Damn this place, damn this void.
I angrily shuffled around, no matter how much I walked, I only lost myself. The darkness around me became suffocating.
It reminded me of the time I was in the egg, except this dark void had been endless. 'Why the hell was it so dark?'
I just wish it had light, and so light entered my eyes.
I stopped, my eyes scanning around. A sun in the sky, yet the light it cast downwards illuminated nothing. An empty space.
It was just the sun and me. Was this world reacting to my wishes? Did I do that? My mind envisioned the soft dirt of Terra, the green grass, and the scent of the great outdoors. When I opened my eyes, the ground beneath me was the grass that I had faintly remembered from my time on Terra.
I almost doubled over, thinking I was back home.
Was I lucid dreaming?
I looked down, and I was significantly bigger.
Just as it did when I used faith to transform into an adult.
Except smaller, like the size of a regular adult dragon. Instead of the gigantic form of my adult form.
'What is this place?'
I waved my hand once more, envisioning nothing, and it all vanished.
A sigh left my lips as I flapped my wings and flew up.
I flew for a while, alone, my mind wandering, as I tried to figure out what this place was.
In the absence of light and all matter, something shone brightly.
What is that?
A fragment of what looked like a tear beckoned me closer. My head tilted slightly as I saw a piece of something different.
So, I flew closer.
Where all was dark, this place was vivid. A school? No, a carriage, a bundle of mana? It was like watching a show; the pictures moved slowly, and my eyes widened.
Diana? She was accompanied by the lady who called me handsome, and a Nun. A bright halo on her head.
I blinked. Was I watching them in my dreams? Or was this a fabricated story made by my psyche?
I looked around, and the only color in this place was from the tear.
I imagined a luxurious room, and my body like it was in its prime, before I came to this world.
A room unfolded before me, the dimension folding upon itself until a room surrounded me. I touched the ground, my wings disappearing, as my shoeless foot touched the hard marble floor. The cold made me shiver, a novel feeling.
The tear remained in the room, and I tried to reach my hand into it, but something was blocking me.
Wouldn't it be easier to watch this on a monitor?
The rogue thought transformed into reality, as the tear appeared as a monitor. A desk forming with a state-of-the-art Monitor displaying, Diana and her group.
A comfy chair appeared. I swiveled it back and sat, the comfy cushions made me relax as I leaned back. I stretched my fingers, cracking them.
It had been a while since I felt things like a human would. I stood up, straightening my legs and moving towards a mirror.
I touched my jaw. It was what I looked like in my prime. 'Handsome.' I thought to myself with a smile.
Yet I felt dissonance with the form.
Strangely enough, my original form felt constricting, like it was an ill-fitting suit. There was no need to feel uncomfortable in a dream, so I thought again.
And the room became bigger, the screen larger, and my form went back into a dragon. The chair grew along with my size, and a dragon racing chair formed.
A dragon is sitting in a gaming chair using a computer. I laughed to myself as I sat comfortably using it like a bed.
I conjured a snack. The taste was vivid, like I was actually eating real popcorn. The scent of popcorn cooked to perfection pleasantly assaulted my nose. A smile came undone unto my lips as I tapped the Dragon mouse and watched Diana converse with her friends.
It needs some butter.
So, the popcorn became buttery.
I relaxed, grabbed a handful of popcorn, and watched the monitor, like I was sitting in front of a TV watching my favorite show.
Watching her converse with her group of friends made me smile. I was proud of her, the once lonely transmigrator made friends, albeit strange ones, especially that unsettling princess, but friends.
She had even become friends with a saint. I nodded to myself as I hummed a pleasant tune. If only my sister were here to watch this with me. This would truly be Heaven.
Much to my dismay, she didn't appear. I was slightly disappointed. I wouldn't even be mad if Hathor or even Niles appeared. I closed my eyes and opened them only to let out a sigh of frustration.
Could I not summon people in this weird dream? If I couldn't summon them, could I create someone?
I thought of Prometheus crafting people from clay. And clay appeared in my hands. I should start with something small, it would feel wrong to create a clone of an acquaintance, so I tried to make something new.
Or rather, something new to me.
I sculpted a fairy, its wings like a butterfly, and its figure like a doll. The grey sculpture looked vivid, but it was missing something.
'Some color would be nice.' I mused to myself.
Color appeared on its body. Its dress was the shade of grass, its hair a vibrant blue, stars sprinkled in her hair.
What did he give it for it to live? Was it a spark of wisdom? The flame of life?
The questions were pointless; I couldn't quite remember.
What could the father of mankind do that I, a mighty dragon, couldn't? So I breathed life into the doll, I willed it to live, and so it did.
The once lifeless eyes blinked rapidly, her butterfly-like wings flapped endlessly like a hummingbird's.
Her galaxy-like eyes stared curiously everywhere before landing on mine.
