Chapter 22 (Jangras POV) The Leader

I looked at Socra for a few moments, still quite a bit scared, and still not quite sure if all of this was real or not. I then looked over at my father, who seemed to have no emotion on his face at all. I knew that he did, and the emotions were angry and pain...

The same pain that he had been in for the last year... It was too late to save him now, I had already tried to the fullest of my power. He was too far gone... It was over for him, and now, it was time for me, and the rest of the tribe to move on, into our new future.

The future did not look too bright for us either, but I knew that Socra was smart, and I knew that she would come up with some sort of plan to stop the black dragons from ruining all civilizations of not just us, but also of the humans as well, which was the main reason they had started this war in the first place.

I shivered, and my body seemed quite stiff as well, as I was not quite sure what to say back to Socra. I could tell that she felt a bit bad for me as well, I had lost my father, and not just that, I had practically lost my whole family, and most of my friends through all of this as well.

Life was not on the rise for me, I knew that was for sure. I looked at Socra for a few moments, as I realized at the same time as well, that I still had not responded to what it was that she had just said to me at the same time as well.

I looked at her for just a little bit longer, as I saw that she had now began to squint her eyes at me, as she usually did when she assumed that I was not listened to her, and that I had not heard wgat it was that she had just said to me. But that was completely wrong, I was just so lost in thought, that I could not think of what to say back to her.

I nodded to her, to let her know that I had in fact just heard what she had just said to me at the same time as well. She sat there for a bit longer, still not quite sure if I was being real with her, but in the end ahe decided to nod back to me, as she turned her head over to my father.

He did not notice her do it either, he was just so lost in his mind at the moment, and I did not even want to think about what it was that he was thinking about at the moment either. I knew a lot of it had to be very dark, and also very grim as well.

Socra went a bit closer to our leader, who would soon no longer be our leader, but also my father, as well as her best friend as well. I knew for a fact that she hated to see him like this all of the time now, I could see it on the look that was always on her face.

She then pushed his head up with her own to get him to pay attention to what it was that was going on in the room at the moment. He sat there for just a bit longer, as he had a look of a bit of light in his eyes, but just as soon as I had thought that I might have seen it, it seemed to go away in the exact same instance as well.

He was back to the dark eyed self that he had been for quite some time now. He looked as though he did not know what it was that was going on in fact, but I did see him nod back over to Socra. Socra looked at him a bit sadly for just a bit longer, and then she nodded over to me.

I wondered what was going on, I had only heard stories of what it was that happened in the caves when the leader gave away his role as deputy, no one had actual proof of any of it that happened. If this was about to happen in fact, than I suppose that I was going to find out.

When I was younger, I know I would have wanted to tell all of my friends what happened, and what it was like, but I was grown now, I did not have very many friends anymore either. All I had basically was Kip and Kota, the rest of my friends had just all separated from each other.

That was all you needed though, and I knew it as well. My mother had told me quite some time ago, that it was not about how many friends you had, but it was more about how good those friends were. It made sense as well, because I hardly ever saw my mother speak to any other dragon, and she always seemed to be happy.

Well... She was happy, until we had lost Plok, and Mik had gone blind... Now, just like my father, she seemed to not show very much emotion at all... I did not know what it was that she was like now a days, I hardly was able to talk to her in the first place.

I then heard Socra begin to talk to both of us, as I shook my head, trying my best at the same time to shake all of those thoughts from out of my head that just seemed to be swarming me at the moment. I looked up at Socra as I listened to what it was that she had to say.

"Alright, if neither of you have anything to say... Than we will go ahead and do what it is that must be done." She said to both me, and also to my father at the same time as well. I looked at her for a few moments, and then I squinted my eyes at her, as I still was a bit confused as to what it was that was about to go down in this little cave.

She sat there for a bit longer, as she then turned her head away from me, as I knew that she had either not seen me in the first place, as I had quite a bit of a confused look on my face, or she had just ignored it at the same time as well.

