Book 15: Chapter 65


    Did I or did I not say climbing a mountain at night is an irrational act? Below us was the vige. Dragon Mom would be seen if she transformed there. I couldnt divulge the news about the dragons; otherwise, something might happen to the dragons. Not to mention encouraging unnecessary panic. That was why the two of us trudged through the snow that was at calf level. We grabbed onto the snow that literally froze our fingers and struggled up step by step. Dragon Mom trekked ahead of me. I tightly grabbed onto her belt so that I wouldnt slide down.


    Dragon Mom was in a big rush. I could tell that from her erratic steps. I knew how anxious she was. She managed to feel the joy of knowing she had kin still around and went through so much to finally find them. We thought it was already over. We never expected that our dream that was finally in sight would be drowned. Dragon Mom didnt want to give up nor was she willing to admit defeat. She desperately climbed up, struggling to try and reach halfway up the mountain.


    I climbed up with Mom step by step. I could feel her quivering with fear. Mom mustve been very scared. She shouldve been aware of what happened, but just refused to admit it. She was trying to lie to herself, yet she failed to convince herself. I didnt know how tofort her. Words of constion were pointless at that point. She needed to see her kin. Only then could she feel reassured. I didnt know how the vige and the dragons valley looked. I had no clue how much damage was done by the flood. I didnt know if the dragon race was still alive or not.


    The snow beneath us suddenly changed. Dragon Mom stopped for a brief moment to look down at her feet with puzzlement. She then crouched down to reach into the snow. I, too, felt something was slightly odd underfoot. The number of rocks around us had drastically decreased. There was a path that could fit two people. If we headed up then, wed see a small, level area ofnd.


    I brushed the snow away, revealing what was below. This snow was different to other ces. It felt as though the snow there hadnt been umted for a long time, therefore had yet to consolidate. After moving away the thickyer of snow, I saw thend that was originally there.


    Thend there wasnt originally brownnd but ck te. It was obvious that the ck te wasnt natural te but the remains of human life. The moonlight illuminated the snow and ck te. It seemingly had an ice-cold aura that numbed all of my nerves.


    Dragon Mom nkly stood up and slowly continued up. It seemed to be bright in front of us. It was as though a huge person smashed open a huge hole in the snow. It was a huge level entrance opened in the face of the mountain.


    I see, I said to myself.


    The area shouldve been where the vige originally was. Fortunately, they moved prior to the flood. The flood that virtually came out of thin air didnt drown their homnd. Over time, the water condensed again, bing theyer of ice and snow that covered the originalnd of the vige and its houses. Having said all that, it was evident that a number of houses had been washed below, leaving just the ground. The frozen vige resembled frozen time. It was quite a sad sight.


    Dragon Mom nkly walked over to the ruins of the anthropoids, stood there and spaced out. She looked at the condensedyer of ice and the houses that knocked down the houses. I had no idea what she was thinking, but I could sense her pain and despair from her back alone.


    Its all right, Mom, its all right. This isnt that valley in question. If the flood came down from here, the area behind it may be fine. Lets go to the rear to check it out. Lets go to the rear, Mom. Lets go check out the valley. Lets go, lets go.


    You could say that I pleaded Mom to leave. Her sadness prated her body through to the surface simrly to a flood. The sight of it agonised me. This ce was clearly just an anthropoid vige, yet Dragon Mom was as depressed as if she saw her races graveyard.


    I grabbed Moms hand to lead her away. She didnt resist. Instead, she obediently turned and left with me. The Dragon valley was to the rear. Itd soone into sight if we went along the empty space. The dragons shouldve been inside the valley. s, the path was frozen, thereby sealed; the snow blocked it. It was akin to a door of ice. We couldnt go through it.


    I looked at the vacantnd and the mountain path blocked by the snow. A sad solution came to mind. I looked overhead and, in a soft voice, said, Mom, transform into your dragon form.


    Son


    I looked at Mom and spoke in a calm tone: Once youve transformed, fly up and scan it.


