“Many centuries ago, when Crysaliar was new,” her Mator began, her eyes fixed on Dior’s wide stare, “there were six dragons. Their names have become lost in time, but their power remains unforgettable.”
All it took were those words, so familiar, and Coquina couldn’t help but relax. She lent back against the rock, her eyes closing as she focused only on that voice. Her Mator never changed the way she told it. The words remained magical all the same.
“There was the dragon of fire, fierce and passionate, creator of the flame. It was he who gave all dragons their Incendom, the fire stomach, and the power to summon within it any flame they wish. To counter him, there was the dragon of ice, who provided the power to chill that flame to an icy mist and formed the deep colds of Hemï.”
In the darkness of Coquina’s closed eyelids, ice and fire reared up. She flinched. Already, she regretted listening, but it was too late now. The visions of warring elements claimed her, and she clung to her Mator’s words, begging for the image to shift.
“There was the dragon of water, who made the ocean’s waves climb high and pushed the rivers to flow. There was the dragon of air, who gave the world winds, and shaped the wings so that dragons could ride her creation.”
The image did change, but not in the way Coquina wished. Rain poured down from the heavens, fighting to extinguish the fire, to melt the ice, but it only faded away. Winds whipped through the flames and pushed against the cold, but they soon stilled to nothing.
“There was the dragon of earth, breathing life into all she came across. There was the dragon of storms, unpredictable as the lightning he moved as, gifting all dragons with a heart ruled by emotion.”
Plants fought to break through the fire, and storm clouds thickened overhead, striking at the ice. They too failed and vanished.
“There was the dragon of space, melting with the world’s essence, forming the very fragments that hold the universe together.”
The vision began to dissolve, slowly but surely, vanishing into nothing at all, the darkness claiming every flash of colour.
“And finally, the last but certainly not the least, there was the dragon of time, providing the world’s order.”
It disappeared altogether, then twisted and formed into something more. White and black, mixing, turning.
“His mind forever wandered amongst the past…”
The green dragon was there again, coiled around her egg, eyes fixed on the sky.
“The present…”
The ice danced, and a dragon walked amongst them, until her eyes flashed open and flames tore through her.
“And the future.”
The visions stopped shifting, focusing on one simple image, one Coquina didn’t recall seeing before. A dragon, his spines the marking of a Teffré, but his scales an unnatural red, as vibrant as flame. Opposite him was a white dragon, her scales brighter than any other Celïsora. Coquina. Herself.
They simply stared at each other, frozen, until words cut through the image and darkness ruled once more.
“Together,” Coquina’s Mator said, “they were the Imperium. Immortal and magical. The first ever to walk the earth of Crysaliar.”
Her words had lost their earlier echo-filled quality. Gasping, Coquina flicked open her eyes, vowing not to let them close again. Her heart thundered, its beats rapid and erratic. She glanced over at her Mator and Dior, but both were still transfixed with the story, staring at each other, thankfully too distracted to notice Coquina’s breathless state.
Forcing her breathing to steady, she trained her gaze on her Mator, an inward sigh of relief gradually calming her heart. She was free from the visions, and no-one had noticed.
It tore her apart to think that she couldn’t even tell her Mator about this. But the last thing she needed was the one dragon who believed in her, no matter what, thinking she was crazy.
Decidedly keeping her eyes open and her claws pressing into the rock below her, she focused on the ending to the story, clutching for the calm distraction it provided.
“The Imperium have long since vanished. The only traces they leave behind are the legends we pass to each generation.” Her Mator flicked out her tail to tap Dior’s nose, and he giggled. “Just like I am to you.”
“Where did they go, Mator?” Dior asked.
She chuckled. “You know full well where they went.” But when Dior remained silent, almost pleading for her to finish and speak the words, she laughed again and continued. “The legends say that they now reside in a vast cave called Imperi Caverne, unlocatable by any dragon who does not know precisely where to look. There they hide, continuing to manage the balance of the world, hiding their power away. For it would be disastrous if that power fell into the wrong set of claws.”
Dior sighed. “I still wish I could have magic, though. It would be amazing.” He lifted a claw and twirled an oval in the air, as if trying to summon a ring of fire, or a shard of ice. His gaze flicked to Coquina, and he suddenly perked up. “But you have magic, don’t you, Quina?” His blue eyes lit up with excitement. “You’re the Alspex!”
When she’d first discovered the myth, the realisation had frozen Coquina in place. She remembered being delighted, excited for those mysterious powers to surface. Of course, there was no evidence to support it, but as a young juvenile she’d have believed anything.
She was beyond believing now.
Sighing a laugh, she turned away, forcing her tone to remain upbeat. “I wish.”
Dior crawled back into her line of sight. “It’s true!” Holding his head a little higher, he attempted the magical tone their Mator used during the story. “The legends say that Celïsora are most closely related to Imperi. Any dragon blessed with white scales will inherit some of their magic.” He beamed at her. “You just haven’t discovered it yet.”
Staring into her brother’s hopeful gaze awoke some part of her, a younger part of her, one that called her visions works of magic. The part that believed her Mator when she said that Coquina was special.
“Maybe,” she said with a grin. “Or maybe I have and just don’t realise it yet.”
Satisfied, Dior pressed himself against her, twisting his tail around hers. “I wonder what your magic will be. Making ice? Or growing plants?” He stared into the far wall, most likely cycling through all the different Imperi powers. “Ooh, or time. Imagine being able to see the future.”
Coquina couldn’t help but flinch. Fortunately, Dior was shifting so much on his own to notice. “I imagine that would be quite scary. What if you saw that something bad was going to happen?”
Turning his head back, Dior stared at her as if she were stupid. “You try and fix it, of course. So it doesn’t happen.”
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