THE CHOSEN ONE (Reunion)

THE DRAGON THAT BROKE A BROTHERHOOD

Ryn’s eyes fluttered open first, the cold bite of damp stone pressing against her palms. A second later Noah gasped awake beside her. They both sat up slowly, blinking as their vision adjusted.

The room around them was enormous — a cavernous hall carved entirely from shimmering blue rock. Every surface glowed faintly, as if lit from within. Strange symbols spiraled across the walls like living currents. A throne of crystal stood at the far end, and beside it, an ancient well that seemed impossibly deep.

Ryn pushed herself to her feet, asking, “Noah… where the hell are we?”.

“I was going to ask the same thing. This feels like a fever dream,” Noah muttered, rubbing his head as he rose. 

A voice drifted behind them — calm, soft, echoing like ripples on water. It says, “You are in Gathride.”

They both spun around.

A lady stood at the entrance of the hall, stepping forward with the grace of flowing waves. She wore a long blue gown that shimmered like the ocean’s surface, and a crown rested elegantly on her head. Every step she took left the faint sound of water dripping on stone.

Ryn and Noah stood frozen as she walked past them, her presence both regal and unreal, and took her seat on the crystal throne.

Noah swallowed, “Where did you say we are again?”.

“You are in Gathride,” she repeated, folding her hands gently.

“And… where is that?” Ryn asked, voice unsteady.

“Gathride is a kingdom beneath the water. You are beneath the water,” the woman said. 

Noah’s heart skipped. He asked, “Wait—beneath the water? You mean we’re… under the river?”.

“Yes. But not beneath the river alone. Our kingdom stretches far beyond — into the oceans and the seas", she replied.

Ryn stared, asking, “Are you… a mermaid?”.

A small smile touched the lady’s lips. She said, “No. I am not. But I am the one who brought you here.”

Noah stepped forward, tension rising. He asked, “So you’re the one who made the water come into the cave? The singing… and you drowned us?”.

“The singing, yes, but I did not drown you. As you can see — you are alive. The water was simply the path I used to bring you both here", the lady said gently.

Noah let out a shaky breath. He said, “If this is a dream… please, someone wake me up.”

“This is no dream… King Noah,” she said.

Noah froze. He said, “I’m not a king. And how the hell did you bring us here? How do you even know my name?”.

The woman’s eyes glowed faintly like moonlight on water. She said, “You will understand why I called you that in time. As for how I brought you here, I have the power to do so.”

Noah ran a hand through his hair, pacing in a small circle as the weight of everything crashed down on him.

“There is so much I don’t know about this world. First Shape Town, now Gathride — a whole kingdom beneath the water, and the people here are human. What the hell is going on in this world?” he said, completely overwhelmed.

“There is a lot you don’t know, your royal majesty, and you will know all one day,” the lady said calmly.

“Please don’t address me as a king. I'm not a king, and won't become one. Who are you really?” Noah asked, his voice sharp with frustration and confusion.

“I am the goddess of water and the Queen of Gathride. You may call me Queen Lindsey,” she said, her tone regal and unshaken.

“Okay… let me process for a bit,” Noah muttered.

He took a moment, breathing slowly, then looked up at Queen Lindsey with renewed focus.

He said, “So you’re the goddess of water and the Queen of Gathride named Lindsey. You’re the one who brought us here, you knew my name without me telling you, and you keep calling me a king. So I’m going to ask questions. First — how do you know my name? Why do you address me as a king? Why were we brought here? And how do humans live beneath water?”

“I knew you would have many questions. And I will answer them. But before that, there is something I need to tell you", Queen Lindsey said

“What’s that?” Noah asked, bracing himself.

“Marcelos will be awakened, and the world — and I — will need your help,” she said.

“That is impossible. Marcelos will never be awake,” Noah said firmly.

“No one can change the future, Noah. Marcelos will be awakened, and the world must prepare for him… and you must prepare as well,” Queen Lindsey said.

“What do you mean by me preparing for Marcelos?” Noah asked.

“When the time comes, you will know that too. Your forefather entrusted me with something very important, and I am sure you know the story of King Damon — another of your forefathers,” Queen Lindsey said.

“Yes, I do,” Noah replied.

“I knew King Damon when he was alive. We fought together against Marcelos,” she said.

“You knew King Damon?” Noah asked, shock widening his eyes.

“Yes. And I tried to warn him then, but he did not listen", Queen Lindsey said.

“That is impossible! We’re talking about a thousand years ago. How could you know him and still be alive — not to mention, warn him against what?” Noah asked, utterly stunned.

