Tao
Chapter 10: The Awakening of Dragons
The three eggs are finally reunited. But the Master of the Order arrives at the temple. It's time for the final confrontation...
Reading difficulty
Back at the temple, everyone celebrates the return of Tao and his friends. The three eggs are there! They place them in a special, well-protected room.
But two days later, something happens. A man arrives at the temple. He wears a black robe with gold symbols. He is the master of the Order.
"I've come to get the eggs," he said. "Give them to me or I'll destroy the temple."
"Never!" Tao shouts.
The man raises his hand. A dark power emanates from his hand. It's dark magic!
Master Shen fights against him. But the man is very powerful.
Tao runs towards the egg room. He must protect them!
When he arrives, the three eggs shine very brightly. They begin to move! They hatch!
Cracks appear on the shells. Then, one by one, three little dragons emerge.
The first is green with shining eyes. The second is blue with ice wings. The third is red with fire in its mouth.
They are magnificent! And they look at Tao as if he were their family.
"Hello," Tao murmured, tears in his eyes.
Suddenly, a great golden light filled the temple. It was Long! His chains broke. He was free!
The dragon appears above the temple, immense and golden. It roars with joy.
The Master of the Order is afraid. He flees.
Long looks at Tao. "Thank you, dragon child. You saved our race. The dragons are back."
The three little dragons fly around Tao, laughing.
Tao smiled. He had succeeded. The dragons had returned to the world.
But two days later, something happens. A man arrives at the temple. He wears a black robe with gold symbols. He is the master of the Order.
"I've come to get the eggs," he said. "Give them to me or I'll destroy the temple."
"Never!" Tao shouts.
The man raises his hand. A dark power emanates from his hand. It's dark magic!
Master Shen fights against him. But the man is very powerful.
Tao runs towards the egg room. He must protect them!
When he arrives, the three eggs shine very brightly. They begin to move! They hatch!
Cracks appear on the shells. Then, one by one, three little dragons emerge.
The first is green with shining eyes. The second is blue with ice wings. The third is red with fire in its mouth.
They are magnificent! And they look at Tao as if he were their family.
"Hello," Tao murmured, tears in his eyes.
Suddenly, a great golden light filled the temple. It was Long! His chains broke. He was free!
The dragon appears above the temple, immense and golden. It roars with joy.
The Master of the Order is afraid. He flees.
Long looks at Tao. "Thank you, dragon child. You saved our race. The dragons are back."
The three little dragons fly around Tao, laughing.
Tao smiled. He had succeeded. The dragons had returned to the world.
The return to the Cloud Temple is triumphant. All the children come out to welcome Tao, Linh, Kai, and Master Shen. When they see that the three eggs are reunited, they shout with joy.
The three eggs are placed in a special room in the heart of the temple. It is a round room with a glass dome that lets in sunlight and starlight.
"Now we wait," said Master Shen. "The eggs will hatch when the time is right. It may take days, weeks, or even months."
But they don't have to wait long. The second day after their return, Bo has an urgent dream. He wakes with a start and runs to find Master Shen.
"He's coming! The Master of the Order is coming! Today!"
And indeed, in the late afternoon, a dark figure appeared on the path to the temple. A tall man dressed in a long black robe adorned with gold symbols. He walked alone, but he exuded an aura of terrifying power.
"I am Master Kael of the Order of the Chain," he announced in a resonant voice. "I have come to retrieve the three dragon eggs. Give them to me peacefully, or I will take this temple stone by stone."
Master Shen stood before him. "You will not have the eggs. The dragons have the right to return."
"Dragons are a danger to the world," Kael replied coldly. He raised his hand, and dark magic swirled around his fingers. "I will not hesitate to use force."
A magical battle erupts. Kael casts spells of dark magic. Master Shen retaliates with his own magic—bright and pure. The two powers clash, creating explosions of light.
While the adults fight, Tao runs towards the egg room. He must protect them!
But when he enters the room, he sees something extraordinary. The three eggs are shining intensely. They move, tremble, and pulse with light.
"They're hatching!" Tao shouts.
Cracks appear on the shells. First on the green egg. Then the blue one. Then the red one.
The cracks widen. And then, with small cracking sounds, the shells break.
