The next morning, Father woke me up early, his voice low and rumbling. "Tharros, today's the day we start teaching Niamon how to breathe fire."
I stretched, arching my back and extending my claws. "Already? Isn't she a bit young?"
Father nodded. "She's growing fast, and it's essential she learns how to defend herself. Besides, I think she's ready."
I nodded, remembering how quickly Niamon had picked up hunting. Maybe she was ready for this new lesson.
We walked out into the forest, Niamon trotting alongside us, her lavender scales shimmering in the morning light. Her eyes shone with excitement, and she couldn't stop glancing at Father.
Father stopped in a clearing, his eyes scanning the area before nodding. "Okay, Niamon. Watch closely." Father took a deep breath, and a stream of fire shot out of his mouth, engulfing a nearby log. Niamon's eyes went wide, and she let out a gasp.
"Now it's your turn," Father said, looking at Niamon. "Just take a deep breath and let it out slowly."
Niamon nodded, her face set in determination. She took a deep breath, and...and a tiny puff of smoke escaped her mouth. Niamon looked up at Father, her eyes shining with excitement.
Father chuckled. "Not bad, little one. Not bad at all. You've got the spark in you."
Just then, a small, copper-scaled dragon came tumbling out of the underbrush, his wings flapping wildly as he tried to right himself. Kieraxys, my rambunctious three-year-old brother, crashed into Father's leg, wrapping his tail around it in a tight hug.
"Kieraxys, what are you doing here?" Father asked, laughing.
Kieraxys looked up at Father, his eyes shining with mischief. "I wanted to watch Niamon breathe fire!" he exclaimed.
Niamon giggled, clearly delighted to have an audience. She took another deep breath, and this time, a slightly larger puff of smoke emerged from her mouth.
Kieraxys cheered, his wings flapping wildly. "Yay, Niamon! You're a natural!"
I question, "Hey Kieraxys, what are your elements?"
Kieraxys tries to activate his elements to know what elements he had
Kieraxys's face scrunched up in concentration as he tried to activate his elements. Suddenly, a tiny burst of glittering, iridescent sparks erupted from his claws, and the air around him shimmered with a faint, rainbow-colored glow.
Kieraxys's eyes widened in excitement. "Wow! I think I've got... prismatics?" he exclaimed, looking up at Father and me for confirmation.
Father nodded, a proud smile spreading across his face. "That's right, Kieraxys! You've got prismatic elements! You're going to be able to manipulate light and color in all sorts of amazing ways."
I grinned, ruffling Kieraxys's copper scales with my claws. "Nice job, little bro! You're going to be a master of sparkle and shine!"
Kieraxys's face scrunched up in concentration as he tried to activate his elements. Suddenly, a tiny burst of shimmering, blue-white energy erupted from his claws, and the air around him seemed to vibrate with an otherworldly power.
Kieraxys's eyes widened in excitement. "Wow! I think I've got... something new?" he exclaimed, looking up at Father and me for confirmation.
Father's expression turned thoughtful, and he nodded slowly. "That's right, Kieraxys. You've got mana elements. It's a new one, and we're not entirely sure what it can do yet."
I grinned, ruffling Kieraxys's copper scales with my claws. "Nice job, little bro! You're a pioneer in the world of mana magic!"
I question to father "do you know how Kieraxys got the mana elements?"
And father seems to know a bit, but it looks like he is hiding it and pretending he does know
Father's expression turned thoughtful, and he rubbed his chin, as if deep in thought. "Ah, well... I'm not entirely sure, Tharros. Mana elements are extremely rare, and I've only heard of them in ancient lore."
He paused, looking around the clearing as if searching for something. "I suppose it's possible that Kieraxys's unique... circumstances may have contributed to his development of mana elements."
Father's voice trailed off, and he seemed to be avoiding eye contact. I got the feeling that he was hiding something, but I couldn't quite put my claw on what it was.
"Father, do you know something you're not telling us?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
Father's expression turned neutral, and he shrugged. "I'm just speculating, Tharros. I don't know anything for certain. Let's just focus on helping Kieraxys learn to control his new elements, shall we?"
Father's forced smile seemed to falter for a moment, before he regained his composure. "Ah, yes... Kieraxys is the first of our kind to possess the mana element. We should be proud of him!"
But I couldn't shake the feeling that Father was hiding something. His smile seemed too bright, too forced. And what did he mean by "of our kind"? Was there something more to Kieraxys's mana element that Father wasn't telling us?
