Chapter 1

"Mommy!" A little girl around the age of five cried as she hugged the leg of a woman with long black hair who was faced away from her and preparing to go out an open door from a home. "Please don't go mommy! I promise to be good from now on!" The woman stilled at the little girls words but never turned to face her. The little girl was sobbing hysterically trying her best to keep her mother from leaving. "Please mommy, don't leave me alone! Please mommy…"

The woman never turned to face her daughter. "You killed him…" she said in a hallow voice. She swung her leg harshly making the little girl cry out as she was flung backwards into a wall making a book from the bookshelf above her fall to the ground. "You are no daughter of mine." The woman then left the house and shut the door with a loud bang.

The little girl continued to cry and sob knowing that her mommy was never coming back. She didn't understand why her mommy hated her so much after her daddy never returned when he left a few weeks ago to search for a specific birthday present for her. Her family did not live in a village and instead stayed on various islands as a type of nomad building a home each time they landed that would house them. The island they currently were on was uninhabited and she had no one else.

She looked at the door for hours just crying and hoping that her mommy would come back and hug her but as the light of the outside faded into night, she knew that her mommy was not going to enter through that door again. Slowly, she got up and stumbled to the fireplace to try and get it lit. She didn't have much experience with lighting a fire but her daddy was starting to teach her shortly before he left and so she grabbed the two stones that were by the fireplace and smacked them together by the wood that was in the hearth, the sparks shooting off with each smack. The little girl sat there for an hour before she finally was able to get the logs lit and as the flames rose, the little girls features came into light

The little girl had onyx colored hair that fell around her in waves, fair skin, pink lips, and bright crystal blue eyes and she wore a thin tan colored shirt, a fur cape, brown pants, and a golden armband on her wrist but she wore no shoes. The little girl looked around and spotted the book upon the ground so she got up and walked over to it before picking it up. She immediately recognized the book as one her daddy read to her at least twice a week for as long as she could remember and so she took it over by the fire, sat down on top a pile of furs, and opened it up gazing at the drawings of the dragons on each page and remembering what her daddy read to her about each dragon.

The Book of Dragons is what it was called and while it told of all the dragons being deadly and dangerous, the little girl couldn't help but think of them differently as she had witnessed the one of the smallest dragons ignore her when she was playing outside before. They definitely noticed her but willingly let her be instead of chasing after her and causing her harm though one of the dragons always came back to see her every week as she played outside.

She flipped through the book page by page before getting to the last page that had writing but no drawing of the dragon and while she couldn't read, her daddy made sure that she knew this page was about the infamous Nightfury. It was the one dragon that confused her most with the description of just being extremely dangerous, its plasma fire, and the telltale screech it gave off before an attack. "Nightfury." The little girl whispered as she felt her eyes get heavy before falling into a dreamless sleep.

….

The next morning, the little girl woke up around noon hoping her mommy would have come back but as she got up, she immediately knew that wasn't the case. She looked over into some crates that were by the front door only to see that there was no food in them which made her stomach grumble from hunger. She couldn't stay inside forever and needed to eat so she walked over to a little cubby and pulled out a little pair of black fur boots and a black fur vest.

Her daddy killed a black bear when he discovered it had been deathly sick and brought back the furs for her mommy to make the boots and vest for when winter hit. She took off her fur cape and put on her vest before putting on her boots before walking over to the front door only to realize that she still wasn't tall enough to reach the handle. She sighed before going to the crates and climbing up on one to reach the handle and pull it open. She then hopped down and took a deep breath before going outside.

At first the sun blinded her before clouds covered it up and she was able to see around her before she shook her head and wondered where to go to find something to eat. Left was where she and her mommy often went to find berries but sadly the season she knew she was in prevented that as the berries would not be growing. Right was a fishing hole that her daddy found but she had no idea how to catch a fish properly without her daddy there to help her. That only left the straight path to find some food as sometimes she found some edible plants and sometimes traps her daddy set for smaller animals would be caught. She sighed and looked at the sky in worry as it seemed to darken more but she started walking hoping that it would just be a cloudy day.

