I soared through the sky, beating my powerful wings against the wind. The rush of air swept past me, ruffling my dark blue scales. In my left forepaw, I cradled one of the humans, holding him securely as we made our way back to the clan's territory. My mind was abuzz with excitement, not just from the humans we had brought back, but from the books and scrolls I had collected on our journey through the human lands.

I sent out a mental pulse, a signal of my arrival—my dragon might—so the clan would be prepared to greet us. My anticipation grew as I thought about the new magic I had obtained. From the humans, I had acquired basic knowledge of poison, acid, metal, sound, and nature magic, as well as mid-tier fire spells. I had also found a more in-depth tome on ice magic, which had always been my greatest struggle. No matter how hard I tried, I could never fully master the intricacies of ice spells. But with this new material, I felt confident I could overcome that barrier. Additionally, I had brought back books on my main affinities—lightning, air, ground, and water—to improve my foundation. Mastery of these would help me advance even further, perhaps to the point of creating new spells.

As we descended toward the beach, the familiar sight of the clan's base came into view—a sprawling network of caves and towering cliffs. The salty breeze from the ocean mixed with the scent of wet earth, and the sound of waves crashing against the shore filled the air. I could already see my siblings waiting for us.

We landed gracefully on the sandy shore, the humans visibly tense in my paw, their wide eyes darting around in awe and fear. I carefully placed them down, ensuring they stood on solid ground before turning my attention to the approaching figures.

"Brother, welcome back! How were your travels?" Vaelrath, my brother, greeted me enthusiastically. As usual, his voice boomed with excitement, his blue scales gleaming in the sunlight.

"Yes, welcome back, Azuron," Zarothan added, his tone more reserved. Zarothan was always the quiet one, more prone to observing than speaking.

"Welcome back, brother. I’ve made great strides in my studies while you were gone. I’ll have to show you all that I’ve learned!" my sister, Zalyndre, said, her scales shimmering as she stepped forward with a proud smile.

I rolled my eyes playfully. "I’m sure you have, Zalyndre," I said with a chuckle. My sister had always been eager to prove herself, constantly studying and pushing the limits of her magic.

Vaelrath peered over at the humans standing awkwardly beside me, his head tilted in curiosity. "Hey, who’s that you’ve got in your paw? Did you bring back a human?" he asked, sounding both surprised and intrigued.

I nodded, my gaze shifting to the humans. "Yes, it’s just a human. Father and I believe these ones could be useful to the clan. They have potential," I explained. All three of my siblings stared at me in shock for a moment. It wasn’t common for dragons to bring humans into our midst, let alone consider them valuable.

"Wow... a human," Vaelrath said, his eyes wide with astonishment. "You brought a human back with you?"

"Yes," I confirmed, turning to my father, who stood beside me. "But I must be going now. I need to inform Mother of our return."

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With that, Father and I left the beach and began the trek toward Mother’s cave. The humans stayed behind under the watchful eyes of my siblings. They were still processing everything that had happened—their introduction to magic, our true forms, and now the realization that they would be living among dragons.

Mother’s cave was located deeper within the cliffs, far from the shoreline where most of the other dragons made their homes. The path was narrow and winding, carved out by years of our kind’s passage. As we walked, the familiar scent of damp stone and ancient magic filled the air. It always reminded me of my earliest days, learning from Mother about the world and magic.

Father walked beside me, his presence commanding even in silence. He didn’t speak much, but when he did, his words carried weight. He had been pleased with our trip, though he hadn’t shown it in front of the humans. I knew he had high hopes for them, especially once they were introduced to mana. He believed their untapped potential would serve the clan well.

Finally, we reached the entrance of Mother’s cave. The air felt cooler here, and the magic was thick, almost tangible. Mother had always been a powerful sorceress, even by dragon standards. Her mastery over ancient and forbidden magics was unrivaled, and it was no surprise that she commanded respect from every dragon in the clan.

As we entered the cave, a soft glow illuminated the walls, the light coming from enchanted crystals embedded deep in the stone. At the far end of the cavern, Mother lay on a raised platform, her scales a deep, iridescent black that shimmered with faint hues of purple and blue. Her eyes, a piercing silver, were closed, though I knew she sensed our arrival long before we even entered.

"Mother," I greeted her, bowing my head in respect. Father did the same beside me.

Her eyes slowly opened, locking onto us with an intensity that could make even the bravest dragon hesitate. "Azuron, Indrathor," she said, her voice calm yet powerful, echoing slightly through the cave. "I sense you’ve returned with something... different."

"Yes, Mother," I said, stepping forward. "We have brought humans from the land of no magic. We believe they can be of use to the clan. Their potential for magic is remarkable once exposed to mana."

Mother raised a brow, intrigued. "Humans, you say? Interesting. It is not often we concern ourselves with their kind, but if you see value in them, I will not oppose it." She paused, her gaze narrowing slightly as she studied me. "But tell me, Azuron, what have you gained from this journey? I can feel the new magic radiating from you."

I smiled, excitement bubbling within me. "I’ve gathered knowledge of several new types of magic, including poison, acid, metal, and sound. I also found a more advanced tome on ice magic, which I hope will help me overcome my difficulties. And of course, I’ve brought back more foundational knowledge of my main types—lightning, air, ground, and water."

Mother’s expression softened slightly, a hint of pride in her eyes. "You continue to grow stronger, Azuron. But remember, mastery of magic is not achieved through knowledge alone. Practice, patience, and creativity are what truly make a sorcerer great. I expect you to continue pushing yourself."

"I will, Mother," I promised.

Father, who had remained silent until now, spoke up. "The humans will be under the clan's watch. They will be tested, and if they prove worthy, they will be granted access to our knowledge."

Mother nodded. "Very well. But be cautious. Humans are unpredictable creatures, prone to both greatness and folly. We must ensure their loyalty if they are to be of any use to us."

"Understood," I said, bowing once more before turning to leave.

As Father and I exited the cave, my thoughts returned to the humans. They had no idea what lay ahead of them—the trials, the challenges, the unimaginable power that awaited them if they could withstand the rigors of dragon training. But something told me they would rise to the occasion. There was a spark in them, a resilience I hadn’t seen in other species.

With a final glance toward the ocean, I spread my wings and took to the sky once more, ready to dive deeper into the mysteries of magic and the future that awaited us all.