Chapter 4

4

I t took less than a second for Cass to do what he knew was right. His heart and soul called out to him, telling him what he must do. But he knew the right decision. Had always known the only decision he would make. His Destiny was as clear as the nose on his face. There had never been a doubt, and he did exactly what had to be done.

“I, Caspian Thomas MacAllen, am Uktena. I am Dragon.”

“Very well, young Uktena. So you have answered. So it shall be. You are Dragon.”

The very second the decree had been spoken, time sped up to an unimaginable, blurring rate. The scenery whirled around him with such velocity that Guadalupe Mountain went from his right to his left in the blink of an eye. The frozen sand, tiny prisms in their crystalline form, levitated, spinning in one direction, each on their own axis as they rotated around him the opposite way.

The blustery wind whipped as it had been, but in that moment, it spoke to him. The howl turned to a roar, and the words became clear, unmistakable, and reaffirming. “Today, Caspian Thomas MacAllen, you are who you were always meant to be. Within you lies the heart of the Dragon King, Blár. As of today, you are one. This heritage is a gift from your father. It was ordained and blessed by the Universe, the Great Goddess, and all The Powers That Be. Together, you will do great things. In whatever form you choose to take–you are a Guardsman. As the Chosen Universe's Warriors, you will defend Dragonkin, humankind, and all the Earth and its many inhabitants against Evil in all its forms. And you will not be alone.”

Had the voice gone? Was that all it had to say? Was he supposed to figure out the rest for himself? Many times, his dad said there was no manual for being a Guardsman.

The silence was deafening. Even the wind ceased to blow, the sand hung in the air, and the ground stilled under his feet. His heart skipped a beat.

Then everything began again. The voice boomed. Its resonance was more profound, more gripping. “You are not only two. You are also three. For although you have chosen the Dragon–you are Dragon–and will possess the monumental ability to Transform into all his many forms, the Timber Wolf Alpha, Faolan, will also reside within your soul. Like his ancestors before him, King Faolan carries with him the Magic of the Moon. He possesses tremendous intuition and transformative abilities–not of the Shift, but of the mind and soul–and he will forever be the Ruler of the Hunt and the Speaker for the Dead, all of which he will share with you. This is the gift from your mother, Esta Evilhawk, a proud Cherokee, Spiritual Elder, and even prouder parent. Never forget, Caspian Thomas MacAllen, you are the Hope.”

“Furthermore, when you find your Mate and your union is blessed by the Universe, and you wear the Mating Mark, you and she will become The Everlasting Hope. Do not take this lightly. Do not ignore the signs. You must know that Hope is the companion of Power. It is the catalyst for success in whatever form it may take. Those who believe in Hope, who harness that unstoppable Power with all the strength they have within their heart and soul, will receive the gift of miracles. Together, you and your Mate will be the only defense this Earth, and all its inhabitants have against the Scourge on Thundering Hooves that shall try to infest and invade all living creatures. And that, dear Dragon, is Everlasting Hope.

"Go forth, Caspian Thomas MacAllen. Live the life befitting of your Blessing. Be open to everything. Use all you’ve been given for the Good and the Light. When the day comes, the woman made for you by the Universe will find you, and together, you will accomplish great things.”

Trying to formulate the words, the questions whizzing through his mind so quickly he couldn’t separate one from another, Cass stopped short when the smoldering chasm created by the original bolt of incredibly old Mysticism opened wider. Expanding and growing, the ground once again shook beneath his feet as the light grew brighter, warmer, and more present than even Jed standing just a few feet from him.

Moving of their own volition, his feet took one step and then another until he was marching with untold confidence toward the glowing, growing, surging mass of the most powerful Magic he'd ever felt. Stopping at the edge, his toes floating on nothing but highly charged atmosphere, Cass was ready to take the final step. He was prepared to do whatever had to be done. He would fall into the bottomless crater, knowing that no harm would befall him. He had answered the call of the Ancients as the Ditlihi told him to, and he would continue to abide by her instruction, come what may.

