Special Notes: The image is part Daz, part ai, part photo stock, and several hours (not all at once) post work in photoshop. It's one of the few images I actually spent some time on, and only because I kept having to pause to think about the direction I wanted the plot to go in the story. Cody II, Chapter 2 Cody stepped through the Ara door into the crystal. A rush of cool air greeted him on the other side, carrying with it the faint scent of what he thought an ocean smelled like. His eyes widened at the sight before him—a room awash in shades of sapphire and topaz, glowing from the inside like a cave made entirely of crystal. "Whoa," he whispered, his voice bouncing softly off the walls. The crystals pulsed gently around him, casting dancing reflections on the smooth, glassy floor. It was like stepping into the belly of a giant geode, one that hummed with an energy Cody could feel tingling on his skin. He reached out to touch one of the larger crystals, half-expecting it to be cold, but it was warm, almost alive under his fingertips. "Your curiosity is commendable, young Cody," a voice echoed through the chamber that sounded like his grandfather when he’d spoken to him once on a video-call. Cody turned toward the source, his gaze falling upon an old man who stood by a cluttered table laden with instruments and gadgets that twinkled and blinked in the dim light. The old man's scales shimmered with age, a tapestry of silver and pale blue that matched the room. He had the same sharp features as Cody, a mirror of draconian ancestry etched by time. "Are you... the Fourth Light of Ara?" Cody asked, tilting his head as he took a cautious step forward. "Indeed, I am," the old man said with a nod, his pale blue horns bobbing up and down. "And as you can see, we share some physical characteristics." Cody's brows furrowed, questions tumbling through his mind like toy dragons taking flight. But there was something comforting about the old man's presence, a sense of shared history that Cody couldn't quite put his finger on. He felt a connection, as if the two of them were pieces from the same puzzle, separated only by the expanse of time. "Welcome to my sanctuary," the Fourth Light continued, gesturing broadly to the crystal-laden laboratory. "Here is where much of my work takes place, where science melds with the essence of the Ara." Cody nodded, taking in every detail. Each crystal seemed to hold a secret, every instrument a story. This was a place of wonder, a place where the impossible became possible, and Cody was standing right at its heart. Cody's gaze lingered on the old man, his twin in this strange and wondrous form. "Why do you look like me?" he ventured, his voice a whisper of awe laced with an edge of confusion. The Fourth Light's eyes twinkled like stars captured in ancient amber, and he let out a chuckle that seemed to resonate through the very crystals surrounding them. "My dear boy," he said, his voice as soothing as a lullaby, "what you see is merely a veil, a gentle facade. The true visage of our world is... complex, layered in ways your human mind would struggle to comprehend." Cody's head tilted, his crimson eyes reflecting the shimmering blue light. The notion that reality was not as it appeared both thrilled and unsettled him. "Your form," the elder continued, gesturing at Cody with a clawed hand, "is what the Ara look like when we walk the physical realms. You are a bridge, Cody, between two worlds, and such a hybrid visage suits you well." "Firebelly said the Ara never took a physical form," Cody murmured, his fingers flexing with the power within them. "The First Light is a purest, you will never get him to admit that some Ara have taken physical form to experience the world beyond ours. Come here, child," the Fourth Light beckoned, moving towards a platform that hummed with hidden energy. "It's time we ensure everything is as it should be." Obediently, Cody stepped onto the platform, feeling the hum beneath his feet, a vibration that sang to the very marrow of his bones. Above him, instruments with no earthly comparison descended, glowing with an ethereal light. They scanned him, inside and out, their silent song weaving through his newfound form. The Fourth Light watched, his expression one of focused attention, every line on his face telling stories of countless eons spent in the pursuit of knowledge. "Ah," he finally pronounced, "the transformation is whole, complete. Your essence and physique are now perfectly entwined." "Does it have to stay this way?" Cody asked, a flicker of his old self surfacing in the question, a