READ STORY

 



 

 

       

 

“My name is Z-Nar. For many years, we book keeper dragons have been blessed with the responsibility of guarding the history of all dragon kind. 

Although such knowledge of our history is highly forbidden nowadays, as my apprentice, you have been granted special permission to learn what others would dream to know. Here is one story I think you'll find extremely fascinating. The story of a golden dragon, and how he saved the world,"

 



 

Miles away, deep inside of a sanctuary known as the Golden Gate Hatchery, a volley of newborn dragon eggs could be found, destined to be cared for and raised by the single dragon who watched over them. A female dragon named Zatal. 

 

Zatal was a beautiful, purple, gold, and blue scaled dragon, with soft amber eyes that spoke with compassion and wisdom, wings that glowed like the crescent of the autumn moon, and a smile that let everyone around her know that she truly cared. 

 

Unfortunately for Zatal, not everything in her life had started out wonderful. Before the Golden Gate Hatchery had even been formed, the elder dragons of her homeland had confirmed to her that she had an unknown condition that would forever prevent her from laying an egg. She would never have her own child to raise. Never give birth. Never have a dragonet in which she would love and cherish with all her might. 

 

The news was devastating to Zatal, and depression quickly seeped deep, digging its claws viciously into her mind. What would she do now? What kind of life could she live if she couldn’t be a mother? No male would court her. For what reason should she stay just to be considered a pariah among her kind?

 

Coming to a decision, after weeping to herself quietly throughout the night, the next day Zatal decided to spread out her wings and fly away from her homeland, far away to Farlow Island, where she could hopefully mend her heart’s gaping hole and find acceptance to her trauma. 

 

An old cathedral stood there, in the midst of a great forest on the island, twisted inside a star of swirling sand. There she could be alone, mourning for the loss of her fertility in peace.

 

The spiraling towers of the cathedral reached up to greet Zatal as soon as she arrived to the island, softly fluttering her wings to land upon the ground, outside of the cathedral’s old, large, ornate, wooden oak doors. The female dragon stood still for a moment, eyes gazing upward, to admire the structure’s majestic beauty, breathing in the salt-flavored air as she admired every cut of the earth and stone. The cathedral was truly a wondrous sight, capturing the artful skill of its master’s hands, it would be a lovely place to stay and call a home. 

 

Making herself feel comfortable, Zatal rested in one of the cathedral’s empty chambers for many days, pondering in her own thoughts, meditating, and becoming blind to time passing by, until, one morning, the winds changed and hatching season finally began. 

 

Mother dragons started flying over the island, looking for a safe place to stay so that they could lay their eggs. Some dragons decided to land on Zatal’s island, and asked for her permission if they could stay. 

 

Zatal nodded, never turning an expectant mother away from her care, and watched as the mother dragons started to fill up the church, getting excited and ready for the moment their children would come, anxious to see that first expression of joy as a young dragonet finally burst from out of their egg, eager to experience the thrilling gift of life.

 

Swallowing her silent, boiling, envy in order to shield her loving heart from darker thoughts, Zatal carefully monitored herself around the expecting mothers, determined to behave and stay in a good mood, despite the personal struggles she herself had. Days passed as she continued to watch over them, and then suddenly, one evening, an idea slowly formed in Zatal’s mind. Maybe she would be happier if she was busy helping the mothers out, instead of roiling over in her own grief.

 

The mother dragons were pleased when Zatal offered to help, and warmed up to her, trusting their wellbeing and children to Zatal’s care. The children that hatched loved Zatal as much as they did their own mothers, and she smiled happily, loving them equally as well. The mother dragons grinned, pleased to see their young dragonets feel so happy and warm. Zatal truly was, in their minds, the best caregiver in the land. 

 

In respect of her kindness, the cathedral’s numbers grew, and more eggs passed through the door, turning the old church into a hatchery, a safe haven where all mothers could come and raise their young. Truly heaven had come to smile down upon Farlow Island, and the cathedral was renamed the Golden Gate, rumors spreading through the grapevine, shining out proud its glory to the world.

 

 Over time, some eggs came to the hatchery that were confirmed to either abandoned or lost by other dragons, and it hurt Zatal’s heart to see and know that a dragonet was about to be born into this world all alone, without a father or a mother to care.

 

  An orphanage was added on to the hatchery, where these little, lost dragons could be raised in peace. They grew up to love Zatal, respecting her just like a teacher, and learned what skills they needed to survive before being adopted out by others of their kind, ready to experience the world in a whole new light.

 

There were times when Zatal wished she could adopt one of the orphans under her care, but she couldn’t let her selfish wish for a child taint her gentle heart. Deep down, she felt a little unworthy, despite the numerous arguments that could be made. Nevertheless, the important thing was that these dragonets deserved a chance to live in good homes with loving families. It was the greatest gift she could ever give to them. Families that would love them and care for them, be there with them for all of time.

