Hunter of the Evernight
Chapter 470: A protector or a destroyer

Chapter 470: A protector or a destroyer

"Grandpa Allen, am I the last dragon?" A younger-looking Ana inquired as she sat on the lap of a wizened old man.

Above, the Nighteye was revealed in all its glory, its purple light illuminating the lands below.

The old man with a head full of white hair and a body too muscular to be normal, replied in an amiable tone. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, I read a book, Rise and Fall of the Ozkan Empire. It mentioned the War of Desolation and how it led to the extinction of the first-generation Cryptids including dragons."

"I am quite surprised you managed to read the whole thing." Allen teased, eliciting a chuckle from Ana as she felt proud of herself.

"Well, am I the last dragon?"

Taking a deep breath, Allen asked a question of his own. "Does it matter?"

"I don’t know." Ana truthfully replied, her demeanor taking a melancholic tone as she found herself delving into her thoughts.

Allen stayed silent, waiting for her to speak and finally, she did.

"I’m scared I won’t be able to fit in. I’ve seen how the other kids treat me. They seem scared, like I’m some walking disaster. It’s not fair."

"Why do you want to fit in?"

"If I don’t fit in, how would I make friends?"

Allen chuckled as he reached out and patted Ana’s head. "You are a special child, Ana. You are unique and if people hate you because of that uniqueness, then it’s their problem. It’s not something you should ever be ashamed of. Wear it like a badge and flaunt it with pride."

"And if I never get friends?"

"Oh, you will. Why wish to make friends with boring people when you could do so with amazing individuals?"

"What if I don’t ever find someone unique like me?"

Allen shook his head. "Uniqueness attracts uniqueness. Same way bland attracts bland. It may take time, my dear, but you will find those that would be grateful for your uniqueness and that would respect you for it even more. All you have to do is be patient."

Silence followed as Ana fell into her thoughts, her innocent legs kicking as she soaked in Allen’s words.

"Alright, how about a promise?"

"Promise?" Ana looked up at Allen, to find the old man raising his pinky finger.

"Indeed. When the time comes and you find that special someone who is just as unique as yourself, don’t hesitate to make them your friend, okay?"

"What if they don’t want to be friends with me?"

"Oh, they would," Allen replied before adding. "But if they don’t, I’ll make sure to kidnap them and spank them until they accept."

Ana giggled at the thought with Allen chuckling as well.

"Thanks, Grandpa Allen."

"You’re welcome, dear," Allen replied.

"But you didn’t answer my question."

"Ah, I didn’t?"

"Yes." Ana nodded vigorously causing Allen to sigh.

"Truly a perceptive one." He joked as he ruffled her hair.

Taking a deep breath, Allen remarked. "You know, Ana, humans, and dragons... they’ve never liked each other very much."

"Why?"

"Territory, racial bias... we might never know."

"Is that why my ancestors are extinct?"

"Not at all. We had no choice. The dragons burned our lands and killed millions. It was either us or them, naturally, we chose us."

Ana seemed scared at this point, her expression shifting greatly as she inquired. "Will I also become like that someday?... Is that why the others are scared of me?"

"You can choose to be whatever you want to be, Ana. You can choose to be a protector or a destroyer, either way, that is your decision to make. Your ancestors’ actions have no bearing on you and your future, understand?"

Ana nodded but it was clear that she was still scared.

Understandable, after all, even now, dragons were still seen as monsters that knew nothing but destruction.

Allen ruffled her hair yet again. "You have a big responsibility, Ana."

"I do?"

"Of course. You have to go through life carrying on your shoulders the expectations of both your people and mine."

"I’m scared, Grandpa Allen, what if I end up making the wrong decision?"

"I trust you, Ana. I trust you would make the right choice."

"And if I don’t?"

Allen went silent for a moment, unsure of how best to respond.

"Grandpa Allen?"

"You will," Allen remarked with a forced smile. "As long as you remain with us, you will never make the wrong choice."

***

Though her body was still recuperating, her mind remained active.

An older and much wiser Ana stood before her memories of the past, watching them swiftly go by like a flowing stream.

She recalled Grandpa Allen as he was perhaps one of the few who ever treated her like a person.

The others only ever saw her as a weapon, a monster, a potential calamity waiting to erupt.

Thinking back to the disaster that caused the Southern Ruins, Ana knew that she hadn’t been at fault for what had happened.

But the Family heads alive at that time still attributed its occurrence to her, making her carry the title of Great Calamity like it were some crown.

A sliver of hatred emerged at that moment but then, memories of the past year came by, and soon, she calmed.

Alex and the rest of Constellations somehow managed to do what the Great Families hadn’t done for hundreds of years, which was to see her as a true ally.

Okay, maybe Victoria wasn’t quite there yet but the others were assured.

To think that she would be a part of such a wonderful family of misfits just like she warmed her heart greatly.

"You were right, Grandpa Allen, I did end up making friends... real friends," Ana muttered softly with a brilliant smile adorning her lips.

Before now, she’d always seen herself as some sort of bridge between humans and dragons, forced to always put her life on the line to prove to humans that she was on their side.

Once she awoke, she would finally be able to live for herself.

With that understanding, she thought. ’What lies in store for me across the Azure Seas?’

It was a mystery and for that reason, she looked forward to it.