What's up everybody!? Here we are again, another story! Although, if you follow me or know of me on Ao3, then you already know what this story is about! For those that don't, I hope the summary covered it well enough ;) I decided to cross-post this story from Ao3 to here, cause why not? That way my readers here don't think I died! lol! Plus, it gives you ever patient people something to read while I work on my other fics! (I promise I'm still working on them!) I hope you enjoy the story! :)
PS: All the dragons I used are not made up! You can google them if you want a better picture of what they look like ;)
PPS: Based off Tinyjing's Dragon!Cloud. You can find the insperation for it here (Just be sure to take the spaces out!) - tinyjing. tumblr post/ 138182782002/ a-beautiful-derg
DragonHeart
"Genesis! You let the fire go out again!"
That was the first thing Zack heard when he was woken up that morning. The young fourteen-year-old peeled away from the warm confines of his hay-stuffed feather-down bed and stretched. His body was slow and sluggish from the sudden wake-up call. His tired eyes pried themselves open with a small amount of force, the lids unable to open all the way. With stiff fingers, he rubbed the last remaining trace of slumber from his eyes and glanced around his room.
Everything sat still in the same places as yesterday; Bookcase shoved against the far wall and tucked snug into the corner. A desk cluttered with inked drawings and notes sat next to the tall shelving unit. Wooden floors, wooden ceiling; the whole nine yards. The window to the right of his bed was casting ray of morning sun through the thick glass panes and washing the bleached wood floor below.
His ears tuned in to hear the sound of annoyed roaring from downstairs, followed by a snort and a huff of the same intensity. A smile curved across his sun-kissed skin as he all but tossed the thick quilt off his body and rose from his bed, not even taking the time to smooth out the wrinkles in his shirt or pants. Zack shuffled past the window, his peripheral vision catching a glimpse of his reflection: Chaotically spiked hair sat atop his head with a single strand hanging in his face deliberately and bright sapphire eyes greeted his image in the mirror. Rounded ears twitched when he heard noises and speech from downstairs.
"You know all I ask of you is to keep the fire going. I don't see why you can't do that simple task!"
Cue irritated snorting and snarling following the reprimand. Angeal was already lively this morning, as was Genesis from the sounds of it. Zack quickly left his room via a cracked bedroom door and hurried down the hall. He bounded down the creaky steps of the staircase with pep in his step and a never-ending smile on his face. His bare feet quickly touched down on the first floor of the house, his ears leading him through the domicile. He pushed open a heavy door as the wood changed into cold cobblestone.
The blacksmith workshop. The large room was washed completely in gray and ashen. Multitudes of tools were hung against the walls or against the wooden support beams that held up the second floor of the establishment. Further out of the room was a small venue where their wares were displayed and sold to the general public. But to the left, however, that's where the action was this morning.
Zack stepped away from the door and further into the workshop, his grin growing even wider when he happened upon one of his most favorite sights in the morning. Angeal, his uncle and the blacksmith of the house, was chiding his dragon as per norm. The man's gloves and clothes were already covered in metal shavings, soot, and cinders of the like and his protective brown apron was sullied even further. His welding hammer was tucked tight in his right hand as he glared at the twelve-foot tall dragon lounging about by the furnace. It was almost a wonder that their shop was tall enough to house the mighty beast in any room.
Genesis was a Kazilik breed, a mighty red bodied and black spotted and ringed creature with a harsh temperament and the powers of fire-breathing. His black horns were his most predominant feature, sticking off the top of his head and angled back, his bright yellow eyes glaring into his human's. Normally, this breed had mighty and large wings; but Genesis's were short and squatty, which prevented him from flying like other dragons. This breed was also known for their fiery temper and hot-headed nature. While most people chained their dragons when they worked or helped their humans, Angeal did not. He didn't believe in shackling them like so.
Dragons: They were as common as any other human being. In fact, most dragons had evolved into more humanoid forms, only reverting to their full dragon form to perform certain tasks, or if they felt comfortable around their tamers. One could never be too careful; there were still dragon poachers and hunters out there that would kill to get their hands on a full formed dragon. Not only that, but there were other dragons that liked to feast on the scaly flesh of their brethren. Living in the kingdom of Midgar proved to be beneficial to both human and beast in the long run.
This city was also the most advanced out of all the others on Gaia in the height of their Renaissance age. They had the best army, the best weapons, fertile lands and fruitful crops. Many people flocked to this city on a regular basis to make a comfortable living for themselves. Some were merchants, some soldiers, and the meekest were farmers. All the people had scaly helping-claws in their professions and everyday lives. Everyone had a dragon –well, there was an exception to that rule.
The common folk of Midgar usually had Drakes: small underling dragons that were more related to the common reptile. Those could fly and varied in shapes and color, but possessed no true attributes or powers. However, some drakes could spit cinders in place of fire. They did not possess a human form like the full-bloods either. However, only dragon handlers were given the utmost privilege of caring for and looking after a full-blooded dragon.
Not just anyone could be a dragon handler; one had to be chosen by fate. Mainly, those that were chosen to become handlers are strong with the mightiest dreams. These individuals are destined to make even the smallest impact on the commoners or the world for that matter. They say that the chosen ones have the soul of a dragon and the heart of a leader. Those that are able to care for their own full-blooded dragon bear a mark on their right wrist that resembles a dragon's claw.
Handlers were only bred when their chosen dragon egg has been laid. The two are paired for life immediately following the sights of the mark.
Zack wanted nothing more than to be a dragon handler, but he was running out of time. The eve of his fifteenth birthday would fall at the end of this week. He only had four more days for his mark to appear, if it would appear at all.
Genesis broke his heated stare with Angeal and glanced over to where Zack was standing and smiling. The Kazilik breed snorted softly as his eyes softened just enough to pass for warm. The black-haired blacksmith glanced over his shoulder to see what stole his dragon's attention. A smirk pulled at the corners of his lips at the sight of his young nephew.
"Good morning, Zack. Sleep well?" He asked.
