Dawn

Chapter 15

As the small crack on the egg begins to spread a small piece falls off in the fire a squeak filling the air from the egg as it begins to shatter falling apart into the flames. Staring at the remnants of the shell in the flames I see a small bit of movement under the largest part of the shell as it flips over revealing two golden slit eyes staring back at me. Looking at the small baby dragon it let's out another small high pitched squeak at me revealing it's razor sharp small teeth.

Reaching into the flames I pick up my child pulling it out of the flames as my skin melts from the heat of the scales. Holding my child right under its two front legs I rub my fresh skin against the rough white scales with specks of gold randomly placed on them. Examining every place on my child it I believe it's a she but not from the looks from the connection I have with her. It's odd it feels as if our minds are somehow connected. She's no bigger than a house cat but her tail makes her longer. She has small little nubs going down her spine and all around her tail that I'm sure are going to grow into spikes when they grow. Her wings are folded near the top of her back with tiny sharp spikes going down it as well as two spikes on her head.

Staring into the golden eyes of my daughter she extends her white leather wings that seem too big for her body while flicking out her forked tongue licking my face before nuzzling her cooled scaled snout against my face. She is the one thing that will never betray me and will look past the things I will do and the mistakes I may make. She is precious to me already, a being born to serve me.

Setting her down on the ground she crawls back to the fire and begins to eat her egg. Quickly finishing she turns back to me, tilting her head curiously before scampering back to my lap climbing up my body laying down on my shoulder wrapping her tail around my neck shutting her eyes.

She needs a name, maybe Dawn? This is a new beginning, the first indisputable sign of new power for me, Dawn it's only fitting that it's her new name. 

"Rest well Dawn we have a long day ahead of us." Kissing the forehead of Dawn I stand up walking to the still sleeping Shado. I was expecting for Slade to find and attack last night but he didn't, which can only mean one thing he's moving with Oliver. There's a clear path he could've just followed the blood trail and found us by nightfall so that means he's either waiting for a chance to attack or he's dragging dead weight. Either or we have to get moving.

"Wake up." I say while gently shaking her side with my foot as her eyes shoot open her body lunging forward as I swiftly kick her stabbed shoulder as she releases a low painful groan getting knocked back to the ground. "Get up we have to get moving and remember you don't need arms to walk." Reaching down I hoist Shado up onto her feet keeping her steady as she stumbles slightly more shaky than she was yesterday.

"I need water." She says weakly her face pale and her eyes tired with heavy eyelids before those eyelids shoot open her gaze drifting to my shoulder. 

"Walk!" I command as Shado begins to limp forward shooting glances back at Dawn.

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Washing off all the dirt and grime from my body the weak stream going up to my lower knee flowing against my leg as my feet sink into the mud at the bottom. Dunking my body under water I stare up at the sky while holding my breath as small fish swim past my vision. We've traveled till around midday only able to visit one other cave that Shado knew of because of our slowed pace and I'm completely fine with it. Slade and Oliver should be coming soon and I'm on edge. Our slowed pace only means that I can better listen to our surroundings preparing for the coming attack.

Standing from the cold stream I step back onto the land staring at Dawn who's curled up in a ball fast asleep while Shado sits against a tree her color slightly regained.

"What is that?" Shado asks, directing her gaze towards me. 

"She's not a that, she's a she and her name is Dawn." I say while slipping my shorts back on the cold wind biting against my skin. As Dawn wakes up she struts over climbing back up my body as she lets out a small purr going back onto my shoulder shutting her eyes again.

"And what exactly is Dawn?" Shado's curiosity is clear in her voice. Shooting Shado a smile I pat Dawn's head, her purr in response soothing to my ears.

"Dawn is a Dragon," I say simply while Shado's curious face turns into one of skepticism. "But that shouldn't matter to a prisoner we have to keep moving." As Shado weakly stands up I follow after her as she leads me to our final location.

