Dragon-Patterned Mermaid

Dragon-Patterned Mermaid 3

The golden dragon pattern's light gradually faded, but the doubts in Eric's heart only grew stronger. He stood in the training ground of Dragon's Peak, looking at the unique mark on his arm, his brow furrowing unconsciously. The dragon patterns of the other young dragon warriors were all silver-gray, but his shone with a dazzling gold.

The morning sun pierced through the clouds, giving the ancient stone training ground a golden edge. This was the highest training ground at Dragon's Peak, also the sacred place where dragon warriors of past generations honed their martial skills. Tall stone pillars were carved with ancient dragon runes, telling the glorious history of the race. Eric often wondered if, as a human, he truly had the right to stand on this sacred land.

"Focus!" Skai's stern voice suddenly rang out, interrupting Eric's thoughts. "The most important aspect of dragon martial arts is not strength, but unity of mind and spirit. Your current state can't even control the most basic dragon's breath."

Skai, in human form, stood in front of Eric, his silver-gray long hair fluttering in the morning breeze. Even in human form, the innate dignity he carried was undiminished. His dragon pattern extended from his arm to his neck, shimmering with a steady silver light, in stark contrast to the restless gold on Eric's arm.

"I'm sorry, Father." Eric lowered his head, trying to adjust his breathing. He knew Skai had high expectations of him and didn't want to disappoint his adoptive father. But recently, his dragon pattern had become increasingly uncontrollable, as if some force within him was awakening.

"Remember, the dragon's breath is not just breathing; it is a bridge connecting our inner strength." Skai's voice slowed a bit, "Feel the flow of energy within, let it travel along the dragon pattern..."

Eric closed his eyes and adjusted his breathing according to his adoptive father's guidance. He could feel a warm current slowly moving within him, like a stream melting in spring, carrying the rhythm of life. This sensation was familiar to him; a decade of training had given him a considerable understanding of dragon energy.

However, whenever this energy approached the dragon pattern on his arm, the calm stream would turn into a surging torrent. The golden light overflowed from the dragon pattern once again, even stronger than before. It felt like something was about to break free from its cocoon, or like an ancient call awakening in his blood.

"Enough!" Skai suddenly called a halt, his voice carrying a trace of imperceptible worry. "Today's training ends here."

This was the third time this week that training had been interrupted due to the abnormal dragon pattern. Eric watched Skai's retreating back, wanting to speak but holding back. He knew his adoptive father must know something, but why wouldn't he tell him?

From a distant observation platform, Elder Odin watched all of this thoughtfully. A complex expression appeared on his aged face, and his dragon staff swayed gently in his hand. The sunlight shone on his silver beard and hair, adding an air of mystery to him.

Odin, deep in thought, remarked on the child's unstable dragon pattern, an unprecedented occurrence among humans, with the golden hue suggesting greater implications. The dragon elders shared a knowing glance. Eric, alone at the training ground's edge with his feet above the clouds, mused over how different his life might have been without Skai's rescue during that long-ago snowstorm—perhaps a normal existence among humans, rather than training in the dragon arts amidst the clouds.

Memories of the fateful night ten years ago, when he was eight and lost in a snowstorm, surfaced. The biting wind and deep snow nearly overwhelmed him, but as he faced the brink of freezing, a silver light split the darkness.

That was the first time he saw Skai's true form—the silver-gray scales shimmering in the moonlight, and the huge wings that could cover half the sky when spread. He was both afraid and amazed, but the warmth in Skai's eyes reassured him inexplicably.

"Why this human child?" When Skai brought him back to the dragon clan, almost all the elders questioned. There had never been a precedent in the history of the dragon clan for adopting a human.

"Because of the guidance of fate." This was Skai's only explanation. Thinking back now, had Skai foreseen something at that time?

The sun gradually set in the west, and Eric got up to return to his cloud residence. Just then, he noticed something unusual about his shadow—in the glow of the setting sun, his shadow actually took the shape of a dragon, albeit for just a moment, but he was sure he hadn't imagined it.

The cloud residence, located on the east side of Dragon's Peak, is a unique dwelling that blends human architecture with dragon style. White clouds surround it all year round, making the entire building appear as if it's suspended in the sky. Entering the interior, Eric saw Skai preparing dinner.

"Father," Eric hesitated but still spoke, "today at the training ground, I saw something strange."

Skai's movements paused for a moment, but he quickly resumed as usual. "What happened?"

"my shadow..." Eric weighed his words, "it looked like the shape of a dragon."

The clear sound of cutlery clinking echoed in the room. Skai, with his back to Eric, spoke in an unusually calm voice: "Perhaps it was just an optical illusion."

"But father, this isn't the first time. Lately, I've felt something awakening inside me. Every time the dragon pattern glows, I can hear a strange sound, like the roar of ancient dragons..."

Skai finally turned around, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes. "Eric, some answers need to wait until you are ready." His tone carried a hint of apology but also firmness.

"But father, I'm not a child anymore." Eric's voice carried a hint of urgency, "Why do I have a dragon pattern? Why is it golden? Why..."

"Enough!" Skai raised his voice but immediately softened it, "Trust me, Eric. It's not the time yet."

Dinner proceeded in silence. Eric could feel Skai's concerned glances from time to time, but he chose to focus on the food in front of him. This was a unique cloud mushroom soup of the dragon clan, one of his favorite dishes. He remembered when he first came to the dragon clan, he was not used to the diet here, and it was Skai who gradually helped him adapt to the new life.

"It's late," Eric lay in bed, staring at the dragon pattern that loomed in the moonlight. Everything that happened today swirled in his mind: the anomalies during training, the dragon shadow in the sunset, his father's evasive answers... What did all of this mean?

Suddenly, a sharp pain came from the dragon pattern. Eric clenched his teeth, trying not to make a sound. The pain grew more intense, as if something was about to burst from within him. The golden light became more and more dazzling, illuminating the entire room.

At that moment, an image suddenly intruded into his mind—a resplendent palace with complex dragon runes painted on the dome, and in the center of the palace, a golden dragon egg was emitting a dazzling light...

The image came and went quickly, and when Eric came to his senses, he found himself sweating profusely. He remembered having similar dreams when he was young, but never so clear. What did that palace, those runes, and the dragon egg mean?

A slight noise came from outside the window, and Eric sat up alertly. By the moonlight, he saw a figure flying from the cloud residence towards the direction of the Dragon Clan's sacred temple. It was Skai, his silver-gray dragon scales glowing softly in the moonlight.

Eric hesitated for a moment but decided to follow. He had never seen Skai go out in the middle of the night over the years. Perhaps this was an opportunity to solve the mystery.

He quietly left the room, using the skills he had trained for years to move quickly through the clouds. The Dragon Clan's sacred temple is located at the highest point of Dragon's Peak and is the most sacred place for the Dragon Clan. Ordinary clan members are not allowed to enter, and even Eric had only been there once during his coming-of-age ceremony.