'You're here.' The Great Protector's voice echoed in Ragnar's mind, a deep, resonant sound that seemed to vibrate through his very bones.
The Great Protector, a colossal serpentine figure, rose from the depths of the lake, her head emerging from the water, eyes fixed on Ragnar. 'Shall we begin?'
"Let's go!" Ragnar shouted, pumping his fist in the air, his excitement echoing across the lake. "Are you going to teach me how to use the wind and water like you do?"
The Great Protector chuckled mentally, her voice warm and amused. 'No, child. To understand your own power, you need to know where it came from.'
The Great Protector's eyes flickered with a golden light, and the lake responded. Water rose from the depths, forming into swirling shapes. First, a shimmering water ball, then a colossal robot-like figure holding the ball in its huge hands.
Ragnar's heart hammered against his ribs, his eyes widening in awe as the name, 'Celestial,' flashed in his mind. The history lesson, he thought, was going to be far more interesting than he'd imagined.
The Great Protector, oblivious to his internal turmoil, continued, 'Our ancestors were gifted by a cosmic god with powers unique to each of them.' She manipulated the water, forming the images of various dragons, each displaying different abilities.
'Mutant Dragons!' Ragnar whispered, his mind racing. It wasn't a gift, he thought, but a form of experimentation, like the Celestials had done to humans in the past.
The Great Protector, her eyes shining with a golden glow, controlled the water to depict more dragons. 'Some have the ability to control elements, like me,' she said, showing her own form amidst a flurry of dragons wielding fire and thunder. 'But there are also those with more special abilities.'
The water morphed into a kaleidoscope of dragons. Some grew to enormous sizes, others teleported with blinding speed, while others wielded various forms of energy.
Finally, Ragnar saw the Dark Dweller, a creature of darkness consuming souls with a hungry energy.
"Wait! So that guy!" Ragnar exclaimed, pointing toward the cave on the opposite side of the lake. 'He's a Makluan?!' He communicated telepathically with the Great Protector, knowing that his words might cause a stir among the residents of Ta Lo, who hated the Dark Dweller while worshiping the Great Protector.
'You don't need to worry, child. Some of the people I have blessed have already discovered our connection,' the Great Protector reassured Ragnar softly. Her scales, the only thing that could harm the Soul Eaters, in the centuries she lived in Ta Lo there had always sparked curiosity, leading some to question their origins.
The Great Protector's gaze shifted towards the Dark Gate. 'She's one of the special Makluans, gifted with the power to absorb souls to strengthen herself.'
'But in our home world, she was weak,' the Great Protector scoffed, her voice filled with disdain. 'Her powers were ineffective against her own kind. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't consume the souls of her own people to grow stronger.'
'That's why she chose to leave our home world with the other Makluans, to absorb the souls of different beings and gain power,' the Great Protector's eyes glowed with bitter resentment. Even though she had never imagined the Dark Dweller would grow so strong, she was grateful that the humans in Ta Lo at that time were not strong enough to provide substantial nourishment to the Dark Dweller.
Ragnar nodded, his mind absorbing the information. He was satisfied with the story, but there was something missing. "Ahem," he cleared his throat. "So where did those little Soul Eaters come from?"
The Great Protector turned her head, narrowing her eyes. "Our species can choose to reproduce independently, but it weakens their strength. But for the Dark Dweller, her choice was the right one. Her children help her collect souls more quickly."
"Wait, hold up for a minute!" Ragnar raised both of his hands, trying to stop the torrent of information. "So you're telling me I could... asexually reproduce baby dragons? Is that it?"
The Great Protector looked him up and down, then delivered the news. "You are one of us, are you not? That means yes."
"Maybe I'm not! Look again!" Ragnar shouted, throwing his arms out in exasperation. His excitement and pride about being a dragon was beginning to fade, replaced by a sense of dread.
"Yes, you're definitely one of us," the Great Protector confirmed.
"Fuck!" Ragnar screamed, collapsing onto the shore, his spirit crushed by the news, until the chat group system appeared, as if a beacon of hope in the midst of his despair.
[You don't need to worry, since you're a man before you turned into a Makluan, you're still a man.]
[The sad news is that you can't have more dragons like you wish.]
'I don't want to have dragons in that kind of way!' Ragnar complained sensing the sarcasm in the system notification, though he knew he could trust the Chat Group System to not cheat him.
Ragnar slowly rose from the shore, brushing dust off his clothes and coughing as if nothing had happened. "You can continue your lesson," he said, forcing a smile.
'You don't need to panic, child. No one would force you to give birth,' The Great Protector said softly.
"Then can I ask why you didn't reproduce? Since you always wanted to find others like us," Ragnar asked, desperately wanting to change the subject, far away from him laying eggs.
'Giving birth that way is problematic. The children would be more like clones, without minds of their own, simply following orders,' The Great Protector shook her head, visibly disliking the idea of asexual reproduction. 'It would also weaken my strength.'
'Enough of that, child. Now, our focus is you. Feel it deep within yourself, what kind of power do you have?' The Great Protector looked at Ragnar expectantly. If he awakened a powerful ability, it would be a great boon for their race. But if his powers were common, like hers, she could teach him more effectively.
