Chapter 12: Eran's Change
The three flew on for a week until they reached the Miles. Sorec landed and turned back into a human but then gasped when he looked at himself. His hands were now fully paws with long sharp black talons poking from the tips of the three digits he now had on each paw. The black scales were climbing up his arms, making them more muscular and larger. He tried shoving them back into his pockets, but they were too big for that now. Sorec examined them. His paws were massive, as big as his face. The arms were quickly gaining muscle and he watched them bulge out, growing larger and stronger by the second as the black scales covered them The sound of his shirt sleeves tearing caught Mystikra's attention, as well as Sonic's. His shoulders grew with muscle and then stopped. Sorec looked at his new arms. His arms now felt much heavier, since they were now covered in thick muscle. Eran sighed and looked at Sonic and Mystikra. He saw the terrified look on Mystikra's face.
"What happened to you?" She asked. "You look like a monster!" A growl came from Eran's throat as his eyes changed to crimson slits. She realized that it was because of the dragon skin. "I knew it! I always knew that thing was cursed!" She yelled.
"It doesn't matter!" Eran roared, his face and body threatening to change as it bubbled. The she-elf dashed towards her human companion and grabbed the dragon skin with both hands, trying to yank it off his back. It didn't budge. The skin had fused with his back, creating large, wide wings. She fell back as she was almost speared in the gut with his spike-tipped tail. This was the final straw for Eran. He roared in anger and transformed. Mystikra screamed in fear.
Sonic's eyes widened in shock. "S...Sorec?"
The dragon growled. He looked at the ghost with one eye. The dragon growled again and saw the she-elf. It roared and spoke in a dark, deep voice.
"Interfere with my transformation and die, elf!" The dragon snarled in a voice that was not his own. Mystikra nodded, fearful. The dragon growled and looked around, setting its crimson eyes on Sonic. Sonic gulped nervously. "You may think you cannot be harmed, spirit, but my fire can burn you right out of existence." He snarled at Sonic. "So, if you wish to stay in this world, you will not interfere either."
The ghost nodded as the dragon returned to its human form. He had changed even more. His feet had begun to change, but it was hard to tell that with his boots on. The scales had spread across his torso and neck. His neck was growing longer and his chest deepened as scutes began to cover it. His pants ripped as he grew a tail, but that was where the changes stopped for now. Eran looked at himself and laughed.
"This isn't the Eran I know." Mystic whispered.
The human glared at the she-elf and growled. "Don't test me, " he said, and walked into the mines to look for the Balrog.
The elf and ghost followed him worriedly. "What's happening to him?" Mystikra asked Sonic, who was walking beside her, solid.
"The pelt has been cursed." He told her. "It is gradually turning his body and mind into those of Ancalagon the Black."
"Wasn't Ancalagon a servant of the Dark Lord Melkor?"
The hedgehog nodded. "If he fully turns...then Shadic will..."
"He'll what?" Mystikra asked, afraid. "What's going to happen to Eran once he fully changes?'
"Either Eran will go on a rampage or Shadic will attempt to gain control of him." Sonic said gravely.
"Is there anything we can do?" The ghost shook his head. Mystikra looked like she was about to cry. "We should have never left home." She said to herself.
Sonic looked at her in pity. He could feel her pain, losing both of her companions in such a short amount of time.
After a half hour of walking around, Eran growled. "She's not here," he said.
"As I feared." Mystic whispered.
"Then she must be in Mordor," Sonic said.
"Tell me where that is!" Eran demanded.
"It's in the east, near Minas Tirith. It'll take us at least two months to get there."
"Isn't there a faster way?" Mystikra asked.
The ghost shook his head.
The elf couldn't take it anymore. She kicked the wall and screamed. "This is hopeless!" She yelled. "We're never going to win! By the time we get there, Eran will be reduced to a savage, snarling monster!" Eran glared at her. "It's true!" She told him. "I don't want to see you like that!" The human scoffed and shook his head. "You're not listening to me!" She yelled. "You know that Blade wouldn't want to see you like this!"
"It's already happening!" Eran shouted.
Mystikra looked scared. She sighed. "If you really hate me that much, then you can go save your sister without me," she despaired.
"I don't hate you."
"Yes, you do."
"What makes you say that?" Eran shouted.
"You've been threatening to kill me see since we left Rivendell!" She yelled back. The human sighed. She looked a him sadly. "What are we going to do?" She asked.
"I don't know." The human said. Mystikra nodded and looked at Sonic. The ghost shrugged.
"Let's head to Mordor, then," Eran said, and walked out of the mines. The other two followed him and watched as he turned into a dragon.
"Flying is the fastest way to get there." He said. "Just tell me where to go, Sonic, and I'll go there."
"Head towards Minas Tirith," Sonic said. "It's near the Lonely Mountain. Mordor is on the outskirts." The dragon nodded and flew in that direction. Sonic smiled and turned into an eagle. He looked at Mystikra. "Are you coming?
She nodded, but got onto Sonic's back and not Eran's. The giant eagle screeched and followed Sorec.