The first little dragon emerges. It is emerald green, the size of a large cat, with bright, intelligent eyes. It looks around curiously, then its eyes settle on Tao. It chirps happily.
The second dragon emerges from the blue egg. It is a magnificent icy blue, with translucent wings like crystal. It shakes its wings and small snowflakes fall around it.
The third dragon hatches from the red egg. It is red-orange like living flames. When it opens its mouth, a small flame comes out. It looks mischievous and full of energy.
The three little dragons look at Tao. Then, together, they approach him and rub against him like kittens. Tao laughs and cries at the same time.
"Hello, little dragons. I've been expecting you."
Suddenly, an incredibly bright golden light fills the temple. Everyone stops fighting and looks up at the sky.
There, floating above the temple, Long appears. The golden dragon is free! His chains are broken. He is immense, magnificent, radiating power and wisdom.
"The prophecy is fulfilled," said his voice, which resonated in everyone's minds. "When the three eggs hatch, my chains will break. The dragons will return to the world."
Master Kael stared in horror and fear. Faced with the ancient dragon, even he understood that he had lost. He recoiled, then fled without a word.
Long slowly descends and looks at Tao tenderly. "Thank you,Dragon child. You have accomplished what no one has been able to do for centuries. You have saved our race from extinction.
"I just did what was right," Tao said modestly.
The three little dragons fly clumsily around Tao, chirping and laughing. They have adopted him as their family.
Tao looks around. His friends are smiling. Master Shen is crying tears of joy. And above, Long shines like a second sun.
The dragons have returned. And the world will never be the same again.
The three eggs are placed in a special room in the heart of the temple. It is a round room with a glass dome that lets in sunlight and starlight.
"Now we wait," said Master Shen. "The eggs will hatch when the time is right. It may take days, weeks, or even months."
But they don't have to wait long. The second day after their return, Bo has an urgent dream. He wakes with a start and runs to find Master Shen.
"He's coming! The Master of the Order is coming! Today!"
And indeed, in the late afternoon, a dark figure appeared on the path to the temple. A tall man dressed in a long black robe adorned with gold symbols. He walked alone, but he exuded an aura of terrifying power.
"I am Master Kael of the Order of the Chain," he announced in a resonant voice. "I have come to retrieve the three dragon eggs. Give them to me peacefully, or I will take this temple stone by stone."
Master Shen stood before him. "You will not have the eggs. The dragons have the right to return."
"Dragons are a danger to the world," Kael replied coldly. He raised his hand, and dark magic swirled around his fingers. "I will not hesitate to use force."
A magical battle erupts. Kael casts spells of dark magic. Master Shen retaliates with his own magic—bright and pure. The two powers clash, creating explosions of light.
While the adults fight, Tao runs towards the egg room. He must protect them!
But when he enters the room, he sees something extraordinary. The three eggs are shining intensely. They move, tremble, and pulse with light.
"They're hatching!" Tao shouts.
Cracks appear on the shells. First on the green egg. Then the blue one. Then the red one.
The cracks widen. And then, with small cracking sounds, the shells break.
The first little dragon emerges. It is emerald green, the size of a large cat, with bright, intelligent eyes. It looks around curiously, then its eyes settle on Tao. It chirps happily.
The second dragon emerges from the blue egg. It is a magnificent icy blue, with translucent wings like crystal. It shakes its wings and small snowflakes fall around it.
The third dragon hatches from the red egg. It is red-orange like living flames. When it opens its mouth, a small flame comes out. It looks mischievous and full of energy.
The three little dragons look at Tao. Then, together, they approach him and rub against him like kittens. Tao laughs and cries at the same time.
"Hello, little dragons. I've been expecting you."
Suddenly, an incredibly bright golden light fills the temple. Everyone stops fighting and looks up at the sky.
There, floating above the temple, Long appears. The golden dragon is free! His chains are broken. He is immense, magnificent, radiating power and wisdom.
"The prophecy is fulfilled," said his voice, which resonated in everyone's minds. "When the three eggs hatch, my chains will break. The dragons will return to the world."
Master Kael stared in horror and fear. Faced with the ancient dragon, even he understood that he had lost. He recoiled, then fled without a word.
