Reincarnated as a Dragon – The path of the Dragon God

Vishara’s feet blurred. A kick, Henry saw, but that was not all he took in. The air, or rather, the space whirled and blurred around the vampire’s foot. The kick came at him slowly, seemingly, but that was just a visual trick. A move beyond his comprehension, still. He dodged the kick— he presumed he had. The next thing he knew, an unseen force had smacked him square in the face. He stuck a foot out behind him, denying the force from carrying him off his feet.

Henry returned a haymaker. Vishara laughed and slipped under the vicious hook. She twisted her body while flipping herself upside down. Her feet came swinging towards Henry as she tumbled. He stepped away but she followed him with a graceful flow of movement, like a parasol lost to the strong gust. She sprang when Henry decided to counter. His punch found nothing but the air.

“Sloppy.” 

The voice came from behind but Henry sensed nothing behind him. Although confused, he went with logic. He swung behind him. Once again, he struck only an empty space. His feet dragged him back, beckoned by his instincts. A kick surged upwards from below, missing his face and chin by a few inches.

“Impressive instincts,” Vishara japed with the loads of leeway she had. She flipped in midair, against all laws of physics, and spun herself towards Henry.

“What the fuck?” Henry managed to utter before the onslaught of kicks descended upon him. He stuck an arm out and grabbed Vishara’s leg. With a shout, he swung her around by her feet. As he was about to slam her into the ground, she turned the momentum on him.

She bent, twisted, and twirled in ways that would have broken every bone and fibre of a person’s body. Before Henry knew it, he found himself getting flung instead. He was not as agile or flexible as Vishara was. He certainly was capable of miraculous acrobatic feats like she did. He crashed into the ground, forming a miniature crater.

“There’s something you should know, Henry,” Vishara taunted. “This is nowhere near the peak of my strength and you are already struggling.”

Henry looked up from where he lay. He sighed and slowly picked himself up. He patted himself of the dust and dirt. “I thought we agreed to no spells.”

“And I haven’t used any. I merely took advantage of the winds.”

“How does that work?”

“Your strength derived from your immense innate talents. Everything you know, you know it by heart. I can explain to you but you will understand nothing. That is the bane of geniuses.”

“If that’s the case, can such people even be considered as geniuses? It’s a contradiction, wouldn’t you say? I certainly don’t consider myself as one.”

Vishara shrugged. “I didn’t craft the words, but I did make warriors. Hundreds, thousands even.”

“You should have learned how to make followers instead of warriors”

“Power, and anything that provides it, seduces all, like love. In the same vein, it also breeds contempt, envy, and jealousy. What I need are not followers, but slaves. Absolute loyalty. Fear will neither dissuade nor deter them from their allegiance. They will have contempt, envy, and jealousy, but none of them could act on it.”

“Is that what they are? Slaves?”

“Thralls, but I suppose there’s not much difference between the two.”

“Are they aware of this?”

“More aware than they can ever be. They chose bondage and survival over freedom and ruin. They were nothing before I found them. They were no one. Their deaths meant squat to those who ruled over them. I gave them a purpose. I gave them a cause to fight for. Aye, they may be my thralls but I value loyalty above all else.”

“You sure are a piece of work.”

“Pragmatic piece of work. Enough talking. You have rested enough. Don’t delay your defeat any further.”

“Isn’t this just a spar?”

“There’s still a victor and a loser.”

“Then I admit defeat.”

Vishara chortled. “I didn’t take you for a craven.”

It took a while for Henry to recall the meaning of the word. “There’s no proper or actual stake in this fight. Moreover, the result is apparent. Being the pragmatic piece of work that you are, surely you can see the futility in the continuation of this farce, no?”

“You are to be my consort and I will not have a consort without a spine.”

Henry rolled his eyes. “Or it could be that you are just excited that you finally have someone you hit and not get pulverised instantly.”

Her smile disappeared but the amusement returned after a short while. “The peak is always a lonely place to be. And the people below and beneath you, they think they understand. Some are even under that delusion with absolute certainty. They think it’s easy. Gradually, these silly little deluded notions turned into nightmares. These nightmares turned into fears. These fears turned into anger— discontent, and disquiet. Before long, they decided to do something before these delusions of theirs had any chances of becoming reality.”

“And you think this spar would make you feel better?”

The chuckle gushed out of her lips like a faulty pipe. “No, you dunce. I don’t think. I’m certain. You’re naive. You’re still green to the affairs of the world. I will change that. I will make you a man worthy to be my consort.”

“I’m a dragon.”

“You still have a rod dangling between your legs, no? Enough of this. We have talked long enough.”

“Vishara, this is—” Henry kept the rest of the sentence to himself, a decision made due to a fist shot towards him like a bolt of lightning.

“My victory is certain but that doesn’t mean that’s all you have to show for.” She threw a feral jab—

—which could have caught Henry in the jaws if he didn’t catch the punch. Markings of light ran along the arm, pulsating meekly but resolutely. “So be it. I will not be responsible for anything that happens after this.”

Vishara grinned. “There it is. There’s the might and fierceness of the dragon.”

