The child whimpered in the frozen tundra but not because of the cold, he was immune to cold, an ancient magic from his people ran through his veins. A protection that would not keep him alive for long, he was alone and barely weened.
The boy child could live a few days at most before his tiny body would succumb to the inevitable and he would starve. A fate that was not intended, a fate seen and known but he could not know that. His young mind only knew he was hungry and alone, not of why he was abandoned in the first place but fate would intervene.
The icy wastes far to the north known as the Hinterlands were home to few inhabitants, Gale kept her own company and far away from others. Darkness did not cloak her well as her scales were bright silver and reflected the light but the icy tundra cloaked in an almost eternal twilight of darkness was her home and she was well camouflaged for the snow.
Gale heard a sound, a sound impossible this far north… that of a crying baby. Being a dragon, Gale was reclusive by nature but she chose to be even more reclusive by living this far north… a baby? It could not be but the sound was heard again, Gale flying high over the snowy tundra lowered herself in altitude to view the ground and search for this noise.
There, near a flat rock peaking out of the ice and snow was a swaddled bundle, light brown skin of arms and legs free of the swaddling but the infants head remained covered. How could the baby have survived? Even a few hours would kill any child except a Sordean child… could it be? And why? Gale did not know but flew forward and alighted on the ground near the infant.
Gently, using one of her massive claws Gale pulled the swaddling from the babes head and sucked in a breath; red eyes. This was a Sordean child, why was he here? Gale instinctively knew the child was male. Sordeans were a cursed race in her opinion, their women bore children in intense pain and many infants died, children were much revered and even their births celebrated… yet here lay a Sordean baby… a boy, even stranger.
Gale felt a pull to the boy child, an innate power awakening in her… this was known to happen but rarely. She, rare even for her own kind was to be connected to this child in some way, an ancient magic even the Ancient Full Breeds such as herself knew little why they had it.
The child would not die Gale decided, something was amiss for a Sordean baby to be abandoned. Gale knew much of the human races of Genivan, six races had been gifted with magic from an ancient race ages ago. Sordeans, Gideans, Zarythians, Taloreans, Eons and Azurians; all had unique magical powers that sustained Genivan and kept the world alive. Gale knew her own ancestors were brought here by the unnamed ancient race, Ancient Full Breeds were as foreign to Genivan as the Ancient Half Breeds but somehow the ancients had intertwined their fates with the six races and this boy child was to be her fate or destiny… Gale did not know. Only that her days of isolation would soon end.
Gently, Gale cradled the boy in her claws, ‘so tiny’ she thought, ‘so innocent, what is your fate child?’ and looked up at the starry night, seeing the expanse of tundra in all directions. He would not die from the cold, she could remain isolated with the boy for sometime, but where to go? Further north Gale decided, farther north then she had been in sometime for dragons could live for centuries.
She would protect him, teach him all that she knew for her knowledge was vast. Whatever fate the boy had, she was also tied to it. As she flew off into the twilight over the tundra of the Hinterlands Gale looked down occasionally, the boy had quit his whimpering and just stared out at the icy wastes. What would she tell him when he began to question who he was? Where he came from? What would she say? What would she not say?
His parents must have known his life was in danger, knowing how much Sordeans revere their children, he must have been seen by an Oracle to have a destiny that threatened those in power. Either the Oracle betrayed his parents and gave this knowledge to those who would seek his death or they knew the foretelling and sought to remove themsleves from it by abandoning the child.
His people could not be trusted, she must keep him from them. Regardless of the sincerity of his parents, those in power in the land of Numis, his people, wanted his death and Gale knew little of the current politics of his land. She could not protect him if he returned, her own isolation after two centuries was a testament to her lack of knowledge of his people.
In ignorance she would have to keep the boy child isolated, if she revealed herself and the boy too soon they would be known throughout the lands because of her and put them in grave danger before he was grown. Silver dragons were so rare, most thought they had disappeared entirely and revealing herself would only heighten the chance. Gale had remained isolated for that reason, she knew she was rare even for a dragon.
How could she find him allies isolated in the north Hinterlands? Gideans who lived in the ocean did not travel over land often, especially not the frozen wastes, they were a fragile people on land and would die after only a few weeks outside of Genivan’s oceans. They rarely involved themselves in the politics of Genivan, except to trade and when their healers are summoned. They would be of no use to a Sordean boy who can’t breath water, he would find no sanctuary in the land of Vastor.
Taloreans are known for their greed and vindictiveness, Gale would never take the boy there, they loath all the races except Azurians. In the land of Ivangar, many go to trade with the Taloreans but they are barely tolerated Gale had been told. No allies could be found with the greedy Taloreans.
The land of Torentia is a beautiful and enchanting place in Genivan, the Azurians who’s land that is are envious and arrogant. Gale doubted they would protect a Sordean child who needed refuge or help, she had been told Azurians see themselves as the true rulers of Genivan but have never had the courage to assert their authority or potentially never had the armies to do so.
Out of all the races of Genivan, Gale knew the least of the Eons. They lived in the deep jungles of their land of Lithe, reclusive and rarely seen. The other races see them as obtuse, hiding knowledge or power. She had heard many such rumors about Eons. Knowing so little and how they may react to a Sordean child, Gale would not take him there either when he was grown.
The only race Gale knew enough about, whom she was sure would protect him and help him was the Zarythians who live far across the ocean on a series of islands they call their land, the land of Amalia. Some Zarythians have an innate magical power known as Jondorian Banes, it is a rare magic when awakened. Contrary to the definition of a bane, they actually give their life for another. The Zarythians as a people are strong willed but more humble than any of the other races. Gale had thought Sordeans shared that humility but times must have changed.
It was decided then, when the boy child grew to a man, Gale would take him to Amalia for protection. Looking down at the boy now, Gale knew her decision was right. He must be protected.
All of Genivan was governed by a delicate magical balance between the planet, its people, the animals and nature. That balance was protected by the magic gifted to the six races. That balance was not unbreakable, as Gale knew from her vast knowledge of the history of Genivan, it had happened before but this time it felt different. A calm before the storm.
One child could not break the balance of Genivan but those who wished the power shifted to them would destroy the world to keep this boy child from his destiny.
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