Dragon Communion

Accepting this "gift," Horace Loux thought of a question.

A question about Dragon Communion, and about the future.

"They say Dragon Communion ends with becoming a mindless magma wyrm. If I needed to become a dragon, how would I turn from human to dragon?" He did not crave it; he was merely curious about this potentially existing path.

After all, the source of the Great Runes and the Dragon Girl's misunderstanding both pointed toward the possibility of some kind of "transformation."

"Certainly not through something as base as 'Dragon Communion.'" Contempt colored Froesanks's voice.

"My king, Placidusax, became the progenitor dragon only after countless transformations and sublimations within the cracks of spacetime and the storms."

She looked at Horace Loux, golden light flowing through her slit pupils. "But you are different. You have already been chosen by the 'Great Runes.' All life comes from the primordial 'Crucible.' Once you truly become a 'king,' the form of your life will no longer bind you. Changing your form and returning to the myriad aspects of the Crucible will be a matter of will alone. When that time comes, becoming a dragon... could not be simpler."

Horace Loux understood.

The Dragon Girl meant that once his power reached the necessary level, using the Crucible's power to change his life-form would come naturally. He had no need to take the crooked path of Dragon Communion, nor to endure the long struggle the ancient Dragon Lord had.

That sounded fairly good. He had no urgent need for it, but knowing the path existed gave him some assurance.

Not long afterward, Hoarah Loux woke.

The intense pain made him grimace, but his eyes remained bright.

The first thing he saw was the pair of dragon hearts laid side by side on the altar's stone slab-the dark red, searing heart of Bayle, and the comparatively smaller flying dragon's heart.

"How do we use them?" He looked straight at Froesanks, his voice booming.

"Can we eat them now? While they're hot."

The ritual was put on the agenda.

The brothers, however, disagreed.

Horace Loux had originally intended for his elder brother to absorb Bayle's powerful, violent Flame Lightning.

He had little interest in that power himself, finding it difficult to control and even less suited to his roaming support style of combat.

Hoarah Loux thought exactly the opposite.

He pointed at the comparatively milder flying dragon's heart. "This one's mine. Bayle's is yours, Asei."

His reasoning was blunt and simple.

"I don't lack strength. What I lack is the finesse and tricks to tear through tough shells. That body of yours is too weak. You need something potent to build it up. Bayle packs a punch. Just right for you."

Froesanks's position subtly favored Horace Loux.

Even she could not deny Bayle's strength. Securing power for her king was only natural; power was what justified kingship.

Besides, having Horace Loux undergo Dragon Communion would also bring him closer to dragonkind.

They could not agree.

Hoarah Loux stood his ground, believing his younger brother needed strengthening more;

Horace Loux tried to persuade his elder brother;

Froesanks quietly backed Hoarah Loux's opinion.

In the end, Horace Loux compromised.

He saw how stubborn his elder brother was about this. Arguing further would only waste time.

"All right." He sighed and walked up to Bayle's dark red, searing heart.

"I'll do it."

Only then was Hoarah Loux satisfied. Grabbing the flying dragon's heart, he grinned. "That's more like it! Don't worry, Asei. I'll be right here watching!"

Froesanks began guiding the ritual, with the dragon hearts placed before the brothers.

"Dragon Communion is to trespass upon the domain of dragons in a human body." Under the ritual's power, Froesanks's voice sounded ethereal and distant.

She looked at Horace Loux with particular solemnity. "Bayle's heart retains his savagery. You must be cautious."

Horace Loux nodded and took a deep breath.

Hoarah Loux muttered, "Let's do this!"

There was nothing but excitement in his eyes.

Both lifted the dragon hearts before them at the same time.

The flying dragon's heart felt warm and supple, as though it were still beating. Without hesitation, Hoarah Loux took a great bite, tearing and swallowing.

His expression instantly contorted, veins bulging along his neck, but his gaze was fierce as he forced down the first mouthful.

Vast dragon power exploded within him. Countless little snakes seemed to writhe beneath his skin, his muscles swelled and contracted uncontrollably, and faint cracks came from his bones.

