Reincarnated as a Dragon – The path of the Dragon God

The first light of dawn greeted Henry with a cool gentle breeze. It was a chilly morning and dark clouds loomed over the skies, heralding the coming of a storm. Henry awoke with a foreboding feeling but he had slept well and he couldn’t have asked for more. He already knew the day ahead would not be smooth sailing but at least he had a good night’s rest.

“Good, you’re awake,” Vishara said, who was already awake as she had kept watch for the entire night. She was a nocturnal being by default, so staying up all night didn’t affect her too much. As long as she had enough blood to sustain her, she could forgo sleep for a week straight. All of a sudden, Vishara’s gaze narrowed with incredulity plastering her face.

“What’s wrong?” Henry asked as he gave a yawn that resembled more of a growl.

Vishara eyed Henry from head to tail. “You grew. Your spikes, claws, and horns are bigger, and so are your teeth.”

“Hmm? Really?” Henry touched himself, fumbling over his head and face. Though he didn’t feel any different outwardly, he could tell his Murux had grown immensely. His strength had doubled since last night. He placed his paw right beside the still-sleeping Iluna and found out he had indeed grown.

Speaking of growth and change, he didn’t experience any after he consumed the Green Dragon’s Murux Heart aside from the usual increment in his Murux reserves and the rejuvenation of his stamina and health. He wondered if he had slept so well was a result of his evolution.

“It’s not just your size… It’s also the aura you exuded… It feels more… intimidating. It’s bringing me back to the memories of my first experience going up against something stronger than me.”

“In any case, it’s good that I have evolved. Facing off against the Titan will be tremendously easier now.”

“Easier? Sure. But don’t count on it being a breeze. If the Titans are still the same as they were in my prime, we might not be a match for it even with our strengths combined.”

Henry recalled the Great Ravager. Their victory was a result of the Titan’s carelessness. Yula used its own shadow against it. Moreover, he had a non-combatant with him, which might limit his options.

As Henry was contemplating his future opponent, Iluna was waking up from her sleep. She sat up with a yawn and proceeded to stretch her body. She instinctively wriggled her way to Henry when the cold breeze brushed past her. She shivered with her arms hugging her shoulders.

“Cold?”

Iluna nodded. “G-good morning, Lord Henry, Lady Vishara.”

Vishara merely returned the nod. “Just Vishara would do,” she grumbled.

“Good morning to you too,” Henry greeted back.

A faint smile adorned Iluna’s lips but it dissipated when she laid her eyes on Henry. “Whoa…” she gasped. “You have gotten bigger, Lord Henry…”

Henry chuckled. “I suppose I did.”

“You grow so fast… This is unprecedented.”

“Bugs and insects grow fast,” Vishara chimed in.

“Yes, but Lord Henry isn’t a bug or an insect. Those things grow fast because their lives are short and Lord Henry’s life isn’t short. For a long-lived beast, your growth is rapid, Lord Henry.”

“I’m glad to know.”

I certainly don’t want to relive my adolescent years

“Shall we depart now?” Iluna asked.

“Immediately? Don’t you want breakfast?” Vishara returned the question.

“...Breakfast sounds nice,” Iluna said with reluctance in her tone. Anyone could tell she was eager to return home but she remembered Vishara and Henry’s words, haste would make waste and calmed herself with the notion that hurrying herself would not get her home any faster.

“Alright, then. Stay here, you two, I’ll go and catch us some breakfast,” Henry said and flew off to the other isles.

****

Noon was still an hour away when the isle where the fabric of reality was frail enough for a rift between worlds to be opened came into sight.

“That’s an island,” Vishara remarked at the biggest floating isle they came across. It was no different than the forests on land safe for the obvious fact that it was high up in the air, above the clouds.

“It’s huge,” Iluna gasped. “And it’s floating above the clouds. How much Murux does it need to have for it to stay afloat above the clouds?”

“Don’t know and don’t care,” Henry answered crudely. “That’s not what we should be focusing on.”

As soon as he said that, a roar reverberated from the inland. The air even shook in the face of such a roar.

“That must be the Titan’s greeting,” Vishara said. “It knows we’re here. It sounds very big.”

“Really?” Henry scoffed. “Cover your ears, ladies.”

The two didn’t argue and cupped their ears.

Henry returned the roar with one of his own. His roar was even louder. It was so loud that a shockwave was produced, sending a tremor across the island that caused a stir among the inhabitants. They cried and shrieked as they all scrambled to safety.

The Sand Drake did not respond.

“I win,” Henry sneered.

“Yeap, you’re definitely a beast.”

As Henry drew near to the island, a small flock of flying creatures sprang out from the tall trees and darted towards Henry.

“Flying Wyrms?” Iluna muttered in wonder and mild fright.

“No… Amphipteres,” Henry corrected.

The flying creatures that were coming their way were pretty much Wyrms with wings. Henry didn’t know how he knew but the name of those creatures somehow just popped into his head.

“Whatever they are, they aren’t friendly,” Vishara said. “Let me handle the small ones. Save your strength for the Titan, Henry. Since this is our last push, I shall not conserve my strength any longer.”

“Be safe, Lady Vishara.”

“Just Vishara would do,” the vampire said and took flight from Henry’s back as wings moulded out of blood sprouted from behind her shoulders.

Vishara charged straight into the small flock with Blood-crafted swords in her hands. She sliced and diced through the winged serpents that swarmed her. She swerved deftly in the air, dodging all of the attacks thrown by the Amphipteres. They were no match for her speed and ferocity. However, she alone was not enough to match the winged serpents’ quantity. As soon as she cut down one flock, a few more flocks emerged from the forest.