Long slowly descends and looks at Tao tenderly. "Thank you,Dragon child. You have accomplished what no one has been able to do for centuries. You have saved our race from extinction.
"I just did what was right," Tao said modestly.
The three little dragons fly clumsily around Tao, chirping and laughing. They have adopted him as their family.
Tao looks around. His friends are smiling. Master Shen is crying tears of joy. And above, Long shines like a second sun.
The dragons have returned. And the world will never be the same again.
The return to the Temple of Clouds after the volcano's victory is filled with both joy and exhaustion. Tao, Linh, Kai, and Master Shen arrive with the three carefully protected eggs. All the temple children rush to greet them, their cries of joy echoing through the courtyard.
"They did it! They really succeeded!" Ming shouts, jumping for joy.
Bo approaches Tao, his prophetic eyes shining with emotion. "I saw him in my dreams, but to see him in reality... it's even more extraordinary."
The three eggs are transported to a special room that Master Shen had prepared during their absence. This is the Chamber of Stars, a circular room at the top of the temple's tallest tower. Its ceiling is a crystalline glass dome that allows sunlight, moonlight, and starlight to enter directly.
"Now we wait," said Master Shen, his voice filled with anticipation and wonder. "The eggs will hatch when the time is right. It may take time—days, weeks, perhaps even months. We must be patient."
"What if the Order returns?" Linh asks anxiously.
"We will stop them," Master Shen replied resolutely. "All together. We have all the children of the temple, and now we know what they are capable of. This temple is protected."
That night, Tao slept near the Chamber of Stars, not wanting to leave the eggs. He dreamed of dragons flying in the sky, of Long freed from his chains, of a world where humans and dragons lived in harmony.
The next day, life at the temple returned to a semblance of normality. The children trained, studied, and meditated. But all kept a watchful eye on the Chamber of Stars, waiting and hoping.
The second day after their return, in the early afternoon, Bo woke abruptly from a nap. His eyes were wide open, his face pale. He ran to find Master Shen, who was meditating in the garden.
"Master! He's coming! The Master of the Order! I saw him in my vision. He's coming now. Today. In less than an hour!"
The temple immediately went on high alert. Master Shen gathered all the children. "Listen to me carefully. A powerful enemy is approaching. More powerful than any you have ever faced. Stay together. Protect the eggs at all costs. If necessary, flee with them. But never let them fall into the hands of the Order."
They do not have to wait long. As the sun begins its descent towards the horizon, tinting the sky red and gold, a dark figure appears on the mountain path leading to the temple.
He is a tall, imposing man, dressed in a long black robe adorned with intricate golden symbols that seem almost alive, twisting and shifting in the light. His face is hidden beneath a deep hood, but his eyes glow with an ominous red light. He walks alone, with no visible weapons, yet he exudes an aura of power so intense that the air around him seems to warp.
He stops in front of the temple's main gate. His voice, when he speaks, resonates like thunder, amplified by magic.
"I am Kael, Grand Master of the Order of the Chain, guardian of balance, protector of humanity against ancient dangers. I have come to retrieve the three dragon eggs you have recklessly gathered. Give them to me peacefully, and I will leave without violence. Refuse, and I will take this temple stone by stone until I find them."
Master Shen stepped out to face him, standing proudly in the doorway. "You won't get the eggs, Kael. I know you by reputation—yourCruelty, your fanaticism. The dragons have the right to return. The world needs them.
"The world needs security," Kael retorted, throwing back his hood to reveal a face etched with age and scars, yet burning with absolute conviction. "You don't remember the time of the dragons, Shen. But I do. I've lived long enough, sustained by dark magic, to remember. I saw villages burn. I saw children die. Dragons are too dangerous to be allowed to exist."
"You're talking about a few corrupted dragons, not all of them. Long has never hurt anyone!"
"Long is imprisoned for a reason. And he'll stay that way." Kael raises both hands, and dark magic begins to swirl around his fingers—dark tendrils of power that crackle and hiss. "Last chance. The eggs. Now."
"No."
"So you chose the difficult path."
Kael thrusts his hands forward, and a torrent of dark magic erupts toward Master Shen. But the old monk is ready. He summons his own magic—a pure white light that bursts from his bamboo staff—and hurls it to counter Kael's attack.
