Aemon stared at the entrance of the dark cave, his heart tightening as if something within him was awakening. The discomfort was undeniable, almost suffocating.
— Something... something is calling me — he muttered to Lilith, feeling an inexplicable connection to the place.
Lilith, her gaze sharp and instinctive, stopped for a moment, watching Aemon closely.
— This is the cave — she confirmed, her voice serious and without hesitation. — We need to hurry.
Both entered, the shadows swallowing them as they descended deeper. The pain in Aemon's chest intensified with every step, pulsing with an alarming strength, as if the cave itself were alive, pulling him into its depths. The pressure in his mind was as strong as the weight in his heart.
Lilith, noticing the visible strain on his face, frowned.
— Are you okay? — she asked, her voice revealing a touch of concern.
— Yes — Aemon replied with difficulty, his expression marked by pain. — We can keep going.
The further they went, the more a bright light shone in the distance, intense and almost supernatural, as if they were nearing the heart of the place. The atmosphere was thick with something dense and unexplainable.
Lilith looked around, trying to grasp what was coming.
— It seems we're approaching a chamber... — she said, her words filled with anticipation and a hint of nervousness.
The pain in Aemon reached its peak, but he pressed on, his instincts telling him that their destination was just ahead.
The pain in Aemon's chest became unbearable. Without warning, he collapsed to his knees, pressing his hand against his chest as if something inside him was about to break.
— Aemon! — Lilith exclaimed, rushing to his side. — What's happening?
He looked at her, his face pale and his breathing labored.
— It feels... like something is pulling me, as if my heart is... going to split... — he said with difficulty, trying to stand. — Help me keep going, we need to reach the end.
Lilith, concerned but determined, wrapped her arm around his waist, helping him to his feet. Together, they continued descending deeper into the cave until they reached a massive stone staircase leading to a colossal door carved into the rock. Beside the door stood a small stone altar, strange in its simplicity, as though it had been sculpted to receive something very specific.
Lilith studied the structure for a few moments, trying to understand its mechanism.
— The key... — she murmured. — It could be your blood, Aemon. This... makes sense. — She turned to him, her gaze firm.
Aemon, still in pain, hesitated.
— No. I... I won't cut myself. I hate the idea of spilling my own blood — he said, his voice somewhat stubborn as he tried to finish speaking.
Before he could complete the sentence, Lilith, quick and impulsive, scratched Aemon's arm with her sharp nails, causing blood to flow instantly. Without giving him time to protest, she gently pushed him toward the altar, letting his blood drip onto the stone.
— Lilith! — Aemon gasped, both surprised and irritated.
But it was too late. The blood dripped onto the altar, and something in the cave began to react. A low sound, almost like an ancient whisper, echoed through the stone walls as the altar absorbed Aemon's blood. The pain in his chest, surprisingly, began to subside, as if the sacrifice had somehow relieved the pressure.
As soon as Aemon's blood touched the altar, the massive stone door began to shift, releasing a deep, reverberating groan, as if the very heart of the cave was awakening from an ancient slumber. Aemon stood frozen, his eyes wide with both shock and awe, watching the colossal portal slowly open, revealing a soft, golden light spilling from within.
Lilith noticed his expression and let out a quiet chuckle.
— You've seen magic before, Aemon, — she said, her tone playful, though there was a subtle edge of anxiety in her voice.
Aemon took a steadying breath and stepped forward, his muscles still tense from the recent ordeal. As they crossed the threshold, both fell silent, utterly captivated by the sight that lay before them.
The chamber they had entered was vast, far greater in size than anything Aemon had ever seen. The ceiling rose impossibly high, studded with shimmering stalactites that glistened like stars, casting soft reflections across the space. Rivers of crystal-clear water wound around the floor, their gentle currents leading to luminous waterfalls that cascaded down smooth, glimmering stone. The sound of the water was melodic, almost like an ancient lullaby, harmonizing with the faint hum of magic that permeated the air. The golden light bathed the entire hall, its source mysterious, diffused, creating an ethereal glow that seemed to pulse in rhythm with the heartbeat of the earth itself.
At the very center of the chamber lay the remains of a dragon. Its bones, monumental and awe-inspiring, rose from the ground like the ruins of a forgotten civilization. Its ribcage arched into the air, forming a skeletal cathedral, while its skull, massive and intimidating, faced the intruders with a gaze that seemed to transcend time. The dragon's jaw was slightly open, as if frozen in a silent roar that echoed through the ages. The bones, though ancient, shimmered faintly, suggesting a lingering magic within them.
Lilith, overwhelmed by the sight, could barely contain her excitement. Her eyes gleamed with intensity as she rushed toward the enormous skeleton, her movements quick and almost reverent.
