Chapter 1 - A Prophecy that must be Fulfilled
Aiden sprinted across the muddy field. The gray soil, made slippery by the rain, barely clung to his boots as he pushed forward.
Echoes of men, muffled by the deafening thunders in the sky, reverberated around him. Aiden had no time to glance back; doing so might cause him to fall. And if he fell, the baron’s men would catch up to him, taking him away and shipping him off to the war.
That fucking king, and his shitty nobles… They always played these wars, heedless of the toll on ordinary lives, especially those of young men like Aiden. He wanted no part in it. But the thought lingered – they might take his ailing father if he didn't comply. No, they wouldn’t be that stupid, he pushed that unsettling notion aside.
The only path was forward, leading into the deep, misty forest, away from the village.
A shallow ditch bordering the forest came into view, filled with water. Timing his steps just right, Aiden leaped over the ditch, finally surrounded by the mists. All that was left was to delve a bit deeper into the jungle and hide until the men passed.
Wiping the water off his face and squinting, Aiden discerned a dozen cloaked figures in the distance, all rapidly closing in on his position. Wasting no time, he picked up the pace, weaving between the treelines, tripping on vines, and colliding with trees hidden behind the mist as he made his way.
After five minutes of continuous running, Aiden found himself standing in front of an enormous tree. This misty forest and the mountain surrounding it were renowned for such colossal specimens, with their hollow trunks.
“This will do,” Aiden eyed one of the small holes in the trunk of the tree. “Confuse the heck out of those bastards.” Even if they somehow managed to reach this point, the sheer number of trees would overwhelm their magic eyes. Furthermore, at night, he could climb the tree to easily find his way back.
Considering his size, it didn’t take much effort for him to slip into the trunk through the narrow entrance. Once inside, Aiden counted his breaths, each measured inhale and exhale helping his rapidly beating heart gradually find its steady rhythm. The rain poured outside, but in this small, cozy space, Aiden remained dry, hidden away from the men, waiting, his hope resting on the possibility that they would grow weary and leave.
As the rain began to wane, Aiden peered out, scanning the surroundings for any signs of the men. However, the thick mist obscured his view. Deciding to err on the side of caution, he chose to wait. The sun would soon set, diminishing the available light. Yet, this posed no issue as the area was illuminated by the gentle glow of fireflies. Furthermore, the dormant dragon in the mountains served as a guardian, keeping the night-creatures at bay.
Aiden breathed a sigh of relief, until the whole tree, or rather the ground where it stood, began to tremble violently. Clutching the edge of the hole to avoid being flung out, he braced himself as the tree began to swing from one side to another.
They found me? Aiden feared the worst. However, their group didn’t have a wizard capable of such feats; they were all augmenters.
He didn’t have to wait long for the answer.
THUD!
A deafening noise rang out. As Aiden turned to see the shockwave approach, obliterating everything in its path, he closed his eyes. His body tensed up, nails digging deep into the trunk.
In the next second, he was hurled out of the trunk, briefly suspended in the air before crashing into the muddy ground. Aiden skidded and rolled, his ankle colliding with a stone, his shoulder cracking against a tree. His tumultuous journey abruptly halted when he slammed into a boulder, knocking the wind out of him.
Opening his eyes, Aiden struggled to rise, taking in the chaos around him. The mist had dissipated, revealing a landscape devoid of any standing trees. Some were uprooted completely, while others lay broken from their trunks.
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“Wha…” Aiden gasped, finding it hard to believe the scene before him. The rain resumed, drenching him once more, but the roar that accompanied it, finally snapped him out of his daze. He glanced back.
Aiden froze. Son of a…
Before him was the dragon, a colossal beast rivaling the size of the mountain it called home. Its immense claws, resembling jagged mountain peaks, dug into the earth, releasing an acrid scent into the already heavy air.
Its tail, brimming with razor-sharp spikes, thrashed about, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Aiden, transfixed, felt his mouth hang open. Hadn't it been dormant for centuries? What triggered its awakening now? He couldn’t imagine who or what had the audacity to…
One thing was certain though: the dragon's reemergence wouldn't bode well for Aiden's village; it would only invite more trouble. The scant trade routes this village had would likely avoid this area, unless, of course, the dragon chose to spare it.
