Chapter Text
“Genesis! You let the fire go out again!”
That was the first thing Zack heard when he woke up. The young boy of fourteen peeled away from the warm confines of his hay-stuffed, feather-down bed and stretched. A sleepy, lazy smack from his mouth followed soon after. With stiff fingers, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and glanced around his room (as if he hadn’t fallen asleep there the night prior).
Everything sat still in the same places as yesterday: bookcase shoved against the far wall and tucked snug into the corner, a desk cluttered with inked drawings and notes. Wooden floors, wooden ceiling… the whole nine wooden yards, all bathed by the soft morning sun shining in through his bedchamber window.
His ears twitched at the sound of annoyed roaring from downstairs followed by a snort of the same intensity. A smile curved across his sun-kissed skin as he all but tossed the thick quilt off his body and rose from his bed, not even taking the time to smooth out the wrinkles in his shirt or pants.
Zack shuffled past the window, his peripheral vision catching a glimpse of his reflection: chaotically spiked hair atop his head with unruly, yet unified bangs to match, and bright sapphire eyes greeted his image in the mirror. Rounded ears twitched again when he heard noises and speech from downstairs.
“You know all I ask of you is to keep the fire going. I don’t see why you can’t do that simple task!”
Cue irritated snarling following the reprimand.
Angeal was already lively this morning, as was Genesis from the sounds of it. If he didn’t get a move on, he’d miss out on all the fun!
Zack quickly left his room via a cracked bedchamber door and hurried down the hall. He bounded down the creaky steps of the staircase with pep in his step and a wild smile on his face, already bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
His bare feet touched down on the first floor of the house as his ears continued to guide him through the house. He pushed open a heavy door as the wood changed into cold cobblestone.
The workshop－currently washed in gray and ash.
Multitudes of tools hung against the walls or the wooden support beams scattered throughout. Further out of the room lay a small venue where their wares were displayed and sold to the General public. But to the left, however, that’s where the action was this morning.
Zack stepped away from the door and further into the workshop, his grin growing even wider when he happened upon one of his most favorite sights in the morning.
Angeal－his uncle and blacksmith of the house－was chiding his dragon as per norm. His gloves and clothes were already covered in metal shavings, soot, and cinders of the like and his protective brown apron was sullied even further. His welding hammer was tucked tight in his right hand as he glared at Genesis lounging about by the furnace in his full dragon form.
Genesis was a Kazilik breed; a mighty red-bodied and black spotted and ringed creature with a harsh, hot-headed temperament and the powers of fire-breathing. The black horns atop his head were his most predominant feature for the way they stuck out and angled back. Though his bright yellow and green-ringed eyes glared into his masters’ own as he flapped his stubby wings at him.
Normally, Kazilik’s had mighty and large wings, but Genesis’s were short and bent for some reason, which prevented him from flying like other dragons.
Zack guessed it was some kind of egg defect.
Another grin managed to form over the one he was already wearing and he had to fight back laughter from the display. Just another average day in the workshop with his uncle and dragon.
Dragons, the mighty creatures, how he loved them.
They were as common as any other human being… once upon a time. Of course that time was long before Zack was even born－most dragons already endangered and headed for extinction. But thankfully, they were making a strong comeback thanks to the preservation efforts.
Nowadays, drakes were the go to for workers, pets, or companions here in Midgar, seeing as how not just anyone could befriend or tame a dragon.
If the dragons were to die out, then so would the Dragon Handlers: select humans granted the power by the Goddess to raise and tame a mighty beast of their very own. Why, that’s what his uncle was.
It was also something he wanted more than anything.
And here, in this massive kingdom, both dragon and handler coexisted as though they were of the same species. It was hard to find this kind of synchronicity anywhere else－dragons were seen as luxury items for the crooked and underdeveloped.
To walk the path of a dragon… Zack had lost count of how many shooting stars he had wished on for that. It was something he had wanted ever since he could first remember. But, it’s not like he could choose to walk that path.
He didn’t bear a Dragon Crest and within the week he would turn fifteen.
‘Those that do not bear the Dragon Crest by the eve of the mortals’ fifteenth year are not chosen to walk the path of the dragon’.
It was a saying－a code as the handlers called it－that he heard time after time until he unknowingly memorized it. Some say those are the Goddess’s words, some say that people tell themselves that so they don’t feel bad for not obtaining a dragon.
Either way, it was true:
No Crest, no dragon.
“－ck? Zack?”
It was then Zack realized he had been so deep in his thoughts he failed to see Angeal staring at him with a tight look of concern on his face. Genesis too, though in his own draconic way.
“You alright? You don’t normally space out like this after getting up.”
“Oh, sorry! Just, uh, thinking about that dream I had last night. Weird one.” Zack shrugged off with sheepish laughter.
“Well, I hope you at least slept well.” Angeal smirked and the thin lines on his face pulled with it.
“Pretty good, yeah. Nice alarm clock today.” A toothy smile followed Zack’s jest.
“Ah, so you did hear that…” Angeal nervously chuckled and ran a work-glove through his hair.
“I always do!” Zack admitted with a chipper tone. He moved from his spot and further approached the fire-breathing dragon, holding out his right hand as he ran it over the red scales on the thick snout. “Morning, Genesis!” He greeted.
Genesis snorted softly through his nostrils as a purred growl rumbled around in his thick throat. He puffed a tiny trail of smoke from his nose as well.
“So, did he let the fire go out again?” Zack asked as he glanced towards his uncle, still petting at the smooth red scales.
“Of course he did.” Angeal responded as he remembered to put his hands back on his hips and adopt a stern look.
Genesis didn’t like the look and growled loudly, yanking his head away from Zack’s hand as his forked tongue slashed out of his long snout. He puffed charcoal gray smoke from his throat as a warning that he was about to blow cinders.
