Authors Note: Oh, if you're a Shadow fan, maybe you've noticed. But the symbol on the shirt is Shadow the Hedgehog's Symbol - if you don't, look up Shadow the Hedgehog and look for the game covers. It's got the symbol on there. Well, on with the story!
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I glanced around at the people as I stood there, and I inhaled deeply, exhaling slowly. I lifted my right heel, and brought it back down with a clipped 'tap'. Immediately, a silvery transmutation circle glowed under me. I wasn't nervous. I wasn't scared. I just hoped didn't make a fool of myself. Shit, I only preformed alchemy once or twice already, I had no idea what to do here. Well, I was gonna hope I could do something...
A small image popped into my mind and I closed my eyes, concentrating on it. Small hands made of stone broke through the ground, and then the other hands came up on the other side, and jerked up a body out of the ground. Fauns, in a circle just inside the transmutation circle, had their heads tossed back after releasing their torso's from the ground. Then their legs came out, one after the other, and took a few steps forward. I opened my eyes and almost said "Holy bleep" out loud. The fauns were actually there, and waiting for my command. So, I hid my smile, and just let my feelings work for me.
The fauns danced, and I suddenly crouched down and smashed the palms of my hands on the ground. Behind me, a willow made of glassy ice shot up. Tall, strong, thick... and weeping. In the trunk, I knew there was a beast of metal. My signature creation. Finally, the fauns stopped for a minute and everything was silent, the leaves on the willow hitting against one and other and a light tinkling sound filled the empty space.
Softly, flames flickered up from the ground and ladies - kind of like dryads only made of fire - soon walked to the short fauns and all of them began to dance, round and round, swirling and crackling... The tree was melting slightly, a puddle of water encircling its big trunk. The beast still slumbered inside, but not for long. I could feel it, waking like my rage was now. Eyes cracked open, and flickered around. Glowing blue eyes glanced through the melting ice, and then it started to move, like a small hatch ling in its egg.
A sharp crack in their air made everyone swivel their heads toward the tree, and the fauns and dryads halted to a stop. A fracture was deep in the trunk. The creature twitched and moved inside the tree, stretching, the ice splitting and breaking. Finally it move its head to the side and bit and wham! A huge chunk of the trunk slid out've its place, falling and shattering. It writhed inside the icy tree, claws raking against the cold captivity. More cracks issued forth on the tree, branches falling off and shattering. An ugly, twisted cry of pain and rage came out've the tree in a hollow echo, as legs and a tail pushed and strained against the enclosing ice. Finally, a wing broke though, sending more ice shattering. Pushing its back against one half of its prison, and its legs against the other, most of the tree finally gave out, and fell. Smashing to the ground, the top half of the tree was gone, but the trunk was still closed in around the shoulders, and the rest of the body. Its left wing was out of the ice in which still had its clasp around it, and its slightly longer neck moved around freely. Two horns emerged from its brow and curled back slightly, while two finny ears were behind where the horns emerged, and slightly lower. It was blackish silver in color, and one could almost see through the membranes on its wings.
It let its head back and opened its mouth, roaring. The sharp array of ivory, knife-like teeth that were about 6 inches long shone in the sun, and then it turned its head to the ice, biting off pieces to free itself. Squirming, the ice was loosing its hold on the chimera, which was in the form as a dragon. Finally, it kicked out some of the ice, a heavily clawed foot breaking through and flexing in the air. Its right foreleg broke out, and it pushed as hard as it could. The back behind it broke out, and the chimera slipped right out of the tree. It landed on its back, but quickly flipped over and stood up. Glowing eyes moved over the people, then it backed up against the ice and watched them warily. It screamed, then spread and beat its wings, forcing itself into the air. It flew, and did a backwards 180, kind of like a back flip. Its wings folded tightly against its back and dove, slicing though the air like a piece of obsidian. Before hitting the ground, its wings snapped open and it glided down, spitting out a small flame before landing next to me. It stood there, shivering, and looking around. I patted it, and realized the fauns were just mounds and what were left of the dryad-things were just scorch marks. The chimera bent its head down, and rested it on my shoulder. It was maybe 2 feet taller than me at its shoulders. I just smiled, patted it, and walked back to the other alchemists while my tree melted into a puddle in the blazing sun.