Atlas rushed up the dark steps to the garden. He turned and pulled himself to the first floor before kicking off the wall and clambering up to the second. Doing the same all the way to the roof.

At that moment he saw the burning Qi with his mortal eyes as well. Snake like, long, scaly, flexible. With Deer antlers the size of a young tree and teeth bigger than the head of a man, the Ancient Dragon turned its head up at him. it’s frog like irises sharpened to points as Atlas unthinkingly jumped from the roof, diving straight for it.

“Get! Away! From my Family!” He screamed as silver Qi gathered at his left fist. A punch cracked down heavily on the Dragon’s lower Jaw. An explosion of Qi destroyed the paper windows behind it and cracked the railings and sent Archeseus and Xanthip flying back. A silver fire cloud spread behind Atlas who fell to the ground and rolled back to a standing position, weapon now in hand staring up at the domineering figure of the Dragon. Its massive head bobbed from his strike. Yet its eyes pierced into him, unmoving from his body. A flower petal descended and landed on Atlas who took into his palm. The petal was actually a soft scale with a hint of white at its center and pink on the outside. It felt hot, alive.

“FU… FU… FU…” Three broiling gusts of wind rocked Atlas.. The Dragon cascaded downwards as it laughed. Its body winding down in a circular motion.

It leveled its face right above the earth, its breath tossed Atlas’ hair back, his head scarf flapped and cracked. A deep fear pushed him down. Yet he fought against it. He raised his weapon, guarding himself. His silver Qi billowing out of his body. A hissing sound popped his ears as the dragons tongue rattled in its mouth. Words flowed into Atlas’ head.

“I am not… Here… to Fight… Weird Mortal… Do not fear…” The dragon spoke slowly, as if it had all the time in the world.

“Then… Forgive me for attacking you. It is the first time I see a being with your strength.”

“I… Noticed you looking at me… I wanted to see you… It was very…” The Dragon mulled over its words for a few moments. No one dared interrupt it. “Unique… You peered into my power yet you stayed only at the surface… You’re…” A gurgling sound came from its trembling cheeks. “Interesting. No one has withstood me so far. Not even he who calls himself the Spring Sage. Although… He did hide it very well. A weird fellow he is.”

“What brought you to this part of the woods in the first place, and where did you come from?” Atlas asked. Then he remembered he was still holding onto the dragon’s scale. He lifted his palm up handing it back.

“I was born to the north of these mountains. The Source of Qi nearby called to me. It can supply me with the energy I need to grow… I will make it my home.” The Dragon spoke. It shifted its massive head to stare at its scale, one so small compared to the scales now on its body a flimsy, elastic thing.

Suddenly Atlas closed his palm shut. “Would you be willing to share some of that energy, if the time comes? Some people would need it to survive.”

“I… Am a Dragon… Born of the Earth, Daughter of the Universe, An eternal being with a Duty you could never comprehend to uphold. With knowledge you will never hold. Yet you ask of me to share my nesting place with mortals? Tell me your name.” The Dragon chortled this time. It let its clouds dissipate as its heavy body landed on the ground. Its eyes level with Atlas, its claws digging deeply into the earth.

“Atlas, Nice to meet you. Do you happen to have a name, Young Dragon?” He asked with a smile on his face, his palm once again showing the petal. Deeming the situation safe enough, Atlas walked forward and rested the petal on top of the dragon’s snout.

“I would like one…” The dragon said after pondering for some time. It saw Atlas open his mouth to speak. “But you can’t give me one. Not yet. Some day, maybe you could do much more…” The Dragon’s eyes shone, radiant gold, the light blinded Atlas and all the people silently staring at this extraordinary scene play out. At the last second it stared at that balcony, at the aging woman staring holes into its back. It smiled and with a mighty leap the Dragon was hundreds of meters in the air. With a slap of its tale it was gone, rocketing towards the northwestern Qi Spring Atlas had apparently, identified correctly.

