Kaida scanned the tattered map and looked up at the looming cave mouth in front of her. The darkness inside laid a striking contrast to the bright, sunny day around her. She furrowed her brows, and exhaled.

“Well... This is it. This is where Idris is supposed to be.”

She folded the map up, hands shaking slightly, and shoved it into her pouch attached to her belt.

Come on. You got this.

She bit her lip, and then reached up to the necklace hanging around her neck. It was smooth and cold to the touch. She looked down and studied it for a second. It looked like a large scale from some sort of giant reptile. It was the most vibrant shades of crimson, amber and onyx, and it was smooth over the top, but had sharp ridges along the sides of its tear drop shape. Her nose crinkled slightly and her amber, slitted eyes welled up.

Who…What were you dad? What am I?

She took a deep breath and exhaled, dropping the necklace back in its place.

“Well, we’ll find out today, won’t we?” she said with a tearful smile, staring up at the cold, pitch black cave that threatened to envelop her. She wiped at her tears.

Her hand faltered for a second above it, but with a calming breath she picked up her lantern, and began the descent. Her eyes scanned the darkness rapidly the further she went, and her free hand fingered the dagger at her side. Her legs felt like lead with each step, and her heart fluttered rapidly.

Oh calm down you. She thought, as she gave a slight tap on her chest. This is for dad, remember?

The air became stale and thick, and the sounds of the birds, animals and streams from outside began to diminish. She looked behind her, and could no longer see the cave mouth. Her throat bobbed, and she grabbed at her necklace again with her free hand.

Give me strength, dad.

She turned back towards the endless depths in front of her and continued on until the cave walls began to widen.

“What is this?” She whispered.

She squinted and a dim light cut through the darkness from in front of her. Her eyes widened, and she unsheathed her dagger, wielding it in her unoccupied hand. She went several feet further, until she realized she was standing in a large, glittering cavern room. She looked up, and the ceiling was now higher than any building she had ever seen. Jagged rocks hung from the ceiling and shot up from the floors like swords. Then, a loud scraping sound, like someone dragging a pickaxe across the floor, echoed throughout the room.

Kaida’s arm hair stood on end and she gasped, jumping back. Her lantern fell to the floor and shattered, casting sudden shadows around her. The only light that emanated now was the one from the far wall of the room, everything else was covered in darkness.

Shit. Dad, help me!

She grabbed for her necklace, and held it firmly in one hand, while her dagger remained in the other. Her eyes darted everywhere, but couldn't find a place to settle in the unending darkness.

“WHO are you?” A deep, menacing voice demanded. Another loud scraping sound came down the wall, closer than before.

Kaida’s throat bobbed and tears played at the corners of her eyes, but she didn’t answer. Couldn’t. It felt like a large fruit was stuck in her throat. Her feet couldn’t move either - in fact, her entire body felt frozen and unusable.

“I am too old to play games with you,” said the voice, low and ominous. “Answer me now before I grow tired and consume you in one fell snap.”

Come on, voice. I have to…for dad. I can’t have come this far to be killed before I find anything out.

“I…Id…Idris. I…I’m lo…looking for I…dris”

Then slowly, where the one source of light emanated from the room, an enormous reptilian snout…legs…body…wings came into view, and Kaida realized what was standing before her. A dragon.

“I am Idris” it said with a serpentine smile.

Her heart about beat out of her chest, and she dropped to her knees. She was going to die. There was no way out of this.

“Now tell me who YOU are”

“K…Kaida”

“Ah, but who ARE you? Why are you here, Kaida?”

“I…I’m…” she stuttered.

Shit. Come on, words!

Idris roared and fire blew in a hurtling inferno above Kaida’s head, lighting up the room for a moment. Kaida fell to the ground flat, her necklace shining brightly in the fire light as she went down.

“I told you not to play games…”

The dragon stopped.

“What is that you carry around your neck?”

Kaida’s heart nearly beat out of her chest and her body shook so violently she almost fainted.

“P…Please…It was my father’s. It’s…It’s why I’m here”.

Idris’ eyes crinkled together, and his look turned to curiosity.

“What do you mean it was your fathers?” he said, his tone tinged slightly with inquisitiveness.

Kaida steadied her breath as best she could and sat up, taking off the necklace and presenting it in front of her.

