"Wishes may come true if called forth from the very fabric of your existence. However, they can unleash chaos when summoned from the darkest corners of the heart."

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Narrator's POV

Shivers ran down her spine as she remembered that day. Was it luck or the prayers she offered to the spirits of Fae Land that saved her?

Rue had endured much misery and pain in her life, yet she spared no effort in protecting her daughter, Jiya from the encroaching darkness that lurked in every corner of the human realm. Hidden in the shadows, it waited for just one slip, one moment of weakness, to breach the defenses Rue had painstakingly created.

They aimed to snatch away the only hope she clung to: Jiya.

But who are they?

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Suddenly, the scorching heat that dominated the barren land shifted, becoming calm and habitable. Rue opened her eyes to find her shack now enveloped in a dark shadow.

The howling of the wind pierced the silence, stirring a mix of relaxation and fear in Rue's heart. What was happening? Who had woken her up?

She touched her face, finding a sticky liquid smeared across her right cheek. Where had that come from?

Gripping her makeshift wooden knife, Rue silently crawled out of her shack. The sight that greeted her was beyond anything of this world.

The orange hue outlining its huge stature, bathed in the glow of the afternoon sun, made its scales shimmer like the beautiful canvas of a solitary painter. A rainbow hue was created when sun rays bounced off its scales. Each scale, a testament to the creature's ageless wisdom and strength, lay perfectly overlapped, forming a natural armor that gleamed with an inner light. Its eyes, deep pools of age-long knowledge, held calmness, patience, and persistence, along with fire ready to consume the untruthful soul in a flicker of a second. They were the color of the burning sun. It opened its wings, spreading them to engulf the entire sky, magnificent, their translucent membranes catching the light to cast prismatic shadows on the ground below. Meanwhile, its tail, a sinuous extension of its powerful form, swayed gently, maintaining a delicate balance that belied the creature's formidable presence. In its elegance, the magnificent creature, which Rue thought to herself was an untamed dragon—a being forged from the fire at the core of stars, yet possessing a heart and soul from the rivers hailing from heaven.

At first, Rue was startled by the view. She almost tripped and fell backward. Then she remembered her summer classes on classic tales of Dragons from Irish folklore.

Hence, she approached the dragon and bowed to express her gratitude to the magnificent creature, waiting for its response. 

After a moment, the dragon sat down, emitting smoke from its nostrils, and gazed directly into Rue's eyes.

"H-Hello," Rue stammered, trembling in the dragon's presence. "My name is Rue. And you are?" She extended her hand towards the dragon's forefoot.

The dragon grunted.

"You've summoned me, child. What do you need?" The dragon's voice was captivating and intimidating, revealing it was female. A royal one.

"I- I am sorry, but I didn't summon you. There must be a mistake."

"Hmm... It seems you're in need of help."

Rue looked around, embarrassed by her appearance and the predicament she found herself in, and remained silent.

"Tell me, child. Did you, or did you not, bring together a black stone, a broken wand, and a fairy's wing?"

It was then Rue realized those items were not merely objects stored in the archive; they were the recipe to summon the dragon into real life. Taking a deep breath, she admitted, "I might have done that unknowingly. I apologize for disturbing you. Please forgive me." She bowed again, not seeking to make an enemy at this point in her life.

"You seem like a kind young one. What quest brings you to these empty lands?" "It's a long story."

""Disclose unto me, child, for time indefinite is at my disposal," the dragon said, almost smirking.

"My grandfather and I came to Fae Land in search of my grandmother. It has been 50 years since we lost her."

"And what leads you to believe she can be found here?"

"After years of research, my grandfather concluded it was the faeries who kidnapped my grandmother."

"Fascinating indeed."

"And when we reach here, one little impudent fae insulted us instead of offering help." Still flaring with anger from that incident.

"Ah, the usual Faes."

As Rue paced back and forth, recounting her tale, she tried her best not to aggravate her injured ankle.

"They forbid us from entering the forest, and on top of that, I lost my grandfather last night to some unknown creature."

"Hmm. Hear me, my child. Why not gather your belongings and ascend my back? I shall grant you an unparalleled journey."

Amazed by the dragon's kindness, Rue felt a bit relieved to have an ally. She was confident that no one in the realm would dare to confront or harm her in the dragon's presence.

