[EASTERN SANCTUARY]
Time passed as the group took a break from the massive bombshell of information that Aura had dropped on them. Now, Oreon sat outside on the grassy ground by a gently flowing stream, watching the water cascade away from the medium-sized, roaring waterfall in front of him. His brown eyes, filled with contemplation, gazed out at his rippled reflection in the glassy water.
"Dragon's blood, huh?" He continues to look at his reflection as he slowly lifts his hands to look at his palms. "Mom, I wish I could talk to you." He says to himself as he slowly puts his hands down. "I'm just so confused." He skipped a rock into the water. "I used the ability you taught me. It was the first time, so I hope you're not mad at me." Oreon wrapped his arms around his legs as he continued to look at the water.
"Your mother could never be mad at you, little dragon," Aura's voice came from behind him as she walked up to his seating spot, gently sitting down next to him.
Oreon doesn't turn to look at Aura, keeping his gaze fixed on the rippling water. The sound of the waterfall provides a soothing backdrop to the heavy thoughts weighing on his mind.
"How can you be so sure?" He asks quietly, his voice barely audible over the rushing water. "I didn't even know what I was until today. I still don't know what I am. Dragon's blood...Everything I thought I knew about myself..." He trails off, picking up another stone and turning it over in his hands.
"Your mother was one of my dearest friends," Aura responds gently, her eyes reflecting the dancing water. "She had hopes for you, dreams. But more than anything, she wanted you to be free to choose your own path." She leaned back on her hands a bit. "If there's one thing your mother always told me, it was 'All I want for my kids is to live a normal life.' A slight giggle escaped her as she tried her best to mimic Leona's voice. "She knew her blood ran through your veins, clearly overpowering your father's, but she prayed you would never have to use the abilities that came with it." Aura finished as she stretched a bit, glancing slightly towards Oreon.
Oreon's fingers tighten around the stone as he processes Aura's words. The water continues to flow, its constant motion a stark contrast to his stillness.
"But I did use it," he says softly, guilt edging into his voice. "Back there, when everyone was in danger...It just happened. I had no choice; it was the only option left.
He finally turns to look at Aura, his brown eyes filled with uncertainty. "If she wanted me to live a normal life, then why did she teach me that ability in the first place?" As he tossed the stone, he watched it skip, each impact sending out tiny ripples across the cool water before it finally sank.
Aura's expression softens as she watches the ripples fade from where Oreon's stone disappeared beneath the surface. "Because she was wise enough to know that sometimes we don't get to choose our battles," she says carefully, her voice gentle but firm.
"She taught you that ability not because she wanted you to use it, but because she knew there might come a day when you would need it to protect yourself or those you care about. Just like the day before." She reaches out, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Your mother was many things, Little Dragon, but above all, she was a practical woman. She knew the world would be cruel, especially to those who are different. Teaching you wasn't about preparing you for war or having long-drawn-out fights with the Order—it was about giving you the tools to survive." She took a stone herself and lightly skipped it across the water, the stone sinking in the same spot Oreon's did.
Oreon looked at her for a moment and then picked up another stone and skipped it. "She was worried my father would take me away, wasn't she?" He narrowed his eyes a bit at his reflection. "Because he knew... That's why he didn't want to be around Alice or me, because we were different."
Aura's expression darkened momentarily at the mention of his father. Taking a deep breath, she picked up another stone of her own and skipped it across the water. "Your father..." She begins, carefully choosing her words. "Was a man who feared what he didn't understand. And fear, Little Dragon, can make people do terrible things. Your mother knew this better than anyone." She paused, watching another stone skip across the water's surface as she followed Oreon's movements and formed a rhythm as she picked up another small stone.
"So yes, she taught you to protect you from the horrors the world could give, but more so to protect you from him." The waterfall's constant roar fills the silence between them for a moment before Aura continues.
"But don't think for a moment that she regretted having you or your sister. You both were her greatest joy, her greatest achievement. The dragon's blood in your veins wasn't a curse to her—it was a gift. One she hoped would give you the strength to forge your own path, free from both her legacy and your father's fears."
Oreon's hand paused mid-throw, a stone caught between his fingers as he absorbed Aura's words. "But what does that even mean now? With everything that's happening—the Order, Dragon's blood, these powers I barely understand, my father in his crazed obsession for control." He lets out a frustrated breath. "It feels like my path has already been chosen for me, just like it was for Mom."
Aura carefully watched him, noting how his shoulders tensed with the weight of his thoughts. "The circumstances of our birth don't define our destiny, Little dragon," she speaks, wisdom in her voice.
"Your mother was born with dragon blood, yes, but every choice she made, including having you and Alice, teaching you what she knew, protecting you from your father, those were her choices. Her path."
Oreon sat there quietly for a moment before he spoke again. "Aura, how long have you and my mom been friends? You're an elf, and Mom said she met you when she was younger, but I know Elves don't age like humans do, so..." He looked over at her.
