Kaelen and Lyra entered a grand chamber, the air thick with heat and the faint scent of smoke. The walls were adorned with shimmering mosaics of dragons in various poses—some coiled protectively around treasures, others soaring majestically against a backdrop of stars. In the center of the room, a massive dais pulsed with light, surrounded by twenty glowing orbs that hovered in a slow orbit.
The dais pulsed, and a deep, resonant voice filled the chamber:
“Seeker, you stand in the Chamber of Scales. Here, the essence of the dragon is tested. Answer these riddles, and prove you understand the heart of what they are.”
Kaelen adjusted the grip on his sword. “Here we go.”
“I gather what glimmers, what shines, what sparkles. My hoard is my pride, my wealth a fortress. What am I?”
“A dragon,” Kaelen said without hesitation.
The dais pulsed, and one orb dimmed.
“I rule the heavens with wings of might. My shadow alone is enough to inspire awe. What am I?”
Kaelen hesitated. “A dragon?,” Kaelen repeated.
“I wield flames as both sword and shield. My breath shapes the world, leaving ash in its wake. What am I?”
Kaelen glanced at Lyra. “A dragon.”
“Groundbreaking answer,” Lyra quipped as the orb dimmed.
“I know the mysteries of the stars and the wisdom of the ages. What am I?”
Kaelen’s brow furrowed slightly. “A dragon… again?”
The dais glowed. Lyra let out a soft purr. “Yes, Kaelen, it’s still a dragon.”
“I slumber beneath the earth, my body vast and my dreams eternal. When I wake, worlds tremble. What am I?”
“A dragon,” Kaelen said, now with a hint of amusement.
Lyra’s tail flicked. “I should have brought some popcorn.”
“I rise from my ashes, eternal and undying. My cycles are the stuff of legend. What am I?”
Kaelen tilted his head. “A phoenix—wait, no. A dragon.”
“Good save,” Lyra said. “Dragons hate being confused with phoenixes.”
“I treasure not just gold but the secrets of ages. My mind is a library, my hoard a testament to wisdom. What am I?”
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“A dragon,” Kaelen said confidently.
Lyra stretched.
“I am said to have come from the heavens, my body forged of fire and starlight. What am I?”
Kaelen glanced at the shimmering mosaics. “A dragon.”
Lyra sat down. The dais pulsed brighter this time, as if approving of his swift answer.
“My wings blot out the sun, my presence an eclipse. What am I?”
“A dragon,” Kaelen said, smirking.
“I guard what is sacred, what is fragile, what is eternal. What am I?”
Kaelen hesitated. “Dragons aren’t usually the protective type, are they?”
“Depends on the dragon,” Lyra replied. “Try it.”
Kaelen nodded. “A dragon.”
The orb dimmed in approval.
“My voice is thunder, my roar the sound of storms unleashed. What am I?”
“A dragon,” Kaelen said, his voice echoing slightly in the chamber.
Lyra, losing interest, started to wash her paws.
“I am a guardian, immovable as the mountains. My scales are my shield, my home my fortress. What am I?”
“A dragon,” Kaelen said, glancing at Lyra. “That is getting a little ridiculous.”
Lyra ignored him and continued her bath, now swiping her paws across her whiskers.
“I stalk the skies, my prey fleeing in terror. My hunger is endless, my instincts sharp. What am I?”
“A dragon,” Kaelen said, shaking his head. Meanwhile, Lyra had begun to clean the space between her toe beans.
“I am a spark of the cosmos, a beacon of power. What am I?”
“How many more of these are there?” Kaelen asked incredulously, sitting on a step nearby. Lyra continued to ignore him, her pink tongue making large swipes across her back.
“Fine. A dragon,” Kaelen said.
“I am both destruction and rebirth, the end and the beginning. What am I?”
Kaelen paused to place his hand on his head in exasperation. “A dragon.” Lyra began to bathe her tail, making small little nips at it to remove some of the caked-on dust.
“I am the sage of the skies, my words carrying the weight of millennia. What am I?”
Kaelen was now fully seated, his head in his hands, and his knees awkwardly extended “A dragon,” Kaelen said, muffled. Lyra was kneading the ground, having found a tiny beam of light she was pretending was a sunbeam.
“I leave nothing behind but cinders and ruin, yet I am revered. What am I?”
Kaelen glared over at Lyra who was now faintly snoring. “A dragon.”
“I am the ruler of legends, the king of beasts. What am I?”
“A dragon,” Kaelen said, shaking his head. “This is the most boring adventure I’ve ever encountered. Whoever said it simply isn't an adventure worth telling if there aren't any dragons was wrong. Or maybe they’re right, but the contrapositive is clearly not true. Most boring adventure.”
“I wield fire as my blade and shield, a force of creation and destruction. What am I?”
“A dragon,” Kaelen said, glancing at the final orb. “One more. Please only one more.” Lyra had begun to snore.
“I am eternal, my life spanning the ages. My legend is undying, my name spoken in awe. What am I?”
Kaelen smiled. “A dragon.”
The final orb dimmed, and the chamber erupted in golden light. The mosaics on the walls seemed to come alive, the dragons shifting and twisting as if breathing for the first time in millennia. Lyra got up, shook a herself a little and padded towards the dias.
The dais glowed brighter, and the voice returned:
“Proceed, seeker, with the fire of dragons in your heart.”
A faint chime sounded.
System Notification
Reward: Dragon Fire acquired
Kaelen stared in faint surprise to have gotten a reward for that, but didn't complain. Dragon Fire sounded useful.
The mosaics split apart, revealing a shimmering doorway lined with golden flames. Lyra stepped forward, her silver eyes gleaming.