BoSt Dragon Stories

DRAGON LONGZE ENCOUNTERS FREYA (BY BOST, 2026- PART 11)

(FINAL EPISODE – PART 11)

Asmund had been right with his chastisement, for back then, Longze had lost all sense after encountering Freya and, became even more an idealist and a foolish, hopeless romantic.

That night, leaving her to sleep, Longze had absconded from her sight, to search and then finding him, rescue her missing kin, her father Hans Aquila.

Considering the sheer drop, Hans should have been pulverized, when with the inertial force of gravity, he hit rock bottom. He should have been (a pancake) dead.

Longze had secretly suspected, though he had not gotten the chance yet to confirm it, that his stern guardian Asmund being conceivably (perchance) manifest in the clouds, had slowed down Hans’ plummet, so that he, despite his injuries had (lived) survived. Longze showing up at same spot tad later and spotting Hans, had dove in to land beside and check his life signs; seeing that he was still alive but gravely injured, Longze had carefully lifted Hans off the ground where he had laid (unconscious broken and bleeding), and carried him off to the safety of the same cave Alec had been convalescing in. Once there, Longze had then solicitously tended to Hans wounds, invoked the spell of amnesia then left both patients side by side there, in protective cocoon, to recuperate (to heal). Ensuing days, Longze intended to return to the cave several times over, to tend to their varied needs and to monitor their progress.

He had elected to, for the time being, keep this a secret from Freya, till her kin were both completely out of danger, their condition much improved or at least were stable. In the interim, Longze having the insatiable curiosity about human affairs, planned to get better acquainted with Freya, an learn more of what had let to their dire situation. Longze had secretly hoped also that one day they might even be a couple; and being rather naïve in such matters, he’d not cogitated (considered) beyond sharing hugs and kisses with her, akin what he’d observed from a distance, other human couples- whenever they were out and about having fun in festivals and other social events, did. He did not anticipate (envisage, imagine) there was anything more to a relationship besides that, furthermore, it involved physical intimacy, since none of his previous guardians had ever deigned to enlighten him on such matters.

Upon his return to the mountain dwelling (cabin) however, to his deep dismay, Longze had discovered her absence. At first, he had assumed that it had all been a cruel joke, or another test; however, after his much consideration (scrutiny) of the facts, he’d arrived at the only probable truth- that her worry overriding her reason, she had acted illogically (irrationally) and ventured unarmed into the woods, to search for her kin.  

Longze had taken off at once and looked for her long and heard; but unfortunately, because of Sedit’s incantation, Longze had a particularly arduous (exacting) time before he could pinpoint her location (that happened to be in the midst of Demon Sedit’s lair) and thence (thereafter), affect her rescue.

                                                                                        ~

After the battle with Sedit, the relief of seeing her alive and well, this fueling his passion and the yearning for closeness with her taking root and superseding any reason, Longze for a spell forgetting he and Freya were two varied species, he’d leaned forward with his raised hand to gently tug the loose strand of hair behind her ear. Then his fingers had stayed (hesitated) though for a moment, hovering in the air, before he instinctively reached out again, to gingerly, light as feather, trace the outline of her chin. She did not flinch, instead she leaned into his fingers.

Longze was elated. She did not get scorched … She did not! And so, Longze dared… dared next, to kiss her!

Being self-conscious however, at the last minute abashed, his lips instead tenderly brushed her forehead. And then Longze’s courage also failing him, he did not solicit anything further.

Her forehead did not burn either! Longze frowned. Was Asmund not entirely honest with him?

Asmund’s cogent (sound, persuasive) words yet again ringing (resounding) loudly in Longze’s ears, he remained taciturn (reticent, restrained) at present, and did not give in to his desperate need to open his heart to her. Not if it meant, her death! “They are too frail;” Asmund had said, “despite your unusual, inherent powers, you are still likely to cause her hasty end… If you so much as try!” 

His guardian’s meaning had been clear, it meant that, Longze’s touch, if it lingered on her skin, would scorch her; and if the contact persisted tad too long, it might even turn her flesh completely to ash.  

Longze, then remembered how Asmund, had swallowed (held back, chewed on) the word “copulate” before he had looked up, to meet Longze’s intense gaze.  Longze’s thoughts thence, focused on that intriguing word, “copulate”, he inwardly queried: Was “copulate” same as “mating”? Even if they were, he was not entirely sure what that word had entailed (necessitated) in real life situation, it was surely more than a gentle caress, a kiss. And they are being a negligeable contact, did not have the akin dire consequence (repercussions). Which meant, he could kiss her all he wanted!!!

