“Hello?” A small feminine voice said, it sounded like a young girl. Rousing Chance from his sleep. “Hello? Can you hear me?”

“Hullo?” Chance responded groggily. “Who is it?” Sitting up, Chance looked around. He did not see anyone. “Where are you? You can come out, it is safe. I won’t hurt you.”

“I can’t. I am stuck. Please help me.” The girl’s voice sounded a bit scared, he could hear a sense of panic rising in it.

Standing, Chance peered around. The voice sounded near like it was right next to him. Turning in a circle, he looked around. “Keep talking. I will find you and help you out.” Not seeing anyone, Chance moved up to the edge of the hollow.

“Don’t leave me! Please don’t leave me!” the young girl said frantically.

Again the voice sounded right beside him. Spinning around again he could not find anything. The girl continued to plead for him to stay and not leave her. Realization hit him suddenly that the voice he was “hearing” was not being heard by his ears. It was in his head! Taking a deep breath, Chance thought, can you still hear me?

Frantically the girl’s voice responded, Yes! Please don’t leave me!

Where can she be? How is she speaking inside my head? Am I going crazy? Did I hit my head and not remember it? Chance thought to himself. As he walked back to where he had left his satchel.

The voice seemed to calm as he returned to his satchel. I am stuck in my egg. Can you please help me? We bonded when you woke me up, that is how we are speaking. No you did not hit your head that I can tell. As for your mental state, that is yet to be determined. She giggled, it was a soft bell like sound.

Stuck in your egg? What are you? Chase asked.

I am a demi-dragon of course, a silver one at that. Don’t you know that by the egg you bonded with?

I didn’t bond with anything. I just picked up what I thought was an egg-shaped rock…. Wait are you saying that was actually an egg I picked up and cleaned not a rock or a piece of jewelry?

Of course it was. What did you expect? That my Dam gave you a pretty silver bauble? She remarked.

Your Dam? I found your egg in the remains of a room that used to be under a huge oak tree. There are some bones in the corner of the room I found you in, but they look to be very old. Chance responded.

What?! My Dam said when she laid me that I would be hatching any day now. That her master was searching for someone special to bond with me. That he only had to do a quick task before that then I would be born. Get me out of this egg! I must find out what is going on.

Chance could almost picture a small child stamping her foot at the petulant tone in her voice. Now how do I do that? Chase thought.

Why with your Ard of course? The dragon responded curtly.

Ard? I don’t have any Ard! I am a journeyman blacksmith, or will be if I passed my test. I have never even seen Ard. Chance responded with an edge of panic in his voice. For there were stories of those with Ard being drug from their homes by the King’s Guard and never being seen or heard from again.

You have to have Ard! She whined. My Dam said that is how a bond is formed. That the Ard of the Mage flows into the dragon stone and wakes the dormant egg, bonding the Mage and the demi-dragon together. Then once the egg is awake the Ard of the hatchling demi-dragon and the Magus’ Ard join in a harmony of hatching. That is how it has to work! So since I am bonded to you through your Ard you must have Ard!

Ok… So saying I do have Ard. How do I use it to free you from your egg? Chance asked.

I don’t know. She responded sheepishly, My Dam did not say anything about that. What did you do to wake me?

All I did was to touch your egg. Then the singing started and it felt like there was a flow of something down my arm and out my hand. It felt like water was flowing out of me. Chance said thinking back to through things. Let me try touching your egg again and see if that works.

Reaching down Chance touched his palm to the egg once more. This time it felt like it was not just a trickle of water flowing out his hand it seemed like a raging torrent. Like a dam had burst! The song returned for a few final notes that seemed a fitting end to the harmony that had been there earlier. Then with a flash and a burst of energy the egg split into two halves. There remaining on the ground was the most beautiful and adorable creature Chance had ever seen.

Her body was about a quarter of a span long but from the tip of her nose to the end of her long sinuous tail she was just under a span. She had an elongated neck with a delicate head. There was a ridge of spikes that ran down her neck between her bat-like wings and down the length of her tail. Her wings folded back on themselves but when fully extended they were a half of a span from tip to tip, and attached to her body above her front leg joint with a claw at the joint where the wing bent back on itself. She stood on four legs and each front leg ended in a hand with five digits. The demi-dragon’s foot was similar to a bird’s foot in that the rear digit was opposite the other four. From watching her it looked as if she could move each of the digits independently much like a human hand. From her shoulder to the ground was about a quarter of a span. Her entire body was covered in very fine silver scales that shimmered and appeared to change color as she moved. Her cat-like eyes were a bright beautiful purple. All in all, she was a magnificent looking being.