“Quit throwing a temper tantrum and just light the fire, you addle-plot. I still have three more custom orders to complete before noon!”
Genesis growled in a loud and whiny tone before he spit a large fireball into the furnace. He scorched the cement and the stone floor around it into a smoky black color, but the fire was blazing bright.
“Thank you! Now, was that so hard?” Angeal remarked as he stepped forward and gave a few pats to his dragon’s smoking snout.
Genesis huffed once through his nostrils, but otherwise remained silent with bored, yellow-green eyes.
“Zack, apron on－you’re going to help me with these orders.” Angeal directed as he motioned over to the crackling furnace.
“Sure thing!” He responded with a wink before turning to the other side of the workshop.
Hanging idly on a sturdy nail was an apron of his own. It was similar to his uncle’s save for the fact that his was black instead of brown. He pulled the thick material from the hook and donned the cover, tying it in the back to keep it from flapping about.
Blacksmithing was good honest work, but… (an eyebrow of his furrowed without his brain being aware), it wasn’t what he really wanted to do.
Granted, it was a good way to make a nice living and be able to work with weapons (which was quite the boon for a working-class citizen like he) but it’s not what he really wanted to do.
He wanted to join the Dragon Army: a branch in the military that specialized in synchronized combat with beast and man together.
They rode through the skies as skilled warriors and protected the kingdom from any danger. He wanted to be as good a fighter as the fabled Cid Highwind: the Army’s top fighter with his Fleur-de-Nuit dragon, Vincent.
Oh, imagine if he could gain his mark and hatch a beast such as that! Those magnificent deep-blue and black dragons may be nocturnal by nature, but they have impeccable night-vision and made one of the best fighting breeds in all of Gaia!
Zack shook his head to regain control over his thoughts. He couldn’t fantasize about that－he wasn’t even sure if he’d gain his mark by the eve of his fifteenth birthday.
Best if he doesn’t get his hopes up.
He cut back across the cobblestone floor towards the furnace again, pausing in a different spot where an anvil and spare hammer sat. He rolled up his long sleeves and adjusted his protective apron, back in the game and ready to go.
Angeal came over with a broken broadsword, the metal snapped clean near the hilt of the blade. “This is just a standard repair, putting the two halves back together. Look here－” He pointed to the clean break near the hilt of the blade, “－This is a clean break, which means what?”
“Uhh…” Zack drawled, his eyes as blank as his mind. He remained like that for a few moments before the answer lit and shone in his eyes like a metaphorical candle. “It means we can mend it without any spare steel, just some heat and welding!” He supplied as he slapped his right fist into his left hand.
“Very good. Now, how do we go about fixing a standard break?”
“Um… Oh! You heat up the two pieces with some fire and use a hammer to mend the two shards back together again!”
“You’re really starting to get this down-pat, assistant,” Angeal commented with a faint smirk. “Proud of you.” He mussed up Zack’s hair with a bigger grin.
Zack blushed while his uncle placed the two fragments against the large anvil. He directed his full attention when he saw his uncle pushing the pieces together until the split was nearly undetectable.
Angeal glanced over his shoulder and towards his lazy dragon. “Genesis, heat.” He directed.
The Kazilik dragon snorted, muttering some sort of complaint in reptilian tongue before he regretfully stretched his long neck out and hovered over the piece of broken steel, complying with the request with an unnecessary amount of attitude and spite.
Zack backed off from the heat of the blast with a wicked grin and a softly exclaimed ‘woah’. Angeal gave his dragon a narrowed glare before he started to hammer the molten hot fragments back together.
He watched with rapt attention… for the most part. He was into it for the first two minutes before he got bored of watching the same repetition of ‘fire and hammer’ over and over.
His distracted sapphire eyes glanced out towards the open venue area of the shop. He could see their wares scintillating in the morning sunshine and the way the shadows underneath their off-red awning pulsed gently against the ground. A few people walked about the marketplace from beyond their venue too.
He could see the vendor across from their establishment－Steiner－selling armor. Often time his uncle and the former knight sent their customers to the other and recommended each other’s products and merchandise.
If he remembered correctly, Steiner had a small drake that helped him out with his own shop; a feisty little cinder-spitter called Pluto. He could see the black-colored beast parading around on the counter if he squinted hard enough, while his owner sold his wares to the passerby’s with a big smile.
His distracted mind even started playing out scenarios of what he would do if he was lucky enough to become a Dragon Handler like his uncle.
He thought about hatching a mighty Grand Chevalier; one of the largest and most powerful dragons there was, colored with gray and brown scales and a pale belly－a mighty fighter that was intimidated by none.
He thought about hatching a majestic and gigantic Xenica; A dragon with marbled orange and black wings (kind of like a butterfly). Imagine that marvelous beast tailing him around in dragon form－he’d be talk of the whole kingdom! Not to mention there’d be no way in all of Ifrit’s seven Hells he wouldn’t get a spot in the Army!
Though he couldn’t picture himself hatching something small and simple like a Winchester or a Greyling. Those small silver-colored things were only good for riding around fat on your shoulders and being more annoying than anything else. But at least those made good hunters and could still net him a position in the Dragon Army. Maybe not in the direct branch he desired, but he’d still manage to get in. Omnivores could even get in.
Herbivores－no way.
Those docile grass-eaters were practically incapable of battle and their special attributes weren’t suited for fighting at all.
Besides, there was only one herbivore that ever got into the Army, and that was over one-hundred years ago and there hasn’t been another one ever since. Ifalna had been her name, and her dragon was a brown-bodied, marbled-winged Berghexe named Aerith.
The only reason why that duo had made it in was because Aerith had special healing abilities that were rare for her breed (or any breed in particular for that matter). So those two were more of a medical branch that healed the injured while in battle.
