The ancient stone beneath their feet seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy as Jayce, Ava, and Sullivan approached the temple entrance. Behind them, a contingent of Sullivan's military personnel followed at a respectful distance, their weapons at the ready. The air crackled with tension, each step bringing them closer to answers they both craved and feared.

As they neared the weathered archway that marked the temple's threshold, a low rumble filled the air. The dragon, its massive form looming just beyond the temple entrance, shifted slightly. It was a subtle movement, but its meaning was unmistakable.

Ava gasped softly, her eyes widening as she gazed at the ancient creature. “Wait,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “The dragon... it's telling us something.”

Jayce and Sullivan turned to her, surprise evident on their faces.

“What do you mean?” Jayce asked, his hand instinctively reaching for hers.

Ava's brow furrowed in concentration. “It's not words, exactly. More like... impressions. Feelings. The dragon wants us - just us three - to enter the temple.”

Sullivan's eyebrows shot up. “You can understand it?”

Ava nodded slowly, still somewhat surprised about this newfound ability. “I think... I think it's because of our connection. The artifact, the vision I had...”

“Sir,” one of the soldiers interrupted, his hand tightening on his weapon, “we can't let you go in there alone. It's not safe-”

The dragon's eyes, ancient and wise, fixed upon the group. A wave of calm seemed to emanate from the creature, washing over them all.

“It's okay,” Ava said, her voice filled with a quiet confidence. “The dragon... it's not a threat. It's a guardian. It's protecting us.”

Jayce looked from Ava to the dragon and back again. “Are you sure about this?”

Ava nodded, squeezing his hand. “I am. We need to trust it. Trust this.”

Sullivan studied them both for a moment, then turned to his men. “Secure the perimeter. We'll proceed alone from here.”

As the soldiers reluctantly fell back, Jayce, Ava, and Sullivan approached the temple entrance. The dragon's gaze followed them, a silent sentinel as they stepped into the unknown.

With a mix of awe and trepidation, Jayce, Ava, and Sullivan stepped through the temple entrance, leaving the others behind.

As they ventured deeper into the ancient structure, Sullivan broke the tense silence. “I think it's time we shared everything we know,” he said, his voice echoing slightly in the cavernous space. “What exactly happened out there? With the animals, the dinosaurs... and now this connection with the dragon?”

Jayce and Ava exchanged a glance, then Ava began to speak. “It started with the dinosaurs,” she said. “They were behaving strangely, almost as if they were... fleeing from something. Or towards something.”

Jayce nodded, picking up the thread. “Then we noticed it with the other animals too. Species that shouldn't have been anywhere near each other, all moving in the same direction. It was like... like they were being called.”

“Called by the dragon?” Sullivan asked, his brow furrowed.

“We think so,” Ava confirmed. “But it's more than that. When we got closer to the temple, we started having these... visions. Flashes of ancient history, of the dragons protecting humanity from threats we never even knew existed.”

Sullivan's eyes widened. “And the dragon itself? How does it communicate with you?”

Ava shook her head, struggling to find the words. “It's not like talking, not really. It's more... impressions. Feelings. Images. Like it's projecting its thoughts directly into my mind.”

“Fascinating,” Sullivan murmured. “In all our years of studying the dragon, we've never encountered anything like this. It's as if... as if the dragon has chosen you, Ava. But for what purpose?”

“That,” Jayce said grimly, “is what we're here to find out.”

“Since you’re being straightforward, there's something I should tell you,” Sullivan said hesitantly. “My organization... we have a theory. About the dragon's weakness.”

Jayce tensed. “Weakness? Why would you need to know about its weakness?”

Sullivan held up his hands placatingly. “Not to harm it. But to understand. To protect it, if necessary. These beings... they're powerful beyond imagining. But if they have vulnerabilities, we need to know about them.”

Their conversation was cut short as they reached the door, humming softly and emanating power. Ava exhaled, took out the disk-like artifact and approached it to the door.

A long noise rang through the corridor as the door slowly opened before them. As they entered the vast chamber at the heart of the temple, the trio fell silent, awestruck by the sheer magnitude of what lay before them. The room was a marvel of ancient architecture, its high, vaulted ceiling disappearing into shadows above. At its center the mysterious light that had guided them here pulsed vigorously, a swirling vortex of energy that seemed to defy the laws of physics.

“My God,” Ava breathed, her eyes wide with wonder.

