Rising of Ashes: a Dragon Story

Whispers in the Dream Realm

Manuel blinked, unsure of how to feel. His best friend had left school because their Dragonborn classmate had departed, unable to handle the heartbreak. Manuel didn't know how to act. He didn't like that his friend had left like that, leaving everyone, including himself, shattered.

He had bonded with the Dragonborn, but love was another word. At least that's what he had been told – never fall for a classmate. But Y/n was not just any classmate. She was so much more, and that's why all the boys were after her like lovesick cats.

Manuel sighed and looked at his watch. Elijah, his seatmate, had been oddly quiet since Y/n left. He hadn't even sought comfort from their friends Oscar and Trygve. He just sat there staring blankly at the teachers who came and went.

Manuel felt lost, more lost than he had ever felt in his life. He knew there was something between him and Y/n, a bond that could have lasted forever if she hadn't broken it. But it was gone now, and all he had were fragments of what could have been something big.

A familiar voice interrupted his thoughts, and Manuel jerked his head up, startling Elijah and Suniva. "Something wrong?" Elijah asked, his eyes filled with worry. Manuel flushed but shook his head. He didn't want to say anything in the middle of class.

The voice spoke again, thick with sorrow and amusement. Hey, Manuel. You don't need to think you didn't hear me. I know you did. Manuel asked who the voice belonged to, and the voice sighed. Oh, you're not used to telepathy, are you? I won't tell you who I am yet, but I just wanted to check-in. Is Kiril really gone from class?

Manuel didn't know what to say, so he looked down at his desk, holding his iPad and pen. He is, he said at length. Just taking a sick day, though. The teacher let him go without question. The voice was silent for a while, but Manuel could feel its presence inside his own skull, like the beating heart of something. Thank you, Manuel. That got me feeling a bit better. Goodbye for now.

And just like that, the voice was gone, leaving Manuel to ponder who it was and why they had contacted him mentally. He wondered who had such powers.

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The rest of the day went as usual, even with a gaping hole in his heart. Suddenly, he dozed off, and at that moment, he saw her - a beautiful blue-purple dragoness with wings like shining sapphire and eyes as deep as the ocean.

"I'm happy you decided to look into the dream I sent you," she said, her tail curling around her waist. Y/n smiled and walked over to him, her thin blazer waving in the wind and her wings rocking. "Oh, come on, I know you can't resist me," she said, running her claws up and down his chest.

"I-I...," he trailed off, lost in her gaze. "Why have you sent me this dream? And why now, in the middle of class?" Y/n smiled again and leaned in, nuzzling her muzzle under his chin. Manuel felt at ease with the thing that she was gone. He felt like she never really was.

I need to tell this to Kiril, he thought with a jolt. He will want to feel her embrace, too. Y/n nodded. "Oh, so he does care for me then," she said, her ocean-blue eyes gleaming in amusement. "I thought it was just a rumor I've been hearing going around."

"Where are we?" Manuel asked, looking around and seeing patches of birch trees and shrubs the color of the sky. This was not any natural place he knew of - not in Germany or Norway. "That is because this isn't in those mortal realms. This is in the dream realm, and this is my place," Y/n explained, pointing to the birch trees. "Over there is where all the wild animals that I like live, and over there," she flicked her tail up at the sky, "is where my soulmates and their dragons roam."

She gently ran her hand down his fingers, taking them and intertwining them. "Come with me and see what I really left the pack for," she said, tugging at him. Manuel felt himself following her willingly. She was such an ease, and he felt happy.

Soon, she spread her wings, the sun gleaming off them and giving her an otherworldly appearance. "You do know that I have the ability to mind read? I can read your mind as well as an open book, but I can teach you how to put up shields in case this happens again," she said, flicking her tail. At once, they were flying, and Manuel let out a yelp of surprise and delight. Flying was something he would never do, not like this - so unprotected, but at the same time safe.

He was soon clambering up on Y/n's back, her body big and muscular under his bum. "Where are you taking us?" he asked over the buffeting wind, and Y/n glanced back, her eyes gleaming. "To my palace, to the place of dragons," she replied, and soon they disappeared into the clouds.