《Tales of the DragonHeart: AshBorn》 Perfect Hero : A Glimpse into the future The winds howled as they blew through the deserted wastelands, carrying the metallic scent of blood in it''s cloud of dust. The battlefield stretched endlessly, littered with corpses and dying warriors struggling to cling to life. The echoes of war spilled red across the land. It all began with the emergence of the Towers, their unknown forces launching relentless attacks upon the world. The demons, seeking to merge all Realms into one, tore through the dimensional cracks and unleashed destruction upon Elhime and the the other realms. Five realm had already fallen to their assault, merging into a single larger realm with only 4 remaining Elhime, the Dragon realm, the Murim, and The Dead Valley. Now, amidst the slaughter, a single scream of agony pierced through the storm. "AAAAAHHHH!" Baron lets out a gut-wrenching scream in pain, his voice raw as his arm was torn from his body. Blood gushed from the wound, soaking the earth beneath him. He gritted his teeth, refusing to give in to the unbearable pain. Standing before him, towering over four meters tall, was the 110th Demon King. The monstrous being had a body similar to an ogre, its muscles bulging, beneath dark, scaly skin. Its crimson eyes gleamed with amusement as it lifted Baron effortlessly by his throat, dangling him like a broken doll. "HAHAHA!" The Demon King''s voice roared like thunder. "Give up, human! You cannot win! Give up, and I might just let you live." Baron struggled, to breath. His vision blurred, but his determination did not waver. Through gritted teeth, he spat out his response "You¡­ will never¡­ beat us¡­ you damn DEMON!" The Demon King mocked him, tightening his grip. "You think you can stand against the Demon God?" The Demon King laughed. "HAHAHA! You fool! I am the weakest of the Demon Lords! Even if you somehow manage to defeat me, there are 110 more waiting for you¡ªeach stronger than the last!" Baron''s gaze never faltered. He knew fear, but he refused to surrender to it. The demon''s amusement faded. "Tch! You''re not fun at all." With a growl of irritation, the Demon King slammed Baron into the ground. "UGH-AAAHH!" Pain wracked his body as his bones cracked upon impact. The Demon King loomed over him, lifting his massive battle-axe. "You would have made a fine servant. Too bad you chose your own death." You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. As the axe came swinging down, Baron closed his eyes. He thought of his fallen comrades, the friends he had lost in battle. In his last moments, he thought of his wife, Emma who was carrying his unborn child. He closed his eyes as a tear slid down his cheek. "I''m sorry, Emma¡­" KLANG! A powerful shockwave erupted as something stopped the Demon King''s strike. The battlefield trembled under an immense pressure. The air grew heavy.. The Demon King staggered back, his feet sinking into the ground under the weight of an unknown force. Baron, barely conscious, forced himself to look up. A figure stood before him. He was tall¡ªaround 190 cm¡ªwith broad shoulders and a strong, well-defined physique. Yet, despite his build, his face appeared to be of someone no older than sixteen. His clothes were tattered, drenched in blood, but he stood firm, radiating an overwhelming presence. "A¡­ kid?" Baron muttered in disbelief, his eyes wide open. The newcomer turned his head slightly, his expression were unreadable. "Sorry, I''m late. Ran into some unexpected guests on the way." He tossed a bag toward Baron. "High-rank healing potions. Use them! Save as many as you can!" Baron caught the bag with trembling hands. He could see it clearly now¡ªthis man had fought through hordes of demons to get here. And yet, he looked unfazed. "HOW DARE A HUMA¡ª!" The Demon King''s roar was cut short as the boy''s foot slammed into his gut, sending him hurtling across the battlefield. He crashed through debris, carving a deep trench in the blood-soaked earth. The young man dusted off his boot, sighing. "Damn! Your breath stinks Dude!" The Demon King''s body trembled with rage. "I''LL KILL YOU, YOU DAMN HUMAN!" His dark aura surged violently, coating the battlefield in an oppressive dark aura. Yet, the young man took a step forward, completely unfazed. "Bruh! Do you even have what it takes?" The boy said nonchalently The air grew heavy. A single word followed, like a decree from a higher being. "KNEEL." The Demon King collapsed. "Wha¡ª?!" The Demon king panicked, his body refused to obey. He struggled, but his limbs wouldn''t move. He frozen, as an overwhelming force crushing