The Life Of Dragonman: In The Uprising Of Justice

The Life Of Dragonman

In The Uprising Of Justice

By Richard Dodd

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2013 Richard Dodd

License Notes: This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this ebook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Ebook formatting by www.ebooklaunch.com

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1: End Of An Ordinary Life

Chapter 2: New Beginnings

Chapter 3: The Boy Warrior

Chapter 4: More Than Magic

Chapter 5: Meanwhile In New York

Chapter 6: Six Years Later

Chapter 7: Matchmakers

Chapter 8: Centre Of Vengeance

Chapter 9: The Bodyguard

Chapter 10: A Lesser Wealth

Chapter 11: The Impossible Reunion

Chapter 12: Know What You Want

Chapter 13: A Special Guest

Chapter 14: Operation Moradus

Chapter 15: A Legend Is Born

Chapter 16: Chasing The Dragon

Chapter 17: Our Home

Chapter 18: Saved By The Prey

Chapter 19: The Messiah Wears Armour

Chapter 20: The Ultimate Confession

Chapter 21: This Is The Life

Chapter 22: An Unlikely Ally

Chapter 23: United We Stand

Chapter 24: Gladys In Wonderland

Chapter 25: Know Who You Are

Chapter 26: The Price Of Honesty

Chapter 27: Our Family

Chapter 28: The Dead Can Talk

Chapter 29: When Power Meets Power

Chapter 30: Dark Victory

Acknowledgements

Thanks to all my family and friends, of whom there are too many names to mention to fit on this single page, and to everyone who I have ever crossed paths with. But a very special thanks especially goes to my brother Adam Dodd, you imparted much of your literary knowledge which helped tremendously during the early development of this book. To Kev Pope, for doing an excellent job on designing the book cover, it was a lot of fun going through the design process! And enormous gratitude towards Christine Clayfield, your knowledge and methods in self-publishing are extraordinary and have opened my eyes to an even bigger picture that I never knew existed.

Time is a funny thing; one course of action, even a single thought, could dictate your journey through life and spark a new chapter in a manner unpredictable even to yourself. One tiny decision can ultimately result in a far different path than what you know now. I have had plenty of these moments in my early life so far, and there were times when this path in my life was close to never being traversed.

But I'm glad that I took this path and as a consequence, I have discovered my passion for writing. This book is the result and the first chain of events that will hopefully lead to many more written works. To everyone who has ever influenced me, directly or indirectly, to all those who have contributed to making this possible, you know who you are. This is for you.

Chapter 1: End Of An Ordinary Life

Seven o’clock, a new morning dawns. A child’s eyes open when his alarm clock starts to play one of his favourite pieces of music. Surprisingly though, it’s Superstition by Stevie Wonder, not something that you’d expect from a young boy. But despite his seemingly ordinary childhood, Drake’s sense of individuality is anything but. The sunlight shines through his curtains which vainly offer little shelter from the light. He bears a wide grin on his face, for he knows that today is a special day. It’s his tenth birthday. Whatever tiredness he feels from his slumber dampens not his excitement as he rushes downstairs to find that his parents are ready for him to wish him happy birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DRAKE! shouts his mother Angela and his father William. He embraces them both.

Can I open my presents now? he excitedly asks.

You know how this works, says William. It may be your birthday but you still have to go to school. Drake looks disappointingly at his father.

But...you can certainly have your favourite pancakes before you go, says Angela.

Thanks Mum.

Drake relishes his pancakes when he knows they are being cooked. Large enough for one to cover the entire width of a dinner plate. Angela applies some chocolate spread and sprinkles desiccated coconut over the top. Drake can smell the chocolate melting; he feasts his eyes with excitement on his birthday breakfast and is eager enough to devour it promptly. The taste is so gratifying; no doubt Drake would love to have more, if only time would allow it. But another day of school is close at hand. He hurries upstairs to get a hot shower, carry out his morning ablutions and get dressed into his school uniform. William is the one to drive him to school.