The 2nd part seemed to make the most sense to me, as she tended to do that to me a lot of the time, so it would not surprise me at all. I blinked a couple of times, as the shivers then began to flow through my body at the same time once again.

I sat there for a bit longer, as I saw Socra begin to walk deeper into the cave, as to the point where, even with the good night vision that red dragons had, I still could not see that deep into the cave. It was a lot deeper than I had first thought it was, that was for sure.

My father then began to follow her after just a bit longer, as it seemed that he had not been paying attention to what it was that was all going on in the first place. I did have a feeling, that now seemed to be a lot more true as I was beginning to realize, that he in fact had been listening to every word that we had said to each other.

I shook my head, and then I began to follow after them at the same time as well, as I looked around the cave, as it seemed like bright likes were randomly coming in and out of my vision over and over again as I looked around me at the same time too.

I then realized that they were just fireflies, as I realized how stupid I had just been too. I shook my head, and I looked through the dark, as I kept on following the others that were with me at the same time as well. Wanting to close my eyes, and pretend to myself that none of this was real.

I opened them, as I realized at the same time, that all of this was real, and it was in fact a sad reality that I now had to face at the same time as well. I then caught up with the other 2, that were a bit ahead of me now, as it seemed like the cave went on forever at the same time.

I looked up at the ceiling, as I did not see the top of it, but I knew that there was in fact a top too it, as I could not see the stars in the sky, nor did I hear or feel the wind blowing through the air at the same time either. I shook my head, and then I finally caught up with the other 2.

Socra nodded to me, as she now saw that I was finally by her side as well. It was what she wanted, and I knew it, because I knew the scary thoughts at the same time as well, that I was now going to be the next deputy of this tribe.

I wish my father could say something that might cheer me up at the same time as well, but it did not seem like that was going to happen, as I shook my head and just kept on walking further and further back with the other 2 that were with me at the same time as well.

I sat stared ahead of me for a bit longer, and then I gave up on it, as I shook my head and then turned it over to Socra at the same time as well. She seemed to notice me, as I knew that she always payed attention to me, when we were both in the same room together.

I sat there for a few moments longer, as her eyes also seemed to have a bit of a glare in them as well, as I then saw her nod at the same time too. She knew that there was something that I wanted to ask her, but I in fact was not quite sure what it was that I wanted to ask.

Or at least, how it was that I was going to ask the question to her in the first place. I just nodded back to her, as she kept her eyes on me as we kept on walking further and further into the seemingly endless cave. I sat there for a bit longer, and then I thought of what it was that I wanted to say, as I then began to speak to her, noticing that my father seemed to be paying full attention to us at the same time too.

"Socra... What do we do? What is it like? I don't know what it is that we are supposed to do." I said to her. She looked at me for a few moments longer, and then I bit of a strange smile seemed to come from off of her face at the same time as well.

I looked at her, as I was a bit scared, as I then realized that reality was coming back to me at the same time as well, and it made all of it seem all the more scary to me too. I waited for her to go ahead and speak back to me, to make me feel a bit better about all of this.

She sat there for a bit longer, as she then focused her eyes on where it was that we were going in the first place. I saw that my father did not feel like he had to say anything about this, as I saw that he once again had his head down to the ground.

I shook my head, and then I looked at what was in front of me, as I then felt like I saw something that was not too far in the distance. I wondered what it was, as I then began to hear some weird and strange noises going on all around us.

I looked around a bit confused, and a bit scared at the same time as well. I then realized what it was that I had heard, as we walked into a small stream of water that was below our feet. I looked down at it, as I then saw where it led to.

There was a much larger pool of water ahead of us in the distance. I stared at it for a few moments, as I noticed that the other 2 had stopped at the same time as well. I wondered why it had been so, as I then saw that Socra had then turned her head over to me.

She looked at me for just a few moments, as I saw 2 dragons at the pool that was not too far ahead of us, I could not see who they were, but I could see that they were staring us down a bit creepily. I shook my head, and then turned it over to Socra as well, as I then heard her begin to speak to me.

