'Panic'

That's the first thing Freya did as she watched her sister fall into a gaping hole in the ground.

She rushed to the edge of the hole. The sight before her almost made her faint in relief.

"you scared me you brat! For a second there I thought you were a goner."

Eli pushed herself up from the ground, feeling a sharp pain in her knee. She brushed off the dirt and grass from her shorts and crop top trying to fight off the urge to cry. 'sniffle'

" Well so did I, happy? " said a pouting Eli with tears at the corner of eyes.

"Eli I have no idea how you train your body after awakening for a year and still cry about falling from a height of fifteen metres."

"I'm barely 13 I can't help it okay!" She looked around, eager to see what she had fallen into. "Look, sis, this cave is beautiful!" Eli exclaimed, pointing at the walls around her.

"Wow... True that" Freya was fascinated by the carvings on the walls of the curve "Are those dragons".

She walk towards the wall to her right and ran her fingers over the ancient carvings, feeling the grooves and curves of the winged beasts. She marveled at the intricate details and the lifelike expressions of the dragons. She wondered who had made them and what they meant. She felt a connection to the mysterious artists, who shared her love and awe for the majestic creatures.

She wished she could fly with them, away from the dull and dreary world outside. She smiled, feeling a spark of joy and wonder in her heart.

"You mean the dragon race that went extinct thee millenia ago?"

"Yes, the dragon clan were wiped out by an unknown enemy according to the ancient scriptures, this cave looks really old. Let's look around, we might find mana stones or treasures here."

"Do you think this cave was left by the dragons sis?"

"Yeah this looks like a dragon's lair from those mythology books"

Eli let out a chuckle " yeah right what are the chances this cave has never been found before, even if what you say is true?"

"It's not like we lose anything by looking around, do we?"

"It's already dark out! You know mom and dad will flip out right, they'll never let us go into the forest to hunt ever again!"

The siblings bickered as they moved around the cave.

"Ooooh look at that shiny red gem on the wall!" Eli cried out in splendor, spreading her hands towards the gem

"Wait, Eli, don't touch it!" Freya warned, following her younger sister. She knew that anything with a red on it was dangerous and always leads to trouble. She had read many stories about people who had been trapped, attacked or even killed in such situations.

"Come on, Freya, don't be such a scaredy-cat!" Eli said, reaching for the red gem in the wall.

"Eli, stop!" Lila shouted, grabbing her arm. "You don't know what might happen if you touch the gem. It could be a portal to another realm, or a trap, or a curse. Let's just go back to city. We're not supposed to be here anyway."

"But I thought you said a little sightseeing was in order, Freya. It's so pretty and magical. Maybe it'll grant us a wish, or teach us some magic, or show us their secrets. Don't you want to see the dragon's secrets, Freya?" Ella asked, looking at her sister with wide, hopeful eyes.

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Freya sighed, feeling torn. She loved her sister, and she wanted to make her happy. But she also wanted to protect her, and she knew that such ancient caves were always dangerous. She remembered the words of their grandmother, who had warned them about the dangers of the forest.

"There are many unknowns in the forest, my dears. There are capricious and cunning beasts, treasures laid in traps, evil witches who will curse you and they care nothing for us elves. They will lure you with their charm, but they will only harm you in the end. Stay away from the deep forest, and especially from suspicious red gems."

Freya looked at the gem, and then at Eli. She made a decision.

" Arghh! Fine you win! But I'm doing it. "

"Deal!" Eli agreed, smiling. She hugged Freya and faced the glowing gem. It was practically begging to be touched as if something in the girls had awoken it. "Go ahead. "

Freya anxiously put her palm onto the gem and it shone brighter

"Uhm sis what's happening?" the wall in front of them crumbled into the shape of a door that was 5 feet tall.

"let's see what's inside"

"mm"

Freya walked in first, Eli following closely behind her

The sisters walk hand in hand into a dimly lit grand.

Bulky braziers attached to fourteen onyx columns light up the entire throne hall. The unadorned stones one the sloped ceiling dance in the flickering light. Gargoyles and statuettes look down upon the marble floor of the luxurious wall.

"Wow... A throne room"

"it's huge." Freya and Eli walk deeper into the throne room and close in on the throne.

The throne is made of amethyst colored diamond, upholstered by intricate carvings and a writing that was unrecognisable to the two girls. The centerpiece of the throne is a hollow gape that only adds to the throne's aesthetics. It shone brilliantly in the light.

Freya took a sharp breath in "it's made of deity ranked mana stones"

"For real! that's enough to feed our whole city for five hundred years!"

"Look Eli there is something behind the throne." Freya walked to the back of the throne and there on a large cubicle was an egg. It reached up to Freya 's waist, adorned with tiny scales all around that shimmer like polished metal." A Stone? Or an egg? "

Freya touched the egg's surface feeling that It was warm to the touch. Her touch seemed to make it come to life, the scales seemed to let out a warm breath

"it's warm." Freya commented " I think this is an egg.

" A dragon egg? "

" maybe I'm not sure, but the scales should mean it is. I wonder how long it has been in here, since the dragons' age maybe"

"let's take It home sis!" Eli shouted excitedly.

"Okay it should be fine I..."

As Freya was about to lift the egg up, the very top layer of scales started to unravel.

She took a step back. "I think it's hatching."excitement was clear in her voice