But of course, to no one's surprise, that old, crumbling fart of a man was nowhere to be found. And no one knew where he'd gone either. The king too, was unavailable, so our first report would have to wait as well. After a couple more days of research we still had very little to show. It seemed as if my high expectations into these archives of endless knowledge had been greatly misplaced. That place was more like an institution for superficiality. But that was alright. As shallow as the content in there was, the range of topics was vast.

So after getting burned out on the diseases I just decided to browse, sinking from one rabbithole into another. Like one of those Wikipedia-nights I used to do in my old world, skipping from one page to the next.

Oh how dearly I miss my computer.

I know it's been said more often than enough, but you truly only realize the worth of something once you no longer have it.

"Well well, if it isn't the Kingdom's own mighty dragon!" A familiar but unsettling voice sliced through the quiet hallway like a dagger.

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked up to find Valira standing there, smirking, arms crossed and an eyebrow arched. Tavrin and Kyris both looked at her with a mix of curiosity and caution.

"I’m sure whatever’s going on in your head is truly riveting, but you do realize you’re standing in front of the King’s quarters, right?” She went on.

“Ah. Yes. Just, uh, admiring the great... craftsmanship of this door.” I said, flat out.

Valira rolled her eyes, giving the door a look that suggested it deserved about as much admiration as a piece of wet toilet paper. “Yes, I’m sure the design is spectacular. But don’t tell me your head is all cluttered with thoughts of… doors.”

“Not exactly.” I replied, throwing a quick look at Tavrin and Kyris. “I was actually reminiscing about certain... conveniences I no longer have.”

“Oh? Conveniences?” Her tone was poised but edged with her usual sarcasm. “Enlighten me, then. I didn’t think dragons had much need for creature comforts.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Conveniences like... knowledge at your fingertips, for one. You... wouldn’t get it.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t get it? Dear Argius, you’d be surprised about what all I can get.” She smirked, tapping her chin. “Dragons are meant to look up, you know. Above it all. But here you are, moping about, stuck to the ground. Where’s your pride?”

“Pride?” I scoffed. “Forgive me for not meeting whatever standard you seem to think I should live up to. And where did this whole ‘above it all’ talk come from, anyway?”

She stepped closer, folding her hands behind her back. “I’ve been watching you. Every time you’re grounded, it’s like you’re… frustrated. Stuck.”

“So?”

“So maybe you should be wondering why you’re stuck in the first place.” She said simply, letting the words hang in the air. “Perhaps it isn’t just about having wings. It’s about actually using them.”

I gave her a skeptical look. “Are you suggesting that the reason I’m still grounded has more to do with… my pride?”

“Call it what you will. Pride, fear, impatience. There’s a reason dragons soar above, after all. You’re supposed to be in the sky, Argius.”

Kyris, who had been listening closely to our exchange with his usual grin, finally chimed in. “Yeah, when are you planning on giving it a shot?”

“Flying? Yes, it’s on my to-do list,” I mumbled. “Right after I solve Rhodentum's disease crisis, cure the King's depression, and finally get a decent nap.”

Valira’s lips curved in a faint, almost approving smile. “Excuses won’t get you off the ground, you know. If you’re going to be the dragon everyone keeps whispering about, you might as well live up to it.” She paused, looking away for a second. “Unless, of course, you’d rather stay down here with the rest of the commonfolk.”

I thought her words over for a second. It was a tempting offer. Of course I wasn't sure how she would be of any use in this matter. Sure, she looked like half a dragon, with the horns, the tail, the fangs. Yet I couldn't see how her help would extend any further than verbal support. She was still a mere human. Though I had to admit she'd warmed up to us more recently. Something about her was different. Neither of her sisters were present. Zilra was still bedridden and Orindra still off on her diplomatic mission, if you could call it that.

Maybe that was the reason.

Sigh. Why not. It wasn't like I had anything better to do right now anyway. The constant fruitless research was beginning to seriously wear me down.

“Alright, alright.” I rolled my eyes, not about to let her get the satisfaction of a genuine agreement. “Since it’s apparently such an urgent matter, why don’t you tell me how to get started?”

Her smile widened, the kind that said she’d won some unspoken battle. “I thought you’d never ask.”

