Inside the egg, it's hard to keep track of whether I'm awake or asleep. Right now, I'm pretty confident to say I'm awake though. It’s probably been a few weeks since last time.

My guardian, well, either it was in a dream or while I was awake, but I remember that he said he was going to be gone for a few days.

I hope my egg is kept in a safe place. If nothing else, it’s warm and cozy.

There is really not much else to do besides wait. My body still needs to develop.

The most notable change since the last time I moved my focus around my body is that my scales have started to grow. Given time, the scales will layer upon each other and form into thick plates that will cover my entire body from head to toe.

Right now, it’s only covering my back and some spots on my hands. I can’t see much, but I can feel the changes occurring on my body in real time.

My thoughts were rudely interrupted as a massive vibration shook my egg violently.

What was that?

I heard a heavy and fleshy thud smacking into something outside my egg, followed by a grunt.

“Where do you keep the egg, human?!”

A foreign voice I had never heard before made itself known. It sounded almost like my voice did when I was a dragon.

I suddenly felt a rapid shift in velocity as my egg was being moved quickly.

“Little dragon, if you can hear me, I could really use your help around about now...”

So, a real dragon I'm assuming to be one of my parents has come to track me down and kill the human who bought me at an auction, is what I'm gathering. Well, whoever you are, it was nice knowing you, but I'd rather just stay in here while you die at the hands of my parents.

My egg suddenly came to an abrupt halt once more, as I’m guessing the human put me in a hiding place.

“Damn you then! Come on, show me-”

I heard the sound of a loud crash, almost as if rocks were hitting rock. A scream followed and then there was silence. I wonder what happened.

“Child, where are you?”

I tried my best to move around in the egg, with some minor success.

The egg shook subtly.

I heard the sound of footsteps. They became louder and louder until they were right in front of me.

“There you are.”

I felt a sudden burst of happiness. A dragon has come to rescue me!

“Stratus! I found our egg!”

I felt a slight gust of wind touch my egg, sending mild chills down my spine.

“There, there little one. You’re safe now.”

I felt a hand touch my egg, but it was a gratifying feeling. Unlike my previous guardian, this touch was timid and caring. I could feel the love radiating from their touch. This was undoubtedly one of my parents.

Another thundering slam was heard as I'm guessing my second parent landed on the ground outside the cave somewhere.

“Apocalypso... We finally found you.”

“Let’s get you home, Apo.”

I was getting tired again, and knowing I was in the hands of my parents, I faded into slumber once more, feeling content.

Some days passed. I was finally able to concretely determine whether I was awake or asleep, and this was one of my awoke moments.

I could feel that the eggshell around me had begun to become more and more brittle as the days went by, and I tried to move my legs to the shell. It gave way slightly, but not much.

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A few more days, and I'll probably be ready to hatch!

I can’t wait to see my parents. I’m so excited to find out what element of dragon I am, and more importantly, my gender.

In my previous life, I was genderless but it would appear that “normal” dragons are gendered. I’d have learned that I had a mother and father figure. Trough listening, I had learnt that my mom’s name was Phyrra and my father was named Stratus.

I was excited to learn of the world. I could think of this as a fresh start, putting my previous duties as guardian of reality behind me and just being normal, or at least as normal as a dragon can be.

I thought once more about my previously genderless body. I wonder if I'll turn out the same now too, or if I'll have reproductive organs now. It will all be revealed in time, I suppose.

I have almost full control of my limbs now, and there is no more nutritious fluid left in my egg. The only thing separating me from the sweet outside world was my egg, which was getting weaker by the day.

If I were to guess, I can break free either today or tomorrow. If I put all my strength into it, I could make it slightly contort, but it was not by much.

Soon I can be freed. Soon I can see my parents. Soon... Soon I can fly once more.

My mother was lying close to the nest, breathing softly down upon my egg. Her breath was warm though, so it was more comforting than anything.

I butted my head playfully toward the egg, in an attempt to gain her attention. To my surprise, the egg made a cracking sound. Did I really do that just now?

My mother let out a shocked gasp. “Stratus, look at Apocalypso! The egg is cracking!”

A soft breeze hit my egg as mother blew air onto my egg once more.

“You can do it little one.”

Don’t rush me mom, I'm getting there.

I experimentally tried to kick into the egg shell, and I felt it giving way... Another kick later, and a cracking sound was heard.

My toes were on the outside of the egg! I broke through!

I withdrew my toes from the holes I had made, and it let in some air into the vacuum of my egg. I took a great whiff, smelling it.

Blech! It smells awful! Close the egg back up, please! I don’t want to be born anymore, this smells terrible!

I couldn’t help but let out a small wail which reverberated around inside my egg. I don’t remember the air smelling this bad before, something awful must have changed since then.

I smacked my head into the side of the egg in anger. It gave way... and my entire head broke free. I could now see the outside of the egg.

I tried to open my eyes to look... but I couldn’t see anything other than bright white. I’m guessing My eyes needed time to adjust.

After blinking a few times, a silhouette started making itself visible as my eyes became more adjusted to the light.

“Apocalypso... You impress me with your strength!”

I smiled at my mother. Something confused me though, she looked almost like a human, only with wings and horns.

“M... Meep!”

My first word is “Meep”. Well, it’s progress...

My mother looked up from me for a moment, startled by a noise. I couldn’t hear what it was though, and curiously tilted my head. “Meep?”

“Apo... Stay with your siblings.”

Behind mom I could see dad, his gaze was fixed on something outside the cave opening. Dad was a huge red dragon.

“Phyrra... Stay with the kids.”

My mom nodded and looked back down at me.

“Dad will be out a little bit, but it’s okay. Just stay here, and everything will be okay.”

With that said, mom stepped back from me and began growing in size. She rapidly gained more and more reptilian traits before she fully turned into a dragon. She was colored white, and I had no idea what that meant.

“Quiet.”

She kept her gaze fixated on something outside the cave. Did I hatch at a bad time? This seemed serious.

My curiosity got the better of me and after emerging fully from my egg, I tried to walk and see what all the fuzz was about. It was not easy to get the right combination of leg and arm movements down immediately, but after falling on my face a few times I finally got it right. I tried to make my way over to the cave, but mother was blocking my way with her wing.

“Meep!”

I looked up at her.

“Apocalypso. Stay in the nest. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

I gave a worried look and made my way back to the nest once more. There were other eggs there, a red egg and a white egg.

After nestling in between my unborn siblings, I looked up at mother again. She looked very worried, but kept her gaze fixated on something outside the cave.

There was a large roar coming from outside the cave somewhere, followed by a brilliant flash of light.

Mother’s face looked horrified, but she didn’t move or make a sound.

I suddenly felt a soft shake. It appeared to be coming from the eggs beside me.

Are they hatching too? Oh no.

A set of horns soon emerged from one of the eggs next to me, and I couldn’t help but look at them with worry.

"Meep...”

Mother’s gaze snapped to me, then she noticed the eggs. “Bad timing...”

She protectively shielded me and the other eggs with her wing.

I carefully scraped away some of the eggshells that were stuck on my siblings' horns, making sure not to touch the actual egg itself. Come on, you have to do this alone, we can’t help you.

There was another flash of light, and it lit up mother’s face. She looked entranced at what she saw, and a frown appeared on her face.

After that flash of light, there was a period of absolute silence. There were no sounds, none from the eggs, none from the outside of the cave.

Nothing.

Then a roar erupted. This time the roar was from dad.

Mom took one last look at me and the eggs with a look of worry on her face. “I’m sorry...”

And she left.