I Raised A Black Dragon

Noah fell onto the balcony, screaming and writhing in pain. If it weren’t for the metal rail, she would have fallen down to the floor below, which would have resulted in her instant demise. The view below the hotel was vast, and on any other day Noah would have stopped to admire it but there was no time to look down properly.

Her chest was pressed against the rail, and she was too focused on not dying. And the suffocating sensation that came from within her chest that spread throughout her body. It felt as though she was being electrocuted via some form of magic. And no sooner had the pain ended, her whole body was flung back by an invisible thread. She landed in a heap on the floor, too stunned to even cry out when she saw Adrian approaching her from the corner of her eyes.

“Hello, Noah. You thought you could get away, could you? I admit, I admire your naivety.” Adrian smiled, planting a book on Noah’s chest and pressing down.

“Bastard.” Noah spat, trying to wiggle free. Adrian only smiled at her and shook his head.

“I won, right?” He said, holding up the remote control and giving it a little wave. His thumb was inches away from pressing the button. “Now, I’m only going to say this one more time. I want your dragon, and I want him right away. Any hesitation or attempt to run away will result in your death.” He gave the remote another shake for good measure.

“What is this?!” Noah screamed at him, firmly yanking Adrian’s boot away and scrambling away. “Why are you doing this?”

“Why? It’s simple, really. Because I need that dragon.” Adrain said in a calm and serene tone, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“For what?” she asked furiously, slowly backing away towards the balcony. Willing to try her luck, Noah got to her feet and scrambled out onto the balcony. She saw the ladder that was mercifully close. And down below, hundreds of people were watching her every move. She could hear the collective gasps as Adrian stepped onto the balcony, looming over Noah.

Noah looked up at Adrian, trying to gauge why exactly he wanted Muell. What reason would he have for wanting him so badly that he was willing to blow everything up to get his way? The work that he had poured his life and soul into, the very reason for his existence, gone up in flames at the push of a button. And how did he get a self-destruct feature, anyway?

Mentally slapping herself for thinking such thoughts, Noah closed her eyes and thought back to the laboratories with Pecker. As she read his notes, she could tell that he was passionate about his work. And Eleonora…

“Is this… Is this about Eleonora?” She asked, hoping to strike lucky. The look in Adrian’s face when she mentioned her name indicated that she had. And the more she thought about it, the more everything made sense. Adrian’s obsession over finding Eleonora’s body, something that Noah had possessed for the longest time before finding her own body.

The secret factory was built deep within a building, masquerading as a hotel. The entire replica project, where hundreds of clones were free to roam around. Lenia being experimented on. Eleonora’s mention about creating a perfect replica, something which she died for.

It all clicked together in Noah’s head.

“Eleonora…” Adrain’s voice was subdued. His thumb moved away from the trigger on the remote control, allowing Noah to properly breathe now that her life was not in imminent danger.

“Eleonora died conducting that experiment, didn’t she? The one about trying to make an exact copy of herself. I…” Noah sheepishly rubbed her arms. “I read your notes in the laboratory. How she died, even after knowing the dangers. The countless failed attempts, and how you need something stronger to really make it work. That’s why you need…”

“That’s why I need your dragon, yes. Eleonora has been dead for years, and even if she hadn’t, resurrection is not possible. But what is possible is cloning a body, and implanting a soul into it. You read my notes, you should know all about this.” Adrain scoffed, and moved his thumb back over the trigger.

“I need that dragon, Noah. Without the magic of a dragon, it is not possible. Every attempt would end in failure. And if I can’t have that dragon, well…” Adrian looked down at the remote control in his hands and smiled. Noah noticed how the smile did not reach his eyes, and how they looked cold and lifeless when he looked back at her. “I guess we’ll all be together in death. You, me, and Eleonora. It’s in your hands, Noah. Make your choice.”