his very essence. The young man tilted his head. "Oww! Look at you- Your instincts are screaming at you, aren''t they?" The Demon King''s let out a roar in rage, but then, he saw them¡ªthose eyes. Slitted pupils. Golden irises that shimmered like molten fire. The eyes of a dragon. A shiver ran down his spine. Without thinking, he leapt back, jumping over a hundred meters in a single bound. But it was too late. By the time he landed, the young man was already there, waiting for him. The Demon King barely had time to react before his attacker vanished again¡ªno, he was too fast to follow. A sharp pain erupted in his neck. His vision spun, it was as if the whole world had turned upside down. Then, he saw it¡ªhis own body standing headless, his blood painting the battlefield in crimson. The young man caught the severed head, staring into its eyes. "What were you thinking? You were already dead the moment you looked into my eyes." He dropped the head abruptly, before turning back to Baron. Though Baron was one of the strongest knights of the continent, he was left speechless. He had seen countless battles, faced terrifying foes, but never had he witnessed such overwhelming dominance. By a kid at that. "Who¡­ are you?" Baron managed to whisper. The young man extended a hand, his expression calm yet firm. "Ashborn..... Ashborn Dragonheart." Where It all began Our protagonist, a 67-year-old man, wakes up in the evening. It''s 12:30. "Ahh¡­ that felt good," he muttered, savoring the rare, peaceful sleep he had finally managed to get in weeks. As he swung his legs off the bed and placed his foot on the floor, but surprisingly something warm and mushy greeted him. He felt a chill run down his spine almost as if he instinctively knew that it was "Huh?" He glanced down and froze. He had stepped on dog poop. "Damn you, LITTLE SHIT! COME HERE!" he shouted at his dog, Rafale, chasing the mischievous pup around the room. Though he might seem like an ordinary old man, he was far from it. He was a business tycoon who built unicorn startups, a multibillionaire, a certified genius, a fitness industry icon, and a 13-time Ironman competitor. The list of his accomplishments went on and on. But today, something big was about to happen, big enough that even he, who had accurately predicted the 2032 stock market crash, could never have seen it coming. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Suddenly, a secretary from King Corporation barged into his room. "Boss, you''re late! How could you forget about your meeting this evening?" Distracted by the chase, the old man tripped over a chair and hit the floor with a loud thud. "Ahh¡­ there was a meeting?" he asked, groaning. Though he was quite the genius but he could be quite a handful. "Sir, get ready! We''re leaving now!" the secretary urged. "Alright, alright, I''m coming. Can''t let an old man some rest, huh? And as for you, you little shit," he added, glaring at Rafale. "Woof woof," Rafale barked, almost mockingly. After a tiresome of activities, the meeting was done by 6 PM. The sun was setting, casting an orange glow over the city. In front of the office building, there was a park where the old man liked to take a walk after work¡ª it was a small ritual of his. As he strolled, lost in thought, he decided to head back to his car. Just as he approached the car, a child dashed out from the park onto the road while chasing a ball. The screech of tires and the roar of an oncoming truck filled the air. The child was about to get hit. Without a second thought, he lunged forward, shoving the child out of harm''s way. *Thud. The truck hit him. Blood spilled across the pavement as he lay there, struggling to breathe. His vision blurred, but a single thought crossed his mind: I hope the kid is safe¡­ The next moment. Surprisingly, he felt no pain. When he opened his eyes, he was no longer on the road. Instead, he found himself in a vast, pure white space. The ground beneath him shimmered like water but felt solid underfoot. In front of him floated a glowing, orb-like figure. "God?" God? "God?" The protagonist guesses who¡ªor what¡ªwas before him. "Surprised, are you?" said the glowing sphere, its voice sounded deep and omnipotent as it echoed through the pure while space, and yet strangely warm. "Ahh¡­ a bulb? Hello!" "Hmm¡­ I''m surprised you''re not screaming. Most people struggle to come to terms with death. And no, I am not a bulb." "Ahh, yes. I''m dead. So¡­" "Yes, go on," the voice urged, as if it already knew what the protagonist was about to say. "Are you God?" "Well¡­ something like that. My status in Elhime is equivalent to what you''d consider a god, but I am not as omnipotent as your definition implies, I too was created at some point... by some higher power" the voice replied. "So, sir¡­ am I going to Heaven or Hell?" Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. "Well, in a typical case, you''d go to one of those. But¡­" "But what?" the old man asked, surprised. "You know the novel you wrote?" "You mean the first one?" "Yes, that one," the voice said with an amused tone. It turned out that this so-called "God" was a fan of his work! The entity had loved his novel so much that it decided to reincarnate him into a world similar to the one he had created. But there was a twist¡ªhe was tasked with saving the world, all for the entity''s entertainment, of course. "No way! Reincarnated, huh?" he thought, barely able to contain his excitement. Back when he was alive, he had often dreamed of something like this happening. "You know what? Let''s do it! I''ll show you something perfect!" "Haha, now that''s more like it," the voice said, brimming with joy. "I will assist you on your journey." "Looking forward to it!" Suddenly, the entire area was bathed in a blinding light. When the brightness subsided, the protagonist heard a voice. "Congratulations, Duchess. It''s a boy," a maid said. "Wow, he''s so cute," a woman¡ªhis new mother¡ªsaid lovingly. "Let''s name him Ashborn," she said softly, her voice warm and gentle. The baby opened his eyes. "Huh¡­ wait! I really got reincarnated!" he thought, taking a moment to orient himself. He looked down at his small, chubby hands. "Wow! I''m a baby again!" He glanced up at the woman holding him. "So this is my mother¡­" he thought. Then, something struck him. "Wait, did that woman say ''Duchess''? I''m a noble!" He grinned internally, his thoughts shouting, My name is Ashborn! "This is awesome!" he thought excitedly, though all that came out of his mouth were babyish babbles. Family and Cake-Fight Ashborn, now reborn as a baby, currently he is only 2 months old. "I wonder what''s new in this world?" he thought, his tiny eyes sparkling with excitement. Unable to speak properly yet, he let out incoherent babbles. He attempted to move. "UuuuAAaa!" He let''s out a funny sound, as he tried summoning all his strength, only managing to wriggle out of the cradle. He was still not used to his new body. "Haaaa!" he sighed in frustration, throwing a cute little tantrum. "Why! Why do I get tired so easily?" he pouted, his adorable expression making the moment even more amusing. Suddenly, an idea struck him. "OH! I know! Status Window!" Stretching his tiny arms forward, closing his eyes as if trying to summon a mysterious power. Suddenly, something appeared before him. "Ahh!" he gasped, startled by the unexpected result. [ [ Status Window ] ] Name: AshBorn DragonHeart Age : 1.5 years Title: Son of the Dragons Strength : 7 Agility : 10 Endurance : 5 Stamina : 3 Senses : 15 Health : 75/75 Mana : 1250 Vitality : 100 Intilligence: 300 Fatigue: 7/10 [ Skills- [Yet to be unlocked]] "WOW!" His eyes sparkled as he clapped his tiny hands, thoroughly delighted with himself. He studied the status window curiously until another notification popped up: [Status Window: A Message has been received. Would you like to open it?] [Y/N] "A message?" he babbled, tilting his head. "Yes." [Deity of Light: I see you have opened your status window. So to help you properly accommodate your new body I had to seal most of your memories from your previous life... So essentially you mental age actually matches your real age, except you may be a bit smarter than the other kids your age... that''s it,Enjoy your reincarnation.] "Huh? Seriously! only this? I still have so many questions!" Ashborn blabbed angrily, puffing up his cheeks again. Another notification appeared. [A new message has arrived.] "Hmm¡­ Finally, something useful." "Open." [Deity of Light: Oh, by the way, your family is the same family you had in your previous life. Though they don''t have memories of their last life, they are the same souls of your family from before.] "Oh!" Ashborn sighed in relief, a sense of belonging settling over him. He had been feeling slightly out of place, but knowing this made him feel at home again. "Thank God! Now let''s see the other important bits..." He searched the Status window, only to find nothing else. