The Parellel Side of Life Part 2
The Parallel Side Of Life Part 2
By Shanaka Longhart
It wasn't long before Shanaka had made to the forest clearing above the ridge of the mine. Shanaka stared down at the Dragonians who were forced to work there. His anger was quickly building as he watched. He felt a claw being placed on his shoulder. "You know, it really is horrible seeing what I'm seeing here right now" Shanaka said. Naomi only nodded.
"I know, but try seeing this day after day, it really is horrible." she said softly.
"Well, I guess this is it" Shanaka turned looking at her. "I want you to go back to the council, I'm pretty sure they're wondering where you are right about now.' he said.
Naomi nodded. "Don't worry, I'm pretty sure they won't do anything to me. Besides...I'm Dragonus's mate." She smiled and let off a wink as she turned and headed back down to the mines area. Shanaka raised an eyebrow but continued to watch her as she walked inside the building and left from his site. He knelt down, scanning the area, trying to figure out a way to get things going. He grinned as he stood and began to walk down the same cliff Naomi had climbed down.
A few dragons were standing in the distances. Shanaka noticed them as the ones from yesterday. The red one looked over at Shanaka, his eyes widening some. "Hey guys, looks its that human that escaped!" The other two looked over seeing Shanaka as well.
"Well well, it's the runt." the green dragon said.
"I guess he didn't get enough punishment, looks like we'll have to give him more" the blue one responded.
The three dragons started walking over towards him. Shanaka only grinned as he stood there watching them. The dragons all then began to run forward and lunged at him. Shanaka quickly jumped into the air and watched as they collided with each other on the ground. Shanaka landed not to far from them and watched as they scrambled up and began to take off after him again. Shanaka grinned as he pulled his hands back some, a bright reddish light forming in his palms. "Big mistake, now DIE!!!" he hollered, pushing his hands forward, releasing the energy quickly. What looked like a massive wave of fire slammed into the dragons, incinerating them upon impact.
Shanaka laughed to himself and turned, seeing all the other Dragonians staring at him. He then turned and walked into a tent close to him. He looked around for a moment before seeing a set of what looked like keys sitting on the table. He picked them up and walked back outside tossing them to one of the Dragonians. "Here, get yourself and everyone else out of here." The guy nodded as he unlocked his bindings and began to do the same for the others. Shanaka then turned and headed towards the building close to him.
As he walked inside he came face to face with another dragon. "What the!?" the dragon said before he fell forward as Shanaka rammed his fist into his gut. Shanaka walked over the dragons twitching body as he headed down the hallway. There were a few doors along the walls. He stood there for a moment scanning each door, trying to remember which door it was he went through earlier. He let out a slight grin as he walked all the day and opened a door to his left. He stepped inside a dark room, seeing a long table in front of him. He noticed no one was in here, but it was the same room he had been sentenced in. He walked further inside and behind the table continuing to look around. "So I see you've returned, and killed 3 of my guards none the less" a deep voice spoke. Shanaka looked up seeing Dragonus walking inside.
"Yes, I've returned, first of all to get answers, and second....to kill you" Shanaka said.
Dragonus laughed some and nodded crossing his arms. "Alright, I'll answer any questions you have, but in order to kill me, well let's just say you'll have to fight me in order to do so. What is it you wish to know?"
Shanaka continued to walk about the room, keeping his eyes on Dragonus. "First, What happened after the Dragonian/Dragon War?"
"Well couldn't you tell, the dragons won of course" Dragonus said.
Shanaka nodded. "Second, Why did the dragons enslave the Dragonians?"
"Well we all knew that the Dragonians have a power that equals that of the Dragons, and we couldn't allow another war to break out, so we did what we could do to prevent it"
"You know, you could have just made a peace treaty" Shanaka said.
Dragonus shrugged "Yes, but enslavement was much easier"
"Alright, last question. What happened to the Shanaka in this world, because you obviously know that you and I were once fused together long ago."
Dragonus let out a sigh "Do you really wish to know?" Shanaka nodded. "Alright, follow me" Dragonus turned and left the room, as he did Shanaka followed close behind. They passed a few other dragons as they headed out of the building, all of them staring and growling at Shanaka as he walked by them. As they made it outside, Dragonus led them to an open field. Standing out in the open with his back towards Shanaka. "So you wish to know what happened to the Shanaka in this world.....then I shall show you"
Shanaka watched as Dragonus's body began to shrink. His body began to look more human like. Hair growing down to his hips. His skin turning a tan like color. He was wearing a pair of black sweat pants and black light weight boots. Dragonus then turned towards Shanaka. His eyes were a bright blackish silver. A scar going down his right eye and torso could be clearly seen. Shanaka's eyes widened as he stared back at the mirror image of himself. "You see, the Shanaka in this world didn't die, he just resides in me, I have complete control over him." Dragonus then quickly ran forward at a blinding speed, ramming his fist into Shanaka's chest, sending him into a wall behind him. Shanaka coughed up blood as he stood.