You are magnificent! Chance thought.

Of course I am, she said proudly. I mean, Thank you.

Do you have a name? Chance asked.

Yes, I do, although it is quite long. I am called, at this point she let loose a small roar followed by several grunts, grumbles and growls. At least that is what my name is in my Dragonish. It roughly translates into your language as Heralded Beautiful Silver Star. She said with great pride.

Wow! That is a beautiful name. My name is Chance Smithe. My family just calls me Chance. I am not sure I will be able to say your full name all the time, it is quite a mouthful. Can I call you by a shorter name?

I can see your point. I don’t have another name. Could you perhaps give me one? Remember though it must be something that conveys my beauty and splendor. She said as she arched her neck and looked at herself.

How about Alyssia? It means Beautiful Star in Old Chavirean. Chance asked.

Alyssia? Yes, I definitely like that name. It has a nice ring to it. Ring… ring… Oh my! I almost forgot the ring! My Dam told me that when I hatched that there was a ring that is for you. She said she would put it in a place that only I could find and that only you could open. From what she said it is a tradition in bonding to encourage us each to use the abilities granted to us and work together for a goal. She looked around the area but could not see all of the walls of the room due to some of the remaining rubble from the collapsed ceiling. I cannot see the entire area because of the rocks in the way. I need to be higher up. Can you pick me up so I can see the rest of the hatchery? Alyssia asked. Chance squatted down and offered her his hand to crawl into and stood back up. Wow! The view is much nicer up here, she remarked looking around the area. There is the door over there. By the remains of my Dam, Alyssia stated as she indicated with her head a section of stone in the far wall of the room. Chance stepped over a pile of rocks and dirt and started walking towards the section she had indicated. As he neared the area and before he could lower his hand to let Alyssia down, she launched herself into the air and glided slowly to the ground. Her landing was a bit awkward and clumsy. Chance had to suppress a chuckle as Alyssia glared back over her shoulder at him to see if he would say anything.

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Chance could feel a vague sense of embarrassment coming from somewhere. He knew it was not his embarrassment so he asked, Alyssia how much do we share through our bond?

Oh, depending on the strength of the bond we can share almost everything. You will be able to access more Ard and cast stronger incantations than almost any mage that does not have a dragon bond. Also, while a mage’s life is extended by several hundred years by virtue of their Ard. A dragon bonded mage shares the lifespan of their dragon or demi-dragon, which can easily surpass five hundred years. There are stories of those with a strong bond being able to share emotions and senses. There is also the story of a single bonded mage that could transform into a human sized demi-dragon. That might be only a story though as I only have the one memory mentioning it from the Dam that began my line.

You mean you have memories from the dragons that were alive before you? Chance asked.

Yes, I can remember back to the first silver demi-dragon. It was thousands of years ago, I think.

Chance paused as he was suddenly gripped with a need to eat something.

Ummm, Chance, I am really hungry. You don’t have any food do you? Alyssia asked.

Chance reached for his satchel and pulled out the apple and one of the small loaves of bread. Can you eat either of these?

I can try. Right now I am sooo hungry! Alyssia whined.

Chance tossed a piece of the roll to her and was surprised when she leapt up into the air like a cat and caught the roll in her mouth and then landed nimbly on her feet. She attacked the bread with a vengeance. I don’t care for it but it will have to do for now I guess.

Chance kept tearing off pieces and handing them to her and when she had eaten her fill, she delicately wiped her scales clean and walked toward the far side hatchery and said, Now, about that ring.

Chance could feel something tingling his skin as he watched Alyssia focus on a spot on the wall of the hatchery. Then the spot suddenly changed from a rock wall to a small doorway covered with a slight glow.

There you go. Now open the enchanted door and I will go get the ring. Alyssia said excitedly.

Chance was not exactly sure how to do that so he hoped that it would work on its own like it had with the egg. So squatting down on his heels, he reached out to touch the door. As his hand drew nearer and neared to the door a sense of danger grew stronger and stronger. Stopping just shy of the door, he withdrew his hand. He picked up a small stick and poked the door with the stick. It felt like the stick slid right through the door so with excitement he pulled the stick back to set it to the side, but the part that had seemed to go through the door was actually gone.

“What!” Chance exclaimed, dropping the remainder of the stick. “What happened to the rest of it?”

That was close. I wonder if that was what would have happened to my finger if I had touched the door, Chance remarked to Alyssia. Do you have any memories of how to remove the enchantment? It appears to be quite dangerous to experiment with ways to open it.