The little girl walked deeper and deeper into the forest just looking around for the plants, traps, and just taking in the beauty that the forest granted with its flowers and trees surrounded by sounds of the wildlife. As she walked, the sky grew ever darker and soon the little girl realized that she was completely lost and couldn't see where she was as the clouds made it impossible for her to see anything much anymore. She had collected some nuts, edible grass, and a few wild onions that were all in the vest pockets so she could carry them easier. The little girl tried to find her way back several times over what seemed like forever but as she walked more and more, thunder started to rumble overhead, silently promising rain that would soon fall as she tried to find her home.

BOOM!

The thunder suddenly cracked throughout the air and rain started to pour down making the little girl shiver with the cold as it drenched her entire form. Her sky blue eyes darted around frantically as more thunder rolled overhead but she couldn't see anything. She looked to her left and to her right, becoming desperate as the wind picked up and when lightning appeared with another huge clap of thunder, the little girl screamed in fear and started to run. She ran and ran as she was pelted by rain, surrounded by the flashing lightning and roaring thunder making her more and more terrified as she ran. Suddenly, she spotted a cave and ran towards it, tumbling onto the floor of the cave and closing her eyes as she landed on the floor of the cave. As the storm continued, the little girl whimpered and cried, crawling backwards away from the entrance trying to get away from the sounds and flashes before unconsciousness took over and she fell into a restless slumber.

/

The little girl woke up slowly but then quickly sat up once she realized she was still in the cave before looking to the entrance of the cave only to be disappointed when she saw that it was still dark, pouring rain, and that tree's had fallen over and blocked most of the entrance but thankfully the storm itself stopped. She really didn't want to go out again and try to find her way home again in the rain especially when it was still so dark so she started to look around the cave itself and as her eyes wandered, they soon adjusted to the darkness and locked onto what seemed to be a tunnel that led deeper into the cave making curiosity grab hold of her mind.

She got up and slowly started to walk down the tunnel, nibbling on the little bit of nuts and edible grass as she walked, every so often feeling the sides of the tunnel to make sure she wasn't going to run into the wall. It was dark at first, but then a faint blue light started to show itself further into the tunnel making the little girl walk quicker with the hope of a person being where the light was. She got closer and closer, feeling warmth spread through her being as the telltale smell told her that it was a fire that truly was ahead of her and as she turned the corner she completely froze at what laid before her.

The tunnel led to a magnificent cave and not only was it big, it was beautiful with gems and gold that were piled up and glittering all around the walls, handcrafted furniture well placed around the cave itself, a bucket full of fresh caught fish by the tunnel entrance, and in the middle of the cave was a magnificent fire that was a beautiful sapphire blue. The little girl slowly walked forward and sat down by the fire, taking off her boots and vest, laying them down next to her so they could dry off. She hadn't realized how cold she was until she was in front of the fire and giggled as she slowly warmed up. Once she felt warm enough, she stood and walked around the cave, carefully looking at the gold and especially the jewels, never touching any as she was too enthralled in the beauty that the jewels held to even try to disturb them, but then her eyes then spotted one jewel in particular. It was a beautiful sky blue jewel that reflected the fire behind her in a mesmerizing way and seemed to call to her soul as it gleamed making her remember of what her daddy told her when he showed her a similar jewel in a book telling her that her eyes were a perfect match in color and that she should be proud that she had such unique eyes.

As the little girl gazed at the jewel, she was so lost in her thoughts that she never noticed the huge black shadow that had entered and stopped over to sniff her vest and boots before going back to the entrance, just barely in the shadows and sitting down, observing the little girl with emerald green eyes. After a few minutes, the figure huffed loudly, making the little girl whip around and stared at where the sound came from, immediately knowing that it was a dragon just by the silhouette that was in the tunnel entryway.

"Hello little one." The deep and wise rumble of a voice said signifying that it was a male.

The little girl trembled in fear but said, "H-hello."

There was a low chuckle making the little girl relax a bit from the sound. "No need to fear me little one.I do enjoy company every now and again."

The little girl relaxed a bit more. "I-I'm sorry to disturb you mister…"

"No need for apologies little one." The silhouette stood up on all fours and walked slowly back into the cave light as to not startle the little girl as he revealed his form to be a dragon making her eyes widen at the sleek black medium sized dragon that reminded her of a bat crossed with a lizard in looks as his eyes reflected kindness. "I've not had company for quite some time and being as old as I am, it gets a bit lonely after a while." The dragon walked over to the fire and laid down. "Come and sit. I can tell that you are beginning to become cold." He gestured to her slightly shivering form and patted the spot across from him near her discarded boots and vest with his tail.