— Aemon, look at this! — she gasped, her voice trembling with awe as she reached out to touch one of the dragon's ribs. Her hand shook as her fingers brushed against the cool, smooth surface. — A dragon... — she whispered, her tone laced with reverence.
Aemon, still processing the grandeur of the chamber, let his eyes wander. The scale of the place was incomprehensible, and everything felt alive, as though the very air breathed with the memory of the dragon that had once dwelled there. The waterfalls sparkled with life, their waters creating swirling reflections on the cave walls, and every stone seemed to hum with the weight of untold history. It was as if they had stepped into a sacred realm, untouched by time, a place where the past still lingered, powerful and watchful.
— I've never seen anything like this... — he murmured, his voice low as he finally joined Lilith near the center. His footsteps were quiet on the smooth stone, the echoes barely audible over the gentle sound of flowing water. The air around them felt charged, heavy with the presence of something ancient, something that had not yet fully revealed itself.
As Aemon stood before the towering skeleton, he could feel it — a deep, thrumming connection to this place. The chamber, with its radiant waters and the slumbering bones of the dragon, seemed to guard mysteries beyond imagination. Secrets woven into the very fabric of the world, waiting for the right moment to be unraveled.
As Lilith and Aemon examined the colossal dragon skeleton, the young mage knelt before the ancient bones, her fingers tracing the deep scars and fractures etched into the fossilized remains. Her touch was delicate, yet something within her stirred as if a long-forgotten memory was surfacing.
— I know this creature... — Lilith whispered, her voice laden with a strange, ancestral weight.
Aemon glanced at her, both curious and slightly taken aback.
— What are you talking about? — he asked, his eyes still scanning the environment around them, alert to any danger.
Lilith looked up at him, her gaze filled with a profound mixture of sadness and reverence.
— This dragon... — She paused, as if considering how to phrase the gravity of her revelation. — It was the last of the great dragons from the civil war between the mighty dominions. An era of chaos and destruction, when kingdoms tore each other apart, and death was the only ruler.
Aemon frowned, puzzled by the unfamiliar tale.
— Civil war between dominions? I've... never heard of this. — He shook his head, trying to piece together anything that could link to such a history. — What does that have to do with me?
Lilith rose slowly, her eyes still fixed on the dragon's remains.
— This dragon was ridden by none other than my great-great-grandfather. His name was Vaelgorth, the Immortal. A majestic and powerful creature, who fought alongside my ancestor until the very end of his days. — Her gaze turned to Aemon, filled with an intensity that hinted at the depth of her lineage. — Vaelgorth was gravely wounded in his last battle, just like my great-great-grandfather, who died in the skies. Wounded and alone, Vaelgorth must have fled here, seeking his final refuge. And here he died, far from war and the suffering he once knew.
Aemon's eyes turned back to the skeleton, trying to process Lilith's words.
— Vaelgorth... — he murmured, testing the name on his lips. — And how...?
Before he could finish, a sudden jolt of pain hit him, and he instinctively pressed his hand to his chest, feeling his heart beating in an odd, irregular rhythm. It was as though something deep within him was awakening, pulling at his very core.
— My heart... — Aemon's voice was strained, his eyes narrowing as he tried to focus through the discomfort. — It's... beating differently.
Lilith turned toward him, her sharp eyes assessing him quickly.
— That could mean there's something more here. — She glanced around the chamber, suspicion clouding her features, as if the very stones were alive with dormant energy. — Dragons are cunning creatures, Aemon. They guard their greatest treasures fiercely. Something might still be here, hidden... waiting for someone to awaken it.
Aemon took a deep breath, trying to control the rising sensation in his chest. The connection he felt to the place, to the dragon, to something far greater than himself, was becoming undeniable. It pulsed through him like an ancient current, as though Vaelgorth's legacy was reaching out to him.
— Whatever is hidden here... — Aemon spoke, his voice low and resolute as his eyes locked onto Lilith's. — We need to find it.
The chamber, with its shimmering waters and ancient bones, seemed to hum with a secret that had been slumbering for centuries. A secret that, at long last, was ready to be unearthed.
As Aemon and Lilith ventured deeper into the cave, the air grew thick and laden with mystery. With each step, Aemon felt a profound calling, as if something ancient and powerful was aware of their presence. The darkness enveloped them like an impenetrable shroud until Lilith, noticing their struggle to see, cast a spell that illuminated the path. The light revealed a colossal altar ahead, highlighting a peculiar object resting at its center.
It was an egg, but not just any egg. Its surface was black and glossy, resembling obsidian, exuding an almost supernatural aura. Lilith, captivated by the discovery, rushed forward, eager to uncover the significance of the artifact.
