Swallowtail Dragons are graceful and quick flyers, much like their namesake bird. They are capable of precise aerial acrobatics, and can reach very high altitudes. Because of this, humans observing these dragons are often astonished at how large they are when confronted up close. A Swallowtail’s diet consists of insects and small mammals plentiful in temperate forests. These dragons are also made remarkable by their paper-thin wing membranes, which allow light to pass through, creating an astonishing effect on starry nights.

Dragons are highly-intelligent reptilian creatures that—from a human perspective, at least—appear to live forever. Many different varieties of dragon exist, each with their own unique qualities, habitats, and behavior. Adolescence in dragons is usually marked by the growth of a hatchling’s wings, although not all breeds of dragons grow wings and some breeds have other traits that indicate the beginning of maturation. In Galsreim, dragons and humans coexist peacefully.

Wide Awakening may have inherited the blue wings from her father, but she has her own reasons of mourning. Her mother's ancient skill in healing has been weakened greatly due to her step-sister's ill behavior. Wide Awakening searches the realm for a source of happiness for her mother, as her father is constantly disappearing into the heavens, leaving her to brood on her own. Once, when she tried following her father, she met these strange creatures of light with golden rings above their heads. They sang to her a song of the sun. Wide Awakening sings her mother the very same melody, hoping peace will be restored in her family.