Icki

The fire rained down over the forest, illuminating the night. Gregoire used his metallic wings to shield himself from the intense flames the dragon spews from its large tooth-filled mouth. Gritting his teeth as the heat became more and more unbearable. Gregoire notices the gage on his wrist begin to beep and glow a bright red. As an Arch, he is required to never remove his winged jet pack while on duty, but if he kept it on, it would indeed overheat and explode. Taking a moment, he looks at what was once a cool, damp forest that has now been transformed into a battlefield. Who was he kidding? This forest was now a graveyard. A much-deserved crypt for the atrocities he and the other Archs had committed this night.

Just as Gregoire is about to close his eyes and give into the embrace of night, his body is jolted out of the way as a sizeable firey boulder lands in the very spot he once was.

"What the hell are you doing? You are the captain! You should be leading us." yelled a voice."

It was Eve, Gregoire's second in command, and she had just saved his life. Looking from behind a significant overturned tree, the two Archs could see the giant red dragon as it ripped and clawed at the trees. The battlefield had grown quiet as there were now less than a dozen Archs left of the over two hundred that were sent out to complete the cleanse.

"There!" shouted Eve as she tapped Gregoire on the shoulder and pointed towards the dragon. As the smoke cleared, Gregoire saw it, wrapped in the center of the dragon's coiled tail. The small child's hair is as bright as fire. A tear filled Gregoire's eye. What had they done? What had he done? He and the other Archs were sent to kill every male child born that night, and they had completed their job with immaculate precision, but of the thousands of babies they had murdered, the one child they were looking for was not even in the city but here, alone in the forest. All those children died for nothing, and there was a shift in Gregoire's mind. Looking up at Eve, he didn't see her as one of the guardians of the city, nor did he see the dragon as the hideous monster it was made out to be. He saw one being destroying life and the other protecting it. Before Gregoire could stop, he lifted his hand and opened his fist. Eve gasped as the metal wing sliced into her back and protruded through her chest.

"Why?" she gasped as she dropped to her knees.

"Because we were wrong," stated Gregoire as he looked at all the dead Archs that lined the forest floor.

"We follow orders and never ask why. Why was it so easy for us to rip newborns from their mothers? How could we place the hill of our boots to the necks of babes until they cried no more."

"We have a job, a duty!" Eve stated as her breaths became uneven.

Gregoire felt the ground rumble underneath him and the hot breath on his shoulders. Cradling Eve, he closed her eyes.

"No, there is no duty, just rest." stated Gregoire as he laid Eve's body on the forest floor and looked into the eyes of the large red dragon that now stared down at him.

"I am ready for your judgment," stated Gregoire.

***********************************************************

16 Years Later

"Izzy wait, we shouldn't be this far out. We are getting too close to the barrier!" yelled Coderious

Izzy rolled his eyes and laughed as he only ran faster. Tormenting his best friend had become a favorite pastime for Izzy, and seeing the edge of the border between Crystonia and Depurtra while torturing Coderious was the icing on the cake. Out of breath after running up and down the hills of the forsaken outlands, Coderious grabbed Izzy from behind and threw him to the ground, both teens laughing hysterically.

The ground rumbles, and the usually invisible protective shield glimmers as a shock wave of colors ripple out just feet from where Izzy and Coderious are standing.

"What was that?" Coderious ask, jumping to his feet and helping Izzy up as well.

"I have no idea. I told you this was going to be a great adventure!" said Izzy.

"Aren't adventures dangerous? I can't die today. I have a physics test tomorrow." Coderious whimpered.

"Ok, ok, we can head back, but don't you think it's strange we can't go beyond this shield," asked Izzy.

"No, the shield keeps us safe. The virus that killed all the birds is out there. That same virus that birds begin to transmit to humans is out there." said Coderious in a harsh tone.

