Sooji, her hand still instinctively guarding the silver locket, stared at Null, then at the tiny black dragon still vehemently nuzzling her necklace. The casual charm had completely evaporated, replaced by a mixture of bewilderment and alarm. "Alright, Null," she said, her voice strained, "this is… a lot. 'War coming'? 'Prime Stones'? And a dragon that thinks my granny's locket is its soulmate? Let's just... move somewhere less public, shall we? This coffee stand isn't built for existential crises."
She led them, with a surprisingly brisk pace, to a secluded corner of the plaza. It was a small, quiet garden, tucked away behind a fountain, shaded by a large, ancient oak tree. The air here felt calmer, the city's hum a distant thrum. Sooji settled onto a stone bench, Null standing patiently opposite, his cross eyes fixed on her. Fang, still enthralled, simply adjusted his grip on the locket as she sat.
"Now," Sooji began, taking a deep breath and trying to compose herself, "start talking. From the beginning. And please, for the love of everything holy, tell me why that thing – that dragon – is so obsessed with my grandmother's locket."
Null's gaze remained unreadable, but his attention was absolute. "He senses the Prime Stone," Null stated, cutting directly to the core. "It's what gives you your... warmth. Your vitality."
Sooji's brows furrowed. "My warmth? It's just a locket. Granny gave it to me when I was little. It's always felt... comforting. But 'warmth'?" She instinctively touched the locket again, a faint, golden shimmer of invigorating energy briefly emanating from it, unnoticed by her, but not by Null or Fang.
Alright, Liege, my turn, Fang transmitted, his voice surprisingly soft, though still directed solely at Null. He finally peeled himself off the locket, though not without a lingering caress. As he floated in the air before Sooji, a tiny, perfectly tied scarlet bow tie shimmered into existence around his neck, impossibly dapper against his black scales. He struck a pose, puffing out his chest with an air of immense gravitas. As the preeminent expert on Prime Stones, celestial entities, and charming my way into the hearts of incredibly powerful artifacts, allow me to enlighten the lovely lady here.
Sooji blinked, staring at the sudden appearance of the bow tie. "Did... did that just appear out of nowhere?"
Null merely nodded.
Fang ignored Sooji, focusing his mental address on Null. You, Liege, are what we call 'Awoken'. Your Prime Stone is not an external object; it is intertwined with your very soul, part of your essence. That's why your powers manifest so... explosively, and why your memories are linked to its echoes. It's a profound integration, a rare and powerful awakening. He then turned his mental gaze towards Sooji, though his physical eyes kept darting back to the locket. This lady, however, is different. She is not 'Awoken' in your sense. She is a 'Conduit,' a 'Holder.' Her Prime Stone, while immense in power, is an external artifact she merely controls, perhaps even unknowingly.
Sooji listened, her mouth slightly agape, staring from the tiny, bow-tied dragon to Null. "What in the blazes are you talking about? 'Awoken'? 'Conduit'? I just brew coffee and sell little trinkets! I don't... control cosmic power! This is insane!" Her agitation caused another, more noticeable surge of golden energy, subtly invigorating the surrounding plants, making a wilting leaf instantly perk up.
See? Fang mentally jabbed at Null, completely disregarding Sooji's distress. She's doing it now! That unrefined burst! It's all due to the… the glorious entity she unwittingly channels! He zipped closer to the locket, his tiny form practically vibrating with excitement. Her power, the warmth, the life… it's a reflection of the Prime Stone's nature. It's dormant, awaiting its true awakening within her locket. She controls it, yes, but it's not her in the same way your shadow-reality bending is you.
Null absorbed this new lore, his understanding deepening. It explained the different feeling of Sooji's power compared to his own. It was a key distinction. "The war requires all Prime Stone users," Null stated, his voice unwavering, addressing Sooji directly. "Awoken or Holder. Your power is needed."
Sooji scoffed, a nervous, almost hysterical sound. "My power? I can make a decent cappuccino and sometimes my flowers bloom too early! That's hardly 'war-ending' material! You're saying this... this locket... it's a weapon?" She clutched it tighter.
Fang, however, was no longer listening to the conversation. His full attention was on the locket. Its soft, golden glow was intensifying, pulsing with a slow, deliberate rhythm. The silver surface began to thin, growing translucent, as if melting into pure vital energy.
Oh, my stars above, Fang thought, his voice now a mere, reverent whisper, his entire being trembling with anticipation. His bow tie seemed to shimmer with his excitement. It's… it's waking up. The true essence. The pure beauty within. After all these ages, finally!
The locket's form dissolved completely, replaced by a pure, contained orb of radiant life energy, impossibly bright yet soft. And within this orb, a form began to coalesce. Slowly, majestically, a small, elegant shape took form. It was a small white dragon, its scales shimmering like fresh snow under moonlight, its wings ethereal, almost translucent. It stretched languidly, its tiny claws flexing, a soft, tired sigh rippling from its miniature snout. Its eyes, still half-closed, were the color of clear sapphire, radiating an ancient weariness, as if it had slept for millennia. This was Lumina.
It looked at Fang. Its sapphire eyes, now fully open, held a wisdom that belied its small size, and a gentle curiosity.
Fang, the cynical, disrespectful, ancient dragon, let out a sound that was a pure, unadulterated squeak of delight. He floated perfectly still, his entire body rigid with adoration, his bow tie practically vibrating. This was it. The perfection. The beauty beyond all measure. His destiny. His love.
