-Watson Soons Residence, 2019-
Hopping down the empyrean loop after peeking through several times, Miracle came to a foreign land. She looked around. The warm sensation of wild grasses along with a wave of sea-scented air welcomed her presence. Her shoes were gone. Layers of her silky garments were changed into a set that she had no connection with—a pink cotton T-shirt and a pair of black ripped jeans. She touched her head. Her silver chains were no longer on her too.
'So this is the version of their world,' she muttered inwardly, recalling the lessons she learned about humans.
"Good day." A deep voice shifted her attention. "Here, wear these." He placed the jelly flip-flop next to her bare feet.
"T-Thanks..." She lifted her eyes to the middle-aged man standing before her. "And you are?"
"Amenxious. This is Hayden, the TinXi," he said, giving her a slight gentlemanly bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
TinXi, the border keepers of the mortal world. Blessed with half immortality, they possessed extraordinary strength and agility that assisted the dragons in going through the mission. On top of that, they were also great spellcasters who could easily erase the memories of those mortals who had witnessed the scenes that they shouldn't have.
"Amenxious. Nice to meet you too, Mr. Hayden. I'm Xue—" Almost forgetting that she wasn't supposed to use her real name in this world, she quickly stretched her hand out and reached for the shake. "Miracle. I'm Miracle."
She studied the man—fair skin, sharp nose, and rounded ears. Behind his hazel-brown eyes, she saw the hints of blues—color of TinXi. She drifted her stare to his T-shirt and caught a glimpse of his tough body. It wasn't buttoned fully.
While Miracle was still sizing him up, a blue aquatic drop suddenly surfaced out of his dilating pupil. She froze. Her sight rippled for a second as another drop was extracted from the blueness behind her disguised left eye. When the blue spheroids merged together, they radiated a vibrant presence of vitality.
Miracle shook her head. She was starting to feel dizzy.
The TinXi didn't seem to notice what was happening to her. He had his focus fixed on the glowing cerulean levitating a few inches away from his palm.
"Mr... Mr. H-Hayden?" She rested her hand on a bench next to the Magnolia tree.
He furrowed his brows when he saw her pale face. The muscles on his cheeks tensed.
'Hang in there a while more, dragon girl,' his gaze spoke.
Pulling in the spheroid, he squeezed and burst it into tiny twinkling pieces. They surged to the top, and a new piece of an invisible elemental net was dropped over their house. Those blue flakes were gone.
Hayden rushed over and grabbed her arm just in time before it slipped off the crest rail. "Sorry, Miracle. We needed to do this to strengthen the barrier of this house. I apologize for not informing you before getting started," he said.
She smiled. "No worries. It's done, isn't it?"
"Yes." He nodded. "Let's enter. It's cold out here."
Blue opaque curtains were closed, leaving thin gaps in between to allow the slightest hint of light to pass through. Books that seemed to be more than a hundred years old were displayed on the racks beneath the double-stringer stairs. Familiar silver fronds were placed at the inner corners of the house, refreshing her with a new tingle of divinity. However, her nose itched at the lingering breaths that belonged to the late dragons. They pulled at her heartstrings.
'I'll end this disaster, my friends. And shall bring back your names and dignities.'
"Have a seat, Miracle." Hayden gestured her toward the solo floral couch, stopping her from dwelling on the past. "I'll get you something to drink."
"Sure." She outstretched her sore legs.
All of a sudden, loud footsteps behind the door raised her guard at once. Miracle fixed her eyes on the entrance, her fists drawn in.
"Daddd! We are back!" A teen's voice.
'Dad?' Her shoulders relaxed.
"Oh, you're back?" Hayden responded from the kitchen.
Ignoring her father's reply, the girl in school uniform halted her steps as soon as she entered.
"The... dragon?" She slacked her jaw.
"Omg! What's with this abrupt stop?" the taller boy grumbled as he drew back his face from the voluminous maroon hair. He looked similar to the girl.
But when he shifted his attention to Miracle, he had the same expression as the front girl.
"Wow," he uttered under his breath.
Putting down the tray of strawberry tea, Hayden waved his hand and motioned them to get closer. "Lyn, Kingsley. Come here."
Lyn stood still by the staircase. Her widened stare was filled with curiosity like she had no idea how to react to the sudden presence of Miracle in the house. Only when the eldest Tinxi introduced them to the young dragon did they initiate their approach.
