DragonCoin Revolution

Chapter 7

"Not just technological ones," Xaihuang added thoughtfully. "There's old magic involved, too. A hybrid approach."

Sage's eyes widened. "Hybrid. Like me." She turned to the pool again, watching her reflection shift between human and something else— what if the person who made this coin did it by accident, just as she had with her stories? A human dragon hybrid that didn’t know if they were meddling in things that their dragon side opened the door to that their human side wasn’t meant to know.

The thought crystallised with startling clarity, making her pulse quicken. "What if DragonCoin wasn't created by someone trying to expose dragons? What if it was made by someone like me who didn't know what they were?"

Marcus's expression shifted from scepticism to alarm. "A dormant bloodline, awakening through technology instead of traditional means?"

"It would explain the hybrid magical-digital approach," Xaihuang mused, his bronze eyes gleaming. "And the timing. If another Convergence bloodline began stirring six months ago..."

The pool's glow intensified, and Sage could see new images forming in its depths—not the grand visions from before, but something more intimate. A cramped apartment filled with computer screens. Hands typing code while golden coins spun in lazy circles above a cluttered desk. A face she couldn't quite make out, but the copper-colored hair was unmistakable.

"There," she breathed, pointing at the water. "Do you see—"

The chamber shuddered violently, cutting off her words. Cracks appeared in the ancient stone walls, and the sourceless light began to flicker. Several more coins tumbled from their pedestals, their musical chimes creating a discordant symphony.

"The magical infrastructure is collapsing," Marcus said urgently, grabbing Sage's arm. "We need to evacuate."

But Sage pulled free, kneeling again beside the pool. The water was churning now, the images fragmenting into pieces she could barely comprehend. Street signs in a language she didn't recognise. A distinctive skyline with towers that spiraled like dragon scales. A logo for a tech company that made her chest tighten with inexplicable recognition.

"Seattle," she gasped as the pieces clicked together. "They're in Seattle."

Xaihuang's cane struck the floor with a sharp c***k. "The Pacific Northwest convergence point. Of course. The tech industry there would provide perfect cover for magical experimentation."

Another violent tremor sent them all staggering. The pool's surface went completely black for a moment before exploding back into radiance so bright it hurt to look at directly.

"Now would be an excellent time to leave," Marcus said through gritted teeth, steadying himself against the wall.

Sage rose reluctantly, her mind racing with possibilities. "If I'm right—if there's another awakening bloodline behind DragonCoin—then maybe we can fix this without choosing between revelation and concealment."

"Or," Xaihuang said as they hurried toward the exit, "you could both lose control simultaneously and tear reality apart at the seams."

The service corridor felt almost peaceful after the chaos of the collapsing chamber, though Sage could still feel the magical disruption humming through the building's infrastructure. As they climbed back toward the food court level, she became aware of raised voices and general commotion filtering down from above.

"That doesn't sound good," she muttered.

Marcus was already checking his device, his face grim. "Concealment failures across the entire complex. Multiple witnesses reporting 'impossible sightings.'"

They emerged into chaos. The food court buzzed with confused shoppers holding up phones, recording everything. A barista at Java Junction kept flickering between human form and something with distinctly reptilian features. A security guard's shadow near the electronics store had wings that didn't match his body.

"This is escalating faster than we anticipated," Xaihuang observed with what sounded like satisfaction.

Sage watched a teenager point excitedly at his phone screen, showing his friends a video of the fountain. In the recording, the water streams weren't just hot and cold—they were glowing with inner fire and frost, spiralling upward in impossible helixes.

"We need to get to Seattle," she said, surprising herself with the certainty in her voice. "Before this spreads any further."

Marcus shook his head. "Too dangerous. If you're right about another awakening bloodline, bringing two Convergence dragons together could amplify the disruption exponentially."

"Or it could stabilize it," Sage countered, watching her reflection in a nearby storefront window. Her eyes were definitely more gold than brown now, and her copper hair seemed to move with its own subtle current. "Fire and water, remember? Balance, not opposition."

Xaihuang tapped his cane thoughtfully. "The girl has a point. Traditional dragon doctrine says Convergence bloodlines are meant to work in harmony."

"Traditional doctrine also said they were extinct," Marcus replied sharply.

A commotion near the main entrance caught their attention. Mall security was trying to manage a crowd of people all claiming to have seen the same thing—employees and shoppers whose appearances had briefly "shifted" or "shimmered" into something inhuman.

"The masquerade is already breaking down," Sage said quietly. "Whether we act or not, this is happening. The question is whether we try to guide it or let it spiral out of control."

Marcus studied her face, and she could see him weighing ancient protocols against rapidly evolving reality. Finally, he nodded. "Seattle. But we do this carefully, and we contact the Council first."

"Agreed," Xaihuang said, though his bronze eyes glittered with something that might have been anticipation.

As they headed for the exit, Sage's phone buzzed with another DragonCoin notification. The cryptocurrency's value had doubled in the past hour, and with each transaction, she could feel something fundamental shifting in the world around them.

The age of hiding was ending, whether they were ready or not, whether they were human or dragon. But if dragons were real, did that mean other types of supernatural beings existed as well? Not just fantasy stories, as we were led to believe?

The thought sent a shiver down Sage's spine as they pushed through the crowd toward the exit. If dragons were real, what other myths might be walking around in human skin? Werewolves managing IT departments? Fae running flower shops? The possibilities seemed both terrifying and exhilarating.

"Your expression suggests dangerous thinking," Marcus murmured beside her. "Focus on the immediate problem."

"Right. DragonCoin. Seattle. Possible world-altering magical meltdown," Sage replied, trying to ignore how the metal door handles now seemed to warm beneath her touch. "Just another Saturday."