She extended her hand, and the moment she touched the egg, a cry of pain escaped her lips. Her hands were immediately engulfed in a searing burn, as if the egg was rejecting her. Alarmed, Lilith pulled back, her face contorted with pain and surprise, and turned to Aemon with a serious expression.
— Touch the egg — she commanded, her voice revealing a mix of pain and urgency.
Aemon, somewhat hesitant, approached the altar. As his hand made contact with the egg, nothing happened. No burns, no signs of rejection. On the contrary, it felt as if the egg had been waiting for him all along. Feeling a strange connection, Aemon watched as the obsidian egg began to crack.
The fissures quickly spread across its black surface, revealing its true form. Beneath the dark shell, an egg covered in shimmering silver scales emerged, as if made of the sharpest, most polished blades. The metallic sheen reflected the light in dazzling patterns, almost as if the heart of the cave itself was pulsing in harmony with the egg.
— What... is this... — Lilith murmured, her voice filled with reverent awe.
Aemon gazed at the egg, sensing that something much greater was about to unfold. The gleam of the silver scales seemed to throb with an ancient and powerful energy, as if the cave itself was waiting for the moment when its long-hidden secret would finally be revealed. The atmosphere around them was charged with anticipation, promising a revelation that had remained concealed for ages.
Aemon, gazing at the object before them, turned to Lilith with an expression of disbelief.
— A dragon egg? — he asked, trying to process the magnitude of the discovery.
Lilith, still absorbing the sight before them, cast her gaze to an ancient painting on the wall. The painting depicted the majestic dragon in all its splendor, silently confirming what Aemon had just uncovered. Her eyes sparkled with excitement, as if a crucial piece of her plans had finally been revealed.
With a satisfied smile, she turned to Aemon, the exhilaration evident in her gaze.
— This... — she began, her voice tinged with anticipation — This is the beginning of my plans.
Aemon, however, feeling the weight of the urgency that awaited them outside the cave, held the egg firmly in his hands and replied with seriousness.
— We need to go to Volcrist. The coronation of Cedric must be underway by now. If we don't leave immediately, we won't be able to stop the army of the sub-dominions.
As they prepared to leave, the cave seemed to pulse with a sense of foreboding. The discovery of the dragon egg had marked the start of a new chapter, but the pressing threat of Cedric's coronation loomed large. Aemon and Lilith, driven by a blend of determination and urgency, knew that their next steps would be crucial in the battle to come.
Aemon, already sprinting toward the cave's exit, came to a sudden halt when he realized Lilith wasn't following him. He turned around, his face a mix of confusion and urgency.
— Lilith! What are you doing? We don't have time, Volcrist is at stake!
Lilith remained still, her dark eyes locked onto him, as if a crucial decision was being made at that very moment. Her response came, cold and cutting.
— Be quiet, Aemon. I'm not going with you.
Aemon, stunned, took a few steps toward her, feeling the tension mounting.
— What do you mean? — He shook his head, unable to understand — We can't waste time! Cedric could seize the throne, and all our efforts will be for nothing!
Lilith cut him off, her voice laden with firmness and frustration.
— I'm not going to let you throw away all my years of work for a foolish cause. To hell with Volcrist! Kingdoms rise and fall every day, Aemon. That's not reason enough to risk everything we've built.
Aemon's expression shifted from surprise to anger. He clenched his fists, Lilith's words echoing in his mind, a storm of conflicting emotions.
— Volcrist is my home! — He shouted, his voice thick with emotion. — Don't you understand? It's not just a kingdom to me; it's everything I have. How can you call it a "trivial" motivation?
Lilith stepped forward, her eyes gleaming with determination and a touch of coldness.
— What you have doesn't matter to me, Aemon. I've invested years of my life into something much greater than your "throne." I won't risk it all for sentimentalities and empty promises.
Silence fell between them, heavy and fraught with tension. Aemon felt torn between the urgency of his mission and the painful revelation of Lilith's true plan. The weight of the choices before him seemed overwhelming, and the path ahead was more shrouded in uncertainty than ever.
As the environment around them seemed to close in, the cave's light cast dancing shadows on the walls, reflecting the depth of the unfolding crisis. Aemon was now at a crucial juncture, where loyalty, ambition, and harsh reality were intertwined in a complex and relentless web.
The tension between Aemon and Lilith had reached its breaking point. The two stared at each other for a brief moment, the silence in the cave broken only by the echo of their rapid breaths. Aemon, without saying a word, slowly placed the dragon egg on the ground, his eyes locked on Lilith. His jaw clenched in fury as he took a step toward her.
Suddenly, with unexpected speed, Aemon turned and delivered a powerful punch to Lilith's face. Caught completely off guard, she staggered and fell to the ground hard. Her eyes filled with hatred as she slowly lifted her face toward him.