"Pretty good. Nice alarm clock today." The teen mused with a toothy smile.
"Ah, so you did hear that…" Angeal muttered uncomfortably as his stained glove ran through his hair in a sheepish fashion.
"I always do!" Zack admitted with a chipper tone. He moved from his spot and further approached the fire-breathing dragon, holding out his right hand as he ran it over the red scales on the thick snout. "Morning, Genesis!" He greeted.
The dragon snorted softly through his nostrils as a purred growl rumbled around in his thick throat. He puffed a tiny trail of smoke from his nose as well.
"So, did he let the fire go out again?" Zack asked as he glanced behind him to make eye-contact with his thirty-one year old uncle, petting the dragon for a little bit longer.
"Of course he did." Angeal responded as he remembered to put his hands back on his hips and adopt a stern look.
Genesis didn't like the look and growled loudly, yanking his head away from Zack's hand as his forked tongue slashed out of his long snout. He puffed charcoal gray smoke from his throat as a warning that he was about to blow cinders.
"Quit throwing a temper tantrum and just light the fire, will you? I still have three more custom orders to complete before noon!" The blacksmith huffed, using his right hand to motion to the unlit furnace.
The red and black-spotted dragon growled in a loud and whiny tone before it spit a large fireball into the furnace. He scorched the cement and the stone floor around it into a smoky black color, but the fire was blazing bright.
"Thank you! Now was that so hard?" Angeal remarked as he stepped forward and agave a few pats to Genesis's smoking snout.
The dragon huffed once through his nostrils, but otherwise remained silent with bored yellow eyes.
"Zack, put your apron on, you're going to help me with these orders." The blacksmith directed as he motioned over to the sizzling and crackling furnace.
"Sure thing!" The raven-haired teen chirped.
He nodded his head before he scurried to the other side of the workshop. Sitting idly on a metal rack was his own apron. It was similar to his uncle's save for the fact that his was black instead of brown. He pulled the thick material from the hook and donned the cover, tying it in the back to keep it from flapping about. He wasn't sure about being a blacksmith to be honest. It was a good way to make a nice living and be able to work with weapons, but it's not what Zack really wanted to do.
He wanted to join the Dragon Army, which was a branch in the military that specialized in synchronized combat with beast and man together; riding through the skies, being a skilled warrior, and protecting the kingdom from danger. He wanted to be as good a fighter as Cid Highwind; the Army's top fighter with his Fleur-de-Nuit dragon, Vincent. Oh, imagine if he could gain his mark and hatch a beast such as that! Those magnificent deep-blue and black dragons may be nocturnal by nature, but they have night-vision and made one of the best fighting breeds in all of Gaia!
Zack shook his head to regain control over his thoughts again. He couldn't fantasize about that, he wasn't even sure if he'd gain his mark by the eve of his fifteenth birthday. He cut back across the cobblestone floor towards the furnace again, pausing in a different spot where an anvil and spare hammer sat. He rolled up his long sleeves and adjusted his protective apron, ready to go. Angeal came over with a broken broadsword, the metal snapped clean near the hilt of the blade.
"This is just a standard repair, putting the two halves back together. Look here-" Angeal explained before pointing to the clean break near the hilt of the blade, "This is a clean break, which means what?"
"Uhh…" Zack drawled, his eyes as blank as his mind. He remained like that for a few moments before the answer lit up in his head and shone in his eyes like a metaphorical light-bulb. "It means we can mend it without any spare steel, just some heat and welding!" He supplied as he slapped his right fist into his left hand.
"Right. Now how do we go about fixing a standard break?"
"Um, Oh! You heat up the two pieces with some fire and use a hammer to mend the two shards back together again!"
"Very good." Angeal commented with a faint smirk.
He placed the two fragments against the large anvil, pushing them together until the split was nearly undetectable. He glanced over his shoulder and towards his lazy dragon. "Genesis, heat." He directed.
The Kazilik dragon snorted, muttering some sort of complaint in reptilian tongue before he regretfully stretched his long neck out and hovered over the piece of broken steel, complying with the request with an unnecessary amount of attitude and spite. Zack backed off from the heat of the blast with a wicked grin and a softly exclaimed 'woah'. Angeal gave his dragon a narrowed glare before he started to hammer the molten hot fragments back together. The fourteen-year old apprentice watched with rapt attention, for the most part. He was into it for the first two minutes before he got bored of watching the same repetition of 'fire and hammer' over and over.
His distracted sapphire eyes glanced out towards the open venue area of the shop. He could see their wares scintillating in the morning sunshine and the way the shadows underneath their off-red awning pulsed gently against the ground. He could see a few people walking about the marketplace outside the open area from his spot further inside the workshop. He could see the vendor across from their establishment, Steiner, selling armor. Often time his uncle and the former knight sent their customers to the other and recommended each other's products and merchandise. Steiner had a small drake that helped him out with his own shop; a feisty little cinder-spitter called Pluto. He could see the black-colored beast parading around on the counter while his owner sold his wares to the passerby's.
His distracted mind even started playing out scenarios of what he would do if he was lucky enough to become a dragon handler like his uncle. He thought about hatching a mighty Grand Chevalier; one of the largest and most powerful dragons there was, colored with gray and brown scales and a pale belly. A mighty fighter that was intimidated by none. He thought about hatching a majestic and gigantic Xenica; A dragon with marbled orange and black wings, kind of like a butterfly. Imagine that marvelous beast tailing him around in dragon form, he'd be talk of the whole kingdom! Not to mention there'd be no way in all of Ifrit's seven Hells he wouldn't get a spot in the Army!
He couldn't picture himself hatching something small and simple like a Winchester or a Greyling. Those small silver-colored things were only good for riding around on your shoulders and being more annoying than anything else. But at least those made good hunters and could still net him a position in the Dragon Army. Maybe not in the direct branch he desired, but he'd still manage to get in with a hunter or a carnivore as his dragon. Omnivores could even get in.
