Evolution

As the years flew by, the gray-scaled wyvern who gave his name as Andras would become my adoptive mentor, single-handedly raising me and teaching me everything I needed to know about being a dragon. He showed me how to hunt, how to fight, and most importantly, he instilled within me the pride which came along with my heritage as one of nature’s most majestic beasts. In this world, he was my best – and only – friend, but I was never lonely. Andras ensured that each and every day came with a new lesson to be learned.

I went from catching mice in the fields to hunting deer in the meadows, and eventually moved on to the boars of the woods which would occasionally try to fight back. Over time, my talons grew sharper and my teeth stronger, and I found that there were very few creatures in the forest besides Andras that could best me.

Andras eventually began to teach me about the magic which existed in this world, his explanation a bit crude, but succinct, a perfect analogy for the old drake himself. “There are three aspects you must understand in order to perform magic,” he explained, “First is mana, which exists as tiny, normally invisible particles which permeate everything in this world. They are called manaples. Prana is the strength within yourself, separate from mana and yet intrinsically linked to it. It is your strength of will, the force that drives and shapes manaples to interact with the natural forces of the world. Lastly is your core, your most vital organ that rests beside your heart, which draws in and stores mana like a well holds water.”

I was still struggling to wrap my head around the information when he suddenly stood upright and puffed out his chest. An orange radiance lit the scales around his throat, a low rumbling sound filling the air, as he growled, “The key is in the feeling of it, young one. You know what you want to happen. So, imagine what it would feel like. The mana pulsing within your core, flowing through your body, changing the world to match your desire…then, let it out!” He ended his lesson with a mighty roar, exhaling a plume of molten fire into the air.

I watched with renewed interest, excited by the thought of actually managing such a feat myself. It was several days before I was able to let loose a wispy fireball that quickly lost its form and dissipated into nothingness, but it was a start. The more I used magic, the deeper my understanding of it became, and the stronger my core grew to accommodate the use of that knowledge. Twenty years passed by before I knew it, and by the end of them I was breathing streams of fire across the sky with barely a thought.

Then, one day, Andras sat me down in the volcanic crater that served as our den, for my next most important lesson. “You’ve grown remarkably strong over this quarter century, fledgling,” he said, an unusual bit of praise from the grizzled elder dragon, which I took with a swell of pride. He continued, “And now I think it’s high time for your coming-of-age ceremony. Today you will finally realize your destiny as a member of one of the five dragon clans.”

“What exactly do you mean by that, teacher?” I wondered, cocking my head curiously.

Andras chuckled, and explained, “Very nearly all creatures in this world are capable of some form of evolution, and we dragons are no exception. We all start out as fledglings like yourself, but with the right catalyst, we can change, and harness our true potential.” He spread his wings wide for emphasis, “I am a wyvern. Physically, we are the weakest of the five clans, but we are also the fastest. And among them, I am especially renowned for my speed. My brethren called me Andras the Fleet.”

“I see. But, there is something I don’t understand. If there are enough of us to have five whole dragon clans…where are all the others?” I asked, and the elder dragon’s expression turned sour.

“Slain, or in hiding. The story of humans and their dragon slayers is one for another day, but know this; we may be at the top of the food chain in this world, but there are still those amongst humanity whom have made it their life’s mission to eradicate our kind. And there are many more of them than there are of us.”

He fell silent then, as did I, the gloom of his words hanging heavily in the air around us. I had always thought it was strange that he was the only other dragon I had ever seen, but chances to ask about it had been slim over the years. He had only brought up the war between humans and dragons once before, and that time, as well, he had refused to elaborate and quickly changed the subject. From the little I had been able to gather, humans and dragons had once lived together in harmony, until about a thousand years ago, when something had changed, resulting in dragons being driven to the brink of extinction.

After a few minutes, Andras continued, “Well, suffice it to say that I have no idea from what clans you and your egg-kin might have been born, and there is no way of knowing to which you might end up, until your metamorphosis is complete. But enough posturing. Are you ready, fledgling?”

“I-I guess,” I spluttered, surprised, “Wait, we’re doing this right now?”

Andras nodded his massive head. “Yes. Now calm yourself, and steady your mind.” With that, he gingerly pressed his snout against my forehead, before I had a chance to do either of those things. Instantly, I felt a surge of his mana flow into my body and react with something within me, resonating deep inside my core. My own mana surged uncontrollably in response, bringing forth an immense wave of power that suffused my entire body. It felt like I was going to explode, like I was simultaneously being electrocuted and burned alive. I gasped in pain before, as suddenly as they had come, these sensations faded away, taking with them all of my strength.

“What…?” I questioned groggily, my consciousness already fading.

As my eyes closed and I collapsed to the ground, I heard the voice of Andras say, “It’s okay, young one. Do not fight it. I look forward to seeing what you become.”

For the next month and a half, I slept a dreamless sleep, and when I finally awoke, it felt as if I had only taken a short nap. I stretched, and felt a bizarre tugging sensation that quickly let loose with the sound of shattering glass. I turned to look down at my body, only to see that I was encased within a layer of crystal, like a second skin, that broke off and turned to dust with each motion. As I rose, I could immediately tell that something was different. I felt powerful. Looking down at myself, I saw that even the composition of my body had changed, my midsection longer, thinner, and more sinuous than before, my previously opaque blue scales now a stunningly brilliant shade of translucent azure, webbed with golden filament.

I caught my reflection upon the smooth obsidian that lined the crater, shocked by my own drastic change, as now, I looked nothing like I had before falling asleep! My body was long, and rippled with layers of muscle, my talons and fangs long and razor-sharp. Twin antler-like horns jutted from the top of my skull, and two long whiskers hung like a mustache from my snout. Staring at myself in the makeshift mirror, I found that my face now vaguely resembled that of a lion, an effect heightened by the thick mane of golden fur which ringed my throat. Standing tall to admire myself fully, I then unfurled my massive wings that seemed almost too large for my body, and was awestruck to see that they were feathered in a combination of cerulean and gold.

Andras had not really explained much about what would happen to me during this process, but I certainly had never expected such a remarkable transformation, and I was so overcome with childlike elation that I could not resist the urge to let loose, inhaling deeply and opening my core, pushing mana and fire through my throat in a way that felt more natural, and more powerful, than ever. I let out a savage roar, jettisoning a half-mile-long jet of flame into the sky. Andras appeared mid-stream, and circled down from above, laughing at my display.

“That’s the spirit! Let us show the world the might and majesty of dragon kind!” He then joined me, letting off a blast of flame all his own, the two colliding and exploding in midair with a deafening explosion of raw magical power. I ended my own flame then, and addressed Andras for the first time, still admiring myself.

“I never could have thought such a transformation possible, teacher. Tell me, what do you call this…form?”

He regarded me for a moment before he answered, “It seems you are of the Long clan, now. They are the second-most rare of the clans, behind the Hydra, and are well-rounded as far as attributes go, with a natural inclination for magic. Congratulations…Leolyn.”

The name rippled through me in a wave, seeming to react with my core in a way I could not quite explain. “What?” I wondered, confused. Andras normally just called me ‘Young One,’ or ‘Fledgling.’

“Along with one’s ascension, one also receives a name,” he explained patiently, “After all, you are a fledgling no more. Now, you are Dragon Leolyn.”

“Leolyn…” I mumbled, testing the name on my lips for the first time. I grinned at the reflection of myself. “I like it.”