For a while Kiran did not do much, he merely got used to the transformation as he switched between a dragon to a human and vice versa. By the end, it still took him around a minute or two to complete it. Which wasn’t too bad.

He also had a chance to look at his human form more closely when he and the panda made way to a nearby river.

His face was that of a 11-12 year old, young with soft features. Even though technically his age was around that of 8-9 years old in human terms, he was a little bigger for his age. But his eyes were strange, his dragon pupils were still there. It was with great concentration that his yellow slit pupil finally became a black one, matching his long hair that flowed along his back. They didn’t stay too long.

Most of the days he’d spend performing a ‘kata’ a form of movements he had learnt back on earth along with his chi. It trained the mind and body, and the movements were an instinct for Kiran in combat.

Each day passed as Kiran trained and meditated to stabilize his chi, he estimated it had been around 80 years since he left. Perhaps, it was time for him to return.

Years went by as Kiran continued his training and hunting, until he grew weary. He could feel his inner mind, heavy with a longing.

The path to power does not only stem from the power of the physical self. The inner mind of a person plays a major part. No matter how hard one trains, if their mind is not at one, how can they ever truly achieve strength?

And Kiran understood that, slightly.

It was time he thought as his shoulders became slightly lighter. It was time to return home.

Slowly he treaded back to a nearby cave that he made a few days earlier. And like always, the panda was lying asleep on a bunch of leaves that were formed as a bed.

Kiran knew better than to interrupt him, as for beasts, sleeping was also a way of training. Interrupting, would be rude.

Soon, the panda’s eyes opened as it found Kiran. Somehow, Kiran could see in its eyes that it knew that Kiran was going to leave. It made its way in front of Kiran as it reached out its arms to him.

Carefully Kiran picked him up and placed him onto his back. Do not take this gesture lightly, a dragon’s back was not something anyone could ride on. A dragon’s pride was not something to be tempered with.

Kiran’s massive wing expanded as they slowly ascended into the air, he was careful not to drop the panda. But the panda didn’t seem to be aware of the strong wind against it and was just fine. Kiran smirked as he increased his speed towards home.

Weeks went past with them being in the air, when one day, Kiran could see the outlines of Dragoon. He was a little excited as he picked up even more speed.

Soon he got a little closer when suddenly he stopped and hovered in one position. Something was watching him.

His eyes scanned his surroundings but he could not find the source. Then suddenly the sound of a large wing flapping overcame his own as he looked to the source of it.

In front of him, not so far away was a large green dragon around 70 metres long. Kiran could sense the power from him, it was nothing he’d ever seen before. His eyes narrowed, he did not know whether it was a friend or a foe.

The green dragon flew close to Kiran, its eyes examining him, its size made Kiran look small.

“So you are Iscari’s son.” The green dragon finally said.

Iscari? Son? Dad? Kiran’s mind ran through the scenario. He did not respond.

“But… your size…” the dragon spoke again in bemusement, he looked at Kiran up and down, “How old are you? A hundred? Two hundred?... Fascinating.”

The dragon seemed to like answering his own questions. It could see that Kiran was cautious, his stance was ready to run immediately. The dragon smiled.

“Don’t worry, I’m an Elder. We don’t get people coming in often, and when I sensed you coming in, I couldn’t help but take a peek at a dragon of… your colour. Didn’t think you’d notice, AHAHHAHA” he said booming with laughter. “Must be getting old. Well off you go then.” He gestured for Kiran to continue.

Kiran did not move for a minute and finally, sensing his words to be true, he flew towards Dragoon. He turned once again and found that the dragon was nowhere to be seen.

His eyes became more serious, if the dragon wanted to kill him. He’d definitely be dead without even knowing what hit him. As excepted of the dragon race.

Soon, he landed on dragoon near his home. But before returning, he decided to make a cavern of his own first. With Iste and Isla, it was probably getting a little crowded if he were there too.

Around 10 minutes away from his old home, he found a mountain and began making his home. It was much easier for him now as the mountain crumbled around his claws. And with earth magic, the place was soon big enough for two dragons of his size to roll in.

He then turned into human form and created a little opening at the back into a little room. He could not get rid of the habit of becoming human. After finishing that, he returned to his dragon form and fashioned a spot in the space as his own.

The panda, as soon as Kiran had made the opening, had already dug itself a little pit at the back of the space. It even began bringing in leaves and branches to cover it.

A few moments later, Kiran flew away straight for his old home. He stood outside, it was strange for Kiran. He had never had a home. Not like this anyway. This feeling of returning was new to him.

He took a deep breath, and walked in. The main area slowly becoming more visible as he walked further in. And soon enough, he emerged from into the large space.

Everything was just the way it was. Two large dragons laid at the back of the area side by side. To the left, was a large empty space. It was his space.

