Reincarnated as a Dragon – The path of the Dragon God

For a long time since his reincarnation as a Dragon, Henry was finally basking in the presence of people in proximity. It was a shame that the accompanying circumstance wasn't a pleasant one.

He was greeted by the sight of a settlement that was human-like in practice and culture but the people's features said otherwise. Aside from the quirky fact that they were all dressed in hides and fur, their ears were all long and pointy like that of an Elf. Their skin was all of a pale bluish-white shade. Their eyes were a pair of sapphires. They were all lithe, ample with the right amount of fat and muscles. They all had the figures of an athlete and a model.

They were called the Zevas. They lived in the snowy mountains in the north. They build their houses and structures out of the stones mined from the mountainsides and the wood chopped snow pine groves that grew out from the cold slopes of the mountains. Though the materials of their structures were very archaic, their architectures were not. The designs reminded Henry very much of the countryside of the Europe countries.

Under different circumstances, Henry would be thrilled at such a sight and acquaintance, but his current state was something completely undesirable at all. He was enslaved and he became a thrall to Rayne, who he now knew was the daughter of the Zera Clan’s head, unsurprisingly. He got that information from the gossip and chatter of the residents. It would seem he was somehow fated to cross paths with the respective daughter of each race’s leader.

Zera appeared to be a well-known troublemaker, judging by the knowing looks and the apprehensive glances the Zera people were throwing at her. She ignored them all and marched down the street in stride while riding on the back of Henry. She was using him as her mount and she was proudly showing him off to the people.

The first command she gave after Henry was fully enslaved by her twisted magic was the forbidding of using his Murux Voice. It was a smart move, he had to give her that. Without a voice, the people would be less inclined to help a beast.

After passing through the common area, Henry was led to a place he could only describe as a palace made of quality stone and wood. It was built in a very oriental-like fashion of imperial palaces but as far as he knew there were no emperors. He hoped not.

With a chain around his neck, Rayne guided him around the maze of a palace and arrived at a vast courtyard. There was an arch shade at the far end and under the shade sat three individuals behind a long and low table. The one in the middle was old and thick with hair and beard. The two on the left and right were much younger. The three shared similar features and even a fool could tell they were related, father and sons.

Besides the son on the right, was a white tiger with fiery black stripes nearly the size of Henry. It had a pair of overgrown fangs. The sabretooth tiger was sleeping soundly, only stirring a little when Henry entered the court.

“Father, I have returned,” announced Rayne as she hopped off of Henry and bowed.

“What’s the meaning of this, sister?” asked the young fellow sitting on the left, pointing at Henry. “Why have you brought a monster before your father and your brothers at court?”

A court in a courtyard, huh. Fitting.

“I went hunting, Damien, and this beast right here is my prize. I have tamed it.”

“Enthralled it, you mean,” reproached the other brother.

“Same difference, Soren. Only mine is much more… honest with its intention. Taming an animal or a creature is no different than enthralling it. Your so-called taming is just deceitful phrasing.”

“Don’t lump my hard-earned efforts with your laziness just to assuage your insecurity, Rayne.”

“What do I have to be insecure about, Soren? The sword, the spear, the bow, I have bested both of you in all. Now, even I have the better Familiar.”

“Your martial prowess is undeniable, Rayne, but those said nothing of your prowess as a leader. You are aware that you are fighting for the position of the clan leader, not the warchief, aren’t you?”

Rayne scoffed. “What leader would you be if you are not the best amongst your people? Those who follow you are probably just as weak as you, Soren.”

“We will see about that, Rayne.”

“Perhaps after Soren becomes the new head, you can become the new warchief, sister,” Damien mocked.

“What’s this? You’re not fighting for the position anymore, little brother? Glad to hear you finally know your place.”

Damien rose from his seat, seething. “Mind your tongue, dear sister! I am still your older brother even if I am the second one.”

Rayne snorted. “Older brother, eh? At least Soren has a better affinity with magic and what part of you is better than me, dear second older brother of mine?”

Damien clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. “You are a spiteful little b—”

“Mind your words now, Damien,” said the elderly, finally. “I allow this banter and rivalry between the three of you because it betters all of you. But know this, there are boundaries and limits.”

