NOVEL NEXT Chapter 118: Thank you
The trip back was uneventful, I wasn't even sure if I could call it a trip since grandmother had just dragged me along with her using wing magic, It didn't even take us a few breaths before we were already back to her favorite spot in the forest.
This made me think that grandma was taking It slow on our first trip, which also made me consider whether or not my father and grandfather were the same as well. Did they ever go serious? I doubted It, especially when It came to my grandfather who had a 'grandiose' title of 'the destroyer', taking into consideration how he can obliterate an entire planet, and how dragons are a race whose job is to fight off eldritch horrors from the void, I doubted I would see any of them go serious.
'And I don't think I'd ever want to either,' I sighed, to which grandmother spoke as she slowly made her way onto her favorite giant rock. "What's with the long face little Aether?" She chuckled, though it felt kind of weird with her calling me little since with my current size, I easily dwarfed her, even with her dragon form, though I still believed that she was forcefully making herself look small.
"It's nothing grandma, I'm just curious about a dragon's real strength I guess? I don't know, I feel like I grew stronger," I said while clutching my clawed plan causing a cracking sound to echo out, before adding, "Still, the stronger I grow, the more I realize just how big of a gap there is between us," I sighed.
Grandmother looked at me in surprise for a few seconds before she burst out laughing, "What?" I asked hesitantly, thinking If I had said anything wrong. "You need to slow down a bit little Aether, hahaha, you are what, five, six years old? And already comparing yourself to us? Hahaha, as expected of my grandson," She said with a laugh.
"Do you even know how old we are?" She then asked, to which I carefully shook my head, "Heh, little Aether, we've been alive for a very very very long time, and I don't just mean a few decades, I'm speaking centuries," A sigh escaped her mouth as her playful expression disappeared.
"Did you think that old lizard easily got the title of 'the destroyer?' you think he was always like that?" Shaking her head grandma continued, "He also had his fair share of lost battles," she added before letting out another sigh.
"The world is not just what you can see with your eyes little Aether, it's immensely wide to a degree you can't even imagine, and It can be very terrifying," Her tone suddenly turned solemn as she looked deep into my eyes, I subconsciously gulped down but refrained from speaking waiting for her to finish.
"It's good to have a goal, and It's equally good to work hard for It, but never rush towards the end, you can't expect to suddenly be able to compete with dragons that have been alive for eons. If you thought that the gap between you and us is big, then you are wrong, it's not just big, it's as vast as the sky and earth. All of those little fights with your grandfather, he was being too easy on you, do you think someone with the capability of obliterating a planet will have a hard time dealing with you?" She asked her tone still serious, causing me to shake my head involuntarily.
"Of course not! When compared to other races, or even the Deities, one could consider us to be a brutal race, putting our younglings in danger after danger, but is that really the truth?"
"Hmm?" I wanted to retort, thinking about the various trials and dangers I had to go through before my grandmother continued.
"The only truly dangerous thing you have ever encountered was during your naming ceremony since that could involve the Shades, other than that, don't even think that the old lizard was being hard on you, If he truly wanted to you wouldn't even be able to lift a finger, little Aether, you'd be dead before you can blink,"
A shudder ran down my spine as I found myself recalling all of my previous fights and how I truly thought I stood a chance no matter how small. But why was she telling me all of this, I subconsciously sighed while lowering my head.
It was then that she suddenly asked, her tone stern."Why are you lowering your head?"
"Ah, I just..." I didn't know what to say, or how to reply before she continued.
"A few words and you are already doubting yourself so much, is this all your mental fortitude amounted to?" She asked.
"I-"
Not letting me continue, grandmother spoke, this time her tone was soft. "Little Aether, being born a dragon means you shoulder a heavy responsibility, one that you will grow to understand better in the future. I'm telling you all of this not to discourage you, quite the opposite, I know that the old lizard is useless when it comes down to these talks, heh, I doubt he'd ever bring this up, and your father," Letting out a sigh, she continued while shaking her head, "Well he's as equally useless, heavens, I wonder where I went wrong with that child,"
"Your mother is stubborn, but she's no fool, though I'm afraid if we leave her be, she'd shelter all of you from any sort of harm, although she doesn't show it, she truly cares," Chuckling grandmother continue, "And so that leaves me to do all the talking!"
Hearing her sudden cheery tone and seeing the gentle smile on her face, I couldn't help myself from smiling as well. Raising her head, grandmother glanced at the sky before speaking, her tone came off distant and melancholic, "Sometimes, I wonder how different things could be...alas..." She didn't continue as she turned her gaze towards me and spoke.
"I know I said a lot, but you are a smart one little Aether, don't be too hard on yourself, you are still young with a lot of room to grow, if the sky were to fall you should leave that to us old lizards to carry it, as for you, don't be hasty, that's what causes mistakes," She smiled.
I slowly nodded in understanding. It would be an understatement If I said I was normal after the 'talk' with grandmother, still, she did give me a lot to think about, glancing at her gentle face as she looked at the sky with a soft smile, I unconsciously pursed my lips upwards. She was the first person that really took the time to talk to me, no crazy trials no random fights, she truly made me feel at ease.
"Thank you, grandma," I muttered.