Are you a story writer? Do you write stories about the real world, or about fiction? If you answered fiction, do you ever wonder whether or not one of your stories could come true?

That is precisely what happened to me. I finally was given the chance to turn my greatest desire into a reality.

It would be fair of me to say that my stories, of fiction, finally collided with reality, and the result forever changed both me, and my life, in ways I had never imagined.

My name is Drake Starfire, and this is my story.

Up until a year ago, I was just your ordinary, average human being. My name, back then, was Charlie Lucas, and I was living the life of an ordinary 21-year-old.

Nothing about me seemed out of the ordinary. A fairly muscular build, with thick, dirty blonde hair slicked back, dark brown eyes, and an unconcerned expression.

My typical clothes were runners, bluejeans, and a plain black t-shirt.

However, three things that set me apart from other people, that made me, as I put it, "abnormal", were my 'scissor gait', the scar on my stomach, and the shortened middle finger on my right hand.

My gait was the result of a disorder called cerebral palsy, or 'CP' for short, which I'd been born with as a result of a premature birth. The disorder affects muscle tone.

The scar was the result of an operation I'd had to have when quite young, for a shunt, which is a plastic tube that works by draining excess fluid out of my brain.

Lastly, my shortened middle finger was the result of a bad accident I'd had when just five years old. But due to being so young, I couldn't remember it.

From my dad's recollection, my brother had accidentally slammed the door on my hand, crushing and destroying my fingertip. This in turn triggered a bad nail-biting habit that I managed to finally kick after over 20 years.

So that was me; aside from those quirks, I was just your average Joe.

I had been a story writer for close to 20 years by now, and loved to write fiction. I don't know why, but that's the genre that seemed to 'ring' with me.

Ever since watching the movie Dragonheart when I was young, I'd had a fascination with dragons.

I loved their powerful forms; the gigantic, powerful wings, the muscular, graceful body, the lethal talons, and the spiked/clubbed tails.

Everything about those mythical beasts was awesome.

Of course, I knew well that not all dragons were handsome or good-natured. Some indeed were big, lumbering brutes with beastly tendencies; some classic examples being Smaug from the story 'The Hobbit' by J.R.R. Tolkien, or Narissa from "Enchanted".

But, many people chose to portray all dragons as such. And to me it just seemed wrong.

Some good dragons(that I knew of) included Saphira from 'Eragon', as well as Eustace from "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader", although he'd been a human boy turned into a dragon by his own greed.

One of the most famous, however, was Draco, from 'Dragonheart'. His decision to let his human friend Bowen end Draco's life was always saddening, but I understood that Draco had wanted it in order to stop the tyrannical king Einon from reigning forever.

However, Draco's soul being freed and sent to the stars of his namesake constellation always instilled in me a sense of hope.

Anyway, after watching the movie, those were my precise thoughts as I lazed on the living room couch.

My parents were both away at work, and my brother had left about an hour ago to spend the night at a friend's house, so I was alone. I was really excited, since it was December 17th; tomorrow was my 18th birthday.

After eating a few slices of one of the two leftover pizzas and chugging a cold glass of water, I'd cleaned up and was now kicking back on the couch.

A few minutes later, I got up, went up for a warm shower, then slipped on my plaid grey night pants and a white t-shirt.

I lazed around the house, enjoying the quiet. Soon going upstairs to my room, I went on my laptop, and logged onto my deviant art account.

I grinned as I searched through my penned stories and photos, and my faved art from other deviants.

I decided to read one of my more-recently penned stories, "The Gift", and afterward, scrolled down to see one of the deviants I had discovered just weeks earlier, 'RobertDayson', had, in a feedback message, brought up the interesting idea that my persona, Drake Starfire, could be friends with him.

The thought made me smile.

Another of my friends, Dragonguardian253, wrote, as usual, how awesome she thought my stories were, and how my writing made her wish she could be a dragon.

Her words started me thinking,

"What if it isn't all just fantasy?" I thought to myself. "What if my dream, and hers, could become real?"

I also entertained Robert Dayson's (or David as he said I could call him) persona of the white wolf as a real living creature.

The thought made me grin to myself.

I soon found myself getting tired, so after a hot bath, I decided to crash.

As I lay in bed, I began to dream...

I was standing on a huge circular lot surrounded by miles of open grassy field.

I suddenly noticed another short road leading off the lot to what appeared to be a beach, but it seemed to drop off.

Walking slowly over to the small ledge, I peered over, grinning upon seeing a huge gravel bank sloping down to a sandy beach, but the sand was packed hard as stone due to the cold, and was thus completely flat.