The little girl slowly walked over to the fire and once sitting down, she instantly felt warmth encompassing her and making her sigh in happiness. "Thank you mister." She whispered with a glance to the dragon.

"It is no problem little one." The dragon said gently. "May I ask your name?" The little girl looked down and shook her head, losing the little happiness she felt. "Oh? Why not?"

"My mommy and daddy were supposed to name me last week…" she said quietly. "When I turned 5."

The dragon tilted his head in curiosity. "Ah,now that is an old tradition. Nowadays parents name the child when they are born." He observed her closely. "They did not find a name for you yet?"

"No…" the little girl looked up with tears in her eyes. "I was not given one."

The dragons eyes narrowed. "Why ever not?"

"When daddy disappeared, mommy did not want me anymore and left. Daddy called me his bluebird before though I don't think that's a name…" the little girl whispered as the tears fell down her cheeks.

The dragon chuckled. "Indeed it is not little one but it is a term of endearment that your daddy came up with to tell you how much he loved you." He then hummed as a thought came to him. "Would you like a name?"

The little girl looked at him with wide eyes, her cheeks flushed with a redness that told the dragon how upset she truly was. "A name of my very own?" She asked in disbelief.

"Of course little one." He said gently his eyes softening as he watched her tears slow down as she looked at him in wonderment. "Everyone needs a name. Even you little one."

The little girl looked into the fire for a few minutes before looking back at the dragon. "Yes please mister."

The dragon chuckled kindly before closing his eyes in thought. "How about…Azora?" He asked opening his eyes and looking at the little girl.

The little girl wiped her tears away. "Azora?" She asked tilting her head a bit.

"Yes." He said nodding. "It means a blue and clear sky. Your eyes remind me of that."

The little girl, now officially named Azora, smiled widely and nodded. "I love it mister!" She exclaimed. "Do you have a name too?"

The dragon nodded. "My name is Maaran. It means mighty and powerful knight." He looked at her gently. "Now Azora, what did you mean when you said your mother left?"

Azora lost her smile and the happiness once more left her eyes. "I don't know why mommy left. Crying didn't even stop her and she always hugged me when I cried." Tears started to well up in her eyes again. "Mommy said it was my fault all week before telling me that I was no longer her daughter when she left the house." She then curled up and hid her face in her knees.

Maaran immediately got up, walked over to Azora, and gave her a comforting nuzzle the best he could. "I'm so sorry to hear that little one but she was a fool to lose a precious child like you." He said gently. "I promise, if you would allow me, I will be here for you and care for you like you are my own."

Azora lurched forward, startling Maaran a bit, and cried harder as she hugged his leg tightly. "I would like that Maaran…" she sobbed.

Maaran nuzzled her once more and they stayed in that position for a little bit before Azora fell asleep making Maaran slowly lower himself to the floor as he tried to get comfortable and not wake Azora. As he finally managed a comfortable position, he pondered over her situation and knew that without anyone to help her, she wouldn't survive on her own long. This island was desolate of all but a few human travelers but even if there was a village, they wouldn't accept her easily and some villages would downright kill her just in case she was from an enemy tribe. The humans were notorious for being ruthless even towards their own kind and the dragons on this island would think she encroaching in their territory and attack her relentlessly if she stumbled into them accidentally. 'There are very few solutions to her situation." He thought sadly. 'I just hope her choice for the solutions won't upset her.' He then decided to get some rest.

/

Morning came with Azora and Maaran eating some of the fish he had caught. Azora's was of course heated to a safe temperature after descaling and deboning it for an easier chew time for her. She ate it slowly, taking little bites to savor the taste and to not overstuff herself. Maaran was beside her pondering over the situation Azora was in, still trying to figure out other positive solutions that one limited ones he already had but no matter how hard he thought it over, more negative outcomes seemed to back him into a corner and back to the limited ones he already had.

Maaran was dragged out of his thoughts by a warm hand on his front paw and turned to look into worried blue eyes of Azora. "Yes little one?" He asked.

"You seem sad." She said.

Maaran's eyes softened at her worry for him and he smiled gently. "It is nothing to worry your little head about." He comforted.

