The Rebirth

Adopting a Human

With Narita following, Gargoyle repeated his patrol around the nine islands. He wanted to make certain no other flying machines had followed the one he had taken took down. He also wanted some time to think of the best way to introduce the newest member of their family to his life mate, Crystal. Omega Island was the furthest from the center with virtually nothing to offer hence it was used for social conflicts. As he flew over his patrol path, he pondered over the human infant still laying curled into a tiny ball in the folds of his yoga top. He normally used this to hold extra rocks for his fire but he had emptied it to better carry her. “I must confess I know nothing about caring for a human infant. Only to leave one so small to fend for itself is considered an act of cruelty, of cowardice.”

He looked down at the infant and hesitated; he feared that she had somehow died. He was relieved to see her tiny chest rising and falling with a drop of drool on her lip; the little one was sound asleep. With a sigh, he and Narita finished their patrol before returning to their home on Beta Island. It was the second largest of the nine; closer to the center. There Gargoyle lived with his adopted daughter, Narita his life mate, Crystal.

He sighed seeing Crystal waiting for their return. “As you know, your admo cannot bear children due to an illness that had struck her years before.”

Narita winced. “That is why you are uncertain how she will react to returning with a human infant in our possession.”

Gargoyle nodded. “Please let me do the talking.”

As they reached the edge of the island, his anxiety rose; considering his first words carefully. Their dwelling was a simple one level design of stone and clay with a petrified wood door and fire blown glass to provide light and a pleasant view. Crystal was outside, scanning the skies for his return. She too was a stone dragon but her skin was lighter; like marble. She carried an auburn mane that ran from the top of her head, down her long neck, to her clubbed tail. Her eyes and lips were ruby red; complimenting her beautiful brown leather wings and tiny snout. Hers looked strikingly similar to the infant’s nose. Gargoyle smiled slightly at the ironic resemblance as he and Narita lightly landed a wingspan away from her.

“Have we kept you waiting, my goddess of flowers?” Gargoyle maintained a pleasant smile to hide his nerves. “I do apologize if we worried you so.”

Crystal folded her wings between her shoulder blades before leaning forward on one leg with both hands on her curved hips. “There is just a scratch too much nectar in your voice. Why pray tell are you trying to sweeten my disposition?” She turned to Narita. “What has your adfa done…?”

Gargoyle sighed as he retrieved the infant from the pocket in his toga. He approached Crystal so she could see what he carried in his hands. “Please allow me the time to explain the truth of the situation.”

Crystal gasped at the sight of the tiny creature. “Please tell me you did not travel to the low lands of humans and take this child from her birthing mother!”

Tears formed in Gargoyle’s eyes as his jaw dropped slightly from the hurt in his life mate’s words. “Crystal! Do you think for a moment that I would commit such an unforgivable act of cruelty?”

“Where then did you find this fragile creature?”

Gargoyle described the events that led him to being the new guardian of the human infant. Crystal listened with nothing more than a grunt or nod. When he had finished, she breathed an icy sigh and turned to Narita. “Is what your adfa say the truth?”

Narita nodded. “The mechanical dragon still rests on southern edge of Omega Island.”

Crystal then turned back to Gargoyle and looked directly into his eyes with a glare showing concern. “Your intentions are pure but what you have brought onto us no one in this kingdom has any knowledge of raising properly.” She shook her head. “I certainly hope you have some plan as to care for this human orphan.”

Gargoyle responded with a fiery sigh. “I fear I do not; this situation came without warning so how could I form such a plan? Also, what would you do given the same situation?”

The infant stirred and began to cry. Crystal turned to the tiny human; her brows raised and her eyes wide. The infant had her mouth open wide and her eyes shut as she cried; shaking her tiny fists as if to demand something. Crystal took the fragile girl from Gargoyle’s hands and held it close in the hopes that the touch of a female would ease its wailing. She yelped in surprise before blushing brightly. The infant had pushed her face under her ropes and latched onto her nipple; trying to suckle from it. Gargoyle chuckled at the sight, which did not improve her mood or embarrassment.
Narita, however, showed concern. “The little one is hungry.”

Crystal glared at her. “Perhaps you can surmise how we are to feed her. Dare we even guess what she will eat…?”
She paused, startled, as a curious warm glow began to radiate from inside her. Glancing down at the infant, she was surprised to see her glowing with a dim golden aura. This glow moved from the child and into her. Crystal’s breathing became more rapid as the warmth spread throughout her body. She winced, letting out a low yelp as her chest expanded; they suddenly felt full, heavy.

Seeing this, Narita gasped. “Admo… you are changing.”

