*Season's P.O.V.*
When I took the leap to somehow take that bullet-like dagger that was thrown at Kaloy, I had anticipated death or a fatal injury at the very least, but I didn't know that the former would come so soon. Death. Yes, this could only mean death, right? I felt myself surrounded by darkness, my soul sucked in an abyss, pulling me to the underworld, away from my body. Yes... I can't feel my limbs anymore, that's why I can say that, I'm already dead. But how did that happen exactly? Did I succeed? Was I able to take the dagger and prevent it from surely killing Kaloy? But, why did I not feel it? I mean... This is too complicated!
And by the way, if I'm already dead, why is my mind still doing this monologue? Perhaps I'm not yet dead? Perhaps I passed out? But I'd probably die sooner cause I'm in the middle of a war, defenseless. Yes. What was I even thinking? Maybe I wasn't thinking, I acted on impulse. Or not really. Then my surroundings suddenly brightened up, the black nothingness that surrounded me a few seconds ago suddenly became really bright, is this the light of afterlife? I shielded my eyes for it's blinding me.
I felt the breeze kissing my face first and the grass beneath my bare feet tickling me before I opened my eyes and finally see where I am. I'm not in the battlefield, no. I'm in a place that I've been before, in my dreams of course. I'm in a meadow, surrounded by a forest in a perfect oval and my heart raced remembering the dream that I have about this place.
"Xia, you came back." I abruptly pivoted and there, standing with a lot of power oozing out of him is the azure dragon that haunted my sleep a few months ago.
"Y-you..." I stuttered. I was preparing to leave, run for my life even but he laughed. And I don't understand why, so I'm frozen in the spot that I'm standing on.
"It's funny how you were so determined to protect that engkanto that you're willing to risk your life for him. So fearless yet, fearful at the same time. And now? You wantto run like a scared cat." His statement made me think.
He's right. Even if he's humongous, death is still scarier than this dragon. So, I spoke up. "What do you want from me?"
"Do I something from you when you're the one who's benefiting from my power?" He retorted in a calm manner which made my forehead crease.
"What do you mean?"
"Dear, it's as if you weren't given enough lecture when you were a child. As if you weren't prepared for this." Prepared? Was I supposed to be prepared?
"I think I was taught pretty well back at Tenesse. I learned academics, good manners, and martial arts." I defended. I mean, was he implying that I was an ignorant earlier? But then again, it seems like I am. An ignorant to the existence of a world such us this one and the creatures that dwell in here that can also migrate in the human realm to hunt for preys. Such as myself.
"I see. But you weren't prepared for your destiny."
"Destiny? I don't understand."
The dragon shook his head as he started pacing back and forth in front of me. "They asked for you, yet they didn't prepare you for this!" He mumbled.
"Would you just explain to me what is going on right now? You know what, I have a few questions." He stopped his pacing and urged me to go on with a nod. "Who are you? What kind of creature are you?" I started off. Perhaps conversing with him wouldn't be as bad as letting him chase after me.
"I am Quinglong, guardian of the east, and the astral symbol for the season of spring, at your service." He bowed as if I'm some sort of a princess.
"Okay, so how are you related to me? I mean if you don't want anything from me... And as you put it earlier, I am the one who can benefit from you, why did you still present yourself to me? I don't really need your power, you can keep it to yourself, thank you very much." Came my next set of inquiries.
"You don't, but your people does." He said as an answer to my latter question. My people? "And, I am one of the souls that make up your being, Xia. You are not named after one of the seasons for nothing."
"Hold up!" I raised my hands to stop his declaration. "I asked you who you are, so I should tell you who I am." He tilted his head to the side in question. I sighed. "My name is Season. Season Tarver." He looked surprised at that but something like a smile stretched at his dragon's face.
"In Chinese, Xia means Summer, one of the seasons, that's why we thought it's just fitting for our holder to be named that but... Your name is Season? Hahahahahaha very fitting indeed."
"Your holder?" I just have to ask. I mean, I still don't understand what the hell he's talking about.
"Yes, you hold our essence as we hold your soul. I don't understand why you weren't taught all of these when you were younger, but right now I am telling you that you are no ordinary person, Season."
"By not ordinary you mean, I am a mythical creature too?" This is crazy! I could just accept the guardian of the underworld interviewing me right now and informing me why I should go to hell, nore than this!
"No, you're not a mythical creature because I am the mythical creature between the both of us. You are our holder."
"And what would you call me?"
"Season, as you said." Seriously?
I facepalmed. "This is crazy! One more question, am I still alive?" He smiled.
"So much so, you saved their lives as well." He simply answered.
"How?" I know I said the other one was the last question but his answer just made me ask another question! "Where are you going?" I called out when the dragon turned his back at me and I have to dodge his wagging tail.
"I'm not going anywhere. Just ask them when you get there." He shrugged. I was about to ask some more questions but suddenly, the ground below me opened, making me fall. "And one more thing, when you need me, just call upon my name!" I heard him add as I screamed for my precious life.
