Chapter 65

"You can't go off alone." Daniel said firmly.

"I am. I'm leaving right now."

"Zander, I understand your pain. But you cannot show up at Vendov. You will barley have a chance to step in before you're dead." Galen said.

"I don't care. No one else I care about will get hurt from him. I'm ending this."

I began to step away from them.

Daniel grabbed my arm and tugged me back.

"Zander, please. I can't tell Mavis that you've died. I just can't." He pleaded.

"Have Charles tell her, then." I yanked away with one hard pull.

"You might not even make it to Vendov on foot. This cold could kill you." Galen said.

I focused on all the loss, the pain, the anger I as feeling. The war needed to end, and I didn't have my favorite person alongside me do do it. I needed to do it for him, for the people I cared about. I needed to protect them. I would no longer put them in danger.

Suddenly, I felt my body change. My muscles tingled and expanded. I dropped my pack as my skin turned green, and the texture became scaled. I had felt rejuvenated. I was no longer cold, the warm dragon's blood pumped through me.

The change was no longer a blur, and my body obeyed my commands. I rushed away from the camp, and spread my giant wings.

"Holy shit." Daniel said.

"He did it! He changed at will!" Galen said.

I carefully picked up my tiny pack with my claw. I pushed myself up off the ground and took flight, my wings carried me through the night sky. The soldiers rushed out of their tents upon hearing a strange noise. I looked down to see them all gaze in me with amazement. Soon, the soldiers looked like mice, then bugs. I could barley see the light of their camp.

I flew past Salkon, which had very little light. I thought of the blood stained stones, the innocents who died. It was going to end. Not a single more innocent life would be shred.

Flying was significantly faster than walking and horseback. I entered Vendov territory in the middle of the night, I hoped everyone was fast asleep.

I would have been lying if I said I had a plan, but my rage was determination enough to not need one. Looking back, I should have spent days creating a meticulous plan. I should have brought a team with me and snuck into the castle. I should have carefully considered outcomes.

Instead, I flew above the castle. It was black and twisted inside itself, like it had something evil to conceal. Torches and candles lit up the dark castle. The front wall was tall and spiked, a moat with eerie water under it opened to the large entrance.

The throne room was typically near the main entrance, based off what I had known about castle anatomy. I flew farther up into the air to allow myself speed. Then, with all my force, I flew directly toward the throne room, head first.

Crash!

The castle shook as I forced my big body into the dark stone. The castle crumbled. Stone fell down from the throne room, landing onto me. Pain filled through my body, but not as much as I expected. Screams filled the castle.

"We're under attack! Run!"

"Hurry! We're under attack!"

I laid for a moment under the stone. I pushed myself off before my body began to shrink. Gray dust filled the air, pumping into my lungs.

I reached through the rubble with my small, human hands. The stones were thick and heavy to lift. Through the dust and chaos, I pulled out my pack and slipped on the clothes I had stored away, along with my weapon.

I crawled out of the weighted stone. I was correct, I drove into the side of the throne room. The chair was still in tact, as if it were immobile. It was much taller than any throne I had seen. It was made of dark stone, and embroidered with red and black gems. The chair was lined with gold. No one occupied it.

My eyes scanned the room for the king. It was empty, all of the screaming servants had seemed to make it out after the crash.

The vacant throne taunted me. The ceiling continued to crumble above me. A herd of footsteps stomped down the stairs. People ran past me to get out, not paying me any mind.

Then, a second wave of footsteps flooded down the stairs. A row of men drew their swords. Their helmets covered their heads. A red, fiery design decorated the sides of their helmets. Their entire uniforms were black, with small hints of red. They held their swords in one hand, and shields in the other. They surrounded me.

"Where is the king?"

"He must be the intruder! Attack!"

They surrounded me, pinning me against the wall with their shields and swords. They built a fortress and trapped me in it. I pointed my sword at them, deciding who to take out first. More came to join them, creating a second barrier between me and the throne.

"Stop. Let me see the intruder." A familiar voice sent a sickening chill down my spine.

The guard's obeyed, and backed up. They stood tall and stiff, like attack dogs waiting to be given a command.

I gripped the handle of my sword tighter.

"Hello, Princey. Didn't expect to see you here. You miss me that much?" Samuel said, wearing his evil smirk.

"Where is the king?" I said, disregarding any smooth remark Samuel attempted to spew in my direction.

"Oh, you're here for him? I'm offended, Princey."

"WHERE IS HE?" I pointed my sword at him. The guards sprang into action and pointed their weapons towards me in defense.

"Stand down, men. I can handle him. Dismissed."

"Sir, are you sure?"

"I SAID DISMISSED. STAND NEARBY IF YOU MUST."

The guard obeyed and lowered their weapons. They took several steps back. People were still seen running past the throne room, only focusing on escaping the crumbling castle.

"I'm going to ask you once more, Samuel. Where is the king?"

"Not here, obviously."

"WHERE?" I screamed.

"Testy today, Princey. Did something happen? Did your disgraced prince break up with you?"

I swung at Samuel with all my force. He stepped back from my sword, he still yielded no weapon. I breathed heavily, gritting my teeth.

"I see you have something on your neck, I'm guessing your disgraced prince did that. Have some decency, Priney. Prancing about with a love bite on your neck." I pushed my toward him, knocking him down. He drew his sword.

"Perhaps he didn't leave you, then. Perhaps you weren't enough to save him. He's dead, isn't he?"

My sword jabbed into him, hitting against his armor.

"That's it, Princey. Isn't it. I would say it's sad, but it's far from it. It's a cause to celebrate. The Vendov king will be so happy. Disappointed that he didn't get to kill his son himself, but joyous nonetheless."

A fire fueled my chest. Smoke came out of my nose. I had no desire but to rid the world of Samuel's taunts. I wanted him gone. I wanted Vendov gone. I wanted the man who would celebrate his own son's death rid from the world.

I felt my body expand. My body stretched and morphed into the creature. My clothes ripped as I grew, the sword in my hand became a toothpick.

Samuel became a tiny flea, as did the soldiers. They surrounded me, and began poking my foot with their swords. It was less than a papercut.

I inhaled deeply, and pushed the hot air from my lungs out. I released fire out, setting the throne room on fire. More soldiers came with bows, attempting to shoot me.

So, I stepped on them.

But Samuel? I had other plans for him. He kept his sword pointed at me. He didn't run.

The soldiers squashed under my feet like berries.

"I knew it, Princey. You tried to keep it from me, convince me that I didn't see you. But I did, I knew."

He peered up at me with his sharp eyes, unafraid of me. He never feared me, perhaps he never would.

"Go ahead, go on with it! Kill me! Take your revenge!"

A low effort toss of my arm sent him flying, crashing into the stone wall. He bounced off it like a ball. Samuel crashed onto the ground, unconscious. His sword sat in his hand, his grip loosened.

I scooped him up with my claws, doing my best not to crush his fragile body just yet. I scooped him, along with my tiny pack.

I blew another hearty puff into the castle, hoping the king would have a warm welcome when he came home.