I looked over at Kieraxys, who was still basking in the excitement of discovering his new element. He seemed oblivious to Father's strange behavior, but I couldn't help but wonder what secrets Father might be keeping from us.
As I watched Kieraxys, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Father's behavior had been strange, and I couldn't shake the feeling that he was hiding something important.
Niamon, sensing my tension, nuzzled my side with her head. I smiled and wrapped a reassuring claw around her, trying to push my concerns aside.
But as we continued to celebrate Kieraxys's discovery, I couldn't help but wonder what secrets Father might be keeping from us. And I couldn't shake the feeling that Kieraxys's mana element was only the beginning of a much larger mystery.
Suddenly, we heard Mother. "Ahh Aetherius, there you are. What is going on?"
Mother's voice was like a warm breeze on a summer day, and it immediately put me at ease. Father, on the other hand, seemed to tense up slightly, his eyes darting towards Mother before returning to Kieraxys.
"Ah, Thyriatrix," Father said, his voice smooth as silk. "Kieraxys has discovered his element. Mana, of all things."
Mother's eyes widened in surprise as she hurried over to Kieraxys. "Mana? That's incredible! Let me see, little one."
Kieraxys beamed with pride as he demonstrated his newfound abilities, sending tiny bursts of mana energy sparkling through the air. Mother watched, a look of wonder on her face, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and curiosity. What did this mean for Kieraxys, and for our family?
I look at Kieraxys "Hey can it be possible you be able to give other a mana to restore their own mana?"
Kieraxys's eyes lit up with excitement as he considered the possibility. "I'm not sure, Tharros! I've never tried anything like that before."
Mother, who had been watching the exchange with interest, stepped forward. "Actually, that's not a bad idea, Tharros. In theory, a mana wielder like Kieraxys could potentially transfer or restore mana to others."
Father nodded in agreement. "Yes, and it's possible that Kieraxys's unique connection to the mana element could allow him to sense and manipulate the mana flows in others."
Kieraxys looked at Mother and Father, his eyes shining with determination. "I want to try it! Can I try to give you mana, Mother?"
Mother nodded, a small smile on her face. "Very well, Kieraxys. But remember to focus your energy carefully. We don't want any accidents."
Kieraxys took a deep breath, his eyes closing in concentration. A soft, pulsing glow began to emanate from his claws, and he reached out to gently touch Mother's forehead.
At first, nothing seemed to happen. But then, a subtle, shimmering energy began to flow from Kieraxys's claws into Mother's body. Her eyes, which had been closed, flickered open, and a look of surprise and wonder crossed her face.
"It's working," she whispered, her voice full of awe. "I can feel my mana replenishing..."
As the energy continued to flow, Mother's face began to glow with a soft, ethereal light. Her scales, which had been dull and lackluster, began to shine with renewed vitality.
Father watched, a look of amazement on his face. "Incredible," he breathed. "Kieraxys, you're a natural."
Niamon and I exchanged awestruck glances. We had never seen anything like this before.
As the energy transfer continued, Mother's mana began to glow with an intense, pulsing light. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open, and she took a deep breath.
"Ah, I feel... rejuvenated," she said, her voice filled with wonder. "My mana has never felt so strong."
Kieraxys beamed with pride, his chest puffing out. "I did it! I actually did it!"
Kieraxys sighed. "I don't know if this is a useful power!"
Mother chuckled, her eyes shining with amusement. "Oh, Kieraxys, don't be so quick to dismiss your gift. Being able to restore mana to others is an incredible ability. Think of all the times we've been on long hunts or battles, and our mana has been depleted. Your power could be a game-changer."
Father nodded in agreement. "And it's not just about restoring mana, Kieraxys. Your ability could also be used to heal magical wounds, or even to enhance the abilities of others."
Kieraxys looked thoughtful, his expression considering. "I never thought of it that way," he said slowly.
I grinned, clapping Kieraxys on the back. "You're a hero, little bro. Don't sell yourself short."
Kieraxys smiled. "If this is really my main elements I should have more than 1 element!"
Mother's eyes sparkled with interest. "Ah, Kieraxys, you may be onto something there. It's not uncommon for dragons with rare or unique elements to have multiple elemental affinities."
Father nodded, his expression thoughtful. "And considering your... unusual heritage, Kieraxys, it's possible that you may have inherited multiple elemental traits."