She pointed at me, her little lips curving elegantly on her face, and she mouthed words. But couldn't quite speak. Her nose wrinkling, and her eyes widening. She puffed up her cheeks like a chipmunk.
Then she nodded and placed both hands on her hips like she had discovered something.
Before she could even move, I poked her forehead.
I imparted wisdom.
Or rather, a small portion, after all, I also didn't know much.
"Mediocris." I spoke in basic. "That is your name."
She nodded enthusiastically, her wings flapping in excitement as she hugged my finger.
"Father." Her little voice echoed loudly in the large room. She nuzzled into my finger. Her soft face, which felt like actual flesh, brought certain warmth.
'So formal.' Was there such a need? Even then, if she was going to call me something formally, I'd prefer not to be a dad, I shook my head. I was too young to have children.
Perhaps sensing my displeasure, she tapped her chin, her little finger the size of a toothpick.
"Creator." She nodded, her eyes sparkling with pleasure, a proud grin on her face.
I rubbed her little head with my pinky. She made little happy noises. Her body flying all over the room, her eyes darting everywhere, like a curious newborn.
And in her defense, she was a newborn. My eyes sparkled with Mirth as I watched her with a smile on my lips, her little hands picking up books from my bookshelf. Her eyes narrowed in confusion at the foreign titles; she looked around until her eyes fell on the monitor.
Her little hands were tapping on it with a curious expression. She looked back and forth between it and me.
I smiled, summoning a small chair, which appeared on my armrest.
Perhaps I should have been more marveled at the fact that I had just created life, yet oddly, it felt natural.
I marveled at my thought, and motioned for her to sit, summoning a little bucket of popcorn her size.
"This is my summon." I spoke proudly, my dragon chest puffed out as I pointed at Diana. She nodded happily as her eyes widened in realization, her back fitting snugly on the small chair, as she wiggled to achieve maximum comfort.
"Creators summon!" She chirped, her hand eagerly grabbing the popcorn and eating it like a famished wolf.
I chuckled at her actions as I looked at the screen. Diana was being accused of being in contact with a god.
'When?'
Her face looked panicked, or what I thought looked panicked; her stoic face was hard to read. Yet the subtle movement of her foot, and the way she clenched her fist. Confirmed my thoughts.
A moment of realization washed over me, oh right, my role was deity.
What was I even watching? Was this the future, the present, or a figment of my imagination? The most likely answer was the latter.
My dragon head leaned in eagerly, watching what would happen.
Her new friend, the Saintess, glossed over the fact, as Diana's empire had a freedom of religion.
They continued to talk before stepping through the bundle of mana and arriving in a clearing. A truckload of people was there, and their teacher called them over.
She was eagerly introducing her to a fellow instructor from what seemed to be a different academy.
The unsettling princess immediately picked a fight with the instructor.
My laughter echoed through the small room as I looked at the screen and indulged in some more popcorn.
The little fairy giggled alongside me. It was worrying, I hope she didn't pick up bad traits from the unruly princess.
Things that I couldn't see before started to appear in my vision as I got used to the monitor. My eyes squinted as I looked at the princess.
A radiant golden Aura surrounded her, like one that would surround a golden dragon. I couldn't help but notice the wyrm lurking in her shadow.
The princess was related to a golden dragon, no self-respecting wyrm would serve a creature other than a dragon or something related to it.
Perhaps she was even a distant relative, I surmised.
Naturally, the next person I looked at was the Saint.
Her aura was bright, dazzling even. The halo glowed majestically, it was made up of the laws of light and righteousness, even sparks of life.
My eyes then moved to my summon, her aura was pleasant, alluring, she had something that drew me in.
Diana's instructor, the librarian-looking lady, was strong; she was on the cusp of reaching the realm of laws.
I saw something else, a lock or a shackle. It was similar enough to be mistaken as either. The shackle was made up of the laws of magic. Did the god of magic fear her usurping their position? Or was it something different?
Two men, followed by a party, approached. The man in the lead had a weak golden aura, the type one would see in a relative of a Golden Dragon.
I connected the dots.
A prince.
The other had the Aura of a lion, and a demon lurking in his shadows. I inherently frowned, and a deep disgust emanated from my core.
Yet my ruined mood didn't last long. The princess began to verbally abuse the Lion prince.
It was a wonderful sight watching the princess make them miserable. Her words were worse than the venom of a Hydra.
The little fairy beside me laughed, her mouth full of popcorn. Maybe she shouldn't be watching this...
I turned to look at the red portal, a pale imitation of the laws of creation and the laws of space.
The Mage instructor rose into the sky and instructed the students. They were going to a dungeon, an exam.
Her wrist flicked.
All the children vanished, but before they all collectively disappeared. The short mage, in the prince's party's mana flared, her prowess similar to the teachers, but her talents were at their peak. Her red eyes glistened, and a malicious smirk appeared on her face.
The red gate flickered, and the formation changed; the destination switched.
