The Dragon Heir Chapter 14: Eat to Survive

Awakening was the usual caper—slipping back into reality from the embrace of dreams. In my dreams, I felt no different than in reality, save for the delightful thought that pain couldn't touch there. So, when I roused to a symphony of aches and pains, I knew I was unmistakably alive.

I was greeted by the curious sensation of... hands?

It took a tick for my eyes to adjust—those peculiar, slit-like eyes of mine felt so strange. Upon opening them, I imdiately regretted it. The world was awash in a kaleidoscope of blinding hues, causing my eyes instant agony.

What on earth was that?

I kept my eyes shut for a mont, taking stock of my surroundings through my other senses—naly my ears and my very skin... err, scales? Right, first things first: it felt just like in my dreams. I flexed them, my claws, confirming I still had these new appendages, the little limbs on my back, and the tail.

So, it carried over—my form was just as it was in dreams. I sincerely hoped Lotte would have a reasonable explanation when I returned because this whole business was driving barmy.

Things needed sorting. First, I had to figure out what had happened. I was fairly certain the bottled-up mana in those towers had gone haywire. What was that flash of white that knocked out? Initially, I thought it was a blast of concentrated mana, but that should have vaporized and the chap with on the spot. Perhaps it was sothing else—sothing to ponder later and query Lotte about. For now, I needed to get this fellow to calm down.

He was blubbering like a baby, clutching for dear life. Although my vision was still on the fritz, I could feel soone hugging like their favorite stuffed bear. I craned my long neck and ever so slowly cracked open an eyelid. The world was still ablaze with a riot of colors, but I was ready for it this ti. I umm, squinted. Half opening my eyes helped them a lot against those pesky colours. I was even thinking of using a bit of fabric as a makeshift eye mask can help dim them, but squinting would do for now.

It worked, more or less, just enough to make out the sa horned fellow clinging to like I was his last lifeline, crouched behind a massive wall. I peered around, the bright hues were still making my eyes water, but I had to assess the situation. Debris littered the floor, yet the walls and ceiling appeared mostly intact. The structure had taken a beating but was still standing firm despite the gaping holes here and there.

With a bit of a squirm, I wriggled free from his grasp, making him yelp in surprise. I glanced down at myself, now fully in my little scaly critter form. It was just like in the dream, which gave so ti to adjust. But what I couldn't adjust to was my size! The chap who was now gawking at had been smaller than before, and now I barely reached his knees.

Bah, humbug!

The man, still trying to catch his breath, looked at with a bit of relief mixed with more caution. "You're awake! Thank ancestors." His words were grateful, but his face seed to be having an entirely different conversation.

"When did this happen?" I inquired, pointing a rather perplexed claw at myself. A silent thank you to all deities that I could still speak, albeit in an oddly squeaky timbre. And honestly, why on earth was I so small?

He took a deep breath, as if trying to marshal his thoughts. "We were escaping, rember? Everything was going wrong. The hall was crumbling, you were screaming your head off too..." His voice trailed off into the ether.

I nodded, trying to assemble my fragnted recollections. "Yes, the running bit. But what ca next?"

"Well," he continued, "we were making our escape when this... this shockwave of white washed over us. Felt not a thing myself, but you..." He hesitated, giving a look laced with concern.

"But I...?" I pressed, growing impatient. Ti was not on my side; Lotte had ntioned I needed to eat sothing soon.

"You just keeled over," he said, his brow furrowing like a worried hedgehog. "One mont you were there, dashing beside , and the next, you were out cold. Then, when I tried to rouse you, I noticed you'd... changed."

"Changed?" I echoed, glancing down at my own form. So sothing fishy had happened. We were both clueless in the end. Lotte had better have so answers. The way she insisted I needed a nibble, it was as if she had foreseen this scenario. She always claid she wasn't a seer. Bah, I was beginning to have my doubts.

At this mont, I felt like one of those pesky lizard monsters with wings. I flapped them experintally, harder and faster, but it was a futile effort. What was the point of these appendages if I couldn't even manage a proper flight?

As I mulled over my utterly pointless wings, a sudden glimr of light caught my attention. Before I could even blink, a translucent screen appeared before , glowing with an eerie luminescence. What the devil?

Notification!

ssage: If you're seeing this, Jade, then my attempt was a success.

My mind went blank for a mont—attempt? Success? A notification?

Notification!

ssage: I know you have questions, but this thod of communication is dreadfully one-sided. I shan't be able to hear or respond to anything you say.

"Wait! Wait! Wait! Hold on a tick!"

Notification!

ssage: It's rather fascinating, I must admit. By reverse engineering what Barn did, I managed to establish a connection through this thing. Return to the dream once you're safe. There are multiple threads turning red around you. Be cautious and don't rush. Only sleep once you're certain of your safety or if Barn awakens.