***

As we stepped outside, we entered a familiar hidden courtyard. It was our usual training spot. Over time it had slowly turned into almost an obstacle course of sorts. Littered with Spell Circles that would activate a sealed spell when you stepped on it. Like a landmine. The effect was either an inconvenience or just straight up explosions. This was Damarion's personal playground.

A mix of nervousness and irritation settled in my chest as I spotted the man himself already waving us over. Though today he'd have to satisfy himself with only being able to torture Tavrin and Kyris.

Tavrin threw me a thumbs-up before getting dragged into some kind of non-casting, physical drill by Themion. How he was still keeping up with this was a mystery to me. The boy hadn't cast a single spell since he'd begun his training. All he did was whet his body. Kyris did all the arcane. As per usual, the guy was grinning cat-ear to cat-ear, laughing and already taunting Tavrin with something that probably wasn’t constructive.

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Valira stepped further out, looking around to make sure we had space. “Alright, let’s get to it. First rule of trying to get off the ground: You need momentum.” She paused, eyeing my form. “And maybe... a bit of courage.”

“Courage?” I arched the part of my face where a brow should have been. “You make it sound like I’m about to charge into a battle.”

She smirked. “Maybe not that dramatic. But dragons aren’t exactly built for hesitation.”

Spoken as if she was one herself.

“Noted.” I rolled my eyes. “So, what’s the plan here? You expecting me to just leap and hope?”

“Something like that.” she said with a shrug. “I use energy spells to help push myself up. Think of it like... giving a boost to your own muscles, directing energy to amplify what’s already there. It’s about letting the power flow through you, and letting it guide your movement.”

“Let it flow through me. Great.” I mumbled, looking at my wings and giving them an experimental flap. “Let’s see if the ‘energy’ decides to cooperate today.”

She took a step back, motioning for me to watch. “Alright, pay attention.”

Without another word, she crouched low and then, with an impressive burst of speed, launched herself high into the air, her form lifting in a graceful arc. As she did, her movements seemed almost... enhanced, like she was moving faster than normal, her legs springing with unnatural force. She didn’t fly, not exactly, but she stayed airborne longer than any ordinary jump could’ve allowed, almost gliding before she landed on the roof behind us with surprising ease.

What the hell. First her father rips a wall apart with his bare hands and now this? Is this a family of superhumans?

Valira hopped off the roof, landing before us without any noise. “See?” she said, brushing some dust off her tunic. “You have to work with the momentum you build.”

I was beginning to believe that her only intention here was to simply show off.

“Sure. Easy.” I replied, doing my best to ignore the small knot of dread forming in my stomach. “So, I just... push off, think light thoughts, and let the arcane do the rest?”

“Something like that.” she replied, crossing her arms and nodding. “But remember, it’s about trusting your instincts, not fighting them. Your wings are designed to carry you; it’s the hesitation that holds you down.”

After that she demonstrated her jumping and gliding abilites a couple more times. And every time she was pulling off crazier stunts, as if she was still just warming up.

Yeah. Definitely showing off.

Then, a solid hour later, it was finally my turn.

I laid down flat, trying my best to mimic her stance. Of course I looked ridiculous.

After that I took a deep breath, ignoring Damarion shouting from across the yard. Tavrin and Kyris both paused to watch, wide-eyed and clearly expecting a spectacle. No pressure.

“Alright. Here goes.”

I pushed off hard, attempting to channel something - anything - that would boost my jump. But halfway up, it was clear I was already losing height. My wings flapped erratically, but they barely held me steady. I managed to stay in the air for all of two seconds before gravity did what it does best and pulled me back down. I landed, slightly less gracefully than intended, with an annoyed huff.

Valira raised an eyebrow, but to her credit, she didn’t laugh. “Not bad for a first try. You got the height, but your follow-through was a bit... messy.”

From my perspective all I'd done was a simple, awkward jump. I couldn't feel any energy or even just mana flow through me or into somewhere.

“Messy? Thanks.” I grumbled, shaking the dirt off my scales. “Guess I’m more ‘stuck to the ground’ than I thought.”

“Could be that you’re overthinking it.” she suggested. “Flying isn’t about forcing control. It’s about letting go of it.”

I gave her a skeptical look. “Right. And next you’ll tell me that ‘flying is a state of mind.’”

She chuckled, then shrugged. “You’d be surprised. Sometimes the things that seem the most complicated are actually the simplest. Like how your little girlfiend just... knows how to throw herself into whatever she’s doing.”