"No need for a history lesson, The Phoenix virus happen over three thousand years ago. Can you honestly tell me you are not curious about what is out there? The virus could be completely gone by now. We live in a sterile world of metal and glass in a society that is so unbalanced and resource-deprived that we have literal walls separating us." Izzy said as he looked back toward the city.

"The rings protect us. Those bloodlines with genetic markers that resemble those of the virus live in the outer ring, the middle ring are the guards and laborers, and the inner ring is the scientist, those same scientists that created the safety we enjoy today. And if I'm not mistaken, are you not in love with Simon Vector." Coderious says with a sly grin as the two friends begin their way back toward the city.

"Stop it. Vector Enterprises happens to be the largest corporation in all of Crystonia. Of all the seven dome cities left in the world, Vector Enterprize is the only company to have a home in each Dome. They are the largest medical and pharmaceutical company, food distributor, media organization, and military organization. Without Simon Vector and his family, the world would have ended a long time ago." stated Izzy.

"And he is hot. You know it's ok to mention he is hot," said Corderious.

"I just owe him...everything," stated Izzy as he rubbed his arm and looked out into the distance.

"Oh, yea, Vector Enterprize gave your family the grant that paid for your surgery, right," said Corderious with an understanding tone.

"Yea, I don't want to talk about it." Said Izzy.

"Um, you may want to do something about that," said Corderious as he pointed to a strand of Izzy's hair hanging down. The single strand of bright red hair glistened as it caught the sun.

"Shit, The dye is working less and less." Stated Izzy as he pulled a small can of the black dye out of his pocket and sprayed the front part of his hair until the red was once again buried under the thick dye.

As Izzy and Corderious approached the gates to the first barrier, they rolled up their sleeves as two Archs made their way over.

Looking up, Izzy could see the sky covered in Archs as they flew around, keeping an eye on the most poverty-stricken ring of the city. Izzy imagined looking up at the sky as the armed men flew around, that this is what birds probably resembled. Maybe the birds' wings glisten like the metal from the enforced jet packs. The loud beeping brought Izzy back to the ground.

As Izzy looked up, he found a gun pointed in his face, and Corderious had been pushed to the ground, both arms behind his back and one Arch with his knee holding Corderious down.

"What, what is happening?" asked Izzy as he threw up his hands.

"Who are you!" Yelled the Arch, whose name badge said, Mathews.

"I'm Izzy Garcia. I live in the middle ring. My parents are David and Laura Gracia. My mother is the daughter of the high priest." Izzy didn't know why he vomited all the information, but with the mention of the high priest, Mathews lowered his gun.

"Your arm scan identifies you as Elizabeth Garcia, and the photo doesn't match. I'm going to have to radio this end."

Izzy stood frozen in fear, and it was all happening again. In middle school, Izzy had gone to his parents and told them he did not feel like himself in his skin. He no longer wanted to go by Elizabeth but liked the name Izzy, and he didn't connect with the things that the other girls his age associated with. He didn't like makeup or dolls or dresses. And although his parents were supportive, Katie Mullor made it her mission to make his life a living hell. When Izzy told everyone he would go by Izzy instead of Elizabeth, his pronouns were he/him. Everyone was very supportive, but Katie gave him the nickname Icky Izzy. She complained to the school dean, stating she didn't feel comfortable having Izzy go to the male's locker room. Katie told the dean that Izzy was trying to stare at the boys, and it was all a joke. Because Katie and her family lived in the inner circle, her pull on the school was intense. So much so that Izzy and her parents were called in and required to get documentation stating that Izzy had seen a therapist, and this was indeed not a joke.

The memory that Izzy had buried deep now bubbled to the surface, and Izzy felt his cheeks grow red, his hands begin to burn, and if it was not for the loud crash at the top of the invisible Dome that sent shimmer throughout the whole city, Izzy didn't know what would have happened. As the Arch looked up for what had crashed into the Dome, Izzy and Corderious jumped up and ran through the open gate and into the first ring of the city.

