[Third person POV]
"Cosmo, come here! I want to introduce you to your new baby sister!" Arthur called out excitedly, practically bouncing with joy as he presented the newborn dragon to the grumpy feline. He held Sylvia carefully in both hands, then playfully thrust her forward, almost smushing her into Cosmo's furry face.
Cosmo stared up at Arthur with a deadpan, weary expression that clearly conveyed just how unimpressed he was. Meanwhile, the baby dragon turned her head curiously toward Arthur, blinking her big, bright eyes.
"Sister?" she repeated in a soft, inquisitive voice, not quite sure what the word meant.
"That's right," Arthur replied proudly. He shifted his arms, cradling Sylvia in one and reaching down with the other to scoop up Cosmo. He hoisted the cat into his arms and held them side by side.
"You see this grumpy-looking furball with the perpetually annoyed expression?" Arthur asked, glancing between the two. "This is Cosmo—your big brother and my first child. And Cosmo," he added, looking down at the unimpressed feline, "this little critter is Sylvia, my newly-hatched daughter. Which officially makes her your little sister. Now come on—say hi to each other!"
He brought the two of them closer together. Sylvia eagerly raised one of her tiny, clawed paws and beamed with joy. "Hello, big brother!" she chirped cheerfully.
Of course, what actually came out was a high-pitched, toothy "Rawr!"—adorable rather than threatening, especially coming from something so small.
Cosmo simply gave Arthur a long, slow look, sighed dramatically, and dropped his head in silent resignation.
Arthur chuckled, his lips twitching as he tried to hold back a grin. "Cosmo, I don't think I've ever seen a cat express this level of exasperation before."
Sylvia tilted her head, confused by her brother's lack of enthusiasm. Arthur winked at her and said gently, "Don't worry about him. He just needs a little time to adjust. He's not exactly great with new family members."
Sylvia nodded slowly, still watching Cosmo with quiet curiosity.
Just then, a playful, teasing voice echoed from behind them. "So, Arthur… playing house and building a family without little ol' me?"
Arthur's eyes lit up as he whirled around. "Mel!" he shouted, nearly tripping over his own feet in excitement. "Look! She hatched! She finally hatched! I named her Sylvia!"
Merlin walked forward with a wide smile, her eyes softening as she reached out and cradled the tiny dragon in her arms with practiced care. "Coochie-coochie-coo!" she cooed, tickling the underside of Sylvia's belly.
Sylvia let out a stream of delighted giggles, swaying happily from side to side in Merlin's arms. "Nice to meet ya, little Sylvia," Merlin said warmly. "I'm your Auntie Merlin~!"
Arthur blinked, watching them interact, then glanced at Merlin curiously. "Wait a minute… did you know she was going to hatch today? Is that why you stopped by?"
"You could say that," Merlin replied with a mysterious smirk, gently stroking Sylvia's cheek with one finger. "It's been so long since I last saw a newborn true dragon. It's a rare and beautiful thing."
"Speaking of true dragons," Arthur said, eyes narrowing with interest, "you still haven't explained to me what they even are. You said you would, but you never followed through."
"I know," Merlin said with a small sigh. "That's actually why I'm here. I was waiting for little Sylvia to be born before I told you everything. And I mean everything—the full story. The origin of your Pendragon bloodline, the real meaning behind it, and the true power that flows through your veins."
Arthur gasped and immediately rushed to grab a chair, plopping down in it with wide, eager eyes. "Finally! You have no idea how long I've waited for this! I thought you were never going to tell me."
Merlin raised an eyebrow as she conjured a chair of her own and gently placed Sylvia on her lap. "Tell me something first," she said. "Did you even bother to do your own research in the meantime? Look for answers yourself? Even once?"
Arthur averted his gaze, looking off to the side with pursed lips, completely silent.
"Yeah, that's what I thought," Merlin said, shaking her head with a half-smile. She settled into her chair and sighed deeply. "Alright then… where to begin?"
"From the beginning, please!" Arthur said, practically vibrating with excitement.
Merlin chuckled. "Of course, of course. That's usually the best place to start. Now, as I'm sure you've figured out by now, the world you're living in… this entire reality... it's one that originated from a book you once read. However, what that book covered was barely a fraction of the truth. Not even close."