Their house is on the outskirts of the city of Plymouth. The drive to the school takes about fifteen minutes, sometimes more depending on the traffic. But the traffic is tolerable on this fine, radiant day.

Well Drake, as his father briefly looks at him with pride. How does it feel to be ten years old, like a milestone? Drake cannot think of an appropriate response to that question.

Hmm...maybe. Again William looks at his son briefly.

Is that it? Hmm...maybe? Drake shrugs his shoulders.

I don’t know, Dad, it’s my birthday. If birthdays are celebrated each year then isn’t each year like a milestone?

If that’s what you believe then fair enough, son.

As William is driving along, his mind begins to wonder about other things.

Drake, I know you may not want me to remind you of this, especially with today being a special day for you. But I just want you to be careful, okay? Drake looks at his father knowing what he means.

Dad, weren’t you the one who told me that sometimes you have to do what you feel is right? Francis is my friend and I’m not going to stand back and watch him being bullied by brainless idiots. He looks different from the rest of the kids and possibly anybody else, so what? Perhaps he is special.

I don’t doubt that he is special. Francis is a great kid; I know you two get along very well and that he certainly has extraordinary genes for his look to be natural. But it’s my responsibility as a father to make sure you do not get hurt and if that entails advising you not to get yourself in trouble with these bullies, then that is what I will advise you to do. Do you understand, Drake?

With a sulky look Drake says I understand, Dad.

Good, glad to know we’re on the same level, says William. They reach the school gates and Drake steps out of the car. William opens his window.

Drake, keep to yourself and remember, you’ve got some presents and a cake waiting for you back home. Have a nice day.

Bye Dad.

Drake walks through the gates, children everywhere in the playground. He spots a few of his friends who rush towards him and greet him happy birthday. But Drake is looking for his best friend Francis. Just before they have to go inside, he finds him. And looking at Francis, one would think there may be something special about him. His distinctive hair and eye colour, which from birth had been a dark shade of purple.

Happy birthday Drake, says Francis.

Thanks.

So? Drake looks at his best friend with a confused look.

So what? Francis cannot believe what he is hearing.

What do you mean so what? Did you get your presents?

You know what my parents are like, says Drake. They always leave the best things till later in the day, that way the best has yet to come. They say I’ll understand when I’m older but it seems dumb to me.

The bell sounds, all the children rush inside to begin another day of school. As the day goes on, what is very peculiar is that Francis has not received any unwelcome attention from those who single him out for abuse. Of course there are a select few who stare at Francis for his abnormal genetic traits, but it seems the bullies are nowhere to be seen. Francis and Drake are able to enjoy a trouble-free lunchtime with the rest of their friends.

William picks up Drake and Francis as they head back to the Daltons’ house.

So how was school today, guys?

It was great, Mr. Dalton, replies Francis.

Yeah Dad, we didn’t get into any trouble today, we were able to enjoy lunchtime without any problems.

Really? says William with a grin on his face. That’s good to hear. Do I get a thank you?

What do you mean, Dad? What did you do?

Let’s just say I made extra sure that your birthday went smoothly as it should. I talked to your headmaster and he must’ve looked into the matter himself.

Francis chips in by saying That’s weird. These bullies have been told off before and they still continue to do what they do. William looks in the mirror back at the two boys in the backseats.

Boys, sometimes parents can have an influence in ways you may never know. Just remember that. Drake looks a little embarrassed.

Dad, please don’t start with all your bits of wisdom, you’re not the Dalai Lama. Francis laughs in amusement.

Drake and Francis are joined by more of their friends about an hour after school has finished. The celebrations go on for a few hours whilst they play games, test out Drake’s new presents and eat some cake. But when they all leave it is time for the birthday boy to prepare for a night out at a Chinese restaurant. Another aspect of his individuality: Drake is always eager to try different foods that look appealing to him. Not that Chinese food is a novelty to the youngster, but it is his birthday. Nothing less than what he adores will suffice. He enjoys every mouthful. When they leave and go back home, they drive past a KFC.

Dad, stop! exclaims Drake.

