The world held its breath. And then the egg cracked.
The suspense was thick, almost suffocating. The runes on the egg dimmed slowly, their glow fading. Was the egg dying? Was it finally hatching? The question hovered in every mind, sharp and restless.
The mother held the egg carefully, her grip tender yet protective, as if it might shatter at the slightest mistake. But then, another crack split the air, breaking the tension. A pure white skin—soft as fresh snow—radiated with power, ancient and untold. The dragon child's thick leg kicked away the remnants of the shell, sending a ripple of stunned silence through the room.
A dragon... A real, pure-blooded dragon...
"T-t-t-t-that's impossible!"
The elder, who had once been on the verge of giving up, now lay sprawled on the ground, trembling. His finger shook as he pointed at the newborn dragon, who locked eyes with him for a brief moment. But it was the mother he sought—the child's gaze turned upward, meeting her eyes with curiosity, a spark of calculation, and quiet wonder. So, I have a mother now? he thought, a strange, new feeling stirring in his chest. Is this what babies feel when they fall in love with their mother's gaze?
Her eyes softened, a mixture of awe and protectiveness as she gazed down at her son, seeing the world reflected in his innocent sky blue eyes. She felt the warmth in her chest, the undeniable bond between them growing as her heart swelled with something she couldn't fully grasp—this was her child.
"A pure-blood… my son… is a pure-blood?"
The voice of Thalrygos, choked with awe and disbelief, tore through the air. He moved closer, trembling, hands stretched out toward his son, desperate to hold him, to make sure everything was real. His heart hammered in his chest. For millions of years, pure-blood dragons had been thought extinct, their bloodlines diluted. Yet this child... this one was perfect.
Every soul gathered stared in stunned reverence at the newborn dragon—a true, pure-blooded dragon long thought lost to the rivers of time.
Strange… why are these dragons looking at me like that? How many years have passed since my death? How long did I drift, shattered, just a shard of soul scraping across the void of the universe?
The dragon child gazed over the crowd from the safety of his mother's arms. His eyes, calm and curious, scanned each face as though studying insects—cold, detached, impossibly old.
Who could blame him?
He was the Dragon Progenitor. The origin. The god of space and time now reborn in fragile flesh, cradled in the arms of mortals who could barely fathom what they had brought into this world.
A god… born from a mortal mother and father. How fascinating. I must study this, once I recover my strength…
And then, he froze.
Will it recover?
His tiny heart clenched.
I feel so weak. My power… it's not even one millionth of what I once wielded. Must I truly climb again, from mortal beginnings back to the divine peak?
His small eyes narrowed.
The language spoken around him was unfamiliar—different from what he once knew. Yet he understood it perfectly. The power of newborns… they absorbed knowledge like sponges, every sound, every word, every scent woven instantly into their growing minds.
So that's what it is… their blood smells weak.
His nose twitched as he sniffed the air. In his mind, the gesture was regal, dominant, a mark of superiority.
To the crowd, however, it was adorable.
A collective gasp echoed, hearts melting as if pierced by some unseen arrow. The anxiety that had weighed so heavily on their chests shattered in an instant, replaced with awe, wonder, and the inexplicable desire to protect.
Mortals… so imperfect. So incomplete.
But the thought didn't hold bitterness—only conviction.
That's not a problem. I can fix them. With time… yes, with time I'll return them to what they once were. I will give my children back their rightful inheritance—the pure dragon lineage. I'll make them stronger.
His gaze flicked to the strongest presence in the room—his biological father.
Even him… even Thalrygos, this "chieftain," this peak of their kind… is nothing more than an ant beneath the shadow of who I used to be.
"Darling, look! Look!" Elyssira's face was radiant, her eyes gleaming like twin suns. She looked at her child like he was the most precious treasure in the entire cosmos. Her joy was so overwhelming, she reverted to her younger self—bouncing with excitement, barely able to sit still.
"Isn't he adorable? The way he sniffed his first breath of air! So cute—and yet, there's power in his movements. I felt it. He's strong."
Dragons from across the village were already gathering at the palace gates. The news had spread—unbelievable, world-shattering. A pureblood had been born. No one wanted to believe it until they saw it with their own eyes. Until they heard his name with their own ears.
"He is," Thalrygos said, his voice a deep rumble of pride. "And he will become the greatest warrior in our history. This child—our child—will raise us from the dust, end the age of suppression, and restore our place atop the world."
With reverent care, he lifted the newborn from Elyssira's arms. The small dragon god barked in protest, annoyed at the movement. But again, it came out irresistibly cute, as if the universe itself had cursed him with charm.
Or was it a blessing?
"Let's go, son." Thalrygos cradled the child high against his chest, eyes meeting crimson to blue—a silent, unspoken understanding passing between them. "The clan awaits you. They await their savior… their pride and their future. And so, I shall give you a name. A name worthy of a ruler. A name worthy of a dragon king."
The chieftain stepped forth. His aides parted for him, the great palace doors groaning open to reveal a sea of dragons—thousands strong, all waiting, breath held, eyes locked on the child in his arms.
A storm gathered in Thalrygos' lungs. Power vibrated in his throat.
"MY SON IS BORN!"
The roar shattered the air, carrying across Dragon Valley and beyond.
The crowd tensed.
They waited.
He raised the child higher, crimson eyes flashing.
"AND HIS NAME IS… DRAVION!""THE CHAMPION OF DRAGONS!"
"RRROOOAAARRR!!!"
The collective roar of the dragons shook the heavens. It split the clouds, cracked the mountains, and bled joy and pride into every corner of their sacred land. A true dragon had returned—and with him, the hope of an entire race was reborn.