Chapter 5: 5. It Awakens

Tender-Man kneeled over Zeff’s lifeless body and said coldly, “Poor Mr… What did Sylvan call you, again? Ah, yes, Mr. Uwernt. You were brave… for a human.” As he said the words he spat them out like they were acid on the tip of his tongue. “But now, I’ll be taking this.” He began to reach for the dracoRex but straight away—

*Buzz!* Images flooded his mind. A ‘silent film’ of sorts of his boss giving the strict order never to remove the ring from its host. “Um… Zayn?” Came a deep voice from behind him, “Uh… We were given strict orders not to remove the ring from Sylvan if he was wearing it. Maybe we shouldn’t take it off the kid?” The voice had come from the tallest of the burly men in black, the one holding Dr. Sylvan’s arms behind his back and likely the origin of the ‘silent film’ he had just seen.

Tender-Man rolled his eyes in disdain. “Hey. I do believe that I gave you a strict order never to use my name when we’re away from base, 6?” He mused, turning his head just enough to make eye contact with his subordinate.

“Sorry number one…” apologized the big, burly man in a most pathetic voice for someone of his size, beads of cold sweat already forming on his brow. He knew better than most what Zayn was capable of, and he, by no means, wanted to upset him.

*Buzz* At once, a video of Mr. Uwernt working in a diner of some sort came into Zayn’s head, followed by another of him handing the image-bearer a greasy bag with a warm smile. Next, the image-bearer was posing like some sort of supermodel on a park bench eating a burger. And in the last video, the image-bearer was throwing a small black object to Uwernt, who fumbled the ring, nearly dropping it with a worried expression.

“Ah. I see.” Said Zayn turning on his heels. He walked several paces to stand before his waiting comrades and the hogtied Sylvan. “Come now, Sylvan. Say it ain’t so, mate. All the kid had to do was give you a greazy burger and you were willing to hand him a nuclear bomb and your chef-d’oeuvre, is that it?”

Dr. Sylvan was still gagged, but the furious look in his eyes said everything. He was enraged.

Zayn smiled devilishly. “What’s wrong, doctor? You got som’in’ to say?” He signaled for Sylvan’s gag to be removed.

“You low-life b#stard! How could you kill an innocent man?!”

“Kill?” Mused Zayn. “What ever do you mean, doctor? My shooting him was a complete accident. I’m known to have a itchy trigger finger, just ask me mates.”

Zayn’s boys chuckled sadistically.

*Buzz* Images of Zayn gunning down several people flooded into his mind: women, children, and men. But amid the flurry of videos depicting Zayn blasting people away, came a video of someone shaking himself free of his large black-clad captors and jumping forward to punch Zayn, himself, in the face.

Zayn didn’t bother taking the video seriously as, just before him, and just as he foresaw, Dr. Sylvan attempted with all his might to get free of the men who were holding him, but to no avail. “Zayn! You’ll pay for this! I swear!”

Zayn laughed inwardly as he made an aboutface. “Number 2, come help me get the boy.”

Number 2, who was the only one one to have jumped into the car, quickly jumped back out and began running to catch Zayn so that, by the time Zayn had reached Zeff, so had Number 2.

*Buzz* Came a video of someone grabbing Mr. Uwernt’s legs. “You get his head…” Ordered Zayn. Number 2, who was going for Zeff’s legs, flinched as if alarmed but obediently switched his target and lifted Zeff by his arms like he was made of paper mache.

Instantly, as Zayn took hold of Zeff’s legs, rang the somewhat familiar static of his power activating. *BUZZ-Zshirr* Zayn caught his breath, something was wrong… Very wrong. His ability had never responded like this.

‘Darest thou touch me, filthy ape?’ Echoed an incredibly deep voice in Zayn’s mind.

Zayn dropped Zeff’s feet without warning and, in one swift motion took out his firearm with one hand and his silencer with the other. “Who said that? Show yourself…” he said as he attached the silencer in a matter of seconds.

“Um… Number 1…?” Came Number 2’s worried voice, “Is everything alright.”

With Zayn’s ability, “Silent Film”, he could see a person’s past memories or a person’s present thoughts and always from their, the image-bearer’s, point of view. He had even seen still images, talking emojis, cartoons, and even moving comics, but never once had any of these been accompanied by audio.

“I said show yourself!” growled Zayn.

A bestial chuckle echoed through Zayn’s mind. ‘Hhhha… Is the Tender-Man afeard? Surely not.’ The voice let out a soft but menacing growl.

“I said show yourself!!” Demanded Zayn. “Or you’re dead!”