The dragon's eyes glowed crimson, akin to molten lava, and it unleashed a torrent of fire onto the ground below. In the midst of the flames emerged a figure—standing tall, unscathed by the inferno.
It was… a man, protected by a vibrant purple shield over his head that dispelled the encroaching fire. In his hands, he wielded orbs of flame matching the shield's hue, and his cape billowed behind him in the fiery breeze.
Aiden stood in awe, momentarily speechless. The tales of men capable of facing a dragon, the king of beasts, had always sounded like mere myths. Yet, here before him, a living hero had materialized—one who wielded the power of mana.
The possibility of becoming an apprentice to such a remarkable figure ignited a spark of hope within Aiden. With that status, he could potentially evade the looming draft and, more importantly, find a cure for his father's illness. The prospect of his only family living again, laughing again, shimmering on the horizon.
But before a surge of happiness could claim Aiden, the dragon's fire changed colors, shifting from a bright red to a brilliant blue. This time, the flames effortlessly pierced through the man's shield, incinerating him in the blink of an eye.
All the flesh and bone turned to dust, leaving Aiden to watch in wide-eyed disbelief as a hero’s existence was erased in an instant.
Suddenly, the dragon turned in Aiden's direction, sensing him from a distance. Shit! Shit! He looked around, What do I do, what do I do… spotting a still standing tree not far away. If I can manage, he lifted his aching leg, but fear once again gripped him, locking every muscle in his body.
Two loud thuds echoed as the dragon's legs landed, and its great head loomed over Aiden. Its lips lifted over its dagger-like teeth in an oddly human-like sneer.
“What’s this? A human cub!” it grumbled, the words rumbling through the air, caught between the dragon's deep voice and Aiden's pounding heart.
“I… I…” I don’t want to die, Aiden licked his dry lips, followed by a shiver rocking him. Half of him was still frozen in terror, while the other half was gibbering in fear. Anything but cooked alive, anything… He had seen enough death even in his short life to know there were very bad ways to go. Better to be snapped in half with those teeth. At least it would be quick.
As he sank to his knees, overwhelmed by fear and pain, Aiden managed to utter the words, “Lord... Dragon,”
The king of beasts subtly twisted its enormous head, a touch of amusement in its eyes. It then shifted its gaze to where the hero once stood, now reduced to nothing but swirling dust. With a low growl, a purple gleam emerged from the ground, rising slowly and then shooting towards Aiden. It hovered above his head, ominous and purple.
"Hand," the creature uttered.
A trembling palm from Aiden met the gesture, and the object gently descended. It revealed itself to be a shiny ring adorned with intricate markings that emitted a soft purple glow.
"Wear it," came the directive.
Not a curse, please, Aiden hesitated momentarily before sliding the ring onto his left middle finger.
Instantly, a searing sensation invaded his fingers, rapidly spreading throughout his entire body. Gritting his teeth against the immeasurable pain, Aiden collapsed to the ground, feeling as though his entire being was engulfed in flames.
Fuck! He was on the verge of crying out loud, but before he could, the dragon's voice resonated above him. "It accepts," said the mighty beast, and in an instant, the pain and invisible flames vanished.
With teary eyes, Aiden gazed at the ring, its radiant purple hue shining brightly. He then shifted his gaze to the beast, whose spiky teeth were drawn out in what looked like a hideous grin.
Aiden gulped hard.
“Listen well, human,” it declared with resonance, erasing the grin from its face. “In one hundred full moons, our paths shall cross again,” lowering its head, its red slit eyes locked onto Aiden’s soul. “Become strong enough to challenge me, or I shall unleash destruction upon the world you hold dear.”
The dragon unfurled its wings, expansive as the night sky, casting an imposing shadow that swallowed the landscape. Its scales, as black as the abyss, absorbed and reflected the feeble moonlight, lending the creature an otherworldly sheen.
With a mighty flap, it sent everything in its vicinity scattering. Then, it soared into the sky, prompting the heavens themselves to roar in response.
“Regard this not as a warning but as an imperative duty. Fail, and the blood of countless souls will stain your hands.” The echoes of its ominous decree lingered as the majestic beast vanished into the night sky.