“The truth is out there and the devils are here…”
William Shakespeare
When they regained consciousness, they found themselves in a room with no windows, and instead of doors, there were openings. Tony tried to pass through one of them, but was pushed back by an invisible field. A strange, almost metallic creaking was heard, growing closer, judging by the increasing strength of the sound. Before them, a massive shadow of a muscular creature appeared, two legs and arms ending like human ones, but with much longer claws. None of them had ever imagined, not even in their darkest dreams, a creature like this. It didn’t belong to this world. The shock wasn’t loud – it was paralyzing. They froze, instinct locking up before reason could catch up. There was no screaming. Only the deafening silence of fear forced down deep. Diona was sobbing, trembling in Maraya’s arms. The two of them clung to Antonio, who was already scanning, calculating, trying to anchor himself in anything logical. He was threading scattered thoughts, trying to pull together a response plan – anything to bring order into the chaos. They saw it unmistakably now—reptilian, tall, maybe two meters or more. No one said a word. But the fear changed. It settled in. Clearly male—or at least that’s what the thick chest and limbs suggested. Everything about him was proportional, closely resembling the anatomy of a man, but his head was more reptilian. His eyes were snake-like, and his skin was scaly, covered in the same material Maraya had found near the cave.
No one knew how much time had passed, where they were, or what this thing wanted. The creature reached for Tony and grabbed his arm. He tried to pull free, but it was too strong. Without thinking, Maraya shouted at it in Bulgarian:
“For God’s sake, stop!”
She raised the scale high above her head.
“If you’re angry because of this, take it! I found it. The other two have nothing to do with this!”
At first, the creature ignored her. But then, something in her voice—something old—made it turn. It glanced at what she held, tossed Antonio aside, and reached for her. Not to harm. To take. She was gone in seconds, pulled into the dark, while Diona and Tony stood frozen, shocked, confused, and completely alone. He tried to see in which direction Maraya had been dragged, but the field pushed him back again. Diona was now sobbing uncontrollably. Her hiccups were choking and nearly suffocating her. Naturally, Antonio was also worried and anxious, hugging Diona, and all kinds of theories about what had just happened rushed through his head – from secret projects and genetic experiments to aliens or even alternative development of humanity after one of the planet’s floods. Everything was both unreal and completely real at the same time.
After calming down, Diona also began to reflect. And both concluded that if someone had wanted to get rid of them, they already had the chance. They were aiming for something else.
Across the world, myths and legends tell of beings rising from the earth or descending from the sky, usually bringing progress. In Australian Aboriginal legends, dragon-like beings are said to have even founded the human race as we know it today. In the Asian folklore of Japan, the first dynasties came from gods who arrived riding dragons, constant companions to people, guiding them in many forms. In Egypt and India, the snake was held in special reverence. Specifically, the Indian Vedas recount numerous stories involving serpent-bodied humanoids, dwelling underground — the nagas — a unique race with animal traits who influence the fates of both gods and men. The most terrifying are the myths about the Feathered Serpent god, Quetzalcoatl, who, in exchange for mainly bloody sacrifices, would provide prosperity, abundance, and knowledge to the people. Serpents and dragon-like creatures were also present in Scandinavian mythology. Jörmungandr is a giant snake of divine origin, endowed with enormous power. He grows so large that he has to bite his tail, encircling the Earth. The gods Thor and Jörmungandr are always opponents in Norse mythology, as per the beliefs.
Somehow, Diona was recounting what she had read and learned on the subject so far, and Tony just listened. The shock of what had happened was affecting her, and the beautiful woman was trying to explain in any way she could what they had seen up to that point. When she got tired, Diona leaned against her driver, and he pulled her close to warm her. The temperature underground wasn’t that low, but the lack of sunlight was having an effect. After a moment of silence, during which Tony was analyzing the situation, he asked:
“Didn’t it strike you that the enormous creature understands your language?”
“Yes, you’re right, Tony,” Diona replied. “I didn’t notice in all the chaos and stress….but now that I think of it – the Bulgarian language…the medallion and the scale seemed to be the only things that thing was really interested in…”
“Think, Diona.” He looked at her seriously. It was the first time he had called her by her first name, despite the many passionate nights they had shared. But somehow, that seemed the least important now. “Tell me honestly – don’t you Bulgarians have any legends or tales about reptilians?”
