FSE

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Me and Sierra strode on the dirt path to see the old factory right in front of us, underneath the rays of the bright full moon. Hours has passed, since me and everyone else has debated for a plan to stop Marcus, and now here are me and Sierra ready to meet Marcus together. Sierra had her eyes right on the building and so was I. Both of us stopped at about several feet away from the place. Sierra said with her eyes still locked on to the building, "So is this the place? Looks pretty dilapidated."

I nodded in agreement at the pretty old building, "This place has been standing in this part of the woods for years. As long as I can remember. When dad and I usually fish out here, he pretty much drives us all the way here to park the car in front of this creepy place. So that way, we wouldn't have a far walk from a different parking spot." I let out a sigh, "I'm guessing Marcus has saw some more of my past and decided to come to this area. A perfect place for his scheme."

She looked down beside me and cocked her head, "So this place is a factory. What was this place used for?"

I looked up beside her and answered, "Well this used to be a doll factory, that lots of humans worked there to make dolls for human hatchlings to play with." I looked back at the building, "Now since the place went out of business before I was born, no one uses this place anymore. It just sits there."

Sierra took a deep breath and let it out, and said, "Well...We're here, so where do we find Marcus?"

That name has sent a bout of anger coursing through my body. Hearing that name really makes me want to kill him, since he kidnapped my mom. But I controlled myself and answered when I turned my gaze onto her, "In the woods, about a minute from here." I pointed in the direction from my memory of the vision past Sierra, "Down that way, I think."

Sierra followed my gaze and growled a bit to herself, still thinking about seeing Marcus makes her scales crawl, "I hope your mother's alright."

I walked up beside her and nodded as I stared at the path that would lead us to Marcus and mom, "Me too." God, I know I saw mom alive and well in my vision, but I hope she's okay. I won't lose her, like dad. I won't. I looked up at Sierra and asked, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Sierra shook her head a bit, "Not really. And I'm sure as hell know, that I don't trust Marcus at all to let Diana go." She slowly looked down at me, "But Diana's an innocent human, and I won't let her get hurt."

I shook my head in agreement, "Neither will I. I..." I let out a trembling breath, "I'm just scared that something bad will happen. That mom won't make it, or that I might die because I really screwed him over. Or, he'll take control over you and command you to kill me again. Unless I sing to you again, which I hope works well twice."

Sierra said, "I know this seems risky, but we have to do this. Lets go save your mother."

I put on a determined face and held a fist to my chest, "Right."

Sierra held an apprehensive look on her face and looked up at the stars in the sky, "Wayne...Amanda....Everyone.... I love you all, and give me strength."

I let out a sigh and held the same look too, having Rain's face on my mind, "I love you, Rain." I looked up at the sky too, just like Sierra. Dad...Protect me, Sierra and mom. Then without further ado, me and Sierra started to make our trek to meet with Marcus. I'm coming for you mom, hold on.

Both of us do know that this was a very risky situation, but we don't have any other choice. We had to meet with that sick bastard, or we wouldn't see mom again. I hope that them coming to this place like in my vision, would come true. Cause if they don't, then we wouldn't be able to find them again.

The two of us walked off the path and headed deeper in the woods. The crickets were chirping in the night and we were pushing and passing several bushes. About a minute later, we can see a big round clearing nearby and we both wandered out into it. The two of us were taking several cautious steps. Sierra was gazing the area around her, to see if she can see them. I was doing the same thing with each step, but so far there was no Marcus, or my mother. We both wandered out there, until we were both standing side by side in the middle of the clearing. I was feeling dread, like it had built inside of me already today. I even feel the dread coming from the big blue dragoness beside me. I can imagine her fear of being controlled by Marcus again. Afraid that she won't remember her family and friends. Afraid that she won't remember Wayne.

Sierra thumped her tail behind her and growled in irritation, "Alright...Where are they?"

I shrugged with both hands, "They're supposed to be here. I know that this was the place in the vision."

Sierra growled even louder, when she started to spread her wings, she began to bare her teeth. She muttered to herself, "Where are you, you bastard?"

I put on a glare and that's when I cupped my hands to my mouth and screamed through them, "MARCUS!!!" My voice echoed throughout the woods and I just stood there lowering my arms listening to it. No one came.

Sierra let out a hiss and shouted when she stood tall with a flare of her wings, "Come out asshole! I'm right here!" Then she let out a earth shaking roar and that echo of her roar went beyond my shout. Sierra clawed at the ground with her paw in anticipation.

That's when we both heard it, "Ancestors, you two really aren't patient. We're right here!" We both gasped and turned sharply around to see Marcus held onto his staff with one hand. While with the other one, he held my mother captive with his hand around her arm. Mom looked terrified. They both came out of the edge of the woods and out into the clearing with me and Sierra. The wind came and brushed a bit against Marcus's purple robe, rustling it a bit. His face locked onto us with a great big smug smile, "Weee! You made it! Now we get to build ourselves a camp and sing a little campfire song!"

I glared at him with my anger going up in a all time high, "Cut the bullshit, Marcus."

My mom shouted at me with fear in her eyes, "Brandon! Help me!"

I held a gaze on my mom, shouting her this, "I'll get you out of this mom, I promise!"

Mom was now staring at Sierra's form in shock, "My god....Is that really, a-"

Marcus rolled his eyes and sighed, "Yes, Diana. I told you before that dragons are real. You really aren't a very good listener, are you?"

Diana was staring in awe at my bright blue friend beside me, "I didn't believe it. I didn't believe, that dragons really do exist."

Marcus proclaimed, "Yep, that's right! And he's standing with one!" Then he bore a serious look, when they stood about twenty feet from us, "You know, I knew you'd show up with Sierra. I had a feeling that you have a vision about us and come here. I'm glad you did."

Sierra shook her head, "Trust me, the two of us never wanted to come here in the first place."

Diana mumbled when she heard Sierra, "She...Talked."

Marcus rolled his eyes in annoyance, "Yeah, yeah. Blah, blah, blah. Dragons can talk, now will you shut up?" Diana shot a glare at him and he jerked her arm roughly, telling her in that way to behave.

I took a step forward and said heatedly at Marcus, "Yes, me and Sierra are here, and it's because you took my mother." I shook my head at him, "This one's low, even for you. You can just leave her out of this." I spread out my arms, "Me and Sierra, are the ones you want."

He snarled, "Fool! I wanted YOU before, but I don't now." The green stone flashed brightly by his anger, when he raged on, "I only want Sierra! THIS is about my apprentice! I need her still!"

Sierra sneered, "You don't care about me! You just use me to get what you want!"

Marcus spat back at her, "Exactly! And I want you for my spell! If I need to start my war, I need my apprentice again." He began to smile, "You're my favorite anyways, and I bet you've missed me, apprentice."

I clenched my fist tightly, "She was never your apprentice!!"

Sierra waved a paw, "What is it that you hope to accomplish having your war? Do you really think that you can erase the sins of humanity's past, by murdering every human in this timeline? For having dragons massacring innocent humans for something they had nothing to do with WAY before all of them were born? The humans these days, were never around those times. Times have changed. You're in denial that the humanity is not what they were before. Humanity has changed, Marcus! None of this is worth it! You're the one who wants to start this war, not them! There shouldn't be any war at all, there should be peace!"

Mom was confused by all this, "Brandon, what's she talking about?"

Marcus turned his head and snarled at mother, "Shut up!" Mom was shaken a bit by his scream.

I pointed a threatening finger at him, "You leave her alone!"

Marcus turned his fierce gaze onto me, "You shut up, too! I'm in control now, and if you tell me what to do again, SHE DIES!!!"

That threat turned my heart and blood cold, and I was breathing heavily. I was looking right at mom, who was scared for her life because of that threat. Mom....

Marcus ranted on, "As far as I'm concerned, humans are still a menace to dragons. And I'm going to erase that menacing species!"

I countered his words, "This is bullshit! We're not a menace now! Humans are different these days!"

Marcus raged at me, "Including you! I should've killed you when I had the chance! In fact, I should kill you right now." Mom gasped beside him with fear in her eyes for my life.

Sierra's frame went right in front of me protectively with a glare, "You shall not harm him."

"I was a fool to put aside my hatred toward humanity, to have you as a tool! You ruined my plans, and now I'm getting you back for it."

I moved around Sierra and thrusted a hand to him, "By kidnapping my mother?!!"

"How do you think I've felt when you took my apprentice away?! You think you can get away without any consequence? Well guess what? There's a consequence!!!"

I said to him in a threatening tone, "Let my mother go, now!"

Marcus argued, "Not until I have my apprentice!"

Sierra growled, "I was never your apprentice! I have a life and a family!"

He rolled his eyes, "Yeah, a human that you have as a mate and another human you have as your daughter."

Mom raised an eyebrow at what he said about Sierra having a human as a mate, "What?"

Marcus ignored her and continued to spat toward Sierra, "No wonder, I was glad that you've joined me. What you were doing was pretty disgusting."

She narrowed her gaze at him, "It was always normal. I've found love and a child. You wouldn't know how that feels, because YOU don't have any of those things. All you care for is hate and war. You don't have any other feelings. You are a MONSTER."

I took a step forward and adamantly said, "I've found love for the first time in my life, and she's the most beautiful girl that I've met."

Sierra growled again, "You're worse than the mayor of the dragon city. You're more evil than he was."

Marcus smugly said, "I'm more SMARTER, than he was. I won't end up like him."

Sierra shook her head at him, "You say you're smart, but you're still evil. You did so many heartless things and you never cared. In my opinion, that's not smart at all."

I said with more anger in words, "You've hurt Rain and everyone, and you will pay for it."

Marcus nastily said, "Gee, and I don't understand why Rain would love a human like you! You're not even a drake!"

I shot back, "At least, she's not with a deranged asshole, like you!"

He shouted, "I'm not deranged at all! I'm pretty sane! If she was with me, she'd be with another dragon like her!"

Sierra rolled her eyes, "Are you kidding me? You're not even a dragon now! You're a human!"

He snarled real loud, "I KNOW I'M NOT!!! But if I was like I was before, then she'd be with another of her species! Not do anything abnormal with a human!" Then he had a twisted smile spread across his face, "I'd give her what she wants. I know she wants hatchlings. If she wants hatchlings, then I'd give her hatchlings. She'd find the relationship with me better than being in a relationship with a human. She'd be with a REAL dragon. Not some puny human, who can't give her what she wants. She really is sexy with her scales, after all. And when she gets a good look at me, she'd tremble at the sight of me. When she does see me, she'll raise her tail for me to mount her. She would take whatever's coming to her."

Now that one got to me and I growled through my teeth, "You sick bastard!" Sierra hissed at him beside me when she heard all that, as I went on, "She wouldn't do anything like that with you. Why? Because she has encountered someone like you before and he raped her. That wasn't fair. She would NEVER love someone like you." Marcus's smile faded away and I put my hand to my chest, "I know I'm human, I know that I'm not a drake. But I would always treat her and her body with respect. I know that I can't give her hatchlings. But Rain loves me despite that, and so do I. And if you even touch her, I'll kill you myself." Mom looked confused at what all of us are talking about. Especially about me with Rain. She's getting the feeling that the one that I love, is a dragon. But she appeared to have brushed that off with a shake of her head. Wanting to focus on what's happening right now.

Marcus sneered, "She's with you, because she's weak and doesn't get it! She doesn't get the fact that humans and dragons getting together is not normal! She's blinded by her feelings towards humanity! She's blinded by YOU! She doesn't get the fact that humans are completely evil!"

I adamantly declared, "I'm not evil!"

Marcus completely ignored that, "Rain and so many dragons like her, don't see things like I do! They're all blind! They don't get the fact that humanity has been evil before and they always will be! All humans are evil!"

Sierra said this, "There are some humans who are evil, but not all of them are! And to tell you something, you bastard. Us dragons see humans for what they are now, and they did the same towards us. We maybe different yes, but it doesn't matter what we are. We can still be friends. Both species can be friends and co exist, and we had. They have accepted us before and you ruined that! We were never blinded by our feelings towards humanity, we saw things clearly. YOU'RE the one who's blind."

I pointed at him, "You don't see it! You CHOOSE not to see it! Everything that the humans and dragons did together is REAL!"

He raised his staff off the ground and shoved the end of it back down, "Enough of this!" He eyed furiously at Sierra, "I want you back, now!" Then he eyed me as well, "And we'll see what happens if I let your mother go or not. I'm completely pissed at you."

I threatened, "Do anything to harm her, and me and Sierra will kill you."

Sierra shot up her head, "We won't let you hurt an innocent human, Marcus."

That's when he ordered her, "THEN COME TO YOUR MASTER NOW!!!" Sierra didn't even move, didn't do what he said. She was just staring at him and so did I. Marcus let out an sigh and cleared his throat, "Alright, I'll tell you what, Sierra. I WON'T kill Brandon or Diana. Correction, I won't kill NIETHER of them. Once I have you by my side, I will let Diana go free. And mother and son will reunite! Sound good? I think, it's a fair deal."

Sierra began to form a grin a few moments later, "Sorry, but I won't go with you."

Marcus's face went wide and he gazed suspiciously now, "Why is that? And why are you smiling?"

That's when I formed a devious grin on my face and shouted at the woods, "Now guys!"

