Answers to reviews:

Tempest Shedow: The idea that any normal weapon can harm a dragon is ridiculous. A dragon's hide is tough. Only another dragon can cause physical damage.

Guest: Deleted it.

Guest: ...Not happening. That last one, not happening.

Pyramus Savage-Fang: Thanks. Hope you look forward to more.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Inheritance Cycle. I only own the OC Michael/Ancalagon.


This can't be happening! This cannot be happening! I thought, freaking the hell out right now. And why shouldn't I? I died, and then find myself awakening in some strange land and I'm a freaking dragon! I mean, sure, that does sound cool... IF I WAS A FIVE-YEAR-OLD NAIVE CHILD!

Yeah, I've loved dragons since I was a kid and enjoyed watching movies, shows and read books involving them but never thought to actually become one... unless this is a dream, a pretty weird and... real dream.

Okay, twisting my head around, I gave my new body a look over. I lifted one of my... paws? Forelegs? Whatever, I looked at the sharp talons I had, perfect for getting the job done when it comes to slicing through things. A dragon's most dangerous weapon, well one of them anyway.

I clawed at the ground, leaving thick scratch marks as a result. If I could whistle at the damage done, I would do so outloud. I turned my head to further examine my new body, my eyes passing over the black as night scales. Seriously, I must look like a big version of Toothless from How To Train Your Dragon... with a few very noticeable differences from what my reflection showed me. I'm basically a four-legged version of Smaug from The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, only smaller and with scales the same colour as Toothless, which I suppose would make blending into darkness an advantage for me when it comes to hunting for food in the night. But the eyes would be a giveaway given they are the same as Smaug's.

Damn, imagine being in the dark and all you see is those eyes appearing in the darkness, staring at you.

Anyway, for the next few hours, I adjusted to my new body, slowly but surely. Timing my steps with four legs and reaching about the speed of a third grader. Even then, that did not stop my dragon body from doing several more faceplants into the ground and now knowing what dirt tastes like to dragons. Tastes exactly the same to humans.

And then, my stomach had to start it's complaints, demanding for food. I decided to ignore it and continue focusing on getting the movements right so that I'd be able to walk without falling face-first into the dirt again.

However, the all-too familiar feeling of an empty stomach, followed by it growling, became so unbearable that I had to stop. I lifted my head and took deep sniffs of the air.

The smell of the forest was…indescribable. Hundreds, possibly thousands of scents entered my nose. It was sensory overload as animals, plants, and insects all blurred together that it was impossible to make out. Immediately, I shook my snout to get rid of the smells.

Okay, so using my sense of smell was a no-go until I adjusted to the scents around me, so I would have to use my eyes and ears then. My brialliant orange-yellow eyes scanned the trees, the forest, the long fields for any signs of life while I remained as still as a statue, using my hearing to aid me in my search for something to eat. But all I could hear was the sound of birds and their songs, and insects scurrying along the ground. Neither would be even a good snack... and I really don't want to entertain the thought of eating insects!

Movement of an animal out the corner of my eye snapped my gaze to the brush, only a few meters away. Unfortunately, while my senses were sharp, my movements were still not. The second I tried to run, I immediately found myself facepalming into the dirt and alerting the squirrel who ran up a tree and hid in it's home. All while I carried my wounded pride and face that now smelled like dirt to the hole.

THAT'S IT! I yelled inside my mind. Giving in to instinct by opening up my maw and spewing out fire. The flames going inside the hole and burning anything around. After a second of feeling the awesome power of flame exit me, I looked up to see the squirrel I chased get launched into the air like a rocket before falling back down to the ground. Flames following behind him that smelled like the most deliciously cooked meal in my life. This time, I took my time to walk over, the squirrel was now completely dead so there was no need to make haste.

I paused suddenly, staring at what was once one of God's creatures.

Is this wrong? I asked, staring at the animal I had killed. I had taken the life of an innocent creature without a shred of remorse or mercy, and was now only feeling the need and desire to make a snack out of it.

Then, the voice that I had heard as I died rang through my head again.

If you fall prey to the dark desires, to shed the blood of your enemies and prey for sport, you will become something truly monstrous.

Was this what the voice meant? Me killing an animal without mercy? Without remorse? Did I kill this animal for sport? No... I... leaving it without eating it would be killing for sport, right?

The rumbling of my stomach gained my attention, and I gave into the hunger. I snatched the dead squirrel in my jaws, chucked it into the air and caught it in my mouth, chewing and then swallowing once I had done enough chewing. Despite just eating the squirrel, my stomach only felt a little full from the meal, but at least it was something.

This was going to take some getting used to. Being a dragon is not all what childhood dreams and fantasy makes it out to be. I had to adjust to moving and walking on all fours like an animal, hunting like a predator, using my heightened sense of smell, sight and hearing, adjusting to the thrill of flying-

Wait...

I slowly turned and looked at my wings. There's one thing that's very important to dragons, the one thing that makes them the masters of the skies, the alpha predators in the air rather than just the ground.

Flying.

Okay, time to start lesson 1 of 'How to be a dragon'. Class is in session. I joked to myself, even though I doubt it was funny.

Lessons 1: Walking and running.


Lesson 2:...Flying.

Oh boy.

I managed to find the edge of a steep cliff and was currently looking down at the long drop. Wherever I was, I was near big mountains that were perfect to call home for the moment as I had found a big enough cage for me to squeeze into and sleep should I need shelter. And I know that I will need shelter, not only for a place to sleep... but a place to be alone with my thoughts, to think about my current situation.

But right now, I was focused on getting through one very important thing needed for my survival, and that was the skill of flying.

I took a step to the edge, causing a rock to be pushed off and fall to the ground far, far down. A bubble of nervousness boiled within the core of my stomach as I continued to stare at the drop, second guessing myself and the idea of this. What if I am unable to fly? What if I do it wrong? What if... I crash and die for a second time?

I snorted and gave the draconic version of an exhale... or at least what came close to an exhale for a dragon, looked at my wings and got used to the feeling of them, spreading them out, then pulled them in. In, out, in, out. That should do it... now to conquer the fear of falling to my second death.

I went to take the plunge but hesitated once again, and I sure will not admit that a animal-like whimper escaped me as my hesitation grew. Now, I'm not sure how dragons learn to fly, but I'm sure my new instincts would help me.

So, swallowing my fear, I tilted and dove off the edge.

There was nothing but the wind passing as I stared at the incoming ground, closed my eyes and then prayed to God. Suddenly, the wind roaring past my head changed direction, I heard a loud CRACK that resounded off the cliff wall. I felt a tug on my back, then the wind eased, brushing past my scaled head at a much lower pace. I eased my eyes open to see the sky instead of the ground. Clouds flew past my vision.

I looked around to see the forested plain far below him. My wings shifted with the breeze, catching the wind under their membrane, propelling me forward through the bright blue sky.

I'm flying? HOLY SHIT! I'M FLYING! I roared with sheer relief, laugh with, and I'm not ashamed to admit this but it'll only be to myself, child-like glee at the feeling I was experiencing

This was amazing! This was... this was... oh, I can't even begin to describe what this felt like!

This is fun!

Woohoo! I roared with excitement and flew around to get used to it, and to enjoy this a lot longer as I desire. I sure as hell would never forget this experience.

This... was freedom.