The Cheshi Clan Leader’s eyes shifted from his daughter to Cessilia and Darsan. She realized he seemed young to have a daughter Aglithia’s age, who was probably as young as herself... and she was his third daughter. He didn’t have blue eyes like his mother, but everything else screamed they were family, and Aglithia too. He was the one with the most visible tattoos, so much it covered more than half of his skin. After a while, he faintly nodded.

“...You may take them there. Mother.”

“I will lead the way,” nodded the old lady, stepping forward.

She grabbed a long white cane that was leaning against the wall, and smiled at Cessilia.

“Let’s head out, Princess,” she said. “We have a lot to show you and not much time!”

She left the room, and after a hesitation, they all followed after her. Once the door was closed, Cessilia couldn’t help but glance back. She had expected better for an interaction with the Clan Leader... especially if she was to convince him to side with them against the Yekara.

“Don’t worry about my father,” said Aglithia, who had noticed. “He’s not as stern as he looks!”

“He doesn’t like the Yekara Clan,” added her grandmother with a chuckle. “This whole situation is a little bit bothersome...”

So they weren’t completely closed off to the issues of the world outside their walls, then... Cessilia felt a bit better hearing this. Yet, the Cheshi Clan elder didn’t seem in a rush. The old lady calmly walked down the corridors, guiding them with a little smile on her lips. Cessilia was about to ask where they were headed to when she suddenly stopped in front of large double doors. To their surprise, both Aglithia and her grandmother clapped their hands, bowed their heads, and stayed silent for a few seconds before they finally pushed the doors.

They opened into a large room, but with an open roof. In front of them, on the ground was a sizable carpet with dozens of little cushions on it, as if this was a place to sit. Beyond that, against the wall, little plates of fresh food were placed, mostly fish and meat, even eggs, perfectly prepared in pretty trays and ready to eat. None of them thought about sitting down or eating, though. On the wall opposite the doors was a very large mosaic that had grabbed all their attention. Cessilia was speechless.

“Sorry about that,” chuckled Elder Olea, pushing the cushions out of the way with her cane. “We just finished the morning lesson with the young ones...”

Cessilia barely heard what she had said. Next to her, even Nana had covered her mouth with her hands. The mosaic was superb and so detailed, the two creatures on it almost seemed real. They formed a circle, each of them taking up one half, one white, one black. The white one was a water dragon with blue sapphires for eyes, and the other one looked strangely like Krai, but with yellow gems as its eyes.

“Now,” chuckled the old lady, “what do you really know about dragons?”

“Nothing,” scoffed Darsan. “They are just our dragons, that’s it!”

“Those are such perfect representations of dragons,” muttered Naptunie, completely captivated by the mosaic. “This one really looks like Sir Dragon!”

“An Earth Dragon,” nodded Aglithia. “The Sea Dragon is made of nacre, the earth one of obsidian. Dragons can be of any color, though, can’t they?”

Cessilia faintly nodded.

“Mine’s yellow!” exclaimed Darsan, winking at Nana. “He looks like a nice curry beignet!”

“How…? What is th-this?” Cessilia finally asked, turning to Elder Olea. “I d-don’t understand.”

The old lady smiled gently.

“This is our prayer room to the Ancient Dragon Gods. These two dragons here are not like the dragons of your family, Princess. They represent the very first dragons that came to this continent, thousands of years ago. Dragons that were much, much more powerful, ancient and large. The first and only, the original Dragon Gods. It is a very old tale to most, but to our clan and family, it is a precious legend that shall never be forgotten.”

She stepped closer to the mosaic, staring at it fondly.

“This piece of art is merely a representation, a reminder of our family’s devotion to the Ancient Dragon Gods. Even as time goes by, we keep transmitting this epic legend that has become our family’s pillar. We are the guardians of a history that shall never be engraved, written, or kept anywhere but in our minds.”

She turned to them, and slowly, with her granddaughter’s help, sat down on the cushions. Naptunie glanced toward the siblings but, noticing that neither of them had moved or intended to sit, she didn’t try to either. Neither did Aglithia, who simply stood next to her grandmother.