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. "Huh? AT LEAST TELL ME WHAT I HAVE TO DO, GOD DAMN IT!" he shouted, pouting in frustration. Exhausted from his little adventure, Ashborn soon fell asleep. --- Sitting right behind the baby, a tall and handsome man with long black hair and dark eyes, towering over 200 cm, had been watching the baby''s adorable actions. His gaze sparkled with amusement. This was none other than Gray DragonHeart, Ashborn''s father¡ªthe strongest man on the continent, head of the DragonHeart family, and Northern Duke of the empire. The DragonHeart family was a legendary bloodline, tracing its origins to a union with a dragon, where a great ancestor of their''s had married an actual dragon out of love. Their immense strength, mastery of mana, innate combat abilities, and the presence of a "Dragon Heart" were undeniable proofs of their extraordinary legacy. Their influence rivaled, and even surpassed, that of the royal family. Gray himself had once beaten up the current emperor during their youth for disrespecting his parents, and the royal family had been powerless to retaliate. "HONEY! Please come here!" a soft melodic voice called out. It belonged to Feronia, Ashborn''s mother and Gray''s wife. She was a high elf of unmatched beauty and the daughter of the Elf King himself. Her silver hair and luminous blue eyes were legendary, granting her special powers which was the result of the blessings he recieved from the world tree. They say all the animals of the forest had gathered to celebrate her birth in the elven kingdom. --- Hours later, Ashborn stirred awake, dreaming of flying through the skies in his dreams. "Wooo!... The world is spinning!" he thought groggily, still half-asleep. Spinning circles with a funny expression Khyaa! "You- Young master is FLYING!" a maid screamed, startled as she saw the baby hovering mid-air. "WAA...WA..! What just happened?" Ashborn blinked in confusion. He was indeed flying! Convinced it was just a dream, he decided to have some fun while he was at it. "YEAAAAAAAAAHHHH BOIIIIII !!! You''ll never catch me!" he blabbled cutely, zooming around the mansion as the servants chased after him in panic. The maid who originally saw Ashborn floting had already fainted. Ashborn, enjoying his newfound abilities, slid beneath feet and darted through hallways, outmaneuvering everyone. The knights standing by couldn''t help but laugh at the chaos but chose not to intervene, judging to make fun of the servants to be more important. The situation escalated to the point where the servants pleaded with Gray for help, but he, ever the jokester, only made things worse. "I''ll give 1000 gold coins to whoever catches him!" Gray announced with a laugh, casually flying alongside Ashborn, recording the entire escapade and even offering tips on evasion. "That''s my boy!" he cheered. Eventually, Feronia returned from shopping, only to dodge a flying chunk of cake that nearly hit her. "What are you guys doing?!" she yelled, glaring at her husband and child, who were having a full-blown cake fight. "Hah haa!" The father-son duo laughed, completely ignoring her presence. With a snap of her fingers, Feronia reversed the mess, restoring the room and its contents to their original state. "GRAY DRAGONHEART!" she shouted, her voice leaving no room for argument. Gray froze, realizing he was in trouble. "Oh-oh! Let''s continue this some other time, son!" he said, vanishing before Feronia could scold him. Ashborn spun in the air, clapping his hands in laughter, but Feronia quickly caught him. "You''ve caused a lot of trouble today, Ashborn," she said, falling into a laughter herself. Holding her mischievous son, Feronia couldn''t help but laugh. "Hahaa! You two really are alike.You literally took Like father, like son to a whole another level!" Ashborn giggled as he drifted off to sleep, tired from the day''s excitement. The next morning, Ashborn woke to a startling realization¡ªhis flying antics hadn''t been a dream. The recordings were broadcasted across the entire dukedom, earning him the nickname "God of Mischief." "Damn! That''s kinda cool, right?" Ashborn thought, grinning with pride. Meaning of Life AshBorn was three and a half years old now, and today, his family was visiting his mother''s side of the family today. They were going on a trip to the Elf Kingdom¡ªthe home of the royal elf family, their grandparents. His mother had been eager to introduce him to her parents¡ªhis grandparents, but they couldn''t visit them earlier because of a massive gate that had suddenly opened in their kingdom, causing all kinds of trouble. AshBorn was also an older brother now. He had a cute little sister named Aelwyn. She was only six months old and was always with their mother. Her name meant "fairy from another world." "We''re here! At the teleporter!" AshBorn exclaimed excitedly. Their family