remnant of the life he once knew. "That is for you to decide," the Fourth Light replied, his tone neutral yet weighted with significance. "To embrace this change is to accept a new path, a destiny beyond the stars. But know this, Cody Branson, the choice is yours, and yours alone." Cody stood still, a statue carved of flesh and scales, pondering the gravity of his next words. His gaze lingered on the Fourth Light, a mirror of aged wisdom and draconian might. The room pulsed with an otherworldly glow, casting prismatic dances across the crystal walls—shards of light that seemed to defy the very notion of time. "Time," the old man began, his voice echoing softly in the chamber as his body suddenly blurred and became a young man, and then a boy Cody’s age, "does not bind us as it does your kind. We are the watchers of eons, the silent guardians of the cosmos. I showed you the illusion you expected, a kindly grandfather, but I have no age. I am immortal." Cody tilted his head, his eyes wide with a child's curiosity as he tried to wrap his mind around the concept. "So, you don't get old and stuff?" A smile, or what passes for one on the Fourth Light's humanoid visage, creased the corners of his mouth. "We age, but not in the way you understand. Our existence is... different. As you grow in understanding, you will see the universe through many lenses, not just the singular sight of humanity." "Like having lots of toy dragons, each one showing me something new?" Cody asked, the analogy springing from memories of his bedroom floor scattered with plastic creatures, each one a portal to new adventures. "Quite apt, young one," the Fourth Light approved. "Each dragon a perspective, a facet of the boundless reality." Cody's thoughts swam in possibilities, his former life a fading echo behind the rush of newfound knowledge. It was as if he stood at the edge of a vast ocean, his toes barely touching the waters of understanding. Yet there was a warmth in this ocean, an inviting depth that beckoned him. "Will I be able to see all those things? Like you do?" he whispered, half-afraid of the answer. "Eventually," the Fourth Light assured, "and with time being no obstacle, you shall traverse vistas that would leave your prior self breathless." The choice lay before him, simple yet monumental. To step forward into this expanse or to cling to the remnants of his past—a boy with a mop of unruly hair and a heart full of dreams. Cody lifted his chin, setting his jaw in a resolve that felt both alien and intimately his own. "I want to see. I want to know. Make it permanent." His voice was a soft breeze, yet it carried the weight of stars. "Very well." The Fourth Light raised his hands, and the chamber resonated with an unseen power. Blue light enveloped Cody, warm and encompassing, washing over him like a tidal wave of serenity. His body tingled, each cell singing in harmony with the light, embracing the finality of his decision. As the luminescence faded, Cody opened his eyes. He felt different—complete. The transformation was irreversible now, locking in place the destiny that had chosen him as much as he had chosen it. Cody stood tall and proud on the platform, surrounded by shimmering blue crystals. His heart raced with excitement as he stepped down, the crystals glowing brighter in response to his presence. The Fourth Light's voice echoed through the room like a gentle breeze. "Your role is more than just a Bridge between worlds, Cody," he said. "As First Son of Ara, I have gifted you the body of an Ara, use it well. Now go forth, First Son, and may your journey be filled with wonders beyond imagination." There was nothing further to say, Cody thanked the Fourth Light and headed out of the chamber. As he left, he passed a shadow of himself coming into the chamber. Tara was still writing furiously in her notebook right where he left her. “Still at it with the notes?” he said. “Anything happen while I was gone?” Tara glanced up. “Huh? You haven’t left yet.” “I was gone for at least a half hour,” he replied. Confusion clouded Tara's face. "Cody, you literally disappeared and immediately reappeared in front of me." Firebelly approached, his eyes glowing with ancient wisdom. "You are not yet ready to comprehend our world," he said, his voice hinting at secrets yet reveled. Tara paused in her writing, intrigued by Firebelly's words. She straightened up and met his gaze defiantly. "I'll prove you wrong," she declared, shooting a quick glance at Cody who stood nearby, still mesmerized by the portal he had just passed through. "Cody, did you notice anything