What, what is it, son?

There’s a KFC there. The father looks at him suspiciously.

We’ve just been to a Chinese restaurant, and you’re still hungry enough to want a chicken burger? His son nods his head up and down ardently.

It is my birthday, isn’t it?

William sighs but Angela being a bit more generous offers him the money to go and get a burger himself. They wait in the car which William parks in a nearby alley just around the corner. Drake enters the fast food restaurant and in a happy state, requests a chicken burger. Whilst he is waiting, he hears two loud noises, to his ears they sound like fireworks and thinks nothing more of it. He gets his burger and walks back to where the car is parked.

But as he walks around the corner expecting the family car to be parked there, he immediately drops his burger in a state of shock; both his parents have a single bullet hole in each of their heads, lying on the ground and the car gone. Young Drake is panicking, he breathes heavily and anxiously by what he is seeing. He tries poking them, telling them to wake up. But they are dead and there is nothing that the boy can do to change that. Psychologically he knows they are gone but he cannot bring himself to admit it. He sheds many tears. HEEELLLP!!! he shouts many times over. A couple hear his pleas for help. They walk over and see the horror that Drake is suffering. His parents are dead; his ordinary life is at an end.

A week later, Drake attends his parents’ funeral and is accompanied by his grandparents, who have agreed to look after him from now on. Drake has been speechless since his parents were murdered, traumatised by such an experience, inconsolable despite the best efforts of his relatives, Francis and his other friends. In the middle of the wake, when asked if he would like to say anything, Drake keeps his silence, simply shaking his head as he stares into vacant space. As they walk outside, it is raining down heavily. The coffins are being lowered; Drake in his mind gradually waving eternal farewell to his parents forever. Once they are buried, the young boy yearns for momentary solace alone, by the gravestones of his parents. Drake’s world will never be the same again, but what he is about to witness is as inexplicable as the deaths of his parents were horrifying. Once again, his world is about to change dramatically in a way neither he nor anybody else could possibly anticipate.

Complete silence. Drake just realises it. No wonder he could no longer hear the raindrops falling on him and his parents’ graves. The raindrops are motionless. He looks around to see that the attendants walking back to their cars are perfectly immobile like statues, as too are the cars already driving away. The boy’s face shows a state of utter disbelief. He looks back at the gravestones, wondering if this bizarre occurrence is purely coincidental with today or if there is meaning for it. And then fear strikes him, when he hears a voice from behind.

My condolences for your loss, Drake.

The voice is too preternatural to describe. An American accent, the voice appears to be almost neutral in gender but slightly masculine and distorted as if it was underwater. Drake slowly steers his head to look who is behind him. There stands a figure about six feet tall, dressed in dark clothing and what appears to be a black Arctic coat with fur around the hood. His face is shrouded in darkness. Whoever this man is, he does not appear to be content on showing Drake his true identity.

Hesitantly he asks Who are you? What is happening, are you the one doing this? The mysterious man is hard to read, expressionless.

You can call me Daniel. And yes, I am the one who is causing what you see. The ability to stop time is just one of my many abilities.

Stop time? asks Drake. How is that even possible? Daniel crouches down, his shrouded face level with Drake’s.

What if I were to tell you that you can have this power, that you can have other powers too? What if there was a way to do things you wanted to, a way to rectify past mistakes, a way to prevent bad things in life ever happening to you? Would you like to be able to do that? There is a short pause amidst the silence. Drake questions Daniel.

I don’t get it, why me? I’m just a kid. What is so special about me that you’d give me powers? Daniel wastes no time in responding.

Because Drake, there are so many aspects of life, of the world and indeed the universe that you simply do not understand. And it would not be enough for me to just tell you everything. I know the kind of boy you are, even for someone your age you are not easily fooled, you have a clear mind. You know that it’s not enough to just listen to the words of a stranger and take them at face value. That is why I will not tell you. Instead I will show you. Drake is still fearful of Daniel.

What do you mean show me? he says. Daniel puts his hand on the boy’s shoulder.

