Kapitel 82: When A Dragon Just Wants To Sleep 3
(Calduin POV)
You ever wake up feeling like you've made a terrible life choice? Yeah, that's me right now. As I stand in this grim clearing, staring up at the massive blue-scaled dragoness who's taken it upon herself to train me, I can't help but think: **I should have stayed in that egg.**
Tiamat watches me with an intensity that's half intimidating, half motherly… or maybe I'm just projecting. Dragons probably don't do "motherly." More like "tough love." At least, that's what I tell myself when she narrows her eyes and says, "Again, Calduin."
Ugh. Here we go.
I take a deep breath, focusing on the supernova of power that's apparently been crammed into my soul. Seriously, who thought it was a good idea to give a baby dragon this much raw energy? It's like handing a toddler a flamethrower and telling them to "be careful." Spoiler alert: I am not careful.
My chest tightens as I gather that insane amount of energy, my tiny dragon lungs working overtime. The last time I did this, I nearly blew myself into next Tuesday. This time, I'm hoping for a more controlled outcome—like, not getting launched into the stratosphere.
With a grunt, I exhale and—**FWOOSH!**
A stream of multicolored flames erupts from my mouth, lighting up the clearing like it's the Fourth of July. The flames flicker between reds, blues, and even some colors I can't quite name, almost like a rave in a volcano. Unfortunately, I don't get much time to admire my handiwork, as I'm once again blasted backward by the sheer force of my own attack. At least this time I manage to stay on my feet. Small victories, right?
Tiamat raises an eyebrow (do dragons have eyebrows?) and gives me that look—the one that says, "I'm impressed, but I'm not going to tell you that because I don't want you getting a big head."
"You're improving," she says, her voice as cool as ice, "but control is still an issue. You must learn to channel your power efficiently, without wasting energy."
"Yeah, yeah, easier said than done," I mutter, brushing off some dirt from my scales. "You try holding in a supernova and not accidentally vaporizing yourself."
She smirks—**smirks!** "Oh, I'm well aware of the challenges. I've been doing this for a few millennia, after all."
Great. I'm getting schooled by a prehistoric fire hazard with a superiority complex. But I bite my tongue and nod, eager to avoid getting roasted—literally and figuratively. I can't help but wonder, though: Is she really trying to help me, or is she just keeping me around for her own amusement?
"Let's move on to the next lesson," Tiamat announces, turning away from the scorched clearing. "Follow me."
I trot after her, trying not to trip over my own claws. It's hard to look majestic when your legs are still a bit wobbly, but I do my best. As we walk deeper into the forest, the dead trees become sparser, replaced by rocky outcrops and patches of eerie, glowing moss. The air feels thicker here, almost like it's charged with some kind of ancient magic. I try not to let it creep me out.
We arrive at the mouth of a cave—another one, not the cozy cave I first woke up in. This one's different, though. It's darker, colder, and there's a faint hum in the air, like the place is alive with some kind of mystical energy. Tiamat stops at the entrance and gestures inside with a wing.
"This is the Cave of Echoes," she says, her tone more serious now. "Here, you'll learn to listen to the world, to the magic around you, and to your own instincts."
"Listen?" I echo, peering into the inky darkness. "You mean, like meditation?" I thought all that dragons did was sleep, fight, and kidnap princesses?
She snorts. "If by 'meditation,' you mean trying not to go insane from the voices you'll hear, then yes. Meditation."
Oh, fantastic. Nothing like a bit of mental trauma to start the day. But I nod, pretending to be more confident than I feel. "Okay, so… what do I do?"
"Enter the cave," Tiamat instructs. "Find the center. Sit there and focus on the sounds around you. It may take time, but you'll start to hear things.. things that will teach you how to control your power."
"Like… a tutorial level?" I ask, half-joking.
Tiamat's eyes narrow. " I don't know what a tutorial level is, but in my experience it's more like a survival journey. The Cave of Echoes doesn't give second chances."
Well, that's reassuring. I take a deep breath and step inside, the cold air wrapping around me like a damp blanket. The darkness is nearly absolute, but my dragon eyes adjust quickly, picking out the faint outlines of jagged rocks and twisted stalactites. The humming grows louder, almost like a distant choir, and I can feel the vibrations in my bones. It's unnerving, but I press on, determined not to show any fear. **Dragons don't fear caves, right?**
After what feels like an eternity, I reach the center—a wide, circular chamber with a pool of shimmering water in the middle. The hum is almost deafening now, echoing off the walls in a way that makes it hard to tell where the sound is coming from. I sit down on my haunches and close my eyes, trying to focus.