She returned to her shack to pack all her belongings in her grandfather's bag. As she exited, she noticed that except for the 5 marbles, everything else had vanished. She picked them and keep in her jeans pocket.

An unsettling feeling gnawed at her, but she chose to ignore it.

The dragon stretched her forelegs to help Rue climb onto her back.

"Are you ready, my child?"

"I would say born ready, but honestly, I'm nervous right now," Rue smiled, her hesitation to trust a dragon—and to top it off, go on a ride with one—was like adding a cherry on top of an already daunting cake.

"Before you take me to the sky, I wanted to ask you a few things," Rue said, hoping to alleviate some of her anxiety with answers.

"No time for that, my child. You seek answers, and I shall provide them. Just hold on tight, but not too tight, lest I drop you," the dragon said with a hint of a smile.

With those words, the dragon took a steep ascent, and with a powerful surge, they soared into the heavens. Rue screamed with a mixture of excitement and fear, but she was determined to savor this extraordinary moment.

"WOOHOO!!!" Rue shouted, nearly slipping from the dragon's back.

"It looks like you're having a good time." the dragon noted.

"Indeed! I'm eager to hear your story."

"Soon, you will," came the reply, its mischief going unnoticed by Rue. Caught up in the thrill, she had momentarily forgotten about her grandparents, her thoughts soaring as high as they were above the land, where Fae Land became nothing more than a speck of green and brown below.

As they descended below the clouds, Rue caught sight of a tower, immediately sensing it held the answers she sought.

Gazing down, she took in the expansive view of cities, landscapes, oceans, and mountains, overwhelmed by an unexpected surge of joy.

Their journey ended beside a serene river, where they landed gracefully. The surrounding scenery took Rue's breath away, with a vibrant river cutting through the landscape, flanked by beautiful flora. The air was fragrant, uplifting her spirits further.

Rue approached the river for a much-needed bath, disrobing as she noted the dragon's slumber, presuming the flight had exhausted her. She placed her clothes and bag close to the dragon for safekeeping, then cautiously tested the water's temperature with her toe. Despite the chill, she decided to proceed with a refreshing dip.

"Ohh, this is soothing," she murmured to herself. Glancing back at the dragon, she saw it was still asleep. "Such a beautiful creature," she thought. "I wonder what their lives are like. How are they born? What do they eat? How do they generate fire biologically? And most intriguingly, their Sexual life. I mean reproduction. I've observed many animals and their reproductive behaviors. How does it work for them?"

Choosing to set aside her curiosity for the moment, Rue decided to enjoy her bath before embarking on her quest to find her grandparents and confront the Faes.

Rue swam in the river, savoring every moment, breathing in the sweet fragrance of the surrounding flora. Hunger pangs reminded her it was time to eat something before her body started consuming its fat reserves. Scanning the area for any fruit, she spotted a tree heavy with ripe, sweet-looking fruits hanging over the river.

She swam towards the tree, reaching for a fruit. But as she did, the tree seemed to shift slightly higher, out of reach. "Must be the wind," she thought, retracting her hand, only to see the tree return to its previous position. She reached out again, only to have the tree elude her grasp repeatedly.

After about 50 attempts, she gave up, attributing the elusive fruit to the forest's magic.

As her stomach growled louder, she resolved to seek the dragon's advice once she finished bathing.

After a rejuvenating time in the river, she emerged from the water to dry off her body.

Rue's body shimmered under the sun's rays, casting beautiful prism-like colors on the ground. Unaware of her lustrous appearance, she walked toward the dragon to retrieve her clothes.

However, the rustling of a nearby bush startled her. " Who is there? I am..." she mumbled under her breath while covering her body with her hands.

Choosing safety, she decided to hide behind the dragon. But when she looked toward the source of the noise, she discovered a small, pink bird-like creature. Its face was disproportionately large compared to its body, adorned with V-patterned white fur around its neck, and its large eyes sparkled in the sunlight.

The creature was so cute and captivating that she forgot her predicament for a moment. Then, a sudden, undeniable urge to eat something overcame her—an insatiable desire for the creature itself.

She couldn't suppress the fiery hunger within her. All she desired was to consume it.

Moving like a predator, she approached the creature, which looked as innocent as a newborn baby. Just as Rue was about to pounce, she caught sight of her hands.

They were no longer human hands but had transformed into black claws adorned with small scales.

