3

Origin species were rarely predatory. It made me wonder just how dangerous this planet had been in its prime. How had humans managed to survive on such a planet I couldn't even imagine? I swallowed slightly unnerved by what I was looking at.

"The effect he's having on the environment is not what I expected," he shrugged as he leaned back into his chair, "The real problem is getting approval to go into the forbidden zone."

"No one who's gone into the forbidden zone has come out in one piece," I tried to keep my worries out of my voice, "They're not going to give you approval."

"All we have to do is kill the beast that rules the zone," he chuckled.

"Easy enough right?" I smiled slightly like Magnus seemed to expect of me.

I remembered the picture of the beast that ruled the zone. The ruler of the zone appeared to be some sort of spirit. Calling it a beast was highly inaccurate. That creature ruled the area. It would be more accurate to call him a king of sorts.

The amount of time it took to purify, and use mana from other worlds made it weaker then usual. I'd hate to find out how powerful a spirit like that would be if it hadn't spent thousands of years starving without natural mana to feed off of. The spirits of this world probably could have called themselves gods if they wanted. This dragon needs to die before my master decides to take his frustrations out on my mother. Part of me hoped that he would fail.

Just to cause trouble for the elves. At the same time I knew it would be in my best interest to arrange a way for Magnus to get to the dragon with or without the help of the military. I would need to find a way for my master, and the fire great to speak without putting me in the middle. I had to remain anonymous for as long as possible. Once I was outed as a spy I was going to die, and they were going to kill my mother.

I would have to discuss this with my master. Between the two of them I was sure they could come up with a workable plan.

*****

I was getting really tired of this white room, and the woman that refused to talk to me.

"Why am I here?" I tried punching her again, and my arm passed clean through her.

The white room itself wasn't really bugging me. It was the darkness at the edges of the room that had me worried.

"Look," I snapped, "I don't really care to be your origin king. If you don't want me then send me back."

"I cannot," she replied, "Sending you back to your body would cost me a great deal. I would have to bestow you with my blessing, and you would become the king of my origin."

"Then why bring me here at all," I shouted at her, "I could be out there helping my friends right now. I know something bad is coming. I need to be out there helping them."

"I didn't bring you here," she crossed her legs slowly, "You came here on your own."

I stopped mid stride. Her sudden admission made me stumble on my feet.

"I came here on my own?" I frowned, "No I wouldn't come here on my own."

She didn't respond again. Why would she lapse into silence again? Why wasn't she willing to speak with me?

"Are you going to talk to me or not?" I shouted at her again.

My vision shifted slightly in my anger. My depth perception returned, and I knew I had two eyes again. It was weird to have two eyes after spending nearly an hour with just one.

"It hasn't been an hour," she suddenly spoke again, "Time isn't moving the way you perceive it to be."

"How long have I been gone?" I was stunned for the second time, "How long have I been here?"

I turned my mental eyes inward. Seeking out the bond. They were too distant from my conscious mind to reach. I detected something rummaging around my mind. I snarled at the intruder mentally.

The intruder recoiled out of the deepest reaches of my mind. My lip curled up in disgust.

*****

My attempts to appear as an ally were going well. I had some concern that he would notice me delving deep within his mind, but now that he was evolving there was no way for him to notice the slow way he was being turned into a slave. I kept up the barrier. That was my one job. Keep him safe until I can use him as I wish.

The power of a dragon king would do me well. Spirits had limits. I could not advance past fusing to my elements. I could feel my consciousness shattering whenever I tried pushing past that limitation. Should my mind shatter I would become an abysmal.

A spirit that was forced to feed on all they could find. Turning it all to mana constantly so that their bodies wouldn't consume them. No. I couldn't risk that. Therefore it was only logical for me to try, and take control of the most powerful beast I could find.

A dragon king was far more powerful then I could have hoped for. Yet the dark edges that were creeping up the dusty buildup on him was worrying. If he failed to become a king then I had two more dragons to choose from. Both of which he'd helpfully provided. I wondered briefly what I would do with his power once it was mine to control.

I sensed his eyes on me. I turned around quickly to look at him. He was still evolving. He couldn't possibly be aware of me. Pain shot through me as I was forced to retreat with a wave of power.

It was difficult not to show the pain I was in. How? How did he know I was in his mind? He wasn't particularly smart, and right now he was completely unconscious. So how did he know I was in his mind?

*****

I glided down into the camp where Wyatt, and his three bonded were resting. I was a little irritated that someone who wasn't mine was on my back, and that I was being forced to carry not only a hatchling, but his bonded as well. The only reason I was okay with doing this for them was because they were just as agitated as I was with the situation.