The girl floated in the pond.
In truth, the pond's water was far from clean... it wasn't a flowing source, and after days of sun exposure and fish thrashing, it teemed with unseen bacteria despite its clear surface.
Alaric would never drink this foul water.
But for the girl in that moment, this less-than-pristine water was truly the "water of life."
"Gurgle…"
Her body bobbed in the pond, sinking and rising, occasionally letting out bubbles.
Alaric, standing at the pond's edge, silently observed the miraculous scene unfolding.
He couldn't help but feel like he was watching a dish being cooked… the pond was a cauldron, the water boiling, and the human girl the sole ingredient, tumbling and simmering from raw to done…
"It's changing, it's changing."
After ten minutes of "blanching." Alaric could clearly see the transformations in the girl.
The most striking was her hair: once dark, it now gleamed a vivid silver-white, shimmering under the sunlight.
Beyond that, her skin seemed fairer, her body sturdier… Her once-slender arms now faintly showed muscle definition... perhaps she'd even grown taller?
"Alright, that's enough."
Alaric decided the "cooking"… no, the healing effect was sufficient. Any longer, and the girl might start evolving toward a "dragonkin."
Splash...
Flapping his wings, Alaric flew above the pond. He hooked her collar with his claws and tossed her onto the nearby grass.
He did it on purpose.
No trace of gentleness or chivalry... he didn't need it. This girl, moments ago barely clinging to life, now brimmed with vitality. Those few drops of his diluted dragon's blood acted like a fierce elixir, pushing her beyond the "human" realm toward the "inhuman."
"Ow, ow, ow…"
The sharp impact jolted the girl awake, her soul still teetering on the edge of life and death.
She felt pain... two distinct kinds intertwined. Her head throbbed dully, while her body burned with a fiery sting.
The conflicting pains tore at her, nearly bringing tears to her eyes.
But as her soul cleared and she grasped her situation...
"Hiss... ha... "
She tilted her head back, gazing at the azure sky, gasping deeply.
Her body still ached, tears still flowed.
Yet her face broke into an irrepressible smile.
It was the smile of a survivor... the pain coursing through her was a constant reminder: she was alive, truly alive!
"Being alive is wonderful."
Instinctively, she spread her arms, yearning to embrace this vibrant world... but a cold breeze swept over her drenched body, just pulled from the pond, making her shiver and hug herself.
"So cold."
"Wait, what about the others? Did they survive?"
The elated survivor rushed to the front of the temple.
She expected to see her kin lively and restored, ready to return home together.
But cruel reality shattered her hopes... her tribespeople still lay on the grass, their condition even worse than before.
"How can this be?"
Staring at the tragic scene, the girl's eyes widened, her delicate face etched with confusion.
She couldn't comprehend what had happened… Why were her kin still suffering while she had escaped the deadly disease?
Had the gods heard her final plea and spared her?
"Merciful gods, almighty gods, please save my people too."
"I offer you my most devout, most sacred tribute."
Facing her dying kin, the helpless girl clasped her hands, closed her eyes, and prayed silently for a miracle.
But, as expected.
No gods answered her call.
The only response was a crisp dragon's roar... and an impatient urging.
"Roar (Stop chanting)... "
"Roar roar (What are you standing there for)?"
"Roar, roar roar (Hurry up and toss your people into that pond)!"
…
It was a small white dragon.
Suddenly appearing before her, dancing in the air.
The girl gaped at the delicate, elf-like baby dragon.
"Hey, don't just stand there!"
It wasn't until the dragon lightly slapped her cheek with its tail that she snapped out of her daze, realizing the miracle she'd encountered.
"Y-Yes, yes!"
Without hesitation, the girl named Winna followed Alaric's instructions, tossing her dying kin into the pond behind the temple.
During the process, she noticed her strength had grown astonishingly... she could easily carry two grown men without effort.
"Is this your doing?"
"Did you save me?"
Strangely, despite facing such a "delicate" baby dragon, the girl instinctively used respectful tones.
But on reflection, it made sense.
Tinged with the White Dragon's blood, she was no longer purely "human"... though she bore no visible signs of dragonification, a trace of the White Dragon's Mystery now coursed through her.
This Mystery instilled in her an innate sense of kinship and awe toward Alaric.
... Among dragons, hierarchy was strict. Especially among those sharing a bloodline, the superior held absolute dominance over the inferior, an unbreachable divide.
Facing her questions, Alaric snorted and shook his head.
"Tch... "
"Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not trying to save you."
"I just don't want you dying at my doorstep."
---
If they block this again, you can read it on SH (S-c-r-i-b-b-l-e- H-u-b) under the same title.