“As I said,” continued the old lady, “this legend goes back many, many centuries, when there was only this vast piece of land and the sea surrounding it. The first two creatures to be born were a pair of dragons. One dragon was born from the earth’s core, the other dragon came from the depths of the sea. They were a pair, but neither siblings, nor mates. Their bond went far beyond those human concepts. They were gods, paired for eternity.”

Cessilia’s eyes went to the mosaic on the wall. The dragons were represented facing each other, in a circle. For someone who knew dragons, their position was one that two dragons would have taken when playing together...

“For a very long time, the two dragons were free and alone to roam the continent and play in the vast sea. One day, a group of men and women came to this continent, crossing the sea and reaching the shore. They had come from far, far away, to find a new land to call home. It was the first time the dragons met humans, and the opposite was also true. They couldn’t understand each other, but they soon realized the other was intelligent and kind. For the first time, men and dragons became friends and allies. They observed each other, discovering the secrets of a new kind and learning from one another. The one thing that dragons were bewildered by the most was the humans’ ability to mate and procreate. The two dragons had been alone together for centuries... they had never imagined having a progeny. One had been born from the earth, the other from the sea. Yet, humans were not only reproducing, but as time went on, the dragons saw generations and generations of them being born. They became fascinated with the humans, and began to wish to have their own offspring, as well. However, as powerful as they were, the Dragon Gods had been born with no ability to procreate themselves. So, they set off to find a solution, roaming the continent and seas in hopes of finding an answer. Sadly, they found none. Instead, they witnessed all the other kinds of creatures in the world giving birth to their own offspring, and became more and more desperate to have their own.”

“That is so sad for them...” muttered Nana, completely absorbed by the story. “To see it for centuries but not be able to have their own...”

“Exactly,” nodded Elder Olea. “So, disheartened, the dragons went back to see their human friends, hoping that, together, they could find a solution. More time passed, during which the humans kept their future generations studying for the sake of their dragon friends. The dragons lived in harmony with the humans, both species helping each other. Meanwhile, more humans arrived on the land, different tribes that had come from other, farther lands. The dragons remained with the original tribe of humans that had been by their side for centuries, the only ones who had remained loyal to them. The other humans were greedier; they tried to befriend the dragons for their own sakes, for greed and power. Jealousy began to flourish between the humans that were allies with the dragons and the others. Soon, fights began. Yet, the humans begged the dragons to stay out of it. They believed the greed of men was man’s problem, and the dragons should remain sacred, untamed, and untainted by such sin. Sadly, as time went on and more human tribes attacked, their numbers dwindled. The dragons saw their friends’ families decimated, the children of those they had loved for centuries killed.”

“And they did nothing?” scoffed Darsan. “Dragons would be the first one to jump into the fight and grill a...”

He stopped talking after noticing Cessilia and Naptunie glaring at him. He grimaced, and mumbled an apology, putting his hands behind his back.

“Of course,” resumed the old lady. “There came a time when the dragons couldn’t take it anymore. The humans they loved had become so few, soon there would be none left. The dragons refused to stay away any longer, and met with the young couple that led the tribe of their beloved humans. Coincidentally, that young couple had yet to have any children. They had experienced the dragons’ desire for children so much that they had become the closest to the Dragon Gods. So, together, they prayed that a new, stronger generation would be born that could protect them. They prayed for a very, very long time. The woman and the Sea Dragon went to the sea to pray for their daughters to be born with the heart of a dragon. The man and the Earth Dragon went to the mountain, to pray for their sons to be born with the strength of a dragon.”

“What happened next,” said Aglithia, “is the most important part, yet the one we don’t exactly understand. Our ancestors said that their prayers united, and the woman got pregnant by a miracle. The dragons were so relieved that they kept praying throughout her pregnancy. They swore to the sea and earth they had come from that they would give up their own immortality for the children to be born as strong as a dragon, with the heart of a dragon.”

“Exactly,” nodded her grandmother. “Many moons later, the woman gave birth to a boy, first. A strong, healthy boy with a skin as dark and tough as a dragon’s scale, eyes that could see far more than any human, and a stomach that could handle fire. Not only that, but that boy could communicate with the Earth Dragon so well that they were both thinking the same thing, always, at the exact same time.”