The two powers collide in the space between them, creating an explosion of light and shadow that shakes the ground. It is a clash of magical titans, a spectacle the children have never seen.
But it quickly becomes clear that Kael is more powerful. His dark magic gradually repels Master Shen's light, forcing him to retreat step by step.
"Children! Go to the Chamber of Stars! Protect the eggs!" shouts Master Shen, sweat beading on his forehead as he struggles to maintain his defense.
Tao and the other children run towards the tower. But Tao feels something strange. A warmth in his chest. An urgent call. The eggs... something is happening with the eggs.
When they arrive in the Chamber of Stars, they are speechless. The three eggs shine with incredible intensity. They are no longer still - they move, tremble, pulsate with light like hearts beating faster and faster.
"They're reacting to danger," Bo whispers. "They know they're threatened."
But that's not all. The eggs glow brighter and brighter, their light becoming almost blinding. Cracks begin to appear in the shells.
"No," Tao sighed. "Not yet. Not now. It's too dangerous!"
But the eggs don't listen to him. The time for hatching has arrived, regardless of the circumstances.
The green egg is the first. The cracks widen, running across the entire surface like a network of luminous green rivers. Then, with a soft but decisive crack, the shell breaks.
A small dragon emerges. It is magnificent—the size of a large cat, covered in emerald-green scales that gleam like precious stones. Its eyes are golden green, filled with an intelligence surprising for a newborn. It has small, still-crumpled, membranous wings that are beginning to unfold. It looks around with curiosity and wonder, discovering the world for the first time.
His eyes find Tao. He tilts his head to the side, like a curious bird. Then he chirps – a melodious and joyful sound – and walks clumsily towards Tao on his little feet.
Before Tao could react, the blue egg hatched. The little dragon that emerged was a deep, icy blue, with translucent wings that resembled ice crystals. When it shook its wings to spread them, tiny flakes ofSnow forms in the air around him and swirls gently towards the ground. He looks calmer, more serene than the green dragon, but just as magnificent.
Finally, the red egg hatches in a burst of warm light. The little red-orange dragon that emerges looks like a living flame. Its scales seem to shimmer and dance like fire. When it opens its little mouth to let out its first cry, a tiny flame bursts forth—not dangerous, more like a candle than a blaze, but it's already real dragon fire. It looks mischievous, energetic, full of life.
The three little dragons look at Tao. There is recognition in their eyes. A connection. They know who he is. They know that he saved them, protected them, brought them here.
Together, as if they had agreed, the three little dragons walk, flutter and stumble towards Tao. They press themselves against him, rubbing against his legs, his hands, chirping and purring like kittens.
Tao falls to his knees, overwhelmed by emotion. Tears stream down his cheeks. "Hello," he murmurs, his voice breaking with emotion. "Welcome to the world, little dragons. I've waited so long for you."
But the tender moment is interrupted by the sound of an explosion from below. The fight continues.
"We have to protect them," Kai said urgently. "If Kael finds them now, when they've just been born..."
But before anyone could respond, something extraordinary happened.
An incredibly bright golden light—brighter than the sun, brighter than a thousand suns—suddenly filled the entire temple. It was so intense that everyone had to cover their eyes. The light passed through the walls, the ceiling, flooding every corner of the temple and far beyond.
The fight below stops instantly. Kael and Master Shen both look up, shielding their faces from the blinding light.
And there, emerging from the light like a divine apparition, floats Long.
The ancient dragon is free.
It is colossal, even larger than in Tao's vision—easily a hundred meters long, its serpentine body undulating through the air as if swimming in an invisible ocean. Its scales are a pure, vibrant gold that catches and reflects the light of the setting sun, creating rainbows wherever its gaze falls. Its wings, spread in all their majesty, are so large that they cast a shadow over the entire temple. Its golden eyes gleam with wisdom and power accumulated over millennia.
And there are no more chains. The crystal chains that imprisoned him for five hundred years have disappeared, broken the moment the three eggs hatched.
"The prophecy is fulfilled," said Long, his voice resonating not in the air but directly in the minds of all present. It was an ancient, wise voice, filled with a profound joy and a relief that transcended words. "When the three eggs hatch safely, when the new dragons take their first breath, the chains of the old one break. The dragons are back in the world."