Through staggered breath, Corderious pointed at Izzy's head.

"You are going to need more dye, sir."

"What?!" asked Izzy as he turned his head and looked into one of the reflective buildings. All the dye from his head had burned away, revealing a full head of bright red curls.

"No, no, no, yelled Izzy as he looked left and right as the two boys ran through the city streets. Passing a clothing cart, Izzy swiped a bandana and tied it around his head before the two boys ducked off into an ally way.

"What the hell, the Archs are acting stranger than normal," stated Izzy.

"No, we are not going to fly by your little flare-up. What the hell was that. I have been your best friend for years, and I have only seen your hair do that once...oh when the guard questioned you about your deadname."

"I don't want to talk about it." Stated Izzy firmly as he turned and began to walk toward his home.

"You don't have to," yelled Corderious as Izzy faded into the distance. "But I will always be here to listen."

******************************************

"This is our one chance to strike!" yelled David slamming his fist into the dining room table as his voice echoed off the walls of the small wooden shack.

"This is not the way, my father is making a difference, and we make a differance from the inside, not by being enemies of the Dome," stated Laura just as firmly as her husband.

The front door creeks open as Izzy walks in, red hair blazing in the dying sunlight that follows through the door. Izzy's parents gasp at the sight of their son as their previous conversation is set aside.

"Izzy, what happened to you!" screamed Laura as she embraced her soon.

"Mom, stop it, I'm fine, everything is fine, Me and Corderious just got held up on our way from the out..." before Izzy could stop himself, he had let it slip. Looking up, he saw his parent standing over him with stern looks on both their face.

"I know you did not venture out to the outlands again," stated David.

"Izzy your grandfather is the high priest, we can not be seen in areas that are not becoming of this family," said Laura.

"What your mother is trying to say is don't embarrass her or the family name. Stated David unapprovingly.

"No, I said and am saying I have sacrificed for this family. I was born in the inner circle, but I chose to move to the middle ring for you, David, and our son. Our son has been able to enjoy certain privileges because of me and this family. What have you done? Remarked Laura.

"I have fought for this family; hell, I'm fighting for everyone in this dome..." David paused as he looked at Izzy. Izzy noticed his father looked like he wanted to say more but held back. Before Izzy can say anything, the holoprojector begins to beep and project an image in the middle of the living room.

It was Katie Mullor, she still had the same smug face from middle school, but now she wore an Arch uniform over it. Katie was one of the youngest Arch enforcers and the only Arch officer to be granted the second command at age 16. She stood in the middle of the inner circle square with what appeared to be a person with a bag over their head. The camera zoomed in on Katie's face.

"This message goes out to all of the seven domes. Crystonia does not put up with those that will go against the Dome. This Sky Rider was found trying to break into Vector Enterprise." Stated Katie as she pulled the bag off her prisoner's head, revealing the face of a young man.

"Corderious!" shouted Izzy as his father stood to his feet.

"What is he doing there?" shouted David.

"David, what have you done?" cried Laura.

"Mom, Dad, what is going on?" shouted Izzy as his face lit up.

"He wasn't supposed to go in this early," stated David.

"What do you mean, dad?"

"Tell him, David," yelled Laura. "Tell your son you have been recruiting his friends to go on your secret mission to sabotage our way of life."

"Our way of life is a lie!" Shouted David.

Izzy looked back at the hologram in time to see Katie pull her blaster from her side and place it on the back of Corderious head.

"He wasn't supposed to go in this earlier. Right before you got here, Corderious called me, he told me how the two of you got held up at the gate. He wanted to help you by breaking into Vector Enterprise and stealing a scanner to reset your ID card. I told him it was too dangerous and not part of the mission."

"Enough!" Izzy yelled, and as he did, the room went white. Once Izzy lowered his hands, he was no longer in the small shack he had grown up in but in a tall building. As Izzy made his way to the large glass window, he saw Katie holding the blaster to Corderious head. Izzy knew precisely where he was. He was in Vector Towers. one of the most secure buildings in all of the seven domes.