Diona closed her eyes, and tears welled up again. Still, this time it was from a different kind of ache – memories of her grandmother’s house, the large cherry tree, the cousins sitting on its thick branches – Maraya among them – and beneath, the family gathered for dinner on a wide terrace. Summer nights under soft light, traditional meals cooked by grandma, and the old stories and legends about long-forgotten times…
She wiped her eyes and said:
“Oh, we do. So many! Especially in the folklore of the northeast. Most of the legends tell of dragons…unimaginably rich, strong, and wise, who help people. But when they fall for a human woman, they steal her. They send storms and hail to confuse the girl and her family, and then they abduct her. Often she returns home only to show them her children. You know, we might be the only ones dragons choose to bear children for. There’s even a belief in our tales that dragons have their kind – female dragons, also gifted. These creatures help people, ennoble them, encourage them, and share knowledge, especially in traditional medicine, which is often referred to as herbalism. They also help with building homes and bridges. Until now, I thought it was all just folklore nonsense… But after what I’ve seen, maybe it’s not so far from the truth. Think about it… It means we’re dealing with intelligent beings, advanced in mathematics and physics, if they can build things. And in medicine, too, if they pass down healing knowledge. And judging by everything so far, well… they seem to have a thing for human women – at least the dragons do.” She gave a half-smile, trying to lighten the tension.
“I don’t know…” Tony said, looking off to the side. “When it comes to the… attraction and seduction, you’re more experienced. I follow my heart, because my feelings have been broken long ago, by a life someone chose without me.”
He paused, then continued quietly.
“But you know what? Let me be honest with you. I like her… a lot. There’s something about her… maybe her natural intelligence, maybe her charm….I can’t quite explain it. But she pulls you in like a magnet. Maybe that’s why she stands out so much. Don’t take this the wrong way…you’re stunning, truly – but predictable. She’s raw and unpredictable. You never know where she’ll lead you. She’s like a storm… but if you learn how to tame her, she could turn into a soft, healing breeze.”
The way he looked, the words he used, the hand that gently stroked Diona’s shoulder – everything about his tone made it clear: none of this was meant for her. His mind, his heart, were somewhere else… taken along with her cousin, dragged to God knows where. Diona only smiled. She let him speak, knowing he needed to pour his feelings out to someone. He wasn’t as cold as he had seemed. And somewhere, faintly inside her, came the strange, quiet feeling… That this might be the last time she’d see him…
They didn’t feel hungry, but were tormented by an overwhelming thirst. They had no idea how much time had passed since they were abandoned here, nor had they received any word from Marayah. Every time they tried to go through the opening that served as the entrance and exit, they were thrown aside again. Diona had given up and began to inspect, as much as her eyes could make out in the dark, feeling the walls of the place where they had been dumped. Centimeter by centimeter, she slid her palms across the rough surface until she finally sensed some moisture. She called for Antonio, and together they confirmed that water seemed to be dripping down the wall of the room, likely underground water.
Forgetting her manners as a lady, Diona began licking the wall. Tony also followed. Of course, the amount of water they managed to consume in this strange way was far from enough, but it was still something. For the first time in her life, Diona expressed gratitude in a way that was almost like a prayer to whoever or whatever had given her the chance to find, even if only a little, water. Just as they had settled, as comfortably as possible, onto the uneven floor, clinging to each other for warmth, they both heard that familiar dragging sound. Someone or something was approaching.
Just when they thought it was coming for them, the enormous being passed by. Only its shadow showed that it was somehow illuminating its path, just like the creature that had taken Marayah. From a neighboring chamber, they heard a growl and the sounds of a brief struggle, followed by a conversation conducted in clear human speech.
“You were a good warrior and a strong father… but why weren’t you more careful? The Council has decided – you will not be ascended, but you will be given another chance. This time, because you also carry human essence. Your family has been predesignated, but no one knows how the change will affect you or how they should deal with you.
“You will be the first in a long time to be mixed – and naturally, that means your rank will be lowered to guard. Anyone who wants to may still treat you as what you are now – an experienced warrior and commander. You know we can’t control how the group will choose to relate to you. Likely, you’ll have to prove yourself again – as a leader, husband, father, commander, and consul… if you survive at all. Good luck.”
During the pauses in the monologue, Diona leaned in to Antonio and whispered, “Do you hear what I hear?”
