Ioda – The Mischievous Dragon (Part 1)
Kabao ran through the forest fighting the night’s darkness and hard rain. The branches swayed along with the wind’s terrible howl. Her clothes were wet with the chill seeping to her bones. She had caught a glimpse of the goat running this way and with luck she would soon catch it.
The gate where she kept her small number of goats had been blown open by the storm. Echoing thunder and lightning bothered the animals but usually didn’t throw them into the panic her flock was in when she arrived. Kabao managed to capture most but this last one made it all the way to the woods.
Above Kabao’s head, illuminated only when lighting lit the sky, was one of China’s magic dragoon’s. It’s large head and serpentine body weaved just above the treetops swimming through the storm as a snake. Its name was Ioda.
The dragon peeked through the trees watching with amusement as the peasant woman chased her goat. It was the dragon, not the storm that opened the gate. Ioda’s jade teeth, fore claws, and eyes sent the animals into a panic not the lightning.
“She is close to catching the billy.” The dragon thought. “If I am to have anymore fun with this chase perhaps it’s time I sent it moving in the other direction.”
Shrinking in size to only fifteen arm lengths, the dragon dipped into the trees. With the speed of a falcon, it snatched the goat with one claw then coiled below the next rise.
Kabao was fighting for breath and praying that she would catch her goat soon. She ran over a swell in the land and was ambushed by the dragon’s wide maw. She let out a scream and fell backward onto the wet ground.
The dragon reared up and laughed. Thunder and the dragon’s roar mingled further freighting Kabao. After a moment, Ioda blew a huge plume of green fire into the sky. The storm responded by calming into a drizzle.
Ioda bent its head down to Kabao, it’s lips bent back into a satisfied grin. “Woman, why are you running after your animals during such a storm? Is your husband still cozy in his bed?”
“I have no husband. The farm I live on belongs to me but is in my brother’s name. Only after I marry will I truly have it. And my brother forbids it. He wishes the land for his own heirs.”
The dragon’s jade eyes looked hard into Kabao’s soul. Dragons do not see as normal people. When a soul is present, they are unable to see the natural appearance even through a reflection. Dragons care nothing about the physical appearance. It is part of their magic to view only the very structure of the soul.
Kabao appeared as a medley of strong colors. Under the fear and shock, Ioda could see intelligence, character, and loneliness. This woman had a beautiful spirit.
The dragon reared back transforming into a man with one hand still on the goat. “My name is Ioda. My lady, what is yours?”
“I am Kabao.” She took a step back, unsure what would happen next.
“Kabao, I will be your husband. My hundreds of years as a dragon have become a bit boring. I wish to taste life as a human.”
“But why would a creature as powerful as a dragon ever agree to become human?”
Ioda grinned again, this time with only a touch of additional warmth. “I wish a son. I want to experience what only humans can. You see, dragons are born only when unfiltered moonlight threads together with a powerful bolt of lighting. It is a magical process and very rare.”
Kabao looked upon Ioda’s new form. He was a good-looking man with broad shoulders and a straight back. The only thing that marked him as different was the powerful green color to his eyes. Even now in the middle of a darkened forest, they glowed like vibrant jade.
“But what about my brother?”
Ioda stepped forward and took her hand. “We dragons have amazing good fortune and can grant many wishes. I think your brother will find his life much improved without keeping the yoke across your shoulders.”
A year later, a son was born to Ioda and Kabao. The boy was large and healthy with eyes that were the same blazing shade of green as his father. They named him Tzen.
And yet, human life eventually lost its appeal for Ioda. His magic and good fortune made the farm profitable but life as a human was still hard work. Tzen grew but was much more human in characteristics than Ioda had hoped.
While dragons lived for hundreds of years and had access to many magic powers, the boy would grow old like his mother and eventually die. Ioda’s mischievous spirit overtook him and he decided to leave.
One evening after Tzen was put to bed, Ioda invited Kabao to talk with him outside their home.
“Kabao,” He began. “It is time I returned to my old ways. Life as a human is hard and I have had my fill. I wish to stretch my body between the earth and sky. You may marry again for I will not return.”
Ioda’s eyes flashed green and his body morphed into the massive dragon he once was.
“No!” Kabao screamed and jumped at Ioda. She grabbed one of the dragon’s long black whiskers and would not let go. “You cannot leave! You have made obligations to me and to our son!”
Ioda gave a chuckle that sounded like large drums. “Woman, a dragon kind cannot be leashed by human bounds or ideas. Now release my whisker.”
“Your son has yet to grow! He needs his father! You cannot leave him like this!”
“Very well,” Ioda took his jaded claw to his muzzle and twisted off the whisker from which Kabao clung. “I hoped that my son would be dragon in shape and power but now I see that is impossible. The whisker is my final gift. It holds a portion of my powers. The whisker is impervious as I am and will bring the boy good fortune all of his days.”
Before Kabao could reach him again, Ioda uncoiled into the sky like ribbon. The dragon was gone a second later. Kabao was alone with only the six-foot whisker lying across her palms.
June 3rd, 2008 at 9:20 am
Crazy, where are the stories with good endings… ok I will keep reading.