Ragnar held his chin, closing his eyes, trying to delve deep within himself. A minute passed, but nothing came to mind. He had too many powers, but they were all a result of the system, not his Makluan heritage.
He frowned, trying to pinpoint what made him unique, what set him apart from the Great Protector. Then, it hit him. "I can breathe fire?" he guessed tentatively, opening his eyes slowly.
The Great Protector merely stared at him, her eyes filled with disappointment, as if she were looking at an idiot. She closed her eyes stopping the idea to drown him in the lake and shake some sense into him. 'Child, that's not your power. Every Makluan can do that.'
"But you can't do that, though?" Ragnar pointed out, realizing he hadn't seen the Great Protector breathe fire in the movies.
The Great Protector sighed, her heart was a bit tired already. She turned, opening her jaws, and a torrent of dragon fire erupted from her mouth, striking the lake and creating a plume of steam. Turning back to Ragnar, she said, 'Think about it more carefully.'
"Well, looks like you can," Ragnar mumbled, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. Why hadn't he used fire against the Soul Eaters? Or Maybe it was different in the real world than in the movies.
Since he had no idea what his power could be, Ragnar looked at his hands, using Identification, hoping to cheat his way to an answer.
[Ragnar Haddock: Dragon/Makluan]
Strength: 30
Agility: 24
Spirit: 50
Powers: Shapeshift, Telepathy, Psion Energy, Psion Energy Control, Dragon Breath, Magic, Soul Power
Knowledge: Boxing, Tang Sect Technique, meditation, Spells+
It had been a while since Ragnar had last checked his stats. 'The race has changed,' he murmured, his gaze lingering on the Makluan designation that had been added to his status. He focused on the Knowledge section, specifically the plus sign next to Spells. The system displayed every spell he knew how to cast.
'There's nothing here that could help me,' Ragnar groaned inwardly. His stats and powers were impressive for a twelve-year-old dragon, but they were all thanks to the system.
The Great Protector watched Ragnar, confused by his internal turmoil. Unable to see the system, she offered her own guess. 'I actually have an idea about what your powers might be,' she said.
"Really? What is it?" Ragnar asked, his face alight with curiosity. He wondered if he had ever displayed a power he wasn't aware of in Ta Lo.
'It's something even I overlooked,' the Great Protector said, her eyes widening. If her guess was correct, then Ragnar's potential was far greater than she had ever imagined. 'Shapeshifting.'
Ragnar blinked innocently, unsure if she was serious. "Is that it?"
'When were you able to turn yourself into a human child?' The Great Protector asked seriously.
"The first time I turned into a… I got out?" Ragnar stumbled over his words, realizing he couldn't explain how he suddenly became a dragon without any prior explanation. But at the same time, he felt the Great Protector was on to something.
The Great Protector ignored his words, nodding with certainty. 'Your powers may truly be shapeshifting, child,' she mused, explaining her reasoning. 'Even though our race is gifted in shapeshifting, no one can transform into a human immediately after hatching from their egg. It was impossible if it wasn't your power.'
'Makluan physiques are too different to become human. And that perfect shapeshifting, as if you're truly a human,' the Great Protector stated, her gaze fixed on Ragnar, who was indistinguishable from a human child.
"I didn't think about that," Ragnar whispered. He had always assumed his ability to shapeshift back into a human was due to his human origins before becoming a dragon. He considered it a simple thing, but now, looking at his status.
[Ragnar Haddock: Dragon/Makluan]
Strength: 30
Agility: 24
Spirit: 50
Powers: Shapeshift, Telepathy, Psion Energy, Psion Energy Control, Dragon Breath, Magic, Soul Power
Knowledge: Boxing, Tang Sect Technique, meditation, Spells+
Ragnar stared at the Shapeshift entry. The first power he ever had was right there. But why did his powers feel so weak? 'Well, I could still get stronger with the system,' he thought optimistically. 'Now I know where my talent in transfiguration spells comes from,' he sighed weakly.
The Great Protector's eyes narrowed, hearing his sigh. 'Child, do you think your powers are weak?'
"It's fine," Ragnar said, forcing a smile.
The Great Protector shook her head in disappointment before patiently explaining, 'Shapeshifting is not just about changing your appearance.'
'We Makluans can use our shapeshifting abilities to adapt to the environment from underwater and even space,' the Great Protector said, her eyes shining with a new kind of excitement. 'But for those with the power of true shapeshifting, there is so much more they can do.'
'Some turn into giants, changing their body shape into something more lethal. Perhaps even transforming into something akin to metal,' the Great Protector's eyes flickered with golden light, her mind already making plans to keep Ragnar safe by her side.
Ragnar gulped, taking a step back. He could feel the Great Protector's excitement growing with each word.
'And finally, the last type of shapeshifting, an ability so unique to our race, the ability to adapt from anything and grow stronger with each transformation, the same yet different, it is...' The Great Protector's words trailed off, leaving Ragnar in stunned silence.
"Evolution," Ragnar whispered, his eyes widening in a mix of awe and trepidation, he suddenly felt the heavy weight of its meaning, and the infinite possibilities it represented.
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