    Mom looked at the collected snow and slowly lowered her head. We already knew the answer for ourselves. I didnt want to make Mom hold it in any longer. She shouldve felt slightly better if she transformed into a dragon in that moment. Searching for her own kins grave in her human form was somewhat reckless. Although we already knew what we were going to see, it was better to let Mom visit herst kins graves in her dragon form. The snow was their grave.


    Dragon Mom gradually erged herself and then stood on the level ground. She immediately shrouded the entire space resembling a ttened span ofnd. I carefully climbed onto her back. Mom stretched her wings out and took flight, sweeping up a gust of snow. Her shadow contrasted the white snow in the sky. The snowkes were akin to Moms crystal-clear tears dropping from the sky.


    The wild wind next to my air brought along snow that hit my face. I heard the sound of my scales shrinking, but I was in no mood to worry about myself. I narrowed my eyes and looked at the gradually rising mountain and also the valley, we had searched for ten days. It shouldve been ake by the time we arrived.


    We went around the left and right of the mountain. The centre was where the dragons were supposed to be living, but it had turned into ake of water akin to a tea drop in the mountains staring at me.


    Mom silently flew. She, too, saw it but didntment. She didnt even cry out. She just silently flew around the hugeke. Just hours ago, Dragon Mom was cheerfully imagining what shed do upon meeting her kin. She excitedly told me stories about dragons. She told me what the dragon race had to pay attention to. In the end, the home we looked forward to seeing and the stars we crossed by were ake of water.


    What does this mean for Dragon Mom? I pondered.


    Above us was a glistening sky. Below us was the burial of Moms kin. The shiny stars appeared to be right in front of us. It was as though I could pluck them with my hands. The sky felt closer than home to Mom.


    Mom gradually descended. Perhaps she was tired of flying. I hopped off Moms back. Mom gradually reverted to her human form. She wore a very calm expression. She was so calm that I was afraid. She looked at theke in front of us that was gently swishing. She didnt speak, cry or shout. She didnt roar toward the sky, either. She just looked at the prettyke as if she was a tourist.


    I went over to Moms side. I took hold of her hand and looked at her calm face with concern. Softly, Iforted her: Mom, cry if you want. Let it out I didnt think this would happen I didnt think this valley would be in this state Wait Wait Mom Mom It might be somewhere else. It might not be this valley Mom There might still be hope There might be


    Mom extended forth her arms and gently hugged me. She stroked my head and whispered next to my ear in a shaky voice, Son Mommy Mommy doesnt have any other family anymore Theyre gone Theyre all gone Mommy only has you now Youre Mommys only family now. Theyre gone Theyre all gone Mommy Doesnt have any more family


    Moms ice-cold tears fell through the cold air andnded onto my neck. I tightly hugged her and stroked her quivering back. Voice soft, I said, Its all right, Mom, its all right. There are definitely more. Theres definitely some other ce where they are. The dragon race didnt go extinct from war, which meant that they might not have been killed by the floods. Im sure theyre still alive. Im sure theyre still alive. Lets look again, Mom. Lets keep on looking. I can still search for a few more decades. Ill definitely search for them with you. Even if we never find another, youll always have me. Ill always be your son


    Theyre all gone? Could thest horde of invincible dragons that ruled the continent really have sunken to the bottom of the flood? Could all of her dragon kin, be it the ones who were once with her or this group that escaped the desert, truly all be gone? Are you saying that my Dragon Mom is forever thest dragon? Is there no ce on this continent that belongs to the dragon race? Are they that against being with Mom? I contemted.


    <em>Roar!!! </em>Dragon Mom couldnt hold her grief in any longer and roared out from behind me. It was such a sad roar. It was the roar of dragon, one of despair and agony. She roared with all her might. Frankly, you could say that Moms heart had shattered


    <em>Roar!!!</em>


    Mom and I froze in ce and looked to the sky, feeling stupefied. We looked left and right. That was a dragons roar; however, the voice that was seemingly responding to Moms roar came from every direction