I felt my heart beating in my chest as I slowly climbed the stone path, the roars of the wild dragons just beyond the corner. The journey was almost an hour long, but every one of my family has treaded this path. By long tradition, once we have been granted and passed the secret tests and granted permission from the eldest family member, we could go and climb the mountain to create a contract. Mind you, the mountain is on our private property, and we are but one of seven families who can even access this mountain, but thats besides the point.

Granny, my great great great grandma, is the eldest of my family. The rest of us have no idea what contract she made with her dragon, but she has lived for over 200 years, outliving her own grand children. She seemed to take a liking to me, even helping me with my tests and sneaking me hints for my trials. She knows how much I love dragons, and she wanted me to acquire my very own. She is the best great great great grandma anyone could ask for!

I turned the corner, and let out a gasp. The path lead to a stone altar, hanging off the cliffside. Beyond, the sky was swarmed with dragons, so many different types and colors! There were red wyverns chasing blue celestials, brown drakes play fighting with the giant wyms, even the smaller fae dragons were darting between the enormous necks of the hydras. I stood there in awe over the edge, my tiredness seeming to fade away as I was filled with hope. Soon, i will meet the one dragon who will be my lifelong connection.

I had to pull myself away from the sky, and approached the altar. I drew the ritual dagger from the sacred sheath, a sharpened dragon tooth from the first dragon who bestowedy family with their gift. The ritual was simple; Fill the cup on the alter with my blood, and the first dragon to approach and drink the blood will make a lifelong contract. From there, we would discuss terms, and then seal the pact by drinking the dragon's blood. Easy, simple, and straightforward, nothing could go wrong.

I hesitated as I pressed the serated edge of the dragon's tooth against my palm. I closed my eyes, took in a deep breath, and quickly yanked. It... it amazingly didn't hurt. I slowly openedy eye to see... I missed. I must of pulled my hand away before i could cut myself. Ugh! I took another deep breath, braced myself, and forced myself to watch. This time, I felt the edges sink into my palm the skin tearing as my warm blood started to drain into the bowl. I couldn't help it, i started to tear up in my closed eye, but I forcedyself to hold my bleeding hand over the bowl. Slowly the stone bowl filled with my blood, taking what felt like hours, my head and heart throbbing, waiting, bleeding. How much blood did I spill? How much more does this bowl need? Will any dragon even...

The bowl finally filled up to the brim, and i pulled my hand away, wrapping it up in the sacred cloth that held the blade. The cloth was enchanted to heal all wounds caused by the dragon's tooth, otherwise the wound would never close again. I fell onto the ground, gasping and groaning as I felt my body restoring its supply of blood. But even as I waited to recover, a thought occured in my head. Dragons can smell blood from several miles away, and yet here I was only about a half mile from their outcroppings.

I should of heard one approach by now.

Slowly lifting my head, my heart sank. The dragons did indeed smell my blood. A few did look my way, but they were all turning away. They were all leaving. "W-wait..." I stuttered, crawling towards the edge "Come back!! I... I am here to make a contract! I am one of the Doryu family clan! Please!! Come... back..."

I do not know if even a single one heard me. Each and every lasy dragon flew off into the four directions, leaving what was once a full valley of color and joyous dragonic roars to a silent, cloudy sky and dull greyish brown mountain sides.

I slowly curled up by the altar, and started to wonder, trying to remain clam. Perhaps my dragon isn't here yet? Granny did say that every dragon usually only binds with one human, perhaps the dragons know this and went off to find my dragon? Yes yes that has to be the reason, so all I need to do is wait. After all, dragons can fly around the world in merely a day, so it shouldn't be long, right?

And so I waited, and waited...The air and wind started to get cold, but I waited. The sun was starting to sink behind the mountains, but I waited. Soon, the sky was dark in a starless yet thickly clouded night, nothing but the sounds of the howling wind accompanied me. And I waited.

I felt shivers down my spine, not related to the cold. Where was my dragon? Did it always take this long? I didn't dare look into the stone cup on the altar, has my blood dried up? Maybe theres something in my blood that the dragons hated? Did the dragons... not deem me worthy? I didn't want to disappoint my family. I didn't want to disappoint my Granny. But at this rate, I would be the first in my family to not be- wait...

Over the mountain, I spotted a faint red glow. I stood up and watched as the red glow got closer and closer, and I realized whatever it was, it was on fire. And was coming in hot, in more ways then one. I quickly backed away from the alter, staring as the massive flames suddenly landed on top of the alter. There, I finally saw what it was, an ancient, massive phoenix. Its beautiful golden yellow and flame red feathers dazzled under its outer flames, its black eyes barely visble behind its long, shap pointed beak. It stared at me for a few minutes, stretching its wings before looking down at the stone bowl filled with my blood. It seemed to look back at me, then back to the bowl, and then dipped its beak into the bowl, slowly slurping down my blood.

"H-hey! Th-thats my blood thats for my dragon!" I stammered out, taking a step towards the phoenix. The phoenix glanced up at me, a hint of amusement in its eyes before pulling away from the bowl. I glanced fown, and gulped. There was nothing left of my blood.

"...Yes, that was your blood." The phoenix spoke, its voice ancient and slow. "And yes, you intended it for your... dragon... But they can only give you so much, where I can offer you something greater..."

"Something.... greater?" I hesitated, but slowly approached the large bird. I felt the heat of its flames surrounding me, so hot yet, oddly welcoming. Heartwarming, even. Almost like... Granny's hugs.

"Yes, my child... I will grant you... Everything!"

The pheonix's wings embraced me, and the phoenix started to turn to pure flames. I opened my mouth to scream, but ita flames started to flow into me. It was so hot, the burning, the flames, it seemed to ignite everything inside of me. I felt myself passing out and reawakening to the fires inside me, almost like I was dying and being brought back to life, again and again and again. Until at last, I opened my eyes.

The sun was starting peak out from the east, the clouds now long gone. Around me were the dragons who had left before, staring down at me with soft smiles. None of them spoke to me, but there was a soft message of approval from each of them. I slowly made my way back down the long stone path, the nights events flooding through my head.

When I arrived home, my mother and father were waiting for me and told me the terrible news. Granny was nowhere to be found, leaving only a lerter adressed to me.