Relax. You can trust me. But what I am about to do will feel weird for you. Be ready.

In a flash they disappear from the graveyard and appear on a beach. Drake is frightened.

How...how did you do that? Where are we?

Relax, Drake, says Daniel. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe you have been on this beach before. Drake looks around and nods.

Yes, I’ve been here with my parents and grandparents a few times before. Wait...how would you know that? Are you spying on me?

I do not need to spy on you to know who you are and where you go. Drake looks at Daniel suspiciously, pondering why he is dressed in unusual clothing considering the weather and the location.

Why do you wear those clothes? You look as though you’ve just been skiing.

It is cold where I come from, responds Daniel. And I know what you are thinking. A cold place, my accent. I must be from somewhere like Alaska or someone who lives in Scandinavia. But there is no point in you speculating. You can call me Daniel. That is all you need to know. Wanting to know more about me and my origins is not relevant for you and it will only distract you from what you need to do. Drake looks puzzled.

What do I need to do?

You will see. You are going to have to trust me again Drake which will not be easy with what I am about to ask of you. You need to walk into the water. Drake gasps Walk into the water? I’ll drown! I’ve just had to say goodbye to my parents because they died and now you’re asking me to die too?

Drake, if this was too dangerous for you then I would not be here, and if I can stop time and teleport you as well as myself to any location in the world, I am quite certain I can stop you from drowning. Besides, I will be walking in with you.

Drake reluctantly holds Daniel’s hand. He is still unsure about this mysterious man. Yet there doesn’t appear to be anything unusual about the feel of his gloved hand. They walk in, wading into a motionless sea without waves, made motionless by Daniel’s extraordinary power.

Do not bother taking deep breaths, he tells Drake.

They wade in until their heads are completely submerged beneath the surface. They can see plenty of fish, all stopped just like time and the rest of the world. But even underwater there is total silence. And there is a strange sense of tranquillity in it. As the water is spellbound with time, they effortlessly move through the water until suddenly, Drake notices something. He can see a light, a flashing light that does not appear to have been affected by Daniel’s power. The colour is a light blue that glows brightly in the water. It becomes more resplendent as they approach closer. The light is shaped like a symbol, an ancient type of symbol. Drake feels anxious yet fascinated by it at the same time. They both move closer to it, Daniel sends Drake down to touch it, and suddenly they are both engulfed in a bright light.

Drake comes to, and realises that he is alone in an underground cavern. It is dark and murky, his surroundings are barely visible.

Daniel...Daniel? DANIEL! he shouts.

But there is no response. His clothes are completely dry, as if he had not been immersed moments ago. As he looks further into the darkness, he just notices a gloomy light shaped like an archway. It is quite large and underneath the arch are strange doors. They are what can best be described as solid metallic scales, like they belong to a reptile. One can sense they could suppress any force that tried to barge through them. But as Drake approaches, they slowly open for him. Light shines out from them the instant they open. Through these doors he can see clouds and sky. But this isn’t the sky that Drake is familiar with. The sky itself seems brighter than normal despite there not being a sun to make it so. From the doors juts out a long path, its flooring made of an unusual, shiny metal surface. The path leads to a round piece of alloy flooring, hovering in the sky. There are pillars of the same unfamiliar metal poised around the edges, with what appear to be torches on top but not of ordinary fire. They look and move like fire but their colour is brighter, identical to the light blue symbol Drake saw in the water. And in the middle is an altar.

YOU! shouts a booming voice, enough to terrify Drake like never before. The voice sounds very low-pitched, inhumane, and monstrous.

Who is there? mutters Drake. A luminescent light appears on the altar, like a blue cloud of energy.

You are the one, says the voice. For you to be here means that you will become the next true guardian of Earth. This planet needs you.

Still frightened and fearing for his life, Drake shouts WHO ARE YOU?

In my time they called me Dragon King. I was elected by my fellow species to govern the race of Dragons and charged with the ultimate responsibility of defending planet Earth.

Dragons? gasps Drake.