No. All I can remember watching them reach out and the glow disappearing. She responded.

No chanting or words were said before or while they were reaching out? Chance asked.

Extending his hand towards the door he tried to command the barrier across the door to go away. With that thought, Chance felt a slight flow down his arm that was extended toward the doorway and then suddenly the barrier across the doorway disappeared. Wait! How did I do that?

Yay! You did it! I knew you could do it! We are going to be the best bonded EVER! Alyssia shouted.

Chance lay down on his stomach, thinking once again that his mom was not going to be happy with the state of his clothes when he returned home. He peered into the opening. It is too dark in there for me to see anything and the opening is way too small for me to go in and get it. Let’s see if I can reach whatever is back there. Chance offered.

Alyssia walked up to his face now that he was down on her level. I will go in and get it. Snorting as she walked past and wait…. Did she just roll her eyes at him?

She walked through the opening and a few minutes later Chance heard her voice in his head, There is a room back here and there is more here than the ring. I can only bring out some of it. We will might need to dig down to the room as I think it is farther down than you can reach.

Soon Alyssia returned wearing the ring around her neck like a choker. As she came out of the room all the way he noticed that she was holding a scroll with her tail.

This was all that was in the room that I could carry. I saw a belt with a good sized pouch and a dagger attached. There is also a large pouch that was too heavy for me to drag out. Alyssia said as she sat down in front of Chance.

Here let me see if I can reach before we start digging.

Scooting closer Chance reached into the small doorway and felt around until his hand closed on a piece of leather. Grabbing hold he pulled it out. The contents of the bag clinked together and jingled like coins. Opening the bag Chance was startled for there must be around a fifty gold coins as well as quite a few large gems. There was also another small bag inside as well. Chance pulled it out and hefted it. It weighed maybe a quarter of a stone. He opened the sack and looked inside. The bag was full of a silvery grainy substance. He reached in and pulled out a pinch. Sprinkling it back into the bag, he was hit with the sudden realization of what it was. It was silver scalite, the main component that allowed for the creation of Dwarven Steel. Harold had shown him some once when he had purchased it from a Dwarven caravan. The amount that he had pinched in his fingers was enough to make about a stone's worth of the steel from what Harold told him. This bag could be used to make enough Dwarven Steel to outfit a small army. It was worth far more than the coins and gems in the larger bag. Reaching back into the opening he felt around again and was able to just touch something with the tip of his finger.

I can just reach it. Chance glanced over to ask Alyssia a question and saw her sitting there watching him and preening as she still wore the ring around her neck. Her long tail was wrapped around her feet and the scroll was laying in front of her.

Wow! Don’t you look as beautiful as your name. Chance said earnestly.

I do, don’t I? Do you want the ring or can I keep it? She asked coyly.

How about this? I just found some gold coins and some gems. Want to trade? The ring for some of them? I will even let you wear the ring for now and on occasion later on.

REALLY! Yes! I love gold and gems. It will make a nice start to my treasure hoard. Alyssia squealed in delight.

Not for the first time and more than likely not the last, Chance thanked the gods that the voice was in his head otherwise his ears would be ringing.

I was going to ask if you could go back in again and see if you can move some of the remaining items closer to the opening. I was able to get the larger bag but not the belt and dagger.

That sounds like a plan. Let me see what I can do. Alyssia said as she headed back down the tunnel again.

He could hear her scratching and dragging something until with a final grunt she stopped. There. That is as close as I can get it. Let me get out of the way and I can stay down here and direct you to it.

Scooting up as close to the wall as he could he reached back down the tunnel.

To the left… No your other left. Forward just a smidge. Here let me see if I can push it to you. Alyssia called out.

He felt his fingers close around the belt and he began to pull.

Wait! The dagger is turned and is going to be across the doorway. Let me turn it.

Soon he had the belt, dagger, and a small attached pouch out of the tunnel and Alyssia soon followed.

That is all of it. She said as she exited the opening.

The belt and dagger were ornate and covered with fancy leatherworking and silver decorations. The dagger and sheath was around a span and a quarter in length with the handle being about a third of the overall length. The pouch felt empty so he did not check inside.

Sitting up from the position of reaching down the tunnel it hit Chance all of a sudden. His life had just been turned upside down in one afternoon. He had discovered that he had Ard, not only did he have Ard but he had bonded to a demi-dragon. Then to top it all off, it appeared that he was now set for life financially, just based off of the amount of silver scalite. All of this was too much for the young man. His eyes rolled back in his head and he fainted.