Metamorphosis Ch. 01

I stayed in that place of pure ecstasy for what seemed like a lifetime. Music swirled inside my head until I no longer had my own identity. I was the music and the tension in the air.

I felt rather than heard the hum of the music fading. I wished for it to stay, but I knew that every song had an ending, so I let it go peacefully. I felt the ground beneath my feet and slowly became aware of myself and that there were no bodies pressed up against me anymore. I opened my eyes and looked around.

I was in the middle of the circle, the choir surrounding me on all sides. I turned slowly, looking into each dragon's eyes individually. Several people brought their right front feet forward and touched them with their noses in the gesture of deepest respect.

What on this giant mountain are these people doing? I wondered to myself. Why are they acting like this?

I reached out gently with my mind to the closest person I could find and felt them flinch away at the contact. I pressed on until I found a dragon willing to create a Link with me.

"What happened?" I demanded. "Why are they bowing to me?"

"Child, you've been touched by Telesia," replied Nella-elda, a voice that I recognized. "Your parents should be the one to give you the memory."

I craned my neck around to find my parents, but they were nowhere in sight. Instead of calling out for them, I walked toward the mouth of the cavern and was going to push my way through the crowd, but I found that they parted readily for me. I made my way to the back of the crowd where I found my parents waiting for me. When they saw me, they rushed forward and touched their noses to various parts of my body, apparently checking to make sure I was still intact.

"We were so worried," Mother said, touching one of my neck spikes.

"We were terrified when you rose into the air," Father added, nudging one of my forelegs.

"Then you started glowing," Mother continued, resting her cheek against mine. I could feel the stares of a multitude of inquisitive eyes.

"We didn't know what to do. How do you feel?" Father also finished his prodding and laid his face against mine.

I took a moment to take stock of my body and my mind before replying. "I feel wonderful," I told them honestly. "I have never felt better. My body is strong and my mind is clear." I paused for a moment, and when neither of my parents said anything, I asked, "What exactly happened?"

Mother and Father backed up and looked at each other. "I'll show you, if you'd like," Mother offered. I accepted and she transferred the memory to me.

Dragons who are trying to get as close as they can to the choir are bumping into me, moving me this way and that. I stand firmly and hold my ground, thinking, Why must they be so rude? Finally, everybody is situated and I reach out to reassure Xayna, but I cannot find her. I look at where she is supposed to be standing, but she has disappeared. I crane my neck, trying to see where she is at. She must be nervous and scared. I try to push through the rows of dragons, but they won't budge. "Xayna!" I call out to her, but receive no response.

The choir begins their music and I return to stand next to my mate. "I can't find her," I tell him with worry coloring my words. "I've looked for her, but I can't find her."

"Don't worry," Roma says gently. "She'll be fine. She may get a little carried away, but I trust our brothers and sisters enough to keep her safe."

My worries are abated slightly as the humming grows louder. I listen to the music and marvel at how beautiful it sounds. As the music crescendos, a bright light appears in the middle of the cavern. I recognize the magic and join my voice with the others to help intensify its beauty. The light begins rising, slowly moving above the heads of the dragons.

Inside the light is a small dragon. "It's Xayna!" I shout to Roma. "That's Xayna in the light!" I feel fear and I want my child to be safe.

"She's in the protection of Telesia now. She will not be harmed." My mate's reassurances don't help me to feel any less anxious or nervous.

Xayna begins to spin slowly. The light burns brighter as the music becomes louder and more intense. My daughter is painful to look at; the magic around her hurts my eyes. The light suddenly shoots out, a wave of heatless fire spreading through the cavern. Xayna releases a torrent of fire from her mouth and lets out a deafening roar. She stops spinning and is lowered to the ground as the music fades and her light diminishes when the humming stops completely.

Mother pulled the memory away and I sat down, dumbfounded. What I had just seen was amazing and I was astounded that it had happened to me. I was right to be worried when I came in; the magic was overpowering for me. However, the sensations were so pleasing that I didn't regret attending at all.

"I don't know what to make of this," I told my parents. "I need some time to think."

They understood and suggested that we return home. I quickly agreed and we departed, leaving the excited stares behind us.