I stood up. Or tried to. The hill collapsed under my feet. The gold had gotten so old that it crumbled to pieces underneath my weight. I felt super clumsy too. I had never been a dragon.

It was a strange feeling to be a dragon. I felt heavy. Clumsy. I had four limbs instead of the normal two and my weight distribution was off.

My instincts wanted me to stand upright - on two legs - but the weight I was carrying wouldn’t let me. I would tip over.

I spent a while clumsily rolling around until I figured out how to walk on four legs.

Once I was ready to go. I did the one of the two things that everybody should I was excited to do when they transform into a dragon.

1. Breathe fire

2. Fly

I tried to breathe fire. Or I failed to breathe fire.

It didn’t work at all. No matter what I tried. Using Tavalor’s memories. Nothing worked.

I followed the steps. I imagined what I wanted to do. I squeezed the emotions into it. A tiny slice of anger. Then I channelled the magic.

Was I doing something wrong?

No. My steps were accurate. I looked through all of the old memories of magic.

I remembered the war over the [Primordial Gem]. When it crashed. Air shimmered with raw magic. The sky was alive with light, a brilliant meteor blazing down from the heavens, casting eerie colours across the world below. All creatures—dragons, giants, spirits, and mythical beasts—felt its approach, a pulsing energy radiating across the land. I remember perching on a cliff-side, watching it streak across the night sky, feeling its power resonate through my scales. When it struck, the ground shook, mountains cracked, and the impact left a massive crater. In its centre lay the meteor itself, a colossal gem radiating pure, unbridled magic.

The battlefield over it was insane. Dragons clashed with elder spirits, giants stomped across mountainsides, and mythic beasts unleashed primal fury. The magic in the land intensified, altering landscapes and awakening dormant forces. Again. Magic unleashed through imagination and emotions.

A hundred years later I remembered battles with elementals. A night when the ocean raged with impossibly huge waves, and the skies crackled with lightning as elemental spirits declared war on dragon-kind, seeking to curb their influence.

Giant spirits. Made of pure elements fire, water, light, lightning, sand and earth. A of titanic magical power, with the air torn between gusting wind and roaring flame, water crashing against searing heat. Again. Unleashed through imagination + emotions. Rage. Anger. Hatred. Fear.

I remember battles with mythic beats. The Leviathan was a colossal sea beast whose length could wrap around an island. Its body was covered in scales harder than stone, and its eyes glowed with the deep, ancient magic of the ocean itself. When it surfaced, it created waves that could capsize entire islands. I remember seeing it rise from the depths during a storm, its massive fins creating whirlpools as it swam. It was neither friend nor foe but a relentless force random force of nature.

Tavalor was a little dragon. He watched the battle between the Leviathan and a larger older fire dragon. Their claws wrapped around each other. Moving so fast through the sea and the sky that they looked like a manic red-blue-yin-yang symbol. Their clashing elemental powers sending plumes of steam and lightning into the skies.

I remembered a battle with a Roc. A giant mythical bird with wings spanning half a mountainside, capable of summoning storms with each beat of its wings. Feathers like the sparkling of stars at night. This bird hunted lesser dragons and could lift an entire dragon with its talons. I had had to defend my territory from its intrusion, dodging its powerful strikes while trying to match its swiftness in the sky. Its cries were said to call down thunder, and its feathers shone with an iridescent sheen of the storm clouds.

Again. Apply imagination + emotion + channel magic and it worked.

But - nothing worked this time. After repeated attempts. I realised. Magic had changed.

I had slept for thousands of years after all. It felt as if it was shackled. There were rules to follow. I could feel the magic. But nothing happened following the old steps.

If I was to describe it. The era of the old Tavalor was an era of Wild Magic. Magic was an extension of soul, shaped by imagination, emotions, and intentions. It was like breathing— a completely natural phenomenon.

This era was an era of Structured Magic.

If there were rules? Did I have a system?

A stat sheet popped up.

===

Name: Tavalor

Mana: 3000 (Max)

Power Level: ★★★★★★ (Ancient Dragon)

Special Abilities: Ancient Dragon

===

Do I have a last name? I asked the system.

===System Notification:

All dragons possess a single unique name. Names cannot be duplicated or altered.

===

Interesting. I assumed my name was something unusual. I wasn’t even sure what language the name was but it wasn’t English. It felt powerful. Maybe dragon language was a powerful language?

Can someone attack me with my name?

===System Notification:

This information is out of scope of the system. Please gather more information and ask again.

===

Damn. So I didn’t get an omnipotent system. Just a normal one.

What did the 6 stars mean?

===System Notification:

You have reached the maximum level: 6 Stars.