Marcus stuttered, "Wh- What the?" Then my friends hurriedly came out of the woods. Neal, Rain, Cody, and Frankie ran towards Marcus and mom in a fast pace from different sides. While Jessie, Wayne and Amanda just ran up behind them. Amanda brandished a gun in her hand with both hands and jammed it into Marcus's back. It's the gun that she used to kill her father years ago. Marcus gazed back and forth at each of my dragon friends, as they towered around him and mom. Marcus realized that he's trapped in a circle of my friends. He felt the gun barrel behind him, "What the hell?!"

Frankie shot up his head, "Ha! Never expected that, huh?"

Me and Sierra strode up to them, both of us with triumphant grins. See here's what happened. The next part of the plan that me and my friends created several hours ago, just started. Here was the plan, me and Sierra pretend that we came to this area alone and confront Marcus, making him think that we're alone here. While the others hide and watch over us, until I give them the signal to come out from separate directions to surround him. The basic thing was, Marcus can see the past, also a few parts in the present. But he can't see the future a lot. So he wouldn't know what we'd do right this second. He never knew what hit him, and he was surprised! Also with everyone surrounding him in a circle, and with Amanda jamming her gun in that bastard's back, he wouldn't use his disappearing act to escape like the last time. We got him in OUR grasp now and we're the ones in control! Marcus knows he doesn't want to die, and we'll use that advantage to make him reverse his spell over humanity. And then when he thinks he'll be safe and we'll let him go...We won't. We'll kill him anyways, because of all the stuff he's done. He won't get out of this one.

Rain looked down and said this to mom with concern, "Are you alright?"

Diana was surprised by a lot of dragons that are near her, but she nodded at Rain, "I...I'm fine."

Wayne said this behind Marcus and Diana, "It's okay, we're here to help."

Amanda put on a big grin when she jammed the barrel into Marcus again, "Never thought I'd use this thing again." Then she glared and threatened him from behind, "Let Diana Long go!"

Cody glared down at Marcus and demanded, "Reverse your spell over humanity, return things to normal. Make things right."

Rain waved her paw at him, "It's over, Marcus. You've turned humanity and Tommy against us, now reverse that spell. Let both kinds reunite."

Neal snorted down at the monster in the purple robe, "Do it now, and we'll reconsider not killing you. We'll let you walk away and you can start your new life."

Marcus snarled at all of us, "All of you can go mount yourselves! I won't let all of this be futile! I will take back what's mine and start my war!"

Sierra shook her head and gave him a snort, "I won't be used again. I won't be your tool for destruction."

Rain said this as well, "None of us will be used. Dragons have their own free wills and we don't deserve to be controlled by you."

Wayne sneered, "No one uses Sierra and gets away with it!"

Jessie said, "We're stopping this, now!" And with that, she grabbed onto mom and pulled her out of Marcus's grasp, pulling mom against her.

Amanda shoved the gun roughly in his back, and snarled at the monster, "Reverse the spell!"

Rain stomped her paw to the ground, and lowered her face to where he was with a threatening glare, "NOW!!!"

Before something else could happen, suddenly Marcus screamed really loud and the stone on the staff glowed brightly. The wind blew fierce around us, as the glow grew so bright like the sun, all of us had to cover our eyes. Me and my fellow humans just raised our arms to our faces, while the dragons held out their wings in front of them to do the same thing. Rain glanced at me and shouted as the force of the wind grew loud, "What's going on?! What's happening?!"

I answered with a squint in my eyes, "I don't know!"

All of a sudden the bright light consumed all of us and I shut my eyes real tight. About several seconds have happened, until I've felt the force of the wind finally died down and everything was just quiet. I immediately opened my eyelids and saw that the ground is black now. I gasped and shot my arms back down, when I did I saw that everywhere is black around me. There were no trees, no grass, not even the sky. It was like an endless void of darkness everywhere. And my friends weren't around me too, especially Marcus. I let out another gasp and muttered to myself, "Where...Where am I?" What is this place? Where is everyone? I looked around when I took a couple steps in this dark, scary, lonely place. I looked all around me and still don't see anyone. I cupped my hands to my mouth and shouted, "Guys! Where are you?!"

No answer, so I tried again to shout at another direction, "Rain! Amanda! Jessie!" I whirled around and shouted again, "Neal! Frankie! Mother!!!"

That's when I heard a familiar voice much to my joy, "Brandon!" It sounded like mom. I let out a breath of relief. Oh, thank god. That's when I saw mom coming from out of nowhere and she threw herself into me, to hug me tight, "Oh my baby!"

I chuckled a bit at her embrace and hugged her back, "Mom...I was worried about you."

Mom pulled back a bit, to gaze at my face, "Me too."

That's when another voice rang out of nowhere, "Brandon!" This time it was Amanda.

I pulled away from mom and just held her hand, shouting back, "We're over here!"

In the distance in the dark, Amanda, Wayne, and Jessie ran up to us. All three of them having smiles of relief. When all of us stood together, Jessie said, "Good, we're ok."

Wayne turned his head back and forth, seeing that something's missing, "Hey wait....Where are Sierra and the other dragons?"

I noticed that too, it's just us humans here. I shook my head with a unsure look, "I don't know. Looks like, we're the only ones here."

Jessie screamed for her boyfriend, "Frankie! Frankie, where are you?!"

Amanda hollered too, "Neal!"

I did the same, "Rain, Sierra!"

Wayne shouted as well, "Cody!!"

My mom was clinging to my arm tightly, "Brandon...I'm scared."

I nodded at her with fear clouding my mind, "We all are."

Jessie was trembling in fear as she held herself, "Guys...What do we do?"

Wayne held out both hands to calm us down, "Just remain calm, alright? Lets just stay together and figure out what to do."

Then when he said those words, the area changed around us. It wasn't dark around us anymore, but now it appears we're in another area. We can see walls, like we're inside a building. A very old building in the very large working room of some sort. All of us were shocked that we've ended up in this place. Wayne said, "Now where are we?"

I looked at a wall nearby and saw a sign sticking on it. It tells us that the building we're in, is the old toy factory. Somehow, we all ended up in the factory. I nodded and said to them, "We're in the factory." I looked around the area and saw that there are several wooden crates throughout the area. Several of them tall and big. Several others are short and low. My guess is that, the people who used to own this place tried to pack up, but didn't finish and left it all here for neglect. And boy, there's a lot of neglect going on here. Everywhere we looked, there are several spots in this place that is thick with sticky cobwebs and dust. Nearby, there are several big machines that are used to make the toys in this place. I growled at myself, "Damn it. Marcus brought us here."

Amanda asked with worry, "But where are Neal and the other dragons?"

Jessie glanced back and forth and then over her shoulders, "They're still not with us."

That's when we all heard that familiar menacing voice, that rang out throughout the old building, "Did you humans like my magic trick? Pretty surprising, huh? At least, I had enough magic to do something like that!"

It's Marcus! He's here with us! But where is he? I raised my voice, "Where are you, Marcus?! Come out, so we can find you!"

We heard his voice again, and we were all glancing around trying to find him. But we can't tell where it's coming from. The old building is making it hard for us to track him down, "You really think you can tell me what do to? Just because I'm not a dragon anymore, doesn't mean you can tell me what to do! You humans think you're better than dragons, but you're not! All of you are a bunch of wastes of flesh!"

Wayne argued with a glare upon his face, "We never thought we were better than dragons. And you call my kind wastes of flesh? Look who's talking."

We heard his voice again, his voice echoing loudly still, "I wish my spell affected you and Amanda years ago, but it didn't! If it did, then every dragon would really see the truth, like they saw the truth from the rest of humanity. They'd see you, for what you really are! Then they'd know that you never cared about them! I know the truth, you two. I know what you are, and you're lying about how you feel. Like the rest of humanity has."

Amanda was shaking her head, "Calling me and Wayne evil, when we're not? You're not only blind, you're delusional!"

Wayne waved a dismissive hand up at the ceiling, "You're the one who made humans hostile, this was your fault! They were never evil to begin with! You ruined everything and used my girlfriend for it!"

Jessie said this after Wayne, "I won't let you use Frankie for your war! He's a knight with a heart!"

Marcus chuckle rang across the ceiling, "Oh he's a knight alright. A scaly knight, in a fight against humanity! And I'm king here, you bitch!"

Jessie formed a glare, "You're a poor excuse of a king!"

He shot back, "And YOU, are a poor excuse of a queen...PRINCESS!" Jessie was growling in anger at that.

Amanda clutched her gun handle tightly in her hands, "You won't get away with this!"

The evil drake turned human taunted, "Oh but I will, human. And once I get Sierra back together with me, I'll have dragons bowing down to me and I'll order them to wage my war. And you won't stop me!"

I shouted angrily, "Where's Rain and the others?! What have you done to them?!"

Marcus laughed evilly, "Don't you worry about them! Right now, they're unconscious outside the factory! And you're here alone with me! Why? Because the doors to this place won't open, because of ME! That means, you're trapped with the king here!"

Mom held herself close to me, "Brandon...."

I protectively wrapped my arm around her, "I'm here, mom. I'm here."

Wayne whispered to Amanda, "Can you tell where his voice is coming from?"

She shook her head, "No...I can't tell."

Marcus's voice rang out again, "Since Sierra's unconscious right now, I'll be taking over her mind again while she's sleeping like a hatchling! I'm excited to have her back! Once that's done, me and her disappear and we'll keep building that spell together, until we make it work! I'll be having several more apprentices working for me, REAL soon!" Then his tone of voice changed to a threatening one, "But first, I need to take care of several small problems. And one of them is Brandon. I planned to have Sierra kill him before, and now...."

Jessie gasped and pointed behind me, "Look out!"

I let go of mom and whirled around, with a wide face. Marcus was actually floating down real fast down at us, with a enraged look, "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" When he got close, he swung his foot in midair and his boot hit me in the chest, knocking the wind out of me. I crashed down on the floor, coughing repeatedly.

Both his feet touched the ground and Amanda pointed her gun straight at him. She was getting ready to pull the trigger. But before she did, Marcus with a swish of his hand, magically flew out of her hand. We all heard the gun landing somewhere in the big workroom. Marcus raised his hand that didn't held the staff, his fingertips glowing green, "Hail to the king!" Then he thrusted his hand at Amanda and his burst of magic was shot out of his hand. It hit Amanda straight in the chest and cried out.

Wayne cried out, waving his hand, "Guys scatter!"

Jessie ran to me and urged me to get up off the ground, while I was still coughing, "Get up! Lets go!"

I immediately got up on my feet, finally catching my breath, "Right!" Then we both ran with mother, while Wayne was helping Amanda up and ran too in another direction. Me, Jessie and mom all ran away from Marcus, as he shot his magic at us again. It went straight through one of the crates, wood splintering from the blast. We ran past several wooden boxes, and a couple of big machines. I looked up over my shoulder and saw Marcus floating in the air after us, shooting his magic from his hand again, his staff's stone glowing brightly by his anger. Me and mom sidestepped to dodge that magic and it hit the ground with a sizzling crack. I looked ahead and suggested, "Through there!" We all saw the double door entrance of the building and ran towards it.

When all of us crashed into it, it wouldn't budge one bit. I tried to use my shoulder to break it down, but it still wouldn't go down. Marcus was right, we're trapped! How do we get out of here?! Marcus laughed and taunted, "Told you, you're trapped!" We whirled around and saw Marcus's hand flashing green when he still floated above the ground. He shot his hand at us and fired his magic out of his fingertips again.

Jessie screamed when it came right at her. I pulled her to the side in time, before it hit her. The green magic hit the wall where she was at. And I screamed again, "Run!" Marcus shot his magic at us again, this time coming right at my head. But I ducked straight down before it was a meter away of hitting me. It crashed down on the floor behind me and we kept running.

I hollered to mom and let go of her hand, "Mom, I want you to hide now!"

She shook her head with tears streaming down her fearful face, "No, I won't leave you!"

I shoved her away, "Go now!" Mom glanced at me while we're running, seeing in her eyes that she didn't want to leave me. But she decided to do what I told her anyways. Seeing that it's probably our best chance that any of us lived, if we split up. He won't get all of us, if we did.

Marcus flew above me and Jessie after mom ran away in another direction, "You can't escape from me!"

Jessie pointed at a trail that's between the big machinery, "This way!" I followed her instruction and ran with her fast.

Marcus snarled angrily at us, "I'm going to kill you, you fucking meddling humans!!!"

I screamed, "Hurry, he's right behind us!" Marcus flew above the big machinery, with his hand glowing once again. He shot it down at me and Jessie, but he misfired and instead hit one of the machines. It didn't do too much damage to it at all. Marcus tried to fly a bit lower to us, to get a better aim at his targets. Jessie found a old, dusty, cob webbed doll head on the ground and bent down real fast to grasp it off the floor. Jessie raised the thing in her hand and with a whirl around, she threw the little thing right at Marcus. Hitting him squarely in the face. He cried out in surprise and hurt and covered his face. He started to fall down to the ground and went through of the crates with a loud wooden crash.

Jessie cheered as she turned around and ran with me still, "Bulls-eye!" I cheered too and we ran out of the trail and ran to another big wooden crate, hiding behind it. Both of us were catching our breaths and we can hear Marcus groaning nearby.

