Once back at the other side where little princess patiently waited, Pheasant sat down next to her, unable to say a single word about what he had just experienced. He only knew that he would feel the comfort of these mighty giants for the rest of his life.
The next gate he chose was solid, smooth granite. He opened the massive door and stepped into billowing dunes. Marram grass was waving with the wind and the shoreline was soft and foaming.
He walked around for hours to explore this world, meeting only a few seagulls and sandpipers who seemed to be more an extension of the ocean than individual beings.
After a day of enjoying the hypnotic beauty of the beach, Pheasant relaxed into non-thinking. He suddenly spotted something really big further down the shore. Some big and white was sitting in the dunes. Like really, really big.
Pheasant felt scared but reminded himself what little princess had told him – not to take things too seriously. He moved closer to the being. When he got closer and the silhouette became clearer his eyes saw what his mind could hardly believe. It was a huge, white, soft, gracious, beautiful dragon.
Sitting on the beach, peacefully looking out over the ocean and as if she could feel him, because this was no doubt a lady, she slowly turned her head and looked over at him with warm, wise and sad eyes.
Pheasant got nervous and screamed a hoarse “HI-HELLO!” and then stumbled a little when he moved closer. The Dragon lady looked back at the water and waited for Pheasant to come closer. He didn’t dare to come too close though. Her nostrils were really big and intimidating and he knew the stories about fire and stuff.
“Hello, little one.” She spoke to him but inside his head, not with her mouth. “Welcome to this beautiful island. Tell me who you are.”
“I am Pheasant, invited by Mother Gaia to travel through her Lower Worlds to learn some things.”
“I am Lydia. I am a White Dragon and I live on this island. Or more like it, in this island.”
“Nice to meet you Lydia.”
Pheasant could not take his eyes off this beautiful creature. The dignity she radiated was unlike anything he had ever felt. But she also seemed really sad.
“Is there anything I can do for you miss? You seem sad.”
“Well, you see, I have lost my fire. That is why I am sad.”
“Oh? I thought all dragons could breathe fire?”
“Oh no little one, the Water Dragons cannot breathe fire. But I am an Earth Dragon and fire is an important part of who I am.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know. I just lost it.”
“I see. You know, I get a test in every world I visit. This is probably my test. I will set out to find your fire.”
The eyes of the gentle White Dragon teared up.
“Thank you little one. I doubt you can help me, but thank you.”
Pheasant walked and walked. There was almost no one on this island he could ask. He walked up to some big, old pine trees behind the dunes and asked them. He sensed their friendliness but they were so slow, it would probably take weeks before they could pulse an answer to him.
He stumbled on and screeched nervously now and then. He tried to ask the seagulls, but they seemed to live only for themselves. He couldn’t make contact.
He had been walking for hours and was exhausted and hungry. The light didn’t change though, seemed to be eternal daytime on this island. After another hour of walking and walking and calling out for help, he was finally so exhausted that he fell over on the beach.
He just lay there and watched the sand breathe. He would probably find himself on the other side of the granite door any minute now. He couldn’t solve this one. He felt so sad for the sweet Dragon lady.
Right before his beak, a hermit crab suddenly walked by with its borrowed house on its back.
“You know…you forgot to ask us, the tiny ones. Just because we are small does not mean we don’t have answers!”
Pheasant sat up as if someone had just hit him.
“I – I am sorry. I DID forget that. Can you help Lydia, the Dragon lady? She lost her fire.”
“I will ask Mother Gaia. Hang on for a second.”
The hermit crab dug himself into the sand and disappeared. So Pheasant waited.
And waited.
And waited.
When he had almost given up hope, the sand grains started to move again and hermit crab crawled back out of wherever he had been.
“And?? Did you find an answer?”
“Mother has heard your question and has an answer.”
“So? What is the answer?”
“I don’t know. But it will come. Just trust and relax. And never forget: We, the tiny ones, have a direct line to Mother Gaia just like everyone else. Hermit crab stayed for a few minutes to let this piece of advice echo for a while on the empty beach. Then he crawled on.
Pheasant felt tired and frustrated, but decided to trust and started his long walk back to Lydia.
He felt scared when he came closer again. He didn’t know what to say. Every part of him wanted to run away now. How do you tell a giant dragon “I don’t know”? With a heavy heart and a tummy full of fear, he took the last steps to reach Lydia. His beautiful tail feather hung low like a tail.
When he was just a few meters away from her, the light in the sky started to change. Clouds were forming above them and out of the silvery clouds came two enormous dragons, one fiery red and one crystal blue. Big wings, spiky tails, huge paws and fire blazing all around them.
Lydia looked up and froze. Then she started beaming.
In a cloud of sand and fire, the two dragons landed on the beach.
“Lydia!” The blue dragon spoke with a voice of thunder.
“The little one has carried your prayer to the tiny ones. The tiny ones brought it to Mother Gaia.”
Lydia looked at pheasant and back at the blue dragon.
“Your fire is not lost. You only need to come with us. You see, dragons are not supposed to be alone. Also, we need to change your name. Lydia is not your true name and it is not a fireproof name. Your name was mirrored. Your true name is AIDYL. It carries your heart-flame and your courage. Come with us, Aidyl. We are going home.”
Aidyl, the White Dragon lady, looked at Pheasant and thanked him without words. She then spread her wings and flew off with her two new friends. Just before they reached the silvery cloud again she dove back, flew low over the beach and breathed fire so enthusiastically it almost cost Pheasant his tail feather.
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