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FauxWolfTail t1_jdlcmcg wrote

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.

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AspiringFictnWriter t1_jdls6pz wrote

"Jorfith Cadmus..! Supper is ready, you better get down here, don't make me come up there, you've to eat well before the ceremony. It’ll be quite draining and you’ll be quite exhausted after the initiation"

Mom called for the 3rd time.

Jorfith's 16th birthday was tonight, he was reading the 300 year old 'Story of Kishur' it told the story of a little girl who prayed to the Gods to help rid her world of the Chaos beasts in return for her life, she just wanted her family to be safe. Hearing her heartfelt words, the Fairy Queen Amaryllis made a pact with her, and thus began the age of Kishur. Queen Amaryllis bestowed upon the little girl the magic of 'Fairy Ohr', using this sacred magic Lilly drove away the Chaos beasts from the land thereby saving her family and the kingdom. The then King Kaiser had to step down due to his inability to handle the Chaos beasts and Lilly was raised by the Fairies to become the Queen of the Avallonne. Since then select humans were able to make pacts with magical beings since only certain bloodlines we're compatible with being able to manipulate magic, the reason for that is yet unknown

The Cadmus clan had a bond with Dragons, there was also the Wolf clan, Tiger clan, Griffon clan, Kraken clan, and many more. Each worked towards looking after one aspect of Avallonne. Jorfith's family was responsible for the border security and as such lived on the outskirts of the Avallonne. Their family basically owned the mountains that surrounded Avallonne. His was the main branch that looked over the Northern end, while the 3 other branches handle the remaining corners.

They worked closely with Queen Lilly to guard the border since the Fairy Ohr spell needed immense mana and hence couldn’t be used quite often. Jorfith was the youngest of 7 children. All his older siblings were already ‘Knights of the Ormr Order’, and were constantly on the battlefield fighting the Chaos beasts, Dragon fire was the most powerful spell effective against the Chaos beasts, second only to the sacred spell Fairy Ohr that was bestowed upon Queen Lilly.

Tonight at the stroke of midnight he would receive his Mark of the Beast that would denote his beast and magical affinity. Closing the book, he ran towards the kitchen so as to not incur his mother's wrath. She used to be the Queen's guard, but had now stepped down after Jorfith’s elder sister took her place.

He sat down at the table while taking a sip of greuberry juice. "Now remember, you've to stay strong because the initiation isn't as lovely as the books make them out to be. Once you drink the *meiyr* The Mark will start to manifest and will cause immense change in your physical and spiritual body, many are not able to make the transition and fail the Kishur Ceremony. However, all of your siblings were successful in their attempt and so should you be too”. “Yes mom.. “ replied Jorfith looking at the glass of greuberry juice thinking if meiyr would be as sweet as this.

Each mark was different and usually depicted the talons or claws of the beast enclosed in a spell circle on the wrist. The initiation ceremony was held on the top of the mountain, there was a sacred lake at the top where its’s said that Fairy Queen Amaryllis had blessed the waters. It had immense healing properties and hence was used to counteract the initiation ceremony’s side effects. The family gathered at the altar, waiting for the initiation to begin.

One could hear the multitude of wings and dragon roars echoing around the Altar and mountain side which were home to a multitude of Dragonkin, including wyverns, wyrms, drakes, amphipteres, lindwrums, and hydras. The Altar room was in a natural cave with no ceiling, it opened to the sky such that the moonlight filled the room and the water sparkled as if it was sprinkled with fairy dust. The dragons would descend from the top into the Altar upon an individual’s awakening based on their magical affinity and power.

“Okay, now calm down. There’s no need to panic” surrounding him were his family and their dragons. “Whoa that’s cold”, he said as he stepped into the lake. He lied down in the cold and sparkling waters and as midnight approached closer the moonlight shone brighter.

His mom handed him a chalice filled with *meiyr*. “this is just greuberry juice, this is just greuberry juice” he mumbled and gulped down the entire thing. “Ohh yukk, that’s definitely not greuberry juice.” He felt a warmth flowing down his throat and then throughout his entire body. He started levitating above the lake, surrounding him a cocoon of light and aura.

Everyone watched in shock and disbelief as this had never happened before. Usually the *meiyr* would immediately manifest a Mark of the Beast on the individual’s wrist followed by the Dragon’s descent and then the Kishur Ceremony Spell.