strange?" Cody's brow furrowed as he recalled his journey through the door. "It was like I saw myself leaving as I entered, and then entering as I left," he said, confusion evident in his voice. Tara turned back to Firebelly, a smug smile creeping onto her face. "That door is a singularity in time," she explained confidently. "A convergence point for that specific crystal. The Ara live in a single moment in time, where everything that will happen has already happened." Firebelly's lips curved upward in a slight smile, revealing an ominous glint in his eyes. “Not quite, but a very good hypothesis,” he said, his voice laced with amusement. Tara's eyes widened as she processed Firebelly's words and the weight of their implications. She clenched her hands into fists at her sides, determined to prove herself. “I will figure it out,” she declared, meeting Firebelly's gaze with unflinching determination. The dragon’s smile widened slightly, hinting at a begrudging respect. “I believe you might,” he replied, his tone softening slightly. As they continued on the hike through the lush forest, Cody watched as Tara kept dashing forward to try and touch the ethereal Ara leading the way. Whiskers, the Ara with rich earth-tone colors swirled around him, enticing her to chase after him. Cody had their toy dragons in his backpack, but after so many years trapped inside the plastic surrogate bodies of the dragon, they were preferring to stay in their true form and enjoy the freedom of being back on their home world. Whiskers playfully dodged Tara's attempts to touch him, darting away and flying behind her before tapping her on the head with a glowing tendril of light. It was their own unique game, one that showed the Ara were accepting her. As the fiery orb of the sun began its descent, streaks of orange and gold painted the horizon. Cody and Tara set up camp along a sparkling riverbank, strewn with glistening quartz rocks. Despite the tempting warmth of a fire, Firebelly warned against it due to the dry forest. Instead, they relied on a portable camp light from Cody's backpack. The two friends shared stories and laughter until exhaustion claimed them, and they drifted off into peaceful slumber atop a bed of soft pine needles in this unfamiliar world. Cody's eyes snapped open as a loud rumbling sound jolted him from sleep. Rain pounded against the canopy of leaves above. He could hear the wind whipping through the trees, but that wasn’t what had woke him. He quickly sat up, his heart racing as he realized something was wrong. He looked over at Tara, who had already gotten up and was staring into the darkness. In that moment, they both saw it - a massive wall of water rushing towards them. Cody's mind raced, trying to figure out what to do. He ran to Tara and wrapped his arms around her, turning to put himself between the flash flood and her. Tara looked up at him, her voice small and afraid. “Cody…” There was no time to run away, no place to hide, the water would be on them in moments. Perhaps his armored scales would protect her from the logs and debris in the flood. “Don’t lose your mask,” he shouted over the roar of water.” Cody drove his clawed feet into the wet ground just as the water reached them. His claws slipped in the mud - they weren’t going to hold against the flood. The pressure pushing against him lessened and he looked up. Firebelly, Whiskers, and Fang were hovering over them, their light as bright as a star. Their guardians had put up a force field in an attempt to protect them, but the flood was too powerful, too many tons of water pushing against them. Cody dug his fingers into Tara, trying to hold her, to shield her, but it was a losing battle, even with three Ara above them lending all their strength. He felt his fingers slipping, and then as she was about to be ripped from his arms, the pressure of the water lessened again as dozens of Ara arrived from every direction, Firebelly had called for help, and the Ara were coming. The sky glowed from all the Ara now parting the flood around them. Cody and Tara stood clinging to each other inside a circle of protection, the water raging past them in an angry torrent. Huge felled trees slammed against the force field so hard that some water got inside, drenching them in the cold flood water of the river. Cody knew that if those trees had slammed into him, it would have broken his back. The relentless flood seemed to have no end, its violent waters raging on and on until it finally began to recede. As they stood in ankle-deep water, their surroundings were unrecognizable, a wasteland of destruction