But no other herbivore breed has possessed healing powers like that ever since.
Gentle dragons wouldn’t be capable of fulfilling every aspect of his dream.
“－Zack!” Angeal’s voice suddenly boomed, causing him to jump in place and turn startled eyes to his uncle. “Were you listening to anything I was saying?”
“Huh, what?” Zack glanced around quickly. “Uh, you said, uh… ‘Were you listening to anything I was saying’?” He sheepishly giggled.
His uncle exhaled loudly and shook his head in an exasperated manner. Genesis, however, was chuckling gruffly enough to make his body bounce and alight his glowing yellow and green-ringed eyes with amusement.
“Genesis, don’t encourage him!” Angeal scolded, lightly flicking the tip of his dragon’s snout right in-between the nostrils.
Zack watched as Genesis whined and shook his head from the sting the small strike had brought, before then narrowing his eyes and snorting roughly. He put the cherry on the cake when he blew smoke at his uncle’s face as the amused look turned smug.
Angeal coughed a bit and waved the smoke from him with a near repulsed look on his face. “Twenty years later and you’re still as stubborn as the day you hatched.” He chuckled.
Genesis straightened up and held his head high with closed eyes, forever proud of his hard-headedness.
“Too bad your wings never grew in right. Making deliveries would be a snap if they weren’t.” He sighed, tracing a gloved finger over the velvety skin of said appendage.
Genesis snorted loudly and snarled as charcoal gray smoke billowed out of his snout. He was very sensitive about his small, flightless wings and didn’t like it when they were pointed out. Though Zack didn’t know why.
“Sorry, sorry! You know I didn’t tease you on purpose!” Angeal apologized, waving his hands in front of him submissively. “I’m just saying it’d be easier on Zack since he always makes the deliveries!”
“Sure, drag me into it so he can get mad at me and not you.” Zack mused with an arched eyebrow and a flat voice, a grin on his face regardless.
That was enough to get Genesis to stop fuming smoke and cinders and cool off. He righted his stance on his hind legs, puffing his chest out and turning his head up mockingly to the humans beneath his towering frame. He flicked his spiked tail from side-to-side, much like a feline. In many ways, he acted just like an overgrown house cat.
Those two were polar opposites in personality－Angeal and Genesis.
In fact, most handlers and their dragons were always different from the other, if Zack recalled correctly. It kept the two from ever growing annoyed or bored with a being that was almost exactly like them. It added sugar to the spice－or in the case of his uncle and his dragon－fire to the ice.
“Speaking of deliveries－there’s one I need you to make this morning.” Angeal recalled, snapping his fingers together from the memory.
“But Uncle Angeal, it’s Sunday!” Zack whined. “We don’t usually make deliveries on the weekends!” He grabbed onto his uncle’s arm as if he was going to be tossed outside.
“It’s an order filled for the Dragon Army. I figured you’d like to deliver it and maybe take a look around the place… but if you don’t want to then I guess I can－”
“The Dragon Army?? Well jeeze, Uncle Angeal! Why didn’t you say so sooner? Where’s the order at??”
“I figured you’d want to go.”
Zack let go of his uncle’s arm and watched as he stepped away from the anvil and walked over to the far wall to the left, towards a large work-desk was cluttered with steel scraps and side projects. In the middle of the table lay a very large tan satchel that had to at least be bigger than a crate of produce.
With a small amount of effort, his uncle hoisted the bag from the table with the strap securely tucked away into his fist. When a good grip had been established, he spun on his heel and rounded back to him.
“Now this bag is a little heavy... can you lift it on your own?” Angeal inquired, holding the large satchel out for him to take.
“Please! How weak to you think I－” Zack took the bag with one arm and crashed down to the workshop floor immediately after.
“I thought so. I’ll have Genesis go with you－he’s familiar with the castle’s layout anyway.”
The dragon still sitting near the anvil huffed through his nostrils gently, a silent way of agreeing without much fuss.
It probably beat keeping the fire lit almost every waking moment of the day.
“No, it’s okay, I can totally－” Zack started, trying to work both arms under the bag in order to lift it.
But it was obvious he wasn’t making any progress.
“Zack, let Genesis help you,” Angeal pressed. “You can still look around the facility. Besides, I think my dragon is in need of a break and some fresh air.” He added. When speaking of his beast, he gave a few pets to the Kazilik’s scaly snout.
Genesis gave his handler an affectionate growl with soft eyes, nuzzling his snout further into the gentle touch. When the gloved hand pulled away, the dragon leaned back to sit on his hind legs. Not long after he did, a soft orange light shimmered off those red and black scales, scintillating brightly even in the ashy atmosphere of the shop. He was soon washed in the pale orange light as his large form disappeared with ease.
In a matter of seconds, there he stood in his humanoid form, garbed in red and black attire much like the coloration of his scales: A black shirt with red long sleeves with pants and accompanying boots of the same obsidian hue. Brunette hair with soft red highlights sat atop his human head, but his eyes were still glowing a fierce yellow (even the milky green ring around his cat-slit pupils glowed as well). He lacked ears but in its stead, his long horns were firmly in place and his thick, red and black-ringed tail swayed behind him, spikes and all.
Genesis stepped over and claimed the bag from Zack, lifting it with a single arm as if it was the lightest thing in the world. A smug grin tugged at the corners of his sharp face.
Zack quickly scrambled to his feet and dusted his hands off, followed by his pants. “I totally could have done that…” He uttered in the guise of a cough.
“Well, if you want to deliver that order soon I suggest you change clothes and head out.” Angeal reminded. He stepped up next to him and ruffled up his disheveled spikes.
“Right! Be back in a flash!” Zack chirped.