“...As you say, father,” Damien said after a brief hesitation and reluctance before sitting back down.

After a minute of silence from all the siblings, with only their death stares being traded among each other, the clan leader continued, “Now, pray tell, Rayne, where and how did you find this Dragon Genera mount of yours?”

“I didn’t find it. It found me. I was bathing in the river and this monster crept up on me. It must have thought I was just some simple helpless damsel but it learned the truth the hard way.”

Henry growled but only in his heart. He was forbidden to make any sound. The Geas on him was strong but the disadvantage of this Geas spell was that it only had bearings on his body, not his mind or spirit. This meant, given time, he could eventually break himself of the Geas. In fact, he could already feel the spell weakening and it had already weakened to the point that he could break free of the Geas if he just put in a little bit more force.

However, he had become a tad curious about the drama unfolding before him. And so, he decided to bide his time. He would act the part of the obedient pet until the accursed spell completely wears by itself while he enjoyed the family feud before him.

“A river monster?” mused the elderly. “It doesn’t resemble a beast of water. Just where did it come from?”

“It does not matter, father,” said Rayne. “All that matters is this beast is mine and I intend to parade it during the rite.”

“No.”

“No?”

“We do not know what it is. The whole clan will be at the rite. Enthralling a beast you know nothing about and then proceed to flaunt it in front of thousands of people? That’s foley, Rayne. You are putting your people at a huge risk just so you can have your ego stroked.”

“My people?” Rayne scoffed. “I didn’t know I was already the Clan Leader.”

“Leader or not, the Zevas are still your people, your kin.”

“You should ask the people's opinion. I don't believe they would agree with you, father.”

“It’s not an opinion, Rayne!” he shouted and slammed the table with a fist. “You are misconstruing on purpose. They are not denying your place among the Zeva.”

“Sure they aren’t,” Rayne retorted dryly. “Have you seen how they looked at me? I see only shame and contempt in their eyes, for me.”

He scowled. “They looked at you in those manners because they acknowledge you as one of them. If they did not, they wouldn't even bother looking at you!”

“Say what you will, father. Not like it would be an issue any longer after I become the clan’s head.”

He lowered his and sighed in resignation. “Be thankful that I am not allowed to intervene in the rite.”

“I am thankful for that, father. I am thankful towards whichever ancestor of mine came up with that law.”

“Your gratitude has been noted. However, this beast of yours will not be allowed in the rite.”

Rayne raised her brows and glared at her father. “And why is that so? He’s already my Familiar. And weren’t you not allowed to interfere?”

“Not when the Clan’s safety is at stake. I have also already said the reason for your first question, Rayne. We know nothing about this monster.”

“Isn’t this just a Drake, father?” Damien questioned.

Rayne burst out laughing. “Oh, older brother of mine, are you honestly asking that?”

“Are you implying something, dear sister?”

Rayne shrugged. “Nothing you need to be worried about. Well, I’m just glad you at least have the decency to pull yourself out of the rite considering that’s the extent of your knowledge.”

Before Damien could explode with rage, Soren rose from his seat. “That’s enough, Rayne. We all have our shortcomings. No shame in that.”

“I’m not the one you should be telling that, Soren.”

“This beast is no Drake,” the father said, ignoring the quarrel between the three. “No Drakes possess this much Murux. You have caught something novel, something no ancestors of ours had ever done. For that, I praise you, daughter of mine.”

Rayne snickered, grinning widely. “Thank you, father.”

“But this monster is still not allowed to be in the rite.”

Her scowl returned.

“We do not know the extent of your control over this monster and what it’s capable of. I can tell this beast is stronger than all the monsters in the domain just from its Murux alone. Who’s to say the monster wouldn’t just break free of your hold in the middle of the rite or worse. What if it broke free when you’re parading it down the common street? Can you absolutely ensure that will never happen?”

Well, what do you know? This old man is smart. Well, he ain’t a clan leader for nothing. Hmm… that ain’t exactly a terrible thing, is it?