The walls were a tapestry of history, covered in intricate carvings and faded murals that spanned millennia. Jayce, Ava, and Sullivan spread out, each drawn to different aspects of the chamber, their voices echoing as they called out their discoveries.

Ava found herself before a series of bas-reliefs near the base of the light. Her fingers traced the ancient stone, feeling the weight of history beneath her touch. “This is incredible,” she breathed. “Look at these carvings. They're showing the dragons... all seven of them.”

She pointed to each image in turn. “Here, this one seems to be rising from the waves... a water dragon, maybe? And this one, wreathed in flames...”

“Fire,” Jayce finished, joining her. “And look, this one seems to be made of clouds or wind. Air?”

“This one looks like is just sitting on top of a mountain,” Ava added. “He looks like he’s overseeing the whole land. This one might be related to earth.”

Sullivan nodded, his eyes wide with wonder. “The ancient elements. Earth, water, fire, air... but what about the others?”

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Ava's finger moved to another carving, this one depicting a dragon that seemed to be formed from jagged crystalline shapes. “Ice, perhaps? And this one...” She paused, studying the next dragon. It seemed to shimmer with an inner light, almost blinding in its radiance.

“Light,” Jayce murmured, squinting at the carving.

Ava nodded, then gasped softly as her eyes fell on the final dragon. “Look at this one. It's... it's golden. And do you see how it is connected to the other six?” Her fingers traced the intricate details of the carving. The golden dragon was positioned at the center, its form intertwined with the others in a complex, harmonious pattern.

“That's the one we know,” Sullivan said, his voice filled with awe. “The one at the center. But look at how it's depicted here...”

“Seven dragons,” Jayce murmured. “Seven fundamental forces of nature. Earth, water, fire, air, ice, light, and...”

“Maybe they only represent six forces of nature, and one dragon to link between them.” Ava said firmly.

Meanwhile, Jayce had made his way to the far side of the chamber, where a massive stone table stood. Its surface was covered in dust and debris, but as he carefully brushed it away, his breath caught in his throat. “Guys,” he called out, excitement evident in his voice, “I think I found a map!”

Ava and Sullivan hurried over, their eyes widening as they took in the intricate design etched into the stone. It was a map of the world, but not like any they had seen before. Ancient coastlines were depicted alongside modern ones, as if the map existed in multiple times at once.

And there, spread across the continents, were seven distinct markers.

“The dragons' locations,” Sullivan breathed. “It must be. Look, this one here in the park... that's where we are now. And the others...”

Ava's finger traced the map. “One in the middle of the ocean... that must be the water dragon. And here, in a mountain range... fire? This one in the South Pole... ice. And look, this one's in a desert... air, maybe?”

Jayce nodded, his mind racing. “And these last two... one's deep in a rainforest, should be earth. The other in some kind of... I don't know, it looks like a void. A place where nothing exists.”

“Balance,” Ava finished, showing more confidence about a conclusion. “The golden dragon. It's not just another element. It's the connection between all the others. The one that maintains equilibrium.”

Sullivan nodded, his expression thoughtful. “That explains why it's here, in this nexus point.”

As they studied the map, a new understanding began to settle. The golden dragon wasn't just another point on the map - it was the lynchpin, the crucial element that held the others in harmony.

Sullivan had made his way back to the pulsing light at the center of the chamber. He circled it slowly, his expression a mix of awe and intense concentration. Suddenly, his eyes widened. “Wait a second,” he said, his voice filled with excitement. “Look at the way the light moves. It's not just random energy. There are patterns here, currents.”

He pointed to where the light seemed to swirl and swirl, forming distinct channels. “These flows... they match the lines on the map. The connections between the dragon locations.” His fingers traced the air, following the paths of light. “And look here, where they all converge. It's the same pattern as the carving of the golden dragon.”

Jayce and Ava joined him, staring into the swirling vortex with new understanding. “So you're saying...” Jayce began.

Sullivan nodded, his voice filled with wonder. “This isn't just a source of energy. It's a portal. A gateway to the other dragons.”

Jayce and Ava joined him, staring into the swirling vortex. “A gateway to where?” Jayce asked.

“To the other dragons,” Ava breathed, sudden understanding dawning in her eyes. “Look at the symbols around the base. They're the same as the ones on the map, the ones representing each dragon.”

Sullivan nodded, excitement building in his voice. “And see these indentations here? Seven of them, arranged in a circle. I think... I think we need to place something in each one to activate the portal.”

“Something connected to each dragon's element,” Jayce mused. “That's why the carvings were so specific. Earth, water, fire, air, ice...”

