Welcome to Gaia! ::

Sumer nodded. Alright, then. There's just one problem... I'm a little conspicuous. Not only that, but every flunkie in that place knows my face inside and out... In some cases, literally. He dropped down to fly even lower, his wings missing the tops of their heads by inches at times. So... I won't be able to make it in there easily.

Sumer thought for a moment. Well, not really... Maybe I didn't think this through, but I won't be able to get within those walls without causing a huge rukus... His eyes lit up as an idea shaped itself in his mind. Unless... I can try something. Give me a moment, here. He closed his eyes as he tried to focus. As his face scrunched itself up in concentration, his scales began to darken and redden. The horns on the top of his head tapered out to a sharper point, and the ridges lining his spine and the back of his tail grew longer and sharper, like natural blades. As the transformation came to a halt, he opened his eyes again, which were still his natural blue. He looked down at his claws, which had grown into longer, sharper talons, licked his now-serrated fangs, and then grinned at the Doctor and Kat. It took a while, but I learned to induce the transformation naturally, without using anger as a catalyst! My only problem is that it's harder to control a few of my powers, like breathing fire. He turned to the side and slowly exhaled. An explosive fireball flew out of his mouth, creating a small crater in the ground.

Sumer nodded and followed after them, trying to look as fearsome as he could. To his utter surprise, no one recognized him, in spite of his eyes. Soon, the three of them were deep inside of the facility. His tail flicked back and forth nervously, and he occasionally cringed from the resurfacing of a horrifying memory. If they recognize me, there's enough tranquilizer to keep me under for an eternity...

Thanks, Kat.. It's just a bit unsettling... He shook his head again, trying to stop another memory from resurfacing. It's insane what kind of bad telepathy originates from here. Every instinct is telling me to rescue them all and burn this place to the ground to stop them from doing it again... I'm a guardian, that's what I do!

Easy, Sumer... Slytha's voice whispered, doing her best to sooth him. If you can just make it through this, we'll be home again soon. Just you... and me. Focus on that. When we go back, we'll do whatever you like...

Sumer took a deep breath again, and a ripple of silver ran through his red scales for a moment before quickly disappearing again. My dear, I would LOVE to focus on that, but this does require a bit of self-control to maintain... His hand dropped to his side, and his fingers gently caressed the hilt. And you really make me lose control... With more assuring whisperings from his wife, Sumer began to gain confidence again.

Sumer was about to nod in agreement, as well, when the guards parted to the side, opening the doors and saluting the dragon. Mister Lucifer, sir! We didn't see you leave!

Sumer hid his confusion well, confidently striding forward. With a snarl, he knocked the nearest guard upside the head. Then you must be the worst guards in the history of the planet! How you made it into this organization, I have no idea! Now, these two are my private accomplices! You treat them with the same respect you give ME! And you had better begin respecing ME more, as well! Or I'll have you two moved to the Experimental Department, as the testing subjects!

SIR Sumer Christiansen... You're enjoying this too much. It's time to move on. Slytha's voice snaked into his mind, pushing away the fury that was beginning to truly build behind the acting. She felt a wave of relief as Sumer's mind once again cleared, and they moved on into the hallway. Don't get angry, dear. Even if you have to act like it, becoming angry at them because of their association is unbefitting of a knight...

Sumer looked over the controls, standing next to the doctor. I hate to say it, but... I have no idea what he's doing.

Of course you don't... Perhaps if you were still what you once were, the venerated killer who took such pride in his work, you would see. Lucifer stepped out of the shadows, tossing a small fireball between his two hands. What was it that they called us? "The Supreme Slayer," I believe...

Sumer spun back around, reverting to his normal shape in less than a second. His hand immediately reached for Slytha, but slowly fell away as Lucifer spoke. That's not who I am, anymore. I'm a guardian...

Oh, you would like to believe that, wouldn't you? But you've always been a killer... You became a legend for your "Heroic deeds." You brought the dragons to extinction with your own two hands! Lucifer tossed the fireball over his head, making it larger with a showy burst from his mouth. You killed the dragons because they were a threat to the dominant race! Well, you were right... You just missed the one dragon who sealed the fate of the humans in stone... Yourself.

Don't let him egg you on, Sumer... Keep your temper... Slytha whispered.

He's talking about Sir Sumer Tanis Christiansen, Kat... The greatest dragonslayer who ever lived. Sumer's teeth were gritted, and the edges of his irises were beginning to redden. A human who excelled so far in the art of slaying dragons, he exterminated them from all of Britain: the last place they had tried to seek refuge. His palm rested on the butt of Slytha's grip. Instead, they met a killer... one with a sword as dark as death itself.

In a swift, practiced motion, he summoned his sword faster than the eye could see. There was a sickening slicing sound, and then the black broadsword was back in her place at his side.

Lucifer seemed to think for a moment to understand what had just happened, then rolled his eyes as his head fell from his body. Decapitation? Sumer, you're going to BORE me to death before that works! True to his word, the head began to shrivel away on the floor, reducing itself to dust in a matter of seconds as a new one grew on the still-standing body. Two entities who refuse to die... That's us, Sumer. We could turn this world inside out if we tried! Perhaps make a new world from fire and flames... Restore the dragons to their rightful place! He raised an eyebrow at his double. You killed a thousand dragons... Imagine giving brith to a home for millions. Without the pitiful, closed-minded humans, the dragons could roam freely! They could walk the Earth once more! All that it would take is the chaos that we can create.

I see... Sumer whispered. You could use this machine to create a particle just short of a black hole nucleus. I thought that you had turned all of the targets to one point for a reason. If you do that, the gravitational force will be strong enough to pull the entire Earth inside out... Creating a world of fire and lava: the perfect place to foster a new race of fire-breathing dragons. Ingenious...

Lucifer gave Sumer a wide, toothy grin. And you know that every draconic trait is homozygous dominant. Any of our offspring would be full-blooded dragons, not even halflings, like us! We could be the immortal seeds of a new species, bringing into existence far more lives than you ever took!

You make me sick, Lucfier. Sumer growled, his hand once again taking a grasp of Slytha. Not only do you hate the humans so much, you want to turn the planet inside out, but your desire for power: to reign supreme over an entire race, knows no bounds. You don't give a darn about the dragons, or my restoration from past sins! You just want to kill and rule...

Now that's the fire-breather I know and love! Slytha cheered.