NeoXanadu: Dragon Soul (OMG! OMG! Read the newest announcement!)

[shadowsown88]

This is my story. I will post more gradually, and I hope you guys like it! I would appreciate if you pointed out anything I could have done better on or messed up on, and I would appreciate to hear what you thought of Dragon Soul!

EEEP!! So, the thing that I'm doing with the 50k words for DS is going SO well, and I'm literally at the beginning of the end of the story—I'm probably going to be finished with the writing in a day or two! So, just to let everyone know, once it's done I'll leave it for a week, and then begin the editing.

I'm sorry to announce that I will no longer be posting Dragon Soul on WI. I'm worried about plagiarism, so you will not be able to read beyond this part until you are seeing the book in stores. Sorry to disappoint all those die-hard fans.

And also, I'm just putting a little update about DS. I'm sort of unofficially participating in the National Novel Writing Month with it, by attempting to add 50,000 words to it by the end of November. Or, who knows, maybe DS doesn't even have 50k more words in it, and it'll end up being finished within the month. But I've set a daily goal of 1667 words, and so far, it's been going nicely.

NeoXanadu I
Dragon Soul

Prologue
Guardians

“Come, we must hurry,” the dragon spoke. She was silver-colored, slim, and shimmery. Her delicate form rushed in a graceful trot through the golden, wood-floored palace halls.

“Before it’s too late,” the other dragon agreed. This one was red-colored; he was sturdy, muscular, and strong. They passed door after door until, finally, the dragons had reached the throne room. They entered through the splendidly carved marble arch.

“King Ferlon.” The silvery dragon bowed before the ancient man. The red dragon bowed, too, next to her.

“Aezamien. Adrekin.” Ferlon rubbed his chin with a knobby hand. He was quite old; his wrinkles were scars of wisdom etched in has face. Ferlon, through years of experience, he had come to know much in his lifetime. “What are you doing here?”

The dragons straightened up. “Your majesty,” the red dragon, Adrekin, said hesitatingly, “It is about Altarra.”

The king opened his eyes wide, alarm filling his face. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” Aezamien spoke assuredly. “She has . . . grown. She will soon discover the truth.”

Ferlon reflected for a moment. “Watch her,” he decided. “Make sure that the Viroxians do not harm her. For she is the only way this planet will survive. You must protect her.”

“Yes, my Lord,” Aezamien replied loyally. She and her mate left the palace. “Now what?” she asked Adrekin, trusting him to make the right decision.

“We do the only thing we can do,” he said firmly. “We must go back to the Second Kingdom.”

Aezamien sighed. “I never feel safe there, not even in the forest of Bergonia. And you know how well protected it is.”

“Don’t worry,” Adrekin said, nuzzling Aezamien affectionately. “I’ll watch out for you.”
She replied lovingly, “I know you will.” The dragons took flight, passing out through the gates of Xanadu.

Chapter 1
Kayla and Casey

Kayla and Casey laughed in bliss as they flipped through the gossip magazines clothing the floor. Their first ever day of high school was tomorrow, but after promising Kayla’s dad and Casey’s mom that they’d go to bed early, the BFFs were allowed to have a sleepover at Kayla’s house. Kayla had waist-length, chocolate-brown hair. Sparkling blue-gray eyes highlighted her constantly smiling expression. She was a girly type, yet she usually preferred a simple outfit consisting of jeans, a t-shirt, and sneakers, with possibly some light makeup. Casey was a tomboy; her long golden hair was always either worn up or concealed by a hat to keep it out of her way. She preferred skateboarding over fashion, but she and Kayla were equally crazy about boys, and both were naturally slim. “So, c’mon Casey, let’s figure out what we’re gonna wear tomorrow,” Kayla said after their outburst.

“Right,” Casey replied. She hesitated, an unsure look on her face.

“No way,” Kayla stated, wide-eyed. “I am absolutely not going to let you go in with that boy clothing of yours.”

“What-”

Kayla continued in a serious tone, interrupting her friend. “Look, Casey, there’s nothing wrong with being a skater girl. You just need to get more in touch with your girl side, at least for school. You do realize that there’ll be boys there, now don’t you?” She had resumed a rather goofish tone, and was grinning broadly.

Casey brightened at this statement. “Okay, I’ll let you find something more girly for me to wear, but only under two conditions: You still let me go to the skate park sometimes, and you go with me to the mall this weekend.”

“It’s a deal,” Kayla agreed. They shook hands, in their secret handshake.

Casey showed Kayla to her duffel bag, where Casey’s normal outfit, holed jeans and a boys’ t-shirt, were messily contained Kayla shook her head. “Well, Casey, I’m going to have to let you borrow some of my clothes.” Kayla owned a wide variety of clothes; she was sure she could find something that Casey would like.

Casey sighed. “Okay,” she accepted reluctantly.

Kayla submerged herself into her closet. A few moments later, she returned to Casey. “Hey, how do you like this?” She was holding clean, whole, designer jeans and a girls’ t-shirt that went perfectly with Casey’s skin and hair tone. “It’s not too far from what you normally wear, except it’s just a bit more gender-appropriate.” She said the last part with emphasis, raising her eybrows and smiling.

“I think that’ll be perfect!” Casey exclaimed. “I’m glad you’re not trying to stick me in a dress!” They laughed at that. Kayla quickly chose an outfit for herself, then the girls tidied up the magazines and crawled into bed. Kayla had a bunk-bed, she had specifically asked for one for sleepovers, so Casey and she both could sleep on a bed without having to share one. The rest of her room was bare, except for a nightstand, shelf, computer desk, and large walk-in closet. Her floor had a thick, fuzzy rug and her walls were uncovered. Tonight, it was Kayla’s turn on the bottom bunk. “Night,” she said sleepily.

“Night,” Casey quietly answered. Kayla reached over and turned off the nightstand lamp, then pulled the blankets up around herself. The two drifted into sleep, filled with excitement and anticipating what tomorrow would bring.

Kayla had strange, vivid dreams that night. There was a red dragon and a silver dragon, flying, at twilight, over a forest. “Altarra is near,” the silver dragon spoke. “We can find her tomorrow.” The red dragon nodded, and the two glided down into the forest. They spiraled gently down to the ground; the treetops were quite high so it took some time. When they were close enough, the dragons folded their wings and dropped the rest of the way to the ground.

Immediately a wolf came out, snarling and bristling. It was unlike any other wolf Kayla had seen, for it was nearly as big as the dragons and was completely black. Even it’s eyes were orbs of darkness. The red dragon leapt at the wolf, and snapped it’s jaws shut around the wolf’s neck. Blood spurted out, and the wolf collapsed with a yelp, dead. The dragon roared triumphantly, flapping it’s wings, then went back to the other dragon.

Kayla awoke; her heart was th-umping wildly and her very veins seemed to have fear pulsing through them, like electricity through a wire.

What - okay, I’m safe, I’m in my room, with Casey. But Kayla’s panic did not abate. When she thought about it, however, she did not realize what had disturbed her so badly. However, a few minutes later she went back to sleep, though still unsettled.

Once again, she saw the dragons. However, this time, there was more detail to be seen. The silver dragon was a she-dragon; delicate, graceful, and slim. The red one was sturdy, muscular, and quite fierce-looking, though his face, for it was obviously male, showed worry. He was saying something to the female. Kayla strained to get close enough to hear, then without warning she found herself falling. She heavily landed a few seconds later on the forest ground. The trees are high, she remarked to herself.

She crept closer to the dragons, just in time to hear the red dragon chant, “Silver and gold will come together, and free the land of Xanadu forever. The two of them, salvation shall bring, a he and she dragon, colors of a ring. Only by entering their birthplace of old, can steel become silver, and bronze become gold. Children of dragons and humans they’ll be, tales of these warriors passed down through history.”

The silver dragon spoke. “I can decipher nothing from the prophecy. If only we’d been told more . . . all we know is that this is Altarra’s destiny.”

Suddenly, a twig snapped under Kayla’s foot. The dragons whipped their heads around and stared in Kayla’s direction. “Who’s there? Show yourself!” the red dragon boomed. He flared his wings out and snarled deeply. Flapping his wings, he sped, flying, towards Kayla. She turned and started sprinting away, pushing her strength to the limit. Before she had gone far, she looked back to see if the dragon was any more near, and she suddenly tripped over a log. She landed sharply on her knee, wincing. It was bloody. She turned over, just in time to see the dragondive at her viciously, fangs bared.

Kayla jerked awake, shaking uncontrollably. As she shifted beneath the blankets, pain shrieked through her knee. Alarmed, she yanked the covers off and gingerly felt her knee. It stung when she touched it, and it was slightly damp. She turned on the nightstand lamp, worried. Her knee had a long scrape on it. Not a bad one, but the fact that Kayla hadn’t been out of bed for this to happen alarmed her. How did this happen? Could - could my dream have had something to do with this? She went and cleaned and bandaged her knee, then she got back in bed. She had no more dreams that night, but she slept restlessly, waking several times, deeply troubled at this strange occurrence.

Chapter 2
High School

That morning, both Kayla and Casey woke up late. So late, in fact, that they only had fifteen minutes to get to the bus stop. They scampered around, getting their backpacks together as they tried to eat and get dressed, too. And of course, their grogginess didn’t help any. Kayla, to avoid an explanation, managed to keep her wound hidden with long pants. Finally, the two were ready, and they ran all the way to the bus stop. Soon they got picked up. “So, what did Kaden say when you talked to him? Is he coming, too?” Kayla asked Casey.

“He said yeah,” she said. “So we can keep an eye on him,” she said with a grin. Kaden was Casey and Kayla’s best guy friend, and Casey delighted in getting him freaked out.

“Now, Casey, be nice,” Kayla teased. Casey laughed in mock evil.

Shortly after, they arrived at school. Excited, Kayla and Casey walked into West Kennedy High together. I hope that we don’t seem too much like just freshmen, Kayla thought. She also hoped that the clothing she and Casey were wearing would be acceptable to the other girls there, that they would fit in. Just then, a boy with chestnut brown, chin-length hair strutted cockily in through the doors. He passed a group of girls, and in making an attempt to be “smooth” with them, the girls laughed at him and walked away. He again tried to say something to them, gesturing wildly, to cover up his ridiculation.

“There that boy goes again,” Kayla said, shaking her head. “Just when you think he can’t dish out any more, he comes out with a whole ‘nother helping.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I’ll take care of that,” Casey said sternly, mischevious glints spakling in her eyes as she smiled slyly. “Kaden!” she hollered fiercely, going over to him. He let out a shriek and tried to escape as she gripped his arm.

“No!” Kaden yelled. He attempted to grab onto the lockers in a feeble attempt to get away from Casey, but she easily dragged him back over to where Kayla was standing.

“Come on!” Casey said to Kaden in frustration, almost pleading with him. “Do you have to make it look so obvious that we’re just freshmen? No one’s going to want to hang around with us now.”

“Well, better safe than sorry,” Kaden said, regaining composure as he brushed off his sleeves, a shaken look on his face.

“Let it go,” Kayla said, placing her hands on Kaden and Casey’s shoulders. After a moment, the three friends started laughing hysterically. They’d just calmed down when a guy came around the corner. He had dirty blonde, flipped, long hair the length of Kaden’s. His eyes were the most intensely blue, and he was followed by a posse of other guys. By some unspoken agreement, all the girls sighed and started toying with their hair. At least, everyone except for Kayla. The guy, noticing the girls, and had gained a lofty air. “Sup, ladies? Lookin’ good,” he said in a cool tone and flashing an adorable, sparkling white smile as he passed Kayla and Casey. As quickly as he had came, the guy turned another corner and was gone. The hall returned to normal, except if, perhaps, the chattering was slightly louder than before.

“Oh my gosh, he’s so cute!” Casey swooned in awe, waiting for Kayla’s agreement. Kayla, however, didn’t have the same opinion, being the only girl not to fall all over that boy. Her reaction to the guy’s comment had been an exasperated rolling of her eyes.

“Oh my gosh! He’s finally gone,” she said in a mocking tone, crossing her arms.

“Do you realize who that was?!” Kaden said excitedly. “That was Cody Bryans, by far the coolest guy in the school!” At the end, Kaden’s voice turned into a high-pitched squeak.

“That’s pathetic!” Kayla said, shaking her head again. She went over to her locker to arrange her school supplies and books in it. That Cody seems far too egotistical and arrogant, she thought. Casey and Kaden followed her over, their lockers coincidentally on either side of her’s.

“So, so, wait a minute,” Casey said, not quite understanding. “Do you mean to tell me that you don’t think Cody is the cutest, coolest guy in the school?!”

Kayla stared at Casey, eyebrows raised. “Yes, that is exactly it.”

Kaden shut his locker, sensing an argument coming. “Well, I’m headin’ to class. I’ll let you two catch up later,” he said, smiling and nodding. He walked off with his books.

When Kaden was gone, Kayla gathered her books and said, “Well, I had better head off, too.” As she was about to leave, Casey stepped in front of her, blocking her way.

“So, let me get this straight,” she said to Kayla. “You mean to say you don’t think he’s even the slightest bit cute?”

“No,” Kayla replied.

“Aha! So you do think he’s cute!”

“No!” Kayla threw her hands up in the air and stared seriously at Casey. “I do not think he’s cute. Now, come on, we gotta go before class starts!” Then the bell rang. “Come on, let’s go!” They ran off their separate ways to class.

* * *

Just my luck, Kayla thought as she sat down to eat her lunch. Not only do I have only one class with Kaden and Casey, but I have to share most of them with ego-boy. Including lunch. She could see him across the cafeteria, getting his lunch. She started eating hers. Before she knew it, Cody was standing near her, smiling his smile. Everything about Cody, right down to his very movements was . . . popular, as Kayla noticed.

“Hey, is this seat taken?” he asked.

“Yeah, it is,” Kayla said, eyebrows raised, “no” clearly pasted on her face.

“Oh, really?” Cody said, grinning with a half-smug look. “By who?”

Kayla hesitated. “By . . . my . . . imaginary friend!” She changed her voice to a whisper. “He’s extremely shy, so it wouldn’t be a good idea for him to be around . . .” she looked Cody over. “a stranger,” she decided.

“No prob. I guess I’ll just have to wait for a day when your friend isn’t here, then.” He winked at Kayla, then sauntered off.

He wanted to sit by me? ME? Wow, he must - no, stop it, Kayla! He’s an egotistical, cute - NO! STOP! Kayla shook her head at herself, and closed her eyes briefly.

As she continued to eat lunch, her eyes happened to fall on another table. There was a group of four or five girls there; they were obviously the popular girls. One of them, whom Kayla guessed to be their leader, pointed over at her. The girl stood up and walked over to Kayla.

“Yeah?” Kayla said to her.

“You’re lucky you didn’t let Cody sit with you,” the girl snapped without warning. “You would have been in serious trouble.”

“Oh, really? With who?” Kayla asked sarcastically, slightly tilting her head.

“Me,” the girl snapped. “Okay? Because Cody, he’s MINE. Always has been, always will be.”

Kayla stood up. “Yeah, sorry,” she said, pretending to be sincere for a moment before saying, “but I don’t take threats from bossy air-heads.” She raised her eyebrows and placed her hand on her hip, daring the girl to get a come-back.


“Oh, no, you di-int!” the girl said in disbelief.
“Oh, yes, I did,” Kayla answered pointedly.

“Back off, loser!” the girl said, pushing Kayla.

“Girls!” a voice barked from across the cafeteria. A stout, old woman with gray hair walked over.

Kayla’s tormentor flashed her eyes at the lady. “She was threatening me!” she said in a feeble voice, pointing at Kayla.

“Is this true?” the lady sternly asked Kayla.

“No! She was threatening me!”

The lady sighed. “Lexi, I’ve told you before, I absolutely will not condone this type of behavior. If this happens one more time, you will get suspended!” The lady didn’t actually seem all that mean, but in the case of Lexi she looked quite willing to make an exception.

Lexi crossed her arms. She glared at Kayla with a look that clearly said that this wasn’t over. She stalked off back to her seat, her shoes clacking angrily across the tiled floor.

The lady smiled at Kayla. “Don’t worry, Lexi likes to torture everyone here.” She walked away. Kayla went back to her seat. She finished her lunch, confused, trying to sort out what was going on. When lunch break was over, Kayla went to her last few classes, then took the bus home.

“So, Kayla, guess who had his eye on you in bi-ol-o-gy,” Casey said in a singsong voice as they were riding the bus.

“Who?” Kayla queried, dreading what she knew the answer would be. Not Cody, not Cody, please not Cody, she pleaded inwardly.

