Daniel's Early Days

Ch. 6 The Bonding-Before Daniel became a powerful Mage, he was just a boy. Follow Daniel from the beginning as he receives his powers, has many adventures, and learns what true power really is.

The little metal dragon jumped from Daniel’s shoulder, soared down to the floor, and bobbed its head toward the floor. “Nice to meet you, little one,” Daniel heard a soft voice say. He froze, the only thing he seemed capable of moving were his eyes, and they darted around the room suspiciously.

Naturally, he assumed it was the dragon spirit his grandmother had just explained inhabited the tiny figurine now, but the metal jaw hadn’t moved, and the voice didn’t seem to have a source. Daniel realized he was staring stupidly, so he bowed his head toward the dragon and reciprocated the greeting. “Nice to meet you,” he murmured politely into his chest.

When he raised his head, the dragon’s head was cocked to the side, and she appeared to be studying him. Daniel found it funny how her head was tilted entirely to one side, reminding him of a curious little bird.

Unexpectedly, Daniel suddenly felt extremely exposed; as if somehow the spirit imbued in the metal figure could know his deepest secrets just by looking at him. Subconsciously, Daniel knelt down on the floor; as much to get closer to the dragon as to shake the incredibly vulnerable feeling he was experiencing.

“Uh, I’m Daniel,” he offered awkwardly.

“I know,” the dragon answered gently. “You may call me Pearl, little one.”

“Oh,” he said stupidly. He found it a little amusing that she would call him little. Even on his knees, he towered over the tiny metal frame. The dragon only stood a few inches off the ground. On the other hand, he found it safe to assume that in her true form she had probably been a much larger dragon.

Then again, how did she know his name anyway? Daniel wondered if his grandmother had already spoken with the dragon’s spirit and told her his name, and what else she may have told the dragon.

“How did you know my name?”

“We are connected now,” she answered simply, as if that explained everything. Daniel’s left eyebrow raised questioningly, and she must have found his reaction amusing because a gentle laugh echoed through the room like soft rain.

“Your grandmother has not explained,” she concluded, shooting a blank look back at the older woman. Daniel’s grandmother suddenly looked abashed; like a chastised girl. A laugh almost burst from Daniel’s lips, he had never seen anyone scold his grandmother and get away with it.

All of a sudden, a soft sigh rushed through Daniel like a summer breeze, and he was momentarily sad. As fleetingly as the feeling came, it retreated, leaving Daniel confused and disorientated. At this moment, he was sure that he was anything but sad.

“I regret that this metal shell does not have the capacity for facial expressions,” Pearl muttered, leaning back on her haunches.  “That is unimportant,” she announced to the floor, and Daniel had a feeling she was talking to herself.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Daniel saw his grandma open her mouth to explain, when the dragon cut her off. “Allow me,” she insisted. Without waiting for assent, she dove right into an explanation. “The final part of the spell was like a bonding. In my day, if we so chose to, we could bond with a human, for life,” she explained.

“This, in its own way, was similar to that bonding. When we touched, you brought me to you. I tested your character, read your soul, and determined that you were suitable. More importantly, I could sense that we were compatible,” she gazed up at him with the black metal recesses that were now her eyes.  Daniel was taken aback when he realized that the metal eyes were no longer flat and lifeless; they had an ethereal shine to them.

“You can hear me when no one else can,” Daniel heard the words echo abnormally. It was Pearl’s voice, yet somehow it was only in his mind. A shockwave rushed through him, and his breath escaped from his lips. “You can hear me, can’t you little one?”

“Yes,” he finally managed to sputter.

“No,” she reprimanded in the tumultuous waves in his present state of mind. “Answer me through your thoughts,” she commanded.

Daniel glanced up at his grandmother. Her and Quip shared a brief look, that Daniel couldn’t discern. But, when she met his gaze, she smiled and nodded encouragingly.

“Alright,” he thought a tad exasperated, “yes.”

“Excellent,” the answer came back to him in his mind. “We will get along swimmingly.”

“Wow,” he breathed, completely flabbergasted by the whole ordeal.

“The spell is complete,” his grandmother said solemnly, her eyes gleaming.