Kieraxys's eyes widened with excitement. "Really? You think I could have more than one element?"
I grinned, feeling a surge of excitement for my little brother. "Only one way to find out, Kieraxys! Let's see if we can't uncover your other elements!"
Mother smiled, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "Let's try something, Kieraxys. Focus your energy, just like you did when you were restoring my mana. But this time, don't think about mana specifically. Just let your energy flow, and see what happens."
Kieraxys nodded, his eyes shining with determination. He took a deep breath, and his claws began to glow with a soft, pulsing light.
At first, nothing seemed to happen. But then, a faint hum filled the air, and the light emanating from Kieraxys's claws began to shift and change color.
Father's eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed intently on Kieraxys. "What's happening, Kieraxys? What do you feel?"
Suddenly the a sharp spike shoots out nearby, and water appears in front of Kieraxys
Kieraxys's eyes widened in surprise as he stumbled backward, his claws still glowing with energy. The ground beneath our feet began to shift and tremble, and a small patch of earth erupted from the ground, forming a small mound.
Mother's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Well, well, well! Look at that, Kieraxys! You've got a secondary element: water!"
Father nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "And it seems you've also got a bit of earth magic in you, judging by that mound that appeared."
I grinned, feeling a surge of pride for my little brother. "Whoa, Kieraxys! You're a triple threat! Mana, water, and earth!"
Kieraxys's face lit up with a huge smile, his eyes shining with excitement. "Really? I've got three elements?"
Mother nodded, her expression warm and encouraging. "It seems that way, dear. You're a very special dragon, with a unique combination of abilities."
Father placed a claw on Kieraxys's shoulder, his voice filled with pride. "We'll need to work on helping you master your elements, but for now, let's just celebrate this amazing discovery."
I clapped Kieraxys on the back, grinning from ear to ear. "Yeah, little bro, you're a triple threat! We're going to have to come up with a cool nickname for you."
Kieraxys laughed, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "How about 'Terra Aqua Mage'?"
Kieraxys's tail wagged back and forth excitedly, thumping against the ground with a happy rhythm. He let out a little squeak of delight, his eyes shining with joy.
Mother chuckled, a warm smile on her face. "I think someone's happy about their new elements!"
Father laughed, scratching Kieraxys behind the ears. "I think you're going to do great things with your powers, Kieraxys. You're a true marvel of dragonkind!"
Niamon nuzzled her head on Kieraxys back right leg
Kieraxys let out a happy sigh, his tail wagging even more enthusiastically as Niamon nuzzled his leg. He reached down with a claw and gently scratched behind her ears, and Niamon closed her eyes in bliss, her tail twitching contentedly.
Mother smiled, watching the tender moment between Kieraxys and Niamon. "It's clear that Niamon is happy to have you as her brother, Kieraxys."
Father nodded, his eyes warm with affection. "And we're all happy to have you as part of our family, Kieraxys. You bring a unique spark to our little group."
As Father spoke, he wrapped his tail around Kieraxys and Niamon, pulling them into a warm, comforting hug. Mother joined in, nuzzling her head against Kieraxys's shoulder.
I smiled, feeling a sense of happiness and contentment wash over me. This was what it meant to be part of a family – to have people who loved and accepted you for who you were.
Kieraxys looked up at me, his eyes shining with happiness. "I'm glad that I was hatch with this family and part of it!"
I smiled, feeling a warmth in my heart. "We're glad too, little bro," I said, nudging Kieraxys playfully with my snout. "You're a part of us, and we wouldn't have it any other way."
Father and Mother tightened their hug around Kieraxys and Niamon, holding us all close together. We stood there for a moment, basking in the warmth and love of our little family.
Niamon snuggled closer to Kieraxys, making happy little cooing sounds and nuzzling her head against his side. Kieraxys smiled, gently nuzzling Niamon back and wrapping his tail protectively around her.
I watched the two of them, feeling grateful for the love and connection that we shared as a family.
As we stood there, wrapped in each other's warmth and love, I felt a deep sense of contentment wash over me. This was what it meant to be a family – to love and support each other, no matter what.
Father and Mother held us close for a few more moments, then slowly relaxed their hug. We all took a step back, looking at each other with happy, smiling faces.
Kieraxys grinned at me, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Hey, big bro? Want to go explore with me?"
I chuckled, shaking my head. "You're always getting into trouble, little bro. But sure, let's go see what kind of adventure we can find."