‘Thou art the one that beest already in thy eternal slumber, ape. Yet thou know it not…’

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Zayn had been in the business of death long enough to recognize a threat when he heard it. And never once had he been afraid. Most people were all talk until the moment they saw his strength and skill in action, which was usually the last moment of their sad life.

But this time was different.

Whatever it was that was talking to him was exceedingly more cunning and dangerous than anyone or anything he had ever met. Zayn could somehow sense it and it was truly unsettling. Thanks to his gift he had rarely if ever struggled in a fight. How could he? He could see nearly all of his opponents plans no matter how complex before they sat them in motion. But this… thing, whatever it was, that was talking to him was an unknown, and for the first time in years Zayn felt a nagging urge to run for his life.

“Boss! What the hell!” exclaimed Number 2. Zayn could see through Number 2’s thoughts what it was he was seeing… But that didn’t make it any more believable.

A cold shiver danced a jig up his spine as he turned to find Zeff’s lifeless body glowing a sickly crimson red.

It was not normal for Zayn to be caught off guard twice in one year, let alone twice in one day. If this had been any other day, if he had been his usual cunning self, he would have immediately grabbed his men, thrown Sylvan in the van, drove away and never looked back.

But Zayn was frozen in place with fear and… curiosity. It occurred to him at once that Zeff had somehow survived being shot four times (one of which was even in the neck). It also occurred to him that the dracoRex was most likely responsible. It did not occur to him that the voice he had heard was coming from Zeff. How could it?

*Crick-Crack-Snap-POP-sizzle* sounded Zeff’s bones as smoke, dense red and black smoke, began to rise from his body and his bullet wounds began to slowly close, pushing the bullets from their resting places until each popped from his skin.

Number 2 threw Zeff to the ground in alarm and began to slowly move away shielding his mouth with a hand for fear that the smoke was poisonous. The rest of the men, mesmerized by the scene, mouths agape, simply looked on in disbelief. They had even let Dr. Sylvan free of their iron grips, but he, too, could only look on, shocked.

Zeff suddenly let out an agonizing moan, deep and long. The moan became a groan. And the groan became an inhuman growl.

His body began to stretch and bend and unfold even before everyone’s very eyes, his skin becoming first like leather and then a scaly hide of crimson and black. He grew twice as large, then larger and larger. He unraveled his long powerful neck and a tail, as thick as an oak tree, could be seen extending from his rear at an unnatural rate. His puny arms and legs began to bulge and lengthen as claws grew where fingers and toes had been.

Upon his now slender reptilian head, which was now as long as Zayn was tall, grew to two horns which came to viscous points.

*Fwah!* said two pairs of massive bat-like wings as they unfurled from his now armored back and stretched up into the sky as the massive beast, that had once been a man, stood to his full height, towering over the men and some of the smaller buildings.

Terror brought Zayn back to his senses as, looming over him, eyes closed as if asleep, stood a magnificent and terrible black dragon that had only seconds before been a scrawny little half dead brat. Zayn was cunning and brave by most estimations, but he was no fool. He quickly jumped back so that he was standing just beside Number 2.

Number 2, visibly shaken, whispered, “Boss, is that really what I think it is…?”

Zayn didn’t like answering stupid questions… But he replied, “I don’t know… Get ready to run at a moment’s notice. I don’t think we can take this thing down with guns.”

‘Ahhhhh…’ Thought Dragon-Zeff as it inhaled deeply, eyes still closed. The sound was like a jet engine before takeoff. ‘How long hath passed since I last tasted fresh air.’ Everyone within sight of the beast flinched involuntarily as he had spoken directly into their heads.

In the moments that followed a few things happened.

Suddenly, the dragon’s piercing saffron eyes shot open, and they were focused directly on Zayn.

Next, *Buzz!* Zayn, upon sheer reflex, jumped several feet into the air.

Number 2, who hadn’t had a gift like Zayn’s, or any gift for that matter, wasn’t lucky enough to dodge what was coming. He hadn’t even seen it, to speak honestly. He could only let out a high pitched “Hegh!” as his body was severed in twain at the torso like it was made of wet tissue paper.

The dragon had spun, swinging its massive tail in a full arch as quick as lighting, just missing Zayn’s little toe by a hair’s breath but killing Number 2 instantly.

Zayn landed on all fours, ready to spring into action or dodge at any moment.

‘Ha. Thou might not be an ape after all… haply a rabbit, then?’ Dragon-Zeff mocked. ‘So, little rabbit… Hast thou prepared thyself for oblivion? For it awaits thee…’

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