Due to it being late fall, the lake was already frozen over with a thick sheet of ice that was completely free of snow, and thus was pure, and the reflection of the sky upon it made for a dazzling sight!

It was almost like a mirror, or even solid metal!!

I grinned, and jumped, sliding down the bank to the beach below, before standing and walking to the shore.

I stood quietly, admiring the view.

Being so taken by the beauty of the landscape, I failed to hear approaching footsteps behind me, then a smooth, gentle baritone voice.

"Nice view isn't it, Charlie?"

Gasping, I whirled, and cried out in shock, staggering back from a large anthropomorphic white wolf with striking cobalt blue eyes, like the reflection of clouds on the waters of a deep lake. He wore black jeans and a dark grey hoodie.

I tried to form words, but nothing came out. The wolf chuckled.

"You're not going crazy, my friend!" he said with a wink, placing one hand on my shoulder. "It's me!"

"R-robert...Dayson?!?" I asked, completely shocked.

He grinned wolfishly. "The one and only!"

Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I glimpsed two forms flying high in the sky!

As they came closer, I saw two anthro dragons!


One was bright red, with 2 large white, back-curving horns and a thick black mane. She wore dark bluejeans, a white t-shirt, and a black leather jacket.

The other dragon, this one blue with silver horns and mane, wore New Rock reactor boots, with dark grey shorts, and a dark purple t-shirt with a striking green dragon gazing at a star on the front!

Hanging from either pocket of his shorts were two HUGE silver chuckers wallet chains!!

He smiled at my astonished look, before stepping forward and extending a hand. "It's great to finally meet you, Charlie!!"

"Doran...Eirok?!" I gasped. He winked.

"Yessirree!" he replied with a goofy grin. I smiled, shaking his hand.

I glanced at the other dragon, who smiled. "Dragonguardian253, I presume?"

She laughed. "You can call me Gabrielle, Charlie!"

I snapped awake with a gasp, bolting up in bed. That dream in which I was there with three of my online friends, with them in their true forms, seemed so unnervingly real!

I recalled how my dad had told me that he thought it was foolish of me to believe in fantasy, but what if he was wrong?

What if what I believed in, could come to be?

I tried to go back to sleep, but couldn't, for some reason.

Sighing, I got up, had a hot bath, then dried off, slipped on my boxers, pants and dark blue plaid robe, and tied the sash. Going downstairs, I prepared a mug of hot cocoa, and relaxed on the couch. I also prepared and had some peanut butter crackers.

About one and a half hours later, I became aware of voices outside in the distance. I couldn't make out what they were saying, but thought it was just someone in my neighbourhood going for a walk.

I was wrong.

Just as I drifted off, I heard the front door open.

Snapping awake, I jumped up, dashing to the door. "Hello?" I called.

There was no answer.

I slowly turned the knob. Pulling open the door, I saw no one.

"What the...?"

"Grrrrr....!" I heard a low snarl that lifted my hackles.

Suddenly a huge white werewolf jumped from hiding around the door.

"EEEEEEYAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!" I screamed, falling back onto the stairs.

When I regained my composure, I saw the wolf leaning against the door, holding his side from laughing so hard!!

"Geez, Robert!" I gasped. "Did you HAVE to do that to me?!" I shouted in mock anger.

He just chuckled. "Did I scare ya, Charlie?"

I just grinned, as he laughed, extending a hand to help me back up, before clapping me on the shoulder.

Then both dragons stepped out from hiding, grinning at me. I rolled my eyes, as a grin formed on my face again. They both laughed, knowing that I knew they'd been in on the prank.

"Nice to see you guys, Doran, Gabrielle!" I addressed both dragons, who grinned.

Letting my friends in, I closed the door.

Doran was the first to speak again.

"I take it your kinda in the middle, Charlie, regarding all this? Not surprised because you know all of us from dA, but still a little surprised to see three of your friends for the first time, in their true forms, I might add?"

I chuckled, shaking my head. "You're a mind-reader, Doran!" I replied, grinning.

He chuckled, before going to sit on my couch.

"I still am trying to wrap my mind around the fact that a werewolf and two dragons are here in the flesh-and-blood, in my house!! I've only ever chatted with each of you on different occasions on my deviant art page, but never dreamed I'd get the chance to see and meet all of you in person, in your true forms!!"

They all grinned. "Anyway, there's some leftover pizza. Just a sec."

I went to the kitchen, and prepared three plates of three slices of pizza each for my friends, heating them up.

"Chow's on!"

We all sat at the dining room table talking, laughing and joking. Soon, after I finished eating, Gabrielle suddenly went to the porch, returning with a large black leather satchel.

