My world-tree system-Chapter 83 - 82: The dragon and the child grow up too fast

Chapter 83: Chapter 82: The dragon and the child grow up too fast

Lïanna gently raised a hand, imposing a solemn silence on the assembly.

- We are gathered here tonight to give a name to the future of our people," she declared, her voice soft but with unmistakable authority. It is the fruit of our hope, the symbol of our resilience and unity. He will carry Vollua’s legacy.

The murmurs of the elves calmed. All knew the importance of the moment. A name was not just a name. It carried a meaning, a destiny, a power that would echo down the ages.

Foster stepped forward, his deep voice breaking the silence.

- We’ve all lost so much. We are few, we are broken, but we are still here. He glanced at each of the survivors. This name... won’t just be a child’s name. It will be the symbol of what we have decided to protect.

Lïanna nodded gently before turning to the assembly.

- Each of you can propose a name. We’ll choose the one that resonates strongest in our hearts.

A respectful silence settled before a voice spoke out, hesitant but clear.

- Elior.

A murmur ran through the ranks.

- Why Elior?" asked Köflik, turning to the woman who had spoken.

She lowered her head thoughtfully.

- Because it means "he who illuminates the night" in our ancient language. This child... he’s our light in the darkness.

Nods followed, but then another elf spoke up.

- I like the name, but I propose Sylvaën.

Foster raised an eyebrow.

- A forest name...

- Yes," agreed the elf. He was born of the Mother Tree. His blood and magic are linked to her. Sylvaën would be a tribute to our roots.

Another murmur of approval went up.

Then another voice, older, huskier, broke the exchange.

- Orëlas.

Everyone turned to an elderly elf, one of the few elders still alive.

- Why Orëlas?" asked Lïanna gently.

The elder took a deep breath before answering:

- Because it’s the name of the first of our people.

A heavy silence fell.

Everyone knew the legends. Orëlas was the first Sylvester elf that history remembered, the first to hear the voice of the forest, the first to walk beneath its canopy. His name carried a powerful legacy.

Foster felt a chill run down his spine.

He looked at the child who, until now, had remained silent.

But at that very moment, he slowly looked up at Foster.

And he smiled.

Foster felt an absolute certainty settle over him.

He turned his head to Lïanna and, in a low but confident voice, said:

- Very well, we can pay homage to our ancient people. His name will be Orëlas.

The silence that followed was not one of doubt.

It was a silence of acceptance.

Lïanna smiled gently, placing a hand on the child’s head, who closed his eyes as if understanding the decision.

- So be it.

She turned to the assembly.

- Our future will bear the name of the first among us. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

The elves beat their chests gently with their fists, an ancient sign of respect, and in chorus, they murmured:

- Orëlas.

The child slowly opened his eyes.

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Foster awoke with a start, a strange, heavy sensation weighing on his chest. He opened his eyes to find his dragonet snuggled up to him, but it was no longer the same size as yesterday.

It had doubled in size.

His jade scales glistened in the morning light, and his little claws had lengthened slightly, digging gently into Foster’s tunic. But it wasn’t just his appearance that had changed: his energy had too.

Foster could feel it through their bond. The dragon was growing at an abnormal rate. And it wasn’t just an impression.

He sat up slowly, watching the creature open its luminescent eyes and emit a low, almost plaintive growl.

- You’re still hungry, aren’t you?

An image immediately popped into his mind: a deer carcass, broken bones, flesh still smoking.

Foster winced.

This was the problem.

Every day, the dragon’s appetite grew exponentially. When he’d hatched, he’d been content with berries and water, but in just a few days, he’d begun to refuse these foods, clamoring for meat. And not a little.

Foster placed a hand on his head, and the dragon immediately rubbed it, strengthening their bond. He could feel his instincts, his primal needs, the devouring hunger that consumed him.

- It’s a problem," he murmured to himself. A huge problem.

