Once there was a mischievous girl named Elana. She likes to sneak out the palace walls of Galdradel through secret passages to wonder off to the woods. She likes to play with nature surrounded by trees, grass, dirt, songs of birds and other things that can’t be seen or heard inside the palace walls. His father, King Greo, brought her dolls, toys and pretty dresses to make her happy but it wasn’t the things she liked. Since the first time she is brought outside by her mother, she liked it there. She felt a warm embrace and belongingness whenever she’s in the woods. One day when she was eight years old, she sneaked out again for another adventure. She walked… and walked…and walked. She lost track of time. She got carried away by the journey until the sight is already unfamiliar. She never had been this far out in the woods. Her father and the guards must be looking for her right now. She has to be back soon. But how? Which way? She already lost her way. She starts to worry. Not about herself but for her family. They will be worried about her. She starts to walk. That’s one of her father’s teachings. Keep moving forward. She walked until she saw a cave. She went inside. The large rocks are hard to pass by but she managed. She continued her way inside the dark cave. She’s not afraid of the dark. A trait she inherited from her father. She went on until she saw a light. A light which she thought is the other end of the cave. When she reached the light she was mistaken. It was an open space at the heart of the cave. The sight is very beautiful. The beam of the sun from above lights the large circular space which is walled by tall rock formations. The place is surrounded by colorful bushes, vines, flowers and other plants that stand as accessories of the single tree in the middle. A large white tree with blue leaves. She is enchanted by its beauty. She came close to see its majestic view. The surrounding felt surreal. Different colors of dragon flies and fire flies flew around the tree. She went closer and touched the tree’s body. It felt magical. Her hand seemed magnetized to the tree. A few seconds later something happened that scared her. The root of the tree starts to change its color. Fire, the root seems to change like the color of fire. The color starts to climb up forming lava like lines up to the body and branches of the tree. She removed her hand away from it. When it reached the blue leaves it changed its color to red. All the leaves of the tree changed its color. The blue tree completely changed. It is now as red as fire. She became unease because of its new appearance. “Don’t be afraid.” A voice came from nowhere. “Touch it.” It says. “Go on, don’t be afraid. It won’t hurt I promise.” She looked around but the owner of the voice is nowhere to be seen. “Why should I trust you?” She asked. “Because I’m telling you the truth, go on… I’m right you’ll see.” It said. She slowly lifts her hand and put it against the tree. She closed her eyes in fear that her hand might burn but when she felt the bark of the tree she felt nothing. She opened her eyes and smiled. She didn’t burn. “See? I told you.” The voice came from behind her. When she looked, it’s there, the owner of the voice, a young man with golden hair and eyes. She never had seen anyone like him. She felt that he is different. “Why did the tree changed its color?” She asked after she removed her hand away from the tree. “It didn’t. It just went back to its real form” He answered. “Why?” She asked again. She’s always curious about things around her. She often asks how and why things works that’s why palace teachers liked her more than her brothers. “The tree is called Pyro. It recognizes a certain thing that makes it red like fire. Without it, it’s just a beautiful white tree with blue leaves.” He politely answered. “What certain thing?” She asked. “You’re a curious little thing aren’t you?” he smiled. “I am. My mother and my teachers always tell me that.” She smiled. “Do you really want to know all of this?” the man asked. “Will I ask if not?” She answered. “Will you believe?” He asked with a serious tone. “Of course” She answered simply. He told her what she wanted to hear. Then starts a story her mother once told her as a bed time story. But this time the story is different, it’s more detailed and it felt real coming from him, a story she will treasure her entire life, the story of the dragons of the North Mountain. “They are the best kept secret of the world.” he said. He told her that the Pyro serves as a guard and a guide to the dragons. The Pyro will turn its color as a signal that a dragon is down on earth. The dragons are made up of fire that reflects to the tree which makes it turn into red. After the Great War between the kingdoms, the dragons are forbidden down on earth. They are created to balance and promote peace not to serve as a weapon to destroy mankind. The Great War cost many lives including the dragons. They are to believe as extinct after. They vanished throughout the earth, leaving only the skulls and bones of the departed ones. What mankind doesn’t know is dragons still exists. They live up to the highest peak of the North Mountain where no man has even set foot on. There’s only one way to reach it. A secret only the king of dragons know to protect their kingdom from mankind’s greed. After the story she fell asleep. When she woke up she is surprised to see that she’s on her bed back to Galdradel. The king and the queen are much worried about her. The guards saw her in front of the gate, sleeping peacefully. They took her inside the palace. The queen sighed in relief when she saw her little girl. Her father kissed her on her forehead. She told them about the tree called Pyro and a man with golden hair and eyes who told her about the dragons but they didn’t believed her. They said it was just her imagination. Days later she wanted to go back to the cave but the guards prevented her to do so. Weeks later when the guards lighten up her security she managed to go back to the cave. The man with golden hair and eyes is there already. Almost like waiting for her. Pyro is burning red. “I forgot to ask your name.” she said. “I’m Lorcan.” He answered.