Longze’s unstoppable, reasoning mind meanwhile, quickly thence (thereafter) had gone on to extrapolate on all the gleaned (garnered) facts over the years; and now, fully comprehending the hidden truth, this realization, suddenly unbidden, suffused (bathed) Longze’s pallid face, with crimson hue. He was thankful Asmund was not there to question him on it. Subsequently, the corner of his mouth slightly lifted and then he chuckled, thinking of the time three years prior, when for the first time he had heard of the word and the bizarre sequence of events that had followed:

Longze’s then guardian Theran, had once permitted him for educational purposes, to gain first-hand experience during a short duration, by blending (mingling) in with the crowds and partaking some of the fun in the Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival, at a seaport town.

During this period, Longze had accidentally eavesdropped on the two humans- their heads conjoined together, whispering conspiratorially and then he had heard that very word (first time ever) being mentioned clearly by one of them- in one of the dark, secluded alleyways of the crowded market squire. As he had scant (limited) time to observe copious things, however, Longze had quickly moved on.

But later still, he had asked his guardian Theran, what that word had meant, but his guardian had looked at him curiously and then frowning, inquired instead where he had heard it. When Longze told him, Theran had grinned mischievously and nodded, saying “I see…”  But then he had brushed it off dismissively, saying, “you are still far too young to learn of such things; my advice to you instead, is to concentrate on your present, pressing studies. There will be ample time for such trivialities later.” Theran had said it with a dismissive tone, with such finality that Longze had let it go. Longze was fourteen Earth years at the time. Since then, however, he had been most curious about that word. None of the books he was allowed to read had any reference to it. Servants and personal attendants, when he had brought it up to, had snickered and hastily ran off.

Later, when Longze’s specific studies had allowed him a short stay (spell) in the mortal world, and whilst in his human form, each time he had inquired about that word from a randomly picked person, he had gotten a vastly different reaction. Three particular ones which stood out in his recollection, presently, made Longze mischievously chortle (snigger):

Once, when he’d approached (accosted) a distinguished looking old man (a travelling celibate monk) in the street and asked, him to explain to him what “copulate” entailed, the old monk had been outraged and angrily lashed out at him, suspecting him of being unruly, disrespectful and brazen; then calling him names, with copious swear words on his lips, he’d hastily walked away.

Another time, when he had asked this of a young sales lady at one of the stalls at the market squire, she’d profusely blushed and run off as if Longze was on fire and she was afraid of being scorched (by his proximity). She had gone straight to her father and frantically gesturing with her hands, complained, and he had raised the staff he was holding and belligerently shook it, threatening Longze from where he stood. Longze did not linger about, to find out of his intent.

Third time, when he asked this of a serving maid in a tavern, she had smiled at him luridly and sized him up, appraising him carefully and then invited him upstairs. He did not like the way she looked at him, as though he was a delectable morsal. A rude ruffian at the adjacent table, had smirked garishly and licked his chops, then winked at him. This all had made Longze extremely uncomfortable and so, he had taken a hasty retreat to outside and disappeared in the milling crowd.  After that, he did not dare inquire about it anymore and had forgotten that word.  Yet there it had surfaced again, when Asmund had chewed on the word, but Longze having an exceptional hearing, had nevertheless heard it clearly.

Longze at present, now reflected on the word one more time, and could not help but smile at his sheer naivete; nevertheless, he quickly shook his head to purge those particulars from his mind, then focused his attention instead, on his present dilemma.

Subsequently, Longze felt angry with himself, for his negligence and for wasting so much time on matters that was both foolhardy (hotheaded, silly) and selfish. His demeanor then growing serious, his thoughts focused entirely on the arrayed (arranged) instructions which Asmund had left behind for him to master: The precise mental and physical discipline, necessary adroit skills and steps he must learn and be proficient in, before the invocation of the spell.

Longze, thus offering some cordial (affable) excuse, hastily took his leave of Freya and swiftly returned to the cave where his patients had been convalescing. After checking on them and satisfied with their steady progress, he then advanced (delved) further interior of the cave, and at one point going through a miasmic portal, emerged at a distant, interstellar (cosmic, celestial, lunar) realm; this was Asmund and his present (assigned) allotted dwelling.

Longze walked straight up to the centre of the room and picked up one of the rolled-up parchments beside the opened hefty volume, which Asmund had left on the desk for him. Longze, unfastened the knot that bound it and after unfurling the parchment read the contents that Asmund had meticulously written down; he then perused the subsequent list below it, which were the itemized required reading and subsets (subsections) on specific pages of the hefty volume (book).