"I do not know... You will see, just stay still and watch until it is your time..." She said back to me. I looked at her a bit confused for just a bit longer, as I then shivered... I knew that I was going to be a part of this, but the way she had said it to me, had made it all the more scary to me.

She looked at me, and then she nodded to me. I sat there for a bit longer, as I was still not too sure if I knew what it was that she meant, or if she was lying to me either. I looked at her, as I then saw that she had then began to lower her head to the ground.

I realized that it was my last chance to speak to her, until we went ahead and went on with what it was that was about to happen. I looked at her, as she then looked at me and then squinted her eyes at me, as I began to speak to her.

"What do you mean? I am scared... I was not ready for this..." I said to her. She looked at me for just a bit longer, and then she shook her head at me at the same time as well. I looked at her still a bit confused, and still very scared at the same time.

I did not know what it was that was about to happen, and I did not ever think that I was going to find out... At least, I knew that I was going to, once Socra gave the reigns over to me, and then once again when my father either died, or did the same to me as well.

That was the reason that I was so scared, I just did not want to mess any of this up, and it scared me all the more that Socra could not tell me any of what was about to happen to us. She looked at me for just a bit longer though, as she finally then decided that she was going to speak back to me, I looked at her, letting her know that I had her full fledged attention.

"Jangra... You were born ready, no matter what you do, and what you say to try and pretend that you are not the dragon of destiny, we all know that you are..." She said to me. I looked at her for a few more moments, as I still was not so sure if I was ready to believe that yet, and I was about to lower my head, until she continued speaking. "Now, bow your head with the rest of us, and lets get on with this."

I looked at her for a few moments, still scared and not sure what it was that I was supposed to be doing right now, but once I saw her head drop to the ground, as she was clearly bowing to the dragons that were with us in the room, I did the same as well.

I did my best as well, to see if I could recognize the dragons, or maybe if they were dragons that were from heaven... It was just too hard to see through the most dark area that I had ever been in, in my entire life, I shook my head to myself, just shaking it off, as I then began to hear the first dragon speak.

I recognized who the first dragon was that was with us right away, as I had heard the voice of the older dragon speaking to me, as I could tell that the dragon had been in a lot of pain, both physically, and mentally at the same time as well. I just listened in on what it was that he had to say.

"Socra! Himla! Before we move on with this ceremony, I must ask you one last time, if you are sure that you want this to happen?" The dragon said to both my father, and also my trainer, and my deputy... I turned my head over to the both of them, as I saw from the corner of my eyes, that they had lifted their heads up at the dragon that had just spoken to them.

I looked up, to see that the dragon had in fact been Ipse, as it was a smart choice for them to choose for a dragon that would be making this ceremony in the first place. I then turned my head to my father, and also to Socra, as they had their faces turned to each other, as they both had their eyes squinted.

I knew what Socra was thinking at the same time as well, she did not want my father to do this, she did not ever want to be the leader of the tribe. She had no other choice though... There was no other dragon that was able to do so in the first place.

I watched both of them for just a bit longer, as my father then nodded to her, and I then saw that he had turned his head over to Ipse at the same time, just as he had done so. He then nodded to Ipse as well, as he then began to speak up.

"Yes... This is what I want to do..." He said to Ipse. Ipse looked at him for just a few moments longer, as I could tell just by the look on his face, that he too was in pain to see my father look like this at the same time as well. It made me feel better, as it seemed that the whole tribe was against him.

It seemed like all of them had so easily forgotten how great of a dragon that my father was in the first place. He had been the reason that the dragons had a peace that seemed to last for so long, many dragons seemed to believe as well, that it was going to be an ever lasting peace.

They should have seen it coming though, if all of the dragons in our tribe had heard the story about the dragon of destiny, which I still was not so ready to say that it was me, then they should have known that the peace was not going to last forever.

I shook my head though, as I looked back over at Ipse, trying to shake out all of those thoughts from my head, as I saw that he had now turned his head over to Socra at the same time as well. I looked over at Socra too, as I then heard her begin to speak after the short couple of moments of silence.