Herbivores, no way. He did notwant a herbivore if he were to get a dragon of his own. Those docile grass-eaters were practically incapable of battle and their special attributes weren't suited for fighting at all. Besides, there was only oneherbivore that ever got into the Army, and that was over one-hundred years ago and there hasn't been another one ever since. Ifalna had been her name, and her dragon was a brown-bodied, marbled-winged Berghexe named Aerith.
The only reason why that duo had made it in was because Aerith had special healing abilities that were rare for her breed, or any breed in particular for that matter. So those two were more of a medical branch that healed the injured while in battle. But no other herbivore breed has possessed healing powers like that ever since.
Herbivores were just useless.
"…Zack!" Angeal's voice suddenly boomed, causing the unfocused teen to jump in place and turn startled eyes to his uncle. "Were you listening to anything I was saying?"
"Huh, what?" Zack hummed, his right eyebrow arching as he tried to think.
The head blacksmith exhaled loudly and shook his head in an exasperated manner. Genesis, however, was chuckling gruffly. His glowing yellow eyes were alight in amusement as his whole red and black-spotted frame bounced from the chuckles that sounded more like soft gags.
"Genesis, don't encourage him!" Angeal scolded as he lightly flicked the tip of his dragon's snout right in between the nostrils.
The fiery beast whined and shook his head from the sting the small strike had brought. He narrowed his eyes and snorted roughly, blowing smoke at his handler's face as the amused look all but left his eyes. He coughed a bit and waved the smoke from him with a near repulsed look on his face.
"Sixteen years later and you're still as stubborn as the day you hatched." Angeal chuckled.
Genesis straightened up, holding his head high with closed eyes. He was proud of his hard-headedness -ever the egotistical one.
"Too bad your wings are stubby. Making deliveries would be a snap." The blacksmith sighed, tracing a gloved finger over the velvety skin of said appendage.
Genesis snorted loudly and started to heave heavily as charcoal gray smoke billowed out of his mouth and nose. He was very sensitive about his small, flightless wings and didn't like it when they were pointed out. A few cinders fell from the tip of his tongue and decorated the cobblestone in a blaze of faint orange before it decayed to ash. Zack and Angeal were waving smoke from their faces and coughing it back up when they breathed too deep.
"Sorry, sorry! You know I'm not making fun of you!" The handler apologized, waving his hands in front of him submissively. "I'm just saying it'd be easier on Zack since he always makes the deliveries!"
"Sure, drag me into it so he can get mad at me and not you." Zack mused with an arched eyebrow and a flat voice.
That was enough to get Genesis to stop fuming smoke and cinders and cool off. He righted his stance on his hind legs, puffing his chest out and turning his head up mockingly to the humans beneath his towering frame. He flicked his spiked tail from side to side, much like a feline. In many ways, he acted just like an overgrown house cat; thinking he ruled the roost and everything was done for him.
Those two were polar opposites in personality. In fact, most handlers and their dragons were always different from the other. It kept the two from ever growing annoyed or bored with a being that was almost exactly like them. It added sugar to the spice, or in the case of his uncle and his Kazilik, fire to the ice.
"Speaking of deliveries. There's one I need you to make this morning." Angeal recalled, snapping his fingers together from the memory.
"But Angeal, it's Sunday! We don't usually make deliveries on the weekends!" Zack whined, grabbing onto his uncle's arm as if he was going to be pried away.
"It's an order filled for the Dragon Army. I figured you'd like to deliver it and maybe take a look around the facility? But if you don't want to then I guess I can-"
"The Dragon Army? Well jeeze, Angeal! Why didn't you say so sooner? Where's the order at?" Zack gasped, changing his tune to a completely different beat.
"I figured you'd want to go." Angeal spoke with a smile.
He stepped away from the anvil and sauntered over to the far wall to the left where a large work-desk was cluttered with steel scraps and side projects. In the middle of the table lay a very large tan satchel that had to at least be three by five feet. With a small amount of effort, the blacksmith hoisted the bag from the table with the strap securely tucked away into his fist. When a good grip had been established, he spun on his heel and rounded back to his nephew.
"Now this bag is a little heavy. Can you lift it on your own?" Angeal inquired, holding the large satchel out for the teenager to take.
"Please! How weak to you think I-" Zack was abruptly cut off when he took the bag with one arm, then went crashing down to the workshop floor in a matter of seconds.
"I thought so. I'll have Genesis go with you. He's familiar with the castle's layout anyways." The blacksmith hummed.
The dragon still sitting near the anvil huffed through his nostrils gently, a silent way of agreeing without much fuss. It beat keeping the fire lit almost every waking moment of the day.
"No, it's okay, I can totally…" Zack started, trying to work both arms under the bag in order to lift it.
He made a few stained struggling grunts and exclamations, but made no further progress in lifting the bag full of special order military blades.
"Zack, let Genesis help you. You can still look around the facility. Besides, I think my dragon is in need of a break and some fresh air." Angeal pressed. When speaking of his beast, he gave a few pets to the Kazilik's scaly snout.
Genesis gave his handler an affectionate growl with soft yellow eyes, nuzzling his snout further into the gentle touch. When the gloved hand pulled away, the dragon leaned back to sit on his hind legs, his other set dangling in front of him like a sloppy human imitation. A soft orange light then shimmered off those red and black scales, scintillating brightly even in the ashy atmosphere of the blacksmith shop. He was soon washed in the pale orange light, his large form disappearing with ease.
In a matter of seconds, there he stood in his humanoid form. He was garbed in red and black attire much like the coloration of his scales. His shirt was black with red long sleeves, and his pants and accompanying boots were of the same obsidian hue. Brunette hair with soft red highlights sat atop his human head. His eyes were still glowing a fierce yellow, save for the fact that there was now a milky green ring around his cat-slit pupils. He lacked ears but in its stead, his long horns were firmly in place and his thick red and black-ringed tail swayed behind him, those spikes still present and still very sharp looking.