“Cody Bryans!” Casey screamed after this as Kayla moaned. Casey stopped short. “Are you okay? You don’t sound too good.”

Kayla sighed. “I told you, Casey, I don’t like Cody!” Or do I? Rghhh!

“What?! Come on, you can’t not like him! Every girl at school is falling head-over-heels for him!”

“Well, I’m not.” Kayla’s was firm. Or, at least, her voice was. She could see Lexi across the bus aisle, interestedly side-glancing her.

Casey sighed. “Well, I guess there’s nothing I can do to convince you.”

“That’s right,” Kayla stated clearly. “Nothing you can say or do will make me like him. Ev-er.”

“Fine.” Casey and Kayla changed the subject and just chatted. Kayla was barely in their conversation, however, since she was trying to figure out if what she’d told Casey was really the truth.

Chapter 3
Cody

Kayla dreamed that night that Lexi was being tortured by giant dragons. She was the dragons’ leader, so she would keep telling them to eat Lexi. But each dragon who started chewing her would just spit her out, because Lexi apparantly tasted horrible. Lexi’s face was filled with horror, pleasing Kayla.

Kayla woke up that morning concerned of whether Lexi would go after her again. So what if she does, she decided. She was able to defend herself both physically and verbally, so Lexi wouldn’t be able to harm her.

At school, Cody approached Kayla as she was at her locker. She was just standing there, getting her books. Finally, she shut her locker, and turned to find that Cody was standing there. Casey was not with her.

Hey, Kayla,” Cody said, leaning on the locker next to her’s and grinning. “So, is your friend with you today?”

Friend? What - oh, I’m so stupid! I can’t believe I said that to him. He probably thinks I’m some-
“Well?” Cody raised his eyebrows, still smiling.

“Uhh, no.” Kayla inwardly scolded herself for sounding so dumb.

“Well, then, in that case-”

“Sorry, I have to go to class.” Kayla walked away, silently hoping Cody didn’t hate her for this. But what if he was trying to trick me? After all, Lexi did say that Cody was her’s.

“Wait-” Cody was cut short when a group of girls surrounded him, Lexi included, trying to flirt. Kayla could see him from the corner of her eye. His face was desperate, but she shook her head. He’ll leave me alone. There’s plenty of other girls, like Lexi, she tried to reassure herself. Yet there was a part of her that wondered if that was really the way she wanted it.
He can’t really want me, she decided.

* * *

For the rest of the week, Kayla managed to avoid Cody. Lexi ignored Kayla, as long as Kayla wasn’t near Cody. He tried approaching her several times between classes, but she pretended to not notice him, just walking right past him. She even ate lunch in the bathrooms to avoid him. Anyone would think that cody would just “get the message” and leave Kayla alone. But, unfortunately, Friday afternoon, she got trapped. Cody approached her as she waited for the bus. “So, um . . .” he started.

“Yes?” Kayla tried to sound sincere. Wow, he’s acting really strange. What happened to confident, arrogant Cody?

“Um, look, do you wanna, like, hang out this weekend?” Kayla stared blankly at Cody, who awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

“What about Lexi?” Kayla asked in an overly-sweet voice.

“Well, it’s just that . . . you’re the only one who’s not falling all over me, and I like that. Lexi . . . to be honest, I don’t care about her at all. You’re the one I want to get to know.”

Kayla came to her senses, remembering what she’d promised Casey. “Sorry, I have plans.”
“Look, I can understand if you don’t want to, but I want you to give me a chance to show you who I really am, on the inside.” Cody shifted and exhaled.

Kayla’s bus pulled up. “Sorry, I gotta go.” As she boarded the bus, she knew that she truly regretted having to leave.

* * *

That weekend at the mall, Kayla took Casey all over. They shopped for the most fantastic outfits to wear at school. But of course, Kayla’s heart was not in it. She couldn’t keep her mind off of Cody. She wished she could quit thinking about him, because he was sure to think that she’d been making up excuses, so she wouldn’t have had to go out with him.

Finally, they’d finished shopping and were back at Casey’s house. When they went into Casey’s room, Kayla poppered her head out the doorway, looked around in the hall, then came back in and shut the door quietly.

“Um, why are you doing that?” Casey asked in a weirded out voice.

Kayla lowered her voice to a nearly silent whisper. “Casey, I have to tell you something.”

“What? What is it?” Casey lowered her voice, too, but she sounded extremely worried.

“Nothing bad,” Kayla promised. She took a deep breath, and glanced around. “I like Cody.”

Casey cracked up. “Yeah, right. Oh, good one!”

“I’m serious.”

Casey stopped, and lowered her voice again. “You are!?”

“Yes. He asked me out, but I already had plans with you for the mall, so I had to tell him no.”

“You - you can’t like him!” Casey squeaked.

“Why not?”

“Because . . .”

“Oh, I get it,” Kayla said coldly. “You’re just jealous, and you want him for yourself.” She crossed her arms.

“Oh, please. You’re just trying to keep me away from him, now, too! None of this is even true,” Casey quipped accusingly.

“You don’t trust me!” Kayla decided angrily.

“Well, maybe I don’t,” Casey snapped, raising her nose.

“Well, if you can’t even trust your own best friend, and you’re jealous instead of happy for her, then maybe we shouldn’t even be friends.”

“Fine!”

“Fine.” Kayla packed up her stuff with dignity and left. What have I done?

Since their houses weren’t too far apart, Kayla walked home. “Daddy, I’m home,” she called as she walked through the door, slamming it behind her. Her father, Joe, came downstairs. He was an excellent guitarist - in fact, he was teaching Kayla. He was in his mid-40s, yet not the slightest hint of gray showed in his hair.

“All right, darlin’, now what’s wrong?” he asked in his Tennessee accent.

“Nothing.” Kayla tried to go upstairs, but her dad spoke up again.

“Now, come on, honey, we both know that’s not true.”

“How would you know?” Kayla asked, narrowing her eyes slightly in accusation.

“Well, for one, I’m a father. We can tell these things. And for another, you said you wouldn’t be home till six.”

Kayla hesitated. “It’s nothing. Casey and I just got into a little argument, is all.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Joe asked, concerned.

“Not really. Just a stupid fight over a boy.”

“Well,” he said suddenly and loudly, rubbing his palms together, “it looks like Casey’s won, because I’m not lettin’ you anywhere near a boy.”

“Daddy!” Kayla protested.

“What? I’m only kiddin’. But anyway, you should go back and apologize to Casey.”

“Why? So she can yell in my face again? I swear, you are no help at all!” Kayla quickly stomped upstairs and deposited her things in her room, then before stormed outside. She sat on the steps to the front porch for a while, staring at her feet, before looking up. She noticed the forest across the road. She’d never been there before, so she decided to go in for a while. The forest seemed to be inviting her, even pleading her, to come inside. I won’t stay long, she persuaded herself. She quickly crossed the lazy street, and entered into the woods.

She was surprised at the peace. An occasional bird or squirrel would pass by . . . but it was otherwise silent. Not a “calm before the storm” silence, but a peaceful silence. Green light filtered through the treetops. The forest had an almost . . . magical . . . air to it; Kayla loved it. Wow. She walked slowly through, taking the time to look all around her. The trees were very tall, some conifers and some deciduous. The wildlife seemed friendly . . . but cautious and wary. They appeared surprised to see one like Kayla in their woods. Kayla also felt a little prickly - as if someone or something was watching her - but she ignored the feeling. She wandered further into the forest. Looking back over her shoulder, she could just see where the road was. I won’t go too far, she thought. Yet something . . . seemed to be calling her. Come, come closer, it seemed to say. She thought she heard voices . . . but it could have just been the wind. Something about this place was oddly familiar. Kayla slowly paced further into the depths of the forest.

“Hello?” Kayla called softly. She thought she’d heard footsteps pattering around. She shrugged it off, continuing to explore the forest further.

Before she realized, the sun was setting. Uh oh, I’d better head back, Kayla decided. She turned back the direction she assumed she’d came from. But she only succeeded in confusing herself as the sun set below the horizon. It was now completely dark; she shivered. If I’m not going to be getting out of here, I might as well find somewhere to sleep, Kayla thought. She was frightened - but with an excited air. She climbed a suitable tree and laid in the crook of a branch to sleep. After thinking about Casey again, Kayla concluded that it was her fault she was caught in this situation. She fell asleep uncomfortably - plotting to get revenge.

Chapter 4
Metamorphosis

Kayla awoke sharply. She’d been dreaming she was falling . . . then as she found she’d hit the ground, she was shaken into wakefulness. She looked around, embarrassed. But strangely, her view was more . . . sharp, and she could see farther, ina wider range, and with much more detail. She blinked in surprise. She looked at the tree, figuring she had tipped over in the night. The tree was snapped in half, with the top half on the ground near her.

Whoa, what happened? Did the tree get smaller, too? For, indeed, the tree seemed much smaller. She reached out a hand to touch it - and recoiled in shock. Her hand did not belong to her. It was stone-gray, had scales on it, and had a curved claw on each finger - not even a normal amount of digits; she had three fingers, then a thumb below them. Her . . . “hand” was shaped rather in the likeness of an eagle’s talon. Kayla screamed. Her scream was louder and deeper than before, and she saw smoke before her eyes as she produced a roar-like sound. What happened to me? She was frantic.

Seeing a small pond, she tried to stand and go over to it. But her hind legs couldn’t balance her, and she toppled over. She turned over and walked to the pond on all fours, then stared at the water, faint. She was not looking at herself. She was staring at the head of a dragon. Not just a dragon, she realized with dread, but me. She slowly turned her head to look over the rest of herself. Her neck was so long, it was easy to turn her head at a good angle. She found it true: she somehow was truly a dragon. She felt dizzy, and she swayed.

No, no, keep yourself together. Somehow, you’ve turned into a dragon- but you can turn back . . . I hope. She whimpered, continuing to stare at her reflection. The lake mirrored fright, anguish, and desperation back to Kayla. She laid down, trying to come up with a solution. She sighed. Dad will be so worried . . . and what about Casey? If I can’t change back, I’ll never be able to apologize to her. And Cody . . . he’ll never know how much I love him . . . A tear flowed out and slid down Kayla’s cheek, soon followed by a stream of several more.

* * *

“So the human I almost . . . she was . . .” Adrekin couldn’t manage to make himself finish the sentence. He was horrified.

“It’s okay,” Aezamien said. “Even I could not recognize her . . .” She sighed. “I hate to see Altarra suffer like this. We cannot hide the truth from her much longer.”

“She’ll be fine,” Adrekin said. “She is strong, and can handle it. Our daughter does not need us yet.”

“Are you sure? I mean, just look at her . . .”

“She doesn’t need us now,” Adrekin repeated firmly. “We will tell her when she needs to know.”

“I guess you’re right.” Aezamien sighed sadly and leaned her head on Adrekin’s shoulder.

* * *

Kayla curled up next to the water. Maybe this is all a dream. She scraped a claw along one of her arms. “Ow!” she roared.

Okay, I’m not dreaming. She was tired, though. She began to sleep. What have I done to deserve this . . .

* * *

Kayla awoke just as the sun began to rise. A strange urge overpowered her; she was filled with a desire to fight . . . to kill . . . to feed. All of Kayla’s thoughts were swept out by this force, and with a roar she stood up and unfolded her wings. She reached her wings up, and with a muscular push she thrust them downward and lifted into the air. Her wings clawed at the sky as she climbed higher and higher, battling to come out on top. Then she leveled out.

From the air, Kayla could see the way to go back home. But this was not her mission. She flew until she was no longer above the forest, and instead flying over the streets of her city. Because it was early, however, no one was outside to spot her. She tasted the air, then took a sniff. Blood. It was right below her. She dove down into someone’s yard, where a dog was chained up. It barked and yelped at Kayla, trying to get at her.

Kayla snarled and blew a puff of smoke at the dog. Someone came outside and opened the door. “Puppy-girl? What’s wrong-” then she screamed when she saw Kayla. Kayla roared and lunged at the human and the dog. They ran inside the house, and when the closed the door Kayla rapped her nose on it. She glared at the house and decided to find easier prey. She took off into the sky again.

It wasn’t long before Kayla spotted a badger, about to cross the road from the forest. She swooped down and caught it with her talons. The badger growled and snarled, trying to wriggle free in it’s terror, but it did not succeed. Kayla swiftly killed it with a bite to the neck, and she flew it back to her refuge in the forest. She landed, and placed it on the ground. After turning around, she took flight again, going to find more prey.

She soared speedily over the forest. It took her some time, but she eventually had left the forest again. She flew around, looking for a victim. She circled slowly, first in one spot, then in the next spot. She scoured the area relentlessly. After what seemed to her like an eternity, her keen eyesight detected something. She snapped her head around. It was Cody, walking with Lexi. Kayla could hear them perfectly well, but the words did not reach her head. She understood, yet didn’t recognize Lexi, or even Cody, in her mind. With an earthshaking roar she flew at them.

Lexi screamed and ran off, terrified. Kayla ignored her. She wanted an easier victim. She landed in front of Cody, whose eyes were wide-open, and showed terrible fear. He trembled, but didn’t move. Kayla growled, lifting her lip to bare her teeth. Cody started breathing heavily.

With a deep growl, she flapped her wings. She flew a few feet off the ground, and went straight at Cody. She picked him up in her talons before he even had time to react. She felt him immediately stiffen. He didn’t struggle, though. She flew back into the forest. Not concentrating, she flew right over her refuge. With a frustrated snarl, she beat her wings then spread them out, gliding down to the ground. She dropped Cody, then landed a couple yards away from him. She stiffened instantly, and her heart caught in her throat. Lying in front of her was a huge black wolf. Her consciousness came back, and she remembered her dream.

Immediately a wolf came out, snarling and bristling. It was unlike any other wolf Kayla had seen, for it was nearly as big as the dragons and was completely black. Even it’s eyes were orbs of darkness. The red dragon leapt at the wolf, and snapped it’s jaws shut around the wolf’s neck. Blood spurted out, and the wolf collapsed with a yelp, dead.

Kayla began to tremble. She shakily walked over to the wolf, and pushed one of it’s eyelids open . . . it was a pure sea of black. She jumped back, afraid. She tentatively turned her head to look at Cody. He was there, sitting sprawled out in the dirt, watching her, unmoving. His eyes were wide with fear, but something flickered in them when he saw the look on Kayla’s face. She was sympathetic, fearful, and dreading. Did I really just kidnap Cody? She slunk towards him, one hesitant step at a time. “Cody?” she said.

Cody shook. He didn’t say anything. His eyes resumed the fearful look.

“Cody, it’s me! Kayla!” she said loudly. Cody still said nothing.

“Can you hear me? Cody? Please answer me!” Yet, he still didn’t say anything. He can’t understand me, Kayla realized, because he can’t speak dragon! She thought of ways to show him that she wouldn’t hurt him. He continued to stare at her, motionless and afraid.

Kayla walked over till she was a few feet in front of him. She sniffed Cody, then blinked. She jerked her head back and snorted, than she backed up a few paces and curled up on the ground. She lay there, watching him, making sure to show trust and rela***ion in her eyes.

Cody watched Kayla for a few more minutes. They stared at each other, never moving. Finally, Cody tentatively shifted, and then he cautiously stood up. He kept his eyes on Kayla the whole time. He walked, even though it was potentially very stupid, at Kayla, advancing slowly.

When he was close enough, he smoothly and gradually moved his hand towards her. Kayla watched him with unblinking eyes. Cody touched her on the snout. Kayla blinked. When he saw that she wasn’t going to harm him, he slowly stroked her. It struck Kayla that he didn’t realize that she was much more than just an animal. She shifted her head and smiled at him, in a strange dragon way. From the revelation in his eyes, she knew that he’d realized that dragons weren’t just animals, even if he didn’t know who she was. It’s a start. She went over to the badger from before, and snapped it up. I’ll have to find something else later.

“Why did you take me? Cody asked her. Kayla turned her head to look at him, and blinked.

“I cannot speak human,” she said, even though she knew that all Cody would hear was a snarl. He jerked back.

“Can - can you talk?” he asked cautiously. Kayla shook her head at him, and showed regret in her eyes. Cody nodded, and examined the forest around him. Seeing him do this reminded Kayla of the wolf. How did I find that here? Was it from my dream, or just a coincidence? She shivered as she looked at it. It brought back perfect memories of her dream. She knew that, somehow, her dream was more than just that.