Kael stares at the ancient dragon with a mixture of horror, fear, and... something bordering on despair. Faced with Long's majesty and power, even he—the grand master of the Order of the Chain, the most powerful dark mage of his time—understands that he has lost.
"No," he murmured. "No, it wasn't supposed to happen like this. We had planned everything. The chains were supposed to hold forever..."
"Nothing lasts forever, Kael," said Long, turning his huge eyesto the dark mage. "Not even your hatred and your fear. Times are changing. The world is evolving. Dragons have as much of a place in this world as humans."
"Dragons are dangerous," Kael insists weakly, but his conviction wavers in the face of Long's overwhelming presence.
"Some dragons were. Some humans are. Does that make the entire species guilty? You imprisoned, tortured, and nearly exterminated my race because of the actions of a few. Is that truly justice?"
Kael doesn't answer. He looks at Long, then at the three little dragons who have come out onto the tower balcony to see the ancient dragon, their eyes filled with wonder. Then he lowers his head.
"I... I spent five hundred years believing that I was right. That I was protecting the world."
"Perhaps you thought that at first," Long said more kindly. "But fear and hatred have corrupted your mission. Now you must choose. Continue this fight that you can no longer win, or accept that the world has changed."
Kael remained silent for a long moment. Then, slowly, he lowered his hands. The dark magic around him dissipated. He suddenly seemed very old, very tired.
"I... I'm stepping down," he finally said. "But the Order will not disappear. Others will come."
"Let them come," Long replied calmly. "We will be ready. And perhaps in time, even the Order will learn that we are not enemies."
Kael nods once, then turns and walks away from the temple, his silhouette merging into the growing shadows of twilight.
Long descends slowly and gracefully until his massive head is level with the tower where Tao and the three small dragons stand. His golden eyes rest upon Tao with infinite tenderness and gratitude.
"Tao, dragon child, descendant of Mei who saved my brother so long ago. You have accomplished what no one has been able to do for centuries. You have saved our race from extinction. You have brought hope back to the world. I can never thank you enough."
Overwhelmed with emotion, Tao could only nod. "I... I just did the right thing."
"That is precisely why you succeeded. You did not seek power or glory. You acted out of love, justice, and compassion. These are the qualities that define a true heir of the dragons."
The three little dragons chirp and flutter clumsily towards Long. The big dragon watches them with grandfatherly joy and pride. He gently touches each one with his snout.
"These little ones are the future. Under Tao's protection and the temple's, they will grow up in safety. And one day, when they are adults, they will choose their own path - perhaps stay with humans, perhaps go explore the world, perhaps find other dragons hidden somewhere. The choice will be theirs."
Long raises his head towards the sky, towards the first stars that are beginning to appear. "As for me, I must leave again. After five hundred years of imprisonment, I have a world to rediscover. But I am never far away. If you need me, Tao, call. I will come."
"Wait," Tao said suddenly, remembering. "My mother. Do you know what happened to her? She disappeared while searching for information about dragons."
Long closed his eyes for a moment, seeming to search his vast memory. "Your mother... yes. I remember her. She came to see me in my prison seven years ago. She was looking for answers. I told her about the eggs, about the prophecy. She promised that her son would fulfill the quest when the time came."
"OrIs she there now?
"I don't know for sure. But I feel... I feel she's alive. Somewhere in the distant mountains of the northwest. Seek her out when you're ready. Your dragon bond will guide you to her."
Hope bursts in Tao's heart. His mother is alive!
Long spread his immense wings. "Goodbye for now, dragon child. You have changed the world. Be proud of it."
And with a powerful beat of his wings that creates a wind shaking the entire temple, Long rises into the sky. He ascends higher and higher, his golden form gleaming against the violet twilight sky, until he is nothing more than a point of light. Then he disappears, setting off to explore the world he has not seen for half a millennium.
The silence that followed was profound. Then, slowly, cries of joy erupted. The children of the temple ran out, laughing, crying, hugging each other. Master Shen collapsed onto a bench, exhausted but radiant.
The three little dragons return to Tao, snuggling up to him. The green dragon wraps itself around his neck like a living scarf. The blue dragon perches on his shoulder. The red dragon nestles in his arms.
