Dragon-Patterned Mermaid

Dragon-Patterned Mermaid 4

The mysterious dragon scale shimmered under the moonlight, as if foretelling something. Skai carefully placed it in an ancient wooden box, his deep gaze directed towards the direction of Dawn Bay. He knew the wheels of fate had begun to turn. After this night, everything would be different.

The first rays of dawn had just cleared the horizon when Dawn Bay was bathed in a golden glow. The sea breeze, carrying a salty tang, caressed every inch of the reef, bringing the distant call of the ocean. This sea area, considered a f*******n zone by the dragon clan and shrouded in mist all year round, was mysterious and perilous. In ancient legends, it was the battlefield where dragons and mermaids fought, and countless lives were lost in these waters. Their stories, as time passed, left only fragments in ancient tomes.

Eric stood alone on a protruding reef, allowing the sea breeze to flutter his robes. The human youth adopted by the dragon clan was inexplicably drawn to these waters, despite Skai's multiple warnings to stay away. But for a young, curious boy, the f*******n often held irresistible allure.

"Focus, maintain the rhythm of your breath," Eric closed his eyes, reciting Skai's teachings. Early morning was a good time to practice the Dragon's Breath, when the air was brimming with vibrant energy. He could feel the dragon pattern within him start to warm slightly, its golden light flickering and shining particularly brightly in the morning light.

As his breathing deepened, the surrounding air began to change****. Eric felt as if he had become one with the entire universe, the sea breeze, waves, and reefs all part of his energy. This sensation was both familiar and unfamiliar, like some force within him slowly awakening.

"Remember the key to the Dragon's Breath," he continued to recite, "Let the energy flow like the tide, neither forcing nor resisting..."

Suddenly, the golden dragon pattern burst into a intense light, illuminating the surrounding fog. Eric could feel an unprecedented power surging within him, like boiling magma, or roaring waves. This state was one he had never reached in his past training.

At that moment, a strange vision appeared before Eric. As the golden dragon pattern's light grew stronger, he felt his consciousness being pulled into another dimension. In this space composed of pure energy, he saw a massive golden figure—the silhouette of a great dragon, its scales shining brightly, resonating with the dragon pattern on his arm.

"Is this the dragon shadow?" Eric thought in amazement. He had read in ancient texts that only pure-blooded dragon warriors could see their dragon shadow during practice. But he was clearly human; why would he see such a vision?

The golden dragon's silhouette swirled around him, each movement causing a violent fluctuation in energy. Eric found that he could actually feel the dragon shadow's emotions—a deep, ancient resonance, as if calling from the depths of his bloodline. The dragon shadow's eyes sparkled with wisdom, gazing directly into his soul.

"Who am I?" Eric silently asked himself. The dragon shadow seemed to understand his doubt and let out a deep dragon's roar. This sound did not come from the outside world but resonated within his consciousness, carrying an indescribable sense of familiarity.

As the dragon's roar echoed, Eric felt the energy within him start to flow in a completely new way. The golden dragon pattern no longer restless as usual, but formed a perfect cycle. The sea breeze, waves, and morning light all seemed to establish a deeper connection with him.

This wonderful state lasted for about a quarter of an hour. As the golden light gradually faded, the dragon shadow also dissipated. But the feeling of being connected by blood remained in Eric's heart, prompting new thoughts about his own identity. Skai had said that the power of the dragon clan came from the inheritance of bloodlines; could seeing the dragon shadow mean that his veins truly flowed with dragon blood?

"Perhaps this is why my dragon pattern is different," Eric murmured, looking down at the golden lines on his arm. The doubts that had plagued him for days seemed to have found a possible answer at this moment. Yet this answer brought even more mysteries: if he truly possessed dragon blood, who were his birth parents? Why was Skai so secretive about it?

Just then, a soft splash broke the tranquility. The sound was so faint that Eric, with his exceptionally keen senses at the moment, might not have noticed it otherwise. He opened his eyes alertly, locking his gaze on the direction from which the sound came. Behind a nearby reef, he seemed to catch a glimpse of a flash of emerald green.

"Who's there?" Eric asked in a deep voice, mobilizing the energy within him to prepare for defense. Although this sea area was f*******n, this was the first time he had encountered such a situation.

A rustling sound came from behind the reef, followed by a clear and pleasant female voice: "Truly astonishing ability. This is the first time I've seen a human wield the power of the dragon clan."

The voice carried curiosity and admiration, with no hint of hostility. Eric relaxed his guard slightly but remained vigilant: "Since you know my identity, you might as well show yourself."

A circle of beautiful ripples spread across the water, and a girl slowly revealed her upper body. She had waist-length emerald green hair, with glistening water droplets at the ends, shimmering with a dreamlike glow in the morning light. Most striking were her eyes, a pair of deep, ocean-like orbs that seemed to contain the mysteries of the entire sea.

As she swam closer, Eric was surprised to see that her lower body was an elegant fishtail, with emerald green scales reflecting a captivating radiance in the sunlight. "Are you... from the mermaid tribe?" he blurted out, recalling the dragon clan's records about mermaids and taking a half step back.

"There's no need to be afraid," the girl said with a gentle smile, "My name is Sandra. I've actually been observing you for a long time, seeing you practice here every morning. Your abilities... are truly extraordinary."

Eric found himself involuntarily drawn to her. In the dragon clan's records, mermaids were always described as dangerous and cunning creatures, but the gaze of the girl before him held only pure curiosity and goodwill. Every movement she made carried an elegant rhythm, as if the rhythm of the waves had been given life.

"Aren't you afraid of me?" Sandra tilted her head and asked, "Logically, the dragon clan should be wary of us."

"Perhaps it's because I'm not a true dragon," Eric replied with a wry smile, "Although I was raised by them, I always feel like an outsider."

Sandra swam even closer, sunlight filtering through her damp hair, casting dappled shadows on her face. "The dragon pattern on you," she said thoughtfully, "I've never seen such a unique color. In our prophecies, it is mentioned that a being that is neither human nor dragon will change the fate of the three realms."

"You are neither a pure human nor a true dragon, so who are you exactly?" Sandra's voice carried genuine bewilderment.

"I also want to know the answer, perhaps you can help me find it," Eric replied. This question that had plagued him for ten years seemed to have a glimmer of new hope at this moment. "The prophecy you mentioned earlier, can you tell me more?"

As Sandra was about to speak, a deafening dragon's roar suddenly pierced the sky. Skai's massive figure dove from the clouds, his silver-gray scales glittering coldly in the sunlight. He instantly transformed into a human and landed beside Eric, his expression extremely serious, his eyes flickering with caution.

"Eric, step back!" Skai's voice carried an unquestionable command, "How many times have I told you to stay away from this sea area. It's too dangerous!"

Sandra quickly retreated, but her gaze still lingered on Eric. "We will meet again," she whispered, her voice seeming to echo from the depths of the ocean, "Some encounters, seemingly accidental, are in fact the web woven by fate with great care."

Before her voice faded, she had already dived into the deep water and disappeared. Only a few ripples still lingered on the surface, as if everything that had just happened was just a dream. Eric wanted to ask more, but Skai had already grabbed his arm.