I turned to Jessie and put a finger to my lips, "Shh." Jessie nodded and I went to peek around the crate, to see Marcus getting up after he crashed. His hood accidentally went over his head and he growled in irritation and flailed it off of his face. Anger flashed in his eyes. I ducked behind the crate and said to her in a whisper, "He's over there."

Jessie whispered back with her eyes wide, "What are we going to do?"

I looked around us, trying to see if there's a weapon we could use to fight him. I didn't see anything and the only weapon there is, is Amanda's gun. But we don't know where it's at. Nearby, I saw some barrels and I could smell something as well. I think, those barrels are filled with gasoline. There are several of them. Maybe we could use those to our advantage. But how? We heard Marcus's voice in a taunting way, "Oh, I think I love this game. A hunter searching for his prey." I peeked around the corner again and saw him taking a few steps forward, glancing back and forth with a concentrated look, "You know the hunter always win. So come out and give up."

Jessie clutched to my arm and said, "Lets go." I looked back and nodded and with that, we both snuck away from our hiding spot and ran to another crate to hide behind. Then about several feet away, we can see a office room ahead. We just had to get through that door and hide in there.

We heard Marcus again, "I know you're hiding from me. You know hiding is only delaying the inevitable. Why don't all of you grow a-" He giggled to himself, "Dragonhood and fight me. Grow some balls, Brando!" He let out his evil laugh, it echoed throughout the old building. Me and Jessie peeked around the corner and his back is turned to us. Now was our chance to hide in the office, there has to be something useful in there. Me and Jess ran quietly to the office door, opened it slightly with a small creak and went in there. Closing it softly behind us. Marcus ranted with an impatient tone and we can both hear him through the office wall, "I know you're still in the building! Come out and face this drake with balls! I'm waiting for a good fight, now lets get it going!!"

Jessie began to search the dark room and went behind the old wooden desk, pulling out a few drawers, but not finding anything. She hissed in frustration, "Damn. Nothing there."

I started to open the door and opened it a crack, to peek my eye through it. I don't see Marcus right now. I pulled my face away from the door and whispered to Jessie, "He's gone. Lets just get out of here." Jessie nodded and ran up to me. I turned back to the door and took a deep breath, with my heart pounding hard in my chest. Here we go again. We can't stay here forever, he'll find us in here. We need to go now. Jessie and I piled slowly out of the room, seeing that the coast is clear. We both crouched down low to the ground and snuck along on the dusty old concrete floor.

I can hear Jessie breathing in slow trembling breaths behind me. She was scared to death from this. I am too. Rain...Guys...If you're awake, I hope you can find us here in time. We need you.

Before we could make another step, we heard a whisper near us, "Psst, guys. We're over here." I looked in the direction and saw Wayne and Amanda were laying on their stomachs, hiding underneath a big machine. They both crawled out of their hiding spot and jogged to us. Wayne asked in a quiet voice, "Are you ok?"

I nodded, "Yeah, are you?"

Amanda shook her head, "Not really. How do you think, I feel?"

Wayne glanced around to make sure that Marcus is not watching them, "We need to get out of here."

Jessie patted my arm and brought it up, "Diana's still in here somewhere."

I let out a small gasp. Crap, we need to find her! I nodded and said, "Lets go look for her." They all nodded and we all snuck together along the wall. I looked up at the ceiling, to see if Marcus went back to flying over the crates and machines. But I don't see him. He's still on the ground.

Amanda held out her hand to stop us and pointed, "My gun, it's over there." We followed her gaze and see it lying on the ground. Alright, we just have to get to it.

Wayne ordered us, "Wait here." And with that, Wayne was taking several slow cautious steps towards the gun on the ground, his eyes locked onto it. When he was close to it, he bent down and picked it up, holding it in one hand.

That's when Marcus came out of nowhere with a blast of magic through a crate near Wayne. Wayne shielded his eyes from the blast and saw Marcus standing in the middle of the destroyed crate. Wayne pointed the gun right at Marcus, but before he could shoot him, Marcus shot his magic right at Wayne and it hit him. He fell onto his back with a cry, and didn't get up after that. Jessie wasn't going to back down from this and run. She picked up a big plank from the broken crate and ran toward him when she raised it over her shoulder, "Naaahh!!!" She swung it down really hard and knocked Marcus's staff out of his hand and it fell to the ground with a clang.

Marcus cried out and he backhanded Jessie across the face. Falling down and dropping the plank out of her hand. She was knocked unconscious. Me and Amanda weren't going to back down and run away also, so we screamed and ran to him in anger. Marcus shot his magic at Amanda beside me and she took it hard in the chest. While I lunged myself at him with a fist raised. I swung at his cheek and it hit him. He cried out and stumbled back and I swung with my other hand. But it missed him that time when he ducked down. Marcus made a punch into my gut and I groaned in pain. Then he made a hard punch to my face, knocking me to the floor. I looked up at him trying to catch my breath. Marcus stood triumphant over me, with a grin, "I knew a fight from you was coming. Now I'm winning. Proud drakes always win in a fight." I snarled and shot up off the ground to swing another fist at him. But he dodged it in time and made a swift kick to my side. Knocking me over again. Marcus sneered when I got up off the floor again, "You better give up, Brandon. You can't beat me!" Then he used his magic out of his hand and tried to hit me with it.

But I managed to dodge it by rolling away on the ground. I got up and held both fists in front of me, ready to fight. Marcus giggled and shot his magic at me with both hands. I gasped and rolled to my side again and found Wayne with the gun by his side. I swiftly picked it up, held it in both hands, pointed the barrel at him and was ready to pull the trigger. But Marcus was too quick and used his magic to knock the weapon out of my hands. Damn it! Then Marcus actually levitated one of the big wooden planks from the destroyed crate and swung it hard at me. It hit me in the face really hard and I'm laying on the ground again.

That's when we heard a voice interrupt us, "Get the fuck away from my son!!" Marcus's face went wide when mom actually charged at him with motherly fury in her eyes. She had a pipe in her hands. My eyes went wide too. Holy crap! Mom!

Marcus exclaimed in surprise, "Diana!" She cried out when she was close to swinging that thing at him. But Marcus used his magic to hit her and now she's down on the ground. The pipe landed with a clang. She was laying on her back clutching her stomach as the magic hurt her gut.

I screamed with a groan, "M- Mom!"

Marcus laughed evilly and stomped his foot onto her rib, she cried out some more and she was wheezing like her breath was lost. Marcus snidely remarked, "Ancestors, you really have balls, FOR A FEMALE!" He pressed his foot sharply into her.

I sneered, "Leave her alone!" I tried to get up and ran to her aid, but he stopped me with his magic to my chest again. God, it really hurts! I was laying on my stomach and screamed again, "Mom!"

Marcus laughed again, as mom was trying to bash at his leg to get him off of her, but he didn't budge at all, "Since all you freakin humans are on the ground now, beaten and bruised by me, I'm going to execute you one at a time." Then he eyed furiously down at my mother, with his glowing hand raised threateningly, "Starting with her!"

I reached out to my mom, "Nooooo!!!!"

Then all of us heard a loud crash from the wall nearby. Marcus's face went wide and looked at the commotion. Then we see Sierra, Rain, Frankie, Neal, and Cody arrived through a big hole in the wall, all of them having anger flashing in their gazes.

I beamed at them, "Guys!" They're not unconscious anymore! They made it! I knew they'd come!

Rain heard my voice when her ears perked up, "Brandon!"

I waved at them, "Over here!"

Sierra saw us, "There they are!"

Neal snorted and began to pad forward, focusing right on Marcus, "Get him!" They all roared at him with their wings flaring and they were padding in fast strides, past one of the big machines.

When they were about to close in on the monster, Cody warned, "Diana, watch out!"

Diana managed to get herself out of Marcus's boot and rolled away and crawled real fast. Marcus just held his ground as the dragons advanced hastily at him. Marcus shot his magic at Frankie's chest and it made him cry out and stumble on the ground. He crumpled onto his side. Rain blew fire at him, but with Marcus's magic, he used it to direct the flames to the ceiling. Rain let up her fames and roared. Marcus used both hands now to shoot his magic, this time directly at Cody and Rain. They both cried out as the piercing magic hit their scaly chests, making them fly a few feet away. They both landed on their backs, Cody actually went through another big wooden crate as his frame landed on top of it. Both their wings were splayed on the floor.

Neal and Sierra were the only ones standing now and both of them bared their teeth. They managed to pad real close to him and Neal made a swift strike at Marcus with his paw. Sending him flying into the explosive barrels. Several of them fell onto their sides. I beamed at that, at least one of them knocked him down. But Marcus didn't stay down for too long, and he got up on his feet. He was having a fierce glare, "Now I'm REALLY mad!"

Sierra blew her fire breath at him, but Marcus deflected her flames away to the right, sending several crates on fire. Now a blaze was starting. I looked to where Neal was at and saw the gun again on the floor and an idea came to me. I sprinted to it, picked up the firearm, and pointed right at the flammable barrels, "Go to hell, Marcus." Then with a pull of the trigger, the gun went off and the bullet hit one of the barrels, making it explode along with the others. Making it a massive explosion. Both Neal and Sierra raised their wings to faces and covered their eyes by the blast. I did the same too with my arms. When the blast went away, and as the smoke billowed the area because of the flames from the crates and the explosion, we can see that Marcus is nowhere to be seen. It must've finally stopped him.

I was giggling in disbelief. I think he's gone! He's dead! Yes, we finally did it! Sierra and Neal beamed, as the flames billowed and they both looked down at me. Neal asked, "Are you alright?" I nodded and he said, "We need to get out of here! The flames are consuming this place!" He was right, the flames were getting intense now and there was no stopping them.

I gave him another nod, "Right!" Then I whirled around and saw mom waking Jessie up, and she has. Jessie groaned and saw the flames with her face real wide. I saw Amanda and Wayne regaining consciousness too. I smiled at them. Good, they're alright. Then Rain, Frankie and Cody came to mind, so I turned to see Frankie's already up with a ruffle of his wings. Sierra nudged Cody with her snout to get up, while he was up on all fours with a groan. Rain got up too and she shook herself.

Rain saw me and beamed, "Brandon!"

I waved both hands, "Lets get out of here!" Rain saw the flames getting progressively worse and she nodded at the idea. Before I could run away, I saw Marcus's staff lying on the ground and decided to pick it up. Carrying it in both hands. One thing on my mind, when I picked it up. He didn't undo his spell upon humanity. I know that maybe we shouldn't have killed him, before he could undo the spell. But he was out of control. He had to be stopped, despite needing him to do that. Perhaps, we don't need him to undo the spell. Maybe we can somehow use it. I hear the flames cracking loudly, remembering the place is on fire. But first things first, we need to get out of here!

Frankie shot back his head from the flames, "Run! Everyone run!" Then he started to run on all fours, brushing past several crates that are not on fire yet.

Wayne waved his hand over and screamed, "Come on!" We all followed his advice and ran away from the burning flames, as the ceiling of the building was now on fire. Soon the whole place can collapse, we need to go now! We all ran through the hole the dragons made in the wall, I was running alongside mom and Rain. We all emerged outside in the cool night air and ran along the side of the building and heading to the front of it. After about several running paces and several seconds later, we all were several feet away from the now burning down factory. The flames were showing through the windows and through the ceiling. It didn't take long for the old place to catch on fire at all. Me and everyone that I know and love, were watching the blaze take hold of the building, seeing that it's over. That it's finally over.

We were all breathing heavily and I began to look at the staff in my hands, looking at the green stone. At least, we have this. Frankie looked down at Jessie beside him and asked, "Are you ok?" Jessie just beamed and ran into his chest, hugging him tight. He smiled back and wrapped his limb around her.

Rain lowered her head to my level right beside me and said, "Brandon."

I heard her voice and took my eyes off the staff and onto her. I was smiling brightly at her, "Rain."

She nuzzled lovingly on my cheek and sighed in relief, "I thought me and everyone else wouldn't find you. I thought you guys were gone."

I chuckled a bit and kissed her cheek, "I knew you'd find us. I knew you would."

She brought her eyes to the burning factory and her face showed wonder, "Is...Is it really over?"

Wayne walked up beside me along with Sierra and said, "He's dead. But I don't think the spell's broken."

I turned my body to him and held up the staff, "I managed to grab this before we escaped. Maybe we can somehow use it."

Cody came up beside Sierra and had a glum look, "But none of us don't know how to use it. That's the problem."

Sierra lowered her head to look right at the staff, "I know I was with him for a long time, but even I don't know how to use it. Only Marcus used it."

Frankie has already removed his leg off Jessie and stood beside his sister, "There has to be a way. There has to." Rain rose her head and nuzzled softly into her brother and he nuzzled back. Jessie came up beside her boyfriend and patted his side. Her eyes were filled with worry. Worry that the spell won't be broken.

Neal stood proudly behind me with Amanda. He said this with hope, "It won't be all for nothing." Amanda pulled herself into him, wrapping her arm around his leg. Her face showed that she believes what he said. She believes there is hope.

I let out a breath and nodded in agreement, "That's right. Anything's possible. I'm sure we'll figure it out."

Rain giggled when she looked down at me, after nuzzling Frankie. Repeating what I said, "Anything's possible." I turned back and grinned at her.

