Location: Dragon King of Destruction's Temple, Bushyasta; Throne room
In an extravagant room painted in the colours purple, gold, and blue, the hunting dragon stands in front of a giant staircase that leads to a throne at the top and bows.
Then he turns his face to Zahhak, kneeling beside him with sweat rushing down his face, and says, "Dragon King of Destruction, Indrani, I come to report to you today that Zahhak Mazda has rampaged through the 5th city of Mount Hara, leaving destruction in his wake!"
Zahhak turns his head to the side and whispers, "I didn't rampage that much."
Suddenly, a voice rings through the entire room, that says, "ZAHHAK! Raise your head towards me."
Looking up, Zahhak sees a large series of female Dragons dressed from head to toe in Firaq dresses with slits that show their scales, with one Dragon lying sideways on a throne in the middle. She wears clothes similar to all of them but with far more jewellery than the others, and an opening in which her pregnant stomach is exposed for all to see.
She has beautiful brown and black hair, purple eyes, two great horns, and an expression barely holding in her laughter. Staring at her, Zahhak's expression softens, and he says, "Whoa, you've gotten fatter since I last saw you."
The faces of the Dragons around her sour, but she bursts out in laughter that shakes the very room as she gesticulates in response to his comment. "Zaza, you're way too funny, you see me in who knows how long, and you already start saying nonsense like you've gotten fat. I really can't get enough of you." Turning her head to one of the women beside her, she says, "Give me his head."
"I AM SORRY!" He says, smashing his head into the ground.
"I am just kidding, I would never kill my cute little nephew, though, don't you think it is embarrassing for the 2nd son of the Dragon God of Truth and War to be caught destroying land in the country he is a guest in."
Zahhak smashes his head into the floor a few more times as he says, "I promise I will help them all rebuild what they have lost, and repay it all with hard labour."
"A proud answer, what I expect from an honourable Dragon. All is forgiven then."
"My Shah, may I speak?" The Hunting Dragon asks,
"You may."
Raising his head, he says, "This is the 332nd time in the 9 years Zahhak has been in this country that he has created mass destruction. Tomorrow we shall be returning him to the care of his The Dragon King of Truth, and it won't look proper of us to return him with this behaviour. So I think that simply forgiving him is excessively babying him."
With a smirk, Indrani asks, "Do you think I am incapable of handing out the proper punishments to the children under my care?"
"I would never say such a thing, my Shah, but children who are direct descendants of the Dragon King haven't been born in millennia. Your kids were raised during a different time and learned to control the massive amounts of power they were given through trials and tribulations. Zahhak is not, and will never face such intense struggles as you all did; he needs to be reigned in so he doesn't become a rampaging demon with the power given to him."
Indrani fixes her posture and sits correctly on the chair, then says, "The Kshathra only have one rule. Be free, freedom to express and control yourself in whatever way you have or wish to. The enlightenment, unity and progress that the other three kings devote their people to seek mean nothing to me; I just wish to allow all of you to paint your beauty into the 7 Realms so I can gaze upon it. This young boy beside you has great potential to paint the world, and I wish to let him express all of that. You fear complacency in peace, yet that complacency is what all your ancestors bled for, Hunting Dragon. So don't deny this young child the same thing."
The Hunting Dragon grips his fists, then says, "Yes, my Shah."
"Good, now please be on your way, and spend more time with your wife, we get lonely when married to workaholics like you."
"I shall." Getting up, the Hunting Dragon walks away, and as he does, his eyes meet with Zahhak as they both give each other violent glares.
As he exists, one of the women beside her says, "I don't like the challenges that man raised towards you, my King."
"Don't worry about it, freedom to challenge me is freedom I allow as well. Besides, don't you guys insult me behind my back?"
Their eyes all fall on her, and one of them says, "Speaking the truth of your actions, especially in your pregnant worldly rampage over the last few millennia, is not an insult; it's reality."
"All of you get out, and spread your 'truth' outside of my presence!"
All the Dragons standing beside her start leaving, and as they all exit, Indrani stands up and holds out her arms before saying, "ZAZA COME GIVE AUNTIE A HUG!"
Zahhak rushes up the stairs and jumps, saying, "AUNTIE!!!!" Holding out his arms for a hug.
Yet before both of them joyfully connect in a beautiful union, Jamshid jumps in and smashes Zahhak in the face, sending him flying towards the wall, leaving a crater.
Jumping over to Zahhak, Jamshid starts slapping him with his ears, causing Zahhak to say, "I see jumping full force into a pregnant woman isn't smart. You are right, Jamshid."
Walking up behind them both, Indrani picks Zahhak and Jamshid up and says, "Do you think Zahhak could even hurt my bunny? Don't kid yourself, for I am the strongest offensive force to ever breathe on this planet!!!"
She hugs Zahhak tight squeeze, which causes him to say, "AUNTIE, I CAN'T BREATHE!"
Releasing the tension, she walks over to her throne and holds him above her head, as she says, "Now, why did you leave your classes again?"
He turns his head to the side and says, "Did you add some new colours to that wall?"
