HeavenBound

"Even the darkness can be a part of the light."

The Freed One

"You asked of my story?

I was born in the darkness.

I was always in darkness.

My mother is long gone, and my father and siblings... all exalted.

I was headed for the same fate.

My story begins right after my eyes opened for the first time.
My body broke free from it's egg casing and I was finally able to stretch my wings.


Freedom.


But soon I was picked up by larger claws and placed into a small crate, and like *that*, a lid snapped shut above me.

I was in darkness again.

I was placed on the open market as exalt fodder to the dragon gods along with my siblings, all of whom I watched ascend to heavens.

A day after my hatching, I watched as my father was placed on the market by the same claws that placed me in my predicament. He paced continuously in a large cage across from my crate.
A once proud creature, whose mate has left him, and whose children, all but one, are now exalted.
And he paced before me, flightless and priced to sell.

Several offers were made, and finally, a settlement.
I couldn't speak, or call out.
I couldn't even cry out to him.
I just sat, frozen in time.

'I will take him, and train him to be exalted! The PlagueMother will live forever! And YOU! YOU will serve her! Just as I do!' An exuberant dragon leader laughed. She must have had coin to back up her words, as my father's seller led the plague worshiping dragon to claim my father's cage key and leash.


My fears heightened.
Exaltation, the highest honor given to any dragon, was also the most frightening.
And to serve a dragon god not of your own birth element.
I would imagine that to be a living nightmare!
And now, father...

I shook my head and fought back tears as I tried not to think about it.
I prayed for our ShadowBinder to take him into her arms swiftly.

Older dragons were yelling, shouting out prices and bargains.
The hustle of the outside world was overwhelming on top of my own reality setting in.
Everything went white.
I began to shut down.
It seemed like an eternity.

Days went by.

I lay huddled over and shaking in the corner of my small shipping crate, watching the shadowed outlines of larger dragons passing by. Suddenly there was loud breathing on the other side of the small air holes cut into the crate walls.
Gathering any courage I had to peek, I looked out and up into fire-burning eyes placed above the softest toothy smile. My fears seemed to melt instantly and...I couldn't explain it.
I also didn't care why.
I just felt relief.


'Fear not, little one,' said a female in the gentlest voice, 'for you are exactly who my family and I are looking for.'

'Will you kill me? Will you exalt me like the rest?' I asked her, my voice never steady and my legs trembling.
'No,' She pauses and smiles a big, toothy grin, 'we are looking for another daughter.. for our clan is ever-growing, and your demeanor shines through any crate or binding. We want you in our home, as our newest child. Please allow me to buy your freedom. I will spoil you, teach you what I know, and change everything for the better.' She nodded at me, and turned towards the market, approaching the seller of my father.
I felt my heart in my throat.
As she walked away I heard an exchange that I couldn't make out, but then she came towards me. I heard the sound of a lock turning, followed by a loud click, and one of the crate's walls fell down.

Sunlight. Blinding, and without limit.

Again -- I was free.



The bright sunshine shone through and touched my scales, seeping inside and warming me for the very first time without a crate wall to stop it or slow it down. Alien-like, foreign, yet so welcoming. My wings unfurled and stretched, crunching and creaking after being imprisoned for so many days as a mere hatchling.
My very genes changed, opened by the light of day as I stepped down from my prison.

My great guardian savior grinned, 'Now look at you! You're free! Come here and walk home with me, and we will join your new family.' With a glimmer in her eye, she turned towards the sun and started walking. I couldn't help but follow and hope to imagine the goodness yet to come.


My new home is deep within the FlameCaller's largest volcano, with the most powerful fire clan run by Andor, and his wife Seena, whom rescued me in my darkest hour. Because they love me, because they freed me, I am no longer afraid of serving another element. I thought I was destined for a life that only led to death, sorrow, and fear...yet here I still stand. Free to make my own choices and deeply treasured by a family who chose me, and loves me. And though there may be days I feel overwhelmed in darkness past, I realize now, standing with the many flames of my new fire family, that together we light up the dark.

My colors may not be what other people are looking for, but you never know who's looking for you.

Always remember this:
'There is always someone out there who cares about you. So keep going, and never ever give up.'"