Half-Breeds: Krinza's Dragon by Kriss Wilt Page A

gills for water life. Instead
of just a tail, he had two scrawny twigs for legs and a rather
unbecoming tail protruding behind them. His arms and chest were
completely covered in scales with webbing between his fingers and
under his arms. He had no human ears, merely indented holes in the
side of his head. He had no hair, from all appearances, anywhere on
his body. Where he should have sported a nose on his rather human
face, he had just a bump. The constant rasping of breathing through
his mouth irritated Terrian.
    He continued with his little speech, enumerating how
once sent to Varga, he would never be allowed to return to Onara.
If he ever returned to Varga, he would be executed instead of being
exiled. A “placement agent” would await him on the other side of
the portal to explain his new life on the other moon. Following
that, he went through the tiringly long explanation on why it was
wrong to be a half-breed, how it diluted the magic, and would
eventually lead to the end of the society. It had taken Terrian
almost a month to memorize the entire speech.
    Trying not to look at the ugly, rasping child before
him, he explained that he would be allowed to say goodbye to his
parents, if they were present before being sent through the portal.
Xil turned around to point out a lovely human woman who he
explained was his mother. Terrian eyed the comely woman; she would
be gorgeous if her body wasn’t racked with sobbing heaves, her face
marred by the redness and streaks of tears from her crying. Since
the different species aged at different speeds, half-breeds
especially, the purity squads did not take children from their
rearing parent until they were deemed old enough to fend for
themselves, barely. Terrian could hear Xil’s mother explaining that
she had hoped to keep him longer, explaining to the purity squads
that he was not yet ready. She apologized over and over, hugging
him and raining down kisses upon him. Finally, Terrian loomed over
them, intent on getting the whole situation over with. His eight
foot long tail flicked in the breeze, wings twitching to take
advantage of it and soar. His deep red scales seemed to burn with
fire as the sun began to set. He flared his crest to imply his
impatience and a light rumble emanated from his chest to get the
woman’s attention.
    “It is time for him to go.” He eyed her five and a
half foot frame, resting his clawed hand on her shoulder. Standing
on his hind legs, he was only about a foot taller than her. From
all fours, he would have had to look up at her. Not that he’d have
minded, she was a lovely specimen. He understood how she had
seduced a merman.
    “Will you be alright, mother?” Xil managed between
ragged breaths and his own tears.
    Shaking with new sobs, she muttered, “Yes, dear. Now
go.” Her bloodshot eyes never left her son as Terrian grabbed the
boy and ushered him to the portal. Flanked by Griffons on either
side, it was a swirling sheet of water-like light filling an ornate
archway. Supposedly, the gems and stones that decorated it had a
much more practical purpose in the magic of it than just making it
look nice.
    After watching the boy, and prodding him along in a
less-than-gentle sort of way, he turned to see the boy’s mother as
she wailed with renewed sorrow.
    Addressing her as sternly as he dared, not wanting to
upset her any more than he had too, he said, “Ma’am, if you do not
mind, the day is coming to a close. I would appreciate it if you
vacated the premises expeditiously in order for me to retire for
the day. I understand that you are upset, however, it has been a
long day and I require rest and food.” His irritation at the long
day was noticeable in his voice and he sighed, reminding himself
that he had almost two dozen cases to deal with over the next three
days. The purity squads tended to round up groups, sending them off
only once there were near twenty of them. Terrian was assured that
he would only have to work at the portal