was using a teleportation circle for the journey. It was expensive, but for a duke, it was just another convenience, nothing speacial. As they stepped into the glowing mana circle, a bright light enveloped them, and in an instant, they teleported the Elf Kingdom. In the distance, the majestic World Tree towered over everything, its enormous branches stretching toward the skys grabbing glowing mana crystals hight in the sky. "Hello there, little ones," a beautiful elf woman greeted them, in a warn voice¡ªjust like Feronia''s. "Who...?" "Say hello, kids. These are your grandparents," Feronia urged, introducingher mother. AshBorn blinked in surprise. "Huh? But you look like you''re in your late twenties!" He had expected someone old, but the woman standing before him looked almost as young as his mother. The realization caught him completely off guard. "Oh my, late twenties, huh?" The woman chuckled. "Cut it out, Mom," Feronia said, looking embarrassed by her mother''s playful nature. "We elves age much slower than humans, even though our lifespans are roughly the same," a tall man explained. His had a deep, warm voice, carring a sense of wisdom, and his towering height of nearly 190 cm added to his dignified presence, befitting of a king "And this is your grandfather," Feronia introduced him. "Wow, you''re really tall!" AshBorn said in amazement, he looked at the man with sparking eyes. "Haha, I know! But your father is still taller than me," he responded with a hearty laugh. Gray Dragonheart, AshBorn''s father, was one of the tallest men on the continent, standing at an impressive 201 cm. "Come on, we''re getting late for the banquet," the grandfather announced. The Elf King had organized a grand feast at the royal palace in honor of their visit. The halls were filled with magical lights, and the scent of exotic dishes filled the air added to the royalty of the banquet. After the banquet, in the tranquility of the royal garden, the Elf King stood beside AshBorn, gazing at the World Tree. "You see that?" he asked, pointing toward the world tree. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "Yes... it''s huge," AshBorn said, awestruck. "The World Tree protects us, and in turn, we protect it. Legend says its branches hold the Nine Realms together." "Wow..." he whispered. "It has given life to countless creatures over time. Some thrive, others perish... It''s the natural order of things." As he spoke, AshBorn noticed a small fish swimming in a pond nearby. Suddenly, a larger fish devoured it in one swift motion. "Grandpa, look! It ate the other fish!" he exclaimed. The Elf King chuckled and then asked, "What do you think about the circle of life?" It was the same question that the previous elf king had asked him when he was 13 years old. The elf king didn''t mean to ask a child such a deep question, he just wanted to see Ashborn''s reaction, but somewhere in his heart it was test of character. AshBorn frowned in thought. He probably expected a simple, childlike answer, but the question felt deeper than that. "The circle of life, huh..." AshBorn paused. "I think it makes life more precious." The Elf King, taken aback, looked at him curiously. "Hunting and being hunted... it makes you appreciate being alive. If nothing ever changed, life would just be boring, right? The struggle to survive¡ªthe uncertainty that you may not live the next day¡ªI think it just makes life more meaningful." He turned to his grandfather, his voice steady. "A deer runs from a lion to live, while the lion hunts the deer to survive. The outcome unpredictable, and that''s what makes life precious." The Elf King stared at him in silence, his expression were unreadable. But then, a smile formed on his lips, a smile filled with something proud, something deeper. "AshBorn, come with me," he said. Without hesitation, the boy followed. They walked through the grand gardens until they reached a cliffside overlooking the vast kingdom. "Grandpa, where are we going?" AshBorn asked. "You''ll see." The garden grass began to glow in a green-hue, the Elf King released a small amount of his spirit energy and let out a sharp whistle. A glowing creature emerged from the depths below. It looked like a jellyfish with glowing pattern which resembled stars, but much larger, floating gracefully in the air. "This is a Jeldo," he explained. "They only come out at night and spend the day underwater. He will take us to the World Tree." AshBorn watched in awe as they stepped onto the creature''s translucent back. It glowed softly beneath their feet as it lifted them into the sky. The city below was alive