Chapter 5
Hostage

Kayla wanted more than anything to help bring Cody back out of the woods. But it was too far to get out on foot by night, and too confusing. Also, if she flew, she was sure to be spotted by someone. No, it was just too risky to help him. And there’s no way that I’m going to let him go alone, she decided determinedly. Still . . . he looked miserable. But he accepted it, somehow. A bond had formed between the two during the past hour, and Cody now sat, leaning against Kayla’s side. Yet Kayla was frustrated that she had no way to reveal her identity. She snorted in frustration, looking at Cody as she lay down.

“Can you take me back?” he asked cautiously. He still was . . . wary of the dragon, even though it appeared that he could trust Kayla. She shook her head, sorrow reflecting in her eyes.

“I would if I could,” she said. Yet Cody still, she knew, wouldn’t hear anything but a snarl. Cody nodded, and he sat down. He leaned against a tree and laced his fingers together, knowing that he would be here at least for the night.

“I’d ask you why not,” he said coldly, “but that would be rather useless, seeing as you can’t talk.” Kayla snarled at him, and Cody jerked back. He sighed. “I’m going to sleep,” he said, repositioning himself against the rough tree trunk. As Kayla watched him, he soon had dozed off and was sleeping soundly.

It’s time. Kayla uncurled and got to her feet, stretching like a cat. She continued to watch Cody all the while, to make sure that he didn’t awaken. Why she was doing this, she wasn’t sure. But she knew that she would need to do it eventually. Anyway, I can’t take him back . . . until I’m sure he won’t go around telling others. She lifted her wings, and thrust them down to soar into the air. She flew silently, searching for anything that she could catch that Cody would be willing to eat.

* * *

Cody awoke that morning, and found roasted venison lying before him. Kayla had used her claws to get the meat out and cook it, and it was lying on a leaf before Cody. He looked around, and saw that Kayla was nowhere in sight. With a shrug, he began eating it.

* * *

Kayla didn’t get what she’d been looking for. Rather disappointed, she banked to the left, then spiraled down into the forest, where she saw that Cody had awakened, and ate some of the meat. Good. Kayla lay down, and began eating the meat that she hadn’t given to Cody. Instead, she’d left it a little ways into the forest. Cody looked up, and saw her. He seemed relieved that it was her . . . not only because she wasn’t something else, but he also seemed kind of nervous. His eyes kept flitting around, keeping watch to make sure that there wasn’t anything dangerous close by. Sighing, Kayla dragged the deer over next to Cody, and began eating alongside him. Cody was extremely relieved, and he relaxed and concentrated only on his food. Kayla could see that he felt safe around her. And why shouldn’t he? After all, I am a dragon, and there are dangerous creatures in this forest. She looked at him, cocking her head.

“What?” he said. Kayla shook her head, and went back to her meat. Why does this have to be me? Can’t I just be a human? She was sad that she’d never be able to be with Cody the way she wanted to be, if she was in this state.

Once the two had finished eating, Kayla stood up. She stretched, and she unfolded her wings. She looked at Cody expectantly, trying to get him to climb onto her. She laid down next to him, using her eyes to invite him on.

“Ride you?” Cody said with a gulp, looking up at Kayla’s back.

Kayla nodded.

“O-okay,” he said. He shakily climbed up Kayla’s scaly side, careful not to lose his holds on her scales. When he reached the top, he sat down, and gripped the spike in front of him. “I’m ready,” he said, with confidence and worry at the same time.

Kayla snorted with a grin, raising her wings. She held them in place for a moment, then she thrust them down in the now familiar technique to make herself take flight. The ground steadily dropped, until she finally levelled out. Kayla was now above the clouds. She flew a bit slower than she normally would have, and a bit more gently, to allow Cody to become accustomed to flying. Her wings flapped rythmically, and she revelled in the beauty of it all. She’d never really taken the time just to look around and enjoy the sights like this before, while flying.

“Whoa . . . this is sweet!” Kayla heard Cody yell. Kayla smiled at him, looking over her shoulder, as if to tell him that she was grateful. “Go faster!” Cody urged. With a grin, Kayla angled down, and plunged through the clouds at the ground, flapping her wings to gain speed. After a few seconds, she stopped going down, but continued her speedful flight.

Cody yelled in fun, throwing his hands into the air. Kayla laughed, and found her laugh as a dragon not that different then what it would sound when human.Cody grinned. “Is that how you all laugh? I like the sound!” Kayla laughed again, throwing her head back, as she and Cody zoomed through the sky.

* * *

Hours later, Kayla and Cody touched down in their clearing in the forest. Cody slid off of Kayla, landing in a crouch on the ground, then standing up straight. “That was awesome!” he said, but being careful to make sure it wasn’t too loud. “Oh, what a rush!” He walked away a little bit, swaying slightly due to the dizziness some of Kayla’s acrobatics had caused. “Best. Day. Ever.” He grinned at Kayla, who grinned back.

Kayla curled up in a ball. Cody came over, and leaned against her side. He yawned. Kayla half-smiled, and dropped a wing over Cody. She slowly dozed off, and knew, too, that this was truly her best day ever.

Chapter 6
Revelation

Kayla woke that morning to the fresh morning sun. It’s rays of light shone down in breaks between the tree leaves, and the effect was like little spotlights all throughout the forest. She yawned, and arched her neck. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, Kayla looked around. Cody was pressed against her side, snoring softly in his sleep. She gently moved Cody to lay on the ground, so she could move about freely. As Kayla looked around, she felt a pang of homesickness, and she longed to be normal and to be with her friends and her dad again. A tear slipped down her cheek. With a soft snarl at this world of cruelty, Kayla slashed her wings out and down, and began to fly.

Kayla found herself heading towards the homes of Kaden, Casey, and she and her dad. Even though she knew that she shouldn’t get caught around there, in case someone spotted her, she was willing to take the risk to see everyone again.

First, she visited her Kaden’s house, since it was nearest to where she’d come out of the forest. She flew overhead, and landed on the roof of their house. She watched, listened, and waited. She could hear Kaden yelling at his mom from inside. What? He would never do that! As she listened, she heard what he was saying.

“I’m not going to go to school and pretend like nothing has happened! No! Because something has happened, and I’m not going to rest until we find my friend. And then what about Cody? Huh?! He disappeared, too. Anyone could be next! I have to go out, and . . .”

Kayla gasped. How much does he want to get me back home? For, while Kaden, she knew, wouldn’t like like her, they loved each other as brother and sister. Would he really stop at nothing to get me back? Pondering the idea, Kayla took off again. She next went to Casey’s house, which was between where Kaden lived and where she lived. Within a few minutes, she’d landed on her friend’s home. She listened and watched here, too.

“Mom, do I have to go to school?” Casey moaned. This didn’t tell Kayla much, so she kept listening.

“Yes, you have to!” Casey’s mother seemed appalled at the very idea.

“But I don’t want to, if Kayla's not going to be there. I have to find her!”

“That’s what Kayla's father is assigned to. And you are assigned to go to school.”

“But mom-”

“No!!”

As Casey and her mother continued arguing, Kayla pulled back from the edge of the roof. So, now Casey is in hysterics . . . serves her right. Yet she knew that she’d forgiven her. All Kayla wanted was her life back. Sighing desolately, she jumped to the ground.

Casey came outside. “Mom!” she yelled, seeing Kayla. Kayla’s eyes filled with alarm, and she ran off. After going a little bit, she unfolded her wings, and began flapping, lifting off of the ground. She soon made it up above the clouds, where no one could see her any longer. That was a close one! She glanced back down at the ground. Though no one could see her, with her dragon eyes Kayla was able to still see Casey and her mother running around like mad ants, bewildered by what they’d seen. Shaking her head at her foolishness, Kayla banked, and did a wide circle, ending it in her back yard. She peered in the window of their sliding porch door. All the lights were off. Her dad was not home. Oh well, she thought, as she took flight and began to head back to the forest.

On her way there, Kayla spotted a man wandering around on the edge of the forest. Who’s that? As she flew closer, she saw it was her dad. Oh no! He’ll see me! Quickly she spread her wings out. They caught the air like a parachute, and stopped her. She dropped to the ground, just inside the forest. When she was about to leave, she heard her dad.

“Kayla! Please, come out, if you’re there. Darlin’?” His voice was cracked and distraught, and there was no end to the sorrow pouring out of his words. Her heart breaking, Kayla turned to continue farther into the forest.

* * *

After an hour of tramping through wet leaves and sticks, Kayla came back to the clearing. Cody sat there, waiting for her. “Where did you go?”

Kayla made no reply at all. Her head drooping, and her tail dragging on the ground, she walked over and laid down next to a tree. She sighed pitifully.

“Are you all right?” Cody’s eyes were filled with sympathy, to see his befriended dragon in such a sorry state. When he got no answer, he walked over, and began to stroke Kayla along her neck. The soothing, rhythmic touches helped Kayla to relax. She cried herself to sleep, her head laid alongside Cody. Cody understood how she was feeling. He knew she needed comforting. He stayed next to her, petting her long after she fell asleep. Eventually, Cody dozed off, too, leaned against a tree.

As Kayla slept, words echoed through her head. “Tell him! Show him! Tell him! Show him!” They chanted this over and over again. Kayla tried to escape them. She ran, but they followed her everywhere. Finally, Kayla woke up. She raised her head, and found Cody lying barely awake. “Are you feeling better?” he asked.

Kayla shook her head up and down. She repeated the actions she’d taken before, to intive Cody onto her back. I’m going to show Cody who I am, and nothing’s going to stop me. Cody clambered up onto her back with a grin, and gripped the spike before him. “Ready,” he said, like before. Kayla raised her wings and crouched down, then threw herself into the air with a mighty leap. She thrust her wings down as she jump up, propelling herself even higher. She broke free of the leafy canopy of the forest a few moments later, and she and Cody flew, freed from the trees. Kayla immediately flew to where Kaden lived; she would follow the same route she went earlier that day. She flew low and fast, concentrating nothing on scenery.

“What are you doing? Where are we going?” Cody looked around, confused. Kayla just snorted, and continued to fly. Finally, she landed in Kaden’s yard. Cody dropped off of her back, and landed in the grass. “Wh - isn’t this that one guy’s house? Kayla’s friend?” She snorted, and nodded her head up and down. She turned and raised her wings, then waited for Cody to get back on.

Cody, still staring at the house, stepped back a little bit. Finally he turned and climbed up onto Kayla again. Without warning she surged forward and kicked off into the air. Cody yelled, ‘Whoa!” and held on tightly; he’d almost fallen off. Kayla flapped forward, Cody nearly completelyforgotten. The ride was very fast, and low to the ground. Kayla next landed in Casey’s yard.

Cody did not bother to get off her back. “And Casey’s house?” He seemed highly shaken, and his voice and expression showed Cody being completely weirded out. With a nod of her head, Kayla pulled forward yet agin. This time, she didn’t even bother to fly, just racing down the street. Codyalmost was shaken off, but at the last minute he threw his arms around Kayla’s neck, and held on tightly. A few minutes later, she slowed down, and came to a halt.

Cody stared bewilderedly. “And Kayla’s house.” She could hear the pain and love in his voice . . . pain at losing her, it seemed. Cody suddenly glared at the dragon. “Who are you?” he demanded angrily.

Kayla’s eyes filled with sorrow. She walked up to the door of her home, and pushed it open with her nose. “What are you doing?” Cody asked, still angry.

Kayla stared deperately at Cody. Oh, I wish I could talk to you, but I just can’t! She stared at him, trying with all of her might to make him understand.

“Whoa! How’d you do that!?” Cody jumped back, and held his hands up. Kayla cocked her head, a questioning look held on it. “You talked!” he said. “In my head!”

Kayla drew her head back, and flitted her eyes around. He could hear me? Let me try again . . . She stared at him, then thought, Can you hear me?

“Yes! I can hear you!” he said, nervously excited.

Cody, she thought to him. Go inside. Upstairs. When he gave her a questioning look, she said, Just do it! Finally, he obeyed, hesitantly going upstairs. She could hear him going up the stairs. Now, she told him. find the room with the bunk bed. She reared up and placed her front feet on the side of the house, so she could reach her window. She saw Cody go in. She rapped her snout on the window, and Cody looked over. Good. Now open the nightstand drawer. Take out the folded piece of paper inside it. Cody followed her instructions, but rather nervously. With the paper in his hand, he went over to the window, and opened it.

“What is this?” he asked.

You’ll see. Unfold it, you’ll like it if anything. Kayla watched, heart thudding, as Cody shakily unfolded the paper. Written inside were hearts, and the word Cody . . . all over the paper were hearts drawn around Cody’s name.

“Kayla,” he said thoughtfully, blinking. “Kayla wrote this.” Cody looked up at Kayla. “Who are you?” he asked again, gently this time. “How do you know . . . how I feel about her? And how did you know that this was there?”

I am Kayla.

Cody stared at her, eyes wide. “You’re Kayla?” he asked nervously.

Yes. Kayla growled in affirmation.

Cody wordlessly slammed the window down shut. He left Kayla’s room, and stomped downstairs. As he was coming out the front door, Kayla stopped him with one of her talons.

“Let me go!” he yelled, hitting her talon.

Cody, I-

“No! Get out of here! Get away from me, do you hear!” Stunned by his harsh words, Kayla lowered her leg and backed away with hurt eyes. “Go!” Cody yelled.

With utmost hurt and pain, Kayla took off and flew away over the trees. Every flap of her wings intensified the throbbing of her broken heart. She didn’t know if she could make it back to the clearing without breaking down. But she did, and just barely. She started sobbing as soon as she was back. She landed clumsily on the ground, stumbling to the side. She ranover to one of the trees, and threw herself on the ground, crying out her broken heart.

* * *

Back by her house, Cody watched the dragon fly away with relief. But when the harshness of what he had done hit him, he was awestruck. He fell to his knees, and stared bewilderedly after Kayla. “Kayla!” he called. Yet it was too late. Kayla had just disappeared over the trees.

* * *

Finally managing to contain herself, Kayla sat upright. Oh, why can’t I just be human! Thinking this made another torrent of tears become released down her face. My life is terrible. And it will never be fixed. She laid downand put her hands above her head, blocking out all the noises of the outside world. She fell alseep, to dream away her pains.

Chapter VII
Reunited

Kayla slowly opened her eyes. She was curled up, and laying on her side. The world was blurry, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t see as far as normal. She sat up, pushing herself up with her hands. She looked down . . . and saw skin. “My hands . . . I’m human!” she rejoiced, looking and feeling the rest of herself over. She was back in her normal clothing, and skin was in the place of her scales. She stood up, trembling, and found that she could walk upright again. She screamed in delight, then regretted it.

Now that I’m not a dragon anymore, I’m defenseless. She slowly and quietly began to walk out. She knew which way to go, for she’d seen it many times from in the air. But on foot, the way was strenuous. Her feet pained with every step, and she was exhausted. I’m almost out . . .

Finally, she reached the road. Rejuvenated, she raced across it, then quickly went into her house. “Dad?” she called. “Daddy?” There was no answer. He’s probably out looking for me, she realized. Or at least at work. Her dad had a part-time job at a recording studio, and he would occasionally record his songs there. Sitting down on the couch to wait, Kayla turned on the TV.

“In other news,” the news broadcaster announced, “a young teenage girl becomes lost in the forest. Strange, dragon-like creatures have been spotted nearby, one reported to have kidnapped a teenage boy. The boy has been safely returned home, but not without reports of the same creature terrorizing the city. Here we have Joe Stephens, father of the girl in question.”

“You know, she was just mad. Frustrated,” Kayla’s father said. His eyes were said, and his voice was calm. It was always calm when he was upset. “I saw her go into the forest, and I had no problem with that. But when she didn’t come back that night, I knew something was wrong.”

“There we have it,” the broadcaster continued. “Was Kayla merely lost? Or did this creature have something to do with this, too? Coming up next, we have . . .”

Kayla turned off the TV. “This would be very unsettling,” she yelled to it, “If I didn’t know the real story!” It angered her to see this, for, what would result? What if Cody spread the word - what would she do? I would go into hiding. Go live in the forest. But she knew that she’d hated every bit of that forest that caused her transformation.

“How did this happen?” she asked herself, leaning back on the sofa. She began to thouroughly examine everything that happened before and after she’d become changed, to find a connecting cause for this. But she just couldn’t think straight, because she wanted more than anything to let everyone know she was okay. All her thoughts flitted back to that one mission.

“I wish more than anything-” Wait, that was it! Every time she’d changed shape, she’d felt strong feelings to be different. To be able to get revenge, to be human again. “Now we just have to wait till tonight and see if it works,” Kayla said with a smile.

