From Ashes To Scales

Magnus leaned back in his chair, heavily entranced by Tia’s story. Her way of speech, the description she provided… it's almost as if he could see the events unfolding before his eyes. There were moments when he even forgot to breathe.

“So then… what happened next?”

“They died. End of story.”

…

“What's that supposed to mean? I’m asking who won? Uranos or Deimos?”

“And I’m telling you they both died. There was no victor.”

“But what about their factions then?”

“Out of rage for losing their leaders they wiped each other out. Like I said, end of story.”

Magnus flopped and fell right off his couch.

“Oh come on, Tia. That can't be all? Surely there are more details behind it?”

Magnus grabbed Tia and started shaking her left and right, up and down.

“Uwa!! Papa, stop!! Put me down!!! I told you. I have part of Senya's memory. With emphasis on the word ‘part’.

That's all I know. How Dragons became mostly extinct afterwards… I don't know either.”

Magnus then let go of Tia, but still pierced her with his gaze.

“This is like giving me a book without a proper ending!! Wait. Galvanos!! What about him?”

Tia shrugged her shoulders, before answering in an innocent voice:

“Look, papa, I know you want to know more. So do I. But… that's the extent of the memories I inherited. All I know is a few hundreds of years later Galvanos died too. The cause of his death is a mystery. This story was related to lady Senya by one of Galvanos’s followers. A dragon that shared his knowledge with her. But other than that… the rest is blank. I don't have any more information.”

“... I see.”

Magnus lowered his shoulders dejected, however he eventually had to accept Tia’s words. That her knowledge was indeed limited. Still, it was a story forgotten in time. The truth was that he was grateful even for that part of it.

“Let's change the subject for a second Tia. This all started regarding my heart. Who’s heart do I have in me?”

“That much I can answer. As you know, because dragons are so big, they need two hearts. The main one is a very big flesh pulsating heart. The secondary heart, often referred to as core, is the size of a regular human heart. And judging from the description you just gave me, the core you have is none other than Galvanos's.”

Magnus leaned back in his chair once more, his claws drumming idly against the armrest. His gaze fell to his chest, as if peering into the depths of his own being. Galvanos’s heart… The realization still hadn’t fully settled in. It was the source of his power, the reason he had risen to become what he was today. Yet, for all its importance, he had never stopped to wonder about its origins.

His thoughts drifted to the Farche Dungeon, the place where he’d found the heart encased in crystal, its pulse faint but unyielding. How did something so significant, belonging to such a legendary creature, end up there? Was it cast aside by fate, or deliberately hidden, waiting for him—or someone like him—to claim it?

How much of Galvanos’s essence do I carry? Magnus wondered, his brow furrowing. Was he merely borrowing the strength of the dragon, or had it become an inseparable part of him? And if it had, how much of his current self—his instincts, his decisions—was influenced by that power? Did it mean he was closer to understanding dragons, a species so alien to the rest of the world, or was he simply deluding himself?

These questions gnawed at him, and for the first time in a long while, Magnus felt a pang of uncertainty. The transformation into his lizard-like form had been dramatic, but he had accepted it with a pragmatism born of necessity. Yet, to learn that his heart had once belonged to such a being… It stirred something deeper within him. Reverence? Fear? Perhaps both.

“Papa.”

Tia’s voice broke through his reverie, pulling him back to the present. He turned to look at her, her golden eyes filled with a knowing gentleness that seemed far too mature for her youthful face.

“You’re overthinking again,” she said with a faint smile. “Papa is just Papa, at the end of the day.”

Magnus blinked, taken aback by the simplicity of her statement. “But Tia, don’t you think this changes things? To know that my heart belonged to—”

“To a powerful creature, yes,” Tia interrupted, her tone patient but firm. “But that doesn’t mean it defines you. It gave you strength, sure. It made you the mage you are today. But your decisions? Your warmth? That’s all you.”

She placed a small hand over his chest, directly above where his heart pulsed steadily. “This heart beats for you now, Papa. Not for Galvanos. You’re not some reincarnation or echo of him. You’re you.”

Her words struck a chord, silencing the storm of questions in his mind. Magnus stared at her, the corner of his mouth twitching into a reluctant smile. “When did you get so wise?”

Tia giggled, her innocence returning. “I’ve always been wise. You’re just slow to notice.”

Magnus chuckled, shaking his head. Her words, simple as they were, carried a weight of truth he couldn’t deny. Whatever his origins, whatever the source of his power, he was still himself. And perhaps that was all that mattered.

Still, the thought lingered at the edge of his mind. How did Galvanos’s heart end up in the Farche Dungeon? Was it truly by chance, or was there more to the story?

“Tia,” he began, his voice thoughtful, “you said the rest of the story was blank, but… If I wanted to understand more about dragons, where would I even start?”

Tia tilted her head, considering his question. “Dragons that still exist might have the answers, but finding them is the hard part. Most of them don’t want to be found. And even if they do, they’re not exactly the sharing type.”

Magnus sighed, leaning back once more. “Figures. Nothing’s ever simple, is it?”

“Nope,” Tia agreed cheerfully. “But that’s what makes it fun, right?”

He groaned in mock despair, earning another giggle from her. As the weight of his earlier thoughts began to lift, Magnus allowed himself a moment of peace. For now, he would let the mystery rest. The future would bring its own answers—one way or another.