He picked up the second rolled up parchment and then the third one and, same as before, read each one’s contents very carefully; and, committed all that to memory- the precise instructions on how to interpret cyphers (symbols, cryptographs, encryptions) beside illustrations alongside certain paragraphs (divisions), which he would subsequently learn (memorize).  Finally, Longze picked up the ancient verboten (prohibited) tome itself and began avidly reading it aloud, absorbing, far more than the information (via the spoken words), into his very core (dragon being).

Longze with deep concentration (interest), studied the prohibited information and committed (stored) each and every pertinent bit- every word, each step, every subtle inference hidden between the adages- all of it to memory; by then, the cosmic light at the outside had dimmed. He thus quietly stepped outside of the study without interruption, as he continued to read aloud and absorb (assimilate) the information, mindful, as well, of the verbal instructions Asmund had imparted to him before he absconded to Heaven.

Longze’s physical dragon form having now been transported into the empty void, he studied with renewed interest, the beautiful blue planet Earth down below. He paid particular attention to Earth’s gravity and the swirling magnetic fields of the poles now visible to him, as well, the atmosphere and ocean’s eddying currents, specific to Earth’s atmosphere.

In his mind, meanwhile, he conducted the simulated (replicated, illusory) inceptions (commencements, launches), then the hypothetical (pretend, vicariously) results he hoped to achieve. The carefully constructed future moves (steps)had to be precise, it left no room for least variation, any mistake; meanwhile, the apt measures simultaneous to the invoked incantation, would have dire consequence, if the tiniest slipup (blunder) the minutest error occurred; the onus (responsibility, burden) hence, weighed heavily on his young shoulders. Longze, nevertheless, remained confident, that if he practices it enough till he became proficient at it, he will succeed.

Such is the unwavering credo (faith, stance, ideology), courage and the exuberance of the youth (in any creation).

                                                                                              ~

Later that night, when Longze had returned back to cabin and saw Freya seated by the hearth, reading so serenely, oblivious to what future entailed (would beget), a deep sadness imbued (permeated) his heart and fraught it (beleaguered, burdened), for he’d understood also that the manifest bud (cornel) of mutual affections would soon be swiftly extinguished (dispelled) even before it had a chance to grow, soon as the incantation (spell) was evoked.

A rebellious notion reared its ugly head just then to tempt him to act on it before it was too late- before she had a different destiny…whilst him, he returned to his lonely existence.

 After the spell is invoked and the timeline is altered, all the exchanges including those between Longze and Freya would be nonexistent; here was his chance, to learn firsthand, what might have been (happened).

And so, Longze’s curiosity superseding his reason, in his prolonged silence, he had contemplated on his would-be choice words of admission (confession): “Forgive me for saying this, but in our brief encounter, I have since grown quite fond of you. I lived a long while and often grieved that I would be all alone, without knowing, encountering a kindred soul.  I had felt the rare, sanctioned connection with you, but then all this happened.  Now it may be too late; you may imagine something of what I feel at this missed opportunity, but my tongue fails to describe the measure of my misery.”  Longze, shook his head, deciding this was too lame, and said nothing (kept his silence). What would be the point?

The peace of the night and the stillness of the moonlit world around them, meanwhile, had beckoned them both to outside; once there, under the canopy of stars, staring up at it, it brought some balm to both their troubled hearts, for the silence was unbroken save for the cry of the eagle as it, riding the currents of atmosphere, glided (arched) across the sky.  They realized then that there was no use to retire, to seek sleep; and, they had therefore, lingered at the spot a while longer, each mutely and with sundry (various) appreciation in their heart, watched the horizon wear the cloak of crimson as the sun slowly rose in splendour and glistened and glowed in thousands of raindrops on the trees and grass around them.

                                                                                            ~

Later that afternoon, Longze’s guardian Asmund had returned carrying favorable news. Dragon Longze was (given the go ahead) sanctioned to proceed with the incantation.

Longze listened to Asmunds subsequent, last-minute instructions, with mixed emotions, knowing once the spell was evoked, the timeline and everything it entailed on Earth would irrevocably be changed. Longze once more alone, would be forever bereft (deprived of, denied) the indulgence (experience) of those now permanently intangible (elusive), delicate and enchantingly sweet kisses from Freya, whom his heart so vehemently (fervently, passionately) craved.

Fini

(Characters: Dragon Longze, Longze’s father Ingemar- Longze’s mother, Eldrid, Elof Bijarke, son Jedrik, Hans Aquila, Alec and Freya, guardian Asmund, guardian Theran, the trickster demon incarnate, the ersatz (artificial) black panther Sedit, Immortal warrior Erland, Mayor Gudmund Kirk’s youngest, his still unmarried son Hagen, his wife Selma, his two other sons, the ranchers, named, Agil and Corey Kirk, Olga, Heavenly Emperor’s niece, one selected to be Longza’s future mate)