Tao hugs them gently, feeling their warmth (and their coldness in the case of the blue one), their absolute trust in him. These are his responsibilities now. His friends. His family.
He looks up at the sky where Long has disappeared, then towards the northwest horizon where his mother is waiting somewhere. He smiles.
His quest to save the dragons is over. But his adventure is only just beginning.
"They did it! They really succeeded!" Ming shouts, jumping for joy.
Bo approaches Tao, his prophetic eyes shining with emotion. "I saw him in my dreams, but to see him in reality... it's even more extraordinary."
The three eggs are transported to a special room that Master Shen had prepared during their absence. This is the Chamber of Stars, a circular room at the top of the temple's tallest tower. Its ceiling is a crystalline glass dome that allows sunlight, moonlight, and starlight to enter directly.
"Now we wait," said Master Shen, his voice filled with anticipation and wonder. "The eggs will hatch when the time is right. It may take time—days, weeks, perhaps even months. We must be patient."
"What if the Order returns?" Linh asks anxiously.
"We will stop them," Master Shen replied resolutely. "All together. We have all the children of the temple, and now we know what they are capable of. This temple is protected."
That night, Tao slept near the Chamber of Stars, not wanting to leave the eggs. He dreamed of dragons flying in the sky, of Long freed from his chains, of a world where humans and dragons lived in harmony.
The next day, life at the temple returned to a semblance of normality. The children trained, studied, and meditated. But all kept a watchful eye on the Chamber of Stars, waiting and hoping.
The second day after their return, in the early afternoon, Bo woke abruptly from a nap. His eyes were wide open, his face pale. He ran to find Master Shen, who was meditating in the garden.
"Master! He's coming! The Master of the Order! I saw him in my vision. He's coming now. Today. In less than an hour!"
The temple immediately went on high alert. Master Shen gathered all the children. "Listen to me carefully. A powerful enemy is approaching. More powerful than any you have ever faced. Stay together. Protect the eggs at all costs. If necessary, flee with them. But never let them fall into the hands of the Order."
They do not have to wait long. As the sun begins its descent towards the horizon, tinting the sky red and gold, a dark figure appears on the mountain path leading to the temple.
He is a tall, imposing man, dressed in a long black robe adorned with intricate golden symbols that seem almost alive, twisting and shifting in the light. His face is hidden beneath a deep hood, but his eyes glow with an ominous red light. He walks alone, with no visible weapons, yet he exudes an aura of power so intense that the air around him seems to warp.
He stops in front of the temple's main gate. His voice, when he speaks, resonates like thunder, amplified by magic.
"I am Kael, Grand Master of the Order of the Chain, guardian of balance, protector of humanity against ancient dangers. I have come to retrieve the three dragon eggs you have recklessly gathered. Give them to me peacefully, and I will leave without violence. Refuse, and I will take this temple stone by stone until I find them."
Master Shen stepped out to face him, standing proudly in the doorway. "You won't get the eggs, Kael. I know you by reputation—yourCruelty, your fanaticism. The dragons have the right to return. The world needs them.
"The world needs security," Kael retorted, throwing back his hood to reveal a face etched with age and scars, yet burning with absolute conviction. "You don't remember the time of the dragons, Shen. But I do. I've lived long enough, sustained by dark magic, to remember. I saw villages burn. I saw children die. Dragons are too dangerous to be allowed to exist."
"You're talking about a few corrupted dragons, not all of them. Long has never hurt anyone!"
"Long is imprisoned for a reason. And he'll stay that way." Kael raises both hands, and dark magic begins to swirl around his fingers—dark tendrils of power that crackle and hiss. "Last chance. The eggs. Now."
"No."
"So you chose the difficult path."
Kael thrusts his hands forward, and a torrent of dark magic erupts toward Master Shen. But the old monk is ready. He summons his own magic—a pure white light that bursts from his bamboo staff—and hurls it to counter Kael's attack.
The two powers collide in the space between them, creating an explosion of light and shadow that shakes the ground. It is a clash of magical titans, a spectacle the children have never seen.
But it quickly becomes clear that Kael is more powerful. His dark magic gradually repels Master Shen's light, forcing him to retreat step by step.
