Prologue — The Dream That Fell to Earth
There was nothing but red.
A sea of endless scarlet stretched in every direction — fire, sky, and thought all bleeding together. In that crimson void floated a consciousness that remembered dying. Not painfully. Just… quietly. A human who had spent too many nights dreaming about power, freedom, and the stars.
But something stirred in that sea — an ancient presence vast enough to eclipse creation itself.
> "A human soul… in my realm?"
The voice didn't echo; it vibrated reality. A dragon's tone — deep, proud, older than gods.
The human thought formed words from instinct.
> "You're… the Great Red."
> "I am Dream itself. And you… are not supposed to be here."
"I died," the human replied. "I guess my dream didn't end."
There was a silence, heavy and endless. Then the dragon laughed. The void shuddered with it.
> "Interesting. You dream even after death. Very well — if your will is that strong, then let us see how far it goes."
The crimson light surged, devouring everything.
> "Become me, mortal. Become the Dream that defies endings."
---
When Red Dagonian opened his eyes, he wasn't in the void anymore.
He was lying in a forest — dew-soaked grass beneath him, a half-moon glowing over Beacon Hills. His body felt alive in ways it never had before. The wind carried scents miles away; every sound was sharp, layered, real.
And beneath his skin… something moved.
He sat up slowly, flexing his hands. They looked human — but the air around them rippled with power, red sparks flickering like embers. He could feel the Dragon's soul slumbering deep within him, patient but awake.
"Beacon Hills…" he murmured. "Five days before everything starts."
He remembered the show. The bite. The Nemeton. The hunters.
All the chaos that was about to ignite.
And for the first time, he felt excitement — not fear.
He stood and stretched, crimson energy leaking from his body in wisps.
> [Inner Voice] — You awaken quickly, little dreamer.
Red: "So you're still in here."
[Great Red] — You carry my heart. My instincts. But your soul drives the vessel now. You wish to train the concept of the Dream? Then begin.
Red smirked. "Gladly."
---
He moved to a clearing and closed his eyes.
The Concept of Dream wasn't a spell or an ability. It was the source — imagination given form, emotion turned real. He reached inward, touching the thin thread that connected his human mind to the dragon's core.
The world rippled.
The air around him shimmered crimson. Trees bent slightly, as if bowing. Reality trembled at the edge of thought.
> Dreams are infinite.
Control them, and the universe bends.
He inhaled and pictured a flame — not ordinary, but alive, bright enough to burn the night. When he opened his hand, it existed: a small orb of Soul Flame, hovering over his palm, breathing with him.
He grinned. "Good start."
Then he pushed it further.
He envisioned wings — titanic, shimmering with scales like molten rubies. For a moment, light coalesced behind him, almost solid. Then the image shattered.
Red staggered, sweat beading his forehead.
> [Great Red] — You rush. Dreams obey emotion, not will. Feel the image, or it breaks.
Red: "Right… feel it."
He steadied his breathing, closing his eyes again. This time, he didn't force the image — he lived it. He imagined flight, freedom, the weightless calm of the clouds beneath his claws.
The world answered.
A pulse of crimson energy erupted from his back — wings formed, translucent but vast, stretching twenty feet across. The ground shook under the pressure of his aura.
His eyes glowed molten gold.
For the first time, Red Dagonian — the human soul of the Great Red — smiled with something close to awe.
> "So this is what it feels like… to be a dream."
He soared upward. The wings caught air as naturally as breathing. Trees blurred beneath him. For a brief instant, he hung above Beacon Hills — seeing the small town, the high school, the Argent estate in the distance.
And within that quiet night, he felt a pulse — a thread of fate brushing against his senses. A girl's presence, faint but fierce, her soul shining like polished silver.
He didn't know her yet, but he would.
The mark of destiny recognized her before he did.
> [Great Red] — The one your soul stirs for… she stands near the edge of your dream.
Red: "My mate?"
[Great Red] — Perhaps. Or your undoing.
Red's laughter echoed across the night sky. "Either way… I'm ready."
---
He landed softly, the wings fading into motes of light. The forest returned to calm. He looked at his hands again — trembling slightly from the sheer force of what he'd just done.
Five days.
Five days before Scott McCall got bitten.
Five days before the story began.
Red Dagonian smiled, eyes still glowing faint gold.
"Let's make this world dream again."
---
Would you like me to continue directly into Chapter 1: "The Dragon Among Wolves", where Red explores Beacon Hills, senses Peter's alpha energy, and crosses paths with Allison for the first time (their connection starting subtly)?