Horace Loux was far more cautious. Bayle's heart was frighteningly hot, and he bit off a small piece.

The instant it entered his mouth, he tasted not flesh and blood, but raging flames, exploding thunder, and endless hatred and pain!

A destructive torrent of heat burned down his throat and surged into every part of his body.

"Ugh!" Horace Loux grunted and dropped to one knee.

His skin instantly turned scarlet. Fine orange snakes of electricity shot from his pores, crackling.

What happened inside was even more terrifying. The Flame Lightning battered his body violently, trying to ignite him from within.

The power of the Great Runes worked frantically, struggling to channel the fire and lightning flooding his body, trying to guide it into controllable paths.

More pain piled on, and with the aid of the Great Runes, the violent Flame Lightning was tamed.

Some of the scorching energy was used to mend his previous injuries. Some pure power was stripped away and merged into his sinews, bones, flesh, and blood, slowly changing his constitution. The rest poured into the bottomless pit of the Gate of Myriad Laws.

Meanwhile, Hoarah Loux's progress was more "visible."

His muscles bulged to exaggerated proportions, and small patches of hardened skin appeared across his body. A faint sulfurous smell tinged his breath. For an instant, his eyes turned entirely into reptilian slit pupils before returning to normal, but deep within them there was now a little more of a dragon's wildness and sharpness.

Time passed slowly.

At last, Hoarah Loux finished absorbing the power first.

He stood, seemingly a size larger than before. The traces of dragon scales lingering on his skin slowly faded, but his presence had grown more savage.

He clenched his fists, squeezing explosive cracks from the air, and grinned in satisfaction. "Feels good! I'm stronger, and my bones are tougher!"

He tried swinging an arm, and even the rush of wind it raised sounded sharper.

Horace Loux's process took much longer.

The orange snakes of electricity on his body had gradually subsided, and his skin had returned to its normal color. But a close look revealed an occasional, extremely faint flash of orange-red light beneath it.

He knelt there with his eyes closed, brows tightly knitted and forehead covered in cold sweat, still sorting out the Flame Lightning that had merged into his body.

Not long after Hoarah Loux finished, Horace Loux finally let out a long breath as well.

He slowly rose, new sensations coming from every part of his body.

His strength had indeed increased, but more noticeable was...

With a slight shift of Horace Loux's will, a docile orange spark danced at his fingertip.

This fire and lightning faintly carried a trace of Bayle's Flame Lightning properties.

"How is it?" Hoarah Loux strode over and clapped his younger brother hard on the shoulder.

The blow carried considerable force. Before, Horace Loux would probably have staggered, but now he merely swayed slightly before steadying himself.

"Not bad." Horace Loux flexed his wrist, feeling the power surging within him.

Froesanks watched the two of them, Horace Loux in particular, and gave a slight nod. "The ritual is complete. The flying dragon's power has merged into the warrior's body, bringing him closer to ancient life. Bayle's Flame Lightning has been sown. Given time, it may take root and sprout, revealing a different form."

Her words clearly hinted at something else, but Hoarah Loux did not understand. He only cared about the result. "Good! Next time we run into those horned bastards, I'll smash their towers and their jars to pieces!"

Horace Loux looked at Froesanks, conveying his arrangements with his eyes.

The Dragon Girl lowered her head slightly, then turned to Hoarah Loux, her tone returning to the calm of an ancient retainer. "Mighty warrior, Hoarah Loux. As previously agreed, should you need the guidance of ancient wisdom, I may remain by your side for a time."

Hoarah Loux waved his great hand. "Sure! Perfect! Asei's always saying I don't use my head. You look like you know plenty, so give me more reminders from now on! And those incantation things—teach them to my warriors!"

The matter seemed to be settled just like that.

The group assembled again and, carrying the small amount of material left from the dragon hearts, set off back to the tribe.

Horace Loux walked among them, his gaze turned toward the distant tribal camp.

It was time to speed up the plan to migrate west.