The warmth moved into Crystal’s wings and she unfolded them to inspect what was happening only to quickly draw them back in, blushing brightly. The once dark veins that ran down the edges were now bright red; a sign of youthful fertility among dragons. She turned to Gargoyle; her eyes were dancing but her expression showed confusion and concern. Then, a drop of something wet hit her midsection. Crystal turned back to the infant she was still holding; milk was dripping from the side of her mouth as she suckled her nipple! Crystal turned to Gargoyle, smiling with a blushing glow on her face. “You said that you sensed a magical aura about this child?”

Gargoyle nodded. “I did.”

Crystal smiled more brightly. “Perhaps this unexpected burden will not be such a burden after all. I shall call you Phara; welcome to our humble family, little one.”

She then carried the child, still suckling from her breast into the dwelling. Gargoyle followed with a worried look on his face. It was not going to be easy being first time parents. “I sensed an adventure on the horizon but this I was not expecting.”
The home of Gargoyle and Crystal Phang was humble. The outer walls were sheets of quarried stone, heat fused to a frame of petrified wood. The roof was of made of a light mix of clay and pumice, layered in surprisingly strong boards. The inside walls were made smooth with a mix of water and volcanic ash. This made a spreadable substance that bonded with the stone. The floors were all covered in thick, lush carpeting with the green and brown colors of a forest floor. This was not your typical thread carpeting; it was made of multicolored sand. Once poured and set, it remained as one piece. It was as plush as a maiden’s hair and cool as a winter’s breath. How such materials were cut and shaped was a secret known only to the dragons.

Humming a calming tune, Crystal carried Phara into the greeting nook; a room where she and Gargoyle entertained guests. She sat down onto a comfortable cinder branch seat. This was a small living tree in a large pot that was trimmed into the shape of various pieces of furniture. Dragons used this tree because it was impervious to heat and fire. Its leaves and branches were a tasty treat which made it a joy to keep trimmed. They could not use it for building; it would not heat fuse with stone. Crystal leaned back, her long neck and head resting on the top of the chair in a relaxed coil. She smiled at Phara, still nursing and turned to Gargoyle who was standing behind the chair. “Little Phara is certainly hungry.” Her voice was dreamy. “I had thought I would never have a child of my own yet here I am nursing a little one… a gift from the Gods.”

Gargoyle sighed, worry settling in his eyes. “You know that I must report this, Crystal. Once the little one has fed, we must away to the castle.”

Crystal turned sharply to Gargoyle; icy steam escaped her mouth. It was a motherly instinct to attack anyone who bared a threat to her child. She had to fight not to unleash a blast of ice upon her life mate. “Gargoyle, Phara has bonded with me; made me fertile after being sterile half my life.” Her voice quivered, she was struggling to keep her emotions in check. “Please tell me that the royal couple would not try to take her from us!”

Gargoyle placed a gentle claw onto Crystal’s neck, stroking it in a way that moved her to purr. “I have given my word that I would care for this child, Crystal. The king and queen will see this and will not deny us the right to raise her as our own.”

Crystal smiled again until Narita spoke. “We will need to prepare our home to raise her properly. I am certain many challenges await us all.”

Their conversation was cut short when Phara began to start crying again. Crystal looked done at her; she had finished nursing but there was something wrong. Having never bared a child of her own, she had no idea what was wrong or what to do. She pulled her robe back over her chest then held Phara close with her crying onto her shoulder. “What is wrong, little one?”
Crystal began to gently pat Phara’s back in an attempt to calm her while Gargoyle crouched down to look the infant in the face. He was hoping the child’s eyes would show some clue as he could determine a dragon’s emotion by the way they held their eyes. Suddenly, a burp exploded from Phara’s mouth before she spit up a small amount of milk. The spit up projected outward and hit Gargoyle in the chest, staining his ropes. Seeing this, Crystal erupted into a giggle. “She takes after you, Gargoyle.”

She found the sight very amusing. Gargoyle blushed; he had prided himself on being untouchable in battle. Only he had been successfully struck with the ‘fire’ of a human infant. All he could do was shake his head. “I fear I shall never hear the end of this should it go beyond our dwelling.” A half smile formed onto his blushing face.

Crystal giggled again; enjoying this moment for all its worth. “Fear not, my brave warrior; I shall not speak a word of this lost battle.”
Phara then spit up again; this time upon Crystal’s ropes. Gargoyle roared into laughter.

The sun had moved a full digit before Crystal and Gargoyle began their flight to the castle. She wore her finest robes of worm silk and lace. Phara rested in a pocket within the folds, made for carrying a child. Crystal could not help chirp in happiness; she felt reborn. Flying with her wings wide, she revealed to all her renewed fertility. She knew there was a chance the queen would deny her request to raise Phara. She tried not to dwell upon it; live for the moment.

