Aru had always loved the woods behind her house. The towering trees, the winding streams, the whispering wind—it was a place of peace for her. Every afternoon, after finishing her chores, she would sneak away from the house and wander through the forest, letting the cool shade and the songs of birds fill her heart with calm. But that day felt different. The air was heavier, charged with something she couldn’t quite explain.
As Aru skipped along a familiar path, she noticed something unusual—a trail of glittering dust, like stardust, swirling on the forest floor. It wasn’t the usual forest dirt or leaves. It shimmered, almost glowing, and it led deeper into the woods.
“Curious,” Aru whispered to herself, her eyes wide with wonder. She had never seen anything like it before. Her feet followed the sparkles as if they were guiding her, the path winding up a hill she’d never noticed before.
At the top of the hill, she stopped in her tracks.
In front of her, nestled in a clearing, was a creature she could hardly believe—a dragon.
But this was no ordinary dragon. Its scales shimmered with the colors of the night sky, glowing with shades of deep purple and blue, dotted with specks of silver that looked like stars. Its eyes were like two bright moons, glowing with warmth, and its long, graceful wings stretched out like the canvas of a midnight sky.
The dragon wasn’t like the terrifying beasts she had read about in books. This one looked majestic, serene, and... lonely?
Aru took a cautious step forward, her heart pounding with both fear and fascination. She had never imagined seeing a dragon, let alone meeting one.
The dragon’s large eyes turned toward her, and for a moment, they locked. She felt a strange connection, like the dragon could see right into her heart, as if it understood her in a way no one else did.
“Hello,” Aru said, her voice barely a whisper.
The dragon’s mouth twitched, almost as if it was smiling. To her surprise, it spoke back. “Hello, little one. My name is Comet.”
Aru gasped. The dragon could speak! She had always thought that magical creatures like dragons only existed in stories. But here she was, standing face-to-face with one.
“I’m Aru,” she replied, her voice filled with awe. “You… you’re a dragon!”
Comet nodded, his wings folding gently behind him. “Yes, I am. I’ve lived here for many years, hidden from the world. But I have been waiting... waiting for someone like you.”
Aru’s heart raced. “Someone like me? Why me?”
Comet’s gaze softened, his wings fluttering slightly. “You see, I am a guardian of the stars. My job is to protect the light of the sky, the stardust that makes the night beautiful. But over time, the light has started to fade, and I’ve become weaker. I need someone to help me restore the stars, someone who can carry their light within them.”
Aru felt something stir within her. She didn’t fully understand what Comet meant, but she knew, deep down, that this was important. Maybe this was why she had always felt so connected to the forest, why she had always longed for something more, something magical.
“I want to help,” Aru said without hesitation, her voice steady. “What do I need to do?”
Comet's eyes sparkled with gratitude. “You already have the power within you. The stars chose you, Aru. All you need to do is believe in yourself, trust in the light that you carry.”
Aru closed her eyes for a moment, letting her mind quiet. She thought about all the times she had felt small and uncertain, all the times she had doubted herself. But in that moment, standing before the dragon, she felt something shift inside her—something strong, something full of light.
When she opened her eyes again, the stardust at her feet began to swirl, rising into the air like a thousand tiny fireflies. She reached out with both hands, and as she did, the stardust swirled around her, wrapping her in a warm glow. The light filled her chest, glowing from within, and she felt an incredible power surge through her.
“I... I can feel it,” Aru whispered in amazement. “The light, it’s... it’s inside me.”
Comet nodded. “Yes. Now, it is time to restore the stars. Together, we can bring them back.”
With that, Comet unfurled his wings, and the stardust around Aru began to dance in the air, swirling higher and higher. Aru followed, raising her arms as the light from within her grew stronger. The sky above them began to shift, the once-dim stars flickering back to life, one by one. It was as if the entire night sky was being rewritten, the stars burning brighter and more beautiful than ever before.
Aru laughed, her heart soaring. She had never felt so alive, so connected to the world around her. The dragon, Comet, was no longer just a creature from a story—he was a friend, a guide. Together, they were restoring the very essence of the night sky.
When the last star flickered back into existence, Aru felt the light settle into her, a warmth that filled every part of her being.
Comet landed beside her, his wings folding gracefully. “You’ve done it, Aru. You’ve saved the stars. And in doing so, you’ve saved me.”
Aru smiled, her heart full of joy. “I couldn’t have done it without you, Comet.”
The dragon’s eyes glowed with pride. “Remember, Aru, the light you’ve restored is not just in the stars. It is in you. And as long as you carry that light, you will always have the strength to face whatever comes your way.”
Aru nodded, understanding at last. The magic wasn’t just in the stars or in the dragon—it was in her, too.
With a final, grateful look at the dragon, Aru turned and made her way back home. The woods felt different now, filled with a deeper sense of wonder and connection. The night sky above sparkled with more stars than she had ever seen, and as she walked back to her house, Aru knew that no matter where life took her, she would always carry a piece of that light inside her.
And maybe, just maybe, Comet would always be there, watching over her from the stars.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0z20Jv6t7