“I will take full responsibility if that ever happens,” Rayne said resolutely.

“I don’t care about you taking responsibility, Rayne! I care about the people! Taking responsibility after the damages are done means little! Have you learned nothing from Greta’s passing!?”

“I had no hand in mother’s death. No one did. It was an accident.”

Damien clicked his tongue. “An accident that could have been prevented if it wasn’t for people like you, sister.”

Henry didn’t know what order was given to him. He didn’t even hear one but he knew he must. For a brief second, he could feel Rayne's grief and her rage. Those emotions of hers seemed to spur and ignite something within himself.

His body was moving all of a sudden, charging towards the three sitting behind a low table. He could feel the bloodlust bubbling within him. He tried to suppress it but the bloodlust was overwhelming and underneath it, there was a darkness crying to be let out.

What the fuck is inside of me!?

He was lunging at the three before he could comprehend anything. His fangs and claws were bared. He found some relief from the fact that he wasn’t using his breath attacks.

Shit! I’m going to kill someone!

The three individuals in front of him were great warriors in their own right but as his strike was sudden, he doubted they would come out of this unscathed or alive at all. Henry closed his eyes and prepared for the worst, prepared for the inevitable feeling of his claws digging through flesh. But that did not come true. Instead, he felt something hard striking his head and he went bouncing across the courtyard. Something had battered him away.

When he sprang to his feet and shook his stupor off, he saw the white sabretooth tiger had awakened from its slumber and was the one fended him off. He uttered a silent gratitude in his heart. Though he was grateful, his rage did not subside. He couldn’t understand where this rage was coming from and he was craving for more, craving for violence and bloodshed.

“Rayne!” Soren shouted. “You dare to attack your own flesh and blood!? Have you finally lost your mind!?”

“I did no such thing! The stupid beast did!”

“That beast is under your control,” said the elderly. “Are you saying that you lost control?”

“I did not lose control. I was just—” she stopped herself as she came to a realisation. Whatever reason she gave, she would just be incriminating herself.

“Now do you see what I mean, daughter? It may not have been your intention to attack your brother but this beast acted on your will, an amplified response. If Tiva wasn’t here, do you think your brother would have been unscathed?”

Rayne said nothing but her silence said plenty.

“Father, look.” Damien pointed. He was still trembling from the fright of the sudden assault of Henry and his eyes never left him, wary of another attack. Shivers travelled through his body when he saw Henry begin to shudder as a patch of blackness engulfed him.

Henry roared with his head thrown up against the compulsion of the Geas. Every fibre of his body was telling him to shut up and just stay put but his heart was rebelling and his soul defying the strings that were pulling at his body. He jerked and tugged at those proverbial strings but his efforts were fruitless. Slowly, he was once again losing control of his body but before the Geas could completely resume its domination over him, the strings snapped every last one.

Rayne widened her eyes. “Oh, no,” she gasped. “T-the Geas… I-I… The Geas on the beast has been purged…”

“What!?” Soren exclaimed. “You use a Geas? What were you thinking, Rayne?! You will ruin its mind and soul!”

The Clan Leader finally got up from his seat. “We will talk about Rayne’s offence, later. Right now, the threat needs to be subjugated first. Damien, tell the guards to secure this area.”

“But father, shouldn’t we just call the guards here?”

“No. This is Rayne’s fault, her responsibility, and she shall handle it.”

Damien gave a slight bow and dashed right out of the courtyard. Seconds later, the entire compound was up in arms, cries, and bustle.

“You will handle this, won’t you, Rayne?”

Rayne kept her silence and tutted. While she was proud and confident in her martial prowess, she had seen Henry’s abilities and how he performed in a fight first-hand. She also had done some testing herself and she was making her way back. Her biggest concern was his defence, which she knew she would not be able to penetrate. There was also his Fire Breath. If he started breathing fire, he could easily raze the entire palace to the ground and there would be nothing she could do to stop it.

Rayne wanted to back out but if she did, she knew she would surely be branded a malefactor and a renegade. Left with no other options, she could only brandish her cleaver-sword and her spear and ready herself for a fight that she knew she could not win.