Chapter 20

The Expanse, The Gullington, Scotland, United Kingdom

Even though Gen had been warned, the number of people and dragons gathered on the Expanse of the Gullington was simply overwhelming. She stepped out of the Castle and every part of her body was vibrating with tension. As her boots sank into the soft but firm grass of the Expanse, Gen wondered if she was ready for what came next—something told her that she was born ready…

In front of her was a sprawling canvas of untamed wilderness in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, under a sky awash with hues of blue. The air was thick with anticipation. It carried the scents of earth and heather, mingling with the faint, smoky aroma of distant fires. All eyes were on Gen. Everyone eerily silent, watching as the medieval woman made her way down from the Castle. Every eye was on her, every heart sharing in the weight of the moment that lay before her.

Around her, the Expanse was filled with a congregation of magical beings. Dragonriders stood proudly beside their magnificent beasts. Most of them were men and women whom Gen had never met. They were dressed in rugged clothes and armor, weapons strapped to their backs or sides. In their eyes, they wore relentless expressions that seemed to speak of their courage and spirit for fighting for justice as one of the Dragon Elite.

Beside each of the riders were dragons of every hue and size, their scales glittering like jewels under the setting sun. Most were massive with long tails and horns on their backs. But they were all like statues, simply watching Gen as she soundlessly made her way through the crowd. Why a few hundred dragons and their riders had showed up for this hatching, Gen didn't know, but with much certainty, she knew she was about to find out.

There were also a couple of giants who stood tall in the crowd, almost even with the heads of the dragons. Then there were faces whom Gen recognized like Wilder, Sophia's husband. Beside him was Mahkah, Hiker, Ainsley and of course, Quiet, who looked very unassuming.

Then, of course, there were the faces of Gen's family, greeting her with warmth. Sophia stood next to her sister, Liv who was smiling mischievously as she waved casually, like daring to break the stillness of the crowd. Alongside her was the stoic Clark Beaufont, looking professional as ever in his starched black suit. Rose, his daughter, stood elegantly with Elvis floating in the air over her left shoulder. Paris Beaufont, who was also the head of the Fairy Godmother Agency and held the title of Saint Valentine, stood next to her cousin.

The Beaufonts were a family to impress, all holding roles fitting of royalty. That would have made William, Gen's father proud. She looked up to the heavens, where she pictured the Land of Chimera was and realized that William, the Founder of the House of Fourteen, already knew what his family had done. He was watching her right then and she hoped that she was about to make him proud. She hoped that she knew the name of her dragon—bonding him to her forever.

Standing next to the Beaufonts were two faces whom Gen never got tired of seeing, but always surprised her. Mama Jamba stood casually next to Papa Creola, who appeared quite amused and as if he was teeming with a secret. The pair would know what was so important about her dragon. They would know just about everything. However, they had informed her that they had blind spots, for no one could ever know everything, no matter how powerful because the future simply wasn't written until it happened.

At the center of it all, nestled within a circle of ancient stones that had witnessed countless such ceremonies, lay Gen's dragon egg. During the time it had lain in the Nest where the other dragons lived, it had grown massively. She simply couldn't believe it. The egg was the size of a small house, its surface shimmering with iridescent scales of purple that seemed to capture the very essence of the morning sky. Gen approached, her steps uncertain, her heart a tumult of emotions. Pride, fear, wonder and a deep, unspoken trepidation drumming inside her.

She had dreamed of this moment. Imagined it in a hundred different ways, but now that it was here, doubt crept into her heart like a shadow. What kind of dragon lay within that majestic egg? Would she be worthy of him? And the question that haunted her most: would she know his name, the name that would bind them together for eternity?

The air grew still as she reached the circle, the crowd fading and freezing even more with a hushed reverence. She could feel the eyes of every being upon her, their collective breaths held in a moment of shared suspense. The ground underfoot, a tapestry of moss and stone, seemed to pulse with the heartbeat of the earth, a reminder of the life that was about to burst forth.

Gen stood before the egg, her gaze locked on its surface, searching for any sign of the life within. A wind whistled through the air, stirring her long braid, but having no effect on the giant egg. Gen glanced up at the light blue sky to pay respect to her father and sister who were witnessing from another realm the miracle that was about to occur. The wind carried whispers of encouragement, and somewhere in the distance, a lone piper began to play a melody that seemed to echo the rhythm of her racing heart.

In that moment, Gen felt a connection to everything around her. She sensed a thread of unity that wove through her soul, linking her to the past, present and future. She was a part of this land, part of its magic and mystery. Whatever emerged from the egg would be a reflection of the world that had shaped her.

And then, without warning, it began.