“Oh Yeah. Bi-Ran should be there… Or returning…” Atlas stood bewildered, not knowing how to quite process the things that had happened. He felt something soft touch his head. He grabbed it and saw the baby scale in his palm. Surely it hadn’t fallen down on its own.

“Everyone! Everyone! A… A!… A Dragon!” Bi-Ran came speeding through the clan grounds. His eyes open wide as he shouted out of his mind. “A dragon flew right past my head! A DRAGON!” He screamed continuously as he neared Atlas.

“IT WAS A REAL LIFE DRAGON! THEY SHOULD BE ALL GONE! HUNTED OR HIDING! A DR-!” He stopped talking, breath caught in his throat. Buckets of sweat dripped down his back. A horrified look on his face as he saw the four sets of claw marks digging into the earth right ahead of Atlas. The presence of the Divine Beast still remained on those marks and Bi-Ran could feel it. “A… Atlas?!” He managed to squeak out.

Atlas turned to him, mind still empty, palm flat open. Bi-Ran’s eyes popped out of his skull. His Jaw hit the bottom of his mask as he stared at the perfectly harmless Atlas holding onto a Birth Scale of a Dragon. Blood leaked from his nose as he fell on the ground right there and then. “Haha~…” Bi-Ran couldn’t help but laugh. “This is crazy.” He said, his blood having run cold, rushing to hide away inside of his body in fear.

Ru Feng stormed out of whatever home he had found lodging, he run up to Atlas grabbed his shoulders and shook. “What was that!?”

“A Dragon. You know? Just, casual.” Atlas said after Ru Feng managed to stop rattling his bones.

“Well that too. But I mostly meant that Attack… You can do this much with just a little over a day of cultivation? That’s crazy. Teach me.”

“It really isn’t much, just gather up the Qi around your arm. You’ll be able to do it as well when you integrate. Which is gonna be soon. At the first realm of Cultivation, the Qi Gathering, such use of Qi is not advised though as it just takes you back to one.”

Ru Feng was about ready to explode in impatience, he looked up at the sky, pure rage erupting from his eyes. But eventually he just grabbed a hold of Bi-Ran and shook him awake before the two of them went into his house to cry over a cup of herbal water, each for their on reasons.

Atlas looked on at the scene for a little bit longer before he marched on back underground. He was not finished, neither with his training, or punishment yet. The feeling of that punch lingering on his hand. It had devastating power. All his gathered Qi had been consumed, having been pulled from every part of his body. It would have killed a normal man without a doubt. Yet he had been willing enough to unleash it on the Dragon.

Was it because he knew it was not going to work? He was just being desperate? Or was it because he was learning his lesson? Atlas pondered as he retreated under the stunned silence of his clan members. Once he got down there he fashioned a little pouch for the baby Dragon scale before hanging it around his neck. It sat right next to the Spirit Stone of the King Boar. After which it was time to undertake the tests. Tests made for Cultivators that he had tried hundreds of times in this life. Yet had never been able to complete before. It was time to do so now. He cracked his neck, knuckles, and ankles. He slapped his cheeks, and jumped in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Conference of the eldest had been disbanded for now. Not one person could concentrate on the previous matters. It was tough for anyone to conceptualize the end of the world when there was a being born from it of such might and wonder casually patrolling its skies.

Two nights passed and Atlas was out once again into the world. With the little scoundrel on his back, before the dew had settled. He hopped over the western wall with a wooden pole on his shoulders, He hopped and jogged and dropped down the hill with much pep in his step.

The excited squeals coming from his passenger where the affirmation he needed to keep going. Just slight puffs of Qi here and there boosting his steps as if making gravity disappear. Visible for a second, tufts of silver in the green and browns and grays of the morning forest.

This was going to be the last trip to the river of the day and Little Argea was still loving every moment of it. She held onto Atlas’ hair or shoulders as she bobbed around on her seat until eventually Atlas reached the river and crouched down. He placed one bucket in, turning his waist to submerge it below the surface of the cold gurgling water. Before doing the same for the other side of the long pole.