He only nodded in confirmation. They discovered that she understood the conversation in Bulgarian, while he understood it in English. What that meant, neither of them dared to interpret at that moment. Just listening was enough to pick up more than a few important details, but there was no time to comment — the light and its piercing sound had already halted in front of them. And then the door opened… not for one, but for two beings. Both were covered in the now-familiar material, but one had its hands held in front, bound by something like invisible restraints. On its shoulders were strange tokens, resembling epaulettes stacked on top of each other – yet somehow suspended in midair above its body. The sight was difficult to comprehend or put into words. The so-called “epaulettes” looked holographic, floating above the creature’s huge, muscular shoulders and nested like Russian Matryoshka dolls. The other reptile had similar ones, but significantly fewer – only three. It was of lower rank – probably a guard or something of the sort. Without any explanation or ceremony, it grabbed Diona and, with the other hand, dragged Antonio, who fought back like a madman. This only earned him a heavy blow from the reptile’s thick tail, knocking him unconscious so he wouldn’t cause more trouble.
When he came to, Antonio felt excruciating pain throughout his entire body and found it difficult to move. His eyes, however, could see perfectly. His sense of smell worked flawlessly, and his hearing caught even the slightest vibration, which his mind could now calculate from its distance. He tried to roar, but only a guttural sound came from his throat. Slowly, he rose from the bed he had been placed. Before him appeared a being with entirely different, yet distinctive, markings on its shoulders, they glowed again like a hologram of twisted snakes. Instinctively, he understood that this was a medical figure of some rank.
“Where am I, and who are you? Where is Diona, and what happened?” – A terrible headache tormented him, and when he lifted his hand to rub his neck, he was horrified to find that the limb was reptilian. He looked down and saw two massive legs, covered with greenish-brown large scales.
Then the medical figure intervened and began explaining:
“The transformation was successful, Chief Consul Zark! Oh, pardon me! You’re not a consul anymore, but I will never forget the favor you once did for me, so I will not break my honor and turn away, as most would, now that you are returning to the group. Your son is here and will take you to your wife. The rest of your family members are not affected by rank, because they have long been independent units. You should be grateful to your first wife – she didn’t abandon you. As for the other two, they withdrew upon hearing of your exclusion from the Council of the Wise. According to our rules, they are not allowed to form other families, but other male individuals can invite them if someone shows interest in them, without the right to offspring.
You understand that the need to satisfy sexual appetites in our kind has fatal consequences if postponed too long. Oh! With you, this might be different. After all, you now mostly carry the soul of that young male individual, who, luckily for you, was in excellent mental health for a man of his time and relatively unemotional, which eases your task. You should not need to engage in major conflict with yourself or feel any remorse of any kind, which is typical for the human race. You see, when performing a fusion of this kind, we need to use individuals from our race. Naturally, we have no volunteers. That’s why, these days, capital punishment is carried out in this way. Well, it’s a kind of soul death, because you wake up confused or changed, if we even manage to merge the soul. Very soon, your movements, commanded by your brain, will become so automatic that your muscles will remember them subconsciously. We will, of course, monitor your mental health. That is the most interesting part of the experiment. The technology is new and almost untested. We traded it for three family-owned mines that extract gold! Gold remains the most valuable metal here, and it remains so above. Quite thrilling, Consul, don’t you think?”
“Please… bring me a mirror…” – Tony asked weakly and dejectedly. “What did you do with my human body, I mean… the human body?” – the consul asked, utterly confused.
“Your human body is preserved. We have no interest in dissecting it, because we are familiar with human anatomy. It is similar to ours, except for the birthing process. Our women give birth to the young wrapped in an eggshell, and the babies stay there until they are ready to hatch. Naturally, the rooms and devices we use are thoroughly sterilized and closely monitored. We do not wish to interfere with humans, at least not our clan, but not all are as benevolent as we.”
For millennia, we have been negotiating with other kin groups to follow our example and leave humans to their evolution, while we follow ours. We agree with a group of extraterrestrials on this opinion, with the difference that the aliens are authorized, by the power of a contract signed centuries ago, “to keep an eye on humans from time to time.” Earthlings call them THEY and have had a long-standing connection with them over the centuries – something that concerns both races. Decades ago, THEY were in need, and the human race at the time helped them, gifting flesh of their flesh, which, de facto, to some extent, makes the extraterrestrials brothers to humans. They were perishing due to corrupted genes – a problem affecting many races – and human genes possess the unusual trait of combining well with most known alien humanoid beings. With those they couldn’t combine, the ancients traded.
