Chapter 3 : The Frozen Flame

Elara

The air was heavy with frost, each breath creating a cloud in front of me. The dragon inched closer, its midnight scales shimmering like broken obsidian. Its eyes burned with a strange, icy fire, a contradiction that sent a chill through my core.

I gripped the pale scale in my hand so tightly that the edges pressed into my skin. The hum of its energy grew stronger, nearly drowning out the dragon’s deep growls.

“What are you?” I whispered, my voice trembling.

The dragon didn’t answer with words. Instead, it lowered its head, smoke curling from its nostrils. For a moment, I thought it might attack. But then it paused, its fiery gaze locked onto the scale in my hand.

It recognized it.

"You know this, right?" I said quietly, almost whispering.

The dragon slightly turned its head, its growl getting softer. My heartbeat slowed a bit as the stress lifted.

I carefully stepped forward and unfolded the scale, and the dim light it gave off lit up the dragon’s face. The dragon sniffed the air, its nostrils moving, then it let out a low rumble from its chest— a sound that wasn’t a threat or an invitation.

“This was important to someone,” I said, mostly to myself and not to the dragon.

The dragon blinked slowly, almost as if it agreed.

I took another step, my pulse still racing in my ears. If this creature had wanted to harm me, it would have done so by now. Something about the scale had captured its attention.

“What happened to them?” I asked softly.

The dragon made a soft, sad sound that echoed in the room. It was a cry of sadness, and it touched my heart.

I reached out nervously. "I won't hurt you," I said softly.

The dragon hesitated but stayed close. Its huge head came down, and its breath felt like a cold wind against me. I touched its scales, and I felt a rush of energy. Quick images flashed in my mind, confusing and brief.

A wide sky filled with colorful dragons, their wings moving together. A rider was on top of the dark dragon, their face hidden behind a shiny gold helmet.Fire and ice collided in a fierce storm. And then… nothingness.

I gasped, pulling my hand back. The dragon reared, roaring as if the memory had struck it as deeply as it had me.

“What was that?” I asked, my voice shaking.

The dragon stayed silent, simply turning to glide toward the far end of the chamber, where an archway of ice had formed. It glanced back at me, its fiery eyes brimming with anticipation.

“You want me to follow you?”

The dragon let out a low growl, almost impatiently,I hesitated.

I felt an overwhelming urge to run away and find the closest exit. But something deeper inside me, a strong feeling, kept me from moving.

With the scale still vibrating in my hand, I followed. The ice tunnel was narrow and winding, its walls glowing with an ethereal light. The dragon moved ahead, its massive body somehow navigating the tight space with surprising elegance. The noise of the scale got louder with every step, matching the quick rhythm of my heartbeat.

"Where are we going?”I asked, not really expecting an answer.

The dragon stopped at a sharp turn, its head swiveling back to look at me. Its gaze lingered on the scale I held before it let out a low rumble and continued onward.

I tightened my grip on the scale. Whatever awaited us had to be connected to this object.

The tunnel led to a very large cave where I couldn’t see the top. Ice crystals were sticking out from the walls, giving a strange blue light around the area. In the middle of the cave was a black stone platform.

The dragon stopped in front of the platform and bent its head down.

“Where is this place?” I whispered, stepping closer.The pedestal appeared ancient, adorned with runes that mirrored those on the broken tablet. In the center lay a hollow depression, perfectly molded for the scale I held.

“You want me to… place it here?” I inquired, glancing at the dragon.

The creature let out a low growl, its fiery gaze locked onto me with fierce intensity.

My heart raced as I stepped closer to the pedestal. The scale throbbed with energy in my hand, the hum almost overwhelming. I paused for a moment, then gently set the scale into the hollow.

The reaction was immediate.

The cavern trembled, and a blinding light erupted from the pedestal. I stumbled back, shielding my eyes as the light coalesced into a swirling orb of fire and frost. The dragon roared, its voice echoing through the cave, yet it remained motionless.

From within the orb, a figure began to take shape, a man clad in armor made of ice and flame. His face was obscured, but his presence was so commanding that it filled the cavern, making my knees feel weak.

“Elara,” the figure spoke, his voice resonating deep within me.

I stared, unable to respond. “You have awakened the legacy of Dragonbound,” he continued. “The bond between dragon and rider, fire and frost, has been severed for centuries. But you… you are the key to restoring it.”

“I don’t understand,” I finally managed to whisper.

“You will,” he replied, his gaze shifting to the midnight dragon. “But be warned—there are those who will stop at nothing to keep the bond broken. The flame has enemies, and the shadow grows ever closer.”

The light began to dim, the figure’s form breaking apart into sparks that scattered into the air.

“Wait!” I shouted. “Who are you? What am I supposed to do?”

His final words echoed in the cavern:

“Find the heart of the flame, or all will be lost.”

As the light faded completely, I turned to the dragon. It looked back at me, its fiery eyes filled with an emotion I couldn’t quite place—trust, perhaps. Or anticipation.

“What now?” I asked, my voice trembling.

The dragon edged closer, lowering its massive head until its eyes were right in front of mine.

Before I could react, the cavern trembled again—this time with greater force. Cracks spiderwebbed across the walls, and chunks of ice started to plummet.

“We need to get out of here!” I yelled.

The dragon let out a thunderous roar, crouching low. It was urging me to climb on.

Every instinct told me to resist, but I had no choice. As the cavern began to cave in, I scrambled onto its back, gripping its scales with all my strength.

With a powerful thrust, the dragon launched into the air, its wings spreading wide as it soared through the collapsing tunnel.

I clung tightly to its neck, the icy wind biting at my face as we burst into the night sky. Below us, the mountain trembled as the cavern fell apart completely, burying whatever secrets lay within.

The dragon roared again, its voice filled with triumph. But my relief was fleeting.

Far below, at the edge of the forest, a group of shadowy figures watched us. Their eyes glimmered with a menacing light.

One of them raised a hand, and the icy wind around us turned frigid.

The dragon's roar faltered as a sharp pain shot through my chest, the scale in my grip feeling as if it were ablaze.

And then we started to plummet.