[Bonus chapter] A Little Dragon

"Shift….." The man with Phenoix red eyes looked at the young boy standing in front of him. Both of them were standing on the grass field while the bright sun shone on them. The boy was standing nacked just like how he was born, while his slightly blue eyes glared at the man standing in front of him. The sunlight was shining on the boy's body which was drenched in perspiration.

Even after receiving the order the boy still didn't move a muscle making the phenix eyes man clenching his jaw. But the patience that he lacked mostly remained hanging on the thin thread.

"Shift now," Donovan repeated his order with the same unfathomable eyes which were looking down on the little boy.

"I can't." Came firm words from the boy who was hardly holding it in. His body was in so much pain that he felt his bones were about to fall apart, how could he possibly shift in this situation? Thought boy to himself.

Far away from them stood two men in their early twenties. One was holding a sword with both hands carefully while the other was standing in a very relaxed position.

Zivan has one hand resting on the shoulder of the man standing beside him. While his other hand was holding roasted peanuts which he was popping in his mouth from time to time.

"I kinda feel bad for little Theo." Muttered Zivan with a deep sigh. While the man standing beside him rolled his eyes hearing the fake sympathy from the prince.

"He shouldn't waste time. The more time he spends, the more painful it will be Since the sunlight is getting harsher" Stated Garrett. He was the personal squire of the eldest prince Donovan and was probably the only man who could handle the foul temper of his prince.

"I could feel big brother losing his patience, what do you think he will do, Gar?" Asked the prince while popping another peanut in his mouth.

"Why don't we bet?" The prince said excitedly.

"Bet what?" Garrett creased his eyebrows.

"Bet that who will be the one to break down first. My big brother or little Theo. I chose my brother." Zivan said observing the tension in the atmosphere between man and young boy.

"Little Theo's expression doesn't look too good." Garrett commented, rubbing his chin.

"It's final, then if I win you will give me your 'little flame'." Zivan said, smiling sweetly at the man beside him.

As soon as the words left his mouth Garrett shrunk her shoulder to the side making Zivan lose his balance.

"Sorry, I'm not interested in the bet, my lord." He denied taking part in the bet immediately. His lips twitched at the skim of the sly prince. The little flame was the sword that was gifted to him by prince Donovan himself as a reward. Made from extraordinary misoori steel it was almost unbeatable.

"Tch...Such sore loser." Zivan scoffed and leaned on the tree trunk while his hand kept popping the peanuts on his mouth.

Garrett rolled his eyes, how did he become looser when he didn't even join the bet.

While their banter continued the war of glares was going on on the ground.

"Try…" Donovan said looking at the boy who looked not more than eight to nine years old.

Donovan was somewhat amused at how the boy was not afraid of him and was looking straight into his eyes which other people avoided doing.

"If you don't try now you will never be able to do that. You are already ten years old and if your body becomes adjusted to only your human form, you will never be able to shift again." Stated Donovan. He liked how the boy was brave and he could see the spark of fire burning in him. All he needed was a puff of air to make the spark the raging fire.

But even after hearing what Donovan said the boy didn't move.

"Try to shift Once or stand the whole day, for twenty-four hours here in the same position. You decide." Finally seeing that boy wasn't going to move Donovan gave his final ultimatum.

The boy's eyes widened hearing his words. Being stubborn that he was, he wanted to choose the second option but he knew that the prince was true to his words. If he hadn't seen him doing that with other kids and seen how miserable they had become he would have definitely chosen the other options without batting an eye.

The boy greeted her teeth as he took position on his four limbs. Donovan looked satisfied seeing the obedient behavior.

Theo closed his eyes and concentrated for a few seconds after that his body started to shake violently as he tried to keep himself steady on the ground.

"Ah…" A low growl left his mouth as the pain started to spread through his body. The sound of bones breaking and re-arranging can be heard.

Zivan and Garrett, who were standing not far away, straightened their back as they saw the boy trying to shift.

Theo yelped painfully as the bones were rearranging and his human hands were turning into the spreading into big fan-like things while his foot started to shape in claws.

Soon the pain became unbearable as the process was very slow and painful.

"Ahhh…." The little boy yelled with all his might.

"I…. cant…." The boy was crying and yelling to stop the process. He was at his limits. But the eldest prince knew how to push someone's limits very well.

Donovan looked at him with narrowed eyes and didn't do anything. His expressionless face remained the same as ever. As if he couldn't see the pain of the boy.

"Breath…." His indifferent voice came without batting an eyelid.

"Huuuhhh huuuu." Theo tried to take a breath as another wave of pain hit him hard.

"Ahhh.." again his cries echoed. His human form started to deteriorate into something scally and dark. A long tail which wasn't there started to appear and in ever so slow speed a shape of a creature with two wings appeared.

The structure was small with small wings and claws. A tail that was behind his back was waving in the air as the creature fell on the ground. His skin has thickened as the transformed into his original dragon form. The blood that flows in his veins becomes warmer and thicken even more.

A small dragon appeared in front of them who had smooth shiny skin and glaring yellow eyes. Two horns on his head were like his crown and the face with a pointy nose and big nostrils and scary sharp teeth.