As the king, I was confronted with a daunting task. I found myself obliged to traverse the lands, disseminating the news of the calamity that had struck our kingdom and that of the Crashing Thunder. A considerable portion of their populace had perished, leaving their defenses severely weakened. Many dragonesses had lost their mates, and chaos loomed large, threatening to subsume them. Additionally, my duties required me to visit the kingdom of Aura, a place absent from my sight for a long time. The journey was bitter, yet a necessary one.

Aura, once a kingdom of grandeur, was now but a shadow of its past. The academy, once renowned for training the guardians, was in a state of decline. The students lacked both discipline and skill, and the teachers bore an air of weariness and hopelessness. The temple, a sacred place where the guardians used to worship and train, was now deserted and covered in dust. I was filled with nostalgia as I stepped into the sacred hall. It hadn't changed, but it served as a stark reminder of all the meetings once held there. Generations of guardians, formidable elemental dragons capable of wielding any power, had devoted their lives to the protection of Aura and its principles. They were not only heroes in their own right but also served as judges and executioners when required. Their sense of justice was relative to Aura’s interests, occasionally creating friction with other kingdoms.

Contrary to what I had heard, the city surrounding the temple was faring relatively well. People carried on with their daily chores, trading, chattering, and laughing. As a shadow dragon, I found it easy to blend in, shifting my appearance as necessary. Unlike my experience in the Griffin Kingdom, where I had a brush with death, here no one attempted to kill or capture me. Then, during my visit to the Kingdom of the Crashing Thunder, I came across Taranis, the Thunder Guardian dragon, quite unexpectedly. Despite my altered appearance, he recognized me.

“You’re a shapeshifter and a multi-elemental creature?” he queried.

“Dragon, sir. Multi-elemental dragon, and possibly a shapeshifter. Why do you ask?” I responded.

“What’s your name?” he pressed further.

“I’m Nox. And you must be Taranis, right?” I ventured.

He chuckled. “I never told you my name. What’s your real name?”

Realizing that I had made a slip and exposed myself, I saw no point in continuing the charade. So, I decided to reveal the truth.

“We’ve met before. You might remember me as Raphael, but I didn’t look like this then.”

He nodded. “I see. You’ve changed a lot. How are you doing?”

“I’m doing well, thank you. And you?” I inquired.

He then embarked upon a narrative of his life after my disappearance, his views on the evolution of life, and other topics that frankly, bored me to tears. For someone who had been a reserved guardian for so long, he was surprisingly talkative. I had to somehow interrupt him, so I did so politely.

“That’s very interesting, Taranis, but perhaps I could also share some of my stories with you? I’m certain you’ll find them entertaining. It’s one adventure after another.”

He agreed and listened attentively to my tale.

I narrated the events that had shaped my life: the aftermath of the chaos at the forbidden fallen kingdom of the wyverns, my capture and subsequent escape leading me to Freya who offered me a new life, the series of misfortunes and miracles that brought me to the palace multiple times, the blossoming of our love and the tragedy of my death after a duel, the journey to the Bright City where he interrupted me with curious questions, the reunion with my family, the return of Akira and Fyrenthos, the Sunflares, the chance encounter with Erebus, the Shadow Dragon Guardian, the horrors of the Earth Dragons and the wonders of the Water Dragons, the first visit to the kingdom of the crashing thunder, the unexpected glitch with the portal that sent me back to Erebus, his spell that gave me a new chance, the discovery of an underwater tunnel beneath a waterfall where I learned more about the water dragons’ history, and finally, my return to my kingdom.

As I narrated my experiences, I realized how rich and eventful my life had been in less than thirty years. For a dragon, that was a lot. Most dragons would remain in one place for centuries, leading a simple and uneventful life, until they felt the urge to change. But I was different. My mind was always restless. Every day brought a new adventure, and every year was precious. Despite my youthful appearance, I always had the feeling that one day I would miss this.

After I finished speaking, he looked at me with a strange expression. “You know, you have a lot in common with someone I once knew,” he remarked. Intrigued, I asked, “Who?”

“The elder brother of Erebus. He was somewhat like you,” he replied, surprising me.

“Erebus had a brother? I never heard of him,” I exclaimed.

He nodded. “He does. He’s probably still alive. But I would advise against meeting him. Unlike Erebus, he’s not a kind-hearted shadow dragon. He’s a visionary, always concocting something within his dark mind. I'm unsure of his current schemes. It’s been ages since I last saw him.”

I was eager to learn more about this enigmatic brother, but he declined to divulge any further information.

The path of my journey led me to the magnificent kingdom of the griffins. Here, I was presented with the chance to reunite with Calida, an old friend. She was among the earliest companions I made in this mystical world, and it was she who had tutored me in the art of using the portals that bridged the various kingdoms.

