Chapter 6 – Who you are

Fara helps Aster to get up, as Rusty comes to my aid, and checks on me, if I'm hurt. I was totally fine, not even tired or anything… not anymore.

I find the huge naked dent in the wall, now with Aster out of the way. Even when she had caused it, she seems to be doing fine too. Maybe the dragon and human forms were of different… I don't know, different things. So maybe her human form was fine, as dragon form would have took a toll.

The dent was ridiculous. Obviously not caused by two humans. I really wish at least Aster had an explanation, and also a bit of an apology.

"So, finally ready to answer now, great leader?" I ask.

Both Fara and Aster take swords out, from around their waists, and place them besides the two sides of my neck, each. "What are you?"

"Take away the swords," Rusty demands.

"No-no, it's fine. Firstly they attack, and then they can't take a defeat," I say.

"You are a human. You should know what to stand against and not," Aster says.

"A human? Yet I kicked your ass there."

Aster just takes away her sword, and Fara follows. "Then you must be something else then."

"No I-"

Aster puts her hands around my shoulders, and I get dragged out of the room this way. I find the others following us.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"Saving our asses… at least mine."

"You see, Lady Aster is the leader of every dragon out there… would be a pity if a human like you just took her down," Fara says. "Until you're a human, that is."

"What else will I be?" I ask, still getting pushed a bit, while moving a little myself, in Aster's desired direction.

"As a simple answer, a dragon. And as a longer one… the reincarnation of the first dragon, Max. Which is also your name, like his."

"That's… reincarnation. That is mental. And just because their names are similar?" Rusty asks.

"Were you always a dragon and known this stuff?" I ask.

"No."

I just nod.

"The last thing you want to believe is that reincarnation is not real. You see, Fara here, herself, is a living example of reincarnations," Aster says.

"Of who?"

"Myself."

We find ourselves in a private room, and sit at three chairs there, at the rectangular table, as the other two sit on the other side.

"I'm known to be both the Prophet and the Theorist among and of the dragons," Fara says.

"She, unofficially, likes to call herself the prophet who never dies," Aster says.

"Bad name. I know. But that is the truth. Every time I die… which I do, I'm reborn always. And that has been happening since the first dragons appeared," Fara says, and looks at me, and to my right, at Sam. "Max and Sam."

"You are telling me that… we are dragons too?" Sam asks.

"Not impossible, but yes. Have you never been called upon… by some cave? Prefrabbly one with diamonds or gems, as we call it?" Aster asks, but me and Sam just look at each other and then shake our heads. "You have, right Rusty, last night?"

"Wait… how'd you know?" Rusty asks.

"You really were there last night," I say, to Aster.

Aster just stares at me. "You… feel it too?"

"Wait, no way," Sam sighs.

"No, it is nothing like you may think, Sam," Fara says. "Aster is special… I suppose she can just… detect the reincarnations. Something which must have been caused by me to her. But… it may be that both of you is what she can detect, but thinks it is only Max."

"But Max can feel her too, how come I can't?"

"Well… I'm… not sure about that."

"How come? If you caused it, then shouldn't you know?" I ask.

"Fair enough… but, there is a backlash to my own power of… reincarnation. For instance; if you are really Max and Sam, or just Max, or just Sam, perhaps… do you remember the past, all the time with me and each other?"

Me and Sam look at each other once again, and then back at Fara, without answering even in actions this time.

"That's how I'm in the start, after I'm born again. No memories. But later, they just come back. Slowly. Very slowly."

"How many… lives have you had?" Sam asks.

"I don't know."

"More than or less than…?"

Fara just looks at Sam. "I first met Max and Sam… in the year… around 10. B.C.."

"That's two thousand years ago, Fara," Rusty says.

"Well… yeah," Fara just says dully.

Aster looks at our reactions and scoffs. "What, can't believe it, now that there's a number on it?"

"Back in B.C.," Rusty says, "they didn't even call it B.C.."

"Well, but I don't remember a thing about it on my own. Only through my visions."

"Visions?"

"You don't think dragons would believe such a thing simply, do you? She barely remembers things, and without proof… even for us: it is crazy."

"Are you familiar of when you see or experience something, and you feel that it has happened before?" Fara asks.

"Déjà vu," I say.

"Well… when that happens to me, it triggers some memories in me. Memories as in; clear or barely clear pictures and happenings with voices… of the past, my past."

"And she can share these visions to others."

"Still, that could just be tricks… to some, you know. Maybe to yourself," I say.