“It…It’s all I have left of him. I don’t know who or what he was. I was told to find you…I was told you would have the…the answer”.

“Come into the light”

Kaida’s legs shook vigorously as she stood up to approach the dragon in the light. Her heart sounded so violently in her ears, it was almost deafening. She kept her eyes on the ground as she approached - it was the only way she could do it. She swallowed as she held out the necklace again, closing her eyes as she stood before Idris.

“Open your eyes”

“But…I…please”

“Open your eyes” he growled.

Kaida’s lips trembled, and she bit down on them.

I’ll be brave for you, dad.

She opened her eyes, and slowly lifted them to the dragon. Her eyes followed the height of him - he was enormous. Nothing in this world compared to the sheer size of him, nor of the magnitude of his majestic aura. He was the most terrifying thing this world offered. Her eyes met his and her stomach dropped. Idris’ eyes shifted and then widened.

“You have your father’s eyes”

Kaida’s face softened, but her body went taut.

“You…you knew him?” she shuddered.

What could this mean? She thought.

“He was my kin,” he said, a somber look crossing his face.

“Wha…”

“Your father was a dragon, child”

Kaida’s heart stopped, and her mouth shot open. She had to throw her arms out to prevent herself from falling over.

“What did you think that scale was around your neck?”

Kaida grasped the scale necklace in her hands and stared at it.

“A…dragon?”

“His name was Torgon,” he started. Kaida’s eyes shot up.

“Torgon” she repeated, half to herself.

“And he was the fiercest dragon of all our kin”

Kaida looked down at the necklace again, studying its hues and subtle variances.

“But. Well, Torgon fell in love with a human woman and forfeited his place here in the mountains with our kind.”

Kaida’s eyes furrowed out of solemness.

He gave up his family to be with mom?

“His powers therefore diminished too, and he was vulnerable to attacks from dragon hunters”.

“Dragon hunters?”

Idris nodded. “A powerful race of humans, bred specifically for killing our kind.” Anger flared in his eyes and steam came out of his nostrils at the thought.

Kaida gripped the scale in her hand tighter. Her lips pursed and her eyebrows furrowed in anger at the realization of what happened to her father.

“They killed him?”

He frowned. “Yes.”

An anger came over Kaida like she’d never felt before, fierce and vengeful. Her jaw tightened and her teeth ground down. Her golden eyes melted and burned like the sun.

“We did not know that you existed, child. But, you are clearly Torgon’s daughter. Those eyes and that scale are proof.”

Idris’ words faded into the background as Kaida’s anger boiled over her like lava spilling out of a mountain. All she could see was red.

“They killed him…” she gritted out, gripping the scale tighter.

“They hate our kind. It’s what they’re made for - to hate and kill us. It’s why we must live with our kind, hidden in these mountains from humanity. It’s why our numbers are so few.”

Kaida’s stomach began to burn - but it felt good. Warm, and comforting in the wake of her anger and grief.

“You’re not as timid as you were a few moments ago, are you child?” His eyes danced.

Kaida unclenched the dragon scale, and stared at her hands. They were red hot and steam was billowing out of them. Her amber eyes shot up at the dragon again, anger and sadness still filled behind them.

“What’s…happening to me?”

“Just being in this mountain, with your kin around you - it has awakened the dragon soul inside of you” he smiled slyly.

“My…dragon soul?”

She looked down at her hands again and clenched and unclenched them.

“Your lineage beckons you, child. Stay with us, learn our ways and become strong. Let your dragon soul take over, and become like your kin. Follow in the ways of your father. Become a dragon”. He circled around her now.

Become like father? Become a dragon? Stay with my…kin?

“Is that possible?” She asked, her eyes shimmering brightly.

“Feel that fire in your soul child, it calls to you. You know who you are, who you’re meant to be.”

Idris whipped around her faster than an animal that size should be able to. The wind whipped around her, mirroring the whipping of the thoughts inside her head.

This is why she came. This is what led her here. This is who her father was. This is who she was.

She gripped the scale again and looked down at it.

I love you, father. I won’t disappoint you.

She looked up at Idris as he made his way back in front of her. Her eyes widened, and a sense of determination, rage, and excitement filled them as she held up the scale above her head.

“Become a dragon? I AM a dragon”.

“Yes you are,” said Idris with a wicked smile. “Now come meet your kin”.