Yes, we were the first beings of this planet. We created our own civilization, a society that embodied principles of how a Dragon should live their life and what duties they must perform. Drake is confused, he questions the soul.

If you had a civilisation of your own then how come there are no remains found? How come nobody knows that you ever existed?

We had a saying amongst our species. This planet gave us life, the least we can do is give it back. And the time came when it was necessary for each and every Dragon to give their life for the planet. Otherwise we would not be here, and you would never have existed.

Your entire species sacrificed themselves? asks Drake. Why?

Because out there in the universe are beings and races that crave power beyond anything else. My arch-rival, Bolazgor, is the Overgod of oblivion. He originates from a planet many light-years away from here, but his natural hunger to consume power is insatiable. And if he cannot have it, he will destroy it so that it cannot oppose him. On the day that Bolazgor and his vast army found Earth, we were forced to defend it. But he underestimated just how skilled we were as warriors. He lost patience and immediately confronted me to do battle. And our battle lasted long, for he is a formidable foe. The more I fought him, the more I understood his strengths and weaknesses. Bolazgor is not a being who has the ability to travel long distances at great speeds. Even he sensed he was losing the battle. I let him flee like a coward, only for him to sacrifice his entire army to conjure up enough deanima, what we call destructive energy, to annihilate the planet. He focused all his energy into summoning a vast amount of deanima, I was able to warp him back to his home planet without an army. But I and the rest of my species gathered all the energy we had into creating reanima, life energy. It was the only way we could counter the dark power. It required so much energy that I too had to sacrifice my own body to do it. However, I was not expecting my soul to remain. Our cities and every piece of architecture that we created; all converted into reanima and used to save the planet. That is why you do not see or hear about any remains of our civilization.

So Bolazgor is still alive? Does that mean he’ll come back to destroy Earth? asks Drake.

Without question, responds the soul. But he knew that the planet was left defenceless after the war and was not so rich in power with the demise of the Dragons. Therefore this planet would not be seen as worth destroying so quickly. Beings like Bolazgor and I, rulers of other planets, have abilities to sense power throughout the universe, even if that power belongs to other beings or rulers of other worlds. And now the time has come where you must embrace power if Earth is to survive the dark forces that threaten it. Drake is stunned.

Why me?

You are here because no other being can be. For you to find this place means that you are the ideal candidate, the right one of your species to defend the planet. There is a force within you that drives you to do good, whether you know it or not. You are the only one.

How exactly am I meant to protect Earth? I’m just a boy, says Drake.

You are powerless, the soul points out. But my soul cannot defend Earth without a body. That is why my soul will merge with you. You will learn by yourself how to develop and control your abilities. As well as my power, you must take these two swords. They are formidable blades by themselves but in challenging times, you can combine both of them together to form the most powerful weapon the planet has ever seen, in Dragon tongue we called it: Yamaya Garuzao. Translated into your language, it is named Eternal Victory. They were created so that only the one whom my soul resides within, may summon and wield Yamaya Garuzao at will.

The blades suddenly appear from nothing. They look like swords made out of the same metal as the doors, albeit the same metal is smoother and sharp as it forms the blade around the scales. They disappear briefly afterwards.

But remember this. If you fail, Earth will fall. The soul begins to sparkle and floats towards Drake, slowly infusing into his body. Drake can feel the effects of it instantly. A great surge of energy rushes through his entire body, enough to make him quiver and fall to the ground. As the process is almost complete, Dragon King says his last words.

You are the planet’s only hope, Drake. Do not fail.

The whole place suddenly flashes with light. When Drake awakens, he finds himself on the beach he and Daniel started from, with the latter standing next to him.

Hey, where did you go, Daniel? questions Drake with an angry look on his face. Even if I could go inside with you, I was not meant to be in there, Drake. Only one person can go in there and that person was you. Now that you have Dragon King’s power, you must develop it in order to save the world. Drake has a thought in his mind that is troubling him.