My mom came up from near Sierra and her eyes were locked onto her and the other dragons with us. Apparently she didn't get over her shock that dragons really exist. She looked mostly surprised at the sheer size of them. Let alone that I'm with them. Her jaw just dropped a bit. I peered at mom and that's when my heart was beating. Beating happily knowing that she's ok, "Mom."

Mom muttered with a tilt of her head, "My...God."

They all looked down at her and giggled at her expression. Cody gave her a small wave, "Heh, uh....Hi."

Frankie took a step forward and lowered his face to her level, she gasped a bit and backed up one step. He peered into her eyes, "Are you alright?"

Mom ignored the question and said with her voice of wonder, "D- Dragons. You're....Dragons." Then she reached out to touch his nose and felt it. Her face went wide and then she traced her hand and fingers to his cheek, "You feel warm and soft."

He gave her a chuckle and she jerked her hand back from that, "Course, we're warm and soft. We're not lizards after all." Then he rose his head real high and twisted his neck to look down at me, "I think your mother's speechless."

Neal reassured my mother with a sincere smile, "We won't hurt you, Diana."

Frankie backed away and I walked up in front of mom, giving her an honest look, "He's right, mom. They won't hurt you."

She gazed at Frankie behind me, then at Cody and Sierra, and then Rain and Neal. She muttered, "They...Saved our lives."

Sierra chuckled deep in her throat, "Of course we did." She lowered her head to Wayne's and nuzzled him, "We'd do the same for anyone who's in danger." Wayne curled up his arm around her neck and leaned his head onto hers.

Mom asked with her brow raised, "Where did they come from?"

I held the staff in one hand and answered, "It's a long story. But lets just say the whole time that I was gone, me and Jessie were with them."

Rain came up and smiled down at my mother, "Brandon told us a lot about you. He even has a picture of you." She lowered her head and said, "Nice to finally meet you, Diana."

I giggled and turned my whole body towards my dragon friends and girlfriend. Gesturing to each of them, properly introducing them to mom, "Mom, this is Rain. And that's her elder brother Frankie. The red one's Neal. And the blue and green ones, are Sierra and Cody."

Jessie decided afterward, that she went ahead and introduced herself, "I know we never met before, Ms. Long. And I think you know who I am, my name's Jessie."

Wayne put his hand to his chest and did the same thing, "My name's Wayne." Then he waved at Amanda, "And that over there is Amanda." Amanda gave a small wave.

I don't know if mom heard them or not, because she didn't take her eyes off of the dragons. She stared at them for a moment, until she finally just beamed at them and said, "This is....Incredible."

Cody giggled and shot up his head, "Thank you. Glad you found us incredible."

Frankie giggled too, "Yeah, at least she's not running away from us."

Neal shot his head to his left and added, "Or call us big scaly monsters."

Frankie let out a laugh, "That was another thing I was gonna say!"

I spun around to face mother and asked, "So...Are you ok?"

Mom nodded slowly, "This is a lot to take in. But what I was worried about the most, was you. You back came for me." Then she glanced at my friends for one second, "You came back along with them."

I had a guilty look on my face and sighed, "I'm sorry about this, mom. I should've came home sooner and told you the truth. I should've showed you them, sooner. And I'm most of all sorry about Marcus." I shook my head at her, "I won't let this happen to you again, I swear."

"Brandon." She took a deep breath and let it out, "I know I was worried to death about you before, and I thought you weren't alive and all. But that letter you left behind, eased my worries. And you shouldn't blame yourself for Marcus. It wasn't your fault." She gave me a smile, "What matters is that you came back to me, alive and well. And also, you saved my life and that's what matters too. You're a hero, just like your father."

Then I began to smile at her and I wrapped my arms around her for hug, burying my face into her neck, "I love you, mom." It really felt like an eternity has passed since I've last saw her. That now I'm finally hugging her tightly after not speaking and seeing her for days.

Mom returned the hug and began to cry a bit in tears of relief from her end, "I love you too, Brandon."

Everyone just grinned at that and they didn't say a darn word, they were letting our moment settle in. As the factory continued to burn down. About two minutes has passed and we pulled each other away from the hug. She didn't need to cry anymore. Mom let out a breath and wiped her eyes. Then she had a curious frown on her face and cleared her throat, "Now Brandon, there's one thing that I'm wondering."

I asked, "What's that?"

She gazed at Sierra, "Well Marcus said that she's 'with' a human. Does he mean....?"

Sierra gave her a nod and said without any hesitation at all, "Yes...I'm in love with a human."

Wayne huddled closer to his blue girlfriend, and never held any hesitation also, "And it's me." Mom's face went wide at the answer.

My eyes went wide too. Oh boy, I knew this was coming. Now I'm sure she's going to ask me the same question. Mom then turned her eyes to me, then to Rain, "And are you with....A dragon? Is that really Rain, the one you love?" She gazed right at my eyes, "When you were talking about her, I saw this look in your face. The same look I gave to your father back then. Are you two....Uh....Are you....?"

I just fidgeted and Rain behind me was scratching the back of her neck with her wing tip shyly. I know that I shouldn't care about what other people and dragons would think when they know that I love Rain in that way, but she's still my mom. I hope she understands it. My love for Rain's normal. If she does, that'll be great. If not, then I'll live with it. Mom pressed us, "Are you really? I mean, do you know that she's a-"

I cut her off when I sighed. Now I was trying my best to tell her about this a bit, "Well....I know what this looks like to you. But Rain's a very special person. She maybe a dragon, but she's different than you think."

Rain lowered her head and nuzzled my arm softly with her cheek, explaining things a bit on her end, "It's not really the first time I've done something like this. I was with another human before and he's gone now. Now I'm....I'm with your son."

I held up my hand and was scratching under her chin, "At first, Rain and I became best friends. Then things really changed. Now we're just....You know."

She pointed at me, "You really don't care what she is? How did this happen? I...I never knew you'd do something like this."

Rain gave her a bit of a pleading look, "Don't judge him too harshly. He's still your son."

Mom shook her head and said this to my relief without taking her gaze off of me, "I won't. I'm just...Shocked about this." She looked at Sierra and Wayne again. Well at Wayne most of all, "You don't care either?" Wayne shook his head, giving her his answer.

Jessie chuckled nervously and brushed her blonde hair off her shoulder, "Well since you're going to find out one day, anyways." She was patting Frankie's side now with a bit of scarlet on her cheeks, "I...I'm with this guy right here." He was giving my mother a toothy grin, like he was proud that he and her are together. Mom eyed at Jessie with the same expression she had.

Amanda admitted as well, when she motioned her hand at the big red drake beside her, "He's with me too. And I'm not ashamed of it." Mom gazed at her now and looked up at Neal. Neal just shrugged his shoulders, not really caring what she'd think. He still loves Amanda.

Mom lowered her gaze to the grass and muttered, "Wow...Now I feel like I'm dreaming of all this."

Cody giggled, "You want me to pinch you?"

Amanda shot a glare at him, "Not now, Cody." Cody was about to say something, but then he decided to keep his big trap shut.

Mom looked at me and Rain, now very curious, "So how'd you get involved with her? I mean, how did you two meet?"

I answered, "It's a long story, but we'll talk about it later." I nodded at her, "Ok?" Mom stared at me for a moment, while in her eyes she was still shocked and curious about how my relationship with Rain started and how I just didn't care if she was on four legs and wasn't human. She finally nodded and I looked at Rain in her eyes, "Lets go home, big girl."

Rain nodded too in agreement and planted her snout against my cheek for a kiss, "Lets go home."

But before we could do anything at all, we all heard an explosion from the factory. We all jumped a bit and cried out. We all turned toward the sound of it. Apparently, the explosion came through the double door entrance. Both those doors flew off their hinges and landed hard on the ground with loud thuds. Now all that's left in that spot, was a massive hole. And what we all saw in the smoke billowed hole, was a figure that looked big and tall. My eyes frowned at the sight. What is that? It looks...Big...Like a dragon. I know I can see wings and it's on four legs with a long tail. It was walking outside now, but the figure still looked obscured by the black smoke. While we were just staring at the mysterious figure, I'm having a feeling that something doesn't feel right. If it's a dragon, who is that?

Jessie raised her eyebrows, "What the hell is that?"

Cody cocked his head slowly, "It looks like a...Dragon."

Frankie growled a bit, "Why am I getting a bad feeling about this?"

Rain warned me, "Brandon, I think you need to take your mom and get out of here."

Before I could even grab mom and run, the dragon in the smoke suddenly roared and blasted a fireball at us. I screamed at everyone, "Look out!" The fireball was too fast for us to move and dodge, it hit the ground right in front of us in a fiery explosion. The blast from it knocked all of us, including Rain and Frankie, off our feet and we all cried out when we landed.

I was lying on my back for several moments and moaned when I moved. I started to move my legs and arms and rolled onto my hands and knees. Good, nothing's broken. I looked at Rain and saw that she's lying on the ground too along with everyone else. Mom is right beside me and she was trying to get up too. I saw in front of me, that the staff fell out of my hand and is on the ground. I crawled to it, but all of a sudden something big landed behind me. I gasped when I grabbed the staff and lied back down on my back, my eyes went wide. It was the dragon who knocked us down. A big blue drake with a big grin across it's face. It spoke, "Hello, Brando."

I sucked in a breath. That voice...I know that voice!

Marcus. He's a drake again! And he's alive! But...How? How could he have survived that explosion? There's no way, he could survive that.

Marcus as a dragon now, lowered his head to me. I can see in his eyes as a dragon, they showed pure evil. He taunted, "Like my magnificence, human? I'm back! I'm a fucking dragon, again!" Then I cried out and swung a fist at his nose when he brought his snout closer to me. He let out an animalistic cry and jerked his head back up. He scrunched up his nose in pain and hissed, "Like you were paying everything else, you'll be paying for THAT."

I screamed, "Stay back!"

Marcus laughed, "You're coming with me, human!" Then before I could crawl away and run, he laid his paw over me and curled his claws around my body, grabbing me tightly. I was grunting when he held me tight with his claws piercing through my shirt and I was still holding onto the staff in my hand, he started to lift me off the grass. Then he grabbed ahold of mom and she screamed too. He sneered, "You're coming with me too!"

I looked at everyone else, but apparently they're unconscious! I looked straight at Rain and shouted, "Rain! Rain, wake up! WAKE UP!!!"

Marcus snarled when he spread out his wings, "She can't help you now!" Then he held his snout at the night sky and chuckled, "I think it's time you enjoy your first flight with me, Brandon and Diana Long. Time to show you how a drake, can fly!"

Mom begged and tried to pry his claws off her body, "Let us go! We won't hurt you again, we promise!"

I sneered with worry, "Let mom go! Just take me and leave her alone!" I gazed at Rain and saw that she's stirring herself awake, she rose her head a bit off the ground.

Marcus said with smugness in his voice, "I'm going to enjoy this." And with that, he leapt to the skies and flapped his wings. Having us fly away from my friends and Rain.

I looked down before we got to far above the ground and screamed for Rain again, "RAIN!!!"

Rain actually heard me and jumped up onto all fours and turned fiercely at the sky. She saw us flying away, and I can hear her voice, "BRANDON!!!"

I was shaking myself in Marcus's grasp and sneered, "Put us down, you CREATURE!"

Marcus taunted with a laugh and another flap of his wings, "Too late, you're off the ground!" He was right, we were now over the woods and he flew forward over the trees and over the still burning down toy factory.

I bellowed once more, "RAIN!!!!"

*****

I screamed up at the sky again, seeing that blue dragon flying off over the burning building with Brandon and Diana in it's grasp, "BRANDON!!!" I put on a glare and growled. Then I started to spread out my wings across my back. I'm coming, Brandon. Hold on!

Before I could take off flying after them, I heard a voice behind me, "Rain!" I gasped and looked over my shoulder. I saw Wayne got up on his feet and ran past the still unconscious Sierra and up to me, "What happened?"

I shook my head, "I don't have time to explain, that dragon took Brandon and Diana! It's escaping!"

I saw Jessie getting up to near Frankie and Neal and she ran up to Wayne with a confused look. Wayne said, "We need to wake the others!"

I argued, "There's no time! I have to go now!" I motioned my head forward, "Get on my back! Or I'm leaving you! Your choice!"

Wayne knew that I was right. There was no time to try and wake the others. If I waste anymore time, I'll lose that dragon out of my sight. Wayne nodded, "Lets go." Then I lowered my body to the ground and Wayne began to mount me on my back. Jessie finally figured out what was going on and she looked back at Frankie, who's still unconscious on his stomach. Wayne waved her over on my back, "Come on! Are you coming?!"

I knew what she was thinking and shouted with a hiss, "There's no time to wake him up! He'll be ok. They'll all be ok! It's Brandon and Diana who're the ones that need our help! Now lets go!"

Jessie turned her head towards me and she nodded with bravery in her voice, "Alright, I'm coming with you!" Before she could run to my back and climb on me, she found Amanda's gun on the ground and picked it up. She tucked it in her pants and now she ran up to me.

When she ran alongside my body, Wayne reached out from on top of me and held out a hand to her, "Grab on!" Jessie grasped his hand and he pulled her up quickly. When she's sitting behind him and tucked her arms around his waist and tucked in her legs on my body, Wayne looked ahead and shouted at me, "Alright, lets go!"