Azora looked at him for a few more seconds before nodding with a little smile. "Can I ask a question Maaran?" she asked.

"You just did but yes you can." Maaran said with a chuckle.

"How can you talk?"

Maaran chuckled harder at her curiosity. "My kind can survive for years little one," he said. "Some species, when they are chosen to live long, are able to gain the gift to learn the human tongue and my species is just one of few that can." Azora had a look of pure amazement on her face.

"You must be very smart to get that." She said.

"The Aglovale Helmar are smart but sadly we are not numerous."

"Aglo…huh?" Azora tilted her head in confusion.

"In human tongue it means Nightfury." Maaran watched as her eyes widened in amazement and wonderment.

"You're a nightfury?!" She cried out in giddiness.

"You seem excited to hear that little one." He chuckled.

"My daddy read a book describing dragons a bunch but the book said that nobody has survived a Nightfury."

"Ah I see." Maaran sat up tall. "Would you like a lesson about nightfuries?"

"Oh yes please!" Azora said as she threw her finished fish into the fire before giving all her attention to Maaran.

"A long time ago, back before humans came into the world, the Aglovale Helmar were a numerous and prosperous species of dragon. They thrived in packs but also loved solitude and over time, they started to gain something that humans now call soulmates. The Aglovale Helmar were, at first, overjoyed at this discovery but soon it was later discovered that this gift had a price because as the humans became more and more numerous, the Aglovale Helmar had fewer and fewer packs and it became more rare to see another one. Soon our species had to adapt and thrive in a different way by doing a special type of magic and even though it worked, the one who had the magic chosen to be cast on had a hard choice and it was this choice that became the deciding factor."

"Choice?"

Maaran took in a deep breath knowing that this tale would make the little one ponder her own destiny but continued with a deep and relaxing breath. "One day, our ancestors discovered a way to change a living being into another Aglovale Helmar but the living being was given the choice though they would suffer if they could not accept it. The first one to accept this choice was actually my father though with his choice, he found out a huge consequence in accepting."

"A con…con…" Azora tried to pronounce the long word questioningly.

"A bad outcome." Maaran clarified.

"Oh."

"This consequence was that you were to live until you found your soulmate. No other can take their place and it can take hundreds of years to find one's true soulmate. My father found his when he had to travel to distant lands only finding his own eternal peace when humans invaded and attacked his home."

"Were you born a dragon?"

"Unfortunately no. My father found me when I was just a boy. I was gravely injured during a war and was given the choice to which I had accepted knowing that I had little time to decide anything else if I wanted to live. I don't remember my human days much but it has been many years since I had been one." Maaran sighed deeply. "I still have yet to find my own soul mate though I've had many temporary ones and while all were amazing, none were my match."

Azora looked down sadly."That must be so sad though." Her head then popped back up. "But the wait will be worth it when you find them right?!" Maaran let out a full blown laugh. "Yes, yes it will." Maaran got back on topic. "When one doesn't take the choice though, they are cursed with a life of bad luck and disaster never able to be believed or have a happy life because they turned down an amazing gift but I only heard that through others and have not witnessed it myself so I am unsure if that it true. My species can die before finding their soulmate but that it very rare as if one dies, the other usually follows only to be reborn once more to continue our search for the other. It's rare that we die and are not reborn like my father."

"So how old are you?"

"Almost twelve hundred years old."

"But you said you were lonely, why not leave and search for your soulmate as much as you can?"

"I am lonely at times but searching constantly will only draw attention to myself and potentially get me killed."

Azora suddenly looked at Maaran seriously and he almost fell over at her next statement. "I wanna be one."

"Azora…" he said blinking in shock and completely stunned at what she said. "I couldn't do that to you when you are so young…"

Azora just looked into his eyes and smiled in a sad but encouraging way. "I want to keep you company and happy Maaran." She said. "I also don't want to be alone anymore."

Maaran's eyes closed and he sighed. "You are one special child little one." He chuckled.

"Nope!" Azora giggled. "I just want to be kind!"