The humanoid dragon stepped over and claimed the bag from Zack, lifting it with a single arm as if it was the lightest thing in the world. The teenager quickly scrambled to his feet and dusted his hands off, followed by his pants.
"I totally could have done that." He uttered in the guise of a cough.
"Well, if you want to deliver that order soon, I suggest you change clothes and head out." Angeal reminded, running a hand through his nephew's hair briefly.
"Right! Be back in a flash!" Zack chirped.
With those parting words, he bolted towards the back door of the workshop in order to get back to his room. His footing was poor and sloppy as he clumsily dashed through the living room and even up the stairs. He almost tripped for a total of six times before he finally burst into his bedroom. He scurried over to his short dresser under his window and yanked open the top drawer.
If he was going to the Dragon Army, he needed to look his best. The Army was housed inside of Shin-Ra castle and the grounds were always full of merchants, generals, and nobles of the like. He couldn't look like a street rat! So he pulled out his nicest outfit and proceeded to change into it immediately. The long-sleeved gray shirt fit him loose as if it was something of his uncle's, but his charcoal gray tunic fit his ever growing frame snugly. Not to mention the red chain crossed over the front and the sleeves gave it some kind of nobility.
He fumbled with the belt around the waist of the long shirt before making the necessary adjustments near the hem. His pants matched the same color of his undershirt and were probably his most comfortable pair. To pull it all together, he slipped on his calf-high boots and did an experimental bounce in them to make sure they fit him right. When he was dressed and ready to go, he bolted right out of his room and flew down those creaky wooden steps as fast as his feet would let him. He scurried across the living room and right back into the workshop. He saw Angeal adjusting the bag over his humanoid dragon's right shoulder. A gloved hand went through those bright russet-colored locks.
"Be alert, stay safe, and keep an eye on the rascal." He informed before he pulled his hand back to his side.
"Of course." Genesis spoke, nodding his head as his tail faintly swished behind him.
Zack was always at a loss for words when he saw a humanoid dragon both speak and understand human speech. They learn it just like humans do; through repetition and praise. Genesis's vocabulary was astounding, especially noting that when he had first hatched, his uncle spent most of his time teaching his fledgling how to speak human and understand it. The beast even had a love for prose and poems of the like, reading it as well as he could speak it.
They could not speak in human while in full dragon form though, so the teenager could never understand the Kazilik like that, his uncle could though. Dragons and their handlers could communicate telepathically. It's a skill that comes with earning your mark. If Zack had a dragon to call his own, he'd teach it how to speak human too.
"Ready?" Genesis huffed, glancing over his shoulder to direct his inquiry to the teen.
"You bet!" Zack exclaimed, bounding over to the human-dragon's side. He still towered over him by another foot or so. The raven-haired boy glanced behind him and threw a, "See you later!" over his shoulder before he and the humanoid opened a door near the open venue of their shop.
"I should have lunch ready by the time you get back, so don't take too long!" Angeal called.
When the door fully opened, early afternoon light washed into the establishment before the teen glanced behind him and flashed his uncle a thumbs-up. Then they stepped out and closed the door behind them. Zack held up his arm and pressed it against his forehead to shield the sunshine from his poorly adjusted eyes. Genesis was quick to adapt, his slits narrowing even thinner as he glanced about the marketplace. Once the teenager adjusted, he did the same.
People were bustling about this warm and sunny spring day. Women and children were standing about a few vendors and buying fresh produce. A few men were bartering with some carpenters about lowering their prices, they were failing miserably. Zack could hear Steiner's loud voice over the hustle and bustle, suggestively selling his wares and offering deals and lowered prices. Smoke drifted lazily out of a few brick chimneys to intermingle with the mid-March air, tinting the clear blue with smoky gray. A farmer walked past with a squeaky wooden cart full of caged chickens and a hog or two, the animals clucking and squealing in their wooden confinements. The scent of fresh vegetables and spices drifted through the wind just like the smoke.
The marketplace was always busy and lively. It was the best one in the kingdom and situated on the first tier of the city, right below Castle Shin-Ra. Midgar was composed of three tiers aside from the castle. The Shin-Ra manor was in the center of the kingdom on its own massive platform. Underneath that was the first tier, where most of the businesses and higher wealth citizens lived and bartered. The second row was right below the first, each layer connected by stairs to the north, east, south, and west, of the large kingdom. The second level was comprised of the middle and working class while the last tier was half for the poor in the suburbs while the other half was for the humble farmers that needed large acres of land. It was a fairly ruled kingdom and was peaceful as ever, even with their dragon companions.
"Alright, let's go!" Zack cheered as he bounded ahead to lead the way to the castle.
Genesis followed behind with a silent roll of his eyes, keeping an even pace with the exuberant teen. He readjusted the satchel thrown over his left shoulder to evenly distribute the weight, even if it wasn't much for him. His tail swaying behind him helped maintain balance in his human form. He glanced ahead of him to see his master's kin walking ahead with a spring to his step. He observed that while Zack was normally a peppy individual that got distracted too much for his own good, today he had a different aura. He was pulsing with joy and excitement and had his mind set on his destination. If he honed in that wild side, he'd make a fantastic leader. The dragon could sense this much about his handler's kin.
They maneuvered through the marketplace with relative ease, stepping around other people and making sure not to disturb the common folk or the farmers that were not used to the market. Genesis had almost all eyes on him, noting that he was a humanoid dragon with his predominant horns sticking out in lieu of human ears. While drakes were rather common, a dragon was a different story. After all, not everyone could tame and care for a full-blood, especially a Kazilik breed. Those particular beasts were the most temperamental and angry strains out of all the dragons in the world. Taming one of those was never easy and was rumored to be near impossible. How Angeal tamed Genesis was beyond Zack's comprehension.
