A Dragon's Design (the much delayed and finally complete Chapter 7)

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Author's Note: (feel free to skip this section if you're just looking for the story)
Life has this funny way of sticking its cock in your plans whenever you want to finish a personal project. At least, that's been my experience. Anyway, I've finally managed to find enough time to complete this chapter of Dragon's Design. Here it is, in case anyone still cares about this story. On the bright side, the extra time has given me ages to proofread and improve the writing for further chapters. Hopefully hopefully, if things continue not to suck over the next week, part 8 will also be out in some sort of reasonable timeframe.

This part doesn't contain a whole lot of sex. Or growth. Or any of that. Its a plot chapter, mostly. Theres a bit toward the end... but I thought it would be better if part 8 was all about that. So sue me.

As always, comments and criticisms are greatly desired. Thanks you guys!

The Great Darkness
An excerpt from the Encyclopedia Magicka, second edition
The earliest written historical records known to Magia only go back about 400 years into the past. History earlier than this was lost to most of the civilized world in an event that historical scholars have named The Great Darkness. It is unknown what occurred exactly, though leading researchers believe it may have been a war or protest, since all written material was lost following that period, as well as a great deal of artifacts and buildings. Only ruins remain to give us clues about that troubling time.

It is said that only the elves now know anything about the world before the Great Darkness period, however they are sworn to secrecy and do not speak of it to outsiders.

----Chapter 7----
Discovery

"You're a changeling then?" Jake asked, sounding questioning and uncertain first before demanding more gruffly, "You're a changeling and you didn't bother to tell me that important little detail?"

I groaned and tried to sit up, having a considerable amount of difficulty because I wasn't used to my bulk. "I'm a what....?" I said groggily, still in shock after having what amounted to a sudden growth spurt. My head was pounding, I felt sick, and my eyes were still screwed up in a squint against the harsh morning sunlight.

"A changeling." He repeated, speaking slowly and carefully, as though repeating the same thing over again would help me to understand. When I didn't show any sort of recognition, Jake gave me an exasperated look. "Changeling? Half-heart? Spellbound? You're only half human, like me. It's the only explanation."

I shook my head, trying to get the dizziness to stop. "Woah, woah, woah. Slow down. Back up a bit and like.... Freeze. I don't even understand half of what you're saying. Half human? What's that even supposed to mean?" I asked, honestly confused.

"Don't give me that." Jake snapped, suddenly becoming angry. "I just can't believe I didn't notice before. I was suspicious, but I liked you. Now this? It's written all over you, plain as day. Don't try to deny it. Your eyes and hair, the fact that you didn't freeze to death before I found you, even though you were out in the snow for such a long time. And now look at you. Your body, it just exploded a minute ago. Now tell me, which tribe are you from? And why were you hiding your form from me?"

I grunted and rubbed my eyes, blinking a bit to clear my vision. My arms felt odd and unfamiliar as I held them up, their bulk and weight new to me. I couldn't help but notice my own size, but I didn't waste much time gawking. Now wasn't the time, not with Jake so obviously irritated. "I'm sorry, I just really don't know what you're talking about. I don't. I don't even know what a changeling is. And accusing me of being half human? You're crazier than Emmet when he's been out drinking."

Jake growled, drawing his sword suddenly and looking angrier than ever. "I said, don't lie to me! Which tribe are you from, who sent you, and who knows where I am?"

I threw up an arm in self defense, leaning back and away from the sword point. "Hey! Seriously, you have to believe me, I have no idea what you're talking about! Nobody sent me, I was running, remember? People are after me, not you! And I don't even know why!"

Jake relented just a little, but he didn't put away the sword. He looked at me up and down, searchingly. "You truly don't know? Not anything?"

"No, I don't! I already told you I don't know." I winced, waiting to see what he would do. I must have looked pretty pathetic. A huge, extra muscular and mostly naked guy cringing beneath the piercing glare of a blacksmith weilding a sword.

Jake stared at me for a long while, chest heaving as he struggled to contain himself. Eventially he growled in my direction and slowly, reluctantly sat down. "I swear... If you're lying, I'll... I'll..." He waved his sword in my direction. "It would be bad for you."