I gave him a nod and raised my body fast and with a flap of my wings, I made a running start and took to the skies. With several flaps I was flying over the factory through the smoke. It wasn't thick, so I could still see through it. When I flew over the rooftop and past the building, I could see a distant figure ahead of me in the sky. That dragon's still in my sights. I shouted over the rush of the wind, "I see it!"

Wayne instructed, with the wind rushing against his hair and face, "Fly after him!"

I started to flap more faster with a burst of speed, "Hang on!" Wayne wrapped his arms around my neck tight, not letting me go. Jessie brought herself closer to Wayne and held him more tight, as the rush of wind from my flying was so strong for her and him. I can still see the blue dragon ahead, flapping its wings. Hang on, Brandon. I'm coming. I've lost Tommy, I won't lose you!

You dragon....YOU WILL PAY FOR IT!

I let out a roar and flexed my claws on my feet, announcing myself that I'm after it. I was flying fast still over the trees, just about halfway to catching up to it. One thought came to me, while I was flying after it still. Who is that? And where did it come from?

Well it's going to be with the ancestors, when I'm through with it! I flapped against the wind again and again, until I could see that I'm close to it's blue form. It flapped it's wings. I was a bit higher than the dragon, but I was gliding down at it. Ready to tackle it in the air. From a distance in the air, I could see Brandon and Diana struggling against that monster's claws. But it wouldn't let go. I could see that Brandon has the staff in his hands and he's trying to smack the dragon in the chest with it. But it still wouldn't let go. Dragons are pretty tough, after all. I was putting on another glare. I'll show that thing, how tough I am! I'm coming, Brandon! I'm almost there!

I was about to tuck in my wings and warned Wayne and Jessie, "Jessie, Wayne....Hold on REAL tight!" And with that, without waiting for another second to spare, I tucked in my wings and dove fast at it. And I stuck out my claws, ready to claw at him. Then with a fast velocity, I crashed myself into it. Right upon it's back. It snarled when I did that and we were both falling down from the sky. Brandon and Diana screamed their heads off, as we're going down. The blue dragon roared and I was clawing at its back, making deep bloody marks onto it. Then we were falling through the tree line, through several tree branches. As our forms finally crashed through the edge of the woods, the blue dragon let go of Brandon and Diana. They fell down from above a couple feet and they landed on the ground with several rolls. Me and the menacing dragon crashed on the ground with a loud thud. I fell off the dragon's back and cried out when I hit my body on the hard ground. Jessie and Wayne fell off my back and their frames landed on the ground too.

And then there was silence and all of us were just laying there. I groaned to myself, as I struggled to get myself up. My vision was a bit blurry from the fall, but I soon regained it. When it cleared up, I recognized the place and my face went wide. We somehow flew far enough to crash near Tommy's house! I can recognize that house, any day. I looked near my side and about a couple feet away from me, I see Wayne and Jessie getting themselves off the ground. I had a worried look on my face and cried out for my mate, "Brandon!" I finally regained my footing and I'm standing tall now, wobbling a bit. I see the blue dragon was slowly groaning and getting up off the ground too. I narrowed my eyes and hissed at it.

I heard Brandon's voice and my ears flicked, "Rain!" I looked and saw him stumbling toward me, along with his mother. They both see the evil dragon getting up slowly. Brandon grabbed his mother's shoulders and looked directly in her eyes, "Mom, I want you to go now! Save yourself!"

Diana shook her head, "No, I won't leave you again!"

I shouted down at them, "Both of you should get out of here!"

Brandon glanced up at me and said, "No way. I'm not letting you deal with this alone." I somehow knew he was going to say that, so I couldn't really argue with him any further. He wants to stay and fight with me. Then he changed his gaze to look at Diana again, "Run mom! Run away!" He was shoving her away, "Run! I'll be ok! Hurry, now!"

Diana can see that he won't leave me and with her tears welling up her eyes, she wrapped her son in a hug and kissed his cheek, "Promise me, that you'll come back to me again. Promise me."

He gave her a nod and promised, "I promise." He gave her another shove, "NOW RUN!" Diana took that advice to heart and then sprinted away on the driveway. Brandon looked up at me and grinned, "That's twice, you found and rescued me."

I grinned back and then, Wayne and Jessie came up to me and him. Jessie asked with relief on her face, "Are you ok?"

Brandon nodded, and then we all gazed at the blue dragon who has finally gotten on all fours. He was groaning and shaking his head roughly from his daze. Then when he was done, he looked straight at us and growled. I flared my wings and stood in a threatening pose with a fierce gaze, "Who are you?!"

Wayne shouted at the thing as well, "Why are you doing all this?!"

Brandon answered our questions, "Guys, it's Marcus! He's a dragon again!"

I glanced at him with surprise in my eyes, "What? But how?"

We heard Marcus laughing like a maniac and we turned our gazes at him again. He said when he stopped, "Oh, I'm surprised as you are!" Then he looked regal and he was showing off his tooth filled grin, "I'm a dragon again! At least, I'm not the puny human who does magic anymore! I'm marvelous!"

I reared back my head and remarked, "Wow....You have more ego than Frankie and Neal."

Marcus chuckled, "But the difference between me and them Rain is this. I'm not doing anything that's disgusting with a human female and likes it when that puny little girl barks orders at me. I'd kill that girl right away!"

Jessie snarled, "Wanting to kill me because of that, makes you not have a heart at all! Frankie would never do that!"

He hissed at her, "I'm not weak, like he is!"

"No one talks about him like that!"

I demanded an answer, "How did you survive that explosion and fire?! How are you alive?!"

Marcus pretended he was deep in thought, "Good questions. When the explosion happened, I somehow survived. And when I've gotten SO angry, I became what I was for the first time in years!"

I narrowed my eyes at him, "You became the poor excuse of a dragon. Thinking he's better than everyone else."

He waved a dismissive paw at her, "At least, I'm not that human anymore. I've wanted to feel the joy of flight for such a long time! And now since I'm normal again, I don't need magic anymore to start my war against humanity! I can fight them myself!"

Wayne protested, "You can't do this!"

Brandon narrowed his eyes at him, "I know you became a big scary dragon with no heart, but that does not mean I'm afraid of you!"

Marcus shook his head at him, "You can't kill me! You're not one of those knights who just kill dragons mercilessly! You don't even have a weapon!"

Brandon shot his fist down, "I'm still gonna try! I'm done running from you!"

Jessie pulled out Amanda's gun out of her pants and pointed straight at him with both hands, "I have a weapon, you scaly asshole!" And with that, she fired several shots until the gun was empty. All shots went into his chest and he was crying and stumbling back in pain. I beamed at that. Yes! She got him!

But unfortunately to my shock and fear, the wounds on his chest began to rapidly heal! He was giggling evilly at us and all our faces went wide. No way! Impossible! How did this happen?! He's still standing, like he wasn't shot and wounded at all! Jessie gasped at that and dropped the now empty gun to the grass. Shock shone in her eyes. Her arms were trembling too.

Marcus looked at his chest and giggled again, "Well, what do you know? I've survived an explosion and I've survived from a modern day human weapon." He shot up his head and proclaimed, "I never knew that I can heal wounds like that! I'm invincible!"

Wayne asked with disbelief in his eyes, "How the hell do we stop him?"

I shook my head without taking my eyes off the monstrous blue drake, "I don't know."

Marcus smugly said this, "You won't stop me! I'll still have my war and there's nothing you can do about it."

That's when we all heard the door opening from Tommy's house and we can see him standing out through the front door. His old looking self and I'm seeing him up close. He has the hunting rifle in his hands. I let out a gasp. It's him! And...He still has the same eyes. Tommy's eyes went wide at the sight of us, "What the- What is this?!" He looked straight at me and actually remembered me, "Y- You. You came to my house years ago! The one that I've shot! It's you!"

I gave him a pleading look and motioned my snout at him, "Tommy run! Get out of here!"

Tommy glared at me and raised the rifle to take aim at me, "Why? So you can scare me off and then kill me? I'll shoot you again! Now, how do you know my name monster?!" My face went wide at that. Memories of what he did to me before, came haunting me. I can actually feel the wound that he gave me years ago, right now. Like it's still there. No...Not again. Tommy! Marcus was giggling to himself. He was enjoying this show.

I have to do something. I shouted, "Tommy stop, it's me!"

He didn't lower the weapon, "What are you talking about?! I don't know you!" Tommy moved his eyes off the gun sight and saw Brandon near me, along with Jessie and Wayne. His face went wide when he spotted Brandon, "Wait, I know you. You're....Brandon! You're here too? Is that why you asking me about...Dragons? How did you find THEM?"

Brandon shouted at him, "Tommy, she's not evil! Dragons were never evil!" He pointed at Marcus, "Only this one is! He's trying to kill us, and we're stopping him!"

Marcus countered, "Wrong! We are the hunters in this world. We destroy anything that's weak, and humans will pay for their crimes against our kind. We'll take back everything, your kind stole!" He gestured his paw toward me and lied, "Me and her are here to kill you, human. So you better run away! The three humans here have found out our plans and are trying to stop us! Well since they're here, we're gonna kill them and then you!"

I think, I know what he's doing. He's trying to trick Tommy into killing me with his gun, so no one who's a dragon will stop him right now. Once I'm dead, then he'll kill Tommy and everyone else here. Even if Tommy shoots at the evil drake, he'll still survive. I need to somehow convince Tommy to not do it. I know that spell's still in effect, but he has to remember. I have to make him remember! I shook my head denying what Marcus said, "No! That's not true!"

Wayne waved his hand at Marcus, "Don't listen to him, he's lying!"

Marcus adamantly said with his snout held up high, "I'm not lying!" Then he bared his teeth and advanced fast onto Jessie. She backed away and let out a high pitched scream.

Tommy cocked the rifle in his hands and concentrated his gaze right on me and Marcus, "Hold it!" Marcus stopped where he's at with a sly grin. I glanced back at him with a glare of my own. You're not going to play him, you bastard! I'll make Tommy somehow remember me! I'll find a way! I turned my gaze at Tommy and he snarled at me and Marcus, "I knew it! I knew you monsters would come back one day and attack us! What made you change your minds, huh?! Did you finally grow a backbone?!"

Marcus was spitting more lies at him, "We were doing our careful planning for years and now, our plan is coming to fruition! ALL HUMANITY SHALL DIE!"

I shook my head furiously at Tommy, my former mate, "No, I don't want to fight humanity! He does! Dragons never wanted to fight!"

Tommy pointed his gun right at me, "Then what do YOU want?!"

"I'm trying to stop him!! I'm not here to hurt you or the three humans here! They're my friends!"

Marcus groaned and rolled his eyes, "Ancestors, girl. You're more delusional than ever. I can't believe that I've brought you along!"

Jessie defended me by shouting at Tommy, "She's not delusional!"

Wayne protested and gestured at me, "Tommy, we're only stopping this dragon! No other dragon wants to fight our kind!" Tommy's eyes were filled with confusion at his words and Wayne went on, "Listen to me, you have to remember! Dragons and humans have co existed, we-"

Tommy groaned, "That's bullshit! That's the same bullshit, Brandon gave me!"

Marcus spat his lies again, "Ah, dragons and humans co existing is disgusting! We never did that. You're right, it is bullshit!" Then he made a threatening growl and said to me, like I'm his accomplice, "You, quit acting delusional and kill that human! I'll kill those three others here!"

Tommy took a step with his rifle still raised and pointed at me, "I'm not letting you kill them, or anyone! Not while I'm here!"

Marcus dared him before any of us could protest, "Then shoot us! Do you have any balls?! SHOOT US!"

I was about to have tears form in my eyes, "Tommy don't!"

Tommy threatened again, "Don't give me those crocodile tears, you manipulating monster! I'm not falling for it! I'm not letting you destroy us all!!" He looked like he wasn't going to back down from that.

That's when Brandon said this, "Tommy, SHE'S RAIN!"

The old human didn't pull the trigger and he eyed at him curiously, "What? ...What are you talking about?"

Brandon went on, "Listen to me, the dragon you shot years ago, the one who's here now, and the friend of mine that I've told you about. The girl you've met years ago. THAT'S RAIN!"

Tommy looked straight at me, "....Rain?" Then he was shaking his head in disbelief, "No....It can't be. This isn't possible. I don't remember-"

I said, "Tommy, I've met you years ago, we were best friends and then....We became lovers. I loved you!"

Tommy lowered his rifle to the ground to my surprise and he backed away one step, "That's...Impossible. I wasn't with anything like you."

Marcus waved a paw and snorted, "It IS impossible! Dragons and humans can't be mates! What a joke!"

I shook my head and padded one step with a sob, "No, I'm telling you the truth! We loved each other! YOU loved me! You treated me like a human!"

Tommy was shaking his head and closing his eyes, he wrinkled his face as he was trying to remember, "How do I know you? I don't remember any of this!"

I said with a few tears fallen down my face, "But I do know you and you must believe me when I tell you this. Your mother's name was Alessa and she died in a nursing home in her sleep, you were young when she died. Your father raped her before you were born, and then he went to prison for his crime. You swore to yourself that you'd never be like him. You sing sometimes and I know one of those songs, 'I Can't Hold Back', that's what it was." Tommy slowly raised his brows at all the information I'm sharing with him. He's surprised that I really know him. I went on, "And most of all, you were shy back then. You hardly ever talked to anyone, except your mom. But you overcame it, because of me!"

