DRAGON'S CURSE

The Truth Unveiled

"WHAT?!"

"Honey, please listen to us," my parents pleaded, seeing the fury on my face.I laughed, but it was hollow. "Are you trying to pull a prank on me?"Their serious expressions told me otherwise.

"So you're telling me that I'm a dragon? And you are too?""Yes," they answered in unison.

"And this guy in black?" I pointed at the man sitting silently across from us. "He's a dragon too?""Yes," he replied in a deep, raspy voice.

My confusion was overwhelming. "Can someone please explain what the hell is going on? Even my math teacher never confused me this much."

"Take a seat," my father said, gesturing to the sofa.I sat between my parents, while the man sprawled across the other sofa, his tall frame making the furniture seem too small for him. His presence radiated authority.

My parents began their tale.

"Many believe that dragons went extinct long ago, or that they only existed in fairy tales. But that's not true. Long ago, the dragon population was much larger and stronger than humans. But a deadly disease spread across our kind, killing many. We were on the brink of extinction, until our great-grand king created an anti-bacterial potion from his own blood to save the remaining dragons. The cure worked, but the king lost his life. His descendants took over the throne, and their bloodline carries a healing property.

"Our clan, like many others, now lives hidden deep in the forest, protected by a magical mist that conceals us from human eyes. Dragons are divided into clans according to their elemental powers: Air, Wind, Thunder, Fire, and Ice—the five elements of nature.

"It's forbidden to mate outside your own clan. The disease that nearly destroyed us was caused by a dragon born with both fire and ice powers, the result of two dragons breaking that law. Your mother," he gestured toward her, "belonged to the royal clan, while I came from the Wind clan. We fell in love, but her family opposed our union. When her marriage was arranged with someone else, we fled and settled in the human world."

I stared at them in shock, absorbing their every word."We kept our identities hidden and built a life here. When you were born, we thought you hadn't inherited the dragon traits, so we kept you away from that world. But when you began showing signs, we consulted a friend who said you were born on the exact date and time our great-grand king died. You've inherited his immense power. After your 18th birthday, you'll fully transform. And that time is now."

I sat there, silent, trying to process everything. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine this would be my life. Adventure, sure, but **dragons**? This was too much.

"She should try transforming," the man suggested, his deep voice breaking through my thoughts.

Confused, I looked at him. My mother stood up. "This space is too small for her to shift. Let's go to the yoga studio."

We all headed there. The air in the room felt thick with tension.

The man instructed me to remove extra layers of clothing, so I was left in a thin t-shirt and yoga pants. The cold air nipped at my skin, but I didn't care. My mother told me to focus, something I had learned well from years of practicing yoga.

I closed my eyes, channeling my focus into my gut. But nothing happened. "Focus harder," the man urged.Still, nothing.

I opened my eyes in frustration, but the man stepped forward and took my hands in his. His large hands dwarfed mine, sending a strange surge of energy through me. "Try again," he said, his voice calm but commanding.

This time, something stirred within me. A force, ancient and powerful, began to awaken. It took over my body, and before I could comprehend it, I felt myself losing control of my own mind.And then, everything went dark.---**Author's Note:** If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to vote!