Maaran smiled and shook his head gently. He was going to give her the choice but he was hoping that it would be much later into her life and not just a day after he had met her. That way he could teach her other things to fit in with her kind and see how she would fair in the human life before the option of the choice could come up. "Very well." He said in reservation before Azora startled him by hugging him tightly and he purred gently, staying in that position before Azora went back to her original pose. "Now Azora, this choice will change everything you have now and there is no going back in this no matter what. Do you understand?" He said seriously making sure she understood the gravity of this choice knowing once he offered this, the life she will have will be hard.

"Yes." Azora said nodding.

"This choice will make you into one of us permanently. The transformation from human to Aglovale Helmar will a be painful, slow process and once it is done, you will no longer be a young human of the age of 5 but a newborn dragonling hatching out of an egg." Maaran lowered his head looking into her eyes with his. "This will be tough, it will be painful, and I will have to teach you our ways for years before you can go into the world once more Azora. Do you still want this choice?" His voice carried a weight that seemed to make the air crackle with electricity.

"Yes." Azora said once more.

Maaran stood and indicated for Azora to do the same. "Go by the fire and try to stand absolutely still. I need to use a special fire to turn you and I rather keep it near the actual fire as to not destroy my belongings." He said with amusement making Azora giggle as she did as she was told.

"What about my clothes?" She asked.

"The fire I will breathe will destroy them so there is no need to worry about them getting in the way of the change." Azora nodded and Maaran closed his eyes feeling for that touch of magic that resided in his soul before opening them back up again. "Alright. Are you ready?" Azora smiled in confirmation and Maaran gently started to blow air at her that started out as a wind before turning into a flame that grew brighter and turning into a dark blue mixed with a bright purple and once the colors happened, Maaran knew to stop blowing and just observe the change happen in the flame ball that held Azora.

Azora closed her eyes as she felt the wind travel over her body making her warm and feel she had peace surrounding her at all once but then the pain started making her start to whimper loudly at the feeling. Painful itching started all over her skin as it started to peel off in chunks, scales growing in the places it was peeling off, her muscles groaning as they were shifting and moving in her body, her clothes were burned off revealing Azora's whole body as it peeled and contorted with pain, her bones then crunched and snapped as they reset themselves into a new formation in her body making Azora scream and cry, her hair fell out and burned to ashes around her as her head elongated and became the angled shape of a dragon, her ears gravitated to the top of her head growing taller and slender as two tiny frills grew in between the ears and two more appeared on the side of her head next to each ear, her eyes became larger and her nose and mouth changed to suit her new form, her arms and legs turned into the slender yet strong appendages of a dragon as her nails on each appendage fell out and sharp claws replaced them, her tail with fins and her wings then grew out making Azora scream even louder at the body parts appearing out from underneath her skin, her voice box then changed to that of one of a dragon making the cries and screams seem unearthly, a jelly like substance then covered her new form and it started shrinking until it was as big as a mug and then the jelly hardened while turning into a deep back with a purple sheen.

Maaran had winced and growled with each pain filled scream Azora had let loose and tried his best to comfort her by yelling out encouraging things to her though they were probably not heard by her as the pain took a hold of her mind. Two hours passed before the flames dissipated revealing a black and purple egg that was moving gently as Azora started to break free of the shell. Maaran went over to the egg as the new baby Aglovale Helmar appeared completely from the shell making him start to lick her gently from the fluids all while giving her the comfort she needed after that ordeal. Azora only mewed a tiny bit before falling into a deep slumber to which Maaran cuddled close to her to keep her new body warm and close to his heart to let her feel loved.

Azora had woken up for a little bit after a few hours and Maaran was astonished that her eyes were still a beautiful sky blue which was almost unheard of in a dragon. "Hello again little one." He said gently as she looked, or tried to look at her own body before giving up as tiredness overcame her. "I understand your impatience to see yourself," Maaran chuckled grabbing her by the scruff of her neck and gently lifting her. He walked over to a mirror that was next to a pile of gold and set her down in front of it making her eyes widen at the being she was now. Maaran licked her softly, making her growl a little at the feel. "Azora," he said looking at her through the reflection. "This is you now. I will teach you everything that I know though you will not be able to talk in dragonese until six months and the human tongue will be unreachable for many years. It will be hard to not be able to speak to me for a while but I will tend to what you need for now until you can alright?" He asked giving her another little lick making her tumble over a tiny bit before she licked the tip of his snout back. They then moved back over to the fire and settled down for well earned rest.