With those parting words, he bolted towards the back door of the workshop in order to get back to his room. His footing was poor and sloppy as he clumsily dashed through the sitting room and even up the stairs. He almost tripped a total of six times before he finally burst into his bedchambers.
But who was counting － him? Well, yeah, technically.
He scurried over to his short dresser under his window and yanked open the top drawer.
If he was going to the Dragon Army, he needed to look his best. The Army was housed inside of Shinra Castle and the grounds were always full of merchants, generals, and nobles of the like－he couldn’t go there looking like a churl!
So he pulled out his nicest outfit and proceeded to change into it immediately. The long-sleeved beige shirt fit him loose as if it was something of his uncle’s, but his charcoal gray tunic fit his ever growing frame snugly. It looked common enough, but the red chain crossed over the front and the sleeves gave it an air of nobility.
He fumbled with the belt around the waist of the long shirt before making the necessary adjustments near the hem. His pants matched the same color of his undershirt and were probably his most comfortable pair. To pull it all together, he slipped on his calf-high boots and did an experimental bounce in them to make sure they fit him right. They did, of course.
When he was dressed and ready to go, he bolted right out of his chambers and flew down those creaky wooden steps as fast as his feet would let him. He scurried across the sitting room and right back into the workshop.
He saw Angeal adjusting the bag over Genesis’s right shoulder. A gloved hand went through those bright, russet-colored locks.
“Be alert, stay safe, and keep an eye on the rascal.” He informed before he pulled his hand back to his side.
“Of course.” Genesis spoke, nodding his head as his tail faintly swished behind him.
Zack always loved listening to dragons speak Common while in their humanoid forms. He thought everything dragons did was amazing though.
Genesis’s vocabulary was astounding too, even possessing a love for prose and poems of the like, reading it as well as he could speak it.
Although, they couldn’t speak in Common while in full dragon form, so he could never understand Genesis like that. His uncle could though. He recalled that dragons and their handlers could communicate telepathically. It’s a skill that comes with earning the Dragon Crest.
Let’s just say when it comes to dragons, he’d done his research.
It made him wonder all over again if he’d ever get a mark…
“Ready?” Genesis huffed, glancing over his shoulder to direct his inquiry towards him.
Zack shook the thoughts out of his head before chirping, “You bet!” He bounded over to Genesis’s side, whom towered over him by another foot or so. He threw a, “See you later!” over his shoulder before he and the humanoid opened a door near the open venue of their shop.
“I should have lunch ready by the time you two get back, so don’t take too long!” Angeal called.
When the door fully opened, early afternoon light washed into the establishment before he glanced behind him and flashed his uncle a thumbs-up. Then they stepped out and closed the door behind them.
Zack held up his arm and pressed it against his forehead to shield the sunshine from his poorly adjusted eyes.
Genesis was quick to adapt, his slits narrowing even thinner as he glanced about the marketplace.
Once his eyes adjusted, he did the same.
People were bustling about this warm and sunny spring day: Women and children were standing about a few vendors and buying fresh produce, while a few men were bartering with some carpenters about lowering their prices, (and failing miserably of course.)
Zack could hear Steiner’s loud voice over the hustle and bustle, suggestively selling his wares and offering deals and lowered prices. Maybe even a screech or two from Pluto if he really paid attention.
Smoke drifted lazily out of a few brick chimneys to intermingle with the mid-March air, tinting the clear blue with smoky gray. And a farmer walked past with a squeaky wooden cart full of caged chickens and a hog or two, the animals clucking and squealing in their wooden confinements. The scent of fresh vegetables and spices drifted through the wind just like the smoke, making his nose itch a little.
The marketplace was always busy and lively.
It was the best one in the kingdom and situated on the first tier of the city, right below Castle Shinra.
If his local knowledge served him correctly, Midgar was composed of three tiers aside from the castle. The castle was in the center of the kingdom on its own massive platform, also surrounded by the nobles’ homes and other royal family members. Underneath that was the first tier, where most of the businesses and higher wealth citizens lived and bartered. It’s also where Zack and his family lived too.
Then the second tier was right below the first, each layer connected by stairs to the north, east, south, and west, of the large kingdom. The second tier was comprised of the middle and working class while the last tier was half for the poor in the suburbs while the other half was for the humble farmers that needed large acres of land.
Oh well, enough dawdling!
“Alright, let’s go!” Zack cheered as he bounded ahead to lead the way to the castle.
Genesis followed behind with a silent roll of his eyes, keeping an even pace with him, readjusting the satchel thrown over his left shoulder to evenly distribute the weight－even if it wasn’t much for him. His tail swayed behind him, helped maintain balance in his bi-pedal form.
He glanced ahead of him to see his master's kin walking ahead with a spring to his step. He knew that while Zack was normally a peppy individual that got distracted too much for his own good… he had a different aura about him today: he was pulsing with joy and excitement and had his mind set on his destination. If he honed in that wild side, he’d make a fantastic leader. He could sense this much about his handler’s kin. Though he’d never tell him that.
They maneuvered through the marketplace with relative ease, stepping around other people and making sure not to disturb the common folk or the farmers that were not used to the market.
Genesis had almost all eyes on him, noting that he was a humanoid dragon with his predominant horns sticking out in lieu of human ears.
While drakes were rather common, a dragon was a different story. After all, not everyone could tame and care for a full-blood－especially a Kazilik breed.
Those particular beasts were the most temperamental and angry strains out of all the dragons in the world. Taming one of those was never easy and was rumored to be near impossible.
How his uncle tamed Genesis was beyond Zack’s comprehension.
The dynamic duo emerged from the marketplace and further into the first tier of the kingdom where more of the residential area presided. They just had to make it to the large steps that connected each platform and ascend them in order to reach Castle Shinra.
Not too much longer now!