"Children! Go to the Chamber of Stars! Protect the eggs!" shouts Master Shen, sweat beading on his forehead as he struggles to maintain his defense.
Tao and the other children run towards the tower. But Tao feels something strange. A warmth in his chest. An urgent call. The eggs... something is happening with the eggs.
When they arrive in the Chamber of Stars, they are speechless. The three eggs shine with incredible intensity. They are no longer still - they move, tremble, pulsate with light like hearts beating faster and faster.
"They're reacting to danger," Bo whispers. "They know they're threatened."
But that's not all. The eggs glow brighter and brighter, their light becoming almost blinding. Cracks begin to appear in the shells.
"No," Tao sighed. "Not yet. Not now. It's too dangerous!"
But the eggs don't listen to him. The time for hatching has arrived, regardless of the circumstances.
The green egg is the first. The cracks widen, running across the entire surface like a network of luminous green rivers. Then, with a soft but decisive crack, the shell breaks.
A small dragon emerges. It is magnificent—the size of a large cat, covered in emerald-green scales that gleam like precious stones. Its eyes are golden green, filled with an intelligence surprising for a newborn. It has small, still-crumpled, membranous wings that are beginning to unfold. It looks around with curiosity and wonder, discovering the world for the first time.
His eyes find Tao. He tilts his head to the side, like a curious bird. Then he chirps – a melodious and joyful sound – and walks clumsily towards Tao on his little feet.
Before Tao could react, the blue egg hatched. The little dragon that emerged was a deep, icy blue, with translucent wings that resembled ice crystals. When it shook its wings to spread them, tiny flakes ofSnow forms in the air around him and swirls gently towards the ground. He looks calmer, more serene than the green dragon, but just as magnificent.
Finally, the red egg hatches in a burst of warm light. The little red-orange dragon that emerges looks like a living flame. Its scales seem to shimmer and dance like fire. When it opens its little mouth to let out its first cry, a tiny flame bursts forth—not dangerous, more like a candle than a blaze, but it's already real dragon fire. It looks mischievous, energetic, full of life.
The three little dragons look at Tao. There is recognition in their eyes. A connection. They know who he is. They know that he saved them, protected them, brought them here.
Together, as if they had agreed, the three little dragons walk, flutter and stumble towards Tao. They press themselves against him, rubbing against his legs, his hands, chirping and purring like kittens.
Tao falls to his knees, overwhelmed by emotion. Tears stream down his cheeks. "Hello," he murmurs, his voice breaking with emotion. "Welcome to the world, little dragons. I've waited so long for you."
But the tender moment is interrupted by the sound of an explosion from below. The fight continues.
"We have to protect them," Kai said urgently. "If Kael finds them now, when they've just been born..."
But before anyone could respond, something extraordinary happened.
An incredibly bright golden light—brighter than the sun, brighter than a thousand suns—suddenly filled the entire temple. It was so intense that everyone had to cover their eyes. The light passed through the walls, the ceiling, flooding every corner of the temple and far beyond.
The fight below stops instantly. Kael and Master Shen both look up, shielding their faces from the blinding light.
And there, emerging from the light like a divine apparition, floats Long.
The ancient dragon is free.
It is colossal, even larger than in Tao's vision—easily a hundred meters long, its serpentine body undulating through the air as if swimming in an invisible ocean. Its scales are a pure, vibrant gold that catches and reflects the light of the setting sun, creating rainbows wherever its gaze falls. Its wings, spread in all their majesty, are so large that they cast a shadow over the entire temple. Its golden eyes gleam with wisdom and power accumulated over millennia.
And there are no more chains. The crystal chains that imprisoned him for five hundred years have disappeared, broken the moment the three eggs hatched.
"The prophecy is fulfilled," said Long, his voice resonating not in the air but directly in the minds of all present. It was an ancient, wise voice, filled with a profound joy and a relief that transcended words. "When the three eggs hatch safely, when the new dragons take their first breath, the chains of the old one break. The dragons are back in the world."
Kael stares at the ancient dragon with a mixture of horror, fear, and... something bordering on despair. Faced with Long's majesty and power, even he—the grand master of the Order of the Chain, the most powerful dark mage of his time—understands that he has lost.
"No," he murmured. "No, it wasn't supposed to happen like this. We had planned everything. The chains were supposed to hold forever..."
