The Dragon's Soul. Unveiling the Truth

Chapter 5

Blinding light, then darkness so sharp it felt like needles in my eyes.

Where was I?

“Open your eyes, Ari,” a familiar voice called to me.

I did.

Where was I…?

I was lying in a large bedroom, furnished in some kind of fairy-tale style. A massive bed with a velvet blue canopy stood against the wall, matching curtains with gold tassels framing an enormous window.

I tried to sit up. My head was still spinning.

“Don’t rush, Ari. Let yourself adjust to the new world,” Aria’s voice echoed.

“A new world?” I blinked. “Did I die and end up in heaven?”

“Not quite,” the voice replied calmly.

“So… hell, then?” I muttered.

“No. This is a parallel reality to yours. Not heaven, not hell. It’s the world I came from. A world where dragons live. A world where the elements share their magic and where magic creates miracles.”

“I’ve lost my mind,” I whispered. The logic was undeniable: talking to a dragon I couldn’t even see, waking up in a fairy-tale bedroom, believing I’d been transported to another realm filled with dragons and elemental magic, none of this was normal.

“You haven’t lost your mind,” Aria said firmly.

“Right. Then someone must’ve slipped something into my drink, and this is all one big hallucination.”

“No, Ari. This is real. My reality — and yours, until you keep your promise and help me,” the dragon insisted, tension creeping into her tone.

“Then where are you? Why can I hear you but not see you?” I asked cautiously.

“I’ve lost too much of my life energy — the power that allows me to take shape. Crossing worlds drains magic, and I have nowhere to replenish it. I told you, but you didn’t hear me: I am you, and you are me. Until we uncover the truth and avenge the traitors, this won’t change.”

“Suppose I help you, can I go home? Back to my world?”

“If you wish, yes.”

“Good. Then tell me how I can help you.”

“First, we need to know what year it is, and how long I was in your world.”

“Ten years passed. Don’t you remember?”

“I told you—time flows differently here.”

“Fine. Then let’s ask someone what year it is,” I suggested confidently.

“You mustn’t draw attention. Asking strange questions will expose you. Aliens are not welcome here. If they discover who you are, you’ll be executed. And if you die in this world, you die in your own as well never returning.”

Her warning sent a cold wave through me. I jumped out of bed and hurried to the mirror.

And froze.

A girl stared back at me was very similar to me, yet undeniably someone else.

“Who is that?” I whispered.

“That is something you must also find out,” Aria said. “I created a binding spell — and you were placed into the body most aligned with your soul. I’m surprised how much she resembles you. But remember: she is not you. She had her own life.”

“Where is she? The girl whose body this is?”

“She’s dead, Ari. Two souls cannot live in one body.”

“But what about you?”

“I don’t live in a body, I live in your consciousness. Your mind is so pure and noble that it made room for a little dragon like me.”

“Alright… once I find out what year it is and who this girl was — what then?”

“Then we plan. Learn those two things without causing trouble, and we’ll know how to proceed.”

A knock startled me.

“My lady, if you don’t hurry, you’ll be late for breakfast. And you mustn’t skip breakfast today, your uncle will be furious. You know how he is. And you’ve dreamed of your first day at the Academy!” a pleasant voice pleaded from behind the door.

“One moment, I’ll be right out!” I called, glancing around the room.

Against the opposite wall stood a large wardrobe. A packed trunk, almost a chest, waited beneath it. On a chair lay a neatly prepared outfit. The girl had clearly been ready for an important day.

I dressed quickly and brushed through my messy hair.

“Remember,” Aria reminded me, “don’t attract attention. Learn who you are and what year it is. Only then will we plan our next step. If you’re exposed, you’re done and so am I. Help me. You promised.”

“Yes, yes, I got it. If I get exposed, I’m dead and so are you,” I repeated like a prayer.