Eternal Oaths: Book One

Chapter VII

The classroom of Luminara Academy was a cocoon of warm light as the last golden rays of the setting sun spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting mosaics of color across the room.

Wooden shelves organized with toys, puzzles and learning materials were eye-level with the children now filling the space with a pleasant cacophony of their little voices talking over one another.

Solene stood before her students, her dark curls tumbling over her shoulders as she prepared for their favorite time of the day—story time.

She waited patiently for the little ones to settle onto the plush blanket on the floor before beginning.

The children, a motley assembly of young witches, duskfolk, fae, werewolf pups, little malakim and even tiny merfolk in their enchanted water orbs, leaned forward, eyes wide with wonder.

Solene hid her heartbreak behind a smile, as she opened the ornate picture book she found in her coven's grand library and began reading.

"Today," she began, her voice a soft melody that hushed the excited whispers, "we will journey back to an age when the sky danced with flames, and the world sang with the beating of mighty wings. This is the tale of the divine dragons, or as history might tell it, the Seraphim."

"Yes!" A little boy with the pointed ears of the Fae cheered.

Solene's smile widened.

"Long ago, when our two moons glowed in shimmering skies, seas of green teemed with life and the winds whispered sweetly, divine dragons, the unifiers of our world, reigned in peace. They were the keepers of the land's secrets and the original bearers of magic.

"Among them was the most radiant Seraphim Queen, whose scales glittered like the amethyst stone. Her fiery breath was so hot it could melt mountains. Her wings were so enormous she could embrace the evening.

"The dragons lived in harmony with the lands. Their mighty wings would brush the clouds, painting the sky with the colors of dawn and dusk.

"But peace was not to last, for from the depths of another realm rose a dreadful foe—the Shadow Dragon.

"Dark as the starless night, he brought with him an army of Shadow creatures threatening to engulf the world in eternal night and steal the light and magic that brought life to all."

The children gasped in anticipation.

"The land trembled, and fear spread across the five territories.

"In the darkest hour, the Queen, with a heavy heart, called upon her kin to weave their life's magic into a single spell, a spell so powerful that it could banish the darkness.

"On the night of the Last Eclipse, under the watchful eyes of the two moons, the dragons took flight for one last battle.

"The sky lit up with the fire of their breath, and the clash was heard across the realm. The Shadow Dragon roared, and Shadows swirled like the raging stormy seas."

Solene dramatically turned to the next page, and mimicked a dragon roar for effect, to which the children giggled.

"With a final, mighty roar, the dragons released the spell. A wave of light swept across the lands, piercing through the darkness. The Shadow Dragon, caught in its brilliance, let out a terrible scream as he was defeated, and with him all his nightmares.

"But victory came at a price. The light that had saved the land dimmed as, one by one, the dragons vanished, leaving behind only the echo of their essence in the mountains and in the clouds.

"They sacrificed themselves to save all, their magic spent, their time ended... bringing peace once again."

As Solene's voice softened, the room grew quiet as the children were captivated.