The dynamic duo emerged from the marketplace and further into the first tier of the kingdom where more of the residential area presided. They just had to make it to the large steps that connected each platform and ascend them in order to reach Castle Shin-Ra. When Zack paused to glance up, he could already see the mighty building looming over the land and scarping the sky above. The colossal gray and ashen bricked structure was both a beacon of hope for the commoners and a signal for a better life for other-world people. The vast building had so many chambers, dungeons, and rooms that it was very easy to get lost inside it.
In fact, the Dragon Army was a branch near the east wing of the castle, facing the Midgarian seas towards the northern continent. The Dragon Hatchery was also inside the castle near the south towards the perilous mountains behind their kingdom. That's where all their dragon eggs and beasts of the liked descended from. In fact, it was one of the only mountains in all of Gaia that contained the monumental creatures. The only other sierras to contain drakes and dragons were Mount Nibel and Wutai. Many years ago, every mountainside used to be filled with drakes and dragons, but also two middle breeds known as Wyverns and Wyrms.
Wyverns were like a mix of bird, reptile, and dragon. They had no front arms and were bipedal creatures. They just had claws on their massive wings and talons on their feet. They possessed horns and long tails like their brethren, but were much smaller. Wyrms were the opposite of their younger class. They retained no hind legs and only had arms and claws. They wriggled on the ground like snakes and had enormously long horns atop their heads.
However, those middle breeds flourished in a period that was terrified of mighty beasts. The drakes and dragons were mostly left alone due to the fact they never came down form the mountain unless to feed, while the middle classes never stayed in the sierras and always plagued the human villages below. Therefore, the humans had wiped them all out to extinction. The drakes were untouched, but rumors about obtaining a dragons horns soon circulated through the air, claiming if you slew a beast and claimed its horns, your deepest wish would be granted. Now, only three mountains remained where dragons lived their natural lives.
So now in an age where drakes and dragons were cherished and kept like extravagant pets or helpers, they were protected in certain cities with certain laws. The kingdom of Midgar was one of those.
"Check it out! There it is!" Zack exclaimed, pointing in the direction they were going.
Genesis glanced up with a gentle huff, noting they were now in front of the massive beige-stoned staircase to lead them to Castle Shin-Ra. A few nobles and humble merchants were making their way up and down the steps and conversing with one another. The females giggled while the males turned their heads to watch them descend while they ascended.
"Wow! This is so exciting! Come on, Genesis!" Zack twittered, jogging in place for a moment before sprinting towards the stairs.
The Humanoid Kazilik huffed again and rolled his glowing yellow eyes. He followed after his handler's kin at a close distance, but not nearly as enthusiastically as the young teen. He was used to this sort of behavior after all. He had been around two years longer than the human and had seen him grow along with his master.
He had been a giddy boy and excited about dragons since day one. From the first moment Genesis laid eyes on him as an infant, he had seen those sapphires light up like fireworks and felt those grabby hands grope his snout and run over his scales. Even as he grew into a child he was still close to both his handler and himself. He was always wanting to play with him or pet his scales or ride on his back. At first, Genesis couldn't stand that hyper and grabby child. But he grew on him like his handler had done once before. It ended up becoming nice to have two people around him that could tolerate his outbursts, handle his fits, and still think highly of him as both a good companion and a mighty beast.
Even if Zack was relatively annoying, he cared for him like he did his master. He'd protect them both with his life it if boiled down to it. He only stopped walking when he suddenly ran into something. He snorted and glanced around in front of him, wondering what he had bumped into. But his surprised huff turned into an annoyed growl when he realized it was Zack.
The teen had stopped walking and was standing in front of the castle gates hesitantly. There were two imperial guards in front of him, blocking their path with respective drakes perched or draped around their shoulders with narrowed eyes.
"State your business here." The armor-cloaked guard on the right demanded.
"Uh, well, you see, me and my dragon, well, he's not mine per say, he's my uncle's, but we-"
Genesis rolled his eyes before he decided to spare the teen from further embarrassment. "We've come on behalf of a special order to the Dragon Army from Hewley's Blacksmith shop." He stated firmly.
"Oh! Pardon us then! Go right on through!" The one on the left apologized before they stepped away from the gates. Even their drakes purred softly and softened their eyes.
"Phew! Thanks Genesis!" Zack acknowledged with a sheepish smile and a beet red blush.
"Just don't expect me to do it again." The Humanoid Kazilik snorted.
"Right! Okay, now let's go!" The teen called, regaining his former pep as he strolled into the castle.
The great hall was lavished with long and beautiful flags and banners: some had the Shin-Ra name and others were depicted with dragons and swords. Lavish red carpet sprawled and stretched under their feet, trailing across the marble-beige floor like a trail marker. Columns and archways decorated the hall colored in cream and ivory with intricate patterns carved into them. Massive stain-glass windows in rainbow colored painted the floor with all kinds of glossy hues against the marble. At the end of the hall there lay a massive fountain carved in limestone. A dragon-head was carved into the wall above and spouting clear water from its snout into the fountain below.
Zack bounded up to the large structure and peered over the smooth ledge, glancing at his reflection in the clear water. A few white and pink water lilies floated by and distorted the image, rippling it through the pool and making the water glisten like diamonds when the light hit it just right. The young teenager dipped his index finger into the cool water and traced invisible patterns into them, smiling softly as he did so.
Genesis appeared in his rippled reflection, gazing into the distorted image himself before huffing gently to remind the boy why they were here. Zack pulled away from the fountain with a bigger smile on his face before he glanced to his left and right where the hall split in two.
"Aright, so if the Army is towards the east, then it'd make sense if we went to the right." Zack deduced before he bounded away from the fountain and lead the way again.
Genesis followed behind with his trademark huff and puff, keeping quiet. He had been to the castle before, but that had been many years ago when he was only a hatchling. He remembered all of the halls, rooms, and corridors of the palace. If the teen were to stray, he could guide him in the correct direction.
But he hated those memories, and for good reason too.
He shook his head with a rougher snort, a thin trail of light gray smoke billowing from his nostrils. He still had to be on his best behavior for now, so he sucked the smoke back up before the teenager could catch wind of both the sight and scent. They traversed down long halls, backtracked thrice when Zack wandered in the wrong direction, and flew through each similar looking corridor swiftly.
