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CHAPTER 1 – The Valley of the Forbidden

Freshwater cascaded down the rocks of a big mountain, forming an infinite waterfall, covering the entrance completely.

Hidden in the valley, where eyes could not see, was a beast controlled by his hate.

A deep breath was all it took, as a large pair of eyes fluttered open in the thick darkness.

He let out a low grunt, flaring his nostrils as he uttered underneath his breath, "Saphira."

He called out in a low cracked tone, echoing deep in this endless terrain within the void.

He breathed slowly as his eyes flickered to a close.

Suddenly they flung wide open with a certain radiance and this time pain reflected from deep within his red eyes.

'Saphira. I feel you. Are you really here?' He asked within himself.

****

The cool breeze blew softly in the valley, taking with it the alluring scents of the brilliant flowers as the sun rose, bearing its cool rays and illuminating the area, a place where such wasn't meant to be found.

Not so far from the garden of flowers was a small white nine-tailed fox seen running through the valley at an alarming speed.

"Layla, wait up!" The melodic voice of a young lady called out as she chased after it.

Rather than heeding her words, the young fox took to its heels, hastily dashing off.

"Layla! The sun will be out soon. Stop running!"

Yet again Layla ignored her.

Her shining golden blonde hair danced to the rhythm of her feet while she ran with her white gown fluttering in the wind behind her.

Like someone who just realized within a split second exactly where she was heading, her feet came to a stop immediately they touched the black soil.

She had been chasing after the naughty fox and accidentally ventured to this place.

She slowly swept her gaze around as her eyes went dim and brows knitted into a frown at the thick mist clouding the area.

The place they were coming from was bubbling with life but this place... was void of life.

'Hmm, no wonder it is the Valley of the Forbidden. Even living things evade this place like a plague. Just how evil could one person get?'

She was brought back to reality when she heard a familiar cry. "Layla." Her breathing hitched as she felt something heavy in her chest. Her pet fox was in danger.

Without taking a second to think about her safety, she hurriedly sprinted in the direction of the sound.

Not long after she caught sight of a white figure, giving her already fast-beating heart another boost.

"Oh my! Layla?"

She leapt onto the next path, managing to steady herself as her eyes looked ahead.

The path that led to the cave she spotted Layla was riddled with massive holes. This made moving forward difficult without jumping over.

The entire path was unstable and she did not think before leaping over the hole. She continued doing so until she was close to the end and let out a sigh.

'The sooner I am done, the quicker we can leave this dreadful place. I can't have father's endless scolding of Raven this, Raven that, all because I am his only child and family. Sigh!'

Being the only one he had left, her father ensured she was protected and not left to roam around without supervision.

As a result, she grew up like a pampered princess having her movements monitored except for certain days like this when she sneaked out.

Raven jumped onto the next solid ground and to her bewilderment, the ground underneath her feet began to quake.

Her eyes blinked in confusion as she tried to keep her balance but before anything could be done, the ground beneath her broke and the next second, she found herself falling into the dark place below.

"Aaahh!"

A piercing cry tore through her lips as the rectangular broken piece of earth fell along with her.

BAM!

A loud sound echoed the moment the pieces abruptly landed on some extended pillars protruding from beneath the entrance of a cave at the other end.

Raven did not have time to be at peace as more cracks spread across the surface of the rods with each passing second.

She knew it wouldn't be long before it broke into smaller pieces and resumed falling, sending her into the abyss below.

Making use of this opportunity, Raven sprang to her feet and rushed to the end of the piece, acting as a bridge to the cave.

She jumped forward, to the entrance of this cave and hoisted herself up till she was away from the edge.

Some seconds passed before she made her way back to the edge gazing up to see where she had fallen.

Her brows furrowed when she noticed some strange chains hovering over where she fell from.

'What the… How did they get there?' Raven questioned in her mind. If they were there prior, there was no way she wouldn't have gotten hurt.

'Now I cannot fly up towards that cave. Layla I may take some time to get to...'

Badum! Badum!

A certain pull tugged at the strings of her heart pulling her mind and senses in a certain direction.

Like a spellbound servant, she turned, facing the deep darkness of the cave with the heavy beat of her heart blocking out every sound and reasoning.

Slowly she made her way through, creating a small flame hovering over the palm of her hand to light up her path.

With each step she took, she came closer to the darkness that breathed dread.

Chills rose from the cave, causing goosebumps to form on her skin as she went deep.

"Layla?"

Rather than the sound of her pet, all she heard was her echo and she stopped.

SCREEHHH!

SWOOSH!

