Page 4 of Drakhana's Secret
For all I know, I’m overthinking things. I could be worrying over nothing. It’s not like our lives will be affected, right?
Even so, I’m bothered enough that as the sun sets, I walk into the forest and call upon my dragon. There’s nothing like a fly around Purple Mountain to clear a cluttered mind. I just need some fresh air. Away from the smell of all the herbs I’ve been inhaling all day.
I flap my wings a couple of times and take off. The last of the warmth of the sun feels nice along my dark brown scales. I’ve always loved my dragon form since it helps me connect better with Mother Earth. I am as rich as the soil beneath my feet. Or, in this case, claws.
A sea of evergreen trees stretches out before me as I climb and climb until I can see a thousand miles all around me. The mountain air is fresh and soothing. How can anyone want to destroy all of this magnificent beauty?
My brow furrows. Why are the other clans moved to fight? There has been peace for so long . . . why break that now?
There is a disturbance in the energies of Mother Earth. I can feel it rolling along my scales as I bank right and go around the mountain. It’s a distressing feeling, like ripples along a placid lake.
I don’t need to listen to reports about the battles to know that the ice and fire clans have awakened powers that have not been seen in generations. I could feel it when I walked the earth. All the lands are connected and those vibrations come back as messages.
The mountains also speak to one another. We earth dragons are most attuned with that language. The fire clan has awoken the mighty lava streams beneath the crust while the ice clan has connected with the heart of their mountain, a mighty ice pillar that has only been whispered about.
Certainly, these powers can be intoxicating. They are powerful enough to level entire armies. At least that’s according to the reports. Not every detail can be given just by listening to the earth.
When I was but a fledgling, Baba took me under her wing. She made me her apprentice. But her lessons aren’t only about creating salves and tonics. They also contain the history of our clan. She told me that to understand what we do we must understand where we came from.
Long ago, when the ancients were still alive, there was much turmoil between the clans as well. This was when everyone fought with everybody. All the clans were at war.
You see, the earth dragons haven’t always been the peace-loving creatures that we have become. Our nature now has been cultivated through years and years with each new generation. What many of the fledglings now don’t know is our clan hides a terrible secret.
Even I couldn’t believe it when Baba told me about it. Why would she lie to me? There isn’t a purpose for duplicity when the events have been recorded.
During the great wars between the ancients, the earth dragons were able to manipulate the earth they stood upon. They could rise mountains out of nothing and in the same breath crumble a mountain to dust with one swipe. A terrible, ancient power that is feared by all.
Even the earth dragons themselves feared that power. It’s a rending of the earth. Imagine being about to render entire armies useless just by having the ground swallow them whole?
You would think, if they have so much power, why didn’t they win the war? Well, that’s because none of them could properly control the powers of the earth. It was too mighty even for them. Mother Earth doesn’t give her favor lightly.
Because of that, the ancient earth dragons gave up their strongest powers and retreated to what we call today as Purple Mountain. They turned their backs on the other clans and left them to fight amongst themselves. They realized that fighting didn’t mean anything if it came with the sacrifice of losing not only themselves but their clan as well.
In many ways, I agree with what the ancients had done. They could have destroyed the earth if they wanted to. Crack this entire planet in half.
Instead, they chose to give up that power and turn within themselves. Fixing who they are. Hence creating what the earth dragons stand for today.
I believe it’s that sacrifice that fostered the balance that we have been living in for so many years. Now that balance has shifted. The ancient powers that have lain dormant are now being called upon once again.
This could lead to another world war the likes of which hasn’t been experienced in centuries. Now more than ever there is too much at stake. The fighting has already begun. Dragons are dying left and right.
What do they say? That ignorance is bliss? Well, I’m inclined to believe that now. Maybe, if I didn’t know what to do, I wouldn’t be this troubled.
The fighting can easily come to us. No matter how many votes we cast, there might be a time when we will have no choice but to protect ourselves. We may have lived in peace, but that’s only because there are stronger forces that are better left untapped.
With each day that passes, I can feel Mother Earth calling to me. Tempting me to try and tap into those ancient powers that have been left behind. I ignore it as best as I can because what use do I have for something like that?
I make one last turn around Purple Mountain as the orange of the sky gives way to the dark purple of night. This is probably my favorite time of the day. It’s certainly the most peaceful.
Homes are just starting to prepare dinner. Which reminds me, I should start preparing mine. There will be storytelling tonight and I don’t want to miss it.
As I make my descent, I’m filled with more confusion than I had when I first took flight earlier. How do we solve this problem? We certainly can’t turn a blind eye to the fighting.
The ice and fire clan will not be content with beating each other. They may soon turn their sights elsewhere. We might be that.
When that happens, I don’t know what I’ll do. I’m afraid. Very afraid.
I fold in my wings as I land at the clearing that I flew from earlier. I shed my dragon skin and return to my barefoot self. The second my feet touch the ground I once again hear the call of Mother Earth.
