Return to Jorgaldur Volume IV: Reunion

Hatching

It seemed like a smooth, immaculate, indestructible surface. However, events soon proved otherwise. A powerful blow was the first warning. A first crack was the consequence. It didn't take long for others blows to follow, and the cracks increased. They spread over the surface like a spider's web, and threatened to tear it apart.

For years, it had remained unchanged, but at that moment, it broke, so several pieces fell to the ground. At the same time, a pointed object appeared, the one responsible for that.

It was white, slightly bluish and curved, and disappeared an instant later. Although it didn't take long for it to reappear, to hit the surface again from within. Next to the object, stuck to it, this time a rough surface was clearer. On the third impact, a second pointed object appeared.

"What's that?" Eldmi asked.

"The horns," her mother responded.

"So small?" Gjami wondered. She was looking at the enormous horns of one of the nearby dragons.

"It's still a baby. You both were also even smaller than now when you were born," their father explained, with a somewhat provocative smile.

"" We aren't small!"" the twins exclaimed, thus falling completely into the trap.

Everyone looked at them for a moment amused, smiling and even snickering. Though soon their attention turned to the enormous egg.

The hole grew larger and larger, until the head completely appeared. It looked around, and let out an imposing roar. Well, it would have been imposing if they had been an adult dragon. On the baby dragon, it was rather adorable.

What was imposing was the response. Practically in unison, the dragons gathered there let out a roar. They were expressing their joy at the arrival of a new member of their species.

That didn't scare the friends of the dragons who had attended the birth, since they had been warned. Although it certainly impressed them. The aura that surrounded them was powerful and majestic.

Not even the twins were scared. In fact, they had raised their gaze to the sky as soon as the little dragon had roared, as they were waiting for it. Ever since they had explained to them what would happen, the girls had been eager to witness it. They looked quite excited. Without a doubt, it hadn't disappointed them.

Under other circumstances, they might have felt bored by the wait before the hatch, but that hadn't happened at all. Since they had arrived, the twins had been looking from one dragon to another with their shining eyes wide open. They were continually pointing this way and that.

The girls were wrapped in winter clothes and Burning Auras. They were also hugging the stuffed dragons that Gjaki had made them especially for the occasion.

Their parents had feared they would be scared, but the effect had been the opposite. Protected by their parents, aunts and uncles, knowing that the dragons were friends, what would they be afraid of?

"It's so cute," Gjaki exclaimed, with her head resting on Chornakish.

With the excuse that it was cold, and that his fur was warm, the demihuman had had no chance to refuse. He was rarely able to refuse any request from his beloved.

Mideltya watched the baby dragon in amazement, while holding Ted's hand. She would never have imagined having such an opportunity.

Lidia was hugging Melingor. Eldi had brought him, after being invited by his wife. Not only was it a unique opportunity for him, but he could be with Lidia. Living apart had never been easy for them, although their situation had improved. With Eldi being level 100 and being able to set up Gates, they could meet more often.

Their obligations had forced them to be away much more than they wanted. He was an important pillar in the fight against corruption. She couldn't abandon the rebels, much less now.

Melingor was both hopeful and worried about the imminent meeting between Eldi and the royalty of Engenak. If everything went well, his wife would surely be able to spend more time with him. The possibility that it might not turn out well kept him up at night.

However, at that moment, he preferred not to think about any of it. All of his attention was on the baby dragon hatching from the egg. There was also the warmth of his wife's body hugging him.

It wasn't until they were completely out of the shell that their anxious parents approached. Both dragons lowered their heads to the little dragon's height and licked them from both sides.

The baby didn't complain, quite the opposite. They seemed to enjoy their parents' attention, and made a sound somewhere between a purr and a roar.

Meanwhile, some dragons were flying in circles above them. They roared and spit fire, celebrating. It was impossible for the non-dragons to distinguish whether they were happy or furious. Luckily, their host was explaining it to them.

"Those brats are already making a fuss. They're always like that when they get excited," the Old One reproached. Nonetheless, it was evident that she wasn't at all bothered by the attitude of those young dragons that were only a few hundred years old.

Each birth was a special event for dragons, which usually occurred every many years. They couldn't help but be excited.

"I want one," Gjaki murmured, as she was looking at the little dragon.

"What will you do when it grows up? Will you give it Little Ball as breakfast?" Coinin laughed. She hadn't wanted to miss it for anything in the world.

"Can't it always stay small?" the vampiress wished.

Meanwhile, Eldi watched each step carefully. While animal biology had never been his specialty, it had always interested him. In his head, he compared the birth of the dragon to that of crocodiles, other reptiles and even birds, as he had seen in documentaries. Perhaps, the biggest difference was the dragon's visible intelligence.

Although small and dependent on their parents, it couldn't be said that they acted on instinct alone. They had even looked at the non-dragons with obvious curiosity, as if they knew that those beings were different.

The high human approached what was left of the egg to pick up some remains of the shells. He only took what he needed, no more was necessary. Eldi knew that he could only make one potion, and he couldn't use them for anything else. They might have been able to sell them to the alchemist's guild, but he would have felt guilty.

The mother dragon needed it to recover part of the effort invested in the egg and the incubation. Taking more than they needed seemed like a betrayal of the trust the dragons had placed in them. Shortly before, Goldmi and Gjaki had expressed themselves along the same lines in a whisper.

"They wouldn't realize it, but I would feel terrible," one of them had said.

She didn't know that she was wrong. The Old One had been watching him, and nodded secretly to herself. Although they had helped them, and the dragons owed them a debt, those beings had also done so out of personal interest. The high human's attitude had pleasantly surprised her.

"They're true friends of dragons," she thought. "Old friend, your vision was always better than mine."