Her heart leapt into her chest when she felt something breeze behind her, causing her to turn around with the flames still in her palm.

A spider the size of her feet crawled past the adjacent wall from her, heading for the mouth of the cave.

Her chest rose, heaving out a sigh of relief and Raven lifted her right hand, hoping to see more of the cave.

This time around, she came face to face with the same chains as the ones blocking her path outside the cave and her heart thumped wildly again.

'Where is… What are they?' Raven asked in her head, taking several steps back, while her eyes instinctively followed the chains, hoping to find their source.

Behind her a pair of big angry eyes flew open, boring into her back as his breathing came in slow deep bursts.

'Saphira.'

He had been disturbed; his mind hazed from the smell of the one he had ached for such a long time.

'Saphira.' He called out deep in his heart when he felt her presence enter his cave.

And now when she came close, there was no mistaking it. She was there. She was the one. It had to be.

All that he needed to confirm his suspicion was her face.

'Turn.' He ordered in his mind.

At the same time, she felt something from behind her staring deeply down at her.

Ever so slowly, swallowing hard, Raven turned on her heels, hoping it was nothing but the same spider she had once seen but the moment she turned completely, her heart froze in her chest and her breathing stilled.

Her eyes flew wide open and with it, her mind, leaving her to her fate.

Staring right at her with eyes like she had never seen, crystal blue, yet filled with so much darkness and despair, was the one the ancient tale spoke of.

His eyes burned brightly with his maddening rage as one holding the abyss in their depths.

The ancient legends were true and he was indeed alive.

Finally, she saw the connection. All the chains that had been seen till this point in the cave were linked to him.

Seconds passed but no one spoke. Her limbs refused to move one bit as her adrenaline failed her.

It was as though time stopped but the dread remained real.

After what felt like forever, he pried his lips open to speak.

"Saphira."

His deep voice echoed throughout the cave and mountain, sending chills running down her spine as her knees gave way and her body collapsed in shock, falling on her butt, putting out the flames.

Her eyes remained glued on the person before her.

She could not muster any courage to do anything at that point while she fought for her brain to function.

"Saphira." He called out in a much deeper and louder voice, eating away at her senses.

"It is I. Say something."

She remained still. Her brain buzzed with endless sounds and the echo of his voice.

"Saphira!"

Her heart flew once more and the next thing she knew, she felt him tug on the metallic chains, causing a severe shake in the cave as the ground rumbled beneath her.

With eyes still wide open, she watched in terror as he struggled against the chains.

Slowly she rose to her feet, her breathing ragged while her hands conjured up the flames.

"Saphira, don't…"

She backed away again. Fear was evident on her face as realization dawned on her. Those weren't just ordinary chains but those of doom.

The more he struggled, the tighter she saw them clinch at his body, burning his skin and causing him pain.

They had kept him sealed and were her only means of escape before anything happened.

"Saphira." He hissed in pain but his tugging never ceased.

"Don't go. Do not leave me. Not again."

She could feel his pain and she could have sworn she saw the flicker of tears and hurt in those eyes of his.

Her eyes flickered from his. The more she looked, the more transfixed she was and the greater the pull she felt to him.

'What have I done?' Raven queried, trailing her eyes down his body to see the chains surrounding him spark a different light.

'He is… B-Breaking f-free.'

Her brain turned upon realization of what her presence had caused.

"No. You can't. Stop. Don't move."

"Saphira," he called once more and this time, he yanked at the chains with great strength, breaking his right hand free.

Instantly her senses returned as her adrenaline pumped strongly in her body.

She did not need a reminder as she backed away, step after step.

"Saphira!"

The chains above her fell with a loud thud, causing the cave to crumble bits by bits, right above her head, freeing his left foot.

She ducked, managing to dodge the collapsing rubbles, escaping in the nick of time.

"Saphira no. Don't go."

Quickly she scrambled to her feet with her heart thudding wildly in her chest as she made a run for it without looking back.

Several rocks fell, blocking her path. The cave began to crumble while she manoeuvred her way out.

Running as fast as her feet could take her, her mind replayed the tale of dread the realm knew of and the havoc she was about to unleash.

"No!" She heard him scream out as tears flowed down her cheeks.

Regardless, she never stopped.

By the time she arrived at the mouth of the cave and gazed up, there was no longer the chain she saw there.

She shut her eyes briefly and when she opened them, her body glowed a golden hue, with small horns growing close to her forehead and a pair of wings emerging from her flawless back.

She spread her powerful scaly wings to the side and without a second thought, flew up and away.

She had one goal now. Run and warn everyone.

He has broken out.