My girlfriend.

The mention of Rheka caught me off guard. I hadn’t expected Valira to bring her up, and judging by her tone, she wasn’t just making casual conversation.

“Rheka.” I said, a bit cautiously. “You’ve taken an interest in her?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Valira said, tilting her head. “She’s got more fire in her than half the people in this palace. There’s something raw, unrefined about her spirit. It’s... refreshing.”

Fire she got plenty of, true.

I nodded slowly. “Yes, she’s... definitely her own person.”

“She reminds me of... myself, actually.” Valira added, her voice softer now. “Or, at least, how I used to be.”

“Used to be?” I asked, catching a glimpse of something deeper in her.

A slight shadow passed over her face, and for a moment, she looked somewhere distant. “Let’s just say... responsibilities change things. I’m not the same person I was when I could just... jump and not worry about the fall.” She paused. "One day I'll have to inherit the crown, and everything that comes with it."

Right. I'd almost forgotten that Erderus only had three daughters.

"I can only hope to not end up in the same place my father has." Valira went on. "And I hope that, despite our differences, my sisters will be there to help me."

I paused, taking her words in. “Differences?”

Valira smiled, but it was a distant, slightly sad smile. “You’ve met them. Zilra is... well, a bit of a force, but she has her reasons. Orindra, on the other hand, is... different. Diplomatic and calculated. She’s always felt like she had to be the rational bridge between people, to make things work smoothly. Me?” She shrugged. “I was the troublemaker. The one who wanted to push the limits. And that’s something my family never understood.”

“Must be a bit lonely.” I commented, a tad surprised at my own words. We'd stayed with this family for a while, yet I still knew barely anything about them at all. Sometimes I was baffled at how little I actually seemed to care for people.

“It can be.” she replied, looking me in the eye. “But that’s why you have to figure out what you want out of life, Argius. And whether it’s worth staying grounded, or if you’ll actually let yourself take off.”

I let her words settle. The challenge behind them was clear now. She wasn’t just trying to get me to jump higher; she was daring me to stop holding myself back. To actually trust my instincts for once. I was over twice her age, yet somehow this girl was already seemingly wiser than I could have ever hoped to be.

...how?

I was exceptional at faking wisdom. Faking confidence. And I was bloody good at it too. Yet when it came to the real thing, me and her were worlds apart.

“Alright. One more time.” I said, laying down.

Valira watched, this time stepping back a little farther. I took a deep breath, feeling for that thread of energy within. That rushing of mana. It was faint, almost buried under layers of doubt, but I latched onto it, trying to harness something close to what Valira had shown. I pushed off, my wings flapping as I attempted to mimic her boost.

I managed a little more height this time, my wings holding steady, but I still lacked the momentum to stay airborne. I fell back down, a bit less clumsy, but it wasn’t exactly graceful.

“Better.” Valira said, nodding. “You’re getting there. Only need to loosen up a bit.”

“Yes, well.” I said, catching my breath. “Loosening up is a work in progress.”

Valira grinned. “Keep at it, great dragon. You’ll surely find your rhythm soon enough.” She glanced over to where Damarion and Themion were wrapping up with Tavrin and Kyris. “Seems like your companions are done as well. You think their training was as fruitful as yours?”

I snorted. “Considering how much those two tend to slack off? I wouldn’t bet on it.”

With a smirk, Valira turned back to me, giving me a light pat on my head. “We’ll try again soon, and maybe next time, you’ll surprise yourself.”

As she walked off to rejoin her own tasks, I felt a faint glimmer of determination spark inside.

Maybe she was right.

I headed back to our chamber first, decently exhausted. The day had been full of surprises. I'd misjudged that girl completely. Valira was actually a good teacher. If she were the one training me in my darkness-matters I would already have my own page of fanfiction in the temple.

As I walked through the doorway to our room I saw that someone was already waiting there for me. Though... it wasn't Rheka. She and Zilra had been put into another room together to ease their treatment.

On our window's ledge sat a kid, dangling its feet.

A boy in a robe with two differently-colored eyes - one red, the other purple. I hadn't seen this particular kid up-close yet.

"Hey friend! You keeping up the good work?" He said with a grin. From the tone of his voice I knew immediately that he was trying to mock me.

It was the same bloody kid...

...with short, mint green hair.