Setting it on the table, she gracefully slid a large rectangular box out, and flipped it open, revealing a large red velvet cake with eight candles, four on either side, proceeding to light them with a burst of flame!!

"Happy birthday, Charlie!"

I blushed, grinning sheepishly.

"And I know we didn't have to, but we wanted to!" Doran said with a grin.

I blew out the candles, then Doran did the honour of cutting me the first slice.

We chatted as we ate, and admired the falling snow outside.

It was a beautiful night outside, and, surprisingly, I could see the 17 stars forming the constellation Draco, the Dragon, through the dining room window!!

After dessert, we helped each other clean up, then Robert, Gabrielle, and Doran each bought out a gift for me!

Thanking them, I opened Gabrielle's gift first, gasping as I found a beautiful rosewood case, inside which was what I instantly recognized as the rune stone of the dwarf Kili, from 'The Hobbit' film trilogy, and just like in the film, it was actual labradorite!!

Robert's gift was a ring I instantly recognized as the one worn by Thorin Oakenshield, with the sodalite stone bound in a cage of silver!!

I grinned, slipping the ring onto my right middle finger.

Finally, from Doran, I got a totally unexpected gift: a strange crystal phial on a silver chain, filled with a glowing burgundy liquid!!

I looked up at my friend in confusion, as he grinned. Glancing down at the phial, I examined it. The phial itself was small, about the size of my palm, and was enclosed in two elegantly-crafted sterling silver frames that had the appearance of elegant vines; two silver needles at either end supporting the phial in the frame, edged with two diamonds as brilliant as the phial itself!!

All this I registered in the space of a breath, and gasped as I instantly recognized Galadriel's crystal phial from "Lord of the Rings"!!

I looked up at Doran in amazement, as he grinned.

"I've always known of your fascination with dragons, Charlie, not just because of me, but many others!"

Gabrielle smiled at this. "And you were always one of the most talented writers I'd known on deviant art, Charlie!"

I smiled. "Thanks, Gabrielle!"

I started to lift the phial to my lips, but Doran stopped me.

"Just a second, Charlie!"

He got up, and disappeared into the kitchen, returning with a small bottle of sparkling, low-alcohol raspberry spritzer, and four martini glasses!

Setting the glasses on the coffee table, Doran popped the cork, filled each, then capped it. Placing the bottle in his satchel, he took the first glass, offering it to me, then took the second for himself, as Gabrielle and Robert took theirs, and we all stood.

For a second, we relished the darkness and silence of my house; a place I knew I would never return to.

Tonight, the night before my birthday, was a night I would never forget.

Doran lifted his glass, toasting to me.

"A toast to the most awesome, funniest, and all-around great guy I'm privileged to call my friend: Charlie, may tomorrow, your birthday, bring you all the joy and happiness you deserve!! And, Merry Christmas!!"

"Happy birthday, and Merry Christmas, Charlie!" Gabrielle and Robert echoed in unison, as I grinned, then we drank.

Afterwards, Robert washed the glasses and stored them in a special steel martini glass holder, alongside the spritzer, taking it with him.

After directing Gabrielle, she went upstairs to my room, and got me my Macbook Air laptop.

I powered it up, then opened the internet, went to my emails, and wrote a letter of farewell to my parents:

Dear Mom and Dad,

Season's Greetings to you both!! This might be the last email I send for a long time. Something has happened to me, but I assure you, I will be all right. I have finally reconnected with three long-time friends, and please know that they will look out for me in the time to come. I am in good hands!

Please take care of my brother Brandon. I hope you all are doing well, and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Love Charlie!!

With that, I sent the email to each of them, before shutting down the internet and the computer. I noticed my friends had tears in their eyes as I had typed out my final farewell to my family, but it was okay, because I did too.

I then took my laptop back upstairs, putting it on my desk, before drawing my blinds, and taking one last look around my bedroom; a place I could never return to.

Forcing back the lump in my throat, I closed the door behind me, and headed back downstairs.

I then took Doran's gift, carefully opened the phial, and threw back the liquid in one gulp.

Instantly, my muscles seized as I collapsed to the floor, as Doran caught the phial by the chain; my friends all watching in anticipation as a strange, fiery golden-amber power, like the mystical sand from the dagger in 'Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time', formed, flashing over my human body while lifting me off the ground!!

It then detached from my human body, forming a 'shell' of that, which suddenly started morphing smoothly into a dragon!! I watched, awestruck, as the dragon formed, before looking down at the fiery amber threads of power that flowed across my human body.

Even though I knew that this would be the last time I would ever lay eyes on my human self, I wasn't sad, afraid, or regretful one bit about my choice.