* * *

Kayla awoke with a start. A sharp noise had come from outside. Without realizing it, she had just fallen asleep right there. Now it was beginning to become dark outside. Kayla looked at her watch. 6:00. She heard the storm door open, then the front door. Who’s there? She stayed motionless on the couch, watching the door with fearful intentness.

The door swung open to reveal Kayla’s father standing in the doorway, forlorn and disappointed. He carried his car keys . . . Kayla assumed the noise that awakened her had been the car door.

“Dad!” Kayla called, standing up and hurrying over to him.

“Kayla?” Joe dropped his keys in astonsishment, and when his daughter came near, he pulled he r into an embrace. “Where were you?” he asked her.

Kayla pulled back a little bit and looked up at her dad. “Daddy, that is a very long story,” she said, shaking her head. Her own Tennessee accent showed through in this statement.

Joe grinned. “I still want to hear it.”

Kayla sighed playfully, shaking her head. “Okay then,” she said, taking her dad by the hand and leading him over to the couch. “Sit,” she told him, pushing him down to be seated. Then she herself sat down beside him.

“So . . . I was mad at Casey. As I was sitting outside there, I looked up at the woods. Something was making me want to go in . . .” And as they sat, she told her dad about how she got lost, how she woke up a dragon, and all the rest of her tale. But she did leave out the parts about Cody. He doesn’t need to know, she told herself. When she finished, she looked at her dad impatiently, expecting him to blow his head off about how insane she was. Or just flat-out not believe her.

Joe nodded his head. “That fits,” he said calmly. “That makes sense. I knew this would happen sooner or later.”

“Daddy? What do you mean?” Kayla’s searching gaze inspected her dad all over. What is he saying? That he knew about this?

Joe sighed. “Now it’s my turn to tell a story,” he said. “Or rather, narrate.” He paused, obviously thinking of how to start. “I . . . am not your real father.”

Kayla was struck. She’d never expected anything like this to happen to her. “You’re not?” she asked in a weak voice.

Joe shook his head. “No. And neither,” he said when Kayla opened her mouth, “is any human being.”

Chapter 7
Revelation

Kayla stared at herdad, a disbelieving expression on her face. “Come on, now, dad,” she said, placing her hands on his forearm. She stared at him. “You can’t be serious,” she said, shaking her head.

Joe nodded his head. Kayla could sense that this wasn’t just one of his jokes. “It is, darlin’,” he said. “And I’m going to tell you why.”

He repositioned himself on the couch. “Now, baby girl,” he said, “every word of this is true. And also,” he added, “do not tell this to anyone that you can’t trust completely.”

“Okay,” Kayla said, wondering what could be that serious and important. I could be an alien! The thought frightened her, and she shivered.

“Now,” Joe said. “About twenty years ago . . . well, let me tell you the basics of what all this is. You see, in that very forest you were lost in, there is an off-world place named Xanadu. The gateways to it are hidden somewhere inside the woods. If you are one of the magical beings, then you would see a golden pathway. This pathway would lead you to the gates of Xanadu.”

“So, like a city?” Kayla inquired.

“Somewhat. But Xanadu in itself is in fact a whole ‘nother world, existing inside our own. And much larger on the inside, then on the outside.”

Kayla nodded. She found this hard to believe, but her dad wasn’t joking around. Or was he?

“Now, all kinds of creatures exist in there, that we humans would never have thought possible. Griffins, phoenixes, all sorts of creatures that had been thought to exist only in our minds. Especially the dragons.”

This might actually end up making sense, Kayla thought.

“So, 20 years ago, there were a group of aliens. They came from a place called Viroxia . . . some far-0ff planet. So, the magical creatures of Xanadu called the aliens the Viroxians. Now, these aliens came from a barren planet. They had to struggle to survive. So, naturally, when they saw Earth, they became jealous of us and decided to try and take it for themselves.

They attacked the gates of Xanadu many times. They were wise, for they knew that even if they drove the humans out, they wouldn’t be able to stay with the Xanadu creatures around. But the attacked only in very small groups. Small enough that the Xanadu creatures could drive them off, without the humans ever noticing anyone was there. But once, there were a hundred Viroxians. Still not that many. But they were defeated . . . as was their leader with them.

Furious, their leader took matters into his own hands, and made his aliens attack day after day. Each time, the numbers increased. Until finally, it was too dangerous for the dragon hatchlings.”

“Dragon hatchlings?”

“Yes. A Viroxian could easily kill one, but they were well-guarded. Finally, when all of the warriors were needed to fight the ausalts, the dragons realized that it was too dangerous to have their infants there in Xanadu. So, the dragons went to their king. What was his name . . . well, anyway, the told him of their plea. So, the king used some sort of magic on the hatchlings.

“His spell turned the baby dragons each into humans. The spell would last for a lifetime, but would only protect the infants so long. When they came of age as a human, which variated depending on the person, then they would discover their true selves. They would discover the ability to transform to and from a dragonat their leasure.”

“So that’s what happened to me,” Kayla realized.

Joe nodded. “Yes. Each of the infants was given to a trusted human. The dragons watched the humans for a while, to choose who would best care for their children, and be able to keep the secret. A silver one chose me. She knew that I would protect you through anything, and treat you as my own child. I was the one best suited to guard -”

“Me,” Kayla finished. “I was her child, wasn’t I.”

“You were. She told me of their plight, and she asked if I would help them. And I said yes. She said you had a dragon name, but would need a human name. So I named you Kayla. Which, in fact, is not your true name either.”

Kayla thought for a moment. Wasn’t there a silver dragon in my dream? If my dreams meant so much more . . . then could those two have been m y parents? “What was her name?” she asked.

Joe shook his head. “She never told me. She just told me what I needed to know, to be able to care for you the best I could.”

Kayla stared at Joe for a moment. “Then what does this mean, if you’re telling the truth. Because I know you wouldn’t lie about something like this . . .” he r voice cracked, and Joe swiftly pulled her into his arms.

“There now, baby girl, everything’s gonna be okay,” he said, as Kayla began crying. Everything she’d ever known was falling apart now, for the sake of some stupid dragons and their children.

Kayla pulled away. “One thing . . .” she said. It was very hard for her to accept that Joe, who’d been a great friend as well as a father, was not really her parent. “Can I still call you dad?” A tear fell down her cheek.

“Of course, darlin’,” Joe said. “There’s no reason anything has to change,” he told her. For a few moments, Kayla and Joe stayed locked in anembrace. After a while, Joe let go, and kissed the top of Kayla’s head. “I love you,” he said.

“I love you too, Daddy,” Kayla replied.

“Now, you best be gettin’ off to bed,” Joe said, but it was really only a suggestion.
Kayla yawned, and nodded. “Okay, I will. Thanks . . . Dad.” She walked upstairs to her room, taking her time with each foot she placed on the carpeted stairs. She began counting . . . 1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . and by the time she reached the top, she’d counted ten steps.
She shuffled into her room. Seeing the paper lying on the floor from yesterday when Cody had been with her, she blinked thoughtfully. I’m so sorry. She took the paper and pressed it up against her face for a moment, then set it on top of the nightstand. Her curtain was still opened. She went and opened the window.

A frightened shrieking came from outside. “No! No! Leave me alone! Get away from me!” It was Casey’s voice. It sounded a ways off, and Kayla strained her ears to hear more. They seemed to be getting farther away . . . she could hear Casey screaming still, and a man’s voice yelling. She pounded her fist on the windowsill in anger.

Dang it! I have to help her! Hang in there Casey, hang in there. But what use would I be . . . then she smiled. Silly of me to forget my own heritage. She blinked slyly. Tying her sheets and blankets together, she attatched them to her bedpost, then hung them out the window. She started to climb down, but kept her eyes open in case Joe was watching TV in the living room. He wasn’t, so she climbed all the way down. She stumbled a bit once off the rope, but regained her balance quickly. She looked around.

Okay, Casey, where are you . . . Kayla ran around and hid in her backyard. I’m going to find you . . . she had to unlock the gate to the fence to be able to get in, though. Finding that futile, she just gave up and managed to climb over the six-foot-tall fence. “Ahh!” she yelled, as she tipped over and landed in the grass on the other side. “Oww . . .” she rubbed her head, but couldn’t dwell on it. She walked along the fence a little bit more, then she crouched on the ground and wrapped her hands around her legs.

Okay, here goes . . . Kayla filled herself with the complete and utter desire to turn into a dragon so she could help her friend.

After a few moments, she was aware of an itching feeling coming from her back. Kayla turned her head . . . and saw that she had begun to sprout wings. She grinned. Oh yeah! As she looked the rest of herself over, she found that she was growing scales, and that she was transforming her shapes all over. She watched, mesmized, as her hands turned to talons . . . they grew grey scales, then her thumb moved back on her hand, and her fingers thickened. One of them, her pinky, just . . . melted into her hand, merging with her ring finger. Her fingernails began moving up, and when they were at the tips of her fingers, they too thickened. The became pointy and grew longer, until they stopped changing when they’d become claws.

So occupied with this was Kayla, that at first she hadn’t even noticed how the rest of her had finished changing as well. She flared out her wings, and flexed them. It felt good to be winged again, now that it wasn’t such a shock. She slowly went through and tested her talons, limbs, and her tail . . . everything appeared to be working fine. All right, Casey, here I come. Kayla was still crouching on the ground, so she leapt up into the air. The air held her wings against her sides for a second, but Kayla resitsted, and pulled them up. She brought them up half-folded, so her wings cut smoothly through the air. She furled them out and began flapping them steadily, rising up against the wind.

She looked around, and listened. She heard Casey’s shrieks again. She turned her head towards the sound . . . and there was a house blocking them from her view. But, strangely, she could see Casey and some man through the house . . . but only as orange and red shapes, nothing more. Grinning in marvel, Kayla beat her wings quickly, zooming towards the spot. When she was close enough, she locked her wings in their outstretched position . . . and dove.

The house was no longer obscuring her vision. Kayla could see Casey and her attacker clearly, but no more red and orange shapes. The guy had grabbed Casey and gagged her. Kayla roared viciously as her flight brought her closer and closer. Casey screamed through the cloth in her mouth, and the man looked up. When he saw Kayla, he dropped a knife that he’d been holding. He let go of Casey, who collapsed, and fell to the ground on her side. She scooted away as best she could, for her hands were tied together as well.

Kayla swooped in and snatched the guy up in one of her talons. Now weaponless, the man had nothing to defend himself. He shouted in terror, and struggled violently to get free. Ignoring his movements, Kayla flew straight up as high as she could. After she breached the clouds, she stopped moving, and flew in place. Litlle adjustments of her wingtips as she beat her wings helped her to stay steady. She grinned malichiously at the man.

I will kill you, she told him. The man screamed in a low voice. As he was distracted in his fear, Kayla began flying down. Then she stopped holding back. She half-folded her wings, and dropped. The man screamed again as a feeling of weightlessness enveloped them both. The wind whistled past Kayla’s face and body, and she lurched to avoid a low-flying cloud.

Finally, when she was about twice as high up as the rooftops, Kayla threw her wings out. The stop caught her quite unexpectedly, but she had to keep going. In a wide circle, she flew in a circle around the nearest house, then found an open window. Ignoring the man’s scared shouts, she shoved the man in through the window, then closed it. Kayla blew fire at it to weld it shut, and the thick glass melted nicely to flow over and seal the window. It was solid. Satisfied, she flew away to go back and help Casey.

When she’d re-reached the spot, Kayla landed in front of Casey. Casey had managed to get the knife, and had used it to get rid of the ropes binding her. When Altarra landed, she scrambled to her feet, and clutched the knife in a battle stance. “You,” she said with warning in her voice. “You saved me.” For a moment, neither she nor Kayla moved, and they watched each other. Casey finally shifted. “Can you take me back home?” she asked, with respect and caution.

Kayla jerked her head up and snorted.

“Um, yes? Okay . . . I live-”

I know where you live, Kayla stated.

Casey gawked at the dragon, before she remembered where she was and quickly shut her mouth. “Well, could you take me there? Please?” she asked, in a very pleading and almost whiny voice.

Kayla pretended to consider the request for a moment, though she knew what her answer would be. Very well. Climb onto my back. She crouched down to the ground, so low that her belly was almost touching it. With an unsteady smile, Casey climbed onto Kayla’s back with little or no difficulty, as far as the dragon could tell.

Casey bore the mark of a skilled rider, no matter what the species. She gripped with her knees, relaxed, sat up straight, and anything else you could imagine that would improve her trip. “Ready,” she said.. Kayla leapt into the air, more gently that she’d done with Cody, and was pleased to find that her friend was completely prepared and unsurprised. On the outside, she was, at least. Kayla flew higher into the sky, and even when a gust of wind rocked her, she was surprised that Casey didn’t even flinch. So on she flew towards Casey’s house.

Kayla circled gently above her friend’s house, the one which she knew so well. With each circle, she sank lower and lower to the ground. Finally, her claws digging into the earth, Kayla landed on the ground. She crouched down with the momentum, and as she did, Casey turned and slid off.

“Thanks,” she said, turning to look at Kayla again. Casey looked her over as if she were some great mystery, hiding something.

Kayla snorted her welcomes, and turned. She leapt back into the air, just as Casey’s mom came outside. She didn’t hear the exact words spoken by the woman, but they were words of great alarm and relief all at once. Something, Kayla was sure, along the lines of “Oh my goodness, what happened? Are you okay? And what was that thing?” She chuckled to herself as her wings swept along the sky, carrying her home.

* * *

Kayla unsteadily crawled in through her window. Apart from already having got no sleep so far, it appeared that the transition from dragon to human took a toll on the energy in her body. She nearly fell onto the floor, but restrained herself so as to keep quiet. After somehow managing to close her window, she tiptoed into her bed. She collapsed onto it, and fell asleep immediately.

* * *

“Kayla?” Joe called, waking his daughter up. She lifted her head. “Kayla?” his voice called again from downstairs. “Come down here.” Kayla could not detect anything from his voice.

What’s going on? she thought as she hurriedly dressed and came downstairs. “Dad? What is it?” she asked as she walked over to him.

“Look,” he said. The TV was turned to the news. Kayla sat down, and began watching with curiosity. It was Casey’s mother, Mrs. Romero. She was talking about some great flying beast that supposedly "rescued her daughter from a criminal, then brought her home."

Kayla moaned, and threw her head into her hands. “Now now, darlin’, what have you done this time?” Joe asked her. Kayla muttered something inaudable into her hands.

“What’s that?” her father asked, in a sort of playful tone. Kayla lifted her head.

“Some guy was chasing Casey and I had to go dragon and rescue her and now her mom saw me and now we’re all dead,” she said in a monotonous tone, then she threw her head back into her hands.

“We’re not dead,” Joe said with a chuckle. “As long as no one finds out what you are.”

Kayla lifted her head. “What do you mean,” she asked in a suspicious tone.

“This has to stay secret,” Joe said. “Tell no one.”

“Fine. I’d be quite happy to do that,” Kayla said.

Her father nodded. “Good. Now, why-”

“Dad, you know I wouldn’t just leave Casey.” Then Kayla remembered with a pang how they’d got into a fight just before she’d . . . had her changes. If that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have been able to save her, she thought. It had to be so.

Joe nodded. Kayla thought he would have said something else, but he didn’t seem like he knew what to say. Suddenly Kayla looked at her watch. “Dad! School!” she shouted, looking back up at him. She went to stand up, but Joe grabbed her arm and wouldn’t let her.

“No, stay home today,” he said. “You need to recover; I’ll call the school and tell them you won’t be attending today.”

“This is great, just great,” Kayla said, ignoring what her dad said. “When I do go back to school, everyone will be bugging me! I’ll be like a celebrity!” And as surprising as it was, Kayla’s voice was full of resentment. She didn’t want to stand out from everyone else, right now she just wanted to fit in.

Joe patted her on the back. “It’ll die down,” he said. Then he stood and began to walk off.

“Daddy!” Ugh, so much for his words of wisdom. Kayla moaned dramatically and fell back on the couch. Joe just shook his head and laughed.

“It’ll die down,” he repeated. Then he left the room.

* * *

All day, to keep herself occupied, Kayla had been soaring around her city as a dragon. It did wonders for her, and she was feeling quite much better than she’d been a few days ago. She grinned. Kayla began to enjoy the peace, when a startling noise suddenly rang out before.

Adjusting herself to avoid falling, Kaylo looked down to see what had frightened her. It was the bell of her school. School had just been dismissed. I guess I’d better get home now, then, and she began flapping her wings, headed for her house. She concentrated on getting back quickly, so she could shift without anyone else seeing her. She reached her house in a few moments, and landed in her backyard. In a hurried frenzy, Kayla began changing back to human. As soon as her humanoid form was fully restored, Kayla was severely alarmed with the sound of two voices.

