(Serena Whitelock was known as a beautiful ballet dancer in her youth. Later in life, she met her first husband, Max Griffin. While she was pregnant with Alex.)

The doctor, who has been examining Serena, looks up, and his expression appears sad as he meets Alex's gaze. Alex's vision blurs as tears pour down, already knowing the answer.

"I'm sorry, your mother might not have much time left," the doctor announces with a heavy heart.

After hearing the results, the twins rush over and hug Alex, who feels his legs are about to fall from under him. Today is the day that Alex has dreaded for most of his life since their father "died" when Alex was four years old; Serena was diagnosed with cancer when he was close to being born. Serena had battled and beaten it for eleven years, going in and out of chemo for twelve of those years, but now her body couldn't take it anymore.

"Alex, my son," Serena calls out, barely lifting her hand.

Alex sees her hand trembling as she reaches out for him, so he gets up from the floor with his remaining strength and raises his hand to grab hers.

"Yes, Mom, I'm here," Alex replies, tears streaming down his face.

Serena slowly opens her eyes. Through her blurry vision, she can see her strong, handsome son and her sweet little one, with tears glistening on his cheeks.

"Sweetheart, are you alright? What happened?" Serena asks.

Alex soon realized that his clothes still showed burn marks from the school incident and that his shirts had also been destroyed.

"Th-There was a bit of an accident, b-but I'm okay now," Alex replies, his voice shaking.

Serena smiles but coughs so hard that the machines monitoring her heart are showing that she isn't going to last much longer.

"Mom, please don't go; I want you to return to us," Alex pleads.

His voice trembled with emotion, and his heart felt burdened by his feelings.

Serena suddenly notices Alex's eyes glimmering with gold. A warm glow surrounds her in the hospital room, and she senses that something extraordinary is about to happen to her son.

Kevin and Nate hurried to join Alex and their mother when they heard the boys crying and pleading for their lives. All Serena can do is offer comfort while singing to him one last time. Though her song is soothing, the boys cry in their grief. As Serena lies back on the bed, she feels heavy, and her vision begins to fade.

"Alex, my brave young man, look after your brothers," Serena faintly announces.

Serena's eyes feel heavy as her hand slips from her son. The heart monitor emits a beep, displaying a flat line on the screen. All three boys cry out, their sounds echoing through the hospital. Their mother, Serena Smith, passed away that night, her caring smile still on her face.

Kevin and Nate rest overnight in Alex's room at the manor. After an emotional evening, they have fallen into a deep and exhausted sleep. Meanwhile, tears cascade down Alex's face, transforming into gold.

Out of nowhere, five dragon-like statues appear with glowing eyes. Suddenly, the eyes of the sixth dragon statue begin to glow brilliant gold. The chamber fills with light, revealing five powerful dragons in the room. The dragons turn to gaze at all the statues and notice the golden sixth one. The dragons represent five colors: Topaz Red, Sapphire Blue, Agate Green, Diamond White, and Zircon Black. Each wears jewelry that embodies its role as a member of the Dragon Council.

"*Laughing* FINALLY!" the male red dragon exclaims excitedly.

"I never imagined we'd witness this, but it's happening now," the male black dragon shares enthusiastically.

"The child has awakened; it is only a matter of time before they attempt to seize control," stated the female white dragon.

"He's going to shine bright because the Golden One is right there, guiding him to help save Etheria!" the spirited female green dragon exclaims.

"Great! Let’s help the little one embrace his exciting new life," the Female Blue dragon suggests warmly.

All the dragons nod their heads in agreement with the Sapphire Blue dragon's statement as it gazes out the window. The view reveals buildings adorned with dragon-themed decorations while the night sky sparkles with thousands of stars and the glow of three moons.

A week later, the occasion for Serena's funeral arrived, marking a solemn, reverent, beautiful, and poignant event. To embellish the setting, Robert, Serena's second husband, orchestrated the ceremony with masterful finesse, carefully selecting her favorite flowers, delicate pink roses and sweet peas.

Robert coordinated the printing of the programs and curated the selection of songs. He also invited several of Serena's acquaintances from her dancing era, including Tammy, who was assigned to deliver the eulogy. Alex had encountered Tammy multiple times during his youth, and her tribute during the eulogy was sincerely heartfelt.

Alex believes Serena would be pleased; she always tries to get them to like each other. It wasn't that Alex didn't want him; they'd just never gotten along. Despite their differences, there was a sense of unity in the decision regarding Serena's funeral.

Alex and Serena share a passion for ballet and ballroom dancing. Robert’s love for sports often causes conflicts. Yet, they united over funeral decor Serena would approve of. Alex felt sadness, regret, and faint hope for a better relationship.

Suddenly, Alex spots someone he doesn't want to see: his mother's manager. She has been pushing Alex to try dance styles he doesn't want to do. As Alex attempts to slip out of her line of sight, he briefly thinks he's in the clear.

"Mr. Griffin!" the manager shouts with enthusiasm.

"Damn it!" Alex yells in his mind.

Alex turns to face the manager and smiles, but inside, he feels discontent at her presence. Not on this day dedicated to honoring Serena.

"Thank you for being here, Manager," Alex says with a smile.

"I truly appreciate the opportunity to be here with all of you! Since we're together, I’m excited to share that there's a fantastic surprise on the way. It's going to be a real breakthrough!" the manager says enthusiastically.

Alex feels anxious, contemplating, "And there it is," as an arrogant pulse beats in his head. He takes a deep breath and gazes at her to express his thoughts.

"I’m sorry, but I’m just unable to dance right now," Alex replies with a smile.

The manager is surprised by Alex's choice to stop dancing, yet this recent loss serves as a poignant reminder of his emotional turmoil. Having just lost his mom, Alex perceives the world in a new light.

"No, you can't simply cease dancing," the manager exclaims in disbelief.

"That's too bad because I am," Alex says with a strong sense of determination and a spark of passion.

Attempting to escape the manager's gaze, she angrily grabs Alex by the arms and locks eyes with him. Suddenly, her body shakes as the manager's eyes widen in horror at the sight of Alex's eyes, now lizard-like and glowing gold.

"Release me immediately," Alex cautions.

The manager let go of Alex, causing her to collapse. Alex then goes to the center so everyone can see him.

"Could I kindly have your attention, everyone?" Alex cheerfully announces.

With all eyes on Alex, he takes a moment to prepare to share the news that will change his life forever.

"Thank you all for being here; my mom is thrilled to see all the familiar faces. However, I’ve decided that it’s time for me to do something for myself. Therefore, I am officially retiring from dancing," Alex announces.

Everyone is surprised by Alex's retirement announcement. After the news breaks, Alex leaves the funeral reception. As he reaches the entrance, he feels a sense of happiness, having finally ended his dancing career.

In the dim, cavernous space, golden eyes shimmer as a dragon-like statue emerges from the golden light. Shadows reveal images of another dragon shifting across the walls, its eyes glowing an eerie purplish hue.

"Ah, a new golden dragon has awakened," the shadow dragon exclaims delightfully.

At ground level, indistinct figures move with an air of festivity as though commemorating the emergence of a new golden dragon. Their elation is tangible, and as some individuals take their leave, they leave the dragon in solitude.

"Get ready, golden dragon! Soon you will be mine," chuckles the shadow dragon with a playful grin.