Tommy replied, "But it was my mother who helped me overcome it."

I denied it with more tears coming down, "No, it was me! And you were the one who gave me that scarf! You gave it to me on Christmas night! I took you flying in the sky, more than once and you loved it! I took you to the dragon city. I was raped too and I told you about it! You comforted me after that! You called me your angel! You're about to shoot at your angel, again! Please Tommy, remember me! I know you! You're not that human! You love me, I know you do!"

Tommy was just looking right at me, right at my eyes. Not taking his off me one tiny bit. Tommy then had a curious frown shone at me and when he did that he started touching his chest with one hand, like he felt something familiar within him. Like when he got a good look at me, he's getting a feeling that he knows me. That's when he said it, "R- .....Rain?"

I was smiling a bit and said with hopefulness, "Tommy?"

That's when Marcus let out a sigh, "Well there goes my devious plan." Then he turned his whole body towards Tommy with his snout now billowing smoke, "Die!!!!" And with that, with enough power in his breath, he shot a fireball at Tommy. Tommy screamed and ran into his house before the fireball hit that spot and exploded. The wood from that part of the house sprayed all over outside and at all of us. I shielded my face with my wings and Wayne, Jessie, and Brandon were dodging the debris falling down at them.

After that was over, I curled my wings on my back and saw the fire's now engulfing the house. The spot, including the front door to that place is not there anymore, because of the explosion and flames. My heart ached. No.... I screamed, "TOMMY!!!"

Wayne shouted too, "No!!!"

I was just standing there speechless and my whole frame was shuddering by all this. I hung my head and shut my eyes tight. My tears were still falling down my snout. No....He can't be....Gone.

Tommy....No....Tommy....

I clawed angrily at the ground and I can hear Marcus remarking, "He should've stayed in his own home. Should've stayed out of others businesses."

I shot my eyes open and growled. I whirled around and snarled, "I'm going to kill you!" Then I roared and charged at the evil murdering blue drake, and tackled him. We both rolled around on the ground, roaring, biting and clawing at each other. We both roared until we bumped into the outside wall of Tommy's barn. I was on top of him, pinning him to the ground, "You'll pay for THAT!" Marcus managed to swipe at my face, but I pulled it away to dodge his sharp claws by an inch. Then Marcus and I fumbled and he was on top of me now, biting at my shoulder and I cried out.

*****

I screamed for Rain, who was fighting against the monster, "Rain!" I have to help her. I can't just stand around doing nothing! I took a step forward, but Wayne clutched a hand to my shoulder, stopping me. I brushed his hand off of me and turned fiercely at him, "What are you doing?! We have to help her!"?

Wayne shot back, "We can't help her like this!"

Jessie argued too, "Even if we did hurt him, his wounds would still heal! We can't kill him!"

I asked loudly, "How?!"

Wayne shook his head, and looked at Rain and Marcus. They've both gotten off each other and they were circling each other. Ready for which one of them to make their first move. Marcus tried to swipe at her, but Rain backed away from him. Then she blew fire at him and he rolled out of the way. Rain's flames were coming right at us. Wayne grabbed my shirt and pulled me away, "Watch out!" We all screamed before that thin stream of flame went at us. The flames hit a nearby tree and it's now on fire. All three of us were out of the line of fire, as Marcus blew fire at her. Rain sidestepped out of the way to dodge his flames now.

I was breathing heavily watching this. Rain....What can I do?

I told you before that I'd protect you from anyone, even if it was another dragon. But I can't now. I can't kill Marcus.

How can I? There has to be a way. There has to be some sort of weakness. Some weakness that'll stop Marcus and kill him, once and for all.

Then a thought came to me. Something about Marcus's staff. I can remember that the staff saved his life when he was a drake, and in doing so turned him into a human. Marcus said something about the staff chose him and the reason why he has lived for a long time, is that he wasn't affected by the magic of the dragon city, he never lived in the city. Not once. He said that the stone on the staff kept him....Alive!

That's it! I need to destroy that stone! It's the only way that'll kill him! It's keeping him alive! That's why his wounds heal, it's because of that magic! He's connected to it! If I can destroy it, it'll kill him along with it!

But where is it? I know I took it with me and tried to bash it against his scaly chest while we were up in the sky. Where did I drop it, before we crashed? When Rain crashed into Marcus in the air and while we were going down, I dropped it by accident. It's...In the woods. Shit! I need to find go in the woods and find it! I've got to do this, there's no other way!

Rain roared in pain, as he made some claw wounds on her side. Rain growled and made a hard swipe at his face. Marcus cried out and stumbled away. Rain used her horns and charged at his chest, knocking him off his feet and landing on his back. Rain ran on top of him, but Marcus didn't wait around to see what she was going to do next on top of him. He used both his hind feet and kicked her stomach off of him. She groaned, when she got kicked off of him and her frame crashed into a tree. The tree didn't break, but when her back hit that tree hard, she was crying out in pain, "AAARGGGG!"

Jessie screamed at us, not wanting to watch this horrible fight, "We need to do something, now!"

I suggested to them the idea, "I have an idea. I know how to stop him! I need to go in the woods and find that stone! I want you guys to distract him while I'm at it!"

Wayne looked confused, "The stone? How would that stone stop him?"

I answered, "The stone's keeping him alive! That's why he's not dead and why his wounds keep healing. I need to find it and destroy it. You guys need to distract him, alright?"

Wayne finally got the idea and then he nodded, "Tommy has that gun. It may not kill Marcus, but it'll slow him down a bit."

Jessie's face went wide, "It's inside the house!"

Wayne patted her and said, "Come on, help me find it!"

Jessie turned to me and said with a narrowed look, "Find that stone, and kill him with it."

I gave her a nod, "I will." Jessie and Wayne started to run to the back door of Tommy's house. While I was taking one last glance at the place and it's still on fire. One half of the place is now ablaze. I hope those two don't run into any problems in there. And with that, I whirled around and started running into the woods. I was watching Rain and Marcus still going at it, before I ran through the trees. I let out a sigh after running in them. I heard another pained roar after that. Don't worry, Rain. I'll save you.

*****

Marcus snarled with another swipe of his paw, "YAHH!!!" I cried out when his paw made several cuts to my chest. I shut my eyes at the pain shooting across my chest. Marcus taunted, "Weak ass, dragon!" I roared, shot my eyes open and reared back on my hind legs and swung my head at him. He cried out in surprise and dodged when he took several steps back, my horns barely hit his snout. I flared my wings and hissed with my tail thrashing. Marcus was grinning at me and whirled fast around on me with a shake of his tail and haunches, "Bet you can't catch me!" And with that, he ran and took to the skies with his wings. I roared again and took off after him, both of us flying straight up at the sky.

He was flapping his wings repeatedly and looked back at me and taunted, "I see you're not far from me!"

I shouted at him, "I'm going to kill you, you son of a bitch!"

Marcus whirled around in the air and was hovering when he faced me, "Come and get me!" I outstretched my claws and ran into his chest and was clawing at his shoulders and underbelly. I was leaving him wounds, but no matter how many times I scratch him, his wounds heal really fast. I glared in determination. I won't give up, until he dies!

I was swiping across his smug face, leaving claw marks on his cheek. But they healed too and he sneered, "Now it's my turn!" With that, he made another swipe across my face and I was crying out high in the air. I was knocked a few feet away from him and I almost fell out of the sky. But with a flap of my wings, I stopped myself from falling. I was looking up at him and Marcus actually made a flip forward in the air and his long tail smacked me across the head after that flip. I was falling down again and then I was flapping my wings again, this time just flying forward and going upward. Marcus was triumphantly smirking, as he was hovering in the air waiting for me to attack him.

I made a hard flap and angled myself to fly at him. I took a deep breath and blew out a lot of fire at him. Marcus flew downward, as my line of fire went over him. I kept blowing fire at him, as he was flying below me. But he was too fast for my orange flames. Marcus looked up and blew fire back at me. I gasped and with a swift flap, it barely missed me. And without any warning, the blue drake flew up at me and was now on my back. His weight on my wings, to prevent me from flapping anymore. I was snarling and thrashing underneath him, as we're toppling down to the earth, "Get off of me!" He was laughing as he bit down on my shoulder and I was screaming in pain. The earth wasn't far from us now. About maybe forty more feet and we're falling down fast. About several seconds later, I got myself out from under him and with a small flap of my wings, slowed down my falling. Marcus hit the ground hard after that. But it didn't give me enough time to fly back up in the air, before I crashed into the ground too.

I was laying on my side and moaned, I was laying on my wing when I crashed. Please, don't be broken. I slowly got up off the grass and onto all fours. Testing the wing that I crashed on. It flexed out and flapped. Ancestors, it's fine! I was real lucky. I saw that I landed near Tommy's house again and sighed, at the burning house. I turned to see if Marcus is still on the ground, but unbeknownst to me Marcus has already got up and he was running at me with his head lowered. He was going to ram me with his horns. And he succeeded when he hit me squarely in the chest, "Ooof!" I landed on my back and he skidded to a stop, with a proud smirk. I recovered quickly and hissed at him.

Marcus rolled his eyes and sighed, "Gee, you're one tough female! Just face it! You can't win!"

I stood proud and never softened my gaze, "I'm going to protect Brandon and everyone from you! I'm not going to stop, until I die!"

He chuckled deep in his throat, then he bore a serious look, "I'll just have to kill you then." Then he let out another earth shaking roar and we charged at each other.

*****

Jessie and Wayne ran into Tommy's house through the back door, after Brandon left them alone to head to the woods to look for that stone, and after Rain and Marcus actually took off to the skies and flew off. Smoke was billowing after they both entered the kitchen and they were coughing. Both of them covered their mouths and noses with their hands, trying not to breath in the black smoke. Wayne hollered through his hands, "Lets find that gun!"

Jessie nodded and hollered through hers, "Right!" And with that, they paced through the smoke and into the living room, that's where the fire and smoke came from. The window drapes were caught on fire and so were several living room shelves. They see the area where the front door was at, after Marcus blew out that fireball right at Tommy and exploded in that spot. The flames were intense right there. On the ground about three feet away from the flames, they both see Tommy lying on the ground, he didn't appeared to be hurt at all. He must've jumped away from the front door in time to dodge the blast, but it knocked him out and he's lying on the floor now. Jessie and Wayne crouched down near Tommy and tried to shake him awake. Wayne said when he rolled him on his back, "Tommy? Tommy!" Then he placed two fingers at his neck and sighed in relief, "He's alive."

Jessie smiled in relief at that, "That's great! We need to get him out of here!"

Wayne suggested, "I'll get him out of here, you go look for that rifle."

Jessie stood straight up, when Wayne was grabbing ahold of Tommy's unconscious form and started dragging him away, "Alright, I'm on it!"

Wayne while he was still dragging Tommy said this before he entered through the opening to the kitchen, "Be careful, and don't take too long! This part of the house could collapse soon!" Jessie nodded and was gazing around to look for the hunting rifle Tommy had. She's found it, but the problem is it's within the burning hot flames. There's was no way she could get to it without hurting herself. Jessie shook her head to herself, knowing she can't do it. So after that, she whirled around when the flames were starting to spread out through more of the living room. Now the couch has caught on fire and several picture frames on the walls were being melted away. A couple fell to the ground and broke with a shatter. Jessie sprinted out to the kitchen and out to the back door. Shutting it behind her and taking several gulps of fresh cool air. Outside where there's no smoke choking her. She stepped away from that door and saw Wayne dragging Tommy to a spot where it's safer for him.

Jessie ran to him and asked, "Is he still alright?"

Wayne let out a whoosh of air, and stood over him, "He barely survived that explosion." Then he turned to her noticing that rifle's not with her, "You didn't find it?"

She shook her head, "I did. But it was in the flames. I couldn't get to it."

Wayne nodded at that, "Then we'll have to find some way to distract Marcus long enough for Brandon to find that stone. We have to help Rain!"

Jessie's eyes went wide, when they both heard a loud roar in the distance. It sounded like it was coming from the other side of the house. They both ran off leaving Tommy alone on the ground, and ran alongside the house. They can see Rain and Marcus have landed back on the ground and are fighting again. They were both standing on their hind feet, clawing at each other's chests and the blue drake drew his jaws into Rain's leg when she clawed at his shoulder. She was snarling in total pain. Rain managed to get his snout off her leg, by swiping at him with her other paw. He was knocked over with a grunt and he landed on the ground with a loud thud. By the looks of the wound on Rain, bright red blood was oozing from the deep teeth marks. Marcus got up about a second later and he was blowing fire at the black dragoness. Rain ducked low beneath the flames and without any more second to lose, Marcus charged and tackled her. He was now pinning on top of her, while she's laying on her back. Rain was thrashing beneath him, while he was giggling manically.