When Zack paused to glance up, he could already see the mighty castle looming over the land and scraping the sky above. The colossal gray and ashen bricked structure was both a beacon of hope for the commoners and a signal for a better life for others. (Though from word of mouth, not everyone viewed this place as better.)
The castle was known to have so many chambers, dungeons, and rooms that it was very easy to get lost inside it. So Zack was quite glad Genesis was tagging along too.
But when it came to the Dragon Army, he knew his stuff. He knew that the Dragon Army was a branch near the east wing of the castle, facing the Midgarian seas towards the northern continent.
Not only that, but he knew the Dragon Hatchery was also inside the castle near the south, towards the perilous mountains behind their kingdom. That’s where most of their dragon eggs and beasts of the liked descended from.
It was one of the only mountains in all of Gaia that contained the monumental creatures. The only other sierras to contain drakes and dragons were Mount Nibel and Wutai.
Apparently, dragons used to flourish all over the world! But then, they just… stopped. Then they started to die out. Unfortunately, Zack didn’t know how or why they did. All he knew was it happened a really long time ago.
So now in an age where drakes and dragons were few in numbers, yet cherished and kept like companions and helpers, they were protected in certain cities with certain laws. The kingdom of Midgar was one of those.
“Hey! There it is!” Zack exclaimed as he pointed ahead.
Genesis glanced up with a gentle huff, noting they were now in front of the massive beige-stoned staircase to lead them to Castle Shinra.
A few nobles and humble merchants were making their way up and down the steps and conversing with one another. The females giggled while the males turned their heads to watch them descend while they ascended.
“Wow! This is so exciting! Come on, Genesis!” Zack twittered, jogging in place for a moment before sprinting towards the stairs.
Genesis huffed again and rolled his glowing yellow eyes. He followed after his handler’s kin at a close distance, but not nearly as enthusiastically. He was used to this sort of behavior after all; having been around five years longer than the human and had also seen him grow along with his master.
He had been a giddy boy and excited about dragons since day one. From the first moment Genesis laid eyes on him as a newborn, he had seen those sapphires light up like wildfire and felt those grabby hands grope his snout and run over his scales, completely fascinated with him.
Even as he grew into a child he was still enamored with him. He was always wanting to play with him or pet his scales or ride on his back. At first, he couldn’t stand that hyper and grabby child. But he grew on him like his master had done once before.
It ended up becoming nice to have two people around him that could tolerate his outbursts, handle his fits, and still think highly of him as both a good companion and a mighty beast.
Even if Zack was a relatively annoying skelpie-limmer, Genesis cared for him like he did his master.
He’d protect them both with his life it if boiled down to it.
He only stopped walking when he suddenly ran into something. He snorted and glanced around in front of him, wondering what he had bumped into. But his surprised huff turned into an annoyed growl when he realized it was aforementioned skelpie-limmer.
Zack had stopped walking and was standing in front of the castle gates hesitantly. There were two imperial guards in front of him, blocking their path with respective drakes perched or draped around their shoulders with narrowed slit-eyes.
“State your business here.” The armored guard on the right demanded.
“Uh, well, you see, me and my dragon - well, he’s not mine per say, he’s my uncle’s, but we-”
Genesis rolled his eyes before he decided to spare him from further embarrassment. “We’ve come on behalf of a special order to the Dragon Army from Hewley’s Blacksmith Shoppe.” He stated firmly.
“Oh! Pardon us then! Go right on through! The General is waiting for you.” The one on the left apologized before they stepped away from the gates. Even their drakes purred softly and softened their eyes.
“Phew! Thanks Genesis!” Zack acknowledged with a sheepish smile and a beet red blush.
“Just don’t expect me to do it again.”
“Right! Okay, now let’s go!”
So they stepped through the gates, through a courtyard, and soon into Castle Shinra.
The first thing Zack noticed about The Great Hall was the lavish, beautiful flags and banners decorating it: some had the Shinra name and others were depicted with dragons and swords. Exotic red carpet sprawled and stretched under their feet, trailing across the marble-beige floor like a trail marker.
Columns and archways decorated the hall colored in cream and ivory with intricate patterns carved into them, while massive stain-glass windows painted the floor with all kinds of glossy, colorful hues against the marble.
Then, at the end of the hall lay a massive fountain carved in limestone. A dragon-head was carved into the wall above and spouting clear water from its snout into the reservoir below.
Zack bounded up to the large structure and peered over the smooth ledge, glancing at his reflection in the clear water. A few white and pink water lilies floated by and distorted the image, rippling it through the pool and making the water glisten like diamonds in the light. He dipped his index finger into the cool water and traced invisible patterns into them, grinning softly as he did so.
Genesis appeared in his rippled reflection, gazing into the distorted image himself before huffing gently to remind him why they were here. Zack pulled away from the fountain with a bigger smile on his face before he glanced to his left and right where the hall split in two.
“Alright, so if the Army is towards the east, then it’d make sense if we went to the right.” He deduced before he bounded away from the fountain.
Genesis followed behind with his trademark huff and puff, keeping quiet. He had been to the castle before (plenty of times actually). He remembered all of the halls, rooms, and corridors of the palace.
But he hated some of those memories (and for good reason too.)
He shook his head with a rougher snort, a thin trail of light gray smoke billowing from his nostrils. He still had to be on his best behavior for now, so he sucked the smoke back up before his master’s kin could catch wind of both the sight and scent.
They traversed down long halls, backtracked thrice when Zack wandered in the wrong direction, and flew through each similar looking corridor swiftly.
Eventually, they broke through the front of the castle and ended up in the east garden. Across from the diverse flora and lush greenery lay the massive branch of the Dragon Army. It was shaped and styled much like the rest of the castle, save for the fact that there was a life-sized statue of a Regal Copper atop the roof; the largest dragon breed to ever roam the earth. Maybe not the rarest, but certainly the biggest.