"You're not the first one who thought so. And because of these crazy prophecies, which is why I became their Prophet: they didn't want to, and some did believe, and… attempted on killing me. Several times."

"Prophecies? How bad could resurrection prophecies get that they…?"

"No, no. Resurrection stopped at prophecies of you two… what was… mad-ening, was what was said to follow it," Fara says. "Rahambose."

"Is that supposed to mean anything?" Sam asks.

"Not to humans: not yet. But when he happens… which I seem to be telling of coming forth always. He may somehow be stopped again but… he'll cause chaos. And will destroy everything."

"Yeah well, a story for another time perhaps," Aster says.

"But it seems important," Rusty points.

"Well, it… brought on a bunch of shit upon dragons, when it hasn't even happened. I wouldn't want us to be that way."

"She clearly just… hates the mention of the guy," Fara says, getting up. "But as bad as it sounds, there are… well, precautions taken, I assure you," she holds Sam's shoulder, because she clearly seems shook.

Fara takes her hand away, as if she'd gotten hurt. Before any of us say anything, Aster places one finger on her lips and signs us to stop from her other hand.

Fara shakes her head and lifts her arms up, a little above her shoulder-level.

I feel the ground below me shake, and everyone disappears, every-THING disappears. Darkness; and I feel my body fall forward, even when my legs are fixated to the ground of darkness, below me.

A light, as if at the end of the train tunnel, which it feels like, throws me back into the dark, but I end up somewhere… I can see.

"Max," I hear a fading voice.

As I look at the person, I only see glimpses of her features, but not her full face. But her smile, her gaze, her waving hairs, and her extended hand.

"Sam," I hear another voice.

Again, only features. A grin, short hairs, his hand shaking the other's, and I find two people hugging. As they seperate from each other, I find Fara standing there, and stumble backwards.

"It's okay, it's okay. This is just how they are… my visions. But nothing can harm you here, trust me," Fara says.

Fara steps away from me, and joins the two, as if resuming this… skit.

Everything turns grey, and I see similar gemstones as that I had seen on Rusty's chest. Both these Sam and Max possessed one, but… Fara didn't. But yet, the three were close.

Questions arise in my mind: why did they reveal their secret to Fara? Wasn't Fara the Prophet of the dragons, then wasn't she a dragon? And why wasn't I able to see their faces, or all three of them at once?

Yet this narrator-less skit continues. The three seem to work on a device. Again, this one was blurry too. But my curiosity makes me take a closer look, and everything freezes.

"Seems to be a time machine," I hear Rusty's voice.

"Rusty?"

"Oh, hi. I just… was talking out loud. Didn't know I could find you here."

"You seem to be pretty calm. Aren't you freaked out, of this?"

"Fara said we are fine, so I'm just enjoying… history."

"To me too. But a time machine... back then? How and... why?"

"I don't know, there seems to be the title, in huge letters, which is the only thing visible on this board. And there is also a straight line and arcs drawn from one place to another, indicating a plan to change… something. Something unclear. Probably she doesn't remember. But something time."

As we look away, at the extending number of glimpses, we find the glimpses of the three together. They look happy, as if they have bonded closely.

In the end, they stand at the doorway, with Sam hugging Max, from his side, and Fara standing besides them, as they close the door. The time machine, slowly fades away completely, out into the darkness.

A wedding is held, with barely anyone around. It is of Max and Sam. And finally, another third person seems to join the two, a little one.

"Why is she so short?" I hear Sam.

"What?"

She seems to have taken the spot where Rusty was. She gets surprised by my presence, but just looks back at the… four.

"Fara. Doesn't she seem… shorter? Younger even, I feel."

"Am I the only one not being able to see clearly?"

"No, no. Fara said, no one can. She remembers it so."

"Yeah, yeah."

Sam just turns to me, but looks away again, as the vision continues.

The kid gradually grows in front of us, and becomes a man finally. A man who gets pushed down by… other men. And as they leave him there, on the ground, Max comes to his aid.

"A person can burn another-"

I get thrown away, into another place, and I find a glimpse of the son having killed his father.

"Okay, okay. That is all I have," Fara says.

"What even was that?" I ask, sighing, and holding my chest, resisting my beating heart.

Fara just… sits there on a chair, and looks through me.

"I'm you," Fara says, and the Fara I knew: stands besides me, and watches herself. "An older you. Maybe not in age but… time."

"You both look the same," I say.

"This isn't my first time seeing myself but… never can get used to it."

"Time," tears appear in the other Fara's eyes. "Has ruined us through ages."