A Step Towards A Bright Future

"Come child, it is time to rise and shine. Today is a very important day." Zhulong spoke as he gently nudged the five year old girl sleeping next to him. Squirming a bit, the blond haired girl slowly opened up her eyes to reveal those emerald gems that Zhulong has come to love so much. Sitting up with a yawn, the girl stretched her arms towards the sky and stood to feel the warm sunlight reach her skin as it gently crept over the horizon. Wiping her eyes of the sleep still present, she groggily says, "Good morning dad. Must we always get up at the first sign of light..?"

With a hardy laugh, the dragon retorts, "But it is seeing the sunrise that reminds us that it is a brand new day. A day to leave the worries of the past behind and make the present something worth smiling about! And this day is already worth smiling about, for today is your fifth birthday Theia. The day I promised I would teach you the ways of magic." His scaly body moves gracefully around the small child, nudging her with a snout of topaz breath.

The small expansive meadow has become a sort of home for the two beings, its dew soaked grass greeting them each morning as the sun catches the tiny droplets as it peeks over the hill. The surrounding forest whispering their greetings and good luck in the spring time wind, offering their assistance in keeping Theia and Zhulong hidden and safe from the world.

With a quick bounce on her feet, Theia's face lights up, "Oh my gosh! That's today! I can't wait! I love seeing all the mages performing their magic when you let me go wander through town. It is so beautiful, yet so powerful..." She says in awe. She then clenches her fists, doing her best impression of one of the 'powerful mages' she admires so much, punching the side of Zhulong's long serpentine body and letting out huffs of air each time she strikes the hardened scales. She halts her barrage as the scales begin to hurt her fingers, and lets out a giggle as she looks up to her draconic father, "I want to be able to shine brightly like you dad, and use my magic to protect people too!" The smile and determination is clearly visible in the girl's face as she gazes out with the dream of tomorrow.

Using two of his claws, he plucked up Theia by the collar of her shirt and placed her on the grassy patch in front of his snout. "Well I won't be able to teach you if you keep beating me up. Now sit child, there is a lot to explain first before we dive into using magic." Zhulong instructs as Theia plops down in front, interlacing her fingers and sitting as straight as possible to show that she was excited to learn.

"What you first must understand is that magic is present all around us. It is composed of Ethernano, and dwells inside all living organisms and throughout the atmosphere. Each of us houses a specific container inside of us, so to speak, that holds this magical energy that we gather from the atmosphere, as well as our own innate magical energy. In order to use this ethernano, one must mold this magic into that of what they desire, and recite an incantation to bring a spell into being. Now this incantation is only important for humans, us dragons are able to bring about our own magic without reciting a spell. Like so..." Zhulong then takes in a big breath, while a faint light could be seen shining beneath his topaz scales. Opening his mouth he release a large beam of light up into the sky.

Theia watched wide-eyed with amazement as the light traveled up into the sky with amazing speed, casting shadows among the clouds as it blazes through the painted blue canvas above her. Within moments the golden beam is not longer visible, but the look of awe was still ever present on the little girl's face. "Wow! And I'm going to learn how to do that, right dad?" Theia asks, her voice full of hopeful wonder.

"Yes, of course Theia. I am going to teach you all I know, so that one day you can go on to illuminate this dark world. But know, that magic, this magic I am teaching you now, takes home in only those who are pure of heart and continue to let their light shine brightly inside them. Light Dragon Magic is not for those who have let darkness poison their soul."

Theia nods, but looks at him with a sense of hypothetical confusion. "But Zhulong, what if someone does something really bad that I can't forgive? What if they hurt someone I love and I want to fight back? Will that make me lose my magic, since I wouldn't be pure of heart like you said?"

Zhulong softly smiles and uses his claw to ruffle the hair of his adopted child. "Oh young one, it is true, letting in the darkness will mask the light you have inside you. But a true heart can take the poison of hatred without being harmed .For darkness does grow in the void, but always yields to purifying light. So your intentions must be pure of heart, or your magic will not be strong." Zhulong beams with pride at his daughter's already developing moral compass, knowing that she could be the greatest pupil he has ever taught. Or perhaps will ever teach, for a sense of uncertainty had been brewing inside the soul of this topaz dragon, unsure of the rumors he heard whispering through the wind. His thoughts are disrupted at the triumphant sound of the tiny girl in front of him.

Theia nods her head with a smile, taking in the words of her father as she brings her fists up to her chest. "Don't worry dad, I will do my best to make you proud! I am ready to shine!"