45 Dragonization

The wolves winced under the echoing roar.

With the roar still ringing in the distance, Hadrian stood up slowly. His eyes were pitch black, and his face was completely emotionless.

"What...what was that!?", 'Koni' cried out.

Hadrian's forearms tensed. Obsidian-like scales emerged from his skin.

The scales began growing in size and quantity until it completely covered his torso and arms. However, the transformation didn't stop there.

Two large horns began to sprout out from Hadrian's head. At the same time, his body was steadily growing bigger and bigger.

"ROAAR!!", Hadrian echoed again, signifying the end of his transformation.

What stood in front of 'Koni' and the wolves, was a large, dark dragon - with no discernable solidarity.

Hadrian's form warped and bent, moving freely with the wind. The smog-like dragon pounced forward with great speed.

'Koni' flicked her wrist at Hadrian, "Argh!", she shouted.

The two wolves charged at Hadrian, unable to disobey their master.

Hadrian slashed at them, slicing them like a knife through butter. The wolves were gone with a 'hiss'.

The only remnants of their existence was the blood that was used to form them, which was now painted over Hadrian's claws.

"What are you?!", 'Koni' shouted.

Hadrian, who was still in dragon form, roared menacingly as he darted towards 'Koni'.

Koni clapped her hands together before slamming her palms onto the ground, "Oblituro!".

An explosion boomed on the ground beneath Hadrian, causing an incredibly large ditch to form.

Hadrian pushed up, his wings carried him up into the sky. After hovering for a few seconds, he dived down to 'Koni', who was throwing a bombardment of spells at him.

The spells passed through Hadrian's body.

Halfway through Hadrian's descent, 'Koni' realized that it was fruitless to attack, so she chose to run.

Hadrian sped faster and faster, his body was streamlined, like a dart - as it flew rapidly toward the fleeting imposter.

In a matter of seconds, Hadrian caught up to the necromancer and struck her with his scaly arm.

Hadrian's talons pierced through her body as he pinned her to the ground.

"ROAR!", Hadrian sounded once more.

"Hahaha!", 'Koni' started until she aspirated her own blood and started to cough and choke, "You think this matters, Black?!".

Hadrian pressed his talons deeper into her chest, but still, she continued, "The Demonic beast of Africa will rise, and he will lay waste to this continent-", she paused as another spurt of blood rocketed out of her throat, "...I'll be remembered - Koff! Khakk!! Khakk!!... I'll be remembered for my efforts."

'Koni' closed her eyes, smiling as the gentle flame of life dulled gradually.

Her form shimmered before enlargening slowly, reverting to its base form.

Hadrian's sharp eyes took in the imposter's appearance, and was shocked to find Mr. Jamba!

The Auror who had interrogated Hadrian after the Nundu incident!

Hadrian then felt his body jerk, and then twist again, before collapsing onto of the corpse of the Necromancer-Auror.

Mid fall, Hadrian's body reverted into his human form.

-

"Here!", the medic shouted, "-There are two casualties!"

"Dear God!", the other exclaimed after seeing the two bodies, "Is the child breathing?"

"The child's fine. The man, however, is dead."

"Wait a minute!", the woman shouted, "He's that boy - the foreigner that was in the newspaper! You know, the one who fought the Nundu!"

"Really?", the one tending to Hadrian asked, who continued after his colleague nodded in confirmation, "We'll have to take him to the Uagadou infirmary."

"Another student...", the woman commented, shaking her head sadly.

-

Hadrian's eyelids fluttered open, 'Where am I?', he thought as he looked around.

'The Infirmary...', he realized.

He jumped up, scanning his body for injuries, and was confused when he felt nothing alarming. Aside from soreness, which could be attributed to muscle fatigue or 'something else', Hadrian was right as rain.

"This is the second incident he's been in!", Hadrian heard Dr. Sanku shout.

"We can't control the boy's ability to attract problems.", Bwezani answered, "The necromancers specifically went after him this time, we can-"

"Ahem.", Hadrian interrupted.

"Oh, Mr. Black, please don't rush out of your resting position!", Sanku said as he rushed over to Hadrian.