In the middle, two small dragons played as they jumped around.

Kiran took in the sight before him when soon, the young dragons froze as they looked at Kiran. The two large dragons in the back looked at Kiran too, their eyes widened in surprise.

Normally they’d be able to hear a creature close by but Kiran’s chi and his way of channelling it enabled him to mask himself. Though not if they were too powerful, plus the fact they weren’t looking for it.

Iste was the first to react. He was already on Kiran as he flew into Kiran’s large arms and scrambled his way up to his back. Now that Kiran got a good look, Iste was now around 5 metres. His dark blue scales already developing around his body.

“hahahahah, hi big brother!” he said cheerfully as it jumped onto his arms and flew around his head excited.

Kiran slowly moved towards them as his mother had already gotten up with her eyes swelling and made her way to Kiran.

Before Kiran could say anything, his mother was already next to him. Their heads side by side as they embraced.

“It’s been a long time my child.” She said joyfully. Kiran nodded in turn.

Then it was his father who came up to him and embraced him. Though not as emotional as his mother, he could still feel the joy in his father.

Soon after their greetings, silence fell as the mother turned to her daughter behind her.

“Say your greetings to your big brother.” She said gently.

Isla hesitantly walked forward towards Kiran and finally managed to mutter “hi.. hi big brother.” To which Kiran nodded in return.

The father and mother exchanged a glance with a sigh. They just didn’t know why Isla was so distant with Kiran. Whilst Iste… they turned as they looked at Iste on top of Kiran’s head jumping about. They too sighed at Iste, but obviously for different reasons.

Soon things settled down as Kiran laid down at his usual spot, only he was much bigger now.

“You have grown. A lot.” His father said astonished. “and.. class C…”

His mother returning from her joy also began to notice the changes.

“Ho… how?” she asked as she looked at Kiran.

Before Kiran could speak, Iste interrupted.

“So so, did you fight many beasts? Did you win?”

Kiran smiled as he settled him down and told them of all that had happened on the Isle. The beasts he fought and how he spent his time.

Iste listened with delight as Isla listened quietly behind her brother. The two parents listened closely, the mother even tensing at times when Kiran told her he was fighting Class C monsters when he was just a Class D.

“A Sideri… incredible.” Kiran’s father said as he finished his story.

Perhaps killing a Sideri was easy, but it was no easy feat for a beast of D class even if it was nearly dead.

“Don’t do something so dangerous next time okay?” the mother said with worry.

“HAHA, why not? He’s a dragon! That’s how a dragon should be!” his father’s laugh echoed around the area as he stood up, the pride of a dragon seemingly manifested into a physical presence around the area. “He is our son after all. But do be careful. Know you limits.” He beamed with pride but turned sternly as he finished.

Kiran nodded in understanding.

He stayed for the night as they relished his return, the next day he told his parents of his new place which his mother strongly disagreed to. Dragons don’t entirely move out until around 700-800 years old. And Kiran was not even half that.

But after Kiran assured them that he was but a 10 minute flight away, his mother reluctantly agreed.

The next thing Kiran did, was fly over to greet Orsc. He had grown to around 11 metres now and matured, but still his personality was much like that of a child.

And Kiran’s days passed calmly. Of course, he did not forget to ask his father about the Elder and about the meeting he had with one.

He was told that on Dragoon, there were numerous island filled with dragons. But there was a hierarchy to them. And that an Elder, was essentially one of the higher ups of a dragon. Every 100 years, 4 elders would be chosen protecting the four directions of Dragoon. And obviously being an Elder had to require a certain amount of strength. But his father did not explain, only that an Elder was even more powerful than he was.

Once again, Kiran spent several years in meditation and training. Occasionally he would meet up with Orsc and his family, but nothing much happened between those years.

One year, he was called upon by his parents to take his two young siblings to hunt. It was particularly interesting as he watched the small dragons hunt monsters. He marvelled at the difference of power.

Not so long ago he was in their position. But now the monsters around them were nothing but pests to him. That was 2 years ago. The times were peaceful, until one such day.

The sun was high as Kiran took shade until a large on his mountain. In human form of course. He was not lazying around, he was training. He had always wondered how when he was flying back to Dragoon, he could sense someone watching him. And so he had asked his father how the Elder had observed him without physically being there.

It was ‘mind field’. A specialty of a magician, to control their mind’s power and generate a field like area around them. The stronger they were, the larger the field. They could also use a ‘mind conscience’ to navigate outside of their body using their power. Seeing things they physical couldn’t see.

Kiran got the know how from his mother’s lineage and practiced it often as his mind field now extended around 30m with him at its centre. He could now control it with ease as he saw everything inside of it. Every leaf, every ant, every pebble.