"Nothing lasts forever, Kael," said Long, turning his huge eyesto the dark mage. "Not even your hatred and your fear. Times are changing. The world is evolving. Dragons have as much of a place in this world as humans."
"Dragons are dangerous," Kael insists weakly, but his conviction wavers in the face of Long's overwhelming presence.
"Some dragons were. Some humans are. Does that make the entire species guilty? You imprisoned, tortured, and nearly exterminated my race because of the actions of a few. Is that truly justice?"
Kael doesn't answer. He looks at Long, then at the three little dragons who have come out onto the tower balcony to see the ancient dragon, their eyes filled with wonder. Then he lowers his head.
"I... I spent five hundred years believing that I was right. That I was protecting the world."
"Perhaps you thought that at first," Long said more kindly. "But fear and hatred have corrupted your mission. Now you must choose. Continue this fight that you can no longer win, or accept that the world has changed."
Kael remained silent for a long moment. Then, slowly, he lowered his hands. The dark magic around him dissipated. He suddenly seemed very old, very tired.
"I... I'm stepping down," he finally said. "But the Order will not disappear. Others will come."
"Let them come," Long replied calmly. "We will be ready. And perhaps in time, even the Order will learn that we are not enemies."
Kael nods once, then turns and walks away from the temple, his silhouette merging into the growing shadows of twilight.
Long descends slowly and gracefully until his massive head is level with the tower where Tao and the three small dragons stand. His golden eyes rest upon Tao with infinite tenderness and gratitude.
"Tao, dragon child, descendant of Mei who saved my brother so long ago. You have accomplished what no one has been able to do for centuries. You have saved our race from extinction. You have brought hope back to the world. I can never thank you enough."
Overwhelmed with emotion, Tao could only nod. "I... I just did the right thing."
"That is precisely why you succeeded. You did not seek power or glory. You acted out of love, justice, and compassion. These are the qualities that define a true heir of the dragons."
The three little dragons chirp and flutter clumsily towards Long. The big dragon watches them with grandfatherly joy and pride. He gently touches each one with his snout.
"These little ones are the future. Under Tao's protection and the temple's, they will grow up in safety. And one day, when they are adults, they will choose their own path - perhaps stay with humans, perhaps go explore the world, perhaps find other dragons hidden somewhere. The choice will be theirs."
Long raises his head towards the sky, towards the first stars that are beginning to appear. "As for me, I must leave again. After five hundred years of imprisonment, I have a world to rediscover. But I am never far away. If you need me, Tao, call. I will come."
"Wait," Tao said suddenly, remembering. "My mother. Do you know what happened to her? She disappeared while searching for information about dragons."
Long closed his eyes for a moment, seeming to search his vast memory. "Your mother... yes. I remember her. She came to see me in my prison seven years ago. She was looking for answers. I told her about the eggs, about the prophecy. She promised that her son would fulfill the quest when the time came."
"OrIs she there now?
"I don't know for sure. But I feel... I feel she's alive. Somewhere in the distant mountains of the northwest. Seek her out when you're ready. Your dragon bond will guide you to her."
Hope bursts in Tao's heart. His mother is alive!
Long spread his immense wings. "Goodbye for now, dragon child. You have changed the world. Be proud of it."
And with a powerful beat of his wings that creates a wind shaking the entire temple, Long rises into the sky. He ascends higher and higher, his golden form gleaming against the violet twilight sky, until he is nothing more than a point of light. Then he disappears, setting off to explore the world he has not seen for half a millennium.
The silence that followed was profound. Then, slowly, cries of joy erupted. The children of the temple ran out, laughing, crying, hugging each other. Master Shen collapsed onto a bench, exhausted but radiant.
The three little dragons return to Tao, snuggling up to him. The green dragon wraps itself around his neck like a living scarf. The blue dragon perches on his shoulder. The red dragon nestles in his arms.
Tao hugs them gently, feeling their warmth (and their coldness in the case of the blue one), their absolute trust in him. These are his responsibilities now. His friends. His family.
He looks up at the sky where Long has disappeared, then towards the northwest horizon where his mother is waiting somewhere. He smiles.
His quest to save the dragons is over. But his adventure is only just beginning.