Arthur leaned forward as Merlin continued.
"You see, our world is only one layer of a vast, intricate system. There are other realms—hidden dimensions, places of myth and legend that exist just beyond the veil. And they're all connected, in some way or another."
"What? Then how come I've never heard of this?" Arthur asked, baffled.
"Oh, but you have," Merlin said, smirking knowingly. "Think about it. You've heard of Heaven. Hell. Avalon. These places aren't just stories—they're real. They're different realms, just like ours."
Arthur's eyes widened. "I mean, I know you're technically a hell-born devil, but it still feels crazy to think Heaven and Hell actually exist..."
Merlin laughed. "It's a lot to take in, I know. But the important thing to understand is that this world, the one you're standing in right now, serves as the Nexus. It's the central hub that links all realms together. Every gateway to every other dimension can be found here, somewhere on Earth."
Merlin then said. "The Norse didn't call this realm Midgard—'middle earth'—for nothing."
She leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping in tone. "For example, say you started digging far enough underground. If you go deep enough, you might stumble upon a gateway—one that could lead you straight to Hell, or Hades, or Helheim, depending on which mythological framework governs that particular entrance. They all exist. They're all real. And they're all just a step away… if you know where to look."
"Wait… gods actually exist? Like, more than one?" Arthur asked, his brows furrowing in disbelief. "If that's true, then how come people don't know they're real? Why isn't this common knowledge?"
Merlin gave him a deadpan look. "Arthur, I just told you that Heaven and Hell are real. Do you really think there wouldn't be gods?"
Arthur opened his mouth to respond, but Merlin continued before he could.
"The reason they're not a known presence anymore is actually quite simple," she said. "They grew bored. Earth no longer holds their interest—it offers them nothing they can't already get in their own divine realms. There was a time, long ago, when they walked among mortals openly. They shaped civilizations, started wars, made heroes and monsters. That was the age of myth, the age of legends. But then… they just stopped caring."
"They just... gave up on us?" Arthur asked, blinking.
"More like they lost interest. Earth became mundane to them," Merlin explained with a shrug. "They withdrew into their own dimensions and left the world to figure itself out. That's why their influence faded, why their stories became mythology instead of history."
"That's... actually kind of awesome," Arthur said, a grin creeping onto his face. "I mean, it's a shame they're not around, but still—knowing they exist? I wonder if we could explore some of those divine realms one day. That would be amazing."
Merlin smiled faintly, but her eyes gleamed with a hint of mischief. "Maybe," she replied cryptically, her tone laced with hidden meaning.
Then she shook her head, redirecting the conversation. "Anyway, let's get back on track. I brought up hidden realms for a reason after all."
Arthur nodded, trying to refocus.
"True Dragons," Merlin said, her voice taking on a more serious tone, "are dragons that originate from one of the hidden realms I mentioned earlier. There's an entire realm—a massive, sprawling dimension—made entirely of dragons. A world where their kind rules without question, and where the land itself is steeped in their magic."
Arthur's eyes widened in awe. "A realm of dragons...?"
Merlin nodded. "Exactly. Dragons that are born from that realm are what we call True Dragons. Any dragon that's born outside of the source—from a different dimension, or here on Earth—is considered a Lesser Dragon. It's not an insult. It's just a matter of origin. The ones born in the Dragon Realm are infused with its raw elemental essence. They're stronger, wiser, and capable of wielding magic on a scale that's utterly beyond human comprehension."
She glanced down at Sylvia, who was now curled up on her lap, purring softly. With a gentle hand, she tapped the tiny dragon's snout.
"Even though she wasn't born in that realm," Merlin continued, "she carries the blood of a True Dragon. That power, that potential—it runs in her veins."
Arthur leaned closer, listening intently.
"And," Merlin added, lifting her gaze to meet Arthur's, her expression turning solemn, "so do you."
Arthur froze, stunned. "Wait… what?"
"You heard me," Merlin said calmly. "You, Arthur Pendragon, are descended from the bloodline of a True Dragon. The power that slumbers within you… it's more ancient and more dangerous than you've ever imagined."
********************************************
+10 advance Chapters and my other patron exclusive content on: patreon.com/Shadow_D_Monarch3