Eventually, they broke through the front of the castle and ended up in the east garden. Across from the diverse flora and lush greenery lay the massive branch of the Dragon Army. It was shaped and styled much like the rest of the castle, save for the fact that there was a life-sized statue of a Regal Copper atop the roof; which was the largest dragon breed to ever roam the earth. Maybe not the rarest, but certainly the biggest. There were some gardeners currently tending to the flowers and the large sycamore trees that lined their cobblestone path to the other branch.
Zack clapped his hands together before taking off towards the massive chamber. Genesis adjusted the satchel on his shoulder before following after obediently. While he was out, the teen was his responsibility, his handler made that clear. They cut across the opulent garden across their straight-lined path, passing by the humble servants of the castle with only brief glances or quick 'how do you do's'. When they stopped in front of the large wooden doors, a firm push was all it took to get them to cave in and open with a low and long groan.
This branch was almost one big dome shaped building. There were a few other rooms and halls branching off in either direction where most of the military's top dragons were kept, save for a large wooden gate that Zack knew lead towards the Midgarian seas. That was one of the best things about the Dragon Army; the handlers and the beasts got to live in Shin-Ra Castle free of charge. The others were kept closer to the hatchery, where they had their own sections and sectors built for their specific breed requirements. The teenager spun around in a circle, taking in all of the sights and sounds the building had to offer.
"Who goes?" A smooth and serpentine voice called, the sound bouncing off the large dome and echoing all around.
Both Zack and Genesis turned to their right where a figure could be seen exiting one of the many halls in the main room. The apprentice's jaw dropped when his eyes displayed to him who had called and who was now standing in plain sight.
Sephiroth: General of the Dragon Army. Not only was he the general, but he was a dragon himself. He was the only city-bound dragon within the entire kingdom that did not possess or need a handler, he handled himself. He could tell that from the ears that decorated the sides of his thin face and the white tail that trailed behind him that he was a dragon. Those white wing-like ears were from a celestial dragon no doubt; the rarest dragon breed of all.
He was cloaked in a black trench coat with slim fitting pants and calf-high boots, looking just like a mighty general should. His long silver hair framed his face and trailed down his back, the length reaching to the backs of his knees with unpracticed ease. This was the first time Zack had ever seen him in person and was struck silent from that alone. From his right, he could see Genesis quickly bow and growl softly. Sephiroth was also the alpha of all the handled dragons and drakes in the kingdom. When it boiled down to it, they answered to him over all else in times of pure peril.
"What is your business here, mortal and Kazilik?" Sephiroth inquired, taking long strides over to where they stood.
Celestial dragon's had some amazing powers of knowledge, that was for sure. The general probably knew of every dragon and their handler within the whole kingdom. But then again, there weren't a very large number of them anyways. By this time, Genesis rose from his bow and silently held out the satchel towards the taller humanoid dragon.
"Ah, we've come on behalf of an order from Hewley's blacksmith shop. We've brought some special order blades for the Army." Zack responded swiftly as he gestured to the satchel his uncle's dragon held out.
Honestly, he was a little nervous. It's not every day one gets to meet the General of the Dragon Army, and a humanoid Celestial at that! The way those glowing chartreuse green eyes bore through him made him swallow thick. He had to keep reminding himself to stand up straight and speak with confidence. He couldn't look like a stumbling idiot like he had done in front of those imperial guards at the front gate!
Then Sephiroth's tight and strict face softened as the faintest of grins slithered by. His eyes seemed less intense and much more open and readable.
"Ah yes." He responded. "Hewley always has fine work. Punctual as always, even on a Sunday." He added as he took the offered satchel and peered inside.
As the General peered inside, Genesis provided commentary on what was inside, "There are three custom ordered broadswords, two lances, and four short swords. My master was kind enough to throw in something extra for the Alpha." He stated.
Sephiroth pulled out a four-foot sheath cloaked in midnight navy with gold embroidery near the top edge. There was a jingling charm tied to it, printed with a symbol that had to be dragonian text.
"It is a length-concealing sheath, I see. Very kind of your handler to add this to my order. What do I owe you and him for this generosity?" The general inquired, glancing up from the sheath and towards the other humanoid dragon.
"He stated it was on the house. The actual order is four-thousand Gil, though. He took off on the price since two of those were just for repairs." Genesis specified.
"Wait a sec here. General Sephiroth, do you often order from my Uncle's shop?" Zack asked quickly, curiosity and wonder brimming in his sapphire eyes.
"I do. I have been since he first started his blacksmith profession. I suppose you could say we have a history together. Judging from your statement, I assume you are the fabled nephew to my personal smithy?" Sephiroth responded, a bit of a warmer grin trailing across his face.
Zack's hands instantly went to cover his mouth as if he was a female that had done something shocking. He was at a loss for words right now. His uncle had ties to the mighty General Sephiroth and was his personal, hand-picked blacksmith! Just think! His uncle forged swords personally for both the General and the Dragon Army!
"Stop your idolizing and answer his question already." Genesis huffed before he smacked the awestruck teen upside the back of his head.
"Uh, y-yes! I'm Angeal's nephew, Zack!" The young man quickly introduced, feeling the need to give a quick bow for acting improper.
"It is nice to finally meet you in the flesh. I have heard good things about you from sir Hewley. I can also tell you possess a great untapped potential." Sephiroth noted.
About this time, an average guard approached the general and received the swords from him, dropping to the floor with a cry of surprise instantly from the weight of the blades. His presence went further unnoticed however, save for a humorous chuckle from Genesis. The guard took the blades from the satchel and handed it back to the silver-haired man before dragging the heavy blades away, the Kazilik dragon watching with an amused smirk.
"I do?" Zack inquired, pointing to himself with his index finger.
"Indeed. I sense a strong will in your aura, as well as many leadership qualities and a good heart. Do you happen to be in possession of a Dragon Mark?" Sephiroth queried gently.