Henry looked to his side, where Rayne and Alani were. They were no longer there but he felt their presence not far from where they were. They had long since retreated to safety.

“It is unwise to look away from your opponent!”

Henry snapped back to Vishara, catching her foot that would have otherwise been buried into his face. “It is unwise to assume my eyes are all that encompass my perception.”

“Well, you’re not wrong in that regard.” Vishara laughed.

So did Henry. They shared a brief and mutual moment of amusement and it ended when Henry spun Vishara and tossed her across the yard before she could find her bearings.

Her adventure tumbling across the yard did not last long. Her bearings returned to her before she could tumble out of the yard. She flipped to her feet, expecting an immediate assault, but found Henry standing still, moving not an inch.

“What happened? Lost your guts?”

Henry spared no words and responded with a gesture, taunting her to come at him.

Instead of rushing at him, Vishara strode towards him as if she had all the time in the world. “Only greenhorns would respond to that gesture in kind. Time’s not waiting for us but it is neither rushing ahead of us.”

Henry raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t craft the words but you certainly have a lot to spill.”

“Just easing your nerves.”

“Do I look nervous?”

“Not consciously. Tell me, what do you think I would do next?”

“You tell me.”

Vishara obliged, not with words. She stomped the ground hard and a piece of boulder bounced from her force. She then sent the boulder hurtling towards Henry with a kick.

Henry could dodge the boulder or destroy it. A simple choice but he froze for a second. He pulled himself together immediately and made a choice. He met the boulder with a fist, shattering it into countless fragments. Amidst the blur, he felt a force coming from in front of him. He readied himself for the assault but when it came, it struck him not from the front but from behind.

Henry had no time to think about the absurdity. He spun around, just in time for a heel to nearly slam into his face. He grabbed the heel but it slipped off his grip with ease. He tried again but Vishara had twirled out of the way.

“You think too much of the present. The future and the past required some consideration. Those who focus only on the present in the battle will always be the losers. What transpired before can shape the outcome of the future. Seeing only the present is the foley of greenhorns.”

Easier said than done, Henry scowled and lunged at Vishara.

The vampire sidestepped his attempt. “You can kick and punch but you still fight like a beast. I am no beast and neither are you.”

The words rang true, though he wasn’t so sure about the last part, he did not let it get to his head, as much as he could. In every fight so far, he could somehow comprehend his opponent’s moves or techniques. But for Vishara, the things she did could only be described as miraculous and incomprehensible. Even now, he sees her but her presence was faint and there was barely any sort of scent on her.

“There’s much you still do not know, Henry. Are you aware that humans have the means to greatly undermine the natural abilities of murux-born creatures? You will be left with nothing but your body as your weapon and also your wits.”

“Are you suggesting that a war is inevitable?”

“Yes. Maybe not now or sometime in the future but eventually, the humans will come up with a reason to wage war with… someone or someplace.”

“Are the humans all nasty cunts?”

“Just the ones that matter. Power seduces all. And humans are also the dominant race but sadly, the only way they can continue to thrive is to reave from other races or other countries. The only advantage they have is their numbers.”

“A significant advantage, I say.”

“Unfortunately so. Therefore, you need to be prepared.”

“I agree but isn’t this just a spar?”

Vishara tittered. “Was it?”

“Isn’t it?”

Vishara shrugged. The small smile she made was almost too innocent for her. It probably would have given a genuine sense of innocence if she didn’t lash her claws.

Henry evaded all the swipes and returned a jab.

Vishara glided along the punch and surprised Henry with a passive response. She stayed her hands.

Henry gave the opposite courtesy. He rained down punches on her but none of it even grazed her skin. He didn’t give up despite his inability to land any strikes. Eventually, Vishara distanced herself a considerable pace away from him.

“You’re wise not to engage in any deliberate confrontation with the humans. With your skills, you would have no way to escape their traps.”

“I have plenty of ways.”

“Only if you can use any of those ways. When they confront an enemy they deemed too strange for their understanding, they would cast a spell that nullifies the use of Murux in the vicinity.”

“Can they handle me?”

“If their boasts and texts can be believed, they have handled creatures bigger and heavier than you. Granted, these creatures are most likely dull-witted. You have a lot to learn. As my future consort, I will shape you into an individual worthy of standing by my side.”

“Our deal doesn’t extend to a matrimony.”

Vishara closed in on Henry in a blink of an eye. “Yet,” she said. “She may not have the skills now but I don’t doubt your potential.”

“Are we going to continue this farce?”

She shook her head. “I have my fun. It’s been a while since I have been this… thrilled.” She stroked his arm and trailed her finger to his cheek. “You’re very promising. I sincerely hope that you will do anything that would spurn me.”

“You will have nothing to be worried about if you keep to your word.”

Vishara snickered and walked away as if she were drifting across a lake, all the while locking eyes with Henry until the darkness swallowed her up.

“I will take you to your rooms, Lord Henry,” said a servant who appeared out of nowhere beside Henry.

Henry’s eyes lingered on the spot where Vishara disappeared for a while before promptly leaving the yard with the servant as a guide.