At first, all I hear is the hum, pulsing like a heartbeat. But as I sit there, breathing deeply and trying to clear my mind, other sounds begin to filter in—soft whispers, the rustling of something unseen, and… a voice?
It's faint, almost like it's coming from inside my head. "Who… are… you…?"
My eyes snap open, but there's no one there. Just the cave and its eerie silence. **Great. I'm already hearing things.**
But then, the voice comes again, more insistent this time. "Who… are… you…?"
"I'm… Calduin," I whisper, unsure if I'm supposed to answer.
The voice chuckles, a low, rumbling sound that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up—if I had hairs. "Calduin… the young one with the flames of many colors. You're not like the others…"
"Others?" I ask, feeling a shiver run down my spine. "What others?"
The voice doesn't answer directly. Instead, it shifts, becoming a chorus of overlapping whispers, each one speaking in a different tone, a different language. It's overwhelming, like a thousand thoughts and dreams crashing into my mind all at once. I try to focus on just one, but they're all jumbled together, impossible to separate.
"Listen…" the original voice says, cutting through the noise. "Listen… and learn."
I close my eyes again, trying to do as the voice says. Slowly, I start to pick out individual words, phrases, bits of knowledge that float to the surface like bubbles in water.
"Fire… is life… and death…"
"Power… is nothing without control…"
"Fear… can be an ally… or an enemy…"
The whispers swirl around me, each one teaching me something new, something vital. It's like they're downloading information directly into my brain, and I can feel myself growing stronger, more confident with each passing moment. But it's also exhausting, like running a marathon while trying to solve a math problem.
Finally, the voice speaks again, clear and direct. "Control your flames, young one. Let them flow, not erupt. Power must be guided, not unleashed."
I nod, even though the voice probably can't see me. "Got it. Flow, not erupt. Power… guided."
The voice fades, the whispers dying down until there's nothing but the hum again. I open my eyes and let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. The cave is still dark, still eerie, but it feels… different now. Less threatening, more familiar. Like it's accepted me, in a way.
I stand up, feeling more balanced, more in tune with myself. Maybe this "listening" thing wasn't so bad after all. I make my way back to the entrance, where Tiamat is waiting, her expression unreadable.
"Well?" she asks, tilting her head slightly.
"I heard… things," I say, trying to find the right words. "Voices. They told me to control my power, to guide it instead of just letting it loose."
She nods, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Good. You're starting to understand what it means to be a dragon, Calduin. Power without control is meaningless. But with control… you can achieve anything."
I puff out my chest a little, feeling a surge of pride. "Does that mean I'm ready for the next lesson?"
"Not quite," she says, her smile turning into a smirk. "First, let's see if you can put what you've learned into practice. Try your fire breath again, this time, focus on control."
I take a deep breath, feeling that familiar warmth building in my chest. But this time, I don't let it overwhelm me. I guide it, shaping the energy with my mind, letting it flow through me like a river instead of a raging flood.
When I release the breath, a steady stream of fire pours from my mouth, bright, powerful, but controlled. It doesn't blast me backward this time. Instead, it flows out smoothly, lighting up the clearing with a soft, multicolored glow.
Tiamat watches, her eyes gleaming with approval. "Much better," she says. "You're learning fast, Calduin."
I grin, feeling a rush of excitement. For the first time, I really feel like a dragon, not just a baby dragon, but a dragon with potential. Maybe this whole "training with a legendary dragoness" thing won't be so bad after all.
But then, Tiamat's smile turns mischievous, and she says, "Now, let's see how you handle a moving target."
Wait, what?
Before I can react, she flaps her wings, sending a gust of wind that knocks me off my feet. I scramble to get up, but she's already taking off into the sky, circling above me like a hawk eyeing its prey.
"Catch me if you can, little dragon!" she calls down, her voice full of challenge.
I stare up at her, my jaw hanging open. She wants me to chase her? In the air?
Well, this is going to be interesting. With a determined huff, I spread my wings, still small, but strong and leap into the air, flapping as hard as I can. My first flight lesson wasn't exactly planned, but hey, I'm a dragon. How hard can it be?
Answer: Very hard.
But as I wobble and zigzag through the air, trying to catch up with Tiamat, I can't help but laugh, because for the first time in this crazy, confusing, dragon-filled world, I feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.
But a small part of me just really wants to take a nap.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein