waking up and seeing your dead clanmate may be frightening to the average dragon, but Botan has gotten - morbidly enough - used to the occurrence at this point. his hatchling years were marked with odd apparitions, ghostly forms he could never actually touch or interact with, but that were definitely there. it was confusion at first, with innocent curiosity, followed by the mortifying realization he was indeed seeing dead dragons in ghost form, it wasn't some elaborate magical prank.

his parents were skeptical at first as expected, until he started describing dragons dead before his time - then they were hysterical. the next steps are a blur for Botan, but one memory vividly clung to his mind ever since; his mother calling it a curse. his clan leader immediately wanted the local wizards to train and harness the power somehow. Botan was suddenly very aware of how people perceived him, not as a dragon but as an extension of his ability.

he became quiet, closed off to the world around him, except for the apparitions that followed him everywhere; they were like quiet companions in a way, never truly interacting with the obelisk but always a constant in his life.

when Botan reached his teen years, he was contacted by a musterious group of dragons calling themselves Luxis Academy, they promised help with mastering his abilities and secrecy. Botan was skeptical, his clan leader outraged; at this point in his life Botan's abilities were only know to the clan, and even then kept from lower ranking members. the invitation sat forgotten on his nest for months, until a fated winter night turned everything on it's head