The twins kept their bags aside and made a proper bow. Bending on one knee, Lyn connected her indexes with her thumbs into a circle and interlocked them. The remaining fingers were held outstretched.
"Amenxious. I'm Lyn, a water striker with 600 years of cultivation," the sister reported her identity, lifting the hand posture to her forehead.
"Amenxious. And I'm Kingsley," the brother continued. "A fire striker with 600 years of cultivation."
Gently pushing up their elbows, she curled her lips into a smile. "Just ignore all the protocols. Nobody's here to check on this."
"Exactly!" Kingsley shot Hayden a sidelong look. "But our dad doesn't seem to be getting it at all."
"Well... It's all—"
"Respect," said the twins.
Miracle puffed.
Hayden flashed an awkward smile before walking away with the empty teapot in his hand. Right then, Lyn hopped over and sat on the arm panel of the couch Miracle was sitting on.
"You're really... the most beautiful dragon I've ever met," Lyn whispered. She was sticking so close that Miracle had to inch a little to stop her maroon hair from itching her arms. "In truth, the first white dragon."
"Can you stop acting like a hungry beast?"
"White dragons are powerful in nature, brother. How can you not be impressed?"
He rolled his eyes. "Just so you know, aside from creeping her out, you're nowhere looking like you're impressed." Kingsley sipped his cup of tea. "By the way Miracle, are you aware that you'll be attending our school?"
"Yes." She nodded. "We were told about that before having to come here."
"Great. Don't worry much about it. Lyn and I will be by your side." He shot an affirming look at his sister.
"Of course—" Something caught Lyn's attention.
"What's wrong?" Kingsley arched his brow.
Her fingers shook in excitement. "L-Look... Her m-mark. It's amazing."
Lowering his eyes to where she was pointing, he muttered, "I see... A truly white dragon."
"I finally see some hope in ending this bloody war," Hayden mumbled as he came up from behind, leaving Miracle to ponder what he meant by that.
The first day as a disguised human. The first day as a Stellaerian. The first day of the beginning of everything. "Keep your identity well hidden, dragon girl," Miracle muttered, adjusting the little red bow tie on her uniform. "As long as I'm not exposed, everything will be all right." "Miracle! You done?" Lyn shouted from the bottom floor. "Just a second!" As soon as she walked down the stairs, the smell of flour and vanilla extract wafted to her nose. She sniffed. It was something she wasn't used to smelling. Hayden motioned her to come over. Plucking two slices of bread from the toaster, he coated each with a rich amount of peanut butter. Watching his hand moving to the empty plate at her seat, only then did she understand the pieces were meant for her. Miracle pulled out the chair, exhaling a silent sigh. She wanted to refuse the meal. Such mortal-ly food, she barely had one in her thousand years of life. Dragons didn't eat sandwiches nor drink any milk. They rarely eat. Bu
"Third one. No more time to waste," Kingsley said as they roamed the streets. Blue eddies surfaced around Lyn's spearpoint blade, forming a spiritual connection with the fiery presence of his Timeless Flare. His skin was topped with rime, and the blood in his veins was starting to freeze. But he sensed no pain. Right then, an intense wave of heat swam throughout his body. A hint of blue flicked across his eyes for a brief second before the heat surged over in a hurry to mingle well with the icy energy. Created by the same swordsmith, these swords opposed one another if one lived for a different purpose. Because of the thick stains of blood and tears, Deathless Ice and Timeless Flare had been painted with a strong will to obey their owners till death did them part. Kingsley led the way through the bushes, up the trees, and down into the tunnels. He scanned the surroundings. Eerily darker. Most of the shops were closed, and the only lights that brightened up the whole area were the o
When Miracle reached home, she took her bag off and stomped toward the deeper barrier within the house. She swiped her hand across the air, and the hidden aqueous layer twinkled into view. Stepping in, she erased hints of its existence with another swing of her arm. Camouflaged. Inhaling a deep, long breath, she let it out—the beast she had held captive for days. Right then, a pure white dragon engulfed the shape of the "human" goddess, taking over the blacks in her eyes. Glimmering carp scales formed on her body, sending a soothing chill along her nerves. Emerging deer-like horns, fangs, and claws refined themselves as they felt strong traces of divinity from the silver fronds—the external protections—reacting to her original presence. Too thirsty to be embraced by the air, the animal roared and swirled up above as if the air were a part of her. 'Fire, be with me,' she muttered inwardly. It had been a while since she stepped away from her world. Heat rose inside her body in an i