There’s something that is bothering me. Dragon King said I was the only one who could be in there, meaning I’m the only one who could have his power. But you have powers too, Daniel. Where did you get yours from?

You said it yourself; you were the only one who could enter the lair. For all you know my powers could come from somewhere else, from another source or another world. But I’ve already told you that it is pointless to speculate about me, Drake. The less you know about me, the more you can do what you are supposed to do. Drake’s face shows his lack of faith in Daniel.

You’re never going to tell me are you, Daniel?

You have no idea what the future holds for you, Drake. Whatever things in life seem certain to you now could easily change, whether in years or even days.

Drake, you are going to experience changes in your life that only I can help you with. It is vital that you do not tell your family, friends or another living soul about me, about your experiences or what you will be capable of. The future of the planet hangs in the balance in ways you simply do not know or understand. And your role would be severely compromised if you talk to anyone or misuse your abilities. Basically, do not show off to impress your friends with your abilities, do not give into the urge to confide in anyone about who you really are and what you can do. Do you understand?

I don’t even know what I’m capable of yet! exclaims Drake. What can I do?

I will show you soon Drake I promise you, says Daniel. But you need to get back to your life, go back to your parents’ funeral and get your new life started first. You are moving to Dartmouth to live with your grandparents. You will live a normal life there but secretly we shall meet and you will grow to become the protector of Earth. Drake laughs upon hearing Daniel say such words.

Do you realise how stupid that sounds? Protecting Earth whilst living in Dartmouth?

It is not as stupid as you think, Daniel claims. You are to protect the whole world, but you still have to live and grow up in one location. To a being of power, the location is irrelevant, but for the sake of complying with your mortal background, Dartmouth will be your next destination. Anyway, you need to get going. I will meet you again in a few days. That is when your training will start.

Drake suddenly finds himself standing in front of his parents’ graves. Time is no longer stopped, the raindrops are falling again and the attendants are leaving. Drake is soaked in rain quickly; he takes one last look at the gravestones of his parents, not with a look of sadness, but with a sense of new-found purpose. Out of this tragedy, there is a rebirth and he knows now that he will be able to make any commitment a reality. He walks towards the car that his grandparents are waiting in. They are Drake’s grandparents on his mother’s side of the family who live in the small town of Dartmouth. Esther his grandmother, feeling a lot of sadness herself, tries to comfort Drake.

We all know how hard it must be for you Drake. As tragic as this is, your life will go on. We’re here for you.

Thanks Grandma, replies Drake. His grandfather Randolph looks at him sympathetically.

Is there anything you want to do, Drake, before you come to Dartmouth with us? Drake nods his head.

I have to get a few things from the house to take with me, and I have to say goodbye to my friends.

The rain is relentless, falling down heavily as they make their way back to the house. Drake looks around his bedroom looking for anything of sentimental value to take with him. He has a backpack ready to store his belongings. The jar he stores coins in, a long-term saving plan that his father taught him to do. He bags his gaming console, his DVDs and music CDs. Home entertainment that he finds shelter in, like a shrine of relaxation. He grabs his favourite clothes too. As he looks on top of his chest of drawers, Drake notices a picture of him and his parents, taken a year ago when they visited the beach at Dartmouth. Even though grief has stripped the boy of all capacity for happy memories, he stares at the picture in the hope that he never forgets their faces. It is the last item he stores in his backpack. Randolph knocks on the door.

Drake? We can stay the night here if you want. You can call your friends to say goodbye but I suppose you can also ask them to keep in touch, can’t you?

I suppose so, Granddad, but there is a friend who I have to see before we leave. I can show you where he lives.

The next day, Drake gets dressed and ready to leave. He looks around the rooms. This is the house he has lived in since he was born. He is not sure what to expect by living in a different house, having to accustom himself to different rooms, to an unfamiliar environment. He doubts whether he is ready for such a transition, but there is no alternative for Drake. When he leaves the front door and walks to the car with his grandparents waiting, that is not what is at the forefront of his mind. He knows he is about to visit a special friend. Perhaps this is the last time they will see each other face-to-face. They arrive at the house after Drake had given directions. He presses the button to signal the door bell. A woman with blonde hair answers the door.

