Somewhere in the half darkness of a cave, an endless melody of water ran, a soft flow that played lightly over the rocks. The surrounding walls of dark rock oozed water like the Earth's blood, three clear runnels of water trickled together to fill a pool that glowed with a bluish hue, the only source of light in the dark.
What little light inhabited the cave, a dim, bluish, water-dappled illumination came from the center of the pool where a boy, no older than twelve years old lay half immersed into the water.
His long tousled black hair, thick and lustrous, fell below his shoulder blades and disappeared into the water. His eyes were closed and his dark eyebrows were actually graceful but currently sloped downwards in a serious expression. A drop of sweat trickled down his smooth flawless skin as he tried hard to concentrate.
Suddenly, something white flashed from a half-hidden tunnel and dissipated behind the rocks. Still, it's shadow deepened the darkness in the cave.
In stealth, the shadow moved from within the rocks growing larger and larger as it approached the boy. With one shrill cry, the blur of white lunged itself to the boy, tiny fangs bared ready to tear him apart.
A small amount of pure mana flowed down the boy's channels in his right arm down to his hand where he weaved it into a tiny orb of blue and lashed out at the creature flinging it to the ground.
"Ouch! Bwatha Ray, that no fair." the creature cried.
The blue glow illuminated a small dragonling rubbing a tiny clawed hand on a spot on its forehead .
It was a mere foot long and was clad in white shimmering scales with a black line on it's snout and at the back, running down it's spine to the end of it's reptilian tail. Two tiny horns curved outwards from the top of its head. Small bumps were visible on the area that was supposed to be wings. It's golden eyes with sharp slits for pupils, would normally look menacing but it's body, akin to a small feline animal, just made it look so adorable.
" Now that Sypha, is a headshot." Ray smiled as he continued his cultivation.
"Mama say I call you. She say is important." Sypha grumbled.
Ray grimaced as his cycling technique collapsed. The water rushed out of him like water through a broken dam, tearing through his channels, leaving them raw and stinging. His eyes snapped open, revealing a pair of silver eyes that shone with the brightness of the moon.
Cursing himself for letting his concentration wane, he grabbed a tattered piece of cloth that lay in the sand next to him.
"Let's go bwatha, before she become angry when you late again." Sypha whimpered making Ray shudder at the thought his angry mother. Making the Great Syrdalon Di Dragonov angry, was the last thing he wanted now.
He quickly dried his hair with the piece of cloth, and then slipped it over his head, letting it fall down to his knees as he waded out of the pool.
"Come on, up" Ray tapped in his shoulders, " we are already late so we'll have to move much faster, so I can't go slow having to wait for those tiny legs of yours to catch up."
Sypha leaped to his shoulder and cozily coiled itself, instantly falling asleep. Smiling, Ray drew multiple streams of mana from his core and directed them to his legs.
His bare feet slapped the hard floor sending him jetting into the tunnel, leaving a trail of lightning behind him. With great expertise, he navigated his way through a network of dark tunnels. Soon, he arrived at the entrance of a giant cave.
"You are late!"
A resounding boom echoed across the entire cave.
At the center of the cave, sat a 10 meter titan-like figure of a dragon. From her snout to the end of her spiked tail, she was clad in golden scales. Two massive horns protruded from the top of it's head, arching backwards like some sort of crown. Red beaming eyes glared at the two in front of her menacingly, while carrying an oddly tranquil quality.
" Sorry, we...we were..." Ray stammered, thinking of the best excuse to give her, half expecting to feel the sting of her mana lash on his butt.
"Well don't just stand there, come closer." She said, her voice warm yet tired and aged at the same time.
Ray walked thinking it was strange she didn't skin them alive. From the corner of his eyes, he noticed he noticed several scales lying scattered on the ground.
'Her scales are falling off again, she doesn't have much time left' Ray blinked several times, an attempt to stop tears from forming on his face.
He knew that this time would come, but he just didn't want to believe it. Still, he had to be strong if not for his sake, then for the sake of his sister, Sypha. She had no clue on what was happening.
Arriving at his mother's claw, Ray jumped and landed on one her folded silvery wings. He snuggled inside, hugging her wishing for that moment to never end.Syldaron sighed.
"That's enough now. Come down here, I want to tell you something." She whispered softly as she gently unfurled her wing, making them slide down.
Using her claw, she drew a triangle on the ground, surrounded by different strange symbols on each point. With one point facing her, she motioned for the two to each sit on the other points.
Sypha reluctantly jumped from Ray's shoulder to the point on the ground where they sat facing each other.
His heart pounding, Ray felt something him stir. A glow pulsed like a beating heart, followed by a low hum. Beneath him, the symbols glimmered in golden light, patterns flaring across it's surface.
Sypha gasped and tried to move but one glare from her mother was enough to stop her in her tracks.
With suddenness, a spinning ball of light in the air at the center, and soon became a brilliant orb that seared his vision. The humming turned into a roar, blasting his ears as it grew lauder with each second.
"My children," Syldaron's voice thundered, " Today, you will begin your journey. I have hidden you from the world for my love for you just couldn't let me part with you. And I would have continued keeping you with me, protecting you under my wing but your destiny is far much greater than me. A part of me will always be with you and will reveal itself whenever you need it the most. Always look after each others back for you are now bonded as one. "
With those words, Ray tore his eyes from the light and bore them to the ground. He could feel a fiery heat of the purest mana burn through him like a bonfire. His body reacted, pulling the mana around his core, increasing in speed as it rushed up its spine past a mass of twined channels in line with his sternum. Finally it surged into his head where some of it flushed through the top of his skull, lost to who knew where. Stealing a glance at Sypha, he found that she had already fainted.
"Son," Syldaron's voice echoed but Ray couldn't see it's source.
"Your strength is unfathomable. You mustn't reveal the true extent of your abilities to anyone, for the world is full of evil. Remember all that I taught you, use my gift well and never forget that you, are, Rayzel Di Dragonov!"
With a sudden lightning strike, Ray's world turned to black.