Jessie had fear in her eyes, "We have to help her now!" Then she saw Tommy's car close to the house and had an idea. She turned to Wayne beside her, "Wayne, you distract that scaly asshole. I'm going to drive that car and run him down!" Wayne's face went wide at that and before he could say anything, Jessie only ran to the car and hollered back, "Just do it!!" She looked back for a second and saw Wayne didn't argue about it and he picked up a rock. So he'll throw it at Marcus, that's what she's guessing. She bolted fast the car, and ran to the driver's seat. She opened up that door and sat down behind the wheel. She began looking for the keys to the car and found them from the visor. She beamed and put the car in the ignition, turning it on. The headlights sprang on, then she put her seatbelt on and shifted the gear to put it in reverse. She looked over the seat and stared through the rearview window and backed up and turned the wheel.

She managed to get the car turned around and now it's facing at Marcus and Rain, at some distance away. She can see that he's on top of her still. Rain was having a hard time trying to get him off of her, but she was still struggling. The blond haired girl turned the headlights off, so Marcus wouldn't notice what she was up to. Jessie can see Wayne running up close to them and drew back his hand and threw the rock at Marcus. That got his attention and his eyes went off of Rain and now onto Wayne. Jessie can tell that he's hissing at Wayne and got off slowly off Rain. Rain was trying to get up off her back, but she appeared to be hurt. She was still lying right there. Marcus bared his teeth, as he strode away from Rain and was advancing towards Wayne. Wayne was backing up away from him, his eyes were filled with fear.

Now was Jessie's chance to run into that drake. She shifted the gear to drive and with that she said this, "You heard of road rage, asshole? Well here's roar rage for ya!" Then she slammed her foot on the pedal and floored it. The car sped fast, as she gripped the wheel as tight as she could. She was heading right at Marcus's side, and he noticed she was coming because of the noise. He gazed furiously at her in the speeding car and blew fire out of his snout. The burst of flame hit the hood of the car and she screamed, trying to hit Marcus. But problem was, he managed to move in time before she could hit him. When she sped past the evil drake, Jessie was driving straight into a tree. She hit the brakes hard, but it was too late. The front end crashed deeply in the tree and Jessie hit her head on the steering wheel, immediately knocking her unconscious.

*****

I was running and looking down at the ground while I was venturing in the woods. Looking for the staff with the green stone. I said this to myself, "Where is it?" I know it's around here somewhere! I have to find it! I trailed my eyes around the part of the area and finally found it. About time! I ran to it and skidded to a stop and bent down to pick it up with both hands. Now I just need to destroy that stone. Hang on guys, I'm doing it!

I heaved the staff over my shoulder and calculating that I'm just trying to smash the stone, I slammed the end of the staff with the stone on top into the hard ground. But it didn't break. I lifted it off the ground, raised it over my shoulder and slammed it into the ground again. I groaned, when I slammed it about three more times. I need to slam into something harder than the dirt. There were trees around me, so I'm just going to swing the staff into one of them. Hopefully a tree will do the trick. I ran to one of the hard wood trees, raised the staff, drew it back and swung it at the tree really hard. But when the stone hit the tree, it didn't break it. It didn't appear to have a scratch on it. What the hell? I didn't give up at the moment, so I swung it at the tree, again and again, until I didn't have the energy to do it anymore. I was wheezing and gasping for air, and dropped the staff to the ground. The stone still wasn't destroyed!

Damn it! Why won't it smash? It's impervious to anything that I can think of! Every time I smash the stone against the ground and at the tree, it didn't put a dent in it. Like nothing happened. I need something more stronger than this! But what? A car? Or a tree toppling down on it? Or what?

When I was looking straight at the stone on the staff, that's when a idea came to me. A crazy idea. Wait...Maybe I know what to do! And that stone will help me make my idea work!

But...Once I do that...It may not be possible to turn back. Then I heard a roar at a distance and I'm having a feeling that Rain's hurt and she needs my help now! I don't think Wayne and Jessie can distract Marcus forever! I looked down at the stone again and crouched down to it. I grasped the stone with both hands and was grunting really loud when I tried to pull it off the staff. After several more tugs, I managed to pull it off. I let out a sigh, as I held it in one hand. The stone was glowing bright green in my hand, as I was standing straight back up. Well here goes nothing.

I shut my eyes tight and put my thoughts into what I want to be. Please stone, make it work. I know I'm not Marcus, but let it work for me. Just this once. I won't let Rain die because of that evil bastard. I have to help her. I have to help her. I was repeating that thought in my head, over and over again. Then the stone began to work it's magic and it glowed brighter than before and I can feel that it's getting hot in the palm of my hand. The magic started to course through me. I shot my eyes open, as I felt something within me, was starting to change. I let out a sharp gasp and gripped the stone tightly in my hand. That feeling was growing intense and I was turning more warmer than before.

I collapsed on the ground on my hands and knees and was breathing slowly. I looked at my hands and saw that they were starting to change. Changing into paws and claws. My skin was being replaced with scales. I gasped again, as I was starting to feel myself grow bigger in size. I began to feel something sprout on my back and something near my butt. I was beaming now. It's working! It's working!

*****

I screamed for Wayne, as I was struggling to get up. I was just limping after Marcus, since he dug his jaws deep into my leg. The wounded leg was shooting pain throughout my whole body right now. He still had his back turned on me, "Wayne, run for it!"

Wayne was backing away from Marcus, after we all saw the car trying to run into Marcus but instead ran into a tree nearby. Marcus didn't give Wayne a chance to run away and he swiped Wayne away really hard. He screamed in pain and he flew about several feet away. He landed hard on his back and didn't get up after that. I screamed in fear for my friend, "WAYNE!!!" Then my snout curled back into a snarl and I was limping fast after him and with a burst of energy, I jumped at him. Wanting to pin him down from behind.

But Marcus was too quick for me and I landed near him. Pain shot up at my leg landed and I groaned. Marcus shot up his head, "Fool! You missed me!" Then he spun around and swung his tail hard at me. I was knocked over and rolled once on the ground, and was laying on my stomach. I felt weak now, after that blow. After dealing with so many wounds and scratches, not to mention a deep wound in my leg, I don't know how much more I can take. The blue drake was smugly grinning at me with each step of his paws, "Give up now, good looking?" My only response was a moan of pain. I was breathing heavily, as I tried to get up again. But I slumped back down and looked up at him. Marcus lowered his head to me and said, "You know...I know that Sierra was with me for years. But I honestly have to say, you really do look beautiful. More sexier than her. I think it's because of your black scales. You look stunning in them."

I spat at him weakly, "Go mount yourself."

He tossed back his head, "Hmm, that gives me an idea." Then he was having a twisted evil grin and all of a sudden, he moved away from my gaze and got behind me. My eyes went wide, when I can feel him putting his weight on my back, as he climbed on me.

I had a burst of energy left and tried to get up and him off of me, "No!" But it was too late, he was fully on me and he shoved on paw down on my back and another one at the back of my head, pinning me to prevent me from escaping. I was flapping my wings at this, but they didn't do any good. I was trapped beneath him.

Marcus moved his snout towards my ear and whispered, "I haven't mated with anyone for a long time." Then he gave the back of my neck a lick and nuzzled, "I'll tell you what, since you're at my mercy now. How about you join me? And then we'll start a family together? I never had a family either, and I sure know you want a hatchling. I know you don't want to die, right at this moment."

I growled under him, "I'll never be yours. I'm Brandon's."

He rolled his eyes, "That puny human? He's weak. I'm the strong one!"

I said heatedly, "You're a murderer. A monster. I won't be yours!"

Then he made a lustful growl and licked my neck again, "Well...I guess that's how it's going to be. I'm going to take you, and then kill you!"

I let out a gasp and was thrashing beneath him, but he wouldn't budge. My memory of being raped years ago came to me and now my nightmare was coming to me again, "No! Get off! I don't want this!"

He was straddling my hip in a seductive way, as he was ready to mate me, "Move your tail!" Now he was trying to get my tail to move, but with my instinct I kept it close to my hind area as possible. I won't let him do this to me!

Before he could really do anything to me, we heard a roar coming from out of nowhere. I caught a glimpse of another dragon with black scales coming out of the woods and it was running right at Marcus on my back. It shoved the monstrous blue drake off of me and tumbled on the ground with a surprised grunt. My eyes went wide at the sight of the lone dragon. Is that Frankie? Marcus scampered a bit with his eyes full of surprise exclaimed as he brought his eyes on the dragon moving around me and standing protectively near me, "Where did YOU come from?!"

I asked when the black dragon stood beside me, my eyes filled with curiosity, "Frankie?"

That's when the black dragon was hissing at Marcus and snarled, "Stay away from my mate!"

I reared back my head a bit while I was still on the ground, "Mate? Who are-" The black drake turned his gaze at me and when I was looking at his eyes, there was something a bit familiar about them. And that voice too. Could he be....? I gasped and beamed at the drake before me, "Brandon! It's you!" He's not human anymore! He became a handsome drake with black scales! But how?

Brandon who is now a dragon, formed a smile across his snout, "Now it's my turn to save you." And with that, he lowered his head to mine and nuzzled lovingly to me. Brandon....I can't believe it. This is real! I'm not dreaming of any of this!

Marcus meanwhile got up on all fours and hissed, "You?! A dragon?! Hmm, I'm surprised that you became one. But it doesn't matter." He waved a dismissive paw at him, "You maybe a dragon now, but you're not! You'll always be a puny, pathetic, meddling human!"

Brandon stopped nuzzling me and said to me in a whisper, "There's a way to kill him." I cocked my head and he explained, "You must destroy that stone. The stone's keeping him alive." He motioned his snout towards the edge of the woods, "It's over there, where I left it. I would've destroyed it already, but you needed my help. I had to come back. Now I want YOU to destroy it. It's the only way. A dragon's strong enough to do it." He gave my neck a tender lick with his tongue, "You can do it, Rain. You can do it."

I started to say, "Brandon-"

He cut me off, "I'll distract him. You have to destroy it."

Marcus shouted at us, "Don't ignore me! I'm waiting human! Fight me to the death, protect your so called mate! Be in a fight you cannot win! My wounds heal, yours won't!"

Brandon finally turned his neck and flared his wings at Marcus, "I maybe a human and I know that I may not win this fight. But I will protect Rain. I love her! And I won't let you rape her!"

He shot up his head and dared, "Then bring it on, Brando!" Brandon roared at him when he drew back his head to take a deep breath, to my surprise he actually blew fire at Marcus. My eyes went wide. Yikes, for a beginner he figured out how to breath fire! Marcus yelped and rolled out of the way from the flames. Without any hesitation, Brandon charged and ram himself in Marcus's chest. Both of them tumbling along the ground together. Both of them clawing and snarling in anger. Brandon was right on top of him at first, but Marcus swiped at his snout and knocked him off his chest.

I remembered what Brandon said to me and I realized I have to do what he says. If destroying the stone will kill Marcus, then I have to try. I looked at the woods and saw something glowing on the ground. That stone's right there! I have to get myself over there and destroy it! Brandon can't win in this fight and he won't stand strong for long. I need to get up now! I groaned when I found my footing on the ground and tried to push myself off the grass, but I slumped back down on the earth floor with a cry. No! Get up! But I was feeling weak and hurt from the fight. I know I'm hurt, but I can't give up. I have to save humanity, save my friends and family, save my mate!

I looked at Brandon and Marcus still fighting together. They were circling each other at first, until Brandon roared and made a sharp swipe at Marcus's face with his claws extended. Marcus roared in pain, as the claws hit him hard. They even hit his eye. But they didn't stay red and wounded for too long. Those claw marks healed up immediately. Marcus chuckled with a evil grin and he swiped back in the same matter. Brandon cried out and stumbled back with the scratch marks upon his face. Marcus tried to do it again, but Brandon was too swift for him and he spun around to swipe his tail at him. Marcus got hit by the tail and stumbled back himself. Brandon whirled around to face him with his wounds on his face bleeding and dripping down his face. He was hissing.

I tried to get up again, only this time slowly while Brandon's still distracting him. I placed one paw carefully and felt a twinge of pain shoot up from my wounded leg. I groaned when I found the strength to walk myself to the stone, as best as I could. My wings flapped in reflex and I curled them on my back.

Marcus blew fire at Brandon and some of the flames hit him when he barely dodged. Brandon shut his eyes tight, as the searing flames hit his scales. Marcus while Brandon was stunned by the moment of pain, clawed at his side roughly with both of his front paws. Gouging deeply into his hide. His claws even hit his wing membrane, tearing it. Brandon shot up his head and roared in pain. I looked back and saw to my horror that he's hurt, "Brandon!"

Marcus noticed that I was getting up from the ground and Brandon urged me, with a thrash of his tail, "Keep going!" Before Marcus could say anything, my mate turned his body and swiped at Marcus once again. Hitting him across the face. Marcus shook his head from the pain and threw back his head and rammed his horns into Brandon's nose. He cried out and Marcus charged into Brandon and pinned him down when he's now on top of him.

Marcus was not waiting to see what happens next, so he began to claw into Brandon's chest and he was crying out by the searing pain. Brandon tried to fight back with his own, but one of his claws only hit Marcus's shoulder. It didn't make any difference. Marcus didn't stop what he was doing. Marcus was beating him. Brandon turned his eyes a bit and screamed at me when he took a scratch into the neck, "GO!"

Marcus while attacking him sneered, "Your girl can't escape me! She's too weak!" He made another deep wound into Brandon and screamed.

