Edmund secretly made his way toward the restricted area of the Vampire Academy. The setting sun cast long shadows across the ancient stone pathways, creating an almost ghostly ambiance.
Edmund moved with stealth while keeping his senses alert for any sign of patrols or prying eyes.
This part of the academy was strictly off-limits to students, but he had no choice. He needed to head to the castle.
Ahead, the silhouette of the restricted castle loomed against the sky. The castle was an eerily tall structure. Its dark walls were covered in thick ivy and its windows barred with iron.
Edmund had heard whispers of the red-horned dragon imprisoned beneath the castle—a rumor he was finally ready to confirm.
Edmund approached the castle cautiously, ensuring that he remained unseen. He activated his Dark Veil skill, blending into the shadows and moving silently along the perimeter of the castle. His heart pounded in his chest as his objective propelled him forward.
"Almost there," he whispered to himself, his voice barely audible.
He reached a side entrance, a small, unguarded door that led into the bowels of the castle. He glanced around one last time to ensure he was alone before slipping inside.
The air grew colder and damper as he descended a narrow staircase. The stone steps were worn smooth by centuries of use.
After a few minutes, he reached the bottom...
The bottom of the castle opened into a vast, cavernous space. The flickering light of numerous torches cast eerie shadows on the walls, illuminating the rocky floor and the massive fortified pillars that supported the ceiling.
Chains as thick as a man's torso stretched across the space. Their ends were anchored to the walls and floor, leading to the center of the cavern where the red-horned dragon lay.
Edmund paused at the entrance, his breath catching in his throat. The dragon was a sight to behold.
Its massive body was covered in shimmering crimson scales that seemed to glow with an inner fire. Two enormous horns jutted from its head, curling back in a menacing arc.
Its eyes were like molten gold, filled with a mixture of fury and intelligence. The dragon's wings were folded against its body, but even at rest, it exuded an aura of raw, untamed power.
'So it is real... A real-life Dragon,' Edmund thought as a shiver ran down his spine. 'This creature could kill me in an instant.'
Edmund felt like he could die from just staring at it. It was both exhilarating and overwhelming to be in the presence of such a creature.
He took a deep breath, steeling himself. He knew he had to get a piece of the dragon's scale to complete his goal.
There was no turning back now. He stepped forward cautiously, his eyes never leaving the dragon.
He slowly drew closer...
And closer...
And closer...
He took extra silent steps despite the activation of Dark Veil.
Soon he reached an area that was illuminated without any shadow. This meant he would be temporarily visible till he found another dark spot.
The moment he moved across the illuminated region, the red-horned dragon's eyes snapped open.
It suddenly reared its head in his direction while letting out a deafening roar.
A blaze of purplish fire erupted from its mouth, scorching the air and illuminating the cavern with a hellish glow.
Edmund's reflexes kicked in, and he dove to the side, barely avoiding the purplish flames. The heat was intense, and he could feel his uniform beginning to smoke. He rolled behind one of the massive pillars as his heart raced.
"That was too close," he muttered while trying to calm his breathing. "I need to be more careful."
He waited, listening to the dragon's labored breathing. After a few tense moments, the dragon seemed to settle back down, convinced that its intruder had fled.
Edmund took the opportunity to activate his Dark Veil again, blending into the shadows and moving silently around the cavern.
He approached the dragon cautiously, keeping to the darkest parts of the cavern. The flickering torchlight and the new position of the dragon had created plenty of shadows for him to hide in.
As he got closer, he marveled at the sheer size of the creature. The scales up close were even more impressive. Each one was the size of a shield.
"Just a single scale," he reminded himself. "That's all I need."
He reached into his cloak and pulled out a dagger. With a deep breath, he stepped forward and struck the dragon's body. The dagger bounced off the scales with a loud clang as if he had struck solid metal.
The dragon's eyes snapped open again, and it let out another deafening roar. With a whip of its tail, Edmund was sent flying across the cavern, slamming into a pile of rocks.
Pain shot through his body, but he forced himself to move, knowing that the dragon would not give him the chance to stay down for more than a single second.
And he was right...
The dragon unleashed another blaze of purplish flames just as Edmund scrambled to his feet. He managed to dodge the fire by a hair's breadth.
However, the heat singed his clothes, and he could feel the flames licking at his heels as he ran.
"I have to get out of here," panic rose in his chest.
The dragon roared again causing the surroundings to tremble greatly. Edmund darted behind another pillar causing the flames to miss him by inches. He knew he had to escape before the dragon incinerated him.
Taking a piece of it's scales would be an impossible task at the moment.
After a few moments of waiting, he sprinted towards the exit.
"Grroouhhhhhh!"
He could hear the dragon's heavy footsteps and the rattle of its chains as it pursued him. Another blast of fire scorched the ground where he had been moments before.
"Almost there," he thought, his eyes fixed on the narrow staircase.
With a final burst of speed, Edmund reached the staircase as another jet of flames blazed through the passageway behind him.
"That was close," he immediately began to climb.
He could feel the heat of the dragon's breath on his back, but he didn't dare look behind him.
He reached the top of the stairs and burst through the door, slamming it shut behind him. The dragon's roar echoed through the castle, but the door held. Edmund collapsed against the wall as his chest heaved heavily and his body trembled with exhaustion.
"I made it," relief flooded through him as he whispered. "I actually made it."
His clothes were scorched, and his body ached from the impact of the dragon's tail, but he was alive. He took a moment to catch his breath as his mind raced with what he had just experienced.
"This is nothing like the movies... It's one thing to watch and it's an entire thing to experience it first hand. That red bastard is a force to be reckoned with," he thought out loud. "But I need that scale. I'll have to find another way."
Edmund knew he would have to return to the dragon's lair, but he also knew that he needed to be better prepared. The dragon's scales were impenetrable, and its fire was deadly. He needed a new plan, one that would give him a chance to succeed without getting himself killed.
As he made his way back to the academy blocks Edmund's mind raced with ideas.
As much as he'd like to ask for help or perhaps hire someone to take care of it, this was something he'd had to handle alone.
He couldn't let anyone know that he visited the restricted castle.
...
Back in his room, Sasha inspected his injuries. His body was covered in bruises, and his clothes were singed.
"You're lucky to be alive," Sasha shook her head in disbelief while applying medicinal ointments.
"You should have seen me... I faced that dragon head-on..." Edmund paused like he was about to tell a tale of how he overcame.
"And then ran for my dear life when it started shooting flames. That fucking dragon... Ouch!" Edmund's tongue kissed his teeth as Sasha tightened the bandage around his chest.
"You were wise to flee. What did you think it was going to do? Kiss your feet and welcome you?" Sasha thought Edmund was crazy to even attempt getting the scale in the first place.
She thought he was only going to confirm the existence of the dragon beneath the restricted castle and not try anything else.
Now Edmund would need to rest and recover before attempting another foray into the dragon's lair again.
"I'll get that scale," he vowed while clenching his fists. "No matter what it takes."
"And how do you intend to do that, your highness? You're not exactly powerful enough to face it," Sasha reminded him.
"I'll think of a way."
As he lay in bed that night, Edmund replayed the events of the evening in his mind. The image of the red-horned dragon, its eyes blazing and its scales glistening, was seared into his memory.
He had informed Sasha to keep the consorts from visiting this night so he had time alone to come up with a plan.