The doctor moved and began adjusting his patient before unfolding in front of him a surface which, upon touching the floor, fused with it and remained upright, reflecting light like a mirror. He helped him stand and guided him to the strange structure, so the consul could look at himself. He warned him that a temporary psychic shock was possible, and that memories of reptilian traditions and habits, as well as ways of thinking, would begin to emerge sooner or later to a greater or lesser degree. The patient had no reason to fear, because the reptilian brain does not operate based on emotions, so everything would pass in time. He was more concerned with how others would perceive him, so emotional and human-like in his behavior. He also warned him that with his new soul, a new name was needed, one that would be in sync with the two natures mixed within his reptilian body, which had been chosen because it was much stronger and more functional than the human one.
Tony stepped forward a little clumsily because the long tail, which, as he later learned, was a privilege only of the warrior and noble castes, tangled around his legs. Seeing his awkwardness, the doctor grabbed it and seemed to “pluck” it off. Tony didn’t feel any pain, but rather a slight tickling sensation. He turned questioningly toward him, and the doctor patiently explained that for centuries now, the race had evolved, and no one was born with animal appendages anymore. Instead, warriors were allowed to “add” a synthetic one, which fused with the reptilian tissue via a chip that bound the tissue in seconds, creating a strong enough link between the bearer and the implant. The tail recognizes its owner and can only be removed by him. These special little devices are implanted at the time of the newborn child’s birth, and the privilege of owning a “synthetic tail” requires years of training before it can be masterfully used in battle by its owner. The presence of the appendage was more of a symbol of nobility, a tool for combat, and a supreme achievement of science and medicine, rather than a biological necessity. The doctor explained that different types of tails existed, depending on their function, and that every self-respecting male individual was honored to have at least a few in his collection.
Tony knew he didn’t have much choice. He was listening to all this to understand the system of these beings, if he wanted to survive. When he was completely ready, he opened his eyes in front of the mirror and realized it showed his image split in two halves – one front and one back. Anatomically, he looked like a well-built, strong male human specimen, but the surface of his skin was harder and scaly.
To protect the scales from breaking before it was time for them to shed, the reptiles wore a material that protected their skin and maintained a comfortable internal temperature for living in a colder environment. This material came in various colors and resembled jelly until it was placed on the body. Tony’s was silver, adding a glow to his natural brownish-gray hue. Every year, it was mandatory to renew the natural coating, a process that resembled the shedding of snakeskin. The old skins were collected and ritually burned on a specific day of the year, which marked the beginning of a new cycle. Gradually, memories and scenes from such a ritual surfaced in Tony’s confused mind. It took him about a minute to accept himself, even to like himself. He vainly looked at himself from all angles, and after approving what he saw, asked where his insignias were.
These so-called “shoulder tags” indicated the role and level to which an individual had risen in the hierarchy and were worn with the material they wore. With a sigh, the doctor named Zarkon explained to him that this was part of his punishment. The warrior and consul Zark had been demoted to the rank of guard, and his voice in the Council of the Wise had been suspended until he proved himself again. Tony looked at him in surprise, wondering what on Earth he could have done to deserve such measures.
“Alright. I see you’re ready for me to share more with you. You clearly don’t remember. We are brothers – completely identical, if you haven’t noticed. Among us, it’s extremely rare for two babies to emerge from a single egg. Meaning, we have identical DNA and can adapt to each other immensely. Even our wives used to confuse us, if you recall – especially the younger ones,” Zarkon grinned slyly. “Of course, I can’t guarantee how your psyche will react to mine right now, which is purely reptilian, but I’m certain our blood bond is strong enough to overcome that obstacle. The fact that we come from a noble family and are such a rare phenomenon allowed me to ask the Council of Elders not to liquidate you, but to allow me to perform an experiment I’ve dreamed of for years, and which, under normal circumstances, is strictly forbidden to perform. By a fortunate twist of fate, we found an Earth man who could almost literally match with you. I won’t go into details, but it would have been much worse if we had to experiment and implant a female human essence into a male reptilian body. That would have led to numerous complications in the perception and functioning of the host, and, sooner or later, to their eventual demise. Anyway, you’re lucky that alongside the two women, who, by the way, are very attractive and it would be a shame to damage them for an experiment, this man was found. It was apparent that a strange and confused connection existed between them, which we will likely learn more about from you through observation. Various and unclear emotions surfaced during the examination of their essences, but that is typical for humans – to complicate everything, including their thoughts and feelings. Alternatively, because of their imperfect thoughts, they react and complicate everything.
