Becoming a Dragon Read Online Free PDF

transforming on your own at home. At least that was how it was when I was at school. Once you get the basics you won't need any supervision to practice. Flying is a different matter, as you could hurt yourself if you crash."
    Crystal had never heard of anyone crashing. How often did it happen? Presumably more often with novices. Yet another thing for her to worry about.
    Her mother read her anxious look. "Don't worry. You won't be crashing, at least not from any height that would be dangerous. They'll take you through everything carefully. Your teacher this term is excellent; he is actually one of the army trainers and is just taking a break, so his training will be the best you could get."
    Crystal was not sure that someone used to shouting at young soldiers who were perfectly capable of flying was the best person to teach sixteen-year-olds who had no idea what they were doing, but didn't say anything.
    "Come on, dear. Let me show you how to put all of this on."
    Crystal's mother fussed over her for a while, helping her put on her new clothes. They felt more like clothes for sleeping in than anything else, but they were comfortable and the colour suited her well. After she was dressed, Crystal and her mother walked into the grounds of the mansion.
    "We're going to transform amongst the statues today," her mother told her. "I've told the staff to avoid this part of the grounds, but it's no inconvenience to them, as this area isn't really used. I don't think you've explored here yet, have you?"
    "No, not yet. What are these strange statues?" Crystal asked, looking at the dragon-like marble statues. They were spread out amongst the plants, some of them huge, as large as a Red Dragon, but most of them considerably smaller.
    "These? These are other dragons that we've encountered over the years. At least so they tell us. No one has seen these ones for years, and I think some of these they've made up. Why, look at this little one like a giant worm. This is meant to be life size! Look how small it is!"
    Crystal looked at the statue. The thing was about six feet long, and did resemble a giant worm — or at least a worm crossed with a dragon. It had no legs — and the skin was smooth. Its face was very strange, with unusual triangular teeth that looked strong but not particularly sharp.
    "Not very frightening or attractive, is it?" her mother commented. "Look, we have one of us, for comparison. You can see how tiny it is when you compare the two."
    "And this one?" Crystal asked her mother, pointing to large, fierce-looking statue. It was a bit smaller than the statue of the Red Dragon, and had a much shorter neck. "Is this a Blue Dragon?"
    "Of course, dear. Our worst enemies. It would be have been better if they had painted these statues the right colours, rather than leaving them all brown, wouldn't it? But yes, this is the most dangerous of all dragons, and a determined enemy, bent on wiping us and all other dragon races out. They're not the biggest, or the strongest, or the best fliers, or have the sharpest teeth, claws, or hottest flames, or anything that makes they special except for their malice and their hatred. The one thing that they have is their determination to wipe out everyone else."
    Crystal stared at the statue. The Blue Dragon had its lips pulled back in a snarl, revealing nasty-looking teeth, and its front foot was raised as if ready to strike at its next victim.
    "Why do they hate us so much?" Crystal asked, turning away from the statue.
    "They don't need a reason," her mother replied. "They just want our land. They've killed many other races in the past and taken their land, but we're far too strong for that to happen. We've been fighting them for hundreds of years, and probably will for hundreds of years to come."
    "Have you ever fought one, mother?" Crystal asked.
    "Fortunately not, dear. A privilege of being born into the right family is that we can avoid military service, as you will too, but plenty of us have