Morning came slowly to the floating island, the sky transitioning from dark indigo to pale blue as the sun rose over the horizon. Talon stirred from his sleep, the faint remnants of his dream still lingering in his mind. The void, the voice—it all felt so real, yet so distant, like a warning he couldn’t fully grasp.

Shaking off the strange feeling, he stretched his wings, relishing the strength returning to his muscles after a night’s rest. Beside him, Lyra was still curled up, her pale pink scales catching the first rays of light that filtered through the cave entrance.

“Lyra,” Talon called softly, nudging her with his tail.

She stirred, blinking groggily before sitting up and yawning. “Morning already?” she muttered, her voice still thick with sleep.

“Yeah. We should get moving. If we’re going to survive, we need to find food. Today’s the day we hunt.”

At the word hunt, Lyra’s expression brightened slightly, though there was still a hint of nervousness in her eyes. “Right. First real hunt on our own.”

Talon nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and anticipation. Yesterday had been about survival—finding shelter, adjusting to their new reality. But today, they would begin to unlock their true potential as dragons. And that meant hunting prey, not just for food, but for the challenge and growth that came with it.

“Let’s start by scouting the area,” Talon suggested, stepping out of the cave and stretching his wings again. “We need to find a good spot where prey is likely to be.”

Lyra followed him outside, the two of them blinking against the bright morning sun. The island was alive with the sounds of nature—birds chirping, leaves rustling in the breeze, and the faint hum of insects flitting through the air. It was a peaceful place, but Talon knew better than to let his guard down. The Mother had made it clear: this was no playground. They would be tested here.

Together, they took to the skies, their wings catching the morning air as they flew low over the island, scanning the landscape below. Talon’s eyes darted from one patch of forest to the next, his senses sharpened by the thrill of the hunt. He could feel the wind brushing against his scales, the raw power of his wings pushing him forward with each stroke.

After a few minutes of flying, they spotted movement below—small, swift figures darting through the underbrush.

“There,” Talon said, gesturing with a tilt of his head. “Looks like some kind of herd animal.”

Lyra nodded, and they descended, landing quietly on the edge of a clearing. The creatures they had spotted were deer-like, with sleek bodies and long, nimble legs. They moved in groups, grazing on the patches of grass scattered throughout the clearing.

“They don’t look too hard to catch,” Lyra whispered. “But we should still be careful.”

Talon crouched low, his muscles tensing as he observed the herd. “We need to work together. If we split up, we can corner them. I’ll drive them toward you, and you go in for the kill.”

Lyra’s eyes gleamed with excitement, her nervousness replaced by focus. “Got it.”

With a nod, Talon crept forward, moving silently through the brush. His instincts took over as he felt the thrill of the hunt surge through him. His body moved with precision, each step careful and measured. He could feel the weight of his claws pressing into the earth, the rustle of leaves beneath his belly as he stalked the herd.

The creatures continued to graze, unaware of the predators lurking just beyond the treeline.

Talon shifted to the side, positioning himself so that he would cut off their escape route. He glanced toward Lyra, who had taken her position on the opposite side of the clearing, hidden among the tall grass. Her pale scales blended into the surroundings, making her almost invisible.

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Everything was in place.

With a sudden burst of speed, Talon lunged from the shadows, roaring as he charged toward the herd. The creatures scattered, their eyes wide with panic as they bolted in the direction of Lyra’s hiding spot.

Just as they neared the edge of the clearing, Lyra sprang from the grass, her jaws snapping shut around the neck of the closest creature. It let out a strangled cry, thrashing for a moment before collapsing to the ground, its legs buckling beneath it.

The rest of the herd fled, vanishing into the forest, but the kill had been made.

Lyra stood over the fallen creature, her chest heaving with exertion. Her eyes shone with triumph as she looked up at Talon. “I did it!”

Talon smiled, pride swelling in his chest. “You did. That was perfect.”

He approached the kill, inspecting it with satisfaction. The hunt had gone better than expected, and Lyra had proven herself as a capable hunter. But something nagged at the back of Talon’s mind—a strange unease he couldn’t quite shake.