Drake? Oh my I’m so sorry about your loss.

Hi Linda. I’ve come to see Francis.

Of course, says Linda. Please come in. Drake walks up to Francis’s room and knocks on the door. It opens and Francis is surprised.

Drake, didn’t expect to see you so soon. Did the funeral go okay?

It was okay, replies Drake. I’m here Francis because I’m moving away. I’m going to live with my grandparents in Dartmouth; in fact we’re heading there as soon as I get back in the car. I don’t know if we’ll ever see each other again. Francis looks at him slightly confused.

Well... you do have a phone don’t you? We can keep in touch.

I know. It’s just that it’s not quite the same, you know? No more visits, no more days out and... Francis immediately steps in.

Hey I know, mate, it’s not easy for you considering everything that’s happened and that you don’t have a choice. But if we have communication then that should be enough, shouldn’t it?

You’re right, Francis. I just want to say... that I’ve always believed there’s more to your looks than just being born with them. Where most others can only think negatively of what they see, I see hope. I see potential for something... amazing. I don’t know what it is, but just make sure you don’t let any moron put you down because of who you are. The car horn outside is sounding.

Drake, thank you, for watching my back, says Francis.

I have to go, says Drake. I’ll keep in touch. Goodbye Francis.

Goodbye Drake. And with a shake of hands, they leave it at that. Drake leaves through the front door and enters the car. He notices Francis looking out of the window and waving goodbye. Randolph notices him too.

Is that your friend, Drake? He looks a bit funny with that hair. Drake has an almost emotionless look on his face.

That’s because his hair is naturally purple, Granddad. His eyes too. He’s special. Randolph looks in the mirror at Drake.

You believe he is special, huh? Drake looks into the mirror at his grandfather.

I don’t believe it...I know it.

Chapter 2: New Beginnings

Two days have passed since Drake said farewell to his best friend and moved in with his grandparents. He is looking outside his bedroom window, looking at the view of the River Dart and the small town of Kingswear across the river. Drake is slightly spooked when he hears Daniel’s voice.

Drake, meet me at the beach. It is time to begin. He looks behind him only to see that nobody is there.

Come quickly, Daniel’s voice says. Being a little unsure as to whether he is in a dream or hallucinating, he complies. Randolph, sitting in his chair, is reading a book.

I’m walking out to the beach, Granddad. I’ll be back later. Randolph looks at Drake.

Will you be alright, Drake?

Of course, he replies. He walks to the beach; the day is sunny and warm but the gentle breeze keeps Drake from perspiring. When he arrives at the beach, there is not another soul to be seen. He looks out at the sea for a few seconds and witnesses the waves suddenly stopping in motion and the seagulls too are totally still in the sky.

You are starting to have more faith. That is a good sign. Drake looks behind him to see Daniel standing there, dressed in the same clothes as their last meeting.

Do you ever wear anything different? asks Drake?

If you really want to know, you can someday have the power to clean your clothes without waiting for a washing machine to do it. It is what I do with mine. Surely you would have noticed that when I dried your wet clothes before you entered the lair.

You sure like stopping time, don’t you?

It is necessary. Remember, no one can know what we are doing and you cannot afford to give up your identity. Besides, this way you are never late. Once the lessons are finished, you have all the time to do whatever errand or thing you were going to do anyway.

So... what do we do now? asks Drake.

First we sit, says Daniel. They sit down facing each other with their legs crossed. And now I will tell you the first thing about using and developing your powers. It is all about your mind. Whereas humans may only use about ten percent of their brainpower, the average Dragon of the First Age would use eighty.

Eighty percent? gasps Drake in amazement.

The Dragons varied in shape and size of their bodies, but their greatest sense of pride came from their mental strength, which in their case was their brain power matched with the thoughts and feelings they experience in their mind. Those feelings could be anything like determination, sheer focus or concentration on any particular thing. For a being in their early age, they would start with one ability at a time. But as they get older and more experienced, they could use multiple abilities at once. In the case of some of the more powerful Dragons, they could use multiple abilities at once with relative ease. This is what made the Dragons a seemingly omnipotent species.