"N-Not really. I want to have one really bad though. I just hope it shows up within four days, otherwise I'll never get one." The teenager admitted bashfully as he glanced down at his scuffed black boots and ruffled his hair with his hand.
"Hmm. I would not worry too much. My intuition as both a dragon and a general informs me you will get what you desire."
"Really? Thank you, General!" Zack chirped.
Sephiroth smirked at the young man before he handed the now empty tan satchel back to Genesis, whom took it with a nod of his head.
"With that, I must depart. Farewell, Genesis and Zack. May the odds forever be in your favors." The General responded before he gave a small bow and turned away.
"You too!" Zack called as he waved goodbye while the humanoid dragon walked away and disappeared from sight.
Once he had vanished completely, the teenager exhaled loudly as a smile stretched across his face. He hoped the General was right about him possessing great potential and possibly a Dragon Mark. He'd be happy if he just got a dragon by this point. Although, the idea of getting a herbivore was still a little unsettling since those dragons didn't get a spot in the Army unless they were an exception. But still, to have one would be amazing! He could call it whatever he wanted and care for it and train it to do the coolest things! It was his greatest wish to become a Dragon Handler.
"Are we done here? Or are you going to stand there and stare into space?" Genesis puffed.
"Oh, right! Yeah, let's get back so we can eat!" Zack remembered, a large smile carved across his face at the prospect of getting some lunch.
He spun on his heel and hurried to the doors, going as fast as he could. He opened up those groaning doors and burst into the warm afternoon sunshine. A few birds twittered in their respective trees, a few of them even taking flight into the clear blue sky. Zack wanted to get back home as soon as possible! Angeal's cooking was phenomenal! So much so that you didn't want to be late and miss the fact that the food was nice and warm. It was almost dishonorable to be late to eat what he prepared.
"I may not be able to fly, but I still know a much faster way." Genesis commented as he stepped in front of the exuberant teenager.
Zack was just about to ask what that way was, but it was answered for him when he saw that familiar orange light envelop his body as it had done before. He had to shield his eyes when the glow became too harsh to look at head on. By the time the light dissipated and he removed his arm from his face, Genesis stood on all fours in his full Kazilik breed form with his stubby wings stretched out and his stance rigid and proud.
A few gardeners gasped from their respective spots among the flora and a few looked to them in awe or adoration, but Zack was all grins by that point. He almost never got to ride around on the dragon's back, so it was a treat whenever he did get to. Even if the dragon couldn't fly, just being on a dragon while they ran around was fun enough! Genesis lowered his head against the ground in order for his handler's kin to climb aboard. The black-haired man was quick to accept the silent invitation and slid against the base of the beast's neck, sitting on his shoulder blades right above his ten-foot wingspan.
Once he was secure, Genesis sprang up, sailing through the air for a moment before his claws grappled onto the main tower of Shin-Ra castle. Dragons couldn't damage the castle unless they either used their fire, wind, or other attributes. The outer walls of the castle were heavily reinforced so the dragons around the castle and even in the Army could get some exercise and fresh air by using some of the towers as a giant jungle gym.
He climbed up the sturdy tower while Zack kept his arms secured around Genesis's neck. His stubby wings were used to support the teen as he climbed a little higher. He couldn't have the young one slip off and fall to his death now could he? He maneuvered around the tower skillfully with his front and hind talons, making sure his short wings were cradling Zack's frame at all times. It'd be funny to psyche him out with a little pretend trust fall for a few hundred feet, but he didn't need a lecture from his master. After all, dragons and their masters had strong bonds and could communicate telepathically.
He leaped from the main tower and onto a skinnier one, claws grabbing hold easily while the teen was laughing and whooping with excitement. He could barely even remember the last time he went tower-hopping with Genesis. However, his elation soon slipped into something else when a sharp pain erupted throughout his whole right arm. He let out a cry of pain and instinctively let go of the dragon's neck. He started to fall back against the force of gravity, but Genesis's wing-shield kept him from falling to his death.
Zack cradled his arm against his chest while the other one rested over it, his face distorted from pain. Genesis stopped scaling the tower and glanced behind him with an alarmed screech, angry at first for the teen knowing he wasn't supposed to let go. But that turned into a concerned growl and his neck craned further behind him to allow a closer look.
When another wave of excruciating pain rang through his arm like a recoil from a shotgun blast, Zack bit back a cry and curled the afflicted arm tighter to his chest. His body started to curl in on itself as he tried to keep from crying out. As soon as Genesis realized the young one was in pain, he let out a determined hiss and wrapped him tighter in his wings, making them into a cocoon so he could focus on speed. He swiftly scaled down the tower, hopping to shorter ones with great dexterity and skill. Once he made it to the front of the castle, he jumped down from the main tower and landed on all fours in front of the palace gates. The guards in front of them let out surprised cries and fell down from the shock-waves the twelve-foot tall dragon brought. He quickly scurried down the steps, his movement similar to that of a snake zigzagging through the tall grass.
He jumped from the stairs when the first tier of the city was close enough. He scaled down the walls quickly as his wings always remained secure. From over his own hasty descent and a few alarmed gasps from the common folk, he could hear Zack grunting and moaning in pain. He didn't understand, why would whole arm be hurting like it was? Genesis shook his head and let out a warning screech when he touched down to the first tier in the marketplace.
That got the stragglers and the occasional passersby to move out of his way hastily and with frightened gasps or cries.
"Rampaging dragon! Rampaging dragon in the marketplace!" One of the vendors screamed as Genesis scurried through the narrow streets. Narrow for him, wide for mortals.
The general public was alight with cries and anxious pants by that point. Mothers were carrying their children to safety while the little ones cried. The merchants ducked into their venues with a startled exclamation as well, trying to keep away from the rampaging beast. When Genesis could see his handler's shop, he started letting out loud and alarmed screeches to lure him outside.
