"I need to name you," I told the dragon. I knew I wasn't the best at coming up with names—after all, I once named one of Crystal's teddy bears Bob. Ridiculous, but this was different. This felt important. I couldn't just pick the first thing that came to mind. Not this time.
We walked through the forest in silence as I brainstormed, my thoughts wandering from one random idea to another. The dragon floated alongside me, its movements quiet, as if even the forest itself was holding its breath. It was strange; the air felt still, and none of the creatures I had seen earlier dared come near us. It was almost like there was a protective barrier around us, keeping the rest of the world at bay.
Eventually, we reached a large lake. The surface shimmered like glass, perfectly reflecting the twilight sky. I knelt by the water's edge, catching a glimpse of my reflection. Olive skin, brown eyes—those were still mine. But my hair... my hair had changed from a solid black to a stark, unnatural white. It was still slightly curly, still familiar, but the colour made me feel like I was looking at someone else. I ran my fingers through it, half-expecting it to feel different, but it was just hair. Only, now I wasn't human anymore.
I laid down on the soft grass near the lake, staring up at the darkening sky as everything began to sink in. The truth hit me like a weight on my chest: I would never see Crystal again. This was a different world—an unfamiliar, alien place—and I wasn't human. I closed my eyes, letting exhaustion take over, and before I knew it, I drifted off into sleep.
In my dream, there was a woman. Her face was blurred, just beyond recognition, but her long, silky green hair stood out vividly. She wore armour made of emerald scales that shimmered like the leaves in sunlight. "Protect my child," she said, her voice soft but commanding. "She is the last hope for my kind, as you are for yours."
Before I could respond, she started fading, her form dissolving into the darkness, and I was left floating in an endless black void. I tried to move, but it was like I was stuck in place, no matter how much I struggled. "Get me out of here!" I shouted, but the only response was the echo of my voice bouncing back at me.
Suddenly, green orbs appeared all around me, lighting up the void. They were mesmerizing, like tiny stars glowing in the darkness. I reached out to touch one, but my hand passed through it as if it wasn't there. "This isn't helping!" I muttered to myself, frustrated.
The orbs reacted to my voice, drifting away from me. I frowned and took a deep breath. "Gather in front of me," I commanded, and almost instantly, they formed a glowing cluster right before my eyes.
[Mana Control has become level 2]
The robotic voice echoed in my mind. It didn't startle me—I was getting used to these sudden system messages. So, the orbs around me were Mana? I had read about it in my status earlier, but now I was seeing it. 'Wasn't I supposed to be able to use magic with it?' I thought. 'But how?'
"Solidify," I said aloud, trying to command the Mana. Nothing happened. "Become Earth." Still nothing. I tried every word and phrase I could think of, every incantation my imagination could conjure up, but there was no response.
'Maybe it's because this is a dream,' I sighed. 'I'll try again when I'm awake.'
The void offered nothing else to do, so I busied myself shaping the orbs, moulding them into different patterns—rings, stars, even a makeshift dragon—but it quickly became boring. Left alone with my thoughts, I found myself thinking back to the woman in the dream. I was the last of my kind, just like her child was the last of hers. What did that mean for me? Would I ever meet someone like me? Would anyone even understand what I was?
Before I could go deeper into my thoughts, I woke up, blinking against the dim light. My surroundings were... off. It took a moment to register, but when I rubbed my eyes and looked again, I realized I wasn't alone.
A group of people stood around me, their bows trained directly at me. Their arrows gleamed ominously in the pale light, and my dragon—my companion—was trapped in a cage nearby, its ethereal body curled up tightly. The cage was made of some dark metal, and though I couldn't see it clearly, I could tell it was designed to hold creatures much stronger than my little dragon.
The people surrounding me were tall and lean, their skin pale and their ears pointed—they were elves. Their robes were intricate, woven with gold threads that shimmered in the low light. The one standing closest to me, likely their leader, stepped forward. His eyes were cold as he looked me over, sizing me up like a threat.
"You trespass in our lands, human," he said, his voice low and authoritative. "You and your beast."
"Wait," I stammered, my mind racing. "I'm not—" What I was about to say felt so distant.
Before I could explain, he gestured sharply, and two of his companions stepped forward, binding my hands behind my back with rough ropes. I struggled against their hold, but it was no use.
"I'm not a human!" It felt wrong, I raised my voice. "You've got it wrong—"
The elf cut me off with a sharp glare. "Be silent, trespasser," he snapped. "Your lies won't save you."
Frustration and panic bubbled up inside me, but I bit my tongue. There was no use arguing with them, not when they had me tied up and at their mercy. One wrong move and they could shoot me—or worse.
They pulled me roughly to my feet, and without another word, began leading me away from the lake, deeper into the forest. The trees grew denser, their twisted branches forming a canopy overhead that blocked out most of the remaining light.
I tried to keep track of where they were taking me, but the paths twisted and turned so often that I quickly lost the way back. My heart pounded in my chest, the ropes biting into my wrists as I stumbled along behind them.
As we walked, I caught glimpses of their village through the trees. The buildings were simple, made of wood and mud, with thatched roofs that looked like they could barely withstand a storm. This was no grand elven city like the stories described. There were no elegant towers, no golden spires—just plain, functional huts and cottages, the kind of homes people built when survival was all that mattered.
When we finally stopped, I was pushed into a small, dark cell. The door slammed shut behind me with a heavy clang, and I was left alone in the cold, damp space. My heart sank as I sat on the rough stone floor, my back against the wall. I glanced toward the barred window, trying to make out the night sky, but all I could see were shadows.
The dragon… Gaia. I hadn't had the chance to name her, but that was the name that came to me now. Gaia. She was still caged, still trapped by those elves, and there was nothing I could do to help her.
I clenched my fists, frustration and helplessness coursing through me. How had I gotten into this mess? One moment I was waking up in a strange world, the next I was being hunted and captured. And now… now I was in prison. And for what? For existing?
I leaned my head back against the wall, closing my eyes as exhaustion washed over me once more. I had no idea what would happen next, but one thing was clear—I had to get out of here. And I had to find Gaia. I wouldn't leave her behind, no matter what.