Ren stared across the misty chasm, gripping his sword hilt tightly. On the other side, the dark entrance to the Dragon's Lair beckoned. Somewhere down there was the golden dragon egg he sought.
As a young dragon rider of the Drakon Order, it was Ren's quest to bond with a hatchling dragon. He had trained for years for this moment. Failure meant dishonor for him and his family.
Ren recalled his father's parting words: "Trust in your training. Stay calm amid danger. And let your dragon choose you."
With a deep breath, Ren began his descent down the treacherous cliffside path. The further he went, the hotter and more sulfurous the air became. Ren sweated beneath his armor. Strange creatures shrieked from the craggy rocks above.
When the narrow path crumbled away, Ren feared he was lost. But he spotted a series of rocky outcroppings he could jump between to continue downward. Heart pounding, he leapt over the boiling lake below.
Ren reached the entrance and entered cautiously. Every sound echoed loudly in the dark cavern. He lit a torch and pressed on through the winding passages. The unnerving skittering of claws reverberated all around.
Suddenly, a burst of flame erupted down the tunnel! Ren dove behind a rock as a juvenile dragon lumbered into view. It was merely defending its nesting grounds. Ren waited for it to pass before proceeding.
At last Ren arrived at the glittering chamber housing the dragon egg. As he stepped forward, the egg began to shake and crack! A small golden head emerged, blinking at Ren. He removed his gauntlet and extended his hand...
The dragonling sniffed his palm curiously. Then it nuzzled his fingers - the bonding was complete! With the golden hatchling at his side, Ren's long journey to become a dragon rider had finally begun.