"I do not want of this, but if it is truly what he wants, than I will do so..." She said to Ipse. I looked at both her, and my father, a bit sadly for just a few moments, as it was all coming back into me at the same time as well, as I had began to realize what was going on right now.

It made me want to cry, and it made me want to run out of the cave that I was in, in the the first place, but I shook it off, as I knew that I must stay strong through all of this, I needed to prove, not just to them, but also to myself, that I was the dragon of destiny.

I then turned my head back over to Ipse, as I heard him begin to speak back to Socra, and I saw the look on his face, that he had his eyes squinted at her for some odd reason or another, I wondered why that might be so, as I listened in on what it was that he had to say to her.

"Socra... You need to be more convincing that just that... I need you to stand out and say that you are going to do this..." He said to her. I looked at him for just a bit longer, as I then understood why he was looking at her like that all of the sudden as well.

She looked at him for a few moments, and then she dropped her head to the ground at the same time. I knew that she was scared for all of this, just like I had been as well, she did not ever want to have to go through anything such as this ever in her life.

After just a little bit longer as well, she finally then lifted her head back up at him, at the same time too, and she nodded to him once again, just as she had just done a few moments ago, but this time when she spoke to him, she spoke a bit more strong, and a bit more convincing, just as Ipse had said for her to do.

"Yes... I am ready..." She said to him. He looked at her for a few more moments, and then he nodded to all of us. I sat there for a few moments longer, as I still was not so sure what it was that I was supposed to be doing in the first place, as I then saw that both Socra, and Himla had begun to start walking over to Ipse and the other elder dragon.

I then realized that I was supposed to follow them as well, as I then kept on with where they had started in the first place, still a bit scared, but also doing my best to stay strong at the same time as well. As I got closer as well, I then nodded to Ipse, still having my thoughts on our interaction that we had earlier.

It seemed clear to me though, that it was not where his thoughts were at, as I could tell for sure, that he had seen me nod to him, but he did not nod back to me. I shook my head, as I did my best to try not to worry about it all that much.

We all sat there for just a little bit longer, as I wondered what it was that we were supposed to be doing next, but just as I thought about it, at the exact same instance, Ipse then stepped up, as he began to speak once again to all of us.

"Everyone drink some sips of the water." He said to us. I looked at each of them, as I was not sure if he meant the water that was in front of us or not. I was not sure because it took a bit for anyone to step up, and for them to make the next move.

But then I saw Socra and my father then dip their faces into the water, as they began to drink it. I then saw the elder dragons do it as well, as I realized that I was supposed to be doing the same thing as well. I looked around for just a bit longer, as I too then dipped my head into the water.

As soon as I was in, I then began to drink in a couple of sips, I then realized that it was nasty water, and I was just about to lift my head up, and get it over with, when I suddenly began to hear voices all around me, as I realized that they were not the dragons that I was with.

They were all swarming around me, as I managed to catch a few of the words every now and again, as I realized what it was that they were saying, as I heard the same 4 words then begin to be repeated into my head over and over again, as it seemed to get louder and louder.

I wanted to shake it all off, and pull my head out, but it seemed like my body was stiff, and I could not do so... I thought I was going to drown with how long I had been in there as well, though my lungs did not seem to think the same as my brain did.

I sat there, as I tried my best to shake it all off, as I heard those 4 words repeated again, "destiny", "power", "strength", "pain". It seemed to be even more louder on the part that they had said pain, and it scared me to even think about what it was that they had meant in the first place.

I sat there for a bit longer, just taking it all in, as just as soon as I did, there was once again just a calming silence. I was about to lift my head out at the same time, as it seemed my body was ready to function properly on me thankfully, but I then heard a familiar voice begin to speak to me.

I sat there for just a few moments, as I wondered if this was in fact real, as it did not take me long to recognize the voice that I had not heard in a long time, as the pain seemed to hit me harder than the dragons that had just said it would. I focused in on what it was that he had to say.