Gargoyle wore his guard robes, required for all formal affairs. It was made of the finest mammoth spider silk with a worm silk sash displaying multiple medals for courage and valor he had earned in his career. Though Mysteria had not been threatened in many centuries, Gargoyle had been ordered to fly out to defend other pockets of dragon kind around the world. He roared out in concern, alerting all that trouble had come to Mysteria.

This became both a mystery and a concern to the other dragons. This included Irec whom Gargoyle had trusted to watch over Narita for the time. “What could bring such happiness and such concern at the same time?” His voice was deep but gentle. “Does it have anything to do with your admo’s renewed fertility?”

Narita winced. “I scarcely can explain as I do not understand it fully myself.” She sighed. “All I know is admo is happier than I had ever seen her.”

Both the curious and concerned followed the two in flight to the castle. Gargoyle roared his concern again and the heavy main gates were opened for them. He landed just outside with Crystal landing gently at his side. Behind them was the crowd of curious and concerned dragons who had followed. They were greeted by four guards armed with crossbows. The diamond arrowheads were sharp enough to puncture even Gargoyle’s rock like hide.

“I have urgent business with the king and queen!” Gargoyle’s voice was firm and commanding. “This morning’s patrol revealed a great concern that may affect the kingdom!”

All four guards looked at Gargoyle with their eyes wide. Still, they held some suspicion. One inquired, “Why then is your life mate so filled with joy?”

A coo from within Crystal’s robes answered the guard’s question. Phara peeked out, showing only her face, smiling at the guards. Those who followed gathered around and smiled at the infant. Phara had a flat face and deep grey eyes like Gargoyle and a tiny nose that much resembled Crystal’s. There was no doubt in the minds of those present that Phara was their child. One of the guards gently scratched the baby’s chin. “What a joyous smile, your youngling has. You must be very proud.”

Phara wrinkled her nose, an odd noise coming from her. “Ah…Ah… Achoo!” She sneezed; an odd glowing mist erupting from her mouth like a tiny stream of energy. It made contact with the guard’s robes, setting it on fire. The other guards laughed watching the one jump back; shaking the embers from his robes. They bid Gargoyle and Crystal to enter, the massive gates closing with a heavy clang behind them.

The interior of the castle was exquisite. White marble tiles covered the curved stone walls. They were painted with scenes from Mysterian history and legend. The scenes from history were in color while the scenes from legend were in black and white. There was no solid proof that the stories behind the legends were accurate. Still, there was no denying that they played an important role in the course of history. The floors and ceilings were of polished obsidian rock.

Where the walls met the floor, there was a long narrow trench filled with a burning fluid which lit all the halls. The dim flickering light made the scenes; both historic and legendary seem to come to life. The black ceilings had paintings of fierce dragons, all looking down upon those who crossed under them. Guards were posted along these ceilings at random places; no one was exactly certain which dragons were real at any time.

Gargoyle kept his eyes forward, as did Crystal. They were met at the end of the main hall by an elderly dragon. He was a shadow dragon; a creature with no real shape or form. These dragons fed on emotions; especially fear and rage. All anyone saw of him were his two white glowing eyes. “I am Abyss.” The old dragon’s words were raspy and stressed. “I am to escort you to the throne room immediately.”

Crystal turned to Gargoyle, uncertain. “Why does he not present himself in solid form?” Her inquiry had merit; it was required for shadow dragons to hold a solid form within the castle.

Gargoyle chuckled along with Abyss. “Be at ease, dear life mate. Abyss has been my mentor since youngling years.” His smile slowly faltered. “He can no longer hold a solid form. When he passes away, no will be able to tell him from another shadow; it is the sad existence of a shadow dragon.”

Crystal gulped then winced. “My apologies; I meant no offense.”

Abyss again chuckled. “It is as it is.” His voice then became serious. “The king and queen wait anxiously for report.”

Abyss moved swiftly with Gargoyle and Crystal following through a literal maze of dimly lit halls and rooms. They finally came to a halt in front of two massive doors. They were made of two halves of a Sequoia tree from the isolated forests on Gaia. There were no door handles; they were lifted by means of huge chains on pulleys. Two guards on either side of the doors turned a crank, lifting the massive door. The bottom was carved into several sharp spikes that would impale even the strongest hide of any would be attacker.

Abyss floated back as the doors opened. “I am forbidden to enter.” Sadly, Abyss said. “My place is to patrol the halls.”

Gargoyle nodded then slowly walked into the throne room with Crystal at her side.