"How did you get here, kid?" yelled a voice behind him. As Izzy looked, he saw a tall, gray-haired man standing behind him with his blaster drawn.

"Who are you?" asked Izzy.

"I'm Gregoire, head of the Arch Enforcers. This level is off limits to the general public."

Before Izzy could replay, a muffled growl could be heard behind Gregoire. Running to the sound of the growl, Izzy looked through the metal door's window to see an adolescent red and blue dragon with a muzzle on its mouth.

"It's the Red King's son. The muzzle keeps him from calling out to the Red King," stated Gregoire.

"Why are you telling me this?" asked Izzy.

"Because I don't know if I'm strong enough to push this button," said Gregoire as he lifted a control with a single red button.

A scream from the tall glass window caused Izzy and Gregoire to run and look down at the scene below. A crowd had gathered, and Katie had a huge smile.

"What the hell is that girl doing," stated Gregoire.

"She is about to kill my friend!" yelled Izzy as Gregoire released two large metal wings from his back that shattered the glass. Gregoire dove out the window with the speed of a bullet, landing just feet away from Katie.

"Katie, what are you doing? We don't kill innocent people. Everyone deserves a fair trial." yelled Gregoire.

"Innocent? There is no such thing as innocent, yelled Katie as she pulled the trigger. Gregoire dove forward, but Katie anticipated her trainer's move, and with a gasp, Gregoire dropped to his knees, impaled by two metal wings. As Katie retracted her wings, Gregoire fell to the ground, his breaths slowing as he stared into the lifeless eyes of Corderious. With his last breath, Gregoire pressed the button on the control he had been clutching.

****************************************

Izzy ran down the hall, pausing as he saw two large wooden doors in front of him. To his left, Izzy notices a statue of a woman with short heard and large wings on her back. At the base of the figure, there is a name: Eve Mullor.

"My Mother," stated Katie as she swooped down and grabbed Izzy by his collar, slamming him into the wooden doors.

"She was killed in battle by the Red King Dragon, the very thing these Sky Rider idiots want to open our world up to," said Katie as she grabbed a dazed Izzy and pushed him through the door.

"What is the meaning of this?" states a voice from behind a large desk. Even without seeing the face, Izzy knows who it is.

"Simon, Simon Vector. Help," says Izzy weakly. Using the desk to pull himself up.

"I believe this GIRL was working with the young Sky Rider to infiltrate the building." spits Katie.

Izzy pulls away from Katie.

"You will not continue to disrespect me!"

"Wow, such spirit! I see why you are the chosen one. Katie, leave us, Izzy, Elizabeth, whoever you want to be. We have much to discuss." Says Simon as he waves his hand dismissively towards Katie.

"But sir?" questions Katie as she takes a step forward.

"LEAVE!" Simon says with his jaws clenched.

Katie gives Izzy one last look over and leaves the room closing the double doors behind her.

"Sir, thank you, You have to arrest her, she, she murdered my friend and..." stared Izzy.

"You know what we have done for your family?" asked Simon.

"What?" asked Izzy.

"Your transitioning surgery, allowing your father to live knowing he is the head of the Sky Riders, oh, there is so much more," stated Simon.

"What are you talking about?" asked Izzy.

"I'm talking about loyalty. What is more potent than a man's faith in God? A parent's love for their children. As long as I cared for his family, I had the high priest in the palm of my hand. With the church in my pocket, the people will follow.

"I thought you were a good guy. You are evil. My father was right about you! was the virus even real?" Izzy slowly backed away from Simon as he walked around the desk.

