Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: The Reclamation

The air was heavy and tense, choking silence by which it had remained blanketed on the grand ceremonial grounds of the Dragon Village. All around the dragons, big, little, old, young, stood there perplexed, high-strung at the overwhelming aura that clings to the young Dragon God, their so-called savior. This wasn't the kind of air they had been led to anticipate, a feeling beyond their understanding, one that presses down upon them like the heavens themselves had come upon them.

In this scenario, the Elder Head is from the tribes of dragons, the most powerful and honored ones of all, and is crushed under the force of that incomprehensible power. His face was in the dirt, his mind unraveling as he tried to wrap around how such a force could exist, much less belong to the son of the two dragons they were about to punish. He had faced many powerful beings throughout his many lifetimes, but nothing like what he now felt. The sheer weight of the aura of the God of Dragons would be suffocating, it had been as if the whole sky had caved in upon him.

The other Elders, who had stood with moments of a proud and a somewhat arrogant air, were drenched in cold sweat. They did not say a word to one another. Because they knew that was it; they were cornered - there was no way to get out of this horrifying force. As mighty as they were, it was obvious that the young dragon lord stood far beyond their reach. An aura radiated from him not only of strength but of supremacy. He exuded the presence of a being who had transcended their world.

So, as the suffocating silences went by, that young Dragon God walked forward, human form all changed, two elegant horns adorning his head, a still-young face still with stains of innocence, unreadable expression, and utterly slow movements, yet deliberate. The dragons parted instinctively; no one dared to obstruct his path, thinking they should make way for him but not thinking to.

His parents, Longmu and Longwang, prostrated themselves on the floor, pinning them down to the ground by the guards who had been charged with keeping them immobile for their own execution. But those guards now quivered with fear, their strength leached from their limbs as the God of Dragons approached. They cast a glance at him, and they felt death's chill hand creeping up their backs; they knew what was to come.

Not a word was spoken, yet the youthful Dragon God lifted his hand. Two swift strides took the divine youth to stand before the two guards, and with a movement as effortless as the wind, both spilled lifeless to the ground. Their bodies crumpled as if life itself had been snuffed out from them by the mere presence of the god standing before them. There was no violence, no grand gesture - only sheer will, expressed by one completely beyond mortal comprehension.

Longmu and Longwang gazed up in amazement. For decades they had suffered the ridicule and persecution of the tribes for having disobeyed the Elders' command. And now here stood their son-the very being whose birth brought such anguish to their lives. They had never seen him since he was born, yet here stood a towering figure of might and strength. His aura was nothing they had ever seen. This was their son, yet not he. He became something much greater now.

"Mother. Father." the soft voice of the young god, but the silence in the village could hear it. His eyes were set ablaze with divine light as he watched them, holding warmth and detachment altogether, as if he was fighting himself: between the enormous power that lay within him and the familial bond he had never felt.

Longmu wept. She had always known her son was destined for greatness, but this, this was something she had never seen: him, source of holy power, unstoppable and unlike any force of nature the most powerful dragons could manage against him. How much had he borne to come to this? What kind of life had he led, an outsider from their family, thrust among a world which both feared and revered him equally?

Longwang was perplexed, holding his silence in embarrassment. A warrior, a dragon warrior all his life, and today he knelt down before his son, revealing that he had been small compared to his son's power. However, there was nothing but pride beating within his breast. His son had done more than what he could have ever thought to accomplish, not even by the ancient prophecies.

In a matter of time, Longmu had waited in hope that her son would become soft and hold her close. However, she could not wait for much longer; thus, she threw herself toward the young man and embraced him with all her might. She clutched him tightly in her arms as her tears were getting absorbed into his robes. "My son. You have grown so strong. We did not want this for you. We do not want you to suffer the burden of such power."

For a brief instant, the glowing aura surrounding the Dragon God crackled. He was perplexed; he had no idea what to do with this sudden emotional spasm. His parents were something he never knew personally-no family warmth, no love comfort. All he ever knew was power and responsibility and, of course, how lonely it was. But in the arms of his mother, something within him started stirring.

Slowly, he raised his hand and laid it on Longmu's back. "Mother," he whispered, his voice almost inaudible. "It's okay."

Longwang stood up now, joined them, and reached out to touch his son's shoulder as he pounded his chest the second time. His expression softened into something tender and hopeful. "We are very proud of you," he declared, firm and streaked with emotion. "But you have to be careful. The power you hold. it will attract enemies beyond your sight. Even gods have their own problems.". His father was not wrong about this either. There were both benefits and downsides with having such power. Certain people were always out there to challenge him to take what he had. But now, none of that mattered. He was here, with his parents, and in all his years, for the first time, he was something in their eyes. Maybe it was peace, maybe it was a brief burst of warmth from familial love.

But that moment was short-lived.

Finally he rose. His face was gray and his body shook, but prostrating himself before the Dragon God, he whispered, "M-My lord." "The prophecy. It is as we feared," he stuttered. "You. you have come back, and the world will never be the same. The tribes. they'll look to your guidance. Please. bless us, for we know not what tomorrow may bring."

The young Dragon God looked at the elder with eyes that narrowed slightly as if in the misty attic stirring a memory. He had heard of the prophecy many times, but he had always cared little about it. It was just another thing which the strong did, another tool they used against the weak. Yet now standing there he realized maybe the prophecy meant a little more than he previously thought.

With a deep breath, he stepped forward, raising his hand. The whole village elder and the dragons standing around this boy bowed, touching their foreheads to the ground. The Dragon God also closed his eyes and sent down soft and radiant light from his hand. This poured over the village like a gentle breeze, filling every dragon with peace and sense of purpose.

"I bless this village," said the Dragon God, his voice calm and even. "May you all find the strength to rise above your past mistakes and build a future worthy of your ancestors. But know this: I will not be your ruler. The tribes must find their own way. I will not interfere unless absolutely necessary."

The fading light took with it the suffocating aura that had dominated the whole village. The dragons slowly stood up, their hearts lighter than they had been in decades. And so, the prophecy came true but this time not of destruction; it was one of hope.

The God of Dragons turned to his parents, who stood by his side. "Let's go," he said softly. "There is much to be done."

With this, the three of them left the village, chests full of the weight of the world. The young Dragon God was reunited with his parents but the return he had expected to be such an easy thing was far from it. As far as he could see, the elders of the other tribes were rising to the fray and the wind of change was sweeping over.