Sai sat on the floor of his room, holding the revolver that had proven more than once it was no ordinary weapon. His gaze was fixed on the dark, gleaming surface of the metal, his fingers nervously gripping the handle. One thought spun in his head—"What the hell even is this thing?"
"System," Sai said, almost in a whisper, "what the fuck is this revolver that turned into... into a dragon?"
Silence. A few seconds that stretched into an eternity. Then, the calm, mechanical voice spoke:
"Error… error… query not understood… please specify parameters… unable to determine object's nature… classification conflict…"
"What the…" Sai froze. He frowned, staring at the revolver. It looked exactly the same as when he'd left it on the table just minutes ago, but… something had changed.
Suddenly, the revolver trembled slightly in Sai's hands. The system spoke again, more strained now, almost with a note of alarm:
"Parameter conflict… object identification impossible… request to rescan…"
Sai frowned even deeper. He took a deep breath, trying to steady the tremor in his hands, and muttered quietly:
"Alright, Nox… let's see what you can do."
He spoke the name aloud, almost intuitively, almost without thinking, as if hoping the name itself would provoke a reaction.
And something incredible happened.
The revolver suddenly blurred in the air, its metallic body seeming to melt, turning into a black radiance. Sai froze, unable to believe his eyes. The dark mass began to take shape, outlining scales, tiny horns, small wings, and a tail. Every movement was perfectly coordinated—the small dragon he had seen in its awakened form was now fully materializing before him.
"Nox?!" he exhaled, unable to move.
The dragonling rose into the air, spread its wings, and landed softly in front of him, studying its new master with eyes shining with white light.
Sai could barely breathe. Inside him, everything churned: fear, amazement, awe, and confusion. He looked at the system again.
"System…" he said, trembling, "explain what the hell is going on with this revolver?! Why did it turn into a dragon?!"
"Error… classification error… object manifested in a form different from the base state… owner's reaction to the name and emotional state triggered transformation… full analysis impossible…" The system's voice was even, but a note of anxiety was detectable.
Sai froze for a moment. He tried to focus, remembering his grandfather's words: "Power responds to will, not to fear." He took a deep breath and said again:
"Nox!"
And the dragonling responded with an instantaneous movement, its body twisting slightly as if vibrating with energy. Once again, the revolver lying on the table dissolved, giving way to a living, solid form—Nox fully materialized, its black scales gleaming in the lamplight, eyes sparkling with white light, wings trembling, and tail moving slowly, expressing curiosity.
"I… I can't believe it…" Sai whispered, feeling his breath catch in his chest. "This is real…"
Nox took a step forward and cautiously touched Sai's palm with its nose. It was almost a greeting. Sai felt a faint tingling—an energetic response he had only partially felt before.
"System…" he said quietly. "This… isn't an Echo, right?"
"Confirmation: object classified as Shadow Drake. Compatibility with owner: Critical. Object's energy responds to the owner's emotional state. Control is possible with gradual training and synchronization."
Sai took a deep breath. He looked at the small dragon now sitting before him, attentively studying his movements.
"Alright, Nox," he said quietly, "it looks like we have a lot of work ahead of us."
He cautiously raised his hand and allowed Nox to touch it with its soft paws. The little dragon let out a quiet hissing sound, almost like a laugh, and twitched its wings slightly. Sai couldn't suppress a smile.
"Excellent…" he murmured, "you and I… we're a team now."
The dragonling blinked, its eyes flashing brightly. Sai felt a light wave of energy that seemed to penetrate him, into his blood, muscles, mind. He was amazed by how responsive Nox was to a simple name and attention.
"System…" he said quietly, "can I control it more somehow?"
"Gradual synchronization is recommended. Any sudden movements may cause an unpredictable reaction. The object is sensitive to the owner's will and emotional state."
Sai sat on the floor, placing the now-empty revolver on the table. He watched Nox as it slowly walked around the room, touching the furniture with its paws, exploring the space. Every step of the dragonling was filled with grace and caution.
"Alright…" Sai said to himself, "first day… first contact… and already so much."
He tried to understand why the system couldn't determine the object's nature. Perhaps the revolver's energy had been sealed, but upon interacting with Sai's will, it had taken the form of a living being.
Nox looked at him again, and Sai noticed how the black shadow around the dragonling slightly expanded, as if it was stretching the space around itself. It was both strange and frightening.
"Alright," Sai said quietly, "let's start little by little."
He slowly extended his hand, and Nox approached, allowing Sai to gently stroke its scales. The dragonling's breath was warm, soft, and Sai felt an unusual connection—as if the energy filling Nox responded to every movement of his hands, every word, every glance.
"Nox…" he said quietly, "you really exist. And now we'll work together."
The dragonling shuddered slightly, as if reacting to the tone of his voice, and the system's soft whisper sounded again:
"Interaction initiated. Initial synchronization level: Active. Object's energy is responding to the owner. Next training phase: Control of basic maneuvers."
Sai took a deep breath. He didn't fully understand what it meant yet, but for the first time in a long while, he felt excitement. Not fear. Not anxiety. Excitement.
"Alright," he muttered, "let's see what you can do, Nox."
The little dragonling rose into the air, making a slow circle above the room. Sai watched its every movement, trying to understand how his energy interacted with Nox.
At that moment, Sai understood the main thing: the revolver wasn't just a weapon. It was a conduit of energy that had transformed into a living being, capable of responding to his will and emotions.
He took a deep breath and said aloud:
"Okay, Nox. Today, we just got acquainted. Tomorrow, we start real training."
The dragonling landed softly, its eyes glowing with white light. Sai felt that this was the beginning of a new path—a path he would walk together with Nox, discovering the power that had been hidden within him.
He got to his feet and looked at the small dragon.
"That's it, Nox… today we just met. Tomorrow we start training. Are you ready?"
The dragonling blinked, letting out a quiet hissing sound, as if saying, "Yes."
For the first time, Sai felt a surge of confidence. Nox wasn't just a creature. He was a part of his power, a part of his life. And now they were connected forever.
The silence in the room was almost tangible, but in that silence, Sai understood: ahead of them lay new trials, new possibilities, and new dangers. And the first step had been taken—the revolver, transformed into a dragon, had become a symbol of their shared journey.
Sai sat back down on the floor, watching Nox.