In his enhanced field of sight, he saw Steiner look up with shock and confusion, but not fright like the others. He could also hear the former knight yell across the street from over the panicked cries of the commoners taking shelter.
"Angeal! Something's wrong with your dragon! He's rampaging in the marketplace!"
Rampage was right, mortals! Genesis had to make sure Zack would be okay! He was still his responsibility for the moment. He could still hear the young one moaning from his winged cocoon and it was only making him more upset. He was mad because he didn't know what was causing this or why. He hoped his handler would be able to figure it out.
By the time he screeched to a halt in front of the blacksmith shop, Angeal had all but left in a hurry. His face was firm and stern as he quickly approached his dragon.
"Genesis, what on Gaia are you doing?! You know you can't cause a rampage in the streets!" He bellowed over the people and the shrieking as he stood in front of the screeching beast. But the dragon continued to screech and shriek, glancing back to his cocoon-shaped wings and back to his handler. Then Angeal's face contorted to brief horror before it donned on him. "Where is Zack?! What happened?"He cried again, realizing his nephew was not around the maddened beast or anywhere near him.
Genesis was quick to sink to the ground and unfurl one of his wings from the protective embrace he had them in. When Angeal glanced up, another wave of terror washed over his face like a tidal wave. Zack was gently writhing against the dragon's back and grunting in pain, his voice strained and harsh.
"Get him inside, now!" The raven-haired man exclaimed before he hurried into his shop.
The dragon pulled his wing back over Zack's curled up frame and scurried around to the east side of the shop. Near the back of the building was a large barn door painted the same color as the rest of the establishment. If he hunched down and crawled in at six feet instead of twelve, he could slither in while still in dragon form.
A good portion of the homes in the marketplace were accommodated for dragons, seeing as most of the handler's lived in the first tier of the kingdom. The shop was no exception.
The door was quick to unlatch and slide open to the right with some creaking involved. Genesis bent down and tucked his tail in before slithering his way into the living room of the house. This allowed the dragon the comfort of being inside the house instead of the workshop all the time. He was one of the few dragons that liked being in his full-blood form. Once he was fully inside, the sliding door was quick to close and latch back up.
"Let's get him over to the couch." Angeal directed as he hurried towards it.
Genesis huffed harshly in agreement, speedily following after his handler to the directed spot. Once in front of the large couch, he unfurled his wings and gently deposited Zack onto it. The black-haired boy had his eyes scrunched closed and he was coated in a thin glaze of sweat as he continued to clutch his arm. He had stopped moaning and groaning by this point, but was huffing and panting.
"Zack? Zack, can you hear me?" Angeal tried, placing his hand on the teenager's shoulder. Genesis growled something akin to that of a concerned voice.
Zack's eyes slowly pried themselves open as he continued his harsh pattern of breathing. He cracked a weak smile. "Am I late for lunch?" He asked in same fashion as his smirk.
That got a gentle chuckle from Angeal before he responded with, "No. In fact, you're a little early." HE gently stroked the young man's shoulder affectionately, just to send him some comfort and show him that he was here.
"Ha, that's good." Zack agreed. His voice died away when another surge of pain shot through his arm and made him grunt and further curl into the couch cushions.
"Alright, let me have a look." Angeal stated before he stopped petting the boy's shoulder and reached for his hurt arm with tentative hands.
He gently took his nephew's afflicted arm in his hands and gently guided it away from him. The teenager kept the pained grimace on his face but kept himself from making any hurt sound. The older man gently pushed up the light gray sleeve in front of him to get a closer look. Zack's veins were inflamed and the light blue trails were visible from under the flesh.
"Hold on." Angeal muttered thoughtfully, a careful hand towing down and across those pale blue veins. "I know what this is." He responded a little louder.
Genesis grunted in a confused fashion, glancing to his handler with dumbfounded surprise glowing in his yellow eyes. The older man tenderly took a hold of his nephew's wrist and turned it up-right to confirm his suspicions. The teen had his eyes open again as a look of confusion washed across his face when he saw that his uncle was smiling at him.
"You're going to be a Dragon Handler."
Zack's eyes were wide after he heard that. Even Genesis made a noise of surprise, glancing between both his master and his kin. That's when Angeal gently turned his nephew's wrist towards his enlarged eyes. There, on the underside of his right wrist, was a navy blue mark in the shape of a dragon claw. His mouth gaped open, pure astonishment written all over his face despite the pain in his arm. His free hand reached up and covered his mouth, much like how he did before while in Castle Shin-Ra.
"I-" He tried to speak, his voice muffled from his hand in front of it.
Angeal just smiled brighter, truly happy his young nephew's greatest dream had finally come true after years and years of wishing and hoping. Every eleven-eleven wish, every birthday wish, and on every shooting star he had hoped for this. Now, it was finally his.
"I'm a dragon handler!" He exclaimed when he took his hand from his mouth and pumped it into the air.
His eyes were billowing with joyous moisture and he started to laugh light-heartedly. He stopped when a less painful jolt of discomfort shot through his arm. The sensation made him wince, but his smile refused to fade.
"Your arm is going to be like that for a few days. But the pain will get less and less intense as some time goes by." Angeal explained as he petted the limb before he placed the teenager's arm next to against the couch.
"Hear that, Gen? I'm going to be a handler! That means you'll have a dragon buddy to talk to!" Zack chirped, including the Kazilik dragon in his elation.
Genesis growled softly as a grin pulled at his snout. He puffed a white cloud of smoke from his nostrils to display his own version of joy.
"Oh man, four more days. I hope I can last that long!" Zack sighed with a huge smile gleaming brightly.
There was so much he needed to do before the eve of his fifteenth birthday! He needed to make a soft and warm spot to put his egg, he needed to think of some names for his dragon, and he had to make sure he had something to clothe the newborn when it hatched! But there was always more to do than that, tons more. But he was ready.
He had to prepare, that was for sure.
A/N: Hope you liked the wild ride! Be sure to leave a review or favorite and follow! Let me know what you thought, okay? :D
Toodles!