“Kayla!?”

Chapter 8
A Change of Mind

Kayla whipped her head around, eyes wide. Her eyes met Casey and Kaden, standing in her backyard. Their expressions were the same as hers. Casey took a breath, and stepped back. “Did you . . .”

Oh no. “Guys-”

“No, you know,” Casey yelled angrily, “just forget it!” She began walking off. Kaden followed, shooting a glare at Kayla as he walked out the gate.
“Guys, please!” Kayla called. No response. This is terrible. If only I hadn’t shifted at all, or not now, or, or, this is terrible! What do I do! A sinking feeling registered itself inside Kayla’s heart. As tired as she already was from shifting, she knew what had to be done. She began changing back into a dragon. She sighed, as she felt even more fatigue being brought to herself. She hadn’t noticed it before, but she wasn’t tired the other times she’d shifted.

Once she’d finished, Kayla huffed. Here we go. She tiredly spread her wings, and began flapping. She flew up into the sky, using her keen eyes to search for her friends. After flying in place for a minute or so, she saw them, about halfway back to Casey’s house. Bracing herself, Kayla aimed and began flying towards them. They didn’t see her coming. When she’d reached them, she twisted to face them, and flew backwards a bit. She genly landed on the sidewalk before them. She stared at them.

I’m not going to let you two leave until you tell me why you were mad, she told them. Her steady, unwavering dragon glare faced the two who were looking at her, until they were forced to turn their heads.

Casey spoke up. “Why wouldn’t you tell us?” Her voice was extremely neutral. “And how could you be . . . some creature?”

Kayla looked at them. I wouldn’t tell you . . . because my dad told me want to. We didn’t want this to get out, so we could take no chances. After a moment, she added, And, I will till you how . . . this . . . happened.

Before Casey could say anything, Kaden raised his hand and said. “I forgive Kayla.”

“Kaden!” Casey said, glaring at him. She looked back up at Casey, and crossed her arms. Finally looking away, she said, “Fine. I’m sorry. And about before,” too. She didn’t need to ask; Kayla knew what she meant. She was very glad.

Here, on my back, she said. She crouched down, and Casey climbed up as she’d done before. She had to help Kaden up before they could go, though. When he had been settled in front of Casey, she shouted, “Ready!” and Kayla threw her wings towards the ground, rising into the air.

Kayla decided to let the two have some enjoyment before she took them home. She flew them all around the city, and at a leisiourly pace. But after a few hours, the two had to get home. Kayla landed in Casey’s front yard, where both Kaden and Casey were going to have dinner. “Want to stay?” Casey invited Kayla.

Sure, but I need to go shift first, Kayla told them.

Casey nodded. “I’ll tell my mom to wait then.” She grinned. “I’m glad to have you back, Kayla.” She hugged her friend as best as she could.

I’ve missed you too, Kayla told her, wrapping her neck around Casey. Once she’d been let go, Kayla leapt into the air, and flew for her backyard. She landed there and shifted back. But for some reason, her tiredness was barely felt over her happiness to be back with her friends. She opened the sliding porch door and called, “Dad, is it okay if I go over to Casey’s for dinner?”

“Yeah, that’s fine,” came the reply. “Have fun!”

“Thanks daddy, I will,” she yelled back. Kayla opened the gate to her yard and walked out. My life is restored.

When Friday had come around, Kayla went back to school. Her dad had insisted that she must, so she would go at least once this week. Kayla sighed, shaking her head, as she walked to the bus stop. Even though her life was practically normal again, she and Casey were nowhere near as close as they used to be. And Kaden could tell as well. Half the time, he had to choose which one to be with. So he made it fair, and took turns. But her distance from Casey still hurt Kayla. My life was wrecked. All for the sake of . . . what was it the sake of? Then she remembered: Cody.

Kayla shivered. Cody. And my chances with him have been wrecked too. I suppose this will happen any time someone finds out. Which is another good reason why this must stay secret. Her thoughts were interrupted the next moment by Casey walking up. “Hey,” she said.

“Hey,” Kayla replied. I miss her. We’re hardly around each other ever! “So how’ve you been?”

Casey shrugged. “Pretty good.” After a few seconds, both of them blurted out to each other, “I’ve really missed you!”

Kayla opened her eyes wide. “You too?”

“Yes!” Casey said desperately. “I just feel like we’re not as close any more, and I just want to be the way we were before all this. Please, can’t we friends again?”

Kayla grinned. “And I was just gettin’ ready to ask yo u that. Casey, you’re my best friend. I’d do anything to get you back.” The girls hugged, in a shoulder-to-shoulder hug.

“I’m glad you’re back,” Casey said. “And even if you discovered . . . I don’t know, something weird, I wouldn’t care.”

“Oh, that reminds me!” said Kayla. “Come over to my house after my school. Daddy can tell you the whole story.”

Casey shrugged. “Sure, okay.” Then she broke out into a mischevious grin. “This should be interesting.”

“Yes. It should,” Kayla said, giving her friend a don’t you dare look of fun. The next second, the bus pulled up. “Okay, here we go!” Kayla said. She looked at Casey with an expression of nervousness for a brief second.

“What? What is it?” Casey asked.

Kayla shook her head. “Nothing. It’s nothing.” Together they boarded the bus, reunited in their moment of truth. So it is. The truth will set you free, Kayla thought. She and Casey found a seat together near the back of the bus and sat down. Kayla knew that Cody lived somewhere around their area of the neighborhood. But where? She found herself staring out the window, leaning over Casey as she tried to see where he lived if they stopped to pick him up.

After a few minutes, the bus screeched to a halt, and all the students fell forward slightly with the momentum. Kayla quickly resumed her post of watching for Cody. Even though I don’t stand a chance, she told herself. Suddenly the bus door opened. Curious to see who it was, she stood into a half-sitting half-standing position. It was Cody.

“Eep!” she said to Casey as she sat back down in the seat. She crouched low, hoping that he wouldn’t see her. Casey just grinned at Kayla. “Oh, I see,” she said, almost singing. “That’s what all this was about earlier.”

“Be quiet,” Kayla said through clenched teeth. She watched as Cody walked to an empty seat next to one of his friends. He said something to the boy, and they started laughing together. Cody glanced around the bus absently, and he and Kayla’s eyes met for a brief second. Suddenly he stopped his laughing grin, and did a double-take, looking back at Kayla. She wanted to move, but she didn’t want to at the same time. Kayla stayed in the same position, her eyes locked with Cody’s. All the noise going on in the bus seemed, to her, to be drowned out by the beating of her own heart. I wish I knew what he was thinking.

Then the bus began moving again. Cody had to sit down, but that didn’t stop him from craning his neck around every few minutes to look at Kayla. She pretended not to notice, and started eagerly chatting with Casey. Casey, however, just kept glancing back at Cody, and every time something changed, she’d tell Kayla, “Okay, now he’s looking at you! Never mind, he turned around. Oh, wait!-” and that was half of the matter of their conversation. Soon, the bus had stopped at school.

“Finally, we can get off this thing,” Kayla said pointedly to Casey as she gathered her pack. She watched in a discreet manner to make sure Cody was off the bus, then she began to get off. Then she stopped. It was Lexi, in the aisle ahead of her’s. She turned around and glared at Kayla, an evil, wild, alien look on her face. Kayla shuddered from some unknown fear as Lexi turned and began walking off the bus.

“Kayla?” said Casey, tugging on her sleeve. “Come on, let’s go.”

“Right.” Kayla relaxed, and led Casey off of the bus. As soon as they’d stepped out, for they were the last people off, the bus door closed, and the vehicle drove off. Kayla and Casey ran up to the door of the school, but only speedwalked when the entered. “Bye!” they called to each other as they walked off to their classes. Kayla watched as Casey met up with Kaden, and eagerly talking to each other, they walked to class together.

Is it just me, or— Kayla’s thoughts were inturrupted by the bell ringing. “Shoot!” she yelled, as she walked hurriedly to her class. She found her seat and sat down, just as the teacher appeared to be ready. She smiled at Kayla, then began speaking to the class. But the words, again, seemed to be drowned out by the beating of Kayla’s heart as Cody swiveled in his seat up ahead and looked in her eyes.

“Cody!” the teacher snapped suddenly. He turned.

“Yes ma’am?” he said, in a way that seemed just too polite.

“Please keep your eyes on me, not your classmates, Cody.”

The class tittered at this, but Cody seemed unphased. “Sure, whatever you say,” he said, leaning back in a lounging manner.

Kayla shook off all her thoughts, and focused on her teacher from now. But every now and then, she couldn’t stop her thoughts from drifting back to Cody . . . his eyes . . . his smile . . . him.

* * *

As Kayla was putting her stuff in her locker before she left, she thought, All day. All day. All day we’ve been staring at each other. For me, it’s a good thing. What about him? Does he like me, or hate me? She started staring at Cody, who was across the school hallway.

“Hey.” Casey had come up behind her, and Kayla turned around quickly.

“Yes?” she asked, in a purely ‘I-did-it’ voice.

Casey glanced at Cody, as if to make sure it was he. “Do you wanna ditch the bus and fly home?”

Kayla shook her head. “I’m sorry Casey, it’s just too risky. We can’t afford to have anyone find out.”

Casey sighed. “Fine, then. Can you take us for a fly sometime?”

Kayla grinned. “Sure I can. Just not right after school gets out.”

“Alright. I’ll save you a seat on the bus?”

“Sure!” Kayla turned back to her locker, and began watching Cody from the corner of her eye. She watched as he said goodbye to his friends, and began walking towards her. Eep!

He came and stood in front of her. “Hey, Kayla.”

Kayla grinned. “Hellooo,” she said in a goofy voice, bending together a little bit. Then she quickly opened her locker, hiding her head from Cody.

Cody closed the locker. “Look, Kayla, I know how . . . I know that the way I treated you before was wrong. I’m sorry. It just . . . really shocked me, and even now I’m not sure I believe it.”

Kayla sighed, and looked at the floor. “Cody, I know. And it’s partly my fault for dumping all that on you. I shouldn’t have—”

----------removed to not break the rules-----------

Just then, the bell rang. Startled out of their moment, Kayla and Cody both looked up with a surprised expression. They started to walk, but then, Kayla said to Cody, “Here, wait.” She opened her locker and tore a page out of her notebook, and scribbled something on it. “Call me,” she said with a smile, handing him the paper. Then they ran to catch the bus.

They boarded the bus just as it was about to leave. “Cut that one a little close kids, don’t ya think?” the bus driver said as Kayla walked on with Cody. She found Casey and sat down. Casey gave her a sly look.

“What?” Kayla asked her.

“You were the last one on the bus . . . and so was Cody . . .” and then she sang while using her fingers to draw a heart in the air, “someone’s in lo-ove.” Casey grinned.

Kayla relaxed, and leaned back against the seat. “So what if I am?”

Casey was astonished. “You are?”

“I . . . I think so.” They spoke no more for the rest of the trip home, but just Casey’s company was enough for Kayla as she thought these happenings over.

* * *

---------removed to follow the rules----------

When they’d finally calmed down, standing outside the cinema, Kayla started in a thoughtfully suspicious way, “You know, it’s kind of dark out.”

Cody raised an eyebrow. Kayla took it as a cue to continue on. “Might be kind of dangerous to walk home,” she ventured.

Cody grinned slyly. “You mean . . .”

Kayla matched Cody’s grin. “Want to fly?” She need hardly have asked. Cody led her, almost before the words were out, to the darkened back of the theater.

Closing her eyes and taking a breath, Kayla initiated the transformation. She willed herself into being a dragon, focusing with all her might. After a moment, she opened her eyes. She could see with dragon vision. Good so far. She inspected herself, making sure she had no remnants of her human form remaining. Once she’d given herself the all clear, she looked at Cody.

You okay? she asked him gently, seeing his shook-up, ashen expression.

He nodded slowly. “It’s kind of . . . surprising to watch,” he said, his cautious word choice apparent. Kayla brushed him gently with her nose.

Ready? Cody nodded, and he climbed to Kayla’s back. She grinned wolfishly and hurriedly took off.

Cody closed his eyes as the sudden wind made his eyes water. “Hey, take it easy!” he called good-naturedly to Kayla. She let out a puff of smoke, and slowed down.

Now, she could see the land below them. Kayla changed her course slightly, heading away from the theatre area and towards the houses. Who’s house? she asked Cody.

“You can just drop me off at your’s, I can walk home from there,” Cody said, nearly yelling to get his voice through the sound of the passing air. Kayla nodded, and flapped her wings more steadily.

It was about ten minutes longer before Kayla landed in her backyard. Cody, who’d been holding on kind of loosely, fell to the ground with a shout and a thud. Kayla craned her neck around, looking at him with concern.

“That hurt,” Cody stated, rubbing his sholders with a grin as he stumbled to his feet. Without waiting for anything further, Kayla began shifting into human. This time she kept her eyes open. She saw Cody watch, shaken but mesmerized.

When she’d finished, she flexed her hands. She was standing upright. “Okay,” she said, looking Cody in the eyes. “It’s done.”

Cody let out a sigh of relief. He opened his mouth to say something.

“No, it’s okay. I don’t blame you,” Kayla said, uncertainty showing in her eyes. She walked over to stand beside Cody. “Are you okay?” she asked, for the second time that night.

He nodded. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

Kayla smiled. She knew now that Cody usually acted tougher than he really was. “Sure, if you say so,” she teased.

Cody grinned. “Why, yes, I do say so, if you do say so.”

“Uh!” Kayla grunted, and she good-naturedly swatted Cody’s arm with her purse. “That was confusing!” she said indignantly.

“Why yes, it was confusing if you say so I say you so . . .” Cody stopped. Then he looked helplessly at Kayla and began laughing.

She, of course, couldn’t help but laugh along with Cody. It was about a minute before they stopped, breathing heavily.

“So . . .” Kayla said reluctantly. “I suppose I should turn in now.”

Cody nodded, letting out a soft sigh. “Alright,” he said. “I guess . . . I guess I’ll see you later. ‘Night,” Cody said to her, smiling.
“ ‘Night,” Kayla replied. Cody walked out of the gate to the backyard as Kayla went in through her door. She slowly walked up to her room, half-dazed, and fell bac onto her bed. She didn’t even bother to change out of her clothes, but she stared at the mattress above her for a time before drifting into sleep.

Chapter 12
Prelude

Kayla was startled awake by the sound of the song As I Am by Miley Cyrus. Or more specifically, the ringing of her cell phone. Groaning, she rolled onto her side, the face the nightstand. She extended her hand and groped around on the top of the furniture piece, until her hand brushed the phone. She quickly grabbed it, then flipped it open, pressing it to her ear.

“Hello?” she muttered groggily.

“Kayla! Ohmigosh!” came the voice. “What happened? I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for forever!”

Kayla slowly pushed herself upright. “Sorry ‘bout that, Case,” she said more clearly. “I didn’t bring my cell to the movies, and I didn’t have a chance to check my messages afterwards.”

“Oh.” Casey sounded calmed for a moment, but then she gushed, “Well, tell me what happened!”

Kayla let out a laugh. “You don’t give up, do you,” she said.

“No,” Casey replied. It was clear that she expected a better answer than what she’d been given.

Kayla sighed, a happy “I-give-in” sigh. “Alright. We went, and he offered to pay, so I let him,” she began.

“As a guy should,” Casey said with approval. Kayla thought that, if they could see each other, Casey would be nodding.

“Well, the movie stunk,” Kayla continued. “We couldn’t stop laughing about it afterwards.”

“Go on,” her friend urged.

“Then I flew us home.”

“Hmmmmm,” Casey said with jealousy.

“Don’t worry,” Kayla laughed. “I can take you today, if you’re not busy.”

“Alright! Want me to come over and meet you at your house?”

“Sure!” Kayla replied. “But, please take your time. I haven’ t had a chance to change out of my outfit.”

“Cool. Seeya in . . . . 10 minutes.”

“Gotcha.” They got off the phone, and Kayla practically flew into her closet, and just as the doorbell rang, she’d finally finished choosing her outfit and putting it on. She raced downstairs, and flung the door open. Casey came inside.

“Hi!”

“Hi!” Kayla replied.

"Hey, want to go to the mall or something?” Casey asked.

Kayla chuckled. “Sure, I’ll ask Dad for some money . . .” grinning, she remarkd, “and let’s hope that we don’t find another boy to fight over afterwards!”

Casey grinned. “Well, at least if we meet someone, you’ll have to remember your boyfriend,” she teased.