This realization caused Rue to halt, prompting the creature to flee back into the forest. Startled, she rushed to the river to see her reflection, only to discover she had become a dragon herself.

Not just any dragon, but a golden dragon, with the exception of her claws and forefeet, which remained black—a detail she found peculiar.

This entire episode bewildered her. "HOW COULD THIS BE POSSIBLE?" she screamed internally.

She hurried to the old dragon for the rescue and tried to wake her.

"Hello! Wise Dragon. Wake up," Rue called to the dragon.

The dragon, still in the grips of sleep, mumbled, "Let me sleep, darling."

Frustration mounting at this behavior, Rue roared near the dragon's ears.

"How can you sleep when I'm in this state?" she demanded, smoke billowing from her nostrils.

Rue had transformed into a golden dragon, one of the most beautiful dragons of all time. Her scales, made of pure gold, bore an uncanny resemblance to the dwarven dragons—the ones obsessed with gold.

Yet, unlike those mythical creatures, Rue was made entirely of gold.

Her roar and plea for help finally roused the old dragon. Upon seeing Rue's new form, the dragon burst into hysterical laughter.

"Oh, my Thor! What have you done to yourself?" she gasped between bouts of laughter, almost snorting. Unable to contain her amusement, the dragon rolled on the ground, laughing uncontrollably. "This is serious" Rue stomped on the floor.

"My child, you are so naïve."

"What do you mean?"

"Firstly, I am not your savior," dragon clarified, further infuriating Rue.

"Desist from emitting fumes from thy nostrils. Given you are now amongst our kindred, permit me the honour of a formal introduction. I am the QUEEN of Dragons, Aurelia, the Flame Sovereign, daughter of the GREAT DRAGON Vulcan, the Inferno Monarch."

Rue observed the dragon, realizing the wise creature she had admired was actually quite mischievous.

"This was all planned?"

"Undoubtedly, you are an intelligent child, indeed."

"Why did you want me to become a dragon?"

"I am capable of adopting a human guise for the purposes of consort," Aurelia elucidated. Winking at Rue.

Rue was genuinely repulsed by the notion.

"For your rubbish schemes, I'm the one who must make sacrifices?"

"Indeed, it is with regret that I confirm this truth. Yet, fret not. Upon the culmination of the mating season, I shall restore you to the original visage."

"But if you're a queen, couldn't you transform at any time you wished?" Rue challenged.

"Verily, I possess the capability, yet for the act of mating, a human soul is requisite to preserve the equilibrium of Mystical Realm. Such is the ordinance. Whilst I may transform at will, the act of mating is proscribed. Should this be discovered, exile from this realm would be my fate, a circumstance most undesirable," Aurelia responded, her tone as tranquil as the sea preceding a tempest

"How did you turn me into a dragon?"

"With simplicity, I escorted you to our venerable river deity, Vellara, and there, I presented you unto her."

"One thing I know is that in the world of magic, my consent is needed; without it, the sacrifice cannot be completed."

"Indeed, aware am I, which prompted me to orchestrate thy journey, leading thee to feel enervated and thus inclined to bathe upon sighting water. Unwittingly, thou didst ensnare thyself, entering the snare of thine own volition, uncoerced by any."

"You are malevolent."

"My dear, we are dragons, born to embody malevolence."

Rue snarled in anger, unable to believe what had just transpired. This place seemed worse than hell.

"Succumb not to sorrow. As the Queen of Dragons, I, Aurelia, the Flame Sovereign, daughter of the GREAT DRAGON Vulcan, the Inferno King, doth bestow upon you three boons."

This announcement brought a flicker of happiness to Rue's face.

"Yet, exercise utmost prudence in thy petitions. Furthermore, you shall not wish for your grandparents to materialize out of thin air; such is beyond my purview. Your quest to find them is your alone, though I can offer to guide you to the correct path."

This left Rue in deep thought, pondering her next steps. The offered wishes seemed as insignificant as a penny.

"Agreed." Rue replied.

"Exemplary. Prior to granting thee wished, I shall escort you to the realm of Dragons, there, you must acquaint yourself with specific rules before entering the land of the Fae."

<a/n>
I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I can't wait to share what's next for Rue.

If you liked it, please give it a like and leave a comment.

Also, I've updated Aurelia in the introduction chapter, so please don't forget to check that out.