had little time to warn the sea dragons that they were coming in to ride before Dar swam out and was treading water in front of the pod of seven sea creatures. The nanites formed an invisible waterproof shell around him as Cin waded out to Dar and the group.
The moment he was beside the child, Cin splashed a little to get Dar’s attention. When those brilliant blue eyes looked at him, Cin made an odd hand gesture in the air. Seconds later, the largest sea dragon swam over, ducked under the water, and came up between Cin’s legs.
Dar nearly went under the water from the shock of seeing the sea dragon put Cin on its back. “Did the hand gesture do that?”
“Yes, it’s a sign to them that you would like to ride. Those that want to play like that will come to you,” Cin promised the curious boy.
Dar tried to make the same hand gesture but didn’t get it right. “Can you please show me again?”
Cin was entirely charmed by the polite and intelligent little boy and showed him how to make the gesture again. This time, a moderately sized sea dragon flew through the water, dove under, and popped back up with an excited Dar clinging to its back.
“It worked!” Dar screamed in excitement. “How do we make them swim?”
Cin showed Dar another hand gesture before his sea dragon shot through the water, staying near the shore. He turned around to see if Dar had gotten it and held up a hand to stop his dragon. Dar was flying through the air, hanging on by a scrap of dragon beard before losing his grip and skipping across the water.
Getting ready to turn around and save the boy, Cin was surprised to see another sea dragon scoop the kid onto its back and take off again. Losing his grip again, Dar went flying before being grabbed by another dragon.
Cin was getting concerned until he heard not only Dar’s hysterical laughter, but the chittering laughs among the sea dragons as well. Dar wasn’t just playing with the sea dragons. At this point, the happy child was their toy, and they all loved it.
They spent hours playing with the sea dragons while Cin taught little Dar how to speak to the creatures the child adored. Conscious of the dangers of changing the future, Cin had only given Dar the same knowledge the sand dragons gave to the Shamans of Mascador.
The only change this day would make in Dar’s life would be the cementing of their trust and friendship and cause Dar’s family to realize the depth of the boy’s true destiny. It would also be the catalyst to Dar’s new interest in space and serving in LAW when he came of age.
Through the memories still forming in Cin’s mind of his century’s long friendship with Dar, Cindrac knew how important it was for the child before him to become the warrior he’d just left.
“Will they still respond if you’re not here?” Dar asked, bringing Cin out of his thoughts.
“Of course, they will,” Cin assured the boy. “It’s their language. Watch their beards. They move in the same motions I’ve shown you. It’s a visual representation of their vocalizations.”
“Like sign language?” Dar already knew the answer. It made sense to him now.
“Exactly like sign language,” Cin agreed with a smile.
Brilliant blue eyes looked up at Cin. “I can feel the energy around you. You’re powerful, but it’s like you’re wounded too. Is that why you’re here? For spiritual healing from the Shamans?”
Cin chuckled. “I’m here because we become good friends in the future.”
Cindrac was just wondering how the intelligent and perceptive child would handle that news when those blue eyes twinkled at him.
“You’re here to make sure I don’t freak out when I meet you in the future,” Dar grinned, showing his adorable dimples in both cheeks. “Makes sense. You are kind of weird-looking, and there’s that creepy energy thing you got going on.”
Cin burst into laughter, and Dar chuckled along with him before the boy turned serious. “I’m meant for bigger things than this world, aren’t I?”
“Only you know that answer, Dar,” Cin told the boy. “Don’t let anyone dictate your future for you. If you never leave this world until the end of your days, I will still be your friend. I will still be in your future. The path you take from here is your own. I’m going to be there to support whatever decisions you make, but