I pushed myself to keep going to that stone. Keep moving! Don't stop! I was limping still when I'm about there. The glow of that stone guiding me to it. I hissed in pain to myself and stumbled over a bit, but I didn't fall over this time. I was trembling with each step, feeling my strength slip away because of the fight, but I can't give up. I'm almost there! I finally stood over the stone, it's glow radiating off my black scales. There it is. Then I raised one leg and paw that's not wounded off the ground and slammed it into the stone with a loud thud. I raised it again to see if I did any damage. It wasn't damaged at all. I gasped. No way! No way it would survive the force my paw! Then another idea came to me and I decided to press down on it. Hopefully it'll crack up by the pressure and be destroyed. I slowly began to press down on the stone, trying very hard to do it. Come on! It has to break sooner or later! I groaned in strength, as I kept pressing deeper into it.

I heard Brandon cry out again and in a moment of my distraction, I wanted to see what was going on. Marcus was still on top of Brandon, while Brandon was breathing heavily and totally wounded. Marcus chuckled and said, "See? You can't be me."

Brandon was just grinning away up at him, "At least, I've died protecting my mate."

Then Marcus said this, "And that's what's going to happen to you." He began to bare his teeth and my eyes went wide in fear. No, Brandon try to fight back! But I can see that he can't. He has so many wounds on him. Then Marcus drew his teeth sharply into Brandon's neck and bit down on him. Brandon gasped for breath when the jaws clasped into his throat. His eyes went wide at that.

I screamed at him with tears in my eyes, "NO!!!!!" I turned away not wanting to see the blood coming from Brandon. No....Brandon! Not you too!

Then with a sheer force of will, I shot my eyes open and glared. This time, HE DIES! I concentrated on pressing my paw deeply into the stone beneath me. Hissing loudly down at it. Marcus stood over Brandon who is now gone because of him. He laid down dead beneath Marcus's form. Marcus laughed his head off in triumph and then let out a loud victory roar. I didn't look at him, I was still pressing my paw in that glowing little thing that belonged to that monster. That's when I heard a crack beneath it and my eyes beamed at that. It's working! It cracked again and that's when I heard Marcus crying out in pain. I gasped and looked at him. Marcus was clutching his scaly chest with a paw. Like something deep inside him was being hurt. I think I see what's going on. When I'm damaging the stone, he's hurt too. His life's really connected to it.

Brandon was right! I need to destroy it now! I was growling when I drew more brute strength to my paw and pressed onto it again. Marcus groaned in frustration and pain and that's when he realized that I'm killing him when he took his gaze on me. He began to figure it out. He exclaimed, "That's...My stone!" Then he tried to run at me, but the stone made another crack and he cried out and stumbled while he was trying to get after me. Marcus fell onto his stomach and tried to get up with his eyes locked onto me. That's when he had a plea to me, "No! Give it to me!"

I turned to him and saw Brandon's body behind him. I hissed and snarled, "THIS IS FOR BRANDON!" Then I pressed my paw into the stone once again and made another crack. Marcus groaned after that and clutched his chest again. I sneered while looking down at my paw on the magical thing, "THIS IS FOR MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY!" The stone got itself another crack and Marcus screamed in pain. The pain was getting intense for him now.

Marcus begged, "Stop!"

"THIS IS FOR TOMMY!" I did it again and he moaned and shut his eyes tight. I peered at Marcus with a sneering tone, "And now, THIS IS FOR YOU!"

Marcus's face went wide in fear and he was shaking his head again, while trying to get up to stop me. And to deal with the final blow, I raised my paw one more time, seeing that the stone's close to being totally destroyed. I screamed, "DIE YOU MONSTER!" I made a strong slam and the stone crumpled into dust by the sheer force of it. It was finally destroyed. Marcus screamed really loud, and it was so high pitched it hurt my ears. I drew back my ears and shut my eyes. I opened them and saw Marcus getting up off the ground, as green magic was swirling around his blue scaly form. His face went totally wide with fear. He looked over his back and noticed that his tail was turning into bones and so were his wings. They cracked as they were now limped on his back.

He gasped, as he was about to be reduced to bones. His scales and hide were doing the same thing and he screamed at that, "NNNAAHHHH!!!!!" And with that, his neckline and his head were the last to turn into bones and everything that was him in bone form, along with his skull crashed to the ground. The green magic disappeared after that. I let out a gasp at that, surprised to see that happened. I saw the wing bones, the ribcage, the tail bone and the skull just lying there. The stone kept him alive for years and now after years of being connected to that stone, I destroyed it and without it, he was now reduced to bones. That finally killed him. Then about a moment has passed and soon all the bones turned into dust within seconds. The wind from the sky blew all the dust away and everything was quiet.

I took a mouthful of air and let it out. It was over. It was finally over. I leaned the side of my body onto a tree and groaned in pain. I hung my head and lowered my gaze to the ground. I said this to myself, "I...Did it....I finally did it." I was breathing deeply over and over again, as relief was washing over me.

While I was catching my breath, I heard a voice, "Rain!" I perked my ears and turned my head over my shoulder. I saw the car that crashed into that tree and Jessie was coming out of it. I had a feeling that it was her who was driving it. She moaned a bit and placed her hand to her temple. She shook her head and saw me with a smile, "Rain!" She was stumbling when she jogged up to me. When she was beside me, she looked up and said, "Are you ok?"

I moaned a bit, "I'm just hurt right now."

That's when we heard another voice, "Guys!" It was Wayne and we both turned to see him. He was in a daze himself, but he's ok. He regained consciousness and was making his way towards us. Wayne asked looking curious, "Where's Marcus? Where did he go?"

Jessie eyed the area and asked as well, "Yeah, where is he?"

I let out a breath and answered, "He's gone."

That's when Jessie saw the form of a dead black drake on the ground and she gasped, "Wait, who's that?" Then she gasped again, when she thought of this special drake that she loves, "Frankie?!"

I shuttered when I told her, as I looked at Brandon's dead form. My eyes were brimmed with tears, "No....It's....Brandon."

Wayne reared back his back and exclaimed, "What?"

Jessie shook her head and said, "But...How did he-"

I let out a small sob, "He became a dragon and...Sacrificed himself to save me."

Jessie's eyes were filled with tears now and she ran to him, "No! Brandon!" We watched her running to his lying form and collapsed next to him. She buried her face into his stomach, as Brandon was lying lifeless on his back.

I got myself off the tree and tried to walk slowly to where Brandon's at. I winced in pain when I stepped on the wounded leg again and Wayne tried to stop me, "Stop, you're hurt."

I brushed Wayne away with my other paw , "I need to see him." I kept limping and limping slowly with each step. Taking one paw at a time. My eyes were locking onto Brandon. My jaw was quivering as my wave of sobs were threatening to take over me. Brandon...

I saved your life and....You saved mine. But...I didn't want you to die.

No....No....

I finally got close to Brandon and lowered myself to the ground onto my stomach. Wayne stood right beside me, as Jessie was still sobbing into his scales. I looked down at my love, who became a handsome proud drake and died as one. I took a trembling breath and let it out. He pictured exactly as I've pictured. He's...Really handsome. Oh...I would've been with him still, just like when he's human. My tears were felling slowly down out of my eyes. I lowered my snout to his shoulder and nuzzled it softly with my nose, "Brandon...."

I could see that Wayne was about to cry too. He turned away and his tears fell down his cheeks as well. I looked down at Brandon's dragon face and stretched my neck to his snout and planted a kiss on it. I gave him a small lick and lovingly said with my throat tightening, "I...Love you, Brandon." I pulled my head away and then buried my face into my paws. That's when I finally broke down and sobbed. My heart felt totally cracked by this. That he can never come back. No....I....I can't live without him.

He was my second chance at love and he's gone now!

Brandon...You told me that you wouldn't leave me! You told me that you'd always come back!

But now...You can't this time. You can't....

Oh my drake....My love....

You comforted me and you've protected me. You've been with me, despite that I'm a dragon. Just like Tommy was. There's no one else like you.

You saved my life and your father's very proud of you.

Oh...Why did it have to be this way? Why?

I'll never find someone else like him. I won't.

We all cried for a few minutes and that's when Brandon's body became bright. I rose my head from my paws and sniffed my nose when I stopped sobbing. I cocked my head at this, "Huh? ...What's going on?"

Jessie gasped and backed away from him with shock in her eyes. Wayne turned and saw this too, "He's...Glowing."

He was becoming bright and then about a moment later, his body began to change in size. His wings, tail, and scales were disappearing and now he became a human again. There were no wounds on him, including the deep gouging one in his throat. He looked fully healed. My perked up my head in surprise. He's...Human. Brandon's naked form was lying on his back still and then...He began to stir and moan with his mouth closed. We all let out a gasp at that. What? Is he....?

Brandon slowly sat up on the ground and looked at himself when he raised his hands to his face, then he looked at his body. He realized that he's not a dragon anymore and he turned his eyes on us, "Guys? ....What happened?"

We all exclaimed happily, "Brandon!" Then Jessie giggled and threw herself into him, hugging him tight.

His face went wide at that and asked, "What happened?"

Wayne laughed a bit and said, "You became a dragon, pal. And then....You died."

Then Brandon's face wrinkled as his memories came back, "....I remember now." Then he sucked in a breath, "Wait, where's Marcus?" Jessie pulled away from him and he turned his head to me and asked, "What happened, Rain?"

I was smiling down at him and lowered my head to where he was, "He's gone, Brandon. You saved me. And I saved humanity from him. I saved us all." I was trembling at the sight of him alive, and shook my head a bit, "Oh Brandon. I thought you were gone this time. I...Thought you'd leave me."

Brandon smirked at me and giggled. He said softly, "I'm still here, girl. You did it. You've stopped this."

I shook my head again, "No, Brandon. We did it."

Brandon shot himself off the grass and threw himself into my chest, wrapping his arms around my neck. I draped my head around him and closed my eyes, as I was basking in his comfort. He said without letting me go, "I love you, Rain."

My heart warmed up at that, "I love you too, Brandon." I think I know what just happened. When I destroyed that stone, the magic started going away. He got turned into a drake because of that stone and since it was destroyed, he returned to his original form. And he was given a second chance at life, when his transformed again. That's why he changed and that's why he's alive now.

Oh, this is a miracle! It wasn't really a loss after all. My Brandon, despite that he was dead, came back to me once again!

That's when we all heard a voice calling out to me, "Guys?" I opened up my eyes and rose my head off of Brandon and looked at the one who made the voice. We all did and saw Tommy walking towards us. I gasped. Tommy....He's alive too!

I asked, "You're....But how...?"

Wayne answered when he looked up at me, "Me and Jessie found him on the floor in the house and rescued him. He was still alive, Rain." He was grinning at me and so did Jessie.

I looked down at both of them and fondly said with a nod, "Thank you, guys." Then I looked at Tommy again, a bit afraid of what he might do to me. I don't see any hunting rifles on him and he didn't appear to be....Hostile toward me, by the look in his eyes. He looks...Calm when he looked at me. I cocked my head at him, wondering what he's thinking.

Tommy took another step toward me and said, "Rain."

I reared back my head. He said my name. He's...Not afraid of me. He didn't call me a monster. Tommy said with his hand to his chest, "Rain....It's me." He was giving me a smile now.

That look in his eyes, those same eyes that I've seen when he was younger, they were the same caring ones now. The ones he had, when he sees me. They weren't in anger. And that smile too, it's the same one as before.

That's when my heart was beating happily when I realized that he remembers me now. I beamed at him, "Tommy." He knows me! He remembers me! Tommy ran to me, and Brandon got out of the way to let him embrace me. Tommy didn't appear to care that Brandon was naked, he wanted to hug me. Tommy did when he wrapped his arms around me and buried his face into my chest. I was now shedding tears of joy as I was embraced for the first time in years by him. I wrapped my paws around his body and held him tight against me, "Tommy."

Tommy said lovingly to me, "I'm here, Rain. I'm back, my angel." My tears dripped down my face and snout, as I was sobbing happily to him.

Wayne, Brandon and Jessie knew what has happened and Wayne cheered with his hands raised, "Woo!"

Tommy and I were in each other's embrace still when I realized why he remembers me now. I smashed the stone and the spell Marcus placed upon humanity, is now broken. That's how this is now possible. Oh Tommy....

He finally wanted to pull back and I let him go. My sobs finally went away. Tommy reached up to my nose and touched it, I licked his fingers in response. I nuzzled his hand now with my nose and said, "You do remember me."

Tommy smiled brightly and nodded, "I do now, big girl. I do now."

I looked right at his eyes, my real first time to see him like this up close in years. I chuckled, "You look old now."

Tommy nodded a bit, "It's been such a long time." Then he asked with a tilt of his head, "So...What happened to you, all these years? You haven't aged much."

I laughed a bit and shook my head, "It's a long story, old friend. It's a long story." Then I lowered my head to where he was and nuzzled lovingly in his chest, I let out a pleasant sigh, "I missed you, Tommy. I've missed you so much."

Brandon smiled nearby, happy to see that me and him are reunited at last. Tommy was stroking my cheek and said, "I'm here, Rain. I'm here."

I was basking in the familiar comfort coming from him. Even his stroking hasn't changed much. Tommy....

We were like this now, as his house was burning nearby. It's all over now, Tommy. The spell's finally broken. And now after all these years, we're together again. And after so many years...Both dragon and human kind can reunite.