"Last time I painted over it was 700 years ago. Now answer my question."
"BECAUSE IT'S SO BORING SITTING ALL DAY, I WANT TO PLAY!"
Turning her head, Indrani says, "You hear that? He said your classes were boring."
Zahhak's body seizes up, and he slowly turns his head to the side of the room where the teacher who was writing in his class sits. She is covered in pitch black silk in a style similar to a suit with large black ropes in the shapes of ovals that cover her with purple-strung eyes across it.
The skinny, flat, pale woman with sunken eyes says, "I see, of course it was boring, everything I do is boring. I can't even entertain a mere 9-year-old child with the grand history of our people. It's because I am trash, rubbish, garbage, nothing more than a corpse who is allowed to walk around among all you exalted beings. I am sorry for the sin of being alive; let me rectify this with my death."
She holds out her hands, and soon the dragon scales across her body grow into a claw that covers them, and she brings it towards her neck, causing Zahhak to run over and grab onto her arm. "STOP IT!!!"
"NOOOO!!!! LET ME DIE!!!!!"
Indrani sighs, then extends her tail and smashes Garəbra in the face, knocking her into the ground, and then gets up as she walks towards her. Using her tail, Indrani picks up Garəbra with her tail, and says, "You are the daughter of the Dragon King of Destruction, enough with this nonsense of complaining about everything."
"But mother, I am nothing more than a ghoul who should be put down."
Indrani starts to grit her teeth in annoyance, then, with a pleasant smile, she says, "Okay then. I will put you DOWN!"
Zahhak jumps on Indrani's face and says, "PLEASE I LOVE TEACHER TOO MUCH!!!"
Garəbra mutters, "Not enough to come to class.
Turning and jumping on Garəbra, Zahhak says, "I will go to all the remaining classes I promise," as he layers kisses on Garəbra's face.
"You say that, but despite your return happening tomorrow, you still didn't see it as important enough.
Pulling back for a moment, Zahhak says, "I am really sorry, it's just that I was feeling too excited for tomorrow that I couldn't sit still. I really wanted to play outside and get a feel for Mount Hara before I have to leave, but I know it's not because of you. Your classes make me want to see the country far more than anything else."
As the pure shining eyes of Zahhak enter Garəbra's sight, she lets out a tear and goes limp as she says, "I think I just died from cuteness."
Indrani slams her into the ground and then holds Zahhak in front of her. "I know you want to see all Mount Hara and even Avesta has to show. But you are only 9 years of age, please don't forget that you have millennia to truly enjoy it all. Take it slow for the first few centuries as you get used to it."
"Right," Zahhak says as he lowers his head with puffy cheeks.
Holding him close, Indrani says, "How about this then. If you finish all your studying and preparation earlier today, I will read you a story tonight."
"REALLY!"
"Of course. Besides, I don't want my little beautiful nephew to leave me without some quality time together,"
"Then I will get on it." Jumping out of Indrani's arms, Zahhak grabs Garəbra on the floor and drags her down the stairs as she smacks her head across each step, leaving a dent in each one as they go, before rushing out of the doorway.
Looking down at them, Indrani whispers, "Ahura, I know it might be scary, but that boy can fill the hole in your heart. So please don't let me down tomorrow."
-Break-
Zahhak's training 1: Religious Education
Location: Dragon King of Destruction's Temple, Bushyasta; Classroom
Standing in front of the class, Garəβra says, "There are two main faiths in the ground. First is Dragonism, which celebrates the Dragon God and his children, the Dragon kings who reign over the land. It originally worshipped all the Dragon Kings. The Dragon King of Destruction doesn't like to be referred to as a greater being, the Dragon King of Enlightenment sees it as blasphemy, and the Dragon King of War sees religion as utterly pointless. So only the Dragon King of Truth is worshipped under this faith, which sometimes refers to him as a god.
While the second Religious movement is the one founded by the Dragon King of Enlightenment Paramaism, which is a faith tha-." Stopping Garəbra sees Zahhak nodding off, and says, "YOU REALLY DO HATE ME, LET ME DIE!!!"
"NO DON'T!"
Zahhak's training 4: Combat Training
Location: Dragon King of Destruction's Temple, Bushyasta; Training grounds.
In the middle of the empty training ground, Zahhak stares at two adult Dragons in front of him and says, "Come on, try a bit harder."
They extend their tails, and Zahhak does so as well, and soon the three of them charge at each other, with Garəβra to the side saying, "No Dragon blood battle arts, only normal combat with spirit energy."
The two swing their tails toward Zahhak, who, in an instant, dodges whilst smashing his into the ground, breaking their footing and flinging rocks. Then, with a powerful swing from his tail, he launches the rocks into one of the men's bodies, sending them flying backwards, then one of the other's legs with his remaining moment before running over to him and punching him directly into the other one.
Turning around, he runs over to Garəβra and jumps on her, saying, "I WON!!!!"
"Good job. Now it's time for your next opponent," she says, pointing into the distance.
Turning his head, Zahhak's face fills with sweat as Jamshid stands in the middle of the battleground. "NOOOOOOOOO!!!!"