 

Finally, after a while, the hatching season came to a close, and Zatal was left alone again at the cathedral. No more eggs crowded the hatchery, and no more orphans needed new homes. The hole that Zatal had in her heart had mended, but in the emptiness of the echoing chamber, it once again began to crack.

 

Sighing in discontentment, Zatal walked out towards the beach, looking out into the fading sunset as she strolled around gently, talons sinking deep into the swirling sands. A cool breeze brushed past her purple-gold-blue scales, and she shivered slightly, feeling a little chilly at the wind’s icy touch.

 

Oftentimes, after a busy day of caring for the mothers, Zatal found out that she would always go out and walk on this particular shore. It had become a routine at this point. Every time she did however, her tranquil thoughts would find a way to drift back to her condition, reminding her of the dream she would never have. She could still never have a child. Never give birth. Though her heart had now accepted it, she still wished it could happen, hoping some miracle could make it be so.

 

"But there is nothing to be done" Zatal sighed as she thought, looking down, depression gleaming deep in her amber gaze. "If only I could…A child I could raise for myself, and not feel guilty about giving it away to another. A child for whom I could keep and care for on my own."

 

Drifting waves banged up against the shore, as the solemn dragon continued to walk silently along the beach, whispering the song of the thundering ocean as it beat around delicately humming a haunting tune to nature’s ears. 

 

The sun was almost gone now. Night was falling. Soon the moon would rise, and it would be time to return to the cathedral for some rest. 

 

Relaxing her muscles, Zatal stopped, gazing at the sun one last time, before breathing and then turning around, ready to make her way back home. Before she could even start however, for just a moment, something strange caught the female dragon's eyes.

 

There appeared to be a spark of some sort of glow suddenly coming up from the sand. A mysterious glow. A golden glow. Instantly rest became the last thing on Zatal’s mind.

 

Curious, Zatal ran over to where the glow was shining, and began to carefully lean in and dig through the sand, scraping investigately with her claws, eager to discover just what on earth was there.

 

Upon immediately unearthing it, the purple-gold-blue dragon gasped, jumping backward slightly with surprise. What she had just uncovered was an egg, golden and bright, beautifully layered with an unforgettable scaly design. From the size of it, it looked like the egg had been laying here for a while, and was only a few weeks away from hatching, vibrating slightly in the sand.

 

Zatal was shocked. Never before had she found an orphaned egg upon her island. Most of the orphan eggs at the hatchery had come from the other kingdoms, having lost their parents due to conflict, war, or human plague.

 

 How long had this golden egg lay hidden here? Where did it come from? Did she really never notice once after walking here for all this time?

 

Zatal looked up to the sky as if its vast expanse held the answer, and then looked back down at the egg, her eyes taking on a gentle, amber glow.

 

"This must be an answer to my prayer," Zatal thought, carefully picking the fragile egg, holding it delicately within her claws. 

 

The universe hadn’t meant for her to discover this treasure until just the right moment. Now was the time. She would finally be granted her wish.

 

“Thank you Oh Great One” Zatal whispered joyfully, eyes leaking with tears of happiness as she turned her head upward gazing to the now dark, twinkling, star-filled sky. “I shall always be thankful."

 

With that thought, Zatal hugged the egg to her chest and traveled back up towards the Golden Gate Hatchery, heart filled with love and joy as the life of a new heartbeat, beat melodiously in her hands.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Time passed as the days wore on, but to Zatal the light was endless. The lone, female dragon kept finding herself being cradled around the golden egg. Cherishing it with warmth and wooing it with love.

 

For three weeks it was this way, never leaving its side, until finally, the golden egg began to wiggle, starting to hatch. 

 

A happier grin couldn't be found on any other dragon's face as Zatal watched the first claw break through the shell's hard surface. Soon it was followed by another claw, and then the head as the baby slowly crawled out on to the floor.

 

Glistening wet from the slime of its egg, the young, golden dragon stumbled to stand, curious of the world, and of being alive as his blue eyes gazed around rapidly, landing on Zatal.

 

Zatal smiled down at the young dragonet, admiring the spark of innocence in his eyes. A trait all hatchlings seemed to share, and according to the mothers, there was nothing better to their sight.

 

Knowing immediately that the young one would require milk, Zatal quickly got up to head to her kitchen and pulled out a bowl of milk for the young dragon to drink.

 

Not able to produce milk of her own, Zatal had to rely on Z-Nar and his cattlefish for most of the milk that supplied the Golden Gate Hatchery’s stores. The book keeper dragon was the only one in the seven kingdoms who raised animals like that on his land. He was odd soul, but a kind one. A historian who kept meticulous records concerning all dragonkind.

 

Setting down the bowl in front of the young, gold dragonet, Zatal watched as the youngling sniffed it first, and then slowly began to lap at the liquid, bringing it up with his tongue. 

 

Most of the birth slime was now gone from the young dragon, making his golden scales shine even more brightly in the light of the sun. 

 

Zatal lifted up her head and looked outwards, towards the sun rising, before turning her face back down to look at her charge.

 

The inspiration for a name was instant.

 

"SunFire,"

 

That is what she would call her son.