The pains had increased throughout the day, and there was no more denying the inevitable. Sarwal continued hiking through the East Forest, far from the villages along the eastern roads and away from anyone else of his kind. He was unsure how far he would travel after tonight, but the farther he got before the event the better he felt.

The evening that led to tonight still haunted him even after a few weeks had passed. His betrothed Abrohyu, friends since childhood, and he were alone, enjoying the waters along the lake and watching the larger of their two moons shining brightly overhead, when the commotion built behind them. They looked back to see the monstrosity break through the covering of trees, running straight for them.

He could still remember his mate’s cries for help as the creature launched itself at her, she frozen in fear while Sarwal rolled out of the way. He got to his hooves and watched in horror as the dracon’s muzzle clenched around her neck, crushing it and making her choke on her blood. Her body went limp before Sarwal could run toward the pair, the dracon’s monstrous fury ripping apart his longtime love.

He shouted as he launched himself toward the beast, whose eye facing the alicorn fiercely gazed upon him. The dracon released Abrohyu and turned to face its adversary, snarling, its long muzzle agape and showcasing needle-sharp teeth and viscous saliva dripping from powerful gums. Sarwal dropped his head down in the charge so his spiral horn aimed dead at the creature, who roared in retaliation as they collided.

Sarwal grasped a tree near him, the pain getting worse, the presence of something or someone else trying to take over his thoughts and mind getting stronger. The dracon curse was definitely within him, getting more aggressive as the time neared for the demon in him to emerge. He had always taken the stories of dracons as fables when he had heard of them growing up, and until that day of the attack would have continued believing so.

He shook his head, long white hairs whipping about behind his horn. How could he have been so ignorant of what he saw? A small smoky dragon this far from their lands, after the alicorns had beaten them back across the large waters so many years ago, it should have made him rethink his attack. When he impaled the creature’s neck and felt that bite on his upper back, he should have quickly taken care of his injury. But love kept his fury going until he injured the dragon to the point that it had to retreat. Only then . . .

Sarwal’s vision started to blur. As the night arrived, he knew he was fighting a losing battle to remain in his current form. The longer he maintained control and traveled far enough from other alicorns, the more likely he would not pass on the contagious curse.

But seeing that horn on the dragon, after it fled with blood flowing down its front and favoring its other legs thanks to his upper shoulder puncture, he realized that the creature was not a dragon at all. At that moment, cradling Abrohyu’s lifeless body while his injuries remained untreated, he let the saliva and blood of the beast seep into his system.

Had he jumped into the sea, from what he heard of those tales as a kid, the water could have possibly prevented the spread of the curse. The salt, though painful on open wounds, also reduced the ability for it to transfer from dracon to alicorn.

Now his life would linger with the curse trying to take over every month.

He staggered toward a slight decline. Presumably his journey headed toward the Valley of Insects, named for the most types of insects found in a perfect ecology with a minuscule presence of alicorns. Reaching there would mean he would have little risk of any other of his kind being around when he lost control.

Sarwal grit his blunt teeth, hearing popping from his spine with every step he took. The late dusk was making his journey much more difficult as the sky darkened quickly. He had to feel his way with hardened-tipped fingers along the rough bark, his stomach churning and his head throbbing with pain.

He stepped downward, his vision helpless in his condition and the lack of moonlight spilling through the leafy cover above making it treacherous. His muscles began seizing from the terrific pain and the sounds within him of the beginning changes were unnerving him.

With all the pent up tension, he hollered, falling to his knees and shivering. He was burning up and could feel sweat mixing with his pelt of short white hair, yet he chattered his teeth as though freezing. His arms wrapped around his stomach while his head bowed forward, his horn feeling as though it weighed many stones.

Something was near, something loud. Sarwal tried to see, his eyes hurting when he forced open his lids, and managed to make out the glowing form of the flame floating closer to him. It was another alicorn, perhaps worried about his shrieks and why he was doubled over in pain. Sarwal tried to shout at him, to make him run, but his jaw locked.

“I remember you,” the voice said. “I’m surprised you lived.”


For more, visit the store at http://tfx.mangaweb.net/