— Bastard... — Lilith muttered, and before Aemon could react, she flicked her hands, sending a blast of wind magic toward him.
The impact was brutal. Aemon was hurled backward, his body slamming violently against the cave wall. He crumpled to the ground, the force of the blow vibrating through him, but he quickly pushed himself up, his eyes blazing with the fierce determination of a warrior.
Now, they were both ready for the confrontation.
Lilith, drawing on her magic, began casting spells of wind and fire, trying to keep Aemon at a distance. Every time he attempted to approach, a gust of wind pushed him back, and flames danced perilously close to him.
— Do you really think you can defeat me, Aemon? — Lilith sneered, her voice full of confidence — I was born for this.
Aemon, breathing heavily, stayed calm. He knew he couldn't defeat Lilith with brute force alone, but his resolve was unwavering. Dodging a blast of fire, he quickly closed the distance between them, unleashing a flurry of rapid strikes. Lilith managed to block some with a magical shield, but Aemon's sheer force caused her to lose balance.
They were evenly matched. For every physical strike from Aemon, Lilith responded with a spell, trying to maintain control of the fight, but Aemon was relentless. He circled around her, trying to confuse her movements, and in a moment of distraction, he landed a knee to her stomach, forcing her to stumble backward.
Infuriated, Lilith conjured a whirlwind around them, the cave stones trembling. She hurled lightning at Aemon, who, with quick reflexes, dodged most of it but got struck in the shoulder, feeling the burn spread through him. Still, he pressed on.
Now, they fought in the heart of the cave, surrounded by Lilith's magic and Aemon's unyielding determination. The flames lit the chamber as the sound of their clash echoed. Lilith was starting to realize that Aemon wouldn't give up, and that realization only fueled her rage.
— You don't understand, Aemon! I'm the only one who knows what's best for both of us! — Lilith screamed, her hands raised as she prepared a final, powerful spell.
Aemon, his face hardened, responded:
— You're wrong, Lilith. I'm not a pawn in your game.
With one last surge of effort, he charged at her, breaking Lilith's concentration with a powerful kick that sent her crashing to the ground. She tried to rise, but Aemon was already on top of her, his gaze intense and resolute.
Both were exhausted, their breaths ragged, but they knew this was only the beginning of something much larger.
Lilith, lying on the ground, realized she had lost the advantage. Her body ached, the impact of Aemon's blows still resonating through her muscles, but her mind remained sharp and cold. She knew Aemon was emotionally vulnerable, and decided to exploit that. Slowly, she rose, breathing heavily, and raised her hands in a gesture of surrender.
— Alright... — she said, her voice low and controlled — You've won, Aemon. There's nothing more to do... I'll cooperate with you.
Aemon, breathing hard, watched Lilith for a moment. He wanted to believe her, but something in her gaze still seemed calculated. Even so, fatigue was weighing on him, and he lowered his guard for an instant, thinking the fight was over.
In that brief moment, Lilith seized the opportunity she needed. With a quick and subtle motion, she cast a binding spell. Invisible threads of energy coiled around Aemon's body, tightly restraining his arms and legs. He struggled to break free, but Lilith's magic was too powerful.
— Did you really think I would surrender so easily? — Lilith whispered, her voice dripping with sarcasm and a shadow of madness — Aemon... you still don't understand, do you? All of this... all the strength you have... I created it. I made you who you are today. Everything you feel, the power that now courses through your veins... is mine. And you dare fight against me? Against my plans?
She approached slowly, her eyes gleaming with a mix of anger and fascination. With each word, Lilith seemed more dominating, as if trying to convince not only Aemon, but also herself.
— It makes no sense for you to fight, Aemon. You belong to me. I did this for us. For you. For everything we could achieve together. You should be by my side, fighting for my desires... for our pleasures. — Her fingers softly touched Aemon's face as he writhed, trying to resist the pressure of the magic — Volcrist doesn't matter. Cedric doesn't matter. All these kingdoms are insignificant. But we... we can own it all.
Aemon, his face contorted in frustration, refused to accept her words. He fought against the bonds that held him, but Lilith's magic was relentless. The venom in her words only fueled his determination.
— You don't understand, Lilith. I'm not your puppet. I never was. I made my own choices. And I won't fight for you, nor for your pleasures. — Aemon's voice rang strong, even through the pain — What you did to me doesn't give you the right to possess me. Who I am is the result of my own strength, not your control.
Lilith narrowed her eyes, her anger growing with each word Aemon spoke. She took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure, but control was slipping from her grasp. No matter how much she tried to manipulate, his words cut through her like blades.
— You'll see, Aemon... — she muttered, stepping even closer — You'll see that, in the end, you have no choice.