Cessilia and Darsan exchanged a glance. Now that sounded very familiar to them...

“As the firstborn, the boy was set to become the new leader of the tribe and protect his family against the invaders. The Earth Dragon’s soul was tied to this boy. They shared everything: their strength, their desires, and their pain too. Together, they set off to reconquer the land of the boy’s ancestors.”

“What about the Sea Dragon?” asked Naptunie.

“The Sea Dragon kept praying all this time. Seeing what had become of its counterpart and the woman’s son, the Sea Dragon and the mother prayed for another child to be born, one that would cherish life and be brave, but also kind. Soon, a beautiful daughter was born. She had the skin as white as the Sea Dragon, and could swim like a fish. Her voice was said to be able to stop wars, and make men and the sky cry together as one. Just like her brother, her soul was united to the Sea Dragon’s soul. That pair of siblings became the very first Dragon Masters.”

“Like our f-family,” muttered Cessilia.

“No, not like your family,” said Aglithia. “This is your family. Your ancestors, long ago in history, were the dragon owners.”

“That’s right, Princess,” nodded Elder Olea. “Your father is a descendant of the Earth Dragon’s master, and your mother, a descendant of the Sea Dragon’s mistress.”

“No, wait. It doesn’t make sense,” said Darsan. “I get it for Dad, but... Mom ain’t got a dragon. None of her people did.”

“That’s also explained in the legend,” answered Aglithia, “or more like, there’s a reason for it.”

“Once the siblings’ souls were bonded to the dragons,” nodded Lady Olea, “the dragons began to know pain, disease, and aging for the very first time since they had been born. They had traded their immortality, just like they had wished. However, as they were now too attached to humans, the dragons began to also be drawn into human conflicts. The brother and the Earth Dragon fought many wars, while the sister and the Sea Dragon healed many. However, once their humans grew into adulthood, the dragons began to differ on the future they wanted. They loved each other, but when time came for their humans to carry their own children, and the two gods realized their own progeny were to come into the world as well, they just couldn’t agree on the wish they wanted for their future generations. The Earth Dragon wanted its progeny to be as strong as its human, and go on for a long time. The Sea Dragon, however, felt sad about their offspring being tied to humans and their wars forever, and wanted to be sure they were born in a safe place. Hence, they transmitted their wish for the next generation to their humans.”

The old lady sighed, and got back up, walking up to the mosaic. She put a hand on the Black Dragon, staring at it with an enigmatic expression.

“First, the Earth Dragon’s children would carry its strength and power, and pass it on to his sons and daughters. As the first master had been a man, only men would carry on the blood of a dragon soulmate. Masters of the Earth Dragons would remain strong, for the sake of protecting their own families. Indeed, when its first sons were born, the Earth Dragon witnessed the birth of his own first offspring. The daughters also carried its blood, but no dragons were born, for only males could partner with the Earth Dragon.”

Elder Olea smiled, and then moved a bit, this time to face the White Dragon but not touch it, her hands on her cane.

“Meanwhile, the Sea Dragon decided to lie in wait, and pray for a while longer, for a time when its children would be born safely. The Sea Dragon passed on to the sister all of its knowledge and hope, and told her its blood would protect her daughters forever. However, it still feared men’s greed would harm its offspring, and so, no more Sea Dragons were born, and it only kept aging and aging, staying by the side of the sister’s daughters instead. When the Earth Dragon, who had lost its immortality after giving birth to too many heirs, was ready to finally die, the Sea Dragon made him a promise. ‘I shall wait,’ it said, ‘until the time when our children meet again, and our bloods become one, like when we were born. When that time comes, I will know your children made the world safe for them, and my offspring will finally come into the world. I will meet my human again, and give her the rest of my life, so I can join you in this blissful rest they call death. Then, you and I can rest peacefully, as I will have witnessed that our children will live on, safe and together.’”

A faint silence followed her last sentence, all a bit moved by the story. Nana sniffled, wiping the little tears in her eyes.

“It’s so sad and beautiful at the same time,” she mumbled. “What happened to the Sea Dragon, then...?”