Soon his attention was drawn by several voices around him as he turned his focus. It was several young dragons in a group, although they appeared to be in an argument. 4 young dragons stood on one side as 3 other dragons stood on the other.

There was one red dragon in the 4 man group that was significantly larger than the others. Not by much, but you could tell.

Kiran noticed Isla and Iste were part of the 3 dragon group, their expressions downcast apart from Iste who grinded his teeth in anger.

‘Where have I seen them before?’ Kiran thought as they looked awfully familiar. ‘Ah yes’ he finally realized where. The meeting around a hundred years ago where Iste and Isla met with other dragons of a similar age.

“Shut up!” a shout caught Kiran’s attention as he looked at the young dragon who shouted it, Iste. Kiran’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the group, a dangerous look if anyone knew Kiran. Isla and the other dragon merely looked down, sullen.

“That’s right.” The red dragon said, clearly the leader of the pack. “He’s a freak.”

Iste growled menacingly, his face red with anger.

‘Who? Why was Iste so angry?’ Kiran wondered as he looked at the other dragon in Iste’s group, a light blue dragon. ‘Girlfriend?’ he immediately shook the thought from his mind.

“That’s right, your brother is a freak. A FREAK!” the red dragon shouted provoking Iste. The dragons beside him chimed him.

“Yeah! A freak!”

“Freak!”

Within a second, Kiran figured it out. How many more hints did he need? It was him.

For a moment, he admired the stupidity of the red dragon. Not only is he calling him a freak, but he had the audacity to do so near his home.

Though you couldn’t blame them, as only his family knew he moved out. And even they didn’t know where, only it was 10 minutes in flight.

Kiran wasn’t angry, he didn’t feel anything. Back on earth, he was an emotionless killing machine, a lot of names would be called here and there. He wasn’t bothered by it. But if there was one thing now, it was his family. And his sense of being increased ever so much with the nature of a dragon.

His eyes narrowed dangerously at the group suddenly. He could see that with Isla’s head looking down, her eyes were teary. And if there was one thing people learnt on earth, it was that if Kiran wanted to protect something, you stay as far away from it. Or else, nothing could save you.

A film of red aura formed around Kiran, his bloodlust was so strong in the previous years that it had begun to solidify. Obviously, he wasn’t going to kill the dragons, but a sudden spike in his anger caused him to lose a little control.

He jumped from the tree high into the air as his body began transforming. First his head, then his body, then his arms and legs and lastly his tail.

The group that was shooting suddenly stopped as a large shadow covered them without any notice. They all looked up as a large mass descended on top of Iste’s 3 dragon group, directly placing them in-between Kiran’s front arms, like a mother protecting its puppies.

A 36m black dragon stood on top of the 3 dragons, and looked directly at the 4 dragons.

Kiran’s head lowered to match the eyeline of the small 4 dragons in front of them. Their wide eyes filled with fear, shock and confusion.

Not many dragons had seen Kiran. Even though they had heard of his abnormal growth rate, Kiran left for close to a hundred years. Never could they imagine Kiran would be… this abnormal.

Kiran’s yellow pupils lined with red looked at the young dragons as his face inched closer and closer to the four small dragons and they could tell, he was angry.

Kiran’s head was metres away when he slightly opened his mouth revealing razor sharp teeth that was as tall as the dragons in front of him. He blew out a smoke from his nostril. The sound so deep that all at once they all frantically backed away and tried to fly off.

Why try? They flapped their wings hard and fast but because of their fear, they were panicking.

After some struggle they were finally flying away but not before a loud roar escaped Kiran’s mouth from behind the dragons causing them to drop in altitude as they panicked even more.

Kiran moved backwards as his large body slowly revealed the three little dragons below him. Their three tiny heads bent at a 90 degree angle to look at Kiran.

‘Funny.’ Kiran thought, not too long ago, he also had to do the same to look at his parents.

Kiran saw Iste’s eyes shine with admiration and excitement. The other young dragon’s eyes filled with confusion and awe. Isla’s eyes was the most puzzled, as if asking ‘why?’.

Kiran lifted his large as it hovered over Iste and tapped his forehead softly with the flesh of his claws. It then slowly moved above Isla and did the same. And finally moved to the young dragon as well.

Iste was beyond happy, it was something his father and Kiran did often, as a sign of approval. Isla was even more puzzled, she had never treated Kiran well for various reasons and Kiran had never done anything like that to her before. Her face was baffled.

The last young dragon merely froze on the spot, she was scared as she saw the large claw descend upon her friends. Was he angry? And when it came to her, her throat dried, her body stiffened. But at the end of it, it was… kind of nice?

Before the young dragons could react, Kiran’s large wings expanded as it lifted him high into the air and flew himself back to the mountain behind them.

‘So that’s where he lives…’ the three young dragons noted, each with differing thoughts in their young minds.