He seemed to be calming down quite a bit, though he was still on edge. I sat up straight and looked over at Jake a little timidly. "Um.... could you maybe........ explain..." I stopped, my voice catching in my throat when he looked back up at me, the ferocity of his gaze stunning me into silence.

Jake sighed and looked away. "If you don't know, then it's probably for the best. Don't-- Don't worry about it, alright?" He grumbled.

"Don't worry about it? Whatever it was, you started by drawing a sword on me, and calling me half human. That's not nothing. That's not something you just 'don't worry about.'"

Jake snorted and crossed his arms. "You made me worried. When you did that... whatever it was that happened to you.... You..." He took another deep breath.

"You look like you're from the bird tribe. They're beasts, changelings. I'm... sorry I scared you. I just had to be sure you weren't one of them. You see, they're after me. Everyone is, really..." He looked up at the sky, almost wistfully. "I suppose since we're travelling together, you might as well know...."

I interrupted softly, hoping to get his attention, but not wanting to get him angry again for interrupting. "Um..." I started, only continuing after seeing Jake look up and pause for me. "I'm all for having this chat. But it sounds like it's going to take a while. Could I maybe borrow a pair of pants first? I seem to have outgrown mine...." I asked.

Jake grumbled and tossed me a pair from his pack. "Whatever..... look, it's like this..." he began.

**** 12 Years Ago... ****

A much younger Jake stood before a secret meeting of the High Elves. Everyone was lined up near the front of the grotto, the moonlight filtering down through the tops of the trees. The air was cool and crisp despite the oncoming spring.

"Are you quite sure?" asked Lady Lauriel. "We cannot risk uncertainty. Everything we have worked for hangs in the balance."

"I am." answered Jake, bowing his head in the direction of the Elves. "I saw the document with my own eyes, and was sent to speak with you not two hours ago."

Lauriel strode forward to the center of the small meeting area, bowing and then addressing the other members of the meeting. "We should move quickly. There is not much time. We shall make our move tomorrow night, just after the full moon rises."

Thrivus, another council member, spoke up. "Lauriel, are you quite certain about this? While it is undeniable that the Magician's conduct during the Fourth War was unacceptable, should we truly be taking this action into our own hands? It is not our responsibility."

"It should be. If we do not hold our fellows and partners accountable for their actions, then who will? Genocide of an entire race is unacceptable, no matter the cause or the reasoning. Even less so when only a small, deviant faction of that race were the original aggressors."

Thrivus held up a hand. "I am not contesting the immorality of the Magician's actions. Their senseless destruction of the Dragon race was indeed abominable. However, I do not believe that it is our place to take these matters onto ourselves... We have remained neutral on the issue for hundreds of years. We have sworn ourselves to silence after the great darkness that destroyed most other races' written history. Is it truly beneficial for us to begin this conflict anew? I doubt that even the eldest leader of the Magicians today remembers anything about that war, especially when their historical records do not even date back that long, as you and I both know. I believe there is no reason to go rushing into so provocative a conflict when we are currently at peace with the Magician Empire."

Lauriel turned and smiled up at the sky. "Yet the time is upon us. There will not be another opportunity like this again. The very last dragon has been rediscovered hiding in the mountains. It will not be long at all before those with evil intent hear of such news. Action will be quiet and swift, and if we do not act... you understand of course what will happen?"

"Lauriel, I understand completely. But this is a fool's errand you are preparing us for... Your proposal is only a temporary measure at best. At its worst, it is a provocation to the Magician Empire itself. I believe that all present recognize the gravity of the situation, however our course of action should not include so risky a mission." Thrivus turned to the other elves. "I would call a vote of this council. Those that support Lauriel's quest, please step forward."

Of the thirteen elves present, seven joined Lady Lauriel in support of her mission. Thrivus sighed. "So be it..."

Lauriel turned back to Jake. "If your leader still wishes to aid us in this, tell your him to be ready at dusk tomorrow with his men. We will meet south of our stronghold, to finalize our plans and get everything in order."

********

Jake concluded his explanation, poking at our newly kindled fire with his sword. I sat on a log across from him, fidgiting every once in a while, still rather uncomfortable with my new size. I was wearing a pair of Jake's pants, and even those weren't fitting too well over my huge quads. I grumbled and tried my best to ignore the tightness of the fabric around my legs and waist. And I especially tried to ignore the new and different weight swinging between my legs. Even that seemed heavier.

"Well? What happened next?" I asked. "What did you do that has everyone after you?"

Jake looked at me, staring for a while. He seemed to do that a lot since this morning, and every time he did it made me feel like I was being examined intently. It was a long time before he finally continued. "The part of the plan that I was involved in... We were to scout ahead and then drive away any travellers from the area while the Elves secured the dragon's safety. I..." he winced.

"I did a terrible thing. We ran into a border patrol on the way, and I was captured. They took us back to their camp where they tortured me and everyone I came with. I had no choice! They promised me that my friends and I would be safe if I just told them where our hideout was. So I told them, and they laughed and threw me out into the woods. Last I heard, everyone involved except for me is dead. The dragon was found and killed, her single egg smashed. After finding out what went wrong, my own people threw me out, branding me a traitor. The elves want nothing to do with me either. The only people not after me are the Magicians. How ironic, right? Hunted by my friends, yet acquitted by the enemy..."

Jake sat back and stared blankly into space, an expression I'd come to know as meaning that something was deeply troubling him. I felt like there was more to this story that he wasn't telling me, but now really wasn't the time to go asking about it. I tried to fold my arms and found the action difficult, my new pecs and biceps fighting for space.

~~~~~

We finally got moving again the next morning, packing up all of our things and clearing out our camp. I felt more in the way than helpful, though. I didn't know how to deal with my suddenly much larger body, and that made movement slow, clumsy, and noisy.

Snow had fallen again in the night, blanketing the evergreens in a coat of white and the ground in an inch or two of fluffy snowflakes. It was cold too, though somehow this still failed to bother me at all. Jake complained about it just as we were packing up, but I felt fine. I felt like I could have stripped naked and just stood there for a while and not been affected much. I was really beginning to notice all the new changes like that. The most obvious of course being my bulk. There were other things though, even on top of being unnaffected by the cold. I felt more energetic and awake, though that could have just been a side effect of the size... and I was much hungrier now too.

And horny. Very horny. I'd woken up early in the morning before Jake with some morning wood in the absolute worst way, hard as a rock and practically tearing through the pants I'd gone to sleep in. And man was it so much bigger than I'd ever been before, and I hadn't been small to start with.

That had been this morning. Now that I was walking along the path behind Jake with not much else to do, I couldn't help but notice the way my much larger meat rubbed and shifted about between my legs while I walked. The pants I was wearing were quite tight and that made my package rub up against the fabric all the more. The sensation was actually quite pleasurable, though also very distracting.

To make matters worse, I also had to walk shirtless, because Jake's shirts were too small for me in the chest. This gave me an excellent, constant view of my burgeoning chest muscles and arms, which certainly wasnt helping distract me from my troubles down below. Suffice it to say that after an hour of walking the tension had built up enough to leave me walking along with a thick log in my pants.

At around noon, several hours into our long hike through the mostly abandoned woods, Jake started to talk to me again. He was in front of me and never once looked back, so thankfully he at least wasn't aware of my... particular difficulty. He cleared his throat, starting with, "So... I've been thinking..."

"Yeah?" I replied, weaving through the trees and trying to keep up with Jake's brisk pace, stumbling occasionally over a particularly large snow drift, or a concealed rock or tree root.

"What are we even going to do now? I mean, what's our long-term plan? East seemed like a good direction to run in. But for how long? And where are we heading?"

"I don't know. Really, since that fire I've just been following you, because you seemed to know what you were doing."

Jake stopped suddenly, causing me to bump into him. "Well, that's really not going to get us anywhere, now is it?" Jake sighed. "We should at least come up with an idea or two about how to proceed from here. We've got to make a plan, have a goal. It'll help us later."

I considered this for a while. "We're on the run though. Or at least I am. And you're the only person I even know outside of Emmet who can help me. I don't know where to go. Or who to go to to ask for help or advice. All I can do is run." I said plainly.

Jake chuckled, turning to me. "Well, how about we go and find Emmet then?"

[convolution]

Great story,
Thanks for resuming it