When I unveiled my authentic form as a human, the queen greeted me with a combination of joy and astonishment, her memory of me still fresh in her mind. Calida and Mira, a griffin acquaintance I had briefly met before, excitedly plucked a feather from my angelic wings as a keepsake. A wave of emotions washed over me - happiness and nostalgia were intertwined with a sense of bewilderment. I pondered why they all showered me with such kindness. What had I done to earn their affection?

I found myself explaining to Calida about the anomaly that had transpired with the portal, altering my form and immobilizing my powers. Her brow furrowed in concern as she confessed she had never encountered such a scenario before. She was the authority on the portals, and it was her responsibility to have comprehensive knowledge about them. Despite her confusion, she pledged to investigate the issue and determine what could have caused the mishap.

My sojourn in the kingdom of the griffins was fleeting, yet delightful. I didn't linger long enough to spend the night, but I partook in a feast with them, savoring their company and their tales. As I strolled around the city, I came across a face that sent a jolt of tension through me. It belonged to Fulgor, the gray griffin who had launched an attack on me years ago, or rather, his sons had. He acknowledged me with a polite nod, calmly bidding me a "good evening, Raphael," before continuing on his way. I was left in a state of shock. Where were the traces of his former hatred, his malice, his arrogance?

I sought answers from Calida, Astra Rhrea, the Queen, and Mira. They revealed that Fulgor had been incarcerated for several years but had since been released and rehabilitated. He had expressed regret for his past actions and had contributed to the development of the kingdom. The motives behind his actions and why his nephews had joined him in his aggression remained a mystery. However, they had ceased their attacks and had vanished from sight.

With a heavy heart, I bid farewell to the kingdom of the griffins. My mind was teeming with questions, with only a handful of answers to quench my curiosity. I transformed into an eagle and took to the skies, setting my course back to my own kingdom. I soared high above the clouds, evading any potential danger or distraction. In a moment of daring, I tried transforming myself into a cloud of fire intentionally. The method proved to be a swift means of travel, but it left me feeling dizzy and nauseous. I resolved to maintain my eagle form until I reached my destination.

As dusk fell, I found myself returning to my kingdom. This was the hour when Solara and Freya would typically take their evening flight. Stealthily, I followed them, finally joining their flight without a sound. Their startled expressions brought a smirk to my face. Their disbelief was palpable as they blinked twice before Freya finally exclaimed, "Oh Nox, you're back! I've missed you so much."

I wrapped my wing around her, responding, "I've missed you too, my love." Her curiosity piqued, she began to bombard me with questions about my journey. I indulged her, detailing my adventures in every kingdom, not sparing a single detail, even those that had delayed my arrival by a few days.

 

Her rapt attention was evident as she said, "You have to take me there someday. It's been ages since I last visited those lands." Her words brought a smile to my face. "How about our wedding anniversary?" I proposed, "I'll show you the wonders of the world." Her laughter rang out, filling the evening air, "That sounds wonderful. Thank you."

Our tender moment was interrupted by Solara. Her remark had nothing to do with our conversation. "I see you’ve grown fond of being an eagle like me, haven’t you?" she asked. I nodded at her, "It’s a great way to travel. I feel like I could soar forever like this." She accepted my comment with a nod, "I’ll take that as a compliment." Chuckling, I replied, "More like a maybe. I wouldn’t want to live like this forever, but if I had to be stuck in this form again, I wouldn’t mind it too much."

Freya, puzzled, asked, “What? You’d rather be an eagle than a dragon?” I quickly reassured her, “Of course not. You know how much I sacrificed to regain my shapeshifting ability so I could be a dragon again, like you.” Her smile returned as she snuggled closer. We continued our flight, the night breeze gently caressing us. A couple of hours felt like mere moments compared to the days I had spent in the air. Eventually, we returned to the palace, where I resumed my dragon form and collapsed into bed.

Freya cuddled up to me, "You have to tell me your story again tomorrow." I kissed her forehead, "I will. And maybe I’ll write a book about it too. You know, so it won’t be forgotten. Maybe a tale for our future legacy."

Her hopeful smile warmed my heart, "You’re really looking forward to the future, aren’t you?" I smiled back, "Who knows? The future is full of surprises, but I know I want to share it with you." I tried to infuse my words with as much sincerity and romance as I could. She leaned in closer, whispering, “Then show me how much you want me.”

As I was about to kiss her, a jarring memory of Siveth flashed across my mind – her scaly skin, her sharp teeth, and her cold eyes. I pulled away from Freya, a wave of nausea washing over me. She looked at me with confusion, "Sweetie, what’s wrong? Did I do something to upset you?” I quickly reassured her, “No, no, it’s not you. It’s just… I don’t know if I can kiss anyone anymore.”

Her frown deepened, “What? Why not? Am I a bad kisser?” I hurriedly defended her, “No, of course not. You’re amazing. It’s just… something happened to me. Something I don’t want to talk about. I’m sorry. Maybe we could just cuddle?” Her gentle touch on my cheek was comforting, "Hey, you can trust me. Whatever it is, I won’t judge you or tell anyone else. Please, let me help you.”