"Oh, the virus was very real. I should know I made it," stated Simon as he made his way over to a large podium with a massive book. "The Liber Mendacii. Your grandfather still teaches from this book—a book of lies. My Great Grand father's Great Grand father wrote it. Before the Liber Mendacii, there was another book of fiction called the Holy Bible. In that book, there was a story of a god that created the world in seven days. It only took me six days to destroy the world." Simon laughed. Izzy turned and tried to pull at the door, but they were locked.

"You are lying, how could you have created the virus, the Phoenix Virus killed all the birds Million of years ago!" yelled Izzy as he push with all his might against the large overbearing doors.

"Come now. You are going to miss the story. And to answer your question quantum entanglement. Something my father never understood but I figured it out. Time travel! It should have made me a god!"

"You are a monster!" yelled Izzy. turned and pressing his back against the door as he looked on in horror as Simon made his way closer.

" You know God is not perfect, I know this because we are just like him, and like him, I made one mistake. His mistake created humanity. In a world of perfection, he created something that could never trust him. Like my father, I just wanted to be seen and loved. At seven, I had no idea that by changing just one or two variables in an equation, I would change the world. I destroyed the server that held the camera footage of me changing the equation to hide my mistake. I didn't know that by destroying the server, I was also destroying the data for the virus and any chance for a cure. The virus spread so quickly. In a finally effort to fix my mistake I used my machine and flung the virus thousands of years in the past.

"So, The Phoenix Virus WAS you. You killed all the birds?" asked Izzy.

"Yes and no. The virus was my mistake, my life-changing moment in time. But I didn't kill the birds. I killed evolution. You see, the virus made all birds de-evolve into a more reptilian form, and then they began to grow larger, and over the years, you see, we have what we call dragons. The very thing of myths, I created. But then there was the problem of you." Said Simon as he grabbed a blaster from his desk and pointed it at Izzy.

"What are you talking about?" asked Izzy.

Simon fires, but to Izzy's surprise, he doesn't feel any pain.

"What did you do to me?" asked Izzy.

"Check your wrist."

Looking down at his wrist Izzy views his ID holo Tag. The picture fades, and the name Elizabeth erases from the tag.

"I can't have you around. One ancient text stated that a male child would be born and would lead the world of dragons and humans to a world of utopia. I couldn't have people looking to anyone but Vector Enterprise, so 16 years ago, I had every male newborn killed, but you slipped through. Mother nature always finds a way. She hid you, I had the Arch looking for a male child and you went right under the rador, it is laughable. I didn't even think..." Simon stops talking as the office glass begins to shake with a high-pitched roar.

"What the hell is that?" asked Simon, looking frightened for the first time.

It took Izzy a moment, but then he realized what had happened. As he thought back to the red button that Gregiore was holding. Izzy first thought it was a device that would cause the young dragon harm, but it was the oppoiste, it gave it a chance for freedom.

"You know, while you were given your villain monologue, you said one thing that was true," Izzy says with a smile.

"There is nothing stronger than a parent's love." Izzy and Simon look up and out the window as a Large Red Dragon crashes down onto the invisible Dome, sending shockwaves throughout the dome city.

Simon turns a dial on the blaster and points it at Izzy, but before he can pull the trigger, Izzy runs and dives out of the window, and as shards of glass fall around him, Izzy feels his body heat up as he feels himself being lifted in the sky by a red and blue dragon.

Taking a moment, Izzy looks at his arm and begins to type.

I-C-K-I.

Pressing enter, Izzy locks in his new name, making it much harder for Simon and the Archs to find him. Looking down and petting the side of the adolescent dragon.

"Hello, I'm Icki, and I'm your friend. We can both use one after the day we have had."

Taking a deep breath, Icki held tight to the dragon as he flew through the hole created by the Large Red Dragon that was now nowhere to be seen. Looking back, Icki could hardly see Simon as he stood next to Katie, both looking up with hate in their eyes.

Icki found himself looking up as something to his right caught his eye. Something small and white flew next to him and his dragon. Icki remembered the name from history class. Dove. It was a dove, and just like that, A symbol of hope soared high into the clouds.