The Dragon Kings' Forbidden Witch

”Yes,”Atheris agreed. ”But it is the only answer I can give you now. When the time comes....and it will come, sooner than I would like, you will understand. For now, what you must do is prepare yourself. What you must do is grow stronger. What you must do is learn to master the magic that is within you, because when the moment of truth arrives, your mastery of that magic may very well be the difference between triumph and catastrophe.”

Morgana wanted to argue further, wanted to press and demand and refuse to accept his evasions. But something in his tone told her that further questioning would be futile. He had drawn a line, and he would not cross it, no matter how desperately she begged.

So instead, she simply nodded, swallowing her frustration, accepting once again that there were things about her own nature that were being hidden from her.

”I know you’re trying to protect me,” she said quietly. ”But sometimes the not knowing is almost worse than whatever the truth might be.”

”I know,” Atheris said, and genuine compassion resonated in those two words. ”But trust me in this, if you trust me in nothing else. The truths that are hidden from you are hidden for a reason. And when the time comes for them to be revealed, you will understand why the waiting was necessary.”

He raised his enormous head again.

”But for now,” he said, and his voice took on a different quality....purposeful, focused, intense, ”we will do what we came here to do. We will train. We will prepare you. We will ensure that when the moment comes, you are ready.”

***

Atheris rose to his feet, his massive form unfolding in a way that was almost overwhelming to witness. He was so large, so powerful, so obviously capable of destruction on a catastrophic scale. And yet his movements were graceful, controlled, intelligent.

He walked....or rather, he climbed, using his massive claws to grip the stone, toward the center of the vast cave. The chains that bound him sang slightly with the movement, the metal ringing softly as they adjusted to his motion. But they didn’t restrict him. They simply confirmed the boundaries of his prison, vast though those boundaries were.

The center of the cave was the highest point, the place where the ceiling soared furthest above. It was open space...perfect for what Atheris was about to do.

”Come,” he called to Morgana. ”Stand before me.”

Morgana moved to the center of the cave, positioning herself on the stone floor, feeling suddenly very small beneath the vastness of the space and the immensity of the dragon before her.

”The palace has taught you suppression,” Atheris said. ”It has taught you to hide. It has taught you to lock away the most important parts of yourself because the world is not ready to accept what you are.”

He lowered his enormous head until it was level with hers.

”But hiding is not the same as controlling,” he continued. ”Suppression is not the same as mastery. And what you must learn now is the difference. You must learn to control your magic without suppressing it. You must learn to express your power while remaining safe. You must learn to be fully yourself while also being aware of the world around you.”

He straightened slightly.

”To do this, we will practice meditation,” he said. ”Not the meditation of the palace, which teaches you to be still and empty. But the meditation of the dragons....which teaches you to be centered and full. Full of power, full of awareness, full of the knowledge that you contain something ancient and significant within your being.”

He gestured with one massive claw toward a clear space on the stone floor.

”Sit,”he commanded.

Morgana obeyed, settling herself cross-legged on the cool stone.

”Close your eyes,” Atheris said.

She did.

”Now, breathe,” he continued. ”Not the shallow breathing of a frightened human. But the deep breathing of a creature of magic. Feel the air entering your lungs, carrying magic with it. Feel it mixing with the magic that already dwells within you. Feel it circulating through your body, through your veins, through every cell of your being.”

Morgana followed his instructions, her breathing deepening, becoming more rhythmic, becoming more intentional.

”Deeper,” Atheris said. ”Breathe as if you are pulling the very essence of the mountain into yourself. Breathe as if you are connecting with something vast and ancient that exists beneath and beyond this physical world.”

As she breathed, Morgana felt something beginning to shift within her.

It started at her core....the place deep within her chest where the fire within her dwelt. It was a warmth at first, then a vibration, then a light that she could see even through her closed eyelids.

”Do not fear it,”Atheris said softly. ”Let it flow. Let it move. Do not push it away. Do not suppress it. Simply allow it to be.”

And she did.

The magic that she had been holding back, the fire that she had been containing, the ancient power that she had been afraid to acknowledge....it began to flow through her like a river. But it wasn’t chaotic. It wasn’t wild. Instead, it seemed to follow pathways that had existed within her all along, as if the magic itself knew where it needed to go.

She could feel it moving through her veins like liquid fire. She could feel it settling in specific places within her body...her core, her hands, the center of her forehead, the base of her spine. She could feel it responding to her breathing, expanding on the inhale, contracting on the exhale, moving in perfect synchronization with her physical body.

And it was beautiful.

It was the most natural thing she had ever experienced, and at the same time, it was unlike anything she had ever known.

”Open your eyes,”Atheris commanded.

Morgana opened her eyes and gasped.

She was glowing.