"Jangra! I love you... Stay strong for me, we will meet again some day! I love you!" I heard the voice of my brother Plok say so me, a lot more quiet than I had heard the other dragons speak. It was so quiet, I was not sure if it was in fact just a figment of my imagination.

I shook it off, as this time I did begin to realize that my lungs were starting to explode on me. I pulled my head out of the water right away, as I then began to breath heavily at the same time as well. I looked over at the others, as I saw that they already had their heads out.

They did not have the same loud heavy breathing that I had, but they did not look over at me as if it was strange either, and I wondered how long I had been in the water in the first place as well. I shook my head, as I looked at the others, and then I realized why they were not thinking about it.

I realized that their minds were lost in space, and I seemed to be the only one that was in reality at the moment for some odd reason, maybe they had some crazier stuff happen to me than I just had. I shook my head though, and then I looked over at Ipse, as he then began to talk once again.

"Socra! Himla! You may now baptize yourselves into the water, and the blood of that water shall flow through, and Socra, you shall then become the new leader..." He said to her. He had his eyes squinted on her as well, just to make sure that she had heard it.

Himla and Socra then had their eyes locked on each other once again, as they just had a few moments ago as well, as I then saw both of them nod through the dark room at each other. I looked at them for a few more moments, as just as soon as I had done so, I saw them drop themselves into the shallow water.

I watched them for just a few more moments, as it seemed as though nothing seemed to be going on, but I could tell that there in fact was, as I saw heavy shaking going on through both of their bodies. Shaking that I had never seen before from either of them.

I wondered what it was that was going on in that water in the first place, as I moved back a little, feeling a bit of a tremble roll through the grounds of the cave. I looked around a bit scared, wondering if there was an earthquake, but it all seemed perfectly normal for them.

I then relaxed myself a small bit, as I just watched as they kept on shaking their bodies, as if they were being shocked by electric eels in the water. I sat there for a few more moments, doing my best to keep my calm, as I then turned my head over to Ipse, as I saw him staring at me, and he was speaking to me as well.

"Jangra... You must now go into the water with them, as you will be the next deputy of the tribe..." He said to me. I looked at him for a few more moments, quite a bit scared, as it seemed as though he had 0 emotions at the moment too.

I looked at him, still not too sure, until he nodded to me, and then I hopped into the water with the other 2. As soon as I had hopped in, I then felt the nerves in my body, as it seemed like they were about to explode, but not in a painful sort of way.

My body began to shake at the same time just as I had seen the other 2 do as well. I understood why they were doing it as well, as it was not painful at all, but it was more as if it was a bit of an uncontrollable vibration that was shaking through my body.

At the same time too, the cold water that I had been standing it, suddenly began to heat up too... Not so that it was to the point that it was boiling hot, but it was closer to the point that it was enough to burn you at the same time as well.

I tried to open my eyes, and see if the others felt the stinging pain that I did as well, but it did not seem to be that my eyes wanted to open at the exact moment. I stayed still, as I just kept on shaking my body, and feeling the hot water flow through my system.

At the exact same moment, I then began to hear whispers all around me. I could not hear a word that was being said at all, but it was still a bit scary, as I could hear them echoing through the walls of the cave as well. I wanted so badly to open my eyes, and shake it all of, but I could not, as it seemed as though I was stuck in some sort of nightmare at the moment.

I sat for a small bit more time, as all of the sudden all of it seemed to disappear, and now I was able to open my eyes and look around me. I looked first at my father, and then at Socra at the same time. It seemed that my father as I began to notice, he looked a bit smaller and skinnier than I had remembered.

I looked down at myself as well, as I noticed at the same time, that I looked a bit more buff and strong, than I had remembered me looking just a few moments ago. I looked at my father a bit sadly, as it seemed that his body was now in the condition that his brain was in.

He still looked much stronger than most other dragons, but he did not look nearly as strong as he used to be. I looked around a bit confused as to what had just happened as well, as I then turned my head over to the other elder dragon, as she began to speak.

"Socra... You are now the leader..."