There was something about the way the air felt now, something off. It wasn’t just the adrenaline wearing off. It was something else.

He glanced around the clearing, his senses on high alert. The forest had gone unnaturally quiet, the birds no longer chirping, the rustle of leaves gone. Even the wind seemed to have stilled.

“Do you feel that?” Talon asked, his voice low.

Lyra frowned, her gaze sweeping the surroundings. “Yeah. It’s… strange.”

The tension in the air was palpable. Talon’s muscles tensed, and he extended his wings slightly, ready to take flight if necessary.

And then, without warning, the ground beneath them shook violently. The earth trembled, and cracks appeared in the soil, spreading outward like veins of chaos. Trees swayed and groaned, some toppling over with loud crashes. The sky above darkened as thick clouds rolled in, casting ominous shadows over the island.

Talon’s heart raced as he scanned the horizon. This wasn’t a normal tremor—this was something else. Something far more dangerous.

From the forest came a deep, guttural roar, followed by the heavy thudding of footsteps. The ground quaked with each step, the sound growing louder, closer.

Talon’s eyes narrowed. Whatever it was, it was coming straight for them.

“Lyra, get ready!” he shouted, his wings spreading wide as he prepared for a fight.

From the treeline emerged a massive creature, its form hulking and monstrous. It was unlike anything Talon had ever seen—a beast made of stone and earth, its body covered in jagged rocks and thick, earthen plates. Its glowing red eyes locked onto Talon and Lyra, and with a deafening roar, it charged toward them.

Lyra backed up, her eyes wide with fear. “What is that thing?!”

Talon didn’t have time to answer. The creature was barrelling toward them, and they had only seconds to react.

“Move!” he shouted, leaping into the air just as the creature’s massive claws slammed into the ground where he had been standing. The impact sent shockwaves through the earth, shaking the ground violently.

Lyra darted to the side, narrowly avoiding another swipe of the creature’s claws. “Talon, we can’t fight this thing!” she cried, panic rising in her voice.

Talon gritted his teeth, his mind racing. She was right—they weren’t strong enough to take on something like this, not yet. But they couldn’t just run, either. This was their territory, their proving ground. If they fled now, they would be leaving themselves vulnerable.

“Keep it distracted,” Talon ordered. “I’ll find a weak spot!”

Lyra nodded, though her eyes were filled with uncertainty. She spread her wings and took to the sky, circling the beast as it roared in frustration, swiping at her with its massive stone claws.

Talon flew higher, scanning the creature from above. It was made of earth and rock, but there had to be a weak point—something he could exploit. And then he saw it: a faint glow emanating from its chest, a small, pulsing light beneath the thick layers of stone.

That had to be its core.

“Lyra! Aim for the chest!” Talon shouted, diving toward the creature with all the speed he could muster.

Lyra didn’t hesitate. She flew down in a sharp arc, her claws extended, aiming for the creature’s chest. She struck with all her strength, and the force of the impact sent a crack through the stone plating, revealing the glowing core beneath.

The creature let out a deafening roar, staggering back as its core was exposed.

“Now!” Talon cried, diving toward the opening. He gathered all his strength, his claws glowing with the energy he hadn’t known he possessed. With a single, powerful strike, he drove his claws into the core.

The creature let out one final roar before its body began to crumble. The stone and earth that had made up its form fell away, disintegrating into dust. Within moments, the massive beast was nothing more than a pile of rubble.

Talon landed beside Lyra, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. The fight had been short, but intense. They had faced something far more dangerous than they had expected, and they had won.

“Are you okay?” he asked, turning to Lyra.

She nodded, though her eyes were still wide with shock. “That was… insane.”

Talon exhaled, his muscles relaxing slightly. “Yeah. But we did it.”

The island was quiet again, the air heavy with the aftermath of the battle. Talon looked at the remains of the creature, the strange unease still lingering in his mind.

This place was more dangerous than they had realized.

And this was only the beginning.

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End of Chapter 5.