A gentle smile crosses Aura's face as she begins to recall the day that she met Leona. "I met your mother when she was just a child," she says softly, her voice carrying a hint of nostalgia. "She was...Eh, different from other human children. Not just because of the blood in her veins, but because of her spirit. Most humans feared or revered elves during her early years, keeping their distance as much as possible. But your mother?"
She chuckles softly. "Your mother was rather bold. She marched right up to me in a human shopping center, tugged on my robes, and demanded to know why my ears were 'so pointy." The waterfall flowed steadily, its sound echoing all around them.
"I was...Intrigued. It had been centuries since a human child had shown such fearless curiosity. I ended up spending the afternoon answering her endless questions about Elven culture, magic, and history. After that, she would seek me out whenever I visited those human settlements. As she grew older, our friendship deepened. I watched her grow from a curious child into a remarkable woman." Aura answered him as Oreon made sure to give all the attention he could to her story.
"How did she learn to control her powers?" He asks her. "And when did she discover she had dragon's blood in her? It couldn't have been her parents, right?" Oreon asks her.
Aura smiled once more, a peaceful expression gracing her features as she leaned back, feeling the cool, damp mist from the waterfall settle on her skin, memories of Leona's turbulent journey to master her powers resurfacing in her mind.
"Your mother's story...It wasn't an easy one," She begins as Oreon leans back on his hands a bit as he looks at her, showing that he was listening.
"The dragon's blood in your family line goes back many generations—so far back that most have forgotten its origin. The power in it tends to sleep for generations, powers only awakening in dire situations. Your mother's powers manifested when she was fourteen—quite suddenly and violently." She pauses, picking up another stone and turning it over in her hands thoughtfully.
"It normally comes during a moment of extreme stress, much like you when you were fighting against Vexes, or your sister when she was determined to save you. Your mother was the same way." Aura continued. "Bandits came to the Orphanage." Aura's eyes narrowed slowly as she held the stone in her hand. "Nothing but a group of lowlifes with nothing better to do than pick on someone weaker than them." She lightly gritted her teeth as if recalling that memory made her spiteful. "Those men had no remorse, the most disgusting of humankind. They came in and took everything that the orphanage had, ransacking and pillaging the place. Killing the caretakers who tried to defend the kids that lived there." She tossed the stone into the water, watching it skip across the water. "Your mother, amongst other kids, watched as they slaughtered one after another, begging for the madness to stop." Aura slowly looked up at the rising waterfall.
"But it never did." She sighs. "Your mother was the only one to survive that tragedy. By the time I got there, your mother was covered in blood, not a single person alive but her. The bandits, all dead, along with the innocents they slaughtered.
Oreon froze, his breath catching in his throat as Aura's words sank in. "She...She was just a kid." He whispers. "And...And she went through all that?"
"By the time I arrived," Aura continues. "Leona was on her knees, crying her little heart out while nothing but death and bodies lay around her." She let out a brief sigh. "After I calmed her down, we buried all the children and the caretakers there and gave them a peaceful send-off. We were just trying to make things right." Aura continued as she slid her knees up to her chest and gently wrapped her arms around them. "Your mother carried that day with her forever, crying for nights on end; telling me how much of a monster she was, hating herself for what she didn't do in time...Sometimes, for what she did." Aura's expression was saddened at the memories of how Leona screamed out in her tantrums with eyes full of tears.
"She was angry for not knowing what she was. She even blamed me, thinking that I knew what was going on but didn't tell her. In truth, she was just scared and hurt; angry that she lost the people that she grew up with and the caretakers that took care of her." She stopped and took another deep breath before she continued speaking. "It took time for her to heal, but scars like that never truly fade away. For a while, she thought she was an evil being born to plague the world and toss everything into chaos." Aura stated as she turned her head towards Oreon. "But what I told her then is what I'm telling you now; you are not a monster. The power you have is not meant for you to fear. No matter how terrifying, you are not a monster until you choose to wield it that way."
Oreon's breath hitches as he stares at the water, his reflection ripped by the water's movements.
"I...I felt it," he whispered, voice slightly trembling. "Back with Vexes—when I used that power. I thought it was just a boost in strength...But it was like something inside me woke up. Back then, I thought Mom was teaching me a simple enhancement spell, but when I used it...I felt different...I didn't even feel human...It was like all my limitations had broken and I could....I could do anything." He paused for a second, looking slightly back at Aura.
"Aura...What if you're wrong? What if this blood—this power? What if it's not a gift? What if it is a curse?
Aura looked at Oreon for a moment before gently leaning over and simply thumping him on the forehead.
"Ouch!" Oreon yelps. "What was that for?!" He yells, rubbing his forehead as he turns to glare at Aura, only to find her watching him with a small, knowing smile.
"You really are your mother's son," she says, shaking her head. "She asked the same question after that night for almost a year. "Is it a curse? Am I doomed to destroy everything I touch? Am I going to hurt more people? And you know what I told her?"