"I'm fine!", Hadrian growled, "Where's Koni?!"

Bwezani looked at Hadrian tiredly, "We don't know."

Hadrian sighed, "Can I leave, or are you going to interrogate me?"

"What happened in the forest, Hadrian?"

"There was a necromancer posing as Koni. It was the Auror that was interviewing Koni and I last time.", Hadrian answered.

"Yes, but what happened?", Bwezani repeated, "The terrain was thoroughly ruined, the trees were torn and there were reports of lightning and fires in the area where you had your 'battle.'"

"We fought.", Hadrian hissed irritably, "Headmaster, do you expect me to explain in detail how I managed to kill my first human being?"

"No, I'm just aski-"

"Well, I couldn't even if I wanted to.", Hadrian cut in, "It was an accident. Accidental magic caused by my need to survive.", He technically didn't lie, his Dragonization wasn't voluntary.

"Your grandparents are on their way, I've dispatched a portkey to them.", Bwezani sighed, "Expect them to be here tomorrow morning."

Hadrian rose and left through the door, and into the main infirmary hall.

"If she weren't my friend, they wouldn't have taken her.", Hadrian berated himself, "I have to get her back, I'm the one they wanted."

Hadrian pushed open the door, through to the corridor where the Headmaster and Deputy Headmasters' offices were.

As Hadrian was walking, he noticed that Deputy head Limbani's door was slightly ajar, with a red glow radiating from within the room.

Hadrian slowed near the entrance.

"We have to get the boy.", said an unfamiliar voice, "Our Master wants him."

"Why?", Limbani asked, "What is so important about him?"

"...The seers.", the voice answered, "The seers said they have seen him in one of their premonitions. The one that ties with demon beast Bouda."

Limbani grunted, "You'll have to come to the school if you want him. I can drop the wards, but after that, our agreement will be fulfilled and I'll get back my-"

"Don't worry, you'll get what you want soon, Limbani.", the voice chuckled, "You traitor."

The red light flashed, before completely disappearing.

Hadrian then heard quick footsteps, caused by Limbani, drawing quickly towards the door.

There Hallway was long, and there was no way Hadrian would be able to get to one of the nearby offices without alerting Limbani.

The doors swung open and Hadrian tensed in anticipation.

Limbani stepped through the door slowly, before looking around the hall. After scanning the halls, he started making his way down to the infirmary, the same place Hadrian had just left.

"What?!", Hadrian exclaimed quietly to himself, "He...didn't see me?"

Hadrian looked down and was shocked to see that his body was gone, he was just...there. His body felt as though it was glued to the wall, but he could still move unfettered.

Hadrian 'stepped' away from the wall, which made his body materialize!

"Shadows...", Hadrian remarked, "I can step into shadows."

Hadrian rushed over to his room, he needed to make sense of what had occurred today, and it was better to do it somewhere secure. As opposed to a hallway.

As soon as Hadrian reached his room, he quickly grabbed some rune stones. He tapped them, before placing them on the foot of the door.

"Seal.", he muttered, as the door clamped shut.

"Phew.", Hadrian sighed as he sat on his bed, knees tucked. "Koni's been kidnapped, Limbani's a traitor, and a group of necromancers are after me."

Hadrian felt like he needed guidance, but knew that even those he thought he could trust - adults who were supposed to be on his side, had fickle loyalty. He could try depending on Charlus and Dorea, but Hadrian was unsure about whether or not their reaction would be to assist him in getting his friend back.

Their first response could be to pull him out, and send him to another school - but Hadrian couldn't do that.

He couldn't just leave his friend behind. Koni needed help.

After all, it was his fault wasn't it?

If Koni hadn't been his friend, she wouldn't have been taken away.

Regardless, the necromancers were coming for Hadrian, and apparently - the cause of this was because of a prophecy that tied him and a demonic beast.

Hadrian also felt like he had to warn Bwezani, but could he really trust him?

And what were those powers? What exactly was his Dragon?

Upon returning to Uagadou, Hadrian found himself in a mess, once more. With no one to turn to.