Magical creatures may learn only one spell per level, with each choice being permanent. Magical creatures are thus limited to a total of 6 spells at the highest level.

===

6 spells a day? Like D&D?

===System Notification:

You may access your Mana Pool to cast spells freely.

Note: You are limited to selecting from 6 available spells.

===

Jesus. What a strict set of rules.

I had to pick 6 spells. Only 6. And I could cast them as many times as I liked.

I cursed in my head. I hated strategy games. And this was a huge strategic decision. There was the difficulty. Only 6 spells for the rest of my life.

How long do dragons live for? I asked

===System Notification:

This information is out of scope of the system. Please gather more information and ask again.

===

Useless.

My guess was dragons were immortal so long as magic was around.

What about special abilities?

=== System Notification:

There are three types of ability categories available to you: [Passive], [Active], and [Special]. Each type offers unique benefits that can enhance your power in different ways.

Please explore and discover each category on your own.

===

Any Mana costs to these spells?

=== System Notification:

The Mana costs of your special abilities are unique and fall outside the standard rules of this world.

This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

Please explore and uncover these costs through your journey.

===

Yes. Finally an advantage. More than 6 abilities. I had to figure out what they were though.

Max level character with cheats. Nice.

Wait. I was trying to use external magic and push it out. What if I-??

I changed the steps around.

I focused on what I wanted to do. This time I felt the Mana pool but rather than channel the magic from outside - in - I went from the inside out.

I opened my mouth and breathed out.

Bright gold and red flames spewed out of my mouth. It scorched the ground and filled the air with smoke and heat.

I had breathed out fire.

I roared in happiness. It felt amazing.

However. I felt a constriction. Like some entity was watching me. Waiting to strike me down. The ‘rule-maker’ was watching.

No wonder everyone left back then. No wonder they all disappeared.

Someone had changed the rules. The Dragons didn’t want to be involved.

=== System Notification:

Special Ability unlocked [Dragon’s Breath]

Hint: Unleash your breath in ways that few barriers can withstand. The fiery legacy of dragons flows within you.

===

I looked at my stat sheet:

===

Name: Tavalor

Mana: 3000 (Max)

Power Level: ★★★★★★ (Ancient Dragon)

Special Abilities: Ancient Dragon

Active: [Dragon’s Breath]

===

No cost. I guess it was like breathing. I didn’t pay Mana to breathe. Very nice.

I felt an inexplicable emotion of sadness. It wasn’t me. It was Tavalor. It took me a while to understand. The old guy felt sad about the new rules of magic.

The rigid structures and formulas were too different. Tavalor lost the emotional attachment to magic. Instead of spontaneity and brilliant creation, it was ‘rules’, calculations and ‘systems’. A foreign language. Before it was a song. Magic moved with freedom and intensity. It was physical. Tavalor moved magic with his very being.

I felt like the last fragment of Tavalour soul vanished at this time. Integrating into me. I was Tavalor. Tavalor was ‘me’.

I felt lighter all at once. As if instead of sharing a body. I became the body. I think Tavalor didn’t want to live in a world this restricted.

A cage to him.

I can imagine how unbearable all of this would feel to him. Every spell. Every guideline a pale imitation of the power he once felt. The transition making you feel like a stranger in your own land. A stranger to your very being.

Adapting to a world of ants. An ancient creature forced to adapt to a world that no longer tolerated the untamed, primal magic that was once his birthright. The harsh boundaries were too much.

He had also accomplished his mission. He slept. He woke up. He saw what happened.

Sad for him. A blessing for me. I was a Dragon.

***

I decided to see what I looked like and to take a look around. It took a while - still adjusting to my new body.

The place was enormous. Cave after cave. The Dragon Sanctuary was an enormous complex, one of many that the Dragons had carved owned. They had raised a mountain range of several hundred high mountains - then hollowed them out. It was a maze.

There were so many strange spaces. Whole mountain ranges had been hollowed out for - well, for 'living spaces' wasn't quite the right term. Not when a dragon's idea of home decor involved vast halls where the walls themselves seemed to glare at you.

They’d carved out enormous sleeping pits, treasure troves that overflowed with carefully hoarded knick-knacks, and, yes, a great many 'perches.' Dragons seemed to like perches—especially ones overlooking a sheer drop hundreds of feet down.

There were also, for reasons unknown, entire wings dedicated to what could only be described as dragon hobbies. Bits of metal in curious shapes lined the shelves in one room, perhaps 'art' or maybe an early attempt at 'modern furniture.' Either way, it was more or less uninhabitable for anything that didn’t have scales and a poor sense of interior design.