He was following his heart and soul–and the Dragon King with whom he shared his soul. The Magic, the Mysticism, the utterly pure Enchantment of the Earth, of Mother Nature, of Chaos, of all The Powers That Be were calling to him. They were telling him that everything he needed at that moment was in the core of the Flames ignited at the birth of Everything.

Eyes raising to the Heavens, he took the last step. Waiting to fall. Knowing it was what he had to do. Another miracle happened. Instead of plummeting into an unfathomable fiery abyss, Cass slowly floated upward.

Higher and higher, riding the Flames, the golden light that he somehow knew had always been there, the one he knew belonged to the Dragon King with whom he shared his soul, burst to life. The sheer magnitude of its strength and influence, its utter command of everything , was staggering, and before Cass had time to truly appreciate the experience, he was on fire from the inside out.

Back bowing until he literally formed the shape of an upside-down letter U, his mouth opened so wide that his jaws cracked, and the sound that flew from his lips was one of pure anguish. Head snapping forward, his lanky frame was instantly bent in half the other way. His arms flew out to the side with such intensity the balls of his shoulder joints were torn from their sockets before instantly being knit back together stronger than ever before.

Levitating high above the Flames, his body was stretched to its fullest height. The cracking of bone and the tearing of joints and muscles filled his mind as the flesh covering his spine sizzled and bubbled.

The pain, the anguish, the utter agony stole the breath from his lungs. In and out of consciousness, the ringing in his ears grew louder with each passing second as black dots danced before his eyes.

He was going to pass out. Unconsciousness was hovering just out of reach, and he prayed for it to come. If only he could rest for just a moment and receive the tiniest bit of respite. He knew if he could, he would have the strength to finish. Sadly, as it was, the young Dragon was in so much pain that he was going to miss the glory of his first Shift.

It was demoralizing. It was damn near debilitating. It was unfathomable, and he simply refused to let the unthinkable happen. He was strong. He was blessed. He was Caspian Thomas MacAllen, dammit, and he shared his soul with the legendary Dragon King, Blár.

Reaching for the Magic he'd inherited from his parents, the fortitude of the MacAllen Dragons, and the magnitude of the Thorntree Timber Wolves, his soul, his Hope touched the Heavens. Literally wrapping his hands around the brilliantly glowing strands of the oldest Enchantment the world had ever known, Cass was instantly and completely in control. He was the Master of his Destiny. No longer was he a victim of the Shift. He–along with his Dragon King–now directed the Miracle of Transformation as it had always been intended.

Gone was the pain. Washed away was all frailty. His body was restored. His bones were longer and stronger. His muscles had grown larger, more powerful. He was on the precipice of greatness, and Cass was ready to accept all that he was to be.

Landing next to Jed with an earthshaking thud, the balls of his feet triggered the True Shift, the one he would always embrace–the Conversion of the Dragon King who would become a Legendary Guardsman. Spreading his arms wide, the tips of the fingers of his left hand brushed Jed’s shoulder. A spark of recognition, a jolt of electricity that he was sure could’ve lit up the whole state of Texas for several years, shot through both of them, and Cass knew that as he Shifted into the great Dragon King Blár, Jed would Transform into the Black Stallion with whom he shared his soul.

Eyes meeting, the boys acknowledged they were about to become men in the way of Shifterkin, and each focused on what had to be done. Cass’s gaze flew to his arms. He smiled as the crystalline blue scales flashed to life just under the skin. Pushing through the flesh, they were brilliantly incandescent and more striking than he ever could have imagined.

Once again, his spine burned, but he accepted that ache, that need, that Call of Magic and leaned into it. Accepting everything being poured into him–body, mind, and soul–he grew taller, wider, more than man, more than Dragon, he was growing into the Winged Warrior he was meant to be.

In his mind's eyes, he saw the bones of his face twisting and bending and morphing into a massive snout as the plates of his skull expanded and separated. Sprouting on either side of his head, enormous battle horns jutted toward the sky and then curved backward with great, frightening points. Joining in the Conversion from man to Dragon, fighting spikes–smaller in the front and getting wider and longer as they went–pushed through, forming at the center of his head, flowing down his regal neck, and covering the entire length of his spine and tail.