What about their souls? Dragon King had a soul without a body.

That is a good question, Drake. Dragon King was the ruler of this planet because his power and abilities were peerless amongst the Dragon race. If a being is powerful enough, his soul can exist without a body and can also carry some of their mental strength with it. Dragon King was one of the few individual beings in the universe capable of it. But no being is actually aware of whether they are capable of it or not until it happens so it can surprise anyone, as it surprised Dragon King himself. The soul is not as big a factor as the mind when it comes to accessing your power.

So do I have to meditate everyday to become more powerful? asks Drake.

No. The potential for greater power within you grows automatically, but it is a process that takes a while. All you can do is discover what abilities you are capable of as you go along. It will be a while before you can control god-like abilities. Drake sulks, just as his level of excitement was rising.

Do not sulk, Drake. Any human would be proud just to enjoy some of the lesser abilities that the Dragons could do, you are no exception. Just wait and see.

In order to use your abilities, you must use your mind to make a connection with your surroundings. Because the truth is there is energy all around us. It is in the air, in our bodies. The planet itself is full of energy. But the human race has no idea that it exists, nor do they know how to manipulate it. This is what separates them from the ancient Dragons. It is because they knew the presence of the life energy, and they used it. So right now, I want you to use the will of your mind Drake. Use it to connect with life around you. Drake breathes in and out with one deep breath. He closes his eyes and keeps what Daniel said to him in complete focus. He visualises energy from his mind stretching forth, out of his head to everything around him. Drake suddenly gasps.

I can see something, he says.

Tell me what you see, says Daniel. Drake looks more and more horrified.

No...no, NO! he shouts.

Drake, what is it?

I saw my parents, they were dead. Only I saw them being shot by a man whose face I could not see. It was like I was there, Dan. I didn’t watch them being shot that night, but just now I saw them being murdered.

Daniel nods his head in understanding.

What you did was connect with the energy around you in the hope that you would get an answer. And you got it.

My answer to what? asks Drake.

That you have abilities, that you can use them. What you saw was a vision of the past. You have the ability to view the past. For that ability to come first does not surprise me, you lost your parents just days ago and their departure from this world is still fresh in your mind as are your emotions too. Humans cannot literally see the past happen in their minds. They can remember of course, but memories do not tell the whole story compared to witnessing the past like you just did. Try focusing on your past more. Think about a memory, and then see it. Drake closes his eyes again and thinks about Daniel’s words. He visualises once again. Visions of Francis and his friends, moments with his parents fill his mind. It is like a slide show of his life, being able to see them as if they were present in that current moment.

I did it, I just thought of things about my past and I could see them.

Well done Drake, enthuses Daniel. You have just mastered your first ability. Using the will of your mind to witness any moment of your past. And this is just the beginning. You now have the basis of accessing your abilities; from there you can truly develop your potential. Drake is gushing with excitement, with a sense of amazement as to what he is now capable of.

What else can I do? he asks Daniel who is standing up.

I think it would be better if you found out yourself, when time is actually in motion. Just be careful that you do not give yourself away, you cannot afford to draw suspicion to yourself. What you must become takes precedence over any other matter in your life. Do not jeopardise that. Drake stands up too.

When is the next lesson? he asks.

I will let you know when the time comes.

When it comes or when it stops? remarks Drake. With a brief pause, Daniel instantly vanishes and time resumes. The waves are back in motion, crashing against the shore and the seagulls are crying as they soar in the wind. Drake can feel the slight breeze again.

Drake spends a few minutes meandering along the beach, unable to stop contemplating in his mind just what he will be able to do in the future. He thinks about what Daniel told him, especially about his mind making a connection with the ambience around him. He applies this logic again. but this time trying not to think about his past. His impatience demands answers; he wants to know his potentiality immediately. That is when he can