Kaelen stood at the edge of the camp, his eyes scanning the distant horizon. The first light of dawn had barely begun to touch the tops of the trees, and the air was thick with mist. In the quiet morning, the ancient ruins of Eldorath seemed even more desolate, their jagged stones and broken towers like skeletons reaching up from the ground. It was hard to believe that this place had once been the heart of a mighty kingdom, a land where dragons and riders soared through the skies, defending the realms from darkness.
Now, all that remained were crumbling memories. And yet, beneath the ruins, Kaelen had found something far more valuable than relics or treasure. A dragon—alive, its scales gleaming with the power of fire. The creature was still resting in the hidden chamber below, but its presence weighed heavily on his mind. He could feel the bond between them, a thread that connected him to the ancient world of the dragon riders, and he could not shake the sense that his life had been irreversibly changed.
Sir Eamon approached, his heavy cloak trailing behind him. The old knight's face was etched with lines of worry, but his eyes were sharp, as if he were already preparing for the battle that lay ahead. "It's time," he said quietly. "We leave for the north today."
Kaelen nodded, though his thoughts were still on Eldorath. "Do you think this place can ever be restored?" he asked, gesturing to the ruins. "The kingdom, I mean. The dragon riders, the honor they once held—could it all come back?"
Sir Eamon looked at the ruins, his expression hardening. "The glory of Eldorath died a long time ago, Kaelen. What you see here is just the bones of a dream. But dreams can be reborn. If the prophecy is true, if the dragons rise again, then there is hope. But it will take more than hope to rebuild what was lost. We need strength, unity, and above all, we need the dragons. Without them, we are just men fighting in the shadows."
Kaelen glanced toward the entrance of the hidden chamber where the dragon of fire slept. "I don't even know if I'm ready to be a dragon rider. The bond, it's so strong, but I don't know what it means. How am I supposed to ride a creature like that, let alone lead it?"
Sir Eamon clapped him on the shoulder, his grip firm. "You're more ready than you think, lad. The dragon chose you. That's not something that happens by chance. Trust in that bond. It will guide you. And remember, you're not alone in this. We ride together."
Kaelen felt a surge of gratitude toward the old knight, though the uncertainty still gnawed at him. The journey north, to the Elemental Peaks, was a daunting one. Rumors spoke of terrible cold, storms that could freeze a man where he stood, and beasts that hunted in the night. But if the dragon of ice was there, they had no choice. They had to find it before the Dark One did.
As they prepared to depart, Aeliana appeared from her tent, her long robes swaying in the cold morning breeze. The sorceress had been quiet since their discussion the night before, but her presence now was steady and determined. "The Elemental Peaks are dangerous," she said, her voice calm but firm. "But they are also the key. The dragon of ice sleeps there, and it is imperative we reach it before the Dark One's agents do. The north is no longer safe. Strange creatures have been sighted in the mountains—creatures of frost and shadow. We must be cautious."
Kaelen shivered at the mention of the Dark One's agents. He had heard stories of them—twisted beings who served the dark sorcerer, capable of manipulating shadow and ice to do their bidding. They moved through the realms like ghosts, corrupting everything they touched. If they were already searching for the dragon of ice, then time was running short.
The small company—Kaelen, Sir Eamon, Aeliana, and a handful of knights—gathered their supplies and mounted their horses. They set off into the wilds, leaving the ruins of Eldorath behind. As they rode through the mist-shrouded forest, Kaelen couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. The shadows between the trees seemed deeper, darker, as if something was lurking just out of sight.
The path northward was difficult, winding through dense woods and rocky terrain. The trees grew taller and the air colder as they journeyed, and by midday, snow began to fall lightly, dusting the ground in a thin layer of white. It wasn't long before the temperature dropped sharply, and their breath came out in visible puffs.
Aeliana rode at the front, her eyes scanning the horizon as if she could sense something beyond the physical realm. Kaelen kept close behind her, his thoughts flickering between the dangers ahead and the dragon he had left behind. The weight of his connection to the creature pressed on him, and he wondered if the dragon could feel it too. Was it aware of him even now, sleeping beneath the ruins of Eldorath? Would it be able to sense his fear, his doubts?
As they traveled deeper into the north, the landscape began to change. The trees thinned, replaced by jagged rocks and cliffs that rose sharply against the sky. The snow became heavier, swirling around them in thick, blinding gusts. The wind howled through the mountains, and the cold became so bitter that it gnawed at Kaelen's bones, even through his thick furs.
"The Elemental Peaks are close," Aeliana called out over the wind. "We should reach the base of the mountains by nightfall."
Sir Eamon rode up alongside her. "We'll need to find shelter. This storm is growing stronger. We won't last long in the open."
Aeliana nodded, but there was a tension in her posture, as if she sensed something dangerous ahead. "There's an old temple not far from here, built into the side of the mountains. It was once a sanctuary for travelers and scholars seeking the knowledge of the elements. If we can reach it, we should be able to shelter there for the night."
The wind picked up, whipping at their faces as they pressed on. Kaelen could feel the cold sinking into his skin, biting at his hands and feet. He pulled his cloak tighter, but it did little to stop the relentless chill. Ahead, the jagged peaks of the Elemental Mountains loomed, their tops hidden by swirling clouds. Somewhere in those mountains, the dragon of ice awaited.
As they neared the mountains, Kaelen felt a strange sensation, like a prickling at the back of his neck. He glanced around, his eyes scanning the snowy landscape, but there was nothing to see. Yet the feeling persisted—a sense of being watched, of something following them through the storm.
Aeliana suddenly stopped her horse, her hand raised in a signal for silence. The others halted, the only sound the howling of the wind and the crunch of snow beneath their horses' hooves.
"There's something here," she whispered, her eyes narrowing as she stared into the swirling snow. "Something unnatural."
Kaelen's hand went to the hilt of his sword, his heart pounding in his chest. He strained his eyes, trying to pierce the white veil of the storm, but all he could see was snow and shadow.
Then, out of the blizzard, a figure emerged.
It was tall, wrapped in a cloak of thick, black fur, its face hidden beneath a hood. The figure moved with an eerie grace, its steps silent as it approached. Kaelen's hand tightened on his sword, ready to draw, but something held him back. There was a power radiating from the figure, something ancient and cold.
Aeliana dismounted, her eyes locked on the figure. "Who are you?" she called out, her voice sharp against the wind.
The figure stopped a few paces away, and slowly, it lowered its hood.
A woman's face was revealed—pale, almost translucent, with eyes as blue and cold as ice. Her hair was long and white, flowing down her back like a river of snow. But it was her presence