Jorfith's awakening however was different.

The levitating cocoon started pulling everything towards it, the water from the lake, the surrounding mana, the moonlight everything seemed to gravitate towards the cocoon. It shook the entire mountain. The dragon familiars now alert protected the family members from being sucked in. The now pulsating and gyrating cocoon of light and mana began shrinking and assimilating into Jorfith, he descended into the now empty lake, the mark of two inverted triangles joined at the tip like an hourglass with a bird’s wing wrapped around it on his wrist.

Jorfith opened his eyes as if waking from a deep sleep. His hair had changed from black to white and his pupils had become golden. Nobody understood this transformation, the dragon familiars still on alert didn’t dare to approach him. They feared him, his aura now seeping out of him in all directions was a mix of white and gold, the dragonkin on the outside felt it too. None of them would approach him.

Jorfith, now fully awakened got up from the sacred lake and looked around only to see everyone's shocked faces and no sight of any Dragons descending.

“Mom, what’s happened? Did something go wrong? Why is everyone shocked so much and why do none of the dragons descend?” His mother was speechless, she was still processing the events of the last 3 minutes.

He couldn't understand what he did wrong.. he looked at his wrist, he had never seen this mark before. Looking up and around he could see the dragon familiars with their protective stances covering everyone with the wings. Outside, the dragonkin didn’t dare to even approach the cave entrance.

Then suddenly the night sky started to lit up, like it was day. Right above the cave it was like the sky parted and light shone everywhere, she materialized from the sky almost instantly. She was a beautiful golden and blue bird with eyes that were beaming with power. None of the Cadmus clan could stand, it was like gravity had suddenly been multiplied in her presence. As she descended, her wings were fire and light and her aura was pure white. He looked at his wrist and the Mark started glowing as if in response to her arrival. The Dragon familiars and Dragonkin now all stopped flying and bowed in reverence to her arrival. Behind Jorfith, Fairy Queen Amaryllis now stood; she sensed the arrival of a massive magical entity and had to intervene.

“It is my honour to be in your presence Aurora Seraphina Cyra”, she said bowing down and on one knee.

Jorfith couldn’t believe his eyes, Fairy Queen Amaryllis was kneeling in reverence to the arrival of his familiar, just who was this bird?

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AspiringFictnWriter t1_jdq9b1d wrote

-------------x

The fairy realm hierarchy didn't end with Queen Amaryllis. Long ago before the age of Kishur, there existed The Elemental Phoenixes, they were the guardians of all the realms in Yggdrasil. Their power was too great to be channeled and be stable on Earth and hence the responsibility of being Earth's guardians was bestowed upon the Fairies & Dragons. They hadn't intervened in humanity's affairs since before the age of Kishur.

With the increased frequency of beasts sightings, more and more Chaos energy was leaking into the Earthly realm causing disarray. Same was noticed by the border family heads, Queen Lilly, and Fairy Queen Amaryllis.

-------------x

It started out as an anuual meeting of family heads to discuss security measures. Lately they had been meeting every month due to the exponential increase in organized chaos beasts sightings, they were almost strategic as if to find the weak points in our defences. Their movements were too intelligent, like there was a general in the background calling the shots. This had never happened before, these beasts were called Chaos beasts primarily due to their chaotic nature, any attempt at controlling them resulted in failure. Hence the only option was to eliminate them.

The border was in much more disarray than any of them would care to admit. With the current number of soldiers & dragon riders barely enough to keep these monsters at bay. Like a balloon that was stretched out to it's limit, one prick was all it needed to cause the entire border to burst and collapse. What's worse was that these horde of beasts seemed to be increasing over time, gradually chipping away at the strength of the border security force.

The family heads knew that without significant effort the border would break down soon, then nothing would stop these beasts from entering the city limits. This was another reason why Jorfith's mother stepped down as the queen's guard - she wanted to be near the border in case something went awry since only the Fairy Queen Amaryllis could use teleportation spells.

"We can't just keep sending more soldiers to the borders, only the Dragon riders can effectively take on the beasts, the rest either end up gravely wounded or dead." spoke Colborn Fraener the family head of the Southern border standing up and firmly banging his hands on the round table. Joining him were Alexander Cadmus Jorfith's father, Gromei Tatsuya of the Eastern border, and Edward Knucker of the Western border. They all looked at each other knowing what Colborn said was true.