Before he could take stock of everything happening, Cass was looking down from a twenty-foot height. Sensing motion behind him, his huge head–led by his beautifully audacious snout–turned to the side and watched the ten-foot tail with a spaded end swish from side to side.

Suddenly, his body shook and the elongated muscles at the center of what used to be his shoulders caught fire. Instead of resisting, he again gave into the burn with the knowledge that great things were to come .

And oh, they did…

Unfurling with grace and elegance far beyond anything he thought possible from a creature the size of his Dragon, wings with a span of sixty feet pushed forward and back. Flowing with and then against the gusty winds, the synchronicity of the moment was glorious.

Looking at Jed, Cass nodded his head and winked his mighty eye. The Black Stallion reared up on his hind legs, batted at the air with its front hooves and with a strong, loud neigh announced to all that he too had Shifted. He too had become what he was always meant to be.

Lifting off the ground, Cass snorted steam from King Blár’s nostrils when Jed teased directly into his mind, “Now that shit’s just not fair.”

“Doesn’t have to be fair.”

“So says the guy with the wings.”

“Just try to keep up, Lightning.”

“I think I like that name. Although, I’d prefer you not call me Chief Crazy Horse,” Jed laughed. Just then, the Black Stallion with whom he shared his soul voiced his definite disdain for the moniker in a thick Scottish Brogue. “I am Vale, the Steed of the Isle, and I thank you to remember that.”

Laughing as he flew higher with every thrust of his wings, Cass lovingly taunted, “Just try to keep up, Vale.”

And his Dragon King, just like Fate Herself, was not to be denied as he added, “A race of the fittest in every way, Vale, Steed of the Isle.”

“I shall attempt to rise to the challenge, Blár, King of the Winter Dragons of Hope.”

“Hey! Yo, Cass. You in there?”

The sharp rumble of Jed's voice, followed by a hand clamping onto his shoulder and shaking him with more than a little force, pulled Cass from his memories. Blinking his eyes, he stammered, "Wh-What happened? Did something…?"

"Yeah, something happened," his Aunt snapped. "You took a trip to La-La-Land and almost Shifted right here in my kitchen."

"Holy shit!" Eyes flying from Jed's to Barbara's, then back to Jed's, Cass ran his fingers through his hair and blew out a very long, very exasperated breath. "I don't… I mean, I shook your hand and… Well…" Fingers still tangled in the curls atop his head, he sighed. "I am so damned sorry, Aunt Barbara." Then, to Jed, he continued. "Honestly, I shook your hand, and it was like I went back in time."

"Back to when we first Shifted," Jed stated rather than asking.

Brows furrowing, Cass tried but failed not to growl, “Yeah, how did you know? Did you do that? Are you reading my mind? You know how I hate that shit.”

Hands up in surrender, the Black Stallion Shifter vehemently shook his head and sternly attested, "Hell, no, I didn't read your mind, and I didn't cause you to take a trip down Memory Lane. Hell, I wouldn't fuck with somebody like that even if I didn’t like them, I’d been interrogating them for seventy-two hours straight, and I hadn’t slept in twice as long.”

"Shit!" Hanging his hand, Cass went on, "I'm sorry." Meeting Jed's glare, he tried to lighten the mood. "Okay, there, Detective Chief Inspector of the Cherokee National Sheriff's Department, chill out. I'm not a perp. I didn't take the cookies from the cookie jar."

“Okay, you didn’t have to…”

"Or should I have said, the newest Peace Chief of the Thorntree Wolf Tribe of the Cherokee Nation, and I didn't kiss your cousin behind the horse barn? "

“Aww, did ya’ have to go and embarrass me?”

‘You know I did,” the Guardsman chuckled. “I had to spread it around. My face is gonna be red for a week. I need to share this shit, Especially since I tried to go all Dragon in the house.”