There were some gardeners currently tending to the flowers and the large sycamore trees that lined their cobblestone path to the other branch.
This place was beautiful, but they had somewhere to be!
Zack clapped his hands together before taking off towards the massive chamber. Genesis adjusted the satchel on his shoulder before following after obediently. While they were out, the teen was his responsibility－his master made that clear.
They cut across the opulent garden across their straight-lined path, passing by the humble servants of the castle with only brief glances or quick ‘how do you do’s’. When they stopped in front of the large wooden doors, a firm push was all it took to get them to cave in and open with a low and long groan.
This branch was almost one big dome shaped building. There were a few other rooms and halls branching off in either direction where most of the military’s top dragons were kept, save for a large wooden gate that Zack knew lead towards the Midgarian seas.
That was one of the best things about the Dragon Army; the handlers and the dragons got to live in Shinra Castle free of charge. The others were kept closer to the hatchery, where they had their own sections and sectors built for their specific breed requirements.
Zack spun around in a circle, taking in all of the sights and sounds the building had to offer. While he may have seen illustrations of this place and read about it in his books, this was his first time in person. He wanted to take it all in!
“Who goes?” A smooth and serpentine voice called, the sound bouncing off the large dome and echoing all around.
Both of them turned to their right where a figure could be seen exiting one of the many halls in the main room.
Zack’s jaw dropped when his eyes displayed who had called and who was now standing in plain sight.
Sephiroth: General of the Dragon Army.
Not only was he the general, but he was a dragon himself. He was the only city-bound dragon within the entire kingdom that did not possess or need a handler. Then again, he was the Alpha Dragon: the one that all the other dragons in the kingdom adhered to. He kept the city-bound dragons in, and he kept the rouge ones looking for an easy meal out.
Zack could tell that from the ears that decorated the sides of his thin face and the white tail that trailed behind him that he was a Celestial dragon; the rarest known dragon breed of all.
He was cloaked in a black trench coat with slim fitting pants and calf-high boots, looking spick-and-span just like a mighty General should. His long silver hair framed his face and trailed down his back, the length reaching to the backs of his knees with unpracticed ease.
This was the first time Zack had ever seen him in person and was struck silent from that alone. From his right, he could see Genesis quickly bow and growl softly－mayhap showing respect to the Alpha? It made sense.
Sephiroth nodded at Genesis, a faint trace of a smirk on his face. Though the smirk vanished when he was looked at. “What is your business here, mortal?” He icily inquired.
Genesis rose from his bow and silently held out the satchel towards the taller humanoid dragon. Zack then remembered to speak.
“Ah, we’ve come on behalf of an order from Hewley’s Blacksmith Shoppe. We’ve brought some special order blades for the Army.”
Honestly, he was a little nervous. It’s not every day one gets to meet the General of the Dragon Army, and a humanoid Celestial at that!
The way those glowing, chartreuse green eyes bore through him made him swallow thick. He had to keep reminding himself to stand up straight and speak with confidence. He couldn’t look like a stumbling idiot like he had done in front of those imperial guards at the front gate!
Then Sephiroth’s tight and strict face softened as the faintest of grins slithered by. His eyes seemed less intense and much more open and readable－more friendly.
“Ah, yes.” He responded. “Hewley always has fine work. Punctual as always, even on a Sunday.” He added as he took the offered satchel and peered inside.
As the General peered inside, Genesis provided commentary on what was inside, “There are three custom ordered daggers, and four short swords… and my master was kind enough to throw in something extra for the Alpha.” He stated.
Sephiroth pulled out a four-foot sheath cloaked in midnight navy with gold embroidery near the top edge. There was a jingling charm tied to it, printed with a symbol that had to be dragonian text.
Sure didn’t look like Common.
“It is a length-concealing sheath, I see. Very kind of Hewley to add this to my order. What do I owe you and him for this generosity?” Sephiroth asked, glancing up from the sheath and towards the other dragon.
“He said it was on the house. The actual order is four-thousand Gil, though. He took off on the price since two of those were just for repairs.” Genesis specified.
Wait.
Why would his uncle make something for the General out of the blue? Unless… did they actually know each other? Like, personally? He had to know!
“Wait a sec here. General Sephiroth, do you often order from my uncle’s shop?” Zack asked quickly, curiosity and wonder brimming in his sapphire eyes.
“I do. I have been since he first started his blacksmithing profession－I suppose you could say we have a history together,” He hummed. “Judging from your statement, I assume you are the fabled nephew to my personal smithy?” A bit of a warmer grin trailed across his face.
Zack’s hands instantly went to cover his mouth from the surprise. He was at a loss for words right now. His uncle had ties to the mighty General Sephiroth and was his personal, hand-picked blacksmith! Just think! His uncle forged swords personally for both the General and the Dragon Army!
“Stop your idolizing and answer his question already.” Genesis huffed before he smacked him upside the back of his head.
“Uh, y-yes! I’m Angeal’s nephew, Zachariah! But, uh, I usually go by Zack, with a K－I think it looks better with a K…” And now he was rambling because he was nervous!
Stop over sharing already!!
But Sephiroth just laughed softly, his voice sounding silky even when he chuckled. “It is nice to finally meet you in the flesh. I have heard good things about you from sir Hewley.”
About this time, an average guard approached the general and received the swords from him, dropping to the floor with a cry of surprise instantly from the weight of the blades. His presence went further unnoticed however, save for a humorous chuckle from Genesis. The guard took the blades from the satchel and handed it back to Genesis before dragging the heavy blades away.
“I hope they’re not embarrassing!” Zack nervously laughed.