Though the Tatsuya clan was better at infantry combat with their swordsmen, they couldn't maintain a lead in an extended fight, since the Chaos beasts didn't get tired or hungry or feel pain. The Knucker clan were adept at long range combat, but they couldn't cover the vastness of the Western border. The Cadmus clan had the most dragon riders, but even they couldn't be deployed everywhere.

"Queen Lilly can't keep intervening with Fairy Ohr everytime, even with her teleportation powers there's only so many places she can provide support, it's not a long term solution. The Chaos beasts keep regenerating at an alarming rate every fortnight, like it's following the moon's cycle." said Alexander as he was reading from last month's damage report from the border patrol. "There's been a 15% increase in their regeneration rate and 8% increase in their spawning rate. If this goes on, we cannot sustain the defence line for more than 2 months. We need an alternative solution." They all agreed, but we're clueless on how to resolve this issue. Their members were already stretched thin as it is, even help from the Wolf, Kraken, and Tiger clans could only buy them 2 months at best. Contemplating what to do next, "Say Alexander, isn't tonight your son's initiation? What was his name again? " asked Edward. "Ah yes of course...! It's Jorfith. He's my youngest, He's a kind soul unlike his siblings, never hurt a fly. He can handle himself in a swordfight and has good reflexes, but he's how do I put it, weak.!! He prefers to be non-violent and hasn't developed his strength like his older siblings. I wonder if he'll ever get strong enough to ride a Dragon.. God knows we can use another dragon rider. I can't leave my post at the border tonight so won't be there to witness his Kishur ceremony, hope it goes well" All nodded in agreement.

-------------x

Back in the Altar room, the aura emanating from both Jorfith and Aurora was so dense it was now getting difficult to breathe. Fairy Queen Amaryllis however, didn't seem to have any problems and neither did Jorfith. "Thank you for heeding my plea Aurora Seraphina Cyra, we are in need of your guidance in these chaotic times. What i feared has come to pass, we're seeing early signs of the Chaos Master's emergence." said Amaryllis, "Please call me Aurora my sweet Amaryllis, oh my how you've grown." Amaryllis's eyes now widened, cheeks flushed red, gave out a smile like when a parent praised her child.

"Now then, it took 4 generations of Dragonborn for a single individual to finally be strong enough to awaken, he is quite cute though isn't he?" Jorfith was looking at his reflection in a small puddle of the lake's leftover waters. He couldn't recognise himself. His hair and eyes had changed, his body felt lighter and full of energy. Now, Alexander's standards of comparing strength weren't normal, so when Alexander talked about weakness he was comparing Jorfith to himself and his 3 eldest sons. Jorfith was still stronger than most of his siblings, just that he never really showed off his strength.

"Dragonborn? Awaken? Just what is she talking about? And what is with this atmosphere, why can't I move? It's like trying to move inside a sea of dense jelly." Jorfith's mother thought to herself. She had never read about any of this in her lifetime or heard any stories about it from her ancestors. Her bewilderment was shared across everyone's faces present in the Altar room.

"Listen to me Dragonborns and their familiars." spoke Fairy Queen Amaryllis, "You stand in the presence of royalty. It is my honour to announce the arrival of The Primordial Guardian of Yggdrasil - Aurora Seraphina Cyra" "Jorfith?" called Aurora. Jorfith now looked up at the huge looming figure, she was bigger than father's Dragon Valyryon who was the largest one in the family. Her wings seemed to cover the entire sky, her presence was so calming and majestic. Jorfith was happy, happy that he got a familiar and couldn't help but smile "Thank you for choosing me.." he said. "Thank you for being strong enough to awaken so i could materialize in this realm, together we'll take down the Chaos plaguing this land, our bond shall be the strongest. You will inherit all my powers, unlike the Kishur - our souls have now bonded. My powers of elemental threads, mana manipulation, and thought control will now manifest within you, you will lead humanity to enlightenment"

And so, the saga of Jorfith the awakened and Aurora Seraphina Cyra the immortal primordial phoenix began...


Thank you for reading so far, hope you enjoyed this short story.

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