"I see you also have the same speed as me, but what about everything else?" Shanaka ran forward and jumped into the air, doing a spin kick into Dragonus's head, knocking him into the ground hard. Shanaka landed and jumped back pulling his hands back. "Let's see what you can do!" A bright light formed in his palms. "Inferno Wave!" Shanaka pushed his hands forward releasing the energy at Dragonus. Dragonus quickly stood crossing his arms in front of him as the attack hit him. Shanaka watched as the smoke cleared. Dragonus had returned back to his Dragon form.
"Impressive Shanaka, but not good enough" Dragonus then moved his arms down and opened his mouth, a bright light forming. He then quickly released the attack, watching as it slammed into Shanaka hard. Shanaka flew back into a tree, snapping it half. Dragonus then walked over to Shanaka and picked him up by the throat. "Just like the other Shanaka. weak and pathetic." Shanaka took a hold of Dragonus's arm looking at him straight in the eyes. His eyes began to glow a bright red. His skin turning black and more scale like. Dragonus released Shanaka and jumped back watching as a pair of wings exploded from Shanaka's back, sending blood in all directions around them. A tail also exploding from behind him. His body size began to grow a massive size, that which was bigger than Dragonus. Shanaka looked down at him breathing somewhat heavily. "So I see, you've decided to transform into me, let's just see how strong you are now."
Dragonus ran forward and jumped up clawing down at Shanaka, but Shanaka swung his arm sending Dragonus back into the ground. Shanaka then brought a claw down pinning Dragonus to the ground. "You underestimated me, you should never underestimate your opponent." Shanaka said. He then opened his mouth, a light forming just like Dragonus's. "Now die!" hollered Shanaka.
"SHANAKA PLEASE STOP!!!" hollered a female voice.
Shanaka stopped and looked over seeing Naomi standing by the building. "If you kill him, you'll be no better than him."
Shanaka then looked down at Dragonus and closed his mouth moving away from him. Dragonus slowly stood looking over at Naomi. "What are you doing here Naomi?"
Naomi walked over towards Dragonus looking at him squarely in the eyes. "This is insane, why can't you two just get along, I mean, aren't you two one in the same person?" she asked sternly.
Dragonus looked away "We are nothing alike, we may be the same in looks, but our hearts are no where the same. We have different desires"
"He's right Naomi, yes it is true that we are the same, but we will never be the same" Shanaka said. "He fights to keep the Dragonians enslaved, and I'm fighting for the two races to have peace with one another"
"Which is why one of us has to kill the other." Dragonus said.
The three of them stood silent for a moment before Shanaka spoke. "I'm heading off into the forest, you'll know where to find me Naomi." he then turned beginning to walk off.
"Are you walking away from our battle you coward!" Dragonus hollered.
Shanaka stopped and turned, quickly running up to Dragonus, grabbing him by the throat and slamming him into the ground. "There is no point to this fight, for either of us will not win, I realize this now, because we are one in the same, we think and act alike." He stood looking down at him, transforming back into his Dragonian form. "We may have different opinions, but we in fact do act the same.. If we fought, we would only block each others attacks if it continued, we would know the attack before it even occurred. You know this just as well as I do." He then turned and began to walk off into the forest.
It wasn't long before Shanaka made it back to the cave. He sat down again the rock and stared up at the sky lost in his own thoughts. He turned as he heard a ruffling in the trees. He saw Naomi walking out, holding something in her hands. "What's that?"
Naomi dropped the item at his feet. "Your sword, I retrieved it for you, now, go back to wherever it is you came from." Shanaka reached down picking the sword up, removing the cloth it was wrapped in and sheathed it.
"What the hell is your problem?" Shanaka asked.
Naomi growled as she walked over to him and punched him hard in the face. Shanaka's head only turned slightly. "You are no different from him. All you could do was think about revenge for the Dragonians and yourself." Shanaka turned his head looking at her with an angry expression.
"You think I did it for myself, and not for you as well. The issue that I see here, is that Dragonus is controlling everything...." Naomi interrupted him,
"Well he is our king, just as you are to the Dragonians" she said
Shanaka raised an eyebrow. "Wait...how did you..."
"Know that you were the king of the Dragonians? I've brushed up on my history. I knew all about your father, Dart, being king over the Dragonians. You and your family lived normally instead of like royalty. Yes I know all about that. I thought your name sounded familiar so I decided to go check it up. It's also how I knew that there was a fusion between Dragonus and yourself. But I wanted to make sure you were the real deal."'