“Of course.” Kayla smiled smugly. “So, I’m gonna go talk to Daddy, then. I’ll be right back.”

She rushed up the stairs, but once she’d reached the top, her friend yelled frantically, “Kayla! Wait!”

Confused, Kayla went back downstairs. “Casey, what?” she asked, furrowing her forehead a bit.

Casey was standing by the door she’d come in through, staring out through its decorative glass window. Her mouth was openin a wide gape. “Look,” she murmured.

Kayla curiously stepped up to the door, and peered out. Outside was dark as night. “What?” she gasped, raising her eyebrows as she gaped as well.

“C’mere.” Casey took Kayla’s wrist, and led her over to the bay window to the right of the door. The girls stared outside in pure shock.

Storm clouds had suddenly taken those five minutes to roll into the sky. Where they’d come from neither of them knew. “But . . . those weren’t in sight when you came?” Kayla asked, bewildered.

“Nope,” Casey replied grimly. After staring up at the sky a while longer, a bolt of lightning startled them. “I don’t think we should go to the mall. I think . . . Mom will probably want me home.”

Kayla nodded in silent agreement. “Dad, I’m walking Casey home!” she yelled, leading her friend out the door.

“Okay!” came her dad’s distant replly. Casey stepped outside, and shut the door behind herself. Outside, the wind whipped fiercely at their clothes and hair, where there had not been wind before Casey got to Kayla’s.

“Come on!” Casey yelled over the wind, and set off running towards her house. Kayla followed swiftly behind her. Both narrowed their eyes to block out some of the wind, as they approached Casey’s house.

When they got there, the girls threw open Casey’s door and stepped inside. “Mom, I’m staying home after all!” Casey called. While her friend did this, Kayla went and looked out of Casey’s window. She suddenly was struck with an ominous feeling, a fearful one. She felt the urge to go . . . to go home? What do I want?

“C-casey,” she stammered, “I gotta go.” Her friend nodded, examining the house to make sur everything was okay.

“Bye.”

“See ya.” Kayla quickly went back outside, closing the door carefully behind her. She wanted to go back towards her house, to say the least. She began walking that direction. She was in a fast walk, glancing nervously up at the sky every few seconds. But she found herself . . . not looking at the clouds, but almost trying to see through them. What? Weird.

Kayla finally turned her attention back to the ground. She had gone past her house already, and was still walking in the same direction. Looking to her right at the forest she’d first changed in, a fresh ripple of fear went through her. Kayla shivered. Then she turned to the left, when she’d gone a reasonable distance further away from her house. She began walking up to a house, then when she got to the door, she raised a fist to knock.

Chapter 13
A Bleak Future

Hardly aware of it over her fear, Kayla knocked. Three swift, loud raps on the door. Why am I doing this? I don’t even know these people, Kayla thought, as soon as the action had been committed.

Kayla heard someone coming to answer the door. After unlocking it, the person opened the door. Kayla and the person gasped.

“Cody?” Kayla yelled in surprise.

“Kayla?” Cody said at the exact same time.

“What are you doing here?” they shouted in unison.

Before Kayla had a chance to say anything else, Cody protested, “I live here!” in astonishment.

“Well, I—” Kayla suddenly realized how absurd this situation was, her fear forgotten for a moment, and she started laughing crazily. Cody gave her a look of concern, and pulled her inside.

The inside of the Bryans’ house was fancy and clean. It made the family look wealthy. However, as they stood there, Kayla saw Cody’s mom walk past with a pasket of laundry, which contradicted the “rich family” idea.

“Kayla? Are you okay? And how did you know I lived here?” Cody questioned her.

She took a breath. “I’m fine,” she answered fondly. “And . . .” she looked around cautiously, before whispering, “I think my dragon instincts led me here, because I had no idea that this was your home.”

Cody was silent for a momenth, as he considered this. “Your dragon instincts?” he whispered.

Kayla hesitated, then nodded worriedly. “Thank God!” Cody said.

“What?” Kayla asked, surprised and confused.

“Well, there’s . . . I’ll show you.” Cody led Kayla into his room, and led her to his computer. When she saw the screen, Kayla’s expression filled with horror. “It’s a live sattelite feed,” Cody explained. “I set it up on the roof one day.”

Hundreds of strange space crafts were slowly moving towards Earth, from the farthest reaches of outer space. Cody’s sattelite caught it all from up in orbit. The spacecraft were still a reasonable distance away from Earth. They were in all shapes and sizes, and some were moving very quickly compared to the others. But, they were all heading steadily towards planet Earth.

Suddenly, Kayla and Cody were startled by a loud, piercing, unearthly shriek. They shouted in fear and covered their ears, but the noise was still intensely deafening. It sent vibrations through the house, and Kayla had a strange, paralytic feeling. It was hard for her to move much, and if she did, she felt stiff and heavy. She whimpered softly, and prayed for it to be over.

After a few more seconds had passed, the noise stopped abruptly. Kayla and Cody removed their hands from their ears, and began breathing heavily. “What was that?” Kayla asked, fear in her voice.

Cody put an arm around her. “I’m not sure,” he said. Now that they weren’t distracted anymore, they both looked at the screen.

“They stopped moving!” Kayla blurted out. Every single craft was motionless. Cody’s grip around her tightened, as they stared at the feed.

“I should—”

“You’re right. I’ll distract my parents, you go outside.”

Kayla quitly slipped out and headed to the door that led to the Bryans’ backyard. Cody walked casually in the other direction, and prepared himself in case one of his parents should come down. They did. “What was that noise?” they asked. “Did you hear that? Are you okay?”

While Cody was being interrogated, Kayla had begun shifting outside. He continued occupying them to give Kayla just enough time to finish. When she’d finished, she crept up to the door, and blew a puff of smoke into the house. She quickly then launched herself up and over to the other side of the house.

The smoke set off the fire alarms inside. “What in the world . . .” Cody’s dad muttered. He and his wife hustled off to tend to the relentless beeping. Taking his cue, Cody snuck outside.

He met up with Kayla in front of the house. “Couldn’t have planned it better!” Cody exclaimed, enjoying their success. Suddelny, a dark shadow covered the two. A strange, echoely, bird-like call sounded, and a huge creature landed on the ground.

The creature looked fairly similar to a dragon, with many things nearly exactly the same, though some were not. For one, the animal was almost as big as the house. Out of each temple protrueded an antennae, and the upper teeth overlapped the lower jaw.

Its cat-like eyes were dark and fierce. They had a strange, blackish tint to them. From the back of the head, a circle of spines stuck out.

The tail tip had a devil point on the end. Going up the tail from there were four blunt sets of spikes.

Rather than having both fore-legs and wings, the beast had its hind legs, and then a pair of wings where the arms would have been. A claw jutted out from where the thumb was. And its hind feet were like talons, and a dinosaur’s feet. They could have been dragon feet, except the front middle digit was raised above the rest.

Kayla had a mere second to take this in. The creature had landed in a way that separated Kayla and Cody from each other. She snarled and leapt at the monster, but it kicked its foot out at her. The force of the blow was incredible; she was thrown back a far distance, almost to the road, as the animal’s claws gouged her belly. She hit the ground with a pained roar.

Without a moment’s hesitation, the creature turned back to Cody. With a shortened version of the shriek heard from inside, it flashed its huge wing out and knocked it flat against Cody. He gave a startled yelp as he was tossed like a ball of yarn against the side of the house. After impact, he crumpled to the ground.

“Noooo!” Kayla shrieked when she saw Cody’s limp body. Unleashing an enfuriated roar, she scrambled to her feet and charged again at the moster, to which it whipped around and growled angrily.

The two animals raced toward each other, fangs bared, eyes glaring. When they’d become so close that they were almost at blows, Kayla breathed in. She was about to make an attempt at breathing fire, when the beast sprang into the air on powerful legs. It whizzed over Kayla, and landed behind her.

Kayla skidded to an abrupt stop, and spun around to face the creature. Her eyes widened in fear, for she was staring directly into the wide-open jaws of the monster. They snapped shut around Kayla’s neck, and all went black. I’m sorry, Cody . . .

* * *

Kayla finally regained consciousness some time later. How much time had gone by, whether she was awake or deraming, and whether she would live she did not know. But she was feeling horribly sick and weak.

She could hear soft, unfamiliar voices murmuring. Yet Kayla felt too ill to open her eyes and see who they belonged to.

“This is what we have to be saved by? This weakling?” snarled one voice. Kayla fumed with resentment.

“Hush, dear,” came a softer, soothing voice. “You’re just worried, and you know it.” The first speaker snorted.

Deciding that it ws time to interrupt, Kayla fluttered her eyelids open.

“She’s awake,” she second voice said. Kayla felt something cool press against her cheek. She finally managed to make sense of her sight. Kayla saw a red dragona nd a silver dragon. More of them? she wondered fuzzily. Then her dreams came pouring back into her memory.

“You!” she gasped, scrambling feebly to her feet and backing away. Surprised by this reaction, the dragons exchanged nervous glances.

“Altarra, we are sorry,” the red dragon spoke, taking a few paces toward her. “I am sorry.” She knew that he was speaking of her first dream, and that he meant his apology with all his heart.

“Whoa, back up!” she shouted. “I’m not Altarra, I’m not your ‘prophecied one’ or anything else!” She swung her tail back and forth with frustration. “My name is Kayla!” She knew, with a jolt, that she was about to find out something crucial about her past.

The dragons exchanged another set of glances. The silver dragon blinked, as if to hold back tears. “No, my daughter,” she whispered. “Kayla is the name that Joe gave you, your human name. You are Altarra, dragon of Xanadu.”

Kayla sat suddenly, feeling light-headed and dizzy. An ashen expression was on her face. THe dragons rushed worriedly to her side, as if she were going to faint.

“I’m fine,” she muttered. She quickly shot a gare at each dragon. “Who are you?” she demanded coldly.

“We are Aezamien and Adrekin,” they spoke in unison. Kayla blinked warily.

“And I’m supposed to believe that you two are my parents, much less accept it?” she scoffed. First directing her words at Aezamien, she said, “My last ‘mom’ was a heartless, cold, cruel woman who got arrested for nearly strangling me, and,” now speaking to Adrekin, “I love my current ‘father’ very much. How am I honestly supposed to trust the ones who abandoned me to a different race?”

The pair stared at the ground. “Altarra,” Aezamien said, “every parent had to do this. Every single egg, at the time, was given to humans because of the horrible danger from the Viroxians. That way, even if we died . . .” she looked sorrowfully up at Kayla. “Our children would survive,” she whispered.

Despite this, Kayla was still enfuriated. “Well, then why don’t you go leave and get killed,” she snarled. Standing and trying to walk away, she gasped as she stumbled, nearly collapsing. Her parents pressed against her shoulder on either side, holding her up. Kayla growled in protest, but was too weak to do anything else.

“What did you do to me?” she moaned.

Without skipping a beat, Aezamien told her, “I had to heal you, but I no longer have the ability to use anyone’s energy but the receptor’s own to do it.” Kayla blinked in confusion. “Because the Viroxian wounded you very badly,” her mother explained.

Kayla paled. “That was them?”

Aezamien nodded grimly. Adrekin spoke up, saying,” Luckily, that one was about as big as they get.”

“It was big enough in the first place,” Kayla snorted. Adrekin and Aezmien murmured in agreement.

Suddenly, the two of them lost their desolate mood, and brightened considerably. “We’re going to leave you here by yourself for a bit. Don’t go anywhere.” They scampered off before any questions could be asked, into the trees, leaving her standing there. For the first time, Kayla noticed that she was in the forest. What are you up to? she wondered, watching the area where they’d run off.

After she’d been waiting for a few minutes, Kayla was startled by the now-familiar swoosh of an approaching dragon’s wings. She turned around and looked up, and she saw the most handsome dragon flying her way. He was a bronzish color, and appeared to be about the same age as herself. But what about Cody? a little voice asked Kayla.

Shaking it off uncomfortably, Kyla took a few steps towards him once the dragon had landed. ‘Hi,” she spoke flirtatiously, smiling sweetly.

“Flirting, Kayla, are we?” he asked teasingly, grinning smugly. “What would your boyfriend think?”

Kayla stared at the he-dragonfor a moment, aghast, surprised by his direct and familiar manner. But how would he know about Cody? she wondered. Or what my name is? Her searching gaze examined him quizzically for a moment longer. The dragon raised his head in a bold manner. His sparkling eyes, his quirky smile, his lofty stance . . . they were all very familiar.

“Cody?!” she cried ecstatically. The dragon chuckled.

“The one and only,” he replied. Kayla rushed up to him, and lined herself up parallel with him, brushing his side. He turned his head the other direction as she did so, until he and Kayla were face-to-face. She quickly extended her head till it was below his, then gave him a firm rap upwards.

“Hey!” Cody protested, spinning his head around to face her on the other side. “What was that for?!” Kayla danced around him to the other side, where they were now facing the same direction. He whipped his head in that direction as she did so.

“For making me look like a fool,” she replied, her eyes twinkling with playful laughter.

“But a very cute fool,” he insisted, picking up on her playful attitude.

“Only cute?” she asked him in a puppy-dog voice, giving Cody a sulky look.

“Beautfiul?” he tried.

“Try again,” she teased in a singsong voice.

“Gorgeous?”

Kayla laughed, and tossed her head. “That’s more like it.”

Cody chuckled, and brushed his head up against hers. “It’s good to see you well again,” he said.

Kayla did a little gasp. “What happened when the Viroxian knocked you against the house?”

He looked a little sheepish. “I just hit my head hard, is all,” he explained. But then he rubbed her cheek with his muzzle. “I’m just glad that you’re okay,” he murmured. “You were out for nearly two days.”

Kayla’s eyes, which had been half-closed in contentment, flew wide open. “Two days?!”

“Yeah ,” Cody said calmly, but his eyes were filled with concern.

“Dad? Does he—”

“It’s fine,” he soothed her. “Your father, Casey, Kaden —*all of them got a message from your parents.” He didn’t say the last word with any special emphasis, as Kayla noticed.

“How did they react?”

“Very worriedly, but for the sake of the public they’re going on as if you just had the flu and were home sick.” He blinked. “They knew you were in good hands.”

Kayla smiled. “I suppose I was,” she mused. She leaned weakly against Cody, being reminded of her fatigue. He nuzzled her affectionately. They stayed this way from that evening, until the sun had completely set in the empty, indigo sky.

At that time, Adrekin and Aezamien came crashing back, making no attempt to stay unheard. Cody and Kayla bashfully moved away from each other a bit, blushing.

“Good day,” said Adrekin pointedly, with a humored look on his face. Cody snorted, with equal pointedness. Kayla just glared at the ground, sorry to have their moment end.

“Altarra,” her mother said, “it is time for you to return to Joe.” Kayla lifted her head, her eyes filled with interest.

“You mean, you’re not making me return to Xanadu with you?”

She shook her head, smiling. “No, your reactions have made it clear that you don’t wish to come back with us just now. And Adrekin and I —” she shot a glance in his direction, “still have much yet to do here.” Dipping her head in dismissal, she and Adrekin turned and flew off.

Now alone again, Kayla and Cody stared at each other. “Home?” Cody suggested. Kayla nodded, and swiftly changed into her human form. She was barely able to stand on her own two feet, but she didn’t want to show this to Cody. Instead, she looked with expectance at him, for he had not begun to shift.

Erm, he told her telapathetically.

“Erm, what?”

How exactly do you turn yourself human again?

She suppressed a chuckle. “Just will it,” she answered.

Cody nodded, and closed his eyes in concentration. Within a few seconds, he had begun the transformation, and had finished not much longer after that. “Well, that sure saps your energy,” he remarked. Then he realized what Kayla had just been through, and looked at her with wide, concerned eyes. She swayed on her feet, unable to hide her fatigue any longer, and Cody rushed to her side. He wrapped an arm around her to steady her, and pulled her close, just before she had a chance to collapse.

“Hey, you alright?” he asked gently.

Kayla nodded. “I’m fine,” she said, in a shaky voice. She cleared her throat.

“If you’re sure . . .”

“Cody, I’m fine,” Kayla protested. She added, “And you can let go of me now.”

Cody let go cautiously, as if he might lose her at any moment. They began walking home, and Cody made sure to stay close by Kayla’s side.

“You don’t have to do that,” she said. “I’m fine.”

Cody grinned. “I think I will, just in case.” Kayla shrugged; she didn’t care too much.

When they arrived home, Cody grinned. “I’ll see ya later,” he told her. Kayla nodded. She gave him a smile, then stepped inside. She quickly went to the couch, where she threw herself on and moaned.