"Ahhh!" I heard myself scream as I abruptly sat up from my lying position in a... Bed? Where am I?
"Season? Are you alright?" The erratic beating of my heart slowed in tempo when I heard his soothing voice and I immediately wrapped my arms around him, and he did the same.
"Kaloy..." I exclaimed, holding his face in between my palms as I checked to see if he's really alright and real. "You're alright!"
The handsome idiot chuckled. "I was asking about your well being and mine's what you answered me?"
"Well I was just really worried..."
"I can tell. You did save me and all of us for that matter." He informed me with a fond smile as he still held me at arms length.
"I did?" I mumbled, Quinglong's voice resounded in my head and I asked the 'how' again.
"Let me show you." I was even surprised when I heard Kalista speak. She's in the room too? Gosh! My face turned red and I immediately shift a good distance away from Kaloy, breaking our rather intimate position. She pulled the stool that she's sitting on closer to the bed where we sat and brought with her a basin half filled with water. For the second time, I saw Kaloy's palm light up and he transferred that light to the water making it boil. Then Kalista dropped down a gold nugget in there and stirred it with her left hand as she took mine with her right.
A mist appeared over the basin and when it cleared, the waters projected myself in the cliff, looking at the foregoing battle. Then I visibly tensed, maybe that was the time that I saw Lakan do what he did and within a fraction of a second, I screamed and jumped. I did not blink so that I'd see what actually happened after that because that was the very time that I lost my consciousness and that's when I saw a myself being engulfed in a bright light that grew bigger and bigger until...
"Quing...long?" I muttered when itwas the azure dragon that landed on the ground instead of myself. Did I... Did I really turn into a dragon? I could only wonder as I watched how the dragon did save everyone not just with its battle skills but also with the use of its ability of plant growth. And I was awestruck up until the projection faded when I turned to my human form once again and collapsed into Kaloy's arms.
"You didn't tell us you are capable of doing that." Kaloy stated. How am I supposed to tell anyone when I myself, am not informed of such a thing?
"I didn't know that I can do that either." I honestly said and was alarmed when Kalista slipped off the stool, but of course her brother's reflexes are faster than mine, so he was able to catch her.
"I'm alright..." Kalista reassured.
"Yeah, go and get some rest." Kaloy said and I was shocked when he suddenly disappeared and before I could recover, he reappeared, this time without Kalista.
"You have got to stop doing that!" I grumbled.
"Doing what?" He asked innocently.
"Using your powers without saying anything, else you'd give me a heart attack." I glared and he just smiled.
"I can actually say that I know how you feel. When you transformed into a dragon." He said, which reminded me of the matter at hand. "How did you do that?"
"Believe me, I don't even know that I did it." I answered honestly. I mean, if Kalista didn't show us what happened, I wouldn't have known because it was like I lost control over my body and my subconscious mind was somewhere else at that time.
"Really? Are you saying that this is the first time that it happened?"
"Definitely!"
"Are you sure?"
"Do you think I'm lying? If I've known I can do that way before, I would've used that ability to defend myself during my encounters with those mythical creatures half a year ago." I retorted.
"Do you know why this happened?" His question made me think. I actually don't know, but...
"According to the dragon, I am their holder... Which I don't really understand. Listen, I don't really know what's going on with me too." I sighed and I saw how his expression changed into a softer one, indicating that he believes me.
He sat on the stool that was previously occupied by Kalista and he urged me to sit on the bed because I stood up a few moments ago due to the fright that he brought me. "When we were on the forest, did you eat anything? Or did you drink from the spring?" He asked.
"No... I was even starving and almost dehydrated when we got here." I answered.
"Are you sure? Because that forest is full of mystery you know? Even for us, paranormal beings."
"Yes I'm sure." I confirmed.
"Okay, so do you believe that, it's hereditary?" Please Kaloy, we have the same question!
"I don't know... When I started having weird dreams since my 20th birthday a few months ago, there came a time that I somehow opened it up to my brother and he just laughed at me, saying that my mother and father are both normal. In fact we all are. But..." I trailed off, thinking about the mambabarang that is Jovie's grandmother. "There was this old lady who practiced some sort of witchcraft that told me that, I'm not a normal person. She said, I'm a powerfully cursed being." I narrated.
His expression told me that he's analyzing the information that I had given him before he slowly nodded. "Did the old lady tell you what being you are exactly?" He asked. I just can't believe that we're having this kind of conversation right now!
"She can't tell."
"Okay... But you did say you have a connection with this dragon, right?"
"Yes."
"What was he called again?"
"Quinglong, guardian of the east, and the astral symbol for the season of spring." I repeated the dragon's earlier introduction.
"I don't know a Quinglong or a dragon whatsoever, but I know who does." His statement ignited a flame of hope inside of me and I eagerly asked him who. "The elders."