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Lotte? By Jove, it was indeed Lotte! She had found a way to converse with beyond the realm of dreams! A rush of joy and warmth enveloped , montarily diverting my mind from her last ominous warning. Ah, those crimson threads were there as well… I knew well what they portended. Danger, pure and simple. And multiple threads? Multiple sources of peril. I felt a chill creeping through my veins.

Notification!

ssage: Oh, it seems I might have bungled things up and intercepted another ssage from this thing.Right, let step back for a mont, it should co through.

Mission Alert!

Objective: Eat to Survive

Task: Devour so sustenance within the next half hour.

Reward: Triple Morphogen and Experience from the subsequent kill.

Penalty: Imdiate Death.

Accept: Y/N?

I blinked, attempting to digest the information. Wait, what was this about imdiate death? LOTTE! I wanted to refuse, to rail against the absurdity of it all, but then another line of text appeared, dashing any such hopes.

Survival Missions are Automatically Accepted!

"Bloody marvellous," I muttered, glancing at the fellow who was still observing with a bit of concern and, perhaps, confusion. But alas, I had no ti to decipher his expression.

"What's the matter?" he inquired.

"Nothing," I replied, unwilling to divulge too much. Lotte had already hinted that sothing peculiar had befallen and had emphasized the importance of eating imdiately upon waking. Would I have perished had I remained in the dream and not been ushered out by Lotte? Crikey, that was a morbid thought.

His eyes told he didn't believe one bit. First things first, I needed his na; I was getting rather tired of referring to him as 'this chap' or 'this fellow' in my head.

"What's your na?"

"Er, m-?" he stamred.

"Of course! Who else do you see around us?"

"It's Stephan. P—" He halted, likely about to say "Princess Vernia." Good. I didn't fancy being called by soone else's na.

"Jade. The na's Jade. I'd love to natter more, but I desperately need to eat sothing. For so inexplicable reason, it feels like if I don't consu sothing within the next half an hour, I might very well die."

He looked horrified. "But how?"

"I haven't the foggiest," I admitted, letting a touch of frustration seep into my voice. "But it seems I don't have a choice in the matter."

As for sothing edible, if there were threads of danger weaving around , then there must be a source. I glanced at my claws, sharp and deadly, and snapped my teeth, ready to rend flesh. If there was a threat lurking, I licked my teeth, surveying the surroundings, it jolly well better be sothing I can munch on.

"We're in quite the danger, I tell you. Don't ask how I know, just trust that I do."

He looked at not with scepticism but with a hint of surprise. "I, um, might have a clue about that."

Hmm, he did?

"You're aware of the danger around us?"

He said nothing, rely pointed upwards. There, in the wall, was a sizable hole.

I stared at it, irked by how diminutive I'd beco. The old would've peeked through it just by standing tall. "I might need a lift to get a gander at this."

It took him a mont, but he caught on and hoisted up. Elevated thus, I peered through the hole.

I searched for anything that scread 'danger.' Debris was scattered all about. Beyond the wall lay a hallway, stretching out into the unknown. Its width was ample enough for two carriages to pass side by side, and its height was quite ordinary. The walls, once smooth and artfully crafted, were now blemished with cracks and chips. Faint remnants of intricate carvings were barely visible over the damaged surfaces.

Dead sconces lined the passage, their lights long extinguished. But I didn't need their glow to spot the shadows skittering amidst the debris. They moved swiftly, eyes glinting crimson, and filling with a creeping dread. My earlier bravado about danger being a potential snack was quickly ebbing away.

It seed they hadn't noticed , thank goodness. Stephan slowly lowered back down.

"Part of the reason I'm hiding here," he said. "Ever since that shockwave of white hit, it seems like every magical device and enchantnt broke. None of them are working anymore."

This implied sothing I really didn't want to hear.

"So… the portals too?" My voice trembled. Please, please say you didn't check. Please, stop my mind from spiraling. Please… prove Lotte wrong for once.

"Stopped working as well." His eyes glistened with unshed tears. I felt a similar numbness settling into my own, not from those blazing colours, but from a sudden, profound sorrow. And with it ca a surge of anger—directed at myself.

Lotte had advised to bid my farewells, warning I'd end up in so far-flung locale. But heed her words? Not I. Now, in this altered state, no one would recognise . The portal ho had ceased functioning. What would Father think? Had he concluded I'd scarpered, abandoning him?

I blinked back the tears and gave my head a resolute shake. There would be ti aplenty to wallow in this wretchedness later. I silently assured my anxious heart that I would find a way back. The thod was unclear, but find it I would.

Presently, I had more pressing matters to address. Either I found sothing to nibble on soon, or I'd et my maker.