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Looking at the cave I feel a smile come to my face as I look at the skeleton wearing a military uniform. This isn't the cave that Shado was leading us to. I found this cave while we were walking and now I've found it, one of the main reasons I came here. I'm not going to take the Mirakuru, I'm just getting it to hopefully get an award once I switch worlds.

"What is this place?" I hear Shado mutter walking to the skeleton.

"This is the place I've been looking for." Walking towards the cave Dawn hops off my shoulder walking by my side. "Stay here." I call out walking through the mouth of the cave.

She can escape but frankly I don't really care, she's weak and won't get far. It should be easy to find her and even if I don't we're on a deserted island she can't go too far.

Walking deeper in the cave we stop at an area with scattered skeletons all deformed with oddly shaped heads. Going to a tower of two wooden crates I fling off the top of one revealing a pile of old machine guns. As I go to open the next one I hear a loud crunch making me look back seeing Dawn atop one of the deformed skeletons with an elongated skull eating the bones. I'd stop her but I don't feel any danger from our bond, she just feels hungry and I still don't know what her diet is so I won't intervene.

Opening the final crate I feel my heart beat skip as I stare at the row of green syringes. I've done it, my goal is complete now I'm one step closer to being able to leave.

Hoisting the heavy crate up onto my shoulder I look back at Dawn fascinated to see her crushing the skull near effortlessly with her jaws crunching on the bones. Whistling I draw Dawn's attention, her golden eyes glowing in the dark picking up a bone from the skeleton as she opens up her wings weakly flapping them as she awkwardly makes flight crashing to the cave floor before trying again now making it onto my back hanging from my shoulders by her claws.

"Good girl you'll be one of the best flyers around soon don't worry." I whisper beginning the trek back to the entrance of the cave.

As the rays of sun kiss my tanned skin I stare at a sitting Shado and Oliver with Slade crouching in front of them tending to her wounds. Sending a thought to Dawn through our connection I tell her to leave as she willfully jumps off of my shoulder taking flight more easily again going into the trees.

Dropping the crate from my shoulder the thud drawing the trio's attention towards me my main focus being on the biggest threat Slade his face filled with fury as he stands. 

"You BASTARD I'll kill you with my own hands!" Drawing the sword from his back I take notice of the two machine guns by Oliver's side and the holstered pistol on Slade's waist as he rushes towards me.

Watching as Slade gets closer and closer I don't move until he's directly in front of me with his blade prepared to stab right into my heart. Thrusting myself forward I redirect the blade making it go right through my abdomen piercing through my intestines. Maintaining eye contact with Slade I let out a small chuckle letting the blood in my mouth leak out.

"Looks like you got me." I say weakly letting my body go limp being held up solely by the blade. As Slade lets it fall to the ground the blade gets fully sheathed into my body the hilt of the blade touching my skin.

"Insane bastard." I hear him mutter turning away from me. Rushing from my downed position I ignore the pain grabbing Slade's pistol putting it to his spine while putting him in a headlock staring at a shocked Oliver and Shado.

"You move, he dies." I say while flipping off the safety.

"What are you?" Slade asks, raising his hands in the air.

"What I am shouldn't matter to dead men." Before I have time to react Slade's fist closes his elbow rocketing towards my face. Feeling my nose break me I pull the trigger a muffled bang filling my ear as I fall back a loud squeak and a yell filling the almost silent area. 

Ripping out the blade from my stomach with a groan I stand back up looking at a downed Slade. Hearing another squeak from Dawn all my attention gets drawn to the landed dragon with a glowing white flame in her mouth. The machine guns and grass around them completely melted as she slowly walks to Oliver who's shielding Shado. 

Walking over to Slade I stare down at him raising the sword stabbing right through his shoulder pinning him to ground as he lets out a shout of pain. 

"Stay." I say to him before walking to Dawn's side giving her a smile. Looking down at Oliver, a glint of reflection catch's my eye from his waistband. Smiling looking down at my golden golden dagger I reach snatch it from him. "You've brought it back to me. I thank you now then we have a ritual to prepare."