Anyway, I am Zarkon…
After listening to him extremely attentively and with undisguised curiosity, Tony noticed that they did look alike, which answered his question as to how and why the tail so quickly and effortlessly responded to the doctor’s touch. It couldn’t recognize who was who or reject the contact, because, de facto, there was no difference in DNA between the two individuals. He quickly looked at himself in the mirror and, as he attached the “synthetic appendage”, once again tried to walk around, imitating his brother, who was showing him the correct gait, acquired by the male specimens with tails. It was slightly spread-legged, shifting the balance between both legs and the appendage.
Zark only needed two or three practice rounds, after which he even began to walk gracefully, no longer stumbling like at the start. Everything indicated he was coping excellently with having a reptilian brain and human essence merged in one body. Reverse experiments had also been conducted, but they were extremely unsuccessful because humans with a reptilian essence became overly aggressive and much more intelligent than the rest of the individuals in their race. They utilized their knowledge and skills to form a distinct caste among humans, which had managed to seize absolute authority and occupy most of the key positions.
Thus, unintentionally, the reptilians had interfered with the natural development of Earthlings, for which they were forced by other galactic worlds to “atone for their guilt” by disappearing from the face of the Earth. So they were driven to live beneath it. Each clan had built its underground city, but with each passing generation, humans became more curious. Eventually, the reptilians had to hide even deeper. On the surface, only the unsuccessful hybrid types remained, who had already formed their order and kept their secret through the creation and practice of various rituals and traditions, mystical and symbolic, known only to the initiated. One of the defects of these beings was “shape-shifting,” which occurred when the reptilian soul could not endure the excessive emotionality of the human body, resulting in a sudden and usually temporary system failure. This most often expressed itself in the change of human bodies. In some, the pupils would shift; in others, reptilian patches would show on the skin – all for seconds, so only observant people specifically looking for those details could notice them.
In modern times, one notable figure was David Icke, who attempted to raise awareness about his findings. In the past, the masses’ ignorance had deified these experimental reptilian souls in human form. Naturally, the reptilians whose essences were used were not volunteers but prisoners who had committed crimes. Thus, among humans, emerged possibly the most bloodthirsty souls, who, once they realized their power over intellectually and socially undeveloped humans of that period, shamelessly took advantage, offering fragments of advancement in the form of information in exchange for blood sacrifices and gold. The gold they traded with aliens was used as a tool to keep humans subjugated, because fear can be an excellent motivator for one action or another – it can blind and distract from real problems. Thus, myths were created, and religions were born. Realizing its mistake, the reptilian race dwelling underground decided to “make amends” by beginning to appear on the surface in specific regions and enter contact with local populations.
Initially, these were the lands along the Black Sea coast and the Danube River – the Bulgarian lands. The only problem was the difficulty of controlling the male specimens in the presence of Earth women, who had an extremely erotic and heretical effect on the reptilian race. The scent of a human female and the softness of their forms acted like a drug. They triggered inappropriate behavior, under the influence of which Earth women were most often abducted to be made wives of these so-called “dragons” from local folklore. As a result, children were born with human appearance and reptilian traits, such as quickness of mind or exceptional strength and agility of body. These people became the foundation of legends in these lands, such as those about Krali Marko.
Today, the strict moral code punishes with death anyone who dares to break the rules and appear above the surface. This unforgivable sin was committed by Consul Zark, who was noticed by Marayah and her companions by cosmic coincidence. Once he clarified the circumstances that had led to the facts as they were, Zark decided he was justly punished and would accept whatever was assigned to him. The procedure for his return among the other reptilians required him to accept a new name. He then decided it would be beneficial to choose one that would be in harmony with and complement human style. Reptilians had only one name and title, while humans, at least, had given and family names.
The man, Tony, had no earthly family, and Zark came from a well-known lineage, so he created a symbiosis of these facts and had himself registered as Tony Zark.