A sudden unease grew inside me, and I frantically wished for Diana not to be affected.
But as if it were a cruel joke, they were the targeted party
My hands clenched, my talons digging into my seat.
How dare they target my summon.
Thunder rumbled, and the clouds gathered around the clearing. A storm of unfathomable proportions appeared.
As if nature were affected by my mood. The wall that prevented me from approaching didn't seem to hinder my rage.
I growled. The little fairy flew up on my shoulder and patted it.
I turned towards her, her adorable eyes blinking rapidly, her small eyelashes fluttering, her lips curved gently with warmth.
"It's okay, creator." She rubbed my shoulder softly. "It's your summon." She said with pride, evident in the way her lips curved arrogantly. As if no harm could fall on something of mine.
Her little arrogant smile amused me. A little chuckle left my lips.
My mood cleared, and my anger dimmed; the clouds that formed dissipated, and the storm vanished as if it had never been there.
"You're right." I rubbed her little head with my finger. I expressed my gratitude when I noticed something unusual.
The smart mage teacher, perhaps alarmed by the unexpected storm, checked the gate. Her normal face, devoid of emotion, grew animated.
Her eyes alit with fury. Her hands shook the man responsible for the gate.
With my mind cleared, I focused on the implications of the storm.
Did the dream change according to how I felt?
Did that mean I could interfere with the dream? Or was it a coincidence?
The scene shifted to Diana.
Diana's party arrived on a beach. I could sense the divinity from the sand, and a different one from the forest.
It looked like she didn't know this wasn't a test. Her inquisitive words to her teammates did all but confirm it.
A group of strangers dressed in leopard hide arrived; they had dived on the sacred beach and prayed, their faith looked tangible to my eyes.
Creatures arrived on the beach, I could smell their scent from the monitor, their putrid odor reeked of dread, their nature divine, and their patron a malicious god.
The corners of my lips curved downwards, my dragon eyes narrowing.
She didn't know this was a test, I reiterated.
She wasn't prepared to face a god.
I pounded on the monitor and willed my words into the world. It felt like I was breaching something that shouldn't be breached, a wall. I didn't care, I was a dragon, I took what I wanted.
And what I couldn't do didn't exist.
My dragon heart stirred, and my will was expanded out of my body into the wall. Unlike the way the storm formed, I couldn't easily enact what I wanted. It was like something was in place to prevent interference.
Not caring, I tried harder.
[Diana.] I spoke in draconic tongue, which was known to affect reality. I desperately yearned to inform her, even if this was just a dream.
Trying harder, I pushed through, it felt like trying to breach a wall by pushing it with all my strength.
I felt something slip, a semblance of a word trickled through. Why was speaking harder than causing a storm? A crack formed in the stalwart wall.
Her face subtly changed, a flicker of confusion in her eyes. But she didn't react. It wasn't enough.
A small echo of doubt formed. What if this wasn't a dream? What if this were reality?
With a new sense of urgency, I tried again.
The group of strangers explained the entities.
My muscles flaring, the fairy grabbed onto me, her little eyes closing tightly as she gripped my shoulder, her will channeling into mine. The room trembled, shaking violently, my will drilling into the wall.
[Diana.] The crack formed again, this time branching out like a small tree. The word more complete but it still wasn't enough.
She brushed it off, as if she didn't hear it. My eye twitched, but I didn't lament.
The leader spoke of the Divine name of their god. The air grew cool, and the scent of an ocean filled my nose, and eyes made of sand appeared. The aura it gave was similar to the sand my summon was on. I could instinctively feel it; he was part of the reason my words could not penetrate the wall.
I glared into their eyes, drawing their attention. Their eyes locked onto mine, confusion evident in their sandy eyes, but a hint of familiarity flashed. The giant eyes blinked before dispersing into the air.
Their hold loosening, it was like it was helping me. But it wasn't enough.
As it vanished, another tear appeared. This time, it was just a teleportation spell, or a summoning circle. Golden claws trickled through, a golden wyrm emerging from the tear, its body lurking in the princess's shadow, disappeared and appeared in the sky.
The wyrm, on the cusp of transforming into a dragon, burned the wretched creatures into ashes.
The natives whispered the name of a god, and reptilian eyes appeared in the sky, its eyes flickered on the wyrm, and it lost interest before its eyes landed on mine. They sparkled with worship before turning quickly and leaving.
They like the sandy eyes, helped me as well.
Now it was my turn to be confused, but there wasn't time. The illusion of safety was more dangerous than the danger itself.
They kneeled and worshiped the Princess and the Saint. The words of another god's name appeared, but no more eyes took interest.
With the help of the native gods, I pushed through with my might, and a crack larger than the tree formed.
[Diana, can you hear me?] This time, the words completely trickled in.
Her crimson eyes widened.
An inadvertent smile flickered on my face. But it stiffened as soon as it arrived. The crack fixed itself.