“Yeah, that’s right,” Barbara scolded, trying to act tough even as the twinkle in her eye told another story. “You could’ve taken down the whole house. Then what would y’all have done if I hadn’t been able to cook for the holidays? No ham, no mac-n-cheese, no little quiches… and not even a single cookie. What would you do?”

“Die!”

“Starve to death!”

Laughing when both men answered in unison with abject horror in their voices, she added, "That's right. So, be careful there, Kiddo." Patting Cass on the shoulder, she went on, "And just go find your Mate and get on with it. All the build-up is killin’ me. Maybe you’ll make me a Great Auntie. Now, that would be an awesome birthday present. You do remember that my birthday’s in July, don’tcha?”

“Wait. Huh?” Feeling so confused, he thought he might have lost his hearing on his visit to the distant past, he sputtered, “Wh-What are you talking about?" Shrugging so vehemently that his shoulders almost met his earlobes, Cass looked at Jed, who was already doubled over in laughter, then back to his aunt, who was also chuckling. "No, seriously, what are y'all talkin' about?" When no answer came, he swatted the Stallion Shifter on the shoulder, then pushed even harder, "And how the hell did you know what was goin' on in my head?"

Pretty much falling into the chair behind him, Jed shoved back the long, dark hair that had fallen over his face, looked up, and nodded. "Well, since you seem to have forgotten, let me refresh your memory." Clapping his hands together, he rubbed them a couple of times, then said, "As Grandpa Cheveyo told us too long ago to think about, when we are close to meeting our Mate, to claiming her as our own and being claimed by her…" Stopping to clear his throat, when he began again, Jed sounded just like the Chief. "The time will come when you boys will remember the night in the Desert that the Great Celtic Dragon, King Alarick, and the Indigenous Deity, Begochiddy, spoke to each of you. It was under that Yuletide Full Moon that you, Jed, first heard the voice and felt the Magic of the Black Stallion with whom you share your soul, Vale."

Pausing, just as Cheveyo had so long ago, Jed slowly nodded before continuing. And you, Cass, well, you were very busy that night. Not only did you hear the voice of one of the Greatest Dragon Kings to ever fight alongside the Knights of Olde, the one who made it possible for the Guardsmen to exist by allowing the Great Mage to work his Magic, but you also heard the voice of your Dragon King, Blár and your Alpha Wolf, Faolan. As if that wasn't enough, you were given an honor that no other MacAllen Dragon, Thorntree Timber Wolf, or any other Shifter in our history has been given. Yes, dear boy, a grandson of my heart, you are the one and only among us who was ever given the choice between Dragon and Timber Wolf, but it doesn't end there. For you, Cass MacAllen, were also allowed to keep the soul of the Timber Wolf within you."

"I want you to very carefully remember everything that happened in the Desert that night, but only when the time is right. Years will pass when you will not even think of your first Shift or of that night when you first soared through the sky."

"However, when the day comes that your memories demand your attention, when you recall these great events, you will know that you are on the cusp of finding your Mate. She will be nearer to you than she has ever been. Father Time will be counting the hours, the minutes until you will be with the one made for you by the Universe. The Bond you share with that special woman will grow strong. It will call to your mind. It will sing to your soul. It will prepare your heart for a love like no other. Know that when the vision of that blessed night returns, you will find the Light of your Soul, the Love of your life."

Getting closer, just as Cheveyo had, Jed nodded. "It will also be when you and the woman made for you by the Universe will be called upon to face your first and perhaps most monumental task as Mates. You will know the meaning of your Calling, of your Destiny as The Everlasting Hope."

“Well, shit,” Cass breathed, following suit and falling into the nearest chair. “I had forgotten all about that. So, I’m…? I mean, she’s…? No way. I would’ve….”

"Well, until this moment," his Aunt Barbara barked with laughter. "I would've said you could've finished a sentence hanging upside-down, underwater with a rag in your mouth, but apparently, finding out that what Bane told you is right, that you are about to meet your Mate, has shorted out your brain."

“Damn,” the Dragon huffed. “I hate it when that happens.”