“This is unfortunate… for all of you, that is!” Vishara grinned. “You are all mere flesh and blood!”

The blood from the carcasses of her fallen foes spurt out and streamed into Vishara’s palm as the bodies continued to fall through the air. The congregated blood then formed into hundreds of javelins which Vishara sent towards the flocks charging at her.

The clash resulted in more bloodshed and Vishara used the blood that was spilt to mould it into her weapons and spells. The flocks of Amphipteres kept coming but Vishara did not relent. She slew the ones that came for her and used their blood against the next wave. The pattern continued until the Amphipteres eventually learned their lesson.

The blood of all the previously slain foes was flowing around Vishara. When she understood the Amphipteres had ceased their assault, she gulped down the blood that she had gathered. She let out a gasp of delight after that.

“Imagine what I can do in my prime, Henry,” Vishara boasted as Henry approached her along with Iluna.

“I’m well aware of how terrifying you are in your prime, Vishara. You can stop tooting your own horn now.”

“That was surprisingly utterly refreshing,” Vishara sighed blissfully as she licked off the remaining blood that got on her palm. “The blood of a beast is supposed to be terrible but not these ones… The blood of Amphipteres tasted good. I think it’s due to the Dragon blood that runs through their veins.”

“I won’t know. I don’t have a palate for blood,” Henry grumbled.

“Come, let us walk from here,” Vishara said and descended to the ground.

Henry followed suit after a brief hesitation. He shifted into his human form as he landed and after making sure Iluna got off of him safely.

“Oh, dear. Lord Henry, you’re looking older,” Iluna remarked upon witnessing Henry’s human form, which was now two years older than it was.

Henry touched his own face. “Hmm, I do feel a bit taller.”

“Not bad, Henry. With that face, I’m sure a lot of ladies would fall for you. You will be swarmed with courtships from the most nubile ladies. Well, that is of course if you ever decide to leave Ulrum and make your way into human civilization.”

Henry rolled his eyes and walked past Vishara with an exasperated expression.

The forest on this island was not welcoming but the habitants did not dare to make their hostility known, especially not after they had seen what Vishara was capable of. In addition, they could also feel the treacherous aura Henry was emanating.

“Huh, most curious,” Henry muttered as they made their way through the dense forest, treading ever closer to the centre.

“You discover something?” Vishara asked.

“I’m sensing… kinship.”

“Kinship?”

“The blood of the Dragons courses through the veins of many of the creatures on this island. At least half of them are of partial Dragon descent.”

“Don’t tell me you’re feeling sad for the Amphipteres I killed.”

“I’m not. It’s just… I have never been in the presence of so many of my kin. It would seem they are aware of me too.”

“Then, maybe the Sand Drake would not be hostile to us if it truly recognises you,” Iluna said.

“I don’t think it matters if it acknowledges me as its kin. I think it would only fuel its desire to fight even more.”

“Ah, that’s true… Dragons are known to be battle-lustful.”

“Regardless, I don’t plan on letting anything stop me.”

With a heavy and firm intent in their hearts, they successfully made their way through the forest and came upon a clearing at the centre of the island. There was a formation of rocks strewn about which appeared to be the remnants of some kind of structure. There, a pale brown wingless Dragon was sleeping just beside the ruin.

“By the goddess,” Iluna gasped. “It’s even larger than you, Lord Henry.”

“So it seems…” Henry responded grimly.

“It’s not called a Titan for nothing, Priestess.”

“It’s sleeping… Is it possible for us not to wake it up?”

Vishara chuckled. “It’s not sleeping. It’s just resting. It already knows we’re here.”

Right on cue, the Sand Drake opened its eyes and rose to its feet. It sharpened its gaze and snarled at the trio.

“Who dares to disturb my peace and rest?”

Henry flinched. “Did you hear that?”

“I think we all heard the Drake growling.”

“No, not the growl. Didn’t you hear it speak?”

“Speak? We didn’t hear it say anything. Did you, Priestess?”

Iluna shook her head. “I didn’t hear anything either.”

“Is it just me then…?”

“No matter who or what you all are, I will kill those who dares to—”

“You will do nothing,” Henry said with a quiet voice but his tone was as solid as steel.

The growling Drake recoiled from Henry and shrunk back, whimpering.

“It’s afraid?”

“How in the— Henry, did you do that?” Vishara asked.

“Apparently so. Stay here, you two,” Henry said and approached the Sand Drake alone, shifting back into his Dragon form.

“Impossible… True blood…”

“I am,” Henry retorted.

The Sand Drake shrieked and backed away further. “Mercy, my lord! I didn’t know. I meant you no harm!”

“Neither do I wish to do you any harm.”

“Truly, my lord?”

“Yes, truly. I merely wish to pass through.”

“Pass through? But where to, my lord?”

“Back to Ulrum. Like you, my companions and I are also stranded here.”

“Back to Ulrum? It’s possible?”

“Yes, it’s possible.”

The Sand Drake bowed. “This one will be eternally grateful if my lord is gracious to bring me along with you. This one shall be your servant for eternity.”

“Good,” Henry said. He didn’t know what else to say. He didn’t expect this outcome. At best, he expected the Sand Drake to run away with its tail tucked between its legs but the development was more complicated than he anticipated, yet favourable. He had somehow gained a servant in the process. Nevertheless, that was secondary.

Let’s begin.