The sea was furious. Howling gales induced attacks of the waves, challenging the level of the land. Fallen leaves were strewn about at a hurried pace. Bins placed at each junction of the streets toppled over and scattered the trashes along the roads, further worsening the existing mess. The choice Hayden and Miracle were about to make seemed to have angered nature. When the twins saw a stranger at their doorstep, their expressions darkened, especially when they caught sight of the brutal condition of his chest. No explanation was needed. It was clear that the person had been attacked by Mynheex. What worried them was not the attack but the fact that he was still alive. On top of that, bringing a mortal into their house wasn't a smart choice. True, their house was indeed a place to stay. But at the same time, it was a hideout for dragons to complete their missions in this world. A place meant to be kept away from humans. Standing with legs apart, Kingsley folded his arms across his
Echoes of the school bell and the morning announcements drifted to their ears. The Watsons exchanged glances, knowing that reaching Stellaerio in another twenty seconds was impossible. Well, mortals definitely wouldn't make it on time. But none of them were. Two TinXi. One dragon. Good enough. Inhaling a deep breath and lifting their legs as high as ninety degrees, they dashed toward that direction. The security guard gave the rusty gate one last pull before heading back to the guardhouse to enjoy his freshly brewed mocha latte. His hand was still on the lock when the Watsons leaped over the barrier, landing on the opposite ground. The slack-jawed guard was slapped with a sudden gust of wind. It blew away his black cap, revealing the messy strands on his half-bald head. When he turned around to check the time, he saw the minute hand move to 7:30 AM only a few seconds later. They were right on time. "Huh... That was very... very close." Kingsley wiped the sweat dangling down
They killed him. They killed his buddy! Kingsley crouched by his bed, his fingers trembling as he slid open the wooden memory box he treasured. Looking at the photos, nostalgia streaked through him when he saw the particular piece. His stream leaked. It was the first surprise birthday party Peter held for him. The memory said it all—whipped cream smeared everywhere, chocolate cake smashed flat on the table, and Peter standing behind Kingsley, holding another lump of cream in his hand. Lyn was at the side, joining their friend for another cream attack on her brother. Everybody was happy. Nobody was leaving. "I'm sorry, Kingsley." Miracle broke the silence after staying in his room for fifteen minutes. He ignored her apology. "You know what he said here?" Running his fingers across the picture, he traced the features of his dead friend with deep affection. "He said 'Oh, come on, Kingsley! Birthday cakes are never meant to be eaten. They're meant to be ruined for greater happiness
Lifting his head, Hayden stared into the realm laid above the thick layers of grayish clouds. His sorrowful hazel-brown eyes poured out layers of bitterness nobody understood. 2019. It had been eighteen years ever since they parted ways. Back in Ring of Deity, he remembered how it ached his heart, watching his pal imploring Felynx to let him go... "I… I can't do this anymore, Felynx. I-I can't do this anymore..." Yisroel knelt and fixed his dejected gaze on the ground. Felynx's silk robe brushed past his trembling arm. "Get up, Yisroel," he commanded, turning away. "You know you can't escape from this. His Majesty wouldn't allow it." "O-One… one by one sent to me." He gulped the sour lump down his throat. "One by one vanished also because of me." There was a hint of despise in his voice as he glanced over at the iced cuboids hung deep in the wall. He hated himself for failing to bring them back alive. "Everybody wants a happy ending…" Felynx stared into the deserted fountain ou
"Gosh, Miracle! I really don't have an answer to that!" Lyn exclaimed, squeezing out too much anti-acne cream on her palm. "How can you not know? You've been here longer than I do!" Miracle shot up from the turquoise queen-sized bed and threw a pillow in her direction. "Being here early doesn't mean I know everything!" She twisted her body and dodged the hit. "It's clear that Mynheex has gotten so much stronger than before. We could hardly trace them out even if they were to disguise themselves among the humans," she said, tossing it back. "That's why I'm asking if they have any marks!" "Trust me." Lyn stomped toward Miracle and snatched her pillow. "We don't know any more than you do. This is the first time somebody actually asked me this question. We all know how dangerous it is to catch a glimpse at their marks even if they have one." When the room fell into silence, she continued, "Miracle, Mynheex ate too many humans. They conceal their breath of immortality so well that it's