left in the wake of the torrential force. Cody released Tara and she collapsed to her knees, her body wracked with uncontrollable sobs as she surrendered to the fear of her near escape from death. But before she could fully break down, Whiskers, the Ara with earth-tone colors, descended upon her like a protective shield. His tendrils of light pulsed with warmth, enveloping her in a comforting embrace. But as he glared at Firebelly, his usually peaceful aura turned into a seething rage, his tendrils glowing an angry red as if ready for battle. “What's happening? Why is Whiskers so angry?” Cody demanded, his confusion turning to fear at the sudden display of aggression from the usually calm Ara. “Whiskers wishes to renounce his service to you,” Firebelly explained, his voice laced with regret and shame. “I ignored his warnings about the lack of protection for both of you, and now he sees it as a failure he cannot tolerate. I will resign immediately as The First Light.” “I will not allow you to resign,” a commanding voice interrupted. Cody's eyes widened in awe as a majestic Ara descended from the sky, enveloped in a blinding emerald light. In that moment, Cody could feel the raw power emanating from the creature- this was no ordinary Ara, but a formidable being that even Firebelly seemed to cower before. "Who...who is that?" Cody whispered to Firebelly, his voice trembling with both fear and curiosity. "That is the Second Light of Ara," replied Firebelly, his tone laced with respect and caution. "He’s bigger than you,” Cody noted, trying to hide the tremble in his voice. "He is, and much more powerful," Firebelly confirmed. "Do not speak unless spoken to, for he is not one to be trifled with." The Second Light stopped directly in front of Firebelly, towering over him like an unyielding giant. "You will not resign over such a minor mistake, nor will I allow you to be removed from your position as First Light. You alone among the Ten Lights of Ara understood the necessity for a weapon, and you must see it through to the end." Cody interjected, "Wait, what do you mean? I am not a weapon." "Silence, child," the Second Light scolded sharply. "Do not presume to tell me what you are or are not. You single-handedly obliterated the powerful human Mining Corporations Battle Fleet with a handful of unarmed Ara exploration ships - you are undeniably a weapon. And for that, all of Ara is indebted to you. But do not dare speak directly to me again." Cody's face flushed with anger and embarrassment. "I'll speak to whoever I want," he retorted defiantly, refusing to back down in the face of such arrogance. A tendril of light shot out and wrapped around Cody. The life-like toy dragon Firebelly possessed became just a toy dragon and fell into the water as the First Light emerged in his true form. Dozens of Ara dropped from the sky and a battle began as the First Light struggled to release Cody from the Second Light's grip. Fang joined the battle, also trying to get Cody away from the Second Light. Whiskers did not join the battle, but instead pulled Tara away from the danger. The air crackled with the energy of so many Ara now fighting each other. Cody struggled against the tendril of energy holding him, but the Second light was far too powerful. Cody felt a warmth across his scales and flesh while lines of flame snaked across his body, but there was no pain. Cody saw something like tattoos being burned into him, intricate patterns of vines and leaves, but not the simple tattoos like a human might have, but living tattoos like embossed etchings. Real vines and leaves even appeared, like jewelry draped from around his neck and over his shoulders. And as quickly as it began, it ended. The Second Light withdrew and began laughing at the chaos of the battle around him. Cody looked at his new tattoos, delicate and intricate patterns that rivaled any art humans had ever created. “Tell me now he is not a weapon,” the Second Light said triumphantly. “When has Ara ever fought Ara. This boy is the embodiment of war itself. War emits from him like the light of creation emits from us. And it is not just him, his entire species thrives on conflict. We have created a weapon that can defend us from the humans. Do not tell me you are not a weapon, boy. I have given you the gift I promised when you were born, you will be our savior, or our destruction, the choice is now yours.” With that, the Second Light and all the Ara he had brought with him disappeared into the sky. “Take better care of him, First Light,” he called back. “I will not come to rescue him a second time.”