It was also beautiful. Lots of tall pillars, carved with intricate, winding scripts, supported ceilings so high that even dragon-fire could not fully light them. Gems everywhere. Sparkling and reflecting through the light.

Each corner bore the mark of dragon-kind—worn talon marks etched into the stone, and grand murals painted in fiery hues, telling stories of battles won, empires fallen, and treasures amassed.

It felt lived in. Beautiful.

I walked stopped eventually at a random cave. One with a sunlight clearly appearing through a hole in the ceiling. There was an enormous waterfall running through the cavern. I had seen a lot of small streams trickling through carved channels in the stone, their waters fed by the snows above, pooling in quiet caverns where Dragons might rest, drink, or simply gaze upon their hoards.

But this was the first where I could see my appearance. I looked into the water.

What a big dragon. I was huge. Probably half the size of an jumbo jet. No - maybe three quarters.

Long body, massive wings, serpent-like shape. Black-gold scales. Black in the centre. Edges of gold. Nice and shiny. They reflected the sunlight - a dull gold like treasure. Giant glowing red eyes.

I felt like I was in another world now. Officially.

It was then I decided to change my name. My new chance had arrived. I’d start calling myself ‘Tavalor’ from now on.

***

I took my time to wander around exploring. Looking at the gold, silver and the treasures.

They were all broken.

I felt sad. How could I be a Dragon with no treasure?

Most of the stuff was made out of gold and magic gems. Gold was a pretty stable metal. If kept in a good environment it would take thousands even millions of years to deteriorate. But they had mixed the gold with magic. The magic had crumbled.

Every item I touched crumbled on sight. The walls and the complex was held up due to the residual magic. The gem holding up the barrier. Once that failed. This place would probably crumble away.

In the end all I found after all the scavenging around was a set of human clothes, a [Bag of Holding], a couple hundred normal gold coins, a sword, a knife and a book.

***

I was sleeping in a random cave one day. Still exploring. I heard a noise.

I didn’t need to eat. Turns out Dragons didn’t. Only magic was sustenance.

I would explore. Find a comfy cave to sleep in when I was tired. Repeat.

The soft patter of little footsteps.

I opened my eyes to check.

I could hear the noise but I couldn’t see it.

The noise continued. The little shuffling of feet got closer and closer.

I still couldn’t see anything. I looked more carefully. I felt a pulse of magic across my eyes.

=== System Notification

Special Ability unlocked [Dragon Sight]

Hint: Your eyes perceive more than the physical world. Unlock the ability to see the flow of magic itself—energies hidden to ordinary sight, pulsing through objects, creatures, and the very air around you.

===

I suddenly saw it.

Oh. A mouse?

It small little body hugged the ground. Its tiny claws touched the ground with the barest of taps as it manoeuvred around obstacles. Each movement was slow. Pausing frequently to stop, twitch its sensitive whiskers and tasting the air for danger.

It was in stealth mode. It was semi-see-through. If I didn’t have [Dragon Sight] I wouldn’t have seen it at all.

The magic looked like a gentle blue light outlining it. I could also see through its body to the flow of magic within it. The magic was flowing in the form of a magic circle.

It had two circles. One that was lit up blue - stealth mode and one that wasn’t.

A mouse is a two star creature? Lucky little guy.

I wanted to see what the other circle was. The mouse hadn’t noticed me. I was too big to notice after all.

I breathed out. Gently.

The mouse panicked.

It squeaked. The second circle activated. It flew.

Levitation?

I smiled a gentle smile. It looked evil to the mouse. It panicked even more.

It fled as far and as fast as its little legs could take it.

I went back to thinking: Magic circles? Limited magic? Do I need to go to a magic school? How am I gonna fit? What’s the state of the world?

I should have left - but I wasn’t in the mood to leave. Exploring the Dragon Sanctuary had taken up all of my attention. As soon as I sorted through everything I would leave.

***

It was sunny again. I was in a cavern that was shaped like a Colosseum. Full sized for a dragon - several hundred meters wide elliptical. Several hundred meters tall. Three levels of seating.

Lots of gems and magic carvings that still worked. It was one of the places I kept coming back to.

I practised my magic here. The magic barriers were strong enough to stop me from breaking anything.

I wanted to do the 2nd thing that made Dragons cool.

Fly.

I stood in the centre of the Colosseum. I looked down at the sand. Grabbing a handful of it. Clenching it - then letting it run through my hands. Adjusting my steps in the sand. I looked at the sky. Very blue. Like that old screensaver of XP blue. Clear. No clouds. I unfolded my wings from my back. They were huge. Three times my size.

I flapped them. Slowly at first. Then faster.

All they caused was a dust storm.

Huh?

I looked through my old memories. I needed magic. The wings were just a focus mechanism. An accessory.