If the dragon’s growth continued at this rate, it would become unmanageable in a matter of weeks. Its need for food would become colossal, and Vollua didn’t have the resources to support such an expanding creature.

He would have to leave the city to find prey for it.

Foster dressed quickly, leaving his dragon hopping behind him, its barely formed wings flapping uselessly behind its back. He still looked like a young dragon, but his body was becoming sleeker, more powerful.

He headed for the Mother Tree, where Lïanna was waiting, surrounded by several elders of the elven people.

Lïanna immediately laid eyes on Foster and his dragon. A look of understanding crossed her fine features.

- You feel it, don’t you? she murmured.

Foster nodded slowly.

- Yes. He’s growing too fast. And he’s eating more and more.

Lïanna sighed lightly, running her fingers over the bark of the Mother Tree.

- It’s a dragon, Foster. It doesn’t obey the laws of nature as we know it. Its existence is that of a primitive and divine being. His body evolves according to the energy he absorbs. And right now, it’s drawing directly from the bond that unites you.

Foster felt a shiver run down his spine.

- You mean... if he keeps this up, he could drain me completely?

- Not right now," Lïanna reassured him. But his instinct is to seek more energy elsewhere. Meat, mana, vital forces. And Vollua is not a territory designed to house a creature of this magnitude.

Foster looked down at his dragon, who was watching him in return, patient and curious. He didn’t want to hurt it, but he had to find a solution.

- Then I’m going out," he declared firmly. I’m going to take her hunting outside Vollua’s borders.

Lïanna closed her eyes for a moment, then nodded slowly.

- Come with me, Foster," she said simply. It’s time you saw something.

She beckoned him to follow her, and without another word, Foster walked beside her, intrigued and slightly worried.

Lïanna guided him through the roots of the Mother Tree, taking a path he’d never taken before. A hidden passage, a sanctuary known only to the initiated.

They arrived at a small house made of wood and woven foliage, where the light filtering through the canopy created a serene, almost unreal atmosphere.

Foster frowned.

- Lïanna... what is it?

She didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she gently opened the door and invited him in.

No sooner had he crossed the threshold than his heart froze.

A child stood in the center of the room, calmly playing with pieces of wood carved in the shape of animals.

Foster felt an icy chill run down his spine. He knew this child.

It was the baby born of ritual.

But... it was no longer an infant.

He had the appearance of a three-year-old.

- By the Mother Tree..." Foster murmured, unable to look away. How...?

The child slowly looked up at him. Piercing green eyes, shining with an intelligence far too mature for his physical age. A curious, almost analytical gaze that scrutinized Foster as if it already knew him.

Foster’s blood ran cold.

- Lïanna, what does this mean?" he breathed, his heart beating wildly.

Lïanna approached the child and placed a gentle hand on his head.

- He’s growing up too, Foster. As fast as your dragon.

Foster shook his head slowly, trying to digest this inconceivable information.

- It couldn’t be...

But he knew it was. He had it right in front of him.

The child no longer looked like a newborn. He was big, awake, conscious.

- He was born only a few days ago, and yet he’s already talking," added Lïanna.

Foster felt dizzy.

Was this it? This ritual... this child... everything that had come from their union with nature...

They had created something beyond the laws of time.

He ran a hand over his face, his breath trembling.

- It’s not normal, Lïanna...

She nodded, her gaze serious but serene.

- No, it isn’t. But it’s true. This child, like your dragon, carries within him a unique destiny. He’s not just an elf... he’s more than that.

The child continued to stare at him, his gaze seeming to probe far beyond the present moment.

Foster swallowed hard.

His dragon and this child...

They were both embodiments of an ancient, uncontrollable power.

- We’ve got to bring back food for these two gourmands... What a pain in the ass. he complained.

- Foster! Can you stop complaining! These two are important to the survival of our people! she replied.

- Yes, you’re probably right, but the fact remains that every time we go outside the city walls, we’re either attacked or there’s a problem...

And so, grumbling, he headed for the city’s exit, accompanied by a small jade dragon.