"No, what?" Oreon let his hands down for a moment as he looked at Aura as she leaned in slightly, her green eyes locking onto his with unwavering intensity before she thumped his head again.
"Ow! Would you cut it out!" Oreon yells at her.
Aura doesn't flinch, her expression firm despite the faintest glimmer of amusement in her eyes. "I told her," she says, voice low and steady. "That if she was truly a monster...She wouldn't be sitting there crying over what happened. Asking me the same question day after day, scared of what you may become. Monsters don't weep for the dead, Little dragon. They don't carry guilt. They don't lie awake at night wondering if they could've done better." She leans in again, this time resting a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"You felt power?" She asks softly, tilting her head a bit. "Of course you did. It's in your blood. But tell me—when that power surged through you, when the world slowed down and your strength exploded...Who were you fighting for?" She doesn't wait for an answer, leaning back with the mist glistening on her skin.
"You didn't tear Vexes apart. You didn't crush his bones or burn him alive; you stopped him. You protected your friends. That wasn't rage. That wasn't pure destruction." Her voice remains firm. "That was a choice that you made while using the technique your mother taught you to unlock your power, even with the limited understanding that you have to wield it." She continues to stare at him.
"As I said, monsters don't feel guilt for what they do, and here you are questioning yourself because you care, that's not the mark of a bloodthirsty beast, little dragon." The waterfall roars behind them as she adds, "And if that isn't proof enough? Your mother chose mercy every time she could."
Oreon continues to look at her for a moment, the words worming their way into his head as he watches as Aura then lazily leans back against the grass with her arms behind her head, crossing one leg over the other.
"And since Vexes is still alive!" She exclaims. "We clearly know what choice you made since you didn't obliterate him." She sighs softly, "He'll come back, and when he does...Well, we'll cross that bridge when we get there." She finishes as she turns her head to see Oreon looking down at her.
"What?" Aura says as she props herself up on one elbow and looks at him. "You want more proof that you're not cursed? Look at your hands again." She says as Oreon slowly lifts them into view, his eyes staring at his bruised palms.
"You used your power twice yesterday. "Aura continues, "And the second time you saved a village, the princesses, the keeper, and her daughter, and yours truly." She points to herself. "All because you held that gateway open, everyone got away safely.
"I...I didn't think about that." Oreon murmurs as he continues to stare at his hands. "I don't even know what made me do it. I just knew you were holding the gate open too long, and I didn't want to leave you or the others behind." He admitted.
Aura smiles softly, sitting up fully now as she watches him process her words.
"And that," She says gently, "is the difference between power used by a monster...and power used by someone who cares." She leans forward slightly. "Your mother didn't run from her abilities—she mastered them, albeit because I trained her to; however. She didn't use it to conquer the world or destroy her enemies—but to protect those who couldn't protect themselves." She stretched a bit as the sound of the rushing waves continued to echo in the background.
"Like I said, the power in Dragon's blood can lie dormant for generations, little dragon. It doesn't follow the neat, predictable patterns of human heredity. Your mother's ancestors might have carried it for centuries without knowing. But when it awakens..." She gestures to the waterfall before them. "It's like this waterfall—once it flows, there's no stopping it. You can only learn to direct its course.
She plucks another stone from the bank and places it in his palm, closing his fingers around it. "Little dragon, the water flows downstream whether you guide it or not," she whispers. "But only you decide where it leads."
Oreon sits in silence, the weight of the stone in his palm feeling heavier than it should. "Maybe...Maybe you're right, maybe I'm worrying too much. I chose to use that power to fight Vexes, so maybe I'm just overthinking things." Oreon replies as Aura got up, a happy smirk on her face.
"I'm glad you feel that way," Aura stated. "Because tomorrow morning, you start training." She says gleefully as she takes the stone from Oreon's palm and tosses it into the water."
Oreon's eyes widen in alarm as he jerks his head up to look at her. "Wait, training? You're serious?!" He sputters, scrambling to his feet. "I just used this power for the first time yesterday! Don't I get more time to process this dragon stuff before you throw me into whatever ancient Elven boot camp you've got planned?!"
Aura merely laughs, "Process all you want," she says, brushing grass from her clothes. "But how do you think your mother learned to control her destructive power? You think she did it overnight?" She teases, folding her arms. "Nope. She trained until she collapsed. Cried, screamed, cursed my name...then did it again the next day." Her smirk sharpens. "Alice did it, and you're going to do the same." She winks at him. "Be ready by dawn tomorrow, Little Dragon...Oh, and try not to cry too much during warm-ups."
"Aura, wait! Can't we push it off another day?!" He tried to suggest as he watched as Aura turned her back towards him." Aura, come on! Aura!...Aura!" Oreon groans loudly, dragging his hand down as he stares after her retreating figure. "This is going to be hell."