“Kayla?” came a voice from upstairs, and her dad rushed down.

“Hi,” she muttered.

“You okay, darlin’?”

She nodded. “Just tired. I’m assuming you know everything?”

Joe nodded with a solemn look. “Although I might prefer that I didn’t,” he said with a chuckle.

Kayla had to laugh, too. “I guess I missed school today, again. And yesterday.” Joe nodded again.

“You should just go off to bed now, though,” he suggested. “You need to rest. You’re going back tomorrow!” He jogged upstairs before she could say another word.

Kayla sniffed, but muttered, “Might as well,” as she yawned. She pushed herself off the couch, and trudged up to her room. Half-heartedly, she changed into her pajamas, and slipped beneath her covers. She fell asleep immediately.

Chapter 14
Change of Fate

The next day, Kayla and her two best buds walked into school. “Hopefully,” Kayla was telling Kaden and Casey, “this will be the last time my other identity will interfere with my normal life.” Her friends nodded in agreement, as they got to their lockers.

Surprisingly, one of the girls from Lexi’s group approached Kayla. “Hi, Kayla!” she said, bouncing a little bit.

“Um, hi?” she answered, giving the girl a confused look. Kaden and Casey looked on, equally baffled.

“Oh! My name’s Valerie, or Val. You’re with Cody, right?”

Kayla shifted, and smiled tensely. “You could say that . . .”

Valerie giggled. “that’s awesome!’ But she looked around, becoming a bit more sober. “Just watch out for Lexi. She wasn’t too happy when she found out about it. Bye!” She walked off merrily.

“Kayla! Ohmigosh!” Casey exclaimed, grabbing her friends wrists “Do you know what this means?” Kayla gave her a blank look. “Now that you and Cody are together, this means you’ll be popular! With half the school!”

Kayla’s expression changed to one of horror. “But, Casey!” she moaned. “I don’t want to be popular! You see how mean they can get!”

Casey shrugged. “No big. If I know you, you’ll stay true to yourself.” She and Kaden headed to class without another word, leaving Kayla alone. Grumbling, she yanked her books out and slammed her locker shut. She turned around to go to class, and nearly walked into Cody.

He seemed a little surprised. “Eh heh, sorry,” she told him, shrugging. Cody laughed.
“I was wondering whether you’d make it again,” he said. “So when I saw you, ‘course I came over.”

Kayla laughed a little. “I suppose you’re going to try to walk me to class now, because we just so happen to be in practically all the same ones,” she suggested, smiling smugly.

Cody feigned shock. “So now you can read minds, too?” he gasped. Kayla swatted his arm, a playful glimmer in her eyes.

“Come on, we might as well go,” she said airily, flipping her hair back. They laughed, and began walking to class.

* * *

Kayla sighed, kicking the wall as she sat at her computer desk. She rested her albows atop it, and her head in her hands. She stared blankly at the monitor, where a blank word processor page was displayed. Too many stupid people like me all of a sudden, just because I’m with Cody. Muttering angrily, she turned the computer off. “I’m not going to use you for homework,” she griped at it.

Suddenly, an icy chill swept through Kayla. It settled in her core, giving her adrenalized fear. She turned, and looked to her window. Her shades were flapping to an unexpected breeze. Odd, she remarked, trying to settle her growing apprehension as went to shut the window.

Before she did, she couldn’t resist taking a look outside. What she saw there surprised her immensely. It was windy, and huge storm clouds billowed up above. Echoes of voices sounded in her head, but there were no words that she could recognize. Something was pulling her. Mindlessly, she began walking downstairs and towards the front door. Once outside, she immediately changed into the dragon, and began flying towards Cody’s house. She was aware, but unaware at the same time. Her mind felt blank, yet active.

She landed in front of his house, and knocked on the door with his snout. He opened the door. “Kayla?”

Something is very wrong, she told him.

“Your instincts again?” he asked her, his face paling. She nodded.

He sighed, shaking his head. “Unfortunately, I have no idea what’s going on. Mom and Dad made me take the sattelite feed down, because they thought it had something to do with the Viroxian. And they’re not even here right now.” They were silent for a while.

We should go back to my place, Kayla told him. My father is there; he might have a clue. Cody nodded, and came all the way out. As Kayla backed up, he changed into his dragon. Right after this had been done, an unearthly shriek sounded. “It’s them!” Kayla shouted hoarsely, struggling to break the paralytic grip. She found that she could walk with some difficulty, but just barely. As soon as the sound broke, she and Cody burst away, running towards their house. But without warning, Kayla skidded to a stop.

Cody stopped as well. “What are you doing? We have to get out of here!” His concern for her emanated clearly in his expression, and Kayla knew that he didn’t want her to get hurt again like last time.

“Cody, don’t you see?” she told him. “We have to. As much as we don’t want to, as dragons we have to fight for those who can’t fight for themselves.” Her eyes became very sad. “As much as neither of us wants the other to get hurt.”

Cody let out a long, shuddering sigh. “You’re right,” he murmured, coming up and rubbing his head against hers. “Our duty is to protect the humans.” As he spoke, a black shape came down out of the clouds.

Kayla closed her eyes. “They are coming,” she whispered. She and Cody could do nothing but wait, as the shape continued to descend closer and closer, and approach nearer with every passing moment.

“I don’t want to lose you again,” Cody whispered as he watched the Viroxian. Kayla pressed gently into his side.

“You won’t. I’ll be fine,” she promised him, yet unsure herself. She knew Cody could sense her uncertainty, but he didn’t seem to be reacting to it.

A moment later, the shape landed. What they’d though was one Viroxian was not. It was three. Cody and Kayla stared at the creatures, horrified, while the creatures stared back with undisguised hatred and malice.

A female voice sounded clear and cool in Kayla’s head, and from Cody’s expression she knew that he could hear it too. You are brave, young ones, it said. And strong. One of the Viroxians leapt over and landed behind them, and they looked fearfully over their shoulders to see bared teeth barely a yard away. But not strong enough, the voice continued, and they knew that it came from them. Cody and Kayla barely had enough time to run out of the reach of the teeth, as the jaws snapped where the two of them had been just a moment before.

“What do you want with us?” Cody asked the creature.

It is no business of yours. But all creatures on this planet shall be exterminated. The Viroxian roared, and all three of them began circling Kayla and Cody. Cody stepped in front of her and growled, baring his fangs. His wings he spread out to their full span. Kayla was sure he was trying his best to protect her. And it meant all the more to her, knowing that this could very well be their last moment together.

Die, shiftlings, it hissed, and the three leapt at them.

“Run!” Cody nudged Kayla forward as they ran out. But one of the creatures snapped its jaws out and caught Kayla’s tail. She yelped and twisted around, trying to make the Viroxian let go.

“Leave her alone!” Cody growled fiercely, throwing himself at the alien’s head. It batted him away with its wing, and he skidded across the ground. Another of the Viroxians came, and lunged fiercely at Kayla’s neck.

“NO!” Cody yelled, as the creature bit her hard. Kayla roared and kicked to get free, but gradually her struggles grew weaker, until at last they stopped. “Go,” she whispered to Cody, her eyes glazed over, before she closed them. Cody could do nothing but watch, horrified, as at last her breathing stopped. No. He whimpered, and turned and raced away.

The Viroxians snarled. But they left Kayla be, and went back up into the sky. They didn’t even go after Cody, they just flew back up from whence they’d come.

Cody made no recognition of anything. All he concentrated on was running far, far away. She can’t be dead. Don’t let her die. Wisely, he turned and went into the forest. Find her parents. Find them. He raced through, not reacting to any of the branches that scratched him as he ran, or the twigs that poked him.

Cody followed the tracks from the last time they’d been here; eventually his pace slowed to a hurried trot. Finally, he burst into the clearing where Aezamien and Adrekin had been.

They were not there.

“Hello?” he called, as loud as he could muster. “Anyone there?” He heard a snap behind him, and whirled around, expectant. Two glimmering, black orbs shone at him, like polished marbles. Cody fearfully leapt into the air, and flew away as fast as he possibly could.

While in the air, Cody searched for Kayla’s parents, still to no avail. Defeated, he slowly flapped back to where Kayla was.

He landed on the ground there, and roared angrily. Kayla was no longer there. He knew this meant she’d either been taken away by someone or something, or she’d got up and walked away herself. He looked around eagerly.

His heart sank when he saw her still unmoving body being hauled away in the back of a large vehicle, about thirty yards away. But I can still get her back, he reminded himself. Tensing from the sore talons he anticipated, Cody raced toward the quick-moving truck. He had been right about his feet, for the started at a steady, throbbing ache a few seconds later.

Growling defiantly, he forced himself to run even faster. He was so much closer now, and the distance was shrinking by the second. Suddenly, the car jerked to a stop. Stop sign!

Barreling along the final stretch, Cody threw himself into the air. He landed neatly on the vehicle’s hood, on the opposite side of the cage holding Kayla. He pushed it off, onto the street.

A shout of fright came from the truck’s driver. Cody jumped to the ground by Kayla, just before the car lurched and sped wildly away.

Cody panted there for a moment, before an approaching car forced him to drag Kayla far into the forest, out of sight.

Now away from any dangers for the moment, Cody numbly began licking Kayla’s wounds clean. The realization kicked in when he felt her cold, still body.

Kayla is dead.

Cody let out a wail to the sky. A tear crept down the side of his face. I swear to you, Kayla, I will kill them, he promised her as he pressed his nose into her side. Yet suddenly unable to bear the sight of her lifeless body, Cody raced away. He changed into his human form while at a brief pause, then tore all the rest of the way home. He threw himself into the corner of his room, and there he sat, sobbing quietly.

* * *

At school on Monday, Cody sat quietly and soberly in class. It had been three days, and he still couldn’t bring himself to bury her. He drummed his pencil against the top of his desk.

A startling sound came to the students: a crackle, followed by the principal’s voice. “Will Cody Bryans please report to the principal’s office,” it said. All eyes were on Cody. He looked up at the teacher, who nodded. Cody stood, and pushed his seat in, walking out.

As he headed to the principal’s office, Lexi watched Cody. Abandoning the bathroom she’d been about to walk into, she followed Cody quietly, her emerald eyes glittering greedily.

Cody stepped into the office. “You wanted to see me, Mr. Kregfeld?” he spoke politely to the man in the chair.

Mr. Kregfeld’s eyes softened. “Cody, school is halfway through, and there has been no sign of Kayla.” Cody’s heart began pounding. “She’s already missed several days up to now. We were concerned, so we phoned her father.” He became much more serious. “From the sound of it, Mr. Stevens was in hysterics. He said that Kayla has been missing since this past Friday.” Then his voice became gentle again. “Cody, if anything has happened to her, you are the last person who would know.” He then paused, looking with expectation at Cody.

Cody’s voice quivered as he spoke. “Kayla’s dead.”

The principal’s face became alarmed. “Dead?!”

Cody nodded gravely. “Cody,” Mr. Kregfeld said, “I’m very sorry. I had no idea . . . how did this happen?”

It has gone too far. It’s time for the world to know. Cody looked around. “Mr. Kregfeld,” he said. “I will tell you. But first, can you take us to a large room, one where no one will interrupt us?” The principal raised his eyebrows, then nodded.

“Come with me.” He stood, and began leading Cody away.

Just before they came out, Lexi had crept back to her class. Now, Cody is mine.

* * *

After he’d shooed the kids out of the gym for a bonus free period, Mr. Kregfeld ushered Cody in and shut the door. “This had better be good,” he said. Cody nodded seriously, and led the principal back to a corner where no one could see them unless they came inside the gym.

“Promise me you won’t react in fear, or report this, or anything,” Cody said. “Please promise me this.”

The principal sighed. “Only if it doesn’t break any rules or laws; then you have my word.”

Cody nodded. He exhaled, then began changing into a dragon. When he finished, he looked at the principal.

“How can I be sure this is real?” Mr. Kregfeld asked.

Because I can talk inside your head. The principal paled, and bit his lip.

‘Why are you showing me this?”

To make you believe what I have to tell you. Mr. Kregfeld shifted his weight.

“Very well then Cody, let’s here it.” So Cody started by explaining the Xanadesian history with the Viroxians. He talked about their first battle, and finally, he told them about the battle where Kayla had been killed.

The principal said, “Hmmm.” After a moment longer, Cody went back to his human form. He leaned against the wall for support.

“Well,” the principal said, “The fact that she is a dragon now means that we would fail to ever be able to give her a proper funeral.”

“But that’s not the point!” Cody shouted. “The point is that people are dying from this, and that there’s nothing we can do to stop it!”

Mr. Kregfeld remained calm. “This is not something that can be taken care of on the spot. You may return to your classes.” Fuming inwardly, Cody stalked out.

Mr. Kregfeld stayed in the room for several minutes longer. He pulled out his cellphone and dialed a number. It rang once, before someone answered.

“Kregfeld,” she said quietly. “Was I correct?”

“You were,” he responded. “As well, it is notable to say . . .” his eyes began glowing viciously. “that the boy knows far too much.”

A commotion came from the other line, and the communication was disconnected. Sighing, Mr. Kregfeld replaced his cell in his pocket.

* * *

When he’d left the room, Cody looked at the clock. His next class would be just starting by the time he got there. He set off, wishing that he could just tear down the whole school.

His guess had been right. He walking into class just as it was starting. Unfortunately, this was the one with Lexi. Her face lit up when she saw him, and he forced himself not to shudder. Cody felt all eyes looking at him, as he went to his seat.

The teacher ignored his late intrusion, and began her teaching. But during the class, Cody completely zoned out. He was overcome with grief for Kayla, and rage that Mr. Kregfeld refused to do anything about it.

“Lexi!” the teacher snapped suddenly. All the students, including Cody, turned to look at her.

Lexi was holding her cellphone. She looked mortified. The teacher walked up and held her hand out, palm flat up. Lexi handed the phone to her with a sullen expression.

“Thank you,” the teacher said curtly. The commotion ceased, as the teacher continued teaching. But Cody had an uneasy feeling of a simmering vengeance, for the whole remainder of the class.

* * *

“Cody!” a voice called as he was about to board the bus. He turned around, then wanted to shiver.

The voice was Lexi’s.

“Cody!” she repeated, finally walking up to him. Her face was sympathetic. “I’m really sorry to hear about Kayla.”

Cody blinked. How does she know?

“I was wondering . . . maybe you’d like to come with my family to dinner tonight? It might help you to feel better.” She smiled warmly.

Cody blinked again, as he thought it over. Lord knows I need to get out; and I could use the company. Having made his decision, he nodded. “I’d appreciate that,” he told her.

“Great!” she exclaimed. “I’ll have my parents pick you up at six. See you then!” She darted into the bus, before Cody could change his mind.

Chapter 15
Reawakening

Kayla stirred slightly. A terrible pain shrieked through her body, and she gasped as her eyes flew open. Groaning, she slowly stood up, and tested herself out. What happened? She was alive, she knew that much. But she was terribly sore all over—yet other than that, she appeared to be fine. She wasn’t even out of energy. That’s a relief, she thought with flat amusement.

She stretched her wings out. They were sore as well, but not quite so much as the rest of her. Suddenly, it all came rushing back. The Viroxian that had nearly killed her. How did I survive? She threw out a roar of defiance at the world, and along with it came a brief pillar of flame. Good, she thought with grim satisfaction. She grinned menacingly, and took off into the darkening sky.

She flew above the forest for a while, until something caught the corner of her eye. Snapping around her head, she looked in that direction. She saw Cody and Lexi, on the lawn of a strange house. Must be where Lexi lives, she mused. Rather suspicious, she landed in the forest across, and got a clear view of everything.

Cody and Lexi were talking to each other on her lawn. Lexi’s eyes were glittering strangely, and after a moment, she and Cody hugged.

Kayla’s eyes blazed with an enraged fury, and at the same time she felt as if her heart had been squeezed until it was a limp ballon. With this strange mix of emotions, she turned and fled into the forest. It wasn’t a while later, until the tears started flowing out.

* * *

“Excuse me?!” Cody yelled angrily, thrusting Lexi away.

Lexi’s eyes shone with grief. “Cody, I—”

“I have a girlfriend!” Cody said.

“But Kayla’s dead!” Lexi protested.

Cody felt extreme rage simmering up inside. Not stopping to think, he harshly shoved Lexi against the wall of her house. She gasped in pain, as he turned and bolted angrily for his house.