It was at that point that Atlas noticed that not only had Little Argea gone awfully quiet but that a weird slurping sound grew in intensity right next to him. He turned to see a young, person, caked in mud and filth greedily siphoning water into his belly. Burning Eyes stared at him in sock and trepidation, but so thirsty he was he did not move an inch away.

“Hey… Uh…” Atlas stuttered.

“Hi! I’m Argea, and this is Atlas. Nice to meet you! What is your name?” Argea took that chance and belted an excited greeting she had probably been mulling over every night before bed.

“Hello Argea, I’m Edward. Nice to meet you too. I hope I am not bothering you by drinking the water here.” Edward flicked his hands to dry them and shook Argea’s outstretched hand. Now that Edward had stood up Atlas could tell that not only was he dirty from a long journey but also a teenager, a boy. “Oh, and good morning cause The Spring Sage knows we need that.”

Atlas raised a brow but did not speak. He simply clasped his fist under an open palm and bowed his head in greeting. He let Argea do the socializing. “How did you come here? Did your home get destroyed as well?” Argea asked in a muted tone, she thought to all people of the Ru Clan, their distracted looks, their sighs, the weeps of the old, the curiosity of the young.

Edward sighed and chuckled right after. “I lost that at the very start of this chaos. But now I have found a family. Someone that can take care of us. Me and my little sister that is. She is a ball of fun just like you seem to be Argea, you could meet one day. We live pretty close by.” Edward said in realization. He pumped his fist at Argea’s nod. A play mate for his sister secured!

“Sure! I want to meet her too. I want to meet and play with all the kids in the world, that way I can be free, you know.” Argea pointed at her legs with a calm smile on her face. Atlas cringed, his black brows furrowing over his silver eyes.

“Don’t worry Argea. When you Integrate, you can start Cultivating. And soon enough you’ll be able to run around with those two legs. Do not underestimate what Cultivators can do.” Atlas said as he flared a puff of near colorless flames on his open palm. They shone a brilliant color but emitted no heat. “Wow!” Both of the young ones said in unison.

“This is just an effect, I can’t yet put an affinity into my techniques. Put your hand on it. It won’t burn.” Both stretched out their hands, Argea plunging her hand into the weird fire. The Qi curled around her palm and her fingers, branching out into new shapes. As Atlas could not control it to such an extent yet.

But Edward, who had been just about ready as well had stopped himself short. He now looked with dark eyes at the pair. With the eyes an alley junkie would stare at careless shopping teens, at cold business men in suits, the eyes a child born in a gang would have for its victims before it went in.

“What’s wrong?” Atlas asked. He stood up, shuffling a step back at the same time.

“You two are cultivators?” Edward said and with the words leaving his mouth a shiver traveled down his spine, the teen scrambled back, slamming onto a tree trunk and stopping short.

“Not the two of us, Just me. But only recently and I don’t have enough Qi to do anything dangerous. Don’t worry. It won’t go out of…. Wait. Edward?” Atlas crossed his hands together as he asked. Shivers running down his spine. A premonition of something to come.

“The Spring Sage told us all about them. Those cursed beings that will come to be as a result of this change. Humans that have turned greedy, arrogant, sinful will consume the Qi of the World and will antagonize the Gods. They will try to Kill the Peach Dragon and consume all the energy it holds and deserves for themselves. Cultivation can not be trusted in the wrong hands!” Edward screamed. His face had gone white, snot almost running down his nose. He clamored to a standing position before he turned around and run away at full sprint.

Atlas looked on as the Teen tripped on a root and got a mouthful of dirt, and how Edward got back up without looking back. Eventually Atlas turned to Argea. He hoped this had not ruined her mood. It wasn’t every day she was treated as an outcast and a weirdo for something other than her legs.

All he saw was her pushing up glasses that weren’t there, strict teacher style. “Tsk, Tsk, Tsk. When I meet that little sister of his I’m gonna have to get her to knock some sense into him. This Edward! He really needs to study more.” She admonished, sending Atlas in a furious laughing fit. He trudged up the hill holding his stomach, wiping tears from his eyes. Strength was so different from person to person.