My darling Lumina, Fang thought, his internal voice thick with emotion, you are even more glorious than my dreams allowed. I have waited for you across the aeons, my celestial pearl.
Sooji stared, her jaw slack. The glowing orb, the white dragon, Fang's absolute devotion – it was too much. Her own innate life energy surged, a brilliant burst of golden warmth momentarily engulfing the small garden, causing the old oak's leaves to shimmer with an otherworldly glow and a new, tiny bud to sprout on a nearby rose bush. This time, she felt it, a profound connection to the radiant, tired creature now hovering before her, a guardian spirit born from her own heart's essence.
Null, his cross eyes watching everything, simply nodded. The first steps of forging an alliance were rarely simple. And with a new, beautiful, powerful, and very tired dragon now awake, things were about to get much more complicated. Sooji was indeed important, more than even she knew. Her connection to Lumina was just beginning to unfold.
The golden light slowly receded, leaving the small garden bathed once more in the muted glow of the late afternoon. But the space felt fundamentally altered. Where Sooji's unassuming silver locket once rested, a small, luminous white dragon now hovered, its ethereal wings gently fanning the air. Lumina.
Sooji's jaw remained slack, her breath caught in her throat. She could still feel the profound connection, a warm, resonant thrumming deep within her chest that mirrored the dragon's presence. It was as if a missing piece of herself had finally surfaced. She reached out a trembling hand, utterly mesmerized.
Fang, however, was already in motion. He floated directly before Lumina, his tiny black form rigid with adoration, his scarlet bow tie a proud splash of color. My radiant angel! My glorious pearl of the cosmos! You have graced this mortal realm with your divine presence! he transmitted, his voice in Null's mind a chaotic symphony of awe and puppy-like infatuation. He tried to bow, a tiny, awkward gesture that ended with him nearly doing a somersault.
Lumina, though still radiating an ancient tiredness from her sapphire eyes, observed Fang with a gentle, almost amused curiosity. She drifted slowly, gracefully, not towards Fang, but towards Sooji, her small form radiating a calming warmth that settled the frantic beat of Sooji's heart. Lumina nudged Sooji's outstretched hand with her soft, scaly snout, a quiet purr rumbling from her chest – a sound far more delicate than Fang's booming devotion.
"She's... she's beautiful," Sooji whispered, her voice husky with emotion. The fear had not vanished, but wonder now outweighed it. She carefully stroked Lumina's head, feeling an immediate surge of vibrant life energy flow through her, exhilarating and comforting all at once. "You... you came from my locket?"
Null, ever the stoic observer, had watched the entire unfolding. He now stepped closer, his cross eyes assessing Lumina. "She is a manifestation," Null stated, his voice even. "The true form of your Prime Stone's essence."
Precisely, Liege! Always cutting to the chase! Fang zipped around Lumina in dizzying circles, seemingly trying to impress her with his aerial acrobatics. Though, if I may elaborate for the uninitiated, she is an echo of the Prime Stone's original power, now given form by its awakening! A sentinel! A guardian! A... a simply breathtaking individual!
Lumina finally gave a soft, tired mental sigh, a gentle ripple in Null's and Fang's minds. Peace, little shadow. Her voice, though mental, was a soothing balm, like sunlight on calm water. I am Lumina. And yes, my dear Sooji, I am the heart of your grandmother's gift. It was my slumber that kept you shielded, but the changing tides of existence have stirred me awake. She turned her sapphire gaze back to Fang. And you, tiny admirer, seem rather... enthusiastic.
Fang nearly wobbled in mid-air from sheer ecstasy. Enthusiastic is an understatement, my celestial blossom! My soul sings! My very being vibrates with... with profound admiration!
Sooji, clutching Lumina gently now, looked from the tired white dragon to Fang's absurdly smitten antics, then to Null's unflappable face. "Okay," she said slowly, the initial shock beginning to give way to a flicker of her natural wit. "So, this isn't a normal day. A war is coming. This locket is a 'Prime Stone' that's actually a super-tired magical dragon named Lumina. And your... 'companion' here is in love with her." She gestured at Fang, who puffed out his chest proudly. "Did I get that right?"
"Essentially," Null confirmed, a faint, almost imperceptible nod of his head. "And your connection to Lumina means you possess significant power. Life energy. Healing. Vitality."
Sooji looked at Lumina, then at her own hands, feeling the lingering hum of power Null described. It felt natural, a part of her, yet so new. "So, I can... heal people? Make plants grow?"
And radiate a warmth that could melt glaciers, and invigorate the very essence of beings, and perhaps even turn enemies into giggling heaps of bliss! Fang added, doing another delighted loop around Lumina. The possibilities are endless, my shimmering light!
Lumina let out another soft, tired mental sigh, then gently nudged Sooji's cheek. My strength is yours, dear Sooji. But the world awakens with me. It is a time of great need
Sooji looked from the majestic, weary Lumina to the persistent Null, whose cross eyes held an unwavering, grave determination. The absurdity of a tiny, bow-tied dragon declaring eternal love for her necklace's new form was overshadowed by the chilling mention of a coming war. Her life, once simple and charming, had just been irrevocably pulled into something far grander, and far more dangerous. The choice, she realized, was no longer hers alone. Lumina had awakened. And with her, a new purpose.