Ryn stepped back slowly, shaking her head. “We have to get out of here now. This lady is crazy,” she whispered sharply to Noah.

Queen Lindsey’s eyes snapped toward her. She said to Ryn, “Shut your filthy mouth, shape-shifter. Your father was the root of what happened, and that caused the banishment of the shape-shifters as well.”

Noah turned immediately to Ryn, stunned. He asked her, “What did she just call you? And what does she mean your father is the root of what happened?”.

Ryn fired back, “I don’t know what she’s talking about. My father has nothing to do with anything. I told you — this lady is crazy and she’s saying rubbish.”

Queen Lindsey stood from the throne, her expression unreadable. 

She said to Ryn, “I have been watching you for a long time, Ryn. Every time you come to the waterfall, you speak your troubles and your wishes to the water… and I always listen. There is much you don’t know about your father. Your brother kept many things from you.”

Noah stepped forward, trying to steady the chaos. He said, “Can you please shed light on all that’s going on?”.

Queen Lindsey gently exhaled. She began, “Thousands of years ago, Ryn’s father Jack… King Damon… Marcelos… and I were all friends...”

She was cut short as Noah quickly interrupted.

“You mean Marcelos and King Damon were friends?” he asked, shocked.

“Yes. Back then we were all young, and none of us believed our joyful days would ever end. Marcelos and Damon were the only ones among us who possessed magical powers, and they were inseparable. Their bond was so deep that people called them brothers. Damon was the prince of Axrax, and Marcelos was the son of the great wizard of that time. They were trained together by Marcelos’ father to master their powers", Queen Lindsey said.

She paused, stepping a bit forward, before continuing, “I was the heir to lead my people after my father’s death, even though I was too young and did not want that responsibility. So roaming the city of Axrax became my escape — and that was how I met Damon. Damon and I fell in love, and he introduced me to his friends: Jack and Marcelos".

She smiled a bit. “The four of us spent our days together, carefree, ignoring the world’s worries and the gossip around us. Then one day, Marcelos went on a journey… and returned with a dragon egg and a dragon gene. He showed them to us, and we were thrilled. The thought of seeing a real dragon in our lifetime felt unreal… but none of us understood what the dragon gene truly was.”

Noah lifted his hand again, cutting in. He asked, “What is a dragon gene?”.

Queen Lindsey explained, “It was a magical ball, and inside it were powers extracted from a dragon. A human who absorbs those powers becomes linked to the dragon. Not long after, the egg hatched — and we were all overwhelmed with joy. After so many years of extinction, a dragon had finally returned. Marcelos raised the young dragon like his own child and named her Ethusa.”

“So Ethusa belonged to Marcelos?” Ryn asked.

“Yes. As Ethusa grew, we began using her to make money. Anyone who wished to see her had to pay us — and we warned them to keep it secret from the authorities so Ethusa wouldn’t be taken from us", Queen Lindsey replied.

Queen Lindsey’s eyes softened with old grief as she continued.

She said quietly, “Damon began to grow jealous of Marcelos. People started giving Marcelos more attention and respect because of the dragon. Everywhere we went, no one looked at Damon — only at Marcelos and Ethusa. The admiration changed him.”

She stepped away from the throne, pacing slowly as she spoke.

“One day, Damon went into the palace library to learn more about dragons. In his search, he discovered the truth about the dragon gene — what it contained, and what it could make someone become. After learning all this, he came to me and Jack. He told us plainly that he intended to make the dragon his. He wanted all the attention, all the respect, all the admiration from the people. A prince with a dragon. That was the image he wanted.”

Queen Lindsey continued shaking her head, “I told him not to do it. I warned him that Ethusa belonged to Marcelos, not him, and taking her would destroy their friendship. But Jack… Jack sided with Damon. He said a prince should have a dragon, not a wizard.”

Her voice tightened, “At that same time, Marcelos himself had just learned about the dragon gene from the oldest wizard of the era. But when Marcelos returned home… it was too late. Damon had already taken the magical ball and absorbed the dragon gene’s power. The link to the dragon had already formed.”

Noah and Ryn listened in silence as Queen Lindsey’s expression darkened.

“Marcelos was furious. He demanded to know why Damon had taken what was his. Damon told him that the dragon and its power should belong to royal blood — and that he alone could keep Ethusa safe. Marcelos reminded Damon that he trusted him… and Damon betrayed that trust. Damon dismissed him. He insisted the dragon should stay with him, not Marcelos.”

Queen Lindsey looked down, almost whispering:

“Damon took Ethusa with him as he left. Marcelos desperately tried to call her back… but he couldn’t. The link has been formed. That moment shattered Marcelos’ heart — and their friendship.”