Daniel's Early Days

Ch10 Dragon Rider-Before Daniel became a powerful Mage, he was just a boy. Follow Daniel from the beginning as he receives his powers, embarks on many adventures, and learns what true power really is.

“What are the two of you conspiring?” his mother queried, approaching them from behind.

Daniel felt his heart skip a beat before resuming its rhythm, thudding painfully. Had his mother heard them talking about venturing into the woods? Technically, they had been thinking it; sharing their thoughts with their minds, a perk of having a personal dragon talisman. But, his mother was a telepath; she could have read their minds.

Normally, she was very strict on prying; she didn’t just barge into someone’s private thoughts without good cause. She felt it was rude, something Daniel was extremely grateful for. His father could communicate with his mother, but he had a harder time hearing other people’s thoughts. Conversing with animals, on the other hand, came easy to him.

But then again, maybe she figured what with her baby boy receiving his powers and a talisman with the spirit of a dragon inside this gave her cause to pry. She had used the word conspiring. Why would she ask that unless she overheard their plans to go into the forest?

Daniel didn’t think that Pearl knew about the rule to stay out of the forest until he had fully come into his powers yet, and he didn’t want his mom to spill the beans before he got a chance to take her out there. Thoughts racing, Daniel struggled to get his thoughts in order. He knew he had to answer quickly before Pearl did, but he wasn’t quick enough.

“Your son just had a vision,” Pearl offered. Daniel sighed gratefully, and he wondered if Pearl had heard his thoughts and knew not to say anything about the forest, or if she just thought this was more significant.

“Really?” his mother beamed at him.” How exciting! Tell me everything!” she demanded happily.

“It was amazing, Mom!” he gushed. “I was flying with a dragon! It felt so real.”

His mother’s exuberance seemed to wane at his last comment. “Tell me about the dragon,” she insisted.

“Well, it was big and black,” he said simply, suddenly feeling like there was not much to tell.

“Really, a big, black dragon,” she echoed. With a questioning look, she looked past Daniel to Pearl. No one spoke for a few moments, and Daniel wondered if his mother was talking telepathically with Pearl. He felt a quick stab of jealousy at the idea; he wanted to be the only one to share thoughts with her.

“It was not me,” Pearl stated. Daniel couldn’t tell if his mother had asked a question or if the look she gave Pearl was enough to invoke a response.

“Really,” his mother repeated in wonder. “My son, a Dragon Rider,” she said quietly. She flashed a strange look at Pearl before she turned back to Daniel. “So young,” she whispered hoarsely, fear clearly etched on her smooth olive skin.

“He was quite a bit older,” Pearl chimed in soothingly. Daniel’s mother inhaled deeply through her nose, causing her chest to rise considerably. Something like a hiccup seemed to catch in her throat. Quickly, she composed herself, and sucked more air in through her mouth.

“Were you in the forest?” his mother asked calmly. Daniel felt his heart drop out of his chest, thud in his stomach, and churn uneasily. Did she know that he had snuck in there earlier?

“What do you mean?” he asked slowly.

“In your vision, were you in the forest?”

Relief flooded through him when he realized what his mother was asking. “No, we were flying above the trees,” he answered, wondering where this was going.

“What color was the sky?” she asked queerly.

“The sky,” he echoed in confusion.

“Yes, was the sky blue?” she reiterated.

“Of course, why do you ask?” he asked seriously confused.

“Just curious,” she shrugged. Daniel was going to ask her why she would ask that, but she plunged ahead with another question. “Are there currently dragons…out there?” she addressed her question to Pearl.

“Seems to be,” she reflected.

“I thought they were gone,” his mother said more to herself than to anyone else.

“They were, mostly. But, there are a few eggs hidden away,” Pearl said confidently.