“Only a few.” Sephiroth smirked. Then his face shifted and it seemed as though he realized something. “However, I can sense you possess a great untapped potential.”
“I do?” Zack inquired, pointing to himself with his index finger.
“Indeed. I sense a strong will in your aura, as well as many leadership qualities and a good heart. Do you happen to be in possession of a Dragon Crest?” Sephiroth queried gently.
“N-Not really,” He deflated a little. “I want to earn one really bad though. I just hope it shows up within four days, otherwise I’ll never get one.”
“Hmm. I would not worry too much. My intuition as both a dragon and a general informs me you will get what you desire.”
“Really?” Cue the inflation returning. “Thank you, General!” Zack chirped.
Sephiroth smirked in return. “With that, I must depart. Farewell, Genesis, and Zack－with a K. Goddess be with ye.” The General responded before he gave a small bow and turned away.
“You too!” Zack called as he waved goodbye while the humanoid dragon walked away and disappeared from sight.
Though now he wished he hadn’t rambled about his name. How embarrassing!
Once he had vanished completely, Zack exhaled loudly as a smile stretched across his face. He hoped the general was right about him possessing great potential and possibly a Dragon Crest. He’d be happy if he just got a dragon by this point.
Although, the idea of getting a one unfit for fighting was still a little unsettling. But still, to have one would be amazing! He could call it whatever he wanted and care for it and train it to do the coolest things!
“Are we done here? Or are you going to stand there and stare?” Genesis puffed.
“Oh, right! Yeah, let’s get back so we can eat!” Zack remembered, a large smile carved across his face at the prospect of getting some lunch.
He spun on his heel and hurried to the doors, going as fast as he could. He opened up those groaning doors and burst into the warm afternoon sunshine. A few birds twittered in their respective trees, a few of them even taking flight into the clear blue sky.
Zack wanted to get back home as soon as possible! Angeal’s cooking was phenomenal! It was almost dishonorable to be late to eat what he prepared.
“I may not be able to fly, but I still know a much faster way back.” Genesis commented as he stepped in front of him.
Zack was just about to ask what that way was, but it was answered for him when he saw that familiar orange light envelop his body as it had done before. He had to shield his eyes when the glow became too harsh to look at head on. But by the time the light dissipated and he removed his arm from his face, Genesis stood on all fours in his full-blood form with his stubby wings stretched out and his stance rigid and proud.
A few gardeners gasped from their respective spots among the flora and a few looked to them in awe or adoration, but Zack was all grins by that point. He almost never got to ride around on Genesis’s back, so it was a treat whenever he did get to. Even if he couldn’t fly, just being on his back while they ran around was fun enough!
Genesis lowered his head against the ground in order for him to climb aboard, and Zack was quick to accept the silent invitation and slid against the base of the beast’s neck, sitting on his shoulder blades right above his stubby, nine-foot wingspan.
Once he was secure, Genesis sprang up, sailing through the air for a moment before his claws grappled onto the main tower of Shinra castle.
Thankfully, dragons couldn’t damage the castle unless they either used their fire, wind, or other attributes. The outer walls of the castle were heavily reinforced so the dragons around the castle and even in the Army could get some exercise and fresh air by using some of the towers as a giant jungle gym.
Though Zack had to guess a lot of nobles’ tea times were sorely disturbed.
They climbed up the sturdy tower while Zack kept his arms secured around Genesis’s neck as those stubby wings were used to support him as they climbed a little higher. It wouldn’t be very pleasant if he slipped off and fell to his death.
Genesis maneuvered around the tower skillfully with his front and hind talons, making sure his short wings were cradling Zack’s frame at all times.
It’d be funny to psyche him out with a little pretend trust fall for a few hundred feet, but he didn’t need a lecture from his master. After all, dragons and their masters had strong bonds and could communicate telepathically. He’d get his tail chewed if he tried something like that.
He leaped from the main tower and onto a skinnier one, claws grabbing hold easily while his master’s kin was laughing and whooping with excitement. It had been awhile since they had last gone tower-hopping, not since Zack was twelve. It felt nice.
However, elation was ripped away when a shooting pain erupted throughout Zack’s right arm.
He let out a wounded cry and instinctively let go of the dragon’s neck. He started to fall back against the force of gravity, but Genesis’s wing-shield kept him from falling too far. He cradled his arm against his chest while the other one gripped it, his face distorted from pain.
Genesis stopped scaling the tower and glanced behind him with an alarmed screech, angry at first for Zack knowing he wasn’t supposed to let go. But that turned into a concerned growl and his long neck craned further behind him to allow a closer look.
As another pulse of pain scanned down to the very bones in his arm, Zack bit back a cry and curled the afflicted arm tighter to his chest.
What on Gaia was going on? Why was his arm suddenly hurting? It felt like someone was trying to tear it straight from his shoulder!
It was almost all he could think about. It was enough to make tears billow in the corners of his eyes.
As soon as Genesis realized he was in pain, he let out a determined hiss and wrapped him tighter in his wings, making them into a cocoon so he could focus on speed.
The dragon swiftly scaled down the tower, hopping to shorter ones with great dexterity and skill. Once he made it to the front of the castle, he jumped down from the main tower and landed on all fours in front of the palace gates. The guards in front of them let out surprised cries and fell down from the shock-waves he brought. He quickly scurried down the steps, his movement similar to that of a snake zigzagging through the tall grass.
He jumped from the stairs when the first tier of the city was close enough, then scaled down the walls quickly as his wings remained secure.
From over his own hasty descent and a few alarmed gasps from the common folk, he could hear Zack grunting and huffing in great distress. He wished he knew what was going on with his master’s kin. If something detrimental was happening to him, his tail would be on the line!