Shanaka let out a sigh looking down at the ground. "Listen, I don't know how or why I was sent here, it just happened ok" He walked over to the forest edge looking deeply into the forest. "All I know is, is that ever since I've found out that I was sent back home.....that I don't want to go back."
Naomi stood there watching him. "But this isn't your home, your home was destroyed"
Shanaka turned around rapidly staring at her angrily, his voice becoming a bit louder. "You have no idea what it's like do you, to lose everything and everyone you ever loved, and then to be thrown into a world that looks exactly like everything that was lost.! No you don't! I lost my wife to sickness, I killed my own brother with my bare hands, and my children want nothing to do with me. Do you know what THAT feels like!?" A tear ran down his cheek as he stared at her breathing heavily.
Naomi looked at him for a moment before walking up to him and placing her arms around him, holding him close. "I'm sorry, I had no idea"
Shanaka pushed away gently looking back into the forest. "It's all so strange to me. I haven't seen my home in over 300 years and now to be thrown back into it. It just feels all so weird." Shanaka turned suddenly as he heard a ruffling of the trees. He quickly unsheathed his sword as he noticed Dragonus walking through.
"So this is where you have been hiding" Dragonus said.
Shanaka glared at him, his grip on his sword tightening. "What do you want?"
Dragonus tossed his paws up. "I don't want any fighting, I only came here to talk"
"Talk?...what would YOU want to talk about?" Shanaka said intensely.
Dragonus turned looking into the forest. "I want to help you find your way back to your own time."
Shanaka raised an eyebrow slowly sheathing his sword. "Help me...by why would you do that?'
Dragonus laughed some in his throat. "Well, why wouldn't I, I mean you're a menace to my world and there can't be two of us here, so one must go. Besides, wouldn't you want to do the same for me if this was your home world?"
Shanaka stood there for a moment thinking. "Yes, actually I would help you to get back."
Dragonus nodded. "Alright, I've had a few of my guards scout out the mountain regions and they said they found something that may lead to a portal, go there, and see for yourself." Shanaka only nodded as he turned walking off towards the mountains. Before Dragonus hollered at him. "Hey, your going to need a guide to get through there, why don't you let Naomi go with you?"
Shanaka stopped and turned his head looking at Dragonus. "Because, she is your mate, and does not deserve to be with me. You have a good woman, don't lose her." He then turned his head and began to walk off now. "Besides, I'm sure I can get around just fine, remember...I used to live here too." He then disappeared into the distance.
Naomi and Dragonus watched as he disappeared from sight. "You know...he really does love you" Dragonus said.
Naomi looked at him raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Dragonus laughed in his throat. "Considering, him and I are one in the same person, we do indeed think alike. And I can tell just by the way he looks at you. Its really not that hard to notice, and I can tell you love him as well."
Naomi got a puzzled look on her face. "But...I'm your mate, not his, I couldn't do that to you."
Dragonus looked to her and placed his arms around her. "Listen I'm not going to make you choose, I can see that you care for him a lot, and I want you to be happy. Him and I may be the same, but we do think differently as well. He may be able to things that I cannot, so....go to him."
A tear ran down Naomi's cheek as she held him. "I'm going to miss you Dragonus."
A tear ran down Dragonus's cheek as well. "And you will be missed, but remember, I wont be too far from you, just look to Shanaka, and you'll see me as well."
Naomi nodded as she released him, giving him a kiss on the cheek before turning and walking off into the distance. Dragonus gave off a smile before turning and disappearing into the forest.
It hadn't taken Shanaka long to make up to the mountains. He had climbed up to the very top and looked down and around him. "Its just as I remember it." he said to himself as he continued to look around. He noticed a bright light emitting in the distance, on a flatter part of the mountain. He jumped across the small ravine and landed over close to the light. He looked at it and noticed that it was pulsating and moving in a circular motion. "Well this is a portal alright." he said to himself again.
"Shanaka...wait!" hollered a female voice.
Shanaka turned looking into the distance seeing Naomi running towards him. She stopped on the other side of the ravine, breathing heavily. "What are you doing here?!" Shanaka asked
Naomi stared at him smiling. "I...I...I love you...I wasn't so sure earlier, but now I know." she hollered.
"But what about Dragonus?!" Shanaka said.
Naomi continued to smile. "He was the one who told me to come with you."
Shanaka raised an eyebrow but smiled. He watched as Naomi jumped over the ravine and wrapped her arms around him as she stood next to him. Shanaka hesitated for a moment, but held her as well. "Are you sure you want to come with me? I mean, there's no telling what could happen."
Naomi nodded. "Whatever we face, we will face it together" she then released him.
Shanaka released her but took a hold of her paw. "Together then" The two then slowly walked through the portal, and out of site.
~FIN~