Amy decided to drink the Dragon vial. After all, bigger is better. She would need to fly faster to make up for the time she had lost to the hunters. And a big Dragon might just scare the hunters away. She hoped they didn't try to fight her. She didn't know how to fight, and she wasn't sure if she had it in her.
The vial had a thick warning label wrapped around its cap. She began to have second thoughts, but then she remembered the danger her friend was in. She quickly ripped off the warning and the cap, and downed the contents of the vial.
Amy closed her eyes and braced herself. But after a few minutes, she opened her eyes. She didn't look any different. Her body felt a little strange, but that was probably just excitement. The contents of the vial didn't have a taste. Maybe it was a dud. Maybe the magic only worked on magical creatures like Mara. Or maybe the vials weren't magic at all. Whatever the case, she couldn't just stay home and wait. She had to try to warn Mara, even if she didn't have much of a chance. She saddled a horse, and started riding out to the cave.
The horse seemed uneasy as she rode. It had acted skittish when she entered the barn, and now it was acting scared. She wondered if there was a predator nearby, like a coyote or something. She urged the horse to hurry, but as she rode it slowed down, like its burden was getting heavier. Finally, it bucked her and she fell to the ground.
"Hey, Belle, what gives? " said Amy, as she rubbed her sore head.
Amy pulled her hand away from her head, and large clump of her hair fell off her head and stuck to her hand. She looked at her hand with awe.
It must be working, she thought.
She knew she should be scared. This certainly wasn't normal. But she just felt so good. Like her body was filling with strength, energy and power. She noticed that her clothes felt tight. She realized that she must have been growing this whole time. But the constricting feeling of her clothes let her know that she was not done growing yet. She heard a tear, as long sharp spikes erupted from her back shredding her shirt. The spikes grew down her back, and she felt a tail sprout at its tip. Her waist and belly swelled, stretching and ripping the waistband of her pants. She looked down and saw thick dark scales extending up and down her expanding abdomen. Her back, neck and abdomen began to rapidly stretch longer, forcing her to lay prone on her belly. She looked to her hands, and saw the same dark thick scales. Her hands became longer, and wider. Her fingers grew thicker, and webbed, ending in sharp claws. Her thumb receded into a dew claw. All the while her arm continued to grow thicker and longer, swelling as muscle was added to her frame. She stretched her long neck down to her abdomen, and saw that her thighs and feet had been changed in a similar fashion. She felt so strong now. And yet even as she watched her thighs grew even larger and thicker. She whipped her tail, as it grew longer and thicker in pulses from her back. The spines of her back grew longer, and smaller spikes trailed down her back to her tail. Her face ached, as her jaw extended into a snout, and filled with sharp jagged teeth. Her long thick tongue snaked out of her mouth, and licked her lips. She blinked, and her vision become finer and more acute as they changed into reptilian slits. She felt a brief pain in her skull, as two large twisted horns erupted from her head. Her back tickled, then two large thick scaly wings erupted from her back. She thought that her transformation was complete. And yet she continued to grow.
Yes, she thought. More, I need more.
She had never felt like this before. She had never felt so good, so energetic. And every growth spurt made her feel even better. She silently urged her body to grow, as she began to rise above the trees. Her body rewarded her with one final pulse of growth, and she let forth a large jet of flame in ecstasy, incinerating the trees around her. She roared in delight at her new body.
Yes, yes, she thought. Wait till those hunters see me. Those puny humans are no threat to me now. I dare them to try to harm me.
She saw her horse, Belle, fleeing in terror.
Yes, you would do well to run, said the Dragon, as it licked its lips. I am quite hungry.
She began to chase after the horse. Then Amy shook her head, clearing it of those alien thoughts.
No, no, I don't have time for that, Amy thought. I have to help Mara. That's the whole reason I did this.
She flapped her wings, creating a powerful gust of wind that spread the fire around her. She effortlessly lifted off the ground, and headed towards Mary's cave. As she flew, she glanced back once at the flames behind her. Amy didn't want to admit it, but she felt a strong urge to just abandon her friend, and continue to burn. Amy shook her head again, and focused on the path ahead.