"It will come to pass, and thus be as it was meant to be!! I will finally become who I truly am within!!" I thought excitedly.

Glancing down at my friends, who all watched in astonishment, I grinned, and threw a wink to my friend Doran Eirok, which no one but he could have possibly seen, as he smiled.

Doran, Robert, and Gabrielle all watched, breathless with wonder, as the shell smoothly transformed into my anthropomorphic alter ego, Drake Starfire!!

Soon, in just twenty seconds, the transformation finished; me closing my eyes in resignation, just before the transformed shell suddenly pulled back onto my human self, enveloping it, before the power faded slowly from around me, as I dropped to the floor, gasping!!

Glancing down at myself, I gasped upon seeing my copper-grey scales!! And instinctively, I reached up with my left hand to my breast, feeling my heartbeat, before grasping the scale over my heart, and lifting it slowly as my friends watched.

Thump, th-thump, thump! Thump, th-thump, thump! Thump, th-thump, thump! Thump, th-thump, thump!

I heard a gasp, and looked up at Gabrielle, who stared, mesmerized, at my glowing dragon heart. I smiled, before looking down again as I slowly pulled the scale down; the deep, slow beat of my heart fading away.

"Wow, Drake! You look great!!" I looked up at Doran, who smiled, and helped me up, before we shook hands. "Welcome back, my old friend!"

I smiled. "Thank you, Doran! It's great to finally be back!"

After congratulations from both Robert and Gabrielle, I quickly rinsed out the phial, opened my heart again, extracting just a sliver of power, pure light, from my heart, before placing it in the phial, sealing it, and placing it around my neck; my friends all smiling and staring in wonder at the glowing crystal!! Now that I had taken part of my new dragon heart as a reminder of my greatest gift, the only evidence of what had transpired here was forever erased.

After we all made absolutely sure everything was back to normal, we exited my home, locking both the inside and outside doors.
We all walked to the driveway, turning to look back at my home.

The pain was evident in my expression as I took in every detail, knowing that I would never see this place again.

But my three friends comforted me as best they could.

"Just know that Brandon, Barb, and your dad will be very happy for you, Drake!" Gabrielle said with a kind hand on my shoulder and a warm smile.

"They'll always be proud of you for what you've accomplished in your life as Charlie, but more importantly, they are proud of you because of who you are!" Robert explained with a smile.

"As are we, Drake!" Doran said happily. "And again, happy birthday!" I smiled, thanking all of my friends.

By now, the sun was close to rising; the soft whisper of wind brushing past us, stirring the snowflakes that fell sparsely on the landscape.

Seeing the glow of the coming sunrise, I smiled, glancing down at the amulet around my neck; the power of my dragon heart glowing bright as any star!!

My friends all regarded it with wonder, making me smile.

Then I happened to glance to the west, and there, through the trees, was a humongous blood-red full moon close to the horizon!!

I whistled in amazement. "Well I'll be!"

"What, Drake?" Doran asked. I simply grinned, nodding toward the western horizon, as my friends looked up, and all gasped in wonder.

"Wow...!!" Robert breathed, as I smiled.

"It's a fire moon!!" I explained to my friends. "They're quite rare, and can be easily mistaken for a lunar eclipse."

"Quite a remarkable sight!" Doran said with awe, as I smiled.

"And something I've wanted to see for years!"

My friends all grinned. "Well, here you go, Drake!" Doran replied with a grin and a wink, as we all laughed.

Looking up at the fire moon just a little longer, I then glanced down as I lifted my right hand, opening it to reveal the labradorite runestone; the iridescent blue gleaming almost purple in the blood-red moonlight.

Smiling, I ran my thumb claw across the runes. "As a lifelong reminder of the gift of a friend. What I've dreamed of all my life, has returned to me!!"

I smiled to myself, before flipping the stone into the air like a coin, and catching it; both Robert and Doran whistling in amazement.

I glanced up at them, and smiled, before slipping the runestone in my pocket.

"Ready for an awesome Christmas, and a new year?" Gabrielle asked. I laughed again.

"Always, Gabrielle!!"

And with that, Gabrielle, Doran, and I spread our wings, and took off, soaring high into the sunrise, as Robert followed below, running as fast as we flew, and laughing as the snowflakes blew past him, turning his white fur silver!!

We all admired the brilliant fire moon as we soared in the morning sky, knowing that it was a promising sign of a prosperous new future for all of us.

Today was a day that I would remember forever. It was the day I found and reconciled with three long-lost friends, and my former home was the place where this incredible adventure began, with my birthday. And my greatest fantasy, now was a reality, with the help of three of the greatest friends I'd ever known.

I knew that I would never forget this day as long as I lived.