* * *

Kayla ran, until she found the hollow she’d been in the very first time she came here: with the pool and broken tree completing it. She curled up in the middle and whimpered sadly. He never did like me, Kayla realized with a sniffle. It was . . . always a ploy. Always. She dug her claws into the earth. I never meant anything to him. He was just toying with me. Numbed by the force of her emotions, Kayla blew a flame at one of the trees. It was extinguished quickly, but she didn’t care. Sighing bitterly, she positioned herself to watch the entrance of the hollow, and hardly noticed it when she fell asleep.

* * *

Kayla was jerked awake. She heard a rustling of the leaves around the entrance to the hollow, then a bronzey dragon head popped in. “Kayla?” he asked, as the rest of Cody’s body followed.

Him, she thought with malice. Well, his plan failed. Giving some leeway to her instincts, she said, “What do you want?” Her lip twitched in the beginnings ofa snarl, but at the same time she wanted to cry.

Cody looked surprised. “I wanted to see you. I thought you were . . .”

Kayla’s eyes narrowed. “Gone, so you could have Lexi like you’ve always wanted?” Cody opened his mouth, but Kayla threw herself at him, snarling viciously. Before he even reacted, her jaws were about to snap shut around his neck. But he pulled himself away just in time, and began backing away with uncertainty.

She leapt at him again, and managed to scr.ape her claws down his side. He roared, and jumped back again. Kayla charged yet another time. This time she bit deep into his leg. Cody snarled, and struggled, trying to pull away.

When Kayla loosened her grip, Cody backed away, and leapt into the air. He flew quickly away from there, casting a forlorn glance back over his shoulder as he fled.

Kayla remained standing there, panting for a while. Then she threw herself onto the ground, and started sobbing like she’d been before. You don’t know how much it killed me to do this, she whispered in her mind. She rasped her claws across the ground again, as she prepared for a long and lonely night.

* * *

The morning after that sleepless night, Kayla slowly stood. She stretched. I should go see dad. And Kaden and Casey. They probably don’t know I’m alive. Made up her mind, she quickly changed into a human, then set off at a hurried pace to go to her home.

When she got in, she threw the door open. “DAD!” she shouted. Her dad rushed downstairs.

“You’re alive!” he shouted, and rushed to hug his daughter.

“Yes,” she muttered, rather squished by her dad’s big bear hug. “I was supposed to be dead though, apparantly.” She said all this rather flatly. What if I thought wrong though? What if it wasn’t Cody hugging Lexi back?

“Well,” he said, letting go and ruffling her hair. “Why don’t you see if you can go catch Kaden and Casey before school starts, and bring them over here so you can tell us all what’s happened.”

Kayla nodded, and she raced outside, heading to Casey’s house. She quickly knocked on the door when she got there. Mrs. Romero answered the door. Recognition flashed in her eyes when she saw Kayla. “Casey, Kaden, Kayla’s here!” she shouted, as she left. Kayla heard running, and both Kaden and Casey came to the door to greet her.

“KAYLA!” Casey said, and attacked her friend with a hug. Kaden stood by.

“Hey Casey! Kaden! Dad said I should try to bring you two over and explained what happened.”

“Okay, we’ll come!” Casey said. She ran in and grabbed her skateboard, then the three of them hurried back to Kayla’s house.

“Hey, what about Cody? Wouldn’t you want to bring him, too?” Casey asked Kayla as she rolled along on her board.

Kayla glared. “He betrayed me. When he though I died . . . I guess he and Lexi got together.” Casey suddenly stopped boarding, and skidded to a stop.

“Kayla! No! Tell me you didn’t do anything!” she said. Kaden looked on sheepishly.

“What? Of course I did,” Kayla said, confused.

“No! Cody told us right afterwards, because we were the closest things he had to you . . . Lexi set him up. He was so mad at her that he shoved her against the side of the house and ran off! Tell me you didn’t . . .”

Kayla took a deep breath. “I atttacked him,” she stated. “I made a huge mistake.” Her eyes were wide. “I’m sorry guys, I have to go fix this!” She started running off, then said, “Tell dad: the Viroxian almost killed me, but then I woke up a few days later in the forest!” she raced away, to go shift into her dragon form in the forest.

Casey and Kaden exchanged confused glances, but shrugged and headed to Kayla’s house.

After Kayla shifted in the forest, she sped to her hollow. She had a feeling that it would probably lead her to Cody; she knew he’d probably be found within the forest.

She burst inside. After standing still for a moment to catch her breath, she closed her eyes and pictured the attack in her head. Scene after painful scene flashed through her mind, until she saw Cody flying away.

She opened her eyes, and faced into the forest, away from the houses. This is where I must go. She took off and flew the direction that he’d gone.

Kayla used little clues to find her way, like places were Cody’s wings or other body parts had grazed a few leaves off trees, or an occasional dried blood drop.

Finally, she found a place where he seemed to have stopped and rested. She cautiously sniffed the trampled area. His scent was caught clearly on it.

“Cody?” she called, hoping he’d still be nearby. There was no response. In fact, every thing was utterly quiet.

She rook a tentative step backwards. This doesn’t feel right. She was about to fly off, when something barreled into her side.

Gasping and winded, Kayla staggered back. She was sure she’d have a bruise from that. Now, she had a clear view of her attacker: Cody.

The dragon was raving mad. He charged, and again crashed into Kayla’s side. She yelped, and leapt away. As fast as she could, she turned and sprinted away.

From the noises behind her, she knew that Cody was chasing her from the air. She tried to ignore this fact, and concentrated on her escape. A fallen tree loomed in her way; she cleared it with a single frenzied leap. Suddenly, she skidded, and stopped.

Directly before Kayla was the edge of a cliff. Forest stretched out as far as she could see, and she thought she could see a golden glimmer in the distance.

Quickly remembering Cody, she turned around.

He dove at her from the sky. Her eyes widened, as the force of his painful impact drove her over the edge of the cliff.

For a few terrifying moments she was falling, but then she opened her wings and leveled out.

And then, Cody crashed into her one final time.

He sank his teeth into her right wing, while scoring his talons through the other. He tore her wings up badly, then he at last shoved himself away, and flew back to where he’d come from.

Kayla struggled to regain her levitation, but her tattered wings refused to provide any lift. A few seconds later, she crashed through a layer of leaves and branches, then thudded onto the ground. Pain blasted throughout her, and she felt like she couldn’t breathe. She struggled to keep her eyes open, but it was barely five seconds before all her senses were blocked out by a numb darkness. She realized something, her last thoughts before she lost consciousness.

This is the third near-death experience I’ve had. For all I know, it could be the last experience I’ll ever have. Period. . . . The difference this time is that I’m alone.
Cody and I are finished.

* * *

Just outside of herself in this blackness, Kayla felt a discomfort. She knew not what, but she wasn’t sure that she actually wanted to find out.

Yet suddenly, she found herself awakening to the conscious realm. Intense pain burned in her chest, and right hind leg. Her head throbbed heavily, and her lungs were on fire.

She gasped for air, and the pain in her ribs intensified. She cried out in pain. Someone help me! Suddenly, an icy, soothing feeling flowed from Kayla’s soul. She instinctively took a gulp of air, then blew an icy breath over her body. When it contacted her scales, it seemed to flow into her body. She felt as if her bones were moving in her leg and ribs, and there was an odd tingling in her side where Cody had been ramming her. A moment later, she sat straight up in shock.

She felt no more pain.

What happened? she wondered, and she slowly felt herself weakening slightly. She cautiously sniffed her formerly injured areas. Did I . . . am I healed? She found she was. I guess I inherited that from Mom. She blinked, feeling a bit odd to recognize Aezamien in that way.

Then tears sprang to her eyes. She’d thought about Cody, just before she realized that she would never be with him again.

I can still smell his wonderful scent. See the look in his eyes when he sees me. The tears began to flow freely. “He will never know how much I love him.” A depressing gloom enveloped her heart. She felt terrible. Worse then when she’d seen him with Lexi. She thought she might become sick.

Slowly, Kayla loped up to the cliff face. Sighing, she stared up. She drearily opened her wings, and flew up into the air.

Kayla noted dully that the flight held none of the enjoyment and bliss it used to for her. But really, that dull ache inside of her blotted everything else out. She sighed miserably. I guess this is what it means to be heartbroken.

When she got back home, she changed in her backyard. She stumbled faintly inside, and went straight up to her room. She stared with remorseful eyes at her reflection in the mirror. Cody hates me. Her knees shook, and she gripped her computer desk to steady herself. She stared out her window.

“I will remember you always, Cody,” she whispered, a tear sliding down her cheek. She felt like he’d died, rather then separated them. But in my world, he might as well be dead.

* * *

Kayla lay curled up in bed. Her father came into the room. “Kayla—”

“Not now Dad. I don’t want to talk about it,” she sighed.

He came and sat by the edge of her bed. “Kay—”

“Dad, please,” Kayla begged, on the verge of tears. Sighing worriedly, Joe left the room.

Chapter 16
The Nun Camp

“Kayla?” Casey begged. “Please, you can’t be like this! You need to eat something, do something, and stop being so miserable!”

Kayla was still in bed. She’d been feeling so badly, that she hardly left it all week. She’d not been eating much either. “Why?” she muttered weakly.

Joe walked into the room. “Well, I just got off the phone with the Nun Camp of Sunshine for Teens.” Kayla moaned, and covered her head with her pillow.

“Now darling, don’t be like that,” he said, coming to sit on the edge of the bed. “Now, you’ll be going for a few weeks. You’ve been very depressed for a while—” Kayla mumbled something into her pillow.

“So you will hopefully be brought out of this mood. And of course, Casey and Kaden’s parents have agreed to let them come along to keep you company.”

Kayla removed the pillow to glare angrily at her dad. He shrugged. “Kayla, this is my last option. There’s no logical reason for you to be in a mood like this—” Kayla and Casey quickly exchanged a look. Only they and Kaden knew the whole story. “so I’m taking you and your friends. You’ll be fully schooled out there, and it’s only for a little while.”

Kayla resumed glaring at Joe.

“We’re leaving as soon as you’re packed.”

“WHAT!?” Kayla protested angrily, sitting up quickly. Casey began to look uncomfortable. Kayla gave her friend a venomous look. “You,” she spat. “You knew! You and Kaden both!”

Casey stammered, “No, it’s—”

“Traitors!” Kayla shouted, then wrapped her arms around her knees and began sobbing uncontrollably. Casey merely gaped. She gave Joe a desperate look.

“Kayla, she’s not a traitor. She only just found out today,” Joe said, seeming rather baffled as well.

“It’s not that,” Casey said, hugging Kayla. “She’s upset because Cody . . . broke up with her.” She chose her words with caution, to hide the complete story.

Joe’s mouth was open in a little ‘O’, but no words came out. “Well . . . even more reason to go.” He walked out of the room, ending the discussion.

Kayla sniffled, and Casey hugged her tighter. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “Don’t cry. He’s not worth it.”

“But it was my fault,” she said in a breathless voice. “I’m the one not worth it.”

“Not true,” she answered. “Come on, let’s get you packed.” Kayla nodded, her eyes red. She wiped the wetness off her cheeks, and slid out of bed.

* * *

Two hours later, Mr. Stevens was driving Kayla, Kaden, and Casey to the Nun Camp of Sunshine for Teens. The SUV made it feel like they were hardly driving at all, so Kayla couldn’t say it was too loud or too bumpy to speak. Nonetheless, as she sat between Kaden and Casey, she let them just talk to each other so she could be alone with her thoughts. One interesting thing Kayla noticed was that the forest never seemed to end . . . the whole time, they were driving to the left of it, and eventually it surrounded them on their other side as well.

Around ten PM that evening, six hours later, the trees on the left side were gone again, replaced by open fields. They were approaching the camp, and would probably be there in a minute or two. Looks a bit like a college, Kayla remarked.

The road beneath their vehicle’s tires was now plain dirt. The forest along their right was now ominous and scary, for the sun had set. A shiver ran down Kayla’s spine, but luckily they had finally pulled into the driveway for the camp.

The driveway was crunchy-sounding gravel. It branched off to the right in a section where the forest was cut away, and the road ended about ten feet beyond. Kayla was glad to see that all along the length of the driveway, the forest didn’t begin again for many yards.

Joe turned his car off. “Well, come on kids, let’s get your bags.” He got out of the car, as did Kayla and her friends. They walked around to the back, Kayla staying just a little farther behind the other three. Joe opened the hatch in the back, and the teens each grabbed their bags. He shut it again with a loud slam, and led the kids to the building.

Finally, away from the forest, Kayla thought with a shiver. Casey and Kaden trailed with her after Joe, as he escorted them through the front door.

“Hello? Anyone in here?” Joe called. A young nun came rushing into the hall they were standing in, from a small room.

“Kayla, Kaden, and Casey?” she asked in a small, hurried voice. Joe nodded.

“This one is Kayla,” he said, gently pulling her forward a bit. The nun nodded, as if this was something to be expected.

“Come with me, children,” she said pleasantly. “I’ll take you to your rooms; the other teens have just turned in for the night.” She promptly turned and bustled away, leading the kids away from Joe.

“Bye dad,” Kayla whispered, as she quickly turned to look back at Joe. He nodded, and went back outside. Kayla turned back to her front, and concentrated more openly on following the nun.

After having followed her for a few minutes, she opened a door. “Casey, Kayla, this is your room,” she said. Their whole group stepped inside. There were two beds with a nightstand in between them, with a lamp on it. There was also a wardrobe, a sofa with a lamp beside it, a bathroom, and a window. A small desk in the corner had a computer on it, and a chair beside it.

Nearly everything was colored brown: the floors, the blankets, the drapes, and even the walls were a darkish tan. Kayla and Casey wordlessly walked over, and put their bags on the bed.

“Now, I’ll leave you two to settle in, while I take Kaden to his room. He will be just next door,” she said, then shut the door, taking Kaden back into the hall with her.

Casey looked around. “A little shabby,” she remarked. “It wouldn’t hurt to give it a bit of color.” Kayla shrugged, and flopped down to sit on the sofa. Casey went to sit beside her friend.

“Kayla, come on, please don’t be so miserable!” she pleaded. Kayla sighed. “Will you at least promise me that you’ll get yourself a decent breakfast tomorrow?” she asked.

Kayla looked into Casey’s eyes. Her friend seemed so desperate and worried for her, that she nodded. “Alright,” she said. “I promise.” She knew that there was no chance of Cody being out here, although just the thought of him showing up made her grimace.

“What does that mean?” Casey asked her.

Kayla smiled. “It doesn’t matter,” she said. “Just a thought.” Then she stood. “Come on, let’s get ourselves ready for bed.” Casey nodded. “You can change first,” she offered, looking around again. Kayla nodded, and quickly dug through her duffel bag for her pajamas. Once she found them, she went into the bathroom and shut the door behind herslef to change within.

* * *

That night, Kayla and Casey seemed to sleep soundly. But inside, Kayla was dreaming . . .

An ancient man walked up to Kayla, walking with a cane. He pointed at her, and said, “You will come. I will be waiting.” She looked down at herself, and saw that she was a dragon.
“Altarra,” he said. “You will come.” Then his face grew dave, as he chanted, “Silver and gold will come together, and free the land of Xanadu forever. The two of them, salvation shall bring, a he and she dragon, colors of a ring. Only by entering their birthplace of old, can steel become silver, and bronze become gold. Children of dragons and humans they’ll be, tales of these warriors passed down through history.” He bowed his head, and vanished away like fading mist.

[xnewmsx]

Shadow, OMG it's so good! Yeah, you used Aezamien! Though she's not red....Well, variety is the spice of life!

[shadowsown88]

Yeah, I wanted Kayla's mom to resemble her better. I did remember she was read, though! And thanks for the praise!

[Pumpkin_Pie]

Awesome!!!!!!!!! that was really good!

[xnewmsx]

I'm going to watch this thread....It sounds like a good story. And remember, when it gets published, I get a copy.

[shadowsown88]

Thanks, pumpkin_pie!

I haven't forgotten, newms!

[xnewmsx]

Just reminding you....

[shadowsown88]

Lol! Oh, wait, I have a way this'll actually work! When you see the book in stores, send me fan mail saying who you are and say some way for me to recognize you! Then I'll send you a copy!

[smallfry120]

Shadow! I LUV it! So good! And i luv the names u chose 4 her dragon parents! Really god! And the prologue is really great too! Fantastic!

---------- smallfry120 added 1 Minutes and 14 Seconds later ----------

Yeah...I want a copy too.And I can go around,saying I chatted with this girl on WI! lol! U could become my new fave author!

[shadowsown88]

I'm so glad that you think so! I'd be living the dream if I was a fave author someday! You'll have to send me a letter asking for a copy and with proof of who you are, too, k?