the ground beneath its feet trembled as it walked.

“Welcome, master. We've been expecting you. My name. Is Valeor.”

For a moment, Aeron froze. His ears had to be playing some mean tricks on him.

He stared behind him. Perhaps this mighty dragon was talking to someone else.

“I'm talking to you.”

Aeron couldn't help but chuckle despite himself. “You must be mistaken.”

The dragon watched with humorless eyes. “Destiny is never mistaken, Drakon.”

“Drakon? You're definitely mistaken. My name is –”

“Aeron.”

Aeron froze.

The dragon seemed to read his mind. “I know your human name as well. But that's not your true identity. You are Drakon, our king.”

Aeron took steps backwards, his head still shaking in disbelief.

“I must be having a very weird dream. This can't be happening.”

“Yet, it is happening.”

“I couldn't even awaken a tiny beast in five years. Not even a spark. I'm cursed. Now, you're calling me your king?”

Vaelor didn't look surprised. “I know. But you're not cursed. You never were.”

Aeron stared at him, a defeated expression on his face. “Then when can't I awaken a beast? Why am I powerless?”

The dragon chucked, a deep rumbling sound that seemed to make the earth beneath their feet resonate.

“Powerless? You're the most powerful man alive!”

Aeron stared at him with even more frustration. “Stop saying that. If I'm truly powerful, where is this power then?”

“It has been sealed within you even before you were born. They're simply too much for you to awaken normally. The chaos that would follow will be disastrous. It's not yet time for that.”

Aeron’s eyes widened. Everything that had ever happened in his life suddenly became clearer.

“Wow.”

“But don't be too happy,” Valeor chipped in. "Knowing you're Drakon doesn't make you powerful automatically. You still need a lot of training."

Aeron took offense in that. "Are you saying I'm too weak? I spent the last five years doing rigorous training to awaken my guardian beast."

"I know. It doesn't mean you're ready to face the enemies that would come after you if they know you're Drakon before you're strong enough. These are ancient enemies who walked the earth before you were born."

Aeron let out a sigh, his excitement depleting into something more sober.

Five years of being ignored had proven to be useful after all. Being underestimated would save his life.

"What do you say, king Drakon? Are you ready to be trained to acquire your position?"

"Of course! What else do I live for?"

Valeor smiled slightly. "Good. You'd need a beast by your side while you embark on this journey. I'd be that beast."

Aeron grinned. "Really? That would be great!"

He could imagine the look on everyone's faces when they saw the mighty dragon beside him.

But with a knowing glint in his eyes, a thick fog surrounded Valeor ,swallowing him.

As the fog finally dissolved, Aeron stared around, confused. "Valeor?"

"Down here," a tiny voice squeaked from the ground.

Aeron stared in utter disbelief, his expression drooping. "You have to be kidding me. This is your plan?"

"It's called concealment."

The tiny snake on the ground slithered from his legs until it got to his palms. It wrapped itself around his wrist.

"You turned into a tiny snake!" He groaned.

"A very convincing disguise."

As Aeron let out a sigh, the realm around him slowly began to dissolve into the air.

"What's happening again?"

But he got no response. Suddenly, he felt himself descend with an unearthly speed.

Valeor's voice floated around him. "Remember this, Drakon. You're still weak."

"So what am I supposed to do?" Aeron wheezed, dizziness overwhelming him.

"Survive!"

Immediately, his eyes snapped open again and the familiar setting of the execution grounds came into view.

Holding his head, he muttered, "Was it all a dream?"

But he felt a movement across his wrist.

He pulled his hands back into view. He had been untied, though he still sat before the gallows.

In place of the ropes, wrapped around his wrists, was a tiny snake…..