“But how do we activate it?” Ava asked, her mind racing. “We figured out earth, water, fire, air, and ice. But what about the light dragon? And the golden one?”

Jayce frowned, thinking hard. “For the light dragon, maybe we need some kind of... I don't know, a prism? Something that can capture and refract light in a specific way?”

“And for the golden dragon,” Sullivan mused, “perhaps something directly connected to it. A scale, or...”

“The artifact!” Ava breathed, pulling out the disk-like object they had brought with them. As if responding to her touch, it began to glow softly, symbols etched on its surface matching those around the portal.

“Of course,” Jayce said, excitement building in his voice. “It's been guiding us this whole time. It's our connection to the golden dragon.”

As if in answer to her question, a soft glow emanated from the artifact they had brought with them. Ava gasped as she saw symbols etched on its surface that matched those around the portal.

As the implications of their discovery sank in, the chamber seemed to pulse with newfound energy. The carvings, the map, the portal - it all formed a cohesive whole, a cosmic puzzle they were only now beginning to understand.

Sullivan's expression grew grave, but there was a glimmer of hope in his eyes. “Whatever threat is coming,” he said, his voice steady, “I believe we were meant to find this. To use it. The dragons have been preparing for ages, maintaining the balance of our world. And now, it's our turn to play our part.”

Ava nodded, her hand tightening around the artifact. “We're not just observers anymore. We're part of this now. Whatever the dragons are facing, whatever's disrupting the balance...”

“We face it together,” Jayce finished, his voice filled with determination.

Sullivan's expression grew grave. “Whatever threat is coming,” he said, “I think we were meant to find this. To use it. The dragons... they're preparing for something. And now, so must we.”

The three of them stood before the pulsing portal, the weight of their discovery - and their newfound responsibility - settling over them. They had come seeking answers, but had found instead a gateway to even greater mysteries, and a cosmic legacy they were now bound to uphold.

“So,” Jayce said, breaking the silence, “which dragon do we visit first? We can't just jump in blindly. We need a plan.”

Ava nodded, her brow furrowed in thought. “The water dragon,” she said after a moment. “I think... I think that's where we need to start.”

Sullivan raised an eyebrow. “Why water?”

“In my vision,” Ava explained, “I saw flashes of each dragon. The water dragon... it felt like it was calling to me. Like it has something we need to understand before we can face whatever's coming.”

Jayce squeezed her hand supportively. “Okay, water it is. But how do we activate that part of the portal? We need something connected to the water dragon's element, right?”

Sullivan began to pace, his mind racing. “Water... we need water. But not just any water. It needs to be significant, connected to the dragon somehow.”

Ava's eyes lit up. “The lake! Remember how strange the water was behaving when we first arrived at the park? The mist, the unnatural stillness... what if that was the dragon's influence?”

Jayce nodded enthusiastically. “It's worth a try. I can run back and collect some water from the lake. It's not far.”

“No need,” Sullivan said, reaching into his pack. He pulled out a small vial filled with clear liquid. “We collected samples when we first noticed the anomalies. I've been carrying it with me, hoping it might prove useful.”

Ava took the vial, holding it up to the light. Tiny motes of energy seemed to dance within the water, barely visible but undeniably present. “This is it,” she said softly. “I can feel it. This will work.”

With careful movements, she uncorked the vial and poured its contents into the indentation marked with the water symbol. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a soft hum, the symbol began to glow with a pale blue light.

The portal's energy shifted, swirling patterns of blue and green emerging within its depths. It was as if they were looking at the ocean from above, glimpsing a world hidden beneath the waves.

“I think it worked,” Jayce said, his voice filled with wonder.

Sullivan nodded, his expression a mix of excitement and apprehension. “So it seems. The question now is... are we ready for what we'll find on the other side?”

Ava took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders. “Ready or not, we don't have a choice. Whatever's coming, whatever the dragons are preparing for... we need to understand it. And help them.”

Jayce reached out, taking her hand in his. With his other hand, he grasped Sullivan's shoulder. “Together, then?”

Sullivan nodded grimly. “Together.”

As one, they stepped forward into the swirling portal. The world around them blurred, reality itself seeming to bend and twist. And then, in a flash of brilliant blue-green light that seared itself into their minds, they were gone.

The chamber fell silent, the portal's light dimming to a soft aquamarine glow. Whatever fate awaited Jayce, Ava, and Sullivan in the realm of the water dragon, one thing was certain - their journey had only just begun.