I sighed deeply, "Okay, but promise me you won’t take it personally. It has nothing to do with you or us. It happened before I came back to the kingdom to repel the attack.” Her beautiful eyes held understanding as she nodded, "I promise. Go on."

I took a deep breath, carefully choosing my words. "I was exploring the river in the jungle in the form of a Water dragon. I didn’t have Erebus’s permission, but I was curious and restless. I found a waterfall and dove into its depths. Siveth followed me. When we were deep underwater, she ran out of air and started to drown. I tried to bring her back to the surface, but it was too late.” I paused, swallowing hard.

Freya's voice was soft, "That sounds terrible. But how does that affect your ability to kiss? Did you shapeshift and carry her out?”

I continued my story, “I couldn’t shapeshift because of Erebus’s recent spell. If I did, I would have risked losing all my energy and drowning myself. So I did the only thing I could think of: I gave her some oxygen from my mouth. As a Water dragon, I had that ability.”

She raised her scaly eyebrows, "You mean you… oh, wow. That must have been awkward." I responded grimly, "That’s an understatement. It gets worse. When she woke up, she tried to kiss me back. And she was awful at it. She must have planned this all along. She trapped me underwater in a long and disgusting kiss that felt like torture. You have no idea how big she is compared to me in that form. It makes me sick just thinking about it.”

Freya responded sympathetically, "I’m so sorry you had to go through that. But you know what? That was Siveth, not me. I’m Freya, and you always loved my kisses." I replied weakly, "Yeah, I did love them. But… I still can’t get over what she did to me.”

Pulling me close, Freya whispered, "I’ll be your remedy. Come here," and we kissed. It was soft and sweet, a surge of relief washing over me. I had moved on from the past. As we deepened our embrace, I heard a faint giggle. "Did you hear that?" I asked. Freya looked puzzled, "What?" I insisted, "Someone laughed, and it sounded like it was here."

Freya glanced around, "There’s no one here but us, and no one laughed. Did my kiss make you hallucinate?” I wondered if she was right, but then I heard another laugh, "Wait, you still didn’t hear that?" She shook her head, "No, you’re going insane maybe, ahaha.”

Then it dawned on me. I recognized that voice. It was Luna’s voice, our daughter’s voice, and the first one was Juno’s voice. They knew how to make a vision connection. I snapped out of it, "Who is making a vision connection with me?" There was silence—total silence. Then I said sternly, "You better tell me or I’ll find out by myself and there will be terrible consequences.”

They revealed themselves, laughing nervously. "Sorry, dad, it was us. You caught us. Juno and Luna." I asked, "Why are you laughing?" They went silent again. Then they confessed sheepishly, "We may have done something bad, but you’re going to kill us if we tell you.”

I guessed and said loudly so Freya could hear, "You were spying on us?” and I shared the vision connection with Freya too, making her join our conversation. They laughed awkwardly. "Sorry, we may have been. We heard you laughing from a distance and got curious. But dad, did you really kiss someone other than mom?”

I felt my face turn red, even if that wasn’t just possible; scales don’t change colors. Freya looked embarrassed too. I said defensively, "I didn’t kiss anyone else other than mom." But Luna said teasingly, "But you just said that you kissed a Siveth. I think that’s what they’re called. An Earth dragon maybe? I never saw one for real. They say they’re big, dangerous, and great lovers.”

I replied firmly, "Enough. No, they’re not great lovers. They’re just big and dangerous. An Earth dragon that sees you won’t hesitate to make you their breakfast.” I said that, hoping to scare them a little bit, even if that’s not something a father should do. They took it as a challenge instead. Luna said bravely, "First they’ve got to catch us,” and Juno added confidently, "And I’d kick her face if she ever tried to catch me.”

Freya started laughing too, and I felt outnumbered. So I tried to regain control of the conversation and said seriously, "Stop laughing. This is not funny.” They didn’t stop, so I added threateningly, "If you don’t stop, I’ll shapeshift into an earth dragon, and we’ll see how brave you are then.” There was a moment of silence, then Freya said nervously, "Ok, that’s a bit scary now.”

I winked at her and gestured for her to relax. I was joking, of course, but Juno and Luna started laughing again. They said mockingly, "Oh, we’d love to see that. Come on, we’re waiting, ahah.” I replied playfully, "Alright, then get ready,” and I broke the vision connection, blocking them out.

Then I said softly to Freya, "I’ll be right back. Don’t worry. I’ll just show them what an Earth dragon can do. Like a game." She chuckled, "I know. Go ahead and be an example and scold them for me too. After all, we’ve both been victims of Earth dragons. Ahah."

Suppressing a laugh, I rose from the bed, ready to play along with my plan. "Alright, then. Let me give our daughters a little demonstration," I said, leaving the room to find Juno and Luna.