So Many Books, So Little Time

•Chapter Nine•

"No, that can't be right!" Aleah insisted desperately. "I just found out about this world, it can't just be over already! In the books, this is where I'm supposed to go on an adventure to save everyone. Just tell me how I can do that! I don't care how dangerous it is, I want to save the dragons!"

"Aleah, that's quite enough," her father told her sternly. "This is God's will, and you have to respect that."

"But how do you know for sure?" she persisted.

"Because magic is dying," he sighed. "Open your book. Look at the ink. It's fading, honey. I know you don't want it to be true, and neither do I, but it's just the way it is now. Dragons and their magic ink have helped this world so much, but now it's time for regular people to take the spotlight. Yes, there are some who believe this is the time to fight for the old ways, to stop the change from happening, but the truth is that it's simply time for the dragons to die."

"But why?" she sniffled, trying to wipe away the tears falling over her face. "They're so beautiful and majestic, aren't they? How can things like that just... die?"

"For the good of everyone else, sweetie," her dad said gently, scooting closer to wrap her in a comforting hug. "In the last few hundred years, dragons have been too involved in everyone else's affairs. Most things ended up all right, but some situations were ruined beyond repair. The magic ink made them want to dabble in everything, and not everyone was okay with that."

Aleah nodded against his chest, hugging him back tightly as the tears continued to stream down her cheeks. His sweater muffled her sobs, and she hoped no one else would hear them and walk in to find out what was wrong. Eventually, her crying slowed enough for her to take a deep breath and pull away from her dad.

"Phoenix is the one who owns the bookstore and gave me the magic ink," she explained, blowing her nose with the tissue her father had handed to her. "He told me to write something in it, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. I think he's one of the people who want to bring the dragons back. He's a fireflare dragon."

"Those dragons always were too passionate for their own good," Robert sighed. He seemed to be heaving out a lot of sad sighs, but it was understandable in the current situation. At any other time she might have told him to stop, it was annoying, but she felt the same way he did. "I'm glad you haven't written anything. The book is almost full for a reason. In fact, it should actually be completely full. Maybe God still has a purpose for it."

Aleah nodded sadly, hardly daring to hope that God's purpose was to bring back what was fading, and fell silent for a few moments.

"Hey, Dad? What kind of dragon were you?" she asked hesitantly. She was dying to know (and secretly hoping she was half wormek), but she wasn't sure if it was a painful subject for him to talk about or not.

"A mythicae," he answered, his eyes glossing over with memories. "Have you read about those yet?"

"I've seen them mentioned in the wormek section, but that was it."

He nodded, and gestured for her to pick the book up. "Page 409."

Figuring he'd want to hear the words for old times' sake, she read it aloud.

"Mythicae dragons are masters of magic. They are able to breathe fire and a certain healing spell known only to them. Their scales shine a lovely royal purple or blue and their eyes are a like two warm summer suns. When light sparkles upon them, their scales twinkle and gleam like jewels. They are a majestic size, bigger than most dragons, and are able to perform wonderful spells for the good of those around them.

"Mates are chosen for life, and these dragons are able to live up to two hundred and twenty years. Males are distinguished by their greater size, and females are identified by their more graceful build. Dragonets mature around two or three years of age, and leave the nest at five. Clutches generally have about three or four eggs.

"Whoa, that's awesome! And that's why you can tell that the magic is fading, isn't it?"

"Yes, and it's why I know it is truly coming to an end," he admitted. "There have been dips in the way magic used to work many times throughout the years, and every time it happened it always came back. But not this time. This time, the magic is drying up for good. But because of the earlier dips, other dragons believe this time is the same, that the magic will return eventually. The fireflare you met probably thinks that way."

"We have to break the truth to him," Aleah realized. "If we don't, he'll just be fighting for a dead cause for the rest of his life. We have to make him understand! Maybe if you talk to him, he'll change his mind!"

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, sweetie," her father said sadly. "Do you know how old he is?"

"About fifty."

"I would bet just about anything that he's spent over half of those years doing what he's doing now. A few words spoken by a transformed mythicae aren't going to help."

"What about a few words spoken by a mythicae halfwing?" she suggested. "I've talking to him for a few days now, so maybe he'll listen to me! And if you come, too, then there'll be two voices of reason at the same time."

"That could work," Robert conceded. "Soften him up to the idea for the next few days, okay? On Saturday morning, you and I can head over there and try to talk some sense into him. Avoid the subjects he wants you to talk about, but don't make it obvious. Subtly direct his attention to the magic ink and its problem."

"Got it!" she agreed. If only she didn't have to be the bearer of bad news. But now she had a purpose, a direction, and she wanted to follow God's will for her and for the dragons. If this was what He had planned, she would answer His call.

Aleah prayed long and hard once her father left her bedroom, hoping that somehow, against the odds, God would allow her to bring magic back into the world for good.