I closed my eyes again. Focusing again on the sensation of magic.

=== System Notification

Special Ability unlocked [Dragon's Flight]

Hint: The skies bend to your will, enhancing your movements above. Perhaps there is more to gain up high.

===

I ignored the notification.

I felt the magic pulse out of me. I floated.

An inch off the ground.

Damn. I felt frustrated.

I tried again. Just a bit higher.

How did they learn to fly?

I looked a the old memories.

Tavalor and a group of little Dragons all being flown on the back of a larger dragon to a perch.

A long ceremony. Lots of incomprehensible chanting. A naming ceremony.

They were blessed with magic. Then one-by-one they were taken to the edge of the perch - several hundred meters high - and pushed off.

Lots of screams. Terror. Excitement. Wonder.

Damn. I sighed.

Most of them didn’t have any entrances. Or dead ends - collapsing from age. The climb to the perch took a long time. It was almost sunset when I arrived.

I stood on the edge of the perch looking down at the Dragon Sanctuary. The edge was made of a smooth grey stone. Almost marble or cement like. It was covered in scratches. Many long and short. Through use.

I saw all of the different mountain peaks. A wall of untouched mountains forms the sanctuary's perimeter. Then came the inner sanctuary. Different mountains systematically transformed into specialised zones and buildings. Roost peaks. Nesting Mountains. Hunting Towers. Sky bridges. There was mist floating in-between the different mountains.

It gleamed and glittered with magic. I could see the magic now thanks to [Dragon's Sight]. The massive pinkish-purple honeycomb-shaped dome - the illusion barrier that kept the place hidden from the world. All the little carved runes, a fusion of dragon magic, engineering, and artistry.

The sanctuary represents the pinnacle of dragon civilisation. It looked magical.

I looked over the edge.

I wouldn’t die. Probably.

I jumped.

There was a sensation of tension. Anticipation. Relief.

For a second I was just in free-fall. I felt my weight dropping down. The world blurred around me.

My wings opened. I engaged the magic. Pushed it out of me. Nothing happened.

I got closer and closer to the ground.

My stomach dropped.

I kept trying to engage it.

When I was close to the ground. The magic kicked in.

A felt something hug me. Surround me. It was as if I had an extra pair of hands that could shape the wind. Suddenly I was flying.

I felt excited. Amazing.

I roared.

This was the best feeling I had ever had in my life. Something instinctual. That didn’t need to be taught.

At first my pace flapping my wings was uneven. More chaotic. I didn’t know where my legs and arms should go. I took a while to find a rhythm. A good pocket.

Slowly I picked up speed.

The mountains of the Sanctuary blurred around me. It felt like dancing in the air.

I used my whole body. Bending and twisting in mid-air. I flew around the mountains. Around and under sky-bridges.

I also flew high. Up and up and up. Above the mountains. I was expecting to hit the barrier but it was no obstacle. I was above it all.

I flew above the clouds. I flew so high that the sanctuary was a tiny dot on the ground.

There was nothing but me and the open sky. The sun setting in the distance.

I was so high that I cold pause and let myself drift for a few seconds. An incredible feeling of freedom.

Time paused. I felt nothing but the sound of the wind, the feeling of the sun blazing on my skin.

I flew back down there. With more control.

More playful. I flipped around. Twisted and turned. Barrel-rolled. Double barrel-rolled.

I did a dab mid air. Laughing. I made my body twist itself into different shapes. Circles. Squares. Triangles.

I looked outside at the world outside. I could see the shape of the continent. It was strange.

It was a perfect circle.

How is that possible? Another mystery added to the list.

I saw a massive forest through the middle of the continent. A desert after it. The end of one half of the circle was a giant mountain range covered in frost. The end of another was a port city. And ruins.

I could hear the sound of the animals. The barrier had kept them out. Birds chirping. Roars. I had exceptional hearing.

I was so tempted to leave the Sanctuary - but I wasn’t ready to go yet. At least not in dragon form.

I flew back down. Landing with a smooth flip. With a smile on my face.

***

I was sleeping in a cave. Still exploring. I heard another noise.

The pad of footsteps. A clank.

Someone had tripped over something. It woke me up. I looked over.

It was a person. A female human.

European features. Long blond hair that fell to her waist. Blue eyes. She was dressed like a witch. Weather-beaten robe with flowing skirts. The arms going all the way down to her wrists and up to the top of her neck. A ring and pendant glowing with magic. Daggers and misc. Items on her waist. Practical leather boots. No pointy hat. Just a battered cowboy hat.

She had four circles.

She had tripped over something and was picking herself up. She hadn’t noticed me yet.