with golden lights, but as they soared closer to the World Tree, a peaceful silence fell over them. "Let me introduce you to the World Tree," the Elf King said with a proud smile. As if sensing his words, a small branch from the tree extended toward him, as if greeting an old friend. Then, it shifted, reaching out toward AshBorn. "This is my grandson, AshBorn, son of Feronia and Gray," he introduced the boy. The branch gently touched AshBorn''s forehead. In that instant, a surge of energy rushed through him. A powerful wind swirled around his body, lifting Ashborn off the ground. His heart pounded wildly, but strangely, he didn''t feel afraid. Instead, an overwhelming sense of calm washed over him. The World Tree began to glow¡ªits leaves shimmering in a brilliant emerald light. The sky blazed into a dazzling spectacle as stars shone brighter, and birds awakened, singing in harmony with a mysterious, fairy-like voice. The entire kingdom watched in awe. Suddenly, intricate patterns climbed up AshBorn''s skin, glowing like veins of pure energy. A final burst of light flashed before everything settled, leaving behind plum blossoms along with a peaceful silence. His body felt... different. Heightened and connected to the universe. The Elf King stood still, his eyes wide in surprise. "The World Tree... has given its greatest blessing to AshBorn..." he whispered, a tear forming in his eye. From a distance, Feronia and Gray rushed toward them. "Dad! What just happened? Is AshBorn okay?!" Feronia asked, with worry in her voice. The Elf King turned to her with a rare expression of pure joy. "You did well raising this child," he said softly. Feronia looked stunned. "Thanks...?" she replied, her voice filled with confusion. The Elf King rarely gave out compliments, yet here he was, praising her. As AshBorn stood beneath the World Tree, he felt something new¡ªsomething profound. A connection. A destiny waiting to unfold. Meeting with the Dragons "Today, we''re visiting Dad''s side of the family!" Ashborn announced loudly, smiling . "Well¡­ his dragon family." He paused for dramatic effect, nodding to himself. "Turns out, Dad''s parents passed away when he was thirteen. They say it was of natural causes¡­ but Dad did say he has his doubts." He rubbed his chin like a detective deep in thought. "So, to protect dad, the family of our great-great-dragon-ancestor-grandma came here!" "Long name, I know. I just don''t actually know her name yet." With that, the family entered into the secret underground path beneath their castle. It was a stone passage with hundreds of traps and magic circles that led them into a massive dungeon-like chamber. At its center, an orb pulsed with light, it floated above a network of glowing magic circles. But these weren''t ordinary magic circles. Ashborn felt it. Something was¡­ different. Ashborn looked closely. "Dad! These magic circles¡ªthey look different, and they feel¡ª" "Nice? Yeah, I know." Gray Dragonheart smirked, as if enjoying his son''s curiosity. "These circles come from ancient ruins. This is a security system. To activate it, you need to say the right phrase in Dragon Tongue. (The language, not an actual tongue)" "But why does¡ª" "It feels nice here because of draconic magic," Gray explained, as he worked on unlocking the security code. "Since we have dragon blood, its energy resonates with us, that''s why it''s soothing. As for most people, though? They''d pass out from the sheer presence of dragon power." "Ohhh, that makes sense¡ªWAIT! What about Mom?!" Gray chuckled. "She''s fine. If you have any connection to dragons, the magic reacts accordingly. Besides, she already met your great-dragon-uncle¡ªthe one who built this teleporter." "Whoa," Ashborn was amazed, his eyes widened with wonder. "So, Dad¡­ does this mean I can learn Dragon Tongue too?!" His eyes sparkled with excitement. "You already know it."Gray replied with a smile. "Huh?! No, I don''t¡ª" Gray ruffled his son''s hair. "All dragons and dragon-blooded beings know Dragon Tongue by birth. Your case was just¡­ special. But don''t worry. By the end of today, you''ll remember all the Dragon Tongue you''ll ever need." Ashborn grinned. "Come on, Dad, hurry up!!!" "Bahh! Bahh!" Aelwyn, his younger sister, called out too. "Hurry up, honey!" Feronia called from behind. Gray sighed. "Alright, alright. On it." Gray spoke a phrase in dragon tongue, thought Ashborn didn''t understand it, the ruins responded to his voice. They started glowing with golden light and in the next instant, the family was swallowed by the magic They teleported to a new place. A dragon''s nest. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. A massive shadow loomed over them. Towering high above them, a black dragon with piercing golden-green eyes gazed down at them, its voice rumbling like thunder, strangely felt friendly. "Look who we have here. I thought you had forgotten me." Ashborn stood frozen. He felt something. A strange connection. Like meeting someone he''d known forever, even though he had never seen this dragon before. His body reacted. A strange power surged within him, his heart started beating faster. His deep-sea-blue eyes flickered, turning slightly golden. His pupils sharpened, taking on a more draconic shape. "Sorry, Uncle," Gray said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Things have been¡­ busy." "Enough. I know that. Now hurry up and introduce me to these kids." The dragon''s tone was impatient, but there was a hint of amusement in his gaze. Gray nodded. "Ashborn, Aelwyn¡ªthis is your dragon uncle, Amaya." Ashborn stepped forward. "Nice to meet you, Uncle!" "Bahh! Bahh!" Aelwyn giggled, waving at the dragon. Amaya looked at them closely, then let out something that almost looked like a smile. "They will grow strong," he mused. Then, his gaze locked onto Ashborn. "This young one¡­ his aura has changed. It''s gotten a lot stronger." Gray''s expression slightly darkened. "I guess the World Tree''s blessings weakened the seal. At this rate, he would''ve broken it on his own in two or three months." Ashborn blinked. "Seal? What seal?" Gray exhaled. "Your birth was¡­ unique. When you were still in your mother''s womb, your draconic aura became too strong. To make sure you were born safely, your uncle sealed away your Dragon''s Authority." Amaya nodded. "It''s also why you don''t remember Dragon Tongue. But your sister does." Ashborn''s jaw dropped. "WHAT?! Aelwyn knows Dragon Tongue?!" The little girl just smiled, giggling innocently, almost as if she perfectly understood what was going through Ashborn''s head. A wave of jealousy hit him. "That''s so unfair!" Amaya chuckled. "Come. I shall remove your seal now." He reached out, one massive claw pressing gently against Ashborn''s chest. In a deep, ancient voice, he spoke the words of Dragon Tongue. The air trembled. Magic circles ignited beneath Ashborn''s feet, they kept growing, expanding in layers, until they covered the entire cave. Then¡ª *CRACK! The seal shattered. Releasing a sound which resembled that of breaking glass. A huge wave of power flooded Ashborn''s body. He gasped, his mind filling with memories, knowledge that felt like it had always been there, waiting to return. His connection to the world sharpened¡ªhe could feel the laws of nature, the pulse of magic around him itself. Golden light flared around him, taking the form of dragons swirling through the air, it was a mark of his majestic lineage. His eyes snapped open. His vision was different. It was sharper. He could now see things he hadn''t noticed before. "You''ll need time to adjust," Amaya rumbled. "Until then, control your power." Then, the dragon''s gaze shifted focusing on something unseen to AshBorn. "You! Come out! He can see you now. No point in hiding." A tiny, glowing orb floated into view, letting out a dramatic sigh. "Man, I wanted to observe a little longer," the spirit whined. "Things were just getting interesting too!" Ashborn tensed. "Who are you?! How did you get here?" "Hey, hey! Chill out, little guy!" The spirit waved its tiny hands. "They already know about me." Ashborn glanced at his father for confirmation. Gray just sighed with a slight nod. "I am a spirit of the World Tree. You can call me Apollo," the spirit introduced itself. "The World Tree sent me to look after you and teach you about spirit magic." Feronia nodded. "He came with you when you received the World Tree''s blessings." Ashborn still wasn''t sure how to process this, but before he could question anything further¡ª "Enough introductions." Amaya''s deep voice cut through the conversation. The dragon''s eyes bore into Apollo, it was a silent warning not to interfere further. Apollo chuckled nervously. "Alright, alright. I''ll leave you guys to it." He retreated into the world tree mark on Askborn''s forehead, curling up in Ashborn''s mind realm. For the rest of the day, the family spent time with Amaya talking, laughing, and playing in the vast dragon''s nest. Then, as the sun began to dip below the horizon¡ª "Ashborn," Amaya called. "You want to learn more about Draconic Magic, don''t you?" "YES! PLEASE!" Ashborn nearly jumped in excitement. Amaya''s lips curled into a grin. "Then fight me." "...Huh?! Fight?!"