Page 52 of Stolen By Dragons

As soon as I’d thought the words ‘tainted one’, guilt hit me. I’d been with them often, helping them train, watching them grow, seeing them interact and even chatted with them.

And there’d always been an odd fascination with Aria, the weakest of the bunch, and yet she always tried her hardest despite being a human. She’d also been the first to feel the dragon calling to her, to her ancient blood. Why was she so… intriguing?

I pushed the thought aside, focusing on the more pressing matters at hand. "We need to get these dragons under control," I said, my tone more brusque than I'd intended.

As if on cue, one of the Dracarians rushed forward with a robe, which I donned quickly. Aria seemed to relax slightly once I was covered, finally looking up at me fully.

The gratitude in her eyes was unmistakable, and for a moment, I found myself at a loss for words. This was not how I had expected this day to go, in more ways than one.

I noticed the werewolf she spent much time with rushing to her side with his dragon perched on his shoulder, asking her in hushed tones if she was truly okay.

Clearing my throat, I turned to address the entire group. "The Trial of the Stone Sentinels is concluded," I announced. "But our work is far from over. We must now learn to work with these... unexpected arrivals."

As I spoke, I couldn't help but glance at Aria once more. The way she cradled her dragon, the fierce protectiveness in her eyes - it stirred something in me. A feeling I couldn't quite name, and wasn't sure I wanted to examine too closely.

The other earthlings gathered around, their baby dragons perched on shoulders or cradled in arms. Christopher, thewerewolf, stood protectively close to Aria, his own earth-toned dragon mimicking its bonded's stance. I felt an irrational flicker of annoyance at his proximity to her.

Zephyr, the fae, approached with his silver dragon fluttering around his head like a living halo. "What does this mean for the war?” he asked.

I sighed as I glanced around at the baby dragons. "I don't know," I admitted. "This is... unprecedented. We'll need to consult the Seer."

"But they're so small," Lydia, the shifter, said softly. Her water dragon was curled around her neck like a living necklace. "How can they possibly help us fight the Void?"

It was the question we were all thinking, the one I'd been grappling with since the moment these hatchlings emerged. "I don't have an answer for that," I said, hating the uncertainty in my voice. "But they are dragons, regardless of their size. There must be a reason they've appeared in this form."

At least, I could only hope.

As if to punctuate my words, Aria's white dragon let out a tiny roar once more. It was more of a squeak really, but the sound reverberated through the hall with unexpected power. The other dragons responded, their voices joining in a chorus that seemed to make the very air vibrate with potential.

For a moment, I allowed myself to hope. Perhaps there was more to these creatures than met the eye. Perhaps their small size belied a greater power, one that would reveal itself in time.

But hope was a luxury we could ill afford. The Void was encroaching, and we needed solutions, not maybes.

"We'll need to adjust our training regimen," I said, my mind already racing with plans and contingencies. "You'll need to learn to work with your dragons, to understand and harness their abilities."

"And what of the Void?" Ossian, the vampire, spoke up. His black dragon was perched on his shoulder, watching quietly with its head low. "We can't simply wait for these hatchlings to grow up."

He was right, of course. We were running out of time, and now our timeline had been thrown into complete disarray.

"We'll continue with our original plans as best we can," I said, trying to project a confidence I didn't entirely feel. "Your elemental training will continue. And we'll work on integrating the dragons into our strategies."

As I spoke, I noticed Aria's dragon watching me intently. For a moment, I felt as though I was being measured, judged by this tiny creature.

The sensation was unsettling, to say the least.

"For now," I continued, shaking off the strange feeling, "we need to get these dragons settled. They may be small, but they're still powerful beings. We can't risk any more... accidents."

As if on cue, one of the dragons - a fiery red one bonded to one of the others - sneezed, sending a small fireball careening across the hall. It dissipated harmlessly against one of the stone walls, but the message was clear. These creatures were dangerous, even in their infant state.

"We'll set up a nursery of sorts perhaps,” I considered. "A safe place where you can bond with your dragons without risking damage to the Keep or yourselves. Or maybe we’ll organize magic to dampen their own,” I mused. “For now, you will remain here with your dragons, I will send more Dracarians down to help manage their magic and elements while we figure this out.” It sounded like a better option to use magic than trying to put together a nursery and somehow stop them from burning the Keep down.

As the group focused on their new dragons while I contemplated our next step, I found myself once again drawn toAria. She was speaking softly to her dragon, her fingers gently stroking its iridescent scales.

I approached, careful to maintain a respectful distance. "How are you feeling?" I asked, surprising myself with the gentleness in my tone.

She looked up, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Overwhelmed," she admitted. "But... excited too. I never imagined I'd be caring for a baby dragon."

I nodded, understanding the sentiment. None of us had imagined this outcome. "It's a great responsibility," I said. "These creatures... they're unlike anything you’ve seen before. The bond you share with them could be the key to everything."

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