Genesis shook his head and let out a warning screech when he touched down to the first tier in the marketplace. That got the stragglers and the occasional passersby to move out of his way hastily and with frightened gasps or cries.
“Rampaging dragon! Rampaging dragon in the marketplace!!” One of the vendors screamed as Genesis scurried through the narrow streets. (Narrow for him, wide for mortals.)
The general public was alight with startled cries by that point. Mothers were carrying their children to safety while the little ones cried. Even the merchants scurried back into their venues with a gasp. Though some of the children thought it was cool－a few were laughing and jumping.
When Genesis could see his master’s shop, he started letting out frenzied screeches to lure him outside.
In his enhanced field of sight, he saw Steiner look up with shock and confusion, but not fright like the others. He could also hear the former knight yell across the street from over the panicked cries of the commoners taking shelter.
“Angeal! Something’s wrong with your dragon! He’s rampaging in the marketplace!”
By the time he screeched to a halt in front of the blacksmith shop, Angeal had all but left in a hurry. His face was firm and pulled into a tight frown as he quickly approached his dragon.
“Genesis, what on Gaia are you doing?! You know you can’t cause a rampage in the streets!” He bellowed over the people as he stood in front of the screeching beast.
But the dragon continued to screech and shriek, glancing back to his cocoon-shaped wings and back to his handler. Then Angeal's face contorted to sudden horror before it dawned on him.
“Where is Zack?! What happened??” He cried again, realizing his nephew was not around or anywhere nearby.
Genesis was quick to sink to the ground and unfurl one of his wings from the protective embrace he had them in.
When Angeal rushed over closer to observe, another wave of terror crashed over him like a storm. Zack was gently writhing against the dragon's back and grunting in pain, his voice strained and harsh.
“Get him inside, now!”
Genesis pulled his wing back over Zack’s curled up frame and scurried around to the east side of the shop. There was a large door among the eastern wall he could enter even in his dragon form.
Angeal was quick to open the large door while he slithered inside effortlessly. “Let’s get him over to the couch.” His master directed as he hurried towards it.
Genesis huffed harshly in agreement, speedily following after his handler to the directed spot. (His tail did flick the door closed though.)
Once in front of the large couch, he unfurled his wings and gently deposited Zack onto it, whose eyes were scrunched closed as he continued to clutch his arm. He had stopped moaning and groaning by this point, but was huffing and panting.
“Zack? Zachariah, can you hear me??” Angeal gasped. The tone of his voice warbled with anxious emotion.
He tried to gently shake his nephew by the shoulder while Genesis growled something akin to that of a concerned voice.
Zack’s eyes slowly pried themselves open as he continued his harsh pattern of breathing. He cracked a weak smile. “Am I late for lunch?”
Angeal heaved a heavy sigh of relief before he dared himself to breathlessly chuckle, “Actually, you’re a little early.” He gently patted his shoulder and took a deep, calming breath.
“A new record!” Zack quietly announced with an even softer laugh. But his voice died away when another rush of pain coiled around the nerves in his arm－the sensation strong enough to make him hiss and brokenly moan.
“Alright, let me have a look.” Angeal stated before he stopped petting his shoulder and reached for his hurt arm with strong, careful hands.
He cautiously took his afflicted arm in his hands and gently guided it away from him.
Zack did his best to keep from hissing, trying to focus on something else－anything else－to make the pain less severe. His light gray sleeve was carefully pushed back in order to get a better view of his condition.
The veins snaking under his skin were inflamed and completely visible. Not only that, but they were bright cerulean; not a natural color for veins at all.
“Hold on.” Angeal muttered thoughtfully, a gentle hand towing across those pale blue veins. “I know what this is.”
Genesis growled in a confused fashion, glancing to his handler with dumbfounded surprise glowing in his yellow and green-ringed eyes.
Zack had his eyes open again as a look of confusion washed across his face when he saw that his uncle was smiling enthusiastically at him.
“You’re going to be a Dragon Handler.”
Zack’s eyes were wide after he heard that. Even Genesis made a shocked noise of surprise, glancing between both his master and his kin.
That’s when Angeal gently turned his wrist towards his enlarged eyes. And there, on the underside of his right wrist, was a navy blue mark in the shape of a dragon claw.
It was a Dragon Crest.
His mouth gaped open, pure astonishment written all over his face despite the pain in his arm. His free hand reached up and covered his mouth, much like how he did before in Castle Shinra.
“I-” He tried to speak, his voice muffled from his hand in front of it.
Angeal just smiled brighter, the action lighting up his midnight eyes. Seeing Zack looked so shocked, yet happy, made his chest swell with heavy emotion. His nephew finally gained the very thing he wanted more than any other thing in all of Gaia－he was truly happy for him.
“I’m a Dragon Handler!!” Zack exclaimed when he took his hand from his mouth and pumped it into the air.
His eyes were billowing with joyous moisture and he started to laugh light-heartedly. Though he stopped when a less painful jolt of discomfort shot through his arm. The sensation made him wince, but his smile refused to fade.
“Your arm is going to be like that for a few days. But the pain will lessen as some time goes by.” Angeal explained as he ruffled his hair with restrained exuberance.
Zack laughed, then pivoted his head where Genesis stood. “Hear that, Gen? I’m going to be a handler! That means you’ll have a dragon buddy to talk to!”
Genesis growled softly as a grin pulled at his snout. He puffed a white cloud of smoke from his nostrils to display his own version of joy.
“Oh man, four more days… I hope I can last that long!” Zack sighed with a huge smile gleaming brightly.
There was so much he needed to do before the eve of his fifteenth birthday!
He needed to make a soft and warm spot to put his egg, and to think of some names for his dragon, and he also had to make sure he had something to clothe the newborn when it hatched! He knew it would be a lot of work, but he was ready.
He had to prepare, that was for sure!