I just stood there stunned.

“What had he said? A dragon? How could I be one, I’m a human, my parents are human, and so am I,” I said as my voice began to climb higher with each word. Panic crept in, and I was becoming visibly more distressed. “Why would you even think I was something like you? I don’t look or feel like a dragon at all!”

Alder’s gaze softened as he noticed my growing distress.

“I mean not to scare or frighten you. I was simply curious whether you were aware of your current situation,” Alder kindly explained. “You see, I am having a hard time believing it is a coincidence that you happened to stumble upon my domain. It is either fate… or some manipulation at play.” Alder spoke as he squinted his eyes at me, seemingly trying to pry open my soul to understand my secrets.

“Well, I’m sorry to tell you, but I’m no dragon—just an average human over here.” I half-heartedly laughed. “I mean, look at me. I’m not giving off dragon vibes at all.”

“No,” Alder shook his head, “I am not mistaken—you are indeed a Dragon. Although there are a lot of dragons, due to our kind’s innate talents and strengths, it is very rare for us to have offspring. So, you must understand my confusion and skepticism at your appearance here.”

“How rare are we talking?” I asked, still denying my situation. “I know dragons aren’t exactly common, but how many of your kind are out there?”

“Of our kind,” Alder patiently said with a twinkle in his eye. “You are one of us too.”

“Okay, whatever, how many of us are there?” I huffed, still thinking this old man had gone insane. How could I be a dragon?

“There are quite a few dragons scattered around the realms. Due to our strength and longevity, our population isn’t small at all. But as I said earlier, younglings are another thing altogether. It has been quite a while since our species has had a dragonling amongst us.” Alder spoke solemnly.

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“Although I tend to keep to myself, I would know of a dragon being born. It is a great cause for celebration, and all our kind would rejoice together.”

“But you didn’t hear about me being born, I guess?” I said, just rolling with the whole dragon identity. Cause, hell, if a dragon believes you to be his kind, you roll with it.

“That’s what is so puzzling—none of us felt your existence. It’s as if you were being kept hidden.” Alder’s voice drifted off, his face twisting into a mix of solemness and curiosity.

“Well,” Alder said suddenly, breaking the silence, “let us not dwell on the past. Now let us undo those nasty chains of yours.”

“Chains?” I repeated, confused. “What chains?”

Alder gestured toward me. “The chains on your soul. They are what prevented the rest of us from sensing your existence. They seem to be quite powerful, seeing as though only I was able to feel your presence until you entered my domain.”

Before I could question him more, Alder raised his hand, and immediately I heard a cracking sound. It didn’t come from the hall around me, but from within me. The feeling was indescribable, like a weight had been taken off me.

I gasped, feeling stronger, faster, smarter even. Then I noticed it—a presence. Suddenly, I was able to feel something...

I looked toward what I was sensing and found myself looking straight at Alder. As he looked back at me with tender eyes, he said, “Do you feel it?”

“What did you do to me?” I demanded, growing anxious. “And why do I feel a connection with you?”

“It’s what I was telling you before—it’s our bond as dragons. It allows us to feel others of our kind,” Alder patiently explained.

“So…” I stammered. “I’m a dragon?”

“Yes, you are.”

I didn’t know what to think. As we stood there, the air around us shifted. The sky in the hall around us changed. Thousands of stars began to shine in the sky, each glowing in a different color, some large, some small. They gave off waves of energy and emotions—celebrating the arrival of another of their kind.

“Haha,” laughed Alder. “It seems you’ve been discovered.”

“Are those more like us—dragons?” I choked. “I thought you said there aren’t many like us.”

“Yes, this is all of us. While it may look like a lot, these are all the dragons in existence,” Alder said sadly. “You must remember that most species